THE WINTER IN EUROPE.—While we have been enjoying a remarkably mild winter on this side of the Atlantic, in Europe, both at the North and South, the season appears to have been one of unusual severity. Letters from the frontier of Italy state that the Convent of St. Bernard is entirely blocked up with snow. The monks have been obliged to cut a subterranean passage, in order to extricate themselves.
Miss Margaret Fuller writes to the Tribune, from Florence, under date of Jan. 6th:
“This winter, Italy is shrouded with snow. Here in Florence the oil congeals in the closet beside the fire–the water in the chambers—just as in our country-houses of New England, as yet uncomforted by furnaces. I was supposing this to be confined to colder Florence, but a letter this day received from Rome says the snow lies there two feet deep, and water freezes instantly if thrown upon the pavement. I hardly know how to believe it—I who never saw but one slight powdering of snow all my two Roman winters, scarce enough to cover a canary bird’s wing.”
Letters from Montpelier state that the excessive cold has caused serious injury to the olive plantations in that part of France, yet no serious augmentation in prices has followed.
We would observe, in reference to the foregoing, which we find in the Newark Daily Advertiser, that although we have had some of the mildest of winter weather this season in the United States, we have also had some of the severest known for many years.
“The Winter in Europe.” The Republic, 22 Feb. 1850, pp. 3.
