Chapter I: Preface

Fair Italy, the land of song and cradle of the Arts, has been so often written about, and so well described both in prose and in verse, that I feel there is a presumption in my attempting to say anything fresh of that classic land, its art treasures, and its glorious past. But within the last few years a new Italy has sprung into existence--the dream of Cavour has been realized; and, contrary to all predictions, she has evinced a union and cohesiveness so complete as to surprise all, and possibly disappoint some who were jealous of her.

What was once a conglomeration of petty rival states is now one constitutionally governed kingdom. Italy has ceased to be only a geographical name; she is now a nation whose voice is listened to at the council tables of the Great Powers.

The old terms of Piedmontese, Tuscan, Lombard, and Neapolitan, have no longer aught but a local significance; from the Alps to Tarentum every one glories in the name of free united Italy, and feels proud of being an Italian.

Young Italy is so rapidly developing the resources of her gifted people and of her fruitful lands, that she daily becomes more interesting to all who sympathize with a free and vigorous country; more especially to the English, who have many interests in common with her, and few, if any, reasons to fear either antagonism or competition.

And the beautiful Riviera--

Where God's pure air, sweet flowers, blue sea and skies,
Combine to make an earthly Paradise.

Yes! the Riviera is certainly one of the loveliest spots on this fair earth, and is visited by streams of human beings, lovers of nature and students of art; but is more especially dear to the thousands of sickly invalids, who--

Journeying there from lands of wintry clime,
Find life and health 'midst scenery sublime.

But, to be truly candid, I must confess that, while humbly trusting I have succeeded in making this little book both interesting and instructive, one of the chief reasons for my putting pen to paper has been to make an effort, however feeble, to expose the deadly evils of the plague-spot of this paradise, Monte Carlo.

From this centre there circulates a gambling fever not only throughout the Riviera--from Cannes to Genoa--but everywhere its victims may carry it. After being stamped out from all the German watering-places, the demon "Play" has fixed his abode in this fair spot, in the very pathway of invalids and others, and, under the ægis of a corrupt prince and his subjects who share the proceeds of the gaming-tables, this valued health resort, which was surely designed by a beneficent Creator for the happiness of His creatures, is turned into a pandemonium.

"Base men to use it to so base effect."

Few can be wholly unaware of the sad effects resulting from this gambling mania, whereby the happiness of many homes is wrecked, and thousands of our fellow-creatures are brought to ruin and a shameful end.

During the past season the public papers have teemed with instances of Monte Carlo suicides,[A] the lifeless bodies of its victims frequently being found at early dawn in the charming gardens surrounding the Casino. The gen d'arme patrol is so accustomed to the occurrence, it is said, as to view the object with perfect _sang froid_, but, let us rather hope, with pitying eye.

It may possibly be said, Why all this virtuous indignation about Monte Carlo, when gambling, to a frightful extent, is carried on at our clubs and stock exchanges in England? I can only answer, two wrongs can never make one right; besides, Monte Carlo cannot be allowed to exist as an independent principality when conducted so dishonestly and detrimentally to the highest interests of humanity.

I am thankful to feel that the matter has now been brought before the Parliaments of England and Italy, and even France, and has been the subject of diplomatic remonstrance. This is hopeful, but I have the greater hope in the power of public opinion and sympathy against this monstrous evil; and also in the belief that one of the highest developments of this nineteenth century is the recognition of the truth that "I am my brother's keeper."

LONDON,
_March, 1884._

[A] See Appendix.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I. PAGE Introduction--Charing Cross--Dover--Submarine Channel Tunnel --Calais--Advantages of travelling second class--Superfluous examination of luggage--Paris--Dining _à la carte_ versus _table d'hôte_--Noël--An Officer's Funeral--Lyons--Scenery of the Rhone--Constant changes in the landscape--Want of proper accommodation at the railway stations--Defective lighting of railway carriages 1

CHAPTER II.

Arrival at Marseilles--Change in climate--The mistral--Some account of Marseilles in the past--Marseillaise hymn--Docks and harbour--Hill-side scenery--Chateau d'If--La Dame de la Garde--Military practice--St. Nazaire--An ancient church--The Exchange--Courtiers of merchandise--Sunday at home and abroad 13

CHAPTER III.

Leaving Marseilles--Toulon--Hyères--Fréjus--Coast scenery--The Hotel Windsor--An unexpected meeting, and a pleasant walk--Isles de Lerins--The Mediterranean--Defective drainage--Mosquitos and Nocturnal Pianos--Christmas Day--Cannes--The Pepper tree--The English Cemetery--Antibes--Miscalled Health Resorts--Grasse-- Orange blossoms--Leaving Cannes 23

CHAPTER IV.

Nice--Its persistently Italian character--Its gaming propensities --Hints about luggage--Old and New Towns--Flower-shops--A river laundry--The harbours of Nice and Villafranca--Scenery and climate of Nice--A cowardly outrage--In the Cathedral--Hotel charges--Leaving Nice 37

CHAPTER V.

The beauty-spot and plague-spot of the Riviera--Arrival at Mentone--Hotel des Isles Britanniques--English church--Her Majesty's Villa--Gardens of Dr. Bennett--Custom-house--Remarks on Mentone--A charming walk--A word about Brigands--An adventure --In the cemetery--A labour of love--A frog concert--Excursion to Monte Carlo--Sublime coast scenery--Castle of Monaco--The sombre Olive--The exodus of the Caterpillars 49

CHAPTER VI.

Monte Carlo--In the Concert-room--The Gambling saloons--The Tables--The moth and the candle--The true story of Monte Carlo--An International grievance and disgrace 62

CHAPTER VII.

Scenery _en route_--Bordighera--Pegli--Genoa--Its magnificent situation--The grandeur of its past--The Harbour--Streets--Palaces --Cathedral of San Lorenzo--Sacred Catina--Chapel of St. John the Baptist--Italian Beggars--Sudden change in the atmosphere--The Campo Santo--Shops of Genoa--Marble promenade--City of precipices --Climate of Genoa 72

CHAPTER VIII.

Pisa--Hotel Victoria--Pisan weather--The poet Shelley--Historic Pisa--Lung 'Arno--San Stefano di Canalia--Cathedral--Baptistery --Leaning Tower--Campo Santo--The divine angels--The great chain of Pisa--Leghorn--Smollett's grave--Poste-restante--A sweet thing in Beggars--Ugolino's Tower--Departure for Rome 83

CHAPTER IX.

Arrival in Rome--Hotel de la Ville--The Corso--The Strangers' Quarter--Roman Guides--View from the Capitol--"How are the mighty fallen!"--The sculpture-gallery of the Capitol--The Dying Gladiator --The Venus--Hawthorne's Marble Faun--Bambino Santissimo--The Mamertine Prison--The Forum--Palaces--The Coliseum--Longfellow's "Michael Angelo" 92

CHAPTER X.

Trajan's Gate--The Appian Way--The English Cemetery--Catacombs of St. Calixtus--Reflections on the Italian seat of government --Churches--S. Paolo Fuori le Mura--Santa Maria Maggiore--S. Pietro in Vincoli--"Was St. Peter ever in Rome?"--Fountains of Rome--Dell' Aqua Felice--Paulina--Trevi--Rome's famous Aqueducts --Beggars--Priests 106

CHAPTER XI.

Papal Rome--Narrow streets--St. Angelo--Benvenuto Cellini--St. Peter's--Pietà Chapel--The Dead Christ--Tomb of the Stuarts-- Anniversary of St. Peter's--Grand ceremonial--Cardinal Howard --The Vatican--Pictures--Pauline and Sistine Chapels--"The Last Judgment"--Pinacoteca--Raphael's "Transfiguration"--"The Madonna"--Christian Martyrs--Sculptures--Tapestries--Leo XIII.--Italian Priesthood--St. John Lateran--Marvellous legends and relics--Native irreverence to sacred edifices 119

CHAPTER XII.

Excursion to Tivoli--Sulphur baths--Memories--Temple of the Sybil --River Anio--Lovely scenery--Back to Rome--Post-office--Careless officials--The everlasting "Weed"--Climate of Rome--Discomforts and disappointments--Young Italy--Leo XIII.--Italian Politics--Cessation of Brigandage--The new City--American church--_Italian Times_-- Departure for Naples--Regrets--The Three Taverns--A picturesque route--Naples by night 137

CHAPTER XIII.

Naples--Bristol Hotel--Via Roma--King Bomba's time--Deterioration of the Neapolitans--Museum--Churches--The Opera-house--English and Italian beauty--Aquarium--Vesuvius--Excursion to Pompeii-- Portici--A novel mode of grooming--The entombed city--Its disinterment--Museum, streets, and buildings--Remarks--A cold drive 151

CHAPTER XIV.

Unprecedented cold of 1883--Departure from Naples--Virgil's tomb--Journey to Messina--Italy's future--Scylla and Charybdis --Beautiful Messina--The "_Electrico_"--Malta--Knight Crusaders --Maltese Society--An uncommon fish--An earthquake at sea--Journey to Palermo--Picturesque scenery--Etna--Among the mountains--The lights of Palermo 168

CHAPTER XV.

Palermo--Oriental aspects--Historical facts--Royal Palace--Count Roger--The Piazzi Planet--The Palatine Chapel--Walk to Monreale --Beauty of the Peasantry--Prickly pears--"The Golden Shell"-- Monreale Cathedral--Abbey and Cloisters--English church--Palermo Cathedral--Churches--Catacombs of the Capuchins--Gardens--Palermo aristocracy--The Bersaglieri--Sicilian life and characteristics --Climate and general features 191

CHAPTER XVI.

Annexation of Nice and Savoy--Garibaldi's protest--A desperate venture--Calatafimi--Catania--Melazzo--Entry into Naples--Gaeta --The British Contingent--Departure from England--Desertion-- Arrival in Naples--_Colonel_ "Long Shot"--Major H----'s imaginary regiment--Dispersion of the British Contingent 204

CHAPTER XVII.

Floods in France--London--Back to the South--Marseilles--Italian Emigrant passengers--A death on board--French _impolitesse_ --Italian coast scenery at dawn--Unlimited palaver--Arrival in Leghorn--The "_Lepanto_"--Departure--"Fair Florence"--The Arno --Streets--Palaces--San Miniato--The grand Duomo--The Baptistery --Ghiberti's Bronze Gates 217

CHAPTER XVIII.

Santa Croce--San Lorenzo--Day and Night--Picture-galleries--The Tribune--Venus di Medicis--Excursion to Fiesole--Ancient Amphitheatre--Aurora _Café_--Climate of Florence--Heavy hotel charges--Departure--Bologna sausages--Venice 228

CHAPTER XIX.

Arrival in Venice--The Water City--Gondola traffic--Past glories --Danieli's Royal Hotel--St. Mark's Piazza--The Sacred Pigeons --St. Mark's--Mosaics--The Holy Columns--Treasures--The Chian Steeds--The modern Goth 241

CHAPTER XX.

A water-excursion--The Bridge of Sighs--Doge's Palace--Archæological Museum--The Rialto--The streets of Venice--Aids to disease--Venetian Immorality--The Arsenal--Nautical Museum--Trip to Lido--Glass works --Venetian evenings--The great Piazza--Scene on the Piazzetta-- Farewell to Venice 253

CHAPTER XXI.

Leaving Venice--Hervey's Lament--Scenery _en route_--Padua-- Associations of the past--A brief history of Padua, and the House of Carrara--General appearance of the town--Giotto's Chapel--His beautiful frescoes--Character of Giotto's work--The Cathedral-- Palazzo della Ragione--The Wooden Horse--St. Antonio--The Hermitage--The Fallen Angels--The University and its students --Ladies of Padua--Situation of the city--An old bridge--Climate 264

CHAPTER XXII.

Journey from Padua--The great Quadrilateral--Historic Verona--Hotel due Torri--Recent inundations--Poetic Verona--House of the Capulets --Juliet's tomb--Streets and monuments--Cathedral--Roman Amphitheatre --Shops--Veronese ladies--Departure--Romantic journey--Lake Garda --Desenzano--Brescia 274

CHAPTER XXIII.

Arrival in Milan--Railway station--Tram carriages--History and present condition--The Cathedral--Irreverence of Italian Priests --The Ambrosian Liturgy--Sunday school--S. Carlo Borromeo--Relics --A frozen flower-garden--View from the tower 287

CHAPTER XXIV.

Milan--Social and charitable--How to relieve our Poor--Leonardo's "Last Supper"--Condition of churches in Italy--Santa Maria delle Grazie--La Scala--Picture-galleries--St. Ambrogio--Ambrosian library--Public gardens--Excursion to the Lakes--Monza--Como --Lake scenery--Bellagio--American rowdyism 300

CHAPTER XXV.

Climate of Milan--Magenta--Arrival in Turin--Palazzo Madama-- Chapel of the Holy Napkin--The lottery fever--View from the Alpine Club--Superga--_Academia della Science_--Departure--Mont Cenis railway--The great Tunnel--Modane--Farewell to Italy 315

CHAPTER XXVI.

From Modane to Paris--Lovely scenery--St. Michel--St. Jean de Maurienne--Epierre--Paris--Notre Dame--French immorality--La Manche--"Dear old foggy London"--Reflections and conclusion 330

FAIR ITALY. THE RIVIERA

AND MONTE CARLO.