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THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


TRAVELS 


THROUGH 


F  R  *d  JV  €  JE     &     I  T«£  JL  Y, 


AND    PART    OP 


AUSTRIAN,    FRENCH,     &   DUTCH 

NETHERLANDS, 

DURING 

THE  YEARS   1745  AND   l/4tl, 


BY    THE    LATS 


11 EV.    ALBAN    BUTLER, 


I-F.IN-TED  BY  JOHN  MOIR,  ROYAL  BANK  CLO^, 

VOR  KEATING,   BROWN',   AND  KEATIXO, 

'.-.    DUKE    STREET,  GROSVENOR  SqtJARE, 

lontion. 

SO     HOLD     BY    E.    EOOKEK,      NEW-ECXD     STREET',     JACKSON', 
&UK.E  STREHT,    LINCOLK-FIELDS,    LON3O.V  ;     AND 
JOHN    BELL,    NEWCASTLE. 

1803, 


TO    Tilt 

REV.      JAMES     YORKE, 
BRAMSTON, 

THIS      TrORK      IS      BEBICATEU 


CHARLES  BUTLER- 


A  D7E  R  TIS  E  ME  N  T. 


THE  Letters  from  which  the  present  Publication 
is  formed,  were  written  by  the  Rev.  ALBAX  BUTLER, 
(the  Author  of  the  Lives  of  the  Saints)  during  his 
Travels  with  the  Honourable  JAMES  and  THOMAS 
TALBOT. 

On  the  perusal  of  them,  with  a  view  to  the  present 
Publication,    it  appeared  that  they  were  not  intended 
for  the  Press,  but  rather  as   outlines  for  a  more  per- 
fect work,   being  in  many  parts  little  else   than  mere 
jottings,    the  meaning  of  ivhicli  it  was  frequently  dif- 
ficult  to   decypher  ;    they   arc  tlicrefore  printed  with 
considerable  alterations,  which  arc  however  principally 
confined  to  variations  in  the  style,  and  to  the  deletion  of 
a  few  unimportant  paragraphs.     To  render  obvious  the 
•meaning  of  the  Author  has  been  the  principal  aim  of 
the  Editor,  without  attempting  to  render  the  phraseology 
K Zrceable  to  tJi?  modern  standard, 

CHARLES    BUTLER, 


TRAVELS 

OF    THE 

REV.   ALBAN   BUTLER 


CHAPTER     FIRST. 

TRAVELS  THROUGH  THE  NETHERLANDS. 

Pas°age  from  Dover  to  Calais.7~Proviiice  of  Picardy  —  Amiens. — Boulogne.--- 
Portus  Jccius. — Calais. — Account  of  the  Dutch  Netherhinds  and  Origin  of  the 
UNITED  STATES. — AMSTERDAM. — Eois-lc-Duc. — Brcda.~Bergfii-op-Zooni. 
--Alatstricht. — Duchy  of  JLuxemburgh. — The  Black  Forc.-.t.— St  Hubert.-— 
l.iege. —  College  of  English  Jesuits — Monastery  of  Cistercians  :— -Their  rigid 
rules. — Rivert>  Meuse  and  Moselle. — County  of  Namur.— Charlcroy. — Ant- 
werp.—  RUBENS. —  VANDYKE. —  Van  l.aer. —  Poelinburch,  £cc.---.Alberc 
Durcr-— fohn  of  Bruges. — Invention  of  Oil-Painting. — H^ns  Holbein. — 
Duchy  of  Brabant. — BRUSSELS. — Mechline.— Louvain :— Its  University. — 
County  of  Hainault. — Mons. — Valenciennes. — County  of  Flanders. —  Ghent. 

—Religious    houses. Oudenarde. Court  ray.— Menin  —  Tournay.— Den- 

dinr.ond. — Dixmunde.— Alost,    &c. — Ypres. — 1-i.rnes,    &.c.--Sta:e    of    the 
Netherlands. 


IN  September  1744  we  left  Dover-cliff  in  the  packet-boat, 
and  in  the  same  tide,  in  less  than  four  hours,  arrived  at  Ca- 
lais. The  British  Channel  was  anciently  looked  upon  to  be  a 
very  dangerous  sea  on  account  of  its  many  sands  ;  but  these 
are  now  too  well  known,  and  the  passage  is  too  short  for  any 
danger,  unless  a  person  sets  out  in  uncertain  weather,  cr  in  a 
bad  vessel.  The  Channel  is  here  but  21  miles  over  ;  its  depth 
no  where  exceeds  62  fathoms  of  6  feet  each  ;  in  some  places 
it  is  only  1 6  fathoms  deep;  between  England  and  Zealand, 
where  deepest,  it  is  23  fathoms  ;  between  Dover  and  Calais 
24  ;  between  the  Isle  of  Wight  and  Normandy,  towards  the 
Sorlingues,  60  ;  and  so  deeper  and  deeper  as  it  extends  in- 
to the  main  Atlantic  ocean.  The  great  ocean  is  deepest  to- 
wards the  Poles  ;  next  in  the  middle  under  the  Equator.  It 
is  supposed  by  Langlet  to  be  no  where  above  three  leagues 
deep  ;  but  this  is  uncertain,  for  it  is  unfathomable,  even  by 

A 


IO  TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

the  invention  of  the  wooden  ball,  which  being  sunk  by  iron, 
as  soon  as  it  strikes  itself  out  of  the  hook  which  holds  it,  it 
touches  the  bottom  ;  and  the  mathematician  counts  how  long 
it  is  in  mounting  up  again,  making  his  calculation  according  to 
the  density  of  the  water,  how  many  feet  it  has  run  in  that 
time.  We  may  observe  similar  strata  in  the  rocks  and  soil 
on  both  sides  tiie  Channel,  in  Kent  and  Picardy  ;  which  favours 
the  conjecture  of  those  who  think  Britain  was  once  part  of  the 
continent,  and  only  separated  from  it  by  Noah's  flood,  or  some 
convulsion  of  nature,  as  Sicily  seems  torn  from  Italy,  &.c.  of 
which  we  may  read  Verstegan,  Cambden,  Musgrave,  &-C. 

PICARDY  is  a  plain  country,  especially  about  Peronne.  AMIENS 
is  its  capital  :  Its  great  Gothic  cathedral  boasts  of  possess- 
ing the  head  of  St  John  Baptist  (which  a  gentleman  of  Picardy 
brought  thither  from  Constantinople  in  the  holy  wars,  about 
the  end  of  the  I2th  century).  Abbeville  is  a  new  town,  rich 
by  its  cloth  manufactures.  This  province  is  the  granary  of 
France,  from  its  plenty  of  corn  ;  but  on  the  sea-coast  the  soil  is 
more  sandy,  in  which  part  stand  Boulogne  and  Calais.  Here 
are  no  remains  of  antiquities,  though  Amiens  was  the  famous 
metropolis  of  the  Ambiani  in  Caesar's  time  ;  as  Boulogne  was 
perhaps  of  the  Morini.  The  Romans  had  on  this  coast  two 
famous  neighbouring  sea-ports,  the  Portus  Morinorum  and 
the  Portus  Iccius. 

BOULOGNE  is  an  inconvenient  poor  harbour,  yet  it  may 
have  been  the  port  of  the  Morini,  if  this  was  different  from 
the  Iceian.  At  the  request'  of  Philip  II.  St  Pius  V.  erected 
three  bishoprics  out  of  that  of  Terouanne,  viz.  St  Oraer,  Ypres, 
and  Boulogne.  To  this  last  he  gave  only  that  part  which  was 
situated  in  the  French  territories  ;  hence  Boulogne  is  a  small 
poor  bishopric.  The  Oratorians  house  here  was  the  old  abbey  of 
St  Wulmar.  The  late  bishop  of  Boulogne  gave  a  country- 
house,  and  procured  the  king's  letters  patent  for  the  English 
Jesuits  to  keep  two  of  their  body  there  to  hold  *  a  pension, 
snd  teach  the  first  rudiments  to  little  children.  The  Roman 
Portus  Iccius  is  by  some  thought  to  have  been  St  Omer ;  the 

*  In  France  boarders  are  called  fepiionnaires ;  and  to  hold  a  peasion,  rcears  f' 
Keep  a  house  for  boarders. 


Clap.  /.  -NETHERLANDS.  it 

sea  once  reached  so  far ;  others  more  probably  guess  Calais. 
I  formerly  wrote  a  short  dissertation,  at  the  request  of  a  friend 
in  Flanders,  to  prove  it  was  Amblateuse,  a  large  village  be- 
tween Boulogne  and  Calais,  which  had  formerly  a  very  good 
harbour ;  and,  though  long  since  decayed,  might  easily  be 
made  a  better  harbour  than  Calais.  In  it  are  dug  up  Roman 
antiquities,  and  near  it  is  the  shortest  passage  over  into  Eng- 
land, as  Ctesar  says  it  was  from  Iccius.  King  James  II.,  when 
he  fled  into  France,  landed  in  a  small  boat  at  Amblateuse,  an. 
1(588. 

CALAIS,  so  called  from  the  Calites,  the  people  who  inha- 
bited this  part  in  Caesar's  time,  is  a  small,  but  populous,  and 
tolerable  trading  town.  Being  conquered  by  our  heroic  Ed- 
ward III.  it  remained  in  the  hands  of  the  English  200  years, 
till  re-taken  under  Queen  Mary.  Yet  it  shows  no  monu- 
ments of  its  former  masters  except  its  parish-church,  built  by 
our  ancestors  :  It  is  impregnable.  The  river  Hames  fills  its 
moats,  and  makes  the  country  very  marshy  as  far  as  Guisnes, 
a  burgh  two  leagues  off.  The  town  has  a  double  great  moat, 
regular  fortifications,  a  great  many  strong  forts  round,  and 
only  one  gate  to  the  land,  not  to  be  approached  but  by  a  cause- 
way over  the  marsh,  called  the  bridge  of  Nieullay.  It  is  e- 
qually  strong  to  the  sea ;  its  port  is  double ;  the  great  pert, 
and  that  of  Cadegray,  the  first  defended  by  two  moles,  and 
both  by  the  Risban,  a  strong  fortress,  preventing  any  ap- 
proaching so  near  as  to  be  able  to  bombard  it.  This  part  of 
Lower  Picardy  is  called  Pals  reconquis,  since  France  recovered 
it  from  the  English.  Here  are  many  wells  which  ebb  and 
flow  with  the  sea,  occasioned  by  subterraneous  communica- 
tions. There  are  also  springs  of  fresh  water  on  the  coast. 
The  irregularities  of  some  in  their  flowing  depend  on  hidden 
siphons  in  their  natural  conduits  under  the  earth. 

The  road  from  Calais  to  Paris,  31  posts  or  32  leagues,  is 
good  through  Lower  Picardy,  where  the  ground  is  sandy,  but 
bad  after  rain,  where  the  soil  is  a  fat  mould  ;  as  towards  A- 
miens  and  to  Chantilly,  or  almost  even  to  St  Denys,  where  it 
meets  the  pavement.  We  always  went  either  through  Artois 
or  through  Flanders,  part  of  the  Low  Countries,  which  with 

A  a 


12  TRAVELS    OF   REV.    ALBAN    BUTLER. 

Picardv  made  up  the  ancient  Belgic  Gaul.  They  are  called 
the  Netherlands,  IVsi-bassi  by  the  Italians,  from  their  situ- 
ation ;  for  they  lie  lower  than  the  sea,  in  many  places  25  or 
28  >et,  especially  when  it  is  high  tide.  We  see  here  Job  and 
the  Psalmist  had  reason  to  extol  it  as  a  continual  miracle  o£ 
Providence,  that  the  water;;  of  the  sea,  both  higher  and  so  bois- 
terous, do  not  drown  the  land  ;  though  it  be  true  that  in  ge- 
neral th^  land  is  higher  than  the  ocean  :  But  on  this  coast  the 
waters  would  overflow  this  whole  country  to  a  considerable 
extent,  if  they  were  not  stopped  by  the  strand  and  dikes  : 
For,  from  Calais,  and  especially  from  Gravelines  to  the  Meuse, 
the  sea  flowing  impetuously  on  this  coast,  when  the  tide  rises, 
throws  out  such  abundance  of  sand,  as  to  raise  natural  great 
hills  as  ramparts  to  preserve  the  country  from  being  overflow- 
ed. The  Dutch,  where  this  natural  strand  fails,  especially 
on  the  Meuse,  in  the  isles  of  Zealand,  and  on  theZuyder  Sea,  are 
obliged  at  a  great  expence  to  keep  up  their  dikes  to  defend  them 
from  the  sea,  which,  when  a  storm  a  north-west  wind  andspring- 
tide  are  joined  together,  threatens  an  entire  inundation  of  some 
of  their  provinces,  to  a  depth  of  above  20  feet.  Some  parts  of 
Zealand  have  been  long  so  drowned,  that  nothing  but  the  tops  of 
eome  steeples  are  to  be  seen  above  water.  All  Holland  was 
extremely  affrighted,  when  the  worm  that  eats,  or  rather  bores 
the  wood,  was  brought  in  ships  from  the  Indies,  and  was  got 
among  the  stakes  or  pilotes  of  these  dikes,  about  12  years  ago, 
(1732.)  The  whole  account  may  be  read  in  the  natural  history 
of  that  insect,  which  terrified  that  high  and  mighty  republic 
more  than  armies  could  have  done.  Theseahas  added  many  par- 
cels of  firm  land  to  these  coasts,  and  the  industry  of  the  old  Ba- 
tavians  must  have  gained,  from  the  ocean  much  of  what  they 
inhabit.  This  appears  from  theinany  canals,from  the  Rhine  hav- 
ing lost  its  mouth,  be^ng  divided  into  numerous  channels,  and 
from  the  appearance  oi"  a  great  part  of  the  country.  These  Low 
Countries,  anciently  possessed  by  several  sovereigns,  who  paid 
homage,  so.ne  to  the  French  king,  others  to  the  Emperor,  fell  at 
last  by  inheritance  to  the  sovereign  Duke  of  Burgundy,  and, 
after  his  death,  to  Charles  V.  Archduke  of  Austria,  King  of 
Spain  and  Emperor.  It  is  well  known  how  his  son  Philip  II,,, 


Clap.  I.  NETHERLANDS.  13 

by  endeavouring  to  establish  the  Inquisition,  and  by  the  severity 
and  exactions  of  his  governors,  made  part  of  them  rebel,  who, 
under  the  Princes  of  Orange,  established  a  free  commonwealth. 
And,  though  but  three  small  provinces,  almost  all  low  fenny 
ground,  only  180  Italian  miles  long,  from  the  north-east  of 
Groninguen  to  Antwerp,  and  157  broad, — yet  by  their  trade 
alone,  they  are  a  most  rich  and  incredibly  populous  country. 
From  the  top  of  Gorcum  steeple,  you  may  see  at  once  22  wall- 
ed towns.  It  has  100  great  towns,  of  which  40  are  in  the  pro- 
vince of  Holland.  Amsterdam  counts  28,000  houses  built  up- 
on piles,  with  vast  cost  for  their  yearly  repairs  :  The  fine  town- 
house  of  Amsterdam  is  a  modern  stately  buildincr,  equalled  by 
none  except  that  of  Lyons  :  Every  where  hancbome  towns  pre- 
sent themselves  :  Water-travelling  is  over  all  these  provinces 
very  convenient  and  cheap,  but  the  inns  are  most  extravagant. 
The  quantity  of  herring-monger  s,  &cc.  is  inert  dible,  and  the  nicety 
of  the  people  in  the  neatness  of  their  houses  is  so  great  that  they 
dare  scarcely  use  them  for  fear  of  dirtying  them,  especially  the 
parlour,  which  is  kept  as  a  sacred  palladium,  if  it  be  opened  once 
a-year,  it  is  many  days  work  to  wa^h,  wax,  and  clean  it  again.. 
The  rest  of  the  Low  Countries,  the  constant  theatre  of  the 
wars  of  Europe,  is  well  known  to  have  also  changed  masters. 
In  the  middle  ages,  Flanders,  Artois,  Hainault,  Namur,  Hol- 
land, Zealand,  and  Zutphen,  had  their  sovereign  Counts  ;  Ant- 
werp, with  a  small  territory >  its  Marquises  ;  Westfriesland, 
Mechline,  Utrecht,  Overysscl,  and  Groninguen,  their  Lords  ; 
and  Brabant,  Luxembourg,  Lnr.bourg,  and  Gueldres,  their 
Dukes.  Lewis  XIV.  having  good  pretensions  en  Flanders 
and  Artoir,  easily  wrested  part  of  the  Netherlands  from  the 
Spaniards,  at  so  great  a  distance  from  them.  The  rest  has 
fallen  to  the  House  of  Austria  by  mutual  agreement. 

The  Dutch  have  all  round  their  frontiers  very  strong  barriers: 
Of  these,  Slujs  or  Reluse,  in  Flanders,  is  a  very  small  poor  town, 
not  far  from  the  sea,  amidst  marshes  and  waters,  but  extremely 
well  fortified,  and  almost  impregnable,  especially  the  Isle  Cad- 
sand.  On  this  side  also  is  Jassgaunt,  &c.  The  principal  are  in 
DutchErabant.  Bois-LE-DUC,a  large  city,  built  by  the  Dukes  cf 
Brabant,  in  the  I  2th  century,  in  the  place  where  a  great  wood 

AS 


14          TRAVELS  OF  *1V.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

stood.  Philip  II,  prevailed  on  Pius  IV.  to  make  it  a  bishopric 
suffragan  of  Mechlin.  Since  the  Dutch  possessed  it,  the  bi- 
shop is  forced  to  reside  at  Goldorp.  The  cathedral  of  St  John 
is  one  of  the  most  magnificent  churches  in  Holland.  This  town 
stands  on  the  confluence  of  the  rivers  Bommel  and  Aa,  on  a 
hill  in  a  plain  country,  full  of  marshes  and  large  canals,  over 
which  are  built  causeways,  winding  round,  and  exposed  to  the 
artillery  of  the  city  and  its  forts.  It  has  a  strong  rampart  and 
wall,  a  very  large  moat,  and  a  great  many  bulwarks  and  out- 
works. Six  forts  command  all  the  avenues  and  causeways  to 
the  town,  and  it  is  cne  of  the  strongest  places  in  Europe. 
BREDA,  six  leagues  from  Bois-le-duc,  is  scarce  inferior  to  it  in 
strength  ;  it  is  a  fine  large  town  o£  a  triangular  figure.  Its 
ramparts  are  of  earth,  very  thick  and  large ;  at  every  angle 
there  is  a  gate  built  of  brick,  and  the  cortines  flanked  with  1 5 
bulwarks.  It  has  two  moats,  one  very  large  and  deep.  The 
rivers  Ado  and  Merkc  meet  in  this  city,  and  the  country  round 
it  is  full  of  canals  and  marshes,  and  is  so  low  that  only  its  great 
dikes  save  it  from  being  buried  under  the  waters.  Their  third 
strong  barrier  in  Brabant  is  BERG-OP-ZOOM  on  the  river  Zoom, 
and  part  on  a  little  hill.  It  is  situated  amidst  impracticable 
fens  and  marshes,  with  a  canal  running  to  the  sea,  defended  bv 

*  O  '  s 

many  forts.  Its  fortifications  are  most  regular,  and  consist  of 
a  great  rampart,  ditch,  and  half-rnocn,  and  hornworks,  &c.  On 
the  other  side  the  Dutch  bulwark  is  MAESTRICHT,  (called  Tra- 
jcctum  ad  Mosam,  to  distinguish  it  from  Utrecht  'Trajectum  a d 
BJjennm)  on  the  Meuse  or  Maise  river,  below  Liege.  This  city 
was  formerly  in  the  Ligeois,  but  now,  by  it?  masters  the  Hol- 
landers, is  reputed  in.  Brabant.  The  Meuse  divides  it  into  two  j 
the  lesser  part,  called  the  Wyck,  is  stronger,  and  like  a  citadel. 
It  has  a  great  wall,  moat,  and  many  strong  outworks.  Not- 
withstanding the  strength  of  the  above  frontiers,  the  Dutch 
never  wished  to  see  them  become  their  only  immediate  fence 
against  France,  which  has  but  to  break  through  some  of  them 
to  bf?  masters  of  all  the  United  Provinces,  even  of  Amster- 
dam and  the  Hague.  It  was  a  great  security  to  possess  the 
advanced  barriers,  Tournay,  Ypres  and  Menin,  with  their  own 
garrisons  ;  nor  would  they  have  ever  seen  them  demolished  so 
quietly,  h.-.d  nor  -;ri\  ale  factions  prevailed  ;  for  though  every  one 


Chap.  I.  NETHERLANDS.  I - 

of  the  Seven  Provinces  is  sovereign  at  home,  for  administration 
of  justice,  Sec. ;  yet  the  States- General  at  the  Hague  can  deter- 
mine nothing,  unless  all  the  seven  provinces  are  unanimous  ; 
and  amongst  these  the  city  of  Amsterdam,  and  its  province 
Holland,  hates  a  Stadtholder  as  much  as  a  King ;  yet  in  war 
they  must  necessarily  have  one,  viz.  the  Prince  of  Orange. 
Besides,  the  province  of  Utrecht  is  entirely  French  in  interest 
and  affection. 

The  Austrians  have  also  their  strong  barrier  towns.  In  the 
Duchy  of  Limb  our gy  bordering  on  Juliers  in  Germany,  is  the 
small  city  of  LIMBOURG,  four  leagues  from  Aix  la  Chapelle, 
and  three  from  Spa,  in  the  Liegois,  both  places  famous  for  their 
hot  mineral  baths  ;  Limbourg  has  a  pretty  strong  castle, 
LUXEMBOURG,  capital  of  the  duchy  of  this  name,  is  the  strong 
and  almost  impregnable  barrier  on  that  side,  one  half  situated 
on  a  hill.  It  is  of  great  importance  to  Fiance,  which  has  no 
barriers  against  it  in  Champagne.  (Sedan  does  not  deserve 
that  name).  For  notwithstanding  the  three  French  barriers  of 
Lorrain,  Metz,  Toul,  and  Verdun,  an  enemy  can  from  Luxem- 
bourg penetrate  into  Champagne,  and  thence  into  the  heart  of 
France.  The  French  have  in  this  duchy  THIONVILLE,  a  place  of 
some  strength.  The  Jesuits  have  a  great  college  in  Luxem- 
bourg, in  which  most  of  the  ecclesiastics  of  the  Electorate  of 
Treves,  and  other  neighbouring  dioceses,  perform  their  studies. 

In  this  country  lies  the  famous  Hyrcini;ui,  or  Black  Forest, 
now  called  the  Ardennes.  In  Csesar's -time  it  extended  from 
the  Rhine  to  Tournay,  and  another  way  to  Rheims.  At  pre- 
sent, it  is  in  many  parts  cut  down  and  enclosed,  but  still  occu- 
pies a  tract  between  Thionviile  and  Sedan.  In  it  stand  two  fa- 
mous abbeys  ;  that  of  St  Hubert  patron  of  the  hunters,  and  that 
of  Orval.  St  Hubert,  a  powerful  nobleman  and  courtier,  and 
a  great  hunter  in  these  woods,  being  converted  to  God,  was 
chosen  bishop  of  Maestricht.  That  bishopric  was  first  founded 
at  Tongres  in  Liegois^  (where  is  yet  a  collegiate  church  of  very 
rich  canons,)  but  translated  from  thence  to  Maastricht.  St  Hu- 
bert in  the  7th  age  removed  it  to  LIEGE,  which  stands  on  the 
Meuse  above  Maestricht,  and  is  a  large  town,  but  dirty,  ill 
"built,  in  many  places  of  timber,  and  without  fortification?,  er  * 


1 6          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALB  AN  BUTLER. 

cept  a  strong  castle  on  the  side  of  a  hill ;  it  is  an  university. 
The  English  Jesuits  have  their  college  for  philosophy  and  di- 
vinity, which  was  founded  by  the  Duke  of  Bavaria  an.  1622, 
who  settled  on  it  lands  in  Bavaria  and  other  provinces,  to  the 
value  of  200,000  German  florins.  The  then  Earl  of  Shrews- 
bury, George  Talbot,  who  lived  in  Bavaria,  procured  that 
foundation  from  him  ;  here  is  an  English  nunnery  of  the  Visita- 
tion. The  bishop  is  sovereign  prince  of  the  country,  which  is 
'full  of  abbeys  and  rich  benefices,  which  makes  it  be  called  the 
Paradise  of  Priests,  the  Purgatory  for  women,  (who  slave 
here  instead  of  the  men)  and  the  Hell  for  Horses,  The  canons 
of  the  cathedral  are.  celebrated,  being  noble,  very  rich,  and 
having  among  them  many  prelates  and  great  princes.  The 
country  wants  a  better  police,  and  law-suits  are  endless.  But 
to  return  to  Luxembourg  :  When  St  Hubert  was  dead,  this  rich 
Benedictine  abbey  was  built  in  the  Ardennes,  and  his  body  de- 
posited in  it.  His  church  and  shrine  is  famous  for  pilgrimages, 
(especially  against  fevers),  which  the  common  people  abuse 
sometimes  to  superstition.  Orval  is  the  other  abbey  in  this 
forest,  famous  for  its  reform  and  severity.  It  is  of  Cistercians, 
though  in  their  reform  they  embraced  many  parts  of  the  Bene- 
dictine primitive  rule.  In  Lent,  they  fast  according  to  the  old  rule 
of  the  church  till  sunset,  without  eating  any  thing  before.  They 
use  at  2  o'clock  in  the  morning  to  matins,  and  never  return  to 
bed,  being  the  whole  day  employed  in  singing,  meditation,  pious 
reading,  conference  and  manual  labour  in  the  desert,  except  an 
hour  after  dinner  for  the  sioste,  or  meridian  sleep,  which  St 
Benedict  allows,  as  usual  in  Italy.  During  the  remainder  of 
the  year,  they  dine  at  I J,  sometimes  eat  a  little  fish,  but  never 
eggs,  unless  when  sick  ;  never  quit  or  omit  their  work  in  the 
desert,  lor  cold,  rain,  &,c.  go  to  their  cells  to  bed  about  half 
past  seven.  The  river  l\-Ieuse  rises  in  Mount  Vndemont,  \\\ 
Champagne,  is  soon  navigable  at  St  Theobald's,  is  extremely 
rapi'l  and  cle^r,  abounding  vTith  good  fish,  as  sturgeon,  £-C.  Its 
salmon  are  tin-  bent  the  farthest  from  the  sea,  better  at  Basile 
•funn  at  Strasbi.irg,  &<:.  It  pa-,sfs  by  St  Theobald's,  Verdun, 
oc-.lan,  Dipnn?,  Narnur,  Lir-yp,  Maestricht,  Venlo,  joins  the 
Vaiul,  running  from  the  Rhine,  aud  then  takes  the  :;a;ne  ixf 


Coap.  L  NETHERLANDS.  ly 

Merwe  ;  waters  Worcum,  Gorcum,  and  Dordrecht,  forms  the 
Isle  of  Yssifmond,  and  at  last  falls  into  the  ocean.  The  Mo- 
selle runs  higher,  rising  on  the  borders  of  Franche-Comte,  and 
having  washed  Toul,  Pont-a-Mousson,  (the  small  universiy  of 
Lornin)  Metz,  Thionville,  Treves,  falls  into  the  Rhine  at  Cob- 
lentz,  where  the  elector  of  Treves  often  resides. 

The  Earldom  of  Namur,  small,  but  enriched  with  iron 
mines,  and  quarries  of  an  ordinary  soft  marble,  common  in 
these  parts,  has  three  other  barriers.  1st,  NAMUR;  a  pretty 
town,  tolerably  rich,  made  a  bishopric  an.  1569:  It  stands  on 
the  river  Sambre,  which  rising  inCambresis,  runs  through  Hai- 
nault  and  Liegois,  and  at  Namur  falls  into  the  Meuse.  Namur 
is  built  on  a  plain  between  two  hills  ;  on  one  of  which  stands  a 
stately  castle,  which  defends  the  town,  and  is  by  its  high  situa- 
tion, and  regular  fortifications,  exceedingly  strong.  The  2,d 
fortress  is  CHARLEROY,  on  the  Sambre,  14  miles  west  from 
Namur,  fortified  by  King  Charles  the  II.  of  Spain.  It  stands 
on  a  little  hill.  The  3d  is  CHARLEMONT,  built  by  the  Empe- 
ror Charles  V.  on  a  mountain  very  regularly  fortified,  though 
small.  It  is  seven  leagues  south  of  Namur,  near  Giver,  a 
bmall  French  fortress. 

The  Marquisette  of  tic  Empire,  lying  between  Brabant  and 
Flanders,  though  very  small,  has  its  share  among  the  Austrian, 
barriers,  by  its  capital  ANTWERP,  a  very  ancient  city,  once  one 
of  the  finest  and  richest  in  the  world,  and  still  deserving  the  first 
place  among  all  the  cities  of  these  parts,  in  many  respects.  Its 
advantageous  situation  on  the  Scheldt,  made  it  attempt  in  the 
1 6th  age  to  vie  even  with  London  for  commerce ;  but  the  jea- 
lousy of  its  trading  neighbours,  especially  of  the  Dutch,  and 
the  impotency  of  its  sovereign  to  protect  it,  proved  its  ruin ; 
Amsterdam  gained  the  monoply,  and  got  all  the  trade  of  Ant- 
werp. The  splendid  houses  of  the  merchants  are  still  monu- 
ments of  its  former  grandeur  and  magnificence.  It  has  212 
streets,  22  squares,  &cc.  is  8  miles  round,  standing  in  the  figure 
of  a  bow  on  the  right  side  of  the  Sheld.  Its  cathedral,  dedicat- 
ed to  our  Lady,  is  Gothic,  but  pretty  new,  and  the  finest  church 
hereabouts.  It  is  above  500  feet  long,  and  240  broad  ;  has 
66  chapels,  all  adorned  \vi:b  niarbw?  pillars,  and  most  valuable 


iS  TRAVELS  OF  REV.   ALBAN  BUTLEK. 

paintings  ;  its  steeple  is  very  beautiful,  and  has  33  great  bells. 
It  was  made  a  bishopric  by  pope  Paul  IV.  1559.  The  Je- 
suits church  is  also  very  magnificent :  It  is  paved  with  marble, 
and  has  56  marble  pillars.  The  high  altar  is  all  of  marble,  jasper, 
porphyry  and  gold,  and  our  Lady's  chapel  is  particularly  rich  : 
But  its  chief  ornament  is  the  great  number  of  excellent  pictures 
of  RUBENS  and  other  great  masters  of  the  Antwerp  school  of 
painters.  For  it  is  well  known  that  Antwerp  had  the  glory 
of  being  the  third  school  of  painters,  after  Rome  and  Lombar- 
dy  ;  and  excellent  master-pieces  produced  in  it  are  very  com- 
mon over  all  the  Catholic  Low  Coutries,  both  in  churches,  and 
in  the  hands  of  individuals. 

The  most  accomplished  master  of  this  school  was  he  who  gave 
it  birth,  the  celebrated  RUBENS.  He  learned  the  first  prin- 
ciples of  painting  at  Cologne,  the  place  of  his  nativity,  and 
studied  under  the  best  masters  Flanders  could  then  afford  ; 
from  them,  however,  he  acquired  an  incorrect  style  of  design- 
ing, of  which  he  never  got  free,  and  which  is  a  blemish  in  all 
his  performances.  Having  an  extraordinary  talent  for  pa;nt- 
ing,  he  travelled  into  Italy,  and,  by  the  pieces  of  Titian,  Paul 
Veronese,  and  Tintoret,  formed  himself  in  the  true  taste.  His 
paintings,  in  ease,  truth  and  majesty,  even  surpass  theirs  ;  and 
have  somewhat  very  great  in  their  manner  ;  but  his  designing  is 
often  faulty,  and,  tho'  not  quite  Gothic,  yet  possesses  something 
of  the  Flemish  and  rustic,  not  fine,  natural,  simple,  like  the  great 
Roman  painters  :  Nor  did  he  stay  long  enough  in  Rome  to 
learn  their  perfection  in  this  particular.  Returning  home,  he 
settled  at  Antwerp,  was  mads  secretary  of  state  for  Flanders, 
by  king  Philip  IV.  and  his  ambassador  to  king  Charles  I.  of 
England.  He  was  knighted  by  the  Kings  of  Spain,  France  and 
England.  (He  was  born  an.  1577,  and  died  an.  1640.)  He 
was  a  great  scholar  in  every  department  of  literature,  and  very 
skilful  in  architecture.  Many  palaces  and  churches  of  Genoa 
are  designed  by  him.  His  chief  performances  in  painting,  are 
the  Escurial  in  Spain,  the  Banquetting  house,  now  the  chapel 
of  Whitehall  in  London,  and  the  Luxemburg  gallery  in  Paris, 
esteemed  the  most  finished.  His  smaller  pieces  are  very  nu- 
merous at  Antwerp,  Lisle,  &c.  mostly  on  sacred  subjects. 
VANDYKE,  born  in  Antwerp,  was  the  best  among  Rubens's 


Chap.  T.  NETHERLANDS.  r<% 

scholars,  and  passed  some  years  in  Italy,  Venice,  Rome,  &c. 
to  perfect  himself.  He  attained  the  beautiful  colouring  of 
Titian  so  admirably  as  to  surpass  his  master  Rubeus  in  draw- 
ing portraits.  King  Charles  I.,  by  settling  a  great  pension  on 
him,  andcreating  himknight,  fixed  him  in  London.  Vandyke  liv- 
ed there  in  the  state  of  a  rich  nobleman,  and  married  the  daugh- 
ter of  the  Earl  of  Gowrie.  Desirous  of  undertaking  some  great 
work  to  immortalize  his  name,  and  unable  to  attain  his  object 
in  the  French  Court,  he  proposed  to  Charles  a  fine  scheme  of 
paintings  for  Whitehall.  But  the  Parliament  refused  to  aid  the 
noble  undertaking,  a  circumstance  that  cannot  be  too  much  re- 
gretted. Money,  defrayed  in  promoting  works  of  such  rare 
merit,  certainly  contributes  to  a  nation's  glory,  and  ought  to 
be  measured  out  with  a  munificent  hand.  Sir  Antony  Van- 
dyke died  and  was  buried  in  St  Paul's  an.  1641.  His  designing 
is  no  less  deficient  than  that  of  Rubens.  There  were  many  other 
good  masters  of  this  school,  as  Vatvlaer  of  Harlem,  called  com- 
monly, from  his  short  disfigured  body,  Bamboccio,  i.  e. 
bundle  of  cotton,  which  name  he  got  in  his  travels  in  Italy :  He 
is  famous  for  painting  little  figures,  animals,  landscapes,  &c. 
He  died  an.  1644.  Poelinburch  of  Utrecht  excelled  in  the  same 
talent  of  figures,  landscapes,  See.,  though  his  pieces  have  a  dis- 
agreeable stiffness.  BROUWER,  bom  at  Harlem,  and  settled 
at  Antwerp,  excelled  all  others  in  what  we  call  Dutch  fancies,- 
painting  peasants,  his  pot-companions,  drinking,  smoking,  play- 
ing gamboles,  fighting,  &c.  His  pieces  are  natural,  uniform, 
and  as  pleasant  in  their  design  as  he  was  facetious  in  his  life. 
By  beer  and  brandy  he  rode  post  to  his  grave  an.  1638.  There 
were  many  other  great  painters  of  this  school,  as  the  two  broth- 
ers MATTHEW  and  PAUL  BRIL  of  Antwerp,  an.  1054.,  eminent 
for  landscapes  ;  Van-Ryn  of  Leyden,  though  very  whimsical 
both  ia  his  life  and  painting,  £cc.  In  truth,  this  school  ever 
wanted  the  spirit,  correct  design,  elevation  of  thought,  inven- 
tion, and  true  taste  of  the  Roman  and  Lombard  painters.  Be- 
sides, landscapes,  ruins,  grottos,  and  the  like,  are  far  the  easiest 
pieces  to  excel  in.  Portraits  or  pictures  drawn  from  the  life 
come  next,  in  which  the  chief  difficulty  is  to  give  the  portrait 
the  true  physiognomy,  or  character,  with  the  passions  of  the 
mind  ;  as  the  soul  is  in  some  degree  always  to  be  read  in  the 


iO        TRAVELS  OF  THE  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

eyes,  features,  and  whole  attitude  of  a  person.  For  proportion, 
the  main  point,  likeness  in  corporal  features,  drapery,  &-c.  are 
easy  to  be  learned  in  single  copies,  or  portraits.  Great  history- 
pieces  are  most  difficult,  unless  only  copies,  as  they  comprize 
all  the  different  talents  of  painting,  and  require  a  great  justness, 
as  well  as  an  extraordinary  invention  and  genius.  ALBERT 
DURER,  and  other  Dutch  painters,  have  all  the  rustic  manner  and 
design.  We  are  indebted  to  the  Antwerp  school  for  the  inven- 
tion of  painting  in  oil,  a  discovery  owing  to  chance.  Painters 
had  moistened  and  mixed  their  colours  only  with  gums,  &.c.  till 
the  middle  of  the  ijth  century,  when  an  Antwerp  painter  and 
chemist,  JOHN  of  BRUGES,  perceived  colours  ground  in  wal- 
uut  or  lintseed  oil  mix  much  better,  and  receive  a  finer  and 
more  lasting  lustre. 

I  abstracted  this  digression  from  Mr  Graham  and  from  Van 
Mandoi's  history  of  the  Dutch  and  Antwerp  painters. 

In  Flanders,  as  well  as  in  England,  we  find  in  private  per- 
sons hands,  a  great  many  pictures  of  HANS  HOLBEIN,  who  being 
born  at  Basle  in  Switzerland,  by  his  own  industry  and  gen'us, 
under  ordinary  masters,  in  his  own  country  became  an  incom- 
parable painter.  His  deaths-dance,  in  the  town-house  of  Basle, 
made  him  known  to  Erasmus,  who  employed  him  to  draw  his 
own  picture,  and  sent  him  to  London  to  Sir  Thomas  More,  high 
chancellor.  King  Henry  VJII.  was  so  taken  with  Holbein's 
pictures  of  Sir  Thomas,  &c.  that  he  took  him  into  his  service 
with  a  great  pension.  He  painted  both  in  fresco  and  in  oil  in- 
immerable  pictures  ;  one  of  his  best  is  that  of  King  Henry  the 
VIII.  and  his  Queer.,  in  Whitehall.  He  performed  all  with 
the  left  hand,  and  died  anno  1534.  All  his  pieces  are  not  only 
Flemish,  but  perfectly  Gothic  ;  the  common  pictures  of  Henry 
the  VIII,  Sir  Thomas  More,  &c.  are  drawn  after  his  manner 
and  design.  Had  he  corrected  this  fault  and  formed  his  taste 
after  the  true  or  Italian  'gusto,  he  would  have  equalled  Titian 
or  Raphael. 

But  to  return  :  Antwerp  is  encompassed  with  beautiful  ram- 
parts faced  with  stone,  andforti$Ied  with  bastions.  But  itsstrength 
lies  in  its  citadel  on  the  south  side,  which  is  a  mile  in  circumfer- 
ence, having  a  pentagon  with  a  royal  bastion  at  each  of  the  five 


Chap.  L  NETHERLANDS.  2t 

angles,  and  many  out-works.     It  has  several  forts  near  it ;  viz. 
Daner  on  the  south,  Piementel,  Pearl,  and  Philips  on  the  west. 
Doel,  Lillo,  and  Sandcelet  on  the  river.     In  the  year  1585,  the 
prince  of  Parma  took  Antwerp-after  one  of  the  mostfamous  sieges 
recorded  in  history.    His  bridge  over  the  Scheldt,  his  vast  dike, 
his  infernal  machines  sent  down  the  river  to  blow  up  the  gates, 
&cc.    are  prodigies,  and  render  the  relation  very  interesting. 
It  held  out  almost  an  year.      I  must  not  forget  the  English 
nunnery  in  Antwerp,  of  Carmelites  or  Teresians.      Their  life 
is  the  most  austere  of  any  of  the  English  houses,  and  they  observe 
their  rule  with  the  utmost  severity  and  exactitude.        They 
shew  the  body  of  a  nun  of  their  house,  dead  a  great  many  year^ 
ago,  yet  entire  and  uncorrupted,  but  the  skin  pale  and  brown- 
ish, much  dried  up,  something  like  the  uncorrupted  body  of  St 
Catharine  of  Bologna  in  Italy.  The  Scheldt  which  the  French  call 
Escaut,  abounds  in  excellent  fish  above  all  the  rivers  of  the  Low 
Countries.  It  rises  in  Picardy,  beyond  Catelet,  runs  by  Cambray, 
Valenciennes,  where  it  begins  to  be  navigable  near  Conde,  and 
there  receives  the  Scarp  from  Arras,  Douay,  Marciennes,  and 
St  Amand  j  after  leaving  Conde,  bending  to  the  north,  it  passes 
by  Tournay.Oudinard,  Ghent,  and  there  receives  the  Lise,  from 
Aire,  Armentiers,  and  Courtray.   Running  from  Ghent  to  Ant- 
werp, it  is  divided  into  two  channels  ;  the  western  called  Hont 
runs  directly  into  the  ocean,  12  leagues  off;   the  other  is  again 
divided,  and  carries  one  channel  into  the  Meuse  ,  the  other  in- 
to the  ocean.     WILUAMSTADT  was  built  on  the  mouth  of  the 
Meuse  or  Merwe,  by  William  Prince  of  Orange,   Stadtholder 
of  Holland,  afterwards  King  of  England.     This  land  belonged  to 
him,  as  did  Gertrudenburg  a  fort  on  a  hill  near  Breda,  on  the 
same  bank.   Here,  and  near  Antwerp,  are  the  best  landing  places 
for  troops.   Merchant  ships  usually  land  at  Flushing  and  Middle - 
ijourg,  over  against  this  place  in  the  Isle  of  Zealand.  The  Eng- 
lish yachts  and  packet-boats  go  to  Helvoetsluys,  a  little  beyond 
the  opposite  bank  of  the  Meuse. 

BRABANT  is  an  extensive  province,  fertile,  but  sandy  towards 

the  sea  coast.  The  Dutch  possess  in  it  Bergen-op-Zoom,  Breda 

Grave,  Bois-le-duc,     Williamstadt,  and  Lillo,  the  fort  below 

•  Antwerp.    This  dutchy  is  22  leagues  long,  and  20  broad.  Lou- 


22          tKAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAK  BUTLER. 

vain  was  once  its  capital,  but  the  latter  dukes,  afterwards  the 
Spanish,  and  now  the  Austrian  governors,  chose  BRUSSELS  for 
their  residence :  This  city  stands  on  the  Sanne,  and  has  a  great  ca- 
nal cut  down  that  river  into  the  Scheld  five  leagues,  and  so  trades 
by  water  with  the  sea  and  with  Antwerp.  It  is  built  partly 
on  a  plain,  and  partly  on  a  hill ;  which  makes  many  of  the 
streets  troublesome  in  walking  up  and  down.  But  coach-hire  is 
cheap.  The  streets  are  beautiful,  adorned  with  many  very 
good  houses  and  fine  squares.  The  governor's  palace,  one  of 
the  best  in  Europe,  was  burnt  down  by  accident  some  years 
ago,  with  its  hangings,  the  finest  tapestry  in  the  world.  In 
the  town-house  is  tapestry  of  the  town's  manufacture,  equal- 
ling any  of  the  Gobelins  in  Paris.  St  Gudule's,  the  first  and 
oldest  church  of  the  city,  is  possessed  of  very  rich  ornaments  and 
choice  pictures.  In  its  treasury  is  kept  the  golden  ciborium, 
which  the  Jews  once  stole  to  abuse  the  holy  sacrament,  whicli 
miraculously  bled.  Brussels  has  two  high  walls  and  moats 
round  it,  but  its  situation  is  such  that  it  cannot  be  made  very 
strong,  unless  it  has  three  armies  to  defend  it.  At  present  its 
outworks  are  almost  all  ruined.  Cardinal  Howard  founded  in 
Brussels,  about  1680,  the  Spellicans,  a  nunnery  for  English 
Dominicanesses  ;  but  he  did  not  live  to  settle  them  so  well  as 
he  desired,  any  more  than  the  house  for  English  Dominicans 
at  Burnheim,  near  Louvain,  which  place  he  bought  of  the  Count 
of  Burnheim.  The  Benedictines  have  an  English  nunnery  in 
Brussels,  much  older  than  the  Spellicans,  founded  an.  1599  by 
Lady  Mary  Piercy,  and  James  Berkley.  This  latter  was 
consecrated  first  abbot  by  the  archbishop  of  Mechline.  This 
was  the  first  English  nunnery  founded  beyond  the  seas,  since 
the  Reformation. 

MECHLINE,  called  by  the  French  Malines,  is  more  defenceless 
than  Brussels,  though  formerly  a  sovereignty,  and  still  a  great 
tity,  standing  on  a  plain  upon  the  river  Dyle  or  Demer,  which 
brings  the  tide  from  the  Scheld  up  to  this  town.  It  has  a 
sovereign  council,  (though  not  so  great  as  that  of  Brussels)  a 
foundery  for  artillery,  and  is  the  seat  of  an  archbishop,  primate 
of  all  the  Low  Countries,  founded  by  Pope  Paul  VI.  an.  1559. 
la  St  Alexius's  quarter  is  a  beguinagt,  or  congregation  of  De- 


Chap  I.  NETHERLANDS. 

«y 

votees  of  the  female  sex,  commonly  1 500  or  more,  besides 
pensionnaires  or  boarders  often  three  times  that  number.  They 
live  in  several  houses  contiguous,  and  all  under  one  enclosure, 
in  community,  and  observe  simple  vows,  but  have  no  solemn 
ones.  Every  town  of  the  Austrian  Netherlands  has  usually  a 
beguinage  ;  but  this  of  Mechline  is  the  greatest,  though  that 
of  Ghent  is  very  large  and  like  a  town  of  itself.  This  institute 
first  took  birth  at  Nivelle  an.  1170.  St  Lewis  established 
beguines  in  Paris  ;  but  their  house  is  now  the  monastery  Avt 
Maria  of  reformed  Clares,  the  most  austere  house  of  women  in 
the  world  at  present.  Mechline  is  the  centre  of  Brabant,  four 
leagues  from  Antwerp,  Louvain,  and  Brussels. 

LOUVAIN,  once  the  capital  of  Brabant,  is  very  large,  but  not 
well  built,  nor  a  place  of  any  strength,  though  it  has  large 
ditches  and  ramparts  faced  with  stone.  It  has  1 1  gates.  The 
Irish  have  here  their  great  house  of  Recollect  Franciscans,  and 
another  of  Dominicans.  The  English  have  a  nunnery  called 
St  Monica's,  of  the  order  of  St  Augustin,  founded  an.  1609  and 
at  present  in  good  circumstances.  In  Louvain  is  a  famous  uni- 
versity established  an.  1426,  by  John  the  4th  Duke  of  Bra- 
bant. It  has  20  colleges,  and  the  four  chief  are  Lilium,  Cas- 
trum,  Porcus,  and  Fales,  and  its  scholars  are  very  numerous 
in  philosophy  and  divinity,  mostly  Dutch  and  Flemish:  For  the 
encouragement  of  learning,  he  who  is  first  in  philosophy,  every 
year  receives  incredible  honours  and  prizes ;  and  his  fortune  i? 
always  made  for  life,  whether  he  be  for  the  church  or  any 
other  state.  This  university  has  produced  many  learned  men 
and  one  Pope.  Its  school  is  yet  famous  for  divinity,  but  it 
gives  too  much  to  reasoning,  too  little  to  the  study  of  the  fa- 
thers and  tradition.  Louvain  stands  on  the  Dyle,  a  small  and 
rlear  river.  This  country  is  famous  for  abundance  of  white  beer, 
the  chief  ingredient  of  which  is  buck  wheat.  Their  physicians 
boast  of  it  as  being  exceeding  wholesome.  But  it  cannot  be  sofor 
dl  constitutions  ;  for  it  is  so  viscous,  that  a  man  drunk  with  it 
requires  two  days  to  be  sober  again.  ARSCHOTE  on  the  De- 
ftier,  is  famous  for  the  castle  and  house  of  the  Duke  of  Ar- 
srhote,  the  first  nobknaan  of  these  countries.  He  descends 


«4          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

from  the  ancient  kings  of  Hungary,  and  in  his  hall  hangs  his 
pedigree  drawn  down  from  Adam. 

LIERE  nearer  Antwerp,  is  a  poor  town,  weakly  fortified.  The 
English  nunnery  there  is  in  a  decaying  condition.  Nivelle  on 
the  borders  of  Hainault  is  fortified,  though  very  small.  Its 
beguinage  is  very  large.  Gcmblours  on  the  frontiers  of  Na~ 
mur  cannot  be  made  fencible,  for  though  on  a  hill,  it  is  com- 
manded by  another  still  higher.  It  has  a  rich  abbey  of  Bene- 
dictines, the  abbot  of  which  is  Lord  of  the  town. 

HAINAULT  is  a  large  fertile  country  ;  the  greater  part  under 
France  since  Lewis  XIV.     The  chief  Austrian  barrier  in  it  is 
MONS,  the  capital,  a  large  and  beautiful  city,  almost  impreg- 
nable,  standing  on  a  little   hill  of  easy   ascent,  on   the  con- 
fluence of  the  Hain  and  Trulle,  two  small  rivers  which  lay  two 
sides  of  the  town  under  water  to  a  very  great  distance.     It  is 
surrounded  with  a  high  and  broad  wall  and  rampart,  three  great 
ditches,  covert  ways  and  out-works  ;  horn-works,  half-moons 
and  redoubts  to  a  great  distance.  The  Prince  of  Coude,  having 
this  year  (1744)  taken  the  place  after  16  days  open  trendies,  all 
the  fortifications  will  be  soon  blown  up.  Mons  has  the  singular 
collegiate  church  of  Canonesses  of  St  Walltrude  ;   they  must: 
make  proof  of  their  nobility,  and  singthe  office  in  choir  in  akirut 
of  ecclesiastical  white  dress.     The  rest  of  the  day  they  use  se- 
cular cloaths,  or  what  they  please,  can  renounce  their  benefice, 
and  then  marry.     Only  the   prioress  takes  a  vow  of  perpetual 
continence.     There  is  auother  church  of  the  same  Canonesses 
:it  Maubeuge.     St  Guislain  is  a  small  but  very  strong  fort,  in 
the  midst  of  great  waters ;  when  the  inundation  is  out,  it  com- 
mands the  sluices  of  the  inundation  of  Mons,  from  which  it  is 
two  short  leagues  down  the  river  Hain.     It  rose  irom  the  abbev 
of  St  Guislain,  which  stands  in  it.    Almost  all  the  rest  of  Hain- 
ciult  belongs  to  France,  since  Lewis  XIV.,  who  having  takeu 
VALENCIENNES,  a  large  trading  town  on  the  Scheldt,  added  a 
citadel  to  it.     The  finest  linen  and  cambric  is   made  here,   at 
Cambray,  and  in  some  places  of  Picarcly  and  Brabant.     Our 
Lady's  Church,  the  convents  of  the  Dominicans  and  Franciscans, 
£cc.  are  very  noble  Gothic  structures.     Valenciennes  is  forti- 
fied Tvith  strong  rampart:,,  very  large  moats,  &e,  apd  cut  by  the. 


Clap.  I.  NETHERLANDS.  £5 

river  into  so  many  channels,  that  it  can  hardly  be  besieged  by 
fewer  than  three  armies  together,  being  defended  by  inundations 
on  one  side,  and  great  hills  on  the  other.  The  French  have 
also  on  the  Scheldt,  BOUCHAIN,  halfway  to  Cambray,  a  small 
town,  but  regularly  fortified  :  And  on  the  same  river,  two 
leagues  below  Valenciennes,  is  CONDE,  which  Lewis  XIV. for- 
tified regularly,  and  made  one  of  the  most  important  of  the  bar- 
riers. Its  ancient  lordship,  by  marriage  of  a  widow,  heiress  of 
the  house  of  Luxembourg,  was  brought  into  the  Bourbons,  and 
has  given  title  of  Prince  to  many  great  heroes  of  the  blood-royal. 
ANGUIENNE  near  Brabant  gives  also  the  tide  of  prince  and  duke 
to  a  branch  of  the  family  of  Luxembourg,  descendants  from 
the  Counts  of  St  Paul,  the  greatest  family  of  the  Netherlands. 
The  French  have  also  here  Landrecy  and  Maubeuge,  two  small 
strong  places,  both  on  the  Sambre.  Marienbourg,  built  by  Mary 
Queen  of  Hungary,  Governess  under  the  Emperor  Charles  V. 
had  its  fortifications  blown  up  by  Lewis  XIV.  when  he  tool;: 
it.  Philipville  was  built  by  Philip  II.,  near  the  Liegois  ;  is  a 
small  but  very  strong  place  belonging  to  France.  The  Atis- 
trians  possess  Ath,  near  Flanders  on  the  Bonder,  a  rich,  trailing 
strong,  small  town.  It  holds  the  staple  of  linen  for  this  neigh- 
bourhood, and  sells  to  the  amount  of  200,000  crowns  per  annum  ^ 
says  Heylin  :  Its  merchants  are  very  rich.  Hall,  nigh  Brabant, 
is  famous  for  the  miraculous  image  of  our  Lady,  of  which  Lap- 
sius  has  wrote  an  elegant  Latin  hi-tory.  The  late  Arch-Du- 
chess used  to  visit  it  from  Brussels.  Bavay  was,  in  thetimeoftha 
Romans,  the  greatest  town  of  these  parts,  and  nanr.d  Bxgacum  or 
Bavaarn.  It  was  almost  quite  d^-troyed  by  the  French  i;i 
their  wars  in  the  i6th  century,  but  still  retains  the  finest  monu- 
ments of  antiquity,  viz,  ruins  of  a  circus,,  an  aqueduct,  me- 
dals, &c. 

"The  County  of  Flanders  is  the  richest  and  finest  of  the  Ne- 
therlands, which  often  go  all  under  the  general  name  of  Flan- 
ders,  as  all  the  United  Provinces  go  under  that  of  Holland,  the 
richest  of  the  seven.  Flanders  is  So  miles  long  and  60  broad  : 
The  most  fertile  country  in  the  world  for  corn,  around  Lisle, 
Douay,  &c.  :  and  for  pasture,  and  the  finest  butter  and  cheese, 
on  the  other  side,  about  Dixmude.  "But  the  soil  about  Gn« 

B 


26          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

is  dry  and  sandy.  FromMenin,  Ghent,  Ypres,  Dunkirk,  &C., 
to  Holland  and  Brabant,  the  people  talk  Flemish,  a  kind  of  low 
German.  On  the  French  side,,  viz,,  at  Lisle,  Douay,  St  Omer, 
&:c.,  they  talk  French.  CharJ.es  the  Bold,s.Emperor  and  King 
of  France,  gave  Flanders  in  sovereignty  with  his  daughter  in 
marriage  to  B.ildwin  its  first  absolute  Earl  an.  877,  reserv- 
ing an  homage  to  the  King  of  France,  and  that  he  should  be  res- 
ponsible to  him  for  mal-administration  only.  The  Earl  of  Flan- 
ders was  a  faithful  ally  of  the  English  against  France,  and  his 
country  depended  on  England  for  wool  for  their  manufactures. 
He  was  first  Peer  of  France,  and  carried  the  sword  before  that 
king  at  his  coronation,  till  the  Emperor  Charles  V.,  being  Earl  of 
Flanders,  obliged  king  Francis  I.,  his  prisoner  after  the  battle  of 
Pavia,  to  give  up  the  claim  of  homage.  The  Earl  always  pos- 
sessed Dendermond  and  twoneighbouring  places,  independently, 
and  paid  homage  for  Alost,  &c.  to  the  Emperor  of  Germany  • 
At  present  the  Dutch  possess  in  it  Slays,  a  strong-hold  in  the 
mouth  of  the  channel  of  Bruges,  with  the  isle  of  Cadsand  before 
it,  a  good  fort,  r.r.d  the  main  bulwark  of  the  Scheldt.  They  have 
also  Axil,  Hulst,.  and  Sas-de-Gant,  small  but  good  fortresses^ 
almost  impregnable  both  by  art  and  situation.  The  Dutch 
since  the  last  war  had,  for  security  of  monies  advanced  to  the 
Emperor,  their  garrisons  in  the  barrier-towns  Tournay,  Ypres 
and  Menin,  to  maintain  which  the  house  of  Austria  paid  them 
a  large  sum  yearly,  out  of  the  taxes  of  these  cities.  The 
house  of  Austria,  in  the  beginning  of  the  present  wai%  enjoyed 
in  Flanders  GHENT  or  GANT,  once  one  of  the  greatest  cities  in 
Europe,  and  still  very  large.  The  Lis  and  Lieve  here  fall  into  the 
Scheldt.  It  is  7  miles  round,  contains  30,  $co  houses,  13  square;: 
and  7  parishes,  with  many  extensive  gardens  within  its  walls. 
St  Bavo's  the  cathedral  is  a  large  church  :  It  was  an  abbey,  but 
the  revenues  were  converted  into  canonships  by  the  Pope  at  the 
request  of  Charles  V.,  who  was  born  in  the  castle  of  Ghent,  as 
\v.(s  our  John  oj  Gaimt,  Duke  of  Lancaster.  The  suburbs,  for- 
merly larger  th?.n  the  city  itself,  are  quite  destroyed  by  wars, 
The  next  great  church  is  St  Michael.  This  town  has  in  it  fiv 
rich  abbeys,  amongst  which  that  of  St  Peter  of  the  Benedictines 
the  riclest  of  all  the  ^abbeys  ia  Flanders:  It  was  founded  by 


Chap.  I.  NETHERLANDS.  27 

King  Dagobert,  an.  640.  and  has  many  towns  and  villages  un- 
der it,  and  is  adorned  with  a  good  library.  Paul  IV.  made 
Ghent  a  bishopric  an.  1559.  It  is  4  leagues  from  Sas-de- 
Gant,  10  from  Brussels  and  Antwerp.  The  English  Bene- 
dictines have  a  nunnery  in  Ghent,  established  in  1624,  by 
Nuns  from  the  house  of  Brussels,  under  the  conduct  of 
Mrs  Knatchbull.  The  English  Jesuits  have  their  professed 
house  there,  which  serves  for  a  retreat  to  such  as  are  unfit  for 
active  life.  The  rebellions  of  this  great  town  made  the  Empe- 
ror Charles  V.  build  a  citadel  to  curb  it.  It  consists  of  4  small 
bastions,  but  is  not  a  place  which  can  stand  a  long  siege.  The 
town  walls  afford  no  defence,  though  they  have  a  moat.  The 
tower  of  Bellefort  is  above  400  steps  high,  and  has  a  huge  bell 
which  weighs  11,000  Ibs.  with  a  great  brass  dragon  with  wings 
spread,  gilt  over,  and  as  large  as  a  bull.  This  bell  has  been  often 
rung  to  call  the  inhabitants  to  arms.  The  castle,  or  Prince's 
palace,  is  very  stately,  and  contains  300  chambers.  In  one  of 
these  Charles  V.  was  born.  Ghent  is  a  nobler  city  than  Brus- 
sels :  Four  leagues  south  of  this  city  were  discovered  in  the  last 
century,  ruins  of  old  walls,  deep  cellars,  and  caves,  and  many  Ro- 
man coins  of  Nero,  Gordian  and  Constantine  ;  idols  of  Apollo, 
Mercury,  Sec.  It  was  perhaps  a  colony  or  station  under  Julian 
the  Apostate,  as  well  as  before  his  government  in  Gaul.  OUDE- 
NARDE  on  the  Scheldt  6  leagues  south  of  Ghent  on  the  borders 
of  Hainault  is  rich  and  trading.  It  has  a  good  castle  called 
Pamele  ;  but  being  commanded  by  a  neighbouring  lull  on  th- 
north  side,  it  cannot  make  a  long  resistance. 

COURTRAY,  on  the  river  Lis,  9  leagues  south-west  from 
Ghent,  is  a  handsome  built  city,  and  rich  in  linen-drapers 
manufactures,  &c.  It  was  very  strongly  fortified  by  the 
French.  Being  a  second  time  taken  from  the  Spaniards  by 
the  French,  Lewis  XIV.  restored  it  to  them  in  1684,  by 
treaty,  quite  dismantled,  nor  is  there  any  appearance  of  us 
fortifications  being  ever  repakted,  though  its  situation  be  very 
advantageous.  MEXIN  is  a  small  town,  but  its  formications 
were  the  most  beautiful  and  finished  of  any  in  the  world,  the 
master-piece  of  VAUBAN,  under  Lewis  XIV.,  who  was  the 
greatest  engineer  for  fortifications  that  ever  lived,  and  greatly 

B  s 


2  TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

superior  to  our  famous  Sir  Jonas  Moore,  as  he  had  more  prac- 
tice and  encouragement.  All  this  could  not  plead  in  favour  of 
so  inimitable  a  work, — Lewis  the  XV.  having  last  year  com- 
pletely razed  the  fortifications.  Menin  lies  between  Courtray 
and  Lisle,  three  leagues  from  the  latter  town.  It  is  a  vulgar  er- 
ror that  the  Nervii  of  Ca-sar  lived  here.  Tillemont,  that  judici- 
ous critic,  demonstrates,  in  the  life  of  St  Piat,  apostle  of  Tour- 
nay,  that  that  city  belonged  to  the  Menapii. 

TOURNAY,  on  the  Scheldt,  which  here  begins  to  be  navigable, 
is  twelveleaguesfrom  Ghent,  seven  from  Douay,  five  fromLJsle. 
It  is  very  ancient,  is  mentioned  by  St  Jerome,  and  has  ever  been  a 
very  flourishing  town.  Henry  VIII.  took  it  from  the  French, 
the  citizens  paying  him  100,000  ducats  to  save  themselves  from 
from  plunder.  He  built  the  citadel,  and  afterwards  sold  it  and 
the  town  to  the  French  for  6co,coo  crowns.  It  was  conquered 
by  Charles  V.  and  again  retaken  by  Lewis  XIV.  who  built  anew 
citadel  stronger  than  the  old  one  which  he  demolished,  and  forti- 
fied the  town  in  the  strongest  manner.  But  Marshal  Saxe  having 
taken  it  in  the  present  war,  the  French  King  has  levelled  all  its 
fortifications.  It  is  a  trading  town  and  handsomely  built.  The 
rich  abbey  of  St  Martin  in  it  has  a  new  church,  very  stately, 
and  of  modern  architecture,  but  inferior  to  the  Italian  taste. 
Many  of  my  acquaintance  went  to  see  the  late  siege,  and  the 
battle  of  Fontenoy,  two  leagues  ciT;  but  they  paid  dear  for  their 
curiosity  j  for  some  venturing  rashlyvvithin  reach  of  the  artillery, 
\vere  wounded,  seme  killed,  pitied  by  none,  on  account  of  their 
imprudence.  The  cathedral  of  Tournay  was  built  by  Chilperic, 
and  its  revenues  and  canonries,  which  were  enriched  by  Lewis  the 
Pious  are  now  very  considerable.  DEKDERMOND,  on  the  conflu- 
ence of  the  Bender  and  Scheld,  is  a  strong  small  city,  surrounded 
by  very  deep  inundations.  The  French  easily  took  it  last  year  : 
Indeed  all  the  French  sieges  in  Flanders  during  the  present  and 
the  last  campaign,  cost  them  little,  considering  the  strength  of 
the  places  ;  for  the  besieged  made  no  great  sorties,  content  to 
defend  themselves  within  their  walls,  and  that  not  with  much 
vigour.  DIXMUXDE  is  three  leagues  from  Newport  on  the 
river  here,  'which  rising  at  mount  Cans']  enters  the  sea  at 
Newport.  This  country  is  famous  for  its  pastures,  and  produ- 


Clap  I.  NETHERLANDS.  29 

ces  the  best  butter  In  these  parts  :  ALOST  is  five  leagues  from 
Ghent,  sixfrom  Mechline  on  the  Dender,  ("in  Latin  Tent  ra,)two 
leagues  from  Dendermond,  (in Latin  "fenereemunda).  Alost  is  a 
populous  town,  anciently  very  strong  ;  but  the  French  taking  it  an. 
1667,  put  it  out  of  a  condition  of  resisting  them  a  second  time. 
GRAMMOND,  or  Gerard's  mount,  so  called  from  its  ancient 
Lords  Gerards,  is  a  small  burgh,  but  giving  an  ancient  tide  of 
Lord  and  Duke,  as  Middlebourg,  two  leagues  from  Bruges, 
once  walled,  always  possessed  by  Lords  of  very  noble  families. 
WERVIK,  a  burgh  on  the  Lise  between  Menin  and  Meessin, 
is  mentioned  by  the  Romans,  and  is  called  Viroviacum  in  An- 
torinus  Pius's  Itincrarium.  MEESSIN  is  a  burgh  two  leagues 
from  Ypres,  containing  a  rich  abbey  of  Benedictine  nuns,  and 
some  trade.  COMMINES  is  only  a  village,  famous  for  the  impar- 
tial historian  Philip  of  Commmes  under  Lewis  the  nth.  Po- 
PERING  is  a  good  burgh,  two  leagues  from  Ypres,  famous  for 
producing  best  hops  in  vast  quantities. 

YPRES  is  a  large  city,  well  built,  though  only  founded  by  the 
counts  of  Flanders.    The  public  gardens  are  handsome.     When 
Lewis    XIV.   took   this  town,   it  erected  to  him   a  very  fine 
monument  in  the  midst  of  the  beautiful  fountain  in  the  market- 
place.     Y'.:res  stands  on  the  river  Ypres,   which  falls  into  the 
sea  at  Fames.     The  cathedral  is  Gothic  :  Lewis  XIV.    forti- 
fied it  most  beautifully  and  with  great  strength  ;  but  this  year 
Lewis  XV.  having  taken  it,  has  ordered  the  fortifications  to  be 
blown  up,  at  least  on  cne  bide.    This  is  done  perhaps  for  the  pur- 
pose of  building  a  new  citadel,  for  Ypres  is  a  necessary  barrier 
for  the  French  on  this  side.     It  was  made  a  bishopric  at  the 
same  time  with  St  Omcr's  and  Boulogne.     The  Irish  Benedic- 
tine iiuiis  hr.ve  a  convent  here,  begun  in  the  short  reign  of  King 
]ame:-  II.  by  Mrs  Butler,  daughter  of  Toby  Butler  of  Culler., 
Esn.    in   Ireland.     Their    revenues   being   placed  in  the  town 
house  of  Paris,   where  the  funds   have  sunk   almost  to  nothing 
by  the  king';  arrets,  the  house  is  reduced   to  narrow  circum* 
stances.     Ypres  alone,  when  under  the  Spaniards,   had  27,000 
inhabitants;  now  the  whole  province  na?  nor  ifir.cc^accor'.1.* 
:r<y  {o  the  Count  of  Boulainvilliers. 

B      7 


30  TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

All  these  places  belonged  before  the  war  to  the  house  of  Aus- 
tria, but  France  has  taken  now  the  greatest  part,  and  demo- 
lished all  their  fortifications  ;  which  it  had  some  right  to  do,  see- 
ing it  had  the  principal  hand  in  their  erection.  France  itself 
hns  the  best  of  barriers,  in  Lisle,  Douaj,  &c.,  to  keep  more 
•would  be  expensive,  and  dangerous  to  itself,  besides  exciting 
the  jealousy  of  its  neighbours. 

On  the  sea  coast  the  Austrians  have  DAMM,  once  a  great 
city,  now  a  small  strong  fort  belonging  to  Bruges,  one  league 
distant  from  it,  and  two  from  Sluys,  the  barrier  of  Holland. 

BRUGES,  so  called  from  its  great  number  of  bridges  over  the 
many  canals  that  run  through  it,  is  one  of  the  largest  and  richest 
towns  in  Flanders,  thouoh  fallen  from  its  ancient  lustre.  It 

'  O 

rose  in  the  nth  century,  upon  the  two  old  ports  Ouderburgh 
and  Alderiburgh  being  burned  by  the  Danes.  It  is  three  lea- 
gues from  the  sea,  and  four  from  Ostend,  from  whence,  by  a  very 
large  artificial  canal,  vessels  of  400  tons  come  into  Bruges,  which 
still  carries  on  soir.e  trade,  and  is  the  staple  for  English  wool, 
though  its  rich  merchants  left  it  to  go  to  Antwerp.  Pope 
Paul  IV.  made  it  a  bishopric,  at  the  request  of  Philip  II.,  and 
St  Donatian's  ricli  collegiate  church  was  chosen  to  be  the  ca- 
thedral. The  town-house,  though  old,  is  noble,  and  has  some 
good  statues.  The  city  walls  arc  four  miles  round,  r.nd  arc 
lai'ge,  having  a  ditch,  &c.  but  of  no  strength,  for  the  town  stands 
low,  is  so  vast,  and  its  castle  in  the  rruddle  of  the  town  is  so 
open,  that  it  cannot  stand  a  regular  seige.  The  English  nuns 
of  the  30  order  of  St  Francis  have  a  good  convent  in  the 
quarter  called  Princen-horF,  Thry  were  first  settled  at  New- 
port, but  not  being  able  to  subsist,  they  dispersed,  part  to 
Paris,  forming  the  house  of  Ike  nuns  there,  and  part  to  this 
city  an.  1608. 

Ovf  ENT,  originally  bunt  bv  fishermen,  vns  \v/ilerl  !:v  Philip 
IT.  and  rrndc  an  impregnable  fortress.  Archduke  Albert  be- 
sieged it  with  all  the  power  cf  Spain,  against  the  Dutch  revolt- 
crs  for  three  years,  and  lo.n  under  its  walls  78,000  men.  The 
entry  to  its  harbour  r-.  dangerous,  being  obstructed  by  rocks. 
The  Emperor'  Charles  VI.  sttempfed  to  establish  a  compa- 
ny of  merchants  IP.  tl:is  city  ;  but  the  jealousy  of  the  ErplL-h 


Clap.  I.  NETHERLANDS.  31 

and  Dutch  obliged  him  to  abandon  the  design.  It  made  but 
a  weak  defence  this  last  year.  The  English  Augustine  nuns  in 
the  Cannes  street  in  Bruges,  though  a  young  house,  is  in  a  ve- 
ry flourishing  condition,  much  indebted  to  their  late  pious  and 
discreet  Abbess  Lady  Lucy  Herbert :  Their  marble  high  altar- 
piece  was  brought  from  Italy,  NEWPORT  is  a  small  and  very 
poor  town,  walled,  and  surrounded  with  water,  but  very  easi- 
ly taken  when  they  are  frozen  in  winter.  Grass  grows  in  the 
streets  and  market-place.  F.  Maurice  Chauncy,  an  English  Car- 
thusian, came  over  with  some  others  to  avoid  the  persecutions 
of  Henry  VIII.  and  Queen  Elisabeth,  and  founded  here  a 
house  for  the  English.  He  wrote  an  account  of  the  martyr- 
dom of  12  Carthusians,  who  suffered  under  King  Henry  VIII. 
for  denying  his  supremacy. 

FURNES,  four  leagues  from  Newport,  is  situated  in  marshes, 
and  has  a  very  unwholesome  air.  It  is  well  fortified  for  its 
size.  The  fine  church  of  St  Walburg  is  famous  for  its  noble 
canonesses,  as  In  Mons. 

All  these  parts  of  Flanders  speak  Flemish,  a  low  German  of 
the  Teutonic  dialect  ;  and  the  people  are  called  Flen'ur^eis.  Li 
the  rest  of  Flanders  French  is  spoken,  best  at  Douay  and  to- 
wards Cambray,  not  only  since  it  was  under  the  French,  but 
for  several  ages  before.  These  people  are  called  Walloons. 

The  Netherlands  being  divided  at  present  into  three  govern- 
ments, that  of  the  Dutch  republic,  the  Austrians,  who  succeeded 
the  Spaniards,  and  the  French  : — To  close  this  letter,  1  shall  en- 
quire which  of  the  three  seems  the  most  happy.  It  is  certain 
Flanders  was  much  more  rich,  trading,  and  populous,  when  under 
its  own  Counts.  This  is  proved  by  history,  as  well  as  by  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  country.  For  example,  Ghent  is  not  half  so  large 
nor  populous  as  formerly  ;  yet  this  country  is  still  the  best 
peopled  perhaps  of  any  part  cf  the  world.  This  we  may  be 
convinced  of  by  the  number  of  great  towns  so  close  to  one 
another,  many  of  them  larger  than  any  town  in  England,  ex- 
cept London,  York,  and  Bristol  ;  besides  its  burghs  and  vil- 
la^es  are  very  thick.  The  Seven  Provinces  of  Holland  are 
now  more  populous  than  formerly.  Their  country  lying  very 
low,  and  about  the  mouths  of  the  Rhine  and  Mcvise,  would 

B4L 


32          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALB AN  BUTLER. 

for  the  greater  part  produce  nothing,  did  not  vast  canals,  made 
oa  purpose,  drain  their  ground,  and  artificial  dikes  keep  the 
sea  and  rivers  from  drowning  them.  By  this  industry  their 
country  in  many  parts  affords  good  pasture  and  excellent  cheese, 
though  inferior  to  that  of  our  Lancashire  and  best  Devonshire. 
The  laws  of  the  commonwealth  tolerate  all  religions  ;  even 
Catholics,  (the  most  restrained)  having  a  comfortable  share  of 
liberty.  From  the  mixture  of  religions  hence  arising,  End  in- 
discriminate influx  of  all  descriptions  of  people,  Holland  has 
been  termed  by  some  iJje  Babel  and  sink  of  Europe.  Such  le- 
niiy,  however,  is  certainly  well  calculated  to  promote  popula- 
tion ;  and  a  Dutchman  Lughs  at  the  Spaniards  for  impoverish- 
ing their  country  by  the  expulsion  of  the  Jews,  Moors, 
&c.  Industry  is  so  gainful  and  so  reigning  a  spirit  here, 
that  children  of  seven  or  eight  years  of  age  begin  to  earn 
their  own  bread.  In  Amsterdam,  there  is  in  the  house  of 
correction,  as  I  have  been  assured,  a  cave  in  which  idle  rUs- 
obedient  children,  being  locked  up,  nmst  work  continually 
to  pump  out  water,  which  \vouH  otherwise  drown  them. 
The  city  of  Amsterdam,  consisting  of  28, '-co  houses  built  all 
0:1  piles,  as  Venice  and  Stockholm,  and  fenced  with  vast  dikes, 
is  a  proof  of  this  people's  patience  and  industry.  This  world 
<  f  inhabitants  is  obliged  to  sec!;  employ  on  the  waters,  so  that 
Holland  has  more  inhabitants  on  the  s?a  than  on  the  l«nd.  The 
Fishery  slone  alTords  incredible  profit  and  occupation  ;  both 
jjr  the  sii'mo*?,  which  they  catch  and  salt  in  April,  Mar,  r-nd 
J.une,  and  in  ether  months,  though  not  so  plentifully  ;  but  still 
iriore  for  the  herring,  which  they  catch  as  fnr  as  on  the  coasts 
of  Scotland,  as  thry  arc  there  better  than  on  their  own 
shore".  These  herrings  in  June  and  August  go  in  shoals  with- 
out one  straggling,  for  fenr  of  the  great  fish  devouring  them  ; 
iov  even  whaler,  give  w;iy  to  thc;r  troops.  They  make  their 
circuit  to  fi-cd  on  litt!"  ;:rnbs,  whiVn  arc  produced  at  that 
reason  in  tlio.se  ^eas;  and  when  they  have  eat  them  all  up,  they 
return.  The  sea  between  Scotland  and  Denmark  is  as  it  wen: 
their  metropolis  in  this  passage.  The  Dutch  had,  in  Guicci- 
ardini's  time,  71:0,  now  they  send  out  1000  ships  on  this 
fishery,  which  set  sail  oa  the  jc'.h  of  June,  under  the  escort  el. 


Clap.  II.  NETHERLANDS.  -, 

five  men  of  war  ;  and  in  time  of  war,  sometimes  nearly  40. 
Chamberlain,  in  "  the  present  state  of  England,"  says,  they 
employ  in  the  herring-fishery  1200  ships  and  20,000  men,  and 
that,  in  King  James  I.'s  time,  they  caught  on  our  coasts  her- 
rings to  the  value  of  137,200!.  a-year.  They  are  now  said 
to  gain  8co,c~cl.  a-year  by  them.  Guicciardini  says  they 
gained,  at  the  time  he  wrote,  1,470,000  ducats  a-year.  William 
Beuke?ew  first  taught  his  countrymen  to  salt  herrings,  an.  1390. 
His  tomb  is  much  honoured  by  the  Dutch:  The  Emperor 
Charles  V.  went  to  see  it.  He  lies  buried  at  Biervlict,  once 
a  great  town,  now  a  poor  fort  and  island,  5  leagues  from  Sluys 
towards  Antwerp.  Their  whale-fishery  in  Greenland,  which 
they  have  now  the  monopoly  of,  (having  drove  away  the  Eng- 
lish,) and  their  cod-fishery  on  the  great  bank  near  Newfound- 
land, &.c.  are  incredible  mines  of  gold;  as  are  their  own  but- 
ter, &c.  It  is  no  wonder  then  to  see  butter,  cheese,  or  fish- 
mongers, at  the  head  of  the  States,  chosen  deputies  for  their 
provinces.  But  their  richest  trade  is  from  the  East-Indies,- 
where  they  have  deprived  the  Portugueze,  &£c.  of  their  best 
settlements,  and  drove  the  English  out  of  Amboyna  in  the 
Moluccas,  and  got  the  monopoly  of  the  spice  trade  from  the 
Moluccas,  Ceylon,  r..nd  other  Eastern  islands.  The  Bank  of 
Amsterdam,  in  which  they  keep  their  money  secure  under  the 
keys  of  the  burgo-masters,  is  the  richest  treasure  in  the  world. 
But  avarice  is  insatiable,  and  the  Dutch  are  usually  sordid, 
though  they  encourage  learning  and  the  university  of  Leyden  : 
Yet  their  taxes  are  exceeding  great.  It  costs  them  500,000!. 
a-year  to  maintain  constantly  30,000  standing  troops  ;  and  al- 
though they  rebelled  against  Spain,  on  pretence  of  the  oppres- 
sive weight  of  theirtaxes,  they  now  pay  five  times  as  much 
as  they  did  then,  and  more  than  any  nation  in  the  world. 

The  Austrian  Low  Countries  are  poor  from  want  of  trade, 
which  their  masters  neither  encourage  nor  protect.  The  French 
ure  r.;ore  flourishing-,  though  their  laws  make  trade  precarious,, 


34  TRAVELS   OF   REV.    ALBAN    BUTLER, 

CHAPTER   SECOND. 

TRAVELS  THROUGH  FRENCH  FLANDERS. 

Arrlres. — County  of  Artois — StOmer's:  Irish  College  in  this  city — Lens — Arras*— 
Gravelines:  English  Convent  of  Poor  Clares — Mardyhe — Dunkirk — Bergues — 
Armcntiers — Lisle — St  Amands — Douay  .  its  Strength  and  Religious  Founda- 
tions :  English  and  Scottish  Colleges — Cambray  :  FENELON  :  Privileges  enjoyed 
by  French  Flanders — Pcronne — Cressy — Senlis — Laon — Chaiuilly — St  Dcnys. 


JL  ROM  CALAIS  we  sometimes  took  the  road  through  Artois, 
and  at  other  times  through  French  Flanders.  The  road  from 
Calais  to  St  Omer  is  very  bad,  in  many  places  narrow  and 
deep  ;  in  winter  it  is  frequently  impassible.  ARDRES  is  a  very 
small  but  strong  town  in  Picardy,  situated  on  a  hill,  and  sur- 
lounded  by  waters,  when  the  Governor  opens  the  sluices  of 
the  inundation  :  It  has  but  one  gate,  so  that  no  man  ever  rode 
through  it.  A  short  way  past  Ardres,  leaving  Picardy,  we  entered 
jlrtois,  a  province  of  the  Low  Countries,  made  a  sovereign  coun- 
ty by  St  Lewis  in  favour  of  his  brother  Robert.  It  fell  to  the 
Dukes  of  Burgundy  with  the  rest  of  the  Netherlands,  and  their 
heiress,  MARY,  Cdaughter  of  Charles  the  Bold,  the  last  Duke) 
marrying  Maximilian  of  Austria,  it  was  transferred  to  that  im- 
perial house,  and  was  by  Charles  the  V.  resigned  to  his  son 
Philip  II.  King  of  Spain.  Lewis  XIV.  conquered  it  entirely 
from  Philip  IV.  anno  1659  :  hence  the  King  of  France  is 
Count  of  Artois,  which  is  governed  by  its  States,  consisting  of 
all  the  nobility  of  the  province,  with  the  king's  deputy  at  their 
head.  But,  except  in  criminal  cases,  this  council  is  not  a  so- 
vereign court,  and  appeals  may  be  made  from  its  sentences  to 
the  parliament  of  Paris.  Artois  is  very  fruitful  in  corn  and  in 
pasture.  It  contains  the  cities  of  Arras,  St  Omer,  Kcthune, 
Aire,  Bapaume,  Renti,  St  Paul  and  Lens.  This  is  the  coun- 
try of  the  Atrebati  of  Caesar  ;  though  the  territory  of  St  Omer 
belonged  rather  to  the  Morini  of  Picardy. 

St  OMER  is  4  leagues  from  Ardres,  and  9  from  Calais.  It  had 
its  origin  from  StOmer  bishop  of  the  TVlorini,  to  whom  Aldovald 
:-<•  nobleman  gave  this  marshy  spot  of  ground  to  build  a  mon- 


Chap.  I.  FRENCH  FLANDERS.  3? 

astery  upon,  which  took  its  name  from  St  Eertin,  a  relation  of 
St.  Omer,  ordained  abbot  by  him  an.  695.  The  Abbey  was 
before  called  Sithiu.  It  is  new  built  and  magnificent.  In  its 
treasury  are  some  vestments  once  wore  by  St  Thomas  of  Can- 
terbury ;  as  indeed  most  abbeys  in  Flanders  have.  This  abbot 
pretended  precedency  before  the  bishop,  but  lost  his  expensive 
long  law-suit.  Thebishops  of  the  Morini  resided  at  TEROUANNE, 
a  very  ancient,  rich,  and  strong  city,  called  in  Latin  trie  city  of 
the  Morini.  For  its  obstinate  rebellions  the  Emperor  Charles 
the  V.  utterly  razed  it  to  the  ground  an.  i  ^53.  It  is  now  a 
poor  small  village,  standing  amidst  heaps  of  rubbish,  and  is  six 
leagues  from  Boulogne,  two  from  St  Omer,  and  above  one  from 
Aire.  The  revenues  and  territories  of  this  bishoprick  were 
divided  into  three  by  Pope  Paul  IV.  and  part  given  to  Bou- 
logne, viz,,  what  lay  in  Picardy,  under  France  ;  the  part  lying 
in  Artois  to  St  Omer  ;  that  in  Flanders  to  Ypres.  This  was 
done  anno.  1559,  since  which  time  there  have  been  14  bishops 
of  St  Omer,  the  three  last  ofFaffiefles  a  noble  family  of  Aix,  in. 
Provence.  St  OMER,  flourished  most  by  the  ruin  of  Terouannc . 
It  stands  upon  the  river  Aa>  which  rising  above  Terouanne,  falls 
into  the  sea  between  Gravelines  and  Calais.  It  has  very  strong 
walls,  moats,  bastions,  &c.,  and  it  is  situated  in  the  midst  of 
marshes  and  dead  waters,  which  reach  nearly  as  far  as  Grave- 
lines.  In  its  lakes  are  several  floating  islands  covered  with 
grass  ;  fish  shelter  themselves  under  them  as  insects  under  a 
stick  in  the  water.  These  fens  make  the  air  unwholsorne. 
The  English  Jesuits  have  here  a  large  fine  college,  newly  built, 
after  it  had  been  casually  burnt  dcwn.  Father  Parsons,  by  his 
interest  with  the  Philip  II.  King  of  Spain,  procured  its  establish- 
ment from  that  prince  to  be  the  nursery  of  young  students  in 
their  humanity  studies  :  That  monarch  also  gave  it  a  small  pen- 
sion now  paid  by  the  French  king.  They  shew  strangers  their 
apothecary's  shop  and  infirmary, extremely  neat  and  convenient, 
their  stage  and  acting  cloaths,  their  sociality,  chapel,  &c.  :  This 
college  was  founded  an.  1594,  26  years  after  that  of  Bouay.  The 
same  Jesuits  have  a  very  good  house  for  their  noviciates  at 
WATTEN,  n  village,  two  leagues  from  St  Omer,  in  the  way  to 
Gravelines;  It  formerly  belonged  to  Dominicans,  stands  on 


36          TRAVELS  pF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

a  high  hill,  and  might  by  its  situation  be -made  a  very  strong 
fortress :  It  belonged  to  canon-regular ;  was  given  to  the 
bishop  of  St  Omer  to  make  up  his  revenues,  and  by  him  an. 
1611  to  the  English  Jesuits  for  their  noviceship. 

AIRE  3  leagues  beyond  St  Omer  is  a  good  town,  en- 
creased  since  the  destruction  of  Terouanne :  It  stands  on  the 
river  Lis,  which  also  washes  St  Venanr,  a  poor  town,  but 
fortified.  Aire  is  surrounded  on  three  side  by  vast  marshes  : 
An  enemy  can  approach  it  only  on  one  side,  which  is  de- 
fended by  a  strong  castle  called  Fort  St  James,  with  five 
bastions,  two  half-moons,  &c.  The  collegiate  church  of  St 
Peter  is  new.  The  English  poor  Clares  have  a  nunnery  here, 
v.  hich  subsists  by  charities,  having  the  liberty  to  beg.  It  was 
founded  by  the  mother-house  of  Gravelines.  On  the  right 
hand  towards  Picardy,  we  left  HESDIN,  a  regular  fortified  hex- 
agon ;  and  St  POL,  famous  for  its  counts,  a  branch  of  the  Lux- 
embourg family,  the  greatest  in  Flanders,  and  from  which  have 
sprung  many  emperor-,  kings,  Sec.  BETIIUNF,  five  leagues 
from  Aire,  n  well  iortified,  though  not  very  rich  or  trading. 
It  gives  title  to  the  Dukes  of  Bethune,  Charost,  Sully,  Orval, 
and  Selles,  which  families  all  descend  from  the  Lord  of  Bethune. 
On  our  left  hand  we  kit  Bapaume,  a  small  fortified  to\\n  five 
leagues  from  Arras.  LENS  is  now  a  small  bmvh ;  its  walls 

<D  O 

are  lailen  into  decay  ;  its  plains  extend  themselves  a  great  way 
on  every  side,  especially  towards  Befliunc,  without  any  hedges, 
all  ploughed  ground,,  They  are  famous  for  many  great  battles 
fought  on  them. 

A;;?.A3  on  ths  £iT,rpe  is  capital  of  Artois.  In  it  are  held 
the  states  ot  tiie  province.  It  is  a  very  ancient  city,  divid- 
ed into  two  parts,  the  city  and  the  town,  separated  by  a 
ruinous  wall.  The  bishop  is,  under  the  king,  lord  of  the  city  ; 
and  tae  abbot  cf  St  Yaast's  has  many  rights  of  lordship  over 
the  town,  though  not  absolutely  lord  of  it.  Both  city  and 
town,  are  very  well  fortified  with  great  ramparts,  ditches,  half- 
moons,  and  other  out- works.  The  trade  in  this  place  consists 
in  Arras  hangings,  Sec.  The  cathedral  is  Gothic,  and  the  bi- 
shop's palace  very  old.  Since  St  Vaast,  the  firsc  bishop,  an. 
540,  it  has  had  82  bishoin.  Jr  Arr^.s  stand?  the  famous  abbey 


Clap.  IL  FRENCH    FLANDERS.  01 

*  *)  i 

of  St  Vaast,  of  Bened'ctmes,  once  the  richest  order  in  the  Low 
Countries,  and  at  present,  though  it  has  lost  many  of  its  town- 
ships, still  extremely  opulent :  Besides  seven  rich  priories  and 
prove -tships  in  the  country,  enjoyed  by  religious  of  this  abbey 
pla  -d  -;iere  by  the  abbot,  and  besides  the  third  of  the  reve- 
nr.-'^  set  apart  for  the  monks  of  the  house,  and  a  second  third 
set  apart  at  present  for  building  their  church, — the  commenda- 
tory abbot,  the  Cardinal  de  Rohan,  receives,  by  agreement 
from  them,  50,000  hvres  penny-rent  a-year,  as  I  have  been 
informed  by  those  of  the  monks  who  best  know  it,  the  vicar 
and  receiver.  When  the  King  of  France  first  made  himself 
master  of  the  Low  Countries,  lie  solemnly  engaged  to  respect  all 
their  privileges  both  in  church  and  state.  On  this  account  the 
Gabell  -  and  Taille  are  not  exacted  here  as  in  France.  On  the 
same  account  the  religious  ought  to  have  abbots  chosen  by  them- 
selves, and  of  their  own  order.  But  commendatory  abbots,— 
who  are  ecclesiastics,  to  whom  the  pope,  in  his  territories,  or 
the  king  in  France,  gives  the  title  and  the  revenues  of  the  ab- 
bot, though  they  have  no  jurisdiction  in  the  abbey,  or  over  ths 
monks, — These  commendatory  abbots,  I  say,  being  introduced 
first  into  Italy, then  into  France  ;  the  king  takes  the  same  liberty 
in  the  rich  abbeys  in  Flanders,  only  with  this  dirTerence,  that 
here  he  always  adds  the  clause,  pour  cette  Jois  seulement ;  and 
c-ives  every  house  a  religious  abbot  and  a  commendatory  one  by 
turns  ;  notwithstanding  which  the  parliament  of  Douay  made 
a  very  strong  remonstrance  against  their  having  any  commenda- 
tory abbots  at  all,  about  fiv^  years  ago.  From  Arras  it  is 
eight  leagues  to  Peronne  in  Picardy.  But  let  us  return,  and 
follow  our  other  road,  through  French  Fknders  by  Cravclmcs, 
Dunkirk,  and  Lisls. 

Fiom    Calais  it   is   eight   leagues   to    Dunkirk,   Gravelinei 
beir-u  a  little  more  than  mid-way.    The  river  Au  separates  Pi- 

O 

caidy  in  France  from  Flanders.  We  crossed  it  near  its  mouth, 
;\t  GP.AVELINES,  the  first  place  we  cams  to  in  Flanders.  TliL 
city  stands  a  league  from  the  sea,  seated  in  the  midst  of  greit 
fens  and  low  bottoms  full  of  dead  waters,  which  make  u 
a  very  unwholesome  town,  as  are  also  Fames  and  Marsal,  for  th-.- 
same  reason.  Sometiir.es  reyimc-,t>  lose  hull'  *;i°ir  mm  h;.- 


39  TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER* 

one  summer's  garrison  in  one  of  these  towns.  The  French  sis 
years  ago  made  a  noble  canal  from  Gravelines  to  the  sea,  with  a 
fine  floodgate  near  the  town,  very  remarkable  for  its  mecha- 
nism, and  the  different  curious  engines  of  which  it  is  compos- 
ed. It  was  designed  to  drain  the  country,  but  has  not  yet 
answered  that  end.  G-XAVELINES  has  no  harbour,  and  is  but  a 
very  small  and  poor  town,  so  thinly  inhabited,  that  grass  grows 
on  the  market-place,  as  in  Newport.  It  b-ing  the  frontier  of 
France,  Philip  II.  fortified  it  so  well,  as  to  make  it  the  strong- 
est place  then  in  Flanders,  and  it  is  as  yet  a  very  important 
hold,  has  a  citadel  and  five  strong  bulwarks,  moats,  and  many 
Out-w°i'ks.  In  Gravelines  stands  a  large  convent  of  English 
Poor  Clares  with  a  large  inclosure,  and  a  very  handsome  choir 
in  their  church.  It  is  the  mother-house  of  all  the  English 
poor  Clares,  viz.  of  Dunkirk,  Rouen,  Aire,  &c.  yet  in  low 
circumstances,  containing  about  40  nuns,  several  of  birth  and 
wood  fortune,  as  is  the  case  in  other  English  houses  also.  It 
was  founded  in  1603. 

The  marshy,  land  about  the  canal  from  Gravelines  to  Sfc 
Omer  is  inhabited  by  the  Hupponiers,  a  very  industrious  poor 
set  of  people,  drove  out  of  Holland  in  the  civil  war  by  the  Pro- 
testants, on  account  of  their  religion  ;  for,  though  the  Catholics 
were  no  less  forward  in  shaking  off  the  Spanish  yoke  in  Hol- 
land than  the  rest,  yet  the  Protestants  in  many  places  treated 
them  very  ill.  These  Hopponicrs  live  by  their  little  gardens  and 
boats,  retain  still  their  old  dress,  language,  customs,  and  laws, 
and  intermarry  only  among  one  another.  The  women  with 
their  odd  straw  hats  fill  the  markets  of  St  Omer,  Wat  ten,  and 
Gravelines.  B'OURBOURGH  is  a  small  town  one  league  from 
Gravelines,  with  a  rich  abbey  of  Benedictine  nuns,  and  a  mira- 
culous statue  of  Our  Lady  in  the  parish-church.  Going  from 
Gravelines  over  the  sandy  strand  (lately  full  of  rabbits,  till  they 
became  so  prejuducial  to  the  country,  that  it  was  necessary  to 
destrov  great  part  of  the  warrens)  we  meet  MARDYKE,  a  vil- 
lage a  league  from  Dunkirk,  famous  for  its  good  natural  har- 
bour. At  this  place  Lewis  XIV.  carried  a  noble  large  canal 
from  the  sea  round  to  Dunkirk,  when  that  port  was  demolished ; 
"but  upon  the  complaints  of  the  English,  that  this  was  equiva- 


Chap.  II.  FRENCH   FLANDERS.  39 

lent  to  restoring  Dunkirk,  the  canal  was  so  contracted  by  \vai!5 
built  on  it  near  the  mouth,  as  to  prevent  large  ships  from  entering-, 
Smaller  vessels,  especially  the  Hamburgh-men,  still  come  up. 

DUNKIRK  is  a  small  but  exceeding  populous  trading  town,  and 
has  only  one  great  parish.     The  English,  under  Oliver  Crom- 
well, jointly  with  the  French,  commanded  by  Marohal  Turenne, 
anno  1658,  took  Dunkirk  from  the  Spaniards,  whose   army 
was  commanded  by  the  great  Conde;  andia  1662  Leuis  XIV. 
gave  the  English  five  millions  French  for  this  town,  which, 
at  a  great   expence,  he  made  the  bulwark  of  these  parts,  and 
the  harbour  for  his   men-of-war  in  this  sea.     He  run  a  great 
channel   into  the   sea,  \\  hich  he  fortified  with  the  Risban  and 
five  other   strong  castles  en   its   sides   in   the  water,  and  two 
others  at  some  distance  to  guard  the  strand  on  each  side.     He 
built  also  a  magnificent  dock  and  harbour,  with  great  maga- 
zines round  about  it,  where  his  men-of-war  lay  secure  from  all 
enemies   or  weather.     The  English  and  Dutch  attempted  ia 
vain  to  bombard  it  jointly,  with   a  great  expence  of  machine:;, 
in  1694.     This  port  was  the   admiration  of  Europe,  till  the 
English,   exasperated   at   its   being  the  shelter  of  privateers  in 
the  grand  war,   who   could,  from  the  steeple  of  Dunkirk,  see 
every  ship  which  came  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  Thames,  and 
meet  it,  made  ks  demolition   an  article  of  the  peace  of  1714. 
Queen  Ann's  commissioners  saw  the  port  blocked  up,  and  the 
fortifications   razed ;  but   the  foundations  were  not  blown  up, 
so  that   they  might  be   restored.     In  this  present  war,  the 
French  raised  three  moles,  v.ith  batteries,  in  the  sea,  and  made 
lines   or   entrenchments  by  land  round  about  the  town,  to  de- 
fend both  the  port  and  the  town.    Though  the  harbour  was  much 
damaged  by  being  blocked  up,  yet  pretty  large  merchant  ships 
can  enter  it  j  and,  to  encourage  its  trade,  Lewis  XIV.   declar- 
ed  it   a   free   port.     The  sands  on  the  east  side  of  the  channel 
make   it   dangerous   to   come   ir,   when   the  wind  blows  upon 
them,   in   like   manner  as  at  Calais,   because  the  pier  does  not 
run  far  enough  to   go   beyond  all  the  sands.     These  ports  arc 
much  safer  than  Ostcnd  v.nd  Boulogne,  which  have  shelves  and 
rocks  on  each  side.     Dunkirk   is   not  ancient,   owing   its    rise 
to  the    Counts  of  Flinders,      On    these    ccs^ts   the  se?.  !i;s 


4O  TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

has  made  great  alterations,  not  only  in  the  ports,  but  in  the 
land  itself.  Two  hundred  years  ago,  it  was  a  clause  in  the  sale 
of  all  lands  on  these  coasts,  that  in  case  the  land  sold  should  be 
drowned  by  the  sea,  or  carried  off  in  less  than  10  years,  so  much 
of  the  price  was  to  be  abated  ;  so  frequent  were  inundations. 
What  remains  worth  observing  at  present  in  Dunkirk,  is  a 
good  picture  of  St  George,  in  the  parish-church,  usually  co- 
vered. It  is  of  the  Flemish  designing,  half  Gothic  :  Next 
the  old  dock  halfway  filled  up ;  the  park,  and  two  English 
nunneries;  one  of  Benedictines,  begun  anno  1662,  by  Mrs 
Caryl,  a  professed  nun  of  the  English  house  in  Ghent,  sent 
from  thence  by  her  abbess  to  commence  this  new  establish- 
ment. This  house  lost  very  much  by  the  reduction  of  the 
rents  on  the  town-house  of  Paris,  having  bought  many  con- 
tracts. The  portion  for  a  choir-nun  here  is  jccl.  Sterling,  for 
a  poor  Clare  300!.  The  other  is  of  the  Poor  Clares,  more  an- 
cient and  austere,  who  never  eat  flesh,  &cc.  It  was  begun 
by  Mrs  Ann  Brown,  sister  and  aunt  to  two  Lord  Viscount 
Montagues,  as  the  convent-registers  call  her,  though  Mr 
Dodd  makes  her  only  niece.  She  v/as  professed  in  the  mo- 
ther-house of  Gravelines,  sent  hence  with  three  others  by  the 
abbess,  on  account  of  their  poverty,  to  Dunkirk,  when,  by  the 
assistance  of  the  Spanish  governor  the  Marquis  de  Lede,  and 
Mr  Serjeant,  who  had  been  burgo-master,  and  of  Mr  Vander- 
cruce,  the  curate,  she  instituted  this  convent,  called,  of  Beth- 
lem,  anno  1652.  Mrs  Brown  being  chosen  superior,  go- 
verned  it  till  her  death  in  1665,  remarkable  for  her  great 
humility  and  invincible  patience  under  many  crosses  and  lonv 
sicknesses.  In  the  year  1658,  when  Dunkirk  was  taken  by 
the  English  and  French,  Lord  Lockhart,  a  man  of  mean  birth, 
and  a  creature  of  the  Protector,  was  made  governor ;  and  both, 
lie  and  his  lady  were  very  kind  to  the  nuns.  He  coming  once 
to  search  their  house,  on  a  report  that  some  Jesuits  from  Wat- 
ten  lay  hid  there,  found  the  information  false,  and  the  nuns  at 
their  prayers  in  a  chapel,  in  a  very  cold  season,  without  a 
spark  of  fire  in  the  house,  which  made  him  send  them  a  pro- 
vision of  coal  and  wood,  and  increase  his  kindness  to  them 
ever  after.  Yet  the  ladies  suffered  from  the  rudeness  of  the 


,  II.  FRENCH    FLANDERS. 


4  r 


English  soldiers,  who  lighted  their  pipes  at  the  altar,  when 
mass  was  saying,  and  committed  many  other  acts  of  irreverence. 
Eat  the  town  soou  passing  into  the  hands  of  the  French,  the 
Queen-  Mother  Ann  of  Austria,  being  regent,  was  very  w-ood 
to  these  nuns  ;  and  the  Count  d'Estrades,  the  French  ambas- 
sador in  Holland,  laid  the  first  stone  of  their  church  anno 
1664.  They  suffered  by  having  the  plague  in  their  house, 
in  1666,  under  their  second  mother  or  superior,  Clure  Co/- 
tft  Bh/ndd,  who  was  succeeded  by  two  Rookivoods.  The  pre- 
sent Mrs  Langdak  is  the  seventh  superior. 

It  is  two  short  leagues  from  Dunkirk  to  St  WINOC'S-BERG, 
commonly  called  BEKGULS,   a  small  and  very  unhealthy  town, 
in    the    midst  of  marshes,  but  well  furtiiied.      It  owed  its  ori- 
gin  to    TVtaoCf  a  saint   born  in  Lesser  Britany  in  France,  but 
of  British  parents,  expelled  England  by  the  Saxons  and  Angle::, 
who  instituted  an   abbey  here,  though  not  in  the  same  place  it 
now  stands  ;  for   the   first  having  been  destroyed  by  the.  Nor- 
mans, when   plundering   the  coast,  Baldwin  Count  of  Flanders 
built   and   endowed   richly  the   present   abbey,  and  walled  the 
place.     These  monks  keep  the  head  of  St  Win  uc  in  a  case,  rich- 
ly gilt,  and  adorned  with  jewels;  the  rest  of  iiis  body  is  in  a  sil- 
ver shrine.     They  have  relics  of  St  Oswald,  and   many  other 
English    saints.     The   present   abb  )t  is  very  curious  in  paint- 
ings,  and    has   gathered  a  very  numerous  and  costly  collection 
of  the  best  pictures,  fit   for  an  Italian  prince's  cabinet.     I  was 
most  charmed  with  a  small  picture  of  St  Mary  Magdalen,  for 
its    shining   colours,   and   the  natural  projecting  of  the  figure, 
imitating   life.      CASSEL,   four   leagues  from  Bergues  towards 
Terouanne,  stands   on   a  very   high    mountain,   which  Cassini 
measured   when   he   drew   the  meridian-line   through  France. 
It   is    very  famous  in  the  ancient  wars,  but  now  only  remark- 
able for  its  collegiate-church  of   rich   canons.      It  was  the  Ro- 
man   fortress   Custcl/itm  Morinorum.      ARMENTIERS  on   the 
Lis   is   a  burgh  very  noted  for  its  manufactures  of  linen  cloth 
and   stockings.     It   stands  in  the  by-road  to  Lisle.     The  high 
road,  well  paved,  goes  from  Bergues  to  Popering,  a  fair  burgh, 
under   the  Abbot  of  St  Berlins  ;  and  to  Ypres,  which  has  been 
noticed  when  deicribinc-   Austrian  Flanders,  thcms-h  at  present 

C 


42  TRAVELS   OF   REV.    ALBAtf   BUTLER. 

under  the  French  ;  and  from  thence  to  Warneton,  a  burgh  with 
a  castle  arid  small  fortifications,  and  a  rich  abbey  of  canon— regu- 
lar ;  and  from  thence  by  Quesnoy  to  Lisle.  LISLE  was  once  an 
island  amidst  marshes,  which  was  drained  by  Earl  Baldwin  the 
Pious,  born  here,  an  i  a  2;reat  lover  of  this  town.  He  also  founded 

'  O 

St  Peter's  church  i:i  it,  with  prebends  worth  i6ol.  Sterling  a- 
year.  It  is  the  capital  of  the  Walloons,  and  of  French  Flanders, 
a  large  town,  very  rich,  populous,  and  trading.  The  great 
merchants  here  have  magnificent  houses,  some  not  to  be  equal- 
led by  any  in  London,  either  for  rich  furniture  or  elegance  of 
architecture.  Its  chief  trade  is  in  cloths,  weaving  silk,  Sec. 

*  O  * 

The  Rue  Royal  is  all  inhabited  exclusively  by  gentry  and  no- 
bility, and  for  hs  superb  buildings,  uniformity,  regularity,  and 
breadth,  is  the  finest  street  we  any  where  saw,  except  the  new 
street  at  Genoa.  The  Esplanade  is  a  pleasant  walking  place 
for  an  evening  airing.  The  magazine  for  corn  is  very  fine  and 
large  ;  and  the  hospital  deserves  notice.  The  academy  is  not 
much  esteemed  for  riding,  &cc.  Lisle  is  a  very  strong  frontier, 
its  fortifications  are  very  good  and  numerous,  and  it  has  a  strong 
citadel.  St  AMAND'S  is  .situated  on  the  Scheldt,  is  remarkable 
for  its  strong  and  beautiful  island,  its  mineral  waters,  its  mag- 
nificent church  and  royal  abbey,  begun  by  St  Amand  bishop 
of  Maastricht,  who  retired  hither  into  solitude.  But  it  wa.-; 
built,  and  richly  endowed  by  King  Dagobert,  in  the  midst  of 
charming  meadows  and  groves, and  is  of  the  order  of  St  Benedict, 
immediately  subject  to  the  holy  see,  and  one  of  the  richest  in 
Flanders.  The  :ibbot  is  spiritual  andtemporal  lord  of  th  e 
town.  The  fountains  were  known  to  the  Romans,  for  there  were 
lately  found  in  them  200  statues  of  wood,  so  antique,  and  so 
spoiled  by  lying  in  water,  as  scarcely  to  be  distinguishable,  on- 
ly that  some  had  helmets,  Innces,  Sec.,  others  long  hair,  training 
gowns  or  mantles,  like  princesses,  &.c.  Here  were  also  clujr 
up  great  quantities  of  medals  of  Julius  Cassar,  Augustus,  Ves- 
pasian, Trajan,  Nero,  &.c.  The  workmen  met  a  pavement  at  the 
foot  of  the  fountain,  with  foundations  so  strong  as  scarcley  tol>^ 
broke  intoby  mattocks.  The  Roman  emperors  having  sometime  -, 
resided  atTournay,as  well  as  the  French  kings,  before  they  took 
Paris,  it  is  Lowcndsrwe  meet  such  monuments  here,  though  ih' 


Clap.  II.  NETHERLANDS.  43 

Huns  and  other  barbarians  destroyed' many  of  them  in  sacking 
and  burning  Tout-nay  under  Attila  an.  452  ;  and  the  Normans 
an.  882.  who  killed  most  of  the  monks,  whose  relics  lie  under 
the  marble  stair-case  leading  from  the  low  church  to  the  choir. 
The  waters  of  these  fountains  are  warm,  but  not  hot,  abound 
in  harmless  snakes  in  the  mud,  and  swimming  about  them. 
They  have  something  of  the  chalybeate,  as  most  or  all  minerals 
have  some  particles  of  iron,  or,  as  the  chymists  call  it,  Mars, 
in  them.  They  have  more  sulphur,  and  a  small  quantity  of 
salts  ;  are  both  laxative  and  astringent  :  They  divide  and  atte- 
nuate the  blood,  and  remove  obstructions  ;  are  good  against  the 
gravel,  interior  ulcers,  scurvy,  rheumatism,  obstructions  in  the 
lungs,  &c.  Eut  apoplexies,  palsies,  rickets,  contracted  sinews, 
&.c.  are  too  obstinate  for  them,  aiid  require  hot  baths,  such  as 
Spa,  Aix-la-Chapelle,  Bourbon,  Bath,  &.c. 

DOUAY  is  seven  leagues  from  Lisle,  on  the  small  river 
Scarpe,  wrhich  rising  in  Artois,  waters  Arras,  Do  nay,  Mar- 
chiennes,  and  falls  into  the  Scheldt  near  Conde.  Douay  is  a 
very  large  and  exceeding  strong  city,  in  a  great  plain.  The 
inundation,  by  sluices  under  the  walk-,  can  be  let  out  to 
the  distance  of  two  or  three  leagues,  about  half  round  the 
town.  The  other  sides  are  very  well  fortified.  Indeed  the 
rampart  is  not  sufficiently  armed  with  bastions  and  great 
angles,  to  make  the  fortifications  regular.  But  the  great 
ditches,  the  horn-works,  crown-works,  half-moons,  and  all  sorts 
of  out-works,  on  all  sides  where  the  inundation  does  not  cover 
it,  make  the  place  one  of  the  strongest  of  the  French  barriers  > 
and  the  new  works  they  have  been  continually  adding  to  it  for 
these  10  years  past,  make  it  now  impregnable,  if  a  town  could 
be  so  in  this  age  j  but  then,  it  must  have  14000  men  to  de- 
fend it,  or  even  to  man  all  its  works.  Dcuay  is  thought  to 
have  been  the  city  of  Caesar's  Catuaci,  a  people  of  this  part  of 
Belgium.  The  old  parish-church  of  our  Lady  is  pretended  to 
have  been  built  by  Arcanald,  a  courtier,  and  great  officer  un- 
der King  Clodoveus,  about  the  year  500,  as  Guicciardini  tells 
us.  The  collegiate  church  of  St  Amatus,  or  Ame,  who  being 
banished  from  his  bishopric,  died  here,  was  a  Benedictine  abbey 
translated  within  the  town  for  fear  of  the  Normans  in  their 

C  2 


4  j.          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

inroads  an.  87.1,  and  secularized.  It  has  35  canons,  and  a  cu- 
rious treasury  of  relics.  It  is  a  lar^e  church,  and  has  a  hand- 
s, ..;,,..  cV-'ipel  of  the  Blessed  Sacrament,  in  which  our  Saviouronce 
rm  tculously  appeared  visible  in  a  consecrated  host,  as  Thomas 
C;:  itiptatensis,  an  eye- witness,  relates.  The  history  is  painted 
before  the  chapel.  The  collegiate  church  of  St  Peter  w.is 
ionnded  about  the  jcar  n8c.  It  is  now  rebuilding,  arid  when 
finished,  will  be  a  magnificent  structure,  though  not  uniform- 
ly regular.  The  abbey  of  Fline,  almost  two  leagues  out 
cf  ton"i,  of  Bernardine  nuns,  is  the  richest  nunnery  in  Flanders, 
Jou;-idel  by  Margarite  of  Constantinople;  in  this  church  lie 
buried  two  counts  of  Flanders,  and  many  other  persons  of  sove- 
reign families.  The  abbess's  new  apartments  are  vast  and 
stately.  They  don't  observe  enclosure  ;  any  more  than  the  nun> 
of  the  abbevs  de  Prez,  of  the  same  order,  within  the  walls  of 
JTouay,  also  a  rich  monastery.  Marchiennes  Abbey  is  in  the 
town  of  the  same  name,  in  a  fenny  country,  is  very  rich,  in 
part  recently  built,  very  nobly.  In  the  church  is  one  very  bold 
rank,  made  with  extraordinary  art.  In  the  house  is  a  bolder 
ttair-case,  of  the  well  form,  i.  e.  going  round  without  any  sup- 
porter. It  was  founded  bv  the  Countess  Rictrudes  anno  6;-; 7. 
..-Incline  Ablcy^  still  rich,  is  two  leagues  from  Douay  ;  its  ne\v 
built  quarter  is  very  great  and  magnificent.  In  its  church 
strangers  adnrrrc  the  new  choir  carved  \\  ith  admirable  urt,  a  id 
the  new  organ,  tlie  largest  and  finest  in  all  these  parls.  Tlie 
^il'baye  fk>  P-n'.v  ::i  Doinv,  is  a  slr'ct  and  very  austere  reform 
of  Benedictine  nuns,  wlio  live  in  poverty,  silence,  perpetual  nb- 
si;;ience,  &LC.  It  was  instituted  near  100  years  Jigo,  by  a  de- 
vout nun  of  Kline,  a  lady  of  the  counrry,  and  has  founded  main 
houses  abroad  at  L'ege,  Arras,  &e.  These  arc  the  great  abbev;j 
3 ;i  or  n°ar  Douav. 

T,ewib  XIV.  instituted  at  Douay  rtn  Academy  for  the  En- 
5; \T--er-..,  but  transferred  it  to  la  Fere,  on  the  frontiers  of  Pic- 
;tfdy,  wliei'c  they  cast  cannon  balls.  There  yet  remains  i:; 
Douiy  the  .'Irtt-.-'cl,  like  that  of  Lisle,  containing  arms  for  24, 
or  50, toe  men,  'always  in  readiness  ;  many  cannons,  hundreds  of 
f:ff"u(.t,  or  c.irringcs,  matches,  c:c.  bombs  and  all  other  artillery. 
j.'l'c  govcrr.cr  i:  r.  liculer/^t-eeneral,  not  under  the  gover.no' 


Clap.  II.  FRENCH    FLAXDERS.  4- 

of  the  town  :    idly,  The   Foundery  to  cast  cannon,  always  at 
work,  and  the  best  in  France,   being   nearest  the  ordinary  seat 
of  war.     There  is  another  at  Rochfort,  near  Rochelle,  and  one 
at  Valenciennes,   only  for  casting  bombs.     This  at  Donay  has 
only  three  furnaces  ;   they  use  only  one  at  once.     The  copper 
and  other  minerals  are  eight   days   in   melting   by  a  continual 
excessive  hot  fire,  the  flame  of  \vhich    is  reverberated  amongst 
the  metal ;  a  man  stands  at  the  side  of  the  furnace,  continually 
throwing  in  fresh  wood.     Tin  is  thrown  into  the  m?tal   a  few 
hours  before  the  cannons  are  cast,  because  it  soon  melts.     The 
French  find,  by  experience,   no  tin  is  proper  to   term  th?  coin- 
pound  metal  for  cannon, but  our  Kngliih  tin,  from  the  mines  of 
Cornwall.     When  the   metal  is  melted,   it  is  a  frightful  image 
of  hell,  boiling  in  waves,   and  the  flames  rushing  at  every  iron 
door  out  of  the  red  hot  furnace.     When  cannon  is  cr.?t,  which 
is   only  about  once   in  five   or   six  weeks,   they   break   down 
the    little   iron   door    in  the  bottom  of   the    furnace,   &nd  the 
metal  runs  in  a  stream  of  fire  through  a  chr.rmel  conducting;  :t 
to  all  the  moulds  laid  in  the  ground.      The  French  cannons  ar- 
TIOW  of  a  calibre  for  balls  of  4,  8,  12,  16,    and  the  largest  of  24 
pounds:    the   old    48   and  64   pounders   sre   L'.id    r.side.   be!' 
so  heavy,   that  it  is    difficult  for   any  roads  to    bear,   or   cr-.ttlf- 
to  draw  them;    besides  24  pounders  are  big  enough   for  b:  t- 
trring  pieces,   and    two   of   these  directed    io   trie   same  point, 
have   a   much  greater   effect  than  ^:S    pounders    upon  a   wa'l. 
They  usuelly  cast  eight  or  more  at    a    time.      When    they   ai— 
cooled,   they  hoist  them  up  with  groat  engines  to  be  b-r^-d,  for 
the  holl:.w  is  not  polished  in  the  r.iouU.      As  they  hang,    thry 
art-  let  iVll  on   a  great  sh:r/p  iron    i::;vrum."nt,   turned  about  by 
a  horse,    as  in  a  mill,   wiiich  cases  und  pol^h^s  the  Lcce    to  th« 
just    calibre  :     Then    the    ordnance    H   carried   to    be  bap'tiz.^! 
that  is,  to  be  polished  and  carved,  a;id    have  i',j  name  engravv.-); 
u-jon  it.      For  the  length,  cdibre,  weight,  ;::id  cxpencc  of  eac.u 
j-.iece,  I  refer  to  our  ingenious  Sir  Jonas  Moore,  or  to  the  niai.y 
excellent  French  writers  on  this  branch  of  mathematics.      It  LJ 
useless  to  copy  them. 

Lewis  XIV.  also  fixed  at  Douay  the  Parliament,   or   Sovc^ 
rt-ign  Court  of  Flanders,  which  had  h/cn  first  settled  at  TC.UIX 


46  TRAVELS    OF    REV.  ALBAN   BUTLER. 

nay.     This  fills  the  town  with  counsellors  and  their  attendants, 
avocats  and  procureurs,  that    is,  lawyers   and   attorneys,  and 
people  resorting  hither  for  their  law-suits.     The  parliainent- 
hor.se  is  large,  and  its  chambers  handsome,  hung  with  tapestry. 
v  But  what  Douay  owes  most  to  is  its  UNIVERSITY,  founded  by 
Philip   II.  in   1563,  and  confirmed  by  Pope  Pius  V.  in  1569, 
It  has  above  20   Colleges  and  Seminaries,  and  commonly  3    or 
•  4000  Students  in   philosophy,  divinity,  law,  and  physic.     In 
the  two  first  of  these  sciences  it  has  been  very  eminent,  and 
has  had  great  masters,   as  Stapleton,  Estius,  Sylvius,  &£.  but 
in  law  and  physic  it  never  excelled ;   although  no  lawyer  nor 
physician  can  practise  in  Flanders  who  has  not  taken  out  his 
degrees  at  Douay.  The  Irish  have  St  Patrick's,  a  pcor  semina- 
ry ;  as  they  have  another  at  Lisle,  and  another  at  Tournay.  The 
Scots  'Jesuits  have   a  college  handsomely  built,   with  a  small 
church,   containing   relics  of  St  Margaret  Queen  of  Scotland, 
as  well  as  many  other  relics  brought  from  that  kingdom.  They 
have  usually  two  or  three  fathers,  and  12   or  more  boys  as 
boarder?,  but  these  study  under  the  Walloon  Jesuits,  in  whose 
province  or  district  this  is  ;   the  Sects  Jesuits  not  being  nume- 
rous enough  to  form  a  province  of  their  own.     This  house  was 
founded  by  the  interest  of  Lesley  bishop  of  Ross  in  1579. 

The  English  have  in  Douay  three  of  their  principal  settle- 
ments,  the  secular  clergy,  commonly  called  Douay  college,  St 
Bonaventure's,  commonly  called  the.  Franciscans,  and  St  Gre- 
gory'.-, the  Benedictines.  It:  is  well  known  how  numerous  and 
how  rich  the  Benedictines  were  in  lino  land  before  the  dissolu- 
tion of  their  monasteries  by  Henry  VIII.  Queen  Mary  re- 
stored to  them  the  abbey  of  Westminster  ;  but  Queen  Eliza- 
beth soon  drove  th'em  cut  again.  After  this  several  English 
berime  Benedictines  in  Spain  and  Italy,  and  were  sent  on  the 
English  mission.  The  abbey  of  St  Vaast  in  Arras  having  a 
very  large  house  in  Douay,  Gaverel  the  abbot,  iainons  for 
manv  other  great  foundations  for  the  benefit  of  religion,  pity- 
In^  the  case  of  the  English  monks,  by  the  consent  of  his  monks 
in  chaptr-r,  rave  th.cn;  or,e  hulf  of  the  monastery  in  Douay,  and 
•&  rent  to  1  e  paid  yearly  in  money  from  Arras,  for  a  full  main- 
tenance of  12  English  monks,  v.-ho  should  be  obliged  to  kect* 


Chap.  IL          FRENCH  NETHERLANDS.  47 

continual  choir  ;  stipulating  also,  that  the  abbey  of  Arras 
should  keep  the  house  in  ali  repairs,  as  is  done  ever  since, 
(even  to  the  most  minute  article)  but  that  the  house  should 
revert  to  St  Vaast's,  in  case  the  Catholic  faith  should  be  ever 
restored  in  England.  Abbot  Gaverel  left  the  other  half  in  the 
hands  of  his  monks,  founding  a  irreat  college  with  above  60 

'  O  o  C* 

pensions,  for  the  maintenance  of  so  many  poor  students  \vho 
should  study  in  it       Soon  after  this,    Cardinal  Charles  of  Lor- 
rain,  an.  1606,  (Mr  GifTord  Dean  of  Lisle,  afterwards  a  Bene- 
dictine, and  lastly,  the  Archbishop  of  Rheims,  contributing  a 
large    sura    towards   it),    instituted    for   them    another  hoiu'c 
at    Dieulwart   in  Lorrain.     Father    Buckley  who   had  beta 
professed  in  Westminster  abbey,   was   still  alive,   and  the  on- 
ly man   in   the  old  English    congregation.     lie    received   into 
jt  some   of  those   professed   abroad  ;  and    Pope    Paul  V.  anno 
1610,  approved  and  declared  it  the  same  congregation,   order- 
ing it   to  be  governed  by  a   president  as  chief  superioi  ;    diffi- 
culties arising,  the  superior  was  not  chosen  t:li  the  year  1619, 
and  Father  GitTord   was   the  first,   who  being  made  archbishop 
of  Rheims,   procured   for  them   another   house  ii:  the  suburbs 
of  St  James  in  Paris,  an.  1642.      The  convent  of  Celie,  a  day's 
journey  out  of  Paris,   in  the    Province   of   line,   w.-<s  given  to 
them,   and  is   governed   by  some   sent  thither  by  the  superiors 
in  Paris.      They  have  also  another   abbey  in   the  electorate  of 
Cologne  at  Lansberg,  ;  it  is  well  er.dov.  ea,  a  good  building,  and 
the  only  house  of  the  English  which  has  a  regular  abbot.     The 
others  are  governed  by  priors   chosen   by  the  general   chapter 
held    at  Douay,  their   mother-house,  every  four  years.      The 
English  Franciscans  in  Douay  were  founded  by  IVIr  John  Geu- 
nings,  a  priest  of  the  secular  collect1,  who,  to  restore  that  pro- 
vince, became  a  friar,  and  laid  the  foundation  of  this  convent, 
an.  1617,  and  got  it  made  an  independent  English  province  by 
a  bull  from  Rome.   The  English  College  of  the  Secular  Clergy  in 
Douiy  was  the  first  settlement  of  the  religious  abroad,  su.ce  the 
Reformation,  and  hau  ever  been  its  chief  support :  It  was  begun 
an.  1,5-68,  the   year   before   that   university  was  confirmed  by 
the  Pope  ;  so  that  it  signs  all  acts,  and  in  registers  of  the  uni-, 
•versify  always    the   tlrrt?    before  the   four   other   gre^t   col^. 

C4 


48  TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

leges,  viz.  the  King's  great  college,  St  Vaast's,  Ancienne, 
and  the  Jesiiits.  It  was  founded  by  means  of  Dr  William 
sltten,  its  first  president,  afterwards  cardinal  ;  and  has  pro- 
duced one  cardinal,  16  bishops  and  archbishops,  above  80 
doctors  of  divinity,  130  martyrs,  executed  merely  for  their 
priestly  character,  and  not  accused  of  any  thing  else,  (consequent- 
ly not  suffering  for  a  mixed  or  temporal  cause).  It  has  sent 
above  1600  missionary  priests  into  England,  and  had  innumer- 
able eminent  writers  in  every  branch  of  learning,  especially  di- 
vinity, controversy,  p'ety,  philosophy,  &c.  This  was  the 
mother-house  of  the  other  settlements  of  the  clergy,  as  of  St 
Gregory's  in  Paris,  and  of  the  Lisbon  college,  founded  by  a 
Portuguezc  gentleman,  who  laid  out  5000  golden  crowns  in 
purchasing  a  house,  &c.  and  settled  on  it  500  golden  crowns  a- 
year. 

But  to  return  to  the  town  ;  it  has  in  the  town-house  chapel 
a  vault  and  pillar  of  one  stone,  very  remarkable  ;  this  small 
column  supporting  the  whole  edifice.  The  town  itself, — were 
ihe  garrison,  which  is  usually  3000  men  in  peace  time,  the 
parliament  and  university  removed, — would  be  reduced  to  no- 
thing, there  Ix-ni^  no  trad;:  in  i!  ;  arid  the  people  too  lazy  to 
set  thfir  rr-inds  to  the  cloth  manufacture  and  tapestry  made 
}I?IT,  while  they  can  live  by  boarding  students.  There  is  a 
very  c'.'.rions  anatomy.  The  chief  colleges  are,  the  English, 
St  Vfi'^ts,  Jesuit-;,  Anthienn^,  IMkirohic-iiv-,  La  Mot"',  airl 
C'.li-: -\r:  (!-.:  lV;Me.s.  The  seminaries  are,  the  King's,  lI'M-nia 
or  Ypros,  Torre,  Tournay,  Notrc-Darpe,  Moulart,  or  Arra?, 
t-'.c.  Lacli  religious  or  kt:  Ins  its  college.  The  Dominicans, 
Cirrnf",  Frr.;iri:..er:;:-;  both  English  and  Vv'r.lh.'on,  Au-'-!ins,  'Sec. 

Fro;-!i  D'.nii-/  f>  C>AM3RAY  it  is  five  leagues.  Ctunbrcsis  is 
n  5m:;il  provii'.co  of  tlie  Lo'v  Countries,  adj'j'ni'\>T  to  Picardv, 
cxreeaing  fruitfu)  ;n  corn.  Cambrr;y  ils  capital,  o:1  t!:e  Sclicldt, 
(!ierc:  very  small),  is  not  a  br^o-  town,  but  \\--'\\  built,  and 
\-  ry  strr>!!g.  The  Kmpc-ror,  thr;  Frcnc'i,  and  tlie  Cou;:ts  of 
F!  iiiclors  disputeJ  th"  roveiv;:s'nty;  and  the  Emperors  some-. 
tinvvs  declared  it  free,  {".li.irles  V.  built  a  strong  cuadcl  to  it. 
But  Lewis  XIV.  an::c  167-,  added  it  to  theFnr.c'.i  mc.nanby. 


Chap.  II.  FRENCH  FLANDERS.  49 

The  great  citadel  stands  on  an  eminence,  and  commands  the 
town  ;  its  ditches  are  cut  in  a  rock.  The  walls  of  the  town 
are  covered  with  good  bastions,  and  deep  ditches,  especially  on 
the  east,  where  the  citadel  stands.  It  has  a  smaller  citadel  or 
castle  on  the  other  side.  It  is  an  ancient  bishopric,  but  its  see 
was  made  a  metropolitan  by  Paul  III.  anno  1559,  at  the  re- 
quest of  King  Philip  II :  De  Berges  was  its  first  archbishop. 
Its  cathedral,  dedicated  to  our  Lady,  is  very  rich.  It  has  48 
canons,  enjoying  about  4000  livres,  (nearly  200!.  a-year,) 
besides  95  chaplains,  and  other  ecclesiastics  :  It  has  a  high 
steeple,  with  a  spire  of  very  beautiful  work,  and  a  magnificent 
choir,  of  fine  marble,  with  a  Roman  altar  built  by  FENELOV, 
the  great  ornament  of  this  see,  not  so  much  for  his  learning 
and  taste  in  the  Icl.'es  lettres,  (a  moi.ument  of  which  is  his 
book  of  TELEMACHUS),  as  for  his  piety,  zeal,  constant  resi- 
dence, assiduous  preaching,  great  charity  to  the  poor,  refusing 
many  benefices,  and  above  all  his  humility  and  obedience,  and 
his  patience  and  virtue  under  the  severe  afflictions  which  ha 
experienced  on  account  of  some  mistakes,  or  at  least  inaccurate 
expressions  in  carrying  the  love  of  God  too  far,  laid  hold  of 
by  his  adversaries,  who,  perhaps,  in  the  excess  of  their  zeal, 
sometimes  lost  sight  of  the  amiable  virtue  of  clarity.  The 
ingenious  RAMSAY,  (a  Scotsman,)  a  convert  of  this  great 
man,  has  wrote  his  life,  and  is  author  of  his  epitaph,  on  a 
marble  stone,  on  the  side  of  the  choir.  Cambray  is  full  of  ec- 
clesiastics. It  has  two  other  collegiate  churches  of  canons  ; 
that  of  St  Gery,  very  rich,  the  other  of  the  Holy  Cross  ; 
also  the  nbbe-vs  of  St  Aubert,  and  of  the  Holy  Sepulchre, 
with  good  libraries  belonging  to  them,  and  handsome  new 
churches.  The  Archbishop  is  Duke  of  Cambray,  and 
Prince  of  the  Empire.  The  English  Benedictines  have  a 
nunnery  in  Cambray,  founded  by  the  assistance  of  F.  Ru- 
disent  Barlow,  president  of  the  En-lisa  congregation,  and 
rc-;ent  of  St  Vaasl's  college  in  Doir.iy.  Its  first  abbess  was 
Mrs  Frances  Gavin,  who  came  frcai  the  English  Benedictine 
nunnery  in  Brussels,  with  two  othcis,  to  found  this  new  ests- 
Misment,  anno  162^.  Abbot  Southrct,  who  ]ivrsw:th  their 


CO  TRAVELS   OF    REV.    ALBAN    BUTLER. 

confessor,  has  built  them  large  out  apartments,  very  conve- 
nient for  lodging  and  boarding  strangers.  This  is  the  only 
nunnery  under  the  English  Benedictines,  the  other  English  Be- 
nedictine nunneries  being  subject  to  the  bishops.  The  trade  of 
Cambray  is  much  decayed,  and  fine  linen,  once  so  famous  here, 
is  now  got  better  from  Valenciennes,  and  other  places. 

From  Cambray  to  PERONNE  is  six  leagues  ;  it  is  eight  from 
Arras  to  Peronne,  but  the  latter  is  the  best  road,  being  a  pave- 
ment. After  passing  through  Metz.cn  Couture,  two  posts  from 
Cambray,  ws  entered  PICARDY,  the  first  province  of  France, 

Flanders  enjoys  still  many  privileges.  Its  towns  are  govern- 
ed by  their  own  magistrates,  or  echevins,  chosen  by  themselves, 
though  this  choice  be  very  dependant  on  the  king's  intendants, 
and  in  a  manner  at  their  disposal.  In  France  the  towns  are 
governed  by  four  Consuls,  who  are  burgesses,  put  in  office  by 
the  king.  In  all  causes  above  500  livres,  appeal  may  be  made 
from  their  sentence  to  the  parliament,  and  thence  to  the  king's 
council.  Flanders  also  pays  no  gabelle  or  tax  on  salt,  a  differ- 
ence easily  to  be  perceived  the  moment  we  enter  France  ;  for  at 
Metze.n  Couture  wetakeleave  of  white  salt  tohavenone  but  gray, 
v.'hich  has  paid  the  gabelle.  PICARDY  is  a  very  fertile  province  in 
corn,  something  like  the  upper  pait  of  Flanders,  every  where  aa 
ctsen  plain  country,  and  alir.ost  all  ploughed  ground.  Its  chief 
rivers  are  the  Somme,  rising  beyond  St  Qmntin's,  and  wash- 
ing that  town— rich  by  its  trade, — Arniens  the  capital  of  all  Pic- 
ardv,  and  Abbeville,  and  falling  into  the  sea  at  St  Valerv,  the 
little  port  from  which  William  the  Conqueror  set  sail  to  con- 
quer England  ;  and  the  Oysey  which  rising  in  Vervins,  on  the 
borders  of  Picardy  and  Champaigne,  runs  by  Guise,  la  Fere, 
ISToyone,  (the  eld  Noviodunu?^,  near  which  are  the  ruins  of 
the  great  Augusta  Veromanduorum,  now  a  good  city,  nnd  an- 
cient bishopric),  Compiegne,  famous  for  a  palace  of  the  kinrs, 
Pont  St  Maxence,  and  Pontoise  in  the  Jsk».  of  France,  noted 
amongst  us  for  the  English  Benedictine  nunnery.  A  little 
lower,  it  empties  itself  into  the  Sciiify  six  leagues  below  Paris, 

PERONNE  was  the  first  town  we  met  in  Picardy,  situated  in 
the  midst  of  waters  and  marshes,  once  the  impregnable  bar- 
rier of  France  cgamst  Flanders ;  but  since  it  ceased  to  be  a 


Clap.  II.  ficARDr,  Sec.  ^t 

frontier,  its  fortifications  have  gone  to  decay.  It  is  famous 
among  travellers  principally  for  the  general  and  severe  custom- 
house of  entry  into  France.  From  Peronne  we  pass  by  ROYE,  a 
small  town,  once  strongly  fortified,  when  a  frontier ;  Guernay,  a 
poor  burgh ;  and  Pont  St  Maxence,  where  there  is  a  long  bridge 
over  a  low  marsh,  and  another  over  the  Oyse,  a  river  abounding 
•with  good  fish.  This  town  takes  its  name  from  St  Maxentia, 
an  Irish  virgin  martyred  here.  We  leave  on  our  right  Amiens, 
Abbeville,  and  near  it  CRESSY,  famous  for  our  King  Edward 
JII.'s  great  victory  over  the  French,  who  lost  there  30,000 
foot,  and  1 200  horse,  including  the  king  of  Bohemia,  the  French 
king's  brother  Count  of  Alencon,  the  Count  of  Flanders,  &c. 
On  our  left  we  passed  St  QUINTIN'S  NOYON,  where  Cakin  was 
born  ;  LAON,  a  rich  bishopric,  with  the  title  of  a.  peer  of 
France  ;  CoMPiEGNE  SOISSONS,  in  the  Isle  of  France,  a  good 
town,  and  seat  of  a  generality.  From  Pont  we  travelled  through 
two  Forests,  the  one  called  the  Forest  of  Pont,  the  other  of 
Senlis,  stocked  with  the  king's  deer.  SENLIS,  remarkable 
for  its  manufactory  of  good  knives,  &.c.  is  a  considerable  city, 
and  a  bishop's  see,  situated  in  the  county  of  Valois,  which  for- 
merly gave  title  to  the  king's  second  son,  and  is  part  of  the 
Isle  of  France,  a  fruitful  province,  so  called  from  the  isle  form- 
edjjy  the  Seine  in  the  middle  of  Paris.  We  leave  in  this 
province,  on  the  left  hand,  LAON,  a  rich  bishopric,  with  the 
title  of  Peer  of  France, — and  Soissons  ;  on  the  right  BEAUVAIS, 
an  Episcopal  see,  well  known  ;  PONTOISE,  and  the  small  pro- 
vince of  Vexin,  half  in  the  Isle  of  France,  and  half  in  Norman- 
dy j  and  going  through  LOUVRE,  a  small  town,  arrive  at  Paris. 
At  another  time  from  Pont  we  took  the  road  by  St  Denys 
and  CHANTILLY  :  This  latter  is  the  finest  house  in  Frante  next 
to  the  king's  palaces.  Its  stables  are  equally  magnificent; 
but  what  is  most  admired  ubout  it  is  the  Orangetie,  finer  than 
that  of  Versailles,  having  a  house  built  for  all  the  trees  to  be  put 
under  cover.  It  i*  pretended  that  the  duke  of  Bourbon  gained 
in  she  Mississippi  the  great  sums  he  laid  out  in  building  this  state- 
ly palace,  with  its  park,  forests,  canals,  Sec.  It  is  four  leagues 
from  hence  to  St  Der.ys,  passing  by  MGntmorsncy,  famous  in 


55          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

Paris  for  its  excellent  cherries,  the  place  being  entirely  planted 
with  that  tree. 

St  DENYS  is  a  handsome  town,  containing  several  convents  ; 
but  its  ^Kbey  deserves  all  our  attention.  It  was  built  and  rich- 
ly endowed  by  the  pious  king  Dagobert,  in  630.  The  monks 
are  of  the  most  austere  reform  of  St  Maur,  which  they  receiv- 
ed in  1633.  Their  great  revenues  have  been  consumed  by 
commendatory  abbots  for  some  years  past ;  but  Lewis  XIV. 
gave  the  abbot's  mense,  or  part,  to  the  ladies  of  St  Cyr,  found- 
ed by  Madam  de  MAINTENON.  The  church  of  St  Denys  is  old 
and  Gothic,  very  large  and  magnificent.  The  riches  of  its  or- 
naments on  great  solemnities  is  exceeding  great.  On  the  right 
hand  of  the  high  altar  is  the  tomb  of  King  Dagobert,  of  por- 
phyry. It  is  an  agreeable  amusement  to  consider  all  the  state- 
ly monuments  cf  the  kings  and  queens,  of  different  sorts  of  fine 
marble,  many  of  them  in  a  very  good  design  and  taste,  and  se- 
veral well  .carved.  Here  are  near  40  magnificent  monuments 
of  kine;s.  besides  some  few  others  ;  as  that  of  the  sreat  Mar- 

O      '  *  O 

shal  TURENNE  j  that  of  SUGER,  abbot  of  St  Denys,  and  prime 
minister  to  King  Lewis -VII.;  that  of  CHARLES  MARTEL, 
Major-Domo  to  King  Chilperic  III.,  and  father  of  King  PEPIN. 
The  Treasury  of  St  Denys,  shewn  at  two  o'clock  every  after- 
noon, or  after  vespers  at  four,  contains  relics  of  St  Lewis  and 
other  saints,  in  rich  cases  ;  the  king's  coronation-suits,  spurs  of 
gold  glittering  with  diamonds,  rods  of  justice,  sceptres  of  gold, 
and  rich  crowns,  with  many  crosses,  images,  &.c.  of  gold  and 
precious  stones  ;  a  saphire,  with  the  figure  of  Solomon  on  his 
throne,  engraven  ;  the  swords  of  St  Lewis,  of  the  great  Talbot, 
4>i"  the  celebrated  MAID  OF  ORLEANS,  King  Dagobert's  chairp&.c. 


Cliap.  III.  DESCRIPTION    OF   PARIS. 


CHAPTER     THIRD. 

STATE    OF    FRANCE,    AND    DESCRIPTION    OF    PARIS. 

Power  of  the  King.— The  Parliaments.— The  Military  Intendants.— Revenue.— 
Taxes,— the  Taille,  Gabelle,  and  Aide;.— Fanners  General.— Noblesse.— Paris. 
— Number  of  Inhabitants. — Comparison  betwixt  P^ris  and  London. — Public 
Buildings.— Equestrian  Statues-— The  Louvre.— The  Thuilleries.— The  Lux- 
embourg.— Paintings  of  Rubens  described. — Hotel  des  Invalides. — Hotel  Dieu. 
— City  Gates. — College  of  Navarre  — .Sorbonne. — Jesuits  College. — Mazarin's 

College. — Notre-Dame. — St  bu'.pice. — St  Germain -de- Prtz,  &c. — Le  Brun. 

Is'icolas  f'oussin. — Vouet. — Fresnoy. — Le  Seuer. — Academy  of  Painting. — 
French  Academy. — Academy  of  Sciences. — Observatory. — King's  Library. — 
Hint:'*  Cabinet  of  Medals.— The  Gobelincs.— King's  Palaces.— Versailles, 
&c.  &c. 


J  T  would  be  too  long  to  undertake  a  minute  description  of 
Paris.  However,  I  shall  compare  its  principal  parts  with  Lon- 
don, and  run  over,  with  brevity,  what  we  observed  most  re- 
markable in  it ;  but  first  it  will  be  proper  to  say  a  word  of 
France  in  general. 

FRANCE  is  certainly  a  verj  populous  rich  state.  Its  ports 
on  the  Mediterranean  and  Ocean  afford  it  the  best  opportunities 
for  trade,  if  the  taxes  on  merchants,  and  above  all  the  king's 
unlimited  power  of  seizing  all  public  funds,  changing  the 
value  of  the  current  coins,  raising  monies  in  what  way  he 
pleases,  £cc.  did  not  impoverish  it  too  much.  The  soil  is  very 
fruitful,  especially  in  Picardy,  for  corn  ;  in  Normandy,  for  pai- 
Hue  ;  in  the  hills  of  Burgundy,  £cc.  for  vines  ;  in  Languedcc 
i;ncl  Upper  Provence,  for  vines,  olives,  and  corn,  ice. ;  yet  it  is 
mountainous  in  some  parts,  particularly  that  ridge  which  runs 
1  roir.  the  Pyreneans  across  France  to  the  Alps,  and  which  also 
covers  Dauphiny,  the  Cevennes,  Sec.  part  i^  also  heath,  and 
part  sandy  soil,  in  the  middle  of  the  kingdom.  The  king  is 
despotic,  adored  by  his  subjects,  wilh  whom,  for  the  most 
part,  his  will  L  a  law.  The  rhief  court  is  the  King's  Council  : 
Next  are  the  Parliaments,  which  are  sovereign  courts,  eacli  for 
ILS  district.  They  are  14  ;  viz.  Paris,  which  has  a  great  ex- 


54          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

both  remarkably  severe  in  punishing ;  Rouen,  Bourdeaux, 
Rennes,  Pan,  Metz,  Perpignan,  Dijon  ;  Besanc.on,  also  very 
severe;  for  Franche  Comte,  whilst  under  the  Spaniards,  was 
full  of  roberies  and  murders  ;  but  Lewis  XIV.  becoming 
master  of  it,  and  instituting  this  parliament,  they  were  soon  as 
rare  here  as  in  other  parts  of  France  ;  Brisac  in  Alsace,  and 
Douay  for  Flanders.  The  parliaments  have  an  inspection  over 
the  judges  and  magistrates  of  towns,  and  either  confirm  or  annul 
their  sentences.  The  Prevost  of  the  Marechaussees  was  the 
guard  of  the  highways,  and  condemns  in  his  court  all  the  high- 
way robbers. 

As  to  the  Military:  The  Soldiery  is  the  strength  of  the 
Crown,  as  it  must  necessarily  be  in  all  despotic  governments. 
Hence  France  may  be  called  a  Military  Government;  and  if  sol- 
diers are  not  encouraged,  and  the  military  supported,  it  must 
of  course  lose  its  power  at  home,  and  sink  abroad.  The  Mar- 
shah  are  the  chief  in  dignity,  and  take  place  next  to  the  Princes 
of  the  Blood.  The  king  can  bring  to  the  field  500,000  men. 

The  great  Governments  of  France  are  1 2,  but  in  each  there 
are  many  lesser  governments,  as  of  fortified  towns,  &-C. ;  and 
every  governor  holding  letters  of  command  is  usually  indepen- 
dent in  his  district.  These  governors  had  formerly  all  the  power 
of  the  province  in  their  hands ;  could  evoke  any  affair  out  of  the 
judges  court,  and  decide  it  themselves,  their  authority  extending 
over  the  military  and  civil  departments,  as  well  as  the  exchequer 
and  taxes.  This  exorbitant  power  was  checked  as  to  the  first  ar- 
ticle ;  and  Cardinal  Richelieu,  to  make  the  king  more  absolute, 
contrived  to  make  the  governors  little  more  than  cyphers  of  ho- 
nour :  It  was  by  sending  Intendants  into  each  province,  who 
have  the  whole  superintendence  of  the  taxes  and  revenues,  am! 
of  all  civil  affairs  in  the  province  ;  as  of  putting  in  magistrates 
of  towns,  &.c.  These  intendants  are  persons  of  a  middle  rank, 
and  totally  court  creatures,  having  their  whole  dependence  ou 
It ;  yet  they  are  kings  in  their  district.  The  Governors,  who 
are  persons  of  the  first  rank,  and  of  great  interest,  have  no 
command,  except  over  the  military  ;  and  that  chiefly  depends 
on  the  secretary  of  war.  Yet  the  governors  have  great  emn- 
"' nment?,  guards,  and  many  speculative  rights  and  honour'1  - 


Clap.  III.  NETHERLANDS.  J5 

The  king's  Revenues  in  France  consist  chiefly  in  taxes,  which 
are  of  three  sorts  ;  the  first  and  principal  is  the  taille,  which  is 
raised  by  personal  contributions,  as  by  capitation,  or  other- 
wise. Charles  VII.  first  made  the  taille  perpetual,  winch  be- 
fore was  only  sometimes  laid  on  in  time  of  war.  The  second 
is  the  gabelle,  or  tax  on  salt.  The  king  has  the  sole  righr  of 
selling  salt,  which  is  made  by  introducing  sea-water  into  small 
ponds  on  the  shore  in  the  heats  of  summer,  where,  after  re- 
maining a  fortnight,  it  is  evaported  by  the  sun,  leaving  the  salt 
at  the  bottom,  which  is  then  deposited  in  granaries  by  the  king's 
officers.  In  some  provinces,  every  householder  is  obliged  to 
take  a  fixed  quantity  of  salt  at  the  price  taxed  :  In  others, 
all  take  only  what  they  please,  but  can  only  have  it  from  thes-.-. 
granaries,  and  at  the  king's  rates.  Flanders,  Calais,  and  Bou- 
logne, are  exempt  from  the  gabelle  ;  as  are  also  Poitou,  Per:  - 
gord,  and  Anjoulemois.  The  first  because  frontier  towns, 
the  others  by  having  bought  their  exemption  from  King  Her.- 
ry  II.  It  was  King  Philip  the  Fair,  in  his  wars  against  Eng- 
land, who  first  imposed  the  gabelle,  which  made  our  Kin:;- 
Edward  III.  call  him  the  salt -merchant  :  Philip  called  his  ri> 
val  the  wool-merchant,  alluding  to  the  English  selling  their 
wool  to  the  Flemish.  The  third  tax  is  the  aides,  raised  on 
merchandizes  imported  or  exported,  or  other  things  ;  bin; 
most  of  these  are  now  ur.i':ed  to  the  gabelles.  Nay,  all  the 
taxes  arc  at  present  united  under  cnzfarm,  and  the  respective 
towns  and  provinces  are  rented  by  Farmers-Genera?,  who  raise 
the  taxes  in  an,  arbitrary  manner  ;  so  that  the  greater  part  of 
the  national  capital  is  in  their  hands.,  where  the  king  easily 
finds  it,  giving  for  tins  ready  money  the  taxes  for  a  limited 
period.  We- re  there  public  Banks,  a 5  in  Genoa,  Holland,  Eng- 
land, £cc.,  they  might  as  easily  find  ready  sums,  and  with  less 
grievance  of  the  people.  Besides  these  tax-.s,  immense  sums 
come  into  the  Exchequer,  by  the  contributions  of  the  clergy, 
by  aukuins,  legitimation:,  cV-c.,  by  sums  en  the  custom-houses 
of  Lyons,  &.C.,  by  wood  of  the  royal  forest.?,  by  manors,  and 
a  thousand  casualties.  In  1609  the  sole  taille  collected  from 
each  of  the  24  generalities,  amounted,  according  to  this  rc^i=- 
??r,  to  the  following  sums,  vis. 


of  Lyons 
of  Paris 
Rouen 

Languedoc 

Dauphiny 

Provence 

Burgundy 

Brittany 
Limoges 

Bourdeaux 


751,  517     Orleans 


77^73 

— —     Amiens 

86,463 

168,250     Caen 
9.445 


380,460     Chalons 


670,000 
75, coo     Soissons 


,63 


5"          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

THE  GENERALITIES         Livres.      THE  GENERALITIES  OF        Lives, 
of  Tours  919,000     Riom  in  Auvergne          656,00:) 

102,000  9000 

865,000     Poitiers 

45,000 

769,000      Moulina 

147,000 

1,072,000     Bourgcs         •» 

1 1,000 


670,000 

75,000 

423>993 
66,400 


5  3  5.5  M 

70,500 


263,000 
36,000 

633,180 
6,720 

473,000 
72,000 


3^24 


The  second  number  is  raised  to  pay  the  king's  officers  ;  the 
first  is  the  Tuille  itself.  With  regard  to  the  new  Generali- 
ties :  Alsace  pays  into  the  Crown  1,402,364  of  that  country 
money,  (much  more  in  French),  besides  50,000  livres  from  the 
lower  clergy,  according  to  the  Count  de  Boulainvilliers  in  his 
Etat  de  la  France. 

But  all  these  revenues  have  encreasecl  exceedingly  in  the 
late  reigns.  The  tol's  for  entrance  into  Paris  anno  1700  a- 
mountcd  to  2?4,777  1-ivrts  :  I"  *727j  zl\  the  taxes  of  that  city 


Clap.  III.  DESCRIPTION    OF    PARIS*  57 

brought  in  clear  to  the  king  22  millions.  Some  computed 
the  amount  of  all  the  taxes  in  France  anno  1720  to  have  been  150 
millions,  and  since  that  period  they  have  increased  prodigious- 
ly :  But  these  matters  are  kept  so  secret,  that  a  probable  guess 
can  hardly  be  formed  of  the  real  amount ;  and  as  they  depend  on 
the  king's  will,  they  are  perpetually  changing.  Beforethe  present 
war  commenced,  some  people  computed  them  to  be  a  millon  a  day- 
French  money.  The  nobility  are  all  exempt  from  paying  the 
faille,  though  the  great  families  hare  many  of  them  vast  estates. 

The  Peers  of  the  kingdom  are  Six  Ecclesiastical,  and  ancient- 
ly Six  Seculars  :  Of  the  Secular  Peers,  the  kings  have,  within 
these  last  100 years,  created  a  great  many.  They  have  all  a 
right  to  sit  in  the  parliament  of  Paris.  The  Six  Ecclesiastics,  are 
the  archbishop  of  Rheims,  the  bishops  of  Laon  and  Sangres,  dukes 
and  peers  ;  the  bishops  of  Beauvais,  Noycn,  and  Chalons-sur- 
la-Marne,  counts  and  peers.  The  Six  Ancient  Lords,  were  the 
Dukes  of  Normandy,  Burgundy,  and  Guienne  ;  the  Counts 
of  Flanders,  Toulouse,  and  Champagne.  These  six  are  extinct; 
but  at  present  there  are  about  120  dukes  and  peers.  Lewis 
XIV.  also  made  the  Archbishop  of  Paris  a  duke  and  ecclesias- 
tical peer. 

France  is  600  miles  long,  500  broad  :  has  504  walled  towns, 
105  bishoprics,  17  archbishops,  20  universities  ;  inhabitants, 
Chamberlain  says,  at  most  i  ^  millions  :  TheFrench  geographers 
say  30  millions.  In  England  Chamberlain  counts  7^55,706 
souls;  The  land-tax  under  Queen  Anne  amounted  toio,ccc,cccl. ; 
house-tax  2oo,ccol.  ;  other  hereditariments  of  the  Crown, 
aoo,cocl.  Sterling.  Sir  Robert  Atkyns  says,  after  the  Nor- 
man conquest  all  England  contained  6c,2co  knights  fees,  of 
which  the  church  enjoyed  28,coo  ;  and  that  about  100  nets  be- 
longed to  the  king,  140  to  the  church,  and  above  200  to  laics. 
Dr  Bendy  counts  in  Eng  laud  10,000  parishes,  of  which  6cco 
.ire  not  better  than  501.  per  annum.  The  yearly  revenues  ot 
monasteries,  &cc.;  suppressed  by  Henry  VIII.,  Collier  computes 
to  have  been  j  35,522!.,  which  would  now  be  20  times  as  much, 
says  he,  besides  cattle,  goods,  jewels,  gold,  &c. 

Paris  is  200  miles  from  London.  Cecsar  found  it  a  srur.li 
but  strong  place,  whkh  co;-t  him  some  difficulty  to  reduce. 

D 


58          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

then  only  occupied  the  isle  now  in  the  middle  of  it,  between 
the  two  branches  of  the  Seine,  over  the  first  half  of  Pontneuf. 
JULIAN  the  Apostate  chose  it  for  his  residence  when  he  com- 
manded in  Gaul.  The  ruins  of  his  great  palace  are  still  to  be 
seen  in  vast  vaults  in  the  gardens  of  the  hotel  de  Clugny :  The 
noble  Aqueduct  raised  by  the  same  emperor  is  also  standing; 
but  it  may  now  be  accounted  a  modern  work,  having  been  re- 
built by  Mary  of  Medicis,  and  is  deemed  the  finest  in  France  : 
It  convey  s  fresh  water  into  the  city  from  the  distance  of  a  league, 
•which  supplies  one  part  of  the  inhabitants  :  The  remaining 
part  of  Paris  drink  of  the  Seine.  'Julians  Aqueduct  discharges 
its  waters  first  at  the  Luxembourg,  and  is  seen  to  the  greatest 
advantage  from  the  village  of  Arcueil,  where  there  is  a  palace 
of  the  Dukes  of  Guise. 

Many  French  writers  account  Paris  the  largest  city  in  the 
world  3  but  I  am  convinced  London  is  larger,  and  I  do  not 
form  this  opinion  from  the  equivocal  proofs  of  the  number  of 
baptisms,  burials,  &.c.  but  from  a  collected  view  of  the  ar- 
guments of  Sir  William  Petty,  and  others.  London  is,  ac- 
cording to  Chamberlain,  from  Lime  House  to  the  end  of 
Turtle  Street  7-f  English  miles  long  :  from  the  end  of  South- 
wark  to  the  end  of  St  Leonard  shore  ditch  two  miles  and  -^,  or 
2500  paces  broad  :  has  5000  streets  and  alleys,  ioo,oco  houses  ; 
about  27,000  burials  in  a  year  ;  and  about  530,000  inhabitants  ; 
though  Sir  William  Petty  falsely  encreases  the  number  to  al- 
most 700,000,  which  v/ould  be  more  than  are  in  Amsterdam, 
Venice,  Rome;  Bristol,  and  Lyons  ;  or  taken  together  in  Paris, 
Rome  and  Rouen.  Paris  is  computed  to  be  about  three  miles 
broad,  and  3  miles  and  a  half  long.  Some  French- writers  reckon 
in  it  1 20,000  houses,  and  800,000  souls,  but  these  greatly  exag- 
gerate :  The  Etrenncs  Mignones  for  this  year  reckon  in  Paris 
18,840  baptisms,  17, 322  burials,  50,005  houses,  134  commun- 
ities or  convents  of  men  or  women  ;  12,000  coaches,  80,000 
houses,  52  parishes  and  about  a  million  of  inhabitants  :  In  Lon- 
don the  same  count  135  parishes,  120,000  houses,  a  million  in- 
habitants :  Salmon  reckons  in  Paris  600,000  souls,  in  London 
•above  800,000. 


Clap.  III.  DESCRIPTION    OF    PARIS.  ^9 

It  is  a  great  defect  in  this  city,  that  most  of  the  streets  are 
too  narrow,  especially  St  Jaques,  though  so  long  ;  and  the  great 
passage  St  Honore,  would  be  better,  were  the  buildings  more 
Uniform.  Rue  Richelieu  and  St  Lewis,  seem  beautiful  enough. 
London,  in  the  city,  has  the  same  fault  of  narrow  streets  ;  but 
without  the  city  are  some  large  and  stately  ones,  as  the  Hay 
Market,  Pall-mall,  &c.  The  squares  in  Paris  are  no  small 
ornament  to  the  city,  some  being  large,  noble,  and  adorned 
with  magnificent  uniform  buildings.  But  I  know  not  whe- 
ther some  natives  of  London  would  not  prefer  Hanover  square 
or  Grosvenor  square  even  to  the  Place  Veudome,  (to  make 
way  for  which  the  hotel  of  the  duke  cf  Vendome  was  demo- 
lished,) and  which  is  540  feet  long,  and  480  broad,  surround- 
ed with  arcades  with  Ionic  pillars,  and  having  an  equestrian 
statue  of  brass  of  Lewis  XIV.,  on  a  pedestal  of  white  marble ; 
and  beneaththefour  quarters  of  the  world  in  attitudes  of  admira- 
tion. The  Place  des  Victoires  has  a  pedestrian  statue  of  the  same 
monarch  with  slaves  in  chains.  The  Place  Royal  is  in  a  bad 
taste  ;  but  it  has  a  fine  equestrian  statue  of  Lewis  XIV.,  erect- 
ed by  Cardinal  Mazarin.  The  public  gardens  of  Paris  are  very 
pleasant;  the  Luxembourg  by  its  green  plants  and  rows  of  trees ; 
the  Thuilleries,  though  small,  for  their  great  regularity  and 
art ;  and  the  Cours  de  la  Reine  adjoining  them,  for  its  natural 
simplicity.  Many  Englishmen  admire  St  James's  park  much 
more,  on  account  of  its  beautiful  walks,  and  natural  green  fields, 
trees,  and  above  all  its  fine  canals.  It  is  a  pity  it  has  not  such 
a  palace  as  the  Thuilleries  to  grace  it.  St  James's,  or  Bucking- 
ham house,  forms  a  bad  termination  of  the  view. 

Among  the  bridges,  Pont  Neuf,  built  by  Henry  III,  and  IV.,  is 
one  of  the  finest  in  the  world,  being  72  feet  broad,  (with  spaci- 
ous parapets  for  foot-passengers)  extending  a  great  way  over 
two  branches  of  the  Seine,  here  almost  approximating.  The 
Louvre  at  one  end,  and  Mazarin  College  and  hotel  de  Conti  at 
the  other,  have  a  fine  effect.  On  that  part  towards  the  Louvre, 
stands  an  old  pump,  very  magnificent,  but  now  out  of  order  ; 
though  it  raises  water  for  an  artificial  fountain  :  The  statue;; 
of  our  Saviour  and  the  Samaritan  woman,  are  the  best  in  Paris, 
of  a  delicate  stroke,  and  perfect,  though  only  copies  of  the  cn- 
gJiials  vrhich  vere  there  formerly.  T\-s  p?s;ions  of  the  sou' 


60          TRAVELS  OF  KEV.  ALB AN  BUTLER. 

are  admirably  expressed  in  the  feature?.  On  the  middle  of  thin 
bridge,  the  equestrian  statue  of  Henry  IV.  surnamed  the  Great, 
was  placed  by  Lewis  XIII.  The  pedestal  is  very  large,  and  of 
•white  marble.  The  inscriptions  above  it  were  finished  by  Car- 
dinal Richelieu,  and  the  victories  and  great  actions  of  Hen- 
ry engraven  all  round  on  brass  plates  in  basso  relievo,  exe- 
cuted by  FRANCHEVILLE,  the  greatest  Sculptor  of  France  ; 
as  were  also  the  four  slaves  of  brass  at  the  four  corners. 
The  statue  itself  was  made  by  JOHN  of  BOULOGNE,  one  of 
the  greatest  sculptors  in  the  world.  He  was  born  at  Douay, 
in  Flanders,  but  learned  his  art  and  flourished  in  Italy.  It 
is  accounted  one  of  the  finest  brass  statues  in  the  world.  The 
exact  and  harmonious  proportions  of  every  part  of  this  monu- 
ment, the  magnificence  of  the  bridge  and  Louvre,  and  the  at- 
titude of  the  hero,  one  half  larger  than  the  natural  size,  the  beau- 
tiful and  delicate  strokes  in  every  member,  with  its  other  per- 
fections,— surprise  the  eye.  Our  king  Charles  at  Charing- 
cross  on  horseback,  with  his  hair  uncovered,  in  armour,  of 
brass,  on  a  pedestal  of  17  feet,  in  so  large  a  square,  is  a  noble 
figure,  well  executed  by  LA  SUER,  but  cannot  be  compared  to 
this  of  Pont-neuf.  Pont-royal  which  can  boast  only  of  useful 
ornaments,  as  its  parapets,  lanterns,  &c.  is  distinguished  for 
largeness,  solidity  and  natural  naked  simplicity.  The  nume- 
rous magnificent  hotels,  particularly  near  the  Hospital  of  In- 
valids and  Rue  Richelieu  give  Paris  a  very  majestic  appearance: 
Yet  London,  particularly  where  its  splendid  new  squares  are 
situated,  does  not  yield  to  it  in  this  particular,  though  many 
of  its  great  houses  are  hid  from  the  streets  by  courts. 

Among  the  hotels  of  Paris,  a  stranger  cannot  but  admire 
the  Royal  Palaces ;  and,  amongst  these,  the  Louvre  first  attracts 
our  attention,  having  been  the  royal  residence  as  long  as  the 
kings  of  France  resided  in  Paris,  from  the  time  of  Philip  Au- 
gustus who  built  it.  It  was  re-built  by  Francis  I.  and  Henry 
II.,  with  additions  by  Lewis  XIII.  and  Lewis  XIV.  Many 
parts  of  it  are  of  good  design  and  taste  ;  not  overcharged,  but 
built  with  a  natural  simplicity,  yet  with  sufficient  decorations 
of  cornices,  pill^s,  &.c.  The  great  gate  towards  St  Ger- 
main-Anxerrois  is  noble,  with  pillars  of  the  Corinthian  order, 


Clap.  III.  DESCRirTION    OF    PARIS.  6l 

and  the  whole  facade  with  a  corridor  enriched  with  carvings, 
and  the  balustrade  neatly  ornamented.  On  it  is  a  good  pros- 
pect of  part  of  the  town.  The  side  towards  the  river  is  in 
the  same  style,  both  designed  by  the  famous  PERRAULT. 
The  whole  building  is  much  in  the  Gothic  taste.  In  the 
Cabinet  des  Tableaux,  are  seen  the  Supper  of  Cana  by  PAUL 
VERONEZE,the  Battles  of  Alexander  by  LE  BRUN  andPoussiN  ; 
though  most  of  the  pictures,  and  almost  all  the  finest  anti- 
quities of  the  Salle  des  Antiques,  are  carried  now  to  Versailles. 
In  the  king's  garde  mctibls  here  are  still  rich  furniture,  as  pro- 
digious quantities  of  the  finest  tapestry,  partly  made  at  the 
Gobelins,  partly  by  the  Flemish  manufacturers,  from  the  de- 
signs of  RAPHAEL  ;  precious  stones,  all  kinds  of  silver  and 
gold  work,  &c.,  though  a  great  part  of  these  is  now  transport- 
ed to  Versailles,  especially  tables,  lustres,  &^c. 

The  Palace  of  the  "Tluilleries  communicates  by  a  gallery 
with  the  Louvre.  It  was  the  first  building  erected  in  France 
agreeable  to  the  true  ancient  taste,  restored  by  the  Italians  ; 
till  then  the  Gothic  had  been  universal :  It  was  built  princi- 
pally by  Queen  Catharine  of  Medicis,  and  partly  by  Henry  IV. 
and  Lewis  XIV.  Its  galleries,  £cc.  are  executed  in  the  style  of 
the  Italian  palaces,  chiefly  from  that  of  Florence  and  the  Far- 
nesian  palace  in  Rome.  The  front  of  this  palace  forms  a  noble 
perspective  from  the  gardens.  Many  of  the  king's  workmen, 
(all  of  whom  enjoy  great  pensions)  have  apartments  in  the  Lou- 
vre and  Thuilleries  ;  as  his  jewtller,  carver,  goldsmith,  tooth- 
drawer,  &.c.  They  also  contain  his  printing-house,  £cc.  His 
surgeon,  tooth-drawer,  &.c.  are  obliged  to  serve  the  poor  gratis. 

The  Palace  of  Luxembourg,  or  of  Orleans,  built  by  Queen 
Mary  of  Medicis,  widow  of  Henry  IV.  and  mother  of  Lewis 
XIII.,  is  the  most  regular  finished  pile  of  architecture  in  France, 
surpassing  Versailles  in  all  the  perfection-,  of  natural  art,  if 
the  expression  may  be  used.  It  is  built  in  the  form  of  a  noble 
square  court:  Its  little  dome,  which  is  its  chapel,  its  terrace, 
pilasters,  the  beautiful  disposition  of  its  columns  of  the  Tuscan, 
Doric,  and  Ionic  orders,  the  exact  proportion  of  every  part, 
and  the  natural  simplicity  which  reigns  throughout  (no  orna- 
ment be  in?  admitted  whirl)  does  not  contribute  to  its  beauty) 


6'2  TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

make  it  a  model  that  cannot  be  too  much  studied  and  admired. 
Nothing  is  wanting  to  finish  it,  but  the  fine  statues  which  that 
Queen  designed  for  it.  The  famous  gallery  in  it,  which  Ru- 
BENS  spent  two  years  in  painting,  contains,  in  20  large  pictures, 
each  at  least  nine  feet  broad,  the  whole  life  of  Queen  MARY  of 
MEDICIS,  from  her  birth  to  her  reconciliation  with  her  son 
Lewis  XIII.  There  is  not  so  complete  a  set  of  fine  paintings, 
all  in  the  same  uniform  sytle  in  the  world.  Rubens  excels 
most  in  the  strength  and  beauty  of  his  colouring  ;  the  design 
in  these  paintings  is  also  admirable,  and  though  some  condemn 
the  fancy  of  introducing  symbol  into  historical  pieces,  as  being 
obscure  and  puzzling  ;  yet  the  allegorical  figures  are  so  charac- 
teristic, and  at  the  same  time  so  easy,  natural,  and  beautifully 
simple,  as  to  be  understood  by  the  most  ordinary  spectators. 
"Die  picture  of  the  Birth  of  Lewis  XIII.  is  particularly  fine, 
especially  the  figure  of  Queen  MARY,  whose  face  is  illumed 
by  a  smile  of  inexpressible  dtlight  on  beholding  her  son  in  the 
nurse's  arms,  whilst  at  the  same  time  the  anguish  arising  from 
her  own  recent  pains  is  still  strongly  depicted  on  her  counte- 
nance ;  these  two  opposite  sensations  being  so  artfully  express- 
ed, that  nothing  can  surpass  it. 

The  boasted  Hotel  des  InvaKdes  does  not  surpass  our 
Greenwich  Hospital,  and  must  yield  to  Greenwich  and  Chel- 
sea, if  taken  together.  Indeed,  the  dome  of  the  Invalids  is  the 
finest  in  the  world,  next  to  that  of  St  Paul's  in  London,  and 
St  Peter's  in  Rome  ;  and  the  four  refectories,  in  which  are 
painted  all  the  battles  of  the  French,  by  able  artists,  are 
much  admired  ;  but  the  discipline  and  regularity  of  the  in- 
valids themselves,  especially  as  to  devotion,  with  regard  to 
which  they  are  under  the  care  of  the  Fathers  of  the  Mission, 
are  infinitely  superior  to  that  of  our  English  hospitals,  where 
•we  shall  find  no  old  soldiers  spending  the  day  in  the  church, 
&c.  The  Arsenal  and  Foundery  in  Paris  are  in  a  ruinous 
state,  being  transferred  to  the  frontiers.  The  Tower  of 
London  is  the  arsenal  of  all  England.  The  Chateau  de  Vin- 
venues,  joining  Paris  by  an  avenue  of  trees,  is  an  old  Gothic 
royal  palace.  The  Palais  Boyal  was  the  magnificent  house  of 
Cardinal  Richelieu,  and  presented  by  him  to  the  king. 
The  Palais  or  Parliament  House,  was  in  St  Lewis's  time  the 


Chap,  III.  DESCRIPTION    OF    PARIS.  63 

residence  of  the  king.  The  great  hall  in  it  was  admired  by  Ber- 
nini, above  all  the  halls  in  France,  for  its  architecture.  The  holy 
chapel  in  this  palace  was  built  a-new  by  St  Lewis ;  its  glass 
windows  are  magnificently  large,  and  exquisitely  painted.  In 
this  chapel  are  still  kept  the  relics  which  St  Lewis,  with  so 
much  devotion,  placed  in  it  ;  viz..  two  pieces  of  the  holy  cross  ; 
our  Saviour's  crown  of  thorns  ;  the  iron  of  the  lance  which 
pierced  his  side ;  the  reed  which  was  put  into  his  hand  ;  the 
cpunge,  Sic.  These  relics  are  kept  in  a  large  gilt  case  of  brass, 
supported  by  four  pillars,  behind  the  high  altar.  The  ornamenst 
of  this  chapel  are  very  rich  with  geld,  precious  stones,  &c. 
This  chapel  has  few,  but  rich,  canonships.  In  its  treasury  is  the 
wonderful  Oriental  AGATE;  it  is  12  inches  long  by  10  broad, 
on  which  is  cut  in  busso-re/ievo,  the  Apotheosis  of  Augustus, 
so  wonderfully,  that  the  natural  colours  of  the  stone  are  in  the 
proper  plnees  for  the  figures,  as  if  done  by  art.  Here  are  also 
held  the  Cour  des  Aides,  and  the  Chambre  des  (.'.omptes,  both 
sovereign,  the  first  to  judge,  the  second  to  register  and  preserve, 
the  accounts  and  receipts  of  taxes,  &c.  The  town-house  is 
Gothic,  but  will  soon  be  re-built.  It  stands  in  the  Greve,  the 
large  square  in  which  malefactors  are  executed,  and  all  public 
rejoicings,  bonfires,  &c.  made.  The  Bastille  is  an  old  citadel 
of  eight  round  high  towers  ;  in  the  middle  is  a  court  in  which 
prisoners,  not  closely  confined,  may  walk.  It  is  now  the  great 
prison  of  state,  as  the  Black  Tower  is  at  Constantinople.  The 
Hotel  Diev  is  a  narrow  inconvenient  building,  though  its  reve- 
nues are  exceeding  great.  It  is  served  by  Augustin  nuns  ;  yet  as 
it  receives  all  who  desire  to  enter,  it  ie  not  so  well  taken  care 
of  as  some  of  the  lesser  hospitals.  But  there  are  private 
rooms  for  ini'ectious  distempers,  and  for  sick  of  a  better  rank, 
who  are  reduced.  It  is  nigh  the  cathedral,  as  hospitals  for- 
merly were,  being  generally  founded  and  maintained  by  bi- 
shops. Here  are  many  other  hospitals.  The  General  Hospital 
where  beggars  arc  confined  and  kept  at  work,  commonly  con- 
tains 6000,  and  is  near  the  horse-market  and  king's  gardens . 
The  Gates  of  Paris,  especially  St  Antony's,  St  Martin's,  St 
Denis,  &tc.  were  repaired  under  the  reign  of  Lewis  XIV.,  and 
>re  full  of  pompous  inscriptions  and  carvings  to  his  honour. 


64  TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALB  AN  BUTLER. 

The  great  triumphal  arch  erected  to  him  was  planned  by  the 
famous  architect  PKRRAUI  T,  in  imitation  of,  and  to  outdo  those 
extant  of  the  ancient  Romans. 

I  need  not  observe  that  Paris  is  divided  into  three  parts  ; 
first,  the  City,  which  was  old  Paris,  lying  between  the  branches 
of  the  river,  and  separated  by  walls  from  the  rest ;  the  Grand 
and  Petit  Chatelct  were  two  of  its  gates.  2dly,  the  University  ; 
3dly,  the  ToTt'/?,  which  we  may  call  the  suburbs,  added  to  the 
old  city.  The  University  was  formerly  far  more  numerous, 
and  had  100  colleges,  now  it  has  not  30,  and  the  greatest  part 
of  these  only  keep  a  few  pensioners,  without  masters  :  Ten  on- 
ly teach  philosophy  :  Navarre,  Plessis,  Mazarin,  Harcourt, 
Beauvais,  Cardinal  la  Moyne,  de  la  Marche,  Lizieuz,  Montaign, 
and  Grassins  ;  only  two  teach  divinity,  Navarre  and  Sorbonne. 
The  Faculty  of  Arts  is  divided  into  four  nations,  the  honourable 
French  nation,  the  most  faithful  nation  of  Picardy,  the  nation 
of  Normans,  and  the  most  constant  nation  of  Germans.  This 
last  was  English,  till  our  frequent  wars  made  them  change  it. 
Now  English  and  Dutch  belong  to  the  German  nation.  Each 
nation  has  its  procurator,  as  the  three  superior  faculties,  f'lvi- 
nity,  law,  and  medicine,  have  their  deans,  chosen  by  themselves. 
These  three  cleans  and  four  procurators  constitute  the  Court 
of  the  Proctor,  who  is  Governor  of  the  University,  and  is  cho- 
sen every  three  months  out  of  the  Faculty  of  Arts.  Louis  XV. 
in.  1719  settled  on  the  professors  of  this  university  121,000 
livres  per  annum,  to  be  paid  out  of  the  post-oflice. 

The  Col/cgc  of  Navarre  was  founded  by  Qneen  Joan  of 
Navarre,  wife  of  King  Philip  the  Fair.  It  possesses  a  very 
ancient  librarv,  in  which  are  many  rare  manuscripts.  In  it3 
chapel  are  interred  Gerson,  Major,  Clamargis,  that  famous 
doctor,  with  this  pitiful  pun  for  his  epitaph. 

&ui  Zambas  Juit  ecctesia-  sub  hac  lampade  jacet, 

This   college  is  under  the  bishop  of  Paris. 

"f  \\cSorlonne  founded  byRoBERT  SORBON,  in  St  Lewis's  time, 
«.vas  mao-nifkently  rebuilt  by  Cardinal  Richelieu,  with  lodgings, 
;md  a  salary  for  56  doctors,  called  the  Fellows  of  Sorbonne. 
Its  court,  chapel,  high-alters.,  dome,  and  great  hall,  are  admir- 


Clap.  III.  DESCRIPTION    OF    PARIS.  6$ 

able  for  architecture,  and  just  proportions.  Plessis  College  was 
rebuilt  very  sumptuously  by  the  same  Cardinal  Richelieu: 
It  contains  the  greatest  number  of  pensionnaire,tt  and  has  the 
best  lodgings  of  all  the  university,  for  such  students  as  have  a 
governor  and  private  chamber.  The  common  apartments  are 
ordinary  enough.  This  college  holds  of  the  Sorbonne,  which 
appoints  the  principal. 

The  Jesuits  Colitge  of  Lewis  the  Great,  is  called  Clermont, 
from  a  bishop  of  Clermont,  their  great  benefactor.  Henry  III. 
laid  the  first  stone  anno  1582.  It  is  very  numerous  in  students 
and  pensioners  ;  yet  few  study  philosophy  here,  because  the 
right  of  this  college  to  confer  academical  degrees,  never  was 
admitted  by  the  University.  Its  high  altar  is  very  lich,  having 
an  antipendium  of  massive  silver,  another  of  embroidered  gold, 
upon  a  ground  of  silver,  £cc.  Its  library  is  very  large  and  cu- 
rious, containing  a  good  collection  of  rare  antique  medals.  The 
Great  Jesuits  have  a  beautiful  church,  built  in  the  Corinthian 
order,  though  not  finished.  The  king's  confessorship,  &.c.  brings 
them  in  a  very  good  yearly  revenue  by  pensions.  I  had  al- 
most forgot  to  mention  PERE  CASTEL,  the  Jesuits  professor 
of  mathematics,  a  great  scholar,  but  an  opponent  of  the  doctrine 
of  Sir  ISAAC  NEWTON,  whom  he  informed  me  he  has  wrote  a- 
gainst.  I  saw  in  his  room  the  famous  instrument  invented 
and  made  by  himself,  that  produces  colours  by  the  sound 
which  is  analogical  to  each  colour.  It  is  like  a  harpsichord  set 
up  against  a  wall  ;  when  you  touch  a  string  or  key,  to  produce 
a  particular  note,  the  whole  instrument  evidently  assumes  the 
colour  that  corresponds  to  it  by  analogy,  which  Sir  Isaac  Newton 
and  Voltaire,  <kc.  give  us  hints  of,  though  the  cause  is  myste- 
rious :  This  instrument  is  not  finished,  and  gives  only  three 
colours.  The  father  pretends  to  entertain  hopes  of  making  k 
complete  ;  though  I  scarce  believe  he  will,  at  least  in  haste. 
The  Jesuits  noviceship  lias  a  small  church  well  designed,  with 
the  fine  picture  of  Poussin. 

Alaxarin  College,  commonly  called  Des  quatre  Nations,  war, 
founded  by  Cardinal  Mazarin,  though  built  after  his  death,  ac- 
cording to  the  plan  he  had  formed.  It  is  the  most  noble  building 
of  its  kind  in  Puris  -,  consisting  of  two  great  square  pavillions, 


66  TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

adorned  with  Corinthian  pilasters.  The  schools  are  below  in 
the  two  courts.  The  chapel  has  a  grand  porch  adorned  with 
six  Corinthian  pillars.  Above  are  12  statues  of  the  four 
F.vangelists,  and  eight  Fathers  of  the  Greek  and  Latin  church. 
The  dome  rises  higher,  beautifully  adorned  with  gilded  lead 
festoons,  and  leaves  worked  on  the  slates,  artfully  cut  :  The 
library  contains  35,000  volumes  collected  by  that  cardinal. 
His  design  was  to  make  the  Spaniards,  Germans,  Italians,  and 
French,  who  had  then  been  long  at  war  together,  conceive  a 
love  and  friendship  for  one  another.  With  this  view,  1 5  Italians, 
1 5  Germans,  20  out  of  the  Catholic  Low  Countries,  and  10  Spa- 
niards, all  gentlemen,  were  to  be  maintained  in  every  thinggratir, 
and  carried  through  all  the  schools  of  humanity,  philosophy,  ma- 
thematics, fencing,  &-c.  The  professors  are  all  the  ablest  in  Pa- 
ris, their  salaries  being  much  the  greatest.  The  scholars  how- 
ever are  too  numerous  to  be  taken  care  of,  unless  they  have 
preceptors.  Besides,  they  are  almost  all  foreigners.  Did  the 
Cardinal  design  this  foundation  as  a  restitution  to  Flanders, 
Spain,  Pignerol,  and  Alsace,  for  the  ravages  he  had  made  ia 
those  provinces  in  his  wars  ?  For  the  gentlemen  were  only  to 
be  taken  out  of  those  frontier  provinces. 

St  Magloire  is  the  seminary  of  the  Oratorians. 

The  Cathedral,  or  Notre-Dame  begun  by  the  holy  King 
Robert,  but  finished  by  Philip  Augustus,  is  the  best  Go- 
thic building  in  France,  immensely  large  :  Its  vaults  are  102 
Paris  feet  high  ;  and  it  is  144  broad,  and  390  long.  It  is  co- 
vered with  lead.  Its  two  steeples  are  each  204  feet  high.  From 
the  top  there  is  a  view  of  all  Paris.  The  picture  of  StPaul,  burn- 
ing magical  books,  in  the  choir  by  LE  SUEUK,  is  esteemed.  The 
rich  shrine  of  St  Marccl'us  on  brass  pillars  behind  the  high  al- 
tar; the  six  great  candlesticks  and  crucifixes  of  silver  admir- 
ably executed,  and  a  good  bust  of  Cardinal  Richelieu  in  the 
Sacristy,  &c.  deserve  attention.  The  archbishop  of  Paris 
has  120,000  livres  of  annual  revenue  :  His  suffragan  Chart  res 
18,000,  Meuse  2000,  Orleans  30,000  Blcis  25,000.  The 
richest  bishoprics  in  France  are  Strasburg  2,50,000  a  year, 
Narbonne  andCambray  100,000,  Metz  90,000,  &c.  The  Grands 
s  have  a  large  church  with  a  choir  of  beautiful  wain» 


Chap.  III.  DESCRIPTION    OF    PARIS.  67 

scot,  a  fine  high  altar,  and  a  statue  of  the  founder  Charles 
V.,  the  rest  in  a  bad  taste  :  Here  are  the  monuments  of  Philip 
Comities,  the  sincere  historian  of  Lewis  XL,  of  the  great  divine 
St  Beuue,  &cc.  The  Petits  Augustines  have  in  their  church  good 
carving,  especially  an  inimitable  head  of  a  man  in  his  last  agony. 
St  Sulpice  is  the  largest  parish  in  Paris.  The  new  vast  church 
had  been  long  begun,  though  only  just  finished  (by  means  of  vast 
collections  and  contributions  of  money)  by  the  present  curate, 
brother  of  Languet  archbishop  of  Sens.  The  choir  is  long  and 
noble,  its  vault  very  bold.  Corinthian  pilasters  reign  round, 
and  a  great  corridore,  in  which  a  prodigious  number  of  people 
can  see  the  altar  at  once.  The  brass  rails  are  very  massy. 
The  church  is  very  free  and  open,  without  stalls,  and  exceed- 
ing lightsome.  Some  of  the  windows  have  a  little  painting 
for  ornament,  but  not  so  much  as  to  obstruct  the  light.  The 
pillars  of  this  edifice  are  very  large  and  strong  ;  towards  the 
bottom  they  are  incrusted  with  beautiful  antient  marble  of  va- 
rious colours,  very  rare  in  Paris  :  it  was  presented  by  the  King 
from  Marly  ;  he  likewise  gave  out  of  his  cabinet  two  prodigi- 
ous natural  shells  found  in  the  Adriatic,  and  sent  in  a  present 
from  the  commonwealth  of  Venice  to  King  Francis  I.  They 
serve  as  vessels  for  holy  water,  and  are  above  2  feet  long 
and  1 4-  broad.  This  church  was  dedicated  last  year  1745, 
with  a  great  concourse  of  bishops,  &c.,  and  though  not  per- 
fect, has  this  great  advantage,  that  it  is  disincumbered  ;  in- 
deed most  other  churches  iu  Paris  have  already  found  the 
convenience  of  removing  the  pews,  seats,  &c.  which  makes 
them  far  more  noble  and  simple.  Monsieur  Couturier,  the 
superior,  takes  so  good  care  of  the  seminary  of  St  Sulpice, 
that  it  is  the  most  regular,  most  numerous,  and  best  in  Paris, 
as  well  as  the  principal  nursery  of  pastors  and  prelates.  Its 
chapel  is  finely  painted  byLEBilUN.  The  subject  is  the  Assump- 
tion of  out-  Lady.  They  tell  you  he  has  painted  himself  under 
the  figure  of  an  apostle.  The  discalceated  Carmes  have  fine  gar- 
dens, and  in  their  church  an  excellent  statue  of  our  Lady  made  at 
Rome.  It  stands  in  a  little  chapel  dedicated  to  her.  St  Get- 
main-de-Prez  a  rich  Benedictine  abbey  of  the  congregation  of  St 
Maur,  was  founded  by  King  Childebert,  anno  543  whose  tomb 


68  TRAVELS    OF  REV.   ALBAN  BUTLER. 

is  in  the  middle  of  the  choir.  Those  of  King  Chilperic,  King 
Clotba're,  and  Q^seen  Fredegond,  Sec.  are  on  the  sides  of  the 
high  altar  In  the  chapel  of  St  Casimir  lies  the  heart  of  Cast- 
mir,  King  of  Poland,  who  was  abbot  of  this  house,  after  he  had 
abdicated  his  kingdom,  anno  i6M2  ;  his  statue  is  finely  carved 
in  white  marble  :  He  is  represented  on  his  knees  on  a  tomb  of 
black  marble,  on  which  is  a  long  inscription  to  his  memory. 
Here  are  also  the  tombs  of  two  Douglases,  &c.  The  library  of 
this  abbey  is  public,  and  very  rich  in  manuscripts.  Amongst 
the  most  curious  are  an  old  psalter  of  the  sixth  century ;  a 
missal  900  years  old,  or  nearly  so  ;  the  attestations  procured 
from  the  Eastern  churches  in  favour  of  the  Real  Presence, 
quoted  by  Arnauld,  &cc. 

The  Cordeliers  have  a  fine  cloister  and  a  good  library,  St 
Lewis  built  their  church  ;  it  was  burnt  anno  1580,  and  rebuilt; 
since.  In  their  church,  Nicholas  de  Lyra,  St  Eonavenlure,  Scotu.t, 
Scc.lie  interred.  St  Andre des  drcs,  a  parish  church, boasts  of  the 
monument  of  the  famous  President  duTnou,  looked  upon  as  a  ve- 
ry sincere  historian,  but  chiefly  so  only  by  such  as  labour  under 
the  same  prejudices  with  him  against  the  court  of  Rome.  The 
Charter-House  is  large  and  numerous.  The  choir  in  the  church 
is  remarkable  for  its  beautiful  modern  wainscoat  and  carving  : 
and  the  lesser  cloister  by  it,  for  its  architecture,  fine  painting, 
of  its  glass,  and  the  best  pictures  ever  done  by  LE  SUEUR,  who, 
had  he  not  died  young,  say  the  French,  would  have  equalled 
RAPHAEL.  Val-de-grace  a  Benedictine  nunnery,  founded  by  the 
Queen-Regent  Ann  of  Austria,  in  gratitude  for  the  birth  of  her 
son  :  The  cupola  is  the  finest  object  in  Paris,  and  appears  on  all 
sides  of  the  town,  with  its  cross,  globe,  lantern,  balustrade  of 
iron,  &c.  In  the  church  we  admire  the  magnificent  altar,  the 
iron  rails  of  inimitable  beauty  and  workmanship,  and  of  an 
extraordinary  size  ;  the  vault  worked  with  singular  art  and 
variety ;  the  inner  part  of  the  cupola,  charmingly  painted  in 
fresco  by  MIGNARD  who  also  painted  the  hall  and  gallery  of 
St  Cloud  :  it  represents  the  blessed  in  heaven  in  groups,  the 
prophets,  martyrs,  confessors,  virgins;  kings, patriarchs,  chief:; 
oforuers,  above  infinite  spaces  of  light  and  confused  invisible 
o-lory  :  At  the  bottom  are  painted  the.  a!t<sr  ^ml  othev  thing' 


Chap.  III.  DESCRIPTION    OF   PARIS.  69 

mentioned  in  the  apocalypse,  as  in  heaven.  The  convent  is 
also  very  noble  ;  as  well  as  the  chapel,  in  which  is  deposited  the 
heart  of  their  foundress,  and  some  others  of  blood  royal.  Val 
de  Grace  deserves  a  particular  attention  in  every  part,  and 
would  vie  with  the  finest  Italian  buildings,  were  it  not  for  two 
defects  ;  first,  the  high  altar  is  too  large,  so  is  the  cupola,  for  the 
rest  of  the  building.  Indeed  the  church  according"1  to  the  first 

O  o 

plan  would  have  been  much  longer,  and  extended  quite  to  the 
iron  rails  upon  the  street.  Mansard's  plan  of  it  was  most  fin- 
ished, but  the  queen  being  ill  advised,  employed  another  archi- 
tect, who  altered  in  part  his  design,  and  spoiled  the  building. 

The  Carmelites  church  has  the  essential  fault  of  being  dark 
and  too  full  of  ornaments,  yet  has  great  beauties,  many  rich 
chapels,  black  marble  pillars,  good  pictures,  12  steps  of 
black  and  6  of  white  marble  to  the  high  altar,  with  two  double 
rows  of  fine  brass  rails,  &:c.  It  owes  its  decorations  to  Queen 
Mary  of  Medicis,  who  often  visited  the  holy  prioress,  sister 
Magdalene  of  St  Joseph.  The  College  of  Bernardins,  or  Cis- 
tercians, has  a  fine  Gothic  church  built  by  Pope  Benedict  XII,. 
who  had  been  of  that  order  ;  he  did  not  live  to  finish  their  con- 
vent according  to  his  vast  plan.  In  St  Marcellus's  church  lies 
buried  the  master  of  Sentences,  PETER  LOMBARD.  The  Abbey 
of  St  Victor  has  a  very  great  public  library,  open  to  &11  on 
Mondays,  Wednesdays,  Saturdays,  from  7  till  ic,  and  from  I 
till  5  o'clock.  The  Celestines  have  a  curious  cloister  ;  and  in 
their  church  the  monuments  of  king  Charles  V.  their  benefac- 
tor, of  the  eld  duke  Lewis  of  Orleans  &c.,  and  the  heart  of 
Constable  Ann  of  Montmcrency,  killed  fighting  against  the 
Huguenots  in  the  battle  of  St  Denis  :  Kis  body,  in  a  most 
i  oble  mausoleum.,  lies  at  Montmorency,  four  leagues  out  of 
Paris.  The  Mathurins  or  "Trinitarians,  founded  by  St 
Lewis,  is  remarkable  for  the  assemblies  of  the  University 
held  in  its  chapter-house.  7  he  Dominicans  cly.u  clj  possesses  the 
pulpitof  St  THOMAS  OFAojJINAS,  of  wood,  now  richjy  covered  : 
The  body  of  Humbert,  last  sovereign-prince  of  Dauphiny,  and 
those  of  many  other  ancient  lords  and  princes  ;  and  u  good  pic- 
tare  of  the  Nativity  of  our  Lady  over  the  sacristy-door.  Tho 
;;ich  abbey  of  St  Ce.mieve  of  Canons  regular,  the  commrn  ~- 


?0          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLERo 

treat  of  the  Duke  of  Orleans,  has  the  most  beautiful  library  in 
Paris.  It  forms  a  cross  with  a  dome  in  the  middle,  which  gives 
light  to  the  four  parts  or  arms.  One  of  these  being  shorter  than 
the  other  three,  to  remedy  the  defect,  a  perspective  is  painted 
at  the  end  of  it,  representing-  an  oval  saloon,  with  a  Copernican 
sphere  in  the  centre  of  it,  which  appears  as  if  real,  and  produces 
a  complete  deception.  In  this  church  we  must  observe  the 
shrine  of  StGfiNEVEiVE  ;  and  the  pompous  epitaph  on  the  tomb 
of  DESCARTES,  whose  ashes  were  brought  hither  17  years  af- 
ter they  had  been  buried  honourably  by  Queen  CHRISTINA  in 
Sweden  ;  also  the  carvings  on  the  portico. 

The  Austin  nuns,  in  the  Fosse  de  St  Victor,  were  begun  by 
Mrs  Mary  Fredivay,  a  professed  nnun  in  the  abbey  of  Sin, 
of  Canonesses  regular  of  St  Austin.  She,  with  the  assistance 
of  Mr  Carr,  alias  Pickneyt  procurator  of  the  English  college, 
came  from  Douay  with  some  other  English  ladies  to  found  a 
nunnery  for  the  English.  Lewis  XIII.  confirmed  their  set- 
tlement by  letters  patent  anno  1663.  Mr  Carr  was  their 
first  confessor  and  great  friend.  The  same  gentleman  laid  the 
project  of  the  small  English  seminary  there  ;  procured  divines 
to  come  from  Douay,  to  commence  it,  and  purchased  for 
them  their  first  house.  Dr  Betham  afterwards,  by  great  con- 
tributions put  into  his  hands,  bought  a  better  house  in  the  Rue 
des  Postes,  and  formed  a  more  regular  seminary,  confirmed  by 
letters  patent  of  Lewis  XIV.  an.  1703.  This  house  is  conve- 
nient and  handsome,  with  a  neat  garden,  in  a  very  pleasant 
wholesome  situation. 

The  Blue  Nuns  were  of  the  third  order  of  St  Francis  ;  their 
monastery  breaking  up  at  Newport,  some  settled  at  Princenhoif 
at  Bruges  ;  others  came  to  Paris  in  1658,  and  by  a  bull  from 
Rome  changed  their  order  and  became  Conceptionistt* 

The  Black  Nuns  or  Benedictines  an.  1651  caine  from  Cambray 
and  began  their  settlement  in  Paris  ;  the  principal  were,  Dames 
Carry,  Bridget,  Moor,Justina,  Gascogne,&c.  The  Benedictine 
house  of  men  in  Paris  was  founded  in  1642  ;  the  king  not  only 
confirmed  their  establishment,  but  iu  1742,  declared  them  capa- 
ble of  enjoying  such  benefices  of  their  order  in  France  as  were 
not  of  the  first  rank,  the  revenues  of  which,  by  a  sentence  in 
their  favour  anno  1 745,  were  declared  to  belong  to  the  house.  So 


Clap.  III.  DESCRIPTION    OF    PARIS.  7! 

as  not  to  be  all  under  the  administration  of  the  incumbent,  tho* 
he  has  a  handsome  allowance  out  of  his  benefice.  This  will 
put  them  soon  in  a  very  flourishing  condition,  and  enable  them 
to  promote  the  good  of  religion.  In  their  church  lies  deposited 
the  body  of  King  JAMES  II.  The  Marshal  BERWICK  is  also  bu- 
ried there.  The  Irish  are  very  numerous  at  their  Lombard  col- 
lege, and  are  well  supported.  The  Scotch  house  of  secular  priests 
is  admirably  well  founded  j  and  was  not  begun  since  the  change 
of  religion,  as  Mr  Dod  says,  but  was  a  very  old  foundation  for 
the  Scots  long  before,  when  they  and  the  French  were  closely 
united  together.  They  possess  many  valuable  manuscripts, 
especially  relating  to  Queen  MARY  STUART,  and  all  her  letters 
in  her  own  hand-writing.  They  got  many  of  them  by  means 
of  the  celebrated  Dr  LESLIE  bishop  of  Ross. 

I  must  not  forget  to  mention  the  Ave  Maria  Reformed  Poor 
Clares,  the  austerest  nunnery  in  France,  observing  perpetual 
abstinence  and  silence,  having  no  commerce  with  the  world. 
We  never  saw  any  of  these  religious. 

As  for  Painting,  it  is  well  known  that  till  lately  the  Ita- 
lian and  Flemish  schools  alone  excelled  in  that  art  ;  yet  the 
French  have  had  some  good  scholars.  LE  BRUN  is  undoubt- 
edly the  prince  of  them,  having  learned  his  manner  in  Rome. 
He  never  had  a  talent  for  landscapes,  applying  himself  to 
greater  performances.  He  designed  very  exactly,  possessed  a 
good  taste  and  judgment,  and  had  an  admirable  talent  in  choos- 
ing and  drawing  attitudes  and  drapery,  and  in  observing  the 
justest  decorum,  as  Mr  Graham  observes  ;  but  his  colours  are 
very  ordinary.  His  two  Prize- Pictures  in  Notre-Darne  are 
already  faded.  His  best  piece  is,  his  Characters  of  all  Human 
Passions,  a  very  good  model  for  young  designers.  Laden  with 
riches,  honours,  and  employs,  by  Lewis  XIV.,  he  died  anno 
1690.  The  second  French  painter  is  NICHOLAS  POUSSIN, 
who,  after  learning  the  first  rudiments  of  design  in  Paris, 
spent  almost  all  the  rest  of  his  lift-  in  Rome,  where  he  died 
an.  1665,  though  he  had  returned  to  Paris  a  short  time  before 
the  death  of  Cardinal  Richelieu.  He  excelled  chiefly  in  ex- 
pressing the  passions,  and  in  giving  life  and  soul  to  all  h;s 
figures.  His  best  performances  are  his  historical  painting:. 


7'i  TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER.  " 

i  le  is  admirable  in  every  thing  except  his  colours.  Kis  Sei)Stt 
Sacraments,  his  Manna  in  the  Desert,  are  incomparable  for  their 
design  and  beauty.  VOUET,  born  in  Paris,  but  perfected  in 
Venice  and  Rome,  was  chief  painter  to  Lewis  XIII. :  he  has 
filled  the  French  palaces  of  that  time  with  his  pieces,  faulty  in 
design,  invention,  and  perspective  ;  but  happy  in  a  lively  stroke 
of  his  pencil,  and  a  beautiful  colouring.  He  died  anno  1641. 
FRESNOY  is  more  famous  for  his  writings  on  paintings,  than 
for  his  performances  in  that  art.  He  died  anno  1665.  LE 
SUEUR,  deserves  also  a  place  among  the  good  painters,  as  well  as 
among  the  sculptors  arid  architects.  He  lies  buried  in  St  Ste- 
phen du  Mont.  The  Academy  of  Painting  in  Paris  was  first 
promoted  by  certain  noblemen,  at  last  adopted  by  King  Lewis 
XIV.  and  so  made  a  royal  academy.  It  is  composed  of  about 
80  members  of  different  classes,  all  painters  or  sculptors,  under 
a  chancellor,  or  principal  rector,  named  by  the  king.  In  the 
chamber  where  they  assemble,  are  copies  of  the  best  statues 
in  Rome,  busts,  and  several  curiosities  in  that  kind  worth  see- 
ing. But  their  pictures  are  mostly  of  modern  hands,  though 
some  very  good  ones.  They  have  three  large  chambers  for 
their  curiosities,  &cc.  Lewis  XIV.  has  also  instituted  an  aca- 
demy of  French  painters  in  Rome  to  learn  the  true  manner. 
As  for  paintings,  many  private  cabinets  have  several  pieces  of 
Raphael  and  other  Italian  masters.  Next  to  Rubens'  gallery  at 
the  Luxembourg,  we  ought  to  observe  the  portraits  at  the  Go- 
belines,  a  St  Mary  Magdalene  at  the  feet  of  our  Saviour,  in  the 
church  of  the  Carmelites  near  Val  de  Grace,  and  another  of  the 
same  saint,  in  a  chapel  of  that  church,  all  by  Le  Brun.  In 
St  Germain  1'AnxerroLs,  a  Magdalene,  and  a  Martyrdom  of  St 
T.awrence,  by  Le  Sueur.  The  Battles  of  Alexander,  that  fa- 
;mms  piece  of  Le  Brun,  at  the  Louvre  and  Versailles.  Many 
jjieces  of  Poussin,  &.c.  In  the  Jesuit's  noviciate,  the  altar- 
piece:  is  a  celebrated  picture  by  Poussin,  of  Hi  Francis  Xavier 
doino-  a  miracle  ,  but  the  saint  has  too  lar^e  an  car.  But  the 

O  '  O 

best  are  at  Versailles  and  the  Louvre,  as  Raphael's  St  Michael;, 
Paul  Veroneze's  Slipper,  &c. 

The  Academy  of  Architecture,  begun  by  Mr  COLBERT,  but 
itlio  adopted  by  the  kiu^,  and  made  roval  assemblies   twice  or 


Clap.    III.  DESCRIPTION    OF    PARIS.  73 

thrice  every  week.  The  rector  of  it  is  the  director  of  the 
king's  buildings.  They  have  in  their  chambers  plans  of  the 
finest  pieces  of  architecture  in  the  world.  I  saw  advertise- 
ments put  up  by  the  present  director,  who  has  a  great  pension 
from  the  king,  to  let  out  the  new  works  and  buildings  at  Marly, 
according  to  the  plan,  to  the  lowest  responsible  undertaker, 
and  this  in  the  midst  of  this  expensive  long  war. 

The  French  Academy  founded  by  Lewis  XIII.,  at  the  entreaty 
of  Cardinal  Richelieu,  in  1637,  assembles  in  a  chamber  of  the 
Louvre  three  times  a-week.  The  end  of  their  institution  is  to 
preserve  and  perfect  the  French  tongue.  Their  grammar,  dictio- 
nary, &c.  have  made  them  known  ;  but  they  have  the  fault 
of  being  too  scrupulous,  and  not  allowing  good  judges  to  em- 
ploy a  foreign  word,  when  necessary  to  express  a  particular 
meaning,  and,  by  giving  it  a  new  dress,  adopt  it  into  the  French 
language.  With  us,  the  sanction  of  a  Dryden,  a  Swift,  a 
Pope,  &.c.  is  enough  to  consecrate  a  new  necessary  word,  and 
thus  to  enrich  our  language.  They  are  like  the  Romans  in  Ti- 
berius's  time,  to  whom  a  grammarian  said,  "  You,  Emperor, 
"  can  give  to  men,  but  not  to  words,  the  freedom  of  the  city." 
This  academy  distributes  two  gold  medals  as  prizes  every  St 
Lewis's  day,  for  two  approved  pieces,  one  in  rhetoric,  the  other 
in  poetry. 

The  Royal  Academy  of  Sciences  is  for  mathematics,  physics, 
and  medicine.  The  secretary  publishes  its  memoirs.  It  dif- 
fers from  the  Royal  Society  in  many  things  ;  chiefly  in  this, 
that  many  members  have  handsome  pensions  from  the  king,  of 
200!.  a-year.  The  academy  consists  of  10  honorary  members, 
who  must  live  in  the  kingdom  ;  of  20  pensioners,  who  must 
be  all  settled  in  Paris  ;  of  20  associates,  who  may  be  foreign- 
ers ;  and  of  20  scholars,  all  settled  in  Paris.  If  this  Academy 
surpasses  our  Roy  a!  Society  in  enjoying  20  royal  pensions,  it 
certainly  does  not  in  the  merit  of  its  ingenious  members. 

The  Observatory  was  built  at  the  end  of  the  Fauxbourg  St 
Jacques  by  Lewis  XIV.  in  1667,  under  the  direction  of  PER- 
RAULT,  the  great  architect  of  France.  It  is  a  great  square  of 
beautiful  stone,  80  feet  high,  and  its  foundations  are  80  feet 
under  ground,  cut  through  quarries  of  stone  with  great  ex- 

E 


74          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

pence.  Its  four  fronts  are  exactly  to  the  four  corners  of  the 
world.  It  consists  of  three  stories,  and  is  covered  with  a  ter- 
race from  which  you  discover  the  whole  horizon,  and  have  a  full 
prospect  of  Paris.  The  stone  stair-case  to  the  terrace,  of  156 
sreps,  is  very  broad,  noble,  and  bold  ;  its  iron  balustrade  is  ad- 
mirably worked.  The  building  is  of  a  surprising  solidity, 
without  iroii  or  wood,  and  all  the  three  stories  vaulted ;  the 
terrace  on  the  top  is  p  :ved  with  flint-stones,  and  a  strong  ce- 
ment, lest  rain  should  spoil  the  building.  It  has  two  towers, 
one  on  the  easf,  another  on  the  west.  The  great  Meridian 
drawn  by  CASSINI,  through  France,  is  marked  across  the  floor. 
The  chambers  are  filled  with  astronomical  instruments,  and 
models  of  all  sorts  of  curious  pieces  of  mechanism,  as  of 
ships,  coaches,  mills,  &.c.  in  wh'ch  is  any  thing  rare.  There 
is  also  VILLET'S  great  burning-glass,  a  concave  reflector  of  47 
inches  diameter  ;  it  lias  its  burning  focus  at  the  distance  of 
three  feet,  and  melts  steel  in  nine  seconds.  They  always  ask 
you  to  try  the  experiment  on  a  little  silver-piece,  which  being 
melted,  becomes  the  man's  property.  The  astronomical  in- 
struments belonging  to  this  observatory  are  good  and  numer- 
ous ;  but  there  are  no  Newtonian  telescopes,  which,  though 
more  convenient  for  a  private  person,  because  more  easily  car- 
ried and  turned  about,  yet  are  not  so  good  for  an  Observatory, 
"because  it  is  harder  to  find  objects  with  them  ;  and  the  great 
refracting  telescopes,  with  a  proper  stand  and  apparatus,  are  as 
convenient  on  a  high  great  terrace.  The  largest  telescope  here 
is  153  feet  long.  Its  glasses  were  made  by  CAMPANI,  the 
most  celebrated  maker  of  optic  glasses  that  ever  lived.  As 
this  is  the  largest  of  retracting  telescopes,  the  wooden  tower, 
120  feet  high,  placed  in  the  Meridian,  was  erected  to  carry 
Tip  its  glasses.  Here  CASSINI  the  elder,  and  LA  HIRE, 
made  their  curious  observations.  Greenwich  Observatory  is 
mean  compared  to  this  as  to  the  building,  See. ;  but  it  stands  on 
a  hill,  and  has  a  most  exact  quadrant  and  telescope,  hung  by  a 
water-level,  with  a  micrometer,  adjusted  with  the  most  exact 
nicety.  And  here  H ALLEY,  FLAMSTEAD,  and  the  present  BRAD- 
LF.Y,  have  enriched  philosophy  by  their  exact  description  of 
the  heaven?,  and  moit  ample  catalogues  of  the  stars,  which 


Clap.  III.  DESCRIPTION    OF  PARIS.  ^5 

Dr  Bradley  is  now  correcting.  The  young  CASSINI  being 
too  rich,  is  not  so  laborious  as  his  father  was.  We  descend 
into  the  subterraneous  cave  under  the  Observatory,  called 
the  icell,  by  a  pair  of  stairs  of  171  steps.  There  is  an  open 
space,  piercing  the  stairs  and  all  the  vaults  to  the  top  of  the 
terrace,  170  feet  from  the  bottom  of  the  pit  to  its  issue,  for  ob- 
serving the  stars  at  mid-day  ;  but  this  is  of  little  advantage,  as 
no  stars  ever  pass  that  zenith,  and  the  eye  cannot  discern  any 
other  part  of  the  heavens. 

The  King's  Library,  recently  built  in  Rue  Richelieu,  is  a 
sumptuous  edifice,  and  the  greatest  library  in  the  world  next 
to  the  Vatican.  The  books  are  not  placed  in  the  most  beauti- 
ful order,  but  its  ornaments  are  not  yet  finished.  It  contains 
90,000  printed  books,  and  33,000  good  manuscripts,  of  which 
8000  came  from  the  famed  library  of  COLUERT,  that  great 
Maecenas  and  Minister  :  This  library  is  open  twice  a  week, 
except  in  the  vacations.  Behind  the  library  is  the  chamber 
of  prints,  a  most  ample  collection.  The  masters  are  ranged  in 
their  classes,  Italian,  Flemish,  Dutch,  and  French.  'Tis  here 
easy  to  study  and  observe  their  different  manners  and  tastes  in 
designing.  In  miniatures,  there  are  some  antique  volumes,  in. 
which  it  is  curious  to  see  the  odd  dresses  of  our  ancestors, 
The  prints  of  innumerable  animals,  herbs,  &c.  on  vellum, 
are  amusing,  as  is  the  volume  in  folio  of  all  the  sea-fish,  a 
present  from  the  Republic  of  Holland. 

The  King's  Cabinet  of  Medals,  is  the  greatest  collection  in  the 
v/orld.  It  contains  above  20,000  medals  ancient  and  modern, 
all  ranged  according  to  the  order  of  time,  in  little  boxes  of  cedar, 

o  ^j  * 

trie  drawers  being  neatly  gilt.  The  collection  of ,  Roman  rm-- 
dals,  and  especially  of  the  middle  ages  of  the  empire  of  Con- 
stantinople, during  which  period  history  is  obscure,  is  extreme- 
ly useful  in  fixing  chronological  events.  Modern  medals,  struck 
on  remarkable  events  in  any  part  of  Europe,  find  a  place  here. 

Lewis  XIV.  instituted  a  Royal  Academy  for  Inscriptions, 
and  Medals. 

The  King's  Cabinet,  formerly  in  the  Louvre,  is  now  almost 
entirely  removed  to  Versailles,  where  we  could  not  see  or  hear 
any  thing  of  it.  It  consisted,  it  is  said,  of  jewels,  and  antique 

E    2 


76  TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

ties,  which  are  very  rich  and  rare.  In  it  is  kept  the  tomb  of 
CHILPERIC,  first  King  of  France,  father  of  CLOVIS,  the  First 
Cbrist'an  King.  Tt  was  found  accidentally  in  Tournay,  in 
digging  the  foundations  of  a  building  in  the  year  165  .  They 
found  loo  medals  of  gold,  and  300  of  silver,  of  the  middle  age, 
in  the  same  place,  but  not  so  deep  ;  and  an  ox  head  of  gold,  pro- 
bably an  idol  ;  and  300  bees  of  gold,  their  wings  being  tipt 
with  a  sort  of  chrystal.  On  a  gold  ring  were  engraved  a  head, 
and  these  words,  Childerici  Regis.  The  first  three  kings  of 
the  French  resided  at  Tournay. 

The    Kitiv's   Garden   is  the  physic    garden ;    one   half    is 
planted  with  simples,  and  in  this  the  king's  professor  of  botany 
gives  his  lessons  at  six  in  the  morning ;   the  rest  is  filled  with 
exotics   and  foreign  plants  :    Among  those  that  are  kept  in  the 
hot  houses,  there  are  three  or  four  kinds  of  sensitive  plants,  which 
are  so  tender,  that  they  contract  and  close  all  their  leaves  upon 
the  least  touch  in  any   part,  or  even  approach  of  the  hand,  as 
the  smallest  agitation  of  the  air  is   too  much  for  those  plants 
to  bear.     The  physic  garden  in  Oxford  seems  as  rich  in  officinal 
herbs  j   and  indeed  ihe  number  of  those  that  are  really  useful, 
may  be   reduced  to   40  :    the  rest  are  superfluous.     But  the 
Paris   gardens  have  more  exotics,  and   more   stoves  or  hot- 
houses, though  in  both  you  find  the  more  remarkable  Indian 
shrubs,  fig-trees,  palms,  &c.      Monsieur  BUFFON,   superin- 
tendant  of  the  king's  garden,  has  greatly  perfected  the  Museums 
at  the  end  of  these  gardens,  and   made  the  building  more  con- 
venient.    The  shells,   petrifactions,  and  other  curiosities,   are 
very  amusing,  and  placed  in  a  very  neat  order,  which  sets  them 
off  above  other  such   collections.     Sir   Hans  Sloane's  collection 
is  the  greatest  and  most  curious  for  natural  varieties  assembled 
in  one  place  ;  it  surpasses,  in  some  respects,  the  Roman  college, 
though  in  others  it  is  inferior  ;  and  it  is  not  in  the  best  order. 
Dr  MeatVs  curious   rich  library   is  in  a  more  beautiful  order, 
but  contains  few  natural  curiosities,  in  comparison  of  his  arti- 
ficial, as  his  Cleopatra  or  noble  mummy,  his  Chinese  rarities, 
&c.  &.c.     The   Museum  of  Oxford  is  richer  and  more  plenti- 
fully stocked,  but  not  so  complete,  in  any  one  line,  as  this  is. 
Mr  BUFFON  has  brought  into  it  the  curiosities  of  art  that 


Clap.  III.  DESCRIPTION    OF   PARIS.  1 7 

were  in  the  Observatory.  I  visited  Monsieur  REAUMUR, 
known  by  his  long  history  of  insects  ;  and  it  was  a  pleasure  to 
see  with  what  care  he  brecl  chrysalids  and  insects  in  his  fine  gar- 
dens, walks,  and  little  ponds  ;  to  observe  their  metamorphoses, 
and  whole  history  :  His  glass  hives  of  bees  ;  his  chambers,  fill- 
ed in  a  very  beautiful  order  in  rows  from  the  top  to  the  bottom, 
some  with  all  kinds  of  birds,  even  the  rarest  from  the  Indies, 
stuffed  in  their  finest  attitude,  with  their  plumage,  &c.  in  their 
full  beauty,  as  if  alive  ;  others  filled  with  all  sorts  of  eggs  ; 
others  with  all  sorts  of  nests,  particularly  all  those  very  odd 
ones  hanging  from  boughs,  for  fear  of  serpents  in  America : 
Others  filled  with  insects,  many  in  spirits,  others  preserved 
differently,  &.c. 

The  Gobelins,  (so  called  from  an  old  owner  of  that  house  and 
the  large  bnck  gardens,)  are  in  the  greatest  repute  for  the  royal 
manufacture  carried  on  here.  Gold,  Silver,  &.c.  are  employed  in 
it  with  the  greatest  profusion.  But  it  is  most  wonderful  to  see  the 
workmen  mix  the  different  coloured  threads,  the  embossed  parts, 
&c.  in  the  loom,  so  ingeniously  that  they  surpass  most  paintings. 
The  figures  are  so  natural,  the  proportions  so  exact,  and  the 
whole  has  so  much  life,  that  one  would  often  think  them  ani- 
mated, and  not  pictures  :  They  project  forwards  according  to  just 
perspective,  so  as  to  deceive  the  eye  :  The  colours  are  strong 
and  fine  :  and  the  river  which  runs  through  their  spacious  gar- 
dens, has  a  peculiar  quality  for  dying  a  beautiful  scarlet  : 
The  design  of  their  pieces  is  perfect  ;  chiefly  taken  from  the 
designs  of  Le  Brun,  Poussin,  Raphael,  &:c.  :  They  are  hung  out 
in  the  street,  on  Corpus  Christi  and  the  Octave  Day  of  that  festi- 
val: Thelong  history  of  Lewis  XIV.,  his  battles,  sieges,  treaties, 
&.c.*is  remarkable,  The  Gobelins  are  poii  by  the  king,  and  work, 
only  for  him  ;  but  a  nobleman  may  sometimes  get  his  majesty's 
leave  to  buy  a  piece.  They  came  first  from  Antwerp,  and  still 
equal  those  old  Flemish  rntisteirs.  Lewis  XIV.  settled  in  Paris 
two  Italians,  (whom  he  had  invited  f;o;n  Rome)  to  work  in 
Mosaic  ;  but  of  this  afterwards,  wb.ea  speaking  of  Rome,  ihc 
chrystal  work-house  had  i:s  art  from  Venice. 

London  boasts  of  the  hills  of  Higbgate  and  Humpstead  ;  and  of 
the  [places  of  I\^isi-i^toa  and  Grtc:ii-icJj  ;  but  Paris  has  more 

E    3 


<7»  TRAVELS   OF   REV.    ALBAN    BUTLER. 

reason  to  be  proud  of  Mowit  Martre,  Sceaux,  &c  ,  and  the  pala- 
ces of  Vincennes,  the  beautiful  Trianon,  Cboisy,  ^t  Germain, 
(finely  situated  on  a  great  hill,J)  St  ClouJ,  &c. 

VERSAILLES  deserves  particular  mention  :  This  palace  seemed 
to  me  too  bulky  fcr  its  height  ;  yet  the  side  towards  the  gar- 
dens is  most  noble  and  finely  finished  :   Its  royal  chapel  was  be- 
gun in  1699:  It  is  within  the   walls  104   feet  long,   55   feet 
broad,  and  79  high  under  the  key  of  the  vault.     The  lantern 
is  14  feet  in  diameter,  and  36  high.     The  balustrade  about 
it  on  the  outside,  the  obelisk,  the  globe  and  cross,   the  two 
escutcheons  of  the  arms  of  France,  supported  by  two  angels, 
are  gilt  ;  the  cornice  round  is  of  the  Corinthian  order,  which  is 
most  adorned.     The  statues  above  it  are  those  of  the  apostles, 
doctors  of  the  church  ;  and  of  faith,  justice,  charity  and  re- 
ligion, as  may  be  seen  by  their  symbols.     The  variety  of  the 
different  orders  in  the  pilasters  and  windows  is  charming,  and  in 
the  most  beautiful  taste.      All  this  makes  the  exterior  of  this 
building  the  most  pleasing  and  magnificent :  but  the  interior  is 
more  so.    The  ornaments  of  sculpture  and  painting  are  distri- 
buted in  it  with  so  much  gusto  and  judgment,  joined  to  the  per- 
fection of  the  architecture,  in  the  justeet  proportions,  design,  &c. 
that  the  whole  has  an  extraordinary  effect  in  enchanting  the  eye 
of  the  spectator.      The  altar  i^oi  fine  marble  and  brass.     The 
chapels    of   the  Blessed  Sacrament,   of  our  Lady,  of  St  Lewis, 
and  St  Tereca,  arc  beautiful:   the  tribune  for  the  king  at  the 
the  bottom,    b    very  large  and   Ingh  :  The  corridore,    which 
reigns   quite    round   the   chapel   of  the   same  height,  is  broad 
and  noble,    especially   its  painted   vaults,     its    balustrades    cf 
brass,    gilt,    with   marble   supporters,  and    its    16  pillars,  of 
the  Corinthian   order,   in   which    all  the   strokes   aie   finished 
•and    delicate.       The    paintings    both    of   the    vault    and    cha- 
pel were   done  by    Jox'jenet,    Boulogne   the    father   and    son, 
fccc.     The  slssumpiian  cj  our  Lady,   with  the  raptures  of  joy 
and   exstacy  expressed   in   her   countenance,  by  Boulogne  the 
younger,   stems   the  best  piece.     Next  is  St  '1  ercsa^s.     Some 

pretend  the  ears   in   that  of  £/  Lewis  are  too  bi^  ;   and  indeed 
i  ° 

xicnc  of  these  pieces  come  ur>  to  those  of  the  line  Italian  os: 


Clap.  HI.  DESCRIPTION    OF   PARIS.  *O 

Flanders  masters.  The  palace  or  chateau  of  Versailles  wss 
built  before  the  chapel.  It  was  a  small  hunting-be  it  when. 
Lewis  XIV.  anno  1661,  resolved  to  s.-ake  it  his  principal  ic- 
sidence.  Immediately  the  village  grew  into  a  little  town,  fill- 
ed with  magnificent  and  regular  hotels  of  the  principal  nobili- 
ty, answerable  to  the  grandeur  of  the  court,  i'he  palace  is 
exceeding  bulky,  and  though  high,  is  still  too  low  in  proportion 
to  its  extent,  and  fiat  on  the  top.  its  pillars,  pilasters,  Sec. 
are  chiefly  in  the  Corinthian,  being  the  most  beautiiul  order.  The 
cornice  imitates  the  Farnezian  for  its  curious  work.  The  a- 
partments  within  are  more  noble  :  here  the  most  perfect  rules 
of  architecture  are  observable:  every  chamber  seems-  to  bur- 
pass  another  in  justness  of  proportion  :  the  ornaments  ure  the 
best  chosen,  not  only  the  paintings,  statues,  busts,  but  the  hang- 
ings, looking-glasses,  &c.  ;  and  their  disposition  is  judici- 
ous. There  is  only  such  a  number  of  all  these  ornaments 
in  each  apartment,  as  beauty  requires,  and  they  are  placed 
with  wonderful  taste  ;  whereas  the  Italian  palaces  are  too  much 
crowded  with  furniture,  busts,  &.C.,  liker  shops  than  chambers. 
The  back-wings  for  servants,  6tc.  are  but  poorly  furbished, 
and  full  of  rubbish.  The  galleiies  for  the  officers  oi  state, 
and  of  the  court,  have  smaller  chambers,  but  quite  finished  ; 
and  those  noblemen  to  whom  the  king  gives  apartments  in  his 
palace,  have  similar  accommodation  ;  and  happy  u  he  who  has 
but  a  srna'.l  room  allowed  him  here.  The  gr^at  gallery,  very 
broad,  and  looking  into  the  gardens,  is  most  admired  alter  the 
kind's  own  aoartmcnts.  The  chrystd  wainscot  of  that  ralle- 

O  *  •  «-> 

ry  is  very  am  jsing  in  such  a  price  as  this,  or  t':s  ?yL-;i'.igcni%  but 
would  be  extiemeiy  improper  in  any  other  kind  ot  apartment::, 
On  the  avenue  towards  Paris  stand  msny  noble  structures. 
The  Pavillion  of  the  tWousquetairs  is  a  most  noble  piece  of  archi- 
tecture. The  two  stables  (the  large  and  the  small)  are  like 
the  palaces  of  Litv^s.  Their  symmetry  and  architecture  is  ad- 
mirable. Here  are  also  the  two  buildings  called  the  Galle- 

O 

riss  of  the  Princes.  The  riding  academy  for  the  pages  is 
lately  built,  and  the  finest  in  France.  The  park  of  Versailles 

is  of  several  leagues  extent :   near  the  palace  it  is  enclosed  into 
w  f 

F.  A 


78  TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

fine  gardens,  in  which  we  admired  the  beautiful  walks  and  al- 
leys, the  parterres,  groves,  &c. ;  but  above  all,  the  water- 
works, statues,  &c.  One  would  think  Lewis  XIV.  had  plun- 
dered all  Greece  and  Italy  to  transport  their  finest  busts 
and  statues  to  Versailles,  their  number  is  so  astonishing  in  the 
palace  and  gardens.  The  waters  are  diversified  a  thousand 
ways,  and  are  poured  forth  from  figures  of  marble  and  brass 
into  basons  of  all  forms.  On  entering,  we  see  the  basons  of 
the  crown,  of  the  mermaid,  of  the  pyramid,  the  alley  of  wa- 
ter, and  its  slow  cascade,  the  triumphal  arch,  the  theatre,  the 
mountain  of  water,  the  baths  of  Apollo,  the  basons  of  Apollo, 
of  Ceres,  Saturn,  Bacchus,  Latona,  &c.  the  fountain  of  the 
Dragon,  &c,  the  labyrinth,  the  parterre  of  water,  the  great 
canal.  On  the  right  hand  is  the  orange  grove,  always  green, 
and  the  most  beautiful  of  all  the  king's  pleasure-houses, 
Trianon.  At  the  other  end  of  the  gardens,  a  league  off, 
is  the  Menagerie,  where  wild  beasts  are  kept ;  as  lions, 
tygers,  baboons,  panthers,  &c.  ;  and  many  sorts  of  fowls, 
but  the  number  of  beasts  diminishes  as  they  do  in  the  Tower. 
The  water-works  here  are  very  various  and  fine.  Ther^  is 
also  a  very  beautiful  small  palace  or  pleasure-house,  of  which 
the  rooms  all  open  into  one  another,  and  most  of  them  have 
a  great  deal  of  chrystal  on  the  walls,  to  show  by  reflection  at 
once  all  that  is  in  the  room.  Here  are  very  convenient  baths 
for  pleasure. 


Chap.  IV.     A  TOUR  FROM  PARIS  TO  LYONS.  80 

CHAPTER  FOURTH. 

A  TOUR  FROM  PARIS  TO  LYOXS. 

Palace  of  Fountainbleau. — Champagne. — Sens. — Rheims. — Troye?. — Auxerre. — 
Dijon. — Description  of  the  Abbey  of  Citeaux. — Chalons-sur-Scine. — Autun.— 
Macon. — Trevoux. — Account  of  the  small  Principality  of  Dombres. 


LYONS,  OCTOBER  10.  1745. 

having  gratified  our  curiosity,  and  settled  our  affairs 
in  Paris,  we  procured  an  order  for  post-horses,  a  precaution 
that  is  requisite  only  in  capitals,  but  extremely  useful,  inas- 
much as  it  commands  the  prompt  obedience  of  the  post-mas- 
ters, (who,  without  such  an  order,  cannot  be  compelled  to  give 
horses)  we  set  out  for  Lyons,  by  the  road  of  Burgundy,  called 
the  petite  route.  It  is  58  posts,  or  116  leagues.  The  grand 
route  lies  through  Montargis,  Nevers,  and  Roane,  and  is  counted 
six  posts  more,  viz.  64  ;  but  they  are  shorter,  better  provided 
with  horses,  and  the  road  is  superior;  of  course  the  most  eligible 
way  for  travellers  to  take.  From  Paris  to  Fountainbleau  by 
Villeneuve,  Fromenteau,  Essone,  (where  is  a  very  fine  seat,) 
Ponthierry,  and  Chaiily,  it  is  8  posts,  or  16  leagues.  This 
road,  by  levelling  hills,  filling  up  valleys,  &c.  has  become  the 
finest  of  all  France,  a  superiority  it  owes  to  Lewis  XIII.,  to 
whom  is  erected  a  marble  monument  about  midway,  with  a 
pompous  inscription  to  his  honour.  Near  the  road-side  we 
saw  a  oreat  many  magnificent  houses,  the  greatest  part  of 
which  belong  to  treasurers,  farmers  of  the  taxes,  and  masters 
of  the  king's  manufactures  of  the  Gobelins.  The  gardens,  ter- 
rasses,  and  walls  about  the?e  seats,  are  very  elegant. 

FOUNTAINBLEAU  is  a  large  burgh,  so  called,  as  some  say, 
from  its  fountains  :  Its  buildings  are  good,  and  its  inns  are 
better  than  those  of  Versailles  :  and  though  dear,  not  so  extra- 
vagant. The  Palace  is  on  the  outside  of  the  town,  and  far 
surpassed  my  idea  of  it.  I  was  surprised  a  king  should  build 
Versailles,  who  possessed  Fountainbleau,  which,  notwith- 
standing all  Lewis  XIV. 's  greatness,  still  outdoes  it  in  some 
respects  as  to  the  building,  though  it  be  inferior  in  others.  It 
is  built  in  the  form  of  a  great  square,  besides  many  out  build- 
ings, all  exceeding  stately  :  It  was  unfurnished  when  we  saw 


82         TRAVELS  OF  THE  REV.  ALB  AN  BUTLER. 

it ;  but  hundreds  of  hands  were  at  work  putting  up  tapestry, 
&c.  because  the  king  was  expected  from  Choisy  in  three  days. 
The  Comedie  is  a  fine  room,  with  a  gaudy  rich  throne  and  tri- 
bune for  the  king  at  the  bottom,  and  seats  for  a  great  multi- 
tude, something  like  the  theatre  of  Oxford,  in  the  inside,  but 
more  grand  to  the  eye.  The  long  gallery  is  inferoir  to  that  of 
Versailles,  though  exceeding  spacious  and  noble,  commanding 
a  fine  prospect.  The  Chapel  was  built  by  St  Lewis,  who 
placed  in  it  "Trinitarians  (a  sort  of  Canons-regular,  destined 
for  the  Redemption  of  Captives^),  after  his  return  from  the  holy 
war.  It  had  fallen  to  decay,  when  it  was  repaired  by  Hen- 
ry IV.,  who  was  induced  to  set  about  so  pious  a  work  by  the 
following  circumstance :  The  Spanish  ambassador  arriving  at 
the  court  of  France,  according  to  the  custom  of  his  country 
went  first  to  the  chapel  [Casa  de  Dies'),  but  expressed  his  sur- 
prise to  see  God's  house  so  mean,  while  the  king  was  so  rich- 
]y  lodged.  Lewis  XIII.  rebuilt  it  anew,  as  it  now  is,  in  a  very 
sumptuous  and  stately  manner.  On  both  sides  of  the  palace  are 
£ne  gardens,  terrasses,  curious  water-works,  statues,  summer- 
houses  in  the  middle  of  lakes,  &tc.  The  ponds  are  stocked 
with  the  largest  fish  I  ever  saw,  which  approached  so  close  to  our 
feet  as  we  walked  along  the  banks,  that  I  was  tempted  to  catch  at 
some  of  them,  but  was  afraid  they  would  have  bit  me.  A  piece 
of  bread  being  thrown  in,  a  monstrous  carp  (they  told  us  some 
were  by  certain  marks  known  to  be  ico  years  old)  fought  for  it 
with  great  fury.  I  will  not  guess  at  their  size,  as  the  water 
might  somewhat  deceive  the  eye. 

But  a  volume  would  scarce  suffice  to  describe  this  palace  of 
Fountainbleau,  and  no  description  can  convey  a  just  idea  of 
its  magnificence.  It  stands  in  the  midst  of  woods  spreading  on 
every  side,  near  the  Seme,  which  we  here  took  leave  of: 
This  river  rises  in  Burgundy,  runs  by  Chatiilon  and  Bar-sur- 
Seine,  enters  Champagne,  passes  by  Troyes,  receives  the  Ton 
at  Montreau :  In  die  Isle  of  France  waters  Melun,  Corbeil, 
and  after  having  received  the  Marne  at  Charenton,  near  Paris, 
and  the  '  yse  at  Pontoise,  enters  Normandy,  is  navigable  for 
pretty  large  vessels  at  Rouen,  larger  at  Caudebec,  Honfleur,  and 
HarEuer,  and  has  Havre  de  Grace  on  its  mouth.  The  tide 


Chap.  IV.  A    TOUR   FROM    PARIS    TO    LYONS.  83 

flows  30  leagues  up  the  river,  although  it  is  extremely  wind- 
ing. 

The  country  here  is  poor,  in  many  places  being  little  else 
than  desert  heath  ;  on  the  sides  of  the  hills  there  are  good  vine- 
yards, the  valleys  are  ploughed  for  corn  ; — very  little  pasture 
or  cattle;  villages  and  houses  are  thin.  Leaving  Fountainbleau 
we  had  a  good  road  by  MORET,  where  we  left  the  Isle  of 
France  to  enter  Champagne.  Moret  is  a  small  town,  its  walls 
old  and  ruinous.  It  was  formerly  a  frontier  against  Burgun- 
dy. From  this  town  we  travelled  by  Faussart,  Guiare,  and 
Pont-sur-Yon,  where  we  passed  the  river  Ton,  over  a  new 
stone-bridge.  It  is  seven  posts  from  Fountainbleau  to  SENS. 
About  midway  on  this  road  stands  a  marble  pillar,  with  an  in- 
scription importing  that  it  was  erected  by  the  present  Queen 
MARY,  daughter  of  Stanislaus  king  of  Poland,  in  the  place 
where  she  was  met  by  her  spouse  Lewis  XV. 

SENS  anciently  belonged  to  the  duchy  of  Burgundy,  but  now 
it  is  under  the  generality  of  Champagne,  and  consequently  of 
that  province,  though  the  inhabitants  love  to  call  themselves 
rather  Burgundians.  The  old  Senones-Gcivls  plundered  Rome, 
and  are  celebrated  in  history.  Sens  is  a  laigc  city,  but  poor 
and  ill  built,  without  any  nobility,  or  any  great  merchants. 
The  vicinity  of  Paris  is  hurtful  to  it.  That  capital  resembles 
those  voracious  plants  which  suck  up  all  the  nourishment  from 
the  surrounding  vegetables.  No  city  can  flourish  near  Paris, 
and  the  whole  countrv  carries  all  its  commodities  to  it,  especial- 
ly where  there  is  water-carriage  down  the  rivers,  as  here  :  The 
lieutenant  of  police  regulates  the  order  in  which  the  provinces,  at 
every  season  of  the  year,  shall  bring  wood  and  every  necessary 
of  life  to  the  capital,  lest,  by  being  overstocked  at  one  time,  it 
may,  at  another  time,  be  exposed  to  the  danger  of  famine. 

SENS  is  governed,  as  the  other  towns  in  France  are,  by  five- 
consular  judges,  named  by  the  king  out  of  the  better  sort  of 
citizens.  They  decide  without  appeal  all  causes  under  the  va- 
lue of  500  livres.  In  others  an  appeal  may  be  made  to  the 
parliament  of  Paris.  The  inhabitants  are  all  poor  tradesmen, 
and  the  houses  very  mean.  It  is  not  a  town  of  any  learning. 


84          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAV  BUTLER. 

Very  few  of  their  curates  have  attended  an  university  ;  their 
course  o.  studies  being  confined  to  morality,  cases  of  conscience, 
&  in  their  seminary.  There  is  no  good  bookseller's  shop  in  the 
town  ;  but  some  of  the  canons  have  tolerable  private  libraries, 
containing  the  works  of  the  best  critics.  The  middle  of  the  town, 
being  the  highest  part,  little  streams  of  water  are  directed  in 
large  channels  through  almost  every  street.  The  waters  are 
let  out  plentifully  in  the  night,  to  wash  the  streets,  and  carry 
off  all  the  filth.  A  similar  convenience  is  deservedly  boasted 
of  in  'Turin,  in  which  little  aqueducts  from  the  Po  are  drawn 
through  the  whole  city  in  like  channels. 

SENS  has  16  small  parishes,  and  most  of  them  are  served  by 
one  curate,  without  a  chaplain.  My  parish  of  St  Columba  has 
only  500  communicants.  The  parish-churches  are  full  of  stalls 
or  pews  like  our  English  Protestant  churches.  The  curate  sings 
the  whole  church-office,  even  the  little  hours,  every  .^unday 
and  holyday,  as  well  as  high.  mass.  All  the  people  assist  in 
their  pews  at  the  whole  office,  which  takes  up  a  great  part  of 
the  day.  Very  few  go  to  confession  and  communion.  Many 
dioceses  in  France  use  a  particular  breviary  and  missal ;  but 
none  so  different  from  the  Roman  as  those  of  Sens,  which  is  the 
only  diocese  where  any  alteration  is  permitted  in  the  prayers  of 
the  canon.  The  two  late  archbishops  made  each  the  office  of 
their  church,  quite  new,  and  very  different.  The  first  was 
done  by  Archbishop  Hardouin  Fortiri  de  la  Hoguette  anno  1702. 
The  second,  far  more  singular,  by  Archbishop  Gondrin.  The 
very  ceremonies  are  not  the  same  ;  so  that  a  priest  of  this  dio- 
cese cannot  say  mass  abroad,  unless  he  has  his  own  missal  with 
him,  which  they,  themselves  complain  of  as  very  inconvenient. 
The  singing  and  the  notes  are  also  different.  'Tis  true,  those 
churches  which  never  received  the  Koman  breviary,  retain  by 
custom  the  right  of  regulating  their  own  offices  ;  but  uni- 
formity has  many  advantages  The  Archbishop  of  Sens  is 
stiled  Primate  of  the  Gauls  and  of  Germany,  (Gulliarum  et 
Germanics  •  rimus  ;)  but  it  is  many  ages  since  he  has  enjoyed 
any  part  of  such  a  jurisdiction.  Archbishops  were  such  only 
as  were  bishops  of  capitals  of  provinces,  as  is  evident  from 
the  life  of  St  Basil,  and  his  contest  about  Lower  Cappadocia, 


Clap.  IV>  A   T'-UR    FROM    PARIS    TO    LYONS.  8$ 

made  by  the  emperor  a  separate  province.     Thus   Sens  being 
anciently  so  great  a  capital,  its  metropolitan  was  ever  very  con- 
siderable.    The  present  archbishop,  JOSEPH  LANGLET,  former- 
ly bishop  of  Soissons,  is  t ^o  well   kaown  by  h's   zeal   against 
Jansenism,  for  me  to  say  any  thing  of  him.     He  has  procured 
the  exile  of  many  curates  of  this  city  and  diocese,  as  well  as  some 
seculars  very  zealous  in  that  cause,  amon^  others  a  blacksmith. 
The  people,  ignorant  of  the  natur°  of  those  disputes,  pity  these 
exiles   very  much,    and   cannot    yet  love   their   new    pastors. 
The  Cathedral  is  a  great  Gothic  structure,  remarkable  for  a 
labyrinth  drawn  on   its   pavement ;   for  many  ancient  stately 
tombs  of  archbishops,  especially  that  raised  on  four  high  mar- 
ble pillars  by  Archbishop  Jalazar  to  his  father   and  .mother, 
represented  in  marble  on  their  knees  ;  that  of  Chancellor  du  Prat, 
&.c.  ;  also  for  its  great  bell,  which  they  pretend  weighs  48,000 
pounds,  though  that  cannot  be  ex-j.ct,   for  the  bell  of  our  Lady's 
in  Paris  is  no  more  ;  nor  the  great  Amboise  of  Rouen.     The 
archbishop  of  Sens  enjoys  50,000  livres  a-year  :  His  suffragans, 
Auxerre  12,000,  Troyes  30,000,  Nevers   12,000,  Bethlem  in 
the  Nivernois  900.      The  Jesuits  have  a  poor  small  house  near 
the  archbishop's   palace.      The  present  archbishop  gives  them 
600  livres  a-year  to  maintain  two   professors  for  rhetoric  and 
humanity.     The   Celestines  in   the   town   have   a  pretty  new 
church.     The    Dominicans   founded   by   St  Lewis    have  only- 
eight  religious,  though  a  large  building.     The  Capuchins  have 
but   seven,   though  the  only  Mendicants  in  the  city,  besides 
Dominicans.     Religious,  especially  Mendicants,  are  far  from 
being  so  numerous  as  in  the  Low  Countries,  much  less  in  Italy 
and  Spain.    There  are  three  abbeys  within  the  town,  and  three 
out  of  it  ;   that   of  St  Columba,  of  Benedictine  monks,   is  ex- 
tremely old  and  venerable.     The  shrines  of  the  Saints  are  seen 
empty,   having  been  plundered  by  the   Huguenots.     Here   are 
many  monuments  of  the  English,  who  formerly  carried  their 
arms   hither ;   nearer  the  town  is   a  royal  abbey  of  nuns,   in 
which  a  daughter  of  Lord  BOLIVGBKOKE,  by  a  lady  of  this  coun- 
try whom  he  married,  is  abbess.     The  archbishop  has  obtain- 
ed a  prohibition  from  court,  to  hinder  these  abbeys  from  keep- 
ing pensioners^  on  account  of  their  instilling  principles  of  Jan~ 


84          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALEAN  BUTLER. 

senism.  Lord  Bolingbroke  lived  many  years  in  these  parts  : 
I  was  entertained  with  many  stories  about  him.  The  city  is 
encompassed  with  ruinous  old  walls,  and  a  dry  broad  moat. 
It  has  eight  gates.  Over  th?  two  channels  of  the  river,  are 
two  very  beautiful  stone  bridges.  Round  the  town  are  plea- 
sant walks  with  rows  of  chesnut  trees,  woods,  rivulets,  and 
vineyards.  The  people  here  think  this  the  happiest  climate 
in  the  world  ;  it  is  indeed  a  very  agreeable  one. 

The  wines  of  Champagne  are  some  very  ordinary,  and  some 
exceeding  good.  The  best  grow  near  Sens,  and  all  along  the 
frontiers  of  Burgundy ;  but  even  here  there  is  a  small  grape 
which  gives  a  very  poor  wine.  The  Champain  moussant,  or 
famous  white  Champagne,  so  searching  and  unwholesome  for 
gouty  people,  grows  towards  Rheims  and  Chalons  upon  the 
Marne,  and  is  sold  in  the  country  itself  at  50  sols  the  bottle. 
This  province,  and  that  of  Burgundy,  is  the  finest  country  for 
grives  orjieldfare,  which,  when  the  grapes  are  ripe,  fatten  in 
the  vineyards,  and  are  plumper  and  fatter  than  in  any  other, 
even  wine  country,  yet  very  cheap  and  plentiful. 

Mademoiselle  of  Sens  is  a  daughter  of  the  duke  of  Bour- 
bon Conde,  and  a  princess  of  the  blood-royal  of  France. 
She  enjoys  the  lordship  and  regalities  of  this  place.  The 
Yon  runs  by  the  skirts  of  this  town,  receiving  here  the 
Venne,  a  small  river.  It  rises  three  leagues  above  Auxerre 
in  Burgundy  ;  near  Sens  it  divides  itself  into  two  channels, 
forming  an  island,  but  soon  meets  again.  It  brings  barges 
from  Auxerre,  is  very  broad  at  Sens,  and  falling  into  the  Seine? 
it  conveys  all  things  to  Paris.  The  river  Marne  rises  near 
Langres,  and  after  washing  also  Chalons,  Meaux,  Sec.  falls  in- 
to the  Seine,  but  keeps  its  waters  unmixed  a  great  way  below 
Paris,  in  one  half  of  the  channel. 

Of  the  other  principal  towns  in  this  province  I  shall  only 
name  RHEIMS,  the  capital.  It  proves  its  antiquity  by  a  triumphal 
arc/j  much  decayed,  and  its  inscription  effaced,  Sec.  It  seems 
to  have  been  raised  to  JULIAN  the  Apostate.  Its  architecture 
is  not  of  the  fine  age.  The  cathedral  of  our  Lady  is  a  vast  Go- 
thic edifice ;  its  portico  is  esteemed  the  best  in  France  for  its 
figures  and  relief.  la  it  the  French  king  is  crowned.  The  ho- 


Clap.  IV.     A  TOUR  FROM  PARIS  TO  LYONS.  87 

Ij  ampulla  of  oil  is  kept  in  St  Remigius's  abbey.  Here  are 
three  other  great  abbeys.  In  the  steeple  of  St  Nicasius's  ab- 
bey is  the  wonderful  bell,  which,  when  it  rings,  even  though 
its  tongue  be  taken  out,  makes  a  particular  pillar  shake  so  as 
to  threaten  a  fall,  though  its  nearer  pillars  are  not  moved. 
TROYfcs(7rmz',  or  Tricassium^)vfzs  the  residence  of  the  Counts 
of  Champagne.  LANGRES,  Lingonce,  on  a  mountain,  gives  its 
bishop  the  title  of  Duke  and  Peer  of  France.  Clarevalle,  the 
abbey  in  which  St  Bernard  its  founder  died,  and  left  700  reli- 
gious, is  in  this  diocese.  Being  told  that  it  resembled  Ci- 
teaux,  St  Bernard's  first  foundation,  1  did  not  go  to  see  it, 
though  a  great  while  in  its  neighbourhood.  Meaux  is  fa- 
mous for  its  great  prelate  BosaU^T.  Prouyns  is  famous  for 
its  conserve  of  roses,  a  very  mild  astringent :  that  of  white 
roses  is  opening. 

Half  a  league  from  Sens,  on  the  banks  of  the  Ton,  is  an  entire 
uninhabited  village  of  many  houses  all  cut  in  a  hard  rock,  with 
many  apartments  in  them  ;  at  present  the  inhabitants,  to  avoid 
the  cold,  have  forsaken  them,  and  built  themselves  houses  in 
the  valley  beneath  ;  but  the  parish  church  still  stands  on  the  top 
of  the  rock.  A  German  traveller  meeting  with  these  houses 
in  the  rock,  framed  an  imaginary  system  of  an  ancient  great 
city,  and  wonderful  antiquities.  Leaving  Sens  the  8th  of  Oc- 
tober, we  pursued  our  journey  through,  B  irgundy  by  Ville- 
neuve  le  Roy,  Villevallier,  Joigny,  and  Bassou  ;  we  had  6 
poi_;ts  and  a  half  to  Auxerre.  Three  leagues  from  that  city 
we  saw  two  pillars,  one  on  each  side  of  a  brook,  one  of  which 
fixed  the  limits  of  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Parliament  of  Paris 
and  the  Generality  of  Champagne  ;  the  other  that  of  the  Par- 
liament of  Burgundy.  AUXEKKE,  {Altissiodorum'),  is  a  good 
town,  much  richer  than  Sens  and  better  built.  The  cathedral 
is  old  and  has  nothing:  to  recommend  it  but:  monuments.  I  visit- 

O 

ed  it  out  of  veneration  to  St  Germanus,  to  whom  Britain  is  so 
much  indebted.  St  Germanus's  abbey  is  the  only  place  worth 
a  traveller's  visit.  It  is  rich,  vast,  and  the  church  is  new  and 
very  handsomely  built.  The  bishop  of  Auxerre,  de  Caylus,  is 
the  great  hero  of  the  Jansenists  ;  he  braves  the  Pope,  laughs 
at  the  archbishop  of  Sens,  and  reigns  at  home  adored  by  his 


88          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

party,  and  beloved  by  his  people  for  his  generosity  and  hospi- 
tality. As  he  is  grown  old  in  his  see,  most  of  the  curates 
think  as  he  does.  The  people  say,  when  he  dies,  and  one  like 
Monsieur  de  Sens  shall  be  put  in  his  place,  there  will  be  bien 
tie  tapage  pour  Jen  confessions.  At  present  those  good  folks  ap- 
proach the  sacraments  as  seldom  as  possible,  their  heads  being 
distracted  with  controversial  matters,  which  the  vulgar  rarely 
understand,  but  embrace  more  from  prejudice  and  affection, 
than  from  a  love  of  truth,  or  the  dictates  of  sound  judgment. 

We  had   16  posts  from  Auxerre  to  Dijon,  some  very  long, 
by   St  Brice,  Vermanton,   Precy-le-Sec,   Lucy-le-Bois,  Cus- 
sy,    Rouvray,    Maison-Neuve,   Viteaux,    Chaleure,  Pont  de 
Panis,    La     Clude,    where  an  Englishman   was   post- master. 
Maison  Neuve  is  a  good  post  house,  lately   erected  by  the 
treasurer  of  Burgundy,  who  raises   and   sends  the   King  the 
sums  demanded  upon   the  province   by  order  of  the  States, 
but  without  being  obliged  to  give  any  accounts.      The  coun- 
try   here   has   many  mountains,  which  great  herds  of  goats 
are  always  hang  ng  upon.     The  tiles  on  the  spires,  churches, 
and  houses,   are   gaudily  painted,  which  make  even    villages 
look  very  gay.       DIJON,  (in  latin  Divio)  was  built  by   the 
Emperor  Aurelian  ;  but  it  owes  it  grandeur  to  the  Dukes  of 
Burgundy,  who  during  the  last  race  chose  it  for  their  residence. 
It  is  a  large  city,  well  built,  very  rich,  and  full  of  nobility,  be- 
ing the  capital  of  this  great  province.     Its  mayor  takes  the  title 
of  Viscount,  and  is  the  head  of  the  'Tiers  Etat,  or  commoners 
in  the  States  of  the  province.     The  charter-house,  in  entering 
the  town,  is  a  very  fine  monastery.    All  the  Burgundians  are 
proud,  and  expect  civility,  but  are  extremely  obliging  them- 
selves.    The  servant  ot  the  inn,  after  dinner,  brought  me  back 
what  I  gave  her,  thinking  it  too  little,   but  in  a  civil  manner, 
saying  :   "  I  thank  you  ;  I  am  content  to  have  the  honour  of 
"  serving  you  without  any  thing  ;"  and  this  without  any  sign 
of  irony.     The  mustard  of  Dijon  is   much  talked  of.     It  is 
well  known  the  wild  mustard  seed  is  not  so  good  as  that  which 
is  cultivated  in  gardens,  which  is  chiefly  of  two  sorts.      The 
mustard   of  Dijon  is  not  recommended  for  the  goodness  of  the 
seed,  like-  that  of  Durham,   but  for  the  peculiar  way  of  mak- 


Clap.  IF.  A  TOUR   FROM    PARIS    TO   LYONS.  89 

ing  it,  that  is>  with  new  wine,  which  makes  it  mild  and  plea. 
sant ;  though  not  so  wholesome  as  when  made  with  vinegar  : 
It  is  then  more  biting  and  sharp  ;  consequently  promotes  diges- 
tion, excites  an  appetite,  and  stimulates  the  stomach  more  effec- 
tually, which  a're  the  qualities  of  good  mustard,  and  what  makes 
it  so  necessary  to  be  eaten  with  salt  fish,  Sec.  Mustard  is  natu- 
rally heating,  but  when  made  with  new  wine,  it  is  more  so.  The 
word  mustard  signifies  in  L.itin,  burning  wine,  muitjtm  ardens, 
The  vinegar  ought  to  be  weak,  else  its  taste  will  predominant. 

From  Dijon  toChalons-sur-Soane  it  is  7  r  posts  through  NuyS 
and  Beaunej  two  boroughs  famous  for  the  best  Burgundy  wines, 
\vhLh  are  known  too  well  for  rns  to  describe.  The  best 
grow  on  the  sides  of  the  mountains  in  a  good  exposure  ;  and  take 
their  names  from  the  villages  about  Beaune,  the  centre  of 
this  garden  of  Bacchus,  as  Chavigny,  Chassine,  &c. 

The  revenues  of  the  bishop  of  Dijon  are  22,000  livres  a- 
year;  of  Chalons  14,000  :  of  Macon  I2,occ  ;  of  Autun  22icco; 
«f  Lyons  40,900.  We  went  near  a  mile  out  of  our  way  to  sf>e 
the  Abbey  of  CiteaUXt  the  mother-house  of  the  Cistercians  * 
whose  general  this  abbot  is.  But  as  he  is  by  birth  a  counsellor 
of  the  parliament  of  Dijottj  and  almost  alwavs  deputy  of  the 
States  for  the  clergy,  he  lives  in  great  state  at  Dijon.  Ci- 
teaux  is  four  leagues  from  thatcitv,  in  the  middle  of  woods  of  two 
leagues  extent  on  every  side.  The 'Abbey  was  founded  by  St 
Bernard  who  Was  born  at  Fontaine,  a  village  in  that  neighbour- 
hood. The  buildings  are  of  great  extent ;  but  not  very  high  ^ 
exceedingly  handsome,  yet  becoming  a  religious  simplicity  and 
modesty  ;  not  30  magnificent  as  the  great  abbeys  in  the  Low 
Countries,  &c.  I  was  perfectly  enchanted  with  the  convenience, 
neatness^  and  mcdest,  but  good  furniture,  in  the  dormitories  and 
cells,  in  the  abbot's  appattments  ;  but  above  all  in  the  out- 
buildings, where  are  the  best  and  neatest  shops  I  have  seenp 
with  people  at  work  in  all  trades,  like  a  city  built  for  the  rau-. 
tual  assistance  of  each  neighbour  :  Coaehmakersj  and  sadlers  for 
the  abbots  coaches,  &c.  all  contiguous.  The  miller  receives 
corn  by  a  door  with  conveniences  on  purpose  out  of  the  gran- 
aries ;  and  from  the  mill  conveys  it  into  the  bakehouses  ;  the 
bakers  into  the  dispensary,  &c.  They  have  beautiful  fish 

F 


9°  TRAVELS  OF  RET.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

ponds,  a  great  artificial  lake,  butcheries,  &c.  The  good  monks 
are  ex:remely  hospitable,  and  seem  to  eat  and  drink  very  well. 
.The  best  Burgundy  that  is  made  is  fro'n  their  own  hills  and 
grounds.  But  this  place  was  most  venerable  to  me  from  the 
remembrance  of  St  Bernard  and  his  community  of  mortified 
Saints,  who  lived  here  dead  to  the  world  and  the  flesh. 

From  Citeaux  we  arrived  at  GnA.LOHS-sur-Soane,  a  well 
built  town,  very  populous,  and  full  of  churches,  and  a  place  of 
great  passage  for  merchandize,  &c.  which  makes  it  very  noisy 
.and  busy,  especially  upon  the  river  The  Roman  statues,  ves- 
sels and  inscriptions  dug  up  here,  and  the  ruins  of  an  amphi- 
theatre, are  monuments  of  its  antiquity.  It  was  capital  of  the 
Ouui ;  and  called  in  Latin  Labilh  JEduorum.  Its  bishopric  is 
suffragan  to  Lyons. 

AuTuy,  (<dugustodununi)  21  leagues  west  from  Chalons, 
was  one  of  the  chief  cities  of  the  Gauls,  and  the  seat  of  the  se- 
nate of  the  Druids.  It  has  many  marks  of  Roman  grandeur, 
ruins  of  triumphal  arches,  pyramids,  aqueducts;  and  shews  the 
places  where  stood  the  temple  of  Janus,  now  called  Janitove, 
another  oiyupiter,  &c.  The  bishopric  of  Autun  is  the  first 
suffragan  of  Lyons,  and  enjoys  very  great  privileges.  The 
Saone  rising  in  the  mountains  on  the  frontiers  of  Loraine  is  very 
shallow,  broad  and  slow,  justly  stiled  by  the  Romans  Lentus 
slrar :  In  Chalons,  on  several  houses  near  the  river,  are 
marked  the  heighth  to  which  the  late  floods  have  risen.  As 
its  banksare  low,  it  soon  oversows  the  country,  falling  from 
the  hills  in  higher  Burgundy. 

We  took  the  water  diligence  which  is  a  handsome  barge  drawn 
by  horses  on  a  constant  trot  ;  and  went  down  the  river  the  first 
day  to  MAC  ON  (Matisco)  i'i  leagues,  or  six  posts.  This  is  a 
tolerable  good  town,  a  bishopric  with  a  church  of  Canons,  who 
are  obliged  to  make  proof  of  their  nobility,  but  of  the  petite 
noblesse.  The  next  day  we  had  15  leagues  to  Lyons,  pausing 
by  Vitte  FraticLe,  a  little  town  in  Beaujulois,  on  our  right  hand  ; 
and  on  our  left  'Trevoux,  the  little  capital  of  Dombes,  a  small 
principality,  which  Lewis  XIV.  by  letters  patent,  declared  in- 
dependent and  sovereign,  not  subject  to  the  French  king  as  a 
vassalage,  but  as  a  small  sovereignty  to  a  greater.  Through  the 


C&ap.   IV.  A    TOUR    FROM    PARIS   TO    LYONS.  91 

hands  of  several  families  it  came  into  that  of  Orleans,  and  passed 
by  a  deed  of  gift  to  the  duke  of  Maine,  Lewis  XtV's  favourite 
ratural  son.  His  son  Lewis  Augustus  de  Bourbon  is  prince. 
He  coins  money  (only  to  shew  he  has  the  privilege)  makes 
laws  for  smaller  matters,  trade,  &.C.,  and  has  a  parliament  at 
Trevoux  with  three  presidents.  The  dean  of  the  collegiate 
church  is  always  a  counsellor  of  this  parliament.  In  the  town 
is  a  good  hospital. 

I  expected  to  have  found  a  great  college  of  Jesuits,  which 
my  books  mentioned  here  ;  but  was  surprized  to  be  told 
by  the  people  the  Jesuits  never  had  any  house  there.  Per« 
haps  the  Duke  of  Maine  might  have  destined  for  them  the 
great  college  of  which  the  plan  is  here  laid.  The  Memoir*  of 
Trevoux,  the  Jesuit's  Monthly  Literary  Journal,  are  composed 
by  four  Jesuits  (one  for  history,  one  for  mathematics,  one  for 
the  belles  lettres,  and  one  for  divinity)  in  their  great  house  in 
Paris.  They  were  first  printed  at  Trevoux,  where  the  Duke 
had  just  erected  a  very  good  printing-house. 

Burgundy,  which  we  have  travelled  through,  is  one  of  the 
greatest  and  richest  provinces  of  France,  though  in  many  places 
mountainous,  yet  fertile  in  corn,  wines,  &LC.  It  was  long 
a  kingdom,  and  a  sovereign  dukedom  :  It  is  still  proud  of 
its  privilege  of  being  governed  by  its  states,  which  assemble 
once  a-year,  and  have  three  deputies,  one  for  the  clergy,  one 
for  the  nobilitv,  and  one  for  the  commons,  always  residing  at 
Dijon.  This  duchy  is  50  leagues  long,  and  30  broad.  The 
county  of  Burgundy,  called  Frunche  Cotnte,  lying  on  the  east 
of  the  Duchy,  has  undergone  still  more  revolutions,  and  was 
at  last  conquered  by  Lewis  XIV.  from  the  house  of  Austria 
and  King  of  Spain,  who  had  succeeded  the  Dukes  of  Burgundy, 
extinct  in  Charles  the  Bold. 


<)2  TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

CHAPTER  FIFTH. 

TOUR  FROM  LYONS  TO  AIX. 

Acrount  of  LYONS,— Description  of  the  Rhone .--Viennc  in  Dauphirty. — Origin 
of  the  title  of  Dauphin. — Grenoble.— Description  of  the  convent  of  Grain! 
Chartreuse. — Eirrnng  fountain. — White  hares,  &c — J_^prmif;^e  wincj^ilac 
lence. — The  Cevennes.— Pcr.t  1'Fsprit. — Grange. — Avignon — Fountain  of 
Vaucluse. — Petrarch  and  Lnura, — Viiiereuve — River  Durat  ce — Provence. — 
Organ — Lambeie. — Account  of  the  Olive  Trees. — Method  of  extracting  Oil, 
&c. — Pomegranates. — Almond  Trees. — Fish. — Game. — &c. — Lizard?,  Scorpi- 
ons, &c. — Appearance  of  the  Country. — Language. — Manners. 


ji  HE  Lroyois  is  a  very  small  province,  12  leagues  long  and 
seven  broad,  without  any  good  town  in  it  except  its  capital. 
The  soil  is  fertile  near  the  rivers,  but  not  worth  much  towards 
Auvergne, 

LYONS  stands  on  the  confluence  of  the  Rhone  and  Saone,  ve- 
ry commodiously  for  trade  from  Provence,  Languedoc,  and 
the  Mediterranean,  on  the  one  side  ;  and  from  Italy,  Switzer- 
land, and.  Germany,  on  the  other,  by  the  Rhone  ;  from  Bur- 
gundy by  the  Saone,  from  Nantes,  Orleans,  and  the  heart  of 
France,  especially  Paris,  by  the  Loire,  which  runs  very  navi- 
gable within  15  leagues  cf  it.  Hence,  though  it  has  often 
been  ruined,  it  always  soou  recovered  itself.  It  was  a  good 
town  when  Plancus,  under  Augustus,  led  thither  a  Roman  co- 
lony. Ciaudias  sent  a  second,  whence  it  was  called  the  Claudian 
colony.  The  Emperors  Claudian,  Caligula,  and  Geta  Caesar, 
were  born  here,  and  there  still  remain  small  ruins  of  an  amphi- 
theatre, aqueducts,  and  baths.  Caligula  instituted  prizes  for 
oratorical  performances  yearly,  in  which  contention  those  who 
xvere  overcome  were  obliged  to  compose  the  praises  of,  or 
give  recompences  to  the  victor  ;  they  who  displeased  were 
forced  to  blot  out  their  compositions  with  their  tongue,  ov 
to  be  chastised  with  a  ferula,  and  thrown  into  the  river,  a> 


Clap.  V.        TOUR  FROM  LYONS  TO  AIX.  93 

Suetonius,  ch.  20.  relates  ;  to  which  Juvenal  alludes,  satire 
loth,  when  he  says  a  villain  grows,  after  a  crime,  as  pale  as 
a  rhetorician  going  to  speak  at  the  altar  of  Lyons. 

Palleat  ut  nudis  pressit  qui  calcibus  anguem, 

Aut  Lugdunensem  rhetor  dicturus  ad  aram.  v.  44. 

At  present  Lyons  is  the  second  city  in  France,  for  dignity, 
extent,  opulence,  and  sumptuous  buildings  both  public  and 
private.  It  is  a  most  agreeable  place,  both  on  these  accounts, 
and  for  the  mildness  of  the  cliuiate  and  extraordinary  polite- 
ness and  obliging  temper  of  the  inhabitants.  The  hrgeness  of 
its  streets,  all  well  built,  and  in  good  order,  adds  greatly  to  the 
beauty  of  the  city.  In  trade  it  is  the  first  town  in  France,  and  its 
commerce  with  all  parts  of  the  world  so  great,  that  it  is  a  mart 
of  the  \vhole  universe,  in  which  you  may  rind  almost  every- 
thing the  world  produces  or  possesses,  and  at  very  reasonable 
prices.  The  tradesmen  and  merchants  are  very  honest  deal- 
ers. The  town-house  is  the  finest  and  most  stately  in  the  world 
surpassing  in  rmny  respects  that  of  Amsterdam  :  Its  Portaz/and 
magnificent  front ;  its  two  admirable  and  bold  stair-esses ,  Us  hall 
•and  chambers,  with  good  paintings  ;  its  two  courts  and  garden, 
rre  most  remarkable,  especially  that  chamber  in  which  die 
Provost  of  the  merchants,  and  the  Ecl>e^i:-i.",  or  Magistrates, 
hold  their  sessions.  The  square  of  Bel'cc.  .urt  is  onj  oi*  the 
most  beautiful  in  the  world,  ornamented  with  green  parterres, 
;:::d  a  noble  statue  of  Lewis  XIV.  erected  by  the  Duke  of 
Villercy,  who  was  governor,  as  his  son  is  at  present.  It  is 
encompassed  with  most  stately  boi]dii.t;s,  especially  on  one 
.::;.le  cccupk-J  by  the  governuiV,  hor.^e,  surpassing  most  royal 
palaces.  Near  it  is  the  church  of  the  nuns  of  the  IfzsiUttiQTi, 
in  which  is  kept  thr:  heart  of  St  FRANCIS  OF  SALES,  v\ho  died 
here.  Plis  b  ;dy  was  carried  to  Ajinccy.  The  cathedral  of 
Lvons  is  an  old  Gothic  building,  exceeding  large  and  grand, 
dedicated  to  St  John.  There  are  scarce  any  ornaments  or 
paintings,  except  in  the  choir.  Ihe  celebrated  deck  here  is 
more  wonderful  than  that  of  Strasburgh,  for  its  contrivance, 
workmanship,  and  variety  of  motions.  It  not  or.lv  nuiks  -hs 

I7  3 


<j4  TRAVELS    OF    REV.    ALBAN    BUTLER. 

minutes  of  time,  the  days  of  the  month  and  of  the  week,  the 
age  of  the  moon,  the  motion  of  the  sun  in  the  Zodiac,  the  ages 
of  the  world,  with  the  history  of  the  Annunciation,  performed 
by  machinery,  as  at  Strasburg  ;  but  moreover  exhibits  the  as- 
cension, obliquity,  &.c.  of  the  sun,  and  ecliptic,  and  many  other 
astronomical  tables  and  motions  of  the  heavens.    The  hour-hand 
grows  longer  and  shorter,  adapting  itself  to  the  oval  dial ;    and 
at  I  2  o'clock  an  angel  comes  out  on  the   top,  and  entones  very 
justly  and  sweetly  the  hymn  of  St  John,  lit  queant  laxis  resonare 
jibris.     But  this  clock  was  an  hour  too  slow  :  such  a  multi- 
plicity of  motions  cannot  go  long   right.     The  church  was 
founded  by  John  of  Burgundy,   on   the   ruins   of  a   temple  of 
Augustus.     The  King  of  France  is  first  canon,  as  the  Dukes 
of  Burgundy   were  anciently.     Those   Dukes   so  much  en- 
riched it,  that  it  now  enjoys   200,000  livres  a-year,  among 
its  26  canons  and  the  inferior  clergy.     The  canons  must  prove 
their  nobility  for  some  generations,  and  they  take  the  title  of 
Counts  of  Lyons.     On  great  days  they  sing  the  office,  all  with 
initres  on,  though  this   is   from  custom  ;  for  there  is  a  mean 
collegiate  church  in  Burgundy  where  the  canons  do  the  same. 
The  canons  of  Macon  also  make  proof  of  their  nobility,  though 
not   so   high,   only  la  Noblesse  Basse.     The   archbishopric   of 
Lyons  was  founded  by  St  PHOTINUS  and  by  St  IR^ENEUS,  both 
disciples  of  the  apostles.     Nothing  in  Church-history  is   inore 
illustrious  or  more  edifying  than  the  account  of  the   Martyrs 
of  Lyons  under   the   Emperor  Antoninus  Verus,   as   given  in 
the  letter  of  the  churches  of  Vicnne  and  Lyons,  probably  wrote 
by  St  Iracneu?,   then  priest,  (vide  Eusebius,  book  5th).     The 
Archbishop  is  primate  of  all  France.     Those  of  Sens,  Bour- 
gcs,     Bourdeaux,    take    the   title   of    Primates,    as    York    in 
England,  Bruges  in  Spain   and  Portugal,   &c.     But  for  many 
ages,  Lyons   alone  has   been   confirmed   by  repeated   bulls   of 
Popes,   in  the   right  of  actually  exercising  the  authority  and 
jurisdiction  of  a  primate,  by  receiving  appeals   from   all  the 
churches  in  France,  &.c.      It  is  true  the  archbishop  of  Rheims 
crowns  the  king,  but  that  is  no  proper  act  of  primacy. 

I  must  not  forget  the  Jesuits    in  Lyons,  who  teach  all  the 
s,  even  divinity,  here,  in  the  s'tme  manner  as  in  an  uni- 


Clap.  V.  TOUR  FROM  LYONS   TO  AIX.  95 

versity  ;  their  church  is  very  rich,  but  heavy  and  incumber- 
ed  j   their  library  is  one  of  the  neatest  in  all  Europe,  most 
the  books  bound  in  Morocco.     It   was  given   them  by  Mon- 
sieur Nieuville,  brother  to  the  Duke  of  Villeroy,  though  the 
magistrates  have  granted  a  yearly  pension  to  furnish  it  with  new 
bocks.      The  Great  Hospital  is  very  curious,  with  its  different 
apartments  to  emploj  beggars,  &c.  at  work  :      So  is  the  Hotel 
Dieu  for  sick.       They  are   now  building  a  stately  addition    to 
their  hospital.     Begging   is  severely  prohibited  here  ;  all  poor 
strangers  are  lodged  three  days  in  the  hospital,   and  dismissed 
with  linen,  cloaths,  &c.  and  a  little  money.      The   poor  eat  in 
refectories,  listening  all  the  while  to  reading  ;   and  every  thing 
is  as  regular  as  in  a  convent,  though  there  are  here  1500  stran- 
gers,  and   as  many  poor  of  the  to;vn.      It  is  impossible  not  to- 
admire  their  surgeon's  and  apothecary's  shop,  granary  for  2  or 
300    strikes    of   wheat.     Lyons    neither    is    nor    can  be  for- 
tified.    It  has    indeed   three   small  forts,   viz     Pierre   Ancise 
on  a  mountain,  St  Sebastian,  and  St  Clare  ;  and  since  the  mu- 
tiny of  the  mob,  two  years  ago,  they  have  a  small  garrison, 
and  are  building  barracks  to  lodge  the  military.     The   princi- 
pal:- manufactures   are    in     lace,     especially   gold  and   silver, 
and  in  making  and    weaving    silk.     The   poor   in   the   Great 
Hospital  all  work  ;  even   at  So   years  of  age,  they  will  gain 
three  or  four  sols  a-day,  in  preparing  siik,  spinning,  carding,&c. 
all  doing  something-,  according  to  their  capacity,   sex,   and  age. 
One  part  of  Lyons,  which  is  situated  on  a  hill,  is  called  For- 
viere,  and  from  the  steeple  of  Notre-Dame  de  Forvierc  is  the 
best   view   of  the  town.      Near  it   is  the  convent  cf  Carmes, 
which   is    a   very   beautiful   building,   and  has  a  good   church. 
The  abbey  of  St  Auny  of  Benedictines  enjoys  15,000  livres  a- 
year.      The  custom- house  shews  us  the  vast  quantities  of  silks 
which   arrive   continually  from   Sicily,   Naples,  Florence,  &c. 
It  is  worth  while  to  see  the  silk  mills  :   one  woman   can  easily 
turn  one,  and   thev  are  joined  together,  so  that  a  mule  can  ea- 

7  B.  J  O  ' 

silv  turn  seven  at  once.  Lyons  is  governed  by  a  provost  of 
the  merchant?,  chosen  every  two  years  by  the  masters  in  cer- 
tain craft?,  which  conc;;it  of  the  principal  trades,  and  of  four 

I'"  4' 


96  TRAVELS   OF    REV.    AL$AN   BUTI  ER. 

consuls  and  four  echevins,  of  which  two  are  new  every  year, 
the  two  old  ones  remaining  in  office  a  second  year. 

The  country  round  Lyons  is  rendered  beautiful  by  many 
very  great  and  noble  houses,  belonging  to  the  nobility  and  rich 
merchants.  Amongst  these  is  the  seat  and  park,  of  the  duke 
of  Villerov.  The  house  of  the  present  provost  of  the  mer- 
chants is  the  best,  and  the  road  to  the  town  is  perpetually 
crowded  with  coaches,  when,  he  is  in  the  country.  The  Aca- 
demy, in  which  riding  is  taught,  seems  a  very  good  one.  I 
should  become  too  difFure,  were  I  to  mention  all  the  fine  build- 
ings of  this  city.  Their  very  shambles  are  so  sumptuous  and 
stately,  that  one  would  take  them  for  a  palace. 

From  Lyons  to  Vienne  it  is  five  leagues,  to  Tournon  10 
more,  three  farther  to  Valencia,  12  more  to  Viviers,  four 
to  Pont  St  Esprit,  and  10  from  thence  to  Avignon  ;  in  all  from 
Lyons  to  Avignon  43  leagues. 

As  this  road  lies  along  the  Rhone,  I  shall  first  describe 
that  noble  river.  '1  he  Rhone  rises  from  a  spring  and  melt- 
ed snow  in  mount  St  Godard,  part  of  the  Alps,  in  Swit- 
zerland. Out  of  the  same  mountain  rises,  at  the  distance 
of  two  short  miles,  the  Tesin,  and  only  three  leagues  from  the 
source  of  the  Rhone,  the  Rhine,  which  taking  its  course  to- 
wards the  north,  runs  through  the  lake  of  Constance  by  Schaff- 
Jiausen,  (where  are  its  greatest  cataracts),  by  Basil,  Brisac, 
Stras  urg,  and  through  Holland.  The  Rhone,  rising  from  two 
fountains,  falls  down  the  mountains,  and  a  long  descent,  with 
great  impetuosity  ;  continually  increasing  from  the  snows  and 
torrents,  it  takes  its  course  through  the  Valteline,  which 
cou  itry  is  nothing  but  a  very  long  valley.  It  is  very  broad 
at  St  Maurice,  and  below  runs  through  the  lake  of  Geneva, 
then  separates  a  long  way  Savoy  frcm  France,  and  afterwards 
1  auphmy  irom  Bresse.  It  is  not  navigable  above  Geneva., 
o'  account  of  its  frequent  falls,  and  it  even  loses  itself  under 
ground  a  little  way  (five  leagues)  below  Geneva.  At  Lyons 
it  receives  the  Saone,  a  slov,  bruad,  shallow  river,  from  Chain- 
pag  i  •  and  Burgundy,  passes  by  Vienne,  Valence,  Pont  du.  Si. 
tsprit,  Avi0non;  Tcrasson,  Aries,  and  first  divkling  into  two 


Chap.  V.  TOUR  FROM  LYONS  TO  AIX.  yj 

branches,  then  lower  down  into  five,  falls  into  the  Mediterra- 
nean by  five  mouths.  It  is  the  most  rapid  of  great  rivers,  and 
has  many  rocks,  whirlpools,  and  gulphs,  which  make  sailing 
on  it  exceedingly  hazardous,  though  the  boatmen  know  its  dan- 
gerous places  very  well.  When  the  snows  melt  more  abun- 
dantly on  the  Alps,  it  is  much  more  impetuous  and  dangerous. 
It  is  so  rapid  that  a  boat  goes  often  in  two  days  to  Avignon, 
but  will  be  15  or  20  in  coining  up  against  the  stream,  though 
drawn  by  horses. 

The  province  of  Dauphiny  is  very  large  and  fertile  towards 
the  Lyonnois,  but  very  mountainous  near  Savoy  and  the  Alps. 
It  has  two  archbishoprics,  Vienne  and  Embrux  :  Four  bi- 
shoprics, Gap,  Die,  Valois,  and  St  Pol-trois-Chateau.  It 
belonged  to  the  Burgundians,  and  had  its  Sovereign  Counts 
from  about  the  year  900.  One  of  those,  Humbert  II.,  be- 
came a  Dominican  in  Avignon,  making  his  vows  to  Cle- 
ment VI.  and  being  by  him  ordained  priest,  gave  his  province 
to  Philip  of  Valois,  king  of  France,  in  the  year  1345,  some 
sav,  because  he  found  himself  too  weak  to  defend  against  the 
Duke  of  Savoy.  He  died  Patriarch  of  Alexandria,  and  lies  bu- 
ried at  the  Dominicans  at  Paris.  It  is  well  known  he  gave  Dau- 
phiny to  France  on  this  condition,  that  the  King's  eldest  son 
should  always  take  the  title  of  Dauphin. 

VIENKE  was  anciently  the  capital  of  the  Allobriges,  and  af- 
terwards of  the  Burgundians.  The  emperors  pretending  a 
right  to  the  town,  gave  the  sovereignty  to  the  archbishop. 
Hence  the  dauphins,  and  after  Humbert  the  kings  of  France, 
were  forced  to  take  it  by  force,  and  after  long  sieges.  These 
wars  brought  it  to  its  present  pitiful  condition.  It  is  now  a 
poor  ill-built  city,  very  narrow,  but  long,  situated  on  the  bank 
cf  the  Rhone.  Its  streets  are  almost  all  up  steep  ascents, 
which  carriages  have  much  ado  to  climb.  They  are  mise- 
jrabiy  paved  with  sharp  uneven  stones  ;  for  if  they  were  smooth, 
it  would  be  still  harder  than  it  is,  to  climb  up  or  come  down 
them  without  continually  falling  ;  but  they  cut  one's  feet,  and 
make  walking  very  painful.  Vienne  is  still  the  capital  of 
JUnver  Dauphiny,  a  prer.idial  and  a  bailieship.  Besides  the 


98  TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

Rhone,  the  little  river  Gera  runs  through  it  into  the  Rhone. 
Gera  has  on  it  many  paper-mills  and  shops  of  sword-cutlers. 
Its  waters  have  a  particular  virtue  to  season  blades  of  swords, 
&c.  The  cathedral  is  dedicated  to  St  Maurice,  whose  head  it 
possesses :  it  is  exceeding  vast  and  noble,  in  the  Gothic  taste, 
but  very  naked  of  ornaments.  Before  the  high  altar  lies  the 
heart  of  Francis,  the  son  of  Francis  I.  Dauphin  of  France,  un- 
der a  brass  plate,  with  an  inscription.  A  large  cloister  is 
built  round  a  court  before  the  church,  full  of  very  old  monu- 
ments of  great  men  buried  here,  with  inscriptions  in  ancient 
characters.  It  is  a  pleasure  to  read  them,  and  consider  the  va- 
riety of  workmanship  on  them,  Sec.  The  archbishop,  who 
pretends  this  church  was  founded  by  St  CRESCENS,  disciple  of 
St  PAUL,  takes  the  title  of  Primate  of  all  the  Gauls.  The 
Martyrs  of  Vienne,  under  the  Emperor  Marcus  Aurelius  Ve- 
rus,  are  an  illustrious  proof  of  its  zeal.  In  the  joint  letter  it 
is  named  before  Lyons.  Vienne  was  a  Roman  colony,  and 
probably  the  seat  of  the  Roman  lieutenant  in  Gaul.  Without 
the  city  is  the  field  de  J}Aigtnllet  or  Needle,  in  which  stands  a 
high  pyramid  of  stone,  joined  without  any  cement.  ADO,  au- 
thor of  the  ancient  Martyrology,  und  archbishop  of  Vienne  in 
the  pth  century,  says  that  Pontius  Pilate,  who  condemned  our 
SAVIOUR,  was  banished  hither  ;  and  the  tradition  of  the  country 
has  confirmed  this  story  for  many  ages  at  least.  It  is  certain, 
from  ancient  history,  he  was  deprived  of  his  government  by 
the  Emperor,  and  afterwards  killed  himself;  and  this  might 
probably  be  at  Vienne,  as  the  people  say.  They  call  an  old 
tower  upon  the  Rhone  Pilate's  'Tower,  and  pretend  an  old  cha- 
pel, called  Notre-Dame-de-la-Vie,  was  his  prsetorium,  and  the 
Roman  court  of  justice :  a  rock  and  a  lake,  two  leagues  out  of 
town,  bear  his  name  :  and  some  pretend  he  flung  himself  head- 
long from  this  rock.  But  probably  that  tower,  £cc.  got  its 
name  from  Humbert  Pilati,  secretary  to  Humbert  the  last 
Dauphin.  On  a  stone  in  the  wall  of  that  chapel  is  the  following 
inscription,  very  modern:  "  Tljis  is  the  globe  of  2'ilate's 
sceptre :"  a  ridiculous  story,  unless  Humbert  Pilati  is  meant. 
The  church  of  St  Severus  was  built  by  that  saint,  in  a  place 
where  the  heathens  adored  TOO  gods  under  a  tree,  which  he 


Chap.  V.        TOUR  FROM  LYON3  TO  AIX.  99 

caused  to  be  cut  down.     This  is  related  in  the  following  in- 

o 

scription  on  a  pillar :  "  Arborem  cleos  Severus  evertit  centum 
"  deorum."  Their  other  illustrious  monuments  of  ancient 
greatness,  which  subsisted  not  very  long,  are  now  destroyed,  and 
the  very  stones  carried  off:  one  may  still  discover  however  the 
ruins  of  an  amphitheatre.  The  collegiate  church  of  St  Ste- 
phens, near  the  Rhone,  is  a  large  and  fine  Gothic  building. 
The  other  churches  and  convents  have  nothing  remarkable. 
The  chief  are  the  Jesuits,  on  a  very  steep  mountain  ;  the 
Minims,  Cordeliers,  Cannes,  £cc.  Good  cote-rotie  is  here 
very  plentiful  :  It  grows  on  the  sides  of  mountains  in  a  good 
exposure,  in  Forez  towards  Auvergne,  and  in  abundance,  though 
all  the  vineyards  do  not  afford  the  good  wine. 

From  Vienne  it  is  13  leagues  to  GRENOBLE,  called  Accusium 
by  Ptolomy  the  ancient  geographer.  The  Emperor  GRATIAN 
embellished  it,  and  from  him  it  took  the  name  of  Gratianopo- 
lis,  or  Grenoble.  The  latter  Dauphins  made  it  capital  of  the 
province,  and  erected  in  it  their  delphinal  council,  which  Lewis 
XI.  changed  into  a  parliament.  It  stands  on  a  plain,  on  the 
river  Isere,  in  the  midst  of  mountains.  The  inhabitants  are 
exceedingly  polite.  But  the  town  is  commonly  said  to  have 
nothing  worth  seeing,  except  the  curiosities  about  it.  Its 
bishop  takes  the  title  of  Prince  of  Grenoble.  The  Grande 
Chartreuse  is  three  leagues  from  the  town  6  long  hours  tedi- 
ous travelling  up  almost  impassible  mountains.  The  monas- 
tery is  built  in  different  apartments  or  cells  between  two  high 
mountain?,  the  cliffs  covered  with  pine  trees.  Through  the 
valley  rolls  a  rapid  torrent,  making  a  great  noise  on  the  stones 
of  the  rocks  which  it  meets  with,  in  its  progress.  The  convent 
stands  in  a  barren  plain  a  short  mile  long,  and  very  narrow;  the 
place  affords  them  nothing  but  woo>l,  stones,  iron,  water  and 
mills,  all  other  things  are  brought  them  from  Grenoble  :  for 
which  reason  they  have  made  the  roads  as  patent  as  possible. 
The  monastery  is  very  rich  ;  and  enjoys  300,000  livres  a~yeai. 
They  practise  hospitality,  and  will  entertain  any  stranger  accord- 
ing to  his  quality  for  three  days.  Their  cells  and  church  are 
neat,  but  not  magnificent.  The  chapel  of  novices  is  the  finest  part 
•jt  u,  bHni*  built  of  marble,  adorned  with  good  paintings,  basso 


100         TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALB  AN  BUTLER. 

relievos,  and  a  tabernacle  of  amber.     But  the  chief  curiosity  is 
the  Cell  of  St  Bruno  and  his  six  companions,  on  the  top  of  the 
mountain,   in  a  most  frightful  cold  situation.     Amongst  other 
pictures  there  they  shew  the  true  picture  of  St  Bruno  well  ex- 
ecuted.    He  is  represented,   as  he  was  reduced  by  his  auster'- 
ties,   pale  as  ashes,  and  nothing  literally  but  skin  and  bones. 
As  his  picture  is   in  all  the  other  charter-houses,  an  English 
Lord  lately  said  to  the  father  who  conducted  him  :  he  was  sur- 
prized only  at  one  thing  in  their  house,  to  see  lint  so  fat  and 
his  founder  so  lean.    The  valley  is  now,  with  incredible  labour 
rendered  much  less  uncomfortable.     The  desert  woods  of  pine 
trees  are  in  many  places  cut  down  and  turned  into  meadows 
and  pasture,  which  feed  cattle.     The  brook  affords  fish,  parti- 
cularly sweet  excellent  trouts.     Every  religious   has  a  gar- 
den, besides  his  four  rooms,  viz.   one  with  a  chimney,   one 
to  lie  in,  one  for  his  study,  another  to  eat  in.     But  in  winter 
this  habitation  rrmst  be  frightful.     Even  in  summer  a  very 
transient  sight  of  it  fills  a  stranger  with  a  holy  reverence,  while 
the  mortified  air  of  the  monks  inspire  the  spirit  of  penance  and 
compunction.      St  Hugh  bishop  of  Grenoble  gave  this  solitude 
to  St  Bruno  and  his  six  companions  in  icSo.       Silencs  and  re- 
treat from  all  commerce  with  the  world,  has  ever  preserved 
this  order  in  its   primitive  spirit  of  religion  ;  it  had  even  no 
written  rules  before  Guy  the  fourth  general  of  the  order.  The 
general  takes  no  other  title  than  prior  of  t'.ie  charter-house  ; 
and  never  stirs  cut.       He  holds  a  genenil  Chapter  every  year. 
The  Carthusians  observe  an  inviolable  abstinence  from  flesh, 
(which  they  are  prohibited  from  eating  during  even  extreme 
iuckness")  besides  a  fast  almost  perpetual  from  the  Exaltation  of 
the  Holy  Cross  till  Easter,  eating  nothing  but  a  small  morsel  of 
bread  at  their  collations  ;  they  wear  always  a  hair  shirt,  and  lie 
on  straw  in  their  habits  ;  have  nine  hours  prayer  a   day,  of 
which  four  are   in  the  night  ;   for  they  rise  at  10  or  II  o'clock 
to  matins,   and  are  three  or  four  hours   in  choir  before  they 
rrturn   to  bed.       On  holy-days  they  say  all   the  hours  of  their 
oftice  in  choir,  and  dine  together  in  a  refectory  :  But  on  other 
days,  they  only  go  thrice  to  choir,viz,.  to  matins,  high  mass,  and 
jwd  vespers :   The  rest  of  the  time  they  spend  all  in  their  cells 


Clap.  V.        TOUR  FROM  LYONS  TO  AIX.  rci 

in  reading,  praying,  and  working,  and  have  only  leave  to  talk  one 
half  day  a  week,  &c. 

At  the  same  distance  of  three  leagues  on  the  other  side,  is  what 
they  call  the  Burning  Fountain  of  Grenoble.  The  true  account  of 
which,  though  I  never  saw  it,is  this  :  A  sulphureous  steam  mix- 
ed with  nitre  in  the  air  issues  out  of  the  dry  earth  :  If  you  apply- 
to  it  a  burning  wisp  of  straw,  or  candle,  it  immediately  takes 
flame  ;  as  it  formerly  reached  nearer  a  rivulet  that  runs  by,  the 
flame  would  run  over  and  on  the  top  of  the  water,  whilst  it  re- 
mained cold  and  as  usual.  This  I  had  from  good  authority  j 
the  other  wonderful  stories  told  about  it  are  not  to  be  depend- 
ed upon.  On  these  mountains,  as  also  in  Auvergne,  &c.  there 
are  white  partridges  and  hares  :  If  those  animals  couple,  hav- 
ing nothing  before  their  eyes  but  white  snow,  their  young  may 
have  the  same  colour,  from  the  senses  and  phantasia  of  the  old 
ones  being  filled  with  it ;  or  perhaps  the  cold,  contracting  the 
pores  of  their  skin,  and  making  it  more  condensed,  is  the  cause 
of  their  growing  white  ;  for  white  arises  from  bodies  which 
are  compact,  and  strong  reflectors,  as  Sir  Isaac  Newton's  sys- 
tem explains.  Hence  bears,  aad  other  animals  in  the  north, 
are  sometimes  white  in  winter,  and  grey  in  summer  :  Ihese, 
with  the  ^fower  without  venom,  that  is,  in  which  no  venomous 
creature  can  live,  on  account  of  exhalations  of  the  soil,  which 
are  noxious  to  them,  and  certain  salt  fountains  near  the  Gap, 
not  now  subsisting,  having  been  turned  off  by  subterraneous 
channels, — make  up  the  seven  wonders  of  Dauphiny. 

But  to  return  to  VIENNE,  we  went  down  the  Rhone  between 
mountainous  countries,  and  in  many  places,  especially  on  the 
right  hand  in  Vivavcz,  £tc.  high  recks  hang  frightfully  over 
the  river.  On  the  left  in  Dauphiny,  after  nine  leagues  journey, 
we  saw  the  burgh  of  Taisne,  and  a  little  before  it  we  took  no- 
tice of  the  Hermitage  :  This  is  an  extensive  high  fertile  moun- 
tain, having  on  the  top  a  chapel  called  the  Hermitage,  without 
any  house  near  it.  On  a  good  exposure,  on  the  brow  of  this 
hill,  grows  the  excellent  wine  of  the  Hermitage  ;  but  no  more 
tban  300  burs  are  produced  in  a  year  .  It  is  sold  at  3  livres 
a  bottle  on  the  spot.  The  rest  of  the  '.vine  hereabouts  is  very 
»ar 


ID*         TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

Valence  or  Valentin,  three  leagues  farther,  also  in  Dauphi- 
ny,  is  now  a  poor  frightful  city,  the  streets  so  steep  on  very 
high  brows,  so  roughly  paved,  and  all  so  ill  built,  that  it  occa- 
sioned some  surprise.  There  is  indeed  a  curious  clock  on  the 
town-house,  with  a  great  many  figures  moving  by  an  ingenious 
machinery.  But  such  are  common  in  these  parts.  In  the 
Dominican's  church  are  monstrous  bones  of  a  giant,  killed,they 
say,  on  the  mountains  of  the  Vivarais  ;  in  truith  they  must  be 
the  bones  of  some  sea  monster.  The  town  has  a  small  fort  ; 
and  contains  a  celebrated  University,  almost  exclusively  for  the 
study  of  law  ;  its  professors  have  very  great  salaries,  the  cer- 
tainmeans  to  have  always  good  ones  :  All  lawyers,  &.c.  for 
Dauphiny  are  obliged  to  take  their  degrees  here  or  at  Grenobe. 
VALENTIA  was  a  Roman  colony:  It  is  capital  of  the  Valen- 
tinois,  a  very  honourable  dutchy,  which  was  given  to  the  Prince 
of  Monaco  in  exchange,  for  the  possession  of  an  important  place 
in  Piedmont  of  the  same  name.  About  a  league  above  the  town, 
tve  saw  the  Isere  fall  impetuously  into  the  Rhone.  This  river 
rises  in  the  hills  of  the  Tarantaise,  runs  by  Grenoble,  is  more 
rapid  and  steep  than  the  Rhone,  swelling  from  the  snows  and 
waters  of  Daupiny,  so  that  to  sail  down  it  in  a  boat  from 
Grenoble,  is  like  going 'post  :  But  there  is  no  getting  up  against 
the  stream.  Pliny  counts  it  among  the  torrents.  On  our 
right  we  passed  by  le  Velay,  of  which  Puy  is  capital  ;  and  Vi- 
•uarex  with  its  capital  Viviers,  half  a  league  from  the  Rhone. 
Its  bishop  is  an  exemplary  prelate.  Behind  Velay  lies  Au- 
•uergne,  in  which  CLF.RMOKT  its  metropolis  is  renowned  in 
church  history.  Behind  Vivarez  is  Gevaudan,  of  which 
Mende  is  the  principal  city  :  This  joins  Languedoc  near  Nismes. 
The  mountainous  parts  of  these  four  provinces  are  called  the 
Ccvennes,  a  country  entirely  impassible  even  on  foot  in  most 
parts,  and  very  subject  to  snows.  The  very  sight  of  those 
mountains  was  frightful ;  yet  the  brows  of  them  in  many  parts, 
especially  in  Auvergne,  produce  very  good  wine,  and  the  cote 
rotie,  so  called  from  being  exposed  to  the  sun.  The  Huguenots 
are  still  very  numerous  in  these  parts,  Their  wars  in  these 
mountains,  and  the  pretended  miracles,  ridiculous  prophecies, 
&.c.  of  the  ;e  fanatics,  in  the  beginning  of  this  century,  described 


Chap.  V.         TOUR  FROM  LYONS  TO  AIX.  10 ^' 

by  the  eloquent  prelate  M.  FLECHIER,  have  made  the  Gevennes 
much  talked  of.  Lewis  XIV.  treating  with  them  by  Marshall 
Villars,  allowed  them  to  retire  with  arms,  &c.  We  met  them  set- 
tled in  the  canton  of  Bern  in  Switzerland  ;  but  many  of  them  are 
now  come  back  into  France  :  Even  the  city  of  Lyons,  and  all 
these  parts  swarm  with  them.  We  left,  at  a  great  distance  on 
our  left  hand  in  Dauphiny,  before  we  took  leave  of  it,  Die  and 
G<7/>,  two  small  bishoprics,  and  AMBRUN  a  little  town,  but  an 
honourable  archbishopric ;  its  walls  are  now  razed  ;  its  rich 
church  was  plundered  by  the  Huguenots  in  the  civil  wars.  It 
was  the  Romans  great  Kbrodunum.  The  Lite  Council  held  here 
to  depose  the  Jansenist  bishop  of  Senez,  by  archbishop  Tensin, 
now  cardinal  and  archbishop  of  Lyons,  is  much  talked  of. 
BmANqON  is  still  a  strong  little  place  on  a  mountain. 

Before  I  leave  this  country,  I  must  not  omit  the  post-asses, 
which  are  to  be  met  with  in  several  parts  of  Dauphiny,  and 
the  skirts  of  the  Cevennes  :  One  pays  five  sols  a  post.  The 
beast,  beat  him  as  you  please,  always  goes  his  own  pac?,  will 
never  be  made  to  go  out  of  his  way  ;  at  next  post-house  stops, 
nor  is  it  possible  to  make  him  move  an  inch  farther.  If  he  falls, 
the  rider  cannot  hurt  himself,  unless  the  peevish  creature  kicks. 

We  next  came  to  PONT  St  ESPRIT,  it  is  a  considerable: 
burgh  :  Its  citadel  is  regularly  fortified,  and  has  always  a  good 
garrison.  It  is  a  frontier  against  the  Pope,  an  enemy  not  fear- 
ed ;  but,  being  commanded  by  a  mountain,  thio  fort  afford;  nj 
defence.  Its  beautiful  bridge  is  too  narrow,  but  very  long-, 
consisting  of  33  arches  :  It  is  built  of  line  smoctli  equal  stones  j 
but  its  pavement  is  so  slippery,  that  it  is  very  hard  to  walk 
firm  over  it.  It  joins  Dauphiny  with  Languedoc. 

ORANGE,  three  leagues  from  Avignon,  and  one  from  the 
Rhone,  was  a  great  city  under  the  llcrnaijj.  It  shews  the 
ruins  of  a  circus,  of  a  Ro.nan  tower  or  temple,  of  a  triumphal 
arch  raised  by  Caius  Marius,  and  Luct.  Catulus,  in  memory 
of  their  victory  over  the  Cimbri  and  Teutons.  It  had  iti 
Counts,  afterwards  called  Princes,  who  always  p  ived  homage 
to  the  Counts  of  Provence.  These  counts  began  in  the  nth  cen- 
tury ;  and  were  of  the  family  of  Rartibaud  first  Count  ;  that  race 
failing  by  a  female,  it  w^s  carried  into  the  family  of  the  Baro:i 


104         TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAW  BUTLER. 

de  Baux  ;  and  from  that  again  by  a  sole  heiress,  anno  1418,  to 
the  family  of  Ckalon.  The  last  of  this  race,  Philibert  de 
Chalon,  having  no  issue,  left  by  will  his  principality  to  RENK 
de  NASSAU  his  nephew,  by  a  sister  in  1^30.  In  consequence 
of  which,  six  princes  of  NASSAU  successively  enjoyed  the 
principality,  till  Lewis  XIV.,  in  his  wars  against  WIL- 
LIAM, afterwards  King  of  England,  seized  it,  alleging,  be- 
sides  the  right  of  war,  old  pretensions.  He  ruzed  the  fortifi- 
cations and  citadel,  and  banished  the  Huguenots,  though  many 
have  since  returned.  They  had  turned  out  the  bishop  and 
canons,  but  Lewis  XVI.  restored  them  an.  1073.  Orange  is 
now  a  little  city,  bishopric,  and  university.  The  principality 
is  four  leagues  long,  and  as  many  broad  ;  and  very  fertile. 

The  Venaisin,  or  county  of  AVIGNON,  was  part  of  Provence. 
JOAN,  Queen  of  Naples,  and  Countess  of  Provence,  in  her 
wars  for  Naples,  wanting  money,  sold  this  province  to  Pope 
Clement  VI., by  a  contract  sealed  an.  1348,  for  80, coo  gold  flo- 
rins of  Florence.  The  French,  upon  any  rupture  with  Rome,  al- 
ways begin  to  dispute  the  validity  of  this  sale :  but  a  long  posses- 
sion confirms  it.  This  county,  or  as  they  call  it  in  the  language  of 
the  country,  Comptatt  abounds  in  oil,  wine,  corn,  and  fruics,  and 
is  1 1  leagues  long  from  Cavaillon  to  Pal  us,  and  six  broad  from 
Avignon  to  beyond  Carpentras.  The  pope  governs  it  by  a 
vice-legate,  always  a  young  prelate  of  great  birth,  who  is  after* 
•wards  frequently  made  nuncio  at  Paris,  &.c.  The  present  vice- 
legate  is  Monsignor  Paschale  d'Aquaviva,  a  Neopolitan.  Avig- 
non is  an  uni\ersity,  and  an  archbishopric,  having  three  Suffra- 
gans, all  in  the  county,  viz.  Cavaillon,  Carpentras,  and  Vaison. 

VAUCLUSE,  five  leagues  from  Avignon  in  the  Comptat^  is  u 
famous  fountain,  out  of  which  bursts  the  Sorguc  a  great  river 
from  its  source,  which  falls  into  the  Rhone  at  Avignon.  The 
fountain  is  very  agreeable,  being  on  all  sides  but  one,  surround- 
ed with  high  perpendicular  rocks,  which  form  a  semicircle.  It 
abounds  with  the  sweetest  eels  in  the  the  world,  also  trouts, 
&c.  In  this  fountain  three  things  are  remarkable  ;  1st,  a 
large  river,  which  sometimes  on  a  sudden  overfloods  the  whole 
country  for  five  leagues,  gushes  our  frcm  it  at  once.  This 
may  perhaps  be  explained  by  supposing  that  the  river  comes 


Clap.  V.  TOUR  FROM  LYONS  TO  AIX.  ICJ 

much  farther  under  ground,  and  forms  by  degrees  in  the  moun- 
tains. Shepherds  who  go  farther  into  the  mountains,  say  that 
they  hear,  two  or  three  leagues  off,  the  murmurings  of  a  great 
str-arn  rolling  uader  ground.  idly,  It  is  sometimes  so  low 
n.s  to  he  almost  dry,  sometimes  so  high  as  to  reach  a  great  way 
up  the  mountain  ;  which  may  be  seen  by  the  marks  made  on 
the  rock.  These  rises  may  be  attributed  to  greater  quantities 
of  snow  melting  on  the  mountains.  I  could  not  learn  the  times 
in  which  they  happen,  though  people  say  they  are  regular. 
They  relate  many  other  regular  irregularities  of  this  wonderful 
fountain,  which  might  probably  be  all  explained  by  means  of 
subterraneous  natural  siphons,  tantaluses,  and  other  hydrauli- 
cal  tubes  or  channels  in  the  earth  ;  but  I  could  get  no  certain 
or  exact  account  of  them.  3dly,  Vaucluse  is  celebrated  for 
having;  been  the  retreat  of  PETRARCH* 

O 

For  70  years  the  Popes  resided  at  Avignon  instead  of  Rome, 
viz..  Clement  V.,  John  XXII.,  Benedict  XII.,  Clement  VI., 
Urban  V.,  and  Gregory  XL,  from  1305  to  1.75:  by  this 
means  Avignon  was  adorned,  and  called  a  second  Rome,  being 
governed  in  the  same  manner  :  and  we  met  here  the  Pope's 
guards,  with  their  harlequin  dress  of  patched  coats  of  different 
colours,  gcc.  The  vice-legate's  palace  is  richly  furnished  :  But 
his  Excellency,  (as  he  is  styled)  does  not  me  till  almost  noon* 
The  streets  are  well  built  and  paved  ;  the  many  stately  houses, 
pleasant  gardens,  with  the  finest  and  most  numerous  churches 
in  all  France,  make  it  a  very  agreeable  city.  Its  walls  are 
called  one  of  the  wonders  of  the  world  for  beauty:  They  are  30 
feet  high, and  built  of  curious  polished  stones.  The  towers  upon 
them,  the  art  with  which  they  are  cut,  the  gardens  beneath 
them,  &.C.,  give  them  a  great  advantage  ;  but  they  are  a  naked 
ornament,  and  of  no  strength.  The  famous  bridge  o\erthe 
Rhone,  which  is  here  rapid  and  broad,  was  half  a  mile  long,  and 
very  wonderful.  It  is  now  broke  down  halfway,  and  the  river 
must  be  passed  in  a  boat.  The  R:ione  here  divides  itself  into  two 
channels  and  forms  an  island.  The  Cathedral  of  Avignon  is  a 
stately  Gothic  structure,  dedicated  to  our  Lady.  The  tombs  of 
many  Popes  buried  here  are  very  magnificent,  especially  that  of 
John  XXII.,  admirable  for  its  work,  all  in  marble,  almost  43 

G 


loS         TRAVELS  OF  THE  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

high  as  the  chapel  it  stands  in.  In  the  choir  are  engraven  in 
brass  all  the  Popes  who  sat  at  Avignon  :  In  a  side  chapel,  is  a 
fine  marble  chair  and  throne,  the  scat  of  the  Popes.  Under 
the  high  altar  in  a  silver  shrine  lie  the  relics  of  four  Saints  : 
This  church  possesses  many  others.  Pope  John  XXII's.  cope 
is  wonderfully  wrought  in  figures  of  persons,  birds,  &c.  in  silk, 
St  A.oricola  and  St  Peter's  are  two  collegiate  churches  of 

"~     o  <- 

Canons.  The  Popes  oiJ  palace  ^vns  built  by  John  XXII. 
The  town-house  has  a  new  noble  front.  The  Cordeliers'  church 
is  remarkable  for  its  prodigious  large  vault  without  any  p'.llars 
to  support  it.  In  iis  last  chapel  lies  buried  LAURA,  so  much 
celebrated  in  the  poems  of  PETRARCU,  whose  parents  were  ba- 
nished out  of  Tuscany  in  the  civil  wars,  and  brought  him  young 
to  Avignon.  He  was  so  much  in  love  with  the  solitude  of 
Vaucluse,  that  he  spent  the  greatest  part  of  his  life,  and  wrote 
most  of  his  works  there.  Laura  was  a  young  gentlewoman  of 
the  country,  whom  he  met  accidentally  in  the  fields,  and  chose 
for  his  poetic  mistress,  though  the  people  of  Avignon  justify 
them  both  as  very  innocent  and  virtuous  in  their  lives.  Pe- 
trarch was  invited  to  Paris  and  Rome.  He  chose  the  latter, 
and  was  crowned  poet  with  great  pomp  in  the  Campidoglio. 
He  always  refused  the  invitation  of  his  ungrateful  countrymen 
to  return  to  Florence.  He  died  at  Padua  and  lies  in  a  fine  mar- 
ble tomb  before  the  great  church-door.  He  lived  in  the  14th 
century.  The  blessed  CJESAR  de  Bus,  founder  of  the  Fathers  of 
the  Christ  an  doctrine,  lies  in  their  church  here.  The  Domini- 
cans' church  surpasses  in  beauty  the  Cordeliers,  especially  the 
two  chapels  in  their  Dormitory,  one  of  St  Vincent  Ferrier, 
with  an  excellent  picture  of  that  saint ;  the  other  of  St  An- 
tony of  Padua.  The  convents  of  the  Cannes  and  Augustint- 
ans,  for  their  vaults  ;  the  college  of  the  Jesuits,  for  its  portico, 
front,  £xc.  are  worthy  of  the  attention  of  travellers  ;  but  above 
all,  the  Convent  of  the  Cciestines,  not  so  much  for  its  great 
extent,  and  the  pope's  monument  in  the  clioir,  as  for  two  rich 
slirir.es;  oneofStBENEZET,  a  shepherd,  who  they  say  miraculous- 
ly built  their  bridge  over  the  Rhone  ;  and  the  other  of  St  Peter 
of  Luxembourg,  son  of  the  Count  of  St  Paul,  chief  of  the  great 
iVuuily  of  Luxembourg,  sin^  exiiaa  iu  the  male  line,,  but  by 


dap.  V.  TOUR  FROM  LYONS  TO  AIX.  107 

females  divided  into  three  very  noble  families.  He  died  Car- 
dinal of  Avignon,  at  19  jears  of  age,  a  consummate  pattern  of 
austerity,  humility,  and  devotion  ;  his  shrine  is  honoured  by 
many  miracles.  Both  the  large  vault  and  akar  glitter  with 
gold,  and  are  rich  in  marble  and  fine  paintings.  The  Duke 
of  Luines,  of  the  family  of  Luxembourg,  laid  cut  vast  sums 
upon  ir.  In  the  church  is  also  admired  a  fine  basso-relievo  in 
marble,  of  our  SAVIOUR  carrying  his  Cross.  In  St  Deside- 
rius's  church  lie;  buried  St  PETER  DAMIAN,  Cardinal,  urrier  a 
marble  finely  polished.  It  contains  likewise  many  good  statues  j 
an  admirable  one  of  St  John  the  Evangelist,  In  St  Martin's, 
•nuder  his  tomb,  is  a  figure  of  a  skeleton,  beautifully  carved. 
This  church  belongs  to  Benedictine  monks.  St  Lawrence's 
little  church,  belonging  to  a  rich  Benedictine  nunnery,  is  a 
perfect  lijaux,  or  jewel.  It  completely  enchants  us  by  a  dis- 
play of  the  finest  gilding-,  carving,  and  painting.  And  indeed 
the  churches  of  Avignon  in  general  possess  much  more  ot  the 
Italian  lustre  and  taste,  than  those  ot  any  other  city  in  France : 
This,  added  to  the  mildness  of  the  climate,  and  the  obliging 
manners  of  the  people,  makes  it  an  agreeable  place  to  a  stran- 
ger. The  Jews  have  their  quarter  in  Avignon,  though  small 
and  poor  ;  they  are  about  500  :  The  men  are  obliged  to  wear 
a  yellow  ribbon  or  scarf  in  their  hats  ;  the  women  a  particu- 
lar laced  cap.  The  trade  of  Avignon  consists  in  silks,  gloves, 
and  ribbons,  &c.  It  swarms  with  voiturins  and  chaises^ 
drawn  slowly  by  mules.  Even  in  France,  on  this  side,  a  man 
may  hire  a  chaise,  &.c.  without  buying  a  licence,  which  he 
must  pay  very  dear  for  in  other  parts  of  that  kingdom. 

On  the  other  side  of  the  Rhone  is  VlLLENLUVE,  a  French 
town  in  Languedoc,  joining  to  Auvergne  :  In  it  is  a  Carthu- 
sians' convent,  with  charming  alleys,  and  a  magnificent  church, 
rich  in  marble  and  curious  paintings,  especially  a  St  Michael. 
There  is  a  marble  tomb  of  Pope  Innocent  XI.  and  his  nephew. 
About  two  leagues  below  Avignon  we  cross  the  Durance  in  a 

O  O 

boat,  where  it  has  two  channels  :  The  second  many  ford,  but  as 
it  is  often  deep,  travellers  that  venture  it  are  frequently  drown- 
ed. The  freight  of  this  passage  is  equal  to  a  good  estate,  and 
belongs  to  the  Marquis  of  Carpentras.  The  Durance  rises  in 

G  2 


jc8          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

Mount  Genevre  beyond  Dauphiny,  runs  near  Ambrun,  enters 
Provence,  and  waters  Sisteron,  St  Paul,  and  Pertuis  ;  and  in 
the  Covnptat  or  Venaissin,  the  town  of  Cavaillon,  and  falls 
into  the  Rhone  a  league  below  Avignon.  Livy  calls  it  a  river 
without  banks  or  bounds,  always  inconftant  ;  yet  the  Romans 
made  it  navigable  :  Its  banks  are  low,  level  with  the  waters, 
and  it  contains  many  sands  and  holes  ;  it  often  swells  extreme- 
ly by  the  snow  melting,  or  waters  from  the  mountains  of  Dau- 
phiny. Having  crossed  the  Durance,  we  found  ourselves  in 
Provercc,  so  calk-d  from  having  been  made  a  Roman  province 
before  the  rest  of  Gi-ul.  It  was  part  of  the  kingdom  of  Bur- 
gundy, and  afterwards  of  that  of  Aries  ;  and  when  the  latter 
kingdom  fell,  was  under  its  own  sovereign  Counts  from  the  pth 
century.  This  county,  by  its  heiress  marrying  Charles  of 
Anjou,  brother  to  St  Lewis,  and  King  of  Naples,  came  into 
that  family,  and  remained  so  till  Rene  or  Renatus,  the  last  male 
branch,  left  it  by  will  to  Lewis  XL  King  of  France. 

Provence  extends  from  the  Rhone  to  the  Alpes,  and  Savoy,  and 
from  the  Venaissin  andDauphinyto  the  Mediterranean, being  44 
leagues  long,  and  3  2  bread.  Lower  Provence,  towards  Savoy,  is 
mountainous,  and  fennv  in  the  valleys  ;  but  Upper  Provence, 
nbout  Aix,  with  part  of  Languedoc,  is  the  finest  country  in  the 
world,  as  I  shall  more  fullv  describe  when  I  speak  of  Aix, 

\Ve  passed  by  Oi gin,  a  httle  burgh  -,  and  Lambese,  a  good 
town, with  three  or  fourhandsomechurch.es.  T  he  states  of  Pio- 
vence  assemble  here  once  a-year  to  regulate  the  raising  of  the 
taxes,  £:.c,  ;  the  archbishop  of  Aix,  is  president,  and  has  the 
principal  authority.  They  do  not  meet  at  Aix  in  order  to  a- 
void  interference  with  the  Parliament.  We  arrived  at  last  at 
Aix,  13  long  leagues  (18  of  such  as  they  count  near  Paris), 
from  Avignon. 

Upper  Provence  is  in  general  a  plain  country  ;  planted  \vith 
olives  in  very  extensive  groves,  almond  and  orange  tree?, 
pomegranates,  &.c.  Even  the  desert  hills  and  heaths  dif- 
luse  a  most  sweet  smell,  being  covered  with  lavender,  rose- 
marine,  thyme,  in  great  plenty,  myrtles,  junipers,  and  some 
palm-trees,  such  as  we  see  among  the  exotics  in  the  physi 
gardens  at  Oxford,  Olive-trcts  arc  of  two  sorts,  the  cultivated, 


Clap.  V.        TOUR  FROM  LYONS  TO  AIX.  Jog 

about  eight  or  ten  feet  high  ;  and  the  wild,  which  is  the  tallest. 
They  are  very  bushy,  and  their  branches  form  a  thick  round 
tuft,  something  Lke  willows  artfully  cut ;  their  leaves  are  al- 
ways green  ;  they  bud  in  June  ;  the  fruit  succeeds  the  bud, 
oblong,  pulpy,  and  covered  with  a  soft  skin  ;  it  is  green  at 
first,  dun  turns  pale,  and  in  September  brown.  They  do  not 
gather  them  till  the  frosts  oblige  them,  in  October  or  Novem- 
ber. Olives  for  eating  are  gathered  sooner,  and  green  ;  but 
are  too  bitter  to  be  eaten  till  they  lv.ue  lain  in  water,  or  in  a 
/fs.iive  (lie)  of  ashes  of  o  ;k,  or  uf  wipe,  or  lime,  to  take  off 
their  bitterness.  To  make  oil,  the  olives  are  left  for  some 
time  on  a  floor  to  ripe;;,  then  ground  ir.to  a  paste,  by  which 
the  sweetest  and  best,  called  virgin  o:!,  is  expressed ;  but 
this  is  seldom  used,  for  they  always  mix  some  water  to 
encrease  the  quantity  ;  afterwards  hot  water  is  poured  up- 
on them,  and  they  are  pressed  again,  when  the  oil  swims 
on  the  top  of  the  water,  and  is  easily  skimmed  off.  This 
second  pressing  gives  very  good  oil  ;  but  the  third  pressing  is 
bad.  The  oil  of  Lucca  is  the  sweetest  and  best  in  Italy  ;  that 
of  Spain  is  better.  The  olive-trees  of  Aix  being  lower,  t!ie 
olives  are  gathered  with  tl.e  rmnd,  a:  d  the  oil  is  the  most  e- 
steemcd  of  any  in  the  world.  In  the  rest  of  Prcvcnce,  •  n  t  in 
Ln.nguedoc,  the  trees  are  taller  and  bigger,  and  the  oil  not  so 
good.  Olives  afford  little  nourishment,  but  give  an  appetite, 
and  strengthen  the  stomach.  Pomegranates  are  so  called  from 
(jian.'id1!  in  Spain  ;  some  are  sxvuct,  some  s'tur,  some  oi  a  rruv- 
td  tajte.  !t  is  a  beautiful  and  l-.uve  fruit,  but  neither  palatable 
n  >r  nourishing  to  a  foreigner;  it  is  full  oi  scuds.  'I  he  almond 
tree  is  as  Ltrge  da  a  small  :.  trading  apricot  tree,  though  its 
leaf  resembles  that  of  a  pe;:ch.  ri\ve«.-t  ^Imoru1;;  ?rc  sweet-ners, 
j^ectoral,  and  excite  spitting.  Bitter  almonds  hsve  more 
talts  ;  cleanse,  attenuate,  and  litlp  digestion,  and  are  diuretic. 
They  prevent  the  fnrnes  of  wine,  &u~,  fiT^m  mounting  to  tlio 
head.  Pliny  L^lls  us  of  a  Roman  lady,  \vho  by  their  use  c-::u!d 
not  be  m?.de  drur.k.  Dry  almonds  create  the  hc:d;:ch,  and 
load  the  stomach,  being  hard  to  digest  and  a-kin  to  nuts.  It  13 

O 

well  known  that  wall-nuts,  and  other  nuts,  are  nor  capable  oL" 
digestion.  Almnud-j  lose  their  l-^avi..  i  iu  winter",  but  push  ou; 

G  < 


110  TRAVELS  OF   REV.    ALBAN  BUTLER. 

very  early  in  spring.  They  are  covered  with  beautiful  blos- 
soms by  the  end  of  February,  and  their  fruit  is  ripe  and  ga- 
thered in  the  end  of  Ma.ch  or  beginning  of  April.  If  a  frost 
happens  in  a  morning  after  they  are  budded,  the  fruit  is  de- 
stroved  ;  so  that  though  the  Comptat  and  Provence  furnish 
France  with  this  fruit,  the  climate  is  scarce  southern  enough 
for  them.  Oranges  are  here  very  sweet  and  large,  and  as 
cheap  as  applts.  Provence  produces  a  good  strong  wine,  bet- 
ter than  our  ordinary  Hourdeaux,  and  in  great  plenty.  Its 
better  sort  of  wines  grow  about  Riez,  about  Cassis  near  Mar- 
seilles, and  the  dearest  of  all  at  St  Lawrence,  at  the  foot  of 
the  Alps.  This  last  was  the  favourite  wine  of  King  James  II. 
at  St  Germain's.  They  have  plenty  of  very  good  tnuscade 
wine,  cr  sack.  O  foreign  wines,  the  Rhone  brings  down  Bur- 
gundy very  cheap  :  Marseilles  furnishes  all  wines  from  Cyprus, 
Spain,  c&.  as  also  the  best  chocolate,  coffee,  &cc.  cheaper  than 
with  us. 

Besides  the  fruits  above-mentioned,  we  find  here  tntfjiest 
or  s\vincs  bread,  a  black  pulpy  strong  smelling  plant,  which 
grows  all  under  ground.  The  hogs  are  fond  of  them,  find 
them  by  their  smell,  and  root  them  up  half  a  foot  deep. 
They  grow  as  fast  as  mushrooms,  and  are  sold  at  7  or  8  sols 
a  pound.  Many  by  habit  acquire  a  relish  for  them,  but  to  a 
stranger  at  least  they  are  a  very  disagreeable  dish  :  Small 
pieces  in  soups  or  saaces  are  tolerable  :  Their  smell  fills  im- 
mediately the  whole  room.  We  have  some  growing  now  in 
Northamptonshire,  in  earth  brought  from  Fiance.  Chesnuts 
grow  i\  vast  plenty  here,  as  in  Italy  and  in  the  Vivarai?,  &.c. 
They  have  excellent  fi^s  a'icl  pluins,  especially  about  Brignol- 
L's,  the  sweetest  I  ever  tasted.  The  figs  which  are  first  ripe, 
viz..  in  July  and  August,  are  not  so  good  :  the  best  are  those  of 
October  and  September.  By  the  fruits  we  may  judge,  as  well 
as  by  other  things,  that  the  climate  of  Provence  is  like  Italy, 
only  it  is  not  so  very  hot  in  summer,  nor  so  sharp  in  the  win- 
ter inghts,  nor  so  much  subject  to  storms  and  earthquakes. 
\Ve  may  understand  some  of  the  Latin  writers  better  by  see- 
ing Provence  :  for  example,  by  the  esteem  people  have  for  ches- 
nut.~,  we  sec  why  Virpil's  Buccolics  so  oftenextol  them.  His  fre- 

^  o 

qiy-nt  rncntiori  of  lizard^  alio  shews  ho\v  this  countr 


Clap.  f.       A  TOUR  FROM  LYONS  TO  AIX.  Ill 

with  those  insects.  Indeed  every  old  wall  swarms  with  them, 
basking  themselves  in  the  sun  ;  and  every  foot  of  ground  in 
the  fields  teems  with  green  ones,  as  much  as  our  meadows  do 
with  grasshoppers,  which  last  are  also  as  common  there  as  with 
us.  These  lizards  are  necessary  in  hot  countries,  to  destroy  the 
flies,  which  would  be  troublesome  and  numerous  without  such 
enemies.  Lizards  are  still  larger  and  in  greater  quantities  in  Italy. 
The  scorpion  is  a  small  insect  with  eight  legs,  an  oval  bccly, 
the  head  joined  in  it,  and  a  long  tail,  in  which  they  have  a  b?.~ 
of  cold  poison.  In  Aix  even  their  cellars  are  full  of  them  r.r 
times,  after  long  rainy  weather  ;  they  creep  up  the  walls,  so 
that  in  Italy,  where  th.-y  are  still  more  numerous,  they  place 
their  be.ls  at  a  distance  from  the  walls,  to  hinder  scorpions 
from  creeping  so  easily  into  them.  Those  in  Aix  are  whit-\ 
and  their  poison  not  mortal.  A  counsellor  of  the  parliament 
informed  me,  that  one  hid  in  a  clean  shirt  he  had  recently 
put  OP,  bit  him  on  the  shoulder,  but  by  applying  some  mithri.. 
uate  he  received  no  harm.  The  black  and  brown  scorpions  arc 
found  in  Lower  Provence,  and  in  most  p.:ris  of  Italy  :  these 
are  mortal.  These  which  have  seven  knots  in  their  tail  are 
more  venomous  than  those  which  have  six.  The  remedy  13  to 
kill  and  crush  the  scorpion  on  the  wound,  or  to  apply  oil  la 
which  scorpions  h-ive  bce:i  killed.  But  the  viper  is  the  most 
ikirigr-rous  of  all  insect:'  or  st;  rents  in  Europe,  nay  pcrl.aps  i:i 
the  v.'L_ie  world,  except  the  iatile-s:i.  ke  of  the  Y^est-lndie*:, 
v. h:ch  3c:::n5  lo  have  given  r;je  to  the  f.ibulcus  reports  of  thj 
},  i.-ilok  or  cockatrice  of  the  a;:cL\its.  The  viper  is  hitlf  a  y^rJ 
j^'ig,  roiii; •],  "'id  ihiek  P:,  ;i  rr.a.;'s  tliurnb.  ]:  v'liiT.fa  from  ^ther 
serpents  or  ;;.:.k^.  =}  in  h.;\  ir.o'  :>.  il.it  iv.ad,  and  in  brin^in.r  forth 
Hi  )"OLing  ahrej  \v!ier.cuj  they  Ly  e^;;3  covered  \vithas.n': 
skin,  instead  of  a  shell,  hut^h  in  dunghills,  &.c.  Tlie  vipci's 
fiesh  is  very  nourishing,  invkes  very  strengthening  bro:ho, 
u'.id  ia  a  good  medicine.  Its  oil  and  other  parts  are  also  Us- 
ed aj  medicine.--.  \Yhcn  its  liead  is  cut  ctf,  cocks  =kin  i:, 
and  h.tndle  it  without  danger  ;  yet  its  bite  is  the  rr.cst  rnortul 
poison  possible,  coagulating  the  blood,  and  so  killing  in  a  very 
short  time.  There  are  some  about  Aix  ;  but  they  abound  un- 
der every  b?'dge,  and  in  every  cave,  in  Lower  Provence  a:,,i 

G  .: 


TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALB  AN  BUTLER. 

Italy.  The  country  men  are  often  bit  by  them  ;  and  there  is 
no  other  remedy  but  the  cutting  off  immexliately  with  their 
sickle,  &c.  the  hand  or  foot  that  is  bit,  with  the  hand  that  is 
sound  Time  will  not  permit  a  surgeon  to  be  sent  for.  RI-;DT, 
a  great  philosopher  of  Tuscany,  pretends  that  its  poison  is  a 
yellow  humour  contained  in  two  bags  over  its  teeth.  Oihers 
prove  that  such  humour  given  to  pigeons,  &cc.  is  not  venom- 
ous. All  that  is  certain  is,  that  its  poison  is  communicated  by 
its  bite  or  gums,  some  say  when  its  spirits  are  heated. 

Hie   i\  Mediterranean  Sea   affords   the  best  of  fish,  amongst 
which   are   manv  excellent  sorts  unknown  to  us.     Indeed   few 

tJ 

are  caught  on  the  rocky  coast  of  Genoa ;  but  they  abound 
vit  Naples,  and  in  Provence  and  Languedoc,  especially  at  Mar- 
seilles and  Martigues,  both  near  Aix.  Here  we  taste  all 
the  delicate  fish  of  the  old  Romans.  1  he  aclpemer,  so  highly 
prized  by  them  above  all  other  dishes,  must  have  been  a  fish 
of  this  s:?a.  It  was  never  brought  up  to  table  but  by  servants 
crowned  \vith  garlands,  and  attended  by  musicians.  i  he  least 
•vv a s  never  sold  under  icoo  pieces,  or  81.  of  our  money.  It 
\v as  a  particular  sort  of  sturgeon.  Their  thlnnus  was  the 
present  tbongne,  a  large,  broad,  delicious  fish,  especially  when 
fresh,  and  very  common  here.  The  sat  dines  are  small,  Milo's 
barbed  fish.  Their  rhonlus  was  a  tnrbot.  Oysters  in  the 
Mediterranean  sea  are  not  near  so  good  as  in  cur  ocean,  but 
have  more  frequently  pearls  in  thdr  shell,  which  proceeds 
from  the  fish  being  sick;  for  then  their  viscous  humour,  v/njch 
they  exhale  in  every  part,  does  not  turn  into  the  she!],  but  in- 
to the  beautiful  pearl.  The  sar'iiai'^n  is  a  small  fish,  often  eat 
salted.  sJncko'Vies  are  pickled  with  their  heads  cut  ofT:  not 
good  when  fresh.  The  country  affords  tolerable  plenty  of  good 
game,  especially  quails. 

Gnvcs    are   not    so   common   here   as   in   the;   vineyards  of 
Champagne  and  Burgundy.     Here   arc  also   red-legged    r;or- 

o  f/  O.j  i 

t ridges,  ortolv.-.s,  francolins,  S^c.  even  amono-  the  bushes  ana 
shrubs.  The  .lives,  sucl  many  otiier  trees,  being  ever  green, 
this  country  and  Languedoc  display  the  beauties  of  perpe- 
tual spring  and  summer  ;  r.nd  though  in  winter  the  morn  nig'; 
.<y>d  ever.inrs  are  sh"rp-  *lis  sun  makes  iv  very  iv;rrtn  fr?!?.j  *0 


Chap.  V'       A  TOUR  FROM  LYONS  TO  AIX.  113 

to  3  o'clock,  so  that  in  the  middle  of  \vmtcr  it  is  the  most 
pleasant  walking  imaginable ;  the  whole  country  being  filled 
with  green  groves  of  olives,  and  the  land  covered  v,  mi  bute 
trees,  which  not  only  continue  always  green,  but  be?.t  their 
berry  or  fruit  till  the  middle  of  February.  In  this  plentiful 
country  living  is  very  cheap  ;  wine,  meal,  and  every  thing 
else,  being  at  half  price,  except  wood,  which  is  very  dear,  there 
being  scarce  any  in  the  country  except  the  olive  and  vine  tree. 
Bat  in  Aix  and  Aries,  the  great  number  of  nobility  makes  it  at 
present  as  dear  living  there  in  winter  as  it  is  in  Flanders,  la 
summer  however  all  the  gentry  retire  to  their  country  houses, 
and  then  these  towns  are  as  cheap  as  others  to  live  in. 

The  language  of  these  parts  is  very  different  from  French, 
except  in  a  very  few  words  ;  and  so  it  is  in  ail  the  countries 
yond  the  Loire.  In  Burgundy,  except  in  the  towns  and 
inns,  the  people  do  not  even  understand  French.  The  language 
grows  worse  and  worse  the  farther  we  advance  into  Languedoc, 
but  more  so  in  Provence,  where  it  imitates  the  Italian  in  many 
words,  as  in  Guienne  it  does  the  Spanish.  The  nobility,  and 
some  others,  every  where  talk  good  French. 

The  people  are  naturally  polite  and  obliging  over  all  these 
parts,  beyond  the  rest  of  the  French.  One  finds  this  very  sen- 
sibly in  Dijon,  Lyons,  &.c.  but  above  all  in  Upper  Provence 
and  Languedoc  :  and  their  civilitv  consists  not  in  words  alone  ; 
for  they  even  prevent  one  in  obliging  offices  —those,  too,  who 
can  hope  for  no  return,  as  in  tend  ants,  ami  person?  of  the  first 
r=ink  and  power. 


114  TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALB  AN  EUTLER. 

CHAPTER     SIXTH. 

A    TOUR    FROM    AIX    TO    MARSEILLES. 

Aix, — The  Mint,  Government,  Cathedral,  Town-House,  Meridian  Line  of 
France,  The  Parliament,  Manners,  Mineral  Bath,  Singular  method  of  bury- 
ing.— Excursion  into  Languedoc. — Salon,  Tomb  of  Nostrodamus. — Marti- 
gues. — Aries,  Antiquities,  Ancient  Amphitheatre,  Baths,  &c.  F.lysian  Field';, 
Remarkable  Spring. — LANGUCDOC — Montpelier,  University,  Assembly  of 
the  States  of  Languedoc. — Cctte. — Prodigious  Canal  — Bourde:iux. — Toulouse. 
— Pezenas. — Beziers. — Frontignan. — Nismes,  Amphitheatre,  Square  House, 
Temple  of  Dhna,  Baths,  &c. — Observations  on  Ancient  Medals. — Pont- 
da-Garde,  Curious  Aqueduct. — Bcucairc. — Tar.ncon. — Extravagancies  of  the 
Huguenot';, — A -count  of  Jansenism,  their  pretended  Miracle?,  &c. 


Aix,  1745. 

JPnE  city  of  AJX  V33  founded  or  rebuilt  by  Caius  Sextius  Cal- 
\inius,  the  Roman  Consul,  120  years  before  the  birth  of  Christ, 
and  was  called,  from  him  and  from  its  baths,  Aqu.c  Se>:ti<x.  He 
settled  here  a  Roman  colony,  and  adorned  the  baths,  which 
xvere  the  Romans  delight.  MARIUS  defeated  the  Teutones,  the 
first  time,  near  this  place.  This  ciry  was  almost  ruined  by  the 
Emperor  Charles  V.,  but  soon  recovered  its  ancient  lustre. 
It  was  chosen  by  the  Counts  of  Provence  for  their  residence, 
and  lias,  ever  since  the  r.di  century,  been  the  capital  of  Pro- 
vence. It  is  at  present  the  seat  of  the  parliament,  of  the 
Court  of  Aides,  and  the  revenues  of  the  province  j  of  a  Cbajn- 
bre  de  Cimptes  ;  of  a  Mint  and  an  University.  'I  his  last  was 
founded  by  Pope  Alexander  V.  anno  14-9,  ?.::d  confirmed  by 
several  Counts  of  Provence  and  Kinjs  of  France.  '1  he  arch- 
bishop is  always  Chancellor.  It  has  but  one  college,  which 
teaches  divinity,  and  no  scholars  but  the  ecclesiastics  of  the 
diocese.  The  Jesuits,  and  the  Fathers  of  the  Christian  doc- 
trine, have  here  large  colleges ;  but  are  both  forbid  to  keep 
pensionaires  (or  boarders^.  But  as  Jesuits  can  receive  board- 
ers more  conveniently  in  their  house  at  Versailles,  the  Fathers 
of  the  Christian  doctrine  alone  suiter  by  this  late  order  of  the 
kins; ;  and  they  feel  it  the  more  sensibly,  as  they  had  lately  fi- 
nished a  new  and  very  noble  building,  erected  for  the  sole  pur- 
pose of  lodging  their  boarders  more  corumodiously  than  before. 


Chap.  VI.  TOUR  FROM  AIX  TO  MARSEILLES.  IJJ 

Universities  are  more  numerous  in  this  part  of  France,  but  they 
are  no  more  than  mean  single  colleges,  if  we  except  those  of 
'i  oulouse  and  Avignon. 

The  Mint  is  a  very  good  one.  It  was  employed,  when  we 
~aw  it,  in  coining  French  crowns  out  of  Spanish  silver,  which 
were  sent  in  waggons  to  the  army  of  Italy.  What  they  look 
upon  as  most  curious  in  the  Mint  at  present,  is  the  wheel  by 
which  the  inscription  round  the  rim  is  cut,  which  hinders  clip- 
ping, and  which  false  coiners  cannot  imitate. 

The  Parliament  is  obliged  to  have  a  first  president  from 
Paris  :  It  was  established  by  Lewis  XII.  1301,  and  brings  the 
power  of  the  states  very  low.  This  parliament,  that  of  Tou- 
louse, and  if  1  forget  not,  that  of  Grenoble,  follow  the  written 
or  the  Roman  law  ;  the  others  follow  the  customary  Iravs, 
which  often  deviate  from  the  Roman,  by  customs,  or  the  kino's 
edicts.  The  Archbishop  of  Aix  is  Grand  Seneclir.l  of  the 
province,  and  has  the  chief  authority  as  temporal  judge,  as  well 
as  in  ecclesiastical  affairs.  He  has  live  suffragans,  Apt,  FJes, 
Frejus,  Gap,  and  Sisteron.  Besides  these  supreme  courts,  the 
town  is  governed  by  a  Lieutenant-general  of  the  Senechal  of 
the  province  ;  and  ordinary  judge  of  the  town  ;  the  Viguier  or 
king's  judge,  who  has  the  principal  authority  in  the  police,  to- 
gether with  four  consuls,  (of  whom  the  first  is  a  gentleman  ;  the 
others  burghers,)  all  named  annually  by  the  court,  according  to 
the  report  of  the  archbishop.  The  Senechui  is  In  the  countries 
where  the  written  law  prevails,  what  Grand  Bailies  are  in  ci- 
thers ;  who  revise  sentences  of  inferior  judges,  though  now  by 
their  lieutenant  only,  in  their  name. 

Aix  is  small,  but  the  most  beautiful  city  of  France;  its  squarei 
are  noble  ;  its  streets  broad  and  streight  ;  and  it  is  adorned  with 
many  great  palaces  and  magnificent  buildings.  The  nobility 
here  are  fund  of  line  house--,,  and  they  are  built  in  the  true 
taste  of  modern  architecture.  No  town  in  France  equals  Aix 
in  this  respect.  The  church  of  St  John,  a  very  noble  Gothic 
structure,  containing  oomc  old  monuments,  belongs  to  the 
Knights  of  Malta.  They  are  under  a  rich  prior,  and  many  of  them 
live  in  Aix,  enjoying  commandaries  of  60  or  100  pounds  a-year. 

The  C'ltlsdraf,   raiJerl  OUR  SAVIOUR'S,  is  a  huge  Gothic. 


Il6          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALB  AN  BUTLER. 

building  ;  its  steeple  is  a  high  hexagon  tower  ;   its   front   is  of 
•white  marble,   adorned   with  excellent  reliefs,  and  surrounded 
by  eight  curious   marble  pilbrs.     In  the  choir  are   the  monu- 
ments of  four  counts  of  Provence.   In  the  church  are  the  subter- 
raneous chapel  of  St  Mary  Magdalene,  a  place  of  great  devotion  ; 
the  body  of  St  Mitrius  patron  of  Aix  ;   relics  of  the  crown  of 
thorns  ;  a  rib  of  St  Sebastian,  &c.     In  the  parish-church  of  St 
Mary  Magdalene,   lies  buried  the  great  painter  VAKLO,    with 
no   other  epitaph  than  the  following,  on   a  large  marble  slab  : 
Hie  yacet  Vunlo,     The  Dominicans  and  Cormes  have  numer- 
ous   rich  convents   and    large    churches.     There   are  also  all 
sorts  of  other  orders,   but   their   convents   are  not  numerous. 
The  Oratorians'  church  is  very  fine,  and  remarkable,  especially 
for  its  Mosaic  work,  and  its  chapels.    The  Jesuits  have  a  great 
college  called  St  Lewis,  or  Bourbon,  being  founded  or  at  least 
repaired  by  Lewis  XIV.     The  ornaments  of  their  church  are 
very  rich,  particularly  the  high  altar.     They  have  apartments 
in  their  house  to  lodge  several  bishops  at  once.      The   bishops 
of  Grave,  Vence,  &:c.  resort  to  Aix,   as  richer  bishops  do   to 
Paris.     The  Jesuits  have  a  back  chapel  well  built,  paved  with 
fine  ivaible,   adorned  with  a  verymagmficent   altar,    with  stfi- 
tues,  excellent  painting,  and  gilding.     It  is  a  flushed  piece  like 
J-Jt  Lawrence's   in  Avignon.     It  is   served  at  the   expencr,   and 
for  the  use  of  a  private  society  of  gentlemen,   though  open  to 
all  on  great  days  :    It  13  called  la  Chapelle  des  Messieurs.     'I  he 
Town-house  is  a  noble  buildir.g.     The  great  sails  is  very  spaci- 
ous and  beautiful,  sdorned  with  hangings  and  good    seats,    and 
large  portraits  ol   all  the  ccunts  of  Proverce  :    'j  he   meridian 
line  drawn  by  CASSIVI  through  France,   passes  below  its  win- 
dows, where  it  is  marked.     They  call   thij  the  fi^st  hall  and 
town-house  in  France,  after  Lyons.     But  that  of  Toulouse  dis- 
putes with  it  the  preference.     In  another   fine   chamber  they 
Isold,  twice  a  week,  a  concert  of  nut  sic,  which  is  in  the  highest 
esteem  in  these  parts,  and  greatly  resembles  the  Italian  ;  the  ca- 
thedral, and  many  of  the  churches  here,  have  excellent  music. 

The  Parliament  House  contains  seven  different  courtso  jur- 
isdictions. In  the  celling  of  the  great  chamber  are  portraits  of 
the  kings  of  France,  well  executed.  la  that,  in  which  all  the 


Clup.  VI.  A  TOUR  FROM  AIX  TO  MARSAILLES.  Jiy 

chambers  assemble,  called  the  Revision,  all  the  councellors  who 
then  composed  the  Parliament,  with  the  president  du  Vuir,  are 
excellently  painted.  The  Ccurj  is  the  most  beautiful  prome- 
nade of  any  town  in  France.  It  is  Soo  paces  long,  planted 
•with  rows  of  shady  trees,  and  adorned  with  fine  fountains,  and 
water-works  always  playing  ;  one  is  of  warm  mineral  water. 
The  Cours  is  surrounded  by  noble  houses  of  persons  of  quality, 
built  with  a  charming  uniformity,  and  commanding,  from  the 
fine  stone  ramparts,  (on  one  side  which  is  open),  a  delightful 
view  of  die  country. 

O:i  our  arrival,  we  waited  on  the  archbishop,  (whose  palace  is 
very  grand,  and  finely  built)  and  on  the  first  President  and  Inten- 

dant They  returned  our  visit  ;  and  all  of  them,  but  especially 

the  archbishop,  who  is  brother  to  the  marshal  of  France,  Bran- 
cas,  shewed  us  every  possible  mark  of  civility.  At  taking  our 
leave  he  accompanied  us  through  all  the  chambers  to  the  stairs; 
a  respect  he  never  shews  but  to  strangers  :  He  conducts  the 
Parliament  only  to  his  own  chamber-door  :  He  often  called  and 
sent  obliging  messages  to  us,  and  invited  us  to  dinner.  At  the 
card  assembles,  particularly  at  the  first  president's,  de  la  Tour, 
they  play  high  :  Many  learned  to  game  from  the  late  Duke 
of  Ormoud,  at  Avignon.  The  intendant  committed  several  to 
prison  for  this  criminal  practice  ;  among  others,  a  considerable 
Knight  of  Malta  was  sent  to  the  castle  Iff  at  Marseilles.  There 
i.:,  in  general,  a  great  deal  of  piety  amongst  the  people,  (as  ap- 
pears from  their  deportment  in  their  churches,  and  their 
diligence  in  often  devoutly  communicating).  They  have  also 
a  very  strict  and  virtuous  clergy,  the  archbishop  setting  the: 
example.  He  al'.vays  resides  ia  the  place,  is  assiduous  with 
the  canons  at  the  offices,  and  his  pastoral  duties  :  never  sees 
any  ladies,  except  receiving  (and  even  that  is  rare)  a  short 
visit  of  ceremony  or  necessity.  He  told  us  he  was  much 
amused  with  the  mistake  of  a  boy  \vho  came  with  his  father, 
;m  English  gentleman,  to  wait  of  him  ;  and  asked  to  see  my 
l:idy  liJjop  ;  thinking  bibhops  married  as  in  England:  He  has 
j.ittly  built  and  founded  a  very  large  and  noble  college,  for 
young  men  intended  for  the  church,  in  which  they  are  taught 
cu-ry  ner-?5s^rv  brajali  of  kno\v!$dg-p,  from  the  first  rudiments 


Xl8          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

till  philosophy  :  that  they  may  live  from  their  tender  years  in 
virtue,  and  total  ignorance  of  the  world.  It  is  admirably  con- 
trived, and  so  liberally  endowed  by  this  worthy  prelate,  that 
not  only  the  masters,  but  a  great  many  boys,  are  maintained 
and  taught  gratis.  It  is  situated  on  a  healthy  hill,  close  by  the 
town.  The  country  around  is  very  pleasant,  being  interspersed 
with  olive  groves,  &-C.  :  and  beautified  by  some  fine  houses, 
such  as  that  of  Monsieur  d'Albertass,  president  of  accounts 
Sec.  The  mineral  baths,  from  whence  the  town  takes  its  name, 
are  erected  in  a  large  commodious  house  built  on  purpose. 
One  is  of  marble,  the  other  of  stone.  The  water  is  warm,  not 
hot ;  something  purging  and  diuretic,  very  good  in  removing 
gentle  obstructions  ;  not  so  violent  as  hot  baths,  such  as  those 
of  Digne,  also  in  Provence.  The  minerals  are  nitre,  sul- 
phur, and  iron,  as  is  visible  in  the  earth.  These  mixing  when 
drawn  by  the  waters  as  they  run  through  the  car  Ji,  ferment 
and  create  this  warmth.  By  following  the  stream  from  its, 
source  beyond  the  Minims,  on  the  other  side  of  the  town,  we 
see  how  the  water  first  begins  to  grow  warm,  cncreasiag  its 
heat,  as  it  runs  through  the  mineral  ground  ;  which  is  alone  a 
confutation  of  that  ridiculous  system,  which  ascribes  this  heat 
of  waters  to  a  subterraneous  or  central  fire,  as  some  call  it, 
according  to  F.  Kirchers  whim.  In  Aix  they  bury  the  dead 
with  their  face  and  hands,  and  often  feet,  quite  exposed  ;  which 
looks  frightful.  The  reason  they  assign  for  this,  is,  that  all 
may  see  it  is  the  body  of  the  deceased.  The  White  Penitents 
ii^ually  conduct  the  corpse  to  the  grave  :  all  covered  in  a  white 
linen  habit  like  u  sheet  ;  no  part  of  them  appearing,  only  there 
are  holes  for  the  eyes,  nostrils  and  mouth.  Aix  has  no  forti- 
fications ;  nor  any  town  in  these  parts  beyond  Antibes  and  Tou- 
lon ;  and  in  Dauphiny,  Erianqon  and  Pcrtuid,  with  some  forts 
on  the  borders  of  Savoy.  The  walls  of  Aix  can  only  keep  out 
smugglers. 

In  an  excursion  to  see  LANGUEDOC,  we  set  out  on  horseback 
from  Aix,  and  dined  at  Salon,  a  great  town  in  Provence.  In 
the  Franciscan's  church  lies  buried  Michael  Nostradamus,  the 
famous  astrologer,  enriched  and  honoured  by  King  Henry  II. 
'.'.uch  was  the  fully  of  mankind  in  those  days  ;  2nd  indeed  bis 


Clap.  IV.  A  TOUR  FROM  AIX  TO  MARSEILLES.  1 1 9 

pretended  predictions  are  still  estemed  by  the  ignorant ;  and 
many  visit  his  monument.  His  epitaph,  on  a  marble  stone,  ri- 
diculously commends  his  science  of  astrology,  and  says  he  died 
at  Salon,  anno  Domini  1566,  62  years  6  months  old.  The  com- 
mon distich  made  upon  him  agrees  better  with  his  character. 
The  pun  it  contains  cannot  be  preserved  in  a  translation. 

"  Nostra  damus  cum  falsa  damus  ;  nam  fallere  nostrum  est, 
"  Sed  cum  falsa  damus,  non  nisi  nostra  damus." 
MARTIGUES  is  a  town  on  the  sea  cost,  built  in  an  extensive 
Like,  which  communicates  with  the  sea  by  great  canals  cut  on 
purpose  for  ships  to  coma  up,  probably  a  work  of  the  Romans. 
From  its  thus  standing  on  water,  it  is  called  the  Venice  of  France. 
The  inhabitants  are  very  much  addicted  to  mirth  and  dancing, 
whence  the  proverb  danser  la  martingal :  They  are  the  great- 
est fishers  on  the  Mediterranean.  This  city  is  a  principality, 
and  was  given  by  Charles  IV.  Count  of  Provence  and  King  of 
Naples,  to  Francis  of  Luxembourg  ;  it  passed  by  heiresses  to 
the  Dukes  of  Mercosur,  and  from  them  to  the  Duke  of  Ven- 
dome,  a  legitimate  son  of  Henry  IV.  The  duke  of  Vcndome 
i>  still  prince  of  it.  It  stands  six  leagues  from  Marseilles. 
Excepting  the  town  of  Mnrtigues,  the  vast  plain  from  Salon 
to  Aries  has  not  a  home,  hedge,  or  living  creature  upon  it  for 
a  rreat  part  of  the  way.  It  is  covered  with  stones  which 
have  grown  on  its  soil  as  large  as  those  used  to  pave  high-. 
\vnys  ;  yet  it  here  and  there  displays  a  few  poor  vineyards. 
The  Provencals  in  their  language  call  it  the  Crau,  that  is, 
stony  field. 

ARLES,  12  leagues  from  Ai::,  and  as  far  from  Marseilles, 
stands  on  the  Rhone.  ]t  wcs  a  great  city  of  die  Gauls,  after- 
wards the  most  famous  Roman  colony  in  Gaul,  and  a  long  time 
the  seat  of  a  praetorian  prefect,  or  governor  of  the  Narbonese 
Gaul.  COXSTANTINE  the  Great  resided  a  considerable  time 
ir:  it.  It  was  for  70  years  capital  of  a  kingdom,  called  the- 
kingdom  of  Aries,  unite:!  afterwards  to  that  of  Burgundy.  I* 
then  erected  itself  into  a  commonwealth,  but  was  soon  subdu- 
ed by  the  Counts  of  Provence.  At  present  it  is  a  large  town, 
ill-built,  and  not  very  populous  ;  contains  several  noble  fami- 
lif  b-;r  enioyii  no  commerce,  The  mouths  of  the  Rhone  ar^ 


I2O          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALB  AN  BUTLER. 

rendered  unnavigable  by  sands  and  rocks  ;  and  the  country  is 
not  very  fertile  near  the  town,  but  on  the  Provence  side  fenny. 
Arelate  signifies  a  marshy  ground  in  the  G  iul  sh  language,  as 
well  as  in  old  British,  as  our  countryman  Cambden  testifies. 
We  passed  over  a  great  marsh,  by  a  bridge  of  stone,  above  a 
mile  long  :  In  the  midst  of  these  fens  stands  the  rich  Benedic- 
tine abbey  of  Monte  Major,  newly  built  in  a  very  grand  and 
magnificent  style.  During  the  greatest  part  of  the  year  it 
cannot  be  approached,  but  by  a  boat ;  and  its  situation  is  so  un- 
wholesome, that  the  monks,  who  are  few  in  number,  are  al- 
most always  sick  of  fevers,  as  they  told  me.  On  an  old  wall 
of  t;i  :;r  church  of  the  Holy  Cross,  is  a  Latin  inscription,  which 
bears  that  it  was  founded  by  CHARLEMAGNE,  after  his  victory- 
over  the  Saracens  in  this  place.  This  inscription  however  is 
not  very  ancient,  and  by  many  judged  lalse.  The  pious  lady 
Teucinde,  in  the  icth  century,  was  the  chief  foundress  of  this 
abbey,  as  the  monks  confess. 

Aries  is  chiefly  remarkable  for  its  monuments  of  antiquity. 
The  first  that  occurs  is  the  Obelisk  in  the  market-place.  It  is 
of  Egyptian  granite,  a  stone  harder  and  more  precious  than 
any  marble,  of  a  gray  colour,  and  rough.  It  was  dedicated 
to  the  Sun,  and  discovered  in  the  yeru  1564,  in  a  garden  in 
Aries  ;  but  when  it  was  brought  from  Egypt  is  uncertain, 
Jt  is  of  one  stone,  61  feet  high,  a  foot  and  a  half  at  the  top, 
and  seven  feet  at  the  bottom.  It  weighs  2000  quintals,  that 
is,  200,000  pounds.  In  the  year  1676,  the  magistrates  wish- 
ing to  erect  it  to  the  honour  of  Lewis  XIV,  the  parts  broken 
off  in  the  earth  were  joined  together,  and  it  was  raised  with 
incredible  difficulty,  and  fixed  on  a  square  stone  pedestal,  with 
suitable  inscriptions,  composed  by  M.  Pelisson,  It  is  a  pity 
this  pedestal  is  not  of  marble  ;  for  the  stone  moulders  already, 
and  the  inscriptions  are  scarce  legible.  On  the  top  of  this  o- 
belisk  is  a  globe  of  azure,  with  flower-de-luce  of  gold  ;  and 
on  this  a  sun,  with  the  face  of  the  monarch  upon  it.  The 
^own-house  is  modern,  and  a  fine  structure.  The  design  was 
given  by  Mansard,  architect  to  Lewis  XIV.  and  executed  by 
Peytret.  It  is  84  feet  high  :  Its  fronts  on  e:ch  side  look  into 
two  noble  squares,  and  are  curiously  adorned  with  figures  and 


Chap.  VI.  TOUR  FROM  AIX  TO  MARSAILLES.  121 

symbols.  The  porch  is  a  master-piece,  with  a  vast  and  bold 
vault,  supported  by  20  Tuscan  pillars.  Busts  of  the  Counts  of 
Provence,  &.c.  adorn  the  outside  ;  within  we  admired  the  fine 
statue  of  Lewis  XIV.  and  a  beautiful  copy  of  the  Venus  of 
Aries  (some  will  have  it  to  be  Dianci)  which  is  a  very  good 
statue,  found  under  the  old  theatre  in  1681,  and  presented  by 
the  magistrates  to  Lewis  XIV.  in  1682,  who  caused  a  right 
arm,  (which  it  wanted)  to  be  supplied,  and  placed  it  in  the 
gallery  of  Versailles,  where  it  still  remains. 

The  Amphitheatre  of  Aries,  is  a  vast  oval  building,  1164 
Paris  feet  in  circumference,  426  long,  312  broad.  The  thick 
wall  and  building  that  goes  round  it  is  102  feet  high,  and  con- 
sists of  three  stories  ;  each  contains  60  arches,  which  form  so 
many  different  apartments.  The  wild  beasts  were  kept  in  the 
lowest  in  dens,  whence  they  were  brought  out  into  the  Arena, 
or  pit,  in  the  middle  of  the  amphitheatre.  Criminals  were 
confined  in  other  arches  made  into  close  dark  prisons.  In  the 
inner  part'of  the  buildings  were  stone  seats  for  the  spectators, 
in  equal  rows  from  the  top  to  the  bottom,  each  row  running 
all  round.  Most  of  their  seats,  and  all  the  galleries  or  porti- 
cos on  the  outside,  £cc.  are  demolished.  The  stones  were 
carried  away  to  build  churches,  See.  But  enough  remains  to 
shew  the  figure  of  this  magnificent  work.  These  seats  could 
easily  accommodate  30,000  persons,  exclusive  cf  the  highest 
row,  which  commonly  contained  double  the  lower,  and  of  those 
destined  for  the  nobility,  which  held  six  times  as  many.  It 
is  a  pity  the  arena,  or  pit,  is  filled  with  paltry  houses.  There 
were  iron  rails  all  round  the  pit,  to  hinder  the  gladiators  and 
beasts  from  running  away,  or  getting  to  the  spectators.  The 
pillars  are  of  the  Tuscan  and  Composite  orders,  and  nothing 
is  more  wonderful  than  the  enormous  size  of  the  stones  that 
form  the  arches,  and  which  hang  frightfully  over  one's  head, 
as  we  pass  through  the  vaults,  as  well  as  of  those  that  form 
the  seats.  Each  stone  is  two  feet  broad  and  two  high,  and 
some  of  them  are  16  or  18  feet  long.  How  were  such  masses 
cut  from  the  rock?  Kow  were  they  carried  and  raised  to 
that  height  ?  And  how  have  they  stuck  so  solidly  without 
any  mortar  or  cement  ?  Of  the  theatre  nothing1  remains  but 

II 


122         TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

the  great  gate  ;  and  (in  the  garden  of  a  nunnery)  two  fine  pil- 
lars ;  also  five  arches,  of  which  three  form  what  they  now  call 
la  tour  de  Rot/and.  The  stones  are  yet  to  be  seen  in  part  of 
the  town-wall,  which  was  built  of  them  when  it  was  besieged 
by  Charles  V. 

Here  are  curious  ruins  of  baths,  palaces,  and  temples  ;  as 
in  St  Csesarius's  abbey,  of  a  temple  of  Diana,  a  fine  Mosaic 
pavement :  Icnic  cornices  and  pillars,  &cc.  are  daily  found  and 
dug  up  in  the  Rhone,  where  piety  and  zeal  had  thrown 
them  ;  also  columns,  urn?,  lachrymatories,  sepulchral  lamps. 
We  saw  many  curious  ones  in  the  town-house,  but  far  more 
in  the  archbishop's  palace.  In  several  of  the  urns  are  still 
found  ashes,  &c.  These  urns  are  of  all  shapes  and  sizes  ; 
made  of  hard  earthenware,  and  contained  the  ashes  of  the  corpse, 
gathered  out  of  the  funeral  pile  after  the  body  was  burnt. 
In  the  archbishop's  palace  we  saw  also  two  very  good  pieces  of 
painting,  &.c. 

Out  of  the  town,  near  the  walls,  are  the  Elysian  Fields,  or, 
as  the  vulgar  now  call  them,  Aliscamp.  This  was  the  great 
Roman  burying-place,  by  the  side  of  the  high-way  :  Here  is 
an  incredible  number  of  fine  monuments  and  tombs  of  stone 
and  marble.  People  have  carried  off  so  many,  that  there  is  not  a 
house  in  Aries,  or  in  the  country,  which  has  not  one  or  more 
for  their  hogs  to  eat  out  of,  or  to  serve  for  cisterns  of  water, 
&.c.  ;  yet  a  surprising  number  still  remain,  and  the  magis- 
trates have  now  forbid  any  more  to  be  taken  away.  It  is  very 
amusing  to  view  them  all,  and  rend  die  ancient  Roman  sim- 

o  7 

pie  epitaphs.  There  are  many  Christians  buried  here,  as  ap- 
pears by  crosses  carved  on  die  tombs,  &c.  The  Pagans  are 
known  by  having  urns,  lachrymatories,  and  always  D.  M. 
that  is,  Bi:'s  Ma?iibus,  "  to  the  gods  of  the  dead."  At  the  end 
of  this  burying-place  stands  St  Antony's  church,  in  which  arc 
catacombs,  where  the  bodies  of  several  ancient  saints  and  bi- 
shops of  Aries,  and  martyrs,  are  preserved  in  rich  shrines. 
These  catacombs  farm  only  one  spacious  cave.  In  it  is  a 
very  large  spring  well,  which  the  fathers  assured  us  ebbs  and 
flows  as  the  sea  does,  and  according  to  the  motion  of  the  moon. 
How  is  this  caused  r  Is  it  by  a  subterraneous  communication 


Chap.  VI.  TOUR  FROM  AIX   TO  MARSEILLES.  123 

•with  the  Venetian  Gulph  ?  But  it  is  said  to  rise  higher  than 
that  gulph  does  ;  and  the  rest  of  the  Mediterranean  has  no 
tide  at  all.  Besides,  how  should  it  have  any  communication 
with  seas  at  so  great  a  distance  ?  I  did  not  stay  long  enough 
to  examine  all  these  irregularities,  &.c.  It  would  require  long 
observation  to  enable  one  to  guess  at  the  cause.  In  this 
church  is  a  great  deal  of  fine  marble  adorned  with  basso-re- 
lievo and  ancient  carving.  A  royal  academy  of  sciences  and 
belles-lettres  was  instituted  at  Aries  by  Lewis  XIV.  an.  1669, 
which  was  originally  composed  of  2O>  now  of  30  members,  all 
settled  in  the  town.  The  archbishop  of  Aries  was  anciently  pri- 
mate of  all  Gallia  Narbonensis.  The  Rhone  here  is  divided  in- 
to two  branches.  The  country  lying  betwixt  them,  called  the 
Camargue,  is  extremely  fertile.  We  passed  both  the  branches 
in  boats.  The  freight  of  the  second  belonged  to  the  archbi- 
shop. The  first  had  a  bridge  over  it,  but  the  late  floods  broke 
down  that  of  Terascon,  three  leagues  above  this  ;  and  that 
bridge  being  carried  down  the  river,  broke  this  also.  Being 
got  over  the  second  branch,  we  are  in 

LAXGUEDOC,  the  finest  and  largest  province  in  France  :  It  is 
75  leagues  long,  and  75  broad.  Upon  the  fall  of  the  Roman 
empire,  the  Visigoths  fixed  here  their  kingdom,  making  Tou- 
louse the  capital.  Their  king,  Alaric  however,  being  to- 
tally defeated  by  the  French  in  507,  Charles  the  Great  ap-> 
pointed  governors,  called  Counts  of  Toulouse,  who  soon  be- 
came independent.  But  St  Lewis's  brother^  Alphonsus,  mar- 
ried the  heiress,  daughter  of  Raymund  the  last  Count,  by 
whose  death  it  fell  to  Philip  the  Bold,  King  of  France.  It 
possesses  quarries  of  fine  marble  at  Cannes,  near  Narbonne, 
and  of  very  white  alabaster  in  the  diocese  of  Agde.  At  Ga- 
biau  is  a  fountain  of  oil  used  for  lamps.  Languedoc  is  ex- 
tremely populous,  full  of  great  towns  and  villages,  exceeding- 
ly fertile  in  all  things,  especially  corn,  olives,  wine,  Sec,,  very 
cheap,  and  a  most  delightful  country  on  the  side  next  to  Pro- 
vence. Its  manufactures  in  silk,  cloth,  &c.  are  the  most  flou- 
rishing in  France,  next  to  Lyons.  Its  trade,  both  to  Paris 
and  on  the  Mediterranean  and  Ocean,  is  very  great,  and  much 
f.'ncreased  by  the  new  canal  which  joins  these  two  seas.  From 

Li  2 


124  TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

Aries  it  is  five  leagues  to  Nimes,  and  seven  more  to  Mont- 
pelier ;  but  the  straight  road  to  Montpelier,  when  the  waters 
do  not  make  it  impassible,  is  shorter. 

MONTPELIER  is  the  chief  town  of  Languedoc  after  Toulouse. 
Its  University,  established  in  1220,  was  raised  to  the  highest 
reputation  for  medicine  by  the  great  ClllROC  :  After  his  death, 
Leyden,  under  BOERHAAVE,  and  since  them,  Pans  and  Edin- 
burgh have  been  in  greatest  esteem  for  professors  eminent  in 
that  faculty.  But  Montpelier  still  supports  its  credit ;  of 
which  the  method  of  instruction,  the  abilities  of  its  profes- 
sors, the  number  of  scholars,  and  the  many  great  physicians 
it  continually  produces,  are  sufficient  proofs.  There  was  late- 
ly here  erected  and  furnished,  at  the  expence  of  the  province, 
a  very  good  Observatory  for  astronomical  observations,  fur- 
nished with  telescopes  and  other  instruments.  The  Physic 
Garden  is  very  large,  beautiful,  and  well  endowed,  but  within 
these  few  years  rather  gone  to  decay.  The  town  is  built 
round  a  high  mountain,  which  makes  many  of  the  streets  very- 
steep.  It  has  a  Generality,  a  Clumbre  des  Comptes,  a  Court 
of  Aides t  and  aPresidial,  which  often  condemns  criminals  with- 
out appeal  to  the  Parliament  of  Toulouse.  The  Huguenots 
destroyed  all  its  churches.  The  bishop's  palace  stands  conti- 
guous to  St  Peter's,  the  cathedral,  an  edifice  which  possesses 
nothing  worthy  of  notice.  Tlic  chief  parish-church  is  that  of 
our  Lady's,  which  stands  on  the  hill,  in  the  centre  of  the 
town.  Lewis  XIII.  look  ihio  city  by  siege  from  the  Hugue- 
nots, in  1622.  Its  walls  are  -almost  razed:  But  its  citadel  is  very 
strong,  and  always  contains  a  garrison,  as  a  check  on  the  coun- 
try. The  esplanade  bc-Lvvcen  it  and  the  town  is  most  beauti- 
ful. But  the  great  ornament  jf  Montpelier  is  the  gate  of  Per- 
ron, newly  built  in  a.  inof.t  magnificent  siiU',  as  a  triumphal 
arch  to  Lewis  XIV.  ;  the  equestrian  statue  of  that  monarch, 
erected  by  the  States  of  Languedoc,  iu?t  without  that  gate,  has 
not  its  equul,  a::d  it  r.ttmrh  in  a  most  beautiful  situation  on  a 
fruitful  hill,  in  sight  of  the  sr.<,  which  is  only  two  leagues 
distant.  The  town  is  populous,  very  cheap,  and  trading. 
It  is  famous  for  its  trench  ur.d  il'^r'nque)  and.  for  distilled  liquors, 


Clap.  VI.  TOUR  FROM  AIX  TO  MARSEILLES.  1 2j 

with  which  it  furnishes  all  France,  both  for   druo-s  and  drink- 

O 

ing.     Its  silk  mills  and  manufactures  employ  many  hands. 

It  is  at  Montpelier,  in  the  town-house,  that  the  States  of  the 
province  assemble.  They  consist  of  throe  archbishops,  and  ic) 
bishops,  all  in  Languedoc  ;  of  22.  barons  constituting  the  nobili- 
ty ;  and  of  22  consuls  out  of  the  capital  towns  of  each  diocese, 
for  the  third  state,  or  commons.  Languedoc  received  Philip 
the  Bold  for  its  master,  on  these  terms  :  to  have  always  a  prince 
of  the  blood  for  governor  ;  never  to  have  any  taxes  imposed  but 
by  the  consent  of  the  States  ;  and  never  to  follow  any  but  the 
Roman  or  written-law.  Every  body  knows  the  great  rebellion 
of  Languedoc  under  its  governor,  Marshall  Montmorency,  who 
being  defeated  and  taken,  v/as  beheaded  by  the  Parliament  of 
Toulouse.  The  kind's  deputy,  who  is  usually  governor,  (at 
present  the  Duke  of  Richelieu)  summons  the  States  to  meet 
in  the  town-house  of  Montpelier  on  such  a  dav,  pour  hitr  faire 
entendre  If  s  volonttsde  sa  Mujeste,®&  the  printed  summons  which 
is  fixed  on  all  public  places,  has  it.  The  deputy  appears  in  a 
most  costly  suit  cf  cloches,  given  by  the  province  for  this  pur- 
pose ;  and  nothing  can  be  more  magnificent  than  the  procession 
of  the  States,  on  the  opening  of  their  meeting,  which  is  about 
February  or  March. 

About  six  leagues  from  Montpelier,  we  find  CETTE,  (now  some- 
times called  Port  Lewis}  near  which  is  situated  AGDE  {Aga- 
tha} a  small  strong  town  near  the  sea,  famous  for  many  coun- 
cils held  in  it.  This  place  is  also  remarkable  for  the  prodigious 
Canal  that  Lewis  XIV.  (to  the  great  benefit  of  that  country, 
and  of  commerce  in  general),  cn;sed  to  DJ  cut  from  it  to 
join  the  Garonne,  by  which  Cette  was  made  a  good  port, 
though  the  coast  before  was  quue  inaccessible  :  a  gold  medal 
struck  on  that  occasion,  has  this  inscription,  Port um  impjriuoso 
in  lit  tore  pcsuit.  Tne  canal  is  64  French  leagues  long,  and  ;o 
feet  broad.  The  chief  works  about  ir,  are  the  Reservoir  of  ^t 
Ferreol,  containing  the  waters  from  the  Black-mountain,  2cco 
toises  in  circumference,  and  in  some  parts  90  feet  deep  :  TLs 
Bason  of  Naroiisc,  the  highest  part  of  the  canal,  where  the  wa- 
ters divide  and  run  two  opposite  ways  :  It  is  200  toises  or  fa- 
thoms long,  i  so  broad  :  The  Bridge  70  toises  long,  of  hard 

H  3   * 


TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

stone  by  which  the  canal  is  carried  over  the  torrent  or  brook 
Repud<ze  :  Malpas,  a  canal  or  passage  cnt  hollow  through 
a  rock,  80  toises  long,  four  broad,  and  four  and  a  half  high. 
There  are  besides  places  cut  through  rocks  for  near  20,000 
toises.  The  sluices  in  the  Canal  are  104,  of  which  64  are 
very  extraordinary,  of  all  forms,  and  displaying  a  surprising- 
variety.  But  so  great  a  number  of  them  renders  travelling  in 
the  barges  very  slow,  it  being  a  voyage  of  1 1  days  from  one 
sea  to  another.  The  seconi  gold  medal  struck  in  honour  of 
Lewis  XIV.  on  the  completion  of  this  canal,  represents  the 
city  of  Toulouse,  which  it  calls  Bimaris,  (on  two  seas',  though 
at  a  great  distance  from  each.  The  Garonne,  into  which  the 
canal  falls,  rises  in  the  Pyrenaean  mountains,  is  navigable  at 
cfnu!ouse,  and  passing  by  Bourdeaux  in  Guienne,  empties  it- 
self into  the  ocean  ;  its  course  from  Toulouse  being  very 
straight,  it  carries  the  tide  very  high.  At  Bourdeaux  its  bank  is 
adorned  with  a  long  row  of  stately  houses  belonging  to  the  rich 
•wine  merchants,  the  greatest  ornament  of  that  town. 

TOULOUSE  is  a  great  town,  ill  built,  and  worse  paved  ;  the 
streets  being  ill  kept  since  Lewis  XIV.  seized  the  money, 
which  was  deposited  in  the  town-house,  for  the  purpose  of  re- 
pairing them.  Its  University,  however,  i;s  famous  for  divinity, 
especially  the  Dominican's  college  ;  i:i  whose  great  Gothic 
church  lies,  under  the  high  altar,  the  body  of  St  THOMAS 
AQJJIKAS  ;  the  altar  is  of  a  singular  form,  being  so  constructed 
that  24  priests  may  say  mass  al  it  nt  once,  as  the  prior  of  that 
house  told  me.  The  Jesuits  also  have  a  very  numerous  col- 
lege there  ;  and  the  town-house  is  worthy  of  notice. 

MONTAUBAN,  once  the  fortress  of  the  Huguenots,  till  Lewis 
XIII.  took  it  and  demolished  its  forlitkations  ;  A/:>\'  r.n  arch- 
b  shopric  ;  Ledeve,  and  ALds,  bishoprics  on  the  northern  side 
of  Languedoc,  are  too  near  the  Cevcnnes  to  be  in  a  fine  coun- 
try ;  as  are  also  CAHGKS,  a  small  university,  capital  of  Quercy  ; 
jRo'&ss,  of  Rovergue,  on  the  borders  of  Languedoc  ;  to  the 
sourh  of  this  provence  Rieuv,  Pawisrs,  Foi\,  Mirepoix,  Car- 
casso.'ie,  and  Alcty  are  all  in,  or  near  mountainss,  and  very  cold 
in  winter.  Lrt~ja:.r,  Castres,  and  l^abrcs,  in  the  middle  of 
L3.r>guedoc;  are  but  ordinary  pi-ices,  and  in  a  tolerable  country. 


Clap.  VI.  TOUR  FROM  AIX  TO  MARSEILLES.  127 

NARBONNE,  though  a  Roman  colony,  and  long  capital  of 
all  this  part  of  Gaul,  is  now  a  poor  miserable  city,  withous 
.any  thing  worth  notice,  except  its  archbishop,  who  is  first  me- 
tropolitan of  Langucdoc.  The  country  about  it  also  begins 
to  be  mountainous,  and  the  roads  bad  ;  so  that  the  fine  part  of 
Languedoc  lies  round  about  Pexenas,  Betters,  Montpelier,  and 
Nismes.  Pezenas  is  nine  leagues  from  Montpelier  ;  BEZIERS  is. 
II,  and  3  from  Narbonne  ;  both  stand  in  the  most  pleasant  plen- 
tiful country,  and  the  mildest  climate,  perhaps,  of  the  whole 
world.  PEZENAS  was  once  much  frequented  by  our  country- 
men ;  but  now  they  seek  a  town  where  there  is  more  company, 
such  as  Montpelier.  Lewis  XIII.  lamented  he  had  a  Fountaiu- 
.bleau,  because  it  prevented  him  from  chusing  a  seat  at  Pezenas. 
.  Beziers  is  a  larger  town,  and  enjoys  move  trade.  They  com- 
monly say  of  it :  "  If  God  should  chuse  to  live  on  earth,  it  would 
<f  be  at  Beziers  :  Si  Deus  habitarct  in  terris,  non  alibi  vivsnt 
"  qnam  Eiterris  :"  a  wag  answered,  "  Yes,  to  bs  crucified  a- 
"  gain  :  Ut  itcntrn  crucifigeretur."  FJR.ONTINIAN,  (or  Frontig- 
nun}>  three  leagues  from  Montpelier,  towards  Agde,  is -a  charm- 
ing place,  famous  for  the  best  muscade  wine.  That  which  is 
drunk  in  diiferent  parts  of  France,  is  generally  f^lfilLd  by  a 
mixture  of  honey,  &-C. 

We  came  back  from  Montpelier  to  NISMES,  a  Roman  colony, 
founded  by  Augustus,  who  placed  here  his  old  solaiers,  who::: 
lie  brought  b.ick  victorious  from  Egypt.  It  is  a  line  tov/;i, 
large,  and  very  well  situated,  Iv.ving  pleasant  vineyards  on  one; 
side,  on  the  brow  of  the  hills,  u:;d  a  iliie  fjit  corn  country  o\\ 
llie  otlier.  In  digging  foundations  for  lionses  here,  there  art- 
found  great  quantities  of  a  medal,  ou  one  side  of  which  are  two  . 
heads,  on  the  right  Augustus  crowned  with  laurel,  on  th^ 
left  Agrippa  crowned  with  ouk,  for  navr.1  vicluries,  with 
these  words,  Imp.  Divi  F.  P.  P  :  that  is,  Emperor,  Son  of 
God,  Father  of  his  country.  On  the  reverse  is  a  crocodile 
bound  to  a  palm-.tree,  and  an  oaken  crown  tied  with  a  ribbon, 
with  the.-.e  words  :  Col.  Ni.m.  Colony  of  Nismes.  This  meclnl 
was  struck  on  Augustus  sending  a  colony  hither,  under  the 
command  of  Agrippa  his  son-in-law,  after  his  conquest  oi 
Egypt,  represents!  by*  the  crocodile.  The  first  tiaae  the  Ra- 
il t 


128         TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

mans  invaded  Gaul  on  this  side  the  Alps,  was  when  the  inhabi- 
tants of  Marseilles  solicited  their  aid  against  the  Salians,  a  bar- 
barous people  who  inhabited  the  country  from  Salon  to  the  Alps, 
and  to  Nice,  being  a  great  part  of  Provence  :  The  Romans  sent 
the  consuls  Fulvius  Flaccus,  and  Caius  Sextius,  the  latter  of 
whom  built  Aix,  and  planted  in  it  the  first  colony  of  the  Romans 
in  Gaul  :  Soon  after  Domitius  CEnobarbus  carried  the  Roman 
arms  a  little  farther  ;  and  FABIUS  MAXIMUS,  by  a  complete 
victory  over  the  united  army  of  the  Salians  inhabiting  Provence, 
the  Volsi,  who  lived  in  part  of  Languedoc,  and  the  Allobroges, 
the  people  of  Savoy  and  Dauphiny,  acquired  the  name  of  Alh- 
Tjrogicus.  Narlonne  was  made  the  capital  of  this  first  Roman 
province  in  Gaul.  CAESAR  first  passed  the  mountains,  espe- 
cially die  Cevennes,  conquered  Auvergne,  or  the  Alverm,  and 
subdued  all  Gaul  in  the  course  of  his  10  years  command. 
AGRIPPA,  under  Augustus,  embellished  NISMES,  called  by  the 
Romans  Nemausus,  though  Marius  had  begun  to  adorn  it  with 
sumptuous  ornaments  and  monuments.  The  ancient  walls  were 
11,352  paces  in  circuit,  as  appears  by  the  traces  still  extant. 
One  of  the  old  Roman  gates  is  yet  entire,  but  without  i;s  or- 
naments. It  is  that  which  is  called  the  Gate  of  France.  It  is 
here  curious  to  observe  the  nature  of  the  Roman  fortifications, 
theiv  walls  being  flanked  with  towers  alternately  square  and 
round,  at  the  distance  of  17  toises  from  each  other. 

The  Amphitheatre  of  Nismes  was  erected  after  Tiberius  had 
commanded  such  buildings  to  be  of  stone,  in  consequence  of  the 
amphitheatre  of  Ficiense  having  fallen  and  killed  io,oco  people  ; 
for  till  then  they  were  of  wood,  except  Pompey^s  in  Rome. 
This  might  be  built  by  Antoninus,  who  was  born  at  Nismes. 
It  is  the  most  entire  of  any  extant,  except  that  of  Verona.  It 
is  of  an  oval  figure,  6c  feet  high,  11:70  in  circumference,  and 
the  diameter  cf  its  arena  is  195  feet.  Its  wall  contains  two 
rows  or  stories  ;  each  consisting  of  6c  great  arches  of  enor- 
mous large  stones.  These  arches,  as  at  Aries,  formed  the  pri- 
sons for  criminals,  and  dens  for  wild  beasts  The  outside  is  a- 
dorned  with  pilasters,  cornices,  &c.  on  the  inner  side,  towards 
the  arena,  are  30  rows  of  stone  seats  ranged  round  one  above 
another.  The  lowest  were  the  most  honourable,  adorned  with 


Chap.  VI.  TOUR   FROM   AIX  TO   MARSEILLES.  129 

balustrades  of  iron  supporters  ;  the  nobility  sat  here.  A  great 
part  of  these  seats  are  yet  entire  :  They  were  capable  of  con- 
taining 20,000  spectators.  The  prisons  were  opposite  to  the 
dens  for  the  wild  beasts.  The  arena  was  the  pit  in  the  middle, 
so  called  because  covered  with  sand,  that  the  gladiators  might 
not  slip  in  their  combats.  There  were  iron  rails  round  it,  and 
to  the  dens  of  the  beasts,  so  that  they  could  not  assail  the  spec- 
tators. The  amphitheatre  had  four  great  gates  ;  one  was  cal- 
led libiiinensis  ;  because  the  carcases  of  the  slain  were  carried 
out  through  it,  to  be  thrown  into  the  field,  to  be  devoured  by 
beasts.  This  amphitheatre  suffered  much,  when  the  Goths 
took  Nismes ;  but  more,  when  CHARLES  MARTEL,  father  of 
king  PEPIN,  made  himself  master  of  it,  when  defended  obsti- 
nately by  the  Saracens  :  It  is  still  a  noble  monument  of  anti- 
quity, and  one  of  the  most  entire  in  the  world :  The  paltry 
houses  built  in  its  arena  greatly  injure  its  appearance. 

The  Square-house  is  also  one  of  the  most  entire  monuments 
of  the  Romans  that  remains.  It  is  a  long  square  72  feet  long 
and  36  high,  built  of  stones  as  hard  and  as  white  as  marble,  but 
blackened  by  length  of  time.  The  two  sides  facing  the  east 
and  north,  are  irregular  fronts  very  beautifully  adorned;  that  on 
the  north  has  a  porch  with  many  steps.  Thirty  pillars  stand 
before  it  of  the  Corinthian  order  extremely  well  carved,  and 
constitute  its  greatest  ornament.  It  had  no  altar,  or  statue  : 
some  think  it  was  the  Capitol :  but  the  delicacy  of  its  architec- 
ture does  net  correspond  with  the  style  of  a  fortress.  It  seems 
most  probably  to  have  been  the  temple  which  the  emperor 
ADRIAN,  (agreeably  to  the  relation  of  Spartian,  and  an  old  in- 
scription found  at  Aix),  is  said  to  have  built  at  Nismes  to  the 
honour  of  P/ottna,  wife  of  IRAJAN,  who  had  by  her  means 
adopted  him  for  his  son,  and  made  him  his  successor.  It  some- 
times served  for  a  town- house  :  but  is  now  the  church  of  the 
Augustine  friars,  to  whom  Lewis  XIV.  gave  it  in  ;  689,  as  an 
inscription  over  the  door  informs  strangers. 

The  'lemple  of  Diana  is  45  feet  long,  42  broad,  36  high,  is 
adorned  with  10  pillars  of  the  composite  order,  and  a  beautiful 
cornice.  It  has  10  niches  to  place  idols  in.  Although  tb^ 


TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALB AN  BUTLER. 

tradition  of  the  town  calls  it  the  temple  of  Diana,  some  guess 
it  to  have  been  consecrated  to  the  infernal  gods.  It  was  given 
to  the  Benedictine  abbey,  but  thai  being  pulled  down  by  the 
Uugenots  in  the  civil  wars,  this  ancient  monument  suffered 
much  at  the  same  time.  The  province  is  at  present  repairing 
it,  and  it  is  to  be  a  repository  of  antiquities  which  are  daily 
dug  up  here.  The  fountain,  or  baths,  are  near  the  temple  : 
they  consist  of  a  spring  of  very  good  water,  and  also  of  an  a- 
queduct  which  formerly  afforded  an  additional  supply.  Amidst 
vast  subterraneous  ruins  we  here  admired  beautiful  stone  stairs, 
pavements,  walls,  pillars,  Zoges,  or  cells,  places  for  stoves, 
channels,  chambers,  &c.  all  built  with  an  extraordinary  syme- 
try,  magnificence  and  art.  Also  the  remains  of  many  stately 
structures,  whether  palaces  or  temples,  is  uncertain.  Perhaps 
Agrippa,  governor  of  Gaul,  under  Augustus,  and  the  senators, 
had  palaces  here.  Here  are  found  an  incredible  number  of  me- 
dals, idols,  &.C.  which  fear  of  plunder,  in  the  invasions  of  barba- 
rians, and  zeal  for  Christianity,  threw  into  the  water.  The 
province  at  present  employs  a  great  many  workmen  to  repair 
the  monuments,  and  cleanse  the  fountain  ;  when  finished  th'.s 
will  be  a  most  noble  and  curious  piece  of  antiquity.  The  many 
inscriptions  to  Agrippa  found  here,  prove  how  great  a  share  he 
had  in  the  embellishment  of  this  city. 

On  the  top  of  a  barren  hill  near  thu,  fountain  stands  the  Tour 
jWiigm,  33  it  13  vulgarly  called,  now  almost  ruined,  there  being- 
only  92  feet  of  it  standing.  Nor  is  it  certain  whether  it  be 
Roman  or  Gaulish.  Its  circumference  is  245  feet.  It  has 
QTeat  caves  under  ground,  and  is  of  the  plain  Doric  order. 

There  are  many  old  Roman  statues  in  Numes,  as  that  de 
rjuatre  'Jambes,  \\ith  four  legs,  on  the  side  of  a  house  near  the 
•amphitheatre  ;  several  Roman  eagles  of  the  natural  siz.e,  but 
all  have  their  heads  struck  off;  perhaps  done  by  the  Goths  out 
of  contempt,  when  they  had  drove  the  Romans  out  of  many  of 
their  provinces,  and  this  in  particular.  There  is  a  certain  de- 
scription of  persons  who  teaze  strangers  to  buy  Roman  medals 
in  all  the  towns  where  these  antiquities  abound  ;  these  men  are 
well  versed  in  the  art  of  cheating.  We  sometimes  examined 
their  merchandize,  but  were  never  tempted  to  buy  any.  Mc« 


Clap.    IV.  TOUR   FROM    AIX    TO  MARSEILLES.  13  | 

dais  are  of  great  use  to  ascertain  chronology,  and  many  points 
of  history  ;  so  that  collections  of  them  are  of  public  benefit ; 
but  one  is  enough  for  a  kingdom.  Gold  medals  are  very  rare 
and  dear.  They  could  not  be  stamped  in  the  provinces,  but 
only  in  Rome,  and  so  are  always  truest  and  most  authentic  there. 
The  Romans  took  too  good  care  of  them  to  bury  them  ;  and 
latter  princes  made  use  of  the  metal,  when  they  changed  the 
coins.  Silver  coins  are  rare  and  valuable  ;  the  best  of  che  Ro- 
man were  such  as  were  made  in  Rome  itself;  others  are  not 
always  like  the  persons  :  but  the  copper  ones  arc  very  com- 
mon, and  scarcely  worth  halfpence  a-piece  ;  except  some  that 
are  rare,  and  a  few  that  are  almost  above  price.  As  to  tneclaU 
and  busts,  those  emperors  who  had  short  reigns,  as  Otho,  Perti- 
nax,  &.c.  had  few  of  either.  Of  some  who  lived  long,  the  me- 
dals are  scarce,  either  because  they  had  preferred  busts,  or  per- 
haps because  they  have  been  melted  down  or  destroyed.  Me- 
dals of  Agrippa  and  Caligula  are  common,  but  their  basts  are 
rare.  Tiberius  is  an  ordinary  bust,  but  a  very  scarce  coin.  To 
make  their  cabinets  complete,  amateurs  have  sometimes  got 
modern  medals  struck  of  rare  personages  :  and  these  the  anti- 
quaries strive  to  pass  for  old  and  genuine  ;  but  they  are  easily 
distinguished,  being  larger  than  the  ancient,  Sec.  At  Nismes, 
the  medalists  who  run  after  all  strangers  to  impose  upon  them, 
shewed  us  such  of  Otho,  pretending  they  were  ancient;  nay,  one 
struck  in  honour  of  Lewis  XIV.,  upon  making  the  canal  of 
Languedoc,  which  had  lain  long  in  the  groun.i,  aud  was  eaten 
and  worn,  so  as  to  be  no  longer  legible,  they  would  make  pass 
for  ancient  and  Roman  ;  till  wirh  much  ado  I  convinced  them 
of  the  imposition.  We  contented  ourselves  with  looking  at 
the  merchandize,  without  buying  any.  Oa  the  subject  of  an- 
cient medals,  we  may  read  Spanheim  and  Spon,  and  the  collec- 
tions of  Occon. 

Three  leagues  beyond  Nismes  towards  Avignon  is  the  Pont  du, 
Gcinhy  a  stupendous  work  of  the  Romans.  The  Garde  is  a  rivec 
which  rises  from  the  snows  ou  the  hills  in  the  Cevennes,  runs  by 
Alet  and  joins  the  Rhone  near  the  town  of  Beaucaire.  This  bridg* 
5upported  an  aqueduct  for  bringing  the  best  water  to  Nismes, 
from  springs  beyond  that  river.  Nothing  of  the  aqueduct  re-- 


1^2          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

mains  except  this  bridge.  It  consists  of  3  stories  or  tiers,  so 
as  to  form  three  bridges  one  on  the  top  of  another.  The  first 
has  6  great  arches  in  the  water,  the  id  has  IT,  the  uppermost 
36  small  ones.  On  the  top  of  this  highest  lay  the  lead  pipes 
of  the  aqueduct.  The  whole  joins  together  two  great  moun- 
tains across  the  river.  It  is  80  feet  high,  and  337  long  on  the 
top  ;  of  a  surprizing  solidity  and  strength ;  of  stones  as  hard  ns 
common  marble.  Many  out  of  curiosity  creep  on  their  bellies 
over  it  ;  but  we  were  not  so  venturesome.  Along  the  side  of 
the  2d  row  of  arches  is  a  bridge  for  foot-passengers,  of  equal 
symmetry  with  the  rest.  They  are  at  present  making  one  on  the 
other  side,  quite  modern,  for  waggons  and  coaches.  On  this 
bridge  are  engraven  these  three  letters  :  A.  E.  A.  which  some 
read  thus,  SJgrippa  cst  Auctor.  Agrippa  13  the  author.  This  is 
not  like  the  Roman  inscriptions,  which  make  others  read  it 
Alexander  Elius  Adrianux,  the  names  of  the  Emperor  Adrian. 
The  great  aqueduct  was  divided  into  3  before  it  came  to  Nis- 
mes  ;  one  branch  went  to  the  amphitheatre,  another  to  the 
fountain;  and  a  third  to  the  houses  of  certain  individuals.  The 
Romans  made  their  aqueducts  to  run  very  high,  that  the  wrter 
might  be  purer,  lighter  and  better,  by  not  being  imxed  in 
running  on  the  earth.  It  was  not  conveyed  all  the  way  in  lead- 
en pipes,  but  in  a  channel  prepared  of  sand  laid  on  the  stones. 
They  spared  no  cost  or  labour  to  be  furnished  with  good  water, 
wherecver  they  were  settled. 

Four  leagues  from  Nismes,  on  the  Languedoc  side  of  the 
Rhone,  stands  BEAUCAIRK,  a  city  famous  for  being  the  staple 
of  the  best  oil  of  Languedoc  :  It  contains  th-.3  principal  house 
of  the  Fathers  of  the  Christian  doctrine,  \vho  keep  here  the 
general  chapter  of  their  order.  Opposite  to  tins  on  the  Pro- 
vence side  of  the  Rhone,  (of  which  river  this  is  one  of  the 
most  rapid  parts,)  stands  TARASCOX,  famous  for  the  colle- 
giate church  of  St  Martha,  with  her  body  in  u  shrine  oi  mas- 
sy gold,  given  by  King  Lewis  XL,  having  upon  it  an  in- 
imitable figure  of  the  saint  :  Our  llcs^e^l  L-.^'y  in  agate,  a  pre- 
sent of  the  same  king  and  many  other  rich  cubes  lull  of  relics, 
are  shewn  in  the  treasurv  of  this  church,  which  makes  it  be 
looked  upon  ss  one  of  the  h^ly  places  of  Provence,  la  the  sub? 


Clap.  VI.  TOUR  FROM  AIX  TO  MARSEILLES.  133 

terraneous  chapel,  the  place  of  St  Martha's  burial,  are  four  an- 
cient tombs ;  and  every  part  richly  adorned  with  marble  carv- 
ings, &c.  From  Tarascon  it  is  12  leagues  to  Aix. 

LANGUEDOC  was  the  seat  of  the  Alligeois  Heresy,  protected 
sometimes  by  the  Counts  of  Thoulouse.     After  it  was  extir- 
pated, Calvinism  (anno  IS54)  was   introduced  with   such   suc- 
cess, that  great  numbers  embraced  it.     In  1685,  Lewis  XIV. 
revoked  the  edict   of  Nantes,  which  had  allowed  them  liberty" 
of  conscience,  and  forbade  them  to  hold  any  assemblies.     Since 
that  time  they  still  openly  profess  themselves  Calvinists,  but  can- 
not legally  hold  meetings  5  yet  they  do  that  too  very  frequent- 
ly, and  have  ministers  named  in  their  congregation.     Seven  of 
these  clergymen  were  taken  up  for  preaching  last  year,  on  a  com- 
plaint being  made  that  their  people  had  been  guilty  of  rebellious 
practices.  They  are  still  prisoners  in  the  citadel  of  Montpelier. 
The  Duke  of  Richelieu,  the  governor  of  Languedoc,  told  them, 
by  orders  of  court,  that  the  King  allowed  them  to  be  of  what  reli- 
gion they  pleased :  but  if  they  held  any  meetings,  their  ministers 
should  be  hanged.     It  is  a  political  law  in  France  to  tolerate  no 
assemblies  where  the  king  has  not  some  person  present,  to  inform 
iurn  of  all  things  said  or  done.     This  he  observes  even  among 
the  bishops  and  clergy  :   nay,  curates  of  a  town  cannot  hold  their 
monthly  conference,   without   ordinarily  having  the  king's  at- 
torney,  or  procurator-general,  with   them.     Though  the  Cal- 
vinihts   are  very  numerous  over  all  Languedoc,  the  Cevennes, 
and  Provence,   and  live  as  freely  as  the  Catholics,   (except  that 
they  are   prohibited  from  holding  their  meetings),  Nismes  is 
their  metropolis,   above  three  parts  of  the  town  being  of  that 
persuasion.     The   reason   that  induced  Lewis  XIV.   to  forbid 
their  assemblies,  was  the  tumults  of  the  fanatics  in  the  Ceven- 
i,t.-:,   in  Vivarais  :    A  gentleman  of  Dauphiny,  called  de  Ftf/e^ 
Doming  from  Geneva,  set  up  for  a  prophet,  and  communicated 
the  same  spirit  to  his  wife  and  children  ;    but   ore  Gabriel  As- 
iier)  a  country  day-labourer  m  Dauphiny,  (settled  in  Vavarais 
at   Bresac),   wus    the   great   master.     He    taught   many  boys, 
girls,  and  others,   to  make  strange  faces,  to  throw  themselves 
into  extravagant  postures,  and  commence  prophets.      They 
pretended  to  communicate  this  spirit  of  prophecy,  or  rhe  Holy 


134         TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

Ghost,  by  breathing  into  one  another's  mouth.     Prophets  were 
multiplied  to  the  number  of  3  or  400.     They  counterfeited  ec- 
stacies,  and  used  very  ridiculous  gestures,  often  openly  immodest. 
They  pretended  to  fall  into  a  prophetic  sleep,  on  hearing  the 
scriptures   read,  especially  the  book   of  Revelations.     In  this 
pretended  sleep,  (for  it  was  proved  they  were  really  awake,  by 
their  perceiving  people  go  out  and  come  in,  &x.)  they  kept  their 
eyes  shut,  played  a  hundred  gambols,  equally  indecent  and  mad, 
and  uttered  their  prophecies,  frequently  crying  out,  "  Mercy  ! 
"  amend,  and  do  penance;  the  judgment  of  God  will  fall  on  you 
"  in  three  months."    They  all  exclaimed  against  the  mass,  call- 
ing  it  abominable,  the  mother  of  the  devil,  &cc.     Some  of  them 
pronounced   many  of  their  friends   predestinated,   and   named 
long  lists  of  others  whom  they  hated,  saying  these  would  be  as 
certainly  damned.     Several  accused  their  neighbours  of  adul- 
teries, and  other  secret  sins  ;   some  of  whom  protesting  their 
innocence,  sued  the  prophets  ;   others  fell  upon  them,  and  beat 
them   in   the   assembly,  till   the  multitude  (all  on  their  knees 
round  the  prophet,  with  their  eyes  fixed  on  him)  stood  up  and 
rescued  him.     They  often   foretold  evils  which  never  happen- 
ed against  the  pope,  &_c.   announcing  to  their  Catholic  curate, 
that  if  he  did  not  repent,  he  should  be  killed  by  God,  and  his 
church  burnt  as  So  Join  ;  and  sometimes  limiting  the  term  to 
three  days.     They  seemed  even  to  surpass  the  mad  fanaticism 
of  the  Anabaptists  at  Munster.     As  the  chiefs  among  these 
false  prophets  exhorted  their  followers  to   rebellion,  with  pre- 
dictions of  success  ; — after  all  other  means  had  been  effectually 
vised,  the  Count  of  Broglio,  and  the  Colonel  de  Folleville,  with 
their  troops,   dispersed  them,  killing  only  a  few  in  the  field  in 
the  several    skirmishes.     Astier,  the  great  leader  of  this  sect, 
\vas  hanged  at  Montpelier  :   he  died  a  Catholic,  and  confessed 
the  whole  contrivance.      Many  others  that  were  converted,  and 
several  that  were  not,  made  similar  confessions  *.     FLECHIER 


*  As  the  fanatics  among  the  Jamenhts  in  Paris,  of  late,  seem  to  imitate  those 
stmong  thf  Calviaists,  the  affinity  ot  the  subject  tempts  me  to  say  a  word  of 
ihem.  The  Jajiseni'ts  >.  hief  errors  were  first  advanced  by  certain  divines  of  Lou- 


Clap.  VI.  TOUR  FROM  AIX  TO  MARSEILLES.  13  r 

•*  O  J 

gives  us  the  account  from  their  own  depositions  upon  oath,  and 
that  of  many  irreproachable  witnesses.  He  was  then  bishop 
of  Nismes,  the  pride  of  France  for  eloquence,  and  in  fine 


vaine,  among  which  Baius's  76  propositions,  censured  by  Pope  Pius  V.  an.  1567, 
and  other  suceedii;g  popes,  made  a  great  noise.  CORNELIUS  JANSCNTUS,  a 
Lovanian,  having  contracted  an  intimacy  with  JOHN  VERGER,  abbot  of  St 
Cyran,  and  confessor  to  the  nuns  of  Port-Royal,  an  implacable  enemy  of  the 
Jesuits,  and  a  warm  defender  of  many  new  errors  and  whimsical  assertions,  was 
partly  by  his  means  drawn  into  the  same  erroneous  principles.  He  died  bishop 
of  Ypres  in  1638  of  the  plague,  continually  professing  a  submission  to  the  holy 
see.  His  book,  intitled  August'inus,  was  not  printed  till  after  his  death.  la 
it  he  pretends  to  prove  from  St  Austin,  that  God  does  not  always  give,  even  to 
the  just,  grace  sufficient  to  observe  his  law ;  so  that  his  precepts  are  sometimes 
impossible  to  be  kept  by  them,  according  to  their  present  strength  :  Tliat  since 
Adam's  fall  man  receives  no  graces,  which  he  can  make  inefficacious  by  his  re- 
sistance ;  hut  that  all  grace  has  necessarily  the  whols  effect  it  is  capable  of  pro- 
ducing, in  the  circumstances  in  which  it  is  given.  That  fiee  wiil,  since  the  Fall. 
is  not  exempt  from  simple  necessity,  but  only  from  co-action  or  external  violence. 
For  he  teaches,  that  if  concupiscence  be  stronger,  it  weighs  down  the  scales  and 
necessitates  the  will  to  sin  ;  If  grace  be  stronger,  it  necessitates  to  virtue. 
That  it  is  Semipelagianism,  to  admit  to  the  beginning  of  faith  a  grace  which 
man's  will  can  resist ;  and  that  it  is  the  same  heresy,  to  say  that  Christ  died  for 
all  men  ;  by  which  he  insinuates,  that  he  only  died  for  the  elect.  This  book 
was  immediately  condemned  by  Pope  Urban  VIII.  in  1641.  Again  Inno- 
cent X.  condemned  the  aforesaid  propositions  and  doctrines,  by  a  very  solemn 
decree  in  165^,  which  was  applauded  and  received  by  all  the  provinces  of  ths 
Catholic  church.  Alexander  VII.  in  1656  confirmed  the  same  condemnation 
by  a  stiil  more  express  decree;  which  four  French  bishops,  viz.  of  Anger*, 
Ecauvai%  Pamiers,  and  Alet,  refused  to  accept  simply.  Clement  XI.  published 
another  bull,  the  strongest  of  ail,  in  1705,  beginning  with  the  words,  I'intam 
lianlni  Sa&astb ;  and  Lewis  XIV.  banished  or  imprisoned  all  the  chief  pa- 
trons of  this  heresy,  as  St  Cyrau,  le  Tvl^tre,  Sacy,  Antony,  Arr.auld,  Sec.  So 
that  it  seemed  almost  extinguished  in  France,  till  the  Regent,  standing  in  need 
of  the  authority  of  the  Puiiiament  oi  P.u'is,  to  fettle  himself  in  the  Regency 
from  which  Lewis  XIV's  will  had  excluded  him,  to  gratify  it,  recalled  all  who 
had  been  banished,  £ic.  on  this  account  :  He  inJeed  afterwards  kept  t4iein 
within  some  bounds,  so  as  to  preserve  measures  with  the  pope,  an.i  king  of 
Spain,  who  interested  himself  very  much  in  this  a.T.iir.  Father  Q^ENELL,  a 
French  Oratorian,  printed  in  1671,  his  Alcrjl  Refleethm  on  tJ.e  Gcsfsls,  in  which 
nil  the  heresies  and  errors  of  the  sect  are  craftly  instilled  i;i;_the  most,  pernicious 
i-.rtful  manner.  The  author  having  fled  into  Holland,  Clement  XII.  forbid  the 
liook  in  1708,  and  in  1713  he  published  his  famous  Constitution  Unigenitus,  in 
wiilch  he  condemned  ICI  arttul  propositions  extracted  out  of  it.  Thii  bull  was 
i«<M-;?(l  and  ve^Utaed  in  the  Parliament*  i»;  J~i.'.  urul  in  ill  the  U.-.ivtnitu'v 


TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

writing  surpassed  only  by  the  nervous,  masculine  style  of  the 
great  BOSSUET,  bishop  of  Meaux.  It  is  surprising  the  minister 
JtiRiEU  should  espouse  such  fanaticism.  The  city  of  Geneva 

The  king  died  in  September  1715.  The  Regent  made  Cardinal  NOAILLES  presi- 
dent of  his  Council  of  Conscience  ;  recalled  all  the  fugitives,  among  whom  re- 
turned QOENELL  and  PETITPIKD,  and  all  the  banished,  among  whom  were  WIT- 
TJSSE,  Sec.  The  Fatuity  of  Paris  in  1716  declared  it  had  only  enrcgistered  in 
obedience  to  the  commands  of  the  king,  hut  never  received  the  Constitution  ; 
upon  which  the  Pope,  by  a  decree  dated  i8th  November,  suspended  the  privi- 
leges of  that  university.  Anno  1717,  the  four  bishops  of  Mirepoix,  Boulogne, 
Montpelier,  and  Senez,  published  their  act  of  appeal  from  the  Pope's  bull  to  a 
future  general  council.  The  Faculty  of  Paris  and  innumerable  individuals  a- 
ilopted  the  same  appeal  ;  as  did  also  the  universities  of  Rheinas,  Caen,  and 
Nantes,  many  chapters,  and  at  last  Cardinal  Noiiilies  himself,  in  1719  ;  though 
he  retracted  in  1726,  before  his  death.  In  1719,  PC  pe  Clement  XI.  forbid  all 
communion  with  them.  The  tumults  and  fury  of  the  party  grew  insupportable 
to  the  Regent ;  The  king  has  siuce  done  a  great  deal  to  suppress  them  mildly, 
and  without  any  disturbance.  The  provincial  council  of  Embrun,  Archbishop 
Tencin,  new  archbishop  of  Lyons,  and  Cardinal,  being  President,  deposed  the 
bishop  of  Senez  ;  fifty  Parisian  advocates  published  a  consultation  against  this 
council,  which  was  suppressed  by  the  king  anno  1728. 

The  Jansenists  in  Holland  are  divided  into  parties.  Some  approve  the  taking 
Interest  on  money  when  authorised  by  law.  Some  are  figurists,  and  admit  whimsical 
interpretations  oi  Scripture,  dream.",  visions,  &.c. ;  others  are  non-figurists.  PETIT- 
PIED  introduced  fanaticism  among  them  in  Paris  in  1718,  though  it  had  been  be- 
gun"at  Port-Royal  long  before.  A  deacon,  an  obstinate  appellant,  called  PARIS9 
buried  in  St  Medard's  church,  was  canonized  by  them  ;  and  a  girl,  blindand  Jame, 
•was  said  to  have  been  cured  at  his  grave.  The  archbishop  Vemirr.elle  du  Luc 
condemned  this  pretended  miracle  in  1731,  proving  the  girl  was  never  blind  or 
lame  ;  her  name  was  Ann  Le  Franc.  The  same  is  proved  Jemonftratively  by  the 
archbifhop  of  Sens,  both  respecting  this  and  all  their  other  forgeries  and  pretend 
ed  miracles.  Abbe  BESHKEANT,  a  notorious  zealot  of  the  party,swas  a  little  lame 
and  disfigured.  He  visiced  the  tomb  of  Monsieur  PARIS  very  long,  without  any 
cure,  as  he  testifies  ;  but  at  length  he  was  seized,  always  on  the  tomb,  with  violent 
convulsions,  jumping  in  the  air,  Sec.  :  this  they  called  a  miracle.  Madema'uells 
lc  Brvn,  1 8  year*  old,  found  the  same  effect  when  she  came  upon  the  grave; 
but  in  her,  these  convulsions  soon  grew  too  immodest  to  be  described  ;  as  well  as 
in  many  other?,  for  they  were  now  multiplied  without  end,  and  all  Paris  went 
to  see  them,  till  the  lung  forbid  them,  and  ordered  the  little  church-yard  of  St 
Medard, -in  which  was  pari&'s  grave,  to  be  shut  up.  Then  BESCHERANT  had 
convulsions  at  home,  till  by  the  king's  orders  he  was  put  into  the  mad-house 
of  St  Lazare,  where  he  had  no  more.  T,a  ROSALIA  was  most  famous  for  her 
convulsions,  bu:  her  indecent  nakedness,  &c.  was  mott  shamciul :  She  was  often 
senvictcd  of  forgery ;  pretending  to  be  differently  affected  by  the  touch  of  > 


Clap.  V.  A    TOUR    FROM    ATX    TO    MARSEILLES.  237 

condemned  it,  and  upon  examination  banished  three  of  those 
prophets  who  had  retired  thither. 


priest  from  that  of  any  other  per-on,  she  mistook  one  who  dressed  himself  as  z 
secular  ;  pretending  to  be  insensible,  as  dead,  she  screamed,  when  pricked  with  a 
pin.  The  Invisible  hegan  first  her  convulsions  at  night,  and  her  behaviour  was 
still  more  infamous.  Mademoiselle  RESTAN  was  with  Mademoiselle  DANCONI 
iri  the  greatest  repute  for  predictions,  &c.  She  first  called  Brother  Augustin  the 
precursor  of  ELIAS,  the  second  JOHN,  in  truth,  not  in  figure.  The  Wandering 
"Jeiv,  (as  one  called  himself),  performed  many  tedious  journeys,  and  had  hard 
nights  in  the  villages,  often  abused  as  a  madman,  in  search  of  Elias  and  his  bre- 
thren the  Jews,  hefore  the  day  of  judgment  just  at  hand,  but  could  never  find 
them.  Misadventures  resemble  Don  Quixote's  The  Chevalier  t  who  called  him- 
self FK  ERE  HILAIRE,  wasno  less  remarkable.  The  female  barber,  ABOYEUSE,  sur- 
passed these  still,  but  she  failed  in  an  attempt  she  made  to  raise  a  child  to  life,  and 
named  a  bone  found  at  Port-Royal  a  relic  of  Singlin,  whose  body  it  was  proved  had 
bren  buried  in  Paris.  Some  eat  pins,  others  nails,  and  played  many  juggler  tricks. 
There  was  a  nun,  a  Con-uulsionaire,  cured  by  her  abbess  ordering  two  lusty  lay- 
sisters  to  beat  her,  as  she  fell  into  her  fits.  They  dare  only  carry  on  this  folly  in 
private  houfes  at  present.  Duguet,  and  other  fensible  Jansenists,  condemn  them 
for  their  blasphemies,  immodesties;  and  ridiculous  follies.  The  pretended  Elias 
called  himself  so,  and  was  saluted  as  such  by  several  extatic  Convuliionairei.  He  was 
one  VAILL  ANT,  born  in  Troycs  :  At  17  he  entered  novice  at  La  Trappe,  but  was 
dismissed,  for  pretending  to  reform  that  house.  He  was  a  priest,  vicar,  and  ae 
last  country  curate  in  the  diocese  of  Troyes  ;  but  for  tiiese  jj  years  past  has  beera 
in  the  Bastile. 

Misson  in  his  Theatre  of  the  Cevennes,  Brueis,  and  Jurieu,  give  us  accounts  of 
the  fanatic  Huguenots ;  and  several  Janscr.ists  have  aha  given  us  accounts  of  th- 
Cwcul.'ii'iaires  of  S*.  Medard. 


138          XATIIS  CF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 


CHAPTER     SEVENTH. 
TOUR  FROM  AIX  TO   MARSEILLES — continued. 

St  MAXIMIN'S. — Tradition  respecting  St  Mary  Magdalene.  &c.  Account  of 
her  Relics.  Remarkable  Anecdote  in  proof  of  their  authenticity — La  Salute 
Baume. — Auhiine. — MA'.ISF.ILLES,  Harbour,  Lazaretto,  Arsenal. — Descrip- 
tion of  the  Galleys. — Abbey  of  St  Victor. 


MARSEILLES,  1745. 

JL(  ROM  Aix  it  is  six  leagues  to  St  MAXIMIN'S,  a  small  populous 
town,  and  the  principal  among  all  the  holy  places  of  Provence. 
The  Dominicans,  who  have  rich  settlements  over  all  Provence 
and  Languedoc,  are  the  possessors  of  all  the  relics  here.  Their 
convent  is  very  large  and  stately,  and  their  community  con- 
sists of  ico  religious.  They  have  a  very  convenient  fountain 
and  spring  of  good  water  in  their  refectory.  The  prior  is 
named  by  the  king,  and  appoints  the  curate  of  the  town,  who 
is  one  of  his  own  Religious.  This  parish  is  exempt  from  the 
jurisdiction  of  the  Archbishop  of  Aix,  as  the  convent  is  in  a 
great  measure  from  that  of  its  own  immediate  superiors  :  So 
that  the  prior  is  invested  with  great  authority,  and  enjoys 
many  privileges,  with  great  annual  revenues.  It  is  an  ancient: 
popular  tradition  in  Provence,  that  St  Mary  Magdalene  (or 
perhaps  Mary  the  sister  of  Lazarus),  St  Martha,  and  St  La- 
zarus, with  some  other  disciples  of  our  Lord,  being  expelled 
by  the  Jews,  took  shipping  and  landed  at  Marseilles,  of  which 
church  they  were  the  founders.  The  relics  of  those  saints 
•were  discovered  in  the  I3th  century  ;  those  of  St  Mary  Mag* 
dulene  at  St  Maximin's,  those  of  St  Martha  at  Tarasqon,  and 
others  at  St  Viuior'-.,  ia  Marseilles.  Ihey  were  found  dcpo- 
••ittd  ia  one  tomb  of  alabaster,  and  three  of  marble,  with  in- 
scriptions in  parchment,  wrapped  up  in  cork-wood,  mention- 
iu^  vvhu^  todies  thfy  v/erc,  and  were  authentically  proved 


Chap.   Vll.         TOUR  FROM  AIX  TO  MARSEILLES.  139 

genuine  by  many  monuments  found  with  them  in  these  seve- 
ral places  *.  Charles  I.  King  cf  Sicily,  and  brother  of  St 
L*wis,  was  at  that  time  sovereign  Count  of  Provence,  but  be- 
ing then  in  Naples,  engaged  in  war  with  the  house  of  Arragon, 
his  son,  Charles  of  Avignon,  Prince  of  Salerno,  governed  Pro- 
vence. This  Prince  had  already  founded  the  church  of  St 
Maximin's  upon  the  spot,  when  the  relics  of  St  Magdalene 
were  discovered.  And  in  1279,  (having  then  become  Count 
of  Provence  by  his  brother's  death)  he  assisted  at  the  solemn 
translation  of  them  in  presence  of  the  archbishops  of  Narbonne^ 
Aries,  Aix,  and  Ambrun,  together  with  many  bishops.  He 
himself  took  St  Magdalene's  relics  out  of  the  tomb,  and  put 
them  into  a  silver  shrine,  and  the  head  into  a  golden  case,  sur- 
mounted with  the  royal  crown  which  his  father  had  sent  him. 
Ke  obtained  a  bull- from  Pope  Boniface  Vll  I.,  by  which  the 
Dominicans  were  put  in  possession  of  St  Maximin's,  and  La 
Smnte  Baume,  which  had  before  belonged  to  the  Benedic- 
tines under  St  Victor's,  in  Marseilles,  who  received  an  equi- 
valent in  other  lands.  In  the  year  1690,  Lewis  XIV.,  with 
the  Queen-Mother,  visited  St  Maximin's,  and  La  Sainte 
Baume,  on  which  occasion  he  caused  the  shrine  of  St  Magda- 
lene to  be  opened,  and  the  relics  put  into  a  new  shroud,  wrap- 
ped in  a  blue  scarf,  and  enclosed  in  a  leaden  coffin,  covered  with- 
in and  without  with  gold  brocade^  the  key  being  given  to 
himself.  The  shrine  was  closed  with  three  blue  ribbons,  up- 
on which  his  Majesty,  with  his  own  hand,  set  his  seal  in  wax 
in  ten  places.  This  leaden  shrine  was  carried  in  a  great  pro- 


*  Many  modern  critics  doubt  of  these  rclius  being-  genuine,  and  imagine  the 
Subscriptions,  &c.  to  bea  forgery.  F.NOEL,  or  NATALI?  ALEXANDER,  attends 
both  St  Mary  Magdalene's  arrival  in  Provence,  and  the  authenticity  cf  her  relic?, 
i>jni  the  circumstances  of  the  discovery.  Indeed  it  is  not  conceivable  so  many 
monuments  found  in  different  places,  and  at  different  times,  should  be  al!  impos- 
tures. Could  the  whole  province  conspire  to  impose  upon  posterity  so  great  a 
ch:at,  to  the  hazard  of  their  own  eternal  damnation  I  These  certainly  are  suffi- 
cient grounds  for  the  devotion  of  the  faithful,  and  of  so  many  Popes  and  Kings; 
though  even  if  the  relics  should  be  false,  the  devotion  is  no  1-bs  commendable  and 
good  in  itielf,  as  it  is  not  rash,  but  prudent  and  morally  well  grounded.  It  is  be- 
sides referred  to  God  and  the  saints,  not  to  the  place  or  shrines  themselves.  A- 
lexanderthe  Great  could  no:  be  offended  to  see  foreign  ambassadors  honour  hi* 
favourite  fur  himself  by  mistake,  whilst  he  saw  they  designed  t.ae  homage  for  hi.n, 

13 


143  TRAVELS  OF   REV.    ALBAN  BUTLER. 

cession  of  bishops  and  clergy  to  the  high  altar,  and  deposited 
in  an  urn  of  porphyry  with  his  Majesty's  letter-patent,  and 
the  processes  of  the  archbishop  of  Avignon,  De  Marinii,  who 
performed  the  ceremony.  The  urn  being  shut  up,  the  king 
broke  the  keys,  that  it  might  never  be  opened  without  his 
special  order.  The  Chieen-mother  took  one  of  the  bones, 
which  she  gave  to  her  abbey  of  Val  de  Grace  in  Paris. 

We  first  observed  in  this  church  the  urn  of  Porphyry,  which 
contains  the  bones  of  St  Mary  Magdalene,  and  which  is  placed 
on  the  top  of  the  back  part  of  the  high  altar.     The  prior  next 
conducted  us  down   into  a   rich  subterraneous   chapel,  very 
strongly  shut  up  by  iron  gates,  &:c.  which  he   opened.     Here 
are  the  four  tombs  found  by  Charles  II. ;  (see  p.  138.}  But  the- 
relics  are  taken  out.     Here  also  is  shewn  the  head  of  St  Magda- 
lene in  the  gold  case  above  described,  which  is  enriched  with 
great  jewels.    Before  it  is  the  statue  of  Ann  of  Britanny,  queen 
of  France,  of  enamelled   gold,  very  beautiful,   though  small. 
She  is  praying  upon  her  knees  upon  a  pedestal,  upon  which 
are  two  angels  supporting  the  case  :      This  was  the  present  of 
that  queen.     The  head  of  the  saint,  and  all  its  bones,   arc  pro- 
digiously lar-2;e.     It  has  in  its   aspect   an   extraordinary  air   of 
majesty,  very  agreeable.     On  the  left  side  of  the  forehead  is  a 
piece  of  flesh  uncorrupted,  which  they  call  the  noli  me  tangere  } 
and  say  it  was  preserved  incorruptible,  because  our  Saviour 
touched  it  with  his  finger   when  he   bid   Mary  not  touch  him. 
.Bat  for  this  circumstance  no  good  authority  is   alleged.     Two 
facts  at  least  regarding   this    flesh   are  however   well  attested. 
A  person  being  desirous  to  cut  oft"  a  small  piece  of  it,  to   put 
;n  a  reliquary,  the  licih  which  before  was  dry,  immediately  on 
being  cut,  appeared  red  with  fresh  blood  \  as  the  verbal  pro- 
cess, and  the  attestations  of  the  physicians  called  to  examine  it, 
confirm.     The   second   remarkable  fort   alluded   to   happened 
thus  :   The  Llan.lre  de  (.orr.ptt.t,   ac   Aix,   (a  sovereign  court) 
has  upon  the  death  of  the  king   a  light  to  examine  all  relics, 
to  ascertain  whether   they  are   in  the   same  condition  as  upon 
the  last  king's  death.     Three  of  these  counsellors,  preposess- 
-~"\  with  the  notion  that   the  above  circumstance  was   a   cheat^ 


Clap.  VII.         A  TOUR  FROM  AIX  TO  MARSEILLES.  141 

resolved  to  discover  and  abolish  it.  Accordingly,  on  the  death 
of  Lewis  XIV.  making  use  of  their  privilege,  they  went  to 
St  Maximin's  with  surgeons  and  apothecaries  from  remote 
towns,  suspecting  those  of  the  place.  These  they  command- 
ed to  examine  the  piece  of  flesh  even  by  cutting,  and  to  employ 
the  strongest  menstruutns  to  separate  it  from  the  bone.  But 
all  had  no  effect;  the  surgeons  cried  out,  "  A  miracle  !"  And 
the  three  counsellors  were  seized  with  so  great  fear,  that  thev 
immediately  begged  pardon  of  the  prior  and  the  religious,  an4 
by  way  of  reparation,  or  amende  honorable,  drew  up  and  sub- 
scribed a  judicial  attestation  of  what  they  had  witnessed,  and 
became  the  most  zealous  defenders  of  the  truth  of  these  relics  , 
as  two  of  these  gentlemen,  yet  alive  in  Aix,  still  continue  to 
declare  themselves  on  all  occasions. 

The  prior  next  shewed  the  holy  ampulla,  or  glass  vial,  in 
which  is  some  of  our  Saviour's  blood,  which  they  say  St  Mag- 
dalene brought  with  her.  This  they  shew  publicly  every 
good  Friday.  In  a  chapel  on  the  side  of  the  church,  (called  the 
chapel  of  relics),  a  great  number  of  relics,  in  very  rich  cases, 
are  locked  up  under  iron  gates  on  each  side  of  it.  These  the 
prior  shewed  us  last.  Amongst  these  we  admired  most  the 
silver  tabernacle,  which  contains  the  bones  of  St  Maximin,  ex- 
cept the  scull,  which  is  kept  in  the  cathedral  of  Aix :  A  silver 
case  with  a  vial  containing  the  hair  of  St  Magdalen'--,  exceeding 
long  :  A  shoulder  of  St  Lawrence  which  seems  broiled  :  A 
prodigious  large  amethyst  on  a  silver  case  in  which  is  the  heu-i 
of  a  martyr,  Sec. 

LA  SAIXTE  BAU^IE  is  the  frightful  mountain,  the  highest  of 

O  '  O 

any  in  Provence,  in  which  St  Magdalene  is  said  to  have  done  pen- 
ance. It  is  3  long  leagues  from  St  Maxirnln's,  as  many  from  Mar- 
seilles, and  5  from  Aix  La  Sal/its  Eaurne  signifies,  in  the  Pro- 
vencal language,  the  holy  cave  being  a  cave  formed  by  nature  in 
the  hard  rock,  of  the  size  of  a  small  room,  almost  on  the  top  of 
this  high  mountain.  It  is  always  dry.  The  sa:nt  is  said  to 
have  lain  in  it  and  performed  IKT  greatest  pei.ances  here.  The 
rock  forms  another  large  vault  in  this  place,  fr<:m  every  part 
•:f  -.vhich  drops  of  vvr.ter  cc.iti;iual]y  f:d!  like  a  m-.ll  rain  ;  an 


142          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

emblem  of  the  saint's  perpetual  tears.  At  the  end  of  it  is  a 
plentiful  spring  of  excellent  water,  which  notwithstanding  its 
height  "\ever  dries  :  Out  of  this  it  is  said  St  Magdalene  drank. 
The  whole  of  this  space  is  now  contained  within  a  church  be- 
longing to  the  adjoining  convent  cf  the  Dominicans,  and  the  na- 
tural vault  of  the  rock  forms  the  principal  part  of  its  roof;  so 
that  a  person  must  chuse  his  place  not  to  be  wet  with  the  con- 
tinual droppings  :  The  altar  and  other  places  near  the  smaller 
cave,  are  covered  round  with  votive  offerings,  generally  wretch- 
ed daubings  rather  than  paintings,  and  paltry  inscriptions  :  'tis 
a  pitythere  is  no  care  taken  to  hinder  the  country  people  from 
hanging  up  such  mean  presents  :  If  they  arc  not  able  to  offer 
something  handsome,  might  they  not  give  their  mite  according 
to  their  devotion,  either  to  the  religious,  to  the  poor,  or  to  the 
fabric  or  shrine  ?  And  cculd  not  sorne  superior  take  care  that 
all  was  carefully  and  faithfully  employed  ?  Among  those  in- 
scriptions I  was  much  pleased  with  copy  of  very  elegant  Latin 
verses,  engraven  on  a  brass  plate,  and  said  to  have  been  compos- 
ed by  PETRARCH  when  he  visited  this  place.  They  seem  tome 
to  surpass  his  fine  Italian  odes.  Ajcining  to  this  church  stands 
a  small  convent  of  Dominicans.  The  religious  are  sent  hither 
by  the  prior  of  St  Maximin's,  who  allows  them  1000  livres 
each  per  annum,  which  is  far  from  being  too  much  ;  as  every- 
thing must  be  brought  them  from  a  great  distance,  over  stu- 
pendous mountains.  They  are  u-ually  six  in  number.  The  con- 
vent is  so  artfully  built  in  a  chink  of  the  rock,  that  it  can  scarce- 
ly be  distinguished  to  be  a  house,  except  by  the  windows,  which 
are  small.  It  is  extremly  cold.  From  this  dreary  habitation 
these  solitaries  can  see  nothing  but  a  frightful  precipice,  which 
one  cannot  look  down  upon  without  horror  ;  and  beyond  it 
other  rocky  mountains,  completely  barren  :  Indue;!,  in  a  kind 
of  an  ugly  plain  there  grow  fir  trees  and  snme  other  low  wood, 
which  display  a  little  verdure  in  summer.  They  see  the  mists, 
and  often  the  cloud.?,  rolling  below  them.  The  roads  to  this 
dismal  solitude  are  2  leagues  over  rough  mountains;  on  many 
sides  3  leagues;  every  where  very  bad,  but  the  last  high  ascent 
to  the  convent  io  on  the  brink  of  a  precipice,  and  not  only  very 
strep  ind  r<  arrow,  but  so  rugged  that  it  is  difficult:  to  mount  up 
Ga 


Clap.  VII.  TOUR  FROM  AIX  TO  MARSEILLES.  143 

either  on  horseback  or  on  foot :  I  rather  chose  the  latter  mode. 
What  must  it  have  been  before  the  steps,  such  as  they  are, 
were  made  in  it  ?  Towering  above  la  Saint e  Baume,  ap- 
pears the  lofty  summit  of  these  mountains,  called  Saint  Pilon, 
which,  in  the  Provenqal  language,  signifies  the  holy  pillar*. 
for  here  once  stood  a  pillar,  now  a  small  marble  chapel,  in  me- 
mory of  St  Magdalene's  having  been  carried  hither  in  raptures 
by  the  hands  of  angels.  This  place  so  remote  from  and  almost 
inaccessible  to  every  living  creature,  in  the  midst  of  such  dif- 
mal  barren  rocks,  was  certainly  calculated  for  the  most  austere 
penitents.  The  very  sight  of  it  still,  notwithstanding  the  view 
of  the  convent,  is  extremely  moving.  Such  solitudes  however 
constituted  the  delight  of  the  saints,  and  were  rendered  sweet  to 
them  by  their  conversation  with  God  and  with  heaven.  The 
religious  eat  no  flesh  ;  indeed  the  Doaiiu leans  in  these  parts 
never  do.  It  is  also  said,  they  never  give  any  to  strangers ;  and 
that,  not  to  break  through  this  holy  custom,  Lewis  XIV. 
when  here,  refused  to  eat  any.  They  are  not  now  so  scrupu- 
lous, for  they  even  pressed  us  to  eat  of  animal  food. 

On  our  way  to  Marseilles,  we  passed  through  AUBAINE  a 
handsome  small  town.  The  church  of  the  Recollects  is  rich 
and  worthy  of  notice  :  The  bishop  of  Pv'Iarseiiles  lives  gene- 
rally in  his  country  palace  here  :  He  is  a  very  exemplary  and 
xealous  prelate  ;  preaches  often,  and  is  admired  for  the  zeal  be 
shewed  when  Marseilles  was  alTHcted  with  the  plaj-ue,  br  ex- 

l         O          '  -• 

posing  himself  daily  in  visiting  the  sick,  and  shutting  himself 
up  with  them  in  the  town,  in  the  mid.:',  oi"  gi'eat  miseries  a;},l 
horrors. 


Greece  long  before  Christ:  and  colonies  sent  from  it  built  se- 
veral ports  on  this  coast,  as  Nice,  Antibcs,  and  other  places : 
it  was  then  a  republic  ;  -i;J  first  iuviicd  the  llornaiu  into  G.iui 
to  protect  it  against  the  barbarous  Saliwij.  The  Romans  grant- 
ed it  the  greatest  privileges,  and  tn-uted  it  as  an  ally  rather 
than  as  a  subject;  and  it  generally  maintained  its  liberty 
both  against  the  Gauls  and  }f  Yench,  though  k  probably  Ir.i.i 
been  sometimes  under  their  kings.  It  subsisted  as  a  common- 
\vealtb  ia  the  time  of  the  Count-  of  Provence,  by  vvh::ru  an<.V 

I     3 


144  TRAVELS   OF    REV.    ALBAN    BUTLER, 

the  Burgundians,  &.c.  it  was  frequently  besieged.     It  submit- 
ted at  last,  about  the  year  1243,   to  tne  Counts  of  Provence, 
yet  still  preserving  many  considerable  privileges,  which  the 
French  kings  confirmed  to  it.     The^e  were, — to  be  governed 
by  four  consuls  elected  by  the  inhabitants  ;  to  pay  no  taxes  on 
goods  imported,  or  exported,  &c.  ;  to  have  no  garrison,  nor 
any  citadel,  but  that  of  Notre  Dame  de  la  Garde  ;  but  Lewis 
XIV.,  on  occasion  of  a  mutiny  of  the  city  against  the  Duke 
of  Guise,  general   of    his  gallies,    abolished  many  of  these 
privileges,  only  leaving   it  a  free  port.     The   king   entered 
the  city  with  Cardinal   Mazarine  and   10,000  soldiers.     The 
citizens   received  his  laws  ;    and    his  first    act  of    authority 
was  to  build  a   Citadel  on  the   right  side  of  the  mouth  of  the 
harbour,  and  Fort  St  John  on  the  other  side.    The  space  be- 
tween is  shut  up  by  a  chain  every  night,  and  is   so  narrow 
that  only  one  ship  can  pass  at  once.  The  harbour  is  1000  paces 
long  and   300  broad  ,  one  of  the  finest  for  show  in  the  world, 
though  too  small  to  admit  men  of  war.     The  city  is  large, 
very   well  built,  exceeding  populous,  rich,  and  full  of  bus- 
tle and  business.     Its   streets   are  long   and  broad  ;  and  most 
of  them  lead  to  the  port.     The  Cours  is  very  large,  and  a  beau- 
tiful place  for  a  general  rendezvous  and  promenade.     It   is 
planted  with  trees,  and  adorned  with  handsome  cisterns  of  wa- 
ter, and  very  good  houses  on  every  side.     But  it  is  always 
crowded  beyond  measure,  and  not   so  shady  and  agreeable  as 
that  of  Aix.     The  Lazaretto   is  a  large  fine  building,  where 
foreigners  who  come  from  eastern  parts  are  permitted  to  live, 
during  the  quarantine  to  which  they  are  subjected.     This  law  is 
strictly  observed  in  all  the  ports  of  Italy,  &c.   otherwise  the 
plague  would  often  be  imported  from  Asia  and  Egypt,  where 
it  too  frequently  rages.     Marseilles,  however,  was  not  always 
very  strict  in  exacting  a  compliance  with  this   regulation  ;  but 
it  paid  dear  for  its  lenity,  by  the  plague  being  brought  with 
some  merchandize  from  Egypt  in  172"  :      Since  which  time  it 
has  become  more  exact  in  enforcing   obedience   to   the   above 
law.      The  arsenal  of  Marseilles  is  the  most   beautiful   in   the 
world,  though  it  does  not  contain  arms  for  30,000   men  ;    but 
rhey  are  disposed  in  so  admirable  nn  order,  sncl  in  such  a  ple?,r  - 


Chap.    VII.         A  TOUR    FROM    AIX    TO    MARSEILLES.  145 

ing  variety  of  forms,  representing  suns,  triangles,  pyramids, 
parks  of  arms,  &:c.  with  steel  rails  exquisitely  wrought,  hu- 
man figures  in  all  sorts  of  armour,  &.c.  that  it  is  one  of  the 
greatest  curiosities  to  be  seen  here.  In  it  are  kept  the  arms 
belonging  to  the  galleys.  The  Park,  the  buildings  belonging 
to  the  galleys  arid  arsenal  (in  which  is  an  extensive  range  of 
smith's  shops,  Sec.)  together  with  the  Palace  and  gardens  of  the 
intendant  of  the  gallevs, — are  magnificent  and  qf  vast  extent. 
They  are  near  die  port,  where  the  galleys  themselves,  glitter- 
ing with  gildings,  make  a  very  fine  shew.  All  the  French 
king's  galleys  lie  here.  They  arc  at  present  only  18,  though 
they  were  40  not  many  years  ago.  The  general's  is  richly 
gilt  and  painted,  and  adorned  with  the  best  basso-relievos  of 
the  age.  Its  flags,  streamers,  &.c.  are  of  fine  red  damask,  with 
flowers  tie  lys  devices  and  coats  of  arms,  embroidered  with 
gold.  The  principal  flag  is  40  feet  long,  and  10  broad.  The 
principal  cabin  is  lined  with  red  damask,  fringed  with  gold  and 
silk.  The  lieutenant-general's  galley  is  nearly -as  rich.  Few 
sights  can  equal  the  splendour  of  these  galleys  on  holy  days, 
when  all  their  streamers  are  displayed.  They  serve  to  carry 
great  persons,  like  our  yachts,  and  to  cruize  against  the  Afri- 
can corsairs  in  the  summer  months.  Besides  these,  the  har- 
bour is  always  crowded  with  ships  from  every  part  of  tha 
world,  forming  a  perfect  forest  of  mast3.  It  can  contain  530 
vessels  in  perfect  safety,  being,  as  I  was  informed,  a  thousand 
paces  long.  Around  it  runs  a  broad  handsome  pavement,  and 
beyond  that  good  houses  and  shops.  Here  also  stands  the  Ex- 
chancre,  in  which  we  were  amused  by  seeing  people  of  almost 
every  country  of  the  world.  The  walls  of  the  town  are  razed, 
and  it  has  no  fortifications  at  present,  except  a  strong  citadel, 
built  by  Lewis  XIV.  on  an  eminence,  which  commands  both 
the  town  and  the  port.  This  port  is  one  of  the  strongest  in 
Europe,  having  a  very  narrow  entrance  between  strong  castles  . 
ihat  on  the  left  is  called  Notre  Darne  de  Garde,  being  ou 
a  mountain  (on  which  is  a  chapel  of  our  Lady,  greatly  revert-! 
iu  these  parts)  from  the  top  of  which  there  is  a  view  of  tin- 
sea  to  a  great  distance.  Besides  these,  the  three  isles  lyni<; 
before  the  mouth  of  the  harbour  arc  fortified.  Thf  casus 


146  TRAVELS   OF   REV.    ALBAtf    BUTLER. 

of  Iff,  in  one  of  them,  has  a  governor  and  garrison,  is  looked 
upon  as  exceeding  strong,  and  serves  as  a  prison  of  state  for 
these  parts,  in  the  same  manner  as  the  citadel  of  Montpelier 
docs  for  the  province  wherein  it  is  situated.  As  this  castle  is 
a  league  from  the  shore,  we  were  not  tempted  to  go  to  see  it. 

Near  Notre  Dame  de  Garde  is  the  ancient  rich  abbey  of 
•/>".  Victor,  in  which  Cassiau  was  abbot,  and  which,  with  Lerins, 
was  the  great  seminarj  of  Gaul  for  many  ages.  The  monks 
were  first  Cassianites,  but  afterwards  Benedictines.  They 
had  many  exemptions  and  privileges,  and  never  underwent  any 
reformation  in  discipline  ;  so  that  though  they  resided  in  one 
house,  each  monk  received  his  share  of  the  revenues,  and  lived 
on  it  in  his  own  quarters  as  he  thought  proper,  almost  without 
subordination,  obedience,  or  rule,  merely  keeping  choir.  A  few 
years  ago,  they  obtained  a  bull  from  Rome,  which  secularized 
them.  The  kino;,  however,  has  never  yet  allowed  this  secu- 
larization, and  the  parliament  of  Aix  published  so  severe  an  in- 
vective against  them,  that  it  was  suppressed  even  by  an  order  of 
the  king's  council.  'ihus  the  rr.or;ks  look  upon  themselves  as 
no  religious,  bat  as  secular  canons.  Many  of  them  do  not  even 
reside  ;  two  live  at  Aix,  enjoying  fheir  benefices  at  a  distance. 
The  abbey  is  a  very  old  va^t  building.  In  the  courf  is  a  deep 
well,  into  which  they  tell  115  very  gravely,  the  devil  fled,  when 
exorcised  once  by  the  monks  -,  and  they  shewed  a  mark  on  a 
stone  at  its  mouth,  where  he  fixer!  hit  claw  ;  this  mark  i-:-  struck 
deep  in  the  stone,  and  appears  I'.kc  tint  of  the  claw  o.  some 
wild  beast.  They  p.ro  50  i'rcpc-jsessed  with  the  truth  of  this 
story,  that  they  make  a  precession  every  Suncuv,  in  surplices, 
round  the  cloisters  to  this  well,  with  prayers  and  exorcisms. 
Their  church  is  a  Gothic  building,  very  large,  rich  in  relics, 
and  remarkable  for  its  antiquity.  The  sacristan  shewed  us 
the  relics  under  strong  iron  gates  and  bolts,  in  repositories 
made  in  the  wall,  on  each  side  of  the  high  altar.  I  chidly  took 
notice  of  those  of  St  Victor  in  a  silver  shrine,  gilt,  given  by 
Tope  Urban  V.,  whose  tomb  we  see  on  the  outside  of  the  choir. 
'II: z  al<b;'V  gv:vc  an  arm  of  St  Victor  to  that  of  his  name  in 
I'dris.  Thcr-,-  are  also  relics  of  many  other  saints  and  ir,artyrs, 
22  w-Ll  '-.z  ccr:;o:;£  of  all  Uie  chief  relics  cf  St  Peter's  in  Rome, 


.  VII.         A  TOUR  FROM  AJX    TO  MARSEILLES  147 

given  by  the  same  pope  ;  a  finger  of  St  Mary  Magdalen«,  Sec. 
all  in  rich  cases.     Jn  the  lower  part  of  the  church,  is  a  subter- 
raneous chapel,  or  rather  very  large  church,  with  many  alleys 
and  chapels,  which  we  saw  by  candle  light.     1  hey  say  one  of 
the  chapels  here  was  the  first  Christian  church  in  France.     It 
has  been  consecrated  by  three  popes  in   person,  as  stones  in  it 
testify;  and  enjoys  very  great  grants  and  privileges.  The  chapel 
of  St  Mary  Magdalene  contains  her  statue,  and  is  the  place  io. 
which  they  say  she  began  her  penance,  before  she  retired  to  La 
Sainte  Baume.  The  chapel  of  our  Lady  no  woman  is  permitted 
to  enter.  They  shewed  us  here,  in  these  caverns  and  alleys,  ma- 
ny ancient  monuments  and  relics,  among  others  the  stone  torab 
of  St  Cassian  :  Though  his  name  be  not  in  the  martyrology,  the 
popes  allow  this  abbey  to  keep  his  office,  and  honour  his  relics: 
he  never  held  the  Semipelagian  heresy,  atter  it  was  condemned 
and  looked  on  as  an  error.  Here  is  also  the  true  cross  of  St  An- 
drew, as  they  assure  us  ;  it  is  said  to  be  of  olive  wood;  is  seven 
feet  long,   and  eight  inches   broad    in   the    figure   of  an  X. 
The  bodies  of  the  Seven  Sleepers,  in  a  stone  tomb,   ate  likewise 
here.     The  story  of  their  sleep  of  300  years  is  fabulous  ;  but: 
these  martyrs  acquired  that  name  from  their  "  sleeping  in  the 
Lord"  by  death  ;  for  this  was  the  church  phrase.  The  tomb  of 
the  'Twenty  four  Virgins,  who  disfigured  themselves,  to  prevent 
their  being  ravished  by  the  Vandals,  is  also  shcr.vn.    An  ancient 
picture  of  an  abbot  here  is  remarkable,  to  shew  how  simple  their 
habit,  staff,  and  cap  then  were  :   no  mitre,  crosier,  &c.     Here 
are  many  other  curious  antiquities.      Coming  out  of  the  caves, 
we   again   examined   some   ancient   monuments,   lying  in   the 
porch   or   gallery  before  the  church-door.     This  abbey  enjoys 
jo,cco  livres  yearly  revenue.     The  cathedral,  called  Notre- 
Dame  Major,   is  very  large   and  ancient.     They  say  it  is  the 
:ame  building  which  was  a  Roman  temple  of  Diana  of  Ephe- 
sus.     In  my  opinion  the  present  structure  is  Gothic.     It  pos- 
sesses the  head  of  Lazarus  in  a  silver  shrine,  gilt  and  wrought^ 
that  of   St  Canat,   2d  bishop  of  Marseilles,  in  silver,  gilt,  &.c. 
The  tomb  of  Monsieur  Goff  a  canon  esteemed  u  saint  by  the 
people,   is  very  rich,  and  filled   with  donation.,,     Ihe  parkl^ 
church  of  St  Ferriol  is  recemlv  built   auu  in  a  "orx!  Myle, 


TRAVELS    OF    REV.    ALBAN    BUTLER. 

Marseilles  has  three  great  manufactories  of  earthen  ware, 
imitating  china,  situated  on  the  outside  of  the  gate  towards 
Aix.  This  city  by  its  trade  abounds  with  all  the  produce  of 
Asia,  Africa,  and  Spain,  £cc.,  as  cheap  as  on  the  spot ;  as  their 
Onions,  &cc. 


CHAPTER     EIGHTH. 

TOUR  FROM  MARSEILLES  TO  ANTIBES. 

TOULON,  Ramparts,  Anecdote  of  the  Bishop  during  the  Plague,  Arsenal— 
Hkres. — Orange  Gardens.— Frcj  us  (Forum  Julii).— Cannes— Isles  of  Lerins. 
—Antibes.— Description  of  the  Felucca's. — An  Account  of  the  Mediterranean. 


Marseilles,  1745. 

E  set  out  from  Aix  for  Italy  on  the  7th  of  March.  Sum- 
iner  is  intolerable  in  so  hot  a  climate,  and  winter  nearly  as  bad 
for  travelling  here  as  it  is  in  England,  being  cold,  subject  to 
rains,  floods,  (the  more  disagreeable,  because  in  Italy  there  are 
few  bridges,  and  many  dangerous  fords)  snows,  and  bad  wea- 
ther. Spring  is  the  best  season,  and  ought  to  be  taken  very 
early.  As  we  had  seen  Marseilles  on  one  side,  and  St  Maxi- 
min  on  the  other,  we  chose  our  road  by  TOULON,  i  r  leagues 
from  Aix :  the  first  part  through  a  plain  country  of  olives, 
vines,  pasture,  and  some  corn ;  the  latter  part  rugged  and 
mountainous :  yet  here  the  almond  trees,  covered  with  blos- 
soms, had  the  appearance  of  full  spring  ;  and  even  the  barren 
rocky  mountains  and  heaths  afforded  a  pleasant  landscape, 
•while  the  abundance  of  thyme,  lavender,  and  other  odoriferous 
herbs,  with  which  they  were  covered,  exhaled  a  most  delicious 
fragrance.  I  know  some  virtuosos  in  Aix,  who  spend  a  great 
\>j.rt  of  their  time  in  studying  the  herbs  on  these  hills,  which 
are  found  here  in  great  variety.  Before  reaching  Toulon,  we 
•ree:  ruth  cipers  and  c*rrige  trees.  The  former  grow  here  ia 


Clap.  VIII.      A  TOUR  FROM  MARSEILLES  TO  ANTIBES.         149 

plenty,  both  on  walla  and  on  the  ground  in  plots.  The  bud 
must  be  gathered  green,  before  it  turns  to  a  white  flower.  It 
is  of  a  disagreeable  taste,  till  boiled  with  water  and  salt.  It 
then  excites  an  appetite,  is  opening,  attenuating,  and  very  heal- 
ing. 

TOULON  is  a  small  town,  of  little  trade,  but  very  strongly 
fortified.  The  ramparts  are  faced  with  fresh  beautiful  white 
stone,  and  the  parapets  not  of  a  thin  brick  wall,  as  in  most  parts 
of  Flanders,  which  is  broke  down  by  the  first  fire,  but  of  stone, 
and  a  rampart  of  earth  behind,  the  embrazures  through  which 
the  garrison  fire  their  muskets  being  narrow  at  the  wall,  but- 
widening  gradually.  The  cathedral  is  large  and  very  old. 
The  bishop  is  beloved  and  reverenced  as  a  saint,  on  account  of 
his  great  devotion,  and  his  zeal  in  the  last  plague.  As  he  went 
through  the  streets  on  that  occasion  to  visit  the  sick,  a  person 
in  an  infected  house  cried  out  for  the  sacraments  :  the  bishop 
bid  his  chaplain  go  in  and  administer  them :  He  excused  him- 
self out  of  fear.  The  bishop  went  up  stairs  himself,  and  ad- 
ministered them  with  his  own  hands,  without  receiving  any 
injury.  The  chaplain  fell  sick  and  died.  Indeed  fear  would  na- 
turally dispose  his  body  to  catch  the  infection,  and  intrepidity 
contribute  to  preserve  the  prelate.  The  arsenal  of  Toulon  is 
large,  and  has  a  good  park.  It  contains  the  arms  for  the  men- 
of-war,  but  not  so  beautifully  arranged  as  at  Marseilles.  The 
port  is  very  deep,  the  entry  well  defended  by  castles,  and  shel- 
tered against  winds  and  storms  by  hills.  We  saw  in  it  seven- 
men-of-xvar,  and  were  present  at  the  launching  of  one  of 
73  guns  ;  when  the  props  and  beams  that  held  it  were  cut, 
and  it  slid  down  the  inclined  plane  it  stood  upon  iaco  the  sea, 
first  the  fore-part,  then  the  hind-part,  plunged  deep  under  wa- 
ter, the  other  end  rising  up  high.  It  produced  such  a  com- 
motion in  the  harbour,  that  our  bont  seemed  ready  to  sink,  and 
the  sea  appeared  as  if  in  a  violent  storm.  All  took  oiT  their 
hats  to  salute  her,  as  she  rapidly  passed  through  the  po:t 
into  the  sea.  As  BREST  in  Britany,  on  the  Ocean,  with  its  ca- 
pScious  and  safe  haibour,  is  the  first,  so  TOULON"  on  the  Medi- 
terranean, is  the  second  port  in  France  for  seamen 
of  war. 


150      TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

We  went  from  Toulon  to  Hi* res,  a  small  poor  town,  with  a 
good  citadel  and  garrison  on  a  high  mountain  overhanging  the 
town.  This  is  the  finest  country  for  oranges  in  Europe.  All  its 
land  is  formed  into  gardens  of  that  fruit.  The  same  tree  often 
displays  blossoms,  buds,  and  ripe  fruit  at  the  same  time,  the  lattef 
hanging  thick  all  over  like  golden  apples.  I  imagine  the  For- 
tunate Islands  of  the  ancients  were  similar  to  this  country, 
The  sweet  or  China  oranges  are  the  principal ;  but  there  are 
also  some  sour  or  Seville  oranges,  and  a  few  iine  lemons.  These 
are  all  exquisitely  good,  better  than  when  kept  or  carried  to  a 
distance  ;  for  then  the  bitterness  of  the  rhind  is  sucked  in  and 
mixed  with  the  sweet  juice  of  the  fruit.  Many  of  the  sour, 
and  still  more  of  the  sweet,  areas  big  asthree  or  four  of  such  as 
we  commonly  have  from  Portugal,  which  was  the  first  country 
in  Europe  where  these  sweet  oranges  (got  from  China)  were 
planted.  At  Hieres  the  oranges  which  grow  on  a  spot  of  four 
gcres  of  laird  can  be  sold  for  1500  livres  a-year,  and  are  hi 
prodigious  quantities.  The  isles  of  HIERES  are  two  barren 
sands  above  water,  a  league  from  land.  They  are  become  fa- 
mous for  the  late  engagement  between  our  fleet  under  Admit  al 
Mathevvs,  and  the  French  and  Spanish  squadrons,  of  which  the 
spectators  here  give  a  very  odd  account :  some  having  been 
fighting,  others  calmly  looking  on,  &.c.  "We  returned  the  same 
dav  from  Hieres  to  Toulon,  and  admired  ao;ain  its  walls  and 

^  '  o 

port,  fortified  by  two  moles,  each  of  700  paces,  which  almost: 
shut  up  the  haven.  Its  arsenal  is  the  best  naval  one  in  France, 
surpassing  Brest ;  but  we  could  not  see  it  during  the  war. 
Toulon  is  famous  for  soap,  of  which  it  makes  and  sells  a  pro- 
digious quantity  ;  as  does  ulso  Aix  and  other  parts  of  Provence 
and  Languedoc,  which  abound  in  olive  oil.  Soap  is  made  of 
.;shes,  oak,  &cc.  with  olive  oils,  and  marrow  of  olives,  or  fat, 
£rc.  1  he  diffcient  quantities  of  these  ingredients  make  the 
cluTererice  of  the  soaps  of  Alicant,  Genoa,  Toulon,  &cc. 

From  Toulon  to  FREJUS  it  is  iS  leagues  ;  the  first  part  good 
road,  though  at  the  foot  of  the  lidge  of  mountains  which  runs 
from  the  Pyrenees  to  the  Alps.  This  lower  province  is  moun- 
tainous, and  its  valleys  full  of  marshes,  &.c.  Frejus  was  the 
v:J  Pcr'ii^i  "///'*,  Tnad"  b  uLii's  C^-AR  the  Romans  princi- 


Cfiffp.  VIII.      A  TOUR  FROM  MARSEILLES  TO  ANTIBES.          1 5! 

pal  haven,  fortress,  and  arsenal  for  Gaul.  The  sea  is  now  half  a 
league  distant,  and  the  little  rivers  Beal  and  Rairan  are  not  na- 
vigable to  the  town,  on  account  of  sands,  though  the  port  might 
be  opened  again  :  It  is  a  dismal  town,  seated  in  a  fenny  val- 
ley, having  a  dead  marsh  upon  the  one  side,  arid  snowy  barrea 
mountains  hanging  almost  over  it  on  the  other  :  It  is  small, 
poor,  thinly  peopled,  arid  from  its  disagreeable  situation  very 
unwholesome.  The  bishop's  palace  is  very  magnificent  aftd 
large,  whilst  the  cathedra),  which  is  also  the  only  parish  church, 
is  very  mean.  Here  are  still  some  remains  of  an  old  amphi- 
theatre built,  it  is  said,  by  Julius  Cee.sar.  It  is  constructed  of 
small  stones.  Without  the  town  are  the  remains  of  another 
wonderful  work  of  that  celebrated  general,  the  noble  aqueduct 
which  brought  fresh  water  from  the  river  Siana,  by  a  circuit- 
of  eight  leagues.  I  am  not  surprised  that  the  present  bishop 
of  Frejus,  who  has  been  too  much  accustomed  to  company, 
should  look  upon  this  see  as  a  banishment.  He  is  not,  however, 
likely  to  be  translated  in  such  haste  as  he  seems  to  desire.  Both 
his  situation  and  character  ought  to  excite  in  his  mind  a  lovs 
of  solitude.  On  leaving  Frejus,  we  found  the  roads,  especial- 
ly at  Estrelles,  far  worse  than  any  we  had  yet  met  with, — lead- 
ing over  rugged  mountains,  and  by  the  side  of  frightful  preci- 
pices. We  were  gted,  after  eight  leagues  of  such  travelling,  to 
arrive  at  Cannes,  a  borough,  on  the  sea  formerly  belonging  to  the 
abbey  of  Lerins  ;  but  the  late  Bishop  of  Grace  obtained  pos- 
session, by  a  decree  of  the  king's  council,  of  this  and  24  ether 
great  lordships,  all  formerly  belonging  to  this  abbey,  which  is 
ihus  stripped  of  its  great  possessions.  From  Cannes  we  see 
the  two  isles  of  Lerins,  as  they  were  called  ;  now  they  are  only 
known  by  the  names  of  St  Koncratus  an;{  St  Marguerite.  They 
are  verdant  and  beautiful,  very  different  from  the  isles  of 
Hieres.  The  first  indeed  is  more  barren,  but  the  island  of  Sc 
Marguerite  is  very  fertile,  and  covered  with  olive  trees.  The 
sihbey  of  Lerins  was  for  many  ages  a  seminary  of  learning  anu 
piety,  and  the  nursery  of  innumerable  saints,  as  xvell  as  of  the 
most  eminent  bishops  of  Gaul.  It  received  the  order  of  St 
Bennet.  At  present  it  has  lost  a  great  part  of  its  lands  and 
manor^  ami  cont:uii>  only  a  few  monks.  Jt  is  a  large  modern 


TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

building  of  white  stone,  and  is  now  known  by  the  name  of  the 
abbey  of  St  Honoratus,  from  its  eminent  alumnut  and  patron 
of  that  name.  The  isle  of  St  Honoratus  is  near  a  mile  from 
the  shore.  It  contains  a  lofty  oblong  tower,  capable  of  hold- 
ing 400  soldiers.  The  isle  of  St  Marguerite  is  half  a  mile  from 
the  former,  very  fertile,  and  strongly  fortified.  St  Marguerite';, 
is  a  good  town  :  On  the  mole,  three  miles  in  circuit,  stand 
three  fortresses  ;  Fortin  on  the  eastj  Fort  d'Arragon  on  the 
west,  and  the  principal  of  all^  Fort  Royal,  on  a  rock.  These 
isles  were  taken  by  the  Spaniards  in  the  minority  of  Lewis 
XIV.,  but  soon  recovered  by  that  prince..  Four  leagues  be- 
low Frejus,  we  passed  the  river  $iane,  which  falls  here  into  the 
sea :  It  rfses  among  the  mountains,  and  washes  the  walls  of 
Crtace,  or  Grasse,  a  small  poor  town,  though  an  Episcopal  see, 
situated  at  the  foot  of  a  frightful  mountain  named  Vence  :  We 
left  it  on  our  left  hand,  and  higher  towards  Dauphiny,  Riez, 
Sisteron,  Digne  with  its  hot  baths,  and  Glandeve,  all  small 
bishoprics  in  Provence. 

ANTIEES  is  eight  leagues  from  Frejus,  and  24  from  Toulon, 
It  was  built  by  a  colony  of  the  Phocaeans  from  Marseilles, 
and  the  Romans  had  for  some  time  a  praetor,  or  general  gover- 
nor, who  resided  here.  It  is  now  a  small  gay  town,  very 
strong,  and  beautifully  fortified,  with  a  citadel  on  a  high  moun- 
tain, defended  by  good  bastions.  It  is  a  great  thorough-fare  to 
Italy.  Its  port  is  fine,  well  defended  by  forts  on  its  entrance ; 
but  so  very  shallow  that  no  vessel  can  enter  it,  except  small 
boat,  feluccas,  and  tartanes,  which  it  is  always  full  of.  It  is 
the  last  town  of  Provence  and  France  towards  Savoy  and  Italy. 
It  being  extremely  troublesome  to  pass  the  mountains  which 
continue  quite  to  Genoa,  and  from  thence  again  to  Sazzana  for 
above  200  miles,  most  travellers  embark  at  Antibes  in  a  feluc- 
ca, which  is  a  flat-bottomed  boat,  made  to  pass  over  the  sands 
and  rocks  near  the  coast.  But  if  a  sudden  wind  rises,  they 
are  more  easily  blown  over  than  a  fisher's  boat,  as  they  are 
iighter,  and  not  so  large.  In  the  summer  months  they  are 
safe  enough,  if  the  weather  be  settled  and  fair  ;  they  sail  swift- 
ly, have  small  sails,  and  four  or  live  oars  ;  but  if  they  go  too 
Var  into  tb.c  sea,  (as  the  sailors  endeavour  to  do  to  have  a  bet- 


Clap.  VIII.    TOUR  FROM  MARSEILLE  TO  ANTIBES.  153 

ter  wind,  and  save  themselves  the  trouble  of  rowing),  the  boat 
is  often  lost,  a  circumstance  which  uniformly  happens  if  the 
wind  be  too  strong.  Even  near  the  coast  they  cannot  always 
gain  the  shore,  for  sometimes  the  wind  is  such  that  it  would 
sink  them,  were  they  to  attempt  it,  and  frequently  the  coast  13 
too  rocky  and  inhospitable  to  be  approached.  However,  we 
ventured  to  take  one  ("for  about  four  guineas)  to  Genoa,  and 
put  on  board  our  chaise.  We  s?.iled  next  day  at  ten  o'clock, 
with  a  pretty  favourable  wind ;  but  were  three  hours  in  mak- 
ing two  leagues,  and  the  whole  party  sea-sick.  The  wind, 
then  rose,  and  turned  directly  against  us.  I  had  often  request- 
ed the  mate  to  go  near  the  land,  as  he  had  engaged  his  word 
he  would  5  but  he  paid  no  regard  to  his  promise,  sometimes 
making  one  excuse,  sometimes  another.  I  now  insisted  on 
being  put  on  shore  at  the  next  cape.  The  sailors  attempted  to 
enter  the  port  of  Nice,  but  could  not  accomplish  it  ;  the  boat 
leaned  almost  quite  over,  and  we  expected  to  sink  every  mi- 
nute, till  at  last  the  sails  were  turned,  though  in  doing  it 
we  had  well  nigh  perished.  Thus  we  returned  back  to  Antibes 
in  half  the  time  we  came  from  it,  and  never  thought  ourselves 
safe  till  we  trode  on  firm  land.  We  therefore  resolved  to 
venture  no  more  on  sea  in  so  inconstant  a  season,  when  we 
could  go  by  land. 

ANTIBES,  was  formerly  a  bishopric  ;  but  this  dignity  was 
translated  to  Grasse.  The  popes  having  afterwards  declared, 
the  vicar  of  Antibes  a  delegate  apostolic,  placed  the  city  under 
him,  and  exempted  it  from  its  ordinary  the  bishop  of  Grasse. 
This  independence  was  confirmed  by  Clement  VIII.  ;  and  th« 
vicar  and  church  still  assert  their  right  to  it,  but  the  kings  have 
tever  favoured  the  bishop  in  his  authority  over  it. 

THE  MEDITERRANEAN  SEA,  separating  Europe  fron  Africa,  is 
above  40  degrees,  or  2400  miles  in  length,  from  the  streights  of 
Gibraltar  to  the  coast  of  Syria  in  Asia ;  and  four  degrees  or  240 
miles  in  breadth^  in  many  places  broader.  It  has  no  tide  (ly- 
ing too  far  from  the  course  of  the  moon,  the  cause  of  tides)  ex- 
cept a  small  one  in  the  Adriatic  sea  or  gulf  of  Venice.  This 
Circumstance  is  extremely  favourable  to  the  ports  of  Marseilles, 
Leghorn,  &C.  because  vessels  set  out  or  rome  in  at  any  hour, 

K 


154        TRAVELS  OF  THE  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

without  waiting  for  the  tide.  Doctor  Halley  computes  that  the 
Mediterranean  (at  the  rate  of  half  an  inch  a  day  over  its  whole 
superficies  drawn  up  by  the  heat  of  the  sun  in  vapours  and 
clouds)  emits  daily  in  Summer  5280  millions  of  tons  of  water, 
to  fall  afterwards  in  rain.  But  when  that  great  philosopher  cal- 
culates the  waters  it  receives  from  rivers  to  be  only  80  times 
as  much  as  the  Thames  carries  into  the  sea,  he  certainly  falls 
far  short  of  the  mark*  ;  for  the  quantity  brought  by  three  ri- 
vers alone,  which  he  excepts,  is  immense.  These  are  the  Nile, 
which  carries  down  all  the  snow  and  waters  of  Ethiopia  (Egypt 
gives  it  a  very  small  supply,  for  it  scarcely  rains  there,',  the 
Nitptr  or  Boristhsries,  and  the  Don  or  Tamils,  each  of  which 
bring  all  the  waters  that  fall  for  2000  Muscovite  miles. 

This  sea  has  near  the  Streights  of  Gibraltar  (which  are  five 
leagues,  or  15  miles  over)  two  opposite  motions  ;  by  one,  on 
the  top,  the  Atlantic  ocean  runs  into  it  ;  by  another  at  the 
bottom,  it  flows  back  into  the  ocean.  Hence  a  Dutch  ship  sunk 
there,  was  carried  by  the  under  current  4  leagues  west  towards 
Tangiers  f.  The  waters  of  the  Mediterranean  are  so  smooth, 
(having  no  tide  or  great  waves),  that  they  form  a  beautiful  ob- 
ject; and  one  would  be  apt  to  suppose  them  not  subject  to  storms; 
yet  these  are  as  frequent  there  as  in  the  ocean,  unless  during 
the  summer  months. 

All  the  states  upon  the  Mediterranean  keep  so-me  armed  gal- 
leys to  cruize  against  the  Corsairs  of  Barbary,  which  often 
come  up  to  the  very  coasts  of  Italy,  and  sometimes  plunder  the 
open  country  near  the  shore,  carrying  off  all  the  inhabitants  for 
slaves  ;  as  they  did  three  years  ago  to  the  whole  isle  of  Yvica 
belonging  to  Spain,  at  a  time  when  no  Spanish  ship  could  ap- 
pear thereabouts  for  the  English  fleet.  The  galleys  are 'oblig- 
ed to  go  out  for  two  months  in  summer  to  scour  the  seas  ;  a 
hard  time  for  the  slaves  :  But  for  a  very  little  money  any  of 
them  may  get  a  licence  to  stay  at  home  to  work.  Every  o-alley 
has  a  troop  of  regular  soldiers,  who  are  the  tallest  and  stoutest 
in  France.  The  rest  are  slaves  employed  in  rowing.  The  Turks 
row  best;  and  every  galley  is  obliged  to  have  some  of  that  na- 
tion, whom  they  buy  of  the  Maltese. 

*  boc  i  hilosophkal  Transactor  s?  No.  i£6.  a:id  ;u.      f  Ibid,  for  1724, 


Clap.  IX.  TOUR  FROM  ANTIBES  TO  FLORENCE.  155 


CHAPTER    NINTH. 

A    TOUR    FROM    ANTIBES    TO    FLORENCE, 

St  Lawrence. — NICE. — Monaco. — States  of  Genoa. — Mentcn. — Ventemille.— • 
?t  Remo. — Port- Maurice. — Ondlle. — Alassio. — Albengo. — Luan. — Final. — - 
>  Dreadful  Roads. — Noli — Savona — Wretched  Inns. — GENOA.— Government 
of  Genoa,  Character  of  the  people,  Description  of  the  City,  Cathedral,  Palace 
of  the  Dbrias,  Doge's  Palace,  Strada  Nuova,  Arsenal,  Harbour,  Galley  Slaves; 
— Sostri  de  Levanti. — Port  Specie. — Sazzana. — Masso  Carraro. — Piombino, 
Interesting  Anecdote  of  the  Princess  Piombino. — Lucca,  Government, 
Churches. — Pisa,  Ancient  and  Present  State,  Cathedral,  Remarkable  Hang- 
ing Tower,  Campo  Santo,  and  Knights  of  St  Stephen.— LEGHORN,  Buildings, 
Jews,  and  Mode  of  Travelling  in  Italy. 


ANTIBES,  March,  i;ti»  1746. 

-ii  IRED  of  our  naval  excursion,  we  sent  our  baggage  in  the  fe- 
lucca, and  went  by  land  in  a  chaise  to  Nice,  four  short  leagues 
from  A.ntibes.  Travelling  along  the  sands  we  first  passed  over 
the  river  le  Loup,  and  then  arrived  at  ST  LAWRENCE,  the  last 
village  of  Provence  and  of  France,  a  small  poor  place,  situ- 
ated near  the  foot  of  the  Alps.  Its  sweet  wine  is  most  delici- 
ous, and  in  great  esteem.  About  ico  paces  beyond  it  we 
came  to  the  first  branch  of  the  river  J'ar,  which,  rising  in  the 
Alps,  after  a  very  short  course  divides  itself  into  three  very 
broad  channels  near  the  sea.  Over  these  are  long  wooden 
bridges  for  foot  and  horsemen,  but,  without  a  permission  from 
the  governor  of  Antibes,  chaises  cannot  pass  them  ;  and  for 
these  the  ford  is  extremely  dangerous.  On  crossing  the  first 
bridge,  we  found  ourselves  in  Italy,  in  the  county  of  NICE, 
and  after  travelling  a  league  and  a  half  more,  we  arrived  at  the 
city  of  the  same  name.  It  is  the  capital  of  the  cour.ty,  and  for- 
merly belonged  to  Provence  and  France  ;  but  fell  ^fvi-nvards  to 
the  princes  of  Piedmont;  and  lastly  to  theDuke  of  Savoy.  Lewis 
XIV.  razed  all  the  fortifications,  so  that  it  is  a  defenceless 
place,  and  not  very  extensive.  In  it  is  the  sovereign  court  of 

K  3 


156          TRAVIS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLfiR. 

judicature  for  the  county  :  The  Town-house  or  Palace  (for  it 
has  often  served  in  each  capacity)  is  a  very  large  and  noble 
building,  fit  to  lodge  several  princes  with  their  trains  together. 
The  Dominican's  church  is  the  best  in  the  town  :  The  port  is 
very  difficult  and  dangerous  in  its  entry,  and  too  shallow  for 
any  vessels,  except  feluccas  ;  properly  speaking,  Nice  has 
no  port  but  the  neighbouring  one  of  Villa  Franca.  The  bi- 
shop is  suffragan  to  the  archbishop  of  Ambrun.  The 
French  pretend  a  right  to  Nice,  because  it  belonged  to  Pro- 
vence, till  Amadeus  VII.  seized  it  while  the  Counts  of  Pro- 
vence were  busied  in  their  wars  in  Naples.  We  found  the 
French  and  Spaniards  in  possession  of  it.  The  French  ge- 
neral, (Count  of  Maulevrier)  gave  us  an  ample  passport,  in 
the  most  obliging  manner. 

The  Rarlets  are  the  poor  inhabitants  of  the  solitary  valleys 
in  the  Alps  above  Piedmont.  They  were  formerly  almost  all  Pro- 
testants ;  are  extremely  savage  ;  and  for  dexterity  and  cruelty  in 
plundering,  are  similar  to  the  Queen  of  Hungary's  Pandours. 
They  live  on  plunder  in  war,  and  are  very  terrible  in  these 
parts.  They  had  made  some  excursions  on  this  road  as  far 
as  Tourby  ;  but  the  governor  had  placed  so  many  guards  in 
the  passes  of  the  mountains,  that  the  roads  were  then  perfectly 
safe  ;  and  indeed  we  travelled  always  within  call  of  some  strcnp 
guard. 

VILLA  FRANCA  is  u  small  town,  with  a  little  castle  on  a  ve- 
ry high  rock,  which  can  contain  TOO  men.  It  is  near  Nice,, 
and  in  the  same  county.  Its  port  id  good,  but  it  possesses  no 
commerce.  It  hr.s  on  the  rock  a  high  Pharos  or  lantern,  to  di- 
rect the  ships  in  the  night.  Such  lanterns  are  very  common 
in  the  ports  of  the  Mediterranean,  in  order  that  sailors  by  them 
may  be  able  to  see  the  haibour  at  a  distance,  and  to  know  where 
the  rocks  lie.  The  county  of  Nice  is  22  leagues  long  and  n 
broad,  very  mountainous,  and  in  general  barren. 

MONACO,  (formerly  a  sovereign  state),  is  10  miles  from 
Nice,  over  very  rugged  mountains  and  precipices,  passable 
only  on  mules.  We  began  to  ascend  as  soon  as  we  left 
Nice.  The  castle  of  Tourby,  three  miles  from  Monaco,  is 
of  no  strength  :  It  belongs  to  the  Duke  of  Savoy  and  cousty 


Chap.  IX.  TOUR  FROM  ANTIBES  TO  FLORENCE.  1 57 

of  Nice.  It  is  impossible  to  descend  the  mountain  into  Mo- 
naco on  this  side,  any  other  way  than  on  foot,  and  even  tins  lor 
two  long  miles  of  most  rugged  winding  ways,  is  very  difficult. 
The  city  is  on  a  small  eminence,  to  which  we  ascend  by 
very  beautiful  stone  steps,  leading  to  a  noble  gate,  erected  by 
the  last  prince,  Grimaldi.  It  stands  on  a  cape,  and  hangs  over 
the  sea  ;  on  whicn  it  has  a  port  much  frequented  by  Feluccas. 
Its  inhabitants  are  chiefly  poor  artizans.  The  market-place  is 
a  handsome  square,  on  one  side  of  which  stands  the  prince's 
palace,  a  fine  building.  The  other  houses  round  it  are  all  painted 
and  very  gay.  The  French  commander  of  the  garrison  lives  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  square  to  the  prince.  Mules  can  climb 
up  the  rocks  towering  above  the  town,  on  the  other  side  to- 
wards Menton  and  Genoe  ;  and  in  the  valley  which  constitutes 
its  territory,  grow  olives,  vines,  and  orange  trees.  The  church 
and  the  prince's  chapel  are  deserving  attention.  The  town  has 
walls  and  a  citadel,  but  could  not  maintain  a  regular  siege,  be- 
ing commanded  in  a  great  measure  by  a  lofty  mountain  ;  and 
must  bssides  receive  its  provisions  by  water.  It  takes  its 
name  from  an  old  temple  of  Hercules  Monacus,  or  the  Solitary, 
built  on  this  promontory,  which  was  very  famous  among  the 
Italians.  The  garrison  of  Monaco  consists  of  French  troops, 
under  their  own  commander.  The  prince  appoints  a  judge  to 
determine  all  causes.  It  was  HoNORA-TUS  GUIMALDI  II.  who 
put  his  state  under  the  protection  of  France :  He  was  created 
by  Lewis  XIII.  Duke  of  Valentinois,  and  peer  of  France. 
The  Grimaldi  have  been  princes  of  Monaco  ever  since  the  year 
980,  when  Gur  GRIMALDI  expelling  the  Saracens,  founded 
the  sovereignty.  The  last  heiress -of  this  family  married  M. 
Matignon,  Count  of  Thorigny,  chief  of  one  of  the  most  power- 
erful,  rich,  and  illustrious  families  of  France,  in  lesser  Britanny. 
His  son  is  the  present  Prince  ot  Monaco,  colonel  of  the  vegi- 
inento  of  Monaco  in  France,  and  some  time  ago  banished  the 
French  court  to  his  regiment,  for  an  affront  offered  to  the  dau«h- 

O  '  £5 

ter  of  the  Duke  of  Bouillon. 

Leaving  Monaco,  we  enter  the  States  of  GENOA  ;  the  first 
town  of  which  is  MENTON,  eight  irak-s  from  Monaco,  on  y. 
mountain  hinging  over  the  sea. 

O        o 

K   ? 


TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

Nine  miles  further  we  saw  VENTEMILLE,  a  small  town 
on  the  coast,  and  an  episcopal  see.  The  Counts  of  Vcnte- 
tniHe,  one  of  the  greatest  families  of  Europe,  a  branch  from 
the  Kings  of  I  oily  and  Marquises  of  Tvree,  were  sovereigns  of 
this  city  in  the  iith  century,  but  were  expelled  by  the  Ge- 
roese.  The  elder  branch  is  extinct :  One  of  the  younger  is 
settled  in  Provence,  and  called  Counts  of  Marseilles  and  of  Luc. 

ST  REMO  lies  four  miles  beyond  Ventemille,  in  a  fertile  val- 
ley, is  a  large  town,  but  poor,  inhabited  chiefly  by  sailors  and 
fishermen.  Its  port  is  very  boisterous,  and  only  capable  of 
receiving  small  boats  ;  but  large  vessels  can  come  near  it. 
The  English  fleet  not  being  able  to  bombard  Genoa,  came  be- 
fore St  Remo  last  year,  and  threw  in  a  great  many  bombs, 
which  only  damaged  some  fishermen's  huts.  The  Genoese 
have  placed  fascines,  and  raised  moles  on  the  port,  on  which 
they  have  planted  a  great  many  pieces  of  old  cannon  to  defend 
it  from  a  second  attack.  After  passing  St  Remo,  the  moun- 
tains become  more  inaccessible,  being  higher,  and  more  rugged, 
and  the  precipices  in  many  places  most  dangerous  and  frightful. 

PORT  MAURICE,  nine  miles  from  St  Remo,  is  a  good  burgh, 
very  populous.  ]ts  harbour  was  an  excellent  one,  but  was 
choaked  up  by  order  of  the  republic,  that  it  might  not  injure 
the  trade  of  their  own  city.  The  roads  become  worse  for  10 
miles  from  Port  Maurice  to  ONEILLE,  which  stands  in  a  plain, 
fertile  in  olive-trees,  &c.  It  is  walled,  but  has  no  citadel  or 
castle,  and  being  commanded  by  the  mountains,  is  of  small 
streng-h.  Qneille  is  a  principality  belonging  to  the  duke  of 
Savoy,  t'-c-u;  h  surrounded  by  the  territories  of  the  State  of 
Genoa.  The  Spaniards  were  in  possession  of  it  when  we 
parsed.  The  town  made  no  resistance  against  them,  only  the, 
duke  faintly  defended  some  passes  in  the  mountains.  It  has 
no  port  deep  enough  for  larger  vessels  than  feluccas.  Diana 
is  three  miles  fmthcr,  with  a  weak  castle;  we  left  it  on  the 
left ;  for  it  is  almost  two  miles  from  the  sea ;  and  all  the  road 
over  these  mountains  lies  as  close  as  possible  to  the  shore,  and 
often  the  precipices  look  perpendicularly  into  the  waters. 
is  a  very  long  village  on  the  sea,  nine  miles  from  O- 
full  cf  boatmen,  feluccas,  and  fishermen.  It  h^s  a 


Clap.  IX.  TOUR  FROM  ANTIBES  TO  FLORENCE.  159 

handsome  square.     It  is  reported  that  some  eoral  is  fished  here, 
as  well  as  in  the  Baltic. 

From  the  top  of  the  mountains,  at  the  distance  of  only  two 
miles  from  Alassio,  we  could  discover  GENOA,  though  above 
40  miles  off  sUbengo  is  a  great  town  and  bishopric,  six  miles 
from  Alassio,  in  a  valley  and  plain  of  five  miles  long,  extreme- 
Jy  fertile  and  pleasant.  But  the  sight  of  the  high  mountains 
xvhich  surround  it  on  all  sides,  except  towards  the  sea,  put  the 
traveller  in  mind  that  his  fatigues  are  not  yet  at  an  end. 
We  see  corn  fields  in  the  plain,  a  great  rarity  in  this  journey. 
The  air  in  this  place,  is  said  to  be  very  unwholesome  from  its 
lying  a  in  a  valley  under  snowy  hills.  It  is  five  miles  to  Luan,  a 
small  town  containing  many  good  houses  ;  and  a  pleasant- place, 
if  any  can  be  so  amidst  such  frightful  mountains.  Luan  is  a, 
principality  of  Prince  DORIA  the  Genoese.  FINAL  is  10  miles 
beyond  Luan  ;  but  the  rock  we  pass  over,  forms  for  three  miles 
the  worst  road  1  have  ever  yet  seen,  being  made  with  hands, 
and  all  full  of  sharp  stones,  so  that  it  was  scarce  possible  to 
walk  without  falling  down  amongst  them  at  the  risk  of  break- 
ing one's  legs  :  We  led  our  mules  by  the  bridle  :  In  one  place, 
this  almost  impracticable  road,  led  along  the  brink  of  a  perpen- 
dicular precipice  ;  in  other  places  the  precipice  sloped  a  little 
down  to  the  sea.  It  was  even  a  pleasure  to  go  down  this  horribie 
mountain,  (though  the  descent  is  very  uneasy,)  to  the  city  of  Fi- 
nal, which  stands  in  a  very  small  valley,  the  most  pleasant  on  the 
road,  being  all  a  garden.  Fiy AL  is  a  Marquisate.  It  was  enjoy- 
ed by  the  noble  family  of  the  Carracts,  till  Philip  III.  of  Spain, 
made  himself  master  of  it  in  1602.  The  Genoese  obtained  it 
during  the  grand  war  in  the  beginning  of  this  century.  The 
Duke  of  Savoy  has  pretensions  to  it,  in  virtue  of  a  gift  from 
the  empress  during  the  present  war  ;  who  challenges  the  right 
of  Spain.  He  has  long  had  an  eye  to  it  ;  for  its  port  might  be 
snade  bet'.er  than  that  of  Genoa,  and  ruin  the  trade  of  that 
city.  At  present  it  is  only  fit  for  feluccas  and  tarlones, 
though  superior  to  Port-Maurice.  It  is  very  strong,  both 
on  the  sea  and  land  side  ;  and  has  an  impregnable  castle  or  cit- 
tadel  on  a  lofty  rock,  looking  perpendicularly  upon  the  place., 
Add  to  this,  the  mountains  all  around  it  arc  impassable.  On. 

K  4 


l6o          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

the  port  is  a  magnificent  triumphal  arch,  raised  by  the  repu- 
blic in  honour  of  die  heroism  of  the  Governor,  who  defended  it 
against  the  bombardment  it  suffered  in  1716.     Final  contains  a 
great  many  good  buildings.     We  no   sooner  got  out  of  the 
town,  but  we  again  mounted  other  frightful  rocks,   and  after 
travelling  nine  miles  arrived  at  Noll,  a  small  town  and  Spis- 
copal  see.     Five  miles  farther  stands  Vai,  a  fortress,  and  six 
beyond  this  place  we  arrived  at  SAVONA,  an  ancient  city,  and  at 
present  the  most  flourishing  of  the  whole  State,  next  to  Genoa. 
SAVONA  is   situated   in  an   extensive,   fertile,    and   agree- 
able valley ;  is  very  gay  and  well  buih\     Both  the  town  and 
suburbs  contain  fine  palaces,  with  noble  fronts,  in  which  mar- 
ble   is    very   profusely    employed  in   the   pillars,    windows, 
and  doors,     The  walls  of  the  houses  are  also  painted  in  a  live- 
ly manner.     On  the  Town-house  are  the  statues  of  three  Popes 
this  city  has  produced,  Sixtus  IV.,  and  that  implacable  enemy 
of  France  Julius  II.,   both  of  the  family  of  Roveri ;  and  Gre- 
gory VII.     The  church  of  the  Jesuits  here  is  a  finished  build- 
ing, very  new  :   the  front  of  fine  marble,  curiously  cut :  the  ex- 
act proportions,  richness  of  the  materials  and  ornaments,  espe- 
cially the  charming  corridor  or   gallery  that  runs  round  it, 
make  it  worthy  a  travellers  notice.     Savona  is  fortified,  has  a 
castle  of  some   strength,   and  a  new  work  is  erecting  on  the 
shore,  with  some  bastions  to  defend  it  from  any  bombardment. 
Leaving  Savona,  we  again  mounted  rocks  higher  than  any  we 
had  hitherto   passed.     Six   miles   brought  us  to  Vcraggioy   20 
farther  to  Utri,  and  II  more  to  GENOA.     After  leaving  Utri, 
the  road  became  better,  and  especially  for  coaches.     From  Sa- 
vona the  buildings  are  more  gay,  and  we  meet  with  many  fine 
villas.     Two  miles   from  Genoa  we  passed  Si  Pctro  d*  Arena, 
a  pleasant  village,  filled  with  the  noblest  country-seats  in  the 
world. 

Thus  in  six  days  we  travelled  from  Nice  to  Genoa,  135 
Italian  miles,  on  mules  accustomed  to  these  mountains  and  tre- 
mendous precipices  ;  but  we  had  the  prudence  to  lead  them  by 
the  bridle  in  all  dangerous  and  narrow  roads.  Very  often  thq 
way  is  not  a  yard  broad,  and  the  fall  would  be  down  a  rock., 
the  very  sight  of  which  inspires  terror.  The  mules  are  sure- 


Clap.  IX.  TOUR  FROM  ANTIBES  TO  FLORENCE.  l6l 

footed,  but  very  stubborn,  and  apt  to  kick.  Some  will  lie 
down  on  the  road,  out  of  laziness,  and  kick  at  their  burden. 
These  mountains  form  at  Nice  the  lower  Alps,  and  join  the 
Apennines,  which  run  quite  through  the  middle  of  Italy  to  its 
extremity.  Here,  in  their  beginning,  they  lie  near  the  sea,  and 
run  through  the  whole  state  of  Genoa.  They  are  composed  en- 
tirely of  rocks,  in  many  places  very  high.  The  country,  on  this 
mountainous  coast,  was  called  Liguria  by  theRomans:  It  is  bar- 
ren and  rocky.  With  incredible  fatigue  and  industry,  the  inha- 
bitants have  reared  on  it  a  few  vineyards :  But  their  wine  is  sour 
and  cannot  be  drunk,  except  the  muscadine,  produced  between 
La  Rive  and  Oneille.  At  Genoa,  they  are  supplied  with  wine 
from  Provence.  These  mountains  in  several  places  display 
palm-trees,  such  as  we  see  in  the  physic  gardens  in  Oxford, 
Paris,  &c. ;  also  orange  and  lemon-trees  ;  though  the  fruit  thev 
produce  is  very  bad,  and  scarcely  eatable.  The  corn,  &.c.  must 
all  come  from  abroad.  Oil  they  have  in  great  plenty  ;-  but 
their  olives  are  indifferent.  However,  they  export  the  oils. 
At  Savona  they  make  so  much  soap,  that  it  takes  its  French 
name  Savon  from  thence. 

The  inns  on  these  mountains  are  very  mean,  and  their  accom- 
modations bad.  They  have  seldom  a  chimney,  and  when  a  fire 
is  wanted,  they  bring  a  warming-pan,  or  some  small  vessel  of 
brass  or  iron,  in  which  they  kindle  a  few  sticks  in  the  middle 
of  the  room  ;  so  that  those  who  choose  to  stay  to  warm  them- 
selves, run  the  risk  of  suffocation  ;  and  in  winter  it  becomes  a 
hard  matter  which  of  the  two  evils  to  prefer,  smoke  or  cold. 
For  meat,  they  give  the  weary  traveller  sallad  and  stinking 
oil,  ragouts  of  roasted  serpents  and  small  fish,  which  are  often 
salted  and  old.  In  the  principal  towns,  however,  we  got  good 
meat  and  tolerable  lodgings. 

Notwithstanding  the  barrenness  and  horrid  aspect  of  this 
coast,  it  is  extremely  populous,  and  fall  of  houses  and  villages, 
a  great  comfort  in  such  roads.  The  people  live  by  the  sea, 
and  almost  all  have  boars  or  feluccas.  The  sea  on  this  coast,. 
from  Menton  to  Genoa,  for  above  ico  miles,  and  again  from 
Genoa  to  Lerici,  about  70  miles,  is  called  the  River  of  Gznoa, 
and  constitutes,  the  riches  of  the  commonwealth.  The  terri~ 


l62          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALB  AN  BUTLER. 

tory  of  the  republic  on  this  coast,  where  broadest,  is  nowhere 
25  miles. 

The  REPUBLIC  of  GENOA  was  formerly  very  potent,  and 
waged  war  many  years  with  Venice,  conquered  the  infidels, 
the  kingdoms  of  Corsica,  Sardinia,  and  Cyprus,  the  isles  of 
Metelin  and  Chio,  and  had  possession  of  the  important  cities 
of  CafFa  and  Pera  nigh  Constantinople.  At  present  its  State 
consists  of  the  island  of  Corsica,  and  the  coast,  called  the  River 
of  Genoa.  Corsica  is  100  miles  round,  has  BASTIA  for  its  ca- 
pital, Bonifacio  a  good  port,  Ajaccio  and  Calvi,  strong  places. 
It  is  barren,  and  thinly  peopled,  the  air  very  unhealthy ;  and 
its  inhabitants  are  famous  plunderers.  The  mountainous  sea- 
coast  from  Menton  to  Lerici  is  170  miles  long.  The  public 
revenues  are  very  small,  but  the  individuals  are  in  general  the 
richest  of  all  Italy,  being  all  very  industrious,  and  paying  trifling 
taxes.  The  Genoese  are  the  greatest  bankers  in  the  world, 
and  do  all  the  business  for  the  nobility  and  merchants  of  Mi- 
lan, Rome,  Spain,  &c.c.  It  is  said  the  pope  owes  them  very 
great  sums.  Almost  all  foreign  money  is  current  at  Genoa  : 
even  the  pope's  sequins,  which  are  deficient  in  weight.  Spanish 
pistoles  are  most  valued  ;  but  a  man  gains  by  the  exchange  for 
French,  English,  or  almost  any  other  coin.  The  money  of  the 
republic  is  the  lowest  and  basest  of  any,  and  will  not  pass  but 
at  great  loss  in  other  states  in  Italy.  This  hinders  it  from  be- 
ing exported.  The  people  of  Genoa  are  generally  reckoned 
magnificent  in  their  buildings,  haughty  to  strangers,  and  ready 
to  impose  on  them.  Indeed,  none  of  the  Italians  possess  that 
free  courteous  behaviour  to  strangers  which  distinguishes  the 
French.  The  court  of  Rome,  and  that  of  Venice,  are  e- 
stecmed  the  most  polite  :  The  Genoese  the  least  so  :  And  the 
present  war  has  rendered  them  peculiarly  reserved  to  the  Eng- 
lish. On  this  account  we  could  not  obtain  liberty  to  see  their 
arsenal,  or  mount  their  Pharos  ;  and  no  person  of  rank  ever 
spoke  to  us,  unless  to  give  us  a  salutation  in  meeting.  This 
shyness  made  us  desirous  of  leaving  their  country  as  soon  as 
possible.  Upon  our  fleet  threatening  to  bombard  them,  they 
had  ordered  away  all  the  English  merchants,  who  retired  to 
Leghorn  with  their  consul.  The  Genoese  seemed  to  us  to. 


Chap.  IX.  TOUR  FROM  ANTIBES  TO  FLORENCE.  163 

correspond  to  the  general  character  given  of  them,  in  nothing  so 
much  as  in  imposing  upon  strangers.  In  other  countries  this 
disposition  is  displayed  by  a  few  individuals  only,  but  here,  even 
more  than  in  Holland,  it  seems  almost  an  universal  propensity. 
The  very  postmasters  on  the  road  invent  all  the  schemes  andtricks 
imaginable  to  make  extravagant  demands,  and  there  is  no  tarif  or 
regulation  for  horse-hire  on  any  road  in  this  republic,  excepting 
that  to  Milan.  The  peasants  and  inhabitants  of  the  mountains 
are  opulent  enough.  All  are  obliged  to  have  arms,  and  to  rise  up, 
on  summons  by  the  bell,  to  defend  the  passes,  and  their  country, 
in  case  of  any  invasion.  Every  peasant  possessed  of  a  gun  is  a 
keen  sportsman,  and  there  is  not  a  feather  to  be  seen  in  the 
mountains  ;  neither  are  the  laws  forbidding  the  killing-  of  game 
in  force  here.  The  republic  thus  maintains  no  regular  troops, 
except  in  Genoa,  and  in  a  few  of  its  fortresses.  But  during 
the  present  war  they  have  on  foot  12, ceo  men  :  Eighteen  or 
twenty  thousand  would  be  their  utmost  effort :  nor  could  they 
maintain  these  for  many  months.  The  people  have  a  great  pas- 
sion for  liberty  ;  and  indeed  they  gain  more  by  it  than  any  other 
republic  I  am  acquainted  with,  as  they  pay  very  inconsiderable 
taxes,  and  have  no  armies  to  maintain.  Ihc  republic  is  poor, 
but  the  individuals  are  rich. 

The  inconstancy  of  the  people,  as  is  generally  the  case 
in  republics,  has  produced  changes  in  the  Government, 
and  revolutions  in  the  State.  Genoa  has  sometimes  been  go- 
verned by  Counts,  sometimes  by  Capitancos,  sometimes  by  Go- 
vernors, sometimes  by  Lieutenants,  Rectors,  Reformers,  and 
Dukes.  The  State  changed  the  for  in  of  its  Government  I2rtimcs 
in  34  years,  from  1494  to  1528.  But  since  that  time  it  has 
continued  the  same.  The  Doge  or  Duke  is  chosen  every  two 
years  out  of  the  nobility  by  the  senate.  After  his  office,  he  re- 
mains procurator  for  life.  He  is  obliged  to  live  in  the  palace, 
And  cannot  leave  it  without  permission  of  the  senate  He 
wears  a  royal  crown  for  Corsica,  which  once  had  its  king. 
Whenever  he  goes  abroad  in  state,  which  he  generally  does 
once  a-week,  a  sword  or  gilt  scabbard  is  carried  before  him, 
<md  24  senators  in  robes  of  black  velvet  accompany  him.  The 
streets  he  goes  through  are  all  lined  with  soldiers  on  both  sides. 
The  senate  is  composed  of  400  persons,  and  is  formed  every  year 


164          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

by  30  electors,  who  are  chosen  first.  These  must  be  all  noble  : 
hence  the  government  is  aristocratical.  The  little  council  con- 
sists of  ico  persons  out  of  these  400,  and  can  decide  all  things. 
of  smaller  importance  ;  as  can  the  Doge  with  the  eight  gover- 
nors, who  are  chosen  among  the  senators,  arid  five  syndics ;  for 
these  constitute  a  court.  The  syndics  have  a  power  to  examine 
and  punish  the  Doge  after  the  expiration  of  his  office.  The 
pretor  and  assessors  of  the  rota  are  the  judges  for  crimi- 
nal causes.  The  assessors  determine  in  civil  causes  and  law- 
suits. The  censors  and  consuls  have  the  care  of  the  police, 
and  superintend  the  government  of  the  city,  and  of  trade. 

1  he  noblemen  have  many  estates  in  Naples,  which  makes 
•  he  republic  in  some  degree  dependant  on  that  kingdom.  The 
principal  families  of  Genoa  are  the  DORIA,  (of  which  there  are 
two  branches,  the  Prince  of  Doria,  and  the  Duke  of  Tarsis  in- 
Naples),  the  Spinola,  the  Grimaldi,  the  Pallavacini,  the  Cibo, 
the  Fieschi,  Pamphili,  &cc.  Pope  Adrian  V.  and  Innocent  IV. 
were  of  the  Fieschi :  Innocent  VIII. ,  a  Cibo.  The  an- 
cient families  are  28  ;  viz.,  four  principal,  the  Grimaldi,  Fies- 
chi, Doria,  and  Spinola.  The  other  24,  Calvi,  Cattanei,  Gius- 
tiniani,  Centurioni,  Cibo,  Cigala,  Fornari,  Franchi,  Grilli, 
Gentili,  Imperiali,  Interiani,  Lsecari,  Lomellini,  Marini,  Ne- 
gro, Negroni,  Pallavicini,  Pinelli,  Promontorii,  Sauli,  Salvahi, 
Vivaldi,  and  Vesodimare.  The  other  noble  families  are  called 
aggregate,  and  are  to  the  number  of  437.  The  Doge  wears  a 
robe  of  crimson  velvet,  with  a  kind  of  square  bonnet,  and  when 
he  walks  in  ceremony,  a  mitre  crowned.  He  is  styled  Serenity  ,- 
as  senator,  Excellency.  The  nobles  are  dressed  generally  in 
black,  like  the  counsellors  of  the  parliament  in  France,  and 
never  wear  a  sword.  The  Doge  is  chosen  alternately  out  of 
the  ancient  and  the  new  nobility.  Trading  is  not  esteemed 
derogatory  to  a  nobleman  in  Genoa.  Bankers  and  silk-wea- 
vers are  the  richest  professions  here.  The  great  sums  lent  by 
the  Genoese  to  the  king  of  Spain,  and  their  possessing  lands  in 
Naples  and  Milan,  keep  the  commonwealth  in  a  state  of  de- 
pendence on  these  countries.  The  ladies  in  Genoa  dress  like 
ihe  French,  wear  great  hoops,  but  do  not  cover  their  faces 
with  veilsj  which  are  so  much  the  fashion  in  Burund  ;  and 


,  IX.  TOUR  FROM  ANTIBES  TO  FLORENCE.  165 

in  the  southern  countries,  the  women  are  to  be  seen  working 
in  dung  and  mud  with  very  long  white  veils  hanging  almost 
to  the  ground.  The  women  here  seldom  wear  caps,  but  bind 
up  their  hair  in  wreaths  and  knots,  with  a  needle  and  ribbons. 
They  are  said  to  esteem  red  hair  most.  The  proverb  of  Ge- 
noa is,  "  Gente  sensa  fide,  monte  sensa  ligno,  rnare  sensa  pesce, 
"  ponte  sensa  flume,  et  donne  sensa  vergogna."  Which  means : 
"  Men  without  faith,  (false  and  perfidious)  mountains  quite 
"  rocky,  without  any  wood  ;  the  sea  affording  fish  in  much 
"  less  plenty  than  in  any  other  parts  of  the  Mediterranean, 
"  bridges  without  water,  and  ladies  without  shame."  As 
we  came  into  the  city  from  Utri,  we  passed  over  a  lon^ 
stately  bridge,  without  any  water  in  the  channel  beneath,  ex- 
cept in  winter.  The  ladies  appear  openly,  without  veils,  &c. 
But  it  is  too  much  to  accuse  them  of  a  want  of  modesty.  There 
arc  muny  striking  examples  of  devotion  in  Genoa ;  and  they 
seem  in  general  much  inclined  to  enrich  their  churches.  Them 
is  a  confraternity  of  Penitents  who  attend  funerals  in  proces- 
sion, in  white  linen  habits  which  cover  them  from  head  to 
foot,  small  holes  only  being  made  for  the  eyes,  mouth,  and 
nostrils.  A  procession  of  twenty  of  these  with  a  corpse  looks 
extremely  frightful.  The  same  confraternity  is  obliged  to 
pray  by  turns,  ail  day,  two  at  a  time,  in  the  churches,  during 
any  solemnity.  In  Genoa  none  but  noblemen  belong  to  it. 
In  the  south  of  France  they  are  chiefly  the  common  people, 
who  compose  the  fraternities  of  both  ihe  black  and  white  Pe- 
nitents. 

GENOA  has  lost  great  part  of  its  commerce,  but  id  still  much 
addicted  to  the  meins  of  getting  money  ;  other  studies  do  not 
occupy  great  attention.  'Iherc  is  indeed  an  academy  of  the 
gentlemen  of  the  belles  lettres,  but  it  is  called  the  Academy  oi 
the  Adormentatif  that  is  persons  a.-lccp.  Genoa  }•;  5*-  miles  in 
circumference,  and  lies  along  the  sea  ccast,  being  confined  in 
breadth  by  the  mountains:  Its  streets  are  v^ry  narrow,  and 
full  of  ascents.  Hence  most  of  the  inhabitants  iue  litter*, 
or  small  chaises  in  the  town,  and  take  their  coaches  only  when 
they  ride  out  towards  St  Petro  d'Arena  for  an  airing.  It  i  • 
sot  true  that  Genoa  is  built  of  marble,  a;>  Mis^on  observe?. 


l66          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

But  though  many  of  the  houses  are  bj  no  means  elegant,  still  it 
deserves  its  title  of  Genoa  la  Snperba,  on  account  of  its  mag- 
nificent palaces  and  churches,  in  which  materials  and  admi- 
rable architecture  strive  to  outvie  each  other ;  All  the 
houses,  especially  near  the  port,  are  five  or  six  stories  high  ; 
their  walls  are  generally  painted  very  gaudy  on  the  outside, 
except  when  other  ornaments  take  place.  This  gives  the  city 
a  gay  appearance.  This  taste  for  painting  houses  extends  it- 
self also  to  other  towns  in  the  neighbourhood  ;  and  the  noble 
Genoese,  either  out  of  custom  or  vanity,  have  frequently  their 
arms  painted  on  all  the  tolerable  houses  which  belong  to  them. 

The  church  of  the  Annunciation  is  the  best  in  Genoa.  It  be- 
longs to  the  Franciscan  friars,  and  was  built  by  the  Lomellini. 
Its  length,  breadth,  and  heighth,  are  admirably  proportioned  j 
its  gilded  vault,  walls  covered  with  fine  paintings  ;  its  mag- 
nificent altars,  adorned  with  good  pictures  of  Rubens,  Julius 
Romanus,  and  other  masters ;  its  pillars  of  highly  polished 
marble,  of  such  natural  colours  that  they  seem  painted,  and  so 
excellently  chanelled,  that  one  would  think  them  adorned  with 
separate  colonades  ;  the  chapels,  pulpits,  high  altars,  and  choir, 
— all  charm  a  stranger.  But  this  church  has  no  front  3ret  com- 
pleted, a  defect  common  in  the  fine  churches  of  Italy,  owing 
partly  to  a  tax  laid  on  by  the  pope,  to  be  paid  to  St  Peter's 
in  Rome,  by  every  new  church  when  its  front  is  finished, 
ihe  convent  of  these  religious,  their  gardens  of  orange-trees, 
gcc.  are  delightful. 

The  Dome  (for  so  a  cathedral  is  called  all  over  Italy)  is  de- 
dicated to  St  Lawrence.  It  stands  on  an  eminence,  its  outside 
is  covered  with  marble,  and  its  gate  adorned  with  fine  pillars 
of  the  same  material.  Within  we  admired  chiefly  among  the 
statues  of  the  Evangelists  a  marble  one  of  St  John,  a  fine  pic- 
ture by  BAROCCI,  and  above  all  the  rich  chapel  of  St  John  Bap- 
tist, where,  besides  a  great  number  of  silver  lamps,  there  is  a 
shrine  of  the  same  metal,  supported  upon  four  pillars  of  por- 
phyry, in  which  they  say  are  contained  the  ashes  of  that  saint, 
Above  it  is  seen  a  prodigious  emerald  of  an  octogon  figure,  a 
finger  thick,  and  between  three  or  four  palms  in  circumfer- 
ence. It  was  brought  from  Palestine  600  years  ago;  and  gi- 


.  IX.  TOUR  FROM  ANTIBES  TO  FLORENCE.  167 

ven  by  Baldwin  king  of  Jerusalem  to  this  republic,  as  a  me- 
morial of  their  services  in  the  holy  war.  Here  are  some  por- 
tions of  St  Lawrence's  body,  and  many  other  relics.  The  mu- 
sic of  this  church  is  very  fine.  The  Dominicans  church  is  re- 
markable for  its  beautiful  pillars,  paintings,  and  chapels  :  That 
of  St  Cyr,  belonging  to  the  Theatins,  surpasses  all  the  rest, 
in  the  quarries  of  marble  exhausted  on  its  walls,  pillars,  steps, 
balusters,  &c.  Walking  about  curiously  in  it,  we  were  takeit 
for  Hugonotti  Francesi.  The  convent  of  the  Theatins  is  very 
noble  in  its  buildings,  gardens,  and  all  conveniences,  though 
they  subsist  only  on  alms,  and  cannot  beg,  as  the  other  men- 
dicants do.  I  he  church  of  St  Ambrose,  served  by  the  Jesuits, 
the  second  for  beauty  in  Genoa,  that  of  the  Benedictines,  and 
that  of  the  nuns  of  the  same  order,  are  very  rich  and  sumptu- 
ous ;  so  is  the  Jesuits  church,  but  its  effect  is  destroyed,  by 
being  situated  too  near  the  Doge's  palace.  A  stranger  must 
not  forget  to  take  notice  of  a  curious  Stephen  stoned,  by  JULIUS 
ROMANUS,  in  St  Stephen's  church;  a  Stjohn  baptizing  our  Sa- 
viour, by  TINTORET,  in  St  Francis's  ;  a  picture  by  VANDYKE, 
in  St  John's  chapel ;  and  the  chapel  of  the  Doria  Family  in  St 
Matthew's. 

GENOA  has  29  parishes,  and  20  collegiate  churches  of  canons. 
The  Dorians  Palace,  built  by  the  celebrated  Captain  ANDREW 
DORIA,  is  the  finest  in  Genoa.  It  reaches  from  the  sea,  near 
the  Pharos,  to  the  mountain.  In  the  lower  part  of  it  is  a  great 
gallery,  paved  with  black  and  white  marble,  with  pillars  of 
the  same.  It  is  reckoned  to  be  120  paces  long,  and  has  a  fine 
prospect  towards  the  port.  The  apartments  of  the  palace  are 
most  magnificent,  and  the  furniture  superb.  The  posts  of 
the  beds  are  of  silver :  The  tables  are  of  jasper,  alabaster, 
oriental  agates,  or  silver  wrought  with  curious  bassc-relievo. 
One  table,  it  is  said,  weighs  above  20,000  crowns  of  silver. 
The  paintings,  carvings,  gildings,  are  equally  magnificent, 
The  gardens  are  very  fine,  and  in  the  middle  of  them  is  a  foun- 
tain with  two  basons  of  white  marble,  one  within  the  other, 
with  a  statue,  larger  than  life,  representing  ANDREW  DORIA, 
the  great  admiral,  under  the  figure  otv.  Neptune,  armed  with  his 
(frident,  in  a  shell,  (his  chariot)  drawn  by  three  horses,  and  sf. 


1 68         TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALE  AN  BUTLER. 

tended  by  1 2  mermaids.  The  alleys  about  the  great  parterre 
are  paved  with  little  round  stones  in  Mosaic.  On  both  sides 
are  very  good  aviaries,  stocked  with  choice  birds.  The  same 
prince's  palace  in  the  country  at  San  Petro  d'Arena,  with  many 
others,  are  also  very  stalely  and  rich.  In  the  courts  and  gar- 
dens at  Genoa,  artificial  grottos  of  shells  and  fountains  are  very 
common,  and  well  executed.  The  gin-Jens  of  Count  Neri  arc 
particularly  remarkable. 

The  Doge's  Palace  is  very  noble.  His  Serenity,  together 
with  his  family,  is  lodged,  and  bin  table  maintained,  at  the  ex- 
pence  of  the  republic.  On  the  expiry  of  his  two  years  of  of- 
fice, the  senate  sends  him  a  message  to  leave  the  palace.  The 
eight  senators  who  rnake  up  the  Doge's  council,  called  tt>e 
Court  of  Signorie,  also  live  in  it,  and  are  called  the  Governors, 
because  this  court  is  perpetual. 

The  Doge's  palace  lends  into  the  Strada  Nuo"ja,  or  New 
Street,  the  glor\T  of  Genoa,  and  not  to  be  paralleled  in  the  uni- 
\-erse.  It  is  very  long  and  broad,  and  the  houses  are  equal  in 
appearance  to  the  most  magnificent  palaces  :  Each  seems  to 
surpass  the  other,  and  the  eye  is  perfectly  enchanted.  Their 
fronts,  porticos,  and  courts,  are  in  the  most  noble  style  imagin- 
able, and  embellished  with  pillars,  statues,  fountains,  &c« 
Here  marble  is  lavishly  squandered,  though  none  of  the  walls 
are  wholly  built  of  it.  Nothing  can  be  better  contrived,  more 
ingenious,  or  more  finely  finished,  than  their  apartments*' 
The  order,  proportions,  and  ornaments,  are  such  as  to  make 
them  perfect  models  to  all  the  architects  of  Europe.  Some 
travellers  extol  Genoa  tco  high,  others,  when  they  do  not  find 
every  thing  correspond  to  the  ideas  they  had  formed,  depre- 
ciate it  too  much  :  But  this  street  at  least  cannot  but  please 
and  astonish  all.  A  stranger  ought  also  to  visit  the  Exchange 
and  Town-bouse,  and  will  be  pleased  with  many  other  rich 
churches,  in  which  the  Gsnoese  display  with  prodigality  their 
treasures.  The  Arsenal  is  slid  to  contain  arms  for  40,000 
ruen  ;  but  it  is  chiefly  remarkable  for  its  line  display  of  old 
armour,  marks  of  the  ancient  greatness  of  this  commonwealth. 
Amongst  these  they  boast  of  the  armour  of  many  Genoese  la- 
dies, TV  ho  assumed  the  cross,  and  went  in  disguise  to  the  holy 


Clap.  IX.      A  TOUR  FROM  ANTIBES  TO  FLORENCE.  169 

tvar.  The  little  arsenal  is  in  the  Doge's  palace  :  Its  principal 
curiosity  is  said  to  be  the  beak  or  stern  of  an  old  Roman  ship, 
called  rostrum  by  the  Latins,  which  was  found  in  the  harbour. 
The  port  is  spacious,  and  surrounded  with  good  pavements, 
walls,  and  fine  buildings  :  But  the  entry  is  dangerous  i:i  stormy 
weather,  especially  above  Utri.  A  darse,  or  a  long  pier  of  stone, 
rnns  through  the  midst  of  the  port,  to  defend  it  from  tempests  ; 
within  this  lie  the  gallies,  which  at  present  amount  only  to  six  ; 
so  much  is  this  state  reduced  from  its  former  power  both  by  sea 
and  land  :  During  stormy  weather,  all  other  ships  also  endea- 
vour to  get  within  the  pier,  as  securer  than  the  rest  of  the  port  ; 
though  the  Libeccio,  or  south-west  wind,  called  by  the  Romans, 
the  African,  the  most  dangerous  in  this  sea,  carries  the  storms 
even  into  the  darse,  but  with  much  less  violence.  The  pharos, 
or  Lantern  Tower,  was  built  by  Lewis  XII.,  when  the  French 
were  masters  of  Genoa:  Not  being  allowed  to  ascend  the 
building,  we  were  obliged  to  content  ourselves  with  a  prospect 
of  the  town  from  the  mountains  near  it,  where  the  fiat  tops  of 
the  palaces,  like  towering  terrasses,  and  the  fine  buildings,  form 
a  noble  object  to  the  eve.  The  slaves  in  the  galleys  of  Genoa 
have,  as  at  Marseilles,  the  liberty  of  walking  in  the  town  chain- 
ed bv  couples  together,  and  of  working  at  their  trades,  or  c- 
ther  labour,  the  gains  from  which  they  employ  as  they  please,. 
and  buy  themselves  linen,  better  victuals,  &.c.  ;  their  strict  al- 
lowance is  a  loose  poor  jerkin,  xvithout  linen  or  stocking:,  ; 
They  lie  on  the  bare  boards  in  their  galley,  and  are  eat  up 
with  vermin  ;  but  by  their  little  earnings  they  ;;re  enabled  to 
mend  their  condition  very  much ;  and  most  of  these  at  Marseilles 
seemed  to  live  cheerfully,  and  even  comfortably  ;  any  per- 
son  who  has  respectable  friends,  though  condemned  to  the  gal- 
leys,  never  appears  in  them,  except  at  his  first  arrival,  but  h 
immediately  taken  off  again,  and  put  into  the  hospital,  where  good 
care  is  taken  both  of  his  temporal  and  spiritual  concerns  :  At 
Genoa,  many  voluntarily  sell  themselves  for  about  eight  se- 
quins, or  four  pounds  Sterling,  to  be  galley  slaves  five  years;, 
when  any  are  wanted. 

The  Corsairs  were  formerly  the  savage  Corsicans :   At  pre- 
sent the  AlgerineS;  ard  otn;r   Africans  from  Fu.ii?.    TripoU1;, 

I, 


TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

&c.  infest  the  Mediterranean  ;  and  against  these  the  galleys  put 
to  sea  in  the  summer  months. 

This  place  being  so  dear,  and  the  inhabitants  so  reserved,  we 
Staid  only  three  days  to  see  the  city,  and  set  out  again  along  the 
coast  of  the  river  of  Genoa  di  I  eiiante,  or  that  which  lies  to- 
wards Tuscany.  During  the  first  two  leagues  we  had  a  very 
good  road,  but  we  then  entered  again  on  the  rugged  mountains, 
and  often  found  the  roads  narrow,  and  over  high  precipices. 
We  passed  Rapallo  a  small  town  18  miles  from  Genoa  ;  and  15 
miles  farther  on  the  sea  is  Sesiri  di  Levante,  the  largest  city  on 
this  road.-  The  mountains  are  worst  nigh  Mataran  a  petty  vil- 
lage lying  in  the  midst  of  them.  At  Cape-Fine,  is  a  beauti- 
ful and  strong  fortress,  opposite  to  which  they  told  us  the 
sea  w7as  dangerous  near  die  coast.  Descending  from  these  tre- 
mendous mountains,  we  at  last  arrived  at  Port  Specie  :  This 
is  a  handsome  large  town,  and  possesses  a  good  port  and  a  consi- 
derable trade  :  The  mountains  begin  from  this  place  to  have  an 
easy  descent  ;  and  chaises  sometimes  pass  them,  though  with 
great  difficulty  and  danger.  We  continued  our  way  on  mules  to 
Sarzana,  a  well  fortified  town,  and  the  seat  of  a  bishop  :  It  is 
the  last  place  in  the  state  of  Genoa,  and  75  miles  from  that  city. 
Lcrici  is  their  last  port  for  feluccas.  Sarxana  is  three  or  four 
miles  from  it  and  the  sea.  We  felt  infinite  pleasure  in  having 
got  over,  in  the  space  of  two  days  and  a  half,  these  dangerous 
precipices,  and  rugged  ways,  besides  four  fords,  and  to  find 
ourselves  among  reasonable  people,  in  an  agreeable  plain  :  And 
we  experienced  no  less  satisfaction  in  taking  leave,,  both  of  the 
Genoese  and  their  unhospitable  country. 

That  evening  we  hiy  at  Massa,  the  capital  of  a  small 
principality  of  the  same  name,  consisting  of  this  town  ;  of 
a  village  on  the  frontiers  of  the  Genoese,  with  a  large  old  castle, 
8  miles  from  Sarzana  ;  and  of  Carrara,  a  small  town  famous  for 
the  best  quarries  of  marble  in  Italy,  which  furnished  materials 
for  the  palaces  of  Genoa,  and  form  the  prince's  greatest  revenue. 
The  family  of  Cilo,  which  has  flourished  in  Italy  ever  since* 
the  pth  age,  is  divided  into  several  younger  branches.  The 
eldest  son  has  been  for  two  hundred  years  sovereign  Duke  of 
Massa  and  Prince  of  Carrara,  which  he  obtained  by  marrying1 


Clap.  VII.     A  TOUR  FROM  ANTIBES  TO    FLORENCE.  17* 

the  heiress.  This  family  hath  given  the  church  two  popes,  In- 
nocent  8th  and  Boniface  gth,  and  many  cardinals.  The  last 
duke,  Alderano  Cibo  Malaspini,  dying  without, any  male  issue, 
left  his  dominions  to  his  eldest  daughter  and  sole  heiress,  Maria 
Teresa  born  172  j  ;  She  is  married  to  Ercole  or  Hercules,  here- 
ditary prince  of  Modcnu,  but  lives  still  at  Massa  ;  her  husband 
being  often  with  her.  Thus  this  principality  will  pass  to  the 
family  of  Modena,  unless  the  grand  duke  of  Tuscany  gets  pos- 
session of  it ;  as  he  has  long  pretended  a  kind  of  dominion  o- 
ver  it.  The  fear  of  this  obliged  the  duke  of  Modena  to  declare 
in  the  present  war  against  the  Emperor,  who  is  grand  duke. 
The  duchess  lives  in  the  palace,  which  is  a  very  spacious  build- 
ding,  in  the  form  of  a  square.  The  town  is  handsome  enough, 
but  the  inhabitants  are  poor.  Carrara  is  but  2  miles  distant. 
Piombino  is  another  small  town  and  principality  on  this  coast. 
Its  Prince  is  of  the  family  of  the  Ludovisii,  one  of  the  greatest 
in  Rome.  The  late  Princess  of  Piombiuo,  when  herdaughter 
was  dyingj  having  expressed  her  concern  to  see  the  pious  Prin- 
cess Sobieskij  consort  of  the  Chevalier  of  St  George,  so  assi- 
duous in  attending  and  serving  her,  during  a  long  sickness  :  the 
Princess  Sobieski  in  reply  told  her,  that  she  should  receive  the 
same  offices  from  her  within  a  year.  The  Princess  Sobieski  in 
fact  died  within  that  term,  and  the  Princess  Pombino  was  so 
moved  that  she  became  the  imitatrix  of  her  austerities  and 
practices  of  devotion.  Setting  out  from  Massa,  after  we  had 
paid  our  respects  to  the  dutchess,  we  were  soon  in  the  grand 
duke's  territories  in  Tuscany.  He  has  a  castle  and  small 
troop  of  soldiers  on  the  barrier.  It  is  twenty  five  miles  from 
Massa  to  Pisa  :  but  we  went  twelve  miles  out  of  our  way  to 
pass  through  Lucca. 

LUCCA  is  a  small  republic,  surrounded  by  the  grand  duke's 
territories  in  Tuscany,  excepting  near  the  borders  towards 
Massa  and  Modena  on  opposite  sides.  From  its  capital  (also 
called  Lvtcca)  it  extends  towards  Pisa  5  miles,  towards  Modena 
1 6,  towards  Florence  10  j  and  is  30  miles  in  circuit,  hedged  in 
by  a  round  ridge  of  high  rcck}T  mountains,  which  we  easily 
passed,  the  ascents  being  good  roads.  The  river  Serchio  passe:; 
through  this  state,  and  has  a  good  bridge.  The  city  of  Lure*. 
L  ?,  ' 


I^a  TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALB  AN  BUTLER. 

is  very  ancient  :  In  it  Pompey,  Caesar,  and  Crassus,  formed 
the  Triumvirate.  It  13  above  3  miles  round,  situated  in  an  agre- 
able  fertile  plain,  which  produces  the  best  oil  in  Italy,  but  very 
little  corn.  On  the  mountains,  in  sight  of  the  city,  many  of 
the  Spanish  soldiers,  last  year,  lost  their  lives  by  falling  down 
these  precipices,  and  many  beasts  of  burden  were  also  killed 
when  crossing  them,  from  Naples.  This  city  is  fortified  in 
the  strongest  manner :  the  old  walls,  the  work  of  Desideriu3 
king  of  Italy,  are  destroyed,  and  new  ones  were  raised  in  1626, 
defended  by  eleven  beautiful  bastions.  The  ramparts  are  very 
pleasant,  planted  with  shady  plane  trees,  and  poplars.  The 
arsenal  contains  arms  for  40,000  men.  They  have  a  con- 
stant garrison,  and  are  so  suspicious  of  strangers,  that  they 
take  their  pistols  from  them  at  the  gate,  on  entering  the  town, 
but  restore  them  at  the  other  gate  as  they  go  out.  Some  say 
they  take  swords  too  ;  but  they  did  not  from  any  of  us,  and 
only  asked  for  lire  arms.  They  give  strangers  a  ticket  at  their 
entry,  which  they  are  obliged  to  deliver  to  the  inn-keeper  where 
they  lodge,  who  must  carry  it  to  Government.  The  streets  are 
broad  and  well  paved ;  but  the  town  is  thinly  inhabited,  and  very 
poor,  notwithstanding  its  great  manufacture  of  silk,  and  its  li- 
berty, which  it  is  extremely  jealous  of.  The  word  libertas  is 
wrote  on  their  coat  of  arms,  as  in  that  of  Genoa. 

The  Government  is  aristocratical,  and  lodged  in  the  Council 
or  Senate,  which  consists  of  about  30  nobles.  The  city  is  di- 
vided into  three  parts,  called  'Tierces,  out  of  each  of  which 
three  nobles  are  chosen,  called  AiiKicnii,  and  who  with  the 
prince  are  obliged  to  live  always  in  the  palace,  (without  their 
wives  or  families),  where  they  are  maintained  by  the  public. 
These  ten  make  up  the  Signcrie,  who  propose  all  things  to  the 
council,  and  determine  requests,  &c.  of  foreigners,  but  not  of 
citizens  without  the  council.  Their  commander,  who  is  taken 
by  turns  out  of  each  tierce,  receives  all  requests,  and  may  pro- 
pose them  or  not  as  he  chuses.  The  Signorie  is  all  changed 
every  three  years.  The  Gonfalonier  is  at  Lucca,  and  St  Mar- 
iino,  what  the  Doge  is  at  Genoa  and  Venice.  At  St  Marine- 
lie  is  changed  every  week,  at  Lucca  he  is  called  the  Prince  of' 
<ve  Republic,  and  styled  Excellency  :  He  is  chosen  every  two 


Cdap.  XI.      A  TOUR  FROM  ANTIBE3  TO  FLORENCE.  173 

months  alternately  out  of  each  tierce  ;  he  wears  a  robe  of  crim- 
son velvet,  with  a  stole  and  cap.  The  three  Secretaries  of  the 
council  possess  great  authority  in  the  commonwealth,  and  over 
the  conduct  of  the  prince  :  The  Six  Men  preside  over  the  exchec- 
quer  and  revenues  :  The  Rota,  common  in  many  states  in  Italy, 
consists  of  three  doctors  of  the  law,  foreigners  from  above  50 
miles  from  Lucca  ;  one  of  whom  is  Podestat ;  a  second  Judge 
in  civil  causes  ;  the  third  in  criminal ;  but  the  latter  cannot  con- 
demn a  citizen,  unless  the  senate  confirms  his  sentence.  The 
council  of  Discoli  can  banish  any  one  accused  of  an  idle  or  wick- 
ed life  :  They  publish  the  sentence  in  the  four  corners  of  the 
market  place,  and  the  person  banished  is  obliged  under  pain 
of  death  to  leave  the  city  before  evening,  and  not  to  come  within 
50  miles  of  its  jurisdiction  for  three  years;  after  which  term 
lie  may  return,  but  can  be  again  banished.  This  is  somewhat 
like  the  Ostracism  of  the  Athenians,  by  which  they  banished 
great  men  for  10  years,  when  they  were  afraid  of  their  becom- 
ing too  powerful.  The  Signorie  chuses  for  its  own  guard  ico 
soldiers,  all  foreigners,  from  above  50  miles  distance:  'Tis 
death  for  any  of  these  to  go  near  the  wall  in  the  night:  They 
guard  the  palace.  The  walls  and  gates  are  guarded  by  a  town 
militia,  who  have  three  crowns  a  month  each  man  :  At  each 
gate  a  commissary,  who  is  a  citizen,  is  stationed  to  observe 
who  conies  in,  and  gees  out. 

The  nobles  are  verypoor,  enjoy  ing  little  landed  property:  For- 
merly trade,  especially  in  silk,  and  in  goldsmiths  wares,  was  very 
flourishing  here  ;  and  this  city  acquired  the  epithet  of  Lucca 
/,'  Industriosa  :  But  now  the  best  workmen  have  left  it :  Its 
oil  is  its  chief  commodity.  The  palace  is  the  only  building 
worth  notice  ;  it  is  not  stately  nor  rich,  but  very  large.  The 
hall  of  the  great  council  has  no  other  ornaments  than  wooden 
forms,  or  benches  for  the  senators,  and  a  wooden  throne,  resem- 
bling a  pulpit,  for  the  prince.  The  great  gallery  is  worthy  of 
notice  :  The  small  chambers  (in  which  the  An%iani  or  ancients, 
with  the  prince  livej,  open  into  it.  The  Lucchese  love  mag- 
nificence in  their  churches  ;  they  adorn  them  on  festivals  wiih 
innumerable  wax  candles,  lamps,  and  other  ornaments,  at  a  very 
sjr.?at  expeiicc :  I  believe  they  almost  outdo  the  Spaniards  in 

-L  a 


174  TRAVELS  OF   REV.    ALBAN   BUTLER.' 

this  point.  The  bishop  of  Lucca  wears  a  pallium  like  an  arch- 
bishop, and  is  immediately  subject  to  the  holy  see.  The  town 
is  full  of  churches  and  religious  houses  of  all  sorts,  except  Je- 
suits, against  whom  the  people  and  religious  here  have  con- 
ceived a  prejudice.  The  cathedral  dedicated  to  St  Martin,  is 
very  large  :  In  it  is  a  miraculous  image  of  our  Saviour,  called 
Volto  Santo,  adorned  very  richly  :  They  imagine  it  was  paint- 
ed by  Nicodemus.  In  the  third  chapel  is  a  Last  Supper  paint- 
ed by  TINTOEET  ;  on  the  left  under  the  porch  is  an  excellent 
basso-relievo  byNicoLAsPiSANo.  In  the  Dominicans  churchare 
two  pictures  of  Guino.  The  church  called  Maddena  delli 
Miracoli  is  very  well  built,  and  contains  an  image  famous  for 
miracles  wrought  by  the  intercession  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  :  In 
that  of  the  Holy  Cross,  is  the  great  rich  crucifix,  valued  at 
15,000  crowns,  pawned  by  the  Pisans  to  theLucchese,  and  never 
redeemed.  St  Fredian's  is  a  parish  church  belonging  to  the 
Qlivetans,  or  white  Benedictines,  who  have  a  very  good  mo- 
nastery adjoining  to  it.  In  the  uppermost  chapel  of  this 
church,  is  the  tomb  of  St  RICHARD,  a  King  of  England,  who 
died  here  on  a  pilgrimage  to  Rome  :  He  is  a  famous  saint  in 
Lucca  ;  and  some  other  churches  possess  part  of  his  relics  :  The 
monks  told  me,  they  had  in  their  library  several  manuscripts 
regarding  him,  which  I  regretted  our  time  did  not  permit  me 
to  examine.  Lucca  pays  a  small  yearly  tribute  to  the  emperor 
for  being  under  his  protection. 

When  we  had  ascended  the  hill  which  bounds  the  territory 
of  the  Lucchese,  we  had  a  beautiful  view  of  the  city  of  Pisa,  with 
the  delightful  fertile  plain  in  which  it  stands  :  On  descending 
we  passed  near  the  grand  aqueduct,  a  modern  building,  which 
brings  the  best  water  from  the  mountains  three  miles  distant 
to  the  city. 

PISA,  built  by  a  colony  from  Greece,  according  to  Virgil,  is 
situated  in  a  fruitful  plain  four  miles  from  the  sea,  on  the 
river  Arm :  It  was  for  some  ages,  so  powerful  a  commonwealth, 
us  to  maintain  considerable  wars  in  Europe,  as  well  a^  a- 
gainst  the  Saracens  in  Asia:  At  last,  ruined  by  a  great  defeat 
it  sustained  from  the  Genoese,  and  torn  by  factions  at  home,  it 
fell  under  the  prince  whom  it  of  all  others  most  hated,  the 


Chap.  IX.      A  TOUR  FROM  ANTIBES  TO  FLORENCE.  175 

Grand  Duke  of  Tuscany,  in  the  ijth  century  :  It  is  governed 
by  a  commissary-general  from  the  duke,  under  whom  are 
other  judges  ;  and  two  consuls,  who  determine  causes  between 
merchants  and  sailors  :  It  has  three  fine  bridges  over  the  Arno, 
and  a  good  dock  and  port  for  small  vessels,  formed  by  that  river, 
which  is  both  deep  and  broad  ;  but  upon  its  becoming  subject 
to  Tuscany,  most  of  its  inhabitants  forsook  it,  and  its  trade  fell 
to  nothing  ;  yet  the  grand  dukes  have  added  several  embellish- 
ments, and  granted  many  privileges  to  it  :  It  is  at  present  an 
extensive  city,  though  very  poor,  and  thinly  inhabited  ;  but 
containing  a  great  many  curiosities  and  monuments  of  its  an- 
cient grandeur  :  The  streets  are  large,  noble,  and  well  paved  ; 
i>ut  grass  grows  in  some  of  them.  The  Cathedra!,  called  St 
cjohn'sl  rebuilt  by  the  grand  duke,  after  the  former  had  been 
burnt  down  ;  is  one  of  the  most  magnificent  in  Italy  :  We  ad- 
mired the  beautiful  marble  steps  leading  up  to  it ;  the  portico 
adorned  with  many  fine  pillars  ;  the  top  covered  with  lead  ;  the 
three  vast  brass  gates  artfully  wrought  with  historic  basso-re- 
lievo of  the  old  and  new  testament :  Two  of  these  gates,  they 
pretend,  were  in  Solomon's  temple  ;  the  pavement ;  the  vault 
curiously  painted  aud  gilded  ;  the  great  gallery  which  runs 
quite  round  it  ;  So  marble  pillars,  each  of  one  solid  stone,  said 
to  have  been  brought  by  the  Romans  out  of  Solomon's  temple  ; 
the  choir  all  of  marble  ;  the  tabernacle  oa  the  hi^h  altar  of  so- 
lid silver  ;  the  vault  over  it,  admirably  painted  ;  an  Assumption 
of  our  Lady  in  Mosaic  ;  above  the  high  altar,  beautiful  paint- 
ings in  fresco  .•  the  choir-seats  inlaid  with  wood  of  different, 
colours  ;  in  the  side  chapels,  many  rich  altars,  as  that  of  St 
Rumen  us  patron  of  Pisa,  which  is  of  fine  marble,  and  that  <.t 
the  Blessed  Sacrament  ;  two  statues  of  AJum  and  Eve  incom- 
parably carved  ;  two  large  line  marble  pulpits  adorned  with 
"basso-relievos,  also  the  excellent  basso-relievo  on  the  tomb  OL 
£ea£rix,  mother  of  the  Countess  Matbildes  ;  the  vast  porphyry 
pillar,  all  of  one  piece  ;  on  another  pillar  before  this  church 
stan.lii  an  urn  of  white  marble,  which  contains  a  talent  ;  it  was 
sent  by  Chesar  hither,  to  me  it  u  re  the  tribute  of  the  city,  if  \\u- 
may  believe  the  Pisans  :  The  tower  is  separate  from  the  church, 
and  U  buiit  in  the  shap:  c:  a  cylinder,  of  a  rough  :i;:rd  luarbit;  : 


176         TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALB  AN  BUTLER. 

It  is  about  190  steps  hi  ,b,  and  'adorned  with  seven  rows  of 
pillars,  each  less  and  less  to  the  top:  What  is  wonderful,  is 
that  the  tower,  though  so  high,  is  not  perpendicular,  but  leans 
considerably  to  one  side,  so  that  if  a  weight  is  let  down  by  a 
string  from  the  top,  it  will  fall  no  less  than  16  feet  from  the 
basis.  Some  think  the  tower  has  been  built  in  this  manner  by 
an  extraordinary  effort  of  architectural  skill :  It  seems  more 
probable,  however,  that  the  foundation  had  sunk  on  one  side, 
while  t  ic  solidity  of  the  building  kept  it  standing  in  the  pre- 
sent position  :  No  architect  can  answer  for  a  foundation,  if  be- 
low the  solid  there  should  be  hollow  or  soft  earth,  into  which 
the  weight  of  the  building  makes  it  sink.  Thus,  the  walls  of 
Val  de  Grace  in  Paris  sunk  on  one  side,  because  of  a  large 
hollow  underneath.  There  is  another  bending  tower  in  Bou- 
lo<;na  in  Italy,  though  not  finished,  called  Gariserkla,  from  its 
builder.  The  Font  is  another  separate  building,  covered 
\vith  a  handsome  dome  cr  cupola,  richly  gilded  and  panted, 
and  su  ported  by  many  beautiful  pillars  of  marbn.  ;  aioui,  .  it 
arc  vess  Is,  in  which  they  used  to  baptize  by  immersion.  The 
great  p.iipit  of  the  cathedral,  and  its  long  and  broad  stairs  are 
admirable  :  They  are  cf  the  fines1,  marble,  excellently  carded 
in  basso  "v.ievo,  representing  the  Last  judgement,  by  NICOLAS 
of  P'ba:  The  vauic  of  tnis  church  echoes  so  well,  that  it  will 
resoui  d  A  voice  or  the  stitke  of  a  hammer  very  loud  for  15 
mi:  utes. 

On  th/"  north  of  the  cathedral  is  the  Carrpn  Santo,  or  great 
old  buryi'1  ;  place,  which  is  a.  vast  squ  re,  firel\  built  with  a 
court  in  •  »e  middle.  J;i  the  square  art  the  monuments  of  many 
emi  ent  modern?,  and  rnany  ancients  ;  several  ot  these  on  the 
pavement  and  wails  are  particularly  fine.  "  he  earth  is  said  to 
have  been  brought  frrrn  fbefldd  Acs. damn  near  Jerusalem,  and 
that  it  has  t  e  property  of  consuming  bodies  !nd  even  bones  ui  24 
hours.  The  Sacristan  told  us  it  still  re:ainecl  that  corroding 
rmlity  but  others  said  it  had  now  lost  a  great  deal  of  it.  The 
Campo  is  180  pecc-s  long,  Bertl'a,  mother  of  the  countess 
Mciud,  in  basso  relievo,  is  a  master-piece.  NICOLAS  ot  Pisa 
formed  his  taste  cf  carving-  frcin  it,  and  beca:.  e  the  great  re- 
former and  master  of  that  art.  The  present  Campo  Santo  was 


Clap.  V.       A   TOUR    FROM    ANTIBES   TO    FLORENCE.  177 

built  by  him   in  the  year    1289.     The  walls  are  well  painted; 
and  on  them  are  nine  historical  pieces  from  Job  by  GIOTTO. 

We  went  next  to  see  the  church  of  &t  Stephen,  Pope  and  Mar- 
tyr, patron  of  Tuscany.  On  the  altar  stands  the  pontifical  chair 
of  that  pope.  The  front  of  the  church  is  of  marble,  the  vault 
gilt  and  adorned  with  innumerable  standards,  which  have  been 
taken  liom  the  infidels  by  the  knights  of  St  Stephen,  to  whom 
this  church  belongs.  CCSMO  the  Great,  after  a  victory  at  sea 
gained  on  that  saint's  day,  instituted  the  order,  built  them  this 
church,  and  a  magnificent  palace,  in  which  they  live  together, 
and  hold  their  general  chapter.  Thus  he  fixed  their  chief  re- 
sidence at  Pisa.  Their  institute  is  to  command  as  officers  in 
the  grand  duke's  galleys  against  the  infidels.  Their  habit  of 
ceremony  is  a  white  mantle,  on  which  is  a  red  cross,  like  that 
of  Malta,  with  a  red  girdle  and  sleeves.  Monsieur  Herman!', 
in  his  histoire  des  ordres  de  Chei)aleriet  ch.  61,  says,  they  take- 
no  oath  except  of  fidelity  to  their  grand  master,  who  is  the 
grand  duke,  with  a  promise  to  defend  the  Christian  religion 
against  the  Mahometans.  But  Pope  Pius  IV's  bull  for  their 
foundation  in  1561,  expressly  says,  they  vow  charity  to  expose 
their  lives  for  the  faith,  conjugal  chastity  and  obedience: 
though  they  are  permitted  to  m.irry,  scarce  anv  of  them  avail 
themselves  of  this  liberty.  Facing  this  church  stands  a  marblt; 
statue  of  COSMO  the  Great  on  a  pedestal,  much  admired,  erect- 
ed by  these  knights  to  their  founder.  The  city  has  placed  ano- 
ther to  the  grand  duke  Ferdinand  IT.  The  grand  duke's  Pa- 
lace in  Pisa  is  very  large.  He  used  to  pass  the  winter  here. 
It  stands  on  the  river.  The  knights  palace  is  in  a  style  of 
beautiful  architecture  built  by  Nicolas  of  Pisa,  but  rebuilt 
bv  the  famous  GEORGE  VASARI.  In  the  Dominicans  clmrch 
are  many  good  pictures  of  GIOTTO. 

Pisa  has  on  the  river  a  very  good  dock  with  fine  building^ 
and  every  ccnveniency  for  ship  buiLiing.  But  its  commerce  is 
«mite  sunk.  Cosmo  the  Great  reestablished  the  university,  and 
made  the  great  ALCIAT  professor  of  Law,  CURTIUS  of  medicine, 
&.C.  The  college  for  law  is  very  noble  :  that  called  the  Sapi- 
enza  is  well  endowed  :  that  of  Ferdinand  is  for  Tuscan  scho- 
lars :  that  of  Puteau  for  those  of  Savoy  :  that  of  Monte  Pui. 


TRAVELS    OF   REV.    ALBAN    BUTLER. 

ciano  for  natives  of  that  place.  We  did  not  see  the  garden  of 
simples  out  of  town.  It  was  esteemed  very  curious  in  plants, 
monsters,  &c.  but  is  now  as  well  as  the  uaivcrsity  on  the  decline. 
Nor  did  we  visit  the  hot  baths  near  the  mountains  towards  Lucca. 

It  is  twelve  miles  from  Pisa  to  LEGHORV,  over  an  extensive 
plain,  which  was  a  fen  till  the  grand  duke  Ferdinand  drain- 
ed it  by  a  spacious  canal  from  Pisa,  and  made  it  an  agreable 
country.  LEGHORN  was  a  small  village  on  a  watery  bottom, 
but  by  the  exertions  of  the  same  prince  it  is  now  a  line  town 
well  fortified  with  new  ramparts  and  beautiful  walls  and  ditch- 
ts.  The  streets  are  broad,  long,  and  well  paved.  The  merch- 
ants have  very  magnificent  houses  and  apartments.  The  grand 
duke's  palace  is  the  governor's  house.  The  churches  have  no- 
thing remarkable,  except  that  of  the  Greeks.  The  port  has 
been  made  at  a  great  expence  and  is  adorned  with  fine  build- 
ings. There  is  also  another  small  darse  or  habour,  shut  up 
•with  walls,  where  the  grand  duke's  galleys  lie,  which  are  built 
at  Pisa.  Neither  of  them  is  quite  safe.  On  the  port  is  erect- 
ed a  fine  statue  of  the  grand  duke  Ferdinand,  of  beautiful  mar- 
ble, xvith  four  Turks  chained,  of  cast  brass,  under  his  feet. 
The  statue  being  of  a  different  and  finer  material  than  the  rest 
of  the  figures,  gives  it  a  very  grand  and  pleasing  effect. 

The  duties  on  merchandise  being  here  very  small,  this  place 
possesses  an  extensive  commerce  ;  and  as  foreigners  enjoy  great 
privileges  and  encouragement,  the  town  is  chiefly  composed  of 
them,  especially  English,  Spaniards,  French,  Dutch,  Greeks, 
Armenians  and  jews  :  these  latter,  as  well  as  the  Turks, 
appear  in  the  dresses  of  their  own  country,  wearing  turbans 
iuid  long  silk cloatbs,  6;.c.  The  Jews  are  more  rich  and  numer- 
ous here  than  in  any  other  town  I  have  yet  seen.  Their  syna- 
gogues are  very  fine  and  curious.  Their  burying  place  out  of 
the  town  is  particularly  remarkable,  being  a  very  large  field 
covered  with  stone  ai.d  marble  monuments,  with  singular  ii- 
fuires,  and  inscriptions  of  the  persons  names,  mostly  in  Hebrew. 
The  English,  Dutch,  £cc.  have  also  each  their  burying  place 
out  of  the  town. 

The  gentlemen  belonging  to  the  English  factory  would  live 
more  comfortably,  were  tboy  more  uute<J;  and  entertained  less 


Chap.  VI.        A  TOUR  FROM  ANTIBES  TO  FLORENCE. 

jealousy  of  each  other.  The  consul  has  about  8ool.  a  year, 
arising  from  an  impost  on  every  ship  freighted  by  the  factory. 
Among  the  English  merchants,  one  MR  JACKSON  a  Protestant., 
got  a  dispensation,  by  means  of  the  present  Pope,  then  only  Car- 
dinal LAMBERTINI,  to  marry  a  Catholic  Italian  Lady,  A  rat's 
example  in  Italy  :  though  we  have  since  seen  a  similar  in- 
stance: The  Pope  is  god-father  to  Mr  Jackson's  eldest  son,  to 
whom  he  has  given  already  a  good  benefice.  The  quarter  oF 
the  English  is  extremely  commodious,  having  a  fine  canal  duf;- 
through  it, -which  brings  their  merchandize  to  their  very  doors. 
The  old  citadel  of  Leghorn  can  afford  little  defence  \  n,pr  is  the- 
new  one  much  better,  tfioagh  a  regular  fortification. 

Taking  leave  of  our  countrymen  at  Leghorn,  we  returned  to 
Pisa,  where  the  custom-house,  desirous  to  extort  money,  was 
very  troublesome  about  a  few  books.  The  French  chaise  we 
had  brought  with  us  being  too  large  for  the  Italian  narrow 
roads,  and  too  heavy  for  their  horses,  we  were  forced  to  change 
it  for  a  lighter  Italian  one.  In  Tuscany,  in  part  of  the  pope'^ 
dominions,  and  in  the  Venetian  territores  and  Napits,  the  post 
furnishes  a  chaise  with  the  horses,  and  the  chaise  is  left  at  the 
next  post  house,  till  some  one  returns  in  it.  This  is  called  the 
Cambiatura,  but  it  does  not  go  quite  so  fast  as  post,  nor  can  :i 
traveller  oblige  it  to  carry  him  by  night.  It  would  be  roon: 
convenient  however  if  it  was  universal  ;  for  it  often  leaves  u 
traveller  in  the  lurch  with  his  bap-^ao-e  in  the  midst  of  a  road. 

oo    o 

For  example,  in  the  road  from  Sarzana  to  Rome,  it  fails  a'bou* 
3  posts  beyond  Sienna.  Thus  ;n  Italy  a  traveller  may  take 
horses  and  chaises  either  by  ttti/ravery  cheap,  but  intolerably 
slow,  /or  by  Cumliatura  at  3  Pauls  a  horse,  and  2  for  the  chaise  , 
or  by  post  at  4  Pauls  a  horse  :  So  a  chaise  in  cambiature  is  ', 
Pauls  per  post,  horses  cost  as  much  when  a  traveller  has  his 
own  chaise.  A  post  is  in  general  8  Italian  miles,  sometime; 
7,  sometimes  lo.  The  tarif  of  pests  and  the  prices  mu-t  b.. 
often  consulted  by  travellers  in  every  different  state. 

Leaving  Leghorn,  and  passing  by  Pisa  a  second  time,  we  ar- 
rived in  a  day  and  a  half  at  FLORENCE,  following,  with  few  ex- 
ceptions, the  course  of  the  river  slrnc,  which,  rising  among  the 
Apennines  p.^es  through  Florence  and  Pisa.,  and  is  a  very  con- 


TRAVELS    OF    REV.    ALEAN    EUTLER. 

siderable  river.  On  this  road  we  had  great  difficulty  in  regu- 
lating our  travelling  so  as  to  arrive  always  at  good  inns,  which 
are  seldom  met  with  in  Italy  unless  in  the  principal  towns.  It 
was  harder  on  account  of  its  being  Lent,  and  there  being  no  li- 
berty to  eat  eggs,  cheese  or  butter.  The  common  dish  in  the 
inns  of  this  country,  during  that  season,  is,  fish,  eggs,  or  milk, 
and  soups  made  of  vermicelli,  a  sort  of  paste  exactly  resem- 
bling worms,  which  we  could  not  endure.  All  over  Italy  these 
pastes  are  exceedingly  common  ;  and  to  be  sold  in  every  shop. 
They  have  every  where  on  this  road  good  milk,  butter,  and  ex- 
cellent Parmesan  cheese,  very  cheap  ;  but  in  Lent  even  this  is 
prohibited  in  these  parts.  After  Lent  was  over  this  vermi- 
celli, still  formed  an  ingredient  of  their  soups  with  the  addi- 
tion of  scraped  cheese,  which  formed  a  disagreeable  compound. 
We  prevailed  on  them  at  last  to  give  us  soup  without  either 
of  these  ingredients.  Our  first  word  in  every  inn  was,  no  min- 
estr'ajidc/e,  the  name  given  to  their  favourite  soup. 


Chap.  X.      TOUR  FROM  FLORENCE  TO  ROME. 


CHAPTER    TENTH. 

TOUR    FROM    FLORENCE    TO    ROME. 

Account  of  the  Family  of  MEDICIS. — Description  of  Tuscany, — Its  Taxes 
and  Government. — FLORENCE;  The  Cathedral,  Church  of  St  Lorenzo,  Cha- 
pel of  Cosmo,  Grand  Duke's  Library,  Church  of  the  Anunchtion,  Carmelites 
Church,  Church  of  the  Holy  Cross,  Tomb  of  MICHAEL  ANGELO  B.INA- 
KO  rn  •.  Church  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  Statues,  Palace  of  the  Grand  Duke,  Gall- 
ery of  Busts,  Hull  of  Precious  Scones,  Cabinet  of  Medals — Palace  of  Pitti, 
Seraglio  of  Wild  Beasts,  &c.,  Palace  of  Pnuolino. — Academia  della  Crusca, 
The  Arcadian?, — Noble  Fa'Tiilies  and  Number  of  Inhabitants. — City  an/1  Ab- 
bey of  Fiesoli. — Monastery  of  Caiualdoli. — 3ienna. — Chitmi. — Aquapendente 
Bolsjaa — Monte  Frascone. — Vittrbo. — Milvian  Bridge, — Patrimony  of  Sc 
Peter. — Ostia. — Civita  Vecchia. — Ancona. — The  unwholesomcness  of  Cam- 
pagna  di  Roma  accounted  for. 


FLORENCE,  March  3c  10,1746. 

JF LOREXCE  was  formerly  a  commonwealth.  When  all  Italy 
was  divided  into  the  factions  of  Gnelph;  and  Gibelins,  the  former 
the  partizans  of  the  Popes  and  Duke  of  Bavaria,  the  latter  of 
the  Emperors,  the  family  of  Medicis  being  of  the  Gut/phs,  was 
very  powerful  in  Florence.  The  opposition  and  conspiracy  of 
the  Gibelins  against  it  raised  it  to  a  still  higher  degree  of 
power ;  and  JOHN"  of  ?JEDicis  was  chosen  Gonfalonier,  or 
Prince  of  the  Republic  :  Upon  his  death  in  the  year  1:464  his  son 
Cosiiio  was  elected  to  the  same  dignity ;  but  his  enemies  con- 
spired against  him,  and  he,  to  shun  the  effects  of  envy  and  en- 
mity, retired  to  Venice,  where  he  was  received  as  a  sovereign 
prince.  The  Florentines,  regretting  the  loss  of  this  great  man 
invited  him  back  in  the  most  honourable  manner,  and  by  a 
public  decree  conferred  on  him  the  title  of  Fafkzr  cf  tie  People, 
and  Deliverer  ofLis  Country,  tie  was  a  great  patron  of  geni- 
us, and  maintained  in  his  palace  those  who  excelled,  either  in 
arras  or  in  arts  and  sciences.  He  lived  in  the  greatest  esteem 
.•?:u]  prosperity,  wm  surunm^d  Cosrio  TI-I::  GREAT.,  and  ws? 


TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALB  AN  BUTLER. 

the  founder  of  the  sovereignty  of  his  family.  He  died  uni- 
versally beloved  an.  1464.  *  After  a  succession  of  6  prin- 
ces, die  eldest  branch  of  the  Medicit  failing,  COSMO,  the  first  of 
a  younger  branch,  obtained  the  principality.  Pope  Pius  IV. 
first  conferred  on  him  the  title  of  Grand  Duke  of  Tuscany  in 
1569  ;  and  he  died  the  happiest  prince  of  his  age  in  I  574. 

This  family,  eminently  distinguished  as  the  lovers  of  the  arts 
and  sciences,  became  extinct  in  the  late  grand  Duke,  JOHN 
G ASTON  of  Medicis,  who  died  in  1737  without  issue.  It  is 
well  known  that  the  Duke  of  Lorrain  (afterwards  Emperor) 
by  an  exchange  became  grand  duke  to  the  ruin  of  this  fine 
country,  thus  reduced  to  the  state  of  a  province.  The  native 
princes  of  Florence,  especially  the  last,  were,  of  all  the  princes 
of  Europe,  the  mildest  and  the  best  fathers  of  their  people. 
The  inconsiderable  taxes  they  raised  out  of  this  rich  country,. 

*  COSMO  was  succeeded  by  liis  »on  PIETKO,  an  amiable  Prince,  but  whose 
frequent  indisposition  repressed  his  desire  of  imitating  his  father's  munificence  : 
His  son,  LORENZO  THE  MAGNIFICENT,  rivalled  the  Great  COSMO  in  h-'s  en- 
couragement of  the  Arts  and  Sciences,  and,  from  his  unwearied  exertions  in 
jiromctifig  the  glory  and  happiness  of  his  fellow-citizens,  he  justly  merited  the 
appellation  of  Tie  Sttjnd  Father  of  Lii  Country.  .Himself  an  eminent  Scholar, 
Poet,  Warrior*  and  Legislator,  Genius  ranks  him  amongst  her  most  munificent 
Patrons,  and  Europe  acknowledges  him  one  of  the  great  Restorers  of  Learning. 

Under  his  fostering  care  the  immortal  MICHAEL  ANGELO  BOVAROTTI  first 
displayed  those  inimitable  talents  that  have  long  challenged  the  admiration  o£ 
the  world  ;  and  who  added  to  the  glory  acquired  by  his  sublime  genius,  that 
of  having  formed  the  taste  of  the  divine  RAPHAEL  D'URBINO,  "  second  to  his 
"*  great  master  in  that  granduer  of  design  which  elevates  the  mind,  but  superi» 
"  or  to  him  in  that  grace  which  interests  the  heart.1' 

LORENZO  patronised  innumerable  other  eminent  artists;  and  during  his  go- 
vernment the  art  of  Engraving  on  Copper  was  invented  in  Florence,  by  TOMASO 
FiNiGUERRA,  by  which  means,  tk-j  works  of  those  immortal  artists  may  be  said 
to  have  been  multiplied  into  innumerable  copies,  and  will  be  transmitted  to 
the  most  remote  ages. 

Encouraged  by  the  same  generous  patron,  eminent  scholars  arose  IN  every  de- 
partment of  literature  :  ^Vmongst  these,  appear  the  celebrated  PICA  of  MIRAN'- 
DOLO;  FICINO;  PoiixiANO ;  the  three  PULCI  ;  the  learned  BARTOLOMEO 
SCALA,  and  his  accomplished  daughter;  the  eloquent  but  ungrateful  SAVOXO- 
R.AL.A  ;  MATTEO  Bosso  ;  and  many  other  distinguished  names,  whose  writings 
called  forth  the  energies  of  a  slumbering  world,  and  ushered  in  the  dawn  of 
that  bright  day  of  science  which  enlightened  the  Pontificate  of  the  immortal 
son  of  LORENZO,  LEO  X  ,  wh'jse  reign  forms  one  of  the  Great  ./Eras  in  the 
history  of  the  world,  EDIT, 


€acip.  X.  A  TOUR  FROM  FLORENCE  TO  ROME.  l8?; 

they  entirely  employed  in  enriching  and  adorning-  it,  and  pre- 
serving it  in  peace  and  plenty..  Now  they  have  it  foreigner  for 
their  governor,  the  Duke  of  Croix,  and  they  complain  that  al- 
ready more  Tuscan  gold  sequins  are  seen  in  Vienna  than  in  Flo- 
rence. They  add,  as  an  additional  grievance,  that  their  gram! 
duke,  (the  Emperor)  obliges  the  militia  to  serve  in  turns, 
changing  every  three  months  ;  first  taking  them  from  Florence, 
then  sending  them  home  to  till  their  ground  ;  and  in  the  same 
manner  from  the  other  towns,  by  which  method  all  are  spoil- 
ed ;  for  after  three  months  the  peasant  returns  lazy  and  unfit 
for  his  former  life.  Thus  they  are  made  bad  citizens  and  la- 
bourers, and  never  make  good  soldiers. 

TUSCANY  comprises  the  greatest  part  of  the  ancient  Etruria. 
The  pope  possesses  the  bes"t  of  it,  viz.  Civita  Vecchia,  Aqua 
Pendente,  &.c  It  is  very  fertile  in  corn  about  Pisa  ;  in  wine, 
oil,  &.c.  about  Florence  ;  yet  it  is  mountainous  in  some  parts, 
has  quarries  of  marble,  alabaster,  &c.  It  consists  of  the  terri- 
tories of  three  comrriomvealths,  of  Florence,  Sienna,  and  Pisa. 
We  may  also  add  Pistoia,  which  being  a  small  republic,  pre- 
sented its  keys  to  the  grand  duke  when  it  saw  him  master  of 
Pisa.  Besides  the  capital  cities  of  these  four  states  of  corre- 
sponding names,  and  Leghorn,  this  territory  contains  the  follow- 
ing towns  :  Pcggio,  where  the  Grand  Duke  has  a  country  pa- 
lace, 10  miles  from  Florence  ;  Volterra,  (the  Volaterra  of  the 
ancients,  famous  for  its  fine  quarries,  its  antiquities  of  sepul- 
chies,  epitaphs  in  Tu-.ciui  letters,  heathen  statues,  &c. ;  Cor- 
tona,  no  less  famous  for  antiquities,  and  containing  in  the  Friar^ 
Church  the  body  of  St  Marguerite  of  Cortona,  a  penitent  ot 
the  third  order  of  St  Francis  ;  Ai'e-zz,o,  the  famous  Areium  of 
of  the  Romans  ;  Orbitello  on  the  sea-coast ;  Monte  Pukiano^ 
the  frontier  of  the  Pope's  territories,  situated  oft  a  hill  near 
the  lake  Chiumi  ;  Massa,  c*x. 

This  state  u  defended  by  mountains,  which  surround  it  0:2 
every  side  except  towards  the  ecclesiastical  state,  where  there 
are  many  fortresses,  but  none  of  them  capable  of  containing 
a  strong  garrison.  The  Grand  Duke's  revenues  ari^e  from 
the  gabelles.:  Cattle,  fish,  aud  indeed  almost  every  thing  i::  Uxed 
that  is  brought  to  market  in  Florence  :  every  pound  of  m^i! 


184  RAVELS    OF   REV.    ALBAtf    BUTLER. 

pays  a  quartino  or  farthing,  circumstances  that  render  the  go- 
vernment very  oppressive  ;  marriage-contracts,  sales  of  houses 
or  lands,  &c.  pay  eight  per  cent.,  house-rents  10  per  cent. 
They  who  have  any  law-suit  pay  an  imposition  called  sportola, 
before  they  can  commence  it.  The  grand  dukes  usually  re- 
ceived from  the  gabelles  of  Florence  alone  600,000  ducats  a- 
year,  of  Sienna  3  50,000,  from  the  dogana  of  Leghorn  1 30,000, 
from  the  tax  on  the  mills,  except  in  Sienna,  160,000,  from  salt, 
mines  of  iron,  &.c.  as  much,  besides  many  accidental  and  extra- 
ordinary profits. 

The  city  of  FLORENCE  stands  in  a  delightful  and  extensive 
plain,  fruitful,  and  filled  with  fine  country  palaces.  The  ri- 
ver Arno  runs  through  it,  over  which  are  four  fine  bridges  of 
stone  :  That  called  of  the  Four  Seasons  has  four  large  statues 
of  marble,  representing  the  four  seasons  of  the  year,  at  one 
end.  It  has  but  three  arches,  the  vaults  of  which  are  almost 
Hat :  They  are  the  admiration  of  architects.  The  work  is  of 
MICHAEL  ANGELO  BONAROTTI.  FLORENCE  is  near  six  miles 
in  circuit,  and  contains  above  9^,000  souls,  and  as  many  in  its 
territory.  We  must  not  expect  to  meet  streets  of  palaces, 
like  the  StradaNuo vain  Genoa,but  it  is  a  city  so  nobly  adorned, 
that  a  certain  person  with  justice  remarked,  it  ought  only  to  be 
shewn  on  holy-days.  Its  streets  are  spacious,  well  paved  with 
large  flat  stones,  called  pietra  forte,  of  which  most  of  the 
houses  are  likewise  built.  Its  innumerable  palaces,  churches, 
£cc.,  are  perfect  models  of  architecture.  It  contains  152 
churches,  89  convents,  22  hospitals,  16  public  pillars,  2  pyra- 
mids, 4  bridges,  7  fountains,  17  squares,  and  160  public  sta- 
tues, agreeable  to  the  inform  ition  of  my  guide.  Its  walls  are 
ia  tolerable  repair,  but  its  strength  consists  chiefly  in  three 
fortresses  :  The  first  of  five  bastions,  the  other  two  failing  in- 
to decay.  They  are  called  Belvedere,  San  Minato,  and  Saa 
Giovanni,  (or  St  John.) 

The  Domevr  Cathedral  called  our  Lady  del  Fiore ,  is  an  im- 
mensely large  Gothic  edifice,  founded  in  the  year  1294.  It  is 
covered  with  marble,  both  within  and  without,  is  490  feet 
long,  and  to  the  cross  on  the  globe  upon  the  dome,  380  feet 
high  :  it  is  paved  with  fine  marble  :  the  choir  is  surrounded 


Chap.  X.       TOUR  FROM  FLORENCE  TO  ROME.         l8j 

'.vith  pillars  of  marble,  and  with  a  great  many  figures  of  the 
same  material.  Over  the  high  altar,  all  of  marble,  appears 
our  SAVIOUR  in  his  sepulchre,  supported  bj  Piety,  in  white 
marble  :  above  is  GOD  tie  FATHER,  holding  a  book  in  his 
hand.  On  the  other  side  of  the  altar  is  Adam  and  Eve,  cover- 
ed with  a  leaf,  standing  under  the  Tree  of  Life,  exquisitely- 
carved  in  fine  marble  ;  all  executed,  as  well  as  the  high  aliar 
itself,  by  BANDINELLO.  Against  the  huge  pillars  in  the 
church,  stand  the  'Twe/ve  Apostles,  curiously  carved.  That 
of  St  James,  by  Sansuvin,  is  most  admired.  One  of  St  An- 
toninus, of  a  gig-antic  size,  is  very  well  executed.  Here  are 
many  monuments  of  great  men,  as  of  DANTE,  the  Tuscan  Poet ; 
of  MARSILIUS  FICINUS,  the  modern  great  Platonic  philoso- 
pher, with  his  bust  and  his  epitaph.  MICHAEL  AXGELO  used  to 
admire  the  cupola  and  steeple.  The  dome  or  cupola  is  an  octa- 
gon, 900  feet  high.  Each  side  of  the  octagon  is  75  feet  broad. 
A  representation  of  the  Last  'judgment  is  painted  on  the  inside 
of  it  by  ZUCCHARO  and  LAZARI  ;  the  outside  is  richly  gilt ;  a- 
bove  the  dome  is  a  high  capital  upon  pillars  of  white  marble.  The 
gilt  globe  seems  not  larger  than  a  man's  head  ;  yet  they  assured 
us  it  would  contain  20  men.  This  dome  is  the  work  of  BRUNI- 
SCHELLI.  The  steeple,  //  Campanile,  or  La  Torre  delle  Campane, 
is  a  little  separated  from  the  church.  It  is  a  square  building  of 
a  prodigious  height,  covered  on  every  side  with  marble  of  dif- 
ferent colours,  red,  white,  and  black,  and  adorned  with  innu- 
merable great  statues  of  marble  incomparably  carved,  especial- 
ly one  of  a  bald  old  man  by  DONATELLI.  This  towering 
steeple  is  ascended  by  406  steps,  and  is  reckoned  180  feet  high. 
It  was  built  by  JOTTUS,  a  famous  architect  and  painter,  as  we 
learn  from  his  epitaph  in  this  church,  composed  by  the  cele- 
brated ANGELUS  POLITIANUS.  It  ends  thus : 

Miraris  turrim  eereaiam  scicro  sere  sonantcm, 

O         O 

Hac  quoque  de  modulo  crevit  ad  astra  meo. 
Denique  sum  JOTTHUS  j  quid  opus  fuit  ilTa  referre 
Hoc  r.cmen  longi  carminis  instar  erit. 

Obiit  an,  1356.     Cives  po-n  B.  M.  ijSo. 
M 


j86  TRAVELS  OF  REV.    ALBAN  BUTLER, 

which  may  be  thus  rendered  : 

This  sounding  belfry  strikes  your  wond'ring  eyes , 
'Tis  by  my  art  it  tow'ring  mounts  the  skies. 
JOTTHUS  I  am,  what  need  I  more  relate  ? 
My  name  is  known  j  all  men  my  fame  repeat. 

In  the  square  over  against  this  church  stands  a  chapel,  in  which 
are  its  baptismal  fonts.  It  was  anciently  a  temple  of  Mars, 
but  now  is  calkd  the  Font,  and  is  an  admirable  work.  It  is 
vaulted  with  a  dome,  adorned  with  black,  and  whi^e  marble. 
In  it  are  18  beautiful  pillars,  two  in  the  middle  of'  porphyry. 
The  font  is  of  fine  marble.  On  the  opposite  side  is  the  tomb 
of  brass  (made  by  Donatello)  of  John  XXIII.,  who,  after  he 
had  been  Pope  daring  the  great  Schism,  to  put  an  endto  it,  was 
reduced  to  be  first  of  the  Cardinals,  and  independent  Legate 
at  Florence,  under  the  title  of  Cardinal  BALTASAR  CASSA.  But: 
what  is  most  admired  in  this  chapel,  is  its  three  Brass  Gates. 
The  lowermost  is  the  meanest,  and  was  made  by  Andrew  Ugo- 
lini  of  Pisa,  in  1330.  The  two  others  were  made  by  Lawrence 
Gilbert,  who  was  50  years  in  casting  and  polishing  them.  On 
that  on  the  Gospel  side  is  represented  the  beheading  of  St  John 
Baptist,  with  the  hand  of  the  executioner  on  one  side,  and  He- 
rodias  on  the  other.  Part  is  in  basso  relievo,  part  is  cast.  Be- 
low are  the  four  Cardinal,  and  the  three  Theological  Virtues. 
Above  is  wrought,  with  extraordinary  art,  the  life  of  St  John 
the  Baptist.  On  that  on  the  Epistle  side,  are  incomparably 
represented  St  John  Baptist  preaching  in  the  desert,  with  a 
Scribe  on  one  side,  and  a  Pharisee  on  the  other,  listening.  Be- 
low are  the  four  Fathers  of  the  Church,  and  the  four  Evan- 
gelists, with  thtir  symbols  :  above  is  part  of  the  life  of  our 
Saviour,  from  the  Annunciation  to  the  Ascension,  On  the 
lower  gate,  is  St  John  baptizing  our  Saviour.  It  ii  these  two 
fine  gates,  (as  the  Florentines  affirm)  not  those  of  Pisa.,  that 
Michael  Angelo  called  Gales  fit  f^r  Ilecmn. 

Dum  cernit  vulvas  aarnLo  ex  are  nitente; 
In  templo,  MICHAEL  ANGCLUS  cb^tupuit. 
Attonitusque  diu,  sic  alia  silentia  rupit, 
O  divinum  opus  !   O  junuu  digna  Polo 


Chap.  X.  A  TOUR   FROM    FLORENCE    TO   ROME.  187 

Such  gates  divine  might  grace  the  porch  of  bliss  ! 

Among  the  epitaphs  I  copied  one  in  this  cathedral,  which  pleas- 
ed  me  very  much.  Antony  Castalius,  a  great  nobleman  and 
orator*- caused  it  to  be  engraven  on  his  own  tombstone. 

Quam  vixens  nunquam  potui  gustare  quietem 

Mortuus  in  solida  jam  statione  fruor 

Passio,  cura,  labor,  mors  tandem  et  pugna  recessit, 

Corporea,  et  soium  mens  quod  avebat  habet.       An.  1530- 

That  peace  and  rest  now  in  the  silent  grave 

At  length  I  tnste,  which  life,  Oh  !  never  gave. 

Pain,  labour,  sickness,  tortures,  anxious  cares, 

Grim  death,  fa«:tr,  watching,  strife,  and  racking  feats, 

Adieu  ! — my  joys  at  la^t  are  ever  crown 'd  ; 

And  what  1  hop'd  so  long,  my  soul  has  found. 

We  next  viewed  the  collegiate  church  of  San  Lorenzo.  We 
took  notice,  in  entering,  of  the  tomb  of  PAUL  Jovius,  Bishop 
of  Nocerc,  the  historian.  Some  good  pictures  were  pointed, 
out  to  us,  particularly  an  excellent  one  of  the  Last  ^Judgment) 
by  PONTORXO  ;  the  History  of  Sigismond,  by  VAZARI  ;  one 
of  our  Lady  and  St  Ann,  in  fresco,  by  Fit  A  BARTHOLOM^O. 
for  which  last  the  Duke  of  Mantua  offered  great  sums.  This 
church  does  not  display  much  marble,  being  built  of  a  fine 
hard  stone,  not  inferior  to  marble  ;  its  two  rows  of  round  pil- 
lars of  the  same  material.  The  old  chapel  in  which  the  Dukes, 
with  the  princes  of  their  family,  are  buried,  is  so  filled  with 
their  monuments,  that  there  is  hardly  room  to  stir  in  it.  Hers 
are  good  pieces  of  MICHAEL  AKGELO.  But  the  ashes  of  the 
grand  dukes  are  to  be  translated  into  a  most  magnificent  new 
chapel,  now  building,  and  which  opens  into  this  church.  I?: 
was  begun  by  COSMO  of  Medici--,  on  a  design  of  MICHAEL 
ANGELO  about  the  year  1560,  and  is  not  yet  nearly  finished, 
It  is  something  round,  but  of  an  octogon  figure,  very  large  and 
very  high.  One  of  the  faces  of  this  cctogcn  is  for  the  high 
altar  ;  another  for  the  door  ;  the  six  others  have  six  magnifi- 
cent Tombs  of  porphyry,  oriental  granite,  and  the  finest  marble- - 

M  2 


l88          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

On  the  outside  it  is  covered  with  the  finest  marble  ;  on  the  in- 
side, simple  marble  is  deemed  too  mean,  except  in  the  pave- 
ment. All  the  rest  is  of  porphyry,  Sicilian  and  Corsican  jas- 
per, touchstone,  oriental  alabaster,  pietra  pidacchiosa,  which 
is  an  exquisitely  fine  sort  of  red  speckled  marble,  lapis  lazuli, 
and  all  sorts  of  precious  stones  ;  and  on  fine  stones  of  shining 
colours,  are  represented,  round  the  chapel,  the  arms  of  the  prin- 
cipal cities  under  the  grand  duke  ;  as  Firenze,  Pisa,  Pistoia, 
Sienna,  Livorno,  Arozzo,  Massa,  &cc.  Niches  of  black  mar- 
ble in  the  wall  for  the  statues,  over  the  six  monuments,  are 
commenced.  Over  each  monument  is  a  cushion  of  various 
precious  stones,  and  a  ducal  coronet.  They  say  the  meanest 
of  these  cushions  costs  60,000  crowns  ;  every  coronet  still 
more.  Two  of  the  monuments  are  pretty  completely  finished 
When  a  person  views  this  splendid  edifice  and  all  its  costly  de- 
corations  the  glittering  jewels, — the  ducal  coronets, — the 

statue, —  the  tomb  of  porphyry,  &c.  his  astonishment  must  be 
great  ;  but  can  he  refrain  from  reflecting  on  human  vanity, 
when  he  considers  that  all  this  glittering  outside  is  only  intend- 
ed as  a  cover  for  a  few  ashes  ?  This  chapel,  certainly  the  rich- 
est and  most  magnificent  in  the  whole  world,  will  probably  ne- 
ver be  finished  ;  the  estates  of  these  princes  being  now  in  the 
hands  of  strangers  ;  there  are  indeed  some  revenues  left  by 
them  for  completing  it  ;  but  what  will  these  be  towards  such 
a  work  ? — hardly  sufficient  to  purchase  one  stone  a-year.  The 
late  duchess,  who  survived  her  brother  John  Gaston,  exacted 
an  oath  from  the  canons  of  this  church,  which  is  engraven  on  a 
marble  stone  put  up  in  their  cloister,  that  they  will  see  the 
chapel  finished. 

In  a  chamber  going  up  to  the  gallery  of  the  grand  duke,  we 
saw  the  high  altar  for  this  chapel  not  finished  :  It  is  made  en- 
tirely of  jasper  and  other  precious  stones,  joined  together,  and 
very  large. 

The  grand  duke's  Library  of  San  Lorenzo,  is  in  the  college 
belonging  to,  and  adjoining  to  the  church  :  The  building  is 
according  to  a  plan  of  Michael  Angelo  ;  very  large,  filled  with 
figures,  and  painted  on  the  top  :  The  desks  are  placed  on  each 
side,  45  in  number,  upon  which  the  books  are  chained  ;  they 


Clap.  X.  A  TOUR  FROM  FLORENCE  TO  ROME.  189 

are  all  manuscripts  :    The  grand  duke   has  another  for  printed 
books  :   These  manuscripts  were  given  by  Pope  Clement  VII. 
(a  Mcdicis}  ;   the   rest  collected  by  the  grand   dukes  :   They 
shewed  us  a  manuscript  Virgil  above  icoo   years  old  ;   a  He- 
brew bible,  not  indeed  so  very  ancient,   for   it   has   the  vowel 
points  ;  but  much  esteemed  on  account  of  it's  having  commen- 
taries of  the  Rabbins  in  Hebrew  :     The  catalogue  of  all  these 
manuscripts  is  extant,  having  been    printed  at   Amsterdam  in 
1622.     The  Dominicans   have  in  Florence  two  very  beautiful 
churches  and  convents  :   The  great  convent  possesses  the  church 
called  St  Maria  Novella,  large,  beautiful,  and  of  such  admira- 
ble architecture,   that   MICHAEL  ANGELO  usually  called  it  his 
Venus,   or  delight,  and  boasted  of  it  as  his  best  performance  : 
In  it  is  the  tomb  of  Joseph,   the  Greek  patriarch   of  Constan- 
tinople, who  subscribed  the  decrees  of  the  cou.icil  of  Florence, 
and  died  here  in  1422  :   The  pavement  of  this  large  church  is 
nearly  composed  of  ancient  fine  marble  stones,   and  full  of  in- 
scriptions :   This  church  is  also  rich  in  paintings  ;  the  best  are 
the   Holy   Histories,   by   PHILIP   LlPPf,   in    the  chapel   of  the 
Strozzi  ;   others  by  VAZARI  in   that  of  the  Cappom  ;   a  Saint 
Veronica   by  PONTORMO  ;  a   Nativity,  £kc.     This  convent   is 
the  third  of  the  order,  a;ul  is  very  magnificent  :   I:i  the  cloister 
hang  many  good  pictures   of  the  miracles   and  lives  of  St  Do- 
minic, St  Antoninus,  and  St  Vincent  Ferrerius  :   Their  dormi- 
tories for  summer  are  below  j  those  for  winter  above  :    Their 
gardens  are  .esteemed  the   finest  of  any  convent   in   Italy  :      In 
the  church  is  the  monument  of  Bone  ACE,    the   famous  Italian 
poet,  r.nd  dlbcr.'le  of  ?KTRARCIT,    whom    he   excels  however    in 
prose,   and   iu   the  puntv  of  the   Italian   language,   which   he 
contributed    much    to    p^riec!:  :     His    Decameron   or    Novel/e, 
which  1 5   his  principal  work  i,i  pvosr,  is   injurious  to  religion 
and  morality,   and  it,   indeed  nothing   b;:t  an   idle  romance  :   IT 
is  condemned   by  the   iRoman    index  :    lie   13   rot  buried  hcic 
but  at  Ccitaldo,  in  the  wiy  to  Sienna,    where  lie  has  a  marble 
monument   and  fine  statue  :     The   other    Dominican   convent 
35  "j.lleu  iS7  Avlaik's,   built    L-y  the    grand   duke  Cosmo:      The 
b  ..iy  of  St  Antoninus  archbishop  cl~  Florence,  lies  here  iu  the 
j'-ch  chapel  of  Signoi'i  SaiViaf,  which  is   ialaid  with  ina;bi  \ 

M  3 


TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

and  many  precious  stories,  and  adorned  with  many  good  sta- 
tues of  saints,  8cc.  In  this  church  on  the  north  side  is  the 
tomb  of  the  famous  JOHN  PICA,  Duke  of  Mirandola,  and 
Count  of  Concordia,  who  possessed  a  capacity  and  application, 
so  extraordinary  as  to  be  deemed  a  prodigy  :  Scaliger  calls  him, 
Monstrum  sine  vitio  :  At  10  years  of  age  he  studied  the  law  ; 
at  1 8  he  understood  11  languages  ;  at  24  he  defended  at  Rome 
theses  of  900  propositions  in  all  sciences  ;  logics,  physics,  divi- 
nity, mathematics,  scripture,  and  cabalists,  out  of  the  Greek, 
Latin,  Hebrew,  and  Chaldaic  writers  :  Renouncing  his  estate, 
(he  had  an  elder  brother  Galeoli,  \vho  was  sovereign  duke  of 
those  places),  he  retired  to  Florence,  and  whilst  he  was  writ- 
ing a  book  against  judicial  astrology,  which  is  published  im- 
perfect, he  died  in  1494,  at  the  age  33.  I|is  epitaph  is  ; 

JOANNES  jacet  hie  MIRANDOLA  :  caetera  norunt 
£.t  Tagus  et  Ganges  j-forsan  et  Antipodes. 

Here  lies  JOHN  OF  MIRANDOLA  :  the  rest  is  known 
By  East  and  \Ve3t  j  perhaps  too  by  our  Antipodes, 

ANGELUS  POLITANUS,  the  elegant  Latinist,  is  buried  qn  the 
other  side,  without  an  epitaph.  This  church  has  a  fine  cruci- 
fix by  Giotto.  Through  the  church  we  went  into  the  convent, 
to  see  the  grand  duke's  Laboratory,  which  is  in  the  hands  of 
these  Dominicans,  and  is  furnished  with  every  chemical  appara- 
tus, as  the  drand  gukcs  were  great  lovers  cf  all  the  arts,  and 
of  every  branch  of  philosophy  :  The  fathers  have  the  best  of 
spirits  in  small  bottles,  covered  with  cases  in  the  form  ofsmaU 
gilt  books,  to  make  them  portable  ;  and  have  all  kinds  of 
drugs  in  the  highest  perfection  :  We  have  carried  with  us  a 
book  of  bottles,  of  delicious  spirits  ;  one  drop  makes  a  pint  of 
water  a  most  delightful  draught.  We  admired  in  this  labo- 
ratory a  very  numerous  collection  of  small  pictures,  chiefly 
by  MICHAEL  ANGELO,  but  severals  by  other  great  masters  : 
'Tis  the  finest  collection  of  the  kind  in  the  world.  The  church 
of  the  -Annunciation  of  our  Lady  is  the  principal  church  of  the 
Ser<uitest  a  religious  order  begun  in  Florence  in  1233,  anc^  rnuch 
propagated  by  St  Philip  Beniti,  who  entered  it  soon  after  its  in 


.  X.    A  TOUR  FROM  FLORENCE  TO  ROME.          19! 

stitution  :  It  is  called  of  the  Annunciation,  or  of  tie  Servants  of 
tie  Blessed  Virgin  ;  and  is  much  esteemed  in  Italy  :  In  this 
church  is  an  image  of  our  Lady,  which  is  said  to  have  been 
finished  by  an  angel :  It  is  very  richly  adorned  ;  a  silver  altar  ; 
silver  candlesticks  ;  50  silver  lamps,  &c.  Here  are  also  good 
paintings,  as  'The  Visitation  by  PONTORMO;  several  by  ANDREW 
DEL  SARTO,  &c.  la  this  church  are  buried  BANDINELLI  the 
great  statuary  ;  and  JOHN  of  Bologna  the  famous  carver.  In 
the  Carmelites  Clurcb,  in  a  side  chapel,  is  the  magnificent 
shrine  of  St  ANDREW  CORSINI,  of  that  order  :  The  chapel  is 
adorned  with  the  monuments  of  two  cardinals  of  that  family, 
and  with  statues,  and  the  richest  embellishments,  both  for 
art  and  matter,  at  the  expence  of  the  Marquis  of  Corsini,  and 
principally  of  the  late  Pope  Clement  Xll.  We  did  not  forget 
to  visit  several  other  churches,  as  St  Michael's,  the  Holy 
Ghost's,  &c.,  found  rich  altars,  paintings,  Sec.  to  repay  our  la- 
bour ;  but  it  would  be  too  tedious  to  enumerate  all.  The 
church  of  the  Holy  Cross  however,  must  not  be  omitted  on 
many  accounts.  It  belongs  to  the  conventual  Franciscan  friars, 
is  very  large,  and  the  work  of  MICHAEL  ANGELO  :  It  is  curi- 
ously enriched  with  fine  paintings,  carvings,  and  gildings  : 
The  pulpit  is  a  master-piece,  of  white  marble,  on  which  is  re- 
presented the  life  of  St  Francis,  in  inimitable  basso-relievo  : 
Here  are  many  tombs  of  great  men,  with  neat  epitaphs,  as  of 
Leonardus  Aretinus,  the  historian,  of  Marsupini  a  poet,  &.c.  j 
but  the  most  remarkable  is  that  of  MICHAEL  AXGELO  BONA- 
ROTTI,  the  great  pattern  of  painting,  carving,  and  architecture, 
who  \vas  born  in  Florence,  and  died  in  Rome  in  1564,  in  the 
8gth  year  of  his  age  :  His  bones  were  transported  to  Florence, 
and  buried  here  in  i  j'3o  :  lie  drew  and  left  his  nephew  the 
design  of  his  own  tomb  :  On  a  pedestal  of  marble,  under  his 
biut,  are  represented,  Architecture,  Painting,  and  Sculpture, 
the  arts  in  which  he  excelled,  in  the  figures  of  virgins,  with 
their  proper  symbols  :  His  epitaph  in  Latin  is  as  follows  : 
"  Mich.  Angdo  Bonarota  e  vetusta  Simoniorum  familia,  sculp- 
"  tori,  picton,  et  architecto,  fa  ma  omnibus  notissimo,  Leo- 
'•'  nardus  patruo  amantissimo  de  sc  optime  inerito,  translates 
"  Roma  ejns  os^ibus,  atque  in  hoc  temple,  in  majorum  suo-i 

3V!  4 


192          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

"  rum  sepulchro  conditis,  cohortante,  ser.  Cosmo  Med.  M.  Etr. 
"  duce  P.  C.  an.  Sal.  1570  :  vixit  an.  88  mens.  ii  dies  15." 

The  organ  of  this  church  cost  the  grand  duke  Cosmo  4000 
crowns  for  its  workmanship  only,  so  exquisite  is  it.  We  also 
admired  here  an  Annunciation  carved  by  DONATELLI  ;  an  Ecce 
Homo,  and  other  statues  by  the  ZETI  ;  and  a  Blessed  Vir^i'n  in 
basso-relievo  near  Michael  Angelo's  tomb  :  And  in  paincing,  a 
Crucijix  by  CIMABUE  ;  a  Descent  from  the  Cross,  by  SALVIATI  ; 
our  Saviour  carrying  his  cross  by  VASARI  ;  a  Last  ^vpper  by 
GIOTTO  in  the  refectory :  In  the  cloister  lies  buried  GALILEO 
the  great  astronomer,  whose  name  and  history  are  so  famous  ; 
His  epitaph  runs  thus  :  "  Gal.  Galilpeus  Patric.  Flor.  geome- 
"  triae,  philosophise,  astronomiae,  maxiuius  restitutor,  nulli 
"  zetatis  sure  comparanclus,  hie  bene  quiescat.  vixit  an.  78." 

la  the  church  of  the  Holy  Gbost,  belonging  to  the  Augus- 
tins,  is  the  most  magnificent  tabernacle  for  the  Blessed  Sacra- 
ment in  the  world :  It  and  the  altar  are  ?.ll  of  precious  stones. 
The  pillars,  statues,  £cc.  ere  equally  elegant.  This  tabernacle 
has  cost  already  80,000  crowns,  and  is  not  yet  nearly  finished. 

As  for  public  statues  in  Florence, — in  the  square  or  piazza 
near  the  Servites,  is  an  equestrian  statue  of  the  grand  duke 
Ferdinand,  never  to  be  sufficiently  admired.  Near  the  church 
of  the  Blessed  Trinity  is  a  lofty  statue  of  prophyry,  all  of  one 
piece,  which  represents  Justice  holding  the  scales  in  her  hands, 
erected  by  COSMO  the  Grand  Duke.  Near  \k&Aquila  Imperiale, 
our  inn,  is  Hercules  overcoming  the  Centaur,  of  fine  marble, 
2nd  excellent  carving, 

In  the  great  square,  which  is  very  large,  is  one  oi  che  most 
beautiful  fountains  iu  the  world.  In  il  are  represented  Nep- 
tune drawn  by  four  horses  of  white  marble,  of  a  gigantic  size, 
with  his  family,  represented  by  four  statues  of  marble,  larger 
than  life,  and  four  lesser  ones  of  brass. 

On  the  side  of  the  gallery  of  the  palace  towards  this  square 
are  many  beautiful  statues.  The  most  esteemed  are  a  ^juditij 
holding  the  head  of  Holofernes,  by  Donatelli,  and  a  Perseus 
•with  Medusa's  head.  This  is  of  brass,  by  Cellini.  A  groupe 
of  three  figures  in  one  marble  stone,  very  natural.  Before. 
"*ie  palace  is  an  equestrian  brass  statue  of  Cos'io  I.  by  Joha 


Clap.  X.        A  TOUR  FROM  FLORENCE  TO  ROME.  19 3 

of  Bologna,  with  curious  reliefs  on  the  pedestal.  Here  are  al- 
so a  David,  by  MICKAKL  ANGELO,  a  beautiful  Sabin  ravished, 
by  John  of  Bologna. 

The  palaces  of  Florence  arev' noble,  and  more  so  in  their 
interior  than  in  their  exterior.  That  of  the  Strozzi,  and 
of  Count  Ricardi,  &c.  are  esteemed  the  finest.  We  contented 
ourselves  with  examining  the  two  belonging  to  uhe  Grand 

O  o        O 

Duke,  viz.  the  old  palace,  and  that  of  Pitti. 

To  begin  with  the  old  Palace  of  the  Grand  Duke.  The  porch 
is  surrounded  with  beautiful  pillars  of  the  Corinthian  order, 
and  the  porticos  and  corridor  are  exceedingly  noble  and  prand. 
But  we  were  chiefly  desirous  of  seeing  the  great  gallery,  con- 
taining the  richest  collection  of  curiosities  in  Europe.  We 
had  bargained  the  day  before  with  the  prime  minute'  of  the 
palace,  as  they  call  him,  that  he  should  shew  us  it  for  a  se- 
quin, which  is  near  half  a  guinea.  They  shewed  us  first  the 
altar  that  is  making  for  San  Lorenzo,  composed  entirely  of 
precious  stones.  After  which  we  ascended  the  gallery,  where 
the  prime  minister  came  to  us.  Ti.is  g .-tilery  is  about  200 
paces  long.  All  around  it,  on  pcdestab,  are  placed  busts  and 
statues  of  all  the  great  men  of  antiquity,  Greeks  and  Latins, 
of  whom  effigies  could  be  found.  They  arp  principally  an- 
cient, but  a  few  of  them  are  modern,  by  the  best  hands.  Those 
done  by  MICHAEL  ANGELO  are  easily  distinguished  by  their  in- 
comparable fine  stroke-;,  and  shining  beauty.  Here  painters, 
carvers,  Sec.  have  the  best  modeh  to  study.  We  see  the  fea- 
tures and  the  very  passions  of  the  soul  in  some  measure  ex- 
pressed in  the  statues  of  Homer,  Aristotle,  Cicero,  &ec.  The 
moot  admired  are  :  The  statue  of  a  female,  on  whose  garments 
we  observed  certain  ancient  characters  ;  that  of  Lcda;  of  Bac- 
chus ;  an  antique,  with  a  copy  by  Michael  Angelo,  not  infe- 
rior to  it ;  of  Julia,  daughter  of  Augustus  ;  of  Venus,  Diana, 
,NCC.  The  busts  of  all  the  emperors  down  to  Gallien,  particu- 
larly those  cf  Augustus,  Adrian,  Pertinax,  and  Severus,  re- 
mark^Dii;  for  their  carving  There  is  also  a  bust  of  Brutus, 
the  murderer  of  Caesar,  began  by  Michael  Angelo,  bat  kf:, 
.ai.^erf^c*,  U:-der  it  is  this  distich  • 


104          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

M.  Dum  Bruti  efEgiem  sculptor  de  marmore  fingit.   A. 
B.  In  mente-n  sceleris  venit  et  abstinuit.      F. 

The  initial  letters  mean  Michael  Angela  Bonarota  fesit. 
verses  may  be  rendered  in  English,  thus  : 

Whilst  BRUTUS'  face  the  studious  carver  drew, 
His  mind  abhors  perfidious  guilt  to  view : 
His  chisel  drops,  nor  can  his  work  pursue. 

Here  are  also  many  choice  Roman  stone  antiquities  and  inscrip- 
tions ;  as  mile-stones,  old  Roman  treaties,  a  stone  with  Ap- 
pius's,  another  with  Fabius  Maximus'a  dignities,  &c.  Some 
very  entertaining  epitaphs  ;  as  one  of  a  mother-in-law  and 
stepson,  whose  ashes,  remembering  their  old  hatred,  refused  to 
be  mingled  in  the  same  urn.  "  Pylonici  privigni  et  Dyrchoni 
"  novercse  cineres  hie  conditi  pristini  odii  memores,  una  renu- 
'*  unt  commiscere."  Another  to  this  purpose :  "  Philoetius  pri- 
"  vignuj  et  Duceris  novcrca  in  vita  vix  credibile  unanimes, 
"  mortui  hac  eadcm  urna  Concordes  requiescunt." 

In  this  gallery  we  iind  busts  which  are  to  be  met  with  no 
where  else.  Those  of  Agrippa,  Caligula,  Otlio,  Nerva,  Geta, 
Sec.  are  very  scarce,  and  of  exquisite  workmanship.  Over 
these  busts  and  statues  hung  quite  round  the  gallery  the  best 
and  truest  pictures  of  all  the  kings,  ministers,  and  other  great 
men,  whether  of  the  sword,  bar,  or  cabinet,  these  latter  ages 
have  produced.  Among  whom  are  our  Henry  VIII.  Ann 
Bologne,  Bishop  Fisher,  Chancellor  Bacon,  More,  £cc. 

After  seeing  the  gallery,  we  went  into  the  Tribune,  as  they 
call  it,  which  is  an  cctogon  hall,  20  feet  in  diameter,  the  top 
vaulted  into  a  dome,  inlaid  with  mother  of  pearl,  the  pave- 
ment of  marble  of  different  colours,  the  windows  of  chrystal, 
the  tapestry  covering  the  walls  of  crimson  velvet.  The  dis- 
play of  riches  in  this  apartment  is  astonishing.  It  contains  all 
,iorts  of  precious  stones,  a  better  collection  than  in  the  Mu- 
se urn  of  Oxford,  or  even  that  I  saw  at  Rome.  The  famous  dia- 
mond, the  second  largest  known,  weighing  139-1  carats>  *ia3  c^3* 
.appeared  for  some  years.  There  i-,  however^  an  antique  head 


Chap.  X.  A  TOUR  FROM  FLORENCE  TO  ROME. 

of  JULIUS  CAESAR,  made   of  one   tingle  turquoise,  almost  a; 
large  as  an  egg  *. 

The  Grand  Duke's  Cabinet  of  Medals  is  very  numerous. 
A  little  cabinet  of  gold  medals  is  above  all  price.  It  would  be 
loo  long  to  describe  all  the  apartments  we  went  through,  the 
whole  filled  with  the  greatest  rarities  and  richest  curiosities :  nor 
had  I  time  to  take  down  a  catalogue,  cr  memory  to  retain  them. 

*  As  we  shall  have  occasion  to  spe^k  of  precious  stones  again  in  the  course  of 
our  journey,  a  short  description  of  the  chief  kinds  of  them  may  i:ot  be  here 
improper. 

Precious  stones  are  such  as  arc  remarkable  for  beautiful  co]our,  lellc  eau  (fitic 
water)  or  transparency,  hardnefs,  or  such  rare  qualities.    Some  are  opaque,  others 
transparent.     The  transparent  are,  first  the  diamond  or  adamant,  the  finest  and 
dearest  of  all  precious  stones,  as  it  excells  •!!  the  rest  in  hardness,  fineness  of  wa- 
ter, weight,  Sec.     Diamonds,  which  are  not  found  in  rocks,  but  in   earth,  have 
sometimes  other  mixtures,  and  are  not  perfectly  transparent,  or  have  not  so  fitic 
a  water.     These  might  pass  for  topazes  or  emeralds,  if  they  did  not  sparkle  more. 
The  three  largest  diamonds  known,  are,  that  of  the  GRAND  MOGUL,  of  279  ca- 
rats, valued  by  Tavtniier  at   it    millions  French.     This  of  the  GRAND  DUKE. 
of  139-5  carats;    "n<^   that  of  the  FRENCH  KING'S,   called  PITT'S  DIAMOND,  of 
ic<5  carats  *.     A  ruby  is  shining  and  reddieh.     If  it  be  of  20  carats,  it  is  called 
a  carbuncle  ;  it  is  a  fable,    that  it  ever  shines  in  the  n;ght  ;  a  granate  h  red,  and 
a  clear  sort  of  carbuncle  ;  a   hyacinth   is  yellow  or  purple  ;  an   amethyst  violet, 
an   emerald,  (in  Latin   smaragdiu')  of  a   shining  green;   that    of  Peru  is   of  le.ss 
value ;  the  oriental  emerald   is  the    hardest   and   best  cf  jewels  after  the  ruby  . 
the  berillus  is  blue  ;  fo  is  the  saphire,  but  of  a  stronger  colour;  the   topaze,  or 
chrysolite,  is  of  a  gold  colour,  mixed  with  green,   not  very  hard  ;  an  opalius  re- 
sembles a  cst's  tye  in  its  colours  ;  if  from  Cyprus,  Egypf,  and  Arabia,  it  is  prt:- 
cious ;  from  Bohemia,  of  no  valpe.      The  following  are  but  half  transparent, or 
quite  opaque  ;  the  onyx,  black  and  white;  the  sardonyx,  or  cornaline,  of  a   pal; 
and   red;    a    turcois,  blue,   but    somewhat   greenish;  the   lapis  lazuli,  or  azur.: 
stone  is  r:zure,  and  found  in  mines  of  gold,  silver,  and  marble.     All  these  j'.wels 
are  commonly  reduced   to  two  ,-orts,   the  jasper,  j-.ufttr;  and   the  agate  harder, 
smoother,  and  more  transparent ;  the    German    abates  are  softer;  amber  is  ru» 
gum,  but  certainly  a  fossile  dug  up  in  and  near   the    Baltic  .^ea.      All  thoe  jewels 
and  amber,  as  Dr  Woodward  Kiy-,  are  only  chry.-.tal,   or   a  clear  salt;  but  their 
colours  arise  from  a  tincture  of  other  minerals.    The  \ouvfau  Cw-  dt.  la  6"^ *>,•>, 
suivant  Irs  principei  d*  Neii't^n  and  Silia'I,  p.  51,  teaches   how  to   make   precious 
stones,  only  they  will  never  be  lasting,  and  l^ive   not  the  weight  of  true    ones. 
False  ones  are  put  in  the  place  of  true  ones,  in   St  Denys'.i  treasury,  near  Paris, 
to  shew  strangers  ;  only  the  ignorant  take  them  for  the    real  ones.     Thus  Pitt's 
real  diamond  is  not  shewn,  but  a  counterfeit  one  in  place  of  ic, 

*    OmmjrL,   <.r   LJ  If  found  cf  goll   :<,ntj'uis  24  carats ;    cm   cargt  q  penryift:?!:?t  _ 
I  at  In  ji-.v.'.'s  or;:  can!  1.3;  only  4  grains,  zrtd  ll.n:  sc.wiuvi',  if:t  tljr.  Cirnr.-.n, 


Zj6          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

These  chambers   are  finished  in  the   most   admirable  style  of 
architecture,  but  their  beauty  is  lost  amicht  the  curiosities  with 
•which  they  are  all  entirely  filled.     In  some  we  meet  with  most 
exquisite   ancient   statues  ;  one  of  the  best  of  which  is  an  an- 
tique of  Laocoon  and  Ms  two  sons  ;  this  is  entire  :   that  in  the 
the  Belvidere  at  the  Vatican  is  not,  though  it  surpasses  this. 
In  the  last  chamber  is  the  most  perfect  statue  in  the  world,  the 
VENUS  OF  MEDICIS  ;  it  stands  in  the  midst  of  several  Venuscs 
and  other  statues,  which  would  seem  very  fine,  if  not  in  com- 
pany with  this.     They  are  larger  than   life,  which  makes  this 
seem  less.     Yet  it  is  of  the  size  of  an  ordinary  woman,  as  one 
finds  by  the  dimensions  of  any  part  of  it.     It  is   made   of  the 
finest  white  marble  I  ever  saw.     T^ie  strokes  of  the  chizel  are 
here  so  delicate,  the  proportions  so  nice,  the  shape,  features  of 
the  face,   and  the  attitude  so  charming,   the  design  so  correct, 
but,  above  all,  the  softness  of  the  flesh  so  sensible  to  the  eye, 
and  the  passions  so  well  expressed,  that  it  is  certainly  nowhere 
to  be  paralleled.     It  surpasses  any  shape  in  nature,  which  is  al- 
\vays  subject  to  some  defects  ;  in  short  it  is  beauty  in  its  utmost 
perfection,  and  has  also  the  softness  and  grace  of  life.     By  this 
v/e  may  judge  how  much  PRAXITELLES,  ZEUXIS,  and  other 
ancient  Masters,  surpassed  in  carving  even  MICHAEL  ANGELO. 
But  this  figure  is  too  dangerous  an  object  for  any  one  to  look 
much  upon.     I  wonder  indeed  the  stitues  are  not  more  decent- 
ly covered.     The   two  men  wrestling, — Morpheus,   in    the  fi- 
gure  of  a   boy    asleep,   with    poppies    in    his   hand,   &-C.   arc 
tery  fine  statues.     Among   other   rarities   which  we  admired, 
•were  flowers,  birds,  cities,  houses,  &c.   very  naturally   repre- 
sented in  their  true  colours,  in  precious  stones,  as  rubies,  por- 
plvyry,  jasper,   agates,    &x.   put  together   with  the  most  sur- 
prising art,  also   tables   made  up  of  these  materials,  little  ca-- 
binets,  and  scrutoirs,  still  richer.     In  one  cabinet  is  represent- 
ed the  whole  Passion  of  our-  SAVIQUP  :   the  different  stages  re- 
gularly succeed   one  another  to  tin  view  ;  the  figures  are  ex- 
cellently carved  in  amber.     This  h  valued  at  2cc,coo  crowns. 
Others  such  are  carved  in  white  ivory,   &cc.     We  were  not  sr> 
much  surprised  to  seq  his  higliness's  plate,  12  cupboards  filled 
\vith  vessels^  and  plate  of  solid  silver,  several  of  p'njrl  and  silver 


Chap.  X.      A  TOUR  FROM  FLORENCE  TO  ROME.        197 

gilt.     One  cupboard  is  filled  with  plates  and  dishes  of  massy 
gold.     There  is  a  complete  altar-service  of  massy  gold,  cruets, 
censers,  &.c.   among  which  is  a  figure  of  the  grand  duke  on  his 
knees,  composed  of  rich  precious  stones.     The  chambers,  com- 
pletely full  of  fine  China  ware  or  porcelain,  would  have  better 
pleased  those  who  are  better  judges.     All  know  that  this  ware 
is  made  of  a  fine  fossile  earth,  light  and  sandy,   only  found  hi 
the  province  of  Kyangsie  in  China  :  that  our  China  is  often  the 
worst  sort,  made  of  old  pots  broken,  and  sometimes  counter- 
feited by  the  Dutch.     We  believed,  upon  the  authority  of  our 
guide,  the  primo  ministro,  that  these  were  the  finest  sort,  which 
the  smoothness   and  fineness  of  the  ware  seemed   to  prove. 
There  is  at  least  enough  of  China  here  for  the  tea-tables  of  all 
the  princes  in  Italy  ;  besides  a  variety  of  immense   vessels  of 
every  shape.     The  Mahometan  kings  in  the  Indies  eat  out  of 
China  ware,   plate  being  forbid  them  :  But,   in  these  parts,  I 
know  no  use  for  these  large  vessels,  except  to  be  punch-bowls 
to  make  a  whole  corporation  drunk,   in  our  elections  of  mem- 
bers  of  parliament.      In   these   chambers   are   many   carious 
clocks  ;  some  point  out  the  hours,  both  in  the  Italian  and  English 
manner  of  reckoning.     Among  the  arms,  and  other  curiosities, 
are  the  sword  of  CHARLEMAGNE,  that  of  ROLAND  the  Nor- 
man ;  the  arms  of  Turks,   and  many  other  oriental  nations  ;  a. 
Persian  all   in  armour  on  horseback  ;  scymeters  in  scabbards 
covered  with  emeralds  and  rubies,  &c.  ;  fine  horse-tails,  pistols, 
£cc. ;  a  loadstone,   which  draws  and  holds   up   6.7   weight   of 
iron  ;  the  great  globes  which  fill  a  whole  large  chamber  ;  and 
must  have  been  made  in  it,   these  at  least  can  rtever  be  carried 
to  Vienna,   without  pulling  down  part  of  the  palace.     There 
is  a  room  very  convenient  and  well  furnished  for  astronomical 
observations  ;  with  many  pieces  venerable  as  bearing  the  names 
of  GALILEO  and  TORICELLI.     We  next  day  visited  the  pnlacu 
of  Pittiy'  in  which  the  late  grand  dukes  resided.     There  is  a 
gallery  from  the  old  palace  to  the  palace  of  Pitti  over  the  ri- 
ver,   for  the  grand  duke's  private  use.     This  palace  takes  its 
name  from  Luke  Pitti,  who  begun  the  building  on  too  expen- 
sive a  plan,  and  was  obliged  to  sell  it  for  debt.     He  was  after- 
warik   put   to   ck-ath  for  treasonable    practices.       The   rru;,u 


I9&         TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

duke  bought  this  palace,  completed  it,  and  made  it  his  princi- 
pal residence.  It  is  built  of  great  stones,  adorned  on  three 
sides  with  beautiful  pillars  of  the  three  orders,  Doric,  Ionic, 
and  Corinthian.  On  the  fourth  is  the  garden.  The  court  in  the 
middle  is  very  large.  A  gallery  on  the  right  hand  is  full  of 
curiosities.  In  it  is  a  statue  of  Scipio  Africanus^  of  black  stone, 
\*alued  at  800  ducats.  The  hanging  stairs  seem  the  finest  in 
Europe.  The  apartments  are  enriched  with  innumerable  fine 
paintings.  Two  female  limners  were  employed  in  drawing 
copies  of  the  principal  among  these  pieces  to  be  sent  to  London. 
The  small  chambers  in  the  upper  apartments,  xvith  galleries, 
Sec.  adorned  with  an  infinite  number  of  small  pictures,  all  of 
the  best  masters,  chrystal  glasses,  and  every  kind  of  rich  fur- 
niture, are  quite  enchanting.  There  are  lodgings  for  great 
multitudes  in  small  beautiful  rooms,  most  regularly  and  ele- 
gantly furnished.  This  palace  contains  a  vast  variety  of  the 
finest  marbles.  The  gardens  are  full  of  solitary  green  woods  and 
alleys,  with  fine  fountains  and  statues  in  the  walks  and  parterre?. 
In  the  centre,  the  alleys  terminate  at  a  great  bason  of  water, 
in  the  midst  of  which  stands  a  large  marble  statue,  with  many 
lesser  around  it ;  surrounding  the  whole,  a  walk  in  Mosaic  of 
of  stones.  At  the  bottom  is  the  seraglio  for  wild  beasts  ;  in 
which  are  seen  in  their  dens,  lions,  bears,  tygers,  wolves,  &c. ; 
also  rare  and  foreign  birds  ;  some  at  liberty,  as  ostriches,  swans, 
&.c.  in  the  fountains  and  parterres  ;  others  in  aviaries  proper 
for  them.  There  is  a  large  court,  destined  for  the  wild  beasts 
to  fight  in.  It  was  formerly  a  favourite  pastime  here  to  see 
a  fierce  lion  attack  the  wild  bull,  leap  over  his  horns,  when  he 
held  them  down,  and,  fixing  on  his  back,  tear  him  asunder 
through  the  middle  into  two  parts  at  once  ; — to  see  the  ele- 
phant fight  the  rhinoceros,  &c.  As  an  expedient  to  make  the 
wild  beusts  retire  into  their  dens,  there  is  a  frightful  monster 
made  of  wood,  painted  with  glaring  colours,  a  red  tongue  hang- 
ing out  of  his  mouth,  ugly  great  teeth,  streaks  of  blue,  &c. 
over  the  body  ;  his  inside  hollow,  from  whence  a  man  bellows 
",vith  a  dreadful  noise.  We  saw  some  Indian  peacocks  in  the 
gardens,  far  more  beautiful  for  variety  and  strength  of  colour 
•n.  their  plumage,  fhan  our  ordinary  ones.  They  disnlayed 


.  X.  A  TOUR  FROM  FLORENCE  TO  ROME.  199 

their  tails,  feathers,  &c.  strutted  about  to  shew  us  their 
beauty,  and  gave  us  the  most  sensible  tokens  of  satisfaction 
at  our  admiring  them.  After  two  hours,  we  returned  the 
same  way  ;  they  were  still  in  the  same  posture  expecting 
our  return  ;  and  seemed  angry  that  we  did  not  stay  to  look  at 
them  longer  ;  they  followed,  shewing  themselves  as  long  as 
they  could.  They  seemed  to  outdo  our  common  peacock,  the 
emblem  of  pride,  as  much  in  vanity  as  in  beauty. 

Near  Florence,  between  the  mountains,  the  grand  duke  has' 
liis  palace  of  Pratolino.  It  is  a  square  building,  with  beauti- 
ful apartments,  statues,  the  finest  paintings,  bedsteads  and  tables 
of  alabaster,  &cc.  We  here  admired  grottos  with  the  most  de- 
lightful fountains,  adorned  with  figures  which  play  tunes,  fight, 
spout  water  at  one  another,  and  swim  about.  Amongst  these, 
you  see  Vulcan  and  his  Cyclops  working  at  their  forges,  when 
ihe  water  works  are  set  to  play.  The  walls  of  these  grottos 
are  artfully  made  of  shells,  pearls,  stones  of  various  colours, 
fxc.  A  mount  Parnassus,  oa  which  Apollo  and  the  Muses 
play  on  their  instruments  by  the  water,  pressing  the  air  into 
iheir  pipes  on  turning  a  cock  :  a  fine  Cupid  of  brass,  with  his 
torch  throv/s  out  water  instead  of  flames  ;  as  does  a  Jupiter, 
instead  of  his  thunder.  The  woods  are  full  of  sweet  singing 
birds.  The  grand  duke  has  also  other  fine  palaces  of  pleasure,, 
(particularly  that  of  Poggio,  10  Tniles  from  Florence,  and  that 
of  C'astto,}  no  less  beautiful  by  their  natural  situation  than  by 
:-;rt.  It  is  pity  such  places  must  now  go  to  decay  for  want  of 
a  master  to  enjoy  them.  There  is  enough  to  prove  that  Flo- 
rence is  justly  styled,  tie  Beautiful, — Fircnz-a  la  Bella. 

Florence  is  famous  for  its  general  council,  in  1439  ; — for  in- 
uumerable  great  men,  especially  many  excellent  painters,  carvers, 
architects,  tic.  The  Medicis  have  given  the  church  four  Popes  ;. 
—Leo  X.  Cleirunt  VII.  Pius  IV.  and  Leo  XT. 

There  arc  in  the  city  two  academies  ;  that  of  Physic,  cal- 
led Academia  del  Cimsnto,  which  applies  itself  to  physi- 
cal and  astronomical  observations  :  and  that  of  Delia  Cruica, 
(that  is,  of  Bran)  which  is  employed  hi  perfecting  the  Italian 
language.  This  academy  produced  the  famous  Italian  Die- 
;ionary,  ctuled  Fccubutario  de  gli  academki  della  Crusca.  If 


2CO         TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLEK. 

example  gave  birth  to  t!ie  Academie  Francoise,  instituted  for 
perfecting  the  French  language.  This  of  Crusca  professes  to 
purify  the  Italian  language,  like  Bran,  to  which  every  thing  in 
the  place  of  its  assembly  bears  an  allusion.  Its  device  is-a  jfa? 
for  corn,  with  this  motto,  II piu  belfior  ne  coglie  :  that  is,  "  it 
gathers  the  purest^ozw."  In  the  chamber  of  their  meeting, 
their  chairs  have  the  shape  of  a  scuttle  to  carry  bread  in  ;  the 
back  resembling  a  shovel  to  stir  up  the  corn  ?  the  cushions  are 
of  sattin  in  the  shape  of  sacks  of  meal  ;  their  candlesticks  also 
resemble  sacks.  They  write  Italian  best  in  Florence  ;  but 
they  have  a  false  accent.  They  speak  it  in  greater  purity  at 
Sienna,  and  in  highest  perfection  at  Rome.  Here  is  also  ano- 
ther academy,  though  it  modestly  declines  that  name,  preferring 
that  of  Raginaxa,  or  assembly  for  discourse  ;  arid  in  order  to 
have  all  things  suitable  to  the  characters  they  assume,  which 
is  that  of  shepherds,  they  call  themselves  Orcadians  ,  and  make 
poetry  their  business. 

FLORENCE  is  said  to  contain  85,000  inhabitants,  44  parishes, 
160  public  statues,  &c.  Its  principals  families  are  the  Stroz  - 
zi  ;  Salviati, Vespucci;  Altoviti ;  Corsi;  Corsini ;  Ricardi  •  Ni- 
colini ;  Guadagni  ;  Bonzi  ;  Bartolini ,  Cavalcanti,  &.c.  The 
country  about  the  town  is  filled  with  fine  seats,  the  roads  beau- 
tifully shaded  by  pine  trees,  or  cypresses. 

Two  miles  distant  at  the  foot  of  the  Apennines  are  the  ruins 
of  the  ancient  city  Fiesoil,  the  Ffsula;  of  the  Romans,  and  one 
of  the  twelve  great  cities  of  Etruria.  As  Florence  rose  in 
grandeur,  this  city  fell  to  decay.  Here  stands  the  sumptuous 
alley  of  Ficsoli  founded  by  COSMO  MEDICI.  In  its  deserted 
mountains  were  founded  the  Fesofi,  or  Mendicant  Hieronimites 
under  the  rule  of  St  Augustin  an.  1400,  or  1380. 

Going  out  of  Florence  we  leave  on  the  left  hand  Valle  Un- 
orosa  18  miles  from  town,  the  chief  abbey  of  the  order  of  that 
name  founded  by  St  John  Gualbert  anno  1060,  and  12  miles 
farther  in  the  Apennines,  Camuldoli,  chief  also  of  an  order  insti- 
tuted by  St  Romuald  an.  1009.  ^  *s  a  statute  of  tni3  or- 
der that  their  convents  must  be  at  least  15  miles  from  arty  great 
fo\vn.  The  monastery  of  Camaldoli  is  situated  in  a  frightful 


Clap.  X.  A  TOUR  FROM  FLORENCE  TO  ROME.  201 

solitude  :  From  the  top  of  the  highest  and  most  rugged  of  the 
Apennines,  there  is  a  very  steep  descent  of  an  hour  and  a  quar- 
ter's journey  through  a  wild  forest^  and  over  five   or  six  tor- 
rents, to   arrive  at   the  monastery  or  hermitages.     Here  the 
monks  live  in  austerity,   solitude  and  silence,  for  the  greatest 
pirt  of  their  time  ;  and  such  of  them  as  ate  more  advanced  in 
religious  perfection,  chuse  to  be  shut  up  in  their  cells,  without 
ever  speaking  to  or  even  seeing  any  person  except  the  supe- 
rior ;  imitating   in  this   the  life  which  their  holy  Founder  St 
R.OMUALD  lived  for  many  ye'ars. 

From  Florence  to  SIENNA  it  is  five  posts,  (about  40  miles) 
through  small  villages,  San  Cassiano,  Tuverne  and  Staggta  •  the 
roads  are  good  were  it  not  for  two  fords  over  torrents'  from 
t'-f  mountains,  which  are  sometimes  very  dangerous.  This 
road  leaves  a  little  to  the  right  three  considerable  burghs,  Ctr- 
taldo,  San  Gemvu'ano,  on  a  mountain,  which  produces  good  wine, 
and  Volterra  :  on  the  left  Aie-r,~o,  Poggibonxi,  and  Po^gio  hn- 
ptriale,  where  ij  the  grand  duke's  park  and  forest. 

SlENNA  is  said  to  havs  been  built  by  the  Sencncs  Gauls  ;  but 
this  is  uncertain,  for  they  settled  towards  Ancbna.  It  stands 
on  an  eminence,  is  five  miles  round,  and  is  surrounded  with  a 
valley  resembling  a  ditch  -;  which  might  be  fillet  with  water. 
It  is  the  seat  of  an  Archbishopric;  and  of  an  University. 
The  great  piaz/3  or  market-place  is  hollow  in  the  middle,  pu- 
vsd  with  fine  stone,  exceeding  spacious,  and  surrounded  with 
good  houses  ail  uniform  and  stre ight.  The  town  house,  or  pa- 
3ace  cifbe  Signorie,  extensive  and  well  built,  is  adorned  by  a  lofty 
tower.  At  its  foot  \^  a  chapel  covered  with  marble,  and  over 
against  it  stands  the  £.'?/:«•  cf  Ophite^  which  they  say  formerly 
stood  in  tae  temple  of  Diana,  on  the  top  of  which  are  Romufus 
aid  Remus  sucking  a  wolf,  in  brass  ;  the  arms  oi  the  city.  At 
one  end  of  the  square  is  an  arch,  without  any  thing  visible  that 
sustains  it  :  *Tis  the  work  of  BAI.TAZAR  of  Sienna,  the  Restor- 
er of  Architecture.  In  its  cenfre  is  a  fine  marble  fountain  a- 
dorned  with  finely  executed  buiso  relievos,  called  the  fountain 
of  Branda. 

Many  Popes  were  born  at  Sienna  :  viz,  Gregory  VII. ,  Alex- 
ander II!.,  Pin?  I!.,   Pius  III.,  Paul  V,,  Alexander  V!!.,  air 


2.02  TRAVELS   OF  REV.    ALB  AN   BUTLER. 

Boniface  VI.  ;  two  of  these,  viz..  Pius  II.,  and  Pius  III.,  were 
of  the  noble  family  of  the  Picolomini,  originally  of  Rome,  but 
settled  at  Sienna  in  the  13th  century,  where  it  has  a  very 
magnificent  palace  :  The  Chigi,  and  the  other  nobility,  also 
possess  fine  palaces  here. 

The  Cathedral,  or  Dome,  though  not  very  large,  is  ac- 
counted one  of  the  most  beautiful  in  Italy.  ]t  stands  on  an 
eminence  in  a  square,  with  broad  marble  steps  leading  up  to 
it :  The  front,  composed  entirely  of  maible,  has  a  most  mag- 
nificent effect,  and  is  farther  adorned  with  fine  statues,  pil- 
lars, &cc.  The  whole  church  is  covered  within  and  without 
with  black  and  white  marble,  disposed  with  a  most  masterly 
symmetry.  It  is  330  feet  long,  and  has  a  pavement  of  black 
and  white  marble,  admirable  for  its  extraordinary  justness  and 
delicacy,  on  which  are  represented  in  mosaic  divers  historical 
representations  of  the  principal  events  recorded  in  the  old  and 
new  testament  ;  particularly  the  sacrifice  of  Abraham;  the  pas- 
sage over  the  red  sea  ;  the  History  of  the  Maccabees  ;  Moses 
striking  the  rock  with  his  rod,  and  the  people  approaching  to 
receive  the  waters,  all  executed  with  inimitable  grace  ;  the 
bhades  and  perspective  being  more  naturally  expressed  than  by 
the  pencil  of  a  painter.  This  pavement  is  the  finest  in  Italy. 
Here  are  also  .represented  the  arms  or  symbols  of  the  city  of 
Siervna,  and  other  cities  its  allies  ;  a  wolf  represents  Sienna  ;  an 
elephant  with  a  tower  on  his  back,  Rome  ;  a  lion,  Florence  ;  a 
goose,  Orvieto  ;  a  hare,  Pisa  ;  a  vulture,  Volterra,  &.c.  The 
vault  is  of  a  beautiful  azure  colour,  glittering  with  stars  of  geld. 
The  dome  is  well  pierced.  Between  the  windows  and  on  the 
pillars  are  fine  statues.  The  pillars  are  all  marble  admira- 
bly wrought  wilh  fruits  and  foliage  twisting  around  them 
from  the  top  to  the  bottom.  'i  he  very  spouts  around  are  ex- 
quisitely adorned  with  fine  work  and  engravings  ;  so  are  the 
•windows  with  a  multitude  of  little  pillars,  retiring  one  behind 
the  other  ;  friezes,  cornices,  &c.  The  choir  seats  are  cf  ?.:t 
excellent  workmanship  :  the  high  altar  well  designed  and  noble; 
ths  brass  angels  over  it  of  an  incomparable  beauty.  ThL? 
church  has  two  chapels  very  magnificent ;  1st,  that  of  the  Chigl 
aclwraed  with  8  piikrs  of  green  marble,  good  Picture?,  and  3tiv- 


Clap    X.  TOUR  FROM  FLORENCE  TO  ROME.  203 

tues  ;  the  best  statues  are  a  Migdalene  and  a  St  Jero-ne  bv  Ber- 
nini :  2d,  that  of  St  John  Baptist,  in  which  is  ko:,t  h^s  arn  in 
a  rich  case  given  by  Pope  Pius  II.,  to  whom  Thorn,  s  Palcelo- 
gus  king  of  Peleponnesus  had  sent  it.  Around  the  body  of  the 
church  are  the  figures  of  all  the  popes  in  white  marble,  which 
constitute  no  inconsiderable  ornament.  The  pulps  has  this 
inscription  in  Latin  under  it:  "  St  Bernardin  thur.d  red 
•c  here  with  inflamed  words  the  Law  of  God."  The  embellish- 
ments and  proportions  of  this  church  are  so  fine,  so  ingenious, 
u:ul  so  judiciously  distributed,  that  one  forgets  it  is  Gothic  ;  in- 
deed it  is  the  most  finished  specimen  of  that  species  of  archi- 
tecture in  the  world  ;  because  it  has  all  the  beauties  of  a  per- 
fect building,  excepting  its  not  being  erected  in  the  Grecian 
style  of  architecture  The  libraiy  was  founded  by  Pope  ;  ;u5 
II.,  but  the  rare  books  and  manuscripts  with  which  he  ennched 
it  are  carried  away  to  Florence,  except  some  ancient  sin  MITO- 

*  -t  ~>         o 

books  full  of  beautiful  miniatures.  There  still  remain,  how- 
ever, 10  excellent  pieces  of  painting  in  fresco,  which  could 
not  be  taken  away,  being  on  the  wall.  They  represent  the  prin- 
cipal actions  of  that  pope.  The  design  is  of  RAFK \KL  ;  and 
they  were  drawn  by  Pietri,  Perusini,  Bernar  iin  and  pinturic- 
cio  :  The  Graces  in  the  midst  are  much  admired.  On  the 
frontispiece  of  the  church  is  a  Latin  inscription  which  imports, 
that  the  Jubilee  was  ordered  to  be  opened  every  hundredth  year, 
by  Pcpe  Boniface  VIII.  From  the  dome  we  went  to  see  the 
house  of  St  CATHERINE  of  Sienna,  now  a  chapel  or  oratory, 
Here  she  lived,  being  no  nun,  but  only  of  the  third  order  of  St 
Dominic.  They  shew  the  place  where  she  performed  her 
greatest  austerities,  around  which  the  principal  actions  of  her 
life  are  painted.  We  then  went  into  the  chapel  of  the  Cro- 
ci/isso  Sant>,  which  is  rich  and  neatly  adorned  :  In  it  is  honour- 
ed the  great  Crucifix  before  which  the  saint  was  in  prayer, 
when  she  received  the  sacred  Stigmata  of  our  Saviour's  wounds: 
her  body  is  in  the  Minerva's  church  in  Rome  :  her  head  is  kept 
in  a  side  chapel  of  the  Dominicans  church  here,  which  we  saw. 
In  this  church  also  they  shew  an  excellent  picture  of  GUY  o£ 
Sienna,  though  drawn  before  CIMABUE  at  Florence  had  restor- 
ed the  true  art  of  painting.  Beneath  is  an.  inscription  remark* 

N  2 


2C4          TRAVELS  OF  RE  7.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

able  only  as  giving  us  an  idea  of  the  barbarism  of  that  age. 

Me  Guido  de  Senis  dlebus  depinxit  amujnis, 

Quern  Christ'us  lenis  nullis  nolit  agere  poems  .  An.    i?2r. 

I  cannot  preserve  its  barbarism  in  English.     It  means  : 

Me  GUY  de  Senis  drew  in  pleasant  days, 
I'.Iay  CHRIST,  in  mercy,  grant  him  happv  ease. 
SIENNA  after  many  vicissitudes  became  a  republic  under 
the  protection  of  the  emperor.  It  was  divided  by  factions,  and 
had  offered  an  insult  to  Charles  V  's  garrison  in  it,  when  that 
emperor  sold  his  pretensions  to  Coimo,  grand  duke  of  Tus- 
cany, who  by  his  concurrence  made  himself  master  of  it.  It 
still  nominally  retains  the  same  magistrates  it  had  when  a  com- 
mon-wealth, a  Captain  of  the  People,  Gonfaloniers,  £cc.  but 
they  ars  only  shadows  of  what  they  were*  The  grand  duke 
sends  a  governor  who  has  the  direction  and  superintendency 
over  them,  and  commands  all  :  he  also  reserves  to  himself  the 
election  of  the  ordinary  judge  of  the  auditors  of  the  Rota,  of 
the  Capitaneos  of  the  state  of  Sienna,  of  the  four  Conservator! 
of  the  state,  &c. 

The  city  is  all  paved  with  brick  laid  sideways  ;  the  houses  arc 
also  of  brick,  and  display  an  extraordinary  uniformity.  The 
streets  are  very  clean,  Lut'all  up  hill,  from  the  great  square  or 
market  place.  It  was  fortified  with  very  strong  walls  ;  but  the 
grand  duke  has  demolished  them,  and  has  left  only  a  fortress 
with  a  garrison,  which  commands  the  town.  It  is  now  poor, 
though  the  country  around  it  is  extremely  fertile  in  good  wine, 
corn,  &c»  The  inhabitants  are  the  most  obliging  to  strangers 
of  all  the  Italians  ;  and  talk  that  b.nguuge  the  best.  They  are 
.s;tid  to  join  the  llocca  Romano  and  Lingua  Toscana,  the  Roman 
true  pronunciation  and  accenf  with  the  Tuscan  language.  They 
have  an  academy  oi'  fntronati,  or  thundering1  speakers  ;  «nd  an- 
other of  Fll'imati, 

SIENNA  gave  birih  to  ^t  Bernardin,  St  Catharine  of  Sienna,  ^' 
Join  Colombin,  founder  of  the  Jtmiai.:,  a  religious  order,  after- 
wards abolished  by  Pope  Clement  IX.,  in  1668;  the  blessed 
Ambrose  of  Blanoni,  a  Dominican  of  the  noble  family  of  Sanse- 
doni,  &-c.  Three  noblemen,  of  the  illustrious  families  of  theTolo  - 
mei,  Picolomir.i,  andPatrivi,  still  nourishing,  here  became  monk? 


Clap.  X.  A  TOUR  FROM  FLORENCE  TO  ROME.  205 

under  the  popedom  of  John  XXII.,  and  founded  the  great 
abbey  of  Mount  Olivet,  12  miles  from  Sienna,  standing  on  the 
top  of  a  pleasant  mountain,  fertile  ia  vineyards  and  pasture, 
which  produce  wine  and  cheese  of  a  very  superior  quality  : 
This  abbey  is  the  chief  house  of  the  Olivetans,  who  are  very 
.numerous,  and  possessed  of  great  revenues  in  Italy  :  They  are 
Benedictines,  but  wear  a  milk-white  habit.  The  Benedictines 
in  Italy  are  of  two  congregations  ;  tbi.f  of  Olivetans  principally 
settled  in  Venice,  the  Milanese,  Mantua,  Tuscany,  &c.  :  and 
that  of  Mount  Cassino,  whose  habit  is  black. 

From  Sienna  to  Rome,  through  Radicofani,  Aqua  Pcndente, 
and  Viteibio,  it  is  13  Italian   posts,   (about   110  miles),   part 
good,   part  nigh  the   frontiers  of  Tuscany,  very  mountainous 
and  bad  road.  We  set  out  late  from  Sienna,  and  passing  through 
Lucignan,  Byionconvento,    San  Quirico,  &c.,   arrived  at  Seal  a 
a  poor  house,  though  the  post,  at  the  foot  of  Mount  Radiccfani. 
Mr  Wai  pole  chose   rather  to  stay  here  without  any  accommo- 
dations, than  venture  up  such   a  tremenduous   rugged  rock   at 
1.0  late  an  hour.      We  pushed  forward,  and  arrived  safe  and  in 
good  time  at  the  top  of  this  rough  mountain,   the  ascent  being 
but  one  post  or   eight   miles  ;    at    Radiccfani  we   found  better 
lodgings   than   below  ;    indeed  very  tolerable,  for  so  wretched 
,\  place.     This  is  the  last  place  in  Tuscany,  a/iu  the  grand  duke 
has  here  a  castle  to  command  the  pass.     Near  it,  on  a  high  hill, 
of  and  s  Cliiisi,  the  old  Elisium,  capital  of  K,  PoRSENNA,  and  of 
rise  Hetrusci  or  Tuscans  ;   and  higher  up  is  Monte  Pu!cia?u,  ;i 
modern  fortified  city,  in  a  pleasant  fertile  plain  ;  and  beyond  ir, 
Cott'Ti'i,  an  ancient  place  also  fortified,  and  famous  for  that  holy 
model  of  Christian  mortification  and  virtue,    St  MARGARET  of 
Cortona,   whose  body  is  said  to  be  exposed   in  the  Franciscan's 
church  there.     These  places  lav  on  our  left,  and  form  the  Tus- 
can frontiers  on  that  side  towards  the  Ecclesiastical  State  :     Oa 
the  right  hand,  following  the  same  frontier,  the  duke  has.  Cros-* 
.-•ittrj  and  Ca.stro,  both  st.'ong  castles  ;  and  6'##  Fiore,  where  iha 
illustrious  family  of  the  Sjorz,,?   have  their  principal  palace  ; 
end  on  the  sea  coast,  Pert  Ercolc,  or  Belio,  £cc.     Tuscany  is  ir\ 
many  places  mountainous,    yet  in  the  main  a  fruitful  country* 
t  jlerabiy  populous  :    But  to  return  to  oar  jouru'/y  ; 

N   q 


2C>6  TRAVELS    OF  REV.    ALBAN   BUTLER. 

We  next  morning  descended  the  mountain  the  length  of  10 
jniles,  forded  the  river  Pallia,  which  after  rains  is  very  dan- 
gerous ;  paid  the  grand  duke's  last  custom  -house  a  Paul,  and 
having  crossed  the  river  a  second  time,  were  happily  in  his 
Holiness's  territories,  at  Ponte  Centeno,  a  small  -village.  We 
pursued  our  journey  half  a  post,  (five  miles)  farther  to  Aqua- 
pendentet  a  large  town,  but  neither  rich  nor  populous  :  It  stands 
on  a  rock,  and  takes  its  name  from  the  clear  waters  which  fall 
from  the  mountain  :  It  is  a  bishopric,  translated  from  Castrse 
in  1647.  Beyond  Aquapeudente  we  again  pass  the  same  river, 
but  upon  a  beautiful  stone  bridge,  built  by  the  popes.  From 
that  town  to  Bolsena,  is  one  post  of  nine  miles.  We  pass 
by  the  borough  of  St  Lawrence,  near  which  is  the  lake  of  San 
Lorenzo,  or  Bolsena,  Lotus  Fulsinius,  which  we  saw  agitated 
by  a  violent  storm :  It  is  30  miles  round.  Bolsena  is  a 
borough,  capital  of  the  ancient  Vohln'i,  and  called  in  Latin, 
ttrbs  Vohinensium,  but  now  reduced  to  poor  ruins.'  Here 
are  some  ancient  inscriptions  en  marble.  In  the  lake  are  two 
islands  ;  the  one  very  fertile  and  pleasant ;  being  a  park  well 
stocked  with  the  choicest  game,  belonging  now  to  the  oishop 
of  Monte  Fiascone,  who  is  Cardinal  Aldrovandi,  at  present 
legate  of  Ravenna.  In  it  Queen  Amalasunta  was  wickedly 
put  to  death  by  her  son  Theodatus.  The  Furnesii  of  Rome  were 
buried  here  and  their  mausolisi  are  in  a  small  church  in  the 
island  :  It  is  a  post  of  eight  miles  from  Bolsena  to  MONTE  FJA- 
SCOKE,  the  old  capital  of  the  FALISCI.  The  way  lies  for  some 
miles  on  the  bank  of  the  lake,  throuph  a  wood,  in  which  the 

*  o 

ancient  heathens  sacrificed  to  Ju.io.  It  ij  a  smr.ll  town,  but 
hr.s  good  accommodations  for  travellers,  and  sells  excellent 
vine.  Its  hills  produce  a  very  much  esteemed  muscade  wine. 
F. very  body  that  passes  must  hear  the  common  story  of  the  Ger- 
man traveller,  who  had  ordered  his  man  to  mark  all  the  places 
famous  for  good  vine  with  an  Hit,  or  here  j.v,  over  the  door. 
The  man  had  here  marked  est  three  times  ;  the  master  stopped, 
and  stuck  so  many  days  to  his  bottle,  as  to  kill  himself  over  it. 
His  servant,  being  a  f.llov/  of  humour,  put  over  his  grave  the 


Slap.  XI.   A  TOUR  FROM  FLORENCE  TO  ROME.  20/ 

Est,  est,  est ;  et  propter  nimium  est, 
Joannes  de  Fuc  Dominus  meus  mortuus  est. 

The  dome  is  beautiful,  but  the  town  contains  no  curiosities. 
It  is  eight  miles  from  hence  to  Viterbo,  the  Latin  Vetulonia, 
formed  by  Desiderius  king  of  the  Lombards,  out  of  three 
villages  united,  viz.  Longola,  Tussa,  and  Turrenna.  His  edict 
to  this  effect  is  seen  in  the  town-house,  engraven  on  marble. 
It  is  the  capital  of  the  Patrimony  of  St  Peter,  has  a  wonderful 
fine  fountain  in  its  cathedral,  (//  Domo~)  that  throws  water  40 
feet  high,  which  falling  into  a  bason,  is  from  thence  spouted 
out  by  lions  mouths.  St  Rosa's  Church  belongs  to  the  Clares  : 
Her  body  is  still  entire,  as  they  assure  us,  and  is  often  shewn. 
In  the  cathedral  lie  four  popes,  viz.  John  XXI.  Alexander  IV. 
Adrian  V.  and  Clement  IV.  When  the  Roman  senators  cre- 
ated disturbances  in  Rome,  the  popes  frequently  retired  to  and 
lived  in  Viterbo,  till  the  civil  commotions  were  over.  Finding 
the  town  so  full  of  Spanish  troops,  that  we  could  procure  no 
lodging,  we  wenlron  two  posts  farther  to  Monte  Rosi.  The 
day  following  was  very  rainy,  but  we  had  only  three  posts  to 
Rome.  The  first  brought  us  to  Laccano,  where  we  discover- 
ed the  cupola  of  St  Peter's.  We  passed  the  Tiber  near  Rome, 
over  a  beautiful  stone  bridge,  on  which  is  a  fine  statue  of  St 
John  Nepomucen,  as  is  usual  on  most  fine  bridges  in  ItaH-. 
This  T.VH.3  first  built  by  yEMTLius  S-CAUFU3,  the  censor,  who 
also  paved  the  JEmilian  Way,  through  Bologna  to  Aquileia 
from  Rimini.  It  is  called  Ponte  \'oie,  or  Ponce  jllilvio.  It 
was  i;car  it  that  CONSTANT  IN'!;;  the  Great  saw  the  cross  in  the 
heavens,  and  defeated  the  tyrant  Maxentius.  It  is  two  miles 
from  E.orne.  We  had  passed  near  Viterbo,  a  deep  lake  at  the 
foot  of  Mount  Cimini,  and  saw  some  pal  ,ces,  especially  that 
of  Caprarola,  belonging  to  the  Farnezii.  But  our  heads  were 
too  full  of  P^ome  to  pay  much  attention  to  any  thing  else.  We 
were  wonderfully  pleased  when,  having  crossed  Potite  Alo/, 
\ve  found  ourselves  riding  between  the  beautiful  villas  of, 
the  Roman  gentry,  which  are  so  many  handsome  palaces, 
surrounded  by  vineyards,  groves,  and  gardens,  appearing  on 
ail  svik-j  iu  the  neighbourhood  of  Rome.  The  name  of  the 


2C$         TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALB  AN  SUTLER. 

owner  is  over  the  gate  of  each,  in  large  characters,  as  "  V7iila 
Pinciana,"  "  Giustiniana,  &:c."  The  Giustiniani  pretend  to  de- 
rive their  pedigree  from  the  emperor  Justinian,  as  other  greatfa- 
milies  do  from  the  old  Fabii.  At  the  place  near  Viterbo  where 
•jve  crossed  the  river  Cremera,  which  runs  into  the  Tiber  five 
miles  above  Rome,  the  whole  progeny  of  the  Falii,  400  men, 
except  one,  were  killed  in  a  single  combat  against  the  Veil,  a 
people  who  lived  near  Rome  about  Viterbo.  We  entered 
Rome  by  the  Porta  F/uminia,  now  called  Porto,  del  Popolo, 
and  took  private  lodgings  near  the  square  of  Spain,  Piazza  di 
Spatta,  tb.e  most  populous  and  healthy  part  of  Rome,  where 
strangers  find  all  sorts  of  private  lodgings  ready,  with  every 
accommodation  they  can  desire. 

That  part  of  the  territory  of  the  pope  we  passed  through 
from  Aquapendente  to  the  district  of  Rome,  is  called  the  Pa- 
trimony Q/St  Peter,  which  reaches  down  to  the  sea,  as  far  as 
Ostia,  and  Civita  Vecchia,  all  on  this  side  the  Tiber.  The 
country  on  the  other  side  that  river,  quite  to  the  bounds  of  the 
kingdom  of  Naples,  is  called  Campagna  di  Roma. 

The  Patrimony  of  St  Peter  was  given  the  Holy  See  by  a  so- 
lemn donation  made  by  MATILDA  or  MAUD,  the  pious  coun- 
tess of  Tuscany,  daughter  of  Boniface,  Marquis  of  Tuscany, 
and  of  Beatrice,  daughter  of  the  emperor  Conrad  II.  She  was 
married  to  Guelf  the  younger,  Duke  of  Bavaria,  but  had  no 
children.  It  is  said  ahe  only  married  by  the  advice  of  Pope 
Urban,  and  on  condiiicn  ^he  should  ever  live  in  continency. 
She  raised  troops,  and  often  was  at  their  head  in  person,  to 
defend  the  holy  see  against  the  Emperor  Henry  IV.  who  in- 
vaded its  rights  ;  and  is  represented  by  historians  as  a  woman 
of  extraordinary  piety,  and  of  courage  above  her  sex.  Dying 
an.  1115,  76  years  old,  she  left  her  whole  estate  to  the  See  A- 
postolicj  and  is  buried  in  St  Peter's  in  Rome. 

VITERBO  is  the  capital  of  this  country.  Its  other  towns  are 
Monte  Fiascone,  Bolsena,  Bracciano,  Cornero,  Sutri,  Nepi;  and 
on  the  Tuscan  sea,  Tuscanello,  and  Civita  Vecchia.  Th«; 
country  is  extensive  and  fertile,  and  forms  the  best  part  of  Tus- 
cany, yet  thinly  peopled,  ill  cultivated,  and  consequently  poor, 


Chap.  XI.          A   TCftU    FROM    FLORENCE    TO    ROME.  209 

though   it   is   commonly  said   the   pope  has  the  flesh,   and  the 
grand  duke  the  bones   of  the   country. 

As  to  the  sea-coast,  PORTO  on  the  mouth  of  the  Tiber, 
and  on  the  left  bank,  was  a  great  port  built  by  Claudius  and 
repaired  by  Trajan,  now  choaked  up,  and  the  town  reduced  to 
the  condition  of  .a  paltry  village  j  though  it  is  the  second  among 
the  six  ancient  titles  of  cardinal  bfehopg.  Qt/riA  on  ihc  op- 
posite bank  on  the  mouth  of  the  Tiber  was  built  by  An- 
cus  Martius  fourth  king  of  the  Romans,  was  the  great  sea- 
port for  Rome,  and  is  still  used  for  barges  to  cirry  merchan- 
dize up  the  river  Tiber.  St  Monica  died  here.  Its  port 
and  the  city  too  are  now  as  much  abandoned  as  Porto,  ex- 
cept that  the  latter  scarce  knows  where  its  ancient  harbour 
was.  The  chief  cause  which  has  depopulated  both,  is  the  un- 
\vholesorneness  of  the  air  :  It  ib  13  miles  from  Rome.  The 
dean  of  the  cardinals  is  bishop  of  Ostia  t.n  I  Veletrii.  It  is 
not  him,  but  the  first  cardinal  deacon,  who  crowns  the  pope. 

CIVITA  VECCIIIA,  which  was  probably  the  Centum  Cell*  of 
the  Romans,  40  miles  from  Rome,  is  now  the  port  for  that 
city,  though  a  very  unhealthy  poor  place,  with  few  inhabitants, 
and  no  merchants  of  any  note.  Sixtus  V.  made  it  what  it  i ;, 
and  several  popes  since  have  formed  schemes  to  declare  it  a  fre - 
port,  and  build  a  great  harbour.  Nothing  could  be  more  ad- 
vantageous to  their  dominions,  especially  if  some  factories  of 
opulent  merchants,  as  at  Leghorn,  could,  be  induced1  to  settle 
here.  But  the  popes  live  in  too  great  a  dependence  on  other 
princes  ;  and  it  is  visible  how  much  this  would  prejudice  Leg- 
horn, Genoa,  Naples,  &c.  It  is  said  the  grand  duke  has  more 
than  once  bestowed  great  sums  on  the  court  of  Rome  to  turn 
off  the  design,  whenever  it  was  on  foot.  Thus,  the  late  Cle- 
ment VII.  was  obliged  to  turn  his  schemes  to  slncona  on  the 
Adriatic  ;  and  before  him  Clement  XL,  after  making  great 
preparations  for  Civita  Vecchia,  had  to  employ  part  of  them  on 
Antio,  the  famous  old  capital  of  the  Volsci,  whp  inhabited  the 
Campagna  di  Roma,  20  miles  south  of  Ostia,  on  the  other  side  of 
the  Tiber.  It  is  objected  that  Civita  Vecchia  is  too  unwhole- 
some :  But  the  method  to  make  this  a  healthy  country,  is  cer- 
tainly to  people  and  till  it  '.veil,  and  drain  the  marshes  by  canals. 


210         TRAVELS  OF  THE  REV.  ALB  AN  BUTLER. 

Leghorn,  while  a  village,  in  a  country  covered  with  dead  waters, 
was,  it  is  said,  as  unhealthy,  before  the  grand  duke  Ferdinand 
drained  it  by  the  canal  from  Pisa,  &c.,  and  made  the  place  full 
of  inhabitants.  Sixtus  V.  before  his  death,  beo;an  to  drain 

*  O 

some  marshes  in  the  Campagna  di  Roma,  by  which  the  terri- 
tories of  Sezze  and  Piperne  were  enlarged,  and  the  air  of  Ter- 
racina  much  improved,  W as  not  the  marsh  of  Pontin  drained, 
and  filled  with  24  villages,  by  Cethegus,  and,  when  again  over- 
flowed, made  dry  by  Thecdoric  the  Gotli  ?  Hercules,  first  duke 
ef  Ferrara,  dried  up  the  Samaritan,  the  Lambertes,  the  Poggia, 
Such  works  would  improve  in  every  respect  the  territories  of 
Ravenna,  of  Bologna,  and  especially  of  Ferrara,  as  well  as  this 
side  of  Italy.  As  it  is,  the  climate  of  Italy,  especially  of  Rome, 
requires  precautions,  being  very  hot  in  the  summer  months, 
and  sharp  in  winter,  though  not  so  cold  as  with  us ;  yet  even 
the  summer  nights  are  too  cool.  But  the  air  of  part  of  Rome, 
viz.  near  St  John  of  Lateran's  (and  towards  the  Vatican  too, 
though  not  to  the  same  degree)  is  extremely  unhealthy,  parti- 
cularly to  strangers.  The  Piazza  di  Spana  and  Monte  Ca- 
vallo  are  very  healthy  quarters.  If  an  inhabitant  of  this  side 
of  Rome  were  but  to  ly  one  night  on  the  other  side  of  the  city, 
it  would  cost  him  his  life  in  the  summer  months.  Even  of 
those  who  are  accustomed  to  that  bad  air  many  die,  and  all  the 
rest  during  the  heats  always  look  as  yellow  as  if  they  had  the 
jaundice,  and  like  men  hi;lf  dead.  But  the  air  is  still  more 
pernicious  out  of  Rome,  towards  the  sea  ;  the  few  inhabitants 
of  that  country  dying  during  the  heats  as  if  thu  plague  were 
ra'my  amono-st  them,  and  the  survivors  exhibiting  images  of 

&         O  O  *  O  ^J 

death.  Some  who  are  well  acquainted  with  that  coast,  and 
are  good  judges,  assured  me  that  from  Porto  Ercole,  the  an- 
cients port  of  Hercules,  to  beyond  Terracina,  over  Conet,  Ci- 
vita  Vecchia,  Ostia,  and  the  coast  of  the  Campagna  di  Roma, 
which  is  above  150  miles  in  length,  there  are  not  8000  inha- 
bitants, though  above  40,000  country  men  have  come  into  it 
out  cf  Lombardy,  some  otten  from  Parma,  £cc.  to  till  this 
waste  ground  :  They  who  survived  returned  again  into  their 
own  countries  when  they  had  reaped  a  harvest.  Some  attri- 
bute this  unwhclesoaaeness  of  the  air  to  the  great  quantities 


Clap.  X.  A  TOUR  FROM  FLORENCE  TO  ROME.  211 

of  vipers,  which  dying  there  must  infect  the  atmosphere  in  the 
heats  :  others  to  the  stench  of  sinks,  and  the  muddy  waters  of 
the  Tiber,  which  is  always  dirt 7  as  a  puddle.  A  fourth  class 
are  of  opinion,  that  the  deadly  quality  of  the  climate  is  owing 
to  the  woods  being  cut  down,  which  they  imagine  intercepted 
anciently  the  noxious  vapours  from  the  marshes.  The  true 
reason  is,  ("as  the  most  intelligent  persons  in  Rome  agree,  and 
observation  makes  manifest)  the  small  number  of  inhabitants, 
joined  with  the  dead  stinking  waters  and  marshes,  with  infec- 
tious exhalations  from  a  mineral  soil,  or  vipers  carcasses,  and  an 
air  very  thick  and  almost  dead.  Were  there  inhabitants  enough, 
their  fires,  mills,  the; r  tilling  the  earth,  and  continual  motion 
in  such  things,  would  agitate,  purify,  and  rarify  this  grcss  dead 
atmosphere.  We  see  those  parts  of  Rome  that  are  well  inha- 
bited are  very  healthy.  In  the  present  circumstances  a  stranger 
must  use  these  precautions,  never  to  drink  cold  water,  never 
to  have  the  windows  open  in  the  night,  or  be  out  of  doors  long 
at  a  time  before  the  sun  is  well  risen,  or  any  time  after  it  is 
set.  The  sun,  when  considerably  above  the  horizon,  raises 
the  poisonous  exhalations  or  vapours  too  high  to  be  hurtful  to 
mankind.  On  the  side  of  the  Dominicans  church  della  Mi- 
nerva, are  engraven  these  admonitions,  respecting  the  air  of 
the  Campagna  di  Roma. 

Enecat  insolitos  resldentes  pessimus  acr 

Romatms  ;  solitcs  non  bene  gr.it us  habct. 

ITic  tu  qv.o  vivas,  lux  septima  det  raediciRani, 

Absit  odor  fccdus,  sitque  labor  levior. 

Pelle  famem,  frlgus  ;  fructu«,  luxumque  relinque  j 

Ntc  placeat  gelido  fonte  levare  skim. 

During  the  heats,  most  people  leave  the  towns  here,  as  wclla-i 
in  the  south  of  France,  and  all  warm  clirmtes  ;  yet  I  saw  seve- 
ral English  and  French  gentlemen  in  Rome,  who  said  they  had 
lived  many  years  in  that  city,  without  experiencing  the  least 
indisposition;  and  there  are  as  many  in  Rome  of  a  great  age 
as  in  Paris  or  London,  or  more  in  proportion,  though  not  so 
many  as  in  northern  or  temperate  parts „  A.  regular  life  is  a 
great  point  any  where. 


212         TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALB AN  BUTLER . 


CHAPTER     ELEVENTH. 

CIVIL  AND  ECCLESIASTICAL  STATE  OF  ROME, 

Papa!  Territories. — Their  want  of  Cultivation. — Productions. — Degeneracy  of  tiie 
Romans.— Coins. — Military  Strength. — Revenue-;  of  the  Pope. — Roman  Gran- 
dec?. — Their  Abstemiousness. — Wines  of  the  Ancient  Romans. — Election  of 
the  Pope. — Character  of  Pope  Benedict  Xi  V. — Cardinals — The  different  Dig- 
nitaries of  the  Church. — Conclave. — The  Consistory. — The  Court  of  Inqni-i- 
tion. — Court  of  Chancery. — The  Ptnitentionary  Court. — Great  Officers  of  t!,e 
Papal  Court. — Court  of  the  Rota. — Military  and  Civil  Government. — Solemn 
Oificcs  of  Religion  during  Passion  Wetk  and  Easter  Sunday. 


ROME, 

^JTuE  ECCLESIASTICAL  STATE,  or,  Papal  Territories,  compre- 
hends Latium,  now  commonly  called   the    Campagna  di  Roma, 
extending  to   the   kingdom    of  Naples  ;  the  Patrimony  of  Si 
Peter,  the  donation  of  the  Countess   MAUJ)  ;    the  dutchiei  of 
f'ipdleto,   Utlin,  and  i'errara  ;  the  Marquisate  of  slnconu  ;   the 
Bounty  of  Avignon,  in  France  ;   ?nd    the  dtitcliy  and  bishopric 
of  Beueventum  in  the   kingdom   of  Naples,   \\hich   consists  of 
no  more  than   12  villages,  besides    the  city   of  Beneventnm, 
and  was  given  by  the  Emperor  Henry  ill.    to    Pope  Leo  IX. 
his  kinsman,   in    exchange  for  a  yearly  tribute   -which   the  city 
of  Bambcrg  in' Germany  was   obliged  to  pay  to  the  Holy  See. 
These  territories,  (exclusive  of  Beneventum  and  Avignon,)  are 
^co  miles  in  length,  and  near  ice  broad,  and  contain  ab:.ve  t;o 
bishoprics,  and  a  million  and  a  half  of  souls.      They  l;e   ;/.i   tfu: 
Adriatic  on  one  side,  conveniently  situated  for  the  trr,cle  cf  the 
Levant ;  and  on  the  Tuscan  sea  on  the  other,  no  less  advanta- 
geously situated  for  the   commerce  of  the  Ponente,  it   Civit;i 
Vecehia  had  a  port  as  well  deepened  as  that  of  Ancono.  :    Nei- 
ther coast,   however,  will  afford  a   secure   harbour  ior   men- 
of-war.      Galleys  lie  at  Civita  Yeeehia.      Ills   holiness    has  in 
his  dominions  the  mouths  of  the  two   largest  rivers*  in   I  tar, , 
the  Po  and  the  Tiber  ;  ye;  \vith  the  exceptic:1.  of  an  inconsider- 
able trade  carried  oil  at  Bologtia,  a:y.l  in  a  it'vv   ether  tovvriji  c-:A 


Chap.  XL    CIVIL  AND  ECCLESIASTICAL  STATE*  OF  ROME.      2*3 

that  side,  there  is  no  commerce  in  his  dominions,  nor  any  m?> 
nufactures,  not  even  of  silk  ;  the  Romans  being  obliged  to  pur- 
chase everything  of  the  Genoese,  Tuscans,  Venetians,  &c.  In 
Rome  no  professions  flourish  except  those  of  painters,  carvers, 
and  goldsmiths,  ckc .  ;  yet  how  easy  would  it  be  to  plant  mul- 
berry trees,  and  breed  silk- worms,  as  we  see  done  in  the  more 
northern  parts  of  Italy  ?  The  soil  is  every  where,  except  in 
the  Appenines,  extremely  good,  and  yields,  if  tilled,  abundance 
of  corn,  wine,  and  olives  j  and  indeed  many  of  the  wines  pro- 
duced near  Rome  are  esteemed  the  best  of  Italy,  though  the 
I'ino  Latino  is  of  a  Very  inferior  quality.  But  if  is  surprising 
to  see  how  small  a  part  of  such  fruitful  land  is  tilled.  Butter, 
and  especially  cheese,  are  exceedingly  good  and  plentiful. 
The  duchy  of  Spoleturn  and  other  places  abound  in  fine  large 
cattle  ;  sheep  and  goats  are  every  where  numerous  j  the  woods 
in  the  Campagna  di  Roma,  towards  Terracina,  are  fall  of  pro- 
digious large  boars  ;  and  the  flesh  of  this  animal  is  common  and 
cheap  in  th.;  shambles  in  Rome,  as  a] so  in  Naples  and  Tus- 
cany, and  is  sweeter  and  better  than  in  Germany,  because  in 
most  pbces  here  the  boars  feed  on  chesnuts.  The  Campagna 
breed  of  horses  is  scarce  inferior  to  that  of  Naples. 

These  states  have  many  lakes  ;  that  of  Perusia,  abounding 
most  ia  fish  of  any  in  Italy  ;  those  of  Bolseiia,  Brassiana,  Vice, 
Sublaco  ;  and  the  lesser  ones  of  JMonte  Rosi,  Baccano,  Albano, 
ice.  Notwithstanding  these*,  and  many  other  great  advan- 
ta-'-es,  this  country,  which  once  resembled  a  populous  city, 
owarminr  with  inhabitants,  is  now  thinly  peopled  and  very 
poor  ;  t'ae  people  indolent,  though  descended  of  the  most  labo- 
rious ancestors.  I  smilc'd  to  hear  them  boast  of  their  prc- 
gei.itcns,  and  ailcct  to  be  the  posterity  of  those  great  mm 
who  we  know  were  called  from  the  plough  to  be  dictators,  CtiuJ 
vvLc  often  took  their  names  from  excelling  in  some  branch  cl 
•.'.«rricultur.',  as  £\sFiibii  from  beans ;  the  PL  ones  from  pease  ; 
she  Ltr.tu'.i  from  kntiles  ;  the  Cicero::es  from  I-'t-tcke.r,  &.c. 
Xow  t.hs  ambition  of  a  vulgar  Roman  is  to  be  servant  to  some 
nobleman  ;  ur  of  thos-j  who  aim  a  little  higher,  to  \\ear  a  long 
bind,  and  ceremony  suit,  in  the  service  of  a  cardinal,  and  M 
vv  ait  all  day,  one  oa  er.ch  side  of  the  door  of  his  eminence*:? 


214  TRAVELS  OF    REV.    ALBAN   BUTLER. 

chamber  and  anti-chamber,  to  draw  and  undraw  the  cortinc, 
•when  any  one  goes  in  or  out,  and  to  walk  i:i  a  slow,  majestic 
pice  by  the  coach  windows,  when  their  master  goes  abroad. 
Such  ancestors  are  disgraced  by  so  degenerate  a  posterity. 

Malo  pater  tibi  sit  Thyrsites,  dummodo  tu  sis 
./Eacidse  simris,  Vulcaniaque  arma  capessas, 
Qipm  te  Tliyrsite  similera  producat  Achilles 

JUVENAL,   Sat.  8.  v.  2uo. 

It  is  not  surprising  that  the  number  of  beggars  should  be 
great  over  all  Italy,  and  especially  at  Rome  ;  for  the  extraordi- 
nary liberality  and  charity  of  the  opulent,  especially  of  the  prc-- 
iates  and  princes,  and  the  many  rich  hospitals,  tend  to  encourage 
this  mean  disposition  in  a  people  who  find  they  can  live  better 
in  sloth  than  by  labour  and  industry.  To  give  to  the  poor, 
or  to  the  church,  money  seems  never  to  fail,  yet  it  certainly 
is  a  very  rare  commodity  over  the  whole  of  the  ecclesias- 
tical state,  and  no  where  so  much  so  as  in  Rome,  where 
all  debts  are  paid  in  paper  bills  on  the  Mount  or  Bank,  none  of 
which  ar,e  for  less  than  10  crowns;  and  it  is  extremely  difficult 
to  get  them  changed  into  specie,  nor  can  it  be  done  without 
paying  considerably  for  it. 

The  most  common  coins  in  Italy  at  present  are  sequins,  a 
gold  piece  worth  21  Pauls  :  Pauls  or  Julies  are  so  called  from, 
Julius  II.  and  Paul  V.,  who  first  coined  them.  A  Paul  13 
•worth  about  10  sols  French,  and  a  sequin  about  10  livres. 
The  Pope  has  ordered  his  sequins  to  be  t\vo  grains  under 
•weight,  to  keep  them  in  his  own  dominions  ;  yet  they  go  out, 
though  with  loss  every  where  except  at  Genoa. 

The  country  was  formerly  filled  with  robbers  and  murderers  ; 
but  Sixtus  V.  Clement  VIII.  and  Clement  XII.  have  by  their 
laws  nearly  extirpated  that  race  :  The  Iraues  and  stittets  are  now 
greatly  out  of  fashion,  nor  are  the  roads  infested  with  banditti. 

The  pope  has  no  fortresses  of  considerable  strength  on  his 
frontiers.  He  keeps  few  soldier::,  except  the  small  garrison  of 
the  castle  of  St  Angelo,  and  his  own  guards,  who  are  horse, 
foot,  and  Swiss.  They  have  the  best  pay  of  any  soldiers  in 
the  world,  and  nctMru-  to  do  for  if.  The  Su2ni?b  and  Austrian 


Ghap.  XL    CIVIL  AND  ECCLESIASTICAL  STATE  OP  ROME.       215 

armies,  by  passing  and  re-passing,  have  ruined  the  ecclesiastical 
states,  especially  the  Austrians,  who  did  not  pay  for  forage, 
as  the  Spaniards  did.  The  pope  repents  he  did  not  arm  io,coo 
men,  and  oppose  their  entering  into  his  territories. 

His  Revenues  from  his  estates  amount  to  above  two  millions 
of  crowns  a-year  :  Those  arising  from  taxes,  are  of  various 
kinds: — the  Custom-house,  or  Dogana  of  Home,  is  usually 
farmed  out  for  nine  years  at  once,  at  about  35,000  crowns  a- 
year  : — the  salt  (made  at  Civita  Vecchia,  and  Camachia,  in  the 
duchy  of  FerraraJ,  at  8y6o  crowns  a-year, — and  innumerable 
other  impositions.  Besides  money  arising  from  bulls,  dispen- 
sations, &c.  ;  great  sums  are  also  drawn  from  Spain,  Portugal, 
£-c.  Pope  Pius  IV.  received  from  Spain  in  six  years,  14  mil- 
lions of  crowns.  But  then  his  Holiness  grants  great  pensions 
to  cardinals  and  colleges,  missions,  and  nuncios  ;  and  the  salaries 
of  his  numerous  officers  of  court  amount  to  prodigious  sums. 
His  nuncio  with  the  emperor,  at  Venice,  and  in  Poland,  have 
each  320  crowns  a-month  ;  in  France,  145;  in  the  German 
prince's  court,  130  each,  &c 

The  Roman  princes  display  great  magnificence  in  their  pa- 
laces, but  not  at  their  table.  The  cardinals  are  still  more 
splendid  in  their  equipage,  ceremonies  of  honour,  &.c.,but  scarce 
any  keep  a  great  table  :  they  eat  well  enough,  but  sparingly, 
and  without  pomp  :  I  must  except  Cardinal  Aquaviva,  who, 
enjoying  a  plentiful  income  of  about  $o,oool.  Sterling  a-year, 
from  his  own  rich  patrimony  in  Naples,  and  his  salaries 
from  the  courts  of  Spain  and  Naples,  of  both  which  he  is 
ambassador,  thinks  it  becomes  his  rank  to  live  in  a  style  of 
corresponding  magnificence :  In  every  thing  he  is  the  first  in 
Home,  except  in  his  palace  ;  and  his  language,  stature,  and  ma- 
jestic air,  distinguish  him  among  the  other  cardinals  still  more 
than  his  attendants.  The  Romans  are  very  ceremonious,  and 
count  their  steps,  (this  is  not  to  be  taken  strictly),  according 
to  the  quality  of  the  persons  they  are  to  salute  ;  but  they  do 
this  with  a  becoming  freedom,  without  any  of  that  stiffness  or 
affectation,  which  characterises  the  Spanish  ceremonious  gran- 
cleur,  and  in  some  degree  prevails  in  the  court  of  Vienna : 
than,  vrhic-h  nothing  can  b2  more  contemptible,  nor  more  dero- 


110  TRAVELS    OF   REV.  ALB  AN  BUTLER. 

gatory  of  the  real  dignity  of  a  court :  The  Italian  grandees  are 
extremely  courteous,  and  the  ceremony  they  use  is  becoming, 
and  so  easy,  ns  scarcely  to  be  perceived  :  It  must  be  owned, 
however,  that  the  slow  pace  in  which  the  cardinals  coaches 
usually  drive  appears  somewhat  affected. 

The  Italians  are  still  more  sober  in  drinking   than  in  eating, 
Though  they  have  good  wines  of  their  own,   and  some  present 
the  best  French  Burgundy  at  their  tables,  yet  they  usually  tem- 
per them  with  a  great  deal  of  water,  and  in  summer  drink  them 
with  ice  or  snow  ;  a  very  unwholesome  practice  !   Many  mer- 
chants, especially  in  Naples,  gain  estates  by  their  magazines  of 
snow,  which  is  kept  in  cold  caves.    The  old  Romans,  during  the 
flourishing  times  cf  the  Republic,  were  most  abstemious,    and 
and  drank  chiefly  water,  at  most  mixed  with  one  third  part  of 
wine,  and  vinegar,  (by  which  probably  was  meant  sour  wine) 
was  the  common  drink  of  the  armies  :  LUCULLUS  first  introdu- 
ced luxury  into  Rome,  both  in  his  equipage  and  at  his  table.  The 
Romans,  then  masters  of  the  world,  and  their  nobles  greater  and 
richer  than  sovereigns,  they  could  not  resist  the  temptations  of 
enjoying  those  pleasures  immense  wealth  procures,  not  longer 
confine  themselves  to  their  forefathers  farms  aTid  laborious  tem- 
perate lives.  Caesar's  supper,  cm  occasion  of  his  triumph,  is  the 
first  at  which  mention  is  made  of  four  different  wines  being  on 
the  table  at  once;  viz.  those  of  Falerno,  Chios,  Lesbos,  and  of 
Messena  in  Sicily  :    But  by  that  time  drinking  had  become  mod- 
ish in  Rome,  and  made  such  a  progress,  that  it  produced  the 
oreatest  monsters  the  world  ever  saw,  for  every  vice  that  can 
disgrace  human  nature  ;  witness  Tiberius,  Caligula,  Helioga- 
bulus,  &cc.,  in  whom  pride,  lust,  cruelty,  and  debauchery,  joined 
\vith  riches  and  power,  shewed  what  human  nature  is  capable  of, 
-,vhen  abandoned  to  itself,  and  when  reason  is  subdued  by  passion. 
I  was  a  little  curious  to  discover  the  taste  of  Horace,   and 
other  great  men  among  the  Roman   topers,  and  to   try  the 
\vines  I  had  so  often  met  with  in  their  writings.     But  the  soil 
and  nature  of  the  vines   must  be   very  much   changed   since. 
Falerno  is  in   the  vicinity  of   Puzzoli  in  the  kingdom  of  Na-- 
pies,  and  near  the  road  from  Rome  to  that  town  :     Its  wines 
%vere  esteemed  by  the  Romans  above  all  others :    It  was  a 


Chap.  XI.   CIVIL  AND  ECCLESIASTICAL  STATE  OF  ROME. 

rough  strong  wine,  and  heavy  upon  the  stomach,  according  to 
Galen,  b.  i.  Massicum,  a  mountain  and  cape,  joining  Falerno, 
now  Monte  Martica,  (part  of  it  called  Rocca  di  Mondragone) 
vva.s  esteemed  by  the  Romans  second  to  Falerno  for  its  wines, 
which  Athenaeus  says  were  not  drinkable  till  10  years  old.  Ca- 
tenum,  now  Carinola,  joins  to  Masso  or  Marsico,  and  its  wine 
was  much  milder  than  that  of  Falerno,  and  agreed  betterwith  the 
stomach,  according  to  Athenaeus.  Ccecubum,  10  miles  beyond 
lerraciua,  produced  a  very  generous,  strong-bodied  wine,  but 
prejudicial  to  the  head,  and  not  fit  for  the  table,  till  many  years 
old.  Fonnite,  now  Mo!a,  near  Cajeta,  was  also  celebrated  for 
its  wines  :  There  were  some  sweet  and  mild  wines  of  falerno 
growing  towards  the  top  of  the  hill ;  and  called  sometimes,  the 
one  Gauranum,  the  oilier  Fuustinianuffi ;  not  in  so  great  e^tc-em 
as  the  sharp  Falernian  growing  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain  ;  as 
Pliny  tells  us,  b.  14.  c  6.,  where  he  prefers  even  to  Fulcr-nan 
the  Puc'ne  wine,  growing  on  a  hill  of  that  name  between  Aqai- 
leia  andTrieste  in  the  state  of  Venice  ;  but  which  produced  only 
a  few  flasks,  sufficient  for  a  rarity  to  the  emperor's  court  ;  and 
so  noes  not  occur  in  Horace,  &.c.  The  Se  'uunx,  from  Sezzi 
near  Terracina,  in  the  Pope's  dominions,  was  regarded  by  them 
as  the  most  wholesome  ;  and  the  favourite  liquor  of  Augustus 
and  succeeding  emperors.  Plinycomplains  that  the  Ccecubum  had 
fallen  off  even  in  his  time,  thro'  the  negligence  of  the  husband- 
men, but  chiefly  in  consequence  of  a  navigable  ditch  made  by  Nero 
from  Baiae  to  Ostia  ;  and  that  the  Faternian  had  also  begun  to  de- 
cay by  neglect  of  the  vintners,  who  preferred  plenty  to  a  good 
grape.  At  present  these  wines  are  much  altered.  I  met  with 
some  lovers  of  Horace  in  Rome,  vvhohad  often  tasted  them  all 
as  they  now  grow.  The  hill  Fate  no  still  retains  its  old  name  : 
Its  wine,  and  that  of  Marsica,  Carniola,  Mola,  gtc.  are  still  good, 
but  by  no  means  of  superior  delicacy  ;  much  better  grows  near 
Rome;  tho'  not  indeed  of  a  body  to  be  kept  10  years,  or  for  a  man's 
life,  as  formerly*.  The  best  wineof  Italy  at  present  is  thatof.5a.f- 
sano,  in  the  territory  of  Venice  :  near  Rome,  that  of  CastelGon- 
dolfo  is  the  best  white  wine  :  Monte  Portico  is  scarce  inferior  to 
it,  being  strong-bodied,  mild,  rather  than  rough,  and  friendly  to 

*  Vide  Horace,  B.  .3.  Ode  31.    Athenauis,  &c. 

b 


Il8          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

the  stomach.  Magnaguerra  is  by  some  looked  upon  as  the  best 
red  :  slibano,  both  white  arid  red,  is  excellent  near  Gondolfo. 
Moscatello  is  sweet,  and  in  the  highest  repute.  Marsico, 
from  Naples,  is  very  good,  and  deserves  to  be  tasted  for  Ho- 
race's sake,  whose  cellars  were  always  furnished  with  it.  The 
win  Greco  di  Somma,  is  the  best  white  of  Naples,  and  grows  on 
part  of  mount  Vesuvius  ;  it  is  called  di  Somma,  from  a  castle 
of  that  name  ;  and  Greco,  because  that  part  of  Italy  was  called 
by  the  Romans  G  eat  Greece,  from  the  Greeks  who  inhabited 
it :  I  tula  nam  teilus  Grtecia  major  erat.  Ovid.  The  Lcicnma  of 
Naples  is  the  finest  sweet  wine,  and  of  a  red  colour  :  It  differs 
very  much  from  the  French  Muscat  of  Provence  and  Langue- 
cloc  ;  and  does  not  possess  their  smartness. 

The  inhabitants  of  ROME  are  in  general  rather  poor:  But  there 
is  always  a  great  concourse  of  strangers  from  every  part  of  Eu- 
rope, (many  of  whom  are  personages  of  high  rank)  :  Some  of 
these  are  attracted  to  this  celebrated  city  by  motives  of  devotion  ; 
others  for  the  sake  of  improvement  ;  and  many  from  mere  curi- 
osity: There  are  also  many  noble  Roman  families,  and  not  a  few 
from  Naples,  Genoa,  &cc.  who  constantly  reside  in  Romp. 

The  Pope  is  absolute  and  despotical.  When  he  dies,  the 
Cardinal  Cameriingue,  or  Chamberlain,  breaks  immediately  the 
Papal  seal,  the  faker's  ring,  because  the  expediting  of  bulls,  &.c. 
ceases  till  the  election  of  a  new  Pontiff.  He  then  sends  expresses 
to  absent  cardinals,  and  Catholic  princes.  The  late  Pope's  obse- 
quies continued  nine  days  :  On  the  tenth  the  cardinals  enter  the 
Conclave,  each  having  a  cell  usually  in  a  commodious  quarter 
of  the  Vatican  palace  :  These  cells  are  constructed  of  boards, 
and  the  cardinals  draw  lots  for  them.  Every  cardinal  has  two, 
(a  cardinal-prince  three)  conclavists,  for  serving  him,  and  who 
must  be  shut  up  with  him.  The  governor  of  Rome  and  the 
princes  see  the  conclave  close  guarded  ;  the  very  dishes  of 
meat  (which  are  introduced  into  the  cells  through  a  hole  in  the 
door)  are  strictly  searched;  and  every  precaution  is  taken  to  pre- 
vent any  intercourse  whatever.  But  the  cardinals  have  times  for 
conferring  together,  and  they  meet  daily  in  the  chapel  to  the  scru- 
tit.i,  where  each  puts  into  a  chalice  a  ticket,  having  the  name  of 
the  person  he  votes  for,  with  his  own  name  on  the  back,  but  co- 


Clap.  XI.    CIVIL  AND  ECCLESIASTICAL  STATE  OF  ROME.       2Ip 

vered  and  sealed.  The  first  cardinal-deacon  reads  the  tickets 
aloud,  and  the  person  who  is  legally  chosen  must  have  two  thirds 
of  the  votes.  If  after  many  days  they  cannot  agree  in  the 
election,  they  take  a  second  method,  called  access,  in  which  they 
endeavour  by  a  friendly  conference  to  unite  their  votes  ;  but 
in  the  access  no  cardinal  can  give  his  vote  for  the  same  candi- 
date for  whom  he  voted  in  the  scrutiny.  There  is  a  third  me- 
thod by  inspiration  or  acclamation  ;  \vhcn  a  cardinal,  knowing 
he  has  two  thirds  for  the  same  person,  cries  out,  susb  a  one  is 
Pope  ;  which  is  repeated  by  the  rest.  The  elect  then  receives 
the  homage  of  the  cardinals,  who  kiss  his  feet.  He  is  afterwards 
carried  tc  St  Peter's,  and  placed  in  a  chair  upon  the  altar,  when 
all  again  kiss  his  slipper. 

This  ceremony  of  kissing  the  Pope's  feet,  seems  to  Protestants 
an  indication  of  his  pride  ;  yet  in  its  origin,  and  other  circum- 
stances attending  it,  others  see  proofs  of  his  humility.  His- 
tory we  know  furnishes  examples  even  of  emperors  and  princes 
(how  much  more  of  others  ?)  who  visiting  the  holy  see,  would 
pay  this  mark  of  devotion  to  one  whom  they  viewed  in  the 
sacred  character  of  VICAR  of  JESUS  CHRIST  ?  And  the  Popes, 
not  to  discourage  an  act  of  religion  so  commendable  in  its  mo- 
tive, and  yet  at  the  same  time  to  shew  that  it  is  not  to  them 
it  is  due,  but  to  HIM  whose  servants  they  are,  have  a  c,  oss 
formed  on  their  slippers,  (which  are  of  a  rich  red  cloth)  for  the 
faithful  to  kiss.  Indeed,  if  the  Scripture  declares  the  feet  of 
those  blessed  who  announce  God's  word, — If  devout  persons 
have  often  reverenced  the  ground  which  holy  men  trod  upon, 
— May  it  not  be  an  act  of  piety  and  virtue  to  kiss  the  feet  of 
our  chief  pastor  ?  And  cannot  he  have  virtue  to  suffer  it 
without  haughtiness  and  pride  ?  A  man  may  bs  proud  or 
humble  himself,  with  or  without  honour  :  And  no  men  have 
exhibited  greater  signs  of  humility  than  most  of  the  Popes  have 
done  ;  indeed,  I  have  myself  seen  his  present  holiness  shew  the 
greatest  affability  and  brotherly  affection  to  the  meanest  soldier 
or  pilgrim  who  wished  to  pay  him  this  mark  of  respect. 

Protestants  are  also  shocked  that  the  Pope,  when  he  comes  to 
the  church  door,  should  be  seated  in  a  splendid  chair,  and  carried 
on  mens  backs. — Are  not  people  carried  in  chairs  by  men  in  Lon- 

O  2 


22O        TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

don,  Paris,  &cc.  ?      The  pope  indeed  is  carried  higher,  his  chair 
being  upon  poles  placed  on  mens  shoulders.    This  however  does 
not  proceed  from  any  affectation  of  superior  dignity,,  but  that  he 
may  see  and  givehis  benediction  to  the  people1;  and  that  they  also 
may  see  at  least  hi.s  head  as  he  passes.    Did  not  the  old  Roman 
soldiers  usuallyraise  a  new  ernperor,  sometimes  even  governors, 
and  carry  them  on  t/.rir  shoulders,  to  shew  them  to  the  people? 
The  present  Pope  would  c,l^d]  v  dispense  with  this  ceremony,  3nd  he 
keeps  his  eyes  bunt,  being  affrighted  to  see  himself  elevated  so 
high  ;  but  b.e  gives  his  benediction  on  both  sides,  as  lie  is  carried 
through  the  church  on  all   great   days   in  which   he  officiates. 
These  ceremonies  are  at  least  older  than  Pope  Gclasius  I.,  as 
appears  by  an  old  Roman  order  of  his  time,  quoted  by  Pighius. 
Some  days  after  the  election,   the   Pope  is  crowned  by  the 
first  cardinal  deacon    in  the  great  porch  before  St  Peter's,  and 
then  he   goes   in  a  solemn   procession  to  take  possession  of  S" 
Jvhn   of   Lateran.      He  always  wears   a   kind  of  robe  or  stole, 
;;:id    C  await,  and  commonly  a  red  calotte  :    In  church  he  use:, 
a  mitre.    His  crown  is  called  a  tiara,  or  triple  crown.    Crowns 
were   originally  merely  ribands  or  fillets  round  the  head,  tied 
behind  :  afterwards,  rings  of  metal  surrounding  the  head  ;   at 
last,  kir-gs  added  other  ornaments,  semicircles,  &:c  in  which  the 
crov/n  of  every  kingdom  differs.     The  Popes  have  three  such 
ritns,   one  above  the  other,  at  a  small  distance,  enriched  wi'Ji 
ether  ornaments,  and  many  jewels. 

The  present  Pope  Benedict  XIV.  is  now  ^r  years  old,  hav- 
ing been  born  in  167  5,  in  the  Bolognese,  and  elected  pope  in 
3740.  I  Li.-  is  oi  a  low  stature,  but  of  agraceful  presence,  verv 
courteous  ••lid  nrLble  ;  ?.  gr'  ai:  lover  of  jokes, — Pusquinc  thinks, 
sometimes  rather  too  much.  lie  is  a  very  good  canonist:,  and 
a  most  si  net  observer  of  ail  the  canons,  both  as  to  himself  and 
r,!-; j.'.'rs.  He  ii  exti?rrfely  active,  and  Ins  published  a.:i  infi- 
nite number  ot  constitutions  ;  so  many,  in  particular,  to  re- 
establish the  Caiioiv.;  nbout  Lent,  that  he  \vzs  teazed  to  cler;th 
aito'it  them  from  ,'Spui;;,  &c.  und  resolved  to  let  men's  bellies 
alone  for  tlie  future.  Indeed  they  are  scarcely  all  calculated 
Jor  every  part  <,f  t!:e  wot  Id.  For  example,  he  complains  of 
iiie  aorthcrnnatious  cr.ting  butter  and  cheese  in  Lent  ;  not  ad- 
ve;t;;:<v  vl^r  butter  J-  their  Gi:bctitute  for  oil;  as  Clement  XI  u 


Clap.  XI      CIVIL  AND  ECCLESIASTICAL  STATE  OF  ROME.       221 

very  justly  said  in  their  excuse.  He  is  very  devout,  always  vi- 
sits the  church  on  the  days  of  public  prayers,  uniformly  offi- 
ciates on  great  days,  and  performs  the  sacred  office  with  great 
recollection  ana  devotion. 

During  the  vacancy  of  the  holy  see,  the  three  chiefs  of  orders 
of  the  college  of  cardinals,  viz..  the  first  Cardinal-Bishop,  the 
first  Cardinal- Priest,  and  the  first  Cardinal-Deacon,  have  the 
care  of  the  regency  ;  bat  their  powers  are  greatly  circumscrib- 
ed by  various  laws. 

The  cardinals  enjoy  the  principal  cflic •::  a:rJ  authority  under 
the  pope.  In  the  reign  of  the  emperor  THE  JBOSIUS,  the  chief 
officers  of  the  empire  were  called  Cunli:iu!  (that  is  Principal} 
Governors,  &,c.  ;  in  like  manner,  the  priests  of  the  Titles,  (that 
is,  chief  churches  or  parishes)  in  Rome  were  called  Cardinal- 
Priests  ;  and  the  deacons,  who  had  care  of  the  principal  hospi- 
tals and  revenues  of  the  poor,  Cardinal- Deacons.  The  cardi- 
nal-priests made  up  the  Pope's  council  ;  and  ordinarily  one  of 
them  was  chosen  Pope.  They  and  the  cardinal-deacons  assist- 
ed him  at  the  altar  when  he  officiated.  Afterwards,  seven 
neighbouring  bishops,  viz.  of  Oatia,  Porto,  Sylva  Candida,  or  St 
Rufin,  Albano,  Sabina,  Frescati,  and  Palestine,  were  called  car- 
dinal-bishops, because  the  Pope  assumed  them  to  assist  him,  and 
officiate  in  his  place  in  Stjohn  of  Later  an,  alternatelv  each  week : 
7  he  id  and  3^!  of  these  sees  being  unite-.!,  there  are  now  only  six. 
Ihe  church  of  St  Mary  Major,  had  seven  cardinal-priests,  to 
officiate  in  turns  every  day  in  the  w-,,k,  viz.  the  cardinals  of 
SS.  Philip  and  James,  St  Cyriacus,  St  PucLutiaua,  St  Vital!-, 
SS.  Peter  and  Marcel!!  :us,  ai,d  St  Clement.  Si  Petet's  had  also 
seven,  viz.  of  St  Mary  beyond  the  Tiber,  St  Chvysogcvius,  St 
Cecily,  St  Anastasia,  St  Laurence  in  Damaso,  St  Mark,  and 
SS.  Martin  and  Silvester.  That  of  Sr  Paul  had  these  seven, 
viz.  of  St  Sabina,  St  prisca,  St  Baibi.<a,  SS.  Nerens  and  Aehil- 
leus,  St  Sixtu.^,  St  Marcellus  and  St  Susanna.  That  of  St 
Lawrence  without  the  walls,  had  abo  seven,  viz,,  of  St  Praxides, 
St  Peter  ad  vinciild,  St  Lawrence  in  Lucina,  SS.  f  jlin  and  Paul, 
SS.  Four  Crowned  Martyrs,  St  Stephen  on  mount  C.lio,  and. 
St  Cniirkus.  Hence  we  see  the  re-son  of  the  five  patriarchal 

Q3 


222          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

churches, — St  John  of  Lateran,  St  Peter,  St.  Mary  Major,  St 
Paul,  and  St  Lawrence  ;  and  of  six  cardinal-bishops,  and  the 
titles  of  28  cardinal-priests.  This  appears  from  an  old  manu- 
script-ritual in  the  Vatican,  quoted  by  Baronins  in  1057. 
There  were  14  titles  of  cardinal-deacons  ;  afterwards,  the  num- 
ber of  cardinals  was  increased  at  different  times,  and  21  new 
titles,  from  other  churches  in  Rome,  created  for  21  other  car- 
dinal-priests, who  came  in  all  to  be  49.  The  cardinal-deacons 
have  their  titles  from  other  churches  in  Rome,  as  St  Mary  in 
Cosmedin,  &c.  and  are  increased  to  19.  Thus  we  have  6  bi- 
shops, 49  priests,  and  19  deacons  ;  in  all  74  titles  of  cardinals, 
but  they  never  have  been  all  complete  at  once.  This  vnay  be 
seen  at  large  in  Onuphrius,  who  says  the  greatest  number  of 
cardinals  never  was  66  ;  but  this  number  depends  on  the  pope's 
discretion.  Cardinals  wear  purple,  a  red  calotte,  a  red  hat,  and, 
in  solemnities,  a  cassock,  rochette,  mahtelette,  cope,  &.c.  The 
colour  of  their  clothes  as  well  as  of  the  Pope's,  varies  in  different 
seasons  ;  being  sometimes  red,  at  other  times  of  the  colour  of 
a  dry  rose,  and  frequently  purple.  Regulars  always  wear  the 
colour  of  their  habit,  and  never  silk.  The  cardinals,  since  the 
year  1160,  by  consent  of  the  rest  of  the  clergy  of  Rome,  have 
alone  enjoyed  the  power  cf  electing  the  Pope  ;  to  put  an  end 
to  the  schisms  which  unprincipled  sovereigns  have  frequently 
created. 

When  the  Pope  creates  new  cardinals,  he  says  to  the  consis- 
tory, "  labetisfrxtres"  "  you  have  brothers".  The  cardinal- 
patron  then  presents  them  to  his  holiness,  who  gives  them  the 
red  calotte  or  cap  ;  but  does  not  give  them  the  hat  till  the  next 
consistory,  till  which  time  they  are  incognito,  and  do  not  pos- 
sess an  authority.  If  they  are  absent,  the  Pope  sends  them 
the  cap  by  one  of  his  domestic  prelates,  to  whom  the  car- 
dinal makes  a  handsome  present.  The  red  hat  they  never  re- 
ceive till  they  come  to  Rome  to  take  it  from  the  Pope's  hands. 
Long  ago  bishops  of  distant  sees  were  made  cardinal-priests,  or 
deacons  of  the  church  of  Rome.  There  are  at  present  62  car- 
als,  viz.  49  Italians,  and  13  foreigners:  besides  3  received  in 
petto,  and  5  vacant  caps,  amounting  in  all  to  70,  which  is  cal- 
ed  the  complement.  Some  of  these  are  men  of  learning,  as 


Clap.  XL    CIVIL  AND  ECCLESIASTICAL  STATE  OF  ROME.       223 

Quirini  &c.  others  are  created  for  governments,  &c.  Marini, 
a  Genoese,  is  the  only  cardinal  who  wears  a  wig  ;  and  a  most 
shabby  one  it  is.  Cardinal  Quirini  and  Tamburini  are  of 
the  Benedictine  order  :  Ruffo,  a  Neapolitan,  vice-chancellor  of 
the  church,  is  the  dean  and  bishop  of  Ostia  and  Velletri. 
Annibal  Albani  of  Urbino,  Subdean,  protector  of  Poland  and 
Switzerland.  Alexander  Albini,  protector  of  Savoy  and  Sar- 
dinia ;  and  of  the  hereditary  estates  of  the  house  of  Austria,  the 
German  colleges,  &c.  ;  a  man  little  esteemed  in  Rome,  though 
the  Romans  are  dust  ians.  Collonitz  of  Vienna,  protector  of 
Germany.  Trajano  Aquaviva,  Duke  of  Ain  in  Naples,  pro- 
tector of  Spain  and  Naples.  Riviera  of  Urbino  protector  of 
Scotland  :  Lante  protector  of  England.  Corsini  protector  of 
Portugal,  of  Ireland,  of  the  Dominicans,  &c. 

In  the  first  consistory  the  Pope  shuts  the  mouth  of  the  new 
mouth,  by  which  they 'lose  a  voice  active  and  passive,  and  can 
only  listen  in  humble  silence.  In  the  next  consistory,  he  re- 
stores to  them  the  right  of  delivering  their  sentiments,  after  ad- 
dressing them  in  a  discourse  on  die  duties. of  a  cardinal*. 

There  are  also  a  great  many  archbishops  and  bishops  in  par- 
tilus  iiifidelium  residing  in  Rome,  and  entrusted  with  various 
important  employments  ;  and  a  still  greater  number  of  pre- 
lates, a  clerical  dignity  that  qualifies  for  many  important  offi- 
ces in  this  court,  and  is  generally  a  step  to  higher-  honours  : 
They  have  a  right  to  be  addressed  by  the  title  of  Monsignor,  an 
appellation  also  claimed  by  the  canons  of  St  John  of  Lateran, 
and  St  Peter's,  as  well  as  by  many  officers  of  the  court :  On 
others  this  honour  is  conferred  by  his  holiness.  The  bishops 
assistants  of  the  throne,  whose  province  it  is  to  assist  at  the 
Pope's  side,  when  lie  celebrates  the  mass,  &.c.  are  now  above 
143,  chiefly  Italian  bishops,  some  in  partible.  Pope  Ur- 
ban VIII.  forbids  the  cardinals,  not  excepting  those  of  blood- 
royal,  to  assume  any  title  except:  that  of  Eminence  ;  and  also 
decrees  that  this  appellation  shall  exclusively  belong  to  cardi- 
nals and  electors  01  the  empire. 

The  congregations  by  whose  advice  snd  assistance  the  Pope 
governs  the  church,  are  :  The  Consistory,  or  Assembly  of  all 

*  See  Oauceuhrius,  Van  Espen,  &c. 

O  4 


2Z4  TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALB  AN  BUTLER. 

the  Cardinals  in  Rome,  in  presence  of  the  Pope  in  his  palace. 
At  the  ordinary  or  secret  Consistory,  none  are  present  but  car- 
dinals  ;  and  it  is  held  at  the  Pope's  pleasure,  but  generally  twice 
every  month.  The  extraordinary  Consistory  is  public,  and, 
besides  cardinals,  the  prelates  also,  and  foreign  ministers,  &.c. 
have  a  right  to  assist  at  it.  In  neither  is  any  thing  ever  decided, 
nor  any  sentence  pronounced  :  It  is  only  a  gracious  or  politi- 
cal court,  (as  the  supreme  council  of  princes  ought  to  be,)  for 
advice  or  information.  Consistorial  matters  are  the  bestowing 
of  patriarchal  and  episcopal  dignities,  proposing  the  names  of 
persons  to  be  created  cardinals,  promoting  clergymen  to  regu- 
lar benefices,  called  consistorial,  smaller  ones  being  conferred 
by  the  datary  alone.  The  cardinals  appear  in  the  consisto- 
ry in  their  solemn  robes  ;  and  it  is  the  most  august  court  in 
Rome,  resembling  an  assembly  of  kings.  It  is  generally  held 
on  a  Monday  morning.  Even  new  cardinals  kept  in  petto 
(that  is  in  the  breast,  petto  being  the  Italian  for  breast v  have 
b-:en  precognized  in  a  secret  Consistory.  The  Congregation  of 
tJje  CoJisistoty  examines  beforehand  points  to  be  proposed  in 
the  consistory. 

The  Congregation  of  the  Inquisition  consists  of  ten  cardi- 
nals, Cardinal  RnfFo,  dean  of  the  sacred  college,  is  secretary 
and  his  Holiness  himself  is  prefect.  Besides  these,  there  is  a 
Commissary  of  the  Inquisition,  who  is  the  ordinary  judge,  and 
always  a  Dominican  ;  an  assessor  to  the  commissary ;  at  pre- 
sent two  conventual  Franciscans  ;  and  six  divines  and  canonists, 
called  Consuhors,  among  whom  the  general  of  the  Dominicans, 
and  the  master  of  the  sacred  palace,  are  always  two.  There 
33  also  an.  advocate  for  the  accused,  and  a  notary.  This  con- 
gregation f.lonc  can  give  leave  to  read  forbidden  hooks,  accord- 
ing to  Pope  Gregory  XV. 's  bull,  Apostolatu?  offi<;ium.  It  as- 
sembles  in  the  Dominicans  con  vent  in  Minerva,  every  Wednes- 
day. The  consultors  are  heard  upon  every  thins,  and  an  ac- 
count of  all  their  proceedings  is  carried  to  the  Pope  for  his  sanc- 
tion, by  the  assessor.  The  same  congregation  meets  again  on 
Thursday  in  the  Pope's  palace,  he  presiding,  attended  only  by 
the  cardi;  als.  In  this  council  any  thing  of  greater  moment  is 
cair/i'-Sicd  a^am  in  his  holiness's  presence ;  for  in  such  the  cea- 


Chap.  XI.    CIVIL  AND  ECCLESIASTICAL  STATE  OF  ROME.       22J 

greation  on  Wednesday  never  pronounces,  but  leaves  it  to  his 
holiness,  who  pronounces  a  solemn  decree  :  And  this  is  proper- 
ly a  sentence  of  the  Pope. 

The  Congregation  oj  the  Index  is  to  prohibit  bad  books.  It 
consists  of  some  cardinals,  usually  six  or  seven  ;  a  secretary, 
who  is  always  a  Dominican,  and  who  signs  the  decree  with  the 
cardinal-prefect ;  a  fixed  consultor ;  the  master  of  the  sacred 
palace ;  Efnd  a  great  many  other  counsellors,  learned  divines  of 
all  orders.  Its  prefect  is  Cardinal  Quirini. 

The  Congregation  for  propagating  the  Faith  tekes  cognizance 
of  the  affairs  of  the  missions,  &c.  Its  prefect  is  Cardinal  Pe- 
tra.  That  of  Rite s  is  to  revise  all  that  regards  the  church- 
office.  Its  prefect  is  Cardinal  Marini.  That  of  interpretating  the 
Council  of  Trent,  merely  explains  the  laws  of  discipline;  but  can- 
not expound  the  decree  relating  to  faith.  That  over  the  affairs 
of  Bishops  and  Regulars,  solves  all  difficulties  which  are  pro- 
posed to  it,  either  concerning  bishops  or  regulars,  or  cases  of 
conscience,  complaints  against  superiors  or  inferiors,  disputes 
about  jurisdiction,  &c.  It  is  the  most  busy  of  any  of  the  con- 
p-resjations,  and  ij  composed  of  the  greatest  number  of  cardi- 

o      o  '  L  -^ 

dinals.  That  of  the  Examination  of  tie  new  Bishops  elected,  is 
composed  of  a  great  many  divines  and  canonists,  besides  the  car- 
dinals. There  are  also  Congregations  of  the  Residence  of  Bi- 
shops;  of  indulgences  ;  of  signatures  of  favour  ;  of  signatures 
of  justice  ;  of  discipline  of  regulars  ;  of  ecclesiastical  immuni- 
ties, &c.  Many  regard  the  ecclesiastical  state  only,  as  the  Con- 
gregation of  the  Apostolic  Visitation  ;  of  the  Fabric  of  St  Peter  ; 
of  Loretto,  &.c.  Several  are  for  temporal  affairs,  as  the  Con- 
sults, or  Consultation  from  the  magistrates  of  provinces ;  of 
the  commerce  of  Ancona  ;  of  the  waters  ;  of  the  streets  ;  huon 
governo,  or  of  the  government  of  the  ecclesiastical  state ;  of 
the  Tiber,  &.c. 

Besides  these  congregations,  there  are  various  great  offices 
belonging  to  the  government  of  the  church 

The  Chancery  minutes,  seals,  and  registers  all  affairs  of 
greater  importance,  as  bulls,  provisions  of  great  benefices,  &c. 
The  Chancellor  is  an  apellation  derived  from  cancellis,  the  bar, 
behind  which  he  stood  when  the  emperors,  gave  judgment,, 


226         TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

The  regent  of  the  chancery  revises  all  bulls,  &cc.  in  order  to 
detect  errors  that  may  have  inadvertently  crept  in.  He  is  a 
prelate,  and  his  post  is  very  important.  The  residents  de  mag- 
giore  Parco,  who  are  called  abbreviatores,  minute  the  bulls, 
and  decide  controversies  about  them.  The  rules  of  the  chan- 
cery must  be  renewed  by  every  Pope,  else  they  cease  to  be  of 
any  force  ;  of  course  they  are  often  changed.  The  dues  for 
bulls  and  provisions  of  benefices,  &.c.  are  also  fixed  by  his  ho- 
liness ;  and  all  the  abbreviatores,  plumbers,  revisers,  and  a 
hundred  others,  share  in  those  dues  and  emoluments,  annats, 
&.c.  The  cardinal-dean  Ruffo,  is  vice-chancellor.  He  is  al- 
ways lodged  in  the  chancery,  which  is  a  magnificent  palace, 
and  his  place  brings  him  15  or  16,000  crowns  a-year.  A  Ro- 
man crown  may  be  equal  to  an  English  crown.  The  cardinal 
secretary  of  state  is  Cardinal  Valenti  Gonzago,  of  the  vinfor- 
tunate  family  of  the  dukes  of  Mantua.  He  has  the  principal 
management  in  the  temporal  government  of  the  ecclesiastical 
state.  The  Empress,  suspecting  him  to  be  in  the  French  in- 
terest, has  (though  ineffectually)  pressed  the  Pope  to  have  him 
removed.  However,  she  has  confiscated  his  estate  in  the  Man- 
tuan. 

The  Penitentiary  Court  consists  of  a  cardinal,  called  Major 
Penitentiary,  who  is  the  pious  old  Cardinal  Petra ;  of  a  regent 
of  the  penitentiary,  (a  prelate)  of  a  divine  ;  a  datary,  to  sign 
the  date ;  of  a  canonist,  a  corrector,  and  a  sigillator,  all  pre- 
lates ;  with  four  secretaries  and  three  clerks.  The  cardinal-pe- 
nitentiary grants  the  dispensations  and  absolutions  for  occult 
crimes  and  irregularities,  when  the  repentance  is  such  as  deserves 
it  ;  also  for  occult  impediments  of  marriage  contracted,  vows, 
&.C..  But  for  all  public  crimes,  the  datary  alone  can  give  a  dis- 
pensation, and  those  given  by  the  penitentiary  are  invalid. 
All  the  members  of  the  penitentiary  bind  themselves  by  oath 
to  keep  secret  all  they  know  in  it  by  letters,  advice,  or  other- 
wise ;  and  also  that  they  will  never  receive  any  thing  besides 
their  salary,  not  even  a  free  gift  ;  if  they  do  otherwise,  they 
incur  the  penalty  of  simony  ;  for  every  thing  here  is  done 
gratis.  Nothing  can.  be  taken  even  for  paper,  wax,  or  clerks 


Chap.  XI.   CIVIL  AND  ECCLESIASTICAL  STATE  OF  ROME.     227 

trouble.     The   major  penitentiary's  salary  is   Soco  crowns  a- 
year. 

The  Qatar y  grants  benefices  reserved,  reservations  of  pen- 
sions on  them,  dispensations  in  marriages,  irregularities  from 
age,  bigamy,  &cc.  It  \vas  instituted,  in  order  that,  by  dating 
all  collations  of  benefices,  &cc.  they  might  not  be  granted  so  of- 
ten over.  Its  grants  are  always  taxed,  and  pass  through  the 
chancery  to  be  sealed  and  enregistereJ.  If  a  Cardinal  holds 
this  office,  he  is  called  Prodatctfy,  because  it  seemed  beneath 
a  person  of  his  dignity.  But  generally  the  place  is  not  in 
a  cardinal's  hands,  and  then  he  is  called  Datary  or  Datartus, 
and  is  a  prelate,  at  present  Mon  signer  Visconti.  The  sub- 
datary,  called  the  Pope's  datary,  is  a  canonist,  Monsignor  John 
James  Millo.  This  office  has  two  revisers  of  its  grants,  &c. 
and  was  formerly  a  part  of  the  penitentiary.  The  datary  may 
confer  benefices  when  they  do  not  exceed  24  ducats  a- year  ; 
for  greater  ones  he  consults  the  pope,  but  puts  the  date  to  the 
grant.  The  sub-datary,  or  pope's  datary,  reads  all  supplica- 
tions, writes  at  the  bottom  the  summary  of  each,  which  he 
gives  his  holiness  who  reads  only  that  summary,  and  grants  or 
refuses  accordingly. 

The  Secretary  of  Briefs  expedites  and  signs  all  briefs.  A 
brief  is  a  writing  in  smaller  matters,  on  paper  sealed  with  red 
wax,  with  the  fisher's  ring,  and  subscribed  by  the  secretary's 
seal.  A  bull  contains  more  solemn  decrees,  and  is  sealed  with 
lead.  Cardinal  de  Lucca  in  his  Relation  of  tie  Roman  Court, 
explains  these  matters  at  full  length. 

The  Prefect  of  tie  Signature  of  Justice  is  always  a  cardinal, 
and  his  appointments  are  IOC  gold  ducats  a  month.  He 
makes  the  rescripts  of  all  the  petitions,  and  of  all  the  commis- 
sions of  causes  of  justice,  Every  Thursday  this  is  done  in 
his  palace;  where  assist  12  prelates  referendaries,  who  give 
their  opinion  ;  and  all  the  other  referendaries,  each  of  whom 
may  propose  two  causes.  The  12  only  are  pre lati  votanti  del- 
la  signatura  di  giustitia.  Cardinal  Corsini,  a  Florentine,  is 
present  prefect. 

The  Prefect  of  the  Signature  of  Graces  or  Favours  signs  all 
the  petitions  a;:d  graces  the  pope  grants  in  the  congregations 


22,3          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

held  before  him  once  a-week.  It  is  Cardinal  Prosper  Co!onna 
of  Sciarra.  Kc  has  also  12  prelati  votanti,  &.c.  The  Ca •  dinal 
Camerlingue,  or  Chamberlain,  has  for  substitutes  the  clerks  of 
the  apostolical  chamber,  a  treasurer-general,  and  a  pres:dent. 
There  are  indeed  properly  three  presidents.,  one  over  the  do- 
gana,  or  customs,  one  over  the  streets,  corn,  &c.,  a  third  over 
the  waters  and  river  :  But  the  chief  under  him  is  an  auditor- 
general,  or  ordinary  judge;  the  next  is  the  treasurer-general. 
To  this  chamber  belong  the  commissary  of  the  army,  the  com- 
missary of  the  sea,  &cc.  The  Cardinal  Camerlingue  keeps  one 
key  of  the  treasure  in  the  castle  of  St  Angelo  ;  the  dean  of 
the  cardinals  another,  and  the  pope  a  third.  This  treasure  has 
sometimes  amounted  to  an  immense  sum,  but  has  of  late  been 
very  low.  In  the  vacancy  of  the  holy  see,  the  Camerlingue  re- 
sides in  the  Pope's  apartments  and  palace,  coins  money  under 
his  arms,  with  a  symbol  of  the  vacancy  of  the  see,  &c.  His  nr- 
nud  appointments  are  14,000  crowns.  This  court  regards 
only  the  revenues  and  exchequer. 

The  Master  of  tie  Pope's  Chamber,  Maestro  dj'.la  Camera, 
is  quite  different  from  the  apostolical  chamberlain.  He  is 
rrujor  domo  of  the  palace,  presides  over  the  servants.,  procures 
audiences,  &-c.  He  is  always  a  prelate,  r;t  present  Monsig- 
jior  Malvezzi,  a  Bologneze.  Cardinal  Colonna  is  pro- major- 
domo.  There  are  also  chamberlains  of  honour,  both  of  the  crown 


iV.c.,  is  always  a  Dominican  ;  he  liv-vs   in   the  pakce  with  two 
fathers  of  his  order,  and  has- his  table  and  coach. 

The  Pope's  Sacristan  Is  always  an  Augustine  friar.  Ha  has 
she  same  appointments  as  the  master  of  the  palace.  He  keeps 
the:  treasury  of  the  Pope's  chapel,  and  is  always  a  prelate  of  the 
Congregation  of  Indulgences  and  Relics  ;  the  present  is  Mon- 
si;;nor  Francis  Sylvester  Merani,  titular  buhop  of  Puryphry. 
Cardinal  Girolami,  a  Florentine,  is  prefect  of  the  congregation 
of  indulgences  and  rehcs.  Here  every  thing  is  transacted 
gratis,  as  in  the  penitentiary,  except  for  a  perpetual  indul- 
gence granted  to  a  place  ;  in  which  case  some  trifle  is  paid 
to  the  clerks.  The  pope's  four  masters  of  ceremonies  i emulate 
public  functions,  £ic  ;  they  wear  purple* 


Clap.  XI.    CIVIL  AND  ECCLESIASTICAL  STATE  OF  ROr.IE.       229 

Protonotaries  Apostolic  enjoy  many  privileges  ;  can  legiti- 
mate bastards,  create  doctors  in  divinity  and  law,  and  apostolic 
notaries,  &c.  ;  wear  purple,  and  have  one  pendent  at  their  hat 
of  the  same  colour.  In  their  arms  they  have  two  pendents,  a 
a  bishop  has  three,  a  cardinal  four.  There  are  twelve  Profo- 
notarii  participant},  who  exercise  these  privileges  ;  the  popes 
give  often  the  same  power  to  a  lew  others.  The  other  Profo- 
notarii  non  pa;  tiapanti  are  rather  titular. 

*Tt>e  Rota  is  the  highest  court  of  judges  for  civil  causes  ;  and 
its  auditors  are  the  most  learned  civilians  and  canonists  : 
They  are  12  in  number:  viz.  one  German  named  by  the 
emperor ;  one  Frenchman  named  by  the  French  king  ;  two 
Spaniards,  (one  for  Arragon,  Valentia,  and  Cataloni ;  another 
for  Castille  and  Leon,)  named  by  the  King  of  Spain  ;  the  5th, 
a  Venetian  ;  who  with  a  native  of  Milan,  Bologna,  Ferrara, 
Perouse  ;  one  from  the  provinces  of  Uinbria  ;  and  a  native  of 
Tuscan  v, —  are  chosen  by  the  Pope  out  of  persons  presented  by 
those  states  ;  the  I2th  is  a  Roman  :  They  have  all  a  seat  in  the 
Pope's  chapel ;  and  the  dean  of  the  Rota  has  a  right  to  hold 
his  tiara  :  Their  vacations  commence  in  the  beginning  of  Julv, 
(when  the  Pope  gives  them  a  great  dinner,  and  to  each  auditor 
ico  crowns  of  gold,  to  the  dean  200),  and  continue  till  the  1st 
of  October.  This  court  judges  by  appeal,  causes  about  bene- 
fices, £cc.  from  the  whole  Catholic  world,  and  all  causes  of 
the  Ecclesiastical  Estate.  It  is  called  Rota  from  their  sittino- 

o 

in  a  circular  form. 

The  Pope's  General  is  commander  in  chief  of  all  the  military. 
His  salary  is  12,000  crowns  a-year  ;  in  war  36000:  His 
Lieutenant  has  3000  :  The  General  of  artillery  1200:  The 
General  of  the  gallies  3600  :  The  Governor  of  St  An^elo 
6cco  :  This  last  has  I  GO  soldiers  to  guard  the  castle:  The 
General  of  the  Pope's  guards  has  under  him  two  companies  of 
light  horse,  a  company  of  300  Swiss,  and  the  other  company 
of  guards.* 


*  I  have  extracted  the  greater  part  of  rhe  preceding  account  from  the  Netieif, 
f<.'  vresent  itatc  of  Rome,  and  from  Oitufbrixs,  lj  Stl!e>  and  .tfs">a  AftJtrne, 


230          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

For  the  immediate  government  of  Rome,  the  first  in  rank 
is  the  Pope's  Vicar  in  Spiritual*,  always  a  cardinal  ;  at  present 
Cardinal  Guadagni,  an  exemplary  man,  formerly  a  calceated 
Carmelite  ;  he  superintends  the  whole  business  of  the  diocese, 
the  priests,  regulars,  hospitals,  Jews.  He  has  two  lieutenants, 
a  criminal  and  a  civil  :  Under  him  is  the  pope's  vicegerent,  a 
titular  bishop,  whose  office  is  to  confer  holy  orders.  The  vice- 
gerent is  at  present  Monsignor  de  Rossi,  archbishop  of  Tarsus  : 
The  cardinal-vicar  himself,  boxvever,  often  ordains  clergymen  in 
St  John  of  Lateran,  as  Pope  Benedict  XIII.  used  to  do  himself. 

The  Governor  of  Rome  is  always  a  prelate,  and  also  vice- 
chancellor  ;  he  is  the  supreme  judge  of  the  city,  both  in  civil 
and  criminal  matters,  and  has  the  care  of  the  police,  or  public 
peace.  The  Auditor  of  the  Apostolic  Chamber,  is  the  ordinary 
judge  of  the  court  of  all  princes  and  prelates,  and  of  all  appeals 
out  of  the  Ecclesiastical  State. 

The  ordinary  magistrates  of  Rome,  are  the  Marshal,  or,  as 
he  is  ordinarily  called,  the  Senator  of  Rome,  who  must  always 
be  a  stranger  :  The  present  is  Nicholas  Bielk,  born  in  Stock- 
holm in  1706.  On  all  public  occasions  he  appears  in  the  ha- 
bit of  an  old  Roman  Senator,  with  a  brocade  of  gold  hanging 
down  to  the  ground,  and  large  sleeves  lined  with  crimson  taffe- 
tas, and  has  a  great  golden  chain  about  his  neck  :  His  title  is 
Excellence  ;  and  in  the  Pope's  chapel  he  sits  next  to  the  empe- 
ror's ambassador  :  He  always  lives  in  the  Campidoglio,  where 
he  occupies  magnificent  apartments  in  the  front  of  the  Capitol. 
The  three  Conservator^  or  Judges  Convervators  of  the  city's  pri- 
vileges, are  next  in  dignity  to  the  Senator,  and  have  apartments 
in  another  part  of  the  Capitol.  The  Senator  has  also  two  Asses- 
sors, called  first  and  second  collateral,  and  a  criminal  judge,  all 
three  lawyers  :  These  assume  the  name  of  Senate  in  public  in- 
scriptions^ though  nothing  can  differ  more  widely  in  every  re- 
spect from  the  Roman  Senate. 

There  are  in  Rome  eminent  examples  of  perfect  virtue  in 
all  ranks  of  life  :  But  there  is  also,  as  in  all  great  cities,  a 
great  deal  of  tepidity  and  scandal.  On  great  festivals,  those 
churches  which  have  very  fine  music  are  the  rendezvous  oi 
all  curious  people,  and  of  strangers  of  every  description. 


Clap.  XL    CIVIL  AND  ECCLESIASTICAL  STATE  OF  ROME.       23! 

many  of  whom  talk,  gaze  about,  and  shew,  by  their  whole 
behaviour,  that  devotion  did  not  bring  them  thither.  The 
late  Pope  Benedict  XIII.,  when  at  mass,  hearing  the  noise 
which  the  people  made  in  the  church,  turned  about  and  declar- 
ed all  present  excommunicated  for  their  irreverent  behaviour  : 
But  being  reminded  by  his  assistants,  that  he  could  not  go  on 
in  the  sacrifice,  unless  all  were  put  out  of  church,  took  it  off  a- 
gain.  The  church  ceremonies  and  rubrics  are  better  observed 
in  Rome  than  any  where  else,  in  every  particular.  The  places 
which  have  the  best  music,  (and  the  Italian  music  is  the  finest 
ia  the  world,)  are  the  Pope's  chapel,  the  Portuguese,  and  the 
Spanish  churches  ;  indeed  the  Portuguese  church  of  St  Antony 
even  vies  with  the  Pope's  chapel  in  this  respect,  and  in  holy- 
week  was  most  richly  adorned,  and  blazed  with  innumerable 
lamps  and  candles.  These  afford  a  specimen  of  the  great  ex- 
pence  lavished  by  the  Portuguese  and  Spaniards,  in  illuminat- 
ing their  churches  with  wax-candles,  &c. 

We  saw  the  Pope  sing  tenebrx  in  his  own  chapel  at  Monte  Ca- 
vallo,  in  Holy-week,  where  all  the  cardinals  and  a  great  number 
of  prelates  assisted.  The  office  was  sung  in  music  by  the 
Pope's  musicians,  and  was  over  before  six  o'clock.  In  St  Jago 
of  the  Spaniards,  and  St  Antony  of  the  Portuguese,  it  began  at 
seven,  and  was  not  over  before  ten  at  night,  according  to  our 
way  of  computing  the  hours,  so  we  did  not  stay  it  out,  although 
the  Portuguese  music  surpassed  that  of  the  Pope's  chapel,  and 
their  church  was  adorned  with  lights  and  decorations  beyond 
any  other  church  in  Rome  ;  as  is  the  custom  of  Portugal  and 
Spain.  We  saw  on  Wednesday,  Thursday,  Friday,  and  in  the 
Easter  holy  days,  the  relics  of  St  Peter,  St  John  of  Lateran,  &cc. 
But  these  will  be  more  particularly  noticed,  in  describing  thes^ 
churches. 

On  Maundy  Thursday,  we  saw  the  Pope  perform  all  the 
office  in  the  Sixtine  chapel  of  the  Vatican,  joining  to  St  Peter';; 
church.  His  guards  were  all  drawn  up  on  the  great  square 
before  the  Vatican,  which,  as  well  as  the  two  corridors,  was 
filled  with  coaches.  His  Holiness  came  in  a  coach  from  Monte 
Cavallo,  and  was  carried  out  of  the  Vatican  palace  into  the 
Sixtiae  chapel  in  a  chair  raised  on  men's  shoulders,  giving  hi-; 


232          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

benediction  to  the  populace,  on  both  sides  as  he  passed,  but  in  a 
very  devout  posture,  saying  his  prayers  with  his  eyes  shut. 
He  was  preceded  bv  a  very  solemn  procession  of  ihc  principal 
officers  of  his  palace,  and  of  the  city,  of  the  generals  of  reiigi- 
ous  orders,  of  the  prelates,  and  all  the  cardinals  present  in 
Rome,  who  are  generally  at  least  40,  walking  with  their  ca- 
lottes on,  &.c.  The  order  and  majesty  of  this  procession  was 
admirable.  Among  the  bishops  walked  several  Greek,  Mar- 
onite,  and  other  Oriental  bishops  and  archbishops,  with  one  pa- 
triarch, wearing  long  beards,  Grecian  dresses,  &-c.  The  misters 
of  ceremonies,  and  the  Pope's  guards  all  dressed  in  coir.plete 
sets  of  old  armcur  from  head  to  foot,  preserve  good  order 
through  all  the  passages.  Some  of  the  prelates  carried  the 
Pope's  mitres  and  tiaras,  refulgent  with  gold  and  jewels.  We 
may  call  the  choir  a  large  part  of  the  chapel  separated  from 
the  rest  by  great  rails  :  Here  the  prelates  seated  themselves  on 
lower  benches  towards  the  middle,  the  cardinals  on  higher  near- 
er the  out  walls,  all  in  their  ranks.  The  Pope  being  arrived  at 
the  high  altar,  entones  the  Deus  in  adjutorium  meum,  &.c.  And 
while  this  was  singing,  his  holiness  was  seated  on  a  high  throne 
on  the  right  hand  of  the  altar,  and  there  received  the  homage  of 
the  cardinals,  &c.  :  He  then  put  on  his  pontifical  vestments, 
which  are  nearly  the  same  as  those  wore  by  an  archbishop,  ex- 
cepting that  some  of  them  were  double,  as  two  camails,  or  pur- 
ple episcopal  short  clokes,  &.c.  He  began  mass  at  the  foot  of  the 
altar,  saying  the  introibo,  &.c.  and  during  the  ceremony  W7as  at- 
attended  by  a  cardinal-priest  and  cardinal-bishop  as  officiants  or 
assistants,  two  Cardinal- deacons,  four  bishops,  or  archbishops, 
arid  a  Grecian  deacon  and  subdtacon,  both  of  v.hom  were  also 
biahops,  &c. 

After  mass  his  holiness  carried  the  Blessed  Sacrament  in  pro- 
cession, preceded  by  the  cardinals,  &c.  ull  carrying  wax  candles 
lighted,  in  to  the  chapel  of  St  Peter,  which  was  prepared  for 
the  sepulchre^  as  it  is  commonly  called.  It  was  very  rich,  mag- 
niikent,  well  adorned,  yet  with  a  beautiful  order  and  simplici- 
ty. It  had  above  400  wax-candles  burning  in  it.  His  holi- 
ness alter  this  was  carried  in  his  chair  up  stairs  into  the  balco- 
ny over  the  gates  of  St  Peter's  church,  looking  into  the  great 


Clap.  XL    CIVIL  AND  ECCLESIASTICAL  STATE  OF  ROME.       233 

square  crowded  with  multitudes  of  people  to  receive  his  bene- 
diction. Cardinal  RufFo,  secretary  of  the  inquisition  standing 
on  the  pope's  left  hand,  read  in  Latin  the  bull  called  In  cxna 
Domini,  denouncing  excommunication  againstall  heretics,  schis- 
matics, &c.  those  who  usurp  the  rights  of  the  church,  &c. 
Another  secretary  then  read  it  in  Italian  :  and  it  is  publicly 
read  by  every  curate  to  his  congregation  on  Palm-Sunday, 
through  the  papal  territories,  by  order  of  the  inquisitor-gen- 
eral. His  holiness  after  this  read  three  or  four  prayers,  and  ri- 
sing cut  of  his  scat,  threw  down  among  the  people,  who  strove 
to  catch  it  as  it  fell,  a  burning  wax  candle  which  he  held  in 
his  hand.  He  then  gave  a  solemn  benediction  to  the  multitude 
assembled,  when  all  the  cannons  of  St  Angelo,  and  small  pieces 
placed  in  the  Vatican,  were  immediately  discharged,  and  the 
trumpets  quite  stunned  our  ears. 

His  holiness  was  then  carried  down  in  his  chair  into  a  great 
hall  of  the  Vatican  palace,  where  he  was  placed  on  a  high 
throne,  whilst  the  anthem,  Mandatum  accept,  was  sung.  He 
then  came  down  and  washed  the  feet  of  13  poor  persons,  clad 
in  white  serge  at  his  expcnce.  One  of  his  attendants  pours  the 
water  on  their  feet,  another  holds  a  bason  under,  while  the 
Pope  wipes  them  with  a  napkin  and  kisses  them,  giving  to  eve- 
ry one  of  them  two  medals,  one  of  gold,  another  of  silver.  After 
this  his  holiness  waits  on  them  at  dinner,  butthe  crowd  was  too 
great  for  us  to  see  any  thing.  The  Pope  sets  the  dishes  on  the 
table  himself,  and  pours  out  wine  for  them  to  drink  •,  but  the 
prelates  bring  every  thing  to  him,  and  present  it  on  their  knees. 
The  table  is  always  served  in  the  most  sumptuous  style,  and 
the  confitm  cs  are  dressed  up  in  holy  figures  and  representations 
with  great  art.  The  cardinals  then  dined  at  the  Vatican,  where 
they  were,  according  to  custom,  treated  by  the  Pope  with  the 
utmost  magnificence. 

The  sepulchres t  as  they  call  them,  are  pVivate  altars  richly 
adorned,  in  which  the  Blessed  Sacrament  is  lodged  during  these 
holy  days,  that  the  high  altar,  by  its  nakedness  aud  mourning, 
may  correspond  with  the  church  cfYice  of  the  time,  lamenting 
the  death  cf  her  divine  spouse.  These  sepulchres  in  Rome  are 
•••xreedingly  rich,  the  music  most  sweet,  and  th-j  singing-  very 

P 


234  TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

tender  and  moving  ;  but  the  places  of  greatest  devotion  are « 
nor  those  where  the  music  is  finest.  Good  church-music  is 
affecting,  and  excites  a  spirit  of  devotion  :  St  Augustine  proves 
the  truth  of  this  assertion,  and  testifies,  that,  upon  his  conver- 
sion, he  was  moved  even  to  tears,  by  the  divine  harmony  of  this 
species  of  music  ;  but  too  many  are  attracted  b»  mere  curiosi- 
ty to  attend  the  sol-ma  oilices  of  the  church.  A  certain  good 
religious  man,  who  hat!  a  most  ir.clodrous  voice,  never  would 
sing  sweetly  in  choir  out  of  a  pious  scruple  ;  because  he  knew 
many  came  to  hear  him,  rather  than  to  praise  GOD. 

In  the  afternoon  the  procession  of  the  Penitents  came  to  St 
Peter's,  as  usual.  !  know  not  whence  they  set  out,  but  they 
walked  through  the  streets  with  a  Capuchin's  cross  carried 
before  each  band  ;  they  were,  I  believe,  2  or  300  in  all,  cloth- 
ed with  sackloth,  and  laden  with  heavy  rattling  chains,  and  great 
disciplines  ia  their  hands,  with  which  many  of  them  h:id  inflict- 
ed on  their  shoulders  bloody  stripes.  Some  Capuchins  followed 
\vith  baskets  of  sweet-meats  to  give  to  any  that  should  faint :  At 
the  ringing  of  a  little  bell,  which  one  of  them  carried,  they  all 
prostrated  themselves  around  the  confessional  of  St  Peter,  and 
said  a  short  prayer  ;  and  again  repeated  the  same  ceremony  in 
a  chapel  on  the  side  ;  after  which,  they  went  back :  They  did 
the  same  on  Friday.  This  species  of  devotion  may  some- 
times be  exposed  to  the  danger  of  ostentation.  There  is,  as  I 
have  been  told,  a  still  more  strange  mechanical  devotion  prac- 
tised in  some  parts  of  Germ-.my,  Spain,  and  Portugal ;  where, 
the  better  to  represent  our  SAVIOUR'S  passion,  and  make  the' 
sight  more  rnovrig,  they  hire  a  man  to  be  scourged,  tec.  :  A 
practice  which  seems  to  suit  very  i'.l  with  our  notions  of  good 
se  vs2  or  s'/tid  devotion. 

We  spent  these  thiee  days  in  visiting  the  sepulchres,  and 
assisting  at  the  divide  oflice,  £;c.  On  Easter  Sunday,  we  saw 
the  Pop:'  cing  n.x, j  in  the  Sixiine  ch:.pel  adjoining  to  St  Peter's  * 
i:~.3  altar  in  that;  church  being  taken  up  with  the  preparations 
201'  the  corcnioay  of  canonizing  three  saints  on  the  feast  of  SS. 
Peter  si  id  iv.ul :  '.the  oilice  v/,i3  performed  with  greater  pomp 
ih~.u  on  i\[,.uiuiv  Thursday  :  After  the  solemn  procession,  ho~ 
mr^e  ot  the  c'-irdx.sii  and  pr?hie -,  t>c,  the  Pope  began  masr^ 


Chap.  XL    CIVIL  AND  ECCLESIASTICAL  STATE  OF  ROME. 

4wo  cardinals  standing  one  at  each  end  of  the  altar,  besides  the 
ftssistants  whom  I  mentioned  before.  The  epistle  was  sung  in 
Latin  by  a  prelate,  then  in  Greek  by  a  Grecian  }  the  gospel  in 
L;;tin  by  the  cardinal-deacon  Corsini,  then  in  Greek  by  a  Gre- 
cian bishop  :  The  cardinal-assistant  incensed  the  Pope  ;  the  car- 
dinal-deacon the  other  cardinals  in  the  choir :  At  the  elevation 
ot  the  host,  the  Pope  made  the  sign  of  the  cross  with  it.  Hav- 
ing gone  from  the  altar  to  the  throne  prepared  on  the  gospel 
side',  the  cardinal-deacon  brought  him  thither  the  chalice  for  the 
iibu.tion,  and  afterwards  the  Holy  Sacrament',  both  the  host  and 
chalice,  shewing  it  first  to  be  adored  by  the  people  :  The  Pope 
then  lost-,  \v.:m  down  two  steps  ofhis  throne,  and  on  his  knees 
adored  the  Biased  Sacrament  ;  which  he  received  on  a  paten 
h'-ld  be i ore  l.Lvi  by  the  cardinal-deacon  :  Me  then  drank  the 
consecrated  wine  tlir;;iigh  a  very  long  gold  qaill  ;  and  cornir.u- 
rnc::ite-d  the  cardinal-deacon  under  boih  kinds  ;  he  alcj  com- 
municated with  his  own  hnnJ,  the  other  cardinals,  tlie  sena- 
tor, conser\  ators,  ambassadors,  Constable  Colonna,  &-e.  This 
ciistoin  of  the  pope  communicating  on  his  throne  on  the  side 
of  the  altar,  'n  an  ancient  cere-rony  of  the  church.  After  high- 
mas;,  his  Holiness  was  carried  in  his  chair  through  St  Peter's 
up  into  the  balcony  over  the  gates  of  that  church  under  a  broad 
canopy.  Here  he  pronounced  an  excommunication  against  the 
family  of  SCIARKA  CJLONNA,  *  threw  his  candle  down  among 


*  I'r.L  Cuto.uias  liecaiae  very  rich  and  powerful  in  the  iZ'h  century;  and 
cwcd  their  estates  chiefly  to  Cardinal  Jolin  Colonna  in  r.-i''>,  g-ncral  uf  the 
croisa.ls  a«ain--t  tiie  Sir£ic<n-.  He  contributed  very  n'uch  to  the  taking  of  Da- 
mktta  i;i  1219;  and  being  taken  prisoner,  was  condemned  to  be  fawn  in  pieces  ; 
i;i;t  the  infiiiel.i  were  so  moved  at  his  courage,  that  they  dismisied  him  without 
a  random.  He  brought  br.ck  wirh  him  the  pillar  at  which  cur  Saviour  was  <ourg- 
eJ,  now  in  St  Fruxides.  The  family  received  jrrcat  augmentations  in  their  for- 
tv.r.e,  from  PKOS.'ER  COLONNA,  Duks  of  Palliano,  a  celebrated  general  under 
Charles  V.,  who  di.'-tinguished  himsrlf  in  the  Milanese  against  the  armies  of 
France.  The  Colonnas  are  divided  into  three  families  ;  one  i«-  duke  of  Palliano, 
?.Iarsi,  Stc.,  and  high  con.-table  of  Naples ;  and  they  have  been  ofren  viceroys  of 
that  Kingdom.  The  present,  prince,  commonly  called  Constable  Colonna,  is  also 
the  Pope's  Major  Domo,  and  is  very  pious. 

The  Colom  as  were  the  great  tnemies  of  Pope  Boniface  VIII.,  who  publhhed 
•  croisadc,  or  holy  war  against  them,  and  be»;eged  them  with  his  own  armyp 


TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

the  people  ;  again  took  off  the  excommunication,  and  pronoun- 
ced his  solemn  apostolical  benediction.  He  dined  in  the  Vati- 
can palace  ;  but  after  vespers,  returned  in  his  coach  to  his  ordi- 
nary residence  in  Monte  Cavallo  :  During  these  three  days 
which  he  passed  at  the  Vatican,  he  came  every  afternoon  to  say 
a  prayer  privately  at  St  Peter's  Confession. 


first  in  Neri,  after  in  Palestrina ;  but  they  all  escaped  out  of  his  hands  in  both 
places ;  and  «ome  time  after  surprised  the  Pope  himself  in  Anagnia  ;  where 
it  is  said  Sciarra  Colonna  struck  with  a  gauntlet,  which  was  a  sort  of  iron 
glove,  armed  with  sharp  spikes,  to  guard  and  arm  the  hand  in  fighting  :  This 
happened  on  the  7th  September  1303  Pope  Boniface,  though  dismissed  and  at 
liberty,  died  on  the  nth  of  October  following,  some  pretend  of  the  wound,  o- 
thers  say  of  grief  or  natural  sickness.  His  successor  Benedict  X!,,  restored 
the  Colom.as  to  tne  communion  of  the  church,  and  to  their  dignities.  In  exe- 
cration however  of  this  attempt,  the  Pope  repeats  yearly  the  excommunication  a- 
gainst  the  authors  of  it,  the  family  of  the  Sciarra  Colonna  ;  but  immediately  add* 
the  absolution  given  first  by  the  holy  Pope  Benedict  XL 


Clap.  XII.  DESCRIPTION    OF    ROME.  237 


CHAPTER     TWELFTH. 

DESCRIPTION  OF  ANCIENT  AND  MODERN  ROME. 

Foundation  of  Rome. — Establishment  of  the  Commonwealth,  and  its  rapid  ex- 
tension.— The  Virtue  of  he  Ancient  Romans,  Their  Degeneracy. — The  Walls 
of  Rome,  Its  Bridges. — Principal  Families  of  Rome. — Number  of  Inhabitants. 
— Principal  Churches. — Pope's  Palace. — Colleges. — Columns  and  Obelisks. — 
Church  of  Santi  Maria  del  Popolo. — Obelisk  of  the  Holy  Cross. — Grecian 
Church — Trinity  on  the  Mount. — College  of  Propaganda — Church  of  £t 
Lawrence. — Antorinus's  Pill'ir. — Roman  College. — Galleiy  of  Curiosities. — 
St  Ignatius's  Church. — Grand  Gieiu  — Palaces  of  the  Altieri,  Pamphili,  and 
St  Mark. — Church  of  the  Twelve  Apostles. — Palace  of  Sante  Apostole. — The 
V evidence  of  the  CHEVAHEK  ST  GEOKC.E. — Palace  of  Colonna. — Palace  of 
Chigi. — Trr.jan's  Pillar. — The  River  Tiber. —  Mausoleum  of  Augustus — Pa- 
lace of  Borghese. — Castle  of  St  Angelo. — Hospital  of  the  Holy  Ghost, — Church 
of  Santa  Maria  del  Campo  Santo. — Church  of  St  PETER'S.  Comparison  be- 
twixt this  Church  and  that  of  St  Paul's  in  London. — The  Pauline  and  Sixtine 
Chapels. — RAHIAEL  D'URBINO. — The  Statues  of  Lacoon,  The  Apollo,  Venus 
end  Cupid,  Antinous,  Hi-rcules. — The  Conclave. — The  Vatican  Library. — The 
Mint. — The  Church  of  St  John  Baptist. — Farnesian  Palace. — HERCULES  OF 
FARNESSE. — Statue  of  Marcus  Aurelius. — Church  of  St  Andrew  de  Valle. — 
Academy  for  French  Painters  —Churches  of  St  Agnes  and  Giacomo.— The  Uni- 
versity.— Statues  of  Pa^-quino  and  Marforio. — Churches  of  our  Lady  of  Peace 
and  St  Mary  of  Valicella,  the  French,  and  St  Austin. — The  Rotunda. — The 
Minerva. 


ROME,  1746. 

,  as  built  by  ROMULUS  7^3  years  before  the  Christian 
./Kra,  or  supposed  year  of  the  Birth  of  CHRIST,  occupied  no  more 
than  the  Palatine  hill,  and  xvas  composed  of  no  other  citizens 
than  renegadoes,  debtors,  and  thieves,  who  had  fled  from  jus- 
tice. Sue!)  \vere  the  founders  of  the  haughty  Roman  families, 
as  Juvenal  wittily  reproaches  those  who  boasted  of  their  pedi- 
p-rce,  in  the  end  of  his  8th  satire. 

o  7 

At  ionge  repetas  longeque  rcvolvas 

Noir-en.  ab  infanii  ^fntein  deducis  asylo. 

Majorura  primus,  qulsquis  fuit  il]e,  ti-.orum 

Aut  pastor  fait,  aul  ilhul  quod  dicer-;  nolo. 

ROMULUS   afterwards   ?d-vd  the   Copito/ine  hill  to  Lis  rising 

city  ;  Mo^-:t  Ccdiu\  was  included  by  kin^  Tui.l.Ui  HCSTILIUS  ; 

jVfc7/.-:*  si<i:er.ti;'e   by  Arcu.j  MARCIUS  ;  and  the   Quirinal  by- 

^LKV;US  TUI.LIUS.     Ii-nf,  by  the  emulsion  of  the  Lings,  in  th'; 


938  TRAVELS   OF   THE  REV.  ALBAN    BUTLER. 

reign  of  the  seventh  of  them,  TARQUINIUS  SUPERBUS,  Rome 
becoming  a  commonwealth,  extended  the  boundaries  of  its  walls 
in  proportion  as  its  riches  and  empire  increased.      Civil  dissen- 
sions frequently  reduced  it  to  the  most  imminent  dangers  ;  but 
Divine   Providence  WHS  pleased   to  preserve  it,   and  finally  to 
raise  it  to  be  the  last  and  greatest  of  the  four  temporal  empires 
foretold  by   D'tniel,   in  order  that  its  prod'giou-.  extent,    (the 
greater  part  of  the  world  being  under  one  monarchy)   mi  gist 
facilitate  the  propagation  of  the  gospel  :   St  Austin  adds,   th",t 
God  thus  recompenced  the  moral  virtues  of  the   heathen  Ro- 
mans by  a  temporal  empire,   as  they  could  deserve  no  eternal 
rewards.     Indeed  we  cannot  sufficiently  admire  the  d:sintere-,t- 
edness  and  public  spirit  of  the  ancient  Romans  ;  their  courage, 
when  the  public  good  called  them  to  dangers  ;  their  temperance 
and  love  of  poverty,  &c. :    And  we  are  constrained  to  acknow- 
ledge that  this  people  merited  the  dominion  of  the  world,  when 
we  see  their   princes  and   dictators  called  from  the  plough  to 
command  armies,  and  govern  the  state  ;  and,  after  triumphs, 
returning  to  their  little  farm,  poor  as  when  they  left  it : — young 
noblemen  devoting  themselves  to  death  for  the  public  safetv,  as 
the  Dccii ; — -generals,  though  poor,  yet  proof  against  all  bribery, 
and  undaunted  at  the  most  uncouth   frightful  sights   and   sud- 
den  dangers,  as  Fabricius,   £cc.      But  empire,   attended  by  its 
usual  concomitants,  riches  and  luxury,   made  them  so  far  de- 
generate,  as  to  become  venal,   proud,  covetous,  nnd  abandoned 
to  vice  and  debauchery.     The  commonwealth  was  as  unhappy 
a  form  of  government  under  these  degenerate,   self-interested 
magistrates,   as  it  had  been  happy  under   virtuous  ones  ;   the 
number  of  rulers  only  increasing  the  number  of  oppressors  and 
insatiable  blood-suckers, who  sold  ail  thir.gs  for  thtir  o\vi>  private 
ends.     Jugurtha,  well  acquainted  with  the  Roman  senator;,  with 
ju •  t'ce-  exclaimed,  "  O  Rorni:,  co-.-ldst  tiiou  find  a  merchanr,,  tru-u 
<•'•  would s t  ioc;u  i'ayscli"  'cv  sold."      Thus   the  private  ambition, 
avarice,  emu  ir.xury  of  the  great  men.  by  a  t:ital  necessity,  chang- 
ed the  ^ over. imenr  ;.iio  a  monarchy  ;  and  if.  v.;us  under  the  eii!- 
perorii    Home  acquired  its  greraU^t  lustre,   particularly  ur.der 
Aui;u.'.i"-^:,  of  \vho:.;  it  \vas  SLKI,  bs  found  B.ome  nf  brick,  but  lift 
?t  otficirli'. ,    The  K.oi-i^i.5  bcyi:?rriastev-;  cr  ?.he  c-reateit  and  be^t 


Clap.  XII.  DESCRIPTION  OF  ROME.  239 

part  of  the  universe,  as  then  known,  transported  to  Rome  all  the 
fine  statues  of  Greece  and  Asia,  all  their  columns,  their  Egyp- 
tian obelisks,  &c.     Every  general,   returning  from  his  victo- 
ries, every  magistrate  or  governor  from  his  province,   brought 
•with  him  all  that  was  valuable  or  curious  to  adorn  his  own  houses 
and  gardens.     They  had  also  learned  of  the  Grecians  all  their 
arts  and  sciences,   and  formed  to  themselves  a  true  and  refined 
taste  in  architecture.     Hence  Rome  became  the  most  splendid 
city  that  ever  appeared  in  the  universe ;  for  Ninive  and  Babylon, 
though  larger,   probably  never  were  possessed  of  so  many  no- 
ble ornaments,  nor  executed  in  so  fine  a  taste  :   indeed,  nothing 
remains   to   give   us   a  true  idea  of  the  magnificent  buildings, 
hanging  gardens,  £-c.  of  these  cities,  except  very  imperfect  de- 
scriptions of  them  in  Hercdotus,  Diodorus  Sicuius,   and  Jose- 
phus.      The  Egyptian  buildings  were  heavy  and  m  a  false  taste, 
as  appears  from  their  greatest  works,  the  Pyrumids,  that  have 
hitherto   braved  the  fury  of  the  elements,  and  which  are  only 
huge   piles,  destitute  of  both  order  and  use, — eternal  monu- 
ments rather  of  the  ostentation  ai/d  folly,  than  of  the  power  and 
riches  of  the  kings  who  He  buried  under  them,  moot  of  whom. 
are  unknown  even  to  their  very  names,  which  they  took  such 
ridiculous  pains  to  immortalize.     But  in   ancient  Rome,    the 
buildings  were  roust  stately,  beautiful,  and  convenient  ;   though 
vnst,  yet  uniform,   and  in  a  style  of  true  natural  simplicity. 
The  Huns  and  Goths,  Heruies  and  Vandals,    who  often  plun- 
dered the  city,  effaced  many  of  its  noblest  monuments  ;  and  the 
piciy  of  the  first  Christians  destroyed  others,   that  were  marks 
or  objects  of  idolatry  and  superstition,    and  which  had  escaped 
the  gc'.K'ral  devastations  :    Yet  ev.ru  >.rh  still  remains  to  give  us 
the  highest  idea  of  the  Roma;:  ^raudcur  and  peritction  in  the 
arts  oi  architecture  and  sculpture. 

The  Walls  of  Rome  remain  as  they  were  repaired  by  EELI- 
SARIUS,  Justinian's  general,  in  550.  TOTILA  'he  Goth,  hav- 
ing sacked  the  city,  demolished  one  part  of  the  walls  built  by 
Antoninus  Pius,  t!i';t  he  might  return  when  lie  pleased  ;  and 
to  prevent  this,  Belisarius,  on  coming  to  Rome,  rebuilt  in 
great  haste  the  part  broke  down,  though  not  exactly  on  the  for- 
mer site,  the  new  walls  being  in  some  phccs  contracted,  a^c' 


2.p          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

in  others  enlarged,  in  order  to  include  certain  fine  buildings  in 
the  suburbs.  They  were  flanked  by  Antoninus  with  740  tow- 
ers, but  they  have  now  only  360,  and  these  decayed.  In  their 
present  state  they  can  afford  no  defence.  The  Pomaiium,  or  in- 
closure,  is  of  much  the  same  extent  as  anciently  ;  but  a  great  part 
of  it  is  now  waste  ground,  gardens,  or  rubbish  and  old  ruins. 
The  walls  enclose  a  space  of  above  13  miles  in  circumferance, 
•which  besides  vast  suburbs,  was  formerly  filled  with  houses  and 
inhabitants.  Of  its  citizens,  many  were  so  immensely  rich,  as 
to  be  able  to  maintain  an  army  with  their  private  estate  ;  20,000 
Romans  were  able  to  do  this.  The  senators  had  troops  of 
clients,  among  whom  were  great  kings.  Sovereign  princes 
everywhere  waited  on  the  Roman  nobles,  who  sometimes  too 
received  them  haughtily.  They  had  many  great  estates,  some 
in  almost  every  province  of  the  empire,  and  others  were  possess- 
ed of  nearly  whole  provinces  and  kingdoms.  Befoie  the  civil 
war  of  Cccsar  and  Pompey,  there  were  in  Rome  <_)O3,oco  citi- 
zens, besides  a  prodigious  number  of  slaves  and  foreigners  *. 
ROME  was  called  seven-hilled,  from  the  seven  principal  hills 
on  which  it  stands  :  i.  //  CapitoKnot  or  Tarpeio.  2.  11  L3ala~ 
tino,  now  filled  with  immense  heaps  of  ruins,  hollowed  undei 
ground  into  vaults.  On  it  stood  the  palaces  of  Augustus, 
whence  came  the  word  palace  ;  and  those  of  Cicero,  Horten- 
sius,  See.  ; — it  is  now  occupied  by  the  Farnezian  gardens. 
3.  //  Celio  ;  where  are  erected  St  John  of  Lateran,  ar.cl  the  Hcly 
Cross  of  Jerusalem.  4.  L'jtfventzno,  now  Santa  Sabina,  5. 
ISEsquilino,  on  which  were  Mecgenas's  gardens,  and  now  St 
Pietro  in  mnculciy  &-C.  6.  //  Vinnnah,  on  which  stood  Crassus's 
house,  but  now  St  Pudentiana,  San  Lorenzo  in  Panesperna.  7. 
//  ^uinnalc,  now  Monte  C.ivauo  ;  here  formerly  were  Sallust's 
house  and  gardens,  &ec.  To  these  seven  others  were  added, 
making  «  o  in  all :  viz.  8.  //  Pinceio,  or  di  Santa  Trinita,  for- 
merly called  Pinceius  or  Hortulorum  ;  on  it  stood  the  famous 
temple  of  the  Sun.  9.  //  Vnticano.  10.  Jdnicuiiwi,  now- 
called  Montorio  ;  on  it  was  the  temple  of  Janus.  Mons  Tes- 


Chap.  XIL  DESCRIPTION  OF  ROME.  24! 

•  taceiis,  now  II  Testaceo,  is  a  heap  of  earth  raised  from  broken 
pots,  and  clay  thrown  out  by  the  potters  residing  there. 

ROME  has  eighteen  ditts  :  i.  Flaminia,  now  Port  a  del  po- 
polo.  2.  Gabiosa,  now  di  San  jMethodio.  3.  Collatina,  now 
Pinc'ana.  4.  Quirinelis,  now  Agonia.  5.  Capena,  now  di 
San  Paolo,  or  Ostiense.  6.  Viminalis,  now  St  Agnes,  or 
Porta  Pia.  7.  Portuensis,  now  Porta  Ripa.  8.  Esquilina, 
now  San  Lorenzo.  9.  Aurelia,  or  Septimia,  now  San  Pancra- 
iio.  10,  Ferentina,  now  Latina.  n.  Nevia,  now  Porta  Mag- 
giore.  12.  Septimiana,  now  la Fontinale.  13.  Cselimontaaa, 
now  San  Giovanni.  The  others  are,  Porta  Fabricia,  Pettusa, 
Angelica,  la  Porta  del  Castcllo;  and,  lastly,  the  Triumphal  Gate, 
now  di  Santo  Spirito,  leading  from  the  Vatican  to  the  Capitol. 
Charles  V.  would  enter  Rome  by  this  gate.  The  Romans  had 
30  gates,  opening  into  as  many  great  paved  highways.  Ro- 
mului  only  made  three  ;  the  Pandana,  the  Romana  or  Trigo- 
nia,  and  the  Carmentalis,  called  Porta  Scelerata,  after  the  Fabii 
went  out  by  it  to  their  defeat  at  Cremera. 

In  ROME  were  anciently  eight  Bridges  : — I.  The  Pans  Subli- 
ciiiSy  so  called  because  of  wood,  built  by  Ancus  Martius.  Oa 
this  HORATIUS  COCLES  so  gallantly  resisted  the  Tuscans,  fight- 
ing to  restore  the  Tarquins.  It  is  now  ruined  ;  as  is  2.  the 
Triumphal  Bridge,  the  ruins  of  which  are  yet  seen  near  the  Va- 
tican. 3.  JEliuSy  so  called  from  the  emperor  ^Llius  Hadriauus  ; 
now  St  Angclo.  4.  ^aniculcnns,  or  Aurdms,  now  Ponte  Xis- 
to,  from  Sixtus  V.  5.  Cat  us,  now  St  Bartholomeo.  6.  Fa- 
bncius,  or  Tarpsms,  now  ^.^uutru  Cupt,  from  a  marble  stone 
with  four  heads  carved  on  it.  7.  Senatonus,  or  Pulatinus,  now 
Trastevere.  S.  Mifaius,  no'.v  Mole,  two  miles  out  of 
Rome. 

The  city  was  divided  formerly  into  Tr.les,  (which  in  Romu- 
ius's  time  consisted  only  of  three)  u::der  tribunes  or  colonels  ; 
each  tnbe  was  sub-divided  into  ic  (.anas  ;  and  each  curia  into 
10  DcCi:nas  :  It  is  now  divided  into  14  quarters,  called  none 
or  regions.  The  late  Popes  have  adorned  and  b;autitiecl  it  ex- 
ceeding!,~  by  new  buildings,  fountains,  &.C..  and  by  repairinp- 

O      •/  v  U'  V  4.  O 

the  proud  monuments  of  the   ancients.     It  is  also  lull  of  most 
ir.^gnifken':  paL.oes,   furnished  with  vast  collections  of  statues, 


242         TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

busts,  pictures,  &c.,  though  the  other  houses  are  poor,  and  th« 
inhabitants  exceedingly  thin. 

The  principal  Families  of  Rome  at  present  are  the  Colvnna, 
advanced  since  the  I2th  century,  and  divided  into  the  Constable 
Colonna,  and  Sciarra  Colonna  ;  the  Ursini,  which  signifies  a 
bear  ;  hence  Zacharie  Beer,  (or  bear)  of  Silesia,  called  himself  in 
Latin  Ur  sinus.  This  family,  (accordingto  an  It  :lian  manuscript 
in  folio,  in  my  possession,  containing  an  account  of  the  pedi- 
grees of  the  principal  families  in  Europe)  begins  with  Matheo 
Ursini  in  the  year  1150.  It  has  given  the  world  Jean  Baptist 
Ursini,  grand  master  of  Rhodes,  in  1467,  Pope  Nicolas  III  , 
Benedict  XIII.,  and  many  cardinals,  and  enjoys  the  honours  o£ 
Dukes  of  Gravina,  (near  Bari  in  Naples)  Marquis  of  Tripal- 
da,  Count  of  Pitigliano,  Lord  di  Monte  PvOtunclo.  The  Ursias 
in  France,  Lords  of  la  Chapelle  Gautier,  Barons  of  Traynel  ; 
and  also  the  Lords  of  Armentieres,  Viscounts  of  Tournelie, 
&-C.,  branched  out  of  them  in  1399  T£<?  Lo nil  have  made  a 
great  figure  in  Rome  ever  since  the  year  icco,  and  boast  6f 
rnanv  great  men  and  cardinals.  *Tlje  Cajetani  derive  their  pe- 
digree from  a.  Spaniard,  who  settling  in  Gayetto,  or  Cajeta, 
near  Naples,  took  his  name  from  that  town  about  the  year 
080.  Pope  Boniface  VTJI.  was  of  this  family,  then  living  in 
Anaemia,  as  were  many  cardinals  and  other  great  men.  At 
present  only  two  brandies  cf  these  Cajetani  remain,  the  eldest 
subsists  in  Nicolas  Cajetan,  Duke  of  Laurenzatio,  &cc.  ;  the 
second  in  the  persons  of  the  Dukcj  of  Sermenette  and  Cisterna. 
This  last  possesses  a  fine  forest  at  Cisterna  near  Home.  'The 
Barberini,  originally  of  Tuscany,  but  long  ago  settled  in  Rome  ; 
they  have  produced  many  very  eminent  men  for  sanctity,  learn- 
in?,  &.C.,  particuhrly  that  great  pope,  Urban  V1I3.  "U ae  Btr- 
rr/joii,  originally  from  Sienna  in  Tuscany,  trace  back  their  gran- 
deur to  the  icth  century.  This  family  is  still  extremelj 
opulent  in  Ron;e,  and  consists  of  three  brothers  :  I  shall  speak 
again  of  them.  Pope  Paul  V.  of  the  Borghesii  was  very  fend 
of  his  family  ,  the  present  prince  Borghesi  is  deranged  in  his 
raind.  'He  Parnfili,  also  a  very  rich  family,  originally  from 
Ger.oa.  llje  RospigHoji,  originally  from  Pistoia  in  Tuscany, 
Tie  fybr-za,  of  the  same  family  with  the  Sforza. and  Galeasi^ 


Clap.  XII.  DESCRIPTION  OF  ROME.  243 

sovereign  dukes  of  Milan,  who  made  a  distinguished  figure  in 
the  I  Jth  century.  "The  Farrietji,  originally  from  Farneto  near 
Orvietto  in  Tuscany.  It  owes  ks  greatness  chiefly  to  Pope 
Paul  III.  of  this  family,  who  having  had  a  son  in  lawful  wed- 
lock before  he  was  an  ecclesiastic,  created  him  Duke  of  Parma 
and  Placentia.  There  are  many  other  great  families  in  Rome, 
as  the  Rovandi,  Save  Hi,  Percti,  Vetcili,  Buoncampagni,  Alteyipit 
Cczi,  Bagtioni,  Maffei,  Crescent,  £cc. 

ROME,  at  present,  according  to  the  Koti^le  of  1746,  contains 
in  it  53,910  houses,  149,5^,6  inhabitants,  of  whom  116,705 
are  communicants,  39  bishops,  27  f  8  priests,  3868  religious, 
1687  nuns,  1359  scholars  ;  parish-churches  82,  hospitals  30, 
confraternities  of  penitents  ic6,  £cc.  There  are  born  in  Rome 
one  year  about  4800  or  4900  children  ;  and  there  annually  die 
about  6940,  or  between  5^00  and  Boco.  Then  are  i;i  it  always 
£tkast  200  foreigners)  of  whom  several^  aretra\  eliers  of  distinc- 
tion. 

There  are  nbout  300  Churches  in  Rome  ;  the  seven  princi- 
pal ones  are,  St  'JJjn  of  Latoan,  tit  Peter's  in  the  Vatican, 
Santa  Croce,  in  Hierusalem,  ?>t  AL;  y  A'.v/cr,  St  ?aul,  without 
the  walls,  V  Lc.^a  c-ice,  without  the  wcJ]b,  o1.  Fabian  and  Se- 
l-astian,  also  without  t'.ie  walls.  These  churches  must  all  be 
visited  by  pilgrims  before  they  cbtar.i  the  usual  indulgences  ; 
excepf  that  in  very  hot  weather  the  pope  substitutes  Santa 
Maria  eel  Popolo,  instead  of  S3.  Fabian  and  Sebastian.  The 
Static/:*,  or  assemblies  of  the  faithful  for  devotion,  were  dis- 
tributed  arnongsl  ail  the  churches,  but  are  now  almost  laid  aside, 
since  the  Lite  Popes  have  instituted  public  prayers,  with  expo- 
sition of  the  Blessed  Sacrament,  in  the  richer  churches  alter- 
nately, fur  almost  h:ilf  the  days  of  the  year.  The  present  pope 
never  f.;ib  in  tiie  afternoon  to  visit  the  church  in  which  those 
prayers  are  sr.id. 

The  Pope  has  three  Pa  faces,  all  very  stately, — the  Lateran, 
too  unwholesome  for  him  to  live  in,  except  ior  a  day  or  two, 
•when  he  officiates  at  St  John's  ;  the  Vatican^  the  largest  and 
most  magnificent  of  all  ;  and  Monte  Cavallo,  .in  which  he  usu- 
allly  resides  for  its  wholesome  air  and  fine  gardens,  it  is  like~ 
vise  nesrcM;  ?r  T'.Iary  Major,  thcr.^h  at  so;ne  distance  :  But 


244          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

all  the  bulls  he  signs  at  Monts  Cavallo,  or  the  Quirinale .  He 
dates  from  St  Mary  Major.  Thus  he  has  also  three  cathedrals, 
St  John  the  chief,  St  Peter,  and  St  Mary  Major.  There  arc 
Jive  called  Patriarchal  ('Lurches,  as  I  mentioned  when  treating 
of  the  title:^  of  cardinals.  Castel  Gondolfo  is  his  holiness's 
country  house,  situated  nigh  Albano  in  the  Campagna  di 
Roma,  almost  two  leagues  out  of  the  city.  None  of  the  late 
Popes  have  lived  in  the  palace  of  St  Mark. 

Pope  Gregory  XIII.  founded  Six  Great  Colleges  in  Rome  ; 
1.  the  Roman  College  under  Jesuits  ;  2,  the  College  of  the  Ger- 
mans; 3.  of  the  Converts  from  the  Jews;  4.  of  English;  5.  ofGre- 
cians  ;  6.  of  Maronites  and  Illyrians.  Resides  fourteen  others  for 
the  Missions  in  Japan,  Germany,  &.c.  There  are  in  Rome  also 
six  other  colleges  ; — the  Sapienza  ;  the  Clementine,  built  by 
Clement  VIII.  ;  St  Thomas  of  Aquina  in  the  Minerva;  the 
Cupranicum ;  the  Nardine  ;  and  St  Bonaventure's,  founded  by 
Sixtus  V. 

There  are  three  famous  Columns  :  The  ROSTRATA,  in  the 
Campidoglio,  erected  by  CAIUS  DULIUS,  after  the  defeat  of  the 
Carthaginians  ;  TRAJAN'S,  and  ANTONINUS'S.  Sixtus  V.  iais- 
ed  three  great  Obelisks,  by  the  mechanical  skill  of  Dominicus 
Fontana  ;  one  before  the  Lateran,  a  second  before  the  Vatican, 
and  a  third  before  St  Mary  Major.  There  are  many  other  lea- 
ser ones,  and  formerly  there  were  many  more. 

Rome  still  displays  traces  of  the  old  Ci>ci  :  viz.  of  the  CIRCO 
MASSIMO,  BAGONIO,  IL  FLAMINIO,  arid  those  of  NERO  and  A- 

LEXANDER. 

The  chief  Amphitheatres  were  those  of  TAURUS,  CLAUDIUS, 
and  VESPASIAN,  which  last  could  contain  150,000  spectators. 

The  Theatres  were  those  of  SCAUIUJS,  TOMI-EY,  MARCELLUS, 
and  CALIGULA. 

BUT  to  be  more  methodical  :  I  shall  now  briefly  describe  the 
principal  curiosities  we  observed  in  Rome,  beginning  with  the 
the  gate  by  which  we  entered  that  city. 

This  Gate  was  anciently  called  Porta  t'lumcnicma,  from  its  vi- 
ciii'.ty  to  the  river,  and  afterwards  received  the  name  of  Flnmi- 
n'niy  from  its  bciiTj  embellished  by  FLAMINIUS  ;  it  bears  uo'v 
the  name  of  the  Gate  of  tic  People,  Porto  del  pop^'n,  fa-m  tli" 


Clap.  XII.  DESCRIPTION  OF   ROME.  245 

church  of  our  Lady  del  Popolo.  Pope  Pius  IV.  and  his  suc- 
cessor, Alexander  VII.,  re-built  and  adorned  it  in  a  stately 
manner,  and  paved  a-new  the  Corso,  which  is  the  longest  and 
largest  street  in  Rome,  the  beginning  of  the  Flamndan  Way 
reaching  from  this  gate  to  St  Mark's  palace :  It  anciently  went 
a  little  farther  to  the  Forum,  now  the  ox-market,  in  the  mid- 
dle of  which,  being  the  exact  centre  of  the  city,  stood  the  golden 
mile* stone,  from  which  proceeded  28  high-ways  to  the  diffe- 
rent parts  of  Italy,  all  magnificently  paved  ;  and  from  hence 
the  milestones  began  to  be  numbered. 

Santa  Maria  del  Popolo  is  a  very  fine  church,  though  not 
large.  It  was  built  by  Sixtus  IV.  upon  the  plan  of  Pintelli, 
embellished  by  Rainaldi,  but  at  the  expence  of  the  people ; 
hence  called  del  Popolo.  It  is  said  to  stand  on  the  place  where 
Nero's  ashes  were  buried.  It  is  rich  in  paintings,  carvings, 
altars,  and  tombs.  The  chapel  of  the  Cibo  has  a  good  altar- 
piece,  a  dome  beautifully  painted,  and  two  marble  tombs  adorn- 
ed with  very  fine  brass  statues.  That  of  Cbigi  is  also  ad- 
mirably paioted,  and  boasts  of  four  statues  of  prophets,  by 
Bernini.  In  the  body  of  the  church  we  observed  eight  curi- 
ous statues  of  St  Agnes,  St  Martina,  St  Cecilia,  &c. ;  and  at 
the  bottom  two  angels  in  marble  supporting  the  arms  of  Pope 
Alexander,  the  great  benefactor  of  this  church.  His  picture  is 
in  the  sacristy,  holding  by  his  right  hand  the  blessed  John 
Chigi,  an  Austin  friar,  and  in  his  left  blessed  Angela  Chigi,  a 
nun.  This  church  belongs  to  Austin  friars,  and  contains  many 
tombs  ;  as  that  of  Hermolao  Barbaro,  a  Venetian,  and  a  verv 
learned  prelate,  patriarch  of  Aquileia  ;  the  two  Cardinals  Pal- 
livicini  of  Genoa,  &tc.  On  the  marble  pavement  is  this  epi- 
taph on  a  stone  : 

Hospes,  disce  novum  mortis  genus,   improba  felis 
.Dum  traliitur,  digitum  mordet ;  &c  intereo. 

•     Learn  a  new  kind  of  death,   whoe'er  this  reads  ; 
A  cat  my  finger  bit ;  tho'  scarce  it  bleeds, 
I  die.      Strew  on  mv  rrave  sweet  flowers  and  weed.-. 


546  TRAVELS    OF   REV.    ALBAW   BUTLER. 

Before  this  gate  and  church  is  a  beautiful  square,  in  which 
stands  one  of  the  finest  Obelisks  in  Rome,  though  not  very  high, 
not  bein  abov<-  S3  feet ;  yet  it  is  seen  at  a  great  distance.  It 
is  quite  covered  \vith  Egyptian  hieroglyphics,  that  is,  sacred 
symbolical  characters,  v^ry  beautifully  wrought,  and  still  as 
fresh  as  if  ne.v.  Latin  inscriptions  round  the  foot  inform  us, 
that  Augustus,  afrer  hio  conquest  in  Egypt,  brought  it  from 
that  country,  and  placing  it  in  the  great  circus,  consecrated  it 
to  the  sun.  It  has  been  thrown  clown,  and  buried  under- 
ground, till  Pope  Sixtus  V.  translated  and  raised  it  here,  de- 
dicating it  to  the  Holy  Cross.  Font  ana  his  architect  set  it  up. 
Near  it  is  a  fountain  of  equal  magnificence,  the  bason  of  which 
is  made  of  the  basis  of  the  pillars  of  Nero's  baths,  which  were 
six  feet  in  diameter.  This  obelisk  stands  at  the  entrance  of 
the  three  finest  streets  in  Rome  ; — the  Ripette  on  the  right> 
on  the  banks  of  the  Tiber  ;  the  Corsa  in  the  ^centre,  and  Ba« 
buini  en  the  lef". 

Going  along  the  street  Babtuni,  we  meet  with  the  Grecian 
Church  built  by  Gregory  XiiL,  and  dedicated  to  St  A  than  a-, 
sius.  Opposite  to  it  stands  the  stately  College  of  ihs  Grecians, 
(with  good  gardens'1!,  founded  by  the  same  Pope.  This  col- 
lege educates  missionaries  for  the  Grecian  countries  in  the 
East.  In  the  church  we -frequently  saw  and  heard  the  divine 
office  of  the  Greeks,  especially  on  Good  Friday,  when  they 
have  a  very  devout  procession.  It  is  always  a  Greek  bishop 
that  officiates  on  greatfestivals.  All  the  other  Oriental  churches 
Lave  their  liturgies  from  the  Greeks,  though  many  in  a  dif- 
ferent language  ;  as  the  Maronites  in  Chaldaic,  the  Illyrians  for 
f,otne  time  in  Sclavonian,  &c.,  but  all  in  languages  long  since 
dead,  snd  not  understood  by  the  vulgar. 

A  little  beyond  the  church  of  the  Greeks,  is  the  Piazza  </< 
Spana,  so  called  from  the  Spanish  ambassador's  house  here,, 
This  place  is  full  of  foreigners,  especially  French.  It  contains 
a  beautiful  fountain,  and  on  the  side  towards  the  walls,  on  the 
liiyh  hill  called  Pi/icio,  is  the  French  church  of  the  Blessed  Tri- 
nity, belonging  to  the  Minims,  built  by  Lewis  XL,  for  the 
sake  of  St  Francis  of  Paula.  The  religious  are  all  French, 
The  olmrch  is  very  neat,  adorned  with  <n>od  chapels,  and 


Clap.  XII.    OF  ANCIENT  GREECE  AND  MODERN  ROME.         247 

some  pictures  of  Daniel  Volterre,  Zucharo,  &c. ;  and  a  "Trans* 
figuration  by  RAPHAEL  URBIN.  The  Borghesii  have  a  rich 
chapel  here.  Our  attention  was  attracted  by  the  epitnphs  of 
th  ree  cardinals;  of  LucretiaRcvera,  niece  of  Pope  Julius  II.  mur- 
dered for  her  chastity ;  and  of  Muretus,  the  elegantLatin  writer, 
by  birth  a  Frenchman.  The  lofty  stone-steps  leading  up  the. 
mountain  to  this  church  are  very  noble,  and  a  great  ornament 
to  the  square.  This  mountain  is  called  from  the  church,  Let 
Santa  '  rinita  :  Its  ancient  name  Pincio  was  given  it  from  the 
senator  Pinciuo's  palace  standing  upon  it. 

Behind  the  trinity  on  the  Mount  are  the  Mediccean  Palace 
and  Gardens,  adorned  by  the  cardinals  of  that  family.  The  in- 
comparable V-enusy  and  other  celebrated  statues,  are  now  in  Flo- 
rence ;  yet  here  remain  several  exquisite  basso-relievos,  and 
other  admirable  statues,  especially  that  of  the  Countryman 
whetting  his  Scythe,  and  hearing  the  conspiracy  of  Cataline, 
which  he  discovered ;  a  Ganymede ;  an  Apollo ;  and,  in  the 
gardens,  a  Niobc  with  her  14  children,  pierced  with  arrows 
and  expiring  in  different  attitudes,  &c. 

At  the  upper  end  of  the  Square  of  Spain  is  erected  the  mag- 
nificent college  de  Propaganda  fide,  founded  by  Urban  VIII. 
Jt  has  learned  professors  in  divinity,  controversy,  morals,, 
scripture,  philosophy,  rhetoric,  humanity  ;  in  Hebrew^  Latin," 
Greek,  Arabic,  Syriac,  Armenian,  &c.  The  Congregation  of 
the  propaganda  holds  its  assemblies  once  a  week  in  the  cha- 
pel. The  college  has  a  good  library,  and  a  garden  planted  with 
orange  trees. 

The  next  street  from  the  obelisk  del  Popolo  is  the  Corso, 
tir  old  Via  Tlaminia.  In  it  we  first  meet  ^an  Giacomo  del  Incx- 
ralile,  or  St  James  of  the  Incurables,  a  very  beautiful  and  well 
regulated  hospital,  governed  by -a  compaii/  of  Roman  gentle- 
men, erected  and  richly  endowed  by  the  celebrated  Cardinal 
Antony  Maria  Salviati  ;  the  church,  built  by  Francis  Volterre, 
is  adorned  with  some  good  pictures.  A  little  higher  is  -S'Y. 
jfinibrose  and  Charles  ncl  Corse,  R  churJi  belonging  to  the  Mi- 
knese  nation  :  Its  front  i-j  nolxb.,  aud  it  contains  several  good 


248          TRAVELS  CF  Rr.V.  ALBAN  EUTLES. 

Adjoining  to  this  hospitals  tsnds  the  stately  palace  of  Cajetatt, 
or,  as  it  is  now  called,  Ruspoli  palace  :  we  next  passed  the  Lu- 
dovian palace  in  Campo  Marzo,  now  callad  the  Duke  of  Fia- 
no's  ;  one  of  the  largest  and  most  magnificent  in  Rome.  Behind 
it  stands  the  Church  of  St  Lawrence  in  Lueina,  anciently  a  tem- 
ple of  Juno  Lueina  :  Pope  Celestine  311.  consecrated  it  to  St 
Lawrence  in  \ic6  :  and  Benedict  II.  rebuilt  it:  But  cardinal 
Hugh,  an  Englishman,  was  its  greatest  benefactor,  it  contains 
the  bodies  of  many  si-inls,  part  of  St  Lawrence's  gridiron,  &.c. 
Pope  Paul  V.  gave  it  to  Cleric-minors,  who  have  greatly  en- 
riched it,  and  built  themselves  a  convent,  which  is  an  ornament 
to  the  back  square  on  which  it  stands. 

Proceeding  along-  the  Corso,  we  arrive  at  the  convent  of 

O  o 

Penitents,  called  St  Ma'  y  Magdalene,  or  le  Monadic  Conver- 
tite,  for  converted  prostitutes,  who  are  received  here  without 
any  portion.  The  choir  with  its  beautiful  pillars,  is  the  gift 
of  cardinal  Ptter  Aldobrandini.  The  religious  follow  the  rule 
of  St  Austin.  Such  monasteries  for  Magdalenes  or  penitents 
are  common  in  Italy,  Spain,  Malta,  &cc. 

The  palace  of  the  Lhigi  looks  into  the  Piaxxa  Colonna,  a 
fine  square,  in  the  midst  of  which  stands  Antoninus  Pius's  Pil- 
lar,  erected  in  honour  of  that  emperor  by  his  adopted  son  and 
successor  Marcus  Aureliut'.  It  is  175  or  27^  Roman  palms 
high  :  hollow  within,  where  a  pair  of  well  stairs  of  206  steps 
leads  to  the  top,  on  which  stands  a  great  statue  of  St  Paul,  of 
brass  gilt,  placed  by  Pope  Sixtus  V.,  in  the  room  of  that  of  An- 
toninus. The  top  of  this  noble  monument,  which  is  surround- 
ed by  iron  rails,  commands  a  fine  prospect  :  The  stones  are 
of  a  monstrous  size  ;  some  pretend  that  28  stones  compose 
the  whole  fabric,  but  they  are  so  well  and  so  closely  ce- 
mented together,  that  this  is  hard  to  be  discerned.  On  the 
outside  are  carved,  from  the  bottom  to  the  top,  the  great 
actions  of  ANTONINUS  ;  his  victories  over  the  Armenians, 
Parthians,  Germans,  Vandals,  Sarmatians,  Marcomans  and 
Quadcs.  An  nnagc  of  Jupiter  is  sending  rain  on  his  army, 
and  thunder  on  hi>  enemies,  at  the  time  he  was  beseiged 
by  the  ft'* circGmms  in  Germany.  Many  account  this  rain  m>- 


Chap.  XU.  DESCRIPTION  OF  ROME.  249 

raculous,  and  ascribe  it  to  the  prayers  of  the  Christians  in  his 
army.     See  Tillemont,  Baronius,  &c. 

This  Column  formerly  stood  in  the  extremity  of  the  Campus 
Martius,  which  was  a  field  out  of  old  Rome,  enclosed  with 
Septa  of  boards,  where  the  Romans  held  their  assemblies  of 
the  people,  and  performed  their  military  exercises. 

Behind  the  Piazza  Colonna  is  a  palace  built  by  the  Ludovi- 
sii,  repaired  by  Innocent  X.,  and  now  called  I?mocentiana>  or 
Curia  Romatia. 

Proceeding  along  the  Piazza  Colonna  up  the  Corso,  I  called 
at  several  booksellers  shops,  which  appeared  very  well  furnish- 
ed with  all  sorts  of  books  from  every  part  of  the  world ;  parti- 
cularly from  Naples,  Venice,  Paris,  &.c.  The  i'aticanpr  nting 
louse  is  situated  in  this  place,  though  at  a  considerable  distance. 
It  employs  a  great  many  hands,  who  are  principally  occupied 
with  Popes  bulls,  constitutions,  decrees  of  the  congregations,  &c, 
We  passed  by  the  palaces  of  Sciarra  Colonna  in  the  small  piazza 
of  the  same  name ;  and  of  the  Caroli,  Nevers,  &c.  We  left  on  the 
right  hand  the  Dogana  or  Custom  house,  antiently  the  palace 
of  Antoninus  Pius  :  Eleven  lofty  pillars  of  the  portico,  of  this 
palace  now  adorn  the  church  of  St  Stephen  del  Trullo,  belong- 
ing to  the  Fathers  of  the  Redemption  of  Captives.  The  Do- 
gana is  new  and  too  noble  an  edifice  for  a  Custom-house. 

A  little  farther  up  the  Corso  we  turned  on  the  right  to  see 
the  Roman  College,  built  by  Pope  Gregory  XI.  and  committed 
by  him  to  the  government  of  Jesuits,  who  teach  the  young 
Romans  all  the  arts  and  sciences,  especially  divinity ;  for  scarcely 
any  study  at  the  Sapienza ;  and  the  college  of  the  Propaganda 
is  entirely  destined  to  the  Missions  ;  those  of  Bonaventure  and 
the  Minerva  teach  only  their  own  religious,  the  Franciscans 
and  Dominicans.  Indeed  few  study  divinity  in  Rome,  except 
the  regulars,  who  here  make  the  best  divines  ;  the  canon-law 
being  studied  by  young  prelates,  &.c.  This  Roman  College 
is  handsomely  built,  large,  convenient,  and  magnificent  Its 
great  gate  and  several  windows  are  adorned  with  marble  :  its 
court  is  spacious  ;  the  chambers,  galleries,  &x.  very  commo- 
dious, well-proportioned,  and  finely  finished.  But  what  i*  most 


250          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

worthy  of  attention  is  the  collection  of  curiosities,  both  natu- 
ral and  artificial,  commonly  called  the  Gallery  of  the  Roman 
College.  Kircber*s  Museum  m?kes  up  a  part  of  it.  A  detail- 
ed account  of  this  gallery  would  fill  a  volume.  All  things  apv 
pear  in  a  beautiful  order.  Here  we  saw  all  the  rarest  curiosi- 
ties that  the  Indies,  China,  Japan,  or  Africa,  could  furnish : 
innumerable  petrifactions  of  herbs,  elephants  teeth,  wo  >d,  a 
man's  skeleton,  £.c.  ;  a  machine  meant  as  an  attempt  towards 
a  pe  pctucil  motion  ;  (there  is  a  similar  piece  of  mechanism  at 
Milan  ;) — statues  of  a  drummer  and  piper  ;  all  the  Muses,  &c, 
which,  by  turning  a  screw,  play  upon  their  instruments  -iny 
tunes,  the  drummer  beating  his  drum  the  while  most  merrily  : 
A  vast  collection  of  antiquities  ;  old  Roman  coins,  weights,  and 
measures  ;  all  sorts  of  ancient  idols,  especially  Roman,  Tusc.vi, 
and  Egyptian  ;  ?.ll  the  heathen's  vessels  and  instruments  for 
sacrifices  ;  an  incredible  quantity  of  Tuscan  antiquities,  more 
ancient  than  the  Roman  ;  all  kinds  of  ore  find  metals  ;  rare 
stones,  shells,  corals,  sepulchral  lamps,  &:c.  ;  the  dresses  and 
pictures  of  persons  of  all  foreign  kingdoms,  &c. 

To  this  College  adjoins  and  belongs  St  Ignatius's  Church,  not 
indeed  adorned  with  pillars, &.C.,  yet  on  account  of  the  perfection 
of  its  architecture,  esteemed  the  finest  building  in  Rome  after  St 
Peter's.  The  vault  was  painted  by  ANDREW  DEL  Pozzo,  a  lay 
brother  of  the  society,  one  of  the  best  of  the  Italian  painters  and 
architects.  In  the  middle  of  the  vault  is  a  perspective,  soingenious 
as  to  deceive  everv  eye  :  It  represents  a  dome  where  there  is  in 
fact  none,  as  is  plain  from  the  outside.  The  tribune  is  painted  by 
ZUCCHARO,  St  Francis  by  MUTIAV.  On  the  high  altar  is  St 
IGNATIUS.  Cardinal  Ludovisio,  vice-chancellor  and  nephew  to 
Pope  Gregory  XV.  built  this  church.  The  tomb  of  that  Pope, 
who  was  also  a  Ludovisio,  appears  nigh  the  sacristy  ;  as  well 
i\s  those  of  many  others  of  that  family,  princes  of  Plombino. 

ljut  the  Jesuits  richest  establishment  is  their  professed 
house  and  its  church,  called  //  Gtesu,  or  Grand  Glesu,  near  the 
palace  of  St  Mark,  in  the  Piazza  Altieri.  The  magnificent 
trcnt  is  the  architecture  oi  James  de  la  Porla  :  Their  library 
is  larQ-e  and  beautiful  ;  and  their  cloister  adorned  with  °ood 

O  o 

pictures.     The  church  w:.s  built  by  Cardinal  Alexander  F^-> 


Chap.  XrL  DESCRIPTION  OF  ROME.  25! 

nesius,  but  finished  by  his  nephew  Cardinal  Edward  Farnesir.s. 
Its  exquisite  painting,  pavement  of  marble,  carvings,  and  most: 
rich  ornaments,  fill  a  stranger  with  astonishment.  In  the 
j;-cristy  are  many  reliquaries  of  gold  and  silver,  enriched  xvith 
jewels,  crosses,  prodigious  large  candlesticks,  surplices,  and 
albs  with  rich  laces  of  gold  thread  ;  an  antipendium  of  massy 
silver,  with  historical  basso-relievos  wrought  upon  it,  and  two 
other  ksser  ones  for  the  two  first  side  altars,  &cc.  The  vault 
ar/i  .upola  are  admirably  painted ;  the  windows  are  adorned  with 
fine  pilasters  :  But  what  most  surprises  is  the  riches  of  all  the 
chapels,  (which  are  very  numerous,  quite  rc;:nd  the  church) 
particularly  the  chapels  of  our  Lady,  of  the  Angels,  of  St 
Francis  Borgia,  of  SS.  Abundius  and  Abundantius,  and  of  St 
IGNATIUS  of  Loyola,  their  Founder  5  this  last,  surpasses  all  the 
rest.  The  body  cf  the  saint  lies  under  the  altar  in  a  sil- 
ver shrine,  very  rich,  and  open  to  view  ;  but  all  the  other 
splendid  ornaments  seemed,  to  have  lost  their  lustre,  when 
the  fathers  e:;no=ed  lo  car  view  ths  statue  of'  St  Ignatius  a- 

i  O 

bov^  the  dtar,  somewhat  larger  than  life.  It  is  the  most 
sumptuous  figure  I  have  ever  seen,  composed  entirely  of  gold, 
silver,  and  a  prodigious  number  of  very  bright  diamonds,  and 
great  jewels.  Every  part  of  it  quite  dazzled  my  eyes,  but  parti- 
cularly his  crown  of  glory.  This  church  possesses  the  bodies 
of  SS.  Abundius  a:;d  Abundantia.3,  martyrs  under  Dicclesian  :, 
the  head  of  St  Ignatius,  oishop  and  martyr;  aa  arm  cf  St; 
Franc's  Xavier  ;  part  of  the  body  of  St  Francis  Borgia,  who 
died  here  ;  and  many  ether  relics.  The  tomb  of  Cardinal 
Bjliarmiae  is  on  the  right  hand  near  the  high  altar,  upon  which 
are  two  marble  statues  by  Peter  Bernini.  The  bodv  of  St 
Ignatius  was  first  buried  here.  The  best  pictures,  are  a  Circum- 
cision, bv  MuciAN'O,  on  the  high  altar  .•  a  brands  Xaw.er,  by 
CHARLES  MARAT  ;  the  Martyrdom  of  several  Jesuits  in  ^fupan9 
by  AKPINO  ;  a  Trinity,  by  BASSANO  ;  and  o;i  the  altar  in  the 
Sacristy,  a  Francis  Xavier,  by  the  greii  CARRACHI.  In  a 
gallery  of  the  convent,  they  shew  true  portraits  of  St  Igrutia3 
and  of  St  Philip  Neri.  The  chamber  of  St  Ignatius  is  now 
ronverted  into  a  small  handsome  chapel,  in  \vhich  are  painted 
iri?.ny  actions  of  the  saint's  life.  His  study  is  another  ?mat' 

O    2 


4J2         TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

chapel,  where  many  prelates  often  come  to  say  mass.  The  Je- 
suits, besides  the  Roman  College,  and  the  Grand  Giesu,  possess 
St  Andrew  for  their  noviceship,  St  Vitalis,  St  Sabas,  St  Ste- 
phano  Rotundo,  the  Roman  seminary,  and  the  Penitentiary  of 
St  Peter. 

In  the  Piazza  Altierii  stands  the  noble  Palace  of  tie  Alticri, 
a  fine  building  by  the  architect  John  Rossi.  The  great  stair- 
case, the  magnificent  apartments,  and  exquisite  paintings,  de- 
serve attention.  But  the  Palace  sf  the  Pamphili,  near  the 
Roman  College,  is  one  of  the  most  splendid  in  all  Italy,  vast, 
and  finished  in  all  its  buildings  and  apartments,  magnificent  in 
its  furniture,  (among  which  are  prodigious  large  chrystal  look- 
ing-glasses, precious  tables,  &c.)  and  rich  in  statues,  busts,  and 
pictures  of  the  greatest  masters,  as  RAPHAEL,  JULIUS  ROMA- 
NUS,  &.c.  (especially  four  most  beautiful  ones  of  the  latter  in 
one  chamber)  and  all  in  such  profusion  that  20  noblemen's 
houses  might  be  furnished  from  it.  Prince  Pamphili,  the  pre- 
sent proprietor,  is  a  very  whimsical  being.  He  is  extremely 
sparing  and  parsimonious.  His  equipage  is  singularly  mean,  his 
table  still  more  so  ;  yet  he  lavishes  great  sums  on  the  poor, 
&c.  When  two  villains  had  robbed  St  Agnes's  church,  and 
taken  away  a  very  rich  chalice,  the  gift  of  his  family,  hearing 
they  were  taken  up  near  Ancona,  he  spared  no  cost  to  save 
their  lives  ;  and  upon  the  first  news,  gave  the  church  another 
chalice  of  the  same  value,  saying  it  was  no  sensible  loss  to  him. 
He  has  another  sumptuous  palace  in  Rome,  besides  his  villas, 
which  we  shall  afterwards  take  notice  of. 

In  the  Corso,  we  next  visited  the  church  of  St  Marcellut,  in 
which  lies  the  body  of  that  Pope  and  martyr,  with  other  relics  : 
it  contains  also  some  good  pictures  of  NAVARR  A,  and  ofTHADDEO 
ZUCCHARO  ;  a  picture  of  Christ  dead,  by  SALVIATI  ;  and  carvings 
of  NALDINI  under  the  pulpit — The  Palace  Aldobrandinij  is 
sumptuous — That  of  St  Mark  is  a  nobleGothic  edifice,  built  by 
Paul II.  It  had  a  passage  through  a  secret  corridor  to  the  Arca- 
cceli  and  the  Capitol.  Later  Popes  having  given  it  in  a  present 
to  the  Republic  of  Venice,  in  recompence  for  certain  services, 
it  is  now  the  residence  of  the  Venetian  ambassador.  Near  it  is 
the  Church  of  St  Mark  the  Evangelist,  in  which  are  kept  an 


Clap-  XII.  DESCRIPTION  OF  ROME.  233 

arm  of  that  saint ;  the  body  of  St  Mark,  Pope  ;  relics  of  S<^. 
Abdon  and  Sennon,&c.  It  contains  good  paintings  in  fresco,  and 
a  painting  of  the  Resurrection  in  oil,  much  esteemed. 

A  little  on  the  left  from  the  square  of  St  Mark's  and  the 
Corso,  is  the  Square  of  the  Twelve  Apostles,  and  church  of  the 
the  same  name,  which  is  one  of  the  most  ancient  and  venerable 
In  Rome  :  It  was  built  by  the  Emperor  CONSTANTINE  the 
Great,  who  carried  on  his  own  shoulders  the  first  12  baskets  of 
earth  for  the  foundations,  in  honour  of  the  12  apostles  :  It  was 
afterwards  rebuilt  by  Pope  Julius  II.  It  is  a  parish  church  served 
by  Franciscan  friars  Conventuals,  to  whom  Pius  the  II.  gave  it : 
In  it  are  the  relics  of  many  martyrs  ;  and  the  tomb  of  the  great 
Greek  cardinal  and  learned  holy  prelate  BESSARION,  celebrated 
in  church  history,  with  inscriptions  both  in  Greek  and  Latin. 
The  chapel  of  St  Antony  of  Padua  is  the  design  of  RAINALDI. 
The  picture  of  St  Francis,  receiving  the  stigmats,  is  drawn  by 
XUCCHARO.  Pope  Sixtus  V.  bought  a  palace  of  the  Colonnas 
adjoining  to  this  monastery,  and  gave  it  these  conventual  Fran- 
ciscans for  a  college,  on  which  he  settled  an  annual-rent  of  1300 
crowns  :  They  teach  St  Bonaventure's  divinity,  and  it  is  called 
the  college  of  St  Bonaventure. 

On  the  Piazza  of  the  HcOy  Apostles,  stands  the  palace  called 
of  the  Santi  Apostoii,  very  large,  but  inferior  to  many  other  pa* 
laces  in  Rome  :  It  is  at  present  the  residence  of  CHEVALIER  ST 
GEORGE  :  I  saw  that  prince  pass  by  in  his  coach  to  the  church 
of  the  Santi  Apostoli,  scarce  ico  yards  distant,  to  hear  mass. 
He  was  accompanied  by  two  persons,  both  Protestants,  who 
walked  before  hira  into  the  church  :  I  was  informed  that  one 
of  them  was  called  Lord  Dunbar,  and  that  his  name  was  Mur- 
ray; the  other  was  Mr  Hay:  They  also  told  me,  he  had  nobody 
else  with  him,  except  under  servants,  as  cook,  coachmen,  &x\, 
and  a  gentleman  of  the  name  of  Edgar,  who  was  said  to  be  his 
secretary.  He  has  a  tribune  to  himself  in  the  church  ;  and  a 
soldier  of  the  Pope's  guard  stands  sentinel  at  every  gate  of  the 
house :  This  unfortunate  prince  spends  a  considerable  part  of 
liis  time  in  exercises  of  devotion  :  The  palace  belongs  to  an 
old  Roman  nobleman  called  Monti. 

Near  this,  stands  the  Palace  of  Constable  Colonnci,  one  of  the 

0.3 


254         TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

first  in  Italy,  in  every  respect :  The  lower  rooms  are  painted 
in  fresco  by  eminent  artists,  and  filled  all  around  with  excellent 
statues  and  busts,  of  which  there  are  in  this  palace  near  8coo  ; 
and  a  still  greater  number  of  pictures  by  the  greatest  masters, 
besides  other  ricii  furniture,  as  silver  bedsteads,  £-c.  In  many 
of  the  chatnbers  there  are  two  rich  chairs  of  state,  under  the  two 
pictures  of  the  present  Pope,  and  the  present  King  of  Sicily  : 
Here  are  also  the  pictures  of  2  Popes,  19  Cardinals,  and  above 
50  Gererals  of  the  family  of  Colonna. 

Facing  it  stands  the  Palace  of  Chigi,  built  by  Cardinal  C'ni- 
gi,  very  magnificent  and  rich  in  its  furniture  :  Among  its  most 
admired  statues,  are,  the  Gladiator  expiring  ;  Marsyasjlay'd  a- 
li'je,  two  pillars  of  yellow  marble,  on  which  stand  the  gods 
Termini,  &.c.  There  are  in  Rome  two  other  palaces  of  Chigi, 
one  in  this  quarter,  the  other  with  fine  gardens  beyond  the 
Tiber;  besides  the  sumptuous  villa  Chigi,  or  Chisesiana. 

A  little  above  the  piazias  of  the  Santi  Apostoli  and  of  Sao 
Marco,  is  the  torum  Trajanum,n£)\v  called Marcello  de  Corvi,  in 
\vhich  stands  Trajan's  Pillar ',  the  most  stupendous  monument 
in  the  universe.  The  Romans  erected  it  in  honour  of  thai  ce- 
lebrated emperor,  while  he  was  engaged  in  the  Parthian  war. 
Dying  at  Seleucca  on  his  return,  he  i.ever  had  the  satisfaction 
of  beholding  this  beautiful  monument  of  his  people's  gratitude. 
Kis  ashes  were  placed  on  the  top  of  it  in  a  gclden  urn.  Pope 
Six'us  V.  repaired  it,  and  placed  on  the  top  of  it  a  statue  of 
St  Peter,  of  brass,  o:  14  palms  high,  and  gilt ;  jis  he  did  a  like 
status  of  St  Paul  on  Antoninus's  pillar.  Trajan's  pillar  is 
built  of  marble,  trc  inside  adorned  with  cockle-shells.  The 
outside  forms  a  spiral,  and  is  exquisitely  curved  from  top  to 
bottom,  representing  all  the  great  actions  and.  victories  of  Trajan, 
especially  his  war  with  the  Dacn.  These  carvings  are  justly 
deemed  a  mociel  for  ajl  masters  in  that  art,  rind  far  surpass  tho:e 
en  Antoninus's,  an  indeed  the  whole  pillar  doe?,  for  its  inimitable 
workmanship.  It  is  iiS  feet  higb,  besides  the  base,  which  is 
12  feet.  It  is  S'-ud  to  he  all  built  of  no  more  thrai  24  huge 
mr.rHe  .stones.  The  winding  stairs  within  it  consist  of  iqo 
'.tcp?,  of  which  each  ctone  icrms  eight  The  pedestal  is  now  i  5 
f/rct.  lor/er  than  the  sticet  ;  so  thst  a  person  niuet  desccn  dto?>> 


Clap.  XII.  DESCRIPTION  OF  ROME.  255 

rubbish  and  ruins  having  raised  the  street  so  much  higher.  The 
whole  seems  to  have  been  the  work  of  giants,  not  of  ordinary  men. 
Upon  the  Forum  Trajanum  stand  four  churches  ;  the  best  is 
that  of  our  Lady  of  Lorefto,  built  in  a  fine  stile  of  architecture, 
*>f  an  octogon  farm,  with  a  vast  and  beautiful  dome. 

I  have  joined  to  the  Corso  these  three  piazzas  near  its  upper 
end.  Stopping  at  the  Capitol,  we  return  to  the  Piazza  del  Pa- 
polo,  where  we  will  follow  the  third  great  street,  called  Ripetta, 
which  leads  nearly  along  the  Tiber  to  the  Vatican. 

Tiie  'iiber^  rising  in  the  Apennines,  between  Tuscany  and 
Romandiola,  is  at  first  a  small  brook  or  torrent  from  the  moun- 
tains, but  is  soon  swelled  by 4 2 auxiliary  streams;  the  principal 
are  the  Nera  and  the  Anio,  now  called  !  iverone,  which  falls 
into  it  three  miles  above  Rome.  After  a  course  of  150  miles, 
it  waters  Rome,  where  it  becomes  a  great  river.  Fourteen 
miles  below  that  city,  it  pours  its  waters,  by  two  mouths,  into 
the  Tuscan  sea.  One  of  its  mouths  is  choaked  with  sands, 
so  that  no  boats  can.  pass  it  ;  the  other  on  the  right  is  mucii 
smaller,  and  therefore  called  Fiitmicino,  and  is  kept  open  at  ;i 
great  expence,  as  it  was  by  the  ancient  Romans.  The  waters 
of  the  Tiber  are  as  muddy  as  those  of  any  dirty  puddle,  even 
from  its  source  ;  as  indeed  most  of  the  brooks  in  Italy  are  ; 
viz,  those  which  fall  impetuously  from  mountains,  and,  run- 
ning through  fat  land,  draw  a  great  deal  of  soil  along  with 
them.  Those  whi:h  run  through  rocks  are  clear  ;  particular- 
ly the  rivers  of  Lombardv,  as  the  Po,  Tesin,  &c.  The  Ro- 
mans pretend  that  the  wnters  of  the  Tiber  become  drinkable 
and  clear  when  mixed  with  the  waters  of  the  SJ/no,  winch  are 
sulphureous,  and  possess  the  singular  quality  of  settling  the 
ir. ud  of  the  others.  The  barks  of  the  Tiber  are  so  low  about 
Home,  that  its  floods  are  very  great,  frequent,  and  destructive  ; 
and  all  attempts  to  coi.fine  the  river  within  its  banks  have  hi- 
therto been  unsuccessful.  It  was  both  as  muddy  and  as  sub- 
ject to  inundations  anciently  as  at  present,  as  appears  from  the 
Roman  poets,  &.c  Hence  its  first  name  was  slibula,  from  its 
white  waters,  till  TJBURINUS,  king  of  the  Albanians,  being 
drowned  in  it,  gave  it  his  name,  as  Ovid  says,  Fast.  B.  \\, 
v,  389, 

0,4 


TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

Albula  quern  Tiberim  mersus 
Tiberinus  in  undis,  reddidit., 

Albula,  from  Tiberinus  drown'd, 

In  latter  days  the  name  of  7 iber  found. 

And  its  common  epithets  \vere  muddy,  yellow,  &C, 

Vidimus  flavum  Tiberim  retortis,  &.c.          HORAT, 

With  boisterous  billows,  yellow  Tiber's  stream 
We  saw  roll  back,  and,  foaming  like  the  main, 
Great  Rome  to  threat,  its  palaces  destroy, 
And  Vesta's  Temple,  &.c< 

In  the  Ripctta  we  first  meet  the  Port  or  Ripetta,  the  statiou 
for  barges  on  the  Tiber,  erected  by  Pope  Clement  XI.  The 
great  station  called  Rip  a  Magna  is  higher  up,  near  the  gate  of 
Ostia,  and  is  intended  for  the  reception  of  large  boats.  Close 
by  Ripa  Parva  stands  the  hospital  of  St  Koch,  behind  which 
is  the  Mausoleum  of  AUGUSTUS  CAESAR.  At  present  only  the 
lower  part  of  this  noble  edifice  remains,  and  that  greatly  disfi- 
gured and  broken,  and  the  obelisks  taken  away ;  one  of  them 
now  stands  before  St  Mary  Major's.  Anciently,  as  appears 
from  the  remaining  fragments  and  old  descriptions,  it  was  a- 
dorned  with  a  vast  profusion  of  white  marble,  porphyry,  lofty 
pillars,  an  obelisk  on  each  side,  and  most  beautiful  statues. 
It  contained  12  gates,  three  enclosiires  of  walls,  and  was  of  a 
circular  figure,  150  cubits  high  ;  above  halfway  in  its  height, 
a  terrace  surrounded  it ;  and  then  the  building  running  a  little 
higher,  a  second  terrace  encompassed  it,  both  of  them  planted 
round  with  evergreen  trees,  such  as  laurels,  &cc.  A  high 
dome  rose  in  the  middle  of  the  building,  upon  the  top  of  which 
stood  a  large  statue  of  Augustus  of  cast  brass.  Niches  were 
made  for  the  urns,  destined  to  contain  the  ashes  of  the  succeed- 
ing emperors  :  For  Augustus  designed  this  Mausolasum  also  for 
his  successors,  though  none  of  them  were  laid  in  it  besides  him- 
self. This  quarter  of  the  valley  of  the  Campus  Martins  was 
from  hence  called  Augusta  ;  and  St  James  of  the  Incurables  is 
commonly  called  St  James  in  Augusta. 


Cbap.  XII.  DESCRIPTION    OF   ROME.  2j7 

On  this  port  of  Ripetta  stands  St  Jerome,  the  church  of  the 
Sclavonians.  The  palace  of  the  prince  Eorgbese  commands  a 
view  of  the  same  port,  and  is  admirable  for  its  vast  extent,  fi- 
nished architecture,  splendid  furniture,  an  incredible  number 
of  the  best  modern  statues,  and  a  prodigious  profusion  of  the 
finest  pictures,  quite  filling  all  the  rooms.  In  the  lower 
chambers  are  many  artificial  fountains,  which  play  and  furnish 
water  even  in  the  apartments  of  the  palace.  There  is  a  very 
large  old  cistern  of  porphyry,  in  which  to  make  only  one  hole 
cost  the  prince  a  great  sum.  There  are  also  many  water-works 
in  the  gardens,  extremely  ingenious.  The  prince's  stables  are 
at  some  distance  ;  we  saw  in  them  150  fine  horses  {^exclusive  of 
those  abroad)  belonging  to  this  family.  In  the  palace  they 
shewed  us  MICHAEL  ANGELO'S  famous  Crucifix,  of  which  they 
told  us  the  common  story,  that,  having  prevailed  on  a  fellow- 
artist  to  permit  himself  to  be  stretched  on  a  cross,  he  ac- 
tually crucified  him,  in  order  that  he  might  obtain  a  better 
representation  of  the  posture  and  passions  of  one  expiring  by 
that  agonizing  punishment.  A  notorious  falsehood !  The 
same  story  is  told  of  a  great  crucifix  of  Michael  Angelo  in  the 
grand  duke's  palace  in  Florence,  and  of  another  in  the  rich  mo- 
nastery of  Carthusians  in  Naples. 

We  passed  by  the  Clementin  College,  and  St  Antony  of  Padua, 
a  collegiate  church  of  the  Portuguese,  already  mentioned. 
The  palace  of  the  Aheinpsi  lies  on  the  lefr,  with  the  Piazza 
Narona.  We  went  from  thence  to  the  bridge  of  St  Angelo, 
the  old  Pons  JEHus,  adorned  recently  with  many  large  statues 
of  angels.  It  is  very  long,  takes  a  winding  turn,  and  is  built 
in  a  beautiful  style.  It  was  first  erected  by  the  emperor  ^Elitis 
Adrianus.  In  the  Trastevere,  or  burgh  of  Rome,  beyond  the 
Tiber,  we  find  the  Castle  of  St  Angelo,  St  Peter's,  the  Vati- 
can palace,  the  palaces  of  Saliati,  and  of  Riari ;  in  which  last 
lived  CHRISTINA  II.  of  Sweden,  after  her  resignation  of  the 
crown  of  that  kingdom. 

The  Castle  of  .i?  Angelo,  or  Mole  of  Adrian,  is  the  vast  mo- 
nument in  which  that  emperor's  urn  was  placed.  It  is  a  round 
building,  very  spacious,  and  its  walls  exceedingly  high,  thick, 
^nd  strong  ;  the  architecture,  cornices,  &.c.  are  admirable.  A 


258  TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

great  deal  of  its  fine  marble,  and  pillars>  &cc,  are  now  in  the 
Vatican  palace  and  church,  and  its  statues  have  been  all  car- 
ried away.  It  received  its  present  name  from  an  angel  seen  to 
put  up  his  sword  in  this  place,  when  the  great  pestilence  ceased 
after  the  processions,  litanies,  Sec.  under  §t  Gregory  the  Great, 
in  commemoration  of  which  event,  a  statue  of  an  angel  is 
placed  on  the  top  of  it.  It  was  used  as  a  fortress  by  the  dif- 
ferent parties  in  the  civil  disturbances  in  Rome,  which  made 
the  Popes  at  last  fortify  it  regularly  with  live  bastions  and  o- 
ther  outworks,  begun  by  Pope  Boniface  VIII. ;  and  it  is  now 
very  regular,  and  strong,  indeed  the  only  good  fortress  the 
Pope  maintains.  It  is  an  arsenal  aiso,  and,  amongst  other 
arms  it  contains,  they  shewed  us  many  stilettos,  (that  ia,  pocket- 
daggers,)  or  long  knives,  taken  from  murderers.  The  noble- 
men formerly  maintained  bands  of  such  villains,  to  revenue 
their  quarrels  ;  and  they  might  be  hired  by  any  person  for  a 
crown  to  perpetrate  an  assassination  ;  they  were  called  Bravi, 
though  not  openly  known  Sixtus  V.,  by  the  severe  execu- 
tion of  the  laws,  rid  the  country  in  a  great  measure  of  these 
miscreants  ;  and  the  late  popes  have  established  such  good  or- 
der in  this  respect,  that  murders  now  cease  to  be  more  fre- 
quent in  Italy  than  elsewhere.  There  is  a  secret  corrLor 
built  by  Alexander  VI.  from  the  Vatican  palace  to  the  castle. 
The  governor's  apartments  here  are  noble,  and  from  the  tip 
of  the  building  there  is  a  fine  prospect  of  the  city,  but  especial- 
ly of  St  Peter's. 

From  the  bridge  T,ve  go  to  Si  Peters,  cither  through  the 
streets  Transponuna  and  Borgo,  or  by  that  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Here  stands  the  beautiful  rich  hospital  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  first 
founded  by  our  Ina,  king  of  the  West  Saxons,  in  71  q,  and  en- 
riched by  king  Off',  but  restored  and  richly  founded  anew  by 
Pope  Innocent  III.  in  119!.  Sixtus  IV.  also  very  much  aug- 
mented its  revenue.  In  the  middle,  under  a  dome,  is  an  altar, 
in  view  of  four  long  rooms  on  every  corner,  where  all  the  sick 
in  their  beds  can  hear  the  same  mass  at  once.  In  a  chamber 
on  the  side  are  always  40  nurses,  to  take  care  of  the  foundling 
children.  Its  church  is  of  a  fine  architecture,  by  San  Gal,  un- 
der Sixtus  V.  There  are  soaie  good  pictures  in  it,  but  morst 


Clap.  XII.  DESCRIPTION    CF   ROME.  259 

in  the  neighbouring  parish  church  of  Ht  James  ;  adjoining1  to 
which  is  the  Penitentiary  of  St  Peter's,  a  great  house,  in  which 
the  Pope's  penitentiaries  for  that  church  reside.  These  are  12 
Jesuits,  who  live  in  a  regular  community,  under  an  Italian 
rector,  and  hear  confessions  in  St  Peter's.  Two  are  Italian, 
two  Spanish  and  Portuguese,  two  French,  one  German,  one 
Hungarian,  one  Sclavonian,  one  Flemish,  one  English,  one 
Greek.  Their  duty  requires  close  attendance  in  the  church, 
but  they  have  the  liberty  of  walking  in  the  Vatican  gardens 
after  dinner.  A  society  selected  from  nations  so  dissimilar  ri 
manners,  interests,  and  affections,  would  not,  one  should  think, 
be  the  most  agreeable  in  the  world.  As  to  the  Penitentiaries  in 
general,  they  are  entirely  under  the  Major  Penitentiary,  and  are 
called  the  Lesser  Penitentiaries.  Those  of  St  Mary  Major  are 
Dominicans  :  the  Pope's  penitentiaries  have  each  a  wand  in  their 
hand,  as  a  sign  of  theii  jurisdiction. 

On  the  side  of  St  Peter's  is  the  church  of  Santa  A: aria  de 
Campo  Sanlo.  Its  church  yard  (part  of  the  earth  of  which  is 
said  to  have  been  brought  from  Palestine)  is  the  burying  place 
of  the  pil.-rims.  The  church  is  beautiful  and  has  good  paint- 
ings. The  high  altar  piece  i3  a  Descent  by  MICHAEL  ANGELO. 

If  we  go  through  the  street  of  Borgo  Nuovo,  or  Transpor- 
tina,  we  meet  Santa  Maria  Transport fna,  a  fine  church  with 
good  pictures  and  ornaments  belonging  to  the  Carmelite  friars. 
It  stands  on  the  site  of  the  Mausoleum  of  SCIPIO  AFRICANUS, 
the  statues  of  which,  great  brass  peacocks,  &-c.  now  serve  to 
adorn  the  Vatican  palace  and  gardens. 

Out  of  this  street  we  enter  the  noblest  square  in  the  world,  at 
the  end  of  which  St  PETERS  presents  itself.  From  the  facade  of 
this  celebrated  edifice,  a  portico  or  arcade  in  the  form  of  a  bovf 
supported  by  380  pillars,  reigns  a  great  way  on  each  side,  un- 
der whicn  people  walk,  and  even  coaches  stand  for  shelter. 
Over  it  is  a  balustrade  with  88  great  statues  of  saints,  a  beau- 
tiful ornament  to  the  square,  which  between  these  porticos  is 
an  oval  300  paces  long,  and  220  broad.  In  the  centre  stands 
the  finest  obelisk  in  the  world,  the  globe  on  the  top  of  which 
was  the  urn  which  contained  the  ashes  of  JULIUS  CAESAR.  Six- 
tus  V.  translated  it  hither  out  of  Nero's  Circus,  and  Doti- 


TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

INIC  FONTANA  the  great  architect  raised  it,  as  he  did  the  other 
obelisks  placed  under  that  Pope.  The  machines  he  used  in 
this  work  are  all  described  at  length  in  his  life  by  Bellori 
and  many  other  writers  ;  and  from  their  taking  no  notice 
of  the  circumstance,  the  story  of  wetting  the  cords  may  be 
deemed  fabulous,  though  no  doubt  possible.  This  obelisk  is 
of  granite,  and  of  one  entire  stone,  engraven  with  hieroglyphics. 
Above  the  globe  on  its  top  Sixtus  V.  placed  a  brass  cross  gilt, 
in  which  is  some  of  the  wood  of  the  true  cross  :  It  is  above 
100  feet  high,  Mabillon  says  172,  besides  its  pedestal  and  base, 
•which  are  together  37  feet  more  it  weighs  956,  148  pound  : 
It  stands  on  a  marble  base,  enclosed  with  beautiful  rails,  with 
four  great  lions  of  brass  gilt,  and  other  figures  and  pilasters  of 
fine  marble,  &c.  Two  fountains  play  one  on  each  side  at  a 
considerable  distance  and  cast  up  vast  columns  of  water.  This 
square  with  the  porticos  was  executed  under  Alexander  VII  , 
according  to  a  plan  given  by  Bernini. 

St  PETER'S  CHURCH  is  the  most  finished  and  noble  building  in 
the  universe,  the  master-piece  of  MICHAEL  ANGELO.  Onuphrius 
says,  that  this  is  the  place  in  which  St  Peter  and  St  Paul  suffer- 
ed matrydom,  and  were  first  buried,  and  where  (in  the  circus 
of  Nero)  innumerable  other  martyrs  were  also  crowned.  He 
adds,  from  a  popular  tradition,  that  the  subterraneous  chape], 
called  the  Confession  of  St  Peter,  was  made  use  of  as  a  chapel 
by  St  Anacletus  the  third  Pope  and  his  successors  during  the 
persecutions,  as  being  over  the  tombs  of  the  holy  apostles.  CON- 
STANTINE  the  Great,  the  first  Christian  Emperor,  chose  this 
holy  place  to  found  a  church  in  honour  of  St  Peter,  pulled 
down  part  of  Nero's  Circus  for  this  purpose,  dug  up,  with  his 
own  hands  the  first  spade  of  earth,  and  carried  away  on  his  own 
shoulders  the  first  12  baskets.  Onuphrius  gives  us  an  account 
of  the  riches  that  emperor  bestowed  on  it  taken  from  Anasta- 
sius,  and  the  inventaries  of  the  sacristy.  Among  these  were  a 
gold  cross  weighing  150  pounds  placed  over  the  apostks  tombs; 
4  silver  candlsticks,  on  which  were  engraven  the  acts  of  the 
apostles;  3  gold  chalices  of  39  pounds  ;  20  silver  of  50  pound  ; 
a  gold  paten,  a  gold  lamp  of  5  pounds  ;  a  gold  censor  adorned 
with  diamonds ;  &c.  besides,  the  church  itself  was  covered 


Clap.  XII.  DESCRIPTION    OF    ROME.  261 

•with  brass  taken  from  the  temple  of  Jupiter  Capitolinus.  Jus- 
tinian and  other  emperors  made  also  great  presents,  besides  the 
revenues  in  land  settled  upon  it  by  Constantine  and  some  of  his 
successors.  St  Gregory  the  Great  covered  the  gates  with 
Lamina  of  silver.  The  old  church  falling  to  decay,  the  Popes 
resolved  to  rebuill  it.  Julius  II.  took  a  plan  from  Bramante 
Lazari,  which  Michael  Angelo  altered,  and  finished  under  Paul 
III.,  adding  the  dome,  unquestionably  the  boldest  in  the  world. 
It  was  built  by  Barnes  de  la  >  orta  under  Sixtus  V.  Pope  Paul 
V.  added  the  porch  and  front.  This  church  is  in  the  inside 
580  feet  long,  80  broad,  and  in  the  traverse  of  the  Cross  480 
broad  ;  145  high  ;  in  the  dome  330  high.  The  walls  both  with- 
in and  without  are  all  marble  :  It  is  covered  with  lead  and  tin 
gilt.  The  pavement  is  marble,  and  the  vault  gilt.  So  asto- 
nishing is  the  natural  simplicity,  the  symmetry,  and  order  of 
the  building,  and  of  all  its  ornaments,  that  at  first  sight  nothing 
strikes  the  eye  much  :  A  person  must  visit  it  often  before  he 
perceives  its  beauty  and  perfections  ;  but  after  one  has  viewed 
it  well,  he  must  remain  astonished  at  the  whole,  and  at  every 
part  singly.  The  porch  and  front,  added  to  the  design  of  Michael 
Angelo  by  Paul  V.,  injure  the  view  of  the  church  from  the 
square,  because  they  hide  great  part  of  the  cupola,  and  other  ten 
domes,  which  cannot  be  seen  any  where  to  advantage,  except 
from  the  top  of  the  castle  of  St  Angelo  ;  a  circumstance  much 
to  be  regretted,  for  nothing  can  be  more  beautiful.  The  archi- 
tecture also  of  this  part  is  inferior  to  the  rest.  The  portail  is 
144  feet  high,  in  the  Ionic  order.  Of  its  five  gates,  that  in  the 
middle  is  of  brass,  that  on  the  right  hand,  is  called  the  holy 
gate,  and  is  always  shut  up,  except  in  jubilee  year,  which  is 
ushered  in  by  the  Pope's  breaking  down  this  door  with  a  silver 
hammer,  which  he  gives  to  one  of  his  cardinals.  After  the 
year  is  expired,  the  gate  is  walled  up  again.  *  Each  of  these 
five  gates  is  adorned  with  four  marble  pillars,  so  thick,  that 
three  men  could  scarcely  embrace  one.  Above  are  very  large 


*  In  St  John  of  Lateran,  St  Mary  Major,  and  St  Paul's,  there  are  also  holy 
gates.  And  it  is  thf  carjinal-archpriesf  of  each  church,  who  breaks  them  down 
'"or  the  Tubilf, 


252          TRAVELS  OF  KEV.  ALB  AN  BUTLER. 

figures  in  stone  of  our  SAVIOUR  and  his  Twelve  Apostles.  In  a 
magnificent  gallery  there,  the  Pope  from  a  ba'co.-.y  gives  his 
solemn  benediction  to  the  people  on  their  k;:ees  in  the  tquare. 
The  porch  is  as  long  as  the  breadth  of  the  church,  a;:d  might 
of  itself  form  a  large  church. 

The  church  is  built  in  the  figure  of  a  cross.  In  the  middle 
of  the  traverse,  is  the  high  altar,  which  is  open,  so  that  the 
priest  at  Mass  looks  towards  the  people,  and  does  not  turn  a- 
bout  at  the  Donnnus  yobiscum.  The  Pope  on  his  election  is 
placed  upon  it,  and  none  can  say  Mass  at  it  but  himself,  ex- 
cept by  his  express  leave.  Over  it  is  a  canopy  of  brass,  fine- 
ly carved,  supported  by  pillars  of  the  same  metal,  gilt,  and 
exquisitely  wrought  with  spirals  and  foliage  of  gold,  and  or- 
namented with  figures  of  little  children,  taken  from  Agrippa's 
portico.  Four  fi  ic  figures  of  angels  in  brass  are  placed,  one  at 
e'ach  corner.  Under  this  altar  lies  one  hnlf  of  the  bodies  of 
SS  PETER  and  PAUL,  in  a  rich  subterraneous  chapel,  called 
the  Confession  of  St  Peter,  and  Limitia  Apostolontm.  The  de- 
scent is  formed  of  fi:<e  marble  stairs,  with  brass  rails,  ico 
lamps  of  silver  always  burning  in  it.  It  is  surrounded  on  the 
top  with  a  massy  balustrade.  Ovtr  the  altar  is  the  celebrated 
Cupola  which  Michael  Angelo,  agreeable  to  his  promise,  con- 
structed of  the  same  dimensions  with  the  entire  edifice  of  the 
Pantheon  or  Rotur.da.  It  is  so  admirably  formed,  so  bold  and 
lofty,  that  it  seems  to  the  eye  to  stand  by  itself.  Looking; 
down  from  it  into  the  church,  men  seem  like  little  children  ; 
and  the  globe  on  the  top,  though  able  to  contain  twenty  per- 
sons, appears  no  larger  when  viewed  from  below  than  a  man's 
head.  On  the  top  of  the  cupola  is  represented  the  ETERNAL 
FATHER,  with  the  Four  Evangelists,  and  other  saints,  in  Mo- 
saic. The  bottom  is  supported  by  four  enormous  pillars,  in 
each  of  which  is  a  fine  statue  ;  viz.  St  Veronica,  St  Helena, 
St  Longinus,  and  St  Andrew.  The  dome  is  500  palms  to  tht, 
lantern,  the  lantern  is  100,  and  the  cross  upon  it  (which  is  of 
brass  gilt)  25;  so  that  the  whole  height  is  35  z  Paris  feet, 
There  are  ten  ether  smaller  domes  over  ten  of  the  chapels,, 
Some  years  ago  the  great  dome  cracked,  which  alarmed  the  whole 
college  of  cardinals :  but  the  circuit-set  said  there  was  no  danger 


Clap    XII.  DESCRIPTION"   OP    ROME.  263 

However,  they  put  an  iron  hoop  round  it  of  an  extraordinary 
breadth  and  thickness,  which  cost  ico,oco  crowns.  Some 
imagine  this  accident  was  occasioned  by  a  subterraneous  source 
of  waters  from  the  mountains  of  Vatican  and  Janiculus,  weak- 
ening the  foundations  ;  but  the  true  reason  was,  that  the  mon- 
strous pillars  which  support  the  dome,  and  which  Michael  An- 
gelo  had  forbid  to  be  ever  touched,  were  hollowed  by  Bernini, 
to  make  a  winding  stair-case  in  each,  up  to  a  balcony,  from 
which  the  relics  kept  in  each  pillar,  in  a  nicb  above  the  statue, 
r.u.  ht  be  shewn  to  the  people.  This  weakened  the  pillars, 
and  nearly  cost  Bernini  his  life. 

These  relics  are  as  follows  : — Over  the  statue  of  Veronica 
is  the  holy  Handkerchief  of  Vet  onica,  on  which  is  represented 
our  sAV .OUK's  luce  ;  over  St  Helena  is  a  great  part  of  the  cross 
of  our  SAVIOUR  ;  ever  St  Lcnginus,  carved  by  Bernini,  is  tha 
lance  which  opened  his  side  ;  over  St  Andrew  is  that  saint's 
head,  se  t  to  Pius  II.  by  the  Prince  of  Morea  ;  the  head  of 
the  lance  was  sent  to  Innocent  VI11.  by  the  Grand  Turk  Ba- 
jazet.  These,  and  other  relics,  are  shewn  on  Thursday,  Fri- 
day, and  Saturday,  in  holy  week,  on  Easter  and  Whitsunday, 
besides  other  times  of  the  year.  In  the  middle  of  the  tribune, 
?.t  the  top  of  the  church,  is  placed  St  Peter's  Chair,  of  wood, 
covered  with  metal  gilt,  &-C.  and  supported  by  four  figures 
representing  doctors  of  the  church,  and  accompanied  with 
many  other  ornaments.  It  is  shewn  on  the  1 8th  of  January 
and  ::cl  of  Ftbtuary,  the  festivals  of  St  Peter's  Epiecopai 
Chair,  f.rst  instituted  at  Rome  and  Antioch  ;  so  we  only 
saw  the  case.  It  is  a  great  arm  chair,  but  many  doubt  its 
antiquity  :  it  was  at  least  the  chair  of  many  holy  Popes. 
Hcie  are  the  relics  of  innumerable  saints  and  martyrs.  The 
body  of  St  'j-obn  Ct.-ry^oitcm  lies  in  his  clv.ipel ;  that  of  St  Gre- 
gory the  Great  in  his  ;  of  St  Gregory  NciKian-zen  in  the  cha- 
pel uf  the  BLrsstd  Sacrament,  sometimes  called  the  Grego- 
tian,  which  is  particularly  remarkable,  especially  the  taber- 
r.ac'e  i:i  it,  for  its  riches,  find  more  tor  its  workmanship.  In 
ihnt  of  our  L.uly  are  the  bodies  of  St  Leo  the  Great,  and  of  the 
second,  tnird,  and  fourth  popes  of  that  n  .me.  The  body  of 
i;t  Pa'rwl/x  is  under  the  altar  of  the  cruclSx;  those  of  SS, 


264          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

Simon  and  Jude  under  their  altar,  &c.  The  chapel  of  the 
baptismal  font  is  very  curious,  as  well  as  that  in  which  the 
canons  sing  the  divine  office. 

The  pictures  in  this  church  are  all  verj  good  ones,  especi- 
ally a  St  Peter  in  mosaic  over  the  Port  a  Santa  ;  a  St  Sebastian 
in  the  second  chapel,  by  a  Dominican  ;  a  St  Jerom,  by  Mu- 
TIANI  ;  a  Fall  of  Simon  Magus  by  VANN'I  ;  a  Crucifixion  oj  St 
Peter,  by  PASSIGNANI,  and  several  "others  of  St  Peter,  &c. ;  a 
St  Hasitby  MUTI^NI  &cc.,  the  paintings  of  the  vault  of  the  first 
chapel  by  LANFRANC,  &c. 

The  architecture  of  each  chnpel  is  wonderful,  especially  of 
the  Gregorian  and  Clementine.  In  the  former,  finished  by 
Gregory  XV.  are  two  twining  pillars,  with  foliage  of  white 
marble,  brought  from  Jerusalem  by  St  Helen.  The  carvings 
are  of  all  things  the  most  finished,  particularly  a  groupe  in 
marble  by  MICHAEL  ANGELO  on  the  altar  of  the  chapel  of  the 
canoas,  representing  the  Blessed  Virgin  holding  our  Saviour 
dead  in  her  arms,  and  called  Our  Lady  of  Pity. 

The  tombs  of  the  modern  Popes  are  also  finished  'pieces,  and 
the  figures  finely  carved,   the   design   in   all  very  different  and 
admirable;  especially  those  of  Urban  VIII.,  of  Paul  III.,   of 
Alexander  VII.,  by  BERNINI,  &c.     In  the  upper  part  of  this 
church  there  are  no  monuments  but  of  Popes,   no  others  being 
buried  here,  except  the  three  following  ;   I.  That  of, the  Count- 
ess MATHILDES,  made  from  the  design  of  Bernini,  by  the  order 
of  Urban  VIII.     The  ad,  that  of  CHRISTINA,  Queen  of  Sweden, 
very  magnificent.     3.  That  of  the  princess  MARIA  CLEMEN- 
TINA SOBIESKI,   (spouse  of  the  Chevalier)  looked  upon  by  the 
people  as  a  saint  ;  this  last  is  placed  over  a  great  tomb  and  urn 
of  porphyry,  raised  high  in  the  wall ;   the  figures  are  of  alabas- 
ter, and  represent  Devotion,  in  a  female  form,  as  large  as  life, 
presenting  to  heaven  a  flaming  heart  with  one  hand,  and,  in  the 
other,  holding  the  picture  of  that  princess, — an  ill  chosen  one, 
however,  having  nothing  of  the  air  of  piety   which   the  rest  of 
the  monument  represents  her  possessed  of,  and  which  was  her 
character.     Indeed  the   pictures  which   were  drawn  of  her, 
when  she  came  first  to  Rome,  have  not  that  expression.     The 
statues  of  the  founders  of  religious  orders  stand  against  the. 


£hdp.  XII.  DESCRIPTION    OF    ROME.  265 

pillars  of  the  church  and  are  given  by  each  order ;  though  few 
have  jet  found  money  for  that  purpose  :  The  Jesuits  first  pla- 
ced that  of  St  IGNAIIUS.  We  went  down  the  stairs  by  one  of 
the  pillars  into  the  subterraneous  church,  which  is  vast,  has 
many  alleys  and  chapels,  all  filled  with  venerable  relics  and  an- 
tiquities ;  the  monuments  of  many  emperors,  princes,  and  al- 
most all  the  Popes  who  lived  before  the  new  church  was  built. 
Ascending  to  the  top  of  the  church,  we  find  there  a  little  town 
around  the  cupola  and  domes,  with  houses  for  workmen  who 
constantly  reside  here,  employed  about  this  immense  fabric.  To 
sum  up  in  one  word  the  eulogium  of  this  august  edifice,  it  may 
be  sufficient  to  say,  that  architects,  painters,  carvers,  Sic.  find 
in  St  Peter's  the  utmost  perfection  to  which  their  art  has  ever 
been  carried. 

A  comparison  is  sometimes  made  between  this  church  and 
our  St  PauPs  in  London  :  On  this  subject  it  is  told  of  Lord  Pe- 
terborough, that  on  seing  St  Peter's  he  said  to  those  about  him, 
he  wished  he  was  master  of  as  much  gun-powder  as  when  he 
commanded  in  Spain.     Being  asked  why,  he  answered,  to  blow 
up  St  Paul's  ;  for  it  would  not  bear  to  be  seen  after  St  Peter's. 
His  lordship  was  no  doubt  a  good  as  well  as  an  impartial  judge. 
It  is  certainly   a  pity  that  St  Paul's  has  not  a  large  enough 
square  before  it,  and  that  it  is  so  destitute  of  the  ornaments  of 
sculpture  and  painting  ;  yet  viewing  only  the  naked  buildings 
and  architecture,  the  dome  is  certainly  noble  and  beautiful  in  a 
high  degree  ;  and  the  paintings  on  it  by  James  Turnhill  by  no 
means  despicable  :     But  it  is  much  tuo  large  for  the  church, 
which  occasions  a  disproportion,  and  in  a  great  measure  destroys 
that  exact  symmetry  which  constitutes  the  greatest  beauty  of  a 
building.     Hence  follows  another  inconvenience  ;  the  pillars  ne- 
cessary to  support  so  great  a  weight  are  extremely  bulky,  which 
makes  them  both  look  heavy,   and  even  darken  the  church  ex- 
ceedingly ;   whereas  the  second  point  in  architecture  is,   that  a 
building  be  light,  open  and  natural.       The  neatness  of  the  walls, 
and  boldness  of  the  vaults,  in  St  Peter's,  cannot  be  equalled  by 
St  Paul's,  which,  notwithstanding  these  defects,   is,  (especially 
its  cupola  if  taken  by  itself)  a  noble  pile  of  architecture.     No- 
thing pleases  more  in  St  Peter's  than  to  find  the  eye  so  agre?- 

R 


366  TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

ably  deceived  by  the  new  beauties  which  crowd  upon  a  spec- 
tator every  moment ;  and  which  arise  from  the  astonishing 
neatness,  justness,  and  proportions  of  all  the  parts.  A  very 
accurate  mathematician  in  Rome  gave  me  the  dimensions  of 
both  these  churches  ;  by  which  it  appears  that  St  Paul's  is  not 
much  above  half  the  size  of  St  Peter's,  and  would  easily  stand 
•within  it.  Taking;  the  dimensions  from  the  outside  of  the  walls, 

O 

and  including  the  portico,  St  Peter's  is  7co  feet  long,  and  500 
broad,  English  measure :  St  Paul's  only  519  long,  and  250 
broad. 

To  St  Peter's  church  I  add  the  Pauline  chapel,  in  which  are 
rich  ornaments  and  exquisite  paintings,  particiilarly  the  inimi- 
table ones  of  the  Conversion  of  >>t  Paul,  and  the  Martyrdom  of 
St  Peter,  two  large  pictures  by  MICHAEL  ANGELO  ; — and  the 
Sixtine  chapel,  in  which  the  same  artist  painted  great  part  of 
the  dome,  but  was  hurried  too  much  by  the  impatience  of  Ju- 
lius II.  The  end  of  the  chapel  over  the  altar  is  covered  with 
the  great  incomparable  picture  of  the  Last^udgment,  the  master- 
piece of  MICHAEL  ANGELO.  The  design  is  wonderful;  the  in- 
numerable variety  of  figures,  their  attitudes,  their  passions, 
suitable  to  their  state,  expressed  in  the  most  striking  manner, 
and  the  shades  so  artfully  disposed  to  give  the  greatest  lustre 

objects,  &c all   display  the  astonishing  genius  of  the  great 

artist,  and  evince  his  singular  talent  of  expressing  in  his 
Works  the  admirable  conceptions  of  his  mind.  It  is  in  this 
ANGELO  excels  ;  in  others  the  images  formed  in  the  mind  are 
•never  fully  expressed  in  the  execution.  It  is  true  the  figures  of 
this  picture  arc  too  naked,  but  when  Pope  Paul  IV.  desired  him 
to  correct  and  alter  this,  he  answered,  that  was  no  fault,  but  he 
he  wished  his  holiness  would  correct  the  disorders  in  the  man- 
ners of  Chriflians.  Indeed  painters,  after  forming  a  design  in 
their  mind,  cannot  easily  change  any  part,  without  injuring  the 
whole.  Others  object,  ttiat  lie  has  not  given  his  angels  wings 
to  distinguish  them  from  the  juil  ;  but  they  have  sufficient  char- 
acteristics. The  Devil  ferrying  souls  over  a  lake,  feems  to 
some  absurd,  and  more  like  the  heathenish  fable  of  the  river 
Styx  than  the  Christian  hell  :  But  since  Christian  poets  (as 
Dante,  Cant.  3  and  9)  adopt  that  emblem  to  represent  the  se- 


Chap.  XU.  DESCRIPTION  OF  ROME. 

separation  and  impassible  enclosure  of  those  dungeons,  there 
seems  no  reason  why  Christian  painters  may  not  employ  simi- 
lar symbols. 

The  Pauline  and  Sixtine  clapels  though  adjoining  to  the 
church,  are  in  the  Vatican  palace,  which  is  the  most  sumptu- 
ous and  vast  of  the  Pope's  residences.  It  was  begun  by  Sy- 
machns  :  Julius  II.,  Leo  X.  and  others  added  new  buildings  ; 
and  Sixtus  the  V.  erected  that  part  called  the  New  Palace.  The 
first  square  and  galleries  round  it  are  noble  ;  the  apartments 
of  fine  architecture.  The  royal  chapel,  in  which  the  Pope 
gives  audience  to  sovereigns,  was  built  by  SAN  GAL.  It  is 
painted  in  fresco,  and  contains  many  good  pictures,  as  the  Battle 
of  Lepanto,  &c.  In  this  palace  are  5^0  chambers,  and  all  of 
them  adorned  with  the  finest  pictures  in  the  world,  the  most  of 
which  are  very  large,  and  a  great  number  by  RAPHAEL  D'  UR- 
BINO  :  The  following  are  highly  valued  ;  viz.  Hercules  killing 
Cacus  ;  an  incomparable  picture  of  Attila  by  Raphael;  Co%- 
stantine's  victory  over  Maxentius,  on  a  design  of  Raphael's  :  (Ar- 
tists from  the  French  academy  were  drawing  copies  of  these  for 
the  king  :)  RAPHAEL'S  Parnassus  /  the  Four  Reasons  by  MA- 
THEW  of  Sienna  ;  Moses  ;  Silence,  &c.  We  admired  RAPHAEL'S 
St  Peter  in  prison,  and  the  angel  resplendent  in  glory  coming  to 
awake  and  deliver  him,  thefio-ures  in  which,  bvan  admirable  per* 

*  O  '         t> 

spective,  seem  to  project  as  if  separated  from  the  canvas.  The 
chapel,  painted  by  CORTONA,  is  adorned  with  the  Pc.ssion  of  our 
SAVIOUR;  in  which  is  particularly  admired  the  taking  down  from 
the  cross.  The  gallery, — on  the  walls  of  which  are  beautifully 
painted,  in  great  maps,  all  the  Pop'es  dominions,  and  all  the 
other  provinces  of  Italy — is  very  amusing.  It  was  chiefly  ex- 
ecuted by  PAUL  BRIL,  the  Flemish  painter.  The  Gallery  of 
Designs  seemed  wonderful  ;  and  is  adorned  with  innumerable 
pieces  by  the  best  masters.  The  long  gallery  in  the  Vatican, 
when  the  partition-doors  are  all  open,  is  by  far  the  longest,  and 
to  me  the  most  pleasing  I  ever  saw,  being  adorned  with  busts, 
statues,  and  all  manner  of  entertaining  curiosities  of  art.  The 
Pope's  apartments  are  very  rich,  hung  with  red  velvet  and 
gold  fringes,  or  with  crinason  damask,  &.c.  The  tapestry  of 

R2 


2,68  TRAVELS   OF   RKV.    AT,HAW   BUTLER. 

Flemish  manufacture,  from  designs  by  RAPHAEL,  is  most  curi- 
ous :  The  new  back  buildings,  erected  by  Benedict  XIII.  pos- 
sess many  ornaments,  crucifixes,  &c.  but  their  solitary  situation 
gives  them  the  appearance  of  a  large  cloister :  Below  is  the 
court  called  Belvedere,  which  commands  a  charming  prospect 
over  the  gardens.  Its  enc  osures  contains  the  most  beautiful  and 
finished  statues  of  antiquity  that  are  extant,  all  of  white  marble, 
wrought  with  a  delicacy  never  to  be  sufficiently  admired,  justly 
deemed  the  glory  of  sculpture.  The  finest  of  them  is  Lacoon 
with  his  two  Sons,  and  the  serpents  twining  about  their  legs,  a 
groupe.  This  piece  disputes  the  prize  with  the  Venus  of  Me- 
dicis,  and  is  certainly  of  inestimable  value,  a  real  miracle  of  art, 
as  MICHAEL  ANGELO  used  to  call  it :  An  inimitable  Apollo 
with  the  Serpent  Python :  .d  Venus  and  a  Cupid  with  this  in- 
scription '•  Salliistia  ;  Helpidius  consecrated  to  prosperous  Venus. 
Another  Venus  alone  :  the  Emperor  Commodus,  represented  as 
an  Hrrcules,  with  his  club  and  lion's  skin,  a  character  he  affect- 
ed to  imitate  :  The  Trunk,  as  it  is  called,  that  is,  an  exqu.site 
statue  of  Hercules,  with  the  legs  and  arms  broke  off,  esteemed 
by  MICHAEL  \NGELO  a  prodigy  of  delicacy  :  Antinous,  the  fa- 
vourite of  Adrian  :  A  wolf  suckling  Romulus  and  Remus  :  the 
A'V/eand  the  Tiber  :  Cleopatra  in  a  reclining  posture,  and  about 
to  i.xpire.  All  these  are  enclosed  in  different  niches. 

The  Gardens  of  the  Vatican  contain  an  orange  grove,  pleas- 
ant alleys,  &c.  In  them  is  the  pigna,  or  sepulchral  urn  of 
brass,  in  the  shape  of  a  pine  apple,  which  contained  the  ashes 
of  the  Em  /  ror  ADRIAN,  with  two  peacocks  of  the  same  metal 
taken  from  Adrian's  mole.  The  Italians  however  are  not  so 
curious  ir:  raeir  gardens  as  in  their  palaces. 

The  Conclave,  where  the  cardinals  usually  assemble  to  chuse 

the  Pope,   is  situated  in  the  second  story  of  the  Vatican  ;  the 

gallery  befor    the  apartments  of  which  is  inimitably  painted. 

l:i  a  long  con  idore  ri  the  ground  story,  are  the  Arsenal  and  Li- 

-  •, .     The  first  is  exceedingly  large,  filling  a  great  many  very 

<•  c-  •;••:  \ibcrs  with  all  iL.ff;  rent  sorts  of  arms:    of  which  a 

:>idi.-r?Me  nuiiiti;"  are  modern  for  present  use;  but  far  more 

•  ,n  ancient ;   v   ;    •  prodigious  shew  of  suits  of  armour  and 

c,i!  cM  arms  ;  .nany  them  very  curious  and  singular.     Amongst 


Chap.  XII.  DESCRIPTION  OF   ROME.  269 

others  is  the  suit  of  armour  in  which  the  Constable  BOURBON 
was  killed,  and  in  which  appears  an  impression  made  by  the 
ball  which  occasioned  his  death  by  a  bruise  on  the  thigh. 

The  Library  is  the  greatest  and  richest  in  the  world,  both  in 
manuscripts  and  printed  volumes.  1  could  not  learn  the  pre- 
sent number  with  any  certainty,  but  it  has  been  much  aug- 
mented under  the  present  librarian,  Cardinal  Querini,  and  a 
new  room  added  to  it.  When  the  duke  of  Urbin's  library  was 
joined  to  it  by  Alexander  VII.  heir  of  the  late  duke,  arid  that 
of  Heidelberg,  presented  to  Gregory  XV.  by  the  late  duke  of 
Bavaria,  (after  taking  that  city  in  1622,)  it  contained  16,000 
manuscripts,  Latin  and  Greek.  It  was  rebuilt  by  Sixtus 
V.  and  has  been  receiving  augmentations  ever  since.  In  the 
anti-chamber  are  the  pictures  of  the  Cardinals-Librarians,  and 
many  desks,  in  which  there  are  always  several  persons  copy- 
ing out  manuscripts.  The  library  occupies  one  very  long  and 
broad  room  ;  with  galleries  at  the  bottom.  The  books,  being 
for  better  preservation  all  locked  up  in  boxes  under  their 
classes,  do  not  appear,  but  the  room  is  adorned  with  very 
good  pictures,  &.c.  ;  the  Councils  are  drawn  on  one  side  ;  the 
Life  of  Sixtus  V.  on  the  other.  On  the  pillars  in  the  middle, 
the  Inventors  of  Letters,  as  CADMUS,  &c.  There  is  a  transpa- 
rent pillar  of  alabaster  found  in  the  ruins  of  a  temple  of  Venus 
in  Salust's  gardens  :  Those  of  yellow  marble  found  with  it  arc 
in  St  Peter's  on  Montorio.  In  a  box  we  saw  here  the  largeft 
piece  of  asbestos  we  ever  met  with,  though  we  saw  small 
pieces  in  many  places.  When  it  is  rubbed  with  the  wax  of  a 
candle,  it  burns  till  the  wax  be  consumed  ;  and  then  the  cloth 
appears  perfectly  clean  and  uninjured.  Pliny  says,  that  nap- 
kins made  of  the  filaments  of  this  singular  stone,  when  thrown 
into  the  fire  dirty,  and  lying  ever  so  long,  burning  red,  were 
taken  out  clean.  This  asbestos  or  amiantcs  is  coarse,  white, 
and  made  of  a  stone  found  in  Negroponti,  which  is  drawn  out 
into  gross  threads  or  filaments.  Among  the  manuscripts  here, 
that  of  the  Greek  Scripture  is  the  rarest  valuable  :  Ic  is  written 
in  great  hooked  letters  without  an  distinction  of  chapters,  ver- 
ves, or  words  :  it  is  judged  i;>  be  at  least  1200  years  old, 


TRAVELS  OF  REV.  AU3AN  BUTLER. 

and  the  Sixtine  edition  of  the  Greek  is  chiefly  from  it.  It  is  in 
most  places,  but  not  in  every  instance,  the  most  correct  origi- 
nal, and  superior  to  the  ancient  Alexandrian  manuscript  at 
Cambridge.  The  other  principal  manuscripts  they  shewed  us, 
were,  a  Greek  Gospel  wrote  by  St  JOHN  CHRYSOSTOM  ;  the  acts 
of  the  Apostles  wrote  in  gold  letters  :  a  chronicle  of  Alexand- 
ria :  Among  the  Latin  manuscripts  they  shewed  us  a  Virgil 
wrote  whilst  Paganism  reigned  ;  for  the  figures  in  miniature 
represent  their  rites  and  sacrifices,  &cc  ;  an  old  Terence  not  so 
ancient ;  the  mutual  Letters  of  HENRY  VIII.  and  ANN  Bo- 
LOGVE  ;  a  German  bib/ey  translated  and  wrote  by  LUTHER  ;  a 
history  of  all  animals,  birds,  fish,  serpents  and  insects,  beauti- 
fully drawn  from  the  Urbin  library. 

We  next  visited  the  Mint  behind  St  Peter's.  The  wheels 
that  move  the  engines  for  coining  are  turned  by  water  :  They 
were  coming  only  brass  bajocks,  and  a  few  gold  sequins.  Near 
this  is  the  apartment  for  Mosaic  works,  in  the  modern  style,  ve- 
ry curious  and  costly.  Whilst  colours  in  painting  fade  in  time, 
Mosaic  pictures  always  retain  their  beauty.  1  hey  are  made 
of  little  wedges,  or  angular  particles  of  stones,  minerals,  &c. 
joined  together,  so  as  to  represent  a  good  painting.  The  ma- 
terials are  very  dear,  and,  in  order  to  have  all  sorts  of  colours 
strong  and  lively,  even  precious  stones  are  often  employed, — = 
lapis  lazuli,  agates,  jasper  and  cornalins, — which  give  stronger 
colours  tiian  ordinary  painting.  There  are  several  Mosaic 
pieces  in  St  Peter's  ;  many  more  are  preparing  for  it ;  but  three 
or  four  years  are  required  to  finish  a  picture  of  moderate  size. 
The  King  of  Portugal  has  also  workmen  here  making  some  of 
these  paintings  for  the  Friars  church  in  his  new  palace.  The 
ancient  Mosaics  are  mean,  as  we  see  in  St  John  of  Lateran, 
&cc.  The  modern  are  extremely  beautiful,  and  resemble  fine 
paintings,  when  viewed  from  a  proper  distance. 

Returning  from  St  Peter's  out  cf  the  Borgo,  we  came  back 
by  the  bridge  of  St  Angelo,  from  which,  on  the  right,  we  dis- 
covered the  ruins  cf  the  Triumphal  Bridge  long  since  broke 
down,  over  which  those  to  whom  the  Senate  had  grantd  a 
triumph  passed  to  the  Capitol.  Having  passed  the  bridge,  we 
turned  on  our  right  hand,  through  an  alley  iato  the  via  "Julia? 


Chap.  XII,  DESCRIPTION  OF  ROME.  271 

(Strada  Guila)  in  which  we  first  meet  the  church  of  St  'John 
Baptist  of  the  Florentines,  belonging  to  that  nation,  a  very 
handsome  edifice,  built  from  a  plan  of  James  de  la  Porta,  and 
its  majestic  high-altar  by  Cortona.  We  admired  in  this 
church  four  pillars  of  jasper  marble  ;  a  statue  of  St  John  Bap- 
tist, baptizing  our  SAVIOUR  ;  a  picture  of  the  Resurrection  by 
LANFRANC,  and  other  good  paintings,  and  the  chapels  of  Sancheti, 
&c.  This  church  is  to  be  all  inlaid  with  jasper  marble  ;  but 
it  is  not  probable  that  this  design  will  be  speedily  executed. 
Next,  we  passed  by  the  palace  of  Sancheti,  built  by  San  I  ^ai  ; 
and  higher,  our  Lady  of  Suffrage,  built  by  Rainaldi,  and  adorn- 
ed with  good  pictures  and  carvings.  It  is  remarkable  for  a  Con- 
fraternity for  the  Dead,  to  whose  relief  they  consecrate  ail  their 
actions. 

The  Palace  of  the  Falconieri,  a  Florentine  family,  is  si- 
tuated at  the  head  of  the  via  Guila  ;  and  near  it,  in  a  great 
square,  the  magnificent  Fame sian palace  built  by  Paul  III.  a 
Farnesian :  It  belonged  afterwards  to  the  dukes  of  Parma,  and 
now  to  the  King  of  Naples.  The  cornices  are  the  most  finish- 
ed carving  to  be  seen,  executed  after  the  plan  of  MICHAEL  Ax- 
GELO.  Round  the  inner  court  runs  a  great  portico  filled  with 
ancient  statues,  especially  the  Farnesian  Hercules,  (which  was 
found  in  Caracalla's  baths,)  the  finest  in  the  world  next  to  the 
Laocoon,  the  Apollo  of  Befoidere,  and  the  Venus  of  Ai  edicts. 
MICHAEL  AKGELO  supplied  a  leg  that  was  broke  efF,  and  now 
scarcely  to  be  distinguished  from  the  original ;  all  the  chambers 
and  galleries  are  admirable  for  the  architecture,  and  filled  with 
statues,  pictures,  &c.  The  gallery  painted  b}^  AXXIBAL  CAR- 
P.ACHi,  is  the  most  curious.  The  finest  statues  are  a  Flora, 
two  captive  Parthian  Kings,  in  the  dress  of  their  native  country ; 
many  Gladiators  in  their  various  attitudes  ;  the  "Three  Koratii, 
and  Citrii ;  a  beautiful  Fawn;  an  exquisite  ivory  Crucifix  \>y 
MICHAEL  ANGELO  :  The  busts  of  Euripides,  Solon,  Socrates, 
Diogenes,  Zeno,  and  l^  other  old  philosophers  found  in  Dio- 
clesian's  baths  ;  and  those  of  Antinous,  Bacchus,  &c  ;  a  great 
statue  in  a  groupe,  by  ALEXANDER  FARN.-SIUS  ;  many  fine 
paintings  by  RAPHAEL  ;  an  Adonis  and  a  Vtmis  by  TITIAN  ; 
e.nd  the  Can ancc an  woman  by  CARRAGIII  ;  the  Blesss.i  Virgin, 

11 


27s          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

by  RAPHAEL,  &cc.  This  palace  was  begun  bv  the  architect 
SAN  GAL,  but  finished  by  MICHAEL  ANGELO.  It  was  built 
with  the  stones  of  the  Colisseo,  as  was  also  the  Chancery. 

Towards  the  Tiber,  on  leaving  toe  palace,  we  see  a  great 
statue  of  MARCUS  AURELIUS  ;  near  it  stands  a  groupe  of  statues 
in  marble,  representing  the  whole  story  of  Circe,  which  may'be 
read  near  it :  This  is  the  master-piece  of  the  two  famous  carv- 
ers, APOLLONIUS  and  THYAN^EUS,  mentioned  by  Pliny  and  Pro- 
pertius,  and  was  found  in  Antoninus's  baths  ;  The  bull,  with 
Circe  entangled  with  her  hair  on  his  horns,  is  admirable  ;  the  two 
young  men  stopping  the  furious  animal,  the  shepherd  on  his 
back ;  the  queen  and  the  stag  ;  the  lion  devouring  a  horse  ;  the 
fox,  the  hare,  &c.  constitute  one  groupe.  Princes  are  said  to 
have  offered  the  bull's  weight  in  gold  for  it. 

The  Farnesian  Square,  or  piazza,  is  very  large,  adorned  with 
two  beautiful  fountains  resembling  one  another  :  In  each  is  a 
vast  vessel  of  one  stone,  ingeniously  cut.  The  picture  of  St 
"Jerome  communicating,  in  the  hospital  of  St  Jerome  of  the 
Charity,  by  DoMINICHlNO,  is  one  of  the  finest  extant  :  Near 
this  square  stands  St  Thomas'1  s,  or  the  English  College,  which 
is  a  good  building  :  The  church  of  tins  seminary  is  a  plain  edi- 
fice ;  but  it  possesses  a  very  fine  vineyard  at  Monte  Portio :  In 
a  parlour  is  a  capital  picture  painted  by  a  Jesuit. 

In  going  from  the  Farnesian  square  to  the  Navona,  and  thence 
to  the  Cap'tol,  we  miss  on  the  le.'t  some  fine  palaces,  as  that  of 
the  Sforzee,  &.C.,  and  proceed  through  the  \.ampo  Fiore,  or  mar- 
ket-place of  Flora,  a  very  noble  square,  passing  in  the  front  of 
the  palace  of  the  Ursini,  and  the  Chancery,  a  superb  edifice. 
The  church  of  St  Andrew  de  Valle,  which  is  also  situated  in  this 
part  of  Rome,  was  founded  by  the  Picolhomini,  and  two  Popes 
of  that  family  are  buried  in  it :  The  facade  is  noble ;  the  dome 
finely  painted  by  LAN  FRANC.  The  chapel  of  the  Ginetti  is  very 
rich  in  marble,  jasper,  agates,  &.c.  The  second  chapel  is  of  the 
architecture  of  MICHAEL  ANGELO  ;  and  the  statue  of  the 
Blessed  Virgin  of  brass  on  the  altar,  is  of  his  workmanship  : 
The  church  belongs  to  Theatins. 

We  also  passed  by  the  door  of  the  great  house  established 
by  Lewis  XIV.  as  an  Academy  for  French  Painters,  who  liv? 


Clap.  XII.  DESCRIPTION  OF  ROME.  273 

here  in  order  to  perfect  themselves  in  their  art,  from  the  in- 
numerable fine  models  contained  in  this  city. 

The  Vatte  leads  to  the  Piaxxa  Navona,  or^gonis,  so  called  from 
the  word  «•/»»<?,  (of  a  fight,)  the  circus  Agonalis,  or  the  place 
of  public  games  and  combats  having  been  situated  in  it  :  It  is 
the  largest  and  handsomest  square  in  Rome  :  In  the  centre  ap- 
pears an  obelisk,  and  a  fine  fountain,  a  master-piece  of  BERNINI  : 
It  is  an  artificial  rock,  with  a  bason  below,  into  which  the  wa- 
ter is  poured  by  four  gigantic  statues  of  men,  representing  the 
Nile,  Euphrates,  Tigris,  and  Ganges  :  There  is  a  horse  on  one 
side,  a  lion  on  the  other,  &c.  Other  ornaments  combine  to 
render  it  very  magnificent.  On  the  top  of  the  obelisk  is  a  dove 
ivith  an  olive  branch  in  its  mouth,  the  arms  of  Innocent  X. 
who  built  this  fountain,  as  well  as  the  noble  PalaceofPhampkili 
in  this  square,  which  contains  the  admirable  gallery  of  Cor- 
tona.  The  adjoining  little  church  of  St  slgnes,  ("erected  on  the 
the  spot  in  which  that  saint  was  imprisoned,)  is  a  most  finished 
building  in  the  form  of  an  oval  :  Its  front,  of  the  Corinthian 
order,  its  cupola,  pavement,  basso-relievos,  paintings,  &.C.,  are 
all  charming  :  It  was  begun  by  the  same  Pope.  St  Giucomo 
of  the  Spaniards,  on  the  other  side  of  the  square,  is  remarkable 
for  a  statue  of  St  James,  by  SANSOVIN  ;  a  picture  by  the  great 
CARRACHI;  and  its  delightful  music.  Behind  St  Giacomo  is  the 
University,  called  the  Sapienza,  a  very  large  and  magnificent 
building ;  but  only  frequented  for  the  canon  and  civil  law  :  Its 
divinity  professors,  have  handsome  salaries  ;  and  there  is  a  good 
library  belonging  to  it. 

From  the  Navona  we  enter  into  the  square  of  Pasquino,  prin- 
cipally occupied  by  booksellers.  The  Pasquino  is  an  ancient 
statue,  the  work  of  a  great  master,  called  also  Trunco,  from 
its  arms  and  legs  being  broke  off.  It  is  supposed  to  represent 
either  Hercules  or  Alexander  ;  and  is  called  Pu.,quino,  from  a 
tailor,  (some  say  a  cobler,)  of  that  name,  who  lived  here,  pos- 
sessed of  a  singular  talent  for  satire  and  low  wit,  and  whose 
shop  was  the  rendezvous  of  the  news-mongers :  Ever  since  his 
time  lampoons  and  epitaphs  are  fixed  on  this  maincd  statue. 
Matjorio,  a  statue,  now  placed  nigh  the  Capitol,  formerly  an* 
swercd  Fas.qujnp  in  a  similar  manner. 


2^4      TRAVELS  OF  THE  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

In  this  quarter  are  two  churches  not  to  be  forgot :  1st,  Our 
Lady  of  Peace,  given  to  the  Austin  friars,  to  induce  them  to 
renounce  their  pretensions  to  St  John  of  Lateran  :  Their  con- 
vent, built  by  BRABANTI,  as  well  as  the  church,  are  in  a  fine 
style  of  architecture.  The  Sybils,  and  the  incomparable 
Prophet,  by  RAPHAEL,  in  the  chapel  of  the  Chigi,  cannot  be 
sufficiently  admired  :  The  chapel  of  Cardinal  Cesi,  is  finely  a- 
dorned :  Besides  statues  and  many  good  paintings,  this  church 
possesses  St  Monica's  body,  and  on  her  tomb  there  is  a  statue 
of  her  pointing  to  St  Austin,  with  these  words  :  "  the  fruit  of 
rny  tears."  2d,  St  Maty  in  I'alicclla,  situated  near  the  Via 
^fulia,  and  belonging  to  the  Oratorians  of  St  Philip  Neri,  whose 
library  contains  valuable  manuscripts  :  The  church  is  well 
built  and  adorned  :  Its  paintings  are,  a  St  Philip  Neri,  by  GUI- 
DO  ;  an  Ascension  by  MUTIANO  j  the  pictures  of  the  high  altar 
by  RUEENS  ;  the  cupola,  painted  by  CORTONA  ;*the  sacristy  by 
the  same,  &c.  In  the  chamber  of  St  Philip  is  preserved  the 
poor  furniture  made  use  of  by  that  holy  man. 

From,  the  Navona  to  the  Rotunda  we  pass  by  St  Lewis  of 
the  French,  governed  by  a  community  of  priests  of  that  nation. 
Many  Frenchmen  lie  buried  in  this  church.  On  our  left  to- 
wards the  Corso  is  St  Austin,  belonging  to  the  Augustines  : 
They  have  a  good  library  :  In  their  church  are  many  pictures 
\vell  executed.  The  best  statue  is  of  our  SAVIOUR  giving  the 
keys  to  St  Peter,  by  RAPHAEL  URBINO.  The  College  of  Car- 
dinal Capranica,  and  that  of  St  Apollinaris  for  the  Germans, 
founded  by  Gregory  XII.,  possess  nothing  curious. 

Santa  Maria  Rotunda  is  the  old  Pantheo?t,  built  by  the  fa- 
mous MARCUS  AGRIPPA,  or  at  least  consecrated  by  him  to  all 
the  gods,  or,  as  some  say,  to  Cylcle  the  mother  of  the  gods  : 
It's  fine  statues  were  carried  to  Constantinople  ;  the  silver, 
brass,  &c.  ivhich  adorned  it,  to  the  Vatican  :  By  this  means  it 
is  very  naked  of  ornaments,  though  it  has  fourteen  altars  round 
It.  Unadorned  however,  as  it  is,  some  esteem  it  the  finest 
piece  of  architecture  in  the  world  ;  yet  it  was  on  hearing  some 
persons  commend  it,  that  MICHAEL  ANGELO  said  he  could  build 
9.  Pantheon  in  die  air ;  and  made  good  his  promise  in  building 
the  dome  of  St  Peter's,  which  is  exactly  of  the  same  diameter, 


Clap.  XII.  DESCRIPTION  OF  ROME.  275 

The  Rotunda  is  perfectly  circular,  158  feet  in  diameter,  and 
of  equal  height,  having  neither  pillar  nor  window,  but  receiv- 
ing the  light  from  a  large  round  opening  in  the  top,  directly  un- 
der which  is  a  sink  to  receive  the  rain,  covered  with  perforated 
iron  plates.  It  is  well  known  that  Boniface  IV.  dedicat- 
ed it  to  our  Lady  and  all  the  Martyrs  and  Saints  ;  whence  it 
is  called  Santa  Maria  ad  Martyres.  Before  it  is  a  porch  sup- 
ported by  fourteen  pillars  of  one  granite  stone  each  ;  on  which  a 
brazen  statue  of  Agrippa  Triumphant  formerly  stood  ;  as  is  as- 
certained by  broken  pieces  dug-  up  in  the  ground  :  A  porphyry 
tomb  also,  commonly  called  Agrippa's,  lay  in  a  nich  in  the  out- 
wall  ;  but  Clement  XII  made  it  serve  for  his  own  monument 
in  St  John  of  Lateran.  Alexander  VII.  caused  the  square  be- 
fore this  church  to  be  lowered  to  a  level  with  it,  there  having 
been  previously  a  descent  to  it  of  1 1  steps,  whilst  in  Agrippa's 
time  there  was  an  ascent  of  seven  :  A  proof  that  Rome  is  in 
this  place  raised  by  rubbish  18  steps  above  its  ancient  level : 
The  same  appears  from  Trajan's  pillar,  the  bottom  of  which  is 
fifteen  feet  below  the  present  level  of  the  street. 

At  a  little  distance  from  the  Rotunda  stood  the  Minerva,  a 
a  place  in  which  Pompey  built  a  theatre,  a  curia,  a  portico,  and 
a  temple  to  Minerva,  the  goddess  of  wisdom,  war,  and  arts : 
It  is  now  destroyed,  and  on  its  site  is  erected  the  great  Domini- 
can Convent,  called  our  Lady  on  the  Minerva,  the  cloister  of 
which  is  adorned  with  the  best  paintings  in  fresco  of  any  in 
Rome.  On  the  gospel-side  of  the  high  altar,  is  an  incompara- 
ble basso-relievo  in  marble  by  MICHAEL  ANGELO,  represent- 
ing our  SAVIOUR  holding  his  Cross.  The  chapel  of  St  Thomas 
is  very  noble,  and  under  the  altar,  which  is  rich,  appears  the 
shrine  of  St  Catherine  of  Sienna.  Here  are  also  many  monu- 
ments of  eminent  men  ;  among  others,  that  of  the  Aldobrandi ; 
of  Paul  IV.,  Leo  X.,  Clement  VIII.,  of  the  late  Benedict  XIII, 
of  the  Cardinal  Alexandria,  by  JAMES  DE  LA  PORTA  ;  two 
fine  statues  by  BONATELLI  on  the  tomb  of  Cardinal  Pucci, 
Cardinal  Cajetan,  Massoulie,  the  great  divine,  with  a  pompous- 
epitaph,  &.c.  In  front  of  the  building  stands  an  obelisk  on  an 
elephant ;  and  adjoining  to  the  convent,  the  Dominicans  have 
a  college  for  their  own  religious ;  This  order,  possesses  also 


1 76        TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALB  AN  BUTLER. 

seven  other  small  convents  in  Rome ;  viz.  the  Penitentiary 
of  St  Mary  Major,  St  Quiricus,  St  Sabina,  St  Sisto  Vechio, 
St  Clement,  St  Nicolo,  and  Del  Rosario  on  Monte  Mario  ;  be- 
sides four  houses  of  Dominicanesses. 

From  the  Minerva  we  went  by  the  Jesuits,  il  Giesu,  and  St 
Mark's  to  the  Capitol. 


CHAPTER   THIRTEENTH. 

DESCRIPTION   OF  ROME. — continued. 

Church  of  Area  Coeli. — The  Capitol,  or  Campidolio,  Its  fine  paintings. — Mil- 
liarium  Aureum — Columna  Rostrata. —  Admirable  Statues — Gladiator  dying, 
&c. — Tulliola's  Urn. — Tarpeian  Rock. — Palace  of  Mathsei. — Hospital  of  the 
Blessed  Trinity. — The  Cardinals  and  others  wash  the  feet  of  the  Pilgrim?. — 
Charity  Bank  of  Mons  Pietatis. — Jews. — Hospital  of  Ben  Fratelli. — Pauline 
Fountain. — Churches  of  St  Peter  in  Montorio  ;  of  St  Cecily,  of  St  Calixtus,  of 
St  Mary  Trastavere,  of  St  Pancratius,  St  Sylvester. — Fountain  of  Treves. — Pa- 
lace of  Monte  Cavallo. — Its  Church,  Statues,  Gardens  and  Paintings. — Santa 
Maria  Maggiorc. — Chapel  of  the  Holy  A^anger. — Obelisks. — Barberini  I'alace. 
— Villa  Ludovisi,  Its  beautiful  Statues  and  Paintings. — Villa  Borghesi. — Ce- 
miterium  of  St  Cyriacia  and  Catacombs — Church  of  St  Agnes  fuori  delli  Mura 
and  it*  Catacombs. — Church  of  St  Constante. — Holy  Cross  in  Jerusalem. — St 
John  of  Lateran. — Corsini  Chapel.— Egyptian  Obelisk. — Baptismal  Font. — Scala 
Santa. — Story  of  the  Hopess  Joan  proved  to  be  a  Falsdioad. — Lateran  Palace.— 
Church  of  St  Peter  ad  Vincula. —  San  Stephano  Rotundo. — Our  Lady  in  Navi- 
cella. — Vespasian's  Amphitheatre. — Triumphal  Arch  of  Constantine — Ti- 
tus's  Arch.— Church  of  St  Fraucisca.— The  Hippodrome  —The  Forum.— Cur- 
tius's  Gulph.— Temple  of  Jupiter  Stator.— Triumphal  Arch  of  Septimius  Sever- 
lls.— Rostra  Nova  et  Vecera.— Temple  of  Jupiter  Thundering.— San  I-'ietro  nel' 
Carcere. — Circus  Maximns. — B..ths  of  the  Ancient  Romans. — Churches  of 
Santa  Maria  in  Cosmedin,  and  Our  Lady  del  Sole. — Palace  of  the  •  'cesars. — 
Churches  of  :>t  Paul,  and  of  St  Sebastian  without  tlie  walls. — Description  of 
the  Catacombs — Tomb  of  Metclla. — Naumachii, — oubiaco. — Cadtcl  Gondolfb. 
— Frescati. — Monte  Drj,cone. — Country  Palace  of  i  .udovisi  and'  Belvidere. — 
Hermitage  of  Camaldoli. — Ruins  of  Tusculum,Cicero's  'Country  Scat. 


C^N  the  hill  of  the  the  Capitol  appears  the  Area  C<r!i,  the  chief 
convent  of  the  Grey  friars,  or  Franciscans  Oh  -;ervantiris,  standing 
on  the  site  of  an  old  temple  of  *Jupitet  Ferretrius.  Tis  faid 
that  Au^'.'.stus  L^Viny;  lei.r  .^,  of  ihs  iiby's  ..ad  the  oracle  of 
Delphos,  the  Nativity  of  our  SAVIOUR,  erected  an  altar  here 


Clap.  XIII-  DESCRIPTION  OF  ROME. 

to  the  FIRST  BORN  OF  GOD,  which  the  friars  imagine  they  still 
possess  ;  and  shew  for  it  a  small  altar  on  the  gospel-side,  on 
which  are  some  inscriptions  almost  entirely  effaced  :  But  this 
story,  related  only  by  Suidas,  &c.  is  rejected  by  all  good  wri- 
ters. This  church  seems  rather  to  have  been  called  Area  «...celi 
from  its  great  height ;  the  ascent  to  it  consists  of  123  lar^c  mar- 
ble steps,  which  formerly  belonged  to  the  temple  of  Quirino, 
as  did  several  marble  pillars  that  adorn  it,  on  the  third  of  which 
is  engraven  :  a  Cubiculo  Augustorum.  The  church  itself  is  200 
feet  long,  and  165  broad.  The  vault  is  gilt.  Its  best  pictures 
are,  an  excellent  JESUS,  Mary  and  Josepo,  by  RAPHAEL  :  an 
Ascension  and  a  <$/  Paul,  by  MUCIANO,  &.c.  It  also  contains  a 
fine  Bambino,  or  Infant  'Jesus,  in  the  manger,  which  is  magni- 
ficently adorned  on  Christmas-day,  &c.  The  Recollects  or 
Observantins  in  Rome  also  possess  the  church  of  St  Bartholo- 
mew in  the  isle  of  Tiber  ;  the  Irish  rocellects,  St  Isidor.  The 
Reformed  Observantins  St  Francisco-a-ripa,  San  Piedro-in- 
Montorio  and  the  Penitentiary  of  St  John  of  Lateran,  &c. 

This  quarter  is  by  corruption  now  called  Campidolio,  or  Cam- 
pitelli.  ROMULUS  built  a  fortress  on  this  hill,  audit  was  after- 
wards the  site  of  the  famous  temple  of  'Jupiter  Capitolintts, 
the  gates  of  which  were  brass,  and  the  roof  covered  with  plates 
of  the  same  metal,  afterwards  carried  to  the  Vatican  by  Hon- 
orius  I. 

In  digging  the  foundations  of  this  temple,  a  man's  skull  was 
found,  from  which  circumstance  it  was  called  the  Capitol,  and 
this  name  was  extended  to  the  whole  hill,  which  before  was 
called  Tarpeius  and  Saturnius.  It  was  covered  with  te.iiples, 
the  principlal  of  which  was  the  Capitol,  dedicated  to  Jupiter 
Optimus.  This  was  built  first  by  King  Tarquinius  Su'.vibus, 
but  not  finished  till  long  after  his  expulsion  :  It  was  thrice 
burnt,  and  as  often  rebuilt,  being  last  restored  by  Domitian.  It 
contained  idols  of  gold,  silver  and  chrystal,  of  inestimable  value  $ 
and  was  the  place  where  the  senate  and  people  returned  solemn 
thanks  for  victories,  &cc.  The  Twelve  Tables  of  the  law  were 
also  deposited  in  it,  two  of  which  they  pretended  to  shew 
113  in  one  of  the  Roman  palaces  ;  but  the  inscriptions  were  so 


2)8         TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

much  effaced  by  age,  that  I  could  not  read  a  word  of  them, 
though  I  almost  knew  the  Twelve  Tables  by  heart. 

The  temple  next  in  dignity  to  the  Capitol,  was  that  o£Jupf~ 
ler  FerretritiSy  where  now  the  church  of  our  Lady  of  Area  Cceli 
stands,  as  before  mentioned.  In  what  part  the  old  Capitol 
stood  is  uncertain. 

Boniface  IX.  built  the  first  part  of,  the  present  Capitol 
as  a  palace  for  the  Roman  Senator  :  Other  parts  were  added 
since  his  time.  When  a  stranger  enters  the  square  before 
the  Capitol,  the  magnificence  of  the  buildings  ;  the  size  and 
beauty  of  the  statues,  Sec.  quite  amaze  him.  In  the  square  it- 
self is  a  fine  equestrian  brazen  statue,  supposed,  by  the  best 
judges  to  be  that  of  the  Emperor  MARCUS  AURELIUS  ANTON- 
NINUS  :  The  horse  is  admirably  executed.  We  ascend  to  the 
court  of  the  Capitol  by  a  flight  of  immense  stone  steps,  at  the 
bottom  of  which  on  each  side  is  a' lion  throwing;  water  from  his 

o 

mouth,  and  near  one  of  these  an  old  maimed  statue  of  porphyry. 
On  the  top  are  two  great  horses  of  marble,  and  two  pedestrian 
statues  of  CoNSTANTlNEthe  Great,  as  many  think,  though  others 
imagine  they  represent  Castor  and  Pollux.  This  court  is  in 
the  form  of  an  oblong  square  :  Its  front  is  a  magnificent  palace 
with  the  statue  of  Religion  on  its  top  :  on  each  side  are  two 
other  stately  palaces,  a  little  separated  from  that  in  the  front ; 
in  that  of  the  right  hand  the  three  Conservator!  have  their  apart- 
ments; in  that  on  the  left  are  the  courts  where  these  magistrates 
sit  with  the  senator  and  his  collaterals,  called  by  some  very  im- 
properly the  Roman  Senate.  Both  these  wings  are  full  of  the 
most  valuable  antiquities,  especially  that  on  the  left.  These 
three  buildings  all  go  under  the  name  of  the  Capitol.  The  ba- 
lustrades before  them  are  adorned  with  statues  of  old  Romans, 
and  the  court  with  other  antiquities  (such  as  monuments  of  Ma- 
rius's  victories  over  the  Cimbri,  &c.)  and  a  beautiful  fountain,  on 
each  side  of  which  appear  two  gigantic  figures  of  men,  reclin- 
ing on  their  side,  the  one  representing  the  Nile  upon  a  sphinx, 
the  other  the  Tigris,  with  a  tiger,  and  each  holding  a  cornu- 
copia. In  the  middle  stands  Rome,  in  a  triumphant  attitude, 
in  the  figure  of  a  woman,  the  face  of  marble,  and  the  rest  of 
her  body  of  porhyry.  At  her  sides,  appear  slaves  if.  sorrowful 
attitudes,  fiii'.'iv  cawed  iu  rrar 

a 


Clap.  XIII.  DESCRIPTION  OF  ROME. 

In  the  corner  of  the  square  on  the  left  hand,  is  the  MiHiari- 
tim  Aureum,  or  Golden  Milestone,  a  short  marble  pillar,  which 
was  adorned  with  gildings,  Sec.  and  stood  in  the  Forum,  in  the 
middle  of  Rome,  from  whence,  as  their  centre,  the  28  high  ways 
diverged,  and  the  mile-stones  were  numbered.  The  statue 
Marfario  lies  here  broken  :  It  formerly  stood  on  the  side  of 
the  Forum,  from  whence  it  answered  Pasquino  in  satyrs  :  It  is 
thought  to  have  been  anciently  a  statue  of  the  Tiber. 

Entering  first  the  palace  on  the  left  hand,  and  the  next  day, 
that  on  the  right,  we  were  very  agreeably  amused  with  the 
sight  of  the  numerous  antiquities.  In  the  small  court  below, 
we  were  shown  broken  pieces  of  two  Colossus's  with  their 
heads,  probably  those  of  Augustus  and  Dormtian  ;  one  of  them 
must  have  been  30  feet,  the  other  about  40  feet  high  ;  judg- 
ing from  the  dimensions  of  the  head,  which  should  be  one 
eighth  of  whole  figure  :  Neither  of  these  can  belong  to  the 
Colossus  in  Vespasian's  amphitheatre,  which  was  120  feet 
high.  We  also  saw  several  beautiful  old  statues  of  Constan- 
tirie,  &c.  three  very  fine  ones  of  Julius  Caesar,  Augustus,  and 
a  lion  devouring  a  horse  ;  also  the  measure  of  an  old  Roman, 
foot,  with  its  parts  fixed  in  the  wall.  On  the  stairs  is  the  Cclum- 
na  Rostrata  of  DCLIUS,  in  honour  of  the  naval  victories  obtain- 
ed over  the  Carthaginians  in  the  first  Punic  war  ;  he  being  the 
first  Roman  that  triumphed  by  sea  :  The  Columna  is  not  high, 
and  is  adorned  with  beaks  of  ships  to  the  top  :  The  celebrated 
paintings  of  the  Rape  of  the  Sabines,  the  Combat  of  tie  Horatii, 
£tc.  are  by  JOSEPFIN,  commonly  called  D'slrgiuo,  who  lived 
under  Gregory  XI II. 

The  old  Fasti  or  "Tables  of  the  Consuls,  and  Memorable  Ac- 
tions, were  found  among  old  ruins,  and  are  placed  upon  the 
wall.  The  statues,  busts,  £cc.  fill  many  large  rooms.  The 
busts  of  the  ancient  Greek  philosophers,  as  Socrates,  Plato, 
£cc.  ;  and  those  of  the  Roman  emperors  and  other  great  men., 
as  Junius  Brutus,  Cicero,  £cc.  ;  are  very  curious. 

Among  the  most  admirable,  are  the  following  ;  a  brazen  one 
of  the  wolf  suckling  Romulus  and  Remus,  aline  piece:  Oa 
this  we  observed  the  mark  made  by  lightning,  as  mentioned 
by  Cicero  in  his  third  oration  againit  Catiline  ;  An  inimitable 


280  TRAVELS   OF   REV.    ALBAN    EUTLfiR. 

statue,  also  in  brass,  of  a  shepherd  sitting  down  and  pulling 
a  thorn  from  his  foot,  erected  by  order  of  the  Senate  in  hon- 
our of  the  zeal  of  a  messenger,  who  being  dispatched  with  the 
news  of  victory,  would  not  stop  to  pull  a  thorn  out  of  his  foot 
till  he  had  communicated  the  happy  intelligence  :  The  passions 
a^e  admirably  expressed  in  his  countenance  :  Hercules  in  brass, 
Cicero  and  Virgil  in  marble  ;  Nero  when  a  child,  and  Agrip- 
pina  his  mother  sitting  in  a  majestic  posture  :  But  the  master- 
piece is  the  dying  Gladiator,  an  absolute  prodigy  of  sculpture, 
especially  of  the  passions  :  Young  painters  and  engravers  are 
always  copying  it.  Here  are  other  fine  gladiators,  a  retiarius, 
&.C.,  also  large  statues  of  brass  or  marble,  of  the  Popes  who  have 
principally  adorned  Rome,  erected  by  the  Senate  and  people, 
as  the  inscriptions  bear,  amongst  which,  are  those  of  Paul  III., 
Gregory  XIII.,  Leo  X.,  Sixtus  V.,  Clement  XII.,  &c.  all  sit- 
ting, and  in  the  attitude  of  bestowing  their  benediction  ;  also  of 
Alexander  Farnesius,  Antony  Colonna,  &c. 

The  urns,  pictures,  &c.  are  chiefly  on  the  opposite  side.  The 
finest  paintings,  are  those  of  our  SAVIOUR,  cw  Lady,  St  Joseph, 
and  St  *john  Baptist,  by  RAPHAEL  URBINO  :  Among  the  urns, 
they  shew  one  which  they  call  70//ZO&V,  the  daughter  of  Cicero  : 
This  monument  was  found  during  the  pontificate  of  Innocent 
VIII.  in  1489,  five  miles  out  of  Rome,  on  the  Appian  high- 
way, and  contained  the  body  of  a  girl  12  years  old,  entire,  with 
a  beautiful  red  on  her  cheeks,  and  her  mouth  a  little  open : 
She  was  carried  to  the  Capitol,  where  great  crowds  went  to  see 
so  great  a  prodigy  :  'Tis  reported  that  many  pulled  her  arms  and 
tongue,  and  found  them  still  limber,  and  able  to  recover  their 
natural  posture  by  their  elasticity  :  But  it  is  impossible  that  the 
muscles  could  retain  their  spring  so  long  ;  though  the  body 
may  have  been  preserved  by  being  embalmed  :  It  must  be 
equally  fabulous  that  a  lamp  was  found  burning  in  her  se- 
pulchre, which  immediately  went  out  on  the  admission  of  fresh 
air  :  Nevertheless,  this  report  has  given  occassion  to  many 
dissertations,  and  to  warm  contests  among  learned  antiquaries 
and  philosophers,  Whether  perpetual  lamps  were  possible  ? 
Some  absurdly  imagine  the  oily  smoke  might  fall  continually 
back  into  the  lamp,  and  thus  be  again  burnt  ad  infinitum : 


Clap.  XIII.  DESCRIPTION    OF   ROME.  280 

JBut  'tis  an  erroneous  supposition,  to  imagine  that  this  was  the 
body  of  Cicero's  daughter  ;  though  it  appears  from  the  urn 
to  have  been  that  of  some  person  living  during  the  time  of  hea- 
thenism. In  Cicero's  time  the  Romans  burnt  their  dead,  and  did 
not  return  to  their  original  custom  of  burying  them,  until  a- 
bout  200  years  after  his  death.  In  short,  nothing  gives  any- 
light  who  this  person  was  ;  and  'tis  thought,  those  who  first  dis- 
covered the  m jnument,  carried  away  secretly  what  it  contained 
of  most  value,  lest  the  lords  of  the  place  should  claim  them. 
The  body,  by  the  Pope's  orders,  to  prevent  the  danger  of  su- 
perstition, was  carried  out  of  the  Porta-Pia  during  the  night, 
and  buried  privately:  It  began  to  lose  its  beauty  in  the  Capi- 
tol in  the  open  air. 

In  the  square  where  the  statue  of  Marcus  Aurelius  is  placed, 
was  the  Roman  /sylum  for  malefactors,  instituted  by  Romulus. 

The  Tarpeian  Roc£  must  have  been  a  higher  precipice  than 
it  is  at  present,  when  Manlius  was  thrown  down  from  it,  On 
the  other  side  of  the  Capitol  is  the  Forum  Romanum,  the  centre 
of  Rome  :  But  now  the  other  half  of  the  city  is  scarcely  in- 
habited, and  indeed  exhibits  little  else  but  vast  ruins.  Before 
visiting  those,  we  made  two  circuits  to  examine  the  remainder 
of  the  more  inhabited  part ;  viz.  one  again  to  the  Tiber  ;  the 
other,  the  opposite  way  to  the  Porta-Pia,  above  the  Piazza  de 
Spana  and  the  Corso.  In  going  towards  the  isle  of  the  Tiber  from 
the  Campidoglio  or  Campitelli,  that  is,  the  region  of  the  Capitol, 
we  pass  near  the  palace  of  Matheei,  remarkably  rich  in  busts, 
paintings,  &c.  The  finest  are,  An  Assumption  by  RAPHAEL  ; 
the  Apprehending  of  our  SAVIOUR,  by  MICHAEL  AXGELO  ;  and 
a  St  Peter  by  GUIDO  :  A  little  on  the  right  is  St  Charles  ad 
Catinarios,  or,  a  Catinari,  a  well  finished  church  belonging  to 
the  Barnabites,  built  by  the  architects  Rosati  and  Soria,  and 
adorned  with  good  paintings  ;  those  of  the  dome  by  the  Domi- 
nican ;  those  of  the  tribune  over  the  high-altar,  by  LANFKANC  ; 
a  Death  of  St  Ann,  by  ANDREW  SACCHI  ;  a  St  Charles  on  his 
knees,  with  a  cord  about  his  neck,  barefooted,  Sec.  on  the  high- 
altar.  A  little  lower,  towards  the  Farnesian  palace,  is  the  Hos- 
pita/ofjbe  Blessed  Trinity,  for  the  reception  of  pilgrims,  in- 
stituted by  St  Philip  Neri :  Here  ail  the  pilgrims  who  come 

S 


TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

to  Rome  with  certificates  from  their  curate,  &c.  are  lodged 
and  very  well  entertained  for  three  days.  The  cardinals,  pre- 
lates, princes,  and  all  the  gentry  in  Rome,  come  here  every 
day  to  wait  on  them  at  table,  and  to  wash  their  feet.  We 
vent  to  see  this  ceremony  one  evening  ;  there  were  that  night 
3  cardinals,  and  6co  others  who  put  on  aprons  to  serve  j  more 
asked,  but  the  servants  of  the  hospital  have  only  6co  aprons 
always  ready  for  those  that  come  :  The  oldest  cardinal  read  a 
short  prayer,  the  rest  answered  ;  then  all  fell  to  work,  fetching 
water,  washing,  wiping,  and  even  frequently  kissing  the  feet  of 
the  pilgrims,  especially  their  sores  :  I  saw  two  with  very  bad 
ones ;  one  by  a  thorn  struck  almost  quite  through  his  foot, 
which  was  very  much  swelled  ;  another  whose  skin  having 
come  off,  the  flesh  appeared  so  raw,  swelled,  and  hideous,  as  to 
affright  one:  His  stocking  being  pulled  off  with  great  difficulty, 
he  screaming  all  the  while,  one  of  the  cardinals  washed,  wiped, 
and  kissed  his  feet  ;  and  then  gave  him  a  piece  of  money:  A 
surgeon  and  apothecary  immediately  came  to  dress  all  who 
h  d  sores;  -nd  these  remain  in  the  hospital  till  quite  cured « 
Aft  .-r  this  ceremony,  all  go  to  the  refectories,  which  are  very 
lor.g  chambers  with  two  rows  of  tables,  served  with  three 
courses  of  good  dishes,  even  dainties  :  The  same  persons  wait- 
ed upon  them  here,  only  the  cardinals  stood  always  nearest  the 
tables,  put  the  dishes  on  them,  and  poured  out  wine  and  water  ; 
the  others  assibted  :  They  told  me,  there  were  that  night  above 
700  pilgrims  at  supper  ;  this  was  in  holy-week  ;  but  the  same 
ceremony  is  performed  the  whole  year  round.  The  female 
p. 1;.  rims  are  treated  in  the  same  manner,  but  in  separate  apart- 
mt  ts,  where  they  are  served  by  ladies,  &c.,  and  none  but 
Vv'omen  are  admitted  to  see  them.  Most  of  these  pilgrims 
shew  a  great  deal  of  devotion  in  Rorne  as  well  as  on  the  roads  ; 
they  go  on  foot,  and  many  of  them  bare-footed,  saying  their 
prayei  s  ;  though  it  must  be  allowed  that  some  make  a  trade 
of  this  practice,  and  are  little  better  than  common  beggars. 
They  all  wear  a  pilgrim's  weed,  that  is,  a  long  staff;  their 
hat  covered  with  an  oil  cloth  ;  a  broad  oil-cloth  covering  their 
s  s.uklers,  and  such  as  c  in  afford  it,  a  long  garment  of  serge. 
Tucoc  wiio  have  been  at  Gbm£Qstellat  wear  scollop  shells^  (and 


Clap.  Xlll.  DESCRIPTION   OF  ROME.  283 

sometimes  others  too)  ;  and  those  who  have  been  at  Loretto,  a 
small  image  of  our  Lady  en  their  hats.  The  church  of  this 
hospital  contains  good  statues  and  pictures  j  above  the  high- 
altar  is  one  of  the  best  pieces  of  GUIDO. 

Near  this,  is  the  MOMS  Pietatis,  a  handsome  building,  with  a 
Bank,  founded  for  the  purpose  of  lending  money  to  the  poor 
gratis  for  1 8  months,  on  receiving  a  pledge.  It  must  be  ad- 
mitted that  the  Romans  are  extremely  charitable  :  There  is  a 
confraternity  of  1 2  nobles,  with  a  prelate  for  prior,  who  gathers 
alms  in  all  the  quarters  of  the  city  to  relieve  the  bashful  poor, 
who  put  their  names  in  a  trunk  locked. 

From  the  Monte  de  Pieia  we  go  to  the  Sixtine  Bridge  leading 
over  the  Tiber  into  the  Trastavere  ;  near  to  which  is  a  beautiful 
fountain,  called  aLo  Sixtine  built  by  Sixtus  V.  The  Sixtine 
bridge  was  anciently  called  ^ uniciilaris  t  because  it  leads  into  the 
Janiculus  in  the  Trastavere.  After  visiting  this  quarter,  we 
next  entered  the  Isola  or  Isle,  andpas-ingby  the  church  of  SS. 
Vincent  and  Anastasius  near  the  Tiber,  we  observed  the  palace 
of  the  Savelli,  now  belonging  to  the  Ursifii,  where  formerly 
stood  Marceiius's  ^Theatre:  The  palace  of  the  Ur.,ini,  properly 
so  called,  is  in  the  Caropo  Fiore,  where  Pon/pey^s  Ttoatre  stood. 
litre  we  pass  by  the  quarter  of  the  jfeii's,  which  is  exreme- 
ly  filthy  :  It  is  locked  up  every  night,  and  no  Jew  can  lie  out 
without  leave  :  This  people  are  very  numerous  in  Rome  ;  and 
are  generally  petty  merchants  and  mechanics  :  They  have  a 
synagogue,  and  enjoy  religious  liberty ;  bur  the  men  are 
obliged  to  wear  a  yellow  scarf  in  their  hats  ;  and  the  women 
an  orange-coloured  cloth  on  their  heads  :  They  are  also  obliged, 
under  the  penalty  of  a  fine,  to  assist  every  Saturday  at  a  ser~ 
men  preached  ro  them  in  Italian,  but  intermixed  with  Hebrev/ 
texts:  In  the  neighbouring  church,  over  the  door,  is  engraven, 
in  Hebrew  and  Latin,  that  verse  of  the  psalm :  "  I  have  ' 
"  stretched  out  my  hands  to  a  people  always  contradicting  and 
"  stopping  their  ears."  Some  are  yearly  baptized  at  St  John 
of  Lateran's,  at  Easter  and  Whitsuntide. 

We  passed  by  ths  Bridge  Fa&riciust-(now  called,  ai  ^uatro 
Ga£i}  from  a  piece  of  marble  on  it  on  which  are  four  heads.,) 

S    2 


284         TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

leading  over  an  arm  of  the  Tiber  into  the  isle,  formed  by  tlut 
river  :  On  it  is  erected  the  beautiful  hospital  of  the  Ben-Fra- 
tellt,  with  a  small  fine  church  of  St  Bartholomew  neF  Isold,  be- 
longing to  the  Grey  Franciscan  friars  ;  under  the  high-altar 
of  which,  in  a  vault,  we  were  shewn  the  fine  porphyry  monu- 
ment, containing  the  body  of  that  apostle  ;  and  beneath  a  side 
altar  is  the  body  of  St  Paulinus,  bishop  of  Nola,  and  many 
other  relics  :  Before  the  convent  door  on  a  stone,  is  this  in- 
cnption:  "  Semoni  Sanco  Deo  Fidio  Pompeius  dedit,"  which 
some  fancy  St  Justin  mistook  for  a  statue  erected  by  the  Senate 
to  Simon  Magus :  But  the  heathens  would  have  seen  the  mis- 
take;  and  St  Irenaeils,  Eusebius,  Tert.  Thedor.  &c.  repeat  the 
same  :  It  was  evidently  to  Semus  the  Hercules  of  tne  Sabints. 
See  Tillemont,  vol.  2.  This  isle,  not  above  the  3th  part  of  a 
mile  long  and  very  narrow,  was  dedicated  by  the  heathen  Ro- 
mans to  JEsculfipius  .of  Epidaurus,  from  whence  they  said  his 
statue  with  the  serpent  was  brought  hither  in  a  small  vessel ; 
and  the  figure  of  it  engraven  on  the  end  of  isle,  though  this  is 
now  almost  entirely  washed  away  by  the  waters.  Here  also 
formerly  stood  an  hospital  under  the  tuition  of  /Esculapius  : 
The  jiistory  of  all  this  will  be  found  in  Ovid,  &c.  There  were 
likewise  other  temples  in  this  isle. 

In  the  region  be\ond  the  Tiber,  called  Trasteverc,  after 
reaching'  the  end  of  the  isle,  we  have  a  view  of  the  Senator  tan 
Bridge,  one  end  of  which  is  now  broke  down  ;  as  is  the  wood- 
bridge  ceiled  Pons  ?,ubhcius,  defended  by  HOKATIUS  COCLES 
against  the  Etrurian  army. 

The  gate  of  Porto  is  on  the  back  of  ihe  Tiber  :  and  just 
within  it  is  the  Ripa  Magna,  or  great  port  for  barges,  on  mat 
river,  as  the  Ripetta  is  near  the  o;her  end  of  Rome.  From 
thu  gate,  it  we  follow  the  city  walls,  we  meet  with  nothing  but 
vineyards,  waste  ground,  and  straggling  houses,  quite  round 
the  funicular  hill,  till  we  come  nearly  as  far  as  St  Peter's 
chinch  in  the  Borgo  :  We  indeed  saw,  a  good  way  within  the 
Janicular  gate,  (now  called  5t  Pancraces),  the  truly  magnifi- 
cent Pauline  Fountain,  or  Aque  Pauline,  erected  by  Paul  V.,  into 
wii  ch  a  large  aqueduct  p-urs  a  great  volume  of  water  brought 
from  the  distance  of  33  miles.  This  edifice  is  of  marble  built 


Clap.   XIII,  DESCRIPTON    OF    ROME.  285 

by  Fontana  ;  and  not  far  from  it  stands  St  Pietro  di  Montoria,  in 
Latin  de  Janiculo,  this  mountain  having  been  called  Janicular 
from  a  temple  of  Janus,  and  at  present  Montorio,  or  golden 
mountain,  from  its  sands  being  of  the  colour  of  gold.  On  its 
summit  stands  the  church  of  St  Peter  in  Montorio,  built  by  a 
King  of  Castile,  with  the  convent  of  Grey  Friers  (the  same  as 
at  Area  Coeli)  to  which  this  church  belongs.  It  is  valuable 
only  for  some  statues  and  paintings ;  its  high  altar-piece  indeed 
is  one  of  the  best  pictures  in  the  world, — a  transfiguration  of 
our  SAVIOUR,  by  RAPHAEL, — possessing  every  excellency  of 
fine  painting,  especially  the  most  just  design  and  proportions, 
and  that  inimitable  touch  which  distinguishes  Raphael's  pieces 
from  those  of  every  other  artist :  It  is  not  placed  however  in 
the  best  light :  Here  are  also  fine  statues  of  SS  Peter  and  Paul, 
and  some  pictures  of  MICHAEL  ANGELO.  Near  this  convent 
is  also  a  small  marble  chapel  situated,  it  is  said,  in  the  place 
where  St  Peter  was  crucified,  and  built  in  the  Doric  Order. 

Nearer  the  river,  we  saw  St  Cecily's,  a  church  belonging 
to  a  great  nunnery  of  Benedictines.  The  tomb  of  the  saint  lies 
in  a  subterraneous  vault,  adorned  with  fine  pillars,  and  riches 
beyond  imagination.  Marble  and  silver  are  here  lavishly  em- 
ployed ;  and  an  incredible  number  of  large  silver  lamps  burn 
continually  before  it.  A  sacristy  on  the  side  of  the  church 
filled  with  relics  in  the  richest  cases,  in  gold,  silver  and  jewels, 
is  exposed  to  open  view  through  a  strong  iron  trellis.  The 
high  altar  was  resplendent  with  precious  stones. 

St  Cbrystgonuss  is  a  very  ancient  church  HOA-  belonging  to 
Carmelite  Friars  of  the  Mantuan  congregation. 

St  Ca!ixtus1s  with  the  abbey,  has  been  sumptuously  rebuilt 
by  Benedictine  monks,  and  contains  some  good  pictures.  Alex- 
ander VII.  built  here  a  noble  fountain,  the  v/ater  of  which  is 
brought  from  the  Panlin  fountain  on  Montorio.  The  church 
of  Sc  Francis,  recently  rebuilt,  belongs  to  the  reformed  Obser- 
vantia  or  Grey  Friars.  St  Francis  lived  here  when  in  Rome. 
In  the  chapel  of  the  Blessed  Ludovica  Albsrtoni,  is  her  statue 
well  carved  in  marble  by  Bernini;  and  in  the  church  15  an  ex- 
cellent picture  of  CHRIST  cl;adt  surrcunded  by  the  three  Ma- 
rys, the  work  ANNIBAL  CA  KACKI. 


a86        TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

St  Mary  Trastevere,  or,  our  Lady  beyond  the  Tiber,  stands 
in  the  place  where  formerly  stood  the  faberna  meritoria  built 
by  the  senate  for  the  reception  of  superannuated  and  disabled 
soldiers.  The  church  is  old  but  rich,  endowed  with  great 
privileges  and  innumerable  relics,  which  are  shown  only  on 
Low-Sunday  ;  by  which  means  we  did  not  see  them.  The 
principal  are,  parts  of  our  Saviour's  cross,  sponge,  manger, 
&c.  Near  the  choir  is  a  well,  covered  with  cross  iron  bars, 
out  of  which  they  say  a  very  copious  stream  of  oil  flowed  mi- 
raculously amidst  the  soldier's  quarters,  and  ran  into  the  Ti- 
ber ;  but  there  are  no  sufficient  grounds  for  believing  so  ex- 
traordinary a  miracle.  This  church  also  contains  the  tombs  of 
the  great  prelate  Stanislaus  Plosius,  of  Cardinal  Altempi,  &c. 
The  magnificent  new  portico  was  built  by  Clement  XI. 

St  Pancratius's  church  lies  without  the  Trajan  gate,  on  the 
Via  Aurelidy  rich  in  porphyry,  &.c.  In  its  Cxmeteruim  lie  St 
Calepodius,  priest  and  martyr,  and  many  other  martyrs.  It  is 
excommunication  for  any  oue  to  carry  off  the  bones  of  martyrs 
from  this  place  without  leave.  In  St  Qnuphrius*s  church,  near 
the  gate  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  lies  buried  the  celebrated  TASSO  the 
Italian  poet.  Santa  Maria,  delta  Scala  is  a  new  church  of  the 
Calceated  Carmelites,  lying'  near  the  Portr-i  Settinuami,  which 
opens  from  Montorio  into  the  Borgo  and  Vatican.  These  two 
compose  the  Trastavere,  and  this  is  the  way  to  the  Piazza  di 
Spagna  by  St  Angelo. 

There  remains  still  to  be  described  the  inhabited  part  of 
Rome  from  the  Piazza  di  Spagna  to  the  Capitol  and  Porta  Pia. 

Going  out  by  the  College  of  the  Propaganda,  we  pass  near 
St  Syfvesier's  Church  in  the  Campo  Marxo,  belonging  to  Fran- 
ciscnn  MI  :.s  :  Among  other  relics,  they  shew  here  :  the  head  of 
St  Johx  Ba;tist;  and  the  Print  of  our  SAVIOUtfS&ce,  which  he 
is  said  to  have  sent  to  AfiGARUS  king  of  Edissa*  As  to  the 
history  of  thisAbgar,  &c  1  refer  to  Dr  Cave,  Noel  Alexander, 
and  rillemont. 

Higher  we  often  passed  through  Trevi,  in  Latin  Trivium,  a 
X'cry  small  piazza,  so  called  from  three  streets  terminating  here. 
The  fountain  of  Trevi  was  repaired  by  Pope  Nicolas  V.  and 
is  composed  of  three  streams  falling  into  it  from  a  great  acme- 


Clap.  XIII.  DESCRIPTION  OF  ROME.  287 

duct,  formed  by  Agrippa,  the  edile  which  brings  wholesome 
clear  water  from  eight  miles  distance  in  the  Prenestine  road. 
It  passes  very  low  under  the  mount  of  the  Trinity,  and  through 
the  Campo  Marzo.  These  waters  are  called  aque  Virgine,  per- 
haps on  account  of  their  purity  and  salubrity.  The  late  Pope 
Clement  XII.  enlarged  and  rebuilt  this  fountain,  of  marble,  in 
a  most  magnificent  style.  An  artificial  rock,  immensely  lai^e 
and  natural,  forms  a  beautiful  cascade,  &c.  '1  he  present  Pope 
Benedict  XIV.  continues  the  work,  which  is  not  entireh  fin- 
ished. It  would  be  the  finest  fountain  in  Rome  (though  the 
figures  in  that  of  the  Navona  surpass  it)  were  it  situated  in  a 
more  spacious  and  handsome  square  ;  for  Trevi  is  merely  the 
meeting  of  three  streets. 

Turning  a  little  to  the  left  from  the  church  of  the  Twelve 
Apostles  and  the  Capitol,  we  arrive  at  the  palace  of  Monte  Ca- 
vallO)  in  Latin,  !j>uirinaKf  which  is  the  most  ordinary  residence 
of  the  Pope,  on  account  of  its  wholesome  air  and  agreable  gar- 
dens. This  mountain  has  its  present  name  from  the  statues  of 
two  horses  admiralty  carved  in  marble,  found  in  Constantine's 
baths,  which  were  near  this  place,  and  on  the  ruins  of  which 
Cardinal  Mazarin  has  built  a  palace.  They  were  placed  over- 
against  the  entry  of  the  Quirinal  palace  by  Sixtus  V.,  and 
there  is  an  inscription  under  each  bearing,  that  Phidias  made 
that  on  the  right,  and  Praxitelles  the  other,  intending  them  for 
Bucephalus,  in  a  contest  of  their  skill ;  but  the  teamed  deem 
these  inscriptions  a  modern  imposition.  The  galleries  and 
rooms  of  this  palace  are  executed  in  a  good  style  of  architec- 
ture, and  well  furnished  with  pictures  of  the  best  masters.  In 
the  long  gallery  are  portraits  of  all  the  great  painters.  As  we 
were  viewing  the  large  chambers  here,  the  Pope  happened  to 
pass  by.  He  always  wears  a  long  white  cassock  like  a  fine  alb, 
a  purple  camail  over  his  shoulders,  furred  with  ermine,  and  a 
rochette,  with  a  red  calotte.  I  often  saw  him  abroad  at  his  walks, 
sometimes  in  church  at  Irs  private  devotions  :  In  holy  week, 
he  visited  the  lamina  Apostoiorum  in  St  Peter's,  and  at  other 
times  the  church  in  which  the  forty  hours  prayers,  (which  are 
perpetual  in  Rome,)  were  said  for  the  dav.  This  visit  lie  per- 
forms about  4  o'clock,  after  his  meridian,  or  sleep  after  dinner. 

5    4 


288          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

The  chapel  of  Monte  Cavallo  is  finely  built.  It  was  here  we 
saw  h!s  holiness  officiate  at  Tenebra:,  His  throne  on  the  gospel 
side  is  six  steps  high,  covered  with  a  canopy.  Two  prelates- 
assistants  stand  on  each  side  of  him.  He  was  always  extremely 
devout  in  the  church.  High  benches  of  boards  are  put  up, 
wherever  he  officiates,  and  after  service  immediately  taken 
down  again.  On  the  higher  benches,  sit  on  one  side,  the  car- 
dinal-priests, on  the  other  the  cardinal-deacons  ;  and  at  mass, 
&c.  the  cardinal-priests  ia  copes  of  white  damask  :  the  cardinal- 
deacons  in  dalmatics  :  The  bishops  also  wear  copes,  and  both 
they  and  the  cardinals,  appear  with  rich  mitres  :  Generals  of  or- 
ders, auditors  of  the  rota,  &c.  sit  behind  on  lower  benches  :  The 
prelates  who  are  not  bishops,  have  their  scats  apart :  The  se- 
cular assistants  and  nobility,  near  the  generals  of  orders.  This 
was  the  finest  sight  in  the  Vatican  chapel  on  Easter-day. 

The  Gardens  of  Monte  Cavallo  are  adorned  with  alleys, 
orange  groves,  and  many  fine  fountains  ;  one  of  which  makes 
organs  to  play  ;  others  formerly  made  birds  sing  a  variety  of 
tunes,  &c.  On  the  great  square  before  this  palace,  stands  the 
Maxarin  Palace  now  Rospigliosi,  and  the  church  of  St  Sylves- 
ter in  CUiirinali,  rebuilt  in  1524:  It  contains  many  valu- 
able pictures.  In  the  choir  is  one  of  our  Lady  presenting  our 
SAVIOUR  to  St  Joh;i  in  U.i  Clildlcod,  by  RAPHAEL  URBINO  : 
In  a  side  chapel,  (in  which  are  four  marble  pillars,)  five  by 
the  Dominican,  viz.  The  Martyrdom  of  St  Stephen  ;  idly,  an 
Assumption  ;  %dly,  a  ^uditb  holding  the  head  of  Holof ernes  to 
the  people,  in  which  a  child,  rising  up  to  look  out  of  curiosity,and 
at  the  same  time  shrinking  at  the  sight  through  fear,  is  admir- 
ably depicted,  &.c.  This  church  belongs  to  the  Theatins  ;  that 
of  St  Sylvester  in  Campo  Mrizzo,  is  a  Franciscan  nunnery. 

The  Via  Pia,  is  a  long  street,  leading  from  the  palace  of  Monte 
Cavallo  to  the  Porta  Pia,  anciently  called  Viminalis  :  It  is  the 
finest  street  in  Rome  next  to  the  Corso  and  below  Monte  Ca- 
vallo, it  is  cut  almost  to  a  perpendicular  by  the  Via  Felix,  a 
noble  street  ru-ming  from  Mount  Pincius  behind  the  Trinity 
to  the  street  of  the  Hdy  Cross  in  Jersalem,  behind  St  Mary 
Major  on  the  Esquiliue  hill. 


.  XIII.  DESCRIPTION  OF  ROME.  289 

Santa  Maria  Maggiore,  otherwise  called  of  Our  SAVIOUR'S 
Crib  (ad  rcescpe?)  and  of  snow,  (ad  Ni'ves,')  is  one  of  the 
Patriarchal  churches.  The  Pope,  when  at  Monte  Cavallo,  dates 
from  St  Mary  Major,  esteeming  this  his  cathedral,  though  at 
some  distance  from  his  residence  :  it  is  situated  where  the  un- 
inhabited part  o:  Rome  commences,  is  an  immense  old  building, 
though  they  are  now  making  great  repairs  on  it,  and  covering 
a-new  part  of  the  walls  :  It  has  a  Porta  Santa  opened  during 
the  jubilee  by  its  own  archpriest.  The  high-altar  is  covered 
•with  a  canopy  supported  by  four  pillars  of  porphyry  ;  and  no 
one  can  say  mass  at  it  except  the  Pope,  or  a  cardinal  by  leave 
from  him,  in  which  case  an  express  bull  must  be  issued  for 
the  purpose,  which  is  hung  on  the  altar  during  the  whole  time 
of  mass.  It  is  the  same  at  St  John  of  L?iteran,  and  St  Peter's. 
Under  this  altar,  in  a  subterraneous  chapel,  lies  the  body  of 
St  Matthias  the  apostle  ;  and  near  it  is  the  tomb  of  Nicolas  IV., 
of  white  marble,  on  which  his  statue,  and  the  figures  of  Faith 
and  Prudence,  are  excellently  carved.  The  choir  is  hung 
round  with  silk  tapestry,  on  which  the  Birth  of  our  SAVIOUR 
is  exquisitely  worked  from  the  design  of  RAPHAEL  URBINO  ; 
also  the  Adoration  of  the  Magi  ;  the  Holy  Innocents  ;  the  Pre- 
sentation in  the  TempV,  and  the  Descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
The  vault  of  the  choir  is  adorned  with  old  Mosaic  carvings, 
and  the  whole  church  is  paved  with  black  and  white  marble, 
intermixed  with  figures  in  Mosaic,  a  variety  which  produces  a 
beautiful  effect :  It  contains  also  goo  1  pictures,  a  Resurrection  of 
Lazarus,  by  MUCIANO  :  Pope  Liberius  tracing  the  plan  of  the 
this  church  in  the  snow,  by  ZUCCA  ;  an  Assumption,  by  SER- 
MOXETTE  ;  the  fine  Mosaic  pictures  on  the  pillars,  and  good 
paintings  betwixt  them  &c.  Its  ornaments  are  very  rich  ;  con- 
sisting of  an  altar  of  zco  pounds  weight ;  a  censer  of  1 5  pounds ; 
and  three  chains,  all  of  silver  ;  an  image  of  our  Lady,  with  our 
SAVIOUR  in  her  arms,  of  gold,  &.c.  Its  chief  relics  are,  the 
Manger  of  Bethlehem ;  the  body  of  St  Jerome,  and  of  many  Mar- 
tyrs ;  a  maniple  and  stole  of  St  Thomas  of  Canterbury,  &c. 
Its  principal  tombs  are,  those  of  St  Jerome,  Nicolas  the  IV., 
Cardinal  Toletus,  and  other  cardinals  :  But  its  greatest  orna- 
ments ure,  two  chapels  placed  over  against  one  another,  so  asf 


TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

with  the  body  of  the  church,  to  form  a  cross.  The  one,  built 
at  a  great  expence  by  Sixtus  V.,  is  called,  of  the  Holy  Man- 
ger, and  is  enriched  with  marble  on  every  side  :  In  the  middle, 
is  a  place  enclosed  by  ballustrades  of  marble,  opening  to  a 
subterraneous  rich  chape],  with  many  silver  lamps  burning  be- 
fore it,  where  this  sacred  relic  is  visible  at  a  distance  :  On 
Christmas-day,  it  is  exposed  to  full  view  at  the  bottom  of  the 
choir  :  They  say  it  is  like  an  ordinary  manger,  but  enclosed 
In  a  manger  or  cradle  of  silver,  in  which  lies  a  Bambino  or 
child  JESUS,  of  the  same  metal ;  above  it,  within  rails,  is  a  re-' 
presentation  of  the  Nativity,  The  left  side  of  the  chapel  ex- 
hibits the  fine  monument  of  the  holy  Pope  St  Pins  V. ;  around 
which,  on  the  wall,  is  represented  his  sending  auxiliary  troops 
to  Charles  IX.  King  of  France,  their  victories  over  the  rebels, 
with  the  trophies  hung  up  in  the  Lateran  church,  and  the  bat- 
tle of  Lcpante.  The  other  side  of  the  chapel  exhibits  a  corre- 
spondent monument  of  Sixtus  V.,  perfectly  uniform,  with  si- 
milar representations  of  his  great  actions. 

The  other  chapel  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  church,  was 
built  by  Paul  V.,  and  is  hence  called  the  Borghesian  :  It  is 
still  richer  and  more  beautiful,  and  is  esteemed  indeed  the 
finest  chapel  in  the  world  -,  for  that  of  San  Lorenzo  in  Florence 
is  not  finished.  Ovar  the  altar,  in  a  square  cavity  inlaid  with 
diamonds  and  precious  stones,  appears  through  a  chrystal  a 
miraculous  picture  of  our  Lady,  painted,  some  say,  by  St  Luke  ; 
though  Tillemont  and  others  are  of  opinion  that  that  evangelist 
was  no  painter,  but  merely  a  physician,  as  he  is  called  :  It  is 
surrounded  with  statues  of  angels,  of  brass  gilt,  and  adorned 
with  four  pillars  of  the  finest  marble,  with  ornaments  also  of 
trass  gilt,  and  many  agates,  and  other  precious  stones  :  The 
paintings  of  the  cupola,  by  GUY  of  Bologna,  and  carvings,  bas- 
so-relievos, &-c.  are  admirable.  Among  other  statues,  are  two 
in  fine  white  marble  facing  one  another  on  each  side,  of  Paul  V. 
and  Clement  VI1L  On  the  festival  of  Easter,  we  saw  the  al- 
tar adorned  with  the  greatest  splendour  :  There  were  six  great 
silver  candlesticks,  above  30  silver  cases  of  relics  and  many 
gilt  ones  ;  the  antependium  of  silver,  and  on  it  was  engraven 
the  Blessed  Virgin,  crowned  with  twelve  stars  ;  and  round 


Chap.  XIII.          DESCRIPTION  or  ROME.  291 

about  her,  the  symbols  by  which  she  is  sometimes  denoted, 
as  the  sun,  the  moon,  an  olive,  a  fountain,  a  rose,  a  garden,  a 
a  ladder  leading  to  heaven. 

On  the  piazza  before  this  church  is  an  obelisk  without 
any  hieroglyphics,  which  stood  anciently  near  the  mauso- 
leum of  Augustus,  but  was  placed  here  by  Sixtus  V.  On  an- 
other side,  in  the  middle  of  a  square,  stands  also  a  beautiful 
pillar  of  white  marble,  formerly  in  the  temple  of  Peace,  near 
the  arch  of  Titus  ;  on  the  top  of  which  is  placed  a  statue  of 
our  Lady,  of  brass  gilt. 

But  to  return  to  Monte  Cavalto  :  Going  along  the  Via  Pia 
after  passing  the  Carthusian,  we  come  to  the  Barbarini  Palace, 
built  by  Urban VIIL  for  Prince  Palestrine,  and  commonly  called 
the  Palest  fine  Palace.  Many  of  its  chambers  were  painted  by 
Peter  Cortona  ;  and  the  great  hall  is  the  master-piece  of  that 
eminent  artist.  This  palace  is  the  largest  in  Rome  after  the 
Vatican,  is  most  regularly  built,  and  displays  every  rich  and 
curious  ornament  in  astonishing  abundance.  Among  the  statues, 
a  little  Diana  of  oriental  alabaster,  an  admirable  Faun,  a  Tullia, 
daughter  of  King  Servius  Tullius,  very  ancient, — are  most  de- 
serving attention.  The  library  is  much  esteemed ;  but  we  did 
not  see  it.  Prince  Barberini  has  another  palace  towards  Mon- 
torio,  which  we  saw  before  ;  and  of  which  the  chief  ornaments 
consist  in  a  great  vessel  of  porphyry  and  some  antiques,  but 
many  things  in  it  are  falling  into  decay.  In  the  middle  of  the 
square  before  the  Palestrine  palace  stands  an  obelisk. 

Behind  this  palace  is  the  Villa  Ludovtsit,  within  the  city- 
walls,  reaching  from  the  Salarian  to  the  Piucian  gate.  It 
ivas  erected  by  Pope  Gregory  XV.,  and  is  esteemed  one  of 
the  finest  in  Rome.  Its  groves,  labyrinth,  alleys,  bowers,  &c. 
display  every  variety  of  form,  and  are  all  adorned  with  cu- 
rious busts,  statues,  tombs,  baths,  &c.  The  statue  of  the 
Satyre  talking,  especially  his  face  aud  mouth,  are  admirable. 
The  fountains  are  very  fine,  and  the  water  works  pleasant.  In 
this  villa  or  vineyard  are  two  palaces  very  well  built.  In  the 
lesser  is  a  hall,  the  vault  of  which  is  painted  in  the  finest  and 
most  pleasing  style  I  have  ever  seen,  and  I  believe  is  no 
where  to  be  equalled  :  Aurora  in  her  car,  the  day  and  night 


TRAVELS    OF    REV.    ALBAV  BUTLER. 

&.c.  are  represented  with  all  the  graces  of  design  and  colouring 
that  the  highest  effort  of  art  can  attain  to.  In  another  chamber, 
among  many  curiosities,  is  a  human  skeleton  completely  petri- 
fied, which  was  sent  to  the  Pope  from  Lybia,  as  the  servant  told 
us.  This  palace  was  built  by  Cardinal  Ludovisii,  Camerarius, 
or  Chamberlain.  The  larger  palace  is  stored  with  innumerable 
curiosities  and  miracles  of  art.  Among  the  statues,  we  ad- 
mired that  incomparable  chef  d'csuvre,  the  Gladiator  mortally 
wounded,  reclining  upon  the  earth,  with  his  head  bowed  down, 
and  about  to  expire  ;  a  great  bust  of  Bacchus ;  a  fine  one  of  Sene- 
ca; others  of  Cicero,  Caligula,  &cc. ;  a  Child  bit  by  a  Serpent,  and 
dying  :  the  features  and  attitudes  so  strongly  expressive  of  grief, 
that  he  seems  actually  to  cry  out :  the  Shepherd  pulling  a  tlorn 
out  of  his  foot,  &c.  also  many  excellent  modern  pieces  :  The 
four  Seasons  in  brass,  by  MICHAEL  ANGELO.  *The  taking 
down  of  our  Saviour  f;  om  the  Cross  :  His  scourging  at  the 
pilbr,  in  white  marble.  But  the  finest  is,  the  Rate  of  Prosper- 
pine  by  BERNINI,  with  Cerberus  and  other  figures.  Prosperine^s 
face  strongly  expresses  rage  and  aversion  against  her  ravisher  ; 
•while  Pluto's  love  and  complaisance  are  displayed  with  an  art 
no  less  admirable.  The  impression  of  his  finger  on  her  flesh 
is  most  delicate.  The  marble  has  lost  its  hardness  to  the  eye, 
and  by  the  chissel  is  made  to  represent  all  the  natural  softness 
of  human  flesh. 

From  the  Villa  Ludovisii,  going  out  of  the  Collating,  or  as 
it  is  now  called  the  Pinclan  Gate,  at  the  top  of  mount  Pincius 
or  the  Trinity,  we  entered  the  Villa  Borgbesii,  which  is  by  some 
esteemed  the  finest  in  the  vicinity  of  Rome.  The  long  fine  lawn, 
— the  groves  of  orange  trees,  cypresses,  the  great  wood,  the  gar- 
dens beautified  by  delightful  parterres  ;  the  water  works  throw- 
ing showers  of  rain  a  great  way  around,  sometimes  heavy  at 
other  times  light,  just  as  they  turn  the  pipes  ;  a  great  aviary  of 
the  finest  birds,  &.c. — all  contribute  to  make  a  it  most  enchant- 
ing place.  The  Palace  of  this  Villa  is  large,  of  a  finished  archi- 
tecture ,  and  filled  with  all  kinds  pf  curiosities  ;  fine  busts,  sta- 
tues, pictxires,  perspectives,  tables,  &cc.  Among  the  basso-re- 
lievos of  the  palace  wall  on  the  outside,  which  are  all  antione, 


Clap.  XIII.  DESCRIPTION    OF  ROME.  393 

is  one  never  to  be  sufficiently  admired,  of  Curtius  jumping  into 
the  G-ilph. 

We  returned  into  Rome  by  the  porta  CoHina,  called  ancient- 
ly Saiarm,  because  the  Sabines  brought  their  salt  through  it  to 
the  town.  Near  it  are  the  ruins  of  Salusfs  Gardens  ;  and  the 
place  now  called  Sallostrico)  where  his  house  and  Diana's  tem- 
ple stood  ;  of  which  nothing  remains  but  some  vaults  and  heaps 
of  rubbish.  There  we  also  contemplated  ll  Campo  Sceleratit 
in  which  the  vestal  virgins,  who  had  violated  their  chastity, 
were-  buried  alive. 

From  the  Porta  Salaria,  t  is  but  a  s:*p  to  the  next  gate, 
Porta  Pia,  from  whence  returning  through  the  Via  Ptfi,  so  cal- 
led from  Pope  Pius  V.,  waste  ground  ppears  on  both  sides  over 
the  Viminal  hill,  till  we  arrive  at  the  vaults  and  fragments  of 
wails  of  Dioclcsiuji's  Baths ;  near  which,  on  the  summit  of 
Monte  Cavallo,  stands  nur  Lady  of  Victory,  the  chief  house  of 
the  discalceated  Carmelites.  The  church  is  small,  but  very 
beautiful,  especially  the  chapel  of  Cornaro,  which  is  a  finished 
performance  of  Bernini ;  and  in  which  the  statue  of  St  Teresa, 
by  the  same  artist,  is  most  admired:  The  saint  seems  in  an  ex- 
tasy  of  love  almost  swooning  away  ;  whilst  a  seraph  is  dart- 
in,  at  her  heart;  and  rays  of  glory  illuminate  the  surrounding 
heavens  :  all  executed  in  white  marble.  The  church  also  con- 
tains pictures  and  many  rich  ornaments.  Porta  Pia  was  built 
by  MICHAEL  ANGELO,  as  well  as  the  Church  ofourLady  of  An- 
gels  a  termini  on  the  Viminale.  Near  the  Thermae,  on  a  spaci- 
ous place  in  the  Via  Pia,  is  the  fine  fountain  built  by  Sixtus  V. 
and  called  'IqutzFtlice,  from  the  name  (Fra  Felix)  which  he  bore 
in  the  order  of  Conventual  Franciscans.  The  waters  ar^  brought 
from  a  distance  of  2C  miles  by  the  Prenestine  way  At  the 
fountain  a  fine  statue  ot  Moses,  in  devout  amazement,  gazes  on 
the  waters  issuing  out  cf  the  rock,  which  he  has  just  struck 
with  his  rod.  On  his  right  hand  stands  Aaron  beholding  the 
miracle.  The  people  are  represented  coming  to  drink  and  fetch 
water  Four  lions  round  the  fountain  spout  water  from  their 
mouths. 

On  the  Quirinal  mount  near  the  Palestrine  palace  and  Villa 
Ludovisii,  appears  the  Capuchin's  Church,  dedicated  to  the  im- 


$94      TRAVELS  OF  'REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

maculate  Conception,  and  built  by  Urban  VIII ;  in  which  we 
saw  some  good  pictures  and  ivory  crucifixes  ;  particularly  a  St 
Francis  by  the  DOMINICAN  :  a  St  Antony  by  ANDREW  SACE: 
a  St  Pautby  P.  GORTON  A:  a  St  M'cbaelby  GUIDO  ;  a  St  Fran- 
cis receiving  the  Stigmats  by  MUTIANO.  Here  are  also  many 
great  tombs  ;  as  that  of  CASIMIR  Prince  of  Poland,  &.c.  There 
is  one  which  is  remarkable  by  having  only  these  words  inscrib- 
ed on  a  large  marble  slab  :  "  Hie  jacet  ctds,  pufois,  et  nihil" 
"  Here  lie  dust,  ashes  and  nothing."  It  is  said  to  be  the  tomb 
of  a  cardinal  Barberini. 

St  Bernard's,  near  Dioclesian's  baths,  belongs  to  reformed 
Cistercians*  This  order  also  possesses  the  abbey  of  the  'Three 
Fountains,  (so  named  from  three  wells  in  the  church,  which  is  si- 
tuated three  miles  out  of  Rome  ;  on  the  spot  where  it  is  said  St 
Paul  was  beheaded.)  The  beheading  of  that  apostle  and  St  Pe- 
ter's Crucifixion,  are  good  pictures.  Near  this  abbey  is  the 
place  called  Guttajugiter  manans,  because  of  water  that  former- 
ly dropped  there  ;  (or  Scala  Cceli,  from  a  vision  St  Bernard  had 
in  that  place  :)  also  belonging  to  the  same  order  ;  as  doe?  the 
neighbouring  church  of  SS.  Vincent  and  Anastasius,  in  which 
is  a  picture  of  St  Anastasius's  head,  which  the  second  General 
Council  of  Nice  relates  to  have  cured  sick  persons  and  drove 
Out  devils.  Here  too,  are  many  relicks.  St  Bernard's  ad 
Thetmas  is  an  antique  Rotunda,  similar  to  the  Pantheon,  and  is 
one  of  the  round  buildings  which  stood  one  in  every  corner  of 
IMoclesian's  baths.  Upon  the  Via  Felix  beyond  St  Mary  Major, 
on  mount  Esquiline,  we  saw  St  Antony 's,  which  belongs  to  cer- 
tain religious  of  an  order  under  the  patronage  and  in  some  im- 
itation of  St  Anthony  the  abbot.  On  the  festival  of  that  saint, 
being  the  171:1  of  January,  the  Romans  sent  their  horses  hither 
to  be  blessed  by  these  Fathers  ;  but  there  is  no  obligation  on 
any  one  to  do  so  ;  and  I  was  assured  that  many  horses  in  Rome 
were  not  sent.  Most  people  give  a  small  charitable  donation 
to  these  fathers  after  the  benediction  ;  but  many  give  nothing 
at  all.  Dr  Middleton  ridicules  this  ceremony  ;  but  can  there 
be  any  more  harm  in  blessing  cattle  than  in  blessing  our  meat, 
or  any  other  creature  of  God,  by  a  prayer,  expressive  of  our 
desire  that  a-s  they  are  the  gift  of  his  merciful  providence  S9 


€bap.  XIII.  BESCRIPTION  OF  ROME.  295 

they  may  be  used  in  his  name  and  for  his  glory.  In  the  ground 
belonging  to  this  convent,  were  formerly  situated  Mecaitas'f 
Gardens,  and  a  temple  of  Diana  ;  and  here  some  fine  busts  have 
been  dug  up. 

The  front  of  the  church  of  St  Bibiana  in  Esquilino  is  bjr 
Bernini,  as  well  as  the  saint's  statue. 

Near  the  church  of  SS.  Vitus  and  Modsstus,  which  is  erected 
on  ihe  Macellum  Martyrum,  a  place  so  called  from  the  many 
martyrs  who  suffered  in  it,  we  saw  the  '1  riumphal  Arch  of  Gal- 
lien,  built  of  hard  stone  without  any  embellishments 

Along  all  this  road  appear  vast  ruins  of  the  stupendous  aque- 
duct of  the  Aquae  Mart  lie  ;  often  called  Antoninus's  aqueduct, 
which  enters  Rome  by  the  Porta  Maggiore,  and  extends  to 
Dioclesian's  baths,  it  was  constructed  by  Qaintus  Martins  ; 
repaired  by  luarcus  Agrippa  ;  and  successively  by  Augustus  ; 
Marcus  Aurelius  Antoninus  and  Vespasian, — as  an  ancient  in- 
scription on  it  testifies.  It  conveyed  water  from  the  distance 
of  40  miles,  and  consisted  of  three  aqueducts  in  one  :  The  high- 
est contain  ng  the  Aqxu  Martin  ;  tiie  middle  Aqua  Tepula  :  the 
lowest  /iqua  Julia.  The  stones  composing  this  noble  aqueduct 
are  enormous  ;  but  it  is  quite  in  ruins,  tfie  arches  falling,  and 
many  of  the  stones  carried  off,  A  cistern  belonging  to  it,  how- 
ever, called  Casitliuni  .qua:  Martiat  is  yet  standing  near  St 
Kusebius's  church  on  the  Via  Pia. 

The  space  between  the  Via  Felix  and  the  city  walls,  where 
formerly  the  senutor.-  palaces  stood,  now  cilled  il Put:  icio,  con- 
t:r!  s  now  nothing  but  heaps  of  rubbiah,  and  here  also  was  the 
old  station  of  the  pietorian  guards.  The  vast  and  magnificent 
viila  of  AI-ntalti,  now  of  Savilh,  built  by  Sixtus  V.,  occupies 
the  space  behind  a-:ta  Maria  Maggiore.  In  the  Villa  Chigl 
be  ides  busts,  &c.  are  said  to  be  other  sorts  of  oriental  curiosi- 
ti  s,  as  a  buit  of  cloaths  of  bird's  feathers. 

Being  near  the  Ksquuz  e  Gate,  now  called  St  Lawrence,  we  are 
or?  the  road  to  the  church  dedicated  to  that  saint,  which  lies  two 
miles  out  of  Rome,  and  is  one  of  the  seven  principal  churches. 
It  is  governed  by  re-ular  canons  of  St  Austin.  In  a  cave  un- 
der the  high  altar  are  the  bodies  of  St  Lawrence  and  other 
martyrs  j  and  over  it  a  tabernacle,  supported  by  four  pillars  o? 


296          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

porphyry.  On  the  side  of  the  choir  is  a  stone  red  with  the 
blood  of  St  Lawrence,  whose  body,  when  broiled,  was  laid  on  it, 
as  the  inscription  bears.  Under  this  church  is  the  Cemiterium 
of  St  Cyriaca,  a  Roman  lady,  who  possessed  this  ground  in  agro 
I'erano,  in  which  she  buried  the  martyrs,  as  an  inscription  in- 
forms us,  and  where,  with  many  others,  St  Lawrence's  body 
\vas  found.  A  passage,  communicating  with  the  church  through 
this  cave,  leads  into  the  Catacombs,  which  are  so  low  and  nar- 
row that  they  can  be  entered  only  by  creeping  :  some  have  with 
much  difficulty  penetrated  very  far,  and  found  every  where 
tombs  shut  up  with  tiles,  or  marble  ;  some  of  them  containing 
bones  as  hard  as  stones,  others,  nothing  but  dust,  the  bones 
being  consumed.  Also  bone  rings,  figures  in  ivory,  small  ves- 
sels, earthen  lamps,  little  vials  of  earth,  &c.  This  is  on  the 
Via  Tiburtina,  or  ancient  high  way  to  Tivoli. 

The  church  of  St  Lawrence  in  fonte  ,  between  the  Viminale 
and  Esquiline  hills  in  the  city,  stands  on  the  site  of  St  Law- 
rence's prison  ;  and  it  is  siad  the  fountain  was  miraculously 
produced  by  his  prayers,  in  order  to  baptise  St  Hyppolitus. 
There  are  two  other  churches  of  St  Lawrence  in  Rome  ;  one  of 
them  near  this  on  the  spot  occupied  by  Olympias's  bath,  and 
called,  in  Panisperna,  the  title  of  a  cardinal. 

St  Agnes's  fuon  delle  Mura,  is  a  church  belonging  to  regu- 
lar canons  of  St  Austin  out  of  Rome,  lies  directly  out  of  Porta 
Numeniana,  or  Viminale,  now  called  Pia,  on  the  old  Via  Nu- 
rnentana,  or  high  way  to  Numentum,  a  city  of  the  Sabines  :  It 
is  finely  adorned  with  porphyry,  marble,  &c.  ;  and  its  cata- 
combs are  the  finest  in  Rome,  next  to  those  of  St  Sebastian, 
being  large  enough  to  walk  in  with  a  candle,  and  extending  a 
prodigious  way  :  In  the  subterraneous  vaults  or  alleys,  on  both 
sides,  arc  deposited  the  dead  bodies,  in  cavities  made  on  purpose, 
each  having  a  door  built  up  with  tiles  or  earth ;  but  those 
near  the  entry  are  broken  up.  Here  were  found  many  tombs 
of  marble,  with  very  good  basso-relievos  or  figures  carved  upon 
them,  &c.  The  body  of  St  Agnes,  who  was  only  twelve  years 
old  when  she  suffered,  was  also  found  in  this  csemiterium,  and 
is  now  placed  in  a  cave  under  the  high  altar. 


Chap.  XIII.  DESCRIPTION  OF  ROME. 

Near  this,  stands  the  old  circular  church  of  St 
{daughter  of  CONSTANTINO;  the  Great,)  who  was  cured  by  St 
Agnes  :  It  had  been  a  temple  of  Bacchus,  and  still  contains  a 
famous  old  sepulchre  with  a  fine  basso-relievo  of  Cupid,  or  as 
come  think,  of  Bacchus  squeezing  grapes* 

Returning  from  San  Lorenzo  fuori  della  mura  into  the  city 
by  the  Portd  Maggiore,  or  di  Santa  Croce,  we  were  struck 
xvith  the  magnificent  ruins  of  the  Aqueduct  of  Claudia  t,  with 
its  immense  hexvn  stones,  arches,  &cc.  It  is  in  some  places  lod 
feet  high,  add  many  of  the  archee  are  still  entire.  According 
to  the  Latin  incription  on  the  gate,  this  aqueduct  Was  built  at 
the  expence  of  CLAUDIUS  the  son  of  Drusus,  and  repaired  by  the 
Emperor  VESPASIAN  :  It  conveys  the  Claudian  water  frotn  two 
springs  35  miles  from  Rome,  towards  Abrouse  ;  and  also  wa-i 
ter  from  the  river  Anieni,  (now  called  Teverone,)  at  the  dis- 
tance of  62  miles,  over  mount  Ccelius,  by  St  John  of  Lateran. 
into  the  Aventine  hill.  Porta  Maggiore  is  itself  a  very  stately 
edifice,  and  seems  to  have  been  built  of  some  triumphal  arch. 

Ne:ir  it  is  a  church  called  the  Holy  Cross  in  Jerusalem,  built 
by  ST  HELENA,  after  shehaddiscoveredour£4F70&r/£'.S'Cross,  and 
restored  by  Gregory  III.  and  Cardinal  Mendosa,  when  the  title 
of  the  Holy  Cross  was  found  under  the  tribune  of  the  holy  altar 
in  a  cavity  in  the  wall.  Constantine  the  Great  bestowed  on  it 
great  riches  and  costly  ornaments,  chalices,  censers,  &c.  of  pure 
gold,  fully  enumerated  by  Onuphrius  :  Four  marble  pillar* 
support  the  tribune,  and  under  the  high  altar  lie  the  bodies  of 
SS.  Ccesarius  and  Anastasius,  martyrs  ;  and  behind  it,  on  the 
vault  over  the  choir,  is  painted,  in  various  pieces,  the  whole 
history  of  the  invention  of  the  Holy  Cross,  by  Pf.RtfGlNI :  The. 
paintings  ate  very  good  and  fresh,  though  old  :  It  is  forbidden 
to  any  woman  to  enter  the  subterraneous  chapel,  except  on  thft 
day  of  the  dedication  of  the  church,  the  2Oth  of  March.  We 
are  informed  by  an  inscription,  that  under  the  pavement  of 
this  chapel  is  deposited  earth  brought  by  St  Helena  from. 
Jerusalem  and  Mount  Calvary,  and  which  lay  under  the  cross 
and  was  moistened  with  our  S dVIQUR'S  blood  ; — whence  this 
church  is  called,  tn  Jerusalem,  as  standing  on  earth  brought  frpm 

T 


9§  TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

that  city.  At  the  altar  of  this  chapel  no  body  can  say  mass 
but  the  Pope,  nor  does  he  himself  use  that  privilege  oftener 
than  once  a  year.  In  a  tribune  on  the  right  hand,  are  shewn 
on  Good  Friday,  the  principal  relics  kept  here  ;  which  are,— a 
vial  of  our  SAVIOUR'S  blood,  the  sponge  by  which  vinegar  was 
given  him  to  drink  ;  one  of  the  brass  nails  with  which  he  was 
crucified  ;  three  pieces  of  our  SAVIOUR'S  cross,  with  the  title  in 
three  languages,  which  was  put  over  his  head,  adorned  with 
gold  and  jewels  &.c.  ;  also  some  ef  the  cross  of  the  good  thief. 
This  church  belongs  to  the  Cistercians,  and  stands  at  the  bot- 
tom of  Mount  deems  under  the  city  walls.  Near  it  were  the 
j4mpbitJjeatre  of  Statllius  Taurus  the  friend  of  Augustus,  the 
stones  of  which  have  been  all  carried  off  to  repair  the  monastery,. 
by  order  of  Paul  III. 

At  a  little  distance  stands  St  'John  of  Laterals,  near  the 
Porta  Coeli  montana,  now  called  St  John's  gate.  This  church 
\vas  built  by  Constantine  the  Great,  and  dedicated  to  our  SAVI- 
OUR. It  is  called  St  Job/Ss  from  a  famous  chapel  of  that  saint, 
and  Lateran,  from  its  being  built  in  the  place  where  formerly 
stood  the  palace  of  a  great  senator  called  Lateranus,  put  to  cbath 
by  Nero  for  being  an  accomplice  in  Piso's  conspiracy.  It  is 
the  principal  church  in  Rome,  and  properly  the  Pope's  cathe- 
dral, as  several  of  them  declared  ;  snd  there  are  engraven  on  if,. 
two  bulls  in  particular,  decibive  cf  its  preeminence  over  St 
Peter's,  the  canons  of  which  pretended,  that,  as  the  Popes  had 
left  the  Lateran  palace,  and  lived  chiefly  in  the  Vatican,  their 
church  ou^iit  to  be  deemed  the  patriarchal.  The  penitentiaries 
attached  to  it  are  Observantiu  Franciscans.  The  church  was 
bun:t  and  rebuilt  several  times.  The  present  one  is  the  work 
of  many  Popes,  and  is  a  very  large  and  magnificent  structure, 
above  300  feet  long,  and  48  broad  ;  the  traverse  of  the  cross 
222  :  The  vault,  which  is  covered  with  paintings  and  old  Mo- 
saic, is  sustained  by  four  rows  of  pillars,  the  same  as  built  by 
Constantine  the  Great.  The  high  altar  is  in  the  middle  of  the 
cross,  adorned  with  four  marble  pillars  supporting  a  very  rich 
tabernacle,  in  which  are  kept  the  heads  of  S3.  Peter  and  Paul, 
The  royal  arms  of  France  are  put  up  as  well  as  the  Pope's  in 
three  places,  because  the  French  king  is  the  first  canon,  and  a 


Clap.  XIH.  DESCRIPTION  OF  ROME. 

benefactor.  Though  many  parts  of  the  church  are  Gothic,  they 
are  all  very  noble,  and  many  parts  too  are  of  fine  architecture  * 
by  BORROMINI,  &cc.  On  the  pillars  appear,  in  niches,  the 
Twelve  Apostles,  well  carved,  as  are  also  the  Twelve  Prophets, 
by  various  eminent  artists.  It  contains  many  good  paint- 
ings in  fresco,  by  NOVARE  and  NOGARI,  &c  ;  that  of  our 
SAVIOUR  and  SS.  John  the  Baptist  and  Evangelist,  by  ARPIN-)  ; 
of  the  Annunciation,  by  MICHAEL  AKG  LO.  In  the  cnapel  of 
the  Blessed  Sacrament,  are  four  brass  pillars  gilt,  said  to  have 
been  brought  from  Jerusalem,  or  according  to  others,  trom  the 
old  Capitol.  The  angels,  and  other  statues  of  this  chapel,  are 
by  the  greatest  masters.  The  Corsini  Chape!,  is  a  finished 
edifice  in  point  of  architecture,  riches,  pictures.  Its  chalices 
and  other  ornaments  are  of  great  value,  and  gold,  jewels,  &.C. 
every  where  display  their  lustre  :  The  very  gates,  (which  are 
of  brass, N  cost  prodigious  sums :  It  was  built  by  the  last  Pope 
Clement  XII.,  of  the  family  of  Corsini,  and  endowed  indepen- 
dently of  the  church.  He  is  buried  in  an  open  subterraneous 
chapel  under  it,  where  all  the  family  of  Corsini  are  also  to  be 
interred  in  future.  Over  his  tomb,  in  the  upper  chapel,  is 
placed  the  beautiful  porphyry  tomb  supposed  to  have  been 
Agrippa's  ;  and  transported  hither  from  the  Pantheon. 

The  front  of  this  church  is  very  fine,  with  five  gates,  one  of 
which,  the  Porta  Santa,  is  open  only  during  the  jubilee  year  j 
over  the  portico  is  the  following  inscription  in  Latin  in  large 
characters  :  "  This  is  the  head  and  mother  of  all  churches." 

In  the  middle  of  the  square  in  front  of  St  John  of  L-.teran, 
rises  a  lofty  obelisk,  which  was  transported  from  Egypt  to  Con- 
stantinople by  Constantine  the  Great,  and  from  thence  to  Rome 
by  his  son  Constance,  raised  here  by  Fontana,  by  order  of  .Six- 
tus  V.,  and  by  him  dedicated  to  the  cross.  It  is  112  feet  high 
besides  the  basis,  and  at  the  bottom  nine  and  a  half  feet  by- 
eight  in  breadth,  not  being  an  exact  square. 

Behind  the  Lateran  church  is  the  Baptismal  Front,  built  by 
Constantine  the  Great,  the  chapel  of  which  is  veiy  large,  and 
forms  a  separate  building,  of  an  octogon  form,  paved  with  rnar- 
fele :  The  dome  is  supported  by  eight  pillars  of  porphyry.  A- 

T    2 


300        TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN"  BUTLER. 

round  the  walls  are  painted  Constantine's  victory  over  Maxeri- 
tius,  and  the  vision  of  the!  Cross  in  Heaven,  by  SACCHI.  The 
fonts  are  \vry  large,  and  above  them  is  painted  the  life  of  St 
John  Baptist.  At  one  end  is  an  oratory  of  that  saint,  where 
women  are  never  permitted  to  enter,  and  under  the  altar  of 
which  are  innumerable  relics  of  martyrs.  On  the  other  side  is 
a  small  oratoiy  of  St  John  Evangelist,  with  a  brass  statue  of 
of  him  on  the  altar.  The  Cardinal-Vicar  baptises  here,  on 
Easter  and  Whitsuntide,  any  adults  converted  from  the  Turks 
or  Jews.  But  the  principal  riches  of  this  church  consist  in 
its  relics.  In  a  chapel  near  the  high-altar,  the  sacristan  shewed 
us  the  ark  of  the  testament ;  Aaron's  rod  ;  the  table  on  which 
our  SAVIOUR  eat  the  Last  Supper,  &tc.  In  a  tabernacle  over 
the  high-altar,  where  only  the  Pope  can  say  mass,  are  the  heads 
of  SS.  Peter  and  Paul,  which  are  shewn  on  Easter  Monday, 
and  some  other  days  of  the  year.  The  altars,  especially  that 
of  St  Mary  Magdalene,  are  enriched  with  many  relics.  The 
Scala  Santa,  or  stair  which  our  SAVIOUR  is  said  to  have 
gone  up,  in  Pilate's  palace,  is  now  placed  apart  in  a  sepa- 
rate new  building  erected  for  it  by  Sixtus  V,,  upon  the  plain 
before  the  church.  It  consists  of  28  steps,  which  are  cover- 
ed with  marble,  apertures  being  left,  through  which  the  old 
wooden  stairs  can  be  seen  ;  the  place  where  our  SAVIOUR  is 
said  to  have  fallen  and  left  some  stains  of  his  precious  blood> 
is  covered  with  a  brass  grate.  The  pillar  on  the  side  is 
said  to  have  been  split  at  his  death.  Many  persons  out  of 
devotion  go  up  this  stair  on  their  knees,  which  has  worn  the 
marble  steps.  They  go  down  by  one  of  the  four  other  stairs 
of  marble,  of  which  there  are  two  on  each  side  of  it.  At  the  top 
of  the  stair-case,  is  a  gallery  in  which,  on  the  altar,  is  a  picture 
of  our  SAVIOUR  „•  and  in  a  middle  chapel,  the  window  taken  out 
of  the  house  of  Nazareth,  at  Loretto  covered  with  marble. 
The  small  chapel  called  the  Sancta  Sanctorum  which  women 
can  never  enter,  is  full  of  relics,  and  was  the  proper  sacristy, 
or  sacred  cabinet  of  the  Pope,  in  the  Lateran-palace.  It  con- 
tains the  heads  of  SS.  Anastasius,  Agnes,  &.c. 

In  the  old  square  adjoining  to  the  church,  the  sacristis^i 
shewed  us  many  curious  antiquities,  such  a»  the  magnificent 


Clap.  XIII.  DESCRIPTION  OF  ROME.  301 

•monument  of  St  Helen,  &c.  Here  also  we  saw  the  two  fa- 
mous chairs  so  much  spoke  of  by  Protestants  as  connected  with 
the  now  exploded  fable  of  the  pretended  Papess  Joan.*  It  is 


*  The  whole  story  of  the  Papess  Joan,  though  adopted  by  Platina.  a  dis- 
graced and  di«gu?ted  courtier,  fcas  been  demonstrated  by  all  good  authors,  to 
be  a  complete  fabrication.     This  is  acknowledged,  and  indeed  proved,  even  by 
Blondel,  a  very  bitter,  but  learned  French  Calvinist,  in  a  particular  dissertation 
for  that  purpose.     She  is  said  to  lave  sat  between  Leo  IV.  and  Btncduf  IIF. 
in  the  ninth  century  :    But  all  the  writers  and  monuments  of  that  age  prove 
that  Benedict  HI.  immediately  succeeded  Leo  IV,     Thus  Lupus  of  Ferrura, 
in  Ep.  103.  to  Benedict  III.,  congratulates  him  upon  succeeding  Leo      >V,o,  in 
his  chronicon  on  the  year  855,  say*,   Benedict  was  immediately  elected  upon 
the  death  of  Leo      Anastasius  the  librarian  testifies  that  Bert-diet  was  f.eace- 
ably  placed  in   Leo's  throne,  on  the  2gth  of  September  an.  8.55,  and  that  Leo 
IV.  died  the   Jyth  July  the  same    year.     The  annals  of   St  Berlin's  confirm 
this  account,  an.  855,     Regiro,  in  his  Chron.  ad.  an.  855,  says  that  the  K:n- 
peror  I.otharius  d;ed  an.  855,  27th,  September,  having-  placed  Benedict  III. 
in  the  Apostolical  Throne  after   Leo's  death,  the   I7th   of  July  in  the  same 
year.     Hincmaru-,  Archbishop  of  Rheims,  (Ep.  26.),  writes  that  ht  had  sent 
deputies  to  Leo  IV.,  who  hearing  on  their  journey  he  was  dead,  yet  went  tQ 
Rome,  and  obtained  from  Benedict   III.   the  favour  wanted.     Nicolas  the  I., 
who  directly  mccceded  Benedict  III.  in  his  Ep.  46.  to  the  Council  of  Soissons, 
an.  860,  says  Benedict  was  Leo's  immediate  successor.     Moreover,  the  greatest 
enemies  and  most  malicious  calumniators  of  the  see  of  Rome,  who  lived  im- 
mediately after  that  time,  and  in  the  same  age,   though  they  make  a  handle 
of  the  most  triflirg  things  imaginable  to  serve  their  purpose,  i*evi_r  venture 
to  throw  out  any  reproach  of  this  kind.     Nay  Photius,   the  author  of  the 
schism  of  Constantinople,  in  his  book  on  the  Procesi-ion  of  the  Hoiy  Ghost, 
and  Mctrophanes  of  Smyrna,   in  his  on  the  Divinty  of  the  Hoiy  Ghost,  the 
two  most   violent    and   furious  enemies  of  the  Popcdom,  give  "catalogues  of 
the  Popes  of  iheir  times,  and  insert  Benedict  III.  immediately  after  Leo  IV. 
Natalis  Alexander,  quotes  their  words  at   length,  disc,  ^d  in  Sxc.  y.  p.  230. 
Prynne  and  others  object,  that  Marianus  Scotus,  who  died  in    joS6,  in  his 
chronicle  on  the  year  853,  write-  that   Leo  died  and  was  succeeded  by  Joan 
a  woman,  who  ?at  two   years,  five  months,  four  days.     Martinus  Polonus 
Sigebert,  Chrcn.  ad.   an.   Sj4,   St  Antonin.  pr.  2.  Chron.  tit.   16.  c.  i.  §  6. 
Platina,  in  the  lives  of  the  Pop^s  in  John  VIII.   relate  the  same.     But  besides 
that  Marianus   Scotus  wrote  200  years  after  the  dsath  of  Benedict  III.  ar. 
1083,  this  story  al'o   is  wanting  in  the  most  authentic  copies  oi  his  works. 
Martinus  Polonus  wrote  in   1:77,  under  John   XXI.;    but  this  iact  is  not 
found  in  the  old  and  genuine  manuscript  copy  in  the  Vatican  library,  as  Leo 
Albtius  testifies  ;   r.r.d  Dr  Burnet  says  he  saw  a  manuscript  copy  in  England^ 
;n  which  this  story  was  not  in  the  text,  but  added  in  the  margin  by  a  differ- 
»nt  hand,  (Kouwllct  J:  In  Refulllqut  Jet  Litircs,  Mars,  an.  1687  p.  20y),  a  cer- 
••i.;i  prooJ  •".  WJ»  un  addition  foi-n.d  into  this  Chronicon.     Indeed  the  very  cir° 


303  TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

not  possible  however  that  they  could  ever  have  been  used  for 
the  purpose  which  some  maliciously  pretend.  They  are  made 
of  porphyry,  exactly  resembling  each  other,  with  backs,  and 
a  hollow  in  the  seat  like  a  close  stool  ;  indeed  some  think  they 
have  been  intended  to  serve  the  Popes  for  that  use  during  long 
ceremonies,  some  of  which  were  formerly  of  10  or  14  hours 
continuance,  particularly  the  taking  possession  of  St  John  of 
Lateran's  church  ;  though  that  at  present  is  made  a  very  short 
one.  It  is  besides  universally  known,  that  the  art  of  cutting  or 
working  poryphry,  was  lost  longbefore  the  aera  of  the  pretended 
papess,  nor  was  it  again  discovered  till  the  time  of  COSMO  the 
Great  of  Medicis.  OF  course  these  chairs  must,  in  all  proba- 
bility h  :ve  been  pierced  by  the  ancient  Romans  or  Grecians, 
perhaps  for  some  superstitious  use,  or  for  their  baths.  The 
Popes  formerly  used  them  merely  because  they  were  precious. 
It  is  not  one  of  these  which  was  called  Stercora)  ia,  but  ano- 
ther entire  one,  in  which  the  Pope  first  sat,  at  the  bottom  of 
St  John's  church,  whilst  that  verse  was  sung  :  Suscitat  de  pul- 
vcre  egenum,  et  de  stercorc  engit  pauper  em.  After  which  he 
was  seated  in  one,  and  before  the  end  of  the  ceremony  in 
tiie  other,  of  the  chairs  above  mentioned.  The  curious  who 
Wish  to  be  satisfied  on  this  subject,  may  consult  the  learned 
Jvlabillon,  Bollaudus,  &.c. 


cumstances  of  the  story  are  coirradici'iry  and  absurd; — for  instance,  that  *he 
studied  at  Athens,  where  no  school,  had  for  a  long  time  been  kept;  and  o. 
thet  things  highly  ridiculous.  The  ftory  is  also  an  evident  addition  to  Sige- 
btrt'i  Chronicle,  for  it  agrees  not  with  what  precede*  it,  and  »'s  wanting  in 
the  original  MS.  copy  kept  in  the  abbey  of  Geniliiour^  and  published  by 
M.-rneus.  St  -\r,to:anus  speaks  of  it  doubtfully,  Si  -jeriua  fuit  So  docs 
Platina  :  Hac  qua  nlxi  -jtihn  lircun-ftruntur,  interns  ijmtn  et  obaur'ts  auctorilius. 
Some  pretend  to  find  a  confirmation  of  it  from  a  marble  statue  in  Rome,  re- 
presenting a  woman  with  child,  and  which  they  pretend  was  erected  in  the 
street  whe_re  she  was  brought  to  ' -ed  ,  but  nothing  can  be  more  absurd. 
That  figure  carried  a  bough  upon  one  shoulder,  and  wa>.  evidently  an  old  Ro- 
m.in  statue,  peihaps  of  POIUC  god,  not  of  any  Pope,  bsxtus  V.  commanded  it 
to  be  thrown  n:ro  the  fiber,  hr.-au-T  it  v/a-.  not  decent  enough,  and  disfigured 
the  street,  wl.;ch  he  c:il:.rgtd.  ?nd  n;;.cu  <  nc  oi  the  finest  it  R< .me,  'ituatei 
fcetwvicu  Lknicr.;/*  and  the  Coiosscc.  ciec  Natalis  Alexander,  p.  2jj.  T.  6, 


Clap.  XIII-  DESCRIPTION  OF  ROME.  303 

All  the  ornaments  of  this  church  are  very  curious  and  rich, 
though  scarce  any  thing  remains  of  those  treasures  Constantine 
the  Great  bestowed  on  it ;  among  which  were  two  statues  of  our 
SAVIOUR,  one  320  and  another  of  140  pounds  ;  also  statues  of 
the  Twelve  Apostles,  each  five  feet  high,  and  of  90  pounds 
each  ;  and  four  angels  all  of  silver  ;  four  crowns  of  pure  gold  ; 
seven  altars  of  200  pounds,  &.C.* 

The  Pope's  palace  of  the  Lateran,  which  is  near  the  church, 
is  a  very  spacious  and  noble  building.  The  present  was  erect- 
ed by  Sixtus  V.,  but  finished  and  adorned  by  the  late  Clement 
XII.  The  Hospital  of  St  John  of  Lateran  is  a  magnificent 
edifice,  and  possesses  very  great  revenues. 

On  the  road  from  hence  through  the  Coliseo  to  the  Forum 
and  Capitol,  we  meet  with  St  Clement's,  one  of  the  oldest 
churches  in  Rome,  and  deserving  of  notice.  The  sub- deacon, 
when  singing  the  epistle  here,  turns  towards  the  people. 

Near  St  Mary  Major,  on  Mount  .Esquilino,  stands  the  church 
of  St  Praxides  :  In  one  of  its  chapel?,  which  no  women  is  per- 
mitted to  enter,  we  were  shewn  the  pillar  at  winch  our  SAVI- 
OUR was  scourged,  brought  from  Jerusalem  by  Cardinal  John 
Colonna,  and  which  is  about  a  foot  and  a  half  hiph.  The  hio-h- 

"  *D 

altar  is  adorned  with  six  pillars  of  porphyry  and  two  of  black 
marble,  spotted  with  white.  Under  it  lie  the  bodies  of  SS. 
Praxides  and  Pudentiana.  Towards  tlie  bottom  of  the  church, 
is  a  large  square  marble  slab,  covering  a  well  in  which  these 
two  holy  sisters  buried  many  martyrs.  Their  house  stood 
here,.and  in  it  St  Peter  is  reported  to  have  said  mass.  The 
church  contains  some  very  good  pictures  ;  as  a  Scourging  of 
cur  SAVIOUR  by  JULIUS  ROMAKUS  ;  others  by  ZUCCHARO  and 
SALVIATI.  There  is  a  similar  well  to  the  above  in  the  church 
of  Pudentiana  on  the  Viminale  hill  belonging  to  the  reformed 
Cistercians,  wherein  also  is  a  wooden  altar,  on  which  they  say 
St  Peter  celebrated  his  first  mass  in  Rome. 

St  Peter  fid  Vincula  is  on  the  Esquiline  hill  near  the  Coliseo. 
This  church  was  built  by  Eudoxia,  wife  of  the  Emperor  Ar- 

*  Ses  the  Inventary  of  them  in  Ontiphriu*. 


304         TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

cadius,  upon  the  ruins  of  the  old  Cvirin,  or  senate  house.  Sixttis 
V.  rebuilt  it.  It  is  very  large,  and  is  sustained  by  four  rows 
of  pillars  of  white  marble,  enriched  with  many  relics.  The 
Chains  with  which  St  Peter  was  bound  in  prison  in  Jerusalem, 
are  deposited  tinder  the  high  altar  •,  and  were  sent  by  Eudoxia 
to  her  daughter  Eudoxia,  wife  of  the  Emperor  Valentinian  III. 
Here  are  many  other  relics,  and  several  fine  monuments,  among 
vjh'ich  are  those  of  Cardinal  Sadolet,  Cardinal  Turin,  &.c.  that 
of  Vecchiarellio  is  a  finished  piece  of  sculpture.  But  the  tomb 
of  JULIUS  II.  surpasses  all  others  in  Rome  :  It  is  MICHAEL 
ANGELO'S  master-piece  in  carving  ;  as  he  was  not  hurried  in 
executing  it,  but  kept  it  a  long  time  by  him.  Amongst  the 
other  admirable  figures  on  it,  that  of  MOSES  is  incomparable. 
In  this  indeed  that  great  artist  seems  to  have  surpassed  himself. 

On  the  other  side  of  this  road  appear  the  following  edifices  : 
San  Stefano  Rotunda,  situated  on  Mount  Ccelio,  and  chicijy  re- 
rnarkable  for  good  paintings  in  fresco,  and  particularly  a  fine 
landscape  of  Mathew  of  Sienna  :  Our  Lady  in  NaviceLa,  (so  caU 
led  from  a  piece  of  marble  in  the  shape  of  a  ship  ;)  built  on  the 
design  of  RAPHAEL  ;  and  possessing  some  good  paintings  in 
fresco  by  Julius  Romanus:  Ana  behind  this  church  appears  the 
Villa  of  Matthcci,  the  gardens  of  which,  also  situated  on  mount 
Coelio  are  filled  with  curious  antique  statues,  busts,  &c.  among 
which  is  the  head  of  a  Colissus  eight  feet  high  ;  consequently 
the  statue  must  have  been  64  feet. 

The  CoUsseo  is  a  place  corruptly  so  called  frorn  a  Colossus 
of  Nero,  120  feet  high,  which  formerly  stood  upon  it.  Here 
are  the  astonishing  ruins  of  VESPASIAN'S  AMPHITHEATRE  just- 
ly esteemed  the  greatest  work  of  the  Romans,  and  by  MartiaJ 
preferred  to  the  seven  wonders  of  the  world  : 

Omnis  Cesareo  cedat  labor  Amphitheatri, 

Unum  pro,  cu.nc.tis  fama  loquatur  opus. 

Tismuch  to  be  regreted  that  some  individual  should  have  been 
permitted  to  destroy  this  magnificent  pile  by  carry  ing  offits  stones 
tc,  adorn  their  own  palaces.  The  side  which  remains  is  yet  very 
solid,  is  1 20  feet  in  height,  and  divided  into  four  stories.  There, 
are  five  or  six  galleries,  or  rows  of  vaults,  in  the  thickness  of  the 


Chap.  XIII.  DESCRIPTION  OF  ROME.  305 

wall,  and  on  the  outside  four  orders  of  pillars  rise  one  above  ano- 
ther: In  short  its  extent,  thickness,  immense  stones,  and  exquisite 
architecture,  quite  astonish  the  spectator.  Eighty  arches  formed 
its  vast  exte.it,  which  measured  in  all  1612  feet.  The  stairs  lead- 
ing from  the  outside  are  numerous  and  spacious  as  well,  as  those 
by  which  the  spectators  retired,  called  F  omit  ana.  1  he  build- 
ing was  rouud  on  the  outside,  but  oval  within,  and  could  easi- 
ly contain  without  confussion  ;  on  its  seats  80,000,  some  say 
150,000  spectators  ;  20,000  Jewish  captives  were  employed 
12  years  by  Vespasian  in  building  it  ;  nor  was  it  completed 
until  the  accession  of  TITUS,  who  on  its  dedication,  exhibi- 
ted in  it  5000  wild  beasts,  besides  gladiators.  This  towering 
edifice  rivals  in  height  the  smrGUirding  mountains  of  Cajlius, 
Esquiline  and  Palatine. 

Near  the  Colissco  also  stands  the  triumphal  arch  of  Constan* 
tine  the  Great,  erected  by  the  senate  and  people  with  this  in- 
scription :  "  To  the  deliverer  of  the  city,  the  founder  of  quiet.'1 
The  statues  and  basso  relievos  at  the  bottom  are  very  ordi- 
nary, whilst  those  towards  the  top  are  executed  in  a  superior 
style,  especially  eight  stcttues  wanting  their  heads,  which  have 
probably  been  stolen  to  enrich  some  cabinet  of  busts.  These 
must  have  been  more  ancient,  perhaps  taken  from  Trajan's  arch, 
for  the  art  of  sculpture  was  lost  in  Constantine's  time. 

TITUS'S  ARCH,  the  most  ancient  of  any  now  extant,  is  a  step 
farther  at  the  entry  of  the  Forum,  upon  the  old  Via  Sacra.  On 
it  are  engraven,  very  distinctly,  an  Emperor  triumphant,  in  a 
chariot  drawn  by  four  horses,  with  all  the  pomp  usual  on  these 
occasions.  Among  the  trophies,  appear  the  spoils  of  Jerusa-» 
lem  ;  the  ark  of  the  testament,  the  candlestick  with  seven, 
branches  ;  the  tables  of  the  loaves  of  proposition  ;  the  tables  of 
the  ten  commandments  ;  the  golden  vessels  of  the  temple,  &-C. 

Near  this  was  the  ancient  Comitia.  And  at  a  little  distance 
appears  the  Temple  of  Peace,  commenced  by  Claudius  and  com- 
pleted by  Vespasian,  burnt  under  Domitian,  and  what  escap- 
ed the  fire,  plundered  by  Alaric.  Of  this  building  there  re- 
main only  three  prodigious  arches,  sufficient  to  shew  its  former 
magnificence* 


3C         TRAVELS  OF  THE  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

The  church  of  St  Francisco,  is  near  these  ruins  :  The  singular 
and  magnificent  subterraneous  chapel  under  the  high  altar,  in 
which  the  shrine  of  that  saint  is  honoured,  is  built  of  jasper 
marble,  after  a  design  of  Beraiui,  and  is  adorned  with  the  saint's 
statue  of  brass  gilt.  The  tomb  of  Pope  Gregory  XIV.  in  the 
same  church  is  very  noble  and  curious  ;  the  basso-relievos  ex- 
cellent. 

Here  was  the  site  of  the  Hippodrome,  destined  for  the  races 
of  chariots  drawn  by  four  or  two  horses. 

The  Forum  of  Rome  (lying  behind  the  Capitol)  is  now  cal- 
led Campo  Vaccino,  because  it  was  the  market  for  cattle.  Here 
v:e  were  shewn  a  pit,  called  CurtiuSs  Gulph,  into  which  when  it 
opened  that  celebrated  Roman  Knignt  is  said  to  have  rode  in 
full  armour  ;  thus  gloriously  sacrificing  his  life  for  the  safety 
of  his  country. 

Three  pillars  sunk  in  the  earth  at  the  foot  of  mount  Pala- 
tine alone  remain  to  point  out  the  ruins  of  thetemple  of  jfu- 
pitcr  Stator,  built  by  Romulus. 

At  the  foot  of  the  Capitol  stands  the  Triumphal  Arch  of  SEP- 
TlMius  SEVERUS,  erected  after  his  victories  over  theParthians, 
•which  are  represented  on  it,  with  an  inscription  to  his  honour. 

The  Rostra  Nova  was  a  pulpit  in  the  Forum,  adorned  with 
the  beaks  of  ships  taken  from  enemies,  where  the  orators  ha- 
rangued the  people.  The  Rostra  l^etera  was  ia  the  Comitia, 
from,  whence  also  the  orators  addressed  the  senate  and  people 
In  their  assemblies  held  there.  The  temple  of  Jupiter  Tbn;i- 
dering  stood  on  the  ascent  leading  to  the  Capitol,  and  was  built 
by  Augustus,  in  consequence  of  a  thunderbolt  having  killed  a 
servant  by  the  side  of  his  litter :  A  few  pillars  only  remain  of 
this  magnificent  structure.  In  the  middle  of  the  forum  as  form- 
erly mentioned,  stood  the  Milliarium  Aureun^  from  whence  the 
28  great  high  roads  began,  and  this  was  considered  as  the  cen- 
tre of  Rome.  Now  only  that  half  towards  the  Tiber  is  inhabi- 
ted. The  other  side,  including  mount  Ccelius,  Aventine,  and 
Palatine,  and  great  part  of  Esquiline,  displays  little  else  than 
ruins,  vineyards,  a  few  churches  and  scattered  houses  ;  and  the 
Campo  Marzo  towards  the  river  is  the  most  populous  part  of 
the  city.  It.  occupied  all  the  ground  from  the  square  of  tlia 


Chap.  XIII.  DESCRIPTION   OF   ROME.  307 

Twelve  Apostles  to  the  river.  Several  churches  have  been 
erected  in  the  streets  surrounding  the  Campo  Vaccino :  These 
were  ^anta  Francisca  :  )S  Cosma  and  Damien,  which  posseses 
the  bodies  of  these  saints,  and  was  anciently  a  temple  of  ROMU- 
LUS and  REMUS,  as  is  proved  from  monuments  found  under  it : 
St  Adnari'sy  belonging  to  the  fathers  of  the  Redemption  of  Cap- 
tives, (once  a  temple  of  SATURN,  and  the  public  treasury)  :  St 
Martina,  (once  a  temple  of  MARS  the  revenger}  embellished  by- 
Urban  V1I1,.  paintings  by  CORTONA,  fctc.  :  )an  Pietro  *el  Car- 
cere,  standing  at  the  foot  of  the  Capitol,  formerly  called  La 
Tulliana,  a  prison  built  by  Ancus  Martius.  Its  dungeons,  for- 
med by  Servius  Tullius,  are  frightful,  dee.)  and  extensive  caves 
in  the  rock.  Here  Catuline's  accomplices  were  put  to  death  by- 
Cicero's  orders  ;  and  here  St  Peter  was  imprisoned.  This  dun- 
geon, to  which  there  is  a  descent  of  20  steps,  is  now  converted 
into  a  chapel,  containing  the  statue  of  that  Apostle  enclosed 
within  iron  bars. 

From  Campo  Vaccino  we  ascended  the  Palatine  hill,  (now 
called  Palazzo  Maggiore), passing  b>  the  Furnesian  gardens;  the 
vaults  and  rubbish  where  stood  the  Palace  of  the  Caspars,  and  the 
CD  co  V<agissimo.  These  Circuses  were  large  areas  of  an  oblong 
form,  where  games  were  exhibited,  and  prizes,  accompanied  with 
a  myrtyle  crown,  were  given  to  those  who  shewed  most  dexter- 
ity in  driving  chariots  (which  was  then  the  exercise  of  gener- 
als and  great  men)  ar.d  in  other  athletic  sports.  There  were 
many  Circuses  in  Rome  :  that  of  Nero  on  the  Vatican  :  that  of 
Caracalla  on  the  -\ppian  road,  beyond  the  monument  of  Metel- 
la  :  the  Agonal  Circus,  now  Navona  :  and  that  of  de  Flora,  on. 
the  Quirinal.  But  the  principal  was  this  Circus  Maximus, 
between  the  Aventine  and  Palatine  hills.  It  was  400  paces  long 
and  125  broad,  and  paved  with  a  h^rd  metallic  dross,  called  by 
the  Italians  crisocollo,  or  dross  of  gold.  It  was  surrounded 
with  fine  pillars  of  three  orders,  supporting  a  triple  portico,  ca- 
pable of  containing  150,000  spectators,  with  a  ditch  in  .ront  tea 
feet  broad,  and  ten  deep,  full  of  water,  to  keep  them  off. 

We  passed  by  Si  Gregory's  church,  erected  on  the  Clivus 
Scauri,  that,  is,  the  brow  of  Mont  Ceelius,  formerly  St  Gregory 
the  Great's  house,  and  stili  containing  m.ujy  -.  Jico  of  that  a 


3*3*8  TRAVELS   OF  REV.  ALB  AN    BUTLER, 

here  are  to  be  seen  some  statues  given  by  Cardinal  Baroniua  ; 
also  tombs  of  his  family ;  and  of  some  English  Catholics,  &.Q. 
The  church  of  St  Sabas  belongs  to  the  Jesuits.  That  of  SS. 
John  and  Paul  stands  on  the  site  of  the  Curia  Hostilia,  of  Tullus 
Hostilius.  There  were  35  Curii  in  Rome,  some  for  the  priests, 
others  for  the  senate.  That  built  by  POMPEY  in  the  Campo  di 
Fiore  was  demolished  on  account  of  Caesar  having  been  there 
assasinated.  On  this  mount  also  stand  the  churches  of  SS.  Nere- 
us  and  Achilkus,  &c.  and  the  baths  of  Antoninus  Caracalla, 
called  'Thermae  Slntoniaiue. 

The  ancient  Romans  greatly  delighted  in  the  use  of  cold  andhot 
baths  :  For  this  purpose  immense  edifices  were  built  in  the  most 
sumptuous  style,  generally  paved  with  the  finest  marble,  and 
their  lofty  walls  covered  with  the  same  materials,  beautifully 
variegated.  The  warm  baths  were  heated  by  vaulted  stoves  un<. 
clerneath.  Those  of  the  nobility  were  separate,  and  still  more 
magnificently  adorned  ;  they  contained  a  variety  of  chambers, 
one  of  which  was  called  Apodyterion,  for  undressing  ;  others 
were  used  for  exercising  in  ;  some  for  refreshments,  contain- 
ing large  vessels  of  pophyry,  filled  with  perfumes  to  anoint  their 
bodies  :  there  were  also  some  set  apart  for  speptators  ;  all  these 
rooms  were  adorned  with  elegant  paintings,  carving,  &.c.  In 
Home  we  saw  the  ruins  of  many  Thermae  or  baths  ;  sucty 
as  those  of  Dioclesian,  Agrippjna,  Agrippa,  Nero,  Titus,  Con- 
stantine,  &.c. ;  but  the  most  magnificent  were  those  built  by 
Antoninus  Caracalla,  and  lying  at  the  foot  of  mount  Aventine  j 
of  which  however  nothing  now  remains  but  the  vestiges  of  the 
pipes  and  canals,  vast  vaults,  walls  which,  by  their  thickness 
and  height,  strike  terror  into  the  beholder,  and  three  or  four 
spacious  courts,  presented  to  the  Jesuits  for  the  use  of  their 
boarders  by  Alexander  VII ;  and  yet  these  ruins,  immense  as 
they  are,  did  not  consitute  one  tenth  part  of  the  extent  of  these 
magnificent  buildings.  Of  Settizone,  or  monument  of  SeveT 
rus  on  the  Palatine  near  the  Via  Appia,  ly  ceils  alone  re- 
main, which  no  man  can  guess  the  use  of.  Above  this  13 
the  Porta  Latina,  near  which  is  the  little  church  of  St  John. 
£Jot  far  distant  is  the  gate  of  St  Sebastian.,  anciently  Porta 


Clap    XIIL  DESCRIPTION  OF   ROME.  gc*} 

pena.  On  the  Aventine  also  stand  the  churches  of  St  Sixtus,  of 
fit  Sahina,  formerly  a  temple  of  Diana  j  and  of  St  Alexius,  in 
•which  is  a  rich  shrine  of  that  saint. 

But  to  return  :  Below  the  Cerco  Massimo  in  the  Foro  Boario, 
near  the  old  forum,  is  the  'Temple  ofjanus  with  four  faces,  Ar- 
cus  Juni  quadrifrontis,  a  square  eld  building,  still  entire : 
Adjoining  to  which  stands  the  church  of  Santa  Maria  in  Cos- 
jntdim,  where  St  Austin  is  said  to  have  taught  rhetoric.  It 
was  called  Sclohi  Gneca  and  Bocca  di  l^erita,  and  probably  was 
a  school  of  the  Greeks. 

In  this  piazza  stood  the  temple  of  the  Vestal  Virgins  now  the 
Church  of  our  Lady  del  Soli.  It  is  so  near  the  Tiber,  that  it 
is  no  wonder  it  suffered  from  the  floods  in  Horace's  time. 

Notlung  else  memorable  occurs  either  on  the  Tiber,  or 
over  the  Aventin,  and  the  little  Monte  Testaceo.  And  here 
we  arrived  at  the  gate  of  Ostia,  or  of  St  Paul,  near  which  we 
saw  the  only  pyramid  in  Rome,  a  small  but  entire  monument : 
It  is  the  tomb  of  Caius  Sextius  Epulo,  or  feaster,  tribune  of 
the  people,  and  Septemvir  Epulonum,  (probably  one  of  the  or- 
derers  of  the  public  feasts^)  built  in  130  days,  according  to  the 
inscription.  It  is  100  feet  high  and  as  many  broad  at  the  bot- 
tom, terminating  in  a  point  at  the  top,  and  contains  in  its  centre 
a  chamber  adorned  with  ancient  paintings,  in  some  places  very 
little  faded. 

Those  parts  of  the  city  which  we  have  last  described,  though 
mere  heaps  of  rubbish,  vaults,  and  fragments  of  walls,  display, 
in  a  striking  manner,  the  incredible  magnificence  of  ancient 
Rome,  and  impress  the  beholder  with  awe.  The  most  stupen- 
dous of  these  monuments  of  antiquity  are  the  Colisseo,  Anton- 
inns'1*  baths,  and  the  Palace  of  tie  Cr.rrvrj,  the  ruins  of  which 
occupy  nearly  the  whole  extent  of  the  Palatine  hill,  which  is  en- 
tirely hollow  with  immense  vaults.  Those  of  Nero's  palace 
now  serve  as  stables  for  the  cattle.  Its  porch  was  a  mile  long  ; 
marble,  poryphry,  gold,  silver,  and  jewels,  constituted  its  princi- 
pal materials  and  embellishments.  The  Sette  Sale,  or  seven 
Chamber?,  near  the-  bath"  of  Tojan,  built  by  Vespasian  for  tlv. 


TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

college  of  priests,  are  wonderful  vaults  :  they  are  now  shut  up, 
lest  they  might  become  a  receptacle  tor  banditti.  In  those  ca- 
verns liie  incomparable  LAUCOON  of  the  Belvedere  was  found. 

In  this  survey  of  Rome,  we  first  visited  the  populous  parr, 
viz.  the  Corso  ;  the  second  day  the  bank  of  the  Tiber  to  the  Va- 
tican, returning  through  Campo  Fiore,  on  which  stood  Pom- 
pey's  senate  house,  Navona,  the  Sapienza,  &:c.,  to  the  Capitol  nnd 
Forum.  On  the  third  day, — we  visited  the  Campidoglio,  Fo- 
rum, and  Transttveres.  On  the  fourth  the  Piau  and  Pi.ician 
gates,  Trevi  and  Monte  Cavallo  :  We  then  surveyed  the  ruin- 
ous quarters  of  this  celebrated  city,  beginning  with  Dioclesian's 
baths,  St  Mary  Major,  and  Si  John  of  Lateran.  On  the  sixth  and 
seventh  days,  the  Colisseo,  the  .-Vvtntme  and  St  Palatine  hills, 
and  the  rest  of  the  ruins.  Going  out:  oi"  Rome,  to  visit  St  Paul's, 
our  attention  was  attracted  by  the  citv  wails,  on  which  are  still 
to  be  seen  towers  at  30  paces  distance  from  each  other  ;  and  on 
the  inside  of  the  walls  towards  the  town,  appear  the  ruins  of  a 
gallervor  covered  portico,  which  formerly  extended  their  whole 
lenuth.  Oil  our  road  we  passed  by  a  fine  chapel,  where  SS.  Pe- 
ter and  Paul  are  said  to  have  taken  a  fiaal  leave  of  each  other — 
•when  about  to  receive  their  crown  of  martyrdom. 

St  Paul's  (belonging  to  an  adjoining  opulent  abbey  of  Bene- 
dictines of  the  congregation  of  Mount  Cassino)  situated  five 
miles  from  the  toru-m  of  Rome,  is  one  of  the  five  Patriarchal 
churches  and  also  one  of  the  seven  which  must  be  visited  by 
pilgrims  for  the  indulgences.  It  is  an  immense  old  Gothic 
building,  4*77  feet  long,  i;8  brond,  supported  by  140  pillars  of 
white  marble  taken  out  of  Antoninu^'s  biths.  The  church  is 
finely  paved  with  marble,  covered  with  ancient  inscriptions, 
and  its  vault  is  painted  in  mosaic.  The  high  altar  is  adorned 
with  pillars  of  pophyry,  :r:d  a  very  good  mosaic  picture.  Un- 
der the  patriarch  ,1  altar,  in  the  centre  of  the  cross  of  the  church, 
is  a  subterraneous  vault  richly  adorned,  in  which  are  deposited 
one  half  of  the  bodies  of  SS.  Peter  and  Paul.  This  church  con- 
tains many  good  paintings  i:;  fresco  by  LAN  FRANC  ;  and  an  As- 
sumption of  MUUAN.  The  altar  of  the  Blessed  Sacrament  ij 


Clflp.  XIII.  DESCRIPTION    OF    ROME. 

in  a  good  style  of  architecture,  by  Charles  Madern.  The  great 
crucifix,  which  is  said  to  have  spoken  to  St  Bridget,  is  greatly 
reverenced  in  this  church  •  we  saw  it  exposed,  which  is  only 
done  in  holy  week,  and  on  every  first  Sunday  of  a  month. 

From  St  PauPs  we  went  by  the  Appian  road  to  St  Selas- 
t tan's,  an  ancient  church,  now  belonging  to  Cistercian  monks. 
Paul  the  V.  first  give  this  rich  abbey  in  Commendam,  bestowing 
it  on  his  nephew  Cardinal  Borghesi.  The  body  of  St  Fabian 
lies  under  the  high  altar,  and  that  of  St  Sebastian  under  an  al- 
tar in  a  chapel  on  the  left  hand.  St  Sebastian's  is  one  of  the 
seven  principal  churches,  and  is  famous  for  its  Catacombs,  the 
finest  in  Rome,  formerly  the  Ccemeterium  Calixti,  in  which  so- 
many  martyrs  were  buried;  it  was  began  by  the  pious  Lady  Lu- 
cina  in  her  own  farm  •  almost  all  the  first  Popes  are  said  to  be 
interred  in  it.  The  catacombs  are  divided  into  secret  and  pub- 
lic. Into  the  first,  strangers  are  never  permitted  to  enter. 
The  fathers  assured  us,  that  some  have  penetrated  very  fzrr 
both  to  the  city  and  the  hospital  of  St  John  of  Lateran,  in  one 
direction,  and  a  great  way  under  the  fields,  by  another  :  that 
they  in  some  places  are  six  feet  high  and  upwards,  and  two 
feet  broad  ;  but  in  other  places  so  low  that  a  person  can  with 
difficulty  creep,  every  moment  in  danger  of  the  earth  falling  in, 
or  of  being  lost  in  the  labyrinths  :  that  most  of  the  tombs  are 
without  inscriptions,  or  devicrs,  though  in  sonic  of  them,  they 
observed  palms,  crowns,  flames  of  fire,  doves  with  olive  branches 
in  their  mouths:  on  others,  hearts,  figures  of  brass  or  ivory, 
small  earthen  vessels  filled  with  blood,  &.c.  \Ve  only  examined 
the  public  one,  each  of  us  carrying  a  wax  candle, %vh;ch  we  were 
verr  careful  to  keep  always  lighted,  and  to  keep  close  to  cnc 
another.  These  excavations  are  si::  and  eight  feet  high  ;  but 
in  some  parts  lower  ;  and.  broad  enough  for  a  m?.-i  to  wr.lk  in. 
The  tombs  appear  en  each  side  in  cavities,  ar.d  were  found 
shut  up  by  titles  or  earth.  Most  of  them  have  inscriptions, 
other;  various  devices  :  and  some  of  them  have  certain!*,-  ser- 
ved as  monuments  for  heathens.  I  myself  observed  on  cue  the 
letters,  D.  M.  /.  e.  ;  "  to  th?  infernal  gods  ;"  a  certain  mark  01 
heathenism.  Yet  these  iX'i'-ht  afterwards  serve  Chrii:i;uis  :  as 


£l3          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

in  other  places,  I  have  frequently  seen  a  D.   M.   on  one  sid^ 
and  a  cross  on  the  other,  on  the  same  tomb-stone. 

Catacombs  are   discovered  everywhere  around  Rome,  but 
there  are  five  principal  ones  ;  viz.  thtfse  of  St  Sebastian,  St  Ag- 
nes, St  Pancratius,  or  St  JVlarcellus,  St  Priscilla,  and  St  Calix- 
tus  :  the  two  former  are  sufficiently  large  :   but  the  rest  are  too 
low  for  persons  to  walk  in  :   In  all  of  them  we  find  chapels,   in 
xvhich  the  primitive  Christians  celebrated  the  divine  mysteries 
during  the  persecutions.      Some  have   imagined  that  none  bat 
martyrs  were  buried  here,  which  is  certainly  a  mistake  ;  though 
it  is  probable  some  particular  places  were  set  apart  for  their 
tombs,  on  the  farms  or  in  the  houses  of  some  pious  Christians  : 
for  several  crypta,  or  grottos  at  the  e:;rrj  of  some  of  these  Ca- 
tacombs, were  filled  with  martyrs  tombs.  Others  are  of  opinion 
at  the  least,   that  none  but  Christians  were  burled  here,  and 
that  the  Roman  Heathens  at  all  times  burnt  their  dead  :   but 
this  Is  a  mistake.  The  ancient  Romans  originally  buried  their 
dead  ;— for  about  200  years  indeed  they  followed  the  practice  of 
the   Greeks  in  burning   the   corpse  ;    but    after  that  period 
they  again  returned  to  their  former   practice.     For   we  find 
not  only  urns  with  ashes,  but  monuments  containing  bones  in- 
scribed with  D.  M.,  to  the  Infernal  Gods,  in  almost  all  the  towns 
I  have  seen  ;  where  are  any  Roman  burying  places  ;  as  well  as 
in  these  Catacombs.     Nor  can  I  be  persuaded  that  the  Chris- 
tians, during  the  persecutions,  could  dig  such  vast  caverns  un- 
discovered, or  fill  them.     The  Catacombs  uniformly  lie  on  the 
sides  of  highways,  where  the  heathens  first  buried  their  dead  ; 
nnd  extend  almost  to  the  sea,  and  to  several  miles  distance  from 
Rome,  in  every  direction  ;  much  farther,  indeed,  than  any  bo- 
dy has  followed  them.     Dr  Burnet  pretends  these  are  the  bu* 
rying  places  of  heathens  only,  but  is  certainly  mistaken.    Marks 
of  Christianity,  such  as  crosses  on  the  monuments,  See.  are  very 
evident ;  we  allow  indeed  that  many  heathens  have  been  buried 
here  ;  so  only  such  are  to  be  looked  on  as  martyrs,  who  are  de-j 
clared  so  by  ancient  authentic  inscriptions  and  marks.     I  also 
grant,  that  palms  &  olive  branches,  on  these  tombs,  or  vials  con- 
taining some  kind  of  coagulated  liq.uour,  supposed  to  have  been 
"blood,  are  very  ambiguous  signs,  if  unattended  by  any  others- 


Chap.  XIII.  DESCRIPTION  OF  ROME.  313 

On  this  account  it  is  forbid,  under  pain  of  excommunication, 
to  carry  any  thing  out  of  the  Catacombs.  Nor  can  any  thing 
be  called  a  relic,  before  it  is  examined,  and  approved  of  by  a 
prelate^  deputed  by  the  congregation  of  relics.  The  catacombs 
lying  within  the  city  walls  appear  to  be  more  modern  ;  because 
the  old  Roman  law  of  the  Twelve  Tables  prohibited  burying  in 
the  city  :  "  In  urbe  ne  sepelitoneve  urito."  The  catacombs  of 
Naples  are  more  beautiful  and  extensive,  being  in  a  rocky 
ground>  and  many  feet  broad,  and  very  high  ;  whereas  those  in 
Rome  are  in  soft  earth,  which  falls  in  if  the  vaults  be  made  large. 

The  word  catacomb  seems  derived  from  the  Greek  Kxr--.  near, 
and  Kvp/Sos'  a  hollow  hole.  It  at  first  signified  only  the  ca- 
vern in  which  SS.  Peter  and  Paul's  bodies  were  deposited  for 
some  time  under  St  Sebastian's  church.  By  abuse  it  is  now 
applied  to  the  old  burying  places  about  Rome* 

At  a  little  distance  from  St  Sebastian's  on  the  Via  Appia, 
stands  a  chapel,  which  they  call  Domine  qui  vidts  ? — .-r°c- 
ted  in  the  place  where  our  SAVIOUR  is  said  to  have  met  St  Pe- 
ter flying  out  of  Rome  from  Nero's  persecution.  St  P'.ter 
said  to  him,  "  Lord,  whither  are  you  going?"  He  answered  ; 
"  to  be  crucified  again  :"  upon  which  St  Peter  returned  aud 
was  crucified,  as  is  related  by  St  Ambrose.  On  a  stone  in  this 
chapel  is  shewn,  covered  with  an  iron  grate,  the  print  of  oar. 
Saviour's  foot ;  but  the  mark  is  not  well  proportioned.  Ano- 
ther stone  with  a  similar  mark  is  kept  in  St  Sebastian's  church. 
The  Via  sJppia  (paved  byApp.  Claudius  Coccus,  the  censor, 
from  Rome  to  Capua}  passes  here,  and  was  denominated  by  the 
Romans,  "  The  Prince  of  Highways  :"  It  was  afterwards  car- 
ried on  to  Naples  and  Brundusium,  the  sea  port  for  Greece  on 
the  Adriatic.  The  Roman  Highways,  the  wonder  of  the 
world,  were  pz  'ed  with  very  broad  flags,  laid  on  a  foundation 
ten  or  twelve  :?cet  deep  of  peebies  mixed  with  lime,  &c.  which 
has  stood  firm  these  1600  years,  is  still  so  solid  as  even  now  to 
resist  the  mattocks,  and  almost  as  hard  as  marble,  though  the 
stones  are  scarce  so  big  as  an  egg.  It  is  a  pity  the  covering  flags 
topsare  in  most  places  carried  oiFby  individuals.  la  the  above 
chanel  Cfor  the  highway  passed  through  it)  they  remain  entire 

U 


314        TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

as  they  do  also  about  Terracina :  The  smoothness  of  these  broacV 
stones  renders  the  road  so  slippery  as  to  be  inconvenient,  which 
makes  the  best  judges  rather  think  the  true  reading  is,  tersarum 
smooth,  not  as  many  read  it,  longarum  ;  in  that  passage  of 
Statius  Sylv.  2.  :  "  Appia  tersarum  teritur  regina  viarum". 
Procopius,  700  years  after  this  road  was  made,  remarks  that, 
though  continually  beaten  by  heavy  carts  and  carriages,  &-c. 
it  was  entire  as  at  first,  not  a  stone  being  in  the  least  deran- 
ged or  broke,  and  still  retaining  its  smoothness.  This  was  ow- 
ing to  the  hardness,  polish,  and  the  even  and  firm  placing  of  the 
stones.  We  might  have  said  the  same  of  it  now,  if  people  had 
not  plundered  it. 

On  the  right  hand  of  St  Sebastian,  appears  a  temple  of  Apol- 
lo in  rubbish,  and  near  it  a  large  circular  temple  of  Mars  Gra- 
divus,  dedicated  by  Sylla  when  edile. 

On  the  side  of  the  Appian  high  way,  we  also  saw  the  vast 
Tomb  of  Metella,  wife  of  Crassas,  as  an  inscription  intimates. 
The  building  is  circular,  inclosing  an  immense  cave  and  pit. 
Its  walls  are  20  feet  thick,  with  basso  relievos  wrought  around 
it.  Being  very  strong,  it  was  used  in  the  civil  wars  between 
the  Ursins  and  the  Colonnas,  as  a  place  of  defence  like  a  ci- 
tadel :  though  smaller,  it  somewhat  resembles  the  Mole  of 
Adrian. 

Near  it  is  CARACALLA'S  CIRCUS,  the  most  entire  of  any, 
though  its  ornaments  and  obelisk  are  all  carried  away.  The 
Carceres  or  starting  bounds  are  very  plain  :  fivexhariots  coulcl 
run  abreast  on  it.  There  is  also  a  place  in  it,  which  could  for- 
merly be  inundated  for  naval  fights.  Such  places  were  called 
NaumackLr.  DoMiTiAN's  NtiumacLia  was  under  the  mount 
of  the  Trinity  :  NERO'S  at  the  foot  of  San  Pietro  in  Montorio  •' 
TULIUS  CTESAR'S  in  Trastavere,  At  present  the'piaz.zaNavone 
in  Summer  is  sometimes  laid  iinder  water;  but  this  does  not 
resemble  the  Naumachice. 

The  principal  country  seats  of  the  old  Romnns,  were, — 
"Tibur,  now  'Tivoli,  situated  in  Latium,  that  is,  Campania  di 
Roma,  16  miles  from  Rome  to  the  east,  on  the  river 
Tiverone,  which  forms  here  a  beautiful  cascade. 


Chap.  XIII.  DESCRIPTION    OF   ROME.  313 

Tusculum,  now  Frcscati,  12  miles  from  Rome,  and  as  far 
from  Tivoli. 

Antium,  30  miles  from  Rome,  on  the  road  to  Naples,  now 
Antio,  a  village  two  miles  from  Nettuno. 

Pr<:e/.>este,  now  Pralestrina,  2  t  miles  from  Rome.  Its  castle 
on  the  hill  was  destroyed  by  Boniface  VIII. 

Anxur^  60  miles  from  Rome,  now  called  Terracinat  the 
Pope's  frontier  on  the  kingdom  of  Naples. 

Subiaco,  in  Latin  Sublacum,  is  3  5  miles  from  Rome,  toward? 
the  kingdom  of  Naples.  It  is  an  abbey  of  Benedictines  and 
possesses  14  towns  and  villages.  A  commendatory  abbot,  (al- 
ways some  Cardinal)  enjoys  the  greatest  part  of  its  revenues. 
This  is  the  place  of  St  Benedict's  solitude.  We  were  not  tempt- 
ed to  go  to  see  it,  as  it  is  said  to  be  of  very  difficult  access,  be- 
ing situated  in  the  midst  of  most  craggy  mountains,  like  those 
of  La  Sainte  Beaume  in  Provence.  The  si^ht  of  the  retreats 

O 

of  the  saints  at  Chartreux,  Camaldoli,  and  of  Subiaco,  &c.  is 
most  edifying  :  to  others  those  places  would  have  appeared 
inaccessible. 

Caste!  GoudolpLo,  a  few  miles  from  Rome,  finely  situated  on 
a  noble  lake,  is  the  Pope's  country  palace,  and  is  admired  more 
for  the  salubrity  of  its  air,  than  for  the  elegance  of  its  buildings. 
Two  miles  farther  off  is  Alkano  another  country  palace  :  and 
hear  it  stands  the  square  monument  on  the  tomb  of  the  "Three 
Honitii. 

Frescatl,  so  called  from  its  fresh  air,  is  the  most  beautiful 
palace  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Rome,  in  or  near  it  are  m,.ny 
most  curious  and  agreeable  palaces.  The  principal  of  which 
are  Monte  Dracoxe,  belonging  to  Prince  Borghesi :  toe  Belve- 
d.re  of  Prince  Pamphili  :  and  the  Palace  of  Prince  Ludovisii : 
to  say  nothing  of  the  Falco  •neri' s  palace ,  '^c. 

Monte  Draconc  is  surrounded  by  pleasant  woods,  and  situat- 
ed on  a  small  hill.  It  is  a  vast  building,  consisting  of  three 
great  wings,  in  the  finest  stylo  of  architecture.  The  apart- 
me  its  are  enriched  with  innumerable  busts,  statues,  basso-re- 
lievos, together  with  curious  antiquities,  and  the  best  pictures 
of  Raphael  Urbino,  the  Carrachi,  Zucharo,  Michael  An^elo,- 
1-Ue  Dominican^  Sarti,  Alberto  Duier7  (whose  painting  oft1-': 

TJ  •>, 


316         TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

Last  Supper  is  particularly  fine,  &.c.)  At  the  end  of  the.  court 
are  very  ingenious  and  amusing  water  works,  whieh  constantly 
play  by  turning  the  pipes  ;  fine  grottos  and  fountains  j  in  one  of 
which  stands  the  statue  of  Bacchus  furnishing  water  by  his  grapes, 
&c.  This  palace  is  too  extensive,  for  which  reason  the  prince 
lives  in  a  smaller  one  in  the  neighbourhood,  which  is  beautiful 
and  very  richly  furnished.  In  one  of  the  chambers  here,  we 
saw  Prince  Borghesi  himself,  whose  unfortunate  malady  we 
formerly  noticed.  It  was  aftecting,  to  see  the  master  of  so 
many  truly  rich  and  magnificent  palaces, — (and  these  adorned 
with  such  inestimable  furniture,  and  exquisite  rarities  and  trea- 
sures, maintaining  150  fine  horses  in  his  stables,  &c.) — in  so 
melancholy  a  state.  Even  his  servants  made  a  game  of  him  before 
his  face,  in  such  an  indecent  manner  as  to  affect  me  with  the 
strongest  indignation. 

The  palace  of  Prince  Ludoiiisi'is  not  inferior  to  his  two  mag- 
nificent ones  in  Rome.  Its  Gardens  are  charmingly  beautified 
with  alleys,  statues,  fountains,  &c.  But  the  Cascade  is  the 
most  striking  object.  The  water  is  conducted  some  miles 
over  the  mountains,  and  falls  perpendicularly  from  agrcat  height 
into  basons  of  beautiful  workmanship. 

But  the  most  curious  and  agreeable  sight  of  modern  Rome, 
is  trie  Belvedere  of  Prince  Pamphili  in  Frescati :  The  palace 
exhibits  a  perfect  model  of  the  finest  architecture,  though  not 
so  large  us  Monte  Dracone.  Its  pictures  and  ornaments  all  re- 
late to  the  family  of  Aklobrandi ;  having  been  built  by  a  Car- 
dinal of  that  name,  though  by  marriage  of  the  heiress,  Prince 
Pamphili  became  master  of  it,  about  60  years  ago.  Standing 
at  the  front  of  the  palace,  (about  which  the  waters  under  the 
Hags  and  terrasscs  may  be  made  to  rain  on  a  sudden,  and  play 
very  agreeably),  \ve  command  a  view  of  a  fiue  semicircular 
building  under  a  rock,  down  which  we  see  a  torrent  of  wa- 
ter, conducted  from  the  distance  of  5  miles  over  the  mountains 
fall  from  bason  to  bason,  and  through  steep  descents  among 
shrubbery  for  1200  feet  :  In  its  channel  many  figures  of  differ- 
ent animals  receive  and  pour  out  to  the  next  the  waters,  which  at 
last  fall  perpendicularly  nto  a  fine  fountain  on  the  plain,  about 
'.v high  ail  kinds  of  water  works  play  to  a  great  distance.  On 


Clap.  XIII.  DESCRIPTION    OF  ROME.  3! 7 

the  top  of  a  pillar  2,0  feet  high,  the  water  plays  without  being 
visible  in  the  ascent  or  descent :  In  one  bason,  a  lion  throws 
water  20  feet  high,  &c.  But  the  finest  of  these  is  the  middle 
grotto,  where  an  immense  stone  statue  of  Atlas  supports  the 
world  on  his  snoulders,  through  which  the  water  is  made  to 
play  in  a  hundred  different  beautiful  figures,  &x.  In  the  mid- 
dle of  the  bason,  the  water  gushes  out  with  an  incredible  im- 
petuosity and  noise  ;  falling  again,  first  like  hail,  then  smaller 
in  rain.  Hie  noise  it  makes  underneath  is  very  loud,  resem- 
bling thunder,  and  sometimes  the  Cyclops  beating  on  their  an- 
vils, though  these  figures  are  not  visible  as  they  are  in  the  Ro- 
man college.  Other  fountains  constantly  push  up  new  figures, 
as  the  hands  and  heads  of  giants  out  of  the  waters,  &.c. 

On  the  left  side  of  this  semicircle,  is  the  figure  of  the  god 
Pan,  with  his  flute,  which  he  plays  on  very  sweetly,  by  means 
of  the  water  pressing  the  air  condensed  within  the  statue 
through  the  pipes.  On  the  right  hand  is  the  statue  of  a  Cen- 
taur with  a  great  horn  in  his  mouth,  which,  when  Pan  ceases, 
(by  turning  the  cocks  belonging  to  them),  he  blows  so  loud 
that  it  may  be  heard  at  a  distance  of  more  than  two  miles. 
From  this  bellowing  but  harmonious  music,  we  went  into  thr- 
hall  of  Parnassus,  under  the  door  of  which  is  this  dystich  : 

"  Hue  veni  Musis  comitatus  Apollo  : 

*'  Hie  Delphi,  hie  Helicon,  hie  ir.ihi  Deles  erit." 

"  Apollo  v.itb  my  Muse?,  here  I  chuse  my  scat. 
*'  Tins  Delos,  Helicon,  this  Delphi,  my  retreat." 

At  the  end  of  the  hall  appears  a  beautiful  artificial  moun- 
tain, an  admirable  imitation  of  nature  :•  Apollo  sits  cu  the  top, 
and  the  Muses  on  the  different  craggs,  each  with  her  proper 
instrument,  as  if  playing  on  it  with  her  mouth  or  fingers,  ex- 
hibiting all  the  characteristics  and  drapery  as  they  are  repre- 
sented by  the  poets.  On  the  sides  cf  the  mountain,  are  the 
statues  of  two  new  Muses,  on  the  left  ;  viz..  Connnla,  with  this 
inscription  :  "  Vlcisti  quinquies  Tindarum ;  at  drcino  cantu 
cnptu,  C'jrinnla  luc  translala,  facta  es  mum  lyrica."  On  the 
right  side  is  the  statue  of  Sappho,  with  this  inscription  : 
«  £o-!v?ho  ir  arr?r*urc  transported  hither,  is  reckoned  the  ninth 

t*  3 


qi8  TRAVELS    OF    REV.    ALBA1I   BUTLER, 

o 

muse  "  Under  the  mountain  are  concealed  large  organs,  which 
by  the  means  of  water  and  condensed  air,  play  all  tunes  of  them- 
selves, it  being  only  necessary  to  set  the  pipes  and  turn  the 
cock.  The  Muses  phy  also  on  their  instruments  in  a  har- 
monious concert  truly  enchanting,  intermixed  with  the  warb- 
ling of  birds,  while  the  horse  Pegasus,  striking  the  rock  with 
his  foot,  makes  a  spring  of  water  gush  out.  Oa  the  whole, 
nothing  can  be  more  delightful  than  this  pi  rice. 

The  Hermitage  of  the  Camaldoli  at  Frescati,  in  which  St 
Romuald  lived  some  time,  is  very  solitary  and  beautiful.  The 
cells  are  all  separate,  and  the  religious  live  in  great  austerity, 
seldom  seeing  each  ether.  We  could  not  see  the  new  curi- 
ous little  solitude  of  Cardinal  Passionei  in  this  place,  because 
his  eminence  was  at  that  time  in  his  retreat.  Tne  Capuchins 
have  a  good  seat  a  mile  from  the  town. 

The  ruins  of  ancient  Tuscnlum  are  two  miles  from  the  pre- 
sent Frescati,  though  it  be  called  Tusculum  in  Latin.  What 
is  here  pointed  out  as  the  ruins  of  Cicero's  house  and  villa, 
may  pass  for  any  thing,  being  little  else  than  vaults,  and  im- 
mense heaps  of  rubbish.  We  did  not  visit  Tivoii,  as  the  fine 
paldce  there,  belonging  to  the  Duke  of  Moclena,  and  originally 
built  by  the  Duke  d'Este,  is  fallen  to  decay. 

I  shall  here  add  a  table  of  perpendicular  heighths,  which  was 
given  me  by  an  eminent  mathematician,  calculating  ersch  heighth 
above  the  level  of  the  pavement  cf  St  Mary  ad  Martyres9 
commonly  called  the  Rotunda. 

'TABLE  oj <  tie  Perpendicular  Heigbtis  of  tie  principal  Building;; 
in  ROME. 

Roman  Palms. '  Roman  Palms 

top  of  the  Farn'.s;an  '  The  floor  of  the  the  Lib- 


Pttlace.  -  157 

The  floor  of  the  Pope's 
Chapel  on  Monte  Ca- 
vallo.  182 

The  top  of  the  Rotunda.   205 
The  t:>p  of  the  Cross  up- 
on the  Holy  Trinity  of 


rary  of  Trinity  on  the 


Mount. 


247 


The  top  of  the  Cross  on 
the  front  of  St  Igna- 
tius. -  252 

Front  of  St  Martina.          259 
of  St  John  of  the 


Pilgrims.  «•  237  jj       Florentines.         «  261 


Clap.  XIV.        A  TOUR  ¥ROM  ROME  TO  NAPLES. 
Roman  Palms. 

Front  of  St  Ivo's  in  the 

Sapienza.  -  281 
of  the  church  of  the 

House  of  the  Professed 

Jesuits. 
»          of  St  Agnes. 

of  the  Trinity  on 


Mount,  and  of  St  An- 
drew on  the  Quirinal.    320 
—  of  St  Andrew  de 

Valle.  -  342 


319 

Roman  Palms, 
Top  of  the  Mount  Jani- 

cular.  -  3150 

Front  of  St  Peter  in  Mon- 

torio. 


.  of  the  Pope's  Palace 


365 


of  Monte  Cavallo,  and 

of  the  Capitol.  378 

— -  of  the  Chapel  of  the 
Holy  Sacrament  in  St 
Mary  Major.  -  433 

—  of  St  Peter's  in  the 
Vatican.  -  671 


CHAPTER     FOURTEENTH. 

A  TOUR  FROM  ROME  TO  NAPLES. 

Abbey  of  Monte  Cassino. — Capua1. — NAPLES,  Churches,  Royal  Palace,  Charac- 
ter of  the  Inhabitants. — t'oVihatara. — Mount  Vesuvius. — Lucern  Lake. — Baix, 
Lake  Avernus. — Puteoh. — sweating  Cave. — Grotto  of  Naples. — Grotto  del 
Cane. — Cumx,  Sybil's  Grotto. 


JL  HE  kingdom  of  Naples,  not  including  Sicily,  comprises  near- 
ly one  half  of  Italy  :  It  is  1400  miles  to  sail  round  it.  From 
Rome  to  Naples,  the  road  being  circuitous,  on  account  of  moun- 
tains, it  is  140  miles  ;  and  it  is  62  from  Rome  to  Portello,  the 
boundary  between  the  kingdom  of  Naples  and  the  Ecclesias- 
tical State. 

The  Abbey  of  Monte  Cassino  is  very  little  out  of  the  high 
road  ;  but  since  its  manuscripts,  S-c.  were  destroyed,  when  it 
\vas  sacked  by  the  Moors,  it  contains  nothing  very  curious,  if 
we  believe  Father  Mabillon  :  It  is  indeed  rich,  hospitable  to 
strangers,  entertaining  them  as  pilgrims  three  days,  and  is 
accounted  the  chief  lr.>use  of  the  Benedictines  ;  though  this 
order  is  divided  into  so  many  congregations,  who  have  their 
own  irchevcilj,  tiu:t  ^Icntc  Casino  can  uovv  cnH"  be  considered 


320        TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALB  AN  BUTLER. 

as  the  chief  of  the  congregation  of  the  Cassinates,  into  \vhick 
is  incorporated  the  congregation  of  St  Justina  of  Padua,  and  St 
George  in  Venice. 

The  great  men  of  ancient  Rome  possessed  palaces  and  sump- 
tuous country  houses  on  the  coast,  particularly  n  gh  Capua, 
J3a:Ee,  Pouzzoli,  anc  Naples.  Old  Capua  displays  nothing  but 
rubbish  ;  the  stones  of  the  ancient  buildings  having  been  carri- 
ed off  to  build  the  new  city  of  Capua,  which  is  no  mean  place. 
As  Capua  of  old  v.  as  esteemed  the  principal  seat  of  debauchery  ; 
so  the  new  city,  two  miles  distant  from  the  old,  is  also  a  place 
abandoned  to  pleasure. 

The  country  from  Capua  to  Naples,  (an  extent  of  13  miles), 
is  accounted  the  most  delightful  part  of  Italy,  being  a  continued 
grove  of  orange  trees,  and  all  kinds  of  the  most  delicious  fruit. 

NAPLES  is  a  most  beautiful  city  ;  nor  is  its  elegance  display- 
ed only  in  one  street,  as  in  Genoa,  nor  in  scattered  palaces,  as 
in  Rome,   but   all  its-  streets  and  houses  are  noble  ;   amongst 
ivhich  the  Strada  di  Toleda  is  principally  admired  for  its  ex- 
tent and  breadth.     The   churches  here  are  all  finished  both  in. 
tl'eir  ornaments  and  fronts  :  in  snost  oiher  parts  of  Italy,  many 
of  them  want  fronts,   to  the  great  detriment  of  their  exterior 
r.^pearance       In   Naples  the  most  admired  buildings  are, — the 
Cathedral,  or  at  least  its  chapel  of  St  Januarius,    (bishop  of 
Pouzzoli  and  martyr  :) — The  Carthusians  House  and  church, 
\vhich  is  esteemed  a  finished  piece  in  architecture,   and  a  com- 
plete cabinet  of  the  finest  pictures   and  carvings  in  the  world  ; 
as  indeed  are  all  the  churches  in   Naples  :  —The  Royal  Palace 
is  of  immense  extent,  and  of  fine  architecture  ;  and  the  palaces 
of  the  nobility  display  a  corresponding  magnificence.  Notwith- 
ing  these  local  advantages,   the  character  of  the  Neapolitans 
is   singularly   unfavourable  :     They  are  accounted  sensual  in. 
their  lives,  false,  treacherous,  and  excessively  prone  to  imposi- 
tion.  The  curiosities  near  Naples  are,— the  antiquities  of  Baiae 
and  Pouzzoli — the  natural  wonders  of  Mount  Vesuvius, — 
Grotto  del  Cane, — -The  Solphfatra, — Mount  Pausilippe,  &.c. 
Mount  i'csuvius  rises  amongst  the  Appenines  eight  miles 
cast  of  Naples.     It  is   always  coveicd  with  a  thick  cloud  of 
r'_nokc,  and  the  ground  near  the  top  is  covered  with  calcined 


Chap.  XIV.        A  TOUR  FROM  ROME  TO  tfAFLES.  321 

atones, — frequently  so  hot  as  to  burn  the  shoes  of  those  who 
walk  over  them.     An  inscription  on  the  road  warns  travellers 
not  to  venture  farther  ;  yet  people  frequently  approach  the 
crater,  when  no  symptom,  such  as  the  air  impregnated  with 
sulphur,  fortels  an  immediate  eruption :  Many,  however,  have 
perished  by  their  idle  curiosity  ;  as  did  PLINY  the  Elder,  who 
prompted  by  his  anxiety  to  investigate  the  appearance  and  effects 
of  such  an  astonishing  phenomenon,  during  the  great  eruption 
in  the  year  P.  C.  79,  was  suffocated  by  the  sulphureous  smoke. 
The  crater,  and  indeed  the  wiiole  top,  assumes  a  new  form  from 
every  subsequent  eruption.      Burning  mountains   are  found 
in  countries  abounding  with  nitre,  sulphur,  and  subterraneous 
caverns  full  of  heavy  pent  up  air  ;  and  did  not  this  find  spira- 
cles, the  eruptions  would  be  more  common  and  more  frequent- 
ly destructive;  indeed  were  there  no  vulcanoes  in  such  countries, 
whole  provinces  would  be  necessarily  blown  up.     The  principal 
burning  mountains  in  Europe  are,  Hecla  in  Iceland,  JLtna  in 
Sicily,  and   Vesuvius  in  Naples.     The  eruptions  of  ./Etna  and 
Vesuvius  are  frequent,  and  often  so  formidable  as  to  destroy 
the  neighbouring  villages.     The  greater  eruptions  happen  once 
in  an  age,  and  threaten  with  entire  destruction,  Naples,  Catana, 
and  cities  at  a  still  greater  distance  :  These  cities  have  been  pre- 
served only  by  turning  aside,  with  immense  labour,  the  course 
of  the  burning  lava.     The  following  phenomena  preceded  the 
eruptions  of  TEtna  in  1669,  as  described  by  BORELLI  ;  and  of 
that  of  Vesuvius  in  1717.   (See  a  particular  history  of  both 
in  the  Philosophical  Transactions  No.  354)  :  After  great  earth- 
quakes, attended  by  a  strong  smell   of  sulphur  in  the  atmo- 
sphere, balls  o  fire,  melted  metal,  stones,  &x.  were  thrown  out 
of  the  crater  to  the  distance  of  several  miles  ;  and  burning  sand 
and  ashes  covered  the  surrounding  country  20  miles  round  dur*. 
ing  the  space  of  two  or  three  months.     At  last  the  top  of  the 
mountain  burst   open, — a  mighty  torrent    of    burning   lava 
flowed  down  its  sides,  and,  digging  itself  a  channel  two  or 
three  miles  broad,  directed  its  course  like  a  river  or  violent  tor- 
rent of  fire,  through  the  valley  into  the  sea,  destroying  towns  md 
every  thing  in  its  way.  The  ashes  and  stones  thrown  out  fre- 
quently kill  and  suffocate   the  inhabitants  at  a  great  distance. 


3 12  TRAVELS   OF  REV.  ALB  AN  BUTLER. 

BORELLI  computes  100,000,000  cubic  paces  were  thrown  out 
./Etna  in  that  eruption  alone.  Italy  and  Sicily  are  very  subject 
to  earthquakes  from  the  sulphur,  nitre,  and  caverns  in  the 
earth.  Some  think  Rome  less  subject  to  them  on  account  of 
the  hollow  catacombs  on  all  sides.  I  should  rather  ascribe  it 
to  the  ground  not  abounding  with  inflammable  materials.  Ve- 
suvius is  now  called  La  Somma :  The  nitre  with  which  it  a- 
bounds  produces  on  the  other  side  the  most  astonishing  degree 
of  fertility.  On  it  grows  the  delicious  lachryma,  or  sweet 
wine  of  Naples. 

The  Solphatara,  within  a  mile  of  Pouzzolo,  is  a  moun- 
tain of  alumn  and  sulphur.  It  contains  a  channel  1500  feet  long, 
and  1000  broad,  out  of  which  cotinually  rises  smoke  during  the 
day,  and  flame  in  the  night.  The  ancients  called  it  Vulcarfs 
Seat,  and  the  burning  field,  Forum  VitlcanL  Near  it  is  a  lake, 
filled  with  black  boiling  water. 

Avernus,  now  Lago  de  Averno,  is  a  lake  three  miles  from, 
Baiae  towards  Pouzzolo,  of  smaller  extent  than  it  was  anciently. 
The  water  is  now  clear  ;  nor  is  the  lake,  as  formerly,  pestilen- 
tial to  birds  and  other  animals,  from  its  noxious  exhalations. 

The  Lucern  Lake,  now  Mar  Morto,  lies  between  Averno 
and  the  sea,  is  a  small  lake  formerly  abounding  in  delicate  fish  ; 
from  the  effects  of  earthquakes,  it  is  now  merely  a  muddy  marsh. 

Baicr,  three  miles  from  Pouzzolo,  is  in  a  state  of  ruin.  A 
small  town  a  little  way  from  the  ancient  city,  built  by  Charles 
V.  bears  still  the  name  Bayes  :  Its  port  (the  entry  to  which 
is  very  narrow)  is  in  a  fine  bay,  sheltered  on  all  sides  by  pic- 
turesque mountains. 

Pou'z.'zoloy  called  Puteoli,  from  its  numerous  fountains  and 
baths,  and  lying  eight  miles  from  Naples,  was  the  delight  of 
the  old  Romans.  Cicero,  Hortensius,  Piso,  Marius,  Pompey, 
Csesar,  Nero,  &-C.  had  here  fine  palaces,  the  ruins  of  which 
are  still  remaining.  The  town  was  destroyed  partly  by  bar- 
barians and  partly  by  earthquakes,  but  rebuilt  in  a  style  of 
considerable  elegance,  St  Proculus's  church  was  formerly  a 
temple  built  by  Calphurnius  to  Augustus.  The  ruins  of  an 
amphitheatre  and  an  aqueduct,  remain  as  mohumeuts  of  its 
former  magnificence.  Round  it  are  many  mineral  baths  ; 


Clap.  XIV.         A  TOUR  FROM  ROME  TO  NAPLES.  323 

one  called  Bagno  Ctceroniano,  which  rises  and  falls  as  with  a 

tide. 

Near  Cicero's  bath  is  the  Sweating  Cave,  in  one  side  of 
which  the  water  is  so  hot,  that  one's  finger  feels  almost  burnt  if 
it  only  touch  the  surface.  In  the  bottom  the  vapours  are  hot 
enough  to  melt  the  wax  of  candles  ;  nor  is  it  indeed  safe  to  pene- 
trate to  the  end,  the  vapours  being  so  thick,  as  to  threaten  suffo- 
cation, Caligula  built  a  bridge  of  boats  over  the  gulph  from 
Baiae  to  Pouzzolo,  3900  paces,  or  four  miles  long,  to  ride  over 
the  sea  in  imitation  of  Xerxes.  Near  each  end,  it  appears  to  have 
been  built  on  pillars  :  For  at  Pouzzolo  24  pillars  like  square 
towers  advance  into  the  sea  ;  and  similar  rui:;s  appear  before 
Old  Baioe,  named  Caligula's  Mole :  Indeed  some  writers  are  of 
opinion  that  these  did  not  belong  to  his  bridge,  but  are  the  re- 
mains of  a  pier  running  into  the  ssa  to  protect  the  harbour. 

Pausiiippe  is  a  lofty  and  rugged  mountain,  on  the  road 
from  Naples  to  Pouzzolo,  through  which  is  cat  the  surprising 
way,  cailed  by  Seneca  the  Crypta  Neapolitanat  now  the  Grotto 
of  Naples.  This  wonderful  excavation  is  a  mile  and  a  half  long? 
broad  enough  for  two  coaches  to  ride  a-breast ;  and  at  each 
end  400  or  500  feet  high,  but,  becoming  gradually  lower,  about 
the  middle  it  does  not  exceed  20  feet  high  ;,  this  form  was  ne- 
cessary for  the  admission  of  light  to  the  centre.  The  rock 
forms  a  wall  on  each  side,  and  a  vault  overhead.  A  few  per- 
forations from  above  admit  1  ght  here  and  there,  but  so  sparing- 
ly, that  it  seems  "like  the  twinkling  of  a  star.  Alphonsus 
First,  King  of  Naples,  made  these  windows,  and  enlarged  the 
road.  In  the  centre  is  cut  in  the  rock  a  c*npel  of  our  Lady, 
with  a  lamp  constantly  burning.  The  light  from  both  ends  of 
the  grotto  is  gathered  ingeniously  enough,  even  to  the  middle, 
towards  mid-day  :  In  the  morning  or  evening,  it  is  necessary 
to  carry  lights.  The  dust  pent  in  is  extremely  troublesome. 
The  old  Roman  road  to  Naples  led  through  Pouzzolo  and  this 
grotto ;  the  present  road  lies  through  Capua.  It  is  generally  be- 
lieved that  the  Cimmerians,  who  loved  to  reside  in  deep  grot- 
tos, avoiding  the  sun's  rays,  and  who  were  settled  in  this  coun- 
try, first  commenced  this  astonishing  work,  and  that  the  Ro~ 
ifians  completed  it,  nicking  it  a  public  road.  Some  people  arc 


3H         TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALB  AN  BUTLER. 

of  opinion,  that  this  passage  owes  its  origin  to  the  quarrying 
of  stones  ;  although  it  must  have  been  finished  by  prodigious 
labour,  and  on  a  regular  plan.  To  form  such  an  immense  ex- 
cavation, in  a  rock  so  hard,  and  to  make  it  level  with  the 
ground  at  both  ends,  would  now  be  deemed  an  absolute  im- 
possibility. 

VIRGIL'S  Tomb,  (in  the  skirts  of  Naples  in  the  street  lead- 
ing to  Pausilippe),  is  a  plain  stone,  almost  concealed  amongst 
nettles  and  thistles,  and  is  by  some  writers  deemed  an  impo- 
sition. Ihe  situation  in  which  he  found  the' monument  of  the 
grtat  Roman  poet,  excited  the  indignation  of  Misson. 

The  Grotto  del  Cane  is  situated  at  the  distance  of  a  mile 
from  the  alumn  and  sulphur  mine,  bolphatara,  and  is  particular- 
ly described  by  Misson  and  Adciison.  The  poisonous  exhala- 
tions of  nlumn,  &.c.  rising  to  one  or  two  feet,  (at  least  not  sen- 
sibly higher),  not  only  kt]l  a  dog,  if  he  is  not  revived  by  being 
immediately  plunged  into  the  neighbouring  water,  but  are 
even  discernible  by  a  good  eye,  in  the  appearance  of  smoke. 
If  one  holds  a  candle  in  these  exhalations,  it  is  extinguished  ; 
but  on  immediately  raising  it  to  the  height,  of  three  or  four 
feet,  ii  kindles  itself  again,  as  a  candle  will  in  the  smoke  of  a 
fire. 

Lumce  stood  three  miles  from  Baiae,  but  for  many  ages  it 
has  been  completely  ruinous.  There  remains  nothing  but  the 
Grotto  oi  Cumes,  commonly  called  the  Sybils  Grotto.  Here 
reigns  perpetual  darkness :  There  first  appears  an  entry  cut  in 
the  rock,  loo  paces  long  and  ,  2  broad  ;  from  whence,  the  passage 
being  extremely  low,  persons  must  creep  through  it  with  their 
candles, — and  30  paces  farther,  there  is  a  large  chamber  in  the 
rock,  called  the  Sybil's  room  ;  its  vault  was  painted  of  an 
azure  colour,  embellished  with  gold,  and  its  sides  were  adorn- 
ed with  coral,  pearls,  and  Mosaic: — now  all  those  embellish- 
ments are  destroyed  by  the  dampness  of  the  place,  but  some 
small  traces  uf  a^ure  and  Mosaic  still  remain  as  proofs  oi  its 
former  beauty.  Advancing  on  a  little  farther,  we  arrive  at 
three  other  chambers,  separated  by  an  equal  number  of  alleys, 
or  passages.  It  is  generally  believed  that  this  grotto  has 
been  formed  hj  an  ancient  Korean  for  some  particular  pu> 


Clap.  XIV.      A  TOUR  FROM  ROME  TO  NAPLES.  315 

pose, — and     as  not  the  residence  of  the  Cumaean  Sybil,  though 
she  certainly  lived  some  where  nigh  this  place. 

The  ruins  of  the  pa1  aces  all  along  the  coast  of  the  gulph  of 
Baiae,  add  greatly  to  the  beauty  of  the  country  ;  and  many  are 
very  curious,  especially  the  arches  of  Hortensius's  fish-ponds, 
who  was  so  fond  of  his  fishes,  that  he  wept  for  the  death  of  a 
lamprey.  These  fine  palaces,  added  to  the  delightful  situation 
of  the  country,  made  Horace  sav,  the  pleasant  Baiae  surpassed 
all  places  in  the  world.  "  Nullus  in  orbe  locus  Baiis  prseiucet 
"  amaenis." 

The  kingdom  of  Naples  contains  few  fortified  places.  Gaieta, 
situated  on  a  cape,  at  a  little  distance  from  Foadi,  is  the  strong- 
est fortress  ;  and  has  on  one  side  a  castle,  on  the  other  a  citadel. 
The  city  of  Naples  contains  three  castles  ;  the  New  Castle,  that 
of  the  Egg,  and  that  of  Elma.  Capua  also  is  possessed  of  a 
castle.  This  kingdom  enjoys  no  good  sea-ports.  Naples  boasts 
of  the  best ;  but  it  is  exposed  to  the  south  wind,  and  when  that 
blows,  the  great  ships  retire  from  it  into  the  bay  of  Baix. 

On  this  coast  are  situated, — Salerno,  famous  for  its  Univer- 
sity in  medicine, — Reggro,  the  passage  for  Sicily.  On  the  other 
side,  on  the  Adriatic  we  find  Otranta,  an  inconsiderable  part, 
but  capital  of  the  province, — Amalphi,  where  the  Sailor's  com- 
pass was  discovered, — Brundisium  now  Brindisi,  the  great  sea- 
port for  Greece, —  Bari,  where  St  Nicolas  of  Myro's  body  is 
said  to  be  kept  ;  and  Gargano,  with  the  church  of  St  Michael 
the  archangel.  The  Apennine  Hills,  rnning  quite  through  this 
country,  make  many  parts  mounni,:rus  ;  but  in  general  it  is 
very  fertile  and  pleasant,  particularly  around  Capua,  Pouz.- 
zolo,  and  Naples. 

After  the  excursions  usually  made  by  travellers  ont  of 
Rome,  I  shall  in  .ny  next  take  leave  of  that  city  to  pmsus 
our  journey  back  by  Lorctto. 


326        TRAVELS  OF  THE  REV.  ALFAtf  BUTLEft. 


CHAPTER  FIFTEENTH. 

A    TOUR    FROM    ROME    TO    LORETTO. 

Via  Flatnima. — Civita  Castellano.  City  of  Narnf, — Pieti. — Terni. — Celebrated 
Cascade]  deli  Marmorc. — Spoktum,  Antiquities- — Orvieto. — Cortona. — i-'olig- 
ni. — .A  :-,is«ium. — Monte  Falcone — Tolentino.—  LORE  i  TO,  Account  of  Santa 
Caso,  Sf.c. 


from  Rome,  (on  an  excursion  to  Loretto)  by 
the  gate  del  Populo,  we  passed  the  Tiber  on  the  Ponte  Mol,  of 
Pons  Milvius,  rebuilt  by  Sixtus  V.  ;  on  which  there  is  a  fine 
statue  of  St  John  Nepomucen,  as  is  common  on  bridges  in  Italy, 
Bohemia,  &.c.  Turning  to  the  right  we  travelled  by  Mount 
Soracte,  now  called  St  Sylvester's  mountain,  from  a  small  ab- 
bey built  on  it  by  King  Pepin,  in  memory  of  that  saiut.  Ad- 
dison's  mount  Saint  Oreste,  was  not  easily  found  among  the 
common  people  by  that  name.  It  is  part  of  Soracte,  which  is 
rugged  and  of  difficult  access,  and  in  winter  its  hoary  head  is 
covered  with  snow,  equally  deep  as  it  was  in  the  days  of  Ho- 
race. The  snow  melting,  or  being  blown  off  by  winds  in 
March,  &c.  makes  the  air  very  cold  near  the  Italian  mountains. 
This  road  is  the  old  Via  Flaminia,  and  we  found  it  still  entire 
for  several  miles.  It  is  broader,  and  not  so  slippery  as  the 
Via  Appia,  though  paved  with  broad  smoth,  blue  stones.  On 
each  side  are  raised  stones  placed  sideways,  forming  a  ridge 
and  from  space  to  space  stones  to  assist  travellers  to  load  or 
get  on  horseback.  Where  the  pavement  has  been  caried  oiF 
there  remains  only  the  hard  layers,  or  strata,  the  foundation  of 
the  old  Roman  toad. 

On  the  side  of  this  high  way,  29  miles  frofn  Rome,  we  SP.W 
vast  catacombs  recently  discovered,  which  they  had  begun  to 
search,  but  the  water  dropped  so  fu^t  on  all  sides  in  them,  that 
\ve  declined  going  a  -reat  way  into  them.  They  are  not  perfectly 
like  those  in  Rome.  I  saw  skuUs,  boaes,  &.c.  in  the  niches  or 


Clap.   XV.      A  TOUR   FROM   ROME   TO  LORETTO.  327 

or  caverns  on  each  side,  wherever  the  wall  of  earth  or  brick 
which  immured  them  was  broke  down.  Few  of  the  dead  have 
any  names  or  inscriptions.  But  the  workmen  pretend  to  have 
found  two  martyrs,  named  Maximus,  and  Rufinus,  judging 
them  to  be  so  by  vials  of  blood  and  palms,  &c.  It  is  a  ne- 
cessary and  good  law,  that  nothing  here  can  be  accounted  a  re- 
lic, before  it  be  approved  by  the  congregation  appointed  for 
the  examination  of  them. 

Civita  Castellana,  five  posts,  or  32  miles  from  Rome)  is  a 
small  town  with  a  fortress  situated  on  an  inaccessible  rock,  and 
and  kept  in  bad  repair.  Jt  was  the  old  Fejcertnium,  capital  of 
the  Falisci.  Here  we  enter  the  Apennines,  in  the  midst  of  rug- 
ged mountains,  so  that  though  this  road  is  by  no  means  ne- 
glected we  found  it  very  bad,  especially  at  Otricoli.  The 
ruins  of  the  ancient  city  Otriculum  are  two  miles  off  the 
road.  Pursuing  our  route  we  passed  the  Tiber  over  Ponte 
Felice,  a  noble  stone  bridge  built  by  Sixtus  V.  and  repaired 
by  Urban  the  VIII. ;  who  also  raised  dikes  to  defend  this  count- 
ry from  the  floods  ;  in  memory  of  all  which  a  very  fine  monu- 
ment is  erected  to  him  in  this  place.  On  our  right  hand  on  a 
mountain,  we  left  Magmano,  capital  of  Sabina.  But  the  an- 
cient Sabins  inhabited  all  the  country  between  Latiiira,  E,tru- 
ria  and  Umbria,  or  the  rivers  Tiber,  Anio  and  Nera,  closely- 
adjoining  the  territory  of  Rome  itself ;  and  Rieti  was  their 
capital. 

Eight  miles  from  Otricoli  stands  the  city  of  Nftrm,  (the 
old  Interamne^)  which  is  situated  oa  the  brow  of  a  hill,  betweea 
two  brooks,  or  rather  two  branches  of  the-  same  river,  Nera  ; 
it  is  now  decayed,  being  a  poor,  though  large  town.  In  the 
cathedral  is  a  fine  altar  of  the  Blessed  Sacrament,  and  at  the 
hiyh  altar  are  four  marble  pillars  supporting  a  canopy  of  fine 
architecture.  The  great  clock  represents  the  sun,  moon,  Sec. 
performing  their  revolutions.  In  the  ruarket-^lace  is  a  Lirge 
brazen  fountain,  adorned  with  fine  carving.  I  went  to  see  the 
famous  bridge  of  Augustus  which  joins  two  mountains  across 
the  Nera,  a  mile  from  Narni.  The  vast  stones  of  which  it  is 
composed  have,  without  any  cement  or  hooks,  held-fast  toge- 
ther for  so  many  ages  merely  by  theif  artful  position  ;  origi~ 


TRAVELS  OP  REV.  ALB  AN  BUTLER. 

nally  it  consisted  of  four  arches ;  one  still  remains  entire,  is 
feet  wide,  and  very  high.  There  is  said  to  be  found  earth  of 
a  particular  nature  on  the  banks  of  the  Nera,  which  softens 
into  mud  in  dry  weather,  and  in  rain  hardens  into  dust,  as  ro- 
sin does  ;  but  we  did  not  see  the  experiment  made. 

We  left  on  our  right  hand  Rieti>  the  ancient  Riete,  the  centre 
of  Italy,  on  the  frontiers  of  the  kingdom  of  Naples.  Ten  miles 
farther  to  the  north,  is  Norcia,in  the  Apennines,  which,  though 
under  the  Pope,  is  a  sort  of  commonwealth.  It  chuses  its  own 
four  magistrates,  who  must  neither  be  able  to  read  nor  write. 

From  Narni  to  Terni  it  is  eight  miles.  The  Tiber  and  all 
the  brooks  hereabouts,  falling  with  impetuosity  from  high 
rocks,  through  a  fat  soil,  are  as  muddy  as  any  puddle.  Terni 
rise.;  by  the  decay  of  Narni,  is  a  good  town,  and  contains  5000 
inhabitants.  The  Duke  of  Spadha's  palace  in  this  city  is  re- 
markable for  its  immense  stones  and  fine  architecture.  We 
went  four  miles  out  of  town  to  see  the  famous  Cascade,  (the 
finest  at  least  in  Italy,)  called^/  M armors  from  its  being  near 
some  veins  of  marble.  It  is  formed  by  the  river  Velinao, 
•which,  after  several  smaller  continued  falL  near  the  summit  of 
some  high  mountains  in  the  Appeniues,  at  last  rushes  perpendi- 
cularly in  one  great  volume  over  this  precipice  of  above  100 
feet  in  height,— foaming  on  the  stony  bottom,  with  great  fury, 
and  again  rising  like  a  most  beautiful  water-work  in  a  prodi- 
gious body.  As  the  sun  attracts  a  vast  quantity  of  these 
waters,  already  pushed  upwards  by  its  own  motion,  a  thick  mist 
or  cloud  ascends  fo  the  sky,  and  forms  by  the  reflection  of  the 
sun-beams  a  most  beautiful  rainbow,  of  a  quadrant  of  a  circle. 
The  river  by  several  cataracts  ialls  lower  into  the  Nera,  and 
that  into  the  Tiber. 

Spoletttm  was  our  next  stage,  situated  at  the  distance  of  two 
posts  or  fourteen  miles  from  Terni.  It  was  a  Roman  colony, 
and  once  capita]  of  the  kingdom  of  the  Goths  in  Italy.  It  is 
a  large  rnd  handsome  city,  but  destitute  of  commerce.  Tne 
streers  well  paved,  but  so  steep  that  coaches  and  waggons  are 
obliged  to  go  round  the  town.  It  displays  the  ruins  of  Theo- 
di'-~us'-  palace, — of  a  heatre  and  amphitheatre.  The  cathedral 
has>  marks  of  Gothic  architecture  ;  the  pavement  chequerei 


Chap.  XV.      A  TOUR  FROM  ROME  TO  LORETTO.      329 

with  different  colours  ;  the  vault  fine  Gothic-Mosaic  j  the  founr, 
the  altar  of  the  Blessed  Sacrament,  St  Vitalis's  shrine,  &c.  are, 
rich  in  ornaments.  On  the  front  of  the  church  there  is  a  pul- 
pit facing  the  street :  another  that  corresponded  to  it  is  broke 
down.  These  seem  to  have  been  intended  for  the  lectors  to 
read  to  the  people.  In  the  church  is  a  good  picture  of  a  Vir- 
gin in  the  clouds  offering  golden  manna  to  the  Child  'Jesus,  by 
CARRACHI,  and  others  of  LIPPI,— who  was  poisoned  from  mo- 
tives of  jealousy,  and  who  has  a  tomb  here  with  an  epitaph  by 
Angclus  Politianus.  The  chief  monument  of  Spoletum  is  a 
bridge  over  a  very  deep  dry  valley,  900  feet  high,  and  300  long 
but  extremely  narrow ;  the  arches  close  and  exceedingly  high  ;  it 
is  not  built  in  a  just  taste,  is  apparently  Gothic,  and  inferior  to 
the  pont  du  Garde  near  Nismes.  It  supported  an  aqueduct, 
conveying  waters  20  miles  off,  which  had  fallen  into  decay,  when 
the  late  Clement  XII.  repaired  it :  and  it  now  supplies  a  cis- 
tern in  the  city.  Without  the  gates  there  are  two  large 
triumphal  arches  with  inscriptions  relating  how  this  city  brav- 
ed the  attacks  and  threats  of  HANNIBAL,  when  he  besieged  it  af- 
ter his  victory  at  Thrasymene  ;  and  had  the  honour  of  giving 
the  first  check  to  his  victorious  career.  The  dutchy  of  Spo- 
letum is  the  ancient  Umbria. 

On  the  left  hand  we  left  the  Pope's  frontiers  on  Tuscany,  — 
also  Orvieto,  famous  for  wines, — built  on  a  rock,  and  possess- 
ing a  fine  cathedral.  Destitute  of  fountains,  it  enjoys  the  ad- 
vantage of  a  deep  well,  to  which  mules  descend  by  550  steps, 
and  come  up  by  ethers,  constructed  by  the  architect  San  Gal  : 
Opposite  to  Spoletum  stands  the  great  city  Permia,  in  which 
are  many  good  pictures.  Cortona  is  a  strong  frontier  of  the 
grand  duke's  in  Tuscany,  renowned  for  the  body  of  Margaret 
of  Cortona,  a  penitent  of  the  third  order  of  St  Francis,  still  en- 
tire. Between  Cortona  and  Perusia  is  the  Lake  'Thrasymene, 
where  there  still  remains  an  inscription  in  memory  of  the  vic- 
tory obtained  there  over  the  Romans  by  Hannibal. 

Foligni,  in  Latin  Fulginiumt  is  a  populous  flourishing  city,  rich 
and  trading.  Of  late  it  surpasses  SpoJetum.  The  high  altar- 
piece  in  the  church  of  St  Anne  belonging  to  nuns  is  one  of  the 
best  pictures  in  the  world,  a  finished  work  of  RAPHAEL  URBINI, 

X 


330       TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALDAN  BUTLER.     Clap.  XV. 

In  the  Franciscans  church  is  the  shrine  of  blessed  Angela  of 
Fulginium,  whose  life,  wrote  by  herself,  breathes  the  greatest 
love  of  holy  poverty,   suffering,   and  most  profound  humility. 
From  a  mountain  near  this  city,  on  which  stands  the  town  Tre- 
vi,  rises  the  river   Clitumnus,  celebrated  by  the  Latin   poets 
for  the  property  ascribed  to  it  of  making  cattle  white,  that 
drank  of  it.     The  breed  of  white  cattle  still  stocks  this  country. 
Assisium,  12  miles  from  the  direct  road,  is  a  pitiful  small 
town  on  a  rugged  mountain,  but  surrounded  with  a  pleasant 
fertile  country.     The  Cathedral  possesses  nothing  remarkable. 
All  sorts  of  Franciscans  have  convents  in  the  town.   The  Con- 
ventuals, or  such  as  by  Urban  VlII's  concession  enjoy  founda- 
tions, have  the  chief  house   of  the  order  here,  in  which  the 
general  resides.     Their  church  is  rather  three  churches  in  one. 
The  principal  or  middle  one,  is  dedicated  to   St  Francis  j  the 
second,  \vhich  is   above  this,  and  has  a  stair-case  leadiiig  to  it? 
is  called  the  church  of  the  Twelve  Apostles,  from  an  admira- 
ble picture  of  our  Lady,  and  the  Twelve  Apostles.     It  contains 
other  good  paintings,  and  a  fine   choir.     The  lower  church, 
which  is  subterraneous,  was  consecrated  to  St  Francis  by  Pope 
Innocent  IV.,  in  1228,  and  is  the  Mother  Church  of  the  order, 
and  very  large.     Its  sacristy  is  exceedingly  rich,  and  contains 
many  relics   in  costly  cases  ;   amongst  others,  they  possess  a^ 
large  veil  of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  brought  from  Palestine  ; 
pieces  of  our  SAVIOUR'S  Cross,   Crown  of  Thorns,  &c.;  writ- 
ings of  St  Francis,  of  St  Bonaventure,  of  St  Charles  Borromeo,, 
and  others.     In   the   middle   of  this  church  is  a  great  marble 
chapel,  exquisitely  wrought,  with  a  rich  spacious  vault  under 
it,  where  it  is  said  the  body  of  St  Francis  is  preserved  entire, 
an.1  stands  in  an  upright  posture  ;  but  the   vault  having  been 
shut  up  by  Gregory  IX.   nobody  can   go  in  to  see   it,  a  small 
opening  only  being  leit,  through  which  a  person  may  look  by 
the  light  of  a  lamp   burning   in    it.     The  same  Pope  in  1228 
caused  a  long  Latin  epitaph  to  be  engraven  on  a  stone  of  mar- 
ble, in  honour  of  the  saint.     This   place  is  situated  on  the  top 
of  a  mountain  where  malefactors  were  buried  ;  from  whence  it 
was  called  Colle  d"1  Inferno  ;   but  Gregory  IX.  on  building  the 
chapel,  changed  its  naoac  into  Calk  del  Paradiso,  which  it  still 


Clap  XV.  TOUR  FROM  ROME  TO  LORETTO.  331. 

retains.     As  this,  the  Patriarchal  church  of  the  Minors,  be- 
longs to  the  Conventuals,  the  Recollects  or  reformed  Francis- 
cans possess  the  saint's  house,  with  the  prison  or  den  in  which 
he  often  did  penance,  which  is  too  small  for  a  person  either  to 
stand  up  or  lie  down  in,  without  greatly  bending  the  body. 
This  is  but  a  small  poor  convent,  and  that  of  the  Capuchins  is 
still  poorer.    The  poor  Clares  have  a  good  convent  and  church. 
The  high-altar  is  even  magnificent,  and   in  a  vault  under  it 
lies  the  body  of  St  Clare,  with  a  lamp  burning  before  the  open- 
ing to  it.     In  a  sacristy,  they  shew  with  great  veneration  the 
large  crucifix  which  spoke  to  St  Francis,  and  give  its  dimen- 
sions in  ribbans.     The  convent  of  the  Portiuncula  is  possessed 
by  Recollects   or  reformed  Grey  Friars,  and  is   a  mile  from 
Assisium.     The  house  is  handsome  and  large,  especially  the 
refectory  and  dormitory  with  the  cells  ;  yet  not  sumptuous  nor 
anywise  inconsistent  with  the  strict  poverty  which  these  monks 
profess.  There  are  140  of  them  besides  strangers.  The  church 
is  very  magnificent,  and  every  where  adorned  with  a  profusion 
of  marble.     It  contains  the  pulpit  of  St  Anthony  of  Padua,  and 
many  relics   of  St  Francis,  &cc.     The  Portiuncula  is  a  little 
chapel,    a  separate    building    inclosed  in  the  middle  of  this 
church,  and  filled  with  rich  gifts,  silver  lamps,  and  a  sumptuous 
altar.     It  was  an  old  chapel  of  St  Benedict,  in  which  St  Fran- 
cis used  to  pray,  and  received  so  many  favours  from  heaven. 
This  church  is  called  Madonna  de  Angelit  being  dedicated  to 
the  Blessed  Virgin,  and  angels  having  been  heard  to  sing  in  it. 
It  is  said  near  20,000  pilgrims  from  Italy,  Sclavonia,  &c.  come 
to  visit  it  on  its  festival,  the  second  of  August. 

f  o 

Monte  Falcone  is  a  small  town,  five  miles  from  Foligni,  fa- 
mous for  a  convent  of  poor  Clares,  where,  in  a  silver  shrine, 
is  shewn  the  body  of  St  Clare  of  Monte  Falcone,  quite  entire, 
but  perfectly  dry. 

We  returned  to  Foligni,  and  went  from  thence,  4  posts,  30 
miles,  to  Tolentino,  by  Saravalla,  Trava,  and  Valcimara.  Here 
terminate  the  Apennines.  All  along  this  road,  as  well  as  in 
many  parts  of  the  south  of  France,  the  wine  will  not  keep 
without  having  been  boiled,  though  it  is  sometimes  very  good 
when  new.  Tbe  boiled  wines  are  sweetish  ;  and  we  found 

X  2 


33*         TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

them  both  agreeable  and  wholesome,  though  many  do  not  think 
them  very  palatable. 

Tolentino  stands  on  a  hill,  and  is  a  small  town.  In  a  side 
chapel  of  the  great  church  belonging  to  the  Austin  Friars,  is  a 
vault  containing;  the  shrine  of  St  Nicolas  of  Tolentino,  but  it 

O  ' 

is  shut  up  under  iron  doors,  of  which  the  religious  have  one 
key,  and  the  magistrates  another.  However,  they  shewed  ua 
his  arm  in  a  rich  reliquary,  and  his  instruments  of  penance, 
iron  chains,  disciplines,  £cc.  ;  the  very  sight  of  which  makes 
one  shudder. 

Here  we  enter  the  marquisate  of  ANGOLA,  the  ancient 
Picenutn*  Macerata  the  capital  is  ten  miles  from  Tolentino, 
and  stands  on  an  eminence,  in  a  most  fruitful  charming  coun- 
try. It  is  the  residence  of  the  governor  of  the  Rota,  Sec.  and 
the  seat  of  an  University.  The  new  chapel  of  our  Lady  of  Pity , 
built  by  a  gentleman  of  this  city,  though  very  small,  is  a  fini- 
shed piece  of  its  kind,  for  its  style  of  architecture  and  costly 
ornaments  in  carving,  painting,  gilding  ;  and  it  has  a  rich 
shrine  of  St  Prosper  martyr.  From  Macerata  to  Recanati,  (12 
miles),  the  roads  were  almost  absolutely  impassable  for  mud, 
On  the  bank  of  the  river  Potenza,  we  saw  the  ruins  of  the 
Roman  colonv,  Heh'ui  RecLitt,  with  an  amphitheatre,  &.c.  It 
was  destroyed  by  the  Goths.  Recanati  rose  on  its  rains,  which 
is  only  a  small  town  situated  on  an  unpleasant  hill. 

Three  miles  farther  stands  Lour. TTO,  whi-Ji  is  a  new  town 
built  around  the  Santa  Casa  or  Holy  Home,  and  consists  chiefly 
of  one  large  street,  containing  litcle  else  than  inns  and  great 
shops  for  beads  and  medals.  It  !.-;  nearly  t'.vo  miles  from  the 
sea.  Sixths  V.  surrounded  it  with  '.vails  and  bastions  to  pre- 
vent its  being  plundered  by  the  Corsairs  ;  and  Paul  V.  built  a 
great  aqueduct  to  supply  it  with  water.  The  palace  is  a  larive 
building  begun  by  Pius  IV.,  up^i  a  plan  given  by  Bramanti  ; 
b:.:  only  finished  by  Urban  VIII.  It  contains  three  storey.:, 
and  three  rows  of  galleries,  one  above  another,  of  the  Doric, 
Joijic,  r.nd  Corinthian  order.  The  bishop,  governor,  canons, 
penitentiaries,  &.c.  ii.e  in  different  apartments  in  it.  In  the 
ctiir.rs  beneath,  for  th°ir  vice  as  well  as  that  of  the  pilgrims., 
there  is  one  tun  which  LclJs  420,  a:id  mother  which  holdj 


Clap.  XV.  TOUR  FROM  ROME  TO  LORETTO.  333 

365  barrels  of  wine,  &cc.  Before  this  church  is  an  extensive 
square  embellished  with  fountains  and  a  brass  statue  cf  Slxtus 
V.  On  the  gates  cf  the  church,  which  are  also  cf  brass,  is  re- 
presented in  basso-relievo  the  history  of  the  Blessed  Virgin, 
by  JEROME  LOMBARD  and  his  sons,  See.  The  same  artist  also 
made  the  four  gates  of  the  holy  house.  The  church  is  vet  v 
spacious,  built  in  the  form  of  a  cross,  paved  with  red  ar.d  white 
Parian  marble,  and  covered  with  lead  ;  in  other  respects  it  is 
not  very  remarkable,  except  for  one  good  picture  ;  the  rest 
being  tolerably  only.  It  contains  six  sacristies.  In  the  mid- 
dle stands  the  SANTA  CASA,  of  which  every  one  knows  the 
history.  It  may  be  sufficient  therefore  briefly  to  say,  that  the 
house  at  Nazareth,  in  which  the  Blessed  Virgin  lived,  and 
God  became  man,  was  visited  with  great  devotion  by  St 
Paula  in  the  xnirth  century,  as  St  Jerome  (Kp.  to  Eustochium) 
test -lies,  ana  afterwards  by  St  Lewis  in  his  holy  wars,  Cardinal 
Vitry,  and  many  others.  In  the  year  1291,  it  was  miraculous- 
ly transported  by  angels  into  Dalraatia,  aud  shortly  after  into 
this  district,  where  it  changed  its  place  twice  before  fixing  in 
i-ts  present  site.  The  proofs  of  this  translation  may  be  seen  in 
Baronius's  continuators,  in  Turselin's  history  of  the  House  of 
Loretto,  and  in  the  n?\v  history  of  it  by  the  present  Bishop  of 
Monte  Feltro,  though  he  is  not  exact  in  every  tiling.  His  re- 
lations of  the  miracles  nil  folios.  But  although  this  were  not 
the  real  house,  the  devotion  of  pious  people  would  not  lose  its 
reward,  as  it  is  not  to  the  house  itself  it  is  directed,  but  to  Him 
who  condescended  to  make  it  so  long  .the  r.b.ce  oi  his  residence 
when  on  earth.  Loretto  is  certainly  the  greatest  place  ot  de- 
votion to  our  Lady  in  the  world.  Pilgrims  from  Italy,  Gcr- 
jnanv,  and  above  all  Sclavonia,  conttuually  crewel  ail  the  roads 
leading  to  this  place.  They  have  three  meals  given  them  at 
Loretto  ;  and  the  like  at  an  hospital  in  Venice,  ns  th;y  pa-s 
through  ;  that  being  the  road  of  the  Dalmatians.  The  holy 
house  is  30  feet  long,  12  broad,  and  15  in  height,  of  course 
sufficiently  high  to  have  had  two  stories.  The  walls  are  built 
of  a  mouldering  red  stone,  like  brick  :  At  the  bottom  or  west 
end  is  a  window  ;  in  the  eastern  end  a  chimney  :  Originally 
ihere  was  but  one  door,  now  there  are  two.  Under  the  wu- 

X  3 


334         TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBA?  BUTLER. 

dows  is  the  altarof  the  Annunciation.  Theprincipal  altar,  which, 
is  exceedingly  rich,  is  near  the  eastern  end  ;  at  this  a  perpetual 
succession  of  masses  is  celebrated  from  day  break  till  two 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  Behind  this  altar  is  the  sanctuary, 
separated  from  the  other  part,  into  which  pilgrims  are  per- 
mitted to  enter  all  morning,  by  a  low  wall  or  ballustrade  of 
solid  silver.  Just  by  the  door  in  this  sanctuary,  is  a  silver 
cupboard  fixed  in  the  wall,  containing  a  wooden  dish  and  other 
vessels,  which  they  say  our  SAVIOUR  used.  Here  also  is  the 
famous  image  of  qiir  Lady,  said  to  be  painted  over  by  St  Luke. 
The  head  is  encircled  by  71  great  topazes,  and  crowned  with  a 
tiara  of  emeralds,  sapphires,  rubies,  and  diamonds, — a  rose  of 
pearls  and  diamonds  on  the  forehead,  given  by  two  English 
ladies, — another  tiara  of  gold  and  jewels, — before  the  neck  a 
fleece  glittering  with  precious  stones  ; — A  necklace  of  rubies 
and  diamonds  worth  60,000  crowns  presented  by  King  Lewis 
XIII.  encircles  the  neck :  She  holds  an  infant  Jesus  of  gold 
and  diamonds  in  her  arms.  The  robes  which  cover  these 
images  are  rich  beyond  imagination,  both  in  the  cloth  and  em- 
broidery, and  in  the  profusion  of  great  jewels.  The  sanctuary 
is  quite  filled  with  costly  offerings.  Before  the  chimney  is  a 
second  balustrade  of  massy  silver  ;  a  praying  desk  of  pure 
silver,  statues,  members,  hearts,  lamps,  and  above  all  bambinos, 
or  little  infants  representing  our  SAVIOUR,  of  gold  and  silver, 
enriched  with  jewels.  Among  the  rest  is  a  babe  of  gold,  repre- 
senting Lewis  XIV.  presented  to  our  Lady  by  an  angel  of 
silver,  the  gift  of  his  mother  Queen  Ann  of  Austria.  The 
house  itself  is  all  covered  both  within  and  without  with  the 
richest  marble,  except  near  the  bottom,  in  the  inside,  to 
shew  the  holy  wall,  and  how  it  stands  without  any  foundation, 
but  torn  off.  The  covering  ofwhite  marble  was  the  work  of 
Tulius  II.  Leo  X.  Clement  VII,  Gregory  XIII.  &c.  It  is 
carved  all  round  by  the  greatest  of  MICHAEL  ANGELO'S  scho- 
lars, Contucci,  Sansovino,  Delmonte,  Dela  Porta,  Raphael  de 
Monte  Lupo,  Lombard,  Bandinelli,  St  Gal,  &c.  The  history 
of  our  Lady's  life  is  executed  in  admirable  basso-relievo.  Be- 
low are  the  incomparable  statues  of  the  Sybils  and  all  the  pro- 
phet1^ as  having  foretold  the  incarnation,  Among  these,  the 


Clap.  AT.     TOUR  FROM  ROME  TO  LORETTO.          335 

most  admired  are,  Jeremiah  weeping,  by  Contucci ;  Moses  and 
several  figures  by  Lombard,  &.c.     This  incrustation  of  mar- 
ble is  said  to  have  cost  about  300,000  crowns,  although  the 
carvers  gave  their  work  gratis.     The  Treasury  is   an  elegant 
large  square  hall  or  sacristy,  opening  into  the  church.      The 
vault  is  painted  ;  one  figure  by  perspective,  turns  its  eyes  on 
you  in  all  parts  of  the  room  wherever  you  stand,   in  the  same 
manner  as  that  formerly  mentioned  of  St  John  Baptist  in  Prince 
Borghesi's  palace  in  Rome.     Here  the  liches  exceed  all  esti- 
tion,  and  indeed  the  articles  can  scarcely  be  counted,  thoughl  was 
a  general  catalogue  of  them.     There  are  innumerable  crowns, 
collars,  beads,  necklaces,  chains,  crosses,  images,  and  vessels  of 
gold,  silver,  and  precious  stones  ;  many  thousands  of  diamonds, 
rubies,  sapphires,  amethysts,  emeralds,  Stc.    An  eagle  of  dia- 
monds presented  by  the  Empress  Mary  of  Austria  ;  a  collar  of 
diamonds  by  her  son  ;  a  heart  of  gold  enriched  with  diamonds 
by  Catharine  Henrietta  Queen   of  England;    diamond  of  aa 
extraordinary  size,  by  Prince  Doria.     Suns,  roses,  leaves,  Sec. 
of  jewels.      Chalices,  and  other  vessels  of  gold,  £cc.     A  pearl 
as  large  as  a  pigeon's  egg,  with  the  image  of  our  Lady,  and  the 
infant  JESUS  engraven  upon  it,  given  by  one  who  concealed  his 
name  ;  as  were  many  other  things.     Here  is  a  rock  three  feet 
high,  full  of  precious    stones   and  adamants,  just   as   it   was 
dug  i*p  in  Golcouda ;  another  in  which  the  diamonds,  &c.  are 
r.ot  perfectly  formed,  but  growing  only,  given  by  the  Medici 
of  Florence.     Garments  and  vestments,   &c.  of  all  sorts:    Oa 
one  vestment  alone   they  count  7000  jewels  ;    a  set  of  service 
for  an  altar,  consisting  of  a  cross,  cruets,   a  chalice,  paten,  and 
six   candlesticks  of  amber,  others  of  gold,  of  silver,  and   of 
chrystal,  &c.     In  a  word,   all  things   of  these   kinds  that  can 
be  imagined  :    Agates,  jaspis,  lapis  lazuli,  &_c.  lose  their  value 
here,  from  the  great  profusion  of  them.     The  towns  of  Milan, 
Bologna,  and  a  dozen  others  in  silver.     1  he  castle  of  Vincen- 
nes  in  silver,  given  by  the  celebrated  Prince  of  CONDE,  Grand" 
father  to  the  present,  who  was  long  confined  as  a  state  prisoner 
in  that  fortress.       Catholic  princes  from  all  quarters  send  their 
richest  jewels,   &c.   as  tokens  of  their  devotion  to  the  Mother 
cf  God. 


336  TRAVELS   OF   REV.    ALBAN    BUTLER. 

The  fixed  revenue  of  the  Santa  Casa,  is  24,000  crowns  a- 
year  for  the  canons,  &.c.  It  is  forbid,  under  pain  of  excommu- 
nication, to  scrape  or  carry  off  the  least  dust  from  the  ori- 
ginal building,  nor  can  absolution  be  granted,  till  the  person 
has  himself  brought  back  what  he  had  taken,  be  he  never  so 
far  off.  Without  this  prohibition,  the  walls  would  have  been 
long  since  carried  away.  Almost  all  religious  orders  have  their 
hospitia  here  of  two  or  three  fathers.  The  Penitentiaries  are 
twenty,  (all  Jesuits),  under  an  Italian  rector.  Their  great 
confinement,  diversity  of  countries,  interests,  manners,  inclina- 
tions and  parties,  render  their  situation  not  the  most  agreeable 
to  flesh  and  blood.  They  are  for  the  Italian,  German,  French, 
Spanish,  Slavonian,  Polish,  and  English  tongues.  Father  Boothe 
is  the  English  Penitentiary,  brother  to  the  counsellor.  They 
have  a  small  poor  library  of  old  Casuists,  in  which,  however, 
Is  a  valuable  old  manuscript  of  the  Latin  vulgate.  La  Spccie- 
ria,  the  apothecary's  shop  of  the  holy  house,  furnishes  drugs 
gratis  to  all  its  officers,  &c.  It  is  very  large  and  well  stocked; 
but  what  is  most  valuable  it  it,  are  the  inestimable  earthen 
pots  and  vessels,  so  inimitably  painted  by  RAPHAEL,  and  the 
greatest  amongst  his  scholars,  representing  all  the  personages  of 
the  old  and  new  testament.  They  are  ranged  on  shelves,  and 
Ull  the  walls  of  two  large  rooms.  The  most  esteemed  are  St 
Paul,  the  Four  Evangelists,  Job,  &-C. 

The  inn-keepers,  and  indeed  all  the  inhabitants  of  this  place, 
are  guilty  of  imposing  upon  strangers.  It  is  155  miles  front 
Rome, 


Chap.  XVL      A  TOUR  FROM  LORETTO  TO  VENICE.  337 

CHAPTER     SIXTEENTH. 

A  TOUR  FROM  LORETTO  TO  VENICE. 


Ancona,  its  Public  Buildings  and  magnificent  Harbour. — Sencgalia. —  rano.— 
Urbino. — Pesauro. — Catholica. — Republic  of  San  Marino. — R.irm"r.i. — Rubicon. 
Ravenna,  Public  Buildings;  Mausoleum  of  Fheodoric  the  Goth,  its  Wonder- 
ful Roof.— BOLOGNA  ;  Its  Trade  and  Public  Buildings ;  Celebrated  I  a  Inters, 
and  Paintings,  University. — Ferrara,  Account  of  the  House  ofEsTE. — Con> 
macio. — The  Rivers  \'o,  Adige,  aiid  Ada. — Palace  of  Moselle. — Adria — &~c. 


JL1  ROM  Loretto,  after  travelling  two  posts  around  a  great 
mountain,  we  arrived  at  Ancona,  leaving,  at  a  little  distance 
on  our  left  hand,  Osimo,  now  a  paltry  village,  though  once  the 
great  city  Auximum.  ANCONA,  the  Pope's  harbour  on  the  Ad- 
riatic, is  commanded  and  defended  by  a  strong  fort  on  the  top 
of  a  mountain.  Clement  XII.  built  a  fine  Lazaretto,  surround- 
ed by  the  sea,  in  which  strangers  coming  by  sea  pass  the  Quaran- 
tine, which  is  very  strictly  observed  in  all  ports  of  the  Mediter- 
ranean, to  prevent  the  plague  being  imported  from  Turkey,  &c. 
We  saw  in  it  an  English  gentleman,  who  had  come  from  Na- 
ples by  sea  without  the  precaution  of  a  bill  of  health.  This 
Lazaretto  is  the  finest  in  italv.  The  town  stands  on  the  shore, 
and  partly  on  the  brow  and  on  the  top  of  a  hill,  so  very  steep 
that  it  is  difficult  to  climb  up  some  of  the  streets.  On  the  top 
of  this  mountain  are  many  churches.  In  that  of  the  Nans  of 
St  Lawrence  is  an  inscription  to  the  Malatestee.  St  Ann's, 
founded  by  a  rich  Grecian  merchant,  is  a  very  fine  small  church 
of  the  Greeks,  whose  office  and  ceremonies  I  saw  here  perform- 
ed even  better  than  in  the  church  of  St  Anastasia  in  Rome. 
Every  one,  as  he  comes  into  the  church,  advances  before  the 
altar,  and  makes  three  very  low  bows,  and  three  very  quick 
siims  of  the  cross.  The  form  of  their  altar  is  singular,  and 

O  O  * 

the  Grecian  pictures  are  drawn  in  a  very  particular  manner  re- 
eemblir^  some  that  \vc  meet  with  of  St  Basil;  St  Chrysostom, 


33$          TRAVELS  OF  RET.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

See.  Many  rich  Grecian,  Muscovite,  and  Slavonian  merchants 
reside  hei'e-  St  Cyriacus,  the  Cathedral,  stands  on  the  highest  of 
the  hills,  and  is  approached  by  a  long  flight  of  stone  steps. 
In  it  are  a  magnificent  altar,  and  a  great  marble  receptacle  to 
contain  the  relics.  The  church  also  possesses  many  relics  of 
of  the  Holy  Family,  which  were  brought  from  Palestine  during 
the  holy  wars.  St  Francis  de  Scala  of  the  Franciscans,  which  is 
approached  by  50  stone  steps  ; — the  Dominicans,  St  Augustin 
of  the  Augnstinians,  &c.  are  good  churches.  In  St  Dominick's 
is  an  admirable  crucifix  by  TITIAN;  in  St  Francis  another  fine 
picture  of  the  same  master.  The  quarter  of  the  Jews  is  neater 
here  than  in  Rome  ;  they  are  also  richer,  and  carry  on  great 
trade,  but  they  are  obliged  to  observe  the  same  rules.  The 
port  is  noble,  and  might  easily  be  made  an  exceeding  good  one. 
It  was  built  by  the  Emperor  TRAJAN  and  is  very  spacious, 
particularly  near  the  Exchange.  It  is  a  pity  so  fine  a  harbour 
should  have  so  inconsiderable  a  trade,  and  scarce  any  vessels  but 
j>inks  and  tartans.  I  saw  in  it  one  Dutch,  one  English,  and 
several  French  and  Spanish  vessels.  The  pier,  or  mole, 
built  by  Trajan,  which  runs  a  considerable  way  into  the  sea, 
is  very  magnificent,  quite  in  the  taste,  and  suitable  to  the  con- 
ceptions of  the  old  Romans.  It  is  embellished  with  a  fine  mar- 
ble arch  erected  in  honour  of  Trajan,  with  a  long  inscription, 
in  which  he  is  styled  Conqueror  of  the  Parthians,  See.  as  fresh 
and  beautiful  as  if  the  marble  was  new.  'Tis  surprizing  so 
few  inscriptions  should  remain  of  an  emperor  whose  name  ap^ 
peared  on  so  many  of  the  walls  and  buildings  of  Italy,  as  to 
fix  upon  him  the  appellation  of  Parietinus,  or  wall-written. 
The  late  great  prince,  Pope  Clement  XII.,  made  Ancona  a  free 
port,  built  a  pier  or  mole  much  farther  into  the  sea,  and  be- 
gun several  other  works  which  remain  unfinished.  If  the 
mole  was  carried  on  a  little  farther  still,  the  port  would  be 
completed  ;  but  the  Venetians,  who  call  themselves  Lords  of 
the  Adriatic,  would  view  with  much  jealousy  so  formidable  a 
rival  to  their  trade,  especially  were  his  Holiness  to  keep  here 
any  gallics.  The  city,  from  motives  of  gratitude,  has  erect- 
ed a  statue  of  v.hite  marble  to  tlut  Pope,  on  the  great  market- 
place before  the  Inquisition  belonging  to  the  Dominicans,  and 


Clap.  XVI.   A  TOUR  FROM  LORETTO  TO  VENIC«. 

on  the  side  of  the  town-house.  On  the  pedestal  of  marine  is 
this  inscription :  "  Clementi  izmo  P.  P.  ob  extructtis,  ad 
"  Pestem  avertendam,  in  medio  mari  amplissimas  aedes,  pro- 
"  ductum,  tutioremque  factum  Trajani  Portum,  et  Portorio 
"  sublato,  cunctis  apertutn  nationibus,  commercium  et  pub- 
"  licam  rem  auctam,  S.  P.  A.  statuam.  P." 

From  Ancona  we  travelled  along  the  sea-coast  (passing  many 
old  castles,  built  as  a  defence  against  the  corsairs  and  pirates) 
to  Senega/ia,  20  miles  distant,  which  is  a  small  city,  (originally 
built  by  the  Senones  Gauls)  fortified  with  ramparts  and  strong- 
bastions,  in  no  good  order.  It  has  a  quarter  for  Jews.  A 
post  of  8  miles  farther  brought  us  to  Fano,  so  named  from  an 
heathen  temple,  Fanum  Fortunse.  Near  one  of  its  gates  is  an 
honorary  arch  to  Avigustus,  one  of  the  finest  and  most  entire 
in  Italy,  erected  by  this  city  probably  to  immortalize  some 
beneficence  of  that  emperor,  or  his  good  fortune.  It  has  been 
somewhat  injured  in  a  kind  of  seige  which  the  town  endured, 
but  the  inscription  is  copied  out  on  a  wall  near  it.  This  town 
has  a  good  modern  theatre,  though  it  detained  us  longer  to 
see  it  than  was  worth  our  while.  However,  we  that  night 
reached  Pesauro,  one  post  farther.  The  waves  of  the  sea  had 
continually  washed  the  wheels  of  our  chaise  almost  all  this 
road  ;  but  here  we  drove  a  considerable  way  into  the  sea  it- 
jself  under  a  mountain  ;  the  sand,  however,  was  very  solid,  and 
the  waters  not  above  2  or  3  feet  deep.  We  left  on  our  left 
hand  Urbino,  capital  of  that  dutchy,  situated  among  mountains. 
The  ancient  palace  of  the  dukes  is  said  to  be  a  magnificent 
building,  and  their  tombs,  with  several  good  pictures,  are  still 
to  be  seen  in  the  cathedral ;  but  Pope  Alexander  VII.,  after 
the  death  of  the  last  duke,  transported  the  library  to  the  Va- 
tican. 

Pesauro,il~ie  ancient  Pesaurum,  is  one  of  the  richest  snd  most 
gay  cities  of  the  coast,  well  built,  and  a  place  of  commerce  and 
industry.  The  palace  in  the  great  square  is  very  stately,  and 
there  are  many  other  sumptuous  houses  and  churches.  In  the 
cathedral  are  valuable  pictures  of  St  Jerome  and  St  Thomas,  by 
GUIDO  RENI.  The  duke's  park  is  near  the  town.  Though  the 


540  TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLEft. 

port  be  ruined  bv  sands,  this  is  the  place  to  which  merchandize 
is  brought  from  Venice  for  Rome. 

About  15  miles  from  Pesauro,  we  find  Catboh'ca,  a  small  vil- 
lage, so  railed,  according  to  an  inscription  over  the  church 
door,  because  the  Catholic  Bishops  retired  thither  from  the 
Council  of  Rimini,  to  celebrate  the  divine  office. 

We  had  a  mind  to  go  15  miles  out  of  our  way,  to  see  the 
little  republic  of  San  Marina,  consisting  of  6000  inhabitants, 
bituated  on  the  top  of  an  inaccessible  rock.  But  the  roads  were 
bad,  raid  we  have  a  most  particular  account  of  its  government 
and  laws  in  ADBISON,  a  great  lover  of  petty  commonwealths. 
The  mountain  is  so  called  from  its  having  been  the  retreat  of 
Si:  Marinus,  a  hermit.  The  commonwealth  was  founded,  as 
Venice  was,  by  people  who  fled  hither  for  shelter  against  the 
incursions  of  the  barbarians.  A  faction  in  it  called  in  Pope 
Clement  XII.  to  their  assistance,  offering  to  subject  their  coun- 
try to  his  dominion  ;  but  he  generously  ordered  his  legate  of 
Bologna  to  adjust  their  differences  and  confirm  their  liberty. 

Rimini,  a  post  beyond  Catholica,  is  still  a  great  city,  but  its 
cathedral  is  quite  changed  since  it  was  the  scene  of  the  forced 
Council  of  Constantius.  In  the  great  square  is  a  small  chapel 
greatly  reverenced,  dedicated  to  St  Antony  of  Padua,  and  con- 
taining some  of  his  relicts.  The  squares  of  Ri-nini,  Pesauro, 
Fano,  and  other  towns,  are  generally  embellished  with  fine  sta- 
tues, of  marble  or  cast-brass,  of  one  or  more  Popes,  with  in- 
scriptions commemorative  of  some  benefactions  received.  The 
most  common  are  of  Paul  V.,  Urban  VIII. ,  Clement  XII. ,  &c. 
This  custom  of  erecting  statues  was  much  in  vogue  among  the 
fincients,  either  out  of  flattery,  or  to  excite  their  princes  to  be- 
neficence, by  such  monuments  of  honour  and  gratitude  ;  they 
•are  at  least  a  great  ornament  to  the  squares  where  they  are 
placed.  This  town  suffered  much  in  1671,  by  an  earthquake, 
which  quite  destroyed  Ragusa  in  Dalmatia. 

Beyond  Rimini,  we  crossed  the  Rul)ico?i,  the  bounds  of  lh,e 
country  of  the  ancient  Gauls  in  Italy  :  Cresars  passing  this  fatal 
river,  was  equivalent  to  a  declaration  of  war  against  the  country, 
which  made  him  exclaim,  '  the  die  is  cast.'  This  river  is  not 


Clap.  XVI.     A  TOUR  FROM  LORETTO  TO  VENICE.      341 

peasants  know  it  by  no  other  name  than  that  of  Rucon,  it  13 
called  Pisatillo,  before  its  confluence  with  the  Butrio,  not  long  be- 
before  that  river  joins  the  sea.  A  Roman  inscription  was  lately 
found  on  a  stone  in  the  sands,  which  had  been  set  up  upon,  its 
bank,  forbidding  any  general  or  soldier  to  pass  it  armed,  when 
they  returned  to  Rome.  Some  persons,  however,  suppose  the 
Luza  to  have  been  the  old  Rubicon. 

The  straight  road  from  Rimini  to  Bologna  is  good,  but  in 
consequence  of  rain  we  found  it  deep,  and  therefore  travelled 
along  the  sands  to  Ravenna.  The  Via  TEmilia,  which  led  from 
Rimini  to  Bologna,  lies  through  Cesina,  a  handsome  town  : — 
Forli,  the  old  Forum  Livii  ; — and  Facenza,  famous  for  its 
earthen  ware,  which  from  hence  is  calk-d  by  the  French  Faye/ic?, 
though  ?.t  present  the  fabric  is  much  inferior  to  the  delft  of 
Marseilles,  and  above  all  of  Saxony,  where  the  secret  of  the 
art  is  kept  very  close,  as  this  manufacture  forms  the  chief 
source  of  the  wealth  of  that  electorate. 
From  Loretto  to  Bologna  it  is  140  miles. 
After  travelling  about  32  miles,  along  the  sea  shore,  from 
Rimini  to  Ravenna,  we  arrived  at  the  latter  city  before  it  was 
dark  ;  and  indeed  light  was  very  necessary  and  comfortable, 

amidst  the  iparshcs  through  which  we  passed  near  the  city 

Six  miles  before  we  came  to  it,  we  travelled  through  a  long 
beautiful  forest,  stocked  with  deer,  Sec.  belonging  to  a  rich  new 
abbey  of  the  Fathers  of  the  SC--T.VOLA  PIA,  of  late  famous  in 
Rome,  and  other  parti  of  Italy, — a  sort  of  regular  clerics,  who 
'instruct  youth.  RAVENNA  was  once  the  capital  of  Itdy,  when 
it  was  for  70  years  the  seat  of  the  Gothic  kings,  and  after- 
wards of  the  exarchs  or  governors  for  the  emperors  of  Con- 
stantinople. Aiiolph,  king  of  the  Lombards,  expelled  these 
latter  out  of  it :  But  Pope  Zachary,  fearing  the  incursions  of 
those  barbarians,  implored  the  protection  of  PiiiPix,  king  of 
France,  who  retook  Ravenna  in  756,  and  gave  it,  with  the  five 
principal  cities  of  the  exarchate,  to  the  Pope,  which  his  son, 
CHARLEMAGNE,  confirmed.  This  province  is  now  called  Ro- 
tnagnifif  or  Romandio!at  that  is,  a  little  Roman  province  and 
exarchate.  It  comprises  Ravenna,  Faci.za,  Imola,  Forli,  Rimini, 
Cervia,  Ccscne,  &c.  and  is  governed  by  a  Pjpal  L'.'Cjate,  v/ho  i> 


34*  TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

almost  sovereign.  Except  the  Marquisate  of  Ancotia,  all  the 
other  four  provinces  of  the  Ecclesiastical  State  beyond  the  Ap- 
pennines  are  governed  by  Legates,  viz.  the  Dukedom  of  Urbin, 
in  which  are  Senegalia,  Pisaro,  Urbin,  &c. — The  Bolognois, 
•which  has  no  other  great  towns  besides  Bologna  ;  Castel  Bolog- 
nese,  Bentivoglio,  and  Rossi,  being  only  small  towns. — Fer- 
rara,  which  has  under  it  Comaccio,  a  paltry  town  surround- 
ed by  marshes,  5  miles  from  the  sea.  These  governors  are  al- 
ways cardinals  and  legates  a  later  e,  and  have  a  great  jurisdic- 
tion both  spiritual  and  temporal,  each  having  a  vicegerent  un- 
der him  named  by  the  Pope.  The  present  legate  of  Romag- 
na  is  Cardinal  Aldrovandi,  a  Bolognese  : — Cardinal  Crescenzi, 
a  man  of  singular  genius,  is  governor  of  the  Dutchy  of  Ferra- 
ra  :  Cardinal  Doria,  of  Bologna.  Ravenna  is  surrounded  by 
many  great  marshes,  as  taken  notice  of  by  the  ancients,  which 
made  Martial  say, 

Meliusque  ranee  garriunt  Ravennates. 

Ravenna's  frogs  in  better  music  croak.     ADDISON. 

Its  port,  once  the  greatest  in  Italy,  being  neglected,  is  now  fil- 
led up,  the  sea  having  thrown  so  much  sand  and  earth  into  it, 
as  to  have  raised  it  to  a  level  with  the  rest  of  the  land ;  and 
Ravenna  is  no\v  3  miles  distant  from  the  sea  ;  nor  is  there  any 
thing  to  she y/  where  the  harbour  formerly  was,  except  some 
old  remains  of  the  Pharos  near  the  town,  and  now  buried  al- 
most under  ground.  The  city  is  very  large,  but  thinly  inha- 
bited. The  cathedral  is  a  vast  Gothic  building,  the  vault  of 
which  is  adorned  \vith  Mosaic,  and  supported  by  four  rows  of 
pillars  of  Oriental  marble.  The  pavement  is  also  of  marble, 
Tn  the  chapel  of  the  Blessed  Sacrament  is  a  fine  picture  of  the 
Manna  in  the  Desart,  by  GUIDO  RENI.  Among  the  paintings 
of  the  dome,  are  our  SAVIOUR  on  tie  Cross,  our  Lady,  and 
Sf  Join,  by  the  Dominican.  Before  this  church,  which  they 
ure  now  repairing  and  embellishing,  is  a  pyramid,  erected  in 
honour  of  Clement  VI.  On  the  window  is  painted  the  Holj 
Ghost,  under  the  figure  of  a  dove,  in  memory  of  ai,  Archbishop 
having  been,  chosen,  in  consequence  of  a  dove  entering  through 


Clap.  XVI.  A  TOtTR  FROM  LORtTTO  TO  VENICE.  343 

the  window,  and  placing  itself  over  his  head. — Of  this  we  saw 
more  monuments  in  the  old  church  of  the  Theatins,  on  the 
other  side  of  the  city.  St.  Appollinaris,  sent  by  St  Peter,  was 
the  first  Bishop  of  Ravenna.  St  Peter  Chrysologus  was  its 
ornament.  The  Benedictine  abbey  of  St  Vitalis,  a  very  rich 
and  magnificent  edifice,  was  built  by  the  Emperor  JUSTINIAN, 
as  a  mark  of  respect  to  St  Benedict  his  cousin,  according  to  an 
inscription  in  the  same  church,  which  is  of  Gothic. architecture, 
but  has  many  new  rich  chapels,  especially  one  called  the  Holy 
of  Holies,  where  many  martyrs  were  buried,  and  which  wo- 
men are  never  permitted  to  enter,  out  of  veneration  to  the 
relics  it  contains,  among  which  is  the  body  of  St  Vitalis.  In 
the  Sacristy  are  rich  reliquaries  and  good  paintings.  The  pil- 
lars in  the  chucch  are  formed  of  bright  coloured  marble,  brought 
from  Greece.  Near  the  door  appear  many  anci^fct  monuments, 
and  in  a  small  chapel,  paved  with  marble,  in  the  gardens  of  this 
monastery,  are  the  fine  marble  tombs  of  the  Emperor  Hono- 
rius, — of  Galla  Placidia,  his  sister, — of  Valcntinian  III.,  her 
son, — and  of  two  chief  servants  of  the  Empress.  These  mo- 
numents are  distinguished  by  no  ancient  inscriptions  ;  bat  a 
modern  one  has  been  inscribed  upon  them. 

The  same  Empress  also  built  the  church  of  St  John  the 
Evangelist,  in  which  are  old  Mosaics  of  her  family,  and  two 
good  pictures.  In  the  Franciscans'  cloister  lies  buried  DANTE, 
the  Italian  Poet,  who,  having  been  banished  from  Florence, 
died  here  ;  Cardinal  Bcmbo  erected  this  tomb  to  his  memory. 
Near  the  Porta  Bella  are  the  ruins  of  a  sumptuous  palace,  pro- 
bably Theodoric'i.  On  the  city-gates  appear  many  ancient 
monuments,  and  we  saw  on  a  fountain  a  fine  statue  of  Her- 
cules. The  great  market-place  is  adorned  with  a  noble  brass 
statue  of  Alexander  VII.,  and  a  column  with  a  statue  of  our 
Lady  upon  it,  Sec. 

About  a  mile  from  town,  on  the  high  way  leading  to  Venice, 
stands  Santa  Muria  Rcionda  ;  built  by  Qjveen  Amalasunta,  as 
a.  mausoleum  for  her  father,  King  Theodoric.  The  bottom  is 
an  immense  vault,  full  of  grass  weeds  and  faggots.  I  was  about 
to  enter,  but  the  prodigiou-j  number  of  vipers  I  encountered 
completely  checked  my  curiosity.  The  c!:apcl  consists  of  two- 


344          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

stories,  lofty,  and  entirely  circular,  and  covered  with  one  huge 
granite  stone,  hollowed  so  as  to  form  a  vault,  and  which, 
according  to  our  information,  is  four  feet  thick,  116'  in 
circumference,  and  about  34  in  diameter.  Verses  to  the 
following  purport  are  hung  up  hard  by  :  "  Be  astonished, 
*'  traveller,  how  one  stone,  so  vast,  could  be  cut  in  the  hardest 
"  marble,  and  by  what  art  it  could  be  raised  to  this  place.  But: 
"  if  you  be  not  disposed  to  believe  this  prodigy,  admire  the  art 
"  by  which  the  stones  could  be  so  cemented  that  the  most  severe 
*{  scrutiny  cannot  discover  the  junction."  This  stone  must  be 
above  ioo,occ  Ibs  weight.  On  the  top  of  the  dome,  surrounded 
with  the  statues  of  the  twelve  apostles,  was  formerly  placed 
the  porphyry  tomb  of  King  Theodoric,  eight  feet  long,  and 
four  broad.  Bat  when  Lewis  XII.  besieged  Ravenna,  (its 
\valls  are  at  present  too  ruinous  to  afford  any  defence,)  a 
bomb  knocked  it  cloivn.  It  is  now  placed  in  the  wall  of  St 
Apollinaris's  church. 

Near  Ravenna  is  a  fine  bridge  built  by  Pope  Clement  XII. 
From  the  want  of  aqueducts  in  this  as  in  many  other  small 
towns,  good  water  is  a  clear  commodity.  It  was  the  same  in 
Martial's  time,  who  wished  to  have  a  fountain  rather  than  a 
vineyard  at  that  city,  and  complains  of  his  inn-keeper 
having  cheated  him  by  giving  him  wine  instead  of  wine  ancS 
water. 

Ca/iicliis  ;n;pi^ui>  nupcr  mibi  Caupo  Ravenna- , 

Cum  peter  cm  t:^.\tumt  vend ul it  die  merum. 

Martial,  I.  3.  Epig.  50. 

Lod^'d  at  Ravenna  (vraler  sells  so  dear), 

A  cistern  to  a  vineyard  I  prefer.  Ib.  b.  3.  Et-..  j^. 

But  \ve  experienced  more  inconvenience  from  the  want  of 
this  necessary  clement  in  some  other  towns  on  this  coast. 

BOLOGNA,  Iving  between  the  Lombards  and  the  Exarchs  of 
Ravenna,  erected  itself  into  a  republic,  till,  being  divided  by 
factions,  and  torn  in  pieces  by  civil  wars  under  the  Lambertazzi 
and  Gieremin,  and  afterwards  the  Pepoli,  Visconti,  and  Benti- 
voglios,  it  voluntarily  put  itself  under  the  Pope,  by  whom  if; 
lias  been  ever  treated  wit!"1;  the  greatest  distinction,  looked  upon 
as  a  sister  of  Rome,  not  a  subject,  arrd  has  even  its  ambassador 


Clap.  XVI.   A  TOUR  FROM  LORETTO  TO  VENICE.        345 

residing  at  the  papal  court.  It  is  situated  in  a  most  fertile 
country,  carries  on  the  most  extensive  trade  of  any  town  in 
the  ecclesiastical  state,  and  exports  silk,  soap,  flax,  fruits,  &.c. 
Very  good,  but  high  seasoned,  thick  sausages  are  made 
throughout  this  country  in  such  abundance,  that  there  is  no 
village  in  which  every  street  and  almost  every  house  does  not 
contain  vast  shops  filled  with  them.  Bologna  is  five  miles 
in  circumference,  three  long,  and  in  the  centre  one  broad; 
contains  179  churches,  33  parishes  C'out  only  one  baptismal 
font),  and  80,000  inhabitants.  It  is  the  second  town  of  the 
Ecclesiastical  State;  the  third  in  Italy  for  paintings,  after 
Rome  and  Florence.  Many  masters  of  the  Lombard  school 
lived  in  it ;  among  whom  the  DOMINICAN,  the  three 
CARRACHI,  and  Gmoo  RENT,  carried  that  art  to  the  greatest 
perfection.  Its  paintings  in  Fresco  are  above  all  others 
admired,  but  there  are  excellent  pictures  without  number  in 
every  church  and  palace.  The  most  remarkable  of  them  is 
that  of  St  Cecily  by  RAPHAEL  URBIN,  who  sent  it  to  FRANCIA, 
the  famous  Bolognese  painter,  to  Correct  it,  if  he  could  discover 
any  fault  in  it.  Francia  is  said  to  have  died  of  grief  on  seeing 
himself  so  greatly  excelled.  This  painting  is  to  be  seen  in 
St  John's  in  Monte,  belonging  to  regular  canons,  in  which 
church,  the  chapel  of  the  Rosary  is  incomparably  painted  by 
the  Dominican,  besides  many  other  excellent  pieces. 

The  principal  families  of  Bologna  are  at  present  well  known 
in  Rome,  and  many  of  them  enjoy  places  in  that  city  under  the 
present  Pope,  who  is  himself  a  Bolognese,  born  in  the  territory, 
and  of  the  family  of  the  Lambertini. 

The  chief  Palace?  in  Bologna  are  those  of  Fepoli,  Malvezzi, 
Favi,  Ranucci,  Tanari,  Bentevogli,  Casali,  Monti,  Caprara, 
Velta  ;  and  the  Toivn-uoiise.  In  the  great  square  is  a  fine  foun- 
tain, adorned  with  a  brass  Neptune,  which,  with  its  ornaments, 
measures  eleven  feet  in  height,  and  is  all  cast  by  John  of 
Bologna.  In  a  summer-house,  or  villa  of  the  Senator  Volta, 
was  found  the  famous  riddle,  or  enigmatical  epitaph,  "  ^lia, 
"  Laelia,  Crispis,"  &c.  on  which  Misson  gives  us  a  long 
dissertation  in  his  book  of  travels.  I  am  inclined  to  deem  ir 

Y 


346         TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

a  ridiculous  forgery  of  some  idle  scholar,  and  cannot  help 
applying  to  it  the  axiom  of  Mr  Locke :  "  If  thou  wilt  not  be 
"  understood,  I  will  not  study  thy  meaning." 

But  the  magnificence  of  this  city  appears  chiefly  in  its 
streets,  piazzas,  and  churches.  The  Dominicans  have  here 
their  best  convent.  Jn  the  church,  the  paintings  are  singu- 
lar! •/  beautiful;  and  the  chapel  of  St  Dominic,  is  extremely 
rich  in  marble,  paintings,  silver,  &cc.  Its  statues  are  by 
MICHALL  ANGELO,  Nicolas  Pisa,  Donatello,  Lombard,  &c. 
Its  paintings  by  TIARINI,  the  GUIDOS,  and  other  great  masters. 
The  body  of  St  Dominic,  who  died  in  this  convent,  is  here 
deposited  in  a  shrine  of  white  marble,  with  historical  basso- 
relievo.  The  fifteen  mysteries  of  the  Rosary  are  finely  painted 
in  the  chapel  of  the  Rosary  by  the  celebrated  CARRACHI, 
GUIDO  RENI,  &c.  The  other  chapels  are  also  rich  in  pictures, 
&z:c.  The  magnificence  of  the  cloister  and  dormitories,  and 
its  vast  cellars,  are  much  admired;  but  its  extensive  library  is 
still  more  valued. 

The  convent  of  Corpus  Christ!  of  poor  Cla-res  has  a  very 
good  church,  which  contains  the  body  of  St  Catherine  of 
Bologna,  which  Mr  Lassels  saw  entire  ;  the  skin  was  indeed 
very  much  dried.  She  appears  as  sitting  in  a  chair.  The 
church  of  the  Jesuits, — St  Proculus, — a  great  abbey  of  Bene- 
dictines,— the  cathedral,  &c»  are  sumptuous  in  a  high  degree;, 
but  above  all  the  great  collegiate  church  of  St  Petronius,  built 
by  the  Senate  of  Bologna,  and  with  nearly  the  same  expedition 
as  that  of  San  Lorenzo  in  Florence.  In  St  Pttronius's  is 
drawn  Cassini's  meridian,  marked  on  a  brass  plate. 

The  University  of  Bologna  is  the  first  in  Italy,  and  the  most 
famous  in  the  world  for  canon  law  ;  liberally  endowed,  espe- 
cially the  rich  Spanish  college  in  it.  The  two  towers  of 
Garizenda  and  GH  Asinella  were  built  by  two  families  of 
those  names.  The  former  is  a  hanging  building  like  that  of 
Pisa;  that  of  Asinelli  is  thought  the  highest  in  Italy.  In  the 
Carthusians'  house  of  Bologna,  among  others,  is  a  good  picture 
of  St  Jerome  receiving  the  Viaticum,  byAugustin  Carrachi.. 
It  is  said  to  be  the  original  of  the  St  Jerome  communicating  in 
Rome,  by  the  Dominican. 


Chap.  XVI.      A  TOUR  FROM  LORETTO  TO  VENICE.  347 

FERRARA  is  four  posts  from  Bologna,  situated  on  the  banks 
of  one  of  the  branches  of  the  Po.  It  is  four  miles  in  circum- 
ference, and  one  time  contained  50,000  inhabitants,  but  now 
scarcely  8000,  having  fallen  greatly  to  decay  since  it  lost  its 
dukes,  princes  of  the  house  of  Este,  which  -lerives  its  origin 
from  the  city  Este  near  Padua.  AZON,  first  Count  of  Este,  was 
vicar  of  the  empire  in  Italy  in  the  year  970.  The  Emperor 
Otho  made  his  son  TIBAUD  marquis  of  Este,  Lord  of  Lucca, 
Cremona,  Mantua,  and  Ferrara.  His  son  BONIFACE  left 
an  only  daughter  and  heiress,  the  famous  MAUD,  who  be- 
queathed her  estates  to  the  Holy  See.  The  Popes  bestowed 
Ferrara,  with  the  title  of  Marquis,  on  her  nephew  Asxotf 
d'Este,  and  created  his  successors  Dukefi.  The  Emperors 
made  them  Dukes  of  Modena  and  Regio.  ALPHONSUS  II. 
died,  without  lawful  issue,  in  1597  CAESAR  d'EsxE  was 
accounted  a  bastard,  for  which  reason  the  Pope  refused  him 
Ferrara,  though  the  Emperor  Rodolph  II.  confirmed  to  him 
the  dukedom  of  Modena.  Clement  VIII.  entered  Ferrara 
and  built  a  citadel,  but  allowed  Caesar  to  enjoy  the  patrimonial 
lands  of  his  family  in  this  duchy.  This  duchy  is  governed  by 
a  legate,  and  enjoys  many  privileges.  Though  poor,  Ferrara 
still  boasts  of  its  nobility,  such  as  the  Bentivoglio,  &c.  It  is 
a  large  territory,  and,  when  joined  with  Modena,  was  160  miles 
long,  from  Magna  Vacca  to  the  territory  of  the  Venetians. 
We  travelled  through  it  42  miles. 

COMMACCIO  was  once  a  very  large  city,  but  now  thinned  of 
inhabitants  on  account  of  its  unwholesome  air.  It  stands  in 
the  midst  of  marshes  and  lakes  which  abound  with  fish.  It 
supplies  all  Italy  with  eels,  some  of  which  are  said  to  weigh 
40  or  50  pounds.  The  town  of  Commaccio  is  four  miles  from 
the  sea.  This  province  has  been  frequently  ruined  by  the 
inundations  of  the  Po,  which  often  swells  very  impetuously, 
and  then  leaves  all  the  lower  parts  of  the  country  little  better 
than  lakes  or  marshes.  The  Dukes  of  Modena  had  begun  to 
erect  strong  ramparts  on  its  banks,  to  prevent  these  mischievous 
effects, — an  undertaking  which,  if  completed,  would  preserve 
n  great  deal  of  land  now  entirely  drowned,  besides  rendering  th*» 
t.limate  much  more  salubrious. 

Y  3 


348        TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

From  Ferrara  it  is  but  three  posts  to  Padua.  We  chose  to 
go  from  Ravenna  directly  to  Venice.  Two  posts  brought  us 
to  Magna  Vacca,  the  frontier  of  the  duchy  of  Ferrara,  and 
three  posts  more  (in  which  we  had  several  rivers  to  pass)  to 
Gorro,  in  Latin  Portus  Gauri,  on  the  mouth  of  the  little  Po. 
From  hence,  passing  the  branches  of  the  Po  in  boats,  two  posts- 
more  brought  us  to  Cheoggia,  and  from  thence  we  reached 
Venice  by  water,  over  lakes  open  to  the  sea,  20  or  25  miles. 
But  we  found  the  whole  territory  situated  within  the  branches 
of  the  Po,  so  completely  flooded  that  the  postmaster,  though  he 
went  to  try  their  depth  on  horseback,  durst  not  venture  his 
horses,  and  indeed  I  should  have  been  afraid  to  have  ventured 
by  such  perilous  roads.  We  therefore  preferred  going  along 
the  banks  of  the  river  to  Ariano,  and  from  thence  in  a  barge 
traversed  the  different  branches  of  the  Po,  and  the  Adige,  the 
cut  canals,  and  the  Brent,  to  Lisa  Fusina,  and  from  thence  to 
Venice. 

The  Po,  the  king  of  all  the  rivers  in  Italy,  as  it  is  called  by 
Virgil,  rises  in  Mount  Vise  amongst  the  Alps,  out  of  three 
springs  between  Dauphiny  and  the  marquisate  of  Saluces. 
It  passes  by  Carmagnole,  Carinian,  the  suburbs  of  Turin 
(where  it  has  already  swelled  to  a  large  river,  though  only  a 
few  miles  from  its  source),  Verrue,  Trin,  Casal,  the  Milanese  ; 
receives  the  Tanaro  (which,  taking  its  rise  amongst  the  Appe- 
nines,  passes  Asti  and  Alexandria),  and  on  the  other  side  of  the 
Tesin  from  the  Alps,  a  little  below  Pavia,  waters  Placentia, 
Cremona,  the  Parmesan  and  Mantuan.  In  the  duchy  of  Fer- 
rara it  divides  itself  into  two  branches  ;  the  greater  called 
Po  grande,  or  di  Vcnetia,  is  the  most  northern  ;  the  lesser 
called  Po  ci1  Ariano  falls  into  the  Adriatic  Gulph  at  Porto  di 
Goro  at  the  distance  only  of  10  miles  from  the  southern  branch. 
Another  channel,  still  smaller,  branches  out  from  the  two  great 
channels  called  Po  di  Ferrara,  or  L'o  Morto,  which  in  summer 
is  entirely  dry,  nor  dees  it  resume  its  course,  until  it  has 
received  into  its  thirsty  channel  a  small  brook,  named  the 
Rhine,  which  passes  by  Bologne,  and  some  other  tributary 
rivulets,  augmented  by  which,  below  Ferrara,  it  divides  into 
two  channels,  the  northern  of  which  enters  the  Adriatic  by  7 


Clap.  XVI.      A  TOUR  FROM  LORETTO  TO  VENICE.  349 

mtmth  called  Porto  di  Volano,  the  southern  at  Porto  di  Primaro. 
Thus  the  Po  has  four  mouths,  Fossa  Philistina,  or  il  Po  grande ; 
Fossa  Carlonaria,  or  ilPo  d"1  'Iriano ;  Vo'ana,  or  ilPo  di  Volana^ 
and  Padusia,  or  //  Po  d?  Argento^  or  di  Primaro.  Caprasia 
and  Sagis  are  inlets  into  the  sea  from  the  lake  Commacchlo, 
not  branches  of  the  Po.  The  Po  is  a  very  deep,  broad,  clear 
river,  and  running  through  the  valley  under  the  Alps,  receives 
as  tributary  streams  all  the  rivers  of  Lombardy  except  the 
Adige,  which  also  bends  towards  it,  and  must  have  joined  it 
if  its  course  had  been  a  little  longer. 

The  /:dige  (  likes?.*')  rises  in  mount  Brenner  amongst  the 
Alps,  in  the  county  ot  Tyrol,  washes  Trent  and  Verona,  and 
falls  into  the  Adriatic  to  the  south  of  Venice.  It  is  a  broad 
and  very  rapid  river. 

Theddu  has  its  source  in  mount  Braulio,  passes  through  the 
Valtelme  and  the  lake  of  Coino,  and  enters  the  Po  near 
Cremona. 

Along  the  coast  from  Ancona  are  numerous  pits,  in  which 
salt  is  made  in  summer  by  the  admission  of  sea-water,  which, 
being  evaporated  by  the  sun,  the  saline  particles  are  left  in  the 
bottom.  The  Pope  possesses  similar  salt  pits  near  Ostia. 

Moselle  is  one  ot  the  largest  and  finest  palaces  in  Italy, 
but  unfurnished  ;  it  belongs  to  the  Duke  of  Modena,  and  was 
built  by  Alphonsus  II.,  last  Duke  of  Ferrara,  who  employed, 
in  erecting  this  edifice,  those  men  whom  his  predecessors  had 
engaged  for  the  generous  purpose  of  raising  bulwarks  to  defend 
the  country  against  the  inundations  of  the  Po.  Foreseeing  that 
the  duchy  was  to  fall  to  the  Pope,  hs  felt  no  concern  for  its 
advantage,  but  preferred  raising  this  palace  as  a  standing 
monument  of  his  family,  though  infinitely  less  praise-worthy, 
or  even  durable,  than  the  former  more  beneficent  undertaking. 
Moselle  stands  near  Goro  on  the  opposite  bank  cf  the  Po  di 
Ariano,  in  the  island  between  the  mouths  of  the  Po.  The 
Duke  of  Modena  leaves  it  unfurnished,  and  allows  that  of 
Tivoli  to  go  to  ruin. 

Adria  is  an  old  town  now  in  ruins,  and  its  bishoprick  has 
been  translated  to  Ruieo,  a  town  between  Padua  and  Ferrara, 


350  TRAVELS  OF  REV.    ALBAN  CUTLER. 

Adria  at  present  consists  merely  of  a  few  cabins  of  fishermen, 
though  it  gives  name  to  the  Adriatic  Sea,  or  the  Gulph  of 
Venice.  It  stood  50  miles  from  Ravenna,  and  as  many  from 
Venice.  The  Adriatic  Sea  is  one  of  the  largest  gulphs  in  the 
world,  noted  for  being  dreadfully  tempestuous  in  storms. 
Jldria  iracundior  was  an  old  proverb.  Though  there  be  no 
tide  in  the  Mediterranean,  in  this  gulph  the  tide  rises  at 
Loretto  a  foot  and  a  half  high ;  at  Venice  sometimes  three 
feet — With  the  Ecclesiastical  State  1  finish  ray  letter. 


CHAPTER  SEVENTEENTH. 

DESCRIPTION    OF    VENICE. 

Origin  of  the  City  of  VENICE. — Changes  in  its  Government. — Principal  Families 
of  the  Noblesse. — Cittadini. — Great  Councils  of  State.— Powers  of  the  Doge, 
and  of  the  other  great  Officers  and  Tribunals. — Laws  of  the  Republic. — Sea 
and  Land  Forces. — Revenues.— Amusements. — Singular  Situation  of  Venice,^- 
Canals  and  Bridges. — Public  Buildings. — Ducal  Church  of  St  Mark. — Its 
Riches. — Gospel  of  St  Mark  holograph  of  the  Saint. — Palaces  uf  the 
Procurators.' — Library  of  St  Mark. — Arsenal. — Ceremony  of  the  Doge's 
Marriage  to  the  Sea. — Isle  of  St  George  Major. — Isle  of  Murano. — Glass 
Manufactory. — Impregnable  Situation  of  Venice. 


VENICE,  1746. 

"ty  ENICE  is,  from  its  situation,  perhaps  the  most  singular  town 
in  the  universe.  Other  cities  resemble  each  other  in  many 
respects.  But  Venice  is  in  every  thing  quite  unique,  not  having 
its  parallel  in  the  world. 

The  inhabitants  of  Aquileia,  Concordia,  Padua,  and  other 
places  in  that  part  of  Italy,  flying  from  the  Goths, — by  whom 
the  continent  was  ravaged  under  their  kings  Radag,  Alaric,  and 
Atulph,  from  the  year  407,  and  still  more  cruelly  by  the  Huns 
tinder  Attilainthe  year  457,' — took  refuge  in  the  small  islands 
upon  which  Venice  now  stands.  They  built  on  them  22  small 
towns,  each  of  which  was  governed  by  its  tribune.  After  270 
years  had  elapsed,  they  all  united  together,  and  chose  a  common 
ruler,  whgm  they  called  Doge,  or  Duke.  The  third  doge  having 


Clap.  XVII.  DESCRIPTION    OF    VENICE.  35! 

been  deposed  for  his  tyranny,  they  substituted  an  annual  elective 
magistrate,  whom  they  called  M'.stro  Miles,  of  Magister  Mill- 
trim.  The  fifth  of  these  being  condemned  for  treason,  they 
reinstated  the  son  of  their  ancient  doge,  in  the  year  742.  From 
this  period  to  the  year  1173,  34  doges  governed  with  an 
absolute  authority,  but  constantly  engaged  in  civil  wars.  The 
last  being  killed  on  Easter-day  1173,  a  great  counsel  of  460 
was  chosen  annually  from  among  the  chief  citizens,  and  the 
doge  made  an  honourable  cypher.  The  DogeGRADENico  II. 
in  1298  procured  a  decree  that  the  great  council  should  consist 
of  those  who  had  been  members  of  it  during  the  last  four  years, 
and  their  descendants  in  perpetuity.  Thus  the  government 
from  democratical  became  aristocratical,  and  so  it  continues. 

At  present  there  are  about  3000  nobles,  out  of  whom  1500 
are  annually  elected  to  offices  in  the  government,  either  in  the 
councils  in  the  city,  or  as  capitaneo?,  or  governors,  in  their 
towns  on  the  continent.  The  nobles  are  divided  into  four 
classes.  The  first  class  consists  of  the  families  of  the  twelve 
tribunes,  who  elected  the  first  doge  in  709,  which  all  subsist, 
by  a  kind  of  miracle,  to  this  day,  and  are  called  the  electoral 
families  :  They  are  the  Contarini,  Morosini,  Gradenighi,  Badu- 
ari,  Fiepoli,  Micheli,  Sanucli,  Memmi,  Falieri,  Dandoli,  Polani, 
and  Barozzi.  There  are  four  others,  nearly  as  ancient,  who 
signed  with  the  former  the  Foundation  of  St  George  Major,  iu 
Boo,  viz.  the  Justiniani,  Cornari,  Bragaclini,  and  Bembi. 
There  are  eight  other  houses  nearly  of  equal  antiquity.  The 
second  class  is  composed  of  those  who  were  written  in  the 
golden  book,  cr  register  of  nobility  by  Gradenigo  II.  when  he 
instituted  the  aristocracy  in  1298.  The  third  class-is  made  up 
of  such  as  have  purchased  their  nobility  for  100,000  ducats  ; 
these  consist  of  80  families.  The  fourth  class  is  of  foreign 
nobility  aggregated.  The  Bentivogli,  Picos,  £cc.  have  the 
titles  of  nobles  of  Venice. 

The  Cittadini  are  such  families  as  held  a  share  in  the 
government  before  the  establishment  of  the  aristocracy,  and 
also  great  merchants,  lawyers,  physicians,  master-glass- 
workjr.-;,  &c.  These  wear  the  dress  of  nobles,  viz.  black 
gowns  with  plaited  sleeves,  and  are  made  podestats,  &c. 


352         TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALB  AN  BUTLER. 

Artisans,  boatmen,  &.c.  are  excluded  all  share  in  the  govern- 
ment. If  a  nobleman  become  a  merchant,  &c.  he  Is  degraded. 
If  he  marry  a  lady  of  inferior  rank  to  the  nobles  or  cittadini,  or 
if  he  neglect  to  inscribe  his  sons  as  soon  as  born  in  the  golden 
book,  his  children  are  not  noble. 

The  state  is  governed  by  three  councils. 

The  Great  Council  consists  of  all  the  nobility,  and  assembles 
every  Sunday  in  a  great  hall  in  St  Mark's  palace,  in  order  to 
chuse  people  to  fill  up  all  vacant  magistracies,  and  establish 
laws. 

The  Seco?td  Council  is  the  Pregadi  or  Se/iafe,  which  has  the 
principal  direction  of  all  important  affairs.  It  concludes  peace, 
forms  alliances,  and  declares  wars  ;  imposes  taxes,  and  has  the 
entire  disposal  of  the  treasury;  disposes  of  all  places  civil 
and  military,  names  ambassadors,  &c.  It  consists  of  120 
senators,  exclusive  of  the  Council  of  Ten,  and  the  Judges  cf 
the  Quaranta,  amounting  at  present  in  all  to  300,  but  the 
senators  alone  have  the  privilege  of  voting.  All  must  observe 
the  most  perfect  silence.  They  cannot  even  speak  to  one 
another  about  public  affairs  except  in  the  Broglio.  The 
senators  are  changed  yearly,  that  the  whole  body  may  have  an 
opportunity  of  exercising  its  privileges. 

The  Third  Council  is  that  of  the  College,  which  gives  audience 
to  ambassadors,  deputies,  &.c.,  and  consists  of  16  nobles,  viz. 
the  doge  and  his  six  counsellors,  of  the  seignurie,  three  of  the 
quaranta,  named  Capi  di  Quaraata,  and  deputies  from  the  other 
courts. 

TheDoge  holds  his  office  for  life  ;  he  is  chosen  by  41  electors, 
who  are  first  appointed  by  the  great  council  after  five  succes- 
sive elections  before  they  are  finally  nominated.  These 
are  shut  up  in  the  senate-house  as  the  cardinals  are  in  the 
conclave.  They  generally  terminate  the  election  in  six  or 
seven  days.  The  doge  is  stiled  S.erenissime.  On  days  of 
ceremony  he  sometimes  wears  brocade  of  gold  or  silver,  some- 
times scarlet,  and  always  appears  with  his  ducal  bonnet.  He 
presides  in  the  three  councils  with  his  signoria,  can  do  nothing 
without  their  advice,  and  is  intitled  only  to  one  vote.  He  is 
subject  to  the  judgment  of  the  council  of  ten ;  and  after  Ij is 


Clap.  XVII.  DESCRIPTION    OF   VENICE.  353 

death  his  conduct  is  examined  by  three  inquisitors  and  live 
correctors,  who  confiscate  part  of  his  estate  for  small  faults. 
He  cannot  stir  from  Venice  without  leave  of  the  seigneur ie  ; 
and  on  the  continent  he  is  not  acknowledged  doge  except  he  be 
at  the  head  of  an  army.  The  doge  receives  from  the  republic 
only  Bcoc  sequins  a-year.  The  Seiineutie  consists  of  the  doge 
six  counsellors,  who  constantly  attend  him,  and  the  tnree 
inquisitors  can  visit  his  closet  and  papers  at  any  time  they 
please. 

There  are  five  Great  Sages  who  assemble  the  senate  and  per- 
form the  offices  of  secretaries.  Five  sages  are  also  appointed 
for  the  continental  territories  of  the  republic. 

The  Procurators  of  Si  Mark  are  keepers  of  the  treasury  of 
St  Mark,  and  guardians  and  judges  of  hospitals,  pious  legacies, 
colleges,  prisons,  c^c.  Originally  there  was  but  one  ,-  their 
number  was  afterwards  increased  to  nine.  Besides  these  there 
are  now  extraordinary  procurators  of  St  Mark,  who  have 
bought  that  dignity,  (some  persons,  during  the  war  of  Candia, 
paid  J co, ceo  ducats  for  it)  or  have  acquired  it  by  embassies, 
or  other  merits.  They  take  place  of  all  other  senators,  \vear 
black,  or  purple,  with  ducal  sleeves,  or  a  black  stole. 

The  Council  of  'Ten  fudges  pass  sentence,  without  appeal,  on 
all  crimes  of  state.  They  can  arrest  and  put  to  death  privately 
whoever  the}r  please.  They  sometimes  condemn  the  unhappy 
persons  to  be  publicly  executed  on  the  square  of  St  Mark  ;  but 
more  frequently  cause  them  to  bi;  secretly  drowned  in  the 
channel  d'Orfana,  or  to  be  first  strangled  and  then  thrown  into 
that  channel.  It  sometimes  happens  that  the  friends  of  the 
accused  send  them  meat  many  days  after  they  have  been  exe- 
cuted. This  is  indeed  the  most  terrible  tribunal  in  the  world. 
It  takes  cognizance  of  all  the  transgressions  even  of  magistrates, 
podestats,  and  other  public  functionaries.  The  doge  and  hi? 
counsellors  usually  sit  with  them,  which  forms  the  council 
of  17- 

The  Three  Inquisitors  of  State  are  chosen  from  among  the 
Ten  Judges.  They  can  visit  the  doge's  private  cabinet,  at  any 
time,  and,  if  they  be  unanimous,  cause  him  to  be  strangled. 
They  are  informed  by  their  spies  cf  all  th?.t  is  dene  or  said; 


354          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALB  AN  BUTLER. 

may  cause  lo  be  drowned  in  Orfano  any  who  have  spoke  ill  of 
their  government,  or  order  strangers  to  depart  that  city  imme- 
diately under  p'lin  of  death. 

There  are  T/jrec  Councils  of  ^uaranta  -.  "ist,  The  new  Civil 
Quaranta,  which  judges  all  appeals  from  provinces.  2dly,  The 
old  Quaranta,  which  judges  appeals  from  city  magistrates, 
3diy,  The  Great  Council  of  Forty,  or  the  Criminal  Quaranta, 
which  judges  of  all  crimes  except  those  of  state.  The  three 
Capi  di  Qna..T.nta  may  be  deemed  the  three  presidents.  The 
three  Avagadors  are  appointed  to  defend  the  rights  of  the 
public  in  all  causes. 

The  Magistrates  cf  Pomp  are  created  in  order  to  prohibit 
every  species  of  extravagance  in  table,  dress,  or  equipage,  and  to 
enact  sumptuary  laws.  For  here  every  thing,  particularly  the 
style  of  dress  and  living,  is  regulated  by  certain  laws. — The 
gondolas  are  all  black,  and  destitute  of  ornament. — None  but 
a  procurator  of  St  Mark  can  have  a  gentleman,  or  keep  above 
two  men-servants,  with  two  boatmen,  &c.  Foreign  ambassa- 
dors are  not  indeed  under  the  superintendence  of  these 
magistrates  of  pomp,  and  therefore  frequently  display  most 
splendid  gondolas,  &c.  Even  the  dresses  of  the  ladies  must 
not  exceed  a  certain  expence  ;  a  regulation,  that  tends  to  check 
their  natural  extravagance. 

Churchmen  are  excluded  all  share  in  the  government.  The 
patriarch  of  Venice  is  primate  of  Dalmatia,  Candia,  and  Corfo 
&cc.  St  Lawrence  Justinian  was  the  first  patriarch  in  the  year 
1451,  when  the  pretended  patriarchate  of  Grado  was  abolished. 
The  patriarch  must  be  a  noble*  Venetian.  He  possesses  little 
authority  even  over  his  owu  clergy,  and  enjoys  only  the  nomi- 
nation to  two  benefices ;  the  theologal  in  St  Peter's  his  cathedral, 
and  the  curate  of  St  Bartholomew,  his  vicar  by  office.  The 
ducal  church  of  St  Mark  is  exempt  from  his  jurisdiction.  Its 
chief  priest  is  called  Primicerius,  officiates  with  a  mitre, 
cross  and  ring,  gives  his  benediction,  and  indulgences  of  40 
days,  confers  the  four  minor  orders,  &c.,  all  by  the  conces- 
sions of  popes. 

The  Patriarch  of  Aquilcla  (-  city  now  in  ruins)  resides  at 
IJdini,  is  primate  of  Istri?,  .and  inetrctrolitsn  of  Treviso, 


Clap.  XVII.  DESCRIPTION    OF   VENICE.  355 

Ceneda,  Caorli,  Ftltri,  Belluno,  Concordia,  Padua,  Vicenza, 
Verona,  Como,  and  Trent.  As  the  ruins  of  Aquileia  now 
belong  to  the  house  of  Austria,  the  emperors  pretend  to 
the  right  of  nominating  this  patriarch  ;  to  prevent  a  dispute, 
the  Venetians  make  the  patriarch  always  chuse  a  coadjutor  in 
his  life-time. 

The  Inquisition  of  Venice  is  limited ;  and  seculars  from  the 
senate  sit  \vith  the  ecclesiastical  judges. 

The  republic  of  Venice  sends  governors  to  its  subject  cities 
and  provinces  ; — to  each,  a  capitaneo  to  command  the  military, 
and  a  podestat  to  preside  over  civil  affairs.  This  latter  officer 
enjoys  powers  similar  to  the  Roman  prsetor,  and,  assisted  by 
lawyers  of  the  city  as  his  assessors,  judges  all  causes.  These 
governors  are  changed  every  18  months.  Governors  of  pro- 
vinces are  called  Proveditores.  Thus,  the  proveditor  of 
Palma-nova  is  general  of  Ferioul,  of  which  that  place  is  the 
key  and  bulwark. 

The  Captain-gene ral of  the  sea  exercises  an  unlimited  power ; 
and  the  proveditor-general  of  the  fleet,  in  time  of  peace,  when 
there  is  no  generalissimo,  enjoys  a  very  extensive  jurisdiction 
over  the  navy,  and  in  war  is  a  spy  on  the  captain-general. 
These  two  admirals  are  obliged  to  surrender  themselves  as 
prisoners,  when  their  command  is  expired,  till  they  have 
given  in  their  accounts. 

The  commonwealth  always  keeps  six  gallies  cruizing  in  the 
gulph,  the  admiral  of  which  is  called  General  of  the  Gulph. 
It  maintains  besides  thirty  gallies  in  readiness  on  this  sea. 

The  military  of  the  republic  is  pretty  formidable;  but 
militia,  (Albanians,  Sclavonians,  &c.,  accoutred  in  the  Hunga- 
rian manner),  are  employed  to  maintain  the  public  peace.  In 
Venice  no  soldiers  are  permitted  to  do  duty  The  doge  him- 
self has  no  guards,  herein  adopting  a  custom  directly  the  reverse 
of  that  of  Genoa.  The  arsenal,  three  miles  in  circuit,  built  on 
several  islands  joined  into  one,  is  surrounded  with  walls,  with 
only  two  gates  ;  and  has  sentinels  and  guards. 

The  Revenues,  in  time  of  peace,  amount  to  1 8  or  2C  millions 
of  livres  a-year,  viz, 


356          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALB  AN  BUTLER. 

Ducats. 

From  Venice  nnd  its  ports        -  1,000,000 

From  the  marquisate  of  Trevisane  -  280,000 

From  Padua  400,000 

From  Vicenza  and  its  territory  -          -  200,000 

Ver'-.na  and  its  terrifory  -          400,000 

Bergamo  and  i-s  jurisdiction  -  300,000 

Crema  and  its  jurisdiction  -         -  160,000 

T;>    Hrescian  -  1,200,000 

Frioul  -  -  400,000 

From  the  Polesin,  or  County  of  Ruigo        -          140,000 
From    their    states   in   Dalmatia,    and  the  isles 

Corfu,  Cefalonia,  &c.  -  -  800,000 


5,.  80,000 

Besides  some  other  sources    of  revenue,   amounting  in  all, 
•with  the  above,  to  nearly  8,000.000  ducats. 

Each  ducat  is  little  more  than  two  shillings  Sterling. 

VENICE  is  debarred  all  the  pleasures  of  exercise  ;  and  the 
state  is  so  excessively  jealous  that  the  people  dare  not  amuse 
themsel.es  in  the  discussion  of  news  or  politics.  Ihe 
magistrates  are  obliged  to  permit  and  encourage  all  diversions- 
possible  in  such  a  place  compatible  with  their  rigid  maxims  of 
government ;  hence  it  may  be  called  a  city  of  pleasure  above 
all  others  in  the  world,  for  masquerades,  operas,  &.c.  Its 
Carnivals,  are  too  well  known,  and  are  continued  from  Christ- 
inas till  Lent.  All  people  are  masked  during  that  time,  as 
well  as  at  the  feast  of  the  Ascension,  on  account  of  the  splendid 
solemnity  of  marrying  the  doge  to  the  sea.  Their  rope-dancers, 
&c.  are  perhaps  the  most  daring  in  the  world.  The  Givovo 
tli  Forze,  or  play  "of  strength,  with  six  rows  high  of  men, 
upon  each  others  shoulders,"  not  improperly  named  Forze 
d"1  Ercole,  or  Strength  of  Hercules,  is  certainly  an  astonishincr 
instance  of  strength  and  ingenuity  combined. 

Venice  is  not  properly  built  in  the  sea,  but  on  immense 
lakes,  35  miles  long  from  north  to  south,  and  five  or  six  broad, 
communicating  with  the  main  sea,  except  where  separated  by 
the  Lido,  a  natural  rampart  35  miles  long  and  two  broad,  and 
in  some  places  only  ico  paces  broad.  The  Lido  is  cut  through 
by  the  sea  in.  five  places,  v.liich  form  so  luany  ports  to  Venice, 


Chap.  X7IL  DESCRIPTION  OF  VENICE.  357 

where  vessels  of  heavy  burden  stop,  viz.  Treporto,  the  Castles 
of  Lido  and  of  Crasmo,  two  miles  from  Venice  ;  Malamocco, 
the  best  of  them,  five  miles* from  Venice ;  Chioggia,  20  miles 
from  Venice,  and  Brondolo.  This  singular  city  stands  on  72 
islands  joined  together  by  500  bridges.  The  houses  open 
on  one  side  into  canals,  (which  are  their  streets)  covered  with 
gondolas,  or  small  swift  boats  ;  on  the  other  side  into  narrow 
streets  for  foot  passengers.  There  is  no  place  in  Venice  to 
which  one  may  not  go  either  by  water  or  by  land.  No  horses, 
coaches  or  carts  are  ever  to  be  seen  in  this  place.  A  gondola, 
with  two  rowers,  will  cost  about  seven  or  eight  Pauls  a-daj, 
not  half-a-crown  English  ;  and  this  is  quicker  than,  and  deemed 
as  genteel  as,  a  coach  and  six  in  London.  All  commodities, 
though  brought  from  the  continent,  are  very  plentiful  and 
cheap,  especially  victuals.  The  nobles  are  seldom  attended  by 
even  one  servant.  By  this  means  a  person  may  make  a  figure 
in  Venice  at  a  trifling  expence.  There  are  about  14,000  gon- 
dolas in  the  city. 

Among  the  innumerable  Canals  which  pass  before  the  doors 
of  every  house  in  this  city,  that  called  the  Great  Channd, 
1300  paces  long,  and  in  some  places  40  broad,  divides  the 
town  of  Venice.  The  architecture  of  those  of  Cornaro  and 
Grimani  is  principally  admired.  Over  II  Car/al  Grande  is 
thrown  the  finest  bridge  perhaps  in  the  world,  called  Ponte 
Realto.  Its  foundations  rest  on  7000  piles,  it  is  built  entirely  of 
marble,  and  consists  of  only  one  immensely  bold  arch  reared 
at  the  expence  of  30,000  ducats,  and  carrying-  upon  it  two 
rows  of  shops,  twelve  on  each  side.  The  radius  of  this  arcli 
is  22  feet.  It  is  70  round,  and  43  bro;id.  In  these  islands, 
the  ground  being  swampy  and  low,  the  houses  are  built  on. 
piles  of  larch  wood,  to  make  a  firm  foundation,  in  the  same 
manner  as  in  the  cities  of  Stockholm,  Amsterdam,  Martique, 
&.c.  To  lay  the  foundation  of  these  houses  is  more  expensive 
than  to  erect  the  whole  edifice.  Venice  is  situated  five  miles 
from  Lisa  Fusina,  where  the  continent  coivm>ences.  Gondolas 
sometimes  venture  over,  but  the  sai'er  and  more  common  way 
is  to  use  either  a  paloeote,  which  is  a  long,  narrow,  swift-sailing 
barge,  or  a  bucentnur,  still  larger,  and  more  alow  aud  heavy. 


TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALfcAN  BUTLER. 

Venice  contains  about  140,600  souls.  Its  commerce  is  not 
very  considerable,  but  its  manufactures  are  sources  of  great 
wealth.  The  city  is  divided  into  six  quarters  called  sestiers, 
of  which  that  of  St  Mark  is  the  principal,  wherein  are  two 
squares  adjoining  each  other,  both  called  by  the  common  name 
of  St  Mark.  In  one  of  these  squares,  on  the  east  sidcj  stands 
the  palace  and  church  of  St  Mark.  On  the  west,  the  palace  of 
the  proctiratorships ;  and  on  two  pillars  of  granite  brought 
from  Constantinople  (the  third  was  lost  in  the  sea),  are  placed 
the  statues  of  the  two  patrons  of  the  commonwealth,  viz. 
of  St  Theodore,  and  of  St  Mark,  with  a  lion  looking  towards 
the  sea,  signifying  that  he  keeps  a  watchful  eye  over  his  domi- 
nions. The  tower  or  steeple  of  St  Mark,  separated  from  the 
church,  is  said  to  be  higher  than  that  of  Bologna.  It  is  cer- 
tainly one  of  the  highest  in  Italy,  being  330  feet,  and  very 
large.  Its  ascent  is  by  a  winding  stair  within  the  walls.  The 
prospect  from  the  top  is  singularly  beautiful.  On  the  three 
masts  round  it  hang  three  old  standards,  in  memory  of  three 
kingdoms  formerly  under  the  dominion  of  Venice,  viz.  Cyprus, 
Candia,  and  Negropont. 

The  Ducal  Palace  on  this  square  is  a  fine  building,  having 
its  two  principal  fronts  adorned  by  noble  porticos.  The  great 
gate  is  of  marble,  surmounted  by  a  lion.  On  one  side  appears 
a  statue  of  the  doge  FOSCARI;  and  at  the  entry  to  the  great 
stairs,  called  the  Stairs  of  Giants,  are  two  marble  colossuses  of 
Mars  and  Neptune  by  Sansovin.  Mars  represents  the  land 
dominions  ;  Neptune  is  a  symbol  of  the  sea  ;  and  on  the  top 
of  these  stairs  are  two  beautiful  statues  of  Adam  and  Eve. 
In  the  Chamber  of  the  College,  or  of  audiences,  are  paintings 
by  PAUL  VERONA,  of  the  reception  of  Henry  III.  king  of 
France,  at  Venice  j  and  some  by  TITIAN.  The  Chamber  of  the 
Great  Council,  15  feet  long,  and  74  broad,  sustained  without: 
any  pillars,  is  esteemed  a  more  wonderful  edifice  than  the 
Sleldonian  Theatre  in  Oxford.  In  this  chamber  hang  six 
great  paintings — representing  Alexander  III.  presenting  a  ring 
to  the  doge,  in  sign  of  the  dominion  of  the  Adriatic  sea ;  and 
the  Pope's  reconciliation  with  the  Emperor  Frederick  Barba- 
rossa,  through  the  mediation  of  the  Venetians, — by  BASSANO, 


Clap.  XVII.  DESCRIPTION   OF  VENICE.  359 

PAUL  FIAMINGO,  and  ZUCHARO.  The  cieling  is  gilt.  Over 
the  doge's  throne  is  an  incomparable  picture  by  TINTORET, 
displaying  the  glory  of  Paradise,  and  containing  above  1000 
figures  in  different  attitudes.  In  the  Sala  dello  Scrutinio, 
strangers  are  admitted  during  the  deliberations  of  the  great 
council.  The  nobles  put  each  a  ball  into  a  vessel,  in  which  are 
three  holes ;  one  for  the  affirmative,  one  for  the  negative,  and 
one  bttvvixt  the  other  two  for  neuter  ;  so  that  no  person  can 
see  where  they  put  their  balls.  In  different  parts  of  the  palace 
are  boxes,  on  which  is  written,  <e  Secret  Denut:ciationy"  and 
intended  to  receive  anonymous  accusations  against  persons 
relating  to  matters  of  state.  These  boxes  are  opened  only  by 
the  council  of  ten.  The  doge's  apartments  are  by  no  means 
superbly  furnished.  His  private  chapel,  in  which  we  saw  him 
at  mass,  is  painted  in  Fresco  by  TITIAN. 

The  Ducal  Church  of  St  Mark  is  1 86  feet  long,  and  served 
by  26  canons  under  a  priraicer,  all  appointed  by  the  Doge :  Its 
architecture  is  Grecian,  has  five  low  domes  ;  aud  it  is  paved 
with  small  pieces  of  porphyry,  serpentine  marble,  and  different 
sorts  of  stones  in  Mosaic.  Its  front  is  adorned  by  five  brass 
gates,  wrought  with  basso-relievo,  with  pillars  of  porphyry. 
Upon  the  ballustrade,  or  tribune,  on  the  top  of  the  church 
looking  into  the  great  square,  are  placed  four  fine  statues  of 
horses  of  brass  gilt,  originally  cast  for  Nero,  carried  from  Rorne 
to  Constantinople,  by.Constaniine  the  Great,  and  thence  brought 
by  the  Venetians,  when  they  took  that  city. 

In  the  pavement  of  the  porch  of  this  church,  they  point  out 
a  square  flag  of  red  marble,  on  which  they  say  Pope  Alexander 
III.  put  his  foot  on  the  neck  of  the  Emperor  Barbarossa,  pro- 
nouncing those  words  :  "  Thou  shah  walk  on  the  aspic  and 
"  basilisk."  The  same  story  is  painted  in  a  hall  in  the  palace 
of  the  Signoria,  it  being  deemed  the  most  glorious  action  of  the 
commonwealth  to  have  humbled  that  proud  Emperor.  Indeed, 
it  is  true  that  the  Venetians  assisted  the  Pope  against  that  mo- 
narh,  who  had  set  up  an  Antipope,  and  invaded  the  Ecclesias- 
tical Patrrmony  :  But  the  above  instance  of  insolence  and  pride, 
so  unworthy  a  Christian,  is  a  notorious  forgery,  as  Noel  Alex- 
ander, who  lived  in  the  I2th  age,  (can.  z,  art.  9.)  and  all  other 


3^0        TRAVELS  OF  THE  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLtR. 

good  Historians  even  the  greatest  enemies  of  the  holysee,  de* 
monstrate.  Romuald,  archbishop  of  Salerno,  who  was  present 
at  the  absolution  of  Frederic,  in  the  Council  of  Venice,  and 
wrote  a  history  of  Alexander  III.  wherein  he  particularly  men- 
tions this  absolution,  says  nothing  of  such  a  circumstance ; 
nay,  he  even  extols  Alexander's  mildness  and  humility,  who 
admitted  Jie  aotipope  himself  penitent  to  his  table,  treating 
him  with  the  utmost  attention  and  humanity  in  1178.  Mat- 
thew of  Paris,  William  of  Tyre,  and  Roger  of  Hoveden,  say 
nothing  of  any  such  circumstance,  though  minute  in  their  de- 
tails of  other  less  important  matters  . 

In  the  chapels  of  St  Mark's  church  arc  good  pictures  by 
TINTORET  and  other  great  masters,  &c.  The  high  altar  is 
adorned  by  a  canopy  of  marble  admirably  wrought,  set  off  with 
jewels,  and  supported  by  four  fine  marble  pillars.  The  chapel 
of  the  Blessed  Sacrament,  is  adorned  with  four  pillars  of  ala- 
baster, clear  as  chrystal,  said  to  have  been  brought  from,  Solo- 
mon's Temple,  with  some  others  of  serpentine  marble  in  this 
church.  The  body  of  St  Mark,  brought  from  Alexandria  in 
827,  is  said  to  lie  under  one  of  the  oriental  pillars.  Only  the 
primicer  and  one  of  the  procurators  of  St  Mark  are  acquainted 
with  the  place,  which  they  swear  not  to  discover.  Through 
a  great  door  painted  in  Mosaic,  in  the  middle  of  the  church  on 
the  left  hand,  a  procurator  of  St  Mark  at  certain  hours  leads 
strangers  to  shew  the  Treasury,  in  which  are  twelve  gold 
crowns  adorned  with  jewels,  crosses,  candlesticks,  lamps,  £tc. 
of  gold  and  silver ;  a  great  number  of  inestimably  precious 
stones  ;  a  Greek  mass-book  covered  with  silver  and  jewels, 
from  St  Sophia  in  Constantinople,  &c.  ;  a  sapphire  of  ten 
ounces.  In  the  sacristy  is  another  treasury  of  relics,  among 
which  is  preserved  a  viol  of  blood  which  issued  out  of  a  cruci- 
fix, pierced  by  the  Jews  of  Berytus  in  675  ;  a  Greek  gold 
cross,  in  which  is  some  of  the  wood  of  our  Saviour's  cross,  one 
nail  and  thorn  ;  theA:;s  of  the  Apostles,  said  to  be  in  the 
hand-writing  of  St  Chrysostom  ;  and  St  Mark's  Gospel,  said 
also  to  be  written  by  the  Evangelist's  own  hand.  The  two 
last  leaves  are  at  Prague,  sent  as  a  present  to  one  of  the  Em- 
perors of  Germany.  Mabillon,  \vhea  at  Venice,  could  not  sec: 


Chap.  XVII.  DESCRIPTION    OF  VENICE.  361 

this  manuscript,  Iter.  Ital.  p.  32.  But  Montfaucon  did,  Ital. 
c.  4,  p.  55,  and  thinks  it  is  written  on  Egyptian  paper  ;  but  it  is 
so  eaten  and  worn  with  dampness  and  age,  that  it  must  soon  be 
quite  consumed.  The  characters  are  almost  effaced,  and  the 
leaves  cannot  be  touched.  Some  have  thought  they  discovered 
the  characters  and  words  to  be  Greek ;  but  Mountfaucon 
proves  they  are  Latin  : — The  ducal  crown,  which  the  Doge 
wears  at  his  coronation,  in  which  are  many  jewels,,  especially 
a  great  ruby  and  a  diamond. 

The  Procuratorskips  on  the  great  square,  are  superb- pala- 
ces, and  built  in  the  most  noble  style  of  architecture  of  any  in 
Venice.  The- Hall  of  Statues  is  remarkable.  In  it  is  an  ad- 
mirable picture  by  TITIAN,  of  a  woman  holding  in  her  hand  a 
brief.  On  the  right  hand  is  the  Library  of  St  Mark,  found* 
ed  by  the  celebrated  PETRARCH,  who  bequeathed  his  books  to 
the  Senate  of  Venice.  It  was  afterwards  encreased  by  many 
other  private  libraries,  especially  that  of  Cardinal  BESSARION, 
who  bestowed  on  it  his  collection  of  most  rare  manuscripts,  con- 
taining amongst  others  Photius's  Bibliotheca,  Sec.  This  librarj 
is  adorned  with  25  fine  marble  statue's  of  goddesses,  Stc.  and  its 
structure  is  after  the  design  of  Sansovino.  The  Museum  is 
rich  in  statues,  busts,  altars,  See.  The  pictures  in  these  palaces 
of  eminent  procurators,  doges,  &c.  are  principally  by  TINTO- 
RET,  some  by  TITIAN,  PAUL  VERONESE,  Sec.  Before  this 
building  is  the  Broglio  ;  and  facing  the  two  Procuratorships 
stands  the  Mint,  called  Zccctc,  whence  tne  name  of  the  gold 
coin  Zechine.  Tt  is  entirely  of  iron,  having  no  wood  even  for 
doors  and  windows, —  constructed  after  the  plan  of  Sansovino. 
It  contains  good  pictures  by  TITIAN,  TINTORET,  and  others. 
The  works  of  the  same  great  masters  also  adorn  the  church  of 
San  Geminiano,  on  the  same  square. 

The  Venetian  nobles  in  the  square  of  St  Mark  converse  free- 
ly with  foreigners  ;  but  they  are  forbid  to  visit  foreign  ambas- 
sadors. 'Tis  in  the  Broglio,  or  Portico,  or  square  under  the 
Procuratorship,  that  they  talk  together  about  public  affairs  ; 
during  which  time,  in  the  morning,  no  others  can  enteri; 

z 


36*2          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

In  the  Sestier  di  San  Pietro  di  Castello,  is  St  Peter's,  the  pa- 
triarchal church,  on  one  of  the  altars  of  which  is  placed  an  urn, 
containing  the  mortal  remains  of  St  Laurence  Justinian. 

The  arsenal  is  the  largest  in  the  world,  and  is  the  only 
great  one  in  the  state.  It  contains  numerous  gallies,  of  which 
the  republic  constantly  maintains  40,  and  several  men-of-war, 
of  which  a  new  one  is  always  building  In  it  also  are  maga- 
zines of  cannon-halls,  masts,  cables,  with  a  rope-manufactory, 
flax,  matches,  &cc.  an  innumerable  display  of  ancient  armour, 
and  great  quantities  of  modern  arms,  in  good  order.  We  ob- 
served here  the  arms  of  the  famous  Scanderbeg,  and  other  ce- 
lebrated warriors, — cannons  made  for  the  prince  of  Denmark, 
— others  with  many  barrels,  to  shoot  a  number  of  balls  by  one 
charging.  Near  2000  men  are  perpetually  at  w.  rk  here. — • 
This  arsenal  is  situated  in  an  island  composed  of  several  islets, 
3  miles  round,  surrounded  with  walls.  In  one  of  the  docks  of 
this  arsenal,  under  cover,  lies  the  fine  Bucentaur,  or  vessel  in 
which  the  Doge,  every  Ascension-day,  with  prodigious  pomp, 
sails  to  Lido,  and,  throwing  a  gold-ring  into  the  sea,  affects,  by 
this  ceremony,  to  marry  that  element,  thus  asserting  the  per- 
petual dominion  of  the  republic  of  Venice.  The  Bucentaur  is 
gilt,  and  exquisitely  wrought  with  innumerable  symbols  ;  is 
loo  feet  long,  and  2t  broad  ;  but  a  volume  would  be  necessa- 
ry, (and  one  is  actually  printed)  to  give  a  description  of  it. 

The  church  of  St  John  and  St  Paul,  belonging  to  Domini- 
cans, is  a  fine  edifice,  and  contains  the  picture  of  St  Peter  Mar- 
tyr, one  of  the  best  pieces  of  TITIAN.  The  Sestier  of  St  Paul 
contains  handsome  churches,  as  does  that  of  Canal  Reggio,  in 
which  is  the  new  magnificent  church  and  house  of  the  Jesuits, 
readmitted  into  this  state  at  the  intercession  of  King  Lewis 
XlV.  Many  of  the  Venetians,  however,  still  retain  a  jealousy 
and  prejudice  against  this  learned  body  ;  but  they  also  begin 
to  have  many  friends,  and  possess  one  of  the  richest  churches 
in  Venice.  At  Verona,  and  other  towns  belonging  to  this  state, 
when  I  enquired  if  any  Jesuits  were  established  amongst  them, 
I  was  answered,  as  at  Lucca,  "  God  be  thanked,  there  are  none," 
— a  sentiment  entirely  opposite  to  that  entertained  by  all  tb.Q 
other  towns  of  Italy. 


Clap.  XVIll.  DESCRIPTION    OF   VENICE.  363 

The  remaining  Sestiers,  or  sixth-parts,  are  that  of  the  Cross, 
so  called  from  the  church  of  the  Franciscans  of  the  Holy  Cross, 
full  of  fine  paintings  ;  that  of  Dorzoduro,  in  which  the  church 
of  the  religious  of  St  Sebastian,  is  almost  all  painted  by  PAUL 
VERONESE,  with  a  St  Nicolas  of  TITIAN,  &c.  Paul  of  Vero- 
na's monument  is  in  this  church.  He  died  in  1588.  The 
church  della  Salute,  built  by  the  senate,  is  dedicated  to  the  Bles- 
sed Virgin,  according  to  a  vow  made  during  the  plague  of  1576. 
It  is  served  by  fathers  of  the  congregation  of  Somascho  ; — is  an 
octogon  paved  with  marble,  and  rich  in  gildings  and  pictures  : 
The  Descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  is  the  celebrated  piece  of  TITIAN; 
and  the  tribune  or  vault  was  painted  by  JOSEPH  SALVIATI  ; 
the  four  Evangelists,  by  TITIAN,  were  also  transported  hi- 
ther. The  Sacristy  contains,  if  possible,  paintings  still  more 
admirable  : — a  Saul  throwing  a  lance  at  young  David,— a  Jo- 
sue, — an  Aaron, — and  a  Supper,  by  SALVIATI  ; — the  Supper 
of  Cana  by  PAUL  of  Verona, — three  pictures  of  TITIAN,  &.c. 
The  church  of  the  Redeemer,  belonging  to  the  Capuchins,  is 
of  very  regular  architecture  by  PALLADTO,  and  possesses  good 
pictures. 

Venice  was  the  seat  of  the  Lombard  school  of  painters  ;  so 
that  almost  all  its  churches  and  palaces  are  stocked  with  fine 
pictures,  among  which,  those  of  TINTORET,  PAUL  VERONESE, 
and  TITIAN,  excel.  The  curiosities  of  Venice  consist  in  the 
singular  situation  of  the  city  itself  ;  St  Mark's  church, 
square  and  palace  ;  the  Procuratorship  ;  the  Broglio  ;  the 
Arsenal ;  the  churches  of  the  Jesuits  ;  Carmelites  ;  Domini- 
cans ;  Capuchins  ;  and  Della  Salute  ;  its  pictures  and  glass- 
houses. 

Around  Venice,  (without  the  city)  are  60  separate  isles,  al- 
most covered  with  religious  houses,  &c.  St  George  Major,  a 
very  rich  abbey  of  Benedictin  monks,  occupies  an  island,  in 
which  are  beautiful  gardens  belonging  to  it,  and  a  magnificent 
house  and  church,  built  after  one  of  the  noblest  plans  of  PAL- 
LADIO. The  corridors  are  extremely  spacious,  and  every 
thing  else  in  a  stile  of  equal  elegance.  Their  library  is  ex- 
tensive and  valuable.  In  the  church  are,  a  round  picture  of 
our  Lady  by  TITIAN  j  a  Blessed  Trinity,  and  a  Resurrection 

7,  2 


364         TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

of  our  Saviour,  by  TINTORET  ;  a  Nativity,  by  BASSANO  ;  and 
many  other  incomparable  pieces.  In  their  refectory  is  the 
finest  picture  in  Venice, — a  large  Supper  of  Gana,  by  PAUL  of 
Vernna,  justly  deemed  his  masterpiece,  in  which  are  120  figures. 
He  has  painted  himself  in  the  person  of  the  bridegroom,  and  his 
mistress  in  that  of  the  Bride.  St  George  Major  lies  on  the 
other  side  of  the  port,  facing  the  city. 

Murano  is  another  island,  a  mile  from  Venice  ;  the  streets  cf 
the  city  are  cut  by  canals,  in  a  stile  similar  to  these  of  Venice. 
It  is  embellished  with  the  palaces  of  the  noble  Venetians,  but 
its  importance  is  principally  derived  from  its  glass-houses. 
The  master  glass-workers  all  pretend  to  derive  a  patent  of  no- 
bility from  King  Henry  III.  of  France,  when  that  monarch  vi- 
sited Venice.  The  chrystal  glass  made  here  is  admirably 
beautiful  ;  nor  less  wonderful  is  the  art  by  which  they  make 
all  sort  of  figures  of  it,  some  of  them  correct  imitations,  both 
in  colour  and  shape,  of  emeralds,  topazes,  and  all  kinds  of  pre- 
cious stones.  Our  English  glass-manufacturers,  by  running  the 
glass,  form  larger  glasses  ;  and  many  other  nations,  having  now 
acquired  the  secret,  this  manufactory  has  lost  much  of  its  for- 
mer profits,  by  the  sale  of  its  articles  being  greatly  circum- 
scribed. There  is  a  small  manufacture  of  chrystal-glass  in 
Venice  itself,  in  which  the  magazine  of  fine  chrystal- ware  is 
infinitely  greater  and  more  precious  and  curious  than  at  Mu- 
rano. 

Forcello,  containing  many  noble  antiquities  and  churches  ; 
Burano,  &-c.  are  also  very  famous  islands. 

St  George  in  Alga  is  a  convent  of  reformed  Carmelite  Friars, 
occupying  a  whole  island  towards  Tusinoe.  It  was  formerly  a 
monastery  of  an  institute  by  St  Laurence  Justinian,  suppressed 
by  Clement  IX.  during  the  war  of  Canciia.  Malamoceo  is  5 
miles  from  Venice,  in  the  mouth  of  the  Brent.  The  great 
ships  stop  here.  Chiozza  is  fortified,  and  the  key  of  the  Vene- 
tian territories.  It  stands  on  little  isles,  with  many  canals  simi- 
lar to  Venice.  The  Lido,  which  separates  the  lakes  from  the 
sea,  is  cut  into  5  isles,  naturally  very  sandy,  but  rendered  fruit- 
ful by  art  :  The  largest  of  these  is  5  miles  long,  and  300  or 
\  20  paces  broad,  between  Chiozza  and  Malamoceo.  On  the 


Chap.  XVII.  DESCRIPTION    OF   VENICE.  365 

side  towards  the  lake,  stand  fine  palaces,  from  designs  by  Pal- 
ladio.  San  Nicolao  de  Lido  has  a  good  church  of  St  Nicolas, 
in  which  the  Doge,  and  Seigneurie,  ambassadors,  &c.  hear  mass 
on  Ascension  Day.  Between  this  island  and  that  of  St  James 
de  Palude,  is  the  great  passage  from  Venice.  Here  the  Doge 
throws  .the  ring  into  the  sea.  On  each  of  these  two  is  a  strong 
fortress,  which  commands  the  passage  and  defends  Venice,  which 
has  neither  garrison  nor  fortifications  ;  but  it  cannot  be  ap- 
proached by  any  enemy.  Land-forces  cannot  cross  j  miles  in- 
to the  lakes,  in  many  places  deep,  in  others  shallow,  marked 
out  with  stakes  for  the  boatmen  to  avoid  ;  and  by  sea,  no  man- 
of-war,  or  great  vessel,  can  come  nearer  than  the  Lido.  It  is 
the  only  great  city  in  the  world  that  was  never  besieged  and 
never  taken.  In  Venice  all  things  are  very  cheap. 

We  did  not  see  in  the  Doge's  palace  the  Armamento  del  Con- 
siglio  di  Dieci,  or  little  arsenal ;  nor  the  Musaeum  of  Medals, 
presented  by  the  noble  Venetian  PETER  MOROSINI,  and  des- 
cribed by  the  famous  professor  of  Padua,  CHARLES  PATIN,  in 
a  large  volume.  These  medals  consist  of  both  ancient  and  mo- 
dern gold  and  silver.  The  Forestiere  liluminato  in  Venezia, 
1740,  gives  a  more  full  description  with  copperplates^dividing 
the  city  into  six  days. 


366         TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 


CHAPTER    EIGHTEENTH. 


A     TOUR     FROM     VENICE     TO      MILAN. 

Account  of  the  Islands  and  Stales  belonging  to  Venice. 

Elands  of  Corfu.— Cephalonia,— Zante.— Territory  and  City  of  Istria,  City 
of  Trcistf.— Ferioul.— Forum  Julii.— Maran.— Grado.— Monte  Falcone. — 

Palma — Marquiiate  of  Treviso.— River  Brenta;  Palaces  of  Pisani  and  Grim- 
ani. — PADUA,  Its  Delightful  Situation,  Town  House,  and  other  Public  Build- 
ings, St  AXIONY  of  Padua,  Celebrated  University  of  Padua— Bassana — 
Trent — Vicenza — Verona,  Antiquities  of  '."erona,  Its  Amphitheatre  and  other 
Buildings— Lake  della  Guarda—  Brescia— Cremona—  Casa!  Major- Bergamo-- 

Crcma — .Canonica — River  Adda — Lodi. 


JL  HE  Venetians  possess  some  provinces  on  the  continent  in 
Dalmatia,  and  the  following  islands  :  Corfu,  ^antieatly  Cjr- 
cyra)  the  country  of  the  Phaeacians,  celebrated  in  HOMER. 
This  island  is  one  mile  from  the  continent  of  Albania,  and 
60  from  Otranto  in  Italy  ;  54  miles  long,  25  broad  :  Cephulonia, 
lying  also  on  the  coast  of  Albania,  and  somewhat  larger  than 
Corfu  :  Znntet  the  old  Zadnthus,  opposite  to  the  gulph  of 
Corinth,  now  called  of  Lepan to,  60  miles  in  circumference.  In 
these  places  the  Creek  religion  prevails.  The  Turks  have 
wrested  from  the  republic  the  Morea,  or  Peloponnesus ;  Candia, 
the  ancient  Crete,  whence  come  the  Malvaise  sweet  wine ;  and 
Cyprus,  famous  for  its  sweet  wines. 

On  the  continent  of  Italy,  the  Republic  of  Venice  possesses, 
First,- -Istria,  on  the  head  of  the  gulph,  a  mountainous  fertile 
country,  reaching  to  Dalmatia  :  Its  capital,  Lapo  d1  Istria,  in 
Latin  Juttinopolis,  from  its  founder  the  Emperor  Justin,  is  said 
to  be  i  place  of  great  strengh,  from  its  being  situated  on  a 
rock  in  the  sea,  joining  the  continent  by  a  bridge  of  500  paces 

in  length The  old  Pccla,  called  anciently,  Colonia  Pola,  or 

Pie  fas  'Julia  3  contains  many  antiquities,  and  valuable  old  M,  S, 


Chap.  XVIIL      A   TOUR   FROM   VENICE  TO    MILAN.  367 

The  emperor  possesses  in  Istria,  the  ruins  of  Aquileia,  and  the 
city  of  "Trieste,  which  has  a  commodious  and  deep  harbour  on 
the  Adriatic,  that  muft  prove  greatly  advantageous  to  it,  if  the 
Emperor  encourages  its  commerce. 

idlyy — The  Ferioul :  The  capital  of  this  province,  Ci-vitad  del 
Friuli,  the  Forum  Juli  of  the  Romans,  is  a  very  rich  city,  and 
contains  a  fine  cathedral  nobly  adorned.  It  was  the  residence 
of  the>  Patriarch  of  Aquileia,  who  afterwards  retired  to  Udino, 
a  large  town  given  him  by  the  Emperor  Otho  the  first.  Ma- 
ran  is  a  strong  town.  Grado  is  situated  on  an  Isle ;  Monte 
Falcone  on  a  rugged  mountain.  Palma,  the  frontier  against 
Stiria,  is  a  strongly  fortified  regular  city.  Its  streets  all  di- 
verge in  a  streight  line  from  the  Governor  or  Proveditor's 
palace  in  the  centre,  one  to  the  gorge  of  every  bastion  in  the 
walls.  It  was  built  as  a  rampart  to  defend  Italy  against  the 
incursions  of  the  Turks  and  Germans.  Ferioul  was  created 
a  dutchy  by  the  Lombards  :  These  places  submitted  to  the  Ve- 
netians about  the  icth  or  i2th  century. 

3^/y, — The  Marquisate  oj Trevho,  50  miles  from  north  to 
south,  and  40  from  east  to  west,  erected  by  the  Lombards. 
From  the  Carraresi  and  the  Scalas  it  fell  under  the  dominion  of 
the  Venetians  in  1388.  Treviso  is  a  very  large  ancient  city, 
and  stands  a  little  above  Padua. 

We  travelled  in  Lombardy,  along  the  foot  of  the  Alps,  about 
150  miles.  It  contains  the  most  delightful  plains,  watered  by 
the  Po,  Adda,  Brent,  Adige,  &cc.  ;  and  the  ground  is  fatter  and 
more  fruitful  than  Bologna,  whence  the  Italian  proverb  :  Bo- 
logna la  grassa,  ma  Padua  la  passa. 

We  took  a  palaeote,  or  boat  for  passengers,  which  sails  swift- 
ly :  The  bucentaurs  are  broader,  and  move  slower  :  The  gon- 
dolas are  generally  too  small  to  venture  out  of  the  streets,  though 
they  sometimes  visit  the  continent  We  left  Venice,  in  our  pa- 
la;ote  and  after  sailing  3  miles  reached  the  continent  atLisa-Fusina 
a  village,  and  continued  our  route  by  water  up  the  Brent  to 
Padua.  The  river  Brenta  rises  in  the  Alps,  passes  by  Bas- 
sano  and  Padua,  and  falls  into  the  sea  five  miles  below  Venice; 
which  is  of  great  advantage  to  the  city,  as  the  water  in  the 
Jakes  is  all  salt,  and  that  of  the  canals  dead  and  stagnating.  On 


368  TRAVELS   OF  REV.    ALBAN    BUTLER. 

the  banks  of  the  canal,  and  especially  along  the  Brenta  we  pas- 
sed by  the  splendid  palaces  of  tlie  Venetian  nobles  ;  amongst 
which  the  most  magnificent  seemed  to  be  that  of  Pisani,  with 
its  beautiful  gardens  and  labyrinth.  Pisani  was  the  last  doge  ; 
the  present  is  Grimam,  whose  palace  here  is  accounted  the  se- 
cond in  architecture  and  riches.  The  Grimani,  Pisani,  and 
Macenigo,  are  at  present  the  most  flourishing  families  of  the 
Venetian  nobility,  though  only  of  the  second  class,  viz.  of  those 
wrote  in  the  Golden  Book  by  the  Doge  Grademgo  in  the  fa- 
mous Serrav  del  Consiglio.  Those  of  the  fourth  dass,  who 
bought  their  nobility  in  the  last  war  of  Candia,  have  been 
hitherto  excluded  all  great  places  by  the  others. 

PADUA  is  2c  miles  from  Liza-Fusina,  25  from  Venice,  and 
is  watered  by  the  rivers  Brenta  and  Baciglione.  Padua  is  more 
ancient  than  Rome,  and,  according  to  Livy  and  Virgil,  it  was 
built  by  Anterior  the  Trojan.  All  its  inhabitants  enjoyed  the 
privileges  of  Roman  citizens,  and  were  adopted  into  the  Fa- 
bian tribe.  After  the  Lombards  were  expelled  by  Charle- 
magne, Padua  had  its  Lords,  the  most  celebrated  of  whom  was 
the  tyrant  Ezelin,  who  lived  in  the  I3th  century.  This  city 
formerly  was  mistres  of  all  the  other  towns  possessed  by  the 
Venetians  in  Lombardy,  viz.  Vicenza,  Verona,  Bassano,  &c. 
but  it  was  at  last  conquered  by  the  Venetians  in  1406,  when 
governed  by  its  Lords  the  Cararesi.  It  is  a  great  and  hand- 
some city,  but  very  thinly  inhabited,  delightfully  situated  in  a 
most  plentiful  and  cheap  country.  Its  bread  is  the  best  and 
whitest  in  Italy,  and  it  has  good  wine  from  its  own  neighbour- 
hood, though  the  common  wines  in  Venice  are  very  bad.  Large 
line  porticos  reign  along  the  sides  of  almost  every  street,  before 
the  houses,  so  that  people  walk  always  under  shelter  both  from 
rain  and  from  the  sun.  This  is  the  same  in  Bologna,  and  in 
almost  all  the  cities  of  Lombardy. 

The  To-ivn-house  of  Padua,  or  Palais  de  la  Ragionc,  is  one  of 
the  finest  buildings  in  Europe.  It  is  covered  with  lead  and 
supported  by  brass  beams,  without  any  pillar  in  it  ;  though 
256  feet  long,  and  136  broad.  One  hall,  the  largest  in  Europe, 
is  no  paces  long,  and  40  broad,  without  any  pillar.  The  vault 
And  part  of  the  walls  are  admirably  painted  by  GIOTTO  and  hi: 


Chap.  XVIIL         A    TOUR    FROM    VENICE    TO    MILAN.  369 

scholars.  The  influences  of  the  12  signs  of  the  zodaic  are  re- 
presented symbolically.  In  the  figures  the  painter  has  delin- 
eated the  manners  and  dresses  of  the  ijth  century.  At  one 
end  is  the  monument  of  Livr,  the  Roman  historian,  (who  was 
born  in  this  city)  with  a  modern  inscription  informing  us,  that 
one  of  his  arms  was  given  to  Alphonsus  king  of  Arragon  in 
1451.  But  all  good  judges  are  of  opinion  that  this  monument 
is  not  genuine,  nor  that  which  they  call  Anteno^s^  in  the  corner 
of  a  street,  amidst  other  tomb-stones,  all  raised  above  a  man's 
height  from  the  ground.  The  inscription  on  the-rnonument  of 
Anterior  is  evidently  Gothic ;  and  was  probably  engraven  on 
an  old  Roman  tomb,  for  such  the  structure  shews  this  to  have 
been 

The  Palace  of  the  Podestat  and  his  collaterals,  in  another 
fine  square,  is  a  most  splendid  building,  containing  many  fine 
halls  and  a  public  library. 

The  Palace  of  the  Chevalier  Pcipafava  is  the  rendezvous  of 
the  gentry  in  Summer.  Its  groves  of  pomegranates  and  its  sum- 
mer houses,  &c.  are  eternally  fresh,  green  and  cool  ;  and  its 
parterres  most  beautiful  The  palace  is  well  bu;i:  :-r.c!  defen- 
ded by  a  moat  of  running  water  from  the  river.  Every  stra..oer 
must  be  left  to  lose  himself  in  the  ingenious  labyrinth.  Pa- 
dua contains  many  other  fine  palaces,  of  the  Counts  Zabarella, 
of  Bonaviti,  &.c.  Bat  the  solitary  appearance  of  the  streets  of 
this  city  throws  over  it  an  unpleasant  gloom. 

The  Dome  or  Cathedral,  dedicated  to  St  Prosdechimus,  is  a 
very  large  and  well  built  Gothic  edifice,  adorned  with  rich 
ornaments  and  monuments,  the  most  noble  of  which  is  that  of 
BERTHA  Empress  of  Henry  4th.  This  church  is  repairing  in 
a  very  sumptuous  manner.  I  sought  among  the  old  tombs 
of  this  church  for  that  of  Petrarch,  but  could  not  distinguish 
it,  though  some  writers  assert  it  is  to  be  seen  here.  The 
people  of  Padua  informed  us  that  his  monument  is  at  Arquato, 
a  little  distance  from  Padua  towards  Mantua,  where  they  say 
his  house  and  the  skeleton  of  his  cat  are  shewn  ;  and  this  ac- 
count was  confirmed  to  us  by  a  fellow-traveller  from  France. 

PADUA  contains  irany  othergood  churches,  among  which  those 
worthy  of  notice  are,--the  Dominicans,  the  Austins,  the  Carrnes, 


37®         TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

the  Benedictin  Nuns.  But  they  are  all  eclipsed  by  St  Antony's 
and  $t  "f latino's.  St  AMTONY  of  Padua  is  here  held  in  so  great 
veneration  that  all  their  deeds  and  writings  begin  in  the  name 
di  Oio,  et  di  Sant  A.  itonio ;  and  his  shrine  Attracts  many 
pilgrims  to  this  town  :  He  is  called  throughout  the  country,  il 
Santo,  the  saint.  The  convent  of  Conventual  Franciscans  (the 
order  of  the  saint_)  is  extremely  rich  ;  the  church  very  sump- 
tuous, and  adorned  Dy  six  domes.  The  choir-seats  are  finely 
carved,  and  the  chapels  are  all  sumptuous:  But  the  chapel  of  St 
Antony  is  singularly  magnificent.  The  saint's  shrine  is  of  sil- 
ver enclosed  in  marble  and  placed  on  the  back  part  of  the  altar, 
Twelve  great  silver  lamps  perpetually  burn  before  it.  Rails 
of  marble  finely  carved  encompass  it  around.  The  chapel  wall 
is  entirely  laid  with  marble,  in  which  the  saint's  miracles  are 
finel  carved  by  Sansovin,  and  by  Tully  and  J  Lombard,  two 
sons  of  Peter  Lombard.  There  are  12  costly  pillars,  pieces  of 
paintings  by  TITIAN,  silver  statues,  &-c.  The  Treasury  of  St 
Antony's  is  to  be  equalled  only  by  that  of  Loretto. 

St  yustina's  is  a  rich  magnificent  abbey  of  Benedictin  Monks. 
It  was  formerly  the  first  reform  of  Benedictines  in  Italy,  but 
is  now  united  to  the  Cassinats,  or  the  congregation  of  Monte 
Cassino.  This  Abbey,  that  of  St  George  Major,  and  two 
other  richhouses  in  thecountry,  form  one  community,  and  every 
fourth  year  change  their  abbots  ;  for  example  the  abbot  of  St 
Justina,  after  his  term  in  Padua,  goes  to  St  George  Major, 
and  passes  the  same  term  in  each  of  the  other  t  .vo  monasteries, 
before  he  comes  again  to  St  Justina's.  By  this  mean  s  thoughthe 
abbots  are  chosen  for  life,  as  in  the  Benedictin  rule,  yet  the  reli- 
gious are  not  settled  perpetually  under  the  same  superior  ; 
which  is  often  troublesome  to  some.  The  abbey  of  St  Justina 
is  a  recent  building,  very  magnificent,  situated  in  a  fine  square  ; 
besides  its  outer  courts,  the  dormitory,  or  gallery  with  thecells, 
is  very  broad,  long,  and  uncommonly  well  lighted  by  two  great 
windows  at  each  end.  The  library  is  elegant  and  well  stocked 
with  all  sorts  of  valuable  books.  The  church  of  St  Justina, 
next  to  the  Vatican,  is  one  of  the  most  magnificent  in  Europe, 
built  in  an  admirable  style  of  architecture  ;  perfectly  light,  open 
and  disencumbered.  Its  form  is  that  of  a  cross,  it  is  368  gecw. 


Clap.  XVIII.        A   TOUR    FROM    VENICE    TO    MILAN.  3} I 

metrical  feet  long,  42  broad  ;  from  the  pavement  to  the  arch 
82  high,  the  tranverse  is  252  feet,  and  has  at  each  end  two  fine 
chapels,  especially  that  of  St  Justina.  The  choir  was  began 
in  1555.  The  seats  are  made  of  wallnut-tree,  on  which  are 
finely  carved  the  principal  actions  of  the  life  of  our  Saviour, 
and  many  historical  representations  from  the  Old  Testament, 
and  various  hieroglyphics,  generally  one  to  each  historical 
event  :  For  example,  to  the  baptism  of  Christ  corresponds  the 
ark  carried  through  the  Jordan.  Over  the  seats  are  the  statues 
of  David  and  Samson.  The  high  altar  is  most  judiciously  and 
richly  adorned  :  The  martyrdom  of  St  Justina  is  an  incom- 
parable picture  by  Paul  Veronese.  There  are  in  this  church  24 
other  altars,  all  admirably  finished,  of  the  rarest  marbles  chiefly 
from  Africa  and  Greece  ;  but  the  design  of  each  is  new  and 
different.  In  the  first  on  the  right  hand  appears  the  Conversion 
of  St  Paul,  by  Paul  Veronese,  adorned  with  four  pillars  of 
Grecian  marble,  lapis  lazuli,  mother  of  pearl,  coral,  &cc.  In 
the  church  are  two  very  good  sets  of  organs,  of  a  new  and  sin- 
gular structure,  and  perfectly  harmonious.  The  church  con- 
tains eight  cupolas  covered  with  lead,  four  great  and  four  small 
ones.  The  largest  is  in  the  middle,  196  feet  high.  On  the 
top  is  the  statute  of  St  Justina  14  feet  high.  All  of  these  cu- 
polas have  many  windows  which  make  the  church  exceeding 
lightsome  ;  36  square  pillars  support  the  structure,  of  the  com- 
posite order  and  finished  workmanship.  The  workmanship 
is  of  red,  white,  Grecian,  and  other  sorts  of  fine  marbles,  vari- 
ously and  curiously  wrought.  The  steeple  is  222  feet  high, 
square,  beautified  with  ornaments  of  the  Tuscan  and  Corinthian 
orders.  In  large  old  chapels  are  many  good  pictures  and  curi- 
ous antiquities,  and  under  ground  the  prison  of  St  Justina  and 
Prosdecimus  ;  a  marble  stone,  on  which  many  martyrs  were 
beheaded,  with  this  distich  : 

Quam  lapis  hie  pretiosus  !  ubi  tot;  colla  piorum 
Martyrii  titulo  deposuere  caput. 

In  the  small  church  of  St  Thomas  of  Canterbury,  belonging 
to  NunSj  are  buried  several  Englismen. 


37'i         TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

PADUA  is  the  most  celebrated  university  in  Italy.      The 
Venetians  appoint  two  procurators  from  amongst  their  princi- 
pal nobility,  whom    they  call  Reformatori  dello  Sudio  di  Pa- 
dua, and  who  superintend  the  University.     By  liberal  salaries 
they  are   careful  to  draw  learned  professors  from  all  parts  of 
Italy  and  France,  especially  of  religious  orders,  Dominicans, 
Franciscans,  £-c.     I  was  very  much  pleased  with  the  lectures 
of  the  professor^,  at  which  I  assisted.     The  Palaz%ci  degli  ^fu- 
dii  is  a  noble  and  spacious  building,  forming  a  fine  square,  with 
two  rows  of  porticos,    to    walk  under,    before  the   schools, 
which  are  great  halls  for  every  science.     The    chool  for  anato- 
my and  experiments  is  the  most  ingenious  in  the  world.     It  has 
seats  aroiind  it  from  top  to  bottom,  like  an  amphitheatre,  which 
easily  contain   6co  scholars,  who  may  conveniently  see  all  the 
operations,  or  philosophical  experiments  that  are  performed  in 
it.     The  Musezumt  or  collection  of  curiosities,   both  artificial, 
but  principally  natural,  abounds  in  petrifactions,  belamites,  as- 
troites,  and  such  like  stones  ;  of  all  which  this  is,  I  believe,  the 
most  extensive  magazine  in  the  world.     It  contains  many  rari- 
ties no  less  deserving  of  notice.      A  professor  explains,  in  the 
Latin  language,   all  these  stones,  tlieir  nature  and  formation, 
to  all  that  come  to  hear  him.      In  the  lecture  I  heard,  he  en- 
deavoured to  prove  that  all  shells  were  petrefactions,   in  oppo- 
sition to  the  opinion  of  Dr  Mead,  &c.     But  I  must  not  launch 
into  a  dissertation,  though  in  my  favourite  line.     Amongst  the 
arms  of  these  gentlemen  who  have  studied  here,  hung  up  in  the 
schools,  there  are  many  belonging  to  English  families.     In  Pa- 
dua there  are  10  colleges  ;  but  the  greater  part  of  the  students 
lodcre   in  citizens  houses.      The  great  liberty  and  privileges 
they  enjoy  make  them  unruly  and  licentious.    Tis  said,  by  the 
signal  qui  i)a  la>  they  assemble  and  beat  any  stranger  in  the 
itreet,   after  it  is  dark  ;    though  now  they  are  more  orderly. 
The  Bishop's  Seminary  is  truly  a  noble  palace.     The  church  is 
adorned  with  fine  pictures  of  the  Lombard  school.     Its  library 
is  a  very  good  one,   so  are  the  libraries  of  St  Austin's  at  the 
Dominicans,  of  St  Antony's,  &c.     I  wonder  Burnet  could  find 
no  Books  in  Italian  libraries,  except  the  works  of  the  school 
.iivines.     All  the  libraries  of  Rome,  Milan,  and  of  every 


Clap.  XVII.        A  TOUR  FROM  VFNICE  TO  flilLAN.  373 

city,  in    taly  contain  all  the  best  writers  on  scriptures,  fathers, 
history,  criticism,  &c. 

The  mineral  baths  of  Abano  5  miles  from  Padua  are  deemed 
efficacious  in  many  diseases. 

We  left  on  our  right  hand  nearer  the  Alps  Eassano,  a 
good  town,  where  is  manufactured  the  finest'  silk  of  Italy, 
litle  inferior  to  that  of  China.  Its  territory  produces  soiree 
of  the  best  wine  in  Italy,  and  the  best  cherries  and  other 
fruit.  TRENT,  situated  in  a  narrow  passage  between  the 
snowy  Alps,  very  hot  in  summer,  and  very  cold  in  win- 
ter, with  its  small  territory,  belongs  to  its  bishop,  a  prince  of 
the  empire.  In  its  cathedral  was  held  the  council  of  Trent, 
VICENZA  is  ten  miles  from  Padua,  through  roads  made  extreme- 
ly bad  in  that  fat  soft  soil.  We  made  very  little  stay  in  it, 
though  it  be  a  handsome  town  enjoying  many  privileges,  because 
it  voluntarily  submitted  to  the  Venetians.  According  to  Livy 
and  Justin  it  was  built  by  the  Senones  Gauls.  Here  arc  seen 
the  ruins  of  an  amphitheatre  and  of  Roman  baths.  In  the 
palace  de  Ragione,  in  which  the  Podestat  resides,  is  TITIAN'S 
line  picture  of  the  Last  'Judgment.  The  churches  have  many 
pictures  of  Paul  of  Verona  and  other  Lombard  masters.  St 
Prosdecimus  was  the  first  bishop  of  Vicenza.  The  Madonna 
is  the  best  church  ;  though  not  so  large  as  the  cathedral.  T:ie 
walls  of  this  city  afford  no  defence  ;  nor  can  the  town  be  micle 
tenible,  being  commanded  by  mountains.  Within  the  enclo- 
sure is  a  Campo  Marzo,  in  which  fairs,  &.c.  are  held.  The 
town  has  a  modern  theatre,  built  upon  the  design  of  Palladio, 
who  was  a  native  of  this  place.  Vicenza  is  a  much  smaller 
city  than  Padua,  yet  contains  as  many  inhabitants,  viz.  about 
30,000  in  13  parishes.  Its  territory  is  extensive,  being  250 
miles  in  circuit.  The  Venetians  draw  from  of  it  80,000  du- 
«ats  annually. 

VERONA,  is  38  miles  from  Vicenza,  the  glory  of  Venice, 
and  the  second  city  of  the  state.  It  stands  on  a  beautiful  plain, 
and  is  intersected  by  the  Adige,  which  is  a  broad,  clear  and 
rapid^river.  The  territory  of  Verona  is  extremely  fruitful 
except  to  the  northward  of  the  city,  where  it  is  very  moun- 
tainous. It  is  from  east  to  west  jo  miles,  from  north  to  South 


374,  TRAVELS   OF   REV.   ALBAN  BUTLER. 

80.  At  Verona  we  found  everv  body  masked  in  the  streets, 
it  being  then  one  of  their  principal  fairs.  The  mask  is  esteem- 
ed part  of  their  dress  in  Venice  and  in  its  dependant  towns. 
Verona  has  walls,  curtains,  bastions  and  moats,  according  to  the 
rules  of  modern  fortification  ;  but  it  is  not  a  strong  place,  be- 
ing commanded  by  impending  mountains  on  the  north.  It  is 
defended  by  three  castles,  Castello  Vecchio  in  the  valley  ;  Saa 
Pietro  on  a  mountain  ;  and  the  most  important  of  all,  San  Felice, 
on  the  highest  mountain.  In  this  city  are  many  things  deser- 
ving of  attention  :  First,  the  old  Via  JEmilia,  formed  by  the 
consul  ./Emilius,  which  commenced  at  Rimini,  where  the  Fla« 
minian  road  terminated,  and  was  carried  through  Bologna,  Pla- 
centia  and  Verona  to  Aquileia.  Immediately  without  the  gate 
of  Verona  appear  many  Roman  antiquities  ;  and  an  old  castle 
built  by  the  former  tyrants  of  Verona,  idly,  An  arch,  in 
honour  of  the  Emperor  GALLIEN,  still  entire.  It  seems  to 
have  been  erected  by  the  people  as  a  mark  of  gratitude  for  his 
embellishing  this  city-  Such  honorary  arches  as  this,  and  that 
of  Fano,  differ  from  the  triumphal  arches,  both  in  the  inscrip- 
tions and  in  the  motives  that  produced  their  erection,  but  they 
are  nearly  similar  in  the  fabric.  The  distinction  of  these  not 
having  two  smaller  arches,  besides  the  great  one,  is  not  uni- 
versal. This  arch  was  dedicated  to  Janus  Quadrifons  ;  and 
stands  in  street  upon  the  Via  ^Emilia.  $dly,  A  triumphal  arch 
to  MARIUS  for  his  victory  over  the  Cimbri ;  and  near  it  an. 
amphitheatre,  the  most  entire  in  the  world.  It  was  built  by 
Augustus,  Maximian,  and  completed  by  Gallien.  The  stones 
having  been  in  part  carried  off,  the  city  repaired  it ;  applying 
fines  and  confiscations  for  crimes  to  defray  the  expence  of  this 
work,  so  that  a  great  part  of  the  steps  are  new.  The  porticos 
on  the  outside  are  in  a  ruinous  state  ;  but  the  walls  and  seats  are 
perfectly  entire  ;  these  measure  on  the  top  530  paces  in  circum- 
ference ;  but  at  the  bottom  on  the  inside  only  240,  44  rows  of 
stone  seats  run  entirely  round,  each  a  foot  and  a  half  high,  and 
29  inches  broad.  Over  its  opposite  gates,  adorned  with  fine 
portails,  are  two  balconies.  i  he  vomitoria,  by  which  the 
spectators  entered  and  retired,  without  crowding  the  arcades, 
are  useless,  because  the  porticos  and  their  stairs  on  the  outside 


Chap.  XF1IL         A  TOUR  FROM  VENICE  TO  MILAN1.  375 

have  been  partly  demolished.  The  prisons  of  those  criminals 
•who  were  condemned  to  be  exposed  to  wild  beasts  are  some  of 
them  entirely  dark  ;  others  admit  a  glimmering  light  through 
a  small  aperture,  which  is  very  artfully  reflected  to  the  bottom 
of  the  dungeon.  T he  dens  for  the  wild  beasts,  and  places  for 
the  gladiators,  are  very  remarkable  j  but  the  iron  rail,  that  se- 
parated the  spectators  from  the  arena,  has  been  destroyed  By 
a  hole  in  the  arena  it  is  visible  that  it  is  now  raised  much  above 
its  former  level.  They  here  bait  bulls  and  wild  beasts,  and  ex- 
hibit spectacles  for  the  amusement  of  the  people  :  gtbly,  The 
lofty  Monuments  of  the  Scaligers,  lords  o-t  Verona,  are  very 
curious,  and  their  engravings,  odd  fancies,  and  inscriptions,  are 
not  a  little  diverting,  all  having  allusion  to  a  dog,  whence  their 
name  is  derived.  They  were  originally  named  detla  Scalat  which 
in  Latin  was  turned  into  Scaliger  ;  and  were  chosen  Lords  by 
Verona,  then  a  republick,  or  free  principality.  John  Galeas 
Duke  of  Milan  conquered  Verona,  but  the  Venetians  after- 
wards made  themselves  masters  of  it. 

The  Palazzo  della  fiagione,  or  court  of  justice  is  a  very 
magnificent  edifice,  and  was  formerly  the  palace  of  the  Sca- 
ligers. It  contains  capital  paintings.  On  the  ballustrade 
•which  looks  towards  the  great  square  are  raised  the  sta- 
tues of  five  celebrated  natives  of  Verona :  viz.  Catullus, 
Cornelius  Nepos,  A  milius  Marcus,  Pliny  the  elder,  Vi- 
truvius  the  great  architect.  Jerome  Fracastor's  statue  is 
erected  on  an  arch.  In  the  merchant's  square  is  a  fine  foun- 
tain, and  statue  of  the  city  of  Verona.  The  Academy  t  or 
assembly  of  gentlemen  who  have  formed  a  club  for  conferences 
on  the  belles  lettres,  contains  halls  and  chambers  well  furnished 
with  pictures,  books,  a  chamber  with  instruments  of  musick, 
&c.  How  commendable  are  such  academies  of  young  gentle- 
men, compared  to  those  clubs  whose  amusements  consist  in 
drinking  or  gaming  !  Among  the  ancient  urns,  &c.  here  pre- 
served, we  observed  many  modern  Jewish  grave-stones  in  the 
Hebrew  languages.  The  antiquarian  our  conductor  was  net  a 
little  puzzled  by  a  fine  monument  lately  dug  up.  The  letters 
D.  M.  distinguished  it  as  the  tomb  of  a  hea-hen;  while  the 
«rosses  no  less  decidedly  declared  that  it  had  belonged  to  a  Chri?  • 


3)6  TTAVELS   OT   REV.   ALBAN   BUTLER.' 

tiar.     Its  fine  basso  relievo  represeuted  troops  of  soldiers,  and 
m-Tj  s^boecl  ard  beheaded  evidently  intended  lor  martyrs.     It 
haa  evidently  been  first  heathenish  ;  but  afterwards  served  .-;cv:ne 
Christian.     An  inscription  engraven  round  it  in  Gothic  letters 
manifestly  unriddled  it :  "  Hanc  sacram  fecit  Eonifacius  Albas. 
"  Abbot  Boniface  made  this  tomb  sacred  "     I  must  not  forget 
the  bridge  over  the  Adigi,  in  Latin  Atbesis,   remarkable  for 
its  very  large  and  bold  arches.     Verona  received  the  faith  by 
St  Exuperius  disciple  of  St  Peter.    St  Z.eno  was  one  of  its  most 
illustrious  prelate'].     Hn  body  is  interred  in  a  church  built  in 
his  honour  by  King  PEPIN,  father  of  Charlemagne,  in  which  is 
a  porphyry  vessel  fo^  holding  holy-wr.ter,  26  feet  in  circumfer- 
ence.    The  church  belongs  to  a  rich  Vbbey  of  Benedictins,  not 
reformer],  consisting  of  noble  Venetians.     The  abbey   s  given 
in  commendam.     King  Pepin  lies  buried  in  a  vault  in  St  Procu- 
lus'^  c!  tirch  yard.      In  the  cathedral  are  seen  the  tomb  of  Pope 
Lucius  III.  5  also  a  fine  picture  of  the  Assumption  of  our  Lady 
by  TITTA.N*.     The  other  churches  possess  many  good  pictures, 
especially  of  Paul  of  Verona.     In  St  Anastosia's.,  belonging  to 
the  Dominicans,   in  the  chapel  of  the  Fulgosi,  are  rich  monu- 
ments of  that  family.     Under  the  great  porphyry  vessel  appears 
a  good  statue  of  a  very  deformed  man,  carved  by  Paul  of  Ver- 
ona's father.     On  the  opposite  side  is  placed  a  corresponding 
disfigured  statue;  which  was  made  by  his  rival,  who  had  im- 
printed so  strongly  in  his  imagination  the  image  of  the  statue 
which  had  excited  his  jealousy,  that  his  next  son  was  born  as 
deformed  as  the  obnoxious  figure.    In  St  Peter  Martyr's  church, 
belonging  a'so  tc  Dominicans,   are  some  relics  of  that  saint, 
a  native  of  Verona.      I  he  palaces  of  the  Counts  of  Bir.-i!aqua, 
Justi,  &c.  are  worthy  of  notice  ;  but  v.  e  did  not  go  into  thi.m. 
In  that  of  Maffbei,  is  a  very  broad  high  pair  of  well  stairs.     We 
desired  to  see  the  palace  and  cabinet  of  antiquities  of  Count 
Moscardi,  once  the  choicest  in  Italy.     But  within  these  few 
years  he  will  not  suffer  it  to  be  shewn  to  any.     It  is  imagined 
he  has  sold  some  of  the  rarest  curiosities.      Out  of  the  city 
stands  a  b-V'Utiful  new  church,    belonging  to  •!•?  Olivetans. 

Fi::v          •-:••:.'••  ro  Hivscu  Is  r.bov'.".  40  a.iie.--.  ;;  e  po-  ;.     The 
first  14  over  a  barren  plain,  often  stained  by  oioociy  battles. 


Clap.  XVII.        A  TOUR  FROM   VENICE   TO   MILAN. 

brought  us  to  the  stormy  lake  della  Guarda,  called  by  the  an- 
cients Benacus,  35  miles  long  from  north  to  south,  and  i£ 
broad.  It  is  full  of  very  large  eels.  The  winds  gathering 
easily  under  the  hills,  this  lake  is  very  subject  to  violent  storms, 
which  agrees  with  Virgil  and  other  ancient  writers.  At  the 
time  we  passed  it,  it  was  very  calm.  The  road  lies  between 
this  lake  and  the  mountains  ;  but  the  rains  having  made  it  im- 
passible, we  were  under  the  necessity  of  travelling  along  its 
opposite  side,  and  obtained  leave  of  the  governor,  to  go  through 
Peschiera  a  strong  fort  of  the  Venetians  on  the  river  Mincio,  as 
it  issues  from  the  lake.  It  is  regularlyjbrtified,  has  extensive 
moats,  and  is  deemed  indeed  a  passage  of  importance,  com- 
manding easily  the  pass  here.  The  Mincio  is  denominated  by 
Claudian"the  slowMincius;"  it  is  broad  and  a  considerable  ri- 
ver, passing  entirely  through  the  lake  from  the  Alps.  It  may 
indeed  be  called  a  new  river,  when  it  issues  from  the  lake.  It 
waters  Peschiera  and  Mantua,  and  falls  into  the  Po  a  little 
below  that  city. 

From  the  lake  Guarda  it  is  almost  30  miles  to  Brescia,  in 
Latin  Brixia,  a  gay  and  populous  trading  city,  governed  by  a 
Venetian  podestat,  and  a  capitaneo,  who  commands  the  garri- 
son. In  the  churches  are  many  good  paintings  :  the  palaces  I 
did  not  visit.  The  church  of  the  Italian  Oratorians  or  Philip- 
pin^  lately  built,  is  in  a  fine  style  of  architecture.  The  whole 
vault  is  admirably  painted  in  perspective  ;  every  figure  de- 
ceives the  eye,  and  seems  to  project  in  such  a  manner  as  to  be 
mistaken  by  a  spectator  for  fine  statues.  The  church  of  St 
Julia  or  of  St  Euphemia,  built  by  king  Desiderius,  possesses 
rich  ornaments,  and  belongs  to  Benedictine  nuns  ;  a  sister  and 
a  daughter  of  that  king  died  in  this  nunnery.  la  the  cathedral 
they  pretend  to  shewConstantine'sZ^^r^OT,  or  heavenly  ensign. 
It  is  a  cross  of  azure.  The  Brescian  is  an  extensive  territory, 
ico  miles  long,  and  50  broad,  including  450  towns  and  vil- 
lages. It  is  a  very  rich  extensive  bishopric,  containing  7  or 
8000  souls,  besides  50,000  in  Brescia  itself.  Cardinal  !j>utrini9 
a  Venetian,  enjoys  it  together  with  the  prefecture  of  the  Va- 
tican library.  The  present  pope  informed  him  that  each  re- 
quired residence,  and  so  seemed  incompatible.  The  cardinal 

A  a 


TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

answered,  he  could  divide  the  year,  and  satisfy  both  obliga- 
tions, for  the  public  service. 

The  road  from  Brescia  to  Milan  is  between  50  and  60  miles, 
leaving,  on  the  left,  Mantua,  on  the  Mincio  near  the  Po ; 
and  in  the  Milanese,  Cremona,  on  the  Po,  an  ancient,  large,  and 
handsome  city,  regularly  fortified,  and  containing  a  small  uni- 
versity ;  Casal  Major,  also  on  the  Po,  and  Pfaxicbettom  upon 
the  Seria,  a  very  strong  fortress  near  Crema.  We  went  to 
Milan  by  Bergamo,  an  inconsiderable  city,  situated  on  the  river 
Serio,  very  dangerous  in  all  its  fords.  The  country  is  extreme- 
ly fertile  to  the  south,  but  north  of  Bergamo  begin  the  snowy 
mountains.  Bergamo  is  a  regularly  fortified  barrier  town,  be- 
ing but  32  miles  from  Milan.  But  the  Venetians  strongest 
bulwark  on  this  side  is  the  castle  of  Brescia,  on  a  rock  ;  Bres- 
cia itself  being  also  fortified.  Bergamo  stands  on  a  hill.  On. 
the  left  from  Bergamo,  also  on  the  banks  of  the  Serio,  stands 
Crerna  regularly  fortified,  capital  of  the  Cremascho  subject  to 
the  Venetians.  A  little  below  Crema  the  Serio  falls  into  the 
Adda,  which  there  separates  the  Milanese  from  the  Venetians. 
Eergamo  and  Brescia  once  free,  afterwards  fell  under  the  do- 
minion of  the  Dukes  of  Milan,  and  after  remaining  some  time 
under  their  jurisdiction,  they  submitted  themselves  to  the  Ve- 
netians. Tne  Dukes  of  Milan  have  upon  every  occasion  re- 
newed their  pretenjions  to  these  places. 

The  territories  of  Bergamam,  Verona,  &cc.  produce  the  best 
cherries,  pears,  apples,  &.c.  in  Europe  :  Vicenza  is  generally 
called  the  garden  of  Venice.  The  innumerable  brooks  and  ri- 
vers issuing  from  the  Alp?,  that  water  this  country,  and  ris- 
ing principally  from  the  snow,  which  abounds  with  nitre, 
the  great  principle  of  vegetation,  render  this  whole  tract  ex- 
tremely fertile.  But  on  the  right  hand,  all  this  way,  we  saw 
nothing  but  very  lofty  barren  mountains,  white  with  snow. 
Three  rallies  indeed  run  into  the  Alps  about  the  Bresciau.  La 
Valle  del  Sole,  20  miles  long,  in  which  runr,  the  river  Chiesa. 
La  Valle  Troppia,  six  miles  from  Brescia,  120  miles  long  :  in 
it  lies  the  river  Mela,  on  which  Brescia  stands  ;  find  La  Valle 
Canonjc^,  50  miles  long.  This  last  runs  into  the  Giisons,  and 
up  to  Tirol,  divided  by  the  river  Oglio,  deriving  its  origin 


Clap.XVIL    A  TOUR  FROM  VENICE  TO  MILAN.  379 

from  the  small  lake  Isis.  The  Oglio  Is  a  large  river,  and  falls 
into  the  Po  below  Cremona,  near  Mantua  and  the  Mincio.  At 
Canonica  a  large  borough  we  met  the  Adda,  a  very  consider- 
able river,  which  from  the  Lake  of  Como  passes  by  Canonica 
and  Lodi,  and  enters  the  Po  at  Cremona.  Lodi'is  a  strong  burgh, 
well  fortified,  the  frontier  of  the  Milanese  near  Crema.  It  is 
called  Lodi,  or  Lacus  Pompeii,  though  situated  at  some  distance 
from  Pompey's  colony  near  Pavia,  now  entirely  in  ruins.  The 
inhabitants  retired  hither  when  their  city  was  burnt  by  the 
Milanese.  The  Adda  here  separates  the  Venetian  territor-ts 
from  the  Milanese.  We  crossed  it  in  a  barge,  and  then  enter- 
ed Canonica  the  first  place  of  the  Dutchy  of  Milan,  and  20 
miles  from  the  city.  The  roads  near  it  on  every  side  are  sin- 
tjularly  pleasant  and  beautiful. 


380       TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 


CHAPTER  NINETEENTH. 

A     TOUR     FROM      MILAN      TO      LYONS. 

Description  of  the  City  of  MILAN,  Noble  Families,  Trade,  Citadel,  Cathedral, 
Church  of  St  Ambrose,  of  St  Victor,  Madonna  delle  Gratie,  San  Lorenzo, 
St  Nazarius's  Church,  Hospfdale  Maggiore,  Ambrosian  College  and  Library, 
Works  of  LEONARD  VINCI,  Wonderful  Echo,  Revenues  of  Milan,  History, — 
PAVIA. — Charterhouse. — MOD  EN  A. — MIRANDOLA. — MANTDA. — The  Parme- 
san.— Account  of  the  Dukes  of  Parma — River  Tesin — City  of  Novara — Verceil 
—TURIN — House  of  Savoy — Montserrat — Casal — Trin — V'errue — Nice — Al- 
ba— Acqui — Piedmont — Marquisateof  Saluces— Marquisate  of  Suze — Savoy — 
Chamberry — Montmelion — Sardinia — CagHari— Savoy — Passes  of  the  Alps — 
Ivraie — Bard — Chatillon — Aost — Passage  over  the  Alps — The  Valais — Bishop 
of  Sion — Disease  of  the  Goitre  prevalent  amongst  the  inhabitants  of  the  Alps — 
Rhone-— St  Maurice — Canton  of  Berne—Military  Strength  and  Manners  of 
the  Swiss — Lake  of  Geneva — Lausanne — Pais  de  Vaud-— Charterhouse  of  Ri- 
paille — Thonon — Annecy — GENEVA,  Its  Commerce  and  Territory — Poverty 
of  the  Savoyards — LYONS. 


MILAN,  1746. 

JMiLAN  is  situated  so  admirably,  at  a  convenient  distance  from 
the  Alps,  yet  in  sight  of  these  stupendous  mountains,  in  the 
midst  of  a  most  fruitful  country,  betwixt  the  Addar  Tesin  and 
Po,  that  though  it  has  been  taken  22  times,  and  often  razed  to 
the  ground,  (the  emperor  Frederic  Barbarossa  even  sowing  salt 
on  its  foundations)  yet  it  always  rose  rapidly  from  its  ruins, 
and  has  been  ever  accounted  one  of  the  greatest  and  richest  ci- 
ties of  Europe.  It  is  10  miles  in  circuit ;  contains  nearly 
300,000  inhabitants,  230  churches,  besides  many  chapels,  96 
parishes,  and  10  hospitals,  which  always  maintain,  in  a  most 
comfortable  manner,  6000  poor  and  sick.  Its  streets  are  large, 
the  houses  stately,  but  not  built  in  a  fine  style  of  architecture. 
Its  churches  are  magnificent,  and  the  palaces  of  the  nobility  are 
noble  edifices.  The  principal  families  are  the  Sforsse,  Visconti, 
Trivulsi,Marini,  Medici,  Borromsei,  Turriani,  Massentii,  &.c. 
This  city  enjoys  a  very  considerable  trade  with  France,  Spain, 
and  all  parts  of  Italy,  Its  chief  commodities  are  its  silks,  bro- 


Clap.  XIX.   A  TOUR  FROM  MILAN  TO  LYONS.         381 

cades,  gold  and  silver  ware,  fine  work  of  chrystal  found  in  the 
Alps,  See.  The  city  itself  cannot  maintain  a  siege,  but  its  cas- 
tle, or  rather  citadel,  situated  on  an  eminence  closely  adjoining 
the  town,  is  very  extensive,  and  deemed  almost  impregnable. 
It  being  in  time  of  war  we  could  only  see  the  out-works,  hence 
I  can  give  no  description  of  the  arsenal,  &c. 

The  Cathedral,  dedicated  to  our  Blessed  Lady  and  St  Thecla, 
was  founded  by  the  Duke  John  Galeas.  Some  extol  it  as  the 
finest  church  in  the  world,  next  to  St  Peter's  in  Rome  ;  others 
depreciate  it  too  much.  It  is  certainly  a  most  stately  and  sump- 
tuous edifice,  but  it  has  many  capital  defects.  Its  architecture 
is  Gothic,  and  far  inferior  to  the  Gothic  cathedral  of  Sienna, 
for  perfection,  order  and  beauty,  though  much  more  magnifi- 
cent. It  is  500  feet  long,  200  broad  ;  and  though  so  vast,  all 
its  walls  are  covered  with  very  fine  marble,  and  adorned  all  a- 
round  with  innumerable  fine  statues.  This  gives  it  an  astonish- 
ingly noble  effect  on  the  outside.  The  building  is  covered  with 
lead,  and  resembles  a  small  town  on  the  top.  The  pavement 
is  marble.  Six  domes  rise  from  this  edifice,  the  highest  of 
which  is  160  feet  high,  the  others  100.  The  vault  is  sustain- 
ed by  1 60  marble  pillars,  so  large  that  three  men  can  hardly 
embrace  them,  and  it  is  adorned  by  4000  statues,  above  600 
great  ones  of  marble,  all  by  eminent  masters,  each  of  which  cost 
1000  crowns.  The  statues  of  Adam,  and  of  St  Bartholomew 
{lead  alive,  (whereon  the  muscles  and  veins  are  admirably 
pourtrayed)  are  inimitable  monuments  of  the  genius  of  CHRIS- 
TIAN CIBO.  The  quire  is  beautified  with  fine  basso  relievo 
representing  the  histories  of  the  New  Testament.  In  an  ex- 
tensive subterraneous  chapel  lie  the  bodies  of  SS.  Celsus,  Na- 
zarius  and  other  saints  and  martyrs.  In  another  is  that  of  St 
Charles.  His  shrine  is  of  chrystal,  adorned  with  jewels,  gold 
and  silver.  The  altar  of  silver,  the  vault,  and  a  good  part  of 
the  sides  of  chapel,  are  almost  all  covered  with  plates  of  silver. 
A  great  number  of  silver  lamps  burn  continually  in  it.  On  a 
marble  stone  we  read  the  following  epitaph  :  "  Charles,  cardi- 
"  nal  of  the  title  of  St  Praxides,  archbishop  of  Milan,  desiring 
"  to  be  recommended  to  the  more  frequent  prayers  of  the  cler- 
*•'  gv,  people,  and  devout  sex,  living,  chose  to  himself  this  monu- 

A  a  3 


o 


82         TRAVELS  OF  REV.  4LBA.N  BUTLER. 


"  ment."  He  lived  46  years,  one  month  and  one  day  ;  and  go- 
verned this  church  24  years,  8  months  and  24  days.  He  died 
on  the  4th  of  November  1584.  There  are  two  sacristies  full 
of  rich  ornaments,  the  principal  of  which  is  a  large  silver  sta- 
tue of  St  Charles,  &c.  In  this  church  are  several  tombs  of 
the  dukes  of  Milan  and  others,  and  four  pillars  of  porphyry,  &c. 
But  the  astonishing  profusion  of  riches  lavished  on  this  church 
has  not  been  displayed  to  the  best  advantage.  Many  fine  sta- 
tues are  placed  in  situations  where  the  birds  alone  can  admire 
their  beauty.  The  divine  office  is  said  according  to  the  Ambro- 
sian  rite.  The  mass  is  much  longer  than  the  common. 

St  Ambrose's  church  is   large,   but  very  old.     The   gates, 
which   are  extremely  ancient,  are  said  to  be  the  same  which 
St  Ambrose   shut  against  the  Emperor   Theodosius.       The 
body  of  St  Ambrose,   and  his   sister  Marcellina,  those  of  SS. 
Gervasius  and   Prctasius,  and  many  other  holy  persons,  rest 
here        A  serpent  of  brass,  raised  on  a  marble  pillar,  is  to  be 
seen  in  this  church.     Protestants  pretend  it  is  to   represent 
the   idol    of  the    serpent   in    the  desert,   and  that    Catholics 
adore  it.     Though  I  waa   repeatedly  in  this  church,  I  never 
saw  one  raying  a  prayer  near  it.     It  is  merely  emblematical  of 
Christ  on  the  croso,  as  the  JewLh  serpent  was  ;  which  13  quite 
another  thing  from  what  Addison,  Misson,   and  others,  repre- 
sent it  to  be.     This  church  is  now  served  by  Cistercians,  who 
have  aflne  monastery,  recently  erected,  in  the  form  of  a  square,  &cc. 
St  Francis's  church  is  situated  within  an  ancient  burying  place 
of  the  primitive  Christians,  in  which  are  found  the  relicks  of 
SS.  Gervudus  and  Protasius,  Nabor,  and  Felix,  £tc.     It  is   a- 
dorncd  with  good  pictures. 

St  Victors  is  a  fine  rich  abbey  of  Benedictine  Olivetans, 
lately  built  in  a  very  magnificent  style.  The  church,  as  an  in- 
scription over  the  door  intimates,  was  originally  erected  by 
Portias,  and  accounted  the  principal  church  of  the  city  ;  was 
afterwards  usurped  by  the  Arians,  who  were  expelled  by  St 
Ambrose,  was  honoured  by  many  relics  by  St  Charles,  and 
is  indebted  for  its  present  magnificence  to  the  Olivetans.  The 
high  altar  dazzles  the  eye  with  a  profusion  of  the  brightest 
marble,  l^Is  lazuli,  jaspis,  &c,  All  the  dtars  ""c  emi;i?iy 


Clap.  XIX.    A  TOUR  FROM  MILAN  TO  LYONS.       383 

splendid,  and  the  paintings  are  capital,  especially  that  of  St 
George  killing  the  dragon,  by  RAPHAEL  URBINO.  The  vault- 
ed cieling  is  incomparably  worked.  The  domes  are  spacious 
and  lofty,  resplendent  with  gold.  In  a  vast  subterraneous 
church  are  the  rich  shrines  of  SS.  Victor,  martyr,  Satyrus  St 
Ambrose's  brother,  &c. 

The  Madonna  delle  Gratle  is  a  handsome  church  of  Domini- 
cans. The  choir  is  particularly  fine,  especially  the  high  altar 
of  wrought  marble.  The  paintings  are  the  most  capital  in 
Milan.  The  most  remarkable  are  an  Ecce  Homo  of  TITIAN. 
St  Paul  and  the  Angels  in  the  dome,  by  GAUDENTIO.  In  the 
refectory  of  the  convent,  our  Saviour's  Last  Supper  by  LEONARD 
VINCI.  5".  Eustorgius's  is  a  church  of  the  Dominicans  in  the 
city,  wherein  ly  the  bodies  of  St  Peter  Martyr,  and  of  St  Mag- 
nus. It  contains  also  a  chapel,  in  which  we  were  told  are  kept 
the  monuments  that  formerly  contained  the  bodies  of  the  three 
eastern  Magi  or  kings,  brought  from  the  east  by  St  Philostor- 
gius,  till  the  Emperor  Frederic  the  II.,  in  the  plunder  of  the 
city,  transported  them  to  Cologn.  The  epitaph  of  George  Jlfe- 
nda  in  this  church  pleased  me  much :  It  is  as  follows : 

Vixi  aliis  inter  spinas,  mundique  procellas  ; 
Nunc  sospes  caelo  Merula  vivo  milii. 

San  Lorenzo  is  a  rotunda  similar  to  the  Pantheon  in  Rome. 
It  is  beautiful,  but  its  gildings,  Mosaics,  and  other  ornaments, 
have  been  spoiled  by  fire.  The  seminary  and  holy  sepulchre  are 
under  the  cllati.  The  Jesuits  possess  the  house  of  the  sup- 
pressed Humillati.  The  church  of  57  Celsus  is  remarkable  for 
his  shrine,  and  the  fine  architecture  of  Bramante. 

The  church  of  StNazarius  is  adorned  with  pavement  of  Lybian 
marble,  the  gift  of  Serena  wife  of  the  celebrated  STILTCO  ;  but 
being  now  broke,  it  displayed  no  finer  appearance  than  ordinary 
pavements.  The  tombs  of  the  'Trivulsi  are  placed  in  lofty 
nitches  around  the  porch. 

The  church  of  St  Alexander  under  the  Barnabitcs,  contains 
a  very  magnificent  high-altar,  formed  almost  entirely  of  agates, 
jaspis,  lapis  lazuli,  &c.  inlaid  with  great  art.  It  is  also  adorn- 
ed by  two  line  confessionals,  one  of  which  is  completely  cover,;.' 

Aa  4 


384        TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

with  similar  precious  stones,  inlaid  in  a  kind  of  Mosaic.  A  sight 
very  extraordinary.  St  Barnaby  is  said  to  have  preached  the 
gospel  in  Milan.  They  shew  his  well,  chapel,  &.c.  at  St  Eu- 
Storgius's. 

The  Ospidale  Maggiore,  or  great  hospital,  is  a  most  exten- 
sive and  magnificent  building,  containing  every  conveniency 
within  itself,  arranged  with  astonishing  neatness,  as  well  as  the 
various  trades  necessary  for  its  subsistence.     St  Charles  gave 
his  patrimony  to  it  the  day  it  fell  to  him.    Its  yearly  revenues 
are  100,000  crowns.    It  maintains  4000  persons.    All  the  ser- 
vants observe  as  strict  rules  as  Religious,   read  at  table,  &cc. 
The  principal  nobility  of  Milan  are  the  directors  of  this  noble 
foundation,  meet   together  in  a  splendid  hall,  and  every  day 
visit  all  the   sick,  &.c.     I  was  particularly  struck  with  their 
alembic,  or  great  still,  which  by  the  same  fire  distils  57  waters 
at  once  into  different  capitals  or  glass  vials.     A  rich  merchant 
of  Venice  lately  built  a  magnificent  burying-place  without  the 
city  for  the  poor  of  this  hospital.     He  encompassed  it  with 
SL  stately  portico,  and  walls  with  fine  gates,   a  chapel  in  the 
middle,  &.c.    It  cost  him  two  millions  of  lire,  or  Milanese  livres, 
exclusive  of  th-j  iron  gates  and  rails,  which  were  added  by  his 
wife  after  his  death.    Jn  the  lodge  of  the  porter  of  the  hospital, 
facing  the  street,  there  is  placed  a  basket,  in  which  infants  are 
deposited  during  the  night ;  the  person  who  leaves   the  child, 
rings  a  bell,  which  reaching  to  the  porter's  ear,  he  immediately 
receives  the  little  strangers.     He  told  us   that   three  or  four 
children  were  generally  brought  him  every  night.     This  be- 
nevolent contrivance  is  to  prevent  children  being  destroyed  or 
abandoned.     These  foundlings,  amounting  commonly  to  1500, 
are  brought  up  by  nurses  and  masters  in  St  Celsns's  hospital. 
Those  who  have   not  been  diligent  in  learning  a  trade,  during 
their   apprenticeship,  or   prefer  laziness  to  labour  when  they 
come  out,  are  consigned  to  the  great  hospital,  or   left  to  beg. 
Italy  is  the  only  place  in  which  I  have  met  with  beggars,  who 
cried  out,  to  excite  our  compassion,  they  were  a  poi^ro  las- 
tardo.     The  other  hospitals  are,  St  Lazarus,  for  those  affected 
with  contagious  distempers  :  St  Vincent,  for  lunatics  ;  St  Am- 
brose for  old  men  unable  to  work  j  St  Simplician  for  the  incur- 


Clap.  XIX.       A  TOUR   FROM   MILAN   TO    LYONS.  385 

able ;  St  Denis,  for  orphans,  &c,   and  five  miles  out  of  the 
town,  the  Lazaretto  for  the  plague. 

The  Colonna  Jnfame,  or  pillar  of  infamy,  is  an  extraordinary 
punishment.  It  stands  on  the  ruins  of  a  house  never  to  be  re- 
built, to  perpetuate  the  memory  of  two  villains,  who  had  con- 
spired to  poison  the  citizens  during  the  plague. 

The  Cabinet  of  Curiosities  of  Mr  Settala,  is  deemed  one  of 
the  finest  musaeums  in  Italy. 

Cardinal  Frederic  Borromaeo,  nephew  and  successor  to  Sfc 
Charles,  founded  the  Ambrosian  College,  appointing  16  doc- 
tors to  teach  all  sciences  gratuitously,  and  joining  to  it  the  fa- 
mous Ambrosian  Library.  The  front  is  noble ;  the  hall,  ex- 
clusive of  the  antichamber,  is  900  feet  long,  24  broad,  35  high, 
the  ceiling  gilt  and  painted.  It  contains  38,000  volumes,  of 
which  15,000  are  manuscripts  ;  amongst  these  they  shewed  us, 
as  the  most  curious,  all  St  Charles's  sermons,  wrote  by  him- 
self ;  also  a  very  ancient  Pliny  ;  a  fine  manuscript  of  St  Gre- 
gory of  Nazianzen's  works  in  Greek,  extremely  old,  in  fine 
characters,  illuminated  and  adorned  with  handsome  drawings  in 
miniature,  at  the  bottom  of  the  leaves,  illustrative  of  ancient 
customs  and  ceremonies  ;  many  of  those  drawings  are  unfor- 
tunately cut  out ;  a  circumstance  which  gave  Cardinal  Frederic 
infinite  regret.  In  the  same  building  are  galleries  and 
chambers  filled  with  very  curious  statues,  antiquities  and  paint- 
ings, particularly  four  admirable  pictures.  But  what  is  justly 
esteemed  the  greatest  curiosity  of  this  place,  is,  the  works  of 
LEONARD  VINCI  the  celebrated  painter,  in  12  volumes  in  fo- 
lio, in  Italian,  with  fine  cuts  in  miniature.  They  consist  of  a 
collection  of  ancient  customs  and  various  antiquities.  King 
James  I.  as  the  librarian  informed  us,  offered  3000  zechins, 
that  is  1500!.  for  this  valuable  collection,  but  the  owner,  un- 
willing to  deprive  his  country  of  so  rich  a  treasure,  chose  ra- 
ther to  present  it  to  this  library.  The  oldest  manuscript  ex- 
tant of  Rufirfs  Church  Hiitory,  is  also  preserved  here. 

An  Echo  three  miles  from  Milan  repeates  a  voice  40  times, 
by  two  parallel  walls  reflecting  it  to  one  another,  in  the  house 
of  Signer  Sermonetti,  who,  to  avoid  the  trouble  and  expence, 


s  35        TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALB  AN  BUTLER. 

*.* 

occasioned  by  the  numerous  strangers  whom  this  curiosity 
attracts,  has  abandoned  the  place,  and  resides  in  the  town. 

The  'Tax  imposed  on  Milan  by  Charles  the  V  called  Mer- 
*nle,  was  12,000  crowns  a  month,  now  augmented  to  25,000, 
or  3000,000  a-year ;  exclusive  of  a  very  heavy  tax  for  the  main- 
tenance of  the  garrison  : — The  custom-house  for  importation 
and  exportation  of  goods,  brings  in  generally  about  620,000 
crowns  : — The  gabelle,  or  salt-tax,  which  rises  every  year, 
(as  the  farmers  out-bid  one  another)  amounts  at  present  to 
300,000  crowns;  also  a  tax  on  tobacco  and  two  million  of 
crowns  from  the  dutchy. 

Milan,  after  the  death  of  CHARLEMAGNE,  sometimes  obeyed 
the  emperor,  at  other  times  was  governed  by  its  own  lords,  who 
in  the  time  of  John  Galeas  Visconti  the  first,  obtained  the  title 
of  dukes  ;  and  these  sovereign  dukes  were  chiefly  of  the  two 
families  of  the  Visconti  and  the  Sforsce.  The  emperors  have 
generally  maintained,  that  all  principalities  dismembered  from 
the  empire,  ought  to  revert  to  it  again,  when  the  issue-male 
fails  ;  and  thus  the  house  of  Austria  has  aggrandized  itself  by 
such  principalities;  for  it  always  added  them  to  its  own  state, 
Hot  to  the  empire,  which  some  writers  assert  their  coronation- 
oath  imports.  The  French  claimed  it,  in  right  of  a  daughter 
of  Duke  John  Galeas  the  I., — hence  the  cruel  war  between 
Charles  V.  and  Francis  the  I.  King  of  France,  &c.  But  the 
Milanese  has  generally  proved  the  burying  place  of  the  French. 

The  Milanese  is  one  of  the  most  fertile  countries  in  Europe. 
Its  ancient  capital  was  Pcivici,  in  Latin  ^Ttctnum,  from  the  river 
Tesin,  ^n  which  it  stands,  near  the  Po,  12  miles  from  Milan.  It 
VMS  du  ring  200  years  the  capital  of  Lombardy,  and  the  residence  of 
ic  Lombard  Kings, till  Charlemagne  destroyed  their  Empire.  It 
is  now  very  thinly  inhabited,  unable  to  maintain  a  seio-e,  but  is 

J  «•  O      " 

still  the  seat  of  on  university.  On  the  great  piazza  is  a  brass 
statue  brought  from  "Ravenna,  intended,  as  some  imagine,  for 
Constantine,  others  for  Antoninus.  St  Augustin's  great  church, 
wherein  the  saint  is  interred,  is  a  very  rich  and  magnificent 
Gothic  edifice.  In  it  are  also  buried  Francis  Duke  of  Lorrain, 
and  Richard  Dnkc  of  Suflblk.  In  the  Cathedral,  is  shewn  a 


Chap.  XIX.    A  TOUR  FORM  MILAN  TO  LYONS.       387 

ship-mast,  called  by  the  people,  the  lance  of  Roland,  nephew  of 
Charlemagne. 

On  the  road  from  Milan  five  miles  from  Pavia,  stands  the 
rich  Gbarttr-bouse,  the  greatest  in  the  world,  next  to  that  of 
Grenoble.  Its  cells  are  handsome ;  its  church  completely  fin- 
nished,  and  rich  in  admirable  statues,  and  the  most  beautiful 
ornaments  :  The  tabernacle  of  the  high  altar  is  of  onyxes,  agates 
and  other  precious  stones,  and  said  to  have  cost  80,000  crowns. 
The  convent  was  founded  by  John  Galeas  the  T.  and  is  extreme-? 
ly  rich.  The  Emperor  Charles  VI.  exacted  so  exhorbitant  a 
gift  from  them  in  his  wars,  that  since  that  time  they  have  been 
unabled  to  practise  their  former  hospitality. 

Nearer  Mantua  lies  Lodi,  Cremona,  Pizzighitone  andSoncino 
on  the  river  Oglio,  also  cities  of  the  Milanese. 

From  Milan  towards  the  Alps  it  is  a  pleasant  ride  to  Como, 
a  small  city  15  miles  off,  which  gave  birth  to  PLINY  the  youn- 
ger, Paulus  Jovius,  and  Pope  Innocent  XL  Odescalchi,  and 
other  eminent  men.  It  is  called  in  Latin  Novoccmum,  and  stands 
on  a  lake,  called  from  it  Lago  di  Como,  by  the  Romans,  Lacus 
Larius,  four  miles  long  and  three  broad.  Three  miles  beyond 
Como  is  situated  the  fort  Fuentis,  the  barrier  against  the  Gri- 
sons.  On  the  lake  Lcuco,  a  branch  of  that  of  Como,  towards 
Bergamescho  is  a  fortress  called  Letico  ;  and  in  those  parts  is 
the  valley  Sommascho,  which  gives  name  to  the  regular  clerics 
of  Sommascho,  begun  here. 

A  little  farther  west  is  the  La^o  MaggiorCj  called  by  the  an- 
cients Lacus  Verbanus,  the  largest  of  all  the  lakes  at  the  foot 
of  the  Alps,  46  miles  long  and  five  broad.  In  the  western  part 
of  this  lake  appear  the  two  Borromcean  Islands,  on  which  the 
noble  family  of  that  name  possesses  most  delightful  gardens 
and  palaces.  Arone,  a  town  belonging  to  the  same  noblemen, 
contains  a  statue  of  St  Charles  on  the  banks  of  this  lake,  which 
must  be  crossed  in  travelling  to  Geneva  by  the  vvay  of  mount 
Sapion.  Mount  Vrarallo,  St  Charles's  solitude,  lies  in  the 
way  of  Milan  to  this  lake. 

Towards  Piedmont  is  Novara,  nearer  the  Po  lies  Vigevano, 
and  on  the  other  side  that  river,  we  fi:;d  Bobbio/  the  frontier 
to  the  Pannez'nn  ;  nr.d  three  strong  towns  'T or  tana ^  Alexandria t 


3S8  TRAVELS   OF   REV.   ALBAN  BUTLER. 

and  Valenza,  now  belonging  to  the  king  of  Sardinia,  as  they 
bordered  on  Montferrat. 

The  armies  in  the  Parmezan  prevented  us  from  seeing  the 
Modenoese,  Parmesan  and  Mantuan  territories,  which  would 
have  been  the  nearest  road  from  Bologna  to  Milan. 

MOD  EN  A  the  ancient  Mutina,  is  a  small  city,  about  30 
miles  distant  from  Bologna  ;  passing  the  river  Panaro.  The 
churches  are  said  to  possess  good  pictures :  and  the  duke's  pa- 
lace is  distinguished  for  its  rich  furniture.  The  emperor  Fre- 
deric III.  made  Borso  d'Est  Duke  of  Modena  in  the  year 
1452.  This  prince's  territory  is  very  inconsiderable.  Mr 
John  Talbot  was  banished  the  court  for  two  days  by  King  James 
thell'sQueen,  for  say  ing,  that  as  the  duke  of  Modenawas  agood 
jumper,  he  must  take  care  not  to  leap  out  of  his  dominions. 
He  possesses  an  extensive  patrimony  in  the  Ferrarois  ;  and  re- 
cieves  from  his  dutchy  3000,000  crowns  a-year  ;  but  pays 
40,000  to  the  emperor  as  tribute.  He  hoped  to  have  added  Massa 
Carrara  to  his  dominions,  but  the  war  will  be  very  unfavourable 
to  his  designs.  The  Modenois  is  extended  by  the  Bolognois, 
Urbin  and  the  Ferrarois, — contains  Rcggio  a  good  town,  and  on 
the  borders  of  the  Mantuan,  Carpi  and  Corregio,  once  small 
principalities,  and  still  fortified.  The  principal  families  of 
Modena  are  Canossi,  Montecuculli,  Caprara,  &c.  of  Reggio,  the 
Canossi,  Manfredi,  &c. 

MIRANDOLA,  situated  between  the  Mantuan  and  Modenois 
is  a  small  but  strongly  fortified  place.  The  family  of  Pico  have 
been  the  sovereign  dukes  of  it  these  600  years,  many  of  them 
eminent  for  learning.  The  state  does  not  contain  above  6000 
subjects.  The  late  Cardinal  Pico  was  the  last  of  this  family  ; 
and  the  house  of  Austria  seized  this  Dutchy  even  in  his  life- 
time. 

MANTUA  is  the  strongest  city  in  Italy,  situated  on  a  lake 
formed  by  the  Mincio,  which  nearly  surrounds  it:  The  ground 
in  its  immediate  neighbourhood  is  very  swampy,  and  is  crossed 
by  a  bridge.  The  duke's  palace  is  an  immense  edifice,  but  its 
rich  and  curious  furniture  was  cruelly  plundered  b?  the  Em- 
peroi's  soldiers.  Thj  duke,  refusing  to  pay  homage  to  the  em- 
peror, and  joining  with  France,  was  divested  of  his  dominions. 


Chap.  XIX.      A   TOUR    FROM    MILAN   TO    LYONS.  389 

Thus  the  family  of  Gonzagua,  after  many  ye^.rs  possession,  has 
fallen  to  nothing.  The  Order  of  Knights  of  the  Blood  of  Christ 
was  instituted  by  Duke  Vincent,  in  :6o8,  in  honour  of  the 
miraculous  blood  kept  in  St  Andrew's  church  in  this  city. 
Guastalla  was  a  principality  of  a  younger  branch  of  the  Gon- 
zaguas.  Twelve  miles  from  Mantua,  near  the  Po,  is  Polirone, 
one  of  the  richest  abbeys  of  the  Benedictines,  &cc.  •  he  pious 
Countess  MAUD  was  buried  in  the  church  of  Polirone  founded 
by  her  father  ;  but  Urban  the  VIII.  transported  her  ashes  to 
St  Peter's  in  the  Vatican. 

The  Parmesan  lies  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  Po  to  Mantua, 
between  the  Modenois,  the  Milanese,  the  Genoese,  and  Tus- 
cany. The  city  of  PARMA,  four  miles  in  circuit,  is  said  to  be 
a  place  of  great  gaiety.  The  duke's  palace  is  much  admir- 
ed for  neatness  of  architecture,  rich  furniture,  and  capital  paint- 
ings, especially  in  the  great  gallery  and  cabinet  of  medals  and 
antiquities.  A  library  of  manuscripts  was  presented  to  it  by 
Paul  III.,8cc.  But  all  these  things,  we  were  informed,  have  been 
allowed  to  fall  into  decay  since  the  commencement  of  the  pre- 
sent wars,  and  the  extinction  of  the  Farnesii.  Ptacenza,  (or, 
as  foreigners  call  it,  Placentia)  36  miles  from  Parma,  is  situat- 
ed on  the  Po,  and  takes  its  name  from  its  pleasant  situation. 
The  duke  has  here  a  handsome  palace.  The  chief  families  of 
Placentia,  are  the  Landi,  Fontana,  &c. ;  of  Parma,  the  Palla- 
vicini,  Pepoli,  Rossi,  Lupi,  &.c.  The  Furntni  have  been  great 
generals  since  the  icth  century,  and  the  defenders  of  the  popes 
both  in  their  wars  in  Italy,  and  when  attacked  by  the  emperors. 
Paul  III.  of  this  family  being  chosen  pope,  gave  Parma  and  Pla- 
centia, which  then  belonged  to  the  holy  see,  in  sovereignty  to 
his  son,  whom  he  had  by  a  marriage  before  he  was  a  clergy- 
man. The  Emperor  Charles  V.  disputed  the  donation,  but 
compromised  matters  by  giving  his  own  daughter  Margaret  in 
marriage  to  the  second  duke,  after  the  first  had  been  murdered 
by  the  Pallavicini,  &cc.,  it  is  insinuated  by  the  emperor's  orders. 
MARGARET  was  governess  of  Flanders.  Her  son  was  the  great 
general  ALEXANDER  FARXESIUS,  third  Duke  of  Parma,  who  is 
buried  in  the  Capuchins'  church  in  Parma.  The  male-line  being 
extinct,  the  queen  of  3pain;  us  the  female  heir,  claimed  it  for 


390  TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUfLER. 

herself  and  sons  :  the  emperor  pretended  a  right  to  it,  as  being 
a  male  fief  of  the  empire.  The  pope  put  in  a  weak  claim,  which 
he  durst  not  support,  but  merely  to  hinder  prescription  against 
his  pretensions. 

The  Modenois,  Parmesan,  &c.  are  very  fruitful,  like  the 
Boulognois  and  Lombardy.  The  Parmesan  furnishes  all  the 
neighbourhood  with  excellent  muscade  wines,  and  exports  to 
Genoa  and  all  Italy,  nay  to  Constantinople,  France,  &c.  its  cele- 
brated Parmesan  cheese,  which  is  about  sixpence  a  pound 
at  Genoa,  Milan,  &c.  The  Cremonese  cheese  is  large,  and  ve- 
ry little  inferior  to  that  of  Parma. 

I  have  mentioned  above  that  we  were  unable  to  pass  through 
Modena,  Mantua,  Parma  and  Placentia,  to  Pavia  and  Milan,  on 
account  of  those  places  being  in  the  occupation  of  the  hostile 
armies.  We  indeed  suffered  no  great  loss  ;  the  palaces  of  Mo- 
dena, Parma,  and  Mantua,  having  been  plundered,  and  the 
country  thrown  into  the  greatest  confusion  and  misery.  All 
these  countries  once  belonged  to  Tuscany,  and  composed  the 
dominions  of  MAUD,  the  benefactress  of  the  Roman  see,  toge- 
ther with  the  present  Tuscany,  and  the  patrimony  of  St  Peter. 
Her  residence  was  at  Canossi  between  Reggio  and  Parma. 

From  Milan  to  Turin  it  is  70  miles.  The  country  is  very 
fruitful,  and  the  roads  beautiful.  About  25  miles  from  Milan, 
we  passed  the  'Tcsi'/i,  divided  into  two  branches  forming  an  is- 
land, a  very  watery  country.  The  Tesin  runs  through  the  Lago 
Maggiore,  is  broad,  deep,  and  excessively  rapid.  Yet  Dr  Bur- 
net  will  never  persuade  me  that  he  sailed  down  its  stream  at 
the  rate  of  30  miles  an  hour,  though  he  were  a  man  of  greater 
veracity  than  his  writings  prove  him  to  be.  The  Tesin  is  very 
clear  and  salubrious  ;  below  Pavia  it  joins  the  Po.  Novarra 
is  a  regularly  fortified  town,  but  it  did  not  appear  to  be  a  place 
of  great  strength.  It  is  the  frontier  of  the  Milanese.  We  pas- 
sed through  it  without  stopping.  The  river  Sessia  separates 
this  duchy  from  Piedmont.  In  the  Novarrese  and  neighbour- 
ing country,  a  great  quantity  of  rice  is  sown.  The  fields  are 
flooded  with  water  admitted  by  little  channels  covering  every 
flat  or  bed,  half  a  foot  deep,  or  more.  The  rice  sprouts  up  ur- 
<ler  the  water,  as  the  grain  does  in  Egypt. 


Clap.  XIX.        A  TOUR  FROM  MILAN  TO  LYONS.  391 

From  Novarra  it  is  10  miles  to  Verceil,  the  first  town  m 
Piedmont.  It  stands  near  the  banks  of  the  Sassia,  which  a  little 
below  falls  into  thePo.  Verceil  was  formerly  very  strong,  though 
situated  in  a  plain.  Now  its  fortifications  are  so  completely 
demolished,  that  a  few  scattered  ruins  alone  remain.  Its  ca- 
thedral is  St  Mary  Major,  a  mean  building.  But  we  now 
take  leave  of  sumptuous  churches,  rich  ornaments,  &c.  The 
body  of  St  Eusebrus,  the  champion  of  the  church  against  the 
Arians,  lies  in  a  shrine  above  a  side-altar.  In  its  sacristy  is  a 
manuscript  of  the  gospels  of  St  Matthew  and  St  Mark,  wrote 
by  St  Eusebius,  covered  with  plates  of  silver  by  king  Berenga- 
rius.  Here  lies  also  the  body  of  the  blessed  Amadeus,  duke 
of  Savoy,  famous  in  church  history.  St  Andrews  is  a  royal 
convent,  with  a  fine  church  and  remarkable  steeples,  belonging 
to  canons  regular.  The  town  itself  is  very  poor. 

By  the  way  of  Trin  and  Verrue,  two  very  strong  fortresses 
on  the  Po,  the  road  is  good  to  Turin  upon  the  same  river,  which 
is  even  there  very  large,  though  near  its  source.  The  new 
city  of  TURIN  is  much  admired  for  the  beautiful  regularity  of 
its  buildings.  It  is  the  same  in  all  new  towns,  built  all  at  once, 
after  a  regular  plan  ;  such  as  Manheim,  the  new  capital  of  the 
palatinate,  Northampton  in  England,  &-C.  It  is  computed  to 
contain  80,000  souls,  and  the  residence  of  the  court  renders  it 
gay.  The  royftl  palace,  with  its  gallery  of  pictures,  &.c.  h 
much  admired,  as  well  as  the  chapel,  in  which  is  kept  the 
holy  shroud,  a  relic  much  honoured  in  all  these  parts.  The 
walls  and  fortifications  of  Turin,  and  its  citadel  joining  the  pa- 
lace,  and  consisting  of  a  regular  pentagon,  or  five  royal  bastions, 
make  it  a  place  of  great  strength. 

The  house  of  Savoy,  according  to  the  most  probable  opinion, 
descends  from  the  ancient  and  illustrious  house  of  Saxony,  and 
from  die  emperor  Otho  II.  They  were  first  princes  of  IMau- 
rienne,  a  little  pro\iace  of  Savoy  ;  soon  after  counts  of  Sa- 
voy, before  the  year  1000.  Amadeus  the  VIII.,  commonly 
caUed  the  I.,  was  made  first  Duke  of  Savoy  by  the  Emperor 
Sigismund,  at  the  council  of  Constance.  Ke  became  after  war  Js 
ii  hermit,  and  was  chosen  pope,  but  illegally,  by  the  council  oi 
Basil.  These  princes  acquired  likerci:e  ths  sovereign  marqiv.- 


39*         TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

sate  of  Suze,  the  principality  of  Piedmont,  and  lately  Montser- 
rat.  The  last  duke,  Victor  Amadeus,  got  Sicily,  but  was 
soon  obliged  to  exchange  it  for  Sardinia,  which  brings  nothing 
so  valuable  as  the  title  of  king.  The  present  king,  Charles 
Emmanuel  the  III.,  by  this  war  will  probably  add  to  his  do- 
minions the  important  town  and  fort  of  Finale,  which  com- 
mands the  mountains  of  Genoa,  and  may  have  a  good  harbour. 
He  has  also  pretensions  on  the  city  of  Geneva  ;  and  by  the 
marriage  of  a  daughter  of  the  prince  of  Achaia,  and  certain  con- 
tracts, has  claims  on  Achaia  and  Jerusalem  in  the  right  of  the 
Emperor  Paleologus. 

MONTFERRAT,  lying  between  Piedmont,  the  Milanese,  and 
the  mountains  of  Genoa,  is  a  fertile  country  :  CASAL  its  capi- 
tal, was  once  a  very  strong  city,  but  its  fortifications  were  to- 
tally razed  in  1695.  It  also  contains  Trino,  a  small  town, 
fortified,  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Po ;  Verrue,  a  very  strong 
town,  situated  on  an  eminence  ;  Nice,  called  de  la  Paille,  from 
the  little  province  in  which  it  is  situated  ;  Alba  on  the  Tanaro 
(which  runs  into  the  Po),  a  weak  place  commanded  by  moun- 
tains :  Acqui,  an  ancient  city  on  the  river  Bormia,  near  the 
Genoese  mountains,  &.c. 

PIEDMONT  contains  Verceil,  at  present  dismantled  ;  Ivrea, 
regularly  fortified  ;  Turin  ;  Pignerol,  a  large  town,  strongly 
fortified  ;  Quiras,  on  the  Tanaro  ;  Mondovi,  built  on  a  hill  j 
Coni,  a  strong  town,  also  situated  on  a  hill  ;  Carignan,  also 
strong  by  its  situation,  though  destitute  of  walls. 

The  Marquis  ate  of  Saluces  lies  to  the  west  of  Piedmont. 
The  city  of  Saluces  is  defended  by  a  castle  ;  Carmagnole  en- 
joys the  protection  of  a  very  strong  citadel.  Below  it  is  the 
city  and  county  of  Nice. 

The  Marquisate  of  Suze  lies  at  the  foot  of  Mount  Cenis. 
SUZE  is  a  small  town,  ill  peopled.  Its  castle  stands  between 
the  town  and  the  river  Doire,  and  is  impregnable,  if  any  place 
could  be  so  now-a-days.  It  absolutely  commands  the  pass. 

SAVOY  is  mountainous,  but  its  valleys  produce  corn,  and  its 
hills  afford  pasture.  Chamberry  its  capital,  is  small,  ill-built, 
and  destitute  of  walls,  Montmelion,  two  leagues  distant,  ris- 
ing on  a  rugged  mountain,  was  formerly  deemed  an  inaccessible 


Chap.  XIX.    A  TOUR  FROM  MILAN  TO  1YONS.        393 

fortress,  but  it  is  now  dismantled  ;  as  isalso  that  of  St  John  de 
Maurienne  ;  Mousliere,  capital  of  Tarantais'e  ;  Annecy,  near 
Geneva ;  Ripaille  in  the  lordship  of  Fossigny  ;  and  Thonou 
capital  of  the  dutch  y  of  Chablais. 

SARDINIA  is  an  island,  200  miles  long  and  40  broad.  Cag- 
liari  is  its  capital.  It  is  extremely  unhealthy  on  account  of  its 
marshes  and  south  winds.  It  is  thinly  inhabited,  but  produces 
a  great  deal  of  corn,  olives  and  wine,  and  pays  in  taxes  above 
300,000  crowns  a-year. 

SAVOY  has  no  commodities  to  export,  and  is  very  poor ;  yet  it 
pays  heavy  taxes.  Piedmont  is  abundantly  fertile  and  populous, 
but  its  trade  is  not  encouraged.  Some  merchants  of  Turin, 
complained  to  us  grievously  of  its  laws  and  customs  being  de- 
structive of  commerce.  The  king  follows  very  much  the 
French  method  in  raising  taxes  ;  and  indeed  he  gets  all  the  lit- 
tle money  that  is  in  his  dominions 

The  different  passages  from  Italy  into  France,  by  land, 
are  either  by  the  Lesser  Alps,  that  is,  by  Nice,  and  the  moun- 
tains of  Genoa  ; 

Or,  secondly,  by  Mount  Cenis  into  Savoy,  the  best  of  the 
passages  over  the  Alps,  unless  we  except  that  by  Trent.  Suze 
i.3  20  miles  from  Turin.  From  Suze  to  Novalise,  the  last  vil- 
lage of  Piedmont  and  of  Italy,  it  is  eight  leagues  through  a  val- 
ley between  lofty  mountains.  After  leaving  Novalese,  passen- 
gers begin  to  mount  the  steep  rock  for  above  a  league  to  the 
inn  of  the  great  cross  on  the  top.  Most  travellers  going  into 
Italy,  get  themselves  carried  down  this  descent  by  two  men  in. 
a  litter,  which  is  but  a  jolting  mode  of  conveyance.  On  reach- 
ing the  top  of  the  hill,  it  is  two  leagues  along  n  plain  to  the 
post-hcuse  and  hospital.  It  is  but  one  post  down  again  from 
Mount  Cenis  to  Lasnebourgh  at  the  bottom  in  Savoy. 

The  third  passage  leads  over  the  old  Alpes  Graii  and  Mons 
7V:7.r,  now  called  little  Mount  St  Bernard,  from  an  hospital 
kept  on  the  top  by  a  father  and  lay-brother  of  Cistertians,  or 
Bernardins,  where  those  who  are  able  pay  for  their  accommo* 
dation.  The  road  is  from  Aost,  and  decends  into  Moutiers  ca- 
pital of  the  Tarentaise  in  Savoy,  situated  in  a  deep  valley.  On 
7o-'/.c?  or  Mvns  Bardus,  nigh  the  Column?.  To  vis,  is  * 


394        TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

castle  absolutely  impregnable.  This  road  is  in  some  places 
very  dangerous. 

The  fourth  passage  is  over  great  St  Bernard,  where  the 
snows  are  soonest  over,  and  the  dangers  shortest;  of  course 
we  preferred  it. 

Th~j£/£&,  is  over  the  mount  Samplon,  or,  as  the  Italians  pro- 
nounce it,  Mount  Sampion :  This  Mr  Walpole  preferred : 
It  is  the  ordinary  post-road  from  Geneva  to  Venice  -,  as  ;.i-reat 
St  Bernard  is  for  merchandize.  From  ?4ilan  to  the  Lago 
Maggiore,  a  chaise  goes  in  Jess  than  a  day.  From  Sesto,  where 
chaises  must  be  left,  passengers  cress  the  lake  in  a  boat  to 
Marguzzi.  Thence  the  road  is  still  good  in  a  vallev  to  Domo- 
Dossola,  a  large  lurgh.  Devedra,  a  little  beyond,  is  the  last 
village  of  the  M^la,  cse.  There  they  begin  to  ascend  Mons 
Sempronius  or  Symplon,  a  most  craggy  and  stupendous  rock, 
at  the  snmmit  of  which,  in  an  extensive  plain,  stands  the  village 
St  Ploin.  Descending  this  mountain,  we  arrive  at  Briga  at 
the  bottom,  and  from  thence  go  to  Sion  and  St  Maurice.  Mount 
Samplers  is  very  dangerous  for  above  two  days  journey,  unless 
the  snows  be  melted  in  August,  or  very  hard  with  a  settled 
frost.  This  road  takes  12  days  travelling  on  mules. 

The  last  common  passage,  and  the  best  of  all,  is  into  Germa- 
ny, to  Inspruck  capital  of  Tyrol,  by  Trent,  where  the  road?, 
though  somewhat  rugged  for  two  days,  are  not  dangerous, 
and  the  chaises  do  not  require  to  be  dismounted.  In  Tyrol, 
however,  they  must  have  four  wheels,  or  an  avant- train,  to 
spare  the  roads,  which  are  good  there,  though  bad  in  most 
other  parts  of  Germany,  except  about  Frankfort. 

One  might  also  pass  through  Switzerland  from  Como  to 
Chiavennes  9  thence  over  Mount  St  Gotard,  the  highest  among 
the  Swiss  mountains,  and  which  it  requires  three  hours  to  as- 
cend. On  the  other  side  by  Splugen,  Tossano,  and  Coire  on 
the  Rhine,  capital  of  the  Grisons,  from  thence  to  Zurich,  So- 
leure,  Lausanne  and  Geneva. 

Besides  these,  flv  are  five  or  six  other  petty  roads,  espe- 
ciall^1  bftwec-:  M  •-•  '.^en;  ^.r..d  Nu~es  frr>:n  Dauphiny  into 
Piedmont.  Th.  •.•nnc";:--i  ..--'.  e  o^  e  r  Mount  Viso,  in 

which  the  Po  has  its  sotirce,  one  of  which  has  been  cut 


Clap.  XIX.     A  TOUR  FROM  MILAN  tO  LTONS.          395 

about  half  a  mile  long,  leading  from  the  valley  of  the  Po,   by 
Ristolas,  to  Queiras  in  Dauphiny. 

The  second  is  from  Suze  by  a  bad  road  to  Susane,  or  by  a 
good  one  from  Pignerol  along  the  valleys  of  Perouse,  and  Prage- 
las  to  Susane;  from  thence  ascending  Mount  Gene  v  re,  and  going 
down  it  into  a  valley,  after  half  a  league  it  leads  to  Brianqon, 
and  thence  to  Ambrun.  This  \vas  the  road  by  which  ANNIBAL 
and  ASDRUBAL  passed  the  Alps  into  Italy  ;  and  Caesar  the  first 
time  he  marched  out  of  Italy  into  Gaul.  Charles  the  VHIth, 
&c.  passed  through  it. 

The  highest  of  these  mountains  are,  Samplon,  great  St  Ber- 
nard, and  Cenis.  All  of  them  are  covered  with  snow ;  in  some 
places  30  or  40  yards  deep,  which  freezes  so  hard  that  it  bears 
passengers  and  mules  heavy  laden.  This  snow,  especially  on 
those  parts  which  are  most  exposed  to  the  sun,  melts  in  part  at 
mid-day,  and  runs  off  on  all  sides  in  rapid  torrents.  But  in  Au- 
gust all  the  snow  is  melted  off,  except  in  hollows  and  other 
places,  where  the  sun's  rays  do  not  reach;  and  then  it  is  the  saf- 
est time  to  pass  these  mountains.  i  he  chief  dangers  of  pass- 
ing the  Alps,  besides  slipping  upon  the  precipices,  arise,  first 
from  the  snow  being  sometimes  too  soft  to  bear,  so  that  it  sinks 
under  one's  feet ;  and  if  the  unfortunate  traveller  happens  to 
step  upon  a  soft  place,  he  very  rarely  can  recover  himself,  for, 
by  striving  to  get  out,  he  plunges  himself  deeper  in,  till  he  is 
literally  buried  in  this  frozen  mass.  Secondly,  from  being  o- 
vertaken  by  a  shower  of  snow,  which  flying  all  about  the  be- 
wildered traveller,  so  blinds  him  that  he  cannot  discern  the 
track,  and  soon  sinks  into  some  abyss.  But  the  greatest 
danger  of  all  arises  from  the  Levancbes,  as  they  call  them, 
which  are  fleaks  of  snow  that  fall  like  mountains,  from  the 
higher  parts  of  the  rocks,  and  bury  the  passengers,  or  carry 
them  down  the  precipices,  or  into  the  torrents.  There  is  most 
danger  of  these  in  winter,  when  the  snow  is  falling-,  and  in  sum- 

O  *  O* 

mer,  when  the  warmth  of  the  sun  has  softened  the  snow  on  the 
tops  of  the  mountains.  Chaises  pass  over  Mount  Cenis,  re- 
quiring only  to  be  to  taken  in  pieces,  and  carried  on  mules  o~ 
ver  one  steep  hill.  But  over  all  the  rest,  (except  by  Trent  in- 

B  b  2 


396  TRAVELS   OF  REV.    ALBAN   BUTLER. 

to  Germany)  passengers  must  be  content  to  travel  many  days 
on  mules. 

We  went  in  a  chaise  from  Vercell  to  Ivrale,  a  small  city 
regularly  fortified,  standing  on  the  river  Dona,  which  falls  in- 
to the  Po  near  Verrue.  We  travelled  on  mules  through  the 
long  valley  of  Aost,  on  the  banks  of  the  Doria.  Nine  miles 
above  Ivraie  we  passed  the  fortress  Bard,  built  where  the  val- 
ley is  narrowest,  and  absolutely  impregnable  by  castles  on  the 
rocks,  and  by  moats,  bastions,  &.c.  filling  the  whole  passage  in 
the  valley.  Chatillon  was  once  governed  by  its  lord,  who  en- 
joyed almost  sovereign  powers,  but  the  king  of  Sardinia  has 
stripped  him  now  of  alibis  jurisdiction. 

Aost,  called  by  the  ancients  Augusta  Pretoria,  capital  of 
the  dutchy  of  Aost,  consisting  of  six  fertile  valleys,  was  a  Ro- 
man colony,  and  still  displays  the  ruins  of  a  triumphal  arch  of 
Augustus,  an  amphitheatre,  &cc.  It  is  a  large  city,  and  a  place 
of  some  trade.  The  cathedral  contains  several  antiquities,  and 
some  old  tombs  of  great  men.  Here,  and  at  Ivraie,  we  met 
with  gentlemen  who  had  lost  horses,  &c.  in  the  snow  on  great 
St  Bernard  ;  but  hearing  the  snows  were  hard  enough  and  the 
passage  good  in  a  morning  before  the  sun  had  exerted  its  influ- 
ence, we  got  passports  from  the  governor,  (without  which  the 
guard  of  the  mountain  would  let  none  pass),  and  set  out  at  1 2 
o'clock,  to  sleep  at  a  paltry  house  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain. 
I  had  designed  to  take  its  perpendicular  height  ;  but  could  not 
find  a  place  where  I  could,  without  great  trouble,  and  several 
days  time,  measure  a  horizontal  level.  We  had  continued  to 
ascend,  (and  sometimes  up  very  steep  rocks),  almost  always 
from  Aost,  for  ten  miles,  and  were  already  very  high.  We 
had  travelled  all  the  road  from  Padua  with  snowy  hills  on  our 
left  hand  perpetually  in  sight,  and  longed  very  much  to  sur- 
mount them.  Next  morning  we  set  out  by  moon-light  at  3 
o'clock,  accompanied  by  IOG  mules,  I  believe,  loaden  with  mer- 
chandize and  passengers  ;  our  mules  climbed  up  the  side  of  a 
mountain  which  sloped  abruptly  on  our  left  hand,  down  into  a 
deep  valley  full  of  vast  masses  of  soft  snow,  which  every  day  fell 
from  the  top,  and  rendered  more  dreadful  by  a  furious  torrent 
v/hkh  rolled  at  the  bottom  ;  so  that  had  we  quitted  the  tract 


Chap.  XX.       A    TOUR   FROM    MILAN  TO    LYONS. 

made,  we  had  been  lost  in  the  snow  After  rain,  wind,  or 
snows,  which  change  the  surface,  the  villages  hire  men  to  make 
a  new  road  before  ny  can  pass  it.  It  is  four  miles  to  the 
church  and  convent,  or  hospital  of  Cistercians  on  the  top,  which 
is  a  good  house  with  tolerable  accommodations  in  tiie  midst  of 
this  frigid  region.  We  got  a  good  fire  ana  some  retreshmeat, 
and  after  prayers  made  haste  down  the  mountain  into  the 
Valteline,  and  got  safe  to  the  small  village  of  S^  Peter's,  be- 
tween one  and  two  o'clock.  On  the  top  of  the  moa  ,t  in  an 
iron  spike  rose  above  the  snow,  designed  as  a  march  between  the 
King  of  Sardinia's  dominions  and  the  Valteline.  TV-e  convent  is 
near  it,  on  the  Valteline  side.  It  enjoys  considerable  revenues 
and  benefices  in  the  valleys.  We  had  a  day's  journey  more,  by 
easy  descents,  before  we  cleared  the  Alps,  which  were  agree- 
able for  their  curiosities,  and  the  great  variety  of  new  prospects 
and  objects  which  they  presented  every  moment.  The  ex- 
treme difference  of  manners  between  the  Piedmontese  and  the 
Swiss,  appears  most  surprising  in  so  short  a  step  from  the  one 
to  the  other.  The  Valtelines  are  a  very  industrious,  manage- 
ing,  thrifty  people,  and  enemies  of  shew  or  grandeur.  All 
neat,  but  nothing  gay  in  their  dress.  Their  houses  are  all 
built  of  boards,  without  any  stone  or  brick,  and  free  from 
superfluous  ornaments,  or  any  appearance  of  splendour  or 
magnificence. 

The  Vaiais  consists  of  long  narrow  valleys  between  high 
rocks  ;  divided  into  the  high  valley  of  which  Sion  is  capital, 
and  the  low,  of  which  St  Maurice  is  the  place  of  most  note  : 
In  the  first,  they  speak  German,  in  the  hitter  French.  The 
Bishop  of  Sion  is  sovereign  of  the  Valais,  and  stiled  Count. 
He  is  always  chosen  by  and  from  amongst  the  chapter  of  the 
cathedral.  His  palace  and  equipage  are  ordinary,  without  any 
state  or  grandeur.  He  exacts  almost  no  taxes,  and  is  rather  a 
father  than  a  sovereign  ;  whereas  the  German,  and  especially 
the  Italian  princes,  to  support  their  pomp,  severely  fleece  their 
subjects.  Sion  is  a  small  town. 

It  surprises  a  stranger  to  see  almost  every  body  he  meets  of 
the  country  among   the  Alps  afflicted  with  the  goitre,  a  great 
protuberance  of  swelled  flesh,  two  or  three  inches  long  or  n?.or  2 
B   b  3 


398         TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

in  the  neck  ;  incurable,  but  not  mortal.  'Tis  commonly  attri- 
buted to  their  drinking  so  much  snow  water  ;  for  all  the  •  t reams 
here  arise  from  melted  snow.  But  others  say  the  air  itself 
contributes  to  it  ;  for  those  have  it,  who  never  drink  of  sucli 
water.  It  is  a  frightful  deformity.  It  was  an  amusement,  on 
the  other  hand,  to  see  in  the  rallies  such  a  variety  of  new  herbs, 
strange  butterflies  and  other  insects, — Here  marrnotts  and  other 
small  animals  are  said  to  sleep  in  holes  all  the  winter  months. 

We  had  three  days  journey  from  Great  St  Bernard  to  St 
Maurice.  No  chaises  are  to  be  had  in  this  country,  though 
the  roads  are  tolerably  good,  and  we  preferred  mules  to  their 
waggons.  We  travelled  in  a  continued  valley  between  two  very 
high  rocks,  over  which  torrents  of  melted  snow  fall  in  every 
part,  and  form  beautiful  cascades.  These  all  encrease  the  Rhone, 
on  the  banks  of  which  we  here  rode  ;  that  river,  rising  in  mount 
St  Gothard, passes  bySion  and  St  MauricCjaud  falls  into  the  lake 
of  Geneva.  St  Maurice  is  a  small  city  in  a  fertile  part  of  the 
valley,  and  is  the  place  where  the  saint  whose  name  it  bears, 
with  the  whole  ThebcEan  Legion,  was  martyred,  and  in  whose 
honour  the  abbey  of  Cistercians  here  was  built  by  Sigismund 
King  of  Burgundy.  The  abbot  is  very  rich,  and  a  prince  of 
the  empire.  Leaving  this  town,  the  valley  opens  a  little  wider 
on  the  left  hand  of  the  Rhone  into  Savoy,  by  a  narrow  passage 
at  the  bottom  of  high  rocks  ; — on  the  right  side  into  the  canton 
of  Bern.  This  narrow  passage  is  easily  defended,  has  a  castle 
with  a  governor  for  the  Valais,  and  shuts  up  the  whole  country, 
though  it  is  every  where  narrow. 

P-.ssing  over  the  Rhone  by  a  bridge  out  of  these  streights, 
we  entered  the  (.'union  of  Berne,  which  is  a  very  fertile  and  ex- 
tensive country.  In  a  wide  plain,  we  saw  theirtroops,  in  a  great 
body  of  3  or  4000  men,  performing  their  exercise.  They  were 
strong  good  locking  men, as  the  Swiss  ingeneral  are,  well  cloath- 
ed  and  armed,  and  perfectl  v  well  disciplined.  The  Canton  oblig- 
es every  town  and  village  constantly  to  maintain  a  certain  num- 
ber of  men,  ready  armed,  and  provided  with  a  good  suit  of 
regime: i ca)  uniform.  These  are  obliged  to  meet  on  certain 
days  to  learn  their  exercise  under  a  major  ;  on  other  days,  they 


Clap.  XX.   A  TOUR  FROM  MILAN  TO  LYONS.         399 

follow  their  own  employments.  Thus  the  Republic  has  al- 
ways an  army  ready  of  100,000  men,  as  I  was  assured,  in  this 
canton  alone  ;  which  indeed  is  the  most  powerful  of  the  Swiss, 
and  gives  the  law  to  ail  the  rest,  who  dare  not  take  any  resolu- 
tion without  the  advice  of  Berne.  The  two  Protestant  cantons 
of  Berne  and  Zurich  are  greater  and  stronger  than  all  the  rest 
together.  The  Swiss,  having  formerly  tasted  the  sweets  of 
liberty  under  Charlemagne's  successors,  and  not  relishing  the 
heavy  oppression  of  the  emperors  and  their  governors,  rebelled, 
as  every  body  knows,  against  Albert  the  first  emperor  of  the 
House  of  Austria,  and  after  many  civil  wars  at  home  on  account 
of  religion,  seven  cantons  remain  Catholic,  four  Protestant, 
two  mixed.  Their  allies  are  the  city  of  Geneva,  Basile,  the 
Grisons,  divided  into  three  parts  between  the  Milanese,  Tirol, 
the  Swiss,  and  the  Valais.  They  hold  their  General  Assem- 
blies at  Coire  their  capital,  on  the  Rhine.  The  Valais  is  al- 
lied to  the  Catholic  cantons  only.  The  mountains  are  their 
ramparts,  and  being  also  barriers  against  luxury,  softness,  am- 
bition and  sloth,  constitute  the  felicity  of  these  people. 

In  the  Valteline,  and  part  of  Switzerland,  most  of  the  houses 
and  barns  are  built  altogether  of  wood.  Great  blocks  placed 
under  every  corner  raise  the  floor  about  two  or  three  feet  from 
the  ground,  that  they  may  not  feel  the  inconveniency  of  damp- 
ness. In  this  country,  no  chaises  are  to  be  met  with  except 
such  as  are  brought  from  Milan  or  Lyons,  mules  or  waggons, 
are  used  in  place  of  them. 

The  Lake  of  Geneva  stretches  12  leagues  along  the  coast  by 
Savoy  to  Geneva,  and  18  by  the  Swiss  from  Villeneuve.  la 
the  Canton  of  Berne,  towards  Geneva,  on  the  Swiss  coast, 
stands  the  strong  castle  of  Chilian,  and  the  great  town  of  Lau- 
sanne, governed  bv  a  bailie  sent  every  three  years  from  Berne. 
The -Pats  de,  Vaux  near  Geneva,  formerly  belonged  to  Savoy  ; 
but  was  agreed  to  be  left  to  rhe  canton  of  Berne  by  the  Treaty 
ot  St  Julian,  lu  Vaux  the  inhabitants  are  all  Catholics,  chough 
in  the  canton  of  Berne  they  are  all  Protestants.  The  hatred 
of  the  inhabitants  of  Berne  against  the  Savoyards  is  incoticeiv- 
able,  which  makers  them  wish  for  rhe  success  of  the  French  in 
this  war.  Nor  are  the  Savoyards  behind  them  in  a  recip  ro- 
Bb  4 


40O         TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

cal  aversion,  and  they  mutually  shew  it  almost  as  often  as  they 
meet. 

We  took  a  boat  at  Ville-neuve,  and  crossed  the  lake  to 
Evian,  an  inconsiderable  town  in  Savoy.  But  the  weather 
beginning  to  be  boisterous,  we  preferred  land  to  water  from. 
that  place.  The  Drance,  a  pretty  large  river  falling  into  the 
lake,  we  passed  on  a  bridge,  and  returned  a  little  out  of  our  road 
to  see  the  charter-house  of  Repaille.  The  convent  and  church 
are  nothing  extraordinary :  But  the  woods,  walks,  and  alleys, 
are  finely  cut,  and  the  longest  I  have  ever  met  with.  The 
Vistas  terminate  on  the  one  side  upon  the  lake,  and  on  the 
other  upon  frightful  gloomy  broken  rocks.  It  was  here  the 
Duke  Amadeus  I.  retired  and  built  a  monastery,  when  he 
quitted  the  world.  From  hence,  it  is  but  two  miles  to  Thonon, 
also  on  the  lake,  the  capital  of  the  dutchy  of  Chablais,  the 
country  in  which  St  FRANCIS  OF  SALES  employed  his  talents 
with  so  much  zeal.  It  is  a  large  town  :  The  Seminary,  the 
fruit  of  that  saint's  labours,  is  a  good  building,  and  well  endow- 
ed. The  convent  of  the  Nuns  of  the  Visitation,  is  the  second 
of  that  order.  Annecy  is  a  large  city  thinly  inhabited,  situated 
on  a  very  deep  lake,  and  under  high  mountains.  The  Bishop 
of  Geneva,  banished  from  his  own  city  by  the  Calvinists,  re- 
sides there.  Here  also  is  the  chief  convent  of  the  Nuns  of  the 
Visitation,  in  whose  church  is  kept  the  body  of  St  Francis  of 
Sales  :  His  heart  is  preserved  in  Lyons,  where  he  died.  An- 
necy is  seven  leagues  north  from  Chambery,  and  as  many 
south  from  Geneva. 

GENEVA  is  a  large  town,  full  of  merchants,  but  contains  few 
gentryor  palaces,  though  it  be  handsomely  built.  Their  church^ 
to  use  their  own  expression  tome,  when  I  desired  to  see  it,  re- 
sembles a  barn  :  The  crosses  on  its  bells,  &c.  shew  who  built 
it.  Several  young  English  gentlemen  learn  their  exercises  in 
the  academy  at  Geneva.  It  is  the  thorough-fare  of  merchandise 
from  Italy  to  Lyons,  &x\  and  a  place  of  great  trade.  The 
rules  and  customs  of  the  place,  au  well  as  the  laws,  promote 
commerce,  and  the  public  advantage,  whilst  in  Piedmont  and 
Prance  thev  are  destructive  of  it.  The  arsenal  is  neat  and 
arge.  The  scaling  ladders,  taken  from  the  Savoyards,  when 


Chap.  XX.   A  TOUR  PROM  MILAN  TO  LYONS.         40! 

they  endeavoured  to  surprise  the  town  in  the  night,  are  its 
chief  curiosity.  The  Rhone  on  one  side,  another  river.,  which 
falls  into  the  Rhone  on  the  other,  and  the  lake,  contribute  to 
its  defence.  Its  fortifications  are  also  very  extensive  and  re- 
gular, and  all  its  avenues  and  gates  are  constantly  guarded  by 
a  great  number  of  centinels.  The  whole  commonwealth  is 
almost  confined  to  the  town  ;  its  territory  reaching  on  one 
side  only  a  quarter  of  a  mile  ;  on  the  other  a  mile  or  little 
more.  All  the  surrounding  country  is  filled  with  pleasant 
villas  and  gardens,  some  of  which  display  a  considerable  degree 
of  magnificence*  On  the  immediate  confines  of  the  territory  of 
Geneva  on  both  sides,  in  Savoy  are  planted  great  crosses,  as  it 
were  to  shew  how  far  the  cross  triumphs  ;  one  stands  across 
the  Rhone,  in  sight  of  the  town. 

On  leaving  Geneva  we  passed  the  Rhone  again  into  Savoy. 
This  country  though  in  general  mountainous,  is  not  barren  : 
Near  the  lake  of  Geneva  it  is  very  fruitful  and  pleasant : 
But  its  inhabitants  are  universally  poor,  though  very  industri- 
ous, being  oppressed  by  heavy  taxes.  Swarms  of  young  Sa- 
voyards are  continually  leaving  their  country,  to  seek  their 
fortune  elsewhere.  A  marmote  (a  little  animal  caught  in  the 
Alps)  which  has  been  taught  to  dance,  is  a  child's  fortune  ; 
and  by  the  trade  of  a  chimney-sweeper,  or  poor  pedlar,  many 
raise  themselves  to  great  opulence.  We  had  the  pleasure  of 
.seeing  a  young  lad  of  13  years  old,  in  good  cloaths,  with  a  little 
money  in  his  pocket,  travelling  to  Paris  from  Turin,  carrying 
his  cloaths  on  his  shoulders  to  save  them.  He  went  with  us 
as  far  as  Ville-neuve.  We  passed  through  part  of  the  Pais  de 
Gex,  a  small  country  under  the  dominion  of  France  touching 
the  territory  of  Geneva  :  and  through  the  diocese  of  Bellay  and 
Bresse,  in  which  Montluel  was  the  best  town  we  saw.  Ja 
three  days  a  post-chaise  brought  us  from  Geneva  to  LYONS,  to 
our  old  hotel  du  Pare,  32,  leagues,  or  16  posts.  Though  at  pre- 
sent this  route  is  not  provided  with  post  horses  ;  yet  the  roads 
are  good  and  pleasant,  running  along  the  banks  of  the  Rhone  5 
but  the  country  is  neither  rich  nor  fruitful,  except  near  the 
rivers  = 


TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 


CHAPTER    TWENTIETH. 

A  TOUR  FROM  LYONS  TO  PARIS. 

River  Loire.  —  Roane.  —  Province  of  Bourbonnoif  .  —  Bourbon  Laney.  —  Bourbon 
d'Archambauld.—  Moulins.—  Abbey  of  Sept  Fonts.—  Nevres—  Pouges.—  Nc- 
mours--Bourges.--Orleans.  —  Blois.  —  Vendome.  —  Amboise.  —  Tours—  Saumur.— 
Nunnery  of  Foncefraud.—  Poictiers.—  Abbey  of  St  Maur.—Anjou.—  Angers.  — 
Its  celebrated  Academy  for  riding.  &c.«-  River  Mayenne.—  Nantes.--  -St 
Malo.—  Brest.  —  Rennes.—  La  Fleche.  —  Mans.  —  Province  of  Normandy.  — 
Rouen.  —  Account  of  the  celebrated  Monastery  of  La  TRAPPE.—  Chartrcs 
-—Route  to  PARII. 


PARIS,  JUNE  1746. 

e  left  Lyons,  taking  the  grand  route  to  Paris  by  la  Tour, 
Bresle,  Croisette,  Tarare  ;  passing  through  La  Fontaine,  St 
Siphorien  and  L'Hospital,  \ve  arrived  at  Roane,  a  small  town 
on  the  Loire,  which  here  begins  to  be  navigable.  It  rises  about 
30  leagues  higher  in  the  Cevennes,  is  here  very  broad  and  ra- 
pid, as  it  is  indeed  during  its  whole  course,  which  is  near  200 
leagues,  by  la  Charite,  Orleans,  Blois,  Tours  and  Nantes, 
into  the  Atlantic  ocean.  It  is  the  greatest  river  in  France, 
which  it  divides  into  two  halves,  the  inhabitants  of  which  differ 
much  from  each  other  both  in  language  and  manners.  The 
people  beyond  it  are  more  obliging  to  strangers,  and  talk  an  un- 
intelligible Patois,  especially  in  Burgundy,  Provence,  Langue- 
doc,  Gascony  ;  although  French  is  spoken  universally  by  the 
gentry  as  well  as  in  all  the  towns. 

ROANE  is  22  leagues  from  Lyons.  Here  merchandize  is  embark- 
ed for  Nantes,  but  the  greatest  part  of  it  goes  only  to  Orleans 
by  '..atcr  to  be  there  put  on  land  carriages.  Monsieur  de  Gri- 
maldi,  Bishop  of  Rhodes,  going  to  Paiis,  desired  we  might  tra- 


Chap.  XX.    A  TOUR  FROM  LYONS  TO  PARIS.         403 

vel  together,  thinking  there  would  be  less  danger  of  robbers,  as 
he  had  all  his  plate  with  him  :  We  accordingly  did  so  for  four 
or  five  posts  ;  but  left  him  at  Roane,  being  unwilling  to  lose 
the  best  part  of  the  day ;  and  went  three  posts  farther  that  af- 
ternoon, to  Fringale,  Pacaudiere,  and  St  Martin  d'Estreaux, 
having  passed  through  part  of  the  three  small  provinces  of 
Lyonnois,  Beaujolois,  (so  called  fromBeaujeu,the  capital  though 
a  small  town,)  and  Forres,  the  capital  of  which  is  Tvlontbresson. 
We  next  morning  entered  Bourbonnois  a  large  province  very 
fertile,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Loire  and  the  Allier  :  Chesnuts 
are  exceeding  plentiful  in  all  these  parts. 

BOURSON  LANEY,  in  Latin  Bourlonium  Ansilmlum,  is  a  town 
in  Burgundy,  en  the  frontiers  of  Bourbonnois,  seven  leagues 
from  Moulins.  This  place  is  famous  for  its  mineral  wa*. 
ters  recommended  in  cases  of  palsy,  sciatica,  rheumatism, 
dropsy,  gout,  barrenness  of  women,  &.c.  The  baths  are  Ro- 
man, built  of  fine  marble,  white  at  the  bottom,  grey  at  the  sides. 
There  are  five  of  them,  and  ten  fountains,  seven  hot,  three  cold. 
They  are  impregnated  with  a  mixture  of  sulphur,  bitumen,  a 
little  salt,  nitre,  alum  and  vitriol.  Two  of  these  wells  are  said 
to  be  hot  enough  to  boil  eggs,  and  those  who  drink  of  them  are 
almost  scalded,  though  they  only  sip  the  water. 

The  other  city  of  this  name  is  in  the  county  itself  to  which 
it  gives  name,  though  it  be  not  the  Capital.  It  is  called  Bour- 
Lon  d?  Archambauldj  and  enobled  by  the  Royal  Family  of  France, 
which  came  to  the  crown  in  the  person  of  HENRY  IV.  after  the 
failure  of  the  race  of  VALOIS.  The  Bourbons  descend  from 
Robert  Count  of  Clermont,  son  of  St  Lewis,  who  married 
BEATRIX,  heiress  of  Bourbon,  in  the  year  1327,  and  in  his  fa- 
vour King  Charles  the  fair  made  it  a  dutchy. 

MOULINS  (Molirium^  is  its  capital,  ;  3  posts  and  one  half  from 
Roane  through  Fringale,  la  Pacaudiere,  St  Martin  d'Estreaux, 
Droiturier,  la  Palice,  famous  for  good  boots,  St  Geran,  Va- 
rennes  where  is  a  great  abbey,  Eschirolles,  Bessay  and  Sannes^ 
all  villages  or  small  burghs. 

Moulins  is  a  large  town,  but  very  thinly  inhabited  and  ill 
built.  It  is  more  famous  than  Senlis  for  the  manufactures  of 
excellent  knives,  scissars,  &.c.  which  the  women  tease  a  strati- 


404          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

ger  to  buy  at  ever y  step.  They  are  indeed  well  tempered  and 
neatly  made,  but  dear  The  chief  ch  arches  are  those  of  our 
Lady  and  St  Peter,  belonging  to  the  Jesuits  college.  The 
Dukes  of  Bourbon  lived  here.  Their  old  palace  is  still  very 
stately  and  spacious,  with  fine  gardens  and  fountains. 

The  abbey  de  Sept  Fonts  was  founded  by  the  Dukes  of  Bour- 
bon, by  St  Bernard's  direction  and  called  our  Lady's  of  the  Seven 
Fountains  ^Bcatce  Marine  de  septem  jantibus).  It  stands  five 
leagues  from  Moulins  and  two  from  Bourbon  Laney,  on  the  ri- 
ver Bcsuerc,  which  falls  into  the  Loire  a  little  below  it.  ts 
extensive  gardens  are  planted  with  herbs,  for  the  sustenance  of 
the  religious.  The  monastery  and  church  preserve  their  an- 
cient simplicity,  without  any  thing  gay  or  pompous.  There 
are  ico  monks,  who  in  choir  seem  to  have  but  one  voice,  all 
"begin,  pause,  aiiclendso  exactly  together.  Their  pauses  in  the 
middle  cf  the  verses  are  lonp,  to  jjive  the  heart  time  to  feed  it- 

O '  O 

self  on  the  sense  of  the  prayers.  One  perceives  no  other  mo- 
tion in  them  but  that  of  their  lips  :  they  seem  like  statues.  At 
conference^  as  they  term  the  recreation  after  dinner,  he  who 
presides  proposes  some  subject  of  piety  and  nobody  speaks,  ex- 
cept when  asked  by  the  superior.  Whenever  they  go  to  church, 
or  to  their  labour  it  is  always  with  the  greatest  order,  and  most 
edify  ing  modesty  and  recollection,  their  eyes  cast  down,  and  their 
arms  across.  The  same  appears  in  all  their  actions.  It  is  sur- 
prising to  see  with  what  vigour  those  worn-out  and  mortified 
bodies  apply  to  their  work.  Their  silence  is  perpetual;  herbs 
and  legumes  are  their  ordinary  food  ;  eggs  are  deemed  a  deli- 
t.acy  lit  only  for  the  sick  and  strangers  ;  flesh  and  even  fish 
are  never  allowed,  except  sometimes  for  the  sick  in  the 
infirmary.  The  late  Abbot  Dom  Eustache  de  Beaufort  found 
but  five  religious  here,  and  these  without  discipline.  He  ac- 
complished a  reform  according  to  the  primitive  rule  of  St  Ber- 
nard, and  instead  of  five  left  500  religious— ^choir-monks,  and 
lay  brothers^.  They  never  jufFer  the  examples  of  piety,  or  any 
thing  that  passes  within  their  wa'-ls  to  be  published  abroad, 
much  less  to  be  printed,  their  great  desire  being  to  lead  an  un- 
known hidden  life  with  God  nlon",  ^cad  to  the  esteem  of  men 
.veld  to  the  world* 


Clap.  XX.   A  TOUR  FROM  LYONS  TO  PARIS.          405 

Setting  out  from  Moulins  after  dinner,  we  arrived  by 
5  o'clock  at  NEVERS,  which  is  8  posts  by  la  Perche,  Villeneuve, 
Chantenay,  St  Pierre  le  Monstier,  Villars  and  Magny,  all  small 
places  or  villages.  The  Nivernou  is  a  fertile  province  having 
on  the  east  the  dutchy  of  Burgundy,  and  the  Loire  on  the  west 
separating  it  from  Bourbonnois  and  Berry. 

NEVERS,  capital  of  this  province,  is  a  large  town,  and  in  one 
part  handsomely  built  and  populous  ;  on  the  other  side  remark- 
ably thin  of  inhabitants.  The  fruitfulness  of  the  soil,  with  the 
trade  upon  the  Loire,  on  the  bank  of  which  it  is  built,  contri- 
bute to  render  it  flourishing.  It  possesses  the  best  glasshouses 
in  France,  with  workmen  in  chrystal,  and  all  ingenious  inven- 
tions that  are  made  of  it.  There  is  a  law  made  by  the  canons 
of  the  cathedral  that  any  dog  found  in  the  church  is  to  be  killed 
by  the  battonier.  This  is  notified  by  an  inscription  over  the 
door,  with  a  caution  to  ladies  to  keep  their  favourite  lapdogs 
out  of  the  danger.  The  Duke  of  Nevers's  palace  in  this  towa 
is  fit  for  a  petty  king.  He  is  of  the  family  ot  Marcini,  which 
marrying  the  niece  of  Cardinal  Mazarin,  took  the  name  of 
Mazarini  Marcini. 

From  Nevers,  we  rode  two  leagues  next  morning  to  PoKges, 
where  we  breakfasted.  Pouges,  is  a  handsome  village,  and  ce- 
lebrated for  the  salubrious  qualities  of  its  mineral  baths.  It  is 
a  post  also  from  Pouges  to  Barbcloup,  and  another  from  thence: 
to  La  Charlie,  a  good  borough,  the  best  town  of  Nivernoas  af- 
ter Nevers.  The  great  road  to  Paris  lies  I  o  short  posts  to 
Briare,  where  it  leaves  the  Loire,  bending  west  towards  Or- 
leans ;  and  from  Briare,  a  small  place,  enioving  r.o  sm:ul  olinre 
of  commerce  on  the  river,  six  posts  and  a  half  to  Afo/?- 
targis,  capital  of  GatJnois  :  and  six  posts  and  a  half  thence  to 
Nemours,  which  gives  the  title  of  duke  to  a  prince  of  thefcuni- 
ly  of  Savoy  ;  and  thence  two  po-'.s  ?.:vl  a  lulf  to  ¥ountai*ibhau, 

Instead  of  taking  this  ro'id,  we  crossed  Berry  towards  An- 
gers. At  La  Charke,  there  13  :t  very  noble  bridge  over  UK-, 
Loire,  separated  in  the  miduie  by  u  small  island  covered  with 
houses,  so  that  it  forms  in  reality  two  bridges,  as  is  comrade- 
ly the  case  with  mc;t  of  the  bridges  over  this  bread  river, 
ILviruv  pns^d  it,  we  !em::..i  our^t-lve.-  in  7? •';•>•->',  and  after  tr,:- 


40<J  TRAVELS   OF  REV.    ALBAN   BUTLER. 

veiling  1 2  leagues  we  reached  BOURGES,  capital  of  the  province, 
the  Avaricum  Ehurigum  of  CAESAR.  This  city,  situated  on  a 
small  eminence,  surrounded  by  marshes  and  deep  brooks,  is  a 
place  of  considerable  strength.  Its  old  walls  are  very  thick, 
and  are  defended  by  above  80  towers.  The  castle,  called  La 
Grosse  *Tour,  is  partly  ruined.  The  river  Eure  receives  here 
the  Auron,  the  Aurette,  the  Molon,  the  Colin  and  other  rivulets, 
by  which  it  is  made  navigable.  The  city  is  very  large,  but 
exceedingly  thin  of  inhabitants.  The  houses  seem  to  cry  out 
for  any  that  will  come  to  reside  in  them.  The  cathedral  is  a 
vast  Gothic  building,  one  of  the  largest  in  France.  They  keep 
a  furious  mastiff  in  it  when  shut,  to  guard  it  against  robbers. 
There  are  seven  other  churches  of  canons,  one  of  which  (the 
holy  chapel)  is  immediately  subject  to  the  holy  see.  Bourges 
has  17  parishes,  a  rich  college  of  Jesuits  ;  many  monasteries  and 
old  palaces.  St  Jeanne  Duchess  of  Berry,  and  queen  of  Lewis 
XII.  diedherein  the  nunnery  of  the  Annunciation,  which  she  had 
founded  in  1504,  and  is  buried  in  the  holy  chapel.  The  diocese  is 
one  of  the  largest  in  France.  Bourges  was  made  an  university  by 
St  Lewis  ;  and  has  had  very  eminent  professors  in  law,  as  Alciat, 
RebufFe,  Balduin,  Cujas,  &c.  It  is  termed  the  centre  or  mid- 
dle point  of  France,  and  is  cheap  and  healthy.  Berry  likewise 
contains  the  cities  of  Issoudon,  Chatoux  Roux,  St  Aignan, 
Chateauneuf,  Aubigny,  S;c.  small  towns.  The  province  is 
commonly  called  fertile  ;  but  it  certainly  has  little  to  boast  of, 
consisting  principally  of  extensive  woods,  barren  heaths,  and  to- 
wards Touraine  of  sandy  ground  ;  still  it  is  said  to  be  a  finer 
country  than  Poitou,  Limosin,  Sainctogne,  &c.  At  Bourges 
they  talk  good  French,  though  situated  beyond  the  Loire  ;  but 
the  language  here  soon  begins  to  alter. 

It  is  21  leagues  from  Bourges  to  ORLEANS,  so  called  from 
the  Emperor  AURELIAN,  to  whom  it  owed  its  original  splendor. 
The  situation  of  this  city  is  most  agreeable  and  advantageous,  on 
the  prince  of  the  rivers  of  France.  But  in  consequence  of  its 
many  disasters,  ithas  declined  considerably  from  its  former  gran- 
deur, being  greatly  deserted.  Even  the  churches  have  never 
recovered  themselves  since  pillaged  by  the  Huguenots.  Its 
bridge  over  the  Loire,  divided  into  two  by  an  island  in  the  mid- 


Clap.  XX.      A  TOUR  FROM  LYONS  TO  PARIS*          407 

die,  consists  of  1 6  arches,  and  is  adorned  with  brass  statues  of 
our  Lady,  of  King  Charles  the  VII.   and  of  the  Pucelle  d' Or- 
leans.    The  revenue  of  the  bishop  of  Orleans  is  30,000  livres. 
We  took  cross  roads  from   Bourges  by  Ville  Franche,   and 
Romorentin  to  BLOIS,  in  Latin  Blesce, capital  of  its  little  county, 
situated  on  the  Loire,  eight  posts  below  Orleans.     The  banks 
of  the  Loire  are  in  Paris  boasted  of  as  the  most  agreeable  and 
healthy  place  in  France,  particularly  Blois,  in  so  much  that 
the  French  kings  frequently  retired  thither,  and  their  children 
were  often  brought  up  in  that  city  ;  which  was  sufficient  to 
make  it  the  rendezvous  of  all  strangers.     One  reason  for  this 
however  might  be  that  the  French  language  is  certainly  spoke 
in  its  greatest  purity  at  Blois  and  Tours  of  any  part  of  France. 
Good  roads,  a  fruitful,   country,  and  so  fine  a  river,  which 
is   full  of  islands  large  enough  to  contain  pastures,  houses 
or    woods,   contribute   to  render  it  a   delightful   spot.        But 
Blois  has  now  lost  its  greatest  charm,  its  genteel  and  agreeable 
society,   nor  has  it  any  pleasant  houses   fit   to   accommodate  a 
stranger.     Part  of  the  town  and  the  cathedral  is  situated  on  a 
very  steep  hill,  which  it  is  troublesome  to  climb.  The  marsh- 
es on  the  other  side  of  the  river,  extending  above  a  league   in 
breadth,  are  very  disagreeable,  and  must  be  unhealthy.  So  that 
Blois  is  not  the  town  I  should  prefer  for  my  residence.     All  I 
could  find  worth  notice  in  it,  are,  the  fine  stone  bridge  over  the 
Loire,  the  bishop's  palace,  delightfully  situated  on  a  hill,  on  the 
bank  of  the  river,   and  the  fine  gardens  adjoining  :   also  the  ca- 
thedral, though  nothing  extraordinary,   and  the  pleasant  walk 
on  the  other  side,  resembling  a  cours  :  The  city  is  still  rich,  and 
the  bishop  enjoys  25,000  livres  a  year.    Its  greatest  ornaments 
arc,  the  ancient  king's  palace  on  the  rock  over  the  riser,  and 
its  Park.      The  castle  of  Buzi  or  Buri,  is  three  leagues  from 
Biois.     In  its  court,  raised  on  a  pillar,  is  a  fine  brass  statue  of 
King  David,  said  to  have  been  brought  from  Ro:ne       Vendome 
is  remarkable  for  a  lake,  which  is  said  to  be  regularly  dry  eve- 
ry seven  years  ;  but  this  must   be  a   traveller's   tale,  for   the 
people  in  Blois  have  no  proof  of  it.     Its  dukedom,  enjoyed  by 
Henry  the  IV,,  was  settled  by  that  prince  on  a  natural  son. 


408        TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

The  banks  of  the  Loire  are  in  many  places  very  low,  and  its 
floods  easily  drown  the  country  towards  Berry.  The  waters 
left  in  the  hollow  and  low  grounds  form  great  marshes,  espe- 
cially during  winter,  and  after  the  rains.  On  the  other  side,  in 
Orleanois,  Blesois,  Touraine,  &c.,  a  very  broad  rampart,  called 
the  Levee,  is  raised  and  kept  in  exceeding  good  repair,  forming 
not  only  a  strong  dyke  to  preserve  thecountry  against  the  floods, 
but  also  a  very  good  highway  ; — an  example  which  ought  to 
be  imitated  in  many  other  places,  especially  by  the  Pope  on  the 
banks  of  the  Po,  in  Ferrarois  and  Commacchio.  From  Blois 
to  Amboiss  we  had  five  posts  on  the  Levee,  and  three  and  a  half 
more  to  Tours  through  the  posts  Chousy,  Veuve,  Haut  Chan- 
tier,  Amboise  town,  Lussanr,  and  Mount  Louis  j  to  Tours 
seventeen  leagues. 

Ainboise  stands  on  each  side  the  river,  a  small  town,  but  bet- 
ter built  than  Blois.  Its  bridge  over  the  Loire  is  separated  in 
the  middle  by  an  island  full  of  houses  ;  and  the  first  part  of  it 
is  of  wood,  the  other  of  stone.  The  French  kings  used  often  to 
retire  hither  as  well  as  to  Blois.  Their  palace  is  still  an  entire 
strong  edifice,  situated  on  a  rock,  called  the  castle  of  Amboise. 
Its  walls  are  of  an  incredible  thickness.  There  are  preserved 
in  it  a  pair  of  gigantic  stag's  horns,  too  large  to  be  natural. 
At  Montlouis,  a  small  town,  many  of  the  houses  are  not  built  y 
but  cut  in  the  side  of  a  rock  ;  the  chimneys  only  appearing  a- 
bove  ;  and  the  doors  in  the  side.  One  post  brought  us  from. 
Montlouis  to  TOURS,  a  great  town,  displaying  long  and  spacious 
streets,  and  many  handsome  houses. 

The  province  of  T^ouraine,  is  the  most  agreeable  in  this  part 
of  France.  By  many  it  is  esteemed  the  most  charming  coun- 
try of  the  whole  world, — the  delight  of  France,  as  "Tempe  was 
of  TLcssaly  and  Greece.  TOURS  is  the  glory  of  the  Loire.  It 
contains  the  greatest  number  of  inhabitants  of  fashion  ;  and  is 
a  very  cheap,  as  well  as  most  agreeable  place.  The  Cathedral, 
built  by  the  English  in  honour  of  St  Gratian,  is  a  great  Gothic- 
edifice.  Amongst  the  epitaphs  in  it,  one  of  Ouvrande,  master 
of  music  in  this  place,  pleased  me  very  much  ;  importing,  that 
his  only  concern  on  earth  was  to  praise  God,  and  this  he  pray- 
ed might  be  his  only  recompence  for  eternity. 


Chap*  XX.  A    TOUR    FROM   LYONS    TO    PARIS.  409 

Laus  divina  mihi  semper  fuit  unica  cura  ; 
Post  obitum  sit  laus  divina  mihi  unica  merces. 

St  Martin's  church  is  spacious,  but  dark  and  old.  Tha' 
saint's  tomb  is  shut  up  with  iron  rails  ;  it  was  plundered,  and 
the  sacred  ashes,  held  in  the  greatest  veneration  by  all  France 
for  mar.y  ages,  burnt  by  the  Huguenots  under  King  Charles  IX. 
in  1562,  as  some  Latin  verses  inscribed  near  the  place  relate. 
The  other  relics  and  monuments  in  the  churches  here,  met  the 
same  fate.  A  handsome  bridge  over  the  Loire  joins  the  town 
to  the  suburbs.  The  silk  and  cloth  manufactures  have  muck 
enriched  this  city.  The  Archbishop  de  Rastignac  is  very- 
young,  but  assiduous  in  his  diocese.  His  yearly  income  is 
18,000  livres.  Kis  suffragans  are,  Mans,  whose  income  is 
27,000  livres;  Angers  16,000;  Rennes  1 6,000 ;  Nantz  25,000; 
Quimper,  14,000;  Vannes,  16,000;  Leon,  8,000;  Treguier, 
14,000  ;  St  Brieu,  i8,cco  ;  St  Malo,  30,000  ;  Del,  20,000. 

The  Calif  maille  is  a  pleasant  place  for  walking  and  playing. 
Marmottstier  is  a  great  abbey  on  the  other  side  of  the  Loire., 
said  to  have  been  founded  by  St  Martin.  In  Tcurair.e  arc-, 
three  manufactories  of  silk  :  The  first  and  greatest  founded  by 
Lewis  XI.  in  1470.  When  Cardinal  Richelieu  was  minister, 
Tours  alone  employed  20,000  men  in  this  branch  ;  50:10  mas- 
terships ;  700  mills  to  prepare  the  silk,  and  above  40,000  per- 
sons to  divide  it,  according  to  the  account  of  Boulainvilliers, 
in  his  Etat  de  France,  and  at  that  period,  the  tarif  of  the  silk 
manufacture  amounted  to  iCjOOO,ooo  livres  per  annum.  Since 
the  ministry  has  ceased  to  protect  it,  this  is  so  much  diminish- 
ed, that  Tours  at  present  employs  but  1200  masterships,  70 
mills,  and  4000 -persons  to  prepare  the  silk.  This  city  for- 
merly consumed  90  oxen  a  week,  now  it  does  not  require  25, 

The  fens  near  the  Loire  must  render  Tours,  Blo:3,  S--C.  very 
liable  to  fevers.  I  should  chuse  Tours  for  my  residence  i;>. 
midsummer  ;  Bourges,  in  rainy  seasons  ;  but  Aix  and  Mont- 
pellier  during  the  inclemency  of  winter.  From  Tours  by 
Luynes,  (a  borough  which  gives  title  of  duke  to  a  family  o 
flie  Albert,  called  Maille  Luynes)  next  by  La  PiV,  ct  Mar-.. 

C  c 


410      TRAVELS  OF  RFV.  ALBAN  BUTLEK. 

Langets,  Trois  Valets,  Chouze,  St  Catherine  de  L'Isle,  Auger, 
Saumur,  St  Martin  de  la  Place,  Roziers  Ministre,  and  Dague- 
nierc,  it  is  14  posts  to  Angers. 

Saumur,  16  leagues  from  Tours,  is  a  tolerable  handsome 
town,  with  a  good  bridge  on  the  Loire.  Fontevraud  (Fans 
Ebraldi)  the  greatest  nunnery  in  France,  is  a  league  distant 
from  the  Loire,  delightfully  situated  on  the  frontiers  of  Tou- 
raine,  and  is  the  chief  house  of  the  religious  order  of  that  name, 
a  reform  of  St  Benedict's  rule,  founded  by  the  blessed  St  RO- 
BERT of  Arbrlssel  in  noo.  The  order  consists  of  57  priories 
in  France  ;  and  had  several  monasteries  in  England  before  their 
dissolution.  The  abbess  of  Fontevraud  is  general  of  the  order, 
and  has  the  jurisdiction  over  the  monks  as  well  as  the  nuns, 
in  their  separate  houses  ;  an  extraordinary  regulation.  The 
present  king's  daughters  are  brought  up  here. 

We  just  entered  Poitou  at  Cvouz,?,  a  large  province,  fertile  in 
wine,  corn,  and  cattle,  bnt  thinly  peopled.  We  did  not  think 
it  worth  our  while  to  visit  POITIERS,  though  once  so  great  a 
city,  and  celebrated  on  account  of  the  signal  victory  obtained  near 
it  in  the  year  1356,  by  the  heroic  BLACK  PRINCE,  over  the 
French  army  commanded  by  King  JOIIM,  and  where  that  mo- 
narch was  taken  prisouer.  The  only  thing  which  is  mention- 
ed as  remarkable,  is  La  Pierre  Levee,  a  huge  square  stone  25 
feet  long  and  17  broad,  placed  upon  four  s-tones,  half  i  league 
out  of  the  town  ;  famous  for  the  fables  related  about  it.  The 
other  cities  of  Poitou  are  still  less  curious  and  inconsiderable. 
The  principal  are,Zoz^z//?,  famous  for  the  story  of  its  spirits,  and 
Chatelherault\t  renowned  for  a  broad  bridge,  its  chrystal  works, 
manufacture  of  false  jewels,  &.c.  and  Saumur y  which  was  the  uni- 
versity of  the  Hugenots  in  France.  Here  are  many  fine  seats, 
as  that  of  Count  de  Repalicr,  that  of  Mons  d'Aubigny,  £cc. 

Near  Ministre  is  situated  the  famous  Alley  of  St  Maur 
sur  Loire.  The  congregation  of  St  Maur  is  a  reform  of  Bene- 
dictines commenced  in  France,  and  confirmed  by  Gregory  XV. 
in  1621,  and  aguin  by  Urban  VIII.  in  1627.  It  is  divided  in- 
to six  provinces.  The  abbeys  of  St  Denis,  of  St  German  de  Pre:: 
In  Paris,  of  St  Remigius  in  Rheims,  of  Marmoutier  in  Tours, 

•'  This  ci'.v  giv-3  tith  of  Dal::  uf  ChatclhcravJt  to  the  Dir-rr  of  Hamilton  in  Scethn;?. 


Clap.  XX.     A  TOUR  FROM  LYONS  TO  PAR^J.        411 

St  Peter  of  Corbie,  of  Fleury,  or  St  Bennet's  on  the  Loire,  of 
the  Trinity  of  Vendome,  &.c.  The  chief  abbey  of  this  con- 
gregation is  this  of  St  Maur  sur  Loire  four  leagues  from  Sau- 
mur,  and  five  from  Angers.  It  is  a  very  magnificent  building, 
recently  erected  in  a  most  solitary  place,  and  almost  inaccessible, 
unless  by  crossing  the  river.  This  reform  is  very  austere. 
They  never  eat  flesh,  &c.  The  many  editions  of  the  fathers, 
and  other  learned  works  published  by  them,  are  proofs  with 
what  application  and  success  they  cultivate  learning. 

Almost  two  leagues  before  we  reach  Angers,  the  road  leaves 
the  banks  of  the  Loire,  and  we  found  the  country  a  continued 
marsh  till  very  near  the  town.  Ingenious  flood-gates  confine 
the  waters  within  some  bounds,  otherwise  they  would  over- 
flow the  whole  country.  It  was  now  the  month  of  May.  We 
were  informed  that,  after  long  dry  weather,  these  marshes  are 
pretty  dry. 

Anjou  is  famous  in  our  English  history  from  the  time  of 
King  Henry  II.  This  duchy  is  30  leagues  long,  and  20  broad, 
is  in  many  parts  very  fruitful,  and  abounds  in  game.  Some 
£d  partridges  are  to  be  found,  but  they  are  by  no  means  supe- 
rior to  those  in  England. 

ANGERS  is  a  large  city,  pretty  populous,  but  its  buildings 
are  generally  inelegant.  Although  it  be  the  seat  of  an  univer- 
sity, it  can  boast  of  few  professors  or  students.  The  Ora- 
torians,  who  have  here  n  good  college,  are  esteemed  the  best: 
scholars  ;  but  they  are  at  present  under  a  cloud  on  account  of 
the  disputes  respecting  Jansenism.  The  bishop  is  chancellor  j 
and  his  grand  vicar  vice-chancellor.  Kino;  Lewis  XIV.  insti- 

o  o 

tutcd  here  a  Royal  Academy,  consisting  of  30  members,  exclu- 
sive of  the  bishop  and  king's  lieutenant. 

He  also  erected  an  Academy,  or  Menagerie  for  riding,  settling 
a  handsome  income  on  the  director  or  master,  besides  his  emo- 
luments from  his  pupils.  Old  Monsieur  Pignerolle,  formerly 
Ecuyer  to  the  Duke  of  Loraine  at  Nancy,  who  holds  this 
situation,  has  greatly  improved  the  institution.  His  son. 
at  present  continues  the  same  indefatigable  application,  and 

ioins  to  a  most  laudable  care  of  his   exercises  a   creat  pr  ^ "  y 

01  iiurc/ 
.ind  Christian  pifty  ;     Most  essential  qualities  in  such  •o!ace"; 

C  c  ? 


412         TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

which  are  generally  debauched  and  licentious,  as  is  that  cf 
Paris.  The  greatest  part  of  the  scholars  live  as  boarders  with 
the  master.  Most  of  the  French  live  in  the  common  gallery  ; 
and  only  learn  to  ride  a  very  short  time.  Almost  all  foreigners 
have  their  own  apartment  with  their  servant,  &c.,  which  may 
cost  them,  including  the  fees  paid  their  masters,  their  exercises, 
&c.  1 80  or  2ocl.  Sterling  a-year.  The  Menagerie  is  superior 
to  any  I  saw  in  France,  except  that  of  Versailles,  far  better 
than  those  of  Lyons,  Paris,  Aix,  &tc.,  having  a  double  yard 
under  cover,  in  a  large  handsome  building,  having  the  centre 
and  the  points  in  the  round  all  marked.  The  French,  Germans, 
and  Spaniards,  ride  by  rule  ;  other  nations  without  any.  This 
art  teaches  to  sit  on  horse-back  gracefully,  to  ride  firm  in  all 
paces,  and  is  of  singular  advantage  to  officers  in  learning  them 
to  manage  their  horses,  both  during  an  engagement,  and  when 
fightine  a  dviel. 

o  o 

The  Cathedra!  of  Anger?,  dedicated  to  St  Maurice,  is  ?. 
large  old  Gothic  building.  The  tombs  of  its  ancient  bishops, 
and  of  Renatu:;  Kir.g  of  Sicily,  are  its  chief  ornaments  and 
curiosities.  The  old  epitaphs  arc  generally  paltry  and  barbar- 
ous. In  the  puvcli  are  hung  up  huge  bones  of  some  unknown 
sea-imnEter.  Jn  the  town  and  suburbs  are  four  rich  Bene- 
dictine abbeys,  vi?..  St  Aubiii'sy  in  which  are  the  shrines  ci 
St  Aubin  and  of  St  Clarus,  in  silver  gilt,  and  adorned  with  pre- 
cious stones  ;  the  high  altar  surrounded  with  fine  brass  pillars. 
St  AT..:^t7j-'j'  monastery  is  more  recently  built,  on  a  hill  on  the 
c'hcr  s:  le  of  the  t-wn  ;  thst  of  St  Cyr  or  St  Cerge  has  tolerable 
st-stues,  Li  the  treasury  of  the  cathedral,  is  shewn  the  swor.I 
of  St  iM.'.urLf,  and  they  say  one  of  the  vessels  which  our 
SAV;OU.\  used  at  the  marriage  of  Gana. 

An  go  i^:  i.-j  Ir.silt  on  two  rising  hills.  The  river  Mayenne 
runs  in  the  valleybetvveen,  over  which  has  been  lately  thrown 
a  handsome  bridge,  adorned  with  a  small  pyramid.  The 
M'ayennt  iises  uI0h  Abnqon,  runs  bf  Mayenne,  a  small  town, 
?.-\d  has  become  a  broad  river  at  An-err,  a  little  btlow  which 
.  tv  it  falls  1:1:3  tlie  Loire.  At  Angers  it  receives  the  Loir, 
''Jhir^ ?••'."  v>r  dU-rcnt  froai  L:i  Lvi-'i^  which  risin  not  ft: 


Chap.  XX.    A  TOUR  FROM  LYON^  TO  PARIS.          413 

from  Chartres,  passes   by  Vendome,  Fort  du  Loir,   a  strong 
castle  three  leagues  from  Tours  and  La  Fleche  to  Angers. 

It  is  nine  posts  by  the  Loire  to  NANTES,  the  richest  city  of 
Brittany,  well  fortified,  being  surrounded  by  wails,  and  defend- . 
ed  by  a  strong  castle  on  the  river.  It  is  a  town  of  great  trade, 
as  is  also  St  MALO  on  the  other  side  of  Brittany,  and  Ent.ST 
which  is  the  principal  naval  station  of  France  ;  as  its  secure  deep 
harbour  is  ?lmost  shut  in  from  the  sea  by  a  tongue  of  lard.. 
Though  RENNES  is  capital  of  this  fertile  province,  we  saw 
but  very  little  of  it,  for  after  a  week  spent  at  Angers,  we 
returned  by  La  Fleche  and  Be.lesme  to  Paris. 

We  travelled  five  posts  or  ten  leagues  of  very  bad  road  by 
Bourgneuf,  to  La  Fleche,  there  being  neither  pavement  nor 
any  hard  bottom,  and  the  soil  extremely  fat  and  soft  with 
rains  ;  halt  a  mile  of  it  was  entirely  in  water,  but  as  the  bottom 
here  is  sound  and  good,  there  is  never  any  danger  except  in  a 
flood  ;  and  we  had  in  Italy  travelled  through  water,  (perhaps 
not  so  far),  as  deep  as  here,  even  up  to  the  axletree.  La  Fleche 
is  a  good  burgh,  and  I  believe  the  most  moderate  place  to  live 
in  of  all  France,  (even  more  so  than  Lambcse  in  Provence),  and 
is  celebrated  on  account  of  the  great  college  of  the  Jesuits, 
built  by  King  Henry  IV.  This  seminary  is  a  palace  large 
enough  to  lodge  three  kings  ;  ar.d  is  indeed  more  magnificent 
than  many  royal  houses  ;  but  it  is  dirty,  nor  has  it  that  neat- 
ness which  pleases  the  eye.  The  great  gallery  is  the  n  cst 
remaikable  part  of  the  edifice  :  Ic  has  three  courts.  1  he 
boarders,  who  are  always  numerous,  are  kept  very  strictly, 
and  in  great  confinement.  The  church  is  built  in  an  elegunt 
style  of  architecture,  with  a  large  corridor  and  upper  gallery 
around  it.  The  heart  of  King  Henry  IV.  is  kept  in  a  gilt 
case  hung  up  near  the  high  altar.  La  Fleche  stands  not  on 
the  Mayenne,  as  some  say,  but  on  the  Loir,  a  small  river,  for- 
merly mentioned,  which  f;.lls  iato  the  Mayenne  at  Angers, 
nears  its  confluence  with  the  Loire. 

Five  posts  more  of  bad  road,   by  Guesselard,  brought  us  to 

MANS,  in  Latin  Cenomanum,  one  of  the  most  ancient  cities  of 

Gaul,   but   greatly  injured  by  the  wars   of  the   Normans   and 

English,   and  by   fire:  yrt  still  possessed   of    some  churches 

C  c   ? 


314  TRAVELS   OF   REV.   ALBAN   BUTLER. 

remarkable  enough,  and  a  new  beautiful  convent  of  the 
Annunciation  :  It  is  the  seat  of  a  bishopric  and  capital  of 
the  province  of  Maine.  From  Mans,  we  experienced  better 
road  by  Savigny,  Bonnestable,  and  St  Cosme,  six  posts  to 
Bellesmc,  capital  of  the  little  province  La  Perche,  the  soil  of  which 
13  like  that  of  Normandy,  which  we  only  entered. 

The  soil  of  Normandy  perfectly  resembles  that  of  the  best 
part  of  England,  exceeding  fertile  in  corn  and  pasture,  apples 
and  pears,  and  abounding  in  large  cattle  ;  cyder  is  the  ordinary 
drink,  very  good  for  those  who  can  purchase  it ;  nor  is  the 
best  cyder  extravagant.  Normandy  is  above  70  leagues  long, 
38  broad,'  and  340  in  circumference.  The  wars  with  the 
Normans  constituting  no  inconsiderable  part  of  the  English 
history,  this  people  is  very  \vell  known  in  Britain.  They  are 
called  Normans,  that  is  Northern  Men,  are  esteemed  very 
crafty,  and  to  have  so  many  cheating  fellows  and  thieves  among 
them,  that  a  rogue  in  France  is  usually  called  a  Norman ; 
though  the  inhabitants  of  Maine  are,  at  least  in  the  proverb, 
said  to  surpass  the  Normans  :  Un  Manceaux  want  un  Norman 
t*t  de??::.  Normandy  enjoys  seteral  privileges  ;  but  seems  not 
happier  for  them.  In  the  generality  of  Rouen  are  1850  parish- 
es, ant!  about  7:0,000  souls  ;  but  of  these  there  are  scarcely 
50,000  that  live  comfortably;  the  greater  part  lie  on  straw,  if 
\ve  may  credit  Count  Boulainvilliers.  The  Normans  are  the 
most  addicted  to  Iu\v3v,it3  of  any  people  whatsoever. 

ROUEN  the  capital  lay  too  far  out  of  our  road  ;  and  the 
churches  were  plundered  by  the  Hugenots,  as  they  were  indeed 
In  ail  these  parts.  This  city  was  formerly  esteemed  the  thud 
in  France,  and  is  still  of  great  extent,  but  thinly  inhabited. 
The  Seine  brings  up  to  it  vessels  of  200  tons.  The  things  most 
deserving  a  traveller's  attention  in  it  are,  the  royal  abbey  of 
St  Out-n  ;  the  Cathedral  qf  our  Lady,  which  is  very  large  and 
curious,  and  contains  the  greatest  bell  in  France,  called  from 
the  archbishop  who  made  it,  George  Amboise :  It  is  13  feet 
hish,  ii  in  diameter,  and  of  a  stupendous  thickness  ;  weighing; 

O      *  •*  '  O  CJ 

4 0,000  pounds,  according  tn  the  inscription  upon  it.  In  the 
name  church  i:-,  the  F,^i'>.r  :Tc;;rr,  Luilt  by  the  same  George 
Amboise,  with  the  rronc--  which  the-  peonle  gave  to  the  church 


Clap.  XX.      A  TOUR  FROM  LYONS  TO  PARIS.          415 

in  compensation  for  a  leave  to  eat  butter  in  lent.  The  arch- 
bishop of  Rouen  has  60,0000  livres  a-year.  His  suffragans 
Bayeux  70,000,  Avranches,  20,000,  Evreux,  15,000,  Seez, 
10,000,  Lisieux,  40,000,  Contances,  14000. 

The  wooden  bridge  over  the  Seine,  built  on  barges  is  270 
paces  long,  and  rises  and  falls  with  the  tide.  The  other  prin- 
cipal towns  in  Normandy  are,  Dieppe,  a  sea-port,  with  a  small 
safe  harbour  ;  Harfleur,  Honfleur,  and  Havre  de  Grace  on  the 
mouth  of  the  Seine ;  Lisieux,  Bayeux,  Cherbourg,  Coutances, 
Avranches,  Evreux,  (remarkable  as  being  the  place  where  the 
heroic  Pvcelle  of  Orleans  was  burnt)  Alenqon  and  Seez. 

In  the  diocese  of  Seez  in  Perche,  on  the  borders  of  Normandy 
stands  the  Abley  of  La  Trappc,  which  we  went  from  Bellesme 
by  Mor-tagne,  the  distance  of  five  leagues,  to  visit.  The  his- 
tory of  its  reform  is  shortly  this :  Abbot  ARMAND  JOHN  LE 
BOUTHILLIER  DE  RANGE,  of  the  illustrious  family  oi  Bouthinier, 
then  possessed  of  several  high  offices  in  the  King's  council  and 
•court,  had  embraced  an  ecclesiastical  state,  was  destined  to  the 
archbishopric  of  Tours,  and  for  his  eloquence  esteemed  the 
oracle  of  the  French  clergy.  The  king  had  heaped  upon  him 
great  church  revenues.  Being  30  years  old,  he  bega/i  to  enter- 
tain many  scruples  whether  his  life  and  the  employment  of 
his  revenues,  were  agreeable  to  the  dictates  of  religion  and  duty, 
especially  his  spending  church  lands  on  extravagant  equipages, 
and  table  ;  and  his  time  in  diversions  and  sports.  He  chose 
counsellors  who  were  the  least  disposed  to  flatter  him.  By 
their  advice  he  sold  his  paternal  estate,  and  which  brought  him. 
3VCC  livres  a-year  in  land;  all  this  he  gave  to  the  poor,  to 
make  restitution  for  the  ecclesiastical  revenues  he  had  already 
squandered  away.  Next  he  resigned  three  abbeys  and  two 
priories  which  he  held  in  commenda?n,  and  then  took  upon 
him  the  Cistercian  habit  in  one  of  his  own  abbeys,  called  our 
Lady's  of  La  Trappc.  Finding  here  such  a  neglect  of  discipline, 
and  so  many  relaxations,  that  filled  him  with  horror,  he  was 
resolved  to  introduce  a  reform  according  to  the  primitive  in- 
stitute by  St  Bernard,  which  with  much  difficulty  he  at  last 
effected,  commencing  it  in  1664:  He  died  in  the  year  1700,  in  fhe 
75th  year  ofhis  age  ;  having  spent  37  in  that  austere  solitude. 

C  c  4 


416  TRAVELS    OF  REV.    ALBAN    BUTLER. 

These  religious  live  entirely  dead  and  buried  to  the  world. 
They  never  speak  even  to  the  nearest  relation  that  should 
call  to  see  them,  though  he  may  see  them  without  speaking. 
They  are  completelv  ignorant  of  what  passes  in  the  world  j 
•war,  peace,  &cc.  they  know  nothing  of,  unless  the  abbot  in  gene- 
ral terms  recommends  to  their  prayers  the  king  during  the  time 
of  war.  Of  their  nearest  relations,  they  are  permitted  to  hear 
no  accounts,  and  can  never  either  write  or  receive  any  letter 
after  their  profession.  Indeed  if  the  parent  of  any  one  of  them 
dies,  the  abbot,  when  he  is  informed  of  the  event,  tells  them  all 
together,  that  a  near  relation  of  one  of  them  is  deceased,  that 
all  may  pray  for  him  ;  and  every  one  who  left  a  parent  in  the 
world,  knows  not  but  it  may  be  him.  They  can  never  speak 
to  any  one,  but  to  the  Superior,  or  Father-Confessor,  unless  by 
signs  ;  nor  one  word  even  then,  without  necessity  ;  only 
the  abbot,  if  he  be  expressly  called  for,  or  he  who  is  to  receive 
strangers,  may  speak  to  those  who  come  to  visit  them  ;  but  I 
was  astonished  to  see  how  much  he  was  afraid  of  speaking  or 
heiring  one  word  superfluous,  or  one  word  of  news.  In  silence, 
among  one  another,  they  are  stricter  than  St  Bernard  ever  was. 

Their  drink  was  formerly  poor  cyder ;  at  present  it  is  either 
that  or  small  beer  ;  every  one  on  entering  may  cause  either  of  the 
two,  but  must  always  keen  to  his  choice.  Almost  all  of  them 
except  natives  or"  Normandy  prefer  the  small  beer,  the  sour  cy- 
der being  verv  unwholesome.  They  at  no  time  eat  fisli,  nor 
ever  touch  flesh  or  eggs,  unless  when  very  sick  :  Nay  even  on 
•«he  bed  of  i!eaLh,  ther  arc  permitted  to  e:it  nothing  which  may 
"•raufy  their  palate.  On  fustinjr  days  they  eat  herbs  oil- 

J  t;  «  •/ 

<'d  with  a  link-  sr,lt  a;iu  writer,  on  other  thy 3  roots  or  legumes, 
or  herbs  boiled  with  a  little  milk  mixed  with  some  cyder  or 
-,mall  beer  ;  and  a  slice  of  course  bre:-;d.  The  brother  who  had 
ihe  charge  of  the  bakehouse,  having  once  made  the  bread  what 
the  Abbot  R-mct  judged  a  litle  too  line,  he  put  the  whole  house 
under  penance  to  appease  God.  At  collation  they  have  nothing 
but  three  ounces  ;  snJ  on  fasting  days  only  two  ounces  of  dry 
<:reacl.  Their  beds  are  hard,  r.ad  uneven,  worse  than  boards. 
i  or  r<?crc:uio;i  they  arc  pcrniiiteJ  to  till  the  fields  an  hour  and 
«  half  in  il,e  morning,  and  aj  much  in  the  afterncjn  ;  this  lay 
brothers  wo:1!;  a  ^o^  navt  of  r!:?  dr.v.  On  sunr!ny:;  the  hour- 


TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER.        417 

and  half  is  spent  in  walking  alone,  or  reading  in  their  cells, 
which  they  scarce  ever  enter,  but  when  going  to  bed  at  night. 
They  are  never  allowed  above  five  hours  for  sleep  ;  and  this  is 
interrupted.  They  are  nine  hours  every  day  in  choir,  and  sing 
in  a  firm  high  voice.  They  have  many  disciplines,  long  pro- 
strations, and  a  perpetual  mortification  of  all  their  senses. 
Abbot  de  Ranee  turned  out  a  novice,  because  in  weeding  the 
garden,  he  observed  he  put  by  the  nettles  with  his  hand  not  to 
be  stung  by  them.  They  never  change,  or  put  off"  any  of  their 
clothes  when  overheated  at  their  work,  nor  put  on  more  in  win- 
ter. When  they  come  to  the  fire,  which  is  seldom,  they  muse 
stand  and  read,  not  very  near ;  and  never  put  out  a  foot  or  pull 
up  their  clothes  to  warm  themselves.  Their  recollection  is 
singularly  edifying  and  astonishing.  They  never  know  w7hat 
passes  in  their  own  house,  except  they  hear  something  confes- 
sed in  chapter.  They  never  even  see  any  thing  but  what  they 
cannot  help :  They  know  one  another  at  most  by  sight  only, 
and  no  one  is  ever  named  or  known  to  another  except  by  the 
namehe  assumedon  entering  into  the  order.  They  never  contract 
familiarities  ;  even  brothers,  if  there  happen  to  be  such  here, 
have  no  acquaintance  together  ;  so  that  it  has  sometimes  hap- 
pened that  a  brother  has  died  in  the  persuasion  that  his  brother 
was  still  in  the  work!,  who  had  been  many  years  in  the 
convent.  They  know  not  what  novices  are  admitted,  go 
out,  &c.  Indeed  they  generally  see  no  one  but  such  as 
are  next  themselves,  and  of  them  only  the  habit.  Their 
eyes  are  always  cast  down  on  the  ground,  and  never  look 
up  even  at  strangers,  when  they  meet  them.  We  walked  in 
their  refractory  ;  yet  I  could  not  observe  one  look  up  to  see 
what  sort  of  persons  we  were  ;  not  even  those  who  passed  by 
us,  and  saw  our  feet,  swords,  and  made  low  reverences.  Thh 
put  me  in  mind  of  St  Bernard,  whose  monks  were  so  mortified, 
so  dead  to  curiosity,  and  so  recollected  in  the  presence  of  God, 
that  not  one  lifted  up  his  eyes  to  see  one  of  the  greatest  Popes 
that  ever  was,  with  his  extraordinary  train.  They  appear 
ihvays  absorpt  in  heavenly  contemplation,  insensible  to  all 
curiosity,  sensual! tv,  distraction,  or  passion,  crucified  to  the 
ilesh.  a;::!  T,vc:l :,  v:n~  ~>n!v  to  God.  Tlicir  recollection  i:; 


418         TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLEH. 

the  fields,  at  meals,  and  every  where,  is  most  moving ;  but 
their  respect  and  devotion  in  the  church  is  truly  astonish- 
ing. The  three  things  among  these  solitaries  which  are 
hardest  to  flesh  and  blood  are.  First  their  continual  em- 
ployment without  interruption  from  exercise  to  exercise,  with 
such  poor  sustenance  and  so  great  watchings,  &c.  while  the 
cold  makes  them  subject  to  such  severe  pain  and  rheumatisms, 
thr.t  many  can  scarce  drag  themselves  to  choir,  or  kneel  or  bow, 
yet  they  do  all  chearfully,  though  after  a  short  time,  at  first,  their 
legs  generally  swell  through  fatigue  The  second  thing  is 
that  rule  of  their  institute  by  which  every  one  is  obliged  to 
follow  in  every  thing  the  will  of  any  other,  though  expressed 
only  by  sign,  as  much  as  that  of  a  superior.  Once  a  lay- 
brother,  on  a  high  tower  sat  on  a  loose  tottering  stone  to 
•work,  because  another  had  pointed  it  out  to  him.  Another  put 
the  singing  books  all  wrong  willingly,  because  an  ignorant  per- 
son of  the  community  had  pointed  cut  that  method  of  placing 
the  notes.  The  third  is  the  harshnes  with  which  the  superior 
treats  them  when  sick.  Abbot  de  Ranee,  having  asked  one  of 
them,  who  was  in  his  last  sickness,  how  he  had  slept ;  and  De- 
ing  answered  by  the  dj  ing  man,  that  he  had  not  sl?pt  well, 
said  to  him,  in  a  severe  tone,  that  he  was  delicate  indeed, 
for  he  had  slept  too  well.  Next  morning,  when  asked  again, 
he  answered,  he  had  slept  well ;  though  as  the  brother  infirma. 
rian  told  the  abbot,  he  had  not  shut  his  eyes  ;  being  chid  by  the 
Abbot  and  asked  the  reason,  he  said,  because  he  had  slept  as 
•well  as  the  night  before,  which  his  reverence  had  told  him  was 
veil.  They  are  carried  to  the  church  and  laid  on  ashes  on  the 
floor  to  receive  the  last  sacraments  and  die  ;  the  moment  in 
which  these  martyrs  of  penance  are  usually  most  chearful. 

La  Trappe  stands  in  the  midst  of  woods  and  fields  In  the 
forest,  in  which  they  often  hold  their  conferences  in  great 
retirement,  is  this  inscription. 

Seigneur,  quc  jc  me  plals  a  i'ombre  cie  ces  bois, 
Ou  j'  enteiids  resonncr  sans  cesse  a  mes  oreilles 
!Hes  '.5«-j«u:x  Ics  plus  deuces  voix, 
O'u  ran ntt ?it  ?  }.'  fnvlo  Ics  rlur,  rarcs  mcrvcilks  : 


Clap.  XX.  A  TOUR  FR01VI  LYONS  TO  PARIS.  419 

Mais  helas  !   que  je  suis  confus, 

Quand  je  vois  ces  chenes,  battus 

Par  les  vents,  qui  leur  font  la  guerre 

Malgre  tous  leurs  efforts  s'  clever  jusqu'  aux  ctetix 

Et  que  mon  foible  coeur  se  presente  a  res  yeux 

Lachement  rampant  sur  la  terre. 

They  have  similar  inscriptions  in  every  part  of  the  house, 
too  long  for  copying.  The  convent  is  a  league  from  the  village  : 
and  has  no  house  near  it,  but  its  own  out-buildings,  viz.  an  inn 
for  strangers,  consisting  of  rather  small  rooms  ;  but  the  lodg- 
ings are  tolerable.  Here  they  eat  flesh,  and  live  very  cheap. 
The  abbey  itself  is  a  low  simple  building,  of  considerable  ex- 
tent, built  in  the  form  of  a  square.  The  lay  brothers  cannot 
speak  ;  but  three  or  four  sort  of  third  brothers,  who  wear  a 
particular  habit,  can.  One  of  these  came  to  the  door  to  us,  and 
having  prostrated  himself  before  us,  conducted  us  first  to  the 
chapel  to  say  a  prayer,  then  to  the  guest-room,  where  are  put 
up  rules  for  strangers,  never  to  speak  of  news,  &tc.  To  be 
short,  we  saw  the  cloister,  dormitory  and  cells,  and  chapter- 
house, on  which  is  written  : 

Le  plus  leger  defaut  passe  ici  pour  un  crime, 
Sans  pitie,  sans  excuse,  il  est  toujours  puni, 
Et  le  corps,  de  1'esprit  1'innocent  ennemi, 
Par  des  rigueurs  en  devieni  1?.  victime. 

Their  severity  in  this  is  so  grear,  that  when  an  old  strangers- 
abbot,  70  years  of  age,  by  a  sign  signified  to  a  brother  who 
would  shew  him  his  cell,  not  to  give  himself  the  trouble,  which 
the  other  obeyed  by  rule,  De  Ranee  reproached  this  abb  or 
in  chapter,  that,  not  content  to  ruin  discipline  and  souls  at  home, 
he  came  to  spread  scandal  among  them  too ;  and  inflicted  pe- 
nances on  him  for  the  fault.  All  these  places  are  clean  and 
neat,  but  simple  and  small,  without  any  ornaments.  The  gar- 
den has  no  parterres,  &.c.  but  is  planted  with  necessary  herb-. 
The  bury  ing- place  is  in  the  open  air.  Abbot  De  Ranee  ha^ 
a  monument  in  the  middle.  'I  he  rest  :;re  interred  around  their 
holy  patron,  but  without  the  least  inark  to  distinguish  their 
crave.  On  Saturday  ri;^^  *vc  saw  them  r^vform  the  FrfzrJj- 


4ZO         TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

turn,  or  washing  of  one  another's  feet  in  the  cloister ;  and  sing 
in  the  church  the  Salve  Regina,  whkh  ~vith  the  M '  serere,  is  the 
most  moving  ceremony  of  La  Trappt  ;— with  such  a  spirit  do 
they  cry  as  penitents,  and  as  pilgrims  and  exiles  in  this  valley 
of  tears,  sighing  towards  heaven.  On  Sunday  the  religious 
dined  on  herb  soup,  a  dish  of  lentiles,  and  for  a  desert  small  ra- 
dishes. We  had  herb  soup,  dishes  of  harricots,  or  kidney- 
beans,  great  beans,  lentiles,  and  water  hasty-pudding  or  crowdy, 
with  radishes,  apples,  and  walnuts. 

Of  100  that  enter  on  a  noviciate  in  this  monastery,  scarcely 
one  stays  to  be  professed,  on  account  of  their  health,  See.  There 
are  57  choir  religious,  1 8  of  whom  are  priests.  None  are  pro- 
moted to  orders  after  taking  the  habit  here  ;  and  no  priest  en- 
tering is  permitted  to  say  aiass  during  his  noviciate.  There 
are  about  60  lay-brothers. 

Amongst  other  virtues  in  these  souls  so  dead  to  all  sentiments 
cf  this  world,  I  was  peculiarly  edified  in  observing  their  extra- 
ordinary humility  ;  ?.nd  with  what  care  they  avoided  all  things 
that  could  tend  to  any  commendation  of  their  house,  order,  re- 
form, &.c.  Amongst  their  books  of  piety,  they  took  care  to 
shew  none  of  their  own  ;  conceiving,  with  the  utmost  simpli- 
city and  sincerity,  themselves  and  all  that  belonged  to  them,  to 
be  the  last  and  out-cast  of  the  whole  creation.  I  cannot  omit 
mentioning  a  knight  of  Malta,  a  rich  French  nobleman,  who 
lives  a  most  holy  life  in  the  abbey,  and  distributes  his  35,000 
livres  revenue  a-year  altogether  among  the  poor  ;  also  a  chap- 
lain of  the  queen's,  who  spends  here  the  six  months  of  the 
year  he  is  absent  from  the  court,  where  \ve  saw  him. 

We  returned  from  the  road  of  Alenqon  and  Brittany,  (which 
is  now  the  great  post  road  to  Port  d'Orient,  as  that  of  Angers 
was  formerly)  into  that  of  Angers  and  Mons.  From  Belesm- 
to  Paris  it  is  17  posts  by  Remelard,  Loupe,  Digny,  Chateau- 
neuf,  Dreux,  Houdan,  a  tolerable  borough,  La  Qj.ieue, 
Neauphe,  and  Versailles.  Near  Houdan,  we  passed  by  the 
finest  house  in  France,  after  the  king's,  and  Chantilly,  lately 
bought  by  Madame  Tournonc,  to  be  near  the  court,  though  ir 
}-,  without  stables.  Chartres  is  on  the  right  towards  Orleans, 


Chap.  XX.       A  TOUR  FROM  LYONS  TO  PARIS.       421 

Paris,  and  enriched  with  relics.  We  found  the  diocese  in  great 
affliction  on  account  of  the  recent  death  of  their  holy  bishop  DC 
Merinville,  a  father  of  the  poor,  and  pattern  of  all  virtues. 
Dreux  is  said  to  be  so  called  from  the  old  Druids.  It  is  fa- 
mous for  some  battles  fought  there. 

We  passed  very  near  Rambouillet,  but  did  not  visit  it.  They 
told  us  that  that  palace  is  now  much  neglected,  though  the 
countess  of  Toulouse  frequently  resides  there. 

After  33  posts,  or  66  leagues  from  Angers,  we  are  now 
safely  returned  to  Paris,  where  it  is  no  small  pleasure  to  look 
behind  us,  after  having  run  over  above  2700  miles  of  direct 
route,  besides  many  excursions  to  places  out  of  the  way. 


CHAPTER   TWENTY    FIRST. 


1.  Reflections  on  Travelling,  and  the  Means  by  which  it  might  be  rendered  trulv 
useful. — II.  Observations  on  the  State  of  Italy,  and  the  causes  of  its  extrem: 
poverty,  notwithstanding  the  natural  fertility  of  its  soil — 111.  An  Account  of 
the  Grecian,  Roman,  and  Gothic  Style  of  Architecture,  with  Remarks  on  the 
most  eminent  Architects  of  Italy. 


PARIS,  1746. 

HAVING  seen  and  described  the  principal  parts  of  Italy,  I 
shall  add  a  few  reflections  on  this  country,  which  is  the  chief 
school  of  improvement  to  travellers.  The  many  wonders  of 
nature,  the  qualities  of  the  country,  the  manners  of  the  inhabi- 
tants, the  government  and  policy  of  the  numerous  states  whic'u 
compose  tins  part  cf  Euiope  ;  the  antiquities  we  meet  wit'i 
•at  every  step,  the  palaces  and  churches,  the  most  perfect  mo- 
dels of  true  architecture  both  ancient  and  modern  ;  the  finest 
pieces  of  painting  and  sculpture  ;  the  libraries  ;  ar.u  ;n  a  word, 
every  thing  which  can  either  gratify  curiosity,  or  instruct  the 
mind,  render  Italy  em  admirable  theatre  for  men  who  seek 
t  ^i  -nv  :/  the  br^nchc?  of  knowledge.  It  is  ore- 


422        TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALB  AN  BUTLER. 

viously  necessary  to  procure  a  guide  well  versed,  if  possible, 
in  all  the  above  lines,  accustomed  to  the  best  company,  anjl 
able  to  behave  himself  with  propriety  on  every  emergency. 
The  German  nobility  are  great  travellers  in  these  parts  ;  and 
from  motives  of  economy,  they  frequently  send  a  young  gentle- 
man accompanied  by  a  faithful  old  servant  who  knows  the 
languages,  customs  and  manners,  and  who  whilst  he  assumes  the 
office  of  conductor  and  guardian  against  dangers,  can  also  act 

O  o  O  * 

as  a  steward  in  regulating  the  expences,  and  at  the  same  time 
do  the  duties  of  a  servant.  Such  a  method  is  good,  when  a 
servant  so  qualified  can  be  found,  and  when  his  young  master 
will  be  advised  by  him  never  to  expose  himself  to  any  dangers. 
For  a  mere  governor  is  then  a  very  useless  thing,  unless  by 
his  observations  and  instructions  he  is  able  to  improve  his 
pupil  in  every  particular  ;  and  where  is  such  a  one  to  be  easily 
found  !  Most  young  noblemen  seem  to  travel  merely  to  dine 
and  sup,  or  at  least  to  visit  their  countrymen  in  every  town 
they  pass  through,  which  they  might  have  done  with  much 
more  propriety  within  the  circle  of  their  acquaintance  at  home. 
But  travellers,  who  desire  to  improve  themselves,  observe  in 
manners,  arts,  and  all  other  things,  whatever  may  extend  their 
knowledge,  pay  ing  attention  chiefly  to  those  things,  which  tend 
most  to  their  improvement  in  their  own  way  of  life,  yet  so  as 
not  to  neglect  other  things  that  are  useful.  Some  travel  as  if 
they  only  designed  to  be  painters,  &.c.  and  the  greater  number 
merely  to  spend  the  most  precious  time  of  life  in  wandering 
throughout  Europe,  acquiring  no  useful  knowledge,  but  squan- 
dering a  great  deal  of  money.  Travelling  is  certainly  highly 
beneficial.  If  history  be  so  very  instructive,  by  placing  past 
ages  before  our  eyes  ;  travelling  is  in  many  respects  more  ad- 
vantageous, in  as  much  as  it  instructs,  not  only  by  the  hear- 
ing, but  by  all  the  senses,  and  conveys  a  knowledge  of  many 
things,  as  of  manners,  sculpture,  £:c.  not  to  be  taught  with 
equal  advantage  by  books  :  It  is  in  many  respects  necessary  to 
some,  to  all  amusing,  and  productive  of  great  advantage. 

Of  all  parts  of  the  world,  Italy  is  certainly  the  principal  which 
a  traveller  ought  to  see  ;  and  next  to  France,  it  has  the  best  re- 
gulations  r.nd  conver.iencies  for  travelling.  Greece,  Egypt,  and 


Chap.  XXI.  REFLECTIONS   ON  TRAVELLING.  423 

Asia,  once  the  seats  of  learning  and  arts,  are  now  laid  waste  and 
barbarous.  The  few  curiosities  and  improvements  s^ill  to  be  seen 
in  those  celebrated  countries  cost  too  many  dangers  and  fatigues. 
In  Spain  few  of  the  arts  flourish  ;  there  being  only  a  vast  pro- 
fusion of  riches,  and  gaudy  pomp.  Lamps  and  candles  in  their 
churches  may  seem  something  pleasing  to  the  eye  ;  but  it  has 
really  nothing  of  advantage  in  it.  The  Escurialis  now  almost 
burnt  down.  The  king  of  Portugal's  new  palace,  with  the 
stately  convent  of  Friars  in  the  middle,  according  to  the  cus- 
tom of  the  Spanish  courts,  is  not  near  finished.  Besides,  the 
post  horses  are  under  very  bad  regulations,  and  the  inns  are 
still  worse  ;  as  they  furnish  only  lodgings,  and  the  traveller 
must  buy  in  the  market,  and  cook  his  victuals  for  himself.  la 
Germany,  many  of  the  princes  courts  are  very  well  worth 
seeing.  Bat  there  are  no  voitures  ;  slow  waggons,  or  a  few 
very  dear  four-wheeled  heavy  coaches  beiug  used  ;  and  except 
in  Tirol,  and  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Frankfort,  and  some 
other  parts,  the  roads  are  said  to  be  generally  bad.  In  France 
and  Flanders  the  high  roads  are  excellent,  and  the  inns  good. 
But  no  traveller  must  venture  on  a  cross  road  ;  for  ihese  have 
only  paltry  ale  houses.  This  is  pretty  much  the  case  in  Italy  ; 
where,  even  on  great  roacls,  good  inns  are  commonly  to  be  met 
with  only  in  great  towns  ;  which  a  person  may  contrive  al- 
ways to  have  at  night  by  a  little  foresight,  if  he  goes  post,  but 
not  otherwise. 

The  post  is  very  well  regulated  in  France,  20  sob  a  horse 
for  riding,  and  30  sols  in  chaise,  every  post  of  two  leagues  ; 
which  are  much  longer  near  the  frontiers  them  about  Paris.  In 
Italy  it  is  about  the  same  price  per  post  eight  or  nine  mile;\ 
three  pauls  a  horse  ;  except  in  the  Venetian  territories,  and  in 
Piedmont,  where  it  is  almost  double.  The  princes  f:um  out 
the  posts  at  high  rates  on  the  roads  that  are  much  frequented. 
On  the  others  post-masters  are  scarce  able  to  keep  their  horses. 
In  France,  the  postillion,  or  guide,  has  at  least  10  sols  per  po.-t ; 
in  Italy  two  Pauls,  and  usually  something  more,  to  drink  as  a 
Bonamente. 

Italy,  near  the  Apennines,  and  Alps,  which  fill  great  part  of 
it,  is  very  mountainous.  Hence  originate  many  lakes  and  r:- 


424  TRAVELS   OF   REV.    ALBAN    BUTLER. 

vers.  The  valleys  and  the  flat  countries  are  the  more  agree- 
able, being  fertile,  and  having  a  variety  of  objects  to  delight  the 
eye.  Palm-trees  are  exceeding  common.  On  Palm-Sunday, 
they  gave  us  twigs  of  true  palm.  The  cardinals  in  Rome  then 
carried  straight  long  branches,  with  a  green  tuft  at  the  top,  1 2 
or  14  feet  long,  yet  very  light.  Orange  trees,  olives,  &c..  are 
very  common,  always  green  ;  cork  trees,  of  two  species,  grow 
in  great  plenty.  Whole  woods  "of  them  are  sometimes  met 
with  with  on  rocky  or  heathy  ground.  They  are  of  a  middle 
height,  very  like  the  holm  tree,  or  green  oak.  They  grow  al- 
so in  Biscay  in^Spain,  in  Gascony,  &c.  The  bark  may  be  ta- 
ken ofFin  dry  weather,  without  hurting  the  tree,  unless  it  rains 
immediately  after,  contrary  to  the  nature  of  other  trees.  The 
corks  are  made  of  the  second  bark.  The  cork  tree  which  grows 
in  the  north  of  England,  being  less  porous,  makes  the  best  and 
closest  corks  for  bottles  ;  hence  it  is  much  esteemed  in  France. 
This  has  a  broader  leaf  which  falls  in  winter,  the  other  is  pe- 
rennial. 

Italy  is  very  thinly  inhabited,  and  consequently  poor.  The 
riches  and  strength  of  a  nation  consist  in  the  number  of  inhabi- 
tants; which  obliges  allto  be  industrious,  and  to  turn  every  thing 
to  the  best  advantage.  The  ancient  patriarchs  had  a  very  just 
riotion  cf  this.  Holland  confirms  the  assertion  ;  possessing  so 
;;reat  riches  in  so  small  a  spot,  and  that  naturally  very  ungrate- 
lul.  Princes  who  diminish  the  number  of  their  subjects  by 
wars,  or  force  them  to  emigrate  by  heavy  taxes  and  restraints, 
devour  their  own  vitals  ;  but  the  number  of  hands  is  the  great- 
est treasure  as  well  as  strength  of  a  state,  now,  as  well  as  dur- 

O  f  w 

ing  the  time  of  the  ancient  patriarchs.  What  else  makes  the 
line  country  of  Italy  so  poor,  and  Holland  in  spite  of  its  unfa- 
vourable soil,  so  astonishingly  opulent  ?  Italy  abounds  in  good 
meat ; — wild  boar  fattened  in  their  woods  of  chesnuts,  more 
dainty  than  that  of  Westphalia,  young  kid,  which  is  tender 
tincl  very  good  in  the  season,  &c.  Cattle,  excellent  cheese,  oil, 
tec  in  great  plenty.  But  of  this,  and  of  its  antiquities,  &c. 
and  of  the  government  of  its  states,  I  spoke  in  describing  out- 
iournev. 


Clap.   XXI.  ON    THE    ITALIAN  LANGUAGE.  425 

Academies  are  instituted  in  all  the  considerable  towns  in  Italy, 
and  are  composed  of  societies  of  such  as  love  arts,  sciences,  mu- 
sick,  &.c.  who  meet  for  the  purpose  of  conversing  on  such  mat- 
ters. They  take  fantastical  names,  of  which  Mr  Pelisson  gives 
us  the  list  :  For  example,  at  Rome,  there  are  the  Humoristi, 
Lynccei,  and  Fantastic!  ;  at  Cortona,  Humoroct ;  at  Sienna,  In- 
tronati  ;  at  Bologna,  Otiosti  ;  at  Padua,  Ricourati  and  Orditi ; 
at  Vicenza,  Olympici ;  at  Parma,  Innominati ;  at  Ancona,  Ca- 
hginosi  ;  at  Perusia,  Insensati,  &.c.  There  are  also  academies 
instituted  in  France,  inArles,  Nismes,  Soissons.  &c  that  of  the 
Lanternists  at  Toulouse,  &c.  I  have  mentioned  some  of  them 
before,  I  think,  in  Padua,  Florence,  &c.  Some  writers  com- 
plain of  those  societies  as  encouraging  an  excessive  refinement 
in  the  language,  as  that  of  Crusca  for  Italian,  and  the  Academic 
Franqoise  in  Paris,  and  apply  to  them  what  Petronius  said  to 
the  Roman  grammarians  :  Pace  vestra  dixerim  primi  omnium 
eloqrtentiam  perdidistis.  It  is  certain  that  their  too  great  nicety 
impoverishes  and  fetters  a  language.  Cicero  thought  it  pro- 
per to  enrich  the  Latin  tongue  with  words  from  the  Greek ; 
and  in  Britain,  an  expressive  word,  if  wanted,  by  the  autho- 
rity of  a  Dry  den  or  Pope,  receiving  a  due  termination,  often, 
obtains  bythe  suffrage  of  the  public,the  sanction  of  trueEnglish. 
How  absurd  was  the  nicety  of  th<e  emperor  Tiberius,  and  the 
impudence  of  that  grammarian,  who  said  to  him  :  "  Emperor  as 
"  you  are,  you  can  give  the  freedom  of  the  city  to  men,  but  not 
"  towards?"  These  fantastical  gentlemen  certainly  destroyed  the 
purity  of  the  Latin  language  by  their  nicety  and  absurd  laws. 
The  Italian  languao-e  is  the  sweetest  and  softest  of  all  others. 

O  O 

How  it  was  formed  from  the  corrupted  Latin,  is  shewn  with 
admirable  perspicuity  in  the  Noiwelle  methodc  d"1  apprendrc. 
Vltahenne.  For  example,  for  greater  softness,  they  turn  L  in 
/,  saying,  Monte  Sampione  for  Samplone  ;  Piombino  for  Plom- 
bino  ;  Pianta  for  Planta ;  Piu  for  Plus,  &c.  I  had  former- 
ly occasion  to  remark,  that  the  Italian  is  spoke  best  at  Sienna, 
wrote  with  greatest  purity  and  perfection  at  Florence,  and  pro- 
nounce'd  with  the  most  proper  accent  by  the  Romans.  These 
last  indeed,  make  the  first  person  plural  of  the  imperfect  sub- 
junctive, in  cssimo  for  iwo.  They  always  express  themselves 

D  d 


426  TRAVELS  OF  REV,  ALB  AN  BUTLER. 

in  the  superlative  degree.  Almost  a  cobler  will  be  styled,  Sig- 
nor  illustrissimo,  and  padrone  colendissimo.  They  never  speak 
to  any  unless  to  servants  or  vassals  in  the  second  person,  but 
always  in  the  third,  Sua  Signoria,  and  Ella.  The  servant  we 
engaged  in  Rome  continually  intermixed,  in  every  short  sen- 
tence, three  or  four  times,  Suo  Illustrissimo  ;  and  it  was  al- 
ways Illustrissimo,  si :  Illustrissimo,  non.  Yes,  or  no,  Most 
Illustrious.  Among  the  bankers  clerks,  there  is  the  primo 
ministro.  The  plainest  gentleman's  house  is  a  palazzo.  The 
French  language  is  understood  in  the  inns  in  Piedmont,  and  as 
far  as  Genoa.  The  Italians  universally  indulge  themselves  with 
a  meridian,  that  is,  a  nap  after  dinner  till  about  three  or  four 
o'clock,  and  then  the  church  doors  are  shut,  as  during  the 
night,  and  no  one  is  seen  in  the  streets  but  Frenchmen  and 
dogs,  as  the  Italians  say. 

The  Italians  reckon  the  hours  of  the  day  in  a  manner  peculiar 
to  themselves  ;  from  sunset  to  sunset  24  hours  :  at  sunset  it 
h  always  four-and-twenty  o'clock,  and  then  begins  one,  &.c. 
Thus,  mid-day  and  midnight  rise  higher,  and  fall  lower,  accord- 
ing to  the  seasons  ;  which,  say  what  they  will,  is  certainly  a 
troublesome  manner  of  calculating  time,  and  requires  a  com- 
putation to  find  mid-day,  &c.  for  which  indeed  they  have  long 
tables  in  their  almanacks,  according  to  which  the  4 1st  degree 
of  latitude,  on  the  first  of  January  rnid-day,  is  at  19  o'clock. 
On  the  2.} th  February,  at  18  o'clock;  on  the  l6th  May,  at 
a  quarter  past  16  o'clock  ;  on  the  26th  August  at  17  o'clock, 
£cc.  Midnight,  on  the  1st  of  January  >  is  at  7  o'clock  ;  on  the 
i.;t  of  Tune,  at  4  o'clock,  &c.  Aurora  L.  on  the  1st  of  January 
r.t  12  and  three  quarter:;  j  on  the  2^d  of  March,  at  10  o'clock. ; 
on  the  jth  of  April,  at  9  o'clock  ;  on  the  2yth  of  April  at  8 
o'clcck  ;  on  the  3:!  of  June,  at  6  and  a  quarter,  8-c.  There  are 
clocks  in  the  Grand  Duke's  palace  in  Florence,  which  mark  the 
hours  bydifferent  figures,  both  in  the  French  and  Italian  modes, 
Orel  di  Francia  ei  di  Italia. 

It  appears  strange  at  first  to  dine  and  go  to  bed  at  :;nch  un« 
couth  hours.  The  Italians  however  maintain  that  this  is  the 

ost  convenient  manner  of  calculating-  time.     The  bear  rnitfht 

O  O 

moi-  •::;:! '7  n'.Tauade  me  that  her  cubs  ?.rs  beauties. 


Chap  XXIL  I.    ON    ARCHITECTURE. 


CHAPTER   TWENTY  SECOND. 
ON  ARCHITECTURE,  SCULPTURE,  AND  PAINTING. 


.A.S  the  arts  of  Architecture,  Painting  and  Carving,  constitute 
the  principal  subjects  of  the  observation  of  a  traveller  in  Italy, 
who  on  the  models  found  in  this  country  forms  his  taste  and 
judgment,  I  had  previously  formed  a  collection  of  remarks 
on  the  most  distinguished  masters  in  these  arts,  chiefly 
abstracted  from  Felibien,  Vasari,  De  Piles,  Du  Fresnoy, 
Graham,  Perrault,  &.c.  I  will  give  a  brief  sketch  of  these  for 
the  better  understanding  the  descriptions. 

I.  As  TO  ARCHITECTURE. 

THE  Corinthian  Order  is  the  most  beautiful  and  perfect. 
The  capital  of  this  pillar  is  ornamented  with  two  rows  of  eight 
leaves  each,  and  with  eight  small  volutes  between  the  leaves  to 
sustain  the  abacus  or  plinth,  that  is,  topper  part.  Its  height  is 
34  diameters  and  a  half;  viz.  the  pedestal,  three  and  one-third: 
the  column  10,  arid  the  entablature  two  :  the  diameter  is  the 
thickness  of  the  shaft  at  the  bottom. 

The  Ionic  is  next  in  workmanship  to  the  Corinthian.  It;; 
capital  has  only  ears,  volutes  or  rolls,  twisted  downwards  under 
the  entablature,  and  a  little  embossed  work,  or  raised  circles 
round  the  pillar  between  and  under  these  ears.  Its  cornice  is 
•adorned  with  denticles.  MICHAEL  ANGELO  gave  it  a  single 
row  of  leaves  at  the  bottom  of  the  capital ;  all  other  architects 
give  it  none  at  all.  Its  height  is  13  diameters  and  a  half;  viz, 
the  pedestal  two  and  two-thirds,  the  column  nine,  and  the  en- 
tablature one  and  four-fifths.  The  famous  temple  of  Diana  of 

Kphesus  was  In  this  order. 

D  d? 


428          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALB  AN  BUTLER. 

The  Doric  is  more  simple.  Its  capital  is  adorned  with 
two  small  raised  circles  round  the  column,  and  its  frize  is  or- 
namented with  triglyphs,  or  simple  square  apertures,  and  me- 
topes, or  square  spaces  betwixt  the  triglyphs.  These  metopes 
and  triglyphs  must  regularly  follow  one  another,  and  resemble 
a  lyre.  The  metopes  are  often  adorned  with  ox-heads  or  the 
like  carving.  The  height  of  it  is  12  diameters  and  one-third  ; 
viz.  the  pedestal  two  and  one-third  ;  the  column  eight,  and  the 
entablature  two.  TheDoricorderis  gracefulonly  in  places  which 
require  nothing  delicate  or  ornamental,  but  an  air  of  solidity, 
strength  and  bulkiness,  as  in  vast  halls,  great  stables,  &c.  and 
never  but  on  the  floor.  The  same  rule  holds  for  the  Tuscan 
order.  It  is  beautiful  often  to  place  these  different  orders  one 
above  another  on  the  same  front ;  the  Doric  at  the  bottom,  the 
Ionic  above,  and  the  Corinthian  highest,  as  we  see  on  the  finest 
side  of  Versailles  towards  the  gardens. 

The  'Tuscan  order  is  entirely  rustic.  Its  capital  consists  of 
two  raised  circles  like  the  Doric,  from  which  it  is  to  be  distin- 
guished by  its  frieze  ;  for  the  Tuscan,  in  its  capital,  base,  and 
pnt^blature,  has  but  a  few  mouldings  or  projections  for  orna- 
ments. Its  height  consists  of  to  diameters  and  three-quarters  ; 
viz.  the  pedestal  two  ;  the  column  and  capital  seven  ;  the  en- 
tablature one  and  three-quarters.  Trajan's  pillar  is  of  this  or- 
der, and  it  is  esteemed  the  finest  monument  in  the  world.  It 
is  still  much  affected  in  Tuscany.  Some  would  have  the  Tus- 
can order  banished,  as  too  rustic  and  heavy  ;  but  if  ornament- 
ed a  little,  it  may  suit  very  well  instead  of  the  Doric.  Neither 
Tuscan  nor  Doric  suit  well  but  in  great  stables,  porches  of 
vast  edifices,  &tc.  where  such  rustic  huge  pillars  are  graceful. 

The  Composite  or  Roman  order,  was  composed  among  the  Ro- 
mans of  the  Corinthian  and  Ionic.  Its  capital  is  adorned  with 
the  two  rows  of  leaves,  of  the  Corinthian,  and  the  volutes  of 
the  Ionic.  Some  give  it  the  same  proportions  as  the  Corin-' 
thian  ;  others  15  diameters  and  one-third.  In  a  colonnade,  or 
range  of  pillars,  the  intercolumniation,  or  distance  between  the 
pillars  is  in  the  Tuscan  order,  four  diameters ;  in  the  Doric,  two 
find  three-quarters  ;  in  the  Ionic,  two  and  a  quarter ;  in  the 
Corinthian  two  j  in  the  Composite,  one  and  a 


Clap.  XXII.  I.   ARCHITECTURE.  429 

The  Attic  order  consists  of  small  low  pilasters, xvith  an  archi- 
traved  cornice  for  an  entablature,  as  that  in  the  palace  of  Ver- 
'  sailles  over  the  Ionic,  in  the  side  towards  the  garden. 

Some  admit  the  French  order,  which  adds  cocks  heads,  flower 
de  lys,  and  the  like  carvings  on  'the  capitals,  such  as  that  adopt- 
ed by  Le  BRUN  in  the  grand  gallery  of  Versailles,  &c.  But 
this  is  an  accidental  difference  from  the  Corinthian,  the  Greek 
orders  not  admitting  any  such  embellishments. 

The  Gothic  is  that  which  deviates  from  rules  of  ornaments 
and  proportion  ;  has  columns  too  massive,  or  too  slender  like 
poles  ;  capitals  without  any  just  measure,  and  carved  with 
leaves  of  thistles,  cabbage,  &.c.  Some  will  admit  only  the 
three  Grecian  orders  used  in  buildings  ;  and  indeed  these,  in  an 
eminent  degree,  comprise  all  the  embellishments  that  are  suit- 
able, and  reduced  to  rule  and  art.  No  new  order  can  be  in- 
vented which  will  not  be,  in  its  principal  parts,  contained  ia 
these.  Hence  they  may  be  deemed  sufficient  for  every  pur- 
pose of  elegance  and  use  ;  and  the  old  Romans  used  only  these 
three,  except  in  Trajan's  pillar,  \\here,  for  the  honour  of  Italy, 
they  would  admit  of  nothing  foreign. 

A  Pillar  is  divided  into  three  parts  ;  the  Pedestal,  the  Co- 
lumn, and  the  Entablature.  The  Pedestal  has  three  parts  ;  the 
base,  the  die  or  square,  and  cornice  on  the  top;  many  make  the 
pedestal  in  any  order  to  be  in  height  a  third  of  the  column,  or 
a  fourth  of  the  whole  pillar.  The  breadth  of  the  die  to  equal 
the  plinth  of  the  pillar,  or  somewhat  longer,  if  it  have  no  base 
or  cornice,  as  is  often  done,  and  then  it  ought  to  be  a  square  pe- 
destal, that  is,  as  high  as  brouu.  The  Column  contains  three 
other  parts ;  its  liase,  Shaft,  and  Capital.  The  shaft  or  body  of- 
ten diminishes  in  thickness  towards  the  top,  beginning  from 

*  '  o  O 

above  the  first  third.  It  is  sometimes  canalled,  sometimes  a- 
dcrned  Avith  twining  or  bossed  work,  or  foliages,  See.  Some- 
add  fillets  imbossed,  6cc.  But  such  rustic  ornaments  suit 
only  the  Tuscan  order,  at  the  entrance  of  city  gates,  £cc. 

The  Capital  is  the  crowning  of  the  column,  or  its  uppermost 
part  under  the  entablature.  It  is  the  most  essential  part  cf  c- 
very  order.  The  Doric  and  Tuscan  capitals  have  mould- 
ings, entirely  destitute  of;  the  Ionic  and  Corinthian  arc 

D  c!  3 


TRAVELS    OF   REV.   ALBAN  BUTLER. 

always  adorned  with  leaves  and  other  ornaments.  The  Tus- 
can capital  is  most  simple,  having  only  an  abacus  or  square 
table,  list  or  plinth ;  under  this  an  ovolo,  or  roundlet,  and  un- 
der that  a  neck  or  collarino  terminating  at  the  bottom  in  an  as- 
tragal or  fillet,  belonging  to  the  shaft.  The  Doric  has  fre- 
quently annulets  under  the  ovolo,  instead  of  the  astragal.  The 
Ionic  has  an  abacus,  not  square,  but  consisting  of  an  ogee,  or 
moulding  in  the  shape  of  a  5  :  under  this  a  rind  in  which  are 
grounded  the  volutes  or  ears,  and  below  this  an  ovolo  adorned 
xvith  eggs,  with  a  rind  at  the  bottom.  We  now  usually  add 
festoons,  that  is,  garlands  of  flowers  or  leaves  interwoven  to- 
gether. The  Corinthian  capital  has  its  abacus,  not  square  but 
round,  and  hollowed  inwards  with  a  rose  in  the  middle  of  each 
sweep.  It  has  no  ovolo,  but  a  briui  enriched  with  a  double 
row  of  leaves,  eight  in  each  row,  and  divided  into  three  ranges 
of  lesser  leaves,  £cc.  The  Entablature  of  a  pillar  is  the  part 
xvhich  is  over  the  capital.  It  comprehends  three  parts  :  First, 
the  Architrave,  immediately,  above  the  capital  representing 
a  beam,  as  lying  on  the  column.  In  chimneys  the  mantle -piece 
is  an  architrave  :  Secondly,  the  Freeze  :  Thirdly,  the  Cornice. 
These  vary  in  the  different  orders.  S-ethe  builder's  dictionary. 
The  ancient  Jews  displayed  great  taste  in  architecture,  as  is 
apparent  from  the  noble  edifice  of  Solomon's  temple,  and  their 
royal  palaces.  The  Assyrians  and  Persians  seem  also  to  have 
built  not  only  with  magnificence,  but  with  singular  art  ;  wit- 
ness the  hanging  gardens  and  walls  of  Babylon  ;  though  nothing 
now  remains  of  those  splendid  works.  The  celebrated  cities 
of  Ninive,  Ecbatana,  and  Persepolis,  are  mere  undistinguish- 
uble  heaps  of  rubbish  and  caverns,  the  dens  of  serpents,  and 
haunts  of  wild  beasts.  The  description  of  Babylon  in  Dean 
Prideaux,B.  i.  part  I.  page  95.  is  extremely  curious.  The  ruins 
of  Palmyra  afford  us  admirable  proofs  of  the  true  state  of  the 
ancient  oriental  architecture,  intermixed  with  the  Grecian  *. 
The  arts  and  sciences  flourished  in  Egypt,  especially  ma- 

*  Sec  the  Antiquities  and  History  or  Pu.myra  by  Seller,  in  1795,  in  Svo  , 
•>.nd  the  description  c:  these  antiquities  in  50  plates  in  folio,  by  Mr  Wood,  in 
175',  who  v:t!i  Mr  Sfi;;rt,  ait::r-.!e;l  .  Davvkirs  Y.n.  i".  hi?  travels  :r,  the 


Clap.  XXII.  I.   ON  ARCHITECTURE.  431 

thematics  ;  yet  their  taste  in  architecture  was  by  no  means 
just  or  delicate,  if  we  may  judge  from  the  pyramids,  heavy  mo- 
numents, remarkable  only  for  their  enormous  size,  and  the  im- 
mense expence  at  which  they  must  h.-^ve  been  built.  The  Gre- 
cians, indeed,  at  least  under  Alexander  the  Great,  and  his  suc- 
cessors.introduced  the  fine  architecture  into  that  country ;  ar 
obelisks,  though  of  the  hardest  granite  marble,  are  w.ll  c; 
polished;  yet  most  of  them  are  certainly  older  than  Alexander, 
as  is  evident  from  their  hieroglyphics. 

The  Grecians  excelled  in  architecture,  as  in  all  other  arts. 
The  Mausolaeum,  built  by  (X  Artemisia  for  her  husband  Mau- 
solus,  King  of  Caria,  and  carved  by  Praxiteles,  Scopas,  &.c.  was 
accounted  one  of  the  seven  wonders  of  the  world.  The  temple 
of  Diana  of  Ephesus,  which  was  200  years  in  building,  was 
another:  It  was  142  yards  in  length,  and  was  surrounded  with 
two  rows  of  pillars,  in  form  of  a  double  portico,  and  had  in  it 
127  pillars  of  marble,  given  by  as  many  kings.  That  finished 
by  Scopas  was  its  greatest  ornament.  This  magnificent  edifice 
was  set  on  fire  and  burnt  by  Herostratus  on  the  day  ALEXAN- 
DER was  born,  out  of  the  mad  frolic  to  make  himself  famous, 
which  he  had  not  been  able  to  accomplish  by  good  actions. 
They  had  in  Greece  itself  the  Pyrcevm,  the  noble  port  of 
Athens,  two  leagues  from  the  city,  built  by  Themistocles  and 
Pericles ;  the  Arsenal  of  Athens  ;  many  famous  temples,  as 
that  of  Jupiter  Olympics  in  Athens,  of  the  Corinthian  order  ; 
that  of  Ceres  and  Proserpine,  at  Eleusis,  of  the  Doric,  capable 
of  containing  30,000  persons,  &-C.  ALEXANDER  the  Great 
built  in  Egypt  the  city  of  Alexandria,  in  this  perfect  taste, 
with  walls,  aqueducts,  towers,  squares,  palaces,  &c.  in  the 
utmost  style  of  magnificence.  Ptolomy  Piladelphus  built  the 
tower  or  light-house,  in  the  Isle  Pharos,  seven  stadia  in  the  sen  ; 
and  Cleopatra  formed  the  Heptostadia  or  mole  joining  that 
isle  to  the  land,  two  stupendous  structures.  None  of  the  many 
great  buildings  of  the  Grecians  remain  entire  ;  but  numbers 
of  beautiful  pillars  are  still  preserved  in  Rome,  Venice,  &cc. 
and  many  left  in  the  east  at  Constantinople. 

In  Italy,   the  Tuscan  order  of  building,  though   rustic,  yat 
regular,   shews   that  architecture  was  at  a  very  early  peri'vl 

D  d  4 


434          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALB  AN  BUTLER. 

carried  to  considerable  perfection.  This  is  confirmed  by  the  eje- 
gant  edifice  of  King  Porsenna's  Monument,  mentioned  by  Livy; 
by  the  Capitol,  the  Common  Sewers,  for  conveying  the  filth  of 
the  city  into  the  Tiber,  begun  by  the  same  king,  though  finish- 
ed  by  Tarquinius   the   Proud,  a  most  astonishing,  solid,  and 
vast  work,  as  appears  by  the  present  ruins.     The  art  of  build- 
ing, however,  did  not  appear  in  perfection  in  Rome,  till  it  v/as 
communicated  with  the  other  arts  and  sciences  by  the  Grecians. 
It  was  one  Cossimus,  a  Roman  citzen,  who  introduced  the 
perfect  style  of  building  about    200  years  befor  Christ.     He 
excelled  so  much,  that  Antiochus  the  Great  employed  him  to 
build  the  temple  of  Jupiter  Olympius  in  Athens,  as  Vitruvius 
relates.      The  Romans  being  possessed  of  immense  riches,  and 
every  necessary  means,  soon  filled  Italy  with  the  most  finished 
structures  ;  and  every  noble  Roman,  by  violence,  fraud,  or  pur- 
chase,  plundered   the  provinces   in   which  they  served  in  the 
army,  or  were  governors,  of  all  the  curious  statues,  or  what- 
ever could  serve  to  embellish  their  houses.     Vitruvius  wrote 
his  admirable  book  on  architecture  under  Augustus  ;  in  which 
Le  lays  down  that  first  principle  too   often  forgot  by  builders, 
to  proportion  the  house   to  a   man's   estate.     Too   magnificent 
a  house  for  the  owner's   circumstances,  is   more  absurd  than 
too  mean  a  one,  and  consumes  an  estate  which  might  otherwise 
respectably  maintain  his  family.     He  observes,  that  all  ought 
in  prudence  to  reckon  upon  the  expence  of  a  building  surpass- 
ing  the  exact  computation   by  a-fourth,   notwithstanding  the 
greatest  care  ;   and  he  often  repeats,   that  as  nothing  in  private 
life  is  more   commendable  than   good  and  suitable  buildings, 
whether  for  beauty  or  pleasure,  or  for  use  and  convenience  in 
life,  so  nothing  is  more  extravagant  and  mad  than  a  passion 
for  building,  which  always  verifies  the  proverb,  we  often  meet 
with  in  all  languages,  and  xvhich  Sir  Thomas  More  has  express- 
ed in  an  ingenious  epigram  ;   that  he    who  loves  to  be  always 
in  stone  and  mortar,  will  soon  be  poor,   though   his   estate  be 
never  so  great. 

Architecture  was  carried  to  the  highest  degree  of  perfection 
:n  Rome  under  Augustus,  of  whom  it  is  said,  "  That  he  found 


Chap.  XXII.  I.    ARCHITECTURE.  433 

"  Rome  of  brick  and  left  it  of  marble."  And  it  continued  to 
flourish  under  Vespasian,  Titus,  Domitian,  Trajan,  Adrian, 
Septimus  Severus,  (his  Settizone  indeed  is  too  much  destroy- 
ed to  give  us  a  just  idea  of  its  magnificence,  or  the  beauty  of 
its  architecture,  but  his  triumphal  arch  is  entire)  ;  under  Anto- 
ninus Caracalla  this  noble  art  was  considerably  corrupted : 
The  Antonine  baths  did  not  possess  a  suitable  delicacy,  and 
are  more  distinguished  for  their  immense  extent,  profusion  of 
expence,  and  multiplicity  of  ornaments,  than  for  their  architec- 
ture. Under  Alexander  Severus,  the  good  taste  recovered 
again  what  it  had  lost  under  Caracalla,  as  appears  from  the 
Alexandrine  baths,  his  aqueducts,  temple,  theatres,  and  palaces. 
But  after  his  death,  the  Grecian  architecture  was  entirely  lost ; 
and  during  a  period  of  1200  years,  it  seems  to  have  been  un- 
known in  Europe.  It  is  visible  from  Gallien's  triumphal  arch 
still  extant  in  Rome,  how  much  this  art  was  decayed  even  then. 
Dioclesian's  baths,  though  vast,  are  too  ruinous  for  us  to  judge 
of  the  elegance  and  justness  of  the  structure.  Constantine  the 
Great  adorned  Constantinople,  but  we  know  of  no  buildings 
erected  by  him  in  a  true  style  of  architecture.  He  indeed 
transported  thither  the  best  statues,  columns,  and  obelisks,  from 
all  parts  of  the  universe,  some  of  which  have  been  since  brought 
back  to  Italy  ;  many  have  been  destroyed,  and  some  still  remain 
there.  Indeed  the  natural  situation  of  that  city  is  allowed  to 
be  the  finest  in  the  world,  and  the  entry  up  the  Bosphorus  is 
the  most  agreeable  and  noble  prospect  in  the  universe  ;  as  that 
of  the  Louvre  towards  the  river  side,  is  by  some  deemed  the 
second.  But  palaces,  built  in  just  proportion  and  measure, 
would  have  greatly  heightened  the  grandeur  of  that  city. 
I  have  remarked,  that  Constantine's  triumphal  arch  is  built 
partly  in  a  bad,  and  partly  in  a  fine  style  of  architecture  : 
This  is  accounted  for  from  the  more  elegant  part  of  the  struc- 
ture having  been  taken  from  some  older  edifice  erected  in  bet- 
ter times. 

Among  the  Goths  in  Italy,  King  Theodoric  and  his  daugh- 
ter Queen  Amalasunta,  by  the  advice  of  Boetius,  Symmachus, 
and  Cassiodorus,  laboured  to  preserve  the  finest  pieces  of  Ro- 


434         TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

man  architecture,  and  executed  something  in  Spoletum,  Ra- 
venna, and  in  other  cities,  in  a  manner  not  altogether  depraved, 
barbarous,  or  Gothic.  In  the  Gothic  buildings,  more  atten- 
tion was  paid  to  the  strength  and  durability  of  the  structure, 
than  to  the  rules  of  architecture,  and  justness  of  proportion: 
The  imson?  of  those  times  deemed  the  preparation  of  their 
mortar,  and  t!v  choice  of  their  materials,  objects  of  more  im- 
portance ;  runce  their  work  was  rendered  extremely  durable 
and  solid,  as  v:e  see  in  the  square  steeple  of  St  German-de- 
Prez  in  ptvis,  and  St  Peter's  at  Charters,  the  two  most  an- 
cient Got'-ic  edifices  in  France.  The  English,  the  Lombards, 
and  the  French,  under  King  Dagobert  and  Charlemagne,  built 
Gothic  churches  in  great  perfection,  but  with  incredible  labour 
expence.  These  buildings  were  at  first  entirely  destitute  of 
ornaments  ;  but  at  length,  carving,  worked  piiiars,  painted 
Classes,  &c.  were  universally  used  :  and  it  is  incredible  witli 

O  '  » 

•what  indefatigable  pains  and  industry  we  find  the  very  least 
part  in  windows,  &c.  polished,  cut,  and  worked.  The  expence 
of  one  Gothic  edifice  of  this  kind  would  build  many  churches 
in  the  ancient  manner.  But  this  style  of  architecture,  though 
generally  so  costly,  magnificent,  solid,  and  even  majestic,  pos- 
sesses numerous  faults  ;  First,  we  find  that  no  rules  are  ob- 
served, nor  any  proportions  or  measures  ;  but  every  thing  left 
to  the  mason's  fancy  or  random  guess,  hence  if  he  hits  tolera- 
bly right,  it  is  more  owino-  to  chance  than  to  ?.nv  regular  de- 

•f  O         *  O  *  o 

sign.  The  ornaments  are  too  lavishly  employed  ;  nor  do  they 
generally  agree  together  ;  though  each  by  itself  may  be  well 
executed.  The  churches  are  overcharged  with  materials,  and 
too  dark  and  gloomy  for  either  beauty  or  convenience :  But  it 
must  be  confessed  that  this  gives  an  air  of  majesty,  and  im- 
presses the  rnind  of  the  beholder  with  sacred  awe  and  respect. 
The  Gothic  masons  knew  not  how  to  build  for  convenience, 
cr  to  take  the  shortest  wnys  ;  could  not  make  an  arch  without 
raising  it  very  high,  and  taking  a  great  deal  of  room  ;  could 
do  nothing  without  a  great  deal  of  space  and  materials  ;  conse- 
quently in  a  clumsy  heavy  manner  ;  and  many  things  they 
could  not  compass  at  all.  Yet,  although  destitute  of  regularity 
ctliic  rnc  'sitcrt:  hr.vo  ?r erected  won- 


Clap.  XXI 7.  I.   ARCHITECTURE.  435 

derfully  well.  The  cathedral  of  Sienna  is  an  admired  struc- 
ture in  this  style  of  building ;  but  it  was  indeed  perfected  by 
artists  who  completely  understood  true  and  regular  architec- 
ture. The  ancient  light,  disencumbered,  regular,  solid  man- 
ner, was  infinitely  more  convenient.  To  answer  well  every 
purpose  intended,  is  the  principal  desideratum  in  a  building  : 
The  second  is,  that  it  be  simple,  tending  the  readiest  way  to  its 
ends,  and  imitate  nature  the  most  perfectly  :  The  third  qua- 
lity is  beauty,  which  depends  principally  on  the  exact  pro- 
portion of  every  individual  part,  and  the  general  uniformity  of 
the  whole  structure ;  for  nothing  more  powerfully  or  more  insen- 
sibly enchants  the  eye,  than  this  symmetry  both  in  the  struc- 
ture and  in  all  the  ornaments,  which  must  be  suitable  and  cor- 
rectly finished,  in  a  just  position,  and  well  chosen.  Ex- 
amples of  all  these  defects  and  perfections  occur  every  where 
So  it  is  needless  to  quote  any  examples. 

Amidst  the  Gothic  ages  in  the  beginning  of  the  eleventh 
century,  one  BOSCHETTO  DA  DULICHIO,  a  Grecian,  endeavour- 
ed to  restore  the  true  Grecian  architecture  in  the  city  of  Pisa, 
where  he  acquired  a  high  reputation  by  building  the  Cathedral. 
Though  the  pillar  and  marble  ornaments  were  antique,  yet  he 
shewed  great  art  and  science  in  disposing  them  in  just  order, 
lie  left  scholars  who  raised  other  handsome  buildings  at  Pisa, 
Pistoia,  and  elsewhere  ;  two  of  them  Bonanno  and  Gulielmi 
built  the  wonderful  steeple  of  Pisa,  which  leans  36  feet  from 
the  perpendicular,  by  the  foundation  sinking  on  one  side  ;  yet 
it  stands  firm,  owing  to  its  admirable  structure  and  circular 
figure.  Under  the  Doges,  Domimco,  Morosini,  and  Ziani, 
about  the  year  1150  and  1170,  the  Venetians  could  boast  of 
several  true  architects,  who  built  St  Mark's  tower,  and  after- 
wards the  church  there,  all  of  marble,  enriched  with  precious 
stones  and  gildings  :  Its  porch  is  yet  standing,  in  which  the 
chief  architects  are  represented  in  relief.  Among  them,  the 
stranger  is  always  shewn  an  old  man,  with  his  finger  on  his 
mouth  ;  which  he  did  to  confess  his  fault,  in  having  said  to  the 
Doge,  that  that  work  was  nothing  to  wlirt  he  could  have  done. 
if  he  hfid  given  himself  more  trouble. 


436  TRAVELS  OF  REV.    ALBAN  BUTLER. 

During  the  same  century,  the  Popes  raised  many  buildings 
in  a  taste  still  more  correct,  as  St  Nicolas's,  &x.  In  France, 
it  is  incredible  what  a  number  of  churches  St  Lewis  built, 
all  Gothic,  yet  magnificent,  finely  worked,  and  very  expen- 
sive ;  those  of  the  Jacobins,  Cordeliers,  &c.  in  Paris,  may 
serve  for  an  example  ;  the  rest  being  much  in  the  same  manner. 

NICHOLAS  OF  PISA,  in  the  I3th  century,  restored  ancient 
architecture  in  greater  perfection.  He  built  the  fine  Domini- 
can's convent  in  Boulogne  ;  the  steeple  of  St  Nicholas  of  the 
Austins  in  Pisa,  octogonal  without,  and  circular  within,  &c. 
This  accomplished  architect,  observing  the  ground  of  Pisa  to 
be  too  soft,  and  the  ancient  buildings  fail  in  their  foundations, 
never  built  there  but  upon  piles,  upon  which  he  laid  massive 
mason  work,  with  arches  counterplaced,  so  that  none  of  his 
buildings  ever  yielded. 

The  city  of  Florence  soon  after  gave  birth  to  various  cele- 
brated architects,  whose  history  is  to  be  found  at  great  length 
in  Vazari,  Fife  de  Ptttori,  Scultori  e  Arclnt.  They  built 
the  incomparable  Santa  Maria  Novella,  and  soon  after,  Santa 
Maria  del  Fiore.  The  Florentines  had  been  above  an  age  in 
building  the  cupola  of  this  last  edifice,  and  were  never  able  to 
complete  it  by  their  Gothic  architects.  Brunileschi  had  studied 
the  true  architecture  from  the  antiquities  in  Rome,  and  re- 
turning home,  he  offered  to  finish  it  easily  :  The  others  rallied 
him,  but  he  overcame  their  opposition,  and  executed  his  pro- 
mise. 

In  France,  the  cathedral  of  Rheims  was  rebuilt  in  1250,  as 
it  stands  at  present :  It  is  a  very  noble  Gothic  structure,  420 
feet  long,  150  broad  in  the  cross,  worked  with  delicacy,  and 
adorned  with  a  great  number  of  pillars,  figures,  and  other 
carvings,  particularly  its  portail,  which  is  entirely  covered  with 
them.  In  the  same  age,  and  under  the  direction  of  the  same 
great  architects  and  carvers,  John  Ravy,  &c.  was  built  the 
church  of  Notre  Dame,  the  cathedral  of  Paris,  39  feet  long, 
244  broad  in  the  cross  ;  the  two  square  towers  on  the  sides 
of  the  principal  entry  are  204  feet  high.  The  church  of  St  Chven 
at  Rouen  is  still  admired,  and  was  raised  in  the  year  1318. 
The  magnificent  cathedral  of  Bourses  was  erected  in  1324,  aad 
is  allowed  to  be  one  of  the  most  stately  in  Europe. 


Clap.  XXIL  I.   ARCHITECTURE.  437 

That  of  Strasburgh,  however,  even  surpasses  the  rest.  It 
was  rebuilt  in  1300,  and  cost  4  years  labour:  The  architec- 
ture resembles  those  of  Paris  and  Rheims,  full  of  ornaments 
delicately  finished.  It  is  140  feet  high,  though  less  in  the 
wings  ;  the  principal  front  is  240  The  steeple,  (which  is  square 
as  high  as  the  church,  then  octogonal  and  conical),  is  480. 
The  clock  of  this  church,  besides  the  minutes  and  hours,  marks 
the  days  of  the  month  and  week,  the  age  of  the  moon,  signs 
of  the  zodiac,  and  ages  of  the  world,  by  a  wheel  which  per- 
forms only  one  round  in  a  hundred  years.  At  noon,  a  cock 
appears  and  crows,  clapping  its  wings,  and  stretching  out  its 
copper  neck :  Our  Blessed  Lady  appears  praying  :  The  twelve 
Apostles  comes  out,  and  each  knocks  the  bell  with  a  hammer. 

After  NICOLAS  of  PISA,  his  son  JOHN  of  PISA,  (who  besides 
other  great  performances,  finished  the  beautiful  Gothic  cathe- 
dral of  Sienna^),  and  innumerable  other  accomplished  architects 
arose  in  Italy,  more  especially  after  the  Greeks  came  into  it,  on 
the  Eastern  Empire  being  overturned  by  the  Turks.  They, 
together  with  knowledge  derived  from  the  works  of  Vitrumus 
and  studying  the  ancient  monuments  still  remaining,  re-esta- 
blished the  true  architecture,  of  which  the  best  models  are  to 
be  seen  in  Italy  ;  and  though  several  elegant  buildings,  such  as 
the  palace  of  the  Thuilleries,  have  since  been  erected  after  the 
most  correct  models  in  Paris,  in  Aix,  in  Provence,  and  in  other 
parts  of  France,  as  well  as  in  England  and  other  countries,  yet 
Italy  still  possesses  superior  means  of  excellence  to  foreign 
architecture,  not  only  by  the  daily  sight  of  admirable  antique 
models,  and  by  the  long  application  to  this  art,  but  by  the 
great  plenty  of  marble  quarries,  and  the  incredible  number  of 
ancient  pillars,  statues,  &.c.  to  be  found  there,  all  the  greatest 
miracles  of  art  of  all  ages.  English  stone  is  not  hard 
enough  to  make  a  solid  pillar  of  one  piece,  like  hard  marble 
and  granite,  constituted  one  of  the  principal  beauties  of  the 
columns  of  the  ancients.  Stucco  makes  pillars  seem  without 
juncture,  and  is  very  beautiful  and  perfect.  The  hardest  and 
best  marble  is  porphyry,  of  a  reddish  brown,  with  small  white 
spots,  brought  from  Egypt :  Next  in  hardness,  is  serpentine, 
ef  a  dark  green,  with  yellow  winding  circles :  Granite  is  the 


438        TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

hardest  of  all  stone  or  marble,  next  to  the  serpentine  and  por- 
phyry ;  it  is  a  rought  unpolished  stone  of  a  dark  colour. 

//.  ON  SCULPTURE. 

As  to  Sculpture,  to  which  may  be  reduced  all  figures  cast  as 
well  as  carved,  it  is  an  invention  of  very  remote  antiquity,  as 
is  evident  from  scripture,  being  first  used  in  clay,  wax,  See. 
then  in  ivory ;  and  lastly,  it  attained  its  highest  perfection  in 
marble  and  metals.  Among  the  Greeks  PHIDIAS  the  Athenian, 
patronized  by  Pericles,  500  years  before  Christ,  was  the  first 
who  brought  sculpture  to  perfection.  His  works  are  faithful 
imitations  of  nature,  and  executed  with  admirable  taste.  This 
artist  made  a  statue  of  Minerva  for  the  Parthenon  (her  temple) 
built  by  Pericles  :  The  image  was  of  gold  and  ivory,  49  feet 
high,  upon  which  were  carved  the  Athenians  victories,  &.c. 
But  Phidias  was  accused  of  not  having  employed  the  whole  44 
talents  of  gold  (almost  60,000  pounds  Sterling)  given  him  for 
the  statue.  He  easily  took  out  the  gold,  weighed  it,  and  prov- 
ed his  innocence  ;  but  retired  to  Elis,  and  there  made  the  finest 
of  all  statues,  the  'Jupiter  Olympiust  one  of  the  seven  wonders 
of  the  world.  It  was  formed  of  gold  and  ivory,  60  feet  high, 
and  by  its  transcendent  beauty  filled  every  beholder  with  ad- 
miration. It  is  described  in  Pausanius.  Phidias  and  other  great 
masters,  adorned  Attica  with  innumerable  exquisite  statues. 

LYSIITUS  shone  unrivalled  in  this  art  under  Alexander  the 
Great,  who  forbade  by  an  edict  any  one  to  paint  him,  except 
Apelles,  cr  carve  him  except  Lysippus. 

PRAXITELES  lived  almost  100  years  after  Phidias,  and  is  se- 
cond only  to  that  great  master  in  this  art.  His  chief  d'oeuvre 
was  a  Cupid  placed  at  Thespia,  and  carried  to  Rome  by  Mum- 
mius.  Verres  carried  ofF  one  of  his  pieces-  from  Sicily.  His 
Venus,  for  the  Enidians,  was  very  famous.  He  copied  nature 
-most  successfully,  but  Phidias  gave  more  life  to  his  figures. 
SCOPAS  performed  wonders  in  this  art  450  years  before  Christ. 

MICHAEL  AXCELO  BUONAROTTI,  the  greatest  of  modern 

'  O 

carvers,  could  never  equal  those  ancient  master-pieces ;  the 
difficulty  of  distinguishing  the  lost  member  added  by  him  to 
the  Farnesian  Hercules  ;  and  his  Cupid  being  taken  for  an  an- 
tique when  dug  from  the  earth,  where  he  had  hid  it  after  he 
Ji.ad  broken  off  an  arm,  would  almost  indicate  the  contrary ; 


Clap.  XXII.  II.  SCULPTURE. 

but  this  Cupid,  fine  as  it  is,  falls  so  far  short  of  that  of  Praxite- 
les, that  De  Thou  and  other  excellent  judges,  after  having  at 
Mantua  enthusiastically  admired  it,  were  so  much  astonished  on 
seeing  that  of  Praxiteles  produced,  that  they  felt  ashamed  at 
their  admiration  of  the  former  ;  and  de  Thou  says,  the  one  seems 
animated,  whilst  Angelo's,  in  -comparison  of  it,  appears  a  mere 
block. 

The  preeminence  of  the  ancients  appears  evident  in  Florence. 
None  of  Buonarotti's  most  capital  pieces  in  that  city  can  bear 
any  comparison  with  the  Venus  ofMedicis,  in  which  the  marble 
seems  perfectly  soft  and  breathing.  We  may  see  the  same  in 
the  statues  of  the  Belvidere  at  the  Vatican,  particularly  in  the 
incomparable  one  of  Lacoon,  son  of  Priam,  and  priest  of  Apollo, 
with  his  children  devoured  by  serpents.  His  noble  air  and 
features,  his  firm  and  nervous  legs,  broad  chest  and  shoulders, 
strong  muscles,  exact  proportions,  lively  expressions,  the  flesh 
and  sinews, — appear  in  as  great  sweetness  and  strength  as  in  na- 
ture itself,  but  nature  in  the  highest  perfection  of  beauty :  In 
the  attitude  and  whole  figure,  all  the  characters  of  a  prince, 
priest,  and  hero  ;  and  the  passions  of  sorrow,  fear,  horror, 
sadness  and  despair, — are  admirably  pourtrayed.  His  grief 
shews  itself  in  the  posture  of  the  whole  body,  in  the  very 
contraction  of  his  tecs.  See  Van  Opstal's  description.  This 
groupe  was  looked  upon  as  the  most  perfect  piece  in  eld 
Rome  by  Pliny  1.  34.  c,  5.  Three  great  Grecian  artists  had 
exhausted  in  it  all  their  skill,  viz.  Agesander,  Polytlore,  and 
Athenor.  It  was  found  in  Vespasian's  palace,  as  the  Ven us  of 
Mcdicij  was  in  the  Medicean  Gardens  behind  tlz  Holy  Trinity 
on  the  Mount. 

On  the  Beauty  oftl-e  Human  figure.  Fclibien  (Entr.  :;.  t.  I.) 
gives  us  a  dissertation  on  beauty  in-  man  agreeable  to  the  idea.-; 
of  the  ancient  statues.  No  human  figure;,  he  observes,  can  bi 
called  beautiful,  without  having  in  all  its  parts  a  just  prcpcrtioa 
and  perfect  harmony  and  symmetry.  The  stature  must  not  be 
low,  or  the  size  small ;  but  moderately  tall  and  proportionably 
built,  yet  by  no  means  gigantic  ;  for  as  all  the  members  of  a  body 
ought  to  correspond  with  one  another,  to  rn-fike  a  beautiful, 
whole  so  is  there  a  proportion  cf  every  particular  whr !<?,  which 
ia  relative  to  other  boilies  of  its  kind.  T  . 


440          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  A  LEAN  BUTLER. 

men  :  The  he  ad  ought  to  be  somewhat  roundish,  not  too  sharp 
or  pointed,  like  that  of  Thersites  in  Homer  ;  nor  must  it  be  big  : 
small  heads  convey  a  much  higher  idea  of  grace,  as  Lvsippus 
happily  convinced  the  ancient  statuaries.  The  forehead  must 
not  be  too  large,  or  wrinkled,  but  like  that  of  the  Venus  Me- 
dicis,  small ;  the  skin  of  a  luminous  white,  perfectly  smooth ;  the 
form  neither  flat,  nor  much  raised,  gently  round  on  both  sides. 
The  hair  contributes  greatly  to  beauty,  disposed  of  in  an  easy 
flowing  manner.  The  old  statues  prove  that  the  ancients  paid 
great  attention  to  this  matter  ;  and  Homer  finds  nothing  that 
furnishes  a  finer  epithet  for  his  incomparable  Helen,  than  her 
beautiful  dressed  hair.  We  see  the  same  idea  among  the  Jews, 
Romans, and  Egyptians;  and  indeed  no  one  can  deny  it  to  be  one 
of  the  greatest  ornaments  of  nature.  Thick  hair  was  always 
most  esteemed.  The  ancients  most  highly  valued  the  light  co- 
loured flaxen  hair  ;  which  they  attributed  to  Bacchus,  Venus 
and  Apollo.  Next  the  hairinclining  to  black  or  chesnut  colour. 
The  light  coloured  is  most  esteemed  in  France  ;  though  the 
black  is  not  despised.  The  Italians  prefer  the  yellowish  or 
that  inclining  to  red.  Those  are  much  mistaken  who  think  the 
red  is  commended  by  the  ancient  painters  and  poets,  when  they 
speak  of  theruti/us,  &c.  They  abhor  red  the  red  as  much  as  we, 
and  meant  a  shining  deep  yellow.  Such  was  Phaeton's  hair  in 
Ovid,  Sec. 

The  eyes  are  the  most  distinguishing  feature  of  the  human 
face  :  In  them  are  found  the  greatest  beauty  and  the  greatest 
deformity.  Large  eyes  are  most  beautiful,  and  small  ones  ug- 
ly. As  to  the  colour,  the  red  or  dark  eyes  are  hideous,  ravus 
or  ramdus  color  The  blue,  azure,  or  inclining  towards  green, 
is  beautiful,  cccsius  caerulius.  Even  light  coloured  or  yel- 
lowish, flaws,  and  black,  are  agreeable,  but  they  must  possess 
a  certain  vivacity  and  life  full  of  an  air  of  chearfulness,  and  a 
shining  brightness,  which  expresses  the  interior.  The  dead 
green  is  very  disagreeable,  called  berbeiby  Plautus,  (Curcul.act 
2.  sc.  i.)  The  finest  eye  is  painted  in  the  principal  orb  with  a 
white  inclined  to  grey,  but  so  little  that  it  is  imperceptible  ; 
the  middle  of  the  apple  with  a  shining  black.  This  contrast 


Clap.  XXIL  II.    SCULPTURE.  441 

produces  the  greatest  grace.  But  it  must  be  accompanied  with 
a  certain  chearful  air,  gaiety  and  sweetness,  which  does  not  de- 
generate into  impudence.  Black  semicircular  eye-brows  on  a 
white  forehead  add  a  peculiar  beauty;  red  are  as  unbecoming 
as  red  hair.  The  ancients  sometimes  wore  short  false  hair,  for 
want  of  natural ;  but  long  perriwigs  had  their  commencement 
in  France,  anno  1629.  The  cheeks  form  the  beautiful  oval 
so  agreeable  in  the  composition  of  the  face.  They  must  be 
somewhat  plump,  soft,  and  delicate,  but  very  firm,  not  bloated, 
mixed  with  strong  white  and  red,  with  an  admirable  gaiety  and 
chearfulness,  joined  to  a  certain  glowing  brightness,  which  must 
result  from  the  whiteness  and  freshness  of  the  paint.  The  ears 
ought  to  appear  of  a  moderate  size,  not  too  large,  with  all  the 
little  foldings  tipt  with  an  agreeable  vermilion. 

A  handsome  nose  is  a  great  ornament;  too  big  is  monstrour, 
and  a  little  one  was  justly  looked  upon  by  the  ancients  as  a  defor- 
mity. The  aquiline  or  eagle  nose  was  most  admired  by  the 
Romans,  Greeks,  and  Persians.  Cyrus's  was  such  ;  and  the 
poets  give  it  to  their  beauties  ;  witness  Aspasia,  Archilles,  Pa- 
ris, Martial's  boy,  1.  4.  Ep.  42.  Plato  calls  it  the  royal  nose. 
In  this  the  bend  is  gentle  and  almost  insensible.  If  it  be  too 
great  or  too  sudden,  it  is  called  the  parrot-nose,  which  is  a  de- 
formity :  vide  Plautus,  Heaut.  act  5.  sc.  5.  But  the  most 
beautiful  nose  is  the  straight  and  square,  a  little  insensibly  rais- 
ed in  the  middle  of  the  bridge,  exactly  placed  and  proportioned, 
like  that  of  Venus  of  Medicis.  The  camus  or  crooked  nose,  as  in 
the  satyrs  or  fauns,  was  also  esteemed.  The  mouth  ought  to 
besmall,  though  not  to  an  excess  ;  the  lips  well  turned,  smalt 
and  delicate,  and  of  a  lively  die.  If  large,  too  little,  flat,  equal 
in  thickness,  pale,  &cc.  they  disfigure  the  face.  The  teetht  if 
meant  to  be  shewn,  must  be  milky  white,  and  well  made.  Yel- 
low, or  uneven  ones,  or  with  any  wanting,  are  hideous.  The 
neck  must  be  straight,  exceeding  white,  supple,  not  too  fat,  ra- 
ther long  than  short,  enlarging  itself  towards  the  shoulders, 
which  must  be  broad  ;  the  sides  long  ;  the  hands  and  fingers 
long,  delicate  and  tender  j  the  Joot  very  small,  and  the  toes 
exactly  finished, 

K  e 


442          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

III.  ON  PAINTING. 

PAINTING  is  an  art  which  by  lines  and  colouring  represents 
visible  objects.  Felibien,  in  his  Idse  du peintre parfait,  consi- 
ders all  the  qualifications  necessary  to  excel  in  each  part  of  this 
art.  The  first  is  a  natural  genius,  which  is  a  gift  of  nature  in 
the  understanding,  directing  to  the  ends  of  this  art  with  ease. 
This  must  be  cultivated  by  rules  and  practice,  as  well  as  by 
an  universal  knowledge,  a  study  of  nature,  and  of  the  works  of 
the  greatest  masters.  Art  must  be  an  exact  imitation  of  na- 
ture, and  without  the  imperfections  found  in  all  individual  ob- 
jects. Hence  Plautus,  extolling  a  beautiful  youth,  says,  '  You 
'  would  think  him  a  finished  statue/  In  this  sense  art  sur- 
passes, or  aims  to  surpass  nature  :  but  nature  is  really  always 
beyond  the  highest  efforts  of  art. 

The  first  part  of  painting  is  called  bysome  INVENTION,  but  by 
Felibien,  more  accurately,  COMPOSITION,  which  consists  of  two 
parts,  Invention,  and  Disposition.  Inventionis  the  choice  of  objects 
for  a  picture,  a  faculty  that  may  be  improved  by  the  reading  of 
history:  and  Disposition  is  an  advantageous  management  of  oi>- 
jects  according  to  the  justest  economy  and  rules  of  art. 

The  second  part  is  DESIGN,  which  is  the  outline  of  objects, 
determining  the  measures  and  proportions  of  the  whole  and  of 
each  part.  It  requires,  1st,  Correctness,  or  a  justness  of  propor- 
tions and  parts,  according  to  true  anatomy  and  nature,  idly, 
Altitude,  or  posture  in  each  figure,  according  to  the  laws  of 
ponderation  and  contrast,  grounded  upon  nature.  In  every  ac- 
tion these  rules  are  to  be  observed  in  each  part,  else  the  action 
appears  motionless  or  forced,  %dly,  Elegance,  or  the  embellish- 
ing of  objects  without  prejudicing  their  justness,  ^tlly,  Cha- 
racter, or  marks  by  which  each  personage  is  easily  distinguish- 
ed, and  the  spirit  of  each  figure  animated  and  expressed  in  its 
strokes.  $thly,  Diversity,  or  a  variety  in  the  countenances, 
gestures,  passions,  &c.  of  the  different  figures.  The  same  pas- 
sion must  be  new  in  every  face.  6thly,  Expression,  that  is,  the 
representation  of  an  object  according  to  its  character  in  nature. 
,  Passions,  or  an  expression  of  the  emotions  and  inward 


Clap.  XXII.  III.    ON    PAINTING.  443 

dispositions  of  the  soul,  in  the  eye,  the  gesture  of  the  body,  and 
the  lineaments  of  the  face.  $>thly,  Perspective,  or  a  representa« 
tion  of  objects  according  to  the  difference  their  distance  may- 
require,  either  as  to  the  figures  or  colour.  Lineal  Per* 
spective  consists  in  the  just  abridgment  of  lines  :  Aerialt 
in  the  just  and  gradual  decrease  of  colours  by  the  manage- 
ment of  strong  and  faint,  of  lights,  shades,  and  tints.  Without 
this  in  every  stroke,  a  picture  will  be  found  greatly  defective. 

Perrault  falsely  accuses  the  ancients  of  being  ignorant  of  per- 
spective, which  they  observed  in  the  most  exact  gradation  in 
all  their  performances,  as  is  demonstrated  in  the  Memoirs  of  the 
Academy  of  Inscriptions,  t.  8.  It  is  indeed  neglected  in 
Trajan's  pillar,  because  that  great  master  rose  above  common 
rules.  It  must  be  observed  in  every  line,  in  every  stroke  of 
the  pencil.  Michael  Angelo  is  blamed  for  too  much  neglecting 
it.  Felibien  explains  and  lays  down  very  correctly  the  rules 
of  perspective,  Entr.  5.  t.  3.  p.  25-,  &c.  As  to  expression,  the 
same  author  speaks  of  it  at  large,  Entr.  6.  t.  3.  Le  BRUN  has 
drawn  excellent  copies  of  the  passions  in  all  their  different  ges- 
tures and  effects  on  the  countenance,  &.c. 

The  last  partof  painting  is  the  COLOURING,  or  the  disposition 
of  different  colours,  mixed  with  such  art  as  to  imitate  the  natural 
appearance  of  bodies.  To  this  belongs  the  chiaro  oscuro,  or  doc- 
trine of  light  and  shade.  This  shadowing  is  a  distribution  of 
shade,  or  almost  imperceptible  gradation  of  light,  which  deceives 
the  eye,  and  inchants  the  beholder. 

Paisages  are  the  easiest  performances  ;  next  Portrait* 
painting,  or  life-pictures :  Historical-paintings  are  the  most 
difficult  and  the  noblest,  especially  when  they  include  a  great 
multitude  of  figures.  The  principal  figure  must  be  placed  in 
such  a  manner  as  at  once  to  meet  the  eye.  If  it  cannot  by  its  size, 
Sec.  it  must  by  its  striking  colours,  drapery,  or  characteristics. 
The  rest  in  proportion  to  their  importance.  The  extremities 
of  each  figure,  as  the  head,  toes,  &c.  ought  to  be  accurately  de- 
fined. The  draperies  must  be  so  disposed  as  set  to  off  the  figures 
to  most  advantage.  A  light  fold  or  scarf  produces  the  finest 
effect.  See  Felibien,  Idee  d'  un  peintre  parfait,  and  notes  oa 
Fresnoy. 


444       TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

The  different  kinds  of  painting  are  thus  defined  by  Limiers, 
and  from  him  in  fewer  words  by  Rollin. 

Painting  in  Jresco  is  done  upon  fresh  plaister  with  colours 
mixed  with  water.  It  is  used  on  walls,  &.c.  Such  paintings 
are  immoveable,  and  the  painter's  hand  must  follow  the  laying 
on  the  plaister;  but  it  is  in  this  species  he  can  best  shew  his  art. 

In  water-colours  it  is  done  with  colours  ground  and  diluted 
with  water  and  gum,  or  glue  made  with  rags  of  parchment  or 
old  gloves.  This  mode  of  painting  is  not  lasting,  especially  if 
exposed  to  the  air.  It  is  used  on  a  very  dry  wall,  on  boards, 
or  a  linen  cloth. 

Painting  in  oil  was  only  invented  in  the  I  jth  age  by  JOHN  of 
BRUGES.  Colours  ground  with  oil  of  walnuts  or  linseed,  mingle 
better  and  make  acolouring  more  smooth,  delicate,  soft,  agreeable 
and  lasting.  It  is  more  tedious  to  work  in  oil  than  in  water  co- 
lours, as  oil-painting  dries  slowly,  and  must  be  often  retouched. 

Miniature-Painting  is  performed  on  vellum  or  ivory  with 
simple  but  very  fine  colours  of  laques,  fine  resins,  green  juices, 
Sec.  mixed  with  water  and  gum.  It  cannot  be  performed 
but  on  a  very  small  scale,  whence  it  has  its  name.  It  is 
done  with  the  point  of  the  pencil,  consequently  is  most  tedious 
in  performing. 

Painting  on  Glass  is  executed  in  the  same  way  as  on  jasper 
and  other  fine  stones.  It  has  the  finest  effect  when  done  under 
the  glass  and  seen  through  it.  The  ancients  possessed  the  art 
of  incorporating  the  colours  with  the  glass,  but  this  is  a  very 
imperfect  way,  if  they  had  no  better  method  of  doing  it  than 
we  have  at  present. 

Enamel-Painting  is  done  with  tin  and  lead,  &c.  calcined  in  the 
lire,  to  which  other  metallic  colours  are  added,  according  to  the 
subject,  and  is  a  kind  of  glass  coloured.  Indeed  all  work  per- 
formed with  mineral  colours  by  the  heat  of  the  fire,  is  called 
enamelling.  China,  Deli't,  and  pots  varnished  or  glazed  with 
earth,  are  so  many  different  kinds  of  enamel.  This  is  the  most 
durable  of  all  painting.  The  finest  ever  executed,  is  that  in  the 
specierie  of  Loretto,  painted  by  RAPHAEL,  (Seep.  336.) 

Mosaic  is  composed  of  many  little  pieces  inlaid,  diversified 
with  colours  and  figures.  The  antique  Mosaics  in  Italy  are 
rather  paltry.  The  modern  Mosaics  in  Rome  are  very  fine. 


Chap.   XX11I.  EMINENT   PAINTERS.  445 

Rollin  is  inclined  to  think  the  master-pieces  of  the  old  Gre- 
cian painters,  Zeuxis,  Apelles,  &c.  surpassed  any  thing  mo- 
dern. PHny,  Cicero,  &.c.  own  that  nothing  of  their  times 
equalled  them,  especially  the  Graces  of  Apelles.  But  none 
of  those  now  remain,  by  which  we  can  make  the  comparison. 
The  few  old  Roman  paintings  in  Rome,  faded  too,  are  inconsi- 
derable, and  mean,  viz.  the  fragments  of  fresco  foind  in  Adri- 
ano ;  the  little  in  St  Gregory's  church  ;  that  which  is  seen  in 
the  ruins  of  Titus's  baths,  and  the  celebrated  Marriage  in  the 
Aldobrandine  palace.  (See  Pelibien,  Entr.  41.  Rotlw,  t.  11.) 


CHAPTER    TWENTY-THIRD. 

A    BRIEF     ACCOUNT    OF     EMINENT     PAINTERS. 

School  of  Florence. 

Clambue — Gaddo  Gaddi — Marguaritone — Giotto — Giottino — Pietra  Francises — 
Pinturrichio — Philip  Lippi — Francis  Francia — Bellini — Mantegna — Leonardo  da 
Vinci — Perugino — KATHJEL — Andrew  Durcr — MICHAEL  ANGULO  BUONAROTTI 
— Julio  Romano — Polydore—  John  d'Udinc — Andrea  del  Sarto — Volterno,  &c. 

Lombard  School. 
Giorgioni — Titian — Corregio — Paul  Veronese — Tintoretto — Bassano,  &c. 

School  of  Bologna. 
The  Carrachi— Guido  Reni — San  Frank — Sacchi — Tht  Dominican — Maratti. 


UT  was  in  the  I3th  century  that  the  rtue  Art  of  Painting  was 
restored  by  CIAMBUE,  a  young  gentleman  of  Florence,  who  first 
shewed  his  genius  for  that  art  when  a  boy,  by  continually 
drawing  scrolls  and  figures  in  his  books,  instead  of  studying. 
He  afterwards  improved  this  talent  by  an  acquaintance  with 
certain  Greek  painters  who  arrived  at  Florence  ;  for  the  true 
taste  was  not  so  entirely  lost  among  them  as  in  the  west.  He 
painted  a  fine  picture  of  our  Lady,  which  was  placed  with  great 
triumph  in  the  church  of  Santa  Maria  Novella.  He  died  in 
great  honour  in  1300,  72  years  of  age. 

His  scholars  and  imitators  constitute  the  School  of  Florence. 
The  most  esteemed  among  them  are  GADDO  GADDI,  MAR- 
GUARITONE, who  painted  many  things  in  Rome,  Arezzo,  &c. 
and  died  in  1275  GIOTTO,  who  surpassed  all  the  rest,  and 
who  is  so  well  known  by  his  having  formed  an  O,  with  his 
pencil  alone,  so  exactly,  so  equally  traced,  and  so  perfect  in  tli^ 

EC  3 


TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

figure,  that  on  sight  of  it  Benedict  the  IX.  preferred  him  to  all 
others  of  his  age.  His  master-piece  is  the  great  picture  in 
Mosaic,  at  present  over  the  great  door  of  St  Peter's,  being, 
St  Peter  walking  on  the  sea,  called  La  Nave  del  Grotto.  He 
painted  also  at  Milan,  Naples,  &c.  and  died  in  1336. 

GIOTTINO  was  so  called  from  his  imitating  well  the  manner 
of  Giotto.  He  painted  several  pieces  in  the  palace  of  the  Po- 
destat,  &.c.  in  Florence,  and  died  in  1356. 

PIETRO  BELLA  FRANCisCA  excelled  also  at  Florence.  He 
was  employed  by  Pope  Nicholas  V.  in  the  Vatican  palace. 

BERNARDJN  PINTURICHIO  painted  the  library  of  the  cathe- 
dral of  Sienna  with  the  history  of  Pius  II. ;  and  in  the  Vatican 
palace  part  of  the  Belvidere,  and  in  an  outer  corridor  the  cities 
of  Rome,  Milan,  Genoa,  &.c.  still  admired. 

PHILIP  LIFPI  and  others  excelled  in  this  school,  especially 
MASACCHIO,  a  great  improver  of  his  art. 

FRANCIS  FRANCIA  of  Bologna  strove  for  the  pre-eminence 
with  Raphael,  but  on  seeing  that  artist's  picture  of  St  Csscilia 
sent  to  Bologna,  he  is  said  to  have  died  of  melancholy,  tc  find 
himself  for  ever  overcome,  though  these  two  great  painters 
had  ever  been  the  greatest  friends.  His  death  happened  in  1518. 

At  Venice,  JOHN  BELLINI  and  GENTILE  BELLINI  also  paint- 
ed admirably.  Their  chief  work  is  the  series  of  the  Republic's 
Victories  ever  the  Emperor  Frederic  Barbarossa,  who  had  razed 
Milan,  set  up  three  Antipopes.  &.c.  In  a  number  of  large  paint- 
ings, in  the  hall  of  the  great  council,  ara  represented  all  the 
history  of  the  confederacy  and  victories  of  Alexander  the  III. 
and  of  the  Venetians.  The  palaces  of  Venice,  the  persons  of  the 
then  most  eminent  senators,  &.c.  are  admirably  drawn.  The 
best  of  these  pictures  represents  Pope  Alexander  setting  his  foot 
on  the  emperor's  neck, — a  false  story,  or  mere  poetical  fiction. 
Gentile  Bellini  died  in  the  year  i  <,oi.  His  brother  JOHN  liv- 
ed some  years  after  him.  At  the  request  of  Mahomet  the  II. 
Gentile  was  sent  to  Constantinople  b}'  the  Commonwealth, 
where  he  painted  many  pieces  which  Mahomet  was  wonderfully 
pleased  with,  loaded  him  with  presents,  and  recommended  him, 
en  his  return,  to  the  republic,  which  settled  an  annual  salary  up- 
on him.  That  despot  had  told  him  that  the  neck,  in  his  picture 


Clap.  XXIV.  EMINENT  PAINTERS.  447 

of  the  decollation  of  St  John,  was  too  short,  and  to  convince  him 
of  it,  immediately  sent  for  a  slave,  and  ordered  his  head  to  be 
cut  off  in  their  presence ;  which  he  shewed  to  Gentile,  who 
could  never  sleep  after  till  he  got  leave  to  return  to  Venice. 

ANDREA  MANTEGNA,  born  at  Padua  in  1431,  was  admired 
for  correctnes  of  design,  "but  had  a  pencil  too  hard  and  stiff.  His 
best  pieces  are  the  Triumphs  of  Julius  C8esar,now  at  Hampton 
Court.  He  died  in  1517. 

LEONARDO  DA  VINCI,  nobly  born  at  Vinci,  a  castle  near 
Florence,was  an  accomplished  sculptor,architect,  musician,  poet, 
anatomist,  chemist,  and  mathematician.  In  painting  he  excel- 
led  all  who  had  preceded  him,  and  was  the  first  master  of  the 
third  or  golden  age  of  modern  painting,  as  CIMABUE  was  of  the 
first ;  and  MASACCIO  of  the  second,  all  three  Florentines.  Vinci 
lived  many  years  at  Milan,  in  great  honour  and  opulence.  The 
Library,  or  rather  the  halls  adjoining,  possess  many  of  his  per- 
formances. The  best  is  the  famous  piece  of  the  Last  Supper  of 
our  Lord.  His  bocks  of  prints  there  are  most  valued.  He 
made  the  canal  from  the  Adda  to  Milan.  Finding  MICHAEL 
ANGELO'S  reputation  begin  to  eclipse  his,  at  the  invitation  of 
king  Francis  the  I.  he  came  into  France,  and  soon  after  died  in 
the  arms  of  that  monarch  in  1520,  being  70  years  old. 

PETER  PERUGINO,  or  of  Perouse,  designed  correctly,  but  his 
name  is  chiefly  honoured  for  his  having  been  the  divine  Raphael's 
master. 

The  Art  of  Engraving,  found  out  by  MASSO  FINIGUERRA,  a 
goldsmith  of  Florence  in  1460,  was  of  great  service  to  painters, 
who  were  thus  enabled  easily  to  multiply  their  smaller  works 
by  copperplates. 

ANDREW  DURER,  who  painted  so  well  in  Flanders,  that  Ra- 
phael lamented  very  much  his  knowing  no  better  than  the 
Gothic  taste,  and  who  also  painted  the  emperor's  palace  at 
Prao-ue  under  Maximilian  the  first,  (he  and  Holbein  being  by 
the  strength  of  their  extraordinary  genius,  the  two  great  mas- 
ters of  the  Flandrican  School)  made  great  use  of  prints  ;  so  did 
Raphael  himself,  and  induced  Mark  Antonio  of  Bologna  to  learn 
that  art  in  its  greatest  perfection,  merely  to  serve  him  in  draw- 
ing his  prints. 

E  e  4 


TRAVELS    OF   RE.V.   ALBAN  BUTLER. 

RAPHAEL  D'URBINO,  surnamed  the  divine,  the  Prince  of 
modern  painters,  was  born  in  the  city  of  Urbln  in  1483.  He 
commenced  his  art  under  Pietro  Perugino,  whom  he  soon  sur- 
passed. He  travelled  to  Florence  to  perfect  himself  by  seeing 
the  performances  of  Leonardo  da  Vinci,  and  of  Michael  Angelo. 
Soon  after  Michael  Angelo  was  called  to  Rome,  the  Pope  invit- 
ed Raphael  also  to  paint  in  the  Vatican.  His  chief  performances 
there  arc  large  historical  paintings  in  the  Chamber  of  Sig- 
nature, the  School  of  Athens,  a  great  picture  of  many  bi- 
shops, &.c.  before  an  altar  ;  our  Saviour  and  saints  above  in 
the  clouds;  the  emperor  Justinian  promulgating  his  laws  ;  Pope 
Gregory  issuing  the  decretals  ;  a  representation  of  mount  Par- 
nassus, with  all  the  great  poets.  In  the  next  row,  the  history 
of  St  Leo, meeting  king  Attila ;  (that  king  in  astonishment  and 
fright ;  the  horse,  the  figures  of  SS.  Peter  and  Paul,  &c.  are 
singularly  beautiful).  In  the  chamber  called  Torre  Borgia, 
the  miracles  of  S.  Leo,  his  driving  away  a  serpent  by  his  pray- 
ers ;  extinguishing  a  great  fire  in  Rome  by  his  benediction  ;  (in 
which  is  an  admirable  figure  of  a  young  man  carrying  off  his 
old  father).  His  defeating  the  Saracens  at  Ostia  with  a  small 
troop  of  men,  &c.  In  the  great  hall  the  victories  of  Constan- 
tine  the  Great ;  that  over  Maxentius  we  saw  a  French  painter 
copying  out  for  the  French  king.  His  pictures  of  our  Saviour, 
crucifixes,  our  Lady,  See.  are  numerous.  His  prophets  in  the 
church  of  our  Lady  of  Peace,  are  incomparable,  though  he  took 
the  idea  from  those  he  saw  Michael  Angelo  doing  in  the  Vati- 
can, at  which  this  latter  was  much  offended.  The  St  Michael 
which  he  sent  to  Francis  the  I.  of  France,  is  a  most  beautiful 
picture.  Raphael  also  drew  the  designs  of  the  richest  tapestries 
in  the  world,  made  in  P landers  for  the  Vatican,  and  many  for 
the  French  king,  who  keeps  them  as  the  most  precious  furni- 
ture of  his  wardrobe,  being  exposed  only  on  great  festivals. 
Ten  pieces  of  this  line  tapestry,  upon  Raphael's  plan,  are  hung 
up  in  the  cathedral  of  Chartres,  being  40  ells  de  cours,  present- 
ed to  that  church  by  the  bishop  de  Thou.  In  the  king's  ward- 
robe the  eight  pieces  of  the  history  of  Josua,  43  ells,  are  in- 
comparable. The  26  pieces  of  Psyche  even  surpass  painting, 
and  consist  of  ic6  ells.  The  nets  of  the  apostles,  in  10  pieces 


Chap.    XX1IL  EMIHEXT  PAINTERS.  44$ 

of  53  ells,  are  the  most  esteemed  of  any ;  especially  the  history 
of  St  Paul  in  seven  pieces,  or  4 2  ells.  These  are  the  master, 
pieces  of  the  Flemish  manufacturers,  who  chose  rather  to  sell 
them  to  king  Francis  the  I.  for  22,000  crowns,  a  great  sum  at 
that  time,  than  to  their  own  master  Charles  V.  Raphael's  last 
work  and  chief  master-piece  was  the  'Transfiguration,  now  in  St 
Peter  in  Montorio.  The  Possessed  Youth  at  the  foot  of  the 
mountain  with  the  disciples,  is  admirable.  He  seems  absolute- 
ly aliVe,  and  so  visibly  does  he  suffer  from  the  agitation  of  the 
devil  in  all  his  members,  that  you  almost  think  you  hear  him 
cry  out  with  all  his  strength  ;  his  eyes  are  inverted  and 
almost  bursting  out  of  his  head  ;  his  veins  swelled,  his  skin 
stretched  and  hard,  and  of  an  extraordinary  colour,  through  the 
violence  of  his  efforts.  The  old  man  that  holds  him  exhibits  an 
incomparable  expression  ;  as  do  all  the  other  figures  with  their 
different  and  extraordinary  airs.  The  figure  of  the  Son  of  God 
in  glory  is  quite  divine.  His  eyes  raised  to  heaven,  his  gar- 
ments whiter  than  snow,  his  arms  stretched  out,  and  his  whole 
body,  ravish  the  beholder,  who  seems  to  discover  the  Trinity 
and  the  Divinity  itself,  in  the  graces  of  the  pencil.  Moses  and 
Elias  are  penetrated  with  his  brightness  ;  the  three  disciples 
prostrate  are  dazzled  with  the  effulgence  of  light  which  streams 
from  every  part  of  his  body. 

Though  Raphael  had  not  so  grand  a  manner  in  his  paintings 
as  Correggio,  nor  understood  or  managed  the  art  of  light  and 
and  shades  which  Titian  excelled  in,  nor  designed  naked  bodies 
so  well  as  Michael  Angelo;  yet  he  understood  anatomy,  as  well 
as  the  strength  of  light,  and  the  beauty  of  colours,  and  had  an 
admirable  manner  in  all  his  performances  :  In  other  respects,  he 
outshone  at  least  all  other  moderns  :  His  design  is  the  most 
correct  and  of  the  best  tase,  purer  than  Michael  Angelo's  ; 
his  choice  of  every  thing  is  the  most  perfect  and  happy  in  all 
his  figures.  He  never  omitted  or  lost  any  embellishment  in 
the  composition.  The  beauty  of  the  whole,  and  the  exact  pro- 
portions of  all  the  parts,  the  variety  and  contrast  of  the  figures, 
the  disposition  of  their  attitudes,  the  draperies  and  all  other 
ornaments  that  can  enrich  a  picture,  cannot  be  paralleled.  His 
expression  of  the  gesture?,  action  of  ?,11  the  members,  and  cr 


TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

all  the  passions  which  appear  on  the  face,  is  so  wonderful,  that 
the  interior  and  all  the  sentiments  and  passions  of  the  soul, 
joy,  admiration,  veneration,  modesty,  &.c.  are  manifested  to 
the  senses ;  but  above  all  his  other  qualities,  he  had  a  singu- 
lar talent  in  giving  an  extraordinary  grace  and  sweetness  to  every 
part  of  his  work  ;  his  pencil  conveyed  nothing  but  graces  j  for 
example,  in  all  his  pictures  of  our  Lady,  from  the  elegance  of 
the  draperies,  the  glowing  of  the  colours,  and  all  the  external 
embellishments,  but  above  all  from  the  modesty  and  virtue 
which  shine  forth  in  her  face,  result  graces  which  perfectly 
enchant  the  eye.  Those  who  desire  to  learn  more  of  the  ex- 
cellencies and  beauties  of  this  incomparable  artist,  may  read 
Le  Brun's  discourse  in  the  first,  and  Mignard's,  in  the  4th  Con- 
ference of  the  Academy  of  Painters  in  Paris,  p.  31.  and  59.  and 
Felibien's  life  of  Raphael  T.  I.  I  shall  only  add,  that  he  quite 
eclipsed  the  glory  of  the  Florence  and  Lombard  schools,  and 
raised  the  Roman  above  all  competition.  The  most  conspicu- 
ous amongst  his  great  qualifications  were,  an  unparalelled 
genius,  the  most  correct  and  true  design,  which  he  studied  moie 
than  any  other  from  the  ancients,  an  expression  above  the  reach 
of  any  other  pencil,  and  a  taste  so  exquisite  as  to  obtain  him 
the  distinguished  appellation  of  the  Divine  Raphael :  He  died 
in  1520  in  the  37th  year  of  his  age.  His  principal  scholars 
were  Julio  Romano,  Polydore,  Gaudenzio,  Giovanni  d'  Udine, 
MICHAEL  ANGELO  BUONAROTTI,  born  of  a  noble  family  at 
Florence  in  the  year  1474,  was  the  greatest  of  modern  archi- 
tects and  sculptors,  and  the  most  admirable  designer  :  No 
painter  ever  understood  or  drew  anatomy  so  well ;  and  he  is 
generally  allowed  to  be  the  second  amongst  modern  painters  j 
nay,  whilst  alive,  he  was  often  compared,  and  even  preferred 
to  Raphael.  His  love  for  designing  drew  upon  him  repeated 
punishments  for  the  neglect  of  his  school-tasks,  till  he  got 
leave  to  apply  himself  to  his  favourite  arts.  His  first  finished 
piece  was  the  statute  of  our  Lady  of  pity,  now  in  St  Peter's 
in  the  Vatican.  Julius  II.  invited  him  to  Rome,  where 
he  commenced  a  most  rich  tomb  for  that  Pope,  which  was 
never  finished.  After  Julius's  death,  he  executed  that  tomb 
for  him  which  is  now  seen  in  St  Peter's  ad  Vincula.  Under 


Clap.  XXIII.  EMINENT  PAINTERS.  45! 

Julius  II.  at  29  years  of  age,  he  painted  the  vault  of  the 
Sixtine  chapel,  his  master-piece,  is  "The  Universal  Judge* 
meut,  which  covers  the  wall  on  the  top  of  this  chapel,  an4 
which  I  have  already  described.  His  decollation  of  St  Paul, 
and  crucifixion  of  St  Peter,  in  the  Pauline  chapel,  are  ad- 
mirable. He  shewed  his  skill  in  architecture,  in  St  Pe- 
ter's, in  the  Vatican,  in  the  Farnesian  palace,  on  the  Campi- 
doglio,  &.c.  He  was  invited  to  Constantinople  by  Solyman  the 
magnificent,  to  make  a  bridge  over  the  Hellespont.  He  lived 
in  great  splendour,  honoured  and  esteemed  by  all  the  Princes  of 
Europe,  by  six  successive  Popes,  Julius  II.  Leo  X.  Clement 
VII.  Paul  III.  Julius  III.  and  Paul  IV. ;  by  Charles  V.  Soly- 
man, Francis  I.  our  Henry  VIII.  Cosmo  of  Medicis,  the  Vene- 
tians, &c.  and  died  in  Rome  in  the  year  1564  ;  having  lived 
80  years,  II  months.  His  defects  as  a  Painter,  are  pointed 
out  in  Felibien,  Entret.  4.  p.  174.  Da  Fresnoy  gives  us  his 
opinion  of  him  in  these  words  :  "  He  designed  more  learnedly, 
"  and  better  understood  the  knitting;  of  the  bones,  with  the 

O  ' 

"  office  and  situation  of  the  muscles,  than  any  of  the  modera 
"  painters.  There  appears  an  air  of  greatness  and  severity  in 
"  his  figures.  But  the  choice  of  his  attitutes  was  not  always 
"  the  happy.  His  design  was  not  always  the  best,  nor  his 
"  outlines  the  most  degant  :  The  folds  of  his  draperies  and 
"  the  ornaments  of  his  habits  were  neither  noble  nor  graceful : 
"  He  was  not  a  little  fantastical  in  his  compositions :  His 
"  coulouring  is  not  over  true  :  He  knew  not  the  artifice  of  the 
"  lights  and  shades." 

JULIO  ROMANO  was  the  best  and  most  universal  of  Raphael's 
scholars.  He  painted  many  things  in  the  Vatican  palace,  as 
the  Creation  of  Adam  and  Eve,  and  the  animals  ;  Noah  ;  Moses 
taken  out  of  the  Nile  ;  Constantine  beholding  the  cross  in  the 
heavens  ;  defeat  of  Maxentius,  (this  is  his  mater-piece,  and  is 
upon  a  design  of  Raphael,)  Constantine's  baptism,  &c.  He 
painted  innumerable  other  things  in  Rome  and  Mantua,  where 
he  also  built,  with  the  greatest  art,  an  admirable  palace  for 
the  Marquis  of  Gonzagu,  described  by  Felibien,  Entret.  3.  p. 
112,  &c.  Julio  drew  the  plans  or  designs  of  beautiful  pieces  of 
tapestry,  executed  by  Nicolas  and  John  Baptist  Roux,  the  two 
greatest  of  the  Flemish  weavers  and  artists  ;  among  v;hich  are 


45  *        TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALB  AN  BUTLER. 

the  Battles  and  Triumphs  of  Scipio,  in  22  pieces  of  120  ells, 
bought  by  Francis  I.  and  Henry  II.  and  at  present  in  the 
French  King's  wardrobe  ;  the  History  of  Lucretia,  in  5  pieces 
21  ells  ;  the  Tnumphs  of  Bacchus,  in  7  pieces  21  ells  ;  those 
of  Orpheus  in  8  pieces,  28  ells  ;  10  pieces  of  grotesques  in  43 
ells  ;  the  Twelve  Months,  in  12  pieces,  45  ells;  the  Rape  of 
the  Sabins,  in  5  pieces,  43  ells  ;  all  these  in  tissue  of  silk  and 
gold  ;  also  the  history  of  Scipio,  in  i  o  pieces  ;  the  Fruits  of 
War,  in  8  pieces,  55  ells  ;  and  the  Triumph  of  Venus,  in  3 
pieces,  15  ells  in  all.  These  specimens,  which  are  preserved  in 
the  King's  wardrobe,  and  exposed  in  Paris  on  great  occasions, 
shew  Julio's  design  to  have  been  no  less  incomparable  than  the 
Roux's  workmanship.  The  French  King  has  also  Flemish 
tapestry  after  the  designs  of  some  of  the  best  Dutch  painters, 
as  the  ^even  Ages  in  7  pieces,  upon  the  plan  of  the  famous 
Lucas  of  Harlem  ;  several  of  Albert  Durer,  &.c. 

Julio  Romano  died  at  Mantua  in  the  year  1546,  of  his  age 
54.  He  gave  more  life  to  his  paintings  than  Raphael  himself, 
and  was  wonderfully  happy  in  his  choice  of  attitudes.  But 
his  manner  was  dryer  and  harder  than  that  of  his  great  master, 
says  du  Fresnoy  :  He  copied  all  from  the  antiques. 

POLYDORE  designed  exceedingly  well,  excelled  in  frizes  and 
paisages,  and  has  left  some  groupes  happily  executed. 

JOHN  D'UDINE,  a  third  of  Raphael's  great  scholars,  from 
the  vaults  of  Titus's  palace  revived  stucco-work,  a  composition 
of  lime  and  marble  powder.  He  painted  in  the  Vatican,  &cc. 
excelled  in  animal?,  fruit,  flowers,  &.c.  and  died  1564. 

ANDREA  DEL  SARTO,  a  taylors  son  in  Florence,  painted 
well,  but  abused  his  good  fortune,  he  died  in  1520. 

SEBASTIANO  DEL  PIOMBO  was  esteemed  at  Venice  and 
Rome  :  He  died  in  1545. 

DANIEL  OF  VOLTERRA,  -was  a  great  proficient  in  Sienna 
imd  Rome  :  His  Descent  from  the  Cross,  in  the  Minim's  church 
of  the  Trinity  in  the  Mount,  is  esteemed  the  third  picture  that 
adorns  the  churches  in  Rome.  The  first  is  Raphael's  Trans- 
Jigurailon  in  Montorio  :  The  second  St  Jerome  receiving  the 
Viaticum  by  the  Dominican,  in  the  Charity,  near  the  Farne- 
;i?,n  palace.  Daniel,  by  Paul  IV'o.  orders,  covered  sonic  of 


Chap.  XXI11.  EMINENT  PAINTERS.  453 

of  the  naked  pieces  in  Michael  Angelo's  Last  Judgement.     He 
died  in  1566.  * 

THADDEO  ZUCCHARO,  for  his  good  design,  composition,  and 
florid  invention  ;  and  his  brother  Theoderico  excelled  in  the 
Roman  school,  f 

But  to  mention  the  Lombard  School  of  Painters  :  After  the 
BELLINI,  whom  I  have  already  mentioned,  as  having  distin- 
guished themselves  in  Venice,  came  Giorgione,  Titian,  and 
Correggio,  who  raised  this  school  to  great  celebrity. 

GIORGIONE  under  John  Bellini,  and  after  Leonardo  da  Vinci, 
attained  to  great  perfection  in  the  art  added,  the  artifice  of  strong 
lights  and  shadows,  and  of  beautiful  glowing  colours.  He 
drew  many  excellent  pictures,  both  portraits  and  histories.  His 
best  is  our  Saviour  carrying  his  cross,  in  Venice.  He  died 
there  in  1511. 

TITIAN,  of  the  ancient  family  of  Vecelli  in  the  Venetian 
territories,  fellow-apprentice  to  Bellini  with  Giorgione,  raised 
the  Lombard  school  to  the  highest  pitch  of  glory.  Not  having 
studied  antiques,  he  (as  well  as  the  whole  school)  designed  in- 
correctly, but  in  colouring  he  excels  all  the  moderns,  by  which 
his  pictures  possess  a  peculiar  beauty.  In  painting  wo- 
men and  children,  his  design  is  very  pleasing  ;  the  negligent 
head-dresses  and  draperies  being  in  a  style  peculiar  to  himself  j 
but  he  is  not  so  happy  in  the  figures  of  men.  In  landscapes, 
he  surpassed  all  others.  His  pencil  gives  the  greatest  spirit, 
and  is  at  the  same  time  wonderfully  sweet  and  delicate.  His 
colours  are  admirable,  his  carnations  seem  real  blood.  £  He 
was  honoured  and  enriched  exceedingly  by  the  Emperor 
Charles  V.  ;  and  filled  Naples,  the  Escurial  at  Madrid,  &.c.  witli 
admirable  paintings.  He  died  in  15/6,  of  his  age  99.  His 
two  most  eminent  scholars  were  Paul  Veronese  and  TintoreL 
Bassano  and  his  sons  were  his  contemporaries.  The  chief  pieces 
of  Titian  which  I  saw  were,  the  three  miracles  of  St  Antony 
in  Padua  ;  St  Peter  Martyr,  in  Venice  ;  several  in  the  Ducal 
palace,  and  many  others  in  that  city  ;  not  a_few  in  Rome,  some 
in  Paris,  &cc. 


*  See  Fclibicn  F.ntr.  4.  P.  153.        r  laid.  P.  158.        \  Sec  tiis  ad  Conference 
of  the  French  Academy,  P.  47. 


454          TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

CORREGGIO  did  not  equal  the  exquisite  colouring  of  Titian, 
but  he  designed  better,  though  not  perfectly.  His  beauty  con- 
sists in  the  great  strength  of  his  colours,  and  in  certain  easy 
delightful  graces  his  pencil  gave.  He  painted  most  at  Parma 
and  Modena.  He  died  in  1534,  of  his  age  40. 

PAUL  VERONESE,  born  at  Verona  of  the  family  of  Caliari, 
was  in  some  respects  greater  than  Titian,  and  if  not  the  first,  was 
at  least  the  second  in  the  Lombard  school.  He  was  wonderfully 
successful  in  the  attitudes  and  grace  with  which  he  painted 
women,  in  his  variety  of  shining  draperies,  and  in  the  natural 
easy  stroke  of  his  pencil :  His  copious  invention,  and  the  grand- 
duer  and  majesty  of  his  composition,  his  exquisite  ornaments, 
and  above  all  his  noble  colouring,  make  the  Italians  style  him, 
I!  pit  tor  felice.  He  painted  almost  always  in  Venice,  from 
whence  no  offers  of  Philip  the  II.  could  draw  him,  though  all 
the  princes  of  Europe  got  pictures  done  by  him.  He  died 
greatly  honoured,  and  extremely  opulent,  in  the  year  1588,  of 
his  age  56.  On  the  beauties  of  Paul  Veronese  see  the  5th  con- 
ference of  the  French  academy  of  painters,  p.  74.  and  Felibien 
entr.  5.  p.  92.  t.  2.  His  principal  pieces  which  I  admired  in 
Venice  are,  St  Mark's  library,  the  Marriage  of  Cana,  30  feet 
long,  containing  above  1 20  most  beautiful  figures  in  the  refec- 
tory of  St  George  Major,  the  best  picture  in  Venice.  The  Ban- 
quet of  Simon  the  leper  in  St  Sebastian,  and  another  in  the  re- 
fractory of  Servites,  with  the  Magdalene  at  our  Saviour's  feet, 
something  different  from  the  other.  Some  blame  Paul  for 
painting  the  guests  sitting,  because  the  ancients  lay  on  couches 
at  table :  But  that  they  sometimes  so  sat  appears  from  Homer 
Odyss.  1.  i.  8.  and.  I.  kings  20.  25. 

TINTORETTO  was  so  called  because  son  of  a  dyer  of  Venice. 
His  true  name  was  James  Robust! ;  he  is  called  the  furious  for 
his  bold  strong  lights  and  deep  shadows,  and  for  the  rapidity 
of  his  genius.  His  colouring  is  admirable,  like  Titian's,  whose 
pictures  some  of  his  performances  equal,  but  in  others  he  is 
far  beneath  himself,  as  he  worked  for  all  prices.  He  was  not 
laborious  enough,  though  possessed  of  an  excellent  genius.  His 
composition  and  dresses  are  generally  improper.  He  died  in. 
the  year  1594. 


Chap.  XXIII.  EMINENT  PAINTERS.  455. 

BASSANO  the  father  died  in  Venice  in  1592.  He  was  cal- 
led Giacomo  da  ponte  da  Bassano ;  his  three  sons  followed  his 
manner  of  painting— Francisco,  who  painted  in  the  ducal  palace 
with  Paul  Veronese  and  Tintoret ;  Leandro  who  excelled  most 
in  face  painting,  and  the  other  two,  who  copied  excellently  their 
father's  works.  The  Bassani  had  a  very  mean  taste,  and  de- 
signed incorrectly.  Their  composition  also  was  very  faulty  ; 
yet  they  had  a  good  gusto  in  colouring,  and  excelled  in  drawing 
all  kinds  of  animals. 

The  other  great  Venetian  painters  are,  BAPTISTA  FRANCO, 
who  filled  Italy  with  his  pictures,  remarkable  only  for  the  cor- 
rectness of  their  outlines.  PALMA  VECCHIO,  and  his  nephew, 
PALMA  JUNIOR,  stocked  Venice,  Rome,  &c.  with  their  paintings. 
The  younger  only  copied  j  the  elder  imitated  his  master  Titian's 
manner  to  perfection. 

PARMEGIANO  painted  well  at  Parma  :  but  he  may  be  consi- 
dered as  belonging  to  the  school  of  Lombardy. 

CARAVAGIO  painted  first  at  Venice,  afterwards  at  Rome,  and 
diedanno  1609:  His  manner  was  very  odd  and  mean,  peculiar  to 
himself:  His  design  and  composition  are  very  poor  and  false ; 
but  his  colouring  is  admirable,  and  strong. 

SPAYNOLETTO,  a  poor  Spaniard,  scholar  of  Caravagio,  paint- 
ed with  great  reputation  at  Naples,  perfect  in  design  and  co- 
louring, but  chiefly  remarkable  for  frightful  subjects,  and  from 
his  singularly  bad  temper. 

BOLOGNA  justly  deserves  to  be  looked  on  as  a  distinct  emin- 
ent school :  Its  greatest  glory  are  the  Carrachi  and  Guido  Reni. 

LEWIS  CARRACHE,  born  at  Bologna  in  1555,  excelled  in  de- 
sign, and  colouring  with  the  greatest  gracefulness  :  He  taught 
his  two  cousins  german,  Augustin  and  Hannibal,  and  surviv- 
ing them,  died  in  1619. 

AUGUSTIN  CARRACHE  painted  little,  applying  himself  prin- 
cipally to  graving.  His  communion  of  St  Jerome,  in  Bologna, 
is  a  most  finished  piece,  and  makes  us  feel  sentiments  of  sor- 
row. After  executing  this  chief  d'ceuvre,  he  never  again  used 
his  pencil.  He  died  at  Parma  anno  1602. 
HANNIBAL  CARRACHE  far  excelled  the  other  two,  and  united 
in  himself  the  sweetness  of  Correggio,  the  strength  and  colour 


456         TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALB  AN  BUTLER* 

of  Titian,  and  the  correctness  of  design  and  imitation  of  an- 
tiques of  Raphael  :  but  he  could  not  attain  the  nobleness,  graces 
and  charms  of  that  prince  of  painters,  says  du  Fresno}1 :  He  had 
such  a  veneration  for  him  that  he  would  be  buried  in  his  tomb 
in  the  Pantheon,  which  was  done  anno  1606.  His  chief  work 
and  master-piece  is  the  painting  of  the  gallery  in  the  Farnesian 
palace.  Fehbien  is  very  copious  on  Hannibal,  and  the  academy 
established  by  the  Carrachi  at  Bologna,  entr.  6.  p.  165. 

GUIDO  RENiborn  at  Bologna  anno  1576  learned  this  art  un- 
der Calvert,  the  Flemish  painter  setled  at  Bologna,  but  perfected 
himself  under  the  Carrachi.  His  performances  possess  an  un- 
common degree  of  gracefulness  and  beauty.  His  heads  are  not 
inferior  to  Raphael's  in  other  respects  ;  he  does  not  equal  the 
Carrachi,  though  he  charged  higher  prices.  He  died  in  1642. 

In  the  same  school  of  the  Carrachi,  JOHN  BAPTIST  VIOLA 
excelled  in  landscapes,  ALBANI  in  small  pictures,  but  none  came 

up  to  DOMENICKINO. 

LAN  FRANC  at  Naples,  BODOLOCCHI  at  Rome,  ANDREW 
SACCHI  also  in  Rome,  under  Urban,  for  their  correctnes  and 
elegance  of  design,  and  admirable  colouring,  &.c.  maintained 
the  fame  of  this  school. 

DOMINICO  ZAMPIERI,  commonly  called  Don  Enichino  was  a 
scholar  of  Hannibal  Carrache,  whom  he  assisted  in  painting 
the  Farnesian  gallery.  He  excelled  in  the  correctness  of  his 
design,  and  in  expressing  the  passions  and  affections  of  the  soul. 
His  St  Jerome  receiving  the  holy  Communion,  in  the  Charity 
near  the  English  seminary,  is  eteemed  the  second  picture  in 
Rome.  It  is  wonderful  to  see  the  devotion  and  penitential 
spirit  of  that  saint  expressed  so  naturally.  Domenichino  died 
anno  1642. 

The  Dominican  was  a  famous  painter  of  the  School  of  Flor- 
ence, a  religious  of  St  Mark  under  Nicolas  4th. 

CHARLES  MARATTI,  for  his  correct  design,  elegant  pencil, 
charming  airs,  draperies,  and  above  all  an  inimitable  graceful- 
ness, surpassed  his  master  Saccll.  He  painted  at  Rome,  much 
honoured  by  Innocent  II.,  Sec.  and  deid  in  1731  age  88. 


Clap.  XX III.  EMINENT   PAINTERS.  457 

The  PROCACCINI,  leaving  the  Carrachi,  set  up  an  eminent 
branch  of  the  Lombard  school  in  Milan,  in  which  flourished 
GloSEPPINO,  a  tolerable  master. 


The  above  is  an  abridgment  of  the  remarks  I  had  formerly 
abstracted  from  the  works  of  Monsieur  de  Piles,  Perrault,  du 
Fresnoy,  Vasari,  and  chiefly  Felibien.  Without  some  knowledge 
of  these  arts,  it  is  impossible  to  judge  of  them  ;  and  a  person 
is  deprived  both  of  the  pleasure  and  improvement  he  would 
otherwise  receive  from  seeing  the  most  curious  objects  :  'Tis 
true,  as  Quintilian  observes,  the  skilful  understand  and  admire 
the  art,  and  the  most  unskilful  receive  a  pleasure  ;  yet  this 
pleasure  excites  our  curiosity  to  the  study  of  the  art. 


CHAPTER     TWENTY    FOURTH. 

Remarks  on  the  Italian  Stage. — An  Account  of  the  most  Celebrated  Vocal 
IVrfomiT.s  of  that  Country  :  Sunta  Stella,  Faustina,  Farinclli,  Cuzzoni,  &c.~ 
On  the  Religion  of  the  Italians,  &c. 


IN  Italy  we  meet  with  inscriptions  prostituted  to  every  trifling 
occasion,  or  most  insignificant  person.  Very  soon  the  coblera 
may  put  their  names  on  every  shoe  they  mend,  without  carry- 
ing the  extravagance  much  farther.  Indeed,  the  ingenious 
here  have  a  better  knack  at  them  than  in  other  countries  ;  paltry 
inscriptions  and  wretched  epitaphs  tire  one's  curiosity  in  other 
parts  ;  but  in  Italy  it  always  meets  something  to  repay  its  la- 
bour. Sir  John  Dolben  at  Aix  in  Provence  got  a  tomb-stone 
made  in  Italy  ;  theinscription  is  affecting, — far  superior  to 
the  rude  attempts  in  that  church,  and  makes  the  reader  mingle 
his  tears  with  those  of  the  whole  city  in  the  father's  sorrow,— 
giving  a  very  high,  yet  modest  idea  of  that  gentlemen,  whose 
children  all  lie  buried  under  one  stone,  having  died  in  their  in- 
fancy of  the  small  pox,,  of  whom  it  says,  Parvxhs  tarn  cita  per» 

Ff 


458      TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

fecere  clrculos,  cxlestis  festinantes  mdtum  intueri  Patris,  8tc; 
One  now  and  then  picks  up  an  ingenious  one  among  these  pal- 
try inscriptions,  but  it  costs  as  much  labour  as  to  rake  a  jewel 
out  of  a  dung-hill.  That  in  France  is  fit  for  the  old  wife  of 
Bath. 

Cy  git  ma  femme  ;  ob,  qrfelle  est  bien 

Pour  son  repos  et  pour  le  mein  ! 

The  Stage  Entertainments  I  can  give  no  account  of,  as  I  never 
would  see  any ;  these  amusements  being  very  dangerous,  the 
school  of  the  passions  and  of  sin,  and  most  justly  abhorred  by  the 
Church  and  Fathers  ;  among  us,  Collier,  Law,  &c.  amongst  the 
French,  the  late  Prince  of  Conti,  Dr  Voisin,  Nicole,  and  others 
have  said  enough  to  satisfy  any  Christian  on  this  head  ;  though 
Tertullian,  St  Cyprian,  St  Chrysostom,  &.c.  are  still  more  impla- 
cable enemies  of  the  stage.  However,  we  visited  the  stages  on 
account  of  their  architecture,  where  this  was  curious.  Such 
entertainments  were  first  restored  in  Italy  by  imperfect  farces  ; 
and  chiefly  by  Representations  of  our  SAVIOUR'S  passion,  dis- 
played with  great  pomp  at  the  Colisee  or  Vespasian's  Amphi- 
theatre in  Rome,  (which  was  far  more  entire  before  the  Far- 
nesian  Palace  was  built  of  part  of  its  stones)  and  on  the  Arno 
in  Florence  :  The  same  sort  of  stage-amusements  were  much 

o 

practised  in  France  and  in  England ;  we  have  some  on  Adam, 
&c.  and  on  the  Passion  of  our  SAVIOUR,  exhibited  by  the  Friars 
of  Coventry  in  Steven's  Monasticon  Anglic.  Regular  profane 
comedies  succeeded  those  first  in  Italy,  then  in  France,  England, 
&c.  the  Spaniards  still  retain,  besides  profane,  a  sort  of  those 
pious  plays,  if  we  may  so  call  them  because  their  subject 
Is  such.  These  are  called  Autos  Sacrame?itales,  and  are  chiefly 
designed  to  represent  the  love,  humility,  &c.  of  our  Saviour, 
in  the  Blessed  Sacrament.  The  Italians  date  the  commence- 
ment of  their  regular  comedies  from  the  ijth  century; 
the  French  of  theirs  from  Moliere,  at  the  end  of  the  I7th; 
yet  Moliere  did  not  so  much  perfect  comedy,  as  Corneille 
and  Racine  did  tragedy.  The  Italian  and  French  stage- 
entertainments  appear  to  be  most  generally  relished.  In 
Germany,  the  Italian  are  chiefly  exhibited,  The  English 


Clap.  XXIV.  THE   ITALIAN    STAGE.  459 

are  of  a  thoughful  temper,  and  must  reflect  much,  and  be 
strongly  moved  before  they  are  pleased.  Shakespeare  knew 
this  our  genius,  hence  his  pieces,  though  filled  with  the 
most  admirable  passages,  are  in  many  respects  faulty,  devi- 
ating from  the  true  rules  given  by  Aristotle,  and  from  the 
great  model  of  Sophocles's  CEdipus,  proposed  by  Aristotle  as 
the  standard  ;  yet  that  ought  not  to  be  deemed  a  fault  which  is 
really  a  beauty  and  excellency  in  regard  of  those  for  whom  it 
is  designed  ;  but  the  licentiousness  and  immorality  of  our 
English  stage,  especially,  is  a  disgrace  to  mankind,  much  more 
to  Christianity,  as  Mr  Echard,  in  his  preface  to  his  translation 
of  Terence,  Mr  Hutchinson,  and  others,  most  justly  remark. 
In  Rome,  no  woman  is  ever  permitted  to  appear  on  the 
stage,  since  Innocent  Xl's  prohibition.  Indeed,  for  a  man 
to  put  on  woman's  cloathes,  is  against  the  law  of  nature,  as 
appears  from  Deut.  and  all  divines  with  St  Thomas. 

In  Rome,  the  stage  is  open  only  during  the  last  eight  daya 
of  Shrovetide,  and  the  diversions  of  that  season  are  kept  within 
decent  bounds,  consisting  chiefly  in  the  overflowing  the  square 
of  the  Navonna,  and  the  exhibition  of  chariot-races  in  that 
place,  &c.  In  other  parts  of  Italy  they  are  more  extravagant ; 
but  in  Venice  they  exceed  every  measure  of  propriety,  where 
from  Christmas  to  Ashwednesday  they  indulge  in  every 
species  of  licentiousness  ;  and  during  all  which  period  the 
gentry  never  go  abroad  without  masks,  a  custom  which  is  a- 
clopted  by  the  other  cities  of  that  Republic.  The  stage  is  open 
in  Lombardy  during  the  greater  part  of  winter  and  spring ; 
but  in  Venice  it  remains  open  from  October  until  the  first 
day  of  Lent :  In  that  city  and  in  Naples  it  is  also  open  at 
other  times,  on  particular  occasions.  All  the  nobility  of 
Venice  may  go  to  play  masked,  a  custom  which  saves  them  a 
considerable  expence  :  Even  the  Doge  may  in  this  manner  go 
as  a  private  person.  Kortnerly,  at  Venice,  no  one  could  stir 
abroad  without  a  mask,  dar  g  the  seasons  of  Shrovetide  and 
and  Ascension  ;  and  indeed  this  custom  prevails  very  generally 
at  present  ;  yet  the  Pope's  nuncio,  Monsignor  Carocciolo,  bishop 
•>f  Cnlcedon  inpariibus,  a  young  prelate  much  esteemed  by  the 


460         TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

Doge,  goes  abroad  at  all  times,  and  during  all  their  ceremonies, 
without  any  mask. 

There  arc  in  Venice  eight  theatres,  which  derive  their  names 
from  the  parishes  in  which  they  are  situated,  in  four  of  which 
operas  are  exhibited.  The  decorations  and  machinery  of  the 
Italian  stages  seem  to  be  very  expensive.  Formerly  the  most 
eminent  musician  might  be  hired  in  enice  for  a  year,  (z.  e. 
from  October  until  Lent.)  at  the  rate  of  150  Roman  crowns, 
generally  for  ico  crowns,  which  is  600  French  livres,  or  21 
guineas  ;  but  within  these  few  years  past,  first-rate  singers  have 
received  extravagant  salaries.  Santa  Stella,  Faustina,  Cuzz-oni, 
and  FartneUo,  always  received  above  1000  gold  sequins  a-year, 
near  500  pounds  Sterling  The  most  celebrated  Italian  singers 
at  the  end  of  the  last  century  were,  Pistocco,  Pasqualino,  Siface, 
Mattecncclo,  Cortcna,  Linyino  ;  amongst  the  female  voices,  the 
most  distinguished  are,  Francisco,  Vaini,  Santa  Stella,  Filla, 
Salceli,  Reggiani,  &c.  In  the  present  age,  Cu^z-oni  held  the 
first  place  in  Italy:  In  the  year  1724  she  sung,  with  the 
greatest  applause,  a  motet  and  psalm  in  the  chapel  of  Fountain- 
bleau,  and  was  six  years  admired  in  London.  She  then  re- 
turned to  the  Italian  stage,  but  was  recalled  to  London  in  the 
year  1734,  where  she  enjoyed  a  salary  1500  guineas  a-ye?.r : 
.During  the  same  period  Francis  Ecrnardi  excelled  all  former 
ages  in  the  admirable  style  of  his  composition* 

Faustina  Burdoni  was  no  less  admired  over  Europe,  for  the 
exquisite  sweetness  of  her  voice,  and  her  admirable  muiraer  of 
singing  :  Many  endeavouring  to  imitate  her  manner,  but  not 
possessed  of  her  power  of  voice,  have  only  murdered  the  finest 
music. 

Carlo  Broscln.,  commonly  called  Yarinelli,  sings  in  the  ma;;~ 
ner  of  Faustina,  but  far  excels  that  accomplished  performer. 
He  was  invited  to  London  in  the  year  1734,  where  he  sung 
during  three  winters,  with  incredible  applause.  In  1736  he 
visited  Paris,  and  :ung  before  the  king,  court,  arid  nobility. 
It  is  well  known  to  what  a  degree  he  inchanted  and  infatuated 
the  late  King  cf  Spain,  (Philip  V. ),  who  seemed  pleased 
cnly  when  in  the  company  of  l^irinctfa,  w/J  who  lavished  the. 


Chap.  XXIV.  RELIGION    OF   THE   ITALIANS.  461 

highest  honours  of  his  throne  on  a  musican, — a  species  of  merit, 
however  distinguished,  certainly  undeserving  so  high  rewards. 

In  Rome,  they  perform  a  sort  of  sacred  opera,  called  Oratorio, 
in  which  are  exhibited  the  Passion  of  cur  Saviour,  and  other 
scriptural  events,  accompanied  by  machinery,  music,  and  sing, 
ing.  As  the  opera  is  intended  to  please  the  eye s  and  the  ears 
only,  its  music  being  unaccompanied  by  words,  fitted  to  con- 
vey mental  instruction  or  amusement,  and  its  machinery  cal. 
culaled  merely  for  show, — so  the  concerts  of  music  are  adapted 
to  gratify  the  ears  alone.  In  Italy,  these  concerts  are  perform- 
ed in  a  style  of  exquisite  delicacy  ;  and  they  are  generally  held 
in  the  academies  in  every  city  cf  that  country :  They  are  also 
very  much  relished  in  die  South  of  France. 

The  Italians  are  generally  very  diffuse  in  their  writings, 
even  move  so  than  the  French,  whose  volubility  of  tongue,  and 
verbosity  in  writing,  are  pretty  generally  known.  For  in- 
stance, "  sTbelf$'u?tonismfor  the  Ladies"  (written  by  a  gentle- 
man of  Venice)  contains  nearly  as  much  instruction  in  the  whole 
bock  as  an  Englishman  would  communicate  in  three  pages.  We 
"love  to  study  and  reflect,  and  thus  continually  seek  new  matter, 
which  is  the  charactei  cf  the  men  of  letters  among  the  ancient 
Athenians,- — hence  Demosthenes  is  much  closer  in  his  writings 
than  Cicero. 

As  to  ]\cti^ion  and  Piety  :  The  Italians  have  all  a  great 
deal  of  exterior  devotion,  which  they  display  in  enriching1 
their  churche.-,  and  in  similar  practices  :  But  the  marks  of  true 
interior  devotion  are  by  no  means  correspondent  in  the  genera- 
lity of  this  people.  Venice  is  said  to  be  the  most  profligate 
place  in  Italy  ;  and  Sunday  is  worst  observed  there.  The 
grand  council  for  the  election  of  magistrates  and  other  af- 
fairs of  state,  chooses  that  day  for  its  assemblies,  which  employs 
the  whole  morning  ,  so  that  a  stranger  who  wishes  to  be  pre- 
sent at  these  meetings,  must  take  care  to  hear  mass  very  early, 
else  he  will  lose  an  opportunity  cf  assisting  at  that  sacred  office 
cf  religion.  The  characteristic  anecdote  of  this  republic,  re- 
lated by  Monsieur  FLECHIER,  bishop  of  Nismes,  is  still  suffi- 
cientlv  applicable.  That  prelate  having  expressed  to  a  Venetian 
nobleman  his  surprise  at  the  above  scandalous  practice,  was  in- 


462        TRAVELS  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER. 

finitely  more  shocked  at  the  answer  he  received  :  "  Siamo  Ve- 
"  neziani  e  poi  Christiani."  "  We  are  first  citizens  then 
"  Christians"  Sunday  is  much  better  kept  at  R»me,  where 
no  one  dares  sell,  even  privately,  the  most  trifling  book,  from 
the  dread  of  being  fined.  The  hair-dressers  are  indeed  permit, 
ted  to  exercise  their  business  about  two  hours  on  Sundays  and 
holy-days ;  but  they  are  prohibited  strictly  from  working  at 
any  other  time,  throughout  all  the  Ecclesiastical  State  ;  which 
seemed  to  me  a  very  commendable  regulation.  The  rubric  in 
the  church  ceremonies  and  office,  and  the  canons,  are  observ- 
ed at  Rome  with  exemplary  strictness. 

No  beggars  are  permitted  to  ask  alms  in  the  churches  of 
Italy,  except  a  very  few  who  have  a  special  licence.  The  con- 
trary practice  in  France  is  justly  complained  of. 


THE  END  OF  REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER'S  TRAVELS, 


IN3DEX 


TO   THE 


REV.  ALBAN  BUTLER'S  TRAVELS. 


Page- 

A 

dLcademy  of  Painting,  72, — of  Architecture,  ib.,  of  Sciences  73 
The  Trench  of  Lewis  X1J  J.                —  ib. 

Academies  for  the  improvement  of  the  Italian  Language  425 

Adda,  a  River  in  Italy               —               —                   —  349 

Adige,  a  River  in  Italy                       —                   —  ib. 

Adria,  a  Town  of  Italy,  gave  name  to  the  Adriatic  Sea  350 

Aire,  Town  of — Nunnery  of  English  Poor  Clares            —  36 

Aix,  description  of,  114, — Mineral  Baths  of               —  nS 

Albi^eois  heresy,  acccount  of  the                         —  13^ 

Alps,  Passages  ot  the,  described                   —                —  30.3 

Amand^s  St,  City  of,  described                 —                   —  42, 

Ambrosian  Library  at  Milan,  account  of  the                —  385 

Amboise,  City  of                  —                                         —  408 

Amiens,  City  of,                    —                                    —  10 

Anecdotes, — of  a  German  at  Fiascone  2c6, — of  the  Venetians  461 
Ancona,  the  ancient  Picenum             —              —                 332 — 337 

Angers,  City  of,  described                     —                   —  411 

Anguienne,  City  of,                          —                          —  25 

An^elo  Si,  Castle  of,  or,  Mole  of  Adrian                 —  257 

Antwerp,  City  of,  described                   —                   —  17 

——————  the  Third  School  of  Painters               —  1 8 

Antibes,  town  of,  a  Colony  of  the  Phocseans            —  152 

Antoninus''^  Pillar  at  Rome                    —                   —  248 

Aqueduct  of  Claudius,  at  Rome                             —  297 

Architecture,  Orders  of,  described               —               —  427 

of  the  Jews  and  Assyrians                    —  430 

. of  the  Grecians                       —              —  431 

of  the  Italians                       —              — .  ib. 

of  the  Goths                  —                  —  433 


Arras,  City  of,  description  of  —  —  36 

Aries,  city  of, — Account  of  its  Antiquities  —  I2O 

Assisiurn,  town  of,  birth-place  of  St  FRANCIS  —  330 


464  INDEX. 

1'age 

ASTIER,  GABRIEL,  a  fanatical  prophet  of  Dauphiny  133 

AUGUSTUS  C/ESAR,  Mausoleum  of                       —  256 

Aver nin,  celebrated  Lake  of,                    —                 —  31? 

Avignon,  City  and  County  of              —                 —  105 

B 

BOCCACE,  a  celebrated  Italian  Poet  —  —  189 
Baice,  town  of  322 
BALTA/.AR  of  Sienna,  Restorer  of  Architecture  —  2Ci 
BANDINELLO.  a  celebrated  Sculptor  —  —  1 8  $ 
Barbarini  Palace,  contains  fine  Statues  —  —  201 
BASSANO,  an  eminent  Painter  —  —  4-,- 
Baths  of  the  Romans  described  —  30$ 
Baume,  St,  the  Holy  Cave  in  which  St  Magdalene  did  penance  141 
Beauty  of  the  Human  Figure,  analysed  —  439 
Belvedere,  court  of,  at  Rome,  celebrated  on  account  of  the  ad- 
mirable Ancient  Statues  it  contains  —  —  268 
'Belvedere,  Palace  of  Prince  Pamphili,  described  —  316 
BELLINI,  John  ami  Gentile,  eminent  Painter,  history  of  —  446 
BENEDICT  XIV.  visits  the  Limina  Apostolorum,  in  Holy  Week  287 
Bergen-op-Zoom,  described  —  —  14 
Bergues,  origin  of  —  4 1 
Black,  or  Uyrctnian  Forest  —  —  i  ^ 
Blois,  City  of  described  ~ —  407 
Bois-le-duc,  City  of,  described  i  ,•; 
Bologna,  City  of,  described  — 

Boulogne,  City  of,  described                                 —              — .  ID 

Bourbon  Laney,  City  of                    —                       —  4:3 
Bourbon  d"1  Arckambauld,  City  of                                        — 
BOURBON,  Family  of,  vrhence  descended 
Bourges,  City  of              —               — -               — - 
Brabant,  Province  of                                                          — 

British  Channel^  Account  of  the                   —  9 

BRILL,  Mat/hew  and  Paul,  eminent  Painters               —  19 

BROUWER,  the  celebrated  Painter               —                 —  19 
BROWN,  Mrs,  Fouudiess  of  the   Convent  of  Poor  Clares,   at 

Dunkirk                                                     —                      —  4.0 

BrusseL,  City  of,  described                    —  22 

Bruges,  City  of                                                                  —  30 

BRUGES,  John  of,  Inventor  of  Painting  in  Oil                 —  20 
]3auN,  LE,  a  celebrated  French   Painter,  67 — Account  of  71 

— Paintings  by                                       —                    —  7?. 
.BUONAROTTI,  MICHAEL   ANGELO.    patronised  by  Lorenzo   de 
Medicis,    182, — his  works  184,    187,  190,  191,  193,  2<f7, 
266,  271,  272^  27  s,  ?8o,  285,  2Q2,  293,  299,  304,  346 — 
Hutorv  of                     »~                      — 


INDEX.  465 

c        . 

Calais,  City  of,  described                  —                      —  1 1 

Cama/do/i,  Monastery  of                                       —  200 

.           Hermitage  of,  at  Frescati                       —  318 

Cambray,  Province  and  City  of                      —              —  48 

Campagna  de  Roma,  Umvholsomness  of                 —  2:9 

Candid,  the  ancient  Crete                                              —  336 

Capitol,  or  Camfidogho,  of  Rome,  described  277 

Cardinals,  their  Offices  and  Duties              —           —  221 

CARRACHI,  celebrated  Painters, — Pictures  by,  251,  271,  27 ?, 

285,  329,  346, — History  of  the  Carrachi,  455 
Cassino,  Monte,  Abbey  of  —  —  319 
Casal,  Capital  of  Montserrat  —  392 
CASTEL,  PERE,  Professor  of  Mathematics  at  Paris,  an  oppon- 
ent of  NEWTON  —  —  —  65 
Catacombs,  in  Rome,  described  296-311 
Ccphalonia,  an  Island  belonging  to  Venice  —  366 
Chartreuse,  Grand,  Monastery  of  99 
CHBV ALTER  ST  GEORGE,  Son  of  James  VII  253 
CIAMBUE,  Restorer  of  the  true  Art  of  Painting  445 
Citeaux,  Abbey  of  —  89 
Civita  Vecchia.  Port  of  Rome  —  —  209 
COLONNA,  Family  of.  235 — SCIARRA  COLONNA  took  prisoner 

and  struck  Pope  Boniface  VIII.  in  1303  236 

Cotnmacia,  City  of,  described                                       —  347 

Conde,  City  of,  described                                              —  25 

Corsairs,  originally  Corsicans                                     —  169 

CORTONA,  an  eminent  Painter,                                      —  267-274 

Corfu,  anciently  Corcyra,  an  Island  belonging  to  Venice  366 

CORREGGIO,  a  celebrated  Painter,  454 

Courtray,  City  of  27 

Cumce,  celebrated  for  the  Sybils  Grotto                 —  324 

Cressy,  City  of                                                      —  51 

D 

Delia  Crusca,  Academy  of,  199 

Denys.  (St)  the  Burial  Place  of  the  Kings  of  France  52 

Dendermond,  City  of                          —                        —  28 

Dixmunde,  City  of                  —  ib. 

Dijon,  City  of,             —                     —                     —  88 
DOMINICAN.  The    an  eminent  Painter,  Paintings  by,  264,  288, 

294,  342,  345 — Account  of  4j6 

DOMINICHINO,  Paintings  by.                             —  272-456 
DONATELLI,  an  eminent  Sculptor,  185,  192,  275, 
Douay,  City  of. — its  Arsenal  and  Foundery  for  Cannon,— and 

Religious  houses,  described                   —  44 

Dunkirk.  Citv  of                      —  3Q 

B 


466  INDEX. 

Page, 

DURER,  Albert,  a  Dutch  Painter  —  207-315 

Dutch  Netherlands,  Account  of,  and  Causes  of  their  Opulence 

and  Population                          —                      —  31 

E 

Ecclesiastical  Territories,  Account  of  the,  2 1 2 — Revenues,  215 

— Courts  of  Judicature,    225 — Military  and  Civil  Judges,  229 

English  Jesuits  at  Boulogne                  —                  —  jo 

English  College  of  Jesuits  at  Leige                       —  1 6 

English  Nunnery  of  Carmelites  at  Antwerp  21 

.         '  of  Dominicanesses  at  Brussels            —  22 

. at  Burnheim  near  Louvain          —  ib. 

• ••  of  Poor  Clares  of  Gravelines                   —  38 

•— '  '-" of  Dunkirk          >—              —  40 

English  Nuns  at  Princenhoff.  near  Bruges                       —  30 

t3                                                                                                                                O  %/ 

...       —  College  of  Jesuits  of  St  Omer's  — 

Poor  Clares  of  Aire  — 

-'        —  Religious  Houses  of  Douay  — 

Austin  Nuns  of  Paris,  founded  by  Mrs  Mary  Fred- 

way                                               —                      —  70 

•  —  Benedictin  Nuns  at  Paris                            —  ib. 
Engraving  on  Copper  invented  by  TOMASA  FINIGUERRA  a  Gold- 
smith of  Florence                       —                       —                 182  447 

¥ 

FARINILLI,  a  celebrated  Italian  Singer  460 

FAUSTINA,  a  cejcbrated  Italian  Singer  ib. 

FENELON,  the  celebrated  Archbishop  of  Cambray             —  49 

Ferrara,  Principality  and  City  of                —  347 

Feriouh  a  Province  belonging  to  Venice  367 

Fiascone,  Monte,  Capital  oi  the  Falisci  206 

Final,  Marquisate  of                                                  —  159 
FINIGUERRA.  Tomasa,  or  Masso,  Inventor  of  Engraving        182  447 

Flanders,  County  of                       —                            —  25 

Flaminia  Via,  a  Roman  highway              —                —  326 

Florence,  City  and  State  of                —                       —  181 

Fontainblsau,  Palace  of                       —                       —  80 

Forum  of  'dome,  or  Campo  Vaccino                           —  3® 6 
FRANCE  Account  of  its  Government,  Revenues,  Noblesse, 

and  Population                       —                                —  53 

FRANCIS  FRANCM   a  Bolognese  Painter                    —  446 

Fresca'i,  Pal  act  of                       —                            —  315 

Frejus,  the  Forum  Julii    ?  CJESAR.                          —  150 

FRESNOY,  a  French  Paiuier                      — -              —  72 


G  AUDr.sTio,  Paintings  by  —  —  383 

Geneva-,  City  of,  described  —  — -  400 


INDEX.  467 


Genoa,  Republic  and  City  of                    —                   —  162 

Ghent,  City  of                      —                  —                   —  26 

GIOTTO,  an  eminent  Painter,  history  of                    —  445 

GIOTTINO, —                  —                      —  446 

GIORGIONE, '    .        -                —             —  453 

Gladiator  Dying,  admirable  Statue  of              —              —  280 

Goitre,  a  Desease  prevalent  amongst  the  Alpes              —  397 

Grave/ines,  City  of                                        —                   —  38 

Grenoble,  — — —                                                               —  99 

Grotto  of  Naples,  description  of                        —  323 

Grotto  del  Cane,  — — — — — — —               —                  _  324 

GUIDO  RHENI,  a  celebrated  Painter, — Paintings  by  274,  280, 

283,  294,  339>  342>  346>~ History  of  456 

H 

liainault,  Province  of                                                     —  24 

HOLBEIN,  HANS,  a  celebrated  Dutch  Painter               —  20 

HUBERT,  St,  Patron  of  the  Hunters  15 
Huguenots,     absurd    behaviour  of  the,     102, — destroy  the 

churches  of  Montpelier                                        —  124 


-1 


IGNATIUS  of  Loyola,  Founder  of  the  Jesuits, — Church  and 

Statue  of,  in  Rome                   —                           —  250 

Irish  Benedictine  Nuns  at  Ypres                 — .  29 

— —  College  at  Douay                        , —                       —  46 

..           Lombard  College  at  Paris  71 

Istria,  a  Province  belonging  to  Venice                     —  366 
ITALY,  Reflections  on  461,  424, — to  the  end 
Janscnists,  an  acccout  of,  and  of  their  principal  leaders  (Note)  134 

Jesuits,  English  College  of,  at  Leige                                  —  1 6 

College  at  Paris                                         —  53 

•         —  College  of  Bourbon  at  Aix                                    —  116 

-     College  and  Church  of,  at  Rome                —  250 

JOAN,  Papess,  Story  of,  proved  to  be  an  arrant  Falsehood  301 

(OSEPPIN,  d'sirgino,  Paintings  by,                            —  279 

[OTTUS,  an  eminent  Painter  raid  Architect                      —  185 

JULIO  ROMANO,  Paintings  by,  503, — History  of  451 

L 

Lacoon,  an  admirable  ancient  Statue                         —  268 

Lamps  Perpetual,  Account  of,                   —  280 
LANFRANC,  an  eminent  Painter  264, — Pictures  by,    271,  272, 

280,  310,  456 

Languedoc,  Province  of,  123, — Its  Canal  125 

Laterals,  St  John  of,  described                            —  298 

Leghorn,  Town  of                         —                             —  17$ 

Lcige,  City  of,  described                       —  15 


468  INDEX. 

Page. 

Limbourg,  City  of,                                                   —  15 

LIPPI,  PHILIP,  an  eminent  Painter,  189    3  "9,— *  -i  tory  of,  446 

Lisle,  City  of,  described                    —                        —  42 

Lizards,  abound  in  Province                    —                  —  I  '  O 

LORETTO,  city  of,  described                                                —  3?2 

Louvam,  City  of,  ditto               —                      —  23 

Lucca,  Republic  of                        —                        —  171 

Luf/uvuii  Villa,  at  Rome,  contains  admirable  Statues  291 

Lyons,  City  of,  described                                                 —  92 

M 

Maestrich!,  City  of  —  14 

Mans,  a  <  4ty  hi  France  —  —  4r3 

Mantua,  the  strongest  City  of  Italy  —  388 

Manger  of  our  SAVIOUR,  shewn  at  Rome  <-—  290 
MARY,  ^neen  of  Scots,  Letters  of,  preserved  in  the  Scotch 

College  at  Paris  — .  "J  r 

MAR.RATTI,  CHARLES,  an  eminent  Painter  —  —  456 

Marseilles,  City  of  —  —  143 

Marino,  St.  a  petty  Republic  —  ,—  3-P 
MATILDA,  Countess  of,  the  great  B  nefactressof  the  Roman  See  208 

Mfissa  Principality  of  —  —  17° 
Ma\"'wut.,  St,  Town  of,  celebrated  on  account  of  the  Relics 

of  St  Mary  Magdalene,  St  Martha,  and  St  Lfixarus  138 

Meridian  Line,  drawn  by  CASSIM  —  —  74 

Mediteranean  Sea,  described,  153 — Fish  most  frequent  in,  H2 

Mtchiine,  City  of  -—  —  22 

MLDICIS.  Family  of  —  —  iSi 

MIGNARD,  painted  the  (Gallery  of  St  Cloud  —  68 

M'/an  City  of  described  3^° 

Modena,  City  and  Princpality  of  3^ 

Mirando/a,  City  of  described  —  ib- 

Mvntpelier,  celebrated  for  ita  University  under  CHTROC  J  24 

Monaco ,  Principality  of  — »  —  >5® 

Money  of  Italy  described  214 

Monte  Cavallo,  Palace  and  Church  of,  described  —  287 

Mcntc  Draronc,  Pal:ice  of,  celebrated  for  its  Paintings  315 

Moselle,  a  River  in  Italy  349 

Mont. ter ret,  Princijviiitv  of  —  —  392 

Moulin.t,  City  of,  cU-^cr:'.  ed  4^3 
MUTIANO  an  eminent  Painter,— Pictures  by,  250,  264,  274, 

277,  289,  294,                         —                           —  310 

N 

Namurt  Earldom  and  City  of                —                   —  J7 

$at>/cs,  Kingdom  of,  319 — City  of                        —  32° 

Netherlands,  Account  of  the                  —                        —  l2 

Nevers,  City  of,  described                  —                      —  4°5 


INDEX.                           §  469 

rv      c  Page* 

,  City  or                          —                          z  , . 

NICOLAS  of  Pisa,  an  eminent  carver,  . 476-177 

Nismes,  distinguished  for  its  Antiquities                    — .  127 

Normandy,  Province  of  —  

O 

0//w  Trees,  manner  of  cultivating, — and  making  the  oil  of 
Omer,  St,  City  of, — history  of  — 

College  of  English  Jesuits  at  — 

Orange,  City  of  —  ___ 

Orleans,  City  of  —  __ 

Ostend,  City  of  —  __ 

Ostia,  a  Port  of  Rome  —  _~ 

P 

Padua,  City  and  University  of,  described  —  368 
Painting,  Remarks  on  —  442 
Painters,  Account  of  the  most  celebrated  —  445 
Parma,  City  and  Principality  of,  described  —  089 
PARIS, — Account  of,  from  p.  57  to  —  78 
Pasqwno,  Statue  of  —  , —  273 
Patrimony  of  St  Peter  308 
PERUGINO,  Paintings  by  —  —  207 
Peter's  St,  Church  of,  described  —  259 
•  compared  with  St  Paul's  of  London  —  265 
PETRARCH,  the  celebrated  Italian  Poet  160-361 
Picardy,  Province  of  IO 
PICA,  John,  Duke  of  Mirandoln,  a  celebrated  Scholar  190 
Pilgrims,  at  Rome,  Cardinals  wash  the  feet  of  — —  282 
Pisa,  Republic  of  —  —  174 
PINTURICCHIO,  an  Italian  Painter  —  446 
Po,  King  of  the  Rivers  of  Italy  . —  348 
Poitiers,  City  of,  described  —  410 
POLYDORE,  a  celebrated  Painter  —  —  452 
POLITIANUS,  Angelas,  an  eminent  Latin  Scholar,  born  at  Flo- 
rence —  —  —  190 
Pont-du-Garde,  at  Nismes,  description  of  —  131 
POPE,  election  of  the,  described  —  218 
i.  Ceremony  of  kissing  his  feet,  proved  to  be  no  indication 

of  pride                            —                           —  219 

..         performs  the  Divine  Offices  during  Holy  Week  231 

Provence*  County  of                       —                       —  108 

POUSSIN,  an  eminent  French  Painter                          —  71 

Pouxzo/o,  ancient  City  of                          «"                      —  322 


47Q  INDEX. 

R 

RAPHAEL,  Prince  of  Painters, — Pictures  by,  72 — 252 — 267, 
271,  274,  277,  280,  285,  288,  289,  329,  336,  345— his- 
tory of,  —  —  —  448 
Savcnaa,  Capital  of  Lombardy  — •  341 
Religion  of  the  Italians  —  —  461 
Rheims,  City  of,  described  84 
Rhine,  River,  its  origin  and  course  —  96 
Rhone,  River,  ditto,  ditto  ib. 
Rimini,  City  of  —  340 
Roane,  a  City  of  France  —  —  403 
K.OMUALD  (St)  Founder  of  the  Monastery  of  Camaldoli  201 
Romans,  Ancient, — Luxury  of  —  216 
— — —  Modern,—  Sobriety  of  215 
.  Virtue  and  Bravery  of  the  Ancient  —  238 
....  their  Degeneracy  —  —  ib. 
ROME,  Description  of,  237,  to  —  318 
Roman  Highways,  described  —  —  313 
Rotunda  or  Pantheon,  at  Rome,  described  —  274 
Rouen,  Capital  of  Normandy,  described  —  414 
RUBENS,  a  celebrated  Flemish  Painter,  an  account  of,  18,— 

Pictures  by                   —                  —                  —  274 

S 

SACCHI,  Paintings  by  —  280-294 

SALVIATI,  an  eminent  Painter,  192,  252,  303,              —  363 

SANSOVIN,  a  celebrated  Carver                            —  370 

Sardinia,  Account  of  the  Island  of                   —  393 

SARTO,  Andrea  del                          —  452 

Savoy,  Account  of  the  Family  of                       —  391 

Scala  Santa,  or  Holy  Stairs,  described                  —  300 

Scottish  College  at  Douay                           —  46 

at  Paris                      —                      —  71 

Scorpicns,  found  in  Provence                             —  in 

Sculpture,  Remarks  on                   —                            —  438 

Sculptors,  Account  of  the  most  eminent                       —  ib. 

SERMONETTI,  Paintings  by                      —                  —  289 

Sens,  City  and  Archbishopric  of                            —  84 

Sept-Fonts,  Abbey  of, — its  Monks  singularly  austere  404 

SEOER.,  Lc,  French  Painter,  66 — Pictures  by,  ib.  and  68 

Sleepers,  Seven,                             —                             —  147 

Sienna,  City  of,  described                            —  2Ci 

Solphataro,  Mount                     —                      —  322 

Spoletitm,  City  of                             —                        —  328 

Stage  Entertainments  of  the  Italians                       —  45iC> 

Stones,  Precious,  description  of                               —  195 


INDEX, 

Page. 

Siibiaco,  Monastery  of                     —  __                   ^  1 5 

Swiss  Cantons,  An  Account  of  the  —                 398 

T 

Tarpeian  Rod-,  at  Rome                    —  —                    ib, 

Thionville,  City  of,  described  —                          15 

Tournay,  on  the  Scheldt                  —  —                   28 

Toulouse,  City  of,  described                       —  —                   126 

Toulon,  City  of,  ditto                     —  —                         149 

Tours,  Capital  of  Touraine,  described  —                   408 

Tiber  River,  its  origin  and  course              —  —                 255 

TINTORET,  celebrated  Painter, — pictures  by,  174,   354,  360, 

36l»  363<  364»— History  of  — 

TITUS'S  Arch,  at  Rome                       —  — 

TITIAN,  a  celebrated  Painter,  338,  358,  361,  362,  363,  371, 

373>  376<  383>--History  of  453 

TRAJAN'S  Pillar,  dimensions  of              —  —              254 

Treviso,  a  Marquisate  belonging  to  Venice  —                   367 

La  Trappe,  Monastery  of,  celebrated  for  the  austerity  of  its 

Institutions                                                   —  415  to  420 

Travelling.  Remarks  on                     —  —                     421 

Trevi,  Fountain  of,  at  Rome  —                           287 

Trent,  City  of,  described                    —  373 

Trieste,  a  City  belonging  to  Venice  —                        367 

TURENNE,  Marshall  of  France  —                            52 

TULLIOLA'S  Tomb,  Story  of  erroneous  —                       280 

Tusculum,  Ruins  of                       —  —                       318 

U 

UDINE  JOHN  D',  an  eminent  Painter  —                     452 

V 

Valais,  County  of  39 

Valenciennes,  City  of                         —  —                     25 

Valentia,  City  of                           —  —                         102 

VANDTKE,  a  celebrated  Painter,  account  of  18 

VAN  LAER  of  Harlem,  ditto                   —  ib, 

Vaucluse,  fountain  of,  the  Retreat  of  Petrarch  104 

VAZARI,  a  celebrated  Painter  189  192 

VENUS  of  Medicis ,  celebrated  Statue  of  —                    196 

Venice,  Republic  and  City  of  fully  described  —               350 

VERONESE,  PAUL,  Paintings  by,  72,  358,  363,  371, — History  of  454 

VERSAILLES,  Palace  of                  .  —  76 

Verona,  City  of,  described                                —  373 

VESPASIAN'S  Amphitheatre  described  JCA 


\ 


INDEX. 


W™      f  ill 

,  City  oi  tg 


447 

VINCI,        NAt0.'  of  -  45* 

etninent  Painter  _  ?2 

"VouET,  a 

W  216 

ns  described 


V  29 

of  Irish  Bene&tine  Nuns 

366 

~ 


"TW 


V 


\RV 


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