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PRESENTED TO THE LIBRARY

OF

PRINCETON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

BY

JVIps. Alexander Proudfit.

SC

LETTERS

fe Y

C. H E R V E Y, Eso,

LETTERS

FROM

PORTUGAL, SPAIN, ITALY and GERMANY,

IN THE YEARS I75Q, 1760, AND I761.

By CHRISTOPHER HERVEY, Esq..

VOLUME THE THIRD,

LONDON!

fSINTED BY J. DAVIS, C H A N C E R Y - L A N E J FOX X, FAULDER, NEW-BOND-STREET.

M.DCC.LXXXV.

LETTERS

FROM

ITALY, &c,

L E T T E R I.

Veletri, ioth February, 1761^ Tuefday, 8 o'clock at night.

I SET out for this place about 12 o'clock this morning, after a good dinner, or rather a good breakfaft, before my departure. Tho' I came poft, and it is only two and twenty miles, it was after fun-let before I arrived hither. I brought a letter for a gentleman Vol. III. A qf

2 LETTERS FR.OM

of this place, but it fcems he is gone out of town, however they expect his return to- morrow morning. My inn I think is as bad as can poffibly be. Indeed to the iouth- ward of Rome, things begin to have the air of Spain. There is fome reafon why ac- commodations mould be worfe in hot coun- tries than in colder climates. The mildnefs of the air renders them lefs necefTary. At this time of the year, people would be flarved in England in the room I am at pre- fent fetting. No glafs to the windows, tho' that indeed is at prefent remedied by the wooden ihutters being clofed, but then there are proper interftices to let the wind pafs. My chimney likewife fmokes. Part of my fupper is juft tumbled down, or rather up flairs, and I am going to eat the reil.

Veletri,

ITALY, GERMANY, &fc. 3

Veletri, nth February, i/6r, one o'clock in the afternoon, Wednefday.

The gentleman I was recommended to has been with me this morning, and we tookawalk out together about the town, and have been fcrutinizing, upon the lpot, into the hiftory of the furprize of Veletri by the Germans. It happened in the year 1 744. You know the queen of Hungary fent troops under prince Lobkowitz, to invade Naples, which met the Spanifh and Neapolitan forces at Veletri. The Spaniards were quartered in the town, and the Germans in a wood upon a hill near it. The Spaniards were fent into Italy by Philip the Fifth, to aflSft his fon Don Carlos, who is now king of Spain, and whom he had placed upon the throne of the Two Sicilies, after he had conquered thole domi- nions from the honfe of Auflria. The queen indeed had ceded them, but upon war's breaking; out an'ain, me renewed her former claims. Juft the fame as fhe has been A 2 doing

4 LETTERS FROM

doing with regard to Sileiia this war. She fent twenty thoufand men to the attempt. It was thefe who were quartered upon the mount Artemifius near Veletri. The king of Naples was quartered and lodged in the only hand- fome palace here, belonging to the family of Ginetti. Lobkowitz and his generals re- folved to attempt a furprize of the place by night. General Brown, an Irimman, was to command the attack. The Britifh fleet .under Admiral Mathews was then cmifing off the coaft, which is not above four or five miles from Veletri, to aflift the Germans. A day or two before the furprize, Lobko- witz marched fome of his troops down rather more to the fhore, than his camp, and a report was fpread, purpofely I fuppofe, that he was going to imbark his troops on board the Engliih fleet, in order to go^ftreight to Naples. However, if any perfon fuffered themfelves to be deceived by fuch a report, they were not much ikilled in lea-affairs, for it mil ft have been a pretty large fleet to have

received

ITALY, GERiMANY, &c. 5

received tvventy-thoufand men. The night fettled for the attempt at laft came. Some regiments of German troops were marched round to attack Veletri on the contrary fide to where they were encamped. There was another, likewife, ordered to go and fpread an alarm towards the eaft, but they loft their way in the night, and never appeared during the attack.

The Neapolitan gate, which was on the oppofite fide to where the Germans were encamped, was the place intended to be forced. Without it the Irifh regiments in the fervice of Spain were quartered. General Brown cut the greateft part of his country- men to pieces. During this alarm the king put on his cloaths, and girting on his fword as quick as poflible, ran out of the back door of his houfe, attended by fome of his nobility and life-guards, who were upon duty near him. He went through the gar- den belonging to the palace of the Ginettt A 3 family,

6 LETTERS FROM

family, and took the road towards Valmon- tonio. There were fome of his cavalry here, from whom he got a horfe, and went on, after encouraging them to defend his perfon. He got to a capuchin convent not far from Veletri, where he met the duke of Modena, and the French ambaflador, two perfons for whofe fafety he had been very anxious. He then marched to the right wing of his troops, who were encamped on that fide of Veletri, where he omitted nothing a general could do to animate and arrange his men. It was now day-light, for Brown had been fo delayed, that it was near dawn before his attack began. He had almoft. deftroyed all his countrymen who defended the Neapolitan gate. The few that remained he had taken priibners. He had broken too fome Spanim horfe that oppofed him. He killed many of them, and took more.

He

Italy, Germany, &c. 7

He then feized the tents, and every thing elfe that belonged to the left wing of the Spanifli army. He fet the whole on fire. The town gate was now opened by force. The Spanifli guards in vain attempted to hinder the entrance of the enemy. Sanfe- verino, brother to the prince of Bifiniano, endeavoured to rally them. Some he re- proached, fome he ftopt by force, till his great number of wounds rendered him fo faint, that he fell, and was left for dead. In the mean time the Germans entered, and feized upon nine pair of colours found alto^ gether jufl at the gate. They now feparated their troops into three divifions. One went to the palace where the king lodged ; the fecond towards the court of juftice, a large building on the left hand as they entered ; and the third up the ftreet that leads through the middle of the town. They killed a great many people, and attempted to fet fire to the houfes in many places. The inhabitants, unufed to war, hid them- A 4 felves

i LETTERS FROM

felves in their cellars, and expected to fee their habitations entirely deftroyed. The Germans continued killing almoft every perfon they met, whether armed or not. They plundered every thing they could get^ making very little difference between what belonged to the towns-people or their ene- mies. Almoft. all the Spaniards that re- mained in the town upon the entry of the Germans were either taken or killed. Count Mariano, tho' very ill of the gout, was obliged get away as quick as he could on horfeback. The duke of Atrifeo, after the houfe he was in was half pulled down and burnt, got off likewife, and mounting a horfe, rode to the king's guards, of which he was commander. In fhort, fire, confufion and the enemy occupied every place ; and a report was current, (a thing common enough upon all thefe occaiions,) that the Spanifh army was totally deflroyed. What ruined the Germans was, that, inftead of following their victory, as foon as they were matters

of

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 9

of the town they thought of nothing but plundering it- However, the Spaniards, who had recovered themfelves a little on the outfide of the walls, re-attacked the Ger- mans. The engagement then became very bloody on both fides.

General Gage was the principal comman- der of the Spaniards under the king of Na- ples. He was a Fleming, and had been one of the Spaniih Walloon guards. He directed the recovery of the town with all the art and vigor of an experienced officer. An- dreafy, a general of the Germans, "was wounded. Many prifoners wrere taken on both fides. The event was certainly of very great confequence, for if the Spaniards had been conquered, and their ammunition and magazines taken, it might have gone hard with the kingdom of Naples. In the mean time the king, who was never far from Ve- letri, fent twTo companies of the queen's regiment, which he had along with him, to

affift

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aflift his army. Gage, likewife, brought the Macedonian regiment, and that of Caftille to the attack. The appearance of them call: a panic into the enemy, who were afraid of being fur rounded, fo that the Ger- mans immediately began to run away as fa ft as they could. Some were killed in jumping down the fteep precipices which furround the town. What increafed the hurry of their flight was, their not receiving any afiiftance from their general Lobkowitz, who, I do not know for what reafon, did not chufe to fend them a reinforcement. The Spaniards purfued the flying enemy to fo good effect, that they ftrewed the road quite up to the German camp with carcafes. There were, flill, however, fome remaining in Veletri, who had got into the houfes, and from thence infefted the Spanifh troops. As they were covered by the walls from the mufquetry, they killed a great number, without being annoyable themfelves from the enemy. The Spaniards could not bring their cannon

eafiiy

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. n

eafily to play upon them within the ftreets of the town, indeed I believe they had little or no artillery in it. However the Walloon guards at lad: broke into the houfes, and, with fome lofs, killed or took them all pri- foners. The count of Beaufort, one of the Walloon officers, was killed by the enemies bayonets. He did not fall upon the fpot, but continued righting, till at laft they car- ried him away by force. His countrymen, the Walloons, feeing what had happened, redoubled their fury. They cut down the doors with hatchets, and as I have already laid, all the Germans remaining within the houfes were either killed or taken prifoners. In the mean time the purfuit of thofe who were retreating to their camp was conti- nued. Count Novati was taken by the Spaniards in the duke of Modena's quar- ters, before he knew even that his own party was fled. The duke of Modena, you know, was then with the Spaniards. There was a confutation held by the king,

with

iz LET TERS FROM

with him and other officers, about purfu- ing the Germans with all their forces, into their very camp. But fome difputes arofe about the way they were to march, which gave the enemy time to compleat their re- treat;

Seven o clock at night.

W E have been walking out a fecond time, and looking about Veletri. The houfes are marked with mufquet mot, the remains of the German attack. We faw where the then king of Naples faved himfelf, when he ran half naked into the garden and efcaped. The fituation of Vele- tri is really very pretty. It is placed upon a middling hill. The valleys about it are very romantic, and the fides of them cloath- ed with vineyards and olive trees. I faw nothing extraordinary in the town but its dirtinefs, as being furrounded with decli- vities I mould think the water muft run

off.

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 13

off. Indeed they have nothing to fhew but a pope's ftatue, and the art of making bran- dy, which they fay is done cheaper here than at Rome. A cofFee-houfe exhibited to me fome curious figures, and you know what country gentlemen are out of Eng- land. I fet out for Capua to-morrow, where I mail flay a day or two, before I go on for Naples.

LET-

14 LETTERSFROM

LETTER II.

Capua, 8 o'clock morning, Monday, Feb. 16, 1761.

JL H I S is the fifth day I have been at Capua, detained by fome friends, but as their company will not be fo agreeable to you as to me, I will give you the confe- quences of the German repulfe at Veletri, I take great part of what I write from an elegant L,atin hiftory, of the late war in Italy, compofed by Buonarnici, who ferv-r ed under the king of Naples, which makes him indeed rather incline, to the party under whole banners he fought.

The Spaniards continued defirous of re- venging, by an immediate attack upon their camp, the daring enterprize of the Ger- mans. The count of Valhermofo offered

to

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. is

to follow them, if the king would but give him leave. He faid he would go by a bridge called Mela, near the town of Lanuvio, where the Jiorfe could alfo come, and by fe- eluding the enemy from Cintiano, exact im- mediate punimment for their hardinefs. The count of Valhermofo's opinion prevailed. But the misfortune was, that while thefe things were difputing, and the troops were getting ready, the Germans returned in peace to their camp. The Spaniards did indeed begin to march under the command of the count. But as foon as the king knew that the enemy was entirely retired, fo that it was impofiible to harrafs them any further in their retreat, and as he had a mind to give his troops a little reft after the great fa- tigue of the paffed night, or rather morning, conlidering all theie things, he ordered them to return to their quarters. The affair began at dawn of day, and lafted till nine o'clock.

The

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The day following the king gave public thanks to all his army, and in particular to count Gage, and the duke of Cafrropig- nano. He praifed his Spanifh troops in not letting their courage flag under difficulties, and his Neapolitans for equalling their an- ceftors in their fidelity and love to their fovereign. He difpenfed rewards to differ- ent perfons. He promoted prince Sanfe- verino, the prince of Bifiniano's brother, and made the prince della Riccia knight of the order of St. Januarius. They were both v wounded. He then harangued his army, and exhorted them to have courage, nor he difappoiiited at difficulties. He told them that they ought rather to rejoice in having repelled an almofr. victorious enemy from their camp, than be forry for their having been attacked, and receiving fome lofs. One man was hung up belonging to the town, as the Spaniards, tho1 from reports perhaps more than proof, imagined fome of the inhabitants had played ra- i ther

Italy, Germany, &c. 17

ther foul towards them. In fact, the fub- jecls. of the pope were badly off to have two great armies cutting and burning their houfes about their ears, without being able to fay, no, to either of them. The king then took care to have his camp better ftrengthened and guarded. The foldiers that had loft their arms, horfes, and cloaths, •were refurnifhed with all of them. Every province of the Neapolitan ftate was order- ed to fend a certain number of recruits, and every prince a horfe. The princes and people did at laft tranfmit what was requir- ed, but after fome time. Naples made a free prefent of money to the king. Some auxiliary troops from Spain had the good luck to get to Gaeta and Naples, through the Britifli fleet, which was then very powerful. JLobkowitz in the mean time, tho' he fpread about every where that he had gained a victory, thought of making his retreat. As he had loft a great many of his men, and found the Spanifh camp was Vol. III. B now

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now fbongly fortified, he gave up all hopes of any opportunity offering in his favor. A great many of his foldiers too were woun- ded, which added to the month of Auguft* caufe of unwholefome heats they were not accuitomed to bear, rendered them unfit to do their duty. His principal officers began likewife to quarrel, which generally happens when affairs go bad. Malicious fayings flew about, that Lobkowitz was not capable of commanding an army. The horfes were entirely emaciated. The country all round was confumed, by the long flay of the troops. The autumn too was coming on, a bad time for him to trufr. for provifions by lea. Tho' Lobkowitz wanted affiftance him- felf, the king of Sardinia was intreating him to come and ftrengthen his party, and the general was obliged, by the queen's orders, to fend him fome forces. This commander was reduced, therefore, to the greateft dilemma, and his determination was, that it was necef- iary to march. He flayed, notwithstanding,

two

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 19

two months longer in fight of the Spanim army, whether it was that the Auftrians were afhamed to abandon what had once been undertaken, or, that flill fome beams of hope were kept alive in their bofoms. During this interval, about a hundred Hun- garian horfe fell upon the town of Val- montonio by furprize, and killed all the few Spanim troops in it, with Portocarrero who commanded them. They plundered the town. In all the flay of the armies at Veletri, nothing more happened of any moment; Lobkowitz, who flill continued in his intention of decamping, fent away before him the fick and wounded, and all other impediments, in order that no- thing might retard his march, He order- ed about a hundred men likwife, to make a bridge of boats over the Tyber, pretty near the bridge called Ponte Molle, in order that he might pafs his troops the quicker over that river. After thefe difpofitions Lobkowitz marched away in the night B 2 time,

2b LETTERS FROM

time, m a great hurry. As foon as the" king of Naples perceived their retreat, a Hep he had imagined the Germans would be obliged to take fooner or later, he order- ed his army to follow, and his cavalry to harrafs their rear. The firft night of their march, the Germans ftopt at the Torre di mezza via, and the Spaniards in the valley of Albano. In palling the Tyber the Germans were overtaken, and a little fkirmiih happened before they could entirely get over their troops. When the Auftrian army pafled under the walls of Rome, the citizens looked Upon them with a different eye from what they had done fome months before, while going, as they faid, to the conqueft of Naples. Lobkowitz then had entered that city, with fome of his generals, to pay his refpects to the Pope. All the inhabitants crouded to fee him. Buoilamici fays, that the day of his entering Rome, the people mewed him fo much honor, and crouded fo much about the tops of^their houfes to behold him, and

received

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. it

received him with fuch acclamations, that nothing feemed wanting to compleat his triumph but a victory (ut nihil ei ad tnum- pham prater victoriam deeflet.) The Ro- mans ufed to go out to the army, which was encamped but a little way from the town, and (tare at and admire every thing. Buon* amici imagines that they judged of the ftrength and force of the foldicrs from their barbarous cloathing, and their harm founding language. The Romans faid, that no nation, much lefs the Neapolitan, could withftand the look of fuch troops. But they were now returning in a quite different plight, and with quite different ideas from what they enter- tained before. Inftead of invading, they were purfued, and inftead of conquering, were en- endeavouring to preferve the troops thev already had ; in fliort, inftead of acting upon the offenfive, were become mere defenders.

B 3 8 o'clock,

22 LETTERS FROM

8 o'clock at night.

I dined to day with the governor of this place, who is an Iriihman, or at leaft of Irifh extraction. At his table were the officers of an Irifh regiment quartered here, with one Frenchman, who, tho' born at Aix, is yet enrolled among them. Upon my word the number of Britifli fubje&s, and particularly Irilh, ferving in foreign countries, is a great detriment to the nation. There are three IrihS regiments in Spain, feven in France, and one here, befides numbers of that nation icattered about the world in detached fervices. Walking out with fome of the officers yef- terday, they ridiculed the proclamation iflued by our court, at the beginning of the war, to recall all Britiih fubjects ferving foreign powers. What does the government mean? lays one of them, by ordering us to come home ? Let them order us bread there, and we (hall be glad to return of our own accord. It js better however to ferve a foreign power

than

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 23

than ftarve in Ireland. I believe you here fee the fentiments of half the Irifh nation, for I fuppofe near half of them are Roman catholics, and they all declare there is no way of living in Ireland, for perfons of their perfuafon, without they have independent fortunes.

I intend to go to-morrow to Naples.

B 4 LET*

24 LETTERS FROM

LETTER HI.

Naples, Tuefday, Feb. 24, 1761. 8 o'clock in the morning.

LJPON my arrival at this place I received your letter, and mall, in conference of it, relinquim nly expedition to Sicily and Malta, and return to England. As I njuft wait how- ever for the informations, which you will agree with me are fo necefYary, I mall flowly continue my journey homewards, till frefh advice gives fpurs to my inclination.

I fet out from Capua, as I told you I in- tended to do, on Tuefday morning, that is this day feven-night. As there are but two pofts, or one change of horfes, between Capua and this place, and as it was very early when I fet out, you may imagine it was not late when I got to Naples. The road was toler- ably good, and we paffed through a middling- town

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 1$

town, called Averfa, famous heretofore for being the firft fovereign eftablifhment of the Normans in this country, before thofe brave adventurers overthrew the dominion of the Lombards and Greeks, and eftablifhed a flourifhing kingdom in the Two Sicilies,

— — — I have been interrupted by a viiit from a Portuguefe gentleman, with whom I had made an acquaintance the laft time I was abroad. In the courfe of our con-? yerlation, I afked him if he had any news from Portugal, but he fays none, whether it is that there is not really $ny, or that his friends do not care to write what they know. He iays, however, that the king of Portugal was very much picqued, that the book writ- ten in his favor fhould be burnt by the com- mon hangman at Rome. The imprifonment of Pagliarini, the Roman bookfeller, for pub- liming ibmething in his defence, has increafed his difpleafure, which is ftill heightened by that unhappy trade fman

. having

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having been condemned to the galleys for ten years. That was his fentence, but the pope has mitigated it by changing the galleys to his being confined in a fortrefs for the fame time. I think there is nothing elfe to tell yoy concerning the affairs of Portugal.

Saturday, 9 o'clock in the morning, Feb. 28.

We have had the mod: terrible uproar imaginable in the houfe oppofite to my windows, merely for one woman's calling another a w — e. The opprobrious word was no iboner out of the offender's mouth, than all the relations of the injured innocent, of which there happened to be a good number prefent, as me was in her own houfe, fell upon the aggreffor, or rather aggrefforefs, and with mighty blows levelled her to the ground. But fortune fent her affiftance. Her cries reached the ears of fome of her acquaintance. They flew to her aid. The battle became general. Stones and dirt flew about without

intermiffion.

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 27

intermiffion. Victory hovered over the combatants, dubious on which party to de- fcend. But a ferjeant with fome foldiers entering, loon calmed the' female tumult and all was peace. Even their tongues wrere hufhed, which before had trumpeted to battle in the moft warlike ftrain. So when Neptune with his tritons appears upon the

face of the troubled waters- — -? But a

truce with fimiles, I will go to breakfaft.

A gentleman has been telling me, this morning at breakfaft, the ftory of fome Eng- lish failors belonging to a merchant fhip. The thing made fome djfturbance in this city. They got drunk and were roaming about the town. The Neapolitan guard, of which there are feveral placed in different parts of this populous town, told them not to make fuch a noife. A quarrel enfued, and the f ailors,without any ceremony, clofed with them and twifted all their mulkets out of their hands. This attack upon the military

made

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made great noife for fome time, but it was at length thought proper to pafs it over. Tho' the failors were to be fure highly in the wrong, and were punifhable in thefe mo- narchical countries to a high degree, I believe fhe officers did not care to demand public fatisfaction, for their fentinels having been difarmed by unarmed men. In this manner the affair dropped. — -—

LET-

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 29

LETTER IV.

Saturday, March 7, 12 o'clock, at noon. Naplfes.

11 One horfed chair, which ply about this town like hackney coaches, has carried me this morning to Portici. It is apleafant ride, fome part of it along the fea-fide. Tho* indeed the fea-fide continues but little farther than till you are out of the. town of Naples, but you are all the way near the beautiful bay upon which this town is fituated* Na- ples towards the fea is really magnificent. As it is built in a femi-circle, and part upon a rifing ground, it makes a great mow* Portici is the place where the ancient Her- culaneum flood, at leaft fo antiquarians and learned people fay, tho' I do not think we have any abfolute proof of it. All Dion Caflius writes about it is as follows.

" In

3» LETTERS FROM

** Iu the mean time a moft unfpeakable " quantity of allies, borne along by the winds, " covered both earth and fea, and filled the " very air. Infinite damage accrued from " this to men and cattle. All fifh and birds " were deftroyed, and two intire cities, Her- " culaneum and Pompeii, were totally over- " whelmed, while the people were fitting hi 41 the theatre."

Now as there has been a town loft, arid a: town found, people imagine that the town loft muft be inevitably the fame with that difcovered, which I do not think a certain confequence. Nor do I hold it abfolutely certain that what they have difcovered under ground was a town. I think they might have found as many things in a village, or even in a villa. They have difcovered indeed a theatre I believe, or rather an amphithea- tre, but fome Roman emperors had amphi- theatres in their villas.

Monday,

ITALY, GERMANY, &c.

Monday, March 9, 5 o'clock in the afternoon.

I am juft come from dinner at the con- ful's, where there was much company. Talking about Herculaneum, he fays more authors have ipoken about that and Pompeii's being fwallowed up befides Dion Caffius. This certainly gives fome confirmation to the hiftory of the fubmerfion of Hercula- neum, but none that Herculaneum is the identical place where the houfes now found under ground at Portici are fituated. The ancient authors, befides Dion Caf- fius, that fpeak of it, are Flavius Eutro- pius, Sextus, Aurelius Victor, Zonara, and, fome others. Aurelius Victor I have not feen. Zonara is merely a copier of Dion Caffius, and Eutropius only fays in gene- ral, that towns were deftroyed. His words are as follow.

" At

32 LETTERS FROM

fi At this time the top of mount Ve- " fuviiis burning, it is reported that greit " torrents of fire were fpread all about " Campania, and that all the neighbour- " ing country j with its towns and menj " were deftroyed by the flames.,,

I do not give you the words of Zonara. for they are merely copied from Dion Camus. He even copies Dion Camus's lies. I call them lies, for what Dion Cal- fius fays I can never believe. He declares the afhes of Vefuvius flew fo far, as to reach Rome, Africa, Syria* and Egypt.

" In fine, f.he quantity of allies was {o " great, that part of them reached to Afri- " ca, Syria, and Egypt, and entered Rome, " filling all the air, and obfcuring the « fun/'

It may be, but I think in this account

there feems to be not only a poetical hyper*

i bole,

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 33

bole, but a manifefr. contradiction. Rome ftands to the north, and Africa to the foilth of Vefuvius, Syria to the eaft, and Egypt to the fouth-eaft. Ames can only go with the wind, which muft have changed moft wonderfully to carry fuch a quantity almofl at the fame time, to fuch different places. It is poffible, to be fure, that the wind might change immediately from one point to ano- ther, but I doubt it.

NapleSj 4 o'clock afternoon, Wednefday, March 11, 176L

M Y little chaife has carried me a great way this morning, to behold a fight full of horror. I have been to fee the new lava. It has run down from the bottom of the mountain, where it broke out, almoft to the fea, and has croffed the road from Por- tici to the Torre dell' Annunziata, about four miles beyond the former place. Between the lava and Portici there is another town,

Vol. III. C called

34 LETTERS FROM

called Torre del Greco. About half a mile before you come to this wonder of nature, there is an inn. It is an ill wind that blows no perfon any good. Many people have been ruined by the lava. The mafter of the inn will get money. To be fure, his houfe was in a terrible bad fituation for cuf- torn before, but now it is the rendezvous of all the curious, at leafr. of their chaifes and horfes. And fo it was of mine this morn- ing. Having left my chaife, horfe, and chaifeman at the inn, I marched forwards folus. It was a fine morning. My proi- pec~t on either fide was terminated by a wall, which did not, however, obftrucl: the fight of fome taller elms, round which, in due feafon, vines Were to creep, much lefs that of Vefuvius, who reared his blafted head above the clouds. N. B. the top was mifty. Before me lay the lava, horrible to behold ! I at laft came to it, mounted it, and eroded it. Tho' I exprefs this quickly in words, I took more time in performing

the

ITALY, GERMANYi &c. 35

the deed in reality, for I believe the lava is nearly half a mile acrofs. Its height I mould imagine to be that of a common houfe, and its length, from the fides of the mountain to the fea, four or five miles. You may imagine from this, the quantity of ground it has fpoilt, which was almoir, all fertile land, and vineyards. Various houfes tod, were in its way, which it has occupied, flinging down fome, and fur- rounding others. Nor is the lava quite cold yet, in fome places, not with Handing the many days it has been expofed to the air. In fome parts it flill fmokes, and thofe- burning fpots are yellowifli, or of a fulphu- rous colour. Perhaps the having more par- ticles of fulphur, may be the caufe of thofe places retaining the heat longer. The refl: looked like the infernal foil, defcribed by Milton, who had certainly feen mount Vefu- vius, and from thence taken many of his ideas of hell. It is quite a new vent, which the mountain has broken itfelf out this C 2 time*

36 LETTERS FROM

time, and where, I believe, no perfon ex- pected an eruption. If the lava had come in the fame direction, but had iffued as ufual from the top of the mountain, I do not believe it would have done a third part of the damage. This morning then have I feen the effects of this prodigy of nature. I could not help falling into a contemplative mood while I was Itanding in the middle of the lava and looking round. They have made now a fort of road over it, where chaifes and horfes may with difficulty pafs. And then, as the lava is high, there is a great afcent to mount up to it, and an equal defcent in confequence to come from it. There are the ikeletons of two houfes, the walls of which the lava was not able to throw down, and which ftand in the middle of it, and make a pitiable appearance. A great {tench of fulphur b fmelt all round it. The chaife- men and horfemen as they paffed were crofl- ing themfelves, and crying out, Jefu Maria ! as fait as they could.

i Having

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 37

Having fatisfied my curiofity, I returned to Tre Cafe, the place where I had left my chaife, which I got into, and repafling by .La Torre del Greco and Portici, returned to Naples.

Tomorrow I, for the firir. time, begin to fee regularly what there is curious about this place. An antiquarian is to attend me. This is a wight, who by force of being pimp, or antiquarian, (for he ferves in both capacities,) to foreigners, gets him* felf a livelihood. Anagni gave him birth, Rome claims the honor of his education, and Naples enjoys the happinefs of his pre- fence. He may be five feet high, rather thick than thin, or, as we mould call it junt made, with a nofe which comes out horizon- tally, formed very conveniently for a pair of fpectacles to ride aftride upon, and which indeed he generally wears. This is the figure which is to go out with me tomorrow for the firft time.

C 3 Saturday*

38 LETTERS FROM

Saturday, March 14, Naples, 6 o'clock in the afternoon.

I N company with my antiquarian I fet

forth this morning, as I intended, to hunt

curiofities, and arrived at the famous Grotta of

Polilipo, which is a road cut by the ancient

Romans through a mountain. Whether

begun with other views, or on purpofe to

make a road, I know not, but it is certainly

a mod ftupendous work. My hired explainer

faid, it was where fome quarries of Hone of

the ancient Romans were dug, and that in

extracting the Itone, having penetrated a

great way into the rock, the thought of

cutting it quite through entered into their

heads. They ftill get ftone from it. Its

length is feventy paces, a hundred of which

make an Italian mile. At the coming in

and going out, the two apertures are made

as large as poffible to let in the more light.

And they have bored two holes through the

top in the middle for the fame reafon. But

not with-

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 39

notwithstanding, it is flill very dark and difmal. Upon my word, if the day is cloudy, you hardly fee your way through it. How- ever, there are torches to be fold at both the entrances. There is belides a general rule for goers and coiners to keep to the right hand, or, in their terms, the one alia marina, and the other alia montagna, which, you know, only means towards the mountain, or towards the fea-fliore. I think the pafling through the bowels of this mountain, however, is very difagreeable. There is a dampnefs, which muft be very unwholefome, and a certain fmell like a vault, which is very difpleafing, I do not know whether this fcent arifes from being fodiftant from the furface of the earth, and, confequently, deprived of the fun's power, or whether it proceeds from the dull which the coach raifes, and which has that damp earthy ftink, tho' moft probably from both. I at length began to emerge from this fubterraneous paffage, and once more to behold the light of the day, which C 4 was

4o LETTERS FROM

was as fine in the beginning as nature ever- beheld, and fet off the pretty country there is the nearer you come to Pozzuoli.

Egli e un pezzo del ciel caduto in terra,

fays a Neapolitan poet. * However, we flopped in our way, nay, even went a little way out of it to fee the Grotta del Cane, where there is a famous peftiferous vapor, fatal tq the life of any animal. The place in which it is fituated is delightful. It lies near a fine lake called the lake of Agnano, furrounded with gently riling hills. The fpring too now beginning, and the leaves budding, makes every thing look with a more pleafing afpect. I am afraid yours is not quite fo far advanced in England. As for*

* This is Sannazaro, I think, tho' I do not know whether he does not allude to the country farther on more towards Baia. The verfe gives a very droll idea, and only means, " that it is a piece of heaven tumbled " down upon the earth."

the

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 4*

the Grotta del Cane, I imagine you think it a much greater place than it is. It is not above {even or eight feet high, and two or three in breadth and depth. A hole, you may lay, cut out in the fide of one of the hills. There is a door at the entrance of it, that you may fee nothing without the affift- ance of a man, who keeps the key, and mews it. He lives at a village not far off. We had {topped at his houfe in pafling. He had faid he would come with a dog to fhew us the experiment of the peftiferous vapor. But he did not appear. Tired out of all patience, we returned to the chariot which we had left about half a mile off at the de-* fcent into the valley. We were jufl got up to it when the man appeared with his dog. A council of war was called whether it was worth while to go back again. It was at lafl determined in the affirmative. As the dog was ufed to thefe experiments, the poor creature did not at all agree to the coming down in our company. The man was

forged

42 LETTERS FROM -

forced to carry him. The grotta was opened. His nofe was held down below the vapor, and the wretched animal began gafping, and in about half a minute's time lay, to all appearance, as expiring. I told the man I was contented with the experiment, and the dog being flung upon the grafs, in four or five minutes recovered. That is, after many contortions of his body, and grinnings, and mewing his teeth. The experiment equally holds good tried upon any other animal, as frogs, vipers, or any thing elfe. We got fome frogs, which expired almolt immediately. A piftol does not take fire when fnapped in the vapor, a torch imme- diately goes out when held down into it ; in fhort, there are all the effects of bad air. But you muft remark, that this vapor does not raife itfelf above a foot or two from the furface of the ground, fa that a man may enter into the cave, for fuch it is, without any danger. It is fufficient he does not hold his nofe down to where the vapor* arifes4

the

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 43

the extent of which you fee plainly by the greennefs upon the walls. It is iurprifing to me, that being quite undivided from the good air, efpecially when the door is open, it does not evaporate.

LET.

44 LETTERS FROM

LETTER V.

Monday, 3 o'clock in the afternoon, March 16, 1761, Naples.

X Was to have gone this morning with my antiquarian to Baia, and fo have proceeded with him to the ifland of Procida, and from thence to that of Ifchia ; but the weather turned out fo bad, that it was impoffible, and fo we will finifli our laft journey, which we can do by our fire-fides without being expofed to the inclemencies of the iky.

From the Grotta del Cane we went to fee certain fweating rooms near that place, which, by natural heat, are warmer than ever any hot-houfe was, and where fick people come to fweat off their diforders, and particularly thofe troubled with the diftem- per which takes its name from the kingdom

of

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 45

of France, but which, I believe, is equally the growth of every foil. Its effects, how- ever, are rather different, and more pernicious in hot than cold countries. But at the fame time, that its poifon is ffronger, it conceals the venom under a more placid afpecl, and preys in fecret upon the object it has once taken poneffion of. The French call it the Neapolitan diftemper, but names, you know, can not alter the effence of the difeafe, nor prove certainly from whence it derived its origin. Perfons afflicted with this felf- brought evil, or with others flowing from more involuntary fources, vifit thefe ftoves of St. Januarius, as they call them, in the fummer-time, and reckon the perfpiration raifed by this natural heat conducive to the reftoration of their health. The remedy may be efficacious, but it feems to me a difagreeable antidote to go in the hotteft months in this climate into a place as hot as you can well refpire in, and there remain for an hour or two diflblving into a ftream.

Even

46 LETTERS FROM

Even in the month of March, I con fefs I found the houfe too hot to hold me. There is one good thing here, and which,- I believe, is entirely neceffary. This is, that the heat is in different degrees in different rooms, that you may gradually diminifh it. For I think to come out of the hotteft all at once into the cold air would be almoft death to any perfon. We took this method, and, after having flayed a minute or two in the hottefr, remained an equal time in that of the next degree of heat, and fo on to the laft ; after which we fallied out into the open air, walked to our coach, and continued our journey to Pozzuoli. The further we advanced, the more beautiful the country grew, till our coming to the fea-fhore of the bay of Baia compleated the profpecl, and rendered it a paradife. In diffant view lay the ifland of Caprea, and over the promontory of Mifenum fome of the mountains of Ifchia reared their heads. This, together with the fertility of the country, with now every thing budding ;

the

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 47

the murmur of the waves of the fea chafing each other gently to the more ; the inter- fpertion of hill and dale ; the diftant view of Baia on the other fide of the bay ; the nearer profpect of Pozzuoli, which we were now approaching ; all thefe things put toge- ther formed that pleafing fenfation which is eafier felt than defcribed. But we were now got fo near the town of Pozzuoli, that the people began to run about us, and pefter us to employ them. Some wanted us to take their boat to Baia ; others to take their one-horfe chair to the Solfatara ; others were thrufting medals into the antiquarian's hand, and defiring him to give his opinion of them. As for Baia, we intended to put it off till another day, fo that our thoughts were turned entirely to the Solfatara. Being en- tered the gate of Pozzuoli, we difmounted from our coach, and wanted to agree with one of the men for their one-horfed chairs, but they alked fuch a price, that we would not clofe with any of them, The inhabi- tants

48 LETTERS FROM

tants of the town of Pozzuoli are juft 39 bad in an inverfe proportion as the country about them is beautiful* They are fome of the mod: ugly people in their looks, the moft cheating in their behaviour, and the moil: noify in their language, of any, I believe, upon the face of the earth. They are reported, likewife, in their fury to be able to dart a knife with fuch precifion as to wound at a diftance any particular part of the body they aim at. But I had nothing to do with them. My companion was to manage all. The country people brought him, I believe, a hundred medals to look at. This was our diverfion, while we flood in the middle of the great fquare of the town, with half of its, inhabitants, I believe, round about us. He in the mean time with gravity received the medals one after another, and looking at them through a glafs with an air of authority gave his opinion. He generally ufed to tell the country people they were not wTorth any thing, tho* fometimes he gave

the

Italy, Germany, &c. 49

the value of a halfpenny or penny a piece for them. Thefe, perhaps, he may fell afterwards to foolifh foreigners for their weight in gold. I was diverted to fee the nifties hanging upon him in fufpenfe and anxiety for his determination upon their medals j and when he faid, " no, tw'ont " do," with what a melancholy face they walked off ! They find thefe medals in plowing the fields about Pozzuoli, and rum- maging among the ruins, of which there are as great a quantity here as in any fpot in Italy. The Romans muft have liked this foliation exceflivelyj and* indeed, they were in the right of it, for it is a molt delightful fpot, tho' the air is faid now to be bad iii fummer time. As we could not agree with any perfon to carry us to the Solfatara for a, reafonable price, we refolved to go there on foot. I ordered the valet de place I had brought with me to buy us fome fim for our dinner, and we then fet forward ; but we had not gone many fteps before one of the Vol. Ill, D chaife-

50 LETTERS FROM

chaifemen called us back, and came down pretty near to our price. We agreed with him, the chaife was got ready in a few minutes, and all thoughts of going on foot laid afide. The chaifeman rode behind as ufual with the whip. We were hardly got out of Pozzuoli than we met an Engliih gentleman, juft come from Aix la Chapelle hither on horfebaek. The Solfatara is not above a mile and a half from the town, but as the road was bad, we were a good while in going it. The country pretty, as every where about Pozzuoli, till we come to the Solfatara, which is fituated in a valley fur- rounded with hills, in the fame manner as the Grotta del Cane, only there is no lake in the middle, and no fertility. On the contrary, through a great part of the valley not a blade of grafs grows. The Solfatara itfelf coniifts in two or three columns of fmoke, which iflue with fury and noife out of fome holes in the earth. The vapor that comes out of the ground is very thick. By i putting

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 51

putting ftones over the apertures, from whence it proceeds, they have got a way of catching fome part of the ftream, which adheres to the ftones, and in part is con- gealed, or, more properly, coagulated under them, and becomes allum and I do not know what all. They get a great many other things of the fame nature out of this valley, and in particular fulphur in great abundance, for it is mixed with the earth almoft all about, by putting a quantity of which into a cauldron, they by force of fire melt the fulphur, and then ftrain. it off from the caput mortuum. The ground all about here is hollow, at leafr, if we may judge from its found. People can not dig to fee, for the lower you defcend, the hotter it grows, till the men are no longer able to work. They fay there is a communication between the Solfatara and Vefuvius, and I believe it verv pofiible, notwithftanding they are ten or twelve miles diftant from each other. If what they report be true, it feems to be a.

D 2 proof

52 LETTERS FROM

proof of it, which is, that when Vefuvius rages, the fury of the Solfatara decreafes hi great meafure, and on the contrary. A Florentine has hired the land of the pro- prietors, (I think it belongs to fome convent or other,) and makes what advantages he can of the productions of it. After having left this horrid view, confiding only in the barren valley and {teams of fmoke, the country in returning to Pozzuoli made amends. We went a different way from that we came, in order to go through the ancient town of Pozzuoli, or Puteoli, as the Romans called it ; of which there are only ivy-grown remains difcernable. But by the great vef- tiges of buildings, it mull have been a very confiderable place formerly. There are the ruins of a vail edifice, which my antiquarian told me was the temple of Neptune. How he knows it I can not tell, except he judges from the fine view it has of the fea, that it mull have been dedicated to the god of the ocean. He mewed me a place under

ground,

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. S3

ground, which he denominated a burying place. It had a number of a kind of pigeon holes, where, he fays, the afhes were put in their urns. It may be. The ceiling of the vault was ftuccoed hi figures. I was glad to get out of it, for our torches made fuch a fmoke and ftink, that I could hardly bear it. Upon our return to Pozzuoli we fat ourfelves down to dinner, which had been prepared by the valet de place in our abfence. You know thefe valet de places are fervants a foreigner is obliged to take in every great town to get him what he wants, and conduct him where he choofes to go. They are of little ufe except to an entire ftranger, but it is a fort of tax upon travel- lers. Our dinner confided in fome cold meat we had brought along with us, and a fifli bought at Pozzuoli by the fervitor de piazza, or valet de place. I mud ufe either the French or Italian name, as we have no Englifh appellation for them. The wine was not bad, tho' not worthy of the praifes D 2 Horace

«2

54 LETTERS FROM

Horace has given to the Falernian grape, notwithstanding we were not very diftant from the fpot faid to have produced that much celebrated liquor. A confufed multi* tude of failors came and made a noife in our room all dinner time. They wanted me to agree to go to Ifchia with them, as they knew I had intentions of making that ifland a vifit fome other day. Others brought medals and things of that nature for my virtuofo's opinion. He treated all the country people in his ufual way. Upon my word, it is the drollelr. thing in the world to fee how they wrould lengthen their countenances upon his telling them that what they thought a very fine medal was not worth a halfpenny. After dinner we went to fee another tem- ple, which I think he called the temple of Jupiter Ammon, or Jupiter fomething or other, which has been difcovered but four or five years. It was before covered with earth, and lay undiftinguifhed. Whether it is true or no I can not fay, but my learned

companion.

ITALY, GERMANY, Src. 55

companion declared he was the caufe of its difcovery. There were three columns that reared their heads about half way above ground. He propofed digging to the bafe of them. They found a large marble pave- jnent entire. All other things, I fuppofe, were broken and del troy ed by the fall of the roof. You fee, however, half walls {land- ing, that form a number of little rooms, round about the temple, which he allured me were for the people to warn themfelves in before they entered it. In fact, there are iron pipes and channels cut in the flone, that look as if they once conducted water ; but whether for the ablutionary purpofe he fays, is, I believe, very uncertain. There was much more marble than what is to be feeci at prefent, but the king took away whatever lay loofe, not touching any thing that was fixed, which he faid he would leave to the cu- rious. By the king, I mean Don Carlos, who is now king of Spain, not the prefent king of Naples, who is only a boy, and I believe

D 4 has

56 LETTERS FROM

has faid nothing yet at all about antiquities. Such was the temple of Jupiter which I then faw, but meafured nothing, as the guard there told me it was not allowed for any perfon to do it, and which, indeed, I never intended. After having infpecled the whole, we returned to the houfe where we dined, from which this temple flood but at a little diftance. It was lucky it was not farther, for the uncertain month of March had begun the day with a fine morning, and wanted to conclude it with rain. Indeed, it now began to pour very hard, but it was not of fo much fignirication to us, as we had only to get into our coach and drive away to Naples.

LET-

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 57

LETTER VI.

Naples, half part nine morning, Saturday, March 21, 1761.

ONTuefday^IwenttofeeHercula- neiim, and the palace at Portici, with my Cicerone, On Wednefday we went to Baia, abandoning our fcheme to Ifchia. On Thurf- day I was upon the top of mount Vefuvius? and was yefterday employed in feeing holy week ceremonies. I do not much love thefe religious functions, but I could not refufe attending fome company, who preffed me. They would make me dine with them too. Accordingly, about one o'clock I trotted to the conful's on foot, for there are no coaches permitted to go about from twelve o'clock at noon on Wednefday, till twelve o'clock at noon to-day. The reafon of this is, its being the holy week, and in memory and

penance

58 LETTERS FROM

penance for our Saviour's crucifixion, there is a general requiem given to all horfes. Not fo to the men. For the ladies are carried, for humility's fake, about town in very fine chairs, loaded with Ornaments, under the weight of which, two bedizened chairman groan. For humility's fake thefe fair penitents are drelfed out as fmart as the holy week's mourning will permit them, with two pages on each fide of their chair, every feam in whofe coats is covered with fcroad gold, or filver lace. Befides thefe two diftinguifhed gentlemen, a troop of fer- vants bring up the rear. Thus went the Neapolitan ladies, rendering all due humility and veneration to the feafon. Many of thefe glittering trains we met, when we fallied out after dinner on foot. The light we were going to fee was the king, iurrounded by all his nobles, marching in proceflion, to vifit two or three churches, and worfhip the fepulchres in them. When I fay fepul- chres, you may imagine I was going to fee

fomething

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 59

fomething like the tombs in Weftminfter abbey. No, holy week fepulchres, in Roman catholic countries, mean our Saviour buried, or, as I ought rather to fay, extended upon the bier, with the Virgin Mary weeping over him. This is reprefented more or lefs finely, according to the churches. This is what his majefty was going to fee, in three or four different reprefentations. And this was the fight we were alfo walking forth to be fpe&ators of. The day was fine. The fea was calm. Father Vefuvius flept. By this you may judge, our road lay near the fea, It did fo. The whole bay of Naples flood expofed to our view. But at laft, we came to the royal palace, which intercepted the profpecl: of the water. It has a beau* tiful iituation, but expofed to be cannon- aded by the fhips of an enemy. Laft war fome veflels of ours appeared off Naples, fent by admiral Matthews, under commo- dore Martin, and threatened, not only to lay the palace, but the town in afhes. The

officer

£o LETTERS FROM

officer who came on more is reported to have taken out his watch and laid :t upon the table before the king, telling his majefty, he could give him only half an hour to determine, whether he would recall his troops from the Spanifh army, and, upon the king's complaining of the mortnefs of the time, he only dryly replied, that five minutes were already expired. The town was fo incapable of defence, that it was thought proper to comply, and the Neapolitan troops were, by capitulation, drawn off from thofe of Spain, which was an advantage to the queen of Hungary, if it had been well executed. The Neapolitans were afraid we Ihould have landed, but one father Pepe, a frier, had fo frightened them with the idea of letting heretics fet foot in their country, that I believe they would all have taken up arms againft. us, if we had at- tempted it, notwithstanding there were a great many in Naples that certainly fa- vored the queen of Hungary's party. Con- tinuing

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 6t

tinuing our walk, we at laft got to the bal- cony where we were to fee the proceflion pafs. Tho' we had hurried out immediately after dinner, we (as it happens in all fuch cafes) ftaid about an hour before the king appeared. All the officers came firft, in their different uniforms, and divided accord- ing to their different regiments. After them came the pages, then the place-men of the court, and the little king, furrounded by the principal of them. And laft of all foldiers in quantity. This was all that was to be feen. We then adjourned to the church of the Pieta to hear the miferere, and fee one of the fepulchres. We got up pretty near the altar, where we remained till the mufic was over, which lafted a long time. As for the fepulchre there was nothing extraor- dinary in it, but the mufic was divine.

Naples,

62 LETTERS FROM

Naples, three o'clock afternoon!, Sunday, March 22, 1761.

O N Tuefday the feventeenth of March, as I have already told you, I and my anti- quarian fet out with an intention of going to Portici, which we did. We there faw the miferable remains of Herculaneum. Our journey, indeed, began rather inaufpicioufly^ for we had hardly paffed a handfome bridge, called the Magdalen bridge, in our way to Portici, than our coach broke down. We told the coachman to mend it with ropes, or fome how or other as well as he could, and walked on. We had two or three miles to Portici. However, walking on gently, we got to the entrance of the town, or rather village, that goes under that name. There is a long infcription fet up here, with regard to mount Vefuvius, which now lay full in our view. As I had got a pencil, and we chofe to wait for the coach, not to

appear

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 63

appear at the king's palace without a car- riage, I leant upon the bulk of a baker's Ihop, and tranfcribed it. It is as follows.

* Pofteri! Pofteri !

Veftra res agitur.

Dies faciem praefert diei nudius perendino.

Advertite !

Vicies ab fatu Solis nifi. fabulatur Hiftoria

Arfit Vefaevus,

Immani femper clade haefitantium.

Ne pofthac incertos occupet moneo,

Uterum gerit mons hie

Bitumine, alumine, ferro, fulphure, auro, argento,

Nitro, aquarum fontibus, gravem.

Serius ocyus ignefcet, pelagoque influente pariet,

Sed ante parturit

Concutitur, concutitque folum,

Fumicat, corufcat, flammigerat,

Quatit aerem,

Horrendum immugit, boat, tonat, arcet finibus accolas.

Emica dum licet, Jam Jam enititur, erumpit, mixtum igne lacum evomit,

Precipiti

* Pofterity ! Pofterity I Of your concerns I treat.

From

64 LETTERS FROM

Precipiti ruit ille lapfu, feramque fugam praevertit,

Si corripit, aftum eft, periifhi.

Ann. Sal. MDCXXXI. XVI Kal. Jan.

Philippo IV Rege,

Emanuele Fonfeca et Zunica comite Montis regii

Pro-Rege,

Repetita fuperiorum temporum calamitate fubfidiifque calamitatlj

Humanius quo munificentius.

Formidatus fervavit, fpretus oppreffit, incautos et avidos*

Quibus Lar et Supellex vita potior

Turn tu li fapis audi clamantem lapidem,

Sperne Larem, fperne farniculas, mora milla fuge.

Antonio Suares Meffia Marchione Viei

Prafe&o viarum*

Before I had fmifhed copying the infcrip- tion the coach came up with us, mended as

well

From length of time instruction is derived.

Beware !

Full twenty times fince the creation of the fun, if hiftory

be true, hath Vefuvius burned,

Overwhelming the tardy with deftru&ion.

That no perfon may hereafter undergo its dire efFec^s>

This marble tells them,

That the mountain which yoiit behold,

Eears

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 6$

well as the fhort time permitted. We got into it, and drove to the king's palace,

which

Bears vvithih its womb, quantities of Pitch, alum, iron, fulphur, gold, filver, Nitre and fprings of water. Sooner or later will it kindle, and, influenced by the Tea. produce to light Its entrails. But, before the monftrous birth, It fhakes the earth, and is itfelf fhaken j It fmokes, fparkles, flames, Impels the air, With horrid roar, bellows, thunders, And from its confines drives the labourer. Do thou fly fwift, While fortune gives thee opportunity. See ! fee ! it labours, it burfts, it emits a lake of fire, which with headlong fall rufhing, preoccupies the flow. If it feizes thee, thou art loft. In the year of our fafety 1631, Philip IV. being king. Emanuel Fonfeca and Zunica, count of Monte Real, Viceroy, Who, upon the renewal of the calamities of former times, has renewed the Vol, III. E Affifhnce

66 LETTERS FROM

which, as I think I have already faid, ftands nearly over the fpot of the ancient Hercu- laneum, or of the ancient ruins which go under that name. We waited a long time before we could meet with the man who keeps the key of the palace, to (hew it us, There is nothing, however, very particular, tho' all very fine and pleafing. The Itair- cafe pretty, and the rooms gay. One full of pictures, another full of Englim furni- ture, another of china, and fo on. The china cabinet, for fo they call the room,

AfMance given in them

With equal humanity and generofity.

The fearful hath this mountain fpared, but it oppreffeth

its contemners, particularly thofe uncautious

miiers, who prefer their houfes and

effects to life.

Thou therefore, if wife, hear this marble, which cries out

to thee. Leave thine houfehold gods, leave

thy wealth, and fly with hafty ftep.

Antonio Suares Mefliah Marquis del Vico,

Surveyor of the ways.

furnimed

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 67

furnifhed with that manufacture, is a very jem- crack thing indeed. The ornaments were made at a fabric of china which the king of Spain had fet up at Naples, but which he has now removed to Madrid* Tho' they did not work bad, yet they never equalled Drefden china, or fome other European fabrics. The king's palace at Portici has a pretty view. It looks over a garden into the fea. What you will think odd is, that the high road pafles through the middle of the great court of it, but that is to be altered when the palace is finimed, and a road cut between the gardens and the fea. From the palace, we went to fee Herculaneum, which is not above a hundred fteps off. We could not go the common way of defcending under ground, as a peftife'rous exhalation had taken pofleffion of the paffage. Thefe poifonous vapours are the confequence of eruptions from mount Vefuvius. I think they fay they are owing to effluvia proceeding from the lava which the mountain emits. The effects E 2 generally

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generally extend themfelves to feveral part's of the adjacent country. There is a cellar or two in Portici, where the people cannot go in now, upon- account of it. Its noxious properties rarely break out but in low and inclofed places, where there is not a -free ventilation of the air. My fervitore de piaz- za went to fmell a little at it, at the en- trance into Herculaneum, but he foon re- treated. I think he complained of a ful- phureous fuffocating fmell. I did not care to go and try the experiment, for fear of its making my head ache. We found a bird dead there. The poor little animal, not confcious of the infection, had perched itfelf upon fome of the lower branches of the fhrubs near the entrance, and not having fenfe enough to retire quickly, fell a rnartyr to the mofeta, for that is the name the peo- ple of the country give to this corrupted air. The vapour remains fometimes five or fix months in the places where it has chofen to eilablifli its quarters, for tho* it comes

pretty

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 69

pretty much of a fudden, its retreat is by little and little. Probably, by fomething of this kind was Pliny's uncle killed, for it feems improbable his althrna fhould have had fo immediate an effecl, as to cauie him to drop down dead, while he was walking along. The common paifage down to Her- culaneum being thus occupied, with all that part of the fubterraneous town near it, we were obliged to enter by another way, where the theatre is, and which, upon account of the mofeta, was the only thing we could fee. However, as this building b pretty nearly entire, it was more than Sufficient to fhew, that it had been once the fcene of diverhon and entertainment, now the ieat of darknefs and defolation. The lava is above thirty feet high over it. If we had not this proof, it would have been folly to have imagined the mountain could have thrown out fo much matter. The people undoubtedly had time to fave themfelves, as J think but one Ikeleton has been found in

E 3 all

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all their excavations. They not only faved their own perfons, but carried away their mod: valuable effects, as only ftatues and heavy things are left, that could have been worth much to the owners. After we had been all about the theatre by the light of torches, notwithftanding there is a little day let into the middle of it, by a hole cut up to the furface of the lava, we returned to enjoy once more the rays of the fun, which fhone with full beams upon us all the way back to Naples, as it was a very fine day, On Thurfday we went to Baia. As far as Pozzuoli, was the fame road we had been before. We here took a boat with fix oars, to crofs over the famous bay of Baia. Ima- gine me now upon the fea, which was in a perfect calm, with a delightful country all round, and what heightened the romantic- nefs of the fcene, was to hear the man who fteered fing, with a manly voice, fome ruftic, but expreilive words, relative to the perfi- dioufnefs of that element, which was fmil*

jng

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 71

ing indeed now, but might foon be deform- ed with ftorms.

Being arrived to the fhore of Baia, we left our provifions and fome fifh we had brought, to be drefTed and taken care of at a little inn, and walked up the country to fee what was to be feen. We faw Nero's prifons, as they are called, tho* I believe it very uncertain whether that cruel emperor built them ; however they feem very worthy of the con- trivance of a tyrant. You defcend to them with a number of lighted torches, for they are entirely under ground. They confift in a number of cells, divided from each other by walls of great thicknefs. I confefs the fight of thefe fubterraneous dungeons, whatever was their ufe, made me enter into myfelf, and, as I imagined they really were pri- fons, I could not help reflecting, how many wretches might have paffed filent years there without having once feen the fun, or might have been cruelly murdered without hearers E 4 of

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of their groans. Tho' I remained but a little time in thefe blind caverns, I really felt myfelf happy when I emerged into open air, and beheld the beautiful fcenes which flouriflied all around. We then went to what they call the Pifcina mirabilis, which is a let of arches, where there pro? bably was water, but to what end, my anti- quarian did not make clear to me. But why mould I defcribe to you all the ivy-covere4 ruins, with which this country abounds. Temples and palaces have fallen a facrifice to the devouring hand of time. " Yes, " they fall (fays Arioflo,) the mightiefl " cities, the mofl afpiring kingdoms fall. " Behold ! weeds and defert fand now op- " prefs the once iiluftrious Thebes and «f Carthage !"

Cadono le citta, cadono i regni Copre Tebe e Cartago erba ed arena.

But

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 73

But the melancholy arifen from feeing thefe miferable veftiges of Roman manifi?- cence, was diffipated by the charms of the country, with the promontory of Mifenum extended beyond it. It frill preferyes its ancient name, (Mileno) and Virgil's pro- phecy was true, when fpeaking of Eneas burying his pilot Mifenus there, he fays

Imponit fuaque arma viro, remumque tubamque Monte fub aerio, qui nunc Mifenus ab illo Dicitur, aeternumque tenet per faecula nomen.

After we had feen every thing we returned to the inn j where dinner was ready for us. We had our table fet upon the margin of the fea, and eat to the muiic of the refound- ing waves. Dinner over we reimbarked, and rowed about a mile, to fome naturally hot ftoves, of which there are a great numr ber in this country. It feems furprifing, as you go in, to find you breathe cooler air the more you ftoop your head, but the won- der ceafes when you know, that at the end

of

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of thefe fubterraneous vaults there is a boiling hot fountain, the vapor of which naturally afcends, as high as the cavern's roof will permit it. The fand here under the fea is hot, and if you take it up in your hands burns them. The water however, that lies above it, preferves its natural cool- nefs. Indeed the whole country about Na- ples, for fulphur and fire, is the moft curi- ous I ever faw. From hence we went by land to a place called the Cumean Sibyl's Grotta. I do not know by what authority this name is given to it. There are a great many of thefe fubterraneous paflages in Italy, I can not think what could be the reafon of the Romans having made fo many of them. This Cumean Sibyl's cave, is iituated upon what they call the lake of Averno, with as much foundation, I believe, as the former. On the other fide, there are the ruins of a fabric which antiquarians have likewife taken the liberty to intitle, the temple of Apollo. The Romans fay,

the

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 75

the lake of Averno was peftiferous, and Vir- gil tells us, that the birds in flying over it fell down dead, but what I then beheld was quite the contrary. Pure gales breathe around it, and all nature fmiles. To recon- cile this difference, my companion aflured me, that the lake had purified itfelf by time. It may be fo. From hence we went to another famous piece of water, called the Lucrine lake. But this, inftead of receiving advantage from length of time, has loft above half its extent. A mountain, faid to have rifen fuddenly out of the earths during the fpace of one night, has almoll: covered it. This latter phenomenon, I believe, may be fpoken of with more cer-^ tainty than the water covered by the moun* tain being part of the Lucrine lake. Firft of all, this fudden rife of hills, (for it is a hill, not a mountain,) in the fulphureous ground about Naples, is not without exam* pie. Vefuvius has done the fame lately, and pqfhed up divers little hills, out of

which

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which he lately vented that prodigious quan- tity of lava. There was an aperture at the top of each, out of which the lava iffued. There were five or fix of thefe hills at firft, but two or three of them are fallen in, the reft, in all probability, will remain to eternity. Why may not our prefent hill then, have been raifed fomehow or other in the fame manner ? They fay it is compofed of a fort of pumice flones, and fulphureous matter. Befides, as it is an affair that happened much later than the lateft account we have of the Lucrene lake, it ought to be more certain. The cheating, never-to-be-contented country* fellows, that accompanied us to mew thefe things, wanted us to buy fome fifh at a treble price, for their coming out of the remainder of this water. As I never had the fury of antiquity upon me, you may think they did not appear a bit more valu- able to my eyes, than if they had fwum in any other flream, and I confe-quently

decline^

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 77

declined the purchafe. This did not quite pleafe the venders, which gave me no great concern. After having difpatched as well as we could thefe grumbling fellows, and re-entered our bark, we coafted agreeably enough all the way back to Pozzuoli, which was two or three miles. We here got into our chariot, and rolled in a pleafant even- ing back to Naples.

LE T-

78 LETTERS FROM

LETTER VIL

Tuefday, 10 o'clock in the morning., March 24, 1761, Naples.

I

Go to Capua to night, where I fhall itay two or three days. To give you now my journey to the top of Vefuvius. We only ftopt at Portici a moment or two to buy fome bread, as it is reckoned to be very good. This we joined to two fowls and a, tongue, which we had brought along with us, and which were to ferve us after our defcent from the mountain. Our chariot then carried us to Refina, a village not much above a mile from Portici, where wheels can proceed no farther. In confequence, each get upon a jack-afs, of which animals the neighbouring inhabitants have always plenty to accommodate Vefuvian travellers. The whole village wanted to follow us, but i tickets

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 79

tickets diftributed by my antiquarian con- fined the number, and left the red: fcolding behind. Notwithftanding the uneafinefs of my feat upon a pack-faddle, I could not avoid entering into the mirth of the com- pany, which confifted in feven or eight men, befides my antiquarian and fervitor di piazza. This latter is nick- named Papa- riello, and is the raoft like a monkey of any- human creature I ever yet beheld. I do not fee how by any definition you could diftin- guifh him from that man-imitating animal, which certainly anfwers to the homo of the logicians, animal bipes zmplume, but a plucked turkey would do the fame. Should you attempt to particularize a monkey, calling him an irrational creature, with his nofe jutting in at the top, prominent cheek bones, and the lower part of h^s face advancing outwards beyond the upper, this all anfwers to Papariello. His mother was certainly frightened by a baboon when pregnant, and framped the image which caufed her terror

upon

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upon the embrjo. If I was to meet Papa- riello in the wiids of Ana or Africa, I mould run away for fear. But as I knew I was near Naples, and that the being which followed me was only a domeflic fervitore di piazza, I let it grin and chatter behind me with our auxiliary attendance. At length we were obliged to quit our jack- aflss, and truft to our own feet, as the fteepnefs of the mountain permitted none but rational creatures to proceed any far- ther. Before us not a blade of grafs grew. Every thing was blafted and defolate. And yet, if we may believe Martial, the fides of this mountain were formerly very fruitful. But in the epigram in which he exprefles this, he fays, their beauty was deftroyed by an eruption which happened in his time, I fuppofe that under Titus. It is the 105th of the fecond book, and the words are as follow,

Hie eft pampineis viridis Vefuvius umbris, Prefferat hie madidos nobilis uva lacus,

H*c

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. $*

Hsec juga quam Nifoe colles plus Bacchus amavit, Hoc nuper Satyri monte dedere choros. Haec Veneris fedes, Lacedemone gratior illi, Hie locus Herculeo nomine clarus erat. Cuncla jacent flammis, et trifti merfa favilla, Nee fuperi vellent hoc licuhTe fibi,

Martial's epigram too proves the fubmer- fion or ruin of Herculaneum, at leaft, you fee he favs, that once there was a famous place here of that name,

Hie locus Herculeo nomine clarus erat.

But the idea of Mount Vefuvius at prefent is certainly very different from what Martial would give us of it in his fix nrft, lines. Horror and defolation reign every where. The foil nothing but lumps of lava and afhes. The afhes make it very difficult to get up to the top, as your feet flip back and you gain very little ground. This was the diverhon which I was going to enjoy for an hour and a half. Paparieilo remained at the bottom chattering with one of the men

Vol. II. F belonging

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belonging to the beafts, he to take care of our provilions, and the man of his jack-aftes. In the mean time I was laboring at the afcent. I had three men to affift me, two of whom preceded with handkerchiefs about their waifts, which I had hold of, and the third pufhed my moulders behind. I foon, however, transferred my tergal afliftant to the antiquarian, who feemed to ftand in mod need of him. After many ftoppings to take breath, we at laft arrived at what they call the while Jlone, about half a mile from the top of the mountain, where we fat down to reft and warm ourfelves, as the ground was hot, and counterbalanced the mill and wind we had afcended to. Meanwhile one of our men was fent up to the mouth of Vefuvius, to fee whether its horrid gape was vihble, for fometimes there is fo much fmoke, you can fee nothing. The mouth, as I have already told you, is about half a mile from this white ftone, or rather black ftone ; for, if it was to be denominated from i its

tTALV, GERMANY, &c. Sj

its colour, it ought rather to have the latter appellation. Two or three years ago it was thrown, they fay, out of the mouth of Ve- suvius. Surprifing, if true, how weights of that fort can be toiTed about in the air ! This fr,one is almofl as tall as a man> and roundifh. It ought rather to be called a piece of a rock. But our man being now arrived to the mouth of Vefuvius, hallooed to us to come up, a fign of its dreary opening being vifible. We fet out accordingly, affifled in the fame manner as before, and at laft arrived at the brink of the precipice. As I did not care to follow the fate of Empedocles, I was a a little cautious at firir. in looking down, and when I looked there was fo much fmoke, I could not fee any thing at alL I thought the countryman we had fent before had deceived us in making us come up. How- ever, I found that by fixing your eyes for fome time upon the gulf, the wind at certain periods blew the fmoke away juft enough to have a peep. What I faw was horrid, F ^ but

$4 LETTERS FROM

but it was not a bottomlefs gulf, as I had imagined. I faw a great defcent of rugged and torn rocks, but ftill I could behold the bottom of them. My antiquarian ex- plained this to me by telling me that the mouth had been open, and the circumference of the precipice twice as extenfive, till a late eruption, which had made it fall in, and jammed it up in the manner I then faw. That this was the caufe, in the lafr, eruption, of the mountain's having burft an opening at the bottom, as not being able to throw out its matter at the ufual mouth, and find- ing the fides weaker and more eafy to force than the fummit, it had vented itfelf that way. But in all probability it will in time open itfelf a frefh vent in the old place. However, you may imagine that the mouth is not fo clofed as not to leave a paffage fufficient for the fmoke to iflue from. Nay, ftones and afhes came out during the erup- tion below. But then the cavities wind about fo among the ragged precipices of the

crater a

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 85

cratera, that you can not look down them. The cratera, or cup, is the term of art em- bracing the whole circumference and exten- sion of the mouth of the mountain. The brink of this abyfs may be now about a mile in circumference, and formerly was above two miles, till the mouth fell in. Tho' we had taken care to get to the wind- ward, yet Still from time to time the fmoke troubled us. As it was impregnated with fulphur and other infernal particles, it was not only difagreeable to the fmell, but, I believe, even dangerous to Stay in long. You know the fumes of a match almofl Stifle you. Think then how Strong the effecls of all this fulphur together ought to be. However, the common men venture a little down the beginning of this precipice, as a fellow did to get a lady's hat, when (he went to the top of the mountain, and which blew off while me was Standing upon the brink of the cratera, as I now was. I think the man hazarded his life for the fake of a F 3 trifle

86 LETTERS FROM

trifle me promifed. Not that there was any danger of his rolling down into thofe cavities from whence the fmoke iffued, but from the noxious effluvia of the fmoke it- felf. When the mouth throws out fire, you may imagine no perfon can go even where I was now {landing ; however, that is only fome few months in the year, but it almoft always emits fmoke. After having fatisfied our eyes fufficiently with this won- der of nature, we fat out upon our return* The men and I ran as hard as we could quite down to the white ftone. Every ftep I took was almoft up to my knees in afhes. The old antiquarian was puffing half way behind. I took the opportunity of this delay to pull off my fhoes, and free them from the quan- tity of allies that had fluffed them in my precipitate defcent. Upon our fecond fiart- jner, I arrived alfo at the bottom much fooner than my companion. I here in com- pany with Papariello and our jack-afles found a French friar, who was waiting our

return,

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. $7

return. He calls himfelf the hermit of Vefuvius, at the bottom of which he has a little cell where he lives. When he fees any ftrangers going up to the top of the mountain, he prepares fome buifcuits, wine, fruit, and other things, and meets them in humble tone upon their return to the bot- tom. But you mull: not think this is all done out of charitable hofpitality. It goes, indeed, under that name, but the holy father expects double the price to be put into his alms-box for a recompence. Thefe pro- yiiions being joined to our own, we fat down upon the ground, and began to regale ourfelves after our fatigue. The place where we were making our ruftic dinner was delight- ful. As we were upon a riling ground, tho' at what is generally called the bottom of the hill, all Naples lay difcovered to our view. A calm fea beyond, interfperied with the iflands of Procida, Caprea, Nifida, and Ifchia, heightened the profpecl. This added to the pretty and variegated country delow F 4 us,

8S LETTERS FROM

us, full of houfes and villages, compleated the fcerie. What with this beautiful prof- pect, eating our provifions, and drinking the friar's good wine, which he called La- crymas Chrifti, tho' I believe it was not genuine, we all waxed very merry. The friar too, notwithftanding his long beard, penitential habit, and the crucifixes tied to his girdle of rope, was extremely facetious. In inort, we palled an hour very agreeably, till it was time to fet off and return to Naples. In our way thither we flopped at Portici to fee his majefty's mufeum of the curiofities dug out of the ruins of Hercula- rieum. I was forced to enter here alone, as they have no good opinion of antiqua- rians, tho' every curiofity of portable weight is under lock and key, and only feen through wires. There were all forts of utenfils, corn, bread, books, thread, and I do not know what all. However, as I am no an-? tiquarian myfeif, I did not flay fo long to

feed

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. S9

feed my eyes with thefe footy * remains, as another might have done. In about half an hours time I fufficiently fatisfied my curiofity, and returned to Naples ; but before I left the apartments I could not avoid going into a room, where a friar was attempting to read fome of the books. It is a moil tirefome occupation, as they are folded up in the old Roman manner, and the vellum breaks to pieces when you attempt to open them. I do not think he will make much of it, tho' he endeavours lightly to glue the fragments upon a piece of paper. What he was work- ing at was Greek, and the letters were vifi- ble, as they are fometimes upon a meet of writing that is burnt. Before I conclude this paper I will juft inform you that Her- culaneum was discovered accidentally by the digging of a well. After having de-

* This colle&ion has fince been confiderably encreafed by the difcovery of Pompeii, where, however, they go on digging but very flowly.

fcended

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fcended a considerable depth they were very much furprifed to find a column of marble, and upon going a little lower they foun4 other ruins, which was the reafon of the king's ordering his people to continue the work. By thefe means was difcovered the furprifing city of Herculaneum, for fuch

1 can no longer doubt it to be from in-* fcriptions, but the memory of whole de- flruction was almofr, effaced. I fhall only add a remark of the late queen of Naples, now queen of Spain, who, upon defiring her hufband not to build in that place, told him, that as he was digging out what belonged to others, fo others might hereafter dig out his prefent buildings* if he continued his intention, which his then Sicilian majefty did, notvvithflanding Jiis royal conibrt's admonition.

Capua,

ITALY, GERMANY, fee $%

Capua, nine o'clock at night, Wednefday, March 25, 1761.

I arrived here laft night, and after dinner with the governor to day, he carried me in his equipage to the place where old Capua ftood, and where Hannibal's army is faid to have become enervated. It is about two miles from the prefent city, which is built upon the river ^Vulturnus. There are the ruins of an amphitheatre, with other re- mains, which point out plainly the fituation. It was anciently a confiderable place, but the great revolutions this country has undergone has changed almoft every thing. I will give, as ufual, a flight fketch of them.

After the deftrudtion of the Roman em- pire, the kingdom of the two Sicilies, like the reft of Italy, paffed under the dominion of the Goths. They left them, however, their own laws, which remained till the

Lombards,

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Lombards, another unknown northern peo- ple, drove out their predecefTors, to be them-* felves expelled in the courfe of time by the power of the Francs, or France, under Pe* pin and Charlemagne. But tho' thefe mo- narchs totally deftroyed the kingdom of Lombardy, they could not penetrate into thefe diftant parts of it, where various princes of that nation fet up independant fo- vereignties, tho' the remains of the Roman empire at Conftantinople ftill retained fome maritime towns on this fide of the Pharo of Meffina. All the ifland of Sicily, on the other, fell into the hands of the adventure ous Saracens, who at this time were extend- ing their empire with all the courage of heroes, and enthufiafm of mad-men. In fuch a confufed iituation did things remain, till the Normans, with the fame bravery, by which they conquered England, but with- out any force, at fir ft inilnuated themfelves as auxiliaries, and afterwards fubju gated the whole of thefe realms to their dominion,

which

ITALY, GERMANY, &e. $$

which Roger the firft tranfmitted to his posterity with the title of a kingdom. The Norman male line failing, the houfe of Swabia, in Germany, after fome contefts, fucceeded to their rights, by Henry of Swa- bia's having married Conftance, daughter to Roger. The perpetual difputes and wars between thefe princes, (who were often elect- ed emperors), and the popes, gave much trouble to thefe ftates, whofe proximity fub- jecled them to frequent attacks from the Roman fee. At length pope Clement IV. judging he mould never be at eafe with a hoftile family fo near him, gave by a feudal claim the crown of the two Sicilies to the count of Anjou, under condition that he mould conquer them, which that ambitious prince of France performed, after having defeated and {lain Manfred, the baftard fon of the emperor Frederic II. who had feized the throne, under pretence of defending it for his infant nephew in Swabia. That ne- phew; Conradine, made another attempt

fome

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fome time after, but was taken prifoner, and infamoufly murdered upon a public fcaffold* The houfe of Anjou ieemed now to have no enemy, but their tyrannical government fet the inhabitants, particularly thofe of Sicily, fo much againft them, that they maf- facred all the French in the ifland upon the famous Sicilian vefpers, and threw themfelves under the protection of Peter king of Arragon, who having married the daughter of Man- fred, fet up a pretenfion to the crown of both kingdoms, but only obtained that of Sicily. Thus did the two Sicilies remain divided, for above a century and a half, when, in 1442 Alphonfo, then king of Arragon, conquered the whole, but left Naples to his baftard fon Ferdinand, which again feparated the two kingdoms. Ferdi- nand, notwithstanding the illegitimacy of his birth, tranfmitted the crown of Naples to his fon Alphonfo, till Charles the eighth of France, heir to the rights of the houfe of Anjou, drove out Ferdinand the fecond,

Alphonfo's

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. t>£

Alphonfo's fon, who, recurring to Ferdinand and Ifabella of Spain, recovered his king- dom by their affiftance, but gave them an opening to a ftate, which they pretended to be their own, as heirs to Alphonfo, who they faid, could not give away a kingdom conquered by the blood and treaiures of Arragon, to a natural child. At length this politic prince entered into an agreement with Lewis the twelfth, who had fucceeded to the throne of France, to drive out Frede- ric, who had mounted the throne of Naples, Upon the death of Ferdinand, and divide his do- minions between them. It was put in execu- tion, and that unhappy prince, with all his family, was forced to feek fhelter in France, being too much irritated againft Ferdinand the catholic, who had got poffeffion of his towns, under the malk of friendfhip and amftance, to receive any favor from him. This partition, as might be eafily forefeen, did not hold long, but the two monarch s quarrelling, a war fucceeded, in which Fer- dinand

96 LETTERS FROM

dinand conquered the whole, and drove the French out of the kingdom, ihortly after to be expelled out of the dutchy of Milan by the victorious arms of his grandfon Charles the fifth. Tho' France has fince made at- tempts, yet they have not fucceeded,- fo that I can not but agree with Ariofto that,

* bifogna cle non lice

Ai Giglj in quel terren prendere radice.

When the houfe of Auftria ceafed to reigii in Spain, thefe dominions, with the Mila- nefe, were ceded to it by the peace of Utrecht, but conquered afterwards by the Bourbon arms, and you fee the queen of Hungary has in vain attempted to recover them, fo I imagine they will long remain an appendage to the Spanifh branch of the houfe of Bourbon.

* Wifh you the real truth, to know, Lilies in Italy won't grow.

LET-

Italy, Germany, &c. 97

LETTER VIII.

Rome, three o'clock afternoon, Sunday, March 29, 1761.

1 LEFT Capua 011 friday, after receiv- ing many civilities from my Irim acquain- tances, and particularly from the governor, who got me a very neat lodging. I think they feem to live comfortably enough, but they are difcontented at not riling, and would enter into our fervice, if religion per- mitted, Their regiment is called the King's and was given by Philip the fifth to his fon, now king of Spain, after the attempt upon Veletri, by the Germans. Their marriage regulations might not be of differvice in our army. A lady rnufl bring at leaft five hun- dred ducats (about a hundred and fifty pounds,) in portion ; a perfoii of inferior quality a thoufand ; but they may marry Vol. III. G a bro-

9$ LETTERS FROM

ther officer's daughter, without any thing at all. Their hofpitality kept me up much later than I intended, the evening before I fet out, and in pafiing the gates next morn- ing, I was furprifed to be ftopt by the fen- try, who was an Engliihman, and made me pay the tribute of fome drink-money, for being his countryman. Thefe are moftly deferters, as the officers find it dangerous and expenfive, to go recruiting into Ireland. Thefe runaways are a vile race of people in general* and I have feen them begging charity upon their knees in Spain and Italy, under pretence of their having fled from the moft horrid tortures, upon account of their being Roman catholics. A woman came up to my coach at Pifa, and not knowing me' to be an Engliihman, told me a difmal ftory of the barbarities fhe had undergone, upon account of her religion, and, that fhe had choien to live upon charity in a foreign land, rather than fufFer the cruelties which were exercifed upon her in her own. Such are i the

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 9$

the hj'pocritical calumnies of our common people abroad, tho' I did find two men at Seville, who were better than the reft. When they came into my room, I was going to give them fomething, but they defired only to make me a pair of fhoes, a requeft I could not deny. As there is the fame glorious privilege at Seville, as in London, that none but freemen can work in the city, they were obliged to fit under a tree, without the gates, where, having but one lafr, all the fhoes they made For the Irifh, were nearly of the fame fize, ■which they excufed upon account of neat* tiefs, if too {trait, and of eafe in hot countries, when they proved too big. Ex- cepting thefe, I never faw an induftrious renegado Briton, and will therefore leave fuch worthlefs people, and continue my journey.

G 2 After

ioo LETTERS FROM

After paffing the meadows, corroded by the iilent ftream of the Garigliano, or as Horace much better exprefles it,

rura, quae Liris quieta Mordet aqua, taciturnus amnis,

we came to the mole of Gaeta, where there is a beautiful view of the fea. A light refection gave us ftrength to con- tinue our journey without {topping, but to change horfes, through a wild country, to Terracina, the nrft. town in the pope's domi- nions. It was the Anxur of the ancients, blit I did not fee the white rocks cele- brated by Horace, in his journey,

Et pofltum faxis late condentlbus Anxur.

On the contrary, Terracina is fituated rather in a hole, or at leaft. the inn where the poft-houfe is, but there are fomething of clifts hanging over it, and perhaps the

ancient

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 101

ancient town might be at the top of them, as there are buildings there at prefent. Yefterday I intended to have got hither, but rinding the night fhut in, I flopped at Marino, not an ugly village, about twelve miles from this capital. It is fituated upon the rifing grounds which break the Campa- nia of Rome, and are interfperfed with a number of villas, and villages, among which was the ancient Tufculum, now Frafcati. The prefent Romans do not however, feem to love the country fo much as their ancef- tors did, and are rarely, for any length of time, out of their city, except during the month of October. This morning I eafily arrived hither, through the vaft plain which Jay between*

G3 LET-

io2 LETTERS FROM

LETTER IX.

Rome, Tuefday, April 7, 6 o'clock in the afternoon, 1761.

X N reading Voltaire's Hcnriade I have met with a dejfcription of Rome, which anfwers pretty much to the frate I find affairs at prefent in this capital. I will give it you. The author introduces it upon the arrival of difcord thither, coming in fearch of policy, whole refidence he places in this city, when both united affirl: the league againfr. Henry the third, then king of France, and Henry of Bourbon, afterwards Henry the fourth- then king of Navarre.

Rome ennn fe decouvre a fes regards cruels, Rome, jadis fon temple et 1'effroi des mortels, Rome, done le deftin dans la paix, dans la guerre, Eft d'etre en tons les terns Maitrefle de la Terre. Par le fort des combats on la vit autrefois

Stu*

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 103

Sur leaurs Trones fanglans enchainer tous Ies Rois. L'Univers flechiflait fous fon Aigle terrible. Elle exeroeen nos jours un pouvoirplus paifible. Elle a fu fous fon joug aflervir fes vainqueurs, Gouverner les efprits, et commander auz coeurs. Ses avis font fes loix, fes decrets font fes armes.

Pres de ce Capitole ou regnaient tant d'allarmes, Sur lefs pompeux debris de Bellone et de Mars, Un Pontife eft affis au Trone des Cefars. Des Pretres fortunes foulent d'un pied tranquille Les tombeaux des Catons et la e£ndre d'Emile. Le Trone eft fur l'Autel, et 1'abfolu pouvoir Met dans les memes mains le fceptre et l'encenfoir.

La Dieu meme a fonde fon Eglife maiflantc, Tantot perfecutee, et tantot triomphante* La» fon premier Apotre avec la verite Conduifit la candeur et la fimplicite. Ses Succeffeurs heureux quelque terns l'imiterent, }

D'autant plus refpectes que plus ils s' abaiflerent, Leur front d'un vain eclat n' etait point revetu, La pauvrete foutint leur auftere vertu ; Et jaloux de,s feuls biens qu'un vrai Chretien defire, Du fond de leur chaumiere ils volaient au martyre. Le terns qui corrompt tout changea.bientot leurs meurs ; Le Ciel pour nous punir leur donna des grandeurs. Rome, depuis ce terns puiffante et profanee,

G 4 Aux

104 LETTERS FROM

Aux conceils ties mechans fe vit abandonnce. La trahifon, le meurtre, et l'empoifonement De fon pouvoir nouveau flit 1'afFreux fondement. Les Succeffeurs du Chriit au fond du fanctuaire Placerent fans rougir l'incefte et l'adultere, Et Rome qu' opprimait leur empire odieux, Sous ces Tyrans facres regretta fes faux Dieux. On ecouta depuis de plus fages maximes, On fcut ou s'epargner, ou mieux voiler les crime j. De l'Eglife et du Peuple on regla mieux les droits. Rome devint l'arbitre et non l'efrroi des Rois. Sous l'orgueil impofant du triple diademe La modeile vertu reparut elle-meme. Mais l'art de menager le refte des humains, Ell furtout aujourdhui la vertu des Remains.

You may think I have written the fore^ going paiTage' incorreclly, but it is the new way of fpelling French, Voltaire pretends to introduce ; and, as I do not think myfelf a perfon of authority enough to be able to correct him, I have tranferibed the paflage as I found it. To underhand the lines that go on from

La fon premier Apotre avec la verite,

you

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. io£

you mufl know that, according to the Ro- man catholic doctrine, St. Peter came to, Rome, and was the firfr. pope there ; and that from his to our days there has been a continual uninterrupted fucceffion of them. Indeed, at firft they confefs they had only the title of bifhops of Rome, but affirm their authority was the fame as it is at prefent, and the only difference was in the name. I can not now avoid adding, as I imagine you may have never feen it, what Voltaire fays in the fame poem concerning the ftate of England during the reign of queen Elizabeth. Henry the third of France fends Henry of Bourbon to her court to defire affiftance againii the League. Upon his arrival in England there are the following verfes.

En voyant l'Angleterre, en fecret il admire

Le changement heureux de ce puiffant empire,

Ou l'eternel abus de tant de fages loix

Fit longtems le malheur et du Peuple et des Rois.

Sur ce fanglant Theatre ou cent Heros perirent,

Sur ce Trone gliflant, done cent Rois defcendirent,

Unp

io6 LETTERS FROM

Une femme a fes pieds enchainant les deftins,

De l'eclat de fon regne etonnait les humains.

C'etait Elizabeth, elle dont la prudence

Be l'Europe a fon choix fit pancher la balance,

Et fit aimer fon joug a l'Anglois indompte,

Qui ne peut ni fervir, ni vivre en liberte.

Ses Peuples fous fon regne ont oublie leurs pertcs ;

De leurs troupeaux feconds leurs plaines font couvertes,

Les guerets de leur bleds, les mers de leurs vafleaux,

lis font craints fur la terre, ils font Rois fur les eaux,

Leur flotte imperieufe afferviffant Neptune,

Des bouts de l'Univers apelle la fortune.

Londres jadis barbare eft le centre des Arts,

Le magazin du monde, et le Temple de Mars,

Aux muri de "Weftminfter on voit paroitre enfemblc

Trois pouyoirs etonnes du noeud qui les rafTemble.

Les deputes du Peuple, et les Grands a and le Roi,

Divifes d'interet, reunis par la Loi ;

Tons trois membres facres de ce corps invincible,

Dangereux a lui merae, a fes voifins terrible.

Heureux, lorfque le Peuple, inftruit dans fon devoir

Refpecte autant qu? il doit, le fouverain pouvoir.

Plus heureux, lorfqu' un Roi, doux, jufte, et politique

Refpetfte autant qu' il doit, la liberte publique.

Ah ! s'cria Bourbon, grand pourront les Francais

Reunir comme vous la gloire avec la paix.

Quel example pour vous, Monarques de la Terre.

Une femme a ferme les portes de la guerre,

Et renvoyant chez vous la difcorde et l^horreur,

Du'a

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 107

D'un Peuple, qui l'adore, elle a fait le bonheur. Cependant il arrive a cette ville immenfe, Ou la liberte feule entretient Pabondance. Du Vainqueur des Anglais il apercoit la Tour, Plus loin d' Elizabeth eft Paugufte fejour. Suivi de Monary feul il va trouver la Reine, &c.

By the conqueror of the Englifh, he fneans king William the firft.

LET-

toft LETTERS FROM

LETTER X.

Rome, half after n, morning, Sunday, April 12, 1761.

X H A V E been to take half an hours walk in the garden belonging to Villa Medici. The late rains have made the country very pleafanr. The morning is fine. The birds were hailing the advancing fpring. Under- neath my view, lay all Rome, with St* Peter's, towering above the reft of the builds ings, Beyond it was a ridge of hills, inter- fperfed with trees and houfes, which gave a pleafing termination to the proipe£t. In- deed fome part of them was bare, and to fuch a degree, that, as the late fallen rain had not yet had its effect, they looked rather brown, than green. But the trees about Villa Madama, made up for the want of them in other places. After having taken

feveral

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 109

feveral turns among fhady alleys, (the made produced by no lefs a plant, than bays or laurel,) I returned home. The Turks, they fay, are arming to attack Malta, upon account of their not reftoring the fhip which the flaves brought into their port. I fhould think, they would rather turn their arms againfr. Egypt, which has revolted. Be it as it may, they will not be ready foon, and it is reported, that when the Grand Signior came to examine his fleet, he found many of the mips old and unfit for fervice, and that his workmen are only now cutting down the timber, to build others to replace them. We have had a paper handed here about Rome, which they fay came by the way of France. It is the edict of the Grand Signior, for the aflemblage of his fleet to attack Malta. You will fee it is a burlefque to laugh at the Maltefe, and the invention of fome foolifh Italian. Such as it is, I will tranflate it to you.

«

The

iio LETTERS FROM

" The manifefloj publifhed by the grand " Signior, throughout all his empire, and " particularly in the city of Tunis, to the " found of trumpets, tymbals, and plates " of filver, from whence a copy has been " fent by father Jeronymo da Como Capu- " chin Miffionary.

" Muflapha, emperor, and mofl powerful 91 Ottoman fultan, fon and nephew of God^ " king of the Turks, of Greece, Perfia; %'■ Phrygia, Bithynia, Cappadocia, Pamphy- " lia, of the greater and leffer Egypt, of " Armenia and Arabia, lord of the greatefl " part of Europe, Aria* and Africa, fancti- " fled head of the clergy of Mahomet; " guardian of the fepulchre of the Meffiah, " the greatefl recompence of the faithful^ " king of kings, fovereign prince above " all princes in the world, terror and fcourge " of all Chriflians, ineflimable hope of the " Ottomans, the precious flone, the facred " jewel, and mofl tremendous king.

" The

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. in

" The eternal and immortal memory of *' the great fultan Amurath, Grand Signior " of the Turks, our predeceflbr and beloved " brother, had always in his thoughts to V deprive the Chriflians of the little rock "• belonging to the knights of Malta, and to •' deftroy their galleys, upon account of the " common hurt they do in our fea£, but " while the before mentioned Grand Signior '* Amurath, was putting his intended ex- *' ploits into execution, the angel of death " cut them fhort, fo that he could only " leave to us by teftament, the obligation " of executing what he dehred. Till now in* " deed, we have not {hewn ourfelves folicitous " to effectuate his intentions, but {purred " at prefent by the difdain conceived againft " the knights, and their favourers, upon " account of the bad treatment ufed towards €t our fhips, to our no fmall difpleafure, *' upon this account, coming to a proper €t refolution, we order,

*<

That

ill LETTERS FROM

" That in virtue of this edict, all our fubjects do appear in Conftantinople with their galleys, within all the moon of March, and that the galleys of our moll: copious arfenal, and the vefTels found in our extenfive dominions, do arm and come, within the prefcribed term, to our before mentioned capital, in order to be ready, under pain of our indigna- tion, to imbark our army, which is to become the terror of the univerfe, and the utter defolation of the Chriftians, for the fun, the moon, and the ftars, in wonder at the multitude of our galleys and vefTels, fhall be obfcured, by the fre- quent firing of our bombs, while the fifli, half dead with affright, fhall hide them- felves in themoft retired profundities of the oCean ; the animals of the earth flink into their woods and forefts, and the trees, rooted up by the thunder of our artillery, deplore their faded honors. From this, our inevitable power, Chriftianity fhall

" prove

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 113

H prove the effects of the anger conceived " by us, for the lofs of our galeon."

Some Italian has written under the Italian copy of this Turkifh declaration, the two following lines, which if they fhew nothing elfe, will at leaft, give a fpecimen of the venom which the Italians bear in their breafts againft, the Turks.

Trace infame, tanto crudel orgoglio L'abbaffera quel difprezzato fcoglio,

which is fomethjng like what follows in Englifh.

" Infamous Thracian, that fo much de- 4< fpifed rock of Malta, fhall humble thy <c cruel haughtinefs."

Now you have read this declaration, I dare fay there is no reafon for me to tell you, that it mull be fpurious. The ridicu-

Vol. III. H loufnefs

ii4 LETTERS FROM

loufnefs of the ftyle alone, is enough to con* fute it. True it is, that the Turks have a high-flown diction, but this is many notes above any thing that has ever yet been heard. And yet, notwithstanding all its bombaft, it is filly, ftupid, and flat. You may con- fider.then, what I have faid hitherto con- cerning the Turks, as a fable. That the Maltefe however, are making preparations for defence, and have recalled their knights, is certain. That is, not all of them, but thofe of younger date, who have {till cara- vans to perform, which confift. generally, in cruizing on board the Maltefe mips againfl the Turks, but now, I fuppofe, all the caravanifters will remain Rationed in the ifland. Indeed I believe they never meet the enemy, at leaf! we never hear of any knights of Malta, either killed or taken.

To have a true idea of this order, you muft confider them, as fo many military friers. Their origin, was merely that of

keepin g

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 115

keeping an hofpital at Jerufalem, for the pil- grims who vifited the holy fepulchre in the time of the crufades. As thefe were often oppreffed and robhed by the Turks, in coming to Jerufalem, they took upon them likewife to defend them. After the lofs of the holy land, they conquered Rhodes, and, upon being driven from thence by the victorious arms of Soliman the fecond, finally fettled at Malta, which was ceded to them by the emperor Charles the fifth. Thofe who have profefTed, that is, who have taken all the oaths, and enjoy commcndas, or benefices, are pretty much under the fame reft.ric~r.ion as friers, and they make the monaftic vows of poverty, chafHty, and obedience. But the troop of them you fee about Italy, are thofe who have only performed their cara- vans, and got the crofs. Now it is thefe that are recalled, for I believe moft of the others are always inhabitants of Malta. To prove ycvi the truth of this call from Malta, I will tranllate you that of Don Sifto H 3 Cefarini,

li$ LETTERS FROM

Cefarina, an acquaintance of mine, from which you may have an idea of all the reft, as they are pretty much alike. The fervants they bring, are to be above eighteen yeara old, that they may be able to bear arms» It is as follows.

Signqr Cavalier Don Sifto Cefarini,

From the Grand Priorate, April i, 1761. . f In order that your mofl illuftriousjignor- l( JJo'ip may fet out immediately for Malta, " to perform your caravans, and exercife " the employs that (hall there be committed " to you, the mofl eminent grand matter^ " together with his venerable council, have " ordered cardinal Colonna, grand prior, to " intimate to you, in virtue of holy obedi- " ence, as he does by this prefent letter, to " fet out immediately, in order to go to the " convent at Malta, together with as many y fervants as you pleafe, provided they are

" above

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 117

€< above eighteen years old, and are provided u with proper arms.

" Cardinal Colorina, having thus per* kl formed the injunctions laid upon him, u and nothing doubting but you will not " neglect to fulfil thofe at prefent laid Upon " you, andincreafethe merit of them towards u his eminence, by your fpeedy obedience, u the cardinal nothing doubting this, pro- ** feffes himfelf, &e« ■

H 3 J.ET-

US LETTERS FROM

LETTER XI.

Thurfday, April 16, 1761. Rome, half after 1 in the afternoon.

JLrf AST night, at a lady's houfe, the com- pany entered into a long conversation with regard to the affairs of Portugal. There was a gentleman made me laugh. We were talking about the Jefuits, and whether they were guilty or not of the attempt to aflaffinate his faithful majefty. We agreed, that tho' fome might have been engaged in the plot, the whole body could not. ' ' I am fure, " at leah1," fays the gentleman, " they could " never have had any thing to do in the " way-laying of the king, the night of the " third of September, for if they had, they " would have done it better."

I have

Italy, Germany, &c n*

Friday, April 17, 12 at noon;

I have been this morning trampling about Rome. It was pretty warm 5 for as the bad weather is now over, the fun begins to exert his force. I went as far as the tri-* umphal arch of Conftantine the great, which ftands near the Flavian amphitheatre. It was erected for his victory over Maxentius, who had feized the Weflern Empire, but was defeated at the Pons Milvius, and, with many of his troops, faidto have been drowned in the Tyber, as the bridge broke in their flight. It was before this engagement that Conftan* tine is reported to have feen the miraculous vifion of the crofs, with the words, " By " this fign malt thou conquer," written over it. This is a prodigy ftrongly attefted by Eufebius and other eccleiiafiical writers, but the view of the arch I have been con- templating this morning daggers my belief. It would be reafonable to expect fome mark upon it acknowledging the immediate in- H 4 terpo-

120 LETTERS FROM

terpofition of Heaven in Conftantine's favor* But I found none, except you think it ex- preffed in the infcription, which fays, " that " Conftantine conquered the tyrant by the " influence of the Deity," (inftinclu Divi- nitatis,) a ftyle never before ufed by the Romans ; but then the whole is fpoiled by what is added afterwards, " that he did it *' likewife, by the greatnefs of his own .,' mind," (magnitudine mentis,) which does not feem a very proper expreflion for a newly converted Chriftian. Befides, there appear to be Pagan reprefentations upon more than one of the bafs reliefs; however, in anfwer to this, a gentleman informs me, fiom what authority I know not, that this arch was made up and adorned from the ruins of various other places. Near this arch is one of a lefs lize, in honor of Vefpaflan's conquefl over the Jews, by his fon Titus. It is famous for having fome of the facred utenfils of the Jews, as the golden candleftick, &c. carved upon the fides of it, but they arealmofi:

effaced.

ITALY, GERMANY, &c 121

effaced. The Flavian amphitheatre, which is adjoining to both the former antiquities, is one of the nobleU: remains of ancient ftru&ure. It is now called the Coloffeo, and its venerable ftones

«—• Ipirant adhuc imperiofa minas.

It was erected by Flavius Vefpafian, and was heretofore the refort of multitudes to fee the cruel diverfion of gladiators righting with each other, or men contending with wild beafls, of which immenfe quantities wrere brought from Africa for the diverfion of the capital. Many martyrs are likewife fuppofed to have perifhed here, when pagan Rome firft. drew the fword againft infant Chriftianity. But whatever cruelties may have been exercifed in its arena, the furrounding building is great and noble, and ftrikes a modern with thoughts of the inferiority of our pre- jfent places of entertainment. You have often feen it in paintings, tho* nothing but

itfelf

ii2 LETTERS FROM

itfelf can give an idea of its vaflnefs. No£ above a third of its circumference is per- fect ; however, from thence an idea is eafi- ]y formed of what the whole was, when it was compleat. The popes have pulled down a great part to raife the modern edi- fices of Rome ; and the Barberini family being the principle deftroyers, caufed this faying againfl them,

Qiiod non fecerunt Barbari, fecerunt Barberini.

L E T-

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 123

LETTER XII.

Rome, Sunday, April 19, 1761, half after 1 1 in the morning*

1 WILL now tranfiate you the. moix effential part of the account publifhed by the court of Rome concerning the expullion of cardinal Acciaiuoli, the pope's nuncio, from Portugal, and the difmiffion of the commendator d'Almada, the Portuguefe en- voy, from this city. Tho' you may have feen the Portuguefe account, I dare fay that of the holy fee has not come to your hands.

" The fixth of the month of June 1760, " the marriage between the molt ferene in- " fant Don Pedro, and the mofl ferene " Donna Maria Francifca, princefs of the " Brazils, was celebrated unexpectedly in u the city of Liibon. Notice was given 1 " of

I24 LETTERS FROM

" of this joyful events not only to all the' *' ambaffadors of foreign courts, but even " to all minifters of inferior ranlq by a u meffage from Don Lewis da Cunha, fecre- " tary of ftate for foreign affairs. This M attention, however, was not ufed towards u cardinal Acciaiuoli, who flill relided ill " that court with the character of apofto- u lical nuncio. His eminence" (a title given to all cardinals,) u clearly faw that this " omiffion was on purpofe to offend, not " only his private perfon, but his public " character. He had not, indeed, received for " along time that refpect, which was due 96 to him from the court, confidering him " either as a nuncio or as a cardinal. But " while he could think, or force his imagi- " nation to believe, that thefe flights regard- " ed his private perfon only, he furFered and ** diflembled every thing with a mod unpa- " ralelled patience. As foon, however, as he ** found the dignity of his prince, the fupreme " head of the church, offended in the pre-

" fent

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 125

M fent conjuncture, by an affront fo public f* to the whole city, he judged there was ** no longer room for diffimulation. After " having reflected upon what would be the f< readier!: means of preventing the impend- " ing diforders, he went to Don Lewis da *' Cunha, the fecretary, and complained of *' the meflage not having been fent to him, *' which all the other minifters had received. " Don Lewis anfwered him byjaying, that te the meffage he had fent to the other *• minifters was not to inform them of the " royal marriage, but to inftruct thera of " the rank and order they ought to obferve " in the prefent conjuncture, in their ap- " pearance at court, which his eminence " not being able to do," (He was forbid the court upon account of the previous difputes about the Jefuits.) " the meffage became iC fuperfluous. His eminence anfwered, that M the menage fent to the other foreign " minifters contained two parts ; flrft, an " intimation of the marriage, and then the

" method

J26 LETTERS FROM

" method they ought to obferve in receiving " their refpective audiences ; and tho' the " latter did not concern the nuncio, as he " could not appear at court, a participa- " tion of the former ought to have been " granted him as well as other foreign " minifters. The note fent to all the other <f foreign minifters was as follows.

(t From the palace, June 6, 1760*

"/The afTurancehis majefty has of the part

", his majefty takes in every thing that

" concerns the welfare of his royal houfe, " obliges him to embrace the opportunity of " the very hour of the celebration of matri- •* mony between the moft ferene princefs of P the Brazils and the moll: ferene infant Don " Pedro, to declare to the aforefaid monarch " this- joyful notice, which by order of his " majefty I communicate to your excellency, <( acquainting you of my fending away an " exprefs with thefe news to your court,' in

<f cafe

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 127

cafe your excellency has any occafion of tranfmittlng difpatches by it. And as upon this occafion their majefties and highnefles intend to give audience to all ambaffadors and public minifters, they will appear to receive it according to the antiquity of the prefentation of their credentials. In any thing that I can do that may be agreeable to your excellency, you may entirely com-! mand me. Heaven guard your excellency many years,

" I remain

" Your excellency's " moft obfequious and 46 obliged fervant,

*' Don Lewis da Cunha,

M Cardinal Acciaiuoli, after thefe repre^ " fentations made to Don Lewis da Cunha, " continued to entreat him in more exprefs " terms not to oblige him to abflain from " thofe public demon ftrations of joy, which " there was no perfon more defirous than

" him*

!*3 LETTERS FROM

" himfelf of fhewing for an event fo greatly " to the fatisfac"tion of the royal family of ** Portugal, and of the whole nation. Don •* Lewis promifed to reprefent to his moil *' faithful majefty the inftances that his ** eminence had made him, and fend him '* an anfwer to them. But this anfwer did " not come all that day, nor the day after, *' So that his eminence, the three appointed *? nights of the feventh, eighth and ninth " of June, abftained from illuminating his f' palace in the manner that the other am- *6 bafladors did theirs. In order, however, " to make up for the inattention he had " been obliged to fhew, he went to the " Count of St. Lorenzo, firft. gentleman of " the bedchamber to the mofr. ferene infant *' Don Pedro, and begged him to make ** his refpectful excufes to the royal couple, " and tell them the real caufe of the neglect " he had, without his fault, been obliged " to fhew. No perfon belonging to the u court or miniflry complained to the car-

M dinal „

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 1*9

" dinal of his behaviour. Neither did the " public, who knew the caufe of it, give ** any fign of their difapprobation, either " during the three days of common feftivity, " or afterwards. In this interval his emi- " nence continued living in tranquillity, u and as he was not confcious of having t( been wanting in his duty, he refigned " himfelf to the ftate of the times. The " morning of the fifteenth, which fell on " a funday, about the hour of nine of the u foreign clock or twelve of the Italian, as his " eminence was getting himfelf ready to " celebrate the holy mafs, a commiflary " of the ftate office, by name John Galvas, '* together with the brigadier Don Lewis w deMendonza, came in a hurry to his houfe, " and defired to fpeak to him. In the mean ** time his palace was inverted by a number " of foldiers, who had alfo entered and " difperfed themfelves about the gardens. " The two before mentioned perfons being Vol, III, I *' admitted,

i LE ITERS F ROM

-" admitted, the former of them gave his " eminence the the following letter.

■ Cs His majefty making ufe of that juft royal ic and fupreme power given him by all laws, Ci in order to maintain the fovereign autho- " rity unviolated, and preferve his vaffal's * from fcandals prejudicial to the public ** tranquillity of his kingdom, orders me tp

• intimate to your eminence, that, upon e< the immediate receipt of this letter, your " eminence mult, depart from this city, and, n c rolling the Tagus, go, forthwith, by the " ftreighteir. road out of thefe kingdoms, 46 within the precife term of four days.

•* One of the royal equipages is ready, on " the oppofite more of the Tagus to your " eminency's houfe of habitation, for the

decent conveyance of your eminence.

a

<c And in order that your eminence may H puriue your journey, without danger of

receiving

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. iji

ie receiving any infults, contrary to the pro-

*' tection which the immunity of your

*-' character mail always find in the domi-

" nions of his majefty, he has commanded,

iC that you mall be accompanied to the fron-

M tiers of this kingdom, by a fufficient

" military guard. I beg your eminence

" would command me, in any thing I can

" do for your fervice. Heaven preferve your

*' eminence for many years. I remain

:- ■_. Your moil: obfecmious

From the Palace, "]

T z > humble fervant,

14 June, 1760, J

Don Lewis da Cunha.

*' Cardinal Acciaiuoli, after ha vine: read

*' the foregoing letter, deiired time to write

<; a note to the fecretary of ftate, but it was

*' not granted him. He then defired the

" fhort ipace of time, to be able to hear

" mafs, but that was alfo refufed him, anc^

li he was obliged to drefs himfelf immedi-

*s ately. He then called thofe few fervants

** that were mod necelTary to him, and

I ? " having

ija LETTERS FROM

*' having duly protefted again ft the violence " ufed to his facred perfonal character, as M well as to that of a public minifter, 4< always refpe&ed in the perfon of ambafla- u dors of princes; he followed the officers, " as he was obliged to do, and entered with g€ them into the royal barks, which carried *' his eminence acrofs the Tagus. On the ** other fide, he found fome bad equipages " waiting for him, which he got into, and *' began his journey, accompanied by thirty " dragoons, which, indeed, had been given " him under colour of preferving him " from infults, but were, in reality, to guard *- him, as if he had been a prifoner. They " paffed the fortrefles of Eftremos and Elvas, *' without his eminence receiving any of the *' ufual honors. After five days journey, " he came to the frontiers of Spain, where " his guard abandoned him. Upon his arri- <f val at Badajoz," (the firft town in Spain,) 4t he received fo many marks of attention " and politenefs from the officer, who com-

(f mande4

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 133

u manded that garrifon, that they made up, " 111 fo'me meafure, for the difgufts and w difagreaable treatment he had hitherto " furTered.

u It is not at prefent our bufinefs to exa* M mine the caufe and manner of the expulflon •* of the pope's nuncio from the court of a " catholic prince. That may be the work of <c fome other time, and fome other pen. But this preliminary hiftory was neceffary to what we are going to fay. While thefe things happened in Portugal, in the fpace " of a few days four couriers came to the " Portuguefe minifter plenipotentiary at 11 Rome, the Commendator d'Almada." (I need not tell you that commendator is a title belonging to perfons who have commendas, or benefices, from any order of knighthood.) " Two of the couriers arrived on the 21ft; " one on the 28th, and the fourth on the *' 30th of the month of June. All Rome " was in great anxiety, to know what news

I 3 " thefe

a

a

*34 LETTERS FROM

<e thefe repeated meffengers brought. It ** was foon, however, known in general, " (tho* the Commendator made a great fecret " of it) that they brought difagreeable news. c< However, at laft, in the afternoon of the " joth, which fell on a monday, the Com- ** mendator d'Almad a begged to be admitted *• to an audience of his holinefs. His holi- ** nefs, being bufied with other occupations, ** anfwered that he could not grant his * requefl, till the friday following. The

c

' Commendator d'Almada wrote another " note the fame evening, acquainting his ** holinefs of the neceffity he was under of *' throwing himfelf at his feet, before thurf- g* day, the day the Spanifh and Portuguefe u couriers fet off with the letters for thofe " kingdoms; which was granted him.

" Thus was his holinefs prevailed upon by " Commendator d'Almada's intreaties to for- •* ward the audience he was to give him only " on the friday, to the wednefday morn in g.

" 2d

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. t3$

" 2cl July preceding, notwithstanding ir

f " was the day of the ordinary audience o

'* the minifters of his (late, and not with -

if ftanding cardinal Acciaiuoli had never been

" able to obtain one from his Portuguefe

" majefty, tho' he had lolicited it for many

M months.

,( In the mean time, on tuefday the Por- s< tuguefe and Spanim letters arrived, and " thofe from Lifbon, in date the 9th of ** June, brought an account of what had " palled with regard to the cardinal nuncio " till that day; as, his not having been in- " formed, from the court, of the marriage, *' a civility which all the other ambafiadors " had received, the reafons of the refolutions " he made, of not conforming to the public " demon ftrations of joy, together with other " facts, which aggravated the former inat- " tentions he had received, and plainly (hewed ** the difpolition of the court of Portugal,

I 4 " to

itf LETTERS FROM

•• to (till further difpleafe and injure the pon- " tifical minifter.

99 Upon account of thefe motives of dif- u content, his holinefs thought proper to " fufpend the giving an audience to the *' Commendator d'Almada, till he mould be " farther informed of the prefent itate of 99 affairs in Portugal. Accordingly, mon- *' fignior chamberlain fent him the following " note.

" From the ante-chamber of our holy ** father, 2d July 1760,

99 Notwithftanding monfignior cham- 99 berlain gave part yefterday morning 99 to the Commendator d'Almada of his " holinefs's condefcending to anticipate 99 his audience, he is obliged to fignify to *' him, at prefent, by exprefs order from his 19 holinefs, that he can not grant him the

99 promifed

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 13

u promifed audience this morning, upon " account of letters arrived yefterday from u LilDon, by the ordinary poft, the contents " of which (hall be communicated to his " excellency, by fome other more opportune " method. Monfignior chamberlain deli res " his excellency to honor him with his ** commands, which he mall obey with the ** utmoft attention, profeffing himfelf to " be, &c.

" Upon receiving this nleflage from the *' pope, the Commendator d'Almada not only ** paffed all bounds of moderation, but even " of that decency which ought to be obferved *' in their own territories to the moft inligni* 0 flcant fovereign upon the face of the earth. l( He diftributed a great bundle of writings " (that he had prepared) to all the foreign " minifters, acquainting them, at the fame *' time, with his imminent departure from " the court of Rome, Thefe fcandalousand

" tirefome

ttf LETTERS FROM

•• tirefome papers were foon fpread through " all the city.

" We do hot think it at prefent worth " our while to anfvver all that is badly "jumbled together in the writings diitri- " buted by the Commendator d'Almada. " If there be occarion, we will do it another " time. It is enough to fay, that there ii " nothing confiftent in them, but reiterated ** expreffions of the obfequioufnefs, and " conftant devotion of his faithful majefly " to the holy apoftolical fee. His holinefs " is fully convinced of it, notwithstanding " the conduct of his minifter is not at all " conformable to fuch fentiments. There *' are, befides, many good maxims inter- " fperfed in theie writings, but they prove " juft the contrary to what they were de- " figned. They prove, to the moft evident " demonftration, the great condefcenfion his " holinefs has fhewn to his majelty's de- " mands, as well as the great deiire he has

" always

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 139

** always had of conforming to his royal

fl pleafure. Indeed, the minifters of the holy

" fee have always had, and always will have,

" for his moft faithful majefty that refpect

'* and veneration, which are not only due to

** every crowned head, but more particu-

*£ larly to a king fo much efteemed by the

** holy apoftolical fee, as well upon his own

" account, as for the great deierts of his

*' auguft anceftors. In confequence of thefe

" fincere fentiments, his majefty' s mini-

" fters mall always be treated with refpect,

" as we know well that no injury can be

" offered to a minifter, in minifterial affairs,

*< without infulting the fovereign at the fame

'* time.

»t

LET-

t4o LETTERS FROM

LETTER XIII.

Rome, 1 1 o'clock morning, Monday, April 27, 1761.

A O continue you the papal account of the retreat of the Commendator d'Almada from Rome*

V We leave it to the reflection of thofe " minifters, to whom the Commendator " d'Almada diftributed his papers, to judge " whether he could fpeak in the manner he •c did of the minifters of his holinefs, with- " out, at the fame time, highly injuring the ** holy father. We mould be glad, that g* they would decide alfo, whether a foreign ** minifter has the privilege of declaring, " that he will not treat with the firft minif- w ter of that prince to whom he is fent. " Hiftory furnifhes us with many examples,

" and

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 141

" and that of Portugal with fome not very M ancient, of a court, when not contented " with the minifter fent by a foreign prince, " having folicited, and obtained his being u recalled. This is our cafe with regard " to the Commendator d'Aimada. But we " mall not fo eafily find an example of a 4( foreign minifter's refuting to treat with " the principal minifter of that prince, to " whom he is fent. Before we refume the " thread of our interrupted narration, we *' will juft hint, that we think it probable " that Commendator d'Almadahimfelf would -f' have dared to put the before mentioned " papers into his holinefs's hands, if the " defired audience had been granted him, ?' and fo infult, face to face, the pontifical 16 majefty. The tenor of the writings, a; " well as the ftrict filence he obferved, not <c only with regard to the court minifters, * c but even towards thofe that were moft inti- *c mate with him, fhew that thefe papers , f * were diflributed with an intention to affront ( a prince, who unites in his perfon, the

94 er ^lefnftiral

142 LETTERS FROM

" ecclefiaftical and civil fovereignty. Every " perfon will be able to judge, that this be- " haviour merited due refentment. How- *' ever, his holinefs, tho* informed of the •' fubitance of the writings distributed by " the Commendator d'Almada, as well as of *8 the indecent expulfion of his nuncio <c from Lifbon, yet, making ufe of that *G heroical moderation fo natural to him, M even before he was raifed to the high " pontificate, the holy father, I fay, upon *' thurfday morning, after the congregation " of the officers of the holv inciuiiitions " giving the ufual audience to cardinal Neri " Corfmi, protector of the crown of Portu- " gal, entered into a difcourfe with him " concerning the depending affairs of that *f kingdom. His eminence faid, he had not ** yet feen the writings diitributed by the " Commendator d'Almada. He then pro- " ceeded to declare, the various pretentions " made by that minifter, and in particular, " that his holinefs mould appoint fome *' other perfon, in the room of cardinal % " Toxrig-

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 143

' forriggiani, his principal and ordinary *' miniiler, to treat with him concerning " tiie preient ftate of affairs in Portugal.

" His holinefs, juftly offended at the fore-

'* going ftrange propofition of the Commen-

" dator d'Almada, not only rejected it abfo-

" lutely, but, as he was perfuaded there

" was no dilcuiTmg affairs any longer peace-

** ably with the aforefaid minifter, declared

" he would treat with no perfon concerning

" them, but his eminence cardinal Neri

" Corfmi. This prelate took the opportu-

" nity of the audience, to deliver to his

" holinefs a letter from his moft faithful

M majefly, containing a participation of the

" marriage of the moft ferene infants. The

" Commendator d'Almada had never made

" any mention of this letter in his repeated

*' intreaties, by word and writing, for an

" audience. His holinefs lent the cardinal

*' an anfwer to this letter the morning

*' afterwards, testifying by his expedition,

<* the

i44 LETTERS FROM

" the flncere pleafure he had in hearing of " any thing that was agreeable to the royal " family of Portugal. This audience was " on the thurfday morning, the day before " the following notification was hung up at " the door of the hofpital of the Portuguefe u national church of St. Anthony. The " place where it was, hung up was, indeed, «' furrounded with walls, but in all other c< refpe&s was public, and frequented by all " kinds of perfons.

•' Francis d'Almada & Mendonza, of the " council of his moft faithful majefty, and *' his minifter plenipotentiary to the holy " apoftolical fee, &c.

" I here inform all the vaffals of our M fovereign lord the king, that his majefty " having with moft exemplary patience be- *< field, for a long time, and by many deci- V fwe fads, all thofe channels ftopt, by " which he might obtain the ear of his

" holinefs,

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 145

M holinefs, without feeing any hopes of his ?' being able to addrefs to him, his moft ob- " fequious fupplications, and reflecting at 4t the fame time, upon the extraordinary, " fcandalous, and unheard pf animofity of *f the political miniftry of the court of " Rome, in declaring a rupture between ■' their court, and that of his moil faithful f* majefty ; the king feeing this, and that " it is not any longer poffible, under the " prefent difagreeable circumftances, to con- " tinue his public minifter in Rome, or pre* *' ferve in that city, a number of faithful M and honorable vaflals, while they are daily f* witnefTes of the repeated infults ufed to-c *f wards him by the minifters of that court, M who, contrary to the pontifical honor and " decorum, have enticed many to their ?' party, that now declare themfelves noto* *' rioufly as fuch, to the univerfal fcandal u of all Europe ; in reflecting upon thefe " circumitances, the aforefaid monarch finds " himfelf obliged to command his before Vol. Ill, K M mentioned

i46 LETTERS FROM

u mentioned minifter plenipotentiary, as well " as all the vaflals of his crown, together " with thofe who as fuch, enjoy ecclefiaf- u tical benefices in his kingdom and domi- *' nions, to depart forthwith from a court, " where they can be of no fervice to the ** moft holy father, but only increafe by " their prefence, the infults committed " againft his majefty's royal authority. It " is this royal authority which his majefty (( can not difpenfe with himfelf, from main- " taining as unviolated, and as independant " with regard to temporal affairs, as his " auguft anceftors tranfmitted it to hima " without becoming refponfible, not only " to God and the catholic church, of which " he boafts himfelf a moil: devout fon, and " exemplary defender, but at the fame time *' to all the monarchs of the univerfe.

'* In confequence of the above mentioned ** order, his moll: faithful majefty com- v mands all his vaflals tq appear tomorrow,

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 147

V the third of this prefent month of July, " at one-and-twenty of the Italian clock,. <f at his minifter plenipotentiary's houfe of '? refidence, in order to give an individual if and exact account of all the fubjects of his " majefty in this city. And to the end <e that thefe royal and indifpenfible refolu- *( tions of his mofl faithful majefty may " come to the knowledge of all his vaffals if refiding in this capital, I have ordered " the prefent edict to be drawn out, which " lhall be fubfcribed by me, and hung up " in the royal hofpital of St. Anthony be- " longing to the fame nation, in order that e< no perfon may pretend the excufe of " ignorance.

" Francifco de Almada and Mendonza.

<c From my refidence, f* July 2, 1760,

" By his order, Don Francifco ft Antonio Jofeph Rodriguez.

in. K 2 " Jn

i4S LETTERS FROM

" In confequence of the foregoing noti- " fication, the thurfday afternoon a copious *' meeting of Portuguefe was held at the

* Commendator d'Almada's houfe of refi- " dence. This, after the manifefted and *• intimated rupture between the two courts, f< had the air of a mutiny. The holy " father, however, tolerated this new excefs, *' and fuffered a man flill to remain in Rome, *' tho' upon many accounts he deferved fo f* little to be confidered as the minifter of a " prince, who profeffes to have an inclina* " tion to cultivate the correfpondence and

* c affection of another. Saturday, the fifth " of the aforefaid month of July, a frefh " notification was hung up as before at the *^ hofpital gate ; the remarkable tenor of Ci which is as follows.

u Fran-

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 149

*• Francifco de Almada and fyjendonza, of 4i the council of his majefty, &c.

" This is to give notice to all the vaffals 51 of our fovereign lord the king, that his " holinefs, according to his ufual benignity, " having confidered the impombility of the " above mentioned minifter plenipotenti- " ary's continuing his communication with 4i the political miniftry of his holinefs, W contrary to the pofitive order of the king ft his mafter, fo highly offended by it, has " been fo good, to the total exclufion of the " aforefaid political miniftry, to appoint the " moft eminent and reverend cardinal Cor- " fini, prote&or of the crown of his moft " faithful majefty, in order that he mould 0i treat and confer with the above men- " tioned minifter plenipotentiary concern- ** ing the prefent ftate of affairs in Portu- " gal. It is hoped, therefore, that by the " deputation of fo worthy and zealous a " cardinal, new and fecure means will be K .3 " opened

ijo LETTERS F R O TVT

u opened to his moft faithful majefty, for"

" obtaining that fatisfaction winch is dud

" to him, and with that expedition which

*' the exigence of the prefent circumftances

ce require. The faid minifter has therefore

" taken upon himfelf the fufpenfion of the

u rupture declared by his notification of the

" fecond of this month ; flattering himfelf

" that the holy father will be moved to give

" his majefty thofe deferved and neceffary

€l fatis factions, which the faid monarch fo

** religioufly expects from the inflexible

" juftice of his holinefs, who without

" doubt will remember the attempt of afla-

*' filiating a monarch in his own court, by

" the machinations proved and adjudged to

" a fociety of men, by their inffcitution de-

" dicated to God, as alfo that this very

" monarch, for the fpace of above a year

" fmce the execrable attempt, has fuffered

" fuch affronts and calumnies in a court,

" which is the head of the catholic church,

" as would oblige even a private perfon to

" demand fatisfaction.

« His

iTALY, GERMANY, &c. 15*

" His moft faithful majefty hopes at *' prefent to find that redrefs which he fo " religioufly expects from the inflexible " juftice of his holinefs. And in order that " the above mentioned fufpenfion of the '* rupture may arrive to the knowledge of " all the vaflals of our nation, I have order- " ed the prefent edict to be made, which " mall be fubfcribed with my name, and *f hung up in the fame place as the former " of the fecond of July.

" Francifco de Almada and Mendonza,

*' From the palace of my u refidcnce, July 4, 1760.

" By his order, Don Francifco " Antonio Jofeph Rodriguez.

After this notification the papal memorial goes on as follows.

u It was in this manner the Commendator

" de Almada heaped injury upon injury, at

K 4 " the

15* LETTERS FROM

<c the fame time that he pretended to de- " clare himfelf content with his holinefs. ** Upon this new fact the holy father could " not in reafon (hew further toleration. He u fent orders to cardinal Cornni to come to *c him that fame evening. The cardinal ** had not as yet heard a word of this new " event* His holinefs informed him of the " abufe Commendator de Almada had made " of the difcourfe he held with his eminence " the Thurfday before, and how he had " wrefted the words of his holinefs, when " he told his eminence that he would treat •* with no perfon but him concerning the •* affairs of Portugal, to mean, that his ** eminence was to be the perfon to treat of " the affairs of Portugal with Commendator " de Almada, to the total exclufion of car- <c dinal Torriggiani, the moil holy firft mi- " nifter. This falfe intelligence he not " only rendered public by the before men- *' tioned notification, but he likewife fent

" written

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. i$$

" written notes of it to all the foreign * minifters.

" Upon account then of all the foregoing " circumftances, ourholyfather,tofreehimfelf 4* from aperfon whom he always found ready *f toincreafe the flame of difcord, declared to ** cardinal Corfini that he would give ear *** to no perfbn about any thing concerning *; the affairs of Portugal, till the Commen- " dator de Almada had not only left Rome, " but was entirely gone out of the eccle- " {iaftical dominions. That after his de- M parture he would with pleafure attend " to any difcourfe or treaty, which could '* be entered upon, fo it was not contradic- *' tory to his dignity and the decorum of " the holy fee.

" This is the fincere account of what

*' preceded and accompanied the expulfion

" of cardinal Acciaiuoli from Portugal, and

4* the departure of the Commendator de

t f* Almada

i$4. LETTERS FROM

w Almada from the court of Rome. We have " endeavoured to exprefs every thing in the se moll: fimple manner, without ornament of " emphatical words, the miferable refuge of " perfons who know they are in the wrong. u Thofe who have right on their fide, are V contented that every auditor mould form " their judgment upon the indifputable " bafis of facts."

LET.

Italy, Germany, &c 155

LETTER XIV.

Rome, Saturday, May 3, half an hour after 1 1 morning,

rip

JL O the papal memorial in my laft the

Portuguefe have publifhed an anfwer, which is the fame burnt by the hands of the hang- man about two months ago. It is tedious and flupid, nor would have been ever read, if fuch a noife had not been made about it, I will give you, howeveu, fome of the heads of it.

After having faid much about the preced- ing affairs, he accufes the nuncio for not making illuminations the three nights of general feftivity for the royal marriage. *' Tho' fome lights were feen. on common i( evenings, all then wras dark and difmal, *' and the pontifical nuncio feemed to mourn

" at

156 LETTERS FROM

" at the happy event." When he comes to the expulfion, he fays, the guards were neceflary to defend his eminence from the infolence of the mob, who, enraged at his neglect, had avTembled about the houfe, and would have proceeded to greater vio- lences, if their fury had not been appeafed by the cardinal patriarch, who lived next door. As to the expulfion, he juflifies it by various examples, and the authorities of Montefquieu and Grotius, who fay that an ambaflador, abufing his right of reprefenta- tion, is to be fent back. He laughs at the re- marking with how much more civility the car- dinal was treated at the firft town in Spain, where he was only a paffenger, than in Por- tugal, where he favored traitors to that crown, and who had been declared fuch in form by his moil faithful majefty. " To be fure 0 he ought to have had the king's own *' coach to carry his facred perfon, but he " was much better off than the Commenda- " tor de Almada, who had neither coach

" nor

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 157

u nor horfes allowed him, when he was " obliged to leave Rome. But they would ** not let the cardinal hear mafs, which is a " tremendous accufation; however, no eccle- " fiaftical precept can be binding at the " expence of great tumults and bloodfhed, *' and his eminence might have equally *' heared the fame at Aldea Gallega. The u filence of the fortreffes of Elvasand Eftre- •' mos, through which he pafied, is to be u excufed by thofe honors never being u fhewn to perfons who lie under the dif- tf pleafure of the reigning monarch, and " from the want of gun-powder to quell " the feditions fomented by his eminence.'7 He then recites the attempts of the nuncio and cardinal Torrigiani, the pope's minifter, againft Portugal ; and, upon the latter hav- ing accufed that nation of wanting to adopt the maxims and religion of the Engliih, he oddly adds, " That we mall fee hereafter " who is the perfon that is moft inclined to p adopt the Englifli maxims and religion.

" Perhaps

15S LETTERS FROM

" Perhaps cardinal Torriggiani himfelf h " neareft to that point, for he has no reli- " gion at all." He then proceeds to prove hisaccufations, which he does, however, only upon his own word, by faying that " thefe " two cardinals were impioufly and facri- *~ legioufly united with the friars of that u company, which derived its name from " Jefus, contrary to the welfare of his ma- " jefty, the quiet of his kingdoms, and the " decorum of the holy fee." He fays they agreed to declare that the proceedings againft the Jefuits were unjuft and odious to the whole Portuguefe nation. Cardinal Torrig- giani was to write this to all foreign courts, and the nuncio was to fecond it under pain of being relegated as bifhop to the little town of Rimini. Frightened with thefe threats, cardinal Acciaiuoli talked of the great power of the Jefuits, and kept him- felf at a diftance from that court, to which he was fent. He did not vifit the cardinal patriarch becaufe he had not been with

him,

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 159

him. The conde de Oeyras did not treat him with fufficient affability. " Undoubt- €S edly he ought to have bowed down before " the apoftolical nuncio, as has been here- " tofore done, through a badly underftood " devotion." A confpiracy was likewife formed by thefe two intriguing cardinals, ff which might not have been fo eafily dif- €S covered, if the nuncio had been more u cautious in concealing his meetings with " the heads of it." Notwithiianding this " his majefty only folicited the removal " of the two cardinals from public affairs ; " but finding the confpiracy increafe, he " was obliged to proceed to the expulfion " of cardinal Acciaiuoli, tho' he might £? have treated him as a violator of all laws ?6 divine and human* He even concealed 16 his crimes under the colour of being V offended at his not illuminating his palace. 64 By proceeding in this manner, his ma- ." jefty was enabled to quell the confpiracy, ff tho' he found with difpleafure fome per-

" fons

160 LETTERS FROM

" fons engaged in it, who had the neareft " connexions with the royal family." The author then proceeds tojuftify the Commen- dator de Almada as acting from orders, and gives inftances of difrefpect fhewn to him. They made him ftay a confiderable time in the ante-chamber, before he was admitted to an audience of the pope. When he went to the pope's nephew, with the fon of the firft minifter of Portugal, they were never aflted to fit down, and another time he was made to wait fo long, that he went away. Cardinal Torriggiani, the firft mi- nifter, received him leaning, and in improper poitures, but what is more important, told him, when the king of Portugal was wound- ed, •' that it was owing to the fins of that " nation." He confirmed this upon ano- ther occafion, and added, " Can you deny, *? fir, that Lilbon is become as bad as " Geneva ? Why there are people that " buy the Moorifh women, only to proftitute " them, and fell the children." Commen*

dator

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 161

dator de Almada was obliged to make fome anfwer, but within the rules of modefty and decency ; upon which the cardinal re- plied, " that he had never been at Lilbon " himfelf. This proves that his friends *• the Jefuits gave him the information." The author then accufes the pope for not anfwering his majefty's requisitions concern- ing the Jefuits, as being offended at his faithful majefty's not writing to him imme- diately upon his exaltation, tho' he was laboring under the wound he had receive.! from the aflaffins. When the trial of the criminals arrived in Rome, it was forbidden to be reprinted, and when Commendator de Almada afked leave to do it at his own expence, it was refufed him ; and upon his defiring to fenow the caufe, was told that his holinefs never gave reafons for his aclions to any perfon. In the mean time cardinal Torriggiani publifhed every thing he could in favor of the Jefuits, and ironically laughed at the accufations againil them. Vol, III, L " Do

16a LETTERS FROM

" Do not tell me," fays he, " of the Jefuits 6( being guilty of the crimes laid to their " charge. We know what a jealous nation u the Portuguefe are. They are only afraid " thefe reverend fathers mould leave horns " in their houfes. An exprerhon," exclaims my author, " worthy of a cardinal, " worthy of a prelate, who bears the title " of fir ft minifter to his holinefs." He ordered alfo his fpies to inform him of thofe who fpake ill of that fociety. The auditor of cardinal Conti was taken up on that ac- count. A lay friar of the convent of the Minerva was baniihed from Rome, for feek- ing after the papers which came out againft the Jefuits, to pleafe his friends in the country. On the contrary, the books print- ed by the Jefuits againft the king of Portu- gal were put upon a level with the gofpel, tho' they attacked the reputation of his majcfty, the honor of his people, and the conduct of his minifter. Moniignor Correa was told he could not be advanced in the

church,

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 163

church, becaufe he was a Portuguefe. The king has, therefore, certainly a right not to treat with the firil minifter of his holmefs, by whom his nation is held in fuch comtempt. With regard to the papers diftributed by the Commendator de Almada, they were fent to him exprefsly from Liibon. " It is laid, if " he had not been denied an audience, he " might have prefented them to the pope '* in perfon. Being a future contingency, " he might or he might not. They were " perhaps fent purpofely to be (hewn to his " holmefs, who ought to have pleafure in " hearing the truth. But they were fpread " abroad with an intention of injuring his " holinefs, as my antagonist afferts, tho* " it is impofiible to judge of intentions or " thoughts. The church itfelf, guided by " the Holy Ghofi, does not claim this ex- " traordinary privilege. It is an injury to "* his moil faithful majefty even to think that " Commendator de Almada had an intention ** of affronting a prince, who is faid to unite

L % in

164 LETTERS FROM

" in his perfon the ccclejiajlkal and civil " fovereignty. I know not by what au- " thority thefe attributes are given to his " holinefs." The author then inufts upon cardinal Neri Corfini having been appointed to treat concerning the affairs of Portugal, and brings letters which feem to prove there was fome truth in it. He falls foul upon the title of mofr. holy firfl minifter, given to cardinal Torriggiani. " I know, fays he, "that in the ftyle of the law, the pope " or high pontiff is called the moft holy. I " know that the moft facred body of our Sa- " viour, in the confecrated wafer, is likewife " called the moft holy. But it does not " feem at all proper to me that the title of " moft holy mould be lodged in the perfon " of cardinal Torriggiani, whether we con- " fider him as a politician or as a prelate." He then accufes cardinal Cavalchini, who is alio in the adtnmiftration, " of calling the " king of Portugal a tyrant, and ftyles him " a blind mercenary prelate." After much

other

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. i$S

other abufe, which rather proves the author to be a low-bred perfon, he concludes with this fentence of Juftiniah,

Non quod fit Romae, fed quod fieri debet attendendum eft.

* We muft regard not what is done, but what ought to be done at Rome,

L 3 L E T-

i66 , LETTERS FROM

LETTER XV.

Rome, three quarter^ after 12, morning, Wednefday, May 6, 1761.

La ST night I heard an odd ftory. A Dutch gentleman had it by letter from the Spanifh envoy, or ambaffador at the Hague, who is one of the principal perfons concerned in it. His name I think is Grimaldi. A letter came to him, from a gentleman in Spain of birth and fortune, acquainting him with his fon's being eloped from that king- dom, and, that he had heard of his being at file Hague. He then defcribed his perfon, and the manner in which they told him he ufed generally to go drefled, and deiired the am- bafiador to make all poffible enquiries after him. Grimaldi acted accordingly, but his refearches were fruitlefs for a long time. Pne evening, at a play, he faw in the pit a

perfon

ITALY, GERMANY, &c i67

perfon that anfwered every circifmflarice of

his friend's letter. He gave orders to his , fervants to dog him when he went home, and bring him word where he lived. They did fo, and brought him word, that they had followed the young man to a certain public houfe, of which I do not remember the name, but was not one of the bell at the Hague. Grimaldi went the next day to the place, and enquired for the before- mentioned perfon. The landlord knew him by the defcription, and conducted Grimaldi up to his room. The Itranger fcolded the landlord, for introducing a gentleman of the rank of Grimaldi into his chamber, which was lb indifferent and all in a litter. Gri- maldi faid, that he need not make any apo- logy, for that he was ufed to go into all forts of rooms, and deiired the man of the houfe to leave them alone a little. Upon the land- lord's difappearanee, Grimaldi opened him- felf to the young gentleman, and told him, that he was informed of his quality, and

L 4 that

168 LETTERS FROM

that his relations were very defirous of his returning into Spain. The young man, in a genteel manner, denied his being the perfon Grimaldi fpoke of, and affirmed, that there mult, undoubtedly have been fome miftake in his being directed to him. Come, come, young man, fays Grimaldi, do not fear any thing. I know you. Your parents and re- lations are willing to excufe any errors of youth, you may have been guilty of. I have orders likewife to pay what debts you have contracted here. I am fure you will have no difficulty in gratifying the deiires of your relations, that are fo good to you, and return home. Come, come, confefs every thing, and you may be fure all your friends will behave in the kindeil manner to- wards you. The young gentleman, forced by thefe rernon (Trances of the Spanifh minif* ter, at lad eonfefTed himfelf to be the per- ion. He laid he had been guilty of follies, but as his friends treated him with fo much tendernefs, he could not do lefs than ac- knowledge

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. i6$

knowledge it, and attempt to repair matters by his good behaviour for the future. Gri- ,maidi then told him, it was not proper for a perfon of his rank to flay in fo bad a houfe, and that he would take him into his own, till things were ready for his departure. Accordingly he did fo, and in about ten days every thing was in order for the young gentleman to fet off. His debts amounted to the fum of ten thoufand gueldres, or a thoufand pounds. Thefe Grimaldi diicharged. The day of his departure being arrived, he fet off, accompanied by a couple of fervants belonging to the Spanifh minifter. He had behaved very well all the time he was in Grimaldi' s houfe, and did the fame quite to Bruflels. As he feemed fo very reafonable, and entirely content with every thing that had been done for him, the fervants did not keep fo ftricl: a watch over him as they ought. In fhort, our gentleman difappeared about a day before he was to proceed upon his journey, and has not been heard of fm.ce. The two

fervants

*7o LETTERS FROM

fervants returned to the Hague, to acquaint their mafter with what had happened. But Grimaldi, in the mean time, had received a letter from his friend in Spain, acquainting him with his having found his fon, and that he had never been out of that kingdom. You may imagine what a rage the Spanifli minifler was in, to have been tricked in this manner. But he abfoiutely forced the cheat upon the young man, who ftrenuoufly denied his being the perfon at flrit, and was with difficulty, and half by compuliion, brought to confefs it. It is not known with cer- tainty who this impoftor could have been. But it is imagined, that mod: probably he was a Spanifh valet de chambre. Whoever he was, he was well acquainted with the names and anecdotes of the family that loft their fon.

Rome, i o'clock afternoon, Thurfday, May 7, 1761.

I have heard another flory, which I dare fay is a lie, however, it made me laugh.

It

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 171

It is as follows. The teller declares it is true, and that an account of it is come by letter from Thouloufe, where the facl: is faid to have happened.

Five chimney fweepers in that city were complaining to each other of the hardships of their way of life. That they were always dirty, and poking about chimneys, in fhort, that they paffed their time in a very difagreeable manner. One of them ftarted a new thought. Had we not better, fays he, go and expofe ourfelves to military fire, rather than that of chimneys. They all at laft agreed, that there was nothing like ferving the king, for at leaft, if they were killed, they fhould die like gentlemen. You mull: under ftand, that they were all a little in liquor. The foregoing refolution being unanimoufly made, they went all five to a ferjeant, and told him their intention qf inlifting. Two louis d'ors, to be paid down immediately to each, was the bargain

made

jys LETTERS FROM

made for their entrance. The money was received, they were inlifhed, cockades were put in their hats, and all over. They were quartered in a guard-room that evening, and the next morning were to be fent to the regiment. After they had flept a proper time, to be able to make due reflexions, they began to repent of what they had done. They fell foul upon the poor man that had firfb given them the advice. However, they had fenfe enough to know that fcolding was of no fervice, and that they had better think of fome remedy for the impending misfortune. What was to be done ? the doors and windows were impaflable, for there were foldiers all about. They were alone in the room, a thing, which tho* I have not told you, yet you may have ima- gined, from the preceding circumftances. At laft, a chimney prefented itfelf to their view. It was now dark. No fooner thought than executed. Allons, was the word. Their coats were ftripped off. Their evil coun^

fellor

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 173

fellor led the way. The reft followed. In a fhort fpace of time, they found themfelves fafe upon the roof of the houfe. But tho* they were now in open air, they were almofl in as great a dilemma as before. They di- verted themfelves indeed, in running about the tops of the houfes, but no fecure method of defcending offered. At laft, they thought it beft to hazard the going down another chimney, where there was no fire lighted, and which was at a good diftance from that which they had afcended. They did fa. But to change the fcene, and precede them, into the room where they were defcending. Many gentlemen and ladies were fitting round a great table playing at pharaoh, the fafhionable game in thefe countries for per- fons who love to hazard their money. The firft thing they heard was a noife in the chimney, and after a little jump, a man not of the whiteft appeared in it. A fecond followed trie firft, a third the fecond, in mort, they all exhibited their fable perfon-

ages

i74 LETTERS FROM

ages to the affembly. The company, fuffi- ciently furprized at the appearance of the firft man, were ftill more fo at that of the fecond. The arrival of the third caufed a univerfal panic. The fourth raifed them from their chairs, and the fifth fent them running out of the room. Whether they thought them robbers or fpirits, is what is not yet afcertained, but their terror had made them leave all their money difplayed upon the table. The firfr. thing the chimney fweepers did, upon finding themfelves maf- ters of the field of battle, was to plunder the enemy's camp. They layed violent hands upon the money, which flood expofed to view. Loaden with the fpoils, they called a council of war to confult what was pro- per to be done. It was agreed to return to the guard-room, clean themfelves there as well as they could, and fay nothing of the matter. They did fo. As they had been but a little time abfent, they truflied to their not being miffed, which proved the cafe.

Earlv

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 175

Early the morning after, when the foldiers and other people began to enter the room, they found them pretty much in the ftate they had left them in the evening before. They were, perhaps, a little dirtier, but as they had never been clean, the difference did not ftrike the fpectators. When the fer- jeant appeared, they began by telling him, that they heartily repented what they had done the evening before, and that they were drunk when they inlifted. They then proceeded to acquaint him, that they would try and get him a little fum of money if he would let them go. It was agreed that they mould give him twenty louis d'ors, double the fum which he had paid them. They faid it would be difficult for them to raife io much. That they would try how- ever, what they could do with their friends and relations, rather than be forced into the army. One was fent to negociate for the reft. Some little time after, he returned with the money, which he pretended to have

had

176 LETTERS FROM

had much difficulty in raifing. The twenty louis d'ors were paid. The chimney fweep* ers were releafed, and they went away hi triumph, to divide the remainder of their fpoil, which was not inconfiderable

LET-

Italy, Germany, &c 177

LETTER XVI.

Whitfunday, May 10, almoft n o'clock in the morning, 1761. Rome.

£N O news at Rome, except that three woman were murdered laft night in their houfe. But the circumftances, or even the truth of the fa£t, is not jet known. Things with regard to Malta go on the fame as before. Many knights fet out yefterday from Rome to go to Civita Vecchia, and embark on board the pope's galleys for that ifland. The papal galleys, the St. Peter and St. Paul, to which has been lately added the St. Profpero, go out every fummer to cruife againft the Turks and Moors. Once they took a little Mooriih bark, and what triumphs did they not make when they returned home ! I do not know whether they did not even illuminate the whole Vol, III. M town

i78 LETTERS FROM

town of Rome for it. I have been this morning in Villa Medici, in which, after the great rains, every plant fmells and looks mo ft delightfully. The pope had been obliged to offer up his prayers to heaven for fair weather, and at length he has been heard. To mew you how much cardinal Torriggiani is hated here at Rome, I will add the following epitaph made upon him, which fuppofes him dead and buried at the leaning wall, the place where they inter Jews, criminals, excommunicated perfons, &c. Proteftants are buried in Sextus's tomb. Januenfes is a modern Latin word ufed here for the Genoefe, whom the pope has laid under cenfures for refufing to acknowledge a nuncio he fent to the Coriicans.

* Diis manibus Genioque loci. Aloylio Cofimo Torriggiani Cardinali

Flo-

* To the infernal Gods and evil genius of the place. The fenate and people of Rome have prepared this

fepulchre

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 179

Florentino,

Quod Januenfes e finu matris Ecclefiae

Expulerit,

Populumque Romanum Lufitanicae

Pecuniae pondere fublevaverit,

Exulumque Jefuitarum numerum

Mirifice auxerit,

Senatus Populufque Romanus extra portam

Flaminiam ad murum incUnatum Monumentum pofuit tumulumque paravit.

The Porta Flaminia is what is now called Porta del Popolo, of which I have already given a defcription.

fepulchre, and raifed this monument at the leaning wall, without the Flaminian gate, to the cardinal Aloylius Cofimus Torrigiani of Florence, for having expelled the Genoefe from the bofom of the holy church ; for having eafed the Roman people from the weight of Portnguefe money ; and for having wonderfully increafed the num- ber of exiled Jefuits.

M ^ Wednef-

i8o LETTERS FROM

Wednefday, May 13, half after la at noon, 1761. Rome.

It is true that the three women were murdered four nights ago, but as yet it is not known who did it. The houfe was likewife robbed. According to the cuftom of this country, moll: of the people who iived nigh, or had any concerns with the family have been put into prifon, in order to undergo proper examinations. They fay it muft have been more than one who perpe- trated this horrid deed, by the * inftruments of death found in the houfe. There was a knife and two or three of thofe inftruments with which they kill hogs in this country.. It is a fort of long awl, which they run into their hearts, and fo put the poor beafts out of their pain much quicker than we do.

* Thefe circumstances were not true, as will be feen hereafter by the confeffion of the criminal, which is in thefe paper*.

The

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. rSi

The following edict is publifhed concerning this affair, which I will tranflate, to mew you the ftyle of the country in thefe forts of things.

" Edia

M of impunity and reward.

" The moil illuftrious and reverend " Cornelius Caprara, governor general of " Rome and its diftrids, and vice-chamber- " lain to his holinefs, being defirous of " coming to the knowledge of thofe male- *' factors, who, on faturday morning, the " ninth of this prefent month of May, did, " by many wounds and ftabs, barbaroufly " murder in their own habitation, oppofite " to St. Guilianello's church, the three un- '* happy women, Francifca Dei, widow of " the late Jofeph Antonio Rofati, Anna " Dei, widow the late Francis Roffi, toge- " ther with Francifca Vetturini, (their " maid fervant) ; The governor being de- ** lirous of coming to the knowledge of the M 3 *' authors

132 LETTERS FROM

M authors of the aforefaid enormous crimen,

" to the end that they may receive the

" punifhment due to their horrid action,

" orders and commands, according to the

ct oracle received exprefsly from the mouth

" of our holy father, that whatever perfons

<c of whatever ftate, degree or condition,

" even ecclefiaftical, have any knowledge of

" the malefactors, who perpetrated the afore-

" faid murders, as well as of thofe who

" have harboured the fame, or have any

*' way been accomplices to the before men-

" tioned crime, fhould declare what they

•' know, within the fpace of two months,

44 to his moll: illuftrious fignorfhip, or his

" principal notary here underwritten. And

c< this under an affurance of the perfons

" fo informing remaining undifcovered, and

" under pain, in cafe of difobedience, of

" being condemned to the galleys, either

" for a certain time or for life, according

*' to the more or lefs aggravating circum-r

& fiances of their omiffion, the determining

of

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 1S3

'/ of which will remain in the breaft of his tc moll: illuftrious fignorfhip.

" On the contrary, thofe who mail reveal M the malefactor or malefactors, or accom- " plices of the faid murders, mail receive " the reward of five hundred crowns (pretty near the fame as a crown Englifh,) " to be " dilburfed immediately by the reverend a- '* poftolical chamber, provided that they give *• fufflcient information to proceed againfr. " the malefactors, who have abfconded, and " to expofe to the torture thofe who are " apprehended.

V And fuppofing the informer be an ac- " complice, over and above the reward, he " lhall receive a full and entire pardon* " provided he give fufficient information, as " above, againft the other malefactors.

" And in order that no perfon may have " excufe for not obeying thefe our com-

M 4 mands,

i84 LETTERS FROM

" mands, our holy father releafes from the " blame of irregularity any ecclefiaftic that ** may reveal, or do any thing in execution of *' this prefent edict, which fhall be affixed and hung up in the ufual places of Rome-.

n

" Rome. From our manfion^houfe, May " II, 1761,

<c

C, Caprara, governor and vice-chamberlain. " Bernardino Rofetti, notary."

This is all we know at prefent of fo horrid an affair. Indeed, I wonder more murders do not happen in Rome, as the government is fo very mild, or rather relaxed. I do not believe they execute above one perfon in a year. There are many caufes of this, but the two principal are the protection of the churches, and the protection of the princes and cardinals. The churches fave, at leaft, the life of the criminal, who flies for refuge to them. Princes and cardinals by their

inters

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 185

Interceffion do as much ; for they are fuch great people, there is hardly any denying them. And then the trials themfelves are generally fo long, that two years often pafs before the criminal can be brought to due punifhment. True it is, they have tortures to terrify them in prifon, but they do not perhaps produce the defired effect. The ftreets too are fo dark, and the town fo ill, or rather not at all guarded, that many murders muff happen. This morning, after various vifits, I proceeded in my coach along the Corfo, paffed Piazza Colonna, and after- wards Piazza Navona, and arrived at laff at Pafquin's flatue, fo famous for the fatires in former times hung upon it, and which thence took the name of pafquinades. It is here Pagliarini, my bookfeller, lives. I have already told you that the head of the family is in confinement for having printed fomething about the affairs of Portugal, but his brother carries on the bufinefs of the {hop. Rummaging over books, I here light

upon

i86 LETTERS FROM

upon a curious performance. It was a pom- pous account of the embaffy fent by James the fecond to the pope. Lord Caftlemaine was the ambaffador, attended by other Roman catholic gentlemen. The author, however, only explains, tho' curioufly, the ceremonies, but not the end of this ambairy. I believe the real caufe of it was always a thorough fecret, but it was undoubtedly fomething regarding affairs of religion. The pope ought to be now contented, for he has not only an ambaffador, but the family itfelf at his court. The young pretender, indeed^ is wanting, and we do not know what can poffibly be become of him. It is a myftery. Tho' I can not think him dead, for I fee no end in concealing his death. Nor mould I think he was in France, as he was fo very ill treated by that nation laft war, that if he has the leaf! fpirit, he will never have any thing more to do with them. The French, after having figned the treaty of Aix la Chapelle, feized him at the opera, bound

him,

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 187

him, and carried him, guarded, to the fron- tiers of France. A few months before they had mewn him royal honors, and promifed him affiitance in money and troops. Perhaps the court of Rome and the court of England may know where he is, but the body of people in both nations are, I believe, equally ignorant of his deftiny. The old man lives very retired, and I think you hardly ever hear his name mentioned. Cardinal Stuart, or, as they call him here York, the younger brother, makes more noife, and parades about Rome, having had large benefices granted to him.

Thurfday, May 14, three quarters after 12 at noon, 1761, Rome.

With regard to the murder of the thret women, there is a fufpicion, they fay, fallen upon three journeymen taylors, who ufed to frequent their houfe, and who have abfent- ,cd themfelves from Rome.

The

i8S LETTERS FROM

The Roman galleys fat out yefterday from Civita Vecchia to cruife againft the Moors, and conduct at the fame time many knights of Malta to their little ifland. There were a great number of them afTembled here at Rome, from the different parts of the world, in their way to Malta, in obedience to the grand mailer's orders. He has laid a tax too upon thofe who have com- mendas or benefices, fo that the govern- ing part of the order is likely to be a gainer by this threatened invafion of the Turks; We hear at prefent no talk of them, nor do I believe that they had ever any inten* tions againft that ifland*

LET-

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 189

LETTER XVII.

Sunday, May 17, 1761. Three quarters after 12 at noon. Rome.

2\ Nephew of the three women that were murdered has been taken up upon fufpicion of having committed the deed, but there ftem to be no grounds for the furmife.

I was laft night at the Jews fynagogue, where they had fome great feftival, I know not what. I there faw a number of rooms illuminated with lights, and heard a number of people making a very great noife. The Ghetto is the- name of the place which the Jews inhabit in Rome, and In many other parts of Italy. It is a diitricT: of the city walled in, within which they are obliged to live. They may come out into the town during the day time, but the gates of their J di virion

190 LETTERS FROM

divifion are fhut up at fun-fet, nor are they unlocked until fun-rife. However, this evening, as it was a particular feftival, they had leave to keep them open till late. Upon our arrival there, we found four or five more coaches belonging to perfons whofe curiofity had brought them upon the fame errand as ourfelves. The Jews treated us with great civility, and indeed, how could a people fo humbled as thefe are, do otherwife ? As there were a number of lights, and a number of people, the heat was moll; excef- five. There was a fort of ftench too, which is generally to be enjoyed in the Ghetto, and which I believe is owing to the great quan- tity of inhabitants in it, near ten thoufand crouded altogether. After I had feen every thing that was to be feen, I thanked Ema- nuel, a Jew of my companion's acquaintance* who had been our gentleman ufher, and we re-entered the Chriftian part of Rome.* Poor unhappy nation of the Jews ! I pity them in thefe countries. The Ave Maria bell no

foorier

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 191

fooner rings, which is half an hour after fun-fet, than immediately the gates of the Ghetto are fruit, nor is there any more egrefs from them till morning. I think they are nearly as bad off as the Englifli were in William the Conqueror's time, when at the toll of the curfew they were obliged to put out fire and candle. They may indeed have as much fire and as many candles as they pleafe, but then liberty, all-defired liberty is denied them. They pay befides many heavy taxes to the pope, and receive many infults from the people, and yet notwith- ftanding all of them remain faithful to their law and religion. Tho* indeed, if we turn our eyes to Spain and Portugal, the privi- leges they have here are great. They burn them, at leaf! did fo formerly, in thofe countries if they are difcovered. Tho' I believe that law only regards Spanim and Portugueie fubjects, who apoftatize to the Jewifh religion, to which they fay thofe two nations are very much inclined. However,

their

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their fituation in Rome, tho' not fo bad, Is not the moil agreeable. And then they are obliged every faturday, which is their fab- bath, to attend at a Chriftian fermon. It is a Dominican friar who preaches to them. They fay many of them flop their ears, not to hear the blafphemies which.* according to their way of thinking, muft be uttered. Many too, in fpight of the noife the Italian preachers make, refign themfelves into the arms of deep. To remedy the two before mentioned evils, a knight armed with a cane, patrols through the affembly, and inflicts more or lefs blows of it upon delinquents in iimilar cafes, according to the greater or lefs henioufnefs of their offence. Many others are the difagreeable cireumilances to which the Jews in Rome are fubjecl* They are forbidden to keep the Talmud, faid to be traditions from Mofes and the Prophets, and in which their prefent religion chiefly con- lifts. Where the facrament is expofed in any church, they are not to pafs by the door

of

ITALY, GERMANY, ice. 193

of it. Upon good friday they dare not ap- pear out of their habitations, and indeed all eafler they have but a bad time. They are known by a yeliowifh piece of cloth they are obliged to wear tied about the crown of their hat. Poor Jews ! I pity them. If per- fecution alone proves a religion, as ah Irifh- man in Spain told me it did, iu relation to the hardmips he complained the Roman catholics fufFered in that iiland, if, I fay, per- fection alone can prove a religion, that of the Jews has more right at prefent to be true than any. The fact I believe is, that no re- ligion is to be deftroyed by perfecution, for the moment perfons are perfuaded of the truth of what they believe, let that perfuaiion be ever fo falfe, yet as their blindnefs makes them convinced of it, they would facrifce every thing in the world to preferve it.

Vol. III. N LET-

194 LETTERS FROM

LETTER XVIII.

Rome, Thurfday, May 2T, I o'clock afternoon.

VV E have had the news this morning of Beliifle's having furrendered to the BritiiTi arms. I hope it may be true. There is alfo a report of there having been taken up at Tenacina, three men fuppofed to be the authors of the late murder. We talk of peace, but whether with foundation I know not.

I have been this morning to fee the pro- ceffion of the Corpus Domini. I was tired with it, as being longer and lefs curious than thofe in Spain. At Rome they have no dancing giants or other pretty things of that kind, to divert your eyes. Indeed this capital, in its outward appearance, is the mofc like a proteflant country of any Roman catholic

town

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 19$

town I have ever feen, The fuperftitious ornaments of their religion abound much more the farther you go from the capital of it. It is indeed natural, if we reflect, that it mould be fo, and the farther any opinion is removed from its center the more it dege- nerates. I was pleafed at the wonder, which one Sebaftian, a fervant I have juft got out of the country, fhewed at every thing. He feems come into a new world from fo little a place as Bibbiena, from whence I had hircu The magnificence of the proceflion, and of St. Peter's church, and the croud of people and all together confufed his mind to fuch a degree, he did not feem to know what to do. Indeed St. Peter's is a moil: magnificent edifice, and the oftener I go into it the more it ftrikes me. I have heard fome prejudiced EnglihY equal St. Paul's to it, but they either muft have no eyes, or thofe organs muft have a very diminifhing effect with regard to things fituated out of their native country.

N 2 - The

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The only part of the proceffion which was new to me, was the pile on which the pope was carried, which was raifed to a great height, and fupported by many people who walked under it. On the top of all, bolftered in with cufhions, knelt the pope, whofe hands were fupported aloft by a defk made on purpofe, and in them was raifed to public view the confecrated wafer. Behind him were held upon long poles, large fans of oftrich feathers, which made him appear as in the clouds to a fpeclator from the ground. As the pompous machine paffed we all knelt down, which I have heard in England to be wrong, but the contrary feems expofing yourfelf to an offended populace, without any profit or honor. After all was over I re- turned part of the way in bodily fear, upon account of the croud of coaches, and my coachman has a great propeniity to run foul of all carriages he meets in his way. Some time ago he joitled me againft a cart full of wood, and had like to have overturned the

carriage,

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 197

carnage, becaufe he would not ft ay a moment or two till the load was paffed. I fcolded him for it. His reply was, " that he had no patience with thole fellows, who had fo little refpect for gentlemen. That there was a great deal of difference between them and himfelf. That they carried wood, but he cavaliers." My ahfwer to this was, that what he faid was true, but that if the wood was overturned, it was only picking it up again, if on the contrary the cavalier broke his neck, it would be very difficult to find out an equivalent remedy.

N 3 LET-

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LETTER XIX.

Rome, 7 o'clock evening, Sunday, May 24, 1761.

IHAVE been this morning to St. Paul's, a church not out of the gates of Rome, but near a couple of miles from the inhabited part of it. The walls of Rome at prelent, are of the fame extent as the ancient. Now, as the city is not quite fo populous and flouriihing, as it was in the time of the emperors, there is a large fpace of ground within the walls, not only not inhabited, but even not built upon. There are plantations of vineyards, and other ru- ral productions, juil as if you were in the country. I imagine, in the days of anci- ent Rome, that the city had large fub- urbs likewife adjoining. But there is fome difference between the capital of the pope's

territories,

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 199

territories, and the metropolis of the greatefr.

part of the civilized world, as Rome then

was. After having experienced fome heat

along a large dufry road, we arrived at St.

Pauls'. Tho' St. Peter's is much fuperior,

this church is nothing like equal to its

name fake in London. It is notwithftand-

ing, a handfome building, and there is a

very fine antique colonnade of granite,

that leads up to the principal altar. I fay

the principal altar, becaufe Roman catholic

churches have many of them. That which

is called the principal, {lands in the place

where our communion table does, and then

on each fide, as you go down, there are a row

of others. They call them chapels, where

there is no more than one altar. VVejuft

walked a little about St. Paul's, to look at

it and enjoy the coolnefs of its ayles, for

as the fine weather is returned, it begins

now to be a little warm. Scbaftian, who

was with us, flared about in wonder at the

magnificence of Rome and its environs. It

N 4 certainly,

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certainly, take it altogether, is the mofl magnificent city I have ever feen. Florence is cleaner, and perhaps, more agreeable, with a prettier country about it, which is well cultivated, while here near Rome, it is but badly fo in general. The Romans have different ideas from other nations. In fecular governments, commercial, civil, and military employments, are what are moft fought after. Here perfons who flatter themfelves with having talents, immediately endeavour to enter into orders. Indeed it is the only way in which they can raife themfelves, for who is not a prelate can have no public office. The prelature is that ecclefiaftical rank, by which perfons are qualified to bear charges under the government. Indeed there are the pope's few officers to his troops, who are not prelates, and yet have pofls, fuch as they are, but even thefe are fubfervient to their head, the prelate Monfignor Picco- luomini, who is generalifluno of the papal forces.

The

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. ao?

The fun is juft fet behind Villa Madama. The fhadows lengthen. Night approaches* As ufual, I am going to drefs for evening vifits.

LET-

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LETTER XX.

Rome, ii o'clock at night, Wednefday, May 27, 1761.

IN O lefs than a lord is come to lodge over my head, a lord fomething or other, but he is an Irifh Roman catholic. Stretched upon my fofa after dinner, to enjoy partly the be- nefit of fleep, and partly of building caflles in the air, I was all on a fudden waked from my reveries, by an unexpected noife over head. This noife was not like that of a man walking. It more refembled that of the hammers of a paper mill beating (lowly. After the found had patrole.d all about the apartments that are over mine, it came to the head of the flairs, which it defcended. The body which caufed it, talked French in a magifterial accent. After it had pro- ceeded down flairs, I looked out of the win- dow

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 203

dow, to fee it hTue from the houfe. There did I behold, as I have fince found him out to be, my lord's avant-coureur, incafed in the greateft pair of jack boots, which ever ftruck mortal eye. He had been fent before to take an apartment for his lordfhip. He had only a red waiftcoat on, girt with a fort of French gilt belt, from which a hanger depended. The people of this houfe, as well as thofe of the adjoining habitation, (where they drefs my dinner) together with a fwarm of beggars, were gathered round about him. He in the middle proudly eminent, feemed to give laws to all. From time to time, he walked two or three ileps backward and forward. A lane was immediately made, by the by-ftanders, for wherever he chofe to pafs. The ftreet re-echoed with the percuf- fion of his boots againft the {tones. At laft however, having fixed every thing I fuppofe, he remounted his horfe, which tho' of a diminutive appearance, and feemingly very unequal to the weight that preffed him, yet

urged

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urged by frequent fpurs, the effect of which muft be considerably encreafed by the momen- tum of the boots when in motion, departed on a gallop. I imagine the man returned to inform his mailer of his proceedings, and conduct him to the houfe he had fixed for him. I did not fee his lordfhip arrive, as I was out making vifits at the time he came. When I returned lafl night I found my flair- cafe illuminated with many lamps, for I ufed to be content with poking up my way in the dark, but his lordfhip has done me the favor, to light up the entrance to my apartments. Upon my coming home this morning I fent up my fervant to fee, whe- ther he and his governor were at home. He left two tickets with my name, fo that this evening, or tomorrow morning, they will probably, return me this ceremonial vifit.

tET.

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 205

LETTER XXL

Rome, half an hour after 1 2, at noon, Monday, June 1, 1761.

1 HE end of this month I mall fet off for England, taking however, a little moun* tainous air at Bibbiena in my way. His lordfhip-and governor are removed to more fpacious lodgings, as they juftly complained of thofe over head being too fmall for them.

They fay that Cardinal Paoluccrs coach- man has been put into prifon this morning* upon fufpicion of being guilty of the mur- der of the three women. As the report goes, he was carrying a pearl necklace to a jeweller to fell. It was known by forne per- fon or other to have belonged to one of thofe women. Leave was aiked of his maf-

ter

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ter the cardinal, to arreft him. It was given. He was taken up. His livery was {tripped off his back at the prifon door, and he is now in fafe cuftody. This is the report of the day.

On friday I went to Tivoli, where I lay that night, and returned on faturday much pleafed with my excurlion. Its ancient name was Tibur, and the river Anio, tumb- ling down the rocks, forms very picturefque fcenes. I agree with Horace in liking it better than Lacedemon, or Lariffa, tho' I never faw either of thofe places.

Me nee tarn patiens Lacedaemon Nee tarn LarifTa: percuflit campus opimae

Quam domus Albunice refonantis, Et prasceps Anio et Tiburni lucus, et uda

Mobilibus pomaria nvis. Lib.!. Od. yii.

The lafl line is wonderfully exact, when you fee the little cafcades, where the river hops down, from rock to rock, through the

rich

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 207

rich fide of a hill. The fyharum coma , ano- ther expreffion of the fame author, is alfo equally defcriptive of the olive trees, which grow in amazing plenty round about this place, and are of fuch a fize, and their fmall leaves fo interwoven, that they do not give a bad idea of a hhaggy mane. Over Tivoh hangs the pretty temple of the Sibyl, which tho' fmall, is reckoned of perfect architec- ture, but time has deflroyed a great part of it. Beneath it the whole river falls down many feet perpendicular, but this univerfal gum is not near fo pretty, as the little falls of water I have mentioned. On faturday' we went to fee the ruins of Hadrian's villa, which lie about three or four miles from Tivoli. Thefe fcenes of former luxury arc now the refort of all venemous animals, ferpents, vipers, lizards, toads, &c. The extent of the remains is fo vaft, that it feems impofiible to be merely the villa of that voluptuous prince. Bid your imagina- tion reprefent to you, a fcattered confufion

of

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of venerable ruins, overgrown with mofs, and interwoven with trees, and you have fome faint idea of the place. But the owl now reigns here inftead of the impious Anti- nous, and the voice of luxury has given place to the cries of thofe nocturnal birds. Having fatisfied our curiofity, we returned to dine at Tivoli, and in the afternoon des- cended from the hills, and drove through the low country to Rome.

Rome, 10 o'clock evening, Tuefday, June 2, 1761.

I T is true what I told you of cardinal Paolucci's coachman being put into prifon, for the murder of the three women. As foon as the fact wras commited many of the neighbouring inhabitants, as I have already told you, were confined. From thefe they learnt who frequented the houfe. It was found that this coachman had been there. He had been godfather to one of the women's

children,

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 209

children, but the child was now dead. Spies were immediately fet at his heels, as well as at thofe of every perfon, who had any con- nection with the family, and who were not already in prifon. With regard to fpies, I do not think there are any cleverer than thofe of Rome, or that any government has better intelligence of the little things that pafs in their fcate than this. The fpies ob- ferved that this man, from being very poor and opprefled with debts, appeared rather in a better condition. He bought fome furni- ture for the houfe, where his family lived. He cloathed himfelf and family better. But however* as he was a cardinal's coachman thefe were not fufficient circumflances to apprehend him. You can not imagine how delicate the government is here of touching a fervant, or any thing that belongs to car- dinals or princes. However* at lafr. he went to fell the pearl necklace I fpoke of yefter- day. The fpies, who faw him with it in the mop, and obferved that he left it there^ went Vol. III. O and

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and informed the governor. The necklace was carried to fome of the people who had been arretted upon account of this affair, and who knew it to belong to one of thefe wo- men. The pope was acquainted with the whole. They told him what fufpicions they had againft the man". But he faid he would not have them arreft a cardinal's coachman without amoral certainty of his being guilty. Orders were however given out, to appre- hend him, and a letter was fent at the fame time to cardinal Paolucci, who was, toge- ther with his coachman, at his country houie at Albano. As foon as the conftables and bailiffs arrived at Albano, which is near fif- teen miles from Rome, they fir ft arretted the coachman, and then gave the governor's letter to Paolucci. You may imagine he could have no objection againft his coachman being carried to jail for lo enormous crime. Accordingly he was brought yefterday to Rome, and yefterday evening confefied the whole fact. His confeflion is as follows.

To

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 211

*' To the moft illuftrious and reverend the *' lord governor of the pacific city in crimi* ** nal affairs*

" Rome, in the capital court concerning " murder qualified with larceny and bur- " glary^

" Againft " John Albani of Rome, prifoner>

" Bettini notary*

tl The morning of the tenth of May lah% " which was the feafl of whitfunday, the* " following women were found dead in their *' habitation viz*

" Francifca Dei, aged fixty years,

" Francifca Vetturini, aged fifty years*

*' Anna Dei, aged fixty years,

O % " They

in LETTERS FROM

" They were all three widows, the two firfr. living together in their before men- tioned habitation, which was frequented likewife very much by the third, who ufed to go there to do little fervices, being lif- ter to the former of the two faid cohabi- tants. Now, as it was believed that they had been felonioufly murdered the preceding night, in order to rob the houfe, the moll: exael researches were made to find out the author orauthors of this molt horrid crime.

" Finally however, cognition was had of

4 its having been probably perpetrated by John

' Albani, of fifty years of age, a Roman by

' birth, and coachman by profeffion,and who

' had been god-father to one of the children

' of Franciica Dei. He was accordingly ap-

' prehended in the city of Albano, by the offi-

' cers of juftice, on the morning of funday

1 lali, 31ft of the month of May, and being

' conveyed to Rome and there imprifoned,

' he clearly confefled the fact, as follows.

•« That

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 213

" That having known for many years the <f above mentioned Francifca Dei, (lie at " latt got him the place of poftilion with " the matter that her huiband was then " ferving as coachman, and that upon this " their intimacy increafmg, he ttood god- " father to a daughter the laid Francifca " Dei had by her firft huiband. However, " Francifca Dei's firft hufband dying, and " fhe, upon his death, having changed her " habitation, he had not had an opportunity " of vihting her any more. He met her, hi- " deed, from time to time in the ftreets, " and knew that flie was married again to tl a baker in Banchi (a part of Rome.) " This fecond huiband of Francifca .Dei's " died likewife, and left her in eafy circum- " ftances. Although John Albahi had never " been once in her houfe during all the " time of her widowhood, and the life of " her fecond huiband, patting, however, " three or four months ago through Banchi, " and feeing her at the window, me called O 3 "to

2i4 LETTERS FROM

** to him, arid told him to come up flairs \ *'' informing him of that being her prefent habitation, and mewing him the houfe. After having feen every thing in it, he went away, but returned to make her a fecond viiit ten or twelve days before Whitfunday. And laftly, as he was bur- thened with debts, and did not know how to maintain himfelf and family, confiiting in a wife and two grown up daughters, and a fon, he returned to her houfe on friday, two days before Whitfunday, about the Ave Maria, in order to beg her to lend him a couple of zecchins, as he knew (lie was in good circumftances. The door was opened to him, upon his knocking, by Francifca Vetturini. He afked her whether her companion, Fran- cifca Dei, w'as at home, for that he wanted her to do him a fervice. Fran- cifca Vetturini aniwered, that fhe was not at home, and that fhe did not know whether fhe would return that night-

Franciica.

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 215

u Francifca Vetturini told him, likewife, " if he wanted money, that there were no " hopes of his getting any, as her companion " had none. He pretended that he did not " want money, and afked her what time " Francifca Dei would be at home the next " morning. She faid that me would be at " home all the morning, but that he had " better return in the evening. He then " went away. The next morning, the day " before Whitfunday, his neceffity prefling " him, he got up early, and refolved to " return to the houfe, and afk Francifca " Dei to lend him the two zecchins, (tho* Francifca Vetturini had denied her, he probably had a fufpicion that me was at home the evening before,) and in caie " he found only one of the women in the " houte, he relolved to murder her, and " take what lie wanted of himfelf. In fact, *6 after having armed himfelf with a marp ii pointed knife fixed into the handle, and " after having provided in his matter's ftable

O4 ts a thick-

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" a thick ftrong flick or club, which he hid " under his livery cloak, he went thus deli- " berately about eleven o'clock" (fix o'clock in the morning, according to our way of reckoning,) " to the houfe. He rung the " bell upon being arrived at it. Francifca " Vetturini, the companion of Francifca " Dei, opened the door as foon as me faw '* who it was, and told him that Francifca " Dei was not at home, and had not re* " turned home all night, as fhe had told " him. They talked together lb me time, " and at laft Francifca Vetturini turning *' about as if me was going into the kitchen, " he took this opportunity of giving her " a blow upon the head with his club or " bludgeon, which immediately caufed her " to fall down upon the ground dunned- il He here gave her frefh blows' with his <e club, and bolted the flreet door. But " while he was doing this, he heard a *' woman fcreaming in another room. Upon if which he immediately ran into it, where

f1 he

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 217

'*. he law Francifca Dei fitting up in her " bed, with only a fhift and bed-gown on. " He immediately applied his club to her '• temples, which laid her flat upon the " bed ; after having reiterated his blows, " he pulled out his knife, and cutting her " throat, killed her. He returned into the " room where he had left Francifca Vettu- " rini {tunned upon the floor, and who was " beginning to move a little, and cut her " throat likewife with the fame knife. Af- " ter he had done this, he wiped his hands, " which were ail bloody, with the corner " of one of the meets belonging to the bed " upon which Francifca Dei's corpfe lay, and " began rummaging the drawers of her " kneeling deik, which flood by the bed-fide." (Thefe kneeling deiks are very common in Roman catholic countries, with four drawers in them.) " Out of the firfl drawer he took " in hafte eighteen or twenty pauls, (nine or ten (hillings,) " two pearl necklaces of " three rows of pearls each, two fmall

rofaries

2i3 LETTERS FROM

rofaries of lefler pearls, three folitaires for women, with crones pendent from them ftudded with diamonds, three dia- mond rings, a pair of ear-rings, with three pearls each, leaving every thing elie in the drawers in confufion ; in which ftate they were found by the officers of juftice when they made their fearch. He Hole out of the fecond drawer nine iilver lpoons, and nine plain filver forks. But while he was fearching the other drawers to find out where the money was hid, he heard the ftreet door bell ring feveral times. He went on tip-toe to fee through the key- hole who it was, and finding it was a woman, he refolved to open the door, and kill her like wife, in order that he might not be difcovered. After having opened the door, he faw it was one Anna Dei, who ufed to come and do lervices, and dine in the houfe of the two old women, being fitter of Francifca Dei. As (he

knew

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 219

w knew that he now and then ufed to come " to the houfe, (he had not the leaft douht '* of any thing, hut entered immediately, f< in order to go through the pafTage that " led to Francifca Dei's room. He, upon " her being entered, directly fhut the ftreet *; door, and followed her with the aforefaid " club, and at the door of Francifca Dei's " bed-chamber, gave her three or four " blows, till, being fallen upon the ground, " he cut her throat likewife. However, as " me ftruggled much, he was obliged to " attempt it with his knife feveral times " before he compleated the horrid act. After " this third murder, he was too much con- " fufed to make any farther fearch in the " houfe of thele unhappy women ; and as " foon as he had warned his hands a fecond <* time in a bowl full of water in the kitchen, *' went away, pulling the ftreet door after " him, which mut with a latch. He immc- *' diately went to a feller at fecond- hand's f( fhop (like our merchants, in Rag Fair or

Monmouth

220 LETTERS FROM

" Monmouth Street,) in St. Barbara's Lane, "where, by means of a woman, he got " pawned at the mount the necklace of " fmalleft pearls in three rows, receiving " for his pawn forty crowns," (pretty near the fame as Englifh crowns,) " and the ie ticket of the mount for the receipt of the " necklace.

The nature of what they call the mount in Italy is as follows. Imagine the govern- ment to keep a great pawnbroker's mop at the intereft of fix per cent. This is in a few words explaining to you what is meant by the mount. The idea would rather make us laugh in England, if his majefty was to become a pawnbroker. But it is not a bad fcheme to raife money, and is introduced in all the governments of Italy. Ifnoper- ion appears within the fpace of three years, the pawn is forfeited, and publicly fold. In lTiort, every thing is nearly the fame as at, a common pawnbroker's. At lealt, this

is

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 221

is raifing money without burthening the public, by the voluntary contributions of the people, and as all other perfons are prohi- bited from exercifing that bufinefs, thefe cities are freed from that pefl of other great towns, the pawnbrokers.

" John Albani afterwards went to the " fat woman, who fells things at fecond- " hand in the Smith's Lane, and by her f* means pawned nine forks and fpoons for " thirty crowns, which fhe gave him to- " gether with the ticket of the mount for " the receipt of the goods. Before he re- '* turned home, he threw the knife with " which he had murdered the women into " a fink there is in the fquare belonging " to the Roman college near St. Martha's. " As foon as he came home he burnt the 0 flick or club.

" Twelve days afterwards he went to the

" feller at fecond-hand that lives at St.

2 Andrew

1122 LETTERS FROM

" Andrew della Valle, and brought hini •' one of the crofTes and a pair of ear-rings " to pawn for him at the mount, which u the feller at fecond-hand did; the firfr. " for ten crowns thirty baioccs, and the " fecond for feven crowns' twenty baioccs ; " and two or three days afterwards he went *' to another fellers at fecond-hand who " lives near the mount, and made him " pawn for him another crofs and a ring " for {even crowns fifty baioccs; after* " wards returning to the feller at fecond* Cc hand that lives at St. Andrew della Valle, *' he fold him one of the rows of the pearl " necklace, with the largeft pearls, for M fifty crowns, pretending to be fent by u the owner in order to fell them, and that " he was to have a zecchin if he fold them " well. The other two rows of pearls of *' that necklace, together with the little " rofaries of pearls, and the other crofTes " and rings, as well as the five tickets of " the mount, wer e found in his houfe, in

■« the

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 223

** the fearch made there by the officers of

" juftice upon his being apprehended. The

" money received from thefe pawns he had

.* partly fpent in paying different debts of

" his, which he particularizes, partly to

" provide for what his family and himfelf

" wanted, and the reft was found by the

'* officers of juftice in their fearch.

" This confeffion with regard to the mur- " der remains verified, firft, by the recog- <e nition of the dead bodies, upon which " the following wounds were found.

" Wounds found upon the corpfe of " Francifca Vetturini.

" Firfr, a wound in her throat, with " recilion of the right hand jugular vein, " penetrating quite to the wind-pipe, done " by an inftrument incident and perforant. " Secondly, a wound upon her head, with " laceration of the integuments, made by

" repeated

£24

LETTERS FROM

• repeated flrokes, and which beginning

' from the left fide of the frontal bone, was

6 extended quite to the coronal future, with

' fracture of the fcull, and which pene-

i trated fo far as even to fcatter about the

c matter of the brain, all done by repeated

6 ftrokes of an inflrument incident and

' lacerant.

" Wounds found upon the corpfe of Fran- ** cifca Dei.

** Firft, a wound in her throat, with recifion of the carotis, and laceration of all the contiguous vafes and mufcles, caufed by an inflrument incident and lacerant. Secondly, one in her forehead, caufed by an inflrument incident and perforant. Thirdly, one above her left eye, by an inflrument incident and per- forant. Fourthly, one near the faid eye, made by an inflrument incident and per- forant. Fifthly, one upon the eye-brow

" of

Italy, germanj, &c. 11$

** of the right eye, made likewife by an " innrumcnt incident and perforant. Sixthly, " one upon the left temple, with laceration u of the integuments and entire fracture w of the bone, till part of the matter of " the brain came out, made by an inftru- " ment incident and lacerant. Seventhly, " one near the faid temple, with fracture " of the lkull quite to the matter of the " brain, made by an inftrument incident " and lacerant. Eighthly, one repeated in " the fame place by an inurnment incident " and lacerant. Ninthly, one near the fame " place, made by the fame infrrument. " Tenthly, one on the right-hand fide of the " hinder part of the head, made likewife " by an inftrument incident and lacerant.

" Wounds found upon the corpfe of " Anna Dei.

" Firft, a wound in her throat upon the

" epiglotis, made by an infrrument incident

Vol, III. P " and

a-6 LETTERS FROM

" and perforant. Secondly, one in the left " jugular vein. Thirdly, one near the " carotis on the fame fide. Fourthly, one " on the right hand fide near the jugular " vein. Fifthly, one near the carotis ; all " made by an inftrument incident and per- " forant, and penetrating to the wind-pipe. " Sixthly, one upon the bridge of the nofe. '* Seventhly, one above the left eye. Eighthly, " one upon the frontal bone, where the hair " begins to grow. Ninthly, one on the " other fide likewife, where the hair begins " to grow. Tenthly, one on the beginning " of the coronal future ; all made by an " inftrument lacerant and incident. Ele- " venthly, one in the palm of her left " hand, made by an inftrument incident " and perforant.

The tranflation of thefe wounds, as de- fcribed by the furgeons, may have tired and fhocked you, befides, I have not been able to tranflate them well, as I do not know

the

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 217

the proper technical terms of furgery. But to continue.

" Notwithflanding part of the above men- " tioned wounds were adjudged by the " learned furgeons to have been caufed by " an initrument incident and lacerant, yet, *S upon their being juridically examined ** a fecond time, by the reafons there given, "' they do not exclude their having poffibly " been caufed by an inftrument contundent *c> and lacerant, as a club or flick, and in " part the caufe of the deaths of thefe *' unhappy women.

" The confeffion with regard to the mur- ** der remains verified, fecondly, by the *' dead bodies being found in the fame pofi- " tion as defcribed by the priibnei-, with ct the meet and bowl of water ftained with " blood.

P 2 " Thirdly,

428 LETTERS FROM

" Thirdly, by the acquaintance he had " with the three deceafed women, as re- " counted by himfelf, and verified by divers *' witnefles, which gave him an eafy entrance " into the houfe, when, on the contrary, " they were very cautious of opening the " door to any perfon elfe, till they knew " the quality of him that demanded ad- *' miffion.

" The confeffion with regard to the rob- *' bery remains verified, firfr., from the pre* " exiilence and deficiency of the before " mentioned ftolen goods, according to the " depofition of various witnefles : (the wit- nefles named),

" Secondly, from the inciting caufe to " commit this robbery, deduced from the *e prifoner's extreme poverty, confefled by " himfelf, and proved by various witnefles : (witnefles named) .

a

Thirdly,

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 229

" Thirdly, by the money fpent ultra vires, " for he paid many debts with which he was " burthened, as he himfelf confeffed, and " which is verified rby the creditors them- V felves. (The creditors named.)

" And fourthly and laftly, the confemon '* with regard to the robbery remains veri- 1( fled by the fale of one of the rows of " pearls to the feller of fecoixd hand things " at St. Andrew della Valle, according to 11 the depofition of the fame, and by the " five tickets of the mount, found in the " prifoner's houfe, as well as the remainder ie of the flolen goods, with part of the mo- " ney received upon thofe that were pawned, tl and the goods were proved to be the fame ei the unhappy women had in their pofleffion ft by the before mentioned witnefles, and the " fellers at fecond-hand depofed upon oath, <e that they pawned for the prifoner the M above mentioned things, &c. &c. &c.

P 3 Wednefday,

LETTERS FROM

Wednefday, June 3, 1761. 1 o'clock in the afternoon.

THE governor was prefent yefterday evening at a converfaiioney or affembly, where I went. He faid that John Albani had made him two requefts. The one was to have a particular confeffor, and the other to have more to eat. " I know, faid he, I am to die " in a fhort time. At leafl feed me well " while I live." And yet the government allows prifoners in jail nine pence a day, but he was not contented with that fum. The governor fays, he believes no prifoners have fo much allowed them as they have here. I could not anfwer him yes or no, with regard to ours, tho' I believe they live but poorly, if they have not fomething of their own. They fay Albani will be ex- ecuted in about a fortnight. His death is to be rnazzolation^ an Italian word which means, that he is frfl to be knocked down with a

mallet

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 23

mallet like an ox, and then have his throat cut. Indeed it is the very fame fate he made the poor women fuffer. It is an uncommon punimment here at Rome, and only for great crimes. They generally hang as we do* They never break upon the wheel, any more than in Great Britain. The govern- ment, with regard to criminal proceedings, js certainly much too mild here.

Rome, i o'clock afternoon, Thurfday, June 4, 1761.

A S a proof of the great mildnefs, or rather relaxation of this government with regard to criminal affairs, I will bring you an example, which happened yefterday, and of which my fervant Sebaftian was witnefs. It happened in Piazza Navona. As he was paffing through it about five o'clock in the afternoon, ' he faw two men quarrelling. One flung a ftone at the other, which hit him upon the breaft. He who had receive4

P 4 the

234 LETTERS FROM

the blow went up to the other, collared him with his left hand, and with his right plunged his knife thrice into him. This he did with all the apparent phlegm and tran- quillity in the world. He then walked at leifure to the fteps before St. Agnes' s church, where he could not be apprehended, and patrolled up and down them with as much quiet as if he had been taking a contempla- tive walk. The other in the mean time began crying out and mewing his wounds, He had one in his arm, another in his breaft, but Sebaftian did not fee where the third {truck. He drew up the fhirt of his wonnded arm, which was pouring out blood. He was only in a waiftcoat. He put his hand like wife many times upon the wound in his breaft, which fried blood top, but in lefs quantity, and every time he touched it, lie buifl out into tears afrefh. Sebaftian, who was in company with another fervant, then came away. It is dangerous in this coun^ try to be flaying where broils are. For

when

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 233

when the officers of juftice come, they put all prefent into jail, fome as accomplices and others as witnefTes, The criminal, who gene-p rally takes refuge in a church, is the only perfon that can not be touched^ Indeed they difcharge thofe who are not guilty, after fome days imprifonment, but flill, it is hard to be fent into confinement and endure all the hardships of it, tho' for ever fo ihort a time.

There is nothing farther material about the coachman. It feems he had been a but- cher, fo that he was practiced in the art of killing. He has not only demanded to eat better, but to have a better bed during the little time he is to live. It feems he went up flairs and marked the door of the people that lived over the rooms where the women were murdered, with blood, in order that the fufpicion of the murder might fall upon them. He fays he was fo confufed, that he had very little fear about him, except of fee- ing

234 LETTERS FROM

ing what he had done. They report that he has been guilty of other crimes. I think I fhould make an excellent ordinary of New- gate. When I return to England I believe I (hall take orders, and you muft get me pro* moted to that poll.

L E T-

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 13$

LETTER XXII.

Rome, five o'clock afternoon, Saturday, June 6, 1761.

x"j- S I think you like to fee nature unful- lied, I will tranflate you a letter of Sebaf? tian to his patron in Tufcany. As he is gone out to buy me a fword-knot, I have time to copy it. He has given it me unfealed to inclofe in one of mine. You may think it a breach of trull: to read a fervant's letter, but as they do not contain plots againft the ftate, J hope it is a crime that may be par- doned. I will endeavour to preferve the ftyle in the tranflation. It is as follows.

Rome, June 6, 1761.

<f My deareft fir, ft You can not imagine the pleafure I had,

" in

236 LETTERS FROM

t( in receiving a letter from you. I am as " glad as poffibly can be, to hear you be " well in health and all your good family. " Heaven p refer ve you fo. I, thank heaven, 66 am well. So is Signor Chriftopher, (mean- " ing me,) heaven preferve him. Where we ** live is very good air. It makes one eat a " great deal. But I keeps to the rule you " gave me, when I left Bibbiena. I eats as *' little as I poiTibly can. As for chawing 0 rheubarb, I does not think I have occafion " at prefent for it. If I finds any thing, " if I finds any opprefiion upon my ft'omach " I will begin chawing it immediately. If *' I be always as I be now I am content. I " have feen a great many fine things here at " Rome, fine palaces, and fine churches, " For news at Rome, all I can tell you is, *' that, as they tell me, a coachman is to be " executed next week. He was the coach- " man of a cardinal. Killed three women. '* And this happened the day before whit* " funday. Now he goes that morning to i " her

Si

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 237

her houfei having been godfather to her . child, and he gives her the good morrow i( with killing her ; and this was not enough, " he cut the throat of another woman me " had in the houfe; and when he had done " all this, he began rummaging the houfe, to " carry away what he liked bell:. Now " while he was doing this fome body knock- " ed at the door ; now this was another wo- •* man that came in fearch of death, and he 46 heard this knocking, and fo he looked and. " faw it was a woman, a friend of his, and " fo for fear of being found out, he killed •* her too ; and he has fince been found out, " and he is now in jail. I was going out a •• walking the day after the proceflion of the " Corpus Domini, and a quarrel fell out " between a bailiff and another coachman V of one of thefe cardinals, but I do not " know what his name be. And fo thefe ** gave one another blows with iticks, and " wounds with a knife. And all this hap- u pened near me, but I runs away as quick

" as

a3S LETTERS FROM

<e as I could, gets into a houfe. For yoii cc know the faying rumores fugghe, and I " likes to fleep in a whole Ikin. I does not *' love quarrels. And three or four days ci ago I was in Piazza Navonaj and I was " looking at the great fine fountain there> *' and I fees a man take a flint that lay at " my feet, and fo he flings it at another, " and fo the other comes to this that was " {landing fo juft clofe by me, and fo he " gives him three blows with his knife. <c You may imagine what a terrible fright I " mufl be in. I trembled like an afpen " leaf, and my legs were making under me, " as if they had been reeds, and thefe fine " things happen here every now and then. *' And then hear how light handed they be. *' Well ! I would never have believed it, lt They Hole two handkerchiefs out of my " pocket, that were worth two pauls, (a milling,) in one morning. I puts my " hand into one pocket, and there was no <' handkerchief. I puts my hand into t'other

" pocket,

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 139

" pocket, and there was no handkerchief " neither ; and fo you fee one rauft take care " here, and this is the fine news of this " town. I fupplicate you to give my ref- " peels to all the good family from me. " And when you write to fignor mafter of " your children, tell him that I did write to <c him, but as how, that he has never wrote " to me. And pray my refpe&s to him, " and I pay the fame to your moft illuf- " trious fignorfhip. And I remain heartily " deiirous of your orders, and kiffing your " hand till death, &c.

" Pray be fo good to falute Betty and " Angelo, and tell the young ladies I will (t bring them all the rofaries and things. " Excufe my boldnefs, but be fo good to " fend the inclofed to Signor Domenico.'*

This is Scbaftian's letter, in which, as I faid before, you may fee nature undifguifed. Coming from the country into a great town, the poor fellow finds himfelf loft in it.

LET-

*40 LETTERS FROM

LETTER XXIIL

Rome, five o'clock in the afternoon^ Tuefday, June 9, 1761.

Xl_ A V I N G given you the confeffion of John Albani, you mall now have the defence his counfel made for him* You may think it curious to hear talk of defence, when a man has confefled himfelf guilty. It is fo, but notwithstanding this, John Albani was defended after his confeffion by Jofeph Afce- volini, advocate for the poor. There is this office of advocate for the poor in all the courts of juftice in Italy. It is a lawyer paid by the government, to be counfel for the prifoners* Blum, England, land of liberty, not to have a fimilar charitable provifion in thy ifland. In vain is it faid, the judge is to be counfel for the prifoner. The judge can not frequent jails, and have private inter- views

ITALY, GERMANY, &c 241

views with the malefactors, and teach them what to conceal, and what to bring out in evidence. Nay, do not I fee the very con- trary, that the government pays a man to be counfel for the crown, or counfel againft the prifoner ? And mall poor unhappy offend- ers enjoy lefs privileges on Britiih ground, than where we fay tyranny and oppreffion rule ? Thefe are, however, too ftrong words for a monarchical government. Blufh then, I fay again, my native country, and own, that tho' thy fubects in general enjoy advan- tages beyond thofe of other nations, yet in this particular Italy triumphs. With regard to the advocate for the poor's defence of John Albani, after his having confeifed the crime, it is as follows. It is addreffed to the fupreme court of judicature of Rome. After having repeated the confeffion, it continues thus.

" In confequence of the foregoing con- .*' feffion, fo faid to be verified. in the greatefl Vol. Ill, Q^ « par

*4* LETTERS- FROM

* part of its circum fiances, which we fhail ' confider hereafter, the mod vigilant ex- ' chequer (fifcus in latin) maintains, that ■ the prifoner John Albani having confeffed ' the three before mentioned murders, with 4 the undeniable and aggravating circum-

* fiances of treachery and robbery, ought 4 with diligence to be configned to the ex- ' ecutioner, to fatisfy injured jjuflice by a c public death, in order to deter people, by ' his example, from fimilar excefies for the ' future.

" We however, tho' flreightened in time, " the procefs having only been consigned to " us yeflerday, friday 5th June, fo that we '* mufl form the prefent defence to day, fa- '* turday 6th, in order that it may be printed " to morrow, fun day the 7th, to be diflributed " the day after, monday the 8th, the day " preceding the determination of this caufe, " we, I fay, tho' thus flreightened in time, " have not in the leafl loft our courage,

. " neither

ITALY; GERMAN Y3 &c. 243

lt neither from the aforefaid ccnfefliori, nor " from the vulgar axiom, " Nan * tft conjcjji " cauja tuenda m';"and on the other hand we " confider, with reafon, the clemency of our " moft facred prince, who has not only en- " trufted us with the defence of thofe who " are innocent, ut f. a c alumni a liber entur9 *' but has particularly charged us with the " protection of the guilty, Ne J plus a1 quo ct " ultra crepldam mulclcniur.

" We even nope with confidence from <c what we fhall fay, notwithftanding the si before mentioned confeffion of the prifo- " ner, that this fupreme tribunal, fo fall of " juftice and equity, and who in the exami- u nation of the moil horrid mifdemeanours,

* The caufe of a criminal who has confeffed is not to be defended.

-j- That they may be freed from calumny.

t That they may not be puniihed beyond the mark which j 11 Rice requires.

Qa ' ** irafcitur

244 LETTERS FROM

u irafchur * duntaxat crimlnl fed non reo, will *' fave the unhappy prifoner from capital •* punimment, as we alfo humbly fupplicatc u in his name.

" There is no doubt, but that the confef- " fion of a prifoner, when fufpecled of Jug- u gefti°n and fubornation, or when it is not " verified by the generical proof of the crime, <c is not to be in the leafl regarded, as the tl following authors obferve, with regard to " fuggeftive confeffion ; Bomus de exam. *' reorum, num. 13, Cartar de interroga- u tione reorum, lib. 2 : cap. 1, num. 53, et " num, 581, and Farinacci talks learnedly " upon this matter in his 81 ft queftion, from " num. 309, to num. 313, as well as Ver- " miglioli in his criminal council 18, num. " 19, and Conciol. in his alleg. 61, num. 25, M and in his criminal refolut. word confef- <c fion, refolut. 23, num. 1, and with regard " to a confeffion not verified by the fpecific

* Bears enmity to the crime alone, and not to the cri*

jxupal.

" circumftances

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 24$

€t circumftances of the crime, the following " authors maintain its having no weight." (After having mentioned twenty authors,) ** Conciol. under the word confeffion refoL " 18, num. 1 fays, "In order that a con- " feffion may have its effect againfl the t( confeflbr, it mud be verified in all the circumftances and qualifications confeffed by the prifoner, whether the confeffion be fpontaneous or forced by torments.'* And Farrinacci fays, this is the common opi- nion of the learned, whom Giovagnoni, <c Guazzini, &c. follow ; and Vermiglioli u in his con. 18, num. 18, lays, " This €t principally takes place when thofe who •* have confeffed, declare, for example, that u certain blows were given upon the back fe part of the head with an iron bar, and yet " this circumftance as well as others can not " be verified, as it is necejfary theyjlmdd be for " a confeffion to have force to the detriment of the " confeflbr" &c. Now this undoubtedly holds J* good, with regard to the punifhing of a de- Q^ " linquent

246 LETTERS FROM

i( linquent capitally, as in the prefent cafe, " upon the authority of a confeffion fo much " to be criticifed as this ; for according to " the maxim, Nemo * eft dominus membrorum <e fuorem, concerning which the following * authors, &c. Our provident laws there- 4i fore, which unite juftice with mercy, only " regard in capital punifhments, be the cafe Cf what it may in others, that clear, true and u fincere confeffion, which is not fubjecl: to '• any criticifm intrinfical or extrinfical, *f according to the divifion the following au- " thors make, &c. and Concilioli, under " the word confeffion fays, that a confeffion, *' to be* called certain, muft be made con- " cerning a fact which is certain, with a " certain place, time, and other circum- *4 fiances expreffed, otherwife it is of no " force, as the following authors confirm, M &c."

f No perfon has power over his own life.

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. *47

Our author having laid down thefe premif- fes, goes on to prove John Atbani's confef- fion not to be valid upon two reafons, (< fir ft " of all becaufe it is fuggefthe, and fecondly, u beeaufe it does no"t agree with the circum* " fiances of the cnme." The latter reafon you will underftand, the firft perhaps may want fome explanation. But the worft is, I do not know whether I am able to explain it to you, however, I will try. By the word fuggcjlion, we mean in this country any fign, or hint, or other aft caufing or leading the cri- minal to confefs what otherwife he might not have done. For example. A judge can not in the middle of an examination afk the criminal abruptly, what he did in fuch a place fuch a day, becaufe the criminal might poffibly forget himfelf, and thinking to ex- cufe what he did there, confefs at the fame time that he was fuch a day in fuch a place. I will give you a fecond example, taken from the prefent facl, which is what the advocate for the poor is going to build his firft defence 0^4 upon.

*4* LETTERS FROM

upon. When John Albani was firft taken up, he denied the fac"t ; but the judges carrying him into his own houfe, and making a gene- ral fearch in his prefence, he afterwards con- fefled it. This, fays the advocate for the poor, was not a&ing legally, for his firft denial being confuted by things found in his houfe contradictory to what he had faid, it induced him to a confeffion. They had afked him what there was in his drawers ; he had replied, " three tickets of the mount ;" they found five, and fo on in many other things. This is what the Italians mean byfuggejlhc interrogations, which are not permitted in thefe courts of juftice. But they make ufe of tortures to extort confeffion, which are worfe. You mull: not however, think that thefe torments are ufed arbitrarily. There mull: be a certain degree of convi&ion, before they are applied. The kind of torture they generally inflict is the cord, which is fufpend- ing a man in the air by his hands, which are tied behind him. Sure, with regard to

this,

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 249

this, England triumphs over Italy. Is it not more humane to try to get at the truth by artful examination than by tortures ? Not that a perfon when forced by pain can, tho' innocent, confefs himfelf guilty, as is ima- gined in England, for they expect the con- feffion to be verified in every one of its cir- cumftances ; befides, a criminal is always taken down from the rack before he begins to confefs. But to leave my remarks, and continue the advocate for the poor's defence.

*' However, paffing over the before men- " tioned undoubted theories to come to our " prefent cafe, it rnufr. be granted, that the " prifoner conflantly denied the fact in his " firft examination of the 31ft May, confef- " ling only to have received the things pawn- *' ed from a man in a livery coat, and whom " he knew only by fight, and for whom he '* went to the mount, and received the mo- ** ney for the aforefaid pawns with three *' tickets of the mount. The money he faid

" he

45°

LETTERS FROM

<f he gave the man in the livery coat, and " that the three tickets were at his houfe.

" Nor can it be denied that immediately " after this examination, a general perqui- €C fition was made in his houfe and in his u prefence, and that befides the three tickets *' of the mount which the prifoner had con- '* feffed to have there, two others were H found, with goods belonging to the un- " happy deceafed women.

" Nor can it be denied that this perqurfi- <f tion, made according to our opinion citra * " neceffitatemy in the prefence of the prifoner, " (as the exchequer could have made it le- u gaily by witneffes, and then in due time **■ have contefted^it to the prifoner, as the '* moft learned prelate of the exchequer ** clearly tells us, in his criminal infrruc- *' tions, where he never mentions the pre-

£ Without neceflity,

" fence

ITALY, GERMANY, Src. a§x

fence of the prifoner, cap. 6, num. 126, and fol. f. and cap. 9, from num. 76 to fol. g.) was the fole and precife caufe of his confeflion the enfuing morning ; in which he has accounted as well for the five tickets found in his houfe {which five tickets , you, fir, found in my houfe yejler day in my kneeling dejk. Procefs, fol. 217) as likewife for the goods flolen from the unhappy women, found likewife in the prifoner' s houfe. {And the refi of the goods I fole, which I had put into the kneeling defk at home, you, fir, found them there in my prefence, and in that of the witnejfes. Procefs, fol. 218.)

" Now if fuggefUon is lawfully verified, 66 either when the judge queftions the pri- " foner concerning the particular circum- (( fiances and qualities of the crime com- " mitted ; verb. gr. Whether he killed " John' an Oakes (Titus) on fuch a day, in " fuch a place, wounding him in his breair. y with a fword, knife, or other infh-ument,

" according

<l$z LETTERS FROM

" according to the precife terms of De Ange-*

** lis, &c. with whom agree Vermiglioli, &c.

" or when the judge indicates to a negative

" prifoner the particular arguments of the

*' crime he is accufed of, fee Adden, &c.

** and Farinacci, &c. which latter fays, that

** a judge, to avoid fuggeftion, ought not

" even to read to the prifoner the depofl-

" tions of the witneffes, as alfo Chartar,

" &c. &c. Now this being the cafe, what

te greater fugge/tion can there be than what

" was caufed by the fituation of the pri-

" foner upon feeing his houfe fearched before

" his eyes, and two tickets of the mount

" found in it, which he had not confeffed,

" befides other things belonging to the un-

** happy women, which he had likewife

<6 paffed over in filence. He muft then,

" with reafon, imagine that thefe things be-

*' ing found in his defk, proved the falfity of

" his firft affertions, and perfuaded the judge

" of his being guilty, now Burfatti, &c, hold

** it as Juggejiion in whatever manner his

I crime

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. is$

" crime is notified to a negative delinquent, m as alfo Amen, &c.

" And, in fact, the words of the prifon- 4t er's fecond confeffion above related, and " the fhort interval of a few hours from his tc firft negative to his fecond affirmative " confeffion, fufficiently prove that he was *' ftruck with the judicial perquifition made " in his prefence, and finding himfelf dif- " covered, and almoft convi&ed, he refolved *' to confefs what he had firmly denied but " a few hours before the judicial perquifi- ** tion.

" From hence, therefore, no perfon cart *c deny this confeffion to be fuggeftive, and w as fuch void of weight, Vermiglioli, &c. ** efpecially fo as to deliver the confefTor "•' to capital punifhment, Cyriac, &c.

" Now if the fecond confeffion of our •' prifoner is not to be regarded, (6 as to

(i deliver

<t$4 LETTERS F R OM

" deliver him up to capital punifhment, » *' being, with foundation, fufpecled of fug- " geftion, which we have hitherto been cl proving, much lefs ought it to be re- " garded, as it is not at all verified, but even " contradicted by the circumftances of the " crime.

si This truth will be manifefted by call- " ing to memory, that the prifoner fays in " his confeffion, that he killed the three " unfortunate women with a flick or club, " and a knife. Now, on the contrary, the " fifcal furgeon, Francis Pignotti, does not " make the leafl mention of an inftrument *' contundent and lacerant, fuch as is a flick " or club, but excluding that abfolutely, " fays, and repeats with confidence feveral " times, that the wounds found upon the " before mentioned three bodies wTere made " by two different inftruments, one incident " and perforant, and the other incident and *f lacerant, as may be feen above, &c.

" Befides

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. i$s

" Befides this, the prifoner confeffes to a have given three blows with his club upon *' the head of Francifca Dei, and a cut with " his knife when he cut her throat, fo that u according to the foregoing confeffion, four " wounds ought to have been found upon " the body of the aforefaid Francifca. On the *' contrary, the learned furgeon found ten, " fix made by an inftrument incident and " lacerant, and four by an inftrument in- *■* cident and perforant, as procefs, fo. 10 to " 14. Three wounds ought to have been " found upon the body of Francifca Vettu- " rini, two upon her head, and another " in her throat, as the prifoner confeffed *' to have given her two blows with his " ftick upon the hinder part of her head, and " then cut her throat : (procefs, &c.) But " the learned furgeon mitius agendo * with " the body of the aforefaid Francifca Vet- 61 turini, found only two wounds upon it,

* A&ing more mildly.

" one

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" one made by an inftrument incident and u lacerant, and the other by an inftrument " incident and perforant, according to pro- " cefs, &c.

M And finally, the body of Anna Dei, " whom he killed the third, ought at moll *' to have had three or four wounds upon " the head, and fome others towards the " throat, as the prifoner confeffes to have «c given the faid Anna Dei three or four " blows upon her head behind, and different ** wounds with his knife towards her throat. " (Proc. &c.) But the learned furgeon " is more liberal with the body of the un- ** happy widow, and finds eleven wounds " upon it, between thofe upon the head and " the throat, declaring that fix of them ** proceeded from an inftrument incident " and perforant, and the other five from an " inftrument incident and lacerant, as may *' be feen, &c.

" Before

Italy, Germany, &c. 157

Before I go on I will make a remark. I think what the advocate for the poor fays with regard to the wounds received, does not agree with the lift I have already given you of thdfe wounds. However, this does not caft any blemifh upon the trial, for, as I have received it piece-meal, and it came to me through very different hands, the text may have been corrupted. It is difficult to get thefc trials, as they are not made public as with us. I was forced to get part of it copied out in a hurry by one friend, and part by another. As each has abridged things according to their inclination, it is no won- der if there is fome difference. The defence goes on thus*

*' In the foregoing irreconcilable contra- u diction then, between the circumftances of M the crime and the confeffion of the pri- *' foner, which of thefe two proceedings •* ought to prevail ? If we are to have " regard to the circumftances, in that cafe

Vol. III. R " I an-

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I anfwer, that the prifoner's confeflion being manifeflly contradictory to many fubftantial circumftances regarding the aforefaid crime, it can not have an effect againfr. him fhong enough to deliver him over to the hands of the hangman, * ad expiandum morte naturali crimen, and this is corroborated by the clear teftimony of the foregoing authors, &c.

" If, on the other hand, we ought to " regard the confeflion of the prifoner, in " this cafe with courage I anfwer, that this, " being void of the indifpenfibly necefTary " verification of the circumflances, is ren- ** dered entirely invalid, and ought to be " torn into the fmalleft pieces, as the fol- *' lowing authors clearly, excellently, and " unanimoufly maintain in favor of a pri- " foner, who has confefTed himfelf guilty,

* To expiate his crime by death.

" but

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. ' 159

u but whofe confemon does not agree with *' the circumftances of the facts, &c. &c.

" The fagacious exchequer was confcious of the foregoing infuperable difficulty, and has attempted to remedy it in the beft manner poflible, by hearing afrefh the learned furgeon Francis Pignotti, and uniting with him the other furgeon of the prifons, Charles Guattani. Thefe now pretend to maintain that the wounds found upon the heads of the three un- happy women, although declared by the firft mentioned to have been caufed by an inftrument incident and lacerant, accord^ ing to his firft recognition, (procefs, page 7 to 19, &c.) might alfo have been made by a club or flick, which is an inftrument contundent and lacerant (procefs, page 287 to 294, &c).

R 2 " But

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<fr But this new inquifition has been made " unneceflarily, ufelefsly,. and illegally. " Unneceflarily, becaufe, even tho' we fup- *' pofe the firft inquifition of the learned " iurgeon reconcileable with the confeffion " of the prifoner, as far as regards the in- " ftruments- with which the faid prifoner ** wounded the unhappy women upon the " head, notwithstanding this, the other " plain contradictions of matters of fact " between the confeffion of the prifoner *c and thofe circumftances of the crime pn>- " duced by the learned Pignotti, concerning '* the number and nature of the wounds, •1 can never be reconciled. And thefe will " always- be an invincible obftacle in the *' prefent trial againft the admiffion of the '.' two before-mentioned acts, the inquifition " of the furgeon, and the confeffion of the *' prifoner, as being contradictory and ex- " cluuve of each other, according to the '* following learned authors, &c. &c.

" And,

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 261

66 And, fecondly, this new inquifition has *' been made ufelefsly, hecaufe, among the " inftruments capable of deftroying life, *' there are inftruments incidentia et perfo- " rantia, which wound by a point, and *' penetrate through the body, as knives and " fmall fwords. There are, likewife, id- n ftruments incldentia et lacerantm, and which ** wound by cutting, as fcymitars, br.oad- *' fwords, and other fimilar arms, and there 4i are likewife inftruments coniundentia et " lacerantia, which, inftead of penetrating " and cutting, break the bones, and in *' breaking them tear the fkin, as clubs, " ftones, &c. Every perfon knows this, '* and the divifion is clearly made in the " general edicts of this tribunal, in the 32, " 34 and 39 paragraphs, where pointed *; arms are diftinguiined under the name ?; of incident and perforant ; cutting arms " under that of incident and lacerant ; and " flicks, ftones, clubs and bludgeons, under <* the name of arms contundent and lacerant.

R 3 "It

262 LETTERS FROM

" It may probably be true that the recog* *' nition of the dead bodies made by Pig- " notti, and defcribed by divers wounds " about their heads, with fracture of the 4i fcull, and lofs of part of the fubftance of *' the brain, may carry along with it the " neceffity of the inftrument having been ff contundent and lacerant, as Guattani is " kindly of opinion to favor his companion, " (procefs, page 289 to 292,) to which Pig- s' notti, without doubt, agrees in his new ■' opinion, (procefs, page 292 to 294) but " notwithstanding this, it will always re- s' main undeniable, that an inftrument con- " tundent and lacerant can never be included " under the name of an inftrument incident " and lacerant, as the two learned furgeons " erroneoufly fay in their new opinion, to " fupport the word incident, made ufe of ■' by the faid Pignotti (procefs, page 291 *' and 293 J, for a contundent inftrument H can not incide, as is known to every perfon.

« The

((

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 263

The judgment, therefore, being mani- -* feftly erroneous in this material point, " confequently rendersall proceedings againft " the prifoner null and void, according to " the following authors, &c. &c. &c. or thofe " proceedings being authentic, as the con- " feffion of the prifoner manifefHy contradicts f them, it is thereby entirely rendered void, and confequently of no force, particularly with regard to condemning the prifoner to death, as we have already conclufively " proved, &c.

" Laftly, this new inquiiition has been -' illegally made, becaufe the judge ought " merely in points like thefe to fearch out " the truth, and not extort it, for, notwith- " ftanding the heinoufnefs of the crime, u he is not permitted * tranfgredl leges, a '* privilege only referved to the fovereign " prince. They ought not, therefore, to

* To tranfgrefs againft the law.

R 4 " have

2/54 LETTERS FROM

u have read the confeffion of the prifoner tq " the two learned furgeons,but to have quef? ¥ tioned them, how a fracture of the fkull, M and lofs of part of the fubftance of the " brain, was caufable by an inftrument inci- " dent and lacerant, in order to hear from " their own learning, whether they could ** have given a conclufive anfwer to their M demands. In this manner they would *f have fought after the pure and naked " truth. On the contrary, in the prefent u cafe, the learned furgeons, Pignotti and " Guattani, being informed of the prifoner's " confeffion, and by that being perfuaded " of Pignotti' s miitake in defcribing the in- " itruments, by which the unhappy women " were wounded upon the head, what won- il der is it if they have both attempted tq " palliate the error. of the former, by de- " fending it in the bell: manner they could ? ** It would, indeed, be wonderful (and, " therefore, I neither can nor will fuppofe ff it) if this fupreme tribunal was to allow i "a

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 265

W a fimilar amendment, fo contrary to all *' the rules and reafons adduced by the foU " lowing authors, &c. &c. &c.

« We will now briefly produce the third i( exception, which we have thought pro- *c per to alledge againft the confeffion of the ♦' prifoner John Albani. And this confifts '• in the want of verification of the fame in *« a fubflantial point, fuch as is that of his *' throwing the knife, with which he cut « the unhappy womens' throats, into the " common fewer, in the fquare of the Rot W man college, near St. Martha's. (Procefs w page 214.) This circumftance not being " verified in the procefs, proves the aforer ** faid confeffion to be erroneous and falfe •1 with regard to this, either directly fo, <f fuppofing this perquifition has been made, <f and the inftrument not found, or pofiibly *f fo, fuppofing no perquifition has been *' made at all. Now this want of verifica- « tion that the confeffion fufFers with regard

« to

<l66 LETTERS FROM

4< to the prefent point, gives occafion for the " introducing of the following mod true " proportion, that a confeffion erroneous " and falfe in one fubftantial circumftance, i6 is prefumed to be fo in the whole, and, cc therefore, can in no wife be prejudicial to *' the confeffor, according to the following u authors, &c,

Rome, Wednefday, ioth June, ii o'clock morning, 1761.

" From what we have faid hitherto, we *' flatter ourfelves that we have put into no " fmall doubt the validity of the confeffion •* of the prifoner, firft, as it is to be fufpedU u ed of fuggeftion ; fecondly, as it contra- " dicls the circumftances of the crime ; and, if thirdly, as it remains contradicted itfelf in " a material point. The force of what we <c here fay will have likewife an additional *' weight, if we confider divers extrinfical

" circumftances

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 267

*' circumftances proper to incite the innate fi compaffion of this tribunal.

" And firft let me lay before the court the fi extreme poverty of the prifoner, many " times declared by himfelf, and proved by a " diftinct defcription of his debts. (Procefs, ■* &c.) This, tho' not capable of excufing M him from his crime, may, however, be •' an inducement to obferve towards him *' fome degree of minoration with regard to " the puniihment due to it, according to the f< unanimous affirmation of the following M authors, &c. &c.

" What we mall fecondly produce in his " favor is, his fpontaneous confeffion, which " as it has delivered the court from the trou- " ble of procuring the neceflary proofs " againft him, ought not to render them " averfe from fome fenfation of compaffion <c towards the offender, and particularly as M ever before this he has lived entirely

" blamelefs,

468 LETTERS FROM

?*. blamelefs, and at prefent knows his error M and entreats mercy,

" The third extrinfical circumftance in lt his favor, confifts in the juft and inceffant " tears of his wife and three children, among f ■ which are two girls that are marriageable, (i All thefe in the tenderer!: manner fuppli* *' cate this fupreme tribunal, not to opprefs *' them who are innocent, with the perpe- " tual ignominy they muft. undergo if their " refpe&ive hufband and father was to die f* upon an infamous fcaftold; and they urge " the authority of Baldovini in their favor, " council 24, num. 19, torn. iii. where he " fays, that the children, by leading a perpe- tf tual life of ignominy, would fufFer " much more than their guilty father, whom " death in a moment delivers from all his M pains. And Vermiglioli fays, council " 250, num. 14 and 15, Quam * maxime

" fupremum

* A number of children, who muft become partakers of the calamity of their father, ought to have the greatefl

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 169

*6 fupremum tribunal movere debet filiorum •• numerus, qui paternam calamitatem fen- " tiunt, cum enim certum (it diminutionem " paenarum fupremis magiftratibus eiTe arbi- " trariam, negari non poteft quin filiorum " numerus ad hujusmodi diminutionem fit " confiderandus, AndRainaldo, vol. lxxv. " num. 15, "Quarto, qui habet plures filios, ** qui ex quo paternam calamitatem fentiunt, V faciunt paenae rigorem ceffare.

" And not to leave any tbing untouched " upon in To weighty a caufe, we here de- " clare that if the court, in order to avoid 41 the difficulties produced by us, mould at-

effeft upon every fupreme tribunal, and as it is undoubted that fupreme magiftrates have the power of diminifhing pu- nishments, it is likewife certain that the having of a'nnm- ber of children muft be taken into confederation, as a reafon for that dimiaution. And Rainaldo, v. 75. n. 15* The fourth reafon is his having a number of children, upon whofe account the rigor of the punifhment ought to be mitigated, as they become fellow fufferers in the mis- fortunes of their parent.

" tempt

270 LETTERS FROM

" tempt to condemn the prifoner, as convict-* " ed according to the tenor of the well " known edict of the facred and glorious " memory of Benedict the fourteenth, our " moft illuftrious benefactor, in this cafe, " we demand time to defend the prifoner in " this new light, as the fhort revolution " of twenty-four hours does not give fuf- " ficient fpace to our weak abilities, firft. to " defend the delinquent, as having confefT- •* ed, and then as fuppofed negative, but " pretended to be convicted by undoubted " proofs, &c. for which, &c.

*' Jofeph Afcevolini, advocate for the

a

poor.

" Philip Barbieri, notary for the poor.'*

However, notwithftanding the foregoing defence, the following fentence, as I have already foretold, was denounced againft John

Albani.

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 471

Albani. I will give it you in the Latin, which is the original.

DieMartis, 9, Junii, 1761.* Omnes convenerunt. Johannes Albani malleo percuflus jugule- tur, et in frufta fcindatur, et ejus abfciffum caput exponatur fuper portam, quae dicitur Angelica, cum crate ferrea et eulogio in- fami.

You will remark, in the juridical pro- ceedings, that the name of cardinal Paolucci, to whom John Albani was coachman, is no where mentioned. It was, I fuppofe, pur- pofely avoided, not to expofe the name of a cardinal in fuch an affair. Indeed, I do not

* Tuefday, 9th June, 1761.

All agreed,

That John Albani, after being ftruck down with a

mallet, fhould have his throat cut, and be quartered, and

his head placed over Porta Angelica in an iron grate, with

an infamous infcription.

think

ft7* LEtTERS FROM

think it greatly to the honor of his eminence to have had a coachman fo extremely poor, and fo great a villain. John Albani was a man well known in Rome* and faid to be remarkable for being a modeft, mild perfon, and one who never fwore an oath. I muft confefs I have no great opinion of thefe fanc- tified fellows. There is a native pride, if I may be allowed the expreffion, in true cou* rage, honefty, or religion, which difdains the intruding of itfelf to public view. You will underftand better the force of what the ad- vocate for the poor fays, with regard to John Albani's wife and children leading a life of perpetual ignominy, when you know that no perfon will have any thing to do, or ever! fpeak with the relations of a man that ha* been executed publicly. I do not deny buC that it is infamous enough with us in Eng- land, however, here you fee they carry it to the very higheft pitch imaginable. The hangman, fpies, and thofe forts of people,

are

If ALY, GERMANY, &c. 273

tire likewife avoided as io many living plagues;

Ditto, 12 o'clock at night.

The clock ftrikes twelve. Now thole dead perfons, that have a mind to walk this ■night, fet out from their abandoned graves. Now murder, with uncontrolled fteps, {talks along the lightlefs ffreets of Rome, and now John Alhani, the coachman, that killed the three women, is advertising of his being to die tomorrow. It is the cuftom in Italy never to inform criminals of their ientencc till the night before they are executed, at eleven o'clock* The fcaffold is already built for the execution tomorrow morning, in the fquare before St. Angelo's Bridge. However, not- withflandinp", the fentence is only now inch- eating to John Alhani, he muil have ima- gined that he is to die fobn. I do not know whether I can commend this cuflom of only

(hewing the criminal his dead warrant the Vol. III. S evening

274 LETTERS FROM

evening before his death. It mull (hock them, I mould think, too much. The mo- ment it is read to him two confefTors feize upon him by each arm, as he is called out of his dungeon to hear the fatal mandate. Nor do- they abandon him till his death, comfort- ing and fupporting him to theutmoft of their power. You cannot imagine how eager the people of Rome are to fee fuch a melancholy kind of fpeclacle. They have been taking places even to night, and windows in St, Angelo's Square, where the execution is to- be, let at I do not know how much money. It feems to me a particular curioiity to be fond of fee- ing fights of this nature. And yet in all countries fo many people are running after them. De gujlibiis non difputandum eft, as the Italians fay.

Thurfday, June n, 1761. Three quarters paft 12 at noon, Rome.

This morning, unwillingly, I faw the

mangled carcafe of John Albani, who was

1 executed

Italy, Germany, &c. 275

executed about nine o'clock. In going to St. Peter's, near which I was obliged to make a vifit, I paffed over St. Angelo's Bridge, and, confequently, through the fquare ad- joining. The firft thing I beheld were legs and arms hung up upon the fcaffold, like meat in a butcher's fhop; Then John Al- bani's ghaftly head grinned upon me, fet up to public view. The reft of the body lay upon the fcaffold. The fight mocked me, and I ftill have it prefent before my eyes. •

The news I have picked up abroad is, that one of the three galleys of the pope, that fet fail from Civita Vecchia for Malta, laden with knights belonging to that ifland, is loft. When I fay loft* I do not mean that me is certainly funk, but that they do not know where me is* The cafe is as follows. In the channel between Sicily and Malta, they met with a ftorm* The Saint Profpero, the galley they are anxious about, loft all her mafts in it. As the fea ran too high for the S % two

176 LETTERS FROM

two others to bs able to give her any affift- ance, they continued their voyage to Malta. When they got into that port they told the grand mafter what diftrefs they had left the Saint Profpero in. As loon as the weather would permit, he fent out his five galleys provided with mafts, anchors, cables, &c. to look out for her and afiift her. Nothing has as yet been heard of her deftiny. This, you may imagine, keeps the people of Rome in anxiety, as there were many gentlemen of good family on board her, as the marquis Accoramboni and others.

LET.

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 277

LETTER XXVI.

Rome, a little after 1 in the afternoon, Sunday, June 14, 1761.

+\ L L the news ftirring here is, that the papal galley that was loft is found again. Having fpruog her mafts, and not being able to weather the florm, Ihe was obliged to turn back. She put into Giorgenti, a little port in Sicily, from whence' tidings have been received of her. This has relieved many noblemen who had relations on board from their anxious fituation. With regard to Bellifle, it is efleemed in agonies, and that it can hold out but a very little longer. Peace however is talked of, and they fay, that not only we and the French, but even, the Auftrians have appointed their plenipo- tentiaries, to meet at a congrefs at Augf- bourg,

S 3 The

278 LETTERS FROM

The country here about Rome has been infefted with a prodigious quantity of mice, or moles, that have done confiderable damage to the corn and vineyards. Prayers have been made on purpofe to deliver the faithful from this plague. The prayer or exorpife- ment is as follows, tho' I do not hear thofe little animals have been lefs noxious upon account of it.

" Exorcifo* vos peftiferos mures per De- Ui um patrem omnipotentem, et Jefum Chrife

ci * I exorcife you pernicious moles, in the name of God M the omnipotent Father, and of his Son Jefus Chrift, in " order that you may forthwith depart from our fields fi and lands, nor longer dwell in them, but pafs to other *c fpots where you may be of hurt to none, curling you IS on the behalf of the omnipotent God, and of the whole ^ court of heaven, and of the holy church of God, that f{ you may every day decreafe, and become lefs in num- " ber till no remains be found of you in any place, " unlefs you fhoukl be neceffary for the welfare or fer- iC vice of mankind. May he who is to come to judge tf the quick and the dead, and the world by fire, grant this *S qur prayer. Amen."

$<■ turn.

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 279

46 turn filium ejus, ut confeltim recedatls a *'• campis et agris noftris, nee amplius in eis " habitetis, fed ad ea loca tranfeatis, in qui- " bus nemini nocere poflitis ; pro parte om- " nipotentis Dei, et totius curiae caeleitis, " et ecclefiae fanctae Dei vos maledieens, ut f quocumque ieritis, litis maledicti, derici- *' entes de die in diem in vos ipfos, et decref- *' centes quatenus reliquiae de vobis nullo in 6t loco inveniantur, nil! necefTarice ad falu- " tem et ufum humanum. Quod preftare M dignetur, qui venturus eft judicare vivos, " et mortuos, et fasculum per ignem. Amen*'*

After the priefl and people who followed him had made their prayers and proceilions in the infected places, they fprinkled them duly with holy water, after which luftration, and a decent number of croffings, the cere- mony finimed,

Lafl night I faw a little piece of poetry

that regarded Mr. Steavens the timber mer-

• S 4 chant's

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chant's foil, who made a great figure here at Rome four or five years ago. He is dead, you know. While he was at Rome he had the pleaiure of being in the good graces of the prettied: lady that was then in this town. Whether it was his money or his perfon, that pleafed the marchionefs Gabriele, I can not tell, but certain it is, they were both always together. To fhew you what a fine excufe the Roman ladies have, for making love with Englifh gentlemen, they fay that the marchionefs Gabriele mewed all this affection to Mr. Steavens in order to convert him to the Roman catholic religion. It is upon this my poetry is founded, which fup- pofes that the marchionefs Gabriele's ghoir. appears to him, and fpeaks to him in the following manner.

Stiveriez ! che fai ? che neghittofo ognors* Fra dubbioii penfieri errando vai ?

Non vedi forfe quanto incerto mai Sia del noflro morire il quando c 1'ora ?

Ah ! che di camtfriar fede afpetti ancora ?

Ah

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. a8i

Ah perche mente a tanti errori dai ?

Per farti fedel, io fol t'amai, Fallo or che fon morta fenza dimora.

Cosi facendo, fe riernica ftella Col troncare li mei di, alio mio zelo

Nbn permife compir opra fi bella, Sciolto quando farai dal mortal velo,

Sentiro con piacere che io fol fui quella II di cui amor t'apri la via del cielo.

In Englim profe as follows.

Why doft thou loiter, Steavens, fluctuating amidft the mazes of doubtful thought ? Awake to reafon, and behold in me an ex- ample of the incertitude of human life. And canfl: thou ftill retard abandoning thy religion ? And canfr. thou ftill give ear to fatal errors ? To in roll thee amidff, the num- ber of the faithful, I loved thee in life. Execute my deiires then without delay after my death. By doing this, tho' envious def- tiny, in cutting fhort my days, hindered me from accomplifhing the glorious intention, ftill (hall I with pleafure reflect, when I

behold

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behold thee freed from the veil of huma- nity, that it was I whofe love firft opened thee the path to heaven,

Do not you think this is a fine excufe for Jibertinifm ? See in what a droll manner the author has fpelt Mr. Steavens's name. I do not know who he is. This mighty perform- ance is anonymous. When the marchionefs Gabriele died, Mr. Steavens did a very popu- lar thing here at Rome, which was, to give a prefent of a hundred Roman crowns to fome priefts to pray for her foul, that it might be the fooner releafed from the pains of purgatory. I do not know whether this prra incognita, as doctor Swift calls it, is founded upon fcripture, but I am fure it is eftablimcd upon very lucrative maxims9 How many legacies does not the eccleli- aftical branch of the Roman catholic reli- gion enjoy, which have been left by pious per fon s for maffes for themfelves or their relations. This fpirit too is kept up by

{lories,

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. a8j

Tories, that feem, and probably are, formed on purpofe, I will tell you one of them.

In a fermon at Leghorne during lent time, (I do not tell you the year, for I do not Jcnow it myfelf,) a preacher had been fet- Jng forth, with great eloquence, the' duty all Christians lay under of affifting their deceafed brethren by their fuffrages or pray- ers. He exprefled the pains of purgatory with fuch energy, and the remhTnefs of the faithful in making contributions to relieve thofe poor furTerers by maffes, in fuch pathe- tic expreffions, that he brought tears into the eyes of aU prefentf

There was an old beggar woman in church at the before mentioned fermon. She was fo affected with what me had heard, that in going out of the door, me put three farthings, all (he had in the world, into a charity box, that upon thefe pccafions is always ready, in order to re- ceive

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ceive the pious contributions, that are offeiv ed for the benefit of the fouls in purgatory, or rather of their advocates in this world. After the old beggar-woman had gone through two or three ftreets, the freih air abated confiderably the edge of her devo- tion, and increafed that of her appetite. She reflected that me had given away all flic had in the world, at a time when me had not a model of bread to eat. As it was late, and moft people gone to dinner, me had but little hopes of any charitable paf- fengers relieving her. In a fit of defpair me threw herfelf down upon fome fteps there were before a public building, and began crying. She had not been long in- dulging her grief, before a venerable old gentleman paffed by. He afked her what was the caufe of her being fo melancholy. She told him. Well, fays lie, I will affift you, only carry this letter I have in my hand to fuch a houfe, and the people there will give you fomething, The old woman

took

ITALY, GERMANY, &c, ify

took the letter, and faid fhe would do as he bid her, and the venerable old gentleman walked oft. As foon as me came to the houfe • that had been defcribed to her, me aiked for the matter of it, to whom the letter was directed. He was a perfon of rank and fortune. Upon reading the letter he turned pale. As foon as he had fmifhed it, he left his company, and defired to fpeak with the old woman. He beowd her to give him a perfect defcription of the perfon who had fpoken to her. She did fo. He then aiked her if me thought fhe mould know his picture if me law it. She faid me had no doubt but that fhe mould. Accord- ingly, he took her into a room where there was a great number of portraits of all his family and anceftors for fome generations. As foon as the old be^&'ar-woman had en- tered with the gentleman into this room, fhe began to confidcr the pictures attentively. At Lift (lie fixed upon one, which fhe faid, was the venerable old gentleman that had

iii v en

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given her the letter. But are you fure of it* lays the matter of the houfe ? Yes, fays fne* it is fo like him, I could fwear it to be the fame perfon. Why then, fays he, as I am living here upon earth, it was my great grandfather that appeared to you, whom your charity has delivered from the pains of purgatory. He in this letter defires me to fettle upon you a penfion for life, and I fhall accordingly, which he did $ and fo my flory ends.

It is by thefe and fimilar incitements, that the Romifh church keeps up its great annual revenue of charities for the fouls in purga- tory. To this bank Mr. Steavens contributed his hundred crowns, for the foul of the de* ceafed marchionefs Gabriele. This action> as I have already faid, made him very popular here in Rome. The marchionefs Gabriele killed herfelf by dancing when me was big with child. I was at Rome during that time, and the very day I was to be intro- duced

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 2S7

duced to her, I went and faw her extended upon her bier in the church, with the little embrio placed upon her bofom. She looked pretty even in death, and

-beauty's enfign yet

Was crimfon on her lips and in her cheeks,

but I believe it was owing to rouge. She danced between the acts of a play, performed by fome gentlemen and ladies at villa Bor- ghefe.

Death too is at prefent bufy among the cardinals. Cardinal Orii, who has written an ecclefiaftical hiiiory famous for the beauty of its ftyle, breathed his lair, a few days ago. Yefterday news came, that cardinal Banchi- eri, the legate at Ferrara, was dead. Cardi- nal Paolucci is ill at Albano, and cardinal Paffionei is in agonies at Frafcati. The lafl is one of our great men here, or, according to the expreffion of the court of Rome, one

of

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of the three cardinal palatines ; The three cardinal palatines mean thofe three that live in the pope's palace, and have the principal fway in the government* They are the cardinals Torriggiani, Cavalchini, and Paf- iionei. There is at prefent a fourth $ which is cardinal Rezzonico the pope's nephew. Cardinal Paffionei's illnefs is faid to have been owing to an excefs of paffion or difguft. Being a perfon who has always had the gales of fortune favorable, iipon her lowering A little he could not refill her frown. The affair as well as I can collect it, from the myfterious whifpers that go about, is as follows. Lately a new catechifm has been' publifbed, and handed about Rome for the inftruclion of children. Tho' published with due licenfes, upon revihon it was diiapproved of by the pope. His private council was called, and the fentiments of the cardinals aiked. Cardinal Paffionei was always itrong- ly againft condemning this new perform- ance, however, it wras decided againft him

bv

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 289

by the majority of the affembly. The car- dinal, as fecretary of the briefs, was to fub- fcribe this decree forbidding the catechifm. He refufed to do it, faying, it was againft his confcience. However an order came from the pope, who was at Caftel Gan- dolfo, telling him to lign it, or lay down his office immediately. Accordingly he iigned it. However, as this was the firft check he ever received in his life, he took it fo much to heart, that the violent paffions, which opprefTed him all at once, overwhelmed the vital parts, and he fell down in an apoplectic fit. As he is feventy or eighty years of age, there feem to be but little hopes of his reco- very, and he has entirely loft one half of his body. Nay, I think they even fay that a mortification has begun on that fide. He is not at Rome, but at Frafcati, for many of the cardinals and other great perfonages of Rome are now in the country. They will mofl of them however, return by the feaft. of St. Peter, which is the 29th of this Vol. III. T month.

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month. It was to Frafcati that the brief of the pope was brought him with orders to be ilgned. Moft part of Rome think him entirely in the wrong, for not having ligned directly, tho' contrary to his confcience. Their reafons have fome weight. In the privy council, confifting of thirteen cardinals, of which number he was one, he had already produced all his opinions and arguments to the contrary. They had not the good luck to prevail, for feven of the cardinals were againft him, and five only for him. With regard to fubferibing the pope's decree, in confequence of the refult of this council, his office of fecretary of the briefs obliged him officially to iign what the pope wanted to publifh. An Italian brought me the follow- ing example. Suppofe, fays he, Mr. Pitt, or the duke of Newcaftle, or any other mi- nifter, were obliged to fubferibe all the acts of parliament by virtue of fome poll: they enjoy- ed. Notwithftanding any particular act of parliament might contradict their way of

thinking,

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. a$i

thinking, yet when once the majority have voted it, they are obliged by virtue of their office to fubfcribe it, and as a fubjecl to obey it. In parliament they had the liberty 0* bringing all their objections. Thofe objec- tions had not iufficient weight with the ma- jority. Therefore the minority is obliged to give up their opinion to the greater number, or elfe there could be no government.

L E.T,

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LETTER XXV.

Rome, half after eleven in the morning, Sunday, June 21, 1761.

W EDNESDAY fevennight, then, the firft of July, whether I hear from you or 110, the riling fun mall no more behold me in Rome. We have had a very iickly time- in this metropolis, owing, I believe, to the extravagant weather we have had. Nothing but rain and thunder for a long time. The fky is now cleared up a little, and the heats begin to fet in, but they are nothing like thofe of Spain. This is a middle climate between that and England. In Spain it never rains, hyperbolically fpeaking, in Eng- land always, ufing the fame rhetorical figure. Italy feems the medium between thefe two extremes. It is this, I imagine, added to the great dews, which caufes the i fertility

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 293

fertility of the country. But what does the natural fertility of the foil avail, if here about Rome they do not cultivate their lands ? Many are the caufes of this neglect of agriculture. I do not think, as we ima- gine, it can be upon account of the defpotic government. In that cafe, Tufcany, Venice, Naples, and other abfolute governments, would be the fame, which is not true. You may wonder to hear me put Venice in this lift, but certain it is, that the fubjecl: does not enjoy more liberty there than in any monarchy. All the republics of Italy are in the fame ftyle . The only difference be- tween them and a monarchical government is, that there are fixty or eighty kings in- ftead of one. All the reft of the people are equally fubfervient to the ftate as in Rome, or any where elfe. Indeed, I hardly know a nation but England, where fome little {hare in the government defcendsro almoft all the ranks in the ftate. Montefquieu, if I do not miftake, fays it is the only free govern- T 3 ment

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ment in the world. However, I do not hold the good cultivation of our lands in England' to be owing to this liberty, any- more than the bad management of thofe in the Roman ftate to the contrary. Where-? ever the countryman is equally fure of being paid for his labor, he has always an equal incitement to work. Now I imagine this pay is equally certain in the Roman ftate as in thofe of Tufcany, Venice, England, or any other. You will fay, perhaps, that defpotic authority has the power of wrefting from the laborer his daily hire* It un- doubtedly has. But it is a power that never has, and probably never will be exercifed, as being contrary to the intereft of the rulers. The lefs revenue the lands furnifh, the lefs advantage ail princes muft naturally draw from their dominions. The country- man, therefore, having never feen any ex- amples to the contrary, and not being in general very long lighted, I dare fay think themfelves as fure of reaping the fruits of

their

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 295

their labor upon Roman foil as ours do in England. There is not, indeed, the handy cuftom introduced in general here in Italy of the tenants paying fo much annual money to their landlords for the ufe of their lands. Their way, efpecially in Tuf- cany, is often as follows, which, however, I think, ought to redound more to the dis- advantage of the landlord than of the tenant. They pay in kind, that is, the farmer is to cultivate fuch a track of land at his expence, and half of the fruits it pro- duces go to the maintenance of him and his fimily, and the other half to his landlord. This is in general, for in thofe forts of contracts people, you know, may make what bargain they pleafe. But the above men- tioned manner of contracting between the landlords and their tenants muft be very inconvenient for the former. Sure our way of money is much better ; for, at the leafr, if the gain is lefs, you have fo much neat cam come in your hands. For the farmer, T 4 - however,

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however, I do not know whether it is not advantageous, as they laughingly fay in Tufcany that he generally gets half out of the landlord's half. The remainder mufl be fold, which obliges the nobility there to. retail their wine out of a hole in the wall belonging to their palace. I fee, therefore, no intrinfical caufe to hinder the country people from cultivating their lands as much as thofe in England. I fee many intrinfical ones derived from the nature of thofe coun- try people about Rome. They are idle. Their principal happinefs feems to be in feeing procefhons and other fhows, of which there are no fcarcity in this city. They may, likewife, be afraid of fraying too much in the bad air, which occupies the country about Rome. Ambition, likewife, may hinder thofe who think they have talents. The common people even in England like to take orders, that they may become gen- tlemen. Much more will this defire predo- minate in a country where every office, even

the

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the fupreme, is In the hands of the clergy. The example of Sixtus the fifth, who is faid from a hog-driver to have arrived at the dignity of pope, makes the loweft clown hope for equal good fortune. The great encouragement too for beggars in Rome, deftroys the edge of induftry. As they find they can be maintained by charity without working, many are thofe who like better to gain a miferable livelihood by roaming about Rome, than to fare better by laboring in the fun-burnt fields. The Romans have a very falfe idea with regard to beggars. There being more of them, they fay, in Rome than in any other town, is a fign that there is more charity. But they are in the wrong. I grant fthat a number of convents are by their inftitution obliged to give foup and bread, and other things to the poor every day, and that a beggar, who has a mind to employ his legs, may get three or four dinners in this manner. I grant that many of the citizens make it a

rule

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rule to give every beggar that appears every day, let them be a thoufand, a farthing a piece. I grant that in Eafter-week the pope wafhes their feet, and the nobility ferve them at table. But is all this charity ? It may be fo to the particular mendicants, but I am fure it is not to the flate. Every government has a right to the labor of its poor fubjects. In a well regulated city there {hould not be one beggar. Thofe unable to work ought to be fupported in hofpitals. The others mould be forced to labor for their maintenance. What a manufacture might be fet up by means of the wretches that are {trolling about Rome ! In anfwer to this, I am told that Rome is different from other towns, as a number of pilgrims come daily to viiit the holy places. Thefe are chiefly beggars, but muft be permitted, or you deftroy one of the principal tenets of the Roman catholic religion, which holds it meritorious to vifit reliques and fanctuaries. But their flay might be limited, and with

regard

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 299

regard to the native poor of the city, an arbitrary government might make what regulations they pleafed.

Monday, June 22, three quarters after 12 at noon.

O N E of the fcholars of the Clementine college has been robbed in a very hardy manner. He is a young man of fortune, brought up at this feminary. A perfon knocked at the door of his apartment. He told him to come in. All the ftudents at thefe colleges have their different apart- ments, as at our univerfities. A kind of officer entered with a letter from major Rocco. This is a major in one of the pope's regiments. This letter allured the young gentleman that the officer, who was the bearer, was a perfon of honor and honefty, who, however, had met with misfortunes, and that the writer recommended him to his charity, defiling him to beg his fellow

ftudents

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ftudents to make a contribution for him. The young gentleman anfwered, "that, as " for defiring his fellow fludents, he could " not do it, becaufe, if the rector of the " college knew of it, he would be very " angry with him. As for his own private ■{ part, he had very little money, however, iC if he would accept of half a zecchin, he " would give it him." The man, notwith- ftanding his fine drefs, faid he mould be very glad of it, and took it accordingly. But he had no fooner got it than he catched hold of the chain of the young man's watch, which hung out of his pocket, and faid he mould be glad of that likewife. The watch followed the pull he gave it, and he carried it off triumphantly. I do not know whether he did not draw out a knife to fecure his retreat, . but there was no need of that precaution, as aftoniihment had caufed its ufual petrifying effects. The ftudent neither moved or cried out till the aggrenor had retreated out of the room,

and

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 301

and locked the door after him to hinder a purfuit. Major Rocco, upon enquiry, had written no letter, and it was forged for an excufe to enter the room.

Tuefday, June 23, half after one in the afternoon.

Cardinal Delci is dead, and in fome days

there will be a ceremony for his funeral.

His body is to be embalmed. I yefterday

evening made feveral parting viiits. In one

of them we had a differtation upon our

pronunciation of Latin, which feems very

odd to foreigners. The Germans, French,

Spaniards and Italians much more refemble

each other in that refpedl than we do either.

Notwithftanding, therefore, what fome

learned people in England fay, I mould think

our pronunciation of that language has the

lead: chance for being right. The Italians,

I mould imagine, are mod likely to have

retained fomething of the found, as being

the

joi LETTERS FROM

■

the fucceffors of the ancient Romans. How* ever, there are ftrong proofs to be given that their pronunciation of Latin is not entirely as their anceftors pronounced it* They are as follow. But for the firft argu- ment, you muft grant me that when the Goths invaded Italy, and corrupted the language then talked there, it is more pro- bable, in the ancient words they preferved, that they adhered to the found than to the orthography. We fee many frefh examples of this in all countries. The word chocolate with us, is cloccolata in Italian. The way of fpelling is different, but the found is nearly the fame. The province of Cham* paigne in France is written Sciampagna in Italian, a fimilar pronunciation in different languages not being attainable by the fame letters. There might be a great many examples produced of this, but the two foregoing may be fufficient. Tho' I will juft add that the Italians have adopted our word fijh for counters, which found in their

language

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 303

language muft be fpelt fifce, and accordingly is fpelt fo. This then being laid down as a foundation, it is probable that the letter I in the word lejus, which the Italians pronounce in Latin as if it was written with a vowel (Jefus) was by the ancient Romans pro- nounced as we do. Elfe why fhould the Italians put a G and I to their word Giesu, if you do not fuppofe that the Goths coming into Italy heard the word pronounced in that manner, but were obliged to fpell it differ- ently, to comply with the different found of their letters ? This is common to every word now in Italian, derived from thofe in Latin, with an I confonant, asjuvare, giovare; Jerufa/em, Gerufalemme ; Junius Glugno ; Julius Giulio, and many others. There feems to be another proof too exilfing, that the Romans pronounced the vowel I different from the confonant, and this is taken from their poetry. Wherever there is an I confonant, there is no elifion, but with a vowel I there always is one ; and furely they mull: have

adif-

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a different found, when the letter made either a fyllable more or lefs. But tho' I think we are right in this refpedl, in every other I am afraid we mull yield the palm* and particularly with regard to the vowels ; the found of which we have totally changed from that of every other nation upon the continent. It is this which renders us unin- telligible to foreigners when we fpeak Latin ; but my civil law lectures in Germany fo broke me in to this manner of pronunciation, that I am better off than moil of my coun- trymen.

LET-

ItALY, GERMANY, &c. 30;

LETTER XXVI.

Rome, half an hour after 6 afternoon* Sunday, June 28, 1761.

X H I S morning there has been a great procefliori, which accompanied the tribute paid by the king of Naples to the pope. As I am in Rome I make ufe of this word, but Naples calls it only a free gift ; however it is a remnant of that feudal fyftem which the popes endeavoured to eftablim all over Europe, and had done fo in England, till Henry the eighth broke the vaffalage entered into by king John. The trifling annual in- come .was not their object, but the difpofing of the kingdom in cafe of diibbedience or vacancy. The money now to be paid by Naples, the fum of which I do not know, was placed upon a white horie> Or hackney (L'achinea,) which enters St. Peter's church, Vol. III. U and

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and is taught to kneel down before the pope* and preient him with his golden charge. This docile bead is attended by the high con- stable of Naples, an office now hereditary in the Colonna family, the prince of which, with a long fuite of cavalry and coaches, ap- pears on horfeback, dreffed out at all points, and with much pomp.

In parling by the Rotonda, the modern name of the building, called anciently the Pantheon, and which is now fanctified and become a church dedicated to the Virgin Mary and all faints, I read the following edict, prohibiting the ufe of the there men- tioned book. I tranflate it you, as it fhews the nature of thefe ecclefiaiiical profcrip- tions, and is I believe the fame which cardinal Paffionei was obliged to fign. He is, they fay, fomething better.

" Edict of condemnation and prohibition of " the Italian tranflation of the French origi-

" nal

Italy, germ Any, &c. 307

*' nal work, bearing this title, " Expofition *' de la doctrine Chrefienne, ou in ft ructions " fur les principals verites de la religion," *' in five volumes i

" Pope Clement the thirteenth, ad perpe- €6 iuam rci manor i am >

" Among the many detriments the catho- *' lie religion fuffers, the thoughts of which " afflict us day and night, none however, *' caufe us more grief, than to behold the <c deluge of pernicious books that are pub. *' limed, endangering the fafety of thofe " fouls* which have been redeemed by the " moft. precious blood of Chrift. Among " others, a work in French, infilled, " Expo- " fition de la doctrine Chretienne, &c." the " author unknown, did heretofore arrive to " our ears* We now are likewife informed " that notwithftanding the decree fulminated " by the congregation of the Index Expur- " gatorius againft this book, it has been U % " translated

LETTERS FROM

trariflated into Italian, and that many copies of it are diftributed about every where. All obedient fons of the church certainly know, that a translation of this fort does not free a work from the cenfure lanced againft it in the original, and that it is a fixed rule with the apoftolical fee, that an author once profcribed in one lan- guage, lies under the fame prohibition into whatever other it is tranflated, provided it has not been purged by the lawful authority of thofe to whom that office belongs. However, notwithftanding the foregoing tacit prohibition, yet the care of the fheep of the lord intruded to our humility, and the protection of the divine doctrines delegated to us from heaven, (for the prefervation of the purity of which we are flridlly accountable to ChrifT: our lord, and everlafting mepherd,) incite us not to be contented with the condemn nation already lanced, but oblige us to take (till farther care that our flock mould

" not

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 3°9

tc not be led aftray by the appearance of " piety, which this work exhibits, nor in- " feezed by the latent poifon of opinions «' already profcribed by the holy fee, fo as to ct wound their hands with the attendant *c thorns, while they think of gathering the f goodly rofe. We are the more confeious " that this our paternal care is neceffary, as " the aforefaid work is calculated for thofe " who are as vet unfkilled in their faith, and " ftill in want of the milk of inftru&ion, (i to ufe the words of the apoftle, fo that " not being able to diitinguim between good " and evil, they with a pious intention " might be led into errors. We ordered u therefore, this Italian tranflation of the " before mentioned original, CGnfliting in five " volumes, the firft intitled, an Expofition " of the Creed of the Catholic Faith, Naples " 1758, printed by Francis Simon with (l licenfe of fuperiors ; the fecond, an Expo- " fition of the Lord's Prayer ; the third, an " Expofition of the Ten Commandments, U 3 " printed

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''printed as before, but in the year 1759; *' the fourth, anExpofition ofthe Sacraments; " the fifth, an Expofition of the Command- *' ments of the Church, with a treatife ad- "joined, concerning juftiflcation, 1760, print- " as above, to be revifed bv our mailers of *e facred theology, chofen expeflly for the *' examination of the fame. And having *' received and heard their opinions, in the " general congregation holden before us the " 28 th day of May, of the current year, " together with the votes of our venerable " brethren the eminent cardinals inquifitors (i general deputed by the apoftolical fee " againft. the infection of herefy, and having 46 duly weighed their opinions, we do by our " apoftoHcal authority condemn, reject, and " prohibit, the above mentioned Italian tranf-? *4 lation, as containing propositions refpec* <c tively falfe, captious, jarring, fcandalous, " dangerous, fufpectful, ram, contrary to <e the apoftolical decrees and the practice of ** the church, and agreeable to proportions I "a

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 311

te already condemned and profcribed by that * church. And we likewife prohibit and " forbid, to all and every believer in Chriit, " under pain of excommunication, to be " ipfo fatto incurred by the difobedient, the *1 ufe of this book, viz, the keeping it by ** them, reading it, defcribing it, tranflating " it, printing it, &c. and this under what- " ever new title it may come out, or under " whatever pretence of being corrected, only " by the authority of private perfons, Willing " and ordering, by the fame apoflolical power, " that whoever mail have in their pofTefTioii •-' the before mentioned work, either in the u original or tranflation, mail deliver and " confign it upon the emanation of this H edict to the ordinaries of the refpective u places, or the inquifitors againft the infec- *c tion of herefy. And the faid ordinaries " and inquifitors mall fupprefs the copies of '.* the aforementioned books fo delivered to u them, that they may not fall into the u hands of others. And in order that this U 4 " our

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" our p referi t edicT; may be known to all, wo c< command our crier to publim it in the i( ufual places, and to leave copies of it hung c< up at the following doors, viz. of the " church of the prince of the apoftles (St# " Peter,) of the apoftolical chancery, and of " the court general of Monte Citorio, and M in the fcmare of the Campo di Fiore, ac- <l cording to cuftom. And this our edict is " to oblige all and every perfon equally as if " it had been intimated to them perfonally. •1 And the copies of it figned by proper au^ ,c thority mall have the fame force as the « edia itfelf.

" Given at Caftel Gandolfo in the diocefe W of Albano, under the pifcatorial ring, (or ring of St. Peter the fifherman,) the 14th " day of June 1761, in the third year of our ** pontificate.

" Cardinal Paffionei."

Mondays

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Monday, June 29, 1 1 at night.

THIS being St. Peter's day, I have been engaged in the pompous church ceremonies exhibited upon that occafion. But the heat and crowd rendered them difagreeable. I have been more pleafed with the illumina-s tion of the church, and the fire-works at Caftle St. Angelo, this and yefherday even- ing. The former reprefented the dome and front of that building all in fire, and the latter fent up to heaven fuch an explofion of rockets all at once, that I never beheld the Jike, and when they burft, the flaming air feemed torn by hundreds of thunderbolts. But thefe fights have tired me, and I will go to reft. This I do the more willingly, as I fhall be bufy tomorrow in preparations for my leaving this capital the day after.

LET"

*i4 LETTERS FROM

LETTER XXVII.

Loreto, Saturday, July 4, 8 o'clock morning.

A ARRIVED yefterday at this place, and fhall leave it tomorrow, fraying one day to fee the flying houfe. I flopped at Terni, the antient Interamna, to go to the famous cafcade, which took me up half a day, You muft afcend the top of a high mountain, from whence the river Nar precipitately gufhes down into the valley beneath. The beauty of the fpot, the foam, the rainbow which it makes, added to the roaring of the falling water, formed a fcene new and ro- mantic, I know not how many yards the river falls down, but it is from the top of a high hill. That evening we got no farther than Spoleto, a town fituated in the Apen- nines, the paflage through which is very

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 315

bad this way. The vale in which Spoleto is fituated, is watered by the Clitumnus, whofe meadows feem as rich as Virgil de* fcribes them,

Hinc albi, Clitumne, greges et maxima taurus

Vi&ima. Lib. ii, Georg, vers, 1461*

In the evening I walked out to fee an aque«* duel, juft beyond which is a very pretty wood, full of hermitages, and among the anchorets I found an Englishman. He was civil enough to infill: upon my flaying fupper, and I can amire you, I never fared better, in my life. Notwithstanding the venerable beards which wagged round the table, and their fandaled feet which befpoke penitence, we paffed a very lively evening. Yefterday I left Spoleto, and came liere without any thing remarkable,

I have juft had a book brought me of the WPnders of the holy houfe, which I am

ji6 LETTERS FROM

going to fee. My author tells me, it was anciently inhabited by the patriarchs, and fituated in the holy land. Let no perfon wonder at the duration of Roman cement, when this has lalted fo much longer. St. Joachim and St. Anne, the parents of the Virgin Mary, at length came into poffefiion of it, and it was there fhe was born. It was there, likewife, that the angel appeared, and hailed her. It was there that me con^ ceived by the Holy Ghoit. Upon account of the many facred works performed under its roof, the apoftles converted it into a church, to which many great men reforted, and rivalled each other in making prefents. But the holy land falling under the hands of the Saracens, the fervants of Chrifr. were hindered from making their pilgrimages there as ufual. God, unwilling that the houfe in which our Saviour was conceived fhould become a prey to Mahometan vio- lence, ordered his angels to tranfport it into Dalmatia. The bleffed angels obeyed

the

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 317

the omnipotent command. At midnight, between the 9th and 10th of May, 1291, they bore it upon the wing to a little place called Terfatto. Here it remained for above three years, but the Almighty, not liking the fpot, ordered the holy building again to be removed to a thick wood, near Loreto. The trees bent down to earth in honor of its arrival, and remained many years in that proftrate condition, till the covetous pro- prietor of the land cut them down to fell the timber. As a band of robbers infefted this place, the Lord harkened to the de- fires of the faithful, and caufed it a third time to be traniported into Loreto itfelf, where it has ever fince remained ftationary.

10 o'clock at night.

I have feen all the wonders of this holy place. I firft vilited the church, built over thd fleeting houfe of Nazareth, which

can

3i8 LETTERS FROM

can not again efcape without carrying off the roof* I believe it is large, but looks fmaller by the middle of its area being occupied by the miraculous houfe. Round it were a number of women in a firing, moving upon their knees. This walking upon their flumps is, I fuppofe, enjoined them for a penance, and it has been fo often exercifed, that a groove is worn in the ftones. One of the flaves who feized the Turkim veffel, would not cut off his beard till he had fwept the Virgin Mary's houfe with it. Many other things of this kind are performed, but I left the wriggling penitents, and entered the building. The nrfl idea which ffruck me, was the fmallnefs of it ; and I do not fee how the Virgin Mary and her parents could live in two divifions, where I could hardly flir. The nrfl: was called that of the Santo Cammino, where there was a fort of oven, which I fuppofe is understood by the name to have been the chimney of the family. A porringer was fhewn us,

confe-

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 319

confecrated, I believe, by the Virgin's having eat her foupe out of it* On the left hand was faid to be the window, through which the angel Gabriel entered, but it appeared fo fmall, that a fpiritual being certainly could not enter it cloathed in a human fhape. The other divifion was principally occupied by an image of the Virgin Mary, cloathed with the moll tranfeendent finery, and blazing with all manner of the richefr. jewels. But what furprized me was, to fee her face as black as ebony, nor do I know why they have changed her countenance to that of a negro. The fculptor had certainly very different ideas from thofe which gave birth to the beautiful Madonnas of Titian, Ra- phael and Guido. If we were in Angola* it might, perhaps, be politic to flatter the Africans, with the mother of our Redeemer having been of their colour ; but I do not fee the reafon for this metamorphofis in Europe. After having gazed for fome time, with aftonilhment, at the blacknefs of the

figure,

3zo LETTERS FROM

figure, I adjourned to the treafury, where my eye was feafted with every thing that can be rich and coftly, in gold, filver, and jewels. As there were many female orna- ments, I prefumed they might be given in penance to the Virgin Mary, by contrite ladies, who, to expiate their freedoms, facriflced what gave luftre to their charms. At length, dazzled with the immenfe riches, if all real, of the place^ I went to fee other lefs brilliant objects, and even defcended into the cellar, where there is a prodigious tun belonging to the convent, fix times larger than any tun that was ever yet beheld upon the face of the earth, except at Heidelburg, and this tun is ycleped the Virgin Mary's tun, and the faithful in the Lord drink thereof. Tomorrow I continue my journey towards Bibbiena.

LET-

Italy, Germany, &c. in

LETTER XXVIIL

Cefcna, Tuesday, July 7, 1761. 7 o'clock in the evening.

X GOT to this place on Sunday, where I have ftaid ever fince, but (hall leave it to- morrow. From Loreto I came to Ancona, a fea-port of the pope's, upon the Adriatic. It is placed upon a rock that juts out into the fe'a, and feems a town of good trade. But commerce is not encouraged in the papal territories. The cattle looks as if it might be rendered tolerably ftrong, if his holinefs did not depend upon other forces than the military. There is likewife a very handfome lazaretto for performing quaran- tine. 1 ftaid however but a little time, when I continued my journey along a moil beautiful country, fituated dole by the fea fide, whofe then pacific waves often wafhed Vol. III. X our

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our right-hand wheels. We patted the towns of Sinigaglia, Fano, Pefaro, and Ri- mini, and then we left the fea a little to enter the rich plain of Romagna, where a fine road fhortly brought us to this city, after paffing the Rubicon with lefs delibe- ration than Julius Caefar did. Upon my arrival I went to the inn, but had not been there above half an hour, before a man came from a friar, of the order of the pious fchools, to whom I had a letter, and who was to provide me horfes to Bibbiena, and take care of my chaife till my return to Cefena. Fa- ther Angelo and his companion father Anto- nio, foon made me a viiit, which this mef- fage was to announce. They feem both very good fort of people. They would have had me gone, almoft by force, that night^to their ha- bitation, and taken up my quarters there. I excufed myfelf, though with difficulty. I then tried to make them ft ay fupper, but being friars, they did not care to remain out fo late in an inn. Indeed while friars, are in

convents,

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convents, in Rome particularly, they can not fray out later than fun-fet, but thefe two, father Angelo and father Antonio, only live in a houfe belonging to the pious fchools, to take care of the affairs of that order. The affairs of the order in Cefena confifl in the management of their farms and other porTeffions. The fruits of thefe they fend to Rome, to the college of Naza- reth, .the principal of their inftitution in that city. But though I excufed myfelf for the night, they were fo importunate that I could not refufe exchanging my inn for their habitation in the morning, and here I am at prefent writing this letter. The room is folidly, not elegantly furnifhed. Fronting my window is the view of a dil- mantled fortrefs, which in ancient times might have been ilrong, but fmce arms in this country have given place to religion, has been abandoned, and is in fome parts falling into ruins. The country about Ce- fena is very pretty, a rich foil, interfperfed

X 2 with

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with agreeable little hills. 1 have been recei* ved by my two hofts with the utmoft civility, and that open-politenefs which pleafes. After breakfaft, yefterday, we went out to fee what was moil: particular in the town. We went to fee the library of manufcripts of fome Francifcan friers. After that we pro- ceeded to a good houfe, belonging to fome perfon or other that had a fervant who had been in England ; and laftly, we went to fee the cathedral. Upon our return dinner was ready, a good, but plain repaft. When it was finiihed I took a walk, and vifited the mother of a gentleman I knew at Rome, where wre had fome mufic, but the vocal part of it was greatly fpoilt, by the accent of the inhabitants of this pro- vince. It is a moll: wrretched dialect which they fpeak here, and at Bologna. They have got fuch a manner of lopping off the vowels, that they make the Italian language as rough as the Morifco,

Bib-

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. ii^

Eibbiena, 9 o'clock in the morning, Friday, July 10, 1 781.

I arrived here lafl night, but very late and tired, being obliged to come quite on horfeback through the horrid mountains I have paffed. I fet out from Cefena about fun-rife the day before yeiterday. We con- tinued our journey very agreeably through a fertile country for {even miles, when a little inn offering itfelf to our view, the men on foot, who took care of our horfes, ex- prefTed their defire of drinking a little. We flayed, however, but a fhort time, as the men found the wine bad, and the proviiions worfe, and proceeded in the fame li^anner and order as we had fet out from Cefena. It was as follows. Firfl of all marched the fumpter horfe, attended by a man on foot. Next came my perfon, feated on a dark bay courfer. Not one of thofe, however, foaled from mares impregnated by the X 3 winds.

3i6 LETTERS FROM

winds. By his fide walked his matter to take care of him and me in dangerous pafTes, of which we were to expect many as foon as

■ ■ ■ ■ thofe imperious cliffs, Whofe haughty fummits Italy divide, And to a thoufand provinces extend Their fhaggy fides and far-commanding front Of mountains the fupreme ■ ■

difcovered themfelves to our view.

The foregoing are fome lines of an Italian poet upon the Apennines. The original is as follows.

Re degli altri fuperbo altero Monte Ch' Italia tutta imperiofa parte, E per mille contrade e pLu comparte Le fpdle, il rianco, e l'una e l'altra fronte.

The rear was brought up by my fervarit.

Our caravan was now arrived to a river called Burdello, where, as the mountains began, the roads began likewife to grow

bad.

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 327

bad. And, indeed, we took the worfl: road of all, for there was one pretty good, but Domenico, the matter of the horfes, for fhortnefs, had made us take the former. It was not only the worfl for the horfes, but there were no accommodations for us. Upon feeing the place where we were to bait at dinner time, I thought myfelf re- turned into Spain, As there was no inn, I fat myfelf down upon the grafs, under the made of a fp reading ever-green oak. But I had not remained there long before a venerable prieft came to me, and deiired me to walk into his habitation, which was near. After fome compliments, I complied with his requeft. His houfe was but in- different, however, you might fit down in it, and were covered from the fun. He furnifhed us too with fome wine, not very good, but which was counterbalanced by fome excellent cherries. The reft of our dinner was what we had with us, which were

X 4 fome

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fome fowls, cheefe and bread, that the good friars at Cefena had furnifhed us withal.

During our dinner in the priefVs or curate's houfe, we were entertained with the converfation of the under curate, wrho ferved us at table while his principal retired. In this miferable place no ceremonies were to be made. We all fat down to eat toge- ther at the fame board. In the mean time the under curate talked of the prodigious learning and knowledge of his mafter, whom he called the arch-prieft. This was a word he feemed mightily to like, as he was bring- ing it out every moment. The arch-prieft does this, and the arch-prieft does that, and every doubt he had was determined by the arch-prieft's having faid thus or thus. " Pray what o'clock is it ?" "Oh lord ! fir, we " have no clocks among thefe mountains, but " the arch-prieft fays, " that when the fun *' gets to the beginning of that door, it is " mid-day." "Pray how many miles is it to

" San

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 329

& San Piero in Bagno ?" " Upon my word, fir, " I can not tell exactly, for I have never been " that road, but I think I have heard the arch- " prieft fay, that it is about feventeen." In fhort, fomehow or other, the word arch-prieft. came out at every fentence. In the mean time the arch-prieft I believe was gone to deep, for I faw nothing of him. This arch- prieft, in our language, is the parfon of the parifh, who takes ecclefiaftical care of all the fcattered inhabitants about thefe rocks. His bufinefs is to fay mafs for them, vifit them when fick, &c. After our Spanifh fort of repaft was finifhed in the arch-prieiVs houfe, I went out and extended myfeif under the venerable oak, that I had intended mould have afforded made during my dinner, if the arch-prieft had not invited me within his walls. As the fpot where we then were was very high I had a diftant view of the Adria- tic fea, tho' a great many miles from us. Between me and the Adriatic firft of all lay fome barren hills that I had pafl'ed, in an

opening

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opening between which I difcovered the rich vale in which Cefena is fituated, and beyond that the fea. But my eyes did not remain Jong open to enjoy this profpecT. Every thing feemed calculated to lull me to reft, whilil

I yenticelii dibattendo 1' ali Lufingavaiio il fonno de' mortali*

Anglice, " Whilii the zephirs fanning the air with fc their wdngs, foothed the repofe of mor- " tals."

In ihort I flept for an hour and a half under the made of this oak, with a gentle wind breathing in my face. When I waked a lizard was crawling upon my legs, and a, little ferpent was about a foot from my head. I flarted up, as you may imagine, but there was no occafion for any fear, as neither the one nor the other of thefe little animals are poifonous. Indeed I have heard fay, that

lizards.

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 331

lizards when they grow to be very big have fome poifon in them. But little ferpents, you know, are quite innocent animals. Not fo vipers. After having bid adieu to my verdant bed, I returned into the arch-prieft's houfe, where I gave him a little prefent for the wine and cherries he had furniihed me with. Upon receiving the money he preach- ed me a ferrnon, upon the great trouble and little gain of being curate among thefe moun- tains. " Some of the houfes," fays he, " un- " der my care are above five or fix miles off. f ' You may think how difagreeable it is riding " about to them in the winter time, when M you can not fee your way for fnow. And " the country people when they are a little ft indifpofed fend for me as regularly as if I ie was a phyfician. You know I can not " deny going and adminiftring holy confola- " tion to them.'* In fhort he ran on a great deal jn this manner, and might have gone on fo for ever, if the horfes being ready had not called me away2 and made me take leave of

the

§32 LETTERS FROM

the loquacious arch prieft. Our little cara- van then fet forward for San Piero in Bagno. Nothing happened to us very particular till our arrival there, when we found all the in- habitants under tents in fields, having been frightened with an earthquake. Tho' it was near a month mice they had the laft fhock, their apprehenlions continued this paftoral life, and I pafTed the evening" with my friends in a new and not difagreeable manner. I flept, however, in their houfe at night, in fpight of the initability of the earth, and, tired with my journey, flept as found as if nothing could move her foundations. In fact they remained ftable, as the tumults underneath her fur face are fublided. They had, however, one or two itrong (hocks and frequent little ones. But no great hurt has been done. Two or three houfe s only were damaged, and the roof of one fallen in. The next day after dinner my entertainer accompanied me upon a little mule, about a couple of miles from San Piero in Bagno, i to

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 353

to fet me forward upon my journey. We paffed through the town of Bagno, which is a mile from San Piero, and from the neigh- bourhood of which San Piero is called San Piero in Bagno, to diftinguiih it from many other towns of the fame name. We took leave of each other at the foot of a very great mountain, which muft be paffed to get over from the province of Romagna into that of Cafentino. This, antiquarians fay, was the mountain in pafling which Hannibal loft his eye, by the extremity of the cold.

Ditto, 9 o'clock at night.

M Y landlord, who is a phyfician, and my- felf took a ride out this afternoon. I was forced to hire a horfe, tho' I bought one, the fate of which I will tell you in my next. We went to two countrymens' houfes, where there were two fick perfons, that he was to vifit. The one was a man, and the

other

534 LETTERS FROM

other a woman* and they were both ill with fevers. I have great pleafure in feeing the behaviour of thefe nifties when a phyhcian comes. They feem to think him a divinity* or at leaft fomething more than mortah And then they are fo inquiiitive about every little particular, as, whether their broth is to be drunk in the morning at nine o'clock* or at nine and a quarter, and a thoufand queflions of this nature. The country views of the Cafentino are molt delightful at pre- fent. All nature fmiles. But let us attend her frowns a little upon the top of the alp of Bagno, for fo is the mountain called, which divides Romagna from Cafentino, that being the neareft town to the foot of it. I believe we were full two hours in getting to the top. Contrary to moft mountains, its fides are bare, and the fummit covered with trees, with fine tall firs. Upon our arrival at the pinnacle the province of Cafentino lay expofed to our view, and a great def- cent to get down to it. The fun was now

nearly

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 335

nearly fett'mg, which difpleafed us, as we had much bad road to pais. When we came to the bottom of the defcent we en- tered the river Corfalone. This word en- tered is to be taken in its literal fenfe, for fix miles had we to go in the bed of the river. No better road leads through thofe craggy precipices which rofe on each fide of me, while I threaded the opening made by the torrent. Its bed is extremely large, with very little water in it in the fummer time, but being full of great ftones, borne by win- ter floods, is dangerous at night, as you can not then difcern the little path which guides you through the midft of them. We had however the moon in her firfl quarter to affift us. But notwithstanding the glimmer of her light we proceeded very (lowly and badly till we emerged from the river, when about an hour's ride brought us to Bibbiena, but not till twelve o'clock at night.

LET-

336 LETTERS FROM

LETTER XXIX.

Bibbiena, 20 minutes after u, morning^ Wednefday, July 15, 1761.

IWILL now tell you the fate of the horfe that was bought for me. My landlord had perfuaded me to this, as being cheaper than hiring. I wrote him word to do as he thought befr, and he purchafed me a fine looking bay ftone- horfe. The man that owned it faidj it had belonged to the manage at Siena, but that being old, he mould be glad to get rid of it at a fmall price. This feemed a very pro- per opportunity, as I only wanted a horfe for a couple of months. My friend began the treaty, and at lafl the horfe was delivered over to him for the fum of eight zecchins, (four pounds) and he brought him in triumph to his ftable in Florence, thinking he had made the belt, bargain in the world. The

horfe

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. J37

horfe looked fo well by his defcription that his appearance alone would have made me fufpect fomething. At length my friend mounted him upon the firfl of July, to ride him up here to Bibbiena, where he knew I was to appear in two or three days. Grillo, for that is my horfe' s name^ fet out with the fineft grand pas imaginable. The people in the ftreets flopped as he paffedj and made ejaculations upon the beauty of the fteed. In this glorious manner did my friend pro- ceed j till he got to P'onte a Sieve, a town about ten miles from Florence.. A little before he entered it, he thought Grillo ftumbledi He pulled up the bridle to check him, but the horfe ftili continued rolling forwards, and at laft he came quite down. Not content with being upon his knees, he turned immediately upon one fide, and re- pofed the whole weight of his body upon his rider's leg, who had not been expeditious enough to difmount upon the horie's firft coming headlong to the ground. The pride Vol. Ill, ' . Y of

338 LETTERS FROM

of my friend was thus humbled in the duff. But what he was reflecting upon at prefent more than the recovery of his loft honors, was how to extricate his leg from under the fallen horfe. He thought the beft way was to lift up his whip a little, and make him get up by a ftroke or two. He did fo, but notwithftanding he gave him two or three fmart cuts, the poor animal did not ftir. This, as you may imagine, furprized him. He repeated and reinforced his flogs, but Grillo remained equally infenfible. At laft he thought it beff. to pull out his leg him- felf from under the horfe. He did fo with much difficulty, and to the no fmall damage of his foot, which is not well yet. How- ever, I hope the fprain he complains of will be nothing of confequence. He was no fooner delivered from durance than he began to contemplate Grillo- He lay extended upon the ground void of motion, except what a fort of convulfive catch from time to time communicated to his legs and body.

From

ITALY, GERMANY, Sec: 339

From his mouth proceeded a quantity of foam* In the mean time the people of the town, informed of the accident, began to fwarm about the dying fteed, and among others, the principal farrier of the place. All agreed that the horfe Could not live, and that it was better to finim his pain by knocking him upon the head. The farrier's lad was ordered to bring the fatal club. The club, or rather mallet, was produced, which had already in the butcher's mop pro- ved definitive to many oxen. The hand was already raifed that was to end Grille's life, when the poor beafl, as if endued with reafon, opened his eyes, lifted up his head, and flared his executioner in the face. This phenomenon fufpended the blow. In the mean time Grillo having gazed a little upon the country around him, got up. The peo* pie gave a mout as if he had rifen from the dead. The farrier now began to iniinuate to my friend, that he thought his art might entirely reflore the beaft. Accordingly lie Y 2 was

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was conducted to his liable. You may ima- gine there was fome difficulty in getting him there, for tho' rifen upon his legs, he was not fo firm upon them, but he fell down every minute. However, by patience and ftrength of men, and good and bad ufage, they got him at laft into the farrier's horfe- hofpital. In the mean time my landlord went to fee an acquaintance of his, with whom he had always intended to have paffed the night, even if this accident had not happened. In the morning he hired a mule and continued his journey to Bibbiena, leav- ing Grillo in the hands of the farrier, who was proceeding with fire and Heel againft. the diforder. At the Confuma, an inn in his way, he wrote a note to the farrier, direct- ing him how he thought it beft for him to proceed with regard to the horfe. This note in a few days brought him the following anfwer to Bibbiena. The pompoufnefs of the farrier perhaps will make you laugh, and he feems to treat my friend, upon ac- count

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 341

*

count of his being a phyfician, as his bro- ther doctor.

" Ponte a Sieve, July 5, 1761,. u Molt illuftrious and excellent Sir,

f< I received the note you was fo good *6 to write to- me upon the road. The fignor *' Potefla (the mayor or head of little towns) " has received likewife that you wrote to " him. Your moft wife opinion and deter- " mination has the greatefl weight with me. " I have the InVhefr. efteem for it, as I am u thoroughly fatisfied of the great practice " and experience you have. I know you have " fludied much more than myfelf the art of <c curing all infirmities. However, as I do " not know whether your moft excellent " fignorfhip has pra&ifed farriery fo much as " myfelf, I trouble you with this to acquaint c< you, that his great age can not have been " the caufe of your horfe's illnefs, or elfe tc he would not have been fo ftrong as we W have feen him in, refilling the attacks of

Y 3 " his

.542 LETTERS FROM

" his diforder. And, for the firft two days, a thefe attacks came upon him almofl every *' half hour, with vacillation and giddinefs " in his head, fo that he ufed to fall all on " a fudden down upon the ground, feized 'f with tremblings, and incredible agitations " and convuliive ftruggles. I will now " briefly defcribe to you what our moll: cele- " brated authors fay upon this matter. And " in thefe attacks of apoplexy and falling " iicknefs, which they certainly are, they " ate all unanimous in the iymptoms and *e caules, as alio in the regimen to be fol- " lowed. Now thefe before-mentioned au- *' thors, which are Vegetio, Ruini, and ■* Colombre, make no diflinclion between " the two above-cited dilbrders, except that <4 the horfe in the apoplexy, after having " fallen down fuddenly, does not foam at the *' mouth, and lies as immoveable upon the " earth as if he were dead ; but in the falling ** ficknefs, or epilepfy, he ftruggles and emits Y 4 " bava

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 343

" bava inftead of foam, and till the vicious " matter, charging his head, abandons that " poft, the animal remains opprefTed. The " before-mentioned authors tell us, that " this diforder is caufed by humours formed t( in the- head, between the ikull and the " dura mater of the brain, occupying fome- " times all the concavities and membranes l( there found. Now thefe humours are of a " phlegmatic and melancholy nature, whe- " ther liquid, or confolidated, or ventofe, " and which the animal, upon account of the " frigidnefs of the cerebrum, can not, by " natural means, drive away or confume ; •' and thefe, by their motion, confine the <f animal fpirits, and aggravating the cellules " of the animal virtue, caufe the fudden " falling of the beaft, who lies extended *' upon the earth, more or lefs opprefled by " the fit, till they are removed. But thefe " being repelled, the animal rifes up again '* upon his legs, fuppofing, however, he <c has not been too much ftunned by the

Y 4 " blow

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blows received in the paroxyfm. The remedy of fire is the laft made life of by the before-mentioned authors, but as I have experienced that it is the moft fpeedy and refolute remedy to allay the volatility of thefe fpirits, I can not bring myfelf voluntarily to protract, by not applying it^ a diiorder which every moment may caufe death to the beait. What I do in this cafe, is as follows. I burn various caute- ries, and then rub his head often with hot and ftrong vinegar (oh ! poor Grillo). Every day I give him a clyfter for his affiitance, in order that new humours may not mount into his head, and I anoint the wounds, made by the fire, with ftrong oil, as well as his head likewife. With regard to his interior, I have pro- vided the following compound medicine, to be drank by him, viz. (Then follow a number of hard names of roots, and herbs, mixed up with honey, which I will not inc umber my paper with giving at length.)

" This

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 34S

'■ This receipt I intend he iriall take every f other morning farting. I have already " given it him twice. I keep the bit of a " bridle, morning and evening, in his " mouth, in order, by foam, to remove the " humours from his head, and I always " keep fome oriental pilatrum tied about it, " which makes him purge at the mouth f* better. I drefs his bruifes with cleaned " hog's lard, and twice a day I cleanfe his " cauteries, which have rendered him much <f more capable of moving than he was, and " I mould hope, before the week is out, " that I mall make him able to return " home at leafr. in two days. With regard " to his diet, every day, morning and even- " U1g> I giye mm a quartern of bran and " two of oats, (according to Italian mea- fures,) which I moiften with honey-water, " and mix with frefh good grafs. You ,c may be affured that I make ufe of my befl <c endeavours to do fervice to your mofr. *' illuftrious and excellent lignorfhip, and

" myfelf

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" myfelf honor in the cure, not failing, -"as I have before explained to you, to di- " vert and fubtilize the peccant humours by ie internal and external remedies. This be- " ing all and every thing that I have to fay <l to your moft illuftrious and excellent fig- u norfliip, and impatient of being honored tf with your moft efteemed commands, I 6( declare myfelf

" Your moft humble and " obliged fervant, u John Francis Capretti. *'

LET-

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 347

LETTER XXX,

Bibbiena, half after 8 o'clock, evening, Monday, July 20, 1761.

U N Saturday laft, taking a ride upon the road towards Florence, I met my poor refufcitated horfe Grillo, conducted by a lad on foot, who had a letter from the farrier, in which he thanked God and St. Anthony for having been able to fend home the poor animal entirely cured. But notwithftanding his expreffions, fure never was fuch a bloody fpedtacle feen. The remedy of fire had been ufed with unmerciful prodigality, and the unhappy creature was fcarified from head to foot. Nor could he, without difficulty, keep upon his legs. He reeled as if he was drunk, I thought the man that accom- panied him would never have been able to get him up the hill before you enter Bib- biena.

34S LETTERS FROM

biena. But his flow pace tired our patience, and we rode on. Notwithftanding the place where we left poor Grillo was not above a mile from Bibbiena, I believe we got home near two hours before he arrived. We were afraid another fit of his falling ficknefs had feized him upon the road, efpecially as there was the hill to mount. He at laft however appeared, _ but fo weak, that the whole vil- lage came out to fee him as a curiofity. He then trailed himfelf into the ftable, out of which I thought he would never come again, as he was attacked various times with his fits. He ufed to fall down upon the ground, and beat himfelf about the ftable in a terrible manner. In fhort, affairs grew fo bad, that we thought it beft to order him to be killed. My friend's wife, however, by her intreaties faved him from that fentence, and we have fent him down to one of his farms, where he will live, at little or no expence, till nature deprives him of his mi- ferable exiflence.

I have

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 349

I have been this evening to bathe in the Arno, but notwithftanding the many rivers which furround this place, there is none of them very well adapted to the purpofe* The water in them all is at prefent too mal- low. Returning by a retired part of the river, we faw fome nymphs performing the fame office, but haftily retired, mindful of the fate of Acteon. I have, inftead of infult- ing them in their ablutions, fet up a little weekly afiembly for their divernon. Four fidlers have made us dance every thing that was danceable, and the ruftic whirls of the Trefcone, have been traced by Britifh feet'. The juice of various fruits is given them congealed by fnow, brought from the mountain of the Alverna. The reverend fathers, who dwell upon the fummit, give it gratis to thofe who will be at the ex- pence of fetching it. Sebaftian mixes it with fait, whofe nitrous quality coagulates the liquor in the veffel, which is turned about in it. I fhall foon have a refpeclable

perfonage

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perfonage to partake of my frigid colla- tion, for the the bifhop of Sammimato is expected, and I flatter myfelf that venerable prelate will honor me with his prefence.

Bibbiena, one o'clock, afternoon. Tuefday, July 21, 1761.

I have been vilited, this morning, by a curious inhabitant of the village. This gen- tleman came into my room with a grave face, and told me he had a favor to beg of me. I defired him to fit down and name what I could do to be of fervice to him* Sir, fays he, you are a learned gentleman, and I am come to inform myfelf of a piece of literature. I promifed him, that if I was capable of anfwering his queftion, I would do it to the befl of my knowledge. Pray, fir, fays he, with gravity, can you tell me the real value, in our money, of the antient Roman As ? I was furprifed to hear fuch a

query

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 351

query proceed from a ruftic's mouth, for my viiitor was little better. I affured him however of my ignorance in all forts of an- tiquarian knowledge. I told him, if he had a mind to know the modern money of Rome, I could tell him that exactly, fome having paffed through my hands ; but that for the ancient, as it was not current cafh, I had not fo jttft an idea of its value. In fhort, I faid fo much, that I believe the good gen- tleman thought the demand he had made rather out of the way, and turned the fub- jec"t. A little time after, my landlord en- tered the room, with his fword, cane, and hat, and told me it was late. This broad hint drove away my ruftic antiquarian, and we all three fallied out of the houfe to- gether, he taking the road home, and we that to the Prepofitura, or habitation of the propofto, who is the bimop's vicar. We are in the diocefe of Arezzo I think. Our vifit here was like other vifits, as well as the reft we made, fo that I will 1 not

352 LETTERS FROM

not trouble you with them. In the laft

I had the pleafure of feeing part of the

operation of extracting filk from the filk* worms webi

LET-

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 3$$

LETTER XXXI.

Monday, half after ten at night* July 27, 1761.

1 HIS evening I have been fwimming* as there was no horfe to be had. My landlord is not yet got well from his lame- nefs. But what do you think, Grillo, my horfe, that was given over as a loft fheep, and fent down to a farm to graze and decay, as a milder death than that caufed by the explofion of powder, this fame given-over Grillo is returned quite to life ? Standing about an hour ago at the ftreet door, I faw the groom trotting a horfe towards us that feemed to have much fpirit. I would not believe for a long time it was the poor weak creature I had met with upon the road to Florence a little above a week before. How- ever, let him go ever fo well, I am fure I Vol. III. Z will

554 LETTERS FROM

will never get upon Lis back, for what do 1 know but his vertigo may feize him again upon the brink of fome of the precipices^ with which this country fo abounds. How- ever, if we can get his bruifes to appear well enough to fell at fbme fair or other, that is all we want. Cheating in horfe-flefh is no more a crime here than with us in Eng- land. Not that I could have impudence enough to declare Grillo was found. But that I leave to the care of my landlord and his fervants.

9 o'clock at night.

I was interrupted by the appearance of a Neapolitan. This perfonage called himfelf a poet, and defired us to let him fing fome extemporary ftanzas in commendation of our honors. We confented, and accord- ingly, his guitarre being brought and tuned, lie began to ling to it my praifes. You may imagine the French were humbled, beat,

and

Italy, Germany, &c. 35$

and annihilated in his verfes. From hence his hobbling mufe turned to my landlord, and talked much about Hippocrates and Galen. He then glanced to the ladies, and made flourifhes about lovely eyes, fires* flames and darts. This diverfion of extem- porary verfes is what is very common in Italy, in Tufcany particularly. Indeed, there are fome of the people, who make a profeilion of this art, that are furpriiing in their readinefs at rhyming* However, thefe Gothic jingles are much more plentiful in the Italian language than in the Englifh. The extemporary /pouters affifr. themfelves, I imagine, by a fort of common-place poetry, which they take care to have in their head. For example, if they fpeak to an Englifh- man, they have a fet of lines ready for that nation ; the fame if they addrefs themfelves to a Frenchman. They have others for phyficians, lawyers, officers, and fo on : but our Neapolitan was not one of thefe

Z 2 excellent

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excellent extemporarians. He made the queer- ell: confufion of every thing imaginable. However, he ferved to railea laugh for about half an hour, and that was enough.

LET-

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 357

LETTER XXXII.

Bibbiena, half after 5 in the evening, Sunday, Auguft 2, 1761.

JL WENT this morning to make my vifi£ to Monfignor the bifhop of Samminiato, who did not arrive till the day before yefter- day. He received me with great politenefs and affability. There were a number of people at his levee; for in this little place he makes the appearance of a great man. I ftai; ' with him about the fpace of arf hour. The converiation ran upon theatrical per- formances. The prelate did not feem at all to agree with us in our not obferving the Unity of time and place, much lefs in our killing upon the ftage. He talked the ufual language upon this fubjecl:. Mentioned Horace and Ariftotle, and other authors that fpeak againfl thofe freedorn^ a? defects.

Z 3 All

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All that I could fay in defence of them was* that tho' certainly our dramatic componYions contradicted the eftablifhed rules of antiquity, yet the liberty we took in them gave us an opportunity of introducing many beauties, of which their confined method of writing was not capable. That I did not fee why we were to be bound down to the maxims of the ancients, except as far as thofe max- ims were comformable to reafon and nature. That there feemed to me nothing contra- dictory to reafon in the perfonages of a play moving from one fpot to another, or in the time of the action's taking up the fpace of two or three days. I did not deny, however, that fome of our authors might abufe this privilege, and particularly Shakefpeare, but that the great beauty of his poetry made ample amends for the incorrectnefs of his pieces. With regard to killing upon the flage, I confeiTed tliat our tragic authors loved blood, and that, perhaps, we too often introduced fcenes of murder upon the theatre,

How*

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. ZS9

However, that as our actors were ufed to thefe kinds of reprefentations, they died with a much better grace, and more naturally than any Italian could poffibly do. Thus I defended our party againfr. the bifliop as well as I could. We talked befides of many other things, till at laft ourconverfation glan- ced to natural hiftory. We here wondered at the prodigious number of (hells found every where almoft among the mountains in Italy. It is really furprifmg how they fhould come there, and fome of them many feet under the furface of the earth. Indeed, I believe many of thefe natural curioiities are to be found with us in England, but not in fuch quantities. They feem a proof that the furface of the earth muft have undergone

o

fome coniiderable changes. ■ Nor does the Mofaical account of the deluge explain thefe phenomena. It might have left fhells upon the furface of the earth, but it could never, I mould think, have buried them in the depth of mines. No reafonable folution Z 4 has

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has yet been given of this wonderful quan- tity of marine fubftances found in the bowels of the earth, and it feems one of thofe fecrets which the Author of nature has chofen to hide from the inquiiltive. re- fearches of men. After this difquiiition the converfation rolled upon the government of England, which was commended.

L E

T»

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 361

LETTER XXXIII.

Bibbiena, a quarter after 9, morning, Sunday, Auguft 9, 1761.

Si

G N O R Andrea, my landlord's brother,

has been to make me a viiit this morning. During the time of his ftay with me we had a furious ftorm of thunder, lightning, wind, and hail, the latter fo big, that I believe it will do much damage to the vines and the young grapes upon them. It broke the windows on the other fide of the houfe. The people even fhrieked to fee their beloved vineyards a prey to the angry elements, and they fay if only one grape is bruifed by the hail the nitrous quality of it deftroys the whole branch. But the wine here is in great abundance with no vent, which renders it lefs valuable. Our converfation in the mean £*mie turned upon the political and juridical

regulations

$6i LETTERS FROM

regulations of Tufcany. We talked about the fucceffion to eftates of perfons dying in- teflate. Amongft us the elder brother has all, here it is divided equally among them. Certainly with regard to equity the Tufcans furpafs us. It is undoubtedly unjnlt becaufe you are born a year after your elder brother, that he is to have every thing, and you be almofl: a beggar. But if we are to conlider which is of moll: ufe to the commonwealth, I think without doubt it is our method. The eldefl brother, by having the greateft. part of the fortune, is able to keep up the family with dignity and fplendor. Thofe who have had the ill luck to come later into the world are obliged to follow fome profef- fion, and confequently, be of ufe to tbe community. But here, by the eftates being divided between five or fix brothers, they have all enough to live idly upon, and nei- ther of them fufficient to make a figure. This is, without doubt, thecaufe of fee- ing fo many poor infignificant noblemen in z Italy,

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 363

Italy, and their titles as well as their eftates are common. However in iome families they have a majorafco eflablifhed, or a portion of the eftate fettled upon the eldefl fon, which reduces things a little to our plan. This is the cafe in my landlord's family, and they have an odd way of making the entail. His anceftors gave the property, fo intended to b tied down, to the order of St. Stephen, a Tuican order of knights inftituted by the grand dukes. JLike all others of the kind in Italy it has certain benefices or commendas dependent upon it. Thefe are in the gift of the head of the order, which is the grand duke, who, you know, is at prefent the em- peror of Germany. Now lands are given to thefe orders in truft. for the eldefl male chil- dren of a family, by which the order gets the right of patronage, and the fucceflive povTeflbrs have the privilege of hanging St. Stephen's crqfs upon a bit of ribband to their button-hole. But this my landlord can not $year, for the nrofemon of phytic is a degra- dation

5^4 LETTERS FROM

elation from knighthood, as this country ex- cludes both medicine and jurifprudence from the lift of honorable profeffions. And yet my landlord's uncle was physician to Don Carlos the prefent king of Spain, when he fell ill of the fmall pox at Leghorne, upon his fir ft landing in Italy, as heir to John Gaftone the then grand duke. What a change has Tufcany undergone fince then, and who would have believed that it was ever to pafs under the power of the Ger- mans ? Don Carlos, the fecond fon of Phi- lip the fifth, comes into Tufcany to fuc- ceed John Gaftone, who had no ifiue. He and his attendant Spanim troops are received almoft as mafters, even while the old grand duke lived. In the mean time the kingdoms of Naples and Sicily are conquered from the Auftrians. Don Carlos goes there to reign, and at the making up a peace the Spaniards entirely give up Tufcany to the emperor, who in return cedes Lorraine, all he then had, to France in reverfion, after the death

Of

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 365

of Staniflaus, titular king of Poland, and father-in-law to Lewis the fifteenth. The queen of Hungary likewife gave up her pre- tentions to the kingdom of the two Sicilies, with this provifb however, that if ever Don Carlos came to reign in Spain, his brother the duke of Parma ihould fucceed to Naples, and the prefent ftates of the infant Don Phi- lip be given up to the queen . Don Carlos is at prefent upon the throne of Spain, but his fon, not his brother, is king of Naples, and the dutchies of Parma and Placentia are ftill in the pofleffion of the infant. His catholic majefty thought his fon nearer than his brother, and both much more connected with him than the houfe of Auftria. He may attribute, I believe, the quiet palling of thefe affairs to the king of Pruffia, whofe arms have found the emprefs queen other em- ployment than enforcing the treaty of Aix- la-Chapelle.

LET-

366 LETTERS FROM LETTER XXXIV.

Bibbiena, Auguft 16, 1761^ Sunday morning 11 o'clock.

JL^ AST Thurfday, as it was the anniver- fary of the feaft of St. Hippolitus, the patron of this place, there were great doings for a little village. The propoflo or provoft, gave a general dinner to all the gentlemen and ladies. The bifhop of Samminiato was there. After dinner a butt of wine was diftributed to the poor of the place. As it flowed in a fort of fountain, there was much fcrambling for it, and fome broken heads given and received. When the liquor flowed no more, we all adjourned to the church, where a declamation was made us by a gentleman of the place, which being fmifhed, various pieces of poetry were pro- duced. The fubje£t, which was the fame for the declamation as for the poetry, you will think very dry. It was whether Con- flantine was chridened in Rome or in Con-

flanti-

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. j67

frantinople.* The ufual theme was gene- rally the life and actions of St. Hippolittis. But the fame fubjecl: had been continued for fo many years, that they were quite tired of it, and accordingly they agreed to alter it to fomething elfe, and the propofto chofe the before-mentioned elegant fubjecl: for poetry. We were talking about this two or three mornings before, at the pro- pofto's. I there ventured to tell him that the theme propofed, as connTting in a learned difquifition, feemed to me not very proper for the declamations, and much lefs for the mufes ; that in my opinion fome fub- ject where the paffions could be interefted ought to be chofen, as for example, " whe- " ther St. Peter, when he heard the cock " crow, felt the moft intenfe grief, or Mary " Magdalene, when me beheld our Saviour " extended upon the crofs ? '* This was a thing

* He was chriflened at neither, but at Nicomedia, by Eufebius, bifhop of that city, and a little before his death

I faid

^63 LETTERS FROM

I faid without thinking or reflecting, ima- gine then my furprize, when, after every per-* fon had finifhed rehearfing their compofitions, the propofto flood up, and,"" Gentlemen, " fays he, the fubjecT: for the return of this " annual feftival is, Whether St. Peter after *' having denied his mafter, and hearing the " cock crow, felt more internal grief than " Mary Magdalene when fhe beheld the Savi- " our of the world expiring upon the crofs." I would have flopped him, but he went on, and accordingly this is the fubjecl: for the en- fuing year. It was dark before all was finifh- ed and we got out of the church, where wc had been feated in a fort of ring before the principal altar. The propoflo carried us a fecond time to his prepolitura, or lodge, which is jufl by the church, and treated us with water-melons in quantity, cooled in ice. T?his indeed, is a cuftomary obligation upon him every year, but the dinner was volun- tary. The evening pafied at the bifhop of Samminiato's, where mofl of the ladies and

gentlemen

IfALY, GERMANY, &c. 369

gentlemen adjourned. Converfation and cards went forward in the fame manner as in our meetings of that kind in England. Thus fmiflied St. Hippolitus's day.

The life and martyrdom of this mighty patron of Bibbiena is as follows. I have taken it from a laft year's declamation. It is in an oratorical ftyle*

" Behold him in his tender years, armed lt with fword and helm, and fighting under c< the Emperor Decius in the fervice of his " country, that country which boafted as (* many foldiers as it had citizens, and whofe " triumphant eagle extended its wings over " the whole world. But while he was " humbling the enemies of his native Rome, *' he did not lefs attempt to conquer thofe " internal foes, the paffions, and animated " by a ray of the true religion, directed every et ftep to that end. Nor could the prudent J* youth find a better manner of triumphing

Vol, III, A a •« over

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<c over the flattering power of the world/ " than bv humbling the defires of nature* " and devoting himfelf to the laws of evan- <e gelical perfection. To point him out the '* way to this he had the advantage of hav- *' ing no ordinary example. He was order- " ed to be upon guard when St. Lawrence " was burnt alive upon the flaming coals, M The heroical behaviour of that martyr in " the midil of his torments, animated by the * moft lively expreffioiis of love and zeal,, *' had fuch an effect upon the youth, that he tc refolved from the very moment to leave " the noble profeffion of war, in order to! " practife with greater fervor, than it was *4 pofiible to do amrdft. the tumults of arms,. " the virtues of devotion, faith, and charity, <c Pulling up- his beaver, he declared himfelf " publickly a Chriftian, nor were riches or frt ambitious hopes capable of retraining his " defires for the palm of martyrdom. The ** emperor Decius hearing that Hippolltus *4 had declared himfelf openly to be a Chrif-

" tian,

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 37*

et tian, while he was upon guard, ordered •* him to be brought into his prefence.

V Upon the appearance of the noble youth, Ki what flattering temptations did not he i{ make ufe of to feduce his conftancy, but " finding it inflexible to entreaties, he at- *f tempted to make it by threats. Thefe " however* proving equally unavailing, and c* his prior love towards Hippolitus being

V now ail converted into fury, he ordered

V fome ftones to be thrown at him, which fi wounded him to fuch a degree upon the "mouth, that he ftained the ground -about *■ him with his flowing" blood, that blood u which rendering fruits tenfold, proved " the rich feed of future Chriftians. After " this he was conducted into prifon. But " why do I fay into prifon ? It was the " happy habitation his heart had been fo long " deiirous of obtaining. The importunate " incitements of his relations, his extent' ve ** riches and 'increafing honors, had before lt hindered him in fome meafure from ani-

A a z •■*• ving

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" ving to that perfection for which he fighecl, " I fay in fome meafure, for even then with " difdainful eye did he behold the flattering " allurements of the world, and deliver him- " felf into the arms of mortification. But " now he was content. Horror and dark- '* nefs reigned around him, incapable how- " ever of obfcuring thofe zealous flames, " which burned within his breafl. In the •• mean time rnofl of the fervants of Hip- <s politus, excited by the example of their " mailer, abandoned their errors and deter- " mined to follow the holy crofs, that ban- •* ner of true glory. Decius upon hearing " this ordered them all to be beheaded, and " they died glorious martyrs to our facred fl religion. The tyrant enraged at their in- *' trepidity, and considering Hippolitus as " the caufe of it, full of anger and difdain " gave orders to the prefect Valerian for his " puniihment. The invincible youth, after " being flripped naked, had firft of all his " flefh combed and torn with iron curry-

6i combs.

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 373

*c combs. But I mould excite too much " horror in my audience, if I was to recount u one by one the various torments which M our patron fufFered. He in the mean u time, with ferene countenance, feemed " more ready in the receival, than his ex- " ecutioners in the application of them, ** baffling with holy ardor the vain at- M tempts of impious cruelty. The em- " peror finding all his ideas of humbling " the youth's zealous fpirit vain, gave the " final fentence to the prefect, who was t( to inflict upon him the moft cruel death " imagination could fuggeft. Accordingly " his innocent limbs were fattened to the " tails of four untamed courfers, who gal- " loping furiouily different ways, reduced " to atoms the earthly part of our holy " martyr ; the divine flying to that hea- " ven where it afpired, exchanged a pre- ** carious mortal life, for eternity and *•' happinefs,

A a 3 The

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The author concludes his declamation by the following invocation.

" To thee, generous champion, do the %i devout inhabitants of Bibbiena addrefs " themfelves, aflembled here to celebrate " and hymn thy triumphs. They hum- *' bly offer up their vows to thee and imr " piore thy gracious protection. Shower " down bleffings upon our town, and con-? " fecrate it by thy falutary influence, that *{ imitating thy victories, and following '* the example of thy virtues, we may ar- " rive to that glorious heighth of happi*- " nefs, which in company with the other Ci faints and martyrs thou now enjoyeft.

Monday, Auguft 17, 8 o'clock,

morning.

I was yeflerday afternoon at the convent

of St. Mary's to hear a panegyric in praife

of St. Domenico, of which order thofe

friers are. After the prior had finiiTied a

Bowery

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 375

flowery declamation upon that perfecuting faint, we were conducted into his roorn^ where he gave us ices of different forts, me- lons and other good things. The himop was there with a large company of us who had dined with him. He was to confeerate fome clones in the church. You may wonder what ufe the friers can have for facred ftones, but they want to erect a new altar-piece, the ftones of which mult be fanctihed, and none but a bifhop can give them the proper degree <?f holinefs.

A a 4 LET-

376 LETTERS FROM

LETTER XXXV.

Bibbiena, 9 o'clock in the morning, Tuefday, Auguft 25, 1761.

JL* AST night I found a fcorpion in my writing defk. It was open, and I was juffc going to bed, when I faw the black animal crawling about my papers. I called Sebaflian, who fhook him off the writings upon the ground. The fcorpion, finding himfelf dif- turbed, began to run away about as fail as a fpider. However, Sebaflian's great foot foon flopped his courfe by crufhing him to death. It was but a young fcorpion, and of a fmall fize, They now and then are nearly as big as cray-fiih, which {hey fomething refemble. How frightened we are in Eng- land at the name of them, and yet they are Jiere little more regarded than fpiders. I wgs ipeaking to a gardeners wfto was flung

fry

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 377

by one, and faid the wound was very bad indeed. u No, fir, cried he, I was not " well for three whole days ;" an idea very different from the fatality, which we generally attribute to that poifon ; but I will not deny that it may be worfe in hotter countries. They are feldom to be found in houfes, but under flower-pots in gardens, and thofe places. The fcorpion, I think, is the only poifonous animal they have here in Italy more than we in England. There are, indeed, a number of lizards, but very few of them are venemous. As for adders, toads, and thofe other difgufting animals we have them as much as the Italians, tho' perhaps the adders and vipers have rather more venom in hotter climates. But I fay wrong when I affert there are no more poifonous animals, for in Apulia, a province of the kingdom of Naples, there is the tarantula, tho' the ftory they tell about curing its bite by mulic is apochryphal. I do not, indeed, doubt but that they make

the

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the people who are bit by this little animal in Apulia dance to the found of a fiddle, but whether this is only an idea the country people have among themfelves, or whether it does the patient any good, is. what I can not tell. You know Apulia is a remote province, and the people confequently igno- rant, and why may not queer itories and beliefs be current among them as well as in many of our diftant counties in England, and the itory of fecond-fight in Scotland, As we have a terrible idea with us of the poifonous animals in Italy, we have not a very favorable notion of the number of wild beafls we imagine they have. Now 1 do not know of any favage animal that roams their forefls more than ours, except bears and wolves. They have, indeed, wild boars, but thofe are fo far from being accounted noxious, that they have almoft as ftrict laws in their defence as our game. The flem is very much efleemed here in Italy, and its wild tafle, at fjjrft like tainted meat, becomes

after*

ITALY, GERMANY, &c 379

afterwards very agreeable. When I was lad in this country, I went once out a boar- huniing at Pifa, in a foreft there is juft by that town. I could not, however, carry a gun, as you mull have a particular licenfe to do it in that foreft, which belongs to the emperor. The way they hunted the wild boar was as follows. The huntfmen placed themfelves at different pofts in the wood, by which it was likely the boar would pafs. Two other men in the mean time went to the other fide of it with a couple of dogs, and beating about, and making a great noife, drove out the boars to the places where the men were difperfed with their guns. I confefs I did not like my fituation, in being obliged to go and fraud On foot by a huntfman, and truii to his piece, while they were driving all the boars down upon us. The men fhouting, the dogs barking, and the boars grunting through the woodlands, did not at all pleafe me. An eafy tree to climb, offering on my right hand, I thought

I had

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I had better fave my fkin, and look like Sancho Panca. Accordingly, I got up, and having feated myfelf in fecurity upon one of the branches, looked round. It was not a great while before a boar appeared grunting along by the poft of the man near my tree. He did not fire at him, I do not know why, but the man at the next poft. made up for this deficiency, and maimed both his fore- legs by a ball, which paffed through his fhoulder blades. As they faid he could not run, I ventured to come down from my afylum, and look at him. I faw him rolling about upon the ground, with one of the dogs upon him. The man had jufl charged his piece again, and approaching the grijly monjler^ fhot him through the head. Upon the report of the mufket, all the people affembled to the place where we were. We began examining the mighty tulks of our prize, which, however, were not fo large as fome I have feen, upon account of the boar's jseing young.

Bibbiena,

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 3S1

Bibbicna, 9 o'clock in the morning. Wednefday, Auguft 26, 1761.

THE wolves and bears, with which we fay Italy is fo flocked, give not the terrible idea here as with us in England, tho' there are certainly many of the former, and fome few of the latter. As to bears, I mean thofe not having a human form, they are very rare, and only in fome of the high uninha- bited woody mountains, and never appear out of their gloomy recedes to in fell parTen- gers. Much lefs wolves, which are more timid animals than we imagine, except driven by extreme hunger; and if king Edgar gave fo much money to have them extirpated out of England, it muft have been for the fake of his fubjecVs lliecp, and not of their perfons. Returning laft time through the Alps to England, I faw one in a field, which I imagined to be a dog, but the jxjftilion aflured me it was a wolf, and began

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hallooing, upon which it retreated in a heavy gallop under cover.

With regard to the tarantula, my land- lord, who was in Apulia, as phyfician to the Spanilh army* lays, " that the making the u perfons dance who are bit by the little " fpider is true, but agrees with me in its " being only a popular prejudice, and that it " can not poffibly be of any fervice to the *c patients, without it is by making them " perfpire, and this, he fays, they do plen- ** tifully; for the only two months the u tarantula is venemous are the hotteil " in the year, thofe of July and Augufr. He made me laugh with a ftory he told me of a little French boy he had when he was at Palermo. The poor lad was bit by a fpider, which are here more venemous than in Eng- land. His mafter being abroad, the boy told his cafe to the other fervants of the houfe. They had the impudence to allure him it was a tarantula, and in order to make fun, fidlers

were

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. |«J

Were called in, and the ignorant youth wa3 ordered to dance for his life. Pierre, for that was Ins name, in a fright, and half crying, began throwing his legs and arms about in an aukward manner. In fhort, they made him caper round the room for above a couple of hours, to the tune of the tarantella, the name of a barbarous jig, compofed pur- pofely for this occaiion. When the boy was quite tired, they put him to bed, where his mailer found him upon his return home. When he came to the bed-fide to afk what was the matter, the poor youth burft out into tears, and with a long face laid, ah I won chere maitre, je fuh empo'ifonne. But tell me how all this happened, fays my landlord. Ah ! Monfieur, anfwers Pierre, regardez, regardez, mewing his arm. What has any thing bit you ? Oui, Monfieur ", he/as ! la tarantule, la tarantule, Monfieur. His maf- ter was not a little aftoni(hed to hear of tarantulas in Palermo, but going out to make enquiries among the other fervants, t the

■384 LETTERS FROM

the affair was foon difcovered, and Pierro relieved from his anxiety. Some fuch ftory as this, I dare fay, led Doctor Mead aftray, when he wrote his treatife upon poifons, and laid down mime and dancing as a cure for the bite of a tarantula. This little animal is a fort of reddifh fpider. Very few per- fons, however, except reapers, are ever bit by thefe noxious infects, as they are feldom to be found, except in the fields, and among corn. This is reaped in the two hotteft months of the year, juft when that little animal has the greateft venom. Not only the tarantula, but fcorpions and all other venemous animals are more noxious in the months of July and Auguft, in fhort, in fummer than in winter. The more power- ful fun, that brings to greater perfection the fruits of the earth, as it has greater virtue in its beneficent, has likewife more force in its peftiferous effects. And that not only in ripening all poifons to a greater degree of infection, but in extracting more fatal vapours

from

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 3S5

from the bofom of the earth. And theft caufe the unwholefome air there is at certain times of the year in parts of Italy, and par- ticularly in low marfhy places. As for ex- ample, the Campania of Rome is almoft. en- tirely deferted upon that account. And yet anciently it is faid to have been very much inhabited, and very well cultivated. But perhaps that inhabitation and cultivation might be the caufe of the vapours not pro- ducing their fatal influence. However, Ju- venal tells us that

ti Provida Pompeio dederat Campania fcbres " Optandas." —

But great men may have fevers any where* when the never-dying worm gnaws upon the mind.

What 1 1 wonder at is that Spain, tho' a warmer country than Italy, is not fubjed to this tainted air. Perhaps, there falling little or no dews throughout the greateft part of

Vol. III. B b that

386 LETTERS FROM

that peninfula may be the caufe, which, tho' conducive to health, is no advantage to the fertility of the foil. What I fpeak here* however, will principally hold good with regard to the province of Andaluiia. The climate of the kingdoms of Valentia and Catalonia refembles more that of Italy. For as Spain is a large territory, you may ima- gine there is a conliderable difference between her particular provinces or kingdoms, as fhc pleafes to term them. But the Italians may have more apprehensions of this bad air than it deferves. I do not doubt its having fome effect, but the thinking it fatal to move from one houfe to another only three doors off, as the common people imagine at Rome, feems to be carrying the idea too far. The Romans have a notion that by ileeping every night in the fame place the bad air has no power over you, but that if you do but go and lie down in a bed in the next houfe, you are to die. However, in consequence of this idea, there is a law at Rome that no landlord

can

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 3S7

can oblige a tenant to quit a houfe during the months of July and Auguft, and till the firft rains in September ; or, if it is a dry feafon, tho' indeed it feldom fails raining in that month, the whole of it.* But tho1 I blame the too great timidnefs of the Ro- mans, I will not deny that what they fay is in part true, as founded upon experience* It Was in confequence of this opinion among the inhabitants of Rome, that the Commen- dator d'Almada, when by the king of Por- tugal's order he commanded all Portuguefe fubjecls to quit that capital, gave them the li- berty of remaining till the end of the month of September, cloathing this conceffion with fpecious eXpreffions of the great affection his moft. faithful majefty had for his fubjects, and that he would not even expofe them to imagined dangers. That, therefore, during all

* This idea is now greatly exploded at Rome, tho' part ©f the country about it is certainly very unvvholeiome, and even fatal during the before mentioned months.

Bb z the

J

$8 LETTERS FROM

the dog-days to the end of the month of Sep- tember they might remain peaceably in their prefent fituation. Almada himfelf, however, left Rome immediately, (indeed, he could not help it,) and palling through Florence, went to Turin, where he is at prefent,

LET-

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 389

LETTER XXXVI.

Bibbiena, half after 10, morning, Sunday, Auguft 30, 1761.

Went out to take a ride yeflerday evening with my landlord and viiit a countryman that was ill at San Piero in Fraffina, a little village ahout two miles from hence. Upon our arrival we alighted at a gentleman's houfe, the head perfon in the place, one of whofe labourers was the patient. He received us very civilly. The furgeon of our village was likewife there, and made us accelerate our vifit to the lick man. He was come over from Bibbiena by order of the doctor, who, as he had heard a bad account of his patient, had told him to bring a couple of bliflers. Upon my friend's firfl feeing him, he fainted him and afked him if he had brought what he ordered, B b 3 «< Yes,

S9o LETTERS FROM

" Yes, that I have," fays the ill looking* executioner to the faculty, " and horfe ones " too, for fuch muir. they be for thefe " country beafts." Tho' the anfwer may feem to you not to be entirely confonant to the laws of humanity, it ferved however, to make us laugh. Surgeons with us do not carry about blifters, but you rauft confider in what a country place we are, and that every profeffor in it muft be a kind of jack of all trades, befides who could tell but there might be occaiion for fhedding blood, or proceeding with fire and fteel, like my far- rier, againfr. the diiorder. Upon our enter- ing the cottage of the invalid we occu- pied the little kitchen of it. My landlord, as proio-medicus, took the firfr, place. On his countenance fat the gravity necefTary to the faculty upon fimilar occafions. Next him was placed the furgeon, who looke4 as if he was revolving in his mind the be- fore mentioned fanguinary ideas. In the two inferior places fat the fo^uire and my-

felf.

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 29l

felf, who tho' we were not much interefted in the event of the prefent weighty debate, yet veiled our looks with a fympathetic feri- oufnefs. Well, fays my friend, with au- thority, to a man and woman that flood oppoiite to him, " declare to me the nature " of the patient's cafe." " Oh ! lord fit,*" fays the woman, " I am fure I do not know <e what is the matter, now and then he's " hot, and now and then he's cold, and *' then he begins fleeping, and fleeps, lord *' blefs my heart ! as if he never intended " to wake again. I am fure he (lept fo M much yefterday, that I was obliged to go " and call the prieffc to try and wake him €t by faying prayers to him. And then he " has not been to flool, no, not for thefe " three days. I am fure I had rather fee " fomething come out of him, than a piece " of gold. And yet we have given him all li the niceft things we could to nourifri him, *' but he does not feem to take them with a ** bit more relifh than nothing at all. I am B b 4 (' fure

^92 LETTERS FROM

/ fure I have not flept for thefe three nights " for fitting up watching him, and I have " kept his bed and his room as much m ' order as I could, and I have cleaned the " walls at the head of his bed, and I put " him on a clean fhirt yeflerday, for to be *' fure he had wore the other a matter of a " fortnight, and it was fo dirty you coul4 " hardly fee a fpeck of white in it, and yet " notwithftanding for a countryman his ci linen is very white." " I do not doubt it,'1 fays the doctor, f.f but I want to know at: *' prefent the ftate of my patient, not that " of his linen. Does he do this ? — Yes, ?? Does he do that? — Yes. Does his head " pain him ? — Yes. Very well. Now then *( let us proceed to perfonal examination." " And accordingly we went in procefiion into the patient's room. Upon our en- trance .into the fick man's apartment many queftions were made and anfwered, Tho' he had a violent fever upon him, yet he was not found fo bad as was expedled, and all

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ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 393

thoughts of the horfe-blifters were laid afide till another opportunity. Nothing I think was ordered but a clyfter and fome other emollient things. In the mean time the eyes of the woman hung upon the doctor, as if to read his thoughts concerning the fate of her hufband. At length me afked, as if addreffing an oracle, what he thought would be the event of the diforder. The dodor gave her ambiguous hopes, that with care her hufband would recover. " Oh! blefs <f your heart, fays fhe, and do you think fo ? ie Well, I am fure I have prayed day and night *' for it to the blefled Virgin. But pray what " mud I give him to eat, for poor thing it has " no nourifhment at all in its ltomach, and we " have a nice young kid jufr. killed, in the f houfe? Kid I replied the doctor, flaring, " give him fome tea and other diluting li- " quors." As this Indian herb is only ufed me- dicinally in Italy, me did not feem to know very well what it meant, but being informed that fhe might get it at the apothecary's, fhe 2. appeared

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contented, and a fine beverage I fuppofe me will make of it. She then took out a little roll of paper from the corner of her pocket handkerchief, in which I fuppofe was money, as me gave it the doctor, who feemed to re- ceive it without confidering the hard hands from whence it was wrung. However mil- lings go here as far as guineas in England, but having got what we wanted, we left the room in the fame order we entered it. Upon bur return to the fquire's we were peftered all the way with country people coming to afk our opinion of difeafes, women with abortions, girls with hylterics and I do not know what all. After ftealing a trophy of flowers from the fquire's garden, we returned home.

Yefterday before I went out on horfeback a curious fcene pafled in my room. As my landlord and 1 had laughingly told a folitary Jew merchant eftablimed here, that we in- tended to make him a Chriftian, and that

then

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 395

then we would nVht which fhould have him the Roman catholics or the proteftants, yef- terday being his fabbath, (faturday,) and ha- ving nothing to do, he appeared with a great book under his arm. When he was entered into my room he fat down with civility and gravity, and opened his formidable tome, which proved to be a Hebrew bible, telling me, that now he was ready to difpute with me. My landlord was below ftairs looking at his horfe. I fent to defire him to come up, which accordingly he did, and having heard of Sabbath the Jew's great book, he {talked in majeftically with a frill greater, which was a collection of the lives of faints. Sab- bath very civilly enquired what ftupendous volume that might be, and when he was in- formed it was a legendary of faints, faid very humbly that he hoped we would excufe him, if he did not give any credit at all to its au- thority. I could not avoid joining him in my cjoubts of the whole of it being true. My landlord too feemed alfo to give it up by

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fhutting its enormous page. Upon this we recurred to a Latin bible, but Sabbath told us he knew nothing of the language, and cleared us to tell him the chapter and verfe of our quotations, and he would recur to his own book. The firft paffage we felected was the famous prophecy in Genefis, that " the " fcepter mall not depart from Judah until " Shiloh come," which the Latin verlion renders the Mefliah, or, qui mittendus eft ; but the Jew faid he could find no fuch verfe in the original. Not being able to contradict him, from our ignorance in the Hebrew Ian* guage, we took fhelter under the well known words of, fi a Virgin fhall conceive and bear " a fon ;" but Sabbath told us the expreffion meant only a young woman in his book, and that the fact came to pafs in the days of He- zekiah. We then ranfacked our memories for the other prophecies in the old teftament, relating to Chrift, but Sabbath knocked us down with texts he recited in Hebrew, of which we could not underhand a word. The

fury

GERMANY, ITALY, &c. 397

fury having once feized him, he began read- ing and overwhelming us with the Hebrew bible, and would have put ns to the rout for want of being capable to return any anfwer, if we had not been informed that the horfes were ready, which ended our converfation and dispute.

Upon my word I efteem the Jews a very particular nation to be fo perfeculed as they are every where, and yet not abandon the faith of their ancestors. The courage alfo with which fome of them maintain their reli- gion in fpight of oppofition is not a little re- markable. Yefterday when we were laughing and faying to Sabbath, " ah ! never fear we ** will make you a ChrifHan in time." " No, " fays he, gentlemen, it is impoflible. Tho' " I do wrong to fay it is impoflible, for God 66 may deprive me of the light of reafon, how« " ever while the leaft ray of that remains there *c is no fear of my not continuing firm to my " religion." One that was executed at Rome

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fome years ago, notwithftanding all they could do, and you know the Roman catho- lics fpare no pains to propagate their religion, could not be brought in the leafl tittle to abate his ideas of Judaifm. With the fame fpirit they have expired at the ftake in Spain and Portugal, when they could fave their lives at the very Ian: inftant by only faying they embraced the Roman catholic reli- gion. In fhort, the Jews are certainly very tenacious of their doctrines, which I do not doubt proceeds from their flattering themfelves with being convinced of the truth of them, and not from obftinScy, as the Roman catholics imagine.

Tuefday, half after 7 in the morning, September 1, 1761.

MY little ball flourifhed lail night, as two or three young ladies made their appear- ance who. had not been here before, but I was obliged to give them all faline draughts,

as

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 399

as the fnow and fait had mixed itfelf with our peach juice through a little hole worn in our freezing machine. Sebaftian was very droll when he difcovered the accident. Well, fays he, this is not to be borne ! I fpent fo many hours (counting them upon his fingers,) in pounding the peaches, fo many in doing this, and fo many in doing that, and here in a few militates the whorefon fait is come in to fpoil every thing ! In fhort, his rage mounted to fuch a pitch, that I do not believe he would have attempted to fave what little of the JJjerbet (the Italian name, forbeito, for iced things,) was yet untainted, if I had not reminded him of it. Upon this he fet himfelf to work to get out what he could, and did fkim ofFfome of the top, which was not quite fo much impreg- nated with brine as the reft, but ftill might be recommended where falts are ordered to be taken.

L E'T.

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LETTER XXXVII.

Bibbiena, half after 9 in the mornirtgj Monday, September 7, 1761.

ESTERDA Y after dinner my landlord and I paid a melancholy, but curious vifit, to the brother of the bifhop of Sammi- niato, who fome days ago loft his fenfes. By confufing his brain with reading a num- ber of books upon religion, he is run reli- gioufly mad. Upon our entering the room he knew us, and made us tolerably feniible compliments as he lay inbed, but all on a fud- den, he cried out, "Fiat ! oh, almighty word •' that produced the world out of nothing." He then fet himfelf to count with his fingers, five, feven, feven and a half, &c. and then one day. *' If I live that time, I mail live two ages. " As for you, fays he, pointing to me, you will " go into limbo." In (hort, he uttered many

incoherent

Italy, Germany, &c. 401

coherent things. You know, I prefume, what limbo is ? The Roman catholics, be- sides heaven and hell, have two other divi- sions in the invifible world, which we know nothing of. Thefe two unexplored places are .purgatory and limbo. Purgatory is that intermediate ftate between heaven and hell, where thofe who are not virtuous enough to enjoy immediately the former, nor bad enough to be condemned to the latter, are purged like gold in the fire from the fins that hang about them, and leaving which ill the flames like drofs, they mount pure and uncontaminated to the heavenly man* fions. Limbo is a different place, for thofe who are guiltlefs of any crime, and yet upon account of not being regenerated by the waters of baptifm are unable to enter the gates of blifs. Under this number come all unchriftened babes and righteous perfons before the coming of Chrift, except the patriarchs, whom our Saviour, when he went down to hell after his crucifixion, delivered Vol. Ill, C c from

402 LfetTERS FROM

from the confinement of limbo. For by ail accounts, it is a nafly dark ugly place, and as well as purgatory adjoining to hell. But to return to our madman. " Who is there, fays <e hej flaring, among you all, that knows *' how to write quick and well ? I offered ** myfelf. Pell and ink then for the gen- 4< tleman," fays he. A pen and ink was put into my hand from off a table juit by. i( Well, fir, you will be fo good to dic- *' tate." Ay, write, fiat-— I have written it* *' write recipe — I have done it* Now ** a drop of water dropped upon the ** flames of hell from all eternity. Then he talked fomething about God's dying, in fhort, uttered a deal of incoherent ftufF, which, inftead of pleafing, would be rather tirefome and mocking for you to read. He faid we mould be all gardeners in paradife* afked his wife whether (lie remembered the time when her mother was born, with twenty other melancholy abfurdities. At laft, two pills of laudanum came in, for his phyncian 3 wanted

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 403

wanted to get him to fleep a little, which he had not done fince he was firft feized with his delirium. There was much diffi- culty in getting him to fwallow this foporinc medicine, which he did, however, at laft, fvvearing he had got the devil incarnate in his ftomach. I then retired with the reft of the company, for it was the univerfal opi- nion that keeping him talking made him worfe. Even tho' we converfed among our- felves, he would take up the laft word we laid as an echo, and add fomething of his own to it. Upon my return home, I found my landlord's wife and daughters in the ltreet very much frightened; for another madman raving had pafTed by them, and abufed them terribly. I think we are got into the country of people out of their fenfes. It feems this is a man efcaped from Arezzo. He was a handfome fellow, and did not look like a low perlbn. He fright- ened a good many people yeflerday night. The potefta or magiftrate was to blame in

C c z not

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not having put him into prifon. However, as this officer is juft come, I believe he hardly knew in which part of his houfe the prifons flood. For id every potefteria or relidende of the potefta there are always certain rooms fet apart for the confinement of diforderly perfons. However, I think fome country people, who found the mad- man lying upon a bench quite tired, lhuE him into a cellar for the night. This morn-

;i

ing he was either let or got loofe, for he ran down to the river Vefla, where he ftripped himfelf, and pelted ftones at thofe who at- tempted to com? near him. However, he was at lafl: taken, and by this time may be near Arezzo, where they were to conduct him. I do not know how they came to find that he belonged to that city.

Bibbiena, half after 9 In the morning, Tuefday, September 8, 1761.

THE laudanum that was given to the bifhop's brother the day before yeflerday,

tho*

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 405

tlio1 in a pretty large quantity, had no effect 211 making him fleep. I think they fay it made him lie without fpeaking in a fort of lethargy for ahout two hours, hut flill with his eyes open. I had a viht yeilerday from a philofopher, who came fome miles to con- verfe with me. I have long expected his appearance, but what delayed him was his having no coat, for he lives wild in the woods like a hermit, with only a kind of waiftcoat the country people wear. He was obliged, therefore, to fend to Arezzo for a luit of cloaths, in which he has done me the honor of vifitine; me. He was once fecretary of the finances at Florence, and was protected by Ginori, then governor of Leghorne, who, if he had lived, would probably have been made regent of Tufcany, but his death deftroyed the hopes of his native country, and ruined his friend, Count Richecourt, who naturally hated the iup- pofed fucceffor to his honors, upon his death difcountenanced all thole who*, had C c 3 been

4o6 LETTERS FROM

been protected by him. Our philofopher loft his place with many others, and retired immediately among thefe woods to pafs his days in ftudy and retirement. He fpends, however, a little time of the winter at Arezzo, where he keeps his fuit of cloaths, which he fent for to appear before me. He feems a fenfible man, but has an amazing volubility of fpeech. What .he fays I be- lieve is true enough, that he has found more felicity fince his literary retirement amongfr. the mountains, than he did during all his expectations and bufinefs, while his friend Ginori lived. <( Ah ! cried he, you can ** never imagine the uncertainties, uneafi- '* nefTes and fatigues both of body and mind 66 I underwent in the height of my profpe- cc rity. I was a (lave to every perfon, but I *' now am free, and mafter of myfelf. The " little I have fuffices for my folitude, which u is not tedious, while I have my books to 64 divert me. Air and exercife has re-elta- ^ blimed my health, but what I moll prize

•f is

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. ' 407

" is that peace of mind, which is returned ic to me, and which I had loft in the tu- " multuous fcenes of public life." This really edifying converfation was carried 011 ftill farther, without my having hardly an opportunity of putting in a word, when my philofopher took leave of me, ignorant of my way of thinking, tho' he had fq £opioufly difplayed his own.

CC4 LET-

405 LETTERS FROM

Letter xxxviil

Bibbiena, half after eleven, morning, Sunday, September 13, 1761.

X H I S place affording nothing new I will give you fome letters of the prince of San Severo of Naples, to cavalier Giraldi of Flo- rence, which the propofto of this place has communicated to me, and which relate to a perpetual fire that prince flatters himfelf to have found out.

'The Prince of San Severe? 's firjl Letter.

u I will now faithfully maintain the pro? *4 mife I made you in my laft week's letter, " and will give you a full relation of my eS wonderful difcovery. I thought I mould " have been able to have comprifed every i' thin? in one letter, but I find I fhall have

" matter

ITALY, GERMANY, Sec. 409

" matter enough for three or four, and I " think it better to keep your curiofity in " fufpenfe than to give you a long tedious " letter at one time. The fact then is as • * follows. Having applied myfelf to a chy- ** mical operation in order to make fome " phyfical experiments, after I had labored tf for at lead four months, it happened one , *f evening in the latter end of November* " that in opening, about an hour and a half " after fun-fet, four phials I had before me " upon a little table, the matter contained " in one of them, and which weighed {even i( grains lefs than the fourth part of an " ounce, being accidently held by me pretty a near a wax-candle, took fire, and fent forth " a conftant lively flame of a yellowifh colour. " I remained fo confufed at this unexpected " accident that I did not immediately know " what to do. At laft I pulled out my hand-* *' kerchief in a hurry to take the phial, with-' " out burning myfelf, off the table where it l4 then was, and put it upon another table

" that

4io LETTERS FROM

** that was juft by. I did this, as I was afraid " of the phial's burfting with the heat, and " that the fire, if fcattered about the table, u might light likewife the combuftible par- " tides contained in the other three phials, " which were open too. You will tell me " perhaps, that I mould have done wifer in " taking the three old phials off the table' " than in touching that which was all in " flames with evident danger of burning my- " felf. But I do not know, if you was to " find yourfelf in as great a confufion as I " was then, but you might have done the " fame. I took it then, as I faid, in my hands, " but inflead of finding the glafs burning " hot, as I had imagined, it was little more " than luke-warm, fo that I could hold it " without putting myfelf to the leaft pain " in my bare hand. After it had burned fix '? continued hours upon the table, I was fur- u prized to find the flame juft as full and *' lively as it was the firfl inflant. How- f ever I thought of going to bed and of put-

ff ting

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 411

l

*' ting out the flame. What aftonimed me

" ftill more was, that in extinguifhing the u flame with the glafs flopper belonging to " the phial, I found the glafs only preferred " the very felf-fame degree of luke-warmth, "as it had when I put it upon the table, 16 notwithftanding the fire had been burning " for fix hours. The next morning I got up " very early, not having been able to deep " upon account of the many ideas that were u rolling in my mind, and ran immediately " to my phial. I opened it and attempted " to lip-ht the matter contained in it, but it •* was not poflible to do it. I began turning <{ it with an ivory bodkin, when a momen- " tary flame juft fhot out from it, like what " proceeds from fpirits of wine, when they " are not well reft'ified^ and ftill retain a great " deal of phleghm. In fliort I tried every " thing I could to light it but all in vain. " After having made thefe fruitlefs endea- " vours it came into my head to weigh it, t( as it did not feem to me to be a bit dimi-

66 iii(hed

412 LETTERS FROM

u nifhed in bulk, and to be juft of the fame Ci confiftency as the evening before upon its " taking fire, which was pretty near that of *4 foft butter in fummer time. Upon my €i weighing it I found to my great furprize " that it was net dimmifhed an atom of its " original weight. What think you now, ec my dear friend ? Does the cafe begin to " grow ferious and furprizing or no ? But et this I am certain will only be the firft de- " gree cf your afloniihment. What had ts happened filled my mind with fo many " different thoughts, that for two or three " days I was not capable of attending to any " thing elfe. I locked myfelf up in my " room, andfpent all my time in meditating f{ upon what had happened, and in forming M fyftems, which had better foundations than " mere hypothecs. At lafl I refolved tocon- " tinue my experiments, that I might be ct more certain of them, and better able to " inveftigate the reafons of this wonderful s* phenomenon. It came into my head to

c< make

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 4.1.3

f< make a fort of candle of my materials, " and in confequence of this idea I took part " of the matter that was in the three re- '- maining phials, and put it into a little tube (i that had a cover to it and a hole in the " middle of the cover. I put a fort of muff " through this hole made of that matter " which chymifts are well acquainted with* " and which does not receive any damage *■ from fire. I had rubbed it over and over " again with the before mentioned compofi- " tion. Having done this, I applied a candle " to that end of it which ftuck out of the " hole, but notwithftanding whatever I could " do, T could never get it to take fire. You " can not imagine how melancholy I remain- " ed" on feeing all m/l,0pes prove fruitlefs. " At laft I refolved to take away the muff " and the cover from the tube and fet fire to " the matter itfelf, which I did not doubt " would burfl out into a flame, as it had done " the evening before. But all my attempts !* proved in vain. I (at my^lf down in a

** fnrf

4*4 LETTERS FROM

*' fort of defpair in a great chair, and aftef " having reflected fome time, it came into " my head, that the fmall quantity of the " matter might be the reafon of its not taking u fire. This gave me frefh courage, and I " refolved to try a fecond time. Accordingly " I put the cover and fnufF again upon my " tube, without however clofing it quite " down. Having done this I placed the " tube in my little fcales, and began to add " frefh matter to the former with the end of •' my bodkin. What I had flattered myfelf " happened, for I had no fooner by little and <f little added frefh matter till the whole ar- *' rived to the weight of feven and twpnty " grains lefs than the fourth part of an ounce^ " exclufive of the weight of the fnufF, when " immediately upon my holding a wax can- *' die to it, the fnufF lighted, notwithftand- •' ing I had tried fo many times before to do " it in vain. You may imagine what plea- " fure this gave me, and in order to afcertain "whether the exad quantity of matter then

" employed

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 41$

?t employed was neceffary, I lifted the muff w and cover up a little, and began with the " but-end of my bodkin to take out the •* matter by degrees as I had put it in. But " I had hardly taken more than the weight " of a grain away than the flame began to " be agitated in fuch a manner that it was M juft ready to be extinguished. I with all " hafte poffible put into the tube again " the quantity of matter I had taken out, *' and the flame immediately reaffumed its " former fpirit and tranquil ftate. This ** flame was lefs than that which wax or oil- " lights give, and, as I have already faid, in- " dining to a yellowifh colour. I tried to " hold my finger about four inches above it, *' but the heat was fo exceffive that I was *■ obliged to retire it immediately. Upon " holding a candle to it, it lighted it directly " like all other common lights. If you lt moved a piece of white paper over it, it *' became black with the fmoke. It gave J* indeed but a dimmifh light, however

" enough

416 LETTERS FROM

enough to read the moil minute writings I refolved to try the experiment of put- ting more of the matter I had compofed to it, for as by taking a fmall portion of it away I had obferved the flame was very near going out, I thought that by adding a greater quantity it muft confiderably en- creafe in ftrength and brightnefs. I ac- cordingly put my refolution into execu- tion, and with the but-end of the bodkin by little and little put in all that remained in the phial, and which with the former weighed twenty grains more than the fourth part of an ounce, fo that I added forty ftven grains of matter. But I faw that this addition was of no ufe at all, for the flame remained jufh as little and pale as it was before. I imagined at firft that this might proceed from the fnufFs not being of cotton. But having made another of the fame materials and exactly fimilar., and having put it into fome oil, I found it made jufh as clear and long a

" flame

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 417

** flame as if it had been of cotton. From ** hence I concluded that my flame's not in- " creafing was owing to the matter, and not c< to the muff. Cotton I could not ufe, as I ** mould then have made an experiment that ** would have been of no fervice with regard ee to what I intended, as you (hall hear here- " after. Having loft all hopes therefore of si rendering the flame clearer and brighter, I "took the tube with the burning matter *' gently up in my hand in order to carry it " into another little room and place it there; *' But I had hardly gone above two or three <f jfteps, than the flame was agitated as if it " had been in a high wind, when on the u contrary all the windows were mut, and *' there was not the lead: air could enter the " room. I flopped upon this account and " fet my tube upon a little table jufr. by me, " after which the agitation ceafed in preat " part, tho' not entirely. As I always " thought fome little wind mull; be the " caufe of the agitation, I took a fheet of Vol. Ill* D d " paper>

42$ LETTERS FROM

" paper, and making with it the fort of fcreeit " the common people ufe in the Streets, I *' put my flame into the middle of k. But " you can never imagine the pain I felt while *' I was doing this, for I faw my dear flame " juft upon the point of extinguishing, How- " ever the agitation having by degrees in " great meafure ceafed, I took the tube a •' fecond time up in my hand and moved on •• flowly Step after itep. But the flame, not- •■ withstanding the fcreen that defended it " from the air, moved about perhaps more " violently than it had done, when I was " carrying it without it. However I at laft " got it into the little room. After having •" Shut the windows and window mutters, I *' took away the paper that furrounded it. " I then put it upon a little table with one " claw. As foon as I had done this, I fhut " the door to exclude all poffible introduo " tion of air. However notwithstanding all " my care the agitation of the flame did not " ceafe, tho' it was much decreafed. I did i •« not

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 419

** not know what to think of this motion, u as I was certain there was not the leafr. *' wind in the room, and a thoufand ideas " crowded upon my imagination. But by *' often handling the tube in thefe reveries, M I found that if I railed the tube on the *' right hand fide of it, the flame went up " tranquilly in an exacl: pyramid perpendi- " cular to the horizon, if on the contrary I " rofe the left fide of the tube^ the agitation ei increafed prodigioufly. This experiment *' convinced me that the matter mull lie ho- " rizontally for the flame to be fteady, and ** that I muft have a table perfectly even " for the tube to ftand perpendicularly upon. c' Having levelled one exactly by means of " a plumb, and fet my light upon it, the <e flame became quite fteady» and remained fo " even tho' I opened the door of my little " room. This new difcovery pleafed me fo " much, that I fat for fome hours making *' love, if I may be allowed the expreffion, to " my new phenomenon. After having opened D d 2 <6 the

4<20 LETTERS FROM

" the window mutters, tho' I left my win- " daws lhut, I went out of the little room " and locked the door after me. I intended " to try how long the light would continue " burning. You can not imagine how affi- 6e duous I was at all times in viiiting my *' beloved object. Upon my entering the " room I always felt a little palpitation for " fear I mould find it extinguifhed. How- " ever, from the time of my lighting it, vit, " the lafr. day of November, till the fecond " of the month of March, I always found it •' burning, and always with a fteady flame, " as lively and as high as at the beginning. " And what encreafed my aftonimment was, " that upon weighing the matter the a fore - " faid fecond of March, I found it exactly i' of the fame weight as it was three months " before, when I firft lighted it. I do not " doubt but you will have laughed at me in *' the courfe of this letter to fee my little " joys and fears, and you will think I am •' become a downright natural philofopher.

" I know

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 421

** I know the natural philofophers are very *c apt to raife their imagination to the greateft " height for the mofl confummate trifles, 11 However you will not be furprized at me, '• when in my following letters you mall " hear the reft of this remarkable event. u But you muft content yourfelf now with " my not being willing to give you any far* " ther trouble at pre fen t, for I do not doubt " but you are fufficiently tired with the il length of my letter. I remain &c.

D d 3 LET-

422 LETTERS FROM

LETTER XXXIX,

Bibbiena, 9 o'clock in the moving, Sunday, Sept. 20, 1761.

Prince of San Severos fecond Letter,

' -M- FTER haying given you in my • c nrft. letter of laft week the nrft: experiment " I made upon my extraordinary phenome- " non, namely, of weighing it, and finding" " it juffc of the fame weight after three " months burning as it was before, I will f now continue you a description of the var *' rious other experiments I made with re- *e gard to my perpetual fire. The firfl " experiment I tried was, to put my light " in the middle of 3. fort of lanthorn of " pafte-board, which had no effect, till I r< attempted to place a piece of pafte-board *' on the top to cover it, which if I had not

'.' been

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 4*3

** been yery quick in. taking off again, my " light began to tremble fo much, that it " would quickly have gone out. And yet ** there could be no want of air, for the " cover did not fhut the lanthorn down fo ** clofe, but that a great deal mull: have " come in, enough for any other light to ** have burned juft the fame as if the cover * had not been put on. I then made a hole *' about as big as my little finger in one of " the fides of the lanthorn, which were " of pafte^board, one being made of glafs, " in order that I might be able to obferve ** every thing. After having done this, I " put the lid on again, and found that the is light trembled a little, but did not give •' any figns of going out. What furprized u me was, that its direction was no longer '• vertical, but inclined directly towards that " hole I had made in the fide of the pafte- " board. I then flopt it up, and made another M horizontal to the light, the direction of c* which, likewife, immediately became ho- D d 4 *' rizontal,

^24 LETTERS FROM

^ rizontal. I then made a third below it, u flopping up the fecond, but I had no " fooner covered it, than the light gave " evident figns of going out, if I had not " been very quick in taking the cover of " the fecond hole off again."

But I will not give you the account of all the tirefome experiments Prince San Severo made with his new light. It is enough J come to the laft, in which he was trying the difference of the agitation of the flame, ac- cording to the different number of degrees he moved the tube it ftood in from being per? pendicular to the horizon. By little and little he inclined it till it made an angle of forty-five degrees with the horizon, when he goes on thus.

" I then faw the flame in fuch agitation, $< that it was juft ready to go out. In my *c hurry to reftore the tube to its perpendi- *' cular fituation, I only jogged it without

H railing

ITALY, GERMANY, &c, 42$

'* raifmg it. This jog was fufficient to ex-? ** tinguifti my poor light, and, believe me, " I felt fo much pain upon feeing it go out, ie that I could not reftrain a lamentable oh ! " from proceeding from the bottom of my " heart. I have already told you, that this 94 matter once extinguifhed is not to be *c lighted again, and I have iince repeated '* many experiments concerning it, but all {i in vain. You will tell me, perhaps, that ** I have two other phials full of the fame " compofition. Yes, I have, but I intend *' to keep them for a particular ufe, which " I will tell you in another letter. In the <f mean time, do you divine what it may be, " for I mould imagine you might guefs it. <s You may fay that I am now myfterious. '* Jt is but juft that a letter which contains e? myfteries, fhould finifh with one. I tc am, &c.

M Prince

426 LETTERS FROM

Prince of San Severo's third Letter,

lt You have now had eight days fines my laft to conlider about what I intend to do with my perpetual lights. Well, have you found it out ? I do not think you can fail of guefling, if you know the great pains I have been at in adorning the burial place of our family. No one can doubt but that this new light I have found out muft be of very long duration, as it did not lofe an atom of its weight, tho' it kept burning for three months. Now what greater ornament can I put into my burying place than two of thefe lights burning perpetually in a fituation expofed to the view of every perfon, and not buried in fome fubterraneous invifible vault ? But firfl of all I want a proper name to give this light to diftiiiguiih it from others. From the experiments I have made, that of eternal or perpetual leems to me the belt, adapted to it. Cer-»

" tain

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 427

*' tain lamps have been called by this name, " that have been found in ancient tombs, " difcovered after the courfe of many cen- *f turies, and in particular that which was " found at Rome in the reign of Paul the " third, in an ancient fepulchre, efteemed " to be fixteen hundred .years old. They ?c fay that this lamp was burning when they ** firft opened the tomb, but that almoit. the *c moment it was expofed to the frefh air it " went out. Others of the fame kind are " reported to have been difcovered in the *' territory of Viterbo. However, whether *c thefe relations are to be fuppofed fabulous, *' or whether upon the opening of the tomb # and introduction of frefh air thefe lights c< have fent forth a momentaneous flame, as " fome imagine, in either of thefe cafes, the " name of perpetual or eternal is not at all " well adapted to them. You fee in all " cafes mine is much preferable, as it burns " freely in open air without any detriment to its light ; on the contrary; thofe of the

" ancients

a

428 LETTERS FROM

" ancients have always been found in fub- <{ terraneous clofe places, and as foon as ever " they have been expofed to the open air, M have gone out. True it is, that Doctor ** Plott is of opinion that thefe perpetual ** lights are practicable, and has attempted " to give us fome idea of them. But we ^ have never yet feen any of them publicly '* expofed to the world. All that he feems " to have done is, to propofe for the compo- *' fition of fuch a kind of lamp, afbeftine *■ paper for the fnuff, and naptha or liquid " bitumen for the oil, which latter is to be " found in the coal mines at Pickford in " Shropfhire. This bitumen, he fays, is " capable of burning without any fnuff, or ie without any care being taken of it, which " latter, you fee, is an abfolutely neceifary ". qualification for it to burn continually. " With regard to the before mentioned " lamps of the ancients, which, as I have cc already faid, it is the opinion of fome, may H receive a momentaneous flame upon the

« firfl

({

Italy, Germany, &c. 429

11 firfr, entrance of frefh air into the tomb, the " fame author is of opinion that they may " be imitated by fhutting fome liquid phof- " phorus under the glafs of an air pump, " leaving, however, a fmall portion of air in " the glafs. I, however, without making " projects, or propofmg imitations, hope to " be able to produce to the public, not only <c one, but two of thefe perpetual lights. " You, indeed, make me a juft objection, why I do not renew my experiments upon " the matter I have ftill remaining, and " make fome frefh for my perpetual lights ? <e This is a difficulty which muft occur to " every perfon, and, for my part, I mould " not fo hardily oppofe my own inclination " to make frefh experiments, if I was fure " of fucceeding a fecond time in the compo- " fition of the matter, which produces fo " portentous a phenomenon. But all chy- " mifts know, that thofe operations which " depend upon certain degrees of heat, whe- <{ ther from the fun or from fire, if that

(< degree

4 3° LETTERS FROM

*6 degree of heat be not exactly applied, never €C fucceed equally* Now when I fent this *' marvellous compofkion to one of our glafs V houfes, in order for it to be expofed for *e fome time to the force of fire, as nothing " ran lefs in my head than the making a " perpetual lamp, I did not take any account €i of the number of hours of fire, or the " degree of heat it fufFered. I know it was *' expofed to the fire a good many days, but " I do not even know the exact number of m them. Would it be prudence then in me " to confume the little that remains in my " two phials, and which once extinguished 41 is never to be lighted again, and thereby M render myfelf incapable of proving to the " world the truth of what I here affert ? *' But it may perhaps be told me, that I <f ought to try to make this matter afrefh. " Without doubt I will try, but if it mould " not fucceed, and I had already confumed " what ftill remains, I mould die with infi- " nite difpleafure not to have been able to

" render

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 43*

*' render my phenomenon public to the eyes

" of the whole world. I intend to put one

** at the feet and another at the head of the

•* ftatue of our Saviour dead, which you

" know we have in our burying place. They

" fhall be put upon the top of two thin cylin-

u. ders of marble, made to reprefent two

**• wax tapers. However as yet I would not

" have ftrangers take a journey to Naples to

" be witneffes of this wonder, for things are

" not ready for it to be rendered public.

" When they are once lighted however,

" they fhall be vifible to all perfons that

" chufe to come and fee them, who fhall

" have the liberty of making what experi-

" ments they pleafe, provided they do not

" endanger me the lofing of the pleafure

" of having fuch a prodigy in my family

" chapel. I dare fay that all will find their

" expectations anfwered, and I from this

<c inflant oblige myfelf to bear their expen-

" ces, tho' they fhould come from America,

" if they do not find every thing exactly as

"1 have

432 LETTERS FROM

'? I have here defcribed it. You will now *{ perhaps make me another objection, and ct that is why I do not make the materials of '* which this composition is formed, public, " that without undertaking a long journey, cc people may try experiments in their own 4\ houfes and at their own leifure ? I anfwer 61 that if I was to do this, firfr. my burying " place would lofe this its lingular preroga- " tive, and fecondly* fome author of a cer- *\ tain nation might come forth, who" would " fwear to have found this fecret in the re^ " gifters of the houfe of lords, &c. as I " have read it happened with regard to the " finding out of the loadftone, gunpowder, " and other things. However, I have no " difficulty in difcovering to you the princi- " pal ingredient in this compofition, but as " this letter is long, I will referve it for ano« «« then

The

ItALY, GERMANY, &c. 433

The Prince of San Severe? s fourth Letter*

*' I promifed in my laft letter to difcovef to you the principal ingredient of my com- pofition. I will now keep my word. It confifts in the bones of the mo'ft noble animal upon the face of the earth. You will eafily conceive that I meanthofe of hu- man fubjects. Not that I imagine, but that the bones of other animals muft have the fame virtue; however, what I made ufe of was a human fcull. I made ufe, in- deed, of many other ingredients, but they were all faffing menftruums, which did not incorporate themfelves with the matter of the fcull. Now I imagine that this mat- ter is not only the caufe of thofe flames, which are fometimes feen over the graves in a church-yard, or where there has been a bloody battle, and fometimes hovering over the corps of malefactors, that have been hanged in chains, but alfo is the Vol. III. E e caufe

434 LETTERS FROM

caufe of thofe lights, which have been obferved upon the firft opening of ancient tombs. As the idea of light is naturally united to that of a lamp, the laboring people that dug open thefe ancient fepul- clires feeing a light in them, and after- wards finding a lamp, might poffibly ima* gine that when they firft entered the light was burning, but that upon the frefh air coming in, it immediately went out. The juft explanation of this phenomenon muft, in my opinion, be derived from the faline particles in all bones, which, upon the freih air entering, immediately took fire, but were as quickly extinguifhed, upon account of their not being fufficiently puri- fied. You well knbw, the bed artificial phofphorus is extracted frbm urine, upon account of thofe falts, with which it abounds. But as thefe falts are extracted from an excrement of our bodies, that is* from a portion of matter, which not being" fit to be converted into our proper fub-

flance,

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 43S

*' ftance, is feparated from that which is " endued with virtue proper to be fo con- •* verted^ upon this account they are but u juft able to produce a phofphorus and u never a real flame. But thofe falts which u are incorporated in our bodies are capable ** fometimes of producing momentary flames* u tho' environed by a number of grofs par- *' tides, not proper for this effect. Under u this clafs we muil reduce thofe momeii- *.' tary flames feeil in ancient tombs, church- " yards, fields of battle, Sec, And laftly, thofe •* falts extracted from the folids* and purified €i and feparated from all grofs particles " with which they were enclofed> and " which oppofed and hindered their acti- M vity, may become capable not only of " producing real and lafting, but even l< perpetual flames, and under this clafs we " may reduce my perpetual light, of which " I have given you the hiftory. You will be fo good to write me word what is the Ee^ " opinion

436 LETTERS FROM

" opinion of fome of your friends, to whorri " you may poffibly have mown my account. T I beg to hear their ideas for my own in* " formation*'*

L E T-

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 437

LETTER XL.

Bibbiena, 9 o'clock morning, Monday, Sept. 28, 1761.

JQi VERY thing goes on much in the fame train, and I will therefore give you fome account of Ariofto, as I am jufl come from reading that celebrated author. We often confider him falfely as the author of a ferious epic poem. It is mixt, part bur- lefque and part heroical. He without doubt in fome places has written moil: divinely, but then he is extremely unequal, and often very languid, tirefome and indecent, not to fay that a great number of his ftories could hard* ly be entertaining to boys fitting round a fire* fide ; as for example, that of Horrilus, who as foon as any limb, or even his head, is cut off in battle, fticks it upon the place again* and it becomes as firm and as united as be- E e 3 fore.

43* LETTERS FROM

fore. Aftolfo had no other fcheme to over- Come him, but as foon as he had beheaded him, matching up the head and galloping off with it as fan: as he could. Horrilus after having groped in vain fome time upon the ground for that material part of his body, hears Ailolfo's horfe gallop away, tho' I do not know how he could without his ears. However, fufpecling the cafe, he jumps, headlefs as he was, upon his own horfe, and gallops after the knight. But Aftolfo out- witted him, for he took the opportunity of poiTeffion, to cut off a hair from the head, upon which the enchantment and Horrilus's life depended. The fatal hair was no fooner divided " than the vifage became deformed " and pale, * itseyes rolled, and by manifeft " figns, life was drawing to its verge. The

* Si fece il vifo allor pallido e brutto, Travolfe gli occhi, e dimoflro all' occafq Per manifefti fegni efler condotto j E'l bufto che feguia, troncato il collo, Pi fella cadde, e die 1' ultimo crollo.

trunk

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 439

** trunk too, that followed on horfeback, " fhook and fell."

Tho* Ariofto runs into many different ftories, yet, his principal object feems to b^ the wars between Charlemagne and the Moors, with the madnefs of Orlando, which, indeed, makes him call his work the Orlando Furiofo. This madnefs is oecafioned by the neglect of the fair Angelica, who, after he had followed her all over the world, gives herfelf away, at Lift, to Medoro, a youth of low extraction, whom me found wounded in a foreft. Pity made her aflift him, and, •as he was extremely handlome, love fuc- ceeded to pity. She healed him, and lived fome time in a .cottage with him, wrhere me had got him at firft carried. Before they went away, they had written their names upon the bark of many of the neighbouring trees, and particularly in a grotto, where they ufed often to pafs the heat of the day. Orlando, coming afterwards to |hofe places,

au4

44° LETTERS FROM

and feeing the names of Angelica and Me- doro united, was at fir ft ftung with all the torments of grief and jealou fy ; but, being at laft entirely afcertained of his misfortune by the countryman, who lived in the neigh- bouring hut, by little and little goes out of his fenfes, and does at laft the moft extra- vagant actions. He tears his cloaths, throws away his armour, and runs naked about the world, for a long time. Aftolfo, conducted by St. John the evangelift, at length goes up to the moon, where Ariofto tells you every thing is conveyed that is loft upon earth, (an idea which Milton has taken) and there he finds Orlando's brains, as well as thofe of many other perfons, with fome of his own likewife, all ftopt up in little phials. He put the phial that contained the portion of his own to his noftrils, and fnufTed it up like fal- volatile, then, bringing Orlando's down to earth, after much difficulty in holding him down, makes him reaftume his fenfes in like manner. Orlando, now reftored to reafon,

affifls

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 441

affifts Charlemagne, together with the other knights, againft the Moors, till at length the African invaders are all driven out of France. This appears the principal aim of Ariofto, thq' he has interwoven fo many ftories, that he feems oftentimes to have loft all idea of the title of his book. Indeed, I think he may, in fome meafure, be compared to Shakefpeare, as his beauties are very great, but mixed, like our dramatic hero's, with great defects.

In two or three days I leave this place for my long journey to England, and mail con- tinue writing to you, till I think my own perfon will reach you as quick as my letters.

LET-

442 LETTEPvS FROM

LETTER XLI.

San Niccolo, half after 5 in the afternoon^ Monday, October 5, 1761.

On Thurfday laft I left Bibbiena. Not being able to get to Bologna to night, I have been obliged to flop about twelve miles fhort of it. The inn in itfelf is good, but I have got a very bad room in it, as the am- baflador from Venice to Rome is expected every minute, and his courier, whom he has fent before, has feized upon all the belt apartments. However, as I have been ufed to Spain, all inns are equally good to me. How the ambaifador comes to lodge in fo little a place, when Bologna is fo near, I know not. We are in the open country at prefent, and a very pretty flat country. Plains are a novelty to one who comes from the moun- tainous provin-ce of Cafentino. There is a

prodi-

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 443

prodigious noife in the inn at prcfent, owing to the arrival of his excellency. However, notwithftanding t\\e fracas he makes, I hear the greated: part of his train is gone by fea to Ancona. They fay he has got thirty fervants upon the Adriatic. In our inn I do not think there are above eight or ten per- fons, but they run about in endlefs prepara- tion. Venice, tho* a little ftate, is always, I think, very fplendid in her ambaffadors. They are more brilliant perhaps than ours in general, or, at leaft, as much. England is not very magnificent in her embaffies. I do not know any but our ambaffador in Spain, who lives with remarkable fplendor. The Venetian ambaffador at Madrid makes alfo a great figure. I do not remember by whom, but the following remark was made \ipon this fubject. That little Hates were always more expeniive in ambafladors than others, in order that the courts they were fent to might think their matters were of £ onfequence. And, in fact, fome little ftates

act

444 LETTERS FROM

act in this manner, perhaps, for the reafons affigned. But I can not commend England in only fending envoys where France em- ploys ambafladors, as at Naples, and id other places. As the rank and honors at- tached to thefe different characters are very different, it makes perfons think, that as an envoy muft give place to an ambaflador, England likewife ought to yield to the fupe- riority of France.

My journey from Bibbiena to this place has been attended with nothing remarkable. After creeping along the channel of the river Corfalone, we palled the mighty moun- tain of Bagno, and arrived at San Piero to dinner. In the evening we went to Galeata, a longer, but better way than what I had come from Cefena. The next day we dined at Meldola, a manor belonging to Prince Pam- fili at Rome. That nobleman is indeed dead, but it belongs to his heirs, who are fighting for i\is rich fuccefhon, He had the

moft

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 44$

moft property of perhaps any fubject in Europe, but lived, notwithstanding, in ex- treme penury. I have feeii him at Viterbo taking the air in a wretched coach, which they called his hearfe, and yet he had only oblique relations, who are the perfons now difputing for his inheritance. It is imagined that Meldola will fall to the mare of the Borghefe family. It is a fovereign fief, or manor, which means that the lord of it lias entire power over his vafTals, except in capi- tal cafes, That acl of fupreme dominion belongs to the pope in Meldola, as it lies adjoining to the ecclefiaftical flare. There is a great market held weekly in this place, where the people of upper and lower Ro- magna meet and exchange their commodi- ties. From an ancient fortrefs your eye commands the whole plain of lower Ro- magna quite to the Adriatic fea. By this extenfive view you will imagine I was arrived to the verge of the mountains. Be- hind me lay the mighty Apennines, which

2 feemed

446 LETTERS FROM

feemed to frown upon my departure front them. After having fufficiently furveyed the beauties of the place, I dined, and fetting forward for Cefena, arrived at the Ave Maria bell upon the wooden bridge over the river Savio, which runs winding under its walls, whence poets call her the city

Cui bagna il curvo fianco il Savio,

Whofe winding fiank the Savio bathes.

I frayed there till this day, and received many civilities from the friars of the pious fchools, who took me again into their houfe, but I troubled them little, as I found acquaintance who carried me about, and particularly a marchionefs I had known at Rome, who Invited me to her villa, called the Belvi- dere, and, indeed, the beauty of the view correfponded fully to the name. I could even diftinguifh Ferrara from it by a long telefcope there was in the houfe. This day, through a rich flat country, abounding in

flax,

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 447

flax, corn, and wine, with fbme olive?, I ar- rived at the prefent place, from whence 1 fliall in the morning continue my eafy jour- ney to Bologna.

Bologna, 9 o'clock evening, Tuefday, Oft. 6, 1761.

THIS morning between nine and ten I arrived in this city. The roads from Rome to Bologna, after you have pafTed the moun- tains, are the bell: of any in Italy, and indeed are as good as any we have in England. We have jufl had one of the Italian horfe-races in the ftreet under my window. It is fome feflival or other, I do not know what.

I have been reading the Bologna -gazette. The article of London, of the 15th Sep- tember, fpeaks of our royal marriage in the following manner.

«« About

443 LETTERS FROM

" About nine o'clock in the evening of " the 8th inftant, the princefs of Mecklin- " burg Strelitz, our new fovereign, was con- " dueled by prince Edward, brother to the " king, into the chapel deftined for the cere- " mony of the marriage. The duke of " Cumberland reprefented the father of the " bride. The queen was preceded by a c< hundred and twenty ladies of the firffc " rank in mod magnificent habits, and (lie " was accompanied by fix nuptial virgins, " and ten daughters of counts held up her " train. All ceremonies being finifhed, *' which was by eleven o'clock, the whole " artillery of the park was fired, in order to " announce the happy event to the people. " The two fovereigns then received compli- ** merits of congratulation from all the no- " bility, who had affiled at the before men- " tioned ceremonies, and who partook of the " royal banquet, after which the new queen " was conducted to her apartment. The " town made the greatefl and moll: magnifl-

" cent

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 449

" cent demonftrations of joy imaginable, and " was entirely illuminated in the evening. " The morning afterwards every perfon ap- " peared at court in their mofl fplendid ha«* " bits. There were all the nobility, all the " foreign miniflers and perfons of diftinc- *' tion prefent, in order to pay their compli- " ments to the royal bride and bridegroom. *' The fovereign ordered letters of notifica- " tion to be given to all the foreign minif- " ters, which he had fubferibed with his " own hand ; and which they were to tranf- " mit to their refpective fovereigns, to in- " form them of the royal wedding. Never " upon limilar occafions was a greater pomp " of cloaths, diamonds, and other jewels " beheld. Some of the ladies were covered (f with diamonds to the value of 100,000 " and 200,000 pounds flerling. In the even- *c ing there was a fplendid ball, which was " opened by the before mentioned prince *• Edward and the princefs Augufta."

Vol. Ill, F f Bologna,

4|o LETTERS FROM

Bologna, 7 o'clock evening, Thurfday, Oft. 8, 1761.

1 have been yefterday and to day to caft an eye upon fome of the mod curious thing*' in this place, as Bologna is famous for a great quantity of very fine pictures. The college likewife called the Inftituto pleafed me, which is a foundation for the ftudy of moll: arts and fciences. The fudden tranfi- tion from a room full of architecture, to ano- ther where there are all forts of models of for- tification, and a third ornamented with things belonging to naval affairs, chemiftry or other fciences, is pleafing. Befides there is a good mufeum of curiofities, and fome paintings by no means defpicable. All that feemed to me to be wanting were the ftudents, but I fuppofe there are times when they appear, however I faw nobody. This town, tho' under the pope, has much the air of a republic, and indeed, upon it's furrender to 2 • the

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 4$t

the holy fee, many of its privileges were preferved. They have ftill a kind of doge and fenate, which regulate all the interior concerns of the city, and I believe the legate or governor only prerldes over the great affairs of (late. It was formerly entirely a republic, raifed after the example of many other cities in the times of coilfufion, but fell like them under the incroaching poten- tates, who now divide Italy between them* except a few fmall remains of ariftocratical liberty. The city is handfome, tho' the ftreets are in fome places narrow, and through moft of them on each fide runs a colonnade formed like the piazzas in Covent-garden, that a foot paffenger may walk about the town in rainy weather with very little wet,

I fet out tomorrow for Ferrara, and the day after I hope to arrive at Padua. From thence I muft make an excurlion to Venice to pro- vide fome things neceflary for my journey

to England.

F f a LET-

4ji LETTERS FROM

LETTER XLIL

I

Padua, 4 'oclock afternoon,- Sunday, Oft. u, 1761.

Arrived here yefterday by dinner, that fe 3 famionable dinner in London, about four or five o'clock. The evening before yefterday, after paffing the Po with difficulty, as it

was

-infarid contorquens vortlce fylvas,

I flept at Ferrara, a city that looks like a northern town, the buildings being greatly of red brick. Its neighbour Ravenna I did not pafs throughj tho' it fucceeded to Rome in being the capital of the weftern empire, but it is now funk to only a fecondary town of the papal fee. I prefume the Roman empe- rors fettled there to be more at hand in the

decaV

ITALY, GERMANY, &c 453

decay of the empire to oppofe the barbarians, who were ruihing like torrents from the mountains to conquer lands more fertile than their own, Even after the Goths had overwhelmed Italy, Juftinian, by the fortu-r nate arms of Belifarius, re-eftablifhed his do- minion in this country, and it remained to his fuccefTors under the name of the Exar- chate, till the Lombards took it, but were foon driven out by Pepin and Charlemagne, who gave it to the pope. In the confufions of Italy however, during the dark centuries, both Ferrara and Ravenna got under dukes? and the former was at length governed by the houfe of Efte, fo famous for their protec- tion to learning and poetry, which has fpread their name much wider than their own actions or little dukedom could have done. Upon the failure of that family the Venetians got pofleffion of it, but the popes, by artifice and eccleiiaftical arms recovered it again into their hands, where at prefent it appears likely to remain. The Po feems F f 3 to

454 LETTERS FROM

to be its prefent enemy, and they have fenti-r nels to watch it in its now fwollen fitua- tion, who are ready to run and flop up any breach with clay and other materials. If we had been a day later, we could not have paffed it.

Nothing remarkable happened to me in the journey from Ferrara hither except that I was in danger of being overturned within the walls of this town. There was fo deep a hole, that the fhaft-horfe, in tugging to get us out, left his faddle and fhafts behind him. But the only damage we received was the time loft in adjufting the chaife and horfes again, and the breath expended in cholerical ejaculations againft. the magiflrates of Padua for permitting their ftreets to be fo bad. In- deed it feems an extremely defert place, tho' once fo famous for its univerfity, which flill continues, but has neither the reputation nor fludents it ufed to have. The town it* felf is large and very ugly. The flreets are

badly

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 455

badly paved, the buildings half tumbling down, and the whole together hardly mews any remains of its former greatnefs,

Upon the river Brenta, half after one afternoon, Monday, Oft. 12, 1761.

I am at prefent in a burchidlo^ a Venetian boat or barge, going from Padua to Venice. A Pruffian or German is with me, who feems a lhabby fellow, but T could not avoid letting him come with me in the boat, or elfe I lhould have been glad of his abfence. I have juft. fet down to writing however, and fpeak very little to him. The river J am upon at prefent is bordered with very fine country hpufes. But we mail leave them by little and little, and enter into the fea, in the middle of which, three miles from terra jirma, Venice is wonderfully fituated;

I believe I fhall be able to write but little,

for the Pruffian comes very often into the

F f 4 little

45$ -LETTERS FROM

little cabin where I am fitting and interrupts me. He is gone however at prefent to the boat's head to look at the country houfes, as the weather has changed from rain to ex- tremely fine.

My bark has juft paffed by a very noble villa belonging to the Pifani family. What I write mull be incoherent, as the Pruffian is interrupting me almoft every minute. * wifh he was at the bottom of the water we are now gliding over, tho', poor fellow, I wifh he had at the fame time the gills of a fifh to breathe under it. However, there is no remedy, as he is above that element. Tho' I call this a boat, it is very large, and has two cabins, in one of which I and the Pruffian are fitting, and in the other the fer- vants and boatmen. This importunate tra- veller is at prefent looking out of a window, which gives me an opportunity of continu- ing you my writing,

Venice

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 457

Venice was firfl inhabited by little better than fiihermen, who fled from the continent during the incurfions of the Huns and Goths, and fought for liberty in a fet of poor little iflands riling out of the Adriatic gulph. So early amidft rocks and fea-weed arofe this famous republic. It foon got fomething into its prefent form of government, and as their citizens increafed, the iflands were fquared with piles, and flreets formed, which to the wondering eye prefent a canal of water. Succefs and opulence rendered the edifices more magnificent, till at length that queen of the Adriatic, towards which my bark is now gently gliding, threw up her proud towers towards heaven, and feemed to ex- ult over the fubjecled waves.

The Pruffian ftill continues to torment me with talking about the glories of his mafter and I do not know what all. Hehasjufr, made me read fome verfes the king of Pruffia fent to his mother the late queen dowager.

He

45? LETTERS FROM

He fent them together with a box in which there was ibme myrrhe, frankincenfe and money, of which he made her a prefent upon twelfth-day, or the epiphany. You know this is the day on which the wife men are faid to have come to prefent their gifts to Chrift. The fathers tell us there were three, and all three kings, at leafl the king of Pruffia has regard to that number. The verfes are as follow.

Grand Reine,

Autrefois trois prefenterent

A l'enfant ne qu'ils admirerent

De I 'or, de la myrrhe, et de l'encens,

Daignez de grace condefcendre

Que je m' emancipe a vous rendre

Au meme jour meme prefent.

La myrrhe eft cette amour fi tendre

Que j'eus pour vous de tous les terns,

L'encens ce font les veux que j'orFre

Au ciel pour prolonger vos ans.

Et ce metal au fond du coffre

Eft troup heureux s'il fert a vos amufemens.

This

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 459

This poetry is not ugly, and thank God the perfon who lent me the copy is fet down to write letters, which has given me time to tranfcribe it. We are at prefent flopped a little, in order to pafs through afluicejuft like ours in England. We are defcending as they are lowering the water to let us out on the other tide of the fluice. The fecond gates I think are juft opening and we mall go on. Indeed I wifh we were out of this hole for I can not fee to write at prefent, we are fo low in the pot, as we call it, with two high walls on each fide.

I have j ufl been landing at the head of my boat to enjoy the beautiful views of the Brenta. Upon my word it is here a moil delightful river, not for the ftream of water, which has nothing very particular, but the houfes and trees interfperfed upon the fides render it charming. I believe indeed I am in the prettieft part. It is worfe near Padova,

and

ifio LETTERS FROM

&nd when you approach Venice I am afraid the fea will too much predominate.

As I was before hindered from going on by the darknefs of the iluice, I mall now be obliged to flop from the approach of evening, without I can get a candle. We have ftill eight or nine miles to go before wc arrive at Venice,

LET-

I

ItALY, GERMANY, &c. 461

LETTER XLIIL

Upon the Brenta, 3 o'clock afternoon, Saturday, Oft. 17, 17 61.

Am at prefent in the fame fort of veffel I was in at writing my laft paper. The only difference was, that I was then going to Venice, and I am now returning to Padua. The weather had then too returned to be fine, but the iky is at prefent covered with clouds. The fea was even rather ftormy in my paffage from Venice to the terra firma, that is, as rough as water almoft. furrounded by land can be. Indeed it is rather a large lake in which Venice is fituated than the fea, and from hence is called by the natives them- f elves Lagunes. I am late, as you will fee by the hour figned above, however as I have taken two horfes to tug my bark along, I hope to get to Padua before the gates are

fhut-

*6a LETTERS FROM

fhut. I was delayed this morning at Venice longer than I intended. My tranfa&ions there were not very remarkable. Upon my arrival in the watery town in my burchklloy I intended to have gone in it quite to the houfe where I Was to lodge. But as the water was high, my clumfy veffel could not pafs under one of the bridges, with which moil of the ftreets are crofled, and the wideft of all with the Rialto. Venice is almofr. the only place in the Mediterranean where there is any fenfible tide, and that not above a foot or two at mod. I was obliged there- fore to call a gondola, who ply like hack- ney coaches, and in which I was placidly conveyed to my locanda or hotel. As it was dark I faw little of the city that night, but bufinefs and vifits carried me over the greater! part of it next morning. Its fitua- tion is certainly the oddeft of any town upon the face of the earth, but I mould think it mufl: be a difagreeable place to refide in con- ftantly. There can not be a greater fmell of

pitch

ITALY, GERMANY, Sec. aH

pitch and tar on board fhip. Views of Venice look pretty in a picture, but painting can not exprefs the bad fmells of the canals. All the buildings too are reprefented in the fame bright perfpe&ive, as if they were new. To look at them in reality many appear very rufty. Nor can you take any exercife with- out firft rowing three miles to terra-firma to mount your horfe. You may indeed walk in St. George's garden, but the fea water hinders any trees from growing in that or other places. And yet I have feen pretty good timber near the fea-beach in fouthern countries. That however is the common opinion with us. After having finifhed my vifits I went to Murano upon bufinefs. It is an ifland a mile or two from Venice. There are a number of little iilands fcattered about the lake in which Venice is fituated, which are all inhabited. The expanded fur- face of placid water broken at a diftance by buildings, formed an agreeable perfpec~tive, while I lay reclined at my eafe in the gon- dola.

LETTERS FROM

dola. At low water the view is not fo beau* tiful, as fome of the fea- weeds appear upon the furface. The fhallownefs of the lake adds to the ftrength of the town, as, tho' too deep for infantry to march through, it would not admit large veflels of war, except by one channel, which the Venetians would take care to block up, and deftroy the marks that now point it out. Famine indeed would conquer it, which tho' a tardy operation, Ihews it is not abfolutely impregnable, as the Inhabitants boafh

We are come to a place called the Mira, and are in the pot of a fluke. We are riling at prefeilt, as we are going up the river, but only to afcend into the jaws of a hundred beggars, who are peeping over the brink. I am now almofl upon a level with the ground and their cries pierce my ears, while their heads are ftooping down and peeping iii at the windows of my bark.

A col-

Italy, Germany, &c. ^i

A collation of boiled chefnuts and grapes, which I bought to get fome change for the vociferous mendicants, has flopped my writ- ing for fome little time, but they being con- fumed, and two horfes trotting along at prefent with my veflel in tow, nothing hinders me from going on with my account of Venice.

This famous republic, founded as early as I have mentioned to you, has for a long courfe of centuries preferved itielf uncdn- quered, tho' oppofed by powerful enemies. The Turk in vain employed all his ftrength to crufh her, and the conquerors of Afia fled before the veffels of a fmall ariftocracy. But me was {till in more danger when the greateft part of Europe united againft her in the league of Cambray, but her arms repelled the attacks of France, Spain* Italy, and Germany, while her policy found means to divide her enemies. In the very time of thefe contefts unrivalled commerce fpread her fails, and all the fpices of India pafled Vol. III. G g through

466 LETTERS FROM

through her hands. But the heroic valor of Vafco de Gama in paffing the cape of Good- hope, gave from the fouth pole an unexpected, wound to the Venetians, and the commodities which had come by land over the iithmus of Suez, were brought a cheaper way by fea to the coafts of Portugal. As other nations foon fhared with the Por- tuguefe in this new difcovery, Venice faw the fource of her opulence precluded, with- out being able to complain of her adverfa- ries, and from that time me has confiderably funk ill the fcale of Europe. The Turks drove her out of Candia, and fhe was ob- liged to abandon the claffical fields of Greece to thofe barbarians. But ftill I think fhe may keep what remains to her, and conti- nue one of the moil refpectable powers in Italy. Her own almoit impregnable capital bids her laugh at any enemy, tho' if fhe loft her pofieffions upon the continent, her fituation would not be enviable, and they would join extremely wrell to the dominions

of

Italy, Germany, &c. 467

©f the houfe of Auftria. However, I do not think that at prefent any farther en- croachments will be made. But the .repub- lic by no means retains her ancient fpbndor, and the fupercilioufnefs . of fome of her fenators oftentimes difpleafes her lubjects. The whole nation are Haves to the fenate, and the fenators to each other* The inqui- fition of ftate is a tribunal of the moft for- midable nature. Tho' it confifts only of three perfons annually elected from the fe- nate, its authority is fo uncontrouled as to be able to put any citizen to death, fenator or plebeian, without any trial or even rea- fon given for it. Their property is alfo at their difpofah Nothing can mitigate the horror of this tribunal, but its fo frequently going into the hands of different noblemen. Yet ftill no perfon dares utter a word upon public matters, and a nobleman was obliged to afk pardon of the fenate for having by miftake juft. entered into the gondola of our refident, as they are forbidden to have any Gg j intercourfe

46§ LETTERS FROM

interconrfe with public minifters. This miftake is moil eafy to be made at a pub- lic place, as all the gondolas are covered with black cloth. There is a law to this purpofe, that perfons may not run to an expensive emulation in adorning their barks * The regulation may be good, but it makes the town very melancholy with all thofe black hearfes gliding along the watery ftreets of it. Upon my return from Murano I went to the fquare of St. Mark, which is noble, but not very large, and at the end of it fland the doge's palace and the fenate houfe. I can not leave my difcourfe upon this town without mentioning the arfenal, which is well worth feeing, and where there are a number of mips and gallies ready for putting to lea* and among the reft the Bucin- toro, or magnificent galley on which the doge mounts, when he weds the fea upon Afcen lion- day, a ceremony originally intro- duced to lhew the republic's dominion over the Adriatic. A ring is thrown into the

water

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 4^9

water in token of the efpoufals, but a thread tied to it fecures it as a perquiiite to fome of the officers. The words pronounced are, M Defponfamus te, mare, in Jignum verl ct per- " petril imperil.''' * The Venetian empire over the Adriatic is however, difputed by fome nations, and I confefs I am of opinion with Grotius, that the fea is not capable of propriety, in contradiction to our learned Selden,

Padua, half after 7 o'clock.

A N accident hindered my proceeding hi the bark any further than to a place called the Duolo. The Brenta was fo fwoln by the late rains, (not that I think we have had much at Venice,) however, perhaps from the melting of the fnow upon the Alps, there was fuch a flood, that the gates of the fluke at the Duolo, could not

* IC We efpoufe thee, O fea, in token of our true and (£ perpetual empire over thee."

G g 3 be

470 LETTERS FROM

be opened. The Brenta, the Po, the Adige, and all other rivers which come from the mountains of the Tirole, are very fubjecT: to in- undations, from the water or fnow pouring down from their elevated fummits. The former indeed, is generally a caufe of the latter. For as there is continually fnow upon the fummits, whenever any rain falls it melts fome part of it. But we may have more differtations about that mountainous province, as I am fo Ihortly to pafs through it. Finding myfelf not able to proceed any farther by water, fome other expedient was to be thought of to get to Padua, and after various difficulties I hired a little open chair with two horfes, which are common in fhefe parts of Italy, and left my baggage and fervant to wait till the morning. Upon ftarting I found myfelf in the middle of a vortex of dirt. The lownefs and opennefs of the carriage, the badnefs of the road, and the galloping of the horfes, was the caufe of my being furrounded by this new

atmofphere*

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 47*

atmofphere. Indeed by going flow I could have avoided becoming a mud wall, for fuch was my exterior appearance upon my arrival at Padua, but as the horfes at firft letting out had done almoft as much damage as was poffible, I thought it heft to proceed, that I might arrive time enough for the Padovan gates, which are fhut about an hour and a half after fun^fet. Befides I had a Pruffian cloak, which preferved my cloaths from fuffering by the eddy of mud, which was flying round me. As my ehaife was fo little and went fo faft, and ,as long" before I got to Padua it was dark, I was fomething afraid of being overturned, but I comforted myfelf with there being fo much clay all about, that I mould fall as foft as upon a feather bed. Not but that precipices, gave me fome uneafy fenfations from time to time, for there are many in thefe countries, as they are forced to make dykes again ft all their rivers, and very often the road goes upon the top of them. But the gates of G g 4. Padua

472 LETTERS FROM

Padua at laft appeared in view through the obfcurity of the night, when I foon reached the inn, which at prefent fhelters me, by name the Star,

A melancholy perfon has been walking up and down the great hall adjoining to my

room. At times he retired a little into his own apartment and played upon the German flute. The patheticnefs of the airs, and the Scotch turn they had, made me enquire who it was, and I found it to be lord Elcho, ba- nifhed for ever from his native country for one ram ftep, and condemned to be a perpe- tual vagabond upon the face of the earth, and dependent upon the charity of foreigners, O houfe of Stuart, how many haft thou drawn into that fatal vortex, which has ever been ready to ingulph thy fons !

yT«

JTALY, GERMANY, &c. 473

LETTER XLIV,

Padua, ii o'clock morning, Tuefday, Oct. 20, 1761.

W E have had nothing but rain fince I lafl took up my pen. Many different opini- ons have been offered about my departure for Germany tomorrow morning. • Some fay I mall be able to go away and others not, upon account of the waters, which are imagine^ to be out towards Trevifo and BafTanof

Going into a church this morning I faw fome boys, who were receiving inftruclion in the Chriftian doctrine from a frier. I with my guide fat me down a little behind the youths to partake of their inftru&ion. The fubjecl: treating of was, the nature of the punilhment of the damned. We trembled at the defcription of fire and brimftone, but

ftttl

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ftill more when the frier informed us, that this was nothing at all. " No," fays he, " the greatefl punifhment of the damned " is being deprived of the prefence of God, " who being our beginning and end, think " what torment it muft be to live without " our beginning and without our end. Which tl of thefe two punifhments do you think " the worft, little Francifco ?" faid the pre- ceptor : and the child naturally anfwering, the fire, he received a rap upon his knuckles with a wand the pedagogue carried in his hand, and was ordered to give more atten- tion to what was told him. From punifh- ments we glanced away to the fins which occalioned them, and by their recital put many ideas into the childrens heads, which I dare fay they never had before. Speaking of eating meat in lent time, the preceptor alked us, if we did not think it unjufl for a temporary crime, (for he could eat a nicely dreffed fowl in half an hour,) that we mould undergo eternal condemnation. We all looked

as

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 4?$

as if we were of that opinion, till he told us that it was not the duration of the crime, but the eternity of that Being who was of- fended, which rendered the punifhment eter- nal. Upon this decifion I was obliged to come away, as my guide did not feem to re- lifh the lecture fo much as myfelf, and told me it was time for us to be going.

My fears are but too true. The mafler of the chaife I have hired to carry me to Augfbourg, has juft been at the inn, to in- form me, that it is impoflible to go away tomorrow; that the waters are all out and there is no pairing. As I can not fight againft inundations of rivers, I mull: even be con- tent and divert myfelf at Padua as well as I can.

LET-

476 LETTERS FROM

LETTER XLV.

Trente, 1 1 o'clock in the morning, Sunday, October 25, 1761.

jlx S you will fee by my date I am arrived at the famous city of Trente in the Tirole, the ancient Rhaetia. I am now furrounded by the mountains that divide Italy from the reft of the world ; for the Tirole, tho' it goes by another name, is nothing but a continua- tion of the Alps, and the Romans only con- fidered it as fuch, tho* they gave it the name of Rhastia. Indeed, it has the advan- tage of having a very good road through it, which the Alps, properly fo called, have not. From Padua to this place we have gone moft part of the way upon the banks of the Brenta. We are now come to thofe of the Adige, upon which Trente is lituated, and mail follow its courfe for a great part of

the

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 477

the Tirole. In thefe countries, where the

mountains are fo high, that it is impoffible

to pafs over the fnow-clad fummits, there is

no way of travelling, but by the fides of

rivers which lead through them. The gufh-

ing of the torrents, with the hills riling on

each fide of them, form molt picturefque

views. I have bid adieu then to Italy, which

I can not deny to be an agreeable country,

tho' it has its drawbacks as well as others.

There was a great quantity of water in the

roads hither, notwithstanding the floods are

faid to have decreafed near three or four feet.

We were even obliged to take a guide to

fhew us fome round about ways in order to

avoid the greateft part of the inundations.

At length we arrived to the banks of the

Brenta, which we palled in a ferry, and

from thence continued our courfc to this

place. We paifed by the Covolo, a fortrefs

belonging to the emprefs queen, where the

foldiers are drawn up into a hole in the rock,

and would not fear an enemy, if they could

live

47$ LETTERS FROM

live upon air. The city of Trente, where I am at prefeilt, is famous for the Roman catholic council held here about two hun- dred years ago. It was affembled to coun- teract the doctrines of the proteftants, which had fpread through all the northern parts of Europe. It began under the pontificate of Pius the fourth. The council was firfl held in the year 1545, and concluded after divers interruptions in the year 1563. You may imagine they vented much bile in it againfl the proteftants, and condemned, or, as my landlord calls it, fulminated all their tenets. They (hewed me the place where it was affembled, and many other things, but nothing worth recounting. The city of Trente is governed by a biihop, and is one of thofe confufed forts of conftitutions in Germany, where, notwithstanding the bi« mop's being called fupreme in fpiritual and temporal affairs, he is, in fome meafure, fubjecl: to the city of Infprngh, or to the government of the queen of Hungary. In

matters

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 479

matters of confequence the confent of the town of Infprugh is neceffary to ratify his laws. However, they call this bifhop their fovereign, and in all common things he is fuch. The language commonly talked here is Italian, notwithfhnding the city is great- ly inhabited by German merchants and tradefmen, and the greater! number of the fervants are Germans. The talking Italian is neceffarily derived from the neigh- bouring commerce with Italy, of which. Trente was anciently called the gates.

■ Mox inde Tridentum

Venimus, Italics quae prima eft janua terrce.

I have finifhed my defcription of the government of Trente, and as the poftilion is ready to go away, I fhall leave the place, and the defcription of it at the fame time.

Saint

44q LETTERS FROM

Saint Michael ditto in the evening,

W E have penetrated farther into moun* tains,

Green with high groves that wave amid the cloud?.

AME. PHILIPS.

Thofe at a diftance are covered with eternal fnow, and render the air very keen and fharp. There is a mofh fatal cuftom too in the houfe where I am at prefent, of not lighting np the ftoves till the firft of No- vember, tho' I have by perfuafion got them to put fome fire into mine, but it requires time to heat the atmofphere, Thefe ftoves are certainly the moil: difagreeable contrivances for foreigners that were evgr invented. You can not fee a bit of the flame of the fire, but this is the leaft of their incon- veniencies. What I find the greateft is, that the fire is by thefe means kept all with- in the room, the fuffocating heat of which

is

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 481

is like an oven and caufes no fmall head-aches. Nor has cuftom during the year I ftayed at Leipzig, taught me to bear them. In ele- gant houfes, however, where the ftove is well formed, it makes a very pretty orna- ment. It looks like a pyramidical funeral pile in honor of fome hero. But looks can never compenfate for the difagreeablenefs of their feel, and I declare I have often waked gafping for breath at Leipzig from the quan- tity of fuel put into them from without before I got up. However, to mew you the difference of opinions, a German author I have upon the table fpeaks of them as follows .

" There has never been a better, or more " convenient invention than our lloves. At " a fire in a chimney you can neither per- M fectly heat yourfelf, nor have you the " liberty of moving about as you pleafe, as " you muil: keep clofe to the grate to be <c warm. Befides, the blaze of the fire is

Vol. III. H h « pre-

4S2 LETTERS FROM

" prejudicial to the eye fight. But with " floves, as the whole air ia the room is " heated, you have the liberty of moving *' about as much as you pleafe, and of per- *' forming, without any inconvenience, '" whatever buiinefs you may have to do. " The poor people, by their affiftance, pafs " all the winter without fuffering the leaft " cold, and are at a fmall expence for fuel " and cloaths."

My fervant has fupped, and I am going to bed. The declivity of German beds makes at leaft an angle of forty- five degrees with the horizon. That which I am going into at prefent is not quite fo much elevated, but I have not as yet penetrated far into Germany. I then expedr. to find a feather- bed put on the top of me as well as under- neath, and be packed up for the night like a jewel in cotton.

Obman,

/TALY, GERMANY, &c. 483

Obman, Tuefday, OCt 27, 1761 half after 11, morning.

The country thro' which we have paffed this morning, and indeed quite fromTrente hither, is pretty, always upon the banks of the Adige, which has been our conftant com- panion from that city, as the Brenta was before we came to it. The mountains of the Tirole are now become very beautiful and covered with trees. At the beginning of it they were more barren. From time to time they are interfperfed with the moft de- lightful hoary cafcades, which tumble down from rock to rock, and form the moft charm- ing fcenes imaginable. I confefs myfelf a vaft advocate for mountainous countries, and wifn it was in my power always to live in them. The mind is elevated at the fight of thefe craggy rocks ; and the hand of an Almighty Creator feems more vifible in thefe ftupendous mounds of earth before me, than in the more placid tracts of level ground. H h z Many

484 LETTERS FROM

Many are the fnow-clad fummits" on which human foot never trod. I doubt whether the birds raife their flight to thofe inhofpitable regions. Bears and wolves alone poflefs the hoary forefts, and look down upon the fub- jacent valleys undifturbed by man. Tre- mendous as are the craggy tops, fo fertile are the vallies. The vine is every where cultivated, and produces tolerable wine. The drefs of the inhabitants, which is commonly green, adds to the ruralnefs of the fcene, and the foaming Adige, from whofe banks rife forefts of ftrait pines, compleats the whole. I have nothing to complain of but the cold, and the harmnefs of the language which now founds all about me. Both are more fenfible by coming from fouthern climates, and leaving the loft tone of the Italian. Re- doubled confonants now grate upon my ear, and I almoft agree with the grammarian, who calls German a language for his horfes.

Stertzen,

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 485

Stertzen, Wednefday, 0£t. 28, 1761. 12 o'clock at noon.

What cold I have felt in my journey this morning ! The farther you penetrate among the mountains, the higher they grow, and the marper the weather feels. We had rain this morning, and fnow upon the tops of the mountains. The road has been much of the fame fort as that we have for fome time paffed, that is by the fide of the Adige, with mountains on each hand of us. It is very good, at lead at prefent, now we are advanced into the Tirole, for at the beginning it was flony and bad, but wre went a bye-way to avoid the floods. We are now got much too high for any thing of that kind, and fhall in the evening be in the center of thefe mountains, from whence we fhall defcend as gradually as we have hither- to rifen.

H h 3 I can

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I can fpeak little to you about the people, as I only keep company with inn-keepers, and the few perfons I meet upon the road. One of thefe feemed a fmart young man this morning, but me proved afterwards an Italian dancing girl, who was returning from Brunf- wick with her cully. He is of Liege and drelTed in the German, or rather beariih fafhion, with a great furred cloak and a night- cap, that, makes him look like a Friezeland hen, the common night-caps in Germany being made of that frizled fort of commodity. The lady is more elegant. She has a fort of black velvet travelling jockey cap. This added to a red coat and a blue waiftcoat brocaded with filver, makes her a perfect contrafl to her inamorato : however, I mnft confefs he is much better drefled for this rugged clime.

Ditto, at an inn upon the top of the mountain of Brenner, 8 o'clock at night.

All the country round about is covered with fnow, and my feet were quite dead with

cold

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 487

cold when I firft came in. As there was no fire in any of the ftoves, I was obliged to be content with that of the kitchen for fome time. There were, indeed, two kitchen fires oppofite each other in a narrow room, fo that I had the pleafure of having fome heat on both fides. By thefe means I renewed the vital warmth in my body, and am come here into my room to write. The ftove has not received heat enough as yet, to give any fen- fation of it to the inhabitants of the room. My hands are even got again fo cold, that I can hardly write. But they tell me iupper is juft coming, which I hope will warm me, and then I will continue my paper.

There is not as yet a proper alliance formed between German cookery and my ftomach, though a quantity of ftewed prunes I fwallowed is attempting to expel the hof- tile particles, and reftore peace and harmony there. In the mean time an old woman is making my bed, for upon the continent we H h 4 do

483 LETTERS FROM

do not think it any derogation from our honor, to eat and fleep in the fame room. The German double feather bed is putting in order. This manner of lying feems a little particular to a perfon, who comes from Italy and Spain, where they ufe no feather beds at all. Indeed in hot countries they are difagreeable, however in our raw climate, one as we ufe may be borne with. But ano- ther ftill on top feems as if the people had a mind to bury you in feathers.

Untevfhoenberg, quarter after 1 2 at noon, Thurfday, Odlober 29, 1761.

Notwithstanding the fnow which envi- roned my inn upon the mountain this morn- ing, I was obliged to get up before the fun had begun to cheer the face of nature. I had not gone far before I found it fo cold in the chaife, that, notwithftanding the road was dirty, I thought it better to go on foot, and

warm

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 489

warm myfelf, than perifh in fedentary clean- linefs. I believe I walked near five miles. As the poftilion did not appear with my equi- page, I fat down tired upon a hill impending over the village at which I am at prefent. The fun (hone bright, but I could not ob- ferve his dimini(hed altitude without iighing for the comfortable rays of that luminary, which I felt in Spain and Italy. The place was pretty. The foaming river Inne was roaring about a hundred yards below me, and bearing its tribute to the Danube. This is the name of the torrent which has fuc- ceeded to the Adige, and by the lides of which we always go now. The rivers on the fide of the mountain Brenner, on which we are at prefent, all run towards Germany. On the other fide of it they all bend their courfe to Italy. So that as I have been afcending from Padova hither, I fhall now have a little def- cent quite to Holland. I mean an impercep- tible declivity, but that Holland is lower than where I am at prefent is undoubted, from the

Rhine's

49o LETTERS FROM

Rhine's running from thefe mountains thi- ther. The Rhine indeed, properly rifes in Switzerland, but it is the fame chain of hills which extend from thence quite hither, and inclofe Italy. Notwithstanding the great roaring the Inne makes in its defcent, it is but a little river here, as you will imagine, when you confider it only has begun its courfe from the top of the mountain I was upon this morning. The Adige and Inne derive their fources almoft from the fame place, but take different iides of the moun- tain, whofe declivity makes their courfe fo fonorous. It looks beautiful to fee them half blue and half white, beating along the ftones as they rum down. The Inne at leafr, looked very pretty from the place where I fat, inclofed in its channel by fteep hills covered with firs, and to inrich the view, there was the little village of Unterftioen- burg in the bottom, where I am at prefent

lodged.

Ditto

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 491

Ditto in the evening, Infprugh.

UPON my arrival in this capital of the Tirole I was obliged to walk about to two or three places to get my paffport through the queen of Hungary's territories confirmed. There are ten Pruflian general officers, prifo- hers of war, here, in Infprugh. There are likewife fome other inferior officers with them, none of whom can certainly get out of thefe mountains without the emprefs queen's confent. She abfolutely commands all the paffes of Italy on this fide. I ima- gine a few thoufand men could defend the Tirole againil: the world. The Brenni were the ancient inhabitants of this country, and it harboured divers barbarous nations after the fall of Rome, till it came into the hands of the houfe of Auitria, who had ex- tended their empire over the neighbouring cantons of Switzerland, but were driven out by that enthufiafm of liberty, which feized

thofe

49* LETTERS FROM

thofe mountaineers. As for Infprugh it feems a large town, but its buildings par- take of the ruggednefs of the rocks, which furround it. The hills however, are re- moved at fomewhat a greater diftance, and the valley in which it is iituated appears fer- tile. It is watered by the river Inne, from whence I fuppofe the town derives its name; I have been fo inclofed with mountains that I breathe a little at this opening, but it will be ftill fome time before I mail be able to be- hold a free horizon. I love hills, but we have been lately too much penned up with rocks of a ftupendous height.

Seafelt, half after 12, noon, Friday, Oft. 30, 1761.

Ihavejufl: dined. Before dinner I went to the little church of the place. A lay frier, who belonged to the adjoining convent, fhewed me a little hole before the principal altar, whereunto hangs the following tale,

written

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 495

written in large characters, and hung up in a confpicuous place of the church, in Latin, Englifh, French, German, Spanifh, and Ita- lian. How fuch a ftory can be publicly pro- claimed in a facred place you will join with me in wondering.

In the year 1384, one Ofwald Milfer, a gentleman of diftinction in this country, had a mind to receive the facrament in this church. You know the Roman catholics inftead of bread make ufe of wafers, which they blefs in the fame manner as we do. The effect indeed, is efteemed different. We only allow our bread and wine to be holy after the con- fecration, the Roman catholics maintain, that theirs becomes the body and blood of our Saviour. They have alfo two forts of wafers, or hofls, (oftias in Latin,) which they confe- crate. One made in the form of a larger circle which the priefts ufe when they fay mafs, and another of lefs dimenfions for the laity, who have a mind to receive the com- munion.

494 LETTERS FROM

munion. Mr. Ofwald Milfer thought him- felf fo great a perfonage as to deferve the larger mouthful inftead of the lefs, and in confequence ordered the prieft. to give him the former. The clergyman not having a mind to difoblige a great man, or for fome other reafon, complied with his requeft, but no fooner had the wafer entered his mouth than the ground opened, and he began finking down to the black Tartarean abyfs. He grafped the altar in defcending, and the prieft ran and took the confecrated wafer out of his mouth. When, oh horrible ! the prieft beheld upon the wafer the marks of the aggrefTor's teeth, which in fome places had made blood iffue out from it, and in others had left black and blue marks. Ofwald Milfer finding himfelf up to his knees under ground, fainted away. But at laft he came to himfelf, and mocked at the prodigy, of which he had been the in- ftrument, retired to a country houfe, where he lived the remainder of his life, (two years) in the moft auftere penance., The

opening

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 49$

opening of the ground before the altar is the hole which is fhewn to this day. His wife too fuffered as much as himfelf, for not believing, when he returned melancholy home, what he told her. She faid it was as impoflible as for frefh rofes to moot up from the table before her, when lo ! frefh rofes fprung up from the table. This prodigy ftruck her mind, fhe burfr. out of the room and ran howling into the woods. She re- mained there, and fhunning every human creature, nourifhed herfelf in the fame man- ner as the wolves.

Mittlewolt ditto in the evening.

I am at length out of the queen of Hun- gary's territories, and in thofe of the elector of Bavaria. A fortrefs about two miles from this place, after having paffed through it, delivered me from the roughnefs of her officers, who feem to want that civility exr perienced in other nations upon the conti- 1 nent.

45^ LETTERS FROM

nent. We left the mountains, and the good roads at the fame time, and I thought we fhould have left the Italian poftilion too, who was put under arreft for doing what nobody could do for him behind the angle of a fortification. But we got him off for money, and he has been fwearing all the way fince, that he never faw fuch a country in his life, where it is not lawful to exone- rate nature.

Bachen Kirchen, half after 1 1 in the morning, Saturday, October 31, 1761.

We have had very bad roads from Mittle- wolt hither. They are fo narrow, that the generality of carriages can hardly pafs along them. As the vehicle I am in at prefent was made on purpofe, I have come along pretty well. But I remember the firfl time I went through Bavaria, to go from Leipzig to Rome, fome country people were forced to work a long time with pick- axes and

ihovels,

Italy, Germany, &c. 497

fhovels, before they could make a way for the German built coach I then had. I have fome fufpicion they fill up the roads on pur- pofe to get money from pauengers by open- ing them again. At lean:, they have worked for fo many perfons I know, that the roads ought to be wide enough for any carriage at prefent, which is not the cafe*

Vol. III. Ii LET-

498 LETTERS FROM

A

LETTER XLVI.

IiTen, 8 o'clock in the evening, Sunday, November i, 1761.

S ufual, juft come from warming my feet at the kitchen fire. We arrived here late this evening, near an hour and a half after dark. The poftilion was delayed this- morning, in order to hear mafs, and made this puiTi to be able to get tomorrow to Augfbourg. We got a man to go with us as a guide at a village about fix miles from hence. He had a lanthorn, with a twink- ling farthing candle in it, which he carried before us under pretence of giving light. In this manner, tho' with fome little fear, I arrived fafe to the place which now fhelters me. My apprehenfions were increafed by the great proximity of the bottom of my wheels to each other, which I was afraid

might

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 499

might be the occafion of an overturn. My chaife wheels are made purpofely fo con- verging at the lower part, upon account of the flreightnefs of the roads in Bavaria. Tomor- row morning, fourteen or fifteen miles from hence, I mall quit this electorate, and come tinder the dominion of the town of Augf- ibourg, which is a free city of the empire.

Lcichfelt, ii o'clock in the morning, Monday, November 2, 1761.

W E fet out from IfTen about an hour before it was light this morning. A man preceded with a lanthorn as laft evening. But at fun-rife, or more properly, when it was light, he abandoned us. I fay more properly when it was light, as the fun has not rifen viiibly to day. We have had an Englifh mifty morning. The country too about this place refembles our downs, the only one of that nature I have ever feen out of England. I am now no longer in Bavaria* I i % Tfre

|do LETTERS FROM

The little village which harbours me a£ prefent is under the dominion of Augibourg^

Since dinner I have been about the village feeing the German ideas of images and flatues. With regard to things of this kind, the farther you go from Rome, the more you find of them. The Roman catholic religion feems to have much greater force in its ex- tremities than in its centre. They have what they call a mount Calvary in this village, which is an artificial mount raifed up jufl before the church, upon tne top of which there is a large crucifix, and on each fide of it the two thieves hanging, tinder the crofs St. John, the Virgin Mary, and Mary Magdalen fland weeping. Round about the mount were various other figures,1 which I have not time to defcribe, as the poftilion is going away.

Augfbourg

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. $o*

Augfbourg, ditto in the evening, feven o'clock.

I am jufl arrived, tho' late, to the mighty city appointed for the congrefs of the peace, which goddefs does not, however, feem as yet to be willing to take np her fojourn in Europe, tho' the ambaffadors of the refpec- tive nations have hired their houfes, and my landlord tells me their baggage is already come. Augfbourg is, as I have faid, one of the free cities of the empire, which are a kind of republics, but dependent in great things, up? on the imperial diet.

We have got a marriage at the inn where I am, and all the houfe is illuminated upon the occafion. The muficians have ftruck up, and the company is got to dancing, but as I am dirty from my journey, I am not capable of appearing at an Hymeneal feftivity. Va- rious interruptions to which travellers are fubjedt, have taken up my time, and a great I i 3 inter-

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interruption, tho' not difagreeable, is juft ar- rived, which is fupper.

Encouraged by my German food, and in fpightof my drefs, I have been (landing a little at the door of the room, where the new married couple and their company are dancing. The bride is not an ugly woman, but difguifed by her bridal drefs, the mod remarkable part of which coniifts in what they call a tower, or a prodigious black creft rifing above a foot over her head. The company was very civil, and invited me into the room. I excufed myfelf upon account of my travelling habit, fo unfuited to a marriage ceremony. Not that I believe the perfons were of any great rank, by celebrate ing their nuptials at an inn, but the being cloathed in your bell: apparel feems effential to a wedding. However many of the gentry are juft gone away in their coaches, which is a fign that they are not beggars.

Augibourg,

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 503

Augfbourg, Tuefday, November 2t ij6i, half after 11 morning, I have been at a coffee-houfe, where amidft a cloud of fmoke and tobacco, which the morning fun does not hinder the Ger^ mans from puffing, I have found a piece of news which furprized me, viz. that Mr. Pitt was out of place. I am afraid it is but too true, as the Leyden gazette, from whence I had my information, is reckoned a pretty good authority. From the corFee-houfe I went towards the Roman catholic cathedral, but I foon thought it beft to return home, as the weather threatened rain. I fay the Ro- man catholic cathedral, becaufe proteftaiits and Roman catholics are pretty nearly of an equal number in this town, and being upon the fame footing, have both their refpective churches. Friers and Lutheran minifters appear walking about the ftreets in their proper habits. They feem to fcowl, how- ever, a little at each other when they meet, I i 4 The

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The Lutherans go dreffed in a long full black gown, and a prodigious white ruff about their necks. Every thing with regard to religion is halved in this city. Half the people interefted in the government are pro- teftants, and half Roman catholics, and the fame with every thing elfe, according to the treaty of Weftphalia, by wThich the thirty years war of religion in Germany was ter- minated juft as things flood at that time. They fay there are fome places where the two religions have but one church, and per- form their refpective fervices in it at different times. Both parties muft have been heartily tired of hoftilities to enter into fuch a union, tho' it is to be wifhed the reft of Europe would take example from the prefent tolera, ting behaviour of the Germans,

LET-

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 505

LETTER XLVII.

Ulm, November 8, 1761. Sunday, 1 1 o'clock, morning.

X Am arrived from Augfbourg to another free city of the empire. Ulm is fituated upon the Danube, which I pafled to enter it. It continues extremely cold, and the ground is covered with fnow, tho' not very deep. Indeed as we approached towards this place there was but little. We had more this morning and yefterday towards Augfbourg. We left that city on Wednefday laft, but not very early, as the gates are not open before feven. The chaife being .at laft ready, I mounted into it. It was like our open chaifes in England with four wheels. It had a coachbox, which, as the poftilion rode one of the horfes, remained unoccupied, till we had gone three or four miles, when he re^

ceived

5o6 LETTERS FROM

ceived apedeftrian friend of his, and placed him upon it. We got to dinner that day to Summer-haufen, where having loft my gloves, I fupplied myfelf with a pair of new, proper for the climate. They were a great pair of woollen hand-fhoes, the German name for that part of our drefs, and which are three inches thick I believe. In the even- ing I came to Kingfbourg, a little village be- longing to the queen of Hungary, where they were confequently all Roman catholics, and in the intereft of the houfe of Auftria. This I foon found by a little converfation I entered into with fome gentlemen who were fitting at one of the tables of the public room, for in this part of Germany the pub- lic houfes always keep a parlour with a number of tables in it, warm for the ufe of their cuftomers.

My complimentary landlord here has been talking in great praife of the Lutheran church, and I intend to go and fee it. The

whole

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 507

whole town of Ulm is Lutheran. We begin to come into the protefbnt parts of Germa- ny. My landlord tells me that he is ready to accompany me to fee the church.

Keifingen, ditto in the evening.

IT is more than nine o'clock, and I have not been long arrived. The fetting out late, and accidents upon the road, have delayed me. I did not fet out till two o'clock, for my landlord made me lofe much time in feeing his Lutheran cathedral. I can not fay but that it is a fine Gothic building. How- ever the good gentleman had fuch a fury to fhew me the curiofities of it, that he would make me fee every trifle. Being fomething like a churchwarden, I believe, he would produce the gilded cups for the wine at the facrament, as likevvife the wafers which the Lutherans ufe for confecration inftead of bread, for in this they agree with the Roman catholics. They have alfo crucifixes in their

churches,

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churches, but no images of faints or any thing of that nature. My landlord feems to be a man very much refpected in the town, at leaft we received many falutations from almoft every perfon we met. The Lutheran church in Ulm was anciently a Roman ca- tholic cathedral.

I am fo tired I can not continue, and muft drop the other immaterial circumftances that have happened to me in my journey from Auglbourg.

Ganzftadt, Monday, 9 November, 1761, feven o'clock in the evening.

THO' I thought of getting to Stutgard, fortune has flopped me fhort at this little town belonging to the duke of Wirtemberg, as likewife the place where I dined, called Uberfpach. Nor am I on the infide of the town. I am covered by a wretched hut with- out the walls of it. I believe my poftilion loft his way this evening from Uberfpach, at 2 leaft

tf ALY, GERMANY, &c. 509

leaft we have had a difagreeable tedious jour- ney hither. The roads in fome parts were rather bad. Indeed it can not be otherwife while they permit fuch great carts with heavy weights to pafs along them. They put ten horfes fometimes to thefe waggons, and their wheels are not broader than com- mon. We paffed this morning by a city which I think is called Gebin. Tho' we did not enter it, the fentries chofe to afk me my name and quality. All the country here- about is Lutheran, and is moflly fo quite to Francfort*

I am fitting in my landlady's room, as it is warmer than my own, in the ftove of which the fire is but lately lighted. She is placed on one fide of a table reading a Lutheran book of devotion, and I am leaning on the other, and writing. She feems much fuch a fort of woman as the lady of one of our inns in England.

Elim

510 LETTERS FROM

Elin, Tuefday, November io, 1761, half after 1 afternoon. UPON my arrival at this place, and afking what was to be feen, my landlord conducted me into a houfe where a marriage was cele- brating between two country people. We found however, upon our arrival, that the company was not yet come. There were indeed fome muficians, two of whom played upon the French horns to divert us. But at laft the bride and bridegroom appeared. Their attendants prefented me with cakes, fprigs of rofemary, and I do not know what. We make ufe of rofemary for buryings, and the Germans, with equal propriety, perhaps, pro- duce it at their weddings.

Reiten, ditto in the evening. AFTER dinner I returned with my landlord to the houfe where the nuptials were carry- ing on. All the company was affembled and placed at dinner to the number of fifty or

fixty

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 511

fixty perfons. They would have had me take a feat and eat along with them, but I excufed myfelf as having dined. However they made me eat a piece of cake, and drink a glafs of wine. In the mean time the mu- fic was playing, and every thing went on in high jollity. After dinner the bride came to me and would have me dance a minuet with her. I in vain pleaded my boots as an ex- cufe. I was forced to dance with her, and afterwards with a lady of the company, for tho' the bride was a country girl, there were two or three ladies prefent at her wedding dinner. As well as I could understand, one was the parfon's wife, another the mayor or burgomafter's wife, and people of that fort. I talked but little, as German does not at all run fluent from my tongue. Being fatisfled at laft with dancing, and feeing curious figures, and thinking my poftilion would be glad to go away, I retired.

The

$it LETTERS FROM

The city I am in at prefent belongs to the elector palatine. Its religion is a mixture of Calvinifts, Lutherans, and Roman catholics. My landlord informs me that there are ftill fifteen German miles to Francfort. I really believe a German mile makes at leafr. fix of ours. According to this account we ought to have near ninety miles to that city. My landlord likewife informs me that I mall meet with no French till I get there. The French have a gaxrifon in Francfort.

A fine gentleman with half a dozen dogs is jufl come into our inn. My landlord tells me that he is an officer of the duke of Wir- temberg's. By his dogs and drefs he looks more like a fportfman than a warrior.

LET-

Italy, Germany, &c. $t3

LETTER XLVIII.

I

Heidelburg 7 o'clock morning, Tnurfdayj Nov. 12, 1761.

SHOULD have' been gone away from this place, where I lay laft nightj before now, but one of the horfes has got a fhoe to be put on. I could not write any thing ye{- terday* as I i'pent it in company at the table d' hote, which begin to be excellent. They inform me* that I mall certainly meet with, no French upon the road till I come to Franc - fort. I pafTed yefterday morning through Bruffen, where the bifliop of Spire dwells. He has a very fine palace. His fentinels ex- amined me in paffing through, and would know my name, quality, and every thing. Heidelburg, the town I am in at prefent, feems a very large handfome city. It is not far from Manheim, the capital of the elector

Vol. III. K k palatine,

5i4 LETTERS FROM

palatine. At leaft the elector palatine always lives there. The Germans in this part of the country do not feem to be great friends to the French, or to like their incurlions into Ger- many. It is laid the French army under Broglio is at prefent but a few miles from Hanover.

Hapenneim, ditto 3 o'clock •« afternoon.

UPON my entry into the warm public room of this houfe, the fir ft thing that fa- luted my fight was, a couple of ill looking huflars, who were fitting at a table. Before them flood fomethinsc to eat and drink. All together they were moft formidable figures, particularly one of them, who glared upon me at my entrance, and whofe long whifkers and high cap added considerably to the flerce- nefs of his look. The other was rather milder, but had ftill a degree of fury in his appear- ance. In fhort, they were two perfonages,

that

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 515

that I mould not at all like to meet at twelve o'clock at night in a wood. They were in the fervice of France, and were of Alfatia if I miftake not. I entered into a converfation with the milder, while I was warming my- felf at the ftove. He fays he is come in eleven days from the French army, which is now at Einbeck. He complains prodigioufly of the Hanoverians, and fays with many exe- crations, that they would never let him eat a morfel in peace. He and his Companion are come I think to fee about winter quarters for their regiment. While I was at dinner my landlord entertained me with lamenta- tions upon the miferies of war, and how much corn and other things they were ob- liged to give yearly to the^ French army. This .village is in the elector of Mentz's do- minions, who allows the French to take fo much forage and proviiions annually from his fubjects. Perhaps he grants it from not being able to refufe fo powerful an intercef- for. The Germans, however, in general do K k 2 not

5l6 LETTERS F k O M

not feem to be friends to the French, and yefterday at Heidelburg, Upon my telling a gentleman, that I did not believe I mould meet with any French between that place and Francfort ; " Ah !" fays he, with a far- caftic fmile, " thefe are enough of them every " where." The regiment of huflfars, of which the two prefent are a part, coming into win- ter quarters here, does not feem at all agree- able to my prefent landlord. He gave me, as a fort of defert to my dinner, a fucceffion of maledictions againft war and the effects of it. The huflars are gone away and I believe have taken to horfe.

Uberftadt, ditto in the evening.

THE village I am in at prefent belongs to the duke or prince of Darmftadt. I in- tended lying in the capital, but fate flopped me fhort here. Coming out of a pretty wood about twro or three miles from hence, we faw the whole road gleam with arms,

which

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 517

which I thought at leaft was the French coming to attack us, but found it was only a regiment of the country changing quar- ters.

Francfort upon the Maine, half after 7 in the evening, Friday, Nov. 13, 1761.

I am at lad: arrived in this town, after a long half day's journey this morning. The roads too are exceffively fandy as you ap- proach towards Francfort, which made us go very flow. Sandy roads and woods were, I think, the only variety we had in our route. We did, indeed, pafs through fome villages, and under the walls of Darmftadt. I thought I fhould have had a rigorous exa- mination from the French upon my entry into this city, but only a German grave looking fort of a man faid any thing to me. He afked me my name, and where I intended to lodge, but did not trouble himfelf about my nation. Satisfied with my anfwers, he & k 3 let

518 LETTERS FROM

let me pafs, and upon entering Francfort, I crofled the great bridge over the Maine, and repaired to my inn called the Red Man. I go away tomorrow morning in the public boat for Mentz, not to lofe any time in my return, and to be fecure from marauders, which I mould be expofed to, if I travelled by land. I intended to go to the French play, but there was none this evening, and inflead of that diverfion, I went to vifit a gentleman for whom I had a letter, but I did not find him at home. They told me I mould meet with him at a certain coffee* houfe, to which my guide conducted me, I did not find him there neither, but, inflead of him, I found a multitude of people in* volved in a cloud of fmoke, and among others a young French officer curioufly dreffed, tho' prettily too, who feemed to be eyeing the whole company with con^ fummate contempt.

ITALY, GERMANY, &c 519

Since my return home, my landlord has been informing me of the manner in which the French rendered themfelves mailers of Francfort, that is put a garrifon into this town; for, as to the civil government, they have not in the lead interfered in it. They demanded a paffage through Francfort for their troops at Flanau. It was granted them. When they were in the middle of the town they halted, and told the inhabi- tants that they were obliged to leave two or three thoufand ibldiers there for their own fecurity. There was no refuting fo many men with mufkets upon their fhoulders, and they accordingly took pofTeffion of all the fortifications, to the no fmall difpleafure of the citizens. Francfort is a free city of the empire. The government is Lutheran.

Ditto eleven o'clock at night.

What do you think ? The very Irifli nobleman who lodged over my head at

K k 4 Rom

52© LETTERS FROM

Rome is in this houfe, and I have been flipping with him. A curious converfation began after the cloth was taken away. Upon mentioning our both being upon our return to the Britiih iflands, he faid I was fo unprejudiced a perfon, that he would venture to afk advice of me. He then defired to know if the Englifh cuftom-houfe officers were very rigorous, and upon my alluring him they were, confeffed he had the body of a faint behind his chaife, which had been given him by his holinefs to enrich the altar of his chapel in Ireland, where thofe of his periuafion would come in crouds for confolation. Now as the whole authenticity of the relique depended upon the papal feals, he was afraid that the cuftom-houfe officers might break them to fee what was within fide. I could not help acknowledging that I doubted whether much refpeft would be ihewn to the pontifical fignet, and advifed him to endeavour to find fome envoy or am- baffador going to London, who would put it

among

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 521

among his other counterband things. He thanked me for my information, and pro-* mifed to do as I would have him,

Mentz, ten o'clock at night, Saturday, Nov. 14, 1761.

I have come to day down the Maine in the public bark to this place. I fet off at ten o'clock. Thefe barks are like thofe in Holland, that go away at a minute's warning. The clock {truck ten, and at that inftant the bark began to move. It looked like Noah's ark, from the quantity of animals of all forts, fizes and fexes that were in it. There were many French foldjers and officers. I had much entertainment in hearing their talk pf war affairs, and other matters. Next me in the boat fat two Flemim merchants, and we have agreed to take a boat together to- morrow morning to go to Cologne T How»- ever, we have as yet not been able to find pne, and we muff wait till the morning

dawns

5aa LETTERS FROM

dawns to continue our enquiries. Upon' our arrival at Ex, about fix miles from Francfort, our bark flopped, and as it was to flay there an hour, I and the Flemifh merchants went into the town to look about us. By inftincl: we were led into an inn, where many other people, who had come along with us in the boat, had pre- ceded us. Here we found a good meager dinner ready. After having diluted an ex- cellent dim of filh, with a proper quantity of Rhenifh, the common wine of the coun- try, we returned to our ftation in the boat, and proceeded upon our journey. Between five and fix o'clock we arrived to this town, which is fituated upon the Rhine, near where the Maine empties itfelf into that river.

LET-

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 523

LETTER XLIX,

Nimeguen, Saturday, November 21, 1 761, ten o'clock, morning.

J\ S I have been almoft continually in a boat, or amidft crouds of French officers, I have not been able to take up my pen till I am now under the fhelter of the republic of Holland. The Flemifh merchants and my- felf hired a bark at Mentz, which belonged to a Dutchman, who was returning in it to his native country. They indeed took it only to Cologne, as they were to flop there, but I agreed to go with it the whole way. We always dined and lay in fome village, but went on only as fail as the current of the river carried us, which was not very (low, for the Rhine is rapid. We paffed through a mod beautiful county as hills rofe gently on each fide the river cloathed with the Rhe-

nifh

524 LETTERS FROM

nifh grape. Tho' we had hired the boat to ourfelves, we had numbers- of French offi- cers and foldiers, who entered it at every town, without, T believe, paying any thing to the matter. All the ordinaries too were crowded with them, but I received no fort of infult from any perfon, tho', I believe, in molt, places they did not know me for an Englishman, as I talked Italian with my fervant. Their troops are going into winter quarters, tho* there are frill fome out in the field againfr. the Hanoverians and us. The foldiers are fhabbiiy drefled, but fome of the officers extremely fmart and gay. They rattle away at the ordinaries, and feem to think themfelves very ill ufed in being dri- ven out of Hanover. One young officer, juft, come from the camp, was accufed of being afraid of breaking his neck at every little precipice his horfe came to, and it was won- dered how a perfon, who had often charged the enemy with the greateft. fury, could be fo puiillanimous in a common journey. The

young

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. $*$

young Frenchman replied in his native ftyle, that glory was his reward if he fell in battle, but that no honor was to be obtained from breaking his neck upon the road. Indeed the word glory was common in all their . mouths, tho' at this time retreating before the united forces. They had three pretty bridges of boats acrofs the Rhine, and all their magazines were on the French ride of it, that if pulhed they might eafily put them- felves in fecurity. Two boats took out of the middle of them to let us pafs, but the (entries made us wait fome time before they would let us through. Thefe bridges were formed in a bend againft the nream, which confequently could not drive them down without breaking in the lighters, which for greater flrength were ftrongly anchored up the current. A few planks and gravel laid over them, with a rail on each fide, made a good paflage for horfe or foot. At Wefel, where there was one of them, I had like to have got into a fcrape by carrying one of the I Dutch

526 LETTERS FROM

Dutch chauf-pieds lighted upon it. It was dark, and Wefel being the laft French gar- rifon, our company was reduced to myfelf, my fervant and the boatman. As it was very cold, I had put fome embers from the inn fire into my warming machine, and was bearing it over the bridge to defcend into my boat, which was at the foot of it, when the fentry placed at the entrance challenged me, and aiked me what I did with fire upon the bridge ? As I could not poflibly know the watch-word, he advanced towards me and put me under arreft, and calling for afliftance, carried me before the command- ing officer upon guard. I had no fooner told him I was an Englishman, than he mewed me much civility, and faid he believed we hated the Hanoverians juff, as much as they did. It was not my part to contradict the commanding officer of the bridge at Wefel, efpecially as he was giving orders for my difmiffion, tho' he defired me not to carry fire upon the bridge, as it was flriclly pro- hibited

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 527

hibited, upon account of the enemy having attempted more than once by traitors to fet fire to thofe they had formed. They had gone even farther, and fent emifTaries to fire the magazines on the French fide of the Rhine. This caufed an odd regulation to be made, that we who went in boats might land on the left hand fide of the river, but if we touched the right-hand bank, our boat, goods and all were to be confifcated. For this pur- pofe various patroles were ftationed along the fides of the Rhine, to put thefe orders into execution, and even fire upon the perfons who fhould prove refractory to the French commands. This and various other defpotic regulations offended my Dutch boat-man fo much, that as foon as we were got into Hol- land, he began crying out liberty with the greateff. energy, but unluckily became, from the mofl civil perfon that could poffibly be, the greateft brute and bear I ever faw. How- ever he conducted me fafely to this place,

where

5iS LETTERS FROM

where I fhall only remain till tomorrow, and fet off in the public boat for Rotterdam.

Rotterdam, 8 o'clock at night, Wednefday, Nov. 25, I76I.

THE ufual watery conveyances of Hol- land brought me from Nimeguen to this place. The whole country is interfered with an infinity of canals, which refcues their grounds from becoming a marfli, and affords an eafy method of paffing from one town to another. An impudent Dutchman, who was to carry me in his boat on board the public barge, flopped me in the middle between the more and the veffel, and declared he would not go on without I gave him an enormous price. As they were juft going away I confented to any tiling, and when I got on board enquired of fome genteel look- ing peoplej what I ought to pay ; but they were fo far from taking my part, that they turned their Belgic rumps towards me and

left

ITALY, GERMANY, &c. 529

left me to fatisfy the fellow as I could. You may imagine we had not any particular inti- macy during the voyage, if I may call the gliding through drained fens by that name. At length we arrived at this town, which I think is as beautiful as any thing can be ima- gined. At Venice water is the only object you fee in the ftreets, and here there are ca- nals run through every one, but on each fide there is a very good paved way for coaches, and the borders of the water are planted with lime trees. The bridges too, which are very numerous and all painted white, give a neat look to the town, and open in the middle to let the mails of the veflels "pafs through in a very ingenious manner. Indeed in almoil all the cities of Holland the three moft contrary things in nature are blended together, houfes, trees, and (hipping, which added to the great neatnefs, which pervades the whole, aftonimes the eye of a ftranger unufed to behold mails peeping up amidil trees. I have now told you the beft of this place, for many Dutch- Vol. III. L 1 men

5j6 LETTERS FROM

men have not unaptly been compared to brooms, which keep every thing clean but their own perfons ; and a gentleman upon being (hewn a houfe is faid to have (pit in the mailer's face, as being the only dirty place to expectorate in. Thefe charms however, not being fufficient to keep me from you, I fhail fet off for Helvoet Sluys the day after tomorrow, and as I mall be with you as foon as I can fend another paper, I here clofe my correfpondence, which I have continued, ac- cording to promife, I may fay, without in- terruption from the time of my leaving you to go Lifbon.

FINIS.

RATA.

V0 1. III.

Page 51, Line 3* for Jlream, x.Jleam. -■' 53. 19. for de, r. di.

64. — — 12. for milla, r. nulla.

■'» ' 68. — — 7. for det r. *#.

— — 78. 13. for^f/, r. got.

• 87. 23. for delovDy r. below.

— — 103. — — — 1. for leaurs, T. Icurs.

ibid. 3. for exerce, t. exerce.

-.■■■ 105. —J — 23. for done, r. <&«r.

— — 133. 3. for difagrcaable, r. dif agreeable.

155. Date, for May 3, r. May 2.

• 161. 6. omit the "

- ' 210. ■ ■ ■ 20. infert a.

■ 246. — — 5. for fuore?n, r. fuorum.

- 277. for Letter 26, r. Letter 24.

• " 294* 20« f°r countryman, r. countrymen.

" 296. — — - 8. for intrhijieal, r. extrinjical,

ibid. 14. for Jhotvs x.Jhews.

311. 1 o . infert fo.

361. 13. for branch, r. hunch.

— — 350. 2. for which, r. aid.

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