RICHARD BOOTH Bookseller Hay-on-Wye Castle, Wales 250,000 books in stock REMARKS ON SEVERAL PARTS O F I T A L r, In the Years, 1701, 1702, 1703. By the late Right Honourable JOSEPH AD D IS ON, Efq^ V erum ergo id eft, Jl quis in Ccelum afcendijjet, naturamque mundi pulchritudinem Jlderum perfpexiffet, infua^vem illam admirationem ei fore^ qua jucundijjima fuijfet, fi aliquem cui narraret habuijfet, Cicer. de Amic L ON D 0 N: Printed fo,': T and R. Tt) n s o n and S. D r a per ^1 M DCC XLV. Lately Publijhed^ TH E Mlfcellaneous Works, in Verfe and Profe, of the late Right Honourable JOSEPH A D D I S O Ny Efq; in Three Vols. i2mo. Confift- ing of fuch as were never before Printed in izmo. With fome Account of the Life and Writings of the; Author, by Mr. TickelL N, B. Thefe Three Volumes, with the Tat/erj, Spe^atorSy Guardians ^ Freeholder, and Remarks on fe* njeral Parts of Italy, complete Mr. Addifon'i Works in Twelves. / To the Right Honourable John hord Sommers, . Baron of Evejham. MT LORD, HERE is a Plea- . fure in owning Ob- ligations which it is an Honour to have received ; A 2 but DEDICATION, bur Hioii'd I publifli any Favours done me by Your Lordfliip, I am afraid it would look more like Vani- ty, than Gratitude. I had a very early Am- bition to recommend my felf to Your Lordfliip's Pa- tronage, which yet increas'd in me as I travell'd thro' the Countries, of which I here give Your Lordfliip fome Account: For what- ever great Impreffions an DEDICATION. EngUfhrnan tnuft have of Your Lordfliipi they who have been converfant A- broad will find them ftill improved. It cannot but be obvious to them, that, tho' they fee Your Lord- fhip's Admirers every where, they meet with very few of Your Well-wifliers at Paris or at Rome. And I could nor but obferve, when I pafled through moft of the Proteltaat Governments A3 in DEDICATION. in Europe, that their Hopes or Fears for the Com- mon Caufe rofe or fell with Your Lordfliip's Inte- reft and Authority in Eng- land, I here prefent Your Lordfliip with the Remarks that I made in a Part of thefe my Travels i wherein , notwithftanding the Variety of the Subject, I am very fenfible that I offer nothing New to Your Lordfliip, and can- DEDICATION, can have no other Defign in this Addrefs, than to de- clare that I am, My LORD, 2^ur Lordjhip's mojl obliged and moll obedieitt tumble Servant^ \. Addison. P R E F A C E. ^^^^ JTE R E is certamly no Place ^^f^^^ in the Worlds where a Man may travel with greater Plea-- f'^^^ Advantage^ than in Italy. One finds fomething more particular in the Face of the Country^ and more afionijhing in the Works of Nature y than can be met with in any other Part of Europe. It is the great School of Mufick and Paintings and contains in it all the noblejl Productions of Statuary and ArchiteSlure^ both An-- cient and Modern. It abounds with Cabi^ nets of CuriofitieSy and vaji ColleBions of all kinds of Antiquities. No other Country in the World has fuch a Variety of Go-^ vernmcntSy that are fo diferent in their ConfiitutionSy and fo refined in their Poll-- ticks. Inhere is fcarce any Part of the Nation that is not Famous in Uifiory^ nor PREFACE. nor fo 7nuch as a Mountain or River ^ that has not been the Sce72e of fome extraor-- dinary ABiorii As there are few Men tha^ ha've 7ale?2ts or Opportunities for examining fo copious a SubjeSf^ one may obferve^ among thofe who have written on Italy, that different Authors have fucceeded beji on different forts of Curiofties. Some have been more particular in their Accounts of BiBureSj Statues^ and Buildings*, fom^ have fearch'd into Libraries^ Cabinets cf Rarities^ and CclleBions of Medals *, as others have been wholly taken up with Infcriptions^ Ruins ^ a7id Antiquities. A-^ mong the Authors of our own Country^, we are obliged to the Bijhop of Salisbury, for his majlerly and uncommon Obferva- tions on the Religion and Governments of Italy: LalTels may be ufeful in giving us the Names of fuch Writers as have treated of the fever al States through which he pafs'd : Mr. Ray is to be va- lued for his Obfervations on the natural ProduBio?2s of the Place. Monfeur Mif- fon has wrote a more correal' Account of Italy preface; Italy in general than a7ty before him^ as he purticularly ex cells in the Plan of the Country^ which he has given us in true and lively Colours. Inhere are frill feveral of thefe Topicks that are far from being exhaujied, as there are many new SubjeSls that a T'ra^ veller may find to employ himfelf upon. For my own part^ as I have taken no^ tice of feveral Places and Antiquities, that no Body elfe has fpoken of fo^ I thinky I have mentioned but few nings in common with others^ that are not ^Z- ther fet in a new Lights or accompany' d with different Refections. I have taken care particularly to confider the feveral Faff ages of the Ancient Poets^ which have my Relation to the Places or Curiofities that I met with ; For before I entered o?z my V oyage I took care to refrefo my Me-- mory among Claffic Authors^ and to make fuch ColleBions out of them as I might of'- terwards have Occafion for. I muft con-- fefs it was not one of the leaf Fntertain-- ments that I met with in T'ravelling^ to examine thefe feveral Defcriptionsy as it were PREFACE. were upon the Spcf\ and to ccmpare the Natural Face of the Country ucith the Landskips that the Poets have given us of it. However^ to avoid the Confufon that might arife frofn a Multitude of Rota- tions ^ I have only cited fuch Verfes as have given us fome Image of the Place ^ or that have fomething elfe befides the bare Name of it to recommend them. ^ M O-- MONACO, GENOA &c. N the Twelfth of December^ i^99> I fet out from Marfeilles to Genoa in a Tartane, and arrived late at a fni all French Port call'd Cajfis^ where the next Morning we were not a little furpriz'd to fee all the Mountains about the Town covered with green Olive-trees, or laid out in beautiful Gardens, v/hich gave us a great Va- riety of pleafing Profpe6ls, even in the Depth of Win* ter. The moft uncultivated of them produce abun- dance of fweet Plants, as Wild-Thyme, leaven-* der, Rofemary, Balm, and Myrtle, We were here fhown at a Diftance the Deferts, which have been rendered fo famous by the Penance of Mary Magdalene^ who, after her Arrival Vvith La%arus and Jojeph of Ari?nathea at Marfeilles^ is faid to have wept away the reft of her Life among thefe folitary Rocks and Mountains. It is fo romantic a Scene^ that it has always probably given Occafion to B fudi 14 Monaco^ Genoa y Sec. fuch chimerical Relations ; for it is perhaps of this Place that Claudian fpeaks, in the following Defcrip- tion; EJi locus ertremu?n pandit qua Gallia littus Oceanl pr (Stent us aquis^ quafertur Ulyjfes Sanguine lihato populurn movijje Silent mn : JlUc Umbrarum tenui Jlridore volant um Flebilis auditur quejius ; fiinulachra coloni Pallida defun^afque videt migrare figuras, &c, Claud, in Ruf. lib. i. A Place there lies on Gallia^s utmoft Bounds, Where rifing Seas infult the Frontier Grounds : Uljifes here the Blood of Vi6lims fhed, And raisM the pale Affembly of the Dead. Oft in the Winds is heard a plaintive Sound Of melancholy Ghc fts that hover round: The lab'ring Plow-man oft with Horror fpies 1 Thin airy Shapes that o'er the Furrows rife, > (A dreadful Scene!) and skim before his Eyes. j I know there is nothing more undetermined among the Learned than the Voyage of Uly/fes ; fome con- fining it to the Mediterranean^ others extending it to the i^reat Ocean, and others afcribing it to a World of the Poet's own making; tho'hisConverfations with the Dead are generally fuppofed to have been in the Narbon GauL In udtos adiit Lajlrigonas Antiphatenque^ Sic. Atque hcsc feu nojlras inter funt cognita terras^ Fabula five novum dedit his Erroribus Orb em* Tibul. Lib. 4. Eleg. i. v. 59. Uncertain whether, by the Winds ccnycj'd. On real Seas to real Shores he ftray'd 3 Or, Monaco^ Genoa^ 6cc. 15 Or, by the Fable driven from Coaft to Coaft, In new Imaginary Worlds was loft. The next Day we again fet Sail, and made the beft of our way till we were forced, by contrary Winds, into St. Remo^ 2l very pretty Town in the Genoefe Dominions. The Front to the Sea is not large; but there are a great many Houfes behind it, built up the Side of the Mountain to avoid the Winds and Vapours that come from Sea. We here faw feveral Perfons that in the mid ft of De- cember had nothing over their Shoulders but their Shirts, without complaining of the Cold, It is cer- tainly very lucky for the poorer fort, to be born in a Place that is free from the greateft Inconvenience, to which thofe of our Northern Nations are fubje£t; and indeed, without this natural Benefit of their Climates, the extreme Mifery and Poverty that are in moft of the Italian Governments would be in- fupportable. There are at St. Remo many Planta- tions of Palm-trees, that do not grow in other Parts of Itaty. We failed from hence direflly for Ge- noa ; and had a fair Wind that carried us into the middle of the Gulph, which is very remarkable for Tempefts and Scarcity of Fifn. It is proba- ble one may be the Caufe of the other, whether it be that the Fifliermen cannot employ their Art with fo much Succefs in fo troubled a Sea, or that the Fifh do not care for inhabiting fuch ftormy Waters : _ ' ■ At rum Defendenspifceshiefnatmare — Hor. Sat. 2. lib. 2, v. 16. While black with Storms that ruffled Ocean rolb. And from the Fiftier's Art defends her Finny Sholes. We J 6 Monaco^ Genoa ^ &c. We were forced to lie in it two Davs, and our Cap- tain thought his Ship in fo great Danger, that he lell upon his Knees, and confefs'd himiclf to a Capu- cin who was on board with us. But at laft, taking the Advantage of a Side-wind, we were driven back in a few Hours time as far as Monaco, Lucon has given us a Defcription of the Harbour that we found fo very welcome to us, after the great Danger we had efcaped. plaque fub Herculeo Sacratus nomine portus Urget rupe cava pelagus : non Corns in ilium ^Jus habet aut Zephyrus : Solus fua littora turbat CirciuSy ^ tuid prohibet Jlatione Monacu Lib. I. V. 405, The winding Rocks a fpacious Harbour frame. That from the great Alcides takes its Name : Fenc'd to the Wefl and to the North it lies ; But when the Winds in Southern Qj^sarters rife, bhips, from their Anchors torn, become their Sport, And fudden TempeRs rage within the Port. On the Promontory, where the Town of Monaco now ftands, w^as formerly the Temple of Hercules Momtcus^ which Hill gives the Name to this fmall Principality. J-r^er'ibus focer Alpinis atque arce Monaci TJefcendens Virg. Mn. 6. v. 830, From ^//v*;^^ Heights, and from Monacus* P'ane, 'I'he Father firft defcends into the Plain. There are but three Towns in the Dominions of the Prince of Monaco. The chief of them is fituate on a Rock which runs out into the Sea, and is well fortified Monaco^ Genoa ^ See. 17 fordfied by Nature. It was formerly under the Prote6tion of the Spaniard^ but not many Years fince drove out the Sf>anijh Garrifon^ and received a French one, which confifts at prefent of five hundred Men, paid and officer'd by the French King. The Officer, who fhowed me the Palace, told me, with a great deal of gravity, that his Mailer and the King of France^ amidft ail the Confufions of Europi. had ever been good Friends and Allies. The Palace has handfome Apartments, that are many of them hung with Pictures uf the reigning Beauties in the Court of France. But the beft of the Furniture was at Rome^ where the Prince oi Monaco refided at that time Ambafiador. We here took a little Boat to creep along the Sea-fliore as far as Genoa \ but at Sa- vona^ finding the Sea too rough, v/e were forced to make the beft of our way by Land, over very rug- ged Mountains and Precipices: For this Road is much more difficult than that over Mount Cennis, The Genoefe are efteemed extremely Cunning, In- duftrious, and Inur'd to Hardfhip above the reft of the Italians \ which was likewiie the Chara£ler of the old Ligurians, And indeed it is no wonder, while the Barrennefs of their Country continues, that the Manners of the Inhabitants do not change: Since there is nothing makes Men fliarper, and fets their Handa and Wits more at work, than Want. The Italian Proverb fays of the Genoefe^ that they have a Sea without Fifti, Land without Trees, and Men without Faith. The Charafter the Latin Poets have given of them is not much different. AJfuetumque malo Ligurem. Virg. Georg. 2. v. 16S. The hard Ligurians^ a laborious kind. 1 8 Monaco^ Genoa ^ &cc. Pernix Ligur, Sil. Ital. El. 8. The Swift Ligurian. Fallaces Ligures. Aufon, Eid. 1 2, The Deceitful Ligurians, Apennlntccla hellator fAius Aunt % Hand Lignrum extremus^ dum fallere fata finebant. Virg. jEn. II. V. 700, Yet, like a true Ligurian^ born to cheat, (At leaft whilft Fortune favour'd his Deceit) Dry den. Vane Ligur^ fruflraque animJs elate fuperbis^ Keqiilcqiiam patrias tentajii Lubricus artes. Id. ib. V. 715. Vain Fool and Cov/ard, cries the lofty Maid, Caught in the Train which thou thy felf haft laid, On others practiie thy Ligurian Arts \ Thin Stratagern:^, and Tricks of little Hearts Are loft on me ; nor (halt thou fafe retire, With vaunting Lies, to thy fallacious Sire. Dryden. There are a great many beautiful Palaces fending along the Sea-fhore on both fides of Genoa^ v/hicli make the Town appear much longer than it is, to thofe that fail by it. The City it felf makes the Tiobleft Show of any in the World. The Houfes are moft of them painted on the Outfide ; fo that they look extremely gay and lively ; befides that they are efteemed the highcft in Europe, and ftand very thick together. The New-Street is a double Range of Palaces from one End to the other, built with an excellent Fancy, and fit for the greateft Princes to inhabit. I cannot however be reconciled to their manner MonacOy Genoa ^ &c. 19 manner of Painting feveral of the Genoefe Houfes. Figures, Perfpeftives, or Pieces of Hiftory, are cer- tainly very ornamental, as they are drawn on many of the Walls, that would otherwife look too naked and uniform without them: But, inftead of thefe, one often fees the Front of a Palace covered with painted Pillars of different Orders. If thefe were fo many taie Columns of Marble, fet in their proper Architecture, they v/ould certainly very much adorn the Places where they ftand; but as they are now, they only (hew us that there is fomething wanting, and that the Palace, which without thefe counter- feit Pillars would be beautiful in its kind, might have been more perfeft by the Addition of fuch as are real. The Front of the Villa Imperiale^ at a Mile diftance from Genoa^ without any thing of this Paint upon it, confifts of a Doric and Corinthian Row of Pillars, and is much the handfomefl: of any I there fav/. The Duke of Doriah Palace has the befl: Outfide of any in Genoa^ as that of Dura%%Q is the beft furnifh- ed within. There is one Room in the firft, that is hung with Tapeftry, in which are wrought the Fi- gures of the great Perfons that the Family has pro- duced ; as perhaps there is no Houfe in Europe that can (how a longer Line of Heroes^ that have ftill ailed for the Good of their Country. Jndrezu Do- ria has a Statue erefted to him at the Entrance of the Doge's Palace, with the glorious Title of Deli- verer of the Commonwealth; and one of his Fami- ly another, that calls him its Preferver. In the Doge's Palace are the Rooms, v/here the great and little Council, with the two Colleges, hold "their Af- femblies ; but as the State of Genoa is very poor, tho' feveral of its Members are extremely rich, fo one may obferve infinitely more Splendor and Magnifi- cence in particular Perfons Houfes, than in thofe that B 4 belong r 20 Monaco^ Genoa ^ Sec. belong to the Publick, But we find in moft of the States of Europe^ that the People (how the greateft Marks of Poverty, where the Governors live in the greateft Magnificence. The Churches are very fine, particularly that of the Annmtciation^ which looks vvondeifully beautiful in the Infide, all but one Cor- ner of it being covered with Statues, Gilding, and Paint, A Man w^ould expefi:, in fo very ancient a Town of Italy y to find fome confiderable Antiquities; but all they have to fliow of this nature is an old Ro/lrum of a Roman Ship, that ftands over the Door of their Arfenal. It is not above a Foot long, and perhaps would never have been thought the Beak of a Ship, had not it been found in fo probable a Place as the Haven. It is all of Iron, fafhioned at the End like a Boar's Head; as I have feen it reprefented on Medals, and on the Columna Rojlrata in Rome, I faw at Cenoa^\<^x\\ox Micconis famous Colledion of Shells, which, as Father Buonani the Jefuit hasfince told me, is one of the heft in Italy, I know nothing more remarkable, in the Government of Genoa,, than the Bank of St. George^ made up of fuch Branches of the Revenues, as have been fet apart and appropri- ated to the difcharging of fevcral Sums, that have been borrowed from private Perfons, during the Exi- gencies of the Commonwealth. Whatever Inconve- niences the State has laboured under, they have ne- ver entertained a Thought of violating the Publick Credit, or of alienating any Part of thefe Revenues to other Ufes, than to what they have been thus afligned. The Adminiftration of this Bank is for Life, and partly in the Hands of the chief Citizens, which gives them a great Authority in the State, and a powerful Influence over the common People, This Bank is generally thought the greateft Load on the Genoe/e^d^nd the Managers of it have been reprefented as Monaco^ Genoa, &c. 21 as a fecond kind of Senate, that break the Uniformi- ty of Government, and deftroy in fome meafure the Fundamental Conftitution of the State. It is, how- ever, very certain, that the People reap no fmall Advantages from it, as it diftributes the Pov^er among more particular Members of the Republick, and gives the Commons a Figure: So that it is no finall Check upon the Ariflocracy, and may be one Reafon why the Genoefe Senate carries it with greater Moderation towards their Subje£ls than th^ Venetian, It would have been well for the Republick of Ge- noa^ if (he had foliow'd the Example of her Sifter of Venice^ in not permitting her Nobles to make any Purchafe of Lands or Hoiifes in the Dominions of a Foreign Prince. For at prefent the greatefl:, among the Genoefe^ are in part Subjefts to the Monarchy of Spain^ by leafon of their Eftates that lie in the Kingdom of Naples, The Spaniards tax them very high upon occafion, and are fo fenfible of the Advan- tage tliis gives them over the Republick, that they will not fufFer a Neapolitan to buy the Lands of a Genoefe^ who muft find a Purchafer among his own Countrymen, if he has a mind to fell. For this reafon, as well as on account of the great Sums of Money which the Spaniard owes the Genoefe^ they are under aNecefiity, at prefent, of being in theln- terefl: of the French^ and would probably continue fo, tho' all the other States of Italy entered into a League againfi them. Genoa is not yet fecure from a Bom- bardment, tho' it is not fo expofed as formerly ; for, fince the Infult of the French^ they have built a Mole, ■with fome little Ports, and have provided themfelves with long Guns and Mortars. It is eafy for thofe that are ftrong at Sea to bring them to what Terms they pleafe; for having but very little Arable Land, they are forced to fetch all their Corn from Naples^ B s Sicily, 2 2 Monaco^ Genoa ^ &c. and other Foreign Countries; except what comes to them from Lomhardy^ which probably goes another way^ whilft it furnifhes two great Armies with Provifions. Their Fleet, that formerly gained fo manv Victories over the Saracens^ Pifaris^ Vene* iians^ Turks^ and Spaniards^ that made them Maf- ters of Crete^ Sardinia, Majorca^ Minorca, Negre- pont, Lesbos, Malta, that fettled them in Scio^ Smyrna, Achaia, Theodofia, and feveral Towns on the Eaftern Confines of Europe, is now reduc'd to fix Gallies. When they had made an Addition of but four new ones, the King of France fent his Or- ders to fupprefs them, telling the Republick at the fame time, that he knew very well how many they had Occafion for. This little Fleet ferves only to fetch them Wine and Corn, and to give their Ladies an Airing in theSummer-feafon. The Republick of Genoa has a Crown and Sceptre for its Doge, by reafon of their Conqueft of Corftca, where there was formerly a Saracen King. This indeed gives their AmbafTadors a more honourable Reception at fome Courts, but, at the fame time, may teach their People to have a mean Notion of their own Form of Government, and is a tacit Acknowledgment that Monarchy is the more honourable. The old Romans^ on the contrary, made ufe of a very barbarous kind of Politicks to infpire their People with a Contempt of Kings, v/hom they treated with Infamy, and dragged at the Wheels of their triumphal Chariots. PAFIJ, PA F I A' M I L A N, &c. ROM Genoa we took Chaife for Milan^ and by the Way Hopped at Pavia^ that was once the Metropolis of a Kingdom, but is at prefent a poor Town. We here fav/ the Convent of Aiijlin Monks, who about three Year^ ago pretended to have found out the Body of the Saint that gives the Name to their Order. King Luitprandy whofe Aflies are in the fame Church, brought hither the Corps, and was very induftrious to conceal it, left it might be abufed by the baiba- rous Nations, which at that time ravaged hah. One would therefore rather wonder that it has not been found out much earlier, than that it is difco- ver'd at laft. The Fathers hovv^ever do not yet find their Account in the Difcovery they have made; for there are Canons Regular, who have half the fame Church in their Hands, that will by no means allow it to be the Body of the Saint^ nor is it yet recognifed by the Pope. The Monks fay for themfelves, that the very name v/as written on the Urn where the AOies lay, and that, in an old Record of the Convent, they are faid to have beeii interred 24 Pavia^ Mila?2, 6cc. interred between the very Wall and the Altar where they v/ere taken up. They have already too, as the Monks told us, begun to juftify themfelves by Mira« cles. At the Corner ©f one of the Cloifters of this Convent are bury'd the Duke of Suffolk^ and the Duke of Lorrain^ who were both killed in the famous Battle of Pavia. Their Monument was erefled to them by one Charles Parker^ an Ecclefiaftic, as I learned from the Infcription, which I cannot emit tranfcribing, fince I have not feen it printed, Capto a Milite Cafareo Francifco I. Gallorum Rege in agro Papienfi Anno 1525. 23. Feb, inter alios proceres, qui ex fuis in proelio occiji funt^ occu- buerunt duo illujlrijjimi principes, Francifcus Dux Lotharingia^y et Richardus de la Poole Anglus Dux Suffolcia a Rege Tyranno Hen, VIIL pulfus regno. Riorum corpora hoc in ccenobio et ambitu per An^ nos 57. Jine honor e tumidata funt,, Tandem Caro- lus Parker a Morley^ Richardi prcximus confan- guineits^ Regno AngUcs a Regind Elizabethd ob Ca- thoUcam fidem ejeSfus^ beneficentid tamen Philippi Regis Cath. Hifpaniarum Monarches InviSfiJJimi in Statu Mediolanenji fujientatus^ hoc qualecunque mo^ nurnentuni^ pro rerum fuarum tenuitate^ chariJfimQ propinquo et illiiftrijftmis principibus pofuit^ 5. Sept. 1582. et pojl fuum exilium 23. major a et honorific cent I or a commendans Lotharingicis, Viator precare ^uetem. Francis the ift. King of France^ being taken Pri loner by the Imperialijls^ at the Battle of Pavia ^ February the 23d 1525, among other Noblemen who died in the Field, were two moft illuftrious Princes, Fraricis Duke of Lorrain^ and Richard de la Poole^ an Englijlman^ Duke of Suffolk^ who had been banifhed by the Tyrant King Henry the Eighth. Pavia^ Milan ^ &cc. 25 Eighth. Their Bodies lay buried, without Honour Fifty-feven Years, in this Convent. At length, Charles Parker of Morley^ a near Kinfman of the Duke of Suffolk^^Nho had been bani^h'd from England by Queen Elizabeth for the Catholick Faith, and was fupported in the Milanefe by the Bounty of the Catholick King Philips the invincible Monarch of Spaln^ erefted this Monument, the beft his flender Abilities could afford, to his moft dear Kinfman, and thefe moft iliuftrious Princes, recommending a better and more honourable one to the Lorrainers^ Pallenger, pray for their Souls Repofe. This pretended Duke of Suffolk was Sir Richard de la Poole^ Brother to the Earl of Suffolk, who was put to Death by Henry the Eighth. In his Banifliment he took upon him the Title of Duke of Suffolk J which had been funk in the Family ever fince the Attainder of the Great Duke of Suffolk under the Reign of Henry the Sixth. He fought very bravely in the Battle of Pavia^ and was mag- nificently Interred by the Duke of Bourbon^ wh©, tho' an Enemy, aflifted at his Funeral in Mourning. Parker himfelf is buried in the fame Place, with the following Infcription. D. O. M. Caroh Parchero a Morley Anglo ex Ulujlrifftnia clarifftmd Jlirp 'e. Epifcopus Des^ ob fidem Ca- iholicam aSlus in Exilium Jn. xxxi peregrinatus ab Invi6iiff. PhiL Rege Hifpan, honejliffimis pietatis ^ conjlantice prarniis crnatus inoritur Anno a partu Virginis, M. D. C. XI. Men, Septembris. To the Memory of Charles Parker of Morley^ an Englijhman^ of a moft Noble and Iliuftrious Family ; whoj 26 Pavia^ Milan, &c. who, being banifli'd for the Cathoh'c Faith, and, in the Thirty-firft Year of his Exile, honourably- rewarded for his Piety and Conftancy by the moft invincible . Philip King of Spain, died in Septc?n-' her i6i I. In Pavia is an Univerfity of Seven Colleges, one of them called the College of Borromee, very large, and neatly built. There is hkewife a Statue in Brafs, of Marcus Antoninus on Horfeback, which the People of the Place call Charles the Fifth, and fome learned Men Conjlantine the Great. Pavia is the Ticinum of the Ancients, which took its Name from the River Ticinus, which runs by it, and is now call'd the Teftn, This River falls into the Po, and is exceffively rapid. The Bifhop of Salisbury fays, that he ran down with the Stream thirty Miles in an Hour, by the help of but one Rower. I do not know therefore why Silius Italicus has reprefented it as fo very gentle and ftill a River, in the beautiful Defcription he has given us of it. Caruleas Ticinus aquas et Stagna vadofa Perfpicuus fervat^ turbari nefcia, fundo, Ac nitidum viridi lente trahit amne liquor em ; Vix credas labi^ ripis tarn mitis opacis Argutos inter (volucrum certamina) cantus Sofnniferam ducit lucenti gurgite lympham. Lib, 4. Smooth and untroubled th^ Ticinus flows, And through the Cryftal Stream the ftiining Bottom fhows: Scarce can the Sight difcover if it moves ; So v/ond'rous flow, amidfl: the fhady Groves, And tuneful Birds that warble on its Sides, Within its gloomy Banks the limpid Liquor glides* A Pavia^ Milan ^ &c. 27 A Poet of another Nation would not have dwek fo long upon the Clearnefs and Tranfparency of the Stream ; but in Italy one feldom fees a River that is extremely bright and limpid, moft of them falling down from the Mountains, that make their Waters very troubled and muddy ; whereas the Tefin is only an Outlet of that vaft Lake, which the Italians now call the Lago Maggiore. I faw between Pa^via and Milan the Convent of Carihufians^ which is very fpacious and beautiful. Their Church is extremely fine, and curioully adorned, but of a Gothic Strufture. I could not ftay long in Milan without going to fee the Great Church that I had heard fo much of, but was never more deceived in my Expeflation than at my firft entering: For the Front, which was all 1 had feen of the Outfide, is not half finifh'd, and the Infide is fo fmutted with Duft and the Smoke of Lamps, that neither the Marble, nor the Silver, nor Brafs-Work fliew themfelves to an Advantage. This vaft Gothic File of Building is all of Marble, except the Roof, which would have been of the fame Matter with the reft, had not its Weight render'd it improper for that part of the Building. But for the Reafon I have juft now men- tioned, the Outfide of the Church looks much whiter and freflier than the Infide; for where the Marble is fo often wafti'd with Rains, it preferves it felf more beautiful and unfullied, than in thofe Parts that are not at all expofed to the Weather. That Side of the Church indeed, which faces the Tramontane Wind, is much more unfightly than the reft, by reafon of the Duft and Smoke that are driven againft it. This Profufion of Marble, tho' aftonifliing to Strangers, is not very wonderful in a Country that has fo many Veins of it within its 28 Paviay Milan ^ &c. its Bowels. But tho' the Stones are cheap, the working of them is very expenfive. It is generally faid there are eleven thoufand Statues about the Church ; but they reckon into the Account every particular Figure in the Hiftory-pieces, and feveral little Images which make up the Equipage of thofe that are larger. There are indeed a great Multitude of fuch as are bigger than the Life : I reckoned above two hundred and fifty on the outfide of the Church, tho' I only told three Sides of it ; and thefe are not half fo thick fet as they intend them. The Statues are all of Marble, and generally well cut ; but the moft valuable one they have is a St. Bartholojnew, nev/-flead, with his Skin hanging over his Shoul- ders: It is efteemed worth its Weight in Ggld: They have infcribed this Verfe on the Pedeftal, to fhow the Value they have for the Workman : Non me Praxiteles^ fed Marcus finxit Jgratu Left at the Sculptor doubtfully you guefs, 'Tis Marc Jgrati^ not Praxiteles. There is, juft before the Entrance of the Quire, a little Subterraneous Chapel dedicated to St. Charles Borromee^ where I faw his Body, in Epifcopal Robes, lying upon the Altar in a Shrine of Rock-Cryftal. His Chapel is adorned with abundance of Silver Work: He was but two and twenty Years old when he was chofen Archbifhop of MUan^ and forty*fix at his Death ; but made fo good ufe of fo ftiort a time, by his Works of Charity and Muni- ficence, that his Countrymen blefs his Memory, which is ftill frefl) among them. He was canonized about a hundred Years ago : and indeed if this Ho- nour were due to any Man, I think fuch Publick- fpirited Tarda ^ Milan ^ &c. 29 fpirited Virtues may lay a jufler Claim to It, than a four Retreat from Mankind, a fiery Zeal againft Heterodoxies^ a Set of Chimerical Vifions, or of Whimfical Penances, which are generally the Qualifications of Reman Saints. Miracles indeed are required of all who afpire to this Dignity, be- caufe, they fay, an Hypocrite may imitate a Saint in all other Particulars, and ihefe they attribute in great Number to him I am fpeaking of. Plis Merit, and the Importunity of his Countrymen procured his Canonization b-efore the ordinary time; for it is the Policy of the Roman Church not to al- low this Honour, ordinarily, till fifty Years after the Death of the Perfon, who is Candidate for it; in which time it may be fiippofed that all his Con- temporaries will be worn out, who could contra- dift a pretended A4iracle, or remember any Infir- mity of the Saint. One would wonder that Roman Catholicks, who are for this kind of Worfliip, do not generally addrefs themfelves to the Holy A- poflles, who have a more unquefiionable Right to the Title of Saints than thofe of a modern Date; but thefe are at prefent quite out of Fafhion in Italy^ where there is fcarce a great Town, which does not pay its Devotions, in a more particular manner, to fome one of their own making. This renders it very fufpicious, that the Interefts of particular Families, religious Orders, Convents or Churches, have too great a Sway in their Cano- nizations. When I was at Milan I faw a Book newly publifhed, that was Dedicated to the prefent Head of the Borromean Family, and entitled, A Difcomfe m the Humility of Jefus Chrift, and of St. Charles Borromee, ^ The Great Church of Milan has two noble Pul- pits of Brafs, each of them running round a large Pillar, Pavia, Milan, &c. Pillar, like a Gallery, and fupported by huge Fi- gures of the fame Metal. The Hiftory of our Sa- viour, or rather of the blefled Virgin (for it begins with her Birth, and ends with her Coronation in Heaven, that of our Saviour coming in by way of Epifode) is finely cut in Marble by Andrew Biffy. This Church is very rich in Relicks, which run up as high as Daniel^ Jonas^ and Abraham. Among the reft they {how a Fragment of our Countryman. Becket^ as indeed there are very few Treafuries of Relicks in Italy that have not a Tooth or a Bone of this Saint. It would be endlefs to count up the Riches of Silver, Gold, and Precious Stones, that are amafs'd together in this and feveral other Churches of Milan, I was told, that in Milan there are fixty Convents of Women, eighty of Men, and two hundred Churches. At the Celejiines is a Pifture in Frefco of the Marriage of Cana^ very much efteem'd ; but the Painter, whether defigned- ly or not, has put fix Fingers to the Hand of one of the Figures : They fhow the Gates of a Church that St. Mtnbroje fnut againft the Emperor Theodo- fiUSy as thinking him unfit to affift at Divine Ser- vice, 'till he had done fome extraordinary Penance for his barbarous maffacring the Inhabitants of Thef- falonica. That Emperor was however fo far from being difpleas'd with the Behaviour of the Saint, that at his Death he committed to him the Educa- tion of his Children. Several have pick'd Splinters of Wood out of the Gates for Pvclicks. There is a little Chapel lately re-edify'd, w^here the fame Saint baptis'd St. Aiijlin, An Infcription upon the Wall of it fays, that it was in this Chapel, and on this Occafion, that he firft fung his Te Deum^ and that his great Convert anfwer'd him Verfe by Verfe. In one of the Churches I faw a Pulpit and Con- feflional. Pavia^ Milan y Sec. - 3 1 fefHonal, very finely inlaid with Lapis-LazuU^ and feveral kinds of Marble, by a Father of the Con- vent. It is very lucky for a Religious, who has fo much time on his hands, to be able to amufe himfelf with Works of this nature; and one often finds particular Members of Convents, who have excellent mechanical Genius's, and divert them- felves, at leifure Hours, with Painting, Sculpture, Architedture, Gardening, and feveral kinds of Han- dicrafts. Since I have mention'd Confeffionals, I (hall fet down here fome Infcriptions tfeat I have feen over them in Roman Catholick Countries, ivhich are all Texts of Scripture, and regard either the Penitent or the Father. Mi^ oftende te ad Sacerdote?n ~ Ne taceat pupil la oculi tui - Ibo ad Pairefn meum & dicam^ Pater peccavi Scluta erunt in C cells Re- di Anima me a in Requiefn tuam — Vade^ y ne deinceps pecca vos audits me audit ' — - — , Venite ad ?ne omnes qui fatigati ejiis tif onerati — Corripiet me juftus in fnifericordid — Vide fi via Iniquitatis in '?ne eft^ iff de- due me in via csterna IJt audiret gemiius compeditorum, i. e. Go thy way, fliew thy felf to the Prieft. Matth. viii. 4. Let not the Apple of thine Eye ceafe. Lam. ii. 18. I will go to my Father, and will fay unto him. Father, J have finned. Luke xv. 18. Shall be loofed in Hea- ven. Matth, xvi. 19. PvCturn unto thy Reff, O my Soul. PfaL cxvi. 7. Go, and fin no more. Job. viii. 11. — He that heareth you, heareth me. Luke x. 16. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden. Matth, xi. 28. ' See if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlafting. PfaL cxxxix. 24, , To hear tlie groaning of the Prifoners, PfaL 32 . Pavia^ Mtlan^ See. P/aL cii. 20. I faw the A?nbroftan Library, where, to fhew the Italian Genius, they have fpent more Money on Piftares than on Books. Among the Heads of feveral learned Men, I met with no Engltfbman^ except Bifliop Fijher^ whom Henry the Eighth put to Death for not owning his Su- premacy. Books are indeed the leaft Part of the Furniture that one ordinarily goes to iee in an Ita- lian Library, which they generally fet off v/ith Pidures, Statues, and other Ornaments, where they can afford them, after the Example of the old Greeks and Romans. " Plena omnia gypfa Chryfippi invenias : nam perfetlijjiinus horum ejl^. Si quis Arijlotelem fimikm vel Pitt a con emit^ Et jiibet archeiypos pluteum fervare Cleanthas, Juv. Sat. 2. V. 4, Chryf^ppus' St^tue decks thy Library. Who makes his Study finett, is moft read ; The Dolt that with an Arifotle's Head, Carv'd to the Life, has once adorn'd his Slielf, Straight fets up for a Stagirite himfelf. Tate. In an Apartment behind the Library are feveral Rarities, often defcrib'd by Travellers, as Brn- geaVs Elements, a Head of Titian by his own Hand, a Manufcript in Latin of Jofephus^ which the Bifliop of Salisbury fays was written about the Age of Theodofius^ and another of Leonardus Fin* cius^ which King yames the Firft could not pro- cure, tho' he proffer'd for it three thoufand Spani/h Piftoles. It confifts of Defignings in Mechanifm and Engineering. I was (hewn in it a Sketch of Bombs and Mortars, as they are now ufed. Canon Settala\ Cabinet is always fhewn to a Stranger among Pavia, MilaUy Sec. 33 among the Curiofities of Milan^ which I fnall not be particular upon, the Printed Account of it be- ing common enough. Among its natural Curiofi- ties, I took particular notice of a piece of Cryfial, that inclos'd a couple of Drops, which look'd like Water when they were fliaken, tho' perhaps they are nothing but Bubbles of Air. It is fuch a Ra- rity as this that I faw at Vendome in France^ which they there pretend is a Tear that our Saviour fhed over Lazarus^ and was gather'd up by an Angela who put it in a little Cry ftar Vial, and made a Prefent of it to A4ary Magdalene, The famous Pere Mabillon is now engaged in the Vindication of this Tear, which a learned Ecclefiaftic, in the Neighbourhood of Vendoine^ v/ould have fupprefled, as a falfe and ridiculous Relick, in a Book that he has dedicated to his Diocefan the Bifhop of Blois, It is in the PolTeflion of a BenediSfin Convent, which raifes a confiderable Revenue out of the De- votion that is paid to it, and has now retained the rnoft learned Father of their Order to write in its Defence. It was fuch a Curiofity as this I have mentioned, that Claudian has celebrated in about half a Score Epigrams : Soli bus indomitum glacies Alpina rigor em Sumehat^ n'tm'io jam preciofa gelu, Nec potuit toto mefitiri corpore gemmam^ Sed medio manfit proditor crbe latex: Autius honor ; liquidi crefcunt miracula faxiy Et confervata plus meruijiis aqu Verona by the circling y^^/g^f bound. C 4 This 44 Brefcia, Verona, Padua. This is the only great River in Lomhardy that does not fall into the lPo\ which it muft have done, had it run but a little further before its entering the Adriatick.^ The Rivers are all of them mentioned by Clatidian. * - Venetofque ereS^icr amnes Magna voce det. Frondeniibus humlda ripis Colla levant^ pulcher Ticinus^ et Addua vtfu CteruleuSy velox AtheJiSy tardufque meatu Minclus, inque ncvem confurgem ora Timavus* Sexto Conf. Hon. Venetian Rivers, fummonM all around, Hear the loud Call, and anfwer* to the Sound \ Her dropping Looks the Silver Teffin rears y The blue tranfparent Adda next appears^ The rapid Adige then eredts her Head ; And Mincio rifing flowly from his Bed ; And laft Timavus^ that with eager Force From nine wide Mouths comes gufting to his Courfe, His Larius is doubtlefe an Imitation of Vlrgil*% Benacus. >. Umhrosa vejiit qua littus ollvd Lariusy et dulci mentitur Nerea jiu5iu. De Bel. Get- The Larius here with Groves of Olives crown'd, An Ocean of frefli Water fpreads around. I faw at Verona the famous Amphitheatre, that with a few modern Reparations has all the Seats en- tire. There is fomething very noble in it, tho' the high Wall and Corridors that went round it are al- moft entirely ruined, and the Area is quite filled up Brefciay Verona^ Padua. 45 to the lower Seat, which was formerly deep enough to let the Spectators fee in Safety the Combats of the wild Beafls and Gladiators. Since I have Claudian before me, I cannot forbear fetting down the beauti- ful Deicription he has made of a wild Beaft newly brought from the Woods, and making its fiift Ap* pearance in a full Amphitheatre. Ut fera qua nuper monies amiftt avitos^ Altorumque exul nemorum^ damnatur arena Muneribus^ commota ruit \ vir murmur e contra Hortatur^ nixufque genu venahula tendlt ; Ilia pavet Jirepitus^ cuneofque ereSfa Theatri Defpicitj et tanti miratur fibila vulgi. In Ruf. Lib, 2. So rufhes on his Foe the grifly Bear, That banifh'd from the Hills and bufliy Brakes, His old hereditary Haunts forfakes. Condemn'd the cruel Rabble to delight. His angry Keeper goads him to the Fight. Bent on his Knee, the Savage glares around, Scar'd with the mighty Crowd's promifcuous Sound; Then rearing on his hinder Paws retires. And the V alt hiffing Multitude admires* There are fpme other Antiquities in Verona^ of which the principal is the Ruin of a Triumphal Arch erected to Flaminius^ where one fees old Doric Pillars without any Pedeftal or Bafis, as Vitru^ vius has defcribed them. I have not yet feen any Gardens in Italy wwth taking Notice, of. The Italians fall as far fhort of the French in this Par- ticular, as they excel them in their Palaces. It muft however be (aid, to the Honour of the Italians^ ihat the French took from them the firft Plans of their Gardens, a? well as pf their Water-Wprksj fo that C s their 4^ Brefcia, Verona^ Padua. their Tarpaffing of them at prefent Is to be attributed rather to the Greatnefs of their Riches, than the Ex- cdlence oF their Tafte. 1 faw the Terrace-Garden oiFeroyia^ that7>avellers generally mention^ Among the Churches i^i Verona^ that of Geon^e is the liandfomeft : Its chief Ornament is the Martyrdom of the Saint, drawn by Paul Veronefc \ as there are many other Piftures about the Town by the fame Hand. A Stranger is always Ihown the Tomb of Pope Lucius^ who lies buried in the Dome. I faw in the fame Church a Monument erefted by the Publick to one of their Biihops: The Infcripticn fays, that there was between him and his Maker, Summa Necejfitudo^ Summa Stmilitudo, The Italian Epitaphs are often more extravagant than thofe of other Countries, as the Nation is more given to Compliment and Hyperbole. From Verona to Pa* dua we travelled thro' a very pleafant Country : It is planted thick with Rows of white Miilberry-trees, that furnifh Food for great Qiiantities of Silk-worms with their Leaves, as the Swine and Poultry confume the Fruit. The Trees themfelves ferve, at the fame time, as fo many Stays for their Vines, which haag all along like Garlands from Tree to Tree. Be- tween the feveral Ranges lie Fields of Corn, which m thefe Warm Countries ripens much better among the Mulberry Shades, than if it were expofed to the open Sun. This was one Reafcn why the Inhabi- tants of this Country, when I paffed thro' it, were extremely apprehenfive of feeing Lomhardy the Seat of War, which muft have made miferable Havock iimong their Plantations ; for it is not here as i^ the Corn Fields of i^(V?W^r/, where the whole Product of the Place rifes from Year to Year. We arrived fo late at Vicenza^ that we had not time to take a full Sight of the Place, The next Day brought us XQ Brefcta^ Verona^ Padua. 47 to Padua. St, Anthony^ who lived about five hun- dred Years ago, is the great Saint to whom they here pay their Devotions. He Hes buried in the Church that is dedicated to him at prefent, tho' it was for- merly confecrated to the Blefled Virgin. It is ex- tremely magnificent, and very richly adorned. There are narrow Clefts in the Monument that ftands over him, where good Catholicks rub their Beads, and fmell his Bones, which they fay have in them a na- tural Perfume, tho' very like Apopleclic Balfami and what would make one fufpefl: that they rub the Marble with it, it is obferved that the Scent is ftron- ger in the Morning than at Night. There are abun- dance of Infcriptions and Piftures hung up by his Votaries in feveral Parts cf the Church: For it is the way of thofe that are in any fignal Danger implore his Aid, and if they come off fafe they call their Deliverance a Miracle, and perjhaps hang up the Piiture or Defcription of it in the Church. Thi<5 Cuftom fpoils the Beauty of feveral Rowan Cathoik k Churches, and often covers the Walls wjth wretch^ edDaubings, impertinent Infcriptions-., Hands, Le.gSj and Arms of Wax, with a thoufand idle Offerings of the fame Nature. They fell ztPadiu: the Life of St. Anthony ^vf\{\Q\\ is read with great Devotion ; the moft remarkable Part of it is his Difcourfe to an Affembly of Fiih. As the Audience and Sermon are both very extra- ordinary, I will fet down the whole Pa'ffage r^i: length. Non curAndo gli Heretici 11 fuo parlare^ ^g^ift cc?n£ era alia riva del mare^ dove sbocca il fiume Marec- chia^ chiamo da parte di Dio li pefci^ che venijjero a fentir la fua fanta parola. Et ecco che di fuhiio fopra racque nuotando gran moltitudine di varli^ iff divet ft pejci^ e del mare ^ e del fiume^ fi unirono tutti^ feconch 48 Br efcia, Verona^ Padua. U fpecie loro^ e con bell ordine^ quafi che di ragion ca-^ pact Jlati fojjero^ attenti^ e cheti non graiiofo fpettaco* h s'accommodaro per fentir la parola di Dio, Cid veduto il fanto entro a I cuor fuo di dolce%%a Jiillandofi^ ■tf per aliretanta maraviglia inarcando le cigUa^ della obedientia di quejle irragionevoli creature cosi comincio loro a parlare, Se bene in tutto le cose create ( can\ (ff a matt pefci) ft fcuapere la potenza^ iff providenza injinita di Dio^ como nel Cielo^ nel Sole^ nella Luna^ nelle Sielle^ in quejio mondo inferior e^ nel huomo^ e tielte altre creature perfette^ nondimeno in Voi partico^ larmente lampeggia e rifplende la bonta della maefta divina ; perche fe bene ftete chiamati Rettili^ ?nezzi fr0 pietre^ e bruti^ confinati nelli profondi ahijfi delle ondeggiante acque : agitati fe?npre da flutti : mojfi fern- pre da procelle ; fcrdi aV udire^ mutoli al parlare^ ^ borridi al vedere\ con tutto cio in Voi maravigliofa* mente ft fcorge la Divina grandezza ; e da voi f cava-^ no la maggiori mifterii della bonia di Dio^ ne mai Ji parta di voi nella Scriitura Sacra^ che non vi fi afcojio qualche profondo Sacramento \ Credete voi^ che fa fenza grandijfmo mijlerio^ che il pri?no dono fat^ tjO daW' omnipotent e Id dio aW huomo fojfe di voi Pefci ? Credete voi che non fa mijlerio in quefio^ che di tutte le creature.^ e di tuiti gr animali ft fen fatti facrificii^ eccetto^ che di voi Pefci ? Credete^ che non %)ifa qualche fecreto in que/1 0^ che Chrijio noftro fal-^ vatore daW agnelo pafquale in poi^ fi conipiaque tanto del cibi di voi pefci ? Credete^ che fa a cafo quejio^ che dovendo il Redentor del mondo^ pc^gar^ como huo^ mo^ il cenfo a, Cefare la volcffe trcvare nella hocca di un pefce? Tutti^ tutti fono mlfleri e Sacramenti : per^ cio fete particolar mente obligati a lodare il vofro Crea-^ tore : amati pefci di Dio havete ricevuto V efftre, la ^ita^ lipiot^^ eHfenfo'^ per ftanza vi ha dato liliquido dmcnto dell' Acqua^ fccondo che alia ntojira naturale incli- Brefcia^ Verona^ Padua. 49 incUnUtione conviene : ivi hdfatti amplijjimi alberghiy Jlanze^ caverne^ grotte^ e fecreti luogi a voi piu che fale Regie ^ e regal Palazzi^ cari^ e grati; iff per propria fede havete Vacqua^ elemento diafcmo^ tranf- parente^ e fempre lucido quafi crijlalb^ e verro ; dalle piu hajje^ e profonde vojtre Jlanze fcorgete do che fopra acqua o ft fa^ 6 nuota ; havete gli occhi qiiaft di LincCy Q di Argo, da caufa non err ante guidaii^ fe- guite cio che vi giova^ iff aggrada ; & juggit^ cio che vi nuoce^ havete natural defio di confervarvi fecondo le fpetie vo/ire-i faje^ oprate fif caminate ove natura vi detta fenza contrajiro alcuno ; tie algor d'inverno^ tie calor di Jlate vi offende^ 6 nuoce : fia/i per ferenp^ 6 turbato il cieloy che alii vojlri hmnidi alberghi ni frutto^ ne danno apporta ; fiafi pure abbondevole de fuoi tcfori^ 6 fcarfa de fuo frutti la terra^ che a voi nulla giova ; piova^ tuoni^ faetti^ lampaggi^ e fubijji il mondoy che a voi cio poco irnporta ; verdeggi prinavera^ Jcaldi la Jlate ^ fruttafichi r Jutunno^ ajpderi li in^ verno^ quejlo non vi rileva punto : ne trappajjar del'^ bore^ ne correr de giorni^ ni volar de meft^ ne fuggir d'anni^ ne mutar de teinpiy ne cangiar de Jiagioni vi dan penfiero alcuno^ ma fempre ftcura^ tranquilla vita liatarnente vivere: O quanto^ o quanta grande la Maejla di Dio in voi f fcuopre^ O quanta mirabile la potenxa fua ; O quanto Jiupenda^ iff maravigliofa fa fua providenza ; poi che fra tutte le creature dell* univerfo voi folo non fentlfti il diluvio univerfale deW acque\ ne provafti t daizni^ che egli face al mondo\ € tutto quefio cV io ho delta dovrebbe mucvervi a lodar Dio^ a ringratiare fua divina maejla di tanti e cofi fmgolari beneficii^ che vi ha fatti ; di tante gratie^ chevi ha conferite\ di tanti favoriy di che vi ha fatti degna ; per tanto^ fe non potete fnodar la lingua a rifi-m gratiar il vojlro Benefaitore^ isf non fapete con parole efprimer b fue kdiy fatele fegno di riverenza almem ; gG Brefctay Verona^ Padua. \hinate' Majefty fliines out in you more eminently, and ^* appears after a more particular manner, than in " any Brefcia^ Verona ^ Padua. 51 " any other Created Beings. For notwithftanding you are comprehended under the Name of Reptiles^ partaking of a middle Nature between Stones and Beafts, and Imprifoned in the deep Abyfs of Wa- ters ; notwithftanding you are toft among Billows, thrown up and down by Tempefts, deaf to Hear- ing, diunb to Speech, and terrible to behold : not- ^' witliftanding, 1 fay, thefe natural Di fad vantages, the Divine Greatnefs (hows it felf in you after a very wonderful manner. In you are feen the mighty Myfteries of an Infinite Goodnefs. The *^ Holy Scripture has always made ufe of you, as the Types and Shadov/s of fome profound Sacra- ment. Do you think that, w^ithout a Myftery, the " firft Prefent that God Almighty made to Man, was of you, O ye Fifties? Do you think that, " without a Myftery, among ail Creatures and Ani- mals which were 'appointed for Sacrifices, you only *^ were excepted, O ye Fifhes? Do you think there was nothing meant by our Saviour Chrift, that " next to the Pafchal Lamb he took fo much Plea- fure in the Food of you, O ye Fifties? Do you think it was by meer Chance, that, when the «^ Redeemer of the World was to pay a Tribute to <^ Cafar^ he thought fit to find it in the Mouth of *^ a Fifti ? Thefe are all of them fo many Myfteries and Sacraments, that oblige you in a more particu- lar manner to thePraifes of your Creator. It is from God, my beloved Fifh, that you hare received Being, Life, Motion, and Senfe. It is he that has given you, in Compliance with your " natural Inclinations, the whole World of Waters for your Habitation. It is he that has furniftied it with Lodgings, Chambers, Caverns, Grottoes, and fuch magnificent Retirements as are not to be « jnet 52 Brefcia^ Verona^ Padua y met with in the Seats of Kings, or in the Palaces of Princes. You have the Water for your Dwelling, a clear tranfparent Element, brighter than Cry- ftal ; you can fee from its deepeft Bottom every thing that pafles on its Surface ; you have the Eyes of a Lynx^ or of an Argus ; you are guided by a fecret and unerring Principle, delighting in every thing that may be beneficial to you, and avoiding every thing that may be hurtful; you are carried on by a hidden Inftindl to preferve your felves, and to propagate your Species ; you obey, in all your Adtions, Works and Motions, the Dictates and Suggejflious of Nature, without the lealt Repugnancy or Contradidtion. *^ The Colds of Winter, and the Heats of Sum- mer, are equally incapable of molefting you. A ferene or a clouded Sky are indifferent to you. Let the Earth abound in Fruits, or be curfed.with Scarcity, it has no Influence on your Welfare. You live fecure in Rains and Thunders, Light- nings and Earthquakes ; you have no Concern in the Bloflbms of Spring, or in the Glowings of Sum- mer, in the Fruits of Autumn, or in the Frofts of Winter. You are not folicitous about Hours or Days, Months or Years ; the Variablenefs of " the Weather, or the Change of Seafons. In what dreadful Majefty, in what wonderful ^« Power, in what amazing Providence, did God Almighty diftinguifli you among all the Species *^ of Creatures that periftied in theUniverfai Deluge ! You only were infenfible of the Mifchiet that iiad laid wafte the whole World. *' All this, as I have already told you, ought to infpire you with Gratitude and Praife towards the Divine Majefty, that has done fo great things for you, granted you fuch particular Qraces and Pri- vileges^ Brefcia^ Verona^ Padua. 53 vileges, and heaped upon you fo many diftinguifii- ing Favours. And fince for all ihis you cannot employ your Tongues in the Praifes of you Bene- *^ factor, and are not provided vi^ith Words to ex- prefs your Gratitude; make at leaft fome Sign of Reverence i bow your felves at his Name; give fome fhow of Gratitude, according to the belt of your Capacities ; exprefs your Thanks in the moft becoming manner that you are able, and be not unmindful of all the Benefits he has bellowed upon you. He had no fooner done fpeaking, but, behold a Miracle! The Fifh, as tho' they had been en- dued with Reafon, bowed down their Heads with *^ all the Marks of a profound Humility and Devo- tion, moving their Bodies up and down with a kind of Fondnefs, as approving what had been fpoken by the blefled Father, ^t. Antonio. The Legend adds, that after many Hereticks, who were *^ prefent at the Miracle, had been converted by it, the Saint gave his Benedidion to the Fifti* anddif- miffed them.** Several other the like Stories of St. Anthony are re- prefented about his Monument in a very fine Bajfo Relievo, I could not forbear fetting down the Titles given to St. Anthony in one of the Tables that hangs up to him, as a Token of Gratitude from a poor Peafantj> who fancied the Saint had faved him from breaking his Neck. Sacratijfimi pufionis Bethlehemitici Li Ho candidiori Delicio^ Seraphidum foli fulgidijjimoj Celfijfimo facra fapienti^ tholoj Prodigiorum patrotori Pote7itiJfmo^ . Mortis^ 54 Brefcia, Verona^ Padua. Mortis^ Erroris^ Calamitatis^ Lepra^ Damonis^ ' Difpenfatoriy correSfori^ U her at or euratori^fugatori^ SanSio^ fapienti^ pio^ pctenti^ tremendo, Mgrotorum & Naufragantium Sahatori Pr^feniijfmo^ tutljfmo^ Membrorum rejlitutori^ vincuiorum confradlort^ Rerum perditamm Inventcri Jiupaido^ P ericulorum omnium profiigatori Magno^ Mlrabiliy Ter Sanfto Antonio Paduano^ Pientijftmo poji Deiim ejufque Virginea?n mairem Protetlcri Sofpitatori fuo^ &c. To the thrice holy Anthony of Padua^ Delight (whiter than the Lily) of the moft holy Child of Bethlehem^ brighteft Son of the Seraphs, higheft Roof of facred Wifdom, moft powerful Worker of Mi- racles, holy Difpenfer of Death, wife Corre£i:or of Er- ror, pious Deliverer from Calamity, pow^erful Curer of Leprofy, tremendous Driver-away of Devils, moft ready and moft trufty Preferver of the Sick and Ship*- wreck'd, Reftorer of Limbs, Breaker of Bonds, ftu- pendoas Difcoverer of loft Things, great and won- derful Defender from all Dangers, his moft pious (next to God and his Virgin Mother) Protedor and Safe-Guard, i^c. The Cuftom of hanging up Limbs in Wax, as well as Pi6lures, is certainly deriv'd from the old Heathens^ v/ho ufed, upon their Recovery, to make an Oftering in Wood, Metal or Clay, of the Part that had been afflifted with a Diftemper, to the Deity that deliver- ed them. I have feen, I believe, every Limb of a human Body figured in Iron or Clay, which were formerly made on this Occafion, among the feveral CoUeilions Brefcia^ Verona^ k Padua. 5^5 Colleftions of Antiquities that have been fliewn mc in Italy, The Church of St. JujTma^ defignM hy Palladia^ is the moft handlbm, luminous, difen- cumber'd Building in the Infide that I have ever feen, and is efteem'd by many Artilk one of the fineft Works in Italy, The long Nef confifts of a Row of five Cupolas ; the crofs one has on each fide a fingle Cupola deeper and broader than the other*. 71ie Martyrdoin of St, JuJIina hangs over the Al- tar, and is a Piece of Paul Veronefe. In the great Tov^n-Hall of Padua ftands a- Stone fuperfcrib'd Lapis Vituperli, Any Debtor that will fwear him- felf not w^orth five Pound, and is fet by the Bailiffs thrice with his bare Buttocks oh this Stone in a full Hall, clears himfelf of any farther Profecution from his Creditors; but this is a Punifhment that no Body hasTubrhitted to thefe four and twenty Y^rs. The Univerfity of Padua is of late much more regular than it was formerly, tho' it is not yet fafe walking the Streets after Sun- fet. There is 2X Padua a Ma- li ufailure of Cloth, which has brought very great Revenues into the Republick. At prcfent the Eng^ lljh have not only gained upon the Venetians in the Levant^ which ufed chiefly to be fupplied from this Manufacture,, but have great Qiiantities of their Cloth in Venice it felf; few of the Nobility wearing any other fort, notvv^ithftanding the Magifirate of the Pomps is obliged by his Office to fee that no Bo- dy wears the Cloth of a Foreign Country. Our Merchants indeed are forced to make ufe of fome Ar- tifice to get thefe Prohibited Goods into Port. What they here fhow for the Aflies of Llvy and Jntenor is difregarded by the beft of their own Antiquaries. The pretended Tomb of Antenor put me in mind of Vhe latter part of Virgilh Defcription, which gives us the Original of Padua. Antenor 56 Brefciay Verona ^ Padtia. Anterior potuit mediis elapfus Achivls Illyricos penetrare Jinus^ atque intima tutus Regna Liburnorum^ iff font em fuperare Timavi: Unde per ora novem imjio cum murmure montis It mare pnsruptum^ pelago premtt arva fonanti j Hie tamen ille urhem Patavi^ fedefque locavit Teucrorum^ et genti nomen dedit^ armaque fixit Troia^ nunc placidd compojius pace quiefcit. Mn. I. V, 246. Antenor^^ from the midft of Grecian Hofis, Could pafs fecure, and pierce th' Illyrian Coafts j Where rolling down the fteep Timavus raves, And through nine Channels difembogues his Waves* At length he founded Padua\ happy Seat, And gave his Trojans a fecure Retreat ; There fix'd their Arms, and there renewM their Names ; And there in quiet lies. Dryden. From ,Fadua I went down to the River Brent in the Ordinary Ferry^ which brought me in a Day's time to Fenice. VENICE. F E NICE. AVING often h^zxA Venice repre- fented as one of the moft defenfible Cities in the World, I took care to inform my felf of the Particulars in which its Strength confifts. And thcfe I find are chiefly owing to its advan- tageous Situation; for it has neither Rocks nor For- tifications near it, and yet is, perhaps, the tnoft im- pregnable Town in Europe. It ftands at leaft four Miles from any part of the Terra Fir ma ; nor are the Shallows that lie about it ever frozen hard enough to bring over an Army from the Land-fide; the con- ftant Flux and Reflux of the Sea, or the natural Mildnefs of theClimate, hindering the Ice from gather- ing to any Thicknefs ; which is an Advantage the Hollanders want, when they have laid all their Coun- try under Water. On the Side that is expofed to the jldriatic^ the Entrance is fo difficult to hit, that they have marked it out v/ith feve.ai Stakes driven into the Ground, which they would hot fail to cut upon the firft Approach of an Enemy's Fleet, For this Reafon they have not fortified the little Iflands, that lie at the Entrance, to the heft Advantage, which might other- wife very eafily command all the Pafles that lead to the City from the Adriatic, Nor could an ordinary Fleet with Eomb-VeflTels, hope to fucceed againft a Place that has always in its Arfenal a confiderable Number of Gallies and Men of War r^ady to put to Sea 58 VENICE. Sea on a very fliort warning. If we could there- fore fuppofe them block'd up on all fides, by a Power too ftrong for them, both by Sea and Land, they would be able to defend themfelves againft every thing but Famine; and this would not be a little mitigated by the great Qiiantities of Fifh that their Seas abound with, ainl that may be taken up in the midft of their very Streets ; which is fuch a natural Magazine as few other Places can boaft of. Our Voyage- Writers will needs have this City in great Danger of being left, within an Age or two, on the Terra firma\ and reprefent it in fuch a man- ner, as if the Sea was infenfibiy (hrinking from it, and retiring into its ChanneL I asked feveral, and among the reft Father CoroneUi^ the State's Geo- grapher, of the Truth of this Particular, and they all aflur'd me that the Sea rifes as high as ever, the' the great Heaps of Dirt it brings along with it are apt to choke up the Shallows ; but that they are in no Danger of lofing the Benefit of their Situation, fo long as they are at the Charge of re- moving thefe Banks of Mud and Sand. One may fee abundance of them above the Surface of the Water, fcatter'd up and down like fo many little Iflands, when the Tide is low ; and they are thefe that make the Entrance for Ships difficult to fuch as are not ufed to them; for the deep Canals run between them, which the Venetians are at a great Expence to keep free and open. This City ftands very convenient for Commerce. It has feveral navigable Rivers that run up into the Body of Italy^ by which they might fupply a great many Countries with Fifli and other Commodities; not to mention their Opportunities for the Levant^ and each fide of the Adriatick. But notwithftand- ing thefe Conveniencies, their Trade is far from VENICE, 59 being in a flourifhing Condition for many Reafons. The Duties are great that are laid on Merchandi fes. Their Nobles think it below their Qiiality to en- gage in Traffick. Their Merchants who are grown rich, and able to manage great Dealings, buy their Nobility, and generally give over Trade. Their Manufactures of Cloth, Glafs, and Silk, formerly the be(t in Eurcpe^ are now excell'd by thofe of other Countries. They are tenacious of old Laws and Cuftoms to their great Prejudice, whereas a Trading Nation muft be iHll for new Changes and Expedients, as different Jundlures and Emergencies arife. The State is at prefent very fenfible of this Decay in their Trade, and, as a Noble Venetian^ who is ftill a Merchant, told me, they will ipeedily find out fome Method to redrefs it'; pollibly by making a 'free Port, for they look with an evil Eye upon Leghorne^ which draws to it moft of the Vef- fels bound for Italy, They have hitherto been fo negligent in this particular, that many, think the Great Duke's Gold has bad no fmall Influence in their Councils. Venice has feveral Particulars, which are not to be found in other Cities, and is therefore very enter« taining to a Traveller. It looks, at a diftance like a great Town half floated by a Deluge. There are Canals every where croffing it^ fo tha^ one may go to moft Houfes either by Land or Water. This is a very great Convenience to the Inhabitants ; for a Gondola^ with two Oars, at Venice^ is as magnifi- cent as a Coach and fix Horfes, with a large Equi- page, in another Country ; befides that it makes all ether Carriages extremely cheap. The Streets are generally paved with Brick or Freeftone, and aU ways kept very neat \ for there is no Carriage, not fo much as a Chairj that paffes thro' them. l>iere 6o VENICE. is an innumerable multitude of very handfom Bridges, all of a fmgle Arch, and without any Fence on either fide, which would be a great Inconve- nience to a City lefs fober than Venice, One would indeed wonder that Drinking is fo little in Vogue among the Venetians^ who are in a moift Air and a moderate Climate, and have no fuch Diverfions as Bowling, Hunting, Walking, Riding, and the like Exercifes to employ them without Doors. But as the Nobles are not to converfe too piuch with Strangers, they are in no Danger of learning it; and they are generally too diftruftful of one another for the Freedoms that are ufed in fuch kind of Con- verfations. There are many noble Palaces in Fe* nice. Their Furniture is not commonly very rich, if we except the Pidtures, which are here in greater plenty than in any other Place in Europe\ from the Hands of the bed: Mafters of the Lombard School ; as Titian^ Paul Feronefe^ and Tint or et. The latt of thefe is in greater Efteem at Venice than in other Parts of Italy. The Rooms are generally hung with Gilt Leather, which they cover on extraordi- nary Occafions with Tapiltry, and Hangings of greater Value. The Flooring is a kind of Red Plaifter made of Brick ground to Powder, and after- wards work'd into Mortar. It is rubbed with Oil, and makes a fmooth, Ihining, and beautiful Surface, Thefe Particularities are chiefly owing to the Moi- fture of the Air, which would have an ill Effect on other kinds of Furniture, as it (hows it felf too vi- fibly in many of their fineft Pi£lares. Tho' the Venetians are extremely jealous of any great Fame or Merit in a living Member of their Common- wealth, they never fail of giving a Man his due ' Praifes, when they are in no iJanger of fufFering from his Ambition, For this Reafon, tho' there are VENICE. bi are a great many Monuments ereded to fuch as have been BeneFa6lors to the Republick, they are generally put up after their Deaths. Among the many Elogiums that are given to the Doge, Ptfauro^ who had been Ambaffador in Eiigland^ his Epitaph fays. In Anglid Jacobi Regis obitum mzrd calliditate cela- turn mird fagacitate rhnatus prifcam henevolentiam firrnavit. In England^ having with wonderful Sa- gacity difcover'd the Death of King James^ which was kept fecret with wonderful Art, he confirm'd the antient Fricndfhip. The particular Palaces, Churches, and PicSiures of Venice^ are enumerated in feveral little Books that may be bought on the Place, and have been faithfully tranfcribed by many Voyage- Writers. When I was at Venice^ they were putting out very curious Stamps of the feveral Edifices which are moft famous for their Beauty or Magnificence. The Arjenal of Venice is an Ifland of about three Miles round. It contains all the Stores and Provifions for War, that are not aflually employed. There are Docks for their Gallies and Men of War, moft of them full, as well as Work- houfes for all Land and Naval Preparations. That Part of it, where the Arms are laid, makes a great fhow, and was indeed very extraordinary about a hundred Years ago ; but at prefent a great part of its Furniture is grown ufelefs. There feem to be almoft as many Suits of Armour as there are Guns. The Swords are old-faftnon'd and unwieldy in a veiy great Number, and the Fire-Arms fitted with Locks of little Convenience in comparifon of thofe that are now in ufe. The Venetians pretend they could fet out, in cafe of great NecelEty, thirty Men of War, a hundred Gallies, and ten Galeafles, tho' I cannot conceive how they could man a Fleet of -half the numbcx. It was certainly a mighty D &ce' 62 VENICE. Error in this State to afFecl fo many Gonquefts oa the Terra Firma^ which has only ferved to raife the Jealoufy of the Chriftian Princes, and about three hundred Years ago had like to have ended in the utter Extirpation of the Commonwealth ; whereas, had they apply'd themfelves, with the fame Politicks and Induftry, to the Increafe of their Strength by Sea, they might perhaps have had all the Iflands of the Archipelago in their Hands, and, by Confequence, the greateft Fleet, and the moft Seamen of any other State in Europe, Befides, that this would have given no Jealoufy to the Princes their Neighbours, who would have enjoy'd their own Dominions in Peace, and have been very Vv^ell contented to have feen fo flrong a Bulwark againft all the Forces and Invafions of the Ottoman Empire. This Republick has been much more powerful than it is at prefent, as it is ftill likelier to fmk than increafe in its Dominions. It is not impoffible but the Spaniard may, fome time or other, demand of them Creme^ Brefcia^ and Bergame^ which have been torn from the Milaneje\ and in cafe a War fiiould arife upon it, and the Venetians lofc a fmgle Battle, they might be beaten off the Continent in u fingle Summer, for their Fortifications are very inconfiderable. On the other fide the Venetians are in continual Apprehenfions from the Tttrk^ v/ho will certainly endeavour at the Recovery of the Morea^ as foon as the Otto?nan Empire has recruited a little of its ancient Strength. They are very fenfible that they liad better have pufhed their Conquefts on the other fide of the Adriatick into Albania ; for then their Territories would have lain together, and have been nearer the Fountain-head to have received Suc- cours on occafion ; but the V metians are under Ar- ticles with the Emperor, to refign into his fi[ands what- VENICE. 63 whatever they conquer of the Turkijh Dominions, that has been formerly difmembered from the Empire. And having already very much diffatisfy'd him in the Frioul and Dalmatia^ they dare not think of exafperating him further. The Pope difputes with them their Pretenfions to the Polefin^ as the Duke of Savoy lays an equal Claim to the Kingdom ot Cyprus, 'Tis furprifmg to confider w^ith what Heats thefe two Powers have contelled their Title to a Kingdom that is in the Hands of the Turk. Among all thefe Difficulties the Republick will ftill maintain it felf, if Policy can prevail upon Force ; for it is certain the Venetian Senate is one of the wifeft Councils in the World, tho' at the fame time, if we believe the Reports of feveral that have been well verfed in their Conftitution, a great part of their Politics is founded on Maxims, which others do not think confiftent with their Honour to put in praflice. The Prefervation of the Republick is that to which all other Confiderations fubmit. To en- courage Idlenefs and Luxury in the Nobility, to cherijfh Ignorance and Licentioufnefs in the Clergy, to keep alive a continual Faction in the Common People, to connive at the Vicioufnefs and Debauchery of Convents, to breed Diflenfions among the Nobles of the Terra Firma.^ to treat a brave Man with Scorn and Infamy, in ftort, to ftick at nothing for the Publick Interefl:, are reprefented as the refined Parts of the Venetian Wifdom. Among all the In (lances of their Politics, there is none more admirable than the great Secrecy that reigns in their publick Councils. The Senate is generally as numerous as our Houfe of Commons, if w-e only reckon the fitting Members, and yet carries its Refolution fo privately, that they are feldom known 'till they difcover themfelves in the D z ^ Exc- 64 .VENICE. Execution. It is not many Years fince they had before them a great Debate concerning the Punifti- ment of one of their Admirals, which lafted a Month together, and concluded in his Condem- nation ; yet was there none of his Friends, nor of thofe who had engaged warmly in his Defence, that gave him the leaft Intimation of what was pafling againft him, 'till he was actually feiz'd, and in the Hands of Juftice. The Noble Venetians think themfelves equal at leaft to the Eleftors of the Empire, and but one Degree below Kings ; for which rcafon they feldom travel into Foreign Countries, where they muft undergo the Mortification of being treated like pri- vate Gentlemen : Yet it is obferv'd of them, that they difcharge themfelves with a great deal of Dex- terity in fuch Embaflies and Treaties as are laid on them by the Republick ; for their whole Lives are employed in Intrigues of State, and they naturally give themfelves Airs of Kings and Princes, of which the Minifters of other Nations are only the Repre- fentatives. Monfieur Amelot^ reckons in his time, two thoufand five hundred Nobles that had Voices in the great Council; but at prefent, I am told, there are not at moft fifteen Hundred, notwith- ftanding the Addition of many new Families fince that time. It is very ftrange, that with this Ad- vantage they are not able to keep up their Number, confidering that the Nobility fpreads equally thro' all the Brothers, and that fo very few of them are tleftroyed by the Wars of the Republick. Whether this may be imputed to the Luxury of the Vem^ tians^ or to the ordinary Celibacy of the younger Brothers, or to the laft Plague which fwept away many of them, I know not. They generally thruft the Females of their Families into Convents, the better ' F E N I C E. 65 better to preferve their Eflates. This makes the Venetian Nuns famous for the Liberties they allow themfelves. They have Operas within their own Walls, and often go out of their Bounds to meet their Admirers, or they are very much mifrepre- fented. They have many of them their Lovers^ that converfe v/ith them daily at the Grate; and are very free to admit a vifit from a Stranger. There "is indeed one of the Cornara's^ that not long ago rcfus'd to fee any under a Prince. The Carnival of Venice is every where talkM of. The great Diverfion of the Place at that time, as well as on all other Jiigh Occafions, is Masking. The Venetians^ who are naturally Grave, love to give into the Follies and Entertainments of fuch Seafons, when difgOifed in a falfe Ferfonage. They are indeed under a neceffity of finding out Diver* fions that may agree with the Nature of the Place, and make fome Amends for the Lofs of feveral Pleafures which may be met with on the Conti- nent. Thefe Difguifes give Occafion to abundance of Love- Adventures; for there is fomething mora intriguing in the Amours of Venice^ than in thofe of other Countries; and I queftion not but th# Secret Hiftory of a Carnival would make a Collec* tion of very diverting Novels. Operas are another great Entertainment of this Scafon. The Poetry of them is generally as exquifitely ill, as the Mufick is good. The Arguments are often taken from fomc celebrated Action of the ancient Greeks or Romans^ which fometimes looks ridiculous enough; for who can endure to hear one of the rough old Romans fqueaking thro' the Mouth of an Eunuch, efpecially when they may choofe a Subjedt out of Courts where Eunuchs are really AcSlors, or reprefent by them any of the fofc Afiatick Monarchs? The Opera that D 5 was 66 VENICE. was moft in Vogue, during my Stay at Venice^ was built on the following Subje£l. C^Jar and Scipto are Rivals for Catoh Daughter. C^^far's lirfl: Words bid his Soldiers fly, for the Enemies are upon them : 5/ leva Cefare^ e dice a Soldaii^ A' la fugga^ A'* to fcampo. The Daughter gives the Preference to Cesfar^ which is made the Occafion of Catoh Death. Before he kills himfelf, you fee him withdrawn into his Library, where, among his Bocks, I obferved the Titles of Plutarch and 7aJ]o. After a fhort Soliloquy, he ftrikes himfelf with the Dagger that he holds in his Hand ; but, being interrupted by one of his Friends, he ftabs him for his Faiiis, and by the Violence of the Blow unluckily breaks the Dagger on one of his Ribs^ fo that he is forced to difpatch himfelf by tearing up his firft Wound. This lali Circumftance puts me in mind of a Contrivance in the Opera of St. Angelo^ that was adled at the fame time. The King of the Play endeavours at a Rape ; but the Poet, being refolved to fave his Heroine's Honour, has fo ordered it, that the King always a£ls with a great Cafe-Knife ftuck in his Girdle^ which the Lady fnatches from him in the Struggle, and fo defends her felf. The Italian Poets, befides the celebrated Smooth- nefs of their Tongue, have a particular Advantage, above the Writers of other Nations, in the diffe- rence of their Poetical and Profe Language. There are indeed Sets of Phrafes that in all Countries are peculiar to the Poets ; hwt among the Italians there are not only Sentences, but a Multitude of particu- lar Word?, that never enter into common Difcourfe. They have fuch a different Turn and Polifhing for Poetical Ufe, that they drop fcveral of their Letters, and appear in another Form, when they come to be ranged in Verfc. For this Reafon the Italian Opera Ifeldom VENICE. * 67 feldom finks into a Poornefs of Language, but, ainidft all the Meannefs and Familiarity of the Thoughts, has fomething beautiful and fonorous in the Expreffion. Without this natural Advantage of the Tongue, their prefent Poetry would appear wretchedly low and vulgar, notwithftanding the many ftrained Allegories that are fo much in ufe among the Writers of this Nation. The Englijh and French^ who aKvays ufe the fame Words in Verfe as in ordinary Converfation, are forced to raife their Language with Metaphors and Figures, or, by the Pompoulhefs of the whole Phrafe, to wear ofF any Littlenefs that appears in the particular Parts that compofe it. This makes our Blank Verfe, where there is no Rhyme to fupport the Expreflion, ex- tremely difficult to fuch as are not Maflers in the Tongue, efpecially when they write on low Sub- jects; and 'tis probably' for this reafon that Milton has made ufe of fuch frequent Tranfpofitions, Lati- nifms, antiquated Words and Phrafes, that he might the better deviate from vulgar and ordinary Expref- fions. The Comedies that I fav/ at Venice^ or indeed in any other Part of Italy ^ are very indifferent, and more lewd than thofe of other Countries. Their Poets have no Notion of gentile Comedy, and fall into the moft filthy Double Meanings imaginable, when they have a mind to make their Audience merry. There is no Part generally fo wretched as that of the Fine Gentleman, efpecially when he converfes with his Miftrefs ; for then the whole Dialogue is an infipid mixture of Pedantry and Romance. But 'tis no wonder that the Poets of fo jealous and referved a Nation fail in fuch Converfations on the Stage, as they have no Patterns of it in Nature. There arc four {landing Gharaftcrs which enter into every Piece D 4 that 6B F E N I C E. that comes on the Stage^ the Do^or^ Harlequin^ Panialone^ and Coviello. The Dolor's Char^idcr comprehends the whole Extent of a Pedant, that, with a deep Voice, and a Magifterial Air, breaks in upon Converfation, and drives down all before him : Every thing he fays is backed with Qiiotations out of Galen^ Hippocrates^ Plato^ V'lrgll, or any other Author that rifes uppermoft, and all Anfwers from his Com- panions are looked upon as Impertinencies or Inter- ruptions. Harlequin^ Part is made up of Blunders and Abfurdities : He is to miflake one Name for ano- ther, to forget his Errands, to ftumble over Qiieens, and to run his Head againft every Poft tliat ftands in his way. This is all attended with fomething fo co- mical in the Voice and Geftures;, that a Man, who isfenfibleof the Folly of the Part, can hardly for- bear being pleafed with it. Pantalone is generally an old Cully, and Coviello a Sharper. I have feen a Trahflation of the Cid afted at Bo- lonia^ which would never have taken, had they not found a Place in it for thefe Buffoons. All four of them appear in Masks that are made like the old Roman Perfonce^ as I ftiall have occafion to obferve in another Place. The French and Italians have proba- bly derived this Cuftom, of fhewing fome of their Chara£lers in Masks, from the Greek and Roman Theatre. The old Vatican Terence has, at the Head of every Scene, the Figures of all the Perfons that are concerned in it, with the particular Difguifes in which they afted ; and I remember to have feen in the Villa Mattheio an antique Statue mask'd, which was perhaps defign'd for Gnatho in the Eunuch ; for it agrees exactly with the Figure he makes in the Vatican Manufcript. One v/ould wonder indeed how fo polite a People as the ancient Romans and Athe^ nians flioukl not look on thefc borrowed Faces as un- natural. r E MICE. 6g natural. They might do very well for a Cyclops, or a Satyr that can have no Refemblance in Humane Features; but for a Flatterer, a Mifer, or the like Characters, which abound in our own Species, no- thing is more ridiculous than to reprefent their Looks by a painted Vizard. In Perfons of this nature the Turns and Motions of the Face are often as agreea- ble as any part of the Aflion. Could we fuppofe that a Mask reprefented never fo naturally the gene- ral Humour of a Charader, it can never fuit with the Variety of Pallions that are incident to every fmgle Perfon in the whole courfe of a Play. The Grimace may be proper on feme Occafions, but is too fteady to agree with all. The Rabble indeed are generally pleafed at the firft Entry of a Difguife; but the Jeft grows cold even with them too when it comes on the Stage in a fecond Scene. Since I am on this Subject, I cannot forbear mentroning a Cufiom at Venice^ which they tell me is particular to the Common People of this Country, of finging Stanza's out of Tajfo, They are fet to a pretty folemn Tune, and when one begins in any part of the Pcet, it is odds but he will be anfwered by fomebody elfe that overhears him: So that fome- times you have Ten or a Dozen in the Neighbour- hood of one another, taking Verfe after VeiTe, and running on with the Poem as far as their Memories will carry them. On Holy-Thurfdayy among the feveral Shows that are yearly exhibited, I faw one that is odd enough, and particular to the Venetians, There is a Set of Artifans, who, by the help of feveral Poles, which tliey lay a-crofs each others Shoulders, build them- felves up into a kind of Pyramid , fo that you fee a Pile of Men in the Air of four or five Row^s rifmg one above another. The Weight is fo equally dlilt i- f> S ' iMited^ 70 VENICE. buted, that every Man is very well able to bear his Part of it, the Stories, if I may fo call them, grow- ing lefs and lefs as they advance higher and higher. A. little Boy reprefents the Point of the Pyramid, who, after a fliort Space, leaps ofF, with a great deal of Dexterity, into' the Arms of one that catches him at the Bottom. In the fame manner the whole Building falls to pieces. I have been the more parti- cular in this, becaufe it explains the follov/ing Verfes of Claudian^ which fhow that the Venetians are not the Inventors of this Trick. Vel qui more avium fefe jaculantur In auras^ Corporaque adijicant^ celeri a-efcentia nexu^ Quorum coijipojitam puer augjnentatus in arcem Emicat^ et vinous plafita^ vel cruribus havens^ Pendula librato figit vejligia faltu. Claud. dePr.&Olyb.Conf. Men, piFd on Men, with a£live Leaps arife, And build the breathing Fabrick to the Skies; A fprightly Youth above the topmoft Row Points the tall Pyramid, and crowns the Show. Tho' we meet with the Feneti in the old Poets, the City of Venice is too modern to find a Place among them. Sanfia'zarius^s Epigram is too well known to be inferted. The fame Poet has celebrated this City in tvvo other Places of his Poems. ^ns Venetce miracida profcrat urbis^y Una injlar magni qui;c ftmul Orbis habei ? Salve Ital&m Regina^ altte pulcherrima Ro?nce Mmula^ qua terris^ qua dominaris aquis ! iibi vel Reges cives facisy O Decus^ O Lux Aujonia-i per quam libera turba fumus^ Per V E N T C E. y i Per quam Barbaries nobis non imperat^ et Sol ' Exoriens nojiro clarius or be nitet ! Lib. 3 . Eleg. i ; Venetla ftands with endlefs Beauties crown'd. And as a World within her felf is found. Hail Queen of Italy / for Years to come The mighty Rival of immortal Ro?ne! Nations and Seas are in thy States enroll'd. And Kings among thy Citizens are told, Aujoniah brighteft Ornament ! by Thee She fits a Sov'reign, Unenflav'd and Free; By Thee, the rude Barbarian chas'd away,. The Rifmg Sun chears with a purer Ray Our Weftern World, and doubly gilds the Day. \ Nec Tu fe?nper eris^ quce feptem ample£leris arceSy Nec Tu^ qUiC mediis ccimda furgis aquis. Lib. 2. Eleg, I*. Thou too {halt fall by Time or barb'rous Foes, Whofe circling Walls the Sev'n fam'd Hills inclofe And Thou, whofe Rival Tow'rs invade the Skies,. And, from amidft the Waves, with equal Glory rife. F E R R A R J. RAVENNA, R I M I N I. ^^ j^ T Venice I took a Bark for Ferrara^ and M^j2 in my way thither faw feveral Mouths of toL^w the Po^ by which it empties it fdf into ^^^^Si the JdriatiCy ^0 non alius per pinguia culta In mare purpureum violentior influit amnh. Virg. Georg. 4. V. 373. which is true, if underftood only of the Rivers of Italy. Lucart^s Defcription of the Po would have been very beautiful, had he known when to have glvea over. ^oqtte ?nagis nullum tellus fe folvit in amnem Eridanus^ fraSlafque evolvit in aquora fylvas^ Htfperta?nque exhaurit aquis: hunc fahula primum Popidea fiuvium ripas umhrdjfe corona: Cumque diem pronum tranfuerfo limit e due ens Suaendit Phaeton fiagrantibui ^thcra loris \ Gurgittbm Ferraray Ravennay Rimini. 73 Gurgltibus raptis^ penitus tellure perujld, Hunc habuijfe pares Phoebeis ignibus undas. Lib. 2. V. 408. The Poy that, milling with uncommon Force, O'er-fets whole Woods in its tumultuous Courfe, And, rifmg from Hefperla^s watry Veins, Th' exhaufted Land of all its Moifture drains. The Po^ as fings the Fable, firft convey 'd Its v/and'ring Current through a Poplar Shade : For v/hen young Phaeton miftook his way. Loft and confounded in the Blaze of Day^ This River, with furviving Streams fupply'd, When all the reft of the whole Earth were dry'd. And Nature's felf lay ready to expire, Quench'd the dire Flame that fet the World on Fire, The Poet's Reflexions follow. Non minor hie Nih, ft nen per plana jaeentis JEgypti Libycas Nilus Jiagnaret arenas. Non miner hie IJlrOy nift quod dum permeat orhem IJIer^ cafuros in qualibet aquora fontes Aecipity tff Scythicas exit nonfclus in undas. lb. V, 416* Nor would the Nile more watry Stores contain. But that he ftagnates on his Libyan Plain : Nor would the Danube run with greater Force, But that he gathers in his tedious Courfe Ten thoufand Streams, and, fwelling as he flows. In Scythian Seas the Glut of Rivers throws. That is, fays Scaliger^ the Eridanus would be bigger than the Nile and Danube^ if the Nile and Danube were not bigger than the Eridanus. What makes 74 Perrara, Ravenna^ Rimini. makes the Poet's Remark the more improper, the very Reafon why the Danube is greater than the Pd?, as he afligns it, is that which really makes the Po as great as it is; for, before its Fall into the Gulf, it receives into its Channel the moft confider- able Rivers of Piedmont ^ Milan^ and the reft of Lorn^ hardy. From Venice to Ancona the Tide comes in very fenfibly at its ftated Periods, but rifes more or lefs in proportion as it advances nearer the Head of the Gulf. Lucan has run out of his way to defcribe the Phanomenon^ which is indeed very extraordinary to thofe who lie out of the Neighbourhood of the great Ocean, and, according to his ufual Cuftom, lets his Poem ftand ftill that he may give way to his own Reflexions. ^aque jacet Uttus duli'um^ quod terra fretumque Vendicat alternis vicibus^ cum fimditur ingens Oceanus^ vel cum refugis fe JluSfibus aufert. Ventus ab extremo pelagus ftc axe volutet Dejiituatque ferens: an fidere mot a fecundo Tethyos unda vagce Lunaribus ajiuet horis : Flammiger an Titan^ ut alentes hauriat undaSy Erigat Oceanum^ fiu5iufque ad fidera tollat ; ^ucBrite quos agitat mundi labor: at mihi femper Tu qucecunque moves tam crebros caufa meatus^ Ut juperi voluerey lates. ■ Lib. I. v. 409. Wafli'd with fucceffive Seas, the doubtful Strand By turns is Ocean, and by turns is Land : Whether the Winds in diftant Regions blow. Moving the World of Waters to and fro ; Or waining Moons their fettled Periods keep To fwell the Billows, and ferment the Deep ; Ferrara^ Rave?i7ta, Rimini. 75 Or the tir'd Sun, his Vigour to fupplv, Raifes the floating Mountaiiis to the Sky, And flakes his Thirft within the mighty Tide, Do you who {ludy Nature's Works decide: Whilft I the dark myfl:erious Caufe admire. Nor, into what the Gods conceal, prefumptuoufly inquire. At Ferrara I met nothing extraordinary. The Town is very large, but extremely thin of People. It has a Citadel, and fomething like a Fortification running round it, but fo large that it requires more Soldiers to defend it, than the Pope has in his whole Dominions. The Streets are as beautiful as any I have feen, in their Length, Breadth and Regularity, The Benedi6fines have the fineft Convent of the Place. They (how'd us in the Church Ariojfo's Mo- nument : His Epitaph fays, he was Ncbilitfite Ge^ neris at que Animi clarus^ in rebus puhlic'is adminu jirandh^ in regendis populis^ in gravijftniis iff fum-' mis Pontijicis Icgationihus prudentid^ confilio^ eloquen- tld pra:Jtantij[imus, i. e. Noble both in Birth and Mind, and mod confpicuous for Prudence, Counfel, and Eloquence, in adminiftring the Affairs of the Publick, and difcharging the mofl important Em- baflies from the Pope. I came down a Branch of the Po^ as far as Alberto^ within ten Miles of Ravenna. All this Space lies miferably uncultivated 'till you come near Ravenna^ where the Soil is made extremely fruitful, and fhows what much of the reft might be, were there Hands enough to manage it to the befl Advantage. It is now on both fides the Road very marfhy, and gene- rally overgrown with Rufhes, which made me fancy it was once floated by the Sea, that lies within four Miles of it. Nor could I in the leafl doubt it wlien I faw ^6 Ferrara^ Ravenna^ Rimini. I faw Ravenna^ that is now almoft at the fame di- Itance from the Adriatick^ tho^ it was formerly the nioft famous of all the Roman Ports. One may guefs at its ancient Situation from MartiaPs Meliufqtie Rana garriant Ravennates. Lib. 3. Epigr. Ravenna^s Frogs in better Mufick croak. And the Defcription that Silius Italicus has given us of it. plaque gravi remo limojis fegniter undis Lenta paludofa perfcindunt Jiagna Ravenna, Lib. 8, Encumbered in the Mud, their Oars divide With heavy Strokes the thick unwieldy Tide. Accordingly the old Geographers reprefent it as fituated among iVlarfhes and Shallows. The Place, which is ftiown for the Haven, is on a Level with the Town, and has probably been flopped up by the great Heaps of Dirt that the Sea has thrown into it ; for all the Soil on that fide of Ravenna has been left there infenfibly by the Sea's difcharging it felf upon it for many Ages. The Ground muft have been formerly much lower, for otherwife the Town would have lain under Water. The Remains of the Pha- ros^ that fland about three Miles from the Sea, and two from the Town, have their Foundations covered with Earth for fome Yards, as they told me, which notwithftanding are upon a Level with the Fields that lie about them, tho' 'tis probable they took the Advantage of a rifmg Ground to fet it upon. It was a fquare Tower, of about twelve Yards in Breadth, as Ferrara^ Ravenna^ 'Rimini. as appears by that part of it which yet remains en- tire \ fo that lis Height muft have been very Confi- derable to have prefer ved a Proportion. It is made in the Form of the Venetian Ca?npanello^ and is pro- bably the high Tower mentioned by Pliny^ Lib. 36, cap. 12. On the fide of the Town, where the Sea is fup- pofed^o have lain formerly, there is now a little Church called the Rotonda: At the Entrance of it are two Stones, the one with an Infcription in Gothic Characters, that has nothing in it remark- able ; the other is a fquare Piece of Marble, that by the Infcription appears ancient, and by the Orna- ments about it fhows itfelf to have been a little Pa* gan Monument of two Perfons who were fhip- wreck'd, perhaps in the Place where now their Mo» nument ftands. The firft Line and a half, that tells their Names and Families in Profe^ is not legible ; the reft run thus : Rania domus hos produxit alumnos^ Libertatis opus contulit una dies, Naufraga mors pariter rapuit quos junxerat ante, Et dupUces luSfu$ mors periniqua dedit. Both with the fame indulgent Mafter blefs'd. On the fame Day their Liberty polTefs'd : A Shipwreck flew whom it had join'd before, And left their common Friends^their Fun'rals to deplore. There is a turn in the third Verfe, that we lofe by not knowing the Circumfiances of their Sto- ry, it was the Naiifraga mors which deftroyed them, as it had formerly united them 5 what this Union yS Ferrardy Ravenna ^ Rimini. Union was is exprefs'd in the preceding Verfe, by their both having been made Free-men on the fame Day. If therefore we fuppofe they had been for- merly fliipwreck'd with their Mafter, and that he made them Free at the fame time, the Epi- gram is unriddled. Nor is this Interpretation per- haps fo forc'd as it may feem at firft fight, fmce it was the Cuftom of the Mafters, a little before their Death, to give their Slaves their Freedom, if they had deferv'd it at their Hands ; and it is na- tural enough to fuppofe one, involved in a com- mon Shipwreck, would give fuch of his Slaves their Liberty, as fhould have the good Luck to fave them- felves. The Chancel of this Church is vaulted with a -fingle Stone of four Foot in thicknefs, and a liundred and fourteen in Circumference. There flood, on the outfide of this little Cupola, a great Tomho^ Porphyry^ and the Statues of the twelve Apoftles ; but in the W ar that Louis the Twelfth made on Italy ^ the Tomb was broken in pieces by a Cannon Ball. It was, perhaps, the fame Blow that made the Flaw in the Cupola, the' the In- habitants fay it was crack'd by Thunder, that de* ftroyed a Son of one of their Gothic Princes, who had taken (helter under it, as having been foretold what kind of Death he was to die. I asked an Abbot, that was in the Church, what was the Name of this G^/Wr Prince, who, after a little Re* colleftion, anfwered me, that he could not tell pre- cifcly, but that he thought it was one Julius Cce- Jar. There is a Convent of Theatins^ where they flibw a little Window in the Church, thro' which the Holy Ghoft is faid to have entered in the Shape of a Dove, and to have fettled on one of the Can- didates for the Bifiioprick. The Dove is repre- fented. Perrara^ Ravenna ^ Rimini. 79 fented in the Window, and in feveral Places of the Church, and is in great Reputation all over Italy, I fhould not indeed think it impoflible for a Pigeon to fly in accidentally thro' the Roof, where they ftill keep the Hole open, and, by its fluttering over fuch a particular Place, to give fo fuperftitious an Aflembly an Occafion of favouring a Competi- tor, efpecially if he had many Friends among the Ele£lors that would make a politick Ufc of fuch an Accident : But they pretend the Miracle has hap- pen'd more than once. Among the Pi£lures of feve- ral famous Men of their Order, there is one with this Infcription. P. D, Thomas Gouldvellus Ep. Ap^ Trid"" conftl'io contt-a Hareticos^ & in Anglia contra Eiifahet, Fidel Confejfor confplcuus. The Sta- tue of Alexander the Seventh ftands in the large Square of the Town; it is caft in Brafs, and has the Pofture that is always given the Figure or a Pope; an Arm extended, and bleffing the People, In another Square on a high Pillar is fet the Sta*- tue of the blefled Virgin, arrayed like a Queen, with a Sceptre in her Hand, and a Crovm upon her Head, for having delivered the Town from a raging Peftilence. The Cuftom of crowning the Holy Virgin is fo much in vogue among the ItallanSy that one often fees in their Churches a little Tinfel Crown, or perhaps a Circle of Stars glued to the Canvafs over the Head of the Figure, which fome- times fpoils a good Pifture. In the Convent ;of Be- nedlSllnes^ I faw three huge Chefis of Marble, with no Infcription on them that I could find, tho' they ^re faid to contain the Afhes of Valenilnlan^ Hono^ rius^ and his Sifter Placldla. From Ravenna I came to Rlmlnl^ having paffed the Rubicon by the way. This River is not fo very contemptible as it 8o Ferrara, Ravenna ^ Rimini. is generally reprefented, and was much iiicrcafed by the melting ot" the Snows when C Hid in the winding Vales they gently glide, And Italy from neighb'ring Gaul divide ; But now, with Winter Storms increas'd, they rofe, By watry Moons produc'd, and Alpine Snows, That melting on the hoary Mountains lay. And in warm Eaftern Winds diflblv'd away. This River is now called Pifatello, Rimini has nothing modern to boaft of. Its An- tiquities are as follow : A Marble Bridge of five Arches, built by Augujlus and Tiberius^ for the In- fcription is ftill legible, tho' not rightly tranfcrib'd by Gruter. A triumphal Arch railed by Augujlus^ which makes a noble Gate to the Town, tho' part of it is ruined. The Ruins of an Amphitheatre. The Sugge/iumy on which it is faid that Julius C^far harangued his Army after having pafled the Rubicon, i muft confefs I can by no means look on this laft as Authentick : It is built of hewn Stone, like the Pedeftal of a Pillar, but fomethlng higher than ordinary, and is but juft broad enough . for Ferrara^ RiVVe?ma^ Rimi?2i. 8i for one Man to ftand upon it. On the contrary, the ancient Suggejiu?ns^ as 1 have often obfer\'ed on Me- dals, as well as on Conjiant'ine^ Arch, were made of Wood like a little kind of Stagey for the Heads of the Nails are fometimes reprefented, that are fup- pofed to have fattened the Boards together. We of- ten fee on them the Emperor, and two or three Ge- neral Officers, fometimes fitting, and fometimes flanding, as they made Speeches, or diftributed a Congiary to the Soldiers or People. They were pro- bably always in readinefs, and carried among the Baggage of the Army, whereas this at Rimini muft have been built on the Place, and required fome time before could be finiflied. If 82 Ferrara^ Ravenna^ Ri?ni?2}. If the Gbfervation I have here made is juft, it may ferve as a Confirmation to the learned Fa- hrettPs Conje£lure on Trajan^'^ Pillar ; who fup- pofes, I think, v/ith a great deal of Reafon, that the Camps, Intrenchments, and other Works of the Ferrara^ Raventta^ Rimini. the fame Nature, which are cut out as if they had been made of Brick or hewn Stone, were in reahty only of Earth, Turf, or the like Materials ; for there are on the Pillar fome of thefe Suggejlums^ which are figured like thofe on Medals, with only this Difference, that they feem built with Brick or Free-ftone. At twelve Miles diftance from Rimini ftands the little Republick cf St. Marino^ which I could not forbear vifiting, tho' it lies out of the common Tour of Travellers, and has exceffively bad Ways to it. I jliall here give a particular Account of it, becaufe I know of no Body elfe that has done it. One may, at leaft, have the Pieafure of feeing in it fomething more fmguiar than can be found in great Govern- ments, and form from it an Idea of Venice in its firft Beginnings, when it had only a few Heaps of Earth for its Dominions, or of Rome it felf, when it had yet covered but one of its Seven Hills. T H E THE REPUBLIC K O F St. M A R 1 N 0. H E Town and Republick of St. Mari- no ftands on the Top of a very high and craggy Mountain. It is generally hid among the Clouds, and lay under Snow when I faw it, tho' it was clear and warm Weather in all the Country about it. There is not a Spring or Fountain, that I could hear of in the whole Dominions, but they are always well provided with huge Cifterns and Refer- voirs of Rain and Snow-water. The Wine that grows on the fides of their Mountain is extraordinary good, and I think much better than any I met with on the cold fide of the Apennines. This put me in mind of their Cellars, which have mofl; of 'em a natural Advantage that renders 'em extremely cool in the hotteft Seafons; for they have generally in the Sides of them deep Holes that run into the Hollows of the Hill, from whence there conftantly ifllies a breathing kind of Vapours, fo very chilling in the Summer-time, that a Man can fcarce fuffer his Hand in the Wind of it. This The Republick, kc. 85 This Mountain, and a few neighbouring Hillocks that lie fcatter'd about the Bottom of it, is the whole Circuit of thefe Dominions. They have, what they Call, three Cailles, three Convents, and five Churches, and reckon about five thoufand Souls in their Com- munity. The Inhabitants, as well as the Hiftorians, who mention this little Republick, give the follow^ing Account of its Original. St. Marino was its Foun- der, a Dalmatian by Birth, and by Trade a Mafon, He was employed above thirteen hundred Years ago in the Reparation of Rimini^ and, after he had h- nifh'd his Work, retired to this folitary Mountain, as finding it very proper for the Life of the Hermit which he led in the greateft Rigours and Aufterities of Religion. He had not been here long before he wrought a reputed Miracle, which, join'd with his extraordinary Sanftity, gain'd him fo great an Efteem, that the Princefs of the Country made hinx a Prefent of the Mountain to difpofe of it at his own Difcretion. His Reputation quickly Peopled it, and gave Rife to the Republick which calls it felf after his Name. So that the Commonwealth of Mariniy may boaft at Icaft of a nobler Original than that of Rome^ the one having been at hrft an Afylum for Robbers and Murderers, and the other a Refort of Perfons eminent for their Piety and Devotion. The beft of their Churches Is dedicated to the Saint, and holds his Aflies. His Statue ftands over the high Altar, with the Figure of a Mountain in its Hands, crown'd with three Caftles, which is likevvife the Arms of the Commonwealth. They attribute to his ProtCsSlion the long Duration of their State, and look on him as the greateft Saint next the Blefled Virgin. I faw in their Statute-Book a Lav/ again!!: fuch as fpcak difrefpedlfuUy of him, who arc to be punifhed in the fame manner as thofe who are convided of Blafphemy. 86 The RepubJick This petty Republick has now lafted thirteen liun-* dred Years, while all the other States of Italy have feveral times changed their Maftcrs and Forms of Government. Their whole Hiflory is compris'd in two Purchafes, which they made of a neighbouring Prince, and in a War in which they affifted the Pope againfl: a Lord of Rimini, In the Year 1 1 oo they bought a Caftle in the Neighbourhood, as they did another in the Year iijo. The Papers of the Conditions are preferv'd in their Archives, where 'tis very remarkable that the Name of the Agent for the Commonwealth, of the Seller, of the Notary, and the Witnefles, are the fame in both the Inftru- ments, tho' drawn up at feventy Years diflance from each other. Nor can it be any A^fiftake in the Date, hecaufe the Popes and Emperors Names, with the Year of their refpedlive Reigns, are both punctually fet down. About two hundred and ninety Years after this, they affifted Pope Pius the Second againft one of the Malatefta's^ who was then Lord of Ri- mini; and when they had helped to conquer him, received from the Pope, as a Reward for their Affi- Itance, four little Caftles. This they reprefent as the flouriOiing Time of the Commonwealth, when their Dominions reach'd half way up a neighbouring Hill; but -at prefent they are reduced to their old Extent. They would probably fell their Liberty as dear as they could to any that attacked them ; for there is but one Road by which to climb up to them, and they have a very fevere Law againft any of their own Body that enters the Town by another Path, left any new one fhould be worn on the Sides of their Mountain. All that are capable of bearing Arms are e^xercis'd, and ready at a Moment's Call. The Sovereign Power of the Republick was lodg'd originally in what they call the Arengo^ a great Coun- cil of St. Marino. 87 cil in which every Houfe had its Reprefentative. But becaufe they found too much Confufion in fuch a Multitude of Statefmen, they devolv'd their whole Authority into the Hands of the Council of Sixty. The Arengo however is ftill called together in Cafes of extraordinary Importance ; and if, after due Sum- mons, any Member abfents himfelf, he is to be fin'd to the value of about a Penny Engl'ijh^ which the Statute fays he fhall pay, Sine aliqua diintnuttone aut gratia, i. e. Without any Abatement or Favour. In the ordinary Courfe of Government, the Council of Sixty (which, notwithftanding the Name, confifls but of forty Perfons) has in its Hands the Adminiftra- tion of Affairs, and is made up half out of the Noble Families, and half out of the Pkheian, They de- cide all by Baloting, are not admitted 'till five and twenty Years old, and choofe the OiKcers of the Commonwealth. Thus far they agree with the Great Council of Venice \ but their Power is much more extended; for no Sentence can ftand that* is not confirmed by two Thirds of this Council.. Befides, that no Son can be admitted into it during the Life of his Father, nor two be in it of the fame Family, nor any enter hu.t by Eleilion. The chief Officers of the Com- monwealth are the two Capiianeos^ who Jiave fuch a Power as the old Roman Conf^ls had, but are chofen every fix Months. I talk'd with fome that had been Capitanecs fix or feven times, tho* the Office is never to be continu'd to the fame Perfons twice fucceffively. The third Officer is the Commifiary, who judges in all Civil and Criminal Matters. But becaufe the many Alliances, Friendfi'iips, and Intermarriages, as well as the Perfonal Feuds and Animofities that hap- pen among fo fmall a People, might obftruft the Couxfe of Juftice, if one of their own Number had E 2 the 88 The Republkk the Diflributlon of it, they have always a Foreigner for this Employ, whom they choofe for three Years, and maintain out of the Publick Stock. He muft be a Do(3:or of Law, aiid a Man of known Integrity. He is join'd in Commiflion with the Capiianeos^ and acts fomethinglike the Recorder of London under the Lord Mayor. The Commonwealth of Genoa was forc'd to make ufe of a foreign Judge for many Years, w^hilft their Republick was torn into the Divifions of Guelphs and Gibelines. The fourth Man in the State is the Phyfician, who muft likewife be a Stranger, and is maintained by a publLck Salary, He is obliged to keep a Horfe, to vifit the Sick, and to infpeft all Drugs that are imported. He muft: be at leaft thirty five Years old, a Do£tor of the Faculty, and eminent for his Religion and Honefty ; that his Raftmefs or Ig- norance may not unpeople the Commonwealth. And that they may not fuffer long under any bad Choice, he is eleded only for thre€ Years. The prefent Phy- fician is a very underftanding Man, and well read irf ^ our Countrymen, Harvey^ JViUisj Sydenham^ &c. He has been continued for fome time among 'em, and they fay the Commonwealth thrives under his Hands. Another Perfon, who makes no ordinary Figure in the Republick, is the School-Mafter. I fcarce met with any in the Pkce that had not fome Tinfture of IvCarning. I had the Perufal of a Latin Book in Folio^ ientltled, Statuta IUuJtriJ[t?naReipublica SanSfi Marini^ Printed at Rimini by order of the Commonwealth. The Chapter on the publick Minifters fays, that w^hen ;,n AmbalFador is dlfpatch'd from the Republick to any Foreign State, he fnal! be allow'd, out of the Treafury, to the Value of a Shilling a Day, The People are e- fteem'd very honeft and rigorous in the Execution of Juftice, and feem to live more happy and contented a- isiong their Rocks and Snowsj than others of the Italians of St, Marino. 89 do in the pleafanteft Vallies of the World. Nothing indeed can be a greater Inftance of the natural Love that Mankind has for Liberty, and of their Averfioii. to Arbitrary Government, than fuch a Savage Moun*- tain cover'd with People, and the Campania of Rofnt\ which lies in the fame Country^ almoft deftitiite of Inhabitants. Pefaroy Fano^ SemgaUia^ Ancona^ LorettOy &cc. To R 0 M E. ROM Rimini to Loretio the Towns of Note are Pefaro^ Fano^ Senigaliiay and Ancona, Fane received its Name from the Fane or Temple of Fortune that ftood in it. One may ftill fee the Triumphal Arch ereded there to Ju- guftus: It is indeed very much defaced by Time; but the Plan of it, as it ftood entire With all its Infcriptions, is neatly cut upon the Wall of a neigh- bouring Building. In each of thefe Towns is a beautiful Marble Fountain, w^here the Water runs continually thro' feveral little Spouts, vi^hich looks very refrefhing in thefe hot Countries, and gives a great Coolnefs to the Air about them. That of Pefaro is handfomly defigned. Ancona is much the moft confiderable of thefe Towns. It ftands on a Promontory, and looks more beautiful at a diftance than when you are in it. The Port was made by TTrajan^ for which h*e has a Triumphal Arch eredied to him by the Sea-fide. The Marble of this Arch looks very white and frefli, as being expofed to the Winds FefarOy Fano^ Senigallia^ &a 91 Winds and Salt Sea-vapours, that by continually fretting it preferves it felf from that mouldy Colour, — which others of the fame Materials have contradled. I'ho' the Italians and Voyage- Writers call thefe of Ri?m/ii^ tam^ and AncQna^ Triumphal Arches, there v/as probably feme Diftinftio;! made among the Romayis between fach honorary Arches erefted to Emperors, and thofe that were rais'd to them on account of a Victory, which are properly IVium- pbal Arches. This at Ancona was an Inftance of Gratitude to Trajan for the Port he had made there, as the two orhers I - have mentioned were probably for fome Rcafon of the fame nature. One may however obferve theWifdom of the ancient Romans^ who, to encourage tlieir Exnperors in their Incli- nation of doing good to their Country, gave the fame Honours to the great A<9:ions of Peace, which turn'd to the Advantage of the Publick,^ as to thoffi of War. This is very remarkable In the Medals that were ftamp'd on the fame Occafions. I re- member to have feen one of Galba*Sy with a Tri- umphal Arch on the Reverfe, that was made by the Senate's Order for his having remitted a Ta?5« R. XXXX, REMISSA, S. C. The Medal, which was made for Trajan^ in Remembranqe of his Beneficence to Ancona^ is very common. The Reverfe has on it a Port with a Chain running acrofs it, and betwixt them both a Boat, with this Infcrip- tion, S.P. ^R. OPTIMO PRINCIPI. S.C. E 92 Fefaro, Fano, Senigallia, &c. I knov/, Falrettt would fain afcribe this Medal to another Occafion ; but Bellorioy in his Additions to Angeloni^ has fufficiently refuted all he fays on that i>ubje£l. At Loretto I inqulr'd for the Englijh Jefuits Lodgings, and on the Stair-Cafe that leads to 'em I faw fe\eral PiiSlures of fuch as had been Exe- cuted Ancona^ LorettOy Sec. to Rome, 93 cuted in England^ as the two Garnets, Old^Corn^ and others, to the Number of thirty. Whatever were their Crimes, the Infcription fays they fufFer'd for their Religion, and fome of 'em are reprefented lying under fuch Tortures as are not in ufe among us. The Martyrs of 1679 are fet by themfelves, with a Knife ftuck in the Bofom of each Figure, to fignify that they were quartered. "The Riches in the Holy Houfe and Treafury are furprizingly great, and as much furpafs'd my Expec- tation as other Sights have generally fallen {hort of it. Silver can fcarce find an Admiffion, and Gold it felf looks but poorly among fuch an incredible Num- ber of precious Stones. There will be, in a few Ages more, the Jewels of the greateft Value in Eu- rope, if the Devotion of its Princes continues in its prefent Fervour. The laft Offering was made by the Queen Dowager of Poland, -and coft her i 8000 Crowns. Some have wonder'd that the Turk never attacks this Treafury, fince it lies fo near the Sea- fliore, and is fo weakly guarded. But befides that he has attempted it formerly with no Succefs, it is certain the Ve7i$tians keep too watchful an Eye over his Motions at prefent, and would never fuffer hini to enter ihQ Adriatic. It would indeed be an eafy thing for a Chriftian Prince to furprize it, who has Ships dill paffing to and fro without vSufticion, efpe- ciaily if he had a Party in the Town, difguis'd like Pilgrims, to fecure a Gate for him; for there have Seen fometimes to the Number of loocoo in aDay s time, as it is generally reported. But 'tis probable the Veneration for the Holy Houfe, and the Horror of an Aftion that would be refented by, all the Ca- tholick Princes of Europe, will be as great a Security to the Place as the ftrongeft Fortification. It i> in^ deed an amazing thing to lee fuch a prodigious Qiian7 E 5 ^ tity 94 Pefaro, Fano^ Semgallta, tlty of Riches lie dead, and untouched in the niidft of fo much Poverty and Mifery as reign on all Sides of 'em. There is no queftion, however, but the Pope would make ufe of thefe Treafures in cafe of any great Calamity that fliould endanger the Holv See; as an unfortunate War with the Turk^ or a powerful League among the Proteftants. For I can't but look on thofe vaft Heaps of Wealth, that arc a- mafs'd together in fo many religious Places of Italy^ as the hidden Refervesand Magazines of the Church, that fhe would open on any preffnig Occafion for her laft Defence and Prefervation. If thefe Riches were all turn'd into current Coin, and employed in Com- merce, they would make Italy the moft flourifhing Country in Europe, The Cafe of the Holy Houfe is nobly defign'd, and executed by the great Matters of Italy ^ that flourifh'd about a hundred Years ago. The Statues of the Sibyls are very finely wrought, each of 'em in a different Air and Pofture, as are likewife thofe of the Prophets underneath 'cm. The Roof of the Treafury is painted with the fame kind of Device. There ftands at the upper End of it a large Crucifix very much efteem'd. the Figure of our Saviour reprefents him in his lalt Agonies of Death, andamidft all the Ghaftlinefs of the Vifage has fome- thing in it very amiable. The Gates of the Church are faid to be of Corinthian Brafs, v/ith many Scrip- ture Stories rifing on 'em in BaJJo Relievo. The Pope's Statue, and the Fountain by it, would make a noble Shov/ in a Place lefs beautified with fo many other Productions of Art. The Spicery, the Cellar and its Furniture, the great Revenues of the Convent,, with the Story of the Holy Houfe, are too well known to be here in lifted upon. Whoever were the firft Inventors of this Impofture, they fccm to have taken the hint of it from the Ve- neration Anmm, Loretto, &c. to Rome. 95 neration that the old Romans paid to the Cottage of Romulus, which flood on Mount Capitol, and was repair'd from time to time as it fell to decay* Fir- g'll has given a pretty Image of this little thatch'd Palace, that reprefents it ftandingin Manlius'sTim^. 327 Years after the Death of P^omulus. In fummo cufios Tarpeia Manlius arcis Stabat pro templo^ isf CdpitoUa celfa tenebat : Romulecque recens horrebat Regia culmo. iEn. lib. 8. v.6s2. High on a Rock Heroick Manlius flood To guard the Temple, and the Temple's God: Then Rome was poor, and there you might behold The Palace thatch'd with Straw. Dry den. From Lcretto^ in my way to Ro?ne^ I pafs'd thro* Recanaii, Macerata^ Tolentino^ and Poligni, In the laft there is a Convent of Nuns call'd laConieJ/a^ that has in the Church an incomparable Madonna of Raphael. At SpolettOj the next Tov/n on the Road, are fome Antiquities. The moft remarkable is an Aqucduit of a Gothic Strufture, that conveys the Vv ater from Mount St. Francis to Spoletto, which is not X.6 be equall'd for its height by any other in Eu- rcpe. They reckon from the Foundation of the iovi'eft Arch to the Top of it 230 Yards. In my way licnce to Icmi I favv" the River CiitumnuSj ce- lebrated by fo many of the Poets for a particular Qi^ia- lity in its Waters of making Cattle white that drink of it. The Inhabitants of that Country have ftill the fame Opinion of it, as I found upon Inquiry, and have a great many Oxen of a whitifti Colour to confirm 'em jn it. It is probable this Breed was firft fettled in the Country, and continuing flill the fame Species, has niade the Inhabitants impute it to a wrong Caufe ; tho' they 96 PefarOy iFano^ Senigalliay they may as well fancy their Hogs turn black for fome Reafon of the fame Nature, becaufe there are none in Italy of any other Breed. The River Cli- iumnusy and Mevania that flood on the Banks of it, are famous for the Herds of Vidims with which they furn ifh'dall Italy. formofa fuo CIttumnus fiumina luco Integlt^ £ff nlveos abbdt unda boves. Prop. Lib. 2. Eleg. 19. V. 25. Shaded with Trees, Clitumnus* Waters glide. And milk-white Oxen drink its beauteous Tide, Hinc Albl^ Cliiumney greges^ iff maxima Taurus Vi^ima^ fcepe tuo perfufi Jiumine facro^ Romanos ad Templa Deum duxere triianphos. Virg. Georg. 2. v. There flows CIttumnus thro* the flow'ry Plain ; Whofe Waves, for Triumphs after profp'rous War, The Vi£tim Ox, and Snowy Sheep prepare, ■ Patulis Clitumnus inJrvis Candentes gelido perfundit jlumine Tauros. Sil. Ital. Lib. 2. Its cooling Stream Clitumnus pours along^ To wafti the fnowy Kine, that on its Borders throngs Tauriferis uhife Mevania campis ExpUcat Luc. Lib. i. v. 468.. Where Cattle graze in fan- Mevania^ Fields. Atque ubi latis Froje^a in campis nebulas exhalat inert es^ Mt Ancona^ Loretto^ &c. to Rome. 97 Et fedet ingentem pafcens Mevania taurum^ Dona Jovi — — — • Id. Here fair Mevania's pleafant Fields extend, Wiience rifing Vapours fluggifhly afcend ; Where, 'midft the Herd that in its Meadows rove^ Feeds the large Bull, a Sacrifice to Jove, *NecJi vacuet Mevania valles^ Aiit pra;Jhnt niveos Clitumna novalia tauros, Sufficiam Stat. Syl. 4, Lib. i* Tho* fair Mevania fliould exhauft her Field, Or his white Kine the fwift CUtumnus yield. Still I were poor-- Pinguior HifpuUd traheretur taurus et ipfd Mole piger, non finitbnd nuiritus in herbd^ Leeta fed ojiendens Clitmnni pafcua Jr nguis Irety et a grandi cervix ferienda Mir ijiro. Juv. Sat. 12. V. 1 ?. A Bull high-fed fliould fall the Sacrifice, One of Hifpulhfs huge prodigious Size: Not one of thofe our neighb'ring Paftures feed. But of ClitUiTinus^ whiteft Sacred Breed : The lively Tindlure of whofe gufhing Blood ' Should clearly prove the Richnefs of his Food : A Neck fo ftrong, fo large, as would command The fpeeding Blow of fome uncommon Hand. Congreve* I lhall afterwards have occalion to quote Clhu- dian, Terni is the next Town in courfe", formerly caird Interamna^ for the fame Reafon that a part of Jfia was nam'd Mejopotamia. We enter at the Gate oi - the 98 Pejhro, Fano^ SenigaUia^, the three Monuments^ fo call'd becaufe there fiood' near it a Monument ^refted to Tacitus the Hi- ftonan, with ^wo others^-^o the Emperors Tacitus and FlorianuSy of^ them Natives of the Place. Thefe were a few Years ago' demqlifli'd by Thunder, and the Fragments of them aVe ihihfe Hands of fome Gentlemen of the Town. Near the -Dome I was fhown a fqware Marble, mfer^d^ in thq Wall, w^ith the following Infcription.-^" ' ' ^ Saluti perpetuus Align ft a; ^w^^m^... LibertatiquePuhlicaPGpuURofn(^iu^^.^f Genie municipi ArWopoji Inter amnam Conditam, D. CC IV. Ad C neitim D otn is iuni Ahenoharhum, ' ■ / . , ' -r....II ' - - ■ • Coffl prcvideniia Ti, Cc^farii Augujli nail ad JEAernitatem Romani 7i07ninis fuhlato hojU perniciofijjimo P. R. Faufius Titius Libtralis Vl. vir iterum, P. S, F. C that is^ pecttnia fua fieri curavit. This Stone was probably fet up on ocaifion of the Fall of Sejanus. After the Name of Ahenobar^ bus there is a little Furrow in the Marble, but fo fmooth and Vvell pohfti'd, that f fiiouid not liave taken notice of it had not 1 feen Coff. at the end of it, by whi^h it is plain there was once the Name of another Conful, which has been induftriouHy razed out. Lucius Aruncius Camilliis Scribonianus was Confulj unde? the Reign of * Tiberius^ and was afterwards put to Death for a Coftfpiracy that * Vid. Faft. Confiil. Sieul. Ancona^ Loretto^ See. to Rome, gg he had form\1 againft the Emperor Claudius ; at which time it was orcler'd that his Name and Con- lulate fhould be effaced out of all piiblick Regiftens and Infcriptions. It is not therefore improbable, that it was this long Name which filFd up the Gap I am now mentioning. There are near this Mo- nument the Ruins of an ancient Theatre, with Tome of the Caves intire. I fa^;^^ among the Ruins an old Heathen Altar, with this Particularity in it, that it is hoUow'd, like a Difii, at one End ; but it was not this End on which the Sacrifice was laid, as one may guefs from the Make of the Fe- ftoon, that runs round the Altar, and is inverted when the Hollow ftands uppermolK In the fame Yard, among the Rubbifh of the Theatre, lie two Pillars, the one of Granate, and the other of a very beautiful Marble. I went out of my way to fee the famous Cofcadc about three Miles from Terni, It is form'd by the Fall of the River Velino^ which Virgil mentions in the Seventh JBncid — Rofea rura Velini, The Channel of this River lies very high, and is fhaded on all fides by a green Foreff, made up of feveral kinds of Trees that preferve their Verdure all the Year. The neighbouring Mountains are co- vered with them, and by reafon of their Height arc more expos'd to the Dev/s and drizling Rains than any of the adjacent Farts, which gives oecafion to Virgin^ % Rofea rura (Dewy Countries). The River runs extremely rapid before its Fall, and rufhes down- a Precipice of a hundred Yards high. ' It throws it felf into the hollow Rock, which has probably been worn by fuch a con dan t Fallof Water. It is impoflible to fee the Bottom on which it breaks, for the Thicknefs of the Mift that rifes from it, which looks at a diftaace like Clouds of Smoke af- cending 100 Pefaro^ Fa?20y Senigallla^ cending from fome vaft Furnace, and diftils in per- petual Rains on all the Places that lie near it. I think there is fomething more aftonifhing in this Cajcade^ than in all the Water-v/orJcs of Verfailles^ and could not but wonder when I firft faw it, that I had never met with it in any of the old Poets, ef- pecially in Claudtan^ who makes his Emperor Ho* norius go out of his way to fee the River Nar^ which runs juft below it, and yet does not mention what would have been fo great an Embellifhment to his Poem. But at prefent I don't in the lead queftion, notwithfianding the Opinion of fome learned Men to the contrary, that this is the Gulf thro' which VirgiPs JleSfo fhoots her felf into Hell : for the very Place, the great Reputation of it, the Fall of Wa- ters, the Woods that encompafs it, with the Smoke and Noife that arife from it, are all pointed at in the Defcription. Perhaps he would not mention the Name of the River, becaufe he has done it in the Verfes that precede. We may add to this, that the Cafcade is not far off that part of Italy which has been call'd Italia Meditullium. EJi locus Italia medto^ fub montibus alttSj Nohtlis^ et famd mult'ts memoratus in orisy A?nfan£fi valles ; denfts hunc frondibus atrum. Urget utrinque laius ncnwris^ ?nedioque fragofus Dat fonitum /axis ei torto vortice tor r ens: Hie fpecus horrendum^ favi fpiracula Ditis Moyijirantiir^ ruptoque ingens Acheronte vorago Pejiiferas aperit fauces^ quels condita Erinnys Jnvifum Numen terras coslmnque levahat. JEn. 7. V. 563. In midft of Italy^ well known to Fame, There lies a Vale, Jmfancfus is the Name, Below Ancona^ Loretto, &c. to Rome. lOi Below the lofty Mounts : On cither fide Thick Forells the forbidden Entrance hide: Full in the Centre of the facred Wood An Arm arifeth of the Stygian Flood ; Which falling from on high, with bellowing Sound, Whirls the black Waves and rattling Stones around. Here Pluto pants for Breath from out his Cell, And opens v/ide the grinning Jaws of Hell. To this infernal Gate the Fury flies, Here hides her hated Head, and frees the lab'ring Skies. Dry den. It was indeed the mofl: proper Place in the World for a Fury to make her Exit^ after flie had filled a Nation with Diftradions and Alarms; and I believe every Reader's Imagination is pleas'd, v/hen he fees the angry Goddefs thus finking, as it were, in a Tempeft, and plunging herfelf into Hell, amidft fuch a Scene of Horror and Confufion. The River Velino^ after having found its way out from among the Rocks where it falls, runs into the Neva, The Channel of this laft River is v/hite with Rocks, and the Surface of it, for a long Space, cover'd with Froth and Bubbles ; for it runs all along upon the Fret, and is fiill breaking againft the Stones that oppofe its Paffage: So that for thefe . Reafons, as v/ell as for the Mixture of Sulphur in its Waters, it is very w^ell defcrib'd by Virgil^ in that Verfe which mentions thefe two Rivers in their old Ro??ian Names, Tartar ea?n intmdit vocem^ qua 'prctinus omne Contremuit nemus^ et fyh^ inicntiere profunda^ Audiit et long} Trivt whether the ordinary Fi- gure of the Heathen, or that of the Chriftian Tem- ples be the moft beautiful, and the moft capable of Magnificence, and can't forbear thinking the Crofs Figure more proper for fuch fpacious Build- ings than the Rotund. I muft confefs the Eye is much better fiU'd at firft entering the Rotund^ and «ak€3 in the whole Beauty and Magnificence of From Rome to Naples, iii the Temple at one view. But fuch as are built in the Form of a Crofs give us a greater Variety of Noble Profpedls. Nor is it eafy to conceive a more glorious Show in Architefture, than what a Man meets with in St. Peter^Sy when he ftands un- der the Dome. If he looks upward, he is afto- nifhed at the fpacious Hollow of the Cupola, and has a Vault on every fide of him, that makes one of the beautifulleft Fy^as that the Eye can pofli* bly pafs thro\ I know that fuch as are profefs'd Admirers of the Ancients will find abundance of chimerical Beauties, the Archite^s themfelves ne- ver thought of; as one of the moft Famous of the Moderns in that Art tells us, the Hole in the Roof of the Rotunda is fo admirably contriv'd, that it makes thofe who are in the Temple look like Angels, by difFufing the Light equally on all fides of them. In all the old Highways, that lead from Rom^j one fees feveral little Ruins on each fide of them, that were formerly fo many Sepulchres; for the an- cient Romans generally bury'd their Dead near the great Roads. ^orum Flaminid teghur clnls atque Latind, Juv. Sat. I, V. ult. • ■ Whofe Aflies lay Under the Latin and Flaminian Way* None but fome few of a very extraordinary Quality^ having been interred within the Walls of the City. Our Chriftian Epitaphs, that are to be feen only in Churches, or Church-yards, begin often with a Stjle Viator \ Viator precare falutem^ he, pro- bably in Imitation of the old Roman \v\{cxv^i\ovi^^ that generally addrefs'd themfelves to the TraveL F z lers J II a From Rome to Naples. lers; as It was impoflible for them to enter the City, or to go out of it, without paffing thro' one of thefe melancholy Roads, which for a great Length was nothing elfe but a Street of Funeral Monuments, In my way from Rome to Naples I found no- thing fo remarkable as the Beauty of the Country, and the extreme Poverty of its Inhabitants. It is indeed an amazing thing to fee the prefent Defola- tion of Italy ^ when one confiders what incredible Multitudes of People it abounded with during the Reigns of the Roman Emperors : And notwithftand- ing the Removal of the Imperial Seat, the Irrup- tions of the barbarous Nations, the Civil Wars of this Country, with the Hardfhips of its feveral Go- vernments, one can fcarce imagine how fo plentiful a Soil (hould become fo miferably unpeopled in com- a very moderate Computation, more Inhabitants in the Campania of old Rome^ than are now in all Italy. And if we could number up thofe prodigious Swarms that had fettled themfelves in every part of this delightful Country, I queftion not but that they would amount to more than can be found, at pre- fent, in any fix Parts of Europe of the fame Extent. This Defolation appears no where greater than in the Pope's Territories ; and yet there are feveral Reafons would make a Man expedl: to fee thefe Dominions the beft regulated, and moft flouriftiing of any other in Europe. Their Prince is generally a Man of Learning and Virtue, mature in Years and Experience, who has feldom any Vunity or Pleafure to gratify at his People's Expence, and is neither encumbered with Wife, Children or Miftref- fes; not to mention the fuppos'd Sanftity of his Character, which obliges him in a more particular manner to confult the Good and Happinefs of Man- parifon of what it once was. kind. From Rome to Naples. 113 kind. The Direaion of Church and Sta^e are lodg'd entirely in his own Hands, fo that his Govern- ment is naturally free from thofe Principles of Fac- tion and Divifion, which are mix'd in the very Compofition of moft others. His Subjedls are al- ways ready to fall in with his Defigns, and are more at his Difpofal than any others of the moft abfolute Government, as they have a greater Veneration for his Perfon, and not only court his Favour but his Bleffing. His Country is extremely fruitful, and has good Havens both for the Adriatick and Medi- terranean, which is an Advantage peculiar to him- felf, and the Neapolitans^ above the reft of the Italians. There is ftill a Benefit the Pope enjoys above all other Sovereigns, in drawing great Sums out of Spain^ Germany^ and other Countries that belong to Foreign Princes, which one would fancy might be no fmall Eafe to his own Subjefls. We may here add, that there is no Place in Europe fo much frequented by Strangers, whether they ar6 fuch as come out of Curiofity, or fuch who are obliged to attend the Court of Rome on feveral Oc* cafions, as are many of the Cardinals and Prelates, that bring confiderable Sums into the Pope's Domi- nions. But notwithftanding all thefe promifing Cir- cumftances, and the long. Peace that has reign'd fo many Years in Italy^ there is not a more miferable People in Europe than the Pope's Subjefts. His State is thin of Inhabitants, and a great Part of his Soil uncultivated. His Subjedls are wretchedly poor and idle, and have neither fufBcient Manufadlures nor Traffick to employ them. Thefe ill EfFefts may arife, in a great meafure, out of the Arbi- trarinefs of the Government; but I think they are chiefly to be afcrib'd to the very Genius of the Ro- man Catholick Religion, which here ftiews it felf E 3 in 114 From Rome to Naples. in its Perfection. It is not ftrange to find a Country half unpeopled, where fo great a Proportion of the Inhabitants of both Sexes is ty'd under fuch Vows of Chaftity, and where at the fame time an Inqui- fition forbids all Recruits out of any other Religion, Nor is it lefs eafy to account for the great Poverty and Want that are to be met with in a Country, which invites into it fuch Swarms of Vagabonds, under the Title of Pilgrims, and fhuts up in CloilTers fuch an incredible Multitude of young and lufty Beggars, who, inftead of increafing the common Stock by their Labour and Induftry, lie as a dead Weight on their. Fellow-Subjefts, and confume the Charity that ought to fupport the Sickly, Old and Decrepid. The many Hofpitals, that are every v/here erefted, ferve rather to encourage Idienefs in the People, than to fet them at Work ; not to mention the great Riches which lie ufelefs in Churches and Religious Houfes, with the Multitude of Feftivals that muft never be violated by Trade ©r Bufinefs. To fpeak truly, they are here fo wholly taken up with Mens Souls, that they negledl the good of their Bodies; and when, to thefe natural Evils in the Government and Religion, there arifes among them an avaritious Pope, who is for making a Family, it is no wonder if the People fmk under fuch a Complication of Diftempers. Yet it is to this Humour: of Nepotifm that Rome owes its prefent Splendor and Magnificence; for it would have been impofiible to have furnifh'd out fo many glorious Palaces with fuch a Profufion of Pictures, Statues, and the like Ornaments, had not the Riches of the People at feveral times fallen into the Hands of many different Families, and of particular Perfons ; as we may obferve, tho' the Bulk of the Roman People was more rich and happy in the times of the Common-^ From Rome to Naples, 115 Commonwealth, the City of Rome received all its Beauties and Embellifliments under the Emperors. It is probable the Campania of Rome^ as well as other Parts of the Pope's Territories, would be cul- tivated much better than it is, were there not fuch an exorbitant Tax on Corn, which makes them plow up only fuch fpots of Ground as turn to the moll: Advantage : Whereas were the Money to be rais'd on Lands, with an Exception to fome of the more barren Parts, that might be Tax-free for a certain Term of Years, every one would turn his Ground to the beft Account, and in a little time per- haps bring more Money into the Pope's Treafury. The greateft Pleafure I took in my Journey from Rome to Naples was in feeing the Fields, Towns, and Rivers, that have been defcrib'd by fo many ClaJJic Authors, and have been the Scenes of lb many great Adions; for this whole Road is ex- tremely barren of Curiofities. It is worth while to have an Eye on Horace"^ Voyage to Brundijiy when one pafies this Way; for by comparing his feveral Stages, and the Road he took, with thofe that are obfervM at prefent, we may have fome Idea of the Changes that have been made in the Face of this Country fmce his time. If we may guefs at the common travelling of Perfons of Quality, among the ancient Romans^ from this Poet's Defcription of his Voyage, we may conclude they feldom went above fourteen Miles a Day over the Jppitin Way, which was more usM by the Noble Romans than any other in Italy, as it led to Naples^ Baia^ and the moft delightful Parts of the Nation. It is indeed very difagreeable to be carry 'd in hafle over this Pavement* Minns ii6 Trom Rome to Naples. Minks ejl gravis Appia tardis. Hon Sat. 5. 1. i. v. 6, For to quick Trav'Iers 'tis a tedious Road ; But if you walk but flow, 'tis pretty good. Creech: Lucan has defcrib*d the very Road from Anxur to Rome^ thzX Horace took from Rome to Anxur. It is not indeed the ordinary Way at prefent, nor is it markM out by the fame Places in both Poets. , yamque et pracipiies fuperaverat Anxuris arcesy Et qua t Pontinas via dividit uda paludes ; ^ua fublime nemusy Scyihic^e qua regna Diana ; ^aque iter eji Laiiis ad fummum fafcibus Albam: Excels d de rupe procul jam confpicit JJrbem. Lib. 3. V. 84. He now had conquerM Anxurh fteep Afcent, And to Pontina^ wat'ry Marfties went 5 A long Canal the muddy Fen divides. And with a clear unfully'd Current glides; Dtana\ woody Realms he next invades. And crofling through the confecrated Shades, Afcends high Alba^ whence with nev/ Delight He fees the City rifing to his Sight. In my way to Naples I crofs'd the two moft con- fiderable Rivers of the Campania Felice^ that were formerly call'd the Liris and Vulturnus^ and are at prefent the Garigliano and Fulturno. The firft of thefe Rivers had been defervedly celebrated by the Latin Poets for the Gentlenefs of its Courfe, as the other for its Rapidity and Noife. f sA CATialy the Marki of it fiiit feen, Rura From Rome to Naples. 117 . Rura qua Liris quietd Mordet aqud^ taciturnus Amnls. Hor. Lib. I. Od. 31. v. 37. Liris — — qui fonte quiet o DiJJimulat curfum^ et nullo mutabUts tmbre Perjlringit tacitas gemmanti gurgite rlpas. Sil. Ital. Lib. 4. MifcMem Jiumina Ltrim ^ Sulfureum, tacitifque vadis ad llttora lapfum Accolit Arpinas Id. Lib. Where the fmooth Streams of Liris ftray. And fteal infenfibly away. The Warlike Arpine borders on the Sides 1 Of the How Liris^ that in Silence glides, > And in its tainted Stream the working Sulphur hides, j Vulttirnufque rapax" — - Vulturnujque celer frluSiuque fonorum V uliurnum CI. de Pr. &.OLConr. LuCr Lib. 2. 28. Sn. Ital. Lib. 8* The rough Fulturnus, furious in Its Courfe, With rapid Streams divides the fruitful Grounds, And from afar in hollow Murmurs founds^ The Ruins of Anxur and old Capua mark out the pleafant Situation in which thofe Towns formerly flood. The firft of them was planted on the Mountain, where we now fee Terracina^ and by reafon of the Breezes that came off the Sea, and the Height of its Situation, was one of the Summer Retirements of the ancient Romans. O nemus, O fontes t folidumque madentis arena Littiis^ $t ^quorets fplendidus Anxur aquis ! Mart. Lib. 10, Epigr. 51. r 5 * Ye 1x8 From Rome to Naples. Ye warbling Fountains, and ye (hady Trees, Where Anxur feels the cool refrefhing Breeze Blown ofF the Sea, and all the dewy Strand Lies cover'd with a fmooth unfinking Sand. Anxurls aquoret placidos^ Frontine^ rec^us^ Et propius Baias litioreamque domum, Et quod inhuman^ Cancro fervente Cicada No7i novere^ nmuSy flumineofque lacus, Dum coluiy &c. • Id, ib. Epigr. 58* On the cool Shore, near Baia^s gentle Seats, I lay retir'd in Jnxur^s foft Retreats: Where Silver Lakes, with verdant Shadows crowned, Difperfe a grateful Chilnefs all around : The Grafshopper avoids th' untainted Air, Nor in the midft of Summer ventures there. Impofttum Saxls late candefitibus Anxur, Hor. Lib. I. Sat. 5. v. 26. Monte proceUofo Murranuin miferat Anxur. Sil. Ital. Lib. 4. '-"—Scopuloji *verticis Anxur. Sil. Ital. Lib. 4« Capu^ Luxum videapud Sil. Ital. Lib. ii, Murranus came from Anxur^s (how'ry Height, With ragged Rocks> and ftony Quarries white Seated on Hills I don^t know whether it be worth while to take notice that the Figures which are cut in the Rock near Terracina^ increafe ftiU in a Decimal Propor- tion as they come nearer the Bottom. If one of our Voyage- Writers, who pafled this way more than cnce, had obferv'd the Situation of thcfc figures, he would From Rome to Naples. 119 would not have troubled himfelf with the Difler* tation that he has made upon them. Silius Italicus has given us the Names of feveral Towns and Rivers in the Campania Felice. yam vero quos dives opum, quos dives avorum^ Et toto dabat ad helium Campania tra5iu \ DuSJorum adventum vicinis fedibus Ofci Servahant ; Sifiueffa iepens, fluSfuque fonorum Vidturnum^ quafque evertere Jilentia Amycla^ Fundique et regnata Lamo Cajeta^ domufque Antiphatcs comprejfa freto, Jlagnifque palujlre Linternumy et quondam fatorum confcia Cunie i Illic Nucerice^ et Gaurus navalibus apta^ Prole Dicharchad multo cum milite Graia ; lilic Parthenope^ et Pceno non pervia Nola^ AlUphe^ et Clanio contemta femper Acerra, Sarrajies eiiam populos totafque videres Sarni mitis opes : illic quos fulphure pingue^ Phlegrai legere Jinus^ Mifenus et ardens Ore gigantao fedes Ithacefia^ Baja \ Non Prochyte^ non ardentem fortita Typhcea Inarime^ non antiqui faxofa Telonis Infula^ nec parvis aberat Calatia muris^ Surrentum, et pauper fulci Cerealis Amelia ; In primis Capua ^ heu rebus fervare fecundis Inconfulta modum^ et pravo peritura tumor e. Lib. 8, Now rich Ca?npania fends forth all her Sons, And drains her populous Cities for the War: The 0/2-/, firft, in Arms their Leaders wait : Warm Sinueffa comes ; Vulturnum too, Whofe Walls are deafen'd by the founding Main^j And fair A?nycl a Mole, and two little Caftles, which are capable of hindering an Enemy's Approaches. Be- fides that the Sea which lies near it is not fubjeft to Storms, has no fenfible Flux and Reflux, and is fov deep that a Veflel of Burden may come up to the very Mole. The Houfes are flat-roof'd to walk upon, fo that every Bomb that fell on them would take EfFeft. Piflures, Statues, and Pieces of Antiquity are not fo common at Naples^ as one might expeft in fo great and ancient a City of Italy ; for the Vice- Roys take care to fend into Spain every thing that is valu- able of this nature. Two of their fineft modem Statues are thofe of Jpollo and Minerva^ plac'd on each fide of Sannazarius's Tomb. On the Face of this Monument, which is all of Marble, and very neatly wrought, is reprefented, in Bas Reluf^ Nep^* tune among the Satyrs, to fhow that this Poet was the Inventor of Pifcatory Eclogues. I remember Hugo Groiius deferibes himfelf, in one of his Poems, as the firft that brought the Mufes to the Sea- fide ; but he muft be underftood only of the Poets of his own Country. I here faw the Temple that Sanna-^ xarius mentions in his Invocation of the blefled Vir- gin, at the beginning of his De partuVirginis^ which . was all xais'd at bis own Expense, — ' Nivm 124 NAPLES, Nivels tibl ft folennia tempUs Serta damns ; ft manfuras Ubt ponmus arm Excifo in fcopuloy flu5lus unde aurea cams Defpiciem celfo de culmine MergiUlne Attollet^ nautifque procul venientibus offert ; Tu vatem ignarumque vi(e infuetumque labori Diva mone ■ ■ ■ Lib. r» Thou bright Celeftial Goddefs, if to Thee An acceptable Temple I ere£i, With faireft Flow'rs and freOieft Garlands deckM, On towering Rocks^ whence Mergelline, fpies The ruffled Deep in Storms and Tempefts rife ; Guide thou the Pious Poet, nor refufe Thine own propitious Aid to his unpradisM Mufe. There are feveral very delightful Profpefis about Naples J efpecially from fome of the Religious Houfes ; for one feldom finds in Italy a Spot of Ground more agreeable than ordinary, that is not cover'd with a Convent. The Cupolas of this City, tho' there are many of them, don't appear to the beft Advan- tage when one furveys them at a diftance, as being generally too high and narrow. The Rdarquifs of Me- dina Sidonia, in his Vice- Royalty, made the Shell of a Houfe, which he had not time to finifh, that com- mands a View of the whole Bay, and would have been a very noble Building, had he brought it toPerfetftion. It ftands fo on the Side of a Mountain, that it would have had a Garden to every Story, by the help of a Bridge, which was to have been laid over each Garden. The Bay of Naples is the moft delightful one that I ever faw. It lies in almoft a round Figure^ of about thirty Miles in the Diameter. Three Parts of it are ihelter'd with a noble Circuit of Wood$ NAPLES. 12$ Woods and Mountains. The high Promontory of Surrenium divides it from the Bay of Salernum, Be- tween the utmoft Point of this Promontory, and the Ille of Caprea^ the Sea enters by a Strait of about three Miles wide. This Ifland ftands as a vaft Mole, which feems to have been planted there on purpofe to break the Violence of the Waves that run into the Bay. It lies longways, almoft in a parallel Line to Naples. The exceffive Height of its Rocks fecures a great Part of the Bay from Winds and Waves, which enter again between the other End of this Ifland and the Promontory of Mifeno, The Bay of Na- ples is caird the Crater by the old Geographers, pro- bably from this its Refemblance to a round Bowl half fiU'd with Liquor. Perhaps Virgil^ who com- pos'd here a great part of his JiLneids^ took from hence the Plan of that beautiful Harbour, which he has made in his firfl: Book ; for the Libyan Port k but the Neapolitan Bay in little, EJl in fecejfu longo locus : Infula pcrtum Efficit ohje^lu laterum^ quibus omnis ab alto Frangitury inque fmus Jcindit fefe unda reduSios : Hinc atque hinc vajia rupes geminique minantur In ccelum fcopuli^ quorum fub vertice late /Equora tuta ftlent ; turn Silvis Scena corufcis Defuper^ horrentique atrum nemus imminet umbra, I. v. 163, Within a long Recefs there lies a Bay ; An Ifland fhades it from the rolling Sea, And forms a Port fecure for Ships to ride : Broke by the jutting Land on either Side, In double Streams the briny Waters glide Between two Rows of Rocks : a Silvan Scene Appears above, and Groves forever Green. Dryden, Naples 126 NAPLES. Naples ftands in the Bofom of this Bay, and has the pleafanteft Situation in the World, tho\ by rcafoii of its Weftern Mountains, it wants an Advantage Vitruvius would have to the P'ront of his Palace, of feeing the fetting Sun. One would wonder how the Spaniards^ who have but very few Forces in the Kingdom of Naples^ fhould be able to keep a People from Revolting, that has been famous for its Mutinies and Seditions in former Ages. Bitt they have fo well contriv'd it, that, tho' the Subjeils are miferably harrafs'd and opprefs'd, the ■greateft of their OpprefTors are thofe of their own Body. I fhail not mention any thing of the Clergy, -who are fufficiently reproached in moft Itineraries for the univerfal Poverty that one meets with in this noble atid plentiful Kingdom. A great Part of the People is in a State of Vaffalage to the Barons, who are the harfhefl Tyrants in the World to thofe that are under them. The Vafials indeed are allow'd, and invited to bring in their Complaints and Ap- peals to the Vice- Roy, who, to foment Divifions^ and gain the Hearts of the Populace, does not ftick at imprifoning and chaftifing their Matters very fe- verely on Occafion. The Subjefts of the Crown are notwithftanding much more rich and happy than the ValTals of the Barons. Infomuch that when the King has been upon the Point of felling a Town to one of his Barons, the Inhabitants have rais'd the Sum upon themfelves, and prefented it to the King, that they might keep out of fo infupportable a Slavery. Another way the Spaniards have taken to grind the Neapolitans^ and yet to take ofF the. Odium from themfelves, has been by ereiling feveral Courts of Juftice, with a very fmall Pen- fion for fuch as fit at the Head of them, fo that they are tempted to take Bribes, keep Caufes un- decidedj, NAPLES. 127 decided, encourage Law-fuits, and do all they can I to fleece the People, that they may have where- withal to fupport their own Dignity. It is incre- dible how great a Multitude of Retainers to the Law there arc at Naples. It is commonly faid, that when Innocent the Eleventh had defir'd the Marquifs of Carpio to furnifli him with thirty thoufand Head of Swine, the Marquifs anfwer'd him, that for his Swine he 'cou'd not fpare them, but if his HoHncfs had occafion for thirty thou- fand Lawyers, he had them at his Service. Thefe Gentlemen find a continual Employ for the fiery Temper of the Neapolitans^ and hinder them from uniting in fuch common Friendfliips and Alliances as might endanger the Safety of the Government. There are very few Perfons of Confideration who have not a Caufe depending; for when a Neapolitan Cavalier has nothing e!fe to do, lie gravely fhuts himfelf up in his Clofet, and falls a tumbhng over his Papers, to fee if he can ftart a Law-Suit, and plague any of his Neighbours. So much is the Genius of this People chang'd fince Statiush Time. Nulla foro rabies^ aut Jlri^a J urgia Legist Morum jura vtris folum iff fine fajcibus JEquum. Sylv. 5. Lib. 3. v, 870 By Love of Right and Native Juftice led,/ In the ftraight Paths of Equity they tread ; Nor know the Bar, nor fear the Judge's Frown^ Unpradis'd in the Wranglings of the Gown. There is another Circumftance, which makes the Neapolitans^ in a very particular manner, the Op- preflbrs of each other. The Gabels of Naples 128 NAPLES. are very high on Oil, Wine, Tobacco, and indeed t)n almoft every thing that can be eaten, drank or worn. There would have been one on Fruit, had not MaJfanielWh Rebellion abolifh'd it, as it has pro- bably put a ftop to many others. What makes thefe Imports more intolerable to the poorer fort, they are laid on all Butchers Meat, while at the fame time the Fowl, and Gibbier are Tax free. Befides, all Meat being taxed equally by the Pound, it happens that the Duty lies heavieft on the coarier Sorts, which are moft likely to fall to the ftiare of the common People, fo that Beef perhaps pays a Third, and Veal a Tenth of its Price to the Government, a Pound of either Sort having the fame Tax fix'd on it. Thefe Gabels are moft of them at prefent in the Hands of private Men ; for as the King of S^ain has had occafion for Mo- ney, he has borrow'd it of the rich Neapolitans^ on condition that they fhould receive the Intereft out of fuch or fuch Gabels 'till he could repay them the Principal. This he has repeated fo often that at prefent there is fcarce a fmgle Gabel unmortgaged ; fo that there is no Place m Europe which pays greater Taxes, and at the fame time no Prince who draws lefs Ad- vantage from them. In other Countries the People have the Satisfadion of feeing the Money they give fpent in the Neceflities, Defence, or Ornament of their State, or at leaft in the Vanity or Pleafures of their Prince: but here moft of it goes to the en- riching of their Fellow-Subjefts. If there was not fo great a Plenty of every thing in Naples the Peo- ple could not bear it. The Spaniard however reaps this Advantage from the prefent Ppfture of Affairs, that the Murmurs of the People are turn'd upon their own Countrymen, and what is more confider- NAPLES. 129 able, that almoft all the Perfons, of the greateft Wealth and Power in Naples^ are engag'd by their own Interefts to pay thefe Impofitions chearfuUy, and to fupport the Government which has laid them on. For this Reafon, tho' the poorer fort are for the Emperor, few of the Perfons of Confequence can endure to think of a Change in their prefent Eftablifhment ; tho' there is no queftion but the King of Spain will reform moftof thefe Abufes, by breaking or retrenching the Power of the Barons, by cancelling feveral unneceffary Employs, or by ranfoming or taking the Gabels into his own Hands. I have been told too there is a Law of Charles the Fifth fomething like our Statute of Mortmain, which has laid dormant ever fince his Time, and will probably have new Life put into it under the Reign of an adive Prince. The Inhabitants of Naples have been always very notorious for leading a Life of Lazinefs and Pleafure, which 1 take to arife partly out of the wonderful Plenty of their Country, that does not make Labour fo neceffary to them, and partly out of the Temper of their Climate, that re- laxes the Fibres of their Bodies, and difpofes the Peo- pie to fuch an idle indolent Humour. Whatever it proceeds from, we find they were formerly as famous for it as they are at prefent. This was perhaps the Reafon that the Antients tell us one of the Sirens was bury'd in this City, which thence receiv'd the Name of Parthenope. ' Improba Siren Deftdia Hor. Sat. 3. Lib. 2. v, 14; Sloth, the deluding Siren of the Mind* I30 NAPLES. *' Et in Otia natam Parthenopen ■ Ov, Met. Lib. i j. v. i r . " Dtiofa NeapoUs. Hon Epod. S . v. 43 . Parthenope^ for idle Hours defign'd. To Luxury and Eafe unbinds the Mind, Parihenope non dives opum^ non fpreta vigor is : Nam mo/les Urhi ritus^ atque hojpita Mufts Otia^ et exemptum curis graviorihus avum. Sirenum dedtt una fiium et memorahile nomcn Parihenope muris Acheloias^ aquore cujus Regnavere diu cantuSj cum dulce per undas Exitium miferis caneret non profpera Nautis. Sil. Ital. Lib. 12. Here wanton Naples crowns the happy Shore, Nor vainly rich, nor defpicably poor; The Town in foft Solemnities delights. And gentle Poets to her Arms invites ; The People, free from Cares, ferene and gay, Pafs ail their mild untroubled Hours away. Parihenope the rifing City nam'd A Sir en ^ for her Songs and Beauty fam^d, That oft had drown'd among the neighboring Seas The lift'ning Wretch, and made Deftruftion pleafe* Has ego ie fedes ( nain nec mihi barbara Thrace Nec Lihye naiale folum ) transferre labor 0 : ^as et mollis hyems ci frtgida temper at tcjlasy ^as imbelle /return torpentibus alluit undis : Pax fecura locisy et defidis Otia vita^ Et nunquam turbata quiesy fomnique peraSfi : Nulla foro rabies, &c. Stat. Sylv. 5, Lib. 3. v. 81^ Thefc NAP L E S. 131 Thefe are the gentle Seats that I propofe ; For not cold Scyihiah undiflblving Snows, Nor the parch'd Libyan Sands thy Husband bore. But mild Parihenope^s Ac\\^'\X.f\x\ Shore; Where hufti'd in Calms the bordering Ocean laves Her filent Coaft, and rolls in languid Waves; Refrefliing Winds the Summer's Heats affwage; And kindly Warmth difarms the Winter's Rage ; Remov'd from Noife and the tumultuous War, Soft Sleep and downy Eafe inhabit there, | And Dreams unbroken with intruding Care. j THE THE ANTIQ.UITI ES AND Natural Curiofities That lie near the City os vincite brumd^ Nunc Tiburtinis cedite frigoribus* Mart. Lib. 4. Epigr. 5;, While near the Lucrine Lake confum'd to Death I draw the fultry Air, and gafp for Breath, Where Streams of Sulphui* raife a ftifling Heat, And thro' the Pores of the warm Pumice fweat ; t Vid, Hor. Lib. 2. Cd. 6, G 4 Yow 140 Antiquities and Ctiriojities You tafte the cooling Breeze, where nearer home The twentieth Pillar marks the Mile from Rome: And now the Sun to the bright Lion turns, And Baia with redoubled Fury burns; Then briny Seas and tafteful Springs farewel, Where Fountain Nymphs confus'd with Nereids dwell; In Winter You may all the World defpife, But now 'tis Tivoli that bear the Prize. The Natural Curiofities about Naples are as nu- -merous and extraordinary as the Artificial. I fhall fet them down, as I have done the other, w^ithout any regard to their Situation. The Grotto del Cani is famous for the poifonous Steams which float with- in a Foot of its Surface. The Sides of the Grotto 'are mark'd with green, as high as the Malignity of the Vapour reaches. The common Experiments are as follow. A Dog, that has his Nofe held in the Vapour, lofes all Signs of Life in a very little time; but if carry'd into the open Air, or thrown into a Neighbouring Lake, he immediately recovers, if he is not quite gone. A Torch, SnufF and all, goes out in a Moment when dipp'd into the Vapour. - A Piftol cannot take fire in it. I fplit a Reed, and laid in the Channel of it a Train of Gun-powder, fo that one End of the Reed was above the Vapour, and the other at the Bottom of it ; and I found, tho' the 5team was ftrong enough to hinder a Piftol from taking fire in it, and to quench a lighted Torch, that it could not intercept the Train of Fire when it had once begun flafhing, nor hinder it from running to the very End. This Experiment I repeated twice or thrice, to fee if I could quite diflipate the Vapour, which I did in fo great a Meafure, that one might eafijy let ofF a Piftol in it. I obferv'd how long a near the City of Naples. 141 Dog was in expiring the firft time, and after his Re- covery, and found no fenfible difference. A Viper bore it nine Minutes the firft time we put him in, and ten the fecond. When we brought it out after the firft Trial, it took fuch a vaft quantity of Air into its Lungs, that it fv/ell'd almoft twice as big as before; and it was perhaps on this Stock of Air that it liv'd a Minute longer the fecond time. Doctor Conner made a Difcourfe in one of the Academies at Rome upon the Subjeil of this Grotto, which he has fmce Printed in England. He attributes the Death of Animals, and the Extinction of Lights, to a great Rarefadion of the Air, caus'd by the Heat and Eruption of the Steams. But how is it poflible for thefe Steams, tho' in never fo great quantity, to re- fift the Preffure of the whole Atmofphere ? And as for the Heat, it is but very inconfiderable. However, to fatisfy my fe!f, I plac'd a thin Vial, well ftopp'd up 'with Wax, within the Smoke of the Vapour^ which would certainly have burft in an Air rarify'*! enough to kill a Dog, or quench a Torch ; but no- thing follow'd upon it. However, to take away all farther Doubt, I borrov/'d a Weather- Glafs, and fo fix'd it in the Grotto, that the Stagnum was wholly Gover'd with the Vapour ; but I could not perceive the Quickfilver funk after half an Hour's ftanding in it. This Vapour is generally fuppos'd to be Sulphureous^ tho' I can fee no Reafon for fuch a Suppofition. He that dips his Hand in it finds no Smell that it leaves upon it; and tho' I put a whole Bundle of lighted Brimftone Matches to the Smoke, they all went out in an Inftant, as if immers'd in Water. Whatever is the Compofition of the Vapour, let it have but one Quality of being very glewy or vifcous, and I believe it will mechanically iclve all the Phcinomena of the Grotto, Its ,Un6tuoufnefs will make it heavy, and G s '^^^fit 142 Antiquities and CuriojUtes unfit for mounting higher than it does, unlefs the Heat of the Earih, Vv^hich is juft ftrong enough to agitate, and bear it up at a little Diftance from the Surface, were much greater than it is to rarify and fcatter it. It will be too grofs and thick to keep the Lungs in play for any time, fo thdt Animals v/iil die in it fooner or later, as their Blood circulates flower or fafter. Fire will live in it no longer than in Water, becaufe it wraps itfelf in the fame manner about the Flame, and by its Continuity hinders any quantity of Air and Nitre from coming to its Suc- cour. The Parts of it however are not fo compact as thofe of Liquors, nor therefore tenacious enough to intercept the Fire that has once caught a Train of Gun-powder ; for which Reafon they may be quite broken and difpers'd by the Repetition of this Expe- riment. There is an unctuous clammy Vapour that arifes from the Stum of Grapes, w^hen they lie malh'd together in the Vat, which puts out a Light 'when dipped into it, and perhaps would take away the Breath of weaker Animals, were it put to the Trial It would be endlefs to reckon up the diflerent Baths, to be met with in a Country that fo much abounds in Sulphur. There is fcarce a Difeafe which has not one adapted to it. A Stranger is generally led into that they call Cicero'' s Bath, and feveral Voyage- Writers pretend there is a cold Vapour arifing from the Bottom of it, which refrefhes thofe who ftbop into It. 'Tis true the Heat is much more fupport- ab!e to one that ftoops, than to one that ftands up- light, becaufe the Steams of Sulphur gather in the Hollow of the Arch about a Man's Head, and are therefore much thicker and warmer in that Part than at the Bottom. The three Lakes of Agnano^ Aver- and iritLiicrinj have HOW nothing in them par- ticular. near the City of Naples, 143 titular. The Monte Novo was thrown out by an Eruption of Plre, that happen'd in the Place where the Mountain now ftands. The Sulfaiara is very furprlzing to one v/ho has not feen Mount Vefuvio. But there is nothing about Naples^ nor indeed in any Part of Italy ^ v/hich deferves our Admiration fo much as this Mountain. I muft confefs the Idea I had of it did not anfwer the real Image of the Place when I eame to fee it ; I ftiall therefore give the Defcription of it as it then lay. This Mountain ftands at about fix Engllfl) Miles diftance from JSaples^ tho% by reafon of its Height^ it feems much nearer to thofe that furvey it from the Town. In our Way to it we pafs'd by what wao one of thofe Rivers of burning Matter, that x-hw from it in a late Eruption. This looks at a diftance like new-plow'd Land ; but as you come near it, you \t^, nothing but a long Heap of heavy disjointed Clod;^ lying one upon another. There are innumerable Ca- vities and Interftices among the feveral Pieces, fo that the Surface is all broken and irregular. Sorhet!mcr> a great Fragment ftands like a Rock above the reft ; fometimes the whole Heap lies in a kind of Cliannel^ and in other Places has nothing like Banks to conliiu-: it, but rifes four or five Foot high in the open Air^ without fpreading abroad on either Side. Thir^ I think, is a plain Demonftration that thefe Rivers were not, as they are ufually reprefented, fo many Streams of running Matter ; for how could a Liquid^ that lay hardening by degrees, fettle in fuch a fur row'd uncompa£t Surface? Were the River a Confi- fion of never fo many different Bodies, if they h?A been all actually difiblv'd, they would at leaft have form'd one continu'd Cruft, as we fee the Sccriuf;: of Metals always gathers into a folid Piece, let it be. compounded of a thoufand Heterogeneous Parts. I atp 144 Antiquities a7id Ctmojittes apt to think therefore that thefe huge unwieldy Lumps that now lie one upon another, as if thrown toge- ther by Accident, remain'd in the melted Matter rigid and unliquify'd, floating in it like Cakes of Ice in a River, and that, as the Fire and Ferment gra- dually abated, they adjufted themfelves together as well as their irregular Figures would permit, and by this means fell into fuch an interrupted diforderly Heap as wc now find it. What was the melted Matter lies at the Bottom out of Sight. After hav- ing quitted the Side of this long Heap, which was once a Stream of Fire, we came to the Roots of the Mountain, and had a very troublefome March to gain the Top of it. It is cover'd on all Sides with a kind of burnt Earth, very dry, and crumbled into Powder, as if it had been artificially fifted. It is very hot under the Feet, and mix'd with feveral burnt Stones and Cakes of Cinders, which have been thrown out at different times. A Man finks almcft a Foot in the Earth, and generally lofes half a Step by Aiding backwards. When we had climb'd this Mountain, we difcover'd the Top of it to be a wide nak^d Plain, fmoking with Sulphur in feveral Places, and probably undermined with Fire ; for we concluded it to be hollow by the Sound it made under our Feet. In the midft of this Plain ftands a high Hill in the fhape of a Sugar-loaf, fo very fteep that there would bene mounting or defcending it, were it not made up of fuch a loofe crumbled Earth as I have before defcribed. The Air of thisPlacemuft be very much impregnated with Salt-petre, as appears by the Specks oi it on the Sides of the Mountain, where one can fcarce find a ^5tone that has not the Top white with it. After we h id, with much ado, conquer'd this Hill, we faw in the midtt of it the prefent Mouth of Vefuvio^ that goes fhelvii)^ down on aU Sides, 'till above a hundred ^ Yards near the City of Naples. i^^ Yards deep, as near as we could guefs, and has about three or four hundred in the Diameter, for it feems a perfect Round. This vaft Hollow is generally fill'd with Smoker but, by the Advantage of a Wind tliat blew for us, Vv^e had a very clear and diftind light of it. The Sides appear all over ftain'd with Mixtures of White, Green, Red, and Yellow, and have feveral Rocks ftanding out of them that look like pure Brim- llone. The Bottom was entirely cover'd, and tho' we look'd very narrowly we could fee nothing like a Hole in it; the Smoke breaking through feveral im- perceptible Cracks in many Places. The very Mid- dle v/as firm Ground v/hen we faw it, as we conclu- ded from the Stones we flung upon it, and I queftion not but one might then have crofs'd the Bottom, and have gone up on the other Side of it with very little Danger, unlefs from fome accidental Breath of Wind. In the late Eruptions this great Hollow was like a vail: Cauldron fill'd v/ith glowing and melted Matter, which, as it boil'd over in any Part, ran down the Sides of the Mountain, and made five fuch Rivers as that beforemention'd. In proportion as the Heat flacken'd, this burning Matter muft have fubfided within the Bowels of the Mountain, and as it funk very leifurely had time to Cake together, and form the Bottom which covers the Mouth of that dreadful Vault that lies underneath it. The next Eruption or Earthquake will probably break in Pieces this falfe Bottom, and quite change the prefent F'ace of Things. This whole Adountain, fllap'd like a Sugar-loaf, has been made at feveral times, by the prodigious Qiiantities of Earth and Cinders, which have been flung up out of the Mouth that lies in the midft of them; fo that it increafes in the Bulk at every Eruption, the Afties ftill failing down the fides of it^ like the Sand in an Hour-Glafs. A Gentleman of 146 Antiquities and Curiqfities Naples told me, that in his Memory it had gained twenty Foot in thicknefs, and I queftion not but in length of time it will cover the whole Plain, and make one Mountain with that on which it now fiands. In thofe Parts of the Sea, that are not far from the Roots of this Mountain, they find fometimes a very fragrant Oil, which is fold dear, and makes a rich Perfume. The Surface of the Sea is, for a little Space, cover 'd w^ith its Bubbles, during the time that it rifes, which they skim ofF into their Boats, and afterwards fet a feparating in Pots and Jars. They fay its Sources never run but in calm warm weather. The Agitations of the Water perhaps hinder them from difcovering it at other times. Among the natural Curiofities of Naples^ I can- not forbear mentioning their manner of furnifhing the Town with Snow, which they here ufe inftead rof Ice, becaufe, as they fay, it cocls orv congeals any Liquor fooner. There is a great Qi^iantity of it confum'd yearly; for they drink very few Liquors, not fo much as Water^-that have not lain in Frefcoi and G^ry Body, from the higheft to the loweft, makes ufe of it, infomuch that a Scarcity of Snow would raife a Mutiny at Naples^ as much as a Dearth of Corn or Provifions in another Country. To prevent this the King has fold the Monopoly ©^f it to certain Perfons, who are oblig'd to furnifh the City with it all the Year at fo much the Pound. They have a high Mountain at about eighteen Miles fron^4he Tov/n, which has feveral Pits dug into it. H^r0 they employ many poor People at fuch a Seafon of the Year to roll in vaft Balls of Snow, which they ram together, and cover from the Sunfhine. Out of thefe Refervoirs of Snow they cut near the City of Naples. 147 cut feveral Lumps, as they have occafion for them, and fend them on AfTes to the Sea-fide, where they are carry 'd off in Boats, and diftributed to feveral Shops at a fettled Price, that from time to time fiipply the whole City of Naples, While the Ban^ d'ltti continu'd their Diforders in this Kingdom, they often put the Snow-Merchants under Contribution,^ and threaten^ them, if they appeared tardy in their Payments, to deftroy their Magazines, which they fay might eafily have been eftefled by the Infufion of fome Barrels of Oil. It would have been tedious to have put down the many Defcriptions that the Latin Poets have m.ade of feveral of the Places mentioned in this Chapter: I fhall therefore conclude it Vv^ith the general Map which Silhis Italicus has given us of this great Bay of Naples. Moft of the Places he mentions lie within the fame Profpefi ^ and if I have pafs'd over any of them, it is becaufe I fball take them in my way by Sea, from Naples to Rome. Sfagna inter celehrem nunc mitia monjlrat Avernumi Turn trijli nefrwre at que umhris nigrantibus horrensy Et formidatus volucri^ lethale vcmebat Suffiifo virus ccelo^ Stygidque per urbes Religione facer^ favmn retinebat honorem. Hinc vicina paliis^ fa ma eji Acherontis ad undas Pander e iter^ ca:cas Jiagnante v or agin e fauces Laxat^ et horrendos aperit teliuris hiatus^ Fnterdumque novo perturb at lumine manes, Juxta caligante fttu^ longumque per cevum Infernis preffas nebulis^ pallente fub umbra Cimmerias jacuijje domos^ no5temque profurdam Tartar ei:^ narrant urbis: turn fulfure et igni Semper anhelantes^ coSfoque bitumine carnpos Ojlentant :. tellus airo exundante vapors Suf^ 148 Antiquities and Curiofities Sufpirans^ iijiifque diu calefaHa medulils JEJiuat^ ei Stygios exhalat in aera flaim : Parttirit^ et tremulis metuendum e$cfihUat antrlsy Inter dumque cavas lu^atus rufnpere fedes^ Aut exire foras^ fonitu luguhre minact Mulciher hnmugit^ lacerataque vtfcera ierrcs Mandit^ et exefos labefa6lat murmur e montes. Tradunt Herculed projiratcs mole Glgantes *Tellurem injeSfarn quatere^ et fpiramine anheh Torreri late carnpos^ quotiefque mlnaniur Rmnpere compagem bnpojttam^ expallefcere ccehme Jpparet prccul Inarime^ qua turbine nlgro Fumantem premit Idpetum^ Jiammafque rehelli Or a cje^antem^ et fiquando evader e detur Bella "Jovi rurjus fuperifque iterare volentem, Momjirantur Vefeva juga^ atque in vertice fummo Depajii Jlammis fcopuli^ fra^iufque ruind Mom circum^ atque /Etna: fatis certantia Saxa. Nec non Mifenum fervante?n Idaa fepulcro Nomina^ et Herculeos videt ipfo littore Baidos, Lib. I2» Averno next he fliow'd his wond'ring Gueft, Averno now with milder Virtues blefs'd ; Black with furrounding Forefls then it ftood, That hung above, and darken'd all the Flood : Clouds of unwholefome Vapours,' ralsVl on high. The fluttering Bird entangled in the Sky, Whilft all around the gloomy Profpeft fpread An awful Horror, and religious Dread. Hence to the Borders of the Marfh they go, That mingles with the baleful Streams below, And fometimes with a mighty Yawn, 'tis faid^ Opens a difmal PalTage to the Dead, Who pale with Fear the rending Earth furvey, And ftartle at the fudden Flafh of Day. The dark Cimmerian Grotto then he paints^ Pefcribing all its old Inhabitants, That near the City of Naples. 145 That in the deep Infernal City dwelPd, And lay in everlafting Night conceard. Advancing ftiil, the fpacious Fields he fhow'd, That with the fmother'd Heat of Brimftone glow'J} Through frequent Cracks the fteaming Sulphur broke. And cover'd all the blafted Plain with Smoke : Imprifon'd Fires, in the clofe Dungeons pent, • Roar to get loofe, and ftruggle for a Vent, Eating their Way, and undermining all, ^Till with a mighty Burft whole Mountains fall. Here, as 'tis faid, the Rebel Giants lie. And, when to move th' incumbent Load they try, . Afcending Vapours on the Day prevail. The Sun looks fickly, and the Skies grow pale- Next to the diftant Ifle his Sight he turns. That o'er the Thunderflruck Tipkceus burns: Enrag'd his wide-extended Jaws expire In angry Whirlwinds, Blafphemies and Fire, Threat'ning, if loofen'd from his dire A.bodes, Again to challenge ycve, and fight the Gods. On Mount Fefuvio next he fixt his Eyes, And faw the fmoking Tops confus'dly rife ; (A hideous Ruin !) that with Earthquakes rent A fecond Mtna to the View prefent. Mifeno's Cape and Bauli laft he view'd. That on the Sea's extremeft Borders flood. SilitJS It aliens here takes notice, that the poifonous Vapours, which arofe from the Lake Averno in Hannibalh Time, were quite difpers'd at the time when he wrote his Poem ; becaufe Jgrippa^ who liv'd between Hannibal and Silius^ had cut down the Woods, that inclos'd the Lake, and hinder'd thefe noxious Steams from diffipating, which were imme- diately fcatter'd as fcon as the Winds and frelh Air were let in among them. THE THE ISLE of CAPREA. Aving ftaid longer at Naples than I at firft defign'd, I could not difpenfe with my felf from making a little Voyage to the Ifle of Cciprea^ as being very defirous to fee a Place, Vv^hich had been the Retirement of Auguflus for fome time, and the Refidence of Tiberius for feveral Years. The Ifland lies four Miles in Length from Eaft to Weft, and about one in Breadth. The Weftern Part, for about two Miles in Length, is a continu'd Rock vaftly high, and inaccellible on the Sea-fide. It has however the greateft Town in the Ifland, that goes under the Name of Ano-Caprea^ and is in feveral Places cover'd with a very fruitful Soil. The Eaftern End of the Ifle rifes up in Pre- cipices very near as high, tho' not quite fo long as the Weftern. Between thefe Eaftern and Weftern Mountains lies a Slip of low^er Ground, which runs acrofs the Ifland, and is one of the pleafanteft Spots I have feen. It is hid with Vines, Figs, Oranges, Almonds, Olives, Myrtles, and Fields of Corn, which looks extremely frefti and beautiful, and make up the moft delightful little Landskip imagi- nable, when they are furvey'd from the Tops of the neighbouring Mountains. Here ftands the Town of Capr^ay ihQ Bifliop's Palace, and two or three Convents.. The IJle of Caprea. 151 Convents. In the midfl: of this fruitful Traft of I Land rife a Hill, that was probably cover'd with ' Buildings in Tiberius''^ Time. There are ftill fcve- ral Ruins on the Sides of it, and about the Top are found two or three dark Galleries, low built, and cover'd with Mafon's Work, tho' at prefent they appear overgrown with Grafs. I enter'd one of I them that is a hundred Paces in Length. I ob- ferved, as fome of the Countrymen were digging into the Sides of this Mountain, that what I took for folid Earth was only Heaps of Brick, Stone, and other Rubbifh, skinn'd over with a Covering of Vegetables. But the moft confiderable Ruin is that which ftands on the very Extremity of the Eadera Promontory, where are ftill fome Apartments left, very high and arch'd at Top, I have not indeed feen the Remains of any ancient Roman Buildings, that have not been Roof'd with either Vaults or Arches. The Rooms I am mentioning ftand deep in the Earth, and have nothing like Windows or Chimnies, which make me think they were for- merly either Bathing-places or Refervoirs of Wa- ter. An old Hermit lives at prefent among the Ruins of this Palace, who loft his Companion a few Years ago by a Fall from the Precipice. He told me they had often found Medals and Pipes of Lead, as they dug among the Rubbifli, and that not many Years ago they dilcover'd a pav'd Road running un* der Ground, from the Top of the Mountain to the Sea-fide, which was afterv/ards confirm'd to me by a Gentleman of the Ifland. There is a very noble Profpeft from this Place, On the one fide lies a vaft Extent of Seas, that runs abroad further than the Eye can reach. Juft cppofite ftands the green Promontory of Surrenium^ and on the other fide the whole Circuit of the Bay of Naples. This Profpeft, according 152 lie IJle ^Caprea. according to Ti7r//2/x, was more agreeable before the h^mmgoiVefuvto. That Mountain probably, which Eruption look'd like a great Pile of Afhes, was in Tiherlmh time fiiaded with Woods and Vineyards; for I think Martial^ Epigram mav lerve here as a Comment to Tacitus. Hie eft pampineis viridis Vefuvius twilrts^ Prejferai hie madidos nobilis uva lacus, Hacjuga, quam Nifce colles, plus Bacchus amavh : Hoc nuper Satyri monte dedere choros. Ha:c Veneris fedes^ Lacedcemone gratior illi Hie locus Hereuleo no7nine clarus erat, Ciinaa j a cent flammis et trifti merfa favllli: Nec fuperi vellent hoc licuije Jihu Lib. 2. Epigr. 105* Vefuvio^ cover'd with the fruitful Vine, Here fl