Summer experiences of Rome, Perugia, and Siena, in 1854; and sketches of the islands in the bay of Naples

Front matter

by

MRS. W.E. BENNETT

SUMMER EXPERIENCES

Letter II

Churches in Rome — St. Agnese — St. Costanza — St. Lorenzo — St. Bibiana — St. Pudenziana — St. Praxedes — I Quattro Coronati — Vespers in the Sistine — Tapestry — Colosseum — Festival at the Trinita . . .11

Letter III

Festival of Corpus D omini — Processions at St. Peter's and St. John Lateran — Funeral of Cardinal Fornari 24

Letter IV

Dies Irae — Pope's Coronation — Festa of St. Luigi Gonzaga — Procession at St. Peter's — Italian Children — St. John Baptist's Day 36

Letter V

Churches on the Aventine — St. Giovanni — St. Cesareo — St. Nereo e Achilleo— St. Sisto— St. Prisca — St. Saba— St. Sabina — St. Alessio — St. Maria del Priorato — St. Balbina — Baths of Caracalla — Forum. Boarium — Roman Shops — Villa Volkou.sk i . . . .47

Yl CONTENTS.

Letter VI

Vespers on St. Peter's Eve— Illumination of St. Peter's—- High Mass — The Grey Brother — The Girandola — Basilica of St. Paul — St. Maria in Via Lata — Crypt of St. Peter's — Monte Mario — Mamertine Prisons — St. Pietro in Vincoli — St. Pietro in Montorio . , 62

Letter VII

Villa Madama — Ponte Salara — Castel Giubilio — Cerhara — Campagna Scenery — Colosseum — St. John Chrysogonus — St. Maria del'Orto — St. Francesco & Ripa — St. Maria — St. Cosimato — St. Angelo in Pescheria — The Ghetto . 83-

'Siena — Duomo — La Lizza — St. Domenico — Public Library — St. Francesco — St. Maria Provenzano . .238

Letter XVIII

'St. Agostino — Carmine — St. Quirico — Baptistery — St. Giorgio — St. Spirito — St. Maria dei Serviti — Porta Komana — Piazza del Campo — Palazzo Publico — Academy of the Fine Arts — St. Catharine — Oratories — Madonna di Fonte Giusta .... 251

Letter XIX

Villa Life— Church of St. Pietro— St. Paolo — St. Lucia — Porta San Viene — St. Eoch — Fonte Nuova — Porta •Camullia — Lars Porsena's Tomb — Convents — Vintage i — Conclusion 269

LETTER I. •Capri— Ponza, &c 283 LETTER IT

Ischia— Procida 292

LIST OF PLATES.

Page I. — FRONTISPIECE. CHURCH OF ST. GIOVANNI E

PAOLO AND VIA SCELERATA, ROME. II. — RUINS OF CESAR'S PALACE, ROME . . .11

III. — CHAPEL OF ST. JOHN, AT THE LATIN GATE, ROME 48

IV. — VlEW FROM ST. PlETRO IN VlNCOLl's, ROME . 81

V. — AQUEDUCT IN THE CAMPAGNA, ROME . . 87

VI. — CIVITA CASTELLANA, WITH MONT' ORESTE . 106

VII. — ARCO DI AUGUSTO, PERUGIA .... 120

VIII. — TEMPLE OF MINERVA, ASSIST .... 126

IX. — PORTA MARZIA, PERUGIA .... 177

X. — ABBEY OF LA MAGIONE 196

XL — CATHEDRAL OF SIENA 246

XII.— FONTE NUOVA, SIENA 275

KOME, PEEUGIA, AND SIENA.

LETTER I.

Borne, June 4th, 1854.

My dear Brother, — Most of the English have now left Borne ; and as you pity me for being obliged to stay here, instead of flying off to some cooler region, I am going to send you a series of letters, to prove how little I am to be pitied, and what great enjoyment I have here. Indeed, I think those who only visit Eome in the so-called season, little know how delightful an abode it is. Though the climate is far better than England, still in winter there are very wet days, when it is difficult to walk out in the ill-paved muddy streets, and the carriages are in such demand that it is necessary to secure them beforehand, or pay exorbitant prices for their services. Then when you

B have had a " course " down to the Vatican, or some palace, you feel painfully the want of sun ; all looks so gloomy, so cheerless, so unlike what one expects in this bright land. On clear frosty days the galleries are very cold, and when the " tramontana " blows, you are cut through and through, and glad to escape from the cold air.

The Roman lodgings also in winter are far from comfortable; the doors and windows do not shut properly, and admit currents of air; most of the chimneys smoke, and all the grates are set so far back, that the greatest part of the heat of the fire goes up the chimney. The wood fires also give far less heat than our good English coal, and burn away so quickly that it is a constant occupation to prevent them from going out.

In summer, however, all these minor miseries are at an end, and you thoroughly enjoy life. The sky is constantly of the deepest blue ; and the temperature at present is delightful. I am most comfortably settled with a nice Italian family; the master of the house is steward to a nobleman, and very little at home; for he has to take journeys to Orvieto, and various places in the states of the Church and Tuscany to look after his employer's estates. The padrona is a most kind-hearted woman. She has a really honest English face with a bright beaming look ; combined with the stately figure of the Roman matron, and the grace of manner in which the Italians very much surpass us.

She has four children. The eldest, Eomulus, is a very nice lad of fourteen ; he goes to a school for several hours a-day, where he learns accounts, Latin, and French, which he begins to speak very well. His appearance and manners are quite that of the little gentleman, and he is most attentive to the English lady; always ready to take notes and messages out of school hours, and to accompany her when she wants a little page. The other two boys are younger. The "criatura," or infant, is a little girl of five months swaddled up like a mummy, which must be very uncomfortable to the poor child, but she is an excellent baby and never cries. The other member of the household is the servant Lucia. She is an active, clean, goodhumoured girl of nineteen, who has been eight years in service. It is quite surprising to see the work this girl will accomplish. She is not very fond of dusting the sitting-room, which all Italians think a very unnecessary thing ; but she will do this, or anything else I bid her. On Sunday evenings Lucia dresses herself in her best — a coloured muslin dress, a fine white muslin apron trimmed with lace, and a gay silk handkerchief over her shoulders. Her hair is beautifully dressed ; a thick plait behind, and the front plaited, and rolled, on each cheek, into a small flat ring (something like an ammonite) through which a gilt pin is stuck. A pair of handsome gold ear-rings and a necklace of large coral beads complete her costume.

She takes the " criatura Helena" for an airing on the Pincio, returning before the " Ave Maria." All Italians are very careful not to be out at sunset : they often return out of doors afterwards ; but they believe that for half an hour before, and after sunset, there is bad air, and that fevers are caught at that time. You will say that I have described the people of the house, but not the house itself. It is situated in the Fontanella Borghese, one of the best positions in Borne. It is a continuation of the Via Condotti, on the other side of the Corso, and is a great thoroughfare : the constant passing by is said to cause circulation of air and keep off fever, which is almost unknown in this street. I dwell on the first floor. I have a nice dining-room from which you pass into a pretty drawing-room elegantly furnished, which leads into a large and very comfortable bedroom with two small dressing closets attached. Each of the rooms has two windows looking into the street, so that it is a very cheerful situation. I am told it will be very hot, as the windows look due south, but I trust, with "Persiani," or outside shutters, to keep out the sun ; that I shall do very well, as heat does not disagree with me.

The Italians generally are very early risers, but want of strength prevents my following their example, and I cannot be ready for my breakfast before half-past eight. Tea and coffee are prohibited by my Italian doctor, but I have a very good substitute for the latter in " cafe d' orzo." This is made of barley, which is roasted and ground, and then boiled like regular coffee, and really has a very nice flavour when roasted properly. It is said to be very nutritious, and does not possess the heating and exciting properties of the foreign berry ; the price also is very moderate, fivepence for the pound of twelve ounces ; I think it would be a very good thing to introduce it among the poor in England. The bread in Eome is usually bad, but there are two excellent bakers in the Yia Babuino and Condotti, who make good leavened bread which is not sour. Butter is very good in winter, but not in summer, and substitutes are used for it. I often have dried fish for breakfast; the anchovies are very good and abundant, also the " saraci" resembling the herring, but it is necessary to boil them, they are so dry and salt. Lucia cooks my dinner at whatever hour I choose, generally about two o'clock ; and in the evening I have an egg with lemonade. Such is my general mode of proceeding.

And now I will tell you what I have seen and done since this month began. On the first was a solemn service in the Sistine Chapel, for the soul of the late Pope,

Gregory XYI. My kind friend Miss B

came to me early ; we were both in black dresses, with lace veils instead of bonnets, and for two pauls (tenpence English money) a carriage took us down to the Yatican, a

O /

6 SUMMER EXPERIENCES pF

mile from my abode. We were very earlyr the Pope not entering till a quarter to eleven, and so had time to look well about us. Often as I have seen the Sistine Chapel, it never struck me so much before. When seen in winter without bright sun, it is very difficult to see clearly the frescoes, obscured as they are by the smoke of candles : the shape too of the chapel, and the "tout ensemble," disappoint one very much at first.

This day, however, the sun shone brightly, and the grand old prophets and sibyls stood forth in majesty. The congregation was very small ; within the grating were some few Romans, and several monks of religious orders, particularly Dominicans. In the ladies' department were only five besides ourselves. The candles were yellow, the colour of mourning, and the twenty-four cardinals wore their mourning robes, purple or "colore di chiesa." The officiating bishops wore rich robes of dark blue and gold. When the Pope had taken his seat the mass for the dead began. Having my book I followed it all quite well. By far the most striking part was the " Dies Iras," the requiem : words can give you no idea how exquisite it was, sung by the Pope's choir without any musical instrument. It was begun by several voices, low and gradually swelling —

" Dies irae, dies ilia Solvet sseclum in favilla, Teste David cum Sibylla."

It struck me more than ever, hearing it as

ROME, PERUGIA, AXD SIEXA. 7

it were in the presence of those sibyls, portrayed by the mighty genius of Michael Angelo; those wonderful women of whom we know so little, but who seem to have had brief and partial glimpses into futurity, and to have borne testimony to the coming Saviour.

The same style of chant continued for the first six verses ; the description of the last day, the sounding of the trumpet, the appearance of the great Judge, and the bringing forward of the book, the record of men's lives.

This and the following impassioned appeal were uttered in one voice, the most thrilling I ever heard, wailing, imploring, according to the words ; then all the voices joined again in the horror of describing the endless fire, and imploring to be taken out from the goats and placed among the sheep ; then dying away with the last two verses.

Masses for the dead differ slightly in several places from the ordinary mass ; the epistles and gospels are different, and they end, instead of with a benediction, with " Eequiescant in pace."

Altogether it was a very solemn service. When all was over the congregation left silently, as if impressed with what they had heard.

Every one who wishes to know the church festivals in Eome should buy for one paul the "Diario Komano," an almanac telling what is to happen upon each day. Many of the curious old churches are only open once or twice in the year, and by this little book it may be found out when they are to be seen. By the "Diario" I discovered that another mass for Pope Gregory was to be held in St. Peter's, June 2nd, and I determined

to go. Accordingly Mrs. W and I went

in ordinary morning costume, for black is only necessary when the Pope is present. The small chapel on the left hand, where vespers are usually sung, was prepared for the service. Just outside the grating, in the aisle of St. Peter's, a great catafalque was erected. This (called a hearse in early English history) was covered with black cloth, and made in the form of a gigantic urn, with cover and pedestal. It was tastefully adorned with strips of gold cloth, surrounded by lighted candles, and on the highest point was the papal tiara. We obtained seats in the gallery, for the chapel itself is but small, and it was nearly filled with the clergy and their servants. The mass was exactly the same as that of the day before, except that the choir of St. Peter's is very inferior to that of the Sistine. We had, however, the accompanimerit of the organ; still I think that the human voice, when trained to such perfection as in the Pope's choir, needs no instrument, and is more effective alone.

As the museums of the Yatican were all open to-day, we went there, and thoroughly examined the paintings. There are very few, about fifty, but almost all are first-rate. Long did I stand before Domenichino's Last Communion of St. Jerome, to my mind the first of pictures, and superior to Eaphael's Transfiguration. In the season the galleries are so crowded, the pictures cannot be properly seen, but to-day we were almost the only visitors, and the bright sunshine showed off everything to full advantage.

The next morning I was very tired, and glad to stay quietly at home and rest. In

the afternoon Mr. and Miss B called,

and took me a very pleasant drive to the tomb of the Empress Helena. This is an interesting ruin about five miles from Rome out of the Porta Maggiore. It derives its modern name, Torre della Pignatura, from the " pigne," or earthen pots, built into the walls, as is supposed, to lessen the weight. Here was found the magnificent porphyry sarcophagus containing the remains of the empress, and now preserved in the Yatican Museum. This tower was held by the Knights Templars for some time, and is now in a very dilapidated state. "Within it is a modern and very shabby church dedicated to Sts. Pietro and Marcellino, only interesting as built over the entrance to a catacomb, We descended with wax-lights, but found everything of interest had been carried away. These catacombs were once very extensive, and reached to those of St. Sebastian, on the other side of Borne, but now only one small part, or "braccio," is kept open. Our guides were two children, who expatiated largely on the beauty of the catacombs, when lighted up on the day of the saints to whom the church is dedicated, which is, I believe, in November. The children were highly pleased with a trifle we gave them, and gathered us nosegays of rosemary, the only plant visible in the enclosure, from the tower to the entrance-gate on the public road, near which was a most majestic solitary stone pine. These most picturesque trees, shaped like a large umbrella, with their tall bare stems, give a very peculiar character to the Campagna scenery.

On our way home we stopped at the Porta Maggiore, to examine the remains of the tomb, erected by the baker Eurysaces to himself and his wife. Their bodies were at the top in a huge bread-basket, and the ornaments are small ovens and loaves of bread. The date of this curious monument is uncertain, but it is believed to be of the time of the Emperor Claudius. Now, with our return home, I will end my letter.

HOME, PERUGIA, AXD SIENA. 11

LETTEE II.

My dear Brother, — You often hear of "Christmas in Eome" and "Easter in Eome," but never of " June in Eome," yet certainly the church festivals in this month are much the most interesting. There is perhaps less of what the Eomanists call "hidden meaning," and we Protestants call " mummery," but the music is finer (except the Misereres in Holy- week), and there is more nationality: you see fewer foreigners and more Italians. I like to see the costumes and to study the appearance and manners of the people of a strange land.

June 6th was the day of St. Anastasia, and I had hoped to gain admittance to her church, which is only open that day and once in November. This church is just under the Palatine Hill (on which are the ruins of Cesar's Palace), and I believe contains nothing of very great interest, but it is one of the most ancient in Eome. called after a Grecian lady martyred here in the third century. I have often tried to gain admittance, but always in vain ; no one replied to the knocks on the door, and when I offered children playing about a present to fetch the custode, I had always the same reply, " Abita troppo lontano" — he lives too far off, — or " Non si apre" — you cannot get in. It seems, however, fated that I am not to see this church, for when the day came I was ill and unable to go out. On the 9th I had a great treat, and visited many old churches.

My kind Naples friends, Mrs. W — - and her two daughters, are in Eome for three weeks, and they invited me to join in an expedition. We took with us our " Murray's," " Kugler's Handbook of Painting," and Mrs. Jamieson's " Legendary Art," being wishful to understand all we saw. Breakfast was at half-past seven, and by eight we were seated in our carriage. "We drove first outside the walls of the city to see St. Agnese fuori le Mure. It is a very old and interesting church; here (Jan. 21) I came to see the blessing of the lambs. On this day, dedicated to this youthful saint, who is said to have suffered martyrdom at the age of fourteen, a grand mass is said in this church, after which two lambs decked with ribbons and flowers are brought in, and laid on the altar to be blessed and sprinkled with holy water and incense. They are then consigned to the nuns of a neighbouring convent, who take care of them, and spin from their wool the "pallia" or palls sent by the Pope as presents to archbishops. This was one of the prettiest festas I saw in Eome ;

being very popular among the lower orders, many of the country people attended in their picturesque costumes. Now, however, the old church is quite still. It was built by Constantine ; the mosaics in the tribune date from about 638, and the roof is of wood, richly carved. Close by is the entrance to the catacombs of St. Agnese ; these are said to be the most interesting of all the catacombs, and I hope some day to see them; but after Ascension-day they are closed, and not re-opened till November.

We crossed an ancient Christian buryingground to the church of St. Costanza, built by Constantine as a baptistery for his daughter. It is circular, with' a double row of columns. All the mosaics represent scenes in a vineyard — the gathering of grapes and making of wine ; from which it has been conjectured that this building was once a temple of Bacchus ; but since our Lord called himself the " vine" and his disciples the branches, I do not think we need trace to heathen times what bears evident marks of being Christian. Here was found the beautiful porphyry sarcophagus of St. Costanza, now in the Vatican, which also is ornamented in the same style with children gathering grapes.

We went, in the third place, to St. Lorenzo fuori le Mure, a grand old church, one of the seven basilicas, and built by Galla Placidia in the fifth century. You will, however, be tired if I enter into details respecting the beautiful marble " ambones" or pulpits, the granite columns, the inlaid pavement, and other treasures. One of the sacristans promised to show me the greatest treasure of all, and unlocked a land of wooden cupboard. What do you. think I saw ? a large piece of stone, with four holes at the corner, and one in the centre, very much singed and yellow. This, I was assured, was the stone on which the gridiron was placed to martyr St. Lawrence ! Some columns of this basilica were brought from the forum of Octavia. They were made by two Greek artists, Sauros and Batrakos, who, not being allowed to sculpture their names on their work, left monuments of themselves in a sculptured frog and Ikard on the volutes of one of the columns.

Adjoining this church is the public cemetery, where all the Roman poor are buried. As at Naples, there are 365 holes, each covered with a slab of stone. One of these was raised every night, and all the dead of the day thrown into it, and the slab then laid down, not to be removed for a year. I was told that these holes were so full that they were not used now, but the dead were laid in a lower piece of ground lately added to the cemetery, and the holes would be opened by and by when the bodies within were decayed. It is, however, very difficult to learn the truth from an Italian. He has a total disregard for truth, and, like all children of the south, a very vivid imagination ; so he can always weave you. a romance if he know nothing about the subject of your inquiry.

R01TE, PERUGIA, AND SIENA. 15

We then retraced our steps to the city, to the church of St. Bibiana. This is a very small building, standing in a waste piece of ground not very far from St. Maria Maggiore. I do not know why, but it is not frequently visited by sight-seers, and well does it merit being seen. The custode lives at a little distance, in a house belonging to the convent of St. Antonio. We despatched our coachman to find him and the key, while we remained at the portico of the church. Before us was a very beautiful piece of aqueduct, one of the most picturesque remains that are to be found. It was festooned with ivy, forming a rich contrast to the red stone of which it was constructed. A small owl, frightened at our approach, flew away. In the distance, over a garden, appeared the two domes and tower of St. Maria Maggiore.

At last the key was brought, and we entered the tiny church. The columns are small, but fine and ancient. There are several frescoes, giving the history of the saint, who was martyred with her mother and sister, in the time of Julian the apostate, by being bound to a pillar and beaten to death with whips, in the thongs of which were leaden pellets. The frescoes of Pietro da Cortona are the best. Upon the altar stands the chef d'ceuvre of Bernini, a statue of the young Balbina. She leans against a column, holding a palm branch, and at her feet grow roses. It is a most lovely statue, the countenance so sweet and the attitude so graceful, without anything manieree, 'which is too commonly the case with the works of this artist. I must, however, tell you, in justice to Bernini, of two of his bas-reliefs in the church we had just left — St. Lorenzofuori le Mure ; they are not mentioned by " Murray," but they are, to my mind, of great merit. There is a small chapel on the left hand, forming the entrance to the catacombs. These bas-reliefs are on each side of the short flight of steps, and represent the souls in purgatory ; " Exspectantes " is written under one, and " Dum veniat " under the other. The expression of the countenances is admirable. In one bas-relief is anguish, and yet a little hope, while in the other you see patient endurance and great suffering alleviated by trust in the coming Lord, after whom they are raising their eyes.

Our fourth visit was to the church of St. Lorenzo in Pane e Perna — literally bread and ham, because portions of these articles of food were formerly doled out to the poor at the adjoining convent. I had always wanted to see this church, and had not been able previously to obtain admission. We really could find nothing to be seen : the frescoes are very bad. The only interest attached to the church was its being built on the spot of the martyrdom of St. Lawrence.

We next went to a church behind St. Maria Maggiore, dedicated to St. Pudenziana. Cardinal Wiseman is titular of this churclu It is built on the site of the house where the Senator Pudens is said to have received St. Peter. Pudens was married to Claudia, the daughter of the British chief Caractacus, and there is a lovely picture in a side chapel, representing their meeting the apostle, with their little girls, Pudentiana and Praxedes, and their two young warrior-sons. This is a most interesting church : the mosaics are very fine. Our Lord is seated in the centre; Pudentiana, on one side, presents a crown to St. Peter, and, on the other, Praxedes to St. Paul ; four portraits of popes follow on each side. The mosaics are said to be of the fourth century. In another side chapel is a most touching altar-piece : a guardian angel leading a little child. The face of the angel beams with pity and protecting love, while on the child's countenance you see confiding love and clinging confidence.

The church dedicated to the other sisterr Praxedes, is close by, and also most interesting. The mosaics, of the ninth century, are very beautiful, the colours so well preserved and the golden ground still bright. Our Lord and his apostles are represented in the tribune, and, on the arch of triumph, the twenty-four angels, bringing their crowns in adoration, the archangels, the four beasts, and the sea of glass. These figures are stiff and ill-drawn, but they make a great impression upon one, and an impression which increases the more the mosaics are seen : there are few things in Borne which interest me so deeply.

c

Our last church was "I Quattro Coronati," occupying a prominent position on the Ceelian Hill, near St. John Lateran. These " four crowned " martyrs were stone-cutters, put to death in the reign of the Emperor Diocletian. Their church is beautifully kept by the nuns of a convent adjoining. The pavement and roof are very beautiful, and the frescoes, though not of the highest order, are very good, giving the history of the martyrs.

By this time it was half-past twelve, and all the churches were closed ; the guardians were gone to dinner, and then the siesta followed. Some of the churches opened again at five, but the greater part remained closed till six o'clock the following morning. My kind friends took me home greatly pleased, but very tired, and obliged to remain quiet the rest of the day. I hope you will not be tired with this long account. It is difficult to judge what will interest others; and really I see so much, that it is impossible to describe all: I can only select what pleased me most.

The next day I spent in quite a different way, in modern as distinguished from ancient Rome. It being the eve of Trinity Sunday, vespers were announced in the " Diario" as to take place in the Sistine

chapel, and I went with the C family,

who had arrived in Rome a few days previously. The Pope was present, and a good number of cardinals in their scarlet robes; the music, however, was not so good as I have heard it. I think I never told you that

ROUE, PERUGIA, ASD SIEtfA. 19

I have at last succeeded in obtaining a "book containing the vespers; it is called "Horse Diurna?," and is a small volume taken from the breviary for the use of the priests who have to recite their hours. It takes no notice of the mass which is found in the missal. The Eituale Eomanum gives the services performed by priests, viz., funerals, baptisms, marriages, &c., and the Eituale Pontificum those appertaining only to bishops, as ordinations, benedictions, &c. ; so these three books, and the breviary, are required to make up what is contained in our one small volume of Common Prayer.