TRAVELS 
 
 AFTER THE PEACE OF x\MIENS, 
 
 THROUGH PARTS OP 
 
 FRANCE, SWITZERLAND, ITALY, 
 
 AND 
 
 GERMANY. 
 
 ■ ». ■ • 
 
 By J. G. LEMAISTRE, Esq. 
 
 AUTHOR OF A " ROUGH SKETCH OF MODERN PARIS." 
 Celeberrima per loca vadet Hon. 
 
 IN THREE VOLUMES. 
 
 Vol. I. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 PRINTED FOR J. JOHNSON, ST. PAUL'S CHURCHYARD. 
 
 i8oe. 
 
TO 
 
 HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS 
 
 THE PRINCE OF WALES. 
 
 SIR, 
 
 I presume to dedicate these vo- 
 lumes to the Prince of Wales. 
 
 In acknowledging the honor conferred 
 on me by the gracious sanction of this ad- 
 dress, your Royal Highness will permit me 
 to explain the motives which induced me to 
 offer it. 
 
 Having, in the course of the journey which 
 forms the subject of my work, visited the 
 museum at Portici, I found, with a lively sense 
 of national pride, that a rich mine Was there 
 exploring, under the munificent patronage of 
 an English Maecenas ; and I learned, with in* 
 creased satisfaction, that that honorable title 
 belonged to a Prince whose refined urbanity 
 
DEDICATION. 
 
 of manner, whose enlightened mind, and whose 
 generous support of the constitutional liberties 
 of his country, had from my earliest years ex- 
 cited my veneration and respect. 
 
 Returning to England deeply impressed 
 with this recollection, I found on my arrival 
 that the same illustrious personage, not satis- 
 fied with extending the sources of classical 
 knowledge abroad, had deigned to become at 
 home the general patron of living merit and 
 the prop of desponding genius. 
 
 But while your Royal Highness is thus 
 the liberal protector of ancient and modern 
 literature, you are equally* zealous to reward 
 the talents of those who in the profession of 
 arms devote their lives to the service of their 
 country. On a late occasion — an occasion 
 when the public mind was roused to an un- 
 usual degree of enthusiastic feeling, we saw 
 the Heir-apparent of the Crown step forward, 
 the first in munificence as the first in rank, to 
 succour the widows and orphans of the heroes 
 of. Trafalgar. W e saw you, sir, when unpre- 
 cedented worth called for unprecedented ho- 
 nors, disdain the petty ceremonials of courtly 
 
DEDICATION. 
 
 etiquette, and nobly offer to represent the 
 sorrow of a grateful people at the tomb of the 
 lamented Nelson. Your generous design 
 was frustrated ; but it lives in the memory of 
 an admiring nation, and shall be transmitted 
 to posterity with the exploits of him, over 
 whose grave no other hand was worthy to 
 plant the laurel of immortality. 
 
 These, sir, are the faets which challenge 
 this humble tribute. It is tendered not by 
 Flattery to Grandeur, but by Truth to Per- 
 sonal Merit. No man respects more than I 
 do the exalted rank of the Prince of Wales; 
 but neither the elevated situation which your 
 Royal Highness now fills, nor the still higher 
 destinies which await you, could have drawn 
 from me the language of praise, if the gifts 
 of Fortune had not been dignified by actions 
 such as these,- — actions which become a Prince, 
 and which do honor to Humanity. 
 
 May I presume to hope that your Royal 
 Highness, conscious of deserving the admira- 
 tion which I have ventured to express, will 
 forget the insignificant quarter from which it 
 comes; and will condescend to accept the 
 
DEDICATION. 
 
 proffered homage, as a small portion of that 
 general fame which is the necessary conco- 
 mitant and just reward of public virtue ? 
 
 I have the honor to be, 
 with the highest veneration and respect, 
 Sir, 
 
 your Royal Highness's 
 most obedient, 
 
 most devoted, 
 and very humble serv ant, 
 
 J. G. LEMAISTRE. 
 
 / 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 THE indulgence shown to the "Rough Sketch 
 of Modem Paris" encourages the author to lay 
 before the public these volumes, the subject of 
 which is the continuation of a tour begun by 
 a visit to the French capital. In attempting to 
 sketch scenes which have been often and ably 
 delineated, he might justly be accused of pre- 
 sumption, had not the face of Europe been so 
 changed by the French revolution, and the 
 war which ensued, that the most admired por- 
 traits bear no longer the traits of resemblance. 
 Men, states, potentates, and works of art, have 
 been carried away by the political torrent.— 
 
 " In segetem, veluti, cum flamma furentibus Austrb 
 Incidit, aut rapidus montano flumine torrens 
 Sternit agros, sternit sata laeta, boumque labores ; 
 Praecipitesque trahit sylvas." 
 
 The principal aim of this work is to point 
 V5l. I. a 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 out these changes and their effects ; to enume- 
 rate the objects most worthy of notice which 
 have escaped the rapacity of France ; and to de- 
 scribe the nations visited by the author, as they 
 appeared during the short interval of peace. 
 
 Of those who, from various motives, may 
 be induced to open the volumes now submitted 
 to the public, many, it is feared, will be disap- 
 pointed: but should the perusal, to however 
 small a number, afford either amusement or" 
 information, the labor of the writer will be 
 repaid, and his ambition will be fully gratified; 
 
 If the account of pictures, statues, and an- 
 tiquities, should sometimes be thought too 
 long, the reader will recollect, that these cu- 
 riosities are the objects for which a journey to 
 Italy is undertaken ; a country still so rich in 
 treasures of sculpture and painting, though 
 robbed of some of its principal ornaments, that 
 in giving the most abridged details of the 
 works of art it is almost impossible not to seeni 
 prolix. 
 
 As the appearance of these Travels has been 
 postponed long beyond the period originally 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 intended, it may not be improper to mention, 
 that the manuscript of the last volume was de- 
 livered to the publisher in February 1805. The 
 insurrection among the printers' pressmen, du- 
 ring the existence of which all literary under- 
 takings were suspended, was the first cause of 
 delay : and when that cause ceased to operate, 
 the favorable season for publication last year 
 had already elapsed. 
 
 In the intervening months great and unex* 
 pected events have occurred. Europe has- 
 been again subject to political change ; and 
 it probably bears at this moment a very diffe- 
 rent appearance from that which it presented 
 in 1802 and 1803. The reader, aware of this 
 circumstance, will have the goodness to re- 
 member, that the sketch now offered to him 
 was taken before the flames of war were re- 
 kindled on the continent. 
 
 For a note, which the author ventured to 
 add, on the authority of a well-informed friend, 
 while correcting the proof-sheets of the second 
 volume (p. 346), some apology ought now to 
 be offered. The intelligence which it contains 
 
 a 2 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 is no longer opportune yet it may perhaps 
 be still read with interest, since it tends to 
 show by what*repeated insults the emperor of 
 Austria was goaded on to war, and what un- 
 merited confidence he was taught to place in 
 the strength of his armies and the energy of his 
 people. 
 
 February 1806. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 LETTER I. 
 
 Departure from Paris. Fontainebleau. Sens, and its cathe- 
 dral. Lucy-le-bois. Dijon. Road and views between 
 Dijon and Lyons. Lyons. Page I 
 
 LETTER II. 
 
 Sights of Lyons. Belcour. Junction of the Rhone and the 
 Soane. The manufactures. Hotel de Ville. Inscription 
 in honor (of Bonaparte and the Cisalpine republic. Hotel 
 Dieu. New exchange. Grand Spectacle. View from the 
 Heights. Cathedral. Public library. Hall where the 
 Cisalpins held their sittings. Les Celestins (the second 
 theatre of Lyons). State of commerce. Public opinion. 
 Reflexions on leaving Lyons. Note on the state of so- 
 ciety 7 
 LETTER III. 
 
 Distant view of Mont Blanc. Cerdon. Nantua, and its 
 lake. St. Germain de Joux. Bellegarde. Perte du Rhone. 
 Fort de la Cluse. Ancient gates of Geneva. Village of 
 Secheron. Mount Jura. Savoy. Mont Blanc. Country- 
 seats of the Genevese. City of Geneva : its buildings. La 
 Traille, the public walk. Theatre. French officers. Aris- 
 tocratic distinctions of society. Coteries or ciixles of 
 young ladies. University of Geneva. Annual prizes 
 still given. Learning and mechanical arts still pursued 
 here. Pensionnaires, or boarders. Mr. Hentch the banker. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 English loved and esteemed here. Geographic account 
 of the town, copied from Mr. Coxe's Travels 1 8 
 
 LETTER IV.- 
 
 Water-parties on the lake of Geneva. Excursion to the 
 Little and Grand Saleve. Visit to Ferney. Its chateau, 
 church, and apartments. The cure named by Voltaire 
 still here. Mr. B. the present seigneur, &c. 92 
 
 LETTER V. 
 
 Journey to the glaciers of Savoy. La Bonne Ville. St. Mar- 
 tin near Salenche. Servo, and the English party found 
 at breakfast there. Glacier of Bosson. Valley of Cha- 
 mouny. Le Prieure. Source of the Arveron. Journey 
 up the Montanvert. Local description of the valley of 
 Ghamouny, copied from Mr. Coxe. Col de Baume. Va- 
 lais. Martigni. Idiots and inn there. Pisse-vache. Bex, 
 and the salt mines. Villeneuve. Castle of Chillon. Vil- 
 lage of Clarens. Vevay. Road to Lausanne. Environs. 
 Country-house of the landlord of " Le Lion d'Or." Onchy. 
 Nyon. Coppet, and M. Necker. Varsau. Party who 
 made this expedition. Return to Secheron 44- 
 
 LETTER VI. 
 Arrival at Lausanne. Illness there. Aristocratical distinc- 
 tions of society in this little town. Anecdote proving 
 the same. Noblesse, and their parties. Beauty of the 
 country. Excessive heat. House and grounds of Mr. 
 Gibbon. Anecdotes of him. M. Necker and madame de 
 Stael, at Coppet, their country-seat. Village, country re- 
 sidence, and conversation, of la baronne de Montolietf, 
 author of Caroline de Lichtfield, and her sister mademoi- 
 selle de Buten. Ceremony of giving the annual prizes to 
 the children of the college in the cathedral of Lausanne. 
 Excursion to Meillerie 68 
 
CONTENTS, 
 
 LETTER VII. 
 
 Tour round the cantons of Switzerland. Itinerary of the 
 same. Mcudon. Payerne. Dress of the peasants of Fri- 
 bourg. City of Fribourg. Cathedral, monastery, and con- 
 vent there. Hermitage near Fribourg. Canton of Berne: 
 dress of the people and appearance of the country. Town 
 of Berne. High Street. Cathedral : view from the ter- 
 race near it, and from the top of the church. Public li- 
 brary. Mint, or "Hotel des Monnoies." The infirmary, 
 and the hospital. Journey to Thun. Voyage on the lake. 
 Views seen from the lake. Utersee. Manner of traveling, 
 Lauterbrunen. Parsonage-house. Youngfrau, or Maiden 
 Mountain. Walk and Latin conversation with the mini- 
 ster. Supper and domestic concert at his house. The 
 Stoubbachi. Road to Grindelwald. Grindelwald not equal 
 to Lauterbrunen. Return to Utersee. Storm there. Pas- 
 sage on the lake of Thun, on returning to the town of that 
 name. Stopped by a storm, and obliged to make to land. 
 Embarkation a second time, and safe arrival at Thun, and 
 thence at Bern. Tiresome halts of the voituriers. Tomb 
 of madame Langhams in the village church of Hindel- 
 branch. Langenthal. Sursee. Lac de Sempach. Lu- 
 cerne. Cathedral. Danse de Mort. General Pfyffer's mo- 
 dels. Embarkation on " le Lac des Quatre Nations." Ger- 
 saw. Brunnen. Les Trois Conjures. William Tell's cha- 
 pel. Valley and town of Schwitz. Aloys Reding. Lake 
 of Lavertz. Art. Lake of Zug. Immici. Chapel of Wil- 
 liam Tell. Town of Zug. Brengarten, and the fete there. 
 Orderly conduct of the insurgent peasants. Baden. Mi- 
 litary preparations there. Baths of Baden. Insurgents 
 marching towards Zurich. Fall of the Rhine. SchafF- 
 liousen. Country of the Frickthal. Basle. Auberge des 
 Trois Rois. M. Michel's collection of prints. Cathe ral. 
 Tomb of Erasmus. View from the terrace. Public library 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 of Basle. Pictures of Holbein. Specimens of early print- 
 ing. Proces-verbal of the council of Basle on paper. Let- 
 ters and ■will of Erasmus. Copy of his work on Folly. 
 Departure from Basle. Valley and town of Laufien. Val- 
 ley of Delmont. Town of Delrnont. Aperture of Pierre 
 Purtuis. Valley of St. Imier. Town and inn of Bienne. 
 Landlord there. Passage on the lake of Bienne. Isle de 
 St. Pierre. Lake' of Neufchatel. Town of Neufchatel. 
 Journey to the town of Yverdon. Deserting peasants. 
 Rolle. Insolent landlord of La Couronne there. General 
 statement of my expedition. Character of the Swiss. Ar- 
 rival at Geneva. Junction of the Rhone and the Arve. 
 English gentlemen playing cricket. House where Jean 
 Jacques Rousseau was born PI 
 
 LETTER VIII. 
 
 Departure from Geneva. Advantage of traveling post in 
 Italy, in preference to voituriers. Frangy. Aix, and its 
 Waters. Chambery. Aiquebelle. La Chambre. Town 
 of St. Jean de Maurienne. Reception there of Henry IL 
 of France. Valley of Maurienne. Passage of Hannibal. 
 Petit Paris. Lead and Copper mines. Rivef Arc. Lanes- 
 bourg. Preparations for passing the Mount Cenis. Mu- 
 leteers, guides, "directeur," &c. Chattering and disputes 
 of the persons employed. The whole taken charge of by 
 the directeur. Paper given on setting out, with the price 
 of every thing to be paid on the other side. Departure up 
 the Alps. Les Ramasses. Valley and lake at the top of 
 Mount Cenis. La Grande Croix. French soldier demand- 
 ing passport. Porters, and their conversation. Bonaparte 
 and English officers who have traversed the Mount Cenis. 
 Les Echelles. St. Nicholas. Reflexions on seeing Italy. 
 Ferrieres. Novalese. Suza. Triumphal arch there. Jour- 
 ney thence to Turin. Approach to Turin. Arrival there 
 
 150 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 LETTER IX. 
 
 Population and geographical situation of Turin. Beauty and 
 regular architecture of this city. Suffered much from the 
 late war. Gates pulled down. Great appearance of the 
 effects of revolution. Victor Amadeus the author of the 
 improvements of Turin. Metropolitan church of S. Gio- 
 vanni Battista. Royal chapel della Santisshna Sudone, or 
 St. Suaire. St. Lorenzo. St. Philip de Neri. Jesuits' 
 church. Palace of the former kings of Sardinia, now in- 
 habited by general Jourdan as " administrateur-general de 
 Piemont." Its present state. Refused permission to see 
 the late king and queen's apartments, because occupied by 
 general and madame Jourdan. Gallery, arcade, and gar- 
 den. Figure of Liberty placed in the palace by the 
 French. Opera-house. Palais de Carignan. La Vigne 
 de la Reine:. II Valentino, a summer palace of the late 
 king, now a veterinary college. St. Christine, La Conso- 
 lata, St. Aiugustin, Piazza dell' Elbe, Corpus Domini, Le 
 Spirito Santo, St. Therese, La Concezione, and la Trinita. 
 II Collegio Reale di Nobili, now a school of natural his- 
 tory. University of Turin : Library, &c. The hospital. 
 II Regio Spedale della Carita. Le Chateau, or II Castello, 
 now an hotel de justice. Courts of law. La Supurga, 
 near Turin : church, mausoleum, and view from the top. 
 Opera-dancers of Turin. High mass" at the cathedral. 
 Promenade in the king's garden. Ascension of a balloon 
 from II Valentino. Citadel : barracks destroyed by Suva- 
 roff, rebuilt by the French. General remarks on Turin 
 
 169 
 
 LETTER X. 
 
 Journey from Turin to Genoa. Asti. Alexandria. Depart- 
 ment of Marengo, and inscription on entering it. Field, 
 village, and battle of Marengo. Spot and inscription 
 
CONTENTS, 
 
 Where Desaix was killed. Reports about the battle. Novr, 
 where Suvaroff gained a battle and Joubert was killed. 
 Novi commencement of the Eochetta. Ottagio. Country 
 infested with robbers. Obliged to take guards. Descrip- 
 tion of them, and of the. country. Top of the Bochetta the 
 summit of the Apennines. French soldiers. Campo Ma- 
 rone. Philosophy of a French guard. Road from Campo 
 Marone to Genoa. Miserable cottages and magnificent 
 villas on the road. Beautiful prospect on approaching 
 Genoa. Arrival there 190 
 
 LETTER XI. 
 
 Genoa. Houses. Streets. Carriages not allowed to roll. 
 Geographical account of the town, port} &c. Church of S. 
 Ambrogio — of S. Angelo — of S. Steffano — of S. Maria in 
 Carignano — (St. Sebastian, by Puget). Height of the 
 houses. St. Laurence. Altar and ashes of St. Johli the 
 Baptist. No women allowed to tread on a sacred shrine. 
 Notre Dame des Vignes. Albergo, or Palazzo, di Poveri. 
 La Vierge de St. Nicolas. Galley-slaves. Absence of the 
 Turkish slaves regretted by a laquais de place. Palace of 
 the doge. Palace of Gio- anni Luca Durazzo. Former 
 college of the Jesuits, now the uniA r ersity. Palazzo Sera. 
 Church of the Magdalen— of St. Sero— of St. Philip Negri 
 — ©f St. Luke. Palazzo Durazzo. Pictures of the same. 
 Church of the Annunciation, or " della Nunciazzione. ,, 
 Promenade of La Cossola. Gardens of Principe Doria. 
 Garden of Lomellino. Country-seat of Giacomo Filippo 
 Durazzo. Museum in the same. View from " La Lan- 
 tcrna," or the great lighthouse. Genoese theatre. Palace 
 of Principe Doria. Garden and gallery there. Country- 
 house of Giacomo Luca Durazzo. II Palazzo di Giacomo 
 Filippo Corregia. General observations and remarks on 
 Genoa as it is at present, and on its future probable fate 
 
 203 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 LETTER XII. 
 
 Return over the Bochettta to Novi. Journey to Pavia. Pas- 
 sage over the Po. Passage over the Tesin. University of 
 Pavia. Cabinet of natural history. Ilorto Botanico. .Cha- 
 pel of Santa Maria in Pertica (made entirely of human 
 skulls and bones). Collegio Borromco. Church of La 
 Chartreuse, between Pavia and Milan. Different chapels of 
 the same. Journey thence to Milan. Arrival there 232 
 
 LETTER XIII. 
 
 Geographical account of Milan. General appearance of the 
 town. First view of the cathedral. Palace of the vice- 
 president. Review there. Public garden, and Corso di 
 Orientali. Pedestrians and equipages there. Chapel of 
 Santo Bernardo di Morti, made of human bones and skulls. 
 Visit to the (cathedral. Exterior ornaments. Pictures and 
 statues within. View from the top of the church. Chapel 
 of St. Charles Borromee, or Borromeo. Note containing 
 the history of that saint. Body of St. Charles. Baptistery. 
 Archives of Milan. Ambrosian library : its various curio- 
 sities. Casa Borroinea. Church of Le Grazie, and the 
 adjoining convent, where, in a refectory (made a stable 
 by the French), appears the celebrated picture, by Leo- 
 nardo daVinci, of the Last Supper. Visit of an impromptu 
 poet- Opera-house, or principal theatre of Milan. Si- 
 gnora Corforini. II Monasterio Maggiore. S. Ambrogio. 
 S. Agostino. S. Francesca Maggiore. S.Vittore. Church 
 of St. Jerome. La Casa Litti. The castle of Milan. San 
 Simpliciano. S. Marc. College of Brera. Botanical gar- 
 den. Casa Clerici. Archeveche, or archiepiscopal palace. 
 
 ' Pictures there. L'Ospedale Maggiore. Prisons, er Car- 
 ceri. Lazaretto. Ramparts, or Corso. Casa di Correzione. 
 Count BelgiosaY palace, now the residence of general 
 Murat. Palazzo Dueale. Helvetic college. Seminarium. 
 
CONTENTS, 
 
 Casa Arese. Gallery of pictures there. Canals. Churck 
 of S. Alessandro. Cathedral lighted preparatory to the 
 fete of St. Charles Borromee. Ceremonies of ths same 
 fete. S. Alessandro. S. Fidele. General account of Milan 
 
 2U 
 
 LETTER XIV. 
 
 Departure from Milan. Marignano. Lodi, and its cele- 
 brated bridge. Passage of the Po. Placenzia, and the 
 equestrian statues there. French just taken possession of 
 the town. Cathedral of Placenzia. River Taro. Parma. 
 Cathedral of the same, and its cupola by Corregio. Ma- 
 donna della Scala. Library of Parma. The Crowning of 
 the Virgin, by Corregio. Great theatre at Parma. Aca- 
 demy in the palace. Statues found at Vclleia. Modern 
 productions which have gained the prize of the Academy 
 Palazzo deirGiarclino. Body-guard and citizens in mourn- 
 ing for the late prince. Modena : its elegant streets and 
 buildings. II Palazzo Ducale. Library of Modena : edi- 
 tions: manuscripts. La Gal leria di Belle Arte. Skull of 
 Corregio. Cathedral of Modena. Secchia Rapita. Chapel 
 formerly called Ducal. Botanical garden. Arrival at 
 Bologna 278 
 LETTER XV. 
 
 Eologna. Geographical and historical account of this town. 
 Statue of Neptune, by John of Bologna. Palazzo Zambe- 
 carri. Has not suffered by the war. Pictures there. 
 Church of San Paolo. II Duomo, or San Pietro. Palazzo 
 Sampieri. Finest pictures there now left in Italy. Chef- 
 d'eeuvre of Guido, or St. Paul reproving St. Peter. Palazzo 
 Tanari. Pictures there. Former convent of S. Vitale, now 
 a national museum of pictures taken from the churches. 
 Palazzo Bontiglioli. Palazzo Ranuzzi. Palazzo Caprari. 
 Palazzo Monti, Favi, Magnani, and Aldrovandi. Palazzo 
 Lambertiui. St. Michael in Bosco. The Capucina. The 
 Madonna di S. Luca, and in a note the history of the sa- 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 cred picture from which the church is named. Church of 
 Scalzi. The Chartreuse, now a burying place. The Ma- 
 donna di Galiera, and the chapel of II Oratorio. S. Bartolo- 
 meo di Reno. Gesu e Maria. The Mendicanti di Dentro. 
 S. Francesco, now the custom-house. S. Salvatore ; and in 
 the sacristie St. Sebastian, by Guido. S. Paolo. Corpus 
 Domini. Santa Agnese, now a barrack. S. Domenico. 
 Church of the Inquisition destroyed. Church of I Servi. 
 S. Giovanni in Monte. S. Gregorio. S. Benedetto. S. 
 Martino Maggiore. S. Leonardo. Csfpucine convent. St. 
 Nicolas de St. Felix. S. Giovanni Battista. S. Giacomo 
 Maggiore. La Carita. Towers of Bologna, called Di Gli 
 Asinelli and Di Garisendi. II Duomo, or the cathedral of 
 S. Pietro. S. Petronio. University and anatomical school. 
 Piazza Maggiore. Palazzo Publico. Palazzo di Podesta. 
 Torazzo. Church of S. Maria della Vita. Institute of Bo- 
 logna. Anatomical collection there. II Pelegrino, the 
 principal inn 295 
 
 LETTER XVI. 
 
 Journey from Bologna to Florence. Pietra Mala. General 
 account of Florence. Porta di S. Gallo. II Duomo, or the 
 cathedral. The Baptistery, and its bronze gates. Statues 
 in the open streets unhurt. La Loggia. Gallery of Me- 
 dici. Theatre of Niobe. The Hermaphrodite. Bust of 
 Brutus. Palazzo Pitti, now inhabited by the king of 
 Etruria. Museum or cabinet of natural history, under the 
 
 . care of the abbe Fontana. Botanical garden. Pictures of 
 the Palazzo Corsini. S. Lorenzo, and the mausoleum of 
 the princes of the house of Medici. Library of S. Lorenzo. 
 Palazzo Riccardi. Note containing the history of Bianca 
 Capello. Pictures of the Palazzo Riccardi. La Nunziata, 
 and the requiem performed there for the soul of the late 
 duke of Parma. The Madonna del Sacco of Andrea del 
 Sarto in the cloister of that church. Church of Santa 
 Croce. Palazzo Gerini, and pictures there. Pergola, or 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 principal theatre of "Florence. Matucci, n celebrated -so- 
 prano singer heard there. Delightful promenade near the 
 gates of Florence, called the Cassino. Academia di Belle 
 Arte. Church of S. Marco. II Palazzo Vecchio. Foun- 
 tain of Neptune, by John of Bologna, and equestrian statue 
 of Cosmo of Medici. Manufactures of alabaster and 
 marble. General account of Florence, of its manners, 
 Conveniences, society, government, &c. 317 
 
 LETTER XVII. 
 
 Departure from Florence. Description and history of Sienna. 
 Piazza del Campo. Palazzo del Eccelsi, or di Signori. 
 Column ornamented with a group of Romulus and Remus. 
 Tower of the Virgin. II Duomo, or the cathedral. Fa- 
 cade. Inscription. Pavement. Chapel of Chigi. Library, 
 or sacristie. Al-fresco paintings, by Raphael, in which he 
 has introduced his own portrait. Radicofani, built on an 
 extinguished volcano. Entrance into the territories of the 
 pope. Miserable post-horses. Scene with the same. S. 
 Lorenzo. Lake and town of Bolsena. Viterbo. Lake of 
 Vico, Arrival at Rome. Porta e Piazza del Popolo 34-6 
 
 LETTER XVIII. 
 
 Diary of my first residence at Rome. St. Peter's. Approach 
 to it grand beyond description. Coliseum, or Flavian am- 
 phitheatre. Anecdote of Michael Angelo. Arch of Con- 
 stantine. Piazza Navoni. Duke Braschi's palace. The 
 Capitol. Steps leading to it. Castor and Pollux. Marcus 
 Aurelius. Senatorial palace. Museum of antiquities. Tar- 
 peian Rock. Campo Vacci no. Arch of Septimius Severus. 
 Ruins of the Temple of Peace. Front of S.Lorenzo in 
 Miranda. Villa Borghese. Roman assembly. Fountain 
 of Trevi. Monte Cavallo. Celebrated statues there. Egyp- 
 tian pyramid and inscription. Fountain of Termini, now 
 called the Fountain of Moses. Church of S. Vittoria. St, 
 
1 
 
 Contents. 
 
 Theresa Dying, by Ch. Bernini. Church of Madonna 
 delli Angeli, built out of the Baths of Dioclesian. Church 
 of Santa Maria Maggiore. Obelisk of the same. Church 
 of Santa Croce di Gerusalemme. Church of St. John de 
 Lateran, Baptistery of Constantine. Le Scale Sante, or 
 steps by which our Saviour ascended to the throne of Pon- 
 tius Pilate. Sealing of the relics by the pope. Adventure 
 at the church where we went to see that ceremony. Equi- 
 page, guard, and servants of the pope. The pope. Pa- 
 lazzo Doria. Church of the Capuchins. Pictures the.v 
 The Bel videre of the Vatican. Palazzo Borghese. Church 
 of the Madonna del Popolo. Statue by Raphael the pain- 
 ter. Villa Borghese. House, statue, and pictures there 
 Palazzo Rospigliosi. Celebrated Aurora of Guido in the 
 summer-house of that palace, and other pictures. High 
 mass performed by the pope at St. Peter's, on Christmas- 
 day. Account of that ceremony. The pop<^ carried 
 through th(e aisle of St. Peter's. Character of the present 
 pope. Angelica Kauffman's pictures, preparations for 
 leaving Rome 359 
 
 LETTER XIX. 
 
 Road from Rome to Naples : described by Horace. Ancient 
 aqueducts. Velletri. Pontine Marshes. Terracing. Fon- 
 di. Hill of S. Andrea. View and change of climate ex- 
 perienced on the summit. Mela di Gaietta, Cicero's 
 villa. Capua. Aversa. Capo di China. Arrival at Na- 
 ples $92 
 LETTER XX. 
 
 Description of the bay of Naples, and first coup-d'ceil of that 
 city. Palazzo Reale, or the king's palace. II Gigante, a 
 colossal figure of Jupiter. The Arsenal. Castello Nuovo. 
 Port of Naples. Largo di Castello. Strada di Toledo. 
 Suburbs of St. Lucie, and the Chiaia. Villa Reale, and the 
 Toro, or Farnesian Bull. Gay appearance of Naples. The 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 cabriolets let for hire. Lively countenances, slender food, 
 and tawdry dresses of the Lazaroni 401 
 
 LETTER XXL 
 Neapolitan nobility. Their ignorance. Anecdotes proving 
 the same. Their equipages, and usual mode of life. En- 
 glish society, mixed with Russians and other foreigners. 
 Ball given by captain Gore of the Medusa frigate : by 
 Mr. I^rummond, on the queen's birth-day : by the En- 
 glish bachelors. Carnival, and the manner of celebrating 
 it. Masks, and sugar-plum war in the Strada di Toledo. 
 Masquerades at the theatre of S. Carlos 415 
 
 ERRATA. 
 
 P. 163, L 9. For " country " read " journey." 
 
 164, in the first of the two lines cited from Virgil. For 
 
 " primis^ read " primus." 
 175, 1. 4. For " Cardignan" read " Carignan." 
 178, first line of note. For " of it " read " on it/' 
 233, 1. 2. For " porta " read " posta." 
 257, 1. 6. For " Morgan " read " Morghen." 
 301, last line. For " called " read f* representing." 
 310, 1. 14. For " Dentio" read " Dentro." 
 336, last line. For " oleae " read " oleaeque." 
 394, 1. 11. For « later " read « Latin." 
 
 1. 12. For " left Anxur " read " left the temple of 
 Feronia." 
 
 403. Efface the accent on the a of the last word of the 
 last Latin line. 
 
TRAVELS 
 
 THROUGH 
 
 FRANCE, SWITZERLAND, &c. 
 
 LETTER I. 
 
 Departure from Paris— Fontainebleau — Sens, and its cathedral 
 — Lucy-le-bois — Dijon — Road and vieivs between Dijon 
 and Lyons- — Lyons. 
 
 , , , . Lyons, May 21, 1802. 
 
 My dear sir, 
 
 My last letter from Paris, of the 
 14th of last month, informed you that I was 
 on the eve of my departure from that capital. 
 I accordingly set out on the following morn- 
 ing ; and, after a pleasant journey of five days, 
 arrived here on Wednesday last. 
 
 The only object of notice in my first day's 
 journey was Fontainebleau, once the splendid 
 residence .of the kings of France. The woods 
 which surround that favorite retreat of the 
 unfortunate Louis XVI. have a wild and ma- 
 jestic appearance ; but the beauty they possess 
 
 Vol. I. B 
 
2 
 
 is of a melancholy kind, and admirably calcu- 
 lated to recal the history of him, who, in the 
 halcyon days of power, unconscious of the fate 
 which awaited him, found within these shades 
 his principal joy and favorite amusements. 
 
 The palace is deserted, and rapidly falling 
 into decay. The furniture has been removed, 
 and the large mirrors formerly seen in the 
 principal apartments have been stolen ; but 
 the ornamental paintings of the walls are still 
 fresh and undamaged. After walking through 
 the great rooms, we visited the boudoir of the 
 queen. A servant who had lived in the family, 
 and was much attached to the memory of that 
 princess, feeling a regard for the inanimate ob- 
 jects which were once graced by her presence, 
 has contrived to save from destruction this ele- 
 gant chamber. The fine glasses and the superb 
 gilding still remain, and enough is left to prove 
 the taste and magnificence with which it was 
 once decorated. Marie Antoinette, it seems, 
 particularly disliked the residence of Fontaine- 
 bleau : its fine but awful scenery inspired her 
 with involuntary grief; and she never accom- 
 panied the king to this palace without shedding 
 tears, and losing that gaiety which constituted 
 one of the charms of her character. 
 
 The town, which principally depended on 
 the king and the persons attached to his suite, 
 is now as neglected and forlorn as the royal 
 
3 
 
 residence. The principal houses are unte- 
 nanted and shut up, poverty marks the ap- 
 pearance of the greater part of the inhabitants, 
 and grass is growing in the streets. I hurried 
 away . from a spot where Melancholy and 
 Wretchedness appeared to have taken up their 
 abode; and, after travelling in these delightful 
 woods for some time, came into a rich and fer- 
 tile country, which led us to the town of Sens. 
 
 At every posthouse where we changed horses 
 we heard the lamentations of the inhabitants, 
 whose vines had been destroyed the preceding 
 night by a severe and unusual frost. Such an 
 event is a misfortune of no little importance 
 in these provinces, where the wealth, and in 
 some degree the existence, of the people is 
 drawn from the produce of their grapes. In 
 four-and-twenty hours the hopes of the most 
 envied had been frustrated, and the poor looked 
 forward with fear and dismay to a year of scar- 
 city. 
 
 Before I left Sens the following morning I 
 Strolled into the episcopal church of that city ; 
 and, as scarcely fourteen days had passed since 
 the re-establishment of public worship, I was 
 not a little surprised at finding it restored to 
 all its former splendor. The windows have 
 not suffered ; and the dauphin's tomb, though 
 removed from the choir to a little chapel, is 
 still perfect. 
 
 B2 
 
4 
 
 The church was decorated with altars, eru^ 
 cifixes, mitres, and relics ; aad from its present 
 appearance no one would be led to suspect 
 that religion, or even the catholic faith, had 
 ever been abolished : yet I am informed that 
 Sens was remarkable for the violence of the 
 revolutionary measures and indecent scenes 
 committed within its walls. The fact is, that 
 every thing is regulated in France by the im- 
 perious law of fashion ; and in this country a 
 bigot becomes an atheist, or an atheist a bigot, 
 with the same facility and unconcern with 
 which an Englishman changes the most frivo- 
 lous part of his dress, in compliance with ge-* 
 neral usage. 
 
 But, to resume and conclude my account of 
 the church of Sens. As it was Sunday, there 
 were vast crowds of people assembled, who 
 were praying at the different altars. In the 
 number I remarked a female who gave still 
 stronger marks of religious fervor, by devoutly 
 kissing the hands, arms, and legs of a naked 
 figure of our Saviour. 
 
 We reached the second night Lucy-le-bois, 
 where we found a very comfortable little inn, 
 at which, as our landlady failed not to inform 
 us, Bonaparte had lodged on his road to Italy. 
 
 After traversing a good but stoney road 
 during the whole of the following day, we 
 reached Dijon about seven in the evening. 
 
5 
 
 Dijon, rendered so celebrated by being the 
 spot where the great army of reserve before 
 the second expedition to Italy assembled, is a 
 neat and handsome city. The facade, or front, 
 of the principal church is a fine piece of Gothic 
 architecture. The inside has been quite de- 
 stroyed, and is not yet repaired. The Maison 
 de Commune, or town hall, is an edifice of re- 
 spectable appearance. The castle, though of 
 vast antiquity, is still perfect. The walks which 
 surround the town are very pretty ; the most 
 frequented and most esteemed of which is the 
 Park. I also visited an extremely pleasant 
 garden called Arquebus, formerly belonging to 
 an individual, whose grounds, in consequence 
 of his emigration, have been confiscated, and 
 devoted to the use of the public. This spot is 
 laid out with considerable taste; and the ar- 
 rangements are very justly said to have been 
 made a VAnglaise. 
 
 After viewing the town and environs we 
 proceeded on our journey; and, reaching 
 Chalons-sur-Soane the same evening, found 
 excellent accommodations at Vauberge des 
 Trois Faisans. 
 
 The situation of Chalons is delightful. No- 
 thing can be more picturesque or more fasci- 
 nating than the view which presents itself from 
 the window of the inn. The bridge, the river, 
 and the innumerable boats, form a landscape 
 
6 
 
 of peculiar beauty. Late in the evening I 
 took a walk on the banks of the Soane ; and, as 
 the moon shone in all its splendor, I witnessed 
 a scene well deserving the pencil of Claude 
 Lorraine. 
 
 Our journey the next day was uncommonly 
 pleasant, through a country becoming more 
 and more beautiful at every mile. Never shall 
 I forget the sensations I experienced, when, as 
 we approached Lyons, I discovered for the first 
 time, though at a vast distance, the towering- 
 summit of the Alps. 
 
 Perhaps no city in the world stands in so ro- 
 mantic a situation as Lyons. Besides the ma- 
 jestic object which I have just mentioned, and 
 which gives a dignity to the picture, the man- 
 ner in which the town is built, scattered about 
 on different hills j the two rivers which surround 
 it, each sufficient to constitute the beauty of 
 any other place; and the position of the houses, 
 which seen at a distance appear to rise out of 
 the water ; form altogether a fairy prospect 
 which might well be taken for the magic of en- 
 chantment. 
 
 Having now safely conducted you to this 
 well-known city, I shall take my leave, and 
 shall postpone my account of Lyons till I have 
 had an opportunity of visiting the different ob T 
 jects most interesting and most likely to arrest 
 your attention. I am, &c. 
 
7 
 
 LETTER II. 
 
 Sights of Lyons — Belcour — Junction of the Rhone and the Socme 
 — The manufactures — Hotel de Ville — Inscription in honor of 
 Bonaparte and the Cisalpine republic — Hotel Dieu — New 
 exchange — Grand Spectacle — View from the Heights — The 
 cathedral — -Public library — Hall where the Cisalpins held 
 their sittings — Les Celestins {the second theatre of Lyons) — 
 State of commerce — Public opinion-— Reflexions on leaving 
 Lyons — Note on the state of society. 
 
 Lyons, May 22, 1802. 
 
 My dear sir, 
 
 I INTEND leaving Lyons in the 
 course of to-day. I now send you the result 
 of my cursory visit. 
 
 The first object to which our steps were di- 
 rected was Belcour, where once stood the pa- 
 laces of the resident noblesse. All the magnifi- 
 cent buildings which formerly adorned this fine 
 square are no more; and I heard with equal 
 astonishment and disgust that they were de- 
 stroyed, not by the frantic and inconsiderate 
 rage of an exasperated mob, but by the cool 
 deliberate malice of persons who assumed the 
 dignified n am f 3 of representatives' of the people. 
 
 Collet ■d'Herbois and his sanguinary asso- 
 ciates, who were sent hither by the convention, 
 not satisfied wiith condemning to death the most 
 
8 
 
 venerable, the most virtuous, and most esteem- 
 ed citizens of this celebrated city, with a spirit 
 of devastation scarcely equaled by that of sa- 
 vage nations ordered the houses which they 
 had inhabited to be leveled with the ground. 
 
 Posterity will scarcely believe that in an age 
 calling itself civilised, and in a country which 
 professes to have carried that civilisation to the 
 highest point, such an act was committed : yet 
 such is the truth, and such the punishment in- 
 flicted on the Lyonnois for their brave and 
 single-handed resistance to the tyranny of a 
 government, which, though no one at that time 
 excepting themselves had the courage to op- 
 pose, all France has since united in con- 
 demning. 
 
 The statue of Louis XIV. has of course been 
 removed, and most probably destroyed ; but 
 the beautiful figures personifying the Rhone 
 and the Soane, which likewise adorned the 
 place of Belcour, though no longer in their old 
 situation, have been preserved, and now stand 
 in the vestibule of the Hotel cle Viile. 
 
 After walking through the ruins of the once 
 splendid Belcour, and indulging those re- 
 flexions which such a scene naturally excited, 
 we hired an open carriage [such carriages are 
 to be had every hour at Lyons, and at a very 
 moderate price], and went to see the junction 
 of the two rivers. We were delighted with the 
 
9 
 
 avenue of iofty trees through which we drove, 
 and with the picturesque objects which sur- 
 rounded us. Mont Blanc at a distance, the 
 Rhone on one side and the Soane on the 
 other, innumerable country-seats, vineyards, 
 cornfields, rocks, and churches, present so rich 
 and so variegated a prospect, that it can scarce- 
 ly be equaled. The junction of the Rhone and 
 the Soane takes place at a distance of about 
 a mile from the town, and is effected so tran- 
 quilly, that had not the point of union been 
 pointed out to me I should scarcely have re- 
 marked it, and, might have been led to believe 
 that here there was but one river. 
 
 As we returned to town we met several car- 
 riages and horsemen ; and my conductor in- 
 formed me that the avenue formed the favorite 
 and most frequented promenade of Lyons. 
 • I was of course anxious to see the different 
 articles fabricated here, and which are so well 
 known and so much esteemed in every part of 
 Europe. I accordingly went to a silk manu- 
 factory, to a velvet manufactory, and to a ma- 
 nufactory of~ embroidered silk. As we found 
 but one or two persons employed in each room, 
 I could -not help expressing my surprise; and 
 was informed that no number of daily work- 
 men is hired by any master in these different 
 lines, but that each individual performs at 
 home the task assigned him. I was obliged to 
 
10 
 
 be satisfied with this answer, my stay at Lyons 
 being too short to enable me to ascertain whe- 
 ther such be the truth, or a pretext serving as 
 an apology for the few hands which I saw en- 
 gaged. All the persons I conversed with agreed 
 in saying that their respective trades had been 
 ruined by the united evils of war and revolu- 
 tion, but that business at present began to re- 
 vive. 
 
 We next visited l'Hotel deVille, or the town- 
 hall, a fine and spacious building, in which Bo- 
 naparte lodged and received the deputies of 
 the Cisalpins. I copied the inscription de- 
 scriptive of this event, which has been placed 
 on the wall of the great stairs. It is as fol- 
 lows : — 
 
 Le 21 Nivose, an 10 de la 
 republique, 
 BONAPARTE, 
 vainqueur et pacificateur de l'Europe, 
 vint a Lyon, et habita dans ce palais. 
 500 deputes de la Cisalpine, reunis pres de lui, 
 fixerent sous ses auspices 
 le gouvernement et les destins 
 de leur patrie. 
 A sa vue 
 
 les arts se reveillerent dans cette cite a 
 le commerce fut rendu a son antique splendeur : 
 et les Lyonoisj formant pour lui 
 les m6m.es vceux qu' autre fois pour Antonin^ 
 ont dit, 
 
 que son bonheur egale sa gloire ! 
 
II 
 
 ( Translation ). 
 
 The 21st Nivose, in the year 10 of the 
 republic, 
 BONAPARTE, 
 conqueror and pacificator of Europe, 
 came to Lyons, and dwelt in this palace. 
 500 deputies of the Cisalpine, assembled in his presence, 
 fixed under his auspices 
 the government and the destinies 
 of their country. 
 At sight of him 
 the arts revived in this city, 
 commerce was restored to its ancient splendor: 
 and tlhe inhabitants of Lyons, forming for him 
 the same wishes which they expressed in former times 
 for Antoninus*, 
 have said, 
 may his happiness equal his glory ! 
 
 A gentleman employed in one of the public 
 offices carried on in this building had the po- 
 liteness, on hearing we were English, to show 
 us the principal apartments, which are hand- 
 some, commodious, and becoming the great 
 city to which they belong. 
 
 From the Hotel de Ville we went to l'Hotel 
 Dieu, the principal hospital of Lyons. We 
 walked through the several vast apartments 
 
 * This alludes to a visit which, as tradition reports, the 
 emperor Marcus Antoninus paid to the city of Lyons* 
 
12 
 
 appropriated to the sick, the lofty domes of 
 ■which are at once an ornament to the town, 
 the means of giving good air to the afflicted, 
 and of preventing contagion. The beds are 
 uncommonly clean and neat ; and a chapel 
 placed in the middle of each room adds the 
 consolation of religion to that of medicine. 
 We visited also the kitchen, the laboratory, and 
 the hall, and had every reason to be pleased 
 with what we saw. The whole of this truly 
 philanthropise establishment is superintended, 
 and all the functions performed, by a society 
 of eighty brothers and of one hundred and 
 twenty sisters, who devote their lives to these 
 pious offices. The brothers are dressed in 
 "black, and the sisters have just resumed their 
 ancient costume, which varies but little from 
 that of a nun. They wear white linen hoods, 
 black stuff gowns, and white handkerchiefs, and 
 a black cross suspended from their neck. All 
 persons of all nations are received in this splen- 
 did hospital, without distinction and without 
 recommendation. No town in the universe can. 
 boast of an institution more honorable, more 
 useful, or more praiseworthy. 
 
 In going from l'Hotel Dieu we were shown, 
 not far from l'Hotel de Ville, a large building 
 which was formerly a convent, and which Bo- 
 fcaparte gave to the town at his last visit. It is 
 now aa exchange ; and I saw the commercial 
 
13 
 
 men assembled here in great numbers. It is, 
 indeed, not unlike the Royal Exchange of 
 London. 
 
 The objects which I have already mentioned 
 occupied our first day, and the evening was de- 
 voted to Le Grand Spectacle, or principal the- 
 atre, where we saw performed the tragedy of 
 CEdipe. This theatre is a large, gloomy, ill- 
 lighted building ; and the acting appeared to 
 us, accustomed to the best performers of Paris, 
 far below mediocrity. As the night was fine, 
 we returned on foot along the banks of the 
 Rhone. Nothing can be more delightful than 
 this promenade. A row of handsome houses 
 built on th<e water side commands a view rarely 
 seen withhn the walls of a great city. 
 
 I ascended with an English friend, the fol- 
 lowing morning, what are here called the 
 Heights, and from the top of a tower belong- 
 ing to a ci-devant convent (now a chapel) saw 
 to great advantage the town and neighbour- 
 hood of Lyons. The Alps, the two rivers, and 
 the scattered buildings of all descriptions, with 
 the remains of the military positions taken by 
 the opposing armies at the late siege, and the 
 ruins of a Roman aqueduct — all these objects 
 form a total of magnificent sights too sublime 
 to be described. Mass was celebrating in the : 
 chapel beloAv ; and as we descended the hill we 
 went into another church, where a priest was 
 
H 
 
 giving a lesson of religion to a number of 
 children, the eldest of whom was not more than 
 five years old. Just as we came in he was ex? 
 plaining the story of Adam and Eve, the apple, 
 &c. My English friend well observed that the 
 priests were already occupied in laying the 
 foundation of that influence which they by de- 
 grees will no doubt recover over the minds of 
 the people *. 
 
 The cathedral, whither we next bent our 
 steps, has a majestic appearance without, and 
 is beautifully situated on the river Soane ; but 
 within it is in a complete state of decay, and 
 much time and labor will be necessary to re- 
 store it to its original grandeur. 
 
 I failed not also to visit the public library. 
 It consists of one long room filled with books, 
 which I had not sufficient time to examine. Its 
 windows command the Rhone. On the ground 
 floor in the same building is the salle y or hall, 
 where the deputies of the Cisalpins held their 
 meetings, and in which Bonaparte was elected 
 and received as president of the Italian re- 
 public. Both these rooms are in what was. 
 formerly called the college. 
 
 Besides these, Lyons possesses several other 
 public buildings which I had not sufficient 
 time to see, particularly the workhouse, which, 
 
 * This was written only a fortnight after the restoration of 
 religion. 
 
15 
 
 as I am told, is both remarkable for its archi- 
 tecture and praiseworthy for the manner in 
 which it is conducted. We passed our second 
 evening at Les Celestins, the second spectacle 
 of this town. The theatre itself is pretty ; but 
 we found here but little company, and the act- 
 ing had nothing to recommend it. 
 
 During the very short stay which I have 
 made at Lyons it is impossible for me to gain 
 any satisfactory information about the present 
 state of commerce. It seems to be generally 
 allowed that it was entirely annihilated during 
 the revolution j and though it may begin to 
 revive, many years of profound peace are ne- 
 cessary to justify the hope of its regaining its 
 former state of prosperity. 
 
 From the heavy losses which the town has 
 experienced, from the devastation committed 
 on its principal buildings, and from the murder 
 of its best and richest citizens, Lyons derives a 
 strong and rooted hatred to the name of the 
 republic ; and, however satisfied the inhabi* 
 tants may be with the government of Bona- 
 parte, their satisfaction is only relative. They 
 prefer his administration to any which has ex- 
 isted since the death of Louis XVI. ; but they 
 are still royalists ; and if the house of Bourbon 
 shall in the course of years be ever restored, I 
 am convinced that no part of France will so 
 heartily rejoice in the measure, or so wil- 
 
16 
 
 lingly assist in promoting it, as the city of 
 Lyons. 
 
 In the few days which I have passed within 
 its walls it is impossible not to discover such 
 to be the general, and I might almost say the 
 universal, wish of the people — a wish which 
 few, if any, attempt to conceal. 
 
 I take my leave of this city with regret. 
 It is venerable for its antiquity; interesting 
 from its natural position, and doubly so from 
 the unmerited misfortunes which it has experi- 
 enced ; estimable for the spirit of trade and in- 
 dustry which has from time immemorial reigned 
 within its walls, and, more than all, for the un- 
 daunted courage, zeal, and perseverance, dis- 
 played by the inhabitants during the late me- 
 morable siege, when, without any foreign aid, 
 they defended themselves against the whole ar- 
 my and united resources of the rest of France. 
 
 Adieu ! My horses are waiting ; I am there- 
 fore compelled to bid you an abrupt fare- 
 well. 
 
 P.S. since my return. — I of course had no 
 opportunity, during my stay at Lyons, of taking 
 any view of the state of society; but an En- 
 glish friend, who passed some months there 
 after the peace, assures me that our country- 
 men were received in that city by all the dif- 
 
17 
 
 ferent classes with much kindness and hospi- 
 tality. 
 
 Notwithstanding the general misfortunes of 
 the country, and the particularly severe ones 
 which this town experienced, from the effects 
 of the last war, I understand there was much 
 gaiety during the carnival which immediately 
 succeeded its termination. The society had, 
 as at Paris, three distinct divisions ; the mem- 
 bers of the (ancient noblesse forming one, com- 
 mercial persons another, and the public func- 
 tionaries and military the last. In all, I am 
 told, there appeared one common character, — 
 I mean, the prevalence of liveliness, bienseance*, 
 and a disposition to please and to be pleased. 
 
 * "Bienseance is a word which it is almost impossible to trans- . 
 late : it means propriety of demeanour, tempered with ease of 
 manners, good-humor, and elegance. 
 
IS 
 
 LETTER III. 
 
 Distant view of Mont Blanc — Cerdon — Nantua, and its lake'-' 
 Sf, Germain de Joux — Belle garde — Perte du Rhone— -Fort ' 
 de la Cluse — Ancient gates of Geneva — Village of Secheron 
 
 Mount Jura — Savoy— Mont Blanc — Country-seats of the 
 
 Genevese — City of Geneva: its buildings — La Traille, the 
 public walk — Theatre — French officers — Aristocratic di- 
 stinctions of society — Coteries or circles of young ladies — 
 University of Geneva — Annual prizes still given — Learning 
 and mechanical arts still pursued here — Pensionnaires, or 
 boarders — Mr. Hentch the banker — English loved and es- 
 teemed here — Geographic account of the town, copied from 
 Mr. Cole's Travels. 
 
 Secheron, near Geneva, 
 May 25, 1802. 
 
 My dear sir, 
 
 In leaving Lyons we followed 
 the course of the Rhone for several miles ; and 
 as Mont Blanc was constantly before us, the 
 scenery was striking and majestic. We were 
 particularly pleased with the country round 
 Cerdon ; and walking up an immense hill 
 called St. Martin de Fresne, enjoyed from its 
 summit a prospect of singular beauty: vast 
 mountains covered with box, picturesque val- 
 leys, and rich pasturage, formed so many in- 
 teresting features in this grand and pleasing 
 landscape. Near Nantua there is a little lake 
 
19 
 
 which excited all our admiration ; and we 
 wished to have slept in the adjoining town, 
 which stands on its banks ; but in going into 
 the principal inn, we found, it so dirty, and the 
 landlord so uncivil, that we determined, though 
 with regret, to proceed. My English carriage 
 became in this place the subject of no little 
 curiosity ; and the inhabitants crowded round 
 it, and examined every part. 
 
 As soon as we could obtain fresh horses, we 
 set out again 3 and, after traversing a romantic 
 country, passed the night at the next stage, 
 called St. Germain deJoux; where we pro- 
 cured very comfortable, though not splendid, 
 accommodations, in the small inn of a small vil- 
 lage. 
 
 The scenery which presented itself in our 
 next day's journey possessed the united advan- 
 tages of great richness and much romantic 
 wildness. Before we arrived at Belle^arde we 
 met with some very bad roads, and were for- 
 tunate in not experiencing any accident, as a 
 carriage which had preceded us in the morning 
 was overturned, and the persons in it were se- 
 verely wounded. 
 
 Near Bellegarde I visited the Perte du Rhone, 
 the spot where that vast river loses itself. Here, 
 placing myself on a little wooden bridge, I 
 enjoyed this striking sight, and stood on the 
 frontiers of former Savoy, Geneva, and France. 
 
20 
 
 The conquests of the latter country have de- 
 stroyed these geographical limits, and the other 
 two states are now swallowed up in the over- 
 grown dominions of the republic one and indi- 
 visible. Notwithstanding this political change, 
 our passport was asked for and countersigned 
 at the fort of La Cluse. Nothing can be more 
 extraordinary than the situation of this place. 
 The towering Alps at a distance, vast moun- 
 tains around, Mount Jura on one side, and the 
 Rhone and a rich little valley on the other, 
 form a view so singularly diversified that the 
 ablest painter could but imperfectly describe 
 it. 
 
 - At St. Genes we began to decend ; and leav- 
 ing the region of hills, through which we had 
 journeyed for so many miles, came gradually 
 down, through a well-hedged rich country, with 
 nothing majestic in the scene but Mont Blanc 
 covered with snow; and, passing the ancient 
 gates of Geneva, proceeded to the village of 
 Secheron, which stands on the banks of the lake, 
 at a distance of a mile and a half from the town. 
 Here we took up our abode, at an, inn very 
 well known to most of our countrymen who 
 have visited the continent, and which, under 
 the name of " l'Hotel d'Angleterre," is kept by 
 Dejean, who was several years in the service of 
 an English family. This house is not only d VAn- 
 glaise, but a VAnglaise to a defect. Little tent 
 
21 
 
 beds, white wooden floors, low roofs, and small- 
 paned windows, delight those who admire every- 
 thing, whether good or bad, to which they 
 have been accustomed in their own country. 
 As I am not of that number, I will freely con- 
 fess that the hotel in question would not have 
 had less attractions with me, if in some of these 
 particulars it had not so exactly imitated the 
 faults as well as merits of an English inn. It 
 is but justice to say, that it possesses many 
 recommendations > it is extremely clean, com- 
 mands a charming prospect, and the garden 
 belonging to it stands on the banks of the lake. 
 
 The views at Secheron are incomparable. 
 The village consists entirely of gentlemen's 
 houses built with taste, and placed in pleasure- 
 grounds extending to the water side. Behind 
 them is Mount Jura ;* and in front, the lake of 
 Geneva, in all its beauty ; with the country- 
 seats in Savoy scattered on the opposite bank, 
 and bounded by the distant Mont Blanc, whose 
 summit, covered with snow, is distinctly seen 
 at all times. In short, this spot unites the ad- 
 vantages of rich cultivated scenery and those 
 of majestic grandeur. 
 
 In their gardens and summer retreats, the 
 citizens of the little republic of Geneva were 
 fond of displaying that wealth which was the 
 reward of their industry j and the handsome 
 
22 
 
 edifices and ornamental grounds which sur- 
 round and increase the beauty of the lake, are 
 so many elegant records of the riches and taste 
 of the respectable people who constituted this 
 small yet ingenious nation. They have lost 
 their independence, but not their inclination for 
 simple and innocent pleasures; and those whose 
 fortunes still allow the means of expense, place 
 their principal enjoyment in the decoration of 
 their campagnes, or country-houses, to which 
 they are in the habit of retiring in the be- 
 ginning of summer. 
 
 The morning after my arrival I visited the 
 town of Geneva. It is surrounded with a strong 
 fortification, the drawbridge of which is shut 
 every night, and guarded by a French garrison, 
 with the same regularity as was observed in 
 former times by the inhabitants. 
 
 The city is old, and most of the houses ar© 
 far from remarkable for the beauty of their 
 architecture ; but a sloping roof, or shed, pro- 
 jecting three or four feet from most of them, is 
 an object both worthy of notice and imitation. 
 By this excellent contrivance, protecting the 
 foot-passenger from the sun in summer and 
 from the rain in winter, the Genevese enjoy a 
 convenience possessed by few, if any, of the 
 great cities of Europe. The building itself is 
 not an object of peculiar beauty; but the de- 
 
23 
 
 feet might be remedied, and such a construc- 
 tion be rendered a source not less of ornament 
 than of utility. 
 
 Though, generally speaking, the buildings 
 are not handsome, yet there are some which 
 form an exception to the remark ; and those 
 which surround the public walk called La 
 Traille, and which commands an extensive 
 view over the hills of Savoy, are of that num- 
 ber. This walk, though singularly beautiful, 
 is but rarely frequented by the first class of the 
 inhabitants, in consequence of the painful re- 
 flexions which it excites. It was here that the 
 most venerable, most wealthy, and most re- 
 spectable citizens of the former republic fell 
 under the ax of the guillotine in the first mo- 
 ments of revolutionary phrensy, and which was 
 the prelude to that national annihilation which 
 the country has since undergone. The memo- 
 ry of these lamented victims is still too dear to 
 their friends and relatives for the spot where 
 they suffered to be approached, without the 
 liveliest feelings of sorrow, shame, and indig- 
 nation. 
 
 Near this place stands the theatre, which, 
 though opened and protected by the present 
 government, is but little resorted to by the Ge- 
 nevese, who retain many of their ancient pre- 
 judices against amusements of that kind. I 
 ought to add, that, when the ladies of this 
 
24 
 
 place do visit the spectacle, they take their 
 places in the pit. I asked the reason ; and was 
 told they did so in order to avoid the company 
 of the French officers, who are commonly seat- 
 ed in the boxes. Such indeed is the hatred of 
 the inhabitants against their conquerors, that, 
 though the military behave themselves with the 
 greatest propriety, and are commanded by an 
 officer of merit, formerly a man of rank, none 
 are received in the houses of the principal ci- 
 tizens. 
 
 The aristocratic distinctions which existed in 
 the time of the republic are still scrupulously 
 observed in the choice and divisions of society, 
 and prove to demonstration that manners, cus- 
 toms, and prejudices, are above the power of 
 law. Those from whose families the syndics or 
 chief magistrates were usually chosen (for pub- 
 lic opinion, though there was no direct ordi- 
 nance on the subject, gave such a preference) 
 are still looked up to as forming a superior 
 order. Persons of this description live entirely 
 •together, and would think themselves disgraced 
 were they to associate with their neighbours 
 of an inferior class. " The citizens " (or sons 
 of native Genevese), who were alone eligible to 
 the senate, conceive themselves in the same 
 manner greatly superior to the " bourgeois," 
 or burgesses j while the latter, on their part, 
 claim precedence over those who were only 
 
25 
 
 " inhabitants," or domiciliated strangers. In 
 short, these gradations are accurately marked 
 and rigidly observed, notwithstanding the pro- 
 claimed laws of equality; and every order has 
 its distinct society. I went a few evenings 
 since to an assembly given by the lady of a re- 
 spectable physician, who is likewise a professor 
 in the university and a distinguished scholar. 
 I saw there many elegant women, well-inform- 
 ed men, and all the foreigners of character now 
 at Geneva ; yet I was told, in a whisper, that 
 this was considered as the fifth class of compa- 
 ny. I hope you admire these nice distinctions 
 of republican pride, dividing the higher orders 
 of its citizens with a precision unknown in the 
 proudest courts of Europe. 
 
 While on the subject of society, I ought to 
 mention another ancient usage which is still 
 observed, and which is highly worthy of com- 
 mendation. The daughters of the Genevese are 
 from their earliest years formed into circles oi 
 fourteen or fifteen, of corresponding ages, se- 
 lected by their respective mothers from among 
 the children of their friends. The young ladies 
 constituting such circle or party meet on every 
 Sunday evening at the house of one of their 
 parents — -each mother receiving in her turn the 
 friends of her daughter, and giving them tea, 
 fruit, ices, and other such refreshments. They 
 amuse themselves in their little assemblies with 
 
26 
 
 the innocent gambols suited to their age, with 
 work, music, dancing, and confidential conver- 
 sation. No man, however nearly related to 
 any of them, is admitted into these parties till 
 one of the members is married. As soon as 
 this event takes place, she who has changed 
 her situation becomes the chaperon of her for- 
 mer associates y and, under her auspices, single 
 gentlemen are received in the Sunday coteries 
 of the female friends, till by degrees the others 
 become as fortunate as their introductress. Nor 
 does their union end here : the attachments of 
 early youth are not easily eradicated. In ma- 
 turer years those habits of intimacy, which 
 were contracted in infancy, are continued; and 
 the married women of Geneva generally spend 
 their lives in the society of those who were the 
 companions and playfellows of their girlish 
 days. The children of these form in their turn 
 a similar circle ; and it is no uncommon thing 
 to see a party of females whose hereditary 
 union may thus be traced for many centu- 
 ries. 
 
 This institution, as a bond of friendship and 
 a source of happiness, cannot be too highly 
 praised. Perhaps, too, such an establishment 
 may in no small degree contribute to that pro- 
 priety of manner and decency of conduct 
 which distinguish the ladies of Geneva. She 
 must be both w^eak and abandoned, who, for 
 
«7 
 
 any momentary gratification, would forfeit the 
 good opinion of her friends, and the innume- 
 rable advantages which are enjoyed by a mem- 
 ber of a society so constituted. Meeting every 
 week under the eye of one of their parents, the 
 females of Geneva have constantly instilled into 
 their minds the principles of virtue ; while each 
 individual becomes as it were the guardian of 
 the honor of her associates. 
 
 The university has not materially suffered 
 by the change of government. It was settled 
 by the capitulation, that Geneva should retain, 
 as a corporate city, its property ; and out of 
 this fund the salaries of the clergy and those 
 of the professors are paid. The library also 
 remains, and has not, I believe, experienced 
 any loss. The persons who fill the different 
 chairs are men of superior knowledge and di- 
 stinguished talent ; and liberal encouragement 
 is given to the pursuits of literature. The an- 
 nual prizes are publicly distributed, as in the 
 time of the independence of Geneva ; with this 
 only alteration, that the mayor, as principal 
 magistrate of the city, confers the honor in- 
 stead of the former syndic: in eve*y other re- 
 spect the old ceremonies are observed. 
 
 Geneva is still the seat of learning, of sci- 
 ence, and of genius. All its inhabitants are 
 well informed, and disposed to literary occu- 
 pations ; while many hold a distinguished place 
 
28 
 
 in the republic of letters. Medicine also is 
 cultivated with much success, and several emi- 
 nent physicians are constantly resident. 
 
 The mechanical arts continue to give bread 
 to thousands,- and the watchmakers in partis 
 cular retain their former activity. While in- 
 ferior watches are sold at all prices, aiid some 
 even at the low sum of one guinea, timepieces 
 are made here of the highest value and with 
 the greatest perfection. 
 
 The art of printing is still carried on to a 
 great extent, and few towns are better sup- 
 plied with books and publications of all sorts. 
 
 Many respectable families are in the habit 
 of receiving " pensionnaires," or boarders ; and 
 many of our countrymen — officers returning 
 from Egypt, and other gentlemen who have 
 purposely come from England — have taken ad- 
 vantage of this circumstance. At these tables 
 the French language is learnt in the best and 
 most agreeable manner, and a society is found 
 fcoth interesting and instructive. 
 
 The British character is, indeed, highly 
 esteemed at Geneva ; and the English are re- 
 ceived among the different classes with kind- 
 ness and hospitality. It is, however, but jus- 
 tice to an individual, at whose house we have 
 all experienced particular civility, to distin- 
 guish among these Mr. Hentch the banker. 
 Besides being on every occasion willing and 
 
29 
 
 ready to assist with his advice and services 
 those who are recommended to him, he has a 
 weekly assembly at his country-house, on the 
 banks of the lake, to which all the English at 
 Geneva are regularly asked. This meeting is 
 well entitled to the -name he gives it, of " La 
 reunion d'Anglois." 
 
 Though this ancient little republic has lost 
 the power of governing itself, and now form* 
 part of modern France, the inhabitants have 
 not forgotten that they once were free. The 
 partiality with which our countrymen are seen 
 here is principally to be attributed to the anti- 
 pathy which the people entertain against their 
 present masters, our late enemies and constant 
 rivals. Though the French government has 
 endeavoured by its conduct to conciliate the 
 affection of the citizens of Geneva, and has for 
 that purpose appointed here, as prefect, a ci-- 
 devant noble of amiable manners and literary 
 acquirements, the attempt has hitherto proved 
 unsuccessful ; and nothing but the force of arms 
 secures their obedience. I have also remarked 
 that the higher classes are fond of mentioning 
 our naval victories; while they equally seem 
 to share the triumphal conclusion of our mili- 
 tary expedition to the coast of Egypt. The 
 officers lately returned from that service were 
 welcomed with peculiar kindness ; and when 
 
30 
 
 the gallant commander in chief* came through 
 this city on his return to England, he received 
 from the inhabitants every mark of esteem and 
 admiration. 
 
 Having thus given you a faint sketch of the 
 present state of society, manners, and public 
 opinion at Geneva, I shall finish this letter with 
 a short; local description copied from the very 
 accurate work of Mr.Coxe, whose words I shall 
 always use in preference to my own, whenever 
 I have occasion to refer to him as an authority. 
 
 " The town of Geneva is built on the nar- 
 rowest point of the lake, where the Rhone se- 
 parates itself into two rapid currents, which 
 soon after unite in one. This river divides the 
 town into two equal parts, receives the Arve 
 in its course, and, after having traversed 
 France, falls into the Mediterranean. The ad- 
 jacent country is agreeably diversified, and 
 furnishes some very magnificent prospects. 
 The different objects which compose these 
 views are, the lake ; the numerous hills and 
 mountains, particularly the Saleve and the 
 Mole, which rise from the plane with lofty 
 points, and present a variegated anil singular 
 appearance. Behind are seen the glaciers of 
 Savoy, whose points, covered with snow, reflect 
 
 * Lord Hutchinson. 
 
31 
 
 the rays of the sun; and the majestic Mont 
 Blanc lifts its proud head above all those which 
 surround it. 
 
 " Geneva is built very irregularly. One part 
 stands on the banks of the lake, and the other 
 on the brow of a hill. The houses are high ; 
 and in the quarter of the town where trade is 
 principally carried on, one sees wooden piazzas 
 affixed to the buildings. These constructions, 
 supported by pillars, have a very singular and 
 gloomy appearance ; but they are useful to the 
 inhabitants, and protect them while in the street 
 both from the sun and the rain. Geneva is the 
 most populous town of Switzerland. It con- 
 tains twenty-four thousand souls. This supe- 
 riority of number arises principally from the 
 industry and activity of its inhabitants, from its 
 extensive commerce, &c." 
 
 I have no doubt, that, before you have reach- 
 ed this part of my letter, you are heartily tired 
 of the very name of Geneva. With this cita- 
 tion, then, I take my leave - 3 and remain, &c. 
 
32 
 
 LETTER IV. 
 
 JVater-parties on the lake of Geneva — Excursion to the Little and 
 Grand Salevc— Visit to Ferney — Its chateau, church, and 
 apartments—- The cure named by Voltaire still here— Mr. B. 
 the present seigneur x fyc. 
 
 Secheron, near Geneva, 
 June 10, 1802. 
 
 My dear sir, 
 
 Since I had the pleasure of wri- 
 ting to you last I have made several excursions 
 in the neighbourhood of Geneva. 
 
 The parties on the water are among the 
 number of the most agreeable circumstances 
 attending a residence in this country. The 
 tranquillity of the lake, seldom disturbed at 
 this period of the year ; the picturesque scenery 
 which presents itself on all sides, to which the 
 fishermen throwing their nets in the evening 
 add not a little; and the numerous country- 
 seats which are scattered on the banks; pre- 
 sent so many inducements to this amusement 
 that I rarely pass a day without partaking of it. 
 
 I have also visited some of the spots most 
 worthy of notice in these environs by land. 
 Among these expeditions, I shall specify one 
 to the mountain which overhangs Geneva* 
 
S3 
 
 called the Saleve ; and one to Ferney, the cele- 
 brated residence of the celebrated Voltaire. 
 
 I was invited by a gentleman of the town to 
 join himself and a party of friends of different 
 nations 'in ah excursion which they proposed 
 making to this mountain. This invitation I 
 readily accepted : and accordingly we set out 
 from Geneva, on horseback, early on the morn- 
 ing of the appointed day. We soon began to 
 ascend : and* after mounting higher and higher 
 every moment during a ride' of five or six 
 hours, and enjoying as we advanced a pro- 
 spect of constantly increasing beauty, we at 
 last reached the top of the lower mountain, 
 called on that account the Little Saleve. Here 
 having satisfied our curiosity, in looking some 
 time on the wild mountains which surrounded 
 us, and in beholding at our feet the city and 
 lake of Geneva, with the Rhone taking its irre- 
 gular course, we went into a little town which 
 stands in this romantic position, and, ordering 
 breakfast to be brought from an inn sup- 
 ported by the frequent visits of the Genevese, 
 sat down on a grass-plot near an ancient rustic 
 church, where we made a delicious meal on 
 good tea, rich honey, new-laid eggs, and brown 
 bread. Our journey had sharpened our ap- 
 petite j and we all agreed that our accommoda- 
 tions were admirable. 
 
 The excursion was to have ended here; but 
 Vol. I. D 
 
34 
 
 an English gentleman having expressed a wish 
 of visiting the higher or Grand Saleve, I of- 
 fered to accompany him. The rest of the 
 party tried to dissuade us from this under- 
 taking, urging the fatigue which would attend 
 such an expedition and the time which it 
 would necessarily consume. We remained, 
 however, firm in our purpose ; and, after en- 
 gaging a guide who knew the country, and 
 taking leave of our fellow-travellers, who re- 
 turned by the road which they had traversed 
 in the morning, we proceeded to ascend this 
 steep but not difficult mountain. During the 
 greater part of the ascent we continued on 
 horseback, only occasionally dismounting to 
 relieve the animals. On attaining the summit, 
 we were amply rewarded for our trouble by 
 the objects which presented themselves. On 
 each side were rich and picturesque valleys : 
 Mont Blanc, though actually at a vast distance, 
 appeared almost to approach us in all its dig- 
 nity : the lake of Annesy, on the road to 
 Chambery, was clearly discerned from this 
 spot j and crowds of fat and beautiful cattle 
 were grazing on the top of the mountain, the 
 verdure of which agreeably relieved the eye 
 from the reflexion of the sun, which shone in 
 its meridian splendor. 
 
 After riding over the high ground, and en- 
 joying the magnificent prospect which sur- 
 
85 
 
 rounded us, we began to descend, and arrived 
 at Geneva at three o'clock, to the great surprise 
 of the gentlemen who breakfasted with us on 
 the lower mountain, for they had but just re- 
 turned when we entered the gates of the town, 
 and expected that we should not have com- 
 pleted our expedition till late at nig.ht. The 
 inhabitants of the continent are indeed little 
 used to great exertions on horseback j and 
 though we certainly had not performed any 
 thing either extraordinary or difficult, our 
 journey was spoken of as an effort of vast ac- 
 tivity. 
 
 I proceed to speak of my visit to Ferney. 
 I attended a party of English friends to that 
 far-famed place a few days since. Ferney is 
 situated in a beautiful country, about seven or 
 eight miles from Geneva. The town, which 
 owed its prosperity to Voltaire, and was prin- 
 cipally built by him, is still inhabited, and se- 
 veral of the houses are of a good construction. 
 On approaching the "chateau," or country- 
 seat, which stands above the town, commanding 
 a' very extensive view of Mont Blanc, the lake 
 of Leman, and the adjoining country (every 
 spot of which is distinguished by some parti- 
 cular beauty),, we perceived that there were 
 persons assembled in the church. This church, 
 as every body knows, was erected by Voltaire. 
 A priest was officiating at the altar, who (so 
 
 D2 
 
36 
 
 I was afterwards informed) was cure* or rector, 
 in the time of the philosopher. His name is 
 Hugune ; and, after a ten years' exile, he ir 
 lately returned to perform the duties of his 
 profession in the very spot where it is sup- 
 posed that the abolition of religion was first 
 planned. You will easily conceive with what 
 curiosity we viewed a place and a ceremony 
 rendered so very singular by the number of 
 concurring circumstances. 
 
 The chateau now belongs to M. B., from 
 whose family Voltaire bought the estate. After 
 his death, madame Denys possessed it for a? 
 few years. Then succeeded the marquis de la- 
 Villette, who, after disposing of several de- 
 tached pieces, at last sold back the whole 
 which remained to the representative of the 
 original proprietor, the present possessor. This 
 gentleman received us with great politeness, 
 and himself showed us the grounds. 
 
 I am happy to add, that the apartment of 
 Voltaire still continues exactly in the state in 
 which he occupied it. To satisfy your curio- 
 sity I have copied a list of the pictures and in- 
 scriptions which it contains. In his bedcham- 
 ber, on the wall, is written — 
 
 " Mes manes sont consoles, puisque mon cceur 
 Est au milieu de vous*." 
 
 * " My manes are consoled, since my heart remains 
 among you." 
 
37 
 
 Under this inscription stood formerly a black 
 china, vase, containing the heart of the philoso- 
 pher ; and under the vase was written — 
 
 " Son esprit est partout, et son cceur est ici *. 
 
 His heart has since been removed, and is now 
 placed in the Pantheon of Paris f. 
 
 On the right of this monument is the picture 
 of a beautiful young woman, who is called " La 
 couturiere J; " a print of pope Clement XIV.; 
 and the portrait of a lad who was his u rameur," 
 or boatman. On the left, a likeness of Cathar 
 rine II., worked on silk, and which is said to be 
 the performance of the empress. This must be 
 a mistake, as above it is written — 
 
 *f La Salle inven. et fecit/* 
 
 Underneath are these words : 
 
 " Presente a monsieur Voltaire par l ? auteur§." 
 
 On the right of the bed, wl)ich is orna- 
 mented with yellow silk curtains is an excel- 
 lent likeness of Frederic II. of Prussia : on the 
 left, a drawing of Voltaire, taken at the age of 
 forty. 
 
 On the wall against which the bedstead is 
 
 * « His genius is everywhere, and his heart is here/* 
 
 f Vide " Rough Sketch of Paris," letter xxii. 
 
 1 " The mantua-maker." 
 
 \ " Presented to M. Voltaire by the author." 
 
38 
 
 placed, and within the curtains, is a large print 
 of Le Kain, the celebrated tragic actor, encir- 
 cled with laurel. Near the fireplace is a like- 
 ness of madame la marquise de Chatelet. 
 
 On the right of the window prints of the 
 following persons are suspended: the family 
 of Calas, Diderot, Isaac Newton, Benjamin 
 Franklin, Pierre Corneille, J. D. d'Alembert, 
 and John Milton. These were placed by Vol- 
 taire ; to which has been added a small print 
 of J. Delille, with this citation, written with a 
 pen — " Nulli flebilior quam tibi, Virgili*;" and 
 a large one of George Washington. 
 
 Gn the left side of the window are engravings 
 of the following : Etienne Francois due de 
 Choiseul d'Amboise, Antoine Thomas, George 
 Guillaume Leibnitz, Jean Jacques d'Artons de 
 Marain, J. d'Alembert, Jean Racine, F. F. 
 Marmontel, and C. E. Helvetius. 
 
 Near these also appears a print, intended as 
 a design for a tomb, and made under his own 
 directions, with this epitaph — 
 
 " Dans ce triste et fatal tombeau 
 Repose Pombre de Voltaire. 
 Pleurez, beaux arts — vous ne verrez plus de perc: 
 Et Punivers a perdu son flambeau f." 
 
 * " By none more regretted than by you, O Virgil ! * 
 f " In this sad and fatal tomb reposes the shade of Vol- 
 taire. Weep, genius of the fine arts — you have no longer a 
 father : and the world has lost its lamp." 
 
39 
 
 Then follows a description of this printj which 
 I copy, as a specimen of human vanity, and of 
 that littleness which is often perceived jn great 
 characters, and which levels them to the standard 
 of ordinary men.' — 
 
 " Aupres d'un portique claustral et Gothique 
 on voit un tombeau et une pyramide eleve aux 
 manes du chantre de Henri. Les quatre par- 
 ties de la terre personnifie — savoir, l'Europe, 
 par l'illustre d'Alembert ; l'Asie, par Cathe- 
 rine II., imperatrice.des Russes; lAfrique, par 
 le souverain et savant prince Oronoco ; et 
 l'Amerique, par le docte et liberateur, Franklin. 
 Ces souverains et genies, apres avoir repandu 
 des larmes sur la tombe de ce pere des beaux 
 arts, se preparoient a l'omer des couronnes et 
 des palmes; lorsque tout a coup ils se sentent 
 repousses par le + emeraire et impitoyable pre- 
 juge de l'lgnorance, qui, arme des verges, et 
 soutenu par des etres infernales, s'elance de 
 son antre, et vont s'opposer a Thommage qui 
 viennent lui rend re les quatre parties du monde. 
 ■ — Ce monument en laisse decouvrir un autre 
 dans le lointain. C'est celui du philosophe de 
 Geneve, qui repose dans l'lsle des Peupliers, 
 qui lui consacre l'Amitie. Plusieures personnes, 
 de tous ages, expriment par leurs actions la 
 philosophic de son Emile*." 
 
 * " Near a claustral and Gothic portico are seen a tomb 
 and pyramid, erected, to the manes of him who sang the he- 
 
40 
 
 The hall, the billiard room, and the salon of 
 madame Denys, remain as furnished by Vol- 
 taire. The gardens and ground are extensive : 
 I shall say nothing about the manner in which 
 they are laid out, as they have all been arranged 
 by the present owner, who has a singular plea- 
 sure in pointing out the alterations he has made. 
 Politeness forced us to approve, while the re- 
 spect which we entertained for Voltaire made 
 us. secretly regret that any change had taken 
 place. 
 
 To every question I put to M. B. I unfortu- 
 nately got an answer founded on the same per- 
 sonal feeling. — 
 
 roic acts of Henry IV. The four quarters of the earth per- 
 sonified — that is to say, Europe, by the illustrious d'Alem- 
 bert; Asia, by Catharine II., empress of Russia; Africa, by 
 the sovereign and learned prince Oronoco; and America, by 
 Franklin, equally distinguished as a scholar and as the 
 founder of the independence of his country. These sove- 
 reigns and distinguished geniuses, after having shed tears on 
 the tomb of the father of the arts, were beginning to orna- 
 ment it with crowns and laurels ; when suddenly they find 
 themselves driven back by the rash and unpitying prejudice 
 of Ignorance, which, armed with rods, and supported by in- 
 fernal spirits, rushes from its den, and hastens to oppose the 
 homage which the four quarters of the world were come to 
 render him.— Behind this monument is seen another at a di- 
 stance. It is that of the philosopher of Geneva, who reposes 
 in the Isle of Poplars, consecrated to him by the hand of 
 Friendship. Several persons, of different ages, explain by 
 jthejr actions the philosophical system of his Emilius,'* 
 
41 
 
 «* Pray, where is the theatre ? " — " Oh, that 
 fell long ago. But I particularly regret a house 
 which stood there, to the right, and which was 
 really curious." 
 
 " What ! a house built by Voltaire ? " No, 
 sir; long before his time — by my ancestors, 
 who possessed this estate three hundred years 
 
 ago" 
 
 " Pray, did M.Voltaire plant that fine tree?" 
 — " Oh no ; that was my doing. Permettez 
 moi de vous donner les details : Je Fai tire 
 d'une grande distance* 
 
 " Pray," continued my obliging host, " do 
 you observe that fine wood, at a considerable 
 distance ? It is in Savoy. Is it not beautiful ? " 
 
 What ! a wood belonging to Voltaire ? Did 
 it form part of hi§ possessions? " — " By no 
 means : it always belonged, and I hope will 
 always continue to belong, to the family of 
 B— . 
 
 " But, pray, do yon not admire the stone 
 front of the chateau ? Nothing can be more 
 perfect : it is quite Italian." — I examined this 
 front with minuteness, supposing it the work 
 of Voltaire ; but, on inquiry, I found that this 
 also was an alteration of the present owner. 
 
 * ' Let me give you the details : I brought it from a 
 great distance/ 1 
 
42 
 
 Despairing of getting any more information 
 about Voltaire, and not very anxious about the 
 history of the family of B. — on which subject 
 I could have drawn volumes from my host — 
 I thanked him for his politeness, and took my 
 leave. 
 
 Pere Adam has been dead some years. M. 
 llugune, whom I saw officiating in the chapel, 
 was named by Voltaire. This fact I at last dis- 
 covered, after having listened with as much pa- 
 tience as I could command to a long account 
 which the seigneur gave me of the misfortunes 
 and moral excellencies of his cure., and of the 
 hospitality which since his return he has expe- 
 rienced in the chateau of Ferney. 
 
 The view from the terrace is extensive and 
 picturesque: the house is rather comfortable 
 than large : and the whole place, though suffi- 
 cient for every purpose of convenience and so- 
 ciability, has nothing in it which would excite 
 attention, if the genius of Voltaire had not 
 scattered over this little domain a degree of 
 interest which the finest efforts of architecture 
 would scarcely command. 
 
 It is, indeed, one of the privileges of exalted 
 minds, to dignify the inanimate objects which 
 once belonged to them. Travellers with warm 
 feelings and literary taste will never fail to visit 
 with pleasure the chateau of Ferney, or the 
 
A3- 
 
 much humbler residence of our immortal Shak- 
 speare, whose mulberry tree receives in its de- 
 cay more votaries than the proudest temples of 
 antiquity. Adieu ! 
 
 I always remain yours, &c. 
 
44 
 
 LETTER V. 
 
 Journey to the glaciers of Savoy — La Bonne Ville — St. Martin 
 near Salenche — Servo, and the English party found at break- 
 fast there — Glacier of Bosson — Valley of Chamouny — Le 
 Prieure — Source of the Arveron — Journey up the Montan- 
 vert — Local description of the valley of Chamouny, copied 
 from Mr. Coxe — Col de Baume — Valais — Martigni — The 
 idiots and the inn there — Pisse-Vache — Bex, and the salt 
 mines — Villeneuve — Castle of Chillon — Village of Clarens 
 — Town of Vevay — Road to Lausanne — Environs — Country- 
 house of the landlord of " Le Lion d'Or " — Onchy — Nyon — 
 Coppet, andM.Necker — Varsau — Party tvho made this ex- 
 pedition — Return to Secheron. 
 
 Secheron, near Geneva, 
 June 27, 1802. 
 
 My dear sir, 
 
 I RETURNED yesterday evening 
 from a tour which I have made to the glaciers 
 of Savoy, and which occupied the whole of the 
 last week. I now send you the details. 
 
 Having hired an open carriage much used 
 in this country, to which the natives give the 
 name of corbeille, and which nearly answers to 
 what we call a sociable* I set out on the 20th 
 from Secheron, accompanied by a Swedish 
 friend, at seven o'clock in the morning. The 
 weather was fine, and the roads were in excel- 
 lent condition. After leaving Geneva, we pass- 
 
45 
 
 ed through a very romantic country; and, hav- 
 ing breakfasted on fine fruit at La Bonne Ville 
 (a little Savoyard town where our voiturier 
 stopped to feed and rest his horses), we pro- 
 ceeded again, and reached the village- of St. 
 Martin, near Salenche, at four in the evening. 
 We were here surrounded by the wildest fea- 
 tures of nature, and beheld a scene to us totally 
 new. Though Mont Blanc was still at a con- 
 siderable distance, it seemed to be almost with- 
 in our reach ; and when we saw the sun rise, 
 from the windows of our little inn, the follow- 
 ing morning, its rays shone with dazzling splen- 
 dor on the top of that vast mountain. 
 
 As it was impossible for us to proceed any 
 further in our corbeille, we hired mules at St. 
 Martin, and at about six o'clock recommenced 
 our journey. The animal which fell to my 
 share was uncommonly sure-footed, and moved 
 with wonderful sagacity and extraordinary care 
 up almost perpendicular narrow paths, inter- 
 sected with torrents, rocks, and stones. Nothing 
 could be more picturesque than the landscape 
 which presented itself. At first we were alarm- 
 ed at the places in which we found ourselves, 
 often on the brink of lofty precipices ; but the 
 caution with which our mules chose their steps, 
 convinced us that the danger was only imagi- 
 nary, and we soon became perfectly reconciled 
 to the singularity of our situation. We stopped 
 
to breakfast at Servo, M here we were agreeably 
 surprised at finding a party of gentlemen and 
 ladies at breakfast . on a grass-plot before the 
 inn. They very khidly invited us to join their 
 party; and never did the most dainty luxuries 
 afford so grateful a meal, as the eggs, milk, and 
 brown bread which were now set before us. 
 Persons who have never left our happy island, 
 in every corner of which all the conveniences 
 of life attend the wealthy traveller, or those 
 who have only followed the beaten road from 
 London to Paris, or from Paris to London, 
 can form no idea of the satisfaction which an 
 Englishman enjoys in meeting with his country- 
 men in a retired distant spot like that where 
 we were now assembled. I have always re- 
 marked, that the supposed coldness of our na- 
 tional character vanishes on such occasions, 
 and that the inhabitants of no country in the 
 world greet one another with more warmth and 
 cordiality *. The ceremonious language of so- 
 ciety gives place to the unchecked effusions of 
 
 * Mr. Rogers has beautifully expressed the same idea hi 
 the following lines, taken from the Pleasures of Memory. — 
 
 "And as the sparks of social life expand; 
 As the heart opens in a foreign land ; 
 And with a brother's warmth, a brother's smile, 
 The stranger greets each native of his isle ; 
 So scenes of life, when present and confess'd, 
 Stamp but their bolder features on the breast." 
 
47 
 
 natural feeling; and strangers, remembering 
 that they are men, and forgetting that it Is 
 their first time of meeting, converse with all the 
 freedom of old acquaintance : intimacies are 
 rapidly formed, and conversation takes an easy 
 and lively turn. I never passed an hour more 
 agreeably than that which we now spent in the 
 company of our new friends. We learned from 
 them that they were making the same expedi- 
 tion as we were,- and had slept the preceding 
 night at another inn a few miles from that 
 "which we had occupied. The ladies of the 
 party had travelled in what is called in this 
 country a char a banc, that is to say, a kind of 
 hurdle placed on a carriage with low wheels, 
 and which can occasionally be taken olf and 
 carried by porters. They told us, that at 
 one place, in crossing a torrent, this mode of 
 conveyance had become necessary ; and, in 
 consequence of the violence of the stream, they 
 had been obliged to employ no less than seven- 
 teen men. I mention this circumstance, in or- 
 der to give you some little idea of the country 
 in which we were. 
 
 Having breakfasted and rested some time at 
 "Servo, we again mounted, and continued our 
 route. After two hours' riding we arrived at the 
 Toot of the glacier of Bosson. It is difficult to give 
 to a person who has not seen it, any clear defini- 
 tion of what constitutes a glacier. I can only 
 
48 
 
 describe it as a mountain of ice, which no heat 
 has been able to penetrate. The ascent to this 
 glacier, though ranked in the number of the 
 smallest, was extremely difficult, and particu- 
 larly so to me, who had neither nails to my 
 shoes, nor an iron to my stick. We were con- 
 ducted by guides, many of whom we found 
 waiting near the mountain, and who were civil 
 and intelligent. In ascending, we were much 
 struck and delighted with the color of the ice, 
 which in many places was beautifully blue, 
 and with the singular shape which in others it 
 assumed. In one part we saw a Gothic py- 
 ramid of ice, the points of which were distinct- 
 ly marked by the varying hues. After endu- 
 ring much fatigue we reached the summit, and 
 with no little difficulty then walked along the 
 vast mass of ice here collected. 
 
 A gentleman of the party remarked, that it 
 seemed as if the sea had been stopped in its 
 course, and that we were moving over the con- 
 gealed waves. We all agreed that the defini- 
 tion was just. The novelty of our situation 
 was delightful . It was now the middle of J une ; 
 and while the sun shone over our heads in all 
 its meridian splendor, our feet were covered 
 with ice and snow. 
 
 In descending, we beheld the charming val- 
 ley of Chamouny, which deserves all the ce- 
 lebrity it has obtained from the united praises 
 
49 
 
 of those who have visited it. Its green mea- 
 dows formed a contrast to the hoary mountains 
 around so beautiful and so uncommon that no 
 language can do it justice. 
 
 When we got to Le Prieure, the little town 
 which stands in this romantic position, we 
 found that there were two inns, but neither of 
 them large enough to receive the whole of our 
 party, which now amounted, including servants 
 and guides, to above forty persons. We ac- 
 cordingly divided our forces ; and my friend 
 and I took up our quarters at La Ville de Lo?i- 
 dres, kept by Terrez. Here we obtained an ex- 
 cellent dinner, served in a little saloon, the 
 windows of which command the extraordinary 
 prospect which I have before described. 
 
 In the evening we took an excursion in a 
 char a banc to the source of the Arveron, which 
 forms part of the beauties of the valley of Cha- 
 mouny. We were told that this sight was not 
 yet to be enjoyed in perfection, as much of 
 the snow had not fallen from the mountains, 
 and consequently the waters had not increased 
 to the height which they sometimes attain ; but 
 even at present the scene was to us majestic. 
 A vast natural arch, formed of ice reflecting a 
 cerulean blue, is the avenue through which the 
 Arveron flows ; and the Montanvert, and the 
 Sea of Ice, stand immediately above. After 
 
 Vol. I. E 
 
.50 
 
 contemplating this extraordinary landscape 
 with all the curiosity and interest which such 
 an object demanded, we returned to our inn, 
 and, delighted with what we had seen this day, 
 made every preparation for continuing our re- 
 searches the following morning. 
 
 We were called the next day at five o'clock $■ 
 but it rained, thundered, and lightened, with 
 such violence, that we feared it would be im- 
 possible to put into execution the project 
 which we had formed of ascending the Mon- 
 tanvert. At eight the weather fortunately and 
 unexpectedly cleared up; and at half past 
 nine o'clock we mounted the mules which we 
 had hired for the purpose; thus beginning our 
 journey up that vast and beautiful mountain. 
 The road made for the purpose by the care 
 and at the expense of the guides of Chamouuy 
 appeared impracticable ; but the mules picked 
 their way with such wonderful sagacity, that 
 we moved along in perfect safety. After ef- 
 fecting half the ascent in this manner, we left 
 our mules, and continued our route on foot. 
 I ought, perhaps, to mention, that the moving 
 figures of so many persons on the backs of these 
 animals, climbing up an almost perpendicular 
 hill, had a singular appearance, which added 
 not a little to the picturesque scenery which 
 presented itself on all sides. Much ' of the 
 
51 
 
 fatigue of our walk was diminished by the 
 shade afforded by the fir and larch trees, which 
 grow in abundance on the side of the moun- 
 tain. We did not find the ascent so difficult as 
 we expected, and even less so than that of the 
 Bosson, which we had passed the preceding 
 day. On reaching the top, we beheld a scene 
 of such sublime grandeur that it would be 
 presumptuous in me to attempt describing it. 
 I shall only tell you, that where we stood there 
 was the finest verdure — the rhododendron was 
 in full bloom ; and cows were feeding. Under 
 our feet was a vast field of ice, very properly 
 called the Sea of Ice, for it looks like the 
 mighty ocean stopped by the hand of Nature: 
 and around us were wild and majestic moun- 
 tains, in comparison with which even Montan- 
 vert was nothing; yet the summit of the latter 
 is 3132 feet higher than the valley of Chamou- 
 ny, and that valley ,is itself 2568 feet above 
 the level of the sea. The total height, there- 
 fore, of the Montanvert, is 5690 feet from the 
 Mediterranean, or, according to Mr. Coxe, 
 6106 English feet. 
 
 Among the mighty rocks, or points, we were 
 particularly struck with L' Aiguille de Dreux, 
 which rises majestically above the rest, and 
 forms a natural obelisk. 
 
 Most of our party now went into a kind of 
 house, or hut, called " Blair's Cabin" ("built by 
 
 E2 
 
an English gentleman for the convenience of 
 travelers), and having written their names on 
 the wall, which is one of the ceremonies of the 
 expedition, proceeded to partake of the re- 
 freshments which we had brought with us. As" 
 to myself, being by no means tired with my 
 work, and more anxious to gratify my curiosity 
 than my appetite, I descended at once to the 
 Sea of Ice. Leaning on the arm of my guide, 
 and carrying a stick, to which I had this morn- 
 ing affixed an iron, I passed over a considera- 
 ble distance without experiencing any diffi- 
 culty or very great fatigue. I need not add 
 that the scene was strikingly magnificent. The 
 cavities in the ice were frequent, and the co- 
 lors which they presented more than com- 
 monly beautiful. After I had satisfied my cu- 
 riosity, and gone as far as I wished, I began to 
 descend, and, returning by the same road, found 
 myself at Le Prieure at three o'clock. 
 
 The guides who attended my Swedish friend 
 and myself were Pierre Balma, Michael Cacha, 
 otherwise called the Giant, and Michael Terrez, 
 son of our landlord. We found them all civil, 
 active, attentive, inleHigent men. The two for- 
 mer accompanied M. de Saussure in his expe- 
 dition to the summit of Mont Blanc. An old 
 guide, who had attended his royal highness the 
 duke of Gloucester when he visited this coun- 
 try, wore the royal arms of England, with the 
 
53 
 
 garter, in a badge on his coat. He declared he 
 was a knight of the garter, and had received 
 that honor from his royal highness in return 
 for his care. It would have been cruel to un- 
 deceive him. During the time of terror he had 
 concealed his order, and now assumed it for 
 the first time since the revolution. I was like- 
 wise informed that this preux chevalier was 
 during the time of Robespierre a fierce advo- 
 cate for liberty and equality. I ought per- 
 haps, before I leave the subject, to emote from 
 Mr. Coxe a local description of the valley of 
 Chamouny. 
 
 " There are," says that accurate traveler, 
 " in the valley of Chamouny *, five glaciers, 
 separated the one from the other by forests, 
 ploughed land, and meadows, in such a manner 
 that great spaces covered with ice are inter- 
 mixed with cultivated fields, and contrast each 
 other alternately in the most singular and 
 striking manner. These glaciers, placed prin- 
 cipally in the depths of mountains which are 
 several leagues long, meet at the foot of Mont 
 Blanc, the most elevated mountain of Europe, 
 and perhaps of the old world. The names of 
 
 * In this valley I saw the two Albinos who were for 
 some time exhibited in the Haymarket. They addressed me 
 in good English ; and informed me, that, with the money 
 gained in London, they had bought a little farm, and settled 
 in this their native country. 
 
54 
 
 these glaciers are Tacona, Bosson, Montan- 
 vert, Argentiere, and Tour." 
 
 The Sea of Ice, a mile in breadth, is bounded 
 on one side by Mont Blanc, and on the other 
 by the plain of Chamouny. The points or 
 spires are called Les Aiguilles de Medi, De 
 Dreux, De Bouchard, De Moine, De Tacul, and 
 De Charmeaux. 
 
 After dining very comfortably at our little 
 inn, we strolled about the village, and con- 
 versed with several of the guides, who amused 
 us with descriptions of M. de Saussure's jour- 
 ney to Mont Blanc, and in showing us the skins 
 and horns of the chamois, or wild deer, pecu- 
 liar to this country ; which, living in the vast 
 mountains which surround this romantic spot, 
 afford no trifling source of amusement to its 
 hardy inhabitants, who pass the short days of 
 their winter months in hunting these animals. 
 We also made a provision of Chamouny honey, 
 intending it as a present to our friends at Ge- 
 neva. It is celebrated, and of peculiar fla- 
 vor. 
 
 We spent a very pleasant evening in talking 
 over the interesting scenes which we had vi- 
 sited, and on the following morning, at six 
 o'clock, mounted our mules. After passing 
 through the valley, and seeing again on the 
 right the Sea of Ice, we began to ascend, mean- 
 ing to take the road by the Col de Baume. 
 
55 
 
 After an hour's traveling we were stopped at 
 the custom-house, to have our portmanteaus 
 searched, previously to passing the barrier 
 which here divides the French from the Helve- 
 tic republic. The receveur, or officer, was not 
 at home ; and the soldier on guard (for the mi- 
 litary perform all acts of police in every part of 
 modern France) insisted on our returning, and 
 taking another road, in order that we might 
 meet with another doitane. With some diffi- 
 culty we procured an interview with the wife 
 of the rcceveur. She was a very pretty young 
 woman, who seemed much impressed with the 
 dignity of the charge held by her husband, and 
 was at first inclined to support the demand of 
 the sentinel with all the pomposity of office 
 and with all the warmth of her sex; but while 
 some of our party put the lady in good hu<- 
 mor by compliments on her beauty (for com- 
 pliments French women in every rank expect 
 to receive), others terrified her by threats of 
 complaints against her absent husband. Fear 
 and vanity had their usual effects : and, after 
 ten minutes' parley, we were allowed to pro- 
 ceed. We continued to ascend for three or 
 four hours, during which time we enjoyed a 
 beautiful view of the valley beneath; and at last 
 reached the summit of the Col de Baume. 
 
 From this spot, when the day is favorable, 
 Mqnt Blanc is seen to the greatest advantage ; 
 
56 
 
 but, unfortunately for us, we had bad weather ; 
 and the sun was not sufficiently strong to en- 
 able us to see this wonderful mountain ! but 
 the prospect which, even under these circum- 
 stances, we beheld, was strikingly grand, wild, 
 and majestic. On the point of the hill is the 
 stone which marks the division between former 
 Savoy and the republic of the Valais.- — This 
 view is esteemed one of the first in Switzerland, 
 and perhaps in Europe. On one side, Mont 
 Blanc and its adjoining mountains ; and on the 
 other, the country of the Valais, the Great and 
 Little St. Bernard, with the canton of Under- 
 wald and that of Berne at a distance. 
 
 In descending, we sometimes sat on the backs 
 of our mules, and sometimes walked. We were 
 often up to our knees in snow, in which the 
 led mules took great pleasure in rolling them- 
 selves. This descent is called " Le Bois de 
 Mainon." We were the first who had ven- 
 tured since the last summer to come down on 
 mules. 
 
 After experiencing some difficulty, and no 
 little fatigue, we at last reached the valley of 
 Trion -> where, in the miserable inn of a mise- 
 rable village, we were agreeably surprised with 
 an excellent breakfast of eggs, milk, and om- 
 lets. We arrived here drenched with wet, — the 
 rain having continued during the whole of our 
 passage over the Col de Baume; and no per- 
 
57 
 
 son who has not made an expedition of this 
 kind can conceive how much we enjoyed the 
 peat lire and other small comforts which this 
 poor house afforded us : more welcome were 
 they than the choicest luxuries served in a 
 splendid palace, when unsweetened by past la- 
 bor and difficulties overcome. 
 
 The country which we had traversed was 
 wild and barren, and the people whom we met 
 ha'd all the marks of abject poverty. 
 
 After breakfast we set out again ; and having 
 ascended during the space of an hour, began 
 to descend, and at last found ourselves in a 
 most delightful country. Every thing suddenly 
 changed its appearance, and Nature clad in 
 her mildest beauties succeeded to Nature in all 
 her savage grandeur. We saw before us the 
 rich and beautiful valley of Martigni, or " La 
 Vallee," as it is called by way of excellence. 
 We rode along under the shelter of the finest 
 walnut trees, the perfume of which was deli- 
 cious. On each side of us were fields, in 
 which the corn was already cut : before us, 
 the plain, where rich foliage, delightful ver- 
 dure, neatly-trimmed hedges, high cultivation, 
 meandering rivers, and picturesque villages, 
 presented a scene of enchantment ; and be- 
 hind us were the wild mountains, covered with 
 snow, over which we had just passed. We 
 were particularly struck with the singularity 
 
68 
 
 of our situation, having walked through snow 
 and seen wheat cut in the same morning. 
 
 The country became richer and richer everv 
 mile. When we were at' last in the valle}', the 
 road was excellent. Children ran in • crowds 
 to offer us baskets of strawberries which they 
 had just picked: and the shelter of the walnut 
 trees became very acceptable, in guarding us 
 from the heat of the sun, which was now ex- 
 cessive. 
 
 The village of Martigni stands about a quar- 
 ter of a mile from the town of the same name. 
 Not finding the inn good at the former, we went 
 on to the latter. We saw innumerable idiots*, 
 with distorted forms, u grinning horribly a 
 ghnstly smile," in almost every window. At 
 Martigni we found good apartments, and ap- 
 parently good beds, at La Tour, an inn kept 
 by a Frenchman. Our dinner was not bad : and 
 we retired very early, much fatigued with our 
 
 * Idiots or cretins. For an account of these unfortunate 
 creatures, and of the causes which may occasion such lusus 
 natura, see Mr. Coxe. 
 
 A fortunate prejudice preserves their existence. The in- 
 habitants of the countries where they are found imagine that, 
 it is a mark of divine favor to have an idiot of this kind 
 born in their family; and, instead of neglecting, or aban- 
 doning to their fate, these unhappy mortals, treat them with 
 the most affectionate kindness, and will deprive themselves 
 of common necessaries in order to afford all the conveniences 
 of life to these supposed favorites of heaven. 
 
59 
 
 day's excursion, and all anxious to have a few 
 Lours' sleep. In this hope we were cruelly 
 disappointed: vermin of all sorts, particularly 
 gnats (the latter of which buzzed about with 
 prodigious noise the whole night), put us into 
 a state of torture ; and at four the next morning 
 we left very willingly our beds, not of rest, but 
 of pain and suffering. 
 
 We here took leave of our honest guides, 
 with whose attention, skill, and fidelity, we 
 had every reason to be satisfied j and, dismissing 
 our mules, got, seven of us, into a char a banc 
 which we had hired for the purpose, and our 
 servants into another. In this manner we pro- 
 ceeded on our journey. 
 
 Pisse-vache was the first object which we 
 visited. This is a vast cascade, which falls from 
 an immense height with wonderful force, and 
 looks like a cloud in its descent. We waited 
 for some time, hoping that the appearance of 
 the sun would enable us to see the rainbow 
 which is produced by its rays falling on the 
 cascade : but Sol was inexorable ; and we were 
 obliged to continue our route, without having, 
 in this respect, our curiosity gratified. 
 
 After passing through a very pretty and rich 
 country we arrived at Bex, where we found an 
 excellent inn. Here we breakfasted on new 
 milk and fine fruit, the produce of the country; 
 and, hiring fresh horses, set out for Les Salines, 
 
6a 
 
 or salt mines, while we left those which brought 
 us from Martigni to rest. 
 
 In ascending the hill which leads to this 
 place, we passed through a delightful country, 
 and were much pleased with the prospect which 
 presented itself; the green hedges and roman- 
 tic scenery of which very forcibly reminded me 
 of many parts of Devonshire. We were obliged 
 to leave our carriage, and to proceed on foot 
 for a considerable distance before we reached 
 the mines. When we at last arrived there, we 
 put over our coats the dirty black frocks which 
 were offered us, and walked for above an 
 hour in a dismal cavern, only lighted by the 
 candles which we carried, each having one in 
 his hand ; and our feet rested on tottering 
 boards, under which water was flowing. For 
 all our trouble we were only rewarded by see- 
 ing a kind of crystal, whence our conductor 
 said the salt water was drawn ; a large wheel 
 by which the air is purified; and some pipes 
 by which the cavern is supplied with water, 
 and others conveying the water down to the 
 works below, for the purpose of clearing it 
 from the salt. 
 
 I never was more disappointed. We had 
 wasted four hours in this expedition ; and, after 
 undergoing much fatigue, had seen nothing 
 worth observing. We returned to Bex much 
 out of humor, and, with the horses which 
 
61 
 
 brought us from Martigni, continued our route 
 to Vevay, which latter we reached about seven 
 in the evening. 
 
 Vevay is a pretty little town, situated on the 
 lake of Geneva, of which it commands a de- 
 lightful view. In going thither, we passed by 
 the village of Villeneuve, and visited the castle 
 of Chillon, which also stands on the lake, on a 
 rock forming a peninsula. Nothing can be 
 more beautiful than its position. On the left, 
 the rocks of Meillerie and the mountains of 
 Savoy, with the rich plain on that side ; in 
 front, the lake, which is here three leagues, or 
 nine English miles, in length • and on the right, 
 the vineyards, villages, and chdteaux, of Swit- 
 zerland. We visited the different rooms of the 
 castle, which is now a prison, where some of 
 the revolting peasants and culprits of all de- 
 scriptions are confined. 
 
 We passed by the village of Clarens, cele- 
 brated by Rousseau, which, as well as the sur- 
 rounding country, is lively and picturesque be- 
 yond conception. 
 
 At Les Trois Couronnes, at Vevay, we found 
 an excellent inn; where, after the hardships 
 which we had undergone in our little tour, 
 we enjoyed in no small degree the good dinner 
 which was set before us, and the clean com- 
 fortable beds to which we soon after retired. 
 
 In the morning I strolled to the public walk 
 
62 
 
 of Vevay — a promenade shaded by lofty trees, 
 and commanding the whole lake of Geneva. 
 The day was beautiful, and the country so 
 lovely that the whole appeared a scene of en- 
 chantment. 
 
 Recovered from the fatigues of our jour- 
 ney, and delighted with what we had seen, 
 we all met at breakfast in high spirits; and, 
 after talking over the little difficulties which 
 we had met with^ and agreeing unanimously 
 that they were amply repaid by the pleasure 
 we had experienced, we proceeded again, in 
 two corbeilles hired for the purpose, and which, 
 though neither very perfect in their construc- 
 tion nor very easy in their motion, conveyed 
 us safely and expeditiously to Lausanne. The 
 road, which continued on the banks of the lake, 
 was enlivened every moment by some fresh 
 landscape, affording constant subjects for ad- 
 miration. 
 
 At Lausanne we drove to La Couronnc, 
 where, from a civil intelligent landlord, we 
 experienced every kind of good treatment. 
 Before dinner we strolled about the town, and 
 in the evening visited the environs in an open 
 carriage. The first object which drew our at- 
 tention was a country-house belonging to the 
 person who keeps the inn of the Lion d'Or. 
 It stands at a distance of about four miles 
 from the town : and in going thither we passed 
 
63 
 
 through a country of unoommori richness and 
 picturesque beauty. The grounds of Boni- 
 face would not, in their arrangement, dis- 
 grace the taste of the celebrated Brown. They 
 unite every 'advantage : the verdure is equal 
 to the finest in England ; the prospect of the 
 lake, with the grand features which surround 
 it, affords a subject of constant interest; and 
 the neatly-trimmed hedges, the well-cultivated 
 cornfields, and trees of. lofty dimensions, are 
 almost forgotten in the beauty of the view 
 enjoved from a kind of summer-house placed 
 on an eminence. These grounds are exten- 
 sive, and Avere originally laid out by a Swiss 
 gentlemaia who had amassed a considerable 
 fortune im the British! service in India. They 
 were purchased about fifteen months ago by 
 the present proprietor, who met us in his 
 fields, and with great civility showed us every 
 part of his demesne. We afterwards visited 
 the house, which is small, and by no means in 
 proportion to the grounds. — The situation of 
 this ferme ornee is so admirable, that a man of 
 taste, wishing for a delightful retreat, could not 
 do better than to buy the estate, and to build 
 on it a mansion worthy of standing in such a 
 delightful position. 
 
 On leaving this place we drove to two or 
 three country-seats which are usually let for 
 the season to the English and other strangers 
 
64 
 
 who are tempted by the charms of the country 
 to pass their summers in this neighbourhood. 
 Many of them command views of uncommon 
 beauty. 
 
 We drank tea at Onchy, a village about a 
 mile and a half from Lausanne, of which latter 
 it forms the port. It is at the foot of the lake, 
 and of course in an admirable situation. 
 
 Of Lausanne, meaning to return and pass 
 some time there, I shall only say at present 
 that it is a large old town, not particularly 
 well built, but that many of the houses have 
 the advantage of back windows which open 
 on the lake, affording the inhabitants a pro- 
 spect seldom surpassed and rarely equaled. 
 The streets are formed on a hill, and the 
 passenger is obliged to mount or descend at 
 every step. 
 
 We set out from Lausanne the following 
 morning in two cGrbeilles, and, continuing our 
 route along the side of the lake, breakfasted 
 alt Nyon. Here we found a comfortable inn 
 ( La Croix Blanche) in a delightful situation, 
 with a garden extending to the water's edge; 
 but the landlord was as extravagant in his 
 charges as the most unconscionable tavern- 
 keeper in London. We paid exactly six times 
 as much for the same articles as they had cost 
 us at Lausanne, though the distance from one 
 town to the other is not more than twelve En- 
 
6£ 
 
 glish miles. I mention this as another proof 
 of the necessity of making previous bargains in 
 every part of the continent. The prices of inn- 
 keepers vary as much as those of our pedlars, 
 or dealers in horses, in England. 
 
 From Nyon we went next to Coppet, of 
 which the celebrated M. Necker was formerly 
 baron, and where he still resides. A few miles 
 further on we came to Varsau, where, entering 
 the French territories, we went through the 
 usual ceremonies of having our carriage exa- 
 mined, and then proceeded straight to Seche- 
 ron. 
 
 I have thus endeavoured to give you some 
 little idea of perhaps the most agreeable tour I 
 ever made. In addition to the grandest objects 
 of nature, which in the course of a few days I 
 had the opportunity of contemplating, and to 
 the general novelty of the scenes which pre- 
 sented themselves, the party in which I had the 
 good fortune to travel consisted of men whose 
 conversation afforded no trifling source of 
 amusement. 
 
 Setting out with the Swedish friend whom I 
 
 mentioned in the beginning of this letter, I 
 
 knew I carried with me a companion whose 
 
 intelligent remarks would prevent my feeling 
 
 any kind of ennui; but I little expected to find 
 
 myself, when arrived in the land of mountains, 
 
 in a numerous and polished society; and, while 
 Vol. I. p 
 
66 
 
 viewing the wild beauties of nature, to possess 
 all the advantages of convivial life. Yet such 
 was my good fortune. Mirth, jollity, and wit, 
 made us forget every difficulty, and gave a zest 
 to all our pleasures. 
 
 Those whom we met at Servo consisted of 
 two parties. The party in which the ladies 
 were, left us at Chamouny; and with it we 
 were deprived, beside our female companions, 
 of the company of a young man, who, in the 
 few hours we had been together, gave us proofs 
 of many amiable qualities, and of his extensive 
 knowledge and great natural talents. 
 
 The other party consisted of seven gentle- 
 men, who accompanied us during the whole of 
 this expedition. Of these there were two offi- 
 cers of the guards, one of whom had just re- 
 turned from the glorious and successful cam- 
 paign in Egypt, and who afforded us a never- 
 failing subject of interest, in the details he gave 
 us of that memorable event. The three others 
 were Russian young men, who, like ourselves, 
 were traveling for pleasure and information ; 
 and the questions we mutually put to each 
 other about London and Petersburg, added an- 
 other source of conversation. 
 
 All my companions were persons of culti- 
 vated minds, polished manners, and liberal sen- 
 timents. To these qualifications, good-humor, 
 vivacity, and a general desire to pleasi and to 
 
67 
 
 be pleased, united every requisite which could 
 be looked for in compagnons de voyage. Chance 
 threw us together ; yet had my friend and I 
 wandered over England and France in search 
 of persons calculated to render such a tour 
 agreeable, we could not have found men any 
 where more fitted for our purpose. Our hours 
 passed rapidly away ; and when we bade each 
 other adieu, we all agreed that the seven days 
 which we had spent together formed some of 
 the pleasantest of our lives. 
 
 Adieu ! my dear sir. I beg you to pardon 
 this very imperfect account, and to believe 
 me, &c. 
 
 F2 
 
 4 
 
68 
 
 LETTER VI. 
 
 Arrival at Lausanne — Illness there — Aristocratical distinctions 
 of society in this little town — Anecdote proving the same — 
 The noblesse and their parties — Beauty of the country — Ex- 
 cessive heat — House arid grounds of Mr. Gibbon—Anecdotes 
 of the same—M. Necker and madame de Stael, at. Goppet, 
 their country-seat — Village, country residence, and conversa- 
 tion, of la baronne de Montolieu, author of Caroline de 
 Lichtfield, and her sister mademoiselle de Buten — Ceremony of 
 giving the annual prizes to the children of the college in the 
 cathedral of Lausanne — Excursion to Meilleric. 
 
 Lausanne, Sept. I, 1802. 
 
 My dear sir, 
 
 A CONSIDERABLE interval has 
 elapsed since I had the pleasure of writing to 
 you. I have two reasons to allege for my si- 
 lence, both of which I believe you will allow 
 to be sufficient. 
 
 Soon after the date of my last letter, pleased 
 with what I had seen of the neighbourhood of 
 Lausanne, I determined to remove thither; and 
 accordingly set out from Secheron, about the 
 middle of July, in very bad weather, excessive 
 rains having succeeded excessive heat. Before 
 I reached Lausanne, I found myself chilly and 
 unwell ; and on arriving at La Conronne, the 
 inn where I lodged on my former tour, I had 
 
69 
 
 every symptom of serious illness. I was ob- 
 liged to retire to my bed, and the following 
 morning sent for a physician. I was confined 
 ten days with a violent fever. My life was 
 saved principally by the affectionate care of 
 Mrs. L. : when exhausted with fatigue, she 
 was relieved by the landlord of the inn *, who, 
 with a humanity and a kindness never to be 
 forgotten, devoted his whole time to my ser- 
 vice. I also found in Dr. Schol a skilful phy- 
 sician, and an agreeable well-informed com- 
 panion. 
 
 As soon as I was sufficiently recovered, I re- 
 moved to very pleasant lodgings, the windows 
 of which command an extensive view of the 
 lake, of the rocks of Meillerie, and the coast of 
 Savoy. Illness had weakened me so much, that 
 I was long incapable of any exertion. This 
 was the first cause of my silence ; and the se- 
 cond, connected with it, arose from my total 
 inability to afford you the least amusement. 
 
 My life at Lausanne, since my recovery, has 
 been tranquil and happy; but tranquillity and 
 happiness are felt, not described. My days 
 
 * His name was Wasserfall. I have just received the pain- 
 ful intelligence of the death of this excellent man. The me- 
 mory of this humble friend will ever be dear to my mind ; 
 and the public will pardon a perhaps impertinent, yet invo- 
 luntary, tribute of respect offered to departed worth. 
 
70 
 
 have passed away serenely ; and while I have 
 no unpleasant circumstances to record, I have 
 no event to mention which could to any one 
 be interesting. 
 
 I was fortunate enough to find, in the imme- 
 diate neighbourhood of this town, the amiable 
 families of two English friends whom I sincere- 
 ly esteem. With them, in the intercourse of 
 close and intimate acquaintance — dining fre- 
 quently together; making parties on horse- 
 back, in open carnages, on foot, and on the 
 water; and meeting now and then in larger 
 circles, to which the inhabitants were invited — - 
 our time has slipped insensibly away. 
 
 Perhaps few hours of my life have afforded 
 me more satisfaction than those which I have 
 passed in this town and its environs : Lausanne 
 will live in my memory as long as my heart is 
 sensible of the charms of friendship : yet no 
 place which I have yet inhabited ever afforded 
 fewer subjects for correspondence. 
 
 The town itself is not remarkable either for 
 its architecture or its extent; but the houses 
 which look on the lake enjoy a prospect of 
 singular beauty. The inhabitants are indus- 
 trious, civil, and well-informed. The preju- 
 dices of birth, though no longer allowed by 
 law, have still their weight in society ; and this 
 little town, formerly subject to the canton of 
 
71 
 
 Berne, and now the capital of the department 
 of Leman, has its several gradations of rank, 
 which are strictly observed. 
 
 To prove to you at once the absurd degree 
 to which these aristocratical distinctions are 
 carried, I must mention to you a fact which I 
 have had occasion to ascertain. I know here a 
 brother and sister, who, possessed of a large 
 fortune, and living together, keep a handsome 
 establishment, and are remarkable for their 
 hospitality to their friends and to strangers of 
 all nations : they are both elegant in their 
 manners, handsome in their persons, irre- 
 proachable in their character, and enjoy the 
 universal good wishes of their neighbours. I 
 was surprised to find two such amiable per- 
 sons, each of whom is between thirty and forty 
 years old, still unmarried. I inquired the rea- 
 son, and was informed, that, though this gen- 
 tleman and lady are themselves noble, their fa- 
 ther was the first individual of the family who 
 attained that honor, and consequently that no 
 persons of ancient name will connect them- 
 selves with such new noblesse; and as they have 
 always themselves lived in the first company of 
 the place, they are equally unwilling, on their 
 part, to intermarry with those of the second 
 order. 
 
 Thus two excellent individuals, victims of 
 their own prejudices and of those of their little 
 
town, are condemned to perpetual celibacy, 
 because they cannot produce a pedigree by 
 which it should appear that their great great 
 great grandfather wore a sword !— On these oc- 
 casions I involuntarily exclaim, in the words 
 of lord Chesterfield, "Alas, poor human na- 
 ture!" 
 
 The first noblesse are not rich, and have all 
 shared the misfortunes which have befallen their 
 country ; but none of their class have emigra- 
 ted, and no blood has contaminated this part 
 of Switzerland. They live together in coteries, 
 or little parties, which assemble at each other's 
 houses at Lausanne in winter, and during the 
 summer season at their country-seats, all of 
 which are in the immediate neighbourhood of 
 the town. They meet about six in the evening, 
 often in the open air : a table is covered with 
 tea, -fruit, ice, and other such refreshments. 
 The old converse together, or play whist ; 
 while the young dance the German waltz, or 
 some of their national dances, which they 
 perform with much spirit and activity. I have 
 seldom seen any where so much real gaiety and 
 innocent mirth as I have witnessed in one of 
 these parties. 
 
 The country certainly surpasses every thing 
 in Europe, both in point of variety and rich- 
 ness. The Alps on one side, with the rocks 
 qf Meillerie and the coast of Savoy ; and on 
 
73 
 
 the other, Mount Jura, the lake, the pleasure- 
 grounds and villas on its banks, the high culti- 
 vation of the fields, the shade afforded by the 
 woods and large trees scattered about the in- 
 numerable lanes which form the communica- 
 tion between the adjoining villages, the excel- 
 lence of the roads, and the general ease and 
 decent appearance of the people, give this spot 
 so many advantages, that I think myself fully 
 justified in the preference which I have ven- 
 tured to give it over every place which I have 
 yet seen on the continent. The rides, too, are 
 so various, that a physician who resides here 
 assures me that he would engage, for a hun- 
 dred days running, to lead a stranger by a diffe- 
 rent road ; and that, at the end of the time, he 
 should allow that each day his promenade had 
 been equally pleasant. 
 
 To the truth of this assertion I can so far 
 bear testimony, that, being ordered to take ex- 
 ercise for my health, I have been constantly 
 every morning on horseback, and I have always 
 discovered some fresh source of interest and 
 pleasure. 
 
 The weather since I have been here has been 
 intensely hot. After eight o'clock in the morn- 
 ing it has been impossible to bear the heat of 
 the sun out of doors ; nor does that heat cease 
 till after sunset : and as there is little, if any, 
 
74 
 
 twilight here in summer — night succeeding day 
 without the interval of gradually -retiring light — - 
 the hours when exercise can be enjoyed with 
 pleasure are but few. 
 
 You will of course be curious to hear some- 
 thing of Mr. Gibbon's residence. I have often 
 visited the garden and pavilion * in which that 
 
 * Perhaps it will not be disagreeable to the reader to have 
 brought to his recollection the following description of this 
 place, taken from the posthumous works of Gibbon published 
 by lord Sheffield— 
 
 " Our importance in society is less a positive than a re- 
 lative weight. In London I was lost in a crowd. I ranked 
 with the first families at Lausanne ; and my style of prudent 
 expense enabled me to maintain a fair balance of reciprocal 
 civilities. Instead of a small house between a street and a 
 stable-yard, I began to occupy a spacious and convenient 
 mansion, connected on the north side with the city, and 
 open on the south to a beautiful and boundless horizon. 
 
 " A garden of four acres had been laid out by the taste 
 of M. Dey verdun. From the garden a scenery of meadows 
 and vineyards descends to the Leman lake ; and the prospect 
 far beyond the lake is crowned by the stupendous mountains 
 of Savoy. 
 
 " My books and my acquaintance had been first united in 
 
 London ; but this happy position of my library, in town and 
 
 country, was finally reserved for Lausanne. Possessed of 
 
 every comfort in this triple alliance, I could not be tempted 
 
 to change my habitation with the changes of the season." 
 ****** 
 
 " I have presumed to mark the moment of conception : I 
 shall now commemorate the hour of my final deliverance. 
 It was on the day, or rather night, of the twenty-seventh of 
 
75 
 
 distinguished historian wrote the last volumes 
 of his Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. 
 The house where he formerly lived is large 
 and handsome, and has a terrace attached to 
 it which commands a most extensive view of 
 the lake and surrounding country. I am sorry 
 to add, that the summer-house, which was the 
 seat of his labors, is falling into decay ; and I 
 saw dried onions, potatoes, and tools of husban- 
 dry, occupying the places filled in his life-time 
 "with the classical folios and quartos out of 
 which he drew the materials of his immortal 
 work. 
 
 I have been, you may be convinced, very 
 active in my inquiries about an individual who 
 has occupied so great a share of public atten- 
 tion, and so greatly contributed to the trea- 
 sures of English literature. He lived with li- 
 beral expense, and much elegant hospitality, 
 in this favorite retreat ; and he was particu- 
 larly fond of female society, the most distin- 
 
 June, 1787, between the hours of eleven and twelve, that I 
 wrote the last lines of the last page in a summer-house in my 
 garden. After laying down my pen, I took several turns iu 
 a berceau, or covered walk, of acacias, which commands a 
 prospect of the country, the lake, the mountains. The air 
 was temperate, the sky, was serene, the silver orb of the moon 
 was reflected from the waters, and all nature was silent. I 
 will not dissemble the first emotions of joy on recovery of 
 my freedom, and perhaps the establishment of my fame." — 
 Jjord Sheffield's Memoirs of Gibbon, vol. L, pp. 166, 170. 
 
7(3 
 
 guished ladies of the neighbourhood making it 
 their habitual practice to attend the evening 
 parties with which he loved to conclude the 
 labors of the day. Of course anecdotes re- 
 lating to such a man have been retained, and 
 are daily related, at this place. Some are of 
 a ludicrous nature, and contrast somewhat sin- 
 gularly with the gravity of the man, the heavi- 
 ness of his person, and the pomposity of his 
 style. Among many others, I selected the fol- 
 lowing. — 
 
 Soon after he became an inhabitant of Lau- 
 sanne, a lady of beauty and talents made such 
 an impression on the heart of the historian, that 
 he could not resist the impulse of love ; and, 
 falling on his knees, he declared his passion. 
 The object of his affection heard unmoved his 
 petition, and, in spite of the eloquence of her 
 lover, was deaf to his entreaties. The disap- 
 pointed Damon attempted to rise : he tried in 
 vain : his weighty person, unaccustomed to 
 such a position, was not so easily restored to 
 its proper balance. The lady, fearing that some 
 person might discover her admirer in this awk- 
 ward situation, forgot her anger, and endea- 
 voured with all her might to raise him from 
 the ground : her strength was unequal to the 
 task ; and, after several ineffectual struggles 
 both in the author and the lady, the latter 
 was obliged to ring the bell, and to order her 
 
77 
 
 Astonished servant to raise the prostrate scho- 
 lar. The story, as might be expected, became 
 public the following morning, and entertained 
 for some days the gossiping circles of this little 
 town. 
 
 But, notwithstanding the general esteem 
 which Mr. Gibbon entertained for the fair sex, 
 and notwithstanding this striking proof of da- 
 ring gallantry, I have been assured by a person 
 who enjoyed the confidence of that distinguish- 
 ed man, that the historian of the Decline and Fall 
 of the Roman Empire, though he has frequent- 
 ly described in glowing colors, and perhaps in 
 some pages with lascivious freedom, the pas- 
 sion of love, was a stranger to its pleasures, and 
 that he passed his life in a state of singular and 
 rigid chastity. 
 
 Another story, though of a dilTerent kind, is 
 equally characteristic. Mr. Gibbon, finding 
 himself indisposed, sent for a physician. The 
 doctor, judging from the appearance of his 
 patient that his illness, which was but slight, 
 simply arose from repletion, recommended abs- 
 tinence. Three days afterwards he received a 
 letter from the historian, couched in pressing 
 terms, but still in well-rounded sentences, re- 
 quiring his immediate presence at his house. 
 On his arrival there he found Mr. Gibbon 
 dreadfully altered : his cheeks, usually plump, 
 
7S 
 
 had now fallen, his complexion was sallow, and 
 his person emaciated. The physician anxious- 
 ly inquired the cause of this sudden and unex- 
 pected change. " Sir," said his learned patient, 
 " to follow with religious exactitude the ordi- 
 nances of him whom I consult as my medical 
 adviser, is a principle from which I have never 
 yet ventured to depart; but at this instant I 
 am the victim of obedience, and of a doctrine 
 which I still believe to be generally salutary. 
 You will recollect, sir, that when last I had 
 the honor of seeing you you admonished me 
 to abstain from animal food. Three days have 
 elapsed since 1 received your injunctions, and 
 during that period the only food which has 
 passed these lips has been a beverage of water- 
 gruel : I have consequently become languid ; 
 and am now desirous of a more nutritious ali- 
 ment; but, presuming not to interfere in a 
 science which I do not understand, and having 
 placed the direction of my health under the 
 guidance of your professional skill, I have 
 awaited, I will not say without impatience, 
 the repetition of your visit : I now attend your 
 orders." The physician, who had not called 
 during this interval simply because he con- 
 ceived Mr. Gibbon had no occasion for further 
 advice, now rang the bell, and, instead of 
 writing a prescription, ordered dinner to be 
 
79 
 
 nstantly served. A good bouillon and a bottle 
 of burgundy soon restored the historian to 
 health and spirits. 
 
 The same physician advised Mr. Gibbon to 
 take occasionally a dose of medicine. The obe- 
 dient scholar, adopting with literal precision the 
 system recommended, wrote immediately a La- 
 tin letter to his apothecary, directing that on 
 the first of every month such a draught should 
 be sent him as Dr. should direct : and ac- 
 cordingly, at each stated period during the rest 
 of his life, whether he were well or ill, he re- 
 ceived and swallowed the accustomed dose. 
 
 I ought to add, while on the subject of 
 Mr. Gibbon, that, notwithstanding such little 
 particularities, to which he, in common wit^i 
 all human beings, was subject, no man was 
 ever more respected, esteemed, and loved. — 
 The inhabitants of Lausanne, to whom he was 
 well known during a long residence among 
 them, do justice to his literary reputation ; but 
 they speak of him as a man with still greater 
 praise ; nor is the distinguished author more 
 regretted than the amiable individual. 
 
 Though this place has been deprived of that 
 great luminary, there are still resident here 
 many persons of great learning, science, and 
 genius. Besides M. Necker*, the former well- 
 
 * This gentleman, I am sorry to hear, is since dead. 
 
8Q 
 
 known minister of France, with whom resides 
 his celebrated daughter madame de Stael, the 
 neighbourhood of Lausanne possesses the ba- 
 ronne de Montolieu, author of " Caroline de 
 Lichtfield " and " Le Nouveau Tableau de Fa- 
 mille," novels which do honor to the French 
 language, and which will outlive the usual 
 reign of such productions. They are, indeed, 
 both taken from the German ; but they owe all 
 their success to the arrangement, fancy, and 
 elegance, of this lady. 
 
 I had the good fortune to become known to 
 these distinguished persons, and had opportu- 
 nities of seeing them at their respective houses. 
 M. Necker inhabits the ci-devant baronial cha- 
 teau of Coppet, a small town on the banks of 
 the lake of Leman, and which stands about 
 midway between Lausanne and Geneva, very 
 near the boundaries of modern France, but 
 within the precincts of the Helvetic republic. 
 The house is large and commodious, and the 
 windows command a delightful prospect. It 
 stands on an acclivity just above the town. 
 The grounds would not be called extensive in 
 England, but are so for this country, where 
 few persons have more than a lawn or garden 
 running from the door of their villas to the 
 water side. 
 
 M. Necker's estate is much diminished by 
 the loss of his feudal rights. His present pro- 
 
81 
 
 perty of Coppet does not afford him a revenue 
 of more than one hundred pounds sterling per 
 annum. I had the honor of dining at his 
 house, and consequently saw the interior of 
 his family. He lives in a plain gentlemanlike 
 manner, without parade or ostentation. His 
 table is plentiful, but not extravagant ; and his 
 servants, though sufficient for all purposes of 
 real use, are far from numerous. In his per- 
 son, he is tall and corpulent ; and his legs are 
 increased to a great size from the effects of the 
 gout. He still wears mourning for madame 
 Necker, whose death he has never ceased to 
 deplore : it is even said that he daily opens, 
 and reads, one of a collection of letters which 
 she left, sealed, and addressed to her husband. 
 • — His manners are grave and unaffected : his 
 conversation has nothing very peculiar to di- 
 stinguish it. Had I been taken to his house 
 without knowing that it belonged to Mons. 
 Necker, I certainly should not have suspected, 
 either from the establishment, the language, 
 or the appearance of the proprietor, that I 
 had visited a person who in his day filled one 
 of the most important situations of Europe, 
 and whose name, praised by some and cen- 
 sured by others, must live as long as the his- 
 tory of France. 
 
 His daughter, madame la baronne de Stael, 
 on the contrary, cannot be seen, or rather heard, 
 
 Vol. i <J 
 
82 
 
 unnoticed. Besides a general fund of good- 
 humor, wit, and information, she possesses a 
 talent of conversation peculiarly her own. At 
 Paris I have frequently been asked to suppers^ 
 to " hear her talk;" and I certainly never did 
 so without receiving much pleasure and amuse- 
 ment. Generally speaking, I am far from ad- 
 miring this kind of society : to listen to the 
 good thi?igs of any one individual, however 
 splendid, is certainly a very dull way of pass- 
 ing one's time : but there is in the expressions 
 of madame de Stael a charm which is irre- 
 sistible. 
 
 To meet two such characters as these in the 
 country, and in a quiet private manner, was to 
 me no trifling gratification : and the polite hos- 
 pitality which we experienced added to the 
 agrement of the day. 
 
 I proceed to speak of madame de Monto- 
 lieu. About six English miles from Lausanne, 
 in the retired village of Bussigni, approached by 
 a road which runs through an extensive wood, 
 and on a commanding eminence, stand, side by 
 side, two houses, not large enough to deserve 
 the name of chateaux, nor yet so small as to 
 be ranked with the other buildings of the hamr- 
 let. In these houses live madame la baronne 
 de Montolieu, and her sister,, mademoiselle de 
 Bottens. Their habitations communicate with 
 each other by means of their respective gar- 
 
83 
 
 dens, which are laid out with much taste ? 
 and are only separated by a wicker gate. — i 
 Each sister has her separate residence; but 
 they often dine or drink tea together; and 
 their place of meeting during the summer 
 months is a bower in one of these delightful 
 gardens. Each house is furnished with much 
 taste, yet great simplicity; and each house 
 possesses its little library, its little salon, and 
 its balcony, with a veranda filled with the 
 choicest flowers. The windows of both houses 
 enjoy the same prospect — a prospect of sin- 
 gular beauty; and a small rustic church, which 
 seems placed there on purpose^ stands at the 
 bottom of their gardens, and completes the 
 view. Whoever has read Caroline de Licht- 
 field (and who has not read that interesting 
 novel?) will remember the description of the 
 Village in which Caroline resided. This is the 
 village — and so picturesque, that I could scarce- 
 ly bring myself to believe that the scene was 
 real. 
 
 When Mrs. L. and myself waited on these 
 ladies for the first time, accompanied by a 
 gentleman of Lausanne who had the goodness 
 to introduce us, we were informed by the 
 female servant of madame de Montolieu, who 
 led us through the house of her mistress (for 
 every thing here is in character), that the latter 
 was in the garden of her sister. We followed ; 
 
 G 2 
 
.84 
 
 and, having passed the little gate which marks 
 the limits of their grounds, found ourselves in 
 one of those bowers which I have before men- 
 tioned as their favorite place of rendezvous. 
 Here, seated at a table covered with tea, coffee, 
 and the fruits of the season, we were received 
 by two females, who, though no longer young, 
 had the remains of beauty, with all the marks 
 of dignity, accompanied by those manners 
 which an early intercourse with good com- 
 pany can alone produce. 
 
 They welcomed us with much cordial 
 warmth ; and, desiring us to partake of their 
 gouter *, entered into a lively and interesting 
 conversation. Genius, at the age of fifty, still 
 sparkles in the countenance of madame de 
 Montolieu ; and it is impossible to be in her 
 society without discovering that she is an ex- 
 traordinary woman. Mademoiselle de Bottens- 
 is less known in the world ; but her talents and 
 her knowledge may vie with those of her sister. 
 Their dispositions, their pursuits, and their opU 
 nions coincide so happily, that they live in this 
 elegant retreat in the most peaceable and en- 
 viable manner ; and though the greater part of 
 their time is passed together, they yet wisely 
 
 * The Swiss drink tea every evening, as we do : but this 
 beverage is never served alone ; fruit, cream, and sometimes 
 ice, are placed on the table at the same time. This repast is 
 Jlere called a gouter. 
 
85 
 
 prevent the possibility of ennui, by having each 
 a separate residence, to which, when tired of 
 conversation, they can retire, and where an 
 excellent collection of the best authors affords 
 materials for present amusement and future 
 discussion. 
 
 Never did I spend an hour more agreeably 
 than in the company of these ladies, who, 
 though retired from the world, retain all the 
 polish of early good breeding ; to which, live- 
 ly imaginations, and a perfect acquaintance 
 with the best French, English, and German 
 writers, add so many charms, that it is impos- 
 sible not to be delighted with their society. 
 — Their hospitality, too, is unbounded : had 
 \ve been their oldest friends we could not have 
 experienced a more hearty welcome. When- 
 ever I have called at their peaceful mansions, 
 or whenever I have led there such of my coun- 
 trymen as deserved their notice, I have always 
 experienced the same kindness, and the same 
 never-failing source of interesting conversation. 
 We went yesterday to take our leave : the sis- 
 ters embraced Mrs. L. with tender affection ; 
 and in going away offered so many kind wishes 
 for our happiness, and said so many flattering 
 things about the guests whom they had honored 
 with their acquaintance, that, while I have left 
 any honest feelings, I shall remember with plea- 
 
86 
 
 sure and gratitude the amiable inhabitants of 
 this sequestered village. 
 
 To conclude my subject I must add, that, if 
 a painter wished to draw the residence of an 
 author of romance, this would be the best spot 
 whence he could take his design. 
 
 I ought perhaps, while speaking of Lausanne 
 and its environs, to mention the annual cere- 
 mony, at which I was present some days ago, 
 of giving the prizes to the boys of the public 
 academy, or college. The children were as- 
 sembled in the cathedra!, and were drawn up 
 in the choir; while the prefect and the muni- 
 cipality (each of whom wore on this occasion a 
 red riband over his breast, as a badge of office), 
 with the other constituted authorities, filled the 
 stalls. The rest of the church was appropriated 
 to the parents of the children, to strangers, and 
 to such other persons as were led there by cu- 
 riosity. 
 
 At the appointed hour a professor mounted 
 the pulpit, and made an harangue which was 
 certainly more remarkable for its length than 
 for the matter it contained or for the elegance 
 with which it was delivered. After two hours 
 had been consumed in this dull and uninterest- 
 ing manner, a fine boy pronounced a short and 
 well-written speech on the use and abuse of 
 romance. The prizes were then distributed, 
 
87 
 
 and the ceremony concluded. The boys are 
 fine healthy lads ; and a national custom, by 
 which early exertions are encouraged by civic 
 honors thus publicly given, cannot be too high- 
 ly extolled. 
 
 I shall conclude my letter with a short ac- 
 count of an excursion, which I made with 
 some English friends a few days since, to 
 Meillerie *, immortalised by the pages of 
 Rousseau. 
 
 We embarked, in a boat hired for the pur- 
 pose, about eight o'clock in the morning, and, 
 after rowing for two hours, reached the oppo- 
 site bank. The distance from one shore to 
 the other is nearly three miles. The views on 
 the water were delightful. The wild moun- 
 tains of Savoy, with the Alps, on one side ; 
 and on the Other the rich and cultivated lands, 
 with the beautiful gardens, of the Pays de 
 Vaud ; formed a picturesque contrast of sin- 
 
 * " J'ecris par un batelier, que je ne connois point, ce 
 billet, a l'addresse ordinaire, pour donner avis que j'ai choisi 
 nion asyle a Meillerie, sur la rive opposee, afin de jouir au 
 moins de la vue du lieu dont je n'ose approcher." — " I write 
 by a boatman, who is unknown to me, this note, with the 
 usual direction, to inform you/ that I have chosen Meillerie 
 as the place of my retreat, on the opposite bank of the lake, 
 that I may be enabled at least to enjoy the view of that spot 
 which I am not permitted to approach.'' — La Nouvelle He- 
 ioise. 
 
88 
 
 gular beauty. On touching the land, we has- 
 tened with eagerness to visit every part of a 
 place rendered so celebrated by the pen of 
 Rousseau. 
 
 The village of Meillerie consists of some 
 miserable huts, mostly inhabited by fishermen, 
 whose appearance bears every mark of ex-- 
 treme poverty. What are called the Rocks, are 
 improperly so named : they are high grounds, 
 covered with grass and lofty trees, having 
 craggy points. After climbing up this ascent, 
 and wandering for some time over the ground, 
 in which Fancy pourtrayed Saint-Preux look- 
 ing with the telescope of the cure for the 
 house of his Julie on the opposite bank, we 
 sat down under the shade of a lofty elm, and 
 dined on the cold provisions which we had 
 brought with us. The day was fine, the scenery 
 romantic, and the view unequaled. When 
 our dine champelre was over, we gave what re- 
 mained to our Savoyard boatmen, who, seat- 
 ing themselves with great glee in the places, 
 we had left, devoured in perfect content the 
 remains of our food, and entertained us not 
 ja little with their innocent mirth and rustic 
 songs, 
 
 At five in the evening we took our de- 
 parture from the coast of Savoy, and, after a 
 pleasant sail (for the wind was now favorabla), 
 
89 
 
 reached in safety and high spirits the more 
 cultivated bank of the Leman lake. 
 
 Delighted with our morning expedition, we 
 passed our evening not less agreeably. We 
 had been invited to a the at the house of the 
 lady who is the successor of Gibbon in the man- 
 sion before described. Here, after partaking 
 of an elegant gou/er, in a drawing-room com- 
 manding the country which we had just visited, 
 we afterwards strolled on the extensive terrace 
 into which it leads ; and then concluded the 
 festivities of the day with a dance, in which 
 the beauties of Lausanne and its neighbour- 
 hood displayed their usual gaiety, good-hu- 
 mor, activity, and mirth. 
 
 I marked down this day in my journal as 
 classical : I had dined with Rousseau, and 
 supped with Gibbon. These distinguished wri- 
 ters still live in the memory of all men of taste; 
 and in visiting the spots which they have de- 
 scribed, or inhabited, it is impossible not to feel 
 a degree of enthusiasm, which gives to these 
 places a charm that the finest scenery of Na- 
 ture could not have afforded without such a 
 sentiment. 
 
 But my letter is already too long : I will 
 therefore claim your forgiveness for an ab- 
 rupt conclusion ; and, repeating that Lau- 
 sanne is certainly one of the most beautiful 
 
90 
 
 and most agreeable summer residences in Eu- 
 rope, I take my leave. I shall not write again 
 till I have made some progress in the tour 
 round the cantons of Switzerland, which I pro- 
 pose commencing in the course of two or three 
 days from the date of this letter. 
 
 I am, &c. 
 
91 
 
 LETTER VII. 
 
 Tour round the cantons of Switzerland — Itinerary of the same — 
 Meudon — Pay erne — Dress of the peasants of Fribourg — City 
 of Fribourg — Cathedral, monastery, and convent there — Her- 
 mitage near Fribourg — Canton of Berne: dress of the people 
 and appearance of the country— Town of Berne-*-High Street 
 ■^-Cathedral ; view from the terrace near it, and from the top 
 of the church — Public library — Mint, or " Hotel des Mon- 
 noies" — The infirmary, and the hospital — Journey to Thun — 
 Voyage on the lake — Views seen from the lake — liter see — 
 Manner of traveling — Lauterbrunen — Parsonage-house — 
 Young frau, or Maiden Mountain — Walk and Latin con- 
 versation ivith the ?ninister — Supper and domestic concert at 
 his house — The Stoubbach — Road to Grindenwald — Grin- 
 denwald not equal to Lauterbrunen — Return to Utersee — 
 Storm there — Passage on the lake of Thun, on returning to 
 the town of that name — Stopped by a storm, and obliged to 
 make to land — Embarkation a second time, and safe arrival 
 at Thun, and thence at Berne — Tiresome halts of the voituriers 
 
 — Tomb of madame Langhams in the village church of Hin- 
 delbranch — Langenthal — Sursee — Lac de Sempach — Lucerne 
 - — Cathedral — Danse de Mort — General Pfyjfer's models — 
 Embarkation on " le Lac des Quatre Nations"— Gersaw — 
 Brunnen — Les Trois Conjures — William Tell's chapel — 
 Y&lky and town of Schwitz — Aloys Reding — Lake of Lo* 
 vertz — Art — Lake ofZug — Immici — Chapel of William Tell 
 
 — Tow?i of Zug — Brengarten, and the fete there — Orderly 
 conduct of the insurgent peasants — Baden— Military prepa- 
 rations there — Baths of Baden — Insurgents march ing toivards 
 Zurich — Fall of the Rhine — Schaffhousen — Country of the 
 Frickthal — Basle — Auberge des Trois Rois — M. Michel's 
 collection of prints — Cathedral — Tomb of Erasmus — View 
 
92 
 
 from the terrace — Public library of Basle — Pictures of Hol- 
 bein — Specimens of early printing — Proces-verbal of the 
 council of Basle on paper — Letters and ivill of Erasmus — 
 Copy of his ivork on Folly — Departure from Basle — Valley 
 and toim of Lauffen — Valley of Delmont — Town of Del- 
 mont — Aperture of Pierre Purtuis — Valley of St. Imier — 
 Toiun and inn of Bienne — Tlie landlord there — Passage on 
 the lake of Bienne — Isle de St. Pierre — Lake of Neufchatel— 
 Toxin of Neufchatel — Journey to the town of Yverdon — De- 
 serting peasants — Rolle — Insolent landlord of La Couronne 
 there — General statement of my expedition — Character of the 
 Swiss — Arrival at Geneva — Junction of the Rhone and the 
 Arve — English gentlemen playing cricket — House where Jean 
 Jacques Rousseau was born. 
 
 Geneva, Sept. 24, 1802- 
 
 My dear sir, 
 
 I YESTERPAY completed the rapid 
 tour, which, when I wrote to you last, I pro- 
 posed making, through the principal parts of 
 Switzerland. I despair of being able, in the 
 slightest degree, to communicate to you the 
 pleasure which I experienced in this excur- 
 sion, and still more difficult will it be to 
 give you an idea of the sublime and beautiful 
 scenes which I have visited. But, as I am con- 
 vinced that our sensations are best conveyed in 
 the language which our thoughts first suggest- 
 ed, I shall copy verbatim the journal which I 
 took with a pencil on the road, and which I 
 shall not attempt to ornament, or even to cor- 
 rect. 
 
 Before you begin my itinerary, it is neces- 
 
93 
 
 sary you should know that there is no esta- 
 blishment of post horses in Switzerland : those 
 who wish to travel through this country are 
 consequently obliged to hire the horses of voi- 
 turiers, with which it is necessary to perform 
 the whole of the intended journey. I accord- 
 ingly engaged, for this purpose, a corbeille 
 (which, being an open carriage, I conceived 
 better calculated for the journey than my own 
 chariot), and a pair of horses, driven by a coach- 
 man acquainted with the country. Leaving 
 my baggage at Lausanne, I took with me in 
 this conveyance only Mrs. L. and one man ser- 
 vant; the latter being seated with the coach- 
 man on the box. 
 
 Journal of a tour round Switzerland. 
 
 Saturday, Sept. 4, 1802, — We left Lausanne 
 at seven o'clock; breakfasted at Meudon, where 
 we found a good but extravagant inn ; and ar- 
 rived, about five in the evening, at Payerne, 
 where we took up our quarters at the sign of 
 the Hdtel de Ville. The country through which 
 we traveled in the morning was poor, hilly, and 
 barren ; but about five miles from Payerne we 
 came into a very pretty country, and passed 
 through a fine wood of considerable extent. 
 
 Sunday, Sept. 5.*— We set out from Payerne 
 
34 
 
 at half past five in the morning, and arrived at 
 Fribourg at eight. We traveled through a de- 
 lightful country extremely well cultivated, and 
 over roads uncommonly good. On entering 
 the canton of Fribourg, we were much enter- 
 tained with the dresses of the peasants : the 
 women wear large straw hats ornamented with 
 black lace, and their hair is plaited in large 
 tresses round their head : the men are dressed 
 in red cloth waistcoats, and round hats with 
 gold bands. The catholic churches are deco- 
 rated with pictures over the door of each, and 
 the tombs with colored crucifixes. Fribourg 
 is a small but pretty town : the cathedral is a 
 very fine building. I visited the convent of 
 the Capuchins, which is still in existence, and 
 went through the whole house. There are 
 twenty-four brothers, or members, of this com- 
 munity. The one who received me took great 
 pains to convince me that he was happy, and 
 perfectly satisfied with his situation. I can 
 only say — "Credat, Judaeus Apella; non ego." 
 In going away, I offered money to my civil con- 
 ductor ; but he would not receive it j and in- 
 sisted on giving me, as I left the monastery, a 
 nosegay, the produce of the garden belonging 
 to the house. 
 
 We afterwards went to the female convent of 
 the Ursulines. Five or six nuns appeared at 
 the grate of the parloir ; but, alas ! not one was 
 
95 
 
 either young , or pretty : they were all, how- 
 ever, civil, talkative *, and gay. These nuns 
 amuse themselves with making artificial flow- 
 ers, some of which we of course bought. 
 
 We then drove to the Hermitage, about four 
 miles from the town. This is a spot which af- 
 fords a curious instance of persevering and use- 
 less industry. It is a vast hermitage, consisting 
 of a dormitory, a chapel, a large saloon, a 
 kitchen, and other apartments, cut out of a 
 rock by the incessant labor of two men, who 
 successively made this place their retreat. The 
 first person who settled here was satisfied with 
 forming an apartment for his own use ; but his 
 successor consumed his life in bringing it to 
 its present state. Unfortunately the present 
 hermit, who is the third occupier of this singu- 
 lar habitation, was not at home : this circum- 
 stance prevented my seeing his own room; but 
 I gained admittance into several chambers of 
 considerable size, particularly the chapel and 
 the hall. 
 
 The situation of this strange residence is ro- 
 mantic and beautiful. The rock of which it is 
 formed overhangs the river Sane ; " which," as 
 Mf s GQxe observes, " after having meandered 
 
 * Mrs. L. remarked, that, though she bought the flowers, 
 the nums lddressed all their conversation to me. The sight 
 of a man seemed to render tfiem very loquacious. 
 
96 
 
 through two chains of mountains covered with 
 wood, waters all the valley below." 
 
 About two o'clock we returned to Fribourg, 
 and, getting into our corbeille (the horses of 
 which we had left to rest, while we took this 
 excursion in a carriage of the country), we con- 
 tinued our route towards Berne. The country 
 through which we passed was well wooded, 
 rich, and highly cultivated. The houses, built 
 of wood, are without chimneys — the smoke 
 being allowed to make its way through the 
 doors or windows; and the roofs are of tile. 
 When we came into the canton of Berne, we 
 instantly perceived the change by the dress of 
 the people, by the superior state of agricul- 
 ture, and by the general appearance of wealth 
 and comfort. The women are clad in black 
 jackets, blue waistcoats, and straw hats; and 
 their hair is dressed in long plaits which fall to 
 the ground. We reached Berne at eight in 
 the evening, and found very comfortable ac- 
 commodations at the sign of La Couronne. 
 
 Monday, Sept. 6. — We proceeded after break- 
 fast this morning to view the curiosities of the 
 town. The High Street is long, wide, and hand- 
 some. The houses are built of stone, and there 
 are trottoirs, or flag stones, for foot passengers, 
 with the addition of colonnades, or piazzas, of 
 an elegant construction, which protect the in- 
 
97 
 
 habitants from the heat of the sun in summer 
 and from the fall of rain in winter. 
 
 The German language is spoken almost uni- 
 versally in Berne. Having missed the door of 
 my inn in this street, it was long before I 
 could find .any person sufficiently conversant 
 with the French either to understand or satisfy 
 my inquiries. 
 
 The cathedral is a handsome edifice; and 
 the terrace near it commands a most sublime 
 and magnificent prospect, of which a country 
 singularly rich and romantic-— the Aar, a river 
 of much beautj^ — and the mighty range of 
 Alps, which are seen in all their grandeur — « 
 form the ob jects. We ascended the top of the 
 church, and thence the view was if possible 
 •still more picturesque. We also saw the town 
 and environs to great advantage from this ele- 
 vated spot. 
 
 After enjoying for some time this delightful 
 landscape, we descended, and went from the 
 cathedral to the public library, The collection 
 of books is not large, but made with conside- 
 rable judgement. The rooms appropriated to 
 this purpose are handsome and lively- There 
 is also here a museum of stuffed birds, fossils, 
 and other curiosities in natural history. The 
 walls of the different apartments belonging to 
 this library are ornamented with the pictures 
 
 Vol. I, H 
 
98 
 
 of the former magistrates of Berne, clad in theiir 
 official dresses. 
 
 We next visited the Mint, or Hdtel des Mom- 
 noies, which is a small neat building. The ma- 
 nager, an Englishman by birth, had the polite- 
 ness to show us the interior of this establish- 
 ment, where several workmen were employed 
 in coining small pieces of base money, com- 
 posed of equal portions of silver and alloy. 
 The value of each of these pieces is the ten th 
 part of a batz, and a batz is worth two-pence 
 English. 
 
 From the mint we were conducted to the in- 
 firmary and the hospital. The latter forms a 
 large square, having a garden for its centre ; is 
 very airy, and apparently well managed. We 
 did not go into the rooms ; but we understood 
 from every body that they were kept in great 
 order. I smiled involuntarily at the patriotic 
 prejudices of my guide, who, on my observing 
 that the hospital seemed uncommonly clean, 
 exclaimed, with a deep sigh, "Ah, monsieur, si 
 vous l'eussiez vu avant la revolution, c'etoit 
 bien une autre chose*." The Swiss, one may 
 conclude from this remark, entertain so great 
 an antipathy to their present government, thai 
 they consider every thing as deteriorated. Ac- 
 
 * " Oh, sir, if you had seen it before the revolution, it was 
 then in si very different state." 
 
99 
 
 Wording to this opinion, even washing, scour«< 
 ing, and sweeping, cannot -be now so well per- 
 formed as formerly. 
 
 We spent the rest of the morning in wan- 
 dering over the town, which is uncommonly 
 neat and pretty in every part. We dined at 
 an early hour, and proceeded afterwards on 
 our road to Thun, which is distant about 
 eighteen miles from Berne. 
 
 We arrived at the former of these places at 
 seven in the evening, after a delightful jour- 
 ney. The road was excellent, and the views 
 more than commonly beautiful; A cultivated 
 and well-wooded valley, rilled with pretty vil- 
 lages, was the country through which we tra- 
 veled, and the towering Alps finished the 
 landscape* 
 
 Tuesday, Sept. 7. — -We left our carriage to 
 await our return at Le Freyhoff, the little inn 
 of Thun, and got into a boat covered with 
 oiled skin and rowed by three men, at a little 
 before nine o'clock this morning; After row* 
 ing for a short distance on the river Aar, we 
 found ourselves on the lake of Thun ; one 
 bank of which presents majestic mountains 
 (particularly Le Niese and Le Stockhorne), 
 and the other, fine woods and rich vineyards- 
 As we moved along on this wide and beautiful 
 piece of water, we remarked Le Chateau de 
 OberhofFen, where formerly resided a bailiff of 
 
 H2 
 
100 
 
 Berne, and near it a gentleman's seat, belonging 
 to M.'de Vatevell. Under the Niese I perceived, 
 in a sweet situation, a white little church, which 
 seemed as if it had been an object placed there 
 on purpose to increase the beauty of the land- 
 scape. Further on, on the same side, we ob- 
 served the castle and church of Spietz, be- 
 longing formerly to the barons of Bouten- 
 bourg, and at present to the ancient family of 
 D'Erlach of Berne. 
 
 On the other bank, we noticed a curious old 
 wooden house, with the horns of a deer sus- 
 pended as a sign before it. The next objects' 
 which attracted our attention were the house 
 and village of Meerlingen. The former of 
 these is exactly midway between the extre- 
 mities of the lake. The inhabitants of the vil- 
 lage are considered, according to the preju- 
 'dices of the country, as idiots ; but M. Richart 
 (whose traveling book I had with me) says that 
 there is not the least truth in the report. — On 
 a height above, stands a village church in a 
 most romantic position. 
 
 We now approached a kind of bay. On the 
 left were fir trees growing out of the rock; 
 and on the right, fine woods, planted at the 
 foot of the mighty mountains which stand 
 above. After turning round the rock, which 
 here projects, We perceived Neuhaus (or the 
 new house), near which persons sometimes 
 
101 
 
 land, and take a direct path to Utersee. On 
 the right, close on the lake, a pretty little vil- 
 lage, called Leisega.l, demanded our attention : 
 and on the other side, a cascade falling from a 
 vast eminence ; and above, a church built in 
 the centre of the rock, which is itself covered 
 with trees. 
 
 We arrived at the further extremity of the 
 lake of Thun, a distance of nine English miles, 
 at half past twelve o'clock. We here seemed 
 to be in a spot secluded from the rest of the 
 world; and it was impossible to view the vast 
 features of nature which surrounded us without 
 feeling a kind of involuntary awe. We pro- 
 ceeded on foot, no carriage being to be had at 
 the water's side, to Utersee, a little dirty vil- 
 lage built of wood. 
 
 We found, on our arrival at this place, that 
 even in this sequestered part of virtuous Swit- 
 zerland imposition was not unknown; and so 
 great a price was asked for a low cart, with 
 seats suspended on it, drawn by one horse 
 (the only conveyance of which the country 
 admits), that it was three o'clock before our 
 arrangements were finally made. We at last 
 set out, with a good horse, and a fine lad as 
 driver, who walked by the side. The road was 
 wonderfully romantic, wild, and indeed terri- 
 fic. At first we passed through a fine plain 
 surrounded with the vast mountain* of the 
 
102 
 
 country. We then began to ascend up a nar- 
 row road, on the side of a rapid torrent. The 
 hills around were well wooded and well inha- 
 bited, for cottages were scattered about in abun- 
 dance. Cows were grazing on the summit of 
 the mountains, in rich fields^ the verdure of 
 which was extremely beautiful. 
 
 After traveling in this manner, at the edge 
 of precipices, during the space of two hours, 
 'We -came in sight of the Youngfrau, or Maiden 
 Mountain (called so because the foot of man 
 has never been able to traverse it), covered 
 with snow ; and in another hour reached Lau- 
 terbrunen. The village stands in a situation 
 truly romantic. We found here an inn of de- 
 cent appearance; but having heard that tra- 
 velers were sometimes received at the par- 
 sonage-house, we sent our servant to the mini- 
 ster's, and requested the favor of accommoda- 
 tions for the night; which, on condition that we 
 would excuse the homely fare which his larder 
 afforded, was readily and politely granted. We 
 were welcomed to this peaceful mansion with 
 much hospitality by its respectable owner, 
 whose name is Zumelini ; by his wife, a well- 
 behaved young woman, who spoke French per- 
 fectly well ; and by her mother, a respectable 
 and sensible old lady. Tea was instantly served ; 
 after which our reverend host proposed walking 
 With me round the neighbourhood. The Stoub- 
 
103 
 
 bach, one of the most celebrated waterfalls of 
 Switzerland, fronts the windows of his house ; 
 but though it rolls from a height of nine hun- 
 dred feet, it is not a very striking sight at pre- 
 sent,— -the extreme driness of the season having 
 deprived it of its usual quantity of water. 
 After walking more than an hour, in a rich 
 valley encircled by the sublimest mountains 
 and washed by the waters which fall from their 
 summit, w 7 e approached the Youngfrau ; and 
 as I beheld with admiration its lofty white top, 
 my attention was drawn to a fine waterfall, 
 which, descending from that vast mountain, 
 rushes with roaring impetuosity into the plain 
 below. I had just time enough to contemplate 
 this and the adjoining glaciers, when night hid 
 the scene from my view.— An individual at- 
 tempted some time back to rob the Young- 
 frau of her virgin honors ; but his rashness 
 was punished with death, for he was never 
 heard of after the morning when he set oat 
 on the expedition. 
 
 I returned home with my respectable con- 
 ductor, much delighted with the scenes I had 
 witnessed, and not a little obliged by the civi- 
 lities he had shown me. I should doubtless 
 have likewise received much information from 
 his conversation, had I been able to under- 
 stand him; but, unfortunately, the German, 
 of which I am totally ignorant, was the only 
 
104 
 
 modern language which he could speak. After" 
 several fruitless attempts at expressing to each 
 other our opinions, we at last remembered that 
 a medium of communication might perhaps be 
 found by talking Latin. .This experiment af- 
 forded some relief to the embarrassment under 
 which we had hitherto labored; but the dif- 
 ference of pronunciation still placed a consi- 
 derable difficulty in the way of our conversa- 
 tion. The good man spoke Latin with consi- 
 derable fluency (for, in foreign education, aca- 
 demical students are taught to speak as well a* 
 write the dead languages), while I expressed 
 myself but imperfectly, never having had oc- 
 casion, excepting in the schools of Oxford, to> 
 use that tongue. 
 
 AVe supped with this worthy family on water- 
 gruel (which supplied the place of soup)^ and 
 on trout caught in the neighbouring streams; 
 to which were added boiled eggs and fried liver. 
 Our drink was the wine of the country; and 
 the repast concluded with a glass of lunelle y a 
 bottle of which was brought out in honor of 
 the English guests. Every thing was givetft 
 w 7 ith such good will and cordial hospitality, 
 that it was impossible not to be pleased — 
 though I must confess, that, having traveled 
 all day without eating, I should have consi- 
 dered a more substantial meal as better suited 
 to the keenness of my appetite. Before we left 
 
105 
 
 the table, the minister pronounced with a 
 solemn tone a prayer in German, answering, 
 as I suppose, to our grace. We then ad- 
 journed to another room, where our landlord 
 entertained us with a domestic concert. The 
 good minister played the violin, and his wife 
 the harpsichord. They were accompanied by 
 the voices of their female servants, two pretty 
 young girls, dressed in the costume of the coum- 
 try, who, being unable to read the notes, kept 
 time by the motion of their fingers. The 
 music, also the composition of our host, was. 
 wild and simple : and it was with great truth 
 I assured the ladies of the family, who offered 
 many apologies for the poverty of this enter- 
 tainment, that I preferred it to the finest efforts 
 of studied skill.— After listening some time to 
 this music, we retired to a very comfortable 
 bedchamber, and slept so soundly that we 
 never heard a violent storm which raged 
 during the night. 
 
 This day was passed in a most agreeable 
 manner. After enjoying the novelty and gran- 
 deur of the sublime scenery which we had vi- 
 sited in the morning, we experienced an equal 
 pleasure from the society of the good people 
 whose guests we became in the evening : their 
 plain but hearty welcome, their homely but 
 plentiful board, and their good-humored at" 
 tempts to please, afforded an incident so nevy 
 
106 
 
 and so interesting that I set it down among 
 the most agreeable occurrences of my tour. 
 
 Wednesday, Sept. 8. — I rose at half past five 
 o'clock, and walked to the foot of the Stoub- 
 bach, which falls from a vast height directly 
 opposite the parsonage of Lauterbrunen. The 
 rain which fell during the night had increased 
 its waters, but it was still far from being in 
 high beauty. 
 
 On returning, I found the minister and his 
 family ready to receive us. After breakfasting 
 with these excellent people, and expressing 
 our gratitude * for the hospitable reception 
 which they had afforded us, we mounted again 
 our little cart, and continued our route to- 
 wards Grindenwald. It rained very hard this 
 morning ; and as our conveyance was unco- 
 vered, we were obliged to depend on our great- 
 coats and umbrellas for shelter against the wet. 
 We traversed again great part of the road 
 
 * I was much embarrassed how to act. I had heard it 
 was customary for travelers who sleep at the house of a 
 clergyman in Switzerland to pay the expenses of their enter- 
 tainment, but I had found such superior manners in the 
 ladies of the family that I could not persuade myself to offer 
 them money. To obviate this awkwardness, I Avrote a letter 
 of thanks, enclosing a Louis d'or, and directed my servant 
 as soon as I had left the house to deliver it. The letter, he 
 afterwards told me, was very civilly received, and seemed 
 expected. — I mention this as a hint to travelers who may 
 find themselves in a similar situation. 
 
107 
 
 which we had passed the preceding day. At 
 length we crossed a wild rustic bridge, and, 
 taking the other bank of the river, began to 
 ascend the hills which lead to Grindenwald. 
 The country continued to display the same fea- 
 tures j but the road was steeper, and the moun- 
 tains became more wild, lofty, and majestic. 
 After traveling for some time, we came in 
 sight of the glaciers, the white color of which 
 was beautifully contrasted with the deep green 
 of the fir trees which surround them on all 
 sides. s . 
 
 We arrived at Grindenwald about eleven 
 o'clock. The inn is small, and in every re- 
 spect but little superior to the cottage of a 
 peasant. After we had eaten of the refresh- 
 ments which we brought with us (for nothing 
 was to be had in this miserable auberge), we 
 walked to see the glaciers ; but the Vain conti- 
 nued to fall with such violence, that we were 
 prevented either from ascending or staying 
 long near these mountains of ice. Though the 
 road which leads to Grindenwald is wonderfully 
 striking, and truly magnificent, I am far from 
 thinking that the valley itself deserves the re- 
 putation which it almost universally possesses. 
 In my opinion, it is by no means to be com- 
 pared with that of Chamouny, which I have al- 
 ready described: nor are the glaciers of Grin^ 
 
108 
 
 denwald near so large or so beautiful as those 
 of Chamouny. 
 
 At three o'clock we recommenced our jour- 
 ney, in spite of the torrents of rain, which were 
 incessant \ and, passing over the same ground, 
 arrived at Utersee about seven in the even- 
 ing. We thus completed this little tour to the 
 mountains in perfect safety, after traveling for 
 two days in an unsteady cart on the brink of 
 precipices. Mrs. L. was, as you may imagine, 
 much alarmed ; but the lad who drove us was 
 extremely careful ; and, whe'never he saw fear 
 depicted in her face, he cried out, in a tone of 
 voice which inspired confidence, " Wavez pas 
 peur, madame This broken sentence of 
 French was all he could speak in that lan- 
 guage; but he seemed very proud of being 
 able even to say so much, and was extremely 
 anxious to remove every cause for alarm. We 
 were much pleased with his naivete, his skill, 
 and his good-humor. 
 
 At Utersee we found a comfortable little 
 inn ; and, after changing our wet clothes, 
 sat down to a clean, simple, plentiful supper. 
 Our bed, though not decked out with the or- 
 naments of a Parisian hotel, was excellent : but 
 a violent storm of thunder and lightning, which 
 
 * He should have said " N'ayez pas peur" — " Be not 
 afraid " — « there is no cau se for fear." 
 
109 
 
 %hook the very foundation of this wood-built 
 house, rendered sleep impossible. The noise 
 of this storm continued during the whole of the 
 night. 
 
 Thursday, Sept. 9. — I intended to have risen 
 at five o'clock this morning, in order to pay a 
 visit to the lake of Brientz, which is not far di- 
 stant, previously to the intended embarkation 
 on our return to Thun. The excessive rain, 
 which continued, made me give up, though 
 with great reluctance, the execution of this 
 project: and I almost feared, from the appear- 
 ance of the clouds, that we should be detained 
 all day at Utersee. At nine the weather un- 
 expectedly cleared up, and we set out for 
 the water side in the cart which had taken 
 us to Grindenwald. The honest lad who drove 
 its, though dismissed the preceding night with 
 the payment of his carriage and a fee to him- 
 self, came unsolicited in the morning with his 
 cart, and insisted on conveying us to (what he 
 conceived the extremity of the world) the 
 mouth of the lake which separates the wild 
 country of which he is an inhabitant from the 
 rest of Switzerland. On arriving at the place 
 where it is usual to embark, we found that the 
 wind, which raged with violence during the 
 night, had abated ; and, hiring a boat similar 
 to that in which we had made the passage be- 
 fore, we ventured to set out. We were rowed 
 
110 
 
 by two men, and by a fine young woman, whe> 
 was not the least active of the three. When 
 we had traversed about half the lake, the wea- 
 ther again changed — the rain, thunder, and 
 lightning returned; and our conductors, appre- 
 hending a storm (for storms are both frequent 
 and dangerous on this water), pushed to the 
 nearest shore with great energy and apparent 
 alarm. We reached the land in safety ; and 
 after we had waited about half an hour under 
 the shelter of a fisherman's hut, the storm 
 abated. We ventured to embark a second 
 time ; and arrived at Thun at two o'clock. We 
 here took some slight refreshment, and, getting 
 into our corbeille (which we had left at this 
 place), proceeded on our journey in spite of 
 the rain and thunder, which continued to pre- 
 vail, and found ourselves at Berne before seven 
 in the evening. We were agreeably surprised 
 at finding at the inn some English friends; with 
 whom, after dinner (the weather having again 
 become favorable), we strolled about the town, 
 and admired the beautiful view which presents 
 itself from the platform or terrace near the ca- 
 thedral. 
 
 Friday, Sept. 10.— We set out this morning 
 at half past eight o'clock, and arrived about 
 twelve at a little village, where our horses were 
 allowed to bait. The necessity of allowing 
 §ome hours daily for this purpose is one of 
 
Ill 
 
 the most disagreeable circumstances attend- 
 ing a tour in Switzerland. The drivers, or 
 voituriers, have also much of the German 
 character; and they always contrive to reach 
 the place where they purpose making a halt 
 exactly at noon, at which precise time of day 
 they are certain of finding a hot dinner ready 
 dressed at the inn : and it is impossible to per- 
 suade them to proceed, till they have made 
 their meal in plenty, swallowed their quota of 
 wine, and smoked their usual quantity of to- 
 bacco. When I first set out on this expedition 
 I endeavoured to make some changes in this 
 daily routine ; but I soon discovered how vain 
 were all remonstrances; and in future sub- 
 mitted (I cannot say very willingly) to an ar- 
 rangement by which my plans were dreadfully 
 retarded. 
 
 The country through which we passed this 
 morning was rich, and well cultivated ; but it 
 appeared flat and tame to our eyes, after the 
 wild and majestic scenery which presented it- 
 self on the road to Grindenwald. 
 
 We failed not to stop at Hindelbranch, to 
 see, in the church of that village, the celebrated 
 tomb of madame Langhams, executed by Nahl. 
 The history of the tomb is this: — The artist 
 being employed to erect a monument to the 
 memory of a distinguished magistrate of Berne, 
 
til 
 
 who was buried in the parish, look up his abode 
 at the bouse of the clergyman, where he expe- 
 rienced the utmost kindness and hospitality. 
 During his residence there, the young, beautiful, 
 and virtuous wife of this gentleman died in child- 
 bed. Prompted by the recollection of the fa- 
 vors which he had received in the family, and 
 moved by the sorrow to which it became the 
 victim in consequence of this sudden and me- 
 lancholy event, M. Nahl determined to record 
 his own gratitude and the merit of his benefac- 
 tress in a tomb worthy of her whom he de- 
 plored. He left unfinished the splendid task 
 which had brought him hither, and devoted 
 his whole time to the monument in honor of 
 madame Lanerhams, which was accordingly 
 completed. — The design is admirable: the 
 stones of the grave appear as broken, and the 
 figure of this lady, executed with great art, 
 is seen bursting with her child, at the day of 
 judgement, from the tomb, which still half de- 
 tains her. Nothing can be finer than the 
 thought ; but the execution, though very fine, 
 did not quite come up to the expectation 
 which I had formed in consequence of the 
 great renown which this monument has ob- 
 tained. 
 
 After we had consumed the usual time at 
 ©ur baiting place, weil called by the coachmen 
 
113 
 
 (a din'ee, or dining time, we continued our 
 route, and reached Langenthal at six — a pretty, 
 clean village — where we found a neat and com- 
 fortable inn at the sign of the Golden Lion. 
 
 The country through which we traveled 
 this evening was well wooded and highly cul- 
 tivated, but flat and uninteresting. The pea- 
 sants' houses presented every appearance of 
 plenty and real comfort. Equality seems ac- 
 tually to exist in this country: no lordly osten- 
 tatious mansion interrupts the tranquil scene, 
 and no half-ruined cottage marks the resi- 
 dence of Wretchedness. Generally speaking, 
 the canton of Berne reminds me of England, — • 
 with this exception only, that in the former 
 there are few, if any, gentlemen's houses. Be- 
 tween Berne and Langenthal (a distance of 
 thirty miles), I saw but one mansion ; and that 
 belonged to the ancient family of D'Erlach, 
 long at the head of the magistracy of Berne. 
 
 Saturday, Sept. 11. — We set out, in bad 
 weather, this morning, for Lucerne; into the 
 canton of which name we soon afterwards en- 
 tered. The poverty and dirt of the inhabitants 
 marked the limits, and would have proved our 
 arrival in a catholic * country, without the 
 
 * I have certainly no prejudices on religious subjects; 
 hut, in traveling in Switzerland, it is impossible not to re- 
 mark the wide difference in the appearance of the ca- 
 
 Yol. % I 
 
114 
 
 crosses, churches, and burying-grounds covered 
 with colored crucifixes, which we met with at 
 every mile. 
 
 After a tiresome stage, we reached at twelve 
 the wretched, little, priest-ridden town of Sur- 
 see ; in which, amidst fdth, wretchedness, and 
 gloomy solitude, a splendid church raises its 
 insulting head. 
 
 After in vain attempting to breakfast, for 
 every thing which was brought us at the inn 
 was too disgustingly bad to be eaten, and wait- 
 ing with as much patience as we could com- 
 mand while our coachman devoured his usual 
 dinner, we continued our route, notwithstand- 
 ing the rain, which fell in torrents, and arrived 
 at Lucerne about seven in the evening. On 
 our road, soon after leaving Sursee, we passed 
 by the Lac deSempach, a small lake, which ap- 
 peared, as far as I could judge from viewing it 
 
 tholic and protestant districts. In the former, dirt, misery, 
 and idleness present themselves on all sides ; and in the 
 latter, cleanliness, good order, high cultivation, and decent 
 manners.---! ought, perhaps, to except the smaller cantons, 
 where, though the catholic religion is in full force, there 
 is much good farming, and no want of activity. This in- 
 dustry, not met with in the neighbouring catholic cantons, 
 must be produced by the strong arm of Necessity. If the 
 inhabitants of the little cantons were not to exert their utmost 
 efforts, their rocky mountains would not afford the means of 
 existence. 
 
115 
 
 in such unfavorable weather, to possess many 
 beauties. It is also celebrated for a great 
 battle fought near its banks. 
 - At Lucerne we had the pleasure of meeting 
 two English gentlemen whom we had known 
 at Paris, and from therrt first learned the insure 
 rection which had just taken place in the 
 smaller cantons, and which was rapidly spread- 
 ing itself over the rest of Switzerland; The inn 
 was crowded,— '-the town being filled with mili* 
 tary ; and the only lodgings we could procure 
 were wretchedly bad, 
 
 Sunday, Sept, 12, — After breakfast we pro- 
 ceeded to see the curiosities of the place. We 
 attended high mass at the cathedral of Lucerne* 
 and were much entertained, both with the har- 
 mony of the music and the tawdry pomp of 
 the ceremony. In returning, we visited the 
 three covered bridges, each of which is orna- 
 mented with paintings— particularly that over the 
 ReusSi On the latter is represented;* 4 La Dans© 
 de Mort." This is a strange conceit of the 
 painter, who, mingling the most farcical with 
 the most serious ideas, has drawn a caricature 
 of persons of all descriptions, of all ages, and 
 of all professions, overtaken by the unex-* 
 pected, unpitying, and undiscriminating hand 
 of Death. The ambitious statesman, the pow- 
 dered beau, the lawyer and the dancing master, 
 the prude and the flirt, the grey-headed sage 
 
 12 
 
116 
 
 and the beardless boy, the venerable matron 
 and the lively coquette, the half-starved miser 
 and the pampered prodigal, the soldier and 
 the politician, the author and the mechanic-— 
 each of these characters has his place in this 
 picture, arrested by Death, armed with his 
 sithe. 
 
 The church of the Jesuits was the next ob ject 
 of our attention. It is rich, and of good archi- 
 tecture. Only two brothers of the order now 
 remain. 
 
 From the Jesuits we proceeded to general 
 Pfyffer's, where we asked permission to see his 
 celebrated models. This venerable gentleman, 
 who for many years took a pleasure in himself 
 explaining his ingenious contrivance, is now 
 of too-advanced an age to exercise in person 
 this species of hospitality ; but a servant de- 
 puted by him gave us a very satisfactory ac- 
 count. The whole of the little cantons, and 
 the Alps which surround them, are accurately 
 described in this design j every part of which 
 is so clearly marked, that a stranger, who had 
 with proper attention studied it, might cer- 
 tainly find his way, without a guide, even in 
 the most intricate paths. 
 
 We afterwards took a walk by the water 
 side, and were much struck with the view of 
 the country, and the position of the town, 
 which stands at the mouth of the Lake of the 
 
117 
 
 Four Cantons, and is surrounded with the most 
 sublime and lofty mountains of the European 
 continent. 
 
 It rained so violently in the evening, that 
 we "were obliged to pass the remainder of the 
 day at our inn. 
 
 Monday, Sept. IS. — .The weather, very fortu- 
 nately for me, became more favorable at an 
 early hour this morning, and I proceeded in 
 my intended excursion on Le Lac des Quatres 
 Cantons. At a little before seven o'clock I 
 embarked in an open boat at Lucerne, ac- 
 companied by a guide whom I had engaged 
 for the purpose. After a safe and very plea- 
 sant voyage on this truly majestic lake, I ar- 
 rived at Brunnen at half past eleven. A little 
 before we reached the shore we passed by the 
 village and nation of Gersaw, the smallest re- 
 public in the world, consisting of not more 
 than one thousand individuals. We saw at a 
 distance the plain where " les trois conjures" 
 (as the fathers of Swiss independence were 
 called) first planned the emancipation of their 
 country; and, opposite to that plain, one of 
 the temples erected in honor of William Tell. 
 I forgot to mention, that, as we rowed by the 
 neck of land which it is necessary to approach 
 in visiting the territories of the little cantons, 
 we perceived on the heights a guard of insur- 
 
118 
 
 £ent peasants, sheltered by a few boards put 
 together in a very rough manner. 
 
 On landing at Brunnen, a peasant, with a 
 green flower and red-and-white cockade in his 
 hat, asked for the passport of my guide and 
 myself ; and, having examined this document 
 and our features, conducted us to a little inn, 
 where a person in an officer's uniform ap- 
 peared. The latter received the passport, and 
 soon after countersigned and returned it. 
 
 I then proceeded on foot to Schwitz, through 
 the well-known valley of that name, which is 
 beautifully picturesque *. As we walked along 
 we saw a regiment of peasants drawn out for 
 
 f» The following is Mr. Coxe's description of Brunnen, 
 %nd Schwitz. — 
 
 " The lake forms at the extremity of this branch a con- 
 siderable bay; in the middle of which stands the village 
 of Brunnen, celebrated for the treaty concluded there bc T 
 tween the cantons of Schwitz and Underwald in the year 
 1315. Here I landed, and walked over an agreeable and 
 fertile plain, divided into fields and planted with fruit-trees, 
 to Schwitz, situated on the brow of a hill, at the foot of two 
 high rocks, sharp and pointed, called in the language of the 
 country " Schweitzer Haller.^ The position of this town is 
 very agreeable. The church, which is a magnificent build- 
 ing, stands in the Gfreat Place, or principal square. The 
 houses near the church are built in rows, but those which 
 form the rest of the town are scattered in the most agreeable 
 manner on the sides of the hill and in the middle of valleys 
 and fields, and sheltered by clumps of trees." 
 
119 
 
 exercise, properly armed, and accompanied 
 by drums and fifes, but not dressed in uniform, 
 ■ — being only distinguished by green boughs, 
 which they wore in their hats. This was one 
 of those corps which the smaller cantons, ani- 
 mated by that courage which has from time 
 immemorial distinguished them, have lately 
 raised, in order to restore their ancient and 
 much-loved constitution. In seeing these brave 
 defenders of civil liberty marching over that 
 plain which had witnessed the original esta- 
 blishment of Swiss independence, I could not 
 help fancying that they were animated by the 
 spirit of the first founders of the Helvetic league. 
 The same courage, tempered by decency and 
 order, was seen in these modern patriots, as 
 formerly glowed in the breasts of their heroic 
 ancestors : and with Avhatever success their ex- 
 ertions may be attended, they at least deserve 
 a fate no less happy than that of their fore- 
 fathers. 
 
 At Schwitz, which is a small neat town in 
 a most romantic situation, I visited the church, 
 a singularly large building for snch a place. 
 Here are suspended the banners taken by the 
 Swiss in their different combats, which add an- 
 other spur, if any were wanting, to the zeal of 
 the present warriors, 
 
 AVhile I took a slight dinner at the inn called 
 Le Cheval Blanc, I learned that it was neces- 
 
120 
 
 sary to have my passport examined by the Ian- 
 dermann, or principal magistrate ; and finding 
 that the celebrated Aloys Reding * held this 
 office, I greedily seized an opportunity, thus 
 afforded me, of seeing that extraordinary man, 
 who, at the first arrival of the French troops in 
 
 * The following account of the heroic conduct of this 
 extraordinary man, taken from a late publication, will per- 
 haps be not unacceptable. — 
 
 " Skirting the verdant heights of Morgarten, the sacred 
 monument of the ancient valor of the Swiss, they were re- 
 solved, if unable to leave liberty to their posterity, to set 
 them an example worthy of it. Aloys Reding of Schwitz, 
 who commanded the allies — a hero and a sage, who in 
 peaceable times had been the advocate of reforms and ame- 
 liorations, but who resented the offer of changes from an 
 armed enemy — in this situation thus addressed his trooops :— 
 * Brave comrades ! dear fellow-citizens ! behold us, at a de- 
 cisive moment, surrounded by enemies, abandoned by friends ! 
 There now remains for us only to ascertain whether we wish 
 courageously to imitate the example set us by our ancestors 
 at Morgarten. A death almost certain awaits us ! If any one 
 fears it, let him retire, and no reproach on our part shall fol- 
 low him. Let us not impose on each other in this solemn 
 hour. I would rather have an hundred men prepared for all 
 events, on whom I can rely, than five hundred, who, taking 
 themselves to flight, would produce confusion, and by their 
 perfidious retreat would sacrifice the heroes who were de- 
 sirous of still defending themselves. As to myself, I promise 
 not to abandon you, even in the greatest peril. Death, and 
 Ho retreat ! If you share in my resolution, depute two men 
 from each rank, and let them swear to me, in your name, 
 that you will be faithful to your promises.' " — - Zschockle's 
 Hist, of the Invasion of Switzerland. 
 
m 
 
 these peaceful scenes, checked with a small body 
 of brave men the whole force of their army, who 
 since was at the head of the Helvetic govern- 
 ment, and who is supposed to be the very soul 
 of the present insurrection. I accordingly re- 
 paired to his dwelling, which, though far from 
 large, is somewhat superior to the houses 
 around it. — Aloys Reding (formerly an officer 
 in the Swiss regiment of guards employed by 
 France) is a tall, fair, genteel man, about forty 
 years old, of military appearance and polished 
 manners. He received me with much urbani- 
 ty j and, hearing I was English, spoke of our 
 country in terms of great esteem. I told him 
 I visited Schwitz with no common feelings — a 
 spot interesting to every British traveler for 
 the exertions made there in former times, and 
 not less so for those which I now witnessed, in 
 the cause of liberty. "Alas!" interrupted Mr. 
 Reding with a sigh, " if this countiy be inter- 
 esting at all, it is so for its unmerited misfor- 
 tunes!"— He then countersigned my passport, 
 and in pressing terms offered any civilities 
 which he could grant or I could request. I 
 should have had much pleasure in continuing 
 the conversation, but, recollecting how valuable 
 must be every moment of his time in the pre- 
 sent conjuncture, I Contented myself with 
 wishing him and Switzerland every possible 
 happiness, and took my leave. 
 
122 
 
 I then proceeded with my guide, still on 
 foot, through a charming country — rich, yet ro- 
 mantic — and along natural walks (which were 
 so beautiful as to appear as if they had been 
 made for ornament and convenience in plea- 
 sure-grounds), to Art, a pretty little sequestered 
 village at the mouth of the lake of Zug. Be- 
 fore we arrived at this village, we walked for 
 some distance on the bank of the small lake of 
 Lovertz, which is distinguished by its tranquil 
 scenety, auc * D y tne picturesque islands planted 
 in its waters. 
 
 At Art I hired a boat, and, embarking on 
 the lake of Zug, rowed for about an hour, to 
 Immici, where I landed ; and, after a quarter 
 of an hour's walk, reached the Chapel of Wil- 
 liam Tell, erected to celebrate the death of the 
 bailiff killed by the former near this spot. 
 There is nothing particular in the interior of 
 the chapel, but on the outside are three pic- 
 tures, the subjects of which are, William Tell 
 shooting his arrow over the head of his son, 
 the same jumping into the lake, and the man- 
 ner in which he killed the tyrant bailiff. The 
 chapel commands a magnificent view of the 
 Lake of the Four Cantons and the surrounding 
 mountains. * 
 
 After paying my homage in this temple of 
 freedom, I descended to the village of Immici, 
 and, embarking again on the lake of Zug, con- 
 
123 
 
 tinucd my route towards the town of that name? 
 This lake is very pretty, and richly wooded ; 
 and the mountain Rig rises majestically from 
 its banks. 
 
 As the wind was high, and night approach- 
 ed, I found myself cold in my uncovered boat, 
 and determined to perform the remainder of 
 the journey on foot. I accordingly made to 
 shore when about two or three miles fromZug, 
 and walked along the bank of the lake, in a 
 beautiful path bordered with lofty trees, till 
 I reached the town, where I arrived about half 
 past six in the evening. Here I found Mrs. L. 
 already arrived ; who had proceeded in our 
 corbeille from Lucerne to this place by the 
 straight road, not having ventured to accom- 
 pany me in this interesting but fatiguing tour. 
 — I was highly satisfied with my excursion, 
 having in one day visited several of the most 
 striking scenes of the little cantons, and seen, 
 among other objects of great curiosity, the 
 justly-celebrated Aloys Reding. 
 
 Zug is a small neat town, and is only distin- 
 guished by being the capital of the canton, and 
 by being surrounded by walls, — a protection 
 which no other place in this neighbourhood 
 possesses. 
 
 Tuesday, Sept. 14. — After a violent dispute 
 with our landlord, who, even in this retired 
 spot, had learnt the arts of imposition, we pror 
 
124 
 
 ceeded on our journey. On leaving Zug, we 
 drove for some time along a cross-road, and 
 were soon in sight of the river Reuss ; on the 
 bank of which we traveled till we came to 
 Brengarten, where we stopped to bait our 
 horses-. 
 
 Brengarten is a small and not very hand- 
 some town, filled with churches and convents. 
 We found the place in a state of great gaiety 
 and mirth, as the inhabitants were celebrating- 
 one of their rustic f&tes. Several houses were 
 thrown open, where the peasants were dancing 
 waltzes with great spirit. The men wear large 
 round hats and long coats : the women, short 
 petticoats, and straw hats ornamented with co- 
 lored ribands. Their hair is dressed in a long 
 narrow plait, which falls almost to their feet. 
 
 About three o'clock we left this town, and 
 continued our journey, passing through a rich 
 and fertile country. We met on the road a 
 corps of armed insurgents, who had flowers and 
 a cockade of black and red riband in their hats. 
 From them we experienced no interruption ; 
 but as we approached a little town in posses- 
 sion of the peasants, a sentinel appeared before 
 the gate, and inquired who we were : we an- 
 swered " English," and were instantly allowed 
 to pass. 
 
 ,¥e reached Baden early in the evening, 
 and on our arrival found the town in the 
 
1&5 
 
 greatest confusion: it was filled with armed 
 men : troops entered the place every moment : 
 military preparations were making, drums beat- 
 ing, &c. Mrs. L. was alarmed at these warlike 
 symptoms, and wished to leave the town; but 
 on sending my servant to an old, respectable, 
 soldierlike gentleman, who seemed to command, 
 we received such assurances of safety and pro- 
 tection as determined us to follow our first in- 
 tention, of passing the night here; and ac- 
 cordingly we took up our quarters at Les Ba~ 
 lances, a good and comfortable inn. 
 
 While our supper was preparing we took a 
 pleasant walk on the bank of the river Limmat, 
 which flows at the foot of this town. The road 
 to the Baths of Baden is extremely pretty, but 
 the village where they stand is dull and dirty. 
 — We observed, as we walked along, the little 
 army of insurgents which we had met in the 
 morning winding round a hill, on the other 
 side of the river, on its way to Zurich. — 
 A-propos : we have been prevented from visit- 
 ing that city and its celebrated lake by the 
 state of siege in which the former is placed. 
 No person, we are told, is at present allowed 
 to enter the walls. This is an unfortunate cir- 
 cumstance, and will render our tour imperfect j 
 but,, on the other hand, we have the advantage 
 of seeing the country at this interesting mo- 
 ment, and of witnessing the brave, dignified. 
 
126 
 
 and orderly exertions of the Swiss, in the holy 
 cause of liberty and national independence. I 
 greatly fear that they will be the victims of 
 their courage : the present struggle will form 
 a pretext to France to interfere ; and the con- 
 sequence will be the loss of what little freedom 
 they now retain. Whether their efforts be or be 
 not politically wise, time only can decide ; but 
 every friend of humanity must commend the 
 principle from which they arise; and the Swiss 
 may say, in the language of Addison, 
 
 " 'Tis not in mortals to command success ; 
 But we'll do more, Sempronius, — 
 We '11 deserve it." 
 
 'Wednesday, Sept. 15. — Notwithstanding the 
 military preparations of the preceding evening, 
 the night passed tranquilly away. 
 
 We set out again at half past eight o'clock 
 this morning; and, after traveling for about 
 two hours, crossed the Rhine, over a new bridge, 
 • — the old one having been burned by the French 
 in their first invasion. This celebrated river has 
 not (at least at this spot) any thing very parti- 
 cular to distinguish it : it is not so wide as the 
 Thames : nor did we find the country through 
 which we traveled this morning very picti- 
 resque : it is generally laid out in corn. We 
 dined at a small inn (a kind of farmhouse) 
 about half way between Baden and Schaf- 
 housen. 
 
127 
 
 At half past three o'clock we set out again, 
 and in about an hour's time came in sight of 
 the Fall of the Rhine, which we saw to great 
 advantage from a field which nearly fronts this 
 beautiful object. After contemplating for some 
 time this far-famed waterfall, we proceeded to 
 Schaffhousen, where we arrived early in the 
 evening. 
 
 Schaffhousen is an old ugly town, and pos- 
 sesses nothing worthy of notice but its romantic 
 situation ; yet few places are better known, in 
 consequence of its vicinity to the celebrated 
 cataract. The latter fully answered my ex- 
 pectations : but as I intend to visit it with par- 
 ticular attention to-morrow morning, I do not 
 at present enter into a minute account. 
 
 Thursday, Sept. 16. — We rose at six o'clock, 
 and after breakfast continued our journey. 
 
 We were conveyed in the carriage of our 
 voiturier to a valley adjoining the Fall of the 
 Rhine. We then descended, and proceeded 
 on foot (accompanied by a laquais de place, 
 whom I had hired as a ciceroni, and brought 
 with me from Schaffhousen) to examine this 
 wonderful fall in several different directions, 
 every one of which presents distinct beauties. 
 — After viewing it in front and on one side, I 
 crossed in a boat to the village of Lauffen, 
 and, mounting to a kind of summer-house 
 placed on an eminence, saw it to great ad- 
 
128 
 
 vantage from above. The sun shone directly 
 upon the water, and produced a finely-colored 
 rainbow, which added not a little to the beauty 
 of the scene. 
 
 The castle of LaufFen, also a romantic object, 
 stands near the summer-house where I was 
 placed. 
 
 After I had sufficiently enjoyed this point of 
 view, I descended to a little platform erected 
 for the purpose, where I was so near the fall 
 as to be able to touch the water, and was 
 wetted by its spray. The prospect here was^ 
 . so magnificently striking, that I could scarcely 
 persuade myself to go away, and to join Mrs. 
 L., who waited for me (not without some un- 
 easiness) on the other side of the rive,r. In 
 crossing again the water (which runs with vast 
 rapidity), I ventured to row very near the fall, 
 and was more and more astonished by the 
 grandeur of the scene. On reaching the land 
 I got into the cor-beille, and, dismissing my 
 guide, left unwillingly this charming landscape. 
 
 We continued for some time to travel on the 
 bank of the Rhine, and breakfasted at a little 
 dirty village belonging to the emperor. After 
 one of those long pauses with which my witu* 
 rier often puts my patience to the trial, we 
 repommenced our journey, and arrived two 
 hours afterwards at a very pretty hamlet, at 
 the foot of which flows the Rhine in all its ma* 
 
129 
 
 jesty. In this place our coachman insisted on' 
 our passing the night, alleging that the inn, 
 though apparently bad, was the best within a 
 distance of several miles. Here we found little 
 wretched beds, without curtains, placed in 
 cavities of the wall, and as few comforts as it 
 is possible to meet with in any part of Europe. 
 The people were, however, civil and hospita- 
 ble, and gave us the best articles which their 
 cellar and larder produced — though that best 
 was bad indeed. 
 
 About five miles before we reached this 
 place, a spot was pointed out to us where we 
 were told that a small army of Frenchmen had 
 during the last war driven back twenty thou- 
 sand Austrians. We had not an opportunity 
 of investigating the truth of the report. 
 
 Friday, Sept. 17.- — In going away this morn- 
 ing from our inn, we were much struck with 
 the honesty of our landlady, who only charged 
 five shillings for our dinner, tea, lodging, and 
 breakfast. 
 
 We set out early, and traveled through a 
 pretty and well-wooded country, in a fine 
 wide road, generally near the Rhine, which 
 river we crossed three or four times. We 
 baited at a town in the Frickthal,— a country 
 which formerly belonged to the emperor, but 
 Which, having been conquered by France, has 
 been ceded within the last week to the- H«l* 
 
 Voi. I. K 
 
130 
 
 vetic republic, in exchange for the Valais. 
 We afterwards continued our route along the 
 other side of the Rhine, till we came to Basle. 
 As we began to approach that town, we were 
 much pleased with the neatness of the houses 
 and the arrangement of the grounds, which all 
 bore the appearance of wealth and industry. 
 
 After crossing the vast bridge which sepa- 
 rates one part of Basle from the other, we 
 drove to Les Trois Rois, — an excellent inn, 
 the windows of which command the Rhine. 
 We obtained here a clean, large, and com- 
 fortable apartment, which enjoyed the full pro- 
 spect of the river; and though the price was 
 exorbitant, Ave felt no inclination to complain. 
 
 There is also in this house a room of great 
 extent, with several windows and a balcony 
 opening on the Rhine, in which more than a 
 hundred persons can sit down to dinner. It 
 is appropriated to the use of the table dlidte, 
 or ordinary, which is here said to be elegantly 
 served. I could not judge of its merits, as we 
 preferred dining in our own chamber. — The 
 ladies of the continent often appear at public 
 tables in Switzerland, and I have known some 
 few English ladies follow their example ; but 
 the generality of our countrywomen avoid a 
 society which necessarily must be mixed and 
 uncertain. For single men, I am told these 
 tables afford an agreeable resource. 
 
131 
 
 Saturday, Sept. 18. — After breakfast this 
 morning, we set out to see the town and its 
 curiosities. We first visited M. de Michel's 
 collection of pictures and prints. The former 
 are well chosen, many of them being chefs- 
 d'amvres; the latter are justly celebrated. We 
 bought here several prints of the Swiss cos- 
 tames, or national dresses ; a likeness of Bona- 
 parte, and one of Aloys Reding. M. de Mi- 
 chel and his partners received us with great 
 politeness and attention. 
 
 We next saw the famous and original pic- 
 ture of " La Danse de Mort." It has still 
 marks of great merit ; but being neglected, ex- 
 posed to the air, and situated in a kind of 
 rope-yard, is rapidly falling into decay. 
 
 We then went to the cathedral, and saw 
 there the tomb of Erasmus, which consists of 
 a simple stone, on which an inscription in 
 honor of his memory is engraved. We ascend- 
 ed to the top of the church, and had from 
 this eminence a fine view Of the surround in 2: 
 
 o 
 
 country. The church is gloomy, and possesses 
 no particular beauty. The terrace adjoining, 
 which forms the public walk, commands a 
 pretty, but not an extensive, prospeet. W^e 
 saw in the cathedral the room where the 
 famous council of Basle was holden, and that 
 in which the exercises of the university are 
 performed. 
 
 K2 
 
132 
 
 We next repaired to the public library, and 
 its contents were shown us with much polite- 
 ness by one of the professors. Some excellent 
 pictures by Holbein are here preserved, as 
 well as some of his original designs, the sub- 
 jects of which are the costumes or dresses of 
 his day. By these it appears that the ladies 
 of the present age are not more liberal in 
 the display of their charms than were their 
 sage predecessors. — The professor likewise 
 showed us some of the books first printed. We 
 were much surprised at finding the types equal 
 to the best of the present day. — We were gra- 
 tified with the sight of the proces-verbal of 
 the council of Basle, taken on paper. This 
 curious document proves to demonstration that 
 the invention of paper took place some years 
 sooner than is generally imagined. — We like- 
 wise saw several letters in the hand-writing of 
 Erasmus, as also his will. There was like- 
 wise a curious copy of his work on ff Folly," 
 with sketches in the margin by Holbein. — • 
 The librarian had the kindness to show us* 
 in addition to fhese, a collection of medals, 
 seals, &c. We then walked through the li- 
 brary, which is large, and apparently well 
 chosen. 
 
 We returned to dinner at four o'clock, and, 
 fatigued with the exertions of the morning, 
 spent the rest of the day at our inn. 
 
133 
 
 Sunday, Sept. 19. — We proceeded on our 
 journey, taking the road by the valley of Del- 
 mont and the aperture called Pierre Purtuis. 
 
 We soon found ourselves in a romantic and 
 picturesque country on the bank of the river 
 Birsch, bounded by lofty mountains. As we 
 advanced, the plain became narrower and nar- 
 rower, and the hills approached each other. 
 W r e then entered the fertile valley of Lauffen, 
 which is encompassed with rocks covered with 
 oak and other trees ; and soon after arrived at 
 the town of that name, formerly belonging to 
 the bishop of Basle, and now to the French re- 
 public. Here we stopped, as usual, to rest our 
 horses, and had the pleasure of meeting some 
 English acquaintance, who were going to Basle, 
 and were, like ourselves, under the command 
 of a voituricr. After a delay of three hours we 
 were allowed to proceed; and passed through 
 a very striking country, till we reached the 
 beautiful, rich, and justly-celebrated valley of 
 Delmont. We traveled during the whole dav 
 along a narrow but good road, bounded by 
 rocks which were covered to the very summit 
 with fir trees. 
 
 The valley of Delmont is picturesque be- 
 yond description, and would have formed a 
 subject worthy the pencil of Claude Lorraine. 
 The town of the same name (which stands a 
 little out of the high road) is uncommonly neat 
 
134 
 
 and pretty. There is a general appearance of 
 comfort and independence. I never saw a small 
 place so completely possessed of all which can 
 be looked for in a tranquil spot of this sort. 
 The church is handsome, and the ci-devant epi- 
 scopal palace (now converted into a workshop) 
 is a large building, which must have been in 
 other times an object worthy of notice. We 
 found a good supper and a clean bed at the 
 inn of La Tour Rouge, the back windows of 
 which command a magnificent view of the 
 whole valley, which we saw to great advaiv 
 tage, tinged with, the rays of the retiring sun. 
 
 Monday, Sept. 20. — Honesty ! where art thou 
 to be found ? — Even at the little inn of the little 
 town of Delmont, in the most retired part of a 
 country celebrated for its simplicity and good 
 faith, imposition is not unknown. We were 
 waked this morning by a violent noise, and 
 found, on inquiry, that it arose from the tongue 
 of the landlady, who was vociferating her abuse 
 against our courier. It seemed, that, relying 
 on the integrity which he supposed to be pre-* 
 valent in this quiet little place, he had not made 
 a previous bargain for our accommodations $ 
 and that, having resisted the ridiculously-exor- 
 bitant demands which the good woman made 
 in the morning, he was now exposed to all the 
 most offensive terms of scurrility which the 
 French language affords 5 for with such she 
 
135 
 
 now vented her indignation, at the expense of 
 the poor fellow. 
 
 As soon as this important business was set- 
 tled, we proceeded on our journey; and, after 
 passing through two or three villages, came 
 into that romantic country so well described 
 by Mr. Coxe and other travelers. We drove 
 for several hours on the edge of a precipice. 
 The rocks, majestic in height, and ornament- 
 ed with trees, seemed in many parts almost 
 to join. We found, however, ample room for 
 the passage of our carriage : and notwithstand- 
 ing the alarming accounts of this journey 
 given by several writers, I do not imagine that 
 there is the smallest danger; and even Mrs.L., 
 who is easily terrified, felt no alarm after the 
 first five minutes had accustomed her to so un- 
 usual a road. The points of view were grand 
 and sublime ; and I think this expedition, if we 
 except the glaciers, equal to that of Lauter- 
 brunen or of Grindenwald. Peasants were em- 
 ployed on every side in repairing the road, 
 which is now becoming extremely good. The 
 inscription mentioned by Mr. Coxe still re- 
 mains, in honor of the patriotic founder of this 
 passage; who certainly might well say of it, 
 that it was a work worthy of the ancient Rot 
 mans. 
 
 We reached about noon Tavannes, or Dach* 
 feld (for, from the strange mixture of languages 
 
136 
 
 which prevails here, every place has both a 
 French and a German name) ; and/' after a se- 
 cond breakfast, at a little inn which has as- 
 sumed, in honor of the French government, 
 now the sovereign of the country, the sign of 
 the Civic Crown, we set out again at three 
 o'clock, and, having mounted a hill nearly op- 
 posite to the village where we had stopped, 
 came to the celebrated Pierre Purtuis*. 
 
 The accounts generally given of this opening 
 are so extravagant, that I could scarcely be- 
 lieve that what I now saw was the place de- 
 scribed. Pierre Purtuis is simply a passage of 
 eight or ten yards through a rock which stands 
 in the middle of the road. The aperture may 
 have been made in some convulsion of Nature, 
 
 * The following is the Roman inscription over the aper- 
 ture, as given by Mr. Coxe : it is now much effaced. — > 
 
 WMINI AVGS. 
 
 T M 
 
 OTA PER i 
 OS. VM PATER. 
 
 IVI COL. HELV. 
 
 Of which he gives the two following versions : 
 
 " Numini Augustorum via facta per Titum dunnium 
 Paternum IT virurn Colon. Helvet" — and " Per montem 
 durvum Pater n us/' 
 
 He recommends antiquaries to consult on this subject the 
 work of Schaefflin called Alsatia lllusirata, and a disserta- 
 tion on the same subject by Buxtorf. 
 
137 
 
 but Art could easily have effected the same 
 thing. 
 
 At the foot of this rock is the source of the 
 river Birs, or Birsch : a few paces from it the 
 water is sufficiently strong to turn two wind- 
 mills. 
 
 We soon returned into the beautiful valley of 
 St.Imier; then ascended again ; and shortly after 
 began once more gently to descend, through a 
 road very like that which we had passed in the 
 morning; till, having approached the mountain 
 of Jura, we beheld the rich valley near Bienne, 
 the charming prospect of which opened sud- 
 denly on us, with the Alps at a distance, and 
 the lake of Bienne and the Isle de St. Pierre in 
 front. We drove to La Couronne at Bienne, 
 which is generally esteemed one of the best 
 inns of Switzerland ; but the house was so 
 crowded with travelers that we could only ob- 
 tain a very indifferent apartment. 
 
 Tuesday, Sept. 21. — We received, early this 
 morning, an invitation from our landlord (which, 
 considering the small dimensions of our lodg- 
 ing, we were very willing to accept) to break- 
 fast in the salon. We found " mine host " in a 
 neat parlour ornamented with English prints. 
 He is a civil, officious, talkative fellow. He 
 made a thousand bows, and as many apologies 
 for the badness of our accommodations; called 
 me " milord " at every word ; cried out " Vi- 
 
13$ 
 
 vent les Anglois " three or four times ; and at 
 last drew out a large book, or record, in which 
 most of our countrymen traveling this way 
 had gratified the vanity of the poor man by 
 the most fulsome accounts of the hospitality, 
 civility, and comforts, which they had expe- 
 rienced at his house. I was requested to add 
 my name to the long list of satisfied guests : 
 not having had any cause to speak well of his 
 inn, but unwilling to refuse his request, I con- 
 tented myself with writing, that " though, hav- 
 ing arrived at a moment when the house was 
 full, I could not personally judge of its merits, 
 I had no doubt that the praises lavished on it 
 by my countrymen were well deserved." This 
 negative commendation fully gratified my chat- 
 tering landlord *, who, repeating again and 
 again his reverences, his milords, and his vivent 
 les Anglois', at last disappeared, and left us to 
 eat our breakfast in peace. 
 
 We afterwards strolled about the streets of 
 Bienne; saw the great fountain, which sup- 
 
 * This is the same man of whose conversation Mr. Coxe 
 gives so lively an account. He says, that " the talkative 
 landlord of the Couronne at Bienne described the ceremony 
 of the citizens of the canton swearing allegiance to the bi- 
 shop of Basle (to whom they were then tributary), in terms 
 of such pompous commendation, that a stranger would have 
 supposed that he spoke at least of the coronation of a king 
 of France or of an emperor of all the Romans." 
 
 Bienne now forms part of modern France. 
 
139 
 
 plies the whole town with water; and called at 
 Mr. Hartman's (the painter), where we were 
 shown some very pretty views of Swiss sce- 
 nery. 
 
 We then crossed the beautiful walk which 
 leads from the town to the lake of Bienne, and, 
 embarking in a boat, proceeded towards the 
 Isle de St. Pierre. The weather was delightful, 
 the water was smooth, and the sun shone in all 
 its brilliance. The town of Nidau on one side, 
 and several picturesque villages on the other, 
 with Bienne behind and the island in front, 
 presented a delightful prospect. After rowing 
 for about an hour and a half, and spending 
 that time most agreeably in contemplating the 
 scene around us, we landed at the Isle de St. 
 Pierre*; and, having visited the room where 
 Jean Jacques Rousseau passed three months, 
 and seen the trap-door by which he used to 
 descend whenever any one came to the house, 
 we walked round the island, which is well 
 shaded with lofty oaks, is rich in vineyards and 
 other cultivation, and commands several charm- 
 ing points of view. There is on one side of it 
 
 * This is the island where lord Camelford, by his will, 
 has directed that his body shall be interred. If he wished 
 his remains to be deposited in a tranquil and beautiful spot, 
 he could not have chosen a place better suited to his puis 
 pose. 
 
140 
 
 a large summer-house, where the neighbouring 
 peasants assemble and dance on Sundays. The 
 Isle de St. Pierre still belongs to the hospital of 
 Berne, and the canton of that name possesses 
 the jurisdiction. Near St. Pierre is the little 
 island which Rousseau peopled with rabbits. 
 
 We re-embarked about one o'clock, and, 
 after an hour's passage, landed at Cerlier, a 
 small village at the other extremity of the lake. 
 We got directly into our corbeille, which we 
 found waiting for us (for I had sent it forward 
 early in the morning, by a road which runs at 
 the side of the water), and proceeded on our 
 tour. 
 
 We had scarcely lost sight of the lake of 
 Bienne before we found ourselves on the bank 
 of that of Neufchatel. We drove along a road 
 exactlv similar to the one which leads from 
 Vevay to Lausanne, and arrived at Neufchatel 
 at half past four o'clock. 
 
 Neufchatel is a remarkably clean well-built 
 town. The houses are of stone ; and the streets 
 are regular, well paved, and lighted. There 
 are some very handsome houses, particularly 
 the mansion of Mons. Portalis, the celebrated 
 banker. 
 
 Neufchatel, under Prussian protection, has 
 happily escaped all the dangers of revolution 5 
 and the fact is proved by the general appear- 
 
141 
 
 ance of comfort, wealth, and independence. 
 No town in Switzerland bears such evident 
 marks of prosperity. 
 
 I visited the town-hall. It is a modern edi- 
 fice, divided into several rooms appropriated 
 to various public functions. In one of these 
 are the pictures of the late and present king of 
 Prussia; and in another, the portrait of the 
 great Frederic, and that of M. David de 
 Pury % the person who left the money with 
 which this building was constructed. 
 
 We are lodged at Les Balances, an inn the 
 
 * It appears, from Mr. Coxe's account, that Neufchatel 
 ©■vves much of its embellishment and present prosperous ap- 
 pearance to the liberality of M. de Pury. This gentleman, 
 son of a major in the regiment of Liguieres, being born and 
 educated at Neufchatel, served his apprenticeship at Geneva; 
 and, removing afterwards to London, became a diamond-mer- 
 chant of great repute. He ultimately settled at Lisbon, 
 where his fortune daily increased, and where he at last be- 
 came banker to the court. His generosity and attachment 
 to his country kept pace with his growing wealth : he gave 
 during his life-time large sums to his native town, and finally 
 left his whole fortune to Neufchatel. From 1771 to 1785, 
 he granted annually 100/. sterling to Neufchatel, and the 
 same sum to Vallingen; and in January 1785 he gave 
 15,900/. for different objects of public utility. He also built 
 an hospital. He died on the 13th of May 1785. By his 
 will he left the residue of his fortune to the town, amount- 
 ing to 160,000/. His donations amounted altogether to 
 200,000/. 
 
142 
 
 windows of which command the lake and the 
 surrounding country. This prospect is ren- 
 dered particularly interesting by the magnifi- 
 cent range of Alps, which, when the day is 
 clear, are here seen in all their grandeur. 
 
 Wednesday, Sept. 22. — We rose early, and 
 continued our journey on the banks of the lake 
 of Neufchatel, or Yverdon, as it is sometimes 
 called, from the town of that name. The lake, 
 though less extensive than that of Geneva, 
 bears a strong resemblance to it; but it does 
 not boast such elegant houses, nor such orna- 
 mental grounds, on its banks. The vineyards, 
 however, which line its borders, are luxuriant. 
 
 We baited our horses at the small town of 
 St. Aubane, and, after the usual delay, pro- 
 ceeded towards Yverdon ; in sight of which Ave 
 soon found ourselves. 
 
 Yverdon stands very beautifully, at the ex- 
 tremity of the lake, and is approached by a 
 long and regular avenue of trees. After taking 
 a considerable circuit, we drove through this 
 avenue, and, turning to the right, found our- 
 selves at La Maison Rouge, a new and com- 
 fortable inn, where we procured excellent ac- 
 commodations. 
 
 As we approached the town, we saw an as- 
 semblage of peasants who had been put in re- 
 quisition by the Helvetic government and 
 
143 
 
 were now by force dragged into its service. I 
 was told that they obeyed this mandate most 
 unwillingly, and that desertions took place 
 every hour. 
 
 Thursday, Sept. 23. — On rising this morning 
 I learned, that, of the two hundred recruits 
 whom I saw collected the preceding night, 
 only fifteen remained — the rest having escaped 
 during the night. The drum beat the reveille 
 again and again. It was all in vain : not a 
 man could be found beyond the number I have 
 mentioned. And the inhabitants of Yverdon 
 seemed to rejoice at a circumstance calculated 
 to bring to nothing the already falling power 
 of the government ; the members of which, 
 driven from Zurich, are now at Lausanne. 
 
 We proceeded early on our journey, and, 
 passing the very rich and picturesque valley of 
 Orbe, continued our route towards Geneva,-— 
 taking a cross but excellent road. As we tra- 
 veled along, we met on every side the deserting 
 peasants returning with their arms to their re- 
 spective villages. I conversed with several of 
 them, and found they did not conceal their ha- 
 tred of the cause in which it was attempted 
 thus against their will to make them fight. 
 
 We rested our usual number of hours at a 
 small town called Cossoney, where we made a 
 very bad breakfast, in a miserable inn. 
 
144 
 
 Continuing our route after this delay, we 
 soon came in sight of the lake of Geneva, and 
 saw on our left the delightful vallejr and di- 
 stant spires of Lausanne. We avoided entering 
 the latter town, on account of its present po- 
 litical state, and, sending our courier for the 
 English carriage which we had left there, took 
 the nearest road to Geneva, and went straight 
 to Rolle, where we arrived about six in the 
 evening. 
 
 Our coachman drove us to La Couronne, 
 where we found a landlord who spoke English 
 uncommonly well. From this address we flat- 
 tered ourselves that we should be well received ; 
 but in this hope we were cruelly disappointed. 
 It seemed that a British earl *, whose courier 
 was waiting at the door, had engaged all his best 
 apartments j which, he said, must plead his ex- 
 cuse for offering us an indifferent room. We re- 
 quested that, "pour noiis dedommager" he would 
 give us an excellent dinner. - To our great as- 
 tonishment this order was apparently executed 
 in a few minutes ; but when we attempted to eat 
 what was placed on the table, we found (what 
 indeed might have been expected from so hasty 
 a preparation) that the dishes consisted of the 
 heated remains of some former repast. Un- 
 
 Lord Cholmondeley. 
 
145 
 
 able to swallow these broken victuals, we 
 requested something fresh. Our civil landlord 
 said he was very sorry he had nothing in his 
 house. " Pray give us at least a mutton chop." 
 — " It is quite impossible, sir : my lord has or- 
 dered every thing in my larder." — Disgusted 
 and irritated by this insolent refusal, I called 
 for the bill, and, paying nearly a louts for 
 what we had seen, but not eaten, we removed 
 to another inn, called La Tite Noire, where 
 we obtained a good dinner, civil attendance, 
 and a comfortable apartment. 
 
 I only mention this anecdote to convey to 
 you some idea of the aristocratic impertinence 
 which is often met with in these democratic 
 republics. — To conclude: I learned that the 
 man who showed such profound respect for 
 "my lord" and such contempt for an humble 
 commoner, is a great jacobin, and celebrated 
 for his professed attachment to "liberty and 
 equality." — On the continent these things are 
 talked of, and thus followed up : in England, 
 we do not profess such principles, but in prac- 
 tice we enjoy them. 
 
 Friday, Sept. 24. — We set out this morn- 
 ing in very fine weather for Geneva, at the 
 gates of which we arrived about two o'clock. 
 
 As we purpose commencing our Italian 
 journey in the course of this week, we have 
 taken up our present residence at Les Ba- 
 
 VOL. I. L 
 
146 
 
 lances, the principal" inn within the walls of 
 Geneva, in preference to occupying our old 
 apartments at Secheron, — having several prepa- 
 ratory arrangements to make ; for all of which 
 the situation of the town is more convenient 
 than that of the neighbourhood. 
 
 Thus concluded our Swiss tour, which, though 
 imperfect (as the political state of Zurich de- 
 prived us of the pleasure of seeing that inter- 
 esting canton), has still afforded us the highest 
 gratification, The beauties of Switzerland are 
 so various ; there is such an extraordinary 
 combination of the grand and mild features of 
 Nature, of the sublime and lovely; of wild and 
 cultivated scenery ; that it is almost impossi- 
 ble to conceive unwitnessed the satisfaction 
 which one enjoys in traveling through this* de- 
 lightful country. Here, towering Alps, moun- 
 tains of ice, extensive lakes, and loud-sounding 
 cataracts: there, cornfields, vineyards, pleasure- 
 grounds, lofty trees, plains of unequaled ver- 
 dure, level roads, and smiling villages. In one 
 canton, all the pomp and ceremony of the 
 church of Rome, accompanied very generally 
 by dirt, idleness, and comparative indigence : 
 in another, the unadorned worship of the Su- 
 preme Being in simple rustic meeting-houses 
 
147 
 
 filled with congregations of orderly, well- 
 dressed, and well-looking peasantry. The va- 
 riety of religion is not more remarkable than 
 the variety of costume i every canton has its 
 distinguishing habit; and while each differs 
 from the other, all of them have a character 
 peculiar to this country, and totally unlike the 
 dresses of any other nation in modern Europe, 
 Many of the female fashions are very become 
 ing 5 and I have seen some girls, so accoutredi 
 who would have excited the praises of admira- 
 tion even in London or in Paris. In some 
 parts of Switzerland, the women wear large 
 straw hats, ornamented with roses and wild 
 flowers : in others, black beavers, with gold 
 bands. Their hair is sometimes folded in tresses 
 round their heads ; sometimes enclosed in plaits, 
 which are so long as to reach their feet ; and 
 sometimes covered by a black lace cap of sin* 
 gular shape. Their jackets are of different forms 
 and different colors, A short petticoat here 
 discovers a red stocking, with a wooden slipper; 
 and there, a white one, with a black leather san- 
 dal of peculiar form, In short, the eccentrici- 
 ties of dress are innumerable : and in traveling 
 in this country, a man may easily imagine him- 
 self at a masquerade, 
 
 The appearance of the people, with some 
 exceptions, is respectable. There seems still 
 
 L2 
 
148 
 
 to reign much comfort, independence, and 
 general ease. 
 
 The houses in most of the villages are of 
 wood, and are frequently built without chim- 
 neys, — the smoke being allowed to make its 
 way through the windows. This is an incon- 
 venience not arising from poverty, for many 
 of the houses so constructed belong to persons 
 in affluent circumstances and contain rooms of 
 some extent, but occasioned by the prevalence 
 of long usage, which has not yet yielded to 
 the improvements of the present day. 
 
 The Swiss are a tall, athletic, hardy race of 
 men : civil, reserved, and cautious in all their 
 proceedings : much attached to their own 
 country and customs ; zealous advocates of ra- 
 tional freedom ; inclined to military exertion ; 
 and entertaining a violent antipathy to their 
 neighbours and oppressors, the French nation. 
 Having given them this character, it is almost 
 needless for me to add, that, if France wishes 
 to sink the name of Switzerland into that of a 
 department of the republic •" one and indivisi- 
 ble," she can only succeed in her object by 
 superior force: voluntarily this brave people 
 will never become the vassal of that or any 
 other country whatever. 
 
 We strolled yesterday evening, after our ar- 
 rival at Geneva, accompanied by some Ame- 
 
149 
 
 rican friends, to see the junction of the Rhone 
 and the Arve, which takes place very near the 
 town. This promenade is delightful ; and the 
 object which we went to see fully answered 
 our expectation. 
 
 On returning, just before we entered the 
 gates we found a party of English gentlemen 
 playing at cricket. This sport, new in the 
 country where it was now exhibited, excited 
 no little portion of Genevese curiosity. 
 
 As we proceeded towards our inn, we passed 
 by the house where Rousseau was born. It is 
 now a barber's shop, and is a mean shabby 
 building. Over it is written, on a brass plate, 
 " Ici naquit Jean Jacques Rousseau." You 
 will readily believe that I looked on this hum- 
 ble roof with more interest than I have often 
 experienced on viewing the proudest palaces. 
 The birth of genius fully entitles it to the no- 
 tice and observation of all strangers who have 
 been moved by the animated language or en- 
 tertained with the eccentricities of that extra- 
 ordinary man. 
 
 Adieu ! I now take my leave of Geneva 
 and of Switzerland. In a few days I shall sot 
 out on my projected expedition to the classic 
 soil -of Italy. ?>rj? p&'j t-' r*/ivi 
 
 Adieu ! You shall hear from me after I 
 have crossed the Alps. 
 
150 
 
 LETTER VIII. 
 
 Departure from Geneva — Advantage of traveling post in Italy, 
 in preference to voituriers — Frangy — Aix, and its xvaters— 
 Chambery — Aiquebelle — La Ckambre — Town of St. Jean de 
 Mauricnne — Reception there of Henry It of France — Valley 
 of Maurienne — Passage of Hannibal — Petit Paris — Lead 
 and copper mines — River Arc — Lanesbourg — Preparations 
 for passing the Mount Cenis — The muleteers, guides, " di- 
 recteur," fyc. — Chattering and disputes of the persons em- 
 ployed — The whole taken charge of by the directeur — Paper 
 given on setting out, with the price of every thing to be paid 
 on the other side — Departure up the Alps — Les Ramusses — 
 Valley and lake at the top of Mount Cenis — La Grande 
 Croix — French soldier demanding passport — Porters, and 
 their conversation — Bonaparte and English officers ivho 
 have traversed the Mount Cenis — Les Echelles — St. Nicholas 
 — Reflexions on seeing Italy — Ferrieres — Novalese — Suza — 
 Triumphal arch there — Journey thence to Turin — Approach 
 to Turin — Arrival there. 
 
 Turin, October 6, 1802. 
 
 My dear sir, 
 
 I ARRIVED in this city yesterday 
 evening, and, not forgetting the promise which 
 I' expressed in my last letter from Geneva, I 
 check the impatience which would lead me to 
 view without delay the curiosities of Turin, and 
 proceed to give you the details of my expedi- 
 tion over the Alps, 
 
 Mrs. L. and I set out from Geneva at two. 
 
151 
 
 o'clock in the afternoon of the thirtieth of 
 September, in our English carriage, drawn by 
 post horses, and preceded by an excellent 
 courier, whom I was fortunate enough to have 
 recommended to me by a respectable family 
 at Lausanne, and of whose zeal, honesty, and 
 good conduct I had very satisfactory proofs 
 during the little tour in Switzerland which I 
 have already detailed. 
 
 After having duly considered the advantages 
 and disadvantages of traveling post, I finally 
 determined to adopt that mode, in preference 
 to the one by voiturlers, which is pretty gene- 
 rally pursued; and I had every reason, as I 
 proceeded, to rejoice at having formed this re- 
 solution. I ought perhaps to mention, that, 
 whenever it is known that a foreigner intends 
 going to Italy from Geneva, his doors are 
 crowded with muleteers and hackneymen, who, 
 multiplying the difficulties of the journejr, and 
 expatiating on the impositions practised by 
 landlords and postboys, strongly recommend a 
 contract being entered into with themselves 
 for the whole expenses of the road. Many, 
 terrified by these accounts, and others anxious 
 to save themselves unnecessary trouble, agree 
 to this proposal, and from that hour are com- 
 pletely the prisoners of their voiturier, who 
 makes them eat, move, and sleep exactly as 
 
152 
 
 suits his convenience, without paying the slight- 
 est regard to the feelings of his employers. 
 
 I had seen enough of these people in my 
 tour round Switzerland, where no other horses 
 can be obtained but theirs, to place myself at 
 their discretion when I had the means of avoid- 
 ing it. But I did not then know (what I have 
 since clearly ascertained) that in point of eco- 
 nomy nothing is saved by so uncomfortable a 
 mode of traveling. My journey to Turin, in- 
 cluding the charges of posthorses, the passage 
 of the mountain, and all other expenses, cost 
 me twelve guineas less than I was asked for 
 the same par voiturier by Dejean, master of 
 the inn at Secheron : and an American gen- 
 tleman whom I have just met assures me, that, 
 after making what he thought a very advan- 
 tageous bargain with a Piedmontese muleteer, 
 he has paid something more than the whole 
 has cost me, for the conveyance of his family, 
 consisting of the same number as mine; and 
 that, instead of being his own master, and 
 having the best apartments and the best provi- 
 sions at every inn, as I had, he was obliged to 
 rise some hours before daylight; to creep on 
 during a long day at the rate of two English 
 miles an hour; and when at last he reached 
 his inn at night, to lie down on a wretched 
 bed ; and throughout the journey to partake of 
 
153 
 
 such slender food that he has arrived at Turin 
 almost in a state of starvation. — I mention this 
 as a hint to you and to all other Englishmen 
 who may hereafter travel in Italy. 
 
 To return to my journey. — We reached 
 Frangy, a little village of Savoy, about six 
 o'clock the same evening ; and finding there a 
 comfortable lodging, in a new house just built 
 by the aubergiste of La Croix Blanche, deter- 
 mined to pass the night. Neither the supper 
 nor the wine was excellent, but both were 
 better than could be expected in such a place. 
 
 Friday, October 1. — We set out at seven 
 o'clock this morning, and continued our jour- 
 ney. The country now became mountainous, 
 and the roads extremely bad. 
 
 We passed this day through Aix, celebrated 
 for its mineral waters, and through Chambery, 
 the capital of former Savoy. Chambery (call- 
 ed in Latin Cam Veriacum, or Chamarium), the 
 ancient residence of the counts and dukes of 
 this country, is a little, dirty, ill-built town, 
 containing seven or eight thousand inhabitants 
 according to M. de Lalande, ten or twelve ac- 
 cording to the abbe Richard, fifteen or sixteen 
 according to the report of the people here, 
 and twenty according to M. Rolland — so dif- 
 ficult is it to ascertain the plainest fact. As 
 there seemed to be nothing in this town worth 
 observing, we did not get out of the carriage, 
 
but, stopping only to change horses, proceeded 
 on our journey. 
 
 After a day's traveling of severe fatigue, we 
 reached Aiquebelle about seven in the evening 
 — a distance of thirteen posts from Frangy, 
 whence we started in the morning. We found 
 here an uncomfortable filthy inn, in a miserable 
 town. Indeed, nothing can be more wretched 
 than the appearance both of the houses and of 
 the people in Savoy: Dirt and Poverty stamp 
 their most disgusting characters on the persons 
 and habitations of this country. 
 
 Saturday, Oct. 2. — After witnessing a violent 
 dispute between the landlord and our courier, 
 which ended in the latter paying exactly half 
 what the former demanded, we set out again, 
 and soon began to discover that we approached 
 the Alps. We were surrounded with stupen- 
 dous mountains ; and the road, which was 
 rough and stoney, ran on the ascent during the 
 whole of the day. 
 
 We went through La Chambre, a village 
 once celebrated for its castle, belonging to a 
 marquis of that name, who boasts of an origin 
 more ancient than that of the house of Savoy; 
 and through the town of St. Jean de Maurienne, 
 where, as M: de Lalande reports from the Me- 
 moirs of the Mareschal de Vielleville, Henry 
 the Second of France in 1548 was received with 
 honors of a singular kind :—ra party of a hun-> 
 
155 
 
 dred young men, dressed exactly as bears, 
 snatched him from his guards, and, playing be- 
 fore him the gambols of the animals they re- 
 presented, conducted the well-pleased monarch 
 to church, and from church to his inn. 
 
 The valley of Maurienne, which adjoins the 
 town of that name, and through which we now 
 traveled, is, if we believe M.Grossiey, the road 
 which Hannibal took on his march to Italy. 
 Livy says, that in the year 219 before Christ 
 that distinguished general came, after a ten 
 days' journey, ff. ad castdlum quod erat caput 
 ejus regionis." This castle is supposed by some 
 to mean St. Jean de Maurienne: but others 
 assert that the Carthagenian army passed the 
 mountain of the Little St. Bernard*. I do not 
 pretend to offer an opinion on this disputed 
 point (being no antiquarian) ; but I mention 
 the circumstance as one among many which 
 give an interest to the literary traveler in 
 every step of his progress towards that country 
 which once was (alas' how changed!) the 
 mistress of the world, 
 
 * Five roads of communication are known between the 
 ancient Gaul and Italy: that of the Pennine Alps, or the 
 Great St. Bernard, which is more to the south ; that of the 
 Grecian Alps, or the Little St. Bernard ; the Mount Cenis, a 
 passage not discovered by the ancients; that of the Cottinean 
 Alps, or the Mount Geneva ; and, lastly, that of the Maritime 
 Alps. — Even in the time of Livy it was disputed by which 
 road Hannibal had penetrated into Italy. 
 
156 
 
 We slept this night at St. Michel, three 
 leagues from St. Jean de Maurienne, on the 
 brow of a lofty mountain ; and took up our 
 lodgings in a little inn which has assumed the 
 pompous title of Le Petit Paris. The appear- 
 ance of the place does not quite correspond 
 with the idea which Paris in miniature might 
 have suggested: but though we had neither 
 the kitchen of Verry or Robert, nor the luxu- 
 rious couches sometimes found in a Parisian 
 apartment, we dined as heartily, and slept as 
 soundly, as if we had really been in the capital 
 of la Grande Nation. 
 
 Sunday, Oct. 3. — We continued our route, 
 setting out at the usual hour; and soon found 
 ourselves in a most romantic country, tra- 
 veling on the brink of precipices, in a road only 
 just wide enough to receive the wheels of the 
 carriage. 
 
 We traversed in the morning the lofty moun- 
 tain of St. Andrew : near which there is a vil- 
 lage where mines of lead and copper have been 
 opened, and in which silver also has been 
 found. Here vineyards are no longer seen, 
 and cultivation ceases. Nothing is to be viewed 
 but the river Arc falling with great noise, in 
 several cataracts, through mighty rocks, wild 
 forests, and stupendous mountains. The road 
 is tremendous, and appears almost impassable. 
 For four or five hours we did nothing but 
 
157 
 
 ascend and descend. We at length reached 
 Lanesbourg, where we arrived about five in 
 the evening. Lanesbourg is a small dirty vil- 
 lage at the foot of Mount Cenis,. where tra- 
 velers are obliged to stop, in order to give 
 time for the preparations necessary to be made 
 previously to commencing the passage of the 
 Alps. 
 
 As soon as we alighted, at the best but 
 wretched inn of this place, where we were 
 conducted into a hovel dignified with the name 
 of a bedchamber, we were surrounded by in- 
 numerable guides and muleteers, who, coming 
 to offer their services, vociferated their requests 
 in a strange jargon of Patois, French, and Ita- 
 lian. Having been cautioned not to enter into 
 any engagement with these persons, I turned a 
 deaf ear to their importunate demands, and 
 desired that the directeur might be sent for. A 
 , very respectable man immediately presented 
 himself, and told me that he was appointed 
 by the French government to see that travel- 
 ers were not imposed on, and to take charge 
 of every thing relating to the passage of the 
 mountain. I accordingly informed him of 
 what my baggage consisted, and of the num- 
 ber of persons who constituted my family. He 
 then desired to know at what hour I chose to 
 set out on the following morning ; and, taking 
 
15$ 
 
 the whole charge of the arrangements on him* 
 self, relieved me from all further trouble. 
 
 The laboring oar was thus removed from my 
 hand ; but peace was not restored. The direc- 
 teur, though clad in all the power which fell to 
 him as servant of the " republic one arid indi- 
 visible," could not in silence enforce his orders. 
 It is impossible to give an idea of the noise which 
 prevailed the whole evening. From the bustle, 
 one would have imagined that preparations 
 were making for the passage of a mighty army, 
 rather than for that of the equipage of an hum- 
 ble individual. Several hours were spent in set- 
 tling who should be the guides, who should 
 furnish the mules, who should act as porters, 
 &c. &c. &c. When at last the workmen began 
 to take the carriage to pieces, they set about 
 the business so awkwardly, so many hands were 
 employed, and so many oaths were uttered, 
 that I despaired of finding it properly put to- 
 gether on the other side: but, having left every 
 thing to the directeur, I did not presume to in- 
 terfere. There was not less noise hi the exe- 
 cution of the work than had prevailed in deter- 
 mining who should perforin it ; and the night 
 was far advanced before we ceased to hear 
 these tiresome discussions. 
 
 After a wretched dinner, we retired to a 
 comfortless bed, placed in a niche in the wall. 
 
159 
 
 Monday, Oct. 4. — Before daylight we heard 
 again the hammers and tongues of our chat- 
 tering workmen : but though the preparations 
 began thus early, it was half past nine o'clock 
 before we were able to set out,— the interval 
 being consumed in putting every thing en train, 
 and in having our trunks, &c, examined at the 
 custom-house. At length we saw the body of 
 our carriage suspended on poles fixed on the 
 backs of two mules. The four wheels were car- 
 ried by two mules, — one being placed on each 
 side of each animal. The perch was conveyed 
 in the same manner as the body of the chariot ; 
 and the trunks, imperial, and other luggage, 
 were divided among other mules. In all, we 
 employed eleven. 
 
 Mrs. L. took her seat , in a kind of chair, 
 which was carried by two porters; they being 
 from time to time relieved by two others, who 
 followed for the purpose. My courier and my- 
 self preferred riding, and accordingly ascended 
 the mountain on the backs of posthorses. — 
 Such was our cavalcade. 
 
 When every thing was ready, the dirccteur 
 brought me a paper drawn out in proper form, 
 in which the price of every thing was enume- 
 rated. Before I set out I gave him his fee, 
 which consisted of a trifling per-centage on the 
 general charges : but he told me that the sum 
 total was not to be paid till I received my 
 
160 
 
 luggage and my carriage safely arranged on 
 the other side, in the same state in which he 
 had received them from me ; the same being 
 verified by the directeur of another office, 
 which I should find on the Italian side of Mount 
 Cenis. 
 
 We began the passage in delightful weather. 
 I cannot say that this expedition appeared to 
 me either so terrific or so beautiful as I expect- 
 ed. The ascent from Lanesbourg is at first very 
 easy; and though it becomes soon afterwards 
 more rapid and more craggy, I kept my seat 
 on the posthorse without the slightest danger 
 or alarm. 
 
 In about three quarters of an hour we came 
 to what is called Les Ramasses — that is to say, 
 the place from which, when the ground is co- 
 vered with snow, travelers descend on sledges, 
 moving with such rapidity, that, in coming 
 from Italy, they reach Lanesbourg in ten mi- 
 nutes, or in twenty at furthest. This is so fa- 
 vorite an amusement with some people, that a 
 countryman of ours spent several days at Lanes- 
 bourg, in order to have the pleasure of being 
 ramasst once or twiee every morning. 
 
 In a quarter of an hour afterwards we arrived 
 at a valley, or rather flat, on the top of Mount 
 Cenis, which covers a space of four or five En- 
 glish miles. In the middle of this plain stands 
 the posthouse, where I changed my horse; and 
 
161 
 
 near it, the hospital for pilgrims and distressed 
 travelers, lately patronised and much improved 
 fry Bonaparte. Opposite these houses appears 
 the beautiful little lake so much commended 
 by all persons who have traversed the Alps by 
 this passage. It is indeed a singular and pleas- 
 ing object, which one scarcely expects to meet 
 with on such an eminence. This lake is formed 
 by the union of the waters which fall from the 
 mountains on the right and left of Mount Ce~ 
 nis, and is filled with trout and other fish. 1$ 
 js almost a universal custom to stop at the little 
 inn adjoining the posthouse, and to eat some 
 of these fish, i — a supply of which is always 
 ready. 
 
 The valley of Mount Cenis is certainly one 
 of the most lively scenes which can be found ; 
 and in remembering that this plain is a thou- 
 sand fathoms above the level of the sea, one's 
 admiration increases. It is bounded by two 
 mountains, which exceed it by five hundred 
 feet perpendicular : Mont Bar is on the right, 
 and the Rock of Molon on the left. At the 
 extremity of the plain, on the side of Piedmont, 
 stands La Grande Croix, a kind of inn, where 
 travelers frequently rest, and whence the de- 
 scent towards Italy begins. 
 
 I ought perhaps, before I proceed, to men- 
 tion, that I was rather disappointed in the 
 
 Vol. I. M 
 
162 
 
 scenery on the summit of this celebrated moun- 
 tain. Pleasing as were the objects around me, 
 they were not such as I expected: there was no 
 very grand or striking feature ; nor was the 
 view either sublime or extensive. 
 
 Having galloped over the plain, I arrived at 
 La Grande Croix before the rest of the caval- 
 cade. I was here stopped by a French soldier, 
 who in rather an uncivil manner demanded my 
 passport. As this was in my carriage, I was 
 obliged to await the arrival of the latter ; and 
 when at last it came up, to order the muleteers 
 to unfix it (a direction which was executed 
 with no little trouble), in order to satisfy the 
 demands of the fierce militaire, who would not 
 allow us to proceed till he had seen the docu- 
 ment in question. Though the fellow thus an- 
 noyed and retarded us without reason, he was 
 very much offended at receiving from me the 
 epithet of malhonnette (uncivil). This is an 
 accusation which above all others enrages a 
 Frenchman, who seems to consider a charge 
 of incivility exactly in the same light in which 
 an inhabitant of our country does an accusa- 
 tion of dishonesty. Though the French have 
 lost their right, they have not forgotten their 
 claim, to the title which they formerly en- 
 joyed, of the civilest nation under the sun. 
 My passport being duly vise by the angry 
 
163 
 
 soldier, and the carriage again arranged, the 
 cavalcade proceeded. 
 
 I here dismissed my posthorses, and per- 
 formed the rest of the passage on foot, keeping 
 pace with Mrs. L.'s porters, who walked un- 
 commonly fast, and expressed their surprise at 
 my being able to accompany them. 
 
 We now began to descend ; and, in spite of 
 the alarming accounts given of this country, I 
 found nothing which ought to terrify the most 
 timid traveler. Were the porters even to fall, 
 the person whom they carry is held so near the 
 ground that there is no probability of receiving 
 the slightest injury : but these men are stout, 
 and accustomed to their employment ; and no 
 instance, I believe, was ever known of such 
 an accident happening to them. The porters 
 who carried Mrs. L. were civil intelligent fel- 
 lows, and entertained us not a little with the 
 stories they related of the different persons 
 whom they had conveyed over the mountain. 
 Among the rest, they failed not to mention 
 Bonaparte, whom they represented as always 
 taking this mode of traversing the Alps when 
 traveling without his army; and they added, 
 that they themselves had taken him over the 
 Mount Cenis by torch-light after the battle of 
 Marengo. They also gave us a long list of 
 les ?7ii!ords Anglois whom they had conveyed 
 
 M 2 
 
164 
 
 at different periods ; and of the red-coated mi- 
 litaireS) coming from Egypt, who had lately 
 passed this way on their return to England. 
 
 I descended on foot, much entertained with 
 the novelty of the scene around me and' with 
 the rustic wit of these fellows. 
 
 We moved along in well-known paths, on 
 the side of precipices : and after passing Les 
 Echelles, or steps, came into the plain of St. 
 Nicholas, where there is a fine cascade, but 
 which lost much of its beauty by not being full 
 of water at this time, owing to the driness of 
 the season. This cataract falls from the sum- 
 mit of a rock above, and forms a canal below, 
 which separates Savoy from Piedmont. This 
 water is passed on a bridge; and having 
 reached the other side, the traveler is already 
 arrived in Italy. 
 
 I cannot describe my feelings on learning 
 that the country which I saw before me was 
 Italy. The lines from Virgil quoted by M. La- 
 lande on the same occasion occur so naturally 
 to every one who has read the iEneid, that I 
 shall be pardoned for repeating the citation. — 
 
 Italiam, Italiam, primis cemclamat Achates : 
 Italiam magno socii clamore salutaut.. 
 
 The soldiers and companions of the Trojan hero 
 were delighted at seeing the country where 
 
165 
 
 they expected to find a place of rest and the 
 seat of future glory: with scarcely less enthu- 
 siasm do those whose y*outh has been spent in 
 the study of ancient literature behold the scenes 
 of those exploits, those virtues, and those ta- 
 lents, which excited the ardor and the praises 
 of their early days. In viewing the country 
 of the Romans — a country which perhaps they 
 never expected to visit — they find what they 
 once considered as a fable become an histo- 
 rical fact; and, identifying the people with 
 the spot, they see, in their " mind's eye," the 
 heroes, poets, orators, and patriots of former 
 times. 
 
 From St. Nicholas we proceeded to Ferrieres, 
 a small village containing about twenty houses, 
 which stands between two lofty rocks on the 
 banks of the river Cenis. , This village is sur- 
 rounded with vast mountains, precipices, and 
 roaring torrents 3 but the valley in which it is 
 placed is sterile, and of gloomy aspect. 
 
 We now gradually descended till we reached 
 Novalese, the first village of Piedmont, where 
 the passage of Mount Cenis is considered as 
 achieved. We arrived here at two o'clock. In 
 an hour afterwards our luggage arrived; and, 
 every thing being put together, and nothing 
 lost or injured, we paid the fees (amounting for 
 the whole to about the value of six guineas 
 
166 
 
 and a half of English money), and, setting out 
 again at five in the evening, with four horses 
 and two Italian postboys, reached in an hour 
 Suza, a neat little town, where we found a 
 clean, comfortable, but expensive, inn, called 
 VAuberge d'Angleterre. 
 
 The valley on the Italian side of Mount Ce- 
 nis, through which we traveled this evening, is 
 rich and highly cultivated, yet by no means 
 equal in beauty to many of those picturesque 
 plains which we met with in our tour round 
 Switzerland. 
 
 The first thing which I remarked on entering 
 the chamber destined to us at Suza, was the 
 uncommon size of the bed. In France and 
 Switzerland, where husbands and wives sel- 
 dom occupy the same apartment, the beds 
 are extremely small. It is singular enough 
 that in Italy, where certainly the inhabitants 
 are not celebrated for domestic attachment, 
 the reverse is the fact : a bed in Italy is sel- 
 dom less than six feet wide, and is often still 
 larger. 
 
 Tuesday, Oct. 5.- — I saw this morning the 
 celebrated triumphal arch of Suza, which is 
 the first we have met with in Italy a and indeed 
 the only one in Lombardy. The arch stands 
 in the garden of the castle, which has been dis^ 
 mantled by the French and is now uninhabited, 
 
167 
 
 It consists of a single arch, adorned with two 
 Corinthian pillars ; and is made of great blocks 
 of marble, a little injured by time. On it is 
 represented a march to sacrifice ; and the pro- 
 portions are said to be well observed : but the 
 architecture is slight, and the sculpture indif- 
 ferent *. 
 
 About nine o'clock we set out again, and 
 passed through a rich but flat country. We 
 traveled rather slowly, and did not reach Turin, 
 a distance of ten leagues, till five in the even- 
 ing. The road, during the last stage, was fine, 
 and remarkably wide ; but many of the trees 
 with which it was once ornamented have been 
 Cut down, and it is now but thinly wooded. 
 
 The country round Turin is rich, and finely 
 cultivated; and the approach to this city re- 
 sembles some of the avenues to Paris. The 
 palace of Rivoli, and the church of Supurga, 
 
 * The inscription, about which great disputes have arisen, 
 js thus given by M. de Lalande : — 
 
 " Imp. Csesari Augusto Divi F. Pontifici Maximo Tribu- 
 nicia Potestate XV. Imp. XIII. M. Julius Restis Donni, F. 
 Cottius Praefectus Civitatum quae subscriptae sunt Segovio- 
 rum, Segufinorum, Belacorum, Caturigum, Medullorum, Te- 
 baviorum, Adanatium, Savincatium, Egdiniorum, Veaminio- 
 rum, Venisamorum, Iriorum, Esubianorum, Ovidiavium, et 
 civitates quae sub eo praefecto fuerunt." 
 
 The greater part of these names are unknown to anti- 
 quarians. 
 
168 
 
 beyond Turin, are eminences distinctly seen 
 and much admired on this road. 
 
 Adieu ! I reserve my remarks on Turin till 
 my next letter. 
 
 We are comfortably lodged at the hotel of 
 ha Bonne Femme, 
 
 I am, &c. 
 
169 
 
 LETTER IX, 
 
 Population and geographical situation of Turin — Beauty and 
 regular architecture of this city — Suffered much from the late 
 tear — Gates pulled down — Great appearance of the effects 
 of revolution — Victor Amadeus the author of the improve- 
 ments of 'Turin — Metropolitan church of S. Giovanni Battista 
 — Royal chapel della Santissima Sudone, or St, Suaire — St, 
 Lorenzo— St. Philip de Neri — Jesuits' church — Palace of 
 the former kings of Sardinia, now inhabited by general Jour- 
 dan as " administrateur-general de Piemont" — Its present 
 state — Refused permission to see the late king and queen's 
 apartments, because occupied by general and madame. Jour dan 
 • — Gallery, arcade, and garden — Figure of Liberty placed 
 in the palace by the French — Opera-house — Palais de Car- 
 dignan — La Vigne dc la Rcine — // Valentino, a summer 
 palace of the late king, now a veterinary college — St. Chris- 
 tine, La Consolata, St. Augustin, Piazza dell' Erbe, Cor- 
 pus Domini, Le Spirito Santo, St. Therese, La Concezione, 
 and la Trinita^—Il Collegia Reale di Nobili, now a school 
 of natural history — University of Turin : Library, fyc, — The 
 hospital — II Regio Spedale della Carita — Le Chateau, or 
 II Castello, noiv an hotel de justice— -r Courts of law — La 
 Supurga, near Turin : church, mausoleum, and view from the 
 top — Opera-dancers of Turin— High ?)iass at the cathedral 
 ' — Promenade in the king's garden — Ascension of a balloon 
 from II Valentino — Citadel : barracks destroyed by Suvaroff, 
 Xebuilt by the French — General remarks on Turin. 
 
 Turin, Oct. 11, 1802. 
 
 My dear sir, 
 
 Being on the eve of my de- 
 parture from Turin, I now send you the result 
 pf my visit to this place, 
 
170 
 
 I ought perhaps first to mention, that Turin is 
 supposed to contain ninety thousand inhabitants; 
 that it is situated in the spot where the Alps 
 separate themselves from the Apennines, and 
 near the summit of the triangle which forms the 
 vast and beautiful plain of Lombardy; that it is 
 watered by the river Po ; and is mentioned by 
 Livy as an ancient city of Liguria. I need not 
 add, that it was the capital of the king of Sar- 
 dinia, and is now part of the French republic. 
 
 The architecture of this town is singularly 
 beautiful and correctly regular ; and the streets, 
 which run at right angles from each other, are 
 wide and handsome. Of all the places which 
 I have yet visited, this seems to have suffered 
 the most from the ravages of the last war, 
 The fine gates by which it was formerly en- 
 tered have been pulled down ; and its splendid 
 palaces, though still standing, are neglected, and 
 turned into public offices. Every thing bears the 
 appearance of revolution: there is no trade, there 
 are no equipages, and apparently few persons 
 of fortune left among the inhabitants. 
 
 To Victor Amadeus II. Turin owes that regu- 
 larity which has procured for it the praise of 
 being one of the finest cities in Italy. The 
 most remarkable streets are, La Rue du Po*, 
 and La Rue Neuve, 
 
 * This street was not yet finished when Addison visited 
 Italy. The following are his words " The river Po gives 
 
171 
 
 It was estimated formerly, that there were 
 one hundred and ten churches or chapels in 
 this town, ornamented with the rarest marble: 
 and though the number has been greatly di- 
 minished, it is still considerable. 
 
 The metropolitan church of S. Giovanni Bat- 
 tista disappointed the expectations which we 
 had formed in consequence of its great celer 
 brity in this country. The cathedral is ancient, 
 and has nothing very particular to recommend 
 it but a fine altar. Over this altar stands the 
 royal chapel della Santissima Sudone, or, as it 
 is called in French, de St. Suaire. This chapel 
 forms a separate church, and is built entirely 
 of marble of peculiar beauty, and has a cupola 
 made of the same materials in the most finished 
 style of architecture. 
 
 St. Lorenzo, a church which stands very near 
 the palace, is remarkable for a bold and striking 
 rotundo of pink marble, surrounded with pil- 
 lars of the same, and ornamented with a much- 
 admired cupola. This cupola is so light in its 
 construction, that it seems to stand in the air, 
 and one cannot discover how it is supported. 
 St. Philip de Neri is also a fine church, which is 
 built entirely of marble, and ornamented with 
 some valuable pictures. 
 
 a name to the chief street of Turin, that fronts the duke's 
 palace, and when finished will be one of the noblest in Italy 
 for its length." — Addison's Italy. 
 
172 
 
 The Jesuits' church is well worth visiting. 
 It is uncommonly rich in its decorations. 
 
 Besides these, other churches were pointed 
 out to me as possessing objects of curiosity or 
 interest; but the limited time of my stay at 
 Turin did not allow me the opportunity of 
 seeing many more. 
 
 The palace of the former kings of Sardinia 
 is a splendid edifice, forming the western side 
 of the principal place, or square, called La 
 Piazza Castello, the spot from which all the 
 streets run at right angles. This palace is now 
 inhabited by general Jourdan, who, with the 
 title of administrateur-general de Piemont, is 
 the proconsul (or, more properly speaking, the 
 viceroy) of the county. We obtained permis- 
 sion to see the palace yesterday evening, and 
 were, on entering it, led into a long suit of 
 small rooms, which formerly possessed some 
 works of the first masters ; but the best of these 
 paintings have been removed to Paris, and 
 nothing remains worth remarking. We then 
 visited the hall, which in other days contained 
 the throne of the monarch, and where he was 
 accustomed to receive the foreign ministers 
 and to hold his court. This apartment is now 
 neglected, dirty, and almost unfurnished ; but 
 enough- is left of former splendor to prove that 
 it must have been (when not so abandoned) 
 a magnificent room, 
 
173 
 
 The saloon, where the queen used to hav e 
 her drawing-rooms, has still the lustre, gilding, 
 and other ornaments which belonged to it in 
 better days. It is still handsome, but disgust- 
 ingly dirty. 
 
 The king's private apartment, as likewise the 
 queen's, we were refused the permission of see- 
 ing, because general Jourdan occupied the for- 
 mer, and his wife, who was expected from Paris 
 the same night, intended lodging in the latter. 
 <c Alas ! " said our conductor, with a sigh of re- 
 gret, " it was very different formerly: our good 
 king, instead of denying leave to see his rooms, 
 took great pleasure in showing the palace him- 
 self to strangers — Mais ces parvenus — ." Here 
 prudence stopped the conclusion of his sen- 
 tence, and he changed the subject by pointing 
 out another object to our attention. 
 
 We walked through the gallery, which stilL 
 contains some good pictures ; but we had not 
 sufficient light to examine them, — for general 
 Jourdan only allows those rooms which may 
 still be seen, to be visited after five o'clock in 
 the evening. 
 
 From the gallery we descended to the ar- 
 cade, or piazza, by which the king used to go 
 to the theatre ; and thence into the gardens, 
 which are laid out in the French taste, and are 
 now untrimmed and neglected. 
 
 I forgot to mention, that, in going to the pa- 
 
lace, we ascended the great stairs, which are 
 handsome, and found there, unhurt, the statue 
 of Victor Amadeus the First: — all the other sta- 
 tues have been removed to Paris. I also omit- 
 ted to name the. antechamber, through which 
 we passed, and which is lofty, large, and deco- 
 rated with tapestry. In a room adjoining to 
 this antechamber, in which the pages formerly 
 waited, the French have placed a figure of Li- 
 berty — perhaps one of Victory would be more 
 appropriate. 
 
 The. only pictures of any value remaining in 
 the palace, which 1 remarked, were two great 
 ones by Paul Veronese ; the subjects of which 
 were, Moses in the bulrushes, and the queen of 
 Sheba offering presents to Solomon. 
 
 The opera-house, or principal theatre of Tu- 
 rin, where we spent the first evening after our 
 arrival, is a magnificent building, and one of 
 the finest of the kind in Italy. It has not suf- 
 fered from the revolution, except by neglect: 
 nothing has been destroyed : but it is now of- 
 fensively dirty. In shape, size, and decorations, 
 it resembles our theatre in the Haymarket. As 
 to the entertainments and the appearance of 
 the company, I can only say, that, when we 
 were there, there was scarcely any one in the 
 boxes beside ourselves. The house was dismal- 
 ly dark, the dancing was bad, and the music 
 but moderately good: nothing repaid us for 
 
the trouble of going thither, but the sight of 
 the building. 
 
 On the second day of our stay in Turin, we 
 drove to the Palais de Cardignan, one of the 
 finest palaces of this city; but we were not al- 
 lowed to see any part of it, except the stairs 
 and the court-yard, the apartments being in- 
 habited by two French generals, who, imita- 
 ting the example of their commander-in-chief, 
 refuse to exercise this lowest act of hospitality 
 to the strangers who come hither. We then 
 drove along the Corso, and saw the outside of 
 the arsenal and of the citadel, but were again 
 refused the permission of seeing the interior of 
 either. The latter has visible, in several parts 
 of its front, the cannon-balls sent against the 
 town while besieged by the Russians under the 
 command of general SuvarofF. 
 
 We traversed the beautiful Rue du Po, and, 
 crossing the bridge, ascended the hill. Here, 
 leaving the convent of the Capuchins on our 
 right, we proceeded to La Vigne de la Reine, 
 a summer retreat of the queen of Sardinia, about 
 a mile from the town, of which this house com- 
 mands an extensive view. The rooms and fur- 
 niture are both unimpaired, and are at present 
 in the same state in which they were occupied 
 by the unfortunate family of Savoy. 
 
 This little palace was saved from the indis- 
 criminate plunder of the French soldiery by 
 
176 
 
 the care and good sense of the steward in 
 whose custody it had been left; who, on the 
 arrival of the conquering enemy, ran to gene- 
 ral Jourdan, and put this house under his im* 
 mediate protection. 
 
 The apartments are not large, but lively and 
 pretty. There -are several good paintings, prin- 
 cipally family portraits, and two door-pieces by 
 Domenichino. The hall, which forms the prin- 
 cipal entrance, is of good architecture, is orna- 
 mented with several good pictures, and appears 
 to have a gallery supported by marble pillars. 
 Neither the gallery nor the pillars exist in re- 
 ality, but are painted with such exactness that 
 some minutes elapsed before I discovered the 
 deception. The garden is small, and laid out 
 in bad taste ; but the prospect which it com- 
 mands is extensive, rich, and picturesque. 
 
 In the evening of the same day we went to 
 see another royal villa, but which more parti- 
 cularly belonged to the king, called Le Valen- 
 tin, or II Valentino. It stands about the same 
 distance from Turin as LaVigne de la Reine, 
 but on the other side of the town, near the 
 road by which one arrives in coming from 
 Mount Cenis. 
 
 The avenue which forms the approach to this 
 palace once boasted a long line of splendid 
 carriages filled with the rich inhabitants of the 
 city, who were here accustomed to take the air. 
 
177 
 
 Not one equipage was now to be seen; and the 
 promenade had as deserted and as melancholy 
 an appearance, as the former residence of roy- 
 alty to which it leads. 
 
 The house of La Valentin is a pretty light 
 building of white stone, and stands on the 
 banks of the Po. The whole of the furniture 
 has been taken away by the French, and the 
 palace is converted into a veterinary college, 
 where young gentlemen are taught the noble 
 art of farriery. 
 
 We strolled in the gardens, which are now 
 abandoned and falling into decay. They are 
 delightfully situated on the Po ; and the num- 
 ber of country-seats on the opposite bank pre- 
 sents an object which must have greatly con- 
 tributed to the liveliness of the scene. The 
 moon had risen before we took our departure 5 
 and as we drove homewards we allowed the 
 windows of the carriage to be open, — so mild 
 and temperate is this climate even in the month 
 of October. 
 
 The third morning was spent in visiting the 
 following places : ■ — . St. Christine *, La Consola- 
 ta, St. Augustin, Piazza dell' Erbe, the Corpus 
 
 * In Italy the French names are so often given, that I 
 shall be pardoned for using them indiscriminately with those 
 of the country. I call them as they were named to me. It 
 would be pedantry to translate, where the difference is only 
 in the termination. 
 Vol. t N 
 
178 
 
 Domini, the Spirito. Santo, St. Therese, LaCon- 
 cezione, and La Trinita. All these are fine 
 buildings, and several of them are constructed 
 entirely of marble: many, too, are ornamented 
 with pictures of great value. 
 
 I next went to 11 Collegio Reale di Nobili, 
 where the noblesse were formerly educated, and 
 which is now converted to the use of a society 
 for the study of natural history. There is an 
 observatory above, to which I ascended. The 
 establishment is in its infancy, and the number 
 of instruments is as yet but small. The view 
 from this elevated spot is delightful : it com- 
 mands the whole city, and great part of the 
 justly much-admired plain of Lombardy. The 
 collection of natural history, fossils, kc, which 
 I examined, is but insignificant. 
 
 The university of Turin formed the next ob- 
 ject of our attention. The Cabinet des Antiques, 
 or Museo del Re, has had so many of ilts cu- 
 riosities removed, that it no longer deserves a 
 visit. The table Isiaque * has been removed, 
 
 * So called because the principal figure of it is fa sitting- 
 Isis, having in her hand the spoils of the fishing-h;awk iud 
 two horns of a bull, — emblems of fecundity, or the equinoc- 
 tial sign of spring, which was formerly a bull. Tfhis ttble 
 Isiaque was one of the most celebrated Egyptian momumtnts 
 met with in Italy : it is a table of dark copper, the colo' of 
 coffee, on which hieroglyphic figures are engraved.. — J idc 
 M. de Lalande, vol. \. 
 
179 
 
 so is the report, to Paris ; but as I do not re- 
 member to have seen it in any of the public 
 collections of that capital, I much doubt the 
 fact. A mummy in good preservation, and a 
 few statues brought from the staircase of the 
 royal palace, are the only things novy left,— 
 The theatre of anatomy is simply a large round 
 lecture-room, without any thing whatever to 
 distinguish it. — We then visited the library, to 
 which many of the books taken from the pa- 
 lace have been added ; but the librarian assured 
 me that the greater part of the royal collection 
 was stolen, or lost, when the French army first 
 became masters of Turin. Of the books origi- 
 nally in the library of the university, the French 
 have only taken away the celebrated Polyglot 
 Bible on vellum. We were shown some very 
 beautiful editions of Pliny and Dante ; a manu- 
 script of the Scriptures made in the ninth cen- 
 tury, very clear and very neat ; and several of 
 the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. We 
 also saw and admired some finely-printed edi- 
 tions of the classics by Boldoni, a modern ar- 
 tist who is still living, a native of Piedmont, but 
 at present settled at Parma. — These different 
 books were shown us, with much politeness, by 
 a young gentleman, who was extremely intel- 
 ligent, and appeared to be either the principal 
 librarian or his deputy. — The general collec- 
 tion of books is extensive, and seems to have 
 
 M 2 
 
180 
 
 been made with judgement. The library is 
 particularly esteemed for the valuable editions 
 it possesses of the best classical works. 
 
 We afterwards visited the hospital, which is 
 a fine large building, and which (as far as we 
 could judge from a view taken by looking in 
 at the windows), is clean, and well managed. 
 The number of patients was said to be so very 
 great, that I thought it imprudent to go within 
 the walls, fearing the effects of contagion. The 
 same reason prevented my entering the Regio 
 Spedale della Carita, the exterior of which is 
 handsome. 
 
 We next saw a large building, formerly a 
 convent, and now converted into a more useful 
 establishment : it is at present a workhouse, 
 where different manufactures are carried on, 
 and in which persons of both sexes are em- 
 ployed. 
 
 We went thence to a great building, for- 
 merly called Le Chateau, or II Castello ; in 
 which the younger branches of the house of 
 Savoy usually resided, and which was latterly 
 occupied by the king's brother, in whose favor 
 his majesty has lately resigned all his rights. 
 This palace is now become an hotel de justice, 
 in which the different civil courts hold their 
 sittings. We went into the tribunal of appeal. 
 The judges were respectable in their appear- 
 ance; the room was arranged much in the 
 
181 
 
 manner of an English court of Jaw; the pre- 
 sidents wore gowns - 3 and great order seemed 
 to prevail. An advocate, without a gown, and 
 not even dressed in black, was pleading from a 
 written paper, the contents of which he re- 
 peated very audibly and distinctly. The court 
 seemed to pay him great attention ; but I did 
 not know enough of the Italian language to be 
 able to follow the train of his argument.— We 
 were afterwards shown the hall in which the 
 other courts hold their meetings; and the bil- 
 liard room, and some few other apartments, 
 which are still in the state in which they were 
 left lry their last unfortunate and royal owners. 
 : — The stairs are wide and handsome. 
 
 After viewing the objects which I have men- 
 tioned, we set out at twelve o'clock the same 
 day, with an American gentleman and his wife, 
 in a light open carriage drawn by four horses, 
 for the celebrated church of LaSupurga, which 
 stands on the summit of a lofty mountain at 
 the distance of about six English miles from 
 Turin. This fine edifice was constructed, as 
 appears by the inscription over it, "Betlo Gal- 
 ileo vovit" in consequence of a vow made by 
 king Victor Amadeus after the duke of Ven- 
 dome had gained the battles of Cassano and 
 Casinato, and nothing remained unconquered 
 of Piedmont but the city of Turin. Prince 
 Eugene came to the assistance of his native 
 
1M 
 
 town, and succeeded in repelling the invading 
 enemy ; and the pious monarch did not forget 
 to perform the solemn vow which in his cis- 
 tresses he had made. In recollecting this cir- 
 cumstance, in viewing this splendid monument 
 of past triumph over the French*, one's pity 
 for the present vanquished state of the Pied- 
 montese and their deposed sovereign naturally 
 increases, and the mind is forcibly recalled to 
 the strange mutability of human affairs. 
 
 The ascent to the church was long and tire^ 
 some, but the road was good, and we were not 
 obliged to leaye the carriage any part of the 
 way. When we at last arrived, we were de- 
 lighted with the prospect which presented it- 
 
 * The Piedmontese have often had reason to regret their 
 vicinity to France. Addison gives the following account 
 of what they had suffered jn his time, and of the antipathy 
 they entertained against their powerful neighbour. I be- 
 lieve I may safely say, that what they have lately endured 
 has tended not a little to increase this sentiment, notwith- 
 standing their nominal union with the French republic. — 
 
 " The common people of this state are more exaspe- 
 rated against the French than even the rest of the Italians ; 
 for the great mischiefs they have suffered from 'em arc-, 
 still fresh upon their memories; and, notwithstanding this 
 interval of peace, one may easily trace out several marches 
 that the French armies have made through their country, 
 by the ruin and desolation they have left behind 'em. I 
 passed through Piedmont and Savoy at a time when the 
 duke was fore'd by necessity of his affairs to be in alliance 
 with France." — Addison's Italy. 
 
183 
 
 self. The vast hill on which the Supurga 
 stands commands the whole of the plain of 
 Lombardy, the Apennines, the city of Turin, 
 and all the adjoining buildings. 
 
 The church of Supurga, which is of modern 
 construction (having been begun in 1715 and 
 finished in 1731), has lost nothing but its holy 
 canons and its silver ornaments. A great por- 
 tico, ornamented with pillars, leads to a fine 
 circular church, built entirely of cut stone, and 
 displaying the utmost magnificence. The ex- 
 pense must have been enormous, as all the 
 materials were necessarily brought from below, 
 • — the rocky mountain on which the church is 
 placed affording no assistance whatever. 
 
 After admiring the ornaments of the altar, 
 beautifully cut in stone j the marble pillars ; 
 the lofty roof, which is built after the model 
 of Les Invalides at Paris; and the bas-relievos 
 of Camitti, which here supply the place of pic- 
 tures ; we descended into the royal vault. 
 This mausoleum is entirely built of marble, 
 and is particularly clean, neat, and handsome. 
 We saw here the tombs of Victor Amadeus, of 
 his queen, of Charles Emanuel, and of two 
 princes of the branch of Carignano, and some 
 few others. 
 
 After we had satisfied our curiosity about the 
 mausoleum and the church, we ascended, up ra- 
 ther bad and steep stairs, to the summit of the 
 
184 
 
 cupola. We had here a most extensive and 
 beautiful view. On a fine day, even Milan, 
 though distant twenty-five leagues, may be 
 seen on one side, and the vast chain of Alps 
 on the other. 
 
 Our journey from Turin to the Supurga oc- 
 cupied nearly two hours ; but on our return, 
 being on a descent, we performed the same di- 
 stance in half that time. 
 
 After dinner, we went, for the second time, 
 to the . opera, to see a new ballet. The danc- 
 ing was execrable ; and the women thus em- 
 ployed, though uncommonly plain, were pro- 
 digal of the charms which no doubt they sup- 
 posed themselves to possess. The audience, 
 which was tolerably numerous, displayed the 
 utmost indulgence, and received the awkward 
 clowns and naked heroines of their stage with 
 bursts of applause not less euthusiastic than 
 those which reward the graceful activity of 
 Vestris on the Parisian, or that of Hillersbourg 
 on the London, theatre. 
 
 We went the next day, being Sunday, to 
 hear high mass performed at the cathedral 
 church. The music did not answer the expec- 
 tations which we had formed. 
 
 In visiting for the second time the chapel of 
 St. Suaire, I was much pleased with the marble 
 rotundo, which is certainly beautiful. After 
 church, we walked on the ramparts, and ir. the 
 
185 
 
 king's garden. In one of the alleys of the 
 latter we found a considerable assemblage of 
 well-dressed people, the first of that description 
 we had seen since our arrival at Turin. Among 
 them I remarked two or three pretty women; 
 but beauty seems to be here a scarce com- 
 modity. 
 
 We went, after an early dinner, to the Valen- 
 tino, or Valentin, of which I have spoken before, 
 to see the ascension of a balloon. The evening 
 was fine, and the sight drew together a consi- 
 derable crowd. The balloon, which ascended 
 from the garden, rose perpendicularly to a cer- 
 tain height ; when the rarefied air having com- 
 municated to the paper of which it was formed, 
 set the whole on fire, to the great disappoint- 
 ment of the gaping spectators. 
 
 We consoled ourselves for our disappoint- 
 ment by walking through the deserted rooms 
 of this ci-devant royal residence. The tapestry 
 which formerly adorned the principal apart* 
 incuts has been removed ; but some good paint- 
 ings, which decorate the wall, still remain. The 
 view from the windows, commanding the Po, 
 the bridge, and the adjoining country, is de- 
 lightful. 
 
 In returning, we were much surprised at 
 perceiving the immense . crowd, which filled 
 the road from Turin to the Valentin. It was, 
 indeed, so full of passengers, that it reminded 
 
186 
 
 me of Hyde Park on a Sunday .—I also counted 
 five or six good carriages. 
 
 We went the following morning to the hill 
 where stands the now uninhabited convent of 
 the Capuchins, and saw the town and country 
 to great advantage from this eminence. 
 
 I also visited this day an artist who cuts out 
 likenesses and figures in wood. He showed us 
 a work in which he has represented all the 
 monarchs, republican states, and generals of 
 modern Europe. Like the Parnassc Frangois, 
 in the public library at Paris, this invention is 
 rather to be commended as an example of per- 
 severing industry, than as a specimen of supe- 
 rior genius. 
 
 I concluded my tour round Turin by a visit 
 to the citadel, which I obtained at length .he 
 permission of seeing. The old barracks were 
 entirely destroyed while Turin was besieged 
 by general SuvarofT, and nothing remains of 
 them but a heap of ruins. 'The French have 
 built new ones within the fortifications, by 
 which they are completely sheltered. 
 
 To sum up my account of this place, I can 
 only say that it is a well-built, regular, hand- 
 some city; that it stands in a fine country, and 
 must, while it enjoyed its national indepen- 
 dence, have been an agreeable residence. It 
 has now lost its native princes and its most 
 wealthy inhabitants. There is no industry, be- 
 
187 
 
 cause there is no commerce, and consequent!/ 
 no spirit or activity among the citizens. Idle- 
 ness, dirt, poverty, and superstition, mark the 
 appearance of the people ; who pass their lives 
 in lounging about the streets, or in crowding 
 the numerous churches, which are constantly 
 open. 
 
 The inhabitants of Turin are such devoted 
 bigots, that during my short stay here I have 
 heard frequent complaints about the places of 
 worship which have been reformed ; yet so 
 many remain, that in every principal street of 
 the town, and at every hour of the day, mass is 
 said in three or four different churches ; and all 
 these services are so well attended, that" I have 
 had considerable difficulty in making my way 
 through the vast throngs, which actually stop 
 up the aisles of the large buildings here dedi- 
 cated to religious purposes. It must not be 
 supposed that this excessive devotion is oc- 
 casioned, or attended, by any extraordinary 
 degree of morality or superior virtue. I have 
 not heard that the Piedmontese are celebrated 
 for any great severity of principle : and while 
 piously they fall prostrate before the altar, they 
 forget not to stop in the middle of a prayer to 
 solicit charity of a passing stranger. I have 
 also been told (but I do not answer for the 
 truth of the report) that these holy places are 
 sometimes made the seat of a tender 7'endezvous, 
 
188 
 
 and are now and then the witnesses of illicit 
 love. Priests, monks, and friars, swarm about 
 the streets ; yet scarcely one third remains of 
 their original number. Indeed, considering 
 the idlers by profession, and the idlers par ?ie- 
 eessifS, \t is astonishing how the rest of the in-* 
 habitants are capable of gaining the subsis- 
 tence necessary for the supply of so large a 
 town*. 
 
 My stay here is too short to investigate the 
 state of society, or even to attempt entering on 
 the subject. I should rather think, that if there 
 be any luxury or elegant pleasures enjoyed 
 in this town, they must be principally confined 
 
 * Considering the idleness of the inhabitants, and the 
 dirt of their persons, one is surprised at the cleanliness of 
 the streets. Mr. Addison has accounted for this circum- 
 stance :— 
 
 " There is one convenience in this city (Turing that I 
 never observed in any other, and that makes some amends 
 for the badness of the 'pavement *. By the help of a river that 
 tuns on the upper side of the town, they can convey a little 
 stream of water through all the most considerable streets, 
 which serves to cleanse the gutters, and carries away all the 
 filth that is swept into it. The manager opens his sluice 
 every night, and distributes the water into what quarter of 
 the town he pleases. Besides the ordinary convenience that 
 arises from it, it is of great use when a fire chances to break 
 out ; for at a few minutes' warning they have a little river 
 running by the very walls of the house that is burning/'— 
 Addison's Italy. 
 
 * Turin is now very well paved. 
 
189 
 
 to the use of the^French generals, as I saw 
 among the inhabitants but very few persons of 
 a. superior class. I was told, indeed, that those 
 who have still the means of living with com- 
 fort, spend the whole or great part of the year 
 at what they call their vignes — that is to say, 
 their villas, which are called so because they 
 are usually surrounded with vineyards. Those 
 who pass their winter at Turin have not yet 
 left their summer retreats. 
 
 Adieu ! I proceed on my journey early to- 
 morrow morning. 
 
LETTER X. 
 
 Journey from Turin to Genoa — Asti— Alexandria-— Department 
 of Marengo, and inscription on entering it — Field of Ma- 
 rengo — Village of Marengo — Battle of Marengo — Spot and 
 inscription where Desaix loas killed — Reports about the 
 battle — Novi, where Suvaroff gained a battle and Joubert was 
 killed — Novi commencement of the Bochetta—Ottagio — 
 Country infested with robbers — Obliged to take guards — De- 
 scription of them, and of the country — Top of the Bochetta, the 
 summit of the Apennines — French soldiers — Campo Marone 
 —■^Philosophy of a French guard — Road from Campo Marone 
 to Genoa — Miserable cottages and magnificent villas on the 
 road — Beautiful prospect on approaching Genoa — Arrival 
 there. 
 
 Genoa, Oct. 15, 1802- 
 
 Mv dear sir. 
 
 HAVING reached this place in 
 safety, in spite of the clangers to which we have 
 been exposed, I sit down to give you an ac- 
 count of our journey. 
 
 We left Turin on the 12th instant, at five 
 o'clock in the morning. The country through 
 which we traveled in the beginning of the day 
 was flat and uninteresting; but its appearance 
 improved as we approached the town of Asti. 
 I was here recommended to take an escort, 
 as the road was said to be infested by bands 
 of thieves ; but as I did not give implicit belief 
 
191 
 
 to the report, I neglected to follow the advice 
 which was given me. Though, as I have since 
 learned, the danger was not so imaginary as I 
 supposed it, I had no reason to repent my im- 
 prudence, as we reached Alexandria in safety; 
 where we found a decent inn, a bad dinner, 
 good beds, and extravagant charges, at the Al- 
 bergo delV Italia. 
 
 Alexandria stands, as every body knows, in 
 the immediate neighbourhood of the celebrated 
 village of Marengo, which now gives its name 
 to the whole department A triumphal arch 
 has lately been erected : having passed under 
 which, one enters the principal place of Alex- 
 andria. On this arch is written — 
 
 Departement de Marengo. 
 
 Una sola legga, 
 alia vittoria di Marengo, 
 alia pace, alia concordia, 
 al fraterno amore. 
 
 On the gate by which Alexandria is entered 
 in coming from Marengo, and . over the forti- 
 fications, now in ruins, is the following in- 
 scription : 
 
 A Bonaparte, 
 vainqueur de Marengo. 
 
 Alexandria is rather a large country town, 
 and lias the remains of a strong fortification, in 
 
m 
 
 Tivhich the Austrians were quartered the night 
 before the battle. 
 
 On the thirteenth we set out from Alexan- 
 dria ; and in a quarter of an hour after leaving 
 the town passed a small river, behind which the 
 imperial cavalry were entrenched on the day 
 of the battle • and we soon came into the ever- 
 memorahle field of Marengo. 
 
 I need not tell you with how much curiosity 
 I viewed a spot that had so lately been the the- 
 atre of an event on which the fate of Europe 
 depended, and which must be handed down to 
 all future ages in the page of history. In the 
 Words of Virgil — 
 
 juvat ire, et Dorica castra 
 
 Desertosque videre locos. — 
 
 Hie Dolopum rnanus, hie saevus tendebat Achilles — 
 — — hie acies certare solebant ! 
 
 The field where this bloody contest took 
 place is not properly a plain, but an unen- 
 closed, open, level space of ground, cultivated 
 every where except on the high road. There 
 are rows of trees (principally mulberries), in 
 the bodies of which balls are still visible. Near 
 these trees the battle was fought.- The vil- 
 lage of Marengo, which adjoins, on the right 
 of the road to Genoa, and in the direct road to 
 Tortona, consists of only eight or nine scat- 
 
193 
 
 tered houses of wretched appearance. In one 
 of them (that which stands nearest to the high 
 road), and the attached farm-yard, the combat 
 raged with peculiar violence ; and the French 
 and Austrians possessed and dispossessed each 
 other of the spot several times in the course of 
 the day. 
 
 Desaix was killed a few yards from this 
 house; and a pillar (not such a one as the event 
 deserves, but a shabby paltry one) records the 
 fact. The following is the inscription on it, 
 which I took on the spot, in Italian, Latin, and 
 French. 
 
 La municipalita 
 di Alexandria, 
 il di 25 Pratile 
 anno 9 republicano, 
 innalzo questo 
 monumento 
 Essendo Jourdan, 
 ammistratore generate 
 
 Bragda, . 
 prefetto del departimento 
 di Marengo. 
 
 Q.ui, a Marengo, 
 il giorno 25 Pratile 
 anno 8, Bonaparte, 
 primo consule 
 della republica Francese> 
 conduse rarmata 
 alia vittoria. 
 
 Vol. I. O 
 
194 
 
 Hie, 
 
 prope Marengumo, 
 xviii. kal. Jul., 
 anno mdccc, 
 
 Bonaparte, 
 primo consule 
 Gallicae reipublicae, 
 exercitus duce 
 victoria parta. 
 
 Ici, 
 a Marengo, 
 le 25 Prairial, 
 l'an 8, 
 Bonaparte, 
 premier consul 
 " de la republique Fraircoise, 
 a conduit l'armee 
 a la victoire*. 
 
 The postboy who drove me said, that he- con- 
 ducted, the night after the battle, general Me- 
 las's aid-de-camp to Bonaparte's quarters,, in 
 
 * In English — 
 
 Here, 
 at Marengo, 
 the 25th of Prairial of 
 the 8th year, 
 Bonaparte, 
 first consul 
 of the French republic, 
 led the army 
 to victory. 
 
195 
 
 Order to make the arrangements for the surren* 
 der of Alexandria; and that the number of dead 
 bodies so completely stopped up the road, that 
 the carriage was obliged to pass over them. 
 He said the wheels cracked every moment with 
 the noise of broken bones *. 
 
 It is said in the country, that the Austrians 
 had one hundred and twenty thousand men, of 
 which a large number, principally cavalry,, 
 remained on the Alexandrian side of the river, 
 unengaged. The French are in the same man- 
 ner reported to have had but sixty thousand 
 men. Bonaparte arriving with the consular 
 guard from Tortona, which acted as a corps-dc- 
 rtserve^ decided the fate of the battle.— -Such 
 is the story told by the inhabitants of the coun- 
 try. I do not even, pretend to give an opinion. 
 
 After passing over this ground, and examin- 
 ing it with all the attention which was natu- 
 rally excited by the remembrance of the im- 
 portant action which has immortalised its 
 name, we came soon into a spot only one de- 
 gree less celebrated than Marengo— I mean, 
 that where mareschal SuvarofT gained a victory 
 
 * The French were obliged* after the battle, to make a 
 pile of dead bodies, and to set fire to them. This precaution 
 was absolutely necessary, to prevent the danger which other- 
 wise would have arisen from the putridity of these carcasses. 
 Human bones are still found very near the level of the 
 ground. I myself took up several skulls. 
 
 02 
 
196 
 
 over the French, at Novi, and where general 
 Jonbert was killed. The latter died in a 
 country-house, which was pointed out to me, 
 just above the town. Novi, the first place 
 which I entered in the Ligurian republic, is 
 filled with churches, monasteries, priests, po- 
 verty, and dirt. 
 
 We had from Turin traveled, as in the ter- 
 ritories of ancient France, with a shaft and 
 three horses : we were now obliged to put on 
 the pole of the carriage, to which four horses, 
 driven by two ragged postboys, were affixed . 
 We soon began to ascend an immense hill, the 
 commencement of the Bochetta, or Bucheta, 
 and traversed abominable roads, in a very- 
 wild and romantic country. After travel- 
 ing for two hours in a most tiresome man- 
 ner, and at a much slower rate than a man in 
 good health usually walks, we crossed a river, 
 which had been so much increased by the rain 
 which fell this morning, that we had some diffi- 
 culty in getting over it, and were obliged to 
 have the carriage supported by several men, 
 who for that purpose walked through the 
 water. In -two hours more we reached Ot- 
 tagio *, where we changed horses ; and, climb- 
 ing up a still more difficult ascent, and over 
 roads bad beyond description, found ourselves 
 
 * This place .is sometimes called Ottagio, and sometimes- 
 Voltagio. The former is the more general appellation. 
 
197 
 
 in a country which is said to be the residence 
 of a banditti of thieves and murderers. Salva- 
 tor Rosa never drew a landscape more descrip- 
 tive of such a scene than the spot afforded 
 where we now were. Stupendous mountains, 
 narrow paths, deep valleys, and scattered houses, 
 hehind the shutters of which we discovered 
 ill-looking fellows, who endeavoured to conceal 
 themselves, and now and then some wrinkled 
 toothless hag, who seemed to be watching for 
 the prey of her companions. In short, every 
 thing conspired to lead us to expect an imme- 
 diate attack. 
 
 It was near three o'clock -when we left Ot- 
 tagio, and from the pace at which we traveled 
 it was evident that night must overtake us 
 before we could reach the next stage. I had 
 been recommended to take an escort at the last 
 place ; but, unconscious of the danger, I had 
 neglected to do so. When, however, we had 
 advanced about five miles, I perceived another 
 military station*, and, being now fully per- 
 suaded that such protection was necessary, 
 ordered four soldiers to attend us. The ap- 
 pearance of these fellows, who were Ligurians, 
 was not favorable : they were young lads of 
 
 * Soldiers are placed, at stations five miles distant from 
 each other, in this road, for the protection of travelers ; and 
 the former may be hired, by such of the latter as choose to 
 incur the expense, at an agreed price. 
 
198 
 
 fifteen or sixteen years of age ; almost in rags ; 
 without stockings j and with nothing soldier* 
 like in their garb except cocked hats and mili-r 
 tary great-coats. Their arms were muskets, 
 which they threw over their shoulders. Thus 
 accoutred, two marched before the carriage, 
 and two behind. I much doubt whether their 
 pieces were loaded j and, if so, whether, in case 
 of an attack, they would have ventured to use 
 them. They kept, however, a constant look 
 out, and seemed to examine with great care 
 the valleys, as if they expected the banditti 
 to rush suddenly forward from some cavern 
 below. They failed not, also, to relate the 
 frequent robberies which had lately been con> 
 mitted by the < c Devil*" and his gang, who in,- 
 habit these mountains, The only travelers 
 whom we met were muleteers, loaded with 
 goods ; and we learned that a person of this 
 description, carrying silver belonging to a 
 French commissary, had been murdered a few 
 days before. 
 
 Alarming as was the danger from ruffians, 
 which was now increased by the hour (for it 
 was soon dark), we also incurred another from 
 the narrowness of the road, which ran on the 
 side of precipices, Rain, thunder, and light- 
 
 * Note •mitten since my return to England. — This fellow, 
 after committing innumerable robberies, has, I find frpni th§ 
 newspapers, been lately executed at Genoa, 
 
199 
 
 ning, soon added additional horrors to this 
 scene : and Mrs. L. became so extremely terri- 
 fied that I feared she would have fainted in the 
 carriage. 
 
 Our guards were changed every five miles, 
 at stations built for the purpose. After two 
 Ligurian parties had attended us, we were 
 happy when we saw them relieved at the third 
 by French soldiers. You cannot conceive how 
 much more secure we found ourselves under 
 the protection of the latter. They were strong 
 men, well dressed, well armed, and extremely 
 good-humored. When they perceived the alarm 
 of Mrs. L., they cried out, with all the vanity 
 of their country, <c Ditez a madame qu'elle n'a 
 rien a craindre : elle peut marcher en surete : 
 nous sommes Frangois*" . Thus saying, they 
 moved on at a good pace, whistling as they 
 went, and unruffled by the rain, which fell in 
 torrents. From them we learned that the dan- 
 gers of the mountain had not been exagge- 
 rated ; that robberies were frequent here ; and 
 that even their guardhouse had once been at- 
 tacked by the banditti, consisting of fifty men, 
 while some of the soldiers were absent on duty; 
 but those who remained, though greatly infe- 
 rior in number, had at last succeeded in driving 
 them away. 
 
 * " Tell the lady she has nothing to fear : she may pro- 
 ceed in safety : we are French." 
 
200 
 
 It was about six o'clock when we reached 
 the top of the Bochetta, which is itself the sum- 
 mit of the Apennines. It was then completely- 
 dark ; and two hours more elapsed before we 
 reached, after a long, tiresome, and perilous 
 journey, the village of Campo Marone, which 
 stands at the distance of one stage from Genoa. 
 Here we found a decent little inn, whose hum- 
 ble accommodations were extremely accept- 
 able after the dangers through which we had 
 passed. 
 
 In dismissing my guard, I could not help 
 admiring the happy disposition of the French. 
 I asked these men, who had been six months 
 employed on this service, amidst mountains, 
 storms, and banditti, if they were not ennuy'c 
 with their situation. " Pardonnez," said one 
 of them : ff nous sommes tres bien ici. II faut 
 se rendre heureux partout. Quand on serve, 
 c'est egal ou Ton est*." — -No truer philosophy 
 could come from the lips of the wisest scholar. 
 Whenever I may in future be inclined to quar- 
 rel with my lot, I shall recollect the speech of 
 this poor soldier, and, repeating " II faut se 
 reridre heureux partout," check the grumblings 
 of discontent. 
 
 October 14. — Having taken a few hours' 
 
 * " Excuse me : we are very well here. A man should 
 make himself happy every where, When he is a soldier, it 
 is immaterial where he serves. 1 ' 
 
201 
 
 rest, which was sweet indeed after the fatigues 
 and dangers of the preceding day, we set out 
 again, and soon came into a fine road, passing 
 through the valley of Polcevera. From the 
 number of villages through which we traveled, 
 and the country-seats which appeared on every 
 side, it was easy to foresee that we approach- 
 ed a capital. I remarked, with some degree 
 of pain, that the cottages displayed signs of 
 the most abject misery, while the villas near 
 them k were built with the utmost magnifi- 
 cence. Most of the latter had a curious ap- 
 pearance to an English eye, — the front of 
 them being painted with different and tawdry 
 colors. 
 
 After about an hour's traveling we came to 
 a suburb of Genoa ; where the buildings, 
 though in decay, were so large and so hand- 
 some, that I thought myself already in the 
 city. When the carriage turned a little to the 
 left, I perceived my mistake, in bursting on the 
 magnificent prospect of Genoa ; which is well 
 said to rise from the sea, with a dignity truly 
 .sublime, The position of this town is the finest 
 I have as yet seen. 
 
 After passing some superb buildings on the 
 left, and gazing with rapture on the Mediter- 
 ranean Sea (which runs at the foot of the road), 
 and on the pile of palaces before us, we came 
 to the gate of Genoa. I was here asked whe- 
 
202 
 
 ther I were a military man ; and as I answered 
 the question in the negative, a soldier was or- 
 dered to attend me to my hotel. The soldier 
 appointed to this duty only followed us a few 
 steps, asked for something to drink, and then 
 disappeared. 
 
 The persons belonging to the donane, or 
 custom-house, next stopped the carriage ; but 
 a present of thirty sols saved us the trouble and 
 the delay of an examination. 
 
 We are lodged at an excellent inn, called 
 Albergo della Villa, lately set up in a noble- 
 man's house, — the lower part of which, not be- 
 ing let to our landlord, the owner continues to 
 inhabit. The windows command the sea and 
 most of the objects of greatest beauty in this 
 place. 
 
 Having conducted you to Genoa, I post- 
 pone, according to my general plan, saying 
 any thing about this celebrated city, till I have 
 completed my view of the curiosities which it 
 Still possesses. Adieu ! 
 
 I am, &c. 
 
203 
 
 LETTER XI. 
 
 Genoa — Houses — Streets — Carriages not allowed to roll — Geo* 
 graphical account of the town, port, fyc. — Church of S.Am* 
 brogio — of S. Angelo—of S. Steffano — of S. Maria in Ca- 
 rignano — (St. Sebastian, by Paget) — Height of the houses — 
 St. Lawrence — Altar and ashes- of St. John the Baptist — No 
 women allowed to tread on a sacred shrine — Notre Dame 
 des Vignes — Albergo, or Palazzo, di Poveri — La Vierge de 
 St, Nicolas — Galley-slaves — The absence of the Turkish 
 slaves regretted by a laquais de place — Palace of the doge — 
 Palace of Giovanni Luca Durazzo — Former college of the 
 Jesuits, now the university — Palazzo Sera — Church of the 
 Magdalen — of St. Sero — of St. Philip Negri — of St. Luke 
 — Palazzo Durazzo — Pictures of the same — Church of the 
 Annunciation, or " della Nunciazzione " — Promenade of Liz 
 Cossola — Gardens of Principe Doria — Garden of Lomellino 
 — Country-seat of Giacomo F Hippo Durazzo — Museum in 
 the same — View from "La Lanterna," or the great light* 
 house — Genoese theatre — Palace of Principe Doria — Garden 
 and gallery there — Country-house of Giacomo Luca Durazzo 
 i — 11 Palazzo di Giacomo Filippo Corregia — General obser- 
 vations and remarks on Genoa as it is at present, and on its 
 future probable fate, 
 
 Genoa, Oct. 20, 1§02. 
 
 My dear sir, 
 
 Few places have so completely 
 satisfied my expectations as Genoa. It is a 
 city of palaces, built on the shore of the most 
 
204 
 
 temperate sea in the known world, and enjoy- 
 ing the mildest climate under the sun. 
 
 The magnificent churches; superb public 
 and private edifices, many of which stand on 
 an eminence ; the towers, domes, and steeples, 
 which seem to rise out of the water — these ob- 
 jects, mixed with the shipping, lighthouses, 
 and other maritime views, present a tout-en- 
 semble which really beggars description. 
 
 After viewing the town from the sea side, 
 I was rather disappointed in entering the 
 gates. Though the houses, many of which are 
 built enti rely of marble, are all of handsome arch i- 
 tecture, large and lofty, yet the streets are so 
 extremely narrow that the buildings lose much 
 of their effect. Carriages are not allowed to 
 roll at Genoa, except in entering and leaving 
 the town ; and chains are placed in order to 
 prevent the use of these vehicles. I know not 
 whether the law arose from the extreme nar- 
 rowness of the streets, or the narrowness of the 
 streets was occasioned by the law. It is often 
 difficult to distinguish a cause from its effect*. 
 
 * The following is Mr. Addison's account of the houses 
 at Genoa. — "There are many beautiful palaces standing 
 along the sea shore, on both sides of Genoa, that make the 
 town appear much larger than it is to those that sail by it. 
 The city itself makes the noblest show of any in the world. 
 The houses are most of 'em painted on the outside ; so thaj 
 
205 
 
 Genoa, including the fortifications, is said to 
 cover a total of twelve English miles. Its port 
 forms a semicircle of six thousand feet diame- 
 ter; and the town is built in an amphitheatre, 
 the length of which is estimated at eleven 
 thousand feet. The port is formed by two 
 moles, or piers — one to the east, called Molo 
 Vecchio ; and the other to the west, called 
 Molo Nuovo, near the suburb of San Pietro 
 d' Arena. Ships of war carrying eighty guns 
 can enter the port, and lie in the angle of the 
 pier. 
 
 One of the most agreeable walks at Genoa, 
 and one of the spots ^from which the town is 
 seen to the greatest advantage, is found on the 
 ramparts, which cover the whole length of the 
 port, and which extend from the convent of St. 
 Anthony to the Lantern, or lighthouse. 
 
 Having given you this general outline, I 
 proceed to speak of the objects of greatest cu- 
 riosity ; and shall do so in the order in which I 
 saw them. 
 
 In the church of St. Ambrose (or S. Ambro- 
 gio), I distinguished the following very beau- 
 ' tiful pictures : St. Frances, by Nicholas Poussin ; 
 the Massacre of the Innocents, by Maroni ; the 
 Conception, by Rubens ; the Virgin, by Domi- 
 
 they look extreamly gay and lively: besides that, they are 
 esteem'd the highest in Europe, and stand very thick to- 
 gether." — Addison's Italy, 
 
206 
 
 nico Piola; St. Peter and the Guides, by Van* 
 dyck ; the Assumption, by Guido ; an al-fresco 
 painting, by Carloni ; San Ambrogio, by the 
 abbate di Ferrare. 
 
 San Angelo, whither we next went, is a 
 pretty neat church of elegant architecture. 
 
 In the church of San StefTano we saw the 
 magnificent picture of the Stoning of St. Ste- 
 phen. Rubens painted the lower part of this 
 chef-cV ceavre, and Gulio Romano the upper. 
 
 Santa Maria in Carignano is approached 
 by a lofty bridge, which unites two hills, 
 and was built by a relation of the founder 
 (Sauli, or de Saulis, a noble Genoese). Here 
 we saw the celebrated and justly much-es* 
 teemed statue of St. Sebastian, by Puget. The 
 wounds of his body, pierced with arrows, ap- 
 pear so natural that they almost excite the pity 
 of spectators. The statue of the blessed St. Saul 
 (a relation of the founder), also by Puget, is 
 not equally striking, but still well executed. 
 There are also, opposite to these, two other 
 statues — one of St. John the Baptist, and one 
 of St. Bartholomew ; but neither of them can 
 be looked at after that of St. Sebastian. The 
 church itself was built under the direction of 
 Puget, a French artist, who by his countrymen 
 is compared to Michael Angelo. The propor- 
 tions are good, and the whole is constructed in 
 imitation of St. Peter's at Rome. 
 
207 
 
 Santa Maria in Carignano, beside its archi- 
 tecture and statues, deserves to be visited for 
 the pictures with which it is adorned ; parti- 
 cularly the following : St. John and St. Peter, 
 by Dominico Piola ; the martyrdom of St. 
 Basil, by Carlo Maratti ; St. Francis, by Guer- 
 cino — (the latter is rather damaged by the 
 dampness of the walls) ; La Pieta (or the De- 
 scent from the Cross), by Cambiagi • St. Igna- 
 tius and St. Catharine, by Dominico Piola; 
 and the Annunciation, by Michael Angelo 
 Cambiagi. 
 
 After admiring these statues and pictures, 
 we ascended, up light and easy stairs, to the 
 top of the church ; whence we enjoyed a most 
 extensive and delightful view of the sea, the 
 city, and the whole mass of magnificent build- 
 ings which it contains. In going up to the cu- 
 pola, we found several resting places, or exte- 
 rior galleries, made entirely of marble. 
 
 As we returned over the bridge which I 
 mentioned before, our guide made us remark 
 the height of the adjoining houses, which con- 
 sist of ten floors. 
 
 The cathedral of St. Lawrence *, where we 
 now bent our steps, has a fine front, or facade, 
 
 * This church was consecrated A.D. 260, and is said to 
 be built on the spot where St. Lawrence once lodged in his 
 journey from Spain to Rome. I do not answer for the truth 
 of this holy tale. 
 
208 
 
 built entirely of black and white marble, the 
 colors of which are placed alternately. The ar- 
 chitecture is Gothic. A picture (generally much 
 commended) by Barrocci, the subject of which 
 is Christ attended by the Virgin, St. John, and 
 the Magdalen, appeared to me but an indif- 
 ferent performance. It is in a chapel to the 
 right. . 'v 
 
 Over the principal altar there is a fine statue, 
 in bronze, of the Virgin 5 and in a chapel to 
 the left, a beautiful picture of the Adoration 
 of the Magi, by Cambiagi. 
 
 In a chapel near the door are deposited (so 
 at least the Genoese piously believe) the ashes 
 of St. John the Baptist, whose tomb forms the 
 altar, which is supported by four pillars of por- 
 phyry. — 'Mrs. L. was with me when I entered 
 the chapel; and as she happened to approach 
 the altar, a monk, with horror and anger 
 painted on his countenance, rushed forward, 
 and earnestly requested her to retire, adding, 
 that no woman was allowed to tread on this 
 holy ground. I need not tell you how much I 
 was entertained with this curious specimen of 
 ungallant and senseless bigotry. In England, 
 where the fair sex form the ornament of the 
 churches, and afford the brightest examples in 
 the performance of religious as well as every 
 other duty, it will scarcely be credited that 
 there are countries in which the female foot is 
 
209 
 
 considered as contaminating those spots to 
 which a peculiar idea of sanctity is attached* 
 A person unacquainted with the doctrines of 
 the church of Rome might from this circum- 
 stance be led to conjecture that among catho- 
 lics, as among Mussulmans, women were sup-* 
 posed to have no souls. 
 
 Notre Dame des VignCs, which we also saw 
 to-day, possesses a fine altar-piece by Puget, 
 and is altogether a handsome church. 
 
 The Albergo or Palazzo di Poveri (the 
 Palace of the Poor, as it may well be styled, 
 from the extent and splendor of the edifice), is 
 an hospital which has justly excited the pecu- 
 liar notice and commendation of philanthro- 
 pic travelers. After mounting a gentle ascent, 
 I came into an avenue, formerly ornamented 
 with trees (which were cut down during the 
 revolution), and saw a vast pile of building, 
 over which appears the following Latin in- 
 scription : 
 
 Auspice Deo, 
 civium providentia et 
 
 libdralitatd, 
 montes defecti, vail is 
 coasquata, 
 fluentilm concameratum 
 
 alveus derivatus, 
 egenis cogendisj alendis, 
 officio pietate 
 instituendis, 
 aedes extructae, 
 anno salutis MDCIV. 
 
 VOL.1. P 
 
210 
 
 In English— 
 
 Under the Providence of God, 
 by the care and munificence of 
 
 the citizens of this state, 
 mountains were leveled, a plain 1 
 was formed, 
 a river arched over, 
 a pipe was built for the 
 conveyance of water, r 
 a house was erected 
 for 
 
 the general reception and maintenance of 
 the poor, 
 and for forming them to habits 
 of moral and religious duty, 
 in the year of our Lord MDCIV. 
 
 The stairs, which are lofty, and of marble, 
 are ornamented, as well as the antechamber, 
 with the statues of the founders and benefac- 
 tors. In the chapel, which is an elegant speci- 
 men of light architecture, an Assumption of 
 the Virgin, by Puget, is much admired. On 
 the left, in entering the chapel, is the celebrated 
 bas-relief, by Michael Angelo, of La Pieta, or 
 Dead Christ in the arms of his mother. 
 
 The arrangement of this hospital is extreme- 
 ly good : the men and women have each their 
 separate establishment. Including girls and 
 boys, there are seven hundred and fifty females 
 and two hundred and sixty males, all of whom 
 are fed, clothed, and instructed out of the funds 
 of this institution. The food of each individual 
 consists of a small basin of soup, made of vege- 
 
211 
 
 tables, macaroni, and oil, which is served for 
 dinner; and a similar portion for supper. This 
 provision, however slender it may appear to 
 us, amply suffices for an Italian stomach ; and 
 few of the laboring people in this country have 
 so comfortable a meal. I was much pleased 
 with the appearance of the children, who were 
 clean and lively. The females are superin- 
 tended by a congregation of nuns, who devote 
 their lives to this truly pious servicci 
 
 On leaving the Albergo di Poveri I went to 
 the church of La Vierge de St. Nicolas, which 
 stands on a vast eminence, and commands a 
 fine view of the Mediterranean and the city. — 
 The church, though not large, is elegantly 
 built, and uncommonly clean. It is likewise re- 
 markable for a handsome flight of marble stepsj 
 by which the principal altar is approached. 
 
 These objects occupied my first day. The 
 next day, being Sunday, was begun by a visit 
 to the churches of St. Lawrence and the An- 
 nunciation; at each of which we heard high 
 mass performed. The music was not good at 
 either; but the crowd of penitents, or specta- 
 tors (I know not which term is the more ap- 
 propriate), was very great. 
 
 I then walked round the moles, or piers* and 
 witnessed, what M. dePaty* so justly deplores, 
 
 * Vide his Letters on Italy. 
 
 P2 
 
212 
 
 the unhappy state of the galley-slaves. These 
 wretched criminals are chained to each other, 
 and crowded together in the old hulk of a ship, 
 which now contains more than a thousand, 
 consisting entirely of malefactors, — for there 
 are no longer any Turkish prisoners detained 
 here. Some of these had for many years little 
 shops near the vessel, where they were allowed 
 to carry on a kind of traffic. My laquais dc 
 place, having imbibed the ancient prejudice of 
 his country against the Mohammedans, seemed 
 to regret their enfranchisement, for he said, with 
 an oath, " Do you know, sir, that those mad- 
 men who first formed our government after the 
 revolution were so obliging as to give these 
 fellows their liberty ! It is a vast pity ! You 
 see those empty shops ? — they were once filled 
 with slaves. They sold excellent coffee." 
 
 I was not able to see any other sight this 
 morning, as the churches were crammed with 
 persons attending mass, which is said at almost 
 every hour in the day ; and the palaces for the 
 same reason could not be seen, as the custodes 
 (so they call the servants employed in taking 
 charge of galleries) were either praying 6r 
 amusing themselves. 
 
 I was taken in the evening to a cassino, or 
 subscription assembly, which I found very dull. 
 There were present only five or six ladies and 
 ten or twelve men, scattered over a long suit 
 
213 
 
 of spacious apartments, which were but imper- 
 fectly lighted. There was also a billiard and 
 a reading room. In the latter I perused the 
 newspapers : and returned to my hotel at an 
 early hour. 
 
 Monday, Oct. 18. — I visited the palace of 
 the doge, which is now called the National Pa- 
 lace. The first room which I entered was that 
 in which the little council formerly held its 
 meetings. The next is the vast hall which the 
 great council occupied under the old govern- 
 ment, and where the provisional administration 
 which was formed immediately after the revo- 
 lution also sat. This fine room, one hundred 
 and fifteen feet long by forty-two wide, has 
 lately been repaired by the munificence of the 
 present doge, Geronimo Durazzo, who belongs 
 to one of the richest and noblest families of 
 this city. At the end of the hall is a fine 
 picture, representing John de Lusignan receiv- 
 ing his liberty and his crown from the doge of 
 Genoa. The statues of Doria * and other great 
 men, which formerly adorned the staircase, were 
 pulled to pieces during the first moments of 
 democratic phrensy. 
 
 The architecture of this palace is by Simon 
 
 * "Andrew Doria has a statue erected to him at the entrance 
 of the doge's palace, with the glorious title of Deliverer of the 
 Commonwealth; and one of his family another, that calls 
 hira its Preserver." — Addison's Italy. 
 
214 
 
 Carter. The ceiling of the great room is de- 
 corated with a painting representing the family 
 of Gustiniani and the island of Scio receiving 
 independence from Liguria. 
 
 In the chapel of the palace is a fine picture, 
 the subject of which is the arrival of the ashes 
 of St, John the Evangelist, and their public re- 
 ception at Genoa by the doge accompanied by 
 the other officers of state. • 
 
 From the National Palace I went to the pa- 
 lace of Giovanni Luca Durazzo, a relative of 
 the present doge. The staircase is magnificent, 
 — formed entirely of light green marble. The 
 rooms are handsomely furnished, kept in good 
 order, and ornamented with several fine pictures.. 
 
 The former college of the Jesuits (now the 
 university) stands near the palace which I have 
 just mentioned. The entrance is magnificent ; 
 and at the bottom of the stairs a fine figure of 
 a lion, cut in stone, arrests the attention of 
 passengers. 
 
 My next visit was to the Palazzo Sera ; and, 
 after M. de Paty's pompous description of this 
 mansion, I was much disappointed. The house 
 is not large, if compared with many others at 
 Genoa ; and has nothing very remarkable, but 
 the salon, or drawing-room, which is indeed 
 dazzling with gold and glass — -but, in my opi- 
 nion, there is a great deal too much of the 
 former for the decorations to be in good taste; 
 
215 
 
 and the latter consists of so many pieces, that 
 those who have seen the large mirrors which 
 abound in Paris cannot be struck with this. — 
 On the ceiling is a fine painting, representing 
 the triumph of Spinola, a Genoese general. 
 
 In the church of the Magdalen I admired a 
 ceiling painted by the indefatigable Carloni, 
 whose works are met with in every part of this 
 town. 
 
 S. Sero has also a ceiling by Carloni. This 
 church is not large, but is built entirely of 
 marble, and the architecture is elegant. It 
 boasts a Descent from the Cross, and another 
 good picture ; both by Rubens. 
 
 The church of St. Philip Negri (or the Ora- 
 tory of St. Philip, as it is otherwise called) is a 
 handsome edifice. In the chapel to the left of 
 the altar is a beautiful statue of the Virgin, by 
 Puget. 
 
 The roof of St. Luke is much admired. I 
 believe the painting is by Carloni. 
 
 The Palazzo Durazzo, belonging to Geronimo 
 Durazzo, the present doge, which we next vi- 
 sited, has an immense front, — each floor having 
 twenty-five windows in a row. The entrance, 
 also, is grand and striking. The palace is at 
 present divided into two habitations, — that to 
 the right being occupied by the sister of the 
 doge ; and that to the left, by his wife. They 
 are joined on the first floor by a galjery, or 
 
216 
 
 terrace, made entirely of marble, and which 
 commands a very fine view of the sea. 
 
 In the former division, on entering the first 
 room I saw the celebrated picture of Susannah 
 at the Bath, by Rubens ; and another picture, 
 said also to be by him. In the next room, a 
 fine Roman Daughter, and Abraham Offering 
 up his son Isaac, beautifully painted. In the 
 third room is the original and justly-esteemed 
 picture of the Magdalen at the Feet of our 
 Saviour. This picture is erroneously said .by 
 Lalande to be the work of Rubens : it is from 
 the pencil of Paul Veronese. 
 
 In the gallery, on the left I remarked an 
 original bust of a Roman emperor in high pre- 
 servation. There are also here the busts of 
 Darius, Sardanapalus, Augustus, and Ptolemy. 
 — The floor of this gallery is of fine red mar- 
 ble; and at the end is a statue, representing 
 the rape of Proserpine, made of one piece of 
 marble, There are also figures of the cardinal 
 virtues. Over the door, I read the following 
 inscription in golden letters # 
 
 Assyrius, Graecus, Romanus, Persius, alto 
 Jam stetit, everso nunc jacet, imperio : — 
 
 Extulit integritas, gra vitas moderatio fortem 
 Submit ijnbellem, Bacchus, Apollo, Venus. 
 
 The idea of which lines may be conveyed in 
 the following;- 
 
217 
 
 Th' Assyrian, Graecian, Roman, in his day, 
 Obtain'd, then lost again, imperial sway : — 
 The paths of Virtue are the paths to pow'r ; 
 Who quits its track for Pleasure, reigns no more. 
 
 In the other division of the palace, which I 
 entered by the terrace mentioned before, I con- 
 templated with wonder and admiration the ce- 
 lebrated picture of the Death of Seneca. It is 
 indeed incomparable ; and De Paty has for once 
 not been extravagant in his praises, when he 
 observed, that, in seeing this picture, he had 
 seen the death of Seneca. There is, in the same 
 room, a beautiful picture, the subject of which 
 is taken from Tasso. 
 
 There are many other pictures, and among 
 them a copy of the Magdalen at the feet of our 
 Saviour, of which original I spoke in my ac- 
 count of the other division of this palace. — 
 After the Death of Seneca, it is impossible to 
 bear any of the other pictures : any where 
 else they would be excellent; but, compara- 
 tively, they are nothing. 
 
 With the exception of the pictures, I cannot 
 say that the interior of the Palazzo Durazzo 
 answered the expectations which I had formed 
 both from its great reputation and from its ex- 
 ternal magnificence. There are no very large 
 rooms, and nothing remarkable in the furni- 
 ture, which is now old and dirty. 
 
 From the palace of Durazzo we went to the 
 
218 
 
 church of the Annunciation *, or delta Nuncxaz- 
 zione, as it is called in Italian. This is one of 
 the finest edifices of Genoa, and the most orna- 
 mented of all the churches. I have been there 
 several times already; but I did not mention it 
 before, as it was not till to-day that I was able 
 to examine it with that attention which it de- 
 serves. The roof was painted by Carloni : it is 
 extremely rich, but rather tawdry. The ceil- 
 ing, near the top, has lost its colors, in conse- 
 quence of the damp. The pillars of the church 
 are large, handsome, and are made of white 
 and red marble. 
 
 Over the great door is the celebrated Cene, 
 or Last Supper, by Procaccini, which is wretch- 
 edly placed. The light is so bad, that it is diffi- 
 cult to distinguish any of the figures in this 
 picture. 
 
 In the chapel, to the left of the principal en- 
 trance, I perceived an admirable picture of St. 
 Clement on the Rack, by Carloni. 
 
 The pulpit, which is ascended by an elegant 
 mathematical staircase, is formed of one block 
 of marble. 
 
 The chapels to the right and left of the prin- 
 cipal altar have each four pillars of a beautiful 
 
 * " The churches/' says Mr. Addison, " are very fine, 
 particularly that of the Annunciation, which looks wonder- 
 fully beautiful in the inside, all but one corner of it being 
 covered with statues,, gilding, and paint." — Addison's Italy, 
 
219 
 
 marble, taken from Sestri, in the neighbour- 
 hood of this town. 
 
 In a chapel on a level with the great altar, I 
 remarked an al-fresco painting of Christ's Dis-- 
 ' pute with the Doctors, by Julio Benso, and one 
 of his Presentation in the Temple, by the same 
 artist. The ceiling in this chapel is in the best 
 style of Carloni. 
 
 The monk, who acted as our guide, now 
 led Mrs. L. and myself into the sacristie * of 
 the adjoining monastery. We found here the 
 following good pictures : — The Marriage of 
 Joseph and the Virgin ; the Baptism of our Sa- 
 viour; the Marriage in Cana; a Baptism in 
 America ; a Crucifixion, by Cambiagi ; and a 
 Martyrdom in Japan, by Louis Lebrun. There 
 are also in this room a few small pictures from 
 the Dutch school. 
 
 In returning into the church, we met, at the 
 door of tli3 sacristie,, another monk of the same 
 community, who, less liberal than our civil 
 conductor, bitterly upbraided and menaced 
 him with excommunication for allowing a wo- 
 
 * The sa:ristie'o( a catholic church is a kind of vestry- 
 room, in w him the priests put on their pontifical robes, and 
 where all t,ht treasures of the church are deposited. It ge- 
 nerally' foirms the channel of communication between the 
 church and tie adjoining convent, but it properly forms part 
 of the latter. — As we have no English word which exactly 
 describes tthe same thing, I must be pardoned for using this 
 French term through the whole of the worj^, 
 
man to contaminate the holy residence of the 
 fraternity. — This is the second specimen I have 
 met with already of senseless bigotry at Genoa; 
 yet we are in the nineteenth century, and in a 
 republic under the protection of philosophical 
 France. 
 
 My laquais d'e place well observed, that the 
 holy fathers need not be so scrupulous, since, a 
 few months before, they were not only obliged, 
 while the French soldiers were quartered there, 
 to allow females to enter their walls, but even 
 to sleep there. — Probably the latter circum- 
 stance did not occur for the first time during 
 the invasion of a foreign enemy ! 
 
 After dinner we strolled into La Cossola, the 
 present fashionable walk ; but we found but 
 little company there. We afterwards made the 
 tour of the ramparts. The view from this posi- 
 tion is delightful. 
 
 October 19. — We set out this morning in a 
 hired carriage, a light handsome coach well 
 calculated for the country, with windows on 
 every side, to see the gardens of Principe Do- 
 ria and those of Lomellino at Peggi, a mile be- 
 yond Sestri. The journey thither was very 
 pleasant, the road running the whole way on 
 the shore of the Mediterranean. We stopped 
 first at the garden of the Principe Doria, which 
 is the most distant of the two from Genoa. The 
 grounds are laid out in the true bad French 
 
9£\ 
 
 taste, and have nothing to. recommend them 
 but the vicinity of the sea, and the beauty of 
 lemon and orange trees, growing in great abun- 
 dance and full of fruit, in the open air, — a sight 
 truly new and welcome to an English eye. 
 There were formerly here several pieces of ar- 
 tificial water; but the French having plundered 
 the lead, they are now destroyed, and the ruins 
 only are visible. I cannot say that this loss is 
 much to be regretted, as every person of taste 
 must think that nothing can be more ridiculous 
 than -ajette-d'eau on the shores of the Mediter- 
 ranean. Lofty trees afford an agreeable shade ; 
 and altogether there is sufficient capability to 
 make of this garden a delightful retreat ; but, in 
 its present state, I can by no means recommend 
 it to the notice of travelers. It is, also, neg- 
 lected, dirty, and out of order. The house is 
 said to possess some good pictures; but the 
 young prbicipe, a boy of fourteen, who is lodged 
 here, thought fit to refuse us the permission of 
 seeing them. 
 
 i We next went to the garden of Lomellino, 
 which M. de Paty has described in such glow- 
 ing eolors. The lady to whom the place be- 
 longs (a daughter of the family of Lomellino, 
 — for the male line expired with the last doge 
 of that name) not only permitted us to see her 
 grounds, but received us herself, in a very civil 
 manner, as we passed through the drawing- 
 
222 
 
 room, which opens into the garden. — This 
 much-vaunted spot is laid out in very bad 
 taste, and filled with every thing the least ap- 
 propriate to the situation. Little waterspouts, 
 not fifty yards from the Mediterranean in all 
 its magnificence ; contemptible buildings, in 
 one of which (such as in our country we care* 
 fully conceal) I was desired to admire the mar* 
 ble seat; miniature 'amphitheatres* where plays 
 and balls are sometimes given; Chinese pago- 
 das not larger than the summer-houses of Lon- 
 don citizens; ponds of stagnant water; and a 
 hermitage, where the figure of an old man cut 
 in wood, with a shaking head, is placed, to sur- 
 prise and terrify simple unsuspecting strangers 
 ! — these are the ornaments of this celebrated 
 garden. Yet, notwithstanding the labor which 
 has been employed and the money which has 
 been expended in order to destroy the real 
 beauties of these grounds, they still possess 
 many charms : there is an abundance of fine 
 trees ; shade may be always found — (no incon- 
 siderable pleasure in a hot climate); and in 
 many places, particularly from a temple to 
 which one is led in coming from the hermitage, 
 the prospect is delightful : I know of no situa- 
 tion in which the Mediterranean is seen to 
 greater advantage. There is also a kind of pa- 
 vilion, in a circular form, commanding the 
 best points of view, where strangers who have 
 
223 
 
 brought their provisions are allowed to dine, 
 and in the middle of which a large marble 
 table is placed for that purpose. — The grounds 
 are extensive, and, notwithstanding the exe- 
 crable taste with which they have been ar- 
 ranged, must in the summer months be ex- 
 tremely pleasant. 
 
 In returning from this garden, we stopped 
 on our road home at a former palace, now an 
 inn; where we w T ere shown a large grotto, yet 
 imperfect, the completion of which had been 
 prevented by the arrival of the French. 
 
 We next w r ent to a country-seat of Giacomo 
 Filippo Durazzo, called Corneliana. The en- 
 trance is handsome; and the staircase, built 
 entirely of white marble, is light, easy of ascent, 
 and elegant in its construction. Of the gar- 
 den, also on the shore of the sea, I shall say 
 nothing, but that it is laid out entirely a la 
 Frangaise. — In the rooms above there is a very 
 pretty collection of natural history, called the 
 Museum, which, though not extensive, deserves 
 to be visited. Animals, birds, shells, and in- 
 sects, are properly classed and correctly named. 
 The whole is kept in good order, and perfectly 
 clean, though the proprietor has not been here 
 since the revolution. This is the more extra- 
 ordinary, as a party of French soldiers have 
 been constantly quartered in the house. ■ — In 
 the antechamber below I observed a good pic- 
 
224 
 
 ture of Judith, which is said to have been 
 painted by Rubens. 
 
 Before we reached Genoa 1 stopped at La 
 Lanterna, as the great lighthouse is called ; 
 and, ascending to the top, enjoyed a most 
 magnificent view of the sea, the shipping, and 
 the town. The ascent was easy* 
 
 We dined at our hotel, and went in the 
 evening to the play. The theatre is neither 
 large nor handsome, but the audience was nu- 
 merous. The pit was completely full, and 
 many of the boxes were occupied. The scene 
 altogether was lively. The piece performed 
 was the "Tartuffe" of Moliere, translated from 
 the French $ and the little I understand of Ita- 
 lian being aided by my acquaintance with the 
 subject, enabled me to understand the dialogue. 
 The acting seemed to be far from bad. 
 
 Wednesday, Oct. 20. — I went, after break- 
 fast, to see the winter residence, or palace, of 
 Principe Doria*, which stands beyond the gates. 
 I was much disappointed : the house is now a 
 
 * " The duke of Doria's palace has the best outside of 
 any in Genoa, as that of Durazzo is the best finished within. 
 There is one room in the first that is hung with tapestry, in 
 which are wrought the figures of the great persons that the 
 family has produced, — as perhaps there is no house in Eu- 
 rope that can show a longer line of heroes, that have still 
 acted for the good of their country." — Addison's Italy. 
 
 This tapestry is either destroyed or removed: I did not 
 see it. 
 
225 
 
 complete ruin: there is no furniture, there are 
 no pictures, left: in short there is nothing 
 worth seeing. The gallery, indeed, remains j 
 but it is dirtv, and unornamented. 
 
 In the garden I saw the figure of Andrew 
 Doria, in the character of Neptune, drawn by 
 three horses, executed in marble ; and the cele* 
 brated terrace ; the view from which is incom- 
 parable. Under this terrace is also a kind of 
 gallery, or second terrace, from which the same 
 prospect is enjoyed; with the additional con- 
 venience of a roof, which shelters the passenger 
 from the sun in summer, ^md from the rain in 
 winter. The length of this gallery, supported 
 with lofty pillars, is two hundred and fifty 
 French feet. 
 
 In going away from the palace of Doria, I 
 was led to a house belonging to Giacomo Luca 
 Durazzo. The situation is delightful, also on 
 the shore of the sea, The garden is pretty, 
 standing on an eminence. At the highest point 
 is placed a belvidere, whence the extraordi- 
 nary landscape which this country affords is 
 enjoyed in the greatest perfection. The house 
 is not large ; but there are some good rooms in 
 it \ and all of them are clean, neat, and hand- 
 somely furnished. The ceiling of the principal 
 apartment is ornamented with a painting al- 
 fresco, the work of Carloni, representing the 
 
 Triumphs of Ambrogio de Neri, to whose fa- 
 Vor. I. Q 
 
226 
 
 mily this villa originally belonged. There is a 
 grotto on one side of the house which also de- 
 serves a visit. 
 
 I afterwards went to see II Palazzo di Gia- 
 corao Filippo Corregia. Most of the rooms 
 present only the sad remains of former gran- 
 deur and the walls are now naked, where once 
 were seen the masterpieces of the art of paint- 
 ing. There is, however, still perfect, an elegant 
 gallery, rich in gold and glass. The ceiling 
 also boasts a fine picture by the abbate di Fer- 
 rare ; and on the door-pieces are represented 
 several scenes of the ./Eneid, by the same 
 artist. 
 
 To conclude my account of Genoa*.- — Few 
 places in the world so well repay the trouble of 
 visiting them, as does this interesting town. 
 The situation alone is so delightful, and pre- 
 sents a prospect so new and so rich, that a tra- 
 veler who was to return an hour after his ar- 
 rival would have no reason to complain — the 
 trouble of his journey, however great, would 
 
 * Mr. Addison justly observes, speaking of Genoa, that 
 " a man would expect, in so very ancient a town of Italy, 
 to find some considerable antiquities ; but all they have 
 to show of this nature, is an old rostrum of a Roman ship, 
 that stands over the door of the arsenal/' — Addison's Italy. 
 
 The bank of St. George, mentioned by Addison and other 
 writers as one of the most remarkable things in the govern- 
 ment of Genoa, fell of course with the latter. 
 
QQ7 
 
 be amply compensated by the pleasure of the 
 first coup d'ceil: but the city itself abounds in 
 objects of curiosity. The churches are, if pos- 
 sible, too beautiful. An ingenious traveler has 
 complained that they look like splendid ball^ 
 rooms, and the comparison is just. Many of 
 them are built entirely of marble, and the rest 
 of stone. The decorations within are sump- 
 tuous. The pillars which support them are of 
 the most valuable marble, and cut with the 
 nicest art : statues by distinguished artists, and 
 ■chcfs-cC ceuvres in painting, add their attrac- 
 tions ; and while gilded cornices and lofty 
 domes fix the notice of some passengers, the 
 attention of others is arrested by the precious 
 stones which glitter in many of the altars, and 
 by the^ elegant architecture of the different 
 chapels. 
 
 Nor are the houses of individuals (here pro- 
 perly called palaces) less deserving of observa- 
 tion. Though many of the sumptuous man- 
 sions of which Genoa is formed lost during the 
 revolution, the furniture with which they were 
 once decorated, yet a number still remains un- 
 touched sufficiently great to delight and asto- 
 nish the admiring eye of strangers. 
 
 In beholding the public and private mag- 
 nificence of this city, I reflected with peculiar 
 pleasure on the causes which have produced its' 
 prosperity. The riches of the town, and those 
 
 a 2 
 
228 
 
 of its private citizens, are both derived from 
 the successful efforts of industry and com- 
 merce. Nor can that species of luxury be 
 justly censured, of which such splendid mo- 
 numents are here exhibited, displaying itself 
 in the liberal patronage of the fine arts, and 
 in the decorations of a great and once-flourish- 
 ing city. 
 
 Genoa has suffered much from revolution, 
 and still more from war and the loss of its in- 
 dependence ; but, under the auspices of re- 
 stored peace and internal tranquillity, it now 
 begins to revive. The wild form of govern- 
 ment established after the abolition of the old 
 one, and the obscure individuals of whom it 
 was formed, have been dismissed. The office 
 of doge, restored in the person of one of the 
 noblest and wealthiest individuals of the late 
 republic, has recalled to the memory of the de- 
 sponding Genoese their former glory ; and 
 though they have yet but a shadow of their 
 ancient government, it is still dear to them, and 
 the hopes of better days are revived. 
 
 The nobles have not forgotten the source of 
 their original wealth; and, rising superior to 
 those little prejudices which have occasioned 
 the poverty and downfall of their order in other 
 countries, still devote themselves to commercial 
 pursuits. Nobility, I need scarcely observe, is 
 not legally allowed in this or in any other of 
 
229 
 
 the republics under the French domination ; 
 but I still speak of its members as of a body, 
 because here, as well as every-where else, they 
 remain as distinguished as ever by public opi* 
 nion, which on such subjects is superior to 
 Jaw. Some of the most illustrious of these 
 (such, for instance, as the prince Doria) have 
 retired from Genoa ; but their families remain 
 here ; nor have the properties of the absentees 
 been confiscated. Forced loans and requisi- 
 tions, with the losses of unsuccessful commerce, 
 have ruined some and impoverished others } but 
 there are still many rich individuals at Genoa; 
 among whom the present doge and some others 
 are distinguished examples. 
 
 The future state of this country must entire- 
 ly depend on the fortune of Europe. If peace* 
 continue between England and France, Genoa 
 (or the republic of Liguria, as it is now called) 
 may recover some portion of its former prospe- 
 rity ; but, on the other hand, should war be re- 
 kindled, the unhappy citizens of this once-flou- 
 rishing commonwealth, compelled to contribute 
 
 * This was of coarse written long before the present 
 war. — I fear that the Genoese are at this moment in the 
 wretched state which I here foresaw : nor will their late 
 forced union with France either improve their political ad- 
 vantages or increase their happiness. What evil can be 
 greater to a nation which was once free, than the loss oi" 
 independence ? 
 
2,30 
 
 to the expenses of the French government, and 
 prevented by our ships from carrying on their 
 usual trade, can see nothing before them but 
 ruin and beggary. 
 
 The fortifications and other military posi- 
 tions taken during the memorable siege, have 
 been often pointed out to me ; but, as I am not 
 a military man, I will not tire you with at- 
 tempting to relate what really I did not under- 
 stand. 
 
 The stagnant state of trade in this place pre- 
 vents its presenting so bustling a scene as it 
 must have afforded in other days ; yet, on the 
 piers and near the shipping, the scene even at 
 present is very lively. 
 
 The women of Genoa are handsome and well 
 made, certainly the best looking of the sex 
 whom I have yet seen in Italy f and persons 
 who have completed their tour assure me that 
 the ladies of this place greatly exceed the rest 
 of their countrywomen in the advantages of 
 beauty. The mezzaro, or long veil, which the 
 females of Genoa are celebrated for putting on 
 with so much grace, is still in use. They have 
 not any other peculiarity of dress; nor is the 
 short cloak, mentioned by several travelers as 
 worn by men of a certain rank, any more to 
 be seen. 
 
 The principal streets are still called La Strada 
 
f 
 
 231 
 
 Balbi, and La Strada Nouva*. They have, in- 
 deed, some new revolutionary appellations, but 
 which, like those of the same derivation at Pa- 
 ris, are totally disregarded. They are hand- 
 some in length, and in the houses which com- 
 pose them j but their want of breadth takes 
 from their beauty. 
 
 The fountains, which supply the town with 
 water, are formed by an aqueduct which comes 
 from Scaffara, five miles to the east of Genoa. 
 It passes by the gate of St. Bartholomew, gives 
 motion to several mills within the town, and 
 divides itself into separate canals in different 
 quarters of the eastern part of Genoa. In the 
 western, there are cisterns and reservoirs. 
 
 Most travelers embark from this place, in a 
 felucca, for Leghorn, and go by land from the 
 latter town to Florence ; but the bad accom- 
 modations of those boats, united to Mrs. L.'s 
 dislike ©f sea voyages, have decided us, spite of 
 the dangers and difficulties which attend the 
 passage of the Bochetta, to return to Novi, and 
 to proceed thence to Milan, Florence, and 
 Rome. 
 
 Adieu ! You shall hear from me very soon, 
 i — I leave Genoa to-morrow. 1 am, &c. 
 
 * " The new street is a double range of palaces from one 
 end to the oiher, built with an excellent fancy, and fit for the 
 greatest princes to inhabit," — A-ddison's Italy. 
 
232 
 
 LETTER XII. 
 
 Return over the Bochetta to Novi — Journey to Pavia — Passage 
 over the Po — Passage over the Tesin — University of Pavia — 
 Cabinet of natural history — Horto Botanico — Chapel of S. 
 Maria in Pertica (made entirely of human skulls and bones) 
 — Collegio Borromeo — Church of La Chartreuse, between Pa- 
 via and Milan — Different chapels of the sqme —r Journey 
 thence to Milan — Arrival there. 
 
 ■ Milan, Oct. 24-, 1802. 
 
 My dear sir, 
 
 We arrived at this place yester- 
 day evening, having visited on the road the 
 city of Pavia and the celebrated church of the 
 Chartreuse. I now send you an account of the 
 journey. 
 
 On the morning of the 21st we left Genoa. 
 The weather was fine when we first set out, but 
 it soon changed : the rain began to fall as we 
 ascended the Bochetta, and increased to such a 
 degree of violence before we reached the sum- 
 mit, that we found ourselves almost in the dark, 
 though it was scarcely noon. We were attend- 
 ed by the same guards who accompanied us in 
 crossing the mountain before ; and, after a long 
 and tiresome journey, we arrived without acci- 
 dent at Novi. Here, though the town is small, 
 we had the good fortune to procure very con> 
 
233 
 
 fortable accommodations at an inn called La 
 Porta della Piazza. 
 
 We did not set out the following morning 
 till nine o'clock, supposing that our journey to 
 Pavia, where we purposed sleeping, would be 
 short and easy. In this expectation we were 
 much disappointed. The roads were heavy; 
 the postillions were indolent in their manner of 
 driving, and insolent in their language ; we lost 
 a vast deal of time in changing horses ; and the 
 stages were tiresomely long : in short, this was 
 a very fatiguing day's journey; and the weather 
 was abominable. At the second custom-house 
 on the side of the (ci-devant Piedmontese) now 
 French territories, we were stopped, and the 
 officers insisted on examining our trunks. After 
 detaining us some time in the rain, we were 
 obliged to give them money to prevent any 
 further interruption, and were at last allowed 
 to proceed. 
 
 It was almost night when we crossed the 
 river Po, in a large ferry-boat, so constructed 
 that ten carriages may pass at a time without 
 taking off the horses. It is supported by a 
 string of small boats, and joins a floating bridge 
 on the other side. When we had finished this 
 passage, the custom-house officers of the " Ita- 
 lian republic " (into the government of which 
 we now entered) came to visit our carriage; 
 but a little piece of silver softened every diffi- 
 
234 
 
 culty, £nd we were allowed to continue our 
 route without further interruption. 
 
 We did not reach Pavia*' till seven in the 
 evening. At the gates of the town (at which 
 we arrived after passing the Tesin on a bridge, 
 and another river in a hoat) we should again 
 have been stopped by the officers of the doiiane, 
 but my courier had had the precaution to show 
 my passport, and to give the fee, which is the 
 real cause of the zeal of these gentry. We 
 were therefore only asked for our names, and, 
 having given them, were allowed to proceed. 
 
 We found a comfortable apartment and a 
 wretched supper at La Croix Blanche, the prin- 
 cipal inn of Pavia. 
 
 October 23. — I set out this morning, accom- 
 panied by a laquais de place, to see the curio* 
 
 * " Pavia is the Ticircum of the ancients, which took its 
 name from the river Ticinus, that runs by it, and that is now 
 called the Tesin. This river falls into the Po, and is exces- 
 sively rapid. The bishop of Salisbury says that he ran down 
 with the stream thirty miles in an hour, by the help of but 
 one rower. 1 don't know, therefore, why Silius Italicus has 
 represented it as so very gentle and still a river, in the beau- 
 tiful description that he ha* given of it. — 
 
 ' Caeruleus Ticinus aquas et stagna vadoso, 
 Perspicuus servat turbari nescia fundo.' 
 
 Smooth and untroubled the Ticinus flows, 
 And through the crystal stream the shining bottom shows.*' 
 
 Addison's Italy. 
 
235 
 
 sities of Pavia. I went first to the university*, 
 and saw with great pleasure the collection or 
 cabinet of natural history formed by Spallan- 
 zani. The arrangement is admirable, and the 
 manner in which the institution is conducted 
 deserves every praise. A respectable and well- 
 informed person showed and explained the 
 whole. The cabinet consists of human form?, 
 of monkeys, quadrupeds, bipeds, birds of every 
 kind, reptiles, and fossils ; and two other rooms 
 contain a valuable collection of mineralogy ; 
 and a third is filled with optical and other me- 
 chanical instruments, mostly English. The 
 theatre is a handsome room, ornamented with 
 eight antiique pillars of marble, and with the 
 busts of Franklin, Galileo, and another Italian 
 philosopher whose name I have forgotten. It 
 is here that the lectures given by the profes- 
 sors of the university are read. There is in the 
 same building a large public library, and an 
 anatomical school ; but these rooms were lock- 
 ed up, the present being the season of vacation, 
 and I was not able to see them. 
 
 * « j n p a via is a university of seven colleges, one of 'em 
 call'd the college of Borromee, very large, and neatly built. 
 There is likewise a statue, in brass, of Marcus Antoninus on 
 horseback, which the people of Pavia call Charles the Fifth, 
 and some learned men Constantine the Great." — Addison's 
 Italy. 
 
 This statue is no more — vide p. 237. 
 
s 236 
 
 The Horto Botanico, or botanical garden of 
 Pavia, is large, and appears to possess many 
 valuable plants. 
 
 The chapel Di Morti, which is seen in the 
 church of S. Maria in Pertica (originally an 
 ancient temple), is formed entirely of the skulls 
 and bones of the French and Spaniards who 
 in the famous battle of Pavia were drowned in 
 attempting to cross the bridge. These skulls 
 and bones are arranged, like the tiles of a 
 house, with horrid precision; and a single lamp 
 gives a glimmering and melancholy light. A 
 box is handed to those strangers who are led 
 hither by curiosity, into which the pious and 
 charitable are desired to drop a few sous to- 
 wards the expense of masses for the souls of 
 those whose relics are here deposited. The 
 chapel has thus become a source of revenue to 
 the priests of the church in which it is si- 
 tuated. 
 
 The Collegio Borromeo (where I next went) 
 is a fine building, which, like all the other col- 
 leges of Pavia, was filled during the war with 
 French soldiers ; but I was told that it is about 
 to be applied to its original purpose. The great 
 salle, or principal hall, possesses many fine paint- 
 ings by the two Zuccaris, in fresco, represent- 
 ing the Nomination of St. Charles Borromeo, 
 the founder, to the cardinalate. The ceiling is 
 ornamented with a painting representing the 
 
237 
 
 Procession of St. Charles round the city of Mi- 
 lan in the time of the plague, by Csesare Han- 
 nibale di Orvietto. A fine statue of the foun- 
 der of the college, in bronze, is still seen near 
 the gate of the colleg e. 
 
 The cathedral of P'avia has never been finish- 
 ed, but even in its present state it has a vene- 
 rable appearance. There are some good pic- 
 tures here ; but I was prevented from examin- 
 ing them, as the -different altars, over which 
 they are suspended, were occupied by priests 
 saying mass. 
 
 The fine statue of a Roman emperor, men- 
 tioned by Mr. Addison, and which formerly 
 stood near the cathedral, was destroyed du- 
 ring the Vandalism of the late revolution, be- 
 cause it had attached to it the epithet of im- 
 perial 
 
 The bridge over the Tesin still bears the 
 marks of the celebrated battle in which so many 
 French and Spaniards lost their lives; and the 
 part which was blown up is only repaired with 
 boards. This bridge, like the bridges in Swit- 
 zerland, has a penthouse or tiled covering at- 
 tached to it, under which travelers pass — an 
 excellent invention,, preventing the damage so 
 often done to such edifices by the melting of 
 the snow from the mountains. 
 
 AVe left Pavia about twelve o'clock, and 
 drove thence to the celebrated church of T.a 
 
238 
 
 Chartreuse *, five miles from Pavia, and fifteen 
 from Milan. It stands at a short distance from 
 the high road, on the right coming from the 
 former city. The church is approached by an 
 avenue of fine and lofty trees; and, after en- 
 tering the gates, one beholds a majestic marble 
 front in Gothic taste, promising the splendor 
 which is contained within. 
 
 . In the first chapel, to the right of the prin- 
 cipal gate, is a fine picture of S. Neronica, by 
 Camillo Procaccini. The altar is of beautiful 
 marble worked in Mosaic, and the pillars which 
 support it are of oriental granite. 
 
 The second chapel on that side remains in 
 the same state in which M. Lalande f found it 
 
 * The church of the Chartreuse was founded by John 
 Galeas Visconti, first duke of Milan, who died in ] 402. In 
 1705 fifty Carthusian monks inhabited this building. This 
 order was suppressed by the emperor in 1782. A certain 
 number of other monks have since performed the functions 
 of the church. 
 
 Mr. Addison says — " I saw between Pavia and Milan 
 the convent of the Carthusians, that is very spacious and 
 beautiful. This church is extremely fine, and curiously 
 adorn'd out of a Gothic structure." — Addison's Italy. 
 
 f See M. Lalande's Voyage en Italie, vol. 1 . — I must be 
 pardoned for frequently appealing to this work, as I traveled 
 with it in my hand, considered it as my universal guide, 
 and found it highly useful. It not only pointed out to 
 me the objects most worthy of notice in every part of 
 Italy, but, in making me acquainted with the appearance of 
 
939 
 
 thirty years ago. The pictures of Macrino, a 
 contemporary of Perugino, are not much com- 
 mended by that accurate traveler. The altar 
 has a bas-relief, representing the history of 
 St. Hugo, cut out in marble. The. walls are 
 ornamented with paintings al-fresco by Car- 
 ioni. 
 
 In the third chapel is a picture of St Bene- 
 dict, by Scornaro of Venice. The altar is de- 
 corated with Mosaics, and the pillars are of 
 French marble. 
 
 In the fourth chapel there is a fine old pic- 
 ture of our Saviour, by Fossani. There is also 
 a beautiful bas-relief by Volpeno. I was much 
 pleased with the al-fresco ornaments of the 
 walls. 
 
 In the fifth chapel, the picture of San Siro 
 is by Fossani; and the walls are painted al- 
 fresco by Antonio Basci. The pillars of the 
 altar are of black marble taken from Rome. 
 The altar itself is of rich Mosaic. 
 
 In the sixth chapel Guercino's picture of the 
 Virgin, with St. Peter and St. Paul, is now nearly 
 spoiled by the damp. Had it been in a better 
 state probably the French would not have left 
 it here. The pillars of the altar are of French 
 
 these before the late war, enabled me to judge of the changes 
 which this event had occasioned. 
 
240 
 
 marble. The altar itself is particularly beau- 
 tiful, in rich Mosaic, — the work of eighteen 
 years. The paintings al-fresco represent St. 
 Peter crucified, by Stefano Montelli. 
 
 In the seventh chapel, the Annunciation, by 
 CamilloProcaccini ; abas-relief of the Nativity, 
 by Lello; an al-fresco painting of St. Joseph, 
 by Stefano Montaldo ; and the pillars of the 
 altar, of Genoese green marble ; are the objects 
 which, deserve notice. 
 
 From the sacristie, the French have taken 
 four pictures of Procaccini: four still remain, 
 but two of them are quite spoiled by the damp. 
 There are also left the following : — the An- 
 nunciation, by Giulio Caesare Procaccini; the 
 Crowning with Thorns, by Pagi ; the Ascension 
 of the Virgin, by Bernardini Campi ; and the 
 Birth of our Saviour, by John Baptist Gwal- 
 hera, cut out in stone. 
 
 The French have taken away all the lead of 
 the church, by which the roof has been mate- 
 rially injured. 
 
 The principal altar, which fronts the door, 
 is magnificent beyond description. Over the 
 altar stands a model, in miniature, of the 
 church, made in marble ; and a bas-relief, by 
 a pupil of Michael Angelo, deserves notice. 
 Superb agates, lapes lazuli, and other stones, 
 are profusely scattered about this altar. There 
 
241 
 
 i« also a beautiful picture of St. Paul and St 
 Anthony, by Cresph 
 
 In the first chapel, to the left of the altar, I 
 remarked a picture of St. Bruno and St. Chris- 
 topher, by Grespi, and some ancient bronze 
 candalabra* The other chapels on this side 
 are in the same state as they appeared thirty 
 years ago. In the last 3 I admired a beautiful 
 Mosaic altar, the work of which is said to have 
 consumed the labor of eighteen years. 
 
 The great gates* which lead to the principal 
 chapelj or altar> are of copper, and have the 
 appearance of gold. 
 
 The voute> or Ceiling, of the church is of blue 
 and goldv The blue is of a beautiful composi- 
 tion, and cost even more than the gold. The 
 roof is a model of that of the cathedral of 
 Milan* 
 
 Over the gate of the church, on the outside, 
 is written"-* 
 
 Marie Virgini, 
 
 matri, filie, 
 sponse Dei *» 
 
 * I copy literally the inscription, without altering thfe 
 •rthography: the ce diphthong is not used. The inscription 
 is in English :—- . 
 
 TO the Virgin Mary, 
 the mother, the daughter, 
 the wife of Godt 
 Vol. t R 
 
242 
 
 Such is this magnificent church, justly es- 
 teemed one of the finest in Italy. I make no 
 apology for troubling you with so particular 
 an account, as this is an object which gene^ 
 rally excites a considerable portion of public 
 curiosity. I wish it had been in my power to 
 convey to you, however imperfectly, some 
 idea of the extreme richness displayed in the 
 decorations of the different chapels, which in- 
 deed are truly superb. 
 
 The road from the Carthusian church to 
 Milan is wide and handsome; but, from the 
 rains which had lately fallen, we found it very 
 heavy. Rice grows in the fields on each side. 
 I remarked its verdure, which is uncommonly 
 fine. 
 
 As we approached Milan, we saw several 
 stage-waggons, each drawn by four horses, and 
 carrying twelve or fourteen persons, who were 
 seated on suspended benches. 
 
 We did not reach Milan till five o'clock, — 
 the posting being uncommonly bad. At the 
 gates we were asked for our passport; and, 
 after driving through a large, populous, and 
 not very handsome city, we stopped at Alber- 
 go delta Citta, to which we had been recom- 
 mended; but that house being full, we were 
 obliged to go to another inn, and drove to Al- 
 bergo Imperial*, where we found large, dull, 
 
243 
 
 uncomfortable apartments: but, as my philo- 
 sophical guard said on the Apennines, " II faut 
 se rendre heureux partout." 
 
 Adieu ! When I have seen something of Mi- 
 lan, you shall hear from me again. 
 
 I am, &c. 
 
 R2 
 
244 
 
 LETTER XIII. 
 
 Geographical account of Milan — General appearance of the 
 town — First view of the cathedral — Palace of the vice-presi- 
 dent — Review there — Public garden, and Corso di Orientali 
 — Pedestrians and equipages tliere — Chapel of Santo Ber- 
 nardo di Morti, made of human bones and skulls — Visit to 
 the cathedral — Exterior ornaments — Pictures and statues 
 •within — View from the top of the church — Chapel of St. 
 Charles Borromee, or Borromeo — Note containing the history 
 of that saint — Body of St. Charles — Baptistery — Archives of 
 Milan — Ambrosian library — Its various curiosities — Casa 
 Borromea — Church of Le Grazie, and the adjoining convent, 
 where, in a refectory (made a stable by the French), appears 
 the celebrated picture by Leonardo da Vinci, of the Last Sup- 
 per — Visit of an impromptu poet — Opera-house, or principal 
 theatre, of Milan — Signora Corforini — II Monasterio Mag- 
 giore — S. Ambrogio — S.Agostino — S. Francesca Maggiore — 
 San Vittore, or St. Victor — Church of St. Jerome — La Casa 
 Litti — The castello, or castle, of Milan — S. Simpliciano — 
 £. Marc — College of Brera — Botanical garden — Casa Cle- 
 rici — Archeveche, or archiepiscopal palace — Pictures there — 
 VOspedale Maggiore — Prisons, or Carceri— Lazaretto— 
 Ramparts, or Corso — Casa di Correzione — Count Belgiosa's 
 palace, now the residence of general Murat — Palazzo Du- 
 cale — Helvetic college — Seminarium — Casa Arese — Gallery 
 of pictures there — Canals — Church of S. Alessandro — Cathe- 
 dral lighted preparatory to the fete of St. Charles Borromee 
 — Ceremonies of the same fete — S. Alessandro-4-S. Fidele — 
 General account of Milan. 
 
 Milan Nov. 4, 1802. 
 
 My dear sir, 
 
 I have made a longer stay in this 
 city than I originally proposed, owing to the 
 
245 
 
 long continuance of rain. This circumstance 
 has increased the rivers over which we must 
 pass in going to Florence, to such a height, 
 that it was only to-day I learned they were 
 again become fordable. This delay has enabled 
 me to view the curiosities of this place with 
 some attention ; but I fear you will still think 
 the account which I am about to give you very 
 imperfect. 
 
 Milan (in Italian Milano, in Latin Midiola- 
 num), a city containing one hundred and twen- 
 ty thousand inhabitants, is situated in the plain 
 of Lombard y, between the Adda and the Tesin. 
 In point of population, it is the fourth city of 
 Italy, — being only exceeded by Rome, Venice, 
 and Naples ; of which the latter is by far the 
 greatest. 
 
 Having recalled to your memory the geo- 
 graphical position and reputed number of the 
 inhabitants of this place, I shall proceed to give 
 you a diary of my proceedings. 
 
 October 24. — I was able to see but little this 
 morning, as it was Sunday; and on Sundays, in 
 Italy, the churches are so crowded that it is 
 impossible to examine either the pictures or 
 the statues which they contain ; and the pa- 
 laces of individuals are shut, — the persons em- 
 ployed to show them being absent, either at 
 their devotions or their amusements. 
 
 I spent the greater part of the day in wan* 
 
246 
 
 dering about the town. Most of the streets are 
 narrow, and far from handsome ; but there are 
 a few, particularly the one which runs towards 
 the Corso, which is long, filled with fine houses, 
 and worthy of notice. 
 
 My first visit was to the cathedral, which is 
 venerable in its appearance, and seems to de- 
 serve its celebrity. I shall not speak of it at 
 present, as I mean to make it the subject of 
 another day's attention. I found here assem- 
 bled a numerous congregation, listening to the 
 discourse of a preacher, whose delivery was so 
 clear, and whose action so forcible, that, though 
 I have made but little progress in the Italian 
 language, I understood every word which fell 
 from him. The cathedral stands in the princi- 
 pal piazza, or square 5 to the left of which is 
 the palace of the vice-president of the Italian 
 republic— In going away from the church, I was 
 present at a review of the troops of the new go- 
 vernment. The whole was an humble but exact 
 imitation of the consular review at Paris. The 
 French are aped in dress, in marching, ma- 
 noeuvring, &c. The only difference I perceiv- 
 ed was, that the uniforms of the Italians were 
 of dark green, instead of dark blue ; and that 
 the cockade was green, red, and white, instead 
 of blue, red, and white. There were some very 
 well-looking men among them; and all were 
 handsomely clothed. 
 
247 
 
 My laquais de place next conducted me to 
 the public garden, and to the Corso di Orien- 
 tali, both of which were crowded, — the former 
 with well-dressed pedestrians, and the latter 
 with carnages, many of which had a respect- 
 able appearance. The garden is not large, and 
 is laid out in the French taste. It communi- 
 cates with the Corso, which is a kind of ram- 
 part, running along a great part of the town, 
 and planted on each side with trees. Under 
 these trees there is a walk for foot passengers ; 
 and the road near it constitutes the fashionable 
 place of exercise for gentlemen on horseback 
 and ladies in carriages. I remarked some very 
 pretty women, both among the pedestrians and 
 among those of a higher class, to whom the 
 equipages belonged. 
 
 After walking some time in this spot, and 
 being well amused with the lively scene which 
 it presented, I returned to dinner at my hotel ; 
 and in going thither visited the chapel of Santo 
 Bernardo di Morti, which, like that of Pavia, 
 already mentioned, has a singular and melan- 
 choly appearance, being entirely made of the 
 bones and skulls of human beings. 
 
 In the evening I went again to the Corso, 
 which was fuller of company, and consequently 
 gayer, than in the morning. The population 
 of this town seems very great indeed. The 
 principal streets were actually crowded. 
 
248 
 
 Oct. 25. — Mrs. L. and I began seeing Milan 
 in detail. We went first to the cathedral, or, as 
 it is commonly called, // Duomo. Unfortunately 
 for us, it was twelve o'clock before we came to 
 the church ; and it is a provoking circumstance 
 in Italy, that, between that hour and four in 
 the afternoon, it is impossible to see any of the 
 objects of public curiosity, or even to make a 
 purchase at a shop. At noon all business 
 ceases: the sextons of churches, the custodes 
 of palaces, and the venders of all articles of 
 merchandise, shut their doors, dine, and sleep : 
 nor will the consideration qf emolument tempt 
 them to change this habit, which is extremely 
 inconvenient to strangers, and greatly retards 
 their progress. 
 
 The outward door of the cathedral not being 
 yet shut, we were allowed to see that part 
 which at the usual hours is open to the public. 
 It is a magnificent church, and rich in every 
 part, The exterior, which is Gothic, and orT 
 namented with figures, has never been finish- 
 ed * i but eyen in its. present state it is very 
 
 * The following is Mr. Addison's account of this church, 
 which applies exactly to its present state.—" The front, 
 w hich was all I had seen of the outside, is not half finished ; 
 and the inside is so smutted with dust and the smoak of lamps, 
 that neither the marble, nor the silver nor brass works, show 
 themselves to an advantage. This vast Gothic pile of build, 
 jng is all of marble, except the roof, which would have bee 
 
249 
 
 beautiful. The pictures representing the dif- 
 ferent events of the life of St. Charles Borro- 
 meo *, by Cerano Morrazzone and Giulio 
 
 ef the same matter with the rest, had not its weight rendered 
 it improper for that part of the building." " This profu- 
 sion of marble, though astonishing to strangers, is not very 
 wonderful in a country which has so many veins of it with- 
 in its bowels. But though the stones are cheap, the work- 
 ing of them is very expensive. It is generally said that 
 there are eleven thousand statues about the church, but they 
 reckon into the account every particular figure of the his- 
 tory-pieces, and several little images, that make up the equi- 
 page of those that are larger." — Addison's Italy. 
 
 * St. Charles Borromee, or Borromeo. — This is a saint of 
 which many protestant readers will never have heard before. 
 He is, however, one of the "blessed" to whom the Italians 
 are particularly prodigal of their prayers. More masses are 
 said at his shrine, more pictures exhibited of his pious works, 
 and more appeals made in his name, than in that of any 
 other of the many sanctified personages who crowd the Roman 
 calendar. He may, indeed, be called the most fashionable of 
 the catholic saints. His history is shortly this: — Born of a 
 noble and wealthy family at Milan, he early devoted himself 
 to the church, and became distinguished for his zeal, devo- 
 tion, and pulpit oratory. On taking orders, he sold his pro- 
 perty, and divided the produce among the poor. After many 
 acts of piety, he became archbishop of Milan, and a cardinal. 
 A plague happened during his episcopal government ; and, 
 fearless of contagion, he made a solemn procession round 
 the town, carrying with him the most esteemed relics. Thi? 
 his countrymen of course considered as a certain and infal- 
 lible mode of eradicating the fell disorder to which they 
 were at that time subject. He died young, and was soon aft- 
 erwards canonisedi — contrary to the general rule of the Ro» 
 
3oO 
 
 Caesare Procaccini, still remain, and decorate 
 the body of the church. The fine statue, de- 
 scriptive with anatomical propriety of the per- 
 son of St. Bartholomew, is still here ; and the 
 vain inscription of the artist is not effaced — 
 " Non me Praxiteles, sed Marcus finxit Agrati 
 
 The chapel of the marquis Marignano, bro- 
 ther to pope Pius IV., of the house of Medici, 
 praised by Lalande and other travelers, has 
 suffered no loss but that of the title of "marquis," 
 which the rage of republican zeal has eradi- 
 cated from the inscription. 
 
 In the treasures (or, in other words, the 
 jewels) of the church, there have been great 
 losses ; but I was still shown some fine and 
 weighty silver crosses, some valuable rings and 
 precious stones ; also some specimens of beau- 
 tiful needle-work, given to St. Charles by Pere- 
 grina, the ingenious female artist of these 
 
 man church, which does not ordinarily confer that honor till 
 fifty years after the death of the person on whom it is pro- 
 posed to bestow it, " His merit, and the importunity of his 
 countrymen," as Mr. Addison observes, overcame this diffw 
 culty. The Milanese, in their prayers, require his mediation 
 much oftener than that of our Saviour. 
 
 I take these particulars from M. Lalande, from Mr. Addi- 
 son, and from the reports of the inhabitants of Milan. 
 
 * Thus Englished by Mr. Addison :— 
 
 " Lest at the sculptor doubtfully you guess, 
 'Tis Mark Agrati, not Praxiteles, ,> 
 
251 
 
 pieces, and with which, on festivals, the church 
 is ornamented. 
 
 We next mounted, up stone stairs, which, 
 notwithstanding the vast height, were far from 
 difficult of ascent, to the top of the church. 
 The work which has been employed to embel- 
 lish this building is surprising ; and the figures 
 placed about the spires are innumerable. Five 
 hundred years have elapsed since the cathedral 
 was first begun, and yet it is not now half 
 finished : probably it never will be completed. 
 ( — The height of the church is five hundred and 
 twelve steps, or four hundred and four feet, 
 taken from the highest spot to which it is pos- 
 sible to mount. A golden figure of the Virgin, 
 which stands on a spire still higher, is four 
 hundred and fifty-four feet from the ground; 
 and the figure itself is seventeen feet high. 
 Henrico Gomodeo, a German, was the archi- 
 tect who first gave the plan of this building. — 
 The view from the summit is grand and exten- 
 sive : every part of the town is seen as in a 
 panorama ; while the Alps and Switzerland 
 form the distant and magnificent objects with 
 which the prospect is completed. 
 
 When we descended into the church, an 
 abbe offered to show us the chapel of St. 
 Charles Borromee, and with lighted torches led 
 us still lower, into this spot, which is directly 
 under the principal altar of the cathedral; 
 
252 
 
 The chapel is ornamented with representations 
 of the actions of the saint, cut out in solid silver. 
 The body of St. Charles lies in a case of rock 
 crystal, covered with another made of silver 
 and richly gilt. The latter was removed at 
 our desire. In doing so, our holy conductor 
 did not forget to light the wax tapers the 
 altar, and to fall on his knees. We then saw 
 the remains of this much-loved and far-wor- 
 shipped prelate. His head is now a hideous 
 skull, and forms a curious contrast to the mag- 
 nificent robes, decked with gold and precious 
 stones, with which it is surrounded. His epi- 
 scopal crook lies by his side, rich in rubies; 
 and a fine cross of emeralds is suspended over 
 his breast. Vain attempt of human vanity ! — 
 all these costly ornaments are thrown away — 
 they take not from the horror of Death ; while 
 the skeleton of St. Charles, though thus covered 
 over with dazzling stones, presents but a dis- 
 gusting and offensive sight. 
 
 Before we left the cathedral we examined 
 the baptistery, or font of baptism. It is not of 
 an extraordinary size, but curious, as being 
 made entirely of porphyry. 
 
 Several additional pictures, historical of St. 
 Charles, are now suspended about the body of 
 the church, preparatory to the fite in honor of 
 that saint, which is to be celebrated here on 
 the fourth of the next month. 
 
5253 
 
 From the cathedral we went to see the ar- 
 chives of the town, which are well worth visit- 
 ing. They are deposited in a handsome room, 
 and arranged with wonderful order. From the 
 windows of this room there is a fine view of 
 the town. 
 
 From the archives we proceeded to the Am- 
 brosian library, founded by cardinal Frederic 
 Borromeo, archbishop of Milan, and nephew 
 of St. Charles. For a particular account of this 
 institution I must refer you to M. Lalande, 
 who calls it the most interesting object at 
 Milan after the cathedral, and states it to pos- 
 sess forty thousand volumes, besides a collec- 
 tion of pictures, statues, medals, machines, and 
 natural history. I shall only speak of its pre- 
 sent state. 
 
 The manuscript copy of the Antiquities of 
 Josephus, translated by RulTin, which was con- 
 sidered as the most valuable article in the 
 library, has been taken away by the French. 
 This manuscript was written on Egyptian pa- 
 pyrus, and was eleven hundred years old. The 
 French have likewise removed another manu- 
 script which used to excite no little curiosity, 
 as the subject of it was the lives of the popes* 
 and the author was said to have reported the 
 election of a female pope (commonly known 
 by the name of pope Joan). But M. Lalande, 
 who enters into a digression on the subject, 
 
254 
 
 seems not to believe the story, and declares, 
 with all the faith of a good catholic, that it 
 was a scandalous invention of the heretics *. 
 He also asserts, on the authority of Mabillon, 
 that the ceremony of the chaise percee, used at 
 the consecration of the popes, was not occa- 
 sioned by the supposed election of a female, 
 but was adopted a century before the invention 
 of this tale, in allusion to the words of the 
 Psalmist — " de stercore erigens pauperem."— 
 Were we (excommunicated heretics) to enter 
 into the discussion of this delicate question, a 
 pious Romanist would exclaim " Procul, pro- 
 cul, este profani." I therefore drop the sub- 
 ject, feeling no inclination to penetrate the 
 secrets of the holy chaise percee. The manu- 
 script in question is now at Paris. 
 
 The cabinet or museum of Manfredo Settala, 
 an ingenious Milanese, much celebrated for his 
 
 * When M. Lalande wrote his book on Italy, the old go- 
 Ternment existed, and of course he then thought it prudent 
 to defend the doctrines of the predominant religion. I un- 
 derstand that since the revolution he has shown no particular 
 partiality for the opinions of the catholic church, and that he 
 is considered as a decided freethinker. Perhaps it would be 
 difficult to decide whether the first or the last of these senti- 
 ments was occasioned by political events. It is possible, 
 indeed, that in both cases the learned Frenchman has only 
 complied with the fashion of his country ; and, as the Chris- 
 tian religion is now restored, it is not impossible that be 
 may have again become a pious catholic. 
 
255 
 
 learning, and who was the first person in Europe 
 who formed an extensive collection in natural 
 history, antiquities, machinery, and experi- 
 mental philosophy, is still in the Ambrosiaa 
 library. 
 
 In an apartment used as a school of sculp- 
 ture I saw the colossal toe of St. Charles, co- 
 pied from that of his statue in bronze, and 
 which was elevated at Areno, near the Lago 
 Maggiore, in honor of the saint. Copies of the 
 works of Michael Angelo, and of the Apollo 
 Belvidere, Hercules Farnese, &c, in plaster of 
 Paris, are also seen here. 
 
 In the picture-gallery I found the Virgin, by 
 Hannibal Caracci. The picture of a doctor, 
 reported to be by Corregio, also remains ; but 
 it is not certain whether it comes from the 
 pencil of the celebrated artist to whom it has 
 generally been attributed. Raphael's cartoon 
 of the School of Athens, of the same size as the 
 ■well-known picture in the Vatican, has been 
 removed. The Adoration of the Magi, by 
 Sciavoni, is still here ; as is likewise the Basket 
 of Fruit, by Michael Angelo Carravagio, which 
 ha§ been so much commended by different tra- 
 velers. The following pictures, by Leonardo 
 da Vinci, still remain— viz., a Duchess of Milan, 
 a St. John, and a Young Woman. The cele- 
 brated manuscripts of that painter (which were 
 s6 highly valued by the Milanese that they 
 
256 
 
 were seldom permitted to be seen, and for 
 which the patriotic donor of them to this li- 
 brary refused three thousand guineas offered 
 him by our James the First) were too valuable 
 to escape the grasp of the conqueror. The 
 beautiful picture of the Repose in Egypt, said 
 to be by Bassano, is still here. 
 
 The picture of the Elements, by John Breu- 
 ghel, the Flemish painter, which was once seen 
 in this library, has been removed; as have been 
 all his other great works. Some small pieces 
 by this artist remain. The statue of David hold- 
 ing the head of Goliath remains. The French 
 have possessed themselves of the manuscript 
 letters of Pope Pius the Second. 
 
 From the Ambrosian library we drove to 
 the Casa Borromea, the mansion of the family 
 of St. Charles, and where that prelate once re- 
 sided. We were told at the porter's lodge that 
 the furniture had been removed, and that no- 
 thing was left in the house worth observing. 
 
 Our next visit was to the church of Le Gra- 
 zie. The cupola is beautiful, and deserves be- 
 ing seen ; but the admirable picture of the 
 Crowning with Thorns, by Titian, has been 
 carried to Paris, and the original is now re- 
 placed by a copy. The St Paul of Goddenzio 
 Ferrari of Novarre, has also been taken away. 
 The adjoining convent has been destroyed ; 
 and the French, during their stay at Milan, 
 
957 
 
 made a stable for their horses of the refectory, 
 which contains the most esteemed of all the 
 works of Leonardo da Vinci, being an al-fresco 
 painting on the wall of the Last Supper, and, 
 from which picture the well-known print, by 
 Morgan of Florence, was taken. This charm- 
 ing original has suffered much from the damp, 
 and from the use to which the room has been 
 converted ; but the figures are still beautiful, 
 and the countenances speak the hand of a 
 master. Unless this picture be soon recovered, 
 I fear it will not much longer be visible. In a 
 few years it must be totally effaced. 
 
 The excessive rain, which continued to fall, 
 induced us to give up the attempt of seeing 
 any thing more this morning. We returned 
 to our inn ; and were not a little surprised, 
 after dinner, by the visit of an impromptu poet, 
 who, rushing into the room, vociferated in a 
 loud tone of voice, and with all the gestures 
 peculiar to his countrymen, a long chain of 
 complimentary verses. — Mrs. L. was at first 
 rather alarmed, supposing that this son of the 
 Muses was insane. She soon, however, per- 
 ceived her mistake, and then shared the amuse- 
 ment which I received from the conversation 
 and poetical effusions of my new acquaintance. 
 He of course offered me his works *, which I 
 
 * Among some manuscript sonnets which this fellow sent 
 me a few days after, was one in honor of the English nation, 
 Vol. I. S 
 
25$ 
 
 thought myself bound to accept. He talked 
 as poets, and indeed authors of all descriptions, 
 are apt to talk, — more of himself and his own 
 •productions than of any thing else. 
 
 He compared his compositions with those of 
 Tasso and Metastasio : at one moment re- 
 peated verses from these writers, and at the 
 next from his own works; and by no means 
 seemed to consider the productions of his muse 
 as inferior to those of his illustrious predeces- 
 sors. He told me of dukes, princes, and con- 
 suls, with whose protection he was favored : yet 
 in the same breath hinted that a few livres from 
 il signore Inglese would not be unacceptable. 
 « — On several subjects, chosen by us, he made 
 extemporary lines ; and if his verses were not 
 completely Virgilian, they were by no means 
 bad. During the first hour of his visit I was 
 much entertained; but as the wine which I 
 gave him raised his spirits* he at last became 
 noisy and troublesome. I had some difficulty 
 
 addressed " alia leale e generosa Nazione Inglese Sonnetto.— 
 An expression in this production affords such a happy spe- 
 cimen of the "bathos, or art of sinking," that I must be per- 
 mitted to cite it. Speaking of our countrymen, he says— 
 
 " — e per la loro massima prudentia 
 Nella guerra son grandi e in pace Eroi." 
 
 Which may be Englished thus — 
 
 " In war they gallantly defend the state, 
 And are in peace heroically great." 
 
259 
 
 iri persuading him to retire, — an attempt in. 
 which, with the assistance of a dollar, I at 
 length succeeded. 
 
 After laughing at this adventure, and at this 
 strange fellow, who was the very picture of a 
 " half-starved poet," we went to the operas 
 house. It is a fine theatre, nearly as large as 
 ours in the Haymarkct. Each box is elegantly 
 fitted up, with glass chandeliers, card tables, 
 and all the other conveniences of a drawing- 
 room ; and has a curtain, which may occa- 
 sionally be dropped, to keep off the prying eye 
 of impertinent curiosity. The house was full ; 
 and I remarked among the audience many 
 elegant women and well-dressed men. The 
 opera was comic, and of course nonsensical. 
 The principal singer, la signora Corforini, is 
 handsome in her person, graceful in her man- 
 ner, and possessed of a delightful voice. The 
 ballet was splendid, and the stage crowded 
 with men and horses. The whole appearance 
 of this theatre is respectable, and such as be- 
 comes a great capital. 
 
 Oct. 20. — The weather was very unfavor- 
 able, and the rain fell in torrents. This cir- 
 cumstance prevented me from going out till 
 tile evening, when I went to the spot where 
 the Porta Ticinese formerly stood. This gate 
 is to be replaced by a bridge and a gate, now 
 erecting, to which the name of La Porta di 
 
 S 2 
 
260 
 
 Marengo is to be given. The following in- 
 scription is already placed on a white stone 
 very near the intended building. 
 
 Al primo console 
 della republica Francese, 
 per intentati successivamente le Alpi e 
 la Natura, 
 Sfetteggiati Eserciti Imperiali 
 constritti a cedere le Piazze forti 
 di 
 
 Piacenza, Fortubano, Pizzighetta, 
 e 
 
 Milano, 
 
 Alessandria, Tortuno, Cavalumeo, 
 Torino, 
 Serivalle, Savona, 
 Genova, 
 in rneno di tre decedi, 
 ridona la Liberta 
 l'lndependenza 
 alia republica Cisalpina, 
 Segno questo del suo 
 ritorno trionfante 
 offre la pace ai Nemici 
 Scorrazzanti 
 ai popoli desolati 
 la Gioja 
 
 xxvii. Pratile, anno 8, rep. Fran. 
 
 I had scarcely finished copying this inscrip- 
 tion when torrents of rain again forced me to 
 take shelter in my carriage. I returned, and 
 spent the rest of the day at home. 
 
 Oct. 27. — The weather continued to be bad 3 
 
261 
 
 yet, despairing of a favorable change, I deter- 
 mined to continue my visits to the different ob- 
 jects of curiosity which Milan possesses. I ac- 
 cordingly set out, notwithstanding the rain, 
 which continued to fall with such unceasing 
 violence that it came through my carriage, 
 and I was scarcely less exposed than if I had 
 been on foot. 
 
 I went first to II Monasterio Maggiore. It 
 was built on the site of an ancient temple de- 
 dicated to Jupiter; was formerly a convent; 
 and is inhabited by nuns, r— though they are 
 not allowed to wear their religious habit. In 
 the chapel I saw the Adoration, by Antonio 
 Camei, painted al-fresco. It is rapidly falling 
 into decay. 
 
 My next visit was to S. Ambrogio. It is an 
 old church, without much to distinguish it. 
 The pillars of porphyry which decorate the 
 principal altar are handsome. The gates of 
 the church are of bronze. I remarked a pic- 
 ture of St. Bernard ; and, in a subterraneous 
 chapel, a bas-relief of San Ambrogio, whose 
 ashes are believed by the pious Italians to be 
 here deposited. Many councils have been 
 holden in this church ; in which also the em- 
 perors formerly received their iron crowns as 
 kings of Italy. The copper serpent, placed on 
 a marble pillar, is still here. By some it is said 
 to be the serpent of Moses ; by some, that of 
 
262 
 
 iEsculapius; and by others, the symbol of the 
 salvation of man. — "Who shall decide when 
 doctors disagree?" 
 
 San Agostino, where, according to popular 
 belief, that saint was baptised, is a miserable 
 little chapel, which only bigots will find their 
 trouble repaid in visiting. The garden of the 
 convent is destroyed. The library formerly 
 belonging to this house is also no more : part 
 of it has been removed to the college of Brera, 
 and the rest taken away. 
 
 S. Francesco Maggiore has been reformed as 
 a place of worship, and is now a barrack for 
 soldiers. It was once esteemed the largest mo- 
 dern church in Milan, and was ornamented 
 with pictures by Leonardo da Vinci and other 
 good painters. 
 
 San Vittore, or St. Victor, which I next saw, 
 is much ornamented in the roof, but in other 
 respects far from being a handsome church. 
 The picture of St. Bernard is still here. It 
 is the work of Batoni, esteemed in the year 
 1765 the first painter of Rome. The picture 
 of Paul the Hermit, by Daniel Crespi, ajso re- 
 mains. 
 
 The church of St. Jerome, which formerly 
 contained a model of the tomb of Christ, has 
 been destroyed. 
 
 La Casa Litti, which is still the residence of 
 the family of that name, I visited to-day. The 
 
stairs, made of colored marble, are large and 
 handsome; but, as they do not front the en- 
 trance of the house, they are not placed to the 
 greatest advantage. There is nothing, either 
 in the rooms or the furniture, worth observing, 
 except the pictures, many of which are ex- 
 tremely valuable,— particularly two Titians, a 
 fine St. John the Baptist, and a Siege of Troy 
 on copper. 
 
 The Castello (or ci-devant Castle) of Milan 
 stood on a large plain, or square. Most of the 
 buildings which constituted it have been pulled 
 down, and are to be replaced by a new erec- 
 tion, wjiich, when finished, is to assume the 
 name of" Forum Bonaparte." 
 
 S. Simpliciano is one of the principal churches 
 (or basilicfa, as they are called in this country) 
 of Milan. I saw nothing there worth record- 
 ing. 
 
 S. M arco is a very large church, but far from 
 a fine building. I asked in vain for the two 
 pictures of Paul Lomazzo, mentioned by La- 
 lande : the young abbe who showed the church 
 knew of no such works; and his account of 
 the others was so imperfect, and the light, 
 owing to the badness of the day, was so un- 
 favorable, that I did not attempt taking any 
 notes of what I saw here. 
 
 I next drove to the college of Brera, origi- 
 nally a convent of Jesuits, and dignified with 
 
the name of a university. It is still a. college, 
 and unhurt. The stairs are handsoir.e; and a 
 gallery of apartments on each floor is support- 
 ed hy fine pillars. At the foot of these stairs 
 is seen the colossal statue of the Virgin, men- 
 tioned by several travelers. 
 
 The library is large, and apparently well 
 chosen. The medals, with the heacs of the 
 Roman emperors, which were formerly here, 
 were lost in the beginning of the late troubles. 
 We were shown some beautifully ilhminated 
 paintings, which ornament a book of manu- 
 script music destined for the service of the 
 mass, and which were the work of the monks 
 of Certocini. In the school for engraving, we 
 saw some good specimens of that art. In the 
 school of architecture are suspended drawings 
 and designs for buildings of every description j 
 and in the school of painting, among other 
 works, there are three full-length pictures alle- 
 gorical of the foundation of the Italian repub- 
 lic. The portrait of Bonaparte, which appears 
 in each of them, is by no means a good resem- 
 blance ; nor did the idea of the whole work ap- 
 pear to be very ingenious. 
 
 I likewise visited the observatory attached to 
 this college. I could not see the view proper- 
 ly, owing to the badness of the day ; but the 
 town must, in fine weather, be seen from this 
 elevation to much advantage. The celebrated 
 
265 
 
 Trench instruments are still here ; to which 
 have been added many fine quadrants, &c., by- 
 Harrison and other English mathematicians. 
 I was also shown a time-piece of great value, 
 which strikes the minutes. It was made in 
 London, and given by Bonaparte to this ob- 
 servatory. 
 
 There is, adjoining to the college of Brera, 
 a botanical garden, lately formed. I suspect 
 that this is the very garden which formerly 
 belonged to a convent, the holy sisters of 
 which made a formal remonstrance against 
 the establishment of the observatory, lest, as 
 they strolled on their lawn, they should be 
 overlooked by the curious eyes of the philoso- 
 phers, who, instead of examining the stars, 
 might now and then direct their glasses to- 
 wards the calm retreat of self-devoted beauty. 
 It was in vain answered, that the addition of a 
 curtain to their respective cells would prevent 
 all discovery there, and that in their garden 
 nothing could be supposed to pass which re- 
 quired concealment. 
 
 The writer from whom I take this anecdote 
 says, that, in spite of these strong arguments* 
 the objection was strongly urged and seriously 
 examined. Probably the good nuns had more 
 serious reasons for their opposition than the 
 world supposed. The garden, in losing its pri- 
 
266' 
 
 vacy, might perhaps, in the ideas of these fair 
 friends of solitude, lose all its charms. 
 
 We drove next to Casa Clerici, formerly 
 esteemed one of the best furnished palaces of 
 Milan; but, under the excuse of the key being 
 in the pocket of the absent master, I was re- 
 fused admittance. — Perhaps it would be uncha- 
 ritable to conclude that jthe pictures and furni- 
 ture had been sold. 
 
 I spent my evening at the opera. The the- 
 atre was full. We had the same performance 
 as on the former occasion. We continued to 
 be much pleased with LaCorforini. She is an 
 elegant woman, and a charming singer. 
 
 October 28. — I was not well to-day. My ill- 
 ness, and the continued rain, confined me to 
 the house. 
 
 October 29. ; — The weather having become 
 better, I proceeded in my view of Milan, ac- 
 companied by Mrs. L. — After seeing for the 
 second time the cathedral, we went to the Ar- 
 cheveche, or archiepiscopal palace. I was very 
 agreeably surprised in finding that the gallery 
 of pictures still remains unimpaired. The only 
 loss which it has suffered, is that of a small Gui- 
 do and another picture, given by the late arch- 
 bishop to madame Bonaparte. Besides the pic- 
 tures enumerated by Lalande, there is a St. Jo- 
 seph, by Guido ; two Children, by Leonardo da 
 
867 
 
 Vinci ; and two small heads, the one represent- 
 ing an Old Man and the other a Boy, by Titian ; 
 our Saviour at the Mount of Olives, by Corre- 
 gio ; a fine sketch of the Crucifixion, by Moro- 
 zoni j a drawing in ink of Titian, done by him- 
 self ; a St. Jerome, by Morozoni ; a sketch of Ra- 
 phael, done by himself ; an Adoration, supposed 
 to be by Titian ; a fine picture of Pope Julius 
 the Second, also by Titian ; a fine Head, by Bas- 
 sano; a sketch of the Virgin and our Saviour, by 
 Leonardo da Vinci ; the Dispute with the Doc- 
 tors, by Tintoretto ; the Murder of the Innocents, 
 by Morozoni j a sketch of an Archery Scene, 
 by Michael Angelo ; a small Crucifixion, by Ti- 
 tian a Descent from the Cross, by Bernardo 
 Campi; a small Dead Christ, by Titian; a beau- 
 tiful S. Arabrogio, by the same; and Pontius Pi- 
 late, by Guercino. 
 
 The picture by Georgio, of Moses saved from 
 the Bulrushes, so much praised by Lalande, de- 
 serves all his encomiums : nothing can be finer. 
 There is vast variety in the countenances and 
 dresses of the persons represented. The head of 
 a man in a velvet cap, standing near Pharaoh's 
 daughter, is particularly beautiful. The Dwarf 
 and the Monkey are alive on the canvas. 
 
 The picture of the Holy Family, by Paul 
 Veronese, is in his best style. The same sub- 
 ject, by the same painter, in his second style, 
 is also here. The Adoration of the Magi, by 
 
268 
 
 S^arloni di Ferrare; and two Old Men (probably 
 misers), by Daniel Crespi; deserve notice : as do 
 likewise a head of an Old Man, and that of a 
 Young Man, by the same painter ; a St. Lau- 
 rence, by Barogio ; a Nativity, by Bassano ; and 
 many others too numerous to mention. 
 
 From the palace of the archbishop we drove 
 to the Hospital Maggiore. It is a magnificent 
 building, and has by no means the appearance 
 of an hospital. I did not go into the different 
 wards ; but, as far as I was able to judge from 
 a distant view, they seemed clean and airy. 
 The porter of this establishment assured me 
 that there were at present two thousand pa- 
 tients in the house. The apartments above are , 
 devoted to the wounded, and those beneath to 
 the sick. The chapel still possesses the Virgin, 
 by Guido ; but it has suffered much from the 
 dampness of its situation, being placed on a 
 wall immediately adjoining the canal. There 
 are some other pictures in this chapel, which 
 the person who showed them highly commend- 
 ed ; but I did not perceive any particular me- 
 rit in them ; and they were the work of obscure 
 artists. 
 
 The prisons (or carceri, as they are called in 
 the language of the country) have the appear- 
 ance of a large public building, but by no 
 means of a place of confinement — I only speak 
 of the exterior, for I did not enter the walls. 
 
269 
 
 We went next to the Lazzaretto, a little be- 
 yond the gate called La Porta Orientale. This 
 hospital was built by Louis Sforce in 1489, 
 and finished by Louis XIL in 1507, for the re- 
 ception of persons attacked with the plague. 
 The plan of this humane establishment is ad- 
 mirable. A vast plot of ground is surrounded 
 with chambers ; each of which, destined for a 
 patient, has a large door towards the yard, and 
 a window towards the road; thus admitting the 
 air on both sides. A chapel in the middle en- 
 ables the sick to hear mass, without leaving 
 their respective chambers. 
 
 In going from the Lazzaretto we drove 
 along the ramparts, which form the Hyde 
 Park of Milan. Here the carriages .' of = the 
 rich move, in procession every evening about 
 sunset. After taking several- turns, the ladies 
 usually order their coachmen to stop near 
 the walk, where they remain motionless for 
 some time. I believe the object of this halt 
 is to enable their cicesbeos, and other beaux, to 
 speak to them at the door of their respective 
 carriages, and to make the arrangements of the 
 evening, — for from the ramparts it is the fashion 
 to proceed at once to the opera. 
 
 To a stranger, unacquainted with a reason 
 which gallantry must allow to be so very satis- 
 factory, it appears strange to see several car- 
 riages filled with elegant women standing per- 
 
270 
 
 fectly still, while the night is rapidly advanc- 
 ing; but, having once learned the cause, we 
 can only exclaim — 
 
 " Omnia vincit amor, nos et rfedamus amori." 
 
 At the end of this promenade, which is some- 
 times called the Ramparts and sometimes the 
 Corso, stands the Casa de Correzione. It is a 
 large and handsome building. 
 
 We drove next to the house formerly be- 
 longing to the count Belgioso, one of the finest 
 palaces of Milan, and surrounded by an ex- 
 tensive garden, now the residence of general 
 Murat, brother-in-law of Bonaparte, and com- 
 mander-in-chief of the troops of the Italian 
 republic. We were refused the permission of 
 seeing this house; and experienced a similar 
 act of politeness at the Palazzo Ducal e, now 
 the seat of government; and at the Helvetic 
 -college, at present occupied by a regiment of 
 soldiers. 
 
 The Seminarium is a fine college ? and the 
 quadrangle is ornamented with handsome pik 
 lars. 
 
 We were very civilly permitted to see the 
 gallery of pictures in the Casa Arese, and 
 which has not suffered during the revolution. 
 The house belongs to the same family as for- 
 merly. Unfortunately for me, a superannuated 
 servant showed the pictures, who could not un* 
 
271 
 
 derstand my questions, and whose own account, 
 was perfectly unintelligible. He offered me a 
 catalogue, but the numbers in it did not cor- 
 respond with the pictures. I can therefore give 
 but an imperfect account of the collection. 
 Suffice it to say, that there were several excel- 
 lent pictures, which might be justly attributed 
 to Titian, Guido, Raphael, and Vandyck, 
 whose names ornamented every page of the 
 catalogue. I was particularly pleased with a 
 Laura of Petrarch, but I could not discover 
 from what pencil it came. — The house is old, 
 and has nothing either in its architecture or 
 furniture worth observing. 
 
 In returning, I passed by the canals, which 
 run round every part of Milan, — an admirable 
 contrivance, by which the inhabitants of this 
 city are supplied with every kind of commo- 
 dity by water-carriage. If you wish to inquire 
 into the particulars of this useful invention, I 
 must refer you to M. Lalande. The canals fall 
 into the rivers Adda and Tesin. 
 
 October SO. — I strolled about the town on 
 foot, and went into several churches the names 
 of which were unknown to me. That of S. 
 Alessandro has a fine cupola richly painted. 
 I lost my way, and consumed the greater part 
 of the morning in getting home again. The 
 violent rain which fell in the evening confined 
 
272 
 
 me to the house. Mr. S., an American gentle- 
 man with whom I was acquainted at Paris, ar- 
 rived at our hotel. The unfavorable account 
 he gave me of the present state of the rivers 
 over which it is necessary to pass in the pro- 
 secution of our journey, determined me to post- 
 pone my departure. I had intended to leave 
 Milan to-morrow. 
 
 October 31. — The weather was so extremely 
 bad, that it was impossible to leave the hotel. 
 I heard from every body that the Po had risen 
 to such a height that it was quite impassable. 
 I became consequently a prisoner. 
 
 November 1. — The rain continued to fall in 
 torrents ; and the non-arrival of the mail con- 
 vinced us of the impossibility of continuing 
 our journey. 
 
 November 2. — Still bad weather, and no ap- 
 pearance of a favorable change, i 
 
 November 3. — The morning, though gloomy, 
 had some appearance of better weather. I hail- 
 ed with joy this favorable change. I took ad- 
 vantage of the first moment of cessation from 
 rain, and walked in the public garden and on 
 the Corso. About two o'clock the sun burst 
 through the opposing clouds, and confirmed 
 our hopes of being able to leave Milan, of 
 which, we were heartily tired. After dinner I 
 strolled into the cathedral $ which was lighted 
 
"273 
 
 with torches this evening, preparatory to the 
 fite of St. Charles, which is to be celebrated 
 here to-morrow. The night was fine ; the stars 
 shone in all their brilliance ; and our expecta- 
 tions of being relieved from our present impri- 
 sonment were hourly strengthened. 
 
 November 4.—- We went this morning to see 
 the ceremonies in honor of St. Charles's fSte at 
 the cathedral. We were somewhat disappoint- 
 ed. There was no procession or striking spec- 
 tacle of any kind. The church was, however, 
 crowded with persons of every description; ma- 
 ny of whom were on their knees on the ground, 
 and it remained full the whole of the day. The 
 altar was dressed with the remaining treasures 
 of the church ; and the music, which accompa- 
 nied the high mass sung on the occasion, was 
 tolerably good. 
 
 That service was also performed in the sub- 
 terraneous chapel of St. Charles j and wax lights 
 Were kept burning round the glass casement 
 which separates the sepulchre of this favorite 
 saint from the rest of the church. Towards 
 night the whole cathedral was lighted up with 
 torches, and even after these were consumed, 
 crowds of persons were still on their knees. 
 
 From the cathedral we went to S. Alessan- 
 dro, the second finest church of Milan, and S. 
 Fidele, celebrated for its six lofty pillars of red 
 granite. We drove before and after dinner on 
 
 Vol. I. T 
 
274 \ 
 
 the ramparts, which, notwithstanding the im- 
 proved state of the weather, were not crowded. 
 
 We went to the opera at night, which was 
 extremely full. The same performance as I 
 had seen twice before was repeated. La Cor- 
 forini is a delightful singer, and deserves the 
 applauses which she receives from an enrap- 
 tured audience. 
 
 Having thus brought my diary while at Mi- 
 lan to a conclusion, you will perhaps expect I 
 should add some general remarks on this city. 
 I must beg leave to sum up the result of my 
 observations in a few words. 
 
 Milan is a large, populous, dirty, town, with 
 some good streets, and a fine public promenade. 
 Among its numerous inhabitants it still boasts 
 of many wealthy and respectable individuals ; 
 and the well-dressed persons, and handsome 
 carriages, which one meets with every minute, 
 prove that it is not one of those places in Italy 
 which have most suffered from the united evils 
 ©f war and revolution. 
 
 The cathedral, though unfinished, is a splen- 
 did and venerable edifice ; and many of the other 
 churches deserve the attention of strangers.-— 
 The Ambrosian library will excite the curio- 
 fiity of the learned, but has nothing attractive 
 
275 
 
 for the generality of travelers. The college of 
 Brera, both for its architecture and for the 
 many interesting objects which it contains, de- 
 serves a visit. The refectory of the reformed 
 convent adjoining the church of Le Grazie, of 
 which the French made a stable while they 
 were masters of Milan, ought to be seen by all 
 travelers of taste, as Leonardo da Vinci has 
 left on its walls his best work, which, painted 
 al-fresco, is rapidly falling into decay. The 
 theatre is a fine building: the boxes are ele- 
 gantly fitted up, and the performances are re- 
 spectable. The hospitals afford refuge to a 
 long list of sick, indigent, and wounded; while 
 they ornament the town by the splendor of 
 their exterior appearance. 
 
 Among the private palaces, there are many 
 of good architecture and of considerable extent. 
 Few are open to the inspection of strangers* 
 Probably several of the owners, born subjects 
 of his imperial majesty* have either emigrated, 
 or teased to reside here since the change of 
 government; and have consequently removed 
 the furniture and pictures which formerly ren* 
 dered them objects of curiosity. Those which 
 the French generals occupy, are shut to fo- 
 reigners. The same reason prevents my say- 
 ing any thing of the public palace: I was re- 
 fused the permission of seeing it. 
 
 The present vice-president, Melzi, is a man 
 
 T 2 
 
276 
 
 of fortune and family, and much respected by 
 the Milanese. He is likewise distinguished as 
 a scholar ; and I heard him spoken of in Paris 
 (where he resided some time before his election 
 to his present office) in terms of high commen- 
 dation. 
 
 As to the government, it seems a complete 
 counterpart of the consulate of France. The 
 uniforms of the army, of the legislators, and of 
 the officers of police, are servile copies of those 
 worn by persons in similar situations at Paris ; 
 and the only difference I could discover was, 
 that the color of blue was changed for that of 
 green. The vice-president has his guards, his 
 reviews, and his audiences: at the latter of 
 which, strangers in the full dress of the old 
 court are presented, as in France, by the pre- 
 fects of the palace. An American gentleman, 
 who has gone through this ceremony, expresses 
 himself much pleased with the affability and li- 
 beral conversation of M. Melzi. 
 
 The commander-in-chief, general Murat, 
 " our brother-in-law " (as Bonaparte would de- 
 scribe him), lives with distinguished splendor: 
 and the assemblies of madame M. are crowded 
 with the best company of Milan. 
 
 Of society in this place I can say nothing 
 from my personal knowledge, as, meaning to 
 stay here but a few days, I had not pro- 
 vided myself with letters of recommendation ; 
 
277 
 
 but I hear that there are several houses where 
 strangers, properly introduced, are received 
 with elegant hospitality, 
 
 The country round Milan is rich and fer- 
 tile*; and in fine weather the environs must 
 be delightful. 
 
 Among the inhabitants, more ease and com- 
 fort seem to reign than are generally met with 
 in the towns of Italy: nor have I here been 
 disgusted, as it has happened to me too fre- 
 quently since I crossed the Alps, by the ap- 
 pearance of squalid Poverty. 
 
 The length of this letter must be pleaded as 
 my excuse for an abrupt conclusion. Adieu! 
 I shall proceed on my journey to-morrow 
 morning ; and, if we are not drowned in cross- 
 ing the Po, you may depend on hearing from 
 me again in the course of a few days. 
 
 I am, &c. 
 
 * " The state of Milan," says Mr. Addison, « is like a 
 yast garden surrounded by a noble mound work of rocks and, 
 mountains." — Addison's Italy. 
 
m 
 
 LETTER XIV. 
 
 Departure from Milan — Marignano — Lodi, and its celebrated 
 bridge — Passage of the Po — Placenzia, and the equestrian 
 statues there — French just taken possession of the town — 
 Cathedral of Placenzia — River Taro — Parma — Cathedral 
 of the same, and its cupola by Corregio — Madonna della 
 . Scala— Library of Parma — The Crowning of the Virgin, by 
 Corregio — Great theatre at Parma — Academy in the palace 
 — Statues found at Velleia — Modern productions which ha&e 
 gained the prize of the Academy Palazzo dell' Giardino — 
 Body-guard and citizens in mourning for the late prince--*. 
 Modem : its elegant streets and buildi?igs — 11 Palazzo Du~ 
 cale — Library of Modena : editions : manuscripts — La Gal- 
 leria di Belle Arte — Skull of Corregio — Cathedral of Mo- 
 dena — Secchia Rapita — Chapel formerly called Ducal — 
 Botanical Garden — Arrival at Bologna. 
 
 Bologna, November 9, 1802. 
 
 My dear sir, 
 
 We arrived here last night. I 
 proceed to give you an account of our journey, 
 having passed through Placenzia, Parma, anol 
 Modena, 
 
 Our first post from Milan brought us to 
 Marignano, celebrated for the great victory 
 gained by Francis the First against the Swiss 
 in 1515, and which rendered him master of all 
 the Milanese $ and our next, to Lodi, now be- 
 come no less famous, by Bonaparte's well-known 
 passage over the bridge of that name. The 
 
279 
 
 latter is on the road to Cremona, and was con- 
 sequently out of my direct route to Parma; 
 but, leaving my carriage at the posthouse at 
 Lodi, I proceeded on foot to view this newly 
 but much distinguished spot. 
 
 The bridge is of wood, and has nothing in 
 itself to draw attention ; yet I certainly behelcl 
 it with much interest, and would not have failed 
 visiting it on any account whatever*. 
 
 After walking over the ground, and satisfying 
 
 * As the name of Lodi has become familiar to every En- 
 glish ear, I think it will perhaps not be unacceptable to most 
 readers to receive an account of the place. — 
 
 " Lodi (in Latin Pompeia, or Laus Pompeii) is a town of 
 nearly ten thousand souls, situated in the Milanese, on th© 
 Adda, at seven leagues from Milan and ten from Placenzia. 
 It was founded by the ancient Gauls, when they overran 
 Italy like a torrent. The. town was originally built at four 
 miles' distance from the Adda, where there is still a village 
 -called Lodi Vecchio, or the old Lodi. This town owed its 
 name and its prosperity to Pompeus Strabo, father of the 
 great Pompey. The Milanese burnt and destroyed the town 
 of Lodi in 1158; but the emperor Frederic Barbarossa, 
 having destroyed Milan, gave the citizens of Lodi a piece 
 of land, in which they might rebuild their town, on the 
 banks of the Adda. It soon became a considerable city; 
 kept its republican form; and was exposed to the civil wars 
 of the Guelfs and Gibelines ; till at length it was obliged to 
 fall under the power of the dukes of Milan." — Vide Lalunde. 
 
 At Lodi the roads separate, — the one leading to Parma, 
 and the other to Cremona. In taking the latter the bridge i| 
 passed. i 
 
280 
 
 my curiosity on the subject, I returned to Lodi 3 
 and continued my journey towards Parma. 
 
 When we arrived on the banks of the Po, 
 we found that the ferryboat in which carriages 
 are usually conveyed had been carried away 
 by the overflowing of the river. We were con- 
 sequently obliged to hire a common boat ; and, 
 placing our carriage on it, in rather a tottering 
 situation, effected the passage in safety. 
 
 The town of Placenzia stands at a distance 
 of a quarter of a mile, on the other side. On 
 our arrival, I went immediately to the Piazza, 
 or principal square, and saw there- the eques- 
 trian statues of two princes of the house of 
 Farnese, so much praised by travelers of taste, 
 and so celebrated all over Europe. These sta- 
 tues are indeed beautiful, and deserve the com- 
 mendations which have been lavished on them. 
 
 The French have just taken possession of 
 this city, as well as Parma, in consequence of 
 the death of the late duke, who, on the ap- 
 pointment of his son to the kingdom of Etru- 
 ria, agreed by treaty that his hereditary do- 
 minions should be at the disposal of the re- 
 public " one and indivisible " whenever he died. 
 I found a party of French soldiers collected 
 near these statues, and accompanied by a band 
 of military music, who were playing Ca ira, 
 the Marseillois hymn, and other national songs, 
 
281 
 
 in order to attract and amuse their new sub- 
 jects, who listened in crowds' to this harmony, 
 and were expected in return to take off their 
 hats and cry " vive la republique." 
 
 The carriages of the old nobility of this 
 place were still rolling about, adorned with 
 full quartered arms and attended by servants 
 in laced liveries, reminding one of the expiring 
 government, while the ceremony I have just 
 mentioned announced the one about to be esta- 
 blished. 
 
 The cathedral of Placenzia has a cupola of 
 much repute, painted by Guercino ; but it has 
 suffered so much from damp and the hand of 
 Time that it is almost effaced. 
 
 I saw nothing else in this town worth ob- 
 serving : whatever other curiosities it formerly 
 possessed have been taken away by the French. 
 
 We slept at a decent inn. 
 
 November 6. — We continued our journey 
 about nine o'clock this morning. The weather 
 was fine, the country rich, and the road excel- 
 lent ; but the posting was far from good. We 
 passed the river Taro on a floating bridge, 
 made by the junction of several boats. 
 
 We reached Parma about three ; and I pro- 
 ceeded immediately to see its curiosities. I 
 am sorry to add, that the French have taken 
 away nearly all the valuable pictures which 
 
282 
 
 ©nee adorned this town, excepting those which, 
 being painted al-fresco, could not be removed, 
 
 The cathedral* (here called II Duomo) still 
 possesses its esteemed cupola, the work of Cor* 
 regio ; but the damp has injured it so much 
 that it is scarcely visible. The same thing may 
 be said of the cupola of the church of St, John 
 the Evangelist. 
 
 The Madonna della Scala, a small chapel at 
 the extremity of the town, is ornamented with 
 a lovely Madonna and Child, painted by Cor- 
 regio on the wall of his father-in-law's house. 
 This picture is^ still in high preservation and 
 perfect beauty. Such was the reputation of 
 this work of Corregio, that it drew from the 
 purses of its pious admirers a sum sufficient to 
 buy the house, which now constitutes the 
 chapel. 
 
 The other churches have lost all which once 
 excited the attention of strangers. 
 
 November 7— After sleeping at the little inn 
 of Parma, where the young prince of Mecklen- 
 burg Strelitz, nephew to our queen and bro- 
 
 * In this cathedral Agostino Caracci was buried, ani 
 his epitaph is still seen here. He died in 1601. There is 
 also the curious epitaph of a man who in his life-time made 
 his own mausoleum, with this inscription : — " Jo. Martinm 
 Maraica, J. M. doctor et eques, nolens discretioni haeredua 
 stare, vivus posuit." 
 
283 
 
 ther to the queen of Prussia, lodged the same 
 evening (he having passed the Po immediately 
 before us), we proceeded to see the remaining 
 curiosities of Parma. 
 
 We went first to the library, a fine edifice, 
 with two galleries adjoining to each other, 
 and containing many valuable editions. The 
 picture of the late prince is in one of the 
 rooms.— At the extremity of a gallery in this 
 library is placed a beautiful picture, by Cor- 
 regio — the subject of which is the Crowning 
 of the Virgin — painted al-fresco, but with the 
 finest and most striking colors. It was cut out 
 of the wall of a church at Parma, which it ori- 
 ginally adorned, and removed to its present si- 
 tuation. 
 
 After admiring this picture, which is truly 
 beautiful, we visited the celebrated theatre*. 
 It grieves me to add, that this vast room is 
 falling into decay. Its proportions are ad- 
 mirable : and I distinctly heard at one extre- 
 
 * " We procured a licence," says Mr. Addison, " of the 
 duke of Parma, to enter the theater and gallery, that deserve* 
 to be seen as well as any thing of that nature in Italy. The 
 theater is, I think, the most spacious of any I ever saw; and; 
 at the same time so admirably well contrived, that from the 
 very depth of the stage the lowest sound may be heard di- 
 stinctly to the furthest part of the audience, as in a whispering 
 place ; and yet, if you raise your voice as high as yau please, 
 there is nothing like an eccho, to cause in it the least confu- 
 sion."— Addison's Italy. 
 
284 
 
 mity of it the voice of a person who spoke in 
 a whisper at the other. Some travelers say the 
 theatre would hold twelve or fourteen thousand 
 persons ; while others assert that not more than 
 four thousand could sit with ease in it. It is 
 three hundred and fifty feet long, by ninety-six 
 wide. 
 
 On one side of the great theatre, which has 
 not been used for many years, is a small one, 
 where the court formerly gave concerts, and 
 which is pretty and of good architecture. 
 
 The palace, where we next bent our steps, 
 has nothing remarkable in it except the aca- 
 demy. This was formed by the last prince, 
 who died only three weeks ago, and who (if I 
 may be permitted to express an opinion found- 
 ed on the tears and universal praises of his sub- 
 jects) did great credit to his tutor, the abbe 
 Condiiliac. 
 
 The Virgin, by Corregio — once the glory 
 of the cabinet, and the favorite possession of 
 this prince — was the last sacrifice which he 
 made for peace, and is now at Paris ; whither 
 most of the other valuable articles former- 
 ly seen in this collection have also been re- 
 moved. 
 
 There is still, however, a fine picture, by 
 Parma^aneno, of Christ, the Virgin, and St. Mi- 
 chael ; and a small Judgement of Paris, by the 
 same artist (or rather Apollo giving Venus the 
 
285 
 
 apple decreed her by the judgement of Paris). 
 In the adjoining cabinet, the admired minia- 
 ture of a Sibyl, by the marquisse de Cassini, is 
 still seen. 
 
 The statues found at Velleia remain in the 
 academy. The figure of Agrippina, though 
 without head and arms, is beautiful, and con- 
 veys a just idea of the perfection to which the 
 arts were brought by the ancients. To these 
 have been added, within these few years, some 
 other statues ; particularly two colossal figures 
 of women, one supposed to be the wife of the 
 emperor Augustus, and the other the infamous 
 Messalina. There is also a very pretty statue 
 of Nero in his infancy, and a fine head of Ju- 
 piter. These were all found at Velleia. 
 
 I saw in one of the rooms a curious specimen 
 of ornamental painting, originally attached to 
 the wall of a house in that ancient town. The 
 table of bronze has been removed to Paris. 
 
 In the academy are collected some good co- 
 pies in plaster of the most celebrated statues ; 
 some marble busts of the relations of the prince; 
 and a good portrait of the latter, accompanied 
 by his favorite dog. This picture is placed at 
 the top of the room, above the chair of state in 
 which he sat while distributing the annual 
 prizes. 
 
 The pictures which gained these prices are 
 preserved in another room - 9 and many of them 
 
286 
 
 give one reason to hope that the art of painting 
 may again revive at Parma, which was long 
 considered one of its favorite haunts. I saw 
 among the modern productions a Nativity by 
 Biago Martino, a young artist born in this 
 town. His work Would not disgrace the pencil 
 of the first masters. The heads of several of the 
 figures are admirable, and in the style of Do^ 
 menichino ; and a wrinkled old man seems alive 
 on the canvas. It is only to be regretted that 
 the face of the Virgin Mary is not well drawn: 
 her Countenance is downcast, ill formed, and 
 inexpressive. Had he not failed in that part of 
 his subject, the work might have been placed 
 by the side of the chefs-d'eeuvres of Raphael, 
 Guido, and Gorregio. The same artist has 
 painted a Diogenes, also in this room ; but 
 though beautiful, it is not equal to the picture 
 which I have just mentioned. The Diogenes 
 was painted at Parma, before the artist had been 
 at Rome ; but the Nativity after his return. I 
 also saw in the modern collection another Na- 
 tivity, which deserves every praise, by Dietrich, 
 a Saxon student. An old head, by a Portuguese 
 called Vienca, also arrested our attention. On 
 the whole, we were highly pleased with the 
 academy, which reflects much honor on the 
 memory of the prince who established it, and 
 on the names of those who by their genius and 
 industry have contributed to its ornament. 
 
287 
 
 From the library we went to the Palazzo 
 Giardino. One of the rooms still possesses the 
 paintings al-fresco of Agostino Caracci and of 
 Cignani. The palace is not large, but th6 
 apartments are handsome, and run en suite ; 
 —The park, or garden, is pleasant and exten- 
 sive. 
 
 The body-guard of the late prince, whos6 
 sudden death is the theme of general regret 
 through all his dominions, wear still the uni- 
 form of their deceased sovereign, with crape 
 on their arms as mourning; and all the prin- 
 cipal inhabitants are dressed in black. 
 
 The citadel is not given up ; and Moreau dt 
 St. Mery*, the French administrator, has con- 
 tented himself with taking possession of the 
 government, without interfering for the pre- 
 sent with the private property or military esta- 
 blishment of the late prince. Strange reports 
 are propagated about his death, attributed, b^ 
 the populace, to the crimes of France ; but the 
 
 * This gentleman has experienced the reverses which, 
 are so frequent in the history pf those persons who were con- 
 cerned in the French revolution. A member of the consti- 
 tuent assembly, he was afterwards obliged to emigrate, and 
 retired to America, where he kept a little bookseller's shop, 
 and by the profits of this trade gained a precarious subsis- 
 tence. He was at last permitted to return to France, and, 
 coming into favor, was sent minister to Parma. He is now 
 administrator, a character which answers pretty nearly to 
 what we should call a viceroy. 
 
288 
 
 good opinion generally entertained of the pre- 
 sent administrator of that country, who was mi- 
 nister of the republic at the time of this fatal 
 event, and the trifling advantage which his go- 
 vernment was to gain by the perpetration of so 
 great an enormity, ought to make one hope 
 that the charge is unfounded. It is injurious 
 to the cause of morals lightly to admit the sup- 
 position of crimes, which we must suppose, for 
 the honor of humanity, happen but rarely. 
 
 It seems that the prince of Parma (who was 
 also, as every body knows, infant of Spain) set 
 out on a journey; and, before he had passed 
 the limits of his own dominions, he was seized 
 with a complaint in his stomach. He ordered 
 himself to be conveyed to an adjoining convent, 
 and was taken to bed. Before morning he ex- 
 pired. — The abbe in whose arms he died, only 
 three weeks ago, was pointed out to me in the 
 streets of Parma. 
 
 When private individuals are thus suddenly 
 snatched from the theatre of life, we are satis- 
 fied at being told that they died " by the visi- 
 tation of. God:" but when sovereigns and 
 princes experience a similar fate, we are apt to 
 suppose that some artificial and criminal cause 
 has hastened the termination of their existence; 
 not recollecting that the highest as well as the 
 lowest are subject to the general doom, and that 
 the sudden death of the first potentate of Eu- 
 
289 
 
 rope does not require more explanation than 
 that of the most abject beggar ; for — ■ 
 
 " Pallida mors equo pulsat pede pauperum tabernas, 
 Regumque turres." 
 
 Though every body whom I met at Parma 
 asserted that the French had poisoned this 
 much-lamented prince, I could trace no proof 
 whatever of the truth of the accusation. Nei- 
 ther the person who administered the deadly 
 potion, nor the manner in which it was given, 
 nor the effects by which it generally shows it- 
 self, did any One attempt to demonstrate. I 
 think myself therefore bound, in common cha- 
 rity, to disbelieve the whole story *', 
 
 The public walk at Parma is pleasant ; and 
 I saw there many well-dressed persons, all of 
 whom were either in uniform or in mourning. 
 Tile carriages of the nobility, adorned with 
 arms and attended by servants in livery, roll 
 about the streets, and nothing yet bears the 
 appearance of a republican government. It 
 seems to be the general wish of the people here 
 
 ^ This letter was of course written long before the mur- 
 der of the duke d'Enghien. After the conduct of Bonaparte' 
 on that occasion, one might without much injustice be in- 
 clined to suspect him, on very slight evidence, of crimes the 
 most enormous ; but as at the time when the duke of Parma 
 died he had not given any indisputable proofs of a sanguinary 
 disposition, I conceive the reasoning on which I acquitted hii» 
 of the supposed murder of that prince was fully justified. 
 
 Vol. I. U 
 
290 
 
 to escape, if possible, the honor of being united 
 to the republic " one and indivisible." Had 
 they their choice, they would remain under the 
 government of the son of their deceased sove- 
 reign, the present king of Etruria ; and reports 
 are spread (probably without any foundation) 
 that some arrangements for that purpose are in 
 agitation, by the interposition of Spain, and the 
 payment of a large sum of money. If they 
 must not remain subjects of their hereditary 
 prince, they would then wish to become part 
 of the Italian republic. 4 in short, they would 
 rather be any thing than French citizens. Such 
 seemed to be the universal sentiment of all the 
 persons with whom I had any conversation du- 
 ring my short stay at Parma. 
 
 We left this city about eleven o'clock, and 
 reached Modena at five. We found at the lat- 
 ter place a comfortable inn, formerly called 
 Albergo Ducale, and now // Grando Albergo> 
 
 November 8. — I proceeded at an early hour 
 this morning to view the curiosities- of Mode- 
 na. Modena, though a small city, is remark- 
 able for the elegance of its buildings ; and the 
 principal streets, in which several handsome 
 public edifices are collected^ might vie with 
 some of the most celebrated in the largest ca- 
 pitals of Europe. 
 
 What was formerly called 11 Palazzo Ducale- 
 is the most distinguished of these buildings. It 
 
29i 
 
 has a fine front, a vast court surrounded with 
 handsome pillars, and a beautiful staircase; 
 The library, which forms part of the palace, 
 was the first object which I visited; M. deLa- 
 lande mentions that there was in this library a 
 valuable collection of books printed in the ear-« 
 liest period after the discovery of that art $ and 
 that there were two hundred editions from the 
 press of Janson and other printers of the fif- 
 teenth century. I was assured by the librarian 
 that no such editions had ever been here; and 
 that the report of this generally accurate writer 
 was on this subject incorrect. The manuscripts 
 which were formerly in the library have been 
 removed, and are now at Paris. The Greek 
 copy of the Evangelists made in the eighth 
 century, and the Miscellanea of Theodortis* a 
 Greek manuscript of the fifteenth century, 
 never printed, have experienced the same fate. 
 
 Pere Pozzetti is the present librarian; He 
 received me very politely ; but, as he did not 
 think fit to show me any of the books* I cannot 
 speak of the collection : it seemed large, and 
 well arranged; The best pictures were taken 
 from the different churches, to which they ori- 
 ginally belonged, by the duke, and removed to 
 his palace* which is indeed a splendid edifice. 
 These pictures (that is to say, those which the 
 French did not take away) are now in what is 
 
 U2 
 
292 
 
 called La (3alleria di Belle Arte. I went thi- 
 ther, and was much pleased in finding some 
 from the pencils of the best masters; among 
 which I remarked the following: — A fine large 
 picture of the Circumcision, by Procaccini 
 (very beautiful) ; the Crucifixion, by Guido ; 
 the Adoration of the Magi, by Giulio Romano ; 
 a fine Cene, or Last Supper, by Simon Pe- 
 saro ; a Presentation in the Temple, by Bou- 
 langer ; a portrait of a Prince of the House of 
 Est, by Guercino ; the family of St. Francis 
 d'Est, by Guercino ; four Salvator Rosas, a Ti- 
 tian, and a Caravaggio ; a Cene, or Last Sup- 
 per, by Bassano ; the Crowning of the Madon- 
 na, by Di Ferrare ; a Presentation in the Tem- 
 ple, by Palma Vecchio; the Communion of St 
 Francis, by Jessi; the Assumption of the Vir- 
 gin, by Corregio; the Virgin and a Saint, by 
 Guercino ; a fine Portrait, supposed to be by 
 Titian ; the Marriage of St. Catherine, by Eli- 
 zabeth Sirani ; the Adoration of the Magi, by 
 Procaccini ; &c. &c. 
 
 The skull of Corregio is preserved in this 
 room, under which the following lines are 
 written. — 
 
 " Corregio caput hie, Roma? est Raphael is, ubique 
 Nomen, et ut Romee compar honos Mutince ; 
 Sic victam Natura pavet Raphaelis ab arte,. 
 Corregio vinci pertimeat Raphael. 51 
 
293 
 
 Which may be Englished thus :— 
 
 You who respect the meritorious dead, 
 At Rome view Raphael's, here Corregio's head : 
 The world at large records their honov'd name; 
 Nor less than Rome is Modena in fame. 
 Nature. by Raphael fears to be surpass'd — ' 
 Corregio almost triumphs o'er the last, 
 
 The cathedral, where we next went, is an 
 ugly Gothic building. The tower of this church, 
 called La Guerlandia, is one of the highest in 
 Italy, and built entirely of marble. I descend- 
 ed with a guide, carrying a lighted torch, into 
 a cavern beneath, to see the sccchia rapita. It 
 is simply a log of wood, with an iron hoop 
 (probably the remains of a bucket), placed at 
 the bottom of a dark and damp hole ; but hav- 
 ing given rise to an Italian poem of much ce- 
 lebrity by Tassone, which derives its name from 
 it, it is generally visited by strangers. 
 
 The chapel formerly called Ducal is hand- 
 isome. There are also several other churches, 
 the architecture of which deserves notice. — 
 The botanical garden still exists, and is in 
 good order. — The town may justly be called 
 one of the prettiest of its size in Italy. It coi> 
 tains from twenty to thirty thousand inhabi- 
 tants. 
 
 The duke of Modena is still living j but he 
 
has been dispossessed, and his dominions have 
 become the prey of the victorious French. 
 
 We set out again about eleven o'clock 
 and, after a very pleasant journey along a fine 
 and even road, arrived at Bologna about four. 
 I shall now take my leave, and reserve for my 
 next letter my observations on that city. 
 
 I am, &e» 
 
295 
 
 LETTER XV. 
 
 Bologna — Geographical and historical account of this town—^ 
 Statue of Neptune, by John of Bologna — Palazzo Zambecarri 
 — Has not suffered by the war — Pictures there — Church of 
 Sun Paolo — Duomo, or S. Pietro — Palazzo Sampieri — 
 Finest pictures there now left in Italy — Chef-d'azuvre of Gui- 
 do, or St. Paul reproving St. Peter — Palazzo Tanari — Pic- 
 tures there — Former convent of S. Vitale, now a national 
 museum of pictures taken from the churches — Palazzo Bond- 
 glioli — Palazzo Ranuzzi — Palazzo Caprari — Palazzo Monti, 
 Favi, Magnani, and Aldrovandi — Palazzo Lambertini— 
 St. Michael in Bosco — The Capucina — The Madonna di S. 
 Luca, and in a note the history of the sacred picture from 
 which the church is named — Church of Scalzi — The Char- 
 treuse, now a burying place — The Madonna di Galiera, and 
 the chapel of II Oratorio — S. Bartolomeo di Reno — Gesu e 
 Maria — The Mendicanti di Dentio — S. Francesco, now the 
 custom-house — S.Salvatore; and in the sacristie St. Sebas- 
 tian, by Guido — S.Paolo — Corpus Domini — Santa Agnese, 
 now a barrack — S. Domenico — Church of the Inquisition de- 
 stroyed — Church of I Servi — S. Giovanni in Monte — S. Gre- 
 gorio — S. Benedetto — S. Martino Maggiore — S. Leonardo 
 — Capucine convent — St. Nicolas deSt. Felix -— S. Giovanni 
 Battista — S. Giacomo Maggiore La Carita ---Towers of 
 Bologna, called Di GliAsinelli and Di Garisendi — // Duomo, 
 or the cathedral of S. Pietro — S. Petronio-r-University and 
 anatomical school — Piazza Maggiore — The Palazzo Publico 
 — Palazzo di Podesta — Torazzo — Church of S. Maria della 
 Vita — Institute of Bologna— Anatomical collection there—* 
 II Pelegrino, the principal inn- 
 
 Bologna, Nov. 11, 1802. 
 
 My dear sir, 
 
 After passing three days most 
 agreeably, in contemplating the beautiful pic- 
 
296 
 
 tures which still remain in this town, I am just 
 preparing, not without regret, to take my de» 
 parture. I now send you a rough sketch of 
 what I have seen. 
 
 I oughtj perhaps, to begin with giving you 
 a short geographical account of this place. 
 Bologna (called in Latin Bononia *) is a city 
 containing nearly seventy-five thousand inha- 
 bitants ; situated at forty-four degrees thirty 
 minutes of north latitude, and nineteen de^ 
 grees one minute of longitude east of Paris j 
 was reckoned the second city in the papal 
 state f t and one of the first in Italy for the de- 
 gree of eminence to which the arts and sci- 
 ences have been carried within its walls. 
 
 As to its history, after having been succes- 
 sively subject to Charlemagne, to the king of 
 the Lombards, and the archbishop of Ravenna, 
 it became an independent republics and re- 
 mained so till the year 1327, when the inhabi- 
 tants voluntarily submitted themselves to the 
 dominion of the pope. In 1376 they threw off 
 the papal yoke, and were for some years ex- 
 posed to all the storms and vicissitudes of fac- 
 tion. John Bentivoglio ruled for some time 
 
 * tt , parvique Bononia Rheni." 
 
 Sil lta\ t 
 
 Bologna watered by the petty Rhine. 
 
 ij- Bologna now forms part of the Italian republic. 
 
297 
 
 with sovereign sway in this little common- 
 wealth. In 1402 John Galeas Visconti, first duke 
 of Milan, rendered himself master of the town; 
 but, in the year following, his son and succes- 
 sor, together with the garrison which he had 
 left here, was driven away ; and Bologna again 
 placed itself under the protection of his holi- 
 ness. 
 
 After several revolutions, during which the 
 family of Bentivoglio and the pope were alter- 
 nately sovereigns of this city, Julius the Se- 
 cond, an ambitious and warlike pontiff, suc- 
 ceeded in fully re-establishing the government 
 of the papal see : under which it continued 
 uninterruptedly till the arrival of the French 
 and Bonaparte, by whom it was afterwards 
 united to the Cisalpine or Italian republic. 
 
 Bologna is not a very handsome city ; and 
 the convenience which the inhabitants enjoy, 
 of walking in the streets under piazzas, or por- 
 ticos, attached to the houses (which afford a 
 constant shelter against the inclemencies of the 
 weather), throws a considerable degree of 
 gloom over the appearance of the town. I 
 was indeed little disposed to believe ( judging 
 from the exterior of the houses) that they pos- 
 sessed the treasures which I found within. 
 
 I proceed to speak in detail of my tour 
 round this place. 
 
 yhe first object which arrested my attention. 
 
298 
 
 \ras the celebrated statue of Neptune, the work 
 of John of Bologna. This is justly esteemed 
 one of the finest specimens of modern sculp- 
 ture: and it was fortunate that this statue was 
 of so colossal a size that it could not be carried 
 across the Alps : it would otherwise have long 
 since adorned the streets of Paris, instead of 
 the city which produced the artist to whose 
 skill it does such infinite credit. 
 
 After examining attentively this Neptune, 
 which stands in a conspicuous part of the 
 town, I went to the Palazzo Zambecarri, 
 which is one of the most remarkable in Italy 
 for a choice collection of the chefs-d' eeuvres of 
 the first masters. I was very happy to find that 
 this gallery had experienced little, if any, loss 
 from the war and the revolution. — The follow- 
 ing admirable pictures are still here : — the De- 
 scent from the Cross, by Paul Veronese ; a Fe- 
 male Head, painted on stone, by Guido ; our 
 Saviour on the Cross between Thieves, by 
 Jessi; Chase of the Boar (very fine), by Snei- 
 3er; a Cene, or Last Supper, by Di Ferrare; 
 St. Peter, St. James, and St. John visiting the 
 Virgin after the Death of Christ, by Ludovico 
 Caracci ; the Descent from the Cross, by Luca 
 Giordano ; a fine Old Head, and the Head of 
 a Child, from the Venetian school ; a Magda- 
 len, by Guido Cagnacci ; the Virgin, our Sa-r 
 iriour, and St. John, by Elizabeth Sirani 3 the- 
 
299 
 
 Head of St. John, by Valentin ; Judas betray- 
 jug Christ, by Torelli ; a Dead Christ and Vir- 
 gin (mentioned by Lalande), by Tiarini ; a Na- 
 tivity (very beautiful), by Ludovico Caracci; 
 portrait of an Old Woman (extremely fine), by 
 Vandyck ; an Old Head, in the style of Titian, 
 by Prospero Fontana ; an Old Woman and a 
 Girl in the Dress of the Country, and an Old 
 Woman and Boy, by Guercino; portrait of 
 an 014 Woman, by Guido ; a Cardinal of the 
 House of Medici, by Domenichino; an Old 
 Head, by Paul Veronese; a fine Head of a 
 Young Monk, by Tintoretto ; Head of Charles 
 the Fifth, by Titian; an Old Woman, with 
 Children, by Tintoretto ; an Antiquarian, by 
 Carlo Cignani ; the Marriage of St. Catherine 
 (a delightful picture), by Albani; the Assump- 
 tion of the Virgin, by Ludovico Caracci ; St. 
 Jerome, and a Magdalen, by Elizabeth Sirani; 
 a Holy Family, by Palma Vecchio ; Prome- 
 theus, by Spagnoletto ; Judith cutting off the 
 Head of Holofernes (a magnificent picture), by 
 M. A. Caravaggio ; Lot and his Daughter, b^* 
 Guercino; a Crucifixion, by Tintoretto; Da- 
 vid holding the Head of Goliath, accompa- 
 nied by Saul, by Guercino; Virgin and Child 
 (in the chapel), by Franceschini ; St. John in 
 the Desert, by Simon Pesaro, a pupil of Gui- 
 do ; the Denial of St. Peter, by Tiarini ; Icar 
 rus putting his Wings on the Back of his So>% 
 
300 
 
 by M. A. Caravaggio ; a line Old Head, by 
 Spagnoletto ; the Magdalen Asleep, and St. 
 Paul the first hermit (a delightful picture), by 
 Guercino. 
 
 Some small drawings are shown in a cabinet, 
 by the first masters. — Our Saviour Crowned 
 with Thorns (in small, but very pretty), by 
 Albert Durer. St. Francis, by Domenichino. 
 Three pictures mentioned by Lalande, and very 
 celebrated — viz., the Golden Calf, the Repast 
 of the Angels, and Jacob's Ladder — are still 
 here, by Ludovico Caracci. Death of St. Je- 
 rome (in small), by Hannibal Caracci ; St. Pe- 
 ter (very beautiful), byGuido; St. Francis, by 
 Guercino ; a fine Old Head, by Guido j our 
 Saviour and an Angel, by Tintoretto; St. 
 Francis (justly esteemed one of the best pic- 
 tures in the collection) by Guido; Jesus Christ, 
 the Virgin, St. Francis, and St. Jerome (truly 
 beautiful), by Alhani ; Virgin and Christ, by So- 
 limene; Two Children, by Simon Pesaro; a Boy 
 writing Verses dictated by Homer, by the che- 
 valier Calabrese ; the Virgin, Jesus Christ, St. 
 Clare, St. Augustin, and St. Anthony, by Cor- 
 regio ; St. John, St. Joseph, and St. Elizabeth, by 
 Benvenuto Garofalo ; an Old Woman, and a 
 Girl with Cherries, by a scholar of Ludovico 
 Caracci; St. Sebastian (a very famous picture), 
 by Titian; the Maid Servant of Leonardo Spadi, 
 by that artist; St. John, by the same - } St. Philip, 
 
301 
 
 T>y Guercino ; the Martyrdom of St. Ursula, by 
 Pusinelli; a Paradise, by Ludovico Caracci $ 
 St. Gregory, by Guercino. 
 
 If you are tired with this long list of pic- 
 tures, the fault is in the abundant riches of the 
 collection, not in me. It was impossible, among 
 such very superior specimens, to select a smaller 
 number, without doing absolute injustice both 
 to the gallery and the artists. 
 
 From the Palazzo Zambecarri I went to the 
 church of San Paolo. The Paradise, by Ludo- 
 vico Caracci still remains ; and likewise the St. 
 Gregory, by Guercino. The church deserves 
 a visit, not only for its pictures, but likewise 
 for its style of architecture, which is extremely 
 good. 
 
 II Duomo, or San Pietro, is not the largest 
 church of Bologna, but still a handsome build- 
 ing. I saw there the Annunciation, painted al- 
 fresco (his last work) by Ludovico Caracci ; 
 the ceiling painted by Prospero Fontana ; and, 
 in another part, St. Peter receiving the Keys of 
 Heaven, by Caesare Aretusi, after a drawing 
 by John Baptist Fiorini. 
 
 The Palazzo Sampieri, whither I next went, 
 contains perhaps the finest pictures now left in 
 Italy. Here, beside the works of the first 
 masters, and the celebrated al-fresco ceilings 
 of Hannibal Caracci, I saw the chef-cV ceavre of 
 Guido, called St. Paul reproving St. Peter, or 
 
302 
 
 St. Peter weeping, as it is commonly eallech 
 This is certainly one of the most beautiful pic- 
 tures in the world, and not unjustly counted 
 among the ornaments of Italy. The expres- 
 sion of the countenances, and the richness of 
 the coloring, are beyond description admirable. 
 St. Peter is not actually weeping, but the tear 
 of repentance seems ready to fall from his 
 manly eye. 
 
 I gave myself the trouble of writing down 
 the names of the pictures which struck me 
 most, together with those of the artists from 
 whose pencils they came ; but I find the list 
 so extensive, that, fearful of rendering my let- 
 ter unreasonably long as well as tiresome, 
 I have not ventured to copy it. I received, in 
 going away, a catalogue of the pictures, which 
 boasts all the first names in the art of painting : 
 and the works which I saw here fully proved 
 themselves, by their superior beauty, to be the 
 real productions of the masters to whom they 
 are attributed. Having giving up my original 
 plan of adding a detailed account, I shall only 
 specify the following Abraham sending away 
 Hagar and the Child Ismael, by Guercino, in 
 his second style; the Descent from the Cross, 
 by John Bellini, the master of Titian j St- Je- 
 rome and the Madonna, copied from Corregio 
 by Ludovico Caracci ; the Birth of Hercules 
 (in the chapel), by Guercino j a* Philosopher, 
 
303 
 
 by Tintoretto ; the Holy Family {small size, 
 but extremely beautiful), by Raphael; and a 
 Child (also of a small size), by Corregio. 
 
 There are, beside the numerous and valu- 
 able pictures, some excellent statues in this 
 palace, — particularly a Grecian figure of a Fe- 
 male, made of one block of marble; and a 
 Christ on the Cross, by John of. Bologna, also 
 formed of one block. 
 
 M. de Lalande mentions this palace, and 
 enumerates many of the pictures ; but in addi- 
 tion to those which he has praised, all of which 
 are still here* (particularly the work of Albani, 
 
 * To prevent the surprise which the English reader 
 Siay feel :at discovering that such superior pictures have: 
 escaped th(e grasp of the French government, I beg leave to 
 mention, thiat the republicans made a distinction, from which 
 they never deviated, between the property of churches or 
 religious houses and those of private individuals. The former- 
 was seized without mercy, but the latter was, with few if 
 any exceptions, respected by the victorious enemy. It is- 
 true that many proprietors, in consequence of the enormous, 
 contributions which they were called upon to pay, were 
 obliged to sell some or all of their pictures and statues, 
 qnd thus private palaces have occasionally undergone the 
 same fate as churches, public buildings, and convents ; but 
 where the possessors found other means of paying their quota 
 of taxation, their collections escaped unhurt. This- sort of 
 moderation in the French (which will perhaps be thought to 
 resemble the honesty of thieves) has preserved to Bologna ia 
 particular, and to many other towns besides, some of the. 
 most interesting, object* by which straogers are attracted. 
 
304 
 
 in which, as that writer observes, the painter" 
 has lavished with a prodigal hand those graces 
 which he knew so well how to bestow), there 
 are many others, of equal if not superior 
 beauty. 
 
 I next went to II Palazzo Tanari. Oppcn 
 site t6 one of the gates of this mansion, in the 
 open street, appears on a wall an al-fresco 
 painting of Hercules, one of the first attempts 
 of Guercino, and which obtained for him the 
 patronage of the noble family to whom the 
 palace belongs. It is said, that, till by this 
 specimen he proved his title to superior repu- 
 tation, he worked as a common painter in the 
 town of Bologna, at the wages of four pauls (or 
 two English shillings) a-day. 
 
 The collection of paintings in the Palazzo 
 Tanari is extremely rich. The following are 
 the pictures which I most observed : — the Mar- 
 tyrdom of St. Bartholomew, by Domenichino, 
 copied by Jessi ; the History of Hercules, 
 painted in four door-pieces, by John Joseph 
 del Sole, pupil of Guido ; the Assumption of 
 the Virgin (a most lovely picture), by Guer- 
 cino; St. Augustin (admirable), by Guercino ; 
 St. Roche, by Ludovico Caracci; S.Antonio, 
 by Ludovico Caracci ; the Toilet of Venus, 
 by Hannibal Caracci ; Alexander, &c, by 
 Ludovico Caracci; the Kiss of Judas, by Lu- 
 dovico Caracci ; a Magdalen, by Simon Pesaro | 
 
605 
 
 the Negation of St* Peter, by Elizabeth Sira- 
 ni ; the same subject, by Hannibal Caracci (a 
 charming picture) ; the Virgin giving Milk to 
 Christ, by Guido (a chef-d 1 osuvre) y the Bath of 
 Diana, by Agostino Caracci ; St, Cecilia, by 
 Franceschini ; Apelles making from different 
 Forms a Model of Female Beauty, by Agos- 
 tino Caracci; a Sibyl, by Ludovico Caracci; 
 the Virgin (called the Virgin of the Rose- 
 copied from the original at Dresden of Par- 
 maganeno), by Ludovico Caracci j a clock, 
 ornamented with a beautiful little picture of 
 the Flight into Egypt, by Carlo Maratti ; a 
 very fine Cene, or Last Supper, by Agostino 
 Caracci j St. Charles Borromeo, with a Cross, in 
 his hand (very fine), by Carlo Dolce ; a Ma- 
 donna (in little — copied from an original of 
 Regio), by Ludovico Caracci ; the Evil Spirit 
 driven from Paradise, by Albani ; a Magdalen, 
 by Torri, a pupil of Guido ; the Marriage of 
 Zachariah and Elizabeth, by Ludovico Caracci; 
 a beautiful little Madonna, painted on copper, 
 by Albani; the Death of Abel, by Lorenzo 
 Sabastini, a pupil of Raphael; the Birth of 
 Alexander the Great, by Ludovico Caracci ; a 
 Holy Family, the first work of Hannibal Ca- 
 racci; the Decollation of St. John, painted on 
 stone, by Marteletti ; St. Sebastian, by Hercules 
 di Ferrare ; another St. Sebastian, from the 
 school of Titian ; the Mistresses of the Caracci, 
 
306 
 
 painted by those artists while they were em- 
 ployed in this palace about the pictures al- 
 ready enumerated. 
 
 From the Palazzo Tanari we Went to th* 
 former convent of S. Vital e ; in which building 
 are now deposited the pictures of those churches 
 and religious houses which have been reformed 
 since the revolution. Here it is proposed to 
 form a national museum, or gallery, but the 
 arrangement is not yet complete; and many 
 of the best pictures are not seen to advantage. 
 There are also many very indifferent pieces, 
 mixed with some of the best works of the first 
 masters. I add a list of the pictures which 
 pleased me most: — the Eternal Father (this 
 picture was painted in one night!), by Guer- 
 cino ; St. Jerome in the Desert, by Simon Pe- 
 saro; St. Francis and the Angels byJessi*, a 
 pupil of Guido; St. Lewis, St. Alexis, and other 
 Saints, by Hannibal Caracci ; the Preaching in 
 the Desert, by Ludovico Caracci ; the Flagella- 
 tion, by the same ; the Crowning with Thorn* 
 (much damaged), by the same ; the Martyrdom 
 of St. Thomas, by the same j Three Friars, by 
 the same ; the Conversion of St. Paul, by the 
 same ; Jesus Christ, the Virgin, St. Jerome, and 
 §t. Francis, by the same; the Assumption of 
 
 * There are several other pictures by this painter in tthe 
 collection. 
 
SO? 
 
 the Virgin, by Hannibal Caracci ; the Nativity 
 (very fine), by the same ; the Transfiguration 
 (a beautiful picture), by Ludovico Caracci ; St. 
 William in the Desert, by Albani ; Sampson 
 (an excellent picture), by Guido; St. Andrew 
 Corsini, by the same ; our Saviour appearing 
 to his Mother, by Albani ; St. Catherine, and St. 
 Barbara, by the same; the Resurrection, by 
 the same ; the Crowning of the Virgin, accom-^ 
 panied by St. John the Baptist, St. John the 
 Evangelist, St. Catherines and St. Bernard, by 
 Guido (done when the artist was only eighteen 
 years old); St. Roche and his Dog, by thesame. 
 
 After viewing these collections, I inquired 
 about the others named by M. Lalande :-7-the 
 Palazzo Bontiglioli is locked up, and no 
 strangers are admitted: the Palazzo Ranuzzi 
 is no longer shown ; nor is the Palazzo Caprari; 
 the Palazzo Monti is locked up; as are also 
 the palaces of Favi> Magnani, and Aldrovandi. 
 The three last were spoiled by the French sol* 
 diers who were quartered there during the 
 war. The Palazzo Lambertini exists no more 
 las a place of public exhibition. 
 
 It has been remarked by former travelers, that 
 the palaces of Bologna cannot vie with those of 
 Genoa, either in point of architecture or of 
 tasteful decoration ; but if the buildings here 
 be less magnificent, the pictures are infinitely 
 
 X 2 
 
308 
 
 more beautiful : and I do not think, if we ex- 
 cept Rome, Paris, and Dresden, that any town 
 in Europe possesses so vast and rich a collec- 
 tion of originals by the first masters. 
 
 Of the present state of the churches I re- 
 ceived the following account. — 
 
 St. Michael in Bosco has been reformed, amd 
 is now a prison. 
 
 The Capucina, after being completely spoil- 
 ed by the French, has been pulled down. 
 
 The Madonna di S. Luca*, of which M. La- 
 lande gives us so lively an account, still exists, 
 with its holy picture, and vast gallery, extend- 
 ing from the town to the top of the hill, built 
 
 * This church was built in 1106, by a holy virgin called 
 the <c Hermita rebuilt in 1481 ; and again, with additional 
 magnificence, in 1760. It derives its celebrity, as well as itq 
 name, from a picture of the Virgin and infant Christ, which, 
 as the Italians are fully persuaded, was the work of the evan- 
 gelist St. Luke, and taken from life. 
 
 The church stands on a mountain about three English 
 miles from the town; and the piety of the inhabitants has 
 displayed itself in the erection 'of an arcade, or gallery; to- 
 wards the expense of which all classes of the people contri- 
 buted, from the proudest nobles to the humblest peasants ; and 
 which runs from the town to the summit of the hill. Under 
 this gallery, or covered way, the sacred picture is carried to 
 Bologna on certain days, with becoming pomp, without being 
 subject to the inclemency of the weather: and the holy pil- 
 grims, who flock hither from all parts of Italy, enjoy the same 
 convenience. The picture itself is never shown but with 
 
309 
 
 by the piety of the Bolognese. My curiosity 
 did not lead me beyond the beginning of the 
 arcade. 
 
 The church of Scalzi still exists. 
 
 The Chartreuse is reformed as a church, and 
 has now become a burying-place. The pic- 
 tures formerly seen here are now at S.Vitale, 
 and at the Institute. 
 
 The Madonna di Galiera (or Eglise des 
 Peres de l'Oratoire de St. Philip Neri) exists, 
 and the pictures in the church remain; but 
 from the sadristie, or vestry, the French took 
 away no less than fourteen fine pictures. In a 
 chapel separated from the church, called II 
 
 lighted tapers and accompanying prayers, and to none but 
 prostrate visitors. 
 
 M. de Lalande quotes from M. Grossley, that when that 
 writer went to see the picture the sacristain spoke of it 
 in the most enthusiastic terms ; and, after commenting on 
 its various beauties with all the warmth which an Italian 
 climate and the zeal of religion could dictate, assured the 
 smiling traveler that the Virgin would not permit herself to 
 be copied; and that whenever a presumptuous artist at- 
 tempted to paint her heavenly countenance, she contrived, by 
 turning her head, or shutting her eyes, to render his profane 
 attempt abortive. M. Lalande adds, that only truth was 
 wanting to the pious report of the good sacristain, as in va- 
 rious parts of Italy there are exact copies of this virgin pic- 
 ture. 
 
 Both the face of the madonna and that of the child are of 
 a black color. • 
 
310 
 
 Oratorio, is still seen the Ecce Homo of Ludo- 
 vico Caracci, painted al-fresco on the wall. 
 
 In the S. Bartolomeo di Reno is still seen the' 
 Nativity of Agostino Caracci ; but it is spoiled ; 
 as are the Adoration and Circumcision, by Lu- 
 dovico Caracci. 
 
 From the Gesu e Maria, the St. William of 
 Albani has been removed to S. Vitale. The 
 Circumcision of Guercino, which was former- 
 ly over the principal altar in this church, was 
 taken away by the French. The Eternal Fa- 
 ther, also by Guercino, which was originally 
 here, is now at S. Vitale. 
 
 The Mendicanti di Dentio has been destroy- 
 ed, and the pictures are at Paris. 
 
 S. Francesco has been reformed. The church 
 is now the dotiane, or custom-house. The pic- 
 tures are at S. Vitale, 
 
 S, Salvatore still exists, and is one of the finest 
 churches at Bologna. The Assumption, by 
 Agostino Caracci, and the little picture of our 
 Saviour holding the Cross, formerly seen over 
 the door of the third chapel, have been re- 
 moved. In the sacristie, the St. Sebastian of 
 Guido, and the David holding the Head of Gor 
 liath, remain ; as well as the picture of the 
 Saints, by John Viali, The precious manu* 
 scripts and rare editions formerly admired in 
 this convent are at Paris. 
 
311 
 
 S. Paolo is uninjured. It lias not lost any 
 of its pictures. 
 
 The Corpus Domini has nothing left worth 
 observing, excepting the ceiling, the figures on 
 which are by Franceschini. The Resurrection, 
 by Hannibal Caracci, formerly seen in the 
 fourth chapel of this church, has been carried 
 away. 
 
 S. Agnese is converted into a barrack. The 
 Martyrdom of the Saint, by Domeniehino, is 
 at Paris. The Holy Family, by Tintoretto, 
 formerly here, is at S. Vital e. 
 
 S. Domenico is still adorned with the picture 
 of S. Vincent di Ferrare, by Donato Creti ; and 
 with the paintings al-fresco in the sixth chapel, 
 by Guido. From the fifth chapel the cele- 
 brated Massacre of the Innocents, by Guido, 
 has been removed. S. Giacinta, by Ludovico 
 Caracci, has experienced a similar fate. 
 
 The chapel of S. Rosaire has not suffered ; 
 and the tombs mentioned by Lalande, and the 
 statues in the sacristie made of cypress wood, 
 are still to be seen here. The convent for- 
 merly attached to this church is now a barrack. 
 
 The church of the Inquisition is destroyed. 
 
 The picture of Frederic Bencovich, former- 
 ly seen at the Madonna del Plombo, followed 
 the victorious army. 
 
 From l'Oratorio the French have removed 
 
312 
 
 the Virgin, of Albani ; and' the Sibyls, and the 
 Angels, of Guido, are at S. Vitale. 
 
 The church of I Servi, and the paintings al- 
 fresco, still exist. The great picture, by Alba- 
 ni, of St. Andrew adoring the Cross, continues 
 to be seen in the fifth chapel ; and in the third, 
 Jesus appearing to Magdalen, by the same 
 painter. 
 
 The S. Giovanni in Monte, and the pic- 
 ture of the Martyrdom of St. Laurence, still 
 remain ; as do the two circular pictures of St. 
 Joseph and St. Jerome, by Guercino. The 
 other pictures are lost. 
 
 St. Felix, by Guercino, formerly seen at S. 
 Gregorio, has been carried to Paris. The Bap- 
 tism of our Saviour, by Albani, is still seen in 
 this church. 
 
 S. Benedetto and its pictures are unhurt. 
 
 S. Martino Maggiore exists ; but some of its 
 pictures have been removed to S. Vitale, while 
 the rest have been spoiled by the damp. 
 
 S. Leonardo is still standing, and the picture 
 of St. Anthony is here. In the fourth chapel of 
 this church, the Virgin encouraging St. Cathe- 
 rine, by Ludovico Caracci, remains. 
 
 The Capuchin convent has been destroyed ; 
 and the picture of Albani, formerly there, is at 
 Paris. 
 
 The walls of St. Nicolas de St. Felix have nQt 
 
313 
 
 been pulled down, but the interior is complete- 
 ly spoiled. 
 
 The pictures formerly seen at S. Giovanni 
 JBattista are now at S.Vitale. 
 
 S. Giacomo Maggiore is unhurt. 
 
 La Carita exists, but the picture by Fran- 
 ceschini has been removed. 
 
 S.Vitale is now the gallery, museum, or ge- 
 neral receptacle of the pictures taken from the 
 other churches and religious houses. 
 
 The towers of Bologna, called the Tower di 
 gli Asinelli, and the Tower di Garisendi, are 
 still standing, notwithstanding their apparent- 
 ly tottering position. For a particular account 
 of these singular buildings I must refer you 
 to M. Lalande. I went to the top of the high- 
 est of them, and enjoyed from this eminence 
 a delightful prospect. 
 
 TheD uomo, or cathedral of S. Pietro, is still 
 adorned with the last work of Ludovico Ca- 
 racci. 
 
 S. Petronio is unhurt. 
 
 The university, with its anatomical school, is 
 uninjured. In the chapel is seen the al-fresco 
 painting mentioned by many travelers. 
 
 The Piazza Maggiore has not been hurt.— 
 Of the Neptune of John of Bologna, I have be- 
 fore spoken. It adorns the principal place or 
 square of this town. 
 
 The Palazzo Publico has not been injured, 
 
314 
 
 but the pictures formerly there are at S. Vi~ 
 tale. The St. John in the Desert is at the In- 
 stitute. 
 
 The Palazzo di Podesta is converted into a 
 prison. 
 
 The tower called Torazzo still remains. 
 
 The church of S. Maria della Vita has not 
 been pulled down, but the picture of Louis. 
 XIV., of France, is no longer here. I could 
 hear no account of its fate. 
 
 I visited next the Institute of Bologna, so 
 Celebrated in every part of Europe. It did not 
 quite answer the expectations which I had 
 formed from its great repute. For a general 
 description, I must refer you to former writers. 
 But the arrangement has been much changed ; 
 and a fine anatomical collection in wax, for^ 
 merly belonging to the late earl Cowper, and 
 made at Florence, has been added, containing 
 models of accouehemens of every kind. The 
 only things which the French have taken from 
 the Institute, are its precious medals, and the 
 ancient instruments of sacrifice. The Hercu- 
 les, a beautiful statue, is still in the court of the 
 Institute ; and the painted ceiling of one of the- 
 rooms, by Peregrino Tibaldi, remains unhurt. 
 Some few good pictures ornament the Insti- 
 tute ; but many which were formerly in this 
 building have been removed to S. Vitde. 
 
 Before I conclude my account of Bologna, 
 
815 
 
 I ought to mention that I spent an evening 
 at the opera-house. The theatre is a dark, 
 dirty building. Madame Banti, so well known 
 in London, and who is a native of this town, 
 whither she lately returned, was the principal 
 attraction. I cannot say that she exerted the 
 utmost powers of her voice to please her coun- 
 trymen, and she certainly received not less ap* 
 pkmse than she deserved. 
 
 The principal inn of Bologna, called // Pe- 
 legrino, is very comfortable in its accommoda- 
 tions, though far from promising in its outward 
 appearance the conveniences which it affords. 
 It is, indeed, so far characteristic of this town, 
 which, though one of the least attractive of 
 Italy in point of exterior, is certainly the rich- 
 est, next to Rome, in the works of art contain- 1 
 ed within its public and private buildings. 
 
 I regret very much that my other arrange- 
 ments will not allow me to spend some more 
 time here, as the pictures still remaining de- 
 serve a much more particular examination 
 than I have been able to pay them. 
 
 I recommend it very strongly to you, and 
 to the rest of my English friends who may 
 hereafter visit this country, to pass if possible 
 some weeks at Bologna, — a place often neg- 
 lected by tourists, because of its dull and un- 
 promising exterior : but it is a mine replete 
 with precious stores - } and whoever is fond of 
 
316 
 
 such subjects will find a delightful employment 
 in exploring it. 
 
 As I purpose setting off to-morrow morning, 
 on my road to Florence, I shall now take my 
 leave. I offer no apology for this lengthened 
 account of the chefs-d'ceuvres which ornament 
 Bologna, as you will hear with pleasure that 
 Italy, robbed and plundered as she has been, 
 still possesses so many treasures. From the 
 pictures which I have named as still remain- 
 ing here, and from those which I have men- 
 tioned as taken away by the French, you will 
 be able to estimate the extraordinary degree 
 of perfection which the art had attained in 
 this little city, and the numerous specimens 
 which it presented in a place not larger than 
 a country town of England. 
 
 I am, &c. 
 
317 
 
 LETTER XVI. 
 
 Journey from Bologna to Florence — Pietra Mala — General ac~. 
 count of Florence — Porta di S.Gallo — // Duomo, or the 
 cathedral — The Baptistery, and its bronze gates — Statues in 
 the open streets unhurt — La Loggia — Gallery of Mtdici — - 
 Theatre of Niobe — The Hermaphrodite — Bust of Brutus — 
 Palazzo Pitti, now inhabited by the king of Etruria — Mu- 
 seum or cabinet of natural history, under the care of the 
 abbe Fontana — Botanical garden-^- Pictures of the Palazzo 
 Corsini — S.Lorenzo, and the mausoleum of the princes of 
 the house of Medici — Library of S.Lorenzo — Palazzo Ric- 
 cardi — Note containing the history of Bianca Capello — 
 Pictures of the Palazzo Riccardi — La Nunziata, and the 
 requiem performed there for the soul of the late duke of 
 Parma — The Madonna del Sacco of Andrea del Sarto in 
 the cloister of that church — Church of Santa Croce — Palazzo 
 Gerini, and pictures there — Pergola, or principal theatre of 
 Florence — Mattucci, a celebrated soprano singer heard there 
 — Delightful promenade near the gates of Florence, called 
 the Cassino — Academia di Belle Arte — Church of S. Marco 
 • — II Palazzo Vecchio — Fountain of Neptune, by John of 
 Bologna, and equestrian statue of Cosmo of Medici — Manu- 
 factures of alabaster and marble — General account of Flo- 
 rence, of its manners, conveniences, society, government, fyc. 
 
 Florence, Dec. 13, 1802. 
 
 My dear sir, 
 
 I HAVE passed a month in thi* 
 beautiful city, and intend leaving it to-morrow. 
 I now send you an account of my journey 
 hither, and of my general observations on the 
 
SI8 
 
 place. I shall not do so in the form of a 
 diary, as I have had the misfortune, during my 
 stay here, to be confined several days with a 
 severe intermittent fever : and, being unwill- 
 ing to plague you with a detail of my suffer- 
 ings, I shall only speak of the more agreeable 
 part of my residence in this interesting town. 
 
 We went from Bologna to Florence with 
 post horses, — a mode of traveling which I have 
 always adopted in preference to that by voi- 
 turier. Though the postillions are insolent, 
 and inclined to put on more horses than ne- 
 cessary, yet it is infinitely preferable to have 
 a dispute three or four times in the course of a 
 day with these fellows, than to be exposed to 
 the continual impertinence and provoking 
 foot-pace indolence of the muleteers. As to 
 myself, I am attended by so excellent a cou- 
 rier that I have been saved all kind of trouble, 
 and have escaped even the lesser evil which 
 I have just mentioned. 
 
 We were obliged once or twice in this jour- 
 ney, on account of the height of the Apennines, 
 to add an additional pair of horses to the 
 four with which we are usually drawn; and 
 even to these it became necessary to yoke at 
 one place a pair of oxen; but the regulations 
 were produced by the postmaster ordering 
 these assistances. 
 
 We slept the first night after leaving Bo* 
 
S19 
 
 iogna at a small inn about four posts from 
 Florence, and arrived just before it was dark. 
 We just perceived at a distance the light or 
 exhalation, of the Pietra Mala,— a natural flame 
 issuing from an adjoining mountain, mentioned 
 by Lalande as a great natural curiosity. We 
 obtained a comfortable bed and a good supper 
 at our little rustic inn; and, setting out the fol- 
 lowing morning at no very early hour, found 
 ourselves at the gates of Florence at four 
 o'clock. — I now proceed in my account of this 
 place. 
 
 Florence is a very beautiful city, built on 
 both sides of the river Arno, and joined by 
 three or four handsome bridges. The houses 
 are of stone, lofty, and of handsome architec- 
 ture. The streets are paved entirely with flag 
 •stones, so cut, that, while foot passengers walk 
 on them with the greatest ease, persons in car- 
 riages have not the least fatigue, and horses are 
 not, as might be imagined from this circum- 
 stance, subject to fall. The gate by which the 
 town is entered in coming from Bologna, called 
 JLa Porta di S. Gallo, is a kind of triumphal 
 arch, erected in honor of the emperor Francis 
 the First, then but grand-duke. 
 
 II Duomo, or the cathedral, is a very hand- 
 some building as to exterior appearance, being 
 formed entirely of black and white marble. I 
 ^cannot say that I thought it equally beautiful 
 
320 
 
 within. The church is rather dark, and by no 
 means rich in ornaments. 
 
 The Baptistery, said to have been formerly a 
 temple of Mars, and now employed for the 
 baptism of all the Florentines, is near the ca- 
 thedral. It is celebrated for its bronze gates, 
 which Michael An gel o said were worthy of 
 being the gates of Paradise. I thought them 
 handsome, yet certainly the residence of Adam 
 and Eve did not occur to me in beholding 
 them. The pillars of porphyry, and the chains 
 attached to them, taken from Pisa by the Flo- 
 rentines, are still seen on the outside of the 
 church. 
 
 Florence is adorned with statues scattered 
 about the streets ; and an Englishman sees with 
 wonder such beautiful specimens of the art of 
 sculpture thus openly exposed to the view and 
 dominion of a numerous populace. Were they 
 to be placed in a similar situation in London 
 for as many hours as they have been years at 
 Florence, they would probably be covered with 
 advertisements and rubbish, and mutilated, if 
 not entirely destroyed. The Italians, indeed, 
 seem to have a kind of natural respect for 
 works of this kind ; and I have never seen, nor 
 heard, of an injury done to any of those nume- 
 rous statues which are met with in their cities. 
 
 La Loggia (opposite the Palazzo Vecchio) 
 a kind of open portico, is still decorated with 
 
321 
 
 several celebrated figures; particularly those 
 of Judith cutting off the Head of Holofernes, 
 by Donatelli ; Perseus holding up the Head of 
 Medusa, which he has just cut off, by Benve- 
 nuto Cellini ; and the beautiful group of the 
 Rape of a Sabine Woman, the work of John of 
 Bologna — the three figures of which are meant 
 to represent Youth, Maturity, and Old Age. 
 The statue of David Conqueror of Goliath, by 
 Michael Angelo, is also much admired. 
 
 The gallery of Medici, or Florence, that ce- 
 lebrated collection so well known in every part 
 of Europe, exists with little alteration, — except 
 the loss of its great treasure, the Venus de Me- 
 dici, now at Paris. I went through all the dif- 
 ferent cabinets ; but as the catalogue is pub- 
 lished, I do not think it necessary to specify 
 either the pictures or statues which are seen 
 here. The cabinet or theatre of Niobe, con- 
 taining the celebrated statues of the unhappy 
 family of that namej is now the most striking^ 
 object in the collection *. The pictures of Ru- 
 
 * Note xvritten after my second visit to Florence. — One of the 
 figures of Niobe's children had been removed, but it is now 
 restored. Several Valuable pictures and statues were sent by 
 the grand-duke to Sicily, where they remained, under the 
 protection of the king of Naples. They have lately been 
 claimed by and delivered up to the king of Etruria, . who has 
 had them replaced in the gallery ; which is now exactly in 
 the same state as before the war, with the single but great 
 exceptioh.of the Venus de Medici. I heard "on this occasion, 
 
 Vol. I. Y 
 
322 
 
 bens are in the same room. The celebrated 
 figure of the Hermaphrodite is still seen in the 
 hall which bears its name. 
 
 There are several valuable pictures in the 
 different cabinets, for which I must refer you 
 to the catalogue, to M. Lalande, and innume- 
 rable other travelers. I was particularly pleased 
 with a picture in the Tuscan school, of Jo- 
 seph tearing himself from the Wife of Potiphar. 
 The coloring is admirable; and the faithless 
 wife is drawn in so beautiful a form, that the 
 virtue of Joseph becomes still more conspi- 
 cuous. 
 
 Among the statues I remarked the unfinished 
 bust of Brutus, by Michael Angelo, with the 
 following slavish inscription : 
 
 " Dum Bruti effigiem sculptor de marmore ducil, 
 In mentem sceleris venit, et abstinuit*." 
 
 The late lord Sandwich, while traveling in 
 Italy after leaving the university, felt that dis- 
 gust which, as an Englishman, and consequently 
 a friend of liberty, it was so natural to expe- 
 
 with no little surprise, that the king of Etruria has never yet 
 seen this magnificent collection, of which he is now become 
 the master. 
 
 * Which may be rendered thus — 
 
 As Brutus' form the sculptor's fancy plann'd, 
 He recollects the crime, and checks his hand. 
 
323 
 
 rience on reading these lines, and immediately 
 wrote the following verses, which ought, both 
 in honor to the Roman patriot and the modern 
 artist, to take place of those which now so un- 
 worthily are seen under the bust : 
 
 " Brutum effecisset sculptor, sed mente recursat 
 Tanta viri virtus, sistit et abstinuit*." 
 
 The Palazzo Pitti is still a magnificent pa- 
 lace, containing a vast suit of rooms almost 
 equal to those of Versailles. The pictures have 
 all been removed, excepting the painted ceil- 
 ings, which remain unhurt, and are extremely 
 beautiful. The garden, and the statues which 
 adorn it, are uninjured. 
 
 The king of Etruria and his family inhabit 
 this palace. The apartment of his majesty is 
 very simply furnished. 
 
 The Museum, or cabinet of natural history, 
 still exists, and continues under the care of the 
 celebrated abbe Fontana.- — The anatomical col- 
 lection, or Specula, is dreadfully fine, and per- 
 haps unequaled in the world. There is like- 
 wise a representation in wax of the Plague, so 
 well done as to make one shudder in behold- 
 ing it. The collection of insects, worms, shells, 
 
 * Which may be translated thus — 
 
 Though Brutus' form the sculptor's art began. 
 He stopp'd — nor could achieve the godlike man- 
 Y2 
 
324 
 
 coral, petrifactions, seeds, fruits, minerals, and 
 flowers, is magnificent. I saw here some white 
 iron from Hungary; tables of agate, granite, 
 and precious stones of all sorts ; a Patagoniian 
 skeleton, found in captain Byron's voyage ; a 
 cloak from the Sandwich Islands; the dress and 
 arms of an inhabitant of Otaheite, &c. At- 
 tached to this institution, is a good botani cal 
 garden. 
 
 The pictures of the Palazzo Corsini, though 
 only a private collection, are very fine indeed; 
 particularly the lovely figure of Poesy, by Car- 
 lo Dolce; a Venus, by Titian; a Lucretia, by 
 Guido ; an Eternal Father, by Lanfranco ; two 
 pictures of Cupids, by Albani ; a Crowning 
 with Thorns, by Andrea del Sarto ; a portrait 
 of Rembrandt, by himself; St. Nicholas, by 
 Luc a Giordano ; some cartoons, by Raphael ; 
 Riches and Philosophy, by Guido; St. Sebas- 
 tian, by Carlo Dolce ; an Old Head, by Lan- 
 franco ; two pictures — the subject of one a 
 Kitchen, and the other an Old Woman Spin- 
 ning — by Caravaggio ; a scene of Enchantment, 
 by Salvator Rosa ; and a Spanish Prince, by 
 Vandyck; &c. 
 
 I next visited S. Lorenzo, and the celebrated 
 chapel, or mausoleum, of the princes of the 
 house of Medici. As it has not been injured 
 during the revolution, it would be presump- 
 tuous in me to attempt describing it after the 
 
325 
 
 full account given by former writers. Suffice it 
 to say, that the tombs are adorned with the 
 rarest and most precious stones, and that the 
 chapel conveys no imperfect specimen of the 
 magnificence of the house of Medici. It has 
 never been finished ; yet the family whose 
 honors it was intended to commemorate is 
 extinct*. — Such is the history of human va- 
 nity ! 
 
 From the library of S. Lorenzo the French 
 have taken away the very valuable manuscript 
 of Virgil mentioned by Mr. Addison and by 
 Lalande. This collection still possesses many 
 early editions and curious manuscripts. 
 
 The Palazzo Riccardi, in which the family of 
 Medici lived after they left the Palazzo Vec- 
 chio, and before they settled in the Palazzo 
 Pitti, still contains many objects highly worthy 
 of notice. The ceilings, painted al-fresco by 
 Luca Giordano, retain all their beauty unim- 
 paired. The picture of Cupid in a Blacksmith's 
 Shop is still here; as are also the four pictures, 
 by Frederic Zuccheri, representing landscapes, 
 
 * Mr. Addison, who wrote a hundred years ago, seems 
 .to have foreseen this circumstance. — 
 
 " The chapel of St. Laurence," says he, " will perhaps 
 be the most costly piece of work on the face of the earth 
 when completed ; but it advances so very slow, that 'tis not 
 impossible but the family of Medicis may be extinct before 
 their burial-place is finish'd." — Addison's Italy. 
 
326 
 
 in each of which Bianca Capello * is introduced. 
 —Beside these, there are many excellent pic- 
 tures, particularly the following: — the Four 
 Evangelists, by Carlo Dolce; a Madonna and 
 Christ, by the same painter; an old Woman 
 picking a Fowl, by Rembrandt ; St. Paul the 
 first hermit, by Luca Giordano ; St. Jerome, 
 by the same ; a beautiful little likeness of that 
 
 * The name of this celebrated beauty induces me to add 
 a note, containing the heads of the story, founded on fact, 
 which M. de Lalande gives as a digression. — 
 
 Thomas Buonaventuri, a young Florentine of no fortune 
 and of obscure birth, was placed, at the end of the fourteenth 
 century, as apprentice in the family of a countryman of his 
 own, who was a tradesman at Venice. He there became 
 enamoured of Bianca, the lovely daughter of Bartolomeo Ca- 
 pello, a noble Venetian, whose palace was opposite the win- 
 dows of his master's house. By signs he contrived to make 
 his passion known to the object who had excited it. She 
 yielded to his entreaties ; and, by means of a back door, 
 came every night to his lodgings. The intimacy had existed 
 some time, when Bianca, returning one morning at the break 
 of day, found the door shut by which alone she could regain 
 her apartment undiscovered. In this dilemma she took a de- 
 cided part ; returned to the chamber of her lover, and determin- 
 ed to elope with him. After being concealed for some time at 
 the house of a Florentine friend at Venice, the lovers escaped 
 together, and arrived at Florence; where they were married, 
 and lived at first in great retirement. The beauty of Bianca 
 at last drew notice, and reached the ears of Francis, grand- 
 duke of Tuscany, son of Cosmo the First, and father of Mary 
 of Medici, queen of France, an amorous prince, who was 
 not much attached to his then wife, Joanna of Austria, and 
 
S27 
 
 artist, done by himself in crayons ; and also 
 original cartoons, or plans, whence he after- 
 wards painted his ceilings : two Madonnas, by 
 Luca Giordano, deserving particular notice on 
 account of the freshness and beauty of the 
 colors; a Madonna (in little), by Carlo Dolce; 
 two small drawings of the same ; and, likewise 
 done by himself, a small likeness in crayons of 
 
 widow of the king of Hungary. He saw and admired Bi- 
 anca ; and having, by dint of money, satisfied the scruples of 
 the husband, and formed what the Italians call un triangolo 
 cquilutro, found no remaining difficulties in the lady, who 
 soon became his acknowledged mistress. The queen of Hun- 
 gary tried in vain to rekindle the affection of her husband, 
 whose attachment to his new favorite increased every day, 
 The grief and jealousy of the queen preyed on her constitu- 
 tion, and she did not long survive the love of the grand-duke. 
 The latter, more and more enamoured of his Venetian mis- 
 tress, whose first husband died about this time, at length 
 married her,— to the great disappointment of his brother, the 
 cardinal Ferdinand, who was the next heir, if the elder died 
 -without issue. Bianca, having passed some years in mar- 
 riage without children, determined to secure her power over 
 the mind of Francis, by producing as her own a supposititious 
 child. After declaring herself in labor, an infant was in- 
 troduced by her confessor; but the fraud was discovered, 
 and published by the cardinal. — To punish and revenge this 
 insult, Bianca prepared a poisoned dish, which she offered to 
 her brother-in-law; but the latter, having discovered the me- 
 ditated crime, refused to partake of the fatal food, which was 
 swallowed by the unsuspecting grand-duke. Bianca, in de- 
 spair, ate of the same dish, and expired a few hours after her 
 unfortunate and dqating husband. 
 
328 
 
 that painter: St. Jerome, by Pan 1 Veronese; 
 our Saviour, by Carlo Dolce ; a Holy Family, 
 by Andrea deiSarto ; a Madonna, Jesus Christ, 
 and St. John, by Mic. Angelo ; a small Saviour, 
 by Carlo Dolce; a small Madonna, by the 
 same; a drawing, by Mic. Angelo; some door- 
 pieces, in crayons, by Luca Giordano ; &c. &c. 
 
 The exterior ornaments of this palace were 
 the work of Michael Angelo. The library is 
 said to be very extensive and valuable. 
 
 La Nunziata is one of the finest churches in 
 Florence. I was present at the requiem per- 
 formed there on the 20th of last month (Nov. 
 1802) for the soul of the late duke of Parma, 
 father of the king of Etruria. The church was 
 magnificently lighted with innumerable wax 
 tapers, and all the chapels were covered with 
 black velvet edged with gold. In the middle 
 of the church was erected a kind of temporary 
 tomb, on which were written some miserably 
 bad Latin lines in honor of the deceased prince. 
 This tomb was blessed by the legate of the 
 pope, accompanied by three bishops, by whom 
 it was purified with holy water.' — The cere- 
 mony, though rich in pageantry, was long and 
 tiresome. The church was crowded with the 
 military in full uniform, with the nobles and 
 the ladies of the court in deep mourning and 
 full dress, and with innumerable priests in va- 
 rious ecclesiastical habits. 
 
329 
 
 In going away, I saw in the cloister of this 
 church the celebrated Virgin of Andrea del 
 Sarto, called the Madonna del Sacco, which is 
 painted al-fresco on the wall. It is said that 
 Michael Angelo and Titian never ceased to 
 examine and to admire this picture. It has in 
 some degree suffered from the damp of the 
 situation in which it is placed, but it is still 
 beautiful. — I have not seen the other pictures 
 of this church, as they , were all covered on the 
 day of the ceremony, and my subsequent ill- 
 ness deprived me of the . opportunity of paying 
 a second visit. 
 
 I was much disappointed at not seeing 
 the Casa Buonaroti, in .which. Michael Angelo 
 lived. I went thither the morning of my de- 
 parture from Florence, and then found, most 
 unfortunately for me, that it was necessary 
 to ask permission one day before it could be 
 seen. 
 
 I visited the church of Santa Croce the day 
 when I mtfas taken ill ;: and I suffered so much 
 at the itime from indisposition, that I fear my 
 account will appear very imperfect. &i 
 
 The tomb of Michael Angelo is still' there, 
 and uninjured. The three figures of Painting, 
 Sculpture, and Architecture, by all of which 
 sister sciences Buoinaroti was eminently favored, 
 are very beautiful.. I add the epitaph. — 
 
330 
 
 Michaeli Angelo Buonarotio, 
 evetusta Simoniorum familia, 
 . Sculptori, Pictori, et Architect*), 
 
 Fama omnibus notissimo. 
 Leonardus Patruo amantiss. et de se 
 optime merito, translatis Roma 
 ejus ossibus, atque in hoc templo 
 major, suor. 
 conditis, cohortante Seren. Cosimo. Med. 
 Magno Etruriae Duce, P.C. 
 Anno salut. mdlxx. 
 vix. ann. lxxxviii. 
 
 Most of the objects mentioned by Lalande 
 are still here, but some of the pictures have 
 changed places. Since his time, a plain and 
 handsome monument has been erected to the 
 memory of the celebrated Machiavel, of which 
 writer such opposite opinions have been enter- 
 tained at different times. The epitaph is sim- 
 ply expressive. — 
 
 Tanto nomini nullum 
 
 par elogium 
 Nicolaio Machiaveli*. 
 
 The chapel of Niccolini is very beautiful, 
 and deserves the praises so often lavished on 
 it. I was much pleased with a figure of Christ, 
 by Donatelli, in the third chapel. 
 
 * No praise can be sufficient 
 to do justice to the 
 
 great name of 
 Nicholas Machiavel. 
 
331 
 
 111 as I was when I visited this church, I did 
 not fail to view with veneration and respect 
 the tomb which contains the injured ashes of 
 the illustrious Galileo. Though the town of 
 Florence has thus atoned for its error, by 
 raising this monument, and burying in the 
 vault of the church the remains of that distin- 
 guished man, it rests on record, to the disgrace 
 no less of human reason than of this city, that 
 he was originally buried in the public street, 
 because his opinions, the result of the dis- 
 covery of truth, were declared heretical. The 
 bust of Galileo is also here, the work of Fog- 
 gini. 
 
 The Palazzo Gerini contains some of the 
 finest pictures at Florence. I visited it the 
 morning before my departure. I was particu- 
 larly delighted with the following pictures : — 
 an Old Head, by Titian; a Madonna, with 
 little Angels, by Vandyck ; two landscapes — 
 the one a water scene, and the other a Conver- 
 sation between Four Philosophers in a Wood — - 
 by Salvator Rosa; a Madonna and Child, by 
 Pietro di Cortona; Vandyck, by himself; a 
 Vulture tearing out the Entrails of Prometheus, 
 by Salvator Rosa (terribly fine) ; St. Dominick* 
 by Cigoli; the Day of Judgement, by Zuc- 
 cheri; the Adoration (a delightful picture), by 
 Caravaggio ; St. Denis carrying his Head, by 
 Rubens; Mary Magdalen and St. John, by 
 
332 
 
 Carlo Dolce ; a Man, Woman, and Child, by 
 del Empoli ; six landscapes, by Claude Lor- 
 raine ; a Holy Family, by Zuccheri ; a Head, 
 by Caracci ; an Old Head, by Michael Angelo ; 
 the Crucifixion of St. Andrew, by Carlo Dolce ; 
 St. Peter and the Madonna, by Albani ; St. 
 Francis, by Cigoli; a Holy Family, in small, 
 by Raphael ; an Adoration, by Paul Veronese ; 
 a Flight into Egypt, by Albert Durer ; St. Je- 
 rome (very beautiful), by Spagnoletto; a St. 
 Sebastian, by Guido ; Adam, Eve, and the 
 Eternal Father, by Francesco Furini; our Sa- 
 viour and St. Joseph, by Guido; a portrait of 
 Rembrandt, by himself; a landscape, by Agos- 
 tino Caracci ; a Madonna, by Vandycjc ; the 
 Crowning of the Virgin, by Rubens, in small ; 
 a Saint, by Spagnoletto ; a Madonna and Child, 
 by the same; a Battle, in small, by Salvator 
 Rosa ; a Woman dressed in a black Cloak, by 
 Paul Veronese ; a Madonna, by Fra. Bartolo^ 
 meo ; a small Head, by Furini ; St. Peter (ex- 
 tremely beautiful), by Guido ; &c. &c. 
 
 Pergola, the principal theatre of Florence, 
 and which is generally devoted to the perfor- 
 mance of operas, is a dirty and not very hand- 
 some building. It is the fashion to go very 
 frequently to this theatre. When the opera 
 ceases, tragedies and plays are acted at another 
 house. 
 
 I have heard here several times an excellent 
 
333 
 
 soprano singer, whose name is Mattucci. He has 
 been received with much applause ; and though 
 young, his reputation, I understand, is general- 
 ly established through every part of Italy. His 
 benefit was honored with the presence of all 
 the fashionables of Florence. On that occasion 
 I saw, in the box of an Italian lady, the prince 
 of Mecklenburg Strelitz, whom I met on the 
 road in coming hither. He is traveling for im- 
 provement, and seems to be a well-informed, 
 civil, intelligent, and unaffected young man. 
 
 M. Lalande complains, without reason, that 
 there is no public promenade at Florence. He 
 forgets the Cassmo, just at the gates of the 
 town, and on the banks of the river Arno, one 
 of the most beautiful and most romantic spots 
 ever seen near a great city, and which is crowd- 
 ed every evening with carriages, equestrians, 
 and foot-passengers. 
 
 I visited, before my departure from Flo- 
 rence, the Academia di Belle Arte, founded, I 
 believe, by Leopold. In this college three 
 hundred young men are initiated in the study 
 of the fine arts ; and, in viewing the different 
 apartments, I saw the students occupied with 
 their respective pursuits. In one of the rooms 
 are models of all the finest statues yet disco- 
 vered. At the end of the great or principal 
 hall appears an al-fresco painting of the Flight 
 into Egypt, by Giovanni di S. Giovanni j which 
 
334 
 
 was cut out of a chapel formerly standing in 
 the garden of a convent, and brought hither 
 by order of Leopold, without suffering at all 
 by the removal. In the room appropriated to 
 the distribution of prizes, I saw the following 
 pictures : - — the Descent from the Cross, by 
 Bronzino ; Poetry and Painting, by Giovanni 
 di S. Giovanni ; a Cene, by Barocci, in cray- 
 ons; a King of France, by Del Empoli; an 
 Eternal Father, by Carlo Dolce ; the Assump- 
 tion, by Lorenzo Lippi ; our Saviour and his 
 Apostles, by Jacobo del Empoli; &c, 
 
 I also visited the church of S. Marco. It 
 contains some good pictures. 
 
 I next drove to II Palazzo Vecchio. The 
 principal hall is a fine large room, suited to the 
 magnificence of the family of Medici, who long 
 inhabited this palace, and whose statues are 
 still seen here. The statue of Victory, by Mi- 
 chael Angelo, is beautiful ; and that of Virtue 
 defeating Vice, by John of Bologna, is equally 
 striking. There are likewise some Grecian sta- 
 tues highly worthy of notice. 
 
 Near the Palazzo Vecchio is the celebrated 
 fountain of Neptune, in bronze, accompanied 
 with nymphs and tritons, by John of Bologna ; 
 and the equestrian statue of Cosmo of Medici, 
 first grand-duke of Florence. Both are esteem- 
 ed chefs-d'ceuvres. 
 
 Before I conclude my account of the curios 
 
335 
 
 sities of Florence, I ought to mention a visit 
 which I paid to M. Fabre, a French artist of 
 eminence, long settled at Florence. At his 
 house I saw several specimens of genius and pro- 
 fessional excellence ; particularly a copy of the 
 Madonna della Sedia, once the ornament of this 
 place, and now at Paris in the possession of 
 madame Bonaparte. The expression of this 
 picture was so admirable, and the coloring so 
 chaste, that I could easily have mistaken the 
 copy for the original. 
 
 • The brother of this painter is equally skilful 
 in his profession, which is that of a physician. 
 I speak with experience of his abilities. I had 
 the good fortune to be recommended to his care, 
 and I experienced from him the utmost atten- 
 tion and friendly kindness. Under his very able 
 directions I recovered from a severe illness ; 
 and truth as well as gratitude induces me to 
 add, that he is a scholar, a gentleman, and a 
 man of sense. His manners inspire confidence; 
 and his plan of practice is simply to assist, with- 
 out attempting to force, the operations of na- 
 ture. 
 
 In the sights to be viewed at Florence, it is 
 scarcely necessary to name the manufactories 
 of alabaster and marble, as every stranger on 
 his arrival is sufficiently importuned by the 
 agents of those shops. The statues, lamps, and 
 vases made here are indeed .beautiful ; and as 
 
336 
 
 these are generally modeled after the finest 
 originals of antiquity, they never fail to excite 
 admiration. 
 
 Having thus given you a general account 
 of the objects of public notice, allow me to 
 add a few words on Florence and its inhabi- 
 tants. — 'This city is certainly one of the pret- 
 tiest, though not one of the largest, capitals of 
 Europe. Its situation, on each side of a beau- 
 tiful river, in a rich country, and surrounded 
 by the picturesque Apennines *, is delightful. 
 Its streets are superiorly well paved, wide, and 
 handsome. Its ordinary houses are lofty and 
 regular, and its palaces magnificent. The mar- 
 kets are abundantly supplied, not only with all 
 the comforts, but likewise with all the luxuries, 
 of life. Its happy climate and fruitful soil f afc 
 
 * " Umbrosis mediam qua collibus Apenninus 
 Erigit Italiam, nullo qua vertice tellus 
 Altius intumuit, propiusque accessit Olympo." 
 
 Luc. lib. 2. 
 
 Thus translated by Mr. Addison : — 
 
 " In pomp the shady Apennines arise, 
 And lift th' aspiring nation to the skies : 
 No land like Italy erects the sight 
 
 By such a vast ascent, or swells to such a height." 
 
 f Of this country one may well say, in the words of 
 Virgil, — 
 
 " Sed gravidas fruges, et Bacchi Massicus humor 
 Implevere, teuent oleae armentaque lceta." 
 
337 
 
 fordi without any foreign aid, whatever the 
 wants or wishes of the people can desire ; and 
 provisions are consequently reasonable. 
 
 The Arts and Sciences long made this place 
 their favorite residence ; and for many years 
 the protection of the magnificent princes of the 
 house of Medici, and, after them, that of Leo- 
 pold and his worthy successors, contributed to 
 bring them to the highest perfection. Not- 
 withstanding the robberies committed by the 
 French in this as well as in every country which 
 their armies have entered, enough remains of 
 the chefs-cCceuvres of the first masters to asto- 
 nish those who have not seen Florence before, 
 and to prove what it must have been in better 
 times. 
 
 As to the inhabitants — they are generally 
 civil, honest, and obliging; and even the lowest 
 classes are distinguished for urbanity of man- 
 ners. I hear, too, that the crimes which are 
 said to disgrace some parts of Italy are un- 
 known in Tuscany. M. Lalande exculpates 
 the Florentines from a charge brought against 
 them by " the Swedish Travelers," of a practice 
 too detestable to name ; and I have had no 
 reason, from my observation and inquiries, to 
 doubt the truth of his remarks. Assassination 
 is unheard of; and I believe even robberies but 
 rarely happen. Poverty, which, unhappily ! is 
 
 Vol. I. Z 
 
338 
 
 the parent of a thousand other evils, wears 
 here a less disgusting appearance than in the 
 neighbouring countries. I have seen but few 
 miserable objects ; and the inhabitants in ge- 
 neral are well dressed, and apparently well 
 fed. 
 
 The higher orders are uncommonly polite; 
 and, notwithstanding the losses which they 
 have experienced from the effects of the last 
 war, are still remarkable for their hospitality 
 to strangers. Never shall I forget the kindness 
 which I have experienced in this city, — a kind- 
 ness which is rendered still more honorable to 
 those who displayed it by this circumstance, 
 that I arrived here without any particular title 
 to their notice. Coming hither with only let- 
 ters of recommendation to a banker (Mr. Do- 
 nate Orsi), we were immediately introduced by 
 that gentleman, who himself received us with 
 great cordiality at his own house, into the so- 
 ciety of the first nobility. 
 
 I ought particularly to mention, among 
 those who show marked attention to English 
 travelers, the marquis Torregiani, who lives in 
 a very handsome manner, and gives evening 
 entertainments consisting of music, cards, con- 
 versation, and dancing. His house is elegantly 
 furnished; and refreshments are given in pro- 
 fusion, — a kind of hospitality which is remarked 
 
339 
 
 in Italy- ; in all the societies of which country 
 it is a rare thing to taste at any assembly more 
 than a glass of water. 
 
 The countess of Albany, the widow of the 
 English pretender, in whose family resides the 
 celebrated count Alfieri, collects at her house 
 once, a week the best company of Florence ; to 
 which strangers of character may easily gain 
 admittance. She is an elegant woman, d'une 
 certaine age, and receives her guests with that 
 urbanity which may be expected from a lady 
 who has passed her life in the first circles of 
 different capitals. As to the society of this 
 -house, I did not find it very entertaining. Cards 
 are not admitted ; and there is much of that 
 form, and pedantic dialogue, of which I so 
 often complained when I visited persons of the 
 old noblesse at Paris. 
 
 I am also disappointed with count Alfieri*. 
 I have been twice at madame Albany's parties 
 without hearing him speak. Disgusted with 
 the crimes and excesses committed at Paris, it 
 is said that that distinguished poet, who was 
 once the advocate of revolutionary principles, 
 is become so decided an enemy to France, that 
 he now refuses even to speak the language of 
 that country, and even in his own converses 
 
 * Count Alfieri is since dead. 
 Z2 
 
340 
 
 but rarely. He sits by the fireside, in a state 
 C>f musing melancholy. 
 
 Beside the houses of madame Torregiani^and 
 madame Albany, there are those of madame 
 Sentini (the mother of the former), and some 
 others, at which foreigners are well received. 
 
 Here is likewise a Cassino Nobile, for the ex- 
 clusive use of the Florentine noblesse^ and of 
 such strangers as they may choose to intro- 
 duce; and a cassino of which persons in all 
 ranks may be members. There is, at each of 
 these, a billiard room, and a salon for cards, in 
 which also balls are sometimes given. Ladies 
 as well as gentlemen are admitted in these cas- 
 sinos, which (with this difference) may be com- 
 pared with the subscription houses of London. 
 
 You will expect that L should say something 
 of the new kingdom of Etruria. The king is 
 at present absent : I have therefore had no op- 
 portunity of seeing him*; but I am informed 
 that he is a sickly young man, not more than 
 twenty-two years old ; and that he is subject to 
 fits of a dreadful kind, with which he has been 
 
 * Note written since the author's return. — On my return to 
 Florence I saw this unfortunate prince, who died a few 
 months afterwards. I found him exactly what he had been 
 reported to be : he was slim in his figure, and unhealthy in 
 his appearance : his countenance bore the marks of great de- 
 pression. 
 
341 
 
 once or twice attacked during the performance 
 of an opera. His attendants dropped the cur- 
 tain of the box, but a hideous scream betrayed 
 to his subjects the unfortunate situation of their 
 youthful monarch. His queen, daughter of the 
 king of Spain, is said to be a very amiable and 
 worthy princess*. They have already three or 
 four children. 
 
 As to the power of the king of Etruria, it js, 
 I need scarcely say, entirely dependent on the 
 pleasure of France ; and general Clarke, the 
 ambassador of that republic, is considered as 
 the efficient minister of the country. But what 
 the new sovereign may want in authority, he 
 endeavours to make up for in show and pa- 
 geantry; and I understand that his court has 
 all the pomp and ceremony of that of Madrid, 
 on which it is modeled. Over the public of- 
 fices, in every part of the town, his arms are 
 suspended : the military are splendidly dressed 
 in blue and red uniforms, with epaulets and 
 lacings of gold ; and the Spanish cockade ( red) 
 is worn in the hats of the army. All the pub- 
 
 * Every English reader will join in these praises, when 
 it is mentioned, that she refused, after the late declaration of 
 war, to comply with the demand of France, in issuing a pro- 
 clamation, as regent, for the arrest of such British subjects as 
 might be found in her dominions. " France," said this vir- 
 tuous princess, " may by force execute this act of tyranny, 
 but I will not lend my name to a measure of cruelty and in- 
 justice." 
 
342 
 
 lie functionaries have appropriate dresses; and 
 the pages and other officers of the palace, as 
 well as those of the customs and police, have 
 each their regimentals and military hats. I 
 heard, indeed, some of the most respectable ci- 
 tizens of Florence complain of the useless ex- 
 pense which these tawdry specimens of royalty 
 occasioned, and of the absurdity of a little state, 
 like that of Etruria, aping the costly ceremo- 
 nials of Spain. 
 
 Attached to the family and person of the 
 grand-duke of Tuscany, their late sovereign, 
 the inhabitants of this town speak of him as his 
 virtues and constant endeavours to promote 
 their happiness deserved. The tyranny exer- 
 cised over them by France, in changing their 
 government without their consent, is generally 
 felt and openly complained of ? but, forced to 
 yield to the power of arms, the Florentines 
 prefer the government, however nominal, of 
 the king of Etruria, to a junction with the re- 
 public " one and indivisible." They have a 
 shadow of independence ; to which, deprived of 
 the reality, they fondly cling : and I am sure 
 the Tuscan people would see with regret a 
 French proconsul take the place of their pre- 
 sent sovereign. They, sometimes, led on by 
 their hopes, indulge the thought of recovering 
 their ancient government and much -loved 
 prince j and I have heard, since I have been a* 
 
343 
 
 Florence, several reports of such a plan being 
 in agitation, — reports solely founded on the 
 wishes of those by whom they were propa- 
 gated. 
 
 I ought to add, while on the subject, that 
 Etruria is so far an independent country at 
 this moment, that the French troops have been 
 withdrawn, with the single exception of one 
 regiment, which still remains at Leghorn. But 
 this is but a slight advantage, as this territory 
 is surrounded on all sides by the dominions of 
 France, whence she can at any time send an 
 
 army into Etruria. — ■ But this letter is 
 
 grown unpardonably long : I will therefore 
 now put rather an abrupt conclusion to it. 
 
 I intend setting out on the continuance of 
 my tour to-morrow. I shall leave Florence 
 with much regret : it is the seat of plenty, hos- 
 pitality, and politeness. To men of letters, it 
 recals a thousand delightful ideas, as the spot 
 where learning first revived: to those whose 
 pursuit is pleasure, it offers at an easy expense 
 all the conveniences and elegancies of life, ac- 
 companied with those of polished society : and 
 the students and admirers of the fine arts find 
 here every thing which taste can require or 
 genius afford. 
 
 Perhaps I ought to add, that strangers, be- 
 side these advantages and those of a mild and 
 
 \ 
 
344 
 
 healthy climate, find better accommodations 
 here than in any other town on the continent. 
 SchneiderfF has a splendid hotel superbly fur- 
 nished, the principal windows of which com- 
 mand the river Arno ; and at his house every 
 thing is served with the comfort, cleanliness, 
 and style which distinguish an English inn. 
 But, while I give this praise, justice compels 
 me to add, that though our countrymen were 
 generally highly satisfied with the treatment 
 they received from the landlord, I had perso- 
 nally proof that he was not a person in whom 
 it is safe to place implicit confidence. 
 
 Besides Schneiderif's, which however is in- 
 comparably the best, there are some other 
 good inns at Florence, Gasperini, at the Arms 
 of England (whose wife is English), keeps a 
 very respectable hotel ; where the customs of 
 our country are also strictly observed, and the 
 accommodations are clean and comfortable, 
 Pio, at VAquila Neva, has large apartments, 
 which have lately been newly furnished : and 
 there is an inn on the opposite bank of the 
 Arno from that where Schneiderff's is situated, 
 which commands the same view, 
 
 I bid you for the present adieu. 
 
 My next letter will probably be dated from 
 Rome. I need scarcely add, that I look for- 
 ward with much impatience to the pleasure of 
 
345 
 
 seeing that city, once the mistress of the world, 
 and perhaps still one of the most interesting 
 spots on the continent of Europe. 
 
 The fever with which I have been attacked, 
 and from which I am scarcely yet recovered, 
 has been the cause of my abandoning my ori- 
 ginal plan, of going to Pisa and Leghorn, — 
 neither of those places being in the direct 
 road. It affords me some consolation to learn, 
 that Pisa, beautiful in summer, is only visited 
 for its climate at this season of the year; and 
 that Leghorn, highly interesting at all times to 
 commercial men, has few attractions for such 
 drones as myself. 
 
 I am, &c. 
 
346 
 
 LETTER XVII. 
 
 Departure from Florence — Description and history of Sienna — - 
 Piazza delCampo — Palazzo del Eccelsi, or di Signori — 
 Column ornamented ivith a group of Romulus and Remus — 
 Tower of the Virgin — II Duomo, or the cathedral — Facade 
 ■ — Inscription — Pavement — Chapel of Chigi — Library, or sa- 
 cristie — Al-fresco paintings, by Raphael, in which he has in- 
 troduced his own portrait — Radicofani, built on an extin- 
 guished volcano — Entrance into the territories of the pope — 
 Miserable post-horses — Scene with the same — S. Lorenzo — ■ 
 Lake and town of Bolsena — Viterbo — Lake of Vico — Ar- 
 rival at Rome — Porta e Piazza del Popolo. 
 
 Rome, Dec. 18, 1802. 
 
 My dear sir, 
 
 When last I had the pleasure of 
 writing to you, I was preparing to leave Flo- 
 rence. I set out, as I intended, on the following 
 morning, and reached the town of Sienna the 
 same evening. 
 
 Sienna (in Latin Sena, Sena Julia, Sena;, or, 
 according to Pliny, Colonia Senensis) is a city 
 containing fifteen or sixteen thousand inha- 
 bitants, situated in the middle of Tuscany, 
 twelve leagues from Florence, forty to the 
 north of Rome, and thirteen from the sea side. 
 It is esteemed the third city of Tuscany ; and 
 the inhabitants are reputed to speak the Italian 
 language in greater perfection than any of 
 
347 
 
 their countrymen. Sienna boasts of a Roman 
 descent, — -Augustus having established a colony 
 here, and given it the name of Sena Julia ; in 
 proof of which, part of an ancient wall is shown, 
 with which the town was once surrounded; and 
 in the principal piazza, near the cathedral, and 
 in other quarters of the city, are placed groups 
 representing Romulus and Remus suckled by 
 a wolf. 
 
 As to the history of Sienna : it was once ce- 
 lebrated for the number of inhabitants which 
 it contained, and for their industry, commerce, 
 and love of liberty. It was for some time an, 
 independent republic, and victoriously repelled 
 the united attacks of Florence and Pisa. Fac- 
 tion at length found its way into this little 
 commonwealth, and Pandolso Petrucci usurped 
 the sovereign authority. His heirs kept pos- 
 session of the government for some time; till 
 foreign powers, taking advantage of the inter- 
 nal dissensions of the city, interposed, and Si- 
 enna became successively subject to France and 
 to Spain. The latter of these nations surren- 
 dered its conquest to Cosmo the First, grand- 
 duke of Tuscany, whose successors continued 
 masters of Sienna till the arrival of the French 
 armies in the last war. This place has of course 
 experienced the same fate as the rest of Tus- 
 cany, and now forms part of the newly-erected 
 kingdom of Etruria. — Having given you this 
 
348 
 
 general sketch of the history of Sienna, I pro- 
 ceed to speak of what I saw there. 
 
 The Pi azza del Campo, or principal square, 
 is one hundred and fifty-six French feet in cir- 
 cumference, and is the point where eleven 
 streets meet. In the middle of the place ap- 
 pears a fine fountain of marble, ornamented 
 with figures in bas-relief, and abundantly sup- 
 plied with water from various springs. The 
 houses are of Gothic architecture; but the 
 town-hall, called the Palazzo del Eccelsi, is a 
 handsome building, in which are several spa- 
 cious apartments ornamented with pictures, 
 and appropriated to the use of various public 
 offices. 
 
 Near the great piazza stands a column of 
 granite, on which is placed a group, in gilt 
 bronze, of Romulus and Remus suckled by a 
 wolf. As I had before occasion to mention, 
 there are several other such statues in the town, 
 but this is the most remarkable. 
 
 I was next taken to a tower attached to a 
 chapel built of marble, and dedicated to the 
 Virgin at the time of the plague. From this 
 tower I enjoyed an extensive prospect of the 
 town, the environs, and the whole chain of 
 Alps. 
 
 Having seen these and some few other less 
 important objects, I visited II Duomo, or the 
 cathedral. The facade is a fine, rich, Gothic 
 
349 
 
 'pile of architecture ; and the church is ap- 
 proached, by lofty steps of marble, which, as 
 Ml de Lalande remarks, " gives the entrance 
 an appearance of magnificence worthy of the 
 building to which it leads, and which may even 
 excite the admiration of those who have seen 
 St. Peter's at Rome." 
 
 Over the threshold of the door the following 
 words are written : — 
 
 *' Castissimum Virginia templum caste memento ingredi*." 
 
 If none but those whose chastity was unsuspect- 
 ed were to enter this church, I am inclined to 
 think that the holy ceremonies celebrated here 
 would be but thinly attended. 
 
 The length of the building is three hundred 
 and thirty feet; and the plan is excellent. The 
 interior, as well as the outside, is decorated 
 with black and white marble. The painted 
 ceiling has not been injured: it has a blue 
 ground, on which golden stars are scattered. 
 The pavement of this church is reckoned one 
 of the greatest curiosities of Italy. It is a kind 
 of Mosaic ; and several scenes of the Old Tes- 
 tament are represented, by an arrangement of 
 
 * u Remember to be chaste, when you presume to enter 
 this very chaste temple of the Virgin." 
 
 It is singular enough that this inscription should appear 
 on the cathedral of a town considered as the least chaste of 
 the chaste cities of Italy. 
 
350 
 
 differently-colored marbles, which produces the 
 effect of a picture, and has some resemblance 
 to the plan of the old Etruscan vases. The 
 whole is covered with boards, part of which is 
 occasionally removed to satisfy the curiosity of 
 Strangers. 
 
 The chapel of the Virgin, which belongs to 
 the family of Chigi, is esteemed the finest in 
 the cathedral, and appears not to have suffered 
 from the war or the revolution. It will per- 
 haps entertain you to be informed, that pope 
 Alexander the Seventh built this chapel in com- 
 memoration of a miraculous appearance of the 
 Virgin, to which the citizens of Sienna attri- 
 buted a great victory gained over their ene- 
 mies, and in consequence of which the syn- 
 dic of the town was instructed, by the pious 
 and grateful inhabitants, to deliver over their 
 persons and habitations to the dominion of the 
 Virgin by all the proper forms of law. The 
 altar is decorated with lapis lazuli, and has pil- 
 lars of green marble. There are also here the 
 much-admired statues of St. Jerome and the 
 Magdalen, the work of the chevalier Bernini. 
 The pictures, by Carlo Maratti, of the Virgin 
 and of St. Anne, retain their old situation in this 
 chapel, and are uninjured. The pulpit, or gal- 
 lery, where the Gospel is chanted, is supported 
 by pillars of granite, with figures of lions, and 
 has a circular staircase ornamented with basso- 
 
354 
 
 relievos. — -The baptistery is an octagon build* 
 ing, of marble, decorated with statues and other 
 works of art. 
 
 The church formerly possessed a valuable 
 library; but the books were taken away by 
 the Spaniards, while they were masters of Si- 
 enna. The room which contained them is 
 now converted into a sacristie, and deserves to 
 be visited on account of the al-fresco pictures 
 painted on the walls by Bernard Perugino, 
 from drawings by Raphael. The coloring is 
 quite fresh and beautiful. The subject of the 
 work is an ecclesiastical procession. The fi- 
 gures are as large as life ; and among them 
 Raphael has drawn his own portrait, carrying 
 a torch, in the costume of a priest. He ap* 
 pears young, and the countenance is hand- 
 some. 
 
 The cathedral is likewise celebrated as having 
 been the seat of several general councils, and 
 particularly of that which was afterwards ad- 
 journed to Basle, and in which the pretended 
 heresies of Wickliffe and John Huss were con- 
 demned. 
 
 I viewed the church and other curiosities of 
 Sienna at an early hour ; and, continuing my 
 journey the same day, reached the posthouse 
 at Radicofani in the evening. 
 
 Radicofani is a lofty mountain, wild in its 
 appearance, and remarked by naturalists as the 
 
352 
 
 first spot on the Apennines in which vestiges 
 of an extinguished volcano are discovered. The 
 inn is supposed to stand where lava once 
 flowed. The house looked forlorn and deso- 
 late ; but we procured a tolerably decent room, 
 where, with the assistance of a good fire, and 
 the provisions which we had brought with us, 
 we soon became not less comfortable than if 
 we had occupied a more splendid apartment. 
 
 We passed the night here; and on the fol- 
 lowing morning recommenced our journey, in 
 fine, cold, and frosty weather. 
 
 At the next posthouse we entered the terri- 
 tories of the pope, and, after undergoing the 
 usual ceremonies of an examination at the 
 custom-house, were allowed to proceed. We 
 had soon reason to remark, that the accounts 
 given by former travelers, of the miserable 
 manner in which the post is served in the ec- 
 clesiastical states, were by no means exagge- 
 rated. Six animals, dignified with the name of 
 horses, scarcely as large as asses, half starved, 
 and mangled with the whip, were tackled to 
 the carriage, and driven by three fellows who 
 did not appear either stronger or better fed 
 than the wretched creatures submitted to their 
 power; while their torn hats and ragged coats 
 were in exact unison with the rest of the equi- 
 page. 
 
 We had scarcely counted three English miles, 
 
853 
 
 when the poor animals refused the collar, and 
 could not be persuaded to draw the carriage 
 up a small hill, which it was necessary to pass. 
 The postillions swore, flogged, and prayed al- 
 ternately. Neither the lashes of their whips 
 against the lean sides of the unhappy horses, 
 nor all the oaths which the Italian language 
 affords, nor the most pious appeals to every 
 saint in the Roman calendar, could avail them 
 any thing; — the carriage remained unmoved. 
 In this distress, we of course got out ; and 
 though provoked at losing so much time, and 
 pitying the miserable beasts who were thus 
 made the victims of their master's avarice, I 
 could not help smiling at the grotesque scene 
 which presented itself. — Had I possessed the 
 pencil of Bunbury, I could from life have 
 drawn a caricature which might have vied with 
 the choicest of his productions. — After great 
 exertions, much flogging, much swearing, and 
 no less praying, we at last succeeded in get- 
 ting to the top of the hill ; and, without any 
 other accident than the fracture of the drag- 
 staff of my carriage, reached the next stage in 
 safety s 
 
 After passing through S. Lorenzo, the first 
 town of any size in the pope's dominions, and 
 which proved its dependence on his govern- 
 ment by the filth and poverty of the inhabi- 
 tants, we found ourselves in a fine country, 
 
 Vol. J. 2 A 
 
3.54 
 
 and saw at our feet a delightful valley, at the 
 extremity of which stands the pretty lake of 
 Bolsena. It is three leagues in diameter, and 
 has two little islands in it ; but the navigation 
 is sometimes rendered dangerous by violent 
 winds which occasionally prevail. 
 
 The town near it, of the same name, is the 
 Volsinium of the ancients, whence the Romans 
 took two hundred statues, and where the 
 twelve nations of Etruria used to hold their 
 national assemblies. At three leagues' distance 
 to the left stands the town of Orvietto, which 
 gives its name to a favorite wine of the Ita- 
 lians. 
 
 We arrived at Viterbo an hour after sunset, 
 having been escorted from the preceding post 
 by a party of dragoons. We thought it pru- 
 dent to require their protection, as the courier 
 carrying the bag of letters from Florence to 
 Rome had been robbed near the lake of Bolse- 
 na only the night before. 
 
 We found at Viterbo a comfortable inn (Al- 
 bergo Re ale), and on the following morning 
 continued our journey. I say nothing of the 
 town, having arrived there when it was already- 
 dark on one day, and left it again before the 
 sun had risen on the next. Will you blame me 
 for this want of curiosity, when I inform you 
 that the principal attractions of this place con- 
 sist of the preserved body of Santa Rosa di Vi- 
 
355 
 
 terbo, and of the house in wjiich that maiden 
 saint resided during her pilgrimage in this 
 world ? — The mineral waters of Viterbo, I 
 ought to add, are celebrated for their medici- 
 nal qualities. 
 
 I need not tell you with how much impa- 
 tience I traveled the last day towards Rome, — 
 an impatience which rendered every mile dou- 
 bly long, and which made the journey appear 
 unusually tiresome. 
 
 After leaving Viterbo, we ascended for some 
 time j and then, by a sudden descent, approach- 
 ed the lake of Vico, supposed to be the 
 
 " Cimini cum monte lacum* **> 
 
 of Virgil. 
 
 The mountain of Viterbo, which stands im- 
 mediately above it, is formed of stones once 
 thrown from a volcano ; and matter is found in 
 the neighbourhood resembling cinders mixed 
 with charcoal, and little pebbles almost cal- 
 cined. There prevails also an ancient tradi- 
 tion, which records the existence of a city 
 which once stood where the lake now is. Some 
 authors have even pretended that the ruins of 
 the town might be seen in the lake, when the 
 water was clear. — My eyesight is tolerably 
 good, but I could not make this discovery. 
 
 * Mn., lib. vii. 1. 697. 
 2 A2 
 
356 
 
 In the latter part of our journey, I -anxious- 
 ly looked for the dome of St. Peter's j but, not- 
 withstanding the assurances of many travelers 
 that it may be perceived at a vast distance, I 
 did not see it till we came very near the gates 
 of Rome. 
 
 It was yet light when we stopped at the 
 Porta del Popolo; and finding that a friend, to 
 whom I had written for the purpose, had left 
 there a lice at pass are* , or order of the govern- 
 ment, permitting our carriage to pass without 
 being detained for examination at the custom- 
 house, we proceeded at once to the lodgings 
 which, by the kind attention of the same gen- 
 tleman, had also been prepared for us. 
 
 The entrance of the city, on this side, is ex- 
 tremely striking. The Porta del Popolo, itself 
 a beautiful object, leads to the piazza of the 
 same name; on each side of which stand two 
 churches, with corresponding and beautiful fa- 
 cades; between which runs the Corso, or'prin- 
 
 * Persons of character, on writing to their bankers, or any- 
 other respectable residents at Rome, may procure such an or- 
 der ; and which, being left for them at the gates, prevents on 
 their arrival all trouble or delay. The luggage is in such case 
 only examined at the lodgings of the traveler. Those who 
 neglect to take this precaution are conducted to the custom- 
 house, where they are obliged to wait while every part of 
 their equipage is strictly examined. 
 
3.57 
 
 cipal stveet of Rome. In the centre of the 
 place is erected an Egyptian obelisk, no less 
 remarkable for its height than for its vast an- 
 tiquity. 
 
 I have now been a whole day at Rome, and 
 have yet seen nothing but the streets through 
 which we passed in the way to' our apartments. 
 This is, indeed, a loss j but the weather has 
 been so extremely bad, that it has been im- 
 practicable to leave the house the whole morn- 
 ing. 
 
 Sleep was a stranger to my pillow last night, 
 so occupied was I with the idea of this extra- 
 ordinary and ever-memorable city. The scenes 
 of the Roman history recurred to my mind ; 
 and I could scarcely bring myself to believe 
 that I inhabited the spot where Virgil wrote 
 and Cicero harangued ; where Liberty and 
 Despotism each in its turn ruled triumphant; 
 where every virtue and every vice reached its 
 utmost point; where Cassar forged the chains 
 of his countrymen, and where Brutus revenged 
 them ; where Nero exercised his cruelties, and 
 where Cato in theory and practice was a pa- 
 triot and a philosopher. In the language of 
 Horace — 
 
 " Romulum post hos prius an quictum 
 Pompili regnum memorem, an superbos 
 Tarquim fasces, dubito, an Catonis 
 Nobile lethum.'" 
 
358 
 
 1 have given you no little proof of my 
 friendship, in having sufficiently collected my 
 thoughts to write to you while my mind is filled 
 with these and a thousand other reflexions, 
 which a first arrival at Rome necessarily en- 
 genders. 
 
 As soon as I have to a certain degree gra- 
 tified my curiosity about the innumerable ob- 
 jects which demand my attention, I will write 
 again. In the mean time, believe me, &c. 
 
3$9 
 
 LETTER XVIII. 
 
 Diary of my first residence at Rome — St. Peter's — Approach to 
 it grand beyond description — Coliseum, or Flavian amphithe- 
 atre — Anecdote of Michael Angelo- — Arch of Constantine — 
 Piazza Nuvoni — Duke Br aschi's palace — The Capitol — Steps 
 leading to it — Castor and Pollux — Marcus Aurelius — Sena- 
 torial palace — Museum of antiquities — Tarpeian Rock — 
 Campo Vaccino — Arch of Septimius Severus — Ruins of the 
 Temple of Peace — Front of S.Lorenzo in Miranda — Villa 
 JBorghese — Roman assembly — Fountain of Trevi — Monte Ca- 
 vallo — Celebrated statues there — Egyptian pyramid and in- 
 scription — Fountain of Termini, now called the Fountain of 
 Moses — Church of S. Vittoria — St. Theresa Dying, by Ch. Ber- 
 nini—Church of Madonna delli Angeli, built out of the Baths 
 of Dio>clesian — Church of Santa Maria Maggiore — Obelisk 
 of the .same — Church of Santa Croce di Gerusalemme — Church 
 of St. John de Lateran — Baptistery of Constantine — Le Scale 
 Sante, or steps by which our Saviour ascended to the throne of 
 Pontius Pilate — Sealing of the relics by the pope — Adventure; 
 at the church where we went to see that ceremony — Equipage, 
 guard, and servants of the pope — The pope — Palazzo Doria 
 — Church of the Capuchins — Pictures there — The Belvidere 
 of the Vatican — Palazzo Borghese— Church of the Madonna 
 del Popolo — Statue by Raphael the painter — Villa Borghese 
 **-House, statue, and pictures there— Palazzo Rospigliosi — 
 Celebrated Aurora of Guido in the summer-house of that pa- 
 lace, and other pictures — High mass performed by the pope 
 at St. Peter's, on Christmas-day — Account of that ceremony 
 — The pope carried through the aisle of St. Peter's — Charac- 
 ter of the present pope — Angelica Kauff man's pictures— Pre- 
 parations for leaving Rome. 
 
360 
 
 Rome, December 25, 1802. 
 
 My dear sir, 
 
 Having spent the Christmas week 
 at Rome, I purpose setting off to-morrow for 
 Naples. I therefore now send you my diary 
 for this time. Before you begin perusing it, 
 I must beg you to understand, that, meaning 
 to return to Rome at Easter, and then to pass 
 here six or eight weeks, in order to examine in 
 detail the curiosities of this wonderful place, I 
 have only visited the most striking objects, and 
 those without any plan or arrangement. My 
 sole reason for sending you this imperfect ac- 
 count at present is, to allay the impatience 
 which I know the name of Rome will have ex- 
 cited in your mind : and if you can check that 
 sentiment., you will do right not to read this 
 letter, but wait for such information as I shall 
 be able to collect on my second and longer 
 visit. 
 
 Diary of my first residence at Rome. 
 
 December 19. — We went this morning, with 
 a small party of friends, to the church of St, 
 Peter. The approach is magnificent beyond 
 the power of description. Two vast semicir- 
 cular arcades, formed of Corinthian pillars, 
 
361 
 
 surround a spacious court ; in the centre of 
 which appear two lofty fountains, whose waters 
 fall into basins of Egyptian porphyry : and at 
 the extremity of this court, the superb fagade 
 of this wonderful church demands the admira- 
 tion of all who behold it. As to the interior, 
 it unites every perfection. It is perhaps too 
 beautiful : it pleases rather than astonishes. 
 Every thing is so chaste, and in such perfect 
 harmony, that its vast size is scarcely disco- 
 vered. Two figures of infant angels, which 
 hold a vase of holy water near the door, are 
 pointed out as proofs how much the sight is 
 deceived by the exact proportions of the build- 
 ing. These figures appear at a little distance 
 not larger than children of five years old, 
 though each of them is in fact above six feet 
 high. 
 
 At this first visit to St. Peter's I was so occu- 
 pied with its general beauty that I had not 
 time to examine any of the details. I mean to 
 come here again to-morrow, and shall then 
 enter into further particulars. 
 
 From St. Peter's we went into the apartments 
 of the Vatican called the Rooms of Raphael, 
 from the celebrated pictures which that great 
 artist has left upon the walls. These pictures 
 have not been injured by the revolution; but 
 time and damp have taken much from their 
 former excellence, I was disappointed in the 
 
362 
 
 famous picture of the Fire at Rome. It did 
 by no means answer the expectations which I 
 had formed. The colors indeed are so in- 
 jured, that it is difficult to discover the merit 
 which probably it once possessed. The School 
 of Athens is nearly in the same situation : and 
 though enough may be left for artists to find 
 in it an excellent lesson for imitation, it can 
 at present afford but little pleasure to the un- 
 professional spectator. I am happy to add, 
 that St. Peter in Prison retains all its beauty. 
 There, indeed, Raphael is still himself,- — that is 
 to say, incomparable : the coloring, and varia- 
 tion of light, are admirable. 
 
 After passing some hours in St. Peter's and 
 the Vatican, we returned to our inn; and, in 
 passing, saw the Antonine Pillar, or, more pro- 
 perly speaking, that of Marcus Aurelius. It is 
 magnificent, and uninjured. 
 
 In the evening we went to the Corso in our 
 carriage, and saw the Italians take their fa- 
 vorite amusement, in driving up and down this 
 long street. Most of the equipages were fa- 
 shioned « VAnglaise; but none of them seemed 
 remarkably handsome. 
 
 December 20. — I went this morning to view 
 for the second time the church of St. Peter. I 
 visited every chapel, and almost every part, of 
 this beautiful building. I think, however, that 
 it is more admirable in the whole than in the 
 
363 
 
 detail. The pictures are all in Mosaic, eopies 
 from the most celebrated originals ; and have 
 on that account escaped the grasp of France. 
 The statues placed in different parts of the 
 church are not particularly fine, and by no 
 means worthy of the situation which they fill. 
 - — I still remain of my former opinion, that St 
 Peter's rather gives pleasure than excites sur- 
 prise. It is more beautiful than magnificent ; 
 and rather calculated to create gaiety, than to 
 command devotion. M. de Paty observes, in 
 his Letters on Italy, that it is impossible to en- 
 tertain any low or mean thoughts in this church, 
 tor my part, I felt here any thing rather than 
 an inclination to devotion, reflexion, or con- 
 templation. The whole appears to me too 
 light, and too airy, for a building consecrated 
 to holy offices. Surely, as a ball-room or place 
 of public amusement, no person would think it 
 too gloomy, or not sufficiently ornamented. 
 How, then, can it be calculated for a spot 
 where the mind ought to examine itself ; where 
 the pomp and vanities of the world are to be 
 forgotten ; and where gaiety is the last feeling 
 which ought to intrude ? 
 
 I say no more at present of St. Peter's, as on 
 my return to Rome I shall examine it mi- 
 nutely, and send you an account more descrip- 
 tive of what it contains. 
 
3G4 
 
 We next went to the Coliseum *, or Flavian 
 Amphitheatre. The exterior walls of this vast 
 edifice arc still perfect, with the exception of 
 one side : and Fame reports that the latter was 
 demolished in consequence of the following 
 circumstance -A pope (I believe of the house 
 of Borghese) wished to build a palace for his 
 nephew (or, more properly speaking, his na- 
 tural son) ; and^ having consulted Michael An- 
 gelo on the subject, was advised by that cele- 
 brated artist to pull down this venerable piece 
 of antiquity, and with the materials to erect 
 the intended house. Jealousy in this great 
 
 * This extraordinary building was erected by Vespasian, 
 after the Jewish war, in the year 72 of our era, in the spot 
 formerly occupied by the gardens of Nero. This situation 
 was then in the middle of Rome, though it is now at the ex- 
 tremity of the city, and may be considered as a suburb. In- 
 deed, it is at present in so deserted and uninhabited a neigh- 
 bourhood, that more than one recluse, inhabiting the little 
 hermitage attached to the Coliseum, has been murdered in his 
 solitary dwelling; and it is thought unsafe to visit the ruins 
 after sunset. 
 
 The amphitheatre is of an oval shape ; one thousand six 
 hundred and forty-one French feet in circumference, and one 
 hundred and twenty-seven in height. 
 
 Several Christians suffered martyrdom here, being con- 
 demned by the emperors, and delivered up to wild beasts in 
 the great area of this building. 
 
 For a particular and minute description, with a plan of 
 the building, see Lumesden's Antiquities of Rome. 
 
365 
 
 man, rendering him envious of the superior 
 merits of the ancients, is said to have been the 
 cause of this barbarous counsel ; which would 
 have been followed in toto, had not the com- 
 plaints of the populace, who were roused by 
 this attack on one of the great ornaments of 
 their city, prevented the evil from extending. 
 There is vet enough left of the Coliseum to 
 show the magnificence of ancient architecture, 
 and the great scale on which public spectacles 
 were given to the citizens of Rome,- — seats for 
 eighty thousand of whom are still visible. The 
 pillars on the different floors display specimens 
 of the different orders of architecture, — the 
 lower being of the Doric, the second of the 
 Ionic, the third of the Corinthian, and the 
 fourth of the Composite. 
 
 The Coliseum has been preserved from the 
 ravages of modern barbarity, by being con- 
 verted into a church. Within its circumfe- 
 rence are placed several altars, where the faith- 
 ful bend the knee in passing. — A kind of her- 
 mit shows the spot, and lives in a small house* 
 at one of the gates. 
 
 Near the principal entrance of the Coliseum 
 stands the Arch of Constantine, which is still 
 perfect. The basso-relievos are said to be of 
 a better age, and to have been taken from the 
 Arch of Titus. 
 
 Almost opposite the great gate of the Coli- 
 
366 
 
 seum are the ruins of a temple formerly dedi- 
 cated to the Sun and Moon. 
 
 These objects occupied the whole of the 
 day. 
 
 December 21. — I went this morning to the 
 Piazza Navoni, and saw the famous fountain, 
 by the chevalier Bernini ; and near it, the 
 church of St. Agnes; the rotundo of which is 
 very beautiful. I saw also the other fountai n 
 in this place, part of which is said to have been 
 the work of Michael i^ngelo. 
 
 Near the Piazza Navoni, duke Braschi, ne- 
 phew of the late pope (Pius the Sixth), is now 
 building a palace. The staircase, which we 
 were recommended to see, is very handsome, 
 of light construction, and made of beautiful 
 marble. 
 
 We drove thence to the Capitol. " Quantum, 
 mutatus ab Mo!" one may well exclaim, on re- 
 collecting what it was in the time of the Ro- 
 mans, — though it is still an interesting object. 
 There is nothing left of the old Capitol: the 
 %hole is a modern edifice. A flight of elegant 
 stairs, by Michael Angelo, forms the ascent; 
 at the top of which stand two ancient statues 
 of Castor and Pollux, each holding the rein of 
 his horse. In the middle of the place is the 
 celebrated equestrian statue of Marcus Aure-< 
 lius, which is of bronze, gilt, and which was 
 discovered in the year 153% near the palace of 
 
367 
 
 the Lateran. The senatorial palace occupies 
 the front; the museum of ancient statues is on 
 the left ; and the collection of pictures on the 
 jight. In the museum I saw several ancient 
 statues of emperors, philosophers, and poets; 
 several sarcophagi, inscriptions on tombs, &c. ; 
 all recalling the scenes of the Roman history, 
 which this spot is so calculated to render inter- 
 esting. There are also models of the statues 
 taken away by the French ; and several beau- 
 tiful pillars of porphyry, granite, &c— The 
 collection of pictures I postponed seeing till 
 my return from Naples. 
 
 The Tarpeian Rock* is a little to the left of 
 the Capitol. To see it, it is necessary to pass 
 through a kind of dirty street. It is literally a 
 rock; and though not a tremendous eminence, 
 yet quite high enough to occasion the death 
 of any one who should be thrown from its 
 summit. , 
 
 We next drove along the Campo Vaccino, 
 or Cow Yard: in part of which stood the ancient 
 Capitol ; and in another the Forum, where the 
 Roman people, then masters of the world, were 
 used to assemble. The latter has only a few 
 pillars left, near which cattle now graze: and 
 the fine fountain of porphyry, where the first 
 
 * For a particular account of this rock, of its situation, 
 and the manner of putting criminals to death by the ancient 
 Romans, see Lumesden's Antiquities of Rome. 
 
368 
 
 orators of ancient days perhaps refreshed them- 
 selves after the fatigues of powerful eloquenc e, 
 is devoted to the use of cows, swine, and horses ! 
 To such a purpose is this once sacred spot 
 now reduced ! Where in better days appeared 
 the seat of judgement, the temple of Vesta, the 
 temple of Victory, the Rostra, &c. &c, are now 
 a few scattered columns (some of which form 
 the front of churches), a deserted walk, and a 
 pasture for cattle ! 
 
 A little further on is the Arch of Septimius 
 Severus, still perfect (for a -particular account 
 of which I refer you to former waiters); and 
 near it are the ruins of the Temple of Peace. 
 
 Ten pillars of oriental marble, once forming 
 part of a temple dedicated to Antoninus and 
 Faustina, now form the front of S. Lorenzo in 
 Miranda, and the following inscription is still 
 visible : 
 
 Divo Antonino, et 
 Pivae Faustina, ex S. C. 
 
 In proceeding further on we came to the 
 Arcli of Titus ; and afterwards visited, for the 
 second time, the Coliseum, and the Arch of 
 Constantine. We viewed both with increased 
 pleasure and continued admiration. 
 
 Fatigued at last with the painful attention 
 which these wonderful objects excited, we got 
 into onr carriage, and drove to the Villa Bor- 
 ghese, which is about half a mile from the gates 
 
869 
 
 of the town. This elegant villa stands in the 
 middle of a garden and paddock, which are 
 constantly open to the public, — forming the 
 fashionable promenade of the Roman noblesse. 
 The grounds are pretty; the weather was fine; 
 and several carriages filled with well-dressed 
 persons, besides equestrians, and crowds on 
 foot, made altogether a very lively scene. We 
 had not sufficient time to see either the house 
 or the cassino. 
 
 We dined at our hotel ; and went in the 
 evening to the assembly of madame Torlonia, 
 the wife of my banker. This is the only house 
 left at Rome where parties are given, and is- 
 consequently attended by all the first people 
 of the place, and by foreigners of every nation. 
 Mr. Torlonia, whose fortune increased to a 
 very great amount during the war and the re- 
 volution, is at present a Neapolitan marquis, 
 and has lately bought the rights and estate of a 
 Roman duke, of whose property he has al- 
 ready taken possession, and whose title he is 
 to bear on the death of the vender. 
 
 The palace of the marquisa Torlonia is one of 
 the finest in the Corso; and her assembly re- 
 minded us very forcibly of an English enter- 
 tainment of the same description. Several large 
 rooms were opened, filled with company of 
 both sexes: and in one of them was a pharo 
 bank ; and in another, a billiard table. The 
 Vol, I, 2B 
 
370 
 
 former of these seemed to draw the principal 
 attention both of the ladies and the gentlemen. 
 In the other apartments there were whist and 
 cassino parties; while several persons amused 
 themselves with conversation. 
 
 I remarked this evening, for the first time, 
 the great noise which the Italians make when 
 they talk together. They always speak in a 
 kind of scream : and the softest language in the 
 World, sounds, in the mouths of the natives, (at 
 least to an English ear) extremely inharmo- 
 nious. 
 
 Among the ladies I perceived but few who 
 deserved to be called pretty ; and their dresses 
 were far from elegant. There seemed, how- 
 ever, to prevail much good-humor, liveliness, 
 and gaiety : nor did I remark any of that dull 
 Solemnity which Mr. Addison and other writers 
 have represented the Italians as affecting. I 
 have made the same remark in other places. 
 Among the company there were priests, car- 
 dinals, and abbes in abundance ; nor did even 
 they pretend to any peculiar gravity of man- 
 ners. I observed several of the most dignified 
 of these ecclesiastics engaged in tender conver- 
 sations with the youngest of the ladies ; who 
 seemed to listen with great complacency, in 
 spite of the red stockings, short cloak, and 
 curled hair, of their clerical beaux. Probably 
 the badges of ecclesiastical preferment are here 
 
371 
 
 thought as smart as the uniform of an officer of 
 the guards in London. Et pourquoi non f would 
 exclaim a Frenchman. I am sure I cannot 
 say : yet the sight was new, and consequently 
 deserved being remarked. 
 
 No refreshments of any kind were handed 
 round,-—unless glasses of iced water may be 
 considered as an exception to the remark. 
 
 Dec. 32.— I saw this morning the fountain of 
 Trevi. It is large, and decorated with several 
 figures, among which the statue of Neptune is 
 particularly admired. 
 
 The pillar of Trajan, my next object, is per- 
 fect, and extremely beautiful. It is of vast di- 
 mensions; and all the events of Trajan's life 
 are represented in basso-relievos round it. It 
 certainly has not been more commended than 
 it deserves. 
 
 I then went to the Monte Cavallo, where 
 stands a pontifical palace, inhabited by the pre- 
 sent pope, who lives there in preference to 
 the Vatican, as a residence at the latter would 
 be attended with greater expense than the 
 present reduced state of the papal funds would 
 enable him to support. The famous colossal 
 figures, which are still here, and which give, 
 from the horses they hold, a name to the place, 
 are in the best style of Grecian sculpture. I 
 believe it is ascertained that they were not the 
 work of Phidias and Praxitiles, though Phidias 
 2 B 2 
 
is written under one, and Praxitiles under the 
 other. The figures of the men are alone ad- 
 mired : those of the horses are thought bad by 
 connoisseurs, — though I confess I could not per- 
 ceive their defects. 
 
 An Egyptian pyramid stands between these 
 figures, one of which is called the statue of 
 Alexander (though it is acknowledged by anti- 
 quarians that it cannot be the resemblance of 
 that hero) ; and under the pyramid are written 
 the following lines : — 
 
 **. Me quondam iEgypti defectum e cautibus undas 
 
 Vis quern per medias Romula transtulerat, 
 Ut starem Augusti moles miranda sepulchri 
 
 Caesareum Tiberis qua nemus alluerat. 
 Jam frustra eversum fractumque infesta vetustas 
 
 Nisa est aggestis condere ruderibus. 
 Jam Pius in lucem revocat sartumque Quirini 
 
 Sublimem in collis vertice stare jubet. 
 Inter Alexandri medius, qui maxima signa 
 
 Testabor quanto sit minor ille Pie." 
 
 I hope you admire the conceit of the two 
 last lines, which assert that the pyramid was 
 placed by Pius the Sixth near that of Alex- 
 ander, in order to show the world how much 
 less was the Grecian conqueror than the Roman 
 pontiff. Is this flattery, or is it irony ? The 
 former was certainly intended, but the latter is 
 the real effect. 
 
 I next passed by a handsome fountain orna- 
 
373 
 
 mcnted with four figures representing the Sea- 
 sons of the Year ; and by another, which I be- 
 lieve the ancient Romans called Termini, but 
 which is now known by the name of the Foun- 
 tain of Moses, in consequence of a figure of 
 that inspired legislator, which is its present 
 principal ornament. 
 
 Near the same spot stands the small but richly 
 decorated church of S. Vittoria, abounding in 
 gold, rare marbles, and precious stones. I 
 here saw and admired the fine figure of St. 
 Theresa in the Agonies of Death, one of 
 the most esteemed works of the chevalier Ber- 
 nini. 
 
 I then drove to the church of Santa Ma- 
 ria delli Angeli, which was built on part of the 
 magnificent remains of the Baths of Dioclesian. 
 The rotundo is ancient ; and the roof was ori- 
 ginally open : it was afterwards enclosed by 
 Michael Angelo. The pillars are ancient, and 
 of oriental granite ; but the ground having 
 given way, they are partly sunk, and are sup- 
 ported by art. The ceiling w r as painted more 
 than a thousand years ago. — There are also 
 in this church some much esteemed pictures, — 
 particularly the Martyrdom of St. Sebastian, 
 by Domenichino; and the Baptism of our Sa- 
 viour, by Carlo Maratti. The angels above 
 the tomb of Pius IV„ of the house of Medici, 
 
374 
 
 are by Bernini. The porch, or entrance, 
 formed originally the calidarium, or stews. 
 The roof of the porch is ancient, and the 
 pillars are Egyptian. In this part of the 
 church are the tombs of Salvator Rosa and Carlo 
 Maratti. — Opposite to the spot where the 
 church now stands, was that part of the Baths of 
 Dioclesian more particularly distinguished by 
 the name of the therms . Little remains of the 
 building ; but the ground is at present a gar- 
 den, in which I saw orange trees growing in 
 the open field. 
 
 I then drove to the church of Santa Maria 
 Maggiore. It is one of the finest churches in 
 Rome, of vast dimensions, and supported by 
 lofty pillars. — Near this church stands the obe- 
 lisk which the emperor Claudius brought from 
 Egypt, and which is now called, from its pre- 
 sent position, the Obelisk of Santa Maria 
 Maggiore. On the other side of the >chureh 
 is another Corinthian pillar, of white marble, 
 which formerly stood in the Temple of Peace. 
 The fagade of Santa Maria Maggiore is very 
 beautiful. — There is a window in this church, 
 similar to that made for the same purpose in 
 the Vatican, whence the pope on particular 
 occasions gives his benediction. 
 
 The church of Santa Croce di Gerusalemme 
 (called so because, as it is believed by the or- 
 
315 
 
 thodox catholics, part of the holy cross, on 
 which our Saviour suffered, is deposited here) 
 is remarkable for its eight beautiful pillars of 
 granite. 
 
 St. John of Latran (or Lateran), besides being 
 the oldest church in Christendom, is worth visit- 
 ing on account of its architecture, fagade, and 
 decorations. — The chapel of Corsini is ex- 
 tremely rich : and the tomb of Clement XII., 
 formed out of an ancient urn, said to have been 
 long under the portico of the Pantheon, and to 
 have contained the ashes of Agrippa, is of 
 beautiful red marble. The figures of the 
 twelve Apostles are also much admired in the 
 body of the church. — In the sacristie I saw a 
 picture of the Annunciation, by Michael An- 
 gelo ; and that of the Crucifixion, in small, by 
 Raphael. 
 
 After walking through the cloisters, where I 
 was shown a well, which my guide with a grave 
 countenance assured me was the very one near 
 which our Saviour converted the Samaritan 
 woman; and some pillars which he as solemnly 
 declared were of the exact height of Jesus 
 Christ, though they measured at least nine feet ; 
 I went to the Baptistery of Constantine. The 
 baptistery is a fine rotundo, with magnificent 
 ancient pillars of a vast height, and is cele- 
 brated for being the spot where the emperor 
 Constantine received the rites of baptism. The 
 
376 
 
 font is a fine marble urn, of a color approach- 
 ing to black. 
 
 Near the church of St. John of Latran stands 
 a building, which is ascended by steps, called 
 Le Scale Sante, or Holy Stairs. They are so 
 denominated, because it is believed, by all 
 pious catholics, that these are the very steps by 
 which our Saviour went up to the house of 
 Pontius Pilate, previously to his crucifixion. 
 These stairs are covered with wood, to preserve 
 them from destruction ; and the devotees ascend 
 them on their knees, and afterwards descend 
 by other steps on foot. The performance of 
 this duty is considered as an act of great and 
 meritorious piety ; and those who undertake it 
 are rewarded with " plenary indulgences *." 
 
 These sights occupied the greater part of the 
 morning. I afterwards walked for an hour on 
 the terrace above the Place d'Espagne, whence 
 the city of Rome is seen to great advantage, 
 and where the air is particularly good. 
 
 Thursday, December 23. — I went this morn- 
 ing to the church of Santa Maria Maggiore, in 
 company with an English friend, to see the 
 pope perform the ceremony of sealing the relics. 
 
 * A protestant traveler sees with surprise, and with no 
 little scandal, these words written on various privileged al- 
 tars, which seem to offer, as a bribe to persons who will at 
 those respective shrines pay their devotions, exemptions from, 
 Other duties, 
 
377 
 
 As his holiness was not very exact to the time 
 he had appointed, we spent nearly two hours 
 in the body of the church, awaiting his arrival. 
 Though mass was saying in some of the chapels, 
 we conceived, that, as in an English cathedral, 
 no offence could be taken at our walking up 
 and down the centre, where no religious cere- 
 monies were performed. We soon, however, 
 found our mistake ; for a holy prelate *, with 
 rage painted on his countenance, flew up to us, 
 and, in the coarsest terms which the Italian 
 language could supply, upbraided us for what 
 he called an act of great indecency. We smiled 
 contempt, and left to our laquais de place the 
 task of answering him. The latter, after treating 
 his eminence with similar language to that which 
 he himself had used, returned to us, and, apo- 
 logising for the brutality of his holy country- 
 man, assured us, that, though so scrupulously 
 severe about the ceremonies of the church, the 
 prelate was the most immoral man within the 
 precincts of Rome : and he ended his harangue 
 with a long and scandalous account of the low 
 amours of this champion of the rights of the 
 church. Though the prelate threatened our 
 
 * A prelate and a bishop are not synonymous terms in tho 
 church of Rome : the offices and rank of each are separate 
 and distinct. The prelate is inferior to the bishop ; and I 
 believe the former is not necessarily in holy orders. The 
 number of prelates is unlimited. 
 
378 
 
 footman with imprisonment, he did not attempt 
 to put his menace into execution ; and this ad- 
 venture was not attended with any unpleasant 
 consequences.— 1 could not help reflecting on 
 the changes which time has produced. A cen- 
 tury or two ago, I have no doubt that this angry 
 priest, who seemed to have all the inclination, 
 though not the power, of his predecessors, 
 would have revenged what he considered an 
 injury to his order, by committing one or all 
 of us to the prisons of the inquisition, if not to 
 the faggot. 
 
 We had scarcely finished this conversation, 
 when we learned that the pope was about to 
 arrive. We accordingly adjourned to the door 
 of the church ; and soon saw a shabby old 
 coach appear, in which his holiness was seated, 
 xlrawn by four horses of lean and wretched 
 figure. They were conducted by two postil- 
 lions, who were uncovered, and wore their 
 hair powdered, with long curls falling down 
 their backs. A heavy coach-box, attached to 
 the carriage, was unoccupied. The servants and 
 the guards of the pope were at once so shab- 
 bily and so ridiculously dressed, that I could 
 easily have mistaken them for the attendants 
 of Punch in a pantomime. The livery of the 
 servants was old-fashioned and grotesque; and 
 the uniform of the guards yellow and black, 
 with stockings of the same party colors classed 
 
379 
 
 alternately. This uniform, tattered and dirty 
 of its kind, was made in the shape of our beef* 
 eaters' dresses at St. James's : and each of the 
 guards held in his hand a halberd, which was 
 used as his arms. These soldiers are Swiss by 
 birth ; many of whom, though long resident at 
 Rome, can speak no language but their native 
 German. 
 
 The ceremony of sealing the relics* was 
 performed in private : we therefore were dis- 
 appointed of the opportunity of witnessing it: 
 but we saw the pope pass to the room where it 
 was done, and afterwards go to the chapel of 
 Borghese ; at the altar of which he knelt down, 
 and was for some time devoutly occupied. 
 
 He is a plain grave-looking old man, with 
 nothing very remarkable in his countenance! 
 As he drove along the street, in returning to 
 his palace, every knee touched the ground ; 
 while he scattered his blessings from the win- 
 dows of his carriage, by making with his hand 
 the sign of the cross. 
 
 * This ceremony was performed in consequence of the 
 pope having prepared a present for the king of Spain of those 
 holy and valued articles, which were certified by the seal of 
 his holiness to be the genuine bones, skulls, and limbs of the 
 saints whose names they respectively bore. The whole was 
 enclosed in a silver box. — In possession of such a charm, the 
 Spaniards can be in no danger from the menaces of our gal* 
 lant tars ! 
 
580 
 
 • From this church we went to the Palazzo 
 Doria, belonging to the wealthy family of that 
 name. A\ T e were here shown a fine collection 
 of pictures by the first masters. 
 
 From the palace of Doria we went to the 
 church of the Capuchins, which, though small* 
 and by no means handsome in point of archi- 
 tecture, possesses the three following very su- 
 perior pictures:- — -St. Michael conquering the 
 Devil, by Guido (esteemed one of his best 
 works) j the Conversion of St. Paul, by Pietro 
 diCortona; and St. Francis, by Domenichino. 
 
 I next went to the Vatican, to see the Belvi- 
 dere, or collection of statues and pictures. The 
 greater part of these have been taken away by 
 the French : and as my present short stay here 
 did not allow me to examine those that remain 
 with the care which they deserve, I shall defer 
 speaking of them in detail till my second visit 
 to Rome. I shall only mention at present, that 
 Canova, the modern sculptor, whose reputation 
 is already established in every part of Europe, 
 has made two statues of such extreme beauty 
 (the one representing a Pugilist ; and the other, 
 Perseus cutting off the head of Medusa) that I 
 was deceived by the latter, and believed it an- 
 cient. They are both in the Vatican. — The 
 rooms which formerly contained the chefs-d'tzu- 
 vres of antiquity, are light, elegant, and hand- 
 some. — Among the remaining curiosities, I re- 
 
381 
 
 marked a vast basin of porphyry j and in the 
 picture gallery, the following works: — St. 
 Philip and St. Ignatius, by Carlo Maratti; Saul 
 and David, byGuercino; Christ disputing with 
 the Doctors, by Spagnoletto ; St. Jerome, by 
 M. A. Caravaggio ; and the Resurrection, by 
 Vandyck. 
 
 From the Vatican I returned home; and, ex- 
 hausted with the fatigue of examining with 
 deep attention so many interesting objects, 
 spent the rest of the day at my lodgings. 
 
 December 24. — I went this morning to the 
 Palazzo Borghese *. In this vast house, con- 
 taining several spacious apartments, I saw a 
 numerous collection of paintings, the work of 
 the first masters. The following is a list of 
 those which most attracted my attention; — The 
 Chase of Diana, by Domenichino ; the Adora- 
 tion of the Magi, by Benvenuto Garofalo ; the 
 Adultress, by Titian; the Fable of Lucina, by 
 Lanfranco ; a Virgin, by Andrea del Sarto; the 
 Descent from the Cross, by Raphael ; the Art 
 
 * The Palazzo Borghese belongs to the prince of that 
 name, who, as every body knows, was lately married to ma- 
 dame Leclerc, the sister of the first consul (now emperor of 
 the French). The prince Borghese, when I was in Italy, was 
 at Paris: I therefore had not an opportunity of seeing him: 
 but I understand he is a young man with very expensive ha- 
 bits; to supply which, his great fortune (nearly fifty thou- 
 sand pounds sterling a-year) is scarcely sufficient. 
 
of Music, commonly called the Sibyl, by Do- 
 menichino (a charming picture, and esteemed 
 a chef-d' cenvre) ; St. John the Baptist, a copy 
 from Raphael by Giulio Romano; a portrait 
 of Cassar Borgia, by Raphael ; Rinaldo and 
 Arminda, by an unknown painter, in the style 
 of Paul Veronese; St. Jerome, by Spagnoletto '> 
 the four Seasons, by Albani ; Guiseppe Ebreo, 
 by Guercino ; several pictures of Venus, by 
 different masters — among which I distinguished, 
 a full length, by Paul Veronese ; the same, by 
 Andrea del Sarto ; and a half figure, by Giulio 
 Romano ; — Leda and Jove in the shape of a 
 Swan, by Leonardo da Vinci ; Venus asleep, a 
 Cupid, and a Satyr, by Titian. 
 
 A small room is ornamented with mosaic 
 paintings ; and the walls of another are paint- 
 ed al-fresco, by Franceso Bolognese. In this 
 room are two statues of Venus receiving the 
 Apple ; and an ancient Hermaphrodite, consi- 
 dered as the partner to that in the Villa Bor- 
 ghese. 
 
 I now continue the list of pictures. - — St. Pe- 
 ter and our Saviour, by Benvenuto Garofalo ; 
 the Madonna, Jesus Christ, and St. John, with 
 Angels, one of the early works of Raphael ; a 
 jine Head, by Lavinia Fontana; Divine and 
 Profane Love (personified by two beautiful fe- 
 male figures), the work of Titian ; a Holy Fa* 
 mily, by Andrea del Sarto; a Madonna and 
 
383 
 
 Child, in the first manner of Andrea del Sarto ; 
 the Virgin, St. Anne, and infant Christ, by Ca- 
 ravaggio ; the three Graces (a very celebrated 
 picture), by Titian ; St. John the Baptist, by 
 Paul Veronese ; a Magdalen, by Lavinia Fon- 
 tana; a Virgin, with other Saints (rather da- 
 maged), by Titian; David, by Caravaggio; Ju- 
 dith decapitating Holofernes, by Fiamingo ; 
 Cleopatra, by Giulio Romano ; the Nativity, 
 by Bassano; St. John the Baptist, by M. Va- 
 lentin; St. John the Baptist, by Bronzino ; St 
 John the Baptist, by Paul Veronese ; St. Fran- 
 cis, by Agostino Caracci ; a Resurrection, by 
 Zuccheri; a colored drawing of our Saviour, 
 with the Children of Zebedee, by Raphael — 
 [Round the ceiling of one of the rooms, Sa-r 
 tyrs are painted al-fresco, which seem to rise 
 from the wall] — a Villain, by Spagnoletto ; a 
 Madonna, by Giulio Romano; Judith, by La- 
 vinia Fontana; the Prodigal Son, by Titian; 
 &c. &c. 
 
 Our next visit was to a small church at the 
 entrance of Rome, called the Madonna del 
 Popolo, from the name of the place where it 
 stands. I here saw a statue of Jonas coming 
 out of the Whale's Belly, the work of Raphael 
 the painter, who made it, in consequence of a 
 dispute with Michael Angelo, in order to prove 
 that a painter might at pleasure become a. 
 sculptor, though a sculptor could not as easily 
 
384 
 
 become a painter. The statue is extremely 
 beautiful, and fully establishes the assertion of 
 its author. Raphael has adorned the chapel in 
 which he has left this monument with al-fresco 
 paintings of the Eternal Father and other 
 figures. 
 
 From the Madonna del Popolo I drove to 
 the Villa Borghese, the grounds about whicli 
 I have already mentioned as the beautiful and 
 favorite promenade of the Roman ladies. The 
 house is equally deserving of commendation. 
 As it has not suffered by the revolution, I shall 
 only mention the objects with which I was 
 most pleased. An ancient statue of Apollo ; 
 an ancient vase, with a bas-relief representing 
 a Bacchanalian scene; a sarcophagus, with a 
 bas-relief representing the Death of Meleager ; 
 a fme statue of Lucius Verus ; Seneca in the 
 Bath (made in touchstone) ; an ancient statue 
 of Augustus; an ancient statue of Belisarius; 
 pillars of eastern granite; a Pollux, ancient; 
 &c. kc. : and of modern productions, a statue 
 of David, an Apollo and Daphne, and the, 
 Flight of iEneas, by Bernini. 
 
 The great room, sixty feet long, and splen- 
 didly ornamented, is surrounded with ancient 
 statues of emperors, heroes, and heathen divi- 
 nities. The pillars and floor are of the finest 
 marble. 
 
 In the adjoining apartment, the floor of 
 
885 
 
 which is in mosaic, appears the celebrated an- 
 cient statue of the Hermaphrodite, lying on a 
 modern mattress admirably executed by Ber- 
 nini. 
 
 In the next room stands the renowned Fight- 
 ing Gladiator, and a Ceres. x\ Pugilist, and 
 other ancient statues, deserve being noticed. 
 There is likewise a group of Romulus and Re- 
 mus suckled by a Wolf. The children are an- 
 cient, and the wolf modern. 
 
 In the following room we remarked a col- 
 lection of Egyptian idols, and a vast bath made 
 of one piece of porphyry : and in another 
 apartment, a fine Grecian statue of a Centaur, 
 and a Grecian Silenus, the only existing statue 
 quite perfect in every part. I also admired an 
 Apollo, a Thalia, &c. 
 
 All these were on the ground floor. 
 
 The rooms above are very elegant, and de- 
 serve being visited. Among the ornaments of 
 this part of the house I distinguished the fol- 
 lowing pictures : — the Toilet of Venus, by Paul 
 Veronese ; a Supper Scene, with Music, by the 
 same; a Snow Scene, by Finesci ; the Chaste 
 Susannah, by Gerardo della Notte; and the 
 Flight into Egypt, by Luca Giordano. 
 
 One of the rooms is decorated with pictures 
 by Mr. Hamilton, an English artist, represent- 
 ing the First Interview of Helen and Paris, the 
 Flight of Helen, and the Death of Achilles. 
 
 Vol. I. 2 C 
 
336 
 
 In another chamber is a fine ceiling, in which 
 a Venus and a Satyr are painted, by M. Gapero, 
 a Frenchman. 
 
 The great room, or the saloon, on this floor, 
 is ornamented with the works of Mr. Arker, a 
 Prussian painter. 
 
 After spending several hours most agreeably 
 in seeing these objects, I repaired to the Pa- 
 lazzo Rospigliosi - 3 and, in a kind of summer- 
 house attached to the garden of the principal 
 house, saw the celebrated al-fresco painting of 
 Aurora, one of the most esteemed works of 
 Guido. It ornaments a ceiling ; and the figures 
 are nearly as large as life. Aurora, scattering 
 flowers, precedes the chariot of the Sun, which 
 is followed by the Hours. The coloring and 
 group of figures is admirable beyond descrip- 
 tion. This is certainly one of the finest efforts 
 of the genius of that delightful artist. 
 
 In the same building I saw a large picture 
 of Sampson pulling down the Temple, by Han- 
 nibal Caracci ; an Adam and Eve, by Domeni- 
 chinoj and the Triumph of David, by the 
 same. 
 
 These objects occupied the greater part of 
 the day. 
 
 Decemb. 25 (Christmas-day). —We went this 
 morning to hear the pope (Pius VII.) perform 
 high mass at St. Peter's. I was rather disap- 
 pointed in the expectations which I had formed 
 
387 
 
 respecting the splendor of this ceremony: it 
 was not nearly so magnificent as my fancy had 
 led me to imagine. The following is an exact 
 account. — 
 
 When I entered, I found the pope seated on 
 a throne, to the left of the principal gate, but 
 near the other extremity of the church. This 
 he afterwards exchanged for one at the further 
 end, and directly fronting the great altar. 
 The cardinals, in robes of white silk inter- 
 woven with gold, sat on each side of him; and 
 at his feet Were placed the bishops, archbi- 
 shops, and other dignitaries of the church. 
 Before I came in, the clergy, as I was told, 
 had performed adoration — that is to say, the 
 cardinals had kissed the hand of his holiness, 
 the bishops his knee, and the other priests his 
 feet. 
 
 As soon as the pope had taken his seat on 
 the principal throne, the mass began. The 
 cardinal secretary of state went first to the 
 altar, and officiated, being attended by his 
 chaplain. The pope himself went thither two 
 or three times, and as often returned to his 
 throne. As he passed, all the persons around 
 fell on their knees ; and when he lifted up the 
 host, no one was seen standing. He himself 
 took the sacrament on the throne, — the same 
 being brought to him by the secretary of state. 
 I remarked, that, before he received the sacred 
 
 2 C 2 
 
388 
 
 wafer, he beat his breast three times with vio- 
 lence. 
 
 Great part of the service was chanted by 
 soprano voices ; and the singers sat in a railed 
 box, immediately above another in which were 
 placed several foreign and some Roman ladies. 
 The space on each side, between the altar and 
 the throne, not .occupied by the cardinals, bi- 
 shops, &c, was filled up by strangers, who stood 
 during the whole of the ceremony. To the left 
 of the pope was a box in which the two kings 
 of Sardinia* were seated, attended by their fa- 
 mily and officers of state. The cardinals wore 
 red stockings, red shoes, and red coifs; and 
 their hats were of the same color f. — The pope 
 changed his garments several times ; and what- 
 ever he took off was most reverently kissed by 
 his attendant cardinal. The dress which he 
 principally wore, was a long white robe, vari- 
 ously and richly ornamented : and his shoes 
 were of white and gold silk. His hair was cut 
 short round his neck, but not powdered. 
 
 When the ceremony, which principally con- 
 
 * He who was king of Sardinia at the time of the con- 
 quest of his continental dominions, has resigned his rights 
 and pretensions in favor of his brother; but they both are 
 commonly called by the royal title. 
 
 f The pope and cardinals, as the successors of our Sa- 
 viour and h is Apostles, assume the color of red in commemo- 
 ration of the blood of Jesus Christ. 
 
389 
 
 sisted of "genuflexions, bows, and changes of 
 garment, at last ended, a chair was brought 
 by eight or ten porters, who were clad in scar- 
 let velvet dresses. His holiness was placed in 
 this chair, and conveyed to a chapel at the 
 other end of the church. As he passed along 
 the vast aisle of St. Peter's, the coup d'ceil was 
 very beautiful. His army knelt with presented 
 arms, and all the persons here assembled (the 
 number of whom was not less than two thou- 
 sand, though it did not form a crowd in this 
 mighty building) placed themselves in rows 
 upon their knees. He scattered his blessings, 
 by the sign of the cross, among the suppliant 
 congregation ; and every good catholic thought 
 himself one step nearer heaven. When he ap- 
 proached the chapel to which he had ordered 
 himself to be carried, a curtain was dropped, 
 behind which his chair was taken : and he thus 
 disappeared. 
 
 The multitude then began to disperse ; and 
 among the rest, I went away. An English 
 friend, however, who continued in the church, 
 acquaints me, that his holiness, after staying a 
 short time in the chapel, came out on foot, 
 and, having prayed at the altars of three or 
 four other chapels, at iast retired into the sa- 
 cristie. . % 
 
 Pius VII. is about sixty years old ; very grave 
 and respectable in his appearance. He has the 
 
390 
 
 character of being what he seems,— I mean, & 
 good, simple, pious, well-meaning, inoffensive 
 priest : in short, just such a pontiff as suits the 
 present times. I have no doubt that he firmly 
 believes in all the mysteries of the church over 
 which he presides. I observed, that during 
 the ceremony of to-day his eye was unaffect- 
 edly and piously raised to heaven, while a 
 smile of contempt sat on the countenances of 
 several of the cardinals in the midst of the 
 most solemn offices. I am fully persuaded 
 that whenever his holiness performs mass he 
 thinks he has operated a miracle; but I am 
 far from thinking that the other members of 
 the conclave are equally credulous. Nothing, 
 indeed, can be more decent, or more humble, 
 than the conduct of him that now occupies the 
 chair of those haughty pontiffs, who once from 
 the Vatican hurled their anathemas against 
 trembling nations and prostrate kings. 
 
 After leaving St. Peter's, we went to see the 
 pictures of Angelica Kauffma^—an artist whose 
 works are well known in England, and who at 
 present resides at Rome. I think the portraits 
 and historical pieces of this lady are superior 
 to any modern productions with which I am 
 acquainted. In short, the only disappoint- 
 ment I experienced was occasioned by her 
 name: alas! "Angelica" is now a wrinkled 
 woman of sixty ! Parents who are inclined to 
 
S91 
 
 give such names to their children should re* 
 member that a day may come when a romantic 
 appellation will appear ridiculous though the 
 person be ever so amiable and meritorious to 
 whom it is attached. This is strongly exem- 
 plified in the present instance; for to much 
 general information, and great professional 
 eminence, Angelica KaufFman unites elegant 
 manners and all the charms of polished con- 
 versation, while her animated eye still displays 
 the character of genius. 
 
 The remainder of this day was devoted to 
 the preparations for our journey to Naples, 
 which we purpose commencing to-morrow. 
 
 Having thus given you the diary of our 
 proceedings during this first short visit to 
 Rome, I take my leave; requesting you to 
 consider these remarks as only the forerunners 
 of a more detailed account, which I hope to. 
 lye able to send you after my purposed second 
 residence in this city. 
 
 I am, &c. 
 
392 
 
 LETTER XIX. 
 
 Road from Rome to Naples — Described by Horace — Ancient 
 aqueducts — Velletri — Pontine Marshes — Terracina — Fondi 
 — Hill of S.Andrea — View and change of climate experienced 
 on the summit — Mola di Gaietta — Cicero's villa — Capua — 
 Aversa — Capo di C/mm — Arrival at Naples. 
 
 Naples, Dec. 29, 1802. 
 
 My dear sir, 
 
 I ARRIVED at Naples late last night, 
 and my first occupation this morning shall be 
 to give you an account of my journey. 
 
 The distance from Rome to this city is forty- 
 five leagues, or one hundred and fifty-five Ita- 
 lian miles ; and Horace has given a classical 
 importance to the scene, by his poetical nar- 
 rative of the journey he made from Rome to 
 Brundisium, contained in the fifth satire of 
 the first book. The road is greatly changed 
 since his time ; yet some part of it remains the 
 same : and those whose early days have been 
 spent in the study of the Roman poets, traverse 
 with peculiar pleasure a country both visited 
 and described by one of the most distinguish- 
 ed of those writers. 
 
 On the morning after Christmas-day we set 
 out from Rome at an early hour, and, in the 
 beginning of our journey, admired the ancient 
 
393 
 
 aqueducts (a work truly worthy of those by 
 whom it was executed), which still supply the 
 modern city with water. The road ran on 
 an easy ascent; and, as we moved along, we 
 saw Rome and the valley around it to great ad- 
 vantage. This prospect is pleasing; and the 
 country, though in many parts neglected and 
 uncultivated, is naturally fertile. Near Albano 
 stands a castle in a delightfur situation. 
 
 At Velletri, four posts from Rome, we had 
 intended to pass the night ; but, arriving there 
 at noon, we resolved to proceed ; and, having 
 traversed the Pontine Marshes *, reached Ter- 
 racina the same evening. The latter town is 
 seventy miles from Rome, and this distance is 
 divided into ten posts and a half. A party of 
 dragoons attended as a guard from the last 
 stage, — a protection which we were advised to 
 take, as it was already dark, and frequent rob- 
 beries had lately been committed in this coun- 
 try. 
 
 We know that Horace's first station, after 
 leaving Rome, was Aricia, now called La Ric- 
 cia; but though the place exists, it is out of the 
 direct road to Naples. — 
 
 " Egvessum magna me excepit Aricia Roma." 
 
 The town he calls Forum Appi is supposed to 
 
 Vide Appendix, No. I. 
 
394 
 
 have stood in the immediate neighbourhood of 
 the Pontine Marshes ; which accounts for the 
 water being so bad that he avoided drinking it, 
 and went without his supper lest any of it 
 should be mixed with his food. — 
 
 *' Hie ego propter aquam, quod erat deterrima, ventri 
 Indico bellum." 
 
 Horace traversed these marshes, and spent a 
 bad night within one league of Terracina ; the 
 temple of Feronia, which he mentions, being at 
 that distance from Anxur, the later appella- 
 tion of the same town. He left Anxur at four 
 o'clock in the morning — 
 
 " Quarta, vix demum exponimur hora , '— 
 
 and proceeded on his journey. 
 
 Terracina is delightfully situated on the shore 
 of the Mediterranean Sea, and surrounded with 
 vast rocks, on the summits of which I perceived 
 snow. 
 
 The inn commands a delightful prospect; 
 but its accommodations were far from good. 
 A storm raged during the night with such pro- 
 digious noise that I in vain attempted to sleep. 
 
 W e set out again the following morning, and 
 drove along for some time on the shore of the 
 "sea ; after which we began to ascend, and soon 
 found ourselves at Fondi, the first town in the 
 Neapolitan territories. Horace stopped at this 
 
395 
 
 place, where he met with the ridiculous coun- 
 try magistrate whose pompous puppyism he 
 has so admirably caricatured. — 
 
 u Fundos aufidio Lusco praetore libenter 
 Linguimus, insani ridentes prsemia scribaa 
 Preetextam, et latum clavum, prunteque batilium.** 
 
 The customhouse-officers of his Sicilian ma- 
 jesty were not less anxious to exert all the pre- 
 rogatives of office than was the Roman justice; 
 but a few p aids* satisfied all their scruples, and 
 we were allowed to proceed without having 
 our trunks unpacked. 
 
 About five miles from Fondi we ascended 
 the lofty hill of S. Andrea. Never shall I for- 
 get my sensations on reaching the summit of 
 that mountain. The climate had entirely 
 changed. In the valley below, we had found 
 the weather damp and cold ; but after ascend- 
 ing this eminence, we felt the warmth of sum- 
 mer, and that kind of mild air which is consider- 
 ed as characteristic of the atmosphere of Italy. 
 Orange and lemon trees in full bearing ap- 
 peared on each side of the road ; the sea was at 
 our feet •> and the lofty hills above, covered 
 with snow, completed the landscape. 
 
 We changed horses soon afterwards; and, 
 
 * A paul is a Roman coin of the value of something les* 
 than sixpence English. 
 
396 
 
 descending through a country which became 
 more and more beautiful at every mile, reach- 
 ed the very pretty little inn and village of the 
 Mola di Gaietta*. Nothing can be more love- 
 ly than the position of this place. A delightful 
 sea view, the town and fortress of Gaietta, on 
 one side, surrounded with gardens full of orange 
 trees; an island in front; and the mountains 
 with their hoary tops behind. I got out of my 
 carriage, and walked the last mile, that I might 
 enjoy with more ease this charming scene ; and 
 the heat was so great (on the 27th of Decem- 
 ber), that I had not proceeded many steps be- 
 fore I felt disposed to sit down. 
 
 Horace is supposed to have described For- 
 mia, or the Mola di Gaietta, under the name 
 of U rbs Marmiirrarum.— 
 
 " In Marmurrarum lassi deinde urbe manemus 
 Murena pra?bente domum, Capitone culinam." 
 
 Glad, like the Roman poet, to find a pleasant 
 resting-place, and a kitchen in which our pro- 
 visions could be dressed, we resolved, though 
 it was only one o'clock, to spend here the re- 
 mainder of the day ; and accordingly ordered 
 some meat which was in the carriage to be 
 
 * Gaietta is a corruption of the Latin Caietta : — 
 
 " Tu quoque littoribus nostris, iEneia nutrix, 
 iEternam moriens famam, Caietta, dedisti." Virgil. 
 
S97 
 
 roasted, and added to whatever else the larder 
 of the inn could afford. 
 
 While dinner was preparing, I wandered out, 
 attended by a fellow, who, with the true flou- 
 rish of the Italian idiom, introduced himself as 
 the antiquarian of the Mola di Gaietta. He 
 conducted me to a garden in which once stood 
 (according to his account, which, indeed, is not 
 improbable) the villa of Cicero. He showed 
 me the site of the house ; the bath which the 
 orator used ; the reservoir of his fish, marked 
 by some stones which still remain ; and the 
 cellar where he attempted to conceal himself 
 from the emissaries of Antony, and in which 
 he at last fell by the hand of assassins. 
 
 I know not whether my guide were correct 
 in the information * which he communicated ; 
 
 * M. Lalande says that Cicero's villa, called Formianum, 
 where he used to receive Scipio, Laelius, and other illustrious 
 guests, was situated between Mola and the town of Gaietta, at 
 a place called Castelloni, where the duke of Marzano Lagni 
 has a palace. M. Lalande adds, that the ruins near the sea, 
 shown as the Formianum of Cicero, cannot be those of his 
 villa, as the latter was further from the shore. After all, it 
 is clear that his house was in the immediate neighbourhood ; 
 and whether this were or were not the precise spot, is a 
 question which cannot with any certainty be ascertained. — 
 M. Lalande thinks it probable that the tower which one 
 sees at the Mola di Gaietta, is the tomb which the freed- 
 men of Cicero raised to his memory, near the spot where 
 their patron was murdered. 
 
398 
 
 but I was pleased in indulging the idea of seeing 
 the very spot which Cicero had inhabited. These 
 associations are delightful, and give an interest 
 to all which one beholds in Italy charming be- 
 yond description. I visited the villa of Tully, 
 and rested where Horace rested in performing 
 the same journey. — The Roman orator could 
 not indeed have selected, in any part of the 
 overgrown territories of his country, a more 
 beautiful situation than that which is pointed 
 out as his favorite retreat ; and this circum- 
 stance strongly corroborates the testimony of 
 my guide. 
 
 In going to and returning from this garden, 
 I had opportunities of admiring the picturesque 
 gcenery of these environs ; and as the windows 
 of our little inn commanded the whole land- 
 scape, we had every reason to rejoice at the 
 resolution we had formed of spending our day 
 at the Mola di Gaietta. 
 
 After dinner, our courier made us laugh very 
 heartily at a robbery of a singular kind which 
 we had just experienced. The joint of beef 
 which we had brought with us, and which in 
 roasting attracted, from its size, the astonish- 
 ment of the persons collected in the kitchen, 
 was of course taken from our table to that of 
 our servants. Both of them being accidentally 
 called out of the tooui at the same time, found 
 on their return that the meat had vanished; 
 
S99 
 
 and, notwithstanding every inquiry, the thief 
 could not be discovered. — I mention this little 
 circumstance, as descriptive of the poverty and 
 pilfering disposition of the lower classes of the 
 Italians. 
 
 We passed a delightful day in this village, 
 and the next morning recommenced our jour- 
 ney. The weather was fine when we first set 
 out ; but it soon changed ; and such violent 
 rain began to fall, that . the darkness it occa- 
 sioned prevented my remarking the country 
 through which we traveled. The continuance 
 of the storm made me determine not to stop at 
 Capua, in w r hich city we changed horses, and 
 where our passport was examined and counter- 
 signed by the governor. 
 
 The ancient Capua *, once the seat of such 
 pleasure and opulence that it was called Capua 
 am,orsa et Capua dives, and in which the army 
 of Hannibal was corrupted by the luxuries 
 which abounded there, stood at the distance 
 of about half a league from the site of the mo- 
 dern town, which, though handsome and well 
 built, is insignificant when compared with the 
 ancient. 
 
 * Horace says— - 
 
 fl Hinc muli Capuae clitellas tempore ponunt 
 Lpsum it Maecenasj dormitum ego Virgiliusque ; 
 Namque pila lippis inimicum et ludere crudis." 
 
400 
 
 We next passed through the town of Aversa; 
 and, in coming into the village of Capo di Chi- 
 na, began to approach the city of Naples, and 
 were here again asked for our passport. The 
 posthorses were so extremely bad to-day that 
 we traveled but slowly, and it was night before 
 we entered this beautiful town. We could only 
 perceive that we drove through several fine 
 streets ; and that the hotel where we stopped, 
 and at which apartments had been engaged for 
 us by the kind attention of a friend, was situ- 
 ated on the shore of the sea. 
 
 Arrived here, I may say of Naples, as Horace 
 did of Brundisium, 
 
 u longae finis chartaeque viaeque est." 
 
 I take my leave for the present,- and will 
 write to you again as soon as I become ac- 
 quainted with the place and the inhabitants. 
 
 I am, &c. 
 
401 
 
 LETTER XX. 
 
 ^Description of the bay of Naples, and first coup d'asil of thaf 
 city — Palazzo Reale, or the king's palace — // Gigante, a 
 colossal figure of Jupiter — The arsenal — Castello Nuovo — 
 Port of Naples — Largo di Castello — Strada di Toledo — 
 Suburbs of St. Lucie, and the Chiaia — Villa Reale, and the 
 Toro, or Farnesian Bull — Gay appearance of Naples — The 
 cabriolets let for hire — Lively countenances, slender food, 
 and tawdry dresses of the Lazaroni. 
 
 Naples, Feb, 18, 1803. 
 
 My dear sir, 
 
 AFTER passing two of the mosfe 
 agreeable months of my life in this delightful 
 place, I am preparing for my departure. I 
 hope you will not complain of the interval 
 which has elapsed since I had the pleasure of 
 corresponding with you, as I purposely avoided 
 writing till my stay here had been sufficiently 
 long to enable me to speak with some degree 
 of certainty about a city which every traveler 
 has described with enthusiastic praise. 
 
 AVhen I first arrived here, I was attacked by 
 illness, which confined me for some days to my 
 room ; during which time I refreshed my his- 
 torical and geographical recollections of Naples, 
 by consulting M. de Lalande and other au^ 
 thors, from whom I thought I could derive the 
 
 Vol. I. 2 D 
 
40* 
 
 most satisfactory information. From these ma- 
 terials I amused myself in compiling a short 
 account, which I have found very useful on 
 Several occasions, and a copy of which I will 
 send you by the first convenient opportunity* : 
 I shall therefore say nothing on these heads at 
 present. 
 
 Naples is built in the bosom of the bay ; and 
 most of the principal houses, and all the hotels 
 in which foreigners are lodged, together with 
 the public walk, are placed on the shore of 
 the sea, of which they command an uninter- 
 rupted and delightful prospect. Of the bay it- 
 self, Mr. Addison has given so full and so ac- 
 curate a description, that I shall content myself 
 with copying his words,' — satisfied that they 
 will convey to you a much more perfect idea 
 of this place than any attempt of mine could 
 /possibly do. — 
 
 " The bay of Naples f is the most delightful 
 one that I ever saw. It lyes in almost a round 
 figure, of about thirty miles in the diameter. 
 Three parts of it are covered with a noble cir- 
 cuit of woods and mountains. The high pro- 
 montory of Sarrentum divides it from the bay 
 Of Saiernum. Between the utmost point of thifr 
 promontory and the isle of Caprea, the sea 
 
 * Vide Appendix, No. IL 
 
 t See Mr. Addisou's Remarks. o&Italif* 
 
403 
 
 enters by a streight of about three miles wide. 
 The island stands as a vast mole, planted there 
 on purpose to break the violence of the waves 
 that run into the bay. It lyes long-ways, al- 
 most in a parallel line to Naples. The exces- 
 sive height of its rocks shelters a great part of 
 the bay from the winds and waves, that enter 
 again between the other end of this island and 
 the promontory of Miseno. The bay of Naples 
 is called the Crater by the old geographers, 
 probably from its resemblance to a round bowl 
 half fill'd with liquor. Perhaps Virgil, who 
 composed here a great part of the ^Eneids, took 
 from hence the plan of that beautiful harbour 
 which he has made in his first book ; for the 
 Lybian port is but the Neapolitan bay in lit- . 
 tie. — 
 
 " 'Est in secessu longo locus; insula portum 
 Efficit, objeetu laterum, quibus omnis ab alto 
 Fravigitur, inque sinus scindit sese unda reductos. 
 Hinc atque hinc vastae rapes, geminique minantur 
 In Coelurn scopuli; quorum sub vertice late 
 jEquora tuta silent : turn sylvis scena coruscis 
 Desuper, horrentique atrum nemus imminet umbra/ 
 
 w ' Within a long recess there lies a bay : 
 An island shades it from the rolling sea, 
 And forms a port secure for ships to ride. 
 Broke by the jutting land on either side, 
 In double streams the briny waters glide, 
 Between two rows of rocks. A sylvan scene 
 Appears above, and groves for ever green/ " Dryfari, 
 2 D 2 
 
404 
 
 I ought perhaps to add, while speaking of 
 the position of Naples, that on every side the 
 view is equally beautiful. To the east, the vil- 
 lages and country-houses built on the shores 
 of the sea, with the palace of Portici, and the 
 ancient cities of Herculaneum and Pompeii at 
 a distance ; the whole being crowned by the 
 celebrated mountain of Vesuvius : to the west, 
 the villas and grotto of Pausilipe, and the tomb 
 of Virgil j above, at a vast height, the convent 
 of the Carthusians, and the castle of S. Elmo : 
 to the north, a range, of mountains forming 
 a kind of rampart round the town, and the 
 tc Terra di Lavoro," called by the Romans the 
 Campania Felix from its rich soil and vast fer- 
 tility: and to the south, the bay of Naples 
 already described. Such are the objects, form- 
 ing a coup d'ceil of matchless beauty, which 
 present themselves from the windows of the 
 houses built on the shore of the sea, and these 
 houses cover the space of at least an English 
 mile ; between which and the Mediterranean 
 is a road for carriages. 
 
 The length of Naples is estimated, from north 
 to south, at three thousand six hundred feet ; 
 and its population, in 1781, according to the. 
 numeration made by order of his Sicilian ma- 
 jesty, amounted to three hundred and eighty- 
 thousand souls, — including two thousand two 
 hundred and twelve monks, and six thousand 
 
405 
 
 three hundred and thirty-nine nuns, but with- 
 out counting either strangers or the army. 
 Adding these, and some others not included 
 in* the calculation, the inhabitants of Naples 
 and the suburbs make a total of six hundred 
 thousand. I am inclined to think, that, not- 
 withstanding the number of lives lost here in 
 the revolution and at the siege, the popula- 
 tion has not much diminished. The streets 
 are constantly filled with people, many of whom 
 have no settled habitation ; and every house is 
 crowded with inhabitants. 
 
 The principal edifice of Naples is the palace 
 of the king, built by order of don Ferdinand 
 Ruez de Castro, comte of Lemos, in 1600, 
 when viceroy, and under the direction of the 
 chevalier Fontana. One side of it commands 
 the sea, and the other a place, or square, which 
 is surrounded with buildings not generally re- 
 markable either for their beauty or their size. 
 General Acton has, however, built in this posi- 
 tion a very magnificent mansion. 
 
 The architecture of the royal palace is in', 
 good taste. The fagade is nearly six hundred 
 feet in length. There are twenty-two windows 
 in a row; and three gates, ornamented with 
 pillars of granite, which support the balconies 
 above. The decorations consist of three orders 
 of pilasters (Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian) 
 placed the one above the other j and the whote 
 
406 
 
 is crowned with a railing ornamented with pyra- 
 mids and vases placed alternately. The court 
 is not very large ; but the stairs are beautiful, 
 extremely convenient, and of prodigious size. 
 At the top of these stairs is a fine piazza, which 
 surrounds the whole court. I shall hereafter have 
 occasion to speak of the interior of the palace. 
 
 In going from the palace towards the sea, 
 one sees a large marble statue found at Pouzzoli. 
 It is a colossal figure of Jupiter in the character 
 of Terminus. The Neapolitans call it il Gigante, 
 or the Giant. 
 
 Near this place stands the arsenal, which is 
 large enough for the construction of sixty gal- 
 leys. 
 
 The Castello Nuovo, with which the king's 
 palace communicates, by a gallery that crosses 
 the ditches, is a strong fortress on the shore of 
 the sea, and opposite the mole, or pier, which 
 it was built to defend. 
 
 The port of Naples, which is in the eastern 
 part of the city, is a square of nine hundred 
 feet. A large pier encloses it to the west and 
 the south, and a small pier protects it to the 
 north. The former is terminated by a little 
 fort called Fortino di San Gennaro : the latter 
 (Brascio Nuovo), was built by don Carlos, and 
 is also protected by a fort. These forts were 
 built after admiral Byng, with the British fleet, 
 menaced the town of Naples in 1745, and forced 
 
407 
 
 the minister to sign a treaty of neutrality, 
 allowing him but a few minutes to delibe- 
 rate. The port may contain four ships of 
 eighty guns each. There are now lying in it 
 one or two vessels of that size, belonging to his 
 Sicilian majesty; several Neapolitan frigates; 
 and the Medusa, a British frigate, which con- 
 voyed the king from Palermo *. 
 
 The place or square called Largo di Castello, 
 by which one returns from the port towards 
 the royal palace, was made by taking down 
 many houses, which were falling to ruin, and 
 is ornamented with several fountains, the prin- 
 cipal one of which is called the fountain of 
 Medina. 
 
 The Strada di Toledo is the most remarkable 
 street in Naples, as well for its length and its re- 
 
 * When his Sicilian majesty returned for the last time 
 from Palermo, he wished to have performed the voyage on 
 board the Medusa ; but the Neapolitan officers entreated 
 their sovereign not to disgrace them so much as to leave 
 his own ships. The king complied; but though he had 
 two or three seventy-fours, and some smaller vessels, he did 
 not think himself safe without the protection of our little 
 frigate ; and captain Gore accordingly, at his majesty's re- 
 quest, convoyed the fleet. The Algerines appeared during 
 the voyage, and prepared to attack the Neapolitan ships ; but 
 seeing the British colors hoisted on the Medusa, immediately 
 sheered off. Captain Gore, a most amiable man and merito- 
 rious officer, has lately received from his Sicilian majesty a 
 Uaudsome present of diamonds in return for this service. 
 
408 
 
 gularity, as for the architecture of the houses 
 of which it is formed. It is nearly an English 
 mile in length j is wide - y and contains shops 
 filled with every kind of merchandise, besides 
 several churches and palaces of the richer no- 
 bility. It is constantly crowded with car- 
 riages, horsemen, and pedestrians; and pre- 
 sents one of the liveliest scenes imaginable. 
 
 The most agreeable part of Naples is includ- 
 ed within the suburbs of St. Lucie and the Chi- 
 aia ; the former being to the east, and the 
 latter to the west. Both of these districts are 
 on the shore of the Mediterranean, and present 
 together an uninterrupted suite of fine houses ; 
 the windows of which command the most beau- 
 tiful prospect on the continent of Europe, The 
 road which runs between the houses and the 
 sea forms the fashionable drive of the Neapo- 
 litan noblesse j the greater number of whose 
 palaces is also in the Chiaia. 
 
 The w r alk of the Villa Reale, situated in the 
 latter, is one of the most charming promenades 
 which can possibly be conceived, It consists, 
 of a spacious piece of ground on the beach of 
 the sea, well graveled, kept in good order, and 
 covered with a trellis-work of wood painted 
 green ; over which innumerable vine trees are 
 are allowed to spread their leaves, affording in 
 summer a delightful shade from the heat of the 
 mxi. In the 'centre of this walk now stands the 
 
409 
 
 celebrated Toro, or group of figures represent- 
 ing the two brothers, Amphion and Zetus, bind- 
 ing Dirce to the horns of a mad Bull. This 
 is one of the most esteemed relics of ancient 
 -sculpture, and is sometimes called the Fa'rne- 
 siah Bull, having belonged to the family of 
 Farnese, from which the present king of the 
 Two Sicilies inherited it, with the other trea- 
 sures of that house. Mr. Addison is of opinion 
 that Seneca the tragedian has an allusion tot 
 this group in the following lines:-— 
 
 " primus emergit solo 
 
 Dextra ferocem cornibus premens taurum 
 Zetus 
 
 " First Zetus rises through the ground, 
 Binding the bull's tough neck with pain, 
 That tosses back his horns in vain." 
 
 The figures are beautiful, and still in high 
 preservation. The group was originally found 
 in the Baths of Caracalla, at Rome ; and, after 
 being many years in the possession of the Far- 
 nese family, was removed hither by his Sicilian 
 majesty, in order to add the wonders of art t& 
 those of nature. 
 
 In respect to scenery, it would be impossible 
 to increase the beauty of the situation. The 
 most delightful climate in the temperate zone, 
 the vicinity of the Mediterranean Sea, the 
 island of Caprea, the Mount Vesuvius, the 
 
410 
 
 Tomb of Virgil, the Castle of S.Elmo, and the 
 Grotto of Pausilipe, unite such advantages that 
 the Villa Reale may be fairly considered as^ 
 possessing uneqv.aled charms. The mild wea- 
 ther which prevails, even in the midst of winter, 
 in this favored country ; the number of car- 
 riages ; and the crowds of people which flock 
 in every part of the town; give a gaiety to this 
 capital greatly superior to what I ever witness-* 
 ed in any other city of Europe. The rich 
 spend many hours in driving up and down the 
 Strada di Toledo, and along the shores of the sea. 
 I am far from commending such a waste of time, 
 but the circumstance adds much to the appear- 
 ance of the place. The middle ranks hire the 
 open carriages which are kept constantly ready 
 for those who wish to engage them ; and the 
 Lazaroni (or lowest class) contribute, by the 
 vivacity of their features, to the general mirth. 
 
 The cabriolet, or open carriage, let for hire, 
 consists of a light car, either gilt, or painted of 
 some tawdry color; and is only just large enough 
 to receive one person with comfort, though it 
 often carries two passengers. It is drawn by 
 a single horse, of very small size, decked out 
 in gilt or plated harness, with an ornament of 
 feathers on his head; to which a miniature 
 weather-cock is .often added* The coachman 
 gives the reins to the person who takes Irs 
 chaise, but keeps the whip in his own hand, 
 
411 
 
 and stands on a foot-board behind. The horses- 
 kept for this purpose are very fleet; and in a 
 conveyance of this kind one is carried to any 
 place in the town or neighbourhood with in- 
 conceivable velocity. 
 
 Certainly no people in the known world 
 have fewer comforts than the poor of Naples ; 
 yet no people I ever saw appear so happy. 
 The Lazaroni live six or seven in a room, or 
 rather a coach-house ; of which one of the little 
 carriages I have before described, and the 
 horse belonging to it, are often joint tenants 
 with the master and his family. Those who 
 are still less fortunate, and have no proper 
 home, sleep in the open air, under the portico 
 of a church, or in the ruins of some ancient 
 building. They dine on the stump of a cab- 
 bage, or on a small portion of macaroni - y and 
 their beverage, and only luxury, consists of a 
 glass of iced water. Their dress is* commonly 
 formed of a jacket of coarse cloth, with breeches 
 of the same, and a round hat : yet so fond are 
 they of show, that I have often seen them wear 
 on Sundays a gold cord on their hats, gold 
 klieebands, and a pair of large silver buckles 
 in their shoes. Their hair is enclosed in a co^ 
 lored net ; part of which is covered by their 
 hat, and the femainder falls on their back. 
 
 The Neapolitan women are equally fond of 
 tawdry ornaments. On a fete day, or when 
 
412 
 
 a wedding takes place, it is a usual circum- 
 stance to see the bride and bridegroom clad 
 in all the tinsel fmery they can collect, and 
 seated in one of the little cabriolets; the 
 horse of which is decorated with new feathers 
 of various colors. Two or three of their friends 
 stand behind : and, notwithstanding the weight 
 of so many persons, the little poney which 
 draws them is able (so excellent are the roads 
 in the environs) to trot at a great rate : and 
 thus the laughing happy party are conveyed 
 along the shore to some neighbouring village, 
 with a speed well suited to the vivacity of their 
 character. 
 
 The females of this country are far from hand- 
 some, particularly among the lower classes; and 
 nothing can be more rare at Naples than the 
 sight of a pretty woman. Many of them wear 
 the dress of the Sicilian peasants, which is both 
 showy and singular. It consists of a petticoat 
 and jacket of gold tissue, with a gold network 
 for the head. How the laboring people, who 
 are by no means well paid, can afford so ex- 
 pensive a costume, I cannot possibly conjec- 
 ture. Of course the gold which glitters in 
 their gowns is made of the coarsest quality : 
 yet the cheapest must cost a sum much greater 
 than the wearers can easily command. An 
 English lady, washing to purchase a dress of 
 this kind as a disguise at a masquerade, was 
 
413 
 
 asked forty guineas for the suit. The adoption, 
 of so costly an habiliment by the lowest rank 
 of persons, is a convincing proof of the general 
 passion for splendor which reigns in this coun- 
 try, and of the vast sacrifices which are made 
 in order to gratify this ruling disposition. 
 
 When you put together the facts whioh I 
 have, enumerated, and add to them the advan- 
 tages of the weather of an English August 
 in the month of January, and the innumera- 
 ble interesting and classical objects which the 
 neighbourhood affords, you will form some 
 little idea of the pleasure which the walks and 
 drives of Naples constantly offer, exclusively 
 of the thousand other agreeable circumstances 
 attending a residence at Naples. 
 
 I have begun with general remarks before 
 I enter on particulars, that you may not be 
 surprised at the enthusiasm with which, in 
 common with all travelers, I shall speak of this 
 delightful spot, which certainly bears a stronger 
 resemblance to the enchanted island of Calypso 
 than to any real existing scene. Every thing 
 breathes the reign of Pleasure. The vivacity 
 of the people ; the matchless beauty of the 
 country ; the surrounding mountains, which 
 seem to secure this happy valley from the 
 chilling blasts of the northern winds j the tran- 
 quillity of the sea ; the balmy softness of the 
 air j and the brilliancy of the sun, which at 
 
414 
 
 this season of the year is enjoyed without the 
 oppressive heat which it occasions in summer; 
 form altogether a terrestrial Paradise to which 
 no language can do justice. I have no doubt 
 that yoli will suspect I am drawing an ima- 
 ginary picture ; but I can with great truth 
 assure you that I do but imperfectly sketch 
 the landscape which is hourly presented to my 
 view. 
 
 My letter is already grown so long that I 
 shall stop for the present, and will resume the 
 subject in my next* 
 
 I am, &o. 
 
£15 
 
 LETTER XXL 
 
 Neapolitan nobility — Their ignorance — Anecdotes proving the; 
 SU me — Their equipages, and usual modes of life — English 
 society, mixed with Russians and other foreigners — Bait 
 given by captain Gore of the Medusa frigate — by Mr. Drum- 
 mond, on the queen's birth-day — by the English bachelors- 
 Carnival, and the manner of celebrating it — Masks, and 
 jsugar-phm war in the Strada di Toledo — Masquerades of 
 •the theatre of S. Carlos. 
 
 Naples, Feb. 20, 1803, 
 
 My dear sir, 
 
 The higher classes differ very- 
 little from the lower, except in the titles which 
 they bear, and in the orders with which they 
 are decorated. Among the four hundred dukes, 
 three hundred princes, three thousand mar- 
 quises, and innumerable chevaliers, of which 
 the Neapolitan noblesse is said to consist, very 
 few are to be found whose education and ac- 
 quirements are at all superior to those of the 
 humblest of the people. I have, since I have 
 been here, heard the most ridiculous stories of 
 their want of information on the most trivial 
 points. I have collected many anecdotes, but 
 shall only mention two, which are sufficiently 
 characteristic to prove the ignorance of per- 
 sons pf the highest rank.. 
 
416 
 
 A duchess, whom I have seen, and who -pos- 
 sesses one of the most splendid palaces in 
 Naples, asked a friend of mine, who was lately 
 a member of the house of commons, why we 
 kept such late hours in England, and particu- 
 larly why we dined when it was almost time to 
 sup* Mr. — ■ — — answered, that one principal 
 cause of that custom arose from the sittings of 
 parliament, which many gentlemen were ob- 
 liged to attend. " Le parlement *," interrupted 
 the lady, for she could speak a few words of 
 French; " qu'est-ce que c'est que le parle- 
 ment ? est-ce une promenade, un corsb ? Je 
 n'ai jamais entendu parlerde cet endroit-la." 
 
 The other anecdote is this. During the late 
 war, a Neapolitan marquis came into the box 
 of a foreign minister at the theatre of San Car- 
 los, and asked his excellency if he had heard 
 the news which had just arrived. Being an- 
 swered in the negative, he continued, with a 
 tone of importance,' — " Sir, the English fleet 
 have blockaded Mantua ! " The ambassador 
 smiled. "You don't believe me?" rejoined 
 
 * " The parliament ! pray what does that mean ? is it a~ 
 promenade, a corso? I never heard before of that place/' 
 
 I ought to add, that driving on the corso (the name given by 
 the Italians to their favorite promenade) forms the most ma- 
 terial and most interesting duty in the life of a Neapolitan 
 noble : of course, the duchess supposed that some such ira-" 
 portant affair could alone retard the hour of dinner* 
 
417 
 
 the Neapolitan : f my authority is indisputa- 
 ble : I received the intelligence from the king 
 himself." 
 
 Innumerable other instances might be given 
 of the ignorance of the nobles ; but, after such 
 specimens, it would be idle to repeat them. To 
 take the parliament of England for the Rotten 
 Row of Hyde Park, and to make a sea-port of 
 Mantua, are tolerable proofs of the little pro- 
 gress here made in the acquirement of that ge- 
 neral kind of knowledge which is dispersed 
 through all societies in countries on the other 
 side of the Alps. — -I cannot help adding, that 
 a few evenings since a lady complained, that, 
 though on her marriage her husband had en- 
 gaged to purchase for her a book, seven years 
 had elapsed, and he had not yet performed his 
 promise. 
 
 The rights of primogeniture are strictly ob- 
 served, and the portions of younger brothers 
 and sisters are consequently trifling. Some of 
 the cadets of noble families become lawyers ; 
 but the greater number takes orders; and all 
 are condemned to celibacy. A similar fate 
 attends those females whose beauty is not suf- 
 ficiently attractive to obtain for them the offer 
 of a suitable marriage : they are early doomed 
 to the solitude of a cloister. Even the elder 
 branches have been much impoverished by the 
 Vol. I. 2 E 
 
418 
 
 war and revolutions which lately ravaged this 
 delightful country ; and but few enjoy at pre- 
 sent an ample income. Whatever economy 
 their circumstances may oblige them to ex- 
 ercise, is practised within the walls of their 
 own palaces, and at the expense of domestic 
 comfort : the show of equipage is still kept up. 
 To be sure, this show is not of the most splendid 
 kind ; yet, such as it is, it gratifies the pride of 
 these grandees. An old chariot, which has the 
 faint remains of having once been gilt, conveys 
 a principessa to the Corso, attended by her 
 cavalier e servante, and is drawn by two half- 
 starved horses, with large tassels at their head 
 of a tawdry color ; and behind it stand two 
 lanky footmen, whose liveries, patched in some 
 places, and decorated with worsted lace almost 
 effaced, are positive proofs of the antiquity of 
 the family to which they belong. The nobles 
 dine at one o'clock, and immediately after- 
 wards parade in these equipages along the 
 Corso; which beginning at the suburb of St. 
 Lucie, runs to the other extremity of the sea 
 shore. Several hours are spent in this manner; 
 and the rest of the day is either devoted to the 
 opera or to private conversaziones. 
 
 On my arrival at Naples I wished to have 
 been admitted into the private society of the 
 inhabitants ; but I received from strangers of 
 
419 
 
 all nations such unfavorable accounts of their 
 houses, and I found such difficulties * in pro- 
 curing an introduction, that I gave up the idea, 
 and contented myself with examining their 
 character in public, at court, and in some 
 foreign houses, where the Neapolitans were 
 occasionally invited. x 
 
 The English have indeed been perfectly in- 
 dependent in point of company, as so many 
 families of the highest rank and respectability 
 have happened to meet here, besides a long 
 list of young men of birth, fortune, and cha- 
 racter, that we have formed a distinct society 
 sufficient for every purpose of gaiety and con- 
 viviality: and though we have all lived but 
 little with the Neapolitans, we cannot be ac- 
 cused of passing our time solejy with our coun- 
 trymen, as the Russians, Germans, emigrant 
 French, Spaniards, and Americans, convinced 
 of the stupidity and dulness which prevail in 
 the parties of the inhabitants, have united with 
 us, and formed a circle of foreigners of almost 
 every nation* under the sun, — though, owing to 
 the multitude of English now at Naples, we un- 
 doubtedly form the majority. It happens, in- 
 
 * The principal channel of introduction into the societies 
 of the first class in every capital is of course through the 
 English minister j and as Mr. Drummond visited very few 
 of the Neapolitans, our countrymen could not easily become 
 known to them. 
 
 2 E 2 
 
420 
 
 deed, most fortunately, that among this cnowd 
 of British travelers there is not one individual 
 of doubtful character: many of them are per- 
 sons pf the highest rank, and all of the greatest 
 respectability. 
 
 The countess Sbawronsky, an old Russian 
 lady of large fortune, who has resided some 
 years in this city, and keeps an excellent house, 
 may be called the foundress of our society. 
 Receiving foreigners every evening who choose 
 to call at her door, she gives a ball once 
 a-week, besides occasional concerts, private 
 plays, and masquerades. She is particularly 
 partial to the English, and has entrusted Mr. 
 Drummond (our minister) with an unlimited 
 power of inviting whomever he pleases of our 
 countrymen to her assemblies. 
 
 Captain Gore, of the Medusa, soon after our 
 arrival gave an elegant ball on board his frigate; 
 and his example has been followed by most of 
 the English families, who in their turn have 
 invited those who form madame Shawronsky's 
 society to similar entertainments. 
 
 Mr. Drummond showed a proper respect 
 for the birth-day of our queen, and celebrated 
 the occasion by a splendid ball and supper, 
 which was profusely elegant, and in every re- 
 spect worthy both of the illustrious person in 
 honor of whom it was given, and of the repre- 
 sentative of the British nation, 
 
421 
 
 The English bachelors, determined not to 
 be surpassed in liberality by their married 
 countrymen, invited, a few evenings since, all 
 the families here assembled to a party of the 
 same kind, in a spacious apartment which they 
 hired for the purpose. I need scarcely mention 
 that the supper consisted of every luxury which 
 this place affords, and that the highest taste was 
 displayed in the ornaments of the room ; but 
 you will scarcely believe me when I add, that, 
 though not more than a hundred and thirty 
 persons were present, the expense of the 
 whole entertainment, which was divided among 
 thirty individuals, amounted to more than five 
 hundred guineas. To account for this enor- 
 mous charge, you must know that the gentle- 
 men left themselves at the mercy of the persons 
 whom they employed; and that these persons 
 took care, as usual, to do gli signori Inglesi 
 the favor of freeing them as much as possible 
 from that load of gold with which they believe 
 British travelers are weighed down. 
 
 From the particulars I have enumerated, you 
 will perceive that we have had no want of 
 gaiety, and that our evenings have not been 
 less agreeably spent than our mornings, de- 
 voted to the delightful rides and interesting 
 curiosities of this favored country. We have 
 indeed passed our time in one continued rou- 
 tine of lively pleasure and variegated amuse- 
 
422 
 
 tiient. Of the latter kind, I must not forget to 
 name the sports of the carnival, which were 
 completely new to the eye of an English spec- 
 tator. I had, indeed, seen similar festivities on 
 the same occasion last year at Paris, but they 
 were very inferior to these. For several suc- 
 cessive days the Strada di Toledo (which, as I 
 before mentioned, is nearly a mile long) was 
 crowded with carriages of all descriptions, filled 
 with masked persons; while the windows of the 
 fine houses which form this street were equal- 
 ly thronged with spectators, many of whom 
 were also disguised, and joined in the amuse- 
 ments of the passing scene. Among the car- 
 riages, I remarked some in the shape of mili- 
 tary cars, drawn by horses richly caparisoned ; 
 and others built to resemble ships, with rigging 
 &c, carrying persons in the dress of English 
 sailors. The numerous equipages were length- 
 ened into several strings, or lines; and the prin- 
 cipal amusement of those who filled them con- 
 sisted in pelting eacll other, en passant, with su- 
 gar-plums. The same kind of attack was made 
 from the individuals who sat in the balconies 
 of houses on those in carriages, and the latter 
 returned the compliment with equal warmth. — 
 This sport (you will hardly believe it) produced 
 a scene of uncommon mirth; and however pu- 
 erile and contemptible the custom may appear 
 to the eye of reason, yet, if the object intended 
 
423 
 
 was to excite laughter, the purpose was fully 
 answered. 
 
 Nothing indeed could be livelier than this 
 motley scene. The eccentricities displayed in 
 the dresses of the masqueraders 3 the zeal with 
 which this amicable war was carried on ; the 
 merry faces of the Lazaroni, while they got 
 between the wheels of the carriages, and col- 
 lected, in spite of the mud, the bons-bons which 
 fell 011 alt sides ; and the novelty of the whole ; 
 afforded no little amusement. — The English, 
 unused as they were to this kind of entertain- 
 ment, soon forgot their national gravity, and 
 joined with high glee in the rapid attacks of 
 the combatants. It was indeed remarked, that, 
 among the innumerable crowds collected on 
 the occasion, our countrymen were by no 
 means the least active. 
 
 After this friendly warfare had continued se- 
 veral days, it was stopped, in consequence of 
 some accidents which occurred. The economy 
 of the Neapolitans had discovered that volleys 
 of sugar-plums were almost as expensive as 
 volleys of gunpowder; and, wishing to avoid 
 the drain on their pockets without losing their 
 pleasure, many of them had stones painted in 
 imitation of bons-bons, and with these fictitious 
 arms continued their attacks. The fraud was 
 discovered by a circumstance which might 
 have been foreseen, — that of several persons 
 
424 
 
 being seriously hurt. The police, in conse- 
 quence, thought it right to interfere, and pelt- 
 ing of every kind was forbidden during the re- 
 mainder of the carnival. 
 
 You will perhaps wish to know the origin of 
 so strange a custom ; and the suggestion of an 
 English lady, with whom I was conversing a few 
 evenings since on the same subject, is so pro- 
 bable, that I have no difficulty in adopting it. 
 She imagines, that, at the time when Italian 
 husbands were jealous (for history records that 
 such a period once existed), this practice was 
 adopted in order to convey from a lover to 
 his mistress a billet-doux, or tender motto, dis- 
 guised in the shape of a sugar-plum ; and as 
 gallantry is the grand source of every pursuit 
 in this place, what cause can be so probable? — 
 I ought to add, while on the subject, that the 
 street masqueraders here do not, as at Paris, 
 consist of the lowest classes of society, but are 
 formed of all orders, and more particularly of 
 the highest. 
 
 The evenings of the carnival are in the same 
 manner devoted to pleasure and masked festi- 
 vities ; and the fine theatre of S. Carlos, esteem- 
 ed the largest and most beautiful edifice of the 
 kind in Europe, has been splendidly lighted 
 every night this season, and filled with the vo- 
 taries of dissipation. While the pit and the stage a 
 thrown together, were covered by an innume- 
 
425 
 
 rable crowd, the boxes were not left unoccu- 
 pied. Some were the scene of tender tStes-d- 
 tSteSy while others were filled with supper par- 
 ties,— for the Italians eat, drink, receive visits, 
 play cards, and make love, in their opera boxes. 
 I was, however, rather surprised at finding that 
 there was no repartee or dialogue among the 
 characters assembled in the centre of the house, 
 and that the whole pleasure of the masquerade 
 consisted in the number of grotesque figures 
 assembled together, and in the opportunities 
 afforded for secret intrigue. The most favorite 
 masks were Punch, Nobody and his wife, Ma- 
 gog, a quack doctor, and a Spanish grandee.- 
 Five or six thousand persons have been present 
 every night at these entertainments. 
 
 I am afraid you will think me very trifling 
 in dwelling so long on the amusements of the 
 Neapolitans ; but as more than half their time 
 is consumed in this manner, to describe their 
 entertainments appears to me the best mode of 
 making you acquainted with this merry peo- 
 ple; who seem to consider life as a game of 
 romps, in which he is the most skilful who can 
 laugh and play the most. 
 
 Having mentioned how excellent a society 
 of English travelers have met at this place, 1 
 know you will wish to know their names. The 
 most distinguished persons here are, lord and 
 lady Beverley, and family; lord and lady 
 
426 
 
 Mountcashel ; lords Aberdeen, Grantham, 
 Brooke, Althorpe, and Montague; Mr. and 
 lady Frances Vandeleur ; Mr. and Mrs. Eger- 
 ton, and lady Esther Stanhope ; sir Harry and 
 lady Burrard Neale ; sir Francis and lady Drake; 
 sir Charles Douglas ; sir Thomas Tancred ; cap- 
 tains Gore, Capel, and Scott, of the navy ; co- 
 lonels Disney and Salisbury of the guards ; be- 
 sides several other officers lately returned from 
 Egypt, and other individuals of equal respec* 
 tability. — We have also here Mr. D., an Ame* 
 rican gentleman, whose young and beautiful 
 wife is equally admired by the Neapolitans and 
 the English. 
 
 Adieu ! — In my next I shall speak to you of 
 the court of his Sicilian majesty. 
 
 I am, &c. 
 
 end OF vol. I. 
 
 I'rinted Tjy F.HertoN &. Ejnvorth, Johnson's Court, Fleet Street.-