Narrative of a three years' residence in Italy, 1819-22. With illustrations of the present state of religion in that country

Preface

. In consenting to the publication of this volume, I am well aware that the world is overstocked with Diaries and Tours in Italy. The present work, however, is, I think, different from any which I have seen. I have attempted no classi cal descriptions, no critical account of the arts, scarcely even a journal of the roads. My principal object in writing the following Letters, was to relate to one interested in all my details, our every-day life, while domesticated in Italy ; and also to give my friend my impressions of the present state of religion and of society in that country. It has appeared to others, as well as to myself, that a plain relation of such facts, as in a residence of three years I had an opportunity of observing, in respect to the actual state of the Roman Catholic Church, may be read VI with interest; and the belief that no book of travels, with that object at all prominent, has lately appeared ; and also another consideration, with which it is unnecessary to trouble the reader, have induced me to consent to the publication of Letters which were certainly never meant for the eye of strangers.

With some alterations to fit the work for the press, much of our domestic narrative is retained; because I believe, that my book might thus be made useful to those families, who meditate leaving their native land for the sake of educating their children abroad. They will here see the disadvantages and difficulties to which they will be exposed ; the danger to their health is not, perhaps, the least evil to be dreaded : and if they will learn from the experience of one who is affectionately interested in the welfare of her countrymen, they will not think the lighter ac complishments which they may acquire by a lengthened residence on the Continent, worthy to be compared to the injury which they may there sustain. I need make no apology for introducing the memoir of a beloved child. Her patient resig nation, during protracted suffering, was, indeed, a subject of intense interest to our own family circle ; but never would I have ventured to in trude the private sorrows, of a very private family on the notice of the public, had it not been suggested to me, that simple narratives of those who die in the Lord have often been made useful to others ; I, therefore, indulge the hope that this memorial of early piety and deep reli gious feeling may not be wholly unprofitable.

May the example of this dear child here recorded be, under the blessing of God, the means of leading every reader to reflect that time lingereth not, but is passing as a shadow away, and that lie knows neither the day or the hour when he may himself be called to his own final account ; and may he thus be taught so to number his days, as to apply his heart unto wisdom. Thus shall our youthful Anny, though dead, still speak as a voice from the grave, to warn the thoughtless, that they too may be summoned at the first hour of the morning; and that then, when every vm earthly support shall fail, they will sind a sure refuge in the hope set before them in the gospel, — in the glad tidings that for them a child was born, a Saviour given. I must now assure my readers, that there is no exaggeration in any of tlie characters which I have attempted to delineate. I have simply told how they acted, how they spoke, how they lived, and how they died ; with a mental prayer, that my latter end may be like theirs.

PREFACE.

TO SECOND EDITION. In preparing a Second Edition of " Three Years' Residence in Italy," I would gladly make such alterations as my kind friends suggest ; but, amidst a contrariety of opinions, I find myself sadly puzzled. One tells me that my journal at sea is by far the best part of my book, and that no persuasions should induce me to omit a syllable of it. Ano ther says, " There is a great deal too much of your journal at sea ; many readers, before they wade through the half of that, would throw away your book in disgust, and so never come to what is worth reading. I should certainly leave out the whole of it." Another, " Pray omit your religious reflections — they spoil your book." Ano- -X ther, " The book is quite too great a mixture ; not enough of religion, and a great deal too much of what is not useful ; it is really awful to find a person professing to be a Christian could pay such disregard to the Sabbath, and enter so much into the spirit of the world : — for example sake, you ought to leave out many things."

Another, " There is a great deal of family de tail, which cannot possibly interest the public, and too little general information— I hope you will considerably add to the one, and contract the other, that your book may be worth having." Another, " The world is overrun with accounts of Italy — nothing new can be said on that thread bare subject ; therefore, I beseech you to omit not merely the tediousness of the ' hvice-told tale,' but one which hundreds have told ; and do not leave out a sentence of what really renders your book interesting, which is the narrative." Many more such diversities of sentiment, with the kindest intentions, have been imparted to me ; but my friends may now judge for themselves whether it would be possible to comply with their wishes, and will, I trust, excuse my giving my book again to the public nearly in its original form; some contractions, however, I have made, and considerable additions.

One passage I must ever regret having written — that which has justly given offence to my Roman Catholic readers. Truly I can say it was an unintentional error — nor would I for worlds have inserted it, had I known it to have been an error. I have not set down aught in malice, neither has a spirit of bitterness dictated a sentence which flowed from my pen. I should never have re corded many things which I heard, and saw, respecting the Roman Catholic religion, were I not persuaded that they are soul-destroying delusions, tending to " cast Christ down from his excellency," by leading the misguided multitude to mix other means with His finished work. He, and He only, is " the Way, the Truth, and the Life" — the one only Intercessor between God and man— at once the Prophet, Priest, and King. In sending this second edition to the press, I would gratefully acknowledge my obligations to the friends, by whose kind exertions it met with a rapid sale ; and to the public in general, by whom it has been so favorably received.

To Sir Robert Harry Inglis, in particular, my debt of gratitude cannot be expressed. At a time when the public weal seemed to occupy all his cares, the interest of a private individual was not ne glected. That his valuable life may long be spared to his friends, and the public in general, is the earnest prayer of his truly obliged, S. M. ERRATA. Page 135, line 6— for Rosa Tadee, read Rosa Tadei. — 156, „ OS— for he, read the. ~ 160, „ 23— /or so deformed, read so many deformed. rr 176, rr 3—^ for misan throphy , read misanthropy. .r 176, „ 14— for form, read from. — 300, ~ IS— for Farnesi, read Farnese. — 212' ™ 7— /<"" Sextine, read Sistine. ~ iTi ~ ll~ Z5"- .Qftttro, Capi, rrarfQuattro Capi. — 4U'-, " 13— for inconvenience, read convenience. CONTENTS. Page

Letter VI

Anny's Recovery — St. Peter's — Journey to Ariccia — Ceremonies on St. Anne's Day — Antediluvian urns — Velletri — Appii Forum — Pontine Marshe9 — Terracina — Fondi — Mola de Gaeta — Capua — Naples CONTENTS. Page

Letter VII

Sorrento Summer Residence Princess Giracci Church at Sorrento — Pollio's Villa 53

Letter VIII

Piscina Mirabile — Festa at Meta — The Madonna del Lauro — Pompeii — Dangerous Return — Bridal procession — Dress of the Peasants — Character of the People — Return to Naples — Funeral of a Sicilian General — Giardino Reale — Museo Borbonico 61

Letter XIV

Albano — Arrival at Palazzo Sciarra — Coliseum — The Forum — The Holy Stair-case — Prince of Saxe Gotha — Procession at St. Peter's — The Church of the Dead — Church of the Santo Spirito — Trinita di Monte - 110

Letter XXXIII

Baths of Titus — Alarming seizure of Sir Walter S t — His own conviction of his danger — Banditti at the gates of Rome^Miracles at St. Agostino — Miracles at Frascati — Banditti near Naples — Ceremony at St. Giovanni Laterano — Subterranean part of St. Peter's CONTENTS. XVII Page

Letter I

Liverpool, March 20th, 1819. My dear Friend, I hasten to fulfil my promise of letting you hear from me, and I hope to do so from time to time till my return, if it be the will of God to bring me again to my native shores. You know full well that my motive for quitting them was not a desire of seeing foreign countries, or of seeking any amusements in them which are not to be found in my own; but simply, because I am now so far recovered from my severe and long-continued illness, as to think myself able to follow those much-loved relatives to Italy, with whom, until this painful separation, I have shared all my joys and sorrows. My heart sometimes fails me when I think of the long voyage and n PROCEED ON THE VOYAGE. journey before me, which now I must perform alone. But my fears have been the cause of my waiting too long already, in tlie hope of finding some companions ; and I know that if I earnestly pray for guidance and protection, and trust in the Lord, I need fear no evil.

My friends have given me all the assistance in fcheir power ; and after many consultations as to the best and safest mode for me to travel, a sea-voyage from Liver pool, direct to Genoa, has been preferred to a journey through France into Italy. I landed in this place yesterday morning, after a rough passage of twenty-two hours from Warrenpoint. The different merchants here, to whom my friends had written in my favor, concur in ad vising me to sail in the M , the captain of which they know to be a man of estimable cha racter. April the 19th. I have been delayed here much longer than I had anticipated ; but have this day embarked on board the M , heartily re commending myself to the care of my almighty and most merciful Protector ; I feel that " the name of the Lord" is indeed "a strong tower."

But I must hasten to conclude my letter, as I mean to send it by the pilot, who must return very shortly. I have a very neat cabin to myself, sufficiently large for me to inhabit con stantly, furnished nicely with drawers, and every BAY OF BISCAY. kind of convenience which a person could possibly expect at sea ; and what considerably adds to my comfort, is an outside door, which slides back to give air, through which I can go upon deck, without passing through the large cabin. The captain and mate are respectable looking elderly men ; and altogether, so far as one can judge from outward circumstances, every thing promises fair for a prosperous voyage ; but in my unseen Protector alone let me trust. The pilot now calls to take leave. God bless you, my dear friend ; I know that I have your prayers in my behalf in this my anxious under taking.

Letter II

On Board the M , April 24th, 1819. After four days of severe sea-sickness, once more I take up my pen, though with such a trembling hand, that I doubt my ability to write; however, even the attempt will beguile the lingering hours. Last night we entered the Bay of Biscay, amidst such tossing as I had never before experienced, or even imagined ; and in my ig- BAY OF BISCAY. norance I fancied that we were every moment going to the bottom ; each wave, as it struck with violence, I supposed to be a huge rock, against which our vessel would soon be foundered. But, in the anticipation of a watery grave, I endeavoured to quiet myself with the assured hope, that the mortal part only would perish, while, even in the fury of a shipwreck, that whicli is immortal, is safe under God's good keep ing. The sea was so boisterous the whole night, that all hands were at work.

In the morning the wind abated ; and the captain came to my cabin door to enquire after my health. I told him of my midnight alarm ; on hearing which he blamed himself for not having forewarned me of what I might expect on entering the Bay of Biscay, telling me, that so far from my fears being well founded, we had had a most favorable gale, which had carried us considerably on our way. And thus it often is with us feeble trembling mortals, when the Lord is showing only mercy and loving kindness, our minds are filled with distrust ; we will not believe that our happiness, our everlasting good, is the end of all his designs. The captain's news made my heart overflow with thankfulness to Him who commandeth the winds and the seas, and they obey him. April 26th. In the middle of the Bay of Bis cay ; another terrific night ; tossed with contrary CAPE FINISTERRE. winds.

April 30th. Doubled Cape Finisterre ; very rough weather. May 3d. The two last days the wind and sea have been very boisterous. This is my beloved Anny's birth-day. Since the Lord gave my sister this little treasure, the an niversary of her birth has been hailed by me with gladness and prayer ; and now, in the midst of the contending elements, my thoughts are fixed upon her with a sad and unaccountable presage of ill, heightened by the circumstance of my opening my hymn book, while my mind was so engaged, on the hymn beginning, " Happy soul, thy days are ended." May the Lord preserve this darling child ; may He hide her under the shadow of his wings, bear her safely through the storms of life, and shelter her in the haven of his love. The gale arose to such a height as to split the largest sail, and tear some of the others ; all hands were at work on deck the entire day ; no food was prepared or eaten, but some stolen by the sailors when they came into the cabin for ropes.

May 4th. We passed a tempestuous night; and still the wind continues so high and con trary, that we have been blown back twenty-six miles. May 5th — 7 th. Becalmed. The grumbling captain forebodes a tedious passage, whilst I feel ROCK OF LISBON CAPE ST. VINCENT. thankful for the calm ; it has been a messenger of peace to my mind. He tells me that women were always unlucky passengers. May 8th. We have past the rock of Lisbon sufficiently near to discern that grand and beau tiful object. Sunday 9th. At five o'clock this morning we got round Cape St. Vincent, and are now passing Cape St. Mary. We glide smoothly over the wide waste of ocean, not a wave curls the clear expanse, nor a cloud darkens the azure canopy of heaven. " Let all thy works praise thee, O Lord," and let my heart join the universal chorus !

O Thou, whose Majesty the heaven of heavens cannot contain, Thou wilt not disdain the lowly heart for thy tabernacle. Yet, " Lord ! what is man that thou art mindful of him, or the son of man that thou so regardest him ?" Surely I can say and feel that God is every where : " If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me." O how comfortable the assurance, while floating on the bosom of the wide and desolate ocean, " The Lord is nigh." Sitting under an awning, kindly erected for me by the sailors, I enjoy many an uninterrupted hour of meditation, while employed at my nee dle ; or reading my Bible, Sturm's Reflections, A STORM DOVE CAUGHT ON DECK. and other gdod and pleasant books, with which we have been provided.

My time is fully occu pied, and therefore does not appear so tedious as I expected. May 10th. Contrary wind ; in the evening it rose to a strong gale, and the waves dashed with great violence. 11th. Still the storm continues. We are driven within eight miles of the coast of Barbary ; the Captain, in giving me this information, added terrific accounts of what we may expect if we are so unfortunate as to be driven ashore ; and what a relation of his own actually experienced, who, after much suffering, was barbarously murdered. The wind was so contrary, and so strong, that we are blown back within sight of Cape St. Mary. 12th and 13th. The storm rages with unabated fury, and was awfully tremendous during the night. We seem to be driven about, the sport of the winds and waves. May the Lord be our pilot not only through this watery deep, but over the more stormy and dangerous voyage of life, so shall we be guided safely into the peaceful haven where we would be.

A few more strug gles, and then there will be endless rest for all his redeemed. — A poor little dove was blown from the coast of Barbary, and sought refuge on deck. The cabin-boy easily caught it, and brought it to me. This day I got a little way up the ladder, to view the most sublime and tre- A STORM REFLECTIONS. mendous sight which can be imagined. I had seen paintings of the sea in a storm ; but they indeed give but a faint idea of the awful reality. The sky was black and lowering ; and the billows rolling furiously upon each other, like moving mountains, seemed as though they would over whelm all before them; yet were we lightly borne up on the bosom of each as it advanced. It was a scene to make one feel the presence of Him who is omnipotent, " who plants his foot steps in the sea, and rides upon the storm."

Friday 14th. I find the constant and violent mo tion of the ship so fatiguing, that my health suffers materially. I am literally bruised, from being tossed about from side to side ; and can neither read, write, nor work to amuse myself. This is a time of trial, yet if I have a happy meeting with my friends, it will appear of little consequence ; and so, if Heaven be our resting place, we shall look back upon the trials of life, and find them nothing. My poor dove looks very sad, its little wings are drooping ; it appears to mourn the loss of its companions, and reminds me of my own solitary situation ; but unlike the dove, which will never again behold its mate, I look forward with cheer ful hope to a day which will restore to me all whom I most love on earth. Like it I have mourned for my sweet Anny, and longed to be- REFLECTIONS. 9 hold her smiling countenance once more ; but O should it be my happy lot, may I remember that the Creator, more than the creature, claims my affections.

The wind being abated, I lay down with a thankful heart, and enjoyed a calm night's rest, of which no one can conceive the blessing who has not been tossed about as I have been, for nearly a week. During the storm, that sublime Psalm of David, frequently returned to my thoughts : " They that go down to the sea iri ships, that do business in great waters, these see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep. For he commandeth and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. They mount up to the Heaven ; they go down again to the depths ; their soul is melted because of trouble. Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble ; and He bringeth them out of their dis tresses. He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. Then are they glad, because they be quiet : so He bringeth them to their desired haven.

O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men !" The cessation of the storm has not tranquillized the captain's temper. I found him in a very discontented mood, complaining of the badness of our passage, the worst whicli he had ever experienced ; he b BAY OF ST. LUCAR CADIZ. added, that we had now entered "an ugly bay;" and had no wind to bring us out. I felt inclined to tell him, that the same kind Providence still watched over us, which had delivered us from our former dangers ; but I checked myself, fear ing that I should bring little conviction to his ruffled temper. I have just been walking upon deck, very thankful to have the use of my limbs again, which were feeble and cramped from disuse. All the time of the storm I could not stand for a moment without support.

We never sufficiently prize our blessings until we are deprived of them : and, when after a loss they are restored to us, we then feel tlieir value. But again, habit soon makes us forget those grateful feelings ; so truly may our goodness be compared to the morning cloud, and the early dew. We have now a favorable breeze; and are sail ing through the Bay of St. Lucar, near Cadiz. This evening my favorite stern sail was hoisted. I am always glad to see it, because it can only be used, when the wind is perfectly favorable. This is but the third time it has been up since the commencement of our voyage. Sunday Morning, May 16th. Still we have prosperous gales, and have just passed Cadiz. A sleeping turtle floated past us on the surface of the water ; the sailors saw a number of them this COAST OF SPAIN TRAFALGAR. 11 morning, and regretted not having gone out in the boat to take some.

This is a serene Sabbath day. The calm sea is hardly rippled by any motion ; the peaceful scene is well calculated to inspire holy meditation, and though I cannot join the general assembly in public worship, yet I may lift up my heart in prayer and praise, to my bountiful Creator and Redeemer, under the glorious canopy of Heaven, surrounded by this boundless prospect ; with as much real devotion, as if within the walls of a Church. Last Sunday was such a day as this ; but how little do we fee ble mortals know what a day may bring forth. Then the vessel smoothly cut the waves, and glided on so rapidly that we promised ourselves a speedy termination to our voyage ; but soon the blue sky became overcast, and the tempest roared around ; we were driven about at the mercy of the furious elements, so that for four days our lives seemed in jeopardy.

In the entire week we have not made sixty miles. We have just hailed a vessel from Newcastle, bound for Barcelona, which has been six weeks at sea, while we have been only four, yet we complain ! All this day we have been near the coast of Spain, which appears verdant and woody; we have passed Conil, and are now sailing by Tra falgar, which is very rocky. The scenery is magnificent; the ocean is bounded by noble rocks REFLECTIONS. and mountains. The captain pointed out Tariffa, in the Straits, and some dangerous rocks, against whicli many a vessel has foundered. As the shades of evening drew on, we saw many lights on shore ; and a smart breeze brought us through the Straits of Gibraltar before two o'clock. 1 sat until very late on deck, watching the vivid flashes of lightning, and the glittering stars, which illuminated the sky.

Monday, May 17th. The wind is changed, and is now quite against us : symptoms of ano ther storm are perceived. This sea-life reminds me of the variableness of human events ; when the sun shines upon us, we bask in its rays, and all seems to go on joyously. But the sky lowers, the days of peace have disappeared ; and the mourning soul lies prostrate, until again the beams of mercy burst from beneath the clouds, like the sun shining on the dew drops of heaven ; for a while tears glisten in the eyes, but their bitterness is passed. My dove is flown away : I am sorry, for I intended it as a present for Anny; but weary of restraint, it would not stay — it is gone, it knows not whither. Tuesday. Instead of the predicted storm there is a dead calm. A great shoal of porpoises passed us, and two grampuses, making a curious blow ing noise.

" Mother Cary's chickens" have also SUNRISE AT SEA. 13 been seen, and another shoal of porpoises, which they tell me are sure indications of a storm. Wednesday. The wind changed in the night, and blew for a few hours, but now it is quite calm. The sailors have taken a turtle fringed with zoophytes. At present the wind is quite fair, and my sail is up. We see land on each side. We passed the Isle of Albaran, the first island in the Mediterranean ; it is a barren rock, so flat as not to be easily perceived, and there fore dangerous. We are getting on at the rate of seven knots an hour. Friday. We have passed the islands of Ivica and Formenterra. We have just hailed a vessel from Lisbon, bound for Trieste : I was much amused at our attempts to understand each other. Captain W. spoke in English; the Portuguese answered, I suppose in his own language ; but finding that they were unintelligible to each other, the latter brought forward a person as in terpreter, who was supposed to speak English.

The attempt, however, was equally vain, since his words might as well have been high Dutch. In the same way Captain W. thought that he could explain himself in French, but succeeded no farther than to say " bon voyage." Saturday. This morning I was up before the sun, and went on deck to witness one of the most glorious objects in nature, the sun rising at sea. ISLAND OF MAJORCA. The Island of Majorca stood before us, a majestic amphitheatre of rocks. The whole scene forcibly impressed the imagination with awe and veneration of the great Former of the magnificent whole, at whose word that glorious orb now just risen before me, in all its splendour, sprung forth from chaos, and by whose Almighty com mand all was arranged with beautiful harmony. Sunday, May 23d. Another bright day of rest dawns upon us.

The first sound which broke upon my morning slumber, was the cabin boy's voice, announcing the joyful news, that the wind, which had been against us the preceding even ing, was now perfectly fair. I arose with a thankful heart, and sat on deck under the awning, whilst I read my Bible. The passage which par ticularly arrested my attention, was part of the thirty second chapter of Deuteronomy. " For the Lord's portion is his people ; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance. He found him in a desert land ; and in the waste howling wilderness ; he led him about ; he instructed him ; he kept him as the apple of his eye. As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, taketh them, beareth them on her wings, so the Lord alone did lead him. Thus indeed He leads his children ; thus He conducts them tlirough the wilderness of this world by a way they know not.

He watches over them ; He instructs them, and ne- BEAUTIFUL METEOR GENOA. 15 ver leaves nor forsakes them until He shuts them into the ark of the new covenant, secure for ever in the haven of his love. This evening I was called on deck to see a very beautiful meteor. The sailors described it like lightning, darting as an arrow across the fir mament, so glorious in brightness as to illumine the deck ; now it remained suspended in a spiral form, then its momentary splendour died away, and gave place to a light silvery cloud. " The bright lights of heaven" shone forth in resplen dent magnificence. Thursday, May 27th. This morning my pleasant little messenger of good, the cabin-boy, put in his cheerful face at the cabin-door, to announce the glad tidings that we were just before a town, supposed to be Genoa.