Chapter IV: Part 4

The whole of the next morning, we had high wind with heavy rain, and I began to meditate, in case the weather cleared up, walking to Pisa with the captain, which place was nine miles distant from the fort, and then taking coach for Leghorn. The captain had, this morning, to go a league and a half to procure provisions for his crew; these coasting vessels seldom carry more then three or four days store with them, and in case of necessity trust to getting into some port for supply, and which they appear particularly fond of doing. When on the contrary, I urged the captain to proceed, he would silence me by asking, why he should wish to go into port, when it would expedite the voyage, and save the extra expenses of maintaining his crew, to keep out of it?

About noon we had the pleasure of finding it become quite fair, and the wind favourable; we weighed anchor at two o’clock, and stood towards the Arno, for the purpose of discharging part of the cargo, consisting of goods for Pisa; this detained us about an hour; after which we made sail for Leghorn, with as fresh a breeze as our vessel could stagger under, and made the port in fine style, running a distance of twelve miles, in less than an hour and a half. I could hardly credit the circumstance, when they wanted to thrust me into the boat like a bale of goods; the fact was, that it was necessary, before we could be allowed to quit the vessel, to be examined at the health-office, and it wanted but a few minutes before this would be closed, in which case we should have been detained on board till morning. I left the vessel, without my baggage, which the captain promised should be taken on shore immediately after me; but here he deceived me, for after getting on shore, I was given to understand that it could not be sent before morning; he offered however, to accompany me wherever I might wish to go, and I lost no time in making my way to the Aquila Nira, where I proposed to take up my residence.

After the luxury of washing, and partaking of a good dinner, I retired to rest, in a bed large enough to contain at least four persons, and where I was for some hours, incapable of sleeping from excess of enjoyment. In the morning my baggage was brought according to promise, and the day being fine, I engaged a valet-de-place to deliver some letters of introduction, but had the misfortune to find all the gentlemen to whom they were addressed out of the way; after this I amused myself in exploring the town.

At the table d’hôte we had a party of twenty-five natives of various nations, many of whom like myself, had been enjoying the pleasures of felucca travelling, of which they gave woful accounts. Among them was a merchant from Saxony, who, hearing that I intended to set off by diligence for Florence on the following morning, recommended me to take a place in a _voiture de voyage_ in preference, as both cheaper, and more expeditious, in consequence of its taking a shorter route, and at the same time offering to secure me a place in company with himself. This proposal was very agreeable to me, and after dinner we walked together to the voiture office, but the clerk was not within; the merchant, however, assured me, that I need feel no uneasiness respecting a place, and that all events he would, if necessary, give me up his own, and take the outside. I then left him, and proceeded with my valet to visit the English burial ground, where, amongst many other neat tombs, may be seen that of Smollet, who has here a small monument erected to his memory; I was not a little affected in tracing, under such circumstances, the character of this man as deduced from his writings, but I could not spare time for extending my reflections. A few of the tombs were surrounded by cypress-trees, others by neat railings of cane-work enclosing a variety of flowers; the ground is protected by a wall, and the entrance kept locked, the key being placed under the care of a person, who preserves every thing neat and clean, and of course expects a small gratuity for shewing it. I should have been glad to have spent more time in examining this interesting spot, but had an engagement to meet a gentleman at my hotel, the time for which was approaching.

Besides this burial ground, there are many objects, in Leghorn, worthy the notice of the stranger; as the cathedral, a number of churches, the Greek and Armenian chapels, the Jews’ synagogue, the coral manufactories, lazarettos, &c. &c.

In the course of this walk, I met two of the English gentlemen, who had sailed in company with me from Nice, and left us at Cerf; on comparing notes, I found they had very little the start of me, notwithstanding my protracted felucca voyage.

The harbour of Leghorn is divided into two ports, the outer one defended by a pier; large vessels, however, anchor in the roads, about two miles from this pier; there is a light-house built on a rock, called the Malora, situated in the open sea, a mile distant from the mole, and which is lighted every night by means of thirty-two lamps; there is also a smaller light on the outer pier, within which the merchant-ships lie, the inner harbour, from its shallowness, being only adapted for boats, and very small craft.

From the accounts which I received of this city, I should have been glad to have prolonged my stay in it a few days longer, had I not arranged to set out for Florence in the morning.

Before leaving Leghorn, I called upon Dr. P⸺ a Scotch medical gentleman, practising at this place. While at his house, Dr. D⸺ of Florence, for whom I had letters, came in, having just arrived in charge of the corpse of Captain Broughton of the royal navy, who had died in that city, and which he had brought for burial at Leghorn.

Early in the morning I got ready for the voiture, but had the mortification, notwithstanding the assurances of the Saxony merchant, to find myself left behind, as it was stated to be quite full; I had, however, a resource in the diligence, which fortunately was on the point of starting, with a vacant place, which I immediately secured, paying twenty-five pauls for my fare.

We stopped at the gates of the town to have our passports and baggage examined, and I may take this opportunity of remarking, that in both these respects, I suffered less inconvenience at Leghorn than usual in consequence of being _un militaire_. In this case, the passport has only to be signed by the commandant, who does it with much civility, and without any charge; my baggage was neither inspected on entering or leaving the town.

We had no conducteur to Florence, and changed the postillion at every post, who, as in England, expected a gratuity at the end of it; I had an instance here of the indisposition of native passengers, to give information to strangers, to prevent their being imposed upon; for one to whom I applied, on this occasion, evaded a direct answer for a length of time, before he could be brought to state, that it being a long stage, and equal to a double post, he should give a paul, being at the rate of half a paul for each post.

We were driven the first post from Pisa tolerably well, but afterwards, for a time, made very slow progress, contrary to what I had understood respecting the rapidity of Florentine travelling. On inquiry, it was stated, that we should get on faster by paying the postillion extra, which we then agreed to do, and I am not aware, that I was ever better driven in my life, than after this compromise.

In about nine hours we arrived at the gates of Florence, where we were detained some time in the examination of passports and baggage. I here attempted to take advantage of my experience, at Leghorn, of the value of a military character, but it would not do; after irritating the Italian officer, whose language I could not comprehend, but my pretending for some time not to understand his demand to inspect my baggage, I was obliged to descend, and lay open my portmanteau. This soon settled the business, and we shortly after arrived at the Swiss Pension, kept by Madame Hembert, to which I had been recommended by my slippery Saxony merchant, and for which at least, I afterwards found my acknowledgments were due to him.

CHAP. XIV.

FLORENCE, AND JOURNEY TO ROME.

I congratulated myself on having arrived safely at this universally admired city, and had the additional pleasure of finding the hotel, to which I had been recommended, exceedingly comfortable; the establishment was excellent, and the charges, at the same time, reasonable; every thing was conducted upon a fixed system, the prices for rooms and meals being undeviating; nor did they charge for any thing which was not actually partaken of. The rates were as follows:—breakfast, a paul and a half (the paul being little more than five pence sterling); there was a table d’hôte at two o’clock, chiefly frequented by merchants of all nations; and another at five, for the accommodation of those who were travelling for amusement, comprising amongst other articles a good substantial English dinner; for each of which, with a good bottle of wine, the charge was five pauls, somewhat less than half-a-crown sterling; and the bedroom was charged three pauls per night.

The table d’hôte was nearly over when I arrived, but I contrived to make a good dinner from the remains of a roasted turkey, during which I recognised the voice of the Saxony merchant entering the house, and of whom I had gained ground half an hour; but he did not come near me, for the two or three days that he remained at this hotel.

I was not disposed to consider my present visit to this city, more than _en passant_ on my way to Rome, intending to take it more at leisure on my return; my present observations are therefore to be regarded as very casual ones.

Madame H⸺ had the kindness to procure me a servant, but it was not easy to gain much information from him, as he was an Italian, and not in the least acquainted with the French language; however by his naming, as he had been ordered, each street and public building, as we passed along, I soon began to acquire a general idea of the town, and contrived to go wherever I wished, so as to call upon my friends and explore most parts of the city; the weather, however, was unfavourable, and, notwithstanding the advanced state of the spring, both cold and wet, so that for the nine days I staid at Florence, we were only one day exempt from rain more or less: as compared with Nice, it might be considered an English climate.

The cathedral is a beautiful edifice, paved with fine marble, as is also the Duke’s chapel, which is said to contain some exquisite paintings over the altar. On Sunday I was present at the ceremonies of this chapel, where I heard some fine vocal and instrumental music; after which I proceeded to attend divine service at the house of our ambassador, which is opened for that purpose to English residents and visitors: and I could not avoid contrasting its devout and simple solemnity, with the pompous ritual of the Roman church.

There were few public places of amusement open, during my stay at Florence, it being the season of the Carême, or Lent. I visited the Theatre Cocomero, and heard the Barber of Seville, an opera so well known, that it would be superfluous to enter into any description of it; but I cannot resist stating the extraordinary effect produced upon me by the singing of the prima Donna. I thought I could have given the world to have seen her pretty face and figure; the tones and expression of her voice, however, appeared to connect themselves in my mind, by pure sympathy, with exact delineations of her person and attitudes, and to excite the most intense desire to possess the power of vision, which I ever recollect to have experienced since I had the misfortune to lose it. I heard, I felt, I saw or _imagined I saw_, every thing which words, gestures, and actions could convey: I rose, leaned forward, and felt an almost irresistible impulse to spring upon the stage, to ascertain whether my ideas were illusive or real; and what may be thought more strange my desire to see, appeared to originate from a wish to convince myself that I could not see. I may be thought to overcharge this description with too vivid or affected sentiment, but I can assure the reader, that it contains only a small portion of the exquisite feelings which I experienced.

I am unable to give any account of the state of society at Florence, my intercourse being confined to a very few friends, who were chiefly former acquaintance.

I met with a gentleman just arrived from Rome, who assured me that every thing was quiet and safe there, and I consequently determined, whatever might be the result of the Austrian and Neapolitan war, to advance forward to that place; but my determination was still more confirmed, the day before my proposed departure, by the official news which arrived, of the Austrians having entered the Neapolitan states, without any considerable opposition. At the same time we received intelligence of a revolution having broken out at Turin, Genoa, and Nice, and I could not but feel an equal concern for my friends at the latter place, with what they had previously felt for me; but my apprehensions on this score soon subsided, on finding the effort immediately checked by the Austrians stepping into Piedmont; so that in fact they appear to have taken upon themselves the guardianship of all Italy.

On the 27th of March, I left Florence for Rome, by way of Sienna, in company with an English gentleman, Mr. W. S⸺, and two Italians. It rained very hard, and the roads were consequently heavy, but our coach was large and comfortable; the horses were indifferent ones, and I observed one of our Italian companions express his dissatisfaction, on finding that we were not to be carried forward by mules, which are more capable of undergoing fatigue, and, I believe, in this country, twice as valuable as horses. We did not halt for breakfast until two o’clock in the afternoon, and as I had taken nothing before leaving Florence, I was really so unwell about twelve o’clock, that I entreated the driver to allow me to partake of a piece of bread, which I heard him eating, but he told me he had just finished it; I felt however sufficiently revived after a hearty breakfast of mutton-chops, coffee, &c. to be able to walk a few miles, which we could do at times, as the weather in the afternoon cleared up. One of our Italian companions was a Roman, and professed himself attached to mineralogy, and a great traveller, having been amongst the Turks, Greeks, Egyptians, Persians, and also over the greater part of Europe: he had, however, yet to visit England, from which he promised himself great gratification. The plain English of this probably was, that he was an itinerant dealer in precious stones. Towards evening the rain came on again, and we had a very heavy journey to Sienna, which we did not reach until after nine o’clock, when we made a hearty supper, and retired to bed.

Sienna is described as a pleasant summer residence, but it must from its vicinity to the Apennines be very wet and cold in winter. There are several good public as well as private buildings; the streets are tolerably handsome, but many of them exceedingly steep. The inhabitants are stated to be hospitable and polished, and to speak the purest Italian of any modern state. There are said to be many English residents. The present pope Pius VII. is a native of this place. The cathedral is magnificent, and particularly famous for its pavement of white marble, inlaid with Scripture pieces of grey marble, amongst which is Abraham’s intended sacrifice of his son Isaac. Another piece, representing Moses striking the Rock, is also greatly admired: the whole, indeed, are of exquisite workmanship, which it took ages to complete. But as I can give little other personal account of this place, than what I might derive from my _dreams_, having passed nearly the whole of the short time I continued here in bed, I shall say no more respecting it. At six in the morning we recommenced our journey, notwithstanding which early hour, our good and pious coachman had been to mass to pray for a safe journey.

We breakfasted at Buono Convento, where the Emperor Henry VII. was poisoned by a monk with the sacramental wafer, in the year 1314.

The morning was again wet, and the roads rendered very heavy, but in the afternoon the weather cleared up, and we were enabled to walk for a couple of hours. At six in the evening, we arrived at an auberge, named La Scala, where we were to spend the night; it was a single house, placed at the foot of the hill, and leading up to the village of Radicofani, situated considerably farther up the mountain, of that name, at a point inaccessible for carriages; still higher up beyond the village is a rock of singular form projecting over it, on the top of which stands the castle Radicofani, the whole forming a most picturesque scene.

Before our arrival at La Scala, a servant had preceded us, and secured the best apartments for the use of a lady and her family, who were travelling in another voiture. The lady was stated to be Madame Frimont, wife of the Austrian general of that name, on her way from Milan to join her husband at Naples; it is probable, however, that this might be only a _ruse de guerre_, to secure greater attention; we were glad, however, to get a supper as we could, and I was obliged to sleep in the same room with our vittureno, otherwise the poor fellow must have lain down with his horses in the stable, which it would have been cruel to have compelled him to have done, particularly as he was the most civil and accommodating driver I had yet met with; indeed I would sooner have given up the whole room, than deprived him of half of it.

In the morning, we set off at five o’clock with six horses to ascend the tremendous hill of Radicofani, and a very severe duty it was for them; nor could we reasonably relieve them of part of their weight by walking, as it both rained heavily, and the wind was at the same time boisterous, and, as we approached the summit, extremely cold. At nine o’clock, when we had partly descended on the other side, we stopped at the last village in the Tuscan states, where custom-house officers are stationed to examine the baggage and passports of travellers; we escaped however inspection of the former by the payment of a paul each; after this we proceeded to enter the earthly dominions of his holiness the pope. Soon after the road became execrably bad, and we stuck so fast in the mud and ruts, that the poor horses had the greatest difficulty in dragging the carriage forward; I am informed that this place is in winter frequently quite impassible; we attempted to walk, but could not proceed without the risk of being half buried, so that before we resumed our places, our Italian companions began to cry out for St. Antonio, and half a score more saints, to come to their assistance.

About noon, we reached the first post in the Roman states, where we breakfasted at a miserable inn, Madame Frimont making her appearance soon after us. The day now turned out uncommonly fine, and we proceeded in good spirits; we were shortly after checked by the custom-house officers belonging to his holiness, whose scruples, however, were readily silenced by the sight of a paul from each of us. Shortly afterwards we were detained, to have our passports examined, at the village of Aquapendente, famous for being the birth-place of the great anatomist Fabricius. This detention mortified us exceedingly, as in the interim, Madame Frimont, of whom we had previously the start, passed without interruption, and thus got irretrievably a-head of us. This exemption our driver attributed to the military connexion of the lady, and I believe that, on the same score, I might have refused an examination of my passport; they had, however, the assurance to charge us a paul for inspecting them. The road now became very good, and enabled us to walk for a considerable distance; and the conversation of the party, who all spoke French, proved very agreeable. We met, however, with some unpleasant incidents on the way; amongst which I may name the mangled limbs of a fellow creature who had been executed, exposed on the road side. This unfortunate wretch had no doubt been a robber, perhaps a murderer, and a disgrace to human nature; but granting all this, it appears repugnant to Christian feeling, to exhibit so disgusting a spectacle to the purer part of the community. To check the progress of crime, it is doubtless necessary to inflict punishments, and to make the example more efficacious, to accomplish this before the public eye; but when the penalty has been paid, surely it would be preferable to withdraw the remains of mortality, and place them where they may unoffensively mingle with their parent dust, rather than to leave

“What better to oblivion were resign’d,
Still hung on high to poison half mankind.”

Our detention at Aquapendente caused the evening to close in upon us before we expected, and it became so dark, when we were about a league from our destined resting-place for the night, that the driver was obliged to walk at the head of his horses, and guide them in the right road. Before we had proceeded far in this way, we were obstructed by a number of persons with lights in front of us. We had received various intimations of the dangerous nature of the country we were now in, as infested with banditti, and which no doubt is attributable to the poverty of the peasantry, and number of fishermen inhabiting the borders of the lake of Bolsena, which we were passing at no great distance. We were, however, relieved from our fears, on finding that the circumstance arose from a vehicle having broken down in the middle of the road, and which had detained even our consort voiture, that had passed us at Aquapendente. It was some time before we could proceed, and we were then obliged to be guided on our way with lights for two miles, until we reached the town of Bolsena.

The Austrian lady’s servant, however, had preceded us, and secured all the best apartments, so that we were obliged to make shift with what were left: my companions were better able to take care of themselves than I was, so that I fared worse than any, and was obliged to sleep in the passage at the head of the stairs.

We certainly thought the lady very inconsiderate, for she not only secured bed-rooms for herself and children, but had taken one with four beds in it as a sitting-room, which she might have dispensed with, particularly as she knew that there was a coach-full of passengers arrived at the same time. We did not fail to express our sentiments loudly, both in French and Italian, and in such a manner, that we were sure of her becoming acquainted with them. In addition, we had to wait for our supper until she had finished, and this so long, that Mr. W. S. tired of the delay, went to bed without refreshment.

At six in the morning we recommenced our journey through Montefiascone, celebrated for its wines, and reached Viterbo for breakfast. A party of Austrians returning from Naples, unfortunately followed us into the inn, and carried away the attentions of our host and his myrmidons. After breakfast, Mr. W. S. and myself set off before our coach, and walked up the mountain of Viterbo, and when we reached the top experienced a delightfully refreshing breeze, and my companion was gratified with a most magnificent view of villas and villages, with lake Vico on the right, which at first he mistook for the sea. At a distance on the left, was a palace of the king of Naples. We now re-entered the coach, and descended the hill with rapidity, contesting the race with Madame Frimont’s voiture. I cannot say, however, the companionship afforded us any gratification, as we had all the disadvantages without the pleasures of it; for we had not once the honour of conversing with the lady, or of course the merit of voluntarily sacrificing our comforts for her accommodation; it was all one whether we got in first or last, there appeared to be so good an understanding between her servant, the drivers, and the people of the inn, that we were sure to come off only second best.

We reached Ronciglione for the night. At this place, we had the pleasure of meeting with _Mr. John Bull_, lately from England, but last of all, from Rome, where he had been studying the _finer arts_, that is, the arts of eating and drinking, and who was now on his return to his native city of London, by way of Florence. He had engaged a voiture of the same description with the one we were travelling in, for the exclusive use of himself and his servant, _William Simple_, who did not presume to speak any other language than what his mother had thought right to teach him, while Mr. Bull, by three months’ practice, and the assistance of a dictionary, had acquired sufficient Italian to enable him to call for the various objects of his affection. He was loud in his complaints against his Italian coachman, _Antonio Sulky_, who, contrary to the assurances of the person from whom he had hired his carriage at Rome, was disposed to do everything to please himself, but nothing which he, Mr. Bull, was desirous should be done. Poor Simple, however, appeared to come more immediately under his displeasure, for, having neglected to secure himself a bed, and which he endeavoured to excuse, by saying that he did not know how to ask for one; “Why you fool,” retorted the master, “go up stairs, look out for an empty room, lock the door, and put the key in your pocket.”

Notwithstanding the waiter was too much hurried to think that he had any right to be civil, I got a pretty good supper and bed, nor was I without bed-fellows, and had I been as active as they were lively, the dancing of St. Vitus would not have been comparable with my exertions. But I comforted myself with the certainty of its being the last night of the journey, whereas, poor Mr. Bull had but just commenced his. I cannot but acknowledge, that I amused myself highly with the thoughts of the manner in which he would be jerked out of the Roman into the Tuscan states, an operation of which, I am sure he could himself have no idea.

On the following morning, Saturday, March the 31st, we set off at six o’clock, under the delightful prospect of reaching Rome in the afternoon, being now only twenty-five miles distant. After a rainy morning, we arrived about noon for breakfast at a house nine miles from the city; here Mr. W. S⸺, meeting some friends, took his leave of us. We had a party of Austrian officers to breakfast at the same table, who treated me with marked attention, reminding me of our having met at Florence. At half past one, we pursued our journey, and at length reached the Ponte Molle, where we crossed the far-famed Tiber,

“⸺whose yellow water flows
Around these fields, and fattens as it goes,
⸺among the rolling floods,
Renown’d on earth—esteemed amongst the gods.”

After this, our road lay for two miles along the ancient Via Flaminia, to the gate formerly of the same name, but now degraded to the vulgar appellation of Porto del Popolo,—that gate, which once poured forth a race of heroes, almost the rivals of the gods themselves, the founders of the glory of Rome, and supporters of its virtue.

“Illustrious names! that once in Latium shin’d,
Born to instruct, and to command mankind;
Chiefs, by whose virtue, mighty Rome was raised,
And poets, who those chiefs sublimely praised.”

It is impossible to describe the feelings which overpowered me, when after passing through this gate, I found myself in the midst of that city, to which my most ardent wishes had been directing me—the once celebrated, and yet interesting Rome,—which

“Propt on seven hills, sat like a sceptered queen,
And aw’d the tributary world to peace.”

Now, alas! little more than a monument, and shadow, of her former greatness. “_How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations._”

Before concluding the present chapter, it may not be unacceptable to such travellers, as propose to pass from Florence to Rome, by way of Sienna, to state various circumstances, which may be useful in directing their proceedings. In the first place, I shall allude to the contract I had made with the proprietor of the voiture. My bargain was, that we should leave Florence on a fixed day, and proceed forward to Rome, occupying five days and four nights on the journey, resting on the successive nights at the following places, viz. Sienna, La Scala, Bolsena, and Ronciglione. He was to convey myself and luggage, providing me with coffee every morning before setting out, breakfast about noon, and a supper and bed at night; bearing every expense, excepting custom-house fees; for these advantages, I agreed to pay him three Napoleons and a half, with a _buona mana_ of five francs on arriving at Rome, in case he conducted himself properly.

From experience, I would now recommend as a modification of the above plan, after reaching Sienna on the first night, to rest there for a day or two, which not only gives an opportunity of seeing this interesting town, but serves to recruit the horses, or mules, so as to expedite the remainder of the journey. It will be desirable to leave Sienna at four o’clock in the morning, in order to reach La Scala in time to secure good accommodations; in addition, by arriving early, the horses will have a prolonged rest, before undertaking, the next morning, the fatiguing journey over Radicofani: after staying the third night at Bolsena, it is very necessary to set off early on the following morning, to enable you to reach Ronciglione; for although better accommodation might be found at Viterbo, this place is too distant, to make it easy to reach Rome on the following evening, and there is no town between these points which offers any comfortable accommodation.

On arriving at the gates of Rome, your carriage will be taken possession of by custom-house officers, termed _doganieri_, who conduct you to the custom-house, where a close inspection of baggage takes place; but it is possible to avoid this detention, by writing to your banker, to obtain a _lascia passare_, or permission to pass, which should be left directed for you at the gate.

Possibly, instead of contracting with the vittureno to perform the journey in a limited time, it might be preferable to engage with him by the day. In this case, you might rest for any time on the road, when points of interest presented themselves; or if he behaved ill, or from any cause became unable to proceed, he might be discharged.

CHAP. XV.

ROME.

I took up my residence at Francis’s hotel, in the Strada Conducto; this house has a table d’hôte, said to be the only one in Rome, ready at four o’clock, and consisting of partly an Italian, and partly an English dinner, for which, with a bottle or more of good wine, they charge six pauls, equal to about two shillings and nine pence sterling. The house being very full, I did not succeed in getting so good a bed-room as I could have wished.

In the morning, I engaged a _servitore de piazza_, or _valet de place_, and sallied forth to deliver the letters with which I had been intrusted, and particularly to call upon Dr. Clarke, to whom I had an introduction. After attending the English divine service, I visited that most magnificent of all Christian temples, the church of St. Peter’s, in which every Christian country in the world, at the time of its erection, may fairly claim a proprietorship, as each contributed largely to its edification. On entering it, I felt myself impressed with awe and veneration, and notwithstanding the distinctions of ceremony, did not fail to offer up my humble adoration and thanks to the Almighty, for his protection, and mercies so abundantly bestowed upon me, since the first moment of my existence.

It would be ridiculous in me to attempt a description of this grand and magnificent structure, while so many correct and interesting delineations exist.

I spent the evening at Dr. Clarke’s, where I had the pleasure of meeting a gentleman, Mr. L⸺, who had been robbed three nights before, on his return from Tivoli. He did me the favour to relate the circumstances, which were as follow:

Having, with three other gentlemen, engaged a carriage for the day, to see the falls of Tivoli, the party imprudently deferred their return, until the approach of evening. On arriving within two miles of Rome, they were compelled to turn out for a short distance, into a temporary road, in consequence of the main one being under repair; here, from the darkness of the night, which had become so intense that they could not see their horses’ heads, the coachman lost his way, and was obliged to make inquiries of various charcoal drivers, whom they fell in with; as they were on the point of regaining the main road, the coachman cried out “_Genti, Genti_,” immediately upon which, the carriage was surrounded by banditti. The gentlemen attempted to rush out of the carriage, in hopes of escaping through the darkness of the night, but, with the exception of Mr. L⸺, were immediately secured and plundered. The latter gentleman, after having a musket discharged at him, the fire of which singed his coat and waistcoat, while the ball passed so near as to leave a black mark on his side, succeeded in getting to a dry ditch, bounded by a wall, which he in vain attempted to scale; he therefore determined to lie quiet until the affair was over, taking a valuable watch out of his pocket, and concealing it in one of his gaiters: shortly after, he heard his friends calling him by name, and concluding that the robbers were gone, quitted his place of concealment, in order to rejoin them, when, to his great surprise, he was seized and plundered. They felt for his watch, which he pretended not to have with him, but this would not do; with a dagger at his breast, they menaced instant death if it was not produced; he then stated that he had left it at his place of concealment, and begged them to accompany him to search for it, when after pretending to seek for it, he gave it up, requesting that one particular seal might be returned: this however, after a consultation with their captain, was refused.

The banditti now departed, directing them not to stir until they were off the ground, when they proceeded without farther interruption to Rome. The reason of Mr. L⸺ being called by his friends to be robbed, was this; that the banditti, fully aware of a fourth person having escaped, threatened to murder the whole of the three, unless he was produced, so that they found it necessary for their own safety to discover him. One of the gentlemen was slightly wounded in the hand by a stiletto, in his attempt to escape. On reaching Rome, they immediately repaired to the police, who expressed concern, but took the matter very cooly, and instead of sending out a party in pursuit, desired them to call again in the morning; and here the affair ended. Strong suspicion fell on the charcoal drivers, for they had passed many of their carts just before; and such persons, as well as the peasantry of this country, are notorious robbers, whenever a convenient opportunity offers.

I shall follow up the above anecdote, with an account of another occurrence of the same nature, that took place about this time.

A French ship of war having put into Civita Vecchia, the captain, with his surgeon and another officer, engaged a carriage to take them to Rome; at one o’clock they stopped to dine at a small village, and set off again at three; soon after this they all fell into a sleep, from which they were roused by four peasant-like fellows, armed with muskets, who made them get out of the coach, and lie on the ground upon their faces, one man standing sentry over each officer, while the fourth plundered the carriage; while this was proceeding, the captain ventured to propose to his companions, in French, which the banditti did not understand, that each should spring up, at a signal, and seize his guard by surprise, expressing his belief that he could overpower his man before the one from the coach could get to assist him, in which case he should be ready for his reception; the proposal was acceded to; the word given, and the attack made; after a severe struggle they succeeded in disarming the whole four, who scampered off, the Frenchmen firing after them in their retreat, and wounding one of them; they then entered Rome with the captured muskets in triumph.

On the following day, after delivering letters and arranging some private business, I visited Monte Cavallo, so named from two colossal statues representing Castor and Pollux, each holding a horse. The figures of these gods are remarkably fine antiques, the one supposed to be the production of Phidias, the other of Praxiteles, and once adorned Athens. The horses are very inferior, and of modern workmanship. Afterward I returned to dinner at my hotel, and had the pleasure of meeting there Count K⸺, whom I had known at Nice. Two English ladies also dined to-day at our table d’hôte; and some American naval officers belonging to the Peacock sloop, who had been cruizing off the coast of Barbary; these gentlemen, from the similarity of their uniform, were, by some of the English, mistaken for British officers.

As I proposed to spend at least a month in Rome, and found the bustle of an hotel unpleasant, Dr. Clark did me the favour to procure me comfortable lodgings in the Piazza di Spagnia, and within a very short distance of his own residence. I cannot too strongly acknowledge the kindness of this gentleman and his lady, during my residence in this city.

On Wednesday, the fourth of April, I began, in company with two friends, to examine the remains of antiquity which abound in this city. We first directed our steps to Trajan’s pillar, in our way to which we passed a parade of his holiness’s soldiers; they were fine bodied men, but their state of discipline evidenced the degeneracy of the warriors of modern Rome.

We now ascended the pillar of Trajan, by a spiral staircase of one hundred and eighty-three steps, cut out of solid marble, twenty-three blocks of which, placed horizontally one over the other, compose the column; from the summit, which is surrounded by an iron railing, there is a fine view of the city. This beautiful pillar had formerly a gilded bronze statue of the emperor Trajan placed on its summit, with a globe in his hand, containing his own ashes, which was, by Pope Sextus the Fifth, exchanged for one of St. Peter. At its lower extremity the pillar is twelve feet in diameter, gradually diminishing as it ascends to ten; the height, from the base to the top of the statue, is one hundred and thirty-three feet; the outside of the column is beautifully ornamented in basso relievo, with a representation of the Dacian war, admirably wrought on a continued spiral line from the bottom of the column to its top, as a memorial of his success in which, the Roman senate erected and dedicated this noble structure to the emperor, whose name it still bears. The spot, on which it stands, was formerly the centre of the forum of Trajan.

After this we walked over what was once the celebrated Forum Romanum, originally built by Romulus, and where the courts of justice were held. This once important square, now known by the name of the Campo Vaccino, was supposed to have been seven hundred and fifty feet in length and five hundred broad.

From hence we extended our walk to the Palatine-hill, passing near the Via Sacra, which lay about eight or ten feet below us, and from which the rubbish had been cleared to make it visible; we then pursued our way to the baths of Livy; the Coliseum; and the tomb of Cestius, which is a pyramidal structure, one hundred and twenty feet in height, and ninety square at its base; it is situated adjoining to the wall of the city, very near the burial ground for foreigners, amongst the various tombs of which my companions noticed several with English inscriptions.

We now passed on to Monte Testaccio, which has derived its existence and name, from the quantities of broken vases, mixed with rubbish, which have been deposited upon its site. The top of this mound is surmounted by a cross.

Although our Ciceroni were much fatigued with their excursion, we could not forbear visiting the Tarpeian Rock, and the Pantheon. On our return, as it was too late for Francis’s table d’hôte, we dined at a _trattorias_, where a variety of dishes are kept ready cooked, or ready for cooking at a moment’s notice. They have also a great variety of good wines, and amongst the rest, we here tasted the Orvieto, so justly extolled as a delicious beverage, and which reminded me forcibly of good bottled Devonshire cider.

During my residence at Rome, I generally preferred dining at one of these houses, as possessing some advantages over the table d’hôte; strangers find here a great facility in acquiring the language, as the conversation is carried on almost exclusively in the Italian tongue; while, at the same time, an Englishman is sure to meet with numbers of his countrymen. The present was the season of Lent, when Rome is generally thought to be badly supplied with provisions; I was not, however, conscious of any deficiency, except in the article of lamb, which is forbidden to be sold or made use of during this season; but they contrive to have young kid as a substitute, and which is made use of in great abundance. I am told that different houses of entertainment pay the pope for a licence to serve heretics, during the season of Lent, with forbidden viands.

On the following day, being Thursday, I visited the Vatican for the first time: this museum is open for public inspection every Thursday and Sunday, but it is possible to gain admittance on any other day, and also to see it in the evening by torch-light, although by a late regulation, the nocturnal parties are restricted to twelve persons at a time, as many as can see the rooms with advantage.

My feelings on entering the museum of the finest sculpture in the world, were not of that rapturous nature, which I hear every amateur of this beautiful and interesting art, or even a common observer, express. No! it was not with me as with others, who, on entering the room, are struck by a collection of the finest statues bursting on their view, not knowing what first, or most to admire, being for a time lost in the confusion of delightful variety, and viewing them collectively, before they can fix their attention on any single object; how different were my feelings! for when it was announced that I was in the midst of these exquisite works of art, although my imagination was raised to the highest pitch, and well adapted to supply the deficiency of visual organs, it could but faintly convey to my mind, the impressions which an ocular inspection, as above described, must have excited. This coup d’œil, with me, was not only wanting, but I had to walk up to each statue in rotation, and listen to a tame description of its beauties. I was even not allowed the advantage of examining by the touch, as soldiers were placed in each apartment, to prevent such violation: had I been freely permitted this kind of examination, I doubt not, that I might have been as highly gratified as those who saw, for the sense of touch conveys to my mind as clear, or at least as satisfactory, ideas of the form, and I think I may add, the force of expression, as sight does to others. I did occasionally examine them in this way by stealth, when I was apprised that the soldiers’ backs were turned towards me.

After leaving the Vatican, I walked with a friend in the gardens of the Villa Medici, where we met the Cardinal Pacca, to whom I had the honour of being introduced, and who behaved in the most polite and affable manner, conversing with me for some time in French.

On Saturday, the 12th of April, a criminal was guillotined in the Piazza del Popolo, for committing various robberies and murders, notwithstanding, he was only twenty-three years of age. Criminals are not here arraigned before their judge and accusers, but the charge is examined, and the sentence awarded in private; nor is the convict acquainted with the nature of his sentence, if the punishment of death is decreed, until the middle of the night before execution, when a priest gives the information, and urges him to confession, in which case, the sentence is carried into effect at nine o’clock in the morning; otherwise, if he refuses to confess, it is deferred until three in the afternoon.

In the middle of the night, of the 11th and 12th of April, a fire broke out in the house where one of my particular friends, Mr. H⸺, resided, and which compelled him to remove Mrs. H⸺, his family, and valuable effects, in the first instance, into the middle of the street, and afterwards to the residence of a friend. The accident originated in the apartment of an Italian lawyer, who resided on the floor above Mr. H⸺, and, in consequence of a drunken servant dropping a candle on his straw mattress; the whole room was soon in flames, which burst out from the windows, and made a most frightful appearance, but were at length extinguished by throwing in buckets of water, and without communicating beyond the room in which they commenced. Perhaps I ought rather to say, they extinguished themselves for want of more fuel, having lasted until the few contents of the room were consumed, being prevented from extending, in consequence of the stone floors and staircase, and the thickly plastered walls. The engines were brought, and immense crowds of people assembled, evidently for amusement, for although Mr. H⸺ exerted himself to the utmost to extinguish the flames, he could not induce the by-standers to give the least assistance. In the morning, his family returned to their apartments, without having sustained any other injury than the fright.

On Sunday I attended divine service, at the English place of worship, which was a large room in the house of Mrs. L⸺. After this I visited the Capitol, where I met with no one to prevent my touching the statues, &c. In the evening, we had some delightful music and singing in the Chiesa Nuova, the operatic character of which, however, impressed me more with the idea of a theatre, than a church. After this we concluded the day at Dr. C⸺’s.

We had now several rainy days, which prevented my getting out as usual. On Thursday the 12th, I again visited the Vatican, with increased pleasure, as I was enabled to recognise many of the statues as old acquaintances. On the following day, Mr. C⸺ and myself visited the churches of St. Pietro in Vinculis; Sta. Maria Maggiore; St. Martin; and the chapel of Remus.

We afterward explored the baths of Titus, the Forum, and the Coliseum. At the latter, we remained some time examining the Arena; we ascended the long staircases; traversed the encircling corridors; looked into the baker’s oven; and carried off, as sacred relics, a small piece of brick pavement, and one of the many wild plants, which grew upon the walls. During this research, a monk, attended by a number of followers, entered the Amphitheatre, took his station near the centre, and treated us with an exhibition of very correspondent character, to what had so frequently been displayed on this spot, during the periods of the glory of Rome. He paced backwards and forwards upon the space of a few yards, ranting most violently, and accompanying his voice with such gesticulations and actions, that he might, by a slight effort of imagination, have been readily mistaken for a wild beast displaying on the Arena. I am almost ashamed to acknowledge, that a ludicrous comparison of former, with present times, suggested itself to our minds while he was detailing to an admiring and approving audience, in this roaring manner, the virtues of the blessed Virgin, and asserting her claims to be worshipped in preference to our Saviour himself, and every other power in heaven or on earth, above or below; the only cool spectators besides ourselves, were three German artists, who, however, paid a greater compliment to the orator than we did, for although they continued their sketches of the building, they took off their hats out of respect for the religion of the country.

CHAP. XVI.

ROME.

The ensuing week was the holy one preceding Easter, and of course observed at Rome with extraordinary solemnity.

On the Sunday, being Palm-Sunday, the pope entered the Sistine chapel about nine o’clock, when the ceremony commences; but I shall not attempt to describe the various arrangements of the great and little palm-branches, or the number of kisses bestowed on the pontiff’s hand and toe.

On Monday we had a rainy morning, but it cleared off in the afternoon. About four o’clock the king of Naples arrived on his way from Florence, and was received with salutes of cannons, bands of music, and other honours.

Tuesday was also a rainy day, and I did not attend the ceremonies of the Roman church. To-day a select party of friends dined at Francis’s hotel, and amongst the rest a young American physician, Dr. G⸺, who had been a companion of my friend Mr. C⸺ and his son, in a felucca voyage from Naples, and for the last three weeks had been laid up in the house with a fever, taken from exposure on their journey to the Malaria, or exhalations arising from the marshy grounds about the mouth of the Tiber, where they were detained two days, by the necessity of obtaining permission from Cardinal Gonsalvi to land. The vessel they had engaged, had previously been employed in the charcoal trade, and the gentlemen having ordered a quantity of clean straw to be placed in the hold as a more commodious birth, the consequence was, that the coal dust, from the motion of the vessel, worked up into the straw from the chinks between the boards, so that in the morning, when they turned out, they were astonished to find they were become as dirty and swarthy as Neapolitan sailors themselves.

There are three _misereres_ performed in Passion week: the first was sung on Wednesday; the second on Thursday, and the last on Good Friday; all of which I attended. To describe as they merit, these exquisite pieces of vocal music, requires a power which I do not possess; they must be heard to be comprehended; it appears to me beyond the reach of art, to bring an assemblage of human voices to the perfection which was here attained; and to produce such modulations of heavenly harmony: had I not been assured to the contrary, I could not have believed but they must have been assisted by the finest-toned instruments:—

“Can any mortal mixture of earth’s mould
Breathe such divine enchanting ravishment?”

Much as I had heard of the rapturous effect; it far exceeded any expectation I had formed; notwithstanding, it is unusual to find the objects of extravagant eulogy, afford a real, or proportionate, gratification.