It is a region of deep lanes and golden-green oak woods,
with cypresses and stone-pines, and little streams in all
directions flowing over the brown sandstone. The
country is like some parts of rural England — Devonshire
or Sussex. Not only is the sandstone here, as there,
broken into deep gullies ; but the vegetation is much the

^ Sketches and Studies in Italy and Greece^ iii. p. 68.
302



Belcaro

same. Tufted spleenwort, primroses, and broom tangle
the hedges under boughs of hornbeam and sweet-chest-
nut.'' The view of Siena behind us gradually expands,
as we mount up. When the little chapel is passed, we
keep to the right; presently an avenue of oaks and
ilex-trees leads to the villa, or castello, of Belcaro.
