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GALIGNANI'S TRAVELLER'S GUIDE THROUGH ITALY; ( OR, A COMPREHENSIVE VIEW OF THE ANTIQUITIES AND CURIOSITIES OF THAT Classical and Interesting Country : CONTAINING SKETCHES OF MANNERS, SOCIETY, AND CUSTOMS ; AND A Particular description of its Soil and Agriculture. : ALSO AN ITINERARY OF Distances in Posts and English Miles, the best Inns, etc. WITH A MINUTE DESCRIPTION OF Florence, Milan, Naples, Rome, Venice, etc. j4nd their Environs. CAREFULLY COMPILED FROM THE WORKS OF COXE, EUSTACE, FORSYTH, REICHARD, etc. ___________ ^ PARIS: PUBLISHED BY GALIGNANI * AT THE FRENCH, ENGLISH, ITALIAN, GERMAN AND SPANISH LIBRARY, N.° 18, HUE VIVIENNE. AUGUST 1819. GALIGNANI's MESSENGER, An English Political Journal (commenced in i8i4,) is published every morning at six o'clock, and delivered in Paris and its environs before breakfast time. Price of Subscription for Paris, or an} r part of France, free of postage, 9 fr. 5o c. for one Month ; 25 for 3 Months. 46 fr. for 6" Months, and 88 francs for l Year. One franc per \uarter must he added, to receive it free through Italy, Switzerland or Ger- many. The greatest part of this Paper is dedicated to English News, and the remainder to French with the Debates of the Chambers ■of Peers and Deputies. The English News is faithfully extracted from all the London JonVnals, as well Ministerial as Opposition. It contains the Par- liamentary Debates, Reports of the Courts of Justice, Commer- cial News, and State of the Markets, Naval and Military Intelli- gence, the Price of Stocks and Kxchange, Bankrupts, Births, Mar- riages and Deaths, Fashionable Movements, etc. etc., as well as a short Analysis of Theatrical Criticism. — Advertisements of every description are received for insertion. GALIGNANI's WEEKLY REPERTORY ; Or, Literary Gazette and Journal of the Belles Lettres. Commenced in 1807, compiled from all the first Quarterly and Periodical English works, lias long stood so deservedly high in Public opinion, that further to enlarge on the subject would be unnecessary. — It is now published every Sunday morn- ing, and contains — I Critical Analysis of New Works published in England, rela- tive to Arts, Sciences, History, Biography, Agriculture, Com- merce, Chemistry, etc. etc. •2. Biographical Memoirs of Persons distinguished by their talents and public meiils. 3. Literary Intelligence, Notices of Works projected and in a state of forwardness, List of new Publications, etc. 4. Miscellaneous Articles on all subjects connected with Polite Literature, Discoveries and Improvements, Philosophical Re- searches, Rural Economy, Scientific Inventions, etc. 5. Original Anecdotes and Letters, Poetry, Review of British Drama and Theatricals. Such is the general outline of this Weekly Paper, which, hy communicating the earliest literary intelligence, must prove of the greatest importance to the Public at large. The LITERARY GAZETTE Is printed in 8vo. The price of Subscription is — 1 Month, S francs; 5 Months, i5 fr.; 6 months, 12 fr. ; and one year, 4o fr. free of postage throughout the French Kingdom; 1 fr. per quar- ter must be added to hare it free out of Francs PREFACE i- he country of Cesar, of Cicero, of Horace, an d of Yirgjl: the l^nd which gave birth to a Michael Aisgelo, a Raphael, a Titian, a £*ante, an Ariosto, and a Tasso, must ever possess claims to the admiration of the world I Italy^ at-^nce the seat of valour, and the cradle of the sciences and the arts, awakens all those classical recollections which formed the delight of our youth, and still remain, in their native freshness, as a solace for declin- ing years. In Italy, temples, triumphal arches, aque- ducts, ways, whole towns, exhibit, to our view, at every step, the grandeur and unrivalled magnificence of the ancient masters of the world; and continually remind the traveller of those august names which history has consecrated to immortality; of those great men, whom Italy has, in every age, produced t all conspire to heighten the pleasure he re- ceives from a delicious climate, a mild and balmy air, and a rich and fertile country. The plan of the following Guide embraces the usual grand tour of Italy, and is fully de- veloped in our Introduction, where the dif- ferent routes leading to Italy are described at length. This picture of Italy will be found, not merely a useful pocket-companion abroad, but an entertaining friend to converse with at a 1] PREFACE. home. Besides our notices of antiquities and curiosities, the general reader will, doubtless, find much amusement in perusing the sketches of manners, society, peculiar customs, and re- ligious ceremonies; as well as an account of the trade, commerce, manufactures, soil and agriculture, and natural productions of this favoured country. Here also will be seen all the valuable parts of an Itinerary, without its dryness; such as distances in posts and English miles, time in performing the journey, cross- roads, best inns, etc. The Introduction contains every requisite information respecting travelling in Italy; as Post regulations, different monies, weights and measures, a table of Italian time, heights of the most elevated mountains, expenses of living in Italy, etc. etc. The author has not always trusted to his own personal observations, but has availed himself of every light which he could derive from men as well as books. He has to thank several respected friends for much valuable and original information; besides which he Begs to make his acknowledgments to the following excellent works, viz. of Eustace, Coxe, Forsyth, Reichard, Villers, Cha- teauvieux, P. Petit-Radel, the Itineraire de ITtalie, etc. etc. , after this it will be unne- cessary to point out that this compendious little work must necessarily offer advantages which no single work of the same descrip*** can possibly present. INTRODUCTION. GENERAL MEW OF ITALY. -*-taly is a great peninsula, the natural boundaries °f which are the Alps, the Adriatic Gulph, and hie Mediterranean Sea 5 its greatest length is s5o eagues ; but its breadth is very unequal : its popu- lation, including Sicily, amounts to about 18 mil- lions and a half of inhabitants. This number scattered over an extent of 14,000 square leagues, assigns to each square league 1257 inhabitants ; from which it follows that France and England are much less populous. There is no situation more happy than that of Italy. This interesting country experiences nei- ther the burning heats of the torrid zone, nor the excessive cold of the northern regions. In the or- dinary course of the season, it is not even exposed to those variations of the atmosphere, which, in other countries, so frequently affect the health of I mankind and destroy the fruits of the earth. The I immense plain of Lombardy, which extends from \ Turin to /^enice t presents to the view of the tra- i veller a most fertile and highly cultivated soil j and ; the maritime coasts of Genoa and Naples are co- ; vered with olive, orange, lemon, and citron trees; f almost the whole year is a delightful spring, and thus this rich and Beautiful country affords all the conveniences and pleasures of life. Italy has several fine lakes, particularly in the northern part. The most considerable is the Lago ' Maggiore ; and the Borromean isles seem to rea- lize the fables of the garden of the Hesperides. The l lake of Como, though less extensive, is perhaps JV lXTRODrCTIO.V. superior to the Lago Maggiore in the beauty of its ba-^ks, enriched with all the gifts of nature, and covered with magnificent habitations. The superb Jake of Garda is particularly distinguished for the happy fertility of its banks and the picturesque aspect of the hills that surround it. Several other lakes, the Trasiineno, Bolseno, Rieti, Al'oano, Ce- lajzo, and Ferano, are the ornament of the centre and the south of the peninsula, and they all abound in fish. One might suppose that nature, so prodigal to- wards Italy, placed it in the midst of the seas iu order that it might participate in all the advan- tages of external commerce. Its ports, bays, gulphs, capes, and promontories are so multiplied From Nice to the straits of Messina, and thence to Venice, that there is no country in Europe, which, considered under this point of yiev\u. can be pre- ferred to it. There is certainly no other country in the world in which one may travel with so much pleasure and advantage as in Italy. Besides that it enjoys the most delightful and temperate climate, it pos- sesses a prodigious quantity of ancient monuments, which, while they attest its past glory, fill us with admiration for the great men she has produced. Here is hardly a spot that is not famous in history; not a hill nor a river which has not been the theatre of some remarkable action. But if to the precious remains of ancient Pvome, we add all the grand and admirable productions which the genius of the fine arts has brought forth in mo- dern Italy, in painting, sculpture, and architec- ture, who will not acknowled^? that the philo- sopher and the artist may here find an inexhaustible fund of the richest materials for their meditations and researches ? After the fall of the Roman em- pire, the Italians, in the midst of the political re- GENERAL VIEW OF ITALY. V volutions which exposed them to all the vicissi- tudes of fortune, were almost the only people who preserved a taste lor the sciences and the arts. The country they inhabit, presenting an almost insurmountable barrier to the barbarians who at- tacked it on all sides, was fruitful in great men; several of them were at once painters, sculptors, architects and even poets ; and among the painters some of them were the historians of their art. The Italian language is the most ancient and nwst harmonious of all the living tongues, and consequently the most suitable to song and poetry. In genera], each state in Italy has its peculiar dia- lect, and, it is only in Tuscany, and especially at Sienna, that the purest Italian is spoken. The best pronunciation is that of Rome. The Venetian dialect is pleasing, but in Lombardy the people make use of a very coarse jargon. The idiom of Turin and Genoa is barbarous. That of the iSea- politans, though harsh, is however very expres- sive. Notwithstanding these popular dialects, good Italian is understood, spoken, and written m every part of Italy. Music is the ruling passion of the Italians, and Italy is universally acknowledged to be the first country in the world for music, both with regard to composition and execution. Such are the multiplied and infinitely varied objects which nature and art have brought toge- ther as by enchantment in Italy. This most inte- resting country is the theatre of some of the most pleasing fictions of the poets, and of many of the i:.ost splendid events recorded by historians. She is the mother of heroes, of sages, and of saints. She has been the seat of empire, and is still the nursery of genius; and still, in spite of plunderers, the repository of the nobler arts. Her scenery rises far above rural beauty; it has a claim to ani- a. yj INTRODUCTION. niatfxm, and almost to genius. Every spot of her surface, every river, every mountain, and every forest, nay, every rivulet, hillock and thicket, have been ennobled by the energies of mind, and. are become monuments of intellectual worth and glory. No country furnishes a greater number of ideas, or inspires so many generous and exalting sentiments. To have visited it at any period is an advantage, and may justly be considered as the complement of a classical education ; a journey through it may be ranked among the minor bless- ings of life, and as one of the means of mental improvement. Geography and Scenery of Italy. — Italy is pecu- liarly fortunate in the grand natural divisions which separate it from the rest of Europe. The Alps, the highest ridge of mountains in the ancient world, separate it from the regions of the North,, and serve as a barrier against the frozen tempests that blow from the boreal continents, and as a rampart against the inroads of their once savage inhabitants. Annibal justly called these moun- tains, Mcenia non Italics modb sed etiam Urbis Romance. Most of the provinces still retain their ancient names, such as, Latium (Lazio\ Etruria, Umbria, Sabina, Campania, Apulia, (la Puglia) Calabria, Samnium, etc. names blended with the fictions of the fabulous ages, and with the first events re- corded in the infancy of history. The Adriatic Sea bathes it on the east, the Tyr- rhene on the west; and on the south the Ionian opens an easv communication with all the southern countries. Numberless islands line its shores, and appear as so many outposts to protect it against the attacks of a maritime enemy ; or rather as so many attendants to grace the state of the queen of the Mediterranean. Such are its external borders. MOUNTAINS. VI j 111 the interior, the Apennines extend through its whole length, and branching out into various ra- mifications, divide it into several provinces mate- rially different in their climates and productions. Italy lies extended between the 08th and 46th degree of northern latitude j a situation which ex- poses it to a considerable degree of heat in summer and of cold in winter j but the influence of the: seas and of the mountains that surround or inter- sect it, counteracts the effects of its latitude, and produces a temperature that excludes all extremes and renders every season delightful. However, as xhe action of these causes is unequal, the climate of the country at large, though every where ge- nial and temperate, varies considerably, and more so, sometimes, than the distance between the places so differing, might induce a person to ex- pect. Mountains. — The principal mountains of Italy are the Alps and Apennines. The chain pf the Alps, which forms a semi-circle of about520 leagues, begins on the coast of the Mediterranean near Monaco, traverses Switzerland and the Tyrol, and terminates at the gulph of Cornero which forms a part of the Adriatic Sea. The greatest breadth ot* the chain of the Alps does not exceed live days journey. These mountains, on account of the singular construction of their astonishing mass, present a large field to the researches of the natur- alist. Some, always covered with snow and ice, rise to an inaccessible height. Mount Cenis is more than 9000 feet above the level of the sea > and Montblanc y which is said to be more than 1 5,ooo feet perpendicular, is undoubtedly the highest mountain in Europe. Divers rivers de- scend from the Alps ; and after having traversed. Lombardy in all directions, fail into the Adrialie- gulph. $uch axe the Adige, the AdUa 7 and the- Vllj INTRODUCTION". Tesino ; but the most considerable of all, either from its breadth, or the length of its course is the Fo, a beautiful stream celebrated in the earliest songs of Greek mythology, by the name of Eri~ dan us. The Apennines hold the second rank among the mountains of Italy. These mountains which are a branch of the Alps, divide the peninsula in its whole length. They go off from the maritime Alps, at Onnea, and extend at first without inter- ruption all along the coasts of the gulph of Genoa, leaving only a very small space between them and the sea: then to the south of the territory of Mo- dena, taking a direction towards the centre of Italy, they separate Tuscany from the vast plain watered by the Po : finally, going off to the south- east, and more and more approaching the Adria- tic, they terminate in the famous mount Gargano. The highest summits of this chain of mountains are the Cimone, the Sibitla, and the Velino. The lat- ter is about 8000 feet above the sea. Several ri- vers take their source in the Apennines ; the most considerable are the Panaro, the Reno, the Amo, and the Tiber. In these mountains are quarries of different kinds of marble, granite of several sorts, ores or metallic veins, talc, alabaster, agate, jasper and other precious stones. Without entering into the particular variations of soil and climate produced by the bearings of the different mountains, Italy may be divided into four regions, which, like the sister Naiads of Ovid, though they have many features in common, have also each a characteristic peculiarity. The first of these regions is the vale of the Po f which extends about 260 miles in length, and in breadth, where widest, i5o. It is bounded by the Alps and the Apennines on the north, ivest and CLIMATE. ]X south 5 on the east it lies open to the Adriatic. The second is the tract enclosed by the Apennines^ forming the Roman and Tuscan territories. The third is confined to the Campania Felix, and its immediate dependencies, such as the borders and the islands of the bay of Naples and of the plains of Pcestum. The last consists of Abruzzo, Apulia, Calabria, and the southern extremities of Italy. The first of these regions or climates has been represented bv many as perhaps the most fertile and most delicious territory in the known world j to it we may apply literally the encomium which Virgil seems to Have confined to the vicinity of Mantua. Non liqriidi gregibus fontes, non grnmina desunt, Kt quantum longis carpcnt armcnta dichus Exigua tantum gelidus nos nocte reponit. It owes this fertility to the many streams that descend from the bordering mountains and furnish a constant supply to the majestic river that inter- sects it: Fluviorum Rex Eridanus. But, while the mountains thus water it with fertilizing rills, they also send down occasional gales to cool it in summer, and blasts that sometimes chill its cli- mate, and give its winter some features of transal- pine severity, slight indeed — as if merely to call the attention of the inhabitants to that repository of eternal snow which rises always before them— but sufficient to check the growth of such plants, as like the orange and the almond, shrink from frost, or pine away under its most mitigated aspect. The vine, though common and indeed luxuriant, is supposed by many not to prosper in this climate, because the wines are in general thin and sour 5 but this defect must be ascribed not solely to the ciimate, which in warmth and uniformity far excels that of Champagne or Burgundy, but to the mode of cultivation. To allow the vine to raise X INTRODUCTION. itself into the air, to spread from branch to branch, and to equal its consort elms and poplars in eleva- tion and luxuriancy, is beautiful to the eye and delightful to the fancy, but not so favourable to the quality of the wines, which become richer and stronger when the growth is repressed, and the energies of the plant are confined within a smaller compass. The second climate is protected from the blasts of the north by an additional ridge of mountains, so that it is less obnoxious to the action of frost, and is indeed more liable to be incommoded by the heats of summer than by wintry cold. Its produc- tions accordingly improve in strength and flavor • its wines are more generous and its orchards are graced with oranges. It is, however, exposed oc- casionally to chill, piercing blasts, and not entirely unacquainted with the frosts and the snows of transalpine latitudes. In the third climate, that is, in the delicious plains of Campagna, so much and so deservedly celebrated by travellers, painters, and poets, na- ture seems to pour out all her treasures with com- placency; and trusts, without apprehensions her tenderest productions to gales ever genial, and to skies almost alwa} T s serene. The plains of Apulia that lie beyond the Apen- nines, opening to the rising sun, with the coasts of Abruzzo and Calabria, form the last and fourth division, differing from that which precedes in increasing warmth only, and in productions more characteristic of a southern latitude; such as the aloes and the majestic palm; objects, which though not common, occur often enough to give a no- velty and variety to the scenery. I have confined this distinction of climates principally to the plains; as the mountains that limit them vary according to their elevation, and at the same time enclose in their windings, vallies which enjoy in the south CLIMATE. X) the cool temperature of the Milanese, and in the north glow with all the sultriness of Abruzzo. Such, in a few words, is the geography of Italy. The climate of Italy is temperate, though in- clined to heat. The rays of the sun are powerful even in winter; and the summer, particularly when the Sirocco blows, is sultry and sometimes oppressive. The heat, however, is never intoler- able, as the air is frequently cooled by breezes from the mountains, and is refreshed on the sou- thern coasts by a regular gale from the sea. This breeze rises about eight in the morning, and blows without interruption till four in the afternoon, deliciously tempering the burning suns of Naples, and sweeping before it the sullen vapours that brood over the torrid Campania. Moreover, the wind- ings and the recesses of the mountains afford, as they ascend, several retreats, where, in the great- est heats of summer, and during the very fiercest glow of the dog-days, the traveller may enjoy the vernal coolness and the mild temperature of Eng- land. Such are the baths of Lucca, situated in a long-withdrawing vale, and shaded by groves of chesnuts ; such is Vallombrosa, encircled by the forests of the Apennines and such too the situa- tion of Horace's Sabine Villa, concealed in one of the woody dales of mount Lucretilis, with the oak and the ilex wafting freshness around it. Though rain is not frequent during the spring and summer months, yet occasional showers fall abundant enough to refresh the air and revive the face of nature. These showers are generally ac- companied by thunder storms, and when untime- ly, that is before or during the harvest, are very mischievous in their consequences. The equinoc- tial rains and the inundations of winter torrents re particularly inconvenient, and even, some- msp, dangerous^ especially in the northern pro^ XI] INTRODUCTION", vinces, and along the eastern coast. The immense number of considerable rivers, such as the Tanaro, the Tisinoy the Bornuda, the jidda, etc. that pour their tributary waters into the Po 1 while with it they contribute so largely to the beauty and luxuriancy of the plains through which they glide, yet, when swelled with continued rains, like it, overflow their banks and inundate the level sur- face of the surrounding country. On these oc- casions the roads are covered with mud, the fords rendered impassable, bridges not unfrequently swept away, and the communication between dif- ferent towns and provinces entirely suspended. 3N T or do these inundations always subside as soon as might be expected from the general heat and dryness of the climate ; their pernicious effects are sometimes felt for months afterwards. The tra- veller, therefore, who may be surprised by these Eeriodical showers, would do well to establish imself in the first commodious inn, and will thus find such accidental delays neither useless nor unpleasant. We may observe, however, that these periodi- cal rains, and the accidental showers, which are the local effects of mountains and seas, and even the clouds and storms of winter, are only transient and temporary interruptions of the general sere- nity that constitutes one of the principal advan- tages of this delightful climate. The traveller, when, after his return, he finds himself wrapt up in the impenetrable gloom of a London fog,' or sees the gay months of May and June clouded , with perpetual vapours, turns his recollection with regret to the pure azure that canopies , Rome and Naples, and contemplates in thought ! the splendid tints that adorn the vernal skies of j Italy. Largior bic campos ather etlumiue vestit purpurea. CLIMATE. Si lj Though the sun in Italy has, even In the cooler seasons, a sufficient degree of warmth to incom- mode a foreigner, yet the heat can scarcely be considered as an obstacle to travelling, except in the months of July and August ; then indeed it is intense, and it is imprudent in the traveller to expose himself to the beams of the sun for any time 5 though Englishmen frequently seem insen- sible of the danger, and brave alike the regions of a Russian winter, and the heats of an Italian or even an Egyptian summer. Fevers and untimely deaths are sometimes the consequences of this rash- ness, and more than one traveller has had reason to regret his imprudence. To avoid these dangers, persons who are obliged to travel during the hot months generally proceed by night, and repose during the sultry hours of the day. Bv this me- [thod, without doubt, they guard sufficiently against the dangers and inconveniencies of the weather, but at the same time they sacrifice one of the principal objects, the scenery of the country;, aud this sacrilice in Italy can be compensated by no advantages. The best method, therefore, is to set out a full hour before sun-rise, to stop at ten, and repose till five, then travel as daylight will permit: by this arrangement of time, the traveller will enjoy the prospect of the country, the fresh- ness of the morning and the coolness of the even- ing, and will devote to rest those hours only which heat renders unfit for any purpose of excursion or enjoyment. Nothing is more pleasing to an eye accustomed to contemplate prospects through the medium of a vaporous sky, than the extreme purity of the atmosphere, the consequent brightness of the light and the distinct appearance of remote objects. A serene sky takes off much of the horrors of a de- sert, and communicates a smile to barren sand* h XI V INTRODUCTION. and shapeless rocks ; what then must be its effects upon the face of a region in which nature seems to have collected all her means of ornament, all her arts of pleasing; plains fertile and extensive, va- ried with gentle swells and bold elevations ; moun- tains of every shape, outline, and degree; at dif- ferent distances, but always in view, presenting here their shaggy declivities, darkened with woods, and there a long line of brown rugged precipices; now, lifting to the skies a head of snow and a purple summit ; then, unfolding as you advance, and discovering in their windings rich vallies, po- pulous villages, lakes and rivers, convents and cities; these are the materials of picturesque beau- ty, and these are the constant and almost invari- able features of Italian scenery. Plan of a Tour in Italy. — Various plans have been laid down for making the Tour of Italy, but that which has been generally pursued is previously to visit Paris, according to the indications pointed out by Galignani in his « Picture of Paris. » The plan chalked out by a recent writer (Sir R. C. Hoare ) IP his « Hints to Travellers in Italy, » very nearly coincides with that pursued in the present « Picture of Italy, » and may be recommended as pointing cut the best and pleasantest route through Italy. I would, says he, leave England the end of April and devote the month of May to Paris, where a month, well employed, would amply satisfy the curious. From Paris I would proceed, through Lyons, to Geneva, or rather to Serheron, where there is an excellent hotel on the banks of the lake, and where every necessary assistance could be procured to facilitate a tour through the different! Cantons of Switzerland. June, July, and August might suffice for viewing the picturesque scenery of Helvetia, and the Alps might be traversed early iu September, But the artist, as well as the lover PLAN OF A TOUR IN ITALY. X? of picturesque scenery, should by all means avail himself of this line season of the year, when every vineyard smiles and every villa teems wilh hospi- tality, to make an excursion into the Val D J Aosta, and visit the Lago Maggiore, Lugo Lugano, and Lago di Como. By the beginning of October at least, the tourist may continue his southern pro- gress, passing through Piacenza, Parma, and Mo- dena, to Bulogna. Parma slill possesses some of the fresco works of Correggw uninjured. Florence will probably detain the traveller some time. Much interesting and classical ground will be traversed, and many fine towns visited in the in- tervening space between Rome and Venice. Here will be another opportunity of visiting the Cascade of Terni : the traveller from hence will continue on the same road he came to Rome, as far as Foiigno, and from thence through Serravalle and Macerata to Loreto ; and from thence perhaps to Ancona, Fano y Pesaro, and Rimini. Between Cesena and Savignano, he may cross the Rubicon, now a trilling rivulet. From Bologna the traveller may proceed through Cento and thence to Ferrara, where a vessel may be hired for Venice. From Venice two ways of return will present themselves, the shortest through the Venetian territory and the cities of Padova, Vicenza, Verona, Bergamo, Brescia, and Tyrol : the other is through Trieste, Carnio/a t Carintia and Stiria to Vienna ; from thence he will naturally direct his route through Prague to Dresden, Leipsic, Berlin, etc. The homeward track will then lead him to Magdeburg, Hanover, Osna- bruh, A ix- La-Chape lie, Liege and Spa, Brussels, Ghent and Ostend (i). Those who have a winter (i) See these routes pointed out and the plaees de- scribed in Galignaivi's Complete Traveller's Guide through Belgium, Holland, and Germany. XV] INTRODUCTION. at command, may choose a more extended tour in, Italy, where even a town is the most eligible for summer quarters, as the intense heat of an Italian sun would prove a total bar to any out-door amuse- ments in tiie country. Sienna is by some re- commended as a most eligible summer residence, having a clear and healthy atmosphere. Excursions may be made in the interim to Leghorn, Pisa, and Lucca, or by taking a boat at Piombino, to the Island of J Aba, once the abode of the celebrated JSapoleon. The excessive heat of the weather being abated, the traveller will probably think of fixing his winter quarters either at "Rome or Naples. Either the Arezzo or Sienna road will convey him back to the Imperial city, because there is no other practicable route lor a carriage. From Rome to INaples the learned author of « Hints to Travellers » has pointed out a line highly interesting and novel, by folio wing the courses of the ViaLatina through Agnam Fen- ntino , Aauino , and S. Germanu. From thence he will proceed through Teano and join the Via Appia before it enters Capua. He has also traced out the course of the Via Appia from Rome to Beneventum, and caused correct drawings of the numerous and interesting monuments, which ac- company the Via, to be made by an eminent artist. If the season admit, the road from Florence to Rome, by way of Perugia, is recommended in preference to that of Sienna. At Arezzo there are some remains of the ancient Arretium. The ancient Crotona is at a small distance from Cortona, and a singular stone building in its neighbourhood, called La Grotta di Pittagora. On the way to Perugia, the tourist will pass the lake of T/ira- symene, where the Roman Consul Ftaminius was defeated by Hannibal. At Spe.lto he will see the remains of an amphitheatre. At A He Vene, there PLAN OF A TOUR IV ITALY. S\lj is a beautiful little chapel. Spuleto will again je\ive the memory of Hannibal, and near the city of Terni is the precipitous brink of the foaming Velino. At Narni, the ruins of a stupendous bridge mark the magnificence of Augustus. At Otricoli, the vestiges of the ancient Otriculum re- main, and passing through the romantic town of Civita Castellana, he will soon behold the proud dome of the Vatican and the streams of the Tiber meandering through the vale. Those who travel from Suabia or the country of the Grisons to Venice,, will find the passage of the Spiugen the shortest route, though nobody should attempt it when the avalanches are expected to fall. This passage is much more fatiguing than that of St. Gothard; the wildness and sublimity of the prospects,however, compensate for every difficulty j they present at once to the astonished traveller, the Inferno of Dante and the Chaos of Milton. Travellers shouidleave the Spiugen at two or three in the morning. Carriages can proceed no farther than Coire, whence you travel in a chaise-a-porteur, on horseback, or in a traineau. From Cvire, you proceed through a road called Via MuL>, io Spiugen, passing in your way the Paten B ruche. After quitting Spiugen, you go to Schamserthal, one of the most romantic values of the Alps. la order to pass the mountain, you lie down at full length in a traineau drawn by an ox, with your head next to the pole, because the ascent is so steep that your feet would otherwise be considerably higher than the rest of your body. It takes a couple of hours to reach the summit. In descending on the opposite side, called the Cardinal, you pass terrific precipices 5 at the bottom of which runs the Lyra, with an impetuosity that seems to increase every moment. You next arrive at the melancholy Valley of St. Jacques, and proceed, amid broken XVlij INTRODUCTION. rocks and fallen mountains, till at length the hills of Chiavenna, covered with peach and almond trees, gradually present themselves to view. You embark at La Riva, and continue your journey either by Como or Bergamo. To travellers who might choose to winter in the south of France without proceeding immediately to Italy, Hyeres or Nice offers the best winter climate : others there are who advise the going to Italy hy sea, in a vessel bound to Leghorn, parti- cularly to invalids and consumptive persons, and passing the winter at Pisa, in preference to JNice, Massa, Florence, Rome, or Naples. But with respect to the weather, when an invalid occasionally becomes a resident in Italy, there are some cautions which generally apply; these depend so much upon the constitution of the person, that the most satis- factory way will be to take medical advice. Fiesole, near Florence, almost always enjoys a fresh breeze from noon till sun-set; and this is besides a situation not liable to those dangerous vicissitudes from heat to cold, so common in the populous cities of Italy, and particularly baneful to weak lungs. Even at Naples the wind is apt to be piercing, but at Pisa the air is uniformly soft, while the mountains, which rise like an amphitheatre, screen it from every wind except the sea breezes. Switzerland, in which some persons prolong their visits, is one of the most unequal climates in Europe. There are many very cold days here, even in spring and au- tumn. Carrara is strongly recommended to per- sons who require a bracing summer climate ; and the plain of Sorrento is a cool, healthy, and beauti- ful summer situation for those who wish to be near jVaples. A prudent person, not ambitious of passing for an Englishman of fashion, may certainly live very reasonably in Italy. At Turin, Milan, Florence, PLAN OF A TOUR IN ITALY. XIX fnenna, and many other capital towns, such per- sons may enjoy every convenience of lite, except a carriage, for one huudred and fifty pounds ster- ling per year, including dress, etc. etc. A single gentleman or lady, indeed, we are persuaded, might live very comfortably in almost any part of Italy, France, Switzerland, or Germany, with a clear in- come of one hundred pounds. They would soon he admitted to much agreeable society, and par- take many little luxuries and amusements, for a sum of money which constitutes little more than penury in England, and almost banishes a person From the sweet interchange of social endearment. At Venice, which however is not the cheapest place in Italy to live in, a stranger may hire a good room for two or three livres (i) a day $ and for five livres he may dine well : or he may provide him- self with a genteel apartment and dinner for from nine to twelve livres a day. Wood for fuel will cost him about one livre and a half. The wages of a man servant is twenty-four livres a month, if he board him : or from seventy to ninety livres, if he is at board wages. The hire of a gondola is live livres a day : but if he keeps one constantly, he pays thirty livres a month for the gondola, and about ninety for the gondolier. A single man therefore may live at Venice and keep a servant for a hundred pounds a year: or he may live, and keep his gondola, which is equiva- lent to a carriage in any other place, for eighty pounds a year. In this case he may use the gon- dolier as a servant. A man servant, board wages included, is about twenty guineas a year. If he live in a genteel style, keeping his servant and gon- dola, his expenses will be about one hundred and fi^ty pounds. To these he must add clothes, (x) A livre is about five pence English. XX INTRODUCTION*. theatres, coffee-houses, etc. which are not, how- ever, expensive at Venice. If he eat at home, which he will scarcely do, un- less he be with a family, a cook will have fifteen livres a month, if she eat in the house j or from fifty to sixty livres, if she be at board wages. This may serve to give some faint idea how a traveller may live in Italy, who does not wish to make a useless parade, but will take the trouble of inquiring into the real value of things, and not suf- fer himself to be imposed upon. Journey with the Vetturini. This plan takes the route of Mount Cenis, Pied- mont, the late kingdom of Italy, and the Eccle- siastical States, and returns through Etruria and Tuscany, in French leagues, one of which is ra- ther less than three English miles. FROM LEAGUES. FROM LEAGUES. Chambery to Planesses. 5 St. Michel 3 Aiguebelle 4* Modane 3 St. Jean de Maurienne. 5 Lanslebonrg 5 It will occupy the whole of a forenoon to ascend Mount Cenis. It is usual to dine at NouaUzza and sleep at Bucholino y distant 3 leagues. FROM ' LEAGUES. FROM LEAGUES,. St. Ambrose 4 I^ a Canonical 6 Turin 5 Bergamo 4 Chavazzo 5 Cocearia 6',- Ligurno 5 Brescia 5 Verceil 2 Lonato 5 Kovarra t> Gastel Nuovo 4 Sedriano q Verona 5 Milan 6 Castel BeJlo (51- Passing through "Yicenza they sleep at Padua. FROM LEAGUES. FROM LEAGUES. Mira 4 Returning from Venice the same day & JOURXEY WITH THE VETTURIItl. XXJ FROM LEAGUES. Moncelesi 4 Rovigo 5 Fen ara 7 ArinarOsa 7 Bologna 3 FROM LEAGUES. Forli 3^ Ccsena 5 Rimini 67 Caltolica 4v Fano o Imola 67 Sinigaglia 5 Faenza 3 Proceeding lo Aricona it is necessary to take pro- visions 5 the voituriers, on account of a mountain on this side of that place, never proceed within a quarter of a mile of Ancona. FROM LEAGUES. FROM LEAGUES. Loreto Macerata. Tolentino Ponte della Trave, Serravalle Rome to Raccano. :>; 3^ 5 I Ittonterosi 3 Ronciglionc 4 Ykerbo 4 Bolscna." 6 S. Lorenzo a To the foot of the moun- tain of Radicpfani. . . 6 Tovriniere 3 St. Quitico ' . . . . S'- Ponte d' Arbia Sienna /,: FROM Pocjgihonzi 5£ Cast el Fiorentino 4~i' JMontehipo 4t Florence 5 Casa Nuova 4. Foligno 4 Spoleto g From hence lo a lonely house upon a moun- tain 3 Tetni 4» Narni 3 Givita Caslellana 7 Rignano 3 La Varchetta 6 Rome 2 At Rome it is necessary to take post and go at once to Naples, to avoid the wretched inns, and the hazard of being robbed by the banditti of both states, that infest these roads. Or the journey may be made along with the Courier, who conveys the mail, and who has a military escort. He occa- sionally takes two, and even three passengers, and by a little management, 5olbs. weight of luggage for each will not be objected to. The carriage is on springs, and closed round with leather curtains. XXlj INTRODUCTION". The Courier leaves Rome about six o'clock in the evening and arrives at Naples about ten o'clock the second morning, travelling all night. The dis- tance is io2 miles 5 the price 20 Roman crowns, about 108 French francs. The journey between Florence and Rome, and between other places, may also be performed in the same manner, the expense nearly in proportion to the above. It is however both an expensive and not very agreeable Way of travelling, and ought only to be adopted when there is some particular cause, as between Rome and Naples. FROM LEAGUES. FROM LEAGUES. Gii etro 6j Reggio 5 Pietra Mala 6 Parma 5 Scarica l'Asiao, a Borgo Sandonnino 5 Pi'anore 3 Cade 5 Bologna 3 Piacenza 3 Modena ^~ Castel S. Giovanni £ Bronio 4 Viaggio k Viguerra \ Campo Marone \ Tortona 5 Genova 4 Wevi 4 If the traveller w T ish to visit Pisa, Leghorn, Lucca, etc. the Yetturini will convey him. FROM LEAGUES. FROM LEAGUES. Caste! Fiorentino to la Lucca....... 4 Scala £i Pistoja 6g Formazetti A Florence 67 Pisa 5 A boat goes from Pisa to Leghorn every day. Manner of Travelling Post in Italy. There are two modes of travelling in Italy : the ordinary mode is the dearest in Lombardy, Pied- mont, Milan, and the Venetian territory 5 but in Lombardy, upon certain conditions, permission is given to take post horses at a reduced price j these conditions express that the postiliion shall not bs TRAVELLING POST IN ITALY. Xxiij obliged to gallop nor to travel after sun-set, with- out being paid the full price of the post. This is what is called Cambiutura, and is to be obtained in any of the large places. It is good to get this permission before hand, and expedite it by favour of your banker to the place from whence you in- tend to set out. In Northern Italy, the post prices are as follow: PAOLI. SOLDI. I Chaise-horse 5 I Saddle-horse 5 I Postillion 3 I Groom ...... I I Valet de chambre o i5 I Livery-servant o 12 In Southern Italy, PAOLI. SOLDI, I Chaise-horse 4 i Saddle horse 3 i Postillion 3 i Groom I I Valet de Chambre o i5 i Livery servant o 12 Naples. — For two chaise-horses, each post, eleven carlini; for one saddle-horse five carlini; for a royal post five carlini and a half, and three carlini to each postillion. In the kingdom of Italy in general, two chaise-horses cost eight livres, twelve and a half sous, or a demi-sequin, each post; and one saddle-horse four livres. In the V enetian territory, for two chaise-horses one florin each post; and half a florin for a saddle-horse. There is no end to the demands made for drink in Italy. The ostler is sure to demand a contri- bution ; and even a boy, who takes the office upon himself to throw some water over your wheels, will ask a douceur. But these importunities ar« best resisted at first, XXIV INTRODUCTION. According to an arrangement respecting the new road from Florence to Modena, a courier pays six? paoli, or pauls, each post, for two horses. Every other traveller pays eight pauls for a postillion's horse, and for a spare horse, four. The payment of a postillion's guides in Italy, called la Benandata, is one paoli per post, for each horse, even though the post should not be com- plete, the route from Pistoja to Piastre excepted, and from Piano Asinatico to Bosco Lwigo ; where the traveller is compelled to take three horses, even for a two-wheeled carriage. One or two persons, with two hundred weight of baggage, take two horses ; four persons with double that weight, take four horses, or the same for three hundred weight and two domestics ; but if the baggage exceeds this quantity, not stipulated for in the agreement made at first setting out, five or six horses must be taken, and the payment of I he guides is proportioned to the number of horses. The post is always paid on leaving the towns iu Italy, at Turin excepted. The roads in Lombard v are level, and in general good, except when the soil, naturally fat, is moistened by rain. Every travellcr who has not a Sedia, viz. a half covered, two-wheeled carriage, capable of holding two persons and their large trunks behind, and which may be hired at Ala, on the road from Trent, would do well to traverse Lombardy with the Fetturini, who have in general very commodious Sedias. At Bologna it is advisable to purchase one of these carriages, and then take post horses; though if people do not choose to engage in this expense, there are plenty of carriers to be met with on the road. They do not go very rapidly, because the country is mountainous 5 but this affords oppor- tunities for inspecting the scenery and curiosities TRAVELLING POST IN ITALY. XX V on the road. The Vetturini never go above thirty Italian miles per day ; with a carriage of two or four wheels, and drawn by horses or mules, some of them will take three hundred weight of bag- gage. The expense upon the whole is very nearly equal to that of travelling post ; however, the dri- vers of these are so sensible of their importance, that they will not lower their demands, even when they are returning. As for return carriages, thcy are very difficult to be had in Italy, because there is always an understanding between the drivers and the innkeepers. If procured for you by a friend or acquaintance, the price is, including the drink-money, a Dutch ducat per day, or irom three to four rix dollars, whether he carry one, two, or three persons. Persons going to Italy may agree with Vetturini at Lyons or Geneva, to carry them to the extremity of the kingdom of Naples; but they must never forget to make their bargain beforehand. If they are not too fond of good living, they cannot do better than agree with the Vetturini for eating and drinking. ThePicdmon- tosc carriers are esteemed the best in Italy ; they are brought up to it from their youth, and have ood carriages ; besides being used to travel in the mountains, people may place confidence in them for safety. JNot to be the dupe of the Italian Vet- turini iu general, an agreement in writing is indis- pensably necessary, and it should be witnessed by a public notary ; nor should any person advance more than one half of the sum agreed for ; and sxpressly insert in the agreement, that the whole of the sum, even la buona mana, shall not be forth- coming, but at the happy termination of the jour- ley, and this according to the good conduct of the Iriver during the time. The proper charge of the Vetturini, between. Florence and Rome, including c XXV] INTRODUCTION. supper and bed, is 10 to n scudi, or crowns; the buono mano, one crown. Between Florence and Rome five nights are passed on the road. Between Rome and Naples, 7 to 8 crowns, in- cluding as above, and a buona mano, of 6 or 7pauls; four nights are passed on the road (1). In either of these journeys with the Vetturini, although suppers and beds are agreed for, the tra- veller ought by no means to neglect taking along with him a small basket, containing a bottle or two of good wine, one of brandy, or rum, sugar, lemons, smoaked sausage, tongue, etc. These will occasionally be experienced very acceptable. The wine on these roads is execrable, none good can be procured even for money. The rooms, never sufficiently warmed, and in cold or wet weather a tumbler of hot punch will be found a real luxury, and even a medicine. If the traveller on such an occasion has taken the precaution to be provided, he will be grateful for the hint, if he has neglected it, he will have cause for regret. Bad as most of the Italian inns are, there are many good ones. In cities they generally charge a stranger so much a head for each meal, and for the apartment besides, according to the number of rooms. They usually ask much more than they will take, and seldom make any conscience of get- ting as much as they can, especially of an Eng- lishman. (1) Via de Condotti, at Rome, is the usual rendez- vous of the Vetturini. One of the best is called Fox- dale. His grandfather was an Englishman, and settled there, having been a faithful servant to the unfortunate James, he emigrated along with him. TRAVELLING POST IN ITALY. XXVI] H ' . Travelling Post in Piedmont, Liguria, Par- ma, and Piacenza. j According to the last tariff, the post-masters are [authorized to demand of travellers one franc and fifty centimes for horse and post, and sixty-live centimes for postillion and post. Every courier, not accompanying a carriage, must have a mounted postillion, to act as a guide. One postillion is not allowed to conduct more than three couriers 5 if there are four couriers, there must be two postillions. Carriages, — As many horses must he paid for as there are persons who go with the carriage (with- out any distinction of age), either inside, outside, I on the coach-box, or behind, whether the horses be attached to it or not. Two-wheel carriages with poles, as well as ca- briolets with four wheels, must be conducted by a postillion, with not less than two horses. If there be three passengers, they must have three horses and a postillion j but four horses are to be paid for. Three passengers are to be driven with three horses, and five are to be paid for. Postmasters are bound to attach the third horse to two-wheeled carriages with two passengers j but in case of an agreement made to attach but two, I they can only demand half price for the horse not I used. Carriages upon four wheels, having but one passenger, with or without a trunk, vache, or port- manteau, must have three horses attached, and be driven by a postillion. Two passengers with a vache, trunk, or port- manteau, must have three horses and a postillion; two persons with one vache, trunk, or portman- teau between them, or with two of them, must be conducted by a postillion, and though drawn by three horses, pay for four. XXVil] INTRODUCTION. Three passengers with one vache, trunk, or portmanteau among them, must have a postillion and three horses, and pay for four. Three passengers with a trunk, vache, and a portmanteau, or having two of these things only; must have two postillions and four horses, and pay for live. Four passengers with or without a trunk, vache, or portmanteau, must be drawn by six horses, and conducted by two postillions. Four wheeled carriages with a pole, carrying one or two passengers, must bave four horses and two postillions; with three passengers, two pos- tillions, and six horses ; the same with four and live persons, though seven are to be paid for. With six passengers they must have tbree postillions and eight horses, paying for nine. Relative to the loading of horses and carriages, couriers are not to carry any thing beyond the saddle-bags; portmanteaus must be carried upon the crupper by the postillion, provided always that the weight of each does not exceed twenty-live, kiilc^r.unmes, or fifty pounds. Two-wheeled carriages having a pole, those with four, having a back-seat and a fitter, cannot carry any load behind them exceeding ioo pounds weight, nor above 40 pounds in front. The third horse granted to the post-masters of the different stations, cannot be required of them unless to be attached to post-chaises carrying one passenger. This regulation does not apply to the cabriolets a souffle 1 . The right to the third horse is granted for six months, or for the year entire. The post-masters cannot exercise this right, but only by virtue of orders to this effect, which it is necessary to have renewed every year. TRAVELLING POST IN ITALY. XX1JC Charges in the Ecclesiastical Slates. PAOLT, For two chaise-horses 10 For the third horse 4 For the third and fourth gubbia at each post. 8 For the freight of a covered carriage, which the post-master is bound to furnish 2 To the postillion 3^ To the helper -i One postillion is assigned to two horses. A car- ; riage with three persons and a trunk, must also be i drawn by two horses, deemed sufficient for two persons and two trunks. If there should be ano- ther trunk or a vache, they will of course attach the third horse, and two pauls per post are re- quired to be paid for every other vache, trunk, or portmanteau. Four-wheeled carriages with six passengers and a trunk, must be drawn by four horses ; but having seven passengers and another large vache, they must be drawn by six horses. Other trunks, vaches, and portmanteaus pay two pauls. Four-wheeled carriages, mounted in the German? manner, and carrying two persons and a small trunk of sixty pounds weight, must be drawn by two horses, the same as two-wheeled carriages. No carriage is permitted to pursue the course undertaken by the post, but after a stoppage of three days, nor to travel post after having engaged a voiture. Kingdom of Naples. The latest tariff issued here fixed the charge for post-horses as follows : CARLT1VI. For a post-horse 5~- For a postillion 3 For the perticfilno I* For putting on the perlichino. 3 XXX INTRODUCTION. CARLIIU, For the price of the same i .To the boy for washing the wheels ~ For the loading of a two-wheeled carriage. 5 For a four-wheeled carriage io For a courier proceeding with a traveller. . . 5~ A two-wheeled carriage with a trunk of two hundred weight, and carrying three passengers, must have two horses 5 and if three persons and a trunk, three horses. The little four-wheeled car- riage called Canestrella t may carry two persons j and a trunk behind, is drawn by two horses. A similar carriage, with three persons and a trunk of two hundred weight, must be drawn by three horses. The large canestra y drawn by four horses, may carry a trunk of two hundred weight, and four passengers ; and must be drawn by six horses, if it carry six passengers and two large trunks. Twenty-four hours having elapsed after the tra- veller has arrived at the post-house in his carriage, he may pursue his route by post. The master of the intermediate posts cannot grant any number cf horses exceeding that with which the traveller arrives. If the traveller deems himself overcharged, he may complain at the Royal Post Office, and ob- tain redress without delay. Lucca. PAOLI, For every chaise or saddle-horse 5 For the "third horse . •.«:•• 4 For the loading of a carriage containing places for four persons 6 For a carriage for two persons 3 A postillion a A helper r A two-wheeled carriage with two passengers,, and trunks weighing 55o pounds, and a domestic, is drawn by two horses. A calash on four wheels TRAVELLING POST IN ITALY. XXX] takes two persons without trunks j but if there are three passengers, and 260 pounds of luggage there must be three horses, and lour for six persons with trunks and luggage of 55o pounds weight. The weight of each person carried without lug- gage, is averaged at 200 pounds ; when these are wanting, weight may be substituted in their room. Persons who arrive post at Lucca are not allowed to continue their journey in a common carriage. Ci-dcvant Kingdom of Italy. The following tariff has been fixed up before all the post-houses, by order of Government. LIV. CENTS. Price of one stage for two horses. ... 5 5o Premium to the postillion I 5o For open carriages upon two or four wheels 4° For covered carriages upon two or four wheels 80 If horses are wanting for exchange, the post- office must take them from the postillions of the place, paying for them according to the fixed ta- riff; and if there are not a sufficient number in the place, those that arrive may be taken after they have had an hour's refreshment, for which I the traveller is to pay, and one livre besides for each horse. If horses are wanting in consequence of any fai- lure in the post-master, he is liable to pay fifty livres for each horse wanting ; the half of which goes to the traveller. Post-masters are obliged to provide horses for persons who travel with a re- gular passport; but if they continue their journey in any common carriage, they must not expect any indemnification. The law respecting these regulations of the posts in Italy, expresses, that persons may nevertheless XXX1J INTRODUCTION. travel to Venice by Carnbiatura, bv procuring the necessary bulletin: the price of horses is then fiver Jivres and a half for each horse, either lor the chaise or the saddle. The Carnbiatura is abolished in Piedmont, but retained in the Milanese and the Venetian States,, where it is called the bollettino. It is a permission to travellers to take the post at less price than it is fixed at by Government, with conditions not to make the horses gallop, nor to travel after sun-set. Value COLD COINS CURRENT IN ITALY. Italy. Piece of 40 livres Piece of* 20 livres France. Piece of fyo livres Piece of 20 livres Milan, Doppia, or pistole Sequin (1) Venice. Sequin, half sequin, etc. i proportion Bologna. Doppia, and the half doppia Sequin, and the half sequin France. The new Louis Parma. The new doppia Genoa. The doppia of 96 francs; its half and quarter in pro- portion Savoy. The new doppia of 1787, and its half Florence. Sequin Rome. Doppia Sequin Germany. The imperial of Hungarv, Bavaria, and Saltzbourg. Hungarian kreumitz Hungarian prince Flanders. The sovrano and its half. . . (1) Or in Italian Zecchino, In livres Ol It .1. Milan. livres .t S. 1 t ~ — )~ 4° ~~" — 40 _ a5 ID '<) r-r. id I ] > 1 1 <)/ i5 i3 i 13 / 22 5 I- 10 i5 5 6 I ! 7 a 3o 5 6 33 62 27 i.S — 21 4« 103 12 — * :\ 22 5 rf 9 \ § I I ■ ID 6 " (>:> i5 6 _. ., 74 ' i5 7 3 I I :> ID 5 9 » i- 1 45 9 3 W 89 SILVER MONEY IN ITALY . XxXlij Value in SILVER MONEY CURRENT IN ITALY. \aly. Piece of 5 livres Piece of a livres Livre Three quarters of a livre. . . Half a livre Quarter livre France. Crown of six livres Five francs Two francs One franc Three quarter franc Half franc Lilian. Quarter franc The crown and its half. . . . The old livre and its half. . The new livre of 1778 and tlogna. its half. The crown of the Madonna and its half The crown of 10 Pauls and its half ■. ... odena. Tcslonc French crown mme Crown of Hercules runie 17'te, and its half inpro- enice. portion Dueatoon, or true crown of \ the cross and its half. . . . Justine, and its half in pro- portion Savoy. The new crown Genoa. The new crown Parma. Ducat Florence. Francescone Rome. Crown of 10 Pauls Germany. The dollar of the conven- tion Flanders. Crown of the cross, or crown Spain. The new piece. Livres of Milan. Li of I B T. V "% — — a — — 1 — — — — — — — — : 12 3 5 — — — 9 — — — 1 — — — — — — — — — — 6 — — i 1 — — 1 — — — 7 ~ — 5 6 l8 6 5 2 I 9 1 1 4 b' b 7 6 — 5 8 i3 6 6 M 1 3 5 9 8 6 1 9 1 1 6 6 6 5 2 16 6 5 5 6 i'i 9 5 I 6 ] 7 6 9 5 5 XXXIV INTRODUCTIONS Money of Italy. The monies most current in Italy, or that irt ■which there is the least loss, are the ruspone or se- quin of Florence, the sequin and the doppia of Rome, the sequin of Venice and the Louis d'orj it is, however, not advisable to have more of the money of any state than you will want to dispose of while you remain in it, and the money of Genoa •will not be taken in any other state. In all Italy they reckon their money by livres; and hundredths or centimes of Italy, exactly cor- responding to the French francs. Milan. 3o livres bank, worth 3s livres current. Vw. sous. Sequin of Florence, or Venice, worth . . 14 10 bank. — — or .. 17 10 current. Sequin of Rome- ■ - " . . i\ 4 bank. and 20 loor 21 current. Pistole of Piedmont 45 Milanese livres current. Monies of Genoa. The doppia of gold, 96 livres ; its half, its quarter, and its eighth in proportion. The crown of St. John the Baptist, 5 livres. The maijola of 4 and 10 sous, money of alloy. The copper money no longer exists. The pound sterling is worth 28 livres of Genoa. The Louis d'or 29 livres, A sous. The sequin of Florence, 15 livres, 10 sous. The piastre, or Spanish dollar, 6 livres or 10 sons of Etruria. The livre of Florence worth 17 pauls. The sequin of Florence worth 20 pauls. The ruspone of gold worth 60 pauls. The sequin of Rome worth ig£ pauls. The francescone 10 pauls. They have lately struck some new pieces of sil- ver of one, five, and two livres, in order morei easily to follow the decimal system. MONEY OF ITALY. XXXV The Florence crown is an imaginary money, worth seven livres of Florence, or 107 pauls. The Roman crown worth 9^ pauls. The silver money at Rome loses at Florence a half baiocco per paul. Monies of Parma and Piacenza. Livre worth 5 baiocclii or soldi, or 20 sous. Three livres of Parma are equivalent to a livre of Milan, or to 76 centimes of France. The paolo little less than 6d. English, or 12 sous French. Sequin of Florence 20 paoli, or 44 livres of Parma. It is an advantage to have the Louis d'ors of Parma to change for the sequins of Rome. Modena. Livre worth 6 baiocchi of Roman crown 10 paoli. Rorne. Roman sequin 197 ditto. Paolo io baiocchi of Rome. Florence ditto 20 ditto. Rome. Here they reckon in crowns, pauls, and baiocchi, which money is divided decimally. Sequin io\ paoli, scudo 10 paoli, paolo 10 baiocchi. Sequin of Florence, 207 paoli, but current only for 207. Sequiu of Venice 20 paoli. Onza of Naples 24 paoli. Louis d'or 44 or 4^ P a °li> guinea 43 or 44- I n drawing upon London, the pound sterling about 43 paoli. This country has no exchange but with Paris and Am- sterdam. Money is very scarce at Rome, consequently purchases in ready money, especially in gold or Tuscan silver, may be made with advantage. Money transactions are mostly carried on in bills, called cedules. The current coin is to the paper as about 1 to 16; and if you present a bill of 100 crowns to the bank for exchange- you will get 8 or 10 crowns in cash, and the rest in paper. Money of Naples. 1 Oncia or onza, 3 ducats; 1 ducat, 10 carlini; 1 carjini, 10 grani; 1 grano, 12 calli. An. oncia is worth about 2$ Roman paoli $ 5 oncie make XXXV] INTRODUCTION. 7 sequins; and 7 oncie make about \ pounds sterling. The ducat of Naples, 3 .shillings and 9 penee English. The cailino worth \\ English, 5s carlini make a pound sterling, which is equivalent to 2 sequins and 2 cailini. The Roman crown wonh \i\ carlini, the sequin 45^ car- lini, 6 carlini worth 5 Roman pauls, 4i cailini make I shilling 8|d. sterling. Besides the coins already mentioned they have in gold, pieces of 6, /\, and 2 ducats. In silver, no less than i5 coins from i3 carl. 2 gr. down to 5 grani; of which those of 6, 4> and 3 cailini are common; the ducal is very- scarce; the pateca of 5 carlini is also scarce; the piece of cailini is called tari; and ihe cailino of Naples is the tari of Sicily. In brass they have 6 coins, from 1 grand 6 calli, called the publica. The accounts are kept at Naples in ducats, cailini, and grains; but in exchange they only reckon by ducats anil grains. With reference to the preceding tables, it is to he remarked, that many of the coins mentioned in them will be seldom seen or heard of. Too mi- nute an investigation of these is more apt to con- fuse a stranger, he will shortly become acquainted "with the value of the various coins ; but on first entering the country it will be of more use to know in what currency the charges are made at inns, prices asked in shops, etc. At Genoa and over part of the north of Italy, charges are often made in francs and sous, the same as in France; at other times in lire and soldi; 20 soldi make 1 lira, the value a fifth less than the French franc. At Florence and in Tuscany, pauls and greschi. 8 Greschi 1 Paul 3o Pauls 1 Napoleon, or piece of 20 francs 3 Pauls 1 Louis d'or. At Romee. jo Paiocchi 1 Paul 39 Pauls 1 Napoleon 44 Paul* 1 Louis d'or MONIES OF NAPLES. XXXyij Naples. TO Grains ,'grani i Cailin fo Caiiins I Ducat i -j Carlins i Crown or Piastre, nearly equal to about 5 French francs. 42 to 43 parlins 1 Louis d'or ( i\ francs. ) The rate of exchange between Italy and other countries is constantly varying, and it is difficult to ascertain what really constitutes par. The fol- lowing, however, may serve in some measure as a guide. Bills at Genoa are commonly drawn on France in piastres; 0,8 sous French, for each piastre, is about par. Leghorn : the sequin or piastre of 8 rials, at par, is about 101 French sous. Rome: the ecu tie Home, at par, is about 108 French sous. Naples : the ducat, at par, is considered about 86 sous French. In going from France to Italy, the specie taken ought to consist of Spanish doubloons, or old French Louis dWs, coined previous to 179?), in preference to JNopoleon, or new pieces of 20 francs, as by doing so, there is a small advantage. XXXyilJ INTRODUCTION. Monies of Piedmont. %{ rri ( The doppia or pistole of gold of Piedmont Of Marengo Crown of Piedmont Piece of 8 sous of. of The others in proportion diminish The picealion The li vie of Piedmont is nearly equal with the Eng lish shilling. Mo ne; rot I- n a ■3 'I -- 20 _ .>..> ■i\ — — 28 6 8 — 5 = 3 6 6 — — — a — 70 45 TI i° 3 7- t - — J — I .So/o sua. The livre here is worth. ... 2 Sequin of Rome 2o~ Sequin of Florence 20 x JVei ghts in Italy. paoli. paoli. paoii. At Turin 16 pounds of Hamburgh arc equal to 11 of Turin. The old pound used in pharmacy was twelve ounces, but the disproportion of these ounces to others was as five to six. Some years since, the French system of weights and measures was introduced at Turin. Milan. — The common and the merchant's pound. here is 28 light ounces 5 each ounce at Milan may he divided into 8 drams, the dram into 5 deniers, the denier into 24 grains. The ounce used for weighing gold and silver is heavier. It is called Vonciadi marco d'oro. The gold and silversmith's ounce, is divided into i\ deniers, and the denier into 24 grains j but these deniers make 26 of the common ounce, or oncia cli peso leggiera. Sugar, coffee, wax, drugs, aud. silk, are sold 12 ounces WEIGHTS OF ITALY. "XXXIX the liretta, or libra piccola ; or 12 light ounces, the same as in the common pound or 10 ounces and a half* of the large, old Paris weight. Venice. — The pouud used for bread and drugs is 12 ounces, each of these 6 gros and in\ grains ancient French weight. The ounce is divider! into 6 sazi, when bread, silk, or thread are weighed. For weighing drugs it is divided into 8 drams 5 and 19 light ounces make the heavy pound. The mark used in weighing money, gold, pearls, and dia- monds, is divided into 8 ounces, each equal to 9 g ros 9r? grains old French weight. The ounce is divided into i44 carats, each carat containing 4 grains. The large pound, libra grosser, used for weigh- ing metals, and other heavy articles, eatables, etc. is divided into 12 heavy ounces, each ounce con- sisting of 192 carats, the carat of 4 grains. The pound used for weighing gold lace and gold wire, is lighter than that used for ingots and monev, the ounce not being more than 6 gros 46 £■ grains, old French weight. Eighty pounds peso grosso, are equal to eighty Hamburgh pounds, and eight pounds peso so'ttile, are equal to live Hamburgh pounds. Genoa. — The robe, or rubo, is equal to i5 pounds,* a peso sottile of 12 ounces each. The cantara, or quint a is equal to 6 robes, or i5o pounds, and contains 100 rotoli. The rotolois equal to 18 ounces, and is the weight used for heavy merchandise The peso consists of five cantari. Florence. — One litra makes 12 ounces 288 denari, or 6912 grains j 12 ounces make 24 den&ri 5j5 grains j and 1 denoro is equal to i r \ grains. The camp i one is preserved at Florence with the most scrupulous precaution, and this, they say, is the standard of the pound weight among the an- cient Romans. XI INTRODUCTION". Rome. — Here i libra, or pound, makes 12 ounces, e6 drains, 288 scruples, 076 ob.oli, 1728 si ique t 'j 912 grains. One ounce makes 8 drains 24 scru- I pics, ty&oboli, t 44 ' li l tu 'i 576 grains. One dram j makes 7> scruples, 6 ub>Ui, 18 ulique, 72 grains. 1 Oile scrupie makes 2 obdlo, 6 si.'ique, 'i\ grains. ] One obuLo makes 4 • s '^8 1 grains old French measure, i he ancient Roman pound was only 6: 4 \ grains. KapLs. — The pound at Naples is divided into 12 ounces, and the ounce into no trapesi; the trapesi into 20 acini . One hundred ounces make 3 ro'oliz thus tlie rotolo is > > j .Neapolitan ounces. The s uro consists of io4 ruto 1 and the cant >■ , of ro~0 o.'nli. The yveigl is !;i every other part o!' Italy tiiii'cr very little irom tliese already specified. 3f( rr^/tres in Italy ~ The mile of Piedmont is 800 trabucchi. The tra- hucco is 6 Piedmoutese feet, or 20-7^ inches Eng- lish. A Piedmov.U-s;' mile therefore is 268S vards and 10 inches Euglisli, or \ yards 10 inci.es more than an English mile and an ha if. The, mile of Genoa is nearly the same with that of Piedmont. At Parma they reckon by Italian miles, which are 61 yards and 1 loot shorter than an English mile. Bologna and Florence. — The 7nile of Tuscanv is supposed to be tooo geometrical p:.ces, or 5ooo French feet. M. Dutens reckons it to be 5i5o> French feet, or .\8">5 f. 3 i. j. 1. English; or i_';8' yards, 8 inclies, 8 lines short of an English mile. The Re man mile is nearlv the same with this; and probably with the ancient Roman mile The ISeapolilan mile is 7000 palmi j and the MEASURES OF NAPLES. xlj palmo being nearly io~ inches English, the Nea- politan mile is longer than the English by about 249 yards. Measures at Naples. Long Meaiwe. — One canna contains 8 palmi and i\ yards English- a palmo is io^i. English, or more accurately, according to M. Dutens, 10 i. 01. The pilmo of Genoa lor si.k is 9 i. 60; for cloth 9 i. 80. At Rome, in architecture, it is 8 i. 78 ; in other things 9 i. 79. The braccio at \enice is 25 i. 3o for silk 5 and 27 i. for linen or woollen cloth. At Florence it is 22 i. 80 for silk, and 22 i. 61 for cloth. At Rome it is 34i. 27. At Milan, for architecture, 20 i. 60 ; forsiik2oi. 70; for cloth 26 i. 20. At Bologna 24 i- 5o. At Parma and Piacenza 26 i. 90. The lanna at Genoa is 87 i. 60. At Rome 78 inches. At Naples 82 i. 90. The foot at Turin is 20 i. 17, at \ enice i4 inches; at Bologna i5 inches. These are English measures in inches and decimal parts. Laud Measur . — The rnoggia contains 900 passi; each passi containing 70^ palmi. Dry Measure. — Wheat is measured bvthe tomolo, of which 5j make an English quarter of 8 bushels. Wine Measure. — Wine is measured by the barrel, containing 66 carafh, equal to 9-^ English gallons. In the city of Naples, the barrel contains only Go carafh. Oil Measurp. — One salma contains 16 stari, 1 Staro io| rotoli: 1 rotolo 33^ ounces, which is 1 pounds English. A salma is about 4° English gallons. ill] INTRODUCTION. TA.BLE OF POPULATION Of different Parts of Italy. Loinbacdo- Venetian Kingdom A, 063,000 Kingdom of Naples , 6,766,000 Kingdom of Sardinia 3,8i4,ooo Etruria 1,200,000 Roman States 2,4°o 5 O0O States of Parma and Piacenza 3oo,ooq Lucca l3o,ooo Republic of St. Marino 7,°oo Total 18,682,000 HEIGHTS OF MOUNTAINS And different Elevations of Italy, above the level oj the JMediterransan, taken by M* Saussure, Shuch- burgh and others. English feet. Mont Blanc in Savoy is i5,662 According to De Luc l5,3oa| Mont Cenis at the post house 6,261 The summit of the rocks which surround the plain where the post house is si- tuated 9> 2 ^i La Grande Croix 8,023 Novalezza 2,7 ; 1 Turin 9} ? Monte Viso in Piedmont 9j99~ Monte Radicoso, a volcano, the highest point of the Apennines, over which the road from Bologna to Florence passes 2 )9 OT Radicofani at the post house 3 v<7 ( ' Summit of the rock above it 3,o6o Viterbo r,ioQ Monteroso, near Boccaria l5,oS$ Monte Velino, near Rieta, probably the highest point of the Apennines 8,32^ Monte Somnia, two leagues from Spoleto. 3,73a HEIGHTS OF MOUNTAINS. xliij English feet, Monte Vesuvius, according to M. Sanssure 3, go! according to others 3,9.38 Montenuovo, or Montecenere 47^ Montebarbara (Mons Gaurus) 1,102 The great rock Montecorno 9^77 Mount AEtna, according to M. Saussnre. lo^oof according to M. Shuck- burgb 10,954 Grand St. Bernard, at the Hospital, ac- cording to M. Saussure 8,074 St. Gothard, according to the same 6,790 These elevations have all been taken by the barometer at different times in French toises and English miles. Table of Italian Hours. The manner of reckoning time in some pnrts of Italy is peculiar to themselves. At Turin, Parma r and Florence, they calculate the time the same as the rest of Europe 5 but in other parts they begin the day at sunset. The following table is cal- culated for five of the principal latitudes ; and the figures point out the hours as it appears from the clocks in Italy, at the time when it is noon among us. This table is formed upon the principle, that in Italy it is understood that the twenty-four hours,. of which the day consists, are concluded exactly thirty minutes after the apparent immersion of the sun's disc. 1 In the Milan Ephemerides a table is founded on the supposition, that the sun sets in summer in twenty-three hours; and in winter in twenty- three hours and thirty minutes : but the following table from M. de Laiande merits the preference, Table pointing out Noon according to the Italian Horn ' 5o , $' U" 25' J° W ' i°5.j' 3° JO' Latitudes Milan and Genoa. 1 . cnicc. r lorence Rome. Naples. ' 9 9 t . M. 5 {. '9 M 2 s 8 51 January i 19 8 ;. IO 18 3 it) .8 5r r8 5i (8 4» 20 I 54 4" ,8 5i 18 18 49 8 ',. .8 8 February 18 3 n 18 ',2 TO 18 28 18 26 .8 25 18 21 '8 18 2* .8 12 18 11 18 10 18 : 18 5 Mai ch I Ty 58 17 5-. 17 57 t-7 5? 7 53 IO '7 4 a '7 44 •7 4 i 17 4> : 7 4i 20 1 IO 17 2b T 7 y 9 10 5- '7 17 '9 16 To, l 7 12 27 1 1 5o April \l A \l ;g 10 5 7 43 27 20 16 'in 16 16 4 26 16 16 16 f 16 16 4« 2 3 May I 16 2 F 16 3i IO 16 i3 16 i5 .6 16 21 16 2.1 20 16 1 16 4 16 6 16 1 1 ifi f6 1 3 5 June I (5 49 i5 53 i5 56 16 1 10 i5 J 4°) i5 48 1 5 5 1 i5 57 16 20 i5 iS 1 5 46 i5 i5 49 5o 1 5 55 i5 -9 July I i5 47 i5 5 : 16 IO 16 & i5 5i i5 54 if) 16 4 20 id 16 16 2 16 7 .6 1 i August I 16 9 16 12 16 1 3 16 iq 16 29 IO 16 20 16' 23 t6' 38 if> 20 1 6* 32 j 2^ 16 H 16 37 t6 16 4< 16 4 J Septembt *r i 16 3q 16 1 .6 54 16 57 16 fj. IC 17 7 J 7 '7 b 17 £ 17 1 2C 17 2 'J I 7 ? ) *7 22 3fi r 7 22 T 7 2 »7 17 2 October I >7 3c J 7 3fi 17 3c 17 £ 18 £ If n 5. > n 5a 18 f>3 > n 5 1 2C .8 f 1 18 3 24 18 4 Koveniber i 18 2' ■ 18 2/5 18 2C > 18 19 If > 18 3c ) 18 3£ 18 2^ 18 3 18 2Q 2< . 18 *9 5i 18 1118 4c 18 4: 18 4 18 ^9 December 18 5- 18 5 18 43 1 I( > 19 7 i9 4 19 c ) 18 5 - 18 )li8 a< >h9 1 V9 '9 J 18 5< 5b CONTENTS. Preface j introduction. — General View of Italy iij Geography and .Scenery oi'Ilaly vj Mountains vij Plan of a Tour in Italy xiv Journey with the Velturini.. . . xx Manner of Travelling Post in Italy xxij Piedmont, Liguria, Parma, and Piacenza xxvij Ecclesiastical States xxix Kingdom of Naples ib. Lucca XXX Ci-devant Kingdom of Italy. xxxj Gold Coins current in Italy. . . xxxij Silver Money current in Italy., xxxiij Money of Italy xxxiv Monies of Milan ib. Monies of Genoa ib. Monies of Parma and Piacenza. xxxv Monies of Modena, Rome, and Naples ib. Monies of Piedmont xxxviij Monies of Bologna ib. Weights of Italy. ib. Measures of Italy xl Measures of Naples xlj Table of Population xlij Heights of Mountains ib. Table of Italian Hours xliij Table pointing Noon according to the Italian Hours xliv CHAPTER I. Routes leading to Italy I SecnoN i. — Passage of the Simplon a No. i. — From Geneva to Milan ib. Sect. ii. — Passage of the Grand St. Bernard 4 lyj CONTENTS. No. 2. — From Aoste to Turin 5 Sect. in. — Passage of Mount St. Gothard ib. Sect. i v. — Route to Genoa, by Nice, from Provence. 6 No. 3. — From Antibes, or Nice, to Genoa by sea. ib. No. \. — From Nice to Genoa, by T the coast. .... io No, 5. — From Antibes to Genoa, by the Col de Teride " 1 1 No. 6. — From Antibes to Turin 16 Description of the road bv Mount Gen is to Turin 16 Sect. v. — Passage of Mount Cenis ib. No. 7. — From Chambery to Turin ib. The New Road over Mount Cenis if) Descent to Piedmont 2^ Description of Turin 26 Soil and agriculture of Piedmont and Lom- bardy, and of Italy in general 4 a Sect. yi. — Route by Germany and the Tyrol to Verona " 47 No. 8. — From Inspruck to Verona ^6 Description of Verona 6t CHAP. II. — Description of Genoa 67 CHAP. III. — Departure from Genoa. — Voyage to Leghorn, Lend, Sarzanua, Carrara. e:c... 8q No. 10. — From Genoa to Milan gfi Description of Pavia 97 De.-cription of Milan io5 Environs of Milan , uq CHAP. IV.— No. 10.— From Milan to Bologna 128 Excursion over the Apennines from Parma to Genoa i44 Account of Bologna i54 Environs of Bologna l65 CHAP. V.— From Bologna to Rome , 168 No. t i .-—From Bologna to Ancona ib. No. 12. — From Ancona to Rome, by Loretto and Folic,nn 1 82 Eternai City .--.•••. T 99 Instructions on arriving in Rome 200 CHAP. VI— Description of Rome. 2o5 Section i. — Porto del Popolo. ib. Modern Rome 206 Streets 208 Gates and HiJls 211 CONTENTS. xlvij Section i.— Squares and Bridges 221 The Ghetto degli Ebrei 217 General Remarks 2 18 Ten days in Rome 22 r Churches 22S St. Peter's 229 St. John Lateran 2.3 > The Corsini Chapel 2.34 S. Paolo fupri le Mure 235 S. Lorenzo fuori le Mure ib. S. Bartholomeo 2.3G S. Cecilia in Transtevere ib. S. Crisogno in Transtevere ib. S. Giovanni Battisla di Fiorentini. . ib. 3. Grregprio Magno 237 S. Sabina ib. S. Maria Egiziaca 238 S. Maria Maggiore ib. S. Croce in Gierusalemme ■_ 23t) S. Sebastiano ib. S. Peter in Vinculis 240 S. Carlo, in the Corso ib. S. Maria in Valliceila 241 The Trinity , ib. S. Agnes, in the Piazza Navona ib. S. Maria degli Angeli 2^2 S. Bai lolomeo ib. The Minerva .. . . . ib. The Catacombs ib. The Tomb of Cecilia Metella 2J| Palaces 24$ The Vatican 246 The Capella Paulina 247 The Quirina] 2 53 The Capi tol 254 Public Buildings, Monuments; etc.... 273 Arches 277 Columns and obelisks N . 278 The Pantheon 281 The Forum and Via Sacra 283 Temole of Peace 285 Palatine Hill 287 Balhs 289 xlyiij CONTEXTS. Baths 290 Aqueducts 29*5 Gardens 296 Public Fountains 299 Museums, Academies, etc 3oi Section 11,— Diversions 807 Religious Spectacles, Carnival, etc... ib. Theatres 3i8 Promenades 322 Character, Manners, Society, etc.... 323 Commerce, Manufactures, and Diet. 333 Environs of Rome — \ illas within and without t ; .e citv 34o The banks of the Tiber.. 348 Tivoli 356 The Alban Mount and Lake 364 Tusculum and Cicero's Villa 366 Alicia and the Grove and Temple of Diana 367 The Lake of Nima and Palace of Trajan 369 Antium ib. Forest and Plains of Laurentum ib. Ostia 36g Mouth of the Tiber The Campagna , 36c Excursion from Pisa to Terracina, through the Maremma of Tuscany, the Campagna of Rome, and the Pomp tine Marshes 37 Books on Rome 3g( CHAP. VII.— From Rome to Naples 3 9 No. i3. — From Rome to Terracina, by the Pomp- tine Marshes 3g No. 14- — From Rome to Terracina 3g( No. 1 5 — From Terracina to Naples 39! Description of Naples 4° Inns. Coffee-houses, and Private Lodgings.... 4o Divisions of Naples Ten Days in Naples Churches of Naples 4 1 S. Gennaro Gesu Nuovo ki f contents.' xlk S. Paolo. . . V.r: . .TV. . ib* S. Apostoli. ib., S. Martin 423 S. Giovani a Corbanara ib* S. Filippo Neri ^ S. Nunciata ib m S. Brigata ib* S. Maria della Pieta di Sangri ib* S. Maria la Nuova ib. The Chapel of San Severo toS S. Spirito Santo 4 2 ^ S. Maria del Parto ib* Palaces and Public Buildings 4 2 7 Castles /fio Hospitals A33 Streets and Squares 438 Fountains, Bridges, Aqueducts 44^ Gardens . . 4+5 Promenades M7 Theatres ian 17 Simplon 3 f Isella Yionnaz *j Domo d'Ossola 1 Saint Maurice a£ Vogogna . . . Martigoy a£ Laveno. . . . Jiiddes.. 2j Belgirata ... Siox 2? Sesto Calende Sierre 2- Cascina 2 Tourteruague 2*- Rlio. . Viege , , . 2^ MiLAi* I n (1) Guide through France, 1 thick vol. i8ruo, price 9 —Guide through Switzerland, 1 thick vol. lSxno, pri< 9 fr. (2) Noweau Manuel du Voyagcur, of the Traveller coj Pocket Companion, consisting of copious and famili; i conversations in English, French, and Italian, etc | 1 vol. price 5 fr. JEW M PASSAGE OF THE SIMPLOS. 5 m /sella, a miserable village, is the first place 1 we come to in Italy. Leaving Domo d'Ossola^ °- { the road is quite straight as far as Villa, where "a torrent is passed, over a fine bridge; the vil- lage lies on the right, and some elegant build- ings are observed on a well-wooded hill near it. The road now becomes stony, till we reach Masso7ia, situated on the banks of the Toc- cia, over which there is a bridge. Opposite to Massona is the village of Pic de Muliere, alM hvhere the valley of Mont Rose begins to r . v open ; a mountain inferior only to Mont Blanc, being i5,ob'4 feet in height. In the !midst of pine-trees and larches is the village jof Macugndga ; — -this valley is remarkable for the beauty of its vegetation, and the rich- ness of its gold mines. Sometimes, travellers quit their carriages Dn the banks of the Toccia, take a boat, and oroceed down the river as far as the Lago Maggiore, and visit the two beautiful islets, :alled Tsola Bella and Isola Madre, w T hich, ;ogether with the Lago di Como and Lecco, ire described at length in our account of the Environs of Milan. The route by land pre- sents nothing remarkable : at some distance, >n the left, is the quarry whence the white Marble was taken to build the cathedral of Milan. Belgirata and Arona are the next places of note • the latter is a little, but active commercial town-; in the cathedral are some J^ood pictures. Approaching Arona, the co- tl Iossal statue of Saint Charles Borromeo is seen Dn the summit cf a hili near the town ; it is 4 PASSAGE OF THE 6RAND SAINT BERNARB. of bronze, 70 feet in height, and supported I hy a marble pedestal. We now observe Indian corn, panicum, a sppcies of millet, and fig-^rees, which afford; excellent fruit. At some distance from Arona we ferry over the Tesino, where it leaves the ! Lago Maggiore ; the town of Sesto stretches; along the opposite shore. Quitting Sesto, we; enter the plains of Lorubardy, where no moun- tains bound the horizon. Vast plains of In- dian com, panicum and miller, line the road, and are only intersected by vine-arbours, and plantations of white mulberry-trees. Many small towns are now'seen, a$Somma,(i) Gale" rata, and Castellanza ; and the traveller should deviate from the road to visit Leina* ta, the country residence of the Marquis of. Litta, celpbrated for the beauty of the gar- dens and the mosaic ornaments of the baths.i At the large town of Bho, is the fine church! of Notre Dame des Miracles, in which are some excellent pictures. Two hours after we have left Leinata, we arrive at Milan, which, is entered by a grand triumphal arch. Milam will be described at length in a future page. SECT. 11. — Passage of the Grand Saint Ber-* nard. For the best and fullest description of this route, the reader may consult GaHgiiam^ Guide through Switzerland, and also Les (i> For an account of the antiquities of Somaaa, se< Campanas Monumenta Somce t etc, FROM AOSTE TO TURIN. 5 fitrennes Helvetiennes, for 1802, under the modest title of Petite Course au Saint Ber- nard, en April 1801. The descent from the monastery to Aoste is very rapid, occupying nearly s^ven hours. At Saint Remy is an inn, after which there is a sensible difference in the climate, and we begin to breathe the warm air of Ital . At Aoste is a triumphal arch erected by Augus- tus, the remains of a theatre, and a (own-wall built in the time of the Romans. From Aoste we take the road either to Tu- rin or Milan. The former is highly romantic, but little known, and may be made in about 29 hours. No. 2. — From Aoste to Turin", io^ posts, about 59 English miles. PROM POSTS. FRfTM . POSTS. Aoste to Chad Hon.. . . 2 Settimo to Ivre'e . . . \\ Venez 1 Foglizzo. 2 Sattiitio 1^ Tin in „ ... 2 If we do not leave Aoste early in the morn- ing, it will be impossible lo get farther than Ivree: in this case it will be better to stop at Verrez, where there is a good inn. Between Aoste and the Foit de Bard is a road cut in the rock by the orders of the dukes of Savoy. The fort was blown up by order of Bonaparte, when first consul. sect. in. — Passage, of Mount Saint Gothard. This is one of the most frequented passes from the German side of Switzerland to Italy. A. 6 ROUTES LEADING TO ITALY. Arriving at Airolo, where there is a good inn, we pass the bridge of Tremola, and enjoy a fine view of a verdant valley covered with houses. From Beljinzona the traveller may continue his route to Milan by Como, or visit the Borromean isles on tliG Lago Maggiore. sect. iv. — Route to Genoa, by Nice, from Provence, A full and complete description of this route as far as Nice, through Aix, Marseilles, Tou- lon and Antibes, will be found in Galignani's new Guide through France. From Nice to Genoa there are two routes by land, one which follows the line of coast, the other by the grand and romantic country of the Col de Tende. There is also a route -by sea, which we shall first describe. No. 3.— From Antibes, or Nice, to Genoa, by sea. At either of the above places (or at Mar- seilles) the traveller may hire a felucca for Genoa or Leghorn. This is an open beat with a padrone or master, and from eight to twelve rowers, who, partly by sailing and partly by rowing, will reach Genoa in two days, if the sea be calm, otherwise they dare not stir ; nor indeed is a felucca built for a heavy sea. The hire of this vessel will be about five gui- neas. The passage in a felucca for one person will cost from 10 to i5 francs. In the Caua- biere, near the quay at Marseilles, a broker. FROM ANTIBES TO GENOA BY SEA. 7 of the name of Franchenet, has in a manner monopolized the trade of passages ; to the English' he has raised the prices, and one can hardly be obtained under his terms. If the traveller, however, take a boat and go on board the different vessels about to depart for the place he wishes to go to, he perhaps may make a bargain with the captain from 20 to 25 per cent, tinder the following terms usually asked by Mr. Franchenet, which are, 4« francs to Genoa, 60 to Leghorn, 100 to Civita Ve- chia, and 100 to Naples; rates infinitely too high, when the miserable accommodations are considered, and that neither bed nor pro- visions of any description are provided. Previously to getting the passport visited for the purpose of embarkation, a patent or bill of health must be obtained at the Health Oihce, for which a fee of about two francs is paid. As to provisions, the taste of the tra- veller and length of the voyage must deter- mine this point. But it is always better to provide too much, than run the chance of falling short, owing to a tedious voyage. The following articles will be found useful: es- sence of coffee, sugar, some brandy, wine, abundance of bread, fruit, if in season, if not, dried fruits, which are always agreeable at sea, eggs, and cheese ; excellent seasoned meat-pies that will keep, are to be had at the pastry-cook shops in most parts of Italy and France ; smoked tongues, ham, sausages, but- ter, some cold fowls, and meat. If the voy- age be a distant one, a pair or two of live 8 ROUTES LEADING TO ITALY. ducks and fowls, and a quarter of fresh mut- ton, purchased the day of departure, may be added ; olives and anchovies will complete the stock ; a phial with a small quantity of vitriolic ether, may sometimes prove useful in removing sea-sickness, by taking about 20 to 3o drops in a glass of cold water. Con- venient baskets with compartments to carry provisions, are to be purchased for a trifle. The first rolling-place is Monaco, a small town, containing about eleven hundred per- sons; it is built on a rock which projects into the sea, and has a very picturesque appear- ance. This principality consists of three small towns, and an inconsiderable tract of barren rock. The precipices below the town, like the whole of this craggy coast, are covered with the Indian fig, which is four feet in height. The fruit is delicious. We pass Pen* timigtia, and several other places of less con- sequence, and come to St. Remo, a consider- able town on the declivity of a gently rising hill, with a harbour for small vessels. The whole country hence to Genoa is interesting, and affords the eye a succession of the most pleasing objects ; a bold shore, from which rather abruptly rise lofty hills, their bises covered with extensive plantations of olives, also oranges, lemons, pomegranates, and palms, which do not thrive in any other parts of Italy ; many towns, castles, convents, vil- lages, hamlets, and detached houses, appear in constant succession, and the whole country is very populous. The suxnin.it of the hill oi FROM ANTIBES TO GENOA *Y SEA. t) Saint Remo is crowned with a chapel, sur- rounded by tall cypresses and olive groves. The population is goo«. Port Maurice has a large commerce in fine olive-oil, cloth, soap, candles, and vermicelli. Population, 6000. Oneglia is a small town, with some fortifi- cations ; the territory abounds with olive- trees, and produces the best oil of the whole Riviera. Albenga is the next small town ; and the country produces a greal quantity of hemp. Finale, once the capital of a mar- quisate belonging to the Genoese, is a pretty well-built town, but the harbour is shallow, open, and unsafe j the country abounds with, oil and fruit, particularly with excellent ap- ples, called pomi carli. Noli was once a small republic of fishermen subject to Genoa, but tenacious of their privileges : the town is to- lerably well built, defended by a castle, and the harbour is of little consequence. It is the residence of a bishop, Savona, (1) a large town, is the seat of a bishoprick, and has a good port. It has ma- nufactures of porcelain, earthenware, an- chors, soap, cards, woollen-stockings, vitriol, cottons, paper, lace, sails, and cordage. Here are also glass-houses, forges, and a yard for ship-building. The environs of the town are well cultivated, and produce fruits of every kind ; the lemons and bergarnots come to great perfection. Population, 10,664. (1) Iwws.— The Post; The Old Post, (Rovere) ox the inns of Trabot, and St. Francis, 10 ROUTES LEADING TO ITALY. We next pass Albisola, Sestri di Ponente, Novi, Voltri, and many villages, villas, and magnificent palaces belonging to the Genoese nobility, till we skirt the fine suburbs of St. Pietro d* Arena, and arrive at Genoa. Aimost the whole of the Riviera is cultivated like a garden, and plantations extend to the very tops of the hills, interspersed with villages, castles, churches, an'd villas. This voyage, though often made in two days, sometimes becomes very tedious when extended to four or five, and this is not unfrequently the case in bad weather ; the traveller also runs the chance of being detained at some of the mau- vaises anberges, at the little towns on the coast. However propitious the embarkation may be, most persons are too well acquainted with the insidious deep, to place much reli- ance on those favouring gales which first launch them on the ocean ; to which may be added the disagreeable influence of a sea- voyage, on the majority of people. But these are trifles to the experienced traveller. No. 4. — From Nice to Genoa, by the coast; 17 posts, 173 English miles. TIME. TIME. FROM POSTS, h. m. FROM posts, h.m. Nice toVillafrancai 1 25 Alassio to One. 1 1 35 Monaco 1 1 35 Albenga. . . . . i 1 4° Mentone 1 1 3o Finale 1 1 3o Ventimiglia. . . i 1 35 Noli 1 1 25 St. Remo 1 2 20 Savona 1 1 3o Port Maurice. . . 1 1 4° Varaggio 1 1 20 Oxeglia 1 1 io Arezzano 1 1 35 FROM ANTIBES TO GENOA. I ! TIME. TIME. FROM POSTS, h.m. FROM posts. h.ni. Arezza. toVoLTra i i 3o Genoa (*) i i Sestri di Ponente. i i 25 The different towns have already been de- scribed. No. 5. — From Antibes to Genoa, by the Col de Tende ; 44q: posts., 248 English miles. TIME. TIME. FROM POSTS, h.m. FROM posts, h. m. Antibes to Nice. 3| 4 Racco. to Poirino. 3 1 Scaren?. 2^ 3 3o Dusino T*- 1 10 Sospello 2^ 3 3o Gambetta. .... 1^- 1 10 Breglio ...... i\ 4 Asti \\ 1 8 Tende a£ 3 5o Quatordio 3 1 5 Limcni 3 5 Alessandria (2). 2~ 1 37 St. Daiuiazzi. . . \\ 4 4^ 'Novi (3) 3^ 2 Com (i) ij 1 i3 Voltaggio 2 2 10 Centale 1^ 2 Campomarone (4). 2 2 |o Savigliano .... 2 1 8 Genoa (5) 1^ 1 45 Racconigi ii 2 23 Quitting Nice, we begin to ascend the steep and lofty Scarena, over which a fine new road has been cut, fit for all sorts of carriages. It was formerly passed, like Mount Cenis, in chaises-a-porteurs. La Chiandola is in a very picturesque situation. About three miles far- ther is the town and fortress of Saorgio, built Inns.— (*) Hotel di Londrn, Cross of Malta, White Horse, Red Horse. The inns in the other towns on this route are very bad. Inns. — (1) The Red Rose and Golden Lion. (2) Three Kings and PAuberge d'Angleterre. (3) L'Auberge Royale, rue Gherardenghi • and out of the town, going to Genoa, The Post. ($ The Post. (5) Hotel di Londra^ The Cross of Malta, Chcval Rouge et JBlauc, etc. 11 ANTIBES TO GEN"OA. on the summit of a mountain, and appearing as if it were suspended in the air. As far as Tende the road follows the course of a tor- rent. Tende, once the capital of a comte, gives the name of the Col de Tende to this passage of the Alps, which is made in five hours ; three for ascending and two for de- scending. The passage of the Col de Tende was formerly more inconvenient than that of MountCenis : if the mountain is covered with ice, it may be descended in a sledge. A little distance from Tende, is a cross road which leads to Oneglia, and thence to Genoa. Between Limoni and Coni, Monte Viso, where the Po takes its source, may be seen at the distance of 40 miles, and the Poggio Me- lone and Mount Cenis at 70 miles. The valley between Limoni and Coni is partly watered by the Gesso, which fertilizes all this part of Piedmont, and partly by the Yarmenagna, whose waters contribute greatly to the rich corn and grass with which this tract abounds. Coni, once a strong place, is celebrated for the number of sieges it has sustained, and the battles fought in its neighbourhood. The fine and formidable fortress of Coni, the bulwark of Piedmont, on the side of the maritime Alps, was surrendered to the Austriaus by the French, after a siege of eight days, in the year 1799. ^ na( ^ Deen besieged in vain in 1691 and 1744; an d if, in 1799, it made so bad a defence, inferior even to those of the citadels of Turin^and Mantua, it must be at- tributed to the want of provisions, and the ASTI— ALESSANDRIA DI PAGLIA. 1 3 almost total deprivation of military stores. It was garrisoned by more than 3ooo men. It is situated in a plain at the junction of the Gesso and the Stura. Its well-known fortifi- cations have been demolished. From this place to Carmagnola is a canal, on which there is a considerable traffic. Leaving this point, the road improves, and opens into a beautiful plain, abounding with corn and hemp, and covered with mulberry-trees, vines, and excellent pasturage. From Racconigi to Poirino is seen the handsome church of Su- perga and Chieri, near Turin. At Racconigi is a post-road leading to Carignan, and thence j to Turin: at Poirino we enter the high road " m from Turin to Genoa. 1 Asti is one of the principal towns of Mont- ferrat. The quarter where the higher classes dwell is well built, but thinly inhabited : here are the palaces Frinco, Bistagnoj Mas- setti, and Ptovero. The other part of the town is very dull. The streets are narrow $ the people poor, without industry or com- merce ; the fortifications are inconsiderable, and in ruins. There are a few churches wor- thy of notice. Asti gave birth to the modern Sophocles, Alfieri, the immortal father of Italian tragedy. Alessandria di Paglia, on the Tanaro, is celebrated for the number of sieges it has sustained. Its citadel to the N. E. is esteemed one of the best in Italy; the fortifications have been greatly improved within these few years, and form some of the finest boule- s l4 ANTIBES TO GEXOA. vards. The fortress of Alessandria capitulated] in 1799 to Suvorof, after a siege of six days. The defence of it cost the French 900 men, and the allies nearly as many. The popula- tion amounts to about 3o,ooo. The gover- nor's house in the citadel, and the palace Ghll/nl, are fine buildings. There are some handsome churches at Alessandria, and a good modern theatre. The inhabitants are attached to commerce, and two fairs in April and October attract a great number of fo- reign merchants. Between Alessandria and JNovi is the Abbey del Bosco, belonging to the Dominicans, which contains a few good paintings, and some fine sculpture of Michael Angelo. About two miles from Alessandria is the village of Marengo, surrounded by that plain rendered so celebrated all over the world, for the battle fought there by Bonaparte in per- son, on the 14th of June, 1800, between the French and Austrians. This victory decided the fate of Piedmont and Lombardy ; but it cost the life of the intrepid Desaix, of many other excellent officers, and of full i5,ooo men, killed, wounded, and prisoners, on both sides. Noui is, on this route, the first town of Liguria, situated in a plain, at the foot of the Apennines. It has a citadel capable of some resistance, and a population of 6000 persons. Here are some hue houses belong- ing to the Genoese who reside at Novi in the autumn. A considerable body of British AtfTIBES TO GENOA. 1 5 :troops were quartered at Novi in i8i5, to guarantee the delivery of Genoa to its new master, Austria. At Novi, and in its imme- diate neighbourhood, a terrible battle was fought in the year 1799, between the French and the Allies (Austrians and Prussians), Jou- bert and Moreau being at the head of the French ; and Kray, Bellegarde, Melas, and Suvorof, at the head of the allies. Between Novi and Voltaggio is the castle of Gavi, advantageously seated on a rock for the defence of this mountain-pass, but, like all the other fortresses of ancient Piedmont, it has fallen into ruins. Voltaggio, on the bank of a rivulet, offers nothing remarkable. From this place we pass the Bochetta, one of .he highest mountains of the Apennines. The *oad on the.side of the mountain is very good, tot ind presents to the eye a continual variety of lill and dale. From the top of the Bochetta s a fine view of Genoa, and the adjacent country, watered by the Polcevera. From •he highest summit of this mountain two ri- iaoj quiets take their rise : the one, which runs 000 Torn N. to S., is lost in the sea at Genoa; md the other, which runs from S. to N., masses by Voltaggio, Serravalle, and throws 1 of tself into the Po. The last post from Campomarone to Genoa s by a new road, made at the expense of the Hambiaso family. Formerly the traveller was compelled to ford the Polcevera twenty times, >ut now it is only passed once, over the bridge it Campomarone. The whole of the road is id ittj l6 ROUTES LEADING TO ITALY. level, straight, and good. On every side are handsome country seats ; and just before we enter Genoa, is the celebrated Palazzo Doria* (See Genoa described at length in a future page.) No. 6. — From Antibes to Turin, 28^ posts, 35 hours 5 minutes. FROM POSTS. Antibes to Racconigi 2.3| Carignan 2^ Turin 2| sect. v. — Passage of Mount Cents. No. 7. — From Chambery to Turin, 33^ posts, about 170 English miles. FROM POSTS. FROM POSTS. Chambery to Montme- Ver. to Lans-le-Bourg. 2 LIAN 2 IMoUNT CENIS 3 Maltavern i\ Molaret . . 3 Aignebelle (i) i- a Susa (3) 2 LaChapelle(MontBlanc^2 Saint Geoi-ges 1% Saint Jean de Mou- St. Antonin i| rienne (a) 2^ ' Avigliana 1^ St. Michel 2 Rivoli It Modene "z\ Turin (4)- • i§ Vernay 2 Approaching Montmelian, the citadel is seen on an eminence which is not command- ed by any neighbouring height ; on the right is a beautiful view over the Isere. Montme- lian was formerly a place of 1 great impor- Inns.-(i) The Post. (2) St. George. (3) The Post, (4) L'Auberge Royaie, l'Hotel d'Angletene, de Fiance, les Bonnes Femmes, etc. etc. PASSAGE OF MOUNT CENIS. I J ' tance ; it is agreeably situated on the Is'ere, but has no remarkable edifice. To the east ' of the town are many pretty country seats. 1 The wine of Montmelian is celebrated. Po- pulajion, 1200. Quitting this place, and pass- , ing over the Isere, the climate becomes colder, ' but the country is fertile. We next arrive at the village of Aiguebelle, where are the ruins of a church and some houses, buried by a sudden fall of earth and rocks from the top of the moun- tain ; these accidents frequently happen, par- ticularly in La Maurienne, where the snow is heaped up, and the mountains are high and ; i the valleys narrow. The greater part of the inhabitants of this village are small, ill made, : and afflicted with goitres. Near Aiguebelle a famous battle was fought in the year 1742. j Below the town, the Arc loses itself in the \ Isere; the plain washed by this torrent be- i| comes very narrow, and the mountains are ; high, little cultivated, and almost inacces- ; sible. St. Jean de Maurienne is situated in the midst of the Alps, and is, after Chambery, ,the most considerable town in our route, yet it offers nothing remarkable. The streets are narrow and the houses ill built. Its com- J merce is in cattle, timber for ship-building, and iron tools. Population, 2200. Some fine views are observed over the less elevated mountains. From this place to Lanslebourg : t there is a continual rise, and the air becomes still keener. To the foot of Mount Cenis there iS ROUTES LEADING TO ITALY. are forty miles of road, bounded on one side by a mountain, and on the other by a torrent. In the winter, and when the snow melts, ava- lanches are sometimes to be feared. Near Modane, about a mile out of the great road, is a considerable waterfall. Mountains, some sterile and some covered with wood, are now seen — not a single habitation, except the caves of the bears on their tops. The cha- mois are here very common, as well as phea- sants. In the summer, the chamois are let out every morning to feed, and return every evening, before sun-set, to be milked and housed. They keep in herds of twenty or thirty, one of which is always stationed as sentinel while the rest are feeding : the rein- deer-lichen (/. ran gifer inns) is a favourite part of its food. The marmot also [arctomys mar- motd) is an inhabitant of the Alpine heights. It remains in a torpid state near the tops of the rocks during winter, when it grows ex- ceedingly weak, and is so benumbed and in- active upon first coming out of. its holes, as to be easily caught. It is about the size of a hare, and frequently served up at dinner, in the Swiss auberges. Near Lanslebourg, the women wear on their heads a piece of black or dark-coloured cloth, which only adds to their n-tural deformity. We now arrive at Lanslebourg, the last village of Savoy, si- tuated at the foot of Mount Cenis. Those who travel with a long suite of carriages and at- tendants, should send an avant-courier to ap- prise the mayor of Mount Cenis of their ap- PASSAGE OF MOUNT CEtflS. 1 9 iproach, and to request the necessary assist- ance, according to the season, state of the roads, etc. etc. Until within these few years, carriages could go no farther than Lanslebourg, but were taken in pieces, and transported over the mountain, on the backs of mules. Their owners also followed them by the same con- veyance, or in chaises-a-portenrsy rush-bot- tomed elbow-chairs, without legs, and car- ried by means of two poles, by porters ap- pointed for this purpose. These men (of whom 100 were almost constantly employed) were particularly strong, trod the roughest paths with the agility of goats, and showed great dexterity in following the windings of the mountain. From six to ten porters were assigned to each person, and their pav for this laborious occujDation was about half-a- crown a-day. The New Road over Mount Cenis, made by order of Bonaparte, is practicable at all times of the year, for carriages of all sorts. It commences on the right of the Arc x over which the traveller passes by a fine wooden bridge with stone piers. The route is composed of six slopes on the side of the mountain, which are carried through forests of larch and fir to the summit. We next ar- rive at Ra masse 1 a place much celebrated in win- ter before the opening of the new road. The SO KOUTES LEADING TO ITALY. mountain being then covered with one solid smooth crust of snow or ice, the traveller was seated in a chair, placed upon a sledge guided by one man, and arrived at Lanslebourg in seven minutes, travelling nearly at the rate of a mile in a minute. The descent was very dangerous, as the least clumsiness in ma- naging the sledge, or motion of the foot, was sufficient to precipitate the traveller into an abyss, or dash him against the rocks. At present, the sledge may be used on the new road with perfect safety, but with less cele- rity. To travel in this way is called se faire ramasser, and hence the name of the place. When we have attained the most elevated point of the route, a plain of six miles, with a beautiful lake, lies before us. The new road in this part has been so contrived as to avoid those avalanches which rendered the old one dangerous. This plain, when the snows have melted, offers such excellent pas- turage, that very good cheese is made by the persons who reside here. The lake abounds with trout, and gives rise to a rivulet which at Susa falls into the Dora-Riparia ; it forms a fine cascade about a mile from the lake. The naturalist will find many objects of cu- riosity on the summit of Mount Cenis. Near the cascade are some remains of lava which cover more than a square mile. Here is also a species of white butterfly, with large round spots, like that which Linnaeus saw among the mountains of Sweden. The botanist will reap a plentiful harvest* PASSAGE OF MOUNT CENIS. 21 On the i?.th of August, Dr. J. E. Smith •found the plain of Mount Cenis all flowery l.with the rarest Alpine productions, such as ithe botanist delights to see, even dragging on a miserable existence in our gardens, and the ((greatest part of v/hich, disdainful of our care land favour, scorn to breathe any other air, [than that of their native rocks. Even the [most common grass here was phleum alpi- imi7n, and the heathy plain glowed with rho- I dodendrum ferrugineum and arnica moniana. I Numerous species of arenaria, silene, avliil- la?a, astragalus, and j uncus, were every I where scattered. « Ascending 'little Mount \ Cenis, fronting the Hospice, and 99^6 feet : above the level of the sea (continues Dr. 1 Smith,) no lowland scenes can give an idea [ of the rich entangled foliage, the truly ena- I melled turf of the Alps. Here we were I charmed with the purple glow of Scutellaria lalpina; there the grass Was studded with the vivid bjue of innumerable gentians, mixed with glowing crowfoots, and the less osten- tatious astrancia major and saxifraga rotun- difolia, whose blossoms require a microscope to discover all their beauties ; while the Al- pine rose (rosa alpina) bloomed on the bushes, and as a choice gratification for the more cu- rious botanist, under its shadow, by' the pebbly margin of the lake, carex capillaris presented itself. The liches of nature, both as to colour and form, which expand so luxu- riantly in tropical climates, seem here not 11 ROUTES LEADING TO ITALY. diminished, but condensed. » (i) The road by which Hannibal entered Italy is said, by many authors, to be about 3o miles E. of Mount Cenis : but, after much learned dis- cussion on the subject, this is still a matter of doubt. In front of the lake is a hamlet of Taver- netles, (little houses of refreshment;) and at the end of it on the Piedmont side, and paral- lel with the road, are the buildings of the Hospice, or convent, (the central inn of Mount Cenis) conducted on the same principle, and under the same excellent regulations as that of St. Bernard. (2) The virtuous Ceno- bites, inhabiting this edifice, renouncing the beauties of nature to dwell amidst barren rocks and eternal snows, and devoting them- selves to the service of humanity., gratuitously entertain all travellers. Upon the summit of this mountain, separating Switzerland and Italy, we find a table, as it were, spread in the wilderness. It is the invariable custom of this convent to entertain all strangers gra- tis for three days, without any distinction as to religious opinions. There are twenty-five ccmtonniers , who keep small inns or places of refuge for the traveller, which are dispersed in different parts (1) See Dr. Smith's Tour on the Continent, Vol. Ill, pp. 1 33, 139, i4o,) an excellent Botanical Guide in a tour through Italy. (2) The Hospice is 636o feet above the level of the sea ; but the highest point of Mount Cenis is 11,977 ^ eetu PASSAGE OF MOUNT CENTS. 23 of the route, according to the difficulties or dangers which present themselves. Those on the plains of Mount Cenis are provided with a bell, which is rung, in foggy weather, to di- rect the stranger to the inn. In the winter, the cantonniers are employed in removing the snow, and rendering assistance to passengers ; in the summer they keep the road in repair. The articles sold at these places are exempted from duty. During the passage of the moun- tain, particularly on the top, even in summer, . the traveller will rejoice to find a fire at the J inn; the ratafia also will be very acceptable. At lb the Grande Croix, the plain ends, and we commence our Descent to Piedmont. Above the plain of San Nicolo, is a gallery cut in a solid rock of granite, 65o feet in length, which gradually ascends to the top, where the chamois has never trod. The wild aspect of the plain of San INicolo, even in summer, is very striking. From this gallery to the hamlet of Bart are some beautiful views and slopes. Opposite to the village of Fei-> -ieres is another gallery cut in a rock of granite ; and to Bart the road crosses a rivulet )ver a wooden bridge. To prevent the fall- ing of the earth and stones in this part of ;he route, there is a wall nine feet high. We, after some time, in front of Mollaret, discover the well-cultivated hills of Chau- mont, washed by the Dora-Riparia, which descends from Mount Geuevra ; and on the 24 ROUTES LEADING TO ITALY. left the valley of Cenis, as far as Susa. From Mollaret, with some slight exception, the road is carried through the rocks, and on the edge of a frightful precipice, which, is flanked by a stone wall. From the last place may be discovered the whole valley of Cenis, to- gether with the villages of iNovalezza and Yenans. After quitting Saint Martin, the road passes under an avalanche, which commences at very great height, and empties itself into a basin, from which the water is carried o~" by a long and winding canal. The avalanch is partly stopped by the road, which opposes a barrier to it, but yet it sometimes extends it- self to the hamlet on the plain of Moun Cenis. This avalanche, which falls every year, an sometimes twice in the year, fills up a width of i3o feet over the road. As it commences, however, at a great distance, it makes a loud noise, like the rolling of distant thunder, some time before its fall, and the traveller has thus abundance of time to shelter himself in the middle of a gallery cut in the rock. The road now winds by four gentle slope* to the fountain in the village of Giaglioni, and passes over hills covered with vegetation and commanding a picturesque view of th( valley of the Dora, and of the hill of Turin which bounds the horizon. The road con 1 tinues from the bridge of St. Roch to tfy faubourg of Susa, following the left bank o the Dora. PASSAGE OF MOUNT CENIS. 25 The passages of the Simplon and of Mount Cenis, may be justly considered as two of 1 the most wonderful works of modern art j and though the latter may yield in extent ' and variety to the former, it deserves to be ranked with the Simplon, to which it is closely allied, by the number of its galleries, bridges, aqueducts, canals, &c. &c. The pass of Susa was once defended by the fort of Brunette, which is now entirely demolished : it was situated on a little height, and cut in the rock. It had eight bastions, I which, with the other works, had a commu- nication by subterraneous passages under rocks, so large as to admit carriages and vheavy cannon, with several horses, to go from | one place to another. It held 2000 men with .all their provisions, &c. &c. It was the work Li of fifteen years. Here Bellisle perished in i'1747, the victim of his bravery. There was 'llalso another fort in front, on another rock, fy- which communicated with la Brunette, and ^entirely commanded the valley of Susa. 1 f Susa (the ancient Segusium) the first village of Piedmont, is inconsiderable, and has but a '•small population. Not far from the town is a Vtriumphal arch erected in honour of Augustus, A near to which is an ancient chateau, once in- -i'habited by the Marquis of Susa. The road from 1 Susa to Turin, (more than forty miles) passes over a plain washed by the Dora-Riparia. The vine is now seen united to the elm, and the country is covered with corn and mul- berry trees, which announce the staple ma- 26 ROUTES LEADING TO ITALY. nufacture of Piedmont — its silks, for whichj it is so much celebrated. udvigliana is a small town with a ruined fortress. Rivoli is a large town, in a most; beautiful situation, commanding an extensive; plain, ten miles in length. From Pvivoli to Turin is a straight road, lined on each side with elms, in the midst of .a fertile plain,! watered by a great number of canals cut or; purpose to distribute the waters of the Dora! Here commences the rich plain of Lombard y.| which extends to Venice and Bologna. DESCRIPTION OF TURIN. Turin is one of the most agreeable ci'r'e in Italy with respect to its position and it; regularity. It is also one of the most ancient Pliny indeed speaks of it as haying for a Ion time formed a part of Liguria. It is said t( have been founded 1529 years before our era by a colony from Egypt, winch came t< settle upon the coast of Genoa. Some ever in ! suppose its name to have been derived fron the Egyptian bull, the symbol of the go< \ Apis. It is certain that the population o this city was so considerable, at a very earl; riod, that the R.omans sought and obtained pe its alliance. After the union of Piedmon with France it became one of the _ principal li cities in the French empire. Its citadel, on of the strongest in Europe, is demolished In but serves as a promenade for the inhabitants being covered with fine trees. The rampart are three miles in circumference. TUKIN. — FORTIFICATIONS. 2J Turin is beautifully-situated en the north- ern bank of the Po, at the foot of a ridge of fine hills, rising southward beyond the river; tvhile northward extends a plain bounded by he Alps ascending in gigantic groups like embattled towers, or presenting detached joints darting to the clouds like spires glit- ering with unmelted icicles, and with snows hat never yield to the rays of summer. It commands the sublimest prosj)ects — here a |:rescetit of magnificent Alps— there the snow- 4:apt cone of Monte-Viso — in the middle the :iing of floods opening his way through a rich olain which widens before him — beyond, the Vollina studded with white villas and crowned my the lofty dome of Superga. I Turin is admired for the regularity of its Juan, the cleanness of its streets, the symmetry nj|»f its squares, the splendour of its hotels, and tiJhe general elegance of its houses. The in- ferior of the town is not unworthy of its fame J md situation ; the streets are in general wide J pud straight, intersecting each other at right Mingles, and running in a direct line from gate r, ogate through some large and regular squares. \ phe royal palace is spacious and surrounded r ] nth delightful gardens. There are many edi- l ces, both public and private, which present J 3ng and magnificent fronts; and intermingled pj/ith at least a hundred churches, give the 0I ,L7ho]e city a rich and splendid appearance. e( |n the churches and palaces, marble of every ,t$ein and colour is lavished with prodigality, nd decorations of all kinds are scattered with 2$ TURlff. profusion ; to such a degree indeed as to encum ber rather than to grace these edifices. Such are the general features of Turin, grand and airy. But the misfortune of this city has been, that while both its sovereigns and inhabitants wanted neither means nor inclination to em- bellish it, no architect of correct taste was found to second their wishes. The two prin- cipal persons of that description employed at Turin, Guarini and Juvara, whatever might have been their talents, were deficient in judg- ment, and preferred the twisted and tortured curves and angles of Borromim, to the unbro- ken lines and simple forms of antiquity. No- veltv, and not purity, prettiness instead of majesty, seem to have been their sole object. Hence this city does not present one chaste model, one simple grand specimen in the ancient style to challenge the admiration of the traveller. Every edifice, whatever its desti- nation may be, whether church or theatre, hospital or palace, is encumbered with whim- sical ornaments, is all glare and glitter, gaiety and confusion. In vain does the eye search for repose, or the mind long for simplicity. Gilding and flourishing blaze on all sides, and we turn away from the gaudy show, dazzled and disgusted. The cathedral is an old Gothic edifice, in nl respect remarkable; but several otherchurches deserve a particular inspection, either for their magnitude or for their pillars, or for the va- riety of marbles employed in their decoration. I TURIN. 29 The palaces, though some are large and spacious, are yet so disfigured by ill-placed decorations and grotesque architecture, as to make little impression on the eye, and con- sequently deserve little attention. Some of them are adorned with fine painting and very ^magnificent furniture. The King's palace near the Piazza del Cas- tello has a noble facade ornamented with balconies, statues, and vases. It is entered by a fine vestibule and staircase. There is ano- ther palace built by Charles Emanuel II, in the last century. But the most remarkable is the palace Carignano; although the design of the whole is whimsical and bizarre, the win- dows, the gate, the grand staircase and saloon, are worthy of notice. The architect was iGuarini. The Palazzo della Citta, is a fine (building, and a great ornament to the herb [market. I The university is a very considerable build- ing, the interior of which is ornamented with -inumerous statues, bai-reliefs, and antique f inscriptions found in the environs of Turin. lit possesses a fine cabinet of medals, an ana- tomical theatre, philosophical instruments, j and a library containing 70,000 volumes, ] 2000 of which are MSS. A catalogue of these books was printed at Turin in 1648, in 2 vols, folio. 1 One of the finest streets in Turin is that of f Mount Cenis, otherwise called Dora Grossa, . It is more than 3ooo feet long, and perfectly straight^ and is bordered with flags and uniform 3o TURIN. houses, the monotony of which is distin- guished by balconies of different sizes and by the diversity of shops which succeeded e,ach other on both sides without interruption. This street leads to the* Piazza del Castello, the largest square in Turin and perhaps in Eu- rope. It is also considered as one of the hand- somest, but its extent is more striking than its beauty. The broad galleries, pierced with, heavy arcades, which surround it, have neither elegance nor grandeur. The four fronts of the houses above them, have neither the merit of exact uniformity, nor that of rich variety. On one of the sides the arcades are inter- rupted to make place for the King's Palace above mentioned. In the centre of this great square is the Pa~ lace of the Dukes of Savoy, which, from its awkward situation, necessarily required four fronts equal in dignity; but three of them are hideous in themselves, and derive comparative ugliness from the beauty of the fourth. This last front, composed of one Corinthian peris- tyle raised on a plain basement, is the noblest elevation in Turin, where it holds the place of honour. The staircase is magnificent, but is its only internal beauty. It occupies the whole length and height of the front, and there is not perhaps afiner one in all Europe, except that of Caserta near Naples. We have mentioned the churches of Turin in general, but some of them deserve a more particular notice. That of San Filippo is admired for its vast nave and a hue modern TURItf. 3 1 portico 'with striated columns not yet finished. The church of Saint Laurence and the chapel of the S anils si ma Sindone are remarkable I for their domes composed of numerous arches and segments interlaced into each other, so as to excite surprise at the solidity of the ■ construction, without however rendering it i doubtful. This particular form had no mo- i jdel any where, and derived its rules only from, r {the imagination of the architect (Guarini), ■which would render it faultv in the opinion t of such as are blindly submissive to the laws of art ; but the traveller, whose eyes, surfeited • 'with uniformity, delight in surveying some s |new conception, when not contrary to real jtaste, will fix his looks with pleasure on these . two curious domes. 5 The cupola of that of the Santissima Sin- r done can hardly fail to give universal satis- e ;faction. It is lined entirely with black e marble, the sombre tint of which agrees ad- is 'mirably with the faint light that penetrates ;. jiinto it. Our eyes drop involuntarily on per- it fceiving this vault, and Ave feel suddenly struck e pith a sort of religious awe and respect. The i\ chapel is behind the cupola, which itself is ie ,i behind the cathedral of which it seems to ] form a part. fj I The broad steps by which we ascend to this i sanctuary, the majestic altar that occupies the Id centre of it, the no less majestic tribunes that lfi; rise on both sides, the sombre tint of the marble which composes all this assemblage, the holy obscurity which envelopes it ? even 02 TURIN". the railing which keeps out the profane, con- tributes to excite devotion. The Corinthian order is carried to the summit; but it is a little disfigured from the columns at the entrance not having their capitals. It is said they were to have been of white marble. The Santissima Sindone to which this cha- pel is consecrated is religiously preserved in it. It is a !ar< part in haste, calling to him at the same time, « Go, or we will make you.» If he does not obey, they level' their firelocks at him* and if he still refuses to return, they fire: this, however, is in extreme cases only, and when they see no other means of saving themselves. If a game-keeper informs against him, he must himself afterwards guard against their revenge. Of this there have been some me- lancholy instances. A poacher who, in con- sequence of these practices, had been obliged for many years to serve in a distant regiment, was at length discharged, and returned to his country. He immediately began climbing the mountains again in search of game, met the informer, and shot him dead, (i) In this part of Tyrol is to be seen a charm- ing national physiognomy in the fair sex; oval faces, fine dark eyes, and a while skin : they are all as much alike as sisters. It is a pity only that their clumsy dress disfigures their personal attractions. Though at Inspruck we have made a con- siderable progress in the defile, yet we have (i) See Kotzebue's Travels, Vol. I, pp. 87 et seq- whence we have gleaned 6ome interesting facts and Very fruitful descriptions. See also vol. iv, p. 2^4 — a ^ r > ^ oC an account of the resistance made to the French in i8o5. THlOLESE. 53 not risen in elevation so much as might be imagined ; for that city is not more than i5oo feet above the level of the sea. But, about three miles farther, the road suddenly turns, and the traveller begins in reality to work up the steep. The road is well con- trived to lessen the labour of ascent, winding gently up the mountains, and affording every where perfect security, though generally skirting the edge of a precipice. It presents some striking objects, such as the abbey of IVilltean, anciently Villetenum, the castle of Sonenberg, and, through a break to the west, a transient view of a most majestic mountain, raising from amidst the surrounding glaciers ifs pointed summit to the skies. Its craggy sides are sheathed with ice, and its brow is whitened with eternal snows. Its height is supposed to be nearly equal to that of Mount Blanc, though in grandeur the mountain of Savoy yields to that of the Tyrol ; because the former heaves itself gradually from the p]ain. and conducts the eye, by three different si ages, to its summit ; whilst the latter shoots up at once, without support or gradation. The ascent still continues steep, and with- out intermission, to Steinack, which, though situated amidst the pinnacles of the Rhetian Alps, is yet not the highest point up the tre- mendous steeps of the Brenner. The summit, or rather the highest region of the mountain which the road traverses, is crowned with im- mense crags and precipices, enclosing a sort of plain or valley, which derives some degree E. 54 TYBQLESE. of animation, of beauty, and even of ferti- lity, from the source of the river Adige, bursting from the side of a shattered rock, and tumbling in a noble cascade to the plain. Just before, we pass the fountain-head of the river Sill, which takes a northward course, and runs down the defile that leads to In- spruck; so that the traveller now stands on the confines of the north, his face turned to- wards Italy, and the genial regions of the south. We now pursue our way with great rapidity down the declivity through Mark and MitLwald, aud at length enter the epis- copal city of Brixen. We have now passed the wildest retreats and most savage scenery of the Alps, once the impenetrable abode of fierce tribes of barbarians, and the haunt of associated rob- bers, who plundered with the number, the spirit, and the discipline of armies. The Ro- raan legions were not unfrequently impeded in their progress, and more than once strip- ped of their baggage by these desperate mountaineers. Brixen presents nothing very remarkable to the attention of the traveller. Its cathedral is neither larye nor beautiful, and the claim of the town to antiquity is dubious. The descent from the little plain of Brixen is not so steep as the road which leads to it. On a hill not far from C/uusa, stands the abbey of Sabiona, the only remains of the ancient Sa- bina. C/uusa, or Clausen, once Clusium, takes its name, as other towns of similar ap-< I BRIXEiV — EOLSAXO. 55 pellation, from its situation, as the plain in which it stands is terminated by a tremendous defile, whose rocky sides jut out so far, and rise so high, as almost to hide the face of heaven ; while the river, contracted into a torrent, or rather a continual cascade, hurry- ing from steep to steep, rolls Mattered frag- ments of rock down its eddy, and fills the dell with uproar. Numberless chapels, hewn out of the rock, on the road, answer the double purpose of devotion and of security, protecting the traveller from the sudden bursts of storm in summer, and against the still more sudden and destructive masses of snow that roll from the mountains, towards the termination of winter. The road which leads to this dell runs along the edge of a most tremendous precipice, and is so near it, that, from the carriage, the eye, without per- ceiving the parapet, plunges at once into the abyss below, and it is scarcely possible not to draw back with involuntary terror. Between Brixen and Bolsano the road is extremely romantic. On the right are seen rugged rocks, on the left, steep precipices, and below, the rapid stream of the Eisach, which may be almost called a cataract, of many miles long. Yet the rude soil is very often diversified, and a countless number of gourds sprout up from the crevices of the rocks. Vines are also cultivated here. Crucifixes are to be seen, by hundreds,, on the road side. In some places the Saviour has nosegays of flowers be i ween his feet ; in 56 TYROLESE. others, the Turkish corn descends from his arms. Here and there, even a vine is planted, by the side of the crucifix, which is so com- pletely encircled by it from top to bottom, that we should suppose the figure a repre- sentalion of Bacchus. The crucifix sometimes stands on the "brink of a fountain, and in the side which was opened by the spear, a tin j)ipe is fixed, which continually spouts out, water. Bolzano, converted by the Germans into the barbarous appellation of Botzen, is almost an Italian town, more Italian than German being spoken here. On the roofs of the houses too, as in Italy, are galleries for en- joying the fresh air. The women of Botzen wear a sort of triangular hat of black gauze, which is placed almost in the back of the neck. In the front, a sort of black edging flows on the forehead. It is a commercial and busy place, and its situation at the opening of several vallies, and near the confluence of three rivers, is very advantageous : its neighbourhood is pic- turesque, and well cultivated; it contains, however, no remarkable object. From Bolsano the road presents nothing peculiarly interesting as to Alpine scenery y some castles, however, finely situated, pro- ject into the vallies of Sole and Anaria ; Monte Cerno and Monte Mendala are objects grand and beautiful. Between Neumarh and Trent the traveller will be delighted with the various scenery I NEUMARK— TRENT. 5j presented lo his view. Maize fields appear before him, bordered by numberless gold— I coloured gourds. From arched branches of ] i immense length, blue grapes glitter in the ";sun. The vines are entwined in the elms, !i like garlands for decorating a festival. The e wild hops run so close together, and form II such thick bushes by the road side, that we l ' : seem to be passing through an extended ar- bour. Long rows of mulberry-trees border the road in other places. Lofty cypresses are >' to be seen here and there, erecting their 10 heads high in the air ; chesnut-trecs, with 16 trunks of monstrous extent, and their thou- Vsand-fold branches, overshadow the mea- ' :i 3ows ; large fig-trees interweave their wide- spreading boughs in each other* high reeds, 115 whose feathered heads appear to emulate the j oftier trees in growth ; and among all these re see pretty dark-eyed peasant girls, with ii heir black hair turned and pinned up. E l Trent is the seat of an archbishop. Its an- cient name was Tridentum,, and the tribes and 'Alps in its vicinity were not unfrequently : called Tridentini. It is seated in a small but >eautiful valley, exposed however, from its evation, to intense cold in winter, and, from he reflection of the surrounding mountains, o heat as intense in summer. The town is veil built, and boasts of some palaces; that f (he prince-bishop contains some very noble partments. The cathedral is Gothic, and iot remarkable either for its beauty or mag- tit.ude. Its organ is admired, though sup- *1, 58 TRENT. R0VFREDO. posed to be inferior to that of the church of Sanla Maria Maggiore in the same city. But Trent owes its fame neither to its situa- tion nor its edifices, but to the celebrated Council held within its Avails about the middle of the sixteenth century. It was opened in the cathedral, but generally held its sessions I in the church of Santa Maria Maggiore, where a picture still exists, representing the Council sitting in full synod. The most conspicuous figures are supposed to be portraits taken I •from the life. This assembly, convoked by Paul 1IT, sat, with various interruptions, un- der three successive pontifs, during the space of eighteen years. From Trent the road continues to run through a narrow valley, watered by the; Adige and covered with vines conducted overi trellis-work, or winding from tree to tree in garlands. High mountains rise on each side, 1 while the number of neat villages seems to' increase on both banks of the river. A for-] tress, covering the brow of a steep hill, rises 1 on the left, at some distance from the road, 1 and forms too conspicuous an object to pass'i unnoticed. Its ancient name was, according' to ■ Cluverius, Verruca. Castellum ; it is now 1 called Castello del/a Pietra, from its site. It was taken and retaken twice by the French 1 and Austrian s during the last war, though its, situation might induce a traveller to consider 1 it impregnable. Roveredo, anciently Roboretum, the second stage from Trent, is a neat little town in the ROVEREDO. 5g ilefiles of the Alps, in the beautiful valley of Lagarina, situated, geographically speaking, In the German territory, but, in language, jnaimers, and appearance, Italian. The en- trance on the side of Trent looks well, though ;.he main street is narrow. From Steinach, pr rather a few miles south of that village, Ihree stages before Brixen, we had begun to iescend, and the descent now becomes more iapid between Roveredo and Ala ; the river, vhich glided gently through the valley of Trent, assumes the roughness of a torrent; he denies become narrower, and the moun- tains break into rocks and precipices, which .» [ccasionally approach the road, sometimes yse perpendicular from it, and now and then ; ang over it in terrific majesty. Ala is an isignificant little town, in no respect remark- j ble, except as forming the geographical boun- dary of Italy. |i Amid these wilds is a vast tract called Sla- J J'/?./ di Marco, covered with fragments of . ,)ck torn from the sides of the neighbouring fountains by an earthquake, or perhaps by Jaeir own unsupported weight, and hurled l|)wn into the plains below. They spread Rhetian Alps. VERONA.. UI DESCRIPTION OF VERONA; i Verona is beautifully situated on the Adige, partly on the declivity of a hill which forms he last swell of the Alps, and partly on the kirts of an immense plain, extending from ihese mountains to the Apennines. The hills >ehind are adorned with villas and gardens, vhere the graceful cypress and tall poplar predominate over the bushy iiex and the breading laurel. The plains before the city re streaked with rows of mulberry-trees, and haded with vines climbing from branch to 'ranch, and spreading in garlands from tree b tree. The interior of the town is worthy of its Iluation. It is divided into two unequal parts y the Adige, which sweeps through it in a old curve, and forms a peninsula, within mich the whole of the ancient, and the reater part of the modern city is enclosed, 'he river is wide and rapid ; the streets, as i many continental towns, are very narrow, - at long, strait, well built, and frequently resenting, in the form of the doors and win- Pws, fine proportions and beautiful work- anship. But besides these advantages which Verona ljoys in common with many other towns, it -in boast of possessing one of the noblest mo- t-jments of Roman magnificence now exist- :g. This is its amphitheatre, inferior in iie, but equal hi materials and in solidity 1 the Coliseum, The external circumference, F 62 VERONA . forming the ornamental part, has been de-, stroyed long ago, with the exception of one t piece of wall, containing three stories of four arches, rising to the height of more than eighty feet. The pilasters and decorations of the outside were Tuscan. Forty-five ranges I of seats, rising from the arena to the lop of J the second story of outward arches, remain entire, with the diiferent vomitoria, and their respective staircases and galleries of comral nication. The whole construction is of block? of marble, and presents such a mass of com- pact solidity as might have defied the influ- ence of time, had not its power been aided by the more active operations of barbarian de- struction. The arena is notj as in Addison's time, filled up and level with the first row of seats, but a few feet lower, though still somewhat higher than it was in its original state. With respect to its dimensions, the outward circumference is 1290 feet, the length of the arena 218, and its breadth 129. Tilt" seats are capable of containing 22,000 spec* tators. But the amphitheatre is not the only mo- nument of antiquity that distinguishes Ve-j roua. In the middle of a street called th( Corso, stands a gate inscribed with the nam< of Gallienus, on account of his having rebuil the city walls. It consists of two gateways, according to the ancient custom, one foil those who enter, the other for those who g< out : each gateway is ornamented with Co rinthian half pillars, supporting a pediment VERONA. 63 above are two stories, with six small arched windows each. The Avr.ole is of marble, and ijoes not seem to have suffered any detriment 'from time or violence. The gale, though not without beauty, yet proves, by its superflu- ous ornaments, that, at the time of its erec- tion, architecture was on the decline. The [remains of another gate, of a chaster form, may be seen in the Via Le.oni, where it stands is a front to an insignificant house ; and with- in that house, in the upper story, a few fret j jehind the first gate, there exist some beauti- ful remnants of the Doric ornaments of the inner front of the gate — remnants much ad- , mired by modern architects, and said to pre- ! -ent one of the best specimens of that order ,'to be found in Italy, Modern Verona is of much greater magni- tude than the ancient, and spreading into the plain to a considerable distance beyond the !old wall on one side, and on the other cover- ing the opposite banks of the river, encloses the ancient town as its centre, and occupies a spacious area of about five miles in circum- ference. Many parts of it, particularly the • square called Piazza delta Bra, near the am- phitheatre, are airy and splendid. Some of its palaces and several of its churches merit particular attention. Among the latter, the beautiful chapel of San Bernardino, in- the church of the Franciscan Friars, and San •Zeno, with its painted cloister and vast vase >' of porphyry, may perhaps claim the prece* dency. 64 VERONA. Among public edifices, the Gran-Guardia and the Muaeo Lapidurio are the most con- spicuous 'j the portico of the latter is Ionic, and its court, surrounded with a gallery of 1 light Doric, contains a vast collection of an- I tiquities of various kinds. The garden of the Giusti family, alluded to by Addison, is still shewn to travellers, though it has little to recommend it except its former celebrity, and some wild walks winding along the side of a declivity remarkable as being the last steep in the immense descent from the Alps to the plain. From the highest terrace of this gar- den there is a beautiful and extensive prospect of the town, the hills, and the Alps on one side; and, on the other, of plains spreading far and wide, and losing their fading tints in the southern horizon. The eye ranges at li- berty over an immense extent of scenery, rich, magnificent, and sublime. This is, in reality, one of the best spots for viewing Ve- rona, and, as such, it may be considered wor- thy the attention of travellers. Few towns have contributed more largely to the reputation of Roman literature^ or i have been more fertile in the production of men of genius, taste, and knowledge, than Verona. Catullus, Nepos, Vitruvius, and Pliny the elder, form a constellation of lumi- naries of the first magnitude, and shed a brilliant lustre over the place of their birth and early education. In the revival of let- ters, at the commencement of the fifteenth century. Verona had some share. Guarfai, VERONA. 65 a Veronese, returning from Constantinople, restored the study of Greek some time before the arrival of Chrysoloras, and of the other learned fugitives. He was succeeded by a long line of eminent men, among whom we • may distinguish Calderini, Valla, Politian t Scaliger y Panvinius, and finally, Fracaslo- rius, a poet, physician, naturalist, and astro- nomer. In modern times, Verona still pre- serves her reputation in taste and science* The number of inhabitants is about 5o,ooo. - Amoug the curiosities in the Veronese, Bolca and Ronca are most worthy of notice. i Bolca is a miserable village, which would never be visited, were it not for the cele- brated mountain that produces the petrified fish and plants. The fish are found in a cal- careous shivery stone, and are well preserved, their bones, and frequently their scales, be- ing entire: also crabs, large oyster shells* bones of animals, leaves of fern, and other foreign plants. There are few spots more romantic than Ronca. There is nothing more remarkable in the Veronese than the apparent barrenness of the country, and the astonishing number of mul- berries it produces. They grow rice in the vallies that are unfit for pasturage or corn. Abundance of silk is made and manufac- tured here and at Vicenza. The remaining trade of the Veronese is in olives, oil, wine, and some silks and woollens: their olives, ,and some of their wines, are much esteemed*. The woollen and silk manufactures are said I ' I 66 CE.\OA. to employ 20,000 persons. There is a variety of fincmarbles here, and in the Yicentine : a studio consists of about i36 pieces, for which they ask 3o or 4° sequins. At "Verona, the tomb of Juliet will cer- tainly interest those who connect the remem- brance of this celebrated character with what they have read in our immortal bard. Con- tiguous to the church, in a small garden, for-, merly attached to the Franciscan monastery, but now in private hands, is an old sarcopha- gus, which from time immemorial has been shewn as the tomb of Juliet, It is much eaten by 3ge, and has sunk considerably into the earth. It is exactly six feet long, and just wide enough to contain two bodies. Close to it is the well mentioned by Delia Coste, We conclude this description of Yerona by recommending to the traveller the Compendia delta yerona, a small work, with prints ; which is an abridgment of a larger work, en~ titled Verona Illustrala, by the celebrated Maffei, CHAP. II. DESCRIPTION OF GENOA. Fcco ! vediam la maestosa irmnensa Citta, che al mar le sponde, il dorso ai rnonti Occupa tutta, e tutta a cerchio adorna. The situation of Genoa (1) (justly styled la Superba) is perhaps without a rival for pic- (1) The best Inn at Genoa is the Hotel di Londra, ll is situated noc far from the lauding place. The charge* I6EN0A. 67 turesque beauty. It is placed on an eminence commanding a'fine bay, and from some points • of view an extent of very fine coast for thirty or fortv miles each way ; it is sheltered from 1 the North by an amphitheatre of bold and ver- dant hills, and being less dispersed than Naples, ': the eye can, from many dih"e>ent parts, com- ' mnnd at once every principal object. The harbour is in the form of an amphitheatre ; Ge- noa occupies one side, and spreads her streets and churches, her suburbs and villas, over a I vast semicircular tract of craggy declivities. Its white buildings ascend one above the ; other, and give it an appearance of splendid ; magnificence. In fact, the situation of Genoa is singular, and has been compared to that of •Naples ; but the high and dismal crags which overlook Genoa, have no other relation with ;the low, cultivated and smiling hills that sur- round Naples but that of contrast. The lat- ter occupy only a part of the circumference I of Naples; but the former border the whole of Genoa. The hills of Naples are lost in the distance, and the eye surveys a vast and rich country; but at whatever distance Genoa is seen from are, for a sitting-room and two bed-chambers, 6 francs per day and upwards. Breakfast a to 3 francs per head. An excellent dinner served up in a private room, well ; dressed in the English, French, and Italian manner, (consisting of soup, fish, joints, game, puddings, and ; several foreign dishes, together with dessert and common - wine, at 6 francs per head, even when there are but two persons; the price of the tavola vonda, or ordinary, is 3 francs each person. 68 GENOA.' the sea, the Apennine always rises behind it like an immense rampart, leaving only the I narrow space which the town occupies be- tween the mountain and the sea. The wild, dismal and monotonous character of these mountains helps to shew off the magni- ficence of Genoa. It is the most striking con- trast between the richness of art and the po- verty of nature ; — a spot that seemed only des- tined for the huts of fishermen, is covered by the most sumptuous palaces in Europe. * The magnificence of Genoa consists chiefly in these sumptuous palaces, with their massy pillars, cornices of marble, spacious courts, arcades, and galleries. There are few fine streets, except those of Balbi, JVuova, and ISfuovissima, almost all the others being nar- row and winding: the houses are very lofty, and afford an agreeable shade to the pedestrian in summer. They are built of brick, and co- vered with stucco, which is frequently painted in various devices. The greater part erected on the descent of the hill are furnished with platforms ornamented with trellis-work of honey-suckle, jessamine and other sweet smel- ling flowers: oranges and aloes also on the walls. Nothing can be more beautiful than the hanging gardens upon the ^bastions of the town : every step presents a prospect of the" bay and surrounding country, equally rich, vkried, and extensive. Here women of fashion resort in the cool of the evening to hold their conversaziones. Streets. — The streets though narrow are GENOA. 6<^ clean at all seasons of the year ; the pave- : ment is formed of large flags, or pieces of lava, W brought from Naples, as formerly, everv ship reluming from Naples was competed to take W them as ballast. Some streets however are M paved with common black marble taken from -OD- the neighbouring mountains. Few carriages p> are seen except in the lower parts of the city, ci and these chiefly in the street of Balbi ; in the i by other parts sedan chairs are constantly used. In some streets defamatory stones are observed iv on the walls, on which are inscribed the names in of those who have been found guilty of high in treason, or other state crimes. The town is line well supplied with water by means of acme- and ducts and fountains. iaN Palaces. — The palaces are literally heaped ! upon one another in the streets, they have not ai the appearance of castles, as in some towns in o. the North of Italy, but bespeak every where the residence of noblemen. Within and without is seen a profusion of marble, columns, pilasters, balustrades, statues, staircases, colossal figures r of men and animals, fountains, a»d open gal-- ; leries, all constructed of the same rich mate- rial ; the latter ornamented with boxes of orange trees, myrtles, Spanish jessamine, and ■ ■■ iloes; in a word, every thing that can deco- rate the interior of a house is here brought :ogether, and often in such profusion as to *ive the spectator an idea rather of a regal 3alace than a private residence. The roofs ire formed of a grey slate, called Lavagna, Tom the quarry whence it is ta.ken. r?0 GENOA. One of the largest, but not the most hand- some, is the Palazzo Reale (Royal Palace,) once the residence of the Doge. Andrew Yannoni, ' a Lombard, was the architect. It is a large square building, but does not possess much to detain the traveller of taste. The great coun- cil-chamber, built in the room of that burnt in 1777, is an extremely magnificent room, ornamented, with columns of marble (broca-* tello) richly variegated with red and yellowj there are statues between the columns. Here are copies of the paintings of Solimene destroy- ed in 1777. In the small summer Council Cham- ber are some good paintings relative to the history of Columbus. In one of the chambers of this palace, there were lying, in 181 7, many pieces of sculpture, paintings, etc. restored from France, which however had arrived in a very mutilated state. The palace Doria is without the walls of the city on the sea shore, at some distance from the gate of St. Thomas ; but with its gardens, is now in a state of decay, and scarce- ly worth a visit. On the front of the street' is an inscription indicating the motive foij iuilding this palace, and the estimation in which Don a was held by his countrymen — ' « A patriot, who after having saved his coun- try by his wisdom and heroism, refused its' offered sovereignty, because he thought it no! ; for the interest of the state that so mucl power should be vested in one man.» The limits of this work forbid a descriptor of the eighty nine other palaces^ suffice it tc GENOA. 71 notice the palace Balbi ; Durazzv^ celebrated for its noble staircaise, and gallery of pictures, its fine collection of siatues and busts admi- rably arranged, and its beautiful and agree- able terraces, with the extensive v ; e\vs which they command. In one room, a singular sort of oratory, is placed in a cupboard. Alto- gether a greater appearance of comfort and elegant domestic enjoyment pervades this pa- lace, than most others on the continent. The palace of theDurazzo family was erected by the celebrated Fontara ; the length and elevation of its immense front astonish the spectator, who perhaps can scarce find in his memory a similar edirice of equal magnitude. Besides the rustic ground floor, it has two grand stories, with mezzanrni, and over the middle part conv'sting of eleven windows, an attic. The portal, of four massive doric pillars with its entablature, rises as high as the bal- cony of the second story. The mezzanini win- dows, with the continuation of the rustic work up to the cornice, break this magnificent front into too many petty parts, and diminish not a little the effect of a double line of two-and- twenty noble windows. The portico which is wide and spacious, conducts to a staircase, each ►step of which is formed of a single block of iCarrara marble. A large antichamber then leads to ten saloons either opening into one another, or communicating by spacious gal- leries. The saloons are all on a grand scale, (in all their proportions, adorned with pictures jand busts, and filled up with prodigious rich- ?2 GENOA. ness both in decorations and furniture. One of them surpases in the splendor of its gildings every thing of the kind in Europe. These apartments open on a terrace which commands an extensive view of the bay with its moles and lighthouse, and of the rough coast that borders it on one side* The emperor Joseph, who was lodged in this palace during his short visit to Genoa, declared /that it far surpassed, any tbat he was master of. -.. Yet, though I have selected the palace of Durazzo as the best specimen of Genoese ar- chitecture,! know not whether I might not with propriety have given the preference to that of Doria in the Strada JVuoua; at least in point of simplicity, as its pilasters and regular un- broken cornice give it an appearance of more purity, lightness and correct *iess. The mez- zanini are confined to the rustic story or ground floor, and thus leave the range of win- dows above free and unincumbered. The front however is not entirely exempt from the usual defect, and in graceful simplicity yields to the sides of the same edifice. But these are partly marked by porticos. The palace Brignole is distinguished for its fine facade, its extensive terrace, numerous fine paintings, and its costly furniture : the owner resides at Florence : most part of it is let out j in lodgings. The palace of Spinola is remark- able for some historical fresco paintings after Julio Romano; the palace of Pallavicino is without the gate of Acquasola, built after the designs of Michael Angelo j those of Carega, GENOA. 73 Negrotie v and a number of others, in the in- ternal and external decorations of which marble, porphyry, granite, gilding, frescos, painting, and stucco, are lavished with the utmost profusion. Most of these palaces were once ornamented with the masterpieces of Titian, Vandyke, Jordano, Veronese, Rubens, the Caracci, Rembrandt, and other celebrated masters. Some families indeed have preserved their pictorial treasures, but an immense num.- ! ber has beemsold : some of the palaces have , been let to inn-keepers and to rich foreigners. . In the Palazzo Serra will be noticed a most 1 elegant, small, circular saloon, very richly or- t uamented with mirrors, bronzes, and precious ] marbles. This magnificence is strongly con- trasted with the crowds of beggarly servants that importune the visitors. A remarkable singularity in these palaces s that their opulent proprietors inhabit only he upper stories; probably for the sake of mjoying fresh air. Churches. — The churches are numerous, and l! is splendid as marble, gilding and painting can ■ nakethem; but have seldom any claims to [ rchitectural beauty. In truth, ornament and " t lare seem to be the principal ingredients of eauty in the opinion of the Genoese; and his their prevailing taste has almost entirely anished the first of architectural graces, sim- licity, both from their palaces and from their (lurches. ) , 1S J The church of St. Sirio has not a good exte- iorbut it is beautiful within, the finest marbles G 74 CEVOA. being employed in its construction; its nave is supported by columns of the Composite Or- der, and the frescos of the roof are well de- signed and beautifully coloured. The Cathe- dral dedicated to St. Lawrence was erected in 985, and is a heavy Gothic structure, built en- tirely of white and black marble. The cha- pel of Saint John attracts attention by its co- lumns of porphyry, statues, bas-reliefs, and other decorations. We now pass to the church called Dl Carig- nano. In his way to this edifice, the traveller will behold with astonishment a bridge of the same name, thrown over, not a river, but a deep dell now a street ; and looking over the' parapet he will see with surprise the roofs of .several houses of six stories high, lying far be- neath him. This bridge consists of three wide arches, but its boldness and elevation are its only merit, for beauty it possesses none. Full in front, on the swell of the hill of Carignano, stands the church, with a little grove around it. The situation is commanding, and weli adapted to display a magnificent edifice toad- vantage, especially if faced with a colonnade But this church has not that decoration, bein£ a square building, adorned with Corinthiar pilasters. The four sides have the same orna- ments and a similar pediment; only the west ern side or front is rather encumbered thai graced with two towers. In the centre rise a dome. The interior is in the form of a Greel cross, and contains two fine pictures of Sain Francis by Guerciuo, and Saint Basil by Carl' GENOA. y5 Maralti ; also some fine statues by Pnget of Saint Sebastian, Alexander Paoli, Saint John Baptist and St. Bartholomew; the last is con- sidered a masterpiece, and represents the skin half torn from the body. The merit of the building consists in its advantageous situation, ;and its simplicity. It has only one order, and one cornice that runs unbroken all round; this single order is not loaded either with an attic or a balustrade > the cornice is prominent and effective j the windows are not numerous ', nor too large, and the few niches are well pla- , ced. So far the architect is intitled to praise; •but what shall we say to the pigeon-holes in , the frize, to the little petty turrets on each side of the pediments, to the galleries that termi- nate on the point of these pediments, (a new and whimsical contrivance,) and above all, to the two towers which encumber and almost hide the front? , The view from this church is one of the finest ( in the neighbourhood of Genoa, as it includes j the city, the port and the moles, with all the surrounding hills: that taken in the middle of the harbour is however preferable, because it displays the amphitheatric range of edifices, , which is the characteristic feature of Genoa, . to the greatest advantage. The reader will be surprised when he is m- { formed that the churchof Carignano was built at the expense of a noble Genoese of the name , of Sauli, and the bridge that leads to it by his son, to facilitate the approach to a monument so honourable to his family, ^6 GENOA. The stnnonciata is a fine church, remark- able for its portal, gilt and painted roof, its chapels, in one of which reposes the Due de Bouflenrs, commandant of Genoa, in 1746. The whole interior of this building possesses all that marble, sculpture, the finest painting, and richest gilding can bestow. The church of the Jesuits, dedicated to St. Francis Xavier, is near the academy, and contains an assump- tion of the Virgin, by Guido, a picture ad- mired by every connoisseur; a circumcision by Reubens, and other pictures. But besides the churches and palaces hi Ge-. noa, there are two other kinds of edifices, highly interesting to strangers, and honourable to the republic, viz. the moles and the hospitals. The former, by their extent, solidity and utility, may be compared to similar works in ancient times , especially as the depth of the water, by increasing the difficulty, added to the spirit of the undertaking. By the latter, Genoa has attained an honourable distinction even in a country where charitable establishments are founded and endowed on a scale of magnifi- cence, scarcely conceivable beyond the Alps. Of these establishments the two principal are Ihe Great Hosvital and the Alb ergo del Poveri ; both of which astonish the stranger bv their magnitude, interior arrangement, and excel- lent accommodations. They have been erect- ed and supported bv charitable donations. These hospitals of Genoa speak loudly the be- pevolence of its inhabitants. The largest also called Pamatone, receives 2 ; 4°° patients GENOA. 77 of whatever sex, ago, or country they may be. — The statues of the benevolent contributors to this institution to the number of seventy- five, with an inscription on each, decorate the staircases and halls of the building. The Ospidaletto, for incurables, founded by Hec- I tor Yernazza, has also several fine marble statues of its benefactors, but which have been mutilated by the vandalism of the Revolu- tion. The Albergo del Poveri, founded by i a noble of the house of Brignole, is a very magnificent hospital ; it is situated without the town, towards the North, and is approached by a double row of oak trees. It is appropri- ated to the old and infirm, as well as to idle persons, who are here employed in spinning, carding, etc. The chapel of the Albergo con- tains a fine piece of sculpture by Puget, repre- senting the assumption, and a has relief by Mi* chaelAngelo,o£ihe most exquisite beauty. The subject consists of two heads, about the natural size • a dead Christ, and his mother bending over him. Words cannot do justice to the expression of grief in the Virgin ; it is the grief of a character refined and softened above hu- manity. The altar of this place ought also to be noticed. It is surmounted by a figure of the Virgin; over her a cherub is represented hovering in the air, placing a wreath on her head. The only support of the cherub is by the thumb and finger which holds the wreath ; this again is sustained by the head of the Virgin. Among the other public buildings of Genoa, ; may be named, the Custom House , a consider- jS GENOA. able building, looking towards the sea, the facade of which was painted by Tavarone : the Exchange, the roof of which is supported by Doric pillars of marble; and the Pot to-Franco^ an enclosed space for the reception of every sort of merchandise. Genoa is surrounded by a double wall or rampart j one encloses the town only, ant} is about 6 miles in circuit, the other takes a much more extensive range, and covering the hills that command the city, forms a circum- ference of i3 miles. The interior fortification terminates in a point beyond the summit of the hill, and is supposed or rather proved by late experience to be of very considerable strength. In riding round these works we are forcibly struck by the contrast of the bleak barren hills that rise above us, with the splendour and beauty of the city, its suburbs and its harbour that lie expanded below. A visit to these fortifications requires the sacrifice of an entire day j and another must be devoted to see the port and all that sur- rounds it. It is bordered all along by a thick wall, in such a way that the houses, the fronts of which ought to adorn the quays and have a view of the sea, have no other prospect than these high and u£ly ramparts which would conceal them entirely, if they were not still higher, so that the sea may be seen at least from the upper stories. On these walls are narrow terraces, with parapets, from which l there are some fine sea views, and of course some pleasant walks. It is from them only GENOA. 79 that one can survey the port, the docks, the arsenal and the, shipping. Nothing of all thif can be seen from the town' though built all round the pOrt, on a crescent, the opening t of which is about two miles broad. This port, closed by two moles, can receive vessels of 80 guns. Though the entrance of the port is wide, being near half a mile from one mole to the other, it is rather difficult and even dan- gerous without proper precautions. But it is from about a league out at sea that the eye embraces completely the whole amphitheatre of Genoa, aud travellers often make this mari- time excursion in order to enjoy a sight that lias something magical in it from the singular and happy assemblage of so many objects, po- sitions, and contrasts. Academy, Libraries etc. — The academy was established in the year iy5l , under the name of the Institute* Ligure. It is divided into two parts, and embraces every thing relative to painting, sculpture, engraving, architecture, etc. There are professors in law, medicine, the sciences, and literature. The Z>yceumha.s an excellent library, a rich cabinet of medals, etc. There are also other schools, an archiepiscopal seminary, and a school for the deaf and dumb, founded in 1801, by th# Abbe Assarotti. Lectures are given by the professors in the pa- lace of the university, formerly belonging to the Jesuits, and one of the finest edifices in Ge- noa. Two lions in marble, which decorate the vestibule, are worthy of notice, as are the staircase^ and the balustrades ornamented So . GENOA. with orange and citron trees. Here is a bota- nic garden, superintended by that eminent professor Viviahi, and a museum of natural history, which owes every thing to his skill and industry. It is rich in indigenous produc- tions, as birds and fish; and possesses a fine collection of all the minerals of the country, classified and arranged by the same professor. In a spacious and lofty hall, the walls and roof of which are ornamented with fresco paintings, the examinations and theses are held, and the distribution of the prizes takes place. The students who frequent the university can have resort to other libraries for informa- tion. There are three supported at the pub- lic expense; that of Franzoni, in the ancient convent of St. Ambrose, open every day ; of the Peres de la Mission, of Saint Matthew, and of the academy in the strada di Balbi. Another library called Berio has been opened to the public in the Campetto, by the genero- sity of an individual : here is a rich collection of ancient and modern books in all classes of literature and science. Promenades, Theatres, etc. — The summer promenade for carriages, takes place every evening, beginning at the new Mole and ending at Acquasola, an extent of more than two miles, in which there is the greatest variety of beautiful scenery. * Men in the middle ranks of life, who have neither carriage nor chair, content themselves with the small circuit of the Acqua Verde. Pedestrians choose another tralk. scarcely less agreeable, which leads from GENOA. 8l the gate of St. Thomas to the square called la Cava, about two miles in length. In the small piazza, called delle Grazie, the bankers, mer- chants, and speculators, meet to look out for the arrival of vessels. There are two theatres at Genoa frequented by the beau-monde, San Agostino, near the church of that name, and Falcone, in the palace of Marcellino Durazzo. The grand theatre opens on Christmas-day, and continues till. Lent. The Opera Bulla commences at Easter, and finishes in June, when the field is left open to French actors* There are some small theatres (teatrini) in the environs of la Polceverra, but they are only for the common people. Among the number of Villas in the neigh- bourhood of Genoa, the most agreeable to the botanist and lover of picturesque beauty, is that at Zerbino, belonging to Hyppolito Du- razzo, who has collected together a great num- ber of curious plants. A brother of Duraz- zo's, who lives at Cornegllano, has an excellent museum, remarkable for the rarity and selec- tion of the subjects contained in it, taken from the mineral and animal kingdoms. The Bo- tanist will find abundant amusement in the garden and greenhouses of M. Grimaldi, at Pegli; the villa of M. Durazzo, on the bastion of Acquasola; and that of M. di Negro, on thebasfionofthe Capuchins ; this last, although small, merits particular attention, it is situated , on an eminence, commanding fine and extend- ed views. Several detached buildings and pa- vilions irregularly placed, but arranged with 82 GENOA. infinite taste, are appropriated to a choice li- brary, music, dancing, and billiards. A plea- sure garden, in which there is a pleasing laby- rinth of shrubs, and agreeable walks, which are ornamented with statues, fountains, cas- cades, grottoes, alcoves, hermitages, etc. sur- round the buildings and slopes in their front. Its courteous owner is particularly partial to England, its literature, its natives, and their manners. He prides himself on possessing a good selection of English authors, in the ori-> finals as well as translations ; many parts of his villa are also decorated with English en- i gravings. Very contrary to the custom that usually prevails abroad, and still more dis- graces such English mansions as attract the re- gard of the public, the hospitable proprietor of this villa never permits a single servant to accept of a present from a stranger; to compensate for which he allows them more than usuaf wages. A short distance beyond the walls, is pointed out a villa, said to have been built by directions of the Protector Oli- ver, and to which, at one period, it is here said, he designed to have retired. It is a plain neat edifice, well situated, and by no means Jarge ; such as a man of 2,000 per annum in England might be supposed to occupy. The environs of Genoa indeed offer the greatest attractions to the naturalist, both in the abundance of its rare and curious plants, and in a variety of very beautiful insects. The glow-worm {lampyris Italicd) is very common in the evening, and it is frequently GENOA. 83 an occupation of the gentlemen to collectthese vivid insects, and place them in the hair of the ladies ; if trodden upon, and the foot be drawn long the ground, a luminous line remains for • some minutes. But as it is foreign to the plan [■ , of this work to enter into a description of the ; various interesting subjects in natural history, found in the vicinity of Genoa, we must again : refer to the very excellent Travels of Dr\ a i Smith, Vol. III. pp. C)[ — io3, where the rea- • der will find a pleasing account of some her- :■: borizing excursions, and a list of the most cu- • rious insects. it Lo Scoglielto. This house, which at once r embraces the advantages of town and country, is perhaps the finest in the neighbourhood of Genoa. The architect, Tagliafico, has availed himself of the natural advantages of the place, and formed a fairy palace of exquisite beauty: in the grounds, the visitor may repose under the shade of the box, the oak, the elm, and the plantain, and listen to the sound of the numerous water-falls ; while from a neigh- bouring terrace, may be had the most delici- ous views of the sea, its coast, and the nume- rous hills which environ this enchanting spot. There are some very fine arabesques and paint- ings in fresco, on the staircase, and in the apartments, by Pietro del Vaga, a pupil of Raflfaello. The proprietor of this house has also formed a library with the greatest taste. People, Manners, etc. — The population of Genoa, reckoning the inhabitants of the sub- urbs, amounts to i5o ? ooo souls. TheGenoese 84 GENOA. have the reputation of being keen and crafty in their commercial transactions. The Ita- lian Proverb says, that they have a sea with- out fish, land without trees, and men without faith, The character which the Latin poets have given of them is not very different. Auso- nius calls them « deceitful j » Virgil says they are « born to cheat. » The modern Ligurian, we believe, does not deserve these reproaches of the poets. They are constant in their attendance on religious duties, and are engaged in many charitable associations for visiting the sick and burying I the dead. To the former great trade of Genoa, which not only supported, but enriched its in-ri habitants, is to be attributed the number of noble institutions, and works of public utility! founded by individuals, not only after death, but frequently during their lives. All the grand hospitals were built and endowed by a few rich families. The church called CAn-\ nonciata , one of the finest in Genoa, was raised at the expense of the Lomelino family. There are a great many beautiful palaces! along the sea-shore on both sides of Genoa, j The houses are most of them painted on thej outside ; so that they look gay and lively : they are high and stand very close together, j It is not, however, easy for an Englishman to reconcile himself to the manner of painting many of the Genoese houses. Figures, per- spectives, or pieces of history r , are certainly very ornamental, as they are drawn on many *f the walls ; but often,, instead of these, one GENOA. SS sees the front of a palace covered with painted pillars of different orders: if these were real marble pillars they would certainly be very beautiful ; but at present they only seem to >ay, « something is wanting. » ' The Genoese females are generally brunettes, with large, black, expressive eyes : they often vear a black gauze veil, which covers the head ind face; but this they dispose with so much irt, that when any one is admiring them at 1 :hurch or in the streets, the « half unwilling, billing look, » affords the spectator a full op- I >ortunity of seeing their faces. The women, 1 iicluding those of rank, are here, as through- ait Italy, but little versed in the science of do- mestic economy ) the greater number, without ; ducation, spend their time in the tattle and 1 rifles of society. Cicisbeism is still common 't Genoa, and the individual who is elected f| o this office, is denominated Patito or Cava- ; ere servente. : It is the privilege of the husband to make le first choice, but the second is always left to ? tie lady. Although this practice may be a M reat source of immorality, it is not neces~ u irily so, and is often as burthensome to one f the parties as the heaviest matrimonial 1 oke can be. Some men of the highest fa- lion have been known to refuse their wives lis sacrifice to custom, and have had the man- w tiess to scorn the office ofcicisbeo themselves, n| it few can long resist the torrent of opinion. he wives of tradesmen, and women in midr • e life, are too much employed behind the 86 GENOA, counter, and in seeking the means of subsist- ence, to think of patiii; they are, consequently more correct in their conduct. -They are dis- , tinguished from other Italians of their sox, by j the abundance and fineness of the linen in j which they are dressed. Commerce, Natural Productions, Climate, l etc. — The department of Genoa is so moun- tainous, that little use can be made of the I plough, and consequently there is not much arable land. The Genoese, however, have sought on the sea a compensation for the steri- lity of their soil, (i) and have been completely successful. Their export trade consists in rich silks, velvets, the best of which are manufac- j tured from the silk imported from China by the English ; damasks, gloves, hosiery, lace, leather, oils, comfits, and pastry, (patties), particularly of macaroni, fruits, dried mush-, rooms, anchovies, cloths, paper, cannon, clocks, soap, marble rough and worked, and other small branches of industry, for the sup- ply of the interior, as honey, wax, coals, etc., etc. These are exchanged for foreign and na-; tive produce, especially for corn, from Lom- bardy, France, Switzerland, or Sicily, Hol- land, and England. Bread is white and good, but dear, at Ge-i noa : the, beef from Piedmont is juicy and, (r) The industry of the inhabitants, however, ha:! covered their mountains with olives, vines, ponie^ran-h shaded wrtli nates, orange and lemon-trees; they are also carob- trees, and evergreen-oaks, and adorned with build ings and gardens. ; GENOA. 87 delicious, but as dear as six-pence or seven- pence a pound, The poor live chiefly on ches- nuts, macaroni, dried fish, and cheese. Fish is far from plentiful, and wood for fnel is II dear ; the wine made in the neighbourhood 1 is but indifferent. There is an abundance of garden vegetables, as peas, artichokes, etc. during a great part of the winter; as also of flowers, as roses, pinks, and carnations. The climate of the department in which Genoa is situated, is generally healthy, par- ticularly to the south of the Apennines: at Pegli and Nervi there is a perpetual spring ; the air on the coast is not favourable to pul- monary or cutaneous complaints. The win- ter is often severe, and the mountains are sometimes covered with snow for a long pe- riod ; the climate of other parts is remarkable for sudden changes from heat to cold, and vice-versa. To the north of the Apennines it is more regular, but fogs are frequent. Genoa presents no vestige of antiquity; if ever she possessed magnificent edifices or tro- phies of glory they have long since mouldered into dust, or have been swept away by the waves. The name alone remains, and that she has ennobled by a series of great achievements abroad, and at home by an almost uninte- rupted displav of industrious exertions, bold speculations and wise councils. Genoa was one of the three great republics, which dur- ing the middle ages, when almost all the rest of Europe was immersed in slavery, ignorance and barbarism, made Italy the seat of liberty j 88 GENOA. science and civilization, and enabled her not only to outshine her contemporary powers, but even to rival, at least in military fame and domestic policy, the glories of Greece herself, in her most brilliant sera. Of these republics Venice was undoubtedly the first, and Genoa confessedly the second. Those honours she acquired by her commerce and her fleets, which enabled her often to dispute and fre- quently to share the empire of the seas with her adversary. At one period indeed the Li- gurian capital had for some time the advan- tage, and reigned queen of the Mediterranean,' Divided by many intestine debates, and perpetual contests between the nobles and the people, the Genoese were often forced to sub- mit to the authority of the Emperors, the Popes, the Kings of Spain, France, and Naples, and to the Princes of Milan and Monserat. At length they submitted to the French republic, and finally were ceded at the Congress of Vien- na in )8i5 to theKingof Sardinia, of whose dominions Genoa and its territory now forms a part. For a further description of Genoa we refer to an excellent local guide, called « Descrip- tion des beautes de Genes et tie ses environs ; >» concluding with the following directions for those who make but a short stay in this city, and wish to see as much as possible in a little time -.— First day. Walk in the street Balbi, JNuova, and Nuovissima ; visit the Albergo dei Poveri, and walk from thence along 1 he north- east fortifications, returning by the sea-side, DEPARTURE FROM GENOA. 89 etc.— -Second day. Visit the Royal Palace, formerly the Doge's, and those of Serra, Brig- nole, and Durazzo. — Third day. The cathe- dral and the churches of the Annunciation and St. Sirio ; even a cursory observation of these will leave little time to visit olhers. — Fourth day. Proceed to the church and bridge of Carignano* afterwards, if possible, pro- cure admission to the villa of M. di Negro, situated in a bastion within the city walls. CHAP. III. Departure from Genoa. — Voyage to Leghorn — Lerici, Sarzanna, Carrara — From Genoa to Milan — Description of Pavia and Milan. If the traveller be desirous of going imme- diately to Rome, Florence, and Naples, he may hire a felucca at Genoa, for Leghorn. A large one, manned with ten hands, may be had for seven or eight guineas; the distance is about 160 miles, and if the weather be fa- vourable, they will arrive at Leghorn in two days. Feluccas that convey the mail between Genoa and Leghorn, depart twice every week. A passage may be procured either by them, or others that frequently proceed for the same place. This route is greatly to be recommend- ed, both as avoiding the fatigues of a land journey, and the danger of banditti in the Genoese territory and Piedmont, robbery sel- dom occurring in the Tuscan states. Several H. QO DEPARTURE FROM GEIs'OA. objects well worthy of notice, and a most de- lightful country, rivalling any in Italy, and surpassing most, will also be seen ; and if this opportunity be omitted, it would occasion much trouble, inconvenience, and loss of time, {o make an excursion, at a future period, from either Florence, Pisa, or Leghorn, to visit them. With the padrones, or captains of the feluccas already mentioned that go to Leg- horn, an agreement may be made to be put ori shore at Lerici, on the Gulf of Spezzia, which ought to be done for 10 or 12 francs each person, luggage included, and a buono mano, or drink-money, of two francs, on good conduct. Nothing, however, should be paid till the end of the passage ; and the traveller should be on his guard, as the padrones will endeavour to dupe him, by landing him at Porto Venere, instead of Lerici ; the former place being almost in the direct tract to Leg- horn, and the other rather out of it, especially when certain winds prevail. Should this be the case, and you have made your agreement to be landed at Lerici, the padrone, at his own expense, must hire a boat at Porto Ye-y nere to convey you across the Gulf of Spezzia Cabout a mile and a half,) which to him will be a mere trifle, but might cost the traveller, once put on shore at Porto Yenere and left to the mercy of the boatmen, five francs or more. The only place of the least note on the coast between Genoa and Porto Venere is Porto Finno, finely situated, but a miserable place, where scarcely any accommodation or refresh* PORTO VENERE — LERICI. 9» ment is to be procured, and the traveller must depend on what he has brought along with him. After passing this place, the country on the coast attracts the observation of the stran- ger by its novel and interesting appearance. Elevated, abrupt, and steep hills, highly cul- tivated in terraces, to prevent the soil being washed away by the rains, extending to the very margin of the sea; the husbandry con- sisting of Indian corn, some vines, but mostly olive-trees. Numerous cottages, cabins, and small hamlets appear absolutely clinging to the hills, placed in the most picturesque situa- tions. Approaching Porto Venere, the lofty and rocky coast, and several small islands possessing a similar feature, perforated, by the effects of thje sea^into many spacious ca- verns, the singular vistas formed by the chan- nels between these islands themselves and also the shore, presents to the eye a most extra- ordinary and romantic appearance. Porto Venere is a ruined and deserted town. The short sail from thence to Lerici, especially in fine weather, is truly delightful ; the scene- ry is beautiful at any lime. The Gulf of Spez- zia, being almost land-locked, and extending a considerable distance into the interior of the country, has towards its extremity every ap- pearance of a large lake: it is indeed a noble sheet of water. The country and objects which environ it, are equally fine in their way. Lerici is a small poor town, but its situation is fine. The Locanda inn is none of the best ; but if a bargain be made, the traveller will 9^ DFPARTTJRE FROM CEN"OA. meet with tolerably fair and moderate charges. Lauding at Lerici, the traveller is surrounded by a mob of beggarly creatures of both sexes, who endeavour to lay hold of the baggage, dividing it into as man}' articles as it is prac- ticable, all endeavouring to obtain some- thing, if it is only an umbrella, great coat, or stick to carry, for which each one expects to be remunerated as highly as if he carried a heavy portmanteau. The best method, there- fore, is to have as many articles as possible fastened together, proceeding immediately to the inn. Carriages are to be procured at Le- rici, but where there is no competition, im- position must be expected. The better way is to hire porters to carry your effects to Sar- zanna, about three Italian mries distant, and to walk yourself, taking care to walk behind your luggage, and keep it constantly in sight. Sarzanna is a considerable town, but offers no object of notice. The Acquila Nigra (Black Eagle) is considered the best inn. The fair and reasonable charge of the inns on the road, between this place and Florence, ought to be eight or ten pauls each person per night; the entertainment to consist of a bed-room for each person, the accommodation of a room for eating, fire if it be requisite, a dinner or supper, consisting of soup, boiled meat, cut- lets, roast meat, macaroni, potatoes, sallad, desert of cheese, fruit, and cakes, and com- mon wine. It should make no difference in price, if there are one or more persons in thf party j tji« portions of each dish are then only SARZANNA — CARRARA. 93 enlarged : frequently, however, fifteen pauls and more are asked, especially if, on arrival, the traveller appears to be fatigued, and wishes to avoid trouble. Return VeLturini carriages frequently pass through Sarzanna to Pisa, Lucca, and Leg- horn, by which a place niay be had for ten or twelve francs; but in going by them, Carrara is lost. The better plan is, according to the number of the party, to engage a voilure (coach,) with a pair of horses and a driver, or a one-horse chaise, having a top, to pro- ceed first to Carrara, thence to Massa, and either to Lucca or Pisa. The latter, to carry two persons, ought to be procured for forty or fifty pauls as far as Lucca, where the party may rest a day, and another similar carriage engaged to Pisa for twelve to fifteen pauls. The journey from Sarzanna ought to be com- menced not later than eight o'clock in the morning. The approach to Carrara is pleas- ing, its white buildings being contrasted with the verdure of the fields and the shade of the adjacent wood-crowned hills. It is situated at the extremity of a small valley, near the hills which bound it to the north-east; the greater part of it being built on a small plain, the others on rising ground, and is bounded to the west by a small and rather rapid stream. It consists of a public square surrounded with good-looking houses (i). The first object (1) "We have not noticed any inn at Carrara, because as the traveller will not spend more than an hour or two there, he will not have any occasion to enter one. 94 DEPARTURE FROM GENOA. that attracts the attention is Lo Studio, or the Academy, where lectures are given on sculp- ture ; and there is a great number of casts and models from the antique, for the improvement of the students. Leaving the Studio, the workshops of the numerous artists are next visited, in which are to be seen the various stages of working the marble, from the rude block, as extracted from the quarry, to the finest sculpture.-— Among them at this period, 1817, was to be remarked a copy of Canova's Venus, one of the Laocoon, executed for an Englishman, and which cost 3ooo sequins, about i5oo/. sterling, a beautiful small Cupid, and many others. The quarries are a few miles distant from the town. The marble is mostly of a pure white j but that of Seravsssa is considered to be of a still finer grain. That of Porto Venere is yellow mixed with black, and extremely beautiful. Near Sestri different coloured marbles are found. Leaving Carrara, a steep hill is ascended for about a mile and a half; on the summit, a fine view is obtained of the vale of Carrara, the truly beautiful, tranquil, and retired asy- lum of the fine arts. The hill is most agree- ably shaded with chesnut and lofty forest trees ; a winding road descends on the other side for above four miles. We next approach Massa, its spacious and romantic castle overhanging the town. The palace more resembles abarrack.than a prince- ly residence : and merits not a moment's atten- MASS A LUCCA. g5 tion. There is a very good inn at Massa, kept by a Frenchman; it is well known, and usu- ally called the Albergo Francese (French inn). Some miles after leaving Massa, we pass by the ancient, small, square-built, and walled town of Pielro Santo ; a most excellent road, equal to any in England, generally on a very gradual descent, leads to Lucca. — Nothing can be finer than the ge- neral scenery all the way from Carrara to Pisa, especially between Lucca and the latter place. Here we have continually before us the sublime prospects of the distant, lofty, and snow-clad Apennines ; the romantic beau- ties of the more proximate hills, frequently adorned, and their summits crowned with ruins; convents, villages, and. small castel- lated towns y an occasional glimpse of the Mediterranean ; the milder but not less pleas- ing charms of the country more immediately situated on the road, possessing a rich soil, favoured with a soft climate, improved by the most active and industrious cultivation, every foot of ground being tilled and dressed with the neatness of a garden, and the small fields well drained, and surrounded with rows of fruit-trees. "Vines are reared around the trees, carried in festoons from one tree to an- other, and even occasionally across the road itself. The hills are covered with olive and mulberry plantations; and small circular walls are raised around the roots of the old trees, forming small terraces, «)6 CENOA TO MILAN. rish them and afford a space for planting vege- tables, which would otherwise be left vacant. On this route, landing at Lerici, the dis- tances arc : — ITAL. MILES. Lei ici to Sarzanna 3 Carrara 12 Massa , 5 Lucca 3o Pisa. 10 Lucca and Pisa are described in another part of this Guide. Those who do not like to trust the « faith- less deep," may go by land all the way from Genoa to Florence. The best route, however, to those who are not pressed for time, is to go direct from Ge- noa to Milan. To do this, we must return to Novi (noticed above, Sect, iv, No. 5,) and then go by Tortona to Yoghera and Pavia, whence it is two posts and three quarters to Milan. No. g. — From Genoa to Milan, 9^ posts; 10 hours 33 minutes. TIME. TIME. FROM POSTS, h. 111. FROM POSTS, h. HI. Novi (1) to Tor- Casteggio to Pa- TONA (2) .... 2 1 55 VIA 4) 2 T 2 Voghera (3). . . . i\ 1 35 Binansco i~ 1 5 Castcggio 1 2 18 Milan \$) i| 1 4« Inns — (1) L'Auberge Royale, rnc Gerardengbi, and out of the town, the Post. (2) The Post. (3) The Moor. (4) The Post and the White Cross. (5) L'Auberge KojaJc, the Cross of Malta, Three Kings, eic. SAN PIER D ARENA, etc 97 Though we have already noticed the road from Novi to Genoa, still, as we are now to follow it in a contrary direction, we think proper, for the satisfaction of the traveller, to enter into some further details concerning it. About half a mile from -the gate of Genoa is the village or rather suburb of Sari Pier d' Arena ; its situation on the coast, aud close to the river Polcevera, rendered it once a place of great resort, and many palaces and villas remain as monuments of its magnifi- cence. The Villa Imperiale, which is its principal ornament, is said to have been plan- ned by Palladio, and has two regular rows of Corinthian and Ionic columns — an arrange- ment both simple and majestic. The valley of the Polcevera, so called from the torrent that intersects it, extends from Genoa to the famous pass of the Bochetla. The water of this stream often disappears en- tirely, and leaves no traces but its broad rocky channel, which was formerly the road ; however, it returns sometimes with such ra- pidity as to carry off travellers crossing its channel and loitering in the passage. The bridge thrown over the Polcevera and Corni- gliano, is a monument of the munificence of a nobleman of the Gentile family; and, to the honour of the Genoese nobility, the same may be said of the excellent road that leads from ;San Pier d' Arena to Campo Marone. This road follows the banks of the Polcevera, form- ■ ng a long winding defile, beautifully diversi- aed with villas aud gardens, cypresses, olive- i 98 VOLTAGGIO. trees, and vineyards. The soil is indeed na- turally a dry naked rock • but industry, pro- tected by liberty, has covered it with verdure and fertility. Immediately on leaving Campo Marone, the first stage, we begin to ascend the steep of the Bochetta, one of the loftiest of the maritime Apennines. The lower and middle regions of this mountain are well peopled, well cultivated, and shaded by groves of lofty chesnuts. The Bochetta is one of the great bulwarks of Genoa. The view from it is very striking, though confined by the various swells and pinnacles that form the ridge of the moun- tain ; excepting on one side, where it extends over the valley of the Polce'vera, takes in the outworks of Genoa intersecting the brows of the hills, and just catches a glimpse of the sea on each side; for Genoa itself lies covered by its guardian mountains. The Bochetta is I one of the few mountains where the road runs ! nearly over the summit, while, in the other ' passages of the Alps and Apennines, it com- j monly winds through a defile. The height of j the Bochetta is said to be 777 metres above the level of the sea. The descent is almost as long and tedious as the ascent, but. neither are dan-! gerous, excepting in a few places, where there' is no parapet on the brink of the precipice. ! From Voltaggio the road traverses the de-jl file, sometimes on level ground, sometimes on the verge of a precipice suspended over a tor-! rent. The scenery is very*, romantic, alter- nately open and wooded ; here green and fer- TORTONA VOGHEIlA. 99 tile, there barren and rocky ; thus presenting all the delightful contrasts of shade and naked- •ess, of wildness and cultivation, which cha- racterize the Apennines. One of the most striking objects is the fortress of Gavi, occu- pying the summit of a rocky hill and com- manding the defile. Shortly after, we disco- ver, through a break in the mountains, the immense plain of Piemonte, and then crossing the Molinario, a high, fertile, and well-wood- ed hill, find ourselves at the foot of the Apen- nines. The country we have just traversed exhibits no monuments, and awakens very ;few recollections of the classic ages. Tortona is a town situated on the Sen" via, with a small population, some good houses, and a cathedral ; but there is little here to interest the traveller, l^oghera is pleasantly situated, and has a cathedral of modern ar- chitecture, worthy of inspection. From Vo- ; ghera there is a direct road to Piacenza by ■Bronio. . We next pass the Stafford over a bridge, jand in approaching Pavia, pass the Po, and -afterwards the Gravel lone. From Tortona to Voghera, and indeed to Milan, the road traverses one of the most fer- tile as Well as beautiful parts of the celebrated plain watered by the Po and the Tesino, with their many tributary streams, and bounded by the Alps and the Apennines. No country in the world perhaps enjoys more advantages ,than this extensive and delicious vale. Irri- gated by rivers that never fail, it is clad, even I0O ^"OVI TO PAVU. in the burning months of July and August, with perpetual verdure, and displays, after a whole season of scorching sunshine, the deep green tint of the vernal months. Even in the beginning of October, autumn has scarcely tinged the woods, while the purple and yel- low flowers of spring still variegate its rich grassy meadows. The climate, like that of Italy at large, is uniform and serene ; but as the more southern provinces are refreshed during the sultry season by a breeze from the sea, so these plains are cooled by gales that blow constantly from the bordering moun- tains. Hence the traveller, who has been panting and melting away in the glowing at- mosphere of Florence and Genoa, no sooner crosses the Apennines and descends into the Milanese, than he finds himself revived and braced by a freshness the more agreeable and unexpected, because he still continues to en- joy the same unclouded sky and azure firma- ment. Nor is this vale deficient in interest, as plains, if extensive, usually are; nor is it, like the Netherlands, a level, where no swell pre- sents itself to attract the eye and vary the sullen uniformity. The plains of the Po, en- closed between two chains of vast mountains, always have one, and sometimes both in view; while numberless ramifications, branching from them, intersect the adjacent country in all directions, and adorn them with ridges of hills that diminish in size and elevation as they are more distant from the mountains. The road from Novi to Pavia presents, on the PA VI A. lOl right, many of" these eminences,, resembling the hills of Surrey, and, like them, adorned with trees, churches, villas, and castles. Approaching the Po, the road becomes deep and sandy. The banks of this majestic stream, being low, are susceptible of one species of ornament only, and that consists of groves of forest trees that shade its margin ; and as they hang over it, and sometimes bathe their bran- ches in its waves, enliven it by the reflection of their thick and verdant foliage. Among these trees, the poplar is now, as anciently, ' predominant, and by its height and spreading form adds considerably to the beauty of the • scenery. The fable of Phaeton, so prettily told by Ovid, and so amusing to boyish fancy, naturally occurs to the recollection of the tra- veller, and enhances the pleasure with which he contemplates the stream and its bordering ■ scenery. Near Pavia, the verdure and fresh- • ness of the country, if possible, increase, and i exhibit an appearance altogether cooling and delightful. The Po, however, is subject to great inundations, and sometimes commits dreadful ravages. The Tesino is next passed, over a fine rich bridge, partly covered with marble, 34o paces in length, built by Galeazzo, duke of Milan : it joins the city of Pavia to one of the prin- cipal suburbs. Pavia , the Ticinum of the ancients, and once the metropolis and residence of the kings of Lombardy, is situated in a beautiful plain, ©n the Tesino, This city was razed to the IC2 rAVIA. ground in the early ages of the Roman em- pire, but, like a second phoenix, it rose again from its own ashes. It afterwards became a municipal city, but was again ruined by Odo- acer, king of the Heruli. It subsequently re- sumed its ancient splendour, and became the capital of the kingdom of Lombardy. Little of this magnificence, however, at present re- mains, except* a few public monuments in a very bad taste. The territory about Pa via is called the gar- den of the Milanese. The most remarkable square is in the centre of the town, and sur- rounded with open porticos : it has an an- tique bronze equestrian statue in it, said to be of Marcus Aurelius. There are several high towers, and in one of them Boetius was confined by Theodoric, in the year 624, and wrote his book de Consolation e Philosopfiice while in imprisonment. The cathedral, which has been rebuilt, is in a very bad taste, and the remains of the old church are Gothic. Here is preserved the pretended lance of Ro- lando, which is probably nothing more than the mast of a small vessel shod with iron. The church of Saini Peter, where the body of Au- gnstin is said to be preserved, ornamented with marbles and statues, is a fine building, as is also the convent. That of the Domini- cans is worthy of inspection, particularly on account of some good pictures, and a chapel entirely of marble, of exquisite workmanship. At the Jugustinsy among other tombs is that of Boetius. PA VIA. IOcS Pavia lias a university, which has been al- ways celebrated for the great men it has pro- duced ; among whom may be reckoned Sco- poli, Spallanzani, Bianchi, Scarpa, Yolta, and. others. It was founded by Charlemagne, and re-established by Charles IV, in i36i. It still retains its ancient reputation. Here are a li- brary, a museum of natural history, and a botanical garden : among other colleges, the Boromean is remarkable for its architecture. For magnificent apartments and richness of internal decorations, the palaces Botta and Bellisomi are celebrated ; and for architec- ture and fine gardens, those of Maino and Olevano. The- theatre, built in 1773, is also very fine. Many good buildings have been lately erected in Pavia, among the first of which is the grand foundery of cannon. The population of this city is about 24,000. On leaving Pavia, are seen the remains of a large park, fifteen or sixteen miles in cir- cumference, celebrated by the victory which Charles Y gained there over Francis I. Consi- derable progress has been made in a navigable canal from Pavia to Milan. About three miles from Pavia, at a little distance out of the grand road, is the monastery of the celebrated Chartreuse, suppressed by Joseph II, about thirty years since, and accounted the finest in Europe. The revenue, which passed to the government on the suppression of the monastery, was twenty thousand pounds per annum ; of this sum, about 5oo/. per annum was annexed to the hospital of Payia. Tl;3 104 TAVrA TO MI LAX. building announces the greatest magnificence ; painting, sculpture, and architecture have la- vished all their embellishments upon it. The Chartreuse was founded about the year 1400, by Galeas Visconti, duke of Milan, for sixty cenobites. There are twelve chapels highly ornamented : the sacristy is very grand ; here is a frame containing sixty-four small bas- reliefs in ivory, of various subjects taken from the Old and New Testament. From Pavia to Milan is a plain of about eighteen miles in length ; the road passes by the side of canals, and is lined with trees. The river Tesino, which runs by Pavia, and falls into the Po, is a noble stream, clear and rapid. Another circumstance which contri- butes much to its beauty, is its serpentine course and the number of islands encircled by its meanders, which, shaded as they fre- quently are with poplars, beeches, and elms, entitle the river to the epithet of beautiful attached to it by Claudian. In clearness, as well as in the shades that grace its banks, it agrees with the well-known description of | Silius ; for which it is remarkable, as in Italy ; few rivers are clear, most of them falling j from the mountains, their waters are gene- 1 rally muddy. The Tesino is only an outlet of ! the Lago Maggiore. Binasco, half way between Pavia and Mi- lan, is a little town remarkable for its trade in cheese, known throughout Italy, and the principal towns of J£urope 7 under the name Qf Parmesan. MILAN 1 . IOJ DESCRIPTION OF MILAN, The rich and populous city of xMilan, situ- ated between the Adda and the Tesino, is of considerable antiquity, and once possessed its circuses, theatres, and palaces; a fine ruin of its baths, commonly called the columns of St. Laurence, yet remains. Three navigable ca- nals, of which the first is from the Adda, the second from the Tesino, and the third com- municating between Pavia and Milan, pass through the town, and are very advantageous to its commerce. These canals are the foster- ing parents of Milan, arid not only furnish it with provisions, fuel, and other necessaries of life, but with marble and granite, already cut and furnished for use from the environs of the Lago Maggiore, where labour is much cheaper than at Milan. The circumference of Milan, following the course of the ramparts, is about eight miles, a space which includes nearly i3o,ooo inhabi- tants. Formerly, towards the citadel, there were walls and forts; but these have been, destroyed since the last occupation of Milan by the French ; the citadel also is dismantled. At present, the open space between this for- tress and the town has been converted into a bowling-green for the amusement of the peo- ple, and into a square for the exercise of troops. Here, on quitting the town, is the triumphal arch, erected after the designs of Cagnola, to correspond with the fine avenue of the Simplon on one side, and, on the other, I0O MILAN. with the jFoj'm/tz, built entirely of white marble. Four columns, , hewn entire from blocks of marble, support its two facades, which are ornamented with the finest bas-reliefs. Streets. — The streets of Milan are not so splendid as those of London, but some of them are sufficiently long and broad to ad- mit of promenades and cavalcades, and are called Corsi. In these streets on Sunday, after mass till dinner-time, the fashionables of both sexes ride and drive with their splendid equi- pages. Most of the streets are paved with small pieces of marble and granite of all co- lours hniglianiolo ,) which are found in the beds of the torrents and neighbouring streams, as also in the earth at a certain depth. On the sides, and near the houses, is a way, paved with brick, for foot-passengers ; and in the, centre of the streets are two kirbs, or rows of stone, so contrived as to admit the wheels of the carriages that pass along ; and in the lar; broad streets there are several of these stone rail-ways, so that no jostling or confusion takes place among the numerous carriages. Thus the pedestrian is uninterrupted in his progress, and is not in perpetual fear, as at Paris, of the dashing cabriolet and the dirt which flies from its wheels. Shops abound in the streets of Milan, particularly near the cathedral and the palace. There are several cafes in the vicinity of the large theatres, to which the gens comme il faut resort to take their ices. The street inhabited by the gold- smiths, is furnished with a number of shops, MILAX full of the richest and finest articles of jewel- lery, and of costly workmanship, in gold and silver. • Churches. — The most celebrated church in Milau, and, after St. Peter's, in the world, is the cathedral (il Duomo^) situated in the centre of the town, near the palace of the viceroy. It was begun in the year i386, in the reign of John Galeas, after the plan o£ Gamodia, a German, in the Gothic style, and is entirely constructed, together with its in- numerable statues and ornaments, of the most beautiful white marble, brought from the en- virons of the Lago Maggiore. The whole ca- thedral, indeed, can be compared to nothing else but an immense mountain of marble, fa- shioned, chiselled, and indented in the rock itself, as is sometimes displayed in the temples or pagodas of the East. It has a Grecian front, ."designed by Pellegrini, and executed by Bassi. The outside is loaded w r ith sculpture ; the roof is exquisitely wrought, and supported by 160 Vast columns of white marble. The dome, by Brunellescho, is in the middle of the cross, and immediately under it is an opening, sur- rounded with rails, to give light to the sub- terraneous chapel, where reposes the body o St. Carlo Borromeo. The church is paved with pieces of red, black, and white marble, in mo- saic, representing flowers, festoons, foliage, etc. j so that, when it is viewed from the cu- pola, it appears like a beautiful carpet. The pavement of the choir is said to have cost more than 5ooo scudi. Length of the church , 108 MILAN. nearly 5oo feet; height, 4oo • breadth, 3oo ; height of the pillars, 93 feet. The number of statues, in the year 1714? was 44 00 « Ad- dison reckons them at 11,000; and this may be the case, if the figures in relievo are in- cluded. On the outside were 200 statues, larger than life. The grand facade of the cathedral, which was still unfinished in the sixteenth century, and which, in the seventeenth, occupied the attention of the most celebrated artists, par- ticularly Pellegrini, was but little advanced towards its completion in the year 1780. It was reserved for Bonaparte to attempt the completion of this grand work. When he had been proclaimed king of Italy, an immense number of labourers were employed in finish- ing the front of this cathedral, after the de- signs of Soave and Amati ; but the change which took place in political events will per- haps entirely prevent the accomplishment of iji this laudable object. The interior and exterior of the choir, the) two grand organs, and the Sci/rolo, are the invention of the celebrated Pellegrini. The sarcophagus of one of the Medici family was designed by Buonarotti, and Leoni cast the statues and ornaments in bronze. A rich subterraneous chapel encloses, in a case of crystal lined with silver, the body of Saint Charles of Borromeo, made a cardinal and archbishop in his twenty-third year, byt; his uncle Pius IV- He was as celebrated for his princely fortune, as his liberal distribu- (!;■ ft f ltd MlLA?T. ICQ tion of it. He resigned, or devoted to chari- table purposes, three quarters of his ecclesias- tical, and all his own large property. In the great famine of 1570, he maintained three [thousand poor for several months. Six years I afterwards, during the great plague, he was indefatigable in saving the lives of his coun- trymen. Upon the whole, no less than 70,000 fcpersons owed their lives to him. Of splendid I wealth, when in the hands of such a man as Borromeo, it may well be said with the poet : It blesses like 'the dews of heaven : Like heaven it hears the orphan's cries, And wipes the tears from widows' eyes. Gat. There are some good pictures by Barocci, Zuccari, Procaccini, Meda, and Ficino, near the altars and the organs. No church in the world (it has been justly observed hj Dr. Smith) has more statues about it than this of Milan. Most of them are bad; I can scarce- ly, says he, except the famous one of Saint Bartholomew holding his skin. It is intoler- ably hard and stiff; nor is it of much conse- 4iuence whether the muscles be accurate or ivaliot. True science is shown by representing tin .he muscles of a body in action, with the skin >ver them; there is no merit in copying them in > when laid bare and at rest. The Milanese, vol towever, estimate this work of art so highly, I'iiul hat they have refused its weight in gold, Jj 'Che following inscription, comparing the ar • 1 foil' ist to Praxiteles, is placed under the statue : Non me Praxiteles sed Marcus finxit Acrran". II© MILAN. A walk in tin's church, about dusk, excites a pleasing solemnity of thought. The declining light through the noble painted windows, the vaulted roofs rising almost out of si£ht, the labyrinth of taper columns, the scattered lamps glimmering from subterraneous cha- pels, all conspire to produce this effect. The admirer of pointed architecture will bo observe one peculiarity, which is, that in the cathedral of Milan there is no screen, and that the chancel is entirely open, and sepa- rated from the nave only by its elevation. In the front of the chancel, and almost immedi- ately above the steps, rises, on four additional steps, the altar, and behind it, in a semicir- cular form, the choir. Thus the altar stands as in the Roman basilicce, and indeed in all ancient churches, between the clergy and the people. Two circumstances are particularly ob- servable in this church j one, that there are no chapels, properly so called, because the Ambrosian rite, which long retained the an- cient custom of allowing one altar only, and one service in each church, not having con— f iiui formed to the modern mode when the cathe dral was commenced, no provision was made! j in, the plau for private masses and oratories This omission contributes much to the sim-j: plicity and unity of the edifice. Altars, how-' ever, there now are in abundance, but placedf in such a manner as does not interfere with ire the general design. The second, is the thin- ness of the pillars, or rather of the clusters of MILAN-. I 1 I pillars, which, while they support the vault, and are of course numerous, yet conceal no part of the edifice, and allow the eye to range over the whole at pleasure. Over the dome rises a tower or spire, erect- ed about the middle of the last century. Though misplaced, its form is not in itself inelegant, while its architecture and mechan- ism are extremely ingenious, and deserve mi- nute examination. In ascending, the traveller will observe that the roof of the church is co- vered with blocks of marble, connected toge- ther by a cement that has not only its hard- ness and durability, but its colour, so that the eye scarcely perceives the juncture, and the whole roof appears one immense piece of white shining marble. The view from the summit is extensive ; it includes not only the city and the rich plain of Milan, intersected with rivers and canals, covered with gardens, orchards, vineyards, and groves, and thickly studded with villages and towns; but it ex- tends to the grand frame of this picture, the Alps, forming a magnificent semicircle, and uniting their bleak ridges with the milder and more distant Apennines. Near the cathedral is the archbishop's pa- lace, with a good collection of pictures, great- i,j ly augmented from the gallery of modern i- paintings of cardinal Pozzobonelli. The court J of the neighbouring canonical residence is of the beautiful architecture of Pellegrini, as are also the octagonal stables of three stories, The statues of Carrara marble, which orna~ f 1 1 Mr LAN. roent the fountain of the adjoining square of Tagliamento, are some of the most esteemed works of Franchi. The church of St. Ambrose, one of the most remarkable at Milan, was founded by this ce- lebrated father of the Church, author of the Liturgy of the diocess. Here are several mo- numents of the times of the primitive Chris- tians, among which the most singular are the mosaic of the roof of the choir, and the fa- mous pallium of the altar, a work of the ninth century • the cloisters of the ex-monastery, by Bramante, are also worthy of notice. The Sanctuary of Notre Dame, near San Celso, is very beautiful. Here is a miraculous image of our Saviour, which attracts an immense concourse of people. The rich facade was designed by Alessi, and the vestibule by Bra- mante, with truly Attic simplicity. The sta- tues and bas-reliefs are by Fontana and Lo- renzi, and the best paintings by Gaudenzio, Salimi, Bordone, Buonvicino, Ceranno, Pro- caccini, and Appiani. The celebrity of the Last Supper, of Leonardo da Vinci, painted in the ci-devant monastery of Notre Dame des Graces, is not yet extinct, although the picture itself is nearly lost. An exact copy, executed by Marco d'Oggionno, a pupil of Vinci, which had been carefully preserved in the suppressed monastery of the Chartreuse of Pavia, was not long since in the possession of an amateur at Milan ; another old copy, much injured by time, still exists in the neighbour- ing country of Castellazzo. There is, at this MIT AN. 113 a copy executed in mosaic, taken from Bossi's very accurate copy, of the same size as the original, at the School of Mosaic, lately instituted in the former convent of S. "Vicenzino, and under the direction of PialTa- elli, a Roman, who has brought with him, from the repository of the fine arts, an excel- lent taste in this curious branch. There is a sacristy in the church of St. Satyre, the work of Bramante. There are some line paintings in St. Yictor, by Daniel Crespi, Moncaivi, Boloni, and others. Some excellent pictures still remain in the churches of St. Antony and St. Marie de la Passion, where there is a conservatory of music. The churches of St. Paul, Vittore, SS. Sebastian, and Fedele, are remarkable for their archi- tecture. The last was designed by Pellegrini. S. Lorenzo, built by Martino Bassi, is an octagon, in a singular style of architecture. The portico of this church is the only monu- ment of antiquity remaining at Milan. It consists of sixteen fluted columns of the Co- rinthian order ; and the proportions shew that they are the work of a period of archi- tectural perfection: the marble was brought from the lake of Corao. This ruin is gene- rally considered to have been a temple, or public bath dedicated to Hercules. The church of San Alessandro, belonging to the Barnabites, is very rich in precious stones. Near the church are the public schools of the Isjcee Arcimboldi, where there is a museum of natural history. 1 14 MIL AST. Palaces and Public Buildings. — The Royal Palace of Arts and Sciences, formerly called Brera, contains all the establishments which its name imports. Here is an astronomical observatory, the first in Italy, and one of the best in Europe. The court of the Lycee, and its staircase, the design of Ricchini, are mag- nificent j the library is rich in rare editions and in MSS.j and the botanical garden is well supplied with exotic plants. Here is a collec- tion of medals made by the president Pertu- sati, amounting to 12,000. Engraving, paint- ing, sculpture, the elements of drawing, ar- chitecture, perspective, etc., have each their several professors, and halls ornamented with excellent specimens. The new saloons of the gallery, built in imitation of those in the Musee at Paris, contain some choice pictures, collected by the government, and some spe- cimens of the fine arts, for which premiums have been given at the annual meeting of the academy, or at the assemblies of the different professors throughout the kingdom. The lovers of astronomy will doubtless visit the observatory of M . Moscati, where is also a collection of philosophical instruments. — Those who are fond of natural phenomena must seek the palace Simonetta, a few miles out of town, where there is a remarkable echo which repeats the two last syllables of a word 29 times, the report of a pistol 36 times, and of a gun without number. Ambrosian Library. — The Ambrosian Li- brary, founded by cardinal Federigo Borro- MILAN. fl5 meo, archbishop of Milan and nephew of S. Charles, is perhaps the largest and most valu- able establishment that any private person ever planned and executed, in favour of the arts and sciences, since the restoration of learning. The entrance is by a room 60 feet long, 24. wide, and 36 high, which is filled with books. In the middle of the last century, the manuscripts alone amounted to 14 or i5,ooo volumes ; at the present day, there are not less than 35 to 4°»ooo. The library is open from morning till noon. It was built from the designs of Mangoni. Here are also some plaster casts and good pictures, but Raffaelle's cartoon of the School of Athens, together with the celebrated drawings and writings of Leonardo, which this gallery once boasted, were removed to the Musee at Paris. The Royal Palace, the architect of which was Piermarini, has some very fine rooms, ornamented with the richest! tapestry, some good pictures by Traballesi and Knoller, and ornaments by Albertelli; the statues in the sumptuous saloon are by Franchi, the carya- tides by Calani, and the pictures in the grand salle of the throne and of the princes are the production of Appiani. The Palace of the Senate^ once the Helvetic College, has two large and fine courts with magnificent pery- stiles, the designs of Mangoni , the court of Meda, in the Seminario, is also very fine. The orphan-house of Stella is a convenient building, a.nd has a {me front by Mangoni. HO MILAN. The palace Serbelloni is tlie design of C Aiitoni -, that of the French legal ion is by Scaye : the palace oiDiolti is also worthy of observation. The following may be accounted good build- ings : the palace of the Tribunate, formerly of Seregni ; the palace Marini, by Alessi ; the prisons of Barca; the palace Omenoni, by Leoni; the palaces Belgiojoso, Melzi, Annoni, and many others. The stranger should also see the Depository of public' records, where j 6 million acts are regularly disposed, which furnish employment to as many thousand lawyers, and the other public establishments, as the mint, the exchange, the manufactories of tobacco and nitre, the schools of Mosaic, etc. etc. There are many private collections of pictures, gems, and other curiosities, in Milan, but as these are continually changing proprietors, for a list of them and for other particulars we refer to the local Guide of the place. Theatres, — Milan has many theatres, but the principal, are the grand theatre della Scala, built by Piermarini in the year 1778; it is one of the largest in Italy, and surpasses every other in convenience — that of Canobi- atio, erected after the same design, although much smaller — the Carcano, recently built by Ononica — and the Philo-dramatic Society, where some good actors play select and in- structive pieces. In the erection of the theatre della Scala. the greatest attention has been paid both to the interior and exterior. A spacious vesti- MILAtf . I I 7 bule leads to the pit, and to two staircases going to the boxes, of which there are five tiers, all so disposed as to hear the least word spoken on the stage. The boxes are large and deep, and are lined with damask of dif- ferent colours, frequently ornamented with looking-glasses, furnished with taffeta cur- tains, and lighted by one or two candles burn- ing near a mirror. At the back part are so- fas, and in the middle a table for refresh- ments or a collation. Many of these boxes have blinds (jalousies,) and when the light is observed to burn dimly, it is a sign that the owner wishes to be alone, and woe to the per- son who disturbs his solitude. In a word, a box is a chamber in town, of which the pro- prietor always possesses the key; and when he does not choose to go, his domestic lets it for the evening. Above the interior vestibule are rooms for gaming, called Ridotli, which are generally full from noon to four o'clock in the morning. Here also are conversation-rooms and Ita- lian and foreign newspapers. All the boxes communicate with a grand terrace, where those who are oppressed by the heat of the theatre, resort to breathe the fresh air. This theatre is open every night in the week except Friday, for serious and comic operas. The performance begins at nine in the evening, and ends at one in the morning. The great hospital (ospidale maggiore) is a fine building. Here is a grand court, more than 3oo feet square, by Ricchini, surrounded HO MILAN 1 . with a double portico supported by marble columns. It contains more than 1200 persons, and the halls appropriated to different trades and to working convalescents. On leaving the hospital a fine street is seen which abuts on the Pantheon, formerly called II Poppone. This building is of an octagon form and was constructed in the year 1698, from the de- signs of Arrisio Arrigoni, and afterwards completed by Cross. The Lazaretto is a vast quadrangle, ia5o feet in length, and 1200 in breadth, composed of 296 chambers, sur- rounded with a portico, and guarded by a broad and deep fosse. The great barracks are near this spot. Public Walks. — The end of the street of Corse-, near the villa Bonaparte, is most fre- quented on Sundays about two o'clock; here the Milanese take refreshments under the thick shade of the chesnut trees which form the avenue. Husband and wife are seldom seen together, and the lady is frequently pre- siding at one conversazione, while her other half joins another groupe. At four o'clock the place is deserted, except by a few hand- some women who are on the look out for ad- mirers. This walk is chiefly confined to the citizens; the favourites of fortune sport their equipages at this hour in the Corso-street, and have the road watered for them by men who walk before with watering pots. The even- ing promenade of the citizens is towards the Porta Romana where there is a fine avenue and some pretty guinguettesj or houses of re- MILAff. ug I freshraent. In following the ramparts to the I left, there is a very fine view of the surround- J ing country, and you arrive by a long avenue I of mulberry trees at the northern boulevard. IThis walk commences at a quincunx opposite 'the fortress and the barracks, and turning 1 again upon the town finishes at the eastern 'gale. It is formed of a grand avenue of elms, 'and two side avenues so raised as to afford a '[sight of the town and the public and private •[gardens which bound its sides, and the fine *[chain of Alps opposite to it. In the centre avenue, carriages of every description are seen, from the dormeuse to the smart whiskey, phaeton, and diable. This ended, each takes an ice, the pedestrians at a cafe, and the fa- shionables at their boxes in the theatre della Scala. Environs of Milan. — The amphitheatre, or Arena, is a large space appropriated for large assemblies of the people on grand public fetes. It is situated in the confines of the town to- ward the barracks, to the N. N. E. The ap- proach is through a young plantation of maple, ash, and elm trees; it is furnished with some stone seats, but the greater part are of turf, disposed in the form of an am- phitheatre, and capable of containing 45,ooo ipectators. The external walls are lofty, and 'urnished with small entrances, resembling :he ancient vomitories. At the higher range of ieats is a narrow terrace shaded by trees. Ja ;he space of 24 hours the whole of die arena ;an be covered with water, brought from a I2» HI LAST. neighbouring stream, on which a naumachia is held, a species of amusement which Bona- parte witnessed with great delight, when crowned King of Italy at Milan. The descrip- tion of ancient Milan by Ausonius, is almost realized at the present day. Milan with plenty and with wealth o'erflows, And numerous streets and cleanly dwellings shows. The people, bless'd with nature's happy force, "Are eloquent and cheerful in discourse j A Circus and a theatre invites The unruly mob to races and to fights ; Monela consecrated buildings grace, And the whole town redoubled walls embrace: Here spacious baths and palaces are seen, And intermingled temples rise between : Here circling Colonnades the ground enclose, And here the marble statues breathe in rows: Profusely graced the happy town appears, "Nov-Itome itself, her beauteous neighbour, fears. Adbisoiy. A splendid villa near the ramparts, to the north, is the summer residence of the vice-roy, It was built in the modern style, some years since, by.Pollach, for the Duke of Belgiojoso. The furniture is handsome, and the pictures good. Among other interesting objects in the saloon is the Magdalen of Canova. Every pari of this marble is life itself. She is in a couch- j ing- posture, her hair floating over her shoul- ders, and a tear is just dropping from the eye- lid: it is contrition personified. Among other curiosities are three panhar- itonicons, the automaton chess-player, and a TOO;t ingenious sort of steel-strap secretaire, v^iich is Sv> contrived as instantly to seize, MILAff. 121 rather rudely, the hand of any one who should venture to take any article accidentally left upon it. The floors are payed with polished marbles of various colours. The garden, in the English style, affords much shade, a fine turf, and abundance of water, furnished by a canal from without. There is an obelisk and a mass of trees disposed in the avenues, which form one of the public walks in the heat of the day. Not far distant is the villa Rosi, chiefly remarkable for the beauty of its garden, embellished with the finest trees, flowers, and gurgling streams. About eight miles to the north of Milan is the town of Monza, where Charlemagne was crowned King of Italy. The Cathedral is a Gothic edifice, has a handsome facade, and a curious clock. Its treasury was formerly very rich (1), and it still boasts the celebrated iron crown used by the ancient Lombard kings, and by Napoleon Bonaparte when crowned King of Italy. This crown is com- posed chiefly of precious stones, but is called iron, on account of a small ring in it of that metal, sak 1 to be made from some of the nails which fastened our Saviour to the Cross. Be- sides the cathedral, there is a sumptuous palace itMonza, the work of Piermarini, as well is the gardens belonging to it. In the park here is abundance of game, and at Pelucca, i roval seat in the vicinity, are some excel— ent stables, and a fine stud of hunters. The (i) A full account of tbis, as well as of Monza and its ourt may be found iu Friii's Historical Memoir, t 122 MILAN. environs of Milan afford many handsome country seats ; among these may be named JHonlebello, where Bonaparte lived for two months in the year 1798, and where the treaty of Campo Formio was signed ; — Lainata, be- longing to the Litta family;— Belgio/'osa, near Pavia, celebrated for the extent of its park and gardens, and many others in the town of Varase, and its environs, which enjoy the advantages of constant irrigation. Every traveller of taste and curiosity who remains some time at Milan, will doubtless visit the celebrated Borromean Isles, situated on the Lago Maggiore (Lacus Verbanus) at the foot of the Rhoetian Alps. From Milan to Isola Bella is 43 miles, and from this place back again by Como is 5g miles. The whole may be conveniently performed in three or four days, or less, if expedition be required. There is nothing worthy of remark till we arrive at Varese. The roads are lined with chesnut trees, and there are also some plantations of mulberry trees for the silk-worms. The wine of this country is much esteemed. Varese^ about 28 miles from Milan, is a large, popu- lous town, and agreeably situated. Here are some fine modern houses, some palaces, and a small theatre: a few miles from- Yarese is the beautiful sanctuary of Madonna del Monte, on the summit of a mountain, whence are seen Milan, the Lago Maggiore, Nova- ra, etc. There are some pretty little chapels on the road leading to the sanctuary. At La-^ veno you embark on the Lago Maggiore. MILAN. 1^3 This is one of the most beautiful lakes which embellish the plains of Lombardy, and forty miles in length. The marble palaces of Bor- romeo appear to arise from amid humble cot- tages and gilded spires of churches, and are surrounded by groves of oranges, lemons, and jasmines. The form of the lake is irre- gular* the first of the islands which is seen is Isola Madre, situated rather more than a mile from the shore, and protected from the north wind by the neighbouring mountains; plants from hot countries here find a suitable temperature. They flourish without culture, and adorn with their broad leaves the rocks which terminate the island. Whatever fruits in different climes are found, That proudly rise, or humbly court the ground; Whatever blooms in torrid tracts appear, Whose bright succession decks die varied year • Whatever sweets salute the northern sky "With vernal lives that blossom but to die: These here disporting own the kindred soil, Nor ask luxuriance from the planter's toil. Isola Bella is nearer the shore than Isola Madre; it is termed by Keysler « a pyramid of sweetmeats, ornamented with green fes- toons and flowers. » The palace is inhabited for some weeks in the year by the Borromean family. Near Isola Bella is the Isola dei Pescatori, an island inhabited by fishermen. Isola Bella and Isola Madre, viewed from the lake, have a charming effect: the regularity of the buildings — the terraces which rise ma- jestically from the middle of the lake — its numerous statues, and the foreign trees which flou-rish here without experiencing the rigours 124 MILA>% of winter, give to Isola Bella something of en- chantment. The environs of Ligo Maggiore offer to the eye the most agreeable and animated pictures. The mountains near the lake are of the rudest forms; such as are seen in the very bosom of the Alps; the chesnut, the pale olive, and the vine which rises above the mulberry trees and forms them into bowers, cover the hills and occasion an infinite variety of verdant tints. Many small towns, a crowd of vil- lages, and buildings remarkable for the light- ness of their roof and the elegance and variety of their architecture, ornament the borders of the lake. Vessels from Lago Maggiore, with fish, charcoal, wood, and hay, go up the Toccia; they also descend the Tesino, from which a canal reaches to Milan. In returning by Varese, the traveller may visit Corao, and thence go to Milan. Como is situated at the foot of some lofty moun- tains, at the southern extremity of the lake, which takes its name, and where the Adda begins its course. The town is well peopled, the inhabitants are industrious, and have the reputation of being good soldiers, though less civilized than the Milanese. Como boasts a high antiquity, and gave birth to Clelius, the comic poet, the younger Pliny, and Paul Giovio, its bishop. The country seat of the latter, built on a peninsula by the lake, has a considerable library and cabinet. The ca- thedral, repaired at the expense of Odescal- chi (Innocent Xl ? ) is worth seeing, and. hai MlLAtf. 125 some good pictures by Luini and Ferrari. The baptistery and sanctuary of St. Crucifix are two remarkable buildings, particularly the last, which contains an image guarded with the greatest veneration. The Comese signa- lized themselves by their fidelity to the Ro- mans, when Hannibal took the town and des- troyed it; they soon again rebuilt it, and it was called JNovo-Comum. The lake of Como (lacus Larius) will amply repay those who embark on its smooth sur- face, if it were only to visit the villa called Pliniana, an appellation derived from the intermittent fountain here so accurately des- cribed by Pliny j its banks are covered with country houses, belonging to the Milanese, and having gardens full of flowers and fruit. On the Tramenzina side the country is pecu- liarly delightful. The lake is more than fifty miles in length, and resembles somewhat the human figure in shape. Mr. Wordsworth, (Poems, vol. i. p. 72. ) has beautifully de- scribed the scenery of this lake in his sketches of a pedestrian Tour among the Alps. More pleased, ray foot the hidden margin roves Of Como, bosomed deep in chcsnut groves. To flat- roofed towns that touch the water's bound, Or lurk in woody sunless glens profound, Or from the bending rocks obstrusive cling, And o'er the whiten'd wave their shadows fling; "Wild round the steeps, the little pathway twines, And silence loves its purple roof of vines. The Lctvo dl Lugano affords some exquisite scenery, and should be included in the tour of the Italiau Jakes. h. Ii6 MILAN. Manners, Character, etc. — The Milanese are polite and frank to strangers, and prompt and witty in conversation. Generally speak- ing, the higher classes are well informed, and more hospitable to strangers than in any other part of Italy, frequently inviting them to their country seats. Lainata has long been celebrated for its numerous visitors in the autumn. Activity and industry predominate among the citizens. Throughout Italy, the women remain at home, and the husband goes to market, and transacts all out-of-door business. The church, at the hour of prayer, is too often the scene of assignation, but par- ticularly at the evening Ave Maria, when men, women, and youth of both sexes, light- ed only by the glimmer from the altar, mix together to offer their vows to the virgin, and mutter over their prayers. The women are sufficiently handsome, and dress in the French taste. The young girls, who were formerly secluded in convents to the day of marriage, are now educated at home in a particular part of the house, under tlie care of a governess, and an ecclesiastic who lives in the family. French and music are most cultivated. Commerce, Natural Productions. — There is a great deal of bustle at Milan in the streets of business. All the works of the hammer are here better executed than in any other part of Italy, Here are manufactures of silk stuffs, gold and silver embroidery, glass, porcelain, ribands, velvet, carriages, sadlery, crystals, plaster casts, gloyes ? artificial flowers, tinsel, MILAN. I27 and thread lace. The territory of Milan, rich in pastures, furnishes abundance of ex- cellent cheese, as that of Frachino, Cacci- nale, etc. a great part of which is sent to the north of the Alps. Corn, dryed fruits, and hemp, are also exchanged for the cloth of France. Rice, one of the greatest riches of this country, is sent on the backs of mules into Switzerland and Germany, and also to France. Climate. — Milan is not an agreeable resi- dence in the beginning or middle of winter; nor are the environs very healthy towards the end of September, when a dense vapour, both morning and evening, obscures the horizon. From meteorological observations, it appears that it is as cold in Lombardy, as in the middle of France. The autumnal rains con- tinue till the middle of December, after which the ground is covered with snow for about a month ; but the weather is damp and cold till the middle of February. Now commence the intermittent rains of spring, which last to the middle of March; during this period the cold is less severe. In a short time, all the phenomena of vegetation are produced, and to a short spring succeed the heats of summer. Towards the end of August the heat is almost insupportable, and the autumnal rains, often preceded by dreadful storms of thunder and lightning, close the year. Less rain however falls at Milan than at Paris. 128 FROM MILAN TO BOLOGNA. CHAP. IY. From Milan to Bologna, and Account of that Place. On leaving Milan two routes present them- selves, one to Venice and the other to Bologna. The former passes by Bergamo , Brescia, Vero- na, Vicenza, and Padua, and is io3 English miles, which may be performed in about 24 hours. No. 10. — From Milan to Bologna, 149 Eng- lish miles 'j 17! Posts; 24 hours, 35 minutes. TIME. TIME. FROM POSTS, h. IB. FROM POSTS, h. m. Milan (i) to Ma- Parma (5) 1 1 5o rignano 1^2 5 S. Hilario 1 1 5 Lodi (2) 1^ i 35 Reggio (6) 1 1 3o Casal Pusterlengo. 17 1 l\o Rubiesa 1 1 3o Piacekza (3).... Ij 2 55 Modena (7) 1 2 10 Firenzuola (4) 2 2 10 La Samoggia. . . . 1^2 10 Borgo S. Donnino 1 1 10 Bologna (8) 17 2 o Castel guelfo 1 1 5 In the road to Bologna we traverse for the most part the Milanese. Marignano, on the Lamb re, is celebrated for the victory gained by Francis I, over the Swiss, in the year i5i5, but in this well-cultivated country, it is vain to search for the precise spot where the battle Inns. — (1) L'Auberge Royale, the Three Kings, the Wells,' la. Villa. (2) The Sun, the Three Kings. \3) St. Mark. (4) The Post. (5) The Post, the Peacock. (6) The Post, the Lily. (7) Grande Auberge. (8) L'Au* berge Royale, the Pilgrims. FROM MILAN TO BOLOGNA. I2<) Was fouglit; about two miles below Marigna- 110 is a very magnificent aqueduct, IfciiU at the expense of two Milanese, and which continues for more than 3o miles. There are two towns bearing the name of Lodi. One is on the right, on the Sillaro, and is called the old Lodi; it is a large village containing the ruins of some old buildings. In approaching the new Lodi, are some ancient tombs. On an eminence- near the Adda, is situated the modern town of Lodi ; it is small, bui well built, surrounded with walls, and contains about 12,000 inhabitants. Among other pa- faces are those ofMerlini of Barni, and of the oishop, which are not yet finished. At the ^reat hospital are some ancient tombs. The post remarkable church is the Incoronala, an >clagon building, by Bramante, and painted Partly in fresco and partly in oil by a pupil i if Titian. Lodi has a handsome square, or- namented with poiticos, and without the ^.dda gate is a manufacture of glazed ware. Lodi is most celebrated for the battle fought t its bridge by Bonaparte, in person, on the oth of May, 1796, when he gained a complete ictory over the Austrians. The whole of the Lodesan can be irrigated by leans of canals. The number of cows kept this small province is about 3o,ooo, and its fieese, improperly called Parmesan, is the rincipal article of trade; it is superior in uality to that of the Pavesan, and of many her places in the Milanese. Out of Lodi, a >ad branches off by Cremona and Mantua to l3o CREMONA. Bologna, but the other byPiacenza and Parma is the pleasantest and most frequented. To the east o^Lodi is also another road by Brescia and Verona to Venice. As Cremona is only ten leagues from Lodi, and six from Piacenza, we shall briefly describe that place before we proceed to Piacenza, for the benefit of those who may choose to deviate from the high road to Bologna. Cremona, an ancient city surrounded with walls and ditches, having ramparts and a strong fortress, is situated in a delightful plain, washed by the Po. The streets are broad and straight, and the houses are well built. A canal, which communicates with the Oglio, traverses the town, and fills the ditches with water; Cremona is four miles in circuit, and contains about 20,000 inhabitants. In 1702, Prince Eugene surprised and made prisoner in Cremona, the Marshal Villeroy The violins and other musical instruments this country are in great request. Here is alsc a great trade in excellent flax, oil, honey, anc wax. The Cremonese are active and industri ous, and their country abounds in corn, wine fruits, cheese, etc. The cathedral, of Gothic, or rather mixec architecture, was begun in the year 1107, am continued at different periods, but not com pletely finished till the 14th century. It i faced with white and red marble and high! ornamented in a singular and fanciful style. I contains several beautiful altars and fine paint ings. One chapel in particular merits atten k CREMONA. 141 tion being set apart for the preservation of the relics of the primitive martyrs. Its decora- tions are simple and chaste, its colours soft and pleasing. The ashes of the « sainted dead » 'repose in urns and sarcophagi placed in niches ;in the wall regularly disposed on each side of I the chapel, after the manner of the ancient Roman sepulchres. It is small, but its pro- ■portions, form and furniture are so appro- priate and so well combined, that they pro- duce a very beautiful and perfect whole. The [baptistery, which, according to the ancient ifnianner still preserved in many of the great towns of Italy, is a separate building near the {cathedral, contains in the centre a font of cu- : rious form and workmanship, cut out of one immense block of party-coloured marble. :*The tower is of great height and of singular >;• architecture. The view from it is extensive, ^taking in the town with its streets; the roads ■that cross the country in straight lines in various ^directions j the Vo winding along almost close ^to the walls and intersecting the immense plain \ of the Milanese ; the Alps to the north, and : the Apennines to the south-west, both covered 'with snow. Torazzo. The public palace, (for so the 'town-hall is not improperly called in Italy) .and most of the churches, but particularly !that of Sail Pletro al Po, are worthy the at- tention of the traveller. Cremona has pro- duced her proportion of genius and of talent, both in ancient and modern times; but among all her sons, none have contributed more t» 102 PIACENZA. her reputation than Vida, whom Pope has so justly praised in his Essay on Criticism. There is nothing remarkable in the route from Lodi to Piacenza j from Casal Puster- lengo the road is very good and in the midst of a rich and fertile country. Piacenza is almost entirely built on the banks of the Po, in an agreeable plain, and is celebrated for its antiquity, though there are no traces of it at the present day. In the churches are some frescos and paintings of the best masters, particularly in the cathedral and in La Madonna della Cainpagna. The church of the Canons regular of Saint Augustin was designed by Yignola. Two equestrian sta- tues of Ranuccolo and Alexander Farnese, in' the great square, by Francis Mocchi are much admired. The town-hall also, by Vignolo, is worthy Of notice. Piacenza has a pretty thea- tre recently erected, and containsnearly 25, ooo souls : the richness and fertility of the country afford some idea of the industry of its in-* habitants. Placentia gave birth toPope Gregory X, au- Par thor of the regulation which obliges the car- dinals to remain in the conclave after the death of a Pope till a new one is chosen ; and to the famous Alberoni, who, from being the son of a gardener came to be prime minister of Spain. Here begins the ancient via Flaminia, con- structed under the consulate of Lepidus and Ftaminlusj it leads to the via Emilia of the ; Romagna, by Parma, Modena ? and Bologna. 4 PIACENZA. 1 33 About half a mile from Piacenza we pass the Po; and on the right of the road' beyond the Po, is the chain of the Apennines, at the foot of which are many pretty country houses and chateaux. About ten miles from Piacenza is Firenzuola, a town of the province of Busseto, agreeably situated. A little distance from the Via Flaininia is an ancient abbey, with a spacious monastery. On this very spot Sylla gained a great victory. The little town of St. Donnino is situated on the Stirone, but has no traces of antiquity; at a little distance are j some ruins, said to be those of the ancient Julia IChrisopolis. At St. Donnino the cathedral iand the college, oncebelonging to the Jesuits, are worthy of notice. Four miles further is the Wparo, a torrent very difficult to pass, when Swelled by heavy rains ; on the mountain side ijare many agreeable prospects, and the coun- try is covered with villages and detached 'houses. Castel Guelfo, which gave name to be party of the Guelphs, is situated on the Iparo. In the valley between the Taro and i Parma, as in other parts, the vines are planted according to Virgil's direction (Georg. II. 296.) fen a square, like an army drawn up in battle rray. The country, as the traveller advances, im- roves in beauty, and if not in fertility (for Siat seems scarcely possible) at least in the eatness and order of cultivation. The Apen- ines advancing at every step present their old forms to vary the dulness of the plain ; sdges and neat enclosures mark the different M l3/j. PARMA. farms • elms in long rows garlanded with vines separate the fields- and villages, each with a magnificent church, enliven the road at every mile. The neighbourhood of Placentia is perhaps more interesting than the town itself, as it has been the theatre of many bloody engagements. The first and most remarkable occurred short- I ly after the foundation of the city, about three miles from it, on the banks of the Trebia, where Hannibal defeated Scipio. A memora- ble battle was also fought on the same spot between the French, and Prussians under the command of Marshal Suworof, and was attend- ed perhaps with more important consequences About twelve miles to the south of Firenz- uola once stood the town of Yelleia, ruined j by the sudden fall of a part of the neighbour- ing mountain, about the end of the 4th cen- | tury. Several excavations were made amongst I the ruins in the year 1760 ; but the. difficulty 1 1 of penetrating through the vast masses of rock that cover the town was so great that the ' work wassuspended, and never since renewed, 1 though many discoveries were made. The inhabitants of the valley of Taro an- 1 nounce at once the richness and abundance of their country. They are well made, of 1 an agreeable figure, and are habited in a very a picturesque costume. Parma is situated in a fertile country on the river which divides it into two, and from 1 which it takes the name. It is surrounded •with walls, flanked with bastions, and has a 1 PARMA. 10'J citadel, but is incapable of defence. It con- tains 4°?° 00 inhabitants in a circuit of four miles. The streets are generally good; that which passes from one end of the town to the other, across the bridge and the square, is the best. The architecture of the different build- ings offers nothing remarkable. The cathedral is a large Gothic edifice; the baptistery is wor- thy of notice, as is also the ducal palace, and the church of St. John Evangelist. The large theatre is of wood, and in general finely ima- gined ; it has not the defect of Palladio's, where a part of the spectators cannot see : here every body can see and hear; a low voice being audible from one end to the other, and a loud one making no echo : it will hold 9,000 people with ease; and it does great credit to the architect, Magnani. There is also a small theatre, designed by Bernino. The college is a fine establishment. Although the archi- tecture of the churches is not very striking, they contain many fine frescos and pictures; particularly those of Corregio and Parmigiano. The best pictures of these masters, as the Saint Jerome, of Corregio, were removed by the French. In a chamber of the convent of the religious of St. Paul, is a beautiful fresco re- presenting the triumph of Diana in the chace. At the church of Stoccata, designed by Bra— mante, and at San Sepolcro, the Annonziata, and the Capuchins, are some good pictures and frescos. The library and the printing-office of Bodoni, well known for his beautiful edi- tions, are worthy of notice. Parma has a uni- 1 36 REGGIO. versity which has produced many learned men. In the Palazzo Giardino, so called on account of its gardens, are some beautiful frescos. There is a fine view of the country from the terrace — the same spot on which the famous victory of the French over the Aus-- trians took place in the year 1734. About a mile from the town is the Chartreux. About eight miles from Parma, on the Casalmaggiore rosd, is ColorriOj a beautiful country seat, situated on the river, where there are two m antique statues of Hercules and Bacchus. Here is also a silk manufacture. The natural products of the country are more than ade- quate to its consumption. The inhabitants are polite and affable, and strangers find an agreeable society at Parma. From Parma, in passing by Colorno, and by Casalmaggiore, a large town, two posts from Parma, we can go to Bozzolo, and thence to Mantua : from Casalmaggiore to Bozzolo is one post and a half. There is a road also from Parma to Mantua by Sorbolo, where you pass the bridge of Enza, by Bres- cello, Guastalla, etc. From Parma to Bres- cello is two posts, but one only from Brescelio to Guastalla. Reggio (Regium Lepidi,) on the Crostolo, contains 16,000 inhabitants. In the cathedral is the Virgin of Giarra, and the chapel of the dead contains some good pictures. The inha- bitants of Reggio are spirited and addicted to commerce ; they have a great fair in the spring. Reggio claims the honour of giving MODENA. 1 37 birth to Ludovico Arioslo, in 1 4?4- The museum of natural history of the celebrated Spallanzani, purchased by the government, is appropriated to public instruction. Be- tween Reggio and Modena, the road passes within a league of Corregio, a place which gave birth and name to the great painter. After Rubiera, an old fortified castle, we pass 1 lie Secchia, where are some ruins of an old Pvoman bridge. Modena is a populous town, though not large, containing 23, 000 inhabitants, and is situated in a fertile plain. Modena is cele- brated in history for having afforded an asy- lum to Brutus after the murder of Caesar. The streets, paved with small stones from the bed of the river, are rather inconvenient for pedestrians. The promenades are under the porticos; that of the college is the finest and most frequented. Modena is divided into the old and new town. The former ducal resi- dence is composed of four orders of architec- ture, Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, and Compo- site, and situated in the finest part of Modena. But we may seek in vain for the fine collec- tion of pictures and curiosities which once or- namented it. Augustus, king of Poland and elector of Saxony, purchased too of the best pictures; among others, the Night of Corre- gio, for the sum of 5o,oooparent issue, and it is a sort of pilgrimage to go and visit the Aqua santa. I do not know at what height we were, but it must be considerable, as masses of snow appeared around us, which ! had survived the summer. (September, 1812.) Beyond the lake begin the great summer- j pastures, which in the Apennines are called Macchie. They extend over all the ridges of ! the high chain, setting out from the valley ! of La Magra, which separates the low moun- j tains of Genoa from those of Tuscany and Modena. These pastures are divided by peaks of rocks that have rolled down, in long heaps, i on their base. There are some chalets to- | lerably well built, for sheltering the shep- ! herds, hut the flocks remain always in the < open air. These flocks come all from Tuscany, where they pass the winter in the pastures of the Maremma. They belong to travelling shep- herds, who, like those of Spain, possess no other capital, and have neither a home nor a permanent habitation. On approaching a spot covered with rocks and thorns, I beheld a flock of more than ■ £2,000 goats ? liying always in the woods, and It>2 APENNINES. totally unacquainted with a roof or habita- tion. These animals only approach the shep- herds to get the salt which they give them twice a-day when they milk them. I passed the remainder of this day in visit- ing the chalets, in examining the flocks, and in enquiring into this system of wandering economy which prevails through Tuscany. We spent the night in one of these chalets, and the next morning," at daybreak, I took leave of my fellow-travellers, and set off with my guide to descend towards the Mediterra- nean. As yet I had only gone over the northern side of the high chain of the Apennines, and the summit still remained half a league be- fore me. This summit separates the territory of Parma from that of Tuscany. To reach it, I ascended a grassy turf: the moment I reached the highest summit, a boundless ho- rizon opened before me — all Ilaly was spread at my feet. In a horizon without a cloud, I saw the long chain of the Alps stretching out U of sight, from the frontiers of France to the limits of Illyria ; they enclosed, as in a frame, that immense plain, watered by so many streams. To the south, I saw the land, as it were, gradually descending from the height where I rested, into the vaporous ho- rizon of the morning, and even to the shore of the sea. I could distinguish the Gulf of Spezzia and the villas around it, and I fol- lowed with my eyes that superb line along which the sea makes a curye before the shores APENNINES. 1 53 of Tuscany, and thence rolls on to the coast of Naples. Seated on this ancient soil, the whole his- tory of Italy seemed to unfold itself before me, from the descent of ^neas on the banks of the Tiber, down to the battle of Marengo. What multitudes of events crowded on my memory ! This spot is certainly one of the most re- markable in Europe, and I would advise every traveller to make this excursion. It can easily be done, by going from Parma to Pontremoli . by the new carriage-road ; and from that place one may reach the summit on horse- back in three hours, and return the same day to Pontremoli. But this interesting excursion can only be made in summer, and most i strangers select the winter for travelling in iltaly. Thus they form no just idea of it; 'they see the churches and palaces, and the monuments of the fine arts, but all the beau- ties which nature pours so profusely on this (favoured land are lost to them. On descending towards the Mediterranean, nature presented itself to me under quite an- other aspect : I had lost sight of fertile farms and corn-fields, of meadows and their canals, with their oaks and willows; I was now in the south, and I traversed groves of olives, laurels, and cypresses ; instead of grass and ■ clover, I saw tuberoses and hyacinths ; in I short, I was among the mountains of Genoa. Beyond Magra, which separates these in- ferior chains from the upper Apennine I had I 54 BOLOGNA. just left, I found the Genoese territory, with its luxury, misery, and neglect. I crossed over sterile ridges, slopes on which vegetated some stunted chesnuts, vallies half devastated by torrents, and villages that in- dicated wretchedness, as the physiognomy of the inhabitants indicated crime. I passed through Compiano, a town the inhabitants of which provide all Europe with the fellows who show monkies and wild beasts, and at length came upon the high road near the post oiBraceo. I had thus traversed the whole chain of the Apennine, and found myself on the bank of the river of Genoa. I followed its windings to the summit of the Gulf, on which that superb city seems to have fixed the throne from which it formerly commanded all the neighbouring seas. BOLOGNA. The traveller, as he rolls along the Via Emilia, from Modena to Bologna, amidst scenes of the neatest cultivation and of the most luxuriant fertility, will recollect, that the very fields which spread around him, the very country he is traversing, was the bloody theatre of the last unavailing efforts of Roman liberty. The interview of the triumvirs took place in an island formed by the R/ienus, two I* miles from Bologna. It is three miles long f and one broad, and contains two villages;!' but as the river is small and the island ob- |to servable only on examination, the traveller , n I BOLOGNA. I 55 generally passes without being aware of the circumstance. The stream still retains its i ancient name, and is called the Reno. Bologna, which dates its origin from the time of the Tarquins, is a large, rich, and populous city, two miles long, about one broad, and five miles in circuit, with more than 75,000 inhabitants. It is situated at the foot of the Apennines, and traversed in part, towards the N. W., by a commercial canal brought from the Reno, by which a naviga- , tion is established between Bologna and Fer- [ ; rara, extending by the Po to Venice. Bologna ; is surrounded with walls, forts, and deep ; ditches, easily filled with water. It is entered , t by twelve gates, the handsomest of which are , those of Ferrara and Modena. Most of these gates lead to fine streets, generally ornament- ed on each side with porticos raised above the level of the road, so that a person may walk through the whole town without any incon- venience from sun or rain. Madonnas are frequently painted on the walls. The city is divided into four quarters. Bologna (Bononia Felsinia) was a Roman colony, though it retains few or no traces of its antiquity. Its history, like that of the preceding towns, is contained in a few words. First, great and prosperous under its found- ers j then, in the succeeding revolutions of the empire, pillaged, destroyed, and rebuilt: sometimes enslaved and sometimes free, it underwent and survived all the vicissitudes of the barbarous ages. At last, after various l56 BOLOGNA. contests with the neighbouring states and with their own tyrants, the inhabitants of Bologna made a voluntary submission to pope Nico- las III, in 1278, and afterwards to John XXII, in 1327, which they have frequently renewed since at different periods. But, in this voluntary submission, the Bo- lognese did not mean so much to acknowledge the Pope as their direct sovereign, as to put their city under his protection as liege lord: hence they cautiously retained the manage- ment of their finances, the election of their magistrates, and the administration of their laws ; that is to say, the essential forms of a republic, and only employed the name and the authority of the pontif to repress the am- bition of powerful and factious citizens, or to awe the hostility of their neighbours, the dukes of Modena, and of their rivals, the Ve- netians. They always resisted every encroach- ment on their privileges, and not unfrequent- ly expelled the papal legates, when inclined to overstrain the prerogatives of their office. This guarded and conditional dependence produced at Bologna all the advantages that accompany liberty • industry, commerce, plen- ty, population, knowledge, and refinement. Churches. — The cathedral, in the centre of the town, dedicated to St. Peter and St. Paul, is a fine pile of building; the exterior, how- ever, is not very striking; the facade is well conceived, but it is so hid by the Sefninario j;j opposite, as to prevent a fair judgment of its merits. It was built in the year 1600. The BOLOGNA. I?7 interior, decorated with Corinthian columns, has three naves, in which are some curious paintings, particularly in the sanctuary, a fresco, representing the Annunciation, the last work of Lodovico Caracci; and in the chap- ter, Saint Peter and the Virgin bemoaning the death of our Saviour. This fine piece is by the same master, as is also a fresco at the bot- tom of the choir, where our Saviour is giving the keys of Paradise to St. Peter. The chapel Santissimo was lined with the most precious inarbles at the expense of Benedict XIV. (Below the choir is a curious crypt, or sub- ! terranean church. One altar, erected by the late bishop, of the finest marble, chastest de- icoration, and best proportion, cannot fail to attract the eye of the observer, it is exqui- :site in its kind. The church of Saint Petro- nius, in the great square, built in 4^2, and repaired in i3oo, is one of the largest and most ancient. Charles V was crowned in this church hy Clement VII. On the left is a marble , chapel, erected to the memory of Cardinal , Aldobrandi, at the expense of Benedict XIV. . On a tomb opposite the chapel is the follow- Pompejus Aldrobandi S. R. E. card, episc. montis. Falisci, et Corneli Patricias Bonon. In this church is the famous meridian of Cassini, the gnomon of which is more than I 70 feet in height. There are many other good I churches at Bologna, particularly that of the 1 Dominicans, where the body of the founder :i | o I l58 BOLOGNA. is preserved in a sarcophagus of white marble, ornamented with statues, one of which is said to be the production of Michael Angelo. The chapel contains some good paintings and sculp- ture, particularly the Paradise of Guido, a fres- co, in perfect preservation, and a masterpiece of that painter. The church of St. Paulcon- tains two fine sculptures, by Algardi. For a further account of the pictures contained in the churches, etc. of Bologna, we must refer to Zanottis Pein tares de Bologne. This au- thor enters into the most interesting detail's, and although the suppression of several church- es and oratories has occasioned many a blank in his catalogue, there is yet an abundance of masterpieces which have not crossed the'Alps^ quite sufficient to satisfy the curiosity of the traveller. Palaces and Public Buildings. — There are many palaces at Bologna ; the greater part are of brick, stuccoed within and without. The most considerable is the Palazzo publico, town-hall, in the great square, formerly be-* longing to the legate a latere. Among the pictures are a dead Christ, by Paul Veronese, and some good frescos. The ■private palaces arc more remarkable for in- terior decoration than external architecture. The palace Caprara, the facade and staircase of the palace Ranuzzi, and the Exchange^ are the best specimens. The palace Zambcc- cari, much richer formerly, than at present, in original pictures ; and that of Aldrovandi, with its two noble staircases, demand the pc- BOLOGNA. \5g cujiar notice of -the traveller. Here are two galleries, one for Greek and Roman busts, and the other for costly pictures. We must also name the palace Zampierri, possessing a beau- tiful ivory crucifix, by John of Bologna; a St. John, by Giambellino ; a dance of chil- dren, etc. j a St. Peter weeping for his fault and St. Paul consoling hi/a, one of the most valuable and best preserved pictures in Italy, is said to have been lately sold by the family for the sum of 12,000 louis d'ors. Here are some pictures of the Caraccis; the Rape of Proserpine, by Albano ; Hagar pursued by Abraham, and others of Guercino. The pa- lace Caprara is particularly distinguished by the richness of its furniture, being ornamented, with numerous spoils, taken from the Turks by General Caprara, at the siege of Vienna, in i683. The palace Ranuzzi con tains a great quantity of pictures of the highest value. All these paintings, at the taking of Bologna by the French, were considered as private pro- perty, and consequently respected. No city has given more encouragement to painting, or contributed more to its perfection than Bologna ; none has produced a greater number of illustrious painters, or enjoyed a higher reputation in the art than its well known school. To perpetuate the skill and the honours of this school, an academy was established, under the title of the Clementine .Academy, with a sufficient number of emi- nent professors to direet, and of medals and premiums to animate and reward the zeal of l6o BOLOGNA. the young artists. Public instructions are given gratis/models furnished, accommoda- tions supplied, and every possible encou- ragement afforded to attract scholars and to enable tliem to develope and perfect their talents. This excellent institution, so well calculated to preserve the reputation of the school of Bo- logna, originated in the beginning of the last century, and has already produced several ar- tists of reputation ; among whom we may rank its first president Carlo Cignani. The halls and apartments of this academy are very spa- cious, and form part of the palace,belonging to the Instituto dl Bologna. This latter esta- blishment, one of the most magnificent of the kind in Italy, or perhaps in the world, occu- pies a vast and very noble edifice, where the various arts and sciences have their respective halls, decorated in a grand style, and furnished with appropriate apparatus. In this palace sits the Academy of Sciences, a singular monu- ment of that enthusiasm for knowledge, which has always formed a distinctive feature in the Italian character. In the same palace is a library containing at least i5o,ooo volumes, open to the public six days in the week ; an observatory furnished with an excellent astronomical apparatus ; a vast chemical laboratory j a cabinet of natural history; an experimental cabinet, with allkinds of instruments for physical operations ; two halls of architecture, one for the civil, the BOLOGNA. l6l other for the military branches of this art j a marine hall ; a gallery of antiquities ; another of statues, and a third of paintings* a hall of anatomy and midwifery, particularly cele- brated for a remarkable collection of wax figures, representing the female form in all the stages and all the incidents of parturition; and finally a chapel for the use of the united members of the Instituto. Almost all these halls and apartments are adorned with pic- tures and paintings in fresco, on the walls and ceilings, and form one of the most magnificent abodes ever consecrated to the arts and sci- ences. Here professors attend and deliver lectures gratis, at stated periods, to all stu- dents on the different arts in their respective halls. Bologna owes this superb establishment to one of its citizens, Count Marsigli, who be- stowed upon the city his valuable collections of every kind, and by his exertions formed a society of men of the first talents and repu- tation in each art and science, which assumed the name of the Instituto di Bologna. To lodge this society, and to receive the collections, the city purchased, in the year 1714? tue Pa- lazzo Cellesi, and had it fitted up in its present Style, combining grandeur and convenience. From the Instituto we pass to the Univer- sity, the glory of Bologna, and equal, if not superior, inantiquity, and once in reputation, to the most celebrated Academies in Europe. The Scuole pub'bliche or halls of the Uniyer- o. l6a EOLO.GNA. sity form a very noble building ', 70 professors are employed and the endowments are very considerable. Besides the Instituto and the University, two academies of inferior lustre and celebrity watch over the interests of literature, and en- deavour to extend the empire of the Muses. They are entitled the Inquieti and the Oziosi, and abandoning the higher regions of science to the speculations of their brethren of the two great seminaries of learning, they range at large through the fields of fancy, and amuse themselves in collecting its flowers. In short the two grand features of the Bolognese cha- racter are formed by the two most honourable passions that can animate the human soul — the love of knowledge and the love of liberty — passions which predominate through the whole series of their history, and are justly expressed on their standard « Libertus » blaz- ing in golden letters in the centre, while «Bononia docet » waves in embroidery down the borders. The tower of Asinelli, situated in the middle of the town, was built in 1 1 ig, and is 327 feet in height ; it is a few feet out of the perpendicular. This tower, as well as its neighbour, is of brick. There are 44° steps to the first gallery, when a bad wooden stair- case conducts to the top, where is a bell, only tolled on extraordinary occasions. From the upper gallery is a view of uncommon beauty and extent. The neighbouring tower, which was built in 11 10, by Garrisendi and BOLOGXA. lG3 ()!io, a noble Bolognese family, is about 140 feet in height, and is eight feet out of the perpendicular. Dante mentions both of them in his Inferno. There are but few squares, and these are without any regularity. The finest is Piazza del Gigante maggiore, which is irregular, but spacious. It is always full of disorderly people, soldiers, priests, petty dealers, and sellers of eatables. The fine fountain. of Neptune, made by John of Bologna, in i563, is much esteem- ed at Bologna. Opposite the Palazzo publico, is an old building, ornamented with some bas-reliefs^ and surmounted by a tower, built for the imprisonment of Enzio, King of Sar- dinia, in. 1242, who died there, after twenty- years confinement. Many other squares, less important, have generally some saint or ma- donna in the centre, supported by a single column. One of the largest is that of the market, near Montagnola. Theatres, Promenades, etc. — The great 1 heat re of Bologna was designed by Bibbiena ; it is entirely of stone, and has five tiers of boxes. The same piece is frequently repeated for a month together, without intermission, and to crowded houses. It is not the fashion to frequent public walks at Bologna ; their sole amusement is in public or private so- cieties. Manners, Society, etc. — The Bolognese are industrious, gay, and of an enterprising cha- racter; but, like all the Italians, fond of amusements. The females are very hand- 1 04 BOLOGNA. some and amiable; they display much taste in their dress, and have good natural abili- ties, improved by education. Many cultivate literature, and appear very interesting in their conversaziones, which are almost always enlivened by quotations from their best poets. They seldom dance, but sing and play de- lightfully. Fashionable females enjoy the greatest liberty, but they know how to res- pect it; hence the husbands are less jealous here than in any other town of Italy. Devotion reigns throughout every class at Bologna ; churches and oratories abound and are well attended; madonnas ornament the houses, the shops, and even the chambers of all, of whatever profession ; religious processions are frequently held in the streets, when the houses are lined with crimson damask and tapestry. Bologna has given birth to many illustrious men, particularly the astronomer Cassini, the poet Manfridi, to Gratian, Guiglielmi, Guido, Dominichino, Albano, and the three Carac- cis; a hundred cardinals, and more than thirty popes, among whom is Benedict XIV. But above all, Bologna will be celebrated to the end of time, for the number of excellent painters which it has produced. There are at Bologna many religious houses, the apartments of which are to let. Those who may pay a visit to the convent of Saint Stefano, and inquire for Signore Tozzoli, wilt be received with the greatest urbanity, and will have an opportunity of viewing the trea- BOLOGNA. l65 sures of this house, among which an exquisite piece of sculpture, in ivory, (a Christ, by Michael Angelo Buonarotti) is not the least famous. Environs of Bologna. — On the suppression of the Chartreux convent, the government of Bologna converted the monastery into a campo santo, or burying-ground. The poor are interred in a large open space, their graves being distinguished by wooden crosses ; and the rich in the cloisters, with handsome sculp- tured tombs and sarcophagi. Particular courts or spots are reserved for illustrious fa- milies, members of the government, titled ecclesiastics, and members of religious houses yet existing. The spirit of toleration is ex- tended even to the mansions of the dead, and protestant and papist here repose in one com- mon dormitory j the Jews only have a sepa- rate place of interment. In one of the an- gular courts of this monastery, are the tombs and sculptured ornaments brought from the convent of Capuchins, a place chosen by wo- men of rank and beauty as their long and last abode. The sculls have been transported hi- ther, oleaned and arranged on tablets, with the name of their former possessor inscribed on each. Here, in the midst of this court, as if to moclc the sadness of the place, we behold , one of those strong contrasts so common in Italy — a mass of vegetation, where oranges, citrons, rosebays, and myrtles, intertwine their foliage and their flowers, and form a retreat for the feathered songster. l66 BOLOGNA. A more agreeable pilgrimage may be made to Notre Dame delta Guardia ; the road to it is through the city by a portico three miles in length. The architecture is modern, by Dotti, and resembles somewhat that of the Superga, near Turin; the interior is in the form of a Greek cross, with four chapels. In this church is a picture of the Virgin, said to be by Saint Luke, which is paraded through the streets of Bologna every year, and attracts a great number of persons. Saint 3Iichael in Bosco, is remarkable for its beautiful situation : it belonged to the Oli- vetans, and does credit to their taste. In the church are some good pictures. Commerce, Natural Productions, etc. — The chief trade of Bologna is in raw and manu- factured silk, as velvet, damask, satin, taffe- tas, etc. They manufacture also gauze, gloves, jewellery, and gold ornaments, snuff, artifi- cial flowers, paper, soap, and perfumes. Hemp, flax, wax, and honey, are among the exports. The greater part of the land is oc- cupied by vineyards, and the wine is toler- ably good, but would be much better if well made. There is an abundance of pas- ture land; and a great quantity of cattle, par- ticularly oxen for labour and draught, are kept. The export trade is greatly assisted by a canal of irrigation which goes round and enters the town, and also communicates with the Po, by means of eight or nine sluices. Epicures boast, and with reason, of the Bo- logna grape, especially the two sorts called BOLOGNA. j6>7 uva paradisa and angola; melons of a most delicate flavour, and which grow in large quantities; olives, large and fleshy; walnuts; truffles; liqueurs, the ratafia and chocolate; macaroni; hams and sausages, particularly the saucissons or mortadelles, and comfits. Among the different trades carried on at Bo- logna, that of copying pictures is not one of the least flourishing. Among the natural curiosities of Bologna, we must not omit to mention the phosphore- scent-stone, found on different eminences around this city, and especially on Monte Paderno, loose and scattered about between gypseous stones in a marly earth. It is found most readily after heavy rains, in the streams which run down the sides of the liili. To render it capable of shining in the dark, a piece particularly heavy, folia- ceous, and pure must be selected. After be- ing made red-hot, it is pounded and reduced to a fine powder, which, by means of a solu- tion of guratragacanth, becomes a kind of paste, and is then converted into small cakes. When these are dried, they are brought to a state of ignition between coals, and then suf- fered to cool ; after which they are preserved from the air and moisture in a close vessel. If one of these cakes be exposed a few minutes to the light, and then carried into a dark place, it will shine like a burning coal. This power of emitting light becomes lost in the course of time; but it may be restored as at first by heating', and afterwards by exposure 1 68 FROM BOLOGNA TO ROME. again to ignition. It was discovered at the beginning of the seventeenth century by a shoemaker of the name of Yincentio Cascia- rola. — (For a further account of the Bologna- Stone, see Beckmanris Inventions, vol. iy^ pp. 418 — 427. 2d edit.) Bologna, situated in the same plain as Par- ma, Modena, and Reggio, is ntuch nearer the charming hills which precede the chain of the Apennines. These hills begin at the distance of a mile at farthest, and present a delicious amphitheatre of verdure, the last eminences of which are formed by the central chain, which nobly crowns the horizon at some leagues distance. CHAP. V. From Bologna to Rome. » The traveller will be determined by the ar- rangements which he may have made, or by particular circumstances, to go from Bologna to Rome, by the way of Florence or Ancona. The only difference will be, that if he go by the one, he will return by the other. We shall suppose him to take the route of Ancona. No. 11. From Bologna to Ancona, 1 35 Eng- lish miles ; i5 7 posts; 27 hours. TIME. . TIME. FROM POSTS, h.m. FROM POSTS, h.m. BoLOcnrA. to Saint Imola to Faenza. i i 4° Nicolas ij 1 3o Forli 1 120 Imola 1*2 Cssesa I. 9 if IMOLA. — FAENZA. 1 69 TIME. TIME. FROM POSTS, h. m. FROM POSTS, h. m. Cesena to Savig- Pesaro to Fano.. i i 20 nano I 1 45 La Marotta 1 1 45 Rimini 1 1 \o Sinigaglia 1 2 5 La Cattolica i£ 2 i5 Case bruciate. . . . 1 2 10 Pesaro (1) 1 3 Ancona 1 2 i5 The road passes over the Via Emilia as far as Rimini, and from Rimini to Fano, over the Via Flaminia. The land is well cultivated, producing chiefly vines and hemp ; and the peasantry industrious and honest. After tra- versing several rivers over pretty bridges, and seeing some villages, particularly Castel San Pietro, we arrive at Iraola. Imola, built on the ruins of the Forum Cor- neliiy is watered and surrounded by an arm of the Santerno, and borders upon the Ro- magna, of which it forms a part, at the en- trance of the plains of Lombardy. The sur- rounding country offers some fine meadows for the pasturage of cattle, and numerous f)lantations of poplars. The streets are regu- ar and lively; the only church worthy of notice is the cathedral. The road next leads over a flat country to Faenza, one of the best built and most po- pulous towns on this route. It is surrounded by walls, washed by a branch of the Amone, and traversed by four principal streets which meet in the public square, where are the town- hall, the cathedral, a new theatre, and a fountain. Faenza was much celebrated for Inns. — (1) L'Aubeige de Parine; at the other rl aces > the Post. P I70 FORLI. its pictures; many yet remain in the gallery of the Lyceum: and the private collections of MM. Milzetti, Corelli, Laderchi, but parti- cularly of M.Ginnasi,.will amply repay a visit. Those wjio remain some time at Faenza will find it worth while to visit the Orphan-house, and Ferniachi's manufactory of glazed ware (faience^ The town, including the fau- bourgs, has an active population of 17,000 persons; it was the birth-place of Torricelli, and mauy other illustrious men. The rich cultivate the arts and sciences; the Lyceum has six professorships in humanity and philo- sophy, and two schools of painting. The country is very productive; and the neigh- bouring hills afford some mineral springs, and veins of lead, iron, and copper. Its wines were much esteemed by the ancients, and are mentioned with applause by Varro, Colu- mella, and Pliny; but they must have dege- nerated greatly, for Faenza can offer nothing at present but a common, sweet, white wine of little value. Forli, the Forum Livii of the ancients, was the birth-place of Gallus the poet, Biondo, Morgagni, and Gaudenzi. The remarkable objects are the palace of the Prefecture, Mont- de-Piele ; the palaces Romagnoli, Albizzi, and Piazza ; the church of St. Philip of Neri, and the hospital. The best inn is opposite to the palace Romagnoli, both of which are the property of M. Santarelli, profes>or of sur- gery, and surgeon of the Pope's guard. Passing the Iionca 7 a small river which joins FROM BOLOGNA TO ROME. 171 the Mont one, and runs into the Adriatic, we soon arrive at Forlimpopoli. (Forum Popilii) one of the four ancient forums of the Via Emilia mentioned by Pliny. Here are some ruins of castles said to be built in the time of Caesar Borgia. The road continues nearly straight, till we pass the Savio, and afterwards reach Cesena. From Bologna to Ancona numberless rivers are crossed; and these, though torrents in winter, are merely rills in the heat of summer. Their sources have not failed, but are only dried up. In leaving Bologna we turn our backs on the fertile and extensive plains of Lombardy and begin gradually to approach the Adriatic on one side, and the Apennines on the other. The road, however, still continues to give II the traveller all the advantages of the plain, \\ as scarce an eminence rises to retard his course before he reaches Ancona ; while he enjoys all the beauties of a mountainous coun- try in the hills on the right, which sometimes advance and sometimes retire, varying their forms and landscapes at almost every s.tep. Mountains crowned with towers, castles/ or towns, a striking feature of Italian and par- ticularly of Apennine scenery, often attract our attention during our progress, and in- creasing from Faenza, in number, boldness and beauty, repeatedly force on our recollec- tion Virgil's descriptive verse. y Tot conjesta manu prcsruptis oppida saxis : To which we may add that the numberless 172 CESENA. streams above mentioned rushing from the mountains, intersecting the plain, and bathing the time-worn walls of many an ancient town, seem to exhibit the original of the next line Fluminaque antiquos subter labentia muros. Cessna is a small town at the foot of a hill, and is celebrated for its vineyards an(l hemp- grounds: Pius VI, and the present Pope are natives of Cesena. The cathedral, the chur- ches of St. Dominic and St. Philip, the an- cient bridge of three large arches, and the library of Malatesta Novello, rich in MSS. before the invention of printing, are the prin- cipal objects of remark. About a mile from the town, on the top of a hill, is the church of Santa Maria del Monte, containing some ancient tombs. About two miles from Cesena flows a stream called the Pisatello, and supposed to be the ancient Rubicon : but this has been much dis- puted by men of learning: and, at the present day, the inhabitants of Savignano and Rimi- ni, both claim the honour of the classical appellation of Rubicon for their respective rivers. A few miles from Cesena we come in sight of the Adriatic on the left, while on the right the mountains increase in height and magni- ficence. On the summit of one that rises in full yiew, covered with snow and shining with ice, is the town San Marino bosomed in the regions of winter, and half lost in the clouds. The genius of liberty alone could have found- SAVIGNAXO. T73 ed and supported a republic in such a situa- tion. Savignano, the Compitum of the ancients, is a handsome town, but offers nothing to de- tain the traveller. Rimini (Ariminum,) an ancient, large, and populous city, having about 14,000 inhabitants, is situated on the Marecchia, about half a mile from the sea. This river forms at its mouth a small port, to which fishermen retreat in bad weather. Rimini is entered by the gate of St. Julian, over a superb bridge, constructed of marble in the reigns of Augustus and Tiberius, -where the two Flaminian and Emilian ways were united. On leaving the town by the Roman gate, we pass under a fine triumphal arch erected in honour of Augustus. (1) There are many edifices here built at the expense of the Malatesta family; the cathedral and other churches are ornamented with marbles from the port. The principal church is built on the ruins of an ancient temple of Castor and Pollux j that of St. Francis, a superb edifice of the 1 5lh century, is by Albertij that of St. Augustin and St. Julian are worthy of inspec- tion on account of the pictures contained in them. At the Capuchins, are the ruins of an amphitheatre of Publius Sempronius* and in the fish-market is shown the tribune where, to the dismay and alarm of the inhabitants, Caesar appeared in the morning at day-break, (1) See Temanza's Antichith di Rimini, where is a plate of this fatuous arch. P. 174 BHHjri. surrounded by his cohorts, after he had ha- rangued his army the evening before on the banks of the Rubicon. Before the house of the municipality is a fountain in marble, and a statue of Paul II in bronze. From Rimini, an agreeable excursion may be made to Ravenna, distant about four posts. The bridge over which we pass to Rimini, about two hundred and twenty feet in length, was constructed in the time of Augustus and Tiberius. It has five arches of equal span, lour of which are in good preservation : the other has been repaired ; the massy stones are so exquisitely joined as to be scarcely percep- lible. Two handsome inscriptions and the cornices are still traceable. In this town a statue in bronze of Paul V is to be seen ; he appears to be in the action of declaiming, and holds in his hand the keys of the Church. Some palaces merit attention, particularly the elegant residence of M. Gambalonga, which contains an ample library. The antiquary ought not to neglect seeing the collection of inscriptions and other curiosities in the pos- session of M. Bianchi. The church of St. Francis in this town was built from the designs of Leon Alberti. Here are many fine paintings by Giotto, and several bas-reliefs, particularly those which ornament the monument of Mala testa, the Venetian general, an admirer of learning and the arts. The Church of St. August in is worth seeing* RAVENNA. I y5 but more especially that of St. Julian, on ac- count of the picture of the martyrdom of this saint by Paul Veronese. Ravenna was the seat of empire under Hheodoric; and afterwards was governed by Exarchs, under the Greek emperors, from whom it was conquered by the Lombards. It afterwards came into the hands of the "Ve- netians ; and was by them finally ceded to the Pope in 1529. This city is thinly inhabited, the streets are wide, straight, and regular; some of the sacred edifices present stately re- mains of its ancient splendour. It has neither trade nor manufactures. Population, about i5,ooo. Ptavenna is famous for its mosaics, antique marbles, sarcophagi, and some buildings of the lower ages : there are also some good pic- tures in the churches of the Bologna school, but injured by the damp. The cathedral is good, and modernized. The cupola of the Aldo- branclini chapel is painted in fresco by Guido; and there is also a picture in it by him of the Israelites gathering manna. The baptistery is in its old state; an octangular fabric, with eight large arches at bottom, and over each three gothic ones; the front is a vast basin of white Grecian marble. In the church -of S. ApolHnare, belonging to the Camuldules, in the suburb, is a double row of columns of Grecian marble, twelve in each row, brought from Constantinople; the altar is enriched with verde-antico, porphvrv, and oriental aia- baster ? and the tribunal is supported by four 176 HAVEN N A. fine columns of new e bianco. The ceiling is one of the most perfect mosaics now re- maining ; the figures are dry, but with strong expression and colours. St. Vitale, a church of the Benedictines, is a very ancient fabric. It is an octagon, sup- ported by columns of Greek marble; the co- lumns have their bases within the ground. The pavement is very beautiful ; some of the bas-reliefs, and the mosaics in the choir, are extremely curious. The church of St. John the Evangelist, built by Placidia, has been modernized; yet the old cipolline columns, twenty-four in number, are remaining; there is also much porphyry and verde-antico ; in repairing it they found the old mosaic pave- ment of the fourth or fifth century, now all preserved in a chapel. See also St. Romuald for some good pictures; the public library and Museum. In the square are two lofty granite pillars, a marble statue of Clement XII, by Pietro Bacci, and a bronze one of Alexander "VII. On a fountain before the palace, is an antique sta- tue of Hercules, with a globe on his shoulder, serving for a sun-dial. In the public street, at one corner of the Franciscan convent, is the tomb of Dante. Without the city, to- wards the ancient haven, stands the tomb of Theodoric. It is a rotundo divided into two stories, each serving for a chapel: the roof is one single piece of granite, four or five feet thick, and thirty-one feet two inches in dia- meter; forming a dome. On the middle of SAN MARIXO. I77 this, four columns supported the sarcophagus, a single block of porphyry, eight feet long, and four feet deep and broad : it had a bronze cover of curious workmanship; but the sar- cophagus is fixed in the wall of the convent belonging to the Zoccolanti ; where the an- cient palace of Theodoric, within the city, is supposed to have stood. This tomb was once a stately sea-mark; but is now nearly twelve miles from the sea, and yet the lower chapel is submerged at high water. In the neigh- bourhood of Ravenna, is a large forest o£ pines, belonging entirely to the Benedictines, twelve miles in length, and three or four in breadth, called Pigneta, and furnishing pig" nole, or kernels of the pine, for the deserts of a great part of Italy. Hence also may be made an excursion to San Marino. A mountain, and a few neigh- bouring hillocks scattered about the foot of it, form the whole circuit of this little state. They have three castles, three convents, and five churches, and reckon about 5ooo souls. The republic of San Marino has subsisted near 1400 years. All that are capable of bearing arms are exercised, and ready at a moment's call. The government is in a council of sixty, as it is called, though it consists only of forty members; but lh.e Arengo, or general council, is assembled in cases of extraordinary impor- tance. There are two chief magistrates, a commissary, who is always a foreigner ; is joined in commission with them, and is the judge in all civil and criminal matters. The I78 PESARO. winter is very severe at San Marino ; the snow lying on the ground siv or seven months, to the depth of two feet or more. Pesaro was dismembered by Pope Julius II, to make a fief for his own family, but devolved again to the holy see, on the extinction of it. The elegant court of Urbino used to spend the winter here, in palaces, of which little more than melancholy remains are now to be seen. It had a bad character anciently for the insa- lubrity of its air in summer; but the draining of the neighbouring marshes has long since removed it. There are some good pictures here by Baroccia. In the great square is the statue of Pope Urban "VIII. For antiquities, see the collec- tions of Nati Olivieri and the Muse'e Passeri. The antiquities of Pesaro have been engraved, with explanations, in folio, under the title of Marmora Pisaurensia. The Princess of Wales has a house near Pesaro. From the mountain of Pesaro the country is fiat, and the road, by the side of the Adriatic all the way, very good, through well-built towns, and a cultivated country. Some of the scenes are uncommonly beautiful ; and there is a succession of the most lovely green hills imaginable, with the prospect perpetually changing. Severe weather, however, sets in the beginning of December, and lasts till the middle or latter end of February; and the snow often lies four months upon the coast. The silk of Urbino, and the upper part of the Romagna, is bought up at Rimini and Pe« FANO. — AXCONA. I *g saro, and sold raw to the English for mohairs, silks, cottons, etc. At Fano (Fanum fortune) are the remains of a triumphal arch of Constantine, and part of a building in a good style; there is also a remarkably fine theatre and a good library. On the coast of Fano the seahorse (Signalus Hippocampus) is sometimes found. Half a league from Fano, the road crosses the river Metro, anciently Metaurus, famous for the total defeat and death of Asdrubal. At la Cattolica, between Rimini and Pesaro, Pio- magna is quitted, and we enter Urbino; which we quit between Fano and Sinigaglia, for An- cona. Sinigaglia is a flourishing town, built of white brick; has little port, and some trade in corn, hemp, and silk. During the fair, which is in June, there is a considerable resort of Greeks, Levanters, Turks, and others, forming a picturesque and amusing assemblage. The cathedral and St. Martin's are the most remarkable churches, Ancona has a beautiful and convenient har- bour j and, being a free port, there is a flou- rishing trade here. The chief exportation is of grain, wool, and silk. The town is built on the side of a hill, and extends to the wa- ter's edge. The cathedral stands on the sum- mit of the promontory, where was anciently a temple of Venus, and this was the original site of the place. The mole is a very fine work, 2000 feet lo»ng, ioo feet broad, and 68 high from the water's edge: it is adorned with an antique triumphal arch, of white marb!e ? §80 ANC0NA. of good proportions, and well preserved, erected in honour of Trajan. This elegant remain of antiquity, is built of blue and white Parian marble, the veins of which resemble in colour those of the com- mon Carrara, but they are straighter and less branched; the crystalline grain of the stone is also larger, which is reckoned more beau- tiful. On the site next the sea, on the interco- lumniations, are the following inscriptions: the one to the wife, the other to the sister of Trajan : Plotinae. Divse. Aag. Marcranae. njug. Aug. Aug. Sorori. Aug. The principal inscription, 'which is at pre- sent almost illegible, is as follows : Imp. Caesari, Divi. Nervae. F. Nervae. Trajano. Optimo. Aug. Germanic. Dacico Pont. Man. Tr. Pot. XVIII. Imp. IX. COS. VI. PP. Providentissimo. Principi. Senatus. P. Q. R. Quod. Accessum. Italicae. Hoc. Etiam. Ex. Pecunia. Sua. Portu. Tutiorem. Navigantibus. Reddiderit. There is also a modern arch, in honour of Pope Benedict XIV, by Vanvitelli, who built the Mole, and finished the Lazaretto, which is a pentagon, and a work little inferior to the Mole itself. This was built in the time of Clement XII, who first declared Ancona a free port. There are some pictures in the ANCON'A. 1 8 1 churdhes of St. Francis della Scala, St. Do- minic, and St. Palazia. The best streets in Ancona are near the water: and besides herbs and fruits, tish, as may be expected in a sea-port, is most abun- dantly supplied. Though the streels are in general badly laid out, there are nevertheless some very good houses among them, such as the Italians call palaces: viz. the town-house, the custom-house, the residence of the Pope's Legate* the houses of Leverataferi, Mancini Forfe, Ferette, Bonizio, Strionfi, and others. Here is also a reservoir of water, with a good fountain. The Exchange is paved with black and white marble j and as usual all through Italy, ornamented with statues, principally of saints. The Lazaretto, and the Hospital Esposti, are edifices well worthy of attention. The inhabitants of Ancona are fond of the promenade, and are generally seen in groupes, in the evening, on the Mole. Sunday morn- ing, however, is thp best time for observing the beaux and belles of Ancona. Lalande and other writers speak highly of the beauty and fresh complexions of the Anconese ; but a very recent traveller observes, that the la- dies are very brown and ugly. The popula- tion of Ancona amounts to 18 or 19,000 j the greater number are Catholics, the remainder a ?t.estants, Greeks, and Jews, and every one is allowed to worship God in his own way, without n/y molestation whatever. Almost, all the cornmrce of Ancona is managed by Greeks or Jews^nd 3 few French and Ita- Q l82 ANCONA TO ROME. lians. The chief article of manufacture is wax, much esteemed for its whiteness; corn, j silk, hemp, and pulse, are the produce of the neighbouring country. No. 12, From Ancona to Rome, by Loretto and Foligno,- \83 English miles; 25^postsj 10 minutes. 70 hours, FROM POSTS Ancona to Caniu- rano i\ Loretto 1 Sambucheto 1 Rignano 1 Macerata 1 ToLElVTINO I Valcimara i-j P. alia Trave .... 1 Serravalle 1 Le Case Nuove. . 1 FoLIGWO I Le Vene 1 TIME. h. m. 5 4 45 i TTME. FROM posts, h.m. Le VenetoSpoleto i 3 Strettura 1 3 3o Terni 1 3 Narini 1 a 45 Otricoli 1 3 Borghetto 1 3 ClYITA CASTEL- LATfA I* 2 IO Nepi I 2 3o Monterosi 1 a Baccano 1 a La Stoita 1 a 45 Rome 1 3 The road which leads from Bologna to Rome, byLoretto, although it traverses theApennines at the Col Fiorito, is, notwithstanding, pre- ferable to that from Florence to Rome, by Sienna. The same may be observed of the road which leads from Florence to R.ome by Perugia and Foligno. This last is certainly 3o miles longer than the route by Sienna, butj the country which it passes through is in^4 nitely more agreeable, and the inns ar bet- (1) Iw?rs. — The inns on tliis route are rrinmonly at ths Post; the best arc at Macerata, Fnguo, Spoleto, find Nanii. LORETTO. — SANTA CASA. l83 ler and more numerous. From Ancona to Loretto the road is very mountainous, but presents, on every side, a well peopled and fertile country. Loretto is a modern town, built on the summit of a hill, and containing about 5ooo inhabitants ', it is three miles from the sea, over which there is a most beautiful view. It is but indifferently built; the principal street consists mostly of small shops for roseries, crucifixes, madonnas, agnus deis, medals, little works in fillagree, small bells, broad figured ribands, and such trifles. The very dust of the holy house is sold to devotees, carefully put up in small packets. The church was gothic, and has been mo- dernized. The front is by Giacomo della Porta j and on one side of the court are double arcades, said to be finished by Bramante. Over the portal is a statue of the virgin, by Lombardi ; by whom also are the bas-reliefs upon the bronze gates, the lower of which are almost effaced by the kisses of the pilgrims.. Wifhin the church are about twenty chapels* The Santa Casa y or chapel of our Lady, stands in the middle of the church. It is an oblong room, 3i feet q inches in length, i3 feet 3 inches in breadth, and iSfeet 9 inches in height • incrusted with Carrara marble, of be«ntiful architecture, designed by Bramante; and or n amented with sculptures by Sansovino, San Gahv-^ Bandinelli, etc. representing the history of ti> e Blessed Yirgin. The walls of the holy house <«<, mav easily be seen on the l84 LORETTO. — SANTA CASA. inside) are of brick, witja, some flat bits of stone intermixed. Towards the east end there is a separation made, by a grate-work of sil- ver : this they call the sanctuary ', and here stands the holy image of the Virgin, made, as it is said, of cedar of Lebanon, and carved by St. Luke: her dark complexion, as well as the glitter of her robe, bespeak her an Indian Queen : she has a triple crown on her head, and holds the image of Christ , in her left hand she carries a globe, and two fingers of her right are held up, as in the act of blessing. The other part of the house has an altar at the upper end, and at the lower a window, through which the angel is supposed to have entered, at the annunciation. The treasures of the Santa Casa, before the subjugation of Italy by the French, were truly immense. In the year i47°> the amount of their riches was only 6000 ducats, but the accumulation of more than three centuries defied all calculation as to the value of these treasures. The number, variety, and rich- ness of the vestments, lamps, candlesticks, goblets, crowns, crucifixes, images, cameos, pearls, and gems of all kinds were prodigious. Some of the most" remarkable of the offerings made to the Virgin by crowned heads and il- lustrious families, during this period, were as follow: 1. A crown and sceptre, enriched with jewels. 2. A golden crown, set wit 11 ru ~ hies, pearls, and diamonds. 3. Two Tranches of coral, near a foot and a half m height. 4. A crown of lapis lazuli. „/»* A crown of LORETTO. — SANTA CAS A. I 85 agate. 6. A robe for the Virgin, enriched with 6684 diamonds. 7. An emerald four times the size of a man's head, for which 90,000 crowns were offered by an English gentleman. 8. A very large amethyst, set in gold. 9. A chain of the golden fleece, set with rubies, pearls, and diamonds. io. A golden candlestick, weighing 23 pounds, set with ru- bies, opals, emeralds, pearls, and diamonds. II. A crown set with pearls and rubies. 12. A missal, the cover of which was adorned with twelve large topazes. i3. A pearl, having delineated on it naturally y the Holy Virgin, sitting on a cloud, and holding the infant Je- sus. 1 4- A pearl as large as a pigeon's egg. 1 5. A piece of Yirgin gold, as it came out of the mine, weighing eleven ounces. 16. A set of altar furniture in amber, set with nearly 7000 pearls, besides diamonds and rubies, and valued at 200,000 crowns. 17. The Imperial (Austrian) *>ag!e, entirely made of diamonds. 18. A ship of gold. 19. The Virgin's statue of amber. 20. A large golden -crucifix, or- namented with six sapphires and diamonds. 21. The city and citadel of Nancy, in Lor- rain, in silver chased. 22. The Bastile in silver, as also the principal cities of Italy, of the same material. Of all these treasures, No. i3, the pearl, is tne 9n jv one now to be seen; this disappeared at the c" me of the French invasion, but has since been repurchased by Pope Pius VII. We have little cmibt, however, that many of the above articles . i still in concealment. It is lS6 LORETTO. — SANTA CASA. not, perhaps, generally known, that the greater part of the treasure at Loretto was re- moved prior to the possession of that place by the French in 1797, and that they only carried away the wooden statue of the Virgin (since returned) and some articles, worth about 4 o0 °l- The annual revenue of the Santa Casa, exclusive of presents, amounted to 3o,ooo scudi (crowns). The wine cellar never contained less than 140 large tons of wine ) and white, claret, and a deep red wine> were frequently drawn from the same cock. About 3oo gallipots are still to be seen, on which are painted subjects from the Old and ]New Testament, after the designs of Raffaelle tnd Julio R-omano; many of them are very beautiful. The sanctuary formerly contained 62 great lamps of gold and silver; one of the golden ones weighing 3j pounds. Here was also an angel of massive gold, and two of silver. The place of these, however, as well as many of the other ornaments, has been supplied by gilt articles, and by false stones. All who en- ter the chapel armed are excommunicated. Devotees are continually crawling round on their knees, and wear two deep grooves in the marble pavement, which is renewed once in about 26 years. The pilgrimages to Loretl' have of late years, however, dwindle^ iruo the attendance of a few beggars and others, who receive food and medicine grais, at the infirmary of the Santa Casa. i'he number of pilgrims who resorted p> JLiOretto in one LOKETTO. SANTA CASA. 1S7 year has been estimated at 200,000. Deprived of its treasures, the holy house did not pre- sent much attraction to strangers, the black wooden statue of the Yirgin offering little gra- tification to heretical eyes. But as Catholi- city is fast re-establishing herself over Italy, Spain, and France, the aubergistes of Loretto may yet hope for better days. The history of this Santissima Casa is pretty well known. It was the house in which the Yirgin Mary resided in Nazareth, and was in May, 1 291, carried through the air from Ga- lilee to Tersato, inDalmatia, by angels; and four years and a half afterwards,* on Decem- ber 10, 1294, about midnight, it arrived in Italy by the same conveyance : it was set down in a wood, in the district of Recanati, about a thousand paces from the sea ', all the trees and shrubs, on the arrival of the house, bowed with the greatest reverence, and con- tinued in that posture till they withered and 'decayed. The lady of the manor was named Laureta, and hence the appellatiou of this house. But the road being infested with rob- bers, pilgrims suffered greatly, and the angels again took up the house, and brought it near Recanati, to a place which belonged to two brothers. These gentlemen, however, disa- greeing about the profits of the Santa Casa, a duel was the consequence, in which both were Villed. The house, in consequence took ano- . r journey, and found out its present situa- . , Notwithstanding the immense treasures "Sed in the Santa Casa, it was scarcely I 88 LORETTO. — SANTA CASA. ever attacked by the Turks or pirates. The legendary tales about the supernatural de- fence of this house, common in books of tra- vels, failed entirely when the French came to Loretto during the late revolutionary war about 1799. A strong garrison, we. believe, was generally kept at Loretto, and on the slightest alarm, was summoned to its protec- tion and defence; this was indeed a measure of common precaution, which all the super- stitions of its governors understood two well ever to neglect. The fullest historical account of Loretto is in the elegantly written dialogues of Gaudcnti, in his Storia della Santa Casa, 8vo. Loretto, 1784. A pamphlet may be purchased at Loretto, called Notizie della Santa Casa, 8vo. pp. 88, 1786, which gives a full account of the then existing state of the holy house. While at Loretto, the traveller may visit Osimo, (famous for its collection of antiqui- ties in the Palazzo publico) Humana, and as* much as possible of this coast, which is almost the whole of it, an object of the greatest in- terest to the classical scholar, as well as to the admirer of picturesque scenery. From Lo- retto to the sea, the road is lined with houses and gardens. The country is fine, well cul- tivated, and watered by two rivers, and offers a pleasing variety of hill and dale, as far as Macerata. On the road is an aqueduct which 1) rings water from Recanati to supply t*^ fountains of Loretto. At Recanati, seate ^] e an eminence, there is nothing renaar^ MABCETA. — TOLENTINO. 1 89 except a monument in bronze at the Palazzo publico, and some well-built houses. Between this place and Macerala, agriculture is in a very flourishing state. Macerata is agreeably situated, on the sum- mit of a hill from which the Adriatic may be seen. It is an episcopal see, was formerly the capital of the March of Ancona, and contains about 10,000 inhabitants. Here are soj},e hue churches, and good pictures : the house of Compagnoni contains some ancient inscrip- tions. The Porta Pia is surmounted with the bust of a cardinal, in honour of whom it w'as erected. The environs of this place furnish, abundance of corn, and the fields are enclosed by flourishing hedges of the white- thorn, planted and preserved with great skill and at- tention. Tolentino is situated on the top of a hill, whence flows the source of the Chienti; it is sufficiently populous, but there is little ap- parent activity, except indeed among the mendicant order, who assail the traveller on every side with their dolorous importunities. At Tolentino, on the 19th Feb. 1797, a treaty of peace was signed between the then French Republic and his holiness the Pope. The theatre is modern, and built after the designs of Locatelli. Leaving Tolentino, we enter the Apennines, in the midst of which we tra- vel as far as Foligno. To Yalcimara the country is almost entirely covered with oaks. At f his spot the plain ends, and the valley is very narrow, and bounded in some parts by ICjO SERRAVALLE. frightful precipices. From Valcimara the ascent is continual, till we reach the narrow pass of Serravalle. At Poiite delta Trave, the inn is indifferent, but the surrounding scenery will no doubt in- vite the traveller to pause, particularly if he should arrive in the evening, and be unwill- ing to pass the Serravatle during the night. This is a spot extremely romantic; a river runs no great distance from the road, the ascent on each si'Je is richly clothed with trees anl vegetation, and the country not destitute of those dwellings which may be stiled « the chearful haunts of man. » It is a custom among some of the peasantry in Italy to exhibit specimens of their courage, by walking at the very edges of such declivi- ties as the Serravatle. Others, less vain and more gallant, only employ their dexterity in collecting the flowers which grow about the steep rocks ; as the Ssnecio Alpinus, encom- passed with golden rays ; the Alpine pink, which has the smell of the lily; and the saty- rum nigrum, which exhales the perfume of Vanilla. Meanwhile the echoes of the neigh- bouring mountains resound, with shouts of lively and unrestrained joy ever inseparable from simple and innocent pleasures. At a little distance on the right, we leave the little town of Camerino, situated on a mountain, whose inhabitants known in Ro- man history by the name of Camerices, fur- nished to Scipio, according to Livy, 6oomen to go into Africa > Serravatle , is a large FOLIGNO. I9I town, almost impregnable, situated between two mountains, and seperates Urabria from the march of Ancona. Here are the ruins of the walls and gates of a castle, built by the Goths. In a place called Col Fiorilo, the r-oad cut in the rock forms a semicircle of about two miles, and is not wide enough for two carriages to pass. It is rather dangerous, par- ticularly in winter, when the snow has fallen in great quantities. The geologist, minera- logist, or botanist will find abundant gratifi- cation among these mountains. The village of Case Nuove is situated in a desert and arid country, a*nd the inhabitants have no resource but- in the charity of stran- gers. Froni this place to Foligno. the ascents and descents are difficult and continual. Be- fore we descend the last hill, at some distance from the road, in the village of Palo, is a very curious cavern, covered with stalactites, but the key is kept at Foligno. The beauti- ful valley which bears this name, the ferti- lity of the soil, the green meadows, and ver- dant hills, amply repay the traveller for the fatigue and ennui which he may have en- countered in reaching Foligno. Foligno, one of the largest towns in Um- bria, is situated in the valley of Spoleto, whose fertile and rich pastures are watered by the ancient Clitumnus. It is populous, mercan- tile, and industrious. It is not a handsome •own, but the streets are regular, and through tht principal one flows' a rivulet of clear wa- ter, covered with planks, some of which may I9 2 SPOLETO. be occasionally removed to supply the wants of the people. In the morning the great square is filled with women, who come from the neighbourhood to -sell vegetables and poultry. Among other palaces, may be named that of Barnabo, and the town-hall, which contains a precious collection of ancient gems. Besides the cathedral, see the churches of the Franciscans and Augustins, and the convent called la Contessa, where is a fine picture by Piaftaelle. There is a considerable fair at Fo- ligno — paper and wax manufactories; — its comfits are celebrated all over Italy. Between Foligno and Le Vene, the village of Trevi, built on the side of a mountain, has a pretty effect. Almost close to the post-house at Le Vene is a small ancient temple, dedicated to Christian worship, but still called the Temple of Clitumnus. A little to the south of it gushes out a plentiful stream of limpid water, one of the sources of the Clitumnus; of this Pliny (Lib. viii. Ep. 8.) has given an excel- I lent description. At Spoleto, built on the crater of an ancient | volcano, the capital of Umbria, are some re- mains of antiquity : as a Roman building cal- j led a Temple of Concord, at the church of i the Crucifix ; there are three doors which | seem to have been very fine: four columns, two large ones of the Composite order, twenty I feet high ; two of the Corinthian order, al- most as high, and ten others : these have b'; the greater number of tra- vellers, however, only see it from above, the road being more convenient ; and, indeed, if it can be seen but once, the latter, perhaps, is the best place. It is not composed of a single fall of water (as that of the Staubbach, in the vallev of Lauterbrunn, which takes a single leap of 930 feet), but of three connective falls: in the first, the waters fall on the rocks with such force, that a great part ascends again in vapour to the top; the remainder forms a sp- cond and third fall; and, finally, uniting it- self to the Nera, the waters roll in volumes, and whiten with their foam the whole extent of this deep valley. The waters of the Velino, although they appear as clear as crystal, leave a calcareous deposit, not only on the rocks on which they fall, but in the very bed of the Nera; and the men and cattle in the countries washed by the river, are very subject to cal- culous complaints. In the lake which is tra- versed by the Velino, are found, at a certain NAIiXI. 195 depth, tlie branches of petrified trees, winch, without changing their form, take only the dusky-vellowish colour of the sand, which does not occasion any injury to them. The valley of Terni, watered bv the Nar orNera, for this is its name after the turbu- lent junction of the two rivers, was famed in ancient times, and is so still, for the richness of its soil. Pliny says, that the meadows were mowed four times in a year; and two ancient aqueducts made for flooding the lands, are still used for that purpose. It is covered with, -plantations of vines, olives, fruit-trees, etc. After dark, the grass in the meadows may be ser » covered with myriads of lucioli, or little fire-flies. IXarnih a small town, situated in the midst of a picturesque country, and offers many points of view verv agreeable to the admirer ! of romantic scenery. Here is an aqueduct, ' more than twelve miles' in extent, which 1 Brings water from the mountains to supply the fountains of Narni. The Cathedral will repay a visit, as will also the remains of a magnificent bridge, constructed in the reign of Augustus. From Narni, there is a branch- road to Perugia, by Todi, a little town, al- most in ruins, near the Tiber. By another road, on the banks of the river, you can pass from thence to the Abbruzzo. From Narni the road runs through the de- file along the f middle of the declivity, till suddenly the opposite mountain seems to burst asunder, and opens through its shaggy sides I96 CORTELLACIXO. an extensive view over the plain of the Tiber, terminating in the mountains of Viterbo. Here we leave the defile and the Nar, but con- tinue to enjoy mountain forest scenery for some miles, till descending the last declivity, a few miles from Otricoli, we discover a spa- cious and verdant plain, and in the midst of it behold, for the first time, clear and distinct, glittering in the beams of the sun, winding along in silent dignity — the Tiber ! The ruins of the ancient Otriculum are near the banks of the Tiber, about half a mile out of the road; but there is nothing among them, worth seeing. K.X, Otricoli, we leave Umbria and enter Sabina; passing the Tiber over a beautiful bridge of three arches, built under Augustus, and repaired by Sixtus Y, whence it has the name of Ponte Felice. Near Bor- ghetto, at some distance on the left, out of the road, is the town of Magliano, on a moun- tain, near the Tiber. The environs abound in corn and wine. All the country from hence to Rome is volcanic. The situation of Civita Castellana is very advantageous and almost impregnable. From the to*p of the tower of the citadel may be seen the castle of Serra Caprarola, Magliano, and Mount St. Oreste y the snowy Soracte of Horace, where Apollo once had his temple and his sacred grove; which it is necessary to point out, because Christianity having changed all the ancient names of places, this has, in many instances, unavoidably obscured the history of former ages. CorlellacinO) a miserable village near Cas- HONCIGLTONE. — MONTEROSIE. — BACONA. 197 lellana, is not worth the trouble of ascending a steep mountain to see. But the Cathedral, at the former place, well worthy of notice, is line, and has some monuments of antiquity on the outside. Population, 3ooo. From the road it may be perceived, that the hill on which the town stands is composed of breccia and rolled pebbles ; these appear under the volcanic tufo, immediately over which it is built. At Civita Castellana, travellers in ge- neral leave the ancient Via Flaminia, which is in a very bad state, and take the new road, passing by Nepi, Ronciglione, Monterosi, Bac- cano, and la Storta. Ronciglione is a rich and populous town, situated near the Lago di Vico. The houses are built of the tufo, and the castle offers a horrible appearance. In a deep, neighbouring valley, are some pictu- resque points of view. In the environs are caverns, hollowed out of the tufo : the coun- try is sterile and dreary. Ronciglione has some paper manufactories and forges. Before we arrive at Monterosi is seen a tor- rent of lava : at the latter place, the road from Perugia meets that of Rome. On the summit of the hills, where the castle of Mon- terosi is, many Etruscan antiquities have been found in the subterraneous chambers ; from this place to Baccano is a continued chain of volcanic hills. In descending from Monterosi to la Storta, Ave pass for many miles over the Via Cassia, which is very badly kept. From Baccano, situated on a lake, may be seen the ball of the cross of St. Peter's, and a glimpse R 198 CAMPAGxVA DI ROMA. of the city of Rome. The air in the neigh- boarhood of Baccano is very unhealthy. The road still continues to descend, and the tra- veller passes over one of the most neglected plains in Europe. Between la Storta and Pon- temolle, on the Tiber, on the left is an an- cient tomb called that of Nero; and at Pon- temolle are the roads from Foligno and Peru- gia. Advancing towards Pontemolle, the road becomes more agreeable; the ground is naturally good, but every where neglected: indeed, throughout the whole extent of the patrimony of St. Peter, the soil is altogether uncultivated, and the Campagna di Piomcij particularly, is almost a desert. Dreary solitudes, naked hills, swampy plains rise and sink by.turns, without present- ing a single object worth attention. It must not, however, be supposed that no vegetation decorates these dreary wilds. On the con- trary, verdure but seldom interrupted, occa- sional corn-fields, and numerous herds and flocks communicate some degree of animation to these regions otherwise so desolate. But, descending from high mountains, the natural seat of barrenness, where, however, we still witnessed rural beauty and high cultivation, to a plain in the neighbourhood of a populous city, where we might naturally expect, at least, the perfection of gardening and all the bustle of life, we are forcibly struck with the wide waste that spreads around, and wonder what may be the cause that has deprived so extensive a tract of its inhabitants. ARRIVAL IN ROME. 1 99 From Pcntemolle to Rome, the road crosses n valley between the hills of Pinciano and Mana, The bridge which look the name of JEmiiius, ii5 v^ars bctore Christ, when it was built*, and under Nero that of Milvius, is about a mi" It from the Porta del Popolo on the Via Flaminia. It was destroyed in the celebrated defeat of Maxentius by Constan- tine; three arches only were left, and upon these Nicholas built a new bridge. This has lately been restored by Pius "VII, as the in- scription indicates. Near this road the dome of St. Andrew, the finest modern echfice in the environs of Rome, majestically rears its head in the midst of a vast extent of ruins. The traveller now passes through the noble Porta del Popolo, an appropriate and most magnificent entrance into this ETERNAL CITY. « And what is it (every one is disposed to ask with Mr. Alison) that conslitutes that emot.iou of sublime delight, which every man of common sensibility feels upon the first prospect of PtOME? It is not ihe -scene of de- struction which is before him. It is not the Tiber diminished in his imagination to a pal- try stream, flowing amid the ruins of that magnificence, which it once adorned. It is not the triumph of superstition over the wreck of human grealness, and its monuments erect- ed upon the very spot, where the first honours of humanity have been gained. It is AN- CIENT ROME tvhich fills his imagination. 200 ROME. It is the country of Caesar, of Cicero, and of Virgil, which is before him. It is the mis- tress of the world which he sees, and who seems to him to rise again from the tomb, to give laws to the universe. All that the la- bours of his youth,or the studies of his maturer age have acquired, with regard to the history of this great people, open at once before his imagination, and present him. with a field of high and solemn imagery, which never can be exhausted. » (i) Instructions, on arriving in Rome. It may be proper to apprize travellers, that on entering Rome by the Porta del Popolo, much tiresome ceremony awaits them j and, therefore, that every stranger would do well to announce his arrival beforehand to the minister of his nation, at the Chancery, who will then have the goodness to obtain with little trouble, permission for the trunks, etc. of the new comer to be examined at his inn. To the custom-house officers at the gate through which he is to pass, a paper is then given with the name of the person expected : this is presented to him, and if he acknow- ledge it, he is allowed to pass unmolested into the city. But those who are unprovided in this way, must sometimes submit to wait se- veral hours at the custom-house: however, this inconvenience may always be avoided by repairing to the Chancery, and obtaining a (i) Essays on Taste, Vol. i. p. fa, 4 X ROME. 20 1 permission, perhaps in the course of half an hour. Inns. — The best family hotels at Rome are in the Piazza di Spagna, and its vicinity. Near this spot also, in the Strada di Condotli, is Franc's Hotel, in which there is the best table d'hote in R.ome ; where the price, pre- vious to the late great influx of the English, was four Roman Pauls ; at present it is six. Within a few doors of it there is the Caffe Te* desco (German Coffee-house) which is the most comfortable one for breakfast. The only place of this description for evening resort, and which has any claims to elegance, has lately been opened in the lower apartments of the Palazzo Respoliy in the Co/wo, where that street is intersected by the Strada di Condotti. Caffes are very numerous at Rome; they are, however, in general, but small, and rather have the appearance of confectioners' shops, especially from their counters and shelves jaden with an immense variety of that ar- ticle, (i) Restaurateurs. — The best restaurateur is the Trattoria deW Acmellino, situated in a street that branches from the Cor.so, opposite to, and not far distant from the Piazza Colonna, ra- ther more towards the Piazza di Venezia. IVear the same place, and in the Corso itself, is a subscription reading-room, where the (i) The Caffes are generally closed at about eight o'clock, and always during the hours of service on Sun- days and Holidays, which, from the number of the lat- ter, occasions great inconvenience to strangers. 202 ROME. French newspapers are to be found ; there is another Trattoria in the vicinity of Monte Citorio, behind the Piazza Co/onna. These are the only tolerable ones, although there are many others. Hackney coaches ply on Monte Citorio. The best shops for books, maps, plans, etc. are in the Piazza di Spagua, and the streets near it. The most moderate lodgings are in the streets in the quarter of the Campo Marzo, be- hind Monte Citorio, which is also a very cen- j tral situation. The price of lodgings is from j eight to twelve crowns per month. The ex- i pense for living is nearly the same as at Flo- j rence. Game and water fowl abound ; the wine is very bad; that of Otvietra is the best. The fountain of Trevi furnishes the most wholesome water at Rome, that of del Grillo holds the second rank. The water from the baths of Diocletian, and the fountain of Gia- nicolo, are so pernicious, that they are every where proscribed. They use a bath at Rome, which nearly resembles a butt without a head, raised on four supporters sufficiently elevated to permit them to place a fire underneath, and thus easily to give the bath the degree of heat re- quired. These baths are made of a thin light metal, well-tinned - 7 you may procure the use of them for a mere trifle. When you have heen introduced into the house of any person at Rome, you must expect the next day to see some of the domestics to receive something of you; this tribute, even the sentinels at the ROME. 203 castle of Saint Angelo have imposed on strangers. The time of the promenade at Rome, in the winter and spring, is always from ten till twelve, along the Corso; the common people on foot, the genteeler sort in carriages, from which the ladies, in particular, never descend. Strangers seldom stop the whole summer in Rome, during the heat of which no one ven- tures out till night has relieved the atmos- phere of the heat which seemed to weigh it down during the day: then comes the hour of amusement, the Corso is filled : and when, at midnight, the lower sort of the people re- tire to bed, their place is then taken by the higher orders, who are then leaving the Converzazioni, they remain here till day light, when they also retire to bed: — you ask, per- haps, When do they sup at Rome? Hardly ever; they eat a. morsel perhaps before they go out, if they are very late, or otherwise they take something on returning. In autumn there is little promenading in the city; this is the time for making country excursions to Aibano, Frascati, and other pleasant places where the air is good; the east of Rome is crowded by the great in this season. For- merly, the streets of Rome were not lighted like other* in Italy, excepting the light afforded by the lamps of the Madonnas. Since this, the French police caused reverberators to be 'used, which burn all night. Before this ex- cellent regulation, stabbing was so common, in Rome, that some one fell a victim to the 204 ROME. practice almost every niglit. The Hospital of Consolation was not sufficiently large to con- tain the vast numbers who suffered, owing to the variety of sanctuaries which offered an easy refuge to the criminals; but the French police put a stop to these abuses, till nothing was so rare as a robber at Rome. The air of Rome is reckoned good for asth- matic people in winter. The climate is mild, the frosts slight, and the snow generally melts as it falls. There are sometimes dense stink- ing fogs, but they mostly disperse before noon. From July to October, the air of Rome being very unhealthy, the Romans are, therefore, obliged always to sleep in an apartment where their beds can be exposed to the open air, as much as possible, during the whole of the day ; and, above all, to observe the strictest sobriety in the evenings: without which they run the risk of catching the most dangerous fevers to which incautious strangers often be- come victims. f ROAIg. 2o5 CHAPTER VI. DESCRIPTION OF ROME. SECTION I. Porta del Popolo — Modern Rome — Streets — Gates and Hills — Squares and Bridges — Ghetto degli Ebrei — General Remarks- Ten days in Rome — Churches — St. Peter's — St. John Later an — TheCatacombs — Palaces ' — The Vatican— The Capitol — Public Build" ings and Monuments — Arches — Columns . and Obelisks — The Pantheon — Forum and Via sacra — Temple of Peace — PalatineHill — Acqeducts — Gardens — Public Fountains — Museums — Academies — There is not perhaps any city in the world, the entrance of which is designed with more magnificence, than that of Rome, by the Por- ta del Popolo. The gate is by Michael An- gelo and Vignola; it leads to a square, where the two famous twin-churches appear in front; between, and on each side of these churches are three straight and level streets. The street on the right leads to the Ripetta of the Tiber : that in the middle is above a mile in length, runs through the midst of the Campus Mar- tius, and is terminated by the buildings on the Capitoline hill : the street on the left leads to the grand staircase in the Piazza di Spag-> na, and was intended by Sixtus Quintus to have been joined to his jStrada. Felice, and thus 2o6 ROME. continued quite to the Arnphitheatrum Cas- trense, forming one continued straight street of more than two English miles and a half in length. In the midst of the Piazza del Popolo rises an Egyptian obelisk : in the view of which all these thrpe streets nobly terminate. The shaft of this obelisk was originally one solid mass of granite. It is eighty-two feet in height: its sides are richly covered with hieroglyphics. Its granite pedestal is between twenty and thirty feet high. The inscription engraven on it is to this effect : Imperator Augustus C&sar, Egypto in potestatem populi Romani re- dactci, Soli donum dedit. The modern city possesses many features of ancient Rome. The same roads lead to her gates from the extremities of Italy ; the same aqueducts pour the same streams into her fountains; the same great churches that re- ceived the masters of the world under the Flavian and Theodosian lines are still open to their descendants; and the same venerable walls that enclosed so many temples and pa- laces in the reign of Aurelian still lift their antique towers around the same circum- ference. Within this circumference, Modem \ Rome lies extended principally on the plain, and scattered thinly over the hills, bordered I by villas, gardens and vineyards. Its popu- lation amounts to about i5o,ooo souls. The streets are well built but badly paved, at least I for pedestrians, narrower than in London, but wider than in Paris. The houses not ROME. 207 being too high, the streets are light and airy, and some very long and straight, and are often terminated by an obelisk, a fountain, or a church. The houses are of stone, but plastered as at Vienna, Berlin and other transalpine cities. This plaster or stucco is extremely hard, and in so dry a climate may equal stone in solidity and duration ; but to us, stucco, however excel- lent in its kind, seems only a bad imitation of stone, and conveys an idea of poverty in- compatible with grandeur or beauty. Before we en-ter into any further details, we shall here premise, in order to give the reader a ge- neral idea of Modern Rome, that it contains 46 squares, 5 monumental pillars, 10 obelisks, l3 fountains, 22 mausoleums, ?5o palaces, and 346 churches! Of these multifarious objects most have some peculiar feature, some appro- priate beauty to attract the attention of the traveller. An interesting promenade may be made, beginning from the Porta del Popolo to that of St. Paul; but as the course is long, it is necessary to select a fine day in autumn or winter, and not undertake the walk till some time after the rains, as otherwise the ways are impassable to a pedestrian. As the traveller paces alongthe streets, spa- cious, silent, and majestic, he feels the irresis- tible genius of the place working in his soul — his memory teems with recollections, and his heart swells with patriotism and magnani- mity; two virtues that seem to spring from 208 ROME. the very soil and flow spontaneously from the climate, so generally do they pervade everv period of Pioman history. While the Great Republic, the parent of so many heroes, rise3 before him, he looks around like Camillus at the hills, the plain, the river, for ever con- secrated by their fame, and raises his eyes with reverence to the sky that seemed to in- spire their virtues. > Streets. — In taking a general view of the plan of the city of Rome, it is easily perceived, that not more than a third of this vast metropolis is occupied by inhabitants. The rest is laid out in villas and garden ground. In fact, there are not more than four or five streets properly straight and handsome. The three first of this description have for their visla the beautiful obelisk of the Piazza del Popolo. II Corso, the central street, terminates in the square of the palace of Venice; it is embellished with several superb palaces, as those of Ruspigi, C/iigi, Sciarria, Doria, Fiano, and some beau- tiful churches. This is the ancient Flaminian way, once so much frequented and decorated, with triumphal arches. The street to the right leads to Luigi de Francesi, on one side extending along the Tiber, and on the other, towards the street degV Angelo Custode, fol- lowing the base of Mount Pincio. One of the straightest and longest streets next to this, commences at la Trinita del Monte, and ter- minates at *S. Maria Maggiore. But follow- ing the inflections of the Quirinal and Viminal Mounts, it is necessary to ascend and descend ROME. 20g very often. Another tortuous route, as to the ground, is that which extends from Mount Cavallo to the Porta Pia, and that of Condotti, which continues from the Piazza dl Spagna to Clementino. The streets of Julia and Longara, 600 toisesf in length, are very fine; that is to say from the arch of Julius II, called Porta Settimia * this route follows the course of the Tiber to-^ wards the south, and is very near this river. The other streets are more or less inflected, and frequently change their names. Their ]ine of continuity is often interrupted by the neighbouring churches* and chapels. The fin- est streets bear the name of Strada ; but those of inferior size are distinguished by those of Vico and Plcolo, particularly if they are irregular in their course. The pavement is formed of irregular pieces of lava, among 1 which morsels of precious marble, granite, porphyry, and serpentine, are often found, which formerly made a part of some stupen- dous edifices. However in the Corso, and some other streets, a regular pavement of square stones is to be found. In others we meet with large basaltic stones dug up from some of the ancient highways; these are very conspicuous in the street Del. Seminario, near St. Angus- tin delle Vergine, St. Andrea della Valle y and others. The pavement is sloped to lei the water run off in bad weather; but properly paved foot paths are only to be found in a few of the streets. Generally speaking, the streets are very 210 ROMF. dirty, the Co/m -excepted, where the besom may sometimes be seen employed . The others quietly wait for the rain to cleanse them, or for the drying winds to carry away the dust. In the squares there are certain corners des- tined to receive the ordure of the neighbour- ing houses and above these corners the word Immondezzajo is written, as a notice where filth, etc. may be deposited. This, however, is generally thrown in the middle of the street; even here it is not lost, but is carried away by the country people from time to time. After six in the evening the most populous streets are deserted. Each shopkeeper shuts up his shop to go to the Salut, in some neighbour- ing church; or to the theatre. The same de- sertion of the shops occurs during the whole summer from noon till four or five o'clock, the time the Romans pass upon their beds : hence the same observation as at Madrid ; viz. that, during the summer afternoons, nothing but dogs and foreigners are to be seen in the streets. Gutters and spouts are here very troublesome when it happens to rain, so that the foot passenger has enough to do to avoid the channel on one side, and the spout on the other. The most frequented streets are those that terminate by the gate Del Popolo, and the neighbourhood of the Pantheon, the square JVavona, and La Minerva. The shops in these are very showy ; those of the apothecaries are distinguished for their neatness, and they are generally decorated with the picture of JEscu- lapius. The grocers and butchers haye a ROME. 211 stream of water continually running, for the utility of their several professions. Gates and Hills.— The numerous gates of Rome are by no means handsome or orna- mented; the Flaminian gate, or Porta del Popolo, is the best of them; the gate called Porta Pia, designed by Michael Angelo, is re- markable for sorue of its ornaments, represent- ing a barber's bason and towel, which are said to have been sarcastically contrived by the architect, to remind the spectator, that Pope Pius IV, who built it, and whom Michael Angelo hated, was the son of a barber. The seven ancient hills are the Aventine, Capitoline, Celian, Esquiline, Palatine Quiri- nal, and Viminaly besides these, are Monte Celiolo and Cilorio, the Janieulum and Vati- can, the Pincian and Monte Testaccio. But the inhabitants of Modern Rome have in a manner left the seven hills to villas, convents, gardens, and vine}^ards, for the lower parts ! These hills are much reduced since the vallies have been tilled up with enormous quantities of rubbish. The Aventine hill exhibits a pros- pect truly beautiful, especially from the gar- dens of the Priorato.. The Capitoline hill has always been famous for the Cipitol, from, whence its name is derived. The Celian com- mands a most extensive prospect, and yields only to the Palatine. The Esquiline is the highest of all the hills, and was inhabited by the principal families of ancient Rome; but the Quiri nal hill, at present, is supposed to enjoy the best air. The Funinul is much 212 ROME. the smallest of tlie seven hills, and is a long narrow slip of ground. A few remains of the baihs of Olympias may still be seen in the Convent of S. Lorenzo. Monte Celiolo is very inconsiderable, as is Monte Citorio, raised chiefly by rubbish. The Janiculum is of great extent: Mont Vativano is only a part of this; and at the foot of it is the Vatican Palace and the church of St. Peter. Monte Pincio com- mands some delightful views. The magnifi- cent gardens of Sallust were here. Monte Testaccio is 160 feet high, and half a mile in circumference. In vaults underneath wine is kept cool in summer, and here people resort to drink it. Squares and Bridges. — There are many" Piazze, Squares, or Places, as the French call them: these are, i. S. Apostoli ; e. Barberinz ; 3. Del Campidoglio ; 4. Campo cle Fiore, with a corn market, and another for horses j and here persons condemned by the Inquisition are burnt • 5. Piazza Caprinica ; 6. Colonna ; 7. Fames e; 8. De S. Maria Maggiore ; 9. Piazze Mattel ; 10. Montanara ; 11. the Qui- rinal Palace, or Monte Cavallo ; 12. Monte Citorio, a handsome square, in which is the pedestal of the true Antonine column, and 011 one side of it the Curia Innocenziana, or pa- lace of justice ; i3. Piazza Navona; 14. Piazza di Pasquino. In this small square are many booksellers' shops; but it is chiefly remarkable for the antique mutilated statue of a Greek soldier, well known under the name of Pas- quin ! i5. Di S. Pietro, the fine area here be- ROME. 210 fore St. Peter's Church, is surrounded by Ber- nini's portico, supported by 286 columns, upon which are i38 statues. 16. Vel-Popolo, at the entrance of Rome from Florence. 17. Delia Rotunda, containing the famous rotun- da, a fountain, and an obelisk ; 18. Piazza di Spagna, containing the Spanish Ambassador's palace, the College of the Propaganda, Ber- nini's fountain of the Barcacia or boat, and the fine flight of steps up to IVinita del Monte. ig. Piazza delta Colonna Trajdna, a small square, remarkable for this famous pillar. Of these squares the most remarkable for its extent is the Piazza Navona, which gra- dually rose on the ruins of the Circus Ango- nalis. It is adorned by the handsome church of St. Agnes, and refreshed by three foun- tains decorated with statues. One of these fountains, that in the middle of the square, is much admired ; it was designed and erected by Bernini. Four figures, representing four rivers, recline on a craggy rock, on the top of which stands an Egyptian obelisk, and from the hollow sides rushes a perpetual stream. These three fountains are so managed during the heats of August as to inundate the whole square on Saturdays and Sundays, and afford a new and refreshing exhibition to the Roman gentry, who parade along in their carriages, and to the common people, who collect around in crowds to behold the brilliant and enliven- ing scene. The Piazza di Spagna, so called from the palace of the Spanish embassy, is large ; has a 2l4 HOME. fountain, and is adorned with several hand- some buildings, but particularly by the noble flight of marble steps that ascend from it to the obelisk, church and square della Triniia de Monti. From the balustrade that termi- nates this staircase above and borders the latter square, and indeed from the square itself, which runs along the brow of the Pincian hill there opens a delightful view of Rome, Mont Mario and the Janiculums. The square of Monte Citorio, which com- municates with the Piazza Colonna, isextreme- ]y beautiful. Its principal ornament is the Curia Innoeenziana, a palace erected by Innocent XII, for the accommodation of the courts of justice and for the officers belonging to them. Its magnitude, materials and architecture are all equally admired. The river Tiber divides the city, properly so called, from the Transtevere on the other side, and which contains the church of St. Peter and the palace of the Vatican. At th_ bridge of St. Angelo, this river is about 3i5 feet wide, and is navigable for large vessels: the water is turbid and yellow. There are now three bridges at Rome: I. that of St. jtngelo, anciently Pons Melius, 1 leading to the Castle St. Peter's and the Vatican. The upper part of it was finished by Bernini, but the statues upon it are heavj and disagreeable. 2. Ponte Cestio, or the bridge of St. Bartolomeo, leads from the Jsola Tiberina to Transtevere and Quattrc Capi) anciently Pons Fabricius, to go frou ROME. 2l5 the same island into the city. 3. Ponte Sisto, anciently Pons Janiculensis, rebuilt by Sex- tus IV, in i473. Ancient Rome had six bridges, and there are some small remains of the Sublician bridge, which was the only one when Horatius Codes defended it so valiantly. It was then only of wood, but was rebuilt with stone by Lepidus. Some remains of the Senatorian bridge show it to have been very noble ; part of the Pons Triumphalis is to be seen opposite the church of St. Spirito Sanio y and from the bridge of St. Angelo. Ponte Molle, anciently Pons Emilianus, and then, Milvius, is out of the city above a mile from, the Porta del Pcpolo on the Flaminian Way. The river here is full 4°° feet over. The old bridge, where the battle was fought be- tween Constantine and Maxentius, was 200 feet higher up the river. Pons Senatorius, (now Ponte Rotto) the first which the Romans built of stone, was so cal- led, because the Senators were obliged to pass it when they went to consult the Sybilline oracles. The river has often destroyed it. Pope Paul ordered Michael Angelo to rebuild it, but he died before the foundation had been well laid. A wretched bungler afterwards re- moved Angelo' s foundation, and substituted a structure of his own, which was unable to resist the current of the river more than ten years. Since this period this bridge has not been restored. It should have been observed of the Pons Fabricius (now called Ponte di Quattro Capi) that it still remains with the 2l6 ROME. ancient inscription, and leads to a small island of the Tiber. This island was dedicated to jEsculapius, and the symbol of that god was given to it, because the serpent was brought here from Epidaurus. On the site of the once magnificent temple of JEsculapius, a church n®w stands, dedicated to St. Bartho- lomew ; and on going from the little garden of- the convent down some steps to the river, a serpent sculptured in stone, may still be dis- covered when the water is low. Of the Pons Aelius, now called the Angel bridge, it is recorded that Clement IX or- dered Bernini to place ten different statues of angels on it, holding in their hands the instru- ments with which Christ was tortured; and the inscrip lions on the pedestals are too ridi- culous to be copied, except by those who are disposed to apologize for superstitious relics of all kinds. The various improvements and alterations made by the French at Rome were certainly very great. They not only levelled the ground round the Coliseum, but emptied the. vaults of the rubbish that nearly choked them up, by which various new discoveries were made. They did the same by a number of the ancient temples and arches, and most considerably improved the site of Trajan's pillar, perform- ing the whole of these operations in a manner which had never entered into the conceptions of any of \he Popes, who had undertaken to improve the cfty. The Tabularium too, beln§ .completely ROME. 217 cleared, exhibits its beautiful doric order. Ope- rations for the same purpose were carried on in the Campo Vaccina, about the baths of Ti- tus* and the arch of Janus Quadriformis . The streets of the Piazza of St. Paul down to the Tiber were also cleared by the French, by which means that spacious square, till then completely concealed, might be seen from the bridge of St. Angelo, and both banks of the river. In the performance of these labours, it 'is a fact, that, a number of women and chil- dren, or any persons capable of removing rub- bish, or to whom a daily allowance of a small sum of money and a portion of soup might be an object, -were employed. Before we introduce the traveller to a nearer view of the splendour and magnificence of this Imperial Gity. it may not be amiss to apprize him, that to these qualities he may find some remarkable contrasts, not only in some indi- vidual houses, but also in whole neighbour- hoods, though in none more striking than in the Jew's quarter, or THE GHETTO DEGLI EBREI. This part of Rome, which may be called the Duke's Place of that city, has long been known as the part to which the numerous Jews in Rome are confined. These unfortunate persons were known at first as the descendants of many captive Jews brought to Rome by Titus, after his conquest of Jerusalem. They still live in a state of slavery, and their increasing num- bers, as well as the narrow limits to whicli T 'I 2l8 ROME. they are confined, subject them to the greatest inconveniences. They are not only oppress sively taxed, but certain numbers of them are obliged to listen to sermons, preached at stated times for their conversion. These Jews are the most ancient inhabitants of Rome, whose families can be traced. At the back of the CafFarelli Palace, at the extremity of the Ghetto, is some old Roman brick-work, sup- posed to have been part of the ancient fortifi- cations of the capitol. Near this place are also the remains of a Temple, some of the marble steps of which, resembling tomb-stones, serve for the purpose of cutting up meat, a I |) sort of market being held on the spot. To put a stop to the extortions of the Jews, with re-^ spect to usury, the Monte della Pieta was established by a number of Roman gentlemen in the year i53g; but this bank was totally ruined by the first visit of the French to Rome in 1798, who, during their stay, released the Jews from the obligation of wearing an odious badge of distinction, imposed upon them by j the Papal government. The Jews are never- theless indulged with a Synagogue in this dirty quarter. We shall now observe that the rage for embel- lishing, which is implanted in every artist, has thrown so much composition into the en- graved views of Rome, has so exaggerated its ruins and architecture, or so expanded thei space in which they stand, that a stranger, ar- riving there with the expectations raised by those prints, will be infallibly disappointed. 1 tlOME. ft ig The streets seem to have been made only for II the rich. Their small reticular pavement galls the pedestrian, they afford no protection J from the fury of carriages, and are lighted only by the lamps of a few Madonnas. Whichever road you take, your attention • will be divided between magnificence and filth. I The inscription «immondezzaio » on the walls i of palaces is only an invitation to befoul them. The objects which detain you longest, such as Trajan's column, the fountain of Trevi, etc. [■' are inaccessible from ordure. Ancient Rome I contained i44public7Vm/7le«foC/oaczroahesides the Sell Patroclian. The modern city draws part of its infection from the want of such conveniencies. In the inhabited quarters you will find pa- laces and. churches, columns, obelisks, and fountains; but you must cross the Capitol, or strike off among the mounts, before the genius of ancient Home meets you amid its ruins. The study of these antiquities leads you first to trace the figure, extent, and distribu- tion of the city. This you may begin on some eminence, or on any of the towers that com- mand all the hills. Hinc septem dominos videre montes, Et totam licet seslimare Romum. On each hill, except the Yiminal, the most difficult of all, you will find one master-ob- ject, as the Villa Medici on the Pincian, the "'Papal Palace on the Quirinal, the three basi<- 2?.0 HOME. licas on the Esquiline, Ccelian and Vatican, etc. which will serve each as a point of gene- ral reference, and enable you to combine the perspective with the plan. You may then trace on foot the outlines of those hills, the successive boundaries of the ancient city, neg- lecting the division of the Augustan regions or the modern Rioni ; and at last make the circuit of the inviolable walls. This circuit will bring into view specimens of every construction from the days of Servius Tullius down to the present. Thus they exhi- bit the uncemented blocks of the Etruscan style, the reticular work of the Republic, the travertine preferred by the first emperors, the alternate tufo and brick employed by their successors, and that poverty of materials which marks the declining empire. The first Ro- mans built with a prodigal solidity, which lias left the cloaca maxima to astonish perhaps as many generations to come as those which have yet beheld it. Since the first dreadful breach made by Totila, luese walls have been often and variously repaired, sometimes by a case of brick-work, filled up with shattered marbles, rubble, shard and mortar; in some parts the cementitious work is unfaced : here you find stone and tufo mixed in the « opus incertum : » there, tufo alone laid in the Sa- racenic manner; the latter repairs bear the brick revetement of modern fortification. The most populous part of ancient Rome is now but a landscape. Mount Palatine, which originally contained all the Romans, and ROME. 221 was afterwards insufficient to accommodate one tyrant, is inhabited only by a few friars. I have gone over the whole hill, and not seen six human beings on a surface which was once crowded with the assembled orders of Rome and Italy. « Totum PaJatirmm, says Cicero, Ben at u, equitibus Pvomanis, civitate omni, Ita- lia cuncta refertum. » Raphael's villa, the Far- nesian summer-house, Michael Angelo's avia- ries, are all falling into ihe same desolation as the imperial palace, which fringes the mount with its broken arches. Between the native inhabitants of the east- ern and western sides of the Tiber, a striking difference has been observed : formerly the western side .of this river Was without any in- habitants. A numerous population having since spread itself on this side, more robust and less polished than the inhabitants of the ancient city, the former pretend to be the genuine descendants of the ;«ncient conquerors of the world. These Trans! everians affect to despise the inhabitants of the other side of the river, as the descendants of barbarians. Before we proceed to describe ihe Churches, Antiquities, and Curiosities of Rome, we shall now gi\e a brief plan of thejbest mode of see- ing them, and in the shortest possible time, which will be useful to every one, but parti- cularly to those who cannot spend more than TEX DAYS IN ROME. First Day. Proceed early to St. Peter's, take a cursory view of it ; the Vatican, iU T. 2?.a ROME. Museums, Galleries, etc. On your return visit the castle of St. Angelo. Second Day. Go along the Corso towards the Capitol, noticing the Column of Antonine in the Piazza of that name on your way. After passing the Piazza, Venezia is easily known by the turrets of its palace, and near that ex- tremity of the Corso, turn a little to the left and see the Column and Forum of Trajan. Return to the Corso, at the end of it, diverg- ing to the left the Via di Marforio, leads to the arch of Septimus; the Campo Vaccino y formerly the Foro Romano, is then entered : every inch is now classic ground, ruins ap- pear on all hands, and at no great distance in- front, the Coloseum bursts on the astonished beholder, and presents itself as the stately monarch of the surrounding remains of moul- dering grandeur and magnificence. The re- mains of the Temple of Concord, and that of Antoninus and Faustina, are near the arch of Septimus, and a little farther towards the Coliseum, to the left, are the Temples of Peace and Venus; to the right, the arches of Constantine and Titus. Taking a transient view of these several objects, leave them for future and more minute observation, espe- cially as this place lies in the way of future visits; and passing the Coloseum, continue along the Via di S. Giovanni to the Lateran Palace; see the Chapel there, and proceed by the alley of trees facing the palace, to the Convent S. Croce; see the Amphitheatre, and the Temple of Venus and Cupid in its garden. ROME. 223 Proceed as directed in the article of the Temple of Minerva Medica, in our description of Rome % to see that building; on the way to it, the ruins of Nero's aqueduct will be ob- served. Leaving the Temple of Minerva, re- turn by the Strada Felice which leads to the church of S. Maria Maggiore. Opposite is the Via delle Quattro Fontane ; continue along it in a straight direction, noticing on the way, the fine fountains which give the name to the street, also the Palazzo Barberini* The above mentioned street with its several continuations leads directly to the Church of Trinita di Monte y close to the Piazza di Spag- na, in the neighbourhood of which, it is pro« bable, the traveller will reside. [The excur- sion of this day will be a fatiguing one, and will occupy from 9 till 4 o'clock; but it may- be accomplished, and has been even done re- peatedly by ladies. However, if, on referring to the plan of the city, it is found to be too great an exertion for a walk, a carriage may then be hired, which will also afford more leisure for admiring the various objects. ] Third Day. Proceed to the Campo Vaccina to the Terme Antoniarie, thence to the Palace of the Caesars and the Circus Maximus; to the arch of Janus {Ceres di Giano) ; to the Temple of Vesta : take, in the way back, the Theatre of Marcellus, that of Pompey, the Piazza No* vona and the fountain there, the Pantheon near it, and the Minerva Church. Fourth Day. The Capitol, its museum and gallery, and the Tarpiean rock; «returning 224 ROME. home by the Corso, turn from it a short dis- tance into the Via clelle Muratte, at the end of which is the fountain of Trevi. Fifth Day. Leave town by the Porta S. Sebastiano, and proceed to the fountain of Egeria ; not far from it, is another fine, clear spring, the water of which is conveyed into a large antique stone trough; this is called the Aqua Santa. Near it is the Mausoleum of Ce- cilia Metella, crowned with turrets. Many shapeless ruins of aqueducts, and other build- ings, are spread around. On the way to this place it is impossible to help remarking the miserable and desolate appearance of the country and houses ; the former almost unculti- vated, the latter every where hastening to destruction. The few peasants met with, are a good looking people and civil, habited in ihe skins of goats and sheep. From the foun- lains of Egeria and Aqua Santa, there is a short road across the country, to the Church of S. Paolo fuori le Mure, but as a stranger may find it difficult, it is more advisable to return, by the same road as that which was" followed from town, to the Porta S. Sebas- tiano: this will also give an 'opportunity of examining the city walls, for instead of re- entering the gate, turn at the gate to the left, .'tnd follow the walls outside for more than a mile, to the Porta S. Paolo. From gate to gate, frequently not a single person is to be seen. At the Porta S. Paolo, see the Mauso- Jeum of Caius Cestius, and the foreign bury- ing ground. Proceed about a mile outside of ROME. 225 the gate to see the Church of S. Paolo fuorl le Mute 9 thence return home. A consider- able round is taken in the excursion planned for this day, but it is the surest one for a stranger. If this excursion be made in a car- riage, the catacombs may also be visited, as they are not far from the fountain of Egeria and Mausoleum of Cecilia Metella. But if the catacombs of Paris have been previously seen, these possess no great attraction; and may be left for a moment of perfect leisure, in the event of a prolonged residence. Sixth Day. Visit the Tenne Diocleziane and the Churches of S. Maria degli Angeli and 6'. Bernado, close to these ruins, and once forming part of the baths ; proceed to the Church of the Jesuits and S. Barto/omeo, in the Via delle Quattro Fontane, not far from the Terme, thence to visit the Barberini Pa- lace, the Church of S. Pietro in Vinculisj from which it is not far to the Terme di Tito, and the Sette Sale: This will complete the sixth day's visit. Seventh Day. Go to the Ghetto degli Ebrei, cross the Tiber by the bridges that commu- nicate with the Isoladi S. Bartolomeo, and proceed by the Via della Longaretta to the fountain of Aqua Paola, and enjoy the fine view there. Eighth and Ninth Days. May be devoted to excursions to Frascati and Tivoli. Tenth Day. Visit the gardens of the Vati- can, and pass the remainder of the day in looking oyer its museums. 226 10ME. CHURCHES. The remainder of the traveller's stay ia Rome may be occupied in once more minutely examining the places which have been al- ready glanced at, or in visiting minor objects of curiosity; as the Palaces, Churches, Col- leges, Yilias, etc. according to the taste of the traveller. We began our examination of Rome, (says Eustace) by visiting in order the seven hills. We then proceeded to the Vatican and Pin- cian Mounts, ranged over the Campus Mar" tlus and along the banks of the Tiber ; then wandered through the villas both within and without the city ; and finally explored the churches, monuments, tombs, hills, and fields in its immediate neighbourhood. This me- thod I recommend as more easy and natural than the usual mode of visiting the city ac- cording to its Rioni (regiones) or allotting a certain portion of it to each day ; by which I in mode the traveller is obliged to pass rapidly from ancient monuments to modern edifices; from palaces to churches; from galleries to gardens ; and thus loads his mind with a heap of unconnected ideas and crude observations. By the former process we keep each object distinct and take it in a separate view — we first contemplate ancient, then visit modern Rome, and pass from the palaces of the pro- fane to the temples of the sacred city. CHURCHES. As these are generally the first objects that strike a traveller, but are nevertheless too HOME. — CHURCHES. 227 numerous at Rome to admit of individual no- tice, we shall endeavour to select those which, from their antiquity, beauty, or any other peculiarity, are most likely to interest the stranger; but if some of them have been much neglected, it may be highly prudent to observe, that notwithstanding all the attrac- tions of the splendid works of art which they enclose, strangers should be extremely cau- tious how they visit them in summer; as not- withstanding the frankincense burning in them continually, there is a stench of putrid bodies in almost every one of them, from the horrid custom of burying the dead in churches, which in Rome prevails to an excess. The scarcity of wood is such, that interments are frequently made without a coffin. The bodies are then thrown into a vault, and the mouth of it closed with a loose stone; and thus the survivors, in too many of the three hundred and forty-six churches of Rome, inhale the fumes of putrefaction. In some of the most frequented churches, it is nearly impossible, in summer time, to remain five minutes with- out experiencing some degree of sickness; and yet these churches surpass all others in gran- deur, magnificence, and beauty. Notwithstanding these disadvantages, toge- ther with many architectural defects, there ore few, very few churches in Rome which do not present, either in their size or propor- tions, in their architecture or materials, in their external or internal decoration, something that deserves the attention: of the traveller^ as8 ROME. — CHURCHES, and excites his just admiration. He, there- fore, who delights in halls of a vast size and exact proportion, in lengthening colonnades and massy pillars of one solid block of por- phyry, -granite, Parian or Egyptian marble — in pavements that glow with all the tints of the rainbow, and roofs that blaze with brass or gold — in canvas warm as life itself, and statues ready to descend from the tombs on which they recline — will range round the churches of Rome, and find in them an inex- haustible source of instructive and rational amusement such as no modern capital can furnish, and could be equalled or surpassed by the glories of ancient Rome alone. The principal churches of Rome, however different their style of building and ornament may be, are distributed in the same manner. Their aisles are generally formed by arcades: over these are sometimes grated recesses, but never open galleries. The choir terminates in a curve, which is the grand field of decora- tion, blazing with leaf-gold and glories. In the middle of the cross stands the high altar. The chapels of the Holy Sacrament and of the Virgin are usually in the transepts. Those of the Saints are ranged on the sides; and each, being raised by a different family, has an architecture of its own at variance with the church, which thus loses its unity. The most ancient church in Rome is gene- J! rally believed to be that of St. Clement, in a street in the vicinity of St. John Lateran. It has some columns of granite in the front, ROME. — CnURCHES. 22g behind a small but handsome court, with an arcade of granite and bad Ionic capitals. As at St. Lorenzo, so here, a place raised in the body of the church serves for two pulpits, connected by means of a circular gallery. Hence you ascend several steps to the choir, which is in a deep recess, ending in the seg- ment of a circle, the concave of which is em- bellished with old Mosaic. The high altar is supported by four columns of porphyry: the pavement of the church is entirely of Sara- cenic Mosaic. The tomb of Cardinal Rove- rella is an ancient sarcophagus of white marble. A painting in the Chapel used to serve Raphael as a study, but it was defaced by the French in their endeavours to take it away in 1799- The rich gilt ceiling of this Church had been bought by some Jews, and they had already begun to take it down; but a French officer happily entering drove them away with his sword. St. Peter s. This magnificent church, which afforded the model of St. Paul's at London, certainly is not so imposing in its aspect, or so elegant; neither does it appear so large, though actually much larger. The open space before it, with its grand elliptical colonnade, together with the immense buildings of the Vatican, overhanging, reduce the appearance of its magnitude ; the front is also so lofty that much of the cupola, and even of the towers in front, are hidden on approaching the church. The building being also destitute of any grand, bold ? or imposing cornice or ba- 23o JfePME. CHURCHES. lustrade, on the top of its walls, it lias rather an unfinished appearance. It owes much of |' its beauty to the fine white stone of which it is constructed, being untarnished by age, and uncontaminated with smoke. An open arcade extends along its front, supporting a balcony, whence the Popes be- stow their benediction on the people, who assemble several times in the course of the year for that purpose. At each end of the arcade are colossal equestrian statues of Con- stantine and Charlemagne. A door on the right hand is only opened at the commence- ment of a Jubilee, when, on the Pope's knock- ing before it, by an ingenious piece of me- chanism, it falls from its portal. In the centre of the colonnade stands a large Egyptian obe- lisk, and on each side a magnificent fountain. Pope Nicolas I began this church about the year i/+5o; it was continued under the reign of eighteen other Popes, and completed in the course of an hundred and thirty-five years, its comparative size with St. Paul's, is as fol- lows: height of St. Peter's to the top of the cross, four hundred and thirty-seven feet and a half; that of St. Paul's three hundred and forty; — length of St. Peter's, seven hundred and twenty-nine feet; that of St. Paul's five hundred ; — greatest breadth of St. Peter's, three hundred and sixty-four feet; that of, St. Paul's, one hundred and eighty. To point , out to strangers the difference in the size, that , I of St. Paul's in London, and St. Sophia at Constantinople, are traced on the payemerff ! ROME. — CHURCHES. 23j of the interior. It is not possible within our limits to convey an adequate idea of the mag- nificence of the interior, which is entirely composed of various marbles, and the whole is in such excellent proportion, that the im- mensity of its space and the magnitude of its ornaments are not evident at first sight, and at last its superiority is only perceived by comparing its figure, and the proportions of ; its respective parts with those of St. Paul's. The roofs and ceilings are superbly orna- mented with gilt stucco: the church is embel- lished with magnificent monuments, grand mosaic pictures, with paintings in oil and in fresco ; but to enter into a detail of their me- ! rits and beauties, would fill a volume. The [fine Alto Relievo in bronze, at the further I extremity, will be particularly admired ; and the stranger will have an opportunity of dis- covering the falsity of the report respecting i the celebrated colossal statue of St. Peter, i which represents the foot as kissed entirely I away by the devout. He will find that it is only the sandal, about half an inch thick, and a part of the great toe, that has been thus worn away. The rest, however, will pro- bably disappear in time, as the ceremony still continues. St. Peter's stands in a corner of the city, almost alone. On the eve of St. Peter's day, this immense church, is illuminated with paper lanthorns from the bottom to the top of the cross. At nine in the evening it is re-illuminated by i fewer, but infiuitely more brilliant blazes of 232 ROME. — CHURCHES. fire, confined in iron cages, which in a man- ner extinguish the lanthorns, and exhibit the most splendid sight imaginable; and such is the rapidity with which the new light is com- municated from the bottom of the church to the top of the cross, that it is done while the clock strikes the hour of nine. On entering St. Peter's, after a general view, the first object that attracts attention is the immense Baldaquin , canopy, or pavi- lion, supported on four spiral columns of bronze, one hundred and twenty-two feet high. This covers the altar and the confession, or the tomb of St. Peter, and is immediately under the centre of the great cupola, covered entirely with mosaic work. Beyond this the church terminates with the great tribune, containing the chair of St. Peter enclosed in gilt bronze, and supported by the four doc- tors of the church. The Mausoleum of Urban on one side, is by Urbini; on the other is that of Paul III. There is a good deal of modern sculpture in this church; the bronze statue of St. Peter sitting, and which attracts all the notice of the faithful, is said to have been originally formed out of that of Jupiter Ca- pitolinus. The Sacre Grotte. Beneath this church are the remains of the ancient edifice, built by Constantine, distinguished by this name, con- sisting of several long winding galleries, branching out in various directions under the new one. These recesses are lined with the urns of Emperors and Pontifs, and are almost ROME. — CHURCHES. , s>33 paved with the bones of Saints and Martyrs. Of the solemnity of the service at St. Pe- ter's, particularly on public days, it is ex- tremely difficult for a stranger to form a competent idea. The various ceremonies have been admirably described by Mr.Eustace, in his Classical Tour, vol. i. pp. 363 — 379, 4to. to which we beg to refer our readers. The Church of St. John Lateran. This edi- fice is renowned for its antiquity as well as the beauty of its embellishments. It derives its name from the circumstance of its standing on the side of the Palace of Plant its Late- ralis, who was at the head of the conspiracy against Nero, and from being afterwards de- dicated to St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist. This church passes for the grandest in Rome next to St. Peter's, and is that of the see of the Sovereign Pontiff, who takes formal possession of it when enthroned, on becoming Pope. The interior is particularly grand and noble, and not, as is too frequently the case, overloaded with ornament. On each side of the nave, are six colossal statues in marble, about fifteen feet high, representing the Apostles. Above each, on a square tablet of marble is sculptured in relief, some particular transaction of the Apostle underneath. Over these tablets are tw r elve fine oval paintings of the Prophets. The statue of St. Bartholomew is a remarkably fine one; he is represented holding his own skin in his hand. The ceil- ing is not crowded with painting and gilding, 234 ROME. — CHURCHES. but is divided into compartments, in each of which are represented appropriate religious emblems and devices. There are several fine tombs and monuments of several Popes in this church; especially one of Martin, in the centre. Behind the great altar is a fine figure of our Saviour on the cross. Clement V ad- ded the present facade, so deservedly admired. The obelisk, which stands in the place of St. John Lateran, is the largest specimen of Egyptian art in Rome. It is of red granite, ornamented with hieroglyphics: its height one hundred fifteen feet and a half without the base or pedestal, and nine feet wide at the bottom. The Corsini Chapel, on the left of the en- trance of this church, is one of the most ele- gant for its proportions and the disposition of the marbles in the interior. The beautiful sarcophagus of porphyry, under the statue of Clement XI, being found in the Pantheon, is supposed to have contained the ashes of Agrip- pina. Before one of the side altars are some antique fluted pillars of gilt bronze, the ca- pitals modern and well executed. The organ is the largest in Rome, was built in i54g, and has thirty-six stops and pedals. In the cloistep is the tomb of Helena, mother of Constan- tine, of porphyry, with bas-reliefs; here are also two seats of marmo rosso, which were used in the baths. Near this church is the Baptistery of Con-* stantine, of an octagon form. On the outsi-3 - are too large porphyry columns ; the inside i A ROME. — CHURCHES. 235 a kind of dome, with two ranges of pillars, one above another; the lower range consists of oight pillars of porphyry, with Corinthian, Ionic, and Doric capitals. The ceiling is painted with the history of St. John; the font in the middle is of porphyry. At a little distance is a circular niche, called the Tricli- nium of St. Leo III, about thirty feet high, standing alone. The Scala Santa, or sacred staircase, be- hind the Triclinium, is opposite this church; it consists of twenty-eight marble steps, said to have been brought from Pilate's Palace at Jerusalem. Devotees only are permitted to ascend this staircase, upon their knees. The carriages of penitents of the highest quality are sometimes seen waiting their return from this act of devotion. S. Paolo fuori le Mure, if not built by Constantine, is certainly as old as Theodosius. There are two aisles on each side of the nave ; the roof is of timber, the beams of an im- mense length, and connected with iron cramps. This church is a mass of deformity, resem- bling a large barn ; but it merits the atten- tion of the curious on account of the ancient columns and mosaics in the interior. The pavement also is a profusion of precious marbles and inscriptions. The three gates of this church are of brass, cast at Constan- tinople in the year 1070. The convent at- tached to this church belongs to the Bene- dictines. S. Lorenzo fuori le Mure is very ancient, 236 HOME. — CHURCHES. with an open portico, and four spiral co- lumns. Three narrow aisles in the interior are supported by eleven columns on each side. The pavement is in mosaic, and there are two pulpits of white marble, intermixed with por- phyry, serpentine, and mosaic, coeval with the church, which is a model of the primitive form. There are two ancient sarcophagi of marble, one embellished with grapes, the other with marriage ceremonies in bas-relief. S. Bartolomeo, on the island of the Tiber, was built on the ruins of a temple dedicated to JEsculapius, or where his statue was found, which was afterwards placed in the Farnese gardens. Under the high altar of this church is an ancient sarcophagus of porphyry, and four columns of the same composition. The rest of the columns are also antique. S. Cecilia in Transtevere. This church is rich in agates and marbles. About the high altar there are four columns of nero e bianco anlico. Here was the Yirgin Mary in a small oval, painted by Annibale Caracci. The ele- gant recumbent statue of S. Cecilia is by $te~ fa no Maderni. S. Crisogno in Transtevere has twenty-two granite columns of different sizes, taken from the Naumachia of Augustus and the baths of vSeverus ; two very large columns of porphyry, and four of oriental alabastar. Guercino painted the ascension of S. Crisogno in the middle of the ceiling. S. Giovanni Battista di Fiorentina. This church terminates the Strada Giulia. The HOME. — CHURCHES. 207 elegant front is by Galileo, and is supported wiih two orders of Corinthian three-quarter columns, all of Tivertine stone. The doors have very chaste entablatures; the interior is ancient, but has been repaired. S. Gregorio Magna, on Monte Cello, is re- markable for a view which may be taken from it of almost all the principal ruins and anti- quities. The church is built on the founda- tion of a Patrician house, and retains the form of it. The titular Saint here is painted by John Parker, an Englishman. S. Prassede is an ancient church, in which are four antique columns of white marble, fluted. Before the principal altar is a cihorio. supported by four columns of porphyry, con- nected with pilasters of yellow marble. In one of the chapels here is a column brought From the Holy Land, by one of the Colonna family in the year 111Z. There are also some curious pillars of black and white granite, of serpentine, nero-antieo, and oriental alabas- ter; but the pillar of jasper, brought from the Holy Land, is said to have been that at which our Saviour suffered flagellation. S. Sabina, on the summit of the Aventine hill, was built about the fourth century, on the ruins of the temple of Juno, twenty-four fluted columns of which remain, and support the roof. In the upper part of this church there is much verde-antico, porphyry, and serpentine; and the inside of the arches is well secured by small cramps of iron, covered with small pieces of white marble. Two large co- ^38 ROME. — CHURCHES. lumns of Black Egyptian granite are to he seen on the outside of the church, with four spiral columns, &c. This church and the neighbouring priory of Malta, are well situ- ated to afford a good view of Rome in its whole extent. Santa Maria Egiziaca, once supposed to have been the temple of Fortuna Virilis^ is one of the few remains of the era of the Ro- man Republic; it is highly curious from its great antiquity, and is supposed to have been built by Servius Tullius. The whole edifice is of the Ionic order, and its shape and symme- try have been much admired. It was not converted into a church till the ninth cen- tury, when a wall between the vestibule and the body of the building was removed to give light to the interior, windows being built be- tween the pillars of the portico and the half columns on one of the sides. Masses are said here in the Coptic language, for the benefit of the oriental visitors or inhabitants of Rome. This church is famous for the duration of its stucco, which upon the cornice was lately very perfect. S. Maria Maggiore is situated on the ex- treme summit of the Esquiline hill, in the centre of two great squares, which forms a vista to two streets, nearly two miles in length. Its site is indeed, the most noble that imagi- nation can form. It was erected in the time of Pope Liberius, and was the first church de- dicated to the Virgin, about the year 35o. It is thought by some to be one of the noblest ROME. — CHURCHES. 23g churches in the world. Two fronts, with their porticos, appear in the two squares before mentioned, of modern architecture and dif- ferent decorations: the principal of these con- sists of a double colonnade, the lower Ionic, the upper Corinthian. In the front of this church, upon a lofty pedestal, a Corinthian pillar supports a brazen image of the Yirgin. The other side presents a bold serai-circular front, crowned with two domes, with an Egyptian obelisk before it, consisting of a single piece of granite, sixty feet high, ter- minating in a cross of bronze. These, upon the whole, gi\e the exterior of this church an air of grandeur; nor is the interior, divided into three great naves, with about forty co- lumns of white marble and granite, by any means unworthy of this external magnificence. It is thought to be the only church, excepting St. Peter's, which has a baldaquin in the place of a high altar. Its roof was gilt with the first gold brought from the new world, after its discovery by Columbus. Sanio Croce in Gierusalemme. This is ano- ther patriarchal church, erected by Constan- tine, on the ruins of a temple of Fenus, des- troyed by his Order. It is most remarkable for its antique form and the eight superb co- lumns which support its nave. Its form is modern ; but the lonely situation of this edi- fice, amid groves, gardens, and vineyards, and a number of mouldering monuments and ruined arches, give it a solemn and affecting appearance, 240 ROMF. — CUURCHTS. »S. Sebastiano. About a mile and a half on the Appian way, contains a recumbent statue of St. Sebastian, supposed to be just shot to death ; executed by Giorgetti, the master of Bernini; here is an entrance into tho cata- combs from one of the chapels of this church; they should never be visited in summer, and even during winter, persons whose health is delicate should not venture down. St. Peter in Vinculis. This church is re- markable for the twenty antique Doric co- lumns which decorate its nave. They are of a whitish marble, fluted in the ancient man- ner, the grooves running close together. — Here is the monument of pope Julius II, de- signed by Michael Angelo, and decorated with that marble statue of Moses, by some deemed the masterpiece of modern sculpture; in a sitting posture, but little elevated above the ground ; he rests one hand on the tables of the law, while he addresses himself in ma- jestic displeasure to the people, whose absur- dity seems to move at once his anger and astonishment. S. Carlo, in the Corso, is remarkable for its pavement, consisting of large monumental stones, inlaid with various fine marbles, re-? sembling coats of arms, palm branches, ske- letons, cherubs, and other ornaments in their proper colours. Some other churches are paved in the same manner, but not in such perfection. In all these, the antique yellow is very useful ; not only because its colour is often wanted , but on account of its being red ROME. — CHURCHES.- 2.^1 in the fire, by which the minutest particles being partially heated, acquire any shade from yellow to deep red, with a regular gra- dation of tints. Santa Maria inVallicella, orChiesa Niwva, is worthy of notice for its architecture, its rich decorations, its votive offerings, and its rich chapel, containing the body of St. Philip Neri, and a fine cupola, painted by Pietro da Ccr- tona. The Church of the Trinity (or the Tdnita di Monte). This handsome edifice, having an obelisk before it, overlooks the Piazza di Spagna^ which is lost in the confusion of so many houses in the lower part of the city. There are few objects better known than this church, and its neighbourhood, mostly inha- bited by foreigners. It commands a fine view of the rest of the city ; and the gardens of the Villa Medici add much to its attractions. There is a flight of steps from the Piazza di Spagna up to the church. The French made a barrack of this handsome building, destroy- ed its ornaments, and almost stripped it com- pletely, the Egyptian obelisk, forty-four feet high, in the front of this church, was raised by Pius "VI, in 1789. It once stood in the v magnificent gardens of Sallust. St. Agnes, in the Piazza Navona, is one of the churches most ornamented in Ptome, par- ticularly with modern sculpture, among which, the most remarkable is a bas-relief of St. Ag- nes naked, excepting the covering of her hair, hy Algardi, This church is situated in the x 24^ ROME.— CATACOMBS. Souterraines, which are said to have been the Lupanaricty whither St. Agnes was dragged for the purpose of violation, if her chastity had not been miraculously preserved. The church of S. Costanza is commonly supposed to have been a temple of Bacchus, because the sarcophagus has carved work upon it, representing children playing with bunches of grapes, and other allusions to Bac- chus in the Mosaics. The sarcophagus here is the largest in Rome, being seven feet long, five feet broad, and three feet ten inches high. «S. Maria degli u4ngeli, formerly part of Dioclesian's baths, is a noble oblong building ; the roof of the interior supported by very fine granite columns of great magnitude. S< Bartolomeo near it, is a most beautiful rotunda, and was also once part of the same baths as the former. The church or chapel of the Jesuits' Convent, not far from the two last, in the Via della Quattro Fontane, ought also to be visited. The Minerva, near the Pantheon, also de- serves notice. THE CATACOMBS. These underground cavities turn, wind, and cross one another, like the streets of a city. Each vault is commonly about fifteen or eigh- teen feet wide, and the height of the interior arch from twelve to fifteen feet : the niches for the bodies are about two feet and a half wide. Various conjectures have been formed as to the original cause of these singular ex- ROME. — CATACOMBS. 2^ cavations, whatever their first use may have been, they have since served as receptacles for the persecuted primitive Christians ; as a refuge for the Jews, who appear to have had one synagogue in them at least ; and lastly, as a repository for the dead. The number of them is very great, as more than thirty are known and distinguished by particular appel- lations, such as Co3metrium Calixti, Lucince Felicis et Audacti, etc. In several, the halls or open spaces are painted. Daniel in the lions' den, Jonas emerging from the jaws of the whale, and the Good Shepherd bearing a lamb on his shoulders, seem to have been the favourite subjects. Some of these decorations are interesting, and give a picture of the manners of the times, while others exhibit an affecting representation of the sufferings of the Christians. Winter is represented by a youth holding some sticks in his right hand and extending it towards a vase, with a flame rising from it j in his left, he bears a flaming torch ) a withered tree is in the back ground. Spring is signified by a boy on one knee, as if he had just taken up a lamb, which he sup- ports with one hand ; in the other he holds a lily : the scene is a garden laid out in regular walks, near which stands a tree in full fo- liage. Summer appears as a man in a tunic, with a round hat on his head, in the act of reaping. Autumn is a youth applying a lad-* der to a tree, encircled with a luxuriant vine. All these compartments are divided by ara- besques and garlands. The three children in ?44 ROME. — CATACOMBS. the fiery furnace occur very often. Besides these representations, there are many detach- ed figures, all alluding to religious and Christ tian feelings, such as anchors, palms, vases exhaling incense, ships, and portraits of dif- ferent apostles. The relics found in these subterraneous ca- verns used to be carefully collected by the Apostolic Chamber, in order to be given to ambassadors on their departure from Rome. They are accordingly put into cases of cedar, and covered with cloth of gold. These relics were thus made to serve instead of articles of more value, as diamonds, gold, etc. Where- fore every thing taken out of the catacombs- becomes immediately papalis juris, and has a pro Padre affixed to it, into whose hands so- ever it may fall. Still it is very hazardous to attempt to explore these dreary deposita- ries of death, this peculiar dominion of the « King of Terrors," on account of the dan- ger of their falling in, or the extinction of the lights for wan£ , of air. In fact, M. Du- paty speaks of a cifvse sufficient to petrify the soul of any one. Tiiere were formerly several outlets from these catacombs, particularly to- wards the Villa Medici, but they have all been stopped up. The Tomb of Cecilia Metella, near the ca- tacombs, is a magnificent ruin. It is a cir- cular edifice of considerable height and great thickness. This mausoleum is now called Capo di Bove, from the ox skulls carved on the frieze. ROME. — PALACES. 2^ PALACES. The lofty ideas which a mere stranger en- tertains of these edifices at Rome, will bear considerable lowering, to bring them down to the standard of common sense, however the panegyrists of every thing ancient or distant may labour to give them importance. In some parts of Italy, any house to which there is an entrance by a gateway is called palazzo, a palace. Ourselves, and most of our neigh- bours in the north of Europe, never apply the term palace but to the dwelling of a so- vereign, or to the residence of the most ele- vated of the dignified clergy. In Italy and at Rome, the term seems to belong to almost every dwelling not inhabited by artists, me- chanists, etc. Streets of palaces at other places are perhaps little superior to our streets of gentlemen's houses; and according to the accounts of all writers, French and English, not half so clean. That many, even most of the Roman pa- laces, are really magnificent, cannot for a moment be called in question. However, the present magnificence of these palaces is most- ly confined to the architecture, and their ex- ternal appearance, independent of modern appendages. Even the entrances to these noble edifices are but too often disgustingly filthy ; and they are not unfrequently de- graded by the hanging of wet clothes to dry in some of the fine courts or quadrangles, or upon lines attached from pillar to pillar. In x. 24^ ROME. — PALACES. the Roman palaces, the magnificence, as well as the comfort of the interior, is generally confined to the state-rooms. The lower apart- ments are consequently deserted, or left to the occupation of servants; and, after all, when the best apartments are seen, particu- larly in winter, an Englishman, or an inha- bitant of the north of Europe, will perceive such an absence of almost every thing which he has been in the habit of calling comfort- able, that he will be by no means disposed to envy the Italian his brick or marble floors, his large and lofty fire-places, or any other mode of admitting the cooling breeze, to qua- lify the fervid rays of an Italian sun. Besides, in the Roman palaces, it is only the upper, the third, or fourth stories, that are best fur- nished; hence impressions are received on en- tering them, which are not easily got rid of. And since the French invasion, it is well known that several of the palaces being stripped, be- came the habitations of reduced families, or a few half-starved servants, till the buildings could scarcely be preserved from falling into ruin. To describe the whole would be unne- cessary ; a few of the most celebrated will answer for the rest. The Vatican. — This edifice, which joins St. Peter's church, is rather an assemblage of palaces, than one only, though irregular in ibrm and style. It is three stories high, and contains an infinity of great halls and saloons, rooms, chapels, galleries, corridors, etc. There are nearly twenty courts or vestibules ; eight ROME.— PALACES. 247 grand staircases, and nearly two hundred of an inferior description. The Vatican is the residence of the pope during the winter and spring. The extent of the "Vatican covers, at least, a space of twelve hundred feet, and a thousand feet in breadth. The grand entrance is from the portico of St. Peter's by the Scala Regia, probably the most superb staircase in the world, consisting of four flights of marble steps, adorned with a double row of marble Ionic pillars. This staircase rises from the equestrian statue of Constantine ; and whe- ther seen thence, or viewed from the gallery leading on the same side to the colonnade, forms a perspective of singular beauty and grandeur. The Scala Regia are the stairs by which we ascend to the Sala Regia, which has openings into other considerable rooms. Here the painter and pope Gregory XIII are equally disgraced by the Massacre of the Pro- testants of St. Bartholomew, which is among the paintings here. The persecutor or the bigot may be pleased with productions of this nature ; the liberal and humane will pass them with a sigh. In one of these, the Pro- testant Admiral Coligny is represented mur- dered in his own house, with his son-in-law, and others. The Capella Paulina, so named from pope Paul III, has a grand altar, which has a ta- bernacle of crystal. The paintings on the walls here are mostly by* Michael Angelo ; the ceiling by Federigo Zuccheri. Most of 248 ROME. — PALACES. these are spoiled by the numerous lights at-* tending the prayers of forty hours. The chapel of Pope Sixtus, connected with the palace of the Vatican, in which the car- dinals used to hold their conclaves, is adorned with several of the performances of Michael Angelo. His celebrated picture of the Last Judgment is here j and he likewise painted the ceiling. The library of the Vatican is in the form of a T. and is open to the visits of every person properly recommended, whe- ther natives or strangers ; the middle part is, a noble hall supported by double arches, the lofty pedestals ot which form, the book-cases. The chamber is beautifully painted. At the extremity of this hall, long galleries branch out on either side r these contain interesting objects and also numerous cabinets filled with a profusion of curiosities, antiquities, coins, etc. Among them is a complete Roman cha-i riot, the body made of leather* it is not higher than a garden chair, and is in fine pre- servation. It was found in Herculaneum. The scalp of a Roman lady, the hair in small plaits, and completely dressed, resembling the Eng- lish fashion a few years since. Many speci- mens of Roman armour, surgical and other instruments, lamps, domestic and cooking utensils, etc. Most of the articles are labelled with the name of the donor. The Vatican is now the peaceful theatre of some of the most majestic ceremonies of the pontifical court; it is the repository of ROME. —PALACES. £49 the records of ancient science; the temple of the arts of Greece and Pionie. Under these three heads it commands the attention of every traveller of curiosity, taste and informa- tion. The exterior does not present any grand display of architectural magnificence nor even of uniformity and symmetrical arrange- ment, having been erected by different archi~ tects, at different eras and for very different purposes. It was begun about the end of the fifth or beginning of the sixth century, and was rebuilt, increased, repaired, and altered by various poutifs, from that period down to the latter years of the reign of the late Pops Pius VI. All the great architects whom Rome lias produced were employed, in their days, in some part or other of this grand edifice. Galleries and porticos sweep around and through it in all directions, and open an easy access to every quarter. Its halls and saloons are all on a great scale, and by their multi- tude and loftiness alone give an idea of mag- nificence traly Roman. The walls are nei- ther wainscotted nor hung with tapestry : they are adorned or rather animated by the genius of Raffaello and M. Angelo. The furniture is plain and ought to be so: finery would be misplaced in the Vatican, and would sink into insignificance in the midst of the great, the vast, the sublime, which are the predo- minating features or rather the very genii of the place. Opposite the Capella Sistina or chapel of Pope Sixtus V, above mentioned, folding doors 2.5o ROME. — PALACES. open into the Sala Ducale, remarkable only for its size and simplicity. Hence we pass to the Loggie di Raffaello, a series of open gal- leries, so called because painted by that great master or his scholars. The plan, the arrange- ment, and the ornaments of these celebrated pieces are, in general, great and beautiful; the fancy and expression often rise to the grand and even to the sublime. From one of I these galleries a door opens into the Camere di Raffaello, a range of halls totally unfur- nished and uninhabited ; the walls of which being covered with figures from the floor, are thus consecrated as a temple to the genius of painting and to the spirit of Raffaello. The traveller, while occupied in examining the transcendent beauties of the grand com- positions in these halls, is apt to pass over unnoticed the minor ornaments that cover the vaults and fill up the intervals between the greater pieces and the floor or arch. Yet many of these, and particularly the bas-re- liefs and medallions of the three first apart- ments by Caravaggio, representing rural scenes and historical subjects, are of exqui- site beauty, and claim alike the attention of the artist and of the spectator. To conclude, the Camere di Raffaello, like all works of superior excellence, display their beauties gradually and improve on examination, in proportion to the frequency of visits and the minuteness of inspection. After having traversed the court of Saint Damasus and its adjoining halls and chapels, ROME. — PALACES. 25 1 which may be considered as the state-apart- ments of the Vatican, the traveller passes to that part called the Belvedere from its eleva- tion and prospect; and proceeding along an immeasurable gallery, comes to an iron door on the left that opens into the Library of the Vatican, A large apartment for the two keepers, the secretaries, or rather for the seven interpreters who can speak the princi- pal languages of Europe and who attend for the convenience of learned foreigners ; a double gallery 220 feet, opening into another I 800 feet long, with various rooms, cabinets, and apartments annexed form the receptacle of this noble collection. These galleries and apartments are all vaulted and painted with different effect, by painters of different eras and talents. All the paintings have some re- ference to literature sacred or prophane, and take in a vast scope of history and mytho- logy. The books are kept in cases, so that the stranger seeks in vain for that pompous display of volumes which he may have seen and admired in other libraries. Their num- ber has never been accurately stated, some confine it to 200,000, others raise it to 400,000 and many swell it to a million. The mean is probably the most accurate. Indeed the great superiority of this famous library arises not from the quantity of printed books, but the multitude of its MSS. which are said to amount to 5o,ooo; and some of which are of the highest antiquity. The galleries of the library open into va- 202 ROME. — PALACES. rious apartments filled with antiques, me- dals, cameos, etc. The grand gallery that leads to the library terminates in the Museum Pio-Glementinum. Clement XIV has the me- rit of haying first conceived the idea of this museum, and had begun to put it in exe- cution. Pius VI continued it on a much larger scale and gave it its present, extent and magnificence. It consists of several apart- ments, galleries, halls, and temples, some lined with marble, others paved with ancient mosaics, and all filled with statues, vases, candelabras, tombs, and altars. The size and proportion of these apartments, their rich materials and furniture, the well managed light poured in upon them, and the multi- plicity of admirable articles collected in them and disposed in the most striking and judi- cious arrangement, fill the mind of the spec- tator with astonishment and delight, and form the most magnificent and grand combi- nation that perhaps has been ever beheld or can almost be imagined. Among the other masterpieces of art are the Apollo, the Lao- coon, the Antinoiis, and the Torso. Such is the celebrated Museum Pio-Clemenlinum, which, in the extent, multiplicity and beau- tiful disposition of its apartments, far sur- passes every other edifice of the kind. In this account of the Vatican, we have purposely avoided details, as a full descrip- tion of this celebrated palace would form a separate volume; and have, therefore, con- fined our observations to a few of the princi- ROME. — PALACES. 253 pal and most prominent features, merely suf- ficient to awaken the curiosity and guide the attention of the traveller. Close adjoining the Church of St. John de Lateran, is. the palace of that name. This is another of the Pope's residences, but is at present very seldom occupied by him, except- ing when he comes to assist in any acts of de- votion at the adjacent church. The palace belonged to the Laterani, one of the most ancient families in Rome : but conspiring against Nero, this building remained in the hands of the Emperors till Constantine, going to Constantinople, gave the Lateran palace to Pope Sylvester. The style of the architec- ture is rather simple, but possessing three im- mense fronts ; these, together with its lofty situation, gives it an air of magnificence. It however requires one wing to complete its uniformity; a spacious piece of unenclosed ground, which surrounds it, is in a disgraceful state of neglect, even close up to the very walls of the palace. The Quirinal is another of the Pope's pala- ces, upon Monte Cavallo, which seems to have been chosen on account of its elevation. This residence secures their Holinesses against the insalubrious miasmata, which infest the Va- tican during the summer months. Its exte- rior presents two long fronts. The portico towards La Strada Pia is certainly magnifi- cent. The entrance upon the Piazza di Ca~ vallo, is at the extremity of the mass of the building. It is enclosed within two Ionic co« x 254 ROME — PALACES. lumns of marble, above which is a tribune, from whence the Pope sometimes delivers his benediction on the people. The portico, formed of pillars, ornamented with pilasters, runs along the whole extent of a large oblong court, the bottom of which presents a facade, forming double arches with decorations of the Ionic order ; and this is the principal entrance. Above, under the square Ian thorn which con- tains the clock, is a Madonna and child in Mosaic, from a picture by Maratti, which is preserved in the palace. Here is a very hand- some winding staircase ) and to the left are the apartments of the Pope. The chapel here is of the same form and size as the Sixline chapel at the Vatican, with stalls for the Car- dinals. In some of the chambers of this pa •lace, there are private chapels in the form of a Greek cross, decorated with paintings in fresco, the altars excepted, which are done in oil. The garden is nearly a mile round - } there are some statues with a grotto and a Cassino, called the Coffee-house. the Capitol. The Capitol, or Campldoglio^ is one of th( finest edifices, and one of the most advanta geously situated, in modern Rome. It rise majestically from the Capitoline Hill, once s< crowded with temples, that it seemed to hav< been the residence of all the gods. None o its ancient works remain on the Capitol ex- cept a corner of the temple called Jupiteij Tonans and some substructions behind th ROME — PALACES. 255 Senator's palace. The modern architecture is unworthy of ground once so sacred and august. Instead of the Herculean r.nd monu- mental majesty which he called forth on the Farnese palace, Michael Angelo raised on the Capitol two; if not three, Corinthian edifices, so open, so decorated, that abstract all their objects, and the result will be nothing above elegancy; but he built for modern Rome; he built for a Mount which has sunk from its ancient form, and height, and sanctity, and domination. The best approach is from the Via di Ara Cceli ;. at the extremity of which two lofty flights of steps present themselves, nearly close together; and consisting each of about 1200 steps; the one to the left, in- clines considerably in that direction, and leads to the church of Ara Coeli, supposed to oc- cupy the spot on which once stood the tem- ple of Jujftter of the Capitol, and is situated behind the left wing of the present palace of the Capitol. The other flight of stairs ascends in a straight direction facing the s'treet. On, each' side at the bottom is a large figure of a lioness, which serve as fountains ; but fcke fine effect of the whole is miserably disfigured by the quantities of linen constantly hanging to dry, and to which the statues on the steps, and trophies serve for line props. Ascending 1 "j[ the flight of steps, at the top are statues, of j Castor and Pollux, each holding a horse; they Jl were discovered in the time of Pius IV, in I that part of Rome called the Ghetti, inhabited by the Jews. It is said, when Michael Angelo 256 ROME — PALACES. first saw the horse, the principal figure, he could not help exclaiming, « Recordati che sei vivo, e camina. » Arrived at the summit of the stairs; a considerable area. presents itself. The front facing, and the- two sides,. occupied by handsome ranges of buildings of two sto- ries, which constitute the modern palace, and are said to form 'the designs of Angelo Buo- riarotti. The wing to the left is the Museum j that to the right, the palace of the Conserva- tors, in which there is a gallery of paintings. The main bocty is occup.'ed as public offices and a prison, and is detached by a considera- ble open space from the two wings. In the centre of the area stands the superb equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius, in bronze. It is in the finest preservation. The ancient Capi- tol fronted the present buildings towards the arch of Severus, behind the main body of the present Capitol, and between it and the wing to the left, as you ascend the stairs. The foundations are still visible in that part oppo- site the Temple of Jupiter Capitolinus, and also on the other side towards the Temple of Concord, Sn a court belonging to Santa Ma- ria della Conzolazione. The hall of audience in the Capitol, till very lately, contained a portrait of Bonaparte. The colossal figure of Roma Triumphans here > it has been ob- served, is quite eclipsed by the inimitable beauty of a weeping province carved on its pedestal. The great wall of the Peperino is all that remains of the buildings erected here in the time of the Republic } the place still ROME — PALACES. 2^7 retains its ancient name; but the objects about it are far from possessing any remain, of the former dignity of this celebrated spot. Turning to the right on ascending the stairs, at the end of a sort of short narrow passage, is a small door, that leads to a' seminary, opposite which and above the Palazzo Caff a- relli, is what used to be called the Tarpeian rock. The altitude at present appears to be formed by arches of masonry, or bj excava- tions in the rock below, walled up? It is now not more than between forty and fifty feet high. Calculating by the ascertained changes, that have taken place in the elevation of the ground in the vicinity, allowing the top of the rock to have in proportion been lowered about twenty feet, and the bottom of it, as much choked up and raised with rubbish, its former height must have been under 90 feet. From the tower of the Capitol, and seated under the shade of its pinnacle, we may enjoy an admirable view both of ancient and mo- dern Rome. Behind us, the modern town lies extended over the Campus Martius, and spreading along the banks of the Tiber, forms a curve round the base of the Capitol. Before us, scattered in vast black shapeless masses over the seven hills and through the interven- ing vallies, rise the ruins of the ancient city. They stand desolate, amidst solitude and si- lence, with groves of funeral cypress waving over them — the awful monuments, not of in- dividuals, but of generations — not of men, but of empires! 2.5'd ROME — PALACES. Immediately under our eyes, and at the foot of the Capitol, lies the Forum, lined with soli- tary columns and terminated at each end by a triumphal arch. Beyond, and just before us, is the Palatine Mount, encumbered with the substructions of the "Imperial Palace >♦ and the Temple of Apollo; and farther on, the Celian Mount, with the temple of Faunus, on its summit. On the right is the Aventine, spotted wkh heaps of stone swelling amidst its lovely vineyards. To the left the Esqui- line with its scattered tombs and tottering acqueducts j and in the same line, the Vimi- nal, and the Quirinal which supports the once magnificent baths of Dioclesian. The baths of Antoninus, the Temple of Minerva, and many a venerable fabric, bearing on its shat- tered form the traces of destruction as well as the furrows of age, lies scattered up and down the vast field, while the superb temples of St. John Lateran, Santa Maria Maggiore, and Santa Croce, appear with their pointed obe- lisks, majestic but solitary monuments amidst the extensive waste of time and desolation. The ancient walls, a vast circumference, form, a frame of venerable aspect well adapted to this picture of ruin, this cemetery of ages, this sepulchre of the Roman people. Beyond the walls the eye ranges over the storied plain of Latium, now the deserted Campagna, and rests on the Alban Mount, which rises before us to the south and shelves downwards on the West towards Antium and the Tyrrhene sea 7 and on the east towards HOME — PALACES. 25() the Latin vale. Here it presents Tusculum in white lines on its declivity, there it exhibits the long ridge that overhangs its lake, once the site of Alba Longa; and towering boldly in the centre with a hundred towns and villas on its sides, it terminates in a point once crowned with the triumphal temple of Jupiter Latialis. Turning eastward, we behold the TiburLine hills with Tibur reclining on their side : and behind, still more to the east, the Sabine mountains enclosed by the Apennines; which, at the varj'iftg distance of from forty to sixty miles, sweep round to the east and north, forming an immense and bold boun- dary of snow. The Monies Clmzni, and seve- ral smaller hills, diverging from the great pa- rent ridge the Pater Apenninus, continue the chain till it nearly reaches the sea and forms a perfect theatre. Mount Soracte,- thirty miles to the north, lifts his head an insulated and striking feature; while the Tiber, enriched by numberless rivers and streamlets, inter- sects the immense plain, and bathing the temples and palaces of Rome, rolls, like the Po, a current unexhausted even during the scorching heats of summer. The tract now expanded before our sight was the country of the Etrurians, Vicentes, Rutuli, Falisci, Latins, Sabines, Yolsci, JEcmi and Hernici, and of course the scene of the wars and exertions, the victories and triumphs^ of infant Rome, during a period of nearly 4°<> years of her history. As the traveller looks towards the regions once inhabited by these 2G0 HOME — PALACES. well known tribes, many an illustrious name and many a noble achievement must rise in his memory, reviving at the same time the recollection of early studies and boyish amuse- ments, and blending the friendships of youth with the memorials of ancient greatness. The Capitol is the palace of the Roman people, the seat of their power, and thejresi- clence of their magistrates. The statues and other antiques placed here by the Popes, are dedicated, in the names of the donors, to the Roman people, and the inscriptions in gene- ral run in the ancient style. The Museum ■Capitolinum contains, in several large rooms, a most splendid collection of busts, statues, sarcophagi, etc. bestowed by different Popes and various illustrious personages on this magnificent cabinet, which is devoted to the vise of the Roman people, or rather to the literary 'and curious of all nations. The Palace of the Consulla, situated a little to the right of Monte Cavallo, has three great gate entrances; the corps-de-garde i of the light horse is on one side of the building m 7 the other end is used for the cuirassiers. The principal apartments are inhabited by the Cardinal Secretary of Briefs, and by the Se- cretary of the Cansulta ; there are also other inferior officers of the establishment lodged in the palace. The Consulta is a most im- portant congregation in the Ecclesiastical go- vernment -j it was established by Sixtus V, to receive the complaints of people in the cities against their governors and officers, and also ROME — PALACES. 26 X tliose of the vassals of the Barons and Lords. The Consulta assemble on Wednesdays and Fridays. The Palace of Barberini, built in the Pon- tificate of Urban VIII, with it's gardens, oc- cupies a considerable extent of ground, and stands on the spot where the first Capitol was built by JVuma Pompilius, upon the extre- mity of the Quirinal. Nothing was wanting for the embellishment of the Palace of Bar- berini during the long extent of the power of Urban and his nephews. The entrance towards the Strada Felice was the work of Bernini ; and the fine paintings in fresco by Sacchi and Pietro de Cortone, were long ad- mired, particularly one of the latter, whose flattering pencil in the apotheosis of Urban exhibited a poetic composition, with the mas- ter-strokes of genius and judgment. Here also was the beautiful sleeping fawn, a Gre- cian statue : the group of Atalante and Me" leager, and several bronzes and ancient Mo- saics, found in the Temple of- Fortune. Here is a noble library, open on certain days every week to the public. An ancient painting re- presenting the Goddess Rome, found under ground in April i655, was lately one of the finest ornaments of the Palace Barberini. In the freshness of its colouring, it in a great measure exceeded several of the frescos of Raffaelle, in the Vatican, and which were known to have decayed in less than three cen- turies. It is not certain whether the Goddess Rome was done in distemper, in fresco, or 26?. ROME — PALACES. wilh colours burnt in. Its size is eight palms and a half Roman, or about five feet nine inches common measure. This painting represents the Goddess Home sitting on a throne of gold, with a Roman casque on her head, shaded with two wings of an eagle. She is clothed in a white tunic, with short sleeves, differing from that worn by men, which reach to the feet. This tunic is almost entirely concealed by the toga of gold, decorated wilh a large purple border. To the right shoulder the purple chlamys or palltidd/neiitum, the usual costume of Roman generals, is added. In her right hand she sus- tains a small statue of Victory carrying a globe, and a vexillam, or standard. In her left hand she holds a sceptre ) beneath this is a shield. Two small Victories are repre- sented sitting upon her shoulders, as if in- tended to secure the cJitamys. Two other figures decorate the throne. The expression of the Goddess is grand and imposing. But' whatever pleasure or amusement we may derive from viewing this magnificent and elegant palace, we are strongly induced to form a wish that it had never existed, and to execrate the memory of its builders, when we .reflect, that to obtain the materials of which it is constructed, a great part of that noble building the Flavian Amphithea- tre (Coliseum) was laid in ruins, and muti- lated, when it is most probable that it would otherwise have remained until this clay entire. A spacious piece of ground that environs it, ROME — PALACES. 263 as usual, exhibits the most slovenly neglect, when it might so easily be rendered conducive to the beauty of the edifice, especially in this mild climate, so highly favourable to im- provements of that nature. The Palace of Venice, crowned with bat- tlements like an ancient castle, is distinguish- able from every other by its Gothic architec- ture. The architect was Giuliano di Mag- liano; and this edifice, as well as the church of St. Mark, very near it, was given to the re- public by the reigning Pope, as a gratuity for their acknowledgement of the Council of Trent, after a very warm contest. Before the Palace of Monte Cavallo was built, that of Venice used frequently to be the summer residence of the Popes. Here Charles VIII. of France resided in i494? when he went to conquer the kingdom of Naples. This palace is enormously large, and is more like a prison than the residence of a prince or his repre- sentative. The Palace of Alfieri is one of the largest and most beautiful in Rome. One of its courts is encircled with a portico. Some curious books and very rare manuscripts used to be seen here. Braschiis a palacewhichno traveller should neglect visiting, though one of the most mo- dern date ; as there is a staircase here superior to every thing of the kind, for its grandeur and magnificence. The pilasters and columns of red granite, and the beautifully variegated marbles in this palace, are really enchanting, 264 BOME — PALACES. though the interior is by no means in a com- pletely finished stale". The Palace of -Medici is situated on the spot formerly occupied by the Temple of the Sun. A part of this vast building towards the left is said to be peopled with a colony of white rabbits, to which the oaks, which form a thick shade, afford their acorns for food, All the busts, bas-reliefs, etc. that once formed the principal ornaments of this palace were removed into Tuscany by the Austrian family, which succeeded that of Medici. These originals have been replaced by models in plaister, for the use of the artists here, who have an exhibition once in every two years. The Farnese Palace, partly built by Mi- chael Angelo, is the most superb in Rome, and of immense extent. In the court are three orders, Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian,. In the apartments are some good statues and busts -j but the greatest ornament was the gal- lery painted in fresco by Annibale Caracci r In the Farnesina, or little Farnese Palace, Raffaelle and his scholars painted in fresco the story of Psyche, with the assembly and ban- quet of the Gods. The Farnese Palace be- sides enjoys a charming view of the Tiber and the Janiculum. The Palace Corsinl is situated at Longara, opposite the Farnese Palace : it was built un- der the Pontificate of Clement XII and is ce- lebrated in history as having been the resi- dence of Christina, Queen of Sweden. The gardens of this palace ascend up to the sura- HOME — PALACES. 265 mit of the Janiculum, where, from a Ca- iino, the most beautiful perspective may be enjoyed. The Palace Doria is one in which the dis- tribution of the apartments is more in the manner of the French and English; the fur- niture is of more recent date, and of more fashionable taste than the others. In fact, the interior is more comformable to the ex- terior, than the rest. Among other palaces meriting attention, the Chancery may be cited, the principal front being in the place Fiori. As a tout-en- semble it is without doubt one of the most noble; it was finished under Cardinal Riario, nephew of Sixtus IV ,from the designs of Bra- mante. Many of the stones were brought from the Coliseum, and much of the marble from the arch of Gordian. The court is de- corated with a double portico of two different orders, placed one upon the other, and forty- four columns of granite. The pictures are by Kasari Salviati, and other great artists. This vast palace is at present a prison, and crimi- nal causes are tried here. Monte Citorio, or Curia Innocenziana, is upon the summit of this eminence. This grand edifice contains more than an hundred windows, and a handsome court in the inte- rior, at the bottom of which a fountain plays into a basin of oriental granite, found in the ruins of the ancient port. The apartments level with the ground are occupied as lottery 266 ROME— PALACES. offices; formerly they were those of the Au- ditor of the Apostolic Chamber. The upper chambers are appropriated to other offices, civil and ecclesiastical. A banner, or stage is erected in this square once a month, from whence the, goods of fortune are distributed by the way of a lottery, by a boy who draws the tickets and pronounces them blank or prize. The Palace of Borghese, near La Ripetta and La Porta'Pinciana, was the work of Bra- mante, at the expense of Cardinal Scipio Borghese. The additions to it have rendered it an immense building, and its ample court is enclosed within a double row of arcades, supported by an hundred Ionic columns of granite, crowned with a gallery. The Palace of ' .Aldobrandini is less cele- brated for its architecture than for the ancient painting in fresco, known to artists under the name of the Nozze Aldobrandine. This painting, found in the gardens of Maecenas upon Mount' Esquiline; in the Pontificate of Clement "VIII, has lost much of the vivacity of its original colouring j but the beauty of the design is imperishable. As perspective is wanting in this precious morceau, it is thought this Aldobrandine marriage is the most an- cient piece in Rome, and really the produc- tion of a Grecian pencil. The Nozze, or mar- riage, Winkelman takes to be that of Peleus and Thetis. This curious piece of antiquity was for a long time kept ia a Casino- in the ROME — PALACES. 267 garden ; and this palace also contained two portraits of the execrable Donna Olimpia Jfaldichina, mistress of Pope Innocent X. The Palace Giustiniani, situated near the baths of Nero, is a vast building, with a suite of melancholy, though well proportioned rooms. The Spada Palace, near the Piazza Farnese, has ever been remarkable for its antique co- lossal statue of Porapey ; that near which, it is supposed by antiquarians, Caesar was stab- bed in the Senate House by Brutus. Colonna. — On« of the particulars attending this palace, is, that its halls once contained the pictures of two Popes, nineteen Cardinals, and fifty-four Generals of armies, all -des- cended from the noble and ancient house of that name, besides a great number of busts, and original pictures Of various descriptions. The exterior of this palace has nothing pecu- liarly striking about it - ? but the interior pos- sesses a most magnificent staircase. The Palace Ruspoli has nothing so conspi- cuous within its walls as its curious staircase of marble, composed of four different flights of steps, very long, and of a considerable breadth. The antique statues, which serve as embellishments to this grand staircase, do not possess any peculiar distinctions as to ex- ecution or design. The Palace Orsini is a noble building, though its style of architecture is not of the first order. It has twenty-two windows' in 268 ROME — palaces; front, and a fine suite of rooms. Part of its large gardens extend to the Janiculum, and command one of the finest views of Rome. The theatre of Marcellus formed the site of this palace, on whose foundation, vaults, and collected ruins, it rises on a lofty eminence. In a court behind the palace, and between it and the remains of the theatre of Marcellus, is a large sarcophagus, having the labours of Hercules very finely depicted on it. Villa Glulia. A palace built by Pope Ju- lius III in a retired spot not far from the gate Del Popolo, not much visited by strangers, is small, but very elegantly ornamented. The roof, of a semicircular arcade in the back front, is finely painted with a trellis of roses, jessamine, and other flowers, interspersed with, birds, satyrs, and great numbers of naked in- fantine figures. Several of these groupes are indecent, and one towards the north end is too abominable to be described. Of this, a bird is an attentive spectator; and the artist has contrived to put so much moral meaning into its countenance, as in some measure to apo- logize for the rest of his work. Behind this palace is a most romantic JVyra- phceum, or grotto-like temple, occupying an oval space, and sunk about twelve feet below the surface of the ground. Descend- ing by a concealed staircase, you enter this place, only open to the sky, and decorated with four niches, in each of which a beau- tiful little fountain is always playing. After ROME — PALACES. 269 tliis palace was neglected by the Popes, ma- ny parties used to come from Rome in hot weather to dine in the Nymphceum. Villa Albani. This palace, farther removed from town out of the Porta Salara, is in a most deli'ghlful situation. Its founder was Cardinal Albani, the great patron of TVin- helman, who had a set of apartments to him- self. The Cardinal was accustomed to retire to this villa every afternoon, to enjoy the society of his friends; and, according as TVin- helman liked or disliked the company or con- versation, he was at liberty to join it or not. Every thing here is in the .most exquisite pre- servation, and as neat as an English house. The portico towards the garden is one of the most beautiful imaginable. Two temples, dedicated lo the Emperors Aurelius and An~ toniiis, are highly spoken of j and here, among the figures of these good Emperors, is said to be the only full length figure of the vile Do~ mitian, which had escaped its just doom. Two large basons of alabastro fiorito also a- dorned these temples j but this palace being among the richest in sculptures and paint- ings, was proportionately plundered by the French. Here we may observe, of the Churches and Palaces in general, that, in Rome, the dar- ling fault of architecture is excess of ornament; an excess more licentious in the sacred build- ings than in the profane, and in sacred build- ings most licentious in the most sacred part. Every where you see ornament making great z. 270 ROME — PALACES. edifices look little, by subdividing their ge- neral surfaces into such a multitude of mem- bers as prevents the eye from recombining them. The churches are admirable only in detail. Their materials are rich, the workmanship exquisite, the orders all Greek. But how are those orders employed ? In false fronts, which, rising into two stages of columns, promises two stories within — in pediments under pedi- ments, and in segments of pediments in cornices for ever broken by projections projecting from projections — in columns and pilasters, and fractions of pilasters grouped round one pillar. Thus Grecian beauties are clustered hy Goths : thus capitals and bases are cou- pled, or crushed, or confounded in each other ; and shafts rise from the same level to different heights, some to the architrave, and some only to the impost. Ornaments for ever interrupt or conceal ornaments : accessories are multiplied till they absorb the principal: the universal fault is the too many and the too much. Few churches in this city show more than their fronts externally. Their rude sides are generally screened by contiguous buildings, and their tiled roof by a false pediment, which, rising to an immoderate height above the ridge, leads to certain disappointment when you enter. The Romans seem fondest of those fronts where most columns can be stuck and most angles projected. The cupolas are built entirely of brick^^a^ ROME — PALACES. 27 I generally rest on four concave pannels. An Italian cupola is in itself a fine object, ■and opens to painting a new region, new prin- ciples, and effects unknown to the ancients. Some churches, as those twins in the Piazza del Popolo, those at Trajan's column, etc. seem constructed for their cupolas alone. To the cupola form we may refer also the Cor- aini, Borghese, and Perretti chapels, which some admire even for the architecture; but more, I suspect, for the sculpture and pre- cious materials of their tombs and altars. The palaces are built rather for the spec- tator than the tenant; and hence the eleva- tion is more studied than the plan. Some are ■mere fronts, and so crowded too with stories that the mansion of a prince often suggests the idea of a lodging-house. The lower range of windows is grated like a jail: the upper are divided by wretched mezzanini. Where different orders are piled in front, which fortunately is rare, their natural sue* cession is seldom observed, and may even bt seen reversed. The gateway, with the bal- cony and its superstructure, generally forms an architectural picture at variance with the style of the palace, and breaks its front into unconnected parts. This is conspicuous at Monte Cavallo, Monte Citorio, etc. In pri- vate palaces it forms the grand scene of fa- mily pride, which makes strange havoc on the pediments. Sometimes the armorial bearings break even into the capitals of co- 27* ROME— PALACES. lumns ; as the eagle at the Guistiniani palace, and the flower-de-luce- at the Panfili. Wherever the palace forms a court, the porticos below are composed of arches resting on single columns. This jumble of arcade and colonnade, of two architectures different even in origin, was unknown to the ancients, and crept first into the ba-silical churches from economy in building and from a com- mand of ancient columns. On entering the palace, you behold a stair- case of unexpected grandeur, usurping per- haps more than its proportion of the interior, but tending both to expand and to ventilate the mansion: and you ascend by a few flights, strait, easy, and wide, but sometimes tre- mendously long, which lead to the Sala. This sala is the common hall of the palace, and if the prince has the right of canopy, here stands the throne fenced with a rail. Its ceiling opens a wide field for fresco, and, be- ing loftier than all the apartments on the same floor, it leaves in the intermediate height a range of low rooms, which give rise to the vicious mezzanini. From this great hall, when it occupies the middle of the first floor, you command the palace in different directions, and can pierce it at a glance through lengthening files of marble door posts. In the distribution of the houses, the grand object is the picturesque. Nothing is done for the comfortable, a term unknown to the Italians and to the inhabi- tants of most hot countries. SOME. 275 PUBLIC BUILDINGS, MONUMENTS, etc. The Castle of St. Angelo, built by Adrian for his mausoleum, is now a strong fortress; he rendered it the most superb monument ever raised in Rome. A square base of a great height, supported a vast rotunda, built with Tivertine stone, and covered with Parian marble, which was surrounded by an open portico or colonnade of Corinthian columns. Above the cornice were placed a great number of statues; it had jbl roof with a cupola, and round this were several other statues: on the summit stood a gilt bronze pine of very large size. On each corner of the square base was placed the statue of a man holding a horse. After the fall of the Roman empire, this great edifice was converted into a fortress, and taken and retaken several times by the Goths and by Belis'arius. About the year 5g3, Gregory the Great named it the Castle of St. Angelo, from the supposed circumstance of an angel being seen on the top of it, sheathing a sword during the time of a plague. Urban VIII furnished it with cannon, and the fosse and bastions towards the meadows, as they may be seen at present. The great firework, called the Girando/o, is exhibited from this castle every eve and festival of St. Peter, as well as at the time of the Pope's coronation, when the grand explosion of four thousand five hundred rockets, discharged at once, produces a superb effect. The Pons jE/ius, built by Adrian, is situated opposite this castle. Some 274 R0ME — COLISEUM. columns in the church of San Paolo Fuori, were taken from this building; and the large bronze pine apple, mentioned by Dante, as having been at the summit of this mausoleum, was since in the garden of the Belvedera. Upon the whole, this building, from one of the most beautiful in the world, has become one of the most deformed and ugly. It is worth a traveller's while to ascend the roof of the castle of St. Angel o, for a view of the city and its environs. In the centre of the building is an oblong room, painted by Julio Romano , arid others. Here some sup- pose the ashes of Adrian _w ere deposited: though the most general opinion is, that they were enclosed in the large pine apple of bronze, which crowned the summit of the ancient structure. Notwithstanding, the ravages of the barbarians who first converted this mau- soleum into a castle, the solid fabric itself has alike resisted the efforts of -time and bar- barism, and is now the chief fortress of the city. Hither the Pope can retire from the Vatican, in case of any danger, by means of a covered gallery, built by Alexander "VI, who had need of such a retreat. One curio- sity in this castle, is a chair, like a large sen- try box, suspended by ropes, and so balanced, that a person in it may, by a slight effort of his hands, ascend or descend in a moment the whole height of the building, passing through trap-doors on each floor. The Coliseum, or Flavian Amphitheatre, built by Yespasian, is one of the finest re- ROME COLISEUM. 275 mains of Ptoman magnificence in the world : it is of an oval form, and was situated near the colossal statue of Nero, not far from the Imperial palace. It is five hundred and fifty feet long, four hundred and seventy broad ? and one hundred and sixty high, sufficient to contain eighty thousand people seated, and twenty ihousand standing. The orders of ar- chitecture that still adorn this building, are Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, and Composite : the stone being an incrustation of the acqua Albunea. The entrance to this amphitheatre is by eighty arcades, seventy-six of which were for the people, two for the gladiators and the wild beasts, and two for the Emperor and his suite. By the great freedom of ingress and egress, the many thousands that were pre- sent at the amphitheatre came in and went out with the utmost facility. The lowest seals, or Podium, were defended from the beasts by perpendicular and horizontal bars, and yet the company was not unfrequently alarmed by the bold assaults of wolves and tigers. Domitian used sometimes to fill the arena with water, and exhibit Naumachias to the people. It is knowabut by conjecture, who was the architect of this stupendous building, which for its excellence is perfectly unique. But though the walls of the city have been repaired with the rums of the Coliseum, enough still remains to convince the observer of its grand outline. The great remains of amphitheatres are at Rome ? Yerona, and Kismesj each of these 276 ROME — COLISEUM. has what the others want; so that a perfect building of the kind may be collected from the whole. That at Verona is complete in seats, but wanting galleries; the Roman .is without seats, but perfect in its corridor; the amphitheatre at Nismes is deficient only in its arena, which is filled up with old houses. -The Coliseum is composed of four stories j an open portico, divided into eighty arches, containing three, while the fourth was open to the air. The arena, or place where the combatants engaged, was two hundred and sixty-four feet long, and a hundred and sixty feet wide. There was a ditch filled with wa- ter round this space and a high wall, upon the top of which a platform, being nearest the shows, was reckoned the most honourable place: here was seated the Emperor, the Se- nators, and all those Magistrates entitled to curule chairs. From behind this platforrn- rose the seats in four divisions, the last of which served for the lower class of people. When it rained, an awning was spread over the spectators to screen them. We owe what remains of this grand amphitheatre to Pope Benedict, who considered it as sanctified by the blood of a number of Christians con- demned to be torn by the wild beasts : he caused fourteen little crucifixes, having small shrines, painted with the different sufferings of our Saviour, to be erected within the arena, and granting it all the privileges of a church, thus saved it from the hands of modern Goths and Vandals. ROME. 277 ARCHES. Among other beautiful ruins that remain in tolerable preservation, the Arch of Con- stantine is one of the most prominent, com- posed of the remains of that of Trajan. It is all of marble, and retains four capital bas- reliefs; but though the heads of Trajan and the captive princes are wanting, other orna- ments and sculpture of inferior execution re- main, representing the battle of Maxentius at the Milvian bridge, and the siege of Verona. The arch was so constructed, that the musi- cians for the triumph might be placed in an apartment over the void. The moment the procession reached the arch, the band began to play, and continued till the whole was gone through. The Arch of Titus is said to have been the first in which the Composite order was used. It was erected for the triumph of the Emperor over Jerusalem ; and the bas-reliefs on one side represent the ark and the candlesticks ; and on the other, the Emperor in his car, drawn by four horses. In the roof is repre- sented the apotheosis of Titus, from whence it is naturally inferred that the arch was built after his death. No Jew will ever pass under this gateway. On this arch is the following inscription : Senatus. Populusque. Romanus. Devoto. Tito. Divi. Vespasiani. F. Vcspasiano. Augusto. A a 278 ROME — ARCHES — COLUMNS. The Arch of Septimius Seuerus is of saline marble, and ornamented with fluted columns of the Composite order. It is at least twenty- five feet in the ground, and the two lateral arches nearly buried in the earth. It is of very rich workmanship, with bas-reliefs, re- presenting sacrifices, though now much muti- lated. The Arch of Janus is a quadrangular build- ing, having two rows of niches on the outside. Near it is the church of S. Georgio, the por~ tico of which was once that of a temple. An- tiquaries say that it stands upon the ruins of the house of Sempronius. Opposite this church and the arch of Janus is the Cloaca Maxima, built by Tarquin the Proud, to re- ceive and carry off all the impurities of the city into the Tiber, and to drain the grounds round the Circus Maximus. COLUMNS AND OBELISKS. Among these completely visible, are those of Trajan and Antoninus : the former stands in a small square, the base nearly fifteen feet under the present level. It is of the Tuscan order, and one of the finest specimens of it existing. Here are twenty-three compart- ments, admirably sculptured in bas-relief, ascending in a spiral line, representing the principal scenes in the Dacian war. The sculpture on the pedestal is also executed in the best style of the Romans. By a staircase in the interior, people ascend to the top, now crowned with a colossal statue of St. Peter. ROME — COLUMNS — OBELISKS. 279 The elevation of Trajan's pillar is about a hundred and twenty English feet, and the shaft alone upwards of ninety-two feet in height. This famous historical pillar was erected in honour of the Emperor Trajan. It is some- what irregular : its height is eight diameters, and its pedestal Corinthian : it was built in the large square, the Forum Roman um. Its base consists of twelve stones of an enormous size, and is raised on a socle or foot of eight steps. The staircase is illuminated with forty- four windows, is thirty-five feet short of the Antonine column, but much surpasses that in sculptural ornament. It has been since adopt- ed as the model of the famous triumphal pil- lar erected by the order of Bonaparte at Paris, and, like that, is covered with trophies and representations of the various battles and victories of the hero to whom it is dedicated. The Column of Antoninus, or more pro- perly speaking, that of Aurelius, stands quite clear of the ground, and is to. be seen to more advantage than the former, in the centre of a spacious square, called Piazza Colonna. It is higher than Trajan's, the elevation of the shaft alone being one hundred and six feet, and the pedestal is very lofty. The shaft is sculptured in bas-relief, with the actions of Marcus A 'urelius in the war against the Mar- comanni. On the summit is a statue of St. Paul, erected in i58cj, when the column was restored by Sixtus V. The inscription upon the pedestal is remarkable, because it is the 280 ROME — OBELISKS. only one of any antiquity upon which the letters of bronze have been preserved. Opposite the grand entrance of the Curia stands an Egyptian obelisk, remarkable for its antiquity, its workmanship, and its desti- nation. It h said to have been erected by Sesostris at Heliopolis, and is covered, where not damaged, by hieroglyphics, executed with uncommon neatness. It was employed by Augustus, as a gnomon to an immense dial formed by his direction in the Campus Mar- tius. After having been overturned, shatter- ed, and buried in ruins, it was discovered re- peatedly, and as often neglected and forgot- ten, till Benedict XIV rescued it from obli- vion, and Pius VI repaired and placed it in its present situation. The obelisks are peculiar to Rome, and seem to form ornaments singularly appropri- ate, as they connect its present beauty with its ancient power and magnificence. When we recollect that their antiquity precedes' the origin of regular history, and disappears, in the obscurity of the fabulous ages ; that they are of Egyptian workmanship, the trophies, and perhaps the records of her ancient mo- narchs— we cannot but look upon them as so many acknowledgments of homage, so many testimonials of submission to imperial Rome. When we are informed, that, whatever their elevation or magnitude may be, they are all of one solid block of granite, and yet have been transported over many hundred miles of land and sea, we are astonished at the com- ROME- — PANTHEON". ft8l bination of still and boldness that marks such an undertaking, and surpasses the powers of modern art, though apparently so much im- proved in mechanical operations. PANTHEON. This edifice, once the pride of R.ome, and so called from being dedicated to all the Gods, still remains one of the most magnificent and complete of all the ancient temples. Its por- tico is a model of perfection ; it is of the Co- rinthian order, as is the whole building. It is supported by sixteen columns of oriental granite; the shaft of each is a single stone, forty-two feet' English measure ; eight are placed in front, the other eight behind. It is a question whether Agrippa built the whole of it, or only the portico. The Popes have caused the ground to be cut down into a slope, so that we descend to the portico : out of the seven ancient steps, one only remains. The whole of the portico was covered with gilt brassy which Urban YI1I employed to make the superb baldaquin in St. Peter's, and some cannon in the castle of St. Angelo. The present gate is of metal ; the original is sup- posed to have been carried away by Genseric, Ring of the Goths. The floor of the interior slopes to the centre, to carry off the rain which descends through the opening, at the top, by which the light is admitted. Round the interior there are seven recesses or cha- pels, formed in the walls, each of them orna- mented with two beautiful fluted columns of A a. 202 ROME rAXTIIEOV. gtallo antico ; between the chapels are altars for Christian worship, added since the whole was converted into a church. The floor is intirely inlaid with precious marbles. The frieze is of porphyry ) above this is an altar, decorated with fourteen niches, with four pilasters between each, and pannels of differ- ent kinds ; the altar has an entablature, from which the dome rises, which covers the whole. Some square compartments in this arch are said to have been covered with sculptured plates of silver } but these were carried away by Constantine, the grandson of Heraclius, in his visit to Rome about the year 655. The roof is now covered with lead, but formerly with plates of gilt brass. The diameter of the inside is one hundred and forty-nine feet English ; the walls are, besides this, eighteen feet thick, so that the diameter of the whole is one hundred and eighty-five feet ; the height the same. Alaric the Goth was the first plunderer of the Pantheon. About thirty-nine years after, Genseric with his "Vandals took away part of its marbles and statues: at length Pope Boniface IV obtain- ing this Pantheon of the Emperor Phocas, converted it into a church, without any al- teration in the form*t>f the building ; and it is still known by the religious at Rome under the name of Notre Dame de la Rotunda. The space in the front is disfigured by a most filthy market, which if taken away and the ground improved, would add infinitely to the effect of the building. The mean houses ROME — PORI'M AND VIA SACRA. 283 which join its right side ought also to be re- moved. The external parts of it appear to require some repairs. There is at present a prospect of its reverting in some measure to its original use • for at the suggestion of that modern ornament of his country, Canova, many busts of celebrated men now adorn its interior. FORUM AND VIA SACRA. Of these remains, it is said, the temple of Remus, now the church of S. Cosmo and Da- miano, is the only one of antiquity that has its own original gates : they are of brass, and were formerly much ornamented : here are several antique pedestals, pillars of porphyry and entablature. The Forum is of an oblong figure, seven hundred feet in length and five hundred in breadth. The situation of its fourteen shop?, Basilica, temple of Mars and Saturn, is well known. The temple of Con- cord and the arch of Septimius that leads to the Capitol, are still remaining in part. It was in the temple of Concord that Cicero as- sembled the Senate on the affair of Catiline. On that side also the buildings are known over which Caligula's bridge passed from the Palatine to the Capitol, though there are no traces of them left, unless the three columns that are still standing, made part of the temple of Castor and Pollux, which, according to Suetonius, was conver'e^ by Cab'g'il.j r.\: > a vestibule. Af*er his death, this bridge was destroyed by the fury of the multitude. As !>84 ROME FORUM AND VIA SACRA. for fixing the exact place where the Curia or Comitia, or the rostrum stood, it must he settled where fancy and conjecture may choose to place it. The whole Forum is about twenty feet higher than it was in the time of the Romans, and, in fact, the space between several of the hills have been in a great mea- sure filled up by the rains and the gradual accumulation of ruins ; but the Forum now, generally speaking, is an open waste, and used for a cattle-market. Still among the re- mains of the antiquities in this Campo Vacci- no are three beautifully fluted Corinthian co- lumns at the foot of the Capitoline hill, but so many feet in the ground, that the elegant frieze, representing the instruments of sacri^* fice, is level with the eye : these are supposed to be part of the temple of Jupiter Tonans, built by Augustus. Here are also eight co- lumns, seven of grey and one of red granite, of different sizes, part of the portico of the Temple of Concord — a single pillar with a Co- rinthian capital ; the Temple of Antoninus and Faustina, consisting of ten columns, fifty feet high, each being one block of Numidian marble ; these are standing before the church of S. Lorenzo in Miranda, and constitute its portico. Opposite the oratory of the Confra- ternity of Via Cruris, two other columns are buried halfway in the ground. Three arches of the Temple of Peace, finished by Vespa- sian, partly out of the famous golden-house of Nero - f the only column remaining of this is now to be seen before the church of S. I HOME — TEMPLE OF PEACE. 285 Maria Maggiore. Two square rooms in the convent of S. Maria Nuova are generally [supposed to have been the Temples of the |Sun and Moon. Before the church of S. Ma- \ria Liberatrice are three large columns, once .{belonging to the Temple of Jupiter Stator ; J their capitals are the richest in Home, and uthe frieze is plain. TEMPLE OF PEACE. This is one of the grandest remains of Ro- man magnificence : it was built by Vespasian, upon the ruins of the portico of the golden- house of Nero, in the year 77 of our era. Pliny speaks of it as a wonder of the world. Time has deprived us of the means of judging for ourselves ; some idea of its magnificence, however, may be conceived from one of its sides still remaining. It consists of three spacious arches, which were considerably sunk, till the French, in 181 2, entirely clear- ed them of the ground, which nearly covered a third of these remains, and also discovered a part of the garden which joined the Forum and Coliseum. Near this part of it, large fragments of ruins are scattered about on all sides ; among which may be remarked some very fine marble friezes, immense frag- ments of the ceiling, stucco-work, and orna- ments still adhering to them. Of the other part on the right, only a few vaults are to be seen. Upon the pillars of the three arcades that remain, there are some in- dications of a marble entablature : these were 2B6 ROME — TEMPLE OF PEACE. supported by eight columns entirely of marble, one of which remained standing in the time of Paul V, who had it removed with its en- tablature to the great square of S. Maria Maggiore, and crowned it with a statue of the "Virgin. The pedestal of one of the co- lumns of this Temple of Peace, was lately to be seen at the palace of Famese, which bore this inscription upon one of its faces — Paci aeternae domus Augusts. Upon another front, the names of many of the generals that followed Vespasian to the wars of Judea appeared. The length of this temple was about three hundred feet, and its breadth about two hundred. A portico be- longing to it was only known by comparing it with the medals struck by order of Vespa- sian. The columns were of the Corinthian order, and, without doubt, of marble. Its in- terior was ornamented with paintings and sculptures by the hands of the most able ar- tists ; particularly some chef-tV ceuvres of 27- manllies and Protogenes. Among several mor- geaux of sculpture, a Venus by a hand un- known, might be distinguished. An offering to the Nile, with figures of sixteen children in basalt, was also to be seen, with the Colossus of Nero, or the statue of the Sun, from the golden-house. It was in this temple that the citizens, upon the pledge of public faith, de- posit* d their principal treasures in the time of invasion or other danger. Here the wealth deposited was once carried off to Africa, by ROME PALATINE HILL. 287 Genseric, king of. the Vandals, but being afterwards recovered by Belisarius, it was transmitted to Constantinople, and formed a I part of his triumph. A fire at length con- sumed this temple, during the reign of Corn- modus, so violent as to melt the plates of bronze upon the walls, which, mixed with gold and silver, ran in streams through the gates, resembling small rivulets. Near this place, and between it, the church of S. Fran- cesco, and the Coliseum, are the remains of a temple dedicated to Venus. The pavement, and one end, containing a recess, are all that remain. PALATINE HILL. From this spot most of the remarkable an- tiquities of Rome may be seen. The renowned spot which Romulus consi- dered as large enough for his city, was lately the property of the Farnesian family: it con- tains some of the most striking remains of Roman grandeur: here stood the Imperial Palace, surrounded by the other hills of Rome, in a delightful situation, about a hundred and twenty feet higher than the Via Sacra. Augustus, Tiberius, and Nero built on this hill, and the. latter building was found so vast, that Titus andDomitian destroyed great part of it. The remains of the immense walls, more than an hundred and twenty feet high, are now standing, with which Nero filled up the void in order to extend the level of the hill. The present ruinated state of the Pala- 288 ROME PALATINE HILL. tine, is beautifully and faithfully depicted hj Lord Byron in the following lines:— Cypress and ivy, weed and wall-flower grown Matted and mass'd together, hillocks heap'd On what were chambers, arch crush'd, column strown In fragments, chok'd up vaults, and frescos steep'd In subterranean damps, where the owl peep'd, Deeming it midnight: — Temples, baths, or halls? Pronounce who can; for all that Learning reap'd 'From her research hath been, that these are walls- Behold the Imperial Mount! 'tis thus the mighty falls. Childe Harold, Canto IV. p. 56. The approach to it is from the Via Sacra : near the entrance, in a grotto, was a statue of JEsculapius, called St. Bartholomew ! The walls of what is called the great hall of the palace on this hill still remain; the nature of its ornaments seems to have consisted in the distribution of the variegated marbles of Egypt and Africa, the colours of which were so disposed, as to harmonize in the most de- licate manner by the finest gradations. The capital of an ancient Ionic column was lately observed among the fragments upon this hill, the volutes of which were supposed the most beautiful of any extant. You descend about ten feet below the surface of the highest parts of the hill to the baths of Drusilla, by a very disagreeable kind of ladder ; but you are am- ply repaid when you get to the bottom. The walls of the bathing room are painted in com- partments, with a light and elegant border beautifully designed. The gilding, not having been exposed to the air, is comparatively fresh. I ROME — BATHS. 289 The celebrated fig-tree, under which Ro- mulus and Remus had been exposed, stood ort the side of the Palatine hill, near the church of S. Maria Liberatrice. The Farnese-gar- den, on this hill, was totally neglected after it became the property of the King of Naples- The Baths of Titus and Caracalla are si- tuated on the Esqniline-hill, on part of the site of Nero's golden-house, and at present in the vineyards of the convent of St. Peter in Yinculis, Laurati, and Gualteri. Like others in Rome they were splendidly ornamented- The ruins of the baths of Caracalla are now employed for stables, and some of the great apartments serve as enclosures for gardens and pastures. They are next in size to those o£ the Coliseum ; but the ground about them is so much enclosed in gardens, that they are not very accessible. What remains of the baths of Titus are some vaulted chambers now subterraneous; from whence Raffaelle borrowed his arabesques for the galleries of the Vatican. The Sette Sale, or Seven Halls, near the baths, are considered to have been reservoirs of water; they are immensely large vaults, and remain entire. Their construction has much puzzled the antiquarians. The Baths of Dioclesian were situated near the Consulta Palace, and their remains are still distinguished by their red colour. They now occupy the convents and gardens of th- Carthusians and Bernardines, the public grae naries, and some houses. The baths here Bb 290 ROME — BATHS. were so numerous, that it is said, 3ooo per- sons could bathe at once. In front of the principal entrance was the Natatio, in which bathers could swim in the open air. The neighbouring high tower, so much out of the perpendicular, is called Torre delle Militie. It stands in the gar- den of the convent of St. Catherine di Sienna, and is now a convent for nuns. To the right of this tower is the church of St. Catherine; and further on, the great convent of St. Do- minico and Sisto: this, though a patched work, affords a good feature in the view. It is square and very large. The Terme Antoniane. Baths of Antonine, are beyond the Circus Maximus, near the Via di S. Sebastiano ; and not far from the gate of that name. The form of the original struc- ture, with its numerous most spacious halls and apartments, is still almost intire, and can jbe traced with great facility. It covers an immense area for a single building, and in many points of view, particularly in the in- terior, presents a stupendous, and highly pic* turesque mass of ruins. The view of them ought by no means to be neglected; and even a second visit to them at sun rise or set, or by moonlight, will afford a rich treat to the man of taste. The height of the walls is from fifty to a hundred and sixty feet. Here, more than in most other ancient edifices, the manner of building practised by the Romans is percept- ible. A large oblong wooden frame, being ROME — RUINS. 2gt placed on the foundation, the interior of it was, built up with bricks and mortar, and when they were completely consolidated, the frame was removed. Owing to this system, the walls appear as if constructed of various stratas, of about six feet each. The bricks being thus firmly bound in each separate layer, •when devastation once takes place, it pro- duces those immense fragments, which so much astonish the beholder. The Palace of the Caesars, is in the Avanzi de Circo Massimo, the Avenue of the Circus Maximus, which joins the Via di S. Sebas- tiano and the, Via di S Giovanni, and stands on the eastern part of the Palatine Hill. A double row of immense arches extends in a very considerable line along the face of the hill. Over these is now a spacious terrace, which perhaps once formed the floor of mag- nificent apartments. A modern flight of stone stairs consisting of 97 steps, leads to the ter- race, and the ruins of the other parts of the palace, which only consist of fragments of walls, a few vaulted rooms, and heaps of rub- bish. * There is a fine view from the terrace and immediately opposite is seen The Si to del Circo Massimo, the site of the Circus Maximus, a meadow of about 800 yards long, and 3oo broad, surrounded by a sort of low mound. * The remains of an aqueduct which conveyed water to the palace, are seen on the northern part of the hill, in the Via di S- Gregorio. 2Cj£ ROME-— RUINS. The Temple of Venus and Cupid, having once apparently consisted of a grand alcoved recess, stands in the garden of the convent of S. Crocej close to the same building are also the remains of an amphitheatre. This convent is al I lie extremity of Strada Felice, which expends behind the church of S. Maria Maggiore : when the traveller visits the La- teral! Palace and Church; from thence an avenue planted with trees leads to the con- vent, which is not far from the Lateran. The Temple of Minerva Medica is a fine rotunda having a cupola roof, still remain- ing in part, the construction of which is cu- rious ; being composed of arched ribs, the interstices being apparently afterwards filled "up. This ruin is situated in a kitchen garden in the Via di Torta Maggiore, on the left hand going towards the gate of the same name, and not far from thence. The Sepolcro di Cajo Cestio. Tomb of Cains Cestius, is a very fine pyramid, con- structed after the model of those in Egypt. It is in the best preservation, and about i5o feet high. The accumulating rubbish has oc- casioned the ground about it to rise more than twenty feet, but it is cleared away round the base. It is situated close to the Avails', exactly at the Porta S. Paolo. The burying place for foreigners is near it. The Temple of Vesta, *is a very fine Ro- tunda encircled with pillars. It is almost in- tire and has been converted into a church. ROME— AQUEDUCTS. 2C)3 It is situated close to the Tiber, and not far from the Arco dl Guiano, or arch of Janus before mentioned. AQUEDUCTS. These are truly proud monuments of the Roman grandeur: some of them still serve to bring water to Rome of an excellent quality. That of Claudius brought two waters to Rome, one above the other, from Suhiacco in the Apennines, a distance of nearly fifty miles. Originally only one spring of good water wa3 to be found in Rome, that of Juturna, be- tween Mount Palatine and the Tiber: here it is related, that Castor and Pollux watered their horses, after having brought the intelligence of the victory over the Tarquins to P\.ome. This water was sufficient for the inhabitants till the year 44 l °f tne building of that city, when the first aqueduct, which derives its name from Appius Claudius, was constructed by him. His example being frequently imi- tated, in the time of Procopius they reckoned no less than fourteen aqueducts, some of which remain at the present day. The most ancient is Appia Claudia; its source was about eight miles to the south of the city. Forty years after the construction of this monument, the treasure taken fromPyrrhus, was employed upon a second, almost subter- ranean. This bore the name of Anio Vetus. Out of forty-two thousand paces, the length of this aqueduct, it did not appear above ground more than the length of seven hun- r, b. 2^4 ROME — AQUEDUCTS. dred. A considerable part of its ruins are to be seen at Tivoli. The third aqueduct was the work of Mar- tins Titius. This was brought from the Pe- lignian mountains, by a very circuitous route. The ruins of this are grand ; the pillars have an interval of sixteen feet between them. The canal through which this water ran, was not arched, but covered with stones of an enor- mous dimension. The A [ua Tepula was another spring near Tusculum^ which was brought to Rome about the year 617 : this was conveyed to the Capi- toline-hill. In the year of Rome 719, Agrippa discovered another spring which he united to the former, .under the name of Aqua Julia in honour of his wife, the daughter of Augus- tus. The sixth aqueduct was carried by Agrippa into his baths at the Field of Mars. This is stil! in existence, and supplies the foun- tain of Trevi, and the Piazza di Spagna, with excellent water. The Naumachia, introduced by Julius Cae- sar, requiring a great quantity of water, an aqueduct was formed in the quarter on the other side of the Tiber, to convey that of the little lake of Alsietinus to Rome. This water, not fit for culinary purposes, was ne- vertheless used for watering gardens. The emperor Caligula ordered the construction of two new aqueducts; but these being finished by his successor forty-six years after Jesus Christ, one of them was named Aqua Claudia; and the other A mo ISovus. The little river ? ROME — AQUEDUCTS. 2C)5 called Aqua Crabra, took its rise near the Aqua Julia, and emptied itself into the Ti- ber, to the west of the Palatine-mount ; but after these aqueducts had been completed, and Rome being provided with good water, the inhabitants of Tusculum were permitted to turn this river, the bed of which is not to be seen at the present time. Other aqueducts are mentioned by different authors, as Aqua Sabalina, Trajana, Alexandrina, Severia- na, etc. At present Rome has three aque- ducts, which abundantly supply her with wa- ter, viz. Aqua Virgine, Aqua Felice, and Aqua Paolo; the first is the ancient Aqua Virgo; the second was so named in honour of Pope Sixtus the Fifth. This serves almost all the western part of Rome ; but the Aqua Paolo supplies the inhabitants of the quarters on the other side of the river : in fine, though only three of the ancient aqueducts now re- main, yet such is the quantity they convey; and so pure the sources whence they derive it, that no city in Italy can boast of such a profusion of clear and salubrious water. According to the Roman historians, the re- servoirs of brick or stone, into which the wa- ters were collected, bore the appellation of Castellum. From the remains of some of these receptacles, they appear to have been, of great strength and durability, being gene- rally cased if not supported with stone pillars. The number of these reservoirs or conduits, however, seems to have been exaggerated by the Pvonian writers, so that the accuracy both 7<)6 ROME — GARDENS. of Pliny and Strabo may be suspected, espe- cially as the language used by the latter on the quantity of the water brought to Rome through these fountains, bears more resem- blance to poetry and fiction than to reason and truth. But though by far the greatest number of these fountains have long been dried up, and the numerous statues that adorned them have disappeared for ever, the modern Ro- man has been compelled by the necessity he feels for the useful element of water, to make an ample provision of it, in which he seems wisely to have considered use more than orna- ment. In the embellishments of the few foun- tains that remain, the images of new Saints have taken the precedence of ancient Sena- tors. GARDENS. The botanic garden which was established by Alexander VII, is one of the best calcu- lated for a promenade. Being situated to the left of the fountain of Paulinus, it shares with this fountain the waters of the aqueduct which runs beneath its walls. The plants, in this garden, are arranged after the manner of Tournefort • those peculiar to the hot coun- tries abound here. Near the entrance is a kind of Casino, where the portraits of a num- ber of eminent botanists are to be seen. A book is also kept here, containing a list of all the plants in cultivation, entitled Theatrnm botanicum Romanian, sen Dhtribuilo plan- ioru;?i virentium in horto Medico Sapientia ROME — GARDENS. 2C)7 almce urbis, juxta Tournefortianam metho- dum disposifariim, auctore Sabbati custode Hard Bota?iici, 1771. It is in seventeen vo- lumes. But a garden still more considerable, and in a more eligible situation, is that which constituted the last appurtenance to the pa- lace of Monte Cavallo. It is nearly a mile round, and towards the south is situated upon an inclined plane. It is a place where the use- ful unites with the agreeable. Here is an orangery, a kitchen-garden, and another de- partment for curious plants. Here are also several fountains more or less ornamented with ancient statues, or interesting by the mode of their construction; and a grotto em- bellished with mosaic work and shells. Here is a handsome Casino, to which the Pope comes sometimes during summer to take his coffee; this was built by Benedict XIV, who had an interview in it with the King of Naples, who was afterwards King of Spain under the name of Charles III. The garden of the Vatican, by the irregu- larity of the ground, and by the manner of its being laid out, is thought by some to re- sernble an English garden; its freshness is considerably increased by the fountains and running waters, and its shade is formed by avenues of massive oaks and lofty pines. In winter, the laurels and the almond trees take place of the hornbeam, and serve the purpose of the oak and pine in summer. From the hydraulic machine in bronze, supported by a 298 HOME — GARDENS. rock, issue more than five hundred jets cTeau, with a thundering sound like that of artillery. The conceit is pretty. A part of this garden being reserved for his Holiness, is enclosed, and he enters it from, the Belvedere. As in the garden of the Palace of Monte Cavallo, there is a small Casino, or summer house, also here, where his Holiness occasionally re- tires for recreation. In this place of late he lias been in the habit of receiving such Eng- lish ladies of rank, as obtain the honour of being presented to him. In a passage lead- ing to a terrace under the gallery are a num- ber of insignificant water-works, also in a basin of water in that terrace there is the re*- presentation of an antique galley executed in metal, which spouts water from the guns, masts, yard-arms, etc. Of the Roman villas in general, it is re- marked, that they still display a kind of ro- mantic luxury in pavilions, galleries, statues, and verdure ; so that it is difficult to know which to admire most, nature which has fur- nished the picture, or the artist who has sup- plied the embellishments. Water in these vil- las receives all sorts of shapes, sometimes ex- panding in cascades, then disappearing for the purpose of rushing out or bubbling up from the bottom of a grotto. Some obscure and shady retreat, ornamented with the image of a divinity, frequently furnishes the stranger with an idea of what the ancients termed a Nymphceum. ROME — "FOUNTAINS. 299 But of Rome, with many of these villas in ruins, it may still be said, Fall'n, fall'n, a silent heap! her heroes all Sunk, in their urns; behold the pride of pomp, The throne of nations, fall'n! obscured in dust; Ev'n yet majestical: the solemn scene Elates the soul, while now the rising sun Flames on the ruins in the purer air Towering aloft 1 pon the glitt'ring plain, Like broken rocks, a vast circumference! Rent palaces, crushed columns, rifled moles, Fanes rolled on fanes, and tombs on buried tombs! Dyer. PUBLIC FOUNTAINS. The modern Romans, though inferior in numbers and opulence to their ancestors, have shown equal taste and spirit, in their public fountains, and deserve a just eulogium not only for haying procured abundance of water, but also for the splendid and truly imperial style in which it is poured forth for public use in the different quarters of the city. Almost every square has its fountain, and almost every fountain has some N particularity in its size, form, or situation to attract attention. The front of the noble fountain of Trevi represents that of a palace, before the base- ment of which there are a vast assemblage of artificial rocks with tritons, dolphins, shells, and corals, and Neptune exalted above the whole. Vast cascades of water are thrown over these rocks in magnificent profusion, and the whole is enclosed in a semicircular bason of great extent. Those who prefer the best 300 ROME— FOUNTAINS. water in Rome, contrive to live as near the fountain of Tvevi as possible. The Piazza Navonaw&s anciently the Ago- nal Circus, the form of which is still preserved by the houses being built on the foundations • it was used for chariot-racing, boxing, and wrestling. It is one of the largest and finest places in Rome, and is now a market for all sorts of provisions every Wednesday, and a variety of old and new articles of furniture, etc. Every Saturday and Sunday in August it is inundated with water in order that the people may refresh themselves by walking or riding through it, which they do in great num- bers. The fountain here, though not so copious as that of Trevi, is much more nobly decorated, by Bernini. It consists of a rock, having at each angle four colossal figures, representing four distinguished rivers : the Danube, the Nile, the Ganges, and. La Plata. From four caverns in the rock, issue an equal number of cascades with a copious flow of water. Its summit is crowned by an Egyptian obelisk, about 55 feet high, exclusive of its basement. The quantity of water is increased by two les- ser fountains, particularly in August, when the diversion of paddling in it used to be pro- tracted through the whole night, accompanied by music arid refreshments ; but some disor- ders occurring, it has been since that time re- gularly drawn off at dusk. The Fontana Paolina, on one of the most elevated points of Rome ? near its western ex- HOME FOUNTAINS. OOl tremity, is constructed of three arches, deco- rated with Ionic columns of granite. The water is so rapid as to turn several mills. It was brought by Augustus from the lake Bre- sciano, 35 miles from Home, to supply his ISfaumachia. From this fountain there is a remarkably fine view of the city - 7 the Campo Vaccina, with the ruined temples, etc. scat- tered about its vicinity, have a pleasing pano- ramic appearance, contrasted with St. Peter's, which is seen on the other side, but not in the most imposing aspect. The Fontana di Termine receives the Aqua Felice. Here are three bas-reliefs represent- ing Moses striking the rock, with a colossal sta- tue of him in the centre by Prospero Bres- ciano : here are also two Egyptian lions of basalt, formerly placed under the portico of the Pantheon. In concluding this account of the Foun- tains of Rome, well may we exclaim with the poet: By crystal founts, That weave their glittVing waves with tuneful lapse Among the sleeky pebbles, agate clear, Cerulean ophite, and the flowery vein, Of orient jasper, pleased I move along; And vases bossed, and huge inscriptive stones, And intermingling vines, and figured nymphs, Floras and Chloes of delicious mould, Cheering the darkness; and deep emplv tombs, And dells, and mould'ring shrines, with old decay Rustic and green, and wide-embow'rmg shades, Shot from the crooked clefts of nodding towers; A solemn wilderness! c c 302 ROME MUSEUMS, etc. MUSEUMS, ACADEMIES, etc. The Museo Pio-Clementino, in the Vati- can, is without question, the principal deposi- tory of the remains of the fine arts, particu- larly the sculpture of the happiest ages of Greece and Rome. All the discoveries made upon the Roman soil, or where ever the Pon- tiff had any influence or power, are collected and arranged in this museum to the greatest advantage. We approach this treasury of the arts by the great Belvedere gallery. The stranger ought not to omit availing himself of the beautiful view from a balcony adjoin- ing, which has given the denomination of Bel- vedere to this part of the Vatican. Rome, and the country to the north, are no where seen to such advantage. The first part is about 5oo feet in length, and constitutes the Museo Chiaramonte. This oavcs its founda- tion to Pius VII, a patron of the fine arts. This museum is now united with that known under the appellation of Pio-Clementino. Accord- ing to an inscription at the entrance, they were formed under the direction of Canova ; they occupy a very long gallery, and accord- ing to the beauty and the multitude of the objects, form a coup aVceil truly charming. One end of this gallery contains various in- scriptions discovered upon a number of mo- numents and tombs of the Pagan, as well as the Christian era. All these passports to im- mortality are ranged on both sides of the gallery, under the following titles : to the rome — museums, etc. 3o3 right, Epitaphia defunctorum nomine vel ab incertis posita — Epitaphia patronorum item liber toruni et servorum — Epitaphia fratrum, jororumj item alumnorum — Epitaphia paren- tum et liberorum. Inscriptiones Grcecce — Onine genus — Officia Domus aug. et priv. — Artifices — qfficinatores — Negociatores — Duces exercit. tribun. centuriones, cequites, singular, indites — Inscriptiones solo ostiens,erutce jussa? Pii VI L P. M. Consules Magg. Coss. Con- sides Magistratus Dignilates Augusti Augus- ta?, Caisares, Dii Deajque et sacrorum Minis- tri. Proceeding to the second division of the gallery, which is about 4 feet in length, we arrive at that part which properly constitutes the Museo Pio-Clementino. Here, under every form imaginable, may be seen the most beau- tiful marbles, with granite of every kind, ba- salt, lapis lazuli, serpentine, alabaster, the red and green antico, and, in fact, every substance upon which the chisel, guided by the hand of a master, could be applied with success. At the further extremity of the gallery 25 steps are ascended, which lead into an elegant ob- long saloon, at the right hand of which is a noble statue of Jupiter Tonans, displaying all the majesty of the Deity, and in execution of design, little if at all inferior to the most ce- lebrated statues of antiquity. The Museum of the Capitol is in the wing to the left hand, as the stairs from the Via di Ara Coeli, are ascended. In the court yard behind, are immense fragments of colossal So\ ROME ACADEMIES. statues in marble and bronze, consisting of heads, legs, arms, hands, and feet, some of the two latter measuring three to four feet. The staircases are lined with consular tables and plans of ancient cities, depicted on marble ta- alets, etc. In a hall to the left, on ascending the stairs, and placed in the recess of one of the windows, is a very curious antique relief, re- presenting the siege of Troy : in the same chamber are a variety of Roman instruments, household utensils, etc The principal halls are filled with a profusion of fine statuary, among them are remarked, the celebrated J^enus of the Capitol, the Roman matron, a senator, etc. Here is also a complete treasure of the finest antique busts imaginable. In the opposite wing, appertaining to the conservators, are two spacious halls, filled! with paintings, most of them fine pieces of art, but' few of remarkable note. However a small cabinet one, representing the massa- cre of the innocents, is an exquisite produc- tion. ACADEMIES. The principal of these institutions in Rome, are those of St. Luke, the Arcades, Archeology, Lincei ; that of the Sculptors, the modern Painters, Mosaic workers, workers in Stucco, etc. The most ancient of these is the Aca- demy of St. Luke; that of Lincei is composed of persons who give themselves entirely to the study of the mathematics, physics, or natural history. Sculpture has at present very few ROME ACADEMIES. 3o5 amateurs in Home, as, after Canova, there are not above two or three artists whose names are worth mentioning. The Laboratory, notwithstanding, consists of three rooms, and exhibits a number of finished and unfinished subjects, calculated to charm and astonish the beholders. The Academy of Painters can slill boast of some excellent artists; and the art of stuccoing is no were carried to such perfection as in Italy, though necessity in this particular, arising from the clearness of mar- ble, is known to have been the mother of in- vention. The Roman College is in the quarter called delta Pigna. It is a vast edifice destined to the teaching of the belles lettres, and the only one of its kind in Rome. The students are not: maintained here ; but a number of them are attended at their own houses by a precep- tor, who undertakes to make them perform their duties, and brings them at stated times to l)e examined in their different classes at College. Here are taught gratuitously , the Latin, Greek, and Hebrew languages, rheto- ric, philosophy, theology, and ecclesiastical history. The library is rich in the classics and in theology, but poor in medicine and physics. The professors are lodged in the col- lege, as are also many of the persons attached to it. The mode of instruction pursued here at present, is much more "liberal and appro- priate to an improved state of society, than that pursued a few years since, when the stu- dents used to dispute upon the quiddities of c c. 3o6 ROME PROPAGANDA. Aristotle. The cabinet of this Institution, like others, lias suffered by the late changes, and the revenues having been diminished, seve- ral of the chairs were of course vacated: the theological tutor was the only one that re- mained. Adjoining the building is the chapel of St. Ignatius, for the use of the students. The Ar clii gymnasium della Sapienza in Rome, answers to what in the other cities of Italy is called a University. It derived its name from the inscription upon its front, Initium sapiential timor Domini. It is situated in the quarter of St. Eustatius, near the Pan- theon. Pope Boniface A 7 III was the first who established public schools here ; and as early as i3lo, chairs for the Hebrew, the Syriac, the Arabic, and Greek, were founded here. Valenti Gonzaga endowed two professors of chemistry and experimental philosophy; others have been since appointed for jurisprudence, theology, physics, medicine, and the veteri- nary science. The building has no external decoration, but forms a long square with two rows of windows j the court is of the same form, having arcades on three of its sides j the fourth side is formed by the facade of the church, erected after the designs of Bernini, in the form of a triangle. The Propaganda is a college or seminary where youth are instructed, who are disposed or intended to propagate the principles of the Catholic religion in foreign countries. Here they are taught philosophy, scholastic theo- logy, and the languages spoken in the coun- ROMF. — RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES. 3o7 tries to which they are to be Fent as mission* aries. This college has a very copious library, and a printing office, celebrated on account of the infinite variety of types which it con- tains. The accuracy of the works printed here was proverbial, and the whole is under the superintendance of a society of cardinals. SECT. II. — Diversions. — Theatres. — Prome- nades. — Character, Society, Manners, Com- merce, Manufactures, D t. — Environs of Home. — Vi Lias w thin an I without the City. — Tiwoli. — T'ie A Lb an Monnt and Lake. — Tuscuhun and Cice^ds Pilla. — Aricia and the G>'ove and Temple of D'ana. — The Lake of JVe/ni and Palace of Trajan. — ■ A^itium — Forests and Plains of Lauren turn, O-itia. — Mouth of the Tiber. — The Cam- pa Raising the point of the fan almost imperceptibly, and then gently lowering it, means, « Yes, I have no objection. » Ladies of quality, when giving this answer, slowly incline the upper part of the body, and then resume their former attitude. In general, they avoid looking at the man, any more than by a quick glance of the eye after they have made the sign. Beckoning with the hand in England and Germany, signifies, « Come hi- ROME — CICISBEO. 33 1 ther; » but in Italy, it means only, « I sa- lute you. » A motion with the hand back- wards too, signifies with us, « Go away ; » but in Italy, it means, « I shall come direct- ly. » To beckon with the inverted hand over the shoulder, means, « Go; I do not believe you. » To pull the corner of the eye down with the forefinger towards the nose, means, « That is a man who will not be played with. » Sometimes they represent an interlude or farce at Rome, where all these signs are in- troduced, which must therefore prove very interesting to strangers. The ladies of plea- sure in Rome are not allowed to follow their profession any where but in and about the Piazza di Spagna. The women of the lower order have a custom resembling the Dutch : they carry about with them a small two- handled pot of live coals, over which they warm their hands, and are so attached to it, that, even when looking out of the window, they hold it before them; and to this pot they have given the whimsical appellation of ma- rito, or husband. At home, and in private, the Roman fe- males are free and amiable in their conversa- tion j and towards a person whom they have seen or spoken to once or twice, they are by no means bashful. Jealousy too, among the great, has no longer its usual influence, though the women are under less restraint than before. It is among unequal or unhappy marriages, that the office of Cicisbeo, or Con- solateiu'j is in a manner indispensable. The 332 ROME — RTCEVIMEXTI. Cicisbeo is sometimes a humble friend, who is permitted to await the orders of the lady in her antichamber, till she makes her appear- ance; to attend her to church or to the promenade; or to fill up her leisure hours with the nothingness of his conversation. This kind of connection, arising out of long habits, is known to continue for years, free from the shadow of suspicion ; so that, in fact, a CwisieOf or attendant of this description, is often made an article of stipulation in the marriage contract. In the Ricevirrwnti (assemblies on the occa- sion of a marriag •) the sexes converse without restraint or the interruption of their neigh- bours: here too is a mixture of rank without exciting any particular notice of the person. Gravity and reserve mostly take the place of gaiety. They even look at and examine one another without moving a single feature. The r Tramontana and the Sirocco generally furnish subjects of conversation, and these stale topics are in continual repetition till happily inter- rupted by the introduction of refreshments; though sometimes the gaming table, or a tuna upon the piano forte, puts an end to the en- nui. From these Coteries or Reunions, the master of the house is often excluded; when the lady, being engaged with the principal personages, generally leaves the company to attend upon each other : this is a picture of high life; but there is much more vivacity and gaiety in these assemblies when they are "held at the houses of the citizens/ and gene- HOME — LEARNING. 333 rally take place on Saturda3 r s and fast days. On these occasions, called Sabalo, they do not enter upon their diversions till midnight, and they thus get rid of the charge of violat- ing the abstinence prescribed by the Church. The women are extremely fond of these pic jiics, as the men bear all the expenses, and they always conclude with dancing. It is a proverb at Florence, that science will never prevent a Roman from sleeping ; this applies more to the great than to the lower classes, who are often too indolent to admire their own paintings or statues. Many of them are actually ignorant of what they possess. The clergy, who have the best opportunities of cultivating their intellect, are still at- tached to the quiddities of the schoolmen, but on account of their erudition, the two librarians of the Vatican and those of Bar— berini, Corsini, and the Minerva, are strik- ing exceptions; to which may be added some professors of the Roman College, etc. Rome has always adopted men of genius, but she has given birth to few. None of our remain- ing cretu embellished it were anciently Greeks. Such is still the fortune of Rome. She is the nurse of great talents, produced elsewhere. They flock to her as the mistress of art and anti- quity j she gives them education and makes them her own : science has never flourished under its old persecutor, the Church. Rome was v indeed, the first city in Europe that ia- tg classics were born in the city excent Lu- 'etius, Caesar and Tibullus. The artists who 334 ROME — LEARSIVG. stituted an academy for the improvement of natural science, and for the subversion of the old philosophy: but the mistake was correct- ed, and Galileo atoned for the license. Even now, men of science are rather tolerated than encouraged. The government allows them, to do good; but the reward and protection come only from individuals. The business of the nation seems to be poetry. Their common discourse is full of it 'j their common tone or recitative makes whatever they say appear music. Considered even in a cantilena it is too melodious, too soft - 7 all vowel-sounds, all pulp and flesh, without nerve, articulation or bone. « I Ro- mani non battone le conxnanti, a is a com- mon remark: but, instead of striking the consonants, they strike them out. For/verc- dete they say prenete, for propria, propio, etc. Their dialect is in fact the Ionic of Italy. In every circle you meet versifiers or improvisa- tori, who have a satire or a sonnet ready for every occasion. The Ptoman bar maintains its superiority in learning, eloquence and urbanity. All plead- ings are written, a;nd many are printed, and thus become models to others in judicial com- position. The ancients haveMeft us ten thou- sand monuments of their genius, but not much criticism on the arts in which they excelled. Modern Rome, on the contrary, swarms with eonoscenti, and contains mate- rials enough, above ground or below, to keep them for ages at work. They have an inferior ROME — COMMERCE, etc. 335 class of artists who work chiefly for the tra- veller- but all the principal artists of Rome are foreign to it. They go there to form or to perfect their style ; there they meet con- genial society • they catch inspiration from the sight of great works, they contract a de- pendance on such helps, and at last they can do nothing well out of Rome. The good pronunciation of Italian among the Romans has long been known by the pro- verb, « lingua Toscana in bocca Romana} » but this only holds good of the best company; that of the common people is scarcely intel- ligible from its rapidity, which they almost always moderate when they are addressed by a stranger. The French has lately been cul- tivated at Rome, more than ever, notwith- standing the violent opposition made to it by the academicians of Bosco. To conclude, should the traveller be dis- pleased with Italian society, or become tired of it, the man of learning, of genius, and of taste, cannot fail to meet at R.ome with kin- dred souls from every country under hea- ven : — For here, adventurous in the sacred search Of ancient arts, the delicate of mind, Curious and modest, from all climes resort, Grateful society! COMMERCE, MANUFACTURES AND DIET. The commercial revenue of Rome under the Papal government is well known to have consisted principally in the imposts upon salt, wine, and grain; but the want of consump- 336* rome — commerce, etc. tion and encouragement to the farmer were insurmountable obstacles to its increase.' The corn trade being monopolized by the Apos- tolic Chamber, individuals could never sell unless the magazines of the former were empty. Thus the ground remained uncultivated, or the little that was so, owed it to the peasantry of the March of Ancona, who came into the Roman provinces to work at the harvest, dur- ing which time they occupied miserable ho- vels, sleeping on the ground, etc. Many other articles of consumption at Rome, even wax, an enormous quantity of which is con- sumed in the churches, comes mostly from abroad. Rome*, in fact, exports nothing but its sulphur, its vitriol, some oil, a few silks, and woollen cloths, much inferior to others. To view its monuments, but no longer to purchase its relics, Rome draws numerous strangers, and considerable sums from Italy and other parts of the world. The Sabine country supplies Rome with wines, fruit, and firing, all of which descend by the Tiber. Hats manufactured at Rome, though the best in the south of Italv, i"*e inferior to others. However, the artificial flowers, and perfum- ery here, ar* excel !ent ; but as small workers in gold, it is astonishing that in a city where the arts have been carried to such perfection, they should have so little taste in the manu- facture of the precious metals. The making of Agnus Deis, the Coronari, and other co-.tly articles of worship, used to maintain a whole street in Rome ; but this has totally declined, ROME — PROVISION'S. 337 The manufacture of pearls with alabaster is still in existence, but is by no means so brisk as it was a few years ago ; the same might be said of printing at the College of the Propa- ganda, till the types were seized and carried away by the French. Rome once contained not only the conve- niences but the luxuries of life, at least, if we can credit Macrobius, who says: Ad vielum optima j'ert ager Campanus frumentum, Fa— lernus vinum, Cattenus oleum, Tusculanus ficum, mel Tarentimis, piscem Tiberis ; but it is not so at present, provisions being rather high in price, though the consumption of the population is but moderate. Many articles are brought a considerable distance, a cir- cumstance always to the disadvantage of the consumer. Bread, for instance, is dear: a pound of the ordinary quality costs five sous ; this is because most of the grain is. brought from Tuscany; the difficulty of communica- tion by sea, and the small number of mills for grinding corn in the Ecclesiastical States. Another thing is, that the culture of Kali, which has been of great advantage to land- holders, has engrossed almost every one's at- tention. Some endeavours have been made to re- mecly the want of grain, by cultivating the potatoe; but neither the taste nor the quality are equal to those grown in colder countries. Maize is also cultivated here, and eaten by the common people, who cannot go to the price of wheaten bread, Chesnuts, and even Ff 338 ROME — PROVISIONS. the kernel of the pine apple, are of some ac- count among the lower classes in this city, while those above them have tbeir maecaroni and various kinds of pastry of all forms • their frittata, a kind of fried pancake, prepared in the open street by persons called Friggitori. All the sweet herbs are eaten here, and a few of the bitter. Here are shops that even sell the pissenlitSy Dent de Lion, or rather the root scraped quite clean. Here are also cham- pignons and mushrooms of every sort ; large long and round turnips; fine radishes, deli- cious broccoli, but very few carrots: celery, fennel, and some thistles, very hard and very white, are used. In a word, every root and herb used for soup or pottage, is always to be had here very fresh, owing to the mode of watering and keeping them moist after ga- thering- Every season produces its fruits: oranges are to be had in January, though not so good as those of Naples. Butchers' meat is rather cheaper than at Paris ; but inferior in quality. Beef in 1812 cost about seven sous French money for the pound of twelve ounces; veal, one year old, nine sous, and Vitella mon~ gana, or sucking veal, from thirteen to fif- teen. Poultry is still cheaper, of course it is often a substitute for meat; and the hedge hog is sometimes eaten. Soup is commonly made of fowls, and is very good, particularly when mutton is added to them. They have also Capretta, or kid, and Cupreole, a kind of wild venison, very lean. The P\«omans do HOME WINE — COOKERY. 33f) not succeed well in fattening fowls; however, birds of almost every kind are brought upon table, as jays, magpies, woodpeckers, wrens, thrushes, and larks; and even hawks and birds of passage, etc. while geese and ducks are held in very low estimation. Butter in Ja- nuary costs four sous the pound of twelve ounces , but for frying it is very common to substitute olive oil. Fish is plentiful, but the best is dear; it is sold by weight. Sturgeon is excellent ; sardinias here are abundant. The lower orders subsist very much upon dried fish ; upon palumbi and other species of zoophytes; and as in Juvenal's time, Vos anguilla manet longse cognata colubra?, Aut glacie aspersus maculis Tyberinus, et ipsa Vernula riparian, pinguis torrenle cloaca, Et solitus mediae cryptam penetrate Suburrac. Sat. V. Pork and hams are in much request here, and, to say the truth, both are good and even savoury. The boars are hunted on the moun- tains of Abbruzzo, upon the borders of the forests, where they feed upon chesnuts. The flesh of hares and rabbits is inferior here to that of the same animals in northern climates; and as the inhabitants of Rome stigmatize these creatures with the name of wild cats, they are thought but little of. Cheese, not- withstanding it was so much praised by Galen, is far from pleasing the palates of strangers, not excepting that at present distinguished by the name of Provatura, made of the milk of the buffalo. 340 ROME WINE — COOKERY. The mode of living at Rome at Christmas, exhibits a very singular appearance in the streets. Not only the shops, with toys for children, but all those where eatables of any kind are sold, are decorated in the most whim- sical manner. As the poorest Italian must have a turkey at this festival, those birds are to be seen, hanging up, plucked, bv hun- dreds, most of them with oranges in their bills. Beef and veal are covered with gold and silver tinsel, and even adorned with rib- bands. Hundreds of sausages are suspended like garlands, and, by way of contrast, the white ricotta is placed between them in paper cases. Pine apples too are made up in little pyramids; and instead of the fir trees, which decorate the market places of the north, the Romans use small laurel trees, to which they affix oranges and lemons. The whole pro- duces a very pleasing effect. Wine in the environs of Piome is much in- ferior to that of Genzano, Albano, and Vrt- letri. Some of these have the colour of a deep yellow, and are sold from five ?o three sous per bottle; that of eight is excellent; it is of a light saffron colour, and having much of a saccharine quality, is particularly agreeable to the female taste. The wine of Orvieto y being esteemed the best, is commonly to be found upon every good table in Rome. There is a kind of rough red wine, but this is not relished by strangers, on account of an acid taste which it leaves behind. For the labour- ing hand there is a kind of brandy drawn with ROME — WINE — COOKERY. 34 1 aniseed, which may be had in the streets early in the morning and all day long. As the Ro- mans are inferior to the French in cooking, the travellers of this nation in particular are fond of dining at the houses of the Milanese or French Restaurateurs, though the attend- ance is extremely tardy. Presto, presto, ap- plied to the servants, is of very little utility: they always answer Adesso, adesso, but they never increase their, exertions. After all that has been said, much must be left unseen after the longest stay in Rome. The most persevering industry and most ar- dent curiosity will have their moments of lan- guor, and many objects may, perhaps, be inaccessible at the time they are wanted to be seen. Others may, by various accidents, be shut up from the public for a time; for in- stance, when places are repairing, or while collections are changing their owners: add to this, dark days and cold wet weather, very un- pleasant for staying in uninhabited or marble rooms j and the most indefatigable traveller will find he cannot avail himself of every mo- ment. One place is equally temperate in all weathers, St. Peter's Church. This, as a re- source for rilling up broken days and hours, is almost inexhaustible, for its security from the weather and the variety it contains 'within its walls. Generally speaking, the English bring too much money into Rome to be unwelcome guests; of course, they meet with the kindest attentions and flattering sort of deference from persons of all ranks. They serve to break the r L 5/}?. ROME — ENVIRONS. dull uniformity of Roman society; and the attention they pay to the curiosities of the place, ensures them the good-will of all from the highest to the lowest. With respect to their manners or conduct, provided they do not disturb the public peace, there is no kind of restraint. No bowing or fasting, even in the most solemn season, unless thev choose it 5 so that an adage of some slanding, which recommends people, « when at Rome, to do as Pvome does, » has little or no consequence as to its application at the present day. ENVIRONS. The various villas that encircle modern Rome form one of its characteristic beauties, as well as one of the principal features of its resemblance to the ancient city, which seems to haVe been environed with gardens and al- most studded with groves and shady retire- ments. These villas often occupy the same ground, share some portion of the splendour, and enjoy all the picturesque advantages of the ancient gardens. In point of perspective beauty, Rome has, indeed , at all times possessed peculiar felicities. It covers a considerable ex- tent of country, Encloses several hills within its ramparts, and affords a great variety of views, sometimes confined to its interior, and sometimes extending to the surrounding coun- try and the distant mountains. It is true the ancient Roman might contemplate from his garden, towering in near or distant perspec- tive, one or more of those stupendous edifices ROME ENVIRONS. 3j, 3 which then adorned (he city and were deserv- edly ranked among the wonders of the world • but I know not whether in the melancholy spectacle of the same majestic edifices, now scattered on the ground and overgrown with cypresses, the modern villa does not exhibit a sight more awful and more affecting. If the traveller wishes to be convinced of the truth of this remark, let him from the terrace of the Villa Borghese fix his eyes on the dome of St. Peter's, expanded in all its splendour and per- fection before him; then let him ascend the Palatine Mount, and from the cypress groves of the Villa Farnesiana, look down upon the shattered mass of the « Coliseum » spread be- neath him in broken pomp, half covered with weeds and brambles. No villa indeed presents a greater number of the local felicities, immortal ruins, divine remains, big with grand recollections and aw- Jul instruction, as the Orti Farnesiani. These gardens cover the greater part of the Palatine Mount, and spread over the vast substructions and scattered vestiges of the imperial palace. They front the Capitol, command the Forum, and look down upon the neighbouring Coli- seum; thus exhibiting in#3i{ferent points of view, and successively, the noblest remains of Roman magnificence now existing. They were formerly cultivated with care, and adorned with a great variety of antique vases, busts and statues j but having unfortunately fallen by inheritance to the royal family of Naples, the ancient ornaments have been trans- 344 HOME — Exvinovs. ported to that Capital, and the place, notwith- standing its exquisite beauties, has been al- most entirely neglected. The Villa Spada or Brunati (for these vil- las change their names with their proprietors) occupies on a much smaller scale, a part of the Palatine hill, and of the imperial palace, and enjoys some of the advantages of the Orti Varnesiani. The ruins of the palace cover the greater part of it, and on one side look down on the valley that separates the Palatine from the Aventine Mount. From a gallery in a recess still remaining the Emperor might behold the games of the Circus Maximum, which occupied the greater part of that valley. On the summit of Mount Celius stands the Villa Mattei, once famous for the beauty and number of its antiques, and though now, like the Orti Farnesi, forsaken and neglected , is still interesting for its groves, its verdure, its prospects and its solitudes. Villa Negroni, once the favourite retreat of Sixtus Quintus, encloses a vast space of ground on the Esquiline and Viminal hills, covered with groves and opening upon various beautiful prospects. It contains two handsome and spacious buildings, but its numerous an- tiques have been removed. The celebrated Agger Tarquinii, or rampart raised by Tar— quinius Priscus, intersects this garden and claims the attention due to its age and origin. The Villa Aldobrandiniis small and ill fur- nished, but is celebrated for the remarkable ancient painting, which represents the nuptial ROME — ENVIRONS. S|5 ceremony in graceful figures, easy drapery and charming groupes. The Villa Ludovisi is a part only of the gar- dens of Sallust, and as it stands on the summit of the Pincian hill, it necessarily commands some very beautiful prospects. Its delicious walks are shaded with ilex, cypress and bay, of the noblest growth, and of the most luxuriant foliage; and it has the singular advantage of being enclosed in a great degree by the vener- able walls of the city. The elevated Casino, or summer-house in the centre, affords from its battlements an extensive view of the Cam- Jjagna, and the mountains that form its boun- ; daries, particularly those of Ai.bano and Sa- \ bina. On a ceiling of this Casino is the fa— ' mous Aurora of Guercino, by some preferred to that of Guido. The Strada Pinciana separates this villa from the gardens of the Villa Medici, once the residence of the cardinal of that family, and from its lofty situation, superb collection of statues, pillars and marbles, as well as from the beauty of its gardens, well entitled to the attention and favours of those patrons of the arts. But as it belongs noM to a sovereign, its antiquities have been transported to Flo- rence, his capital ; its noble apartments are neglected, and its gardens alone remain the resort and delight of every serious traveller. The Orti Barbarini rises to the South of the court of St. Peter's church, and while it com- mands from its terrace a full view of one side of the colonnade, it presents to the eye of 346 ROME — ENVIRONS. those who are going towards the Vatican a beautiful back-ground for the other side, and spreads its pines and cypresses in such a man- ner as to form in appearance an aerial garden, suspended oyer the pillars, and shading the statues. The gardens belonging to the Corsini palace have acquired some celebrity from the meetings of the academy of the Quirini ; and the Bos- co Parrasio is a rural theatre where the aca- demy of the Arcadians meet to hear and ex- amine the poetical effusions of their associates, jj' It is situated on the side of the Janiculum. All the gardens and villas hitherto men- 1 tioned are within the ancient walls of the city, W and may be considered as constituent parts of I it, contributing much to its beauty, coolness n and magnificence; but besides these, many I others lie in the suburbs and neighbourhood, if and give to the immediate environs of Pvome an I. uncommon share of amenity and. interest. To begin by the Porta San Pa?ierazio, the I nearest the Janiculum, anciently the Porta Aurelia ; proceeding along the "Via Aurelia about a mile from the gate, we arrive at the Villa Pamfili or Belrespiro. This country seat, which now^ljelongs to Prince Doria, is supposed to occupy the same ground as the gardens of the emperor Galba, and is remark- able for its edifices, its waters, its woods, its antiquities of every description, its great ex- tent and its general magnificence. One of the most conspicuous objects in the immediate neighbourhood of Rome is the i.' ROME — ENVIRONS. 3/j7 Monte Morio, a bold eminence, about a mile from the Porta Angelica, clothed with vine- yards and crowned with groves of cypress and poplar. On its summit is the Villa 3Tellini, remarkable for the noble view that lies ex- panded under its terrace. The Tiber inter- secting the city and winding through rich meadows ; the Prata Quintia and Praia Mutia, fields still bearing in their names the trophies of Roman virtue and Pvoman heroism : the Pons Milurius with its tower, and the plains consecrated by the victory of Constan- linej the Vatican palace, with its courts and gardens; the church of St. Peter, with its portico, obelisk and fountains* the Campus Martins covered with the churches, squares and palaces of the modern city* the seven hills strewed with the ruins of the ancient town ; the walls, with their towers and gal- leries; the desert Campagna, with Mount Soratce rising apparently in the centre of the semi-circular sweep of mountains tinged with blue or purple, now bright with the sun, now dark in the shade, and generally gleaming with snow — such is the varied magnificent scene spread before the traveller, while reposing on the shaded terrace of the Villa Mellini. The same prospect may be enjoyed from the Villa Madama, which lies further on the side of the hill towards Ponte Milvio. In the gardens of this villa is a rural theatre, formed | by the natural winding of a little dell, and shaded by a whole forest of beautiful ever- greens. In the golden days of the Medici, 34b ROME EN V IRON'S. one of whom laid out these gardens, this syl- van scene "was much frequented ; but as it now belongs to the King of Naples, it is en- tirely neglected. On the opposite side of the city, a little way from the Porta Salara, stands the Villa. Albani, one of the best supported and best furnished seats in the neighbourhood of Rome, or indeed in Europe. The palace is magni- ficent, and together with the gardens is adorned by a collection of antiques, amount- ing nearly to 800. To these may be added 260 pillars of granite, porphyry and marble, which support and adorn the villa and gar- dens: a species of grandeur that exists only in Rome and its vicinity. This fine spot was sadly ravaged by the French. We shall now proceed to the Villa Bor- ghese, which, from the space it occupies, supposed to be about four miles in circum- ference, its noble vistas, frequent fountains, ornamental buildings, superb palace, and al- most innumerable antiquities, is justly con- sidered as the first of the Roman villas, and worthy of being put in competition with the splendid retreats of Sallust or Lucullus. It stands on a continuation of the Pincian hill; at a little distance from the walls of the city, about half a mile from the Port Flaminia or Del Popolo. It covers the brow of the hill, and from the terrace has a noble view of the city and of the Vatican. The gardens are laid out with some regard both for the new; and old system; for though symmetry prevail* KOME — ENVIRONS. 349 in general, and long alleys appear intersecting each other, lined with statues and refreshed by cascades, yet here and there a winding path allures you into a wilderness formed of plants abandoned to their native luxuriancy, and watered by streamlets murmuring through their own artless channels. The ornamental buildings are deficient in correctness and pu- rity of architecture. The Casino or palace itself is of great ex- tent, but, though erected from the plans of the principal architects of the age, and of the finest stone, yet it neither astonishes nor pleases. The reason of this failure of effect is evident : the ornaments are so numerous and the parts so subdivided as to distract the eye and to leave no room for any one predo- minant impression. The bas-reliefs and sta- tues, scattered with such prodigality over the exterior of this Casino, are sufficient to adorn the three largest palaces in Europe. The interior consists of several large saloons and apartments and a gallery, all of which, particularly the latter, are lined and inlaid with the richest marbles, and supported by noble pillars intermingled with bronze and gilding, and adorned with the best specimens of ancient art in sculpture and painting. Such indeed is the value of this collection, and such the splendour of the apartments in which it is displayed, that no sovereign in Europe are < can boast of so rich a gallery, or of a resi- K dence so truly regal. .J The gardens are always open to the public, 35o ROME — ENVIRONS. who, in an elegant Latin inscription, are wel- comed to the free enjoyment or' all the beau- ties of the place ; and at the same time are in treated to spare the shrubs and flowers, and to respect the more valuable ornaments, the urns, statues, and marbles. The Romans, accordingly profit of the invitation and resort in crowds to the Villa Borghese, particularly on Sundays. Out of the many villas that adorn R.ome and its vicinity we have selected only a ^v, as fully sufficient to give the traveller a satis- factory idea of the nature and the decorations of these celebrated suburban retirements. However, indeed, they may differ in extent and magnificence, their principal features are nearly the same, both with regard to artifi- cial ornaments as well as natural graces. We shall pass, therefore, by a very natural tran- sition, from the villas to the other grand or beautiful objects in the neighbourhood of the city, and within the compass of a walk from its gates ; confining ourselves to such excur- sions as appear most interesting. The Banks of the Tiber cannot fail to at- tract the steps of the classic traveller. Though far inferior in breadth to all the great rivers, yet, as it is generally, from a few miles above Rome to the sea, about 5oo feet Avide on an average, it cannot be considered as a con- temptible stream. Above and a little below the city, it runs through groves and gardens and waters the villas and retreats of the richer Romans; but, beyond Ponte Molle } it rolls ROME ENVIRONS. 35 1 through a long tract of plains and hills, fer- tile and green though uncultivated and de- serted. When it has passed the Villa Mul- liana, it falls again into a wilderness, and Through the desert plain AVinds its waste stores and sullen sweeps along. The traveller may commence his next ex- cursion fronr the Capitol, and, crossing part of the Forum, turn towards the Palatine Mount. On his left he will notice the solid wall of the Rostra; the temple of Romulus, raised on the* spot where the twin brothers were exposed; and a spring, called by some antiquaries the fountain of Juturna, burst- ing from a deep clift in the rock. On his right he will observe the Cloaca Maxima, the stupendous work of Tarquinius Prisons. He will next pass under the arch of Janus, cross a corner of the Forum Boar'uun, and turniag to the left, advance along the Palatine on one side, and the Circus Maximus on the other. He then enters the street that leads with a gentle sweep between the Clivus Scauri and Mount Celius on the left, and on- the right, the Thermos An tonini and Mount A v en tine to the Porta Capena. As he proceeds on the Via Appia, he will pass the ancient Basilica of St. Sebastian, and shortly after come to the Circus of Caracal la. This circus, about two miles from the gates of Pcome, presents such remnants of its an- cient walls as enable us to form a clear notion 352 ROME ENVIRONS. of the different parts and arrangements of a circus. Its length is 1602 feet, its breadth 260, and there were seven ranges of seats which contained about 27,000 spectators. A little beyond the Circus of Caracalla, and in full view from it, rises the Mausoleum of Cecilia Metella, a circular edifice, of consi- derable height and thickness. The solidity and simplicity of this monument are worthy of the republican era in which it was erected, and have enabled it to resist the incidents and survive the lapse of 2000 years. Conti- guous to this mausoleum are the ruined re- mains of ramparts, houses and churches erect- ed in the middle ages. The traveller on his return may traverse the Circus of Caracalla, now a luxuriant mea- dow, pass under its time-worn gate, and cross- ing the road, descend into a pleasant dell, where he will fr.id a grotto and a fountain with a few trees scattered around them. The grotto is covered with a solid arch and lined with walls. The niches on both sides were probably occupied in ancient times by the divinities of the place; over the fountain a statue rather disfigured by time appears in a reclining posture. Various evergreen shrubs hang over the fountain, play round the sta- tue and wind and flourish through the grotto and over its entrance. The statue represents the Nymph Egeria; and the grotto, the foun- tain and the grove, that once shaded it, were consecrated by Numa to the same nymph and ROME — ENVIRONS.' 353 to the Muses. A pure and limpid streamlet flows from the fountain and waters the little valley. On the brow of the hill that borders the Egerian valley on the south, stands the little church of St. Urban, formerly a temple o£ Bacchus, or perhaps of the Muses, A little farther on is a brick temple, small, but well proportioned, and adorned with pilas- ters. From this the traveller turns again to the ViaAppia, recrosses the river Almo and reenters by the Porta Capena. Another day, he may go out by the Porta Nomentana now Pia, and, proceeding about a mile, visit the church of St. Agnes, remark- able for its antiquity, having been executed by Constautine, and likewise for the double row of marble pillars one above the other that support its roof, and for the porphyry and alabaster columns which adorn its altar and tabernacle. Its form is the r same as that of other churches of the same era. Near this edifice stands the church of Saint Constantia, the daughter of Constantine, for- merly her mausoleum, and supposed to have been at a still earlier period, a temple of Bacchus. It is of a circular form, supported by a row of coupled columns and crowned with a dome. Behind the pillars runs a gal- lery, the vaulted roof of which is incrusted with ancient Mosaics, representing little genii playing with clusters of grapes amidst the tendrils of the vine. About two miles further, the traveller will 354 T.OME — ENYIROXS. find the Ponte Law.entano, anciently Pons Nomentanus^ a bridge over the Anio, and a little beyond it may ascend the Mons Sacer famous in Roman history. About two miles northward of the Pons Nomentanus is the Pons Salarius, Ponte Salaro, remarkable for the combat between Manlius Torquatus and the gigantic Gaul, as also for the encamp- ment of Annibal when he threatened Pvome itself. Besides these walks, every gate possesses its attractions, presenting on the roads and paths which it opens to the steps of the traveller, its views of rural beauty or its remains of ancient grandeur: its churches sanctified by the memory of the Good, its fields, conse- crated by the struggles of the Brave, and its sepulchres ennobled by the ashes of the Great. Wheresoever he directs his observation, he finds himself surrounded by the wonders of modern art and by the monuments of ancient splendour ; so that his eye is gratified by noble exhibitions, and his mind elevated by grand and awful recollections. Tivoli. After a first and rapid survey of the ancient ruins and of the modern magni- ficeuce of Rome, the traveller will naturally turn his attention to the neighbouring coun- try, and visit some of the classical retreats of the Sabine and Alban mountains. On leaving Rome for Tivoli, we proceed along the Via Teburtina, and about three miles from the city, pass the Ponte Mammolo over the Anio or Teverone. . The Campagna, ex- ROME — ENVIRONS. 355 tending thence to the mountains of Tabina, is flat but fertile, and covered either with rich grass or corn. Woods surrounding dis- tant villas or farms appear here and there covering the summits of little hills. About eight miles from the bridge we cross the little streamlet, called from its sulphurous exhalations the Solfatara. The lake or pool from which it rises is about a short mile from the road, somewhat less than a mile in cir- cumference, and near 200 feet deep. Its wa- ters are of an iron grey colour, and its surface is frequently spotted with a bituminous mat- ter, which, mixing with weeds and vegetable substances, gradually coagulates and forms what may be called a floating island. This lake was in high repute among the ancients, and much frequented on account of the oracle of Faunus, whose temple, surrounded by a, sacred grove, stood on its bank. The Ponie Lugano, over the Anio, presents itself about a mile and a half farther on, and is remarkable for a tomb of the Plautian fa- mily, consisting of a round tower built of large blocks of Tiburtine stone, resembling the sepulchre of Cecilia Metella. About two miles farther, a road turns off to the villa of Adrian, which stood on a hill, with the exten- sive vale of Latium on one side, and a little deep glade cabled Tempe on the other. It commanded a delightful view of the Sabine mountains, withTibur here, and there a pros- pect of the Alban hills with their towers and forests; behind, the vale lost itself in distant 356 ROME — ENVIRONS. mountains- in front, appeared Rome extended over ils seven hills, and reflecting from its temples and palaces the beams of an evening sun. Statues, columns, and marbles of the rarest kinds have been, and are continually discovered, when excavations are made amidst the ruins of the amazing fabrics which once constituted this imperial residence j while briers and brambles fill the halls and stuccoed apartments, and a mixed confusion of or- chards and gardens, forest and fruit-trees, vineyards and corn waving over them, pre- sent a strange melancholy contrast. Returning to the road, we begin and con- tinue for some lime to ascend the high hill on which Tivoli stands, passing through groves of olives till we reach the summit. Tivoli, the Tibur of the ancients, boasts of high an- tiquity, and still possesses a considerable po- pulation of about 10,000 inhabitants. The town itself is not handsome, though it con- tains some very fine houses, and stands in a very delightful situation, sheltered on one side by Monte Catili and a semicircular range of saline mountains, and commanding on the other an extensive ,view over the Campagna> bounded by the sea, Rome, Mount Soracte and the pyramidal hills of Monticelli and Monte Rotondo, the ancient Eretum. But the pride and ornament of Tivfeli are still, as anciently, the fall and windings of the Anio now the Teverone. This river, having wan- dered from its source through the vales of 5a- brina, glides gently through Tivoli, till ; com- ROME — ENVIRONS. 35f ing to the brink of a rock, it precipitates itself in one mass down the steep, and there raging for an instant in its narrow channel, rushes headlong through a chasm in the rock into the caverns below. The first fall may be seen from the windows of the inn, or from the temple ; but it ap- pears to the greatest advantage from the bridge thrown oyer the new channel a little below it. From this bridge also you may look down into the shattered rock, and ob- serve far beneath the writhings and agitations of the stream struggling through its rocky prison. To view the second fall, or the de- scent into the cavern, we go down through a garden by a winding path into the narrow deil through which the river flows after the cascade; there, placing ourselves in front of the cavern, we behold the Anio in two vast sheets tumbling through two different apar- tures, shaking the mountain in its fall and filling all the cavities around with the spray and uproar. Though the rock rises to the height of 200 feet in a narrow circular form, clothed on one side with shrubs and foliage, yet a sufficient light breaks upon the cavern to show its pendant rocks, agitated w r aters, and craggy borders. About a hundred paces from the grotto, a natural bridge, formed by the water work- ing through the rock, enables the spectator to pass the river, and to take another view of the cascade; less distinct with regard to the cavern, but more enlarged, as it includes a 358 ROME — ENVIRONS. greater portion of the superincumbent rock in front with the shagged banks on both sides. The rock immediately above and on the left is perpendicular, and crowned with houses, while from an aperture in its side at a consi- derable height gushes a rill, too small to add, either by its sound or size, to the magnificence of the sqenery. ' The bank on the opposite side is steep and shaggy, but leaves room for little gardens and vineyards. On its summit stands I he ce- lebrated temple of the Sybil. This beautiful pile is circular, of the Corinthian order, built in the reign of Augustus, and admired not for its size but for its proportions and situation. It stands in the court of the inn, exposed to the weather without any roof or covering; but its own solidity seems to be a sufficient protec- tion. Of its eighteen pillars ten only remain with their entablature. Near this temple stands another, consisting of four pillars, which now form, a part of Uie wall of the parish church of St. George. Be- sides these, scarce any other vestige remains of ancient Tibur. But if its artificial or- naments have perished, and its temples and villas have long since crumbled into dust, the unalterable graces that nature has conferred upon it still remain, and its orchards, gar- dens and cool recesses bloom and flourish in unfading beauty. To enjoy this delicious scenery to advantage, the traveller must cross j the bridge and follow the road which runs at the foot of the classic Monte Caliilo^ and ROME — environs. 35g winds along the banks of the Anio, rolling after its fall through the valley in a deep dell. As he advances, he will have on his left the deep banks covered with trees, shrubs, and gardens j on his right the bold but varying swells of the hills shaded with groves of olives. These sunny declivities were anciently inter- spersed with splendid villas, the favourite abodes of the most luxurious and refined Ro- mans. They are now replaced by two soli- tary convents, lifting each its white tower above the dark, green mass of olives ', while their site, often conjectural, or traditionary, is sometimes marked by some scanty vestiges of ruin, and now and then by the mere pro- bable resemblance of a name. As the traveller, following the bend of the hill, comes to the side of the road opposite the town, he catches first a side glimpse, and shortly after a full view of the Cascatelle, or smaller cascades, inferior in mass and gran- deur, but equal in beauty to the great fall in the town. They are formed by a branch of the Anio turned off from the main body of the river before it reaches the precipice, for the use of the inhabitants ) which, after it has crossed the town, bursts from a wood on the summit of the hill, and then tumbles from its brow in one great and several smaller streams, first down one and then another declivity, through thickets and brambles, spangled with, dew-drops or lighted up with a rainbow. The elevation and mass of these cascades; the colours and broken heaps of the rocks dawn 360 HOME — ENVIRONS. which they tumble ; the shrubs, plants, and brambles, that hang over the channel and sometimes bathe themselves in the current; the river below fretting through a narrow pass under a natural arch; the olives that shade that arch and the vines that wave around it ; the bold bendings and easy sweeps of the surrounding mountains; and the towers of the town rising on the top of the hill beyond the cascade, with the ruins of Mecenas's villa on its shelving side, form one of the most delici- ous pictures that can be imagined. The tra- veller is usually conducted by his guide to a sort of natural stage formed by the rock pro- jecting boldly over the river just opposite the cascade. However a side view is considered as the best, because it augments the apparent mass of waters. On a part of the declivity towards the town is a field, in which is a circular edifice of brick with a vaulted roof. It has several niches for statues, and is of excellent propor- tions ; and though stripped long since of all its ornaments, is still in good preservation. Mecenas's villa stands at the extremity of the town on the brow of the hill, and hangs over several streamlets which fall down the steep. It commands a noble view of the Anio and its vale beneath, the hills of Albano and Monli- celli, the Campagna, and Rome itself rising on the borders of the horizon. It still pre- sents several traces of its former magnificence, such as a triple row of arches, seventeen below *wd fourteen above? forming a suit of apart- ROME — ENVIRONS. 3b I ments spacious enough for all the purposes of private luxury. The active Cardinal Puiifo, during the reign of Pius "VI, turned it into a foundery, after having stripped the walls and the roof of the ivy, and effaced the ve- nerable marks of ruin which the hand of time had shed over them. A branch of the river pours through the arched gallery and vaulted cellars ; and shaking the edifice as it passes along, rushes in several sheets dorm the declivity. The ancient magnificence of this villa is probably equalled by that of the modern Pilla Es tense, erected by a Cardinal in the sixteenth century, in a lofty situation, surrounded with terraces, water-fa lis, groves of cedars, cypresses and orange-trees, and adorned with statues, vases and marbles. The gar- dens are laid out in the old style, and the whole is in a most lamentable state of decay. There are in the town or immediate neigh- bourhood of Tivoli, other villas of great ex- tent and some magnificence, enjoying in pro- portion similar advantages of situation and prospect ; and perhaps no spot on earth af- fords more of either: but the modern Ro- mans, like the continental nations in general, are not partial to a country residence, they do not feel the beauties of nature, and can- not relish the calm solitary charms of a coun- try life. Hence the delicious retreats of Ti- ber, and the rural beauties of the Allan, Mount, scenes that delighted the philosopher and enchanted the poet in ancient days, are now beheld with indifference, and perhaps 362 ROME ENVIRONS.' honoured once a year, during the Villegia- tura with a short and impatient visit. „ The traveller who would wish to visit the Sabine Mountains, among which was Ho- race s Villa, must proceed by the Via Va- • leria to the town of Kico J^aro. As he winds along the hills, he sees the Anio meandering beneath him through a beautiful dell, and forming a variety of pleasing scenes. The face of the country is here wooded and there naked, but always bold and in general very fertile. From Vico Faro we proceed along the ri- ver about two miles, to a bridge remarkable for the remains of a lofty arch formed to con- duct the Claudian acqueduct over the Anio. Only a small part of the arch is standing, #hile the channel opened through the rock on the opposite side, near a mill, is still perfect. The banks here are extremely bold, particu- larly on the northern side of the river, where they rise to a great elevation and seem toi hang over the mill and the stream. The rock, I hollowed by nature into a variety of grottos Jan is said to have been for some time the retreat! He. of St. Benedict the patriarch of the westernld 1 monks. On the top of the rock stands the Franciscan convent of S. Cosimato. As we advance, we find ourselves in a fine valley with beautiful hills rising close on our left, while on our right, in the midst of fer- tile meadows bounded on the opposite side by the hill of Mandela, aud a ridge of succes •rye mountains, glides the Licenza, anciently ROME ENVIRONS. 363 Digentia, the favourite stream of Horace. Its bed is wide, stony and shallow in the sum- mer. Proceeding a little farther, we perceive to the left, on the brow of a craggy steep, the Fanum Vacuno, where the poet dates one of his philosophic epistles: now a village call- ed Roua Giovane. The road then runs at the foot of Mount Lucretilzs, and certainly a more beautiful mountain has rarely been dis- covered by a traveller or celebrated by a poet: it rises in a gentle but irregular swell, forming several hills of different shapes as it ascends, and leading the eye through several easy gradations to its summit. Rocks and precipices frequently break its lines, and open Various caverns and grottos in its sides and on its declivities. Its lower regions are divided into corn-fields and vineyards; groves of olives ?md chesnuts interspersed with forest trees thrown negligently about, sometimes single, sometimes in clumps, and now and then in woods, wave round its middle: its upper parts are heathy pasture and in many places are covered with brambles, shrubs and forests. Herds may be seen ranging through the mea- dows, and flocks of goats spread over the wilds and browsing on the precipices. Arca- dia itself could scarcely have exhibited more beautiful scenes, or opened more delightful recesses. About a mile and a half beyond the road that leads to Roua Giovane, is a path that crosses a vineyard to the spot where Horace's Villa is supposed to have stood. A part of 364 ROME ENVIRONS. a wall rising in the midst of brambles and some mosaic pavements are the only traces that now remain of the poet's mansion. The whole tract of country we have just traversed corresponds ' in every particular with the description which Horace gave of it two thousand years ago. Not only the grand and characteristic features, the continued chain, of mountains — the shady valley — the wind- ing dell — the abundant fountain — the savage rocks — features, which a general convulsion of nature only can totally efface: not these alone remain, but the less and more perish- able beauties, the little rills — the moss-covered stones — the frequent groves — the arbutus half concealed in the thickets — the occasional pins — the oak and the ilex suspended over the grotto : these meet the traveller at every turn and rise around him as so many monu- ments of the judgment and accuracy of the poet. The Alban Mount and Lake. The Al- ban Mount, which forms such a conspicuous and majestic feature, of Roman landscape, and presents itself so often to the reader's notice in Roman history and literature, will furnish the traveller with an object for a se- cond excursion. The road to it .is the Via Appia, which begins at the Porta Capena, and crosses the Alrnone flowing near the walls of Rome ; and, as it traverses the Campagna, presents acqueducts and sepulchres that bor- der its sides with ruins. The town of Albano consists almost totally ROME — ENVIRONS. 3b5 of one long street, in general well built and airy; but its chief advantage is its lofty situ- ation; and its ornaments are the beautiful country-houses and walks that surround it on all sides. The principal villa belongs to a Koman Duke, and occupies part of the site of Pompey's Albanian; its gardens, laid out in the best modern style, wind delightfully Smidst the ruins. Its views open on the sea coast, and command the whole of that classic ground which Virgil has made the scene of the last six books of the Eneid, the seven hills and the humble capital of Evander ; the mouth of the Tiber where Eneas landed* Laurer- tium with its surrounding forests; the lake of Turnus; the vada sacra Numici, and all the Rutilian territory. A fine road, shaded with double rows of ilex, leads from Alhano to Caatel Gandolfo and the Allan Lake. This lake is seven miles in circumference, and is surrounded with a high shelving shore, covered with gardens and or- chards. The immediate borders of the lake are lined with trees that bathe their branches in its waters. • It is ^clear as crystal, is said to be almost unfathomable in some places, and is supposed to be contained in the crater of an extinguished volcano. An emissarius, or outlet, was formed at so early a period as the year of Rome 358, to prevent the sudden and mischievous swells of the lake ; and the work still remains a singular instance of the industry and superstition of the Romans. Grotla Ferrala, near the ancient Tusculum^ Hh. 366 ROME — ENVIR.ONS. and not far from the Albanlake, is supposed to have been the site of Cicero's favourite villa. It is now an abbey of Greek monks, and stands on one of the Tamuli, or beautiful hills grouped together in the Alban Mount. The views from it are very extensive, various and delightful. The plane-tree still seems to love the soil, and blooms and flourishes in pe- culiar perfection all around. From Grotta Ferrata we may proceed to the hills that hang over Frascati , the summit of which was once crowned with Tusculum. This town which communicated its name to all the rural retreats in its neighbourhood, survived the hostilities of the barbarians, and was doomed to fall in a civil contest by the hands of the degenerate Romans themselves, about the year 1190. Its ruins remain scat- tered in long lines of wall and of shattered arches, intermingled with shrubs and bushes, over the summit and along the sides of the mountain, from which the view is extensive in every direction. The modern town of Frascati stands on the side of the hill, much low^r down than the ancient Tusculum, but still in an elevated and airy situation. It is surrounded with villas, many of which are of great beauty and mag' nificence ; but its interior contains nothing remarkable. To the south of Frascati is a very remark- able ancient tomb, called by the people the « Sepulchre of tlie Horatii and Curiatii.» This monument is of great magnitude and of ROME ENVIRONS. 3G7 a bold and striking form, and was originally adorned with five obelisks, of which two only remain. A variety of shrubs grow from its crevices, wave in garlands round its shattered pyramids and hang in long wreathes to the ground. The melancholy interest which such an appearance awakens will be increased, when the traveller learns, that it is credibly supposed, that the venerable pile before him covers the ashes of Pompey the Great. About a mile farther on, at the end of a finely shaded avenue, stands Aricia, where Horace passed the first night of his journey to Brundusium. This little town, now called La Riccia, is extremely well built and pretty, particularly about the square, which is adorn- ed with a handsome church on one side, and ©n the other with a palace, or rather a villa. It stands on the summit of a hill and is sur- rounded with groves and gardens. Of the ancient town situated at the foot of the same hill in the valley, there remains only some arches, and a circular edifice once perhaps a temple, and a few scattered substructions. The immense foundations of the Via Applet* formed of blocks of stone, rising from the old town up the side of the hill, in general about 24 feet in breadth and sometimes almost 60 in elevation, are perhaps one of the most striking monuments that now remain of Roman en- terprise. On an eminence, about a mile farther, stands a church, called Madonna di Galloro, a very picturesque object at a little distance: \ 368 ROMK ENVIRONS. and two miles thence rises the town of Gensa- no, beautiful in its regular streets, in its woody environs, and in the neighbouring lake of Nemi. This lake derives its modern name from the Nemus Diance, the sacred groves that shaded its banks. Like that of Albano, it oc- cupies a deep hollow in the mountain, but it is* much inferior to it in extent, and fills only a part of the amphitheatre formed by the crater. The remaining part, with the high banks, is covered with gardens and orchards well fenced and thickly planted, forming an enchanting scene of fertility and cultivation. The castle and the town of Nemi stand on the eastern side, on a high rock hanging over the water. The upper terrace of the Capucins gives the best view. Opposite to it lies Gen- sano stretched along a wooded bank, shelving gently to the verge of the lake ; behind rises Monte Giove (Mons Jovis) and beyond extend the plains and woods that border the sea- shore : towards the south-east we behold Monte Artenisio, on which the temple of Di- ana anciently formed a conspicuous feature in the scenery and history of this territory. From the base of the rock on which the town of Nemi stands, gushes the fountain oi'Egeria, for this nymph had a fouutain and a grove here as well as at Rome. The fountain is abundant, and is one of the sources of the lake. The woods still remain and give the whole scene an inexpressible freshness and beauty to the traveller fainting under the heat of an ROME — ENVIRONS. S6g Italian summer. On his return, "he may also wind through the woods that flourish between the two lakes and enter Aibano by the abbey of S: Paolo, or rather by the fine avenue of Castel Gandolfo. The air on the Alban and Tusculan hills is always pure and wholesome, • the soil is extremely fertile, and in some places remarkable, as it was anciently, for excellent wine, Anlium. As Aibano is not above ten miles from the sea-coast, the traveller may take the opportunity of making an excursion thither, and may visit Antium, the capital of the Vol- tici, often mentioned in the Roman annals. The road to it runs along the Alban hills, then over the Campagna, and through a fo- rest bordering the coast for many miles. The wood consists of young oak, ilex, myrtle and box, and is peculiarly refreshing, not by its shade only, but by the perfumes that exhale on all sides from its odoriferous shrubs. This pleasure however is considerably diminished by the apprehension of robbers; as all the criminals who escape from Rome and its neighbourhood betake themselves to this fo- rest and lurk for years in its recesses. Its ex- tent is great, for it runs with little interrup- tion along the coast, sometimes five, some- times ten miles in breadth, from the mouth of the Tiber to Circe's promontory The ground it covers is low and occasionally swampy. Qstia. Ostia, once the great mart of the Mediterranean, and the port of Rome, is fif- 370 ROME ENVIRONS. teen miles from it. The road at first runs through two ridges of hills, and afterwards over a fertile plain bounded by the same ridges, and forming a sort of wide verdant amphitheatre intersected by the Tiber. The face of the country the whole way is fertile and green, and varied by several gentle swells, hiit deficient in wood and consequently in beauty. The sea-coast, however even at the distance of four or five miles, is bordered with a wood of ilex, and various scrubs in- termixed with large trees and entangled with underwood, forming a considerable forest. In this forest are several large shallow pools, whose stagnant waters infect the air and con- tribute not a little to its unwholesomeness. The Tiber is rapid and muddy, and its banks are shaded with & variety of shrubs and flowery plants ; the stream, though divided into branches, is still considerable. The larg- est is called Fiumicino : on its northern bank, stands Porto, the ancient Partus Romanus, projected by Ciesar, begun by Augustus, fi- nished by Claudius and repaired by Trajan. Of this port scarce a trace remains, and the town though a bishopric is insignificant. The present town of Ostia is a miserable fortified village, containing scarce fifty sickly inhabi- tants, for such is the badness of the air, that none but malefactors or banditti will inha- bit it. From the account we have now given of the country bordering on the ooast, it will be found to present nearly the same features as ROME — CAMPAGNA. 07 I in the time of Pliny, who thus describes the view along the road that crossed it. Varia Jiine et inde fades. Nam mo do occurentib us silvis via coaretatur, mo do laiissimis prails diffun- ditur et patescit : multi greges ovium, muiia ibi equorum boumque ar taenia. This appearance of the country extends all along the coast and even over the Pomptine marshes. THE CAMPAGNA. Or where Campctgnia's plain forsaken lies, A weary waste expanded to the skies. Goldsmith. One of the most striking objects in the ap- proach to Pvonie, is that vast uninhabited, and in many places uncultivated extent of country, that surrounds it on all sides and is called the Campagna. Its present stale of desolation is certainly singular, and naturally calls for in-r quiry. The earth in many parts is struck with barrenness, and the air is tainted with pestilence. It appears certain, that this evil was felt in ancient times, and one of the oldest remarks relative to it is to be found in the 7th book of Livy, where mention is made of the unhealthy constitution of the country round Rome. Strabo observes that the coasts of Latiumwere in some places unhealthy, and ascribes that quality to the marshes that border upon them. It naturally follows that in ancient as well as modern times the air of the coast must not imfrequently be carried by sea breezes into the interior j and, as the Campagna is sur- 37^ ROME CAHirAGNA. rounded by mountains on every other side, these vapours may, particularly in the calm and sultry months of summer, remain sus- pended in the air and considerably affect its salubrity. To confirm this conjecture, I need only observe that several ancient writers, and among others, Horace, Martial, and Frontinas, represent the air of Home itself as unwhole- some during the great heats, and at present, the wind which blows from the coasts in summer, particularly since the forests that formerly covered them were thinned by Pius VI, is considered as peculiarly noxious. A marshy soil, under the influence of a warm sun, naturally emits exhalations 3 and the more serene the sky, the more permanent and destructive must be their influence. We must recollect at the same time, that the Campctgna is not the only unhealthy tract in Italy ; that Tuscany has its Maremma, and that its coasts were never remarkable for sa- lubrity. From these observations we may perhaps infer that the air of the Campagna could never have been much more healthy than it is at present ; though a superior cultivation and population might then have counteracted in some degree the causes above mentioned. We may also suppose, that at a very remote period, those causes did not perhaps exist $ and that many portions of land, now marshes, might then have been covered with the sea. As to the population of this territory, it ap- pears to have been astonishingly great during ROME CAMPACNA. Z^Z the infancy of the Roman republic; but was probably not very great in the time of Au- gustus and Trajan ; and to what other cause than the unwholesomeness of the air can so extraordinary a deficiency in the neighbour- hood of such an immense capital be attri- bute'! ? It is true, there was anciently a very great number of villas in every part of this region ; but this cannot be adduced as a proof of its general salubrity, because many of them were erected in places acknowledged even then to be unwholesome; and were moreover designed for temporary accommo- dation, and as occasional retreats in winter, and spring, and the beginning of summer, when the whole Campagna is perfectly salu- brious. As to the cultivation of this tract, a very considerable part was anciently, as now, en- tirely given up to pasturage, as is evident from the passage of Pliny quoted above. Much does not seem to have been under corn, as immense supplies were regularly conveved to Rome from Sicily, Egypt, and Africa; supplies which the fertility of the plains of Lutium and Etruria, if called forth by the arts of cultivation, would have rendered un- necessary. At present, several extensive tracts are cultivated, particularly on the left of the Via Tiburtina, and of the Via Jtppia, in the Pomptine Marshes. The fields in the imme- diate neighbourhood of Rome and on the banks of tbe Tiber are used as meadows, and produce great quantities of the finest hay. It i i 3^4 BOMB — CAMPACXA. is indeed a great mistake to imagine that the Campagna^ because uninhabited, is therefore totally neglected and unproductive. At staled, periods, the population of the neighbouring towns is employed in its cultivation ; and the yearly produce is valued, on an average, at two pounds an acre. The soil, however, nei- ther is, and probably never was, in some parts, very fit for agricultural purposes. An intelligent English author says : « I will bold- ly afiirm, that the most striking parts, the whole plain between Rome and Tivoli, and the Pomptine Marshes, never were, nor ever could be in a much better state than at pre- sent. I have walked over a great part of the plain between Rome and Tivoli, and ascer- tained that the soil, which consists of a deep, white, crystallized sand, is generally covered with a coat of black sand not half an inch, and often not a quarter of an inch deep, which evidently proves that it never could be in a state of ordinary cultivation. Immense ex- pense may have carried soil to some spots to make gardens - } but even that adventitious fertility could not be of long duration, it would soon disappear through the sand be- neath. » The maV aria, or unwholesomeness of the Campagna, commences with the summer i heats, and lasts till the autumnal rains. Du- ring this period the country is deserted, and except the delightful retreats of Tivoli and of the Alban Mount, placed by thei* elevation above the reach of infection, every villa, ca— ROME — CAMPAGNA. 07CJ tfho, and even every abbey and convent, are deserted. So strong is the prejudice of the Romans in this respect, that it is considered dangerous and almost mortal to sleep out of the walls, though perhaps not twenty yards from the very gates of the city. It is certain- ly reasonable to allow, that the natives of a country are the best judges of its climate ; and it is prudent and right that strangers should follow their advice and example ill guarding against its inconveniences: yet it is possible that there is a considerable degree of groundless apprehension. If a cold is taken in a rural excursion during the hot months, it is attributed to the maV aria. Every fever caught by travellers who pass the Pomptine Marshes or the Campagna during the sum- mer months is ascribed to the influence of the air ; while such disorders may arise from heat and fatigue ; causes sufficiently active to produce fatal distempers in any climate. The maVaria presents one of the most cu- rious problems to be found in the natural history of any country; we have stated, in another part of this « Guide, » where we have given a general sketch of the soil and agricul- ture of Italy, that the country of the mal' aria is one of the three agricultural regions into which all Italy may be divided For these reasons, we have judged proper to insert in this place a general description of that re- markable tract of country which extends along the Mediterranean from Pisa to T^rra- tina, and comprehends all the plains which 3;6 ROME — CAMPAGTA. spread from the sea to llie first chain of the Apennines. Excursion from Pisa to Terracina, through the Maremma of Tuscany, the Campagna of Rome, and the Pompline Marshes. — After having quitted Pisa, I ascended the left bank of the Arno as far as Empoli. There I quit- ted the great road to Florence for the road to "V'oltura and Piombino. This road, formed by Leopold, is the only one that leads into the Maremma ; it is directed with great skill along the slope of the hills, but is only nine feet broad; and, being kept up .with great care, is more like a walk in a pleasure-ground than a high road. Leaving Empoli, I turned directly to the south, and advanced towards the chain of hills, the range of which forms the vale of Arno. I travelled a mile farther under the embowered shades which embellish the banks of that river, and began to ascend the hill which was to deprive me of all further view of that delicious valley of Tuscany. In proportion as I ascended the vegetation became thinner and more rare; though I still saw around me some olives and vines; but their verdure was of a pale colour, like the soil that produced them. Beyond this hill, I crossed several little Tallies, still animated by villages, vineyards and cultivated spots, with some irrigating canals ; but these habi- tations had not the pleasing appearance of the farm-houses in the plain; they were grouped round the churches, and were not ornamented ROME ENVIRO.VS. 077 with flowers, nor animated by the presence of pretty country-girls. I sliil beheld some country-houses and gentlemens' seats, which could be distinguished from afar by long plan- tations of cypresses the only ornaments of those dwellings. Property here is much subdivided and the lands are cultivated by small farmers who divide the profits with the landlord. The soil produces good wine, a little oil, Indian corn, sorgo and corn; but these productions are poor, and the corn only gives three (or one. Saint foin also is cultivated, but not exten- sively, and is destined for the horses; which are very numarous, as every thing here is transported on their backs. This face of country, tolerably picturesque, continues as faf as Castel Fiorentino, four leagues from Empoli, Castel Fiorentino is on the frontier of the desert; beyond, all cultivation ceases and we enter the Marenlma. The surface of the coun- try is furrowed by great indulations, like the immense waves of a profound ocean, but all the forms of which have been softened by time and the labour of man. At great dis- tances, I perceived on the summits of these elevations old enclosures of walls, through the ruins of which appeared some habitations which a few old towers seemed still to protect. In the vallies were houses widely scattered, surrounded neither by verdure nor gardens, and serving only to cultivate some plots of ground planted with Indian corn or sorgo. 1 i. 878 ROME — ENVIRONS. Above all the eminences rises that on which rest the antique walls of Volberra, and this ancient city appears in the horizon like a' prodigious heap of enclosures, towers and steeples. After travelling the whole day, I stopped to pass the night in an insulated house called Casteneo. The mal'aria had al- ready begun (25th May) to exert its iniluence, and the proprietors of this domain had left it for another spot, leaving only a tall pale wretch to receive travellers. My only com- panion was my guide, who, having taken the saddle and bridle off the horse, left him to seek his food as he could round the house. I sat down on the trunk o& a tree and con- sidered the wild countrv around me. It is in the state which the Italians call Maulue with some old oaks which time never replaces; for as herds of cattle are turned into these wilds they devour all the young shoots. The Italian writers fix the depopulation of their country and the introduction of the maM a?ia, about the lime of the plague in tlie 1 6th century; and since that period, the po- pulation has never been strong enough, ihey alledge, to resist the influence of the bad air, which increases every year in proportion as population and agriculture diminish. Several attempts have been made to establish colonies in the Tuscan Maremma, which have all failed by the colonists being cut off before the esta- blishment gained any strength. The soil m that tract has become sterile, and seems to consist of nothing but pure argil, the white- SOME— ENVIROXS. 3^^ ness of which is only altered by a mixture of the sulphur abounding in that region. The country thus depopulated having fal- len into the hands of a few great proprietors, there remained nothing to be done but to take advantage of the spontaneous productions of the soil ; to let the land run to grass, and to introduce a sort of wandering tribes who should dwell here only in the winter. During that season, the Maremma is not unhealthy; and men as well as cattle may roam through the wilderness with impunity. It did not however suit the farmer of the interior coun- try to leave his home and take up his abode in the Maremma. There came, therefore, necessarily to be interposed, between the pro- prietors of the lands in the interior and those of the sea-coast, a race of wandering shep- herds, possessing nothing but their cattle, and emigrating with them, according to the seasons, from the hilly to the level country. Under the conduct of these men, 4 oo -> O0 ° sheep, 3o,ooo horses, and a vast number of cows and goats are annually reared, for the supply of the Valdamo and the other vales of Tuscany, where no cattle are bred. The consequences of this economy have been certainly to create a desert in the centre of Italy, and to people it during half the year with half savage creatures, who wander over these solitudes like Tartars, armed with long lances, and covered with a coarse clolh and untanned hides. But this ceremony is more the work of nature than of the will of 38o ROME ESVIROXS. man j and there is some intelligence in having taken advantage, almost against itself, of a tract which seemed only destined to be "the domaiu of death. The soil of the Ma rem ma, ceasing to produce the vegetables that nourish man, prepares in its bosom the-chemical phenomena by means of, which is collected an immense quantity of sulphur, salt and alum. This branch of in- dustry supports a great part of the population , though it is only carried on during the season when the air is not dangerous. The mountain of Volterra is entirely com- posed of alabaster, and the blocks of it which serve for statuaries and modellers are thence extracted. After ascending for an hour, I reached the summit on which the town is built. Convents destroyed, gardens deserted, some old walls and palaces without roofs at- test its ancient splendour; and it still con- tains about 3ooo inhabitants, mostly peasants or manufacturers of alabaster. The cause of the insalubrity of the Marem— ma is a mystery into which science has not. yet been able to penetrate. It has often been supposed, that the pestilential air, which has depopulated the shores of the Mediterranean over so great an extent, arises from marshy ground and stagnant w 7 ater. In such places as the Pomptine Marshes, which are at the eastern extremity of the Maremma, this sup- position may be well founded ; but in thq greater part of the Maremma, in the Tuseajl and in llis Roman territory, the soil is <'• , ROME ENVIRONS. Out and the ground in many places elevated high above the plain. No visible sign marks the [existence or the approach of this pestiferous air. The sky is as pure, the verdure as fresh, the air as tranquil as in the most healthy region. The aspect of all the elements is such as should inspire the most perfect confidence; while it is impossible to express the horror which one experiences, on discovering that j;this is all deception : that we are in the midst i-of dangers of which no indication exists, and, (that with the soft air we are breathing, we tin ay 'be inhaling a poison destructive of life. The only inhabitants of these wretched [countries are those who occupy them during [the season when the labours of cultivation require their immediate presence. Even dur- ing their short stay they never fail to suffer [severely. Their complexions become sallow iand livid, their strength diminishes daily, liniany perish before the end of the season, [and those whom Providence reserves for ano- ther trial have hardly the courage to wish for H prolongation of their existence. The great road from Florence to Rome [traverses the Maremma of Tuscany as far as i A.cquapendente, where it enters the Roman state. Here the nature of the soil changes, and also the aspect of the country. We no longer see those clayey slopes whose whiteness and nudity fatigues the eye ; but a black vol- canic sand announces the fertility of the sarth in the luxuriancy of a wild vegetation. For several leagues the road rises and sinks 382 ROME — ENVIRONS. successively near the borders of the lakes oi Bolseno and Pico. All around these hollows immense forests have grown forages, extend ing from the Apennines to the shores of the sea. In the midst of these woods, which hu- man industry appears to have forgotten , we find vast glades, covered, like the savannah; of America , with natural turf and plants whose strange forms give an African aspect to these neglected spots. Here and there we traverse cities and town •whose storied names speak to the imagination but which appear at present to be little mon than the mausoleums of departed generations Round these towns are fertile srardens an< o vines, the branches of which do not rise 01 trees as in Lombardy aud Tuscany, but ar< intertwined in a trellis-work of reeds. Fig trees and aloes grow on all these ruins ant decorate them with their deep verdure an< their oriental forms. Farther on, corn-field scattered in the openings of the woods, ap pear amid this wild scenery, the only ind cation of the presence and industry of man. The crops from these fields are magnificent and the vegetable productions of this wilder ness are luxuriant and rich. In that whic! surrounds Rome, and extends almost fror the walls of that celebrated metropolis to th sea on one haud, and to the foot of the Apef nines on the other, the lands are allowe to rest in pasturage for six successive years on the seventh they are ploughed , and th crop produced is generally fine. The Ian' a LOME — ENVIROXS. 00,1 as afterwards left to itself, and is immediately covered with verdure, which continues for five or six years, being pastured all that time y herds of cattle, horses and sheep. It is at the foot of the mountains of Fitevho that Jfeite Maremma of Piome begins, forming what i is called the -Agro Romano, or the Campagna di Roma. The surface of the Campagna is 'not altogether level, but full of small undu- lations or low ridges, which do not follow Jtiiy constantdirection, but give a very pleasing j rariety to the surface. In this great plain . i there are but few trees, except in some spots 'jlistinguished by the growth of the ilex and . |the variety of evergreens which are so luxu- . riant and beautiful in this climate. A few ; oines, here and there afford, by their spread- ing tops, a shade to the cattle. It is divided, /by dead hedges, into enclosures of 3o or 40 iieres each, depending on a Casale , or farm— iJpouse, which appears - ? and these, by the Thinness with which they are scattered over jl.he country, serve to add to the melancholy lather than to the gaiety of the prospect. 1 During the summer-reason, this tract is so' ..inhealthv, that the shepherds and their flocks fcome every night to take shelter within the Ijvalls of Rome, in order to avoid the disease jibr death which tbey know is waiting them ;| n the country. Rome itself, however, is not l| Vafe front the attacks of the same invisible . ;nemy, who has lodged himself within the Vails of the Eternal City, and in the places leemingly best fortified against his approaches. 38/j. ROME — ENVIRONS. We find only a few inns or post-houses on this road j those of Baccano and La Siortm belong to the princes Chigi and Borghese ; and they are built with a sort of sumptuous! ness, wliich, in the midst of the desert that surrounds them, is the only thing* that re- veals to the traveller that he is in the neigh- bourhood of Home. . From Rome we made a visit to a farm within the circle of the Malaria, which is the sole patrimony of St. Peter's Church, atufc is known by the ill-omen'd name of Campo Morto. It is an extensive farm, devoted al- most entirely to pasturage; and as in this monotonous scene of cultivation, the agri- cultural history of one domain is that of allj the rest, the reader will have an exact pic- ture of the modern agriculture of this part, of the Roman territory, when he has become acquainted with that which is followed in the farm of Campo Morto. The Fattore, or manager/ received us with great civility, and both by his language and manners, appeared a man of education. He was indeed an inhabitant of Rome, where his family resides, as is the case with all the stewards or factors who manage the farm! of the PJaremma. In the whole of the Agrc Romano there is in fact no indigenous popu- lation, except a few families domiciliatec 1 among the ruins of the small towns, once sc numerous in this territory. At present tin shepherds and workmen are almost all frorr the mountains of Salerno and Abruzzo. Xh< HOME ENVIRONS. 3b5 house of the Fattore was large, but comfort- less ' 7 the lower story consisted of a great kitchen, with three or four great halls, all without furniture or windows. In the second story was the same number of rooms, all used for magazines of corn, except one which was reserved for lodging. There was nothing that looked like care or cleanliness, either within .or without. ! We got on horseback, and setting out to survey the farm, first stopped at a small [thicket of oaks in the middle of one of the [fields* where, as it was now harvest, the people were cutting down the corn. On a signal given, they all quitted their work and [dciiled in order before us. There were about as many men as women, mostly from j4bnizzi y land all bathed in sweat, the heat of the sun [being dreadful. The men were good figures, ibut the women were frightful. They had ! already been some days at work in the Ma- jremraa ; and the fatal breath of the malaria pad blown upon them. Two were already ill [of the fever, and it was expected that a num- ber would be attacked every clay; so that at Ithe end of the harvest they would be reduced, f'to one half. These reapers have three meals la day, and are permitted to sleep two hours about noon, which they may then do without .danger ; but when the evening dews have fal- len on the earth which serves for their bed, iiit is then the fever makes its attack. From the reapers we went to look at the cattle ; and here we saw several hundred wild 386 ROME ENVIRONS. cows, which, on first discovering us, collected together as if doubtful whether to attack us, or to make their escape into the woods. They at last decided on going off, and the whole herd galloped away with the swiftness of deer. These cows are never milked, but suckle their calves, and are usually valued from thirty to forty shillings a-head. On ma- ny farms there are more than a thousand. On proceeding farther, we come to a vast herd of swine, of which there were about 2.000 belonging to the farm. They wander about the whole year in the part of the Cam- po Morto, which is nearest to the sea ; and might very well pass for wild boars, though they are only domestic swine of the black breed, the flesh of which, from their being fattened on the nuts of the forest, is greatly valued. A country, which is annually desolated by a mortal disorder, canncU. be cultivated in the manner that is elsewhere practised. It becomes naturally a pasture country, and is here divided into properties of great extent; insomuch, that the whole Ma remma of Rome, about 3o leagues in length, by jo or i 2 in breadth, is in the han^s of not more than 24 farmers. These are called Mercanti dl Tenute, traders in land; and in fact, they are rather merchants than farmers. They all live in Rome, take their measures in concert, and manage the la/id by Fatlori who live on the spot. They do not seek to improve their farms by introducing better modes of culture, but ROME ENVIRONS. 387 are satisfied with securing their present gains; ajid the gradual ruin of most of the great he- reditary proprietors has singularly favoured their views. Their trade has become a sort of monopoly, and so advantageous, that these Mercanil flatter themselves with the hopes of getting the whole of the Roman territory into their hands Having thus satisfied our curio- sity respecting the Maremma of Rome, we determined on making a visit to the famous Pomptine Marshes. Velletri, situated on the south side of Mount Albano, is the last town we pass before we enter them. The road, which runs through the Marshes, was formed on the substructions of the Via Appia by Pius VI. It goes on an exact level, and in a strait line for 3o miles, and is bordered on both sides by a canal, and shaded by double rows of elms and poplars. It is crossed by two rivers, the Ufens and the Amasenus } which still retain their ancient appellations, and remind the traveller of some beautiful descriptions, and particularly of the affecting adventure of Metabus, so well told by Virgil. The Pomptine Marshes derive their name from Pometium, once a considerable town of the Kolsci ; but it is difficult to discover the precise date of their origin. They are occa- sioned by the quantity of water carried into the plain by numberless streams, which rise at the foot of the neighbouring mountains, and for want of sufficient declivity creep slug- gishly over the level space, and sometimes pools, or lose themselves in the 388 ROME — ENVIRONS. sands. A canal opened by Augustus through them still remains, and is called the Cavata. The grand undertaking of draining them, so often attempted and so often frustrated, was reserved for the late Pope Pius YI • who, im- mediate! v on his elevation to the Papa! throne, turned his attention to the Pompfine Marshes. The level was taken with precision, the depth of the different canals and outlets sounded, the degree of declivity in the beds of the rivers ascertained, and at length the work was begun in the year 1778. It was carried on with incredible ardour and vast expense for the space often years j and being crown- ed with complete success, was finally closed in the year 1788. This draining of the Pomp- tine Marshes was one of the most useful as well as most difficult works ever executed, and reflects great lustre on the reign of Pius YI. When we crossed these marshes, fine crops of corn covered the country on our left, and seemed to wave to the very foot of the moun- tains ' y while on the right numerous herds of cattle and horses grazed iiv extensive and lux- uriant pastures. Nor is the reader to imagine, that when the marshes were in the worst state, they presented in every direction a dreary and forbidding aspect to the traveller or sportsman who ranged over them. On the side towards the sea, they are covered with extensive forests, which enclose and shade the lakes that border the coast. These forests extend with little interruption from Ostia to the promontory of Circe, and consist of oak, ROME — ENVIRONS. 35V) ilex, hay, and numberless ilowering shrubs. To the north rises Monte Albano, with all its tumuli and all the towns and cities glitter- ing on their summits. To the south towers the Promontory of Circe on one side, and the shining rock of Anxur on . the other; while the Vo/scian. mountains sweeping from north to south in a bold semicircle, close the vieAV to the east. On. their side, the traveller beholds Cora, Sezza, Piperno, like aerial palaces shining in contrast with the brown rugged rock that supports them. These towns are all ancient, and nearly retain their ancient names; and the road from Rome to Naples passed through them before the late restora- tion of the Via Appia and the draining of the marshes. All the canals and cuts through these marshes are parallel to each other, and empty themselves into the eea near Terracina, at th.e Bocca cli Fiume. The Appia n road, now covered with a fine sand, traverses this space under a bower of elms, which shade at once both the road and the canal, and thus con- nect one post-house with another as by a long avenue. The ground is gone over so swiftly and so easily, that one is astonished on ar- riving at Terracina to find that one has crossed such a length of road. On the whole of this route there was not a. village, not a house for post-horses or the con- venience of travellers. Pius "VI caused vast caravanseras to be erected at nearly equal distances. The architecture of these buildings K k. 3qO ROME — ENVIRONS. is noble. They contain immense stables, apart- ments and barracks ; but all unfurnished, spacious and miserable, sumptuous and per- fectly comfortless ; the beings who inhabit these palaces of the desert are pale and ghast- ly, half naked and cut up by fever; the wretched drivers can hardly harness and lead the horses which they put to the carriage. The horses taken from the pasture seem in- dignant at this temporary servitude which is imposed upon them; they snort, stamp and tear the bit till they are allowed to set off, which they do with a fury that is dangerous ; and it increases as they meet with studs feed- ing at liberty in the fields. This character is peculiar to the horses of the Pomptine Mar- shes, and they are therefore called scoppatori- All the part which borders the two sides of the road is completely drained, but is not become healthy ; nor has it been found that the draining has done anything for the salu- brity of the air, which is just as dangerous as in the rest of the Maremma. However, in- stead of only producing reeds and rushes, the soil is now covered with a fine turf, and produces crops that yield 12 and even 1 5 for one. Nowhere, except perhaps in Belgium, can finer corn be seen. On all the borders of the canal there is a vegetable life, the energy of which seems, as in India, to increase by the decay of human life ; though at the same time it appears to offer to man all that could nourish and charm his existence. The soil extends before ROME — ENVIRONS. 3c)I him in a perfect level, and without the least impediment to his progress. In the sky is a sun always bright, the rays of which are lost in masses of foliage. A thick and rich ver- dure rushes forth on every side in this abode of fertility. Numberless flowers, shaded with *the finest colours, bloom under (he shade of the elm. The banks are bordered with enor- mous fig-trees, whose flexible branches bend into the water, and offer their honied fruit to the bargeman as he sails along. Among them are oriental aloes rising on their taper stems, with willows, oaks and elms that protect the flowers from the storms : and to render their foliage still thicker, vines per- petuated from age to age ascend along the trunks to the summit of these lofty trees, Thence their tendrils spread till they have reached the branches of a neighbouring tree, and sometimes traverse the canal from one bank to the other like a bower. In the au- tumn innumerable bunches of grapes hang, from these festoons, and are devoured by flocks of birds. But all this luxuriancy of nature is displayed in vain ; it only ornaments a desert. Wild ani- mals alone have the right of appropriating to themselves these riches of the creation. Herds of ->vi!d boars tear up the roots of the vege- tables- bnffalos wander in the meadows, or repose under the shade of the woods ; and the kite quits his rock to hover over this so- litur-e. In some se.isons, flocks of birds of passage crowd upon it, In the midst of these DL)1 BOOKS OX ROME. wild animals one occasionally sees a man; Lnt even he only appears in these perilous spots under an hostile aspect. Sometimes it is a drover, chasing with his lance an irritat- ed b'utfalo ; sometimes one of the mountain banditti, who, hid among the leaves and flowers, is watching with his loaded gun for the arrival "of a traveller. If the unfortunate stranger escapes this danger, still the soft but fatal air may be insinuating a secret poison into his veins. This perpetual contrast be- tween vegetable and animated nature, in this singular region, unparallelled perhaps on the earth, excites a succession of impressions and feelings, a mixture of delight and apprehen- sion, which it is impossible to describe. BOOKS ON ROME. 1. Sicl'er's ingenious little pamphlet of 62 pages, en- titled Plan lopogra plaque de la Campagne de- Rome, etc. Home, 8vo. will be found very useful to the traveller, as it notices the most remarkable views, roads, hills, rivers, lakes, marshes, minerals, and plants; it also includes an account of all the ancient and modern towns of the Campagnu di Roma. 2. T^asi's Itineraria istrattivo di Roma antlca e mo- derna, iaraq. 2 vols {with 5o cuts). Is also published in French: and in London in English. 3. Schoell's Rome ancien/me, a very useful little volume, ornamented with a neat plan of the antiquities. 4- Viaggio di Roma a Tii'oli, (e Francese) 121110. 5. Views of all the principal Buildings in Rome, ancient and modern, will be found* in PrbntVs IVuova Rac- colta di 170 pTedatine, antiche e modenie della Citta di Roma e sue vicinanze, 4 1 - ' This is aa FROM ROME TO NAPLES. 3g3 excellent wort, and should he purchased by every traveller in Italy. 6. Pronti has also published 49 plates of ancient ar- mour, furniture, utensils, musical instruments, etc. etc. under the title of lYuova Raccolta rappresen- tante e costumi, religiosi, cwill e militari, degli aniichi Egiziani, Etruschi, Greci, e Romani. J. They who wish to preserve some memorial of the truly elegant and various costumes of the people of Rome and its neighbourhood, will do well to pos- sess themselves of the beautiful etchings in the Rac- colta di cinquania costumi pitlorcschi, by Pinelli, a living artist of the first celebrity. CHAP. VII. From, Rome to Naples — Description of Naples and its Environs — Return to Rome — Gene- ral Aspect, Soil and Agriculture of the Kingdom of Naples. There are two roads to Naples ; the one over the Pomptine marshes is the shortest, best, and most frequented: to gratify the antiquary and the naturalist, however, we have also given the route hy Marino, Piper- no, etc. The country between Yelletri and Ter- racina is marshy, and is subject to the mal' aria; the atmosphere encourages drowsiness, and sleep frequently proves fatal. It is, there- fore, highly advisable not to attempt the jour- ney from Rome to Naples, until the frost has purified the air. In all places subject to the mal'aria, the traveller should not go out after sunset. I 1. I 1 WE. m. 35 FROM PO Cisterna to Torre di tic ponti. . . Fico STS iv i I ,h i i i a ME. m. 35 Terracina.. . io 3f)4 ALBA\0 — VELLliTRI. No. 1 3. From Rome to Terracina, by the Pompline Marshes, j o± posts; 14 hours, 5 minutes (1). FROM POSTS. Rome to Torre di mezza via 1 Aduno I Gen.sano of Veletki ,. i Cisterna 1 I 3o Albano, (anciently Albanum Pompeii) built on the ruins of Alba Longa, is the first town which we see on leaving Rome by the Via Appia: it has already been noticed in our account of the environs of Rome. Gensano is agreeably situated near the lake of Nemi. The air is salubrious, and the neighbouring country produces an excellent wine. Velletri, a large and ancient town, well built and agreeably situated. Here are many public fountains, and in the square is a sta- tue in bronze of Urban "VIII, by Bernini. The palace Ginetti, at present belonging to Lancelotti, is a magnificent, edifice built after the designs of Martin Longhi; the front next the street is fine, and the staircase elegant. The garden is prettily laid out. The town- hall is worthy of inspection. There are some ruins of ancient monuments. The mountain of Yelletri is volcanic, as is all the country between this town and Rome. At Cisterna We pass the Aslura. At Torre tre ponti com- (1) Inns. — These are not very excellent on this road j tlje best are at Velletri and Terracina. TERRACINA. 3^5 mences the famous Linea Pia, a new road constructed on the Appian way, under the Pontificate of Pius VI, and extending 25 miles across the Pompline Marshes. Several small canals draw off the waters into two other large canals, and by this means stagnation is pre- vented. About three miles from Ire ponll are the remains of some ancient mile stones. At Bocca di fiume, is a bridge of Marble over a grand canal. Terracina is an ancient town of the Volsci, situated near the sea, and named by them, Anxur, whence the epithet. Anxurns given to Jupiter by Virgil. The portico of a temple dedicated to this god, still exists, and is sup- ported by large columns of marble. Here are also the ruins of a palace of Theodoric, and some remains of the Appian way. Under the portico of the cathedral is a large vase of white marble, ornamented with bas-reliefs, and the interior contains a line piece of an- cient mosaic. The ancient Anxur was situated on the summit of a hill, at the foot of which the grand road passes. Its ruins deserve notice. The climate of Terracina is mild, and the views in the environs picturesque. Here are the remains of a port constructed by Anto- ninus Pius ; the new palace built by Pius VI, and many other monuments of the munifi- cence of this Pope. Terracina is the last town of the Pioman territory, and the fron- tier town between the Piomagna and the king- dom of Naples. 3cj6 FR03I ROME TO TERRACINA. No. 14. From Rome to Terracina ; 9^ posts ; 11 hours 5z minutes; by Marino, Piperno,. etc. (1) TIME. TIME. FROM posts, h.m. FROM POSTS, h.m. Rome to Torre di Sermoneta to Le mczza via.... I I 20 . Case ftuove. ... 1 1 25 Marino 1 1 Piperno o|- 1 Fajola ©I 1 Maruti 1 1 35 VELLETRI.. Of I IO TeRRACTNA I I 22 Sermoneta 2 2 Leaving Rome by the Porta Latina, we find a' great number of ancient tombs on the road, which is varied on either side with hill and dale. The ground is but little cultivated, and consequently the air is not healthy. At Torre di mezza via, we pass under an ancient Roman aqueduct, which still conveys water to Rome. Leaving Riccia on the right, the road leads to Marino; where are some fine country-houses of the Roman nobility, and some churches containing good pictures. Be- tween Marino and Fajola, is the Lago di Castello, called also Castel Gandolfo or Al- bano, which forms a fine basin surrounded with cultivated hills. The canal which serves lo draw off its waters is one of the most as- tonishing works of the Romans. Fajola is a small village near a forest, formerly cele- brated for its ship-timber. Yelletri has been described at p. 3y2. Near Cora, on the sum- mit of a mountain, are the ruins of two an- (1) Ixivs. — There are some tolerable inns at Torre di niczsa via, at Vellclri; and Piperno, CORA — SERMON-ETA— SEZZA — -PIPERNO. CQJ tnent temples ; the one dedicated to Hercules, the oilier to Castor and Pollux. . Cora, formerly a town of the Volsci, in Latium, is now only a village of the Cam- pagna di Roma. Here are still some ruins of its ancient walls of a curious construction, the circumference of which includes the whole of the mountain from the top to the botlom. Sermoneta, anciently Sulmona, is a miserable village, with some ruins of its former fortifications. Sezza, the ancient Setia. or Selinum, is situated on an eminence, npar the Pomptine Varshes. It is mentioned by Martial and Juvenal for the excellence of its wines, but these have lost their character in the present day. Here are the ruins of a temple of Saturn. The inhabitants (about -5ooo) are generally poor ; the country is little cultivated, but merits the attention of the naturalist : the Indian fig, aloe, etc. come to great perfection. From Le Case Nuove the road continues to ascend as far as Piperno, a poor and ill built town on the top of a steep mountain. The neighbouring country is well cultivated, and covered with vines, olives, and chesnut trees. On the Naples side nothing appears but lofty and barren mountains. Descending into a valley, the road becomes very bad and aarrow. We next pass a forest of cork-trees - }f a peculiar species, which, if stripped of their bark, soon reproduce it. To Terracina, :he air is very unheal thy,— See an account >f this place at p., 3g3. , i. 1. 3g8 FROM TARRACINA TO NAPLES. No. 1 5. From Terracina to Naples, 97 posts; 12 hours, 28 minutes. (1) TIME. TIME FROM POSTS, ll.m. FROM POSTS. h.Ul. Terr ac in a to S. Agata to Spara- Fokdi 17 1 35 nise 1 1 2: In i 1 1 45 Capua 1 1 1 Molo di Gaeta. . 1 1 10 Aversa i i it Gai ighano ...... 1 1 Napoli 1 1 / - ♦S. Agata 1 1 18 The road from Terracina to Naples is on< of the finest in Europe, and is made 011 the Appian way. The air of the country is healthy, and there is abundance of oil anc wine. The Torre dei Confini, at some dis lance from Terracina, separates the Cam- pagua di Roma from the kingdom of Naples. Near Fondi is a grotto, where, according t» says Eustace, « surpass in beauty that which burst full upon me when I awoke the first morning in Naples. In front and under my windows, the bay spread its azure surface smooth as glass, while a thousand boats glided in different directions over its shining bosom : on the right, the town extended along the semicircular shore, and Posi/lipo rose close behind it, with churches and villas, vine- yards and pines scattered in confusion along its sides and on its ridge, till, sloping as it advanced the bold hill terminated in a craggy promontory. On the left, at the end of a walk that forms the quay and skirts the sea, the Cartel delC TJovo stands on an insulated rock 5 and beyond it, over a vast expanse of water, a rugged line of mountains stretches forward, and softening its features as it pro- jects onwards, presents towns, villages and convents, lodged amidst its forests and preci- pices, and terminates at length in the Cape of Minerva near Sorrento. Opposite, and full in front, rose the island of Caprce, *with its white cliffs and ridgy summit, placed as a bar- rier to check the tempest and to protect the NAPLES. 4°3 interior of the bay from its fury. This scene, illuminated by a sun that never shines so bright on the less favoured regions beyond the Alps, is justly considered as the most splendid and beautiful exhibition which na- ture perhaps presents to the human eye ; and, when beheld for the, first time, cannot but excite in the spectator emotions of delight and admiration that border on enthusiasm. Nor are the charms of recollection, which are capable of improving even the loveliest features of nature, wanting here to complete the enchantment. Naples and its coasts have never been, it is true, the theatre of heroic achievements, or the stage of grand and unu- sual incidents j but they have been the re- sidence of the great and the wise j they have aided the meditations of the sage and awa- kened the rapture of the poet: and as long as the Latin muses continue to instruct and charm the mind, so long will travellers- visit with delrght the academy of Cicero, the tomb of Virgil and the birth-place of Tasso. » Naples occupies the site both of Palasopolis and Neapolis in ancient times, though it in- herits the name of the latter. It is of Grecian origin, and is first mentioned by T. Livius as having, in conjunction with Palcuopolis, join- ed the Samnites in a confederacy against the Romans. No vestiges however remain of the ancient beautv or magnificence of this city. Its temples, theatres and basilics have been levelled by earthquakes, or destroyed by barbarians. lis modern edifices, whether 4 "4 KAPLES-. churches or palaces, are less remarkable for their taste than for their magnitude and riches. It is however highly probable that I\aples is at present more opulent, more po- pulous, and in every respect more flourishing ihan she has ever before been, even in the most brilliant periods of her history. , Seated in the bosom of a capacious haven, this fine city spreads her greatness and her population along its shore, and covers its shelving coasts and bordering mountains with her villas, her gardens, and her retreats. Containing within her own walls more than 4oo>ooo inhabitants, she sees 100,000 more enliven her suburbs, which stretch in a mag- nificent and most extensive sweep from For— tici to the promontory of Misenns, and fill a spacious line of sixteen miles along the shore with life and activity. In size and number of inhabitants, she ranks as the third city in Europe, and from her situation and superb [ show, may justly be considered as the queen of the Mediterranean. The internal appearance of Naples is in ge- neral pleasing ; the edifices are lofty and solid r and the streets as wide as in almost any con- tinental city. The Slrarfa di Toledo is a mile in length, and with the quay, which is very extensive and well built, forms the grand and distinguishing feature of the city. In fact, the Cliiaja, with the royal garden ; Merge/Una and Santa Lucia, which spread along the coast for so considerable a space, and present inch an immense line of lofty edifices, are NAPLES. 4°^ alone sufficient to give an appearance of gran- deur to any city. As for architectural magnificence, Naples possesses a very small share ; indeed, the pre- vailing taste, if a series of absurd fashions deserves that appellation, has always been bad. Moresco, Spanish and Roman, cor- rupted and intermingled together, destroy all appearance of unity and symmetry, and form a monstrous jumble of discordance. The magnificence therefore of the churches and palaces consists, first in their magnitude, and secondly in their paintings, marbles and de- corations in general j these however are sel- dom disposed with judgment, and whfn host arranged, are scattered round with a profusion thai destroys their effect. Few cities, to be sure, stand 'n less need of architectural magnificence or internal at- tractions lhan Naples : had it even fewear ar- tificial recommendations it would still be a most delightful residence. So beautiful is its neighbourhood, so. delicious its climate! Before it, spreads the sea, with its bavs, pro- montories and islands; behind it, rise moun- tains and rocks in every fantastic form, and always clothed with verdure; on each side swell hills and hillocks, covered with groves and gardens and orchards blooming with fruils and flowers. Every morning, a gale springing from the sea brings yigour and coolness with it, and tempers the greatest heals of summer with its freshness. Every evening, a breeze blowing from the hills and / f o6 NAPLES — IN.VS, COFFEE-HOUSES, etc. sweeping all the perfuines of the country before it, fills the nightly atmosphere with fragrance. It is not surprising therefore, that to such a country and to such a climate the appellation of Feli should have been so often given ; that its sweets should have been supposed to have enervated an army of barbarians ; that the Romans covered its coasts with their villas j and that so many poets should have made the delicious Parthenope their theme and their retreat. I\NS, COFFEE-BOUSES, AND PRIVATE LODGINGS. The first rate Inns at Naples are, the Hotel Royal, Strada Toledo, near the palace the Albergo del Sole, Largo del Castello ; these two are in good situations and very centrical : The Gran Bretagna on the Chiaja ; The Crocelli, and Hotel de Londra in the street St. Lucia : the most moderate of these hotels is the Sole, the others charge two ducats and upwards per night for lodgings, and other things in proportion. The best of the second rate Inns are, The Locanda Fiorentina in the street of the same name, and not far oft" The Locanda Venezia ; these situations are centrical ; bed-rooms four carlins and up- wards per night. The best Restaurateurs, or Tratforios, are The Villa di Napoli, in the same buihling as the Hotel Royal, Strada To- ledo : The Villa di Milano, Largo del Castello ; I at these there are found printed cartes in both French and Italian ) one person can dine to- j NAPLES — FURNISHED LODGINGS. 4°7 lerably at them for six to eight carlins, in- cluding common wine; they who wish to iu- dulge a little after dinner will find the Sicilian white w»ne, called Marsalea, best suited to the English palate. It somewhat resembles sherry ; the price of late has been augmented to six carlins per bottle. The Kino S omnia, and the Lachrjma Christi, are excellent red wines, when they can be procured genuine, especially the latter ; it has some affinity to a thin hermitage, when rather old it is very good ; the price of it has also risen to six and seven carlins per bottle. The best inferior restaurateurs are, Corona di Ferro, Strada Toledo, and corner of the Yico delle Cam- bane, and two others opposite the theatre of S, Carlo. Caffes are numerous m the Strada Toledo, and the Largo del Castello, but bad is the best; if there be any difference it is in favour of several in the Strada Toledo, near the Hotel Royal, or Albergo Reale, and on the same side of the street ; especially that named the Meridionale. Private furnished lodgings are very expen- sive at Naples. In the Chiaja sixty to a hun- dred ducats are paid per month for two rooms. In more economical parts, similar ones may I be had for forty to sixty ducats. In some of the Vicos, or small streets, two rooms may i be had at twelve to fifteen ducats per month; both the rooms and furniture are passable for a traveller who is not over fastidious. Very few lodgings have the convenience of a fire- 4o8 NAPLES DIVISIONS. place, charcoal in pans being almost in uni- versal nse. The French newspapers are to be met with in a subscription reading-room in the S/rada St. Giacomo. The English merchants have also a private room, where the English papers are received, but an introduction is requisite. The best*shop for books, maps, and plans, is kept by Mr. Glass, a German, and who speaks English, French and Italian ; it is in the Strada Toledo, near the Hotel Royal, on the same side of the street, (i) Mr. Grandorge, a Swiss, married to an English woman, and who is the proprietor of the inn, Sole, in the Largo del Castello, has a shop next to it where all kinds of wine, spirits, groceries, and many English articles are to be found, and on reasonable terms. Mr. Strong also keeps a shop of the same kind and equally good — and hardware and general articles from England. divisions. Naples is divided into twelve quarters, de- riving their names from the principal houses, some of which belong to monasteries, others have risen from the bounty of the sovereign, or from legacies left by pious and opulent individuals. In the first quarter of S. Fer- I (i) To those persons who may visit Naples for the urpose of buying pictures, Etruscan vases, gems, rare ooks, or MSB. etc. etc. we recommend Mr. Robert G. Jones, a scholar and a gentleman, who is intimately acquainted with every branch of virtu, and has resided for more than twenty rears at Naples. His address may be oLuuucd of Messrs". Ramsay and Co, at-JNnplcs. NAPLES — DIVISIONS. 409 dinando the royal palace is situated, with the principal theatre, the arsenal, the Mole, the theatre Fondo, St. Louis, Pizzofalcone, The Solitaria, S. Maria degli angeli, from which there is a communication between the hill of Pizzofalcone and S. Elmo, by the bridge of Chiaja. Here is also the Royal College of St. Charles of the Myrtle, in consequence of the number of myrtles which cover the hill, and the Church of St. Anne, in which Cirillo and Martorelli are interred, the one a celebrated lawyer, and the other a famous antiquary. Chiaja, the second quarter, commences near the palace, runs along the streets S. Lucia and Platamona, and gains the sea-side beyond the public garden. This quarter con- tains the church of S. Maria della Catena, built by the fishermen ; almost opposite is a small fountain, ornamented with two Las- reliefs, one of them representing Neptune and Amphitrite with tritons, and the other a dis- pute between the marine deities relative to a nymph. Here are also two mineral springs, Platamona, the Castel del Uovo, S. Maria della Yittoria, the Royal Garden, and S. Maria del Nevi. Here the shore takes the name of the Mergelline, which contains the palace erroneously called of Queen Joanna, and the tomb of Virgil upon the hill Pausilip- po. Behind the church of S. Maria a Ca- pello there is a deep excavation in the moun- tain of Pizzofalcone, made by digging tufo ; but though now occupied as a rope ground, it is a yiew worthy the notice of a painter. 31 m 4 10 NAPLES DIVISIONS. The grotto thus formed is from fifty to sistr feet in its perpendicular. Its depth is about one hundred and seventy-five feet by twenty- five. In this quarter is the palace of Cella— rnare, famous for its situation, and the beauty of its gardens. Monte Calvario, the third quarter, contains the great street Toledo, the handsomest and best inhabited in Naples j la Carita ; St. Nicho-* las j lo Spirits Santo, a place in which are unit- . ed, a church, two confraternities, a conserva- j tory and a bank where money is lent upon pledges ; il Teatro Nuova, the rival of that of the Florentines ; ilCalvario, S. Lucia del Monte, the Castle of St. Elmo ; St. Martin's, or the Chartreuse ; S. Maria dei setteDolori, celebraN by the Stabat of Pergolesi, chaunted there j every year; la Trinita dei Monachi, is at j present abandoned. Here is the principal sewer ) in Naples, which, traversing the street of To-j ledo, discharges itself at Chiaja, near la Vit- toria. In the same quarter is the gale of Medina, so called from the government under which it was constructed in 1640. Dell* Avvocata, the fourth quarter, con- tains the church of S. Maria di Monte Santo,; known by musicians as the burial place of; their Corypheo Scarlatti, in 1726; here is also the square of Spirito Santo ; the public granaries, and the Yomero, an agreeable eminence, covered with pretty country houses, upon the summit of which is the hermitage of the Camaldula, remarkable for the prospect, exhibiting a great part of the Campagna Fe- NAPLES — DIVISIONS. /jtl lice, "with a number of churches and convents, partly abandoned and in ruins. Stella, the fifth quarter, contains the square del Pigno, so called from the pines, which grew there till i63o ; next to Castel Nuovo, this is one of the largest in Naples \ here is | also the Royal Academy and the church of \ S. Gennaro dei Poveri, it being the first station I at which the body of this saint rested when it '; was brought into Naples: here is likewise a ■; conservatory, or house of refuge for the des- '\ titute. The principal entrance into the cata- l j combs is also from this church. Many other ' churches and convents in this quarter are in a i state of dilapidation, and there is nothing e imore remarkable, the palace of Capo di •Monte excepted. e | San Carlo dell* Arena, the sixth quarter, \ commences at the gate of S. Gennaro, and • r surrounds the square del Pigno. Here are a "number of churches of no interest in the eyes • of travellers, with an infirmary 1' Albergo « I B.ea J e dei Poveri j the ancient and modern La Kicaria, the seventh quarter, takes its k>j | name from the palace of justice, a place t much frequented from the litigious spirit of t the Neapolitans. The church of the Annun- i ziata here deserves inspection, as do also the \M xiudeca Vecehia, the remains of the ancient M baths 5 and here the holy apostles are said to >oi have baptised upon the site of a temple of ?tf, Mercury ; S. Giovanni a Carbonara, a convent 4 12 NAPLES DIVISIONS. famous for its statues, paintings and bas-re- liefs, as it was formerly for its Greek and Latin manuscripts noticed by Montfaucon ; most of these have been removed to "Vienna ; the Campo Santo, a burial ground ; the marble gate Capuana, so called on account of its leading to Capua ; it looks also towards the Poggia Reale, a street in the direction of Benevento and La Puglia. S. Lorenzo, the eighth quarter, contains the. Duoino, or the cathedral ', the church called the Monte della Misericordia ; the hos- pital of the Incurables ; S. Maria della Grazia, S. Paola dei Teatini. S. Lorenzo is a beauti- ful Gothic edifice, the front of which by San Fehce is in the modern taste 5 the Monte di Pieta, built in 1598, after the designs of Ca- ragnani ; S. Severino ; Gesu Yecchio, a church dependent on the great college of the Jesuits, at present the university, and in which are the fine statues of Cosimo, of Bottigleri ; the pictures of Solimene; the Marc of Sienna, and the square of the Nile, so called from a statue of this river 5 the church of S. Ange- lo, etc. S. Giuseppe, the ninth quarter, contains S. Domenieo, S. Maria della Pieta, S. Clara, in which the upper part of the dome, painted by Masuccio, is much admired • with several pieces in fresco, by Conca. Here is also the church of Gesu Nuovo; the palaces of Gra- vina, Angria Yanvitello, Monteleone, and Maddaloni, worth seeing for their magnifi- %ence and their fine paintings, mostty i» NA7T.ES — DIVISIONS. /\\B fresco. Monte Olivetto is one of the finest monasteries in Naples, with a fountain of the same name. S. Maria la Nuova, la Pieta di Turchini, a conservatory of music, founded in 1592. L' Incoronata, and the square of this name, embellished with several fine houses, particularly the palace of Gensano, are objects of attention. The church of St. Peter and St. Paul is a parish church, in which the ceremonies of religion are performed accord- ing to the manner of the Greek church ; here is also the theatre of the Florentines, first .opened in the sixteenth century. La Porta* the tenUi quarter, contains the custom-house, the street Caialana, famous for the sale of bad paintings ; S. Giovanni il Mag- giore, one of the four most ancient parishes; S. Pietro the Martyr, where there is a spring, supposed by some to be that of the ancient Sebatos, running under ground into the sea. Charles Y, during his stay at Naples, drank no other water, and it is still used by the royal family. Porta JSTuova, the eleventh quarter, is the dirtiest and most disagreeable of all ; it is the residence of Jews, cheats, and old clothes men j here is the Pennino, one of the prin- cipal markets for eatables, ornamented with a fountain built by Charles V, the Zecca, or the mint, and the churches of S. Giorgio il Maggiore, and S. Agostino. Meraato, the twelfth quarter contains the ■ Foro Magno, forming two ellipses, which in- tersect each other: around it are a number m m. 4 i/f NAPLES — POPULATION. of handsome shops, and two fountains in the centre ; a church also belongs to the Foro. This place, being the receptacle of the popu- lace, always disposed for insurrection, it was here that Masaniello found partisans. In this quarter are the churches of S. Maria Egiziana, and S. Maria del Carmine so much indebted to,the bounty of Margaret of Austria, mother of the unfortunate Conradin, with its various paintings. Here is also the Castello del Car- mine, and the church of S. Elicio, the front of which has been lately repaired ; with Carmi- nello, a parish and a conservatory for poor females, who are maintained here till they are eighteen years of age. The church of St. Peter ad ctram here, is said to have been built in consequence of St. Peter's baptizing St. Aspremo, its first bishop, on this spot. The suburb of Loretto, in this quarter, runs from the Porta del Carmine, and terminates at the bridge of Maddelana, and the new ma- gazines ; here is a manufactory for china, S. Maria di Loretto, and a musical conserva- tory, which has produced several eminent masters, with the Seraglio of beasts, where they are exhibited when fighting. Population. — The population of Naples has decreased considerably since the events of the late war have contributed to diminish its trade, or rather to abolish it ; however, ac- cording to the latest statements, it still con- tained more than 3oo,ooo souls within a cir- cumference of about nine miles ; in which *pace ; only some few years since, not less than NAPLES POPULATION. 4^ i. 5,000 carriages were employed. The position of Naples, the productive nature of the ashes that fall in its environs, the abundance of fish in the sea, the purity of the air, and the fresh breezes which moderate the heat of the dog days, are joint considerations which have induced the inhabitants to conclude, and not without some reason, that their city is un pezzo del ciel, caduto in terra : a piece of heaven fallen down upon the earth. L'homme serable y gouter, dans tine paix profonde, Tout ce que la nature, aux premiers jours du monde, De sa main bienfaisante accordait aux luimains, Un e'ternel repos, des jours purs et sereins. To enjoy the picture of Naples at its finest point of view, you should sail out in the morning about a mile from the mole, and catch the sun rising behind the hills. There you can distinguish at once the three ruined craters on which the city forms a loose am- phitheatre : you see the whole elevation bro- ken into great masses and crossed by great lines j formed of long palaces, hanging gar- dens, and regular rows of terraced roofs : you trace the outline on the sea curiously indent- ed } the shipping clustered behind the mole, and castles or towers on the points of pro- jection. Such is the city taken in one broad view. 416 ten dais rs maples. The following are useful Directions to those who are pressed for Time, how to spend TEN DAYS IN NAPLES. First Day. — Take a walk in the Strada To- ledo, thence by the Strada Chiaja to the Chiaja and the royal garden of Pilla Reale} return by St. Lucia to the Largo del CastA- lo, thence to the Mole, and home. Second Day . — The Castle of St. Elmo, the Convent of St. Martin, or the Chartreuse, close under the Castle; thence to the Chapel of San Severo, and return home. The excur- sion of these two days will give a tolerably accurate idea of the city and its situation. Third Day. — If the traveller be fond of riding, the best way for the first excursion to Baice is to take a saddle horse. If a chaise be taken, it must be left at Pozzuolo, and either asses or wretched ponies again hired there for the rest of the expedition. Pro- ceed by the Grotta, or rather Passage of Pausilippo, to Pozzuoli, about five miles- from Naples ; numerous guides are there to- be hired: leave your horse at the inn, and proceed with the guide to view the following- places, which, as they are near each other,, will, going and returning, be a walk of only about two miles. — The Temple of Jupiter Iris, the Solfatarct.(i) The Grotta del Cane T The Amphitheatre, The Cathedral of St. Ja~ (i) The lately discovered vaults, supposed to be »> fessrveir, TEJ!* DAYS IN NAPLES. 4 I 7 nu.ar'uts ; return to the inn, and again mount your horse; proceed to the lake Avernns, and see the Temple of Apollo ; alight at the Sybils' Grotto,, send the horses by one of the guides, round to the further end, or entrance of the grotto; proceed through it on foot; at the other opening mount again ; from thence the ride to Baiae is short. Alight near the Temple of Mercury, proceed on foot to see it, and the temples of Venus and Diana, all near each other. Mount again, and go to the Baths of Nero. Afterwards, according to the time remaining, the ride may be con- tinued along the coast, to give an idea of the country and scenery. — Return. Fourth Day. — A favourable wind and fine weather ought to determine the day for this excursion. Take a boat at Naples, sail by the coast of Mergellina, and cross the Lu- crine Bay, or lake as it is erroneously termed, to Baioe. Many shapeless masses of brick and mortar overhanging and projecting into the sea, will be pointed out as having once been the villas and residences of celebrated Romans. See the Cente Camerelle, and the Piscina Ml» rfrbile, the remains of the Theatre of Misenus, the Dead Sea, or ancient Acheron, and to the west of it what are termed the Elysian Fields. ■ — Return. Fifth Day. — Not later than eight o'clock, but earlier if possible, set off for Vesuvius, according to the directions given under that article, the return to Portici or Resina, ought to be accomplished between two and three 4lS NAPLES — CHURCHES. o'clock, which will give time to see the pa- laces of Portici and the Favorite, and parti- cularly the Museum of ancient paintings. These ought by all means to be seen after the trip to Vesuvius, for that to Pompeii is so much further, and so many are the -objects to be seen there, that it will leave little or no time on the return. Sixth Day. — Proceed early to Pompeii, as directed under that head. On returning, stop at Portici, and see Herculaneum, where ten. minutes will amply satisfy the traveller's curiosity. Seventh Day. — Visit the Museum, or Lo Studio. Eighth Day— Walk to the tomb of Virgil, thence along the shore to Mergellinaj remark on the way, the rock called Scoglio, and the remains of ancient Gotho-Norman Palaces built into the sea j visit the palace of the Princess Anna. — Return. Ninth Day. — Visit the palace of Capo cli Monte, the villas near it, and the catacombs in the vicinity. Tenth Day. — Take an excursion to Caserta. The remainder of the stay at Naples may be occupied in excursions to Pcestum, the is- lands in the Bay, visiting the churches, etc. CHURCHES. These edifices, generally speaking, have none of that majesty about their exterior, which should point them out as temples de- dicated to the Supreme Being. They are NAPLES — CHURCHES. / f T 9 mostly in bad situations, and inconvenient in their access; nor has the style of their archi- tecture any thing about it indicative of the Homan; nothing worthy of imitation. Some of them being built upon the foundations of the ancient temples, some remains of pillars and columns are yet to be seen in their inte- rior. Comparing the extent of ground at IXaples and Rome, the churches are more nu- merous in the former than in the latter city. In Naples, they are incumbered with altars, which cupidity has multiplied for the service of masses; and many of them owe their ele- vation to dreams and other silly prejudices. S. Gennaro, or St. Januarius, situated in the quarter of S. Lorenzo, is of Gothic construc- tion. The original Gothic of this church has been strangely mutilated by additions and repairs since it was first built in 1283, during the reign of Charles I of Naples, and consi- derably damaged by an earthquake in the year 3488. According to an inscription over the principal gate, in the dialect of Lombar- dy, this was erected by Cardinal Minutolo ; here, as an accompaniment, are two co- lumns of porphyry, taken from the ancient temple of Apollo, formerly on its site. Near- ly a hundred columns of granite support the interior. The gilded stucco has a splendid appearance. The nave is ornamented with portraits of saints by the pupils of Giordano. The grand allar represents the Assumption, by Pentgino. Here is also the portrait of, Cardinal Caiaffa, archbishop of Naples; the 4?.0 NAPLES— CHURCHES. pulpit is very lofty. The Confession, or // Soccorpo, is a chapel entirely of white marble, ornamented with pillars of. the same kind from the ancient temple of Apollo. In the vault or subterranean chapel, are several ara- besques in a very ancient style. Here the body of St. Januarius is said to have been deposited by Cardinal Olivier, whose statue behind the altar is ascribed to Michael An- gelo. In the nave, to the left, are the bap- tismal fonts, which are comprehended in a line vase of basalt, embellished with raasca- rons and thyrsi, the handles formed of vine- branches are gone; the effect of the Utile columns, which surround this font, is admir- able. The vase is supported by a foot made of porphyry, and seems to have been made use of in the sacrifices to Bacchus. Several grandees have chapels in this church, and among others is that of the Carraccioli ', with the tomb of Barnardino Carraccioli, arch-! bishop of Naples. In the chapel of the Minim tolofij there are a number of family portraits represented as chevaliers, having horns at the extremity of their helmets. This church also affords a proof of the gratitude of the Neapo- litans to Innocent XII, a native of Naples; this is a cenotaph, containing a bust of the pontiff in gilt bronze, with statues and orna- ments in marble, and a suitable inscription. Near the entrance of the vestry, the unfor- tunate Andrew of Hungary, husband to Queen Joanna I, is interred : he was strangle*! at Ayersa. The chapel or tomb of St. Janaa* Naples— churches. 4 21 rius is very magnificent, but the ornaments are heaped together without taste. It is a rotunda, supported by forty-two columns of brocatello marble. Here are three altars, one opposite the entrance and the others on each side. Several bronze statues of the patrons of the city are placed at about half the height of the chapel ; but that of St. Januarius stands upon the great altar. Underneath, and be- hind this altar, in a tabernacle of bronze, with a silver door, the head of the patron, and the vial which contained his blood used to be deposited; but it is much doubted, whe- ther this head, fixed upon a bust of silver gilt, and enriched with precious gems, remained there after the late wars. This blood, the quantity not exceeding an ounce, was col- lected by a pious female at Naples, when the saint was decapitated about the latter end of the third century. Being preserved in a vial ever since, it is said to have lost nothing in weight or quantity; but to exhibit its colour, though hermetically sealed, and that to such a degree as to acquire all the fluidity of blood that flows to the heart in passing from the lungs j but under the French, the popular prejudice in favour of this and other miracles, was considerably weakened. The churches in Naples are so numerous, that you cannot, pass through a street without finding one. A starched priest or monk ge- nerally standing at the door, invites you in, when the sexton immediately palms himself upon you to tell what is much better done in N n 422 NAPLES — CHURCHES. your printed guide or itinerary. The names of many of these churches being known only from those of some religious, or monks, might in vain be sought for in the calendar. Most of them are ornamented with marble of dif- ferent colours, which gives them a sumptuous appearance. The altars are encumbered with wooden candlesticks, silvered over and inter- mingled with artificial flowers, wretchedly executed. Many contain monuments, upon the senseless occupiers of which, panegyric is lavished without measure. The church of Gesii Nuovo, in the quarter of S. Giuseppe is an exception to most of the rest. It is particularly rich in paintings. Ile- liodorus driven from the temple of Jeru- salem is an astonishing composition. The chapels of St. Ignatius and St. Francis 2a- vier, are worth seeing on account of the sculp- tures and the paintings they contain. S. Paolo, a modern church with three naves, is worth the attention of the traveller, and being built upon the site of an ancient Roman theatre, is ornamented with several of its columns, and the interior shines with marbles and alabaster. It contains some good pictures by Solimene ; and in one of its cha- pels a prodigious number of votive tablets of silver. SS. Apostoli stands on the site of a temple of Mercury: its architecture is tolerable; but its interior boasts of many paintings by Lan- franco, full of imagination, and beautiful in their colouring. NAPLES — CHURCHES. /+23 S. Martin, or the Chartreuse, upon Mount S. Elmo. The balcony which faces its gate commands a fine view of the Bay, its islands, and the promontory of Pausilippo. An ele- gant white marble colonnade surrounds the cloisters. The chapels are very highly orna- mented j one in particular, which is most richly decorated with every species of precious marbles, jasper, lapis lazuli, etc. It has also the advantage of not being overloaded with ornament. In various parts of the church are statues. Its best pictures are the twelve minor prophets by Spagnoletto, one by Luca Gior- dano; and, above all, the Nativity by Guido, a large picture. In the sacristy are also some good paintings, especially Peter denying Christ, by M. Angelo da Caravagio. The ceil- ing is by Giordano: Judith exhibiting the head of Holofernes from the walls of Bethu- lia. The Chartreuse lately became a military hospital for invalids, and a part of the gar- den was given up to the commandant. A stranger ought by all means to ascend to the terrace on the top of the convent : there, to- wards the east, the whole of that part of the town, and the surrounding country, is ex- tended like a map before him ; Vesuvius forming a magnificent back ground, termi- nates the prospect. Almost every church, palace, and large building may be descried- The street of the Vicaria, intersecting this part, of the city in a very long and direct line, has the appearance of a walled fosse. S. Giovani a Carbonara is celebrated as 4?4 NAPLES CHURCHES. much on account of its architecture as for two mausoleums, worth inspection; that or Ladislaus, erected by his sister Joanna II, and that of Carracciolo, Grand Seneschal and fa- vourite of this queen. They are both in the Gothic style. S. Filippo Neri is remarkable for a hand- some front; and the ascent to its principal entrance by a great number of steps. Its in- terior is richly decorated, its galleries and the principal nave, resting upon six columns of granite with white marble capitals. The altar and paintings are very rich. S. Nunciata is a church known by all the architects as one of the finest monuments of the genius of Vanvitelli, the architect of this building, which replaced that burnt in the year 1757. Amateurs in painting always be- stow singular attention upon the grand allar, the windows, and the prophets, painted in chiaroscuro in the angles of the cupola, while statuaries admire the four Virtues, in stucco. S. Brigata possesses a fine cupola, decor- ated by Le Giordano, representing the Eternal Father, surrounded by the heavenly host. This celebrated painter was interred in this church, the scene of some of his best com- positions. S. Maria della Pieta di Sangri, though one of the churches which have suffered from, earthquakes, contains a number of beautiful statues and monuments ; many of the former are emblematical. S. Maria la Nuova is equally worth seeing ■YAPL FS — CHURCHES . i^lS with (lie preceding for its paintings and mo^ numeiits ; among the former, the adoration of the Wise Men, by Giordano; and among the latter, the superb tomb of Marshal Lau- trec, general of the French army, sent to Italy to assist Clement VII, when Home was besieged. It bears an inscription, which does as much honour to the person who erected the monument, as to the deceased, whose me- mory it perpetuates. Among the finest churches in Naples, dis- tinguished for its simplicity, is the small edi- fice built by the philosopher Pontanus, three centuries ago, in the quarter of S. Lorenzo. The Chapel of San Severo, ought not to be passed without particular notice, on account of three marble statues. The first is a dead Christ, lying at full length, and entirely covered with a veil, appearing like fine mus- lin. The features and muscles are exactly such as they would appear to be under such :*. covering. Nothing can be more exquisite than this work of San Martino, after the design of Corradini, who also executed a female figure of Modesty, completely covered with a thin veil, to be seen in the same chapel. The third piece of sculpture, by Queirolo r is called the Undeceiving of Prejudice, and is said to allude to the reformation of a Prince San Severo. Vice is represented by a figure enveloped in a net, and set at liberty by a cherub ; the net has many folds and scarcely touches the statue ; the whole i& formed out of one block of marble. N n, 426 rTAPLPS — CHURCHES* S. Spirito Santo, in the Strada Toledo. The exterior is in an unfinished state. The interior, with Corinthian pillars, has a su- perabundance of ornaments. The church of S. Maria del Parto is still remembered from the circumstance of its being erected on the site of the residence of the poet Sannazarius, in his beautiful retreat at Mergellina near the sea. The marble mo- nument to his memory is placed behind the choir, with his bust crowned with laurel. Two genii appear, one holding a helmet and the other a book. The figures of Apollo and Minerva, in a sitting position, are placed one on each side the monument, which the reli- gious, to save from the cupidity of a viceroy, travestied into David and Judith, by in- scribing the names of the Jewish hero and heroine underneath. There are several other figures belonging to the monument. The house of Sannazarius was destroved by a prince of Orange who commanded during the siege of Naples under Charles Y. The poet afterwards became devout, and gave up the ground to the order of the Servites, after having built the church, where dying in i53o, he was interred. There is nothing remarkable either in its ornaments or its ar- chitecture. In closing these few cursory observations on the churches of Naples, Ave may observe that notwithstanding the bad taste which prevails very generally in the architecture and deco- rations of these edifices, the traveller will find NAPLES — PALACES, etc. 4 2 7 in most of to em something that merits ob- servation. In paintings in particular, the Neapolitan churches are very rich, and there are few among them that cannot boast of one or more exquisite specimens of this art. Palaces and Public Buildings. — Of the royal palaces, and of those of the nobility, the same may be said as of the churches • that the style of architecture is not pure, nor of course majestic; that they are in gene- ral too much encumbered with ornaments, though in several the apartments are on a grand scale, and ornamented with many fine paintings. The royal palace at Naples is avast edifice ; it was begun in 1600, after the de- signs of Fontana It has a handsome front, decorated with three orders, Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian, one above another; the en- trances are noble, and the principal staircase magnificent; at the foot of it are two enor- mous statues in plaister, extended upon a long scfuare of peperino^ representing the Tagus and the Tiber Towards the south, the palace communicates with the arsenal, and with the sea, by a private bridge, solely for the use of the court. It likewise com- municates with the Castel Nuouo, by a gal- lery supported on arcades which traverse the ditch, and forms a place of retreat in case of insurrection ; there is another communica- tion witlfrthe arsenal, and a third with the great theatre San Carlo. The palace of General A^ton is only sepa- rated from the royal residence by a street 4^8 NAPLES — PALACES, efc. which runs down to St. Lucia. Tt is very large but not lofty ; the interior is furnished much in the Neapolitan taste, very rich but wretchedly arranged. This house has lately been used for the education of the younger branches of the royal family. The Capo di Monte was built in 1732, by Charles. Its approach was very difficult, being separated from the city by a deep de- scent, till a stone bridge was thrown oyer it. It has since become an agreeable walk to this palace in consequence of the planting of young trees, which improvement took place under king Joseph Buonaparte. This palace, upon the whole, a massy building without elegance, was totally abandoned after the king had chosen Caserta ; and though in- habited a short time by Joseph, ffiurat, his successor, having a different taste, only used it as a hunting box, or sometimes for an airing in the summer. Its picture gallery was also stripped of the best productions dur- ing the revolutionary war. Belvedere is a small villa upon the heights of ' PizzofalcoJie, which overlook the Chlaja. It is a small palace with a terrace, which by no means disgraces the name it bears. Here is a kind of English garden, well provided with fountains and running water, whic communicate a degree of morning fresh- ness to the place. This building is quite in the Neapolitan taste ; and is at least very pretty, though 1 another wing is evidently wanting. The pro- NAPLES — PALACES, etc. 4 2 9 spects from it of the islands of Capri, Procida, and Ischia, are beautiful. The gardens too are rich both in natives and exotics. The court often avail themselves of this elegant- little retreat to enjoy the cooling breezes of the evening. The palace of the Princess Anna, on the side of the Mergellina, is also near the sea that washes its walls, or rather the rock upon Avhich it is built. The edifice consists of four orders, and its front has a noble appear- ance. Some of the handsomest modern palaces are at St. Lucia ; in the Chiaja, and the iStrada Toledo, and at Monte Olivetto : but the most remarkable are those at Franca- •yilla, at the foot of Monte Pizzofalcone, and those of Cellamare. Many of them contain pictures of great value, particularly the pa- lace of the Prince della Torre : but at Naples, in particular, every house which has a gafe- jway, bears the name of Palazzo. Here the I families generally live in the uppermost sto- ries, while the lower parts are occupied by the servants. All the palaces of the nobility have long mites of apartments, and a large gallery for Jibe reception of company j among the prin- cipal maybe included the Madaloni and the ... 3rsinij these are handsomely furnished; and he garden of Franca-Villa is reckoned the l 5l :>est about Naples ; among these may be in- i eluded della Torre and dclla Rocca : but the 430 NAPLES — CASTLES. Gravina palace is almost the only one in a go'^1 style of architect'.. re. The Palace of Justice, or the Vicaria^ was formerly the Gastel Capueno, built by'l William I, and afterwards inhabited by I Queen Joanna. It is fortified, and beneath 1 ! it are the prisons always well filled. The I .court and the staircases here are constantly crowded ; and the former, if possible, are ten' ; times morp filfhv than those of private houses H«re you are continually elbowed by porters, and persons selling pens and all kind oi wares. Nor are thieves and pickpockets idle, though under the \ery nose of justice. Th gentlemen of the 1< ng robe in Naples, take the title of PagliefU, and have as much in- fluence in private families as the theologians The Castles in Naples are sufficiently for- tified to make a good resistance, particularly Castel Nuovo behind the palace, near the Mole. It is a handsome as well as a strong fortress, and for its better security is mined and, being near the sea, calculated to de fend the shore which it commands. It is built much after the model of the Bastile at Paris. The gate and the towers which flank this castle, were built, under Charles I, in 1283 ; the other parts are the works of his successors. Its first intention was to facilitate the levying of a tax laid upon courtesans ! and even the manner of collecting this tax is partly indicated upon some one of the stones.! The principal entrance is on the north sidi 1 : m ii IS th pre Im : . s ■ 1l NAPLES— CASTLES. ^3t from a very lively place, called Le Largo. ;. Hanng passed the outworks, which consist o£ 'a de^p ditch and a thick high wall, with a pa- ;' rapet and battlements, we come to a place of A arms where Count Lemnos and Antonio Cruz, ■ the governor, used to amuse themselves with tilts, tournaments, and bull-fights. A little .farther on to the left, we pass through a tri- , umphal arch of white marble, its architecture 1 of tour orders rising between two towers, built jby the city of Naples, in honour of King Al- ;i phonso. This arch is embellished with histo- r'rical sculptures, as is also a brazen door, by i iwhich the entrance to it is closed. The chapel of St. Barbe, in the court of the castle, has . nothing particular to recommend it, excepting [i winding staircase, the fancy of Piaano : J.iowever the interior of this castle resembles yji little town, containing soldiers with their Xvives and children, and a number of shop- keepers who supply them with necessaries: ( he bastions of this castle serve for a prison. ,1 The Castalio deW Uovo, the castle of the ,,'gg, is built upon a rock, a kind of promon— ' Jory running into the sea. A house anciently Standing here belonging to the Roman Lu- .ullus, it is said, was the reason the castle .'",, ong bore the name of Ara Lucullana. By iaeans of a bridge, there is a communication between this rock and St. Lucia, always ..< uarded by a centinel. The castle has been ■lie of the earliest dwellings of the first kings (f Naples, particularly William I, in 1 1 54* has abo been a prison, aad here Augustm, 432 NAPLES — CASTLES. the last emperor of Rome, was confined after liis defeat by Odoacer, king of the Heruli and first king of Italy It is, at present, well fur- nished with artillery, some of which, in the front towards the> sea, are pointed as low as the water's edge. The Cadello dh S. Elmo, to the north, "tforth-west, is upon the summit of a hill, and commands the whole city : being thought, an excellent place of defence, the Norman built one of the towers upon it, which they called BelforCe. Louis XII also, when he conquered the kingdom, found it his interest to make this elevated station a place, o) strength; and Charles V converted it intc an impregnable citadel. At present it is very extensive hexagon, fortified with loft} walls and a counterscarp j it is surrounde with ditches hewn out of the rock, and is bo'l rained and counter-mined. In its centre is i vast place of arms and beneath it an immensi cistern hollowed out of the mountain. Th view from, the top of this castle is indescrib- able. From the castle the city appears t< extend itself to the margin of the sea, in th form of a triangle, terminating on one sid at the point of Pausilippo, and on the other at the bridge of Magdalena. Grand, however as this view certainly is, it is still exceede. by one from a mountain, which command the castle about a mile to the north-west That is considered the second prospect the world ; one near Constantinople bein allowed lo be the first. NAPLES — HOSPITALS. 4^3 rf The Castello del Carmine was at first a sim- ple tower, built by Ferdinand of Arragon, in 4i4S4 > it received its square form from the rDiike d'Alcala, who added a bulwark which I overlooked the garden of the Carmelites. Pe- dro de Toledo, to defend Naples against the \ Turks, had carried on a wall from this tower, a great resource to the insurgents, in 1647; from which circumstance, government be- coming acquainted with its importance, de- termined on converting it into a regular ^fortification, into which the church and con- ! vent of S. Maria were incorporated, and the f l'cloister became a place of arms till the year ! 1 1662, when the monks presented the govern - |ment with another piece of ground merely ■ l : -to get rid of an inconvenience. In 1748, King Charles having formed a communication 1 between this place and the Mole, by means ■■■■. of a bridge, he demolished the gate delta Con- tiperia, and substituted two large pilasters with Atrophies, by Buonpiedi, of Turin. HOSPITALS. ll ' If the churches and palaces do no great cre- dit to the taste of the Neapolitans, the hos- ^ )itals however reflect much honour on their charity. These establishments are \ery nu- Jf nerous, and are adapted to every species of i » listress to which man is subject in mind of i- j>ody. Many of them are richly endowed , nd all are clean, well attended, and well :i egulated. One circumstance, almost peculiar the Italian hospitals and charitable foundu- /fj.\ NAPLES — HOSPITALS. tions, contributes essentially to their splen-ii) clour and prosperity • which is, that they are not only attended by persons who devote themselves entirely and without any interest-! if ed views to the relief of suffering humanity j liil but. that they are governed and inspected, nofi ic nominally but reallyy by persons of the first it rank and education ; who manage the interests k of the dilferent establishments with a pru-j i;fs dcnce and assiduity which they seldom per- iid haps display in their own domestic economy! lac Besides, to almost every hospital is attachec m one and sometimes more confraternities, o pious associations, formed for the purpose) of relieving some particular species of dis- tress, or of averting or remedying some evil These confraternities, though founded on th« Lasis of equality, and of course open to al ml ranks, generally contain a very considerabli h proportion of noble persons, who make it ; point to fulfil the duties of the association with an exactness as honourable to themselve ; as it is exemplary and beneficial to the public These persons visit the respective hospital! almost daily, enquire into the situation an j ^ circumstances of every patient, and oftej v, attend on them personally, and render ther j> the most humble services. They perform thes {\\ duties in disguise, and generally in the dref or uniform worn by the confraternity, f® the express purpose of diverting public atten tion from the individuals, and fixing it onl on the object of the association. Of charitable foundations in Naples lh| NAPLES HOSPITALS. 435 jnumber is above sixty. Of these, seven are hospitals properly so called ; thirty at least arc conservatories or receptacles for help- less orphans, foundlings, etc. ; five are banks -for the relief of such industrious poor as are distressed by the occasional want of small 'sums of money : the rest are either schools pr confraternities. The incomes of most of ?these establishments, particularly of the hos- -pitals, are in general very considerable, but fseldom equal to the expenditure. Notwith- jstanding, the annual deficiency, how great soever it may be, it is abundantly supplied by donations, most of which come from un- known benefactors. With respect to these institutions, a coun- cil general of administration was formed in 1 1809, with the power of regulation and con- Strol over every establishment in Naples for the relief of the poor and infirm. The Seraglio ; one of the principal of these, in the Borgo del Fuoco, was intended by Charles III, in 17^2, as a kind of foundling. This is the first edifice that strikes the atten- tion towards the right on entering the gate from Rome. The body of the building is brick; and the whole, when completed, is intended to form four courts. Still several of the apartments are inhabited, and a great number of poor are employed in various oc- cupations, particularly aged persons, who otherwise would have added to the many who are left in the disgraceful slate of bog- fry. 43G NAPLES — HOSPITALS. The hospital of the Annunziata, was richly endowed by Sancia, the wife of Piobert, in i3nr), and Queen Joanna. It is near the port r>f Nola, hut though its entrance is not dis- tinguished by a fine front, it is refreshed by two large basins of spring water, extremely agreeable in sultry weather. People of all *ges and disorders are received here, and even illegitimate children brought in the night. Much of the revenue of this place arises from the property of the institution, in the sulphur and alum otSolfatara; and before the calls upon it were so numerous as they have lately been, the managers were able to send, some of the patients into the country for the benefit of the air. JJ Albergo lleale is set apart for the edu- cation of more than 800 orphans, and male children : here they are taught reading, writ- ing, engraving, drawing, and the elements of the mathematics, with such trades as their capacities may fit them for : the girls are taught sewing, knitting, etc. and it was ob- served, that under the French government this institution improved every day. The Hospital of Incurables is the largest and the handsomest in Naples. Here, besides sick persons, they receive idiots, the insane of both sexes, accidents and pregnant women. This building will contain 1000 persons and upwards. The establishment arose from the piety of a lady who came to make a pil- grimage to the lady of Loretto. Among the greatest contributors to it, since her time, NAPLES — HOSPITALS . 4^7 is Gaspard Roomez, a rich Flemish merchant, who made a fortune at Naples. It is a fine building, and has two good entrances leading to a large court, to which there is an ascent by a double flight of steps. The wards, how- ever, are very badly aired, and are very dirty: here the sick of all descriptions are huddled together ; and sometimes, it is ob- served, the physician and the surgeon are compelled to elbow each other to get at their patients ; and often the same individual has occasion for the services of both : the want of skill in the surgeons here, has been most severely censured. However, there are se- parate wards for idiots, for soldiers, and for children with cuticular complaints in the head. The chemical laboratory has some vases most exquisitely painted with subjects from the Holy Scripture. The dead, like those of other hospitals in Naples, are carried. by night to a piece of ground, called Campo Santo, where quick lime is made use of to make room for fresh comers. In this place there are several inscriptions by Mazzochi, and one of them in Latin. But, besides these hospitals, there are what are called numerous Confraternities, the mem- bers of which make it their business to visit condemned criminals, and to assist or provide for the widows or children of those un- fortunate persons. One of these, called Con- gregazione delta Croce, is composed principal- ly of nobility: their object is to relieve the poor and the imprisoned. The congregation o o. 433 NAPLES— STREETS AND SQUARES. of S. Ivone, is made up of lawyers, who un- dertake to plead the causes of the indigent without fee or reward, and to carry their suits through different courts : another is es- tablished, for the relief of strangers and pil- grims as they are called: the members of this body attend their hospital in rotation, where they receive strangers, attend them at table, and perform the lowest offices with humility. The Congregation of Nobles is for the relief of the bashful poor, and industrious persons who may have fallen into indigent circumstances through unavoidable misfor- tunes. All these confraternities have halls, churches, or hospitals, more or less extensive according to their revenues. There are also numerous asylums in Naples for deserted or ruined females; and in one of these Magda- lens, as they may be called, four hundred unfortunate persons are provided for and educated. STREETS AND SQUARES. The situation of Naples, and the little care taken to build after any preconcerted plan, has been the cause that the streets are not only irregular, but sometimes very uneven ; in reality, excepting that called the Toledo, which intersects the city from the square of Mercatello to the royal palace, to the extent of three quarters of a mile j that of Oliveto ; and another less winding, but much nar- rower, that extends from the gate of Capua to St. Elmo, we find an ascent or descent NAPLES — STREETS AND SQUAliES. 4% in all the rest ; they are paved with flags of basalt obtained by the eruptions of Mount Vesuvius. Naples has been said to resemble one large house with a vast number of inhabitants, and the simile is a very just one ; for, sleeping excepted, every thing passes in the streets that is done within doors in other countries. All artisans and mechanics, not only have open stalls, but they carry out their tables and implements for their trades, and work in the open streets, producing the most curious medley of sounds and sights that can be con- ceived. The noise of the populace of the streets of Naples is without any example; this is assisted by all the powers of gesticula- tion, and a perpetual motion. Fish, fruit, pulse, and melons in slices, are continually on sale : here are also the water and le- monade sellers at their stands inviting you every moment ; the beggars too, whom it is impossible to get rid of, harrass you every instant ; begging monks, « black, while and grey,» carrying their booty to the convents in bags; others leading loaded asses in ropes, make up a part of the scene : capuchins and recollets with their robes tucked up, scarcely move their legs under them; but suffer the vulgar, who are ready enough, to kiss their hands with the greatest devotion. Many female religious are also to be seen : some who have fulfilled their vows, and others who content themselves with bare promises ; numbers of others arc in Mack, with their /j/jO NAPLES — STREETS AND SQUARES. Heads neatly dressed, and their feet without shoes ; boys crowding round the sellers o£ maccher&nif to beg a spoonful now and then : squalling infants, jugglers, players on the hautboy, and bag-pipers with dancing pup- pets : walking musicians who exhibit their wretched playing and singing before the images of the Madonnas in the street: sol- diers on foot ; officers in their open carriages , lawyers arm in arm walking to the Vicaria\ the processions ; funerals; oxen drawing dung- carts to sell the contents to the gardeners, or to those who sell it again - 7 this is a faint pic- ture of life as it is exhibited in the streets of Naples. The shops open at day-break, and shut late nt night j or rather, every one fixes his shop in the street before his door, without taking any thought about obstructing the passenger. The streets of Naples are much cleaner than "the entrances, the staircases, or even the an- tichambersof the palaces ; because the former have no channels running through them, instead of which, particularly when it rains, the vast sewers under ground convey all kind of filth into the sea. In some parts of Naples you will see the shoemakers, smiths, coach- makers, etc. collected together, a few shops only, which sell provisions, being suffered to intermix with them. Mr. Forsyth gives the following animated sketch of the scenery of the streets of Naples : — « Naples, in ii.s interior, has no parallel ou earth, The crowd of London is uniform NAPLES STREETS AND SQUARES. 44* and Intelligible : it is a double line in quick motion ; it is the crowd of business. The crowd of Naples consists in a general tide rolling up and down, and in the middle of this tide a hundred eddies of men. Here you are swept on by the current, there you are wheeled round by the vortex. A diversity of trades dispute with you the streets. You are stopped by a carpenter's bench, you are lost among shoe-maker's stools, you dash among the pots of a maccheroni stall, and you escape behind a lazzarone r s night- basket. In this region of caricature every bargain sounds like a battle: the popular exhibitions are full of the grotesque; some of their church processions would frighten a war-horse. « The Mole seems, on holidays, an epitome of the town, and exhibits most of its humours. Here stands a methodistical friar, preaching to one row of Lazzaroni ; there Punch, the representative of the nation, holds forth to a crowd. Yonder, another orator recounts the miracles which he has performed with a sacred wax work, on which he rubs his agnuses, and sells them, thus impregnated with grace, for a grano a piece ; beyond him are quacks in hussar uniform, exalting their drugs, and brandishing their sabres, as if not content with one mode of killing. The next professore ( a title given to every exhibition ) is a dog of knowledge, great in his own little circle of admirers. Opposite to him stand two jocund old men, in the centre of an oval groupe, 44 2 NAPLES — STREETS A\D SQUARES. singing alternately to their crazy guitars. Farther on is a motley audience, sealed on planks, and listening to a tragi-comic fllosofo, who reads, sings, and gesticulates old gothic tales of Orlando and his Paladins. » The streets of Toledo and the Chiaja are t]\e most populous : the latter leads from the palace to the sea-side, through a passage beneath a lofty bridge, running between the heights of Plzzofatcone and St. Elmo. Any person recollecting the situation of one or two of the principal streets, or the Toledo in particular, into which so many others enter, cannot easily lose himself. All the grand processions parade that street, and here the masks are exhibited during the Car- nival. Any strangers may be convinced of the merry madness of the Neapolitans as long as this famous festival lasts. After the French obtained possession of Naples, the streets were well lighted with reverberators ' ? till then they had no lights but the lamps of Madon- nas, endowed by pious persons, and in which a father Rocco had been extremely assiduous, he having the address to convert a religious duty iuto a civil benefit, and by increasing the lights, to prevent many assassinations, very frequent in the streets before that period. The squares here take the name of Largo; for instance, those of del Pigno and del Cas~ tello, the latter celebrated for the game of Coccagna exhibited there, and at present for the execution of criminals: those of Spirito Santo, Lorentino, Fwaria and S. Lucid, NAPLES— FOUNTAINS, etc. 4'j3 Open towards the sea, and are frequented by the amateurs of fish and oysters. A much larger than any of these was begun by- King Joachim, by pulling down seseral convents and private houses ; but at Naples as well as in other parts of Italy, they pull down much faster tha?i they build up. The embellishments began in that of Spirito Santo are excellent models for the rest, most of which at present have fountains, crosses, py- ramids, groupes of Saints, or a Madonna with very Jong inscriptions, calculated to perpetu- ate the names of the donors ; many of these are in Latin, and are made to express senti- ments of the grossest adulation. FOUNTAINS, BRIDGES, AQUEDUCTS. Among the public fountains, those of Me- dina and S. Marino, are the handsomest for their sculpture. Torrione del Carmine exhi- bits a large basin, where two dolphins, with their tails interlaced, produce a good effect. The fountain of Oliveto is constructed entire- ly of marble, and rises very near the foot of the staircase of the church of this name. Here three lions spout the water into a large basin; and in the centre is a statue of Charles If, in bronze. Several of these fountains are very often dry. The fountains in Naples are supplied by various aqueducts ; the remains of one of these are to be seen in the street /Irenosa, commonly called i Ponti Rousi. This is said to have been built in Nero's time, and to ha\ e 444 NAPLES — FOUNTAINS, etc. brought the water to the country houses which the Romans had at Pausilippo, Pozzuoli and Baix, and lo the Piscina Mirabile. Not- withstanding all the pains of Lettierl to. re- cover them, these waters are lost, though this element brought from MaddaloTil is dis- persed over several quarters of the town. The ixuost ancient of the waters brought to Naples, called della Bolla, or I 3 aequo, Vecchia, comes from Vesuvius ; a part of these form the an- cient river, called the Sc.bebos. Some houses have fountains of their own, and others have wells. The water of the fountain nea*r the sea-shore in the quarter of S. Lucia, has a kind of acid-sulphureous quality, and is much used by the lower orders of people as an ex- cellent preservative from relaxed bowels, dy- senteries, fevers, and bilious complaints. The only bridge at Naples is that of Guiz- zardo, which has taken the name of Madde- loni from a church formerly served by Do- minicans. It is very long, and sufficiently broad to admit of several carriages passing abreast without annoying foot passengers, for whom their is a paved way on each side. Nearly in the centre of this bridge, stands the statue of S. Januarius looking towards the burning mountain, as if to deprecate any evil that might occur to the city. Under his feet rolls the modest Sebetos, in which some few persons come to bathe in the summer season; but bathing has declined as much among the Neapolitans as it did among the ancient Romans. NAPLES — GARDENS. 44^ GARDENS. Strictly speaking, there is not a single gar- den in Naples. Ferdinand IV was the first who thought of any thing of the kind, and he made the experiment at La Chiaja: the choice of this spot was most injudicious, since it is evident the Goddess Flora will never hold any connection with the Nereids: in fact, it was contrary to the laws of nature to expect vegetation to flourish there j time and perse- verance, however, have at length rendered it a most delightful spot. This Royal Garden, or Villa Reale, was. begun in 1779, and finished in 1 782, upon, the site of the wine houses, where the people used to resort on Sundays and holidays. King Joseph, and after him King Joachim made many additions to this place. The principal entrances are through a gate towards the Chiaja, and from St. Lucia. On each side of the latter entrance are two pavilions, one is a guard-house, the other one of the best caffes in this city, and where billiard tables are also found. The garden occupies a per-' feet plain, stretching close along the sea shore in the form of an extended parallelogram, about 2000 yards in length. A range of lofty, respectable, and well-built houses are on the other side ; a very spacious pavement for car- riages, where six, at least, can drive abreast of each other, separates these houses from the garden, which is fenced in by a handsome iron railing. This row of houses is called the pp /,4G tfAPLES f.ARDEXS. Chiaja, and before them is the most fashion- able promenade for carriages, where many hundreds may frequently be seen, except during the carnival, when the favourite re- sort is the Strada Toledo. A spacious gravelled walk, bordered with orange, lemon, and other trees intermixed, extends with statues in the centre of the gar- den from one extremity to the other j a nar- rower one runs along the parapet wall which overhangs the sea, and commands a fine view of it, Vesuvius, etc. Smaller walks, bor- dered with the most beautiful flowers and shrubs, branch out in all directions, and are agreeably diversified with numerous seats, fountains, and statues. In the centre of the principal walk is the groupe of Spaventoso, or the famous bull from the Farnesian palace at Rome. This groupe, rising from a pedes- tal, placed in the midst of a circular foun- tain, excites the idea of a lake. That portion of the garden, situated towards Pausilippo, is distributed as an English shrubbery. This garden, being a delightful retreat on summer evenings, is the general resort of the fashion- able world; attended by the sellers of eatable! of all kinds, with lemonade, music, etc. tha scene becomes uncommonly animated and in- teresting; and to all these various sounds of life and gaiety, the monotonous roar of the ocea at a short distance offers a kind of bass. Resides this public garden, something ol the kind may be seen upon the tops of a number of houses. The poorer sort coulcnl NAPLES — FROMEXADES. 44? themselves with a few flower pols in the bal- conies before their windows ; but though the taste for gardening is not so lively here as in the northern parts of Europe, the terraces of persons in easy circumstances are generally furnished with large pots, which conlain oranges and citrons, roses, Arabian jessamine, and other plants that do not require much humidity. The garden of the Religious of 6'. Marcellina is well worthy of the stranger's attention, being such as scarcely to admit of description by any person who has not seen it. It is much frequented in summer, and con- tains a basin of water clear as crystal. The Marauis del Gallo's, garden, near Capo di Monte, ought not to be forgotten. Another, belonging to M. Heigeln, a Dane, formerly .Consul, situated on an eminence, called Capo di Chino, on the road to Rome, is beautiful in the extreme. PROMENADES. Those about Naples for persons in easy cir- cumstances extend about two or three miles from the place : the most frequented are to 6'. Lucia, to the Ponte di Madde/oni, or Bagnuoli. Cabriolets and phaetons are gene- rally to be seen on the road to these places, Scoglio is a rock which projects a considerable way into the sea on the side of the Mar gel- Una. Here people go to eat fish. Quitting Scoglio, in a vessel, and coasting along, you come to a place hollowed into the shore in the manner of a grotto : this is called Gaiola, 443 NAPLES — PROMENADES. and, according to some accounts, was cut out of the rock to form a bath for the use of the Roman Lucullus : further on are some ruins, to which they give the name of Virgil's School. In order to proceed to Pozzubli or Baiae, it is necessary to double this kind o£ Cape. - . But the favourite promenade for foot pas- sengers is the Mole: it is a narrow neck of land, which runs out from Castel Nuovo, having the sea on its right and left. A num- ber of vessels are always at anchor here, and at the extremity there is a guard-house, upon which is the pharos or light-house. People are allowed to go up to the gallery which surrounds this light-house, where, with the assistance of a telescope, with which the spec- tator is accommodated, the view is indiscrib- able. The Mole is a charming walk, and the various views from it of Vesuvius, La Som— ma, and Portici, render it quite enchanting. Being much frequented on a Sunday, itine- rant preachers attend here, who frequently take occasion to address the people ; however, the attention which might otherwise be paid to them, is most commonly bestowed upon some hungry declaimers of another descrip- tion, who, with a guitar in their hands, are generally surrounded by seafaring men and others, reciting the history of Prince Rinal- < do, a great favourite with the Neapolitans. The Catacombs, the first appearance of which is a spacious cavern, in which is an altar and a pulpit, from whence St. Januarius NAPLES — PROMENADES. 449 used to preach : here the primitive Christians are said to have met to celebrate their wor- ship. Here are likewise some rude paintings of Madonnas and Saints, with inscriptions in Greek and Latin, but so much defaced by the smoke from flambeaux, as to be scarcely legible. From this cavern a number of nar- row passages branch off in many directions, some of which lead to other sepulchral chambers, vaulted over. The height of these passages is seldom more than fourteen or six- teen feet, and the breadth not more than ten ; the walls are formed into recesses, one above another, in many places, for the reception of bodies. Many of them are enclosed in ma- sonry, covered with rude mosaic work, and sometimes the name of the deceased appears. From some openings made by the hand of time, bones and the clothes, shrouds, etc. in which the deceased were inhumed, are to be seen, with collars or chaplets, and medals round the necks of others. Through ihese subterranean passages we, at length, arrive where they are considerably higher and broader ; from whence others lower and nar- rower again diverge; some of the vaults are so low, that it is necessary to creep to be able to proceed. Where the soil is a rock, staircases ere cut to ascend to the tombs above; in other places, the ground is supported with props : sometimes heaps of bones are to be seen, co- vered with a blackish varnish, an indication of their age. It is affirmed by some authors, that the?e caverns run as far as Poszuoli, or P T). 45o NAPLES — THEATRES. Mount Loltrecco, beyond Campo Santo. Ma- ny suppose that the Catacombs originated with the primitive Christians; but to this it is objected that they were too indigent and too few in number to carry on such an under- taking without the knowledge of their ene- mies ; and Peliccia thinks these excavations were the works of the ancients, for the pur- pose of communication between one city and another, which he thought probable from passages in Homer, Lycophron, Ovid and Cicero. Naples, Capua, l\ T ola, and Acerra, are quoted on account of these communica- tions cut in the lufo, previous to the forma- tion of good roads through the mountains. It is said at Naples that the Archbishop some- times performs the holy office in the Cata- combs, and that all the clergy are sworn on taking their office to make them a pious visit, though they are never opened excepting to an- tiquaries and travellers. THEATRES. Teatrodi San Carlo. There is not a theatre in Europe more brilliant and imposing than this. This theatre, burnt down in 1816, was lately rebuilt in 3oo days, and is a master stroke of poli* cy in the government. Itattachesthe people to the King more completely than the best laws could do; all Naples was intoxicated with pa- triotism on this occasion. The best way in the world to give offence would be to discover some defect in it. Mention the name of Fer- dinand; and you are told that he has rebuilt NAPLES THEATRES^ /,5l San Carlos. The decorations are gold and silver, and the boxes of a deep sky blue. The ornaments in front of the boxes are in relief; hence their magnificence. They consist of gilt torches, grouped together, and intermixed with large fleurs-de-lis. Here and there this splendid ornament is divided by bas-reliefs of silver. The boxes are very large, and have no curtains. A superb chandelier yields a bril- liant light, and gives to these ornaments of gold and silver a splendour which they would not possess were they not in relief. Nothing Can be more imposing and magnificent than the grand box of the King, above the middle door; it is supported by two palm trees of gold, of the size of nature. The drapery consists of sheets of metal, of a pale red. Contrasted with the magnificence of the royal box, nothing can be more simple and elegant than the small incognito boxes, situated on the second row opposite the stage. The blue satin, the gold ornaments, and the mirrors, are distributed with a taste which was never before seen in Italy. The dazzling light of the chandelier penetrates into every corner of the theatre, and exhibits the most minute de- tails. The ceiling, which is painted on csn- vass, completely in the style of the French school, is one of the largest pictures in exist- ence. The Teatro del Fondo, opposite Caslel Nuovo, is much more simple than that of San Carlo. The Opera Buffa is played here, and on certain days of the week, French tragedies 4^2 NAPLES — THEATRES. and comedies; ballets have also been per- formed at both these theatres. The Teatro de Fiorentini is in a small street that runs off towards the Fountain of Medi- na. It was opened by the Spanish Comedians in the sixteenth century; but has been since rebuilt in a regular manner. It has five tiers of boxes, one above another ; the whole in the form of a horse-shoe. Musical pieces are •performed here four days in the week, and on the other two, the Comedies of Goldoni; but tragedies, to which the Neapolitans have an aversion, are performed in Lent only. The Teatro Nuovo, a kind of rival to the Florentines, is near the great street of Toledo* here are comedies in prose, sometimes inter- mixed with singing. Nor ought the Teatro de Burattini, or puppets, to be overlooked by a stranger, notwithstanding its appearance : for this is numerously attended by all classes of the Neapolitans, not excepting priests and monks. Pulcinella, or Punch, is with them a person of such importance, that it is im- possible to dispense with his services. Punch here always speaks in the Neapolitan dialect, but the other actors speak good Italian. The pieces played at these theatres are announced by a posting bill at the door, or by a paper attached to a rope, suspended across the street. Besides these theatres, Naples exhibits others of a moveable kind, the orchestra of which affords no other instrument than the bagpipe. The Neapolitans are no machinists, and the taste of the people for excellent pieces is as NAPLES — MUSEUMS. 4^3 low as the abilities of their performers. Even the proper pantomiirie of Naples has been for some time getting out of practice, because the ballet masters themselves feel that they understand nothing of it ; besides printed books to explain what they mean to represent, ail kinds of transparent writings are exhi- bited upon the stage itself. Museums, Academies , University, Libra- ries^ Language, etc. — The Museum gli Stud], or the Academy, is avast brick building, but stuccoed according to the practice in most modern edifices. In 1780 this place became the seat of an academy named that of the Sciences and Belles Lettres. Since the designs of Schiantarelli were produced, the edifice has assumed a new form. The facade is ma- jestic, and the entrance in the centre is orna- mented with very handsome pillars, brought from Portici. In the apartments upon the ground floor are to be seen the Farnesian Hercules, and the Flora, both brought from Rome; the colossal statues of the Ocean, Ura- nia, Vespasian ; the groupe of Orestes and Electra, Venus Victrix. Two small equestrian statues of an Amazon, deserve particular no- tice ; they represent the same person : one, as engaged in combat; the other, wounded and dying. It may almost rank with the famous Gladiator; the resemblance in the features of the two statues being admirably preserved. Here are also a number of busts, bas-reliefs, candelabras, and other curious articles, dis- covered at Pompeii, Stabia, and Hercula- 454 NAPLES — MUSEUMS. neum. Another wing of tin's edifice is occu- pied by persons employed in the restoration of bronzes. The grand staircase in the front leads to the first story, where two flights of stairs meet at the entrance of the library. The riches of Herculaneum were once distributed over se- veral parts of this building; many of which had been removed here from the palace at Capo di Monte ; and here is an apartment de- voted to the business of unfolding the manu- scripts found at Pompeii. Every apartment of this museum is laid with the most charming antique floors; partly Mosaic, from Pompeii, and partly marble, from Herculaneum. Here were statues, vases, busts, altars, tables of marble, and bronze, all in as good a state as if they had just come from the hands of the artist. Thousands of coins tilled the different cases. Medallions of marble were also suspended by fine chains from the ceiling, having bas-reliefs on both sides. They hung so as to be reached with the hand, and of course could be conveniently turned about and examined. But the greater and most valuable part of those, and also what were in the museum of the palace at Portici that could be conveniently removed, were conveyed by Ferdinand to Sicily when lie fled thither. They have not hitherto (1817) been restored, nor does it appear to be I in conlemplation. Most of the pictures in Herculaneum, Pompeii, and Stabia, were sawed from the wall ; and a long row of NAPLES — MUSEUMS. /fi5 apartments is now set out with them. But a far more numerous collection of these is still to be seen at Portici. These galleries are at present filled with an almost innumerable profusion of Grecian, Roman and Etruscan vases, urns, etc. of an endless variety of shape, form and size. A new collection of recently- discovered articles of antiquity was forming by Queen Caroline, the consort of Joachim, in a range of apartments which he had pre- pared for their reception. It is now known j by the name of the collection of Murat's wife. It is not yet completely arranged, but is in i progress, and not yet opened for public in- | spection. However, by a little trouble and i interest, a sight of it may be had ; a silver key is of no use. The gallery of paintings attached to the Museum, is but indifferent. A stranger ought not to neglect enquiring for some beautiful cork models that are exhibited in one of the • rooms of the Museum ; one represents the temple of Hercules at Psestum; another, an amphitheatre, and several of tombs lately discovered, and supposed to be Grecian ones. The skeletons, vases for perfumed oils, pieces of armour which they contained^ etc. are most accurately represented, in the exact si- ' tnalion they were when first found. The court is crowded with tombs, inscriptions, cisterns, pillars, statues, etc. In the middle there is a fine horse of bronze, with a modern inscription, saying there were four of them, but that this one onlv had been saved. 456 NAPLES IIERCULANEUM MSS. Cut to return to the manuscripts, the most remarkable objects. They are black and of a chesnut brown; and though at present pre- served in glass cases, dust and small particles are still dropping from them. The machine which unrolls them resembles in the exterior a book-binder's frame, upon which he sew* his books. The manuscript rests on some cotton, in the bow of two ribands, with one end fastened above in cords, like the curtain of a theatre ; gold-beater's skin is then laid on with the white of an egg, in very small stripes, by means of a pencil, to. afford some- thing to hold by. To this skin silk threads are fastened, which, together with the riband, wind above round the peg in the same man- ner as the string of a violin. When a small part of the manuscript with the skin has been laid hold of, and by means of a pencil the first leaf is loosened as muclwas possible, the person employed turns the peg with the great- est precaution, and is happy if he succeeds so far as to unroll a quarter of an inch ; upon which he begins the operation afresh. It must not be supposed that a piece of manuscript thus obtained, remains a connected whole. Not at all $ it rather resembles a piece of tinder that is full of holes. The next part of the business is copying on the spot, as the manuscript so obtained is too tender to be exposed to the open air. The task of the co- pyist is not merely transcribing, but drawing; after which a man of learning tries to supply the parts tkat are wanting; and this occurs 1 NAPLES — PUBLIC LIBRARIES. , /.fo almost in every line, and sometimes whole -lines or whole periods must.be filled up. What is thus supplied is written in red ink, instead of black. Eleven young persons unfold the manuscripts, two others copy them, and the late Rev- J. Hayter, an Englishman, had the direction of the whole ) but after the French took possession of Naples, he was succeeded by MM. Rosini, Scotti, and Pezzetti, who have published from these manuscripts some frag- ments of a Latin poem upon the war between i Mark Antony and Octavius, with copious re- mains of the second book of Epicurus upon Nature. A moral work of Polistratus, a dis- ! ciple of Epicurus, has also been printed ) and the fragments of Colotus, a Greek author, 'were thought of sufficient interest to follow. Philodemus on Rhetoric was complete ; and .instead of six, the whole number of manu- scripts to be unrolled was eight hundred. These were originally rolled round cylinders which appear to have been bones. Public Libraries. — These are three in num- ; ber at Naples. The principal is at the Museum. ; The body of the building is long and spacious, and communicates with four halls, all well ' stocked with books. Persons who come to read are required to write the name of the , book they want upon a slip of paper, and with this they retire into an apartment by , themselves; going away, they return the pa- per and the book. The library is open every day from ten to two ; it contains upwards of • f*S nt y thousaud volumes, most of which 458 NAPLES — UNIVERSITY — LANGUAGE. treat of theology, jurisprudence, and history. One apartment is appropriated entirely to manuscripts, but this is not open to the pub- lic at large : this is the case with another apartment containing curious prints. Next to this library, is that of the monastery of Gerosomini, open every day from nine in the morning till noon. Lastly that of S. Agos- tino a Nido, containing upwards of 4000 vo- lumes and a number of manuscripts : this is open till three in the afternoon. The University. — This is at a house which belonged to the Jesuits, which was called Genu Vecchio. This building is spacious, with a square court in the interior; it has proper offices and a large garden. Here are profes- sors of theology, physic, and the Roman law, besides those of the sciences and belles lettres. Medical information in this university is pure- ly oral, and without any illustration by way of experiment : in fact, the medical depart- ment is wretched ; and the various depart- ments altogether, very badly organised. Language. — The language spoken at Na- ples is Italian, so much corrupted that one might suppose it had derived very little from the mother tongue ; the finals in a are very frequent, as is the joining of several words in one. It has, in fact, more of a jargon than a provincial dialect: As far as the Neapolitans excel in singing, it is imputed to the instruc- tions of such masters as P or para and Scam Latti, who might have had pupils of equal ability at Paris, London, or Berlin. Even ia NAPLES — CONSERVATORIES, etc. 4% tlie best houses in Naples, the ladies very seldom speak pure Italian ; and what is still more to be regretted, to flatter the depraved taste of the public, the immortal poems of Tasso and Ariosto have been printed in this idiom. Conservatories, Schools, Fine Arts, — Un- der the French government, the Neapolitan Museum was established on the same footing as those of Paris and Rome. Lectures on Design and Architecture were delivered on certain days in the week; and the galleries contained excellent models of sculpture and painting, which students possessing any ge- nius would have improved. There are three conservatories at Naples, or houses of refuge for orphans. At S. Maria di Loreto the pu- pils are clothed in white; at La Pieta they are all in blue; and at St. Onaphurius they wear a white tunic. The schools for castrated children used to produce the principal singers; and parents, instigated by the love of gain, would often submit the most promising of their progeny to this shameful operation. Even the clergy sanctioned the practice, by offering up special prayers for this unhappy description of beiugs. But though badly clothed and fed in these schools, it is certain they received the best musical education. The composers of sacred music here, in de- fault of encouragement in the church, ge- nerally apply to the theatre; two or three pieces well received are not more than sum- 4Go NAPLES — SOCIETY — MAfftfEKS, etc. cienfe to support them through the season. A Neapolitan audience may be interested in the first, second and third representation, hut after that they generally spend the time at the theatre in trifling conversation. There are other Conservatories in Naples, or schools opened for poor children of both sexes, where they are educated, and taught some useful trade. Some of them resemble manufactories, and employ a great number of grown persons, both men and women. Care is taken in all these places to keep the sexes separate. Three of these conservatories, ap- propriated to the education of boys in the profession of music, provide a band for the church of the Franciscans, morning and even- ing, during eight days in October. In fact, the octaves which follow the festival of the patron saint of every church, morning and evening, constitute a continued entertainment or concert throughout the year. Society, Manners, and Customs. — Naples cannot be generally cited for the beauty of the women. Those among the common people are barely passable, though the vivacity of their countenances makes some amends for their want of beautv. The industrious appear on Sundays and holidays very gay and cleanly, pearls in their ears, and, with a smiling coun- tenance, always ready to dance to the first tambourin they meet. The females that come from Ischla and Procida wear a kind of Greek costume : those I NAPLES — SOCIETY — MANNERS, etc. /fit who answer to what are called grisettes in S' France, are much more reserved in their con- duct than the Parisians. Here they are always in black taffety, the rohe a la Francaise, with a white handker- : . chief, white stockings, and black shoes. Their hair is platted, and confined in a small white handkerchief, or cap of black taffety; and the external covering of the head is a black hood falling rather low be- hind. When in mourning, they wear nothing- white but their linen, which is sometimes y sufficiently dingy. Their eyes possess consider- able animation, though they are rather re- served in making use of them, unless within doors with those for whom they have any predilection. It is then that they commence I their common amusement, exclaiming gaily, « Diavoline pulci che mi \tormentano tanto.n Ladies of rank at Naples still have their Cicisbeos, though the latter are known to the husband and persons acquainted with the fa- mily; they are unknown to the children, who, with their preceptor, or the nurse, are generally sent into the country, or confined to some distant apartment in the vast palaces which they inhabit. Probably after taking leave of the mother in the morning, they see her no more the rest of the day. These ladies are generally "ignorant of every branch of knowledge derived from a good education $ the leisure which the toilet affords them is filled up with play, er attendance at the theatres or churches, Q/l- 462 NAPLES— SOCIETY — MANREBS, etc. The dress of women of fashion at Naples is ihe same as at Paris, and derives its mode from the court. If most of these ladies do not speak French, at least they understand it, though they seldom write with propriety in their own vernacular tongue. They have all their carriages, which they use to visit the Toledo, the Mergellina, or Pozzuoli, in the evening, In the forenoon, when they visit the shops, being clothed in black taffety, no particular notice is taken of them. The mantle worn here, is always considered as the safeguard of modesty, upon women of all de- scriptions, and no one interrupts the wearer. Formerly the eldest sister only was permitted to marry j the rest were generally sent to convents at three or four years of age, having their choice at the age of puberty, to enter the world again, or to leave it for ever, un- less some generous man of fortune, brought by chance to the grating of the monastery, pleased with her appearance, should offer his hand in marriage. The female complexion at Naples is gene- rally pale or brown. In point of delicacy, they might be censured by some persons who are not aware of the force of local habits. They drink their wine unmixed, more than at Home, being habituated to it from their infancy ; and seldom require asking twice to go into a coffee-house, and taste the variety of liqueurs that attract the eye and the palate by the diversity of their colours, and their diifeient flavour. NAPLES — LAZZARONI. /fiZ Women of the lower class have recourse to the limonadiers in the streets, who also cry what they call acqua vile from morning till night ; this is a transparent alcohol, strongly imbued with odoriferous plants, such as fen- nel, etc. and sometimes cooled with the snows brought from the mountains above Caslela- mare. The Neapolitans in general are not talL but generally well set and robust; broad in the chest, but rather short in the neck, and rather inclined to corpulence from their child- hood. The abolition, of several religious esta- blishments, and the diminished fortunes of the great, no longer permitting them to sup- port the idle, has compelled them to adopt some habits of industry. The Lazzaroni are no more; there is no longer an insolent po- pulace, rendered audacious by superstition, and subsisting only under the favour of a Disorder in the state.' — They are become sol- diers, porters, or scavengers. The labouring man here is often bareheaded, or only covered witn a striped red cap: like the Spaniards, he ties up his hair in a fillet. Some of them wear a little round hat with a sharp conical point, a brown jacket, and large blue pantaloons or jtr.owsers : tiiey are often bare-footed even in winter, so that thick legs and splay feet are not uncommon ; and, of course, they are much subject to corns and chilblains. On {Sunday they sometimes make their appear- ance in black silk breeches and while silk stockings, bought second-hand : the large 4^4 Naples — manners. buckles, worn by men and women, are lliree times the size of those elsewhere, Holland ex- cepted. The Neapolitan is a rude, uncivi- lized bawler. He is devout, but goes more frequently to mass than to hear sermons. He pretends to have a very great regard for strangers, but this is always proportioned to his expectations from them, and the title of XZccellenza is most liberally bestowed on these occasions. Thus, in the hotels, and the fur- nished lodgings, the religious mendicants, under the pretext of presenting strangers with the fruits of the season, will carry their po- liteness so far as to take off their caps and salute them. The middle class of citizens are well clad ; but though generally polite, are very short in their answers; they are grateful, and ready enough to trust you in small matters, but in- terested and distrustful to the last degree, in affairs that require any consideration. The jealousy which is natural to the citizen of Naples is very hard to reconcile with the liberty that reigns in his house; suspicious, on many occasions with reason, he does not give himself the trouble to ascertain whether his better half has really been wanting in con- jugal fidelity; the jewels and other presents which decorate her person, he sees increase without inquiring how she came by them. At the table the citizen is frugal ; but he indemnifies himself with the bottle. When Ireating with a stranger, -dull as he may be on any other subject, his cunning is then all NAPLES — MANNERS. ^65 alive to dupe him, if possible, in the grossest manner. There is no better way to avoid this than to make all your stipulations with him upon stamped paper) still there is plenty of room for law-suits. The politeness of the great is founded upon finesse, and is generally regulated by the si- tuation you are in to serve them. The mer- chants complain of the long credit they give to these great lords, who never blush at their indifference on this score ; and though luxury had decreased under the French, it was still to be seen at court on gala days, and in the splendid equipages driving along the Toledo and the Chictja. The practice of keeping run- ning footmen had declined; but then greater numbers sported their whiskies, and more servants than were necessary for their at- tendance. The manner of celebrating Christmas, and some other religious festivals at Naples, is much the same as at Rome. Calabrian bag- pipers attend both these cities at this time of the year, clothed in sheep-skins, and are ge- nerally well received. At this season the meat is dressed out in ribands and flowers; and the eating of capitoni, or large river eels, is then much in fashion. The summer season at Naples has also its festival of the Madonnas. The most cele- brated of these is known under the appella- tion of the Madonna di Pie di Grotta, from the church where the people assemble. Per- sons of quality, and even those belonging to 466 NAPLES PROVISIONS. the court., are sometimes present on these oc-| casions, and the troops are under arms. Every one delivers himself up to gn ety — groupes of acquaintance dance the Tarantula in, the streets — music and wine succeed : Quid enim Venus cbria curat? Naples has its carnival also, when all man- ner of disguises are worn : the streets are full and noisy, but disputes very rarely occur, which is singular in a place where wine is so cheap. The spirit of religion in Naples is founded more upon the pomp of ceremony than upon the precepts of the gospel, and fear is a much stronger motive with them than pleasure ; hence the common people are only prevented from easing the necessities of na- ture about the churches and oratories, by painting the walls with horrible representa- tions of the flames of hell, and the torments of the damned. As a trait of religious cre- dulity here (not to mention thesupposed power of St. Januarius to stop the lava; when wo- men are in labour, the priests go about will what they call the Girdle of St. Margaret and other relics, calculated to promote a easy delivery. If it thunders, master an servants all begin to invoke the Lady of Lo retto. And here St. Anthony has his pigs and St. Francis his calves, who have the pri vilege of eating at free cost, and sleepin where they list. Provisions, Diet, etc. — The people of Napli are supported on very little, if any anim NAPLES— PROVISIONS. 467 food; there is no fixed hour for meals ; the poorest, sort live on the merest refuse, such as the seeds of melons and pumpkins, mushrooms or champignons, the sweet kernels of the pine, a few grains of Indian or Turkey wheat, ches- nuts, and other nutritive substances. The far greater part of the inhabitants have no other calling than that of running bare-foot through the most frequented streets, crying out and asking alms, and immedia'ely spend what they have received in charity among the many venders of eatables, who use every art to draw the attention. The restaurateur plucks and roasts chickens, boils and fries fish in the open air, where his customers stop and eat. The numerous water-sellers have their booths too in the street, which are prettily decorated with flags, lemons, flowers, etc. These booths are always surrounded by cus- tomers. The booth-keepers observe more cleanliness than is usual here in most other matters. Besides the booths, there are men who cry the same commodity about all day. In Naples, eating and drinking appear the most important concerns; as you cannot go ten paces without meeting some arrangements for their gratification. Large kettles stand ' full of dressed maccheroni, with cheese scat- tered over it, and decorated with small pieces of love apple. The mode of consuming this article can only be learnt from the Neapoli- tans; for, as the maccheronies are un ell in lengthy they are held by the thumb and finger, with the neck bent back, and the mouth 468 NAPLES VEGETABLES. stretched open, and thus let down the throat! aL Strangers usually cut them in pieces, and theiJI eat them with spoons, but this is quite againsljl; the national custom. The maccheroni arejl here very simply prepared with broth andji cheese. Epicures sometimes mix iivers oi chickens with their maccheroni, which render it very delicious. Beans and peas are boiled in large kettles; as is maize, just as it grows, without any preparation. They have also an endless variety of shell-fish, some of which are eaten raw, others boiled, etc. There is here an immense number of oysters, small in size, and of no' very good flavour ; the fisher- men sometimes open them, and put several into one shell, to make a mouthful. Il is usual for the fishermen to sit on the beach with their stock, where fashionable compa- nies assemble in the summer evenings to eat fish. Small tables are prepared by the fisher- man, who sets them out with his variety of sea fruit, where every one may suit his fancy; but as these tables are not very numerous, it is necessary to bespeak one before hand. Vegetables form another principal part of ihe provisions of the iNeopolitans, and are to be had green, fresh, and cheap the whole year through. They have many sorts unknown to us, as the golden apple, named above, and several others. Here are a great quantity of gourds, mostly of the kind called Hercules' duced here, arise from the inconstancy of tin south winds. These sometimes blow for a weel or a fortnight, and bring with them all the vapours they have collected in their passage by sea and land : happily the bad effects of these are corrected by those of the north anc north-cast, which generally happens v»hej NAPLES MANUFACTURES. 4? 1 he mountains of Maddaloni are covered with now. These winds are very wholesome at Naples; though every sudden change is dan- gerous ; particularly so to persons who go too hinly clad, or injudiciously expose their bo- oms to the weather. The augmentation of heat at Naples, has jeen imputed by some to the proximity of Vesuvius, Solfatara, and some other half- jxtinguished volcanos j however, the hermit ho has lived for twenty years upon the lighest habitable ground near Vesuvius, is •ess annoyed by heat than those who inhabit 1 TJ Annunziata at the foot of this mountain. The heat at Naples is often tempered by ex— ' cessively heavy rains towards the close of the fsummer, so that, in consequence of these i winds and showers, epidemical diseases are very ' rare; and this happy disposition of the atmos- phere has an equal degree of influence upon vegetation ; however the moist and dry season ; -produces the zamora, an insect which excites 'an indisposition very troublesome to the fe- males who go to take the fresh air at Ckitrja ■ or Bagnolij and sometimes causes putrid fevers. MANUFACTURES. Among the articles manufactured at Naples are raw and wrought silks, cloth of gold and silver, taffetas, silk-stockings, knit and wove handkerchiefs, essences, soaps, confectionary, artificial' flowers. Here they also sell dried raisins, called zebibo, from Calabria: oil is 47 2 NAPLES — CARRIAGES. the most profitable export at Naples, with wool, hemp, linen, cotton, indigo, aud the manna that comes from Calabria and the Albruzzos: goats-hair, and rabbit-skins, and maccaronies, with a Naples- yellow, prepared from lead and antimony, are also articles of exportation. The gut prepared here for mu- sical instruments, is known to be of superior kind. The tanneries are in a low state, as no oak-bark is used though so plentiful here. Carriages. — In the construction of carriages the Neaj>olitans excel ; these are mostly open, are extremely light and elegant, and are al- ways drawn by two horses. Those that are hired seldom go out of town, though they may be had for this purpose, by bargaining beforehand, or giving earnest; in this case, it is always necessary to give some trifle to a little dirty boy who gels up behind to serve as a footman. There are cabriolets drawn by one horse which go very quick and safely with two persons. The cheapest vehicle is the Sediola, gene- rally preferred by ecclesiastics, soldiers, and sailors. All the town carriages are numbered, and inscribed Napoli. In fact, this is the case even with country carts drawn by oxen, so that complaints can easily be made of any mis- behaviour of the drivers. Numbers of articles are carried by asses with panniers. The Calash,, however, is the vehicle most in use, and these are kept by many females, who, though they commonly dine upon mac- cheroni, must, nevertheless, have their car- NAPLES — INDUSTRY; 4?$ 1 riage to figure in the Toledo, at Chiaja, or Pozzuoli, so that raany of these vehicles may be called the moveable asylums of vanity drawn by misery. The Neapolitan Calash, in its shape, re- sembles a shell supported by a pedestal, or the oblique section of a vase, the foot of which remains entire to serve as a seat. It goes upon springs: one person may sit in it with ease, but two would find themselves incom- moded. Though drawn by a single horse it goes like the wind; the least shock will throw the traveller out; but, as the roads about Naples are as level as a garden walk, this very seldom happens. The traveller himself holds the reins of the horse, and the driver is the director, crying out lavoral lavoral (work, work!; retaining the whip, or using it as ne- cessity may require. Besides the manufacture of porcelain, Nea- politan industry has been exercised upon a variety of objects; and in the article of house- bold furniture the neatness is remarkable; though these are dear, hats and shoes are cheap, but they are wanting in durability. In the manufacture of gold, silver, or iron work, the Neapolitans are extremely defi- cient. A smith here will scarcely undertake to make a lock, a key, or even a bolt with- out a model? sr. 474 NAPLES — ENVIRONS. ENVIRONS OF NAPLES. Excursion to Vesuvius. The expense for two, of an excursion to Vesuvius, is as follows : A one horse chaise and driver to Resina. 16 Carlins. Guide thence up the mountains 5 Two asses 3 h Provisions ' 8 17 Leaving town by the bridge of Madelana, the only one in Naples ; numerous houses al- most resembling an extended village, border the road to Portici, which is about four miles from Naples. The public road enters the gate and crosses the court of the Royal Palace, passing out of another gate opposite to the one eutered. Either at Portici, or a short distance far- ther at Resina, the chaise is left, and guides with horses or asses are procured. The tra- veller will be pestered with numerous appli- cants; several of them keep a book containing the recommendations of those who have em- ployed them. Make choice of the best cattle you see, fix what you consider a fair price, and make the offer to the proprietor, which is seldom refused. Once mounted, you pro- ceed up the base of the mountain about two miles, by a road winding among the vine- yards, mulberry and other trees j white cot- tages occasionally appearing among them. A bed of lava, about half a mile broad, is then VESUVIUS. 475 crossed. Soon after crossing this bed of lava, the path for a few yards ascends a steep bank of volcanic ashes, a gap being cut through it, to render the way more easy. Where the bank is cut, fourteen strata of ashes may be dis- cerned. For about a mile farther, dreary masses of volcanic cinders meet the eye in every direction. At some distance they re- semble a deep black mould turned up in ridges by a plough. What is called the hermitage is now arrived at, a neat plain white build- ing of two stories, having a parapet front, in a small arch of which a bell is suspended. It is divided into three parts; at one end, a pair of folding doors open into the chapel; the centre is the habitation of two or three friars, and a sort of yard gate at the other end, having a small room over it, leads into the oiiices of the building. Its inhabitants are ne- ver without society from among the neigh- bouring peasantry, who cultivate the cele- brated vineyards of Somma in the vicinity. There is some little soil round the building, and a row of trees improves its appearance. As may be supposed, the view from hence is fine. The green summit of Sorrentum on the other side, and the whole circuit of the bay of Naples, forms a delightful prospect, which, according to Tacitus, was more agreeable be- fore the burning of Kesuvius. The bay of Naples is about thirty miles in diameter. Three parts of it are sheltered with a noble circuit of woods and mountains. The /|7^ VESUVIUS. lofty promontory of Sorrentum divides it from the bay of Salernum. Between the ut- most point of this promontory, and the Isle of Caprea, the sea enters by a strait about three miles wide. This island lies almost in a parallel line with Naples. The excessive height of its rocks, secures a great part of the bay from winds and waves, which enter again be- tween the other end of this island, and the promontory of Miseno. Leaving the hermitage, the path continues about a mile on the top of a ridge, that forms a sort of connection between the base of the cone of Sonama, (which was formerly the volcano) and that of \ esnvius proper, as it may be termed. In a valley to the left of the ridge, is the bed of a large stream of lava, small verrlant patches of a few yards surface, which it has surrounded, appearing in the midst like islands. Descending from the ridge into a sort of valley covered with blocks of lava, and crossing it for about half a mile, the foot of the ascent to the cone is arrived at. Here the asses are usually fastened and left. The ascent is steep, near three quarters of a mile long; the first part winding, after- wards nearly in a straight direction, over huge blocks of volcanic cinders, formed into a sort of rude steps. At the top of this steep ascent is an enormous block of volcanic cinder, about forty feet high. Under the shelter of this block it is customary to repose at night, when it is determined to remain for the pur- pose of witnessing the grandeur of the near HERCULANEUM. 477 ! explosions in the dark ; or to avail yourself of the fine view from thence at the rising of the sun. Leaving this place, a gradual rise is perceived for about five hundred yards, over blocks of hot volcanic cinders, a vapour arising all around, and fire being often per- ceptible in the interstices of the cinders. There are at present (1817) two craters, the one only throwing out smoke and ashes, the other flames, and lava ; they are situated not far from each other, on a sort of rugged emi- nence, across which they appear exactly like rents. The explosions were at intervals. The descent from the cone, was by a path different from the former, running parallel with it, at a distance of about 200 yards. Instead of be- ing over blocks of volcanic cinders, the sur- face consists of fine loose ashes; the foot often, sinks in this substance, but as it is much more easy to return by this path than the other, it would also be more difficult to mount by it. Arrived at the bottom of the cone, the asses are again mounted; the return to Portici, or Resin a, is by the same road as was taken from thence. During the reign of King Joachim, the Prin- cess of IV ales made this excursion, being car- ried in a sort of palanquin, having relays, consisting of forty-eight of the stoutest bearers that his majesty could procure. Herculaneum. — The discovery of this ruin- ed city originated with a peasant, w T ho, dig- ging a well in 1689, about two miles from the sea shore, found a mixture of vegetable earth 473 POMPEII. and Java, black in appearance, and in a man- ner vitrified. Continuing to dig to the depth of more than 70 feet, he discovered some in- scriptions in Latin, and several machines and utensils of iron. Thirty years after, the Prince of Elbceuf settling at Portici, purchased a piece of ground in hopes of discovering marble, when, in the process of digging, the workmen came to the roof of a theatre covered witli shells. Continuing their researches, a statue of Hercules, and another of Cleopatra were successively discovered, and, in digging through a perpendicular twenty-live feet deeper, to their great surprise they discovered a whole town. In 1 760, the theatre, as it ap- pears at present, was discovered, to which other objects have been continually added, from time to time, and have only been dis- continued lately on account of the expense attending these researches, and the apprehen- sion of undermining the palace of Portici. In fact, there is little or nothing worth seeing, as the most, magnificent works of art that have been brought to light, are deposited in the Museum at Portici. The Theatre is the only object deserving of notice. POMPEII. The expense of this excursion for two per- sons, is, For a one-horse chaise and driver. a| Carlins. Basket and provisions 8 Ciceroni or guide at Pompeii . . . 4 pompeii. 479 Proceeding as far as Ptesina, in the same road which is taken in the excursion to Vesu- vius, the route continues through Torre del Greco, on the way to CasteW a Mare. Ahout fourteen miles from Naples, a bank, having the appearance of a sand one, from fifteen to twenty feet high, is seen on the left hand, close to the road side. On the right, a flat country extends about two miles and a half to the sea. The road continues along the bank- side for about a mile, when a large and in- different inn is met with. Here it is usual to leave the chaise. Proceeding a few hundred yards, a gateway resembling that of a farm- yard is entered to the left, and the traveller finds himself in an oblong square, of small dimensions, surrounded by a colonnade of the Doric order, composed of bricks with a coat- ing of composition. Behind this is a range of small apartments, ten to fifteen feet wide, and about fifteen to twenty feet long, having the appearance of there having once been si- milar chambers over them in a second story. This place has been termed the Roman Mili- tary Quarters ; to support this opinion, con- siderable stress has been laid on a skeleton in chains that was discovered here, and in a small chamber near it some arms being found, and names, supposed to have been those of soldiers, being scribbled on the walls, this has been represented as the guard-house. A Basilicon stands near the former building; the greater part of its columns fallen. The Tragic and Comic Thealres y are als© /*8o ENVIRONS OF NAPLES. near the same place, both in good preser- vation. The Amphitheatre, a most noble building in the highest preservatiou ; the interior com- pletely cleared, so that it might even now be used for public exhibitions, stands close to the walls of the city, a few hundred yards to the north east from the place where the city is iifow entered. This building is calculated to have contained upwards of 12,000 persons. The Legionary quarters, are near the Am- phitheatre ' y they are an extensive range of buildings, some of them vaulted, and would hold several thousand men. This place cer- tainly appears to be better adapted for bar- racks, than the small square before men- tioned. The Temple oflsis also stands not far from the amphitheatre. A Lyceum is near the temple. The stone pulpit and benches re- maining; the steps much worn away, espe- cially at one end. The streets cleared away are narrow and winding, paved with irregular flat stones, in some places much worn by wheels, the traces of which are deeply im- pressed as if they had all rolled in the same tracts. At the corners of the streets are high stepping stones. It is difficult to conjecture how wheeled carriages could pass these, un- less their axles were higher than those now commonly used. At each side, there is a nar- row raised passage for those on foot, similar to that now in the Corso at Pvonie. At many of the place* wUerc two streets join ; are i ill v t«t Ml com ■nfi 11 k im ] H ieei lera fitl \U T Ieei Ire pi I id L POMPEII, v /,8l ells. The houses appear to have been very small and only of two stories; the parts of the walls remaining are about six to eight feet high, and their tops are covered with [hoards to preserve them : thus at first sight conveying to the beholder an impression of unfinished buildings, rather than ruins. Seve- jral buildings more spacious and elegant than the others, having a court surrounded with small apartments, are termed palaces. The Temple of Venus and Mars. In this Building the fresco paintings on the walls have been suffered to remain, and are yet in to- lerable preservation. An oil shop is also seen, with the brick counter and earthen jars still remaining. The remains of a gate, supposed to have Been constructed" by the priestess Mamtnia, are in tolerable preservation, with this in- scription : Mammiae. P. F. Sacerdote. Publicae. Locus. Sepulturae. Datus. Decreto. Decurionum. The remains of an inn stand near this gate : and outside of it a teizip l e stands in what is 1 termed the street of the Tombs. A little villa, a small distance from the walls, contains several interesting paintings and an elegant portico ; thin plates of ala- baster serve as a substitute for glass windows. Some of the vessels which were used for wine still retain ashes of a reddish colour. Some liave supposed this to have been the Pompcia- s s 432 ENVIRONS OF NAPLES.' num of Cicero, a charming residence of th orator, near Pompeii. Every one must regre that these ruins, unroofed when they wen discovered, have not been since preservec from the effects of the weather. The house here are generally small, and their material offer indications of what Vitruvius calls tiij *Opus incertum ; they are mostly oi brick and rarely two stories high j ail the window have shutters and many of them glass. Tin walls are decorated, more or less, with bas reliefs in stucco. Many researches were made in 181 1 am 181 2, in order to trace the extent of the wall of Pompeii, and to judge of the circumferenct of the place, the course of the streets, etc The Avails were found to have been from eigh teen to twenty feet in height, and twelve 11 breadth, fortified by square towers at dis tances, but no great height above the wall. Upon the walls of a passage leading t the great theatre, the following inscriptio W T as very rudely traced, and is attributed t the licentiousness of some Roman soldier :- Ad. XI. Detffet A. XV. Epapra. Acutus. Auctus. Ad Locum. Duxernnt. Mulierem. Tychen. Et. Pretium. In Singnlos. A. VIII. (asses octo) M. Messaja. L. Lentulas Cos. Some subsequent researches hare brougli to light a curious family monument ; a prett little rotunda, the perystile of which is forme of four smell Doric columns, crowned wit roMPnir. 4^3 f very elegant attic- The interior contained, vacancies calculated for preserving the ashes f the dead, and several handsome Etruscan ases. This monument is kept locked, the ey is in the possession of a conservator who esides at Naples. If the traveller is curious n his researches, the key ought to be applied or a day or two before the excursion is in- ended It is easily obtained. The incrusta- ion upon almost every object dug out of hese ruins is of a chesnut colour, inclining to red, more or less pale, and tilled with frag- ments of pumice stone and small white crys- ;als in the shape of a pomegranate, most of which are glazed. The Tomb of the Gladiators at Pompeii, " Discovered by the French in 1812. There are two bas-reliefs on the front of this tomb ; the first represents the combats of the gladia- tors; and the second, another equally bar- barous, to which the name of Venatio, or the chase, was given, as exhibited between men and beasts. The Lanista, or f he person who had the direction of these performances, al- (l ;Wavs pitted the combatants against each other according to their age, strength, and ability. Above each of these couples, inscriptions have been traced, of which there are many exam- ples at Pompeii and Naples. The inscriptions of Pompeii are sometimes pencilled in black, and sometimes red ; the present are in black. All the gladiators are on foot, with the ex- ception of the first couple, who are mounted. This is the only known representation of g!a~ 484 ENVIRONS OF NAPLES. diators fighting on horseback. The combat- ants at Pompeii used lances, and defended themselves with a small round shield or target, similar to those used by the cavalry, because it was lighter than the roraan Scutum. The shields of the gladiators were generally con- structed of leather, guarded with wood, and sometimes twice covered with hides. In the centre was a round piece of metal, with a rim of the same, to strengthen the extremities. The clothing of the gladiators was very light! consisting of a short tunic and a small chlamys. Their arms were covered with plates of metal, so disposed as not to hinder the free action of the limbs. The same sort of plates have been represented upon other monuments. The victory in the sculpture remaining at Pom- peii is not decided, notwithstanding 'the im- petuous vivacity of the gladiator, whose arm as lifted up, seems to assure him of it. He appears to be in the act of pursuing his ad- versary, whose attitude indicates his design to avoid his adversary by flight. Beneath each of these combatants are inscriptions ; one of them, BKBRYX, Jul. XV. is supposed to signify Bebryx Frejulian or Frioulian has conquered fifteen times. The next couple of combatants have their legs and bodies covered with plates of metal : they support themselves upon shields, hol- lowed in the form of the Roman Scutum ; their magnitude is sufficient to cover the whole body when kneeling, which was some- limes the practice both of soldiers and gla- I POMPEII. 485 i Viators. The former, in joining these shields I together, formed a defence against the attacks d of cavalry, and an excellent covering in the ! assault of towns and strong places : to this reunion of shields the Romans gave the name of the tortoise, in allusion to the impenetrable shell of that animal. The couple of gladia- tors preparing for combat at Pompeii survey the two others on horseback with surprise and astonishment. A gladiator, in one of the groupes at Pom- peii, is represented as having dropped his shield, which was always reckoned infamous: he seems endeavouring to escape, whilst his adversary, armed with a shield which dimin- ishes towards its lower extremity, is following him in a menacing position. The inscriptions that appear beneath the representations of these groupes in sculpture, are given at length and decvphered with his usual accuracy by M. L. Millin, in his erudite description of the recent discoveries at Pompeii. In March, i8i3, five fresh monuments were discovered at Pompeii, equally as hand- some and as interesting as that we have just described. It is difficult to form an idea of the beauty of the highway at Pompeii, once decorated with these various monuments: how much superior then must the Appian way have been, each side of which could boast of a greater number of these edifices. Engravings of all the monuments at Pompeii have been long under the hands of M. Mazois, the com- s s. 486 ENVIRONS OF NAPLES. ■ pletion of which must be a great desideratum to every lover of the fine arts. Portici, about four miles from the Capitol, is one of those places in the environs, which few curious travellers should neglect to visit five or six times at least during their stay. The palace and the royal garden here ; the Favorita ; the cabinet of antiquities; the neighbourhood of Herculaneum and Pom- peii, a little farther distant j and the charm- ing coast of the gulph all the way to Ma.ssa, are so many motives for the frequent excur- sions made this way. The palace at Forties is spacious, and the apartments exhibit a number of paintings. One of the halls is hung with six immense allegorical pictures ; but which require explanation. In another, a few giants are painted as large as life ; and near these, the representations of a Turkish and Tunisian ambassador. The King's chamber is crowded with landscapes - y and here are also very pretty images of the queen, made of party coloured wax in bas-relief. A beau- tiful flight of stairs is adorned with some statues from Herculaneum, that are admirable for the rich folds of their drapery. The por- tico contains the grand equestrian statues of the two Balbi, father and son, dug out of Herculaneum. The conceit of carrying the high road through the middle of the castle lias been much censured. But it is said to add some liveliness to the place. Pretty coun- try houses upon terraces, with their white fronts, add cheerfulness to the whole shore ; . rORTicr, 487 and near Portia', the neighbourhood is known by the name of Pietra Bianca. A little to the right is the grotto of his excellency the archbishop of Tarento, who has a good collec- tion of antiquities and medals. On account of the power of custom in reconciling people to danger, it has been observed, that the king of Naples could sleep peaceably at Porlici, under the smoke of Vesuvius, with the raging ocean at his feet, and nothing between him and Herculaneum but the bed of lava that swallowed up that ancient city. The curious paintings and sculptures, which are not distributed about the palace here, are deposited in an adjacent building. By far the greater part of these were transported to Sicily upon the approach of the French in 1806, and have not since been restored ; but notwithstanding this, the Museum, which is called Museum Herculanense, still contains some articles worthy the attention of the tra- veller who is an admirer of the ancients* They consist principally of fresco, and other paint- ings taken, from the walls of Pompeii and Herculaneum ; they are very numerous, and some of them very fine specimens of art. Leda and the Swan, and Jupiter and Eu- ropa appear to have been favorite subjects with the ancients, from the number of them that appear in this Museum. In some land- scapes a deficiency in the knowledge of per- spective is evident, similar to those painted by the Chinese. The court contains several 488 ENVIRONS OF NAPLES. statues of marble and bronze much mutilated, and some of them partly melted. The garden consists of a small wood of ever- green oaks, with walks and rides cut through them. The leaves upon these oaks are so narrow, as to afford but little shade in summer. In the winter, on the contrary, this is very pleasant ; for as scarcely a single leaf falls, and the ground remains green, it is much the same all the year round. The acorns scattered about are the only memorials of a change of season. Some large spaces near the palace are walled in, and contain many thousand orange trees glittering with their fruit. Here, in December, may be seen at the same time, blossoms and fruit on the trees; wall-flowers and pinks in pots, and narcissusses and jonquils in the open beds. Persons who visit Portici ought to be cau- tioned against an impudent imposition, to which every stranger is subject, particularly in the royal garden. At every entrance and every hedge, he meets a different guide, who offers to show the department entrusted to his care. He has scarcely gone a hundred paces before he is delivered oyer to another guide, and so on as long as he stays. Gar- deners, under-gardeners, and gardeners' boys plav the stranger into one another's hands as fair game. One brings him a flower ; another offers him some fruit ; all expect a reward, and when it is given them, they are uot satis- fied. LA FAV0R1TA. 4% "La Favorita. — This is situated a little be- yond Portici, and is a very agreeable royal country seat. The ground floor is arranged for balls and court festivals; but people de- scend to the hall for dancing by a beautiful flight of white marble steps. It is decorated with simple busts, and lighted by a large chandelier of mountain crystal, suspended between garlands of flowers ; yet the floor is nothing but red bricks, used almost as gene- rally in the houses of the rich as the poor ! though in the former sometimes coated with a red oil varnish. A large airy terrace, that overlooks the sea from La Favorita, affords a pleasant recreation for the fatigued dancers. All the rooms here are provided Avith card- tables and rush-bottomed chairs. The Appartamenlo nobile, as it is called, contains a rich variety of the works of art, that no stranger should omit seeing ; the most distinguished of these are the fourteen harbours of the kingdom, painted by Hacker t. Next to this is the rich marble floor of an oval saloon, dug out of Nero's palace in the island of Capri. The silk tapestry, contain- ing a very lively embroidery, was manufac- tured at the king's factory at Belvedere. Some tables of petrified wood set in amethyst and lapis lazuli are also worthy of notice. In the king's closet is a time-piece, with its case turned and carved, its substance entirely of stags' horns; with a number of wild beasts of curious workmanship. Some pretty paint- 49° ENVIRONS 07 NAPLES. ings in fresco, and a chimney-piece of white, marble, are worthy of admiration. The Mountain of Pausilippo is a continua- tion of those that contribute to form the boundary of the bay of Naples. U well merits the name derived from the Greek of Trxvru; t m* *.v7r- A s the cessation of sorrow. At present, strange as it may appear, this grotto serves as- the passage from the Chiaja to Pozzuoli ; the entrance into Pausilippo is near Virgil's tomb. If a person would form a just idea of this grotto, he must fancy a vast rock un- dermined from one end to the other, and a highway running through it, nearly as long and broad as the mall in St. James's Park. The entrance at both ends is higher than, the middle parts. Towards the centre are two large funnels bored through the roof, to admit light and fresh air. The Tomb of yirgil. — Opposite the grotto to the left, within a marble border, a very long Latin inscription appears: it expresses, that a small monument upon the summit of the mountain is the tomb of Virgil : people ascend to it from the Mergelliua quarter by a kind of staircase, made of small pieces of indurated lava. At length, after having passed a small church, and stopping several times lo enjoy the superb coup-d'ceil, which IS a pies developes under anew aspect in all its beauty, we arrive at a private garden. A piece of money is the best key to open this door ; after ascending and descending various ways in the pozzuoli — bat^:. 49 1 centre of a vineyard, a kitchen garden, and some little woods, we come to a rude stair- case cut out of the rock. Passing a deep cavern to the right, by a kind of corridor cut through the tufo stone, we arrive at another recess in the rock, opposite the entrance of which is inscribed : — Qui ciaeres? tumulo liaec vestigia : conditur olim Hie bic qui cecinit pascua, rura duces. The inside of this supposed tomb of Virgil is square, and offers nothing particular, ex- cepting two recesses in the wall for the re- ception of urns. Between these two was a larger, containing the ashes of the poet. The urns have disappeared, and the skeleton of the monument alone remains; this is con- structed of brick; the basement consists of large stones, with net work continued up- wards to the openings. The summit is co- vered with briar, forming an agreeable ver- dure. About five miles from this grotto are the remains of Puteoli or Pozzuoli and Baice y in a soft air and delightful situation. The sur- rounding country, on account of its vast caverns and subterraneous fires, has been miserably torn in pieces by earthquakes, and the sea has overwhelmed some places, the remains of which may be sometimes seen in clear weather. The Lucrine lake is but a puddle in compa- rison of what it was ; its springs having been 4Q2 ENVIRONS OF NAPLES. sunk in an earthquake, or stopped up by mountains that have fallen upon them. Pozzuoli, or Puteolanus, derived its name from a number of warm mineral springs fre- quented by the Ptomans : the town at present contains seven or eight thousand inhabitants, most of whom live by fishing • others are land owners, and they have a little trade among themselves. Here the monks run from shop to shop to beg a dinner, or to kill time; as the town contains nothing very remarkable, people go to the garden of the monastery of the Camaldules , to enjoy the prospect, this being the highest ground in Che vicinity. The ancient part of the cathedral of Pozzuoli is constructed of large stones, connected with- out cement. It is conjectured to have been a temple dedicated to Augustus. Several of its ancient columns still remain. In one place the blood of St. Januarius is pointed out, and which it is said to be impracticable to efface by washing. At a small distance to the north-west of Pozzuoli, are the remains of a temple dedi- cated to Jupiter Serapis, by some Egyptian merchants; some magnificent columns sur- round an elevated circular pavement, on which it is said the altar was placed ^fastened In the pavement are two iron rings, considered to be for the purpose of tying the victims that were to be sacrificed. The whole is en- closed, by what appears to have constituted a quadrangle of small apartments, resembling SOLFATARA. 4<)3 tlie cloisters of a convent. These are supposed to have been the dwellings of the priests, and baths for purification. Some curious vases discovered here, have been transferred to the palace at Caserta. A fabric, said to have been a temple of Nep- tune, not far from Pozzuoli, built by the natives, who were great merchants, is partly to be seen, the existence of which is confirmed by Cicero ; but many statues of the emperor Adrian being found here, it is supposed to have been the place of his interment. An am- phitheatre in this vicinity is supposed to be more ancient than that of Vespasian at Rome; the staircases and corridors are still remain- ing, likewise the vaults, in which wild beasts were kept for the games. The Arena is filled up completely with lava, on which a bed of mould has been formed by time : a grove of trees now shade the spot, and the ground is cultivated as a garden. On the way between this and the Solfatara^ about three years ago, a range of fine extensive vaulted chambers, in the best preservation, was discovered. They are imagined to have been reservoirs to con- tain water for the supply of Puteolanus, the modern Pozzuoli, and exactly resemble the Piscina Mirabile, near the promontory of Baulis. Here also is the prison in which it is said, that St. Januarius was confined before his exposure at this theatre. The f^olcano, or Solfatara, is about half a mile to the N. IN. E. and is so called from the quantity of sulphur which it produces. It is Tt 494 ENVIRONS OF NAPLES- now a small circular plain, overspread with! Brushwood, extending over an area of about iooo yards diameter, and is surrounded with i bills. The surface occasionally trembles under .; the foot, and in some parts a stone weighing about fifty pounds, being thrown down with, force, causes a concussion of the ground for several yards. Sulphur and alum are dug up here, and there are works on the spot for preparing them ; when the crude mineral is first extracted from the ground, it feels very |. warm. Diodorus of Sicily says this was the place where Hercules defeated the giants.' Solfatara is generally thought to have beeni the crater, which supplied the lava running from north to south, that destroyed so many of the monuments of antiquity about Pozzuoli) A sudatory is situated at the south east extre- '■;, mity of the lake, which is much resorted tct for the cure of rheumatic, and other diseases.! The Grotta del Cane. — Descending from some ancient ruins near the lake So(fataraW* we approach this place, situated at the foo of a hi 11 j covered with shrubs and brambles / which give it a very picturesque appearance It is very rudely hollowed out of a humic porous soil. It is from eight to ten feet long about live feet broad, and at the entrance about seven feet in height : the interior shap resembles a cone reversed. A vapour, whicl continually issues from this grotto, has al the qualities of carbonic acid. To inhale tin but a few minutes is certain death, as wa instanced in the fate of M. Touruon. Attempl; BAI£. 49^ ,to fire a pistol within the circumference of C this mephitic atmosphere have been made Hpthout effect. The Lake Agnano, very near this grotto, partakes in some degree of its deadly qua- lities. It is a kind of circular basin, sup- posed to have been an extinguished crater, about three miles round, and half a mile in (its diameter. The quantity of water appears i to be always nearly the same. Though of a Jcolour inclining to yellow, it is clear and 'fresh, and of no bad taste : reeds and rushes [grow on its borders, and in some places it is [sixty feet deep. Some tench and eels are [caught here, which are said not to be per- jnicious, though in some part of the summer \ season, the vapours arising from this lake infect the air to such a degree, that the in- habitants of the flat country always remove to the hills till it has subsided. People are still invited to the banks of the lake Pit saw, to taste the famous oysters of I that place. Here is a ferry to a pretty little I house, built by the present king Ferdinand of Naples for fishing and duck shooting. ' The oysters are very large ; but many persons j think they have something of a sweetness in \ their taste. This may probably have been f the reason that the oysters of the Lucrine 1 lake were more esteemed among the ancients than those of Pusaro are now. Excursion to Baios. — This is very frequent- ly made by water, for the purpose of enjoying the views on the delightful coast of the Mer- 4<)6 ENVIRONS OF NAPLES. gellina. Having passed the cape of Pausilippo, and traversed the small gulph of Mare Piano, we have in view the temple of Fortune, for- merly the neighbourhood ofPollio, the friend of Virgil. Baice was the winter retreat of the old Romans, that being the proper season to enjoy the Baiani Soles, and the Mollis Lucrinus , as on the contrary, Tiber, Tuscu- liim, Prseneste, Anxur, and similar places, were their retirements during summer. Proceeding by sea to Baice, on the left is the rocky promontory of Pausilippo, and the little island of Nisida, or Nesis. On the right are the steep precipices formed of lava ; while at ihe extreme point of view, the castle of Baiae appears, with the promontory of Mi- seno, and the peak of Ischia. The point of Pausilippo, naturally broken and diversified by little islands, caverns, and grottos, has so much the appearance of enchantment, that the Neapolitans still call it the Scuola di Vir- gilio, as if that great poet studied here those beautiful scenes which he has pour tray ed in his pages. On the road along the coast from Pozzuoli to the Lucrine lake, stood Cicero's villa called Putoleanum and Academia. It is customary at Pozzuoli to hire a boat and cross the bay to the Lucrine lake, where there are the remains of a mole, called Lan- terna di Porto Giulio, originally erected by Agrippa, The lake itself, as before observed, is at present little better than a muddy pool; but a path on its banks winding through a BAIJE. 497 :V'ine} r ard, brings the traveller to the lake Avernus, a circular sheet of water of an im- mense depth, though not two miles in circum- ference. Here are none of the beauties about its bants painted by the ancient poets, or the shadowy abode of the Cimmerians. By admit- ting a communication with the sea in the reign! of Augustus, this deadly lake began to lose its horrors. Birds fly over or hover about its sur- face, without dropping dead into its waters, and the fish live and increase. Most probably the ancients, and Lucre tius in particular, were deceived in the qualities they ascribed to lit. Upon the north east coast of A. vermis are the ruins of the temple of Apollo, or that of Proserpine surrounded by a vineyard ; though some writers ascribe it to Agrippa, and others suppose it to have been a bath,. A vaulted rotunda about one hundred feet in diameter is still in good preservation here. The Sybil's Grotta. — This is situated on the southern shore of Avernus. By the help of torches people still enter this dreary cavern, as far at least as the watery bottom will per- mit. There are other grottos or caves on each side of it, which formerly were supposed to have communicated with the ancient Cuma„ These dreary caverns, and the volcanos in Italy and Sicily have most probably furnish- ed the poets with those fanciful ideas which abound in the sixth book of Virgil's Eneid. The first object that presents itself to the view from Baice 7 is the little hill in the form Tt. 4()8 ENVIRONS OF NAPLES. of an amphitheatre, where the voluptuous Pioraaus used to come to indulge themselves in autumn. This view will sufficiently account for the glowing panegyrics of the Ptoman poets upon the ameuities of Baios, once the seat of imperial luxury and vice. The bay of Baicz is strewed with ruins, the remains of villas, and the baths of the R.O- jnans ; and here the guides never omit to point out the baths of Nero ; and though these antiques have been considerably mutilated by volcanos, and the devastation of ages, yet in their fallen grandeur, they still afford a lesson to the architect, who may be disposed to vi*it Baise. Some people, who choose to see the hot springs, undress and descend with a guide, with the assistance of torches. Near the baths of Nero are the remains of the Temple of J^enus, Mercury and Diana. In fact, all along the promontory of Baice, the shore exhibits a succession of the remains of edifices, which might be looked upon as so jnany temples. One called II Truglio stands in a vineyard ; this is a large handsome ro- tunda, in good preservation, but is at present frequently inundated by the waves that sur- round it. Here is also a very remarkable echo ; but so much has the sea gained on the eoast of Italy, while it has been leaving Af- rica on the other side, that fishermen, throw- ing their nets under the ruins that still pro- MISFNUS. 499 ject over the shores of Latium, often run the risk of being crushed by their fall. From a small eminence here we behold the remains of the theatre of Miaenus ; on the south west we see the ancient Acheron, or the dead sea of the present day, and to the west, the Elysian fields : these meadows and groves are no more, but the climate is still the same. Misenus, destroyed by the Saracens in 890, is only known at present by some tombs that have survived the desolating hand of time. A small fort has replaced the tomb raised by jfcneas for his friend upon this promontory ; and here in a solitary hamlet, peasants may be seen lodged with their asses and cattle in corridors, which they have converted into huts and stables. Here too the guide will point out the remains of the villa of L.u- cullus, where Tiberius was strangled by order of his infamous nephew Caligula. At Cuma, once so famous, particularly after the unfor- tunate battle of Cannae, nothing indicates what it has been, but the remains of a triumphal arch, and some other ruins overrun with briars and thorns. Some funeral monuments of great beauty have been lately dug up by M. Andre, canon of Jorco, representing the rewards of the virtuous in Elysium. It is from this country in particular, that all the poetic fictions trausmitted from age to age ? have been derived. From the hill above the promontory of Baulis, the traveller is shown the Fiscina 00© ENVIRONS OF NAPLES. Mirabile, a subterraneous edifice, vaulted and divided by four rows of arcades. Most writers suppose it to have been a fish-pond, as its name imports. Liturnum , beyond Cuma, was once the re- sidence of Sciplo Africanus, and the spot is supposed to have been that upon which the Torre di Patria now stands. The environs of the Piscina Mirabile exhi- bit a number of ancient brick, or tufo build- ings, the most considerable of which is called Cento Camerelle, the hundred chambers. Some writers have supposed this had been a reservoir of water j others, a prison; and others again, that it was the lower stage of some large edifice. Just below this is Mare Morto. It is pre- tended that dead bodies being formerly car- ried over this lake from Misenum to the Ely- sian Fields in the vicinity, gave rise to the fable of Charon. Modern travellers will find that the Charons, who now attend as ferry- men to Procida, etc. will not forget to insist upon their fare. It may not be improper to observe, that the plain, dignified by the name of the Elysian Fields, and here gradually descending to- wards the sea, still contains a street, or double row of Columbaria, or hollows, for urns with the ashes of the dead, but which, in every other respect at present, is mostly a barren and unwholesome waste. Travellers, who make excursions from Naples to Pesto^ generally go in companies armed, possidone. 5or ;to resist the Algerins, whose parties some- times land and commit depradations on this part of the coast. Nocera, on this route, is the first place after quitting L'Annunziata; ; besides the handsome barracks here, there is nothing remarkable, a rotunda, excepted, built in Trajan's time, and since converted in- to a church. Four miles farther Cava is si- tuated; this was the residence of Filangieri, whose name is still so dear to the inhabitants, that they take pleasure in pointing out his house to travellers in general. The monastery of S. Maria, upon an emi- i nence above Cava, is always worth visiting; the church is beautiful, and the productions of art and nature are such as will repay the curiosity of the traveller. Pesto, or the Posddone of the Greeks. In digging among the monuments, a complete suit of armour was very lately found, con-* structed of bronze ; besides medals and Etrus- can vases. The three temples will amply re- compense the traveller for this excursion. If it be his intention to visit Greece, he may take Pcestum in the way to Tarentnm, whence passages are procured either to the Ioniaa islands or to Greece itself. It is fifty-five Italian miles from Naples id Pesto, or P centum. The first stage in winter and spring is at Salerno, where you sleep; but from June to October, the air of this country being unwholesome for strangers, they stop at Vietri. In autumn, the great fair at Salerno causes this route to be much frequented. 502 ENVIRONS OF NAPLFS. Near the entrance of the cathedral of Sa- lerno, there is a fountain ornamented with an ancient vase of green granite, and in the porch several sarcophagi, ornamented with las-reliefs. From JNaples to the isle of IscJiia is about fourteen Italian miles. The baths called stujfa, or rather the moist vapours that, rise ffftm the earth, are the causes of this island's being much resorted to by the diseased. From the heights of Monte di Vivo and Epo- peo, the views are charming. The whole island has arisen froi.i a volcano, and the Eng- lish give a marked preference to the wine it produces. This island of Procida in the vici- nity of Ischia, is, perhaps, the most populous place in the world for its extent; as, though not more than three Italian miles in circum- ference, it contains 14,000 inhabitants. Caserta. — This royal palace, about fifteen miles from Naples, lies in the plain of Capua. The royal residence here is one of the finest and most regularly built in Italy ; it is accord- ing to the designs of VanviltllL The stairs are the finest ever seen ; every step is a piece of marble eighteen feet long. The walls are inlaid with the most costly marble, and the ceilings are linelv painted. On the landing- place of the stairs lie two large lions of white marble, who appear to strike their paws on a crown and sceptre. The hall, which re- sembles an open octagon temple, has a cupola resting on twenty-four pillars. All the fine marble here are the native productions of BELVEDERE. 5o3 'Apulia, Sicily, and the country of Naples itself. The colossal statue of a hero crowned with victory, stands in the first hall, said to allude to the conquest of Flanders by Alexander' Farnese, This hall also contains twelve bas- reliefs, representing achievements of the Ro- mans, of which that country had be^n *he theatre. In the second chamber are a few landscapes, representing the Prater at Vienna ; in one of which Ferdinand is baiting foxes, and in another hunting wild swine. Iu the third chamber, wild swine are driven through, the water, and the king is shooting at them. In another, is a similar chase with dogs; and lastly, the king is shooting ducks on the lake Fusaro. The greatest splendour has been lavished on the chapel of this palace. The walls are distinguished by the grand giallo antico, sup- plied from the Temple of Serapis. Among the. paintings, Mary in the Temple, by Mengs, is much praised. The theatre in the palace, is a miniature off that of San Carlo; but though abounding in marble and gold, it is not gaudy. The back ground of the stage can be opened into a field, when it is intended to represent battle pieces. Belvedere^ a pretty hunting seat, lies a few miles farther ; lately a wing of this palace has been occupied as a considerable silk manufac- tory. The little park, though intended to resemble that of St. James's, is much inferior 5o4 ENVIRONS OF NAPLES. to it ; the camphor tree is here in a luxuriant state. A cataract on the outside of the park is much admired by the Neapolitans, but its natural effect is spoiled by a number of petty baubles and indifferent statues. The aqueduct of Caserta is the result of a noble design. It is sometimes carried, in three stones, from mountain to mountain, and some- persons give it an equal rank with the works of the Romans. Whether the durability will he equal to theirs, may be disputed. The waters of this conduit, after being carried nine miles, fall down a bed of vast artificial* rocks at Belvedere, and form the cataract be- fore mentioned. As the palace of Caserta was left unfinished by Charles III, and his succes-. sors, the late King Joachim caused contribu- tions to be mad^ for its completion; but pass- ing through a number of hands, they were found inefficient, and the palace remains nearly as it was left by Ferdinand. In fine weather a pleasant voyage may be made to the island of Capri, anciently Ca- preaz, eighteen miles south of Naples, at the entrance of the gulph. Tiberius spent ten years here in the lowest debaucheries. Where the island is not rock, the soil is very rich, and every spot that will admit of it, is indus-l triously tilled. From twelve to sixty thou- sand quails are annually caught here ; and one year produced 160,000. The accommo- dations at the inn are bad; the island, how- ever, unites such a Y ar i e ty of beauties, the pozzuoli. 5o5 scenery is so charming, the climate so fine, the fruit so excellent, that it is well worth the attention of a traveller. In the excursions from Naples to Pozzuoli, the expense going and returning may be at the most thirteen carlins, and six or seven for the guide. For a canoe to cross the gulph, twelve carlins: but for a cruise, from twenty-four to thirty. For visiting the Sybil's Grotto or any o£ the temples in the marshes, one carlin for each.. For entering the baths of Nero, three ; the temple of "Venus, one carlin and a half, and half a carlin for the amphitheatre. For the guide to Solfatara and to the Alum and Sul- phur works, two carlins. For the person who keeps the entrance to the Grotta del Cane^ and for procuring a dog for experiment, two car- lins. For a cabriolet to Caserta, fifteen to nine- teen carlins j from Caserta to the aqueduct for another cabriolet, five carlins; to the persons showing the fountain and the statues, two carlins each. For the person who shows the apartments in the palace, one carlin ; for see- ing the theatre, the same. For the keeper of the museum at Portici, eight to ten carlins; for viewing the statues, etc. in the Palace Royal, two to four carlins. To the invalid who keeps the entrance of Herculaneum, and at- tends visitants with a light, one carlin for every hour. The old French louis of twenty- four livres is generally equal to fifty -six car- lins. Persons intending to go to Pozzuoli should furnish themselves with provisions. The collection of Etruscan vases at iVola, YV 5o6 BOOKS 0\ NAPLES. nine miles from Naj>les, belonging to the fa- mily of Vivenzio, is the most numerous in existence. They who have sufficient time may extend their tour from Pesto to Bari, Tar en to, Briu- disi, and Otranto; and from thence may visi< ! Calabria Ultra, Sicily, and the Island o! J)f alta. Should this not be the case, the tra- veller may return to Rome, by one of the twc! previous routes, or by sea, when he will haw an opportunity of inspecting the interesting line of coast from Naples to Ostia. A.gair arrived at the capital, we recommend him t( remain here a short time, to take a slight re trospect of the various striking objects whicl he contemplated on his first visit to the city and to observe any other curiosities whicl may have escaped his notice. From Rome he will proceed to Florence, a tour which w< shall describe in our next chapter. BOOKS ON NAPLES AND ITS ENVIRONS. I. Le Guide des Etrangers a IVaples. a. Viaggio a Pompei a Pesto e di Ritorno ad Erco lano, by Romanelli, 8vo. Napoli. 1S11. 3. Nicholas's very classical and interesting work, en titled, Memorie sui monumenti di Antichita e d belle Arti, cli esistono en Miseno, in Baoli, ii Jiaja, in Cuma, n Pozzuoli, in JVapoli, in Caput avoi ahtica. in Ercolano, in Pompei, ed in Pesto, 4to| .; JVapoli, 1812, (plates). \. Millies Memoir on the new Tombs discovered Pompeii, before noticed; — Sir"Wm. Hamilton's Ofc servalions on .Mount Vesuvius. Svo, ; — Collectioi of Etruscan, Greek and Roman Antiquities, {"of NAPLES ASPECT, SOIL, etc. 5oj 4 vol. ; — Engraving from Ancient Vases, fol. 3 vol.; — Anlichita di Ercolano, fol. Q vol. ; — Pitlure de* /■'asi Antichi, fol. 4 VQi»; — Si* H. Davy on the Colours used in Painting by the Ancients, Philos. Trans, for i8i5, Part I. Swinburne's excellent Travels in the two Sicilies, A vol. 8vo. which contains a full account of Pesto, Bri, Tatcnto, Brindisi, etc. etc. General Aspect, Soil, and Agriculture of i the Kingdom of Naples. — The modern civi- lisation of Europe lias penetrated slowly through this kingdom from the obstacles op- I posed to it by the Gothic institutions of the feudal times. We perceive in every thing the impressions of an epocli anterior to modern usages- and, notwithstanding its richness, this 'land of the south exhibits a vrjild physiogno- ■my, the result of a vigorous state of nature which human industry has not yet subdued ; a picture now rareiy to be met with in Europe. In the midst of these fertile tracts numerous families live in ruined huts. So great is the disorder and negligence around them that they seem to border on indigence. But this appearance of poverty, however repulsive, is more the result of long habits of indifference, favoured by the climate, than of real wretch- edness. It is so easy to be clothed and to live in this fine climate, that indigence is never distressing, and seldom prevents the increase of families. A certain proof of this is the as- tonishing population of the kingdom; which, 5o8 NAPLES — ASPECT, SOIL, etc.] according to the last enumeration, amounts to 6,345,000 souls. From the natural disposition of the Neapo- litans, the result of their manners and govern- |J inent, it follows that agriculture must be al- most the only art which they cultivate. With- out vanity or ambition, they have no idea of parade nor even of that external appearance of comfort, by which people in other countries wish to excite envy. The liberal and even the mechanical arts are unknown to them. All the objects of luxury and most of those of the first necessity are supplied by strangers; who carry back in exchange the superfluous productions of this fertile soil. Corn is cultivated in the plains and vallies ,and frequently gives 8 or 10 for 1. The ground, instead of being allowed to rest for a year, according to the custom of the ancient Romans, is ploughed directly in order to re- ceive the seed of another crop j and these dif- ferent crops grow in the volcanic ashes with unparalleled vigour. Thus every autumn and every spring renews the hopes of the la- bourer, and he is rarely disappointed. Fre- quently, after the harvest, they plough up the land and sow red or purple clover, which is indigenous in the south; round the fields grow mulberries and elms, cover them with their shade, and serve at the same time to support the vine, which, spreading over their branches, makes the same soil produce several crops at once. The greatest part of the kingdom is moan- NAPLES ASPECT, SOIL, etc 5oC) tainous ; some of the highest preserve the winter snows on their summits during the whole year. Pastures are found on their highest summits, where innumerable flocks- feed during the summer, for their thick ver- dure is never destroyed by the heat. Below this region of herbage begin the forests of chesnuts which grow to an enormous size; and on the lower slopes of these mountains are vvoods of olive trees. Round the villages they have fig-trees grow- ing in the rubbish, lemon-trees in the gardens, and fruit-trees round the enclosures. We see orange-trees for the first time near Fundi. In the neighbourhood of INaples the fields are often covered with elms, the branches sup- porting vines hanging in festoons between them; and under this shade are seen beans, Indian corn, or melons. The countrywomen here are not at all handsome ; their physiog- nomy is harsh, and their complexion of an olive colour; nor is their costume elegant. The small farmers are very poor, and only farm as much land as they can cultivate with their families; that is four or five acres. They keep for themselves only a third of the crop, the remainder belonging to the landlord, to whom it is paid in kind through the hands of his fattore. They have no ploughs, and work only with the spade; but the earth being mixed with volcanic ashes is easily stirred, and the occasional showers of ashes from Vesuvius contribute much to fertilize it. These farmers gather with care not only y v. blO NAPLES — ASPECT, SOIL, elC. the fruits but also the leaves of their trees, which serve to feed their cattle in winter. Me- lons* are cultivated successively between the rows of elms, after which corn is sown. When it is carried, the whole family go and dig up the stubble and sow beans or the purple clo- ver. During six months the children go every rajorning with a sickle and cut a load of the clo- ver for the cows. They have goats also, and sometimes an ass or little horse for going to town and carrying burdens ; but this is an advantage belonging only to the better sort. In the following spring, Indian corn is planted on the stubble of the clover or beans. The land is then manured, and on this crop depends the food of the family. The Indian corn is hardly reaped when the ground is turned up for corn again j but after this second harvest, they only cultivate different kinds of vegetables. From these details it appears that there is a regular rotation of crops in the ashy soil round Vesuvius, which is regulated nearly in the following way. First Year. Indian corn manured. Second.... Corn. Thjrd . Onions and vegetables. Fourth. . . . Corn, followed by beans or the red clover. Fifth Melons. Five years. Six crops. That is to say, this rotation affords six crops in five years, of which four are legumi- nous and two in corn, besides the produce of NAPLES ASPECT, SOIL, etC. 5ll the vines, the fruits and leaves from the same soil. This system of culture is almost entirely destined for the food of man, the sixth crop only, for which they are indebted to the climate, being reserved for the cattle. The variety of vegetables, skilfully intermixed in this rotation, keeps up the fertility of the Soil with little manure ; but, at the same time, nature, by giving it a volcano in its neigh- bourhood, has established an eternal source of fertility. To be convinced of this, one need only re- mark that this volcanic ground will support a family of five persons with a third of the pro- duce of five acres. These families certainly live very soberly and consume more vege- tables and fruits than corn; but, in fine, they live. Such an instance of fertility and of great population can perhaps no where else be found but in India ; for it amounts to 5ooo souls in a square mile, in the circumference over which Vesuvius throws its ashes. Beyond Pompeia we see no longer any traces of the disorder caused by Mount Vesuvius. The coast extends in almost insensible slopes, on which grow together olives and mulber- ries, vines and oranges. This favoured tract occupies all the space between Sorrento and Salerno, and is distinguished by the name of Piave di Sorrento. The plain of Sorrento is almost the only part of the kingdom of Naples in which one can discern the action of an active and en- lightened industry. It is in this fine region " 5l2 NAPLES — ASPECT, SOIL, etc. also that the farmers have attempted, with great success, the cultivation of cotton ; inso- much that, in the year 1812, they supplied the manufactures of Europe with 60,000 bales of that essential article. With respect to their method of cultivating it, they merely dig up the ground in March and sow the cotton in rows at the distance of three feet. In these rows the plants are only two feet from each other. The ground is so xich, that it requires no manure, but only to he kept constantly clean. The rotation of crops adopted in the vol canic country round Vesuvius, leaving no vacancy for the cultivation of cotton, it be- came necessary to change the course of crops, and to adopt another which is perhaps the most productive in the world. The farmers not being able to subsist with- out the different crops established by the an cient economy of the country, still continue to begin their system of rotation by the In- dian coin, for which they manure the ground. Corn succeeds, and then beans are sown im- mediately after the harvest. This plant being destined only for feeding the cattle during win- ter, is consumed early, and the soil can thus be prepared by the end of March, without any impediment, for receiving the cotton seed After it is gathered, corn is sown again in the same autumn, to which immediately succeeds the red clover. After the clover come me Ions, anu when they are ripe ; vegetables 00 NAPLES— ASPECT, SOIL, etc. 5l3 eupy the ground till spring and terminate tho rotation of which this is the formula : First year. Indian corn manured. Second Corn, followed by beans. Third Cotton. Fourth. . . . Corn, followed by clover. Fifth Melons, followed by vegetables. Five years. Eight crops. This course therefore supplies eight crops in five years, two of which are corn, three legumes, one commercial, and two destined for the cattle. By this variety the soil is enabled to produce all that the earth can possibly afford to human industry. The plain of Sorrento, which is a penin- sula, ends at Salerno; and a little way beyond that town, we again find the Maremma with the maC aria. The kingdom of Naples is not entirely free from that scourge, which reap- pears in similar districts along the shores of the Mediterranean, but never on those of the Adriatic. The wild pastures of the Nea- politan Maremma have not even a Casale in the centre of the domain as in the Cam- pagna of Rome, nor any still inhabited re- mains of ancient towns. The herdsmen and shepherds in the deserts have no other shelter than huts made of rushes, and the herds ruminate and repose in tranquillity and si- lence around them. It is in one of these solitary spots that the astonished traveller discovers at a great dis- tance the stupendous ruins of Paistum, the most ancient and most imposing in all Italy. 14 RETURN TO ROME. CHAP. VIII. Return to Rome. — From Rome to Florence and Description of that City. — Soil and Agriculture of Tuscany. The traveller is perhaps more struck with the t'ippearance of Rome on his return from Naples than he was on his first entrance. Not to speak of the grandeur of the objects that meet his eye, even at the gate, and are cer- tainly well calculated to make a strong im- pression, it has been justly observed that the bustle, the animation, the gaiety that per- vade the streets of Naples, still fresh in his recollection, contrast singularly with the si- lence and solemnity which reign undisturbed over all the quarters of Rome. The effect of this contrast is increased by the different style of building, the solidity and magnitude of the Roman edifices, and the huge masses of ruin that rise occasionally to view. Rome is not like Naples, the seat of mirth and dis- sipation; of public amusement or even of private conviviality. The severe majesty that seems to preside as the genius of the place, proscribes frivolity, and inspires loftiness of thought and gravity of deportment. To these recollections, which spring from, j pre? the very soil itself, and are inseparably at- j M Cached to its localities, we must superadd the antique statues that fill the cabinets both public and private. The capitol, in fact, was never so crowded with heroes and senators. RETURX TO ROtMET. 5l5 with consuls and dictators, as it is at present : never were so many kings assembled in its halls, and never was it visited by so many emperors in succession, as are now united in one grand assembly under its roof. The same may be said of the collections in the Vatican, where long galleries are lined with rows, frequently double, of busts and statues of all the great persons, real or ima- ginary, that have figured in the history and literature of the ancients, and have filled the world with their renown for so many ages. Ora ducum et vatum, sapientdmque one priorum. Private cabinets, some of which are almost as considerable as the two great repositories just mentioned, increase the prodigious stock, and give altogether a number of statues that equals the population of some cities : com- bining the most perfect specimens, not of Greek and Roman only, but of Etruscan and Egyptian art j and expanding before us in the compass of one city, all the treasures of the ancient world. « We find here, » exclaimed the Abbe Barthelemy, « ancient Egypt, an- cient Athens, ancient Rome. » And Mon- taigne, near three centuries ago, observed that Rome is a map of the world in relievo, presenting to the eye the united wonders of Asia, Egypt and Greece ; of the Roman, | Macedonian, and Persian empires ; of the world ancient and modern. 5i6 FROM ROME TO FLORENCE. No 6. From Rome to Florence, 193 English miles; 23 posts ; 34 hours, 29 minutes. TIME. FROM POSTS, h. m. Rome to La Storta i-J 1 3o Baccano 1 1 28 Monterosi I 2 4 Ronciglione. . . . 1 1 f^o jfyjonte di Viterbo. 1 1 20 VlTERBO 1 I l5 MoiSTEFIASCONE .1 1 IO BoLSENA I I 5o S. Lorenzo Nuovo i 5i AcQUAPENDENTE. I I 3 Ponteeentino . . . Radicofani .... TIME. FROM POSTS, h. 111. Radicofani to Ri- corsi i T 4 1 La Podorina . . . x i 5 Torrinieri 2 i 2 Buonconvento. . . 1 I i5 Monteroni . . . . 1 1 i5: Sienna 1 1 23 Castiglioncclio . . 1 2 10 Poggilonzi .... 1 1 25 Tavarnelle . . . . 1 1 4° 8. Cassiano. . . . 1 1 55; 2 i5 jo 34 FLORENCE(Fiienze)i Baccano, a solitary post-house, bearing the name of an ancient town, stands in ai little valley, surrounded with hills, forming: a verdant amphitheatre that wants nothing) but trees to be extremely beautiful. About! four miles on the right is the lake SabatinusA now Bracciano. The view of Rome from it J particularly at a very early hour, is one offl the finest that can be taken. The road from Rome to Ronciglione has already been described, see page 197. Between Ptonciglione and the mountain of Viterbo, anciently Mons Ciminus, is thej lake of Yico, a fine body of water, extending;! for three miles : it is encompassed by hills clothed with beautiful woods. The mountain is an accumulation of various volcanic sub stances, the richness of the soil of the moun- tain, is evident from the noble oaks, chesnufc and beech with which it is covered VITERBO — MONTEFIASCONE — BOLSENO. 5lJ Viterbo is a pretty town, situated in a plain at the foot of the mountain; and several square lofty towers produce an agreeable effect ! at a distance. It is well built, the houses are in a good taste, there are some pretty foun- tains, and some fronts of churches in a good style of architecture. The streets are paved wholly with lava, in pieces from four to eight feet in length; and the population is esti- mated at 10,000. The churches best worth seeing are the cathedral, and those of Santa Kosa and San Francesco. Beyond Viterbo, to the left, is a lake of hot water with a sul- phureous smell. The country to Montefias- cone has a melancholy appearance. Montefiascone stands on a very lofty emi- nence, commanding an immeasurable pro- spect, and appearing at a distance like a me- tropolis, as it was in fact in ancient times; but when approached, it appears but a mean town,- which would scarcely be known, were it not for the muscat wines in its neigh- bourhood. There are few spots in Italy which furnish more delicious and magnificent scenes than the environs of Bolseno, which stands on the ruins of the ancient Folsinium, one of the principal cities of Etruria ; but is now no more than a contemptible village, in which nothing is to be seen but an antique sarcopha- gus in the church-yard. Near it is a fine lake, thirty miles in circumference, once the crater of a volcano; and opposite to this, close to the road, is a remarkable hill,, covered x x. * Re p.; 5 [8 FROM ROME TO FLORENCE. with regular prismatic basaltine columns most of them standing obliquely, and a con- siderable length out of the ground: they a generally hexagonal, and flat at both ends. A short distance from Bolsena is Orvie'o The cathedral is a very fine Gothic building; the front is beautiful and very rich in sculpture and mosaic; and it contains a threat deal of sculpture and painting within. Of the latter, a chapel painted by Luca Signorelli with the Last Judgment, is most remarkable, particu- larly beeause Michael Angelo used to study it. Of the sculpture, a Pieta or dead Christ in the lap of the virgin, is most admirable Here also should be visited the deep shafts cut in the tufo, large enough for a person to descend on horseback, by i5o steps, lighted by ioo little windows; and he can ascend again by another staircase on the opposite side. The wines of this place, called Montefiascoue and Montepulciano, are in great esteem. In the tufo hills' near Sari Lorenzo chile GrotLe there is a great number of artificial caverns; probably formed at. first by digging puzzolana. Pius IV benevolently caused the old town to be demolished on account of the maV aria which reigns there, and built San Lorenzo Nuovo, a very handsome town on the top of the hill. Acquapendenle takes its name from an in- considerable stream, tumbling down a rock ; there are many ruins on every side of the town, and abundance of tufo and cinders. The soil from Rome lo this place is volcanic; CUIUS! — SIENiVA. 5 J C) from hence to Sienna arc mostly hills of marl. The mountain of Radicofani, however, is an isolated volcanic rock, surrounded in the val- ley with marl, but no ashes or pozzolana: on the other side of this valley is another vol- canic mountain, still higher, called S. Fiore; on the right is a castle. The town of Radi- cofani is rather below the summit of the mountain; the environs abound with springs of fresh water. Hence to S. Qairico the road continues over marl hills; but near this place the hills consist of calcareous tiifo, with sea shells enclosed in it. From San Quirico two oads lead to Pienza and Montepulciano. The latter celebrated for the excellence of its wine, as mentioned by Redi : Monlepulcian che tfogni vino e il re. A Hew miles from S. Quirico a narrow road eads to Chiusi through the middle of desol- tted hills of clay and'marl. Chiusi was an- :iently called Clusium\ the metropolis of Por- ena, but is now a miserable town, containing ibout iooo inhabitants. Not far on the right re the Bagni cli S. F Hippo, the waters of vhich deposit a fine calcareous tufo, which is precipitated on moulds from medals, bas- eliefs, etc. and makes most beautiful impres- ions. From S. Quirico to Sienna there is a suc- ession of marl hills, exhibiting rather a reary prospect; there are, however, some /ild and picturesque views. Siena, in the midst of hills, of the most leasing forms, excellently cultivated, is per- 520 FROM ROME TO FLORENCE. haps the most desirable place in Italy for a stranger to pass some time in; the climate being healthy, living reasonable, and society good. It is aiso within a moderate distance both of Rome and Florence. The houses are ; built of brick, and the streets are paved with it. The population of Sienna formerly a- monnted to 100,000; it now contains about 16 or 17,000 in a circuit of five miles. Sienna is particularly agreeable in the hot season, on, account of its lofty situation and salubrious air. It has produced many famous painters, architects, and poets; the higher circles are as distinguished as any in Italy, and have a Casi* 720, or Assembly of both sexes. The Duomo, or cathedral, is a fine Gothic building of black and white marble. The great portal was be gun in 1284, after the designs of Giovanni da Pisa, and finished in 1.333 by Agostino and Agnolo, Siennese architects. The front is rather encumbered with ornaments. All the work of the inside is most highly finished, as the carving in wood of the choir; the sculp' ture in marble of the pulpit, and especially the historical engraving of the pavement, re presenting in chiaro-scuro the most remark- able histories of the Old and New Testament In the Chigi Chapel are two statues b Bernini, S. Jerom and the Magdalen; als< eight columns of verde antico. The Benitier, \ handsome ; as is likewise the pulpit: and the bas-reliefs, especially of the staircase, are ad-: mirable. An ancient octagon marble pulpit, by Nic. and Giov. da Pisa, with basso-relievos r SIEXXA. 521 in 1267. Baptistery under the choir: ceiling I in fresco, hy Ambrogio Lorenzetti : and be- fore the entrance into the choir are four large frescos, by Ventura di Arcangiolo Salimbeni. i In the chapel of S. John are several good sta- i tues, the best of which is S. John, by Dona- ■ tello. In the left transept is a vaulted room, ; called the Library. There remain now no i other books besides forty large folio volumes i of church music in manuscript on vellum, ■ finely illuminated, by a Benedictine Monk of 1 Monte Cassino. On a pedestal, stands a I group of the Graces in white marble; it is v mutilated, and the middle Grace is without a head. This was once reckoned the finest 1 antique in the world. The greatest curiosity in this library is a set of ten large pictures in I fresco, in fine preservation and freshness of ^colouring, by Pinturicchio: the subject is the Jife of Pope Pius II. Raffaelle, it is said, gave Hie designs for some of them, and even assisted iPiuturicchio a little in the execution. Vasari [says* he made either the sketches, or the car- I toons, for them all. The church of the Augustuses is a very handsome modern building, by Vanvitelli. The church of the Dominicans is remark- able for a very ancient picture in wood, re- presenting the Virgin with the infant Jesus in I her arms, by Guide Sanese : it is dated 1221 , and is in the Venturini chapel. Though so I ancient, it is still in good preservation. The other churches worthy of observation :are, »S. Quirico, S. Martino, S. Maria in x x. 52 2 FROM ROME TO ELORE>'CE. Provenzano, S. Francesco , San-Spirito, and Santa-Caterina, II Carmine, S. Agostino, The Camaldules out of the city. Sienna has an University, with several learned professors. The library and museum are common to this, and the AcademiaFisico- crilica, which has published its transactions, under the title of Atti cleW Accademia di Sienna. There are four or five other acade- mies in this city. In the hospital of S. Maria delict Scala, in the chapel, is a fine large fresco of the pool of Bethesda, by Sebastian Conca. The Pa lazzo Publico, or Guildhall, is in a place or open area, in form of a shell. There a*re many ancient frescos in it. In the Sala di Balia, the life of Pope Alexander III is painted in fresco by old masters. This life of Alexander 111 is extremely curious. It con- sists of sixteen pieces, four large and twelve smaller, arched at top ; they are valuable, not only as specimens of the style of painting in Italy ata every early period, but because^they give us the arms, weapons, ships, manner of fighting, and, in short, the whole costume of the age in which they were painted, more com pleteiy than they would be obtained from any thing else now existing in the world. It is not well understood who was the author of these pictures; from their style he was evi- dently of the school of Giotto. They are painted in chiaro-scuro, in imitation of relie- vos, and perhaps may be the « storia di verde, terra j » which Yasari says Ambrogio Loren- Sif.NNA. 523 ?r Lti painted in this palace, though he speaks of eight only., and here are sixteen. Pecci says that they were begun by Marlino di Bar- tolomeo da Sienna, and finished afterwards by Spinello di Luca and his sons, painters of Arczzo, in i4°7- I' 1 * ne Sala del Consisto- rio, the ceiling painted by Beccafumi, is well executed, and in good preservation. The sub- jects of these frescos are some Greek and E.o- man histories, with ornaments between them. The Theatre is a part of this palace; it was burnt down in 174 2 a ad 17^1, and was rebuilt in a handsome manner, with four rows of boxes, and twenty-one in each row. The College Tolomei is a fine edifice. The Maremma of Sienna, formerly so fruit- ful and populous, now lies waste and un- peopled. The inhabitants of Sienna are af- fable, spirituels, and speak with sweetness 1 he purest language of Tuscany. The women are handsome, and not deficient in grace. In the neighbouring mountains are mines, marble quarries, and mineral waters. About three miles out of the road, before we reach Poggibonzi, is Colle, or a lofty hill, divided into the upper and loAver town, with paper manufactories on the Elsa and Stella. The source of the former river is much re- sorted to by naturalists, on account of the fossils found there. From Colle there are two roads, one to Massa (1) and the other to Pol- (1) From Massa an excursion may be made to Piom- bino } and thence to the Isle of Elba, the once celebrated retreat of Bojyaparte. 524 FROM ROME TO FLORENCE terra. The last town contains many monu- ments of antiquity, and some curious walls. In the neighbourhood are quarries of very hard stone, coal, and white and coloured alabaster, of which the most beautiful vases are made", copies from the Etruscan. The finest collection of Etruscan vases and anti- quities is in the Museum Guarnacci. Some grottos on the road to Leghorn from Yolterra are worth seeing. Poggiboiizi is a large po- pulous town, at the foot of a hill: its inha- bitants are industrious, and occupied in ma- nufactures. Leaving this place, on the left is the road to Pisa, and just before we arrive at Tavarnellc, on the left is a small chateau, called Barberino de Valdelsa. The whole road from Sienna to Florence is one of the most charming in Tuscany ; the country being finely varied with hills, clothed with olive-trees, vines, cypresses, firs, oaks, beeches, etc. The great number of country houses, old castles, and villages, make it ex- tremely picturesque. The road is all good, but continually ascending and descending, and paved all the way. There is another road from Rome to Flo- rence by Pebtjgia. Ombria, the best culti- vated part of the Apeninnes, is passed over, and the lake of Perugia will be seen. In tak- ing this road, the traveller must return as far as Foligno, on the way by which he came from Bologna. BY FERUGIA.' 5a5 No. 17. From Rome to Florence by Pepjljgiaj i5 posts; 20 hours, 10 minutes. {From Rome to Foligno, see p. 191.) TIME. TIME. FROM POSTS, h. m. FROM POSTS, h. UX. Foligno to Madon- Arezzo to Leva- na degli Angeli. i; 1 ne 2 3 10 Perugia (i). . . . i| i 5o L'Incisa 2 3 Torricella 2 3 Florence (Firen- • Camuscia (2) ... 2 a /lo ze) 2 3 Arezzo (3) . . . . 2 2 3o Madonna degli Angeli is remarkable for a I large church, dedicated to the Virgin, and a convent of Observantins. Near this place, but out of the route, is the pleasant town of sissisi, with a population of 4000 persons, once remarkable for the number of good pic- tures in its churches. The valley of Perugia is one of the most beautiful in Italy. The Tiber is next crossed over the bridge of Saint John. Perugia is a large handsome town, with jo or 12,000 inhabitants. Here are many fine churches and fountains. San Pietro is a beautiful structure, supported by marble pillars, with a fine choir. See also the Pa- lazzo Publico and College del Cambio. In the square Grimana, is a gate, called the Arch of Augustus, and in the parish of St. Angelo, the ruins of a temple, with an ancient in- scription. Torricella, situated on the banks of the lams.— (1) L'Auberge Etcolani. (2) The Post. (3) The Post. 526 FROM ROME TO FLORENCE. lake of Perugia, anciently Thrasymene, and famous for the defeat of the Consul Fla- minius, by Hannibal, is above thirty miles in circumference, abounds with excellent fish, and has ihree islands in it j on a peninsula, is a town called Castigliane, in which it is said there is a handsome palace, and some good paintings. Above Camoccia, on a hill planted ivitli vines and fruit-trees, is Cor/o/z a (Cory turn) a town remarkable for its antiquity, and j Etruscan academy, founded in 179.6 : the! semicircular plain a.t the bottom is one of the finest in Italy. The walls are built of large pieces of stone, without any cement. Here j are the ruins of a temple of Bacchus, and some' ancient baths. There are a fine library and museum attached to the academy : the latter is rich in antiquities, medals, and objects of natural history ; and some good private li- braries, museums, and collections, of pic- tures. From the church of the Observantins,| the view embraces the whole valley of Chiana, appearing like an immense garden. The environs of Cortona are covered with vines and olives ; there are also some quarries of excellent marble. Arezzo is remarkable for its antiquity, well built, and agreeably situated at the foot of a hill, with a population of 7000 persons.! In the square is a superb building, called La\ Loggia, built from the designs of Vasari,: and containing a custom-house, theatre, and) a portico 400 feet in length. In the churches are some good pictures, and in that belonging FLORENCF. 527 to Monle Cassino is the famous perspective cupola, painted by Del Pozzo. The cathedral is a vast gothic edifice, built in the year i,3oo: at the Olivelans, are the ruins of a Roman amphitheatre. The church of Pieve is a cu- rious old building. Wool and pins are the only manufactures at Arezzo. Petrarch was born here in i3o4- Between this place and Levane, are three sanctuaries or retreats of religious, in very lofty situations, and at some distance from each other; IS Alvernia , 3o miles from Arez- zo -j that of the Camaldules , s5 miles N. E. of Vallombrosa, where is a good classical library ; and that of Vallombrosa, about 20 miles from Florence. From Levane to Incisa, the road follows the banks of the Arno over a fertile and agreeable plain, taking its name from this celebrated river, and ., I thence called Veil d'Arno. FLORENCE. •A Florence is situated at the foot of the Apen- ,,. nines, in a vale intersected by the Arno, graced by numberless hills, and bordered at „ C HJ30 great distance by mountains of various f 'orms rising gradually towards the great ..',,. Vpennine chain. The whole vale is one con- i r„ inued grove and garden, where the beauty • f the country is enlivened by the animation 4 f the town, and the fertility of the soil is 5 ?doubled by the industry of its cultivators. ^hite villas gleam through the orchards on : ' r ery side, and large populous hamlets border 5^8 FLORENCE. the roads and almost line the banks of the river. The city itself spreads along the side of the; river which forms one of its greatest orna-i ments, and contributes not a little to its fame.; The streets are well paved, or rather flagged,; wider than usual in southern climates, and the! houses in general are solid and rather stately.; There are several squares and many churchesjj and palaces j so that its appearance is' airyj and clean, and sometimes rising towards gran- deur. Florence has been called the Athena jof Italy, and is certainly one of the fines 1 ] cities in that country. DIRECTIONS FOR VISITING FLORENCE. J. There are many excellent inns at Florence ff Schneiders Hotel on the north-east; JLunft'.f go V Amo, near the bridge alia Carraia\ Xut no one ought to go there, who does noire -travel in his own carriage or at least with nj. servant. At this hotel there is no table d'hd at present. The charges for eating are aboil c^ the same as those already stated at Geno»< Lodgings are charged 20 to 24 pauls and uj§;/ wards per night ; there are also other un» r . ^voidable expenses that are seldom met wiwi elsewhere. Even in England this would ■[.-■ considered an expensive inn. The proprietjlv himself speaks several languages, which m»I..- he a convenience to some. The other inns are, the Hotel de Fori the Quatr.e Nations on the Lungo I* A mo, op- posite Schneider's, and near the bri^' FLORENCE. 52g Santa Trinita. Another second rate hotel of the same name. The Aquila JVera, also a se- condary inn, and where there is a table aV /tote, but an inferior one. The Scudo di Francia (Crown of France) although not of the first rank is very tolerable ; bed rooms may be had at these last mentioned houses at four pauls and upwards per night. The best restaurateur is a French one, and called La Vignes, situat- ed in, a street that branches from the Piazza di Sajila Trinita, near the bridge of the same em name. There is a regular carte, or bill of fare, with the prices marked, as in Paris. One per- son may dine well, including wine, from six to eight pauls. There are many other Italian restaurateurs or trattorias, most of them in- ce |ferior; and a stranger, who is not tolerably m -acquainted with the language, will find him- self awkward in them. The best coffee rooms are the Bottegone, near the Duomo, or cathe- dral, and the Nuovo, in the Via Larga ; re- 4freshments are much more moderate in these houses, than in similar ones in Paris. There a0 |is also a very good cdffe attached to the Scudo di Francia, where a tolerable English breakfast un'lmay be had from two to three pauls. The coffee in all parts of Italy is inferior to that in France, the tea better, and the chocolate excellent. Those who purpose remaining some time :an procure private furnished lodgings, con- sisting of three to four rooms, from 10 to i% >rowns per mouth (each crown eight pauls) *7 53o FLORENCE. and he can then arrange for either the partial or entire attendance of a servant, purchase the requisites for breakfast and a supply of) wine, and contract at the nearest trattoria, to have his dinner sent, which will be done, on water plates with covers, and, by proper management, very moderate, and even lower than by going to dine there. The mutton, and especially the lamb of Tuscany,, is deli- cious. Its wine was formerly excellent, but little of a good quality can now be had at Florence. Good lodgings may be had at a Hotel Gami, kept by Madame Dubois, a French woman, on the same Longo on which Schneider's hotel is situated. As good a bed room may be had there for three to four pauls per week, as Schneider charges 10 for. There are several suites of rooms at various prices in this house. The landlady of which will sometimes engage to go to market and prepare a dinner. The great rendezvous of the Vetturini, who cany travellers to Turin, Leghorn, Home, etc. is at the Pollastvi, young fowl, near the Scu- clo di Francia. There are several reading rooms and res- pectable book shops in and near the Piazza del Duomo; also one in the Archibusserio^ near the Ponte Vecchio, where the French pa- pers may be met with. We recommend the one kept by Messrs. Mollini. MANNER OF SEEING FLORENCE. First day. — Visit the Duomo, the church e:j: FLORENCE. 53 1 of St. Lorenzo, and the chapel of the Medici there; the churches of the Annunziata, Spi- rito Santo, and S. Croce- Second day. — The gallery with the cabinets and museums. Third day. — Early in the morning visit the Museum ; afterwards proceed by the Via Larga, and take a walk in the Orto Ferdi- nando, and the Prata, on the banks of the Arno. Fourth day. — Visit the palace of Pitti, and the Boboli Gardens. Fifth day. The school of the fine arts. A subsequent period of a week or two may be occupied in seeing the other palaces and churches, excursions in the vicinity, and repeated visits to the gallery, its museum, and cabinets. Florence is nearly six miles in circumference, but its population, about 60,000 in number, is small in proportion to its size. It is cur- tained by hills, more or less elevated, which running from the Apennines, form a kind of i girdle, though the wall that surrounds it, \ following the inequality of the ground, is cal- culated for nothing less than defence. The same may be said of the five bastions beyond ! the- A rno, towards the north, and of the little ; fort of Belvedere, a small distance above Bo- \ boli. Several gates lead to the interior, as the \ Prato, Pinti\ S. Croce, S. Vincolc, 8. Mi- ! niato, S. Georgia, S. Pietro, Gualtolini, S. 1 Fridiano, and S. Gailo, leading to Bologna : - the latter is very wretchedly decorated, though 532 FLORENCE. before we arrive at it we pass under a trium- phal arch, erected in honour of Francis I, who made his entrance into Florence, with his spouse, Maria Teresa, this way, when elected Grand Duke of Tuscany in 1739. The river^/zo, descending from Mount Falterpnal traverses and divides the city into two unequal parts, the largest of these to the north-east and the smallest to the south-cast. This river, which falls into the sea a little below Pisa, contributes scarcely any thing to the com- merce of Florence. Its bed is fordable in various places in the warm season j and during that time, the provisions brought by water are barely sufficient for its consumption. The banks near the city being high, the quaysj here are called Lungo l* Arno. They are very straight, and have several fine houses and palaces near them, are a very great pro- menade in winter, because the situation is favourable for enjoying the sun, being very warm here when the winds do not blow | strongly. If these quays are continued on the same plan, they will rival the finest in Europe. The communication between the different ' parts of Florence is made by means of bridges, namely, the Rubicone, the Vecchio, the 7V/- I nita, and the bridge alia Carraia. The Tri- I. nity bridge is the handsomest, and joins the extremity of "the Maggio street, which leads to the palace of Pitti. At each extremity of this bridge, are the statues of the four seasons. This bridge is a bold construction of three arches, the centre of which is the FLORENCE — STREETS. 533 lowest. It is altogether a masterpiece of ele- gance. The bridges at Florence are pretty near each other, and are all free, excepting the old bridge, which has also three arches, and may also be considered as a kind of street, from the number of low houses and shops upon it; most of the latter are occupied by gold and silversmiths. STREETS. J fr The streets of Florence, notwithstanding the projecting gutters from the roofs, are kept very clean, and are not only lighted by the. lamps of the Madonnas, but with numerous reverberators, placed at small distances; Among the best streets are Via Lctrga, La Scalata, II Borgo Ognisanti. Many of tha others have such obliquities in their direction, and branch off in so strange a manner, thai: a person walking by himself, and not under- standing the Florentine dialect, may easily be embarrassed. The streets are ornamented here and there with fine palaces and other edifices, which give them an air of majesty. Crosses are painted on aH the walls, to deter the men from defiling them. Every traveller who arrives for the first time in Tuscany, and has only seen the com- mon pavements of the northern towns of Eu- rope, is struck with astonishment mingled with admiration at the sight of those of Flo- rence. It is one of the magnificent features of this city, and even the most striking though the least mentioned. Most people would be 534 FLORENCE STREETS. afraid to go on horseback on these flat smooth slabs, but the postillions generally drive a brisk trot, and even sometimes gallop, to the no little surprise and even alarm of the tra- veller. The beauty of the pavement, with the ar- chitecture of the palaces, both grand and rus- tic, gives Florence a peccliar and characteristic physiognomy. It is not the modern elegance of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, nor the Gothic decoration of the fourteenth a.na fifteenth ; but the noble and severe archi- tecture of the interval which separated or ra- ther connected these two epochs, and was it- self the a?ra of the revival of taste. Florence is larger and more populous than Bologna, and incomparably more handsome. The austere style of its palaces has something more noble than those of Genoa, and more agreeable than most of those at Home. In order to relish the architecture of Flo- rence, one must begin, however, by getting accustomed to that serious and heavy style of building which makes a palace like a fortress; every thing here has been sacrificed to solidity. The windows are large but so wide from each other, and the stories so high that the apart- ments want light. You find rooms where you can only read at midday by standing at the window- Nor are the apartments very com- modious, the internal distribution being gene- rally bad, from its having been sacrificed to j the external appearance. The inside is some- times so confused as lo be like a labyrinth; FLORENCE — SQUARES. 535 and even the palace of the Grand Duke, the finest of all, is not free from this defect. SQUARES. The squares at Florence are sufficiently spacious, but indifferently ornamented. In several of these, pillars have been erected in consequence of some miracle, and these are fre- quently decorated with Saints. Others having been erected to perpetuate the remembrance of some victories, are really handsome; for instance, that near the palace Strozzi, on ac- count of a victory over the city of Sienna in i554- The pillar here, taken from the baths of Antoninus at Rome, was a present from Pope Pius V. A bronze figure upon its sum- mit represents Justice holding a balance. The square of S. Lorenzo is decorated with a square monument, having upon one of its faces a pretty bas-relief by Bandinelli. The statue of John Medicis was to have been placed on this pedestal, which is still in the old pa- lace. The principal ornament of the square of Santo Spirito is the church of that name. The square of the Annunziata is spacious and elegant, on account of the arcades that sup- port a number of Corinthian columns on each side of it. An equestrian statue of Duke Fer- dinand I decorates the centre of this square: a fountain on each side with Tritons has a pretty elTect. The finest square, as to extent, is that of the Grand Duke; it contains within its precinct, the Old Palace, the offices, and the edifice called La Loggia; but several of 536 FLORENCE — SQUATTEST. the houses are very ordinary, and among these is the Post Office. A fountain, erected by Cosmo I, has a very large marble basin of an octagon form. In the centre is a colossal figure of Neptune, standing erect in a shell t drawn by four horses, encircled by about a dozen figures, representing Nymphs and Tri- tons ; and the figure of Neptune is out of all proportion to the size of the horses. An eques- trian statue of Cosmo I, a monument of filial piety, was cast by John of Bologna in 1594. The square of the Mercato Nuovo is rather small, and has nothing to distinguish it from a market place, excepting a fine column of granite, crowned with a statue of Plenty ,. The Mercato Vecchio, or the Old Market Square, has a fountain, decorated by a boar in bronze, in the ancient manner, and well \ worthy of attention for the truth of its exe- cution. The square of S. Maria Novella is noted for the horse races, resembling those in the Corso at Rome. That of St. Mark, very- near, is where the combats of the beasts are exhibited; there is besides these, the square of S. Croce, etc. On going over the town, one meets with several handsome porticos, some fixed to an edifice of which they form a part, and sup- ported by a single row of columns., others in- sulated like a piazza and composed of several rows of columns. In proceeding from the palace of Strozzi to that of Corsinl we see on the place of the Trinity, a fine pillar of granite surmounted by a statue of Justice. On the FLOBE\CE — PALACES. 53? facade of the church of the Trinity., is a bas- relief, which I have never seen mentioned in any description, but which I do not hesitate to point out as a very fine piece of sculpture. It represents a dead Christ in the arms of the Eternal Father. PALACES. The old palace is situated in one. of the angles of the square of the Grand Duke. This massive and melancholy edifice was erected in the thirteenth century, and intended as the centre of republican dignity. At the entrance is David triumphing over Goliath, by some ascribed to Michael An gel o, and Hercules with Cacus, by F^incenzo Bossi, scarcely in- ferior to that of his master, Bandinetli^ which is in the square. This palace at present suffers under great neglect and disorder, hav- ing more of the resemblance of a prison than a royal residence. However, the interior of the court forms a strong contrast with the exterior : here is a portico ornamented with columns in stucco, upon a gilt ground : the roofs covered with arabesques of the school of Raffaelle; and a beautiful fountain plays in the centre. The grand staircase is also or- namented with arabesques; this leads to dif- ferent halls, one of them of an immense mag- nitude; but the richest ornaments of this palace were mostly removed by the French, who converted the apartments into lodgings for the municipality, and tribunes for the dif- ferent pleaders. 538 FLORENCE PALACES. The palace Pitti was built in i44°? from the designs of Fillppo Brunelleschi. It is very spacious j the style of the architecture, though grand, is ralher gloomy. The exterior has a huge prison-like appearance, and resembles three stone terraces retiring and rising beyond and above each other. It has also a consider- able vacant space of ground in the front, not even sloped or levelled. But almost every where on the continent this deficiency is ob- served with respect to public buildings. The lower apartments are here the grandest, both in the gilding, the statues, the paintings, crystals, etc. and these are only exceeded by the grand Imperial saloon. There is a com- municaJion by a long covered passage all the way to the Old Palace; and through a pas- sage under ground, it is even possible to reach the iortress of Bo?>oli. The finest front of the Palace of Pitti presents -itself towards that fortress. The garden is the most beautiful o£ any in Florence, being agreeably laid out, and watered with fountains and jets cl'eau. This palace was partly built by Strozzi, an opu- lent merchant, who, when he got to the first story, had so far ruined himself that he could not proceed: the Medici, however, relieved him from ruin and embarrassment, by pur- chasing the building of him. The court is so large, that it has been said that another palace might dance in it. Two of the wings of this palace lead to a terrace, to which there is an j entrance on the first story and a way into the garden. Under this terrace, opposite the Ri FLORENCE PALACES. 53g principal gate, is a massy grotto, crowned with a cascade, which supplies a basin stored with fish. In the summer apartments, there is a pretty assemblage of slatues, bust's, and bas-reliefs. The Venus of Canoya will be also seen in this palace, and its truly exquisite situation much admired. It resembles a beau- tiful temple, and the divinity seems as if claiming homage from those who approach her sacred shrine. There are several other palaces, which though not of the immense size of the Pitti, are not less beautiful. The style of their building is much the same : they have all square courts, with an open gallery running round each story, and these courts are very often embellished with a fountain. Some of them have the appearance of grandeur, par- ticularly that of RiccarcU, in T r ia JLargaz this was the residence of the first of the 3Ie- dicis ; the first asylum of the Muses at Flo- rence. It was built in i/|.3o, under Cosmo, then Gonfalonier of the republic. Charles V, Louis XII, Francis I, Leo X, and Clement; ! "VII, have had their residence here. At pre- i sent this palace is in a state of complete de- sertion, in consequence of the owner's embar- rassments. Next to this palace are those of Corsini 9 Strozzi, Salvialti, MarucceUi, Ghp.rardesca y and Gondi. The walls of these buildings are mostly of such a construction as to defy can- n.on-shot ? which ^vas of great utility in the !■ 54© FLORENCE PALACES. stormy times of the Florentine republic. Up- on the walls are large iron rings, which was a character of distinction to the owner; but, notwithstanding all this display of strength and magnificence, the interior convenience of these palaces is exceeded even by decent pri- vate houses of the present day. Among the palaces best decorated, they reckon Capponi, Salviaii, Ruccellai, Niccc- fini, Brunaccini, Viviani, Mozzi, and others. That of Strozzi, the eternal enemy of the Medici's, is of the Tuscan order; but the sur- charge of embossed work, its massy entabla- ture, and unornamented facade, render it disgusting to every person who comes from Rome. As for the addition of a garden to these palaces, this is a kind of enjoyment which never entered into the conception of a Florentine. The general good taste which presides over the architecture of this city, owes its origin to Michel Angelo and his school; but, if this sublime genius has not always imitated the lightness and elegance of the ancients at Florence, as Palladio has done at Venice and Vicenza, it must be attributed to the causes before mentioned, when the solidity and imposing attitude of these build- ings, was necessary for the personal safety of their proprietors. The house or palace in which Michel An- gelo Buonaroii resided, is an object of some curiosity to such as have a pleasure in con- templating the localities attached to estraor- FLORENCE — CHURCHES. 54 1 dinary persons. Here are some paintings re- presenting the principal actions of his life j and some pieces said to be by his own hand. CHURCHES. Most of these, the cathedral excepted, have a very mean shabby external appearance ; that of St. Lorenzo is not better, and rather resembles a barn, than a sacred edifice. The cathedral, situated nearly in the centre of the city, was begun in 1296, from the designs of u4rnolfo di Lapo. It is a vast edifice, /^id feet long, and 3o3 in breadth. The superb cupola, finished by Philippo Brunellesc/ii, is an octagon, 140 feet from one angle to the other, the interior of which was painted by Frederic Zuccheri. The exterior of the church is a mixture of black and white marble of a very singular appearance. The Campanile, or bel- fry, detached like that of Pisa from the church, is about 280. feet high, cased with marble of different colours, and ornamented with statues. It is a light, airy, and grace— J ful tower; and was so much admired by ! Charles-Quint, that he said it should be kept in a case and only shown on festivals. From i the top is an excellent view of Florence and the environs. The ascent is by 406 steps. Many of the most distinguished personages 1 in the early times of the republic, have cu- rious monuments in the cathedral ; and here the equestrian figure of Sir John Hawkwood an Englishman, is painted on the wall of the church. He is called Johannes Acutus. Zac- I zz 54^ FLORENCE — CHURCHES. chioroli calls him Jean Acut, an Englishmai who signalized himself much in arms in tin service of the Florentines, and died in i3g3. Opposite to the cathedral is the baptistery, of an octagon figure, cased with marble. Il has three bronze doors, the bas-reliefs o which are admirable j the most ancient is b;j Andrew Ugolini of Pisa, and the others b} Lorenzo Ghiberti. The interior contains se- veral statues by eminent sculptors, and six teen pillars of granite. The roof is covered with mosaic ; and several monuments hen attract the attention of the amateurs of th arts. The bronze doors were so much ad mired by Michael Angelo, as to be styled b^ him « the gates of Paradise. » People are in the habit of resting and takin refreshments upon the marble steps betvvee this baptistery and the cathedral. Here thev point out the Sasso di Dante, a favourite stone upon which the poet used to sit. The cathedral, called as usual in Italy II Duomo, is an edifice of great strength and magnificence, and ranks among the first of the kind in Europe. It is, in fact, if we con-i sider magnitude and materials, boldness an skill, the second. Not only its walls are in crusted with black and white marble, but is paved with variegated marble, disposed, a least in part, by Michael Angelo. It is adorne both within and without by marble statues, most of which are the works of the most emi- nent sculptors ; and its paintings are in gen ral masterpieces of the cenda (perfectly equal). On the play-bills, not only all the members of the orchestra j not only the scene-painters and mechanics, but the stage-tailors and rnantua makers must be named! Though the Italian theatres are very cheap for persons who sit in the pit, they are extremely expensive to those who possess the boxes. In the first place, the rent of the box itself is very high ; but when this is paid, they have not yet the right of entering, but merely of possessing the key, which is of no use without a ticket of admission. And in jx^any places (as at Rome for instance) they Ji FLORENCE THEATRES. 0'J3 must also pay a servant to stand outside the box-door: when admitted, the chairs are sc* hard, that those who consult their comfort, or wish to accommodate a lady, must hire cushions of the box-keepers, who keep them for that purpose. Hence, after you have called for ices and refreshments, the expense is commonly il. 10.9. Gd. sterling, only for the evening's amusement; and, 011 the first and second nights of the season, the amount is still higher. The Cocomero is in the heart of the city, and is very much frequented; here they play small pieces, particularly prose comedies, but without singing or dancing. The decorations of the house are very pretty ; but there is al- ways a distinction in the quality of the dresses worn by first-rate actors and their inferiors. These obtain a living by playing in different places at ditferent seasons; but the underlings, who play occasionally at Florence, are made up of tradesmen or others, who, having a pas- sion for the stage, are contented to exert their talents in the evening for a very small recom- pense. These people have no stimulus to arrive at excellence, because they are con- vinced, that the professed players will always have tlie preference. During the carnival, six theatres are opened, and the prices of all, that of La Pergola excepted, are considerably lowered. Fencing, by way of interlude, in which the poniard is used as well as the sword, is very much admired here : this is called ah~ I watlimenti. Among other popular diyertise- 556 FLORENCE — FOUNTAINS — PROMENADES. meats, the chariot races on St. John's eve in the square of S. Maria Nuova j the Festa delle Berucolone; the same of Galcio, or foot-ball ; the Signores, the Casinos, and the Conversa- ziones are the principal. Fountains. — The fountains that embellish the squares, as well as those in other parts of the city, are supplied with water from the reservoir a little beyond Boboli. That in the square of S. Croce, is supplied by an aqueduct which conveys the water from Arcetti. Promenades. — Two promenades are the most fashionable here: Boboli, which belongs to the palace of Pitti, and the Poggio Impe— riale, near the Roman gate. At the entrance of this walk are two pillars, one supporting the figure of a lion, and the other that of a she-wolf, emblematical of Tuscany and Sien- na. Further on, are the statues of Homer, Virgil, Dante, and Petrarch. Here a long avenue commences with narrower alleys on each side, beautifully shaded with the oak and the vine. This walk terminates in a piece of ground enclosed by a balustrade, orna- mented with statues. Leopold the Good used frequently to walk here without guards, at- tended by a few friends. Boboli, a mixture of the English and old formal French style. One part of it is dedi- cated to botanical purposes ; this garden joins the south wing of the palace Pitti, and as the ground is extremely unequal, it is not very pleasant walking either in summer or winter. Besides it is commanded by a small fort called FLORENCE PROMENADES. 55f the Belvedere Fort; there is a most extensive prospect, which, even in winter, presents a landscape that maybe considered truly Italian. As most of the trees are evergreens, they are so cut and trimmed as to form long and well shaded walks; but the fountains never play, unless some person of distinction is present. The Isola is a charming place, having in its centre a large basin of granite more than twenty feet in diameter, and decorated with a colossal statue of Neptune, with three rivers at his feet, the Ganges, the Nile, and the Euphrates, pouring their tribute into the ocean. Some of the grottos in this garden \ are adorned with grotesque figures not very delicate. The most fashionable promenade is that of the carriages, which, setting out from the gate of S. Gallo, traverse the whole city as far as the Pv.oman gate, and sometimes proceed as far as Poggio Imperiale, where they take some refreshment till about the time the theatre opens. Still the promenade most frequented of all is along the banks of the Arno, or ra- ther upon the quays* here, from noon till three o'clock, good company is always to be found, particularly in winter, on account of its being completely sheltered from the north, wind. This place is uncommonly crowded in carnival time; because here the masks of all descriptions may be seen defiling from the square of S. Croce. Another promenade for the purpose of ere- iting an appetite, commences at the gate of a aa. 558 FLORENCE — GALLERY. del Praio, and continuing along the side of the Arno, leads to a plantation of large trees in the midst of delightful meadows. The gar- den, known by the name of Vaga loggia, is divided by a canal from the Arno; this is much frequented in spring and summer, par- ticularly in the evening, when the shade of tire elms and the mulberry trees is most agree- able, and the wa^er most refreshing. The cassinos at the end of this place, are sur-*> rounded with groves and rivulets. What was formerly the stables of the Grand Duke are now converted into cow-houses, affording in summer the refreshment of milk. etc. Fol- lowing the course of the walls within the city, from the Porta del Prato to the street Yal Fonda, opposite the entrance to the fortress, many tennis players may be seen; besides this is a rendezvous for the gayest of the females in humble life, who, with others, come there to display their attractions. The Gallery. — This is situated above the colonade of the Via Finzi, which opens into the Piazza del Gran Duca. It is free, and opeu every day, Fridays and Sundays except- ed, and is the most valuable treasure that Florence possesses. It is an immense building on the side of the Arno, near the old palace. The apartments on the ground floor were I lately occupied as public offices. Florence is indebted to the family of the Medici for this foundation, the different branches of which, for many centuries vied with each other in enlarging and beautifying it. Lorenzo di FLORENCE GALLERY 55(> Medici was the patron of Michael Angclo, and founded an academy for painters and statu- aries, which gave birth to the famous Floren- tine school. Cosmo the First had the cele- brated building erected by Yasari in the six- teenth century, which the stranger still passes through with admiration. The great arch- duke Leopold, generously separating the in- terest of his family from that of the state, declared this gallery the property of the na- tion. In 1800, the Florentines had the pre- caution to convey their most valuable statues and pictures to Sicily, from whence they have since been returned. In the front hall stand the busts of the princes, who have enriched this gallery. Besides halls and chambers, the gallery consists of three passages filled with the works of art. . The ceilings represent the history of the arts, as the pictures in the shortest of these passages do the Tuscan history in gene- ral. M. Lorenzo Caponi, who supported four thousand men during a famine, stands in one part ; America Yespucci, who gave bis name to a quarter of the world, in ano- ther; the philosopher Machiavelli in a third; and Galileo in a fourth. Among the poets are Dante and Petrarch - y and among the sta- tuaries, Michael Angelo and Bandinelli. The list of painters contains Leonardo da Yinci and Andrea del Sarto. Eminent writers on agriculture are justly esteemed Avorthy of this honourable situation. Close underneath this ceiling is a beautiful series of five hundred 5Go FLORENCE — CALLF.fcY. prints of famous men, in chronological order, among whom are the names of several cardi- nals and theologians. Among the busts here is that of Otho, with his bare head, the hair of which was so short and thin, that his murderers could not lay hold of him by it. The jolly face of Yitel- liuSj who spent in less than a year, nine mil- lions of sesterces for suppers, is pleasant enough to look at. Three busts of the good iMarcus Aurelius represent him as a youth and as a man. A fine bust of Caracalla is called by connoisseurs « the last sigh of the art. » Here is also the head of Aquilia, a vestal, com- pelled to marry Heliogabalus. The bust of Alexander Severus is very rare - } this was lately dug up at Olricoli; and there is only one more in the museum at Rome. Here is also the head of Tranquilla or Tranquillina, the emperor Gordian's spouse, which indicates that she bore her name with great propriety. Among the statues, a satyr or Pan, teaching a youth to blow a flute, is so fine, that many believe it to be one of the satyrs of which Pliny makes such honourable mention. That of a supposed vestal is noticed for its perfect con- dition* a veil conceals her hair. The Venus of Belvedere is ascribed to Phidias. Bacchus, starting at a young faun, is extremely pretty. A flute with ten reeds, leaning against a tree near him, is an addition to be seen nowhere else. A pretty female figure, with a goose, is only noticeable on account of being frequent- ly met with in this and other galleries. Ye- FLORENCE — GALLERY. 56l nus Anadyomene rising out of the water, as in the famous picture of Apelles, mentioned by Pliny, is a charming, woman ; while a flayed Marsias, in reddish marble, looks like raw flesh. The famous Laocoon, is only a copy of that which was removed to Paris, and is now at Rome, executed by Bandiuelli in the* sixteenth century. A fine octagon hall, denominated the Tri- bune, contains some of the statues supposed to be the most valuable. In the centre the Medicean Venus appears in a superior situa- tion, to that she occupied in the Museum of Napoleon. The famous Apollino, or the Grin- der, as he is called, the Wrestlers, and the Fauns by Praxiteles, stand in a circle. In the body of thejhall, the groupe of INiobe is placed. Among the pictures is a collection of old paintings, and with these the monk ScJuvartz y sitting in his laboratory, and inventing gun- powder. In the mortar used by him, these words are to be read : Pulvis excogitatus,i33^ y Daniel Bartoldo Schwartz. A representation of the primitive ages affords a ludicrous ex- ample of the author's ideas of innocence : children are standing and making water in the river. A Judith cutting off the head of Holofernes is done by a lady. Lucretia, the wife of Andrea del Sarto, is a pleasing object, when known to be the performance of a ten- der husband. A Christ at the tomb is finely drawn by Michael Wohlgemuth, the master of the great Albert Durer. The waterfall of Tivoli is painted by Wutky. A fine painting 56?. FLORENCE — GALLERY. of the Crucifixion, by Octavian Semini, a Genoese. Among the portraits of Vandyke, that of his aged mother is. the greatest honour which filial love could devise. Here is also a Madonna suckling her child, by Leonardo da Yinci ; another by Tasso Ferratoj a scene from Jtriosto, by Guido Reni ; the Marchioness de Sevigne and her daughter ; the Theseus, by Poussin ; the sacrifice of Iphigenia, by Le Brun; the poet Rousseau, by Cargittiere • se- veral pictures by Durer, Rubens, and Hol- bein. Luther and his wife, by Lodovico Ca- raccij Rembrandt's black pictures; others by Raifaelle; Albano's groupe of children, Ti- tian's Venus, etc. etc. This gallery is no less rich in portraits and drawings; as, however, none but connoisseurs can duly appreciate these, the only manifest proof of the changes and improvements, are the penti?mnti, or touches, which some great masters have made in their own drawings. The Etruscan vases aud the antique bronzes are equally curious. Among a number of little household gods, here is a Roman eagle that once served as a banner to the twenty-fourth legion; an open hand (manipulus) which served the same purpose for a cohort; a mu- ral crown, with helmets, spurs, bucklers, rings, necklaces, mirrors of metal, innume- rable lamps of every form, household uten- sils, tripods, -locks, keys, etc. Here is also an old manuscript in wax, containing the ex- penses of Philip the Fair in one day's journey. FLOREIVCE — GALLERY. 563 The statue of an orator in bronze is a, charming Etruscan antique. The famous Mercury of John of Bologna is represented as soaring aloft in the air on the breath of a zephyr. To extract the most remarkable in- scripiions in Latin and Greek, and those from the Egyptian monuments, would be almost endless. The same may be said of the cameos, the intaglios, etc. the catalogue of which alone occupies volumes. By a bill at the en- trance to this gallery, strangers are requested to give nothing to the attendants, who, from the highest to the lowest, are strictly pro- hibited from the acceptance of any douceur whatsoever. In one of the wings behind the principal gallery, are a range of smaller apartments called Studiolos, and each one is respectively named after the country of the artist whose paintings are there preserved; thus, there are the Flemish, German, French, Genoese, Roman, Neapolitan, and other Stu- diolos. Many of the halls belonging to this gallery may be deemed museums themselves: they contain numbers of curiosities: a superb torso of the finest oriental alabaster, supporting an infant Nero* a magnificent vase of yellow amber, through which the genealogy of the house of Brandenburg is reflected ; a cabinet in lapis lazuli; a fine table with fruits and flowers composed of precious stones; twelve istatues of amber sculptured in a masterly manner; a beautiful table, exhibiting a hun- dred and twenty-five different specimens of 564 FLORENCE — GALLERT. marble. The repertories, which preserve these curiosities, are generally called Studiolo; but lastly, here is the Gabinetto dell Gem- mai, or Hall of Jewels, in which are several chests, filled with vases of agate or jasper ; a dish of granite, of surprising volume; heads and other curious and rich engravings in aigue marine, turquoise, chrysolites, and topaz. Here is also a table of lapis lazzuli, in equal parts, representing the city of Leghorn, as it appeared in i5/|0, one of the finest pieces of incrustation of the sort that Florence ever produced : it is said to have cost 40,000 crowns. In a word, every apartment affords something of this nature, rendering any written descrip- tion extremely difficult and defective. See the Catalogue published at Florence, entitled La Galerie Imperiale de Florence, 8vo. pp. 187. A gallery, or Loggia, as it is called, is a portico connected with the offices here, and adorned with the Perseus of Benvenuto Cel- lini, a Judith of Donatello, the rape of the Sabines by John of Bologna. On one of the walls we read, that till the middle of the pre- ceding century, the Florentines began their year on the twenty-fifth of March. Three of the arcades of this building look towards the old palace. This edifice was begun in i355, and besides being an ornament to the gallery, serves as a place of shelter for the people in hot or rainy weather. Underneath the Judith of Donatello, we read Publico?. Salutis. Excmplum. Civ. Pos. '••:'; FLORENCE — SCHOOL OF FINE ARTS. 565 A piece of advice offered by the Republican government of Florence, to persons disposed to seize upon the supreme authority. The pedestals of all these figures in this portico are ornamented with bas-reliefs in bronze, which have some connection with the history of Cosmo. The School of the Fine Arts, Intaglios, etc. The School of the Fine Arts is a noble establish- ment : it is held in a ci-devant religious house. Here a suite of rooms exhibit plaisters of all sorts, busts, pictures, and designs, which are given to young students to copy on the spot. M. Benvenuti, an able painter himself, is the director of this institution , and a gal- lery of the best pictures,, from the suppressed churches, has lately been formed. M. Gio- vanni Alessandria is the President of this school. Masters of every kind have also been appointed, and a Professor of mythological history j and there is a separate hall for the maked figures. The scholastic year commences on the 2d of November, and concludes at the liend of September following. The school for the works en pierre de rap- vort, or Intaglios, is under the management of MM. Siriez, father and son. It was insti- iuted during the reign of Cosmo I, and is now Drought to the highest degree of perfection. Jere, as a prodigy, is to be seen a square of apis lazzuli, six feet by three ; the centre :xhibits a military trophy, with a crown at 'ach of the extremities; the whole bordered >y litniscan. A gallery for the display of all eb b i 566 FLORENCE SOCIETY AND MANNERS. the curiosities here, has been lately opened. SOCIETi 7 AND MANNERS. The manners of the people of Florence are so nearly allied to the mildness of the climate, that travellers, satiated with the pleasures of Venice, the majestic beauties of Rome, and the pleasing prospects of Naples, come to Florence, to enjoy the sweets of a free com- munication, the principal charm of society. In this, the citizen copies the court, and without culpability or restraint. With re- spect to urbanity of manners, next to Parma, there is no place to be compared with Flo- rence. The Florentine, though by no means a flatterer in his manner of receiving stran- gers, loves to communicate with them. The great at Florence are pleasant, and without hauteur ; and the people more po- lished than other places in Italy, are by no means deficient in respect to those above them. But what is most to their praise this deference to their superiors is not ground- ed upon any return of interest. They take considerable pleasure in their public spec tacles, particularly in the abbattimenli, a kind of dance, with an exhibition of the sword or poniard. They are not averse to games of exercise, particularly calcio, or foot-ball. The great prefer the chariot-races. The fair sex are attached to parties at the casino, or conversaziones, where they give free scope to all the gaiety of their character. Tire femal fashions here are neither French nor English, FLORENCE — IMPROVISATORS 56j but often a mixture of both. However, the amiability of the Florentine ladies is very attractive to the stranger. On Easter Eve, all the farmer's round Flo- rence collect in the cathedral, to watch the motions of an artificial dove , which, just as the priests begin Gloria in Excelsis, bursts away from the choir, glides along the nave on a rope, sets fire to a combustible car in the street, and then flies back to its port. The eyes of every peasant are wistfully rivetted on the sacred puppet, and express a deep interest in its flight ; for all their hopes of a future harvest depend on its safe return to the altar. « Quando va bene la colombina, va bene il Eiorenlino,» is an old adage, common in this part of Tuscany. Improvisator!. — Extemporaneous poetry is brought to considerable perfection at Flo- rence, and has long been such a custom in private circles, as at length to become an object of speculation ; so that the Italian bards now pace the streets, and address stran- gers newly arrived at the inns, to hear a sonnet, etc. which will be more or less bril- liant according to the reward given. The Im- provisatori of Florence possess various degrees of merit ; and among those who are most distinguished at present, are Signora Mazzai, wife of the advocate Landi, who delivers Latin verse, and Signora Fantastici. These | extemporaneous poetical effusions, which de- rive a great share of their felicity from the abundance of vowels in the Italian language, 563 "FLORENCE COMMERCE, etc. so favourable to their rhymes, are, among the higher circles, mostly accompanied with mu- sic, by which they are considerably assisted j while the auditors of the lower classes are compelled to content themselves with the harmony of the verse, and the total absence of other sweet sounds. The celebrated original of Madame de StaeTs Corinna is still living iii Italy. COMMERCE, MANUFACTURES, etc. Very excellent satins and silks are manu- factured at Florence, particularly the plain sorts : the same may be said of woollens o£ every species. Dyeing is in great perfection, especially black. The manufacture of car- riages here is very elegant ; and the musical instruments are excellent in their kind, par- ticularly the piano forte* mathematical in- struments, etc. In a word, Florence abounds j with industrious and ingenious mechanics, i There is a kind of mock Mosaic here, an ad- mirable imitation. The Mortadelles, or sail- i sages of Florence, are also famous in Ita!y v j Germany, ar\d France ; as are the candied i fruits, the essences, and sweet-scented waters i made here. The wine in the vicinity of Flo-! rence is excellent, and much of it is exported..: ENVIRONS OF FLORENCE. Proceeding through the gate of St. Gallo,. among the royal residences worth attention r is the Carreggia, famous for the Platonic as — ! seniblage of learned men under Lorenzo thes ttorexce — ENvmcrvsv 56g i Magnificent. At Castello, three miles fron^ ■ the gate of Praia, there is a house delightfully j situated at the foot of Mount Murello, orna- ; niented with statues and paintings. La Pe~ ; traia, a trifling distance from thence, con- ! tains several paintings from Yolterrano. Poggi, j a small distance from the Roman gate, used to contain, among others, the statue of Adonis, | the chef-aVceuvr* of Michael Angelo. Th© road to Pisa, along the Arno, is through a : rich and fertile champaign country. Upon a ; height, to the left, is the church and monas- ! tery of the Oliyetans. About five miles on ' the same road, and on the left, is Castel Pulci, the villa of Riccardi; and two miles i further, the Abbey of S. Salvatora Settimo.. On both sides of Sign a, there is a conti— \ nuance of fine houses. At Signa we pass tha ! Arno, and enter upon the road to Pistoja. At \ L'Imbrogiana there ; ^ another royal house. Empoli is a rich and well peopled place. It is situated in the midst of a fertile plain. ! Here, and at Montelupo, are several earthen* ! ware manufactures, and another very famous ! for hats. The Osterla Bianca is near tha- cross-road to Sienna, through Poggibonzi. Fiesole, about two miles distant, is most conspicuous and attractive; for, as the ground | rises all the way between this place and the | city, the traveller has an opportunity of see— ing a number of country houses, and th<* j churches of St. Dominic, St. Bartholo- mew, and the suppressed Abbey of St. Je- rome, In consequence of the wars that raged &fO FLORENCE ENVIRONS. several centuries successively, Fiesole was destroyed, and a considerable number of its inhabitants carried off by the conquerors to Florence. However, .the cathedral remained, and the ruins of the ancient castle, with the church of Saint Alexander, now reduced to a cemetery. Fiesole, though thus divested of every thing but its lofty situation, offers a complete view of Florence and Arno's flowery vale* the delightful purlieus of the Abbey o£ Yallombrosa, etc. prospects which realize the poet's picture of the Apennines. Monti superbi, la cui fronte Alpina Fa di se contra i \enti argine e sponda ! Valli beate, per cui d'onda in oqda L'Arno con passo signoiil cammina! Strangers should not neglect visiting the church and monastery of the Chartreuse, upon the road to Sienna, where the works of several celebrated painters are still to be seen From the church of St. Francis of the Mount, there is an excellent prospect of the whole town of S. Miniato, remarkable for its anti- quity, and for its manufacture of the porce lain of Ginori. The environs of Florence in general present a very beautiful perspective, which, so far as diversity of prospect is concerned, are equal to any city in Italy. Whoever walks over the Apennines to visit the city will be greatly entertained by the rising and falling grada- tions of the earth. You first wander slowly upwards through vine mountains, with which chesnut woods, at a certain height, combine; FLORENCE — ENVIRONS. 671 and, where these terminate, the oaks com- mence. Here, as you approach nearer Flo- rence, some of the productions of the warmer climates appear ; and, among them, the pale olive; but let the traveller beware of tasting: the fruit, however well coloured it may be, is horribly bitter, and the taste will not go out of the mouth the whole day after; nothing but smoking tobacco will remove it. If we do not know beforehand that we have passed the Tuscan frontiers, we soon discover it by the industry, cleanliness, cheerfulness, and beauty, which pervade this country. The peasant girls, in their round hats, adorned with flowers, look charmingly. The view of Florence, with the surrounding hills and houses dispersed on them, is also fine and handsome, and the country all round this Tuscan capital at once delights and animates the spectator. Pratolino, about six miles from Florence, is the site of one of the most celebrated of the ]ate Grand Duke's palaces. It was built about the middle of the sixteenth century. In its architecture there is nothing remarkable ; but its gardens enclose a colossal statue of the Apennine, whose interior is hollowed into ca- verns, and watered by perpetual springs and fountains. At some distance farther on, is an ancient convent on the summit of Monte Senario. Mr. Addison remarks that, in the descrip- tions which the Latin poets have given us of the Apennines (which the traveller begins to DJ2 FLORENCE ENVrRGm ascend a little bj^ond Pelago) we may observe? in them all the qualities of this prodigious length of mountains that run from one extre- mity of Italy to the other, and give rise to an. incredible variety of rivers that water this>de~ hghtful country. In pomp the shady Apennines arise And lift th' aspiring nation to the skies; No land like Italy attracts the sight By such a vast ascent, or swells to such a height^ Her numerous states the tow'ring hills divide, And see the billows rise on either side; At Pisa here the range of mountains ends: And here to high Aucona's shore extends : In their dark womb a thousand rivers lie That with continued streams the double sea supply: • Addiso>v Florence itself is supposed to have received its name from F/ora, on account of the favour- able smiles of this goddess during the season of flowers. All that can be depended upon as to the origin of this city, is, that the Romans, during the times of their kings, used to send their noble youth to Florence to learn the science of augury ; returning from which, they were admitted into the college of the Avus- pices. About sixty years previous to the Christian era, the Romans established a co- lony here, which impressed the Etruscan cha- racter with a degree of martial genius, to which it had before been a stranger. By right of conquest, Florence at length passed under the Roman yoke, and soon after had its arena* its hippodrome, an amphitheatre, and its highways. When Rome ceased to be under the Imperial diadem 7 Florence was the first TUSCANY SOIL AND AGRICULTURE. 5j3 city in the empire which assumed a republi- can form qf government. The Goths attacked and razed the city: it rose again under Char- lemagne. Restored to itself, it elected con- suls to govern it ; and from thence grown powerful by commerce, it made war upon Pisa, Lucca, and Sienna. It even carried its arms against E.ome, Venice, and Milan ; and, if sometimes overwhelmed by the number of its enemies, it never was more powerful than when it contended with them one by one. Long it did not enjoy the sweets of victory, when it was torn by factions ) the blacks and the whites, the Guelphs and the Ghibellines alternately carried death and mourning into all the principal families. These were suc- ceeded by other factions when the house of Medici was born to re-establish the happiness of the country. Florence owed much to this family; and, if the memory of the female branches ought to sink into oblivion, the males will and must partake of immortality, at least as long as any memory of the arts can be preserved. Florence, and Tuscany at large, are indebted to the mild and amiable Leopold for that happiness and prosperity which was only interrupted by the late war. Soil and Agriculture of Tuscany. — Tuscany comprises three regions entirely distinct. The Arno, flowing through its smiling valley, forms in the midst of the mountains a hol- low of which Florence occupies the centre, and which extends south as far as Cortona, suid west to Pisa. Near the sea, this hollow, 574 TUSCANT — SOIL — AGRICULTURE. which is frequently very narrow, opens into a vast smooth plain that has been left by the waters. The right bank of the Arno is bordered by the high chain of the Apennines; the left bank extends to the sea and to the frontiers of the States of the Church. It presents an unequal irregular surface, the soil of which has little fertility, and the air generally un- wholesome; with eminences crowned by ruins of all ages. The Apennine region comprises the two- sixths of the whole extent of Tuscany; the rich valley of the Arno only one-sixth; the three other sixths occupy the region known by the name of the Maremma ; which we havevalready described, and of which Sienna may be considered the capital. Thus the fertile and cultivated part of Tus- cany, which we have now to describe, is con- fined to one-sixth of its extent. We have already exhibited to the traveller a sketch of the character and physiognomy of the Apen- nines, in which nothing appears to the eye but vallies ravaged by torrents, heaps of ru- ins, woody declivities, and wild pastures. ~ The same features recur in the Apennines of Tuscany, though somewhat milder ; the .sum- mits of.the hills being less elevated , the decli- vities not so steep, with fresher pastures and vallies better inhabited. But, like all the rest of the Apennines, the population is poor, fed on chesuuts, and supported by the profits of the work which they procure by emigrating :-: :. TUSCANY — SOIL AND AGRICULTURE. 5^5 to Florence, to Leghorn, the P^al cVArno, and the mines in the Isle of Elba. The course of the Arno above Florence tra- verses the Val de C/iiana ; this valley resem- bles in every respect the Fal d" Arno which extends from Florence to the sea. , it will be sufficient therefore to describe the latter, in order to make the reader acquainted with the whole valley watered by that river. In following the road to Pistoia and Lucca. as far as Pisa, we continue on the right bank of the Arno, and follow the foot of the Apen- nines. Forests of olive-trees cover the foot of these mountains, and their foliage conceals an infinite number of little farm-houses, which people all the base of these mountains. On the upper slope grow chesnuts, whose vigor- ous verdure contrasts with the pale tint of the olive, and forms a noble crown to this mag- nificent amphitheatre. The road is bordered on each side by cot- tages scarce a hundred steps from each other ; thought built of brick, they have a justness of proportion and an elegance of form unf known in our climates. They consist only of a single pavilion, which has frequently only one door and two windows in front. These houses are always placed at some distance from the road, and are separated from it by a wall breast-high, and a terrace a few feet in breadth. On the wall are commonly vases of antique form, from which rise aloes, flowers, or young orange trees. The house itself is entirely covered with vines, and in front are 576 TUSCANY — SOIL AND AGRICULTURE. swarms of young girls dressed in white linen, With silk corsets, and straw hats ornamented I with flowers, and put sideways on their head. They are incessantly occupied in preparing the fine straw which is the treasure of this val- ley, and of which the Leghorn hats are made. This manufacture is the source of the pros- perity of the Val d'Arno ; it brings three millions of livres annually, which are divided solely among the women of this country, for the men do not meddle with this work in the least. Each girl purchases for a few sous the straw that she wants, tries to plait it as fine as possible, and sells the hats she makes her- self and for her own profit ; which in length of time forms her marriage portion. The father of the family has a right however to exact from the women of his house a certain quantity of work, in his farm, which is per- formed by women from the mountains, who are paid by the girls of the plain from the produce of their hats, to do the work in their place. In fact, they gain from 3o to 4° sous a day by plaiting their straw, while they can get a poor workwoman from the Apennines for 8 or 10. They also assert that any rough labour would harden their fingers, and de- prive them of the agility necessary for the iineness of their work. These are the peasant girls of the Val d* Arno so much celebrated by travellers for their beauty, and whom Alfieri used to go *ud visit to study their language ; they maj TUSCANY — SOIL AND AGRICULTURE. 577 .truly be called Arcadian shepherdesses, for in 'fact they are not peasants, being never ex- . >| posed to heat, toil or fatigue, and consequent- ly always preserve their native charms. It is said that two acres of ground are sunl- icient to supply all the straw used for the I manufacture of hats in Tuscany. This straiv is procured from a kind of unbearded wheat, cut before it is quite ripe, and which has been bleached by the sterility of the soil. The spot is chosen among the calcareous hills; it is never manured, and the seed is sown very thick. These numerous habitations, so near each I other, sufliciently show that the farn?3 them- selves are \ery limited, and that property is jprodigiously divided in these vallies. Their 1 extent, in fact, is from three to ten acres, I they are situated round the house, and are divided into compartments by small canals and rows of trees. These are sometimes mul- berry, but almost always poplar, the leaves of which serve as food for animals. Each bears a vine-plant, the branches of which are twisted by the farmer in a thousand different directions. These compartments, arranged in long squares, are spacious enough to be ploughed ejwith a plough without wheels, and two oxen. iTen or twelve farmers have a pair of these [' animals among them ; and they employ them r 1 successively to plough all the farms. These oxen come from the Roman State and from the Maremmasj they are of -the Hungarian, ccc 5j$ TUSCANY SOIL AND AGRICULTURE. breed, are extremely well kept, and are co- vered with pieces of white linen, ornamented : •with a great deal of embroidery and red fringe. Almost every farm keeps a neat elegant horse, which is harnessed to a little cart with I two wheels, neatly made and painted red • it Serves for carrying every thing about the farm, and especially to take the farmer's daughters to mass and to balls. On holidays all the roads are covered with hundreds of these little cars, flying in all directions, and ! conveying young women adorned with flowers ' and ribands. The farms in the Val d' Arno have notj ( forage enough to keep cows ; and therefore they only rear heifers, which they buy at three months old, and keep till they are eigh- teen, when they sell them to the butchers, and replace them with younger ones. The drivers bring these heifers to the fairs of the "Val d' Arno from the pastures of the Ma- remmas. This custom arises from the rotation of crops adopted in these vallies. There being no natural meadow, the leaves of trees, the remains of vegetables, and a little clover is the only food provided for the cattle. The rotation of crops i mot irrevocably fixed, but is most commonly as follows : First year. Indian corn, lian'cos, peas or oth.cn legumes, manured. Second.... The same 5 corn. Third. . , , . Whiter beans,. k t: ],. assi D, TUSCANY — SOIL AND AGRICULTURE. 5?Q Fourth.... Same} com. Fifth Saiue^ clover, sown after the corn, cut in the spring and followed by sorgo. That is to say, six crops in five years, of which only one is for cattle. The sorgo is a sort of large parsnip which affords a coarse flower of which a bad soup and polenta are made. These diiFerent crops, though only ones manured in five years, are nevertheless very fine. This is to be attributed to the nature of the soil, which is alluvial, deep and fertile; i to its being cultivated with the most minute care ; to the crops being happily intercalated with each other, and finally to the extreme vicinity of the habitations ; which furnish them that chemical manure, the action of which escapes our senses, but which expe- rience forces us to admit. Thus this immense population lives on the produce of this soil so subdivided; but they live with severe econonry, and never gather enough to lay up any thing in reserve, or to provide against a bad year ; they are then assisted by the port of Leghorn and the markets of the Romagna ; and they find ex- changes in the produce of their vines, their oil, and their straw hats. But neither the natural fertility of this soil, nor its abun- dant productions constitute the happiness of its inhabitants ; for the number of individuals' among whom this total produce is to be di-* vided allows but a very small portion for the enjoyment of each, 58o TUSCANY — VAL !>' ARNO. In fact, we have hitherto described a charm- ing country, wH! -watered, fertile, and co- vered with perpetual vegetation ; we have shown it divided into millions of enclosures, which, like so many squares in a garden, give birth to a thousand varied productions ; while in front of all these enclosures are ele- gant Swellings mantled with vines and deco- rated with flowers. But on entering the houses, We find a total absence of all the conveuienciesj v ; of life, a table more than fri-gal, and a des- 1: titute appearance. None of these families H 1 are proprietors of the house they inhabit ; buti are farmers, who pay the proprietor the half c of all the crops in kind. The proprietors are fixed in the numerous I" towns of the fertile v allies of Tuscany j seve— 1 5! ral o^ them possess as many as i oo farms ; and a|p very great number ha\e ten, twenty, and thir- ty. The population is thus divided into two classes, avIio never mix with each other j the city-pi pprietors, and the peasants who are not proprietors. To them must be added the merchants and artisans, also inhabitants of the towns, and this will explain the number and population of those towns. It is astonishing to think of the capital that must have been distributed through this Yal d' Arno in order to divide property to such a degree, to build the innumerable farm-houses, an! to stock them with all that was wanting; and this astonishment will increase when we c\a Mine besides the general system which it became necessary to establish in order to pro- TUSCANY VAL D* ARITO. 58 1 tect the vallies from the ravages of inunda- tions. Placed between two chains of mountains, one of which is very high, the valley of the Arno was periodically devastated by a num- ber of torrents which rushed from the moun- tains loaded with stones and earth. It was necessary therefore at one and the same time to master these waters, to restrain thei; ra- vages, and nevertheless to derive benefit from their irrigation and from the earth which they brought down with them. To accomplish this they hit on the expe-. dient of confining the course of all these tor- rents with strong walls, and thus converting them into so many canals. They received a strait direction, in order that the violence of the waters might not overturn any angle, and that they might deposit their stones in the very bed which they run over. At certain dis- tances, openings were contrived at the mean level of the current, that the waters might escape laterally and rest upon the ground in order to deposit the slime they bring along with them. A multitude of successive canals divide the principal current, and while they temper its violence, benefit the land around hy the irrigation of their waters. These ca- nals are so prodigiously subdivided that there is not a square of land that is not surrounded by them. They are all lined with walls of brick cut at right angles. Each torrent has to itself a complete system of defense aiidsubdi\ision ; so that the totality « c, 582 TUSCANY VAL d' ATWfr. of the vallies is as it were enveloped by a net* work of little currents which distribute water and freshness throughout. This system re- quires a multitude of large and small bridged to connect this crowd of little islands, and maintain all the communications between them. The capital employed in the whole concern must have been immense. '' But what demanded a much more consi- derable capital still, was the construction of the great number of cities and towns spread along the course of the Arno. These town* have a character of splendour, which in other countries only belongs to the greatest cities. Their temples, their fountains, their public walks, all their buildings unite with the most perfect elegance an imposing grandeur anil majesty. Ali the capital of Tuscany would not be sufficient at present to build the churches on its soil, with their ornaments, their marble and their porphyry. This luxury of architecture and this pro- fusion of .monuments is particularly striking at Pistoja. One might suppose it was a town built as a model and only inhabited by chance • for there are now only 8000, and there were formerly 4o>ooo. The population of all these towns has diminished nearly in the same proportion ; and nevertheless the mass is still prodigious. In times of prospe- rity it must have exceeded all known pro- portions. These vast constructions deprived of inhabitants now give all these towns an? appearance of solitude, which, in the midst TUSCANY — VAL d'aRXO. 583 cf ilieir palaces, recalls ideas of past splen- dour. Beyond Pistoja, the country becomes still more smiling and fertile, the alluvions hav- ing made deeper deposits, and because the valley, as it enlarges, removes from the moun- tains and enjoys a milder climate. The ver- dure becomes thicker, the crops more plen- tiful, and the horizon more open. Near Peseta, the road approaches the foot of the Apennines : this pretty town stands against the declivities of a valley covered with olives. One hill, detached from the Apennines, advances alone towards the mouths of the Arno, and separates its val- ley from the plain of Lucca. The basin of Lucca is much more fertile still than the Yal d' Arno. The cultivation is similar but the products are much more abundant. But we do not find here either the same elegance in the cottages, nor the same care in the formation of the canals : every thing is more wild, more neglected, less finished. The wo- men are ill drest, nor has their language or countenance the same charms. The ancient town of Lucca is in the midst of this plain, and near the course of the Serc/iio. I know not how it happens that this town has not a single Italian feature. Its crooked streets and pointed roofs, wish the irregularity of its construction, make it re- semble, a Flemish town. It would be interest- ing to have an explanation of this singularity, which I could procure no where, and could not even form a conjecture about it. 584 TUSCANY VAL d' ARNO. To go from Lucca to Pisa, we follow a new road, which traverses along with the Serchio, by a cut in the hill which separates those two towns ; and with it we open on the vast plain of Pisa and Leghorn. On approaching Pisa and the sea, we no longer behold that kitchen-garden cultivation which animates the environs of Florence; trees become scarce, the houses are scat- tered, and the ploughs go at large in vast iields ; there are no longer here those innu- merable families of petty farmers ; the coun- try is divided into some great farms, which are in the neighbourhood of the maV aria, and on the confines of the pastoral cultivation. This charming Vale of the Arno is perhaps the most delicious country on the earth. In no country is property more divided, in none lias man added so much to nature. He has not left a single brook, but he has con- structed thousands of canals: there is not a single green turf, not one of those natural meadows, in which the farmer in mowing them seems to receive a generous gift of the creation : there is not a single clump of wood, not a tree of which nature sowed the seed or directed the antique roots. All is planted and fashioned by man, his presence is felt every where, and he has multiplied his works to in- finity. In the horizon alone we perceive that chain of mountains which he has abandoned as it were to providence, and where he has neglected to extend his empire. This artificial cultivation, by covering all the country with regular plantations; and in- TUSCANY — VAL D* ARNO. 585 I termixing with them the tendrils of the vine, has proscribed all that native vegetation, all those picturesque forms, and those shaded ; tints which give so much variety and har- ' mony to nature. Here the tints are uniform I and lively, the forms all similar to each other ; and the landscape always appears to be seen from a camera oscura. This high state of human industry, appears to have been esta- blished, or at least to have attained its highest term, about that stormy peiiod when the Tuscan republic flourished ; a frightful epoch in history, but magnificent however in those results which still exist. Between Pisa and the sea, from the mouths of the Serchio to those of the Arno, the wa- ters have left a plain more than a square league in extent, of which the soil mixed with sea-sand is too sterile to be cultivated. It is covered with a fine turf and a forest of ilex. This spot is remarkable for containing a herd of camels, which have been established there ever since the time of the crusades, and were brought over to this place by a Grand -Prior of Pisa, of the order of St. John. These animals are made to perform all the agricultural labours of this district. They furnish individuals also for all the showers of wild beasts in Europe, who can buy a camel here for the moderate sum of six or seven guineas. 586 FROjI FLORENCE TO LEGHORN". CHAP. IX. From Florence to Leghorn by Pisa, and re- turn by Lucca and Pis to) a — Journey to Bologna , and thence to Venice. No. 18. From Florence to Leghorn, 65 Eng- lisli miles; 8 posts ) 10 hours. Florenct* to La Lastra. ... i i L'loibrogiana (1) 1 1 3o La Scala (2) 1 1 1 5 Castel del Bosco 1 1 i5 Fornacette 1 1 3o Pisa (3) < . 1 1 3o Leghorn (4) 2 2 Those who prefer an excursion on thewrateri may go to Pisa, by following the navigation of the Arno, which offers many picture <{iio and agreeable scenes. However the passage is rather tedious ; the traveller also must sleep at a bad inn at Calcinaja. The road from Florence to Pisa continues along the banks of the Arno, as far as Pisa, amid a rich and fertile country, in a succes- sion of hill and dale On this route, espe^ cially on the approach to Pisa, the traveller will remark the civility of the peasantry, their decent appearance, and good looks j the fine figures and florid complexions of the Inns.— (t) The Post, (a) The Post. (3) Le Tr« Don- zelle Hussar. (4) The Golden Gross; PAuberge Roy ale | and the Gross of Malta. The Titiano near the Luogd de L'Arno, or quays of the river. The most respectable, Caffe is also near the same plaGe. ' ; i pisa. 58y females, tlieir small black beaver bats and 1 feathers. The neat, clean, and handsome .aspect of the Tuscan villas and country seats will also attract attention, being kept in good 'repair - y they have by no means that air of ; disorder, neglect, and decay which is so often [observed in similar buildings in France, and 'in the Roman and Neapolitan States. These i Tuscan villas are however furnished with joniy small formal flower gardens and shrub- j beries. There is no such thing as a lawn to j be seen, much less a park. Land here is too I valuable for such improvements j to this, and [not to deficiency of taste, must be ascribed the absence of such ornaments as adorn the seats of our English gentlemen. The inha- | bitants of Signa are remarkable for their ma- nufacture of straw hats, in which the women are chiefly employed. Empoli is a rich and populous town, with several potteries, and a celebrated manufactory of beaver hats. Near La Scala is the small village of S. Miniato. Here lived the ancestors of the family of Bona- parte. We next pass the villages of Pontadera, Fornacette, and Cascina, and arrive at Pisa. Pisa is an ancient and beautiful town ; it is divided, like Florence, by the Arno, over which it has three bridges, and is situated in. a fine open country. One of its bridges, said to be of marble, is by many very much over- rated, it being only the exterior of the arches that are edged with that material. A magnificent broad quay on each side the river, the cathedral > baptistery, leaning tower ; 583 pisa. churches, etc. give an air of grandeur to Pisa, in spite of its poverty. It appears to great advantage at some dis- tance, and stands in a fertile plain bounded by the neighbouring Apennines on the north, and on the south open to the Tyrrhenian sea. Fancy loves to trace the origin of Pisa back to the storied period that followed the Trojan war, to connect its history with the fate of the Grecian chiefs, and particularly with the wanderings of the venerable Nestor. This commencement, which appears like a classic tale framed merely to amuse the imagination, rests on the authority of Strabo. Pisa covers an enclosure of nea r seven miles in circumference ; the river intersects and divides it into two parts nearly equal. As the stream bends a little in its course, it gives a slight curve to the streets that border it, which adds to the effect and beauty of the perspective. Some travellers prefer the Lung Arno of Pisa to that of Florence. The streets are wide, and particularly well paved, Avith raised flags for foot passengers, and the houses are lofty and handsome. There are several palaces. Among its churches the traveller cannot fail to observe a singular edifice on the banks of the Arno, called Santa Maria delta Spina from a thorn of our Saviour's crown said to be preserved there. It is supposed to have been erected in the year 1200, and is nearly square, very low, and of a grotesque rather than a beautiful appearance. It is cased with black and while marble. Xwo great I! :. 1'isa.' 58$ : doors with round arches form its entrance, and over each portal is a pediment : the other [end is surmounted by three obelisks crowned [with statues ; the angles, the gable ends, and even the side walls are decorated with pin- nacles consisting each of four little marble ipiilars supporting as many pointed arches \rith their angular gables, and forming a (canopy to a statue standing in the middle of [the pillars; they all terminate in little obe- lisks adorned with fretwork. This singular (building is a specimen of that species of ar- chitecture which the Italians call Gotico Mo- rcsco. A more improved species they call Gotico Teclesco, or German Gothic. Though a large city, Pisa has now only about l5,ooo inhabitants ; and no commerce or ma- nufactories. It is interesting however to a stran- ger, on account of the many learned men, and the good society which he will find here. The markets are well supplied with provisions and fruit at reasonable rates • and house-rent is extremely cheap. It is to be preferred as a winter residence to most cities in Italy, on account of the mildness of the air ; but it is almost deserted in summer, in consequence 3f the maV aria. There are some remarkable buildings in Pisa : but the finest group of this description perhaps in the world is that which Pisa presents in her cathedral and its attendant edifices, the baptistery, the cam- panile, or belfrey, and the cemetery. These fabrics are totally detached, occupy a very considerable space ? and derive from their in- d dd txjo pisa. sulated site an additional magnificence. They are all of the same materials, that is of marble, all nearly of the same era, and excepting the cloister of the cemetery, in the same stvie of architecture. The architect of the Cathedral was Buscetto, a Greek, who began it, accord- ing to some accounts, in 1046, and 1o others in io63. It has many fine columns of por- phyry, granite, jasper, verde antico, etc., taken from ancient buildings. The bronze gates are extremely curious, and were made by Bonanno; those by Giovanni Bologna shut the two smaller entrances at the west end. The Baptistery, in front of the Cathedral, is a rotunda, built after the designs of Dioti— salvi, in the middle of the twelfth century. Within, it has eight columns of Sardinian La Polesella, 5 2 Canal Bianco, •» 'Arqua ( 1^ 2 3o Roy 1 go (2) J Montelice 2 2 20 Pabua (3) i-| 2 3o Stra ii I 45 Mil a 1^ 1 20 Venice (4) 1 By water five miles. Those who prefer a water excursion, may go from Bologna to Ferrara by water, and a f'rocaccio makes this voyage twice a week. At the last place also a covered barge may be hired, and the route may be continued on the water to Venice ; passing by Chiozza and Pa- lestrina, and entering the Lagunes by the haven of Malamocco. Formerly, the road to Ferrara passed through Cento, a small town which gave birth to the famous Guercino ; at present the new Inns.— fi) Three Moors. (2) The Post. (3) Golden Eagle. (4) White Lion, Three Kings, La Scala, La Reme d'Anglelerre, Ecu de France. PEIlRARA PADLA. 097 yost road, which can be travelled at all sea- sons, runs through Capodargine and Malal- hergo. About a mile from the latter place we ferry over the R.eno. Ferrara was once a magnificent and flour- ishing city, and the people among the hap- piest in Italy. After its annexation to the Ec- clesiastical State, in iSgy, it rapidly fell into decay; it is now but thinly inhabited, and its celebrated manufacture of sword blades is almost annihilated. The tomb of Apjosto, formerly in the church of the Theatins, is now at the Lycee. The remarkable buildings are the Cathedral; Chateau of the ancient Dukes; the palaces Yilla and Bevilacqua; the Theatre ; the Chartreuse and the University. At the latter is a fine library, occupying three large rooms, containing also inscriptions, medals; etc. Here are also a chair and writing desk of Ariosto. The traveller should also see the Botanical Garden, and Hospital of St. Anne, where Tasso was confined as a madman, by the Duke Alphonzo. About six miles from Ferrara we cross the Po, and at the same distance from Rovigo, the Canal Bianco, in boats. The road is flat, narrow, and in winter, or after rain, very bad : it passes through cultivated grounds, meadows, and marshes. Abun- dance of hemp is grown here. Three miles on the other side of Rovigo, the Adige is passed : the road is narrow and but indif- ferent: the country well cultivated. Padova is far from populous, considering its 5t)8 padua — ctiurches, etc. extent; riot amounting at most to more than j ' 4o,ooo. The principal objects of curiosity at- ' ! Padua are the churches of S. Antonio and j I S. Giustina. 11 Salone, the buildings of the ji, University by Palladio, the Botanic and OEco- l fl nomical Gardens, the Museum, the Prato del" y la Falle ; and in the neighbourhood, the baths j 1 of Abano, Petrarch's villa and monument at ' Arqua, etc. The gates, the church of S. Gae- r tano, by Scamozzi : palazzo del Poclesta, and \ [ palazzo del Capitano, merit observation. The r Theatre is handsome and commodious. And ' in some of the other churches, as the Cathe- \.) dral, Santa Croce, S. Erernitani, the convent I 1 of la Maddelena, the Seminario, etc. are some fe good pictures; as also in some Scuole, the I' public library, palazzo del Podesta, etc. The church of S. Antonio .is a large gothic I 1 building, begun in 1255, by Nicola Pisauo, 19 and finished in \'5*"] : it has six domes or cu— I polas, of which the two largest compose the! nave: it is extremely rich, and much orna- I inented. There are four immense organs in I it; and, even on common days, forty per— ji formers are employed in the service. Before ji the church is an equestrian statue of General j Gattamelata, by Donatello. The Scuola near 1 this church is all painted in fresco, with the j life and miracles of S. Antonio, by TizianQ |fc and others. The church of S. Giustina was built by An- ; drea Ricci, a Paduan architect, afler the de- 1 signs of Palladio. It is handsome, luminous, | and esteemed by many artists one of the finest PADUA UNIVERSITY THEATRE. 5gg Avorks in Itah r . The Chapter possesses a fine library, in which are many scarce, early printed books: and several good pictures. The hall of audience, or town house, called il S alone, was b^gun in I 172, by Pietro Coz- zo, but not finished till i3o6. It is about 3oo feet long, and near 100 wide. Giotto's paint- ings were restored in 1762, by Zannoni. The University, with the public schools, museum, etc. is one of the first objects of cu- riosity. It has a chemical laboratory, a col- lection of minerals, and an anatomical theatre which will hold a great number of spectators in a small compass; but it is small and dark. The Museum of natural curiosities was col- lected by Antonio Yallisnieri. The Botanic Garden is a very good one, and is arranged according to the system of Tournefort. The (Economical Garden, instituted for experi- ments in husbandry, is ably conducted. Padua can boast many men of learning and eminence. It was the birth-place of Livy ; Petrarch was a canon of the cathedral - y and Galileo lived here. The Theatre is approached by two magni- ficent staircases. It has five rows of boxes, twenty-nine in each, with sliding shutters : the pit has one hundred and fifty seats, which are turned up and padlocked. Between the grand staircase and the theatre, there is a room for play, called Camera di Ridolto. There is a serious opera in this theatre during the fair of St. Antony, in the month of June: at that time Padua is verv gay, and full of 600 PADUA TO VENICE. company from Venice and the neighbouring? towns. There is a cloth manufactory in the; city, for home consumption • but the number! of beggars with which the place swarms, is a strong indication that trade and manufac-t tures are by no means in a flourishing con-^ dition. In the environs of Padua, the Euganean mountains will attract the notice of the natu-.! ralist: they are extinct volcanos. A yery in- J teresting excursion also may be made to the hot baths of Abano, four or five miles from Padua; and to Petrarch's villa and monument at Arqua. About eight miles from Padua, at Sala, is; a fine villa, decorated with granite columns j and the finest marbles, there is also a mag- nificent botanic garden, rich in the scarcest plants. From Padua you may go to Venice, either by the post to Fusina; and from thence in al gondola, which will cost sixteen livres: or else leave your carriage at Padua, and hire a bur-* ehiello, or covered boat; for which you will pay five sequins; and for drink money to the men, putting your baggage on board, etc. about sixteen pauls more. In eight hours you will fall down the Brenta, cross the Lagunes, and land in the great canal of Venice. Following the route by land, we travel con- tinually by the side of the Brenta. The mul- titude of boats and gondolas, going up and down the canal; the number of people on its LanlvSj belonging to the different villages ; and DESCRIPTION OF VENICE. 6oi the prospect of a fertile country, render this oute particularly pleasing. From Padua to Slra, and from Mira to Fusina, the road is j continually lined with populous villages, and magnificent palaces, many of them from the designs of Pal ladio. From Fusina to Venice, a distance of five miles, is passed in a gondola. On entering a gondola, travellers should be careful not to jump upon it with too much violence, for fear of falling through; nor should they venture their heads and hands out of the windows, on account of the danger of coming in contact with any other passing vessel. The mud or slime which the water leaves upon the steps of the houses, etc. is extremely slippery, of course much precaution should be used in descending from the gon- dolas to avoid falling, which otherwise is very common. CHAP. X. DESCRIPTION OF VENICE. jRivcs de la Brenta, paysage enclianteur, Sejour oil cent palais annoncent la splendeur, L'oeil suit dans les detours de votre onde limpide Les jardins, les bosquets et le luxe d'Armide. LItalte. The entrance into Venice, or rather the em- barkation for that city from the main land, forms a picturesque scene of which no person, who has never been there, can form any thing like an adequate conception. The mouth of the principal Lagune opens into the river ■ Eee 60S DESCRIPTION OF VENICE. Brenta, which falls into the Gulf of Venice Here gondolas, or ether boats, are always takei to navigate ihe Lagiins to Venice ; and her they are hailed by the custom-house boats t see whether they have any thing contraband on board ; but these visitors are easily got rid of for the consideration of a few pence. The stranger then enters into an immense extent of water which seems to have the appearance of a dead sea : but yet so full of banks and shoals, that the navigation would be danger- ous in the extreme, if it were not for the piles driven here and there, as guides to the boatmen. Venice, as it will appear, is perforated on all sides by the canals that communicate with jhe Lagunes and the sea; but, besides these, there are pathways all along the shores of the canals, by which the whole city may be tra- versed on foot. The communication between different quarters is further assisted by up- wards of four hundred small bridges, though most of these are not furnished with parapet walls. This city and territory, which is included in the province called the Dogado, was long the capital of a republic, a patriarchate, and a university. It is about seven miles in cir- cumference, and stands on 72 little islands, five miles from the main land, in a kind of lagune, lake, or small inner gulf, separated from the large one, properly called the Gulf of Venice, by some islands. The number of inhabitants before 179"; the period of the DESCRIPTION OF VENICE. 6o3 , French invasion, was i5o,ooo. The houses J are built on piles; tlie streets in general are I (narrow, as are also the canals, the great ones ; excepted. The bridge, called the Rialto, con- I sists of a single arch of marble, 90 feet wide, . and 24 feet high ; but the beauty of it is much impaired by two rows of booths or shops, which divide its upper surface into three nar- row streets. At the first sight of Venice, the I traveller will, no doubt, be ready to exclaim, with a modern tourist: « At Venice all is no- velty, grandeur, and singularity: a hue city rising out of the waters; streets converted in- to canals; carriages into gondolas; blue coats into scarlet cloaks; black dommos with mask- ed visages; and pretty women habiUees en liomme, arrest most forcibly the attention and curiosity of every English traveller. » In the notes to Canto IV of Childe Harold's Pilgrimage, we are informed, by Lord Byron, that « the commerce and the official employ- ments which used to be the unexhausted source of Venetian grandeur have both ex- pired. Most of the patrician mansions are deserted, and would gradually disappear, had not the government, alarmed by the demoli- tion of seventy-two during the last two years, expressly forbidden this sad resource of po- verty. Many remnants of the Venetian no- bility are now scattered and confounded with the wealthier Jews on the banks of the Brenta, whose palladian palaces have sunk, or are sinking in the general decay. Of the « gen- tiluomo Veneto, » the name is still known, Co4 DESCRIPTION OF VENICE. and that is all; he is but the shadow of hi former self, but he is polite and kind. The present race cannot be thought to regret the loss of their aristocratical forms and too des- potic government ; they think only on their vanished independence. "Venice may be said, in the words of Scripture, « to die daily, » and so general and so apparent is the decline as. to become painful to a stranger not reconciled to the sight of a whole nation expiring as it were before his eyes. » Lord Byron, it is to be feared, has in many instances too truly, and beyond a doubt, most J j pathetically described Venice, at, the com- I E mencement of last year, and the probable consequences of its present condition in his firs!; stanza of the Fourth Canto of Childe Harold. I stood in Venice on the Bridge of Sighs, A palace and a prison on each hand; I saw from out the wave her structures rise As from the stroke of the enchanter's wand: A thousand years their cloudy wings expand Around me, and a dying glory smiles O'er the far times, when many a subject land Look'd to the winged Lion's marble piles, Where Venice sate in state, thron'd on her hundred isles. In Venice Tasso's echoes are no more, And silent rows the songless gondolier* Her palaces are crumbling to the shore, And music meets not always now the ear. This is partly the effect of poetical licence,, as in the notes to the poem his Lordship allow* there is yet much music upon the Venetian canals I DESCRIPTION OF VENICE. 6o5 Travellers, as before observed, enter Ve- nice by the canals or shallows, called Lagunes, that border the whole coast, and extend nearly round Venice; their depth between the city and the main land, is from three to six feet id general. The surface of course is seldom ruf- fled : people generally touch at the island of St. George half way, being about two miles from the main land on one side, and two from Venice on the other; then entering the city they row up the grand canal more than three hundred feet wide. This canal, in the form of an S, intersects the city nearly in the middle. The famous bridge, called the Rial- to, crosses it, and is one of its most conspi- cuous ornaments. The general appearance of Venice is not unworthy of its glorious des- tinies. Its churches, palaces, and public buildings of every description, and, some- times, even its private edifices ha\e in their size, materials and decorations, a certain air of magnificence truly Roman. The style of architecture is not always either pure or pleas- ing, but conformable to the taste that prevailed in the different ages when each edifice was erected. Hence the attentive observer may discover the history of architecture in the streets of Venice; and may trace its grada- tion from the solid masses and the round arches, the only remains of the ancient grand style in the 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th centuries, through the fanciful forms and grotesque em- bellishment of the middle ages, to its revivai and re-establishment in these latter times. b0O VENICE SQUARES AXD STREETS. SQUARES AND STREETS. The square of St. Marl-, is generally th first spot to which the stranger is introduced upon Terra Ferma. It is a kind of irregular quadrangle, formed by a number of build- ings, all singular in their kind: namely, the ducal palace j the churches of St. Mark and St. Gemlano ; the old and new Procuraties ; a noble range of buildings, containing the museum, the public library, etc. This palace is considered as the centre of life and motion in this great town; but that part of it generally exhibited in prints, is only the lesser square, open to the sea, with the two magnificent columns of granite, which easily Jl distinguish it at a distance as we approach the town. On the right of this, is the Doge's Pa- lace; on the left the public library. At its |Lj ( extremity appears a corner of St. Mark's church. The large square, placed at a right angle of the other, is surrounded with an ar- cade, under which are most of the coffee- houses, all of them quite open to the street. In the centre of the square, is held the fair of St. Mark, in a temporary oval building, con- sisting of shops and coffee-houses. All these places, though of the most ele- gant architecture, and exhibiting every sign of opulence and splendour, are generally ruost disgustingly dirty. Even under the co- lonnade of the pub'ic library, a variety of wean and offensive articles are sold; and the ' ( YENICE SQUARES AND STREETS. 607 stale nsh of the market adjoining, is trodden under foot, all over this grand square. The Piazza di San Marco, is the evening promenade of those who wait for the opening of the theatre. Here the beautiful Lais's, with a veil covering a part of the face and falling carelessly over the shoulders, throw their amorous glances without reserve upon those whom they think may answer their pur- ijposc. Here too the walking comedians open 'I their performances in the front of the coffee- houses j but -they mostly give the preference to the Phoenix : the orchestra and the theatre are now formed in a few minutes. One of the performers has only to describe a circle with his fiddlestick, and he is promptly obeyed by the yielding crowd. The overture is always made with one bass, two violins, and a cla- rionet. As soon after as convenient, an actor ap- pears, who singing a kind of love song, ano- ther comes forward and replies to him, and then a third: thus a chorus is formed; but whilst they are warmly engaged in their parts, one of the handsomest females is em- ployed to collect money of the spectators. The coffee-houses, in general, are pretty well cleared by the time the regular theatre opens. All the porticos in this grand square are occupied by persons engaged in mercantile concerns. The coffee-houses are excellently lighted by a variety of lamps. It is true that no handsome females are kept at the bar as in France - } but there are always a number of he- 608 VENICE PROMENADES. tliem at the tables; and they are as often alone taking their sorbet. Improvisitori, mu- sicians, and singers of both sexes, are gene- rally to be found here; yet upon all these agreeable varieties, thieves and beggars are a considerable drawback; of the former the police sometimes takes cognizance, but tl latter keep the « noisy tenour of their way without any interruption. Among the Plazze or squares, next to that of St; Mark, is the Rialto y the houses upsn, which are built upon a double row of pillars. As for those places which have no ornament, excepting a cistern or a cross, they cannot be ranked with squares. Those of St. John and St. Stephen, however, are exceptions; the latter is the Covent Garden of Venice, and contains the beautiful church of S. Maria Zobenigo. The square of St. Germain usee! to be the scene of the bull fights; in that of St. Paul, is the equestrian statue of Colleone of Bergamo, general of the Venetian troops, who died in 14 75. A canal runs on one side of this square, to which there is a descent by about a dozen steps. Most of these squares contain leaden cisterns, put there to collect rain water for the use of the common people. Many of the better sort, purchase the water brought, from Terra Firma every morning. All these squares, as well as the streets, are I paved with a kind of grey stone which has the appearance of basalt. PROMENADES. The view from this place is very agreeably VENICE PROMENADES. 609 particularly towards La Giudeca, and the island of St. George. From the Piazzetta, the sea appears at a distance, extended like a sheet of azure as far as the extremity of the horizon. Here are to be seen people of all nations, from the Levant, from Greece, Tur- key, etc. not excepting ecclesiastics and idlers of every description. Here also, a kind of peripatetic orators attend } but as they re- cite or declaim in the Venetian dialect, they are always unintelligible to strangers, unless when they repeat from Ariosto, Tazso, or other Italian poets. The Piazzetta is gene- rally a very pleasant promenade towards evening, and appears particularly so to new coiners. It is also a promenade for the gen- tlemen of the law, and the clergy, whose re- duced circumstances were pretty evident from their habiliments, after the French became masters of Venice. The Greeks here wear the beard long. Some of the Levanters have their heads shaved and wear red caps, and are also great smokers. Here, towards the sea, or ra- ther at the opening next the Lagupes, two large and lofty columns of granite used to stand; and between these, criminals con- demned to die were executed. These pillars were brought from Greece in the time of Zia- ni. Upon the summit of one of them was the figure of a winged lion looking towards the sea, which was removed from its station ta ornament the green of the Invalids at Paris. The other column is crowned by a St. Theo~ Uore treading upon a crocodile, and holding 6 JO ' VENICE — ST. MARK'S FAIR. a lance in his left hand, with a buckler in hi J right, to indicate the pacific disposition of thfl republic, which, meditating no attack, thought! only of defence. The lion, returned to this* city, has lost nothing by his journey to Paris,-] but the gospel which supported the paw; than is noAv on a level with the other foot. St. Mark's Fair is an exhibition of a very] variegated and entertaining kind: the shops' around it are stocked with ail kinds of elegant toys, trinkets, and refreshments, and the whole set off to the greatest advantage by il-j humiliations. This fair is generally crowded with genteel company, many of them in do—' minos, but few masked. Here women appear among the spectators in long camlet cloaks and cocked hais. In the afternoon and even- ing, the coffee-houses are as much crowded as the Rotunda, in which the fair is kept, without any music or particular diversions to attract company. In the day time, the Im- provisatori, or extemporary poets, spout their I verses to the people, and punch lends his as- sistance to the general amusement; while, before the great clock of the square, even the I Holy Virgin has her levee, beivg devoutly adored by metal figures of the Magi, who, ' during this season, come forward and bow to I her image. Crowds of people wait to see this mummery, not half so diverting as that of I punch. The images appointed to pay their devoirs to that of the Virgin on this occasion, H being moved by springs, come out of one door ' and enter in at another. Higher still are two ! VENICE — ST. MARK'S FAIR. 6ll figures representing Moors, who announce the hour of the day by striking a bell with a hammer in the manner of those at St. Duns- tan's, iu Fleet Street, London. The Campanile, or belfry here, is said to be higher than those of Bologna, Vienna, or Strasbourg. It was begun in 888, but not completed till 1148. The summit has a gal- lery crowned with a pyramid, ornamented on each side with sculpture. The prospect ironi this gallery is enchanting. On one side the city with all its canals, domes, and edifices, appears beneath, with the sea at a small dis- tance. On the others, the mountains of Dal-* matia, I stria, and the Tyrol are seen, with the plains of Padua and Lombardy . The un- fortunate Galileo, is said to have used this tower as an observatory. An angel at the summit serves as a weathercock. The stairs up to the belfrey are so capacious as to admit of a person riding on horseback. The Logetta at the foot of this tower, has a marble front with large and small columns, and niches, containing bronze statues of the Heathen divinities. A balustrade runs round the first story, the second, resembling a ter- race, is ornamented with five bas-reliefs. The interior is decorated with paintings. And here, it is said, during the time the grand council was convoked, one of the procurators used to attend with the armed force of the ar- senal. At present this place is used for draw- ing the lottery. Opposite St. Mark's church, on a pedestal 6l2 VENICE — PALACES. in bronze, well sculptured in demi-reliefa three long poles, on certain days, are made to! bear the emblems of the Venetian power, when Lo re cfano was Doge, in i5o5; namely,; the arms of the three kingdoms of Cyprus A Candia, and Negropont, displayed upon silken standards. PALACES. The Palaces stand on grand Etruscan sub- structions, which, from the necessity of the element, must be simple and uniform. Above the water-floor they are as various as theirl architects. Some display the light elegance of Sansovino, others the exuberant ornament of Longhena, and a few the correct beauty] of Palladio. In general they affect too many] orders in front; each order has, absurdly] enough, its full entablature: the lower cor-J xnces are as prominent as the upper, and ap-J pear in profile so many separate roofs. IrJI fact the Grecian orders being foreign to tin manners and wants of a city built upon water will never enter into its accommodations bu at the expense of half their beauty and al their consistency. Most of the palaces have two gates, somj gi$ three, in the middle of their fronts. On eacl la C side are two ranges of equal windows in tin ja basement alone. Over the gates is a statel and decorated superstructure of balconies arcades, and gigantic windows, in studied op •/>, position to the general style of the front which this wide vertical breach divides in| VENICE — PALACES. 6l3 two. The windows are generally arched. In modern palaces the arch is circular; in some of the ancient it forms arabesque curves ' of contrary flexion, which finely contrast with, the flat mass of wall. In a Cornaro and a Grimeni palace, both on the grand canal, I remarked the Gothic church-window, and that not in its most elegant intersections. The chimnies figure on these palaces more conspi- cuously than so sordid "an object should do, in imitation of obelisks, bells, and candelabras (reversed. The palace of St. Mark, cr the Ducal Pa- lace, is very spacious. Besides the apartments ;of the Doge, there are also halls and cham- bers for the senate, and all the different coun- . I cils and tribunals.- The principal entrance is by the giant's staircase, so called from the colossal statues of Mars and JNeptune, placed at the top, and intended to represent the naval and military power of the state; they are of marble and the work of Sansovino. Under the portico, to which this staircase leads, are the small openings to represent lion's mouths, placed to receive letters, information of trea- sonable practices, and the accusations of ma- gistrates for abuses in oilice. From this pa- lace a covered bridge communicates with the state prison on the other side of the canaL Prisoners pass to and. from the courts over this bridge, which has on this account been called • Ponte dei Sospiri. This palace is said to contain a small arsenal which communicates with the hall of the itt 6l4 VENICE — PALACES. great council; here, it is said, a great num-j, r ber of muskets used to be kept ready charged! ||i in order that the nobles might arm themselves u in any sudden case of emergency. The ground^; about this palace has been so much raised sinc(tat its erection, that the bases of the .lower rang! fen of columns are quite buried. The window! )u( have an uncouth appearance, and are oul if.; • of all proportion. Strangers are at first shown ha the apartments inhabited by the Doge, whicl |p have neither paintings nor any thing else re- Ifc markable. The state rooms, however, al- h though not in a very modern or accurate L taste, have an air of much magnificence, and are furnished with some of the choicest pro- ductions of the Venetian school. Here is a ceiling by Tintoretto, in which justice is pre- senting a sword to the Doge, Priuli. In the hall of the udnti-Collegio, commonly called Sala delle Quattro Porte, the architraves of the four doors, by Pailadio, are in a very good taste. The hall of the Pregadi, is a su perb room, furnished with benches, and orna- mented with excellent paintings. The vast hall of the great council was like- wise filled with a profusion of noble pictures, by Paul Veronese, Tintoretto, and other ce- lebrated masters of the Venetian school. To the left of this palace is a chapel dedicated to Saint JYicolas, where there are several frescos hy Titian. At a small distance from the grat;^ staircase is another, which leads to the X e * Quitting the first of these, we arrive UOil tthe hall of the Four Posts, ornamented with VENICE — PRIVATE PALACES. 6l5 ol iimns by Palladia, and figures by 31oro. i\ll llie paintings are emblematic; though 'ittle now remains but the building. Soon ifter the establishment of the French power n the north of Italy, and the change in the Venetian government, the halls of this Grand Ducal Palace, were occupied by their muni- cipal officers, and by the merchants as an ex- change. The lower gallery or portico, under he palace, is called the Broglio. In this the noble Venetians used to walk and converse, as it was only there and at the council that they chose to meet. They used seldom to visit openly, and secret meetings might have given umbrage to the state inquisitors. People of inferior rank never remained in the Broglio when any of the nobility made their ap- pearance. Private Palaces are numerous at Venice, and, being massy in the extreme, they re- semble those of Padua, those built by Pal- ladio, San Micheli, and. San&ovino excepted. Many of these palaces, enriched with columns of every order, possess fronts richer than those of Rome, or other places, where the entrance, the windows, or the cornices are the principal ornaments. The staircases also are very handsome; but what is most to be regretted, many of them are in an unfi- nished slate. The finest palaces at Venice are on the banks of the grand canal, as those of Cornaro, Palladio, and Moccenigo, with that of Pisani, formerly rich in paintings, and whore a good library was open to the public 6l6 VENICE — PRIVATE PALACES. three times a week. At present this palace, has more of the appearance of a prison, than: the residence of a family that has boasted of several Doges and great generals. The palace of Grimaldi was remarkable for i the numerous paintings, by John d'UdineA and a chamber with four pilasters imitating | some painted in the Vatican. The palace of &c\ila is still handsome. In that of Grassi, its paintings constituted its principal riches. The palace of Barberigo, it is said, was the resid- ence of Titian, as the palace Rezzonico, was that of Clement X1I1 : this and the palace of Manfrini, still abound with such excellent paintings, that no lover of the arts should forget to see them; the latter in particular. The cabinet of M. Manfrini, also contains a very fine collection of natural history, prin- cipally petrifactions, and a lock of most' ex- quisite workmanship, not only on account of the raised figures upon it, but for the singular manner in which the key is made. The palace belonging to M. Abrisi, of the Jewish nation, near the grand canal, contains the Ebe of Canova. Here [is also the death of Socrates^ by the same artist. The magni- tude of the apartments in this palace is sur- prising: the halls are decorated with pillars and statues in marble, and the walls painted in fresco. The floors are variegated with much effect. All the windows open to the north and the west, for the sake of fresh air from these quarters. Still there is a degree of melancholy pervading all this magnih- VENICE — PUBLIC BUILDINGS. 617 cence, as the masters of these superb edifices generally quit them to seek their recreation in the Casinos. PUBLIC BUILDINGS. The Arsenal. — This building, situated on the east of Venice, seems like a separate for- tress; it occupies the whole of a small islet, about three miles in circumference; and is enclosed within high walls, with small towers, occupied by sentinels in the night, to give the alarm in cases of accident or lire. There is also a tower in the centre of the building, where a sentinel is placed to see that the others do their duty; and, for greater secu- rity, row-boats go round the islet from night fall to sun-rise. It is' a part of their charge, not only to keep away disaffected persons, but to prevent desertion from the arsenal. It lias two entrances, one by sea, and the other on the side next the land, towards a small open place, between which and the arsenal, a bridge of marble leads to the principal gate. Over this gate, the emblem of Venetian power is exhibited in the winged lion ; this is said to have been the same sent to Venice by Maurocenoivova Port Piree, in 1686. Above this is St. Justin, a figure as large as life: on one side, upon a pedestal, the figure of a lion of an enormous size in white marble, sent from Athens by Mauroceno ; and, near this, two others of lionesses, taken at Corinth, dur- ing the Peloponesian wars. Haying passed the principal gate, we see to rf f. 6l8 VENICE— PUBLIC BUILDINGS. the left some b nil clings used as offices; a marble staircase leads to a large hall appro- priated to the use of the governor, the inspec- tors, the captain of the port, and other su- perior officers. Farther on, another great gate opens into the interior of the arsenal : this is decorated with a Madonna of very fine marble, by Sansovino. Here is the armoury exhibiting pyramids of cannon balls, brass cannon, mortars, etc. of all sizes and descrip- tions. The walls of this armoury are gar- nished with small arms of every kind, suffi- cient for eighty thousand men, kept very bright and arranged in different figures. Here, upon blocks representing the human form, we see the different armour worn by several illustrious warriors. In a chest, kept locked, is that dreadful collar, the inside of which is furnished with poisoned points used by Fran- cis Carrara, Prince of Padua, when he wished to get rid of persons who had offended him; here is also the bow w ith which he privately shot at whom he pleased; and the luchetto, or lock of virginity, which he compelled his dear moiety to wear in bis absence: the ar- mour, a present from the Grand Seigneur to the Doge Naziani, when he was in Turkey, is also here, with a marble bust of Bona- parte, in the centre of a trophy of arms, ex- ecuted by Cardelli, in i8o5: the armour pre- sented to the Venetians by Henry IV of France, in gratitude for the information conveyed to him relative to an intended assassination : the helmet of Attila the Goth, and the vizor of hi* VEfflCE — RIALTO. 619 horse, both of an enormous weight : the eques- trian armour of Guattamelata: and the strang- ling machine lately used by the senate, called the Guadiana. The body of the sufferer be- ing half-way immersed in the ground, the upper part compressed by this machine effect- ed a dreadful death. Here is also the cul- verine made by the son of one of the Doges, and with which the erection of the bridge of the Rial to was connected. Hemp is spun, and sail cloth is still manufactured in this arsenal. Nearly three thousand labourers enter and depart from this place every morning and. evening- a number of women who spin, are under an inspector of their own sex, and are not allowed to hold any communication with any other department. The Bucentaur, with other vessels, were long laid up near this ar- senal* and an interval of fifteen years took place before the conclusion of the late war, since the ceremony of the marriage between the Doge and the Sea was performed. But no public edifice does so much credit to the state, or is more deserving of a visit from the tra- veller, than the noble rampart erected on the Lido di Palestrina, to protect the city and the port against the swell of the storms of the Adriatic. This vast pile, formed of blocks of Istrian stone, resembling marble, runs along the shore for the space of nineteen miles, con- nects various little islands and towns with each other, and if completed would excel in- utility, solidity, extent, and perhaps in beau- ty 7 the Pirceus of Atheus. the mole of An; 620 VENICE PRISONS — HOSPITALS. and Ancona, and all other similar works of either Greeks or Romans. At one end is this inscription : Ausu Romano JEre Veneto. The Prisons are situated in a street on one side of the ducal palace, from which a bridge is made for the prisoners to pass over; the low roof being a mass of lead, the sufferings of the confined in hot weather must be extreme. Other prisons in the ducal palace, are equally prejudicial on account of their humidity, their darkness, and the want of fresh air. Happily the late senate moved the persons detained from the old to the new prisons. The win- dows of these are alternately round and square. A range of columns before this build- ing, makes this place look very unlike a prison. Hospitals at Venice are worse attended than any where else. One of the most ancient is that of St. Peter and Paul, for the purpose of receiving pilgrims and sick strangers of all nations. Another is called that of the Gate- chumnns, where infidels who wish to be in- structed in the principals of religion, are pro- vided for. It was founded in the sixteenth century. But the civil hospital contains the greatest number of patients ) this is upon the bank of the great canal opposite the Giudeca. Here the rooms are so badly laid out, that an 11 scent is the constant concommitant of the want of a proper circulation of tlie air. The patients, besides this inconvenience, do not appear to be well taken care of. This is not the case at the military hospital lately formed VENICE — RELIGIOUS HOUSES. 62I out of two religious houses adjoining each other. The cells and the sleeping rooms, during the late war, were converted into cor- ridors and good rooms, extremely convenient, and the situation looking towards the sea, very healthy. One of the halls occupied by officers only, had a ceiling of the cedar of Le- banon, very ingeniously carved and partly gilt. The Religious Houses, where the poor are relieved, are much better managed than the hospitals, particularly that of the Piela, a philanthropic institution, which originated with Petruccio D'Assisi of the order of Mi- nims. It was intended as a kind of foundling. The walls of the church by Palladia, are en- riched by very fine marbles. It contains five altars, the largest of which has a tabernacle wrought in precious stones. The music in this church, is performed behind a railing which conceals the female musicians and singers from the view ; and it is scarcely necessary to say, that their execution is excellent. The children remain in this house till they are provided for; but they are not permitted to engage at any theatre. Another establishment of this kind was be- gun by the Mendicanti, at the commence- ment of the seventeenth century; but the ex- penditure on the facade of the church was enormous. Here the orchestra was composed of young women instructed" in vocal and in- strumental music. The Ospidaletto was ma- naged much in the same way, and oratorios 6^2 VENICE CUSTOM HOUSE — LIBRARY. were performed at both places on certain days; but it is much to be regretted that these and other foundations have been mate- rially injured or totally ruined by the late revolutions. The Custom House is a fine building almost opposite the place of St. Mark, from which it is separated by the great canal: it is upon a neck of ground that terminates the isle. The front exhibits a peristyle, formed of columns alternately round and square. The building is crowned by a square tower, surmounted by a globe of gilt copper; upon this globe, made to represent the whole world, a figure is placed representing Fortune, which turns about with every wind. In making the tour of this cus- tom house, towards the side that fronts the Grudeca, we come to the church of the Bene- dictines. Library of St. Mark. — This is a very ele- gant structure opposite the palace of the doge, built after the designs of Sansovino. The vestibule contains the statues of Bacchus and a young man ; a fine bust of Adrian ; Leda and the Swans, a small groupe of great mean- ing. One room contains printed books ) ano- ther manuscripts, and very rare editions only. Here were lately two manuscripts of the Sep- tuagint of the eighth or ninth century j a commentary on Homer; Father PauVs ori- ginal manuscript of his history of the Council of Trent: Guarlni's Pastor Fido, with many corrections and alterations; the Conquest of Spain by Charlemagne, an old historical VENICE — ZECCA — CHURCHES. 6l3 French poem, with coarse illumination 5 a ma- nuscript History of the Moguls in French, or rather Portraits of the Moguls, with their manner of riding, etc. and many parts of their history elegantly painted in India, ac- companied by explanations in French, done about 1 3o years ago. The Zecca; or the Mint. — This is a \ery solid building near the library. It was de- signed by Sansovino. Its principal front is towards the great canal. The whole edifice, in rustic, is composed of three orders, and possesses a just proportion in its parts. Pvound an inner court there are twenty-five forges for melting metal. Over an octangular well, in the centre of this court, is a statue of Apol- lo, holding in his hand some rods of gold, 1o indicate that gold is drawn from the bowels of the earth by the aid of the sun, which the ancients represented under the figure of this god. This mint derived its name from the coin, called Zecchino, used when Dandolo was Doge, in the year 1284. CHURCHES. Of the churches in Venice, it may be ob- served in general, that, as some of ihem were built by Palladio, and many raised on mo- dels designed by him, they are of a better style of architecture; and, moreover, from the wealth and the religious temper of the Pie- public are adorned with more magnificence than those of any other town in Italy, if we except the matchless splendours of Pvome. The 6?4 VENICE CHURCHES. talents of the first Venetian artists were ex- erted to adorn them with sculptures and paint- ings. Of these churches that Delia Salute, that Del Rcdentore, (two votive temples erect- ed by the Republic on the cessation of two dreadful pestilences), and that of S. Giorgio Maggiore, are very noble; the latter, \\\ par- ticular, an exquisite work of Palladio, with some few defects, has numberless beauties. The church of the Dominican friars SS. Gio- vanni e Paolo is Gothic, and remarkable for a chapel of the Virgin, lined with marble, divided into two pannels, containing each a piece of Gospel history, represented in a keau- tiful bas-relief. But the peculiar and charac- terestic ornaments of this church are the sta- tues erected by the Senate to many of its worthies, and the superb mauso'eums of se- veral heroes and Doges. The materials are all of the finest marble, and the ornaments frequently in the best taste. The descriptions, pompous as the tombs themselves, carry us back to the heroic ages of the republic. St. Mark's, at Venice, is one of the richest in materials, and the worst in. style through- out Italy. The whole of its uncouth front, rather Saracenic than Gothic, resembles a forest of columns of porphyry of different sizes and proportions, with a few of verde an- tico; the latter spoiled by the action of the air. Its roof is a vast assemblage of domes which seem in danger of crushing the whole edifice. Whatever may be thought of the five domes which cover this church ? they cer- VENICE — CHURCHES. 625 tainly give the whole a much more striking resemblance to a Turkish mosque than a Chri->tian sanctuary, which is not altogether astonishing if the church of Santa Sofia at Constantinople was the model of St. Mark's. Over the portico, opposite the Piazza, the four famous horses, brought from Constan- tinople, long atoned for all the tawdry mo- saics about them : these the Venetians made prizes of when they took and plundered that city iu the year 1206. Afterwards taken by the French from the Venetians and carried to Paris, they were escorted by 3ooo Austrian troops on their way back again to Venice, where they had stood nearly 600 years. These brazen steeds were originally brought from Corinth by a Roman general, and graced Rome till the seat of the empire was removed to the East. The interior of St. Mark's Church offers innumerable objects of striking curiosity. The font is a broad shallow basin of the hard green Brescia; the floor of the church is composed of small inlaid work, of an infinite diversity of patterns of porphyry, marbles, and other stones. In some parts, animals, and other figures are represented - y but, probably from a variation in the marshy soil, this floor is extremely uneven, being swelled in some places and depressed in others, to the extent of ten or twelve inches. The walls, in different parts, are either cased with mosaic, devoid of taste, or with slabs of marble. In one piece of Carrara marble, on the left of the church, the veins obscurely G S'S 6?.6 VENICE CHURCHES. represent the figure of a man. Behind the altar, are some most precious columns of trans- parent alabaster. The domes are decorated with mosaics on a gold ground, very magni- ficent, but hard and stiff. However, to ap- preciate the various beauties of this church in any reasonable degree, a good light is wanting, 'But above all others, the treasury of this church is said to contain a number of objects proper for administering food for faith viz. some remains of the Columns of Solomon's Temple; some locks of hair belonging to the Virgin Mary; a small phial filled with her milk; the knife used by our Saviour at his last supper; and another vessel containing the blood of an image that was crucified by the Jews, in the year 67S; a part of the true cross, and some nails used in the crucifixion: one thorn out of the crown of thorns, etc. all of which are exposed to the view of the faith- ful on the grand festival days. Here is still to be seen the Gospel of Saint Mark, written in his own hand ; a missal con- taining miniatures of Clovio, a disciple of Ju- lius the Pioman ; diamonds, sapphires of all kinds ; the crowns of Cyprus and Candia ; and the ducal bonnet, worn by the doge at the time of his election. Among the rest of the churches which me- rit the attention of the traveller, that of S. Salvador is celebrated not only for its archi- tecture, but for the painting of the Master Altar by Titian^ and ajiolher of the Annun- VENICE CHURCHES. 627 elation by the same Master. St. Theodore, the first patron of Venice, was interred here 5 and here is likewise the mausoleum of the unfortunate Cornelia, Queen of Cyprus, and those of several Doges and personages of dis- tinction. The churches of St, John and St. Paul, for- merly belonging to the Jesuits, have a marble altar, richly decorated; the tabernacle is placed under an arch, supported by ten large pillars. Here are two angels, each of them carrying a small box, containing the relics of saints. The Martyrdom of St. .Peter, by Titian, here, is one of his best paintings. A chapel here is also distinguished by about a dozen bas-reliefs, of most exquisite execution, by Bonnazza and Tagliapetro. Every ad- mirer of sculpture should by all means visit this church, to examine the performances of this kind in wood, stone, and metal : nor should they leave the chapel of Rosary with- out contemplating the pictures of Tintoretto. The mausoleum of this able paifr ter is over the sacristy, where his bust is al« eserved. The church abounds with the memto ents of Doges, and illustrious persons who have borne arms under the Venetians. The Church of S. Frati, served by Corde- liers, is one of the largest in Venice. Here are several altars, decorated with sculptures and paintings of the greatest masters. The Chapel of St. Anthony of Padua is of the finest marble. Among the numerous relics which these good fathers offered to the public, 6l8 VENICE — CHURCHES. was sorrje of the real blood of the Saviour, brought from Constantinople by Melchior de Trevisa, and presented to this church in 1480. It is exposed every fifth Sunday in lent to pu- blic adoration. Above all, this is the resting place of Titian, and here, upon a small square stone, is inscribed, Qui giace il gran Tiziano di Vercelli Emulator de Zeuzi e di gl' Apelli. His picture of the Assumption at the Grand Altar, though covered with a curtain, has felt the injuries of time. His picture of the Salu- tation is at the Church of La Giudeca y oppo- site the place of St. Mark; the sea already washes its steps. This is a most magnificent building, paved with marble, and the interior is decorated with the pencils of Salvati, Tin- toretto, Titian, Giordano, and others. The Church of the Ridentore, built by Pal- ladio, is also at La Giudeca, upon the border of the sea. It was, like the former, built by the Senate, in^nsequence of a vow. This occured in i5y in jj^en, Venice was visited by the plague. r J urp/ ..acade is pure marble, or- namented with columns, Corinthian pilas- ters, and statues. The portico to which there is an ascent of fifteen steps, is covered with copper, and the dome is crowned with a sta-. tue of the Saviour. The altar is surmounted with a fine crucifix in bronze, as are also the two statues of St. Marh and St. Francis, placed on the sides. In many niches in the walls, the figures of the Evangelists, the Pro- VENICE — CHURCHES. 629 phets, and Doctors of the Church, are to be seen in chiaroscuro. The bas-reliefs of the altars are beautiful in the highest degree; and this church is sometimes decorated with flowers from the top to the bottom. The Church of S. Giorgio Maggiore stands upon a little island that bears his name; it was built by Palladio about the year 1 556. Its marble front is seen with great effect from the place of St. Mark, being decorated with the grand Composite and the small Corinthian or- der, with a fine entablature above, and hand- some pedestals beneath; it is also decorated with seven marble statues. Here are the mo- numents oiManimo and Ziani, Doges in 1173, elevated upon pedestals. The Master Al- tar exhibits the four Evangelists, bearing a globe, upon which is the Eternal Father, the whole executed in bronze. The Marriage of Cana, by Paid Veronese, is in the Refectory of these Pveligious, where he is painted play- ing upon a viol : the second figure with a vio- lin is Titian, and the fourth with a flute is Le Bassano. St. Luke's is the next to this church for painting and sculpture; here Aretin, the fa- mous cynical writer, is interred. The patriarchal church of St. Peter is built upon a double plan. It is paved with marble; the grand altar is ornamented with statues, some of which supported the shrine of S. Lo- renzo Giustiniani, the first patriarch of Venice. S. Jago dell' Ori, as a parish church, nie- 630 VENICE — CHURCHES. rits attention for the chefs-d'ceuvres of Paul Veronese, of Bassano, Tintoretto, Palma, and other great masters. The pulpit, of fine marble, is of an octagon form, and a column of verde antico is much admired. The Church of the Jesuits contains the mausoleum of the Doge, Cicogna, who so largely contributed to the embellishment of Venice. This church is very beautiful, and is not encumbered with ornaments. The pul- pit always invites repeated inspection. The verde antico, judiciously mixed with white marble, produces a fine effect: the portico of this church is grand, but much disfigured by an inferior erection close to it. This church, a little to the north-east of the town, from whence there is a noble view of the sea, with the mountains of Carinthia and Carniola, is a striking specimen of the fine taste and magnificence of that celebrated or- der of men, and in a style peculiar to itself. The pannels and intercolumniations are inlaid with flowers of verde antico, upon a ground of white or Carrara marble, so as to repre- sent damask ; for the diversity of greens in the former, produces the effect of shades in silk or velvet. About the altar are some large twisted columns of verde antico, and the steps are so formed of that precious marble, inlaid with yellow, as to seem spread with a green and gold damask carpet. S. Pantaleone has nothing in it very remark- able, excepting a curious old painting of saints, bishops, and other good company, done hy VENICE — CHURCHES. 63 I Gristoforo di Ferrara in i444> remarkable for the odd expression in some of the faces, in which the artist, in attempting character, has fallen into the most ludicrous burlesque. The Church of S. Miracoli, near that of the Jesuits, possesses two fragments of sculp- ture, brought from Ravenna and generally- ascribed to Praxiteles. They are bas-reliefs in white marble, placed under the organ* and represent two little boys playing or wrestling together. Though very much battered, they are evidently of Grecian sculpture, and worthy of any artist whatever. The Church of S. Stefano is only remark- able for the great profusion of red Verona marble in the interior. S. Cassiano has several pictures, some of which may be good, but they are so dirty that they can scarcely be seen. The pulpit stands on two pillars of verde antico. The •little sacristy here is very rich in marbles and hard stones, and contains a good painting by Balestra. S. Francesco delta Figna, famous for its architecture, which, like that of many other churches, was designed by Palladia, has little worthy of observation besides. The facade is in the favourite style of this great artist, with four Composite columns supporting a pedi- ment, and lateral abutments with lesser co- lumns. The whole mass is well proportioned and finely formed. The Church of S. Giustina affords a speci- men of a practice peculiar to Venice, which 63*2 VENICE—THEATRES. is to place some distinguished mausoleum over the doors of their churches on the outside, which has no bad effect when the proportions aud style of the monument agree with that of the building. Here are three of these memo- rials of the family who built this church. The tabernacle of its altar is very rich in precious stones of the second order, and in columns of red jasper. Next to the churches we may rank the Scuole, or the chapels and halls of certain con- fraternities, such as that of St. Roch, St. Mark, and that of the Mercatanti ; all of noble pro- portions and rich furniture, and adorned with paintings, relative to their respective deno- minations by the best masters. THEATRES. There used to be no less than seven at Venice ; two of them commonly appropriated to the serious opera, two. to comic operas, and the other three to plays. It is only during the Carnival that they are all open j this begins on St. Stephen's day, and continues till Lent; the houses are then full every night. In autumn, the houses are firsj opened for the comic opera and plays; and at the Ascension, the serious opera commences. A trifle is paid at the door for admittance, which entitles a person to go into the pit, where he may look about and determine what part of the house he will sit in. There are rows of chairs towards the front, the seats of which fold back, and are locked; those who take these VENICE — THEATRES. 633 pay a trifle more to the door-keeper for unlocking them. Very decent people occupy these chairs; but the back part of the pit is filled with servants and gondoliers. The nobility and gentry engage boxes by the yearj however, there is always a sufficient number for strangers. It is the custom to go masked here during the Carnival, and also at the festival of the Ascension : with a mask aod a silk cloak, a person is sufficiently dressed for any assembly in Venice. Masks in character are used only three or four weeks before Lent. During the Carnival there is a sort of dramatic perfor- mance, most singular of its kind, resembling nothing so much as the Masquerades formerly given at Vauxhali or Ranelagh. The theatre where it is carried on, continues open day end night, and a succession of spectators and performers, who pour out a profusion of coarse jests and low humour, keep up a continual play or entertainment, being a sort of extempore pantomime, where Harlequin, Pantaloon and Coviello (a sharper), play off their tricks, to the infinite amusement of the spectators, who are generally of the lowest class. And there are dresses splendid hut fantastical, Masks of all times and nations, Turks and Jews, And harlequins and clowns, with feasts gymnastics!. Greeks, Romans, Yankee-doodles, and Hindoos j All kinds of dress, except the ecclesiastical. All people, as their fancies hit, may choose ; But no one in these parts may quiz the Clergy; Therefore take heed, ye Freethinkers, I charge ye. 634 VENICE — SOCIETY — MANNERS, etc. But the principal theatres at Yenice have latelv declined very much ; not more than two have remained constantly open through the season since the French were there, and these were restricted to playing three times in ihe week : the first of these, is the theatre of Si. Moses, so called from the name of the parish ; the other is the Phoenix, where operas are performed. The theatre of St. Moses is very small, and is situated at the bottom of a narrow, dirty street. The Phoenix, a pretty modern building, was begun in 1791, at the expense of a company, and cost to i,3oo,ooo florins. The Ridotto here is a place appropriated to play, where every body is permitted to go and lose their money all the year round, and even at the time when the playhouses are shut. It is a spacious building, and so constructed as to resist fire in case of accident. SOCIETY, MANNERS, CUSTOMS, etc. The influence of government upon the manners was never more deeply impressed upon any people than the Venetians. From the constant apprehension of accusation, they seemed to live under perpetual restraint, never giving vent to any opinion except in private. If any open conversation was held, it always turned upon subjects quite indifferent to the Council of Ten. There was also the dread of false witnesses availing themselves of the least pretext for the gratification of private resent- ment. But though this order of things was VENICE SOCIETY — MANNERS, etc. 635 in a great measure done away by the interven- tion of the French, the spirit of it still re- mained ; so that considering what has since happened, secrecy and reserve, under the present Austrian government, may be as ne- cessary as ever at Venice. Business, but mostly trifles, are of course the topics in the coffee-houses and the wine- houses at Murano, the theatre, etc. The Ve- netians are nevertheless of that sociable turn, that one or two' interviews with a stranger will be sufficient to make him a party in some of their pleasures. The females, generally speaking, are handsome, and have what is called a good skin ; they are particularly careful in preserving their teeth. In their dress, they are divided between the Greek and the French mode : not deficient in the lan- guage of the eyes, they know also how to conceal or discover their small feet ; or, by throwing aside their veils, to display a fine white neck. Yet at Venice it is only the women of the lowest and middling classes that show themselves in the streets. Ladies of rank scarcely ever appear at the windows : they are only to be seen at the theatre, at church, or in parties in their gondolas. Letters of recommendation will certainly introduce a stranger into the houses of the great ; but they would rather meet him at the theatre, as visits of ceremony are always made after the play is over. At this time of night, in consequence of so many gondolas being put in inotion ? the streets resound with 636 VENICE — SOCIETY — MANNERS, file. the cries of gia (avast) stall (larboard) primi (starboard.) The gondolas then lighted with- in and without, exhibit a singular spectacle upon the dark canals, upon which they are generally engaged till five or six o'clock in the morning, when people of rank, usually go to rest. Nor is their repose disturbed by the noise of the shuttle, hammer, or the anvil^ I as the business of this kind is done in quarters of the town distant from great houses. There are, notwithstanding, a few philoso- phical societies, where every kind of mental freedom is enjoyed, and to which strangers may be admitted. Though the purest Italian is spoken in these clubs, they frequently make use of the Venetian dialect, on account of its naivete, an idea of which may be formed by reading Goldonis comedy of / Rustigni, the Rustics. The Carnival always infuses a. new vigour into the pleasures of society ; the wo- men then, even the genteelest, being masked, parade the streets alone, or in company, indulging themselves in all kind of remarks : they also go in and out of the theatres to vary their attacks. There are some private fami- lies at Venice, who make no difficulty in receiving strangers ; and this affords a tole- rable speculation, provided these persons are not sufficiently guarded against the parties at play, which are the principal objects in these houses. The Venetians make few invitations to din- ner, etc. not on account of parsimony, bu from their habitual abstemiousness : the VENICE— SOCIETY MAXNERS, etc. 637 ! however willingly invite to balls; but on a visit paid them, they are never visible; there- fore it is not deemed impolite to send in : your card by a gondolier. Jealous husbands . are very rare in Venice, so that any person I not sparing of his purse may find company ; enough among the ladies to attend him to the : play, to the garden of the Princess Savor- gnano, or to the wine-houses of Muranoj Castelloy or Guidica. The apartments, neatly fitted up by the nobles and the wealthy, but without magnifi- cence, where they may receive a few friends in a more easy manner than they do at their palaces, are called their Casinos, where, in- stead of going home to a formal supper, they order refreshments, and amuse themselves with cards. That these Casinos may be occa- sionally used for the purposes of intrigue, is not improbable, but that this is the general purpose of them is certainly false. The state of society in "Venice seems, how- ever, to be on a more enlarged scale than formerly; the casinos indeed continue still to be the place of resort, of card-parties and suppers; but various houses are open to strangers; and balls and concerts, and club dinners are given frequently: to all of which introduction is not difficult. The carnival is distinguished by plays in the day and by masked balls in the night; the illumiuation of the theatres on such nights is very beautiful. One species of theatrical amusement at this s-easou is very singular. It is a regular farce H h h 638 VENICE — SOCIETY — MANNERS, etc. carried on at all hours; so that the idle part of the community may, if they please, pass all the 24 hours in the theatre, fall asleep and awake, go out and come in, and still find the play going on with its usual spirit. In such pieces, the actors seem to be obliged to have recourse to their own ingenuity for their dia- logue, which, however, seldom flags for want of materials, such is their natural talent for repartee and buffoonery. Venice, in Autumn and at the beginning of Spring, when the Sirocco blows, is nearly deserted by all but the lower orders and the priests, who live by the daily productions of the altar. In the evening, the Priestesses of Venus distribute themselves about all the most frequented parts of the town. In the mean while, the rich citizens and others are to be found upon the borders of the Brenta, near Mestra, upon the roads to Treviso, Fusina, or Padua. There is a great deal of play at Venice, not only at the Ridotto and in the private Casinos, but in the little rooms and back shops in the place of St. Mark. Stran- gers should be extremely careful how they enter these places. Sometimes parties are made to go and take a supper at sea. These parties are generally select, and well attended with music. Venice at night is the most lively place imaginable. It is then one distinguished blaze of light and a continued scene of bustle, the coffee-houses being seldom shut before two or three o'clock in the niorning. This is the VENICE — PYRAMID OF MEN — GONDOLAS. 63c) very reverse of Rome, where after eight o'clock at night a soul is scarcely to be seen ; at Venice, however, the young ladies of any rank are very closely confined, or well watch- ed by their duennas. The education of females here is generally confined to a little reading and music. Their marriages are fre- quently a speculation on the part of the pa- rents, and their daughters are contracted for by persons whom probably they have never seen. Among several shows exhibited at Venice, there is a set of artizans who, by the help of several poles, which they lay across one ano- ther's shoulders, build themselves up* into a kind of pyramid ; so that you see a pile of men in the air of four or five rows, rising one above another. The weight is so equally dis- tributed, that every man is very well able to bear his part of it ; the stories, if such they may be called, growing less and less as they advance higher and higher. A little boy re- presents the point of the pyramid, who, after a short space, leaps off with a great deal of dexterity into the arms of one that catches him at the bottom. In the same manner the whole building falls to pieces. Claudian seems to allude to this where he says. Men piled on men, with active leaps arise, And build die breathing fabric to the skies; A sprightly youth above the topmost row Points the tall pyramid, and crowns the show. The gondolas are long narrow boats, which have a room in the middle, six feet by four, 6/fO VENICE — REGATTAS. covered with black cloth, and with gliding windows. Two persons sit very commodi- ously at the end, and two others may sit on each side. They are rowed either by one or two gondoliers standing. These gondolas are the only carriages at Venice, and are every where within call. The gondoliers are robust, good humoured, and lively; they pique them- selves upon the quickness of their repartees, and are generally esteemed for their fidelity and attachment. The amusement of the Regata is peculiar to Venice. In fine weather, the gondoliers frequently challenge one another to a contest, by putting up a little flag or bough, to obtain which they display the greatest ardour; but if any person of consequence or a stranger desire it, arrangements are made for a more orderly course, and the city is amused by a Regata. When Regatas are ordered by the government, the competitors are chosen from families of the first reputation among the gon- doliers: on the <}ay of trial, their relatives encourage them by reciting the triumphs of their families; the women present the oar, and religion has its share in the preparations. The course is about four miles along the great canal. The prizes are marked by four flags of different colours; and on these occasions the canal is covered with boats of every de- scription, and on each side are placed bands of music. It is not unusual for the gondoliers to sing while conveying their fares across the canals, according to a very ancient custom : TENICE — PROVISIONS. 6l[i but this classical mode of singing verses alter- nated, a remnant of the ancient pastoral, is said to have been much on the decline at Ve- j nice since the French invasion. The gondolas being black, have been re- marked as having a very hearse-like appear- ance; but the gay liveries of the rowers, and the elegant company within, soon chase away all gloomy ideas. Nothing can be more grace- ful than the attitudes of these gondoliers, as they urge their light barks over the waves, skimming the surface of the water with the rapidity of the swallow, and scarcely seeming* to touch it -, while their bright prows of polis- hed iron gleam in the sunshine, and glitter in the rippling waves. This elegance of atti- tude is owing to the just and full exertion of* the muscular frame, which always looks well. The gondoliers in these races stand on a nar- row part of the boat, slightly elevated, like the ridge of a house, and varying in its hori- zontal inclination every moment: and on this they are chiefly supported by the close appli- cation of their feet, through thin shoes, a firm position of the legs, and accurate poising of the body, the upper part of which, with the arms, alone is in motion. PROVISIONS* Eatables abound in the shops of Venice, a certain sign of a great consumption. Rice, pastry, and butchers' meat are principally- used by those who are comparatively opulent, All the meat consumed here comes from Ilia a h h. 64-2 VENICE — CLIMATE. continent ', as near as possible in the neigh- bourhood, there are a number of slaughter- houses. Murano, Burano, and other little islands, supply eggs and poultry; but the most singular instance of the good govern- ment of Venice is, that though almost every necessary is imported, it is always at a mo- derate price. The Gulf supplies fish in great quantities, and in the canals, a number of crabs, etc. are fouud sticking to the houses. Fresh water is the only thing really scarce; because that kept in the cisterns is very often spoiled in hot weather : but good water from the Brenta is to be had at all times. CLIMATE. Considering the atmosphere of Venice 13 often charged with mephitic vapour, from a variety of causes, this city is as healthful as can be expected , one reason of this arises from its situation, that admits of its being frequent- ly swept by the east winds, which are always salubrious after traversing the Adriatic. Sum- mer is the worst part of the year, in conse- quence of the quantity of hydrogen gas ex- baled from the canals, and the numerous sewers of this great city. To these emana- tions must be added those of a muriatic kind from the neighbouring marshes and Lagunes. Most of these causes begin to act in concert early in May, in concurrence with the heat of the weather, the bad quality of the water kept in cisterns, and the obstructions to a free circulation of the air, arising from the height of the houses and the narrowness of some of VENICE — COMMERCE. 643 the streets. These causes must inevitably have considerable effect upon the health of persons, who are by no means scrupulous as to clean- liness, too many of whom are badly lodged, badly clothed, and badly fed. The winter at Venice is seldom open ; but, on the con- trary, what is called close and foggy; hence the frequency of putrid and slow fevers, and besides a sudden transition from a moist and warm temperature to dry and cold, is always more or less morbiferous. The females of Ve- nice are not overtaken with old age so soon as they are in other warm countries, and the men preserve their strength and a good colour to a very advanced age. Commerce at Venice was very brisk even under the French government, as long as the communications were open ; and no branch much more so than letter-founding and print- ing, more of the latter being executed in that city than any other in Italy. Most of the books printed here were exported to the Gre- cian Islands, to Constantinople, to Spain, and Portugal, which made the profits con- siderable. The type used at Venice is good, but the paper abominable. Jewellery is better got up here than in several parts of Italy 5 fillagree work and chains are manufactured at Venice, the links of which are scarcely visible. Many of the curious glass toys, made at Venice and in its vicinity, are said to be employed on the coast of Africa, for the pur- chase of slaves. Large quantities of soap are also manufactured here. 644 VENICE LITERATURE. Few countries make better velvets or sill; hose than the Venetians. The wax frOni Dalmatia, Greece, and all the Levant, em- ploys several hands. The drugs imported here from the Levant are esteemed excellent, and the Theriaca, or Venice trea-cle, though decried as rudis indigestaque moles, is still in reputation. Their Marasquin (cherry wa- ter) and their liqueurs in general, are famous. Like the Hollanders, though they have no- thing in themselves, yet no place is better supplied with the necessaries and luxuries of life than Venice. The articles best worth purchasing at Venice are gold chains, sold by weight, according to the price of gold ; wax candles, Mocha coffee, chocolate, paste made of melon seeds for washing the skin, maps, &c. Literature. — There are very few learned men at Venice, a circumstance not uncom- mon in maritime states. Besides, under the ancient government, learning Avas a sufficient cause for exclusion from offices of honour and emolument. Poetry only was the most culti- vated; the Italian language and the Venetian- dialect afforded wonderful facilities for the variety and harmony of verse. Few cities in Italy could reckon such a number in the Muses' train as Venice; the most trivial oc- casion seldom failed in producing sonnets without end. Nothing beyond the chicanery of the law engages the attention of the gen- tlemen of the long robe. Skilful physicians here, who act up to the dignity of their profession are very few in number; but ava* VENICE— ENVIRONS. 645 ricious and ignorant quacks abound. Happily, some surgeons, who have studied at Paris, have since settled at Venice. How the arts have formerly flourished at Venice is well known, so that any observations upon the Venetian school here would be useless ; its merit can only be appreciated by the amateur. Environs. — The environs of Venice are considerably improved since the French en- tered that city : from Castello to the place called Le Motte, at the end of a very large street, some handsome gardens have been formed, which serve as a public promenade. Among the islands in the environs, Malla- mocco, formerly the residence of the Doge, is now well peopled. The two Lazarettos, the old and the new, are two vast buildings, which occupy two of the other islands. Tor- cello, Murano, Wazorbo, and Burano, are four islands to the north-east of Venice ; Murano, distant only two miles, is covered with buildings much resembling those of the capital, and contains nearly 6000 inhabitants. Much glass and crystals are manufactured here.', The little island of S. Lazzaro is inha- bited by Armenian monks, who are rich in manuscripts in that language, and has also a press for printing in the Oriental lan- guages. From Venice, a very agreeable excursion may be made, by Trieste, into Istria and Dalmatia, countries which are fraught with interest. On the one side, these countries present, as it were, the skeleton of the Roman 6/fi VENICE ENVIRONS. empire • on the other, particularly in Dal- matia, they exhibit a wandering and pastoral liorde, who, perhaps, have sunk progres- sively from an enlightened to a savage state. In one part, for example, we behold the splen- did remains of the masters of the world ; in another, a few ignorant tribes, living in ob- scurity and indigence. Here, we see the mouldering columns of the palaces of the Caesars ; there, the smoky hut of the taste- less Haiduck, the spacious baths once ap- propriated to the use of beauty, and the infectious pallet, on which the debased Dal- matian reposes, a stranger to the endearments of conjugal affection, (i) But if the traveller did not take the route of Venice from Milan, he will now go to Yicenza ; in order to which he will either cross the Lagunes to Fusina, and take the post ; or hire a- Burchiello to return up the Brenta to Padua. From thence to Yicenza is a journey of eighteen Italian miles, or about three hours. The country is flat, but well cultivated; the crops, corn, maize, and grass. The numerous mulberry-trees bespeak the staple of the Yicentine silk manufacture. The wine of the Yicentine is good. (i) Cassas's Travels compiled from his Journal by Lavalle'e, are the best on this subject. They have been translated in the first volume of Contemporary Voyages and Travels. FROM VENICE TO BERGAMO. &^J No. 21. From Venice to Bergamo, 20 posts; 21 hours, 20 minutes. TIME. TIME. from posts, h. m. from posts. h.m„ Venice to Padua. 4 DesenzanotoPon- Aivslesega 1 1 40 te S. Marco.. . . i i 3o Vicenza (1) 17 2 Brescia (3) 14 1 3o Montebello 1^ 1 3o Ospidaletto i^- i 3o Caldiero ii 1 3o Palazzolo 1 1 10 Verona (2) 1 1 45 Caverhago 1 1 5 Castel Nuovo 1^2 i5 Bergamo (4; 1 1 20 Desenzano 1^ 1 4^ Vicenza is charmingly situated between two mountains on a large plain ; though but four miles in circumference, it contains between 3o and 4°> 000 persons. It is the native place of Palladio ; and the best works of this celebrated architect form the great ornament of the city. Te'atro Olimpico is one of the finest specimens of modern archi- tecture : it was begun early in i588, the very year that Palladio died. The house in which the architect himself lived was built by him, and is no less modest than elegant. Palazzo delta ragione, or the town-hall, is by the same great master. — Palazzo Prefettizio, De* Conti Chiericati, Barbarano, Orazio Porto, Conti Tiene, Conti Valmarana, Girolamo Franceschini, are all by Palladio. In the en- virons, Marchese Capra's famous- rotunda, copied by Lord Burlington at Chiswick, is by Palladio. In the gardens of the palace inns. — (1) The Chapeau Rouge, and Ecu de France. (2) The Two Towers j The Tower. (3) The Tower; l'Auberge Royale. (4) Phoenix; Albergo Reaie. 648 FROM VICEtfZA TO VERONA. Valmarana, which are much admired, there is a pretty loggia, which passes for Palladio's ; and the staircase of la Madonna del Monle, with the triumphal arch before it, are said to be by the same architect. The east front of Palazzo Pretorio is by Scamozzi ; as is also the Nievi' palace, and the Trissini on the Corso. Yicenza, though of no extraordinary ex'fent, has many churches, and several hospi- tals. The naturalist will visit the Grotta de Ca- voli ; the mineral waters of Recoaro ; the tepid waters of S. Pancrazio di Barbarano ; the hills of Bretto; the mountains to the north of the city, in which are abundance of shells, petrifactions, etc. In the. volcanic mountains near Yicenza are nodules of chacedony from the size of a pea, to the diameter of an inch, bedded in the lava ; they are commonly, hollow and the cavity has sometimes water in it : they are then called enhydrl, \ From Yicenza to Yerona the road is good and the country pleasant ; the crops are of corn, maize, clover, lucern, grass and hemp. On the right, at some distance are the Alps, which separate Italy from Germany ; or else the Yicentine and Yeronese hills : on the left, a flat, rich, cultivated country, extending to the Apennines beyond Bologna. The Yicen- tine and Yeronese hills are calcareous, fur- nishing fine red, yellow, and variegated marbles j and have been much shaken by violent yolcanos. MANTUA. 649 Verona and its territory have been already described in the first chapter of this work. From Verona an excursion may be made to Mantua. This city is surrounded by a morass, formed by the overflowing of. the Mincio, and can be approached only by long bridges or causeways. It is about four miles in circumference ; some of the streets are wide and strait, with a few good houses, but they are generally unequal, and mostly indifferent. Population, 25, 000. The Cathedral is spacious, and has five aisles. Giulio Romano was the architect, and also painted the tribune and a part of the cieling. S. Agnese is an old church, in good taste, with some lofty fine chapels. In a chapel on the right hand are two great frescos, in the style of Giulio Romano, by whom there are some cielings also in the ancient Ducal Palace. In the Palazzo cli 2\ so called from its form, are some fine frescos by the same artist, who gave the plan and elevation of the palace ; the most admired pieces are the fall of Phaeton and Jupiter's victory over the giants. The village of Andes or Pietole, near Mantua, gave birth to Virgil. In going from Verona to Brescia, the road continues by the Lago cli Garda, or the JSenacus, for several miles. It is about 35 miles in length, and 12 in breadth; and though not the largest is by far the noblest lake in Italy. The eastern side is romanti- cally magnificent ; while the western lias the softest and most delicious views. The Ri- 1 i i 65o BRESCIA. viera di Said is on this side. Said, the prin- cipal town, is well built, and has about 5ooo inhabitants. The whole country for at least twenty miles is one continued garden. Brescia is a handsome, large and populous city on the river Garza ; the number of in- habitants is said to be about 40,000 : it is al- most a square, with a castle at one corner. Between the city and the foot of the Alps is a fine rich plain ; and an extensive one also on the other side, at the extremity of which appears Cremona, thirty miles distant. The Cathedral is a fine modern building, and the ornaments within are executed with taste. The Palazzo delta Giustizia is a mixture of Gothic and Greek architecture, and contains many pictures, some of which are good. The theatre is splendid ; the boxes much orna- mented with glasses, painting, and a front- cloth of velvet or silks fringed, and the seats in the pit are roomy. The Mazzachelll Collection of Medals is very valuable • also the Public Library, where is a fine collection of engravings. There is an excellent public walk at Brescia, and nu- merous fountains in the city. Trade and ma- nufactures are in great activity here, par- ticularly of fire-arms, cannon, linen, cloth and lace. The people are laborious and robust, partaking somewhat of the Swiss character, and the women are industrious, frank and The Brescian territory, though not natu- rally fertile, has been converted into a garden BEBGAMO. by industry, a judicious choice of manures, and a skilful distribution of water. From Brescia to Bergamo you coast the Alps, at the distance of two or three miles. This pro- vince is very populous and fertile, and the in- habitants are very industrious. Bergamo is situated on a mountain over- looking a plain, covered with trees as far as the eve can reach. On approaching it, the appearance of the suburbs, with the city rising above, and the mountain crowned with the citadel, is very fine. Although many of the inhabitants quit the town to seek a live- lihood at Milan, Genoa and other places, it contains a population of 3o,ooo persons. Ber- gamo, is the native country of Harlequin, and the people have a sort of humorous repartee and an arch manner, which, with their pecu- liar patois, gives them a very different air from that of the rest of the Italians. The principal public buildings are the C<7- thedral, the churches of S. Maria Maggiore, Alessandro, S. Spirito* S. Bartolomeo, and S. Grata; the New Palace by Scamozzi and the Theatre. At Agostino is the tomb of CY/- lepiTi the patriarch of Lexicographers. There are two fine public walks, one of which is on the ramparts. The design of the palace "Vagliotti is elegant j and those of Terzi, Mas- soli, Moroni, and Sozzi contain some good pictures. In the suburb of S. Leonardo is a large building containing 600 shops, and a square and fountain in the centre, appropri- 652 BERGAMO. ated to the annual Fair held liere in August; and opposite this place is a large theatre. The trade of Bergarno is in wool, silk, broad-cloaths, and iron. The country abound?, in wine, oil, and excellent fruits, and feeds a large number of sheep. The Bergamese are robust, well made, industrious and keen in business. -From Bergamo the traveller may take leave of Italy, and proceed to France, Switzerland, or Germany, by any of the routes pointed out in the first chapter of this Work. THE END. INDEX. *** The Roman Numerals refer to the Introduction, Page. Abbey del Bosco i^ Acheron, the Ancient. 499 Acqnapendente 5i8 Adige, source of the ri- ver 5$ Agnano, lake of ^g5 Agriculture, etc. ofltaly 4 2 Aisjuebelle 17 Ala.. 59 Albana 094 Albenga 9 Albergo, sculpture and ornamentof the Cha- pel of the 77 Alessandria di Paglia. ii Alfieri, birth-place of i3 Am bras, castle of. ... 5o Ancona, 179. — mole of ib. — Triumphal Ar- ches, 180. — Streets, 181. — Females, ib. Trade and manufac- tures, ib. Andes or Pietole, vil- lage of, Virgil born at 649 Angelo, Michael,bouse of - 54o Antium 36o Anxur,thc ancient, ru- ins of. 3g6 Apennines, described by Mr. Addison. ... 572 -, Excursion over the, from Parma to Pace. Genoa ijf Appian Road 3oQ Aqua Santa jfi Arezzo 5'2() Arona 3 Asinelli, tower of. :.. j6s Assisi 525 Asti i3 Augustus, triumphal arch in honour of. . 25 Avalanche near Saint Martin 1 \ Aversa 4°"? Avigliana 16 Baccano 197 — 5 \ r > Baia 3 , Bay of , excursion to. . . . :\if) Bagni di S. Filippo... 5i>) Batbs of Nero j-cJ6 Belgcrita .{ Belvedere Bergamo 65 r Berzola . . 14 5 Binasco ro \ Bochetta, the i5 — 98 Bodoni, Library and Printin^-Oflice of,. i35 Bolca.... 1 . 05 Bologna, advisable to purchase a sedie at, xxiv — description of i54 — history of, i55 -—churches *56 — pa- laces and public 654 INDEX, buildings, i58* — school of painting, i5g — Clementine a- caaeray, ib. — insti- tute di Bologna, 160 — university, 161 — academies of the in- quieto and the O&io- si, 162 — towers, ib. squares, i63 — the- atres, promenades, etc. ib. — man- ners, society, etc. ib. ' — females, ib. — illus- trious men born at, 164 — convent of St. Stephano. ib. — envi- rons, i65 — agreeable pilgrimage from, 166 — commerce, natu- ral productions, ib. — natural curiosi- ties, TG7 — situation, 168 — beauty of the road from 171 — route from, to An- cona, 168 — route from, to Venice, by Ferrara, Rovigo, and Padua 096 Boh ano, or Botzen '56 Bolseno, environs of.. 5i 7 Borromean Is!es 122 Borromeo, St. Charles of, life of 108 Bosco, 1^7. — Roman- tic situation of ib. — Hospitality of the Rector of 148 Boundaries of Italy. . . v Brescia G5o Page. Brixen 54 Brixen and Bolsano, description of the road between 55 Camels, herd of, esta- blished near Pisa.. . 585 Camerino igo Campagna di Roma, the, 198, 37T, 373 — insalubrity of, ib. — cultivation of 373 — MaP aria 374 Campi Macri, the i38 Campomarone, new road from, to Genoa i5 Campo Merto, visit to the farm of 384 Camulduli, convent of 4° Cantonnieis, account of 22 Capri, island of. .... . 5o4 Capua, 4°° — ancient, ruins of,ib. — Excur- sion from to Cesar- ta, tb. — Richness of the road from to Naples 4 01 Caravanseras, erected by Pope Pius VI. . . 38g Carignano, church and bridge of 7 \ Carrara, approach to, g3 — La Studio, 94 — workshops, ib. — quarries, ib. — Hill and Vale of, ib. Cascata del Marmore. 19 \ Case Nuove 191 Caserta, 400, 5o2 — A- queduct of 5'i-t Cassini, meridian of. . k> ndex. Page. Castel Fiorentino 377 Castel Guelfo i33 Castello dello Pielra, fortress of 58 Castigiione 526 Cathedral of Milan. . . 107 Cava 5oi Cents. Mount, see Mount Cenis. Cento Cameralle 5oo Cesena 172 Chaises a-porteurs de- scribed 19 Chalets l5i Chamois, account of. . 18 Chartreuse, church and monastery of. . ro3 — 570 Orient e, source of the 189 Chiusa, or Clausen, 54 — description of the defile terminating the plain, 55 — for- tress of 60 Chiusi 5 19 Cicisheism . . .34 — 85 — 329 Cicisbeos 33i — \Qi Ci-devant kingdom of Italy, post regula- tions xxxj Civita Castellana 196 Clementine Academy. i5g Climates, different, of Italy viij — ;x Clitumnus, temple of, 19a — source of the river of, ib. Col de Tende, passage of the 12 Col Fiotito 191 Colle 523 Colomo , . i36 Page. Como, 124 — Lake of. . 125 Compiano i54 Coni 12 Cora 397 Corregio 137* Cortellacino 196 Gortona 5^0 Courier, journey with from Rome to Na- ples xxj Ciemona i3o — 65o Crucifixes, numerous, on the road between Brixen and Bolsano. 499 Dante, tomb of 176 Death of the Emperor Francis, husband of Maria Theresa. .... ffi Descent to Piedmont. 2> Doria, the Palace. ... 70 Ecclesiastical States, post regulations in the xxix Elysian Fields 5oo Empoli 5G9 Equinoctial rains xj Exchange, rate of in Italy xxxvij Excursion from Pisa to Terracina, through the Maremma of Tuscany, the Cam- pagna of Rome, and the Pomp tine Marsh- es 3 : <5 over the Apennines from Par- ma to Genoa \\\ 656 INDEX. Page. Excursion to Bai?e. . . . 4g5 to Vesuvius. . . 4>4 Expense of living in Italy xviij Faenza 169 Fajola 3g6 Falernuui, mountain of 4°o Fano 179 Feluccas described, 6 — for Genoa or Leg- horn, i&.-- Directions to persons going by the, 7 — passage by tliem recommended, 89 — precautions to to be taken with the Padrones 90 Ferrara 5g7 Fete of the Dead .... 3i3 Fiesolc 5G*j Finale 9 Firenzuola l33 Florence, situation of, 537 — directions for visiting, 5aS — inns, ib. — restaura- teurs, 5'ig — coffee- rooms, ib. — lodg- ings, etc. ib. -manner P ■ f* 01 seeing, 5 jo — ex- tent and population, 53 1 — gates, 53a — quays, ib.; — bridges, ib. — streets, 533 — squares, 535 — pala- ces, 536 — churches, 54i — Sassodi Dante, 542- — cathedral, ib. museum, 548 — libra- ries, 55 1 — theatres. Page. 554 — fountains, 556 promenades, ib. — gallery, 558 — the school of the fine arts, 565 — society and manners, 566 — Improvisator!, 567 — commerce, manufac- tures, etc. 568 — en- virons of, ib. — histo- ry of, 572 — passage from, to Pisa by wa- ter, 586 — route from, to Leghorn, ib. Foligno TQI Fondi, 3g8 — Grotto near 098 Forli 17° Forlimpopoli 17 r Frascati 366 Fusaro, Lake of. 4*P Garigliano 399 Gavi, castle of, i5 — fortress of 99 Geivo A, description of, 66 — situation of, ib. — inns, ib. note — streets, 6S— palaces, 69 — churches, 73 — cathedral, 74 church and bridge of Ca- rignano, ib.— Moles and hospitals, 76 — custom house, 77 — exchange and Porto Franco, 78 — fortifi- cations, ib. — acade- my, libraries, etc. 79 — -promenades, the- atres, etc. 80 — \il- IN DFX. (or Page. las,8r-environs, 82- Lo Scoglietto, 83 — people, manners, etc. ib. — population, ib. — females, 85 — cicis- beisin, ib. — com- merce, natural pro- ductions, climate, etc. 86 — history of, 88 — directions for viewing, ib. — de- parture, from 8g Glaciers of Tyrol 5o Gladiators, tomb of the 4^3 Gondola, hire of a, at Venice, xix — direc- tions on entering a, etc. Goi — described. 63o, Gondoliers . 640 Grand St. Bernard, passage of 4 Grotta, the Sybil's... 497 Grotto del Cane 49 1 Hall 5o Hannibal, road by which he entered Italy 22 Herculaneum, discove- ry of 477 Imola 169 Inspruck, 4^ — bad style of architecture, ib. — chapel erected at, by Maria There- sa, ib. — Vale of, 49 — height above the level of the sea 52 and Zelt, grotto between 5o Page. Instituto di Bologno . 160 Invalids resident in Ita- ly, directions to... xviij Iron crown, the cele- brated 121 Isella 3 Isle of Ischia 5o2 Isola Bella 1 2 3 Isola Madre ib. Italian cookery 47^ hours, table of, xliv inns xx^ j language v Italians, their passion for music ib. Itai,t, general view of, j — boundaries, population, and cul- tivation, ib, — lakes, ib. — ports, bays, etc. iv. — pleasure of tra- velling in, ib. — lan- guage, ib. — music, ib. — geography and scenery of, vj — mountains, vij — dif- ferent climates of, viij — climate of in. general, xj — perio- dical rains, ib. — dan- ger of travelling in, during the heat of the day, xiij — direc- tions to travellers,! 5. — scenery of, xiv — plan of a tour in, ib. — directions to inva- lids resident in, xviij — expense of living in, ib. — manner of travelling post in, 658 INDEX Lg<5 xxij — postprices and regulations, xxiij — gold coins current in, xxxij — silver dit- to, xxxiij — money of, xxxiv — rate of exchange, xxxvij — weights and mea- sures, xxxviij — xl — routes leading to, i ■ — soil and agricul- ture of, 42 — customs of the peasantry 190 Itii ••... 3gg Juliet, tomb of 66 Jupiter Serapis, re- mains of a temple dedicated to 49 2 Kingdom of Naples, post regulations of the xxix , general as- pect, soil, and agri- culture of the.. ... . 507 La Favorita Lago di Castello. Lago di Garda 649 Lago di Lugano 125 Lago Maggiore, ia3 — Islands on, ib. — En- virons of 124 Lake Agnano 4^ Lake A vermis 497 Lake Fusaro, famous oysters of 49^ Lake of Corao, T25 — beautiful description of, ib. Pane. Lake of Nemi. . . . Lake on Mount Ceni Lake Sabatinus. 20 5i6 Lake of Vico 5 16 491 9<* Lake, theLucrine, Lanslebourg 18 La Biccia, anciently Aricia 367 Leghorn £92 Leinata 4 Lerici, 91 — directions on arriving at, 92 — distance from to Pi- sa LineaPia, commence- ment of „ 39.5 Lodesan, province of. 1-29 Lodi, 129 — battle fought at, ib. — roads leading from, ib. Lombardy, roads in. xxir , soil and agriculture of, 4 2 — 1 3g — homed cat- tle of, 140 — popula- tion of, how divid- ed, 142 — farmers not interested in the public welfare, ijJ3 — order of society, ib. Loretto, i83 — church of, ib. — Santa Casa, ib. — treasures of the, 184 — history of the SantissismaCasa, at. 187 Lucca, post regula- tions xxx 583, 5g3 — sin- gular eon: tuiction of. 5g3 ■ and Pisa, beau- tiful scenery be- tween 90 index. 65g Page. Macchie, the i5i Macerata i8q Madonna degii Angeli. 5^5 Magliano 196 Mai' aria, 3;4, 385— Introduction of the. 379 Mantua 649 Mafcus Aurelius, bronze statue of. . . . 102 Maremma of Rome. . . 386 — of Tuscany, 377 — soil of the 378, 382 — Not unhealthy in winter, 379 — wan- dering shepherds, ib. — supposed cause of its insalubrity, 38o — inhabitants, ib. Mare Morto 499 Marengo, 14 — battle of, ib. Maria Theresa, chapel erected by, to the memory of her hus- band Marignana, 128 — bat tie fought at, ib. — Aqueduct near I2g Marino 369 Marmot described.. . . lb Massa 9f IMassona 3 Measures of Italy. . . xl Milan, description of, $o5 — population, ib. s — bowling green, ib* triumphal arch, ib. —streets, 1 06 — chur- ches, 107 — cathe- dral, ib. — archbi- & hop's palace, 111 — 48 Page, sanctuary of Notre- Dame, 112 — palaces and public build- ings, 114 — Ambro- sian library, ib. — royal palace, n5 — theatres, 116 — the great hospital, 117 — pantheon, 118 — La- zaretto, ib. — public walks,j'&.— -environs, 119 — ancient, des- cription of, ib. — country seats in the environs of, 122 — manners, character, etc. 1 26 — commerce, natural productions, ib. — climate, 127 — route from, to Bo- logna 128 Misenus 499 Modane, waterfall near 18 Modena 187 — cathe- dral of, ib. — victory gained at i38 Mollaret 23 Molo di Gaeta, 399 — Elegant head-dress of the women of, ib. Monaco 8 Money of Italy, va- rious tables of xxxij-xxxviij Montefiasconc 517 Monte Paderno, phos- phorescent stone found on 167 Montepulciano. 5iq Monterosi 197 Monte Viso 12 mo INDEX. Page. Montmdian 16 Mont Rose, height of 3 Monza, T2i — cathe- dral, ib. — celebrated iron crown, ib. Mountain of Pausilip- po ,_ 49° . of the Tyrol. 53 Mountains of Italy, vij heights of the/. . . . xlij Mount Cenis, passage of, 16 — directions on approaching, 18 — new road over, ig — plain of, 20 — Lake on, ib. — Taver- nettes, 22 — Hospice or convent, ib. — highest point, ib. — — St. Gothard, pas- sage of. 5 St. Oreste 196 Naples, 3o6 — delight- ful situation of, 4° 2 1 — internal appear- ance of, 4°4 — archi- tecture, 4°5 — inns, coffee-houses, and private lodgings,4o6 -—divisions of, 4°$ — population, fi4 — ten days in, 416 — churches, 4 18 — pa- laces and public buildings, 427 — cas- tles, 43o — hospitals, 433 — streets and squares, 438 — shops, 44° — die mole, 44 * — fountains ? bridges, Page. aqueducts, 443 — promenades, 447 "— * theatres, 4^° — die museum Lo Studio, 453 — manuscripts, 4^6 — public libra- ries, 407 — the uni- versity, 458 — lan- guage, ib. — conser- vatories, schools, fine arts, 4% — society, manners, and cus- toms, 4^0 — women, i&.-— cicisbeos,46i — manners, 462 — Laz- • zaroni, 4§3 — festival of the Madonnas, 465 — carnival, 466 — ■ provisions, diet, etc. / ib. —Vegetables, 468 ~ ' — fruit, cheese, etc. 469 — cookery, 47°— climate, ib. — manu- factures, 47 * —- car- riages, 47 2 — envi- rons of, 474 — excur- sion from, to Vesu- vius, ib. — bay of, 475 — books on, and its environs 5^6 Narni 19J Neapolitan calash, des- cription of. 4/3 Neptune, fountain of. 16 > Nero, tomb of 198 Neumark and Trent, scenery between. . . 56 New road over Mount Cenis 19 Nisida, orNesis 4&o Nocera 5ui , INDEX. 66l Page. Nolo 9 TVorthern Italy, post prices In xxiij Novi, description of, i4 — battle fought at, id Oertler, the 5o Ombria 52 j. Oueglia 9 Orvieto 5l8 Osimo 188 Ostia 36g Otranlo 5oo Otricoli 196 Otriculum, ruins of.. . iq6 Padova (Padua), 597 — environs of 600 Parma i34 , excursion from to Genoa, over the Apennines, i44 — l ^" ver. I40 Parmesan cheese, io{ — 140 Passage from Bologna toFerrara by water. 5g6 Pausiiippo,mountain of 490 Pavia, 101 — history of ib. — remarkable ob- jects in, 1 02 — univer- sity, etc io3 Perugia 525 Pesaro 178 Pcscia , 583 — 594 Pesto 5oi Phosphorescent stone. 167 Piacenza(Placentia)i32 — neighbourboodof, i34 — battles fought near, ib. Piedmont, descent to. 23 Page. Piedmontese carriers worthy of confidence xxv Pietole 01 Andes, \ ir- gil born at 649 Pietro Santo 93 Piperno 397 Pisa,587 — origin of, 583 — extent of, ib. — churches, ib. — re- « commended as a win- ter residence, 089 cathedral, 5qo — bap- tistery, ib. — Campa- nile, or leaning tower*, ib. — Campo Santo, etc. £91 Piscina Mirabile, the. . 5oo Pistoja, architecture and monuments at 582 — 5g4 Placentia, neighbour- hood of,i3f — battles fought in the, ib. Plan of a tour in Italy xit Po, fertility of the vale of the, viij, 99 — . source of the, "37 — banks of the .... ioi Poggibonzi ...... 524 Poleevera ; stream and valley of on Pompeii, expense of an excursion to, 478 — researches in, 482 — tomb of the G . - tors. . . 483 PomptineMarshes,38;7 — drained by Pope Pius VI, 385— hor- ses of the, 390 — fer- tility of the soil, ib. Kkk 662 INDEX. Page. Ponte della Trave 190 Pope Alexander III, life of, paiuted in fresco 522 Population of Italy. . . v of different parts of Italy, table of the " xlij Portici ,. 486 Port Maurice 9 Porto (anciently Por- tus Roman us,} 370 Porto Finno. ...... go Porto Venere, and ap- pioach to, pt — de- lightful sail from thence to Lerici, ib. Postillion's guides in Italy, payment of. . xxix Post prices in Italy.. xx;ij PozzLioli 49^ Pratolino 67 1 Procida, Island of. . . . 5o2 Rodicofani, mountain of, 5i9 — town of, ib. Riimasse, ig — descent of, ib. Ravenna, 175 — public buildings, ib. Recanati 188 Rcgetta, account of. . 640 Reggio, i36 — Ariosto born at ^7 Return vetturiui car- riages g3 Rlicnusor Reno, i5^ — island formed by, ib. Rho . 4 Rimini, 173 — superb bridge at, ib. nivoh 26 Rome, journey from, to Naples with the courier, xxj — money of, xxxv. j 10 ^. - -instructions on arriving at, 200 — inns, 201— catfe's, ib. — restaurateurs, ib. — lodgings, 202 — wa- ter, ib. — baths, ib. — promenade, 2o3 — manner of lighting, ib. — air of, 204— description of, 2o5 — Porto dciPopolo, ib. — Egyptian obelisk, 206 — modern, how divided, ib'. — popu- lation, ib. — streets, 208 — gates and hills, 211 — squares and bridges, 212 — im- provements made by the French at, 216— Ghetto degli Ebrei, 217 — ten days in, 224 — churches, 226; impurity of the, ib. ; manner of burying the dead in the, ib. —the catacombs, 24a — tomb of Cecilia Metella, 244 — pala- ces, 245— the Vati- can, 246 — the Capi- tol, 254 — public buildings, monu- ments, etc. 373 — • castle of St. Angelo, ib. —Coliseum, 274 INDEX. 663 Page. — arches, 277 — co- lumns and obelisks, 278 — Pantheon, 281 — Forum and Via Sacra, 283 —Temple of Peace, 285 — Pala- tine hill, 287 — baths, 289 — ruins, 291 — aqueducts 293 — gar- dens, 296 — public fountains, 299 — Mu- seums, academies, etc.3o2 — Academies 3o4 — Diversions,3o7 — religious ceremo- nies, 3o8 — carnival, 3 16 — theatres, 3 18 —promenades, 322-— character, manners, society, 325 — fe- males, 329 — lan- guage of signs, 33o— cicisbeos, 33 1 — rice- vimenti, 332 — learn- ing, 334 — superiority of the Roman bar, ib.— commerce, ma- nufactures and diet, 335 — wine, cookery, 34o — environs, 342 Campagna, 371 — books on Rome, 3q2 —roads from to Na- ples, 393 — routes from to Terracina, 394, 396 — rptuin to, 5 14 — routes from to Florence 5i6, 525. Ronca, 65 — the river. . 170 Ronciglione 197 Roveredo 58 Page. Route from Geneva to Milan 2 — Aoste to Turin... 5 — Antibes, or Nice, to Genoa, by sea, 6 — Nice to Genoa, by the coast . . . • 10 — Antibes to Genoa, by the Col de Tende 1 1 — Anlihes to Turin. 16 — Chambery to Turin ib. — Inspruck to Vero- na 47 — Genoa to Milan. . . 90 — Milan to Bologna. 128 — Bologna to Ancona 168 — Ancona to Rome. 182 — Rome to Terracina, by the Pomp line Marshes 3g4 — Rome to Terracina 3pp — Terracina to Naples 398 — Rome to Florence. 5 16 — Rome to Florence, by Perugia 525 — Florence to Leg- horn C&6 — Leghorn to Flo- rence, by Lucca and Pistoja 593 — Bologna to Venice, by Ferrara, Rovigo, and Padua 596 — Venice to Bergamo 647 Rubicon, the ancient. 172 Sabiona, abbey of. . . . 54. Sala, country seat of. . 144 , its situation. .. . ib. Salo 65o San Lorenzo delle GG4 IXDEX. Page. Grosse, cnverns in the tufo bills near. . 5i8 1 Lorenzo jvnovo.. 018 — Marino 1 7 2 j t 77 Nicolo, plain of, 23 — gallery above the plain of, ib. Pier d'Arena, 97 — road leading from to Canipo tVfarone, ib. Santo Maria della Spi- na, church of 588 Saorgio, town and for- tress of 11 Sarzanna, 92 — journey from to Carrara, Mas- sa, Lncca, or Pisa. . g3 Savignano, 1^3 Savona 9 Scarena, road through the 11 Schamserthal, manner of passing the moun- tain at xvij Secchia Rapita, origin of . l38 Sedie, advisable to pur- chase one at Bologna xxiv Sermoneta 3g7 Serraralle igo Sesto 4 Sezza 397 Sienna, 5ig — an agree- able residence f6r strangers, 520 — Chnrehes at, ib. — University, etc. 522 Maremma of 523 — Pvoad from to Flo- Sill, fountain-head of the riyer 54 * . Page. Simplon, passage of. , a Sirocco, ellects of the 638 Slavini di Marco 5g Southern Italy, post prices in xxiij Solfatara ^g'3 Splugen, passage of the xvij Spoleto ig«j St. Angelo, castle of. . 273 — Bernard, passage of the Grand 4 — Charles Borromeo, Statue of, 3 — life of. 10S — Domino i33 — Jean de Maurienne. 17 — Jean Late tan, church of. 233 — Julian, hot baths of 5ga — Maria, monastery of 507 — Michael in Boseo. . 166 — Peter's church. ... 23c — Quirico 5i9 — Remo 8 Steinach, 53 — desceut from 59 Stupinige, palace of. . 4° Superga, mountain of the, 37 — church en. the, 38 — description of the 39 Susa, 25 — pass of, ib. Sybil, celebrated tem- of the 358 Sybil's Grotta 497 Taro, the, 1 33 — inha- bitants of the Valley of i34 Tavernettes 22 Temple of Clitumnus, 192 — source of the river, ib. INDE*. 665 Page. Temple of Concord. . . 192 of the Sybil... 358 of Venus, Mer- cury and Diana, re- mains of the 498 supposed of Neptune 49-3 Tende... 12 Terni, 190 — celebrated marble fall of, 19J — valley of ig5 Terracina, 3g5 — road from to Naples 3g8 Tesino, the, 101 — bridge over, ib. — beauty of, 104 — clear- ness bf its water, ib. Teverone, fall and windings of the. .., . 356 Tbeodoric, tomb of. .176 Tiber, the, 196 — banks of the 35o Tibur, ancient 356 Time, italian, table of xliv Tivoli 356 Todi ip5 Tolentino 189 Tomb of Boetius 102 of Juliet 66 of Virgil 49° Tonte della Trave.. . . 190 Torre di mczze via. . . 396 Torricella Tortona Tour in Italy, plan of a xiv Trajan, triumphal arch in honour of.. .... . Trajan's pillar 279 Tramenzina 125 Travellers in Italv, di- rections to. ....... . Travelling in Italy, 525 99 180 xnj 1 c Pag ?" pleasure of iv Travelling post in Ita- ly, manner of xxii Trent, 57 — council of. 58 Turiiy, description of 26 — bad taste of its architects, 28 — churches, ib. — pala- ces, 29 — university, 3o — street of Mount Cenis, ib. — Piazza del Castello, 3o — Santissima Sindone, 3i — theatres, 32, — manners, society, etc. ib, — cicisbeism, 34 — climate, ib. — po- pulation and extent, 35 — public walks ' and environs, ib. — commerce, manufac- tures, etc 4* Tuscany,Maremma of, 377 — soil and agri- culture of 573 Tusculum 366 Tyrol, country of the, 46 — pleasures of tra- velling through the, 47 — mountain of the 53 Tyrolese, account of the, 5o — sportsmen, 5 1 — anecdote of a poacher, ib — women 5t Val d'Arno, descrip- tion of the, 575 — straw manufacture of the, 576 — Peasant, girls of the, ib. — de Chiano 575 Vale of Inspruck. ... 49 666 INDEX. Page. Varere 122 Vatican, the 246 Veii, the ancient.... icp Velino, waters of the. 195 Veiletri 38^ — 09.J Vemce, expense of living at xix •■ , description of 601 — squares and •streets, 606 — Prome- nades, 608 — .Saint Mark's fair, 610 — the campanile, or be] fry, fn — theLo- getta, ib. — palaces, 61 a — si i vale palaces, 6i5 — public build- ings, 615 — the uise- nal, 61; — churches, 62* — theatres, 63a •—society* manners, customs, etc. 634— casinos, 6 >~ — provi- sions, 6|' — climate, G^'2 — commerce, 643 — - liteiature, 644 — enviions, 645 — ex- cursion iVom into Is- tria and Dalmatia, ib. — route from to Bergamo 647 VentimigJi.i Verona, description of, 61 — amphithe- atre, ib — sate of Gal- lienus, 62 — gate in the \ ia Leone, 63, modern, extent of, ib. — palace^ and churches, ii — public edifices, 64 — garden Page. ' of the Giasti family, ib. — literature, ib. — population, 65 — tomb of Juliet, 66 — excursion from to Mantua 649 Veronese,cuiiositiesin the, 65 — trade and manufactures, ib. Vesuvius, exclusion to 474 Vettmini journey with the, xx — expense of xxv — precautions to be taken with the, ib. — directions to persons travelling with the, xxvj — us- ual rendezvous of the, at Rome, xxiv, note. Via Appia, road form- ed on the substruc- tions of 387 — Flammia i3a Vicenza, 647 — road from, to Verona... 648 Villa Albani 348 of Lucullus 499 of M. di Negro. . 81 Voghera 99 Voltaggio i5 Volterra, 3^o — 024 — mountains of 38o Viigil, tomb of. .... . 49° Viterbo 017 Weights in Italy. . . xxxiij Zumbo, anatomical wax-work by 549 END OF THE INDEX. ,-Ogl