Excursions in Italy

Preface

. If the author were required to give a reason why he has written these volumes on a country so well known as Italy, he might be puzzled to give any other answer than that he loved the subjects and has been indulging his own recollections possibly more than he will please his readers. As this, like most other books, must speak for itself, the author has little to add, in the way of Preface, to what has already been published in the work with which his travels commence. He has endeavoured to avoid a pretension which his research would not justify, while he hopes some may be glad to go over again, even this beaten road, in his company. Cooper's Town, 1838. CONTENTS.

Letter I

Departure from Milan. — Lodi.— A Quack.— Frog-eating.— Battle at the Bridge os Lodi. — Piacenza. — The Duchy os Parma. — Charges at Inns. — Castel Guelfo. — Parma. — Modena. — Composition floors. — Bologna. — Its Towers Page 1

LETTER 11.

Prospect of Discomfort from crowded Inns. — Wildness of Scenery among the Apennines. — Apprehensions exciled by a bandit-looking Peasant. — Disappointed of Accommodation by a knowing Courier. — An Inn of truly Italian character. — In travelling, Servants fare better than their Masters — Approach to Florence. — The Cathedral square. ... 10

Letter III

Florence — Formerly the focus of Trade. — Palaces constructed like Fortresses. — Moderate price for Lodgings. — Wine sold by great Families. — Character of the Florentines. — Feelings on visitingthe Antique Statues. — A favourite residence with Foreigners — Rage for travelling — The Count diV — — . — English Amateur Theatricals. — English seeling towards America. — Receptions of the Prince Borghese. — Waltzing. — Notable persons observed at the Pergola. 16

Letter IV

Journey to the Coast. — Lucca. — Pisa. — The leaning Tower. — The Campo Santo. — Santa Maria della Spina. — Leghorn. — The Port. — American Man-of-war. — The Protestant Cemetery. — Climate of Italy not genial for Invalids. — Beauty of the Peasant Girls. 28

Letter V

Application for an Audience at the Court of Tuscany. — A grand Drawing-room at the Pitti Palace. — Transfer of the sovereignty of Tuscany. — The author presented to the Grand Duke and to the Princesses. — His Conversation with the Grand Duke. — Political Reflections. . . 36

Letter VI

Florence.— The Carnival. — A Masked Ball at the H6tel de France. — Group of Englishmen. — A Polish Dance. — The blending of Nations productive of the Advancement of Intelligence. — Public Opinion. — A Yankee Mystified. — Prince Napoleon, Son of the Count SI. Leu. ... CONTENTS.

Letter VII

Trip to Genoa.— The Mail.— National Vanity.— Massa.— Carrara.— Picturesque Road.— Romantic Villages.— Genoa — The Strada Balbi. — The Sava Palace.— The Town, Scenery, and Port.— Environs— Splendid Prospect. — Italian Humour Page 52

Letter VIII

The Maritime Alps.— A precocious Region. — The Prince of Monaco's Country-house.— Picturesque Coast.— Magnificent Panoramas.— Villa Franca. __Nice.— Antibes.— Amphitheatre at Frejus.— Draguinan. — Aix.— Marseilles.— Passage taken in an English Brig.— Abuse of America.— Leisurely Seamanship.— Corsica.— Opulence of English Nohility.— An unfavourable Breeze. — Moorings in the Port of Leghorn.. . . 57

Letter IX

Spring at Florence. — Villas in the Vicinity. — Prospects from the Belvederes. — A popular Tuscan Air — A Fig after Soup delicious. — Effect of Church Bells. — The Patois of the Peasants. — A Funeral. — Stroll in a Carthusian Convent 71

Letter X

The Florentine Fete. — Chariot-races. — Horse-race. — Fete on the Arno. — The Comte St. Leu. — The Bonaparte Family. — Fireworks and Illuminations. — Illuminations in Paris. — The Corpus Domini. — Anecdotes of the Knavery of Florentine Domestics 76

Letter XI

Audience of Leave with the Grand Duke. — Journey to Leghorn. — Commercial Towns and Capitals. — Warehouse for Statuary. — The Port — Voyage to Naples in a Genoese Felucca. — Elba. — A Mediterranean Quarantine. — Porto Ferrajo. — Napoleon and his House. — A Tarantula. — Island of Troas. — Civita Vecchia. — A lovely Night Scene off the Campagna. — The Pontine Marshes. — Gulf of Gaeta. — Bay of Naples. . 84

Letter XII

Comparison between Naples and New York. — Vesuvius.— Effects of the Eruption of 1822. — Pompeii. — The. great Eruption of 79. — Ruins ot Pompeii. — Places of public resort. — Cicero's Seat. — Gradual Disintermeiit of the Town. — The Sarno. — Herculaneum. — Theatre and other ancient Remains. — Droll Exhibition of royal Etiquette. . 103

Letter XIII

Villas in the Environs of Naples. — Castle of St. Elmo. — Views from a Convent. — Villa of Cardinal Ruffo. — Beautiful View of the Bay of Naples and the surrounding Country. — Erroneous notions of Travellers. — Tasso's House. — Sorrento. — The Campo Santo. — Mode of Interment. —The Lazzaroni. — Neapolitan Fruits. — Naples and New York. — Neapolitan Labourers. . . . . . . . . , CONTENTS. IX

Letter XIV

Subterraneous Communications between the Houses of Sorrento and the Sea. — The Sala. — View from the Terrace. — Communication with Naples. —Marine Baths — Excursions in the Neighbourhood. — Capo di Monte. — Anecdote of Beggars. Page 128

Letter XV

Aquatic Excursions. — The Weather. — Voyage of St. Paul. — Shore of Baiæ — The Solfatara. — Relics of Antiquity. — Shores of Avernus. — The Sibyl's Cave. — Ischia. — Fairy Scene. — Italian Nature.— Our Villa. — Procida — Elysian Fields. — Roman Remains. — Sail for Pausilippo. . . 137

Letter XVI

Capri. — Dread of Earthquakes. — Cruise to Pompeii. — The Sarno. — Approaching Squall. — Sorrentine Boatmen. — Siroccos. — Public Works. — Camaldoli Convents. — Islands of the Syrens. — A Sabbath Walk. — Monasteries on Hills. — Creature-Comforts. . . . . 148

LETTER XVIL

Excursion up Mount Vesuvius. — The Hermitage. — Difficulty of the Ascent. — Aspect of the Crater. — An ideal resemblance of the Entrance of the Infernal Regions. — Fit Machinery for Virgil's Epic. — Eruption of the Volcano. — Lovely panoramic View. — Descent from the Cone. — Russian Frigate. — No Marine efficient without National Sympathy. — Battle of Navarino. 162

Letter. XVIII

Mountain Paths near Sorrento. — The Scaricatojo. — Picturesque Houses. — Amalfi. — Salerno. — Eboli. — The Castle. — View from it. — Unh 'althiness of the Peasantry. — Buffaloes. — Useful Breed of Oxen. — Scene o. Murder. — Pæstum. — The Temple of Neptune. — Scenery of Pæstum. — Beautiful Route to Pompeii. — Castel-a-Mare. — American Vessels seized by Murat. — Influence of the Commercial Class in America. — Rights of individual Citizens disregarded. 169

Letter XIX

Passage to Naples in a heavy gale. — Street Amusements at Naples. — The Mole. — Shipping and Vessels of War. — Neapolitan Skies. — Effect ol Sunset. — The Museum. — Process of unrolling and decyphering the Herculaneum MSS. — Liberality of Government in carrying on the Investigations. — Familiar Articles found in the Ruins. — Suggestions for the Improvement of American Coinage. — Moral evidence of Articles deposited in the Museum 188

Letter XX

Departure for Rome. — Campagna Felice. — Aqueduct and Palace of Caserta — Capua. — Sessa. — The Appian Way, and Bridge upon it. — Gaeta. — Cicero's death. — Terracina. — The Pontine Marshes. — Peasants mistaken CONTENTS. X sor Banditti.— Velletri.— Albano.— The Campagna of Rome.— Distant View of the City.— Entrance by the Gate of St. .Iohn— St. Peter's.— Vastness of the Fabric PaSe 197

Letter XXI

The Campagna.— The Tarpeian Rock :— Doubts as to its Identity.— The Walls of Servius Tullius,— and of Aurelian.— The Muro Torto.— The Wall of Honorius, or the present Wall.— Errors of Literary Men with respect to Measurement.— The Walls and Ruins of brick. — Limits of Modern Rome. — Rome not a continued ruined town like Pompeii. — The Kuins scattered, and not well preserved 212

Letter XXII

Morning Ride round the City. — Egyptian Obelisk. — The Pincian Hill. — Raphael. — Villa Borghese. — Muro Torto. — Invasions on this side of the Town. — Pretorian Camp. — A Basilica. — The Campagna. — Fine Breed of Horses. — Temples of the God of Return, and of Bacchus. — Fountain of Egeria. — Tomb of Cæcilia Metella. — The Circus ascribed to Caracalla, erected by Maxentius. — Rome never materially larger than at present. — Tomb of Caius Cestius. — Protestant Cemetery. — Monte Testaceo. — The old system of Patron and Client. — Anecdote of Ferdinando King of Naples 221

Letter XXIII

The Tiber. — Monte Mario. — Milvian Bridge. — Bridge of Nomentanus. — The Sacred Mount; Apologue of Menenius Agrippa. — City Walls. — Amphitheatre. — Santa Scala. — The Lateran. — Works ofthe Empire and the Republic contrasted. — The Coliseum. — Via Sacra. — The Capitoline Hill. — The Palatine. — Imperial Palace. — TheForum. — Arch ofSeptimius Severus. — Column of Phocas. — The Capitol. — Statue of M. Aurelius. — Columns of Trajan and Antoninus. — The Pantheon. . . 'J33

Letter XXIV

Mode of living, and uncleanliness of houses, unjustly censured.— Palazzo Borghese. — State of Society. — Cecisbeism. — Females of Rome. — Higher and lower classes of Italians. — The English disliked. — Hopes of advancing Romanism in America. — Religious bigotry diminished. — Disrespect of Protestants in attending the Singing at St. Peter's. — Buffoonery of Servants of a Cardinal at devotion. — Magnificence of Church Architecture. — Roof of St. Peter's. — The Lateran. — The Vatican. — Frescoes of Raphael. — Celebrated Pictures — Statuary. — The Apollo, and the Laocoon.— Fresco by Michael Angelo 250

Letter XXV

A Pic-nic on Monte Mario. — Modes of ordinary address in Europe. —View of Rome from Monte Mario. — Comparison between Modern Rome and , New York.— Contempt of Romans for Strangers. — Rome kept from utter Rain, by the Papacy; — its ultimate Fate. — The Pic-nic. . . <J6S CONTENTS. XI LETTER XXVk The Carnival at Rome. — Masquerade at a Theatre. — Ludicrous mistake there.— Joke on a New-England Clergyman. — Beauty of Roman Women. — Gaities of the Carnival. — Sugar-plum artillery. — The Races. — Extinguishing of Tapers. — Observance of Lent, and of Palm-Sunday. — Canonical orders of the Romish Church. — Cardinals. — Popes. — Ceremonies ol Holy Week. — The Benediction of the Pope. — Impression left by these ceremonies. — Illumination of St. Peter's. — Fireworks. Page 274

Letter XXVII

Departure from Rome. — A scolding Traveller, put off by a roguish Innkeeper at Civita Castellana. — Pilgrims returning from Rome. — Narni. — Falls of Terni. — Spoleto. — Hermitages. — Temple ofClitumnus. — Foligno. . 284

Letter XXVIII

The Col Fioritoosthe Apennines. — ARace fora good Breakfast. — Tolentino. — Macerata. — Reconati. — Loretto : the Santa Casa, or Shrine. — Infirmary : Designs by Raphael. — Ancona. — Sinigaglia. — Castle at La Catolica. — Scenery near the Adriatic. — Rimini. — Procession for Rain. — San Marino. — The Rubicon. — Cesena. — Forli.— Napoleon and his Roads. — Faenza. — Imola. — Country from Ancona to Bologna. . . . 288

Letter XXIX

Ferrara. — The Prison os Tasso. — The Flying Bridge over the Po. — Austrian Custom-house : no unnecessary trouble given there. — Venetian Women. — Padua. — The Style of Palladio. — A Miracle. — Infidelity in mask. — Road to Mestre, and Villas on the Brenta. — Distant View of Venice. — The Lagoons. — Origin of Venice. — Aquatic Post-house. — Approach to Venice. —Canals— The Rialto 301

Letter XXX

Arrival at Venice. — An Hour's Walk by Moonlight. — The Streets of Venice. — The Great Square of St. Mark.— The Piazzetta.— Palace of the Doges. —The Campanile.— The Bridge of Sighs.— The Port.— Travellers' Book at the Leone Bianco. 307

Letter XXXI

Picture ofthe Assumption, by Titian. — Martyrdom of St. Peter. — Church of St. Mark. — Attention to the Countenance by the old Masters. — Canova's Monument. — Palaces. — Arsenal and Museum. — Gondolas and Gondoliers. — Lions' mouths. — Concourse in the Square of St. Mark. — Attempt to revive Venice as a free Port. — Composition Floors. — Cause of frequent Conflagration in America. — Mr. Owen's social Scheme— Company to erect Edifices for lodging Mechanics suggested. . 310 LETTER XXXH. Wearisome Calm of Venice. — The Canals and Port the chief Resort for Recreation.— Garden planted by Napoleon. — Misconception respecting the CONTENTS. Rialto. — The Bridge of Sighs. — Palaces. — The Canals without Footways on their Margin. — Intercourse by Land. — The Grand Canal. — The Lido. —The Islands Page 318