YALE UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

THE DIARY OF A TRAVELLER.

THE

liiatr^ of a 'S^tahtlUv

ALPS AND appj]:nines;

DAILY MITNUTES

CIRCUITOUS EXCURSION.

PRINTED BY W. .SMITH, KING .STREET, LONG ACRE.
1824.

PREFACE.

THE following sheets have been printed for the
Author, not with a view to general publication, but
to keep alive his recollection of circumstances that
were interesting to him, and of places through
which he had passed. A preceding excursion
beyond the Alps had been made with too much
rapidity, and without written observations. It
was only a whet to curiosity, and had scarcely been
concluded when reflection was carried back, to
numerous objects which had not been regarded
with sufficient attention, or of which the impression
was already fading away. An absence of care of
every kind, that could limit a man's moderate
pursuits, or put restraint upon his inovements,
prompted him to another journey. He was for-'
tunate enough to meet with a friend who had also

vi PREFACE.
made an imperfect survey of a part of Italy, and
was disposed by similar motives to renew and
extend his inspection. The proffered company of
a man, in whom natural intelligence, refined by
mental cultivation, was blended with the social
qualities that are calculated to shorten time upon a
tour, was a powerful excitement to the growing
inclination. The resolution was adopted, and the
course was prosecuted with satisfactory success.
He made daily memorandums for his future grati-
fication> and remaining, on his return, some weeks
at Paris, he furnished some occupation for leisure
hours, by transcribing the hasty record, with such
observations as were occasionally suggested by the
perusal of it.
The little volume is only intended for a few
Friends, who may wish to know how the time of
the travellers had been engaged. It professes not
to give any description of the works of art. The
writers of excursions, in speaking of these, have
frequently animadverted on what they chose to
term the unintelligible jargon of virtuosi and anti
quaries. Real science, and the persons who have
devoted their time to the stndy of it for the in-

PREFACE. vii
struction and amusement of readers, have been
turned into ridicule, with a petulancy from which
even female tourists have not been exempt ; and a
self-conceited opinion is given in terms more obscure
than those that have been made ground of derision.
The Author regarded with pleasure and veneration
the exquisite specimens, antient and modern, with
which a great portion of the field of his excursion
abounded; but is conscious that he cannot make
pretensions to a nice discrimination of beauties and
defects, and has not attempted to appreciate what
has often been brought under review by the pen of
taste more refined, and judgment more correct.

n^ILY MIjyVTES.

August, 4th. Left London for Brighton along with a
Friend with whom I had agreed to make a Tour npon
the Continent. We accepted an invitation to dine with
a Gentleman and Lady on the following day, and were
sumptuously entertained. There was a haunch of venison
in the finest condition, an article to which they are almost
perfect strangers on the other side of the water. I know
from former observations, that what is termed venison in
Paris, would not be admitted upon an English table. I
quaffed with more than common relish some glasses of
the most choice Madeira and old port. I was aware that
my lips must be unaccustomed to these British luxuries
for a length of time. On Wednesday, the 6th, we sailed
in the steam packet for Dieppe. We were much dis
satisfied with the commander for not lifting his anchor
till two hours had elapsed beyond the time that was an
nounced, but the delay was fortunate on the present oc
casion, as at ten o'clock at night, when we arrived at
Dieppe, the tide had risen so high as to permit our en
trance into the harbour ; and the disagreeable necessity
of beings brought from a considerable distance in an ill-
conditioned French boat was avoided, a mischance which
B

had occurred to me on my last excursion, when wc vvere
detained in darkness in a wretched wherry, having her
bottom covered with water, for more than half an hour,
till Officers could be brought down who should permit us
¦loset foot onshore. We took quarters at the Hotel De
Durant, a second rate house, but the people were atten
tive, and the apartments neat.
Thursday, Looked in the morning into fhe Cathedral,
which is a spacious edifice, and took a plesant walk
upon the esplanade, and by the side of the harbour which
bends up into the centre of the town. Dieppe is prettily
situated on the shore of an inlet encompassed by an
Amphi-theatre of hills. Set off at ten o'clock in the de-
ligence for Rouen — the road extremely beautiful through
a country of considerable variety, and along delightful
vallies with a profusion of grand manufacturies esta
blished by the sides of very abundant streams. An iuhabi*
tant of Britain cannot refrain from regarding with some
degree of jealousy such flourishing undertakings of which
the prosperity is evinced by their extent and magnifi-
cence-^yet why should he grudge to other countries a
portion of that success which has elevated his own
nation to its proud pre-eminence ? The contracted prin
ciples of exclusive trade are dying away, or yielding to
the more liberal sentiment that rival nations may draw
mutual benefit from the encreasing prosperity of each
other. When the diligence had arrived at Rouen, we

3
were assailed by emissaries from different hotels, holding
out inducements for us to put up at the house from which
each was deputed. The competitors was eager, and our
decision not immediate. We made enquiries concerning
the propinquity and falicity of means of conveyance to
Paris ; and when some ambiguity was established on the
part of one of the Solicitors, I availed myself of the cir
cumstance to throw my interest into the scale of a female
suitor, not uncomely in appearance, who carried us off
in triumph. I believe that few will disapprove of the
motive of preference when the claims were on a balance.
We took a late dinner, and rested for the night at
JL' Hotel de- L' Europe. T was more satisfied with it than
with others where I had put up on former occasions.
Rouen is not celebrated for the qjiality of its hotels:
Friday. This is a City of great magnitude and exten
sive population. It is upon a plane of moderate
inclination along the edge of the Seine, which is here a
noble river with the tide flowing as high as the bridge
of boats that has been carried across it. The streets are
very narrow, and the buildings little calculated to draw
attention with exception of the Cathedral, the Church of
St. Owen, and the Court House where law proceedings
are conducted, which are very magnificent specimens
of the Gothic. An interest is excited by it having been
the scene of the historic record of the lamentable fate of
the Pucelle D' Orleans. An Englishman looking at her

4
statue upon the spot where she was sacrificed to savage
bigotry and resentment, must mourn over a transaction
that in one instance has entailed disgrace upon the
country. He may have comfort, however, in reflecting
that there is not any other country that can be charged
with so few atrocities of the kind. He must not permit
himself at the same time to think of the unfortunate Mary
of Scotland. The burning an enthusiastic woman,
whose only crime was romantic zeal in the cause of her
country, and the cutting off the head of an aged Queen,
who had claimed the protection of England, and for a
long series of years was precluded from the possibility
of giving offence by close and unwarrantable confine
ment, are stains upon national character which ought
not to be brought into recollection on the same day.
After much enquiring about public carriages to Paris,
we engaged for ourselves a cabriolet, with three horses,
to carry us there iu two days for the sum of one hundred
and fifty francs. We proceeded by the lower road along
the Seine, which is higbly picturesque ; being near to
the river in its whole course, with a continuation, or a
constant succession of hills always on one side of it, and
sometimes on both. There is displayed great variety of
cultivation in crops of various hues, intermingled with
vine-yards after leaving Normandy, The fruits of that
province are apples and pears, and cyder is made in
great abundance. The labour of the fields appears to be

chiefly performed by females. The Norman features arc
naturally coarse, as if still deriving cast from their
northern origin, and by the effect of severe fatigue in the
duties of their employment they become hideous in old
age. Their prevalent fashion of wearing conical high
crowned capls with broad lappets over the ears hanging
down to the shoulders, does not improve their appear
ance in the eyes of the stranger. It seems to him a
Gothic costume which may have been maintained from
their ancestors, and is perhaps one of several pecu
liarities in which they have kept themselves distinct from
the natives of adjoining provinces. It must be admitted,
however, that these caps are generally of fine linen, and
in clean condition. The women in their deportment
assume a stateliness of manner which would imply pride
in the peculiarity of their head ornament. They are
considered as of healthy sound constitutions, and on
that account are in request in Paris as wet nurses. They
are thus exhibited in the print shops under the denomi
nation of Couchoise. We took refreshment upon the
road, and went on to sleep at Le Grand Cerf, at Mantes,
an excellent hotel in a most respectable old town,
Saturday. Proceeded on our journey through a country
of which the complexion continued the same, to St,
Germain, where we promenaded for two hours upon the
delightful terrace, and arrived at Paris in the afternoon.
In this city, or its environs, there was nothing new to

6
either of us ; but there is a gaiety and vivacity that are
always pleasing. There are many never failing resources
for the occupation of time. The Baulvardes, that ever
lasting scene of chearfulness,*--the gardens of the Thule-
ries — the Champs Elisees — the Palais Royal — the Jardin
de Plantes — ^the Louvre in the day — the Operas— the
variety of Theatres — the Tivoli and Beaujam, with other
places of amusement in the evening j while the multipli
city of restaurateurs may furnish unsatiated satisfaction
at moderate expence to those that take delight in epicu
rean indulgence. If intrigue be the passion, there is
little difficulty or hazard in the pursuit of it ; if gaming
be the propensity, there is no restriction upon the enjoy
ment of it to the greatest extent. We blended in some
degree with the pastimes of the place, while we were
also engaged in making preparations for our fiiture jour
ney. We have contracted with the proprietor of a com
fortable travelling coach, with a pair of horses to carry
us to Strasburg, at the rate of fifteen leagues per day, (a
French league being two English miles and a half) for
forty francs each day, with nouriture to ourselves in
cluded, and beds for ourselves and domestique, who is
the servant of my fiiend, and to whom an allowance of
five francs per day is to be made for the maintenance of
himself. We have been informed by others, much con
versant with travelling, that we shall be saved from much
trouble and expence by engaging with the Voiturier for
accommodation and provision, as well as for conveyance.

Monday, August 18. We set out from Paris about
noon, and passing near to the forest of Bondy, whore
travellers have not always found security upon the road,
and from which much of the fire wood of the capital is
supplied by means of a navigation that conducts to it;
we arrived for the night at Meaux, a considerable town
upon the Marne, in which there is a handsome Ca
thedral, with a monument of Bossuet, The country
in general around Paris is not very interesting.
Tuesday. Breakfasted at Fierta la Fuora, a place.
abounding in mill-stones, of which hundreds are lying
by the road side which is near to the river. The town is
pleasantly situated on a bend of the Marne, and there
are two roads from it to Chalons sur Marne. — One by
Chateau Thiery and Epirnay — the other by Montmirail.
We took the last as being shortest by two or three
leagues, hut were sorry for our preference. Although
spacious, and with abundance of materials for its repair
by the side of it, it is at present in a very rough state,.
so as to have aggravated some rheumatic ^ensations in
my companion by the unavoidable concussion. We
begin to feel not quite at our ease in our mode of living
by contract with our coachman. It is not that apart
ments have been unsuitable, or fare deficient, but there
is an indifference in attendance, a coldness on our
departure, which do not mark the sense of obligation
that is expected frpm a favour conferred ; yet we have

8
not omitted some gratuity to the person that waited
upon us.
Wednesday, Breakfasted at Etoges and slept at
Chalons, a handsome town upon the Marne. The
distance from Paris by the nearest road is about eighty
three half leagues. A portion of the country is of con
siderable variety, with occasionally extensive forests in
view ; but the last twenty miles in Champaigne have been
very bare — the soil appearing to be a mixture of sand
and chalk, very thin so as to be incapable of bearing
wood; and yielding scanty crops, with scarcely any
display of vineyard. The season has been dry and
unfavourable for such land ; when rain has been abund
ant the crops may be less deficient. The cultivation,
however, is clean and pleasing to the eye in spite of
apparent barrenness:
Thursday. Left Chalons and made a long journey to
breakfast at Vitre St. Francais, a handsome regular
town, built by Francis the First, surrounded by a very
high and formerly fortified embankment, with a deep
moat, of which the water is supplied by the Marne.
The streets are extremely regular, intersecting each other
at right angles, as might be expected in a town wholly
constructed at the same time on an original plan; and
the houses, although small, are neat. Proceeded, after
breakfast, on our journey over the dreary level of

9
Champaigne, appearing more bare than even on the
preceding day, and arrived at St. Dizier, having travelled
during the day above forty miles. The main street of
the town is long and broad ; the principal church is large
and heavy, but that of St. Francais is of a higher order
of architecture. For two days we have been traversing
the province so distinguished for the wine that takes its
name from it without coming near to the district where
it is generated, and have not had any specimen of the
produce. I believe that the vineyards are considerably
to the southward, towards the frontier of Burgundy.
Friday. Passed over a country of different aspect to
Ligny to breakfast. Some portion of the road is on
very high ground, there being considerable risings and
fallings on which the line is well drawn to diminish the
declivity. The hills appear bare, with thin soil and
crops that are not abundant; but the sides of them are
beautifully ornamented with vineyards and brush wood,
while the bottoms, or interstices between them are rich in
pasture land, which is not often met with in France.
The habitations of the country people have appeared
in general very comfortable. Ligny is a considerable
town, in which there is not any thing particular. The
Inn at Chalons was the Palais Royal, at St. Vitry,
Le Cloche D'Or, at St. Dezier, and at Ligny the Solul
D'Or. We have not had any reason to complain of
our quarters, with exception of that indifference which
must be expected, when a tavern is deriving little
C

10
benefit from its company, and the principal profit of
the entertainment is passing into the pocket of a con
tractor. We went on to dine and sleep at Void, through
a country, the aspect of which is still pleasing. A part
of the ground is very high, there being a continued
ascent from Ligny of three miles. The greatest portion
of it is in corn cultivation. Indian corn is also grown
in great abundance. It is manifest that these kinds of
grain form the principal articles of subsistence, as cattle
and flocks of sheep are rarely seen. The living animals
are fed under cover, and only occasionaUy taken out to
graze under the superintendance of boys or girls, whose
vigilance is requisite to prevent them from wandering,
and from trespassing on standing and nnearied corn ;
as hedge rows and other divisions of land are very rare.
It is difficult to conceive how the divisions of property
are accurately maintained between individuals. The
inhabitants for the most part are decently dressed, and
appear industrious in their occupations,
Saturday. Went forward to Thoul to breakfast — the
road variegated by the effect of hill and dale, with
vineyards on the sunny side for many miles — rich crops
of different kinds— and in the bottoms great extent of
meadows, on which were grazing more numerous herds
and flocks than we had seen before. Thoul has been an
antient fortification, being surrounded by ramparts, and
a moat in disrepair. It is of considerable extent, and

11
contains two fine churches, of which one in particular,
probably a cathedral, is within and without, a magnificent
specimen of Gothic in high preservation. The Inn was
the Temple de la Paix, and appeared to be respectable.
After breakfast we set out on our journey to Nancy,
A considerable portion of the road was on high ground,
affording a commanding view over magnificent forests
on each side. The river Meuse is passed on coming out
of Ligny, and the Mozelle on leaving Thoul, They are
streams of inconsiderable magnitude in these situations
of tlieir course, Nancy appears at once from the top
of an high bill. It stands in the centre of a rich bottogi,
which is under the highest condition of beautiful cul
tivation. The first impression from looking down upon
it is favourable, and its actual condition does not
disappoint the expectation that had been formed. It is
a city of great extent, beauty, and elegance — the streets
regular, broad, and well paved. The buildings of the
Place Royale, and other places contiguous, are of a
superb description. The principal church or cathedral,
a noble specimen of Grecian architecture, with two
spires that are inferior in beauty to Bow church alone,
although not nearly of such altitude. The inside of the
church is grand, with organ, candlesticks, and every
thing corresponding. The cupola seems finely painted,
but it is impossible to give a decided opinion in looking
up perpendicularly to objects so remote. The city is
abounding in beautiful promenades. We went in the

12
evening to La Comedie, an excellent play-house, and
the performances well given. It is not often that one
can commend the neatness and nicety of a French
town — more frequently you may have occasion to
animadvert on opposite conditions — but we were much
satisfied with Nancy.
Sunday, Aug. 24, Crossed the Meurthe on our way
to Lunneville, where we stopped to breakfast. It is a
town of moderate size^ with a grand chateau adjoining
to it, having extensive promenades, and fine avenues
in the old stile around it. The house and pleasure
grounds appertain to government, and have been given
by the King as an habitation to one of the Hohenloe
family, who is at present gone to partake of the glories
of the army in Spain. They are in a state of sad
disrepair. The prineipal church is a spacious bjiilding,
in which I was present at the service of Mass to a whole
regiment drawn up in tbe body of it. Was not Lunneville
in former times the Court of the family of Lorraine, so
much distinguished in the history of France ? We are
at present in the province of Lorraine. Went on to
dinner and to pass the night at Blamont, of which the
main street is of ample breadth, and well built ; but the
population is not considerable. Upon the top ofa hill,
on the declivity of which a principal part of the town is
placed, there is an antient fortification, with round
towers, in ruins. It was probably antecedent to the

13
knowledge of gun-powder, as there are no signs remaining
of requisites for the use of fire-arms.
Monday. Set out at the usual hour for Sarrebourg,
where we took breakfast,. It takes its name from the
Sarre, which becomes navigable a little below the
town, and runs into the Mozelle. I was present at
Grand Mass in the principal church, the day being the
fete of St. Louis, which is marked by particular cele
brations at Paris and over the kingdom. Continued our
journey to Saverne, where we remained for the night.
The road has been imdulating, but on every ascent
getting to higher ground till it attains the summit of its
level, from which you look down upon Saverne as from
a mountain, of which the declivity on that side is rapid.
[t is well traced however, and in following the sinerosities
of the hill, it displays deep and romantic dells clothed
with fine timber. It passes over the extremity of a
ridge, which we had seen on our right for two days,
and to which we have been gradually drawing nearer,
Saverne is a town of no importance, in which at night
there were insignificant rejoicings with some illumination
on account of the festival. On the road we went under
the walls of a fortification which seemed to be undergoing
a complete repair, as if future contests might take place
in the neighbourhood of the Rhine, when the amiable
harmony of the Holy Alliance may be less perfect. Yet
it can scarcely be supposed that jealousies should ever

14
blend themselves with such philanthropy of principle and
benevolence of intention.
Tuesday. Our Inn was the Tete de Boeuf, but I have
not always kept a record of Inns, Taking our departure
from it in the morning, we arrived at Strasbourg after
breakfasting at an intermediate stage. The road is
picturesque and over hills till it descends into a plain of
great extent, which is perfectly level and of extraordinary
fertility. The cultivation is beautiful, and displays the
richest crops of the grain and ligumenous kinds, with
vast and most luxuriant fields of hemp and of tobacco.
The lofty spire of the great cathedral is a conspicuous
object at a very remote distance. When approached it
astonishes by its apparent lightness. It is penetrable to
light passing through it in every situation and in every
direction — while the pillars that support it in every
stage of its immense altitude appear so slender, that an
observer would suppose, that to have adequate strength,
they must be made of iron or of brass. The inside of
the church is magnificent, and the pulpit of marble
curiously wrought. The whole exterior of this superb
edifice is probably not inferior to any thing in Europe
in minute and exquisite Gothic workmanship.
In the journey from Paris there has not been much
variety of costume. The Parisian female fashion of a
handkerchief put handsomely round the head in a turban

15
shape became less frequent in receding from the capital
till young women appeared with their hair uncovered as
in our own country. But for two days every woman has
been shaded with a straw hat of immense breadth, which
seems singular at first, but must be very convenient in
acting both as a parasol and a parapluie. The females
in youth are delicate and not uncomely, but at an early
period become old for their years, and are ugly in life
much advanced. This raay be owing in part to the
labour they endure in the fields, and in some degree to
their maigre diet. Their stomachs are little conversant
with the most substantial kinds of nourishment. There
is much attention to the cultivation of liguminous
matters. To every peasant's house there is annexed a
garden abounding in variety of vegetables, and potatoes
are cultivated with success. The dress of the females
in general is neat and decorous.
Wednesday. Passed the day at Strasbourg, which is
a city of great population and extent, in which there is
not much to be admired. Some of the places ahd
principal streets are sufficiently spacious, but houses
that otherwise would appear magnificent, are disfigured
by abominable roofs of three and four stories with attic
windows like pidgeon-holes. The play-house is a grand
building, and in the ample place at the extremity of
which it stands, there is a fine promenade in the Paris
Boulvarde still. In the same place there is a grand

16
Caffi abounding in ices and all other refreshments of
the best description. Other excellent promenades
conduct from the town towards the Rhine, of which
diverging streams pass through the city, and there are
fine walks upon the ramparts. Our hotel was the Ville
de Lyon. It is a house in which there is much bustle of
business, but not remarkable for neatness of condition.
I believe however that it is as good as any in the place.
We went in a voiture through the fortifications, which
are of the strongest description, across one of the main
branches of the Rhine to the barrier on the other branch
opposite to the scite of the fortress of Kehl, of which the
works are demolished. There is a monument of Marshal
Saxe in L'Eglise de St. Thomas, but we lost an oppor
tunity of seeing it, by not being upon the spot when the
church was open for service.
The engagement with our conducteur, who has con
ducted himself with the greatest propriety, extended only
to Strasbourg in the first instance, and the renewal or
termination of it was optional on our parts. It did not
correspond with the feelings of either of us, to be living
at Inns by contract with a coachman who made his terms
with the landlord. We did not feel ourselves at liberty
to call for what we wanted, or to make exceptions when
we were dissatisfied. Doctor Johnson might think that
a chair in a tavern at London was the throne of human
felicity. He could not have so considered it under an

17
engagement of the kind upon which I ara commenting.
It is extraordinary that a custom so unsuited to nicety
of sentiment, should be followed by so many English
for the sake of a paltry economy, of which they would
be ashamed in their own country ; and by persons whose
condition of life and circumstances do not warrant a
deviation from that line of conduct, which a gentleman
should sustain under every predicament. People that
travel upon business, or families that are under the un
fortunate necessity of raaking journies, to the expence
of which their means may be little adequate, are justi
fied in getting themselves transported in the least costly
method ; but it is astonishing that persons under other
circumstances should submit to have their feelings laid
under restraint and mortification. The practice would
be thought horrible in England : it is not more creditable
upon the continent, although distance is a covering to
pride^ and makes it endure what it could not suffer at
home. Business and want of health may make travel
ling a matter of necessity, and are apologies for the
most parsimonious manner in which it can be effected.
Ladies too when they are moving by themselves, may
escape trouble and imposition, to which their inexpe
rience would expose them, by contracting with their
carrier ; but it is strange that gentlemen, to whom an
insignificant saving, made at the expence of indepen
dence, can seem important, should become travellers
for pleasure. We have arranged a new agreement with
D

18
our voiturier, taking the charges of living and accommo
dation upon ourselves, and engaging to pay himitwenty-
two francs per day for conveyance, comprehending the
expences of bridges and mountains incidental to the
..journey ; with an abatement of ten francs per day when
entirely at rest, and of seven francs when using the car-
-riage pour promener at any place where we may be sta-
•^ionary ; a gratuity at the end, a bonne main in France,
or buona mana in Italy, will be expected ; but the
amount will depend upon the degree of satisfaction that
/has been given. We shall now feel ourselves at home
in every hotel, and at liberty to bulLy the landlord or
scold the waiters if things are not to our mind.
Thursday morning. We took the road to Basle, and
breakfasted at La Courenne at Benjield. Went on to
sleep at La Caffe de Bouc at Schelestat, a small but
.-strongly fortified place. The whole road was a perfect
plain, and most luxuriant in tobacco, Indian cori\,
cabbages and vineyards; the vines growing to such a
%eight as to look almost like plantations of hops. We
looked back upon the spire of the Cathedral at Stras-
J)ourg from a great distance.
Thursday. Breakfasted at Colmar. Continued along
the undeviating plain, becoming, however, less luxu-
rient, as we advanced to Hapson, where we slept, within
five leagues of Basle. Since leaving Strasbourg we

19
have been moving parallel to the Rhine on our left,
which was at no great distance, although we have never
came within view of it; and on our right hand, in space
more remote, there has been a range of mountains which*
separate Alsace from Lorraine, and are the sarae as the
ridge of which the raountain of Saverne was a continu
ation. At first I thought they might have been coif-
nected with the Jura; but now we have overshot their
southern extremity. To the east another range of grand
raountains appears on tbe German side of the Rhinet
They must be near to the district of the Blaek Forests
Calmar is a nasty town, in a large church of which we
looked on for some time on the Catholic raummeries„
as displayed in the ceremony of the Eucharist. Ridi
culous mummeries they appear to a Protestant, and
more especially to a person who in early life had been
accustomed to respect the discipline and dismantled.
garment of brother Jack ; but we ought not to turn into-
derision even fantastical ceremonies, for which a re
verence has been imbibed by others with their milk in
the cradle, that has by degrees incorporated them with
the essentials of worship ; and we should remember that
they are in some measure transplanted, or copied, from
the priestcraft of that extraordinary people, who as-
sumed to their singular ceremonies the authority of having^
been enjoined by the Deity, himself.
Saturday. Arrived to breakfast at Basle, havuig

20
passed near to Huningen, where I think the Rhine was
crossed by Bonaparte's army from Boulogne, which
soon accomplished the surrender of Ulm, and other
achievements, that ended in the battle of .Austerlitz.
Basle does not afford much gratification to the curiosity
of a traveller. There are good houses in the upper part
of the town, A fine promenade by the great church
commands a raagnificent view of the Rhine, and of the
bridge that goes over it. We had here the first speci
men of the variety of costumes for which the lower
classes of women in Switzerland are distinguished.
They wore black caps of a peculiar kind, with long
plaited hair hanging down their backs, having bits of
ribband attached to the extreme end of the plait. We
proceeded after breakfast on the road to Soleure, having
determined io pass along the western frontier of Swit
zerland, to Geneva and Chamouny, with intention of
penetrating afterwards into the interior, and returning to
the Rhine at Schaffhausen. * Slept at a place called
Hoelstien — the inn not remarkable for good cheer, but
admirable for situation in a beautiful valley, confined
within the romantic and reflected sides of a superb
mountain, richly cloathed with wood. The whole
scenery was of the most captivating kind, and conveyed
the expression of tranquillity and solitude, combined
with beauty and embeUishment. The landlady was at
tentive, and a very pretty woman.

21
Sunday, August 31st. Continued our journey over a
branch of the mountains, which appertain to the grand
Jura range. Additional horses were put on, as the road
in some places is very steep. We went along- a beau
tiful country to breakfast at Banstal, where there is a
waterfall which we were prevented from seeing by a
thunder-storm and very heavy rain. A clever young
woman of agi-eeable appearance, the daughter of the
landlord, attended us at breakfast, when the fare would
have been thought indifferent, if it had not been so
graciously served up. We pursued our course along a
valley of the finest and richest pasturage tastefully di
vided ; the verdure and the general surface, or turf, equal
to the finest meadow in England. The quantity of grass
land gives indication of milk and its production being
a staple of the country. We rested for the night at
Soleure, a small town within a very strong wall by the
side of the Aar; or rather intersected by the river,
which having gathered the waters of raountains stupen
dous and remote, as well as of a great extent of country
through which it flows, is here a broad and powerful
stream. Soleure is the capital of the canton of that
name. The streets are irregular, but many of the houses
neat and handsome. There are two churches of con
siderable magnitude, at the entrance of one of which
there is a figure of Moses drawing Water from the Rock
by the magic power, or rather divine influence, of his
rod. The costume of the women displays caps attached

22
to the back parts of the heads, with broad frills of
muslin or cambric; a large cross, or sorae other tawdry
ornaraent hanging round their necks ; gowns aluiost
without waists, the petticoats being attached so very high,
and swelling out around the hips in such raanner that
every woman appears far advanced in a family way.
The sarae petticoats however are very short, so that the
leg is seen uncovered to the knee. The legs in general
are well-forraed, and they appear to have studied the use
of thera : they walk gracefully. When the .shape is less
perfect, the petticoat is not so short ; but when a woman
is conscious of symraetry, her under garment is some
times not much longer than a Highlander's kilt. In
their exterior dress they seem very fond of a flame
colour. Such is the costume of the common order of
feraales, and therefore of the multitude ; but women of
higher degree, or in genteel life, are above costume, and
dress exactly after the manner of well-dressed women in
London or in Paris. There is not any peculiarity in
the dress of the men ; it seems to be nearly the same
every where.
Reflection might endeavour to look back to the origin
of costume, especially when it is not gratifying to the
sight. It would generally be found to have been brought
down from remote antiquity, and often to have been the
result of mere whim and fancy, in ages of taste fantas»
tical and unrefined. But it is possible that in some

23
instances it might be traced to policy or convenience on
the part either of the state or of individuals ; and one
would be inclined to think that the singular disfigurement
of the female figure in the fashion of different cantons
in Switzerland, by artificial lower stomachs most unbe
comingly expanded, may have been derived from motives
that were not without public encouragement. At an
early settlement of particular districts, there may have
been a period when the grand desideratum was popu
lation, and every inducement should be given to the
advancement of it. There might be policy, not in dispen
sing with the regular contract of marriage in intercourse
between the sexes, but in overlooking the omission of
it for a time; so that females should be exempted from
reproach in the first instance, on account of manifest
symptoms of the forthcoming fruit of unlegalized enjoy
ment, by a habit of attire that furnished concealraent,
in raaking every worasin appear in the same condition ;
while sensual excitement was enforced by the powerful
attraction of well-fashioned limbs that were left exposed.
The time is not long gone past, when bundling, a term
well understood by travellers in America, had sanction
in the western hemisphere, and the multiplication of the
species, the fulfilment of the great injunction imposed
upon our first parents, was the object. Costumes that
originated in such motives, may be maintained from the
veneration for antiquity of which even the dirt and
rubbish is idolized by some, as might be demonstrated

24
by the adherence to antiquated absurdities in our own
public records ; and even in the present day might be
claimed by the sex as an inherent right, or a convenient
privilege. Monday. Our inn at Soleure was La Couronne, a
sign that we did not expect in a canton where monarchy
is not acknowledged. We breakfasted at Arberg, a
small but handsome town, with one street only, but that
of ample breadth, on an island of the Aar, formed by
an inconsiderable ramification going off from the main
channel, and speedily returning to it. We pursued our
journey to Neuchatel, the capital of the province of that
name, which is under the protection of the King of
Prussia. We got a very good dinner and found excel
lent accommodation at the Falcon. The scenery has
continued very fine, and appears beautiful around the
lake. The town is singular and irregular, but with
good streets; and the promenades contiguous to the
waters are delightful. The language, which for some
days has been almost enitrely German, is now French.
The people look like inhabitants of France : disgusting
costumes are abandoned, and women unite to their
native attractions the allurements of neatness and
prettiness in dress. There is a distant view of the
Swiss mountains, but not much characteristic of their
grandeur. The Jura rises in superb magnificence behind
lis. Vineyards are now abounding, and pasture land.

25
the parent of cheese, is becoming scarce. The wine of
Neuchatel is excellent.
Tuesday, A delightful drive along the border of the
lovely lake before breakfast to Oneus. The road was
hilly, but afforded agreeable prospects. We took an
excellent breakfast at a very clean inn, and went on to
sleep at Orbe. We bad adieu to the lake at Yverdon,
after travelling thirty miles, being nearly its longest
extent, by the side of it. The great rampart of the
Alps now appears in grandeur to the east : there are two
very ancient towers, one of a square and the other of a
round construction, at Orbe. There is much land in
potatoe cultivation, and the produce excellent. We
have been surprized in the course of our journey to have
potatoes generally served up to us in a state that did
credit to the person who superintended the boiling of
thera : they have appeared dry and mealy. Every
person who has travelled in England, or dined, at a
coffee-house in London, can bear testimony to want of
attention in that respect. He will have frequent occa
sion to complain of an article that was excellent in its
kind, having been ruined by negligence on the cook's
part. The sign at Orbe was the Fishes, a very good
inn, with civility and comfort.
Wednesday. Breakfasted at Morgues, a very nice
town, delightfully situated on the lake of Geneva. It
E

26
happened to be a grand fair which had brought together
all the inhabitants of the surrounding country. We pro
ceeded through Rolle on the road to Geneva, and stopped
for the night at La Couronne at Mon, of which the
situation on the verge of the lake is very pretty. The
view from the inn ought to be grand, but the distant
mountains had assumed their brown night-caps, wbich
often causes disappointment to the eagerness of strangers.
Mount Blanc has been visible on the road, but not in
its customary sublimity: altitude and distance have been
alike eclipsed by dark coloured vapours floating around
it; and its summit of purest snow has appeared of a
leaden greyish hue.
Thursday Morning. Arrived to breakfast at Geneva,
and took up our abode at L'Ecu de Geneve, which is a
respectable Inn, with a good salle a manger that has
lately been added to it. The atmosphere quite clear,
and the view of Mont Blanc upon the road magnificent.
It has appeared the sovereign of its district. How
different this city from what it had seeraed to me in
December last, when I passed three gloomy days in it
by myseif with continued rain and thick fog. It is now
gay and lively, and abounding in every thing that can
captivate the eye. The pavement however is not pleasant
to pedestrians. It is made of round stones picked up
frora the bottom of the lake, and extremely annoying
to the feet t^less shoe seals are of unusual thickness.

27
Friday. Passed the day at Geneva, and made two or
three visits in the neighbourhood. The atmosphere
without a cloud, and the heat sultry. A grand view of
Mont Blanc from the other side Of the water at the time
of the setting sun. It did not sparkle like a diamond,
as has been represented, but appeared a mountain of red
hot iron. In the course of the day we took a view of a
model of Switzerland, which was stated to be intended
for exhibition in London. It gives a very comprehensive
idea of the country, and prepares the stranger for more
readily contracting a knowledge of the extraordinary
varieties of surface that are to come under his observa
tion. When he has acquired an outline of the shape,
he will direct his attention with greater success to the
particular objects of which it is composed. Geneva is
cheerful enough in fine weather, but will not meet the
general expectation of travellers, who from its celebrity
in record are prepared to look for something different
from an old-fashioned town, of which the buildings are
in a very bad style, and the arrangement unbecoming.
It may not conespond with the pattern that had been
pictured in imagination; and if residence be continued
for some length of time, tbere raay perhaps be occasion
to take exception to municipal despotism and Calvanistic
Puritanism. Saturday. Chamouny was our next object of curiosity,
and must be that of the highest interest to every traveller

28
in Switzerland. We breakfasted at Bonneville on the
road to it, and arrived at two o'clock at Sallenche in
our own carriage. So far the road by the side of the
Arve was very good, and the valley of the river, as well
as the sides of the hills, appeared in very rich cultivation.
I had ne expectation of seeing such a country in that
district. From a bridge near to the village, and from a
balcony behind the Inn, there is a noble view of Mont
Blanc; but the raajesty of mountains is most con
spicuous when they are viewed frora a distance. In
looking up upon them from the neighbourhood of their
base, there is something like what is termed fore
shortening in painting; and points which are distant
from each other, and of very different degrees of altitude,
shall appear close together, and of nearly equal height,
I could scarcely' believe that we were looking at Mont-
Blanc, the convexity of whose summit was not many
miles removed from us. At Sallenche we put ourselves
into a Char-au-banc, the road being no longer practicable
to a common carriage, and we got up to Chamouny
about nine o'clock. The scenery is uniformly grand
and interesting ; the line of road is generally ascending,
but with the interruption of some very steep descents ;
and in many places it is extremely rugged and uneven.
It is overhung by precipices in some portions of its
course, and in others is carried along the edge of
tremendous gulphs. We put up at L'Hotel de Londres,
where there is exceUent accommodation and great at-

29
tention. I had there the satisfaction of meeting some
friends who had come over from Martigny.
Sunday, Sept. 6. Contemplated the wonderful valley
on a beautiful day, which gave full effect to the grandeur
and loveliness of surrounding objects. Nothing could
be finer than its variegated carpet, bearing crops of
different descriptions and aspects — while Mont Blanc
on one side with its superb satellites — the aiguiles of
various denominations, with intervening glaziers shelving
down to the very level of the plain — Mont Brevent,
on the other, with domineering rocks accessible to the
eagle alone, — and the Col de Bautne shutting up the
extremity of the valley towards Martigny — exhibit
features of sublimity which ' no pen or pencil can
describe. We went up the Mont-Auvert, a continuation
of the base of Mont Blanc and its surrounding needles,
on mules, and went down on foot on the other side, to
visit La Mer de Glace. There is nothing that is less
explained than the undulating surface of these regions
of ice, giving the appearance of an ocean caught by the
frost, while its billows were elevated by a high wind.
They are sheets of ice of prodigious thickness, extending
over immense space upon inclined plains, occupying
after the raanner of sloping vallies the distances between
contiguous erainences, with a bond of union from the
very summits to the bottoms of mountains. They, follow
the depressions of the sides, and reach from the top to

30
the bottom. It is admitted that they are always in et
state of motion so slow that no measurement of it could
be possible, but by attending to foreign bodies, such as
masses of granite that have been brought down upon
them by avelanche, and which by observation are found
to be descending lower by comparison with fixed objects
on the raountain, while they have continued to rest upon
the same spot of the surface of the Glacier. The ratio
of the movement may not be a great raany yards in the
course of the year, but the existence of it is fully ascer
tained. It raight be expected to be always bringing the
extremity of the Glacis lower down upon the valley,
and that effect has actually sometimes taken place,
so as to throw down structures that came within its
reach — but more comraonly it is gradually melting away
at the bottom in the same proportion as that in which
it is forming at the top ; and on the advance of season,
when the sun begins to have power, violets and other
delicate flowers may be picked up almost at the lower
edge ; or perhaps in Autumn you may gather ripe grapes
with one hand, while you touch the glacier with the
other— as the declivity over which this imperceptible
movement is taking place, must be of very different
degrees of inclination with angles and ridges in the
course of it ; the sheet, or rather the far extending field
of an article so brittle as ice, must be liable to be cracked
by the gravity which carries it over such inequalities .
and accordingly immense cracks are found to exist down

31
to the bottom. The wave-like appearance raay be from
a succession of such cracks with intervention of the
changes to which they must be liable from the meltings
and freezings of snow during the dilatory progress of
a many years journey — for protracted perhaps to a
century must be the period of the course. Pyramids
too — prisms of extraordinary height — are discovered
upon these Glaciers. They also may have resulted from
motion being disturbed by irregularity and compression,
or they may have been avalanches that by the operation
of summer suns are reduced to the state in which they
are seen. La Mer de Glace of Mont-Anvert is expanded
over an inclined plain of many miles, with much
difference of inclination in different parts of its course.
What a period must elapse before the steps of the stair
case, to which it may be compared, that are now at the
top and not very remote from the summit of Mont Blanc,
can descend by a movement, the slowest of which
imagination caa. form an idea, and of which nothing but
correct and invariable observation could inspire belief, to
the level of Chamouny ', How much the surface may be
come disturbed by confinement within more contracted
space when the depressions between elevated spots be
corae narrower, and by varieties in the dep-ee of flexion.
Two other glaciers of the same description and almost
of equal extent, come down into the valley, protruding
their green chrystaline edges over the verdant fields and
ripening crops, A glacier is not the raere snowy summit

32
of a mountain where the snow never melts. It is a bed
of ice extending from the region of perpetual congela
tion, into a basin at the bottom, where the heat is often
extreme in summer, from the sun rays reflected by the
sides of the hills : but the dissolution of it is very slow,
even in a warm atmosphere. Its extreme thickness and
excessive hardness enable it to maintain that degree of
temperature which prevents it from being rapidly melted.
There is no doubt however of the stratum becoming
thinner, as it approaches the valley.
Having surveyed La Mer de Glace ; and not feeling
disposed to proceed far upon its surface under the risk
of tumbling into one of the tremendous cracks, we re-
ascended the hill to a pavilion upon its summit, where
strangers are used to inscribe their names, and may for
a small gratuity supply themselves with specimens of
very pretty minerals, the produce of tbe mountain, to
be retained as mementos of their visit. We afterwards
came down into the valley by a goat path which was
almost a precipice, leading near to the source of the
Averon, bursting from a cavern of ice which forms the
termination of the glacier. The descent was on fo«t,
as it was vastly too steep for our mules, which had been
sent back by the other road. The fatigue was too much
for my companion : his strength was exhausted to such
a degree, that . I entertained the most serious appre
hensions for him ; but he was supported by the most

33
attentive guides with astonishing address, and soon re
covered in the plain. We got back to the inn at ojae
o'clock and returned to the hotel at Sallenche,
Monday. Breakfasted at Bonneville and went on to
Geneva highly gratified with the excursion. The scenery
had not proved deficient in comparison with, any pre
conception we might have formed of it. It was most
pleasing to find that the inhabitants ef a district, cut
off during a great portion of the year from communica
tion with the world at large, were not rude or ignorant
boors; but civilized and obliging, I raay even say
polished in their manners, decorous and neat in their
dress, and appearing to be well-informed people. They
were not inattentive to their religious duties, as the day
being Sunday, the guides could not be obtained till they
had attended mass in the church that was at hand. The
religion is the Catholic, the district being in Savoy. It
was likewise satisfactory to see nice cultivation and
respectable crops in a valley, the plain of which is so
high above the lake of Geneva, and iraraediately under
the brow of Mont Blanc.
Tuesday. By an unexpected letter I received an
alarming statement of the illness of a friend, who had
succeeded to the jarduous duties of a profession which I
had pursued. An expectation was conveyed that I
would immediately return. If I had been hesitating
F

34
about continuing my journey into Italy, I should now
have been decided to persist in it : I felt not any dis
position to retrograde into the labour of professional
exertions, frora which till this period I had but imper
fectly withdrawn myself. We determined to follow the
lake of Geneva by the Savoy side, and setting off after
breakfast had a beautiful drive tbrough Thonon to Evian,
where we put up for the night at L'Hotel de Nord, a
very comfortable inn. The little town is almost opposite
to Lausanne, and from a gallery behind the house, there
is a magnificent prospect over the lake and adjacent
country. The fields appear in good cultivation, but not
abounding in pretty villages and charming villas in equal
degree as the Protestant side of the lake ; and perhaps
it may be said that there is not the same apparent neat
ness and industry in the inhabitants. The females are
lazily sitting at their doors making pretence to knit a
coarse stocking, or peeling the stalks of hemp with
their fingers, a process which is effected in the Pay de
Vaud with tenfold celerity, but severe labour, by a
beating machine. We were regaled with excellent fish
from the lake.
Wednesday. Continued our journey along the borders
oT the lake, through St. Gingoulph, and by the romantic
scenery of Melleirie, so much celebrated by Rousseau
to Vionnas, where we took breakfast. We crossed the
Upper Rhone lat St. Maurce in the Vallaise, and turning

35
to the left went on to sleep at tbe Union, at Bex, an inn
of the first rate description. I have not much admired
the trout from the lake of Geneva; it is of large size,
but without flavour : here, however, we were served wilh
a dish of it that v/as excellent. Fresh water fish will
generally be much improved, acquiring\sapor, by frying
or broiling; but unless special orders were given, it will
in most instances be served in the insipid boiled state.
If our intention had been to pass oyer the Semplon, our
journey should have been continued from St. Maurice,
along the other side of the river to Martigny ; but the
excursion would not have been new to either of us, as
we had travelled, although separately, by that road
during the last year, and were not desirous of looking
again upon the wretched conditions of corporeal defor
mity and mental imbecility that are frequent in the Val
laise. Thursday. Breakfasted at Les Trais Couronnes, at
Vivai/, a capital hotel, where I had overtaken the
preceding year, a Caledonian nobleman high in rank as
in public esteem — equally distinguished by dignity of
principle, accomplishment of mind, elegance and ur
banity of manners, benevolence of heartland happy in
being united by the closest tie to an amiable and accom-
jdished participator of universal affection and regard. I
had gone in quest of hira for the purpose of giving bim
¦ft
information that had been communicated to^me by letter

36
from London, respecting the alarming condition of
health of his venerable parent, and was the cause of h\&
returning to England. With a becoming sense of filial
attention, a journey to Italy, for which every prepa
ration had been made, and upon which their minds were
intent, was abandoned. Happily the apprehensions
that were entertained were unnecessary, and the object
of them is still a living comfort to his family and friends.
Vivay is delightfully situated, and the adjoining hills are
covered with vineyards, of which the produce is esteemed
the best in Switzerland in the state of fruit. I cannot
speak to the quality of the fermented juice ; and 1 be
lieve it is allowed that the finest wine is not made from
the grapes that are the richest to the palate. In coming
from Bex we passed the prison of Chilon, made famous
by the admirable poetry of Lord Byron : it stands at the
extremity'of the lake, and is surrounded by the waters.
Wc took the road to Berne by a very long ascent, which
for the relief of the horses, I made on foot under a
sultry sun ; and passing over a beautiful country, arrived
at Mouden for the night.
Friday. Continued our journey with similar scenery
around us to Payenne, where we breakfasted. Excellent
tea and petits pains, with very good butter and honey, at
Le Grand Cerf. The Marchioness of Bute, with her
daughter, who is in a few days to be married io Lord
Sandon, came to breakfast at the same Hotel, with a

37
large retinue attending upoii them. There arc two roads
to Berne, viz, by Morat and by Fribourg. The first is
the best, but we made choice of the other, which is
rough and hilly, for the sake of passing through the last
mentioned city. It is an extraordinary place, upon
most irregular ground, with a deep ravine circumventing
a considerable portion of it. There is a great cathedral
but no object of any kind that is entitled to much atten
tion. The canton is deeply Catholic, overflowing in
priests, and even mendicant friars, the vermin of
Popery. Saturday. Arrived to breakfast at La Couronne at
Berne; a city very fine in situation, and not losing by
acquaintance with the condition of it. The streets are
wide and well paved, with a fine arcade on each side
for foot passengers. The houses are of good elevation
in front ; the shops handsorae and well furnished : alto
gether it raay be said to be an elegant town. The views
from the promenade near the cathedral, and from a
station near the mint are most superb, both with respect
to the grand range df magnificent Alps at a distance,
and the beautifully diversified rising grounds around the
town, with the Aar in great glory running in a deep dell,
to which the descent is almost precipituous, and nearly
forming the place into a peninsula.
I had this day information of the death of the friend

38
whose illness had been announced to me by a letter to
Geneva, and farther solicitations to return. I wrote
without delay in confirmation of my former resolution to
have no interference in any arrangement that might be
made. I felt no return of inclination to sacrifice the rest
of my days to a renewal of duties, which I had endea
voured conscientiously to discharge, but which had
always been painful to me. How uncertain is human
existence ! Six weeks have not elapsed since I left him
in the zenith of youth and health, with expectation of
soon becoming a father, as he had been lately married
to a beautiful and very elegant woman. Without paying
a compliment that was not due to him, I may say, that
the public has suffered a serious loss in him ^-I am not
acquainted with any man that was more competent to
the exercise of the raedical profession, or more active
and zealous in discharging its complicated and laborious
offices. I had extraordinary satisfaction in meeting at Berne
three most particular friends — a Baronet, with his Lady
and sister. The gratification of such accidental meetings
can only be appreciated by persons who have made very
distant tours. In this instance it was peculiarly enhanced
by long acquaintance and particular respect derived
from unremitted kindness and friendly attention. He has
been used to take delight in travelling, and might confer
a lasting benefit upon the public by bestowing upon

39
it the gleanings of a very enlightened and accurate
observer. Sunday, Sept. 14. I went to the Cathedral and heard
Protestant service in German. The women, some in
costume with broad cambric frills, looking like wings
attached to their heads, and many in very neat female
attire of the common description, occupied the great
nave or middle of the church, while the men were
confined to the side naves behind the massy Gothic
colurans. In the afternoon we went to Thoune for the
night. Excellent accommodation at Le Croix Blanc,
and an intelligent lively waiting maid.
Monday. Thoune is a small town at the western
comraencement of the beautiful lake of that name. The
scenery around the lake is extremely picturesque — a
lower order of mountains in its neighbourhood is backed
by the towering summits of Alps that are more remote.
The roads along its sides are no longer practicable f6r a
carriage. We put ourselves into a batteau, with four
rowers, of whom one was a lusty female. The shape of
the lake is oblong, with a curve, and it is several leagues
in length. After about three hours we landed at New-
house, which is on the north side towards the eastern
extremity. We there engaged a Char-au-bane for two
days, and without stopping at Interlachen, a village
contiguous to the lake of Brientz, we proceeded along

40
a romantic valley by the side of a roaring river, to a
division of the road where the valley by an intervening
slip of mountain is split into two, of which one con
ducts tc^Grendenwald. and the other to iMnterbrun.
We followed the road through its wild progress to the
first of these places, and put up at L'Aigle, a very good
hotel, upon elevated ground, looking down upon the
lovely bottom of the valley, and with the grandest
exhibition of mountains and glaciers in full front
of us.
Tuesday. We returned by the same conveyance to
the division of roads, and went up the other valley to
Lanterbrun, where there is an excellent hotel, in which
we sat down to a very good Table d'Hote, and met one
or two British travellers upon foot, who had come over
the mountains from Grendenwald.
These pedestrian excursions are by no means uncom
mon in Switzerland, and it is most extraordinary, that
they appear sometimes to be undertaken by persons to
whom oeconomy need not be an object. The travellers
move with a napsack upon their backs, and a long pole
with a spike at the lower end of it in their hands. The
last appendage is extremely necessary for their security
upon glaciers and precipices. It is a system of pere-
grinatipn that must be pursued with a relinquishment of
the most essential comforts of life. It is impossible in

41
a napsack to carry an adequate supply of clean linen
and other necessaries. The fatigue that is endured must
be excessive. There is often a risk of losing the road,
unless guides are engaged at considerable expense ; and
there is extreme liability of being overtaken by tournados,
and heavy falls of rain or snow, when no shelter is at
hand. The changes of atmosphere are often rapid and
unforeseen in mountainous districts. At hotels, too,
the walking itinerant will meet with second-rate attention.
The meanness of his style will prevent him from being
regarded as a person of condition. These are not
visionary objections — T was witness to the whole.
Curiosity must be very active, indeed, when it will
prompt a raan to raake a tour under such circum
stances. In the vallies of Grendenwald and Lautenbrun it is
irapossible not to behold, with awful and gratifying
contemplation, the magnificent, tremendous, and beau*-
tiful display of alraost all the varieties of nature under
her most astonishing, captivating, and terrifying aspects.
Here, as at Chamouny, V^e noticed with admiration and
surprize the civilized condition of the inhabitants, who
are respectable in their appearance, decent in their
deportment, civil and attentive in their manners. There
is nothing about them that would give the idea of men
and women living almost without the pale of society.
In the bottoms, and on the sides of the mountains, there
G

42
was fine cultivation amidst such wildness of surrounding
objects, while the nuraerous haralets of well finished
wooden houses was pleasing to the view. We had a fine
day at Grendenwald, where the alabaster summits of the
Grand Eigher, the Wetterhorn, and the Mettenberg rose
up in clearest air. The atmosphere was hazy at Lau
tenbrun, so as only to permit an imperfect view of
Jangfrau, whose insulated situation and pyramidal figure
place it high in the list of the raost reraarkable mountains
in Switzerland, About half a mile above the Inn at
Lautenbrun there is the fall of the Sluhbach, which is
perheips the highest in Europe, being nine hundred feet
perpendicular from a precipice in which there is not the
smallest inclination — but the quantity of water is insig
nificant. Wednesday. Yesterday in the evening we came down
the valley to the great Inn at Interlaken, where wc took
our abode for the night. This morning we went up the
lake of Brientz, in a boat, to the village of that name,
and took breakfast at a very nice hotel, Le Croix Blanc.
We were attended by a young woman of very pleasing
appearance and manners, probably the daughter of the
landlord, and were entertained by the charming wild
notes of five female singers. They gave us the Rinze de
Vaches, which excites such enthusiasm in the Swiss
and brought to ray recollection the Marselloise hymn,
with admirable mtiody and simplicity. We were equally

43
gratified with others of their national airs, and made
them a handsome recompense. Went past the cascade
of Grisbach, which falls into the lake, and saw at a
distance that of Richenbach ; but cascades are of little
interest to a man who has seen the fall of Terny, between
Florence and Rome. The scenery along the lake is very
beautiful — a grand outline of superb mountains, not so
high as to be covered with snow, but clothed with
natural plantation to the top, which is mellowed into
captivating cultivation and fine verdure to the edge of
the water. In that respect it has been considered as
having resemblance to the Italian lakes. We returned
to Interlaken, and having discharged our reckoning,
took a Char to Newhouse, where we put ourselves into
a boat, and are arrived for the night at Thoune. The
day has been heavy, with occasional rain, which damped
very much the enjoyment we should have had. A guide
has attended us for three days, whom we found at
Thoune on our first arrival, and whose name was Jacob
Ruby — ^he was a most intelligent man — spoke French
with facility, — and conducted himself very much to our
satisfaction. The occupation of these people, and of
the rowers employed upon the lakes, of whom many are
females, and of every person connected with the enter
tainment and pleasure that is furnished by these romantic
situations, can be continued only for a few months in
the year, and ought to be paid for in a very liberal
manner. It is shocking to hear of strangers endeavour-

44
ing to bargain for their services and time on the principle
of the common value of labour, and complaining of
extortion for charges that may happen to be a little above
those of other places, where earnings are never inter
rupted. Thursday. Our own carriage had waited for us at
Thoune — we came down in it to breakfast at Berne.
I walked about the town for an hour or two, and could
be well contented to pass some time in it. The streets
are clean, with bustle and vivacity, and the environs
are fine. There is a Musseum of Natural History which
ought not to be overlooked. We took the road to
Lucerne, going on to sleep at Kitchberg. The hotel was
Le Solsil, where a good dinner, with excellent Vin de
Neuchatel, were served up to us by an interesting young
woraan. Friday. Breakfasted at Murgenthal, and stopped to
sleep at Ruden, a village a little way beyond Zoffingen,
which is a considerable town. The Inn was the Black
Princess, and neat enough, but the entertainment in
different. We rested short of the intended distance,
because the horses appeared to be unwell. The coachman
alleged they were indisposed from drinking snow water at
Thoune, as the fluid of the lake must be melted snow —
but that was probably the error of his imagination.
It is more likely that he had put them upon short

45
allowance during three days when he was stationary,
and curtailed in his emolument. The road from Berne
has passed through a very lovely and luxuriant country.
Proudly as an Englishman may estimate the general
appearance, the cultivation and embellishment of his
native land, he must look with admiration at the richness
of soil, the beautiful arrangement of surface into fields
of different shape and sizes, the neatness and cleanness
of cultivation, the exquisite verdure of grass lands, the
wonderful display of industry on the part of men and
women, who are every where at work, with all the im
plements of husbandry, aided by cattle. Then it is
impossible not to be delighted with the magnificence of
the forests, consisting of superb oaks and other de
scriptions of fine tiraber — ^with the truly substantial and
always spacious condition of the houses of the peasants
— with the general appearance of comfort, and the
absence of extreme poverty — with the decency, civility,
and respectable appearance of the inhabitants. Justice
has not always been done to the natives of Switzerland
by travellers, who endeavouring to write for the amuse
ment of the public, have been intent up on gaining attention
by sneers and ill-natured reflections that were not founded
in fact. It is a bad compliment to human nature to state
that severity and sarcasm are listened to with more satis
faction than apology and commendation; but there would
be much truth in the assertion, if it were made. The
Swiss have been represented as a boorish, selfish, ra-

46
pacious people. Point d'Argent point de Suisse has
become proverbial ; but is perhaps equally susceptible
of application, without looking to so great a distance.
We found the people generally well-informed — anxious
to give us satisfaction, and manifesting nothing like ra
pacity : they carry about with them the signs of honesty
and primitive simplicity. We never made a previous
bargain for any thing, and seldom had reason to com
plain ; charges for the most part have been moderate, and
where the rate of expence may sometimes appear higher
than in other places, allowance must be made for the
particular circumstances of situation. If a party go to
dinner at the Castle at Richmond, or the Toy at Hampton
Court, they lay their account with being charged dearer
than at taverns, where the profits of business are not
confined to the summer season.
The women of Switzerland are not handsome, but have
open pleasing countenances, with fine skins. They ap
pear wholesome flesh and blood. The lower class of
women toil hard upon the lakes and in the fields ; but
their robust constitutions enable them to sustain a con
dition of bodily labour, which would turn into a picture
of decay a more delicate Frenchwoman of moderate age.
There is much diversity in their costumes, sorae of which
are pleasing, and others absurdly fantastical : the smaU
straw hat of particular districts is very attractive. In
the Catholic cantons there is a singular arrangement of

47
crosses, handsomely, and often whimsically fashioned,
put upon every grave, and the graves are in regular
lines. Upon the substance of these figures there is
frequently a rich gilding, a most unbecoming ornament
in a church-yard. There is an extraordinary specimen
of this sepulchral exhibition in the place where we are
to repose.
Saturday. After breakfasting at Sursee we coasted
the beautiful lake of Simpach, and arrived to take
dinner and pass the night at Lucerne, a city singularly
situated at the lower extremity of the lake of the four
cantons, with an extraordinary length of wooden bridges
across the termination of the lake. We looked at the
monuraent erected by General Pfyffer in honour of the
Swiss guards that were barbarously massacred at Paris
in 1792. We also inspected a model ofa portion of the
cantons, and went into the cathedral. The lake is of
great extent, with ramifications in different directions.
Conducting to situations and objects of the most inte
resting kind; but as the season was advancing, it did
not suit our arrangements to follow them. The country
around it is grand and romantic, with Mount Pilate on
one side, and the Riggi on the other. It is customary
for travellers to ascend the Riggi, and 'pass the night
upon it for the sake of the morning prospect, which is
most extensive and superb, with the sun arising jn
glory ; but the difficulty my companion had experienced

48
upon Mont Anvert would have prevented me from
thinking of it, if even the atmosphere, which was
cloudy, had been encouraging. The women are well
shaped in the lower extremities, and the petticoats very
short ; but straw hats of immoderate breadth, and quite
flat, with a profusion of different coloured ribbands over
the crown, are not becoming. *
Sunday, Sept. 21st. We set out for Zurich, and on
the journey had a glimpse of the lake of Zug. The road
was the worst, and the hills the steepest, that we had en
countered in our own carriage. With the assistance of
additional horses, which after some time we had the
good fortune to procure, we got at last to Albis upon the
mountain of that name, and gained a view of Zurich with
its admirable lake — nothing in landscape can be con
ceived finer than what meets the eye in the descent frora
Albis upon this city. On each side of a noble expeinse
of water occupying a spacious valley of oblong and
irregular shape, and extending for many miles, there is
an undulation of level plains and gentle slopes elevated
by degrees into magnificent hUls, and spangled with
beautiful villages and charming villas amidst fields of
the highest cultivation, and plantations of the richest
foliage, I have looked down upon Florence from the
heights that are above it on the Bologna road, and hope
to refresh my sight by a renewal of the prospect before
many weeks can elapse. The brilliancy of villas that

49
it exhibits on the sides of the bills that surround the
city, is perhaps unequalled in the world. The view of
Zurich and the country around it, comes nearest to it of
any thing that has fallen within my observation, and if
the assemblage be not so crowded, it derives splendor
from the beauty of the lake. It is one of the noblest
pictures of exquisite nature embellished by the hand of
art. Monday. Passed the day at Zurich, where there was
a great feur appearing to abound in every description of
merchandize. In looking about us we were not gratified
by seeing very numerous specimens of British manufac
tory. The city is not a fine one, but it is interesting and
its situation singular. The people bustling and active, as
if every individual had business to take his attention.
The women not handsome, but having pleasing Counte
nances, and dressed in general after the manner of our
own country women, with very little shew of costurae.
It is to be lamented, that in most parts of Switzerland
the deformity of Goitars is too common. When in great
degree it is h^d^ous ; and even the slightest conditions of
it are sad disfigurement to what would otherwise be the
lovely neck of many a blooming maid. It seems to fall
more upon women than raen, perhaps firom tte more
constant exposmre of their necks. The escapes that hare
been assigned as conducing to it are far from being sa
tisfactory. In many districts it appears to be not incom'-
H

50
patable with health in other respects. In the valley of
the Vallaise, with which I am conversant from the
journey of last year, where the sun, reflected from the
precipetuous sides of tremendous mountains, is spend
ing in summer his almost perpendicular rays on the
marshy banks of the upper Rhine, the malady is
blended with general decrepitude and imbecility of in
tellect in the miserable Cretins. It was stated that these
maladies were averted by sending children into the moun
tains, and keeping thera there till they had arrived at a
certain age. If such be the fact, a vulgar idea of the
diseases proceeding from the use of snow water must be
incorrect. It is more probable that hep-t acting upon
moisture is a pre-disposing cause.
We went to the library, the museum of Levator,
and one or two other things that are visited by strangers.
The outward appearance of the town is striking and very
pleasing — thehouses being as white as .snow, with fre
quently green window shutters. Every house is covered
with stucco, wbich looks as if it had been newly white
washed, while there is no smoke to tarnish the purity of
virgin whiteness ; and the painting of the shutters seems
quite recent, and without a stain— but the exterior op
houses in Svritzerland is commonly pleasing. There are
some delightful promenades, and the views frora the
ramparts are bewitching. Even from L'Epee, the hotel
at which we put up, there is a grand prospect over the

51
lake, of hills rising one above another to the rank of
mountains, and terminating at the extreme distance in
the majestic glaciers of Grindenwald and Lautenbrun,
with others of equal magnitude.
Tuesday. Took leave of Zurich, and came to
Eglisau on the Rhine to breakfast. We had now per
vaded Switzerland in different directions, and were not
remote from Basle where we had entered it. T was much
concerned to be upon the point of withdrawing from a
country that affords such scope to reflection and obser
vation, without passing through the cantons of Ury, of
Glarus, and other districts to the east of the lake of Lucerne ;
but the season was too far advanced for the enjoyment of
such scenery, and even for travelling in those regions^
We breakfasted in the Salle a manger, in company with
an agreeable English party, a lady and two gentlemen —
one of them her husband. The name every body would
wish to carry in his pocket. We believed him to be the
highly respectable cashier of a public body, the greatest
banking establishment in the world. The other was her
brother, who gave us good information with respect to
some part of our future journey. After breakfast we
took the road to Sehaff Hansen, and within less than a
league of that place we quitted our carriage to follow a
path which soon conducted us to the fall of the Rhine,
the great object of our visit. Before the carriage had
stopped we had been made sensible of its propinquity

52
for some time by the roaring ofi. the water. Curiosity
had been raised too high, as is often the case with respect
to the grand features of nature, and some degree of dis
appointment is the residi. It is, however, very magni-
ficient, and at times must appear much grander than at
preseuit, when from tlse absence of heavy rains for a
length of t\M&, or of recent snow melting upon the
vui-vmimfis,. the river is low^ Madame Roland's contrast
of this with the fall of Strabbach is very characteristic.
Having sent, our carriage forward, we walked to Schaff
Hansen, and put up foe the nighl at the Crown, where
there were two fine young men who had lately returned
from England, to which they had been sent to acquire
the language. They were the .sons, of the leind^lord, and
acting as waiters: to their father's inn. It appeared that
theii tiine liad not been misspent. They spoke with
facility^ andi evinced much information on many points.
Wednesday.. Wet went over the bridge upon the Rhine,
and proceeded tO) Constance along the $oul]iem bank
of the riveui. which in. some ^rt of its. conFse> is swelled
into the dimoansionsi q£ a^ lake. In Constance there is
not ranch t@ engage attention. Tlie lake is ol great
extent,, and tteefore les&paofanuttsqne than others of
smaller expance- ; and the German side is flabin com-
pari^n with the country on the opposite side. We
f^unda veary gODdthjcmae inthe^prinoipHl inn,withanintel-
lig€^|L landlord^^ whawast.^rnesiin giving useful iofbr^

53
mation, but knew how to set value upon his attentions
by the charges in his bill,
Thursday. Having determined to take the road to
Munich, we went in a carriage across the bridge over the
Rhine, or what is perhaps termed the extremity of the
lake, to a feriry, about the distance of a league.
We wejre there received into a barge which conveyed us
over the northern branch of the lake to Morsburg. The
distance was four oc five miles, and we arrived in an?
hour and a quarter. The bargemen were very inexpert,
in erabarking the carriage, so as to cause serious fear;^
for its being injured : the expence was considerable',- and
raust have rested upon our voiturier ;, but as it did not
come exactly within the coraraon calculations of con^»
geucieSy we took it upen ourselves. Every considerate^
person will soraetiraes relax from the strict letter of an
engagement, in favour of the poor. We breakfasted at
Markdoff', which is about two leagnes farther, and went
on to- sleep a-t Bavenspurg, a considemble towffi with- »
main street of ample breadth. There are some hi^ and-
curious spires in it: one of tiiem is on the side of an'
abrupt hill which overlooks the townr,- and from the top
of which there is a magnificent view of the distant Alpi$
beyond the lake, on the eastern and northern range.^
One mountain in particular appears very remote,- but
superbly grand : our ina i& tbe Poste.

54
Friday. After leaving Ravenspurg, we went near to
an immense convent, looking like a great palace, at
Aldorf. We continued our journey through a country
not so luxuriant and beautiful as the low land in Swit
zerland, and deficient in division, like the territory in
France ; but by no means wanting in agreeable features.
The process of haymaking is particular: the grass that
has been recently cut is not put up into solid cocks, as
is customary in most countries, but raised into heaps
collected around crucial sticks, upon which it is sus
pended as a hollow cock, penetrable to air, so as to be
less likely to suffer from rain in wet weather, while it is
susceptible of benefit from the atmosphere when dry.
The appearance was singular, and unaccountable till it
was explained. For some days the quantities of fruit
trees, especially of small pears, which are used for
preserving, and perhaps for fermentation, has appeared
extraordinary. Hop plantations are not unfrequent, and
beer is a common beverage. We have looked with
astonishment at the quantities of colchicum, of which
the pretty flower gives ornament to every field. My
friend, who has experienced the benefit of it in lumbago,
thinks himself always secure when he has it in view
Having stopped to breakfast at a place called Willfig,we
went on to sleep at Menninghen, beyond the I Her, one
of the feeders of the Danube. It is a nasty town where
the inn was the worst we had entered.

55
Saturday. We have been moving in Suabia, through
small portions of Baden and Wirtemberg into Bavaria ;
but I am not quite certain at what place Bavaria com
mences. As the language of the people is German it is
not easy to gain any information from them ; and we
suffer much inconvenience from our ignorance of their
money. Saturday. Got an excellent breakfast of caffe au lait,
with beautiful bread and good butter, at Mendlehum, at
an expence of less than nine-pence each. We have
been astonished at the lowness of charges for two days.
The town is respectable, but appears as if it were the
focus of Catholicism. On the outside of every house, I
may almost say without exception, there are pictures of
the Virgin, of crucifixions, of martyrdoms, with many
disgusting images. Superstition must be in great force
where such objects are perpetually meeting the eye : the
exhibition is not gratifying to persons that hold it in
contempt, and can see that the professed adoration of
divinity, or divine essence, was calculated for the am
bition and interest of particular descriptions here below.
We proceeded after breakfast over an extensive plain to
Lansberg for the night. It is a considerable town on
the Lech, romantic in situation, with good houses and
spacious streets. The atmosphere being clear, we have
had a very remote, but most superb view of the snowy

56
AlpiS, in a prodigious ridge of CHontinuation towards the
Tyro^ Sunday, $ept> 28th. Breakfasted at Inning, a neat
village with a very nice inn, near the lake Anmer. We
went on to sleep at Phiffhjofern. The country continues
well cultivated, with ample cloathing of venerable oaks,
that have been looking around them for several cen
turies. Monday. Arrived to breakfast at Munich, very much
pleased with the entrance of the city, and its general
appearance. The houses are handsome, and some of
them superb. They are, as at Zurich, commonly white
washed, with shutters painted green; the streets are
sufficiently broad, well lighted, and paved ; the people
well dressed. The female costurae of the head not
unbecoraing ; the hair being plaited and put up under a
kind of filligree sraall cap of gold or silver net- work
which is attached by hair-pins to the back part of the
head. The streets are free from beggars, by which it is
stated to have been extremely infested before it came
under the regulations of Count Romford. That man
had genius to which we are even indebted in England,
and practical improvement was the object of it. Some
of the churches are upon a scale oi immense magnitude,
but not worthy of being distinguished for any other per
fection.

57
Tuesday. We passed the day at Munich, and were
very much satisfied with the employment of our tirae.
There is not any thing to admire in the exterior of the
king's palace ; but the furnishing is superb. The dis
play of diamonds and other precious stones in the
regalea, and in little catholic ivory chapels of admirable
workmanship — of pearls of the highest order — of gold
fabrics of various kinds — of beSutiful tapestry, and of
curtains of the finest velvet, so rich in embroidery that it
had the appearance, and almost the weight of massy
gold or silver, were surveyed by us with astonishment.
The musseum of natural history is a grand collection.
The promenades are beautiful, especially in what is called
the English Garden, which for an extent of several miles
is laid out with the highest taste. There is an extraor
dinary collection of exotics in the capacious green-house
of the botanical garden ; and the garden itself, when
compleated, will be on a most comprehensive scale.
The palace of Prince Eugene is remarkable for its ele
gant simplicity in architecture ; and the offices appear in
a corresponding style. Munich is a city little visited,
and on that account few persons are aware how much it
is worthy of being seen. We were fortunate enough to
have a very good view of the King and Queen, with the
Princesses ; also of the Prince Royal of Prussia, who is
to be married to the Princess Eliza. They were stated
to be much esteemed by their subjects. Catholic em-
I

58
blems continue to abound even in Munich, and are the
only tarnish to its exterior neatness.
Wednesday. We resolved now upon turning towards
the Tyrol, and taking the road to Inspruck, got to break
fast at Walfartshausen upon the Isar, the river which
runs by Munich. It is a town consisting of one street,
clean, and wide, and bf great length. We proceeded
along a country, which bore testimony to industry in
agriculture, to Coningstorff, a small town in the middle
of a most extensive plain.
Thursday. We continued our journey along the plain,
and passed near to a pretty lake at the foot of moun
tains, which may be regarded as the primary chain of the
Tyrol. The ascent commences, and it is very steep, by
a road otherwise good, with considerable water falls
by the side. When arrived at the highest part of that
portion of the road, we descended a little way to
another lake of larger measurement, and very beautiful,
being surrounded by elevated ridges, having very lofty
summits covered with pines to the top.5 The name, as well
as that of the village where we breakfasted, was Walchen
or Wallersee. The lesser lake that we had seen at the
bottora was Kapler. Delicious small fish, having the
flavour of fresh herring was put before us. It was the
same kind as that which had been served up to us at

59
Evian, where it went by the name Farralh. We were
surprized to find a flavour like that of herring, or of a mild
sprat, in the produce of a fresh water lake. The situa
tion of Wallersee is altogether delightful. The level
ground around the lake, and in a plain, in which after
ascending again for a short time we went down to a
doubling of the same lake, which has passed round the
corner of the hill, gave beautiful testimony of fine
pasture, clean and free from weeds ; and having numerous
herds and flocks feeding upon its verdant surface. It
was raatter of astonishment to see such excellent grazing
land at a height of raore than three thousand feet above
the level of the sea ; an altitude perhaps nearly equal to
that of the highest mountain in England. It was pleasing
to observe the capaciousness and apparent comfort of
the habitations, the decency of the inhabitants, and the
signs of perfect civilization among people so far removed
from the traffic of the busy world. We continued our
journey between the mountains along a valley, in which
the houses were of wood, as at Grindenwald, to Metten-
wald, where we took quarters for the night.
There is a peculiarity in the houses, that of having a
wooden gallery around the house on the first floor, for
they have generally two stories ; and that gallery shaded
by the roof projecting over the line of the sides that sup
ports it. The inns are commonly clean, and the provision
such as may give satisfaction to travellers who should

60
not expect the delicacies of a Parisian restaurateur
between the cliffs of the Tyrolian Alps ; but the lodging
is not comfortable from the want of blankets or quilt ;
for which is substituted a feather bed, under which you
must be stewed with an intolerable weight upon you, or
be contented to lie shivering under a single sheet. It is
marvellous that a custom so deficient in comfort should
prevail where nothing else is wanting to make the abode
respectable ; and where economy cannot be the motive,
as the expence must be greater than would be that of
rugs or coverlets. I am informed that the complaint
might be extended to the roads over a great part of
Germany. In no situation could travellers find more
advantage from having carried blankets along with them,
as the beds are in other respects good ; yet there is much
inconvenience in bulk of baggage ; and persons who are
prudent in their arrangements for a journey, feel unwil
ling to carry much beyond the necessary cloathing, and
the grand essential, that ample supply of linen that may
be adequate to daily comfort. They will usually find at
their places of destination whatever is necessary for the
intercourse they wish to maintain.
Friday. We breakfasted at Seefel, and after having
mounted for some time to the summit of that range,
began to descend into the vaUey of the Inn, which
coming down from the Grisons conducts into Austria,
and carries its waters to the Danube, The road by

61
which we came down is extremely rugged and steep. —
We found the valley rich in cultivation, especially in
Indian corn — we continued along it to Inspruck, and
put up at L'Aigle DOr. The general appearance of
the town is agreeable — the streets are wide, and the
houses handsome, with a superabundance of ornament,
perhaps not very classic. The people were decently
dressed, without any particular costume. The situation
in sheltered by superb mountains to the north and to
the south, in comparison with which it raight be con
sidered very low — but is itself highly elevated, I believe
not less than sixteen or seventeen hundred feet above
the level of the sea. The charges at the hotel were
considerable — but it is to be recollected that every thing
that is not the produce of the valley, of which the scale
must be very limited, is of necessity brought from a
great distance, at a heavy expense of carriage, over
widely-spreading mountains ; or by the lengthening road
which runs down the valley into Germany.
Saturday. Soon after setting Out from Inspruck, we
passed the ground where the gallant but unfortunate
Hoffer distinguished himself, when he rouzed the ever
loyal inhabitants of the Tyrol against their invading
enemies ; and proceeding by a road ou which ascending
{md descending were alternate, and which was often
carried on the verge of frightful precipices, we arrived
to breakfast at Steinach in a bottom. After this there is

62
a regular and long continued ascent, in which the accli
vity is moderate, to the summit level of the road over
the Bremer. We saw with surprise beautiful cultivation
on the sides of the mountain, and corn land on ground
that was almost the highest. We had now reached the
summit of the grand Tyrolian range in that quarter, and
should from situation have commanded magnificent
views of raountains adjacent and remote, but the day
was not favourable. Excursions in Alpine regions should
be made in earlier season. We soon found ourselves
descending, and observed the running waters taking a
southern direction towards Italy. A stranger who has
heard much of that country, which has occupied in so
great degree the page of history, and of which he has
perhaps often endeavoured to draw a picture in his mind,
wiU feel some degree of emotion when be first gets Sight
of even an insignificant rivulet bending its course, which
nothing ceul impede, to the fancy-decked plains of the
desired land. We rested for the night at La Couronne
at Sterzing, where the dinner was good, the accommo
dation very suitable, and the attendant a beautiful young
woman. Headers .who have experienced the gratification
of being waited upon by juvenile females, of agreeable
q,ppearance and deportment, will not be disgusted with
the recurrence of compliment to their prettiness and
attention.. If they have Jsept a diary of their ovra move
ments, they will pjobably find that such accomplishments
have not passed unnotieed.

03
The young Tyrolian women are esteemed handsome
in general, with fine open oval countenances, clear skins,
and good complexions — but they are often strangely
disfigured by dress. They wear abominable worsted
night caps, rising into a cone with spangles above the
head, and coming down to the eyes and over the ears ;
their petticoats are bulky and short, with prominent
artidcial hips, and stockings of a deep red colour. Our
pretty waiting-maid was not so attired, but looked like
modesty gifted with intelligence, and with neatness and
simplicity in her dress. The garb of the men is also
extraordinary, and almost the only specimen of costume
that has hitherto occurred in the masculine gender; They
wear large broad hats, with shining buckles in the band.
They have short coats buttoned half way down their
waists, with facings of narrow silk lace. The effect is
altogether singulan
Sunday, Oct. 5. We continued moving 'dowhwards
in a narrow valley between lofty mountaiiis,' by the side
of a river which first springs from the Brenner sooii after
the descent has commenced.- It bursts 'forth' an incon
siderable stream, which is increasing in every furlong
of its course. It is here the Etsch, and appears sOOn to
take the name of the Adige, ¦^hieh-iuvs ir^o th&Adriatio
at no great distance from Venice. We breakfasted at
Brixin;' 9,iiA went on to sleep at Kolman — ^plaees- not
entitled to any particular' notice. In the progresrs of

64
descent, the sides of the valley are improving in verdure
and fecundity till vineyards begin to appear, and other
symptoms of approximation to Italy. Indian corn
continues abundant, and there are numerous fields, of
bled de Sarracins, or Buck wheat. The hotel at Kolman
is indifferent — it is also crowded and noisy on account
of a fair that is to be held to-morrow. It is an evening
of merriment and uproar. I have looked on upon the
fantastical dancing of the lads and the lasses in their
grotesque habiliments.
Monday. We pursued our journey to breakfast at
Botzen or Balsano — the road during the whole extent
being in a narrow defile along the river. On each side
there are prodigious precipices, and the valley so narrow
as only to leave room for the road itself, which is often
cut out of the rock. This extraordinary dell, to the
description of which language is unequal, widens into
an extensive and beautiful plain, which is wholly a series
of vineyards, in the centre of whicb stands the town of
Botzen — a place of considerable magnitude, and con
taining many capital houses. We put up at the great
hotel La Couronne de Casar. From Botzen the valley
continues spacious, but flanked by grand mountains
covered with beautiful foliage to their summits — and the
eye on turning back settles upon glaciers of the most
magnificent kind — ^upon distant raountains appearing
equal in altitude to the loftiest of the Alpine tribe. We

65
went on to sleep at Newmarket, a small town with
arcades on each side, as is very common in this country,
and found good accommodation at L'Agneau. A woman
that attended upon us was very diligent in her duties as
a waiting-maid, but took some advantage of our want of
acquaintance with the coin of the country, in the settle
ment of the bill. In the course of this day's journey
nothing could appear more extraordinary than the
abruptness of downright precipices of incalculable
height — the boldness of many summits of the barest
rock — the richness of natural plantation on others of
almost equal altitude — the beautiful specimens of
cultivation on inclined planes rising up in many instances
near to the region of snow, and the grand display of
towering glaciers in the remote view.
Tuesday. Continued our journey by side of the
Adige, always descending, but in very gentle degree,
to Trent, a considerable town, in which we took break
fast. We followed the progress of the valley to
Roverido, a city of a still better description, where we
rested for the night. We experience a change in the
temperatureof the air that gives foreboding of an Italian
atmosphere. Wednesday. The raorning journey of this day was
over a country of raiserable aspect. Instead of moun
tains verdant with trees, and intermediate vallies to
K

66
which industry has been applied with the best effect, we
have been passing by the bases of stupendous masses of
rugged and towering rock, while the intervening spaces
were covered with enormous masses of granite, or other
fragments of splintered mountain spread around for
raany miles, and which must have been ejected by
earthquake or volcanic explosion. We breakfasted at
Borghetto, a very miserable village, near tbe boundary
where Italy commences. The termination of the defile
is most extraordinary. The valley that for a hundred
miles has never exceeded ten railes in breadth, and has
often been contracted to half a raile, with the Adige
pursuing its course between the stupendous ramparts
that are parallel to it, is at last confined to the mere
breadth of the river for a considerable space, with
exception only of room for the road, for which the solid
rock has been hewn down on one side, without one foot
of vacant ground on the other. The lateral, continued,
and perpendicular precipices rise up to the height of
many hundred feet The road is now of sufficient
breadth with a parapet; but is stated to have been of a
most appaling aspect. From this most singular pass,
in which the Adige, now become a great river, is con
fined, and which high in the air is no broader than on
the level of the water, the impending sides bein"- not
only direct precipices for the most part, but in some
instances hanging over the river, we found ourselves at
once in the expanding plains of Italy, leaving behind us

67
the mountains which had gradually been diminishing in
altitude. For a little tirae there is not rauch appearance
of fertility ; but after a few railes the surface begins to
iraprove, and in about two hours the road conducted us
through rich plantations of vines and mulberries across
the Adige to Verona — a city long celebrated in the pages
of history, and of our immortal Bard.
Thursday. Verona is a splendid city upon the Adige,
beautifuUy situated near to a contiguous range of hills.
We passed this day in it, and went round to the objects
that were most interesting to strangers. The remains of
the ancient amphitheatre exhibit a noble specimen of
Roman grandeur. There are good pictures and other
productions of the fine arts in some of the churches and
chapels. The rauseura is rich in natural curiosities,
raore especially in extraordinary petrifactions, which ara
obtained frora the Rocca, one of the adjoining hills.
The remains of an ancient bridge are worthy of obser
vation : the modern theatre is grand, but was not open
for performances. The tomb of the Scaligers is a display
of curious workmanship. We neglected to see what is
considered the sarcophagus of Juliet, which is not other
wise worthy of notice than for the enthusiastic interest
excited by the enchanting heroine of Shakspear's muse :
our lackey, uninfluenced by a siraUar feeling, did not
carry us to the spot, when in our range about the city
we were near it. It is stated to be an insignificant

68
chest of stone, almost sunk into the ground in a garden,
without any corresponding picture of the tomb of the
Capulets. But nothing can be insignificant that calls to
recollection the loves and sorrows, the raptures and
affections, of the inimitable patterns of youthful passion.
An admirer of Shakspeare when in this city will also
call to mind the more gratifying issue of the perplexities
and delusions of the Two Gentlemen of Verona.
Friday, I felt much inclination to go to Venice, but
my fellow-traveller had been there on the preceding year,
and was most anxious for very important letters, which
he expected at Milan, There was so much readiness of
accommodation in him on all occasions, from an earnest
desire to render the excursion equally agreeable and
convenient to both parties, that no reluctance was ex
pressed ; but I was aware of his raost urgent reasons for
wanting intelligence from home, and could not for the
gratification of myfelf alone feel inclined to cause the
delay of a week, which would have been necessary to
bring us back to Verona. I affected to be indifferent
with respect to Venice, although it is admitted to be one
of the prime objects of interest in Italy, Instead there
fore of going eastward, we turned to the west towards
the capital of Lombardy, and went to breakfast at Dis-
enzana. The hotel La Posta, which from its cloistered
court may be supposed to have been devoted at some
period to the purposes of religion, does not promise

69
ranch in appearance, but is delightfully situated at the
southern extremity of Laco de Garda, and commands
an admirable prospect over one of the most extensive
and beautiful lakes in Italy, Our breakfast was de
licious : with caffi au lait two kinds of fried fish were
sent up, of which one was like to a large trout, ap
proaching to the redness and flavour of salmon, and the
other a sraall fish with the herring flavour, which we had
ta.sted on two tbrmer occaions, and which here were
called Sardinias. We concluded the first to be a par
ticular fish, mentioned in accounts of this country as
abounding in the lake, and much extolled by ancient
epicureans. The ground from Verona has hitherto been
gravelly, but begins to come nearer to the appearance
of what one expects in Italiem soil. We went on to
sleep to Pont St. Marco, a wretched town where the inn
is indifferent ; but the beds appeared clean, and the
people were civil. In the early part of the day we
passed through Peschiara, a very strong fortification,
with the Mindo, or channels drawn from that river,
surrounding it,
Saturday. We breakfasted at a wretched house
at Ospaletto, an insignificant place, having passed
through the large city of Brescia without stopping
in it. It is worthy of being surveyed, but we were
earnest to get forward, so as to get to Milan the
next day. We went on to sleep at Antignate, where

70
appearances were not very favourable ; but the accom
modation and entertainment at a sign, which translated
is the Well, were better than could have beeen expected.
Sunday, October 12th. We breakfasted at La Posta,
in Cassano, a very pretty town finely situated by the
side of a river — I believe the Adda. The currents of
Lombardy ecre much swollen by excessive rains for two
days. We have seen much pasture land in the course
of this day's journey, with less appearance of vines and
of mulberries. There have been extensive crops of
Indian corn, and of reeds, of which the tops are used
for brooms : willows and poplar, which do not contribute
much to the ornaraent of a country, have been the
general arborage; as being very rapid in growth they are
convenient for fire-wood, on grounds which arc too
valuable to be allotted to plantation raerely. The trees
are in rows, which make no impediraent to the cultivation
of the surface. We arrived to dinner at La Grande
Bretagne at Milan. I was immediately recognised by
the people of the house, where I had passed some days
on my former excursion, and was even congratulated on
my return by the washerwoman, who is generally one of
the first persons for whora a traveller will raake enquiry,
when he raeans to be stationary for a day or two.
Monday. Milan is a fine city with streets, of which
many are narrow; but they are all clean and uncom-

71
monly well paved. The buildings in general have a
respectable front, and many of them are superb. No
thing was new to rae here, and indeed, there is not a
great deal to be seen. The cathedral is a raost extra
ordinary edifice, whicb will bear many repetitions of
examination. The church of St. Alessandre, in its in
terior, is an elegant specimen of architecture, and
highly ornamented. The grand Opera-house, La Seala,
is a most magnificent theatre. I was much gratified by
the representations in the evening.
Tuesday. Being intent upon seeing Como, not only for
its admired scenery, but the celebrity of the place on
account of other circumstances, we put ourselves into
our carriage at an early hour, and got there to breakfast.
The principal object of interest to us was the late
Queen's house, the Villa D'Este. It is on the west side
of the lake about five miles distant from Como. We
proceeded to it in a boat, with four rowers, who were so
rauch accustoraed to carry strangers to the spot that
they puUed up to the house without enquiring our plea
sure. It stands upon the very verge of the water. The
situation is roraantic but solitary. The house and gar
dens give evidence of ingenuity and taste ; a small
Theatre is elegantly shaped and beautifully adorned.
An abrupt mountain rises up iraraediately behind the
house, with a torrent descending as a grand cascade,
at this time very grand from excessive rains; the water

72
of which passes through the garden. A walk traced in
a fanciful manner is carried up to some height upon the
aclivity, and brought down by a circuitous course in a
different direction. The level ground between the raoun
tain and the lake is very narrow, but .arranged in good
stile with olive and orange trees, rare productions in
Lprabardy, growing upon it, I was disappointed with
respect to the environs, having expected to find a con
siderable level along the sides of the lake in general,
either carrying beantiful verdure on its surface, or
tastefully distributed into groves ; whereas in most
places the base of the hills shoots up from the edge of
water, seldom leaving even such an insignificant space
of smooth ground as that which surrounds the Villa
D'Este, On surveying this raeraorable villa, raelancholy re
flections were unavoidable ; one could not help thinking
of the joyous days that may have been passed in it
during the period of transporting indiscretion, and the
ultimately miserable terraination of the lamentable
existence of the unfortunate proprietor. If there was
culpability resulting from the too ardent impulse of
sensual exciteraent, it raust not be forgotten, in com
passion to the ill-fated princess, that there had been
much provocation frora deliberate iU usage and neglect ;
and that she became an object as much to be pitied as
to be condemned. Who, without indignation, can reflect

78
upon the abominable treachery of a reverend betrayer,
who, soon after her first introduction, delivered up the
confidential letters lo her friends, that had been intrusted
to bim, to her persecuting enemies? The woman to
whose charge the house is committed, with becoming
attention to injunctions that had been laid upon her,
would not conduct us to the bedchamber of the princess.
We were not made acquainted with what had been the
arrangements for the night ; every other part of the house
was open to our inspection.
The morning had been fine, but the day began to be
very much overcast, so that without proceeding higher
up the lake for the purpose of gaining a view of the
upper part of it, cut off by a promontary beyond us,
and of the lofty mountains that hang over it, we were
under the necessity of returning speedily to Como. A
very high inundation was increasing in the lower part of
the town and had reached the cathedral. Our hotel wras
the Crown, and the accommodation very good ; another
hotel situated nearer to the lake was inaccessable, being
surrounded by water.
Wednesday. On the right of Como, and iraraediately
above the town to the cast, is the mountain Bruinza,
which 1 ascended after breakfast. The path is very
steep, but well designed, and paved with round pebbles
to the summit, of which the perpendicular height may be
L

74
about half a mile. The exertion was laborious, but the
recompencc would have been ample on a clear day.
The general prospect was circumscribed by the thickness
of the atmosphere, and the labour was thrown away.
We returned to Milan. Incessant rain in the evening,
and information that the bridge of boats at Placentia is
broken down by the floods which have swelled the Po
into a sea.
Thursday. Confined chiefly to the house, but passed
some part of the day in the cathedral and other churches.
Went to see the antient church of St. Lorenzo, with the
venerable columns that arc contiguous to it, and from
the situation and description of which, it may be con
cluded to have been a temple of great magnitude. Had
the pleasure of meeting some friends, and dined with
them at the Croce de Malta, where there is an excellent
Table D'Hote, over which the landlady who presides, is
a fine woman, and has the appearance of a gentle
woman. Went in the evening to the Scala, with a lady
and her accomplished daughters.
Friday and Saturday. Detained at Milan by
statements of the Po being impassable. Our tirae was
devoted to such objects as might seem entitled to our re
gard. One of these is the arena, made after ihe fashion
of the antient ampi-theatres for grand public exhibitions.
It is very capacious, but certainly could not contain the

75
number, thirty-six thousand, for which they gave it
credit. Every body had heard of the famous picture,
fhe Last Supper, of Leonardi da Vinci in the refectory
of St, Maria de Graces— as it is on the outside of the
city I did not go to see it. By neglect and ill usage it
had suffered so rauch injury as to require repairs that
make it a modern picture, which cannot be viewed with
the interest that would attach to the celebrated original
production of the distinguished master whose name it
bears. The unfinished triumphal arch of Napoleon
is also at a little distance ; I had seen it when I was last
at Milan, 1 went every night to the opera, and always
with equal gratification. Both the opera and the ballet
are in the first stile of excellence. Upon three succeed
ing nights I saw the same entertainments, and was not
sated by repetition, Balachi, a principal female per
former in the comic opera is a plain and insignificant
figure, but a capital singer, and actress. The Corps de
Ballet, is not of the extraordinary strength of that at
Paris, but well selected. In the Baccanali Aboliti, a
most interesting story from Livy, Pellerini, played tbe
part of a young Roman Bacchanalian, who by successful
exertion rescues her lover from the horrible designs of
the wicked crew ofwhich she herself was a member,
and by whose insidious orgies he was on the brink of
being captivated to his own meditated destruction. She
accomplishes the punishment, and dispersion of an abo
minable combination, who under the sanction of the

76
Sacred privilege of priestcraft, the most savage tyrann^
when it is abused, pursued their mysteries in defiance
of consular authority, and sacrificed in the dark, td
their caprice or their avarice, whoever was obnoxious
to them. There never wias more expression in dumb
shew, which when it is well given is more affecting than
dialogue or narrative; as there are many situations to
the representation of which all language is unequal.
Such is that of Gabrieli de Vergy, a favourite ballet at
this theatre, when the heart of her slaughtered lover is
stent to her by her jealous husband. Such is that of a
subject with which we are more conversant in England,
Louisa in the Deserter, when recovering from her swooui
she recollects the pardon that she had put into her
bosom, and has reason to fear that execution may have
passed upon the object of her affection before it can be
produced. How tame is the sing-song piece at our com
mon theatres to the emotion that was excited by a
Hille$berg at the opera house,
Sunday, October I'Oth, The weather had been imi
proving for two days, and this day being very fine, the
Corso and Promenade were most brilliantly filled before
dinner. The Duke of Devonshire, the Marquis of Hast
ings, the Downshire family, and othei: distinguished fo
reigners were on the ground. The Sunday appears to be
decently kept. Business of every kind has been
suspended and the churches have been well filled. The

77
people have appeared well dressed. In the evening th^
opera, plays, puppet-shows, go on, as is customary in
Catholic countries. There is here an exhibition of pup
pets — the Marionetts — as large as life. Some people
can be amused by it — An inspection of ten minutes was
sufficient for me.
Monday, The atmosphere appearing settled we left
Milan, and went to breakfast at the Sun at Lodi, a place
that must be for ever interesting, on account of the
memorable bridge, the action upon which was the founda
tion of Bonaparte's future glory. We are in the centre
of the Parmasan cheese country, and have seen immense
herds of very beautiful cows, feeding upon fine pastur
age. The breed of cows for milk, and that by which the
oxen for draught is furnished, are of very different de
scriptions. I do not know where the last are bred, as
I am not aware that I have seen any of the cows ; but
the oxen are generally of a light grey colour approach
ing to white, elegantly formed, with great apparent
strength, and tremenduous horns. We continued our
journey to Casal Pustellingo, where we slept at Le tre
Rhe. Tuesday, We were doubtful whether we should
venture to cross the Po in a boat to Placentia,
or take the circuitous road by Cremona and Mantua ;
but carriages having arrived that had come over the

78
River, we followed the direct road, and made the^
passage in a barge without difficulty or danger. In
Placentia we stopped to breakfast at Le tre Genasse, or
Three Jaw Bones, an extraordinary, but not uncommon
sign in this district. There is nothing particular in the
city — the streets are narrow, with many large unseemly
houses that are called palaces. The cathedral is of
great size, but in no respect commanding adrairation.
There are two fine equestrian statues of the Farnese
Family in the great Market-place. We went on to sleep
at La Croce Bianca at Farionzola. The land on each
side of the road has appeared as a garden in richness of
soil and cleanness of dressing. Irrigation is much
practised in Lombardy as a means of manuring
the land. The whole country is intersected by numerous
streams, which come down from the mountains, and to
the north of the Po are generally above the level of the
common surface. By little channels from these, it is an
easy matter to let down the water upon the whole surface.
We have noticed much contrivance for irrigation in
various other parts of our journey — as it contributes
greatly to fertility, it may be thought to be too little
attended to in England ; but the frequent inequality of
the surface does not allow much scope for it. I appre
hend that there is more water in Lombardy than is
compatible with the salubrity of the air. A tendency to
Goitars appears to be not uncommon, although the
disease does not shew itself in hideous shape, as in some

79
parts of Switzerland. We have got within view of the
Appenines, of which the great range to the southward
has been in sight during the day, while the snowy Alps
continue to form the superb termination of our northern
view. Wednesday. We set off early and got to breakfast
at II Atbergo Imperiale de Pavone at Parma. We went
round, as I had done before, to the objects of interest —
the toUette of the young Bonaparte, as displayed at his
christenii^ — ^the antiquities, chiefly from Villeia, a city
overwhelmed by a fall of Appenines in the fourth
century — the pictures and statues in the Royal Gallery,
comprehending the admirable Holy Family of St. Jerome
by Corregio, with other invaluable productions of that
celebrated Master — the antient Opera House falling to
decay, while a superb new Theatre is in progress — the
Cathedral, in which there are Frescos of Corregio — the
Stoecata, a raagnificent Church-^-the old Theatre is
entirely of wood, and was, I believe, the construction of
Vignola, It is of immense size ; and in beauty of ap
pearance, as well as in effect with respect to hearing and
seeing, it is acknowledged to have been one of the
happiest combinations of science. I waited for some
time in front of the palace to see Maria Louisa go out
in her carriage, and got an imperfect view of her, 1 saw
her again at the play-house in the evening, but although
near to her in situation, I had to lament that, from the

80
nature of the corner in which she sat, her face was
turned to another direction. From such indistinct obser
vation as I was able to make, I would say tbat she is as
interesting in appearance as she is in condition. She
has made herself very popular by her attention to the
people, and by public works which she has accom
plished, A magnificent new bridge of amazing extent
has been thrown by her over a torrent that was often
dangerous, and the construction of the new Theatre is
going on at ber expense. Theatres are essential towards
keeping the people in good humour, and Avith amuse
ment to their leisure time, both in France and Italy, They
furnish much more harmless evening recreation than
publip houses so much resorted to in this country.
Thursday. We continued our journey to Reggio,
where we breakfasted at La Posta. The Museum of
Natural History collected by Spallazani, is opposite to
the Inn, and deserving of a traveller's attention. There
is not much more in the town about which he need give
himself any trouble. We proceeded to sleep at II
Albefgo Reale at Modena — a fine city, with very broad
streets and noble houses, but nothing very curious to
examination. There had been a great collection of
pictures in the palace, but they have been transferred.
There is a tower of extraordinary height appertaining tq
pne of the churches.

81
Friday, Set out for Bologna, and arrived to breakfast
about noon at Albergo Imperiale, a very good house —
but of Inns we have not had reason to complain on the
road from Milan; at Parma and Modena they were
c3^eUent. In every instance we have stopped at the
houses where I had put up last ypap 1 have had the
satisfaction of being gpnerally recogni^e^, and perhaps
treated with greater civility as a former customer. The
secret of leaving a good or an indifferent pha^racter at an
hotel may be obtained at the trifling cost of something
very insignificant in settling the bill, connected with
civility of manner; but some people will cavil for a
farthing, and seem to delight in being ungracious— they
appear to think that there is dignity in seeraing dissa
tisfied. Persons however having to travel the same
road again, will experience a raatejrial difference from
the nature of thp character that remained bphind them,
and may learn to know that while j;hey were -shewing
their own self-supposed consequence by finding impo
sition in every thing, and thinking nothing good enough,
^hey were roateri^Uy abridging their future comfort.
The road has contiifued through a country shewing
beautiful cultivation, pursued with science and industry
upon the richest soil. "The habitation,s even Cft the com-
nion people are pf a superior kind, ^tid the population
must be very great, as mucb of the road looks like a
(Continuation of villages. The peasants are without
M

82
stockings and shoes, but otherwise decently dressed.
The women, of whora vast numbers are employed in the
fields, have neat straw hats on their heads, and linen
wonderfully clean for their station and the labour in
which they are engaged, as is seen by their shifts
comiag low upon their arms, to which they are the only
covering. The land is so mellow, that a very light
plough, without an iron shoeing, drawn by a single ox,
is sufficient in grounds that are under cultivation. When
the ground is tough, or when fresh land is to be broken
up, the force of two or more oxen is necessary, and tho
lumps or clods arc aflerwaTds broken to pieces by
manual industry. The spade and the hoe in the
hands of both men and women are in common use, and
contribute much to the customary neatness of the last
dressing, which is extremely pleasing to the sight-
especially when the tender blade begins to shew itself
upon the surface. The fields appear as a series of
convex ridges, of about a foot in the bases, with inter*
vening furrows of half that breadth — and the bottoms of
the furrow must be lower than even the roots of the grain
upon the ridge, so as to secure the root from remaining
immersed, and becoming rotted by the water that often
falls in great quantities in Italy. I have not seen the
crops in their full-grown state, but imagine that the
diverging stalks will meet over the furrow so as to leave
little appearance of vacancy, or of a waste of land. The
convexity of narrow ridges may answer the purpose of

83
land draining in' England, a process so necessary, but
attended with so much expense, Tho fields arc usually
very free from weeds, tlic extinction of which must be
effected by assiduous labour, under circumstances where
vegetation is so luxuriant.
Bologna is a very fine city, in which there is much to
be admired. It is of great extent, having spacious
streets wilh arcades on each side over the whole of it.
Several churches are highly worthy of attention. There
arc many superb mansions for public purposes, and
others appertaining to individuals. The collection of
pictures at the Academy of Arts is of the choicest kind ;
several of them bad been carried to Paris and were sent
back after the fall of Napoleon. There are also fine
collections in other palaces. Tvvo of Corregio's in
that of Maresihalche are incomparable — that of the
Saviour, in particular, is perhaps the finest effort of the
pencil that ever was accomplished. We are in the
country of Corregio, and bis productions abound His
Annunciation in the Church of St. Paul is a wonderful
Fresco — ^but it is to be lamented that so much genius
should have been expended in the numerous Frescos of
Italy, which must inevitably go to decay. It is sur
prising that many of them should still remain in a state
not rauch impaired. Bologna is not only rich in
Corregios', but may boast of fine specimens of Raphael,
oi Dominichino, of the Carraces, and of other celebrated

84
Masters. A curious fossil is obtained in the neighbdut-
hood — a stone which by a particular process becomes
phoisphorie, and when exposed to the air, emits light in
the dark; it will rfeta:in the quality for a length of
time. Saturday. Went in the morning to the Campo Sancto
ia la Chartreuse, about a mile and a half from the town.
It is a cemetery almost equally interesting as Pere la
Chaise at Pari^, but Very different in its arrangeraehtj
being artificial aind methodical^ instead of the pleasing
jsimplicity and inattention tb studied division which
suits the pictiireisque and irregular surface of the other
ground. In both thete aire beautiful specimens oif
monumental architecture; The name of Ranti, well
remembered by the frequenters of the Opera, is inscribed
in marble at the Campo Sancto. After breakfast went
over the palace D' Herculdno^ belonging to a noblemaa
bf that denomination, whose daughter is married to tiie
son of Lucien Bonaparte. It is a magnificent buildings
widi a noble jsiiit of apartments^ in which there is a
large coUeietioa of pictures, generally "excellent^ ano
some admirablej such as the Fortuna, ef Guido, Our
ciceroni was an intelligent little ma^, who has pubhshed
an account of pictured at Bol(%na ; the name Zatte, or
Zanotti, "or something Similar: as I am writing on the
following day, and did not take it upon paper, 1 cannot
be correct, but he will be found a valuable guide td

85
travellers through Bologna, and the city is well entitled
to a longer abode than we allotted to it. It was how
ever my third visit, as I had made a partial examination
of it before, both in advancing and returning.
Suiltday. We left Bologna yesterday about noon,
and made a short journey to Pugiola, where we rested
for the night. It is an intermediate st^e between
Pinaro, at the foot of the Appenines, and Logano, when
tbe ascent is completed. It i^ a faalf-way house npon
the jicclivity, near the top of what may be considered
the first ascent of the raountain'; as there are two stages
with a considerable intervening space in the course of
which the roaid desdends zigain much below the level it
had attained. The hotel is not much frequented b^
traveUers, but the accommodation is better than could
have been expected in such a situation. The beds were
very dean, and the landlady, a good looking woma<i>
extremely attentive. The prooeedirig s6 far !apbn the
road, and gaining so much upon the hUl, &akes ihb
journey to Florence very easy for the t^o succeeding
d-ays ; as otherwise it is severe to the sarae horses. It
is common, however, to go the wbole distance from
Bologna within that time. I accomplished it last year
with a single horse, which carried ine and my conducteur
lOver Italy in a handsome little open Caliche,
Having got upon the ridge of the Appenines at

86
Logano, we continued lo follow the course of it for
several miles. The views have been superb in looking
back upon Lombardy, and around us on each side.
The Adriatic is visible frora a portion of the road. We
arrived to breakfast at Pietra Mala, near to which there
is a little volcano. It is an extraordinary phenoraenon,
well worthy of inspection, although the road is rugged.
Over an oblong space of three or four yai'ds in length,
and about half that breadth, there are spots of flame,
perhaps a foot in circumference, that is constantly
ascending, but not always frora the same part of the
surface. It rises up a foot or two, and higher when
there have been heavy rains, or during the falling of
rain. It would appear as if a vapour was perpetually
escaping from the earth to take fire the instant it comes
into contact with the air. The heat upon the inflamed
portions of the surface, especially on one near the centre
where perhaps the flame never ceases, is very con
siderable, and might be applied to the purposes of a
kiln, or to the objects of manufactory, in a part of the
country where the oeconomizing of heat might be a cir
cumstance of consideration. In the manner described
the burning has been perpetuated without ever being for
one monient extinguished, from time beyond all record •
and without any smell of sulphur, any production of
ashes, or any other manifestation of fire.
We descend considerably to Pietra Mala, and after-

87
wards re-ascend, till wc attain the most elevated level
of the road, which here passes around one of the very
high summits of the Appenines. We began again to go
downwards at the poste of Monte Cavello, and continued
in uninterrupted descent, by a road often very steep,
but always well traced, to II Alberge de tre Masches,
an excellent hotel, about a mile short of the poste of
Cafaggiolo. The views upon the road in coming down
from the mountains are most extensive and beautiful;
the situation often very romantic. We are now in the
region of olives, "whose pale green, or rather light blue
leaf, has so much resemblance to a species of willow,
that it is apt to be mistaken for it by the eye of a
stranger unaccustomed to it. The Cyprus tree is be
coming common, and an immense grove of it is situated
opposite to our inn.
. Monday. Made a short stage to Tagliferro to break
fast ; and after ascending the remaining branch of the
Appenines, we gained the captivating view of the
Florentine basin, with the city in the centre, and the
extraordinary amphitheatre of hills covered with vines
and olive trees, and studded with beautiful villas that
must be seen to be cohceived. We went to Feather-
stonhaugh's English hotel at Florence, a house where
English travellers will meet with very good accommo
dation and kind reception, on moderate terms. I
attended the opera at Pergalo in the evening, and was

88
not much gratified. The house and performances did
not appear to advantage after these of Milan.
Tuesday. Passed the early part of the day in writing.
answers to some iraportant letters. Walked before din
ner to the Caccino, a public proraenade with pleasure
grounds by the side of the Arno, at the distance of abou^
a mile from the city. It is the resort of fashion both to
natives and foreigners frpm three to flve o'clock. There
is a handsome pleei^ure house appertaining to the Grand
Du|i:e, who. ia usually on the promenade with sorae of-
his family. The grounds are rather marshy at tbe farther.
extremity. They abound in pheasants, which appear
very small in comparison with thoge of England: the
plumage too of the cocks is very inferior in beauty. Iij
the evening we went to a secpndrrate theatre, the Arrir
chiati, where there was not any thing to gratify but the
earnest exertions df the performers, apd their desire tp
please. The day being a Fetp., the great gallery, the
grand object of attractioi^ at Florence, was shut.
Wednesday. Went to the gallery, q,nd spent four
hours there with much satisfation. Took a view after
wards of some of the principal churches^ The cathedral
with the baptistry and the bell: tower, both adjoining tp
it although; separate buildings, are extraordinary edifices.
There is much to merit attention in the churches of St.
Croix, of St^. Laurent, of St, Mfxria Nouvella, and of

89
L'Annonciade. In all of them there are pictures that
are esteemed good: but I believe it will be admitted
that the finest productions of the great masters are not
in general these that were painted for churches ; and the
subjects are so tortured by their unavoidable adherence
to Catholic superstition, that one often turns from them
with disgust. The ascension, I may almost say the
deification, of the Virgin, and horrible martyrdoras,
are their raost favourite topics. The original . painters
were not only corapelled to put glories over the head of
the holy raother, in opposition to their own better taste
and raore correct judgment, but tho nauseating bigotry
and contemptible depravity of taste of the monkish
multitude, that like slothful slugs crowd about religious
temples, emblazons the deformity by the tinsel of gold
or silver. - There is also a perfect indifference to
anachronism. Nothing is more common than the intro
duction of particular popes to incidents that are
supposed to have occurred some centuries before their
existence, I generally turn away from a picture having
a conspicuous figure in it with a tiara upon his head.
It is not however to be concluded that there are not
in churches many superlative specimens of the powers
of the pencil, or that the papal crown should be an
antidote to just examination in every instance,
I passed some time in a reading room, where English
newspapers are taken in ; a great treat after a long in-
N

90
terval from the time of seeing them. Remained in the
house during a rainy evening.
Thursday. Went to the Museum of Natural History
and Anatomy : the last ought not to be an exhibition
common to the multitude, or at least females should be
excluded. I was surprised to see women earnest in their
attentions, without any apparent feelings of delicacy.
It may be concluded they were not natives of Britain,
If any of our own countrywomen vvere by mistake to
find themselves in the room, I am convinced they would
speedily raake a retreat from it. The gallery and the
reading room occupied the remainder of the day till
dinner time, W«nt in the evening to the Cocomuro
theatre and saw the Baccanali, which I had admired so
much in the shape of a ballet, as a serious opera. The
story was most interestingly conducted, and the prin
cipal performers, a brother and two sisters of the name
of Mariani, and Signora Lappareni, were admirable.
Rosa Mariani is a first-rate singer and actress. Signor
Bianchi too played his part with great effect.
Friday. Passed the day till dinner time at the Pitti
palace, the gallery, aud the reading room. The Pitti
is the residence of the Grand Duke, a fine building of
which the furniture is magnificent, and the collection of
pictures most superb. It is certainly superior to that in
the gallery, with exception of a few in the Tribune, which

91
is an octagon room, where the Venus de Medicis, the
Fornerina of Raphael, the finest Venus of Titian, and
other chef d'oeuvres of the chisel and pencil are pre
served. In the Pitti there is Raphael's admirable Ma-
dona del Seggiola, from which so many hundred copies
have been made. There is also the Vemis of Canova,
concerning which opinions are very different. She does
not appear to advantage after the raost perfect combina
tion of graceful beauty, with divinity, has been witnessed
on the other side of the river. In the evening I went
again to the Arricheati, and soon had enough of it.*-A
night of incessant rain-
Saturday. An English mail that Wias expected, has
not arrived — detained at Florence on that account. A
fete, and the gallery shut. Walked about the town in
the day, and went in the evening tp see the Baccanali
a second time with equal delight as before.
Sunday, November 2d. Waited for the arrival of the
post, and went into the cathedral in the raorning — also
into the baptistry, of which the doors of bronze are of
exquisite workmanship. The interior too is well en
titled to inspection. Left Florence about noon, and
taking the road to Rome by Sienna, went on without
stopping to La Posta at Poggibonzi, where we got a
good dinner, and excellent accommodation for the night.
Two bed rooms are of the beat description, and the pay-

92
ment for them must be on corresponding terms. The
other apartments are not of equal quality so that com
pany arriving late inight not fare so well. The landlady
is a shrewd woman. The road has been very hilly, but
the country shew? that pleasing variety of feature which
results from a succession of hill and dale.
Monday, We proceeded to breakfast at L' Aquila
nera at Sienna, a city which formerly had been of great
magnitude, but is now much reduced in population.
The cathedral is an extraordinary edifice, in whicb there
is much to claim attention without and within. Im
portant parts of the History of the Bible are inlaid upon
the pavement, and remain after a long lapse of time in
singular preservation. There is a fine statue of the
Magdalen in one of the lateral chapels; and in a
room on the opposite side there is a marble groupe of
the Graces, which must have been admirable. It is much
dilapidated, but still in its mutilated state it carries
evidence of extraordinary beauty and elegance. The
figures stand in a line with arms entwined — that on each
side presenting a front, and the other a back view. They
are much under the full size. The head of one of them
is wanting. There are objects of curiosity at Sienna
that might be worth the expence of a day ; but the Hotel
does not hold out promise of very convenient quarters.
We went on to sleep at Torrienera, making an extra
ordinary stage to arrive at a house where I had met

93
civility on my former visit, and was now kindly received.
The Hotel was La Posta, being the only one in a small
village, but the lodging and treatment were good, and
the bill so moderate, that we made an addition to it in
payment to the landlady, a jolly good-looking woman,
over and above the customary gratuity to the waiting
maid. Tuesday. A severe ascent, for which additional
borses were put on to St. Quirico. Breakfasted at La
Scala, a solitary house on a verdant spot between St.
Quirico and Recorsi. The situation is pretty, and the
appearance of the house might be supposed to promise
weU — ^but the fare was not super excellent. Neither tea,
or coffee, or milk, were to be obtained — we were obliged
to be contented with bad cutlets and wine. We have
never on any occasion had reason to complain of the
bread. I would say, that it has commonly been better
than in England, and that the adulteration of provisions
is no where carried to so great an extent as in our own
country ; yet I am aware that to say so is to make a
severe reflection ; as perhaps one of the most heinous
descriptions of moral dishonesty is the adulteration of
the necessaries oflife. But if we reflect upon the debased
conditions of bread, of beer, of butter, of wine, of spirits,
of tea and coffee, and of many other articles, it is im
possible not to be shocked at the depravity of avarice
which leads to such sophistrations. Even the wax

94
candles upon the Continent should consign to utter
darkness the dealers in England. It is common for tra
vellers, m the John Bull fashion, to endeavour to entrap
the approbation of their readers by invidious com-
parisons to the prejudice of other nations; and the
multitude is disposed to be gratified by detraction and
abuse ; as in general it takes more delight in scandal than
in fair report There is a good deal of this in the other
wise pleasing Diary of an Invalid ; — and there is much
of it in a recent flippant publication of a writer of the
other sex. It must be admitted that we are pre-eminent
in many respects, but in nothing raore than in the inge
nuity of fraud, In Britain the highest perfection of
virtue is jostled in its course by the greatest depravity
of vice.
The country continued without much change "in its
appearance till we had passed through Sienna, but after
a little time became perfectly different. For many miles
the surface is bleak and bare, and the soil is of the most
extraordinary description — deep, tough, and seeming
to be of a singular composition, which has been termed
matle. To the eye it has the appearance of marie, but
is perhaps very differeut in its nature. There is scarcely
a tree to be seen, or any thing like pleasing vegitation.
The whole face of the ground looks as if it had been
disturbed by water courses, by earthquakes, and per
haps by volcanos. Sieona is acknowledged to stand

95
upon the crater of an antient volcano. The country to
our right, and along the sea coast is what has been
called the Maremma, where the air is so insalubrious
that population has almost abandoned it ; and the lands
are appropriated to the grazing of cattle, which are
carried there at particular seasons when disease is sup
posed to be least prevalent. The towns and villages are
chiefly on the summits of hills, to which the malignant
quality of the atmosphere does not ascend. Every
stranger raust look with astonishraent to the almost in
accessible pinnacles, on which the churches are often
raised. It is difficult to conceive the motive for placing
a church where there must be excessive fatigue in ascend
ing to it; but perhaps the labour itself may be most
meritorious in a religion of which the essence is
penance, and ceremony, and obsequiousness to priest
hood, without any very severe injunctions of morality,
or laying much limitation upon human conduct. With
out travelling from home we raay look upon a multiply
ing order, with whom affectation of extraordinary
sanctity is the substitute for penance and ceremony—
and we cannot but lament that the contagion is propo-
gating itself among the fairer part of the creation.
After breakfast we set out from La Scala, and pro
ceeded towards the dreary mountain of Radecoffani,
The ground assumed a new character, it became a bed
of rock, with a thin barren covering. Nothing can be

96
more rugged and waste than the ascent of the mountain
which must have been a volcano in some period of the
world. Immense masses of granite that could be thrown
out by volcano alone are lying in every direction. We
descended on the other side to II Albergo Nouvello, a
very indifferent hotel, in a bottom beyond the mountain,
by the side ofa torrent. We were the flrst arrival, and
got a tolerable chamber, with a dinner of which we had
no reason to complain. The inn at Radecoffani would
be preferable, but the other is a better division of the
road with a view of getting to Montefosconi the next
night — as there is not any respectable accommodation in
the intermediate stages of Aquapendente, St. Lozenzo,
and Bolsano. I was aware of this from observation on
my former visit. In going forward however to Albergo
Nouvello, there is a risk of not finding room at a stage
that is resorted to by veturinos in particular for its con
veniency of situation. On that account if I were to
travel the road again I might be induced to stop at
Radecoffani, and to endeavonr to make up for a short
day's journey, by a long one to Montefosconi on the
succeeding day. At all events I would take from Rade
coffani a bottle of Multi pulsciano wine, which is sold
there at La Posta, and is excellent.
Wednesday. We entered the Roraan territory at
Ponte Centino, The country became raore pleasing, and
continued to improve as we advanced. We went

97
through Aquapondenti, celebrated for the name oiFabri-
cius the anatomist. It is a considerable town where there
was a tedious detention by examination of pasports.
We went on to breakfast at St. Lorenzo, a little town of
raodern construction, which is finely situated, and raight
look pretty if it were kept in good condition, but the
state of the hotel indicates misery and poverty. After
breakfast we passed the ruins of the old town of St.
Lorenzo on the side of the beautiful lake of Bolsano, Its
scite was low, about a mile beyond the new town, which
is upon a hill that overlooks the lake. The reraoval was
made on account of the extreme unhealthiness of situa
tion. We made the northern circuit of the lake to Bolsano,
where there are antiquities which we did not stop to
examine. Its situation is delightful to the eye. The
road from this place is for several miles a continued
but moderate ascent through a magnificent forest of ve
nerable oaks, which have been felled or burnt down for
a furlong on each side for the sake of security-from
banditti, with which the forest had been infested. The
noble trees are lying on the ground half consumed, there
being no demand for the timber but as fire-wood, and
the land, of which the soil appears good, is by degrees
getting into cultivation. We slept at Montefosconi, or
rather at an excellent hotel upon the road, about two
hundred yards before arriving at the town, A. Muscat
wine, I believe the Veno D'Este, is the produce of the
neighbourhood, and of admirable quality. We carried
O

98
forwards a bottle of it the next day. The price is con
siderable. Montefoscani standing upon very high ground, makes
at a distance a grand appearance, with which its interior
condition does much correspond — but behind the higher
or western part of it there is a road or promenade from
which the view is most superb. You stand upon a pre
cipice, between the foot of which and the splendid lake
of Bolsano, there is a narrow but beautiful valley, and
the eye Ts carried over a vast extent of country, with a
considerable portion of the Mediterranean under its
command. Thursday. Breakfasted at Viturbe, and walked around
the town, which is of considerable size, with some
tolerable streets and good houses. It is remarkable for
a number of well- constructed fountains. Went over the
mountain of Viturbe, from which there are fine views of
the sea and of the Island of Elba. Passed near to the
charming Laco de Vico, in descending towards Ron-
ciliogni, a small town on the farther side of the
mountain, and went on. by a sandy road to sleep at
Monierossi, where the Inn is respectable and the pro
vision good, I was amused in attending to the young
women who came down from the town, which is a little
way above the hotel, to draw water at a fountain under
the window. Their earthen upright jars, with narrow

99
bottoms, were swelled out to a great circumference in
the middle, and contracted again at the top. With
extraordinary strength of arms, they, unassisted, raised
up the vessel filled with water to the head, on the crown
of which a little twisted handkerchief was placed as a
coronet to sustain the pressure of the weight, and
raarched off in the most stately manner, securing the load,
from which the hands were withdrawn, by the accuracy
of balancing. Some of them were very pretty. It seeraed
odd that a task so laborious should be prosecuted in
preference to conveyance in two buckets, in which,
connected over the shoulders by a yoke, a much larger
quantity raight be carried with less fatigue — but the
habits of nations will prevail over conveniency in many
instances ; and the damsels seemed proud of their
alacrity, and of the grace of their deportment, with well
filled pitchers upon their heads.
Friday. Breakfasted at La Storta upon fried fish,
red and grey mullet, which were excellent. Wc had now
come within the wretched-looking territory of La Cam-
pagna de Roma. We had seen the Cupola of St. Peter's
from a hill in the neighbourhood of the preceding stage —
Baccano. When we had advanced a few miles after
breakfast, Rome itself expanded to our view. We crossed
the Tiber, a name so long familiar to our recollections
and reflections, at Ponte Molie. We entered La Porta
de Populi, and found ourselves within the eternal city.

100
About tvvo o'clock we arrived at La VUle de Londres in
Piazza D'Espagna, and agreed to pay twenty Pauls a
day for two bed-rooms and a sitting-room, with a chamber
for a servant. A Paul is in value something less than
five-pence three farthings, I took a walk to the Post-
Office — the Pantheon — the Capitol — and the Forum,
Every place remained fresh in my memory, but there
was no abatement of a particular impression which is
not confined to the first survey of the wonder of cities, —
the antient Mistress of the World, — but must for
ever be renewed on returning to it after a considerable
absence, Saturday, A rainy day, which was chiefly occupied
in writing letters. We found however an opportunity of
going to the noble . church of Sta. Maria Maggiore and
other places. Went in the evening to Teatro Valle,
a new and elegant theatre, where the performances were
better- than I had expected at Rome. Italy does not
excel in dramatic representations, with exception of the
Opera. The duty of the Prompter is not confined to
the keeping watch upon the performers, and givipg
assistance if they are in fault. With his head prominent
above the stage, in front of it, he sits reading from a
book of the play in his hand, and precedes their delivery
in every sentence, speaking almost as loud as the actor
or actress upon the boards The effect is very unplea
sant, and destroys altogether the illusion of the scene.

101
Operas are exhibited at Rome during the Carnival in an
appropriate theatre, but not at other times.
Sunday, Nov. 9. Spent a great part of the day at
St. Peter's, and saw the Pope at his devotion before the
shrine of the Apostle. The grandeur of that Temple
will not fall short of the raost sublime picture imagina
tion has been able to form of it. It is one of the few
objects, in the viewing of which, expectation will never
be disappointed. We looked into the Sixtine Chapel,
and paid some attention to the terrific picture of the Last
Judgment by Michael Angelo, It is an extraordinary
production, bnt the subject is beyond human corapre-
hension ; and like other Frescos, it is going to decay.
We amused ourselves by walking about in the neigh
bourhood till the time of the Vespers, which take place
on the Sunday afternoons, in St. Peter's, at three o'clock.
The music was grand, and many of the English resident
in Rome were present.
Monday. The day till dinner time was spent chiefly
in the Capitol and the Vatican, There is within them
matter of occupation for many days. They are open to
the public on, Mondays and Thursdays, They may be
seen on other days by making small remuneration to
attendants. Tuesday. The time was employed in going round to

102
a variety of objects in Rome and the neighbourhood —
antientBaths— Temples— Tombs— Churches-T-Palaces —
Fountains — an infinity of specimens of antient and
modern art,
Wednesday. The occupation was the same as on tho
preceding day. We were exerting ourselves to leave
nothing unseen.
Thursday. Spent the day till the time of dinner in
the Forum, the Capitol, and the Vatican. Having met
with friends at Rome, we generally passed the later
part of the day in their corapany. The weather has
been cold. The Appenines, from the most northern to
the most southern points of view, during the two last
days of our journey, were covered with snow. Yesterday
there was ice upon Monte Janiculo and the Pincean
Mount — elevated situations within the walls of Rome.
Friday, We were earnest to get to the most remote
objects of our journey, and to leave this city for farther
. examination on our return. We engaged a light car
riage with three horses to convey us to Naples, and
remain with us there at our disposal, while our own
should be left at home. It is an extraordinary and
perhaps unnecessary expense; but made for the sake of
expedition. The road is one over which it might not
be prudent to travel a snail's pace. Our cattle, after

103
such a length of journey, were in want of rest. We
set out after breakfast, and having remained for an hour
to refresh our horses at Albano, went on to sleep at
Villetri. A great part of the road to Albano is through
the desert Campagna, with lines of aqueducts and other
ruins by the side of it. From Albano through Arezza,
where Horace rested the first night of his journey — it is
hilly, affording extensive prospects over the country and
some part of the sea,
Saturday. Went forward upon an undulating road
for eight or ten miles, when we arrived at the far extend
ing level of the Pontine Marshes. It is lamentable to
behold a wide expanse of country, rich in soil and
susceptible of the highest fertility, condemned by natural
position for which there cannot be an adequate remedy,
to remain in its original condition — the refuge of wild
beasts, and the parent of fatality and death to the •
human .species. Most expensive endeavours at im
provement, by canals and other means, have been raade
both in antient and modern times, and some portions of
the ground are in good cultivation ; but the general level
is so little above the sea, and the sources of water so
immense from contiguity to mountains, that effectual
drainage can never be accomplished; and agriculture
cannot be pursued to any degree of perfection where
residence would be destruction, and where the labourers
in the fields arc under the necessity of having their

104
abodes at a distance. Their employment is not even
continued for a few hours in the day with impunity.
Aguish sallow countenances bespeak the morbid state
of their habits, and if a reckoning of ages were to be
taken, it would be found that the period of their lives is
of short duration. We breakfasted at a miserable house
about the middle distance to Terracina, which was our
destination for the night Travellers would do well to
carry their provision along with them, and to raake
liberal compensation to the landlord for the room they
may occupy. I say liberal, because when the unfor
tunate lot of an individual brings him under the necessity
of living in such a place for the sake of gaining -the
means of existence, payraent should not be made
according to the common standard. There should be -a
chance of acquiring a competency to enable him to
escape from it. The poor people did their best for us,
and when that is the case one should endeavour to appear
contented. The Pontine Marshes used to be dangerous on account
of banditti. At present the centinels along the line are
at such moderate distances from each other, that robbery
in the day is not to be apprehended. The military are
often changed, but their countenances bear testimony to
the influence of the contagion of the air during their
short tours of duty. Parallel to the road on the east side
there is a high range of Appenines, with small towns or

105
villages on their shoulders. At a greater distance on
the west, across the great expanse of the Marshes, and
by the side of the sea, is the high Cape of Circe, the
fabled territory of the ancient sorceress. It was there
vvhere Marius flying from the persecution that pursued
hira, was said to have put himself into a boat, which
lauded him in the neighbourhood of Minturnum.
There is a very large inn at Terracina, of which the
exterior is most promising ; but the interior of houses
does not always correspond with outward appearance.
The stair case of hotels in Italy is seldom in good order.
We were placed however in a very good apartment with
two beds, and had not any reason to complain of our
dinner. The fish which I chose for us in the kitchen
was excellent, and the wine was good. The charges at
hotels are higher than before our arrival at Rome; and
in a town like this where there is no competition, the
traveller is at the mercy of the landlord. We have had
here, as on other occasions, ample reason tobe satisfied
of the difference of attention to travellers paying for
themselves, and^others, who by contract w^ith Veturino
raen, are maintained at their expence. The Veturino
passengers were not permitted to sleep on the same floor
vdth us, but sent up into another story ; and they have
their dinner, or rather their supper, in the great filthy
hall, at a table common to evey person that may be in
the house. They are always complaining, as if the
P

106
narrow terms they make with Voituriers should entitle
them to sumptuous fare and the best accommodation,
Sunday, Nov, 16. We are now in the delightful
climate of southern Italy. Setting out from Terracina
as soon as day light made it safe to be upon the road,
we entered the Neapolitan territory in a very short time,
and pursuing our journey, with a series of raountains as
bare as any in Argyleshire to the left, and a lake of very
irregular shape to the right, between us and the sea,
we passed through Fandi, surrounded by groves of
oranges and lemons, but the nest of banditti and beggars,
and crossing the mountains, we descended on the other
side through Itry to Mola de Gaeta upon the sea.
We stopped to breakfast at a great hotel, standing upon
the antient scite'of Cicero's villa. It is near to the place
^f his assassination, and a venerable tower, believed tobe
his tomb, is by the side of the road, a little way before
the entrance into the town. We have got over what has
been considered the most dangerous part of the road,
and felt not the least apprehension of being robbed.
Since we came within the Neapolitan boundary the
Austrian centinels have been planted very near to each
other : yet an armed band from the mountains, having
information of a booty tbat should tempt them to
assemble in multitudes, might accomplish their object
before centinels could approach each other so as to be
able to withstand them ; and the rugged sides of the

107
mountains are well calculated for concealment. They
might secret themselves behind rocks, and remain un
discovered, like the followers of Roderick Dhieu, till
the moment when it should be necessary for thera to
act. We went on to sleep at St, Agatha, where there is
a very good hotel.
Monday, We breakfasted at Capna, where there is
nothing to interest reflection, but the remembrance of the
illustrious Carthaginian, who after gaining the most
splendid victory, which was fatal to so many of the
Roman nobiUty, permitted his army to become enervated
by the seductions of the climate. Continuing our
journey along a road that conducts through a plain of
extraordinary fertility, the line of it appearing like a
succession of villages, we arrived to dinner at Naples,
and engaged excellent apartment at L'Hotel des Isles
Britanniques, upon the Caija, for which we agreed to
pay thirty Pauls a day. I am much pleased to find
rayself once again in a city, which for beauty of situation,
for vivacity, gaiety, and bustle, is unequaUed, perhaps
over the world.
Tuesday. There is not a great deal to be seen within
Naples. The place itself and its crowded population,
transacting their concerns and displaying their singular
humours in the streets, are the principal objects of
attraction. The views are the most beautiful that a

108
combination of land and sea objects can bring under the
eye. Description is not capable of conferring any com
prehension of them, and the powers of the pencil are
perfectly insufficient : even the Panorama has appeared
to rae to be an egregious failure. Painting in architec
ture generally exhibits an object more beautiful than it
is in reality, and enables a spectator to form a tolerably
correct idea of it ; but it is quite incompetent to convey
an adequate conception of tbe grand and of the romantic.
It is admitted that Salvator Rosa comes nearest to the
representation of these conditions, while the mild and
transporting beauty of sCenery is better exhibited by
Claude. Having engaged a lackey de place, we went about
Naples to the churches that were most entitled to
attention, and to other places. In the Museum wc ad
mired the Aristides, the Venus of Callipiga, the beautiful
Flora, and many other statiies. In the little'^chapeliof
St. Severo there are three extraordinary specimens of
sculpture, viz. a dead Christ, a lady in the character of
modesty, and a man endeavouring to disentangle himself
from a net that surrounds him. They may be ranked
araong the happiest productions of the chisel. In the
first, and in the second, and also in the beautiful Flora
of the Museum, there is, with respect to the drapery, an
effect that appears like magic. When viewed at some
distance, the shape of the naked body appears to be

109
seen through thin gauze. When you approach the statue
the whole surface is of solid marble.
Wednesday. The environs of Naples are of the
highest interest to those who are fond of looking back
to remote ag-es. We went this day to Puzzoli, to Cuma,
to Baia, and other places in that direction, perhaps the
most classic ground in Italy. We viewed with admi
ration and veneration the remains of antiquity in villas, ^
temples, theatres, baths, and reservoirs. We surveyed
witb astonishment the works of nature herself, in moun
tains raised up by volcanoes, in craters, caverns,.in many
changes that have proceeded from grand convulsion, and
in boiling stews.
In treading upon this ground the mind is carried back
to a period when history and fiction are so incorporated,
that it is not easy to ascertain the limits. There stood;
the antient city of Cunia of high renown, but of which-
scarcely a vestige is to be seen. In that cavern were
practiced the incantations of the Cumaean Sibyll, upon
whose mysterious predictions and denunciations the fate,
of nations might depend. Within short distances of
each other, are the lake Avemus, the Styx and Elysian,
Fields. Here is the gulph by which the ancient tra-,
veller .^neas descended into hell, as is faithfuUy
reported by his historian Virgil. On the Baia side are
the remains of three noble temples tp Diana, Mercury,

110
and Venus. In the neighbourhood raay be seen the
ruins of magnificent villas, that had been the pleasure
retreats of Roman emperors and illustrious senators.
The Piscene mirabile, supposed to have been an immense
reservoir for water, is evidence of the greatness of their
undertakings, and of the solidity of their structures.
Thursday. Passed the day at Naples in paying visits
to friends, and in attending to different objects. Pro
menaded before dinner on the Villa Reale, a public
garden almost fit to be compared to that of the
ThniUeriesat Paris, and ornaraented by fine statues, of
which the greatest number are copies ; but there is one
grand original, that of the Farnese Bull in the centre.
Went to the II Fondo theatre in the evening, having been
last night at the St, Carlo. They are both magnificent
and beautiful. The performances, operas, were excel
lent in both, and the king, who seldom fails to be present,
was in his box. I had the satisfaction of listening to
Madame Fodor at the St. Carlo. The last-mentioned
theatre is very capacious in size, elegant in shape, and
commodious to the audience. The fitting up is of the
most somptuons kind, and so rich in gilding that it looks
like a structure of massy gold. We have read much of
the golden house o( Nero at Rome : this may be said to
be the golden house of Naples.
There is not any manifestatioa of amch taste or

Ill
science in the architecture of Naples. It cannot be said
that there is a very handsome edifice over the whole city.
The royal palace will not excite any admiration: yet
the buildings are substantial and almost every where
above mediocrity. There is not much that is very mean.
The great street is the Strada de Toledo, which is of
ample breadth, and makes the finest display of shops.
Other streets are not so narrow as they have been re
ported : the high elevation of the houses has the effect
of diminishing to the eye the breadth of tbe intermediate
space. There is not much peculiarity in dress. The
young women would appear handsome if their beautiful
black hair was kept in better condition. They are im
proved however in that respect since my last visit. The
change may be ascribed to the influence of the Austrian
military, vvbo are generally fine looking young men, very
neat in their dress. The streets are crowded with
carriages, of which many are private, and there is a
multitude for hire. Of the latter description, the most
numerous are like a large cockle shell, very highly ^It,
and drawn by a single horse. There is only convenient
sitting room for one person, who must hold the reins.
They whisk about in a most extraordinary manner, with
the driver standing up behind, and guiding by his
whip, Friday. Our most distant destination is Pestum, for
which we have made preparation without much oensi-

112
deration of ceconomy. The distance is about sixty
miles. We were anxious to accomplish it with an
absence of only two nights, vvhich could nqt well be
done with the same horses at this season of the year
when the days are so short, and the roads apt to be
heavy. Loaving our Roman horses behind us, we set
out this raorning with three post horses, having sent
forward to the place where vve intend to rest for the
night, three others to be fresh for to-morrow. Our
expences have been moderate till the period of our
arrival at Rome, but are very considerable al present :
we are paying for our own horses, that are on short
allowance with their proprietor at Rome; for an Italian
coachman and pair that we brought along with us to
Naples ; and now for a double set of post horses in
addition. The lackey de place, whose name is Francois,
accompanies us. He is a very intelligent man, who had
been in the service of Murat as one of his household
arrangement, and of whom he speaks with affectionate
respect. On the side of the bay opposite to Naples is Portici,
not far removed from the base of Vesuvius. It is a
handsome city, with a fine royal palace in it, and Her-
culanium is underneath it. We went through it without
stopping, and also passed by Pompei, intending to sur
vey these , places on our return. We continued our
journey amidst extensive fields of cotton, an article the

113
culture of which vvas new to mc. After a few miles
vve turned a little way out of the road to the left to see
an antient round temple, vvhich is now a church. Hav
ing advanced some way farther, and arrived in the
district of La Cava, we left our horses to be refreshed
upon the road, and walked to the distance of between
tvvo and three miles up the mountain to the right, to see
a curious monastery in a most romantic situation. It
is solitary and sublime. Indeed the scenery, in the
whole district, is superlatively romantic and grand,
while the sides of the mountains are embellished with
pretty towns, picturesque villages, and beautiful villas,
that give ideas of a respectable and very numerous po
pulation. It is said to be the scenery in which Salvator
Rosa took the greatest delight. Nothing can be finer
than the sea view, when the highest summit of the road
bas been attained. The bay of Salerno opens to the
sight in splendid prospect, which may be compared to
that of the bay of Naples itself. We went on to sleep
at Salerno, which is beautifully situated by the side, of
the bay, and washed by the waves in the whole line of
a long street, the continuation of the road, open to the
sea on the right hand. It is a town of considerable
magnitude, with a cathedral, in which are contained an
tient columns and other venerable remains.
Saturday. Our carriage, with the fresh horses, was
at the door by three o'clock in the morning. My com-
Q

114
panion had suffered most severely for some days by a
gum boil. The pain in the night had been excessive,
and attended with so rauch fever that he was very un
well and unable to proceed. Most readily I would have
waited a day or two, but he would hot hear of the de
lay, and insisted upon my going forward. I went on
with the lackey, travelling more than three hours in the
dark, during vvhich the cold was excessive. There was
severe frost ; and an east wind blowing over the high
range of Appenines, which were covered with snow,
caused to the fingers and feet, not protected by suitable
gloves or stockings, as much of the feeling of being frost
bitten as I had ever experienced. This is not what
strangers would lay there account with, to the south
ward of Naples, and with the sea at their elbow. We
proceeded on the high road to Calabria, till we had ar
rived within half a raile of a town called Ebone, whicb
we saw before us at the break of day, when we turned
off to the right. The road was hitherto very fine, and as
I observed on my return, the country in a state of cul
tivation; but the aspect now became very different.
There is a dead level of ten miles to Pestum, without
any more regularly formed road than that of carriage
tracts in different directions, where a driver unacquainted
with their bearings, might wander very much out of the
right course. The soil being marshy, these tracts are
ploughed into deep rutts in wet weather, which harden
into iron-like ridges in frost, or when there has been an

115
absence of rain. Under either condition the travelling
is bad, but the scenery is pleasing. This raorning we
were jolted from rutt to rutt as upon a rough pavement.
The whole plain is left in a state of nature as a cluise
for the king, who has a sporting seat within view, a little
way to the left. We saw several heca.sses or wood
cocks upon it. It is covered with low myrtles, which at
a little distance have the appearance of furze bushes.
We crossed a considerable river of petrifying water,
over which a very good bridge has been thrown within
a few years. I arrived at Pestum, and took breakfast in
the carriage, of some provision that we had carried
along with us.
The situation of Pestum is on one side of the ex
tensive plain that we have traversed, about a mile from
the sea.' The present Pestumis not even a village. There
are but two or three miserable houses, one of which is a
kind of public house, where nothing is to be had, but
where a little raoney will be expected, and there is a
man in waiting who acts as a ticerone, and looks for the
custoraary recorapence. It has been a city of no raean
consideration jn antient times, and the antiquity is be
lieved to have been extremely remote. The scite of it
is accurately defined. A circular, or perhaps rather
oval wall of extraordinary thickness, the trace of which
is fully preserved in every part, whilst its immense alti
tude is displayed over one of its gates, that still is in

116
perfect repair, marks the regular boundary of the old city.
This gate is one of four which had been opposite to each
other in the line of the circuit, and were the only en
trances. The only ruins worth attention are the remains
of three magnificent temples, of which the construction
is proof of the antiquity of the period when they had been
erected. The columns are without pedestals, and the
proportions are not the same as these of periods more
advanced. They are beautiful speciraens of the earliest
workraanship, and remain in a wonderful state of pre
servation. There are vestiges that raay be noted of a
Theatre and Amphitheatre, and of tombs without the
wall ; but the temples are the only monuraents of real
interest within the space comprehended by the W9II,
which cannot be less in diameter than half a mile in
every direction— perhaps considerably more*.
• Since the account to which this Note refers was transcribed from the
hasty minutes of the day, I have seen in Paris a view of Peslum, and
have looked into the report of it in the excellent Itinerary of Vast.
The portion of th« wall that is laid down in the engraving is in a straight
line, as if forming part of a square boundary. Vasi states the figure of
the circumference to be elliptical. The impression on my mind is against
much of the wall being in a straight line ; and also against the deviation
from the circle being so considerable as to constitute an ellipsis. There is
undoubtedly an elongation in one direction, so that transverse section^
would not be of equal measurement. The height and thickness of the
wall, which was composed of immense masses of travertin, have been
truly astonishing : the altitude of near fifty feet, with a proportionate
brekdth, strengthened by eight square towers, of which the scites may
still be distinguished, were calculated for the strongest means of defence :
the city was dedicated to Neptune, and the grandest temple was that of
the God of the Ocean : tlie next was the temple of Ceres. It does not
appear to be certain to what purpose the other great edifice was devoted.
Vasi says that tbe circumference was about two miles and a half.

117
The raaterials of these fabrics appear to have been
entirely of Travertin, a species of rock formed from
the cohesion of substances of every description, by the
cement of petrefying waters. Its appearance would give
an idea of its being liable to crumble to pieces — yet it
cannot be less durable than granite, as is manifest from
the condition in which it stands, so little impaired after
a lapse of so many ages. There cannot be a doubt of it
being a product of petrefaction — yet the mountains
and spacious districts that are entirely formed of it in
southern Italy, make it difficult to conceive how such
extensive composition could be effected by such process
within the limited age of this world.
At Pctsum r experienced the cheering influence of an
Italian sun. The wind had subsided — the chilling blast
of the snowy mountains, from which we had receded,
was no longer perceptible. The raid-day heat of the
twenty-second of November would have been delightful
summer in England. On a beautiful afternoon I returned
to Salerno, highly gratified with the excursion of the
day, and had the satisfaction to -find the invalid much
recovered. Sunday. Our Inn at Salerno was the Sun, and
sufficiently comfortable, but the charges high enough.
Our lacquey probably had a participation of profit as a
recompense for carrying ns there. We took an early

118
breakfast, and setting out on our return to Naples, we
stopped in the first instance at Pompei, of which we
raade a complete survey, and afterwards at Herculaneum,
into the emtient Theatre of which we descended. These
places have been so often described that the state of
them is generally comprehended. The first is well worth
as much time and attention as can be devoted to it.
It brings you almost into the company of antient Romans.
The second makes an inadequate return for the labour of
exploring it, but it is satisfactory to have seen it. We
also went over the Museura at Portici, which is fur
nished with curiosities frora the places just raen tioned;
but the grandest specimens of these are in the Museum
at Naples. The ascent of Vesuvius comraences two or
three nules above the entrance to Herculaneum. We felt
not any inclination to undertake the labour of it for the
purpose of looking into a crater which is quite in a
quiescent condition. The volcano, in its present state,
may be said to be alraost extinct. The raountain is a
mass of bare rock with the pinnacle broken off, and from
which smoke is scarcely perceptible. It is uncertain
how long it may reraain in that condition. Last year
I saw it in greater grandeur. An eruption had sub
sided — but an immense column of smoke, carrying up
ashes along with it, which continued to be diffused over
the surrounding country, was elevated to an inconceiv
able height, and looked like a prodigious mountain, with
the top inverted, shooting out of the summit of another.

119
We arrived at Naples to dinner, and spent the evening
in the house.
Monday. The day was passed in paying visits to
friends — in wandering abont the city — in proraenading
in the Villa Reale, — and along the beautiful road to
Pausilleppo, than which no drive or proraenade in th^
world can be more delightful, when the atmosphere is
clear and the heat not excessive. I went to the Opera in
the evening,
Tuesday. We proceeded again to Puzzolli, through
the singular grotto of Pausilleppo, and surveyed the
Sulfutura — the Amphitheatre — and the lately discovered
Tomb, The Sulfutura is the most exti-aordinary of the
many wonderful situations around Naples, It is a very
broad circular basin, appearing to be the crater of an
old volcano, and covered by a surface which is a mere
crust over some tremendous gulph, the cavity of which
is at no great depth. In jumping upon it, or aUowing
any heavy body to fall with weight upon the surface, the
sound and impression are indicative of the excavation
underneath ; and in several parts hot sulphureous vapour
is arising, as from chimnies, upon which a kettle of
water would be brought to the boiling heat in a very
short time. Immense quantities of sulphur, and also
of alum, are collected as articles of merchandize.- The
property is valuable, on account of these produotions

120
which are yielded by it. It is impossible to move ifl
the neighbourhood of Naples without being occasionally
visited by the awful reflection that the shell may break,
and the flame burst forth — that we stand upon a horrible
abyss which may open to devour us — or that a sudden
explosion may crumble every substance into atoms,
and blow the very elements into the air.
On returning from Puzzoli we diverged to the Lago
D'Agnano, where there is the Grotto del Cane. This
lake, too, is an antient crater. We did not look into the
interior of the grotto, on account of the extravagant
demand of the person who keeps the key, and we felt not
inclined to see the dog subjected to the painful processes
of suffocation and a return to life. It is stated however
that he does not appear to suffer much. The grotto was
described to us as a small cave, in which there is nothing
particular to be seen — but on the surface of it there is a
stratum of heavy noxious vapour which settles to the
bottom, within the atmosphere of which the dog appears
to expire, and would actually die in a little time. —
A man is above the height of this stratum, and may
stand in the grotto with impunity. Near to the lake
there are natural vapour baths, which we examined.
They are used for the purposes of health. At a short
distance from the road, and near to Naples, there is a
place called the tomb, of VirgU, which derives veneration
from the name, to which its pretensions are said to be

121
not -vvcll founded. As it was stated to be an insignificant
object, and the day was far advanced, we did not go to
see it.
Wednesday, Curiosity being satisfied with respect
to Naples, vve set out on our return to Rome, and
diverged a few miles frora the road for the purpose of
looking at Caserto, the raodern and truly raagnificent
palace of the King. Too rauch admiration cannot be
expressed of the grandeur of the scale of the palace —
the originality of plan — and the superbness of design.
We surveyed with amazement the stair-case, with which,
on account of the beauty and variety of the marbles,
perhaps nothing in the world can be compared — the
state apartments — the chapel — and the theatre. We
walked over the grounds, vvhich are arranged with the
highest taste, sustained by plantation, by architecture,
and by water. The water is brought from a distance by
an extraordinary aqueduct, and comes down upon the
grounds as a grand cascade.
It is difficult to make a building be comprehended
by a written description. This immense edifice is of
an oblong square figure, with a vast area within, which
is divided into four spacious square courts by two inter
secting lines of communication that meet in a grand
circular saloon in the centre. By means of these lines
the communication is easy and rapid to every part of the
R

122
palace, or from one side to another. The elevation of
the four fronts is very high, without much ornaraent —
and one level, of the nature of what is called entre sol
in Paris, is not at first pleasing to the eye — but when
the application of it is seen in the inside, the observer
is well satisfied. The courts within the square are so
extensive, that no interruption to light is given by the
great height of their lateral conjunctions — -every part
appears airy. It is a palace of which the greatest
Monarch in Europe might be proud. J wish we could ^
see such another in progress for George the Fourth.
Windsor Castle is unequalled in its kind — but the
country demands a modern monuraent of raagnificence
and taste for the residence of its Sovereign.
From Caserto we took the road to Capua, which is
at the distance of four or five miles. We passed over
the scite of antient Capua, where there are the remains
of an Amphitheatre and other ruins. We slept at La
Posta, a very indifferent hotel, although the best in the
town. It is not usual for travellers to rest for the night
in a place so near to Naples, the distance being only
fifteen or sixteen miles.
Thursday. Breakfasted at St, Agatha, and went on
to sleep at the hotel where we had taken breakfast on
our advance, at Mola de Gaeta. The road goes over
the river Garigliano at Menturnum, the scene of a great

123
battle between Sylla and Marius. There are fine views
to the northward, where towns and villages arc thickly
planted upon the sides of hills. Among these is
situated Falernum, distinguished for its wines in antient
tiraes — ^but the reputation is extinct. Behind the Albergo,
where we are to rest for the night, there is an orange
grove, from which the prospect is enchanting. It ex
tends over the wide expanse of sea that is comprehended
between the promontory on the right, at the extremity
of which is situated the fortress of Gaeta, and the very
distant point, to the left, on the Cumean shore which
wo had visited, with the Islands of Ischia and Procida
in front. When the atmosphere is transparent, Vesuvius
may be distinguished in ihe extreme horizon. But
while the sea view is so gratifying, nothing can be
more abominable than the town, which consists of a
long narrow street, of the meanest houses in the worst
condition ; and crowded witb inhabitants that are
emblems of laziness, misery, and filth.
Friday. In returning through Itry, I was disposed
to correct myself in having said that nothing could be
more abominable than the state of the place so newly
commented upon. For the appearances of misery and
wretchedness, it is worse than even Mola de Gaeta.
These places, as well as Fondi, and perhaps many
others under a climate that is considered almost the
finest in the world, are shocking specimens of the fallen

124
condition of human nature; resulting from the vicious
depravity of government under princes, priests, and
nobility, that vie with each other in degeneracy. How
much is the fate oi Murat to be lamented by every person
who has consideration for human kind ! The Neapoli
tans, under his sway, would soon have become a
different description of people. They are sensible of
their loss, and find themselves ruled under a rod of iron
by a power, of which the object is every where to keep
men in a state of depression and ignorance — while the
priesthood lends to the same purpose the gigantic aid
of superstition. But Mr. Eustace would not have said
50. A principal object in his book has been to exalt
the Catholic Supremacy ; and he endeavours to Write
with more effect by the disguise of liberality which he
assumes. A superficial observer might sometimes sup
pose him to be half a Protestant. He is every where
inveterate against the French from a motive which it is
easy to appreciate. They exerted themselves to deliver
the country from the bane oi priestcraft. But the people
do them justice. Even at Rome, light and energy were
Springing up under their influence — industry was encou
raged, and employment was furnished — assassinations
had ceased to be common — and many gilaring depra
vities vvere corrected. Mr. Eustace, however, could
not give them credit for any thing. He describes them
as the Goths and Vandals of modern Europe. He lies
buried, at Naples, where there is an inscription for him
in a chapel near to the hotel where we resided.

125
We came forward without stopping at Terracina,
where we passed the night. The situation of this town
by the side of the sea is beautiful. A considerable portion
of it is on the hill, which I did not ascend. There are
the remains of an antient temple and other ruins. T
walked by the sea side araong the rocks, and thought of
Lord Nellvile and Corinne. In ray own mind I was con
verting the fiction into reality, and could fancy thai I
was sitting upon the very rock where the fate of the
admirable heroine had so nearly come to a crisis, that
would have been less criminal to one party, and la
mentable to the others than the melancholy conclusion
to which it was conducted. :
Saturday we took onr breakfast at Terracina, but
stopped upon the raar^es to give rest to the horses, and
made suitable compensation to the house. Carae for
ward to sleep at Villetri, A day of excessive rain.
Sunday, Nov. SOth. Rested at Albaho, and walked
up the hill to look at the lake; a sheet of water of the
circumference of some mUes at the bottom of a deep
bason, looking like the crater of a vslcano. The sides
are high and steep all around, and prettily ornamented
with natural plantation. Near the bottom on one side
there is an artificial tunnel for the discharge of the
water, which in ancient times frequently overflowed the
country, and is stated sometimes to have taken a diree-f

126
tion that was dangerous even to Rome. The tunnel was
made at a period so remote as the siege of Veia. We
did not go down to it The view from the hill is beau
tiful and extensive. We returned to Rome about noon,
and passed the remainder of the day in wandering about
the city.
Monday. The Alban hills were the cradle of the
infancy of Rome. We are again in the capital of that
most extraordinary people, which a reader of history
scarce knows whether more to admire or detest. What
was termed Roman virtue has claimed admiration in
every age. The colouring of it is drawn, by themselves,
as they were the historians of their own transactions ;
But partial as their reports have been, every page of
record affords testimony of cruelty, perfidy, tyranny,
and insatiable desire of conquest Their virtues were
exercised to each other only; their conduct to other
nations was treachery and rapine. Their wicked policy
from the earliest period was to sow division araong their
neighbours, and when the flame of war was lighted up, to
interfere in the quarrel for the destruction of both. Scenes
of blood and horror were their delight. There stands the
Coliseum. What exhibitions of savage ferocity have
there not been exhibited within its towering galleries to
scores of thousands of spectators, thirsting for slaughter,
and exulting in the agonies of the devoted combatants ?
But what a monument of grandeur in conception aud

127
science iu execution ! Every remaining monument over
the city bears testimony of magnificence, of affluence,
of luxury, of refinement, of perfection in the fine arts.
Look at the columns of Trajan and Antoninus, at the
numerous triumphal arches of exquisite workmanship,
at the ruins of the palace of the Caesars, by which the
Palatine Mount was entirely occupied ; at the reraains
of baths of extraordinary splendor and extent, with
vivid arabesques still existing on the lofty cielings of
these of Titus ; at the elegant construction of torabs,
as evinced in that of Cecilia Metella. With feelings of
veneration one surveys the more bumble monuraent in
which were deposited the remains of the illustrious
family of the Scipios : it is the undoubted receptacle of
their ashes, with the naraes of the individuals in the
original inscriptions over the catacombs. With re
verence one approaches the hallowed ground of the
fountain of Egeria, where the mystic coraraunications
took place between TuUus Hostilius and the nyraph,
Tuesday. Yesterday and thisday have been eraployed
with curiosity directed to objects that have been enu
merated, and others of sirailar description. The Cloaca
Magna, in which rolled the filth of antient Rome for
many centuries, and in which are conveyed much of the
impurities of the modem city, did not escape our obser
vation.

128
Wednesday. Went to the Borghese villa, but could
not gain admission ; to the ruins of Dioclesian's baths,
in which stands the magnificent Chiesa de Sta. Maria de
Angioli. This church is rich in pictures, of which one
by Dominichino is particularly distinguished. Looked
into the Chiesa de Sta. Pietro en Vincolo, in which there
is the faraous statue of Moses by Michael Angelo.
Thursday. A round of palaces. Went into raany
raagnificent churches ; araong others, those of Gesu and
Sta, Ighatio, very rich in ornament. They both belong
to that society which had become the execration of
Europe. It was abolished by general, but it must be
presumed, very unjust consent, as it is now restored to
its privileges, and fostered with kind encouragement by
the liberal policy of the Holy Alliance. We went
through the Porta Pauli to the remains of the church
of St. Paul, two miles beyond the walls. In magnifi
cence it had been equal to any but St. Peter's, and the
numerous columns of granite and of marble, were per
haps the finest in Rome or its neighbourhood ; but by
sorae accident it caught fire a few months ago, and
every thing combustible was consumed. It was raelan
choly to look at the ravages raade by the destructive
element. The tomb of Caius Cestus and the temple of
Vesta were on the road near to the city gate.
Friday. Every person who has paid attention to any

129
account of Home or its environs, vvill be earnest to take
a view of Tivoli, wliich is at the distance of about
twenty miles towards the mountains, on the northward
of the east. The journey is over tlie dreary Campagna
for a considerable portion of the road .
The bare and barren condidon of the country around
Rome, with the prevalence of Malaria as an endemic
malady, has engaged the consideration of many writers.
The insalubrity of the air over the whole extent of the
Maremma, is equally entitled to attention ; and under
that denomination may be comprehended the western
coast to a considerable depth inland, from the south
ward of Leghorn to the Pontine Marshes. Conjectures
have been various, but no' satisfactory explanation has
been furnished. It may be thought presumption in a
transient visitor to offer any supposition on a subject of
so much doubt ; but, with humility, I vvill state the pur
port of my reflections upon it. I believe it may be ad
mitted that a great portion of the land along the shore
is low and marshy, and that the same quality of soil
may penetrate into the interior, in the direction of vallies,
or the interstices of hills. When there is a diffusion of
vapour from stagnation, there is little difficulty in ac
counting for disease. The complaint is of an aguish
kind, in which the emaciated figures, and jaundiced
countenances of the wretched sufferers give evidence of
morbid viscera. But the raatter of astonishment seems
S

130
to be, that a complaint which has not been much noticed
in former times, should have been gradually making
progress, so that districts that were inhabited have been
abandored, and villages or villas faUing into ruins.
It appears however from the investigations of persons
best acquainted with antient authors, that the disease
had existence in antiquity. There may be natural rea
sons for the greater extension of it in raodern times.
The position itself of the surface may be changed by an
alteration of the comparative levels of sea and land.
We know that in many instances such changes have
been the effect of the march of time, and have had
demon.stration of them at home. But a change in the
political slate of the inhabitants has, perhaps, contri
buted in greater degree to the encroachments oi malaria.
When Italy was divided into a number of independent
States, that were perpetually at war with each other,
and every one under the necessity of making the most of
that territory to which it was confined, the energies of
the mind were kept in activity, and the land maintained
in a state of cultivation, which furnishes some preven
tion to insalubrity of atmosphere. Since rivalships and
contention have been at an end, and the predominating
authority over the whole has been that of the priesthood,
ever intent upon securing its dominion by the aids of
grovelling superstition and ignorance, the cultivation of
districts in which there were inherent seeds of disease
has been gradually neglected, whUe the inhabitants,

131
disposed to sloth, were removing to others where less
labour should be requisite, and permitting the enemy to
pursue them. Such causes might perhaps be assigned
tor the growing unhealthiness of portions of country
where the soil is good and well suited for the cherish-
ment of vegetable life ; but the case is different with re
spect to the Campagna of Rome, the insalubrity and
waste condition of vvhich cannot be altogether ascribed
to the same circumstances.
There has been much misconception and ini.«represen-
tation of the nature of the Roman territory around the
capital. It has been described by many as a surface
possessing the finest natural advantages of soil and
situation, but vitiated by neglect. Others have sup
posed that its general texture was marshy, and produc
tive of the mischiefs that were derived from marsh
ejluvia. These conceptions are equally incorrect. The
Campagna cannot have been of productive quality at
any period of time, as the eye of any intelligent ob
server may convince him. It is a vile earth, looking
like a mixture of sand and brick dust, quite unsuscepti
ble of fertility — and instead of being low and marshy, a
great portion of the ground is considerably elevated
above the level of Rome, and appears uncommonly dry.
It may be said to be dry to a fault, as water is deficient,
while the substance of the earth seems brittle/ and
crumbly. There is low ground about Rome itself, but

132
the great extent of the Campagna is of different de
scription. There are marsh lands on the banks of the
Tiber, and on the sea coast, at a very considerable
distance from Rome, and the malignant vapour of cor
rupted water is perhaps capable of being carried by the
air over a wide expanse pf country, that is rather flat
than otherwi.se. From such cause the insalubrity
might be accounted for near to Rome ; but it is ex
perienced in situations quite remote from the capital,
and from any thing bearing the semblance of marsh.

In paying attention to the strata of the country
wherever they happened to have been cut through in
tracing the roads, or for other purposes, it appeared to
me, that there is a continued bed of rock at the depth of
a few feet from the surface. It is a sand-like looking
rock, of the nature of what is called Tuffo, not very
hard, but sufficiently so to be impenetrable to water.
\N here there is not an uninterrupted declivity in this
universal stratum, it vvill operate like a bed of clay in
retaining moisture upon the layer of earth that is im
mediately above it ; from which imperceptible vapour,
contaminated by fermentation and putrefaction under a
burning sun in summer, may be constantly arising
through the dry powdry strata, of which the actual sur
face is composed. There is reason to conclude from
antient writers, that the country about Rome was not
very healthy in any age; but it may now be worse from

133
neglect— as the poverty of the material does not give
encouragement to industry in an indolent people. It is
not the fine black mold, the mellow pabulum oi vegita
tion that gives in many districts extraordinary fecundity
to the plains and vallies of Italy, With little exception
it is the opprobrium of soil, that without high manuring
would make bad requittal for labour expended upon it.
The barrenness is such that even weeds do not thrive in
it. There is no rankness of any description, and
scarcely any appearance of timber. It cannot be
doubted that much might be effected by careful industry,
and judicious improveraent. Here and there may be
seen specimens of the change that might be accom
plished. If cultivation were more complete, it is pro
bable that the malignity of the air might be in some
degree corrected ; as the growing products would absorb
the noxious vapour arising from a depth, as water from
tbe heavens overwhelms it in the rainy season.
Tuffo has been supposed to be of volcanic origin. If
imagination were to be indulged in respect to the forma
tion of it, one might suppose it to have proceeded
from ashes, showered down by some tremendous
eruption, frora sorae antient crater, in conj action with
water, by which their particles becarae ceraented, —
Such showers are not uncoramon from Vesuvius,
Pompei was overwhelmed by a shower of dry ashes,
in the particles of which there is no cohesion. They are

134
easily removed. Herculanum lies buried'^in part under
lava ; but in greater degree under a stratum of ashes
that had been showered down together with water, and
appear now in the state of rock, almost as hard as lava
itself. After the last eruption of Vesuvius, which con
tinued but for a few hours, the country around the
mountain for many miles on the side of the sea, was
covered with dry ashes to the depth of above two icct,
and I ara an unfortunate individual, who arrived at
Naples too late for the exhibition, five days after the
explosion, I could measure the grandeur of it by its
effects. My conjectures about the formation of the bed
of rock may be vague, but I can speak with confidence
of its existence.
On the road to Tivoli we passed the tomb of the Plantii,
a noble monument, not unlike to that of Cicilia Metella.
We soon after arrived at the scite of Adrians villa, frora
which raany of the finest specimens of antient workman
ship have been taken. The Venus de Medicis had been
one of the presiding Divinities of his court, and proba
bly received in the circle of its attendants, that adoration
that continues to be paid to her. It is an assemblage
of ruins, of which not rauch is left, even in a delapidated
state ; but in that little there is enough reraaining to bear
testiraony to its original magnificence, and the compre
hensive scale of its construction. We ascended the hill,
and arrived to dinner at Tivoli, The scenery of this

135
place is romantic — the casdides arc beautiful. Tiie
temple of Vesta is one of the raost exquisite patterns of
antient structure. It is of the sarae shape as that at
Rome ; but of very superior workmanship. The grotto
of Neptune is an object of terrific sublimity. The villa
of Maiccnas on the brow of the hill is interesting to
visitors. Saturday. In returning to Rome we went off the road
tor a short distance, to look at a sraall lake called Sul
futura, vvhich is said to be of great depth. The water is
sulphureous, and a singular phenomenon is displayed
when a stone is thrown into it : for a minute or two there
is an ebulition, and a hissing noise of the nature of what
is called effervescence. I have not been informed that
the cause of an effect so singular has been investigated.
It cannot be frora the raere displacement of a quantity
of water, but would seem to imply, either a chemical
action of the waters on the raatter of the stone, or that
the water itself was so rauch surcharged with some
subtle vapour, that a portion of gas was emitted from it
as often as it was put into motion. As Sir Humphrey
Davy has been at Rome, I hope the phenomenon did
not escape his attention. The country around this pool
of water, for it scarcely deserves the name of a lake, is
an extensive level with a very thin soil upon a bed of
travertin; and in the neighbourhood there is another

130
pond, of which the water has excessive powers of petri
faction. Sunday. Went in the morning to the great church of
St. Jean de Lateran, in front of which is an edifice vvith
the holy stair-case, supposed to have appertained to the
house of Pontius Pilate at Rome. I was witness to the
ceremony of its being ascended by many devotees upon
their knees. Took another survey of Sta. Maria
Magiore and of various churches, among which may be
mentioned the small one of Sta. Maria de Victoria,
opposite to the fountain of Termini, where there is a
statue of Moses supplying water from the rock to the
thirsty Israelites. The church is a bijoux with admirable
marbles, some fine pictures, many precious ornaments,
and an admired statue of Theresa. Spent the remainder
of the day at St. Peter's till dinner time, and was again
gratified by the music of the Vespers, and by the fra
grancy of burning frankincense distributed over a spacious
chapel in voluminous clouds.
Monday. Went to the Borghese palace, where the
collection of pictures is the finest in Rome. I had seen
it before we set off to Naples, but it will bear to be
often inspected. I went a second time to the Barbarini
palace. I admired the statue of a sleeping Diana, and
the lovely portrait of the beautiful Countess who suf-

137
fered decapitation for having stabbed her unnatural
father, on a second endeavour to violate the purity of
of his own child. She fell a sacrifice to the avarice of
a pope, who by her condemnation and execution, an
nexed to himself her very ample possessions. We drove
out to the Borghese villa, which is magnificent, and the
grounds extensive. Also to the Villa Albani, wonder
fully rich in precious articles, beautiful statues, and
admirably painted ceilings. On a forraer day I had seen
the Villa Pamphili Doria; without the wall, beyond the
Monte Janiculo. The grounds are elegantly laid out in
the old style. The Mount that is passed over affords one
of the finest views of Rome, and of the country to a
great distance,
Tuesday, Went to the studios of several sculptors,
and admired sorae beautiful speciraens of their art.
Visited agedn St, Peter's and the Mosaic raanufactory in
the neighbourhood of it. The perfection to which the
Mosaic has arrived, is an extraordinary raanifestat^ion of
what industry and science can accomplish. We looked
with amazement at their cabinets of colours, which are
divided into seventeen thousand shades. The material
is glass, stained by fusion with metallic substances.
Went to the church of Maria sopra Minerva, to see
the statue of Christ by Michael Angelo, and to that
of the Augustins, to look at a picture of Isaiah by
Raphael. T

138
"On different days our attention has been directed to
various objects that have not been enumerated. Amidst
a multitude of admirable pictures in different palaces or
churches, may be put down as having claimed more
particular notice, the Galathea of Raphael, executed
by himself, and the fable of Cupid and Psyche, painted
under his direction — both in La Farnesine. His much
celebrated Sybils, in a church of which the name has
escaped rae — the Angels of Dorainichino in the church
of St. Andrea — the adrairable St, Michael, the Apollo,
as Mr. Forsyth terras it, of Guido, in the church of the
Capuchins — two Magdalens of Guido in the Seheiarra
palace — his beautiful Aurora in a palace adjoining to
the Ruspignoli, The Statue of Pompey, in the Spada,
deserves well to be looked at, although there is not a
certainty of its being rightly naraed. The palace of
Tolronia displays rooms elegant and superb in the
raodern style, with a rich assortment of statues and
paintings. In the church of Sta, Bibiana, there is an
admired statue of the Dying Martyr, and at a liltie dis
tance in the sarae neighbourhood, there .stands in a
vineyard a handsorae ruin of the teraple of Minerva
Medica, from which was taken a very fine statue of the
Goddess that is now in the Vatican.
Wednesday.' Took a final survey of the CoUiseum —
the Forum, and the Capitol. Went over that portion of
the Capitol which is not open in course to the public,

139
as the statuary and pictuie rooms are twice a Week,
Saw the venerable wolf of bronze, which was struck
with lightning on the day of the assassination of JuUus
C^sar with other rare curiosities and interesting pic
tures. Returned by the Pantheon, that most perfect
monument of antiquity, erected in honour of the heathen
gods — ^now a sublime teraple of Christian worship,
Thursday. As we have determined upon leaving
Rome, the morning was passed in raaking preparations
for our journey. The rest of the day, till dinner time,
was devoted to the Vatican, that receptacle of wonders ;
and rauch I lament that more attention had not been paid
to it ; but weeks would be necessary to give satisfaction
to curiosity intent upon such objects. With regret
I shall to-morrow bid adieu to this city, yet I am earnest
to get away. Every thing has been seen once, and many
iatoresting matters raore than once. There would be
little gratification in making another universal, but rapid
and superficial survey. It would be impossible to do
more without reraaining during the winter, and as that
does not corae within our arrangements, wo cannot
forget that the shortest day is at hand.
In Rome tbe days pass glibly, but the evenings are
tedious There are few amusements to occupy the mind,
and time will hang heavily without the resource of
society. What a contrast between the silent sombreness

140
of its tranquil streets, and the perpetual motion, the
unceasing bustle of Naples !
Friday. Settled our account at the hotel, and about
noon turned our backs upon the illustrious city. We
made a short journey to Baccano, where we slept, and
found the treatment and accommodation very fair. The
situation had been considered unhealthy, but a lake that
was in the neighbourhood has been diained, I should
have been well pleased to have gone to the place, where
it is now ascertained that antient Veia had stood. It is
upon high ground, about three miles out of the road to
the north of La Storta, but the shortness of the days is
discouraging to pursuit.
Saturday. Breakfasted at Monterossi, and taking the
road to Florence by Perugia, we passed through Neppy,
and raade an easy journey to Civita Castellana. In all
the Itineraries of Italy, there is an extraordinary error,
carrying the road from Neppy to Monterossi through
Rosigliano, which is six miles in advance on the
Sienna road, on the ascent of the raountain of Viterbe
on the Roraan side. But Itineraries copy so rauch
frora each other, that the error of one is the error of the
whole. Civita Castellana is a sraall town upon a rock, sur
rounded by a very deep ravine, and therefore of great

141
natural strength. It kad long been supposed to be the
scite of the antient Veia, which cost the Romans a ten
years siege, till the recent discovery was made of the
actual situation of that raeraorable place, which to the
astonishraent of antiquarians was found to be within
fifteen railes of Rorae itself. Although the siege was
at an early period of the Roraan power, it was nofc
supposed that any place so near to the capital had
maintained its independence to that tirae. We slept at
an excellent hotel La Croce Bianca, The journey for
the day was very short, but we could not have gone
farther with a prospect of any tolerable house at a
reasonable distance. The selection of houses in Italy
is of great importance, and people that are acquainted
with the roads can seldom be at a loss. Mount Soracte,
of classic memory, or St, Oreste, as it is now called,
is in the neighbourhood of Civita Castellana.
Sunday, Dec. 14. Proceeded through a country with
wood and pasturage, and inclosures not unsirailar to
portions of an EngUsh county. Went down into a fine
valley, which is that of the Tiber. We crossed the river
upon a bridge, and ascended again to Otriculo, passing
near to the ruins of the antient city of that name. We
stopped to breakfast at La Fortuna, at La Vigna, a very
respectable bouse. ' We pursued our journey along a
beautiftd and romantic road through Narni, a con
siderable town, grandly situated upon one side of a

142
narrow and precipitous ravine^with a roaring river
foaming at the bottom. We descended into a most
beautiful valley, which in the season of fructification,
must abound in all the richest products of the earth, and
arrived to sleep at Terni, Nothing could be more de
lightful to sight and reflection than the journey of this
day, whde the day itself has been beautiful.
Monday. Terni is a large town, in which the streets
are very neat and clean. The hotel La Posta is of very
moderaf: quaUty, and the art of charging is very well
understood. The great object of attraction is the Cas
cade de Marmore, which I had seen before; but if
I were to pass through Terni once a year, I should never
fail to take a view of it We went to it by post horses,
for wiiich, and for a guide, we paid a handsome price.
The distance is about four miles. I believe it is ad
mitted to be the grandest water-fall in Europe. Lord
Byron's description, in the Fourth Canto of Childe
MaroMe, does great justice to it, as well as to raany
other objects in Italy. The surrounding scenery too,
with ihe lofty VeKno covered with snow temdnating the
prospect, is magnificoitly superb.
Returning from Terni, we proceeded on our journey,
«nd having passed over the Somma, with snow upon the
Mghest level of the road, we stopped fbr the night at
Le Angioli, or Mqtertinza, about half a furlong before

143
the entrance into Spoletto. The house is comfortable,
and the people, who iramediatcly recognised rae, were
very attentive. Spoletto is a town of moderate size,
with some good houses, and two or three considerable
churches. There are sorae interesting antiquities, which
we had not tirae to examine. By a residence at Rome
one is sated with antiquities. The road over the Somma
is arduous, but sublime. Nothing can be raore beautiful
than the forest of Ilexes, with variety of other trees
intermixed, and studded with white hermitages on the
side of the raountain hanging over Spoletto. We are
now too late for the autumnal tints. Whoever would
.see thera in perfection, must cast his eyes on the gra
dations of an Italian mountain in October.
Tuesday. We set out before it was day-light, having
A long distance to accoraplish in the day. The raorning
was very cold, there having been severe frost even in the
lovely valley of Spoletto, along which we continued our
journey past the source of the celebrated Clytumnes
to Fuligno, a handsome city, where we took breakfast
Went on to sleep at the Poste at Perugia, a very good
house. The city is of great extent, upon the summit
of a mountain, which affords grand and very distant
prospects. ¦t
Wednesday. A. road of great inequality toPassagna,
a narrow pass by the side of the noble lake Thrasimene.

144
The house where we breakfasted is raiserable to look at;
but after ascending a dirty staircase, we were put into
a clean roora with a good fire, and feasted upon excellent
fried fish, and a bottle of good wine. We proceeded
along the road by the side of the field which will ever
be raeraorable to classic recollection, by the slaughter
of the consul Flaminius and the Roman army, and
passing Cammucia, went on to sleep at Castiglioni, or
rather at an hotel below it, in the angle of the road
which passes under the town : the sign. La Leene Bianca ;
and the landlady, an attentive good-looking woman, with
pretty girls for daughters. In the evening we had Cor-
tona, a town of former celebrity, at a little distance upon
a hill to our right.
Thursday. Breakfasted at Arezzo, an excellent
town finely situated upon rising ground, with handsorae
streets, raagnificent churches, and raany good houses.
The hotel was La Posta, and seemingly comfortable.
An extraordinary accident occurred when almost at the
entrance of the place. In a descent, which was not of
many yards, but rapid and rather circuitous, the coach
man having neglected to put on the Sabot, one of the
horses, too rauch pressed upon by the carriage, lost his
feet by the side of the road, close to which there was a
low wall. He fell outwards, and actually tumbled over
the wall, on the other side of which he was lying on his
back with his feet in the air, and half suspended by the

145
harness which had not altogether given way. The
ground being lower tlian the road he was invisible to us
in the carriage : we thought he must have been kiUed,
and were surprized to find that when ho had been disen
tangled he vvas able to get up and shake himself as if
no material injury had been sustained. The fall had
been broken by the suspension of the rppes. We pro
posed to let hira rest for a day or two, but the offer was
declined. We continued our journey and slept at //
Albeago Magiore, which stands before the entrance t6
the town of Monte Vurchi. It is a large house in bad
condition, the people being apparently in decay. If I
were to sleep in the neighbourhood again, I would raake
trial of the hotel at St. Jean, or Giovani, which is three
miles nearer to Florence. The whole of the country
has been enchanting till this day ; but a part of it through
which we have been passing since breakfast is of a
savage aspect, with a marle-like soil, of the nature of
that which was described on the other road.
Friday, Arrived at Florence, having breakfasted at
Piano de Fonte, upon the Arno, ciear to the poste of
Incisa. ExceUent fried fish was served up to us. On
the opposite side of the river, at a considerable distance, ,
is Fillambrosa, made famous by the mention of our great
epic poet ; buj; there could not be any gratification frora
seeing it in the middle bf the winter. Farther up among
snowy raountains to the north, is the monastery of the
U

146
Calmaduls; but summer alone could give encourage
ment to visit that solitary abode of gloom and super
stition, Saturday, Dec. SOth, and the three following days, we
remained at Florence in expectation of letters, and to
avail ourselves of the attention of friends from whom we
had received and accepted invitations. I spent an hour
or two every day in the gallery. I went again to the
Pitti palace. We were much gratified by the Academy,
where there are copies of the groupe of the Niobe fa
mily, the celebrated assemblage to which a chamber in
the gallery is almost entirely devoted. In the Academy
they are arranged with ' good effect, agreeably to the
suggestion of a scientific Englishman. In the same
place there are duplicates of raany of the fine statues
that we had seen, with other distinguished monuments
of art, both antient and raodern. I repeated ray visits
to particular churches; but after being accusto'med to
the dazzling splendour of Roman churches, even these
that are considered magnificent in otber places make
little impression. ITfj haste to run to the cathedral or
principal church on entering a town, under the expecta
tion of it being one of the buildings most worthy of
regard, becomes languid. Much time was dissipated
in promenading, and in the reading room. The theatres
were closed.

117
The palaces of the great Italiau cities are of an ex
traordinary description. They appear immense nias.ses
of mason work of prodigious elevation, and walls of
astonishing thickness, with tho lower range of windows
barricadoed by strong iron grillings which project some
inches from the wall. They have the appearance of
prisons, and in fact strength and security were the prin
cipal objects in view when they were constructed. The
feuds among the petty states vvere perpetual and in
veterate. The people of Genoa, of Sienna, of Pisa, of
Florence, and of other districts, were always contending
against each other ; and in the several capitals are still
exhibited trophies of sanguinary victories obtained over
their neighbours. In addition to the warfare among
theraselves, they were often liable to be laid under con
tribution by the overwhelming force of some foreign
powers; — France, Austria, or Spain, Every man's
palace was a fortification, in which he was sometimes
under tbe necessity of taking shelter, and shi^tting him
self up until he should be relieved. These palaces were
calculated in the inside for show, but not for domestic
comfort. They consisted of suites of magnificent rooms
of wonderful dimendons, with ceilings of an altitude
that amazes; and to this day they are kept up more to
be looked at than for use. The state apartments, which
the proprietors in general have endeavoured to ornament
with pictures and statues, are exhibited to the public,
and the family is resident in a corner. For many ages

148
Italy vvas a prey to intestine strife ; but it might perhaps
be asserted, that the physical condition of the conntry
was better than at present War is a source of industry,
as necessity is the mother of invention. Labour was
indispensable to support. Learning, science, and the
fine arts, were in prosperity.
Wednesday. We departed frora Florence in the
morning, taking the road to Leghorn. I believe that Dr.
Johnson has observed, th#{t something pf a raelancholy
feeling is experienced on leaving any place for the last
tirae. The idea that one shall never return to it, glides
into the reflection, that the time may be at hand when
we must lake leave of every thing. We breakfasted at
II Albergo Magiore in Empoli, a very neat and clean
town with much bustle in it on account of a raarket day.
We continued our journey through one or two handsorae
towns, or pretty villages, along the valley of the Arno,
with luxuriant cultivation around us, and the range of
snowy Appenines to the north, forraing as grand an out
line as could be conceived.
W bile much of Italy has decUned under slothful tran
quillity, and more especially the patrimony of St. Peter,
the great nursery of Malaria, between Rome and the
western coast, it is impossible to pass ijjirough T'uSt
cany without being much gratified. There is singular
variety in the scenery, from the barest and most rugged

149
mountains to tlie richest plains. The Arno has not the
depth or the rapidity of the Tiber, but although muddy
it is an interesting river. The country in every part'
abounds in elegant villas, which exhibit a most delightful
prospect amidst the vineyards and olive groves. The
people are well dressed aud comfortably lodged ; as the
farm houses are of a superior description, and even the
cottages of the peasants appear neat and substantial.
Every thing bears testimony of government well-admi
nistered, and the reigning prince, the Grand Duke, is
very popular. He is an Austrian, but nevertheless has
due consideration of the interest of his people, and he
is beloved by them. He is a worthy succesor to the
patriotic Leopold. The public feeling in respect to him*
is very different from that which is manifested towards
the iron sceptre of his elder brother. '
We went on to sleep at Locanda Magiore a respectable
housie at Ponte D'Era. The journey for the day has been
in the district of the Leghorn hat straw, a valuable source
of wealth to the country. =
Thursday. Took breakfast before setting, off,, and
arrived at Leghorn about one o'clock, where we got an
excellent Christmas dinner in the true English style, at
the house of a gentleman equally respected in his public
and private capacities, Mr. Faulkener, the British consul.
It is a large city, handsome, and well built; the houses

150
very high as in Paris, but the streets of ample breadth.
The harbour is spacious and beautiful, with a pier of
noble construction carried a great way round it in the &ea.
A ramification of the harbour penetrates within the towni,
which is also intersected by a great canal conducting to
Pisa, in a manner that has a good effect. The inhabi
tants in general were very well dressed — better it may be
presumed, than common, on account of the day. The
women wear fine muslin veils which are becoming. Their
pendulous broad ear-vings and crosses hanging over their
bosoms are whimsical, but not offensive. Our quarters
were at the English hotel. I went over to the Protestant
burying-ground, an^ found the naraes of the much
lamented Mr. Homer, and of other individuals that had
been respected in life. The remeuns of Dr. SraoUett
are there. The raonuments are numerous, but I was
surprised not to find one with any perfection of sculp
ture. Friday. Left Leghorn about noon for Pisa, and took
up our abode for the night at le ire Donzelle, a very
good hotel. The city is large and elegant, with the
Arno ninning tbrough it On each side of the river
there is a handsome street, with houses fronting to the
water, and forming a delightful promenade of great
lengtji. We looked at the crooked tower, the calbedrd,
and the baptistry — three very extraordinary building,
and went over the Campo Sam^o, t]|e very antient

151
cemetery, which is also extraordinary in its kind, and
might furnish interest for a more deliberate and minute
attention. The same remark may be applied to the
edifices that have just been mentioned, and to many
objects in the course of dur tour, of which our inspec
tion has been superficial.
Saturday. Left Pisa in the morning, intending to take
the direct road to Massa, but went by mistake to Lucca,
where we found ourselves at the same distance from the
otiier place as when at Pisa; although we had travelled
two posts, sixteen English miles. An Italian post is
eight miles, while a French post is only five miles and a
half. The road to Massa is nearer to the sea, but we
were not sorry for our error, as it carried us throngh a
beautiful little town ; the baths of Pisa, and the whole
road was delightful. Lucca too, where we breakiststed,
would be worthy of a survey, but a day of heavy rain
did not perrait us to wander about, or to give to the ca
thedral and other buildings the attention that was due to
them. We proceeded to Pietra Sancta to sleep, still
admiring the riehness of culture, and the beanty of the
Olive plantations rising np to the summits of tiie moun
tains. Our eyes furnish conviction that we aro in a
coontry-of the finest oil, as that of Lucca is the most,
esteemed, Tbe inn at Pietra S«»ief7a was La^Poda^wui
comfortable enough.

152
Sunday, December 28. Went on from Pietra Sancta
through Massa, to which the road continued good. It
afterwards became extremely rough traversing torrents,
and vile marshes to Sarsana, when vve took breakfast
^t.La Posta. It was not necessary for us tb enter
Massa. We might have turned to the left on approach
ing it, so as pass by the side of it, and save a liltie dis
tance with a portion of very bad road.
When at Massa we were near to the quarries of Car
rara, from which the finest modem material of the
PromefAeara art is extracted ; but we did not go to see
them.' The rest of the day must, have been consumed,
and we were earnest to get forward. The refined grati
fication is, to behold the marble, not in the block, but
when grace and beauty, with an expression that ap
proaches near to animation, have been impressed upon
it -vwhen, in some instances, the air and dignity even of
divinity have been infused into it.
After leaving Sarsana, we had occasion to cross a
considerable river in a ferry-boat. The country to
Spezzia became raost interesting. The scenery during
the afternoon has been captivating, while the animating
rays of a congenial sun, warming to give delight, but
not so rauch as to oppress, served to heighten the effect.
The mountains have been cultivated in the terrace

153
fashion almost to their tops, with crops of wheat, at
present even in fine verdure, upon the level surface of
each terrace between the rows of olives and vines. The
vallies have appeared with crops similarly intermixed,
but still in greater luxurance, and with beautiful orange
groves by the road side. We settled for the night at
Speztia, and found excellent accommodation at Albergo
Reale de Gulfe.
The situation of Spezzia, at the bottom of the gulph
of that name, is very delightful. It is defended from the
north and east by a semi-circle of very high hills, while
the town, and the plain before it, upon which there is a
charming proraenade, are quite open to the south and
the sea. From a position so much sheltered, and so
much under the influence of the sun, there is a state of
atmosphere extreraely conducive to vegetation. Groves
of oranges and citrons, which are not to be met, with in
central Italy, where the latitude is more to the south,
appear in great abundance, and the vine is often married
to the oUve, a conjunction which a less favoured climate
could not permit without injury to both. In a few in
stances I observed the same thing in the Neapolitan ter
ritory, but never in Tuscany. We found the ordinary
wines very good, and had also upon the table a wine of
very* superior description, the produce of the sarae
district. There is not any raarsh land upon the shore.
The situation must be healthy, and might be well suited
X

154
to invalids in the winter ; but the approach is difficult.
We suffered much jolting from Massa to Sarsana, and
are informed that to-morrow the road will be much worse
between this place and Borghetto. An invalid, however,
might be landed at Lirici, which is a sraall harbour at the
distance of a few miles.
Monday. Left Spezzia, and found ample confirmation
of what had been announced with respect to the road.
It is aborainable and dangerous, being carried through
a defile of a most rugged and irregular surface, with a
succession of short, but almost precipituous mountings
and descendings. In the course of it, narrow, but deep
and rapid torrents intervene, from the bottora of which
several efforts are necessary before the carriage can be
drawn up. In these bottoms are large stones that have
been brought down by the currents from the sides of the
raountain, and so deep in the water that they cannot be
seen. The carriage might be overset by a wheel being
encountered by one of them, and the passengers would
be in danger of being suffocated. About a mile of the
road is along the bed of a broad torrent, but unattended
with risk, excepting immediately after heavy rains,
when for a short time it may be inaccessible. A new
line of road is in progress, but the labour is not pursued
in a raanner that can give a prospect of it being speedily
completed. The commencement of the road frpm
Spezzia is over a high hill, and otherwise unexception-

155
able. After four hours of painful exertion to our own
horses, aided by two additional ones, we arrived to
breakfast at Borghetto, a miserable viUage in which
there is only one wretched hotel*. It is singular that
the only house, at which we had stopped in the course of
our journey, that could vie vvith it in wretchedness, was
at Borghetto, in passing from the Tyrol into the territory
of Verona.
Having taken breakfast, such as we could obtain, we
set out upon our journey, and passed over a very high
hill into a bottom, from which we began to climb a moun
tain, wilh a well traced but romantic road. We were
descending on the other side, but had not got to the
bottom when the day closed upon us. We found our
selves benighted, and in total darkness. It was the
period of the new moon, while there was excessive rain,
and our carriage was without lights. We were under a
raost serious dileraraa, without a prospect of raeans by
which we could be extricated. To move forward must
have been attended with extreme danger, as there was
not a possibility of keeping the road, I atterapted to
pursue it, walking before the horses up to my ancles in
mud, but the effort was vain. To take shelter within the
• I have been informed by a gentleman recently returned from travel
ling the same road, that a new hotel of a much better description] ha«
lately been established. It will be a. most material circumstance to be
able to find at Borghetto a place of rest foi the night, so as to avoid a risk
of the accident tliat befell us in the evening.

156
carriage, and remain stationary during a long winter
night, might have been fatal to our unfortunate aniraals,
which had deserved well at our hands. Such, however,
must have been our determination, when we had the
singular fortune to be approached by a man with a
lanthern in his hand. He was travelling upon the road
in the opposite direction, but in consideration of a
handsome recompencc, he conducted us to Sestris de
Lavante, where vve arrived in two hours, and found ex
cellent fare, with good accoraraodation at La Europa,
There never was a more fortuitous escape. From this
time forward I shall be cautious about setting out late
in the day to move upon an unknown road where dark
ness raay overtake me, especially over raountains where
there are commonly precipices on one side or the other.
Tuesday. We breakfasted at Sestris before we set
out upon our journey ^or the day, and afterwards pro
ceeded through Chiavari, a handsome town, of
considerable magnitude, and other smaller towns or
villages, very neat in appearance, and most delightfully
situated to Le Pidgeon at Rocco, where again we found
excellent quarters for the night. The road is hilly, and
some part of it very high, but nothing can be more
captivating. It runs along a narrow edging of shore,
defended from the north and east by the lofty ridge of
Appenines which separate it from Lombardy, but fully
open to the south-west and to the sea. The mountains

157
are so near, that the winter wind, passing over their
frigid sumraits, will sufficiently raaintain its level in the
air to leave the coast basking under the influence of an
exhilerating sun. There is a profusion of orange
plantations, and of every thing bearing testimony of an
admirable climate, with a dry soil sufficiently raised
above the sea, even to the very verge of the shore, to
preclude suspicion of any thing like raarsh vapour.
Peas in blossora were in abundance by the side of the
road. The situation raust always be mild, and would
be well adapted to the residence of invalids during
winter, if society could be dispensed with, A view of
Genoa, and of the mountains to the west of it, opens
upon a traveller in emerging from the road cut through
the summit of an elevation, from which the prospect is
very extensive.
Wednesday. Continued along the coast, variegated
by the numerous indentations of the shore, which cause
the raeasureraent of the road very rauch to exceed the
apparent distance to the eye, and arrived to breakfast
at Genoa, It is a city in which the buildings are very
raagnificent — sorae of the palaces superb, and abounding
in good pictures. The streets, with few exceptions, are
very narrow, but always clean, and the elevations are
handsome. The bay is a fine expanse of water, skirted
by a ridge of hUls, and has been compared to the bay
of Naples. In looking over it towards the Jiight-house,

158
it raay be considered as having some resemblance to the
admirable view from the southern point of Naples to the
extremity of Pausellippo, but it is only a miniature
representation of a most splendid picture — bearing sorae
thing of the general outline, but deficient in the richest
embellishments. Thursday. Yesterday and this day were eraployed
in going over the city with a lacquey, to look at the
principal churches, the palaces, and such other objects
as were considered raost entitled to our curiosity ; but
there was not any thing interesting to persons who had
lately been surveying objects of higher exciteraent. I
raade enquiries about the line of defence which was so
adrairably raaintained by Massena, during the raeraorable
siege* and could see at a distance the works upon the
surrounding hills. The sides of these hills, where every
spot that is not naked rock has been converted to the
production of something, furnish singular specimens of
what may be accomplished in the way of cultivation by
assiduous labour upon the most barren surface. The
climate of Genoa must be generally fine, but may be
liable to vicissitudes. The high mountains behind it,
are sufficiently removed to permit the north wind to
descend from them on an inclined plane, and do not
afford the shelter that is given by the more abrupt
springing up of these upon the coast along which we
have been passing; while the maritime Alps towards

159
Nice are in view, and not so far removed b«t that their
frigid influence must sometimes be experienced. This,
however. New Year's Day, has been a summer day, and
atour hotel. La Villa, very fine green peas were served
up to us at dinner.
Friday. Left Genoa after breakfast, and proceeded
over the Bochetta to Arunco, where we found fair ac
commodation for the night at La Posta. Soon after
leaving the city we passed an orange grove abounding in
ripe fruit. It is perhaps the last I shall see on the
natural ground. It is singular that in Italy the orange
and lemon trees vrill bear the hardest frost without sus
taining the smallest injury, while one hour's exposure to
a frosty wind in a northern climate, is certain destruction
— so much stronger is the principle of vegetable life
under the influence of soil and atmosphere appropriate
to its support.
In ascending the Bochetta we experienced an extra
ordinary change in the temperature of the air, and upon
the summit of the mountain we met stern ftost, whieh
continues at Arunco, a place considerably advanced in
the descent towards Lombardy, The road is in very bad
condition from recent snow and rain.
Saturday. Continued to descend the Bochetta by a
savage and dreary pass to Novi ih the plain, where we

160
rested to breakfast. Went on to Alessandria, over the
field of Marengo, which is a perfect level within three
or four railes of the last-raentioned city. We slept at
the hotel of L' Italia. Novi and Alessandria are cities
of considerable magnitude with streets in good con
dition.
.' Sunday, January 4th. Made but one journey to Asti,
and slept, at Albergo Reale, where [the Countess of
Westmoreland happened to take up her residence for the
night, and was in the chamber nearest to ours. The
view of the Alps since our arrival upon the plain has
been superb. ^The whole range, frora the raaritirae
Alps to the Simplom, has been before our eyes, forming
a sublime barrier to northern Italy, of which no
conception can be formed from imagination, without
having seen it We have been gradually coming nearer
to it.
Monday. Breakfasted at Villa Nuova, and arrived to
dine at Turin, having taken up quarters in L'Hotel de
L' Universe, in the Piazzo de Castello. The frost that
caught us upon the Bochetta has continued unabated,
but the atmosphere is clear and serene.
Tuesday, Having had a sensation for some days of
fulness about the heart, an antient feeling with me,
which in several instances has led to palpitations and

161
frequent intermissions of the pulse, and finding it to
continue, without having yielded to very spare regimen
which I had adopted, I came this moining to the reso
lution of losing a basinfuU of blood, and was immediately
relieved. In prudence I kept chiefly in the house during
the day, but was not much disappointed in being pre
vented from ranging about the city. I had seen it in the
year gone past, and although as a city it may be said to
be well built and handsome, there is not a great deal
within it to be admired. The architectural ornament in
general is admitted to be in very bad taste. I was able
to take a walk around a portion of ihe suburbs, from
which the view of the Alps is very grand and extensive.
Mount Viso in the west is perhaps the nearest of the
great mountains, and appears in majestic dignity. Its
insulated situation and pyramidal form, with a most
rugged surface, set off its altitude and sublimity to a
great advantage. Mount Cenis is regarded with that
respect which is claimed by the closer acquaintance
which the traveller has already made, or must soon
make with it. The towering summits of the central
chain arrogantly look down upon every thing around
them — and Mount Rosa shuts up the prospect to the
east — an enormous rock of snow.
Wednesday. Left Turin at an early hour and break
fasted at La Figna, in St. Amhroise, near to the entrance
of the valley of Susa. Proceeded to Susa along the
Y

162
charming valley, and rested at the Poste. At Susa there
is a handsome small arch of the period of Augu.stus, in
a very perfect state. It may be presumed that the road
over the mountain at that time went under it.
Thursday. Ascended Mount Cenis, and in five hours
arrived at the Poste, in front of the lake upon the
elevated plain, to breakfast. It is common to set off
in the dark, for the purpose of being able to make a
longer journey during the day. We waited for the light,
that not a yard of a road so interesting should be lost to
our view. It is one of the grandest operations of man,
and in conjunction with raany other manifestations of a
mind rising above all modern comparison, will give to
its projector that celebrity in history which cotemporary
envy and jealousy have endeavoured to withhold. The
weather has been most favourable : the atmosphere very
clear, so that the plain was pleasant, and the cold not
excessive. With regret I have bid adieu to Italy. I have derived
much gratification from the variety of important objects
that it presents to the enquiries of a stranger. On ap-
approaching the frontier I continued turning my eyes
back upon it, till its remote plains were cut off from
my view by intervening eminences. Italy farewell.
We came down to Lanslaburg to sleep at the English

163
hotel, where the landlady, who was an Englishwoman,
is lately dead, to the great prejudice of the house.
There was very little snow upon the Italian side of
Mount Cenis, and the depth of it insignificant on the
Savoy side, so that the ascent and descent were accom
plished without the smallest difficulty.
Friday. The frost intense, and the atmosphere much
colder than it had been yesterday on Mount Cenis. We
set off early after a night that was most uncomfortable
from a deficiency of bedcloaths. Our chambers were
separate, but we had equal reason for complaint. We
went on to breakfast at Modona, in L'Hotel de Voy
ageurs, apparentiy a good house, with an active intel
ligent landlady, who was at pains to bespeak our future
patronage. We continued our journey to St. Jean
Maurienne, the Poste, which was also a respectable
house. Saturday. Pursued our course down the valley always
descending by the side of a river, the Arque, which
after heavy rains and during the melting of snow becomes
an immense torrent, and has committed devastation in
raany places. We breakfasted at Aigbelle, and went on
to sleep at the Poste at Multaverne, where we found
good accoraraodation. I had been struck with the clean
ness and neatness of the house on ray last excursion,
when I had only taken breakfast ia it, and contrived

164
such arrangement of the journey, as should bring us to
it for the night.
We have now escaped from the defiles of the Alps,
and in the journey of the last two days have come
through several sraall towns or villages to which the
common itineraries liave not done justice. Their con
dition, which has been vilified, appeared in general re
spectable, and there seemed to be no want of tolerable
hotels. The scenery in the whole length of the valley,
which is that of St. Jean Maurienne is of the most su
perlative grandeur. The deformity of Goitars is very
prevalent, but the inhabitants in other respects, espe
cially towards the upper part of the valley were good
looking people. 1 saw nothing of Cretins.
Sunday, Jan. 11th. We traversed an extensive plain,
which has reserablance to a basin, being formed by the
extraordinary concurrence of four vallies coraing to
gether in opposite directions, and flanked by raountains
of the most rugged and romantic kind. One of these
vallies is that of the Isere, which comes down between
ridges, than which nothing can be more savage and bare.
Another valley is that which conducts to Charaberry,
and the fourth is the course of the Isire to the southward
in its direction to the Rhine. We crossed the Isire,
into which the Arque has discharged itself, at Montmail-
lant, a small town situated in a strong position, and

165
proceeded to breakfast at Chambcrry. The mountains
on the line and around the town are very picturesque.
The hotel was the Poste, an indifferent house, but per
haps the best that the place affords. It is a town, how
ever, of respectable size, and the capital of Savoy. Wc
went on to sleep at Les Echelles of Savoy — Le Croix
Blanc, a house mean in appearance ; but the fare and
accommodation did not leave us room to complain. The
road is magnificently roraantic — there is a fine cascade
by the side of it; emd the manner in which it is cut
through the most solid rock at Les Echelles, was the first
extraordinary speciraen of what labour and science can
accomplish in that way, having been effected, to his im
mortal honour, by a Prince of Savoy, before the grand
operations of Bonaparte were in contemplation.
Monday. The journey commenced with another ex
traordinary defile upon a road well traced over a very
high hill, with a terrific ravine between that and an ad
joining hill. It conducted us to Pont Buosin, the frontier
town of Savoy and France, where passports are in
spected, and the examination of the Douane takes place.
We were politely treated, and had no trouble. The
officers did not appear to entertain the least suspicion
of our being dealers in contraband. We are now in
France, the bridge being the boundary. After break
fast we went a,long a pretty vaUey, chiefly of pasturage,
and well divided with row hedges, to Bourgain, where

168
we got an excellent dinner, and rested for the night at
the Hotel de Park. The surface of the country appeared
very rauch like England, with exception of there being
an extensive vineyard for many miles along the side of
a hill to the right.
Tuesday. Breakfasted at.S^. Laurent des Mmes, and
were charged for caffe au lait, with toasted bread and
butter, with a room having a bit of fire in it, three francs
each. It was the most -extraordinary demand that we
had encountered. Arrived at Lyons and took quarters
at L'Hotel de Provence, near La Grand Place.
Wednesday. The frost continues exceedingly severe.
Nothing to excite my curiosity in this great city, as I
passed three dull days here in returning from my forraer
excursion. Indeed there is not rauch to be adraired,
excepting the conflux of two noble rivers, the Rhone
and Soane, which unite below the town, having the
greatest part of it lying between them, in the form of the
space between the two legs of a pair of compasses.
Over the rivers there are convenient bridges, and along
their banks there are spacious quays, which forra de
lightful proraenades. Mont Blanc raay be seen to great
advantage from the high hill beyond the Soane, when the
atmosphere is clear. But the day was hazy, and did not
offer encouragement to an ascent, which is not very easy.
I walked out for an hour or two only in the day, and

166
went to the play in the evening. The theatre is very
unequal to what might be expected in a place which has
been considered the second city in France.
Thursday. Left Lyons and breakfasted at the Poste
at Arnas. Went on to sleep at L'Hotel de France, at
Terrare, a very considerable town handsomely built, and
seeming to abound in manufactories.
Friday. Ascended the mountain of Terrare, and went
only to Roaune, where we rested for the night. We
could not look forward to a convenient sleeping place
within a moderate distance. The frost is still severe,
and the white rind upon the trees and shrubs is the most
beautifid I ever beheld. I suspect that I shall not have
occasion again to use the term mountain.
Saturday. Breakfasted at Paccadine, and went on to
sleep at Palesse,
Sunday. Breakfasted at Varrenes, and slept at
L'Hotel D'Allier a Moulins, a city of numerous popu
lation, but indifferently built and badly lighted.
Monday. Breakfasted at St. Pierre, and slept at Nevers
at L'Hotel de France, where we were well accom
modated. The landlady was a raost attentive woman,
and the charge yery moderate, which for some days has

167
not been the case. At the houses where vve have slept,
the demands for fire for the evening, and half an hour
in the morning, have been four aud sometimes five francs.
It is true that along the Une wood has appeared scarce,
the country being in general naked, and the scenery very
insipid, but the amount of the charge was unseasonable.
The inns were in other respects of good quality, and the
fare excellent. We have seldom been n.t dinner without
woodcocks, snipes, or partridges. Nivers is a large town,
in the old stile,
Tuesday, Breakfasted at Le Grand Monarch, at La
Charite, and slept at ie Grand Cerf, at Cosgue. For
two days we have been moving parallel to the Loire, and
soraetiraes very near its banks. It is a noble river, and
the only object to give relief to the wearisome flatness
of an uninteresting country, affording no variety what
ever to the eye. For a great extent there was not even
the appearance of a vineyard ; but the land wholly in
com cultivation. The road, like French roads in general,
is of immense breadth, but not in good condition. Hard
materials that are proper for the formation of a sound
road, cannot be obtained withia. a reasonable distance :
the stone is crumbly and sandy. The frost begins to
give way. Happily for our horses it has lasted till this
time, as in soft weather a great part of the road raust
have been very bad. If I were to go to Lyons again, I
would make trial of the road by Chalons sur Saone. It

169
is the shdrtest, and I believe tiie be^troad. Our motive
in coming this way was to see the Loire.
Wednesday, Breakfasted at Le ^oleil D'Or, at Bonny,
and slept at La Madalene, at Bonpiere,
Thursday. Breakfasted at Montargis, and slept at
L'Eeu de France, at Soupes,
Friday. Passed through Nemours, apparently a hand
some city with manufactories, and rauch of the bustle
of commercial business frora the vicinity of the union
of the great canals of Briare and Orleans, which form
Oommunications between the Loire and the Seine. We
breakfasted at Fontainbleau, oi the situation of which I
had not forraed any previous idea. I looked with rauch
surprise at the ridge of hills and the savage rocks that
surround the basin, in the centre of which the town
seems to be placed. The day was rainy and did not
perrait me to wander about. But the place itself, and
the ^adjoining scenery, are well worthy the attention of
at least one day in a favourable season, when wood and
ground may appear to advantage, and L'Hotel de Lyon
seems an excellent house. We went on to sleep at
Leon D'Or, at Essone. The Seine is under the town on
our right hand.
Saturday morning, June 24th, 1824, we arrived in
Z

170
Paris, where it is my intention to remain during the
remainder of the winter. In our way to the hotel towards
which we wpre bound, we carae through the Place de
Greve, where there was an asserablage of people around
a guillotine. I have no relish for exhibitions of raisery,
and although the wretched objects on whom execution
was to take place were murdprers not entitled to
compassion, I was unwilling even to look upon them,
and earnest to escape before they could be brought
forward, I. have accoraplished a tour, for the higher enjoyraent
of which I was prepared by the hasty sketch of the
preceding year, I have had the advantage of a com
panion, whose disposition to investigate and observe
with discrimination and intellect, gave security for
attention being paid to every thing that was important.
My mind is impressed with recollections that never can
be obliterated, I cannot expect to traTel over the same
ground again, but my imagination will often follow
the course of it, by reference to this ray insigniflcant
Journal,

THE END.

Printed by W. SMITH, King Street, Long Aere.

L UNIVEHSITV LIBRARY