Travels in Italy ... In a series of letters written to ... Count Caylus. With an appendix, containing several pieces ... by the Abbé Winkelman, Father Jacquier, the Abbé Zarillo, and other learned men, etc

Front matter

rage i TRAVELS IN ITALY, BY THE LATE ABBti BARTHELEMY, AUTHOR OF THE TRAVELS OF ANACHARSIS THE YOUNGER; in A SERIES OF LETTERS WRITTEN TO THE CELEBRATED COUNT CAYLUS. WITH AK APPENDIX, CONTAINING SEVERAL PIECES NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED, BY The Abbe Winkclman, Father Jacquier, the Abbe Zarillo, AND OTHER LEARNED MEN. TRANSLATED pOMJTlE FRENCH. Lb^SSS< PRINTED FOR G. AND J. ROBlNSON# PATEI_NOST£R-ROW, By S. Hamilton, Falcon-Court, Fleet-Street. 1802. CONTENTS. JL/EDICATION. Editor's Preface. page Letter I. To Count Caylus. On tfie Rhine, August 19, 1755 --------„_>. i II. From Toulon, where the Author saw the Hot- Baths of Puget four Times, September 7, 1755 7 III. Genoa, September 22, 1755 ----- 17 IV. Florence, October 23, 1755 22 V. Rome, November 5, 1755 28 VI. Idem, November 11, 1755 36 VII.

Idem, December 1, 1755 42 VIII. Naples, December 10, 1755 ----- 47 IX. December 1 1, 1155 50 X. Naples, December 20, 1755 52 XI. Idem, January 1, 1756 - ----- 59 Sketch of a Tour from Rome to Naples, by the Sieur G..., Sculptor, travelling Pupil qf the French Academy of Painting, at Rome, lee. -_.-.-.-_ - 64 XII. Rome, January 28, 1756 67 XIII. Idem, February 2, 1756 73 XIV. Idem, February 9, 1756 35 XV. Idem, February 10, 1756 88 XVI. Idem, February 17, 1756 ----.. 9+ CONTENTS. Page Let.XVlI. Rome, February 25, 1156 104 XVIII. Idem, March 9, 1756 108 XIX. Idem, March 17, 1756 H4 XX. Idem, April 1 , 1156 116 XXI. Idem, May 5, 1756 123 XXII. Idem, May 12, 1756 128 XXIII. Frescati, June 1, 1756 132 XXIV. Rome, June 9, 1756 135 XXV. June 23, 1756 139 XXVI. Frescati, July 15, 1756 ------ 141 XXVII.

Idem, August 4, 1756 - 143 XXVIII. Rome, August 25, 17 56 148 XXIX. Idem, September 1, 1756 - - - - - 152 XXX. Idem, Septembers, M56 156 XXXI. Idem, September 13, 1756 158 XXXII. Idem, October 6, 1756 - - - - - - 166 XXXIII. Idem, October 12, 1756 - - - - - 171 XXXIV. Idem, October 17, 1756 173 XXXV. Idem, October 27 , 1756 174 XXXVI. Idem, November 10, 1756 ..... 177 XXXVII. Idem, November 17, 1756 ..... iso XXXVIII. Idem, November 24, 1756 133 XXXIX. Idem,' December 8, 1756 185 XL. Idem, December 22, 1756 - - - - - 189 XLI. 'Idem, December 25, 1756 ----- 193 XLII. Idem, January 6, 1757 - - - - - - 196 XLIII. Idem, January 19, 1757 - - - - - 197 XLIV. Idem, January 25,' 1757 - - . - . 199 XLV. Idem, February 2, 1757 203 XLVI. Idem, February 22, 1757 ----- 207 XLVII. Idem, March 9, 1757 211 XLVIII.

Preface

BY THE EDITOR. JL HE whole world of letters is acquainted with the author of the Travels of Anacharsis in Greece, while the abbe Barthelemy him self is now known only to a few individuals. In that work we have the result of sixty years, spent in literary occupations, elaborate research and judicious study, joined to the happy conceptions of a mind peculiarly favoured by nature. It abounds in that depth of erudition, that elegance of style and felici ty of narration, which grow out of mature talents, a large stock of acquired knowledge, and a well disciplined taste. Yet, whatever may be the merits of the Travels of Anachar sis, we discover in them the genius only of Barthelemy and the powers of his pen. His personal character and feelings it was not possible he should describe under those ofthe scythian traveller.

To understand these we must surprise him as it were in his own tra vels, and see him freely communicating to his friends the effusions of his heart, his thoughts, his inclinations and pursuits. Chance, or rather the nature of my employment, has procured me this advantage. The Travels of Barthelemy in Italy cannot properly be regarded as a work of serious study and care. Though replete with historical details and illustrations, there is apparent in them no cold arrangement, and none of that forced and artificial dress, which only serve in common to impose fetters on human genius. They are the letters of a friend to a friend. The ease of style, the boldness of expression, the frankness of communication, the perfect unreserve they sometimes display, and the air of caution and mystery that occasionally appears, give them a degree of interest, that can never belong to works formed by the square and compass of study.

Hence arises the great difference between these confidential communications, and the detached notes, which have been published in a series of numbers, as fragments of the Travels of Barthelemy in Italy*. These notes exhibit only, if I may be allowed the comparison, a withered and mangled skele ton, of which the disjointed limbs have scarcely connexion with or relation to each other ; while the letters I have the honour to publish, possess a body and a shape, and display a plenitude both of life and health. The originals of these Letters are preserved in a literary establishment under my care, and may be seen by any one who shall apply for the purpose. They were scattered among other papers in the port-folios formerly be longing to count Caylus. By presenting them to the public I shall render, I conceive, to history, literature and the arts a genuine service.

At the same time they will form perhaps the happiest monument, not except ing even the immortal work of Anacharsis, that could have been erected to the memory of Barthelemy : for here it is not an imaginary * See these Fragments in a volume of miscellaneous works of the abbe Barthelemy printed for Jansen. I am far from wishing to detract from the merits of this collection : but Mr. de St. Croix, the editor, acknowledges himself in the preface, that the papers in question are merely, what he bas called them, Fragments. being, it is himself who travels, and exhi bits to his friend his whole heart without reserve. The discovery of these Letters was one of the most delicious moments of my life. Let me be allowed a word or two on the dif ferent literary treasures we possess . of this kind, which, though generally sought after and esteemed, are not sufficiently known.

There exists in France, both in public and private collections, a variety of manuscripts of great value to the arts and still greater to the elucidation of history. Formerly such treasures were considered as the brightest ornaments of a library, and were supposed to constitute its principal wealth. But to me they appear to be no wealth, or a wealth at least but idly employed, if not circulated for the benefit of the community. Under this idea, I drew up a memorial in 1793, which one of the representatives of the peo ple, a victim of the 31st of May, had pro mised to present to the convention. Since that period, a multiplicity of engagements have prevented me from pursuing my' plan, which was, that a society should be formed of active and learned men, whose sole business it should be, to explore such mines, as might be pointed out by a committee of the Institute, and to discover and prepare for publication the numerous works of merit, that lie at present wrapped in obscurity.

In reality, to collect the thoughts of the illustrious dead, it is almost necessary to be buried with them ; and few are capable of such a sacrifice. The Benedictines enjoyed in this respect a peculiar advantage: to study, meditate and write composed nearly the whole circle of their wants. And why should not a country, so fertile in producing Turennes and Vaubans, furnish in like man ner new instances of a Mabillon and Mont faucon ? Let us confine ourselves for a moment to the history of France. Is it possible to look at the catalogue, begun by father Lelong and continued by Fontette, of historical manuscripts that are buried in monkish libraries, and other places, without being con vinced ofthe existence of rich stores of literature, that have not yet been disclosed to public view? There have been authors, men M'ho b editor's preface. have written, at all times : but private or po litical motives, the fear of offending the great, and often the avarice of the possessors, have deprived us of the fruit of their labours, which might greatly. have increased our stock of knowledge.

It is a mistake, hpwever, to suppose, that to obtain complete works, we have only to in spect a collection of manuscripts, or to take from a port-folio or a drawer the papers with which it may be filled. The task is far more difficult. It generally happens, that we have to collect detached and scattered pieces, to compare and ascertain the hand-writing, guess at the real author, rectify mistakes, distinguish what has not been printed from what has already appeared, spend whole months in poring over an ill-written and defective copy, draw conclusions from mere con jecture, and, after all this application and la bour, obtain, as the result, doubts only more mortifying than absolute ignorance *. For these different operations few men, however * The discovery of the Letters of Barthelemy on Italy was attended with none of these difficulties: they are written neatly, without erasures or interlineations, and are all in tlie hand of the illustrious academician. great may be their rage for books, have suffi cient patience, or a proper share of practical knowledge to carry them into execution.

The reader will pardon this digression in favour of literature, and those many inedited works, children without a father, so admira bly calculated to adorn and enrich it. It is to the interest I take in such things, that I am indebted for the discovery of these Let ters. I haA'e added at the bottom of the page an occasional note, necessary for the bet ter understanding of the text, and at the end of the Letters an Appendix, con taining a variety of papers relative to the Travels. For those papers I am indebted to several of the literati of Italy, who are at pre sent in Paris, and particularly the celebrated abbe Zarillo, antiquary to the king of Naples, and one of the friends and correspondents of Barthelemy, who has had the goodness to peruse the Letters, and to furnish me, on those which relate to the monuments of Hercula neum, with such observations as he thought necessary; observations which must be deemed b XX the more valuable, as they proceed from an authority that cannot be disputed.

The mention of a few particulars respecting this learned stranger, as remarkable for his talents, of which he has always made the noblest use, as for his misfortunes, which he has never merited, will perhaps not be thought here either misplaced or irrelevant. The abbe Zarillo was keeper of the medals at the court of Naples, and one of the members ofthe Academy of Herculaneum. When the french army, under the command of general Championet, entered Naples, he was nominated member and president of the provisional national representation, but re fused to accept the dignity. The nature of his pursuits, his attachment to peaceable studies, and above all his modesty, rendered him insensible to those honours, which were sought by others with so much avidity. He was next requested by Championet, to su perintend the search, in the town of Pompeii, for antiquities, intended for the french republic.

This request was of the nature of a com mand : not to comply, would have been to declare himself an enemy to the republic and endanger his life. How was he to act ? On the one hand, a sudden and inevitable death awaited him, while, on the other, he had to dread the resentment and vengeance of the neapolitan court. He obeyed ; and the National Museum at Paris exhibits the result of this last research, which proved much more productive than those which had preceded it. On the return of the royal army to Naples, Mr. Zarillo suffered severely for these discoveries. Included in a general proscription with such Neapolitans as had served in any way the french republic, he was dragged, for the period of six months, from one prison to another, and was at last sentenced to five years' exile. Under this sentence he came into France perfectly destitute : but the government was no sooner informed of the situation of this unhappy victim, than it hastened to relieve his wants, and a monthly pension of a hundred livres was bestowed upon him.

This act of humanity does as much honour to the minister, who has ever proved himself editor's preface. a friend to the arts, asthe learned productions with which he has enriched agricul ture and chymistry. Similar proceedings will in time absolve France from the crime of having neglected the great Descartes. It would be difficult to express the gratitude of this respectable old man, and his esteem for our government. What others under the same circumstances would have considered merely as the discharge of a debt due to humanity and the sciences, Zarillo regards as the greatest favour. The lovers of antiquity will not hear with indifference that this learned foreigner, so admirably versed in the subject of numismatics, is employed, at the request of the minister, in the cabinet of medals : a greater acquisi tion could not have been added to this valuable collection.

Zarillo is the author of a variety of works of learning, and was worthy of the friendship and correspondence of the abbe Barthelemy. His diversified knowledge and talents are a proof of what our author advances in one of his Letters, where he describes the Italians most renowned for science, as equally conversant in literature. Zarillo has not only proved himself the rival of Mazzochi, whose pupil he was, but has run the race of honour with Martial and Horace. His latin verses, if he would consent to publish them, would find more readers than his abstruse disserta tions. But it would seem, as if he had come into France to make us ashamed of our rage for publishing, and give us lessons of mo desty. The whole of these Letters have been com pared with the originals by Mr. de Cotte, and the nephews of Mr. Barthelemy, who have permitted the editor to peruse his ma nuscripts, some extracts from which are in serted in this collection.

ERRATA. Tage 40, line 1 7, and ehetuhere, for Pompii read Pompeii. 57^ — 8, for possessor read professor. 69, — ult. for E quesot read E questo. 78, 20, for the best preserved one appears to be the contest with Marcus Aurelius for the Capitol; read, the best preserved of these might dispute thc palm with the Marcus Aurelius in the Capitol. 129,— 12, for Creuse read Greuse. 187, — 7, for medals read models. &c. &c. LETTER!. To Count Caylus. SIR, Oh the Rhflne, August 19, 1755 *. iOU have given me leave to communicate to you such observations as I may make in my travels, and your permission I consider as a com mand. I am aware, that I shall fulfil my duty with less ability than zeal ; but your goodness will proportion your indulgence to my endea vours, rather than to your own information. This correspondence will do me credit among foreigners.

I shall every where gain honour by my connexion with a man, whose birth has power to rank him with the illustrious, and who delicately seeks to make men of letters, whose works he patronises, forget what he is himself, what they are, and how much literature is in debted to him. * See Appendix, No. 1. VOL. i. B I am, with a respect that can be only equalled by my gratitude, Sir, Your most humble and most obedient servant, Barthelemy. I must beg you, my dear count, to consider this letter as standing at the head of all such as I may write to you hereafter. I owe it to your name. At present, permit me to avail myself of the marks of friendship which you have bestowed on me, and to banish henceforth from my letters all those trivial forms and terms of respect, of which men are only jealous, when conscious of having little claim to them.

We have not had time during cur route, to observe attentively the objects of antiquity, which presented themselves as we passed. We are in great haste. We wish to stop at Nismes, at Marseille, and yet to embark in time to avoid the equinox. We remarked, however, in the church of St. Benignus, at Dijon, the remains of a church, which appeared to be very ancient; but this article we shall communicate to the abbe Lebœuf *. * John Lebœuf was a member of the Academy of Inscrip tions and Belles-lettres at Paris. Several works of his are in print. The editors of the Nouveau Dictionnaire Historiqae, " New Historical Dictionary," call him a prodigy of learning.. It bursts forth in all his writings, but it is frequently ill-di- Lyons is full of antiquities ; new discoveries are made there every day.

We have seen the Taurobolus, preserved in the town-hall, as well as the speech of the emperor Claudius, of whicb only a part is now legible, not on two tables of copper, as Spon has asserted, but on a single one, which has been broken in two. This monument is the more precious, as it calls our attention to the mode in which Tacitus composed the speeches inserted in his works. He relates this of Claudius in a manner very different from the copper table. He appears satisfied with catching the spirit, and then representing it in his own style. I have seen father Beraut ; we talked of you, and he has shown me his cabinets, in which are a bas-relief representing Socrates, which we thought a very tolerable one, some small copper fibulæ in very good taste, and some good medals. I have not been able to get a sight ofthe medals in the town-hall, the person who has the care of them being in the country.

A sepulchral in scription was discovered the day of our arrival, in a convent of nuns ; I have a copy of it, which I will send you, if you have any curiosity to see it; but it tells us nothing remarkable. I expect gested ; which is perhaps the reason, that in one of the follow ing letters, the abbe Barthelemy gives him the name of Bans Apis. — (Note qfthe French Editor.) B to get the original : the cardinal *, with whom we dined, has promised to ask it for me, and to keep it till our return. His eminence has be stowed upon us a thousand marks of kindness; we have received the same attentions from a number of other persons, and these civilities would have multiplied upon us, if we had re mained longer at Lyons. During my journey, I have picked up several good medals, but I have found nothing yet for you ; you may be certain, however, that I shall not forget you.

We shall reach Avignon to-morrow, but shall hardly have time to stop there. Let me remark here, that at the Carthusian convent in Dijon we saw two tombs belonging to the dukes of Burgundy, the marble of which has contracted a singular cast of colour : it re sembles the finest enamel. Have you ever seen them ? We were much pleased with all the works of Mr. Soufflot at Lyons. Besides his greater pieces, which evince a consummate skill in his art, we could discover in his smaller subjects those admirable traits of spirit, which charac terise his manner. For example, at the altar of the archbishop's chapel is a bas-relief, representing the angel delivering St. Peter. He has contrived a little window on one side, from Cardinal Tencin which the angel borrows a light, that seems to belong to him, and which is communicated from him to St. Peter and the sentinel.

Is not the thought a happy one ? Adieu, my dear count. I conclude my letter without ceremony, and intreat you to bring me sometimes to the remembrance of Mr. Castagnier and madame de Pallarin. I need not tell you, that I do not for-. get Messrs. and madame d'Auriac. Pray as sure them of my attachment every Wednesday in the year*. It would seem, as if I considered your com plaisance as boundless, for I have further to request you, to express to madame de Boze my sentiments of respect for her. The president desires the same, and sends a thousand compliments to you. We spend our time agreeably enough, for we have the very best company. Homer, la Fontaine, Tacitus, and Horace, are the associates of our leisure. We take but little sleep, are sparing in our meals, and now and then jabber broken Italian.

Some of our * Wednesday was the day of meeting for the literati and friends of whom he speaks. In the Memoirs of his Life, written by himself, we read of dinners at Mr. de Bozc's, every Tuesday and Wednesday, to which his brother-members of the Academy of Belles Lettres, de Reaumur, Sallier, Ge doyn, Lableterie, du Resnel, Duclos, Lewis Racine, de Foncemagne, and count Caylus, were invited. It was there that Barthelemy became acquainted with the count. — (French Editor.) journeys have been very tiresome. The one from Auxerre to Dijon, which is two and thirty leagues, was most intolerable. The road passes through a very fine country, but in itself it is the worst I have ever seen. Adieu, my dear count : I bid you farewell a million times, and hasten to converse about you with the sages of Italy.

Assure my fellow-members, I intreat you, that I part from them penetrated with their kindnesses, and disposed to undertake any thing to convince them of my gratitude.

Letter II

From Toulon, where I have already seen the hot baths of Puget four times, September 7, 1755. I have many things to tell you, my dear count, and but little time to tell them in. Since my last letter, I have seen Orange, Carpentras, the famous bridge called the pont du Gard, Nismes, St. Remi, and Marseilles*, objects ca pable of exhausting the admiration of man. The triumphal arch at Orange, whence we set out on the banks of the Rhone in a carriage, is crumbling away continually ; it would be difficult to hinder it. The theatre, however, will last much longer. What an admirable thing is that immense wall, supported against the stage, or, to speak more correctly, in a great measure forming it ! I flatter myself I have discovered the time when the arch was con structed ; if so, I shall disprove all the opinions that have been advanced upon the subject.

At some future period I will acquaint you with my sentiments: the explanation will require con siderable leisure. At Carpentras are the ruins of another arch, which a pious bishop has converted into a * See Appendix, No. 2. kitchen. I forgot to mention to~you the library, which is well furnished, and is made a public one. A number of books may be seen there, but not many readers. All the inscriptions that have been discovered, the bishop has got set in the wall. The phœnician or egyptian, with many others that have not been published, are to be found there. The collection of medals contains hardly any thing but what is spurious or very common. The librarian has the care of them, that is to say, keeps them always lock ed up. What shall I say of the magnitude, beauty, and solidity of the pont du Gard ; of the ele gance, taste, and proportions of the maison carree; ofthat amphitheatre, which, both inter nally and externally, is so deformed by cottages ; and of that fountain, which modern architecture has degraded with so much magnificence and so little true taste ?

Barbarism still reigns in these parts. At Nismes, a number of inscriptions have been broken in pieces, and a number of statues mutilated : the maison carree will fall, if care be not taken, for one of the walls has al ready lost its perpendicular. I have seen children throwing stones at the birds, which build their nests in those acanthus trees, so greatly admired and so worthy of being so. - In vain has Mr. de St. Priest endeavoured to put an end to these follies, these ravages : his attempts suspend the evil for awhile, but do not destroy the cause — a shameful ignorance. The antiquaries of Nismes, who behold the objects of their admiration thus snatched from them, suffer continually from what they see, and im parted to us their distress. I have thought of communicating this to count d'Argenson.

Would not his majesty, think you, order all the monuments discovered, to be deposited in some public place ? The number of inscriptions de stroyed daily at Lyons is inconceivable. The same thing happens at Nismes, and every place where the Romans have fixed their residence. Our masons no longer spare any thing. Is it not enough, that these monuments are exposed to the ravages of time, without being subject also to the violence osman ? I return to the maison carree. The time of the construction of this temple is not known, but I think might be discovered. Upon the frieze and the architrave were formerly two inscriptions in letters of metal, fastened on by nails. But these plates, I know not in what age, have been torn off; the marks of the nails are still visible. I request you to keep secret what I am going to say.

In my opinion, it would be possible to read the inscriptions by the marks of the nails, Serlio, I believe, attempted it; but he was a better architect than antiquary, I can clearly perceive, that the inscription be gun with an M : take notice of the nail marks \ • / In the same architrave, the marks are discernable. Is it not plain, that these were two V V ? Such was my discovery in the quarter of an hour that we gave to the mai son carree. I have reflected seriously upon it since ; and it strikes me, that the inscription on the frieze was in honour of the emperor, and that that on the architrave contained the name ofthe architect. The three letters above, I read very distinctly, and I conceive it probable, that the name ofthe architect was Marcus VITR WIVS. It grieves me to the heart, that this idea occurred so late; but I will pass through Nismes again in my return from Rome, get a scaffolding erected before the maison carree, and do my utmost to restore the two inscriptions.

I cannot quit this subject without saying one word more of this temple, and of a whim that I have ventured to propose to the minister. It is to transport it to Paris. You know, that it is built of large stones, not united by cement. Let a skilful architect take it to pieces, and convey the materials, by the Rhone or by sea, to Paris ; there let him put it up again, and my project is executed. I have seen the arch at St. Remi, and the monument that is near it : there are engravings of both in the Memoirs of the Academy, but they are misrepresented. Mr. de Mautour, who at tempted to explain them, has been deceived himself by copies taken nearly at a venture, and has thus deceived others. I think I have discovered the destination of this monument ; but I will review it with a draughtsman, for I can only speak at present of the impression which it first made upon me.

We fly from place to place like lightning ; we look indeed at every thing ; but I dare not, from what we have seen, posi tively decide on any thing. Behold me at last in Marseille, the city where I passed my early years, and on which I now look again with so much pleasure ; the city in which I employed a week, in folding up in scraps of paper the superb medals of poor Cary * ; in fine, the city in which I have suc ceeded in getting possession of the gold medal of Vetranio, which belonged to the abbe Boule. * The following portrait of Mr. Cary is given by the abbe Barthelemy in his Memoirs. "Mr. Cary applied himself with success to the study of an tiquities : he had a fine cabinet of medals, and a choice col lection of books, assorted to his taste. We are indebted to him, among other works, for the History of the Kings of Thrace and of the Bosphorus, illustrated by medals.

His general knowledge, directed by an excellent understanding, and em bellished by a sweetness of manners, rendered an acquaintance with him as agreeable as it was instructive. I had the greatest respect for him."— (French Editor.) Yes, my dear friend, I have actually in my hands, in my possession, that medal ; but I am less flattered by possessing it, than by having triumphed over the obstinacy of a man, who, for the space of thirty years, refused it to the antiquaries of every crowned head in Europe. This negotiation lasted nearly a week. The two first days I made use of the most affecting, the most persuasive terms, and added the sight of a purse of louis, perhaps still more persuasive : but nothing could soften the tiger, and we left each other with coldness. A lucky thought *, * This lucky thought, of which Barthelemy speaks, as having gained by it the abbe Boule, by no means affords ta the observer, who wishes to be told every thing, or to guess at every thing, the same degree of interest.