THE LIBRARY
OF
THE UNIVERSITY
OF CALIFORNIA
LOS ANGELES
TRAVELS
THROUGH
GERMANY,BOHEMIA, HUNGARY,
SWITZERLAND, ITALY, and LORRAIN.
Giving a TRUE and JUST
DESCRIPTION
O F T H E
PRESENT STATE of thofe COUNTRIES;
T H E IR
NATURAL, LITERARY, and POLITICAL HISTORY;
MANNERS, LAWS, COMMERCE, MANUFACTURES, PAINT-
ING, SCULPTURE, ARCHITECTURE, COINS, ANTIQUITIES,
CURIOSITIES of ART and NATURE, &c.
With COPPER-PLATES, engraved from Drawings taken
on the Spot.
By JOHN GEORGE KEYSLER,
Fellow of the ROYAL SOCIETY in LONDON.
Carefully tranflated from the Second Edition of the GERMAN.
IN FOUR VOLUMES.
THE THIRD EDITION.
VOL III.
LONDON:
Printed for G. KEITH in Gracechurch-Street ; A. LINDE in Catherine-
Street; S. CROWDER and Co. London-Bridge; ?. DAVEY and
B. LAW in Ave-Maria-La.ne; T. FIELD in Cheapiide; and
in the Poultry. M DCC LX.
xxxxx
xxxxx
CONTENTS
O F T H E
THIRD VOLUME.
LETTER LVI.
Journey from Rome to Naples - - Page i
LETTER LVII.
Of natural Curiofities in the Kingdom of Naples 16
LETTER LVIII.
Of the city of Naples in general, and its public Build-
ings --- 39
LETTER LIX.
Churches, and other religious Edifices at Naples - 48
LETTER LX.
Of the Antiquities and natural Curiofities near the City of
Naples towards Puzzuolo, Baise, Cuma, Mifeno,
&c. ------ 108
LETTER LXI.
Journey from Rome to Loretto - - 156
LETTER LXII.
Defcription of Loretto -- 179
LETTER LXIII.
Account of Ancona, and feveral Kinds of Fifhes in the
Adriatic Sea j of Senigallia, Fano, Pefaro, Rimini,
the
479361
CONTENTS.
the River Rubicon; alfo of the Towns of Cecena
and Cervia 207
LETTER LXIV.
Account of Ravenna, Ferrara, Faenza, and Imola 23 1
BETTER LXV.
Defcription of the City of Bologna' 247
LETTER LXVI.
Account of Modena and Reggio 304
LETTER LXVII.
Obfervations on Parma andPlacentia 320
LETTER LXVin. '
Journey to Cremona and Mantua 337
LETTER LXIX
Account of the City of Verona 347
LETTER LXX.
Account of Vicertza ' 372
LETTER LXXI.
Account of the Cjty of Padua 378
LETTER LXXII.
Defcription of the Country about Abano, Catajo, Batag-
lia Arqua, &c. "4*9
Chronological and hiftorical Lift of the moft celebrated
Painters, fmce the Revival of Painting in the thir-
teenth Century - -. . 433
TRAVELS
ill
TRAVELS
THROUGH
GERMANY, ITALY, SWITZERLAND, &c.
.fy~%..&.,.$..-&..&^
LETTER LVI.
Journey from ROME to NAPLES.
S I R,
H E gates of Rome are never {hut, fo that at
any hour by day or night a traveller may go
out or come i nto tne c - t y w i t h out ariy difficul-
^' * n trave ^ n S f rom R me to Naples it is
very inconvenient to go with the Vetturini;
for though the road they take lies over Monte
Caffino, and confequently gives one an opportunity of fee*-
ing the celebrated Benedictine monaftery on that hill ; yet it
is attended with the mortification of being five days on the
road, and paying the Vetturini an extraordinary price for
their lofs of time. The abbey of Monte Caffino ftands on Abbey on
a high mountain, the afcent to which is near two German Monte Caf-
miles. The fathers are very courteous and hofpitable; the fmo *
profpeft from this abbey is charming, the library well kept,
and the revenues very confiderable: but what gains it an un-
Voi,. III. common
2 From ROME to NAPLES.
common veneration among the Roman-catholics, is, that
here St. Benedict, the patriarch of the^ monks among the
weftern Chriftians, firft iniUtuted his order, which has pro-
duced fo many eminent pcrfonages. For in the year 1688,
.the regifters of this order contained four emperors, twelve
empreffes, forty popes, one and forty queens, forty-fix kings,
fifty patriarchs, two hundred cardinals, fixteeri hundred arch-
bifhops, -four thoufand fix hundred bifhops, and three thou-
famffrx hundred canonized fs'irlts.
In the road from Rome to Torre di mezza via, which is
Velletri. .the firft ftage, are to be feen the noble ruins of fdnae ancient
aquedufts. Velletri. lies at the diftance of three pofts or
ftages from Rome, on a hill, and is celebrated by Pliny,
lib. xiv. c. 6. for the excellency of its wine ; but at prefent
it is much degenerated, being fo rough as to be hardly drink-
able, unlefs it be boiled. The vineyards or mountains near
Setia, not far from CafaNuova, have degenerated in the fame
manner ; for they are now almoft barren, whereas they pro-
duced a great quantity of generous wine, for which Setia is
celebrated by Martial, Strabo, Athenaeus, Statius, Juvenal,
and Pliny. The author laft mentioned fays, . That Au-
* guftus preferred the Setia wine to any other.' The princi-
Ginettipa- pal, and indeed, the only palace now in Velletri, is that
which formerly belonged to the family of Ginetti, and fince
devolved to prince Lancellotti. It was built by cardinal
Ginetti, .from a defign of the famous architect Lunghi, and
is faid to have coft five hundred thoufand fcudi^ or crowns.
The great flair-cafe is built with white marble, and is fo
magnificent and well-contrived, that itpafTes for the fineft in
all Italy. In the aparments are a great number of fine
ftatues, bufto's bajjo-relievo > s^ and paintings. The moft re-
-markable among the firft are, a Venus with Cupid, and the
fable of the unfortunate Dirce in little, after the manner of
the Toro Farnefe. The profpect from the gardens is ex-
tremely beautiful : they are alfo ornamented with fine pieces
of fculpture, particularly four pillars, which were brought
hither from the temple of Mars at Velletri, and feveral an-
tique farcvptragi, dug up in that neighbourhood ; one of
which, from the naval ornaments carved on it, is thought
to have belonged to a fea-officer. Plates of thefe antiques
are to be fen in cardinal orradini's Vetus Latium profanum
& facrum, continued by Vulpi, a learned Jefuit.
Among the antiquities collected by the Borgia family in
their houfe at Velletri, the bufto's of a philofopher, and the
emperor Pertinax, are worth obferving*
In
From ROME to NAPLES.
In the market-place, near the Ginetti palace, is a fuperb
bronze ftatue of Urban VIII. who is reprefented in his pon-
tifical habit pronouncing the benediction : this ftatue was de-
figned by Bernini. It fiands on a marble pedeftal, and, as
appears by the infcription, was erected in 1637.
Miflbn, relying on the authority of Suetonius, affirms that
Auguftus was born at Rome, and that Velletri has no claim
to the honor of being the place of his birth j but from the whether
fame hiftorian (chap. v. and xciv. of his life of Auguftus j the
and from the be^inninaj of the 55th book of Dio Caffius, it Au g" ftus
, i t -\ c \r 11 i was born at
appears, that this emperor s family was of Velletri, and Velletri.
that he himfelf was educated at a feat in the neighbourhood
of that town.
About three Italian miles from Velletri, towards Nettuno,
at a place called le Cento Colonne, are the remains of an
ancient refervoir, or fimpond j and not far from Velletri, to-
wards Cintiano, are to be feen the ruins of a magnificent pa-
lace, which is thought to have been the refidence of the em-
peror Otho, as the hill on which it flood is ftill called Colle
Ottone. Copper-plates of fome lofty vaulted rooms ftill re-
maining, and of the above-mentioned refervoir, are to be Remains of
feen in Corradints Vetus Latium continuatum. torn, IV. tab. iii. Otho ' s P a *
, Jace.
and ix.
On the left hand, near Cifterna, which is the fourth ftage
from Rome, ftands a noble palace belonging to prince Ca-
ferta. Sermoneta lies in a marfhy unheathful foil. The
name of this country, in Pliny's time, was Palus Pomptina ;
but inftead of twenty-three towns which flood there in his
time, only a few hpufes fcattered through the country are
now to be feen *. It appears indeed from trabo [Geogr*
lib. v.) that the air of this country was reckoned very un-
healthy in ancient times, and Silius Italicus terms it Campus
Pomptinus peftifer : but at prefent it is more noxious than
ever, as the extent of the fens and ftagnating waters, which
were the caufes of its infalubrity, is now increafed. The
woods about Cifterna and Sermoneta, especially thofe to the
fouth of the former, intercept a great part of the infectious
exhalations, which otherwife the ibutherly winds muft have
carried towards Rome, where they naturally would be at-
tended with very pernicious confequences. For this reafon,
* Plin. Hift. Nat. lib. iii. c. 5. vide Corradini Latium, torn. II.
B 2 in
4 From ROME to NAPLES.
in 1714, the pope would not permit the duke di Sermoneta
\vho could have made it turn to a very great account, to cut
down thofe woods at once : for a commiffion of feveral car-
dinals was appointed to examine the affair, and Lancifi, the
pope's phyfician (a very competent judge of fuch matters) be-
ing confulted, laid before them a weighty remonftrance, fetting
forth the evils that would refult to the city of Rome by cut-
ting down this wood, unlefs it was done gradually by certain
parcels and divifions. Accordingly a proper regard was paid
to his opinion, and the wood was cut down in fuch a manner,
as to allow one part of it time to grow before another part
was touched.
Sermoneta lies on the left of the road from Rome to Na-
Sermoneta. p| es , ^ j g f ltuate( } on an em j ne nce well planted with olive-
trees. The road as far as Cafa Nuova is along a flat coun-
"try, and being interfperfed with ancient ruins, is not unplea-
St Paul's ^ ant '* amon g which, thofe on the left, called Tre-Taverna,
three is faid to be the place mentioned in the twenty-eighth chapter
taverns. o f the Ats of the Apoftles. Beyond Cafa Nuova the road
bears to the left into a delightful valley, from which to Pi-
perno is a continual afcent j thefe parts alfo abound with
olive plantations. Thofe who are fond of natural curiofities
may meet with fome entertainment in the various petrefac-
tions to be found there. From Piperno the road lies through
a large wood of cork-trees, the bark of which is thick, and
being ftripped off for ufe, grows again in two years time.
This tree is an ever-green, with leaves refembling thofe of a
pear or plumb-tree, and bears a kind of maft *. This tree
is to be met with on the other fide of Piperno, and likewife
in Spain, and the fouthern parts of France.
Terracina, by the ancients called Anxur, lies on a hill,
erracuia. an( j j g ^ j,^ town j n t ^ e p a p a j dominions. The country in
this neighbourhood, excepting fome morafles, is very fruit-
ful, and produces good wines. It exhibits feveral delightful
gardens, and is interfperfed with little groves of orange-trees
which grow in the open fields. Both here and further on to-
wards Naples, are to be feen great quantities of a kind of
fruit called coroba y or corobola, refembling large bean-fhells.
The whole country hereabouts has the appearance of a deli-
cious garden, fo that it is not at all furprifing that the antient
pagan inhabitants (as appears from the images of that deity
* It is a kind of ever-green oak, and bears acorns, as I obferved in
France ; fo that the author's defcription of it is not very accurate.
carved
From ROME to NAPLES. 5
carved in rmmberlefs places) fhould pay divine honors to Pri-
apus, the god or patron of gardens *.
Juft beyond Terracina are to be feen the ruins of the tern- Remains of
pie of Janus, the palaces of Julius Caefar, Adrian, and other anti iuity.
remains of antiquity ; particularly the Via Appia, which
here reaches from Mola to the river Garigliano. This
famous road derives its name from Appius Claudius the cen-
for, who made it at his own expence, from Rome to Capua.
From Tacitus's annals, Strabo, and Horace, it appears, that
it extended as far as Brundufium in their time j yet they
make no mention of the perfon by whom it was continued.
As there are other roads to Bruridifi, and this is in fome
places extremely damaged, paflengers do not always keep the
Via Appia : however, by the conftant and durable repairs
beftowed on it, it may be travelled hereabouts without any
confiderable inconveniency. The ftones of this pavement
are about a foot and a half fquare, and fo hard and firmly
cemented, as to have flood the continued frictions of car-
riages, &c. for above two thoufand years. This caufey is
twenty pa/mi broad, and affords fufficient room for two car-
riages to go abreft. From Terracina there is a fine view of
the fea to the right, which is fo. near the road, that at the dif-
tance of an Italian mile from that town, there was a necef-
fity of breaking down a piece of a rock to clear the way,
which there runs clofe by the fea. Three miles further on
this road is the frontier wall of the kingdom of Naples, infcription
called Portello, which extends itfelf, according to fame, from at the Nea-
the hill to the fea, or at leaft to a fort, where, in war time, P? litan fron '
the Neapolitans keep a garrifon. On that fide of the gate
which looks towards Naples is the following infcription :
* Sinum lattis, f b#c te liba, Priape, quotannh
Exfpe&arefat eft : cujlos es paitpens borti.
Nuac te marmoreum pro tempore fecimus : at tu t
Sif&tura gregtmfufiple-verit, aureus ejio.
VIRG. Ed. vii. v. jj.
This bowl of milk, thefe cakes, our country fare, ")
For thee, Priapus, yearly we prepare, S
Becaufe a little garden is thy care. J
But if the falling lambs increafe my fold,
Thy marble ftatue /hall be turn'd to gold.'
DRYDEN.
B 3 Phillppo
From ROME to NAPLES.
Pbittppo II. Rege Catholico
Perafi Alcalee Duce pro- Rege.
Hofpes^ hie funt fines Regni Neapolitan}.
Si amicus advents, pacata omnla invenies
y, malls moribus pulfis, bonas leges.
Anno Domini MDLXVIIL
' Stranger, thefe are the frontiers of the kingdom of Na-
ples. If thou comeft as a friend, thou fhalt meet with
humane treatment ; vice and diforders being here fupprefTed
by the happy influence of falutary laws. This infcription.
was put up in the reign of Philip II. king of Spain, the
duke of Alcala being vice-roy of Naples, and in the year
of Chrift 1568.'
In going from Rome to Naples it is requifite to have a
pafs-port which is given gratis by the imperial minifter, or
the cardinal-agent ; and in returning from Naples to Rome
Difference another pafs-port muft be procured from the vice-roy. In
betwixt the both of them is fpecified the time of their continuing in
Neapolitan f rce 5 however it was not till we came to Mola that any
dominions, pafs-port was required of our company : at Terracina, and
even at the fort we were not afked to produce it. The ec-
clefiaftical itate and the kingdom of Naples are diftinguifhed
by giving the appellation of La Campagna to the former,
and // Regno to the latter : but the difference between them
is very vifible, the kingdom of Naples being much more
populous and better cultivated than the papal territories.
It is with pleafure I recall the idea of the fine profpecl: all
the way from Fondi to Iteri : the country to the right pro-
duces grofs, flax, and wheat, interfperfed by double rows of
vines, the upper branches of which are interwoven in a
beautiful manner. This profpecl terminates with a view of
the fea, which diverfifies this charming fcene, by the vaft
number of tartans and o.ther veflels continually failing on it.
On the left-hand the profpecl: is not inferior to it, being
variegated with vines, olive and mulberry trees, lofty, cy-
prefies, and orange-groves, terminated by a diftant range of
hills ; nor is the country beyond Mola lefs beautiful or fertile.
In the neighbourhood of the Gargliano the foil alters for the
worfe, but upon crofling the river, the road lies through a
level and moft delicious country.
The
From ROME to NAPLES.
The firft town in the Neapolitan dominions on this
is Fondi. In 1534 it fuffered extremely by the attempt of Story of
Hariaden BarbarofTa to carry ofF Julia Gonzaga, countefs of J" !ia Gon ~
Fondi, a celebrated beauty, with a view of presenting her to^ a
the grand Signior. However, her virtue or modefty was of
the favage kind, if the ftory be true, that a gentleman who
refcued her in her fhift with the utmoft hazard of his life,
was afterwards aflaflinated by her order, merely becaufe he
had feen her in fuch a plight. If this execrable murder had
been perpetrated by her hufband Vefpaiiano Colonna in a fit
of jealoufy, which is almoft natural to an Italian hufband, it
would in fomemeafure have exculpated the lady ; but Julia's
unheard of villany and ingratitude admits of no excufe. Bran-
tome in his Les Vies des Dames illuftres^ or Lives of illuftrious
Ladies, and from him Varillas in his hiftory of Francis I. give
a particular account of the whole transaction. They tell us,
that Julia being awakened by the outcries at the approach of
the Turks, leaped out of a window in her Ihift, and efcaped
to the neighbouring mountains. There is not a word in
thefe authors of a cavalier afliiling her in making her efcape.
On the contrary it is added, that {he fell into the hands of
the Banditti ; and though Julia afterwards protefted upon
oath, that as foon as they knew who me was, they obferved
all the diftant refpecl due to her dignity, few people could be
brought to belive that fo tempting an objecl: had fuffered no
indignity or indecency among a troop of fuch lawlefs and
brutal people. This little agrees with the account above
of the gallantry and fubfequent murder of the fuppofed ca-
valier. But Brantome and Varillas are both miftaken in giv-
ing the name of Livia to the countefs, and of Afcanius to
Vefpafiano Colonna her hufband. Barbarofla being difap-
pointed of his prize, vented his rage by destroying and.
pillaging the town, not fparing fo much as the tombs of two
dukes of Colonna; and befides exercifing other cruelties,
carried away many of the inhabitants into flavery.
Mola is fituated near the fea, where the emperor has a
cuftom-houfe and a fmall garrifon which is relieved every
week from Gae'ta. Here is a garden very well kept, with
fine walks and abundance of orange-trees. Near Mola are
to be feen the ruins of a palace, which, according to fome
infcriptions faid to be found in it, belonged to Cicero ; but
the grotto's and fubterraneous vaults were very much da-
maged in the prefent century by the imperialifts, who when
ikey laid fjege to Gaeta, made this place their magazine. It
B 4 was
8 From ROME to NAPLES.
Death of was on a journey from hence to fome other place that Cicero
Cicero. was a flf a fiinated by that ungrateful wretch Popilus Laenas.
At Mola the two unfortunate German princes Frederic of
Auftria, and Conrad of Suabia, were discovered and fent to
Naples, where they were beheaded. Thefe remarkable
events have caufed Mola to make fome figure in hiftory,
though they are fuch tranfaclions as cannot be thought of
without regret. However, it is the opinion of fome men,
of learning, that Cicero's laft place of refidence^was Aftura,
and not Mola *.
fDae'ta. The fortrefs of Gae'ta lies three Italian miles from Mola,
and by water is an hour's pafiage. As Gaeta is fuppofed to
have derived its name from Cajeta, ./Eneas's nurfe, who, as
Virgil tells us, died and was buried here, the people, ac-
cording to the common practice in Italy, might have found
fome ruin or other to have {hewn to ftrangers for her mo-
nument j but nothing of that kind is pretended : however,
on a fortified eminence is to be feen Rolando's tower, as it
is called, or rather an ancient maufoleum of Lucius Muna-
tius Plancus, as appears by the following infcription :
L. Munatius. L. F. L. N. L. Pron.
Plancus. Co/. Cenf. Imp. Iter.VII. Vir.
EpuL Triump. ex. Ratis. adem. Saturni.
Fecit, de. manibiis. agros. diviftt. in. Italia*
Beneventi. in. Gall'ia. colonias. dednxit.
Lugdunum. & Rauricam,
In
* Other writers place the laft refidence of this famous orator at Cajeta,
where he had another villa. It muft be owned, that Cicero's irrefolution
and fear towards the laft fcene of his life, is inconfiftent with the firmnefs
of a philofopher. One while his apprehenfions hurry him to fea, then lie
haftens to get aftiore 5 now he entertains a glimmering hope in the clemency
of his enemies : this is iucceeded by a whimfical thought of ftealing pri-
vately into Auguftus's hcufe and there killing himfelf, from an idle notion,
that his ghoft would haunt that emperor. Amidft thofe fludtuations he is
furpriaed by that parricide Popilius, whom his eloquence had faved from
the gallows. His attendants, partly by force and partly by intreaties, got
him into a litter and made towards the fea ; but they were foon overtaken,
and the greateft orator that Rome ever produced died obfcurely, being be-
headed in a place of no note. The infults of Fulvia offered to the head of
this great man after his death, are ftill more mocking. Dio Caff. (/.-iff.
lib. xlvii.^ fays, Caput Ciceronis arreptum infultans amarulentls verbis &
tonfynens genibus fuis impofuit Fulvia, ortque ejus aperto llnguam extraflam
qualesfecum comendi capjtis caujfi mulieresferunt, compunxit, addith
crebris
From ROME to NAPLES.
In the fourth line, I conceive Manibiis {lands for Manu-
biis, and from the offices with which this Plancus, /(who
jived in Auguftus's time, and had been a hearer of Cicero,)
was inverted, this work muft have been erected about fifteen
years before the birth of Chrift. Some are for making this
tower a temple of Saturn built by Munatiua ; but this con-
jecture is overthrown by the infcription, from which it may
be demonftrated to have been his monument, tho' it wants
the ufual preamble of Diis Manibus ; and the enumeration
'of the high offices he had filled might in his life-time, and by
his order, be placed on every edifice of his building. Sue-
tonius in the life of Octavius Caefar, fays, that it was by the
advice of this Plancus that the furname of Auguftus was
conferred on that emperor, preferably to that of Romulus.
The city of Lugdimum or Lyons, mentioned in the infcrip-
tion, was totally cbnfumed by fire in Seneca's time, exactly
two hundred years from the foundation thereof, as appears
from the niilety-firfl: letter of that philofopher, lib. i. Seven
years after, Nero (as Tacitus writes, Annal xvi. c, 13.) laid
a plan for rebuilding it.
On the Monte della Trinita, the Benedictines have a Fiffurc
church, near which is to be feen a rock with a large cleft, rock.}
reaching from the fummit of it down to the bottom of the fea.
That it was not originally fo, appears from the cavities and
convexities on the two oppofite fides, which if they could be
brought into contact, would be found to correfpond exact-
ly. But whether this difruption of the rock happened mira-
culoufly at the time of our Saviour's paffion, is another
queftion. This opinion is grounded only upon modern, and
confequently fufpicious, traditions, and is abfolutely contra-
dicted by thofe who confine the miracles which the Holy
Scriptures mention to have accompanied the death of Chrift
to Judea ; for they alledge, that in other parts of the world
where people were ignorant of the matter in proof of which
N< :hcy were wrought, they would have carried neither convic-
tion nor information *. But whenever the earthquake hap-
pened
crebris ac titrpibus opprobnis. ' Fulvia furioufly fiezing Cicero's head,
fpit on it with the moft bitter revilings } then letting it on her knees, and
opening the mouth, drew out the tongue, and with a bodkin, fuch as
f women ftick in their hair, (he pierced it through and through, in the
mean time pouring forth the fevered reproaches agahift the orator.'
* This remarkable fiflure is unqueftionably to be attributed to an earth-
quake, tho' not to that which happened at the death of our Saviour. The
facred
IQ From ROME to NAPLES.
pc'hed the effec-t is furprifing and worthy of obfervation.
The rent is about four or five feet wide, and by a flight of
fteps you pafs through it to a fmall chapel called Capello del
Crocififib, from which there is a fine view of the fea. The
Benedictine church ftands about fifty-nine paces from this
chapel, fifty-one of which are taken up by the rock, of
which the monks prefent ftrangers with fome fmall frag-
ments. To thefe fragments the grateful bigots fhew a
8;reat veneration, and give the monks a fmall offering or alms,
which they need not grudge, the fathers alluring them, that
S'lperftition they are now poflcfled of a fovereign prefervative againft the
concerning head-ach, falling-ficknefs, &c. Tartans and other veflels, as
they pafs by the lower chapel, ufually falute it with a gun,
and lying upon their oars, perform a devotional office with
mufic, or fend amore to the convent a pecuniary offering, at
leaft, equal to the expence of a falute. But what is more
extraordinary the infidel Corfairs, have frequently fent a fum
of money to the monks in acknowledgment of their prefer -
vation in bad weather, upon addreiling their devotions to this
chapel.
Fwncifcan The Francifcan convent here boafts of having been the
convent. refidence of the founder of that feraphic order, as it is ftiled ;
Place where and by the fea-fide, without the Porta di Ferro, is fhewn the
St. Francis pi ace where St. Francis flood when he preached with fuch
thTnihes. 10 P ower that the veiy fifties raifed themfelves above the fur-
face of the water, liftening to his voice.
Confederated In the choir of the cathedral hangs the confecrated ftandard
prefented by pope Pius V. to Don John, on his going to fea
to fight againft the Turks as commander in chief of the uni-
ted fleets of the Chriftian powers : in the middle of this flag
is reprefented our Saviour on the crofs, and St. Peter, and St.
Paul, with this motto:
In hoc figno vinces.
* This is the ftandard by which thou (halt conquer.'
The people never fail to pay their devout adorations to
this ftandard.
facred hiftorians make mention of many miracles and prodigies which hap-
pened at that time, but without particularly fpecifying the places. Phlegoh
Trallian indeed Ipeaks of a limilnr earthquake in Bithynia ; but the date
being in the 4th year of the aozd Olympiad, it cannot be reconciled with
the time of ChriiVs pafiion, See Bayle on the word Pblegon,
The
From ROME to NAPLES. 11
The la/Jo-relievo's on the marble font exhibit Fauns and Remarkable
fatyrs dancing, and Mercury delivering Bacchus to Ino*
to be nurfed. The workmanfhip is exquifite, and, as ap-
pears by the following infcription, was done by Salpion an
Athenian :
2 A A n i n N
A H N A 1 O :?
E n O I H 2 E.
c Salpion, an Athenian, carved it.
This vafe, fupported by four lions of marble, was brought
from the ruins of Formia to Gaeta, and probably belonged
to a temple of Bacchus. The ftatue of ^fculapius, facing
the altar of the holy facrament, has been defcribed by Mif-
fon, torn. II. p. 23. Beiides this, there is another fmall
pagan idol alfo fixed in the church-wall. On a pillar near
eighteen feet high, is a curious piece of fculpture, repre-
fenting the martyrdom of St. Erafmus, whofe body, depofi-
ted in this church, is to be feen. A fubterraneous chapel
under this cathedral is painted by Brandi. The altar and,
the baluftrade before it are of beautiful inlaid marble ; here
are alfo fix ftatue,s of caft filver, as big as the life. The
tower is faid to have been built by Frederic Barbarofla, by-
way of attonement for his fins.
Near the door of the caftle, which {lands upon a hill, is R ema ; ns O f
fhewn the remains of the famous Charles of Bourbon, with the famous
a wooden lower-jaw inferted to fupply the place of the na- Charles de
tural one, long fince decayed. This nobleman was fhot in
florming Rome, and thus dying under the pope's excom-
munication, and being openly in arms againft the holy fee,
he could not be allowed a burial-place in confecrated ground ; .
arid to leave him unburied, or lay him among the vulgar,
did not feem compatible either with his dignity, or the fegard
due to his eminent fervices. The Spaniard^, therefore, had
recourfe to another expedient, for they dried his corps like a
mummy, and iet it up here. He ftands in a clofer, being
properly cloathcd ; his boots are yellow, with red facings ;
and the ftockings, which come but a little above the boots,
have a border of fine lace. In 1719 general Prampero, go*;
vernor of the city, had this memorable fkeleton new cloath-
ed in blue trimmed with filver, and furnifhed it with a fword,
cane, and hat and feather. Over the clofet-door are thefe
lines in Spanilh :
Fran/fa
12 From ROME to NAPLES.
to
***. Francia me dio la leche, Efpanna fuerza y Ventura.
-;ii yjisma me dio la muertc, y Gaeta la fepultura,
< France gave me birth, Spain flrcngth and honours gave,
' Rome my death's wound, and Gaeta a grave.'
Ciacconi, in his life of Clement VII. p. 465, gives us the
following epitaph on this famous warrior :
Autfo Imperio, Gallo viflo,
Superala Italia, Pontifice obfejfi,
Roma capta,
Carolus Borbonius in viftoria cafas
Hie jacet,
' Here lies Charles de Bourbon, who after enlarging the
* empire, defeating the French, conquering Italy, befieg-
' ing the Pope, and taking Rome, loft his life in the midft
* of a victory.'
However, it is a known ftory, that a. Spaniard, in whofe
houfe the duke had taken up his quarters, fet fire to it the
very next day, to efface the infamy of its having harboured
a traitor ; and indeed all the epitaphs written on this hero
are far from running in the fame {train.
On each fide of the fkeleton is an infcription, one in Ita-
lian, the other in French ; both of which are to the fame
purpofe. The latter, which has been incorrectly printed
before, is as follows :
Au Charles Due. de Bourbon de la Malfon Royale de France^
Grand Connetable du Royaume, clair par fa naiffance, plus clalr
par fa fortune , qui perfecute de fen Roy, protege de P Empereur
C:ng, fait j on Capita! n General de I Armee, glorieux par fes ex-
ploits 6f par ft-s vicicires emportees fur les trouppes du metne Roy,
ait il fit prifonnier e.n Pavie, ? acbeminant a la ville de Rome, ou
chaciiti croyoft, qttil alia triompher, comme un Her as de FAnti-
quite, it y fut tue pendant le Jjege 1527. Son corps cnbaume flit
iranfporte^M Gaeta & Monf. le General Comte de Prampero,
GouvernfUr de cette place & de fan chateau pour donner un ad-
mirable exemple aux autres Mini/ires de tres jujle Impereur
Charles Six^ rejlaura le tombeau 1719.
4 To Charles duke of Bourbon, of the blood-royal of
* France, conftable of the kingdom, illuftrious by his birth,
and
From ROME to NAPLES. .13
and yet more fo by his perfonal merit, who being perfecutecl
by his fovereign, was protected by the emperor Charle V.
and made captain-general of his army, in which quality he
acquired immortal honour by his glorious exploits, having
feveral times defeated the troops of that king by whom he
had been injured, and taken him prifoner at Pavia 5 from
thence he directed his march to Rome, into which it was
expelled he would have entered in triumph, like the heroes
of antiquity ; but he was killed in an aflault during the
fiege of that city, in 1527. His body was embalmed and
fent to Gae'ta, where, by the generality of the count de
Prampero, governor of that town and caftle, to let a
worthy example to the other pfficers of the moft gracious
emperor Charles VI. this monument was repaired in the
year 1719.'
Formerly the officers of this garrifon, when in their .tups, Drinking
on any public rejoicings, ufed to take off the duke's, fkull, ut .? fa
and fill it with liquor, in order to drink healths out of it j "
but this favage cuftom frequently occasioning quarrels,
fome of which had unhappy confequences, has been for-
bidden *.
The garrifon of Gae'ta at prefent conflfts of a thoufand men. Siege of
In 1707 this place was taker! fword in hand by the Imperial ifh, Gaeuin
under Count Dauri, after a fiege which greatly redounded to * 707 '* -
the honour both of the befieged and aflailants ; the Spanifh
garrifon having fired fifteen thoufand cannot (hot, and four
thoufand bombs ; which, on the part of the Germans, were
returned with twenty thoufand of the former, and fourteen
thoufand of the latter. The marquis de Vigliena, after-
wards vice-roy of Naples, who commanded in the fort,
with two thoufand Spaniards furrendered themfelve* pri-
foners of war. The ten colours and ftandards taken on that
occafion were, purfuant to a vow made to St. Januarius,
hung up in the Capella del Teforo at Naples, where they
are ftill to be feen f.
About eight Italian miles from Mola is a ruinous aqueduct,
which begins at Trajetto, a little town two miles to the left
* This favage cuftom of drinking out of the enemies fkulls was of
a very ancient date, and very common among the Scythians, Germans,
and northern nations, as appears from Herodotus, Diodorus Siculus, and
Livy.
f In 1734., Gacta was recovered by the Spaniards, and without any
considerable lofs.
14 From ROME to NAPLES.
fointuma. o f the road, on a pleafant eminence, and fome ruins of thfe
'ancient Minturna. Near it runs the Gariglianb, antiently
CarigHano. ca ii e( j t h e Liris, which was the boundary of Latiuirt. The
village of the fame name, which lies along the river, be-
longs to the Caraffa family, who alfo have the profits arif-
ing from the ferry. The author of the Voyage Hiftoriqub
d'ltalie, lately publifhed, talks of croffing the Garigliano
over a bridge (torn. II. p. 196.) but either his memory has
fbrangely failed him, or, as I am more inclined to fufpeft from
fevcral other particulars in that work, he never fet a foot in
thcfe parts. After croffing this river, the road lies through
a luxuriant country as far as Capua, and on the left lies the
<Jifhi& of Falernum, which formerly extended from SinuefFa
to the Vulturnus, and produced the famous Falerniari
wine.
Sefla. Oil a hill to the left near St. Agatha, ftands the fmall
town of Sefla. In the church is to be feen fome ancient
mofaic-work, which, however, will hot bear a comparifon
with the modern. The artift himfelf, confcious of its de-
fects, has illuftrated the imagery by placing the name under
every figure, in mofaic. This was one of the chief towns
of the ancient Volfci, under the names of Aurunca and
Suefla Pometia.
New Capua ^ n tne area before the cathedral at New Capua are feveral
large antient farcophagr^ adorned with fine bajjo-relievo's re-
prefenting facrifices and religious ceremonies ; and in the
church is a fine picture of the Annunciation.
On the town wall is the following infcription :
Philippo IV. Rege,
Romano quondam pacem imperio,
Lumen columsnque Campania^ ~
Marie, Opibus, Copiis diu flsrentem
CAP V A M
ViciJJltudine collapfam deterrlma^
Cajjam munimentis, nudatam fubinde murh,
Hoftefque props infultantes contcmplatus
Emanuel Fonfeca & Zunica Com. Mont. Reg. Vlli
conjiiia antevertens belll t
Suoque, futuroque prtscavens avo 9
Refeftis mcenibiis^ Jlruttifque propugnaculis,
Si minus priftina magnitudini,
PriflineE reftituit munitioni.
Anno Salutis hum. M.DCXXXTI.
< Capua
From ROME to NAPLES. 15
4 Capua, to which formerly the Roman empire owed its
fafcty, the glory and defence of Campania, Jong celebrated
for opulence and ftrength, being by various accidents and
viciffitudes brought to a defencelefs ftate, its fortifications
and walls being fo ruined, that it became expofed to the
continued infults of the enemy, was reftored to its antient
ftrength, though not to its former extent, by Emanuel
Fonfeca and Zunica the feventh count of Montreal, who*
to defend it from hoftile attacks, and for its prefervation
in his own and future ?ges, reparied the walls and towers,
with the addition of feveral new works, in the reign of
Philip IV. and in the year of our redemption 1636.'
A ftatue of king Charles II. of Spain is eredted in the-
market-place, with a long infjription under it, full of
adulation, &c.
The ancient Capua, which enervated Hannibal's army, old Capua,
lies two Italian miles from New Capua, on the right-hand
towards Naples. Little is to be feen of its antient Tplendor,
except the ruins of an amphitheatre ; it having fucceffively
felt the favage fury of the Vandals, Gflrogoths, and Longo-
hardians. The diftance from new Capua to Naples is fix-
teen miles ; the road lies through as fine a country as eye
ever beheld. The caufey, though of a much later date than
the Via Appia, is not at all inferior to it; and in many parts,
the rows of trees planted on each fide of it form a fine vifta
of above a mile in length. The country on each fide is di-
verfified with corn-fields, gardens, and vineyards ; and the
vines climbing up the lofty trees, and interwoven with their
luxuriant branches, form a kind of natural feftoons.
In the months of February and March a perfon muft be
very expeditious to travel feven ftages in a poft-chaife from
fung-rifing to fun-fet ; but in fummer the feven teen ftages
and a half between Rome and Naples are eafily performed
in two days. For the two chaife-horfes at every flage with-
in the Neapolitan territories, one pays eleven Carlini *, and
half as much for the chaife, if wanted. The goodnefs of
the roads, the fertility of the country, and the vigour and
ftrength of the horfes, make travelling extremely pleafant
in the Neapolitan dominions. However, one cannot be too
careful that the Louis d'or, or Spanifh piftoles, that a travel- f" 3 ^ 10 "'-
11- i i c \ n i , tout mone/.
Jer brings into this country be of the juft weight j for both
* Three (hillings and eight-pence fterling.
16 NATURAL CURIOSITIES in the
at Naples and on the road all gold coins are weighed with
more cunning than equity, and needlefs cavils raifed to make
them appear to be under weight. I remember a waiter who
belonged to an inn at Mola, a place infamous for knavery
and cheats of all kinds, peremptorily infilled that a piftole,
which he had only weighed in his hand, was too light; but.
Upon trial, it was found to be fomething above weight.
Naples, March 8, 1730. I am, &c.
LETTER LVII.
Of natural Curiofities in the Kingdom of
NAPLES.
S I R,
IT is not without reafoh that the kingdom of Naples is
termed a paradife, as it abounds with all kinds of grain,
fruit, herbage, flax, oil, and wine, in the higheft perfec-
tion* Calabria is famous for its manna ; and produces faffron
Manna. equal to the oriental, which like wile grows in other parts of
Saffron. the kingdom *.
The kingdom of Naples alfo .produces alum, vitriol, ful-
phur, rock-cryftal, marble, and feveral forts of minerals.
The wool of this country is excellent both for ftrength and
finenefs ; and it yields filk in fuch plenty, that vaft quan-
tities of it are annually exported. As for wines, it rivals
thofe of the richeft climates. Here are to be feen the fineft
flocks and herds in the world ; and Neapolitan horfes are fo
much efteemed, that to mention them is enough. The ex-
portation of thefe produces, together with great quantities of
fnuff and foap, are very confiderable funds of wealth to this
Manufac- kingdom. I muft not omit a particular manufacture, which
ture of fila- is chiefly carried on at Tarento and Rheggio, where waift-
5-fifh 1 coajts ca P s > Dockings, and gloves, are knit with a kind of
hairy filaments growing on a fpecies of fhell-fifli. In foft-
* Saffron alfo grows in the fouthern parts of Germany, and alfo in
Normandy, Languedoc, Provence, and the principality of Orange in
France. [The Englifh faffran is the beft of any in the world, but is not
mentioned by the author.
nefs
Kingdom of N A P L E S.
heCs and firienefs this ftuff yields indeed to filk ; but it re-
tains a particular glofs to the laft. The natural colour of
thefe filaments is a kind of an olive-green, and the (hell ori
which they grow is alfo commonly found about Malta, Cor-
fica, and Sardinia : I have met with fome of thefe (hells
even in the Adriatic^ which afford but few of thefe ufeful
filaments, which yield a comfortable fubfiftence to the in-
duflrious.
Among trie natural curiofities of the kingdom of Naples Laph'
may be alfo reckoned the Lapis Pbrygius *, or Pietra fun- &'"*> *
gifera, as it is commonly called, which, when laid in fhady^^.
or damp places, within a few days yields two, three, or more
fungi or muftirooms, according to the largeriefs of the
ftone. Thele are eaten by the Neapolitans; but it is a mif-
take to imagine that the vegetable proceeds fimply from a
real ftone. This Lapis Phrygius is only a hard congeries of
earth, rotten box-wood, and fprays of feveral fhrubs and
herbs, together with the rhumroom-feeds, which are fo very
fmall, as not to be diftin2;uifhed from duft, but by the help
of a very good microfcope. That thefe feemingly ftrange
fungi iffue from homogeneous feeds is manifeft from hence,
that if a mufhroom be not left to ripen on the (lone till it
drops its feeds, the ftone lofes its virtue ; or, to fpeak more
properly, the feeds being taken away before they come to
maturity, the vegetation ceafes. Warm water poured ori
the ftone is found cdnfiderably to forward the growth of thefe
fungi^ as it penetrates into the clofeft interftices, and dilates
the pores of the ftone, caufing a fermentation in the confined
fap, and fomenting the feeds to a fpeedy vegetation. The
natural feafon for thefe ftoncs, when they lie in the earth,
to produce mufKrooms, is the fpring ; but by putting them
in pots filled with moill earth, they yield them all the year
round. Poffibly many other feeds are contained in this mafs ;
though,- for want of a proper cultivation, &c. their growth
may be checked. The fungi, when the ftone is duly pre-
pared, generally appear on the third or fourth day, and ori
the fixth attain to their full maturity. They grow to the
height of a fpan above the ftone, and are of different figures.
The outfide of them is of a brovvnifh red ; but within they
are very white. Thefe fungiferous ftones are chiefly found
on eminences, but feldom in valleys and low grounds. They
* Here is another fort of Lapis P/vygktf, not unlike theEnglifli fuller's*'
arth s which is dcfcribed bv Plinv, lib. xxxvi. r . 10.
VOL. Ill, C *re
i8 NATURAL CURIOSITIES in the
are to be met with in great plenty, and of all fizes, in the
fouthem parts qf the JLccJeliaftical State, and near Fondi,
Gaeta, Itri, about Naples, and in other parts of this king-
dom. This mafs, which has neither the hardnefs of a ftone,
nor the properties of earth, by its fecundity becomes gra-
dually more porous, and decreases in weight. Paolo Boccone,
botanift to the great duke of Tufcany, afterwards a Cifter-
tian monk under the name of Silvio Boccone, and Michael
Mercati, in his Mctallotheca, publiftied in folio at Rome in
1717 by Lancifi, .whom I have frequently mentioned with
the honour due to his great abilities, have made fome re-
marks on this Lapis Pbrygitts. The heat of the climate, and
the fatnefs of the foil of Italy, is very proper, with fuitable
moifture, for producing truffles, morels, mumrooms, &c. of
Muftrooms an extraordinary fize. On an eftate called Guadagnola,
of an extra- about twenty miles from Rome, belonging to the Conti fa-
-Jnitys a verv palatable fort of mufhrooms are produced, fome
of which have weighed twenty pounds ; but unlefs they are
carefully watched, the birds are apt to peck them to pieces.
The duke of Poli prefented queen Chriftina of Sweden with
one of thof? mumrooms, which weighed thirty pounds ; of
which, on account of its extraordinary fize, Kircher has
given an accurate defcription.
MountVefu- Mount Vefuvio often fills the neighbouring country with
i terror ; but few things in nature are fo abfolutely noxious
and hurtful, as not to be productive of fome good. Even this
raging vulcano, by its fulphureous and nitrous manure, and
the heat of its fubterraneous fires, contributes not a little to
the uncommon fertility of the country about it, and the pro-
fufion of fruit, herbage, &c, with which it is every-where
covered. The fame happy effet from the fame caufe is vi-
ilble about mount ./Etna in. Sicily; where the general produce
of grain is thirty-fix fold, and in one part, when well culti-
vated, .fifty fold. Thofe are obferved to be the moft fertile
fpots which abound in fulphur, falt-petre, &c. If fuch ig-
neous and inflammable fubftances were pent up, their fer-
mentation and ebullition would be productive of the moft
calamitous effedh ; whereas they find a vent through thefe
vulcano's, and make frequent difcharges. Experience mews,
that earthquakes, after any continued eruptions of Vefuvio,
are not fo frequent, and lefs fatal in their cffedts than at other
times. The inhabitants are far from being alarmed at this
mountain's vernal eruptions, when they are not very violent;
and the air is fo far from being rendered unhealthful by them,
that
Kingdom of NAPLES. 19
that Barra, a village at the foot of Vefuvio near the tea, is
remarkable for its healthful nefs.
r Fhe ancient fertility of this mountain is celebrated by Mar-
tial in the following lilies :
'Hie ejl pampineis viridis Vefuvius um&ris 9
Prcjjerat Kic madldos nobilis uva lacus.
Hcsc juga, quam Nife colles^ plus Bacchus amavit 9
Hoc nuper Satyri Monte dedere chores.
HcC Veneris fedes, Laced&mcne gratior illl ;
Hie locus Hercuko nomine clarus erat.
Cunfta jacent flammis, & tr'ijTi merfa fayilla.
Nee fuperi vellent hoc licti(ffe fibi. Lib. ii. Epig. 105*
Vefuvio, cover'd with the fruitful vine,
Here flourifh'd once, and ran with floods of wine ;
Here Bacchus oft to the cool fhades retir'd,
And his own native Nifa lefs admir'd j
Oft to the mountain's airy tops advanc'd,
The frifking fatyrs on the fummits danc'd ;
Alcides here, here Venus grac'd the more,
Nor lov'd her fav'rite Lacedaemon more :
Now piles of ames, fpreadina; all around,
In undiflinguim'd heaps deform the ground.
The gods themfelves the ruin'd feats bemoan,
And blame the mifchiefs that themfelves have done.*
ADDISON.
Though the upper part of mount Vefuvio be covered with wines of
cinders, ames, oV. the lower parts yield three forts of ex- the growth
iquifite wine, namely, the Vino Grecc> white mufcadel, and
a wine called Lacrymte Chrijii ; the fecond has the advantage
in flavour, but will not bear any diftant exportation. At
Pietrabianca this wine is fold for a carlino and a half * per
bottle. The Vino Greco was originally made from the pro-
duce of fome vines traniplanted hither from Greece f, which
have iucceeded to admiration.
C 2 The
* About fix-pence.
f The tranfplant-ng cf vines, ?<. has often turned to the great im-
provement of them. From the vines growing near the Rhine, tranfplanted
to another climate, the celebrated Canary was firft produced ; and from
this fame vine, and that of Burgundy, we have that delicious wine brought
from the cape of Good-Hope, The China oranges, of fuch advantage to
Portugal*
2O NATURAL CURIOSITIES in the
Wine why The LacrymtE Chrljli is fo called from the drops of juice
ou ^ n S fro m the grapes when fully ripe.
This year, fo early as the clofe of February, mount Ve-
fuvio began to iflue flames ; and the fmoke was to be feen
from Naples rifmg to a confiderable height, in a large black
column, till it was broke and diflipated by the wind : this
happens in three or four minutes, and then one has a clear
fight of the top of the mountain, till another eruption
comes on in a few minutes, and throws up cinders, fmoke,
and ftones. Amidft the variety of agitations into which the
wind blows the fmoke, fome fanciful perfons have imagined
that they difcerned many forts of frightful figures. Accord-
ing to Dion Caflius, lib. xvi, in Vefpafian's time the country
. was terrified with the imaginary reprefentation of a troop of
fuliginous giants ifluing from the mouth of Vefuvio. The
fmoke is not immediately diflipated when blown from the
mountain, but expands itfelf in thick clouds. At night,
after every explofion, the mountain was obferved to difcharge
a fhort fiery column, which was feen to {hoot upwards, but
was extinguimed before it fell. Probably, this only proceeded
from the ignited ftones thrown up in a perpendicular direc-
Portugal, were tranfplanted thither from China, and from thence to
Naples, where they alfo thrive. The fame frequently holds good with
regard to animals. The wool of Andalufia is known to furpafs all other;
and yet that kind of fheep on which it grows were originally natives of
tngland, where the wool, though preferable to any other country in
urope, is inferior to the Spanifh. The Spanifh horfes, though in fome
parts of the Weft-Indies they degenerate, in Chili they become far pre-
ferable to their progenitors. The origin and defcent of nations is co-
pioufly fet forth in hiftory ; and an account of the transmigrations and
fettlements in the animal and vegetable kingdoms would be no lefs enter-
taining. The firft pheafants were aborigines of the country about the
river Phafis (which iffues from the mountains of Armenia, and runs
through Mingrelia) and are faid to have been firft brought into Greece by
the Argonauts ; red-legged partridges are natives of Numidia ; the firft,
of the turkey fowls, as they are commonly called, came from Mexico,
and were ferved up at the nuptial feaft of Charles IX, king of France, in
1570. That the difference of air, diet, &c. confiderably influences the
melioration or degeneracy confequential to thefe changes of climate is
manifeft in the human fpecies ; the iflue of negro parents, when born in
Europe, gradually acquire the fair complexibn of Europeans ; and the
descendants of the Portuguefe colonifts fettled on the weftern coaft of
Africa, are known to have cont rafted not only the African complexion of
the natives, but the woolly hair, the flat nofe, and thick lips, yet ftill re-
taining the names of their European anceftors. It is remarkable that the
rr.I'k of the European women, on their coming to Batavia in the Eaft-
Indics, becomes fo brackifh, that their children refufe the breaft, and muft
be fuckled by female negro flaves.
tion,
Kingdom of NAPLES. 21
tion, of which the greateft part, efpecially in ftill weather,
drop again into the caverns from whence they iflued. After
a week's expectation that Vefuvio would return to a ftate of
tranquillity, at the end of which, on the contrary, an in-
creafe of its violence v/as apprehended by the inhabitants, or
at leaft that it would continue longer than my purpofed ftay
at Naples ; on the fourteenth of March I refolved that its
commotion fhould not deter me from vifiting this extraordi-
nary mountain. The parties for this expedition can never
be very numerous ; hackney horfes being fcarce at Naples,
and the peafants on the mountain (whole afliftance is abfo-
lutely neceffary) being too few in number to attend on a
large company. The diftance from Naples to the foot of
Vefuvio (here commonly called Monti di Somma y either
from femtnita, a fummit*, or fromfornma, an adjacent eftate)
is five Italian miles, including the circuit round the bay ;
and from the foot of the mountain to the fummit it is near
three miles further. By an infcription at Capua, mentioned Jupiter Ve
by Parini, Vefuvio feems to have been confecrated to Jupiter fuvlus *
Tonans ;
Jovi Vefuvio
Sacrum
D.D.
< Sacred to Jupiter of Vefuvius.'
Mount Vefuvio, like Parnaflus, confifts properly of two
heads, or fummits, though at prefent only that on the right-
hand as you come from Naples, emits fire and fmoke. The
valley betwixt thofe hills is about a mile long, and extremely
fertile. The height of the burning fummit (which is the
lower of the two) is computed to be eleven hundred fathoms
above the furface of the fea. This mountain by a fudden
eruption in the year 1631, laid wafte all the neighbouring
country; and an earneft admonition to poiterity in Latin was
cut in ftone, and fet up in Refina, a village within three
miles of Naples, to advife the inhabitants to fly in time, when
they are threatened with an eruption of Vefuvio.
At Torre del Greco, a village fituated on the fea-coaft,
three miles from this mountain, are two other infcriptipns,
giving an account of the deftru&ion of three convents and
* As JEtna. is now called Monte Gibello ; for the Saracens, when they
were mafters of Sicily, gave it the name of Gihel, which has the fame fig-
nification with the German word Giebel or Gipfd, the fummit of a hill.
C 3 other
p 22 NATURAL CURIOSITIES in the
other buildings thereabouts by the fame terrible eruption I ft
1631, &c.
From Refma the acclivity of the mountain increafes, yet;
fo that one may ride ftill on horfe-back. Here are feen fe-
veral large ftones half calcined, fcattcred in different places,
which are left as memorials of former devaluations ; the
greateft part having been cleared away by the peafants liv-
ing on the mountain, and ufed tor inclofing their vineyards.
It is aftonifhing to think of the impetuofity by which huge
mafles of four or five hundred weight have been thrown to
the diitance of feveral Italian miles. At laft the fteepnefs of
the afcent, efpecially as it is all over covered with afhes and
cinders, will not admit of riding, and the horfes are left to be
taken care of by the fervants. It is advifeable alfo both for
eafe and expedition in climbing among the afties, ts\\ to
Hermitage change boots for fhoes. Hereabouts a hermit has built a
on mount dwelling, but of a meannefs entirely correfpondent to the .
wuli character of felf-denial ; and fuch is his fortitude, that Ve-
fuvio muft rage with uncommon vehemence before he removes
his quarters j as travellers are apt to be fatigued with climb-
ing up this uncommon afcent, he ftands ready with fome
wine to refrefti them at their return ; and as the rules of his
order do not prohibit him from fingering money, he thank-
fully receives any little acknowledgment made for his fea-
fonable civility.
CharaVerof At this hermitage the attendance of the peafants who fol-
fliepeaaot.]ow travellers from the neighbouring villages, becomes ne-
ceflary ; but if there happen to be more than can be employ-
ed, they are apt to quarrel with one another ; this is fome-
times attended with bloodfhed, and proves of ill confequence
to the ftrangers whom they are fo eager to ferve. A travel-
ler fhould by all means carry fire-arms with him on thefe oc-
cafions ; thofe people being trained up to rob and murder,
and accuftomed to wear at their fides large couteaux. Be-
fides, they are fo void of all fhame as to make a jeft of their
deteftable practices among one another, when they are laid
down to reft. Whilft we were about the fkirts of the
mountain they talked big, and boafted that they would car-
ry us up to the bccca or mouth on the fummit of it ; but in
advancing upwards their note was changed ; and at every lit-
tle blaze they called upon the virgin Mary and St. Januarius,
telling us of the great danger we were expofing ourfelves to ;
fo that we ourfelves were obliged to be upon the chearful
ftrain, in order to keep our guides in heart. All the fervice
they
Kingdom of NAPLES. 23
they do is to go before with leathern belts round their waifts, T . heir lep<
by which travellers hold, that they may climb up with gi'ea- vice *
ter eafe. If the two peafants that go before every traveller
are not fufficient, others help by fhoving him behind. Be-
fore a perfon puts himfelf in their power, an agreement
muft be made ; and at difmifling them it is beft to add \i
fmall gratuity, as they have been known to proceed to r r ude-
nefs without it, and indeed are feldom fatisfied with the Tsare
wages agreed upon.
The mountain being very fteep and rnoftly covered with
black ames, the afcentis very difficult ; the afhes giving way
caufes a man to flide feveral fteps downwards, and in places
free from the afhes, the ruggednefs of the melted matter puts
ycu to no lefs trouble. That fulphur lies here a foot deep,
as a certain writer takes upon him to advance, is what I faw
nothing of; but among thefe drofly clods I met with foms
red and yellow ftony fubftances, containing a great deal of
fulphur : neither is there any necefiity of treading in the
guide's fteps ; for, very often, it cannot be done, the afhes
inftantly filling up the impreflion of his feet. From this
Vulcano has been, too often known to ifiue a lava or mixed
floods of melted fulphur, metallic ore and rofin, to the inex-
prefiible damage of the neighbouring country. The fcoria
of this ejected matter {till lies ftratum upon ftratum with
large /tones projecting from them, which, in their courfe
along the fulphureous ftream, were flopped by their inequali-
ties ; and fixed as the melted matter gradually hardened ;
whereas had the ftream been entirely fluid, it would have
cooled and fettled in a more even and uniform furface. In
the year 1694, the country was vifited with one of thofe
fiery lava's ; and the burnt (tones, though forced under the
melted matter with poles, immediately emerged again.
Thefe ftreams or currents are not thrown up from the moun-
tain like the ftones, but pour down as from an inclined vef-
fel ; fo that it feems as if fuch an effufion could proceed
from no other caufe but the fulnefs of the whole cavity and
all the recefles of the mountain of melted fubftances. Some
pretend to have computed, that, during the eruption in the
year 1694, fo great a quantity of lava was difcharged, that
in fome places it hardened at the height of fixty ells above the
furface of the ground ; and that, if it had been accum'ulated
into one mafs, it would have equalled in bulk the mountain
from the bowels of which it had iflued. If this be true,
what muft: we think of the abyfs to which this vait moun-
C 4 tain
4 NATURAL CURIOSITIES in the
tain is, as it were, the fpiracle. The matter thrown up by
mount Mtna, in 1669, is faid to have amounted to
No pumke- 93,838,750 cubic feet *. I here fearched very narrowly for
inomtve P urmce -ft nes but could not f ee a fingle ftone of that 'kind
fuvio. a ll over the mountain. In the fcoriee are fcattered up and
dpwn feveral burnt ftones that are very porous ; but, on ac-
count of their weight and dark adtnt colour, they differ ve-
ry much from the genuine pumice-ftones found about Baize
Minerals In and fts neighbourhood, By chemical experiments it ap-
the ftones. pears, that the ftones ejected by Vefuvio contain pitch, ful-
phur, vitriol, alum, antimony, marcaflite, arfenic, &c.
The differences of the fcori& in colour and fubftance have
therefore nothing ftrange in them ; as, from the various mix-
tures of fuch bodies with earth and ftone, there muft refult
a great diverfity in the alterations they undergo by fuch a ve-
hement and lafting fufion or ignition. Small quantities of
gold, filver, copper, tin, lead, and other minerals have al-
J!o been extracted from them, which give a light into the
Experiment conftitution of the adjacent ftrata. I pulverifed one of thefe
< ^ ones f a rec ^ an d yellow colour, and applied the magnet
to it, but I could obierve no attraction or even adhefion ;
which unqueftionably was owing to the prevalency of the re-
maining fulphur. I was fenfible the magnet has no effel
upon iron ore, however abounding with metal, till by a
ftrong fire the fulphur mixt with it be expellee! ; and here-
upon repeating the trial with a black clod which had been
thoroughly burned, the adhefion was very ftrong, I fhall
not animadvert on what fome perfons have faid of their find-
ing in thefe cinders fparks of rubies and other gems : vitre-
ous fubftances I myfelf faw ; but thefe may have been cauf-
ed by the fufion of a fine fand, fait, and marcaflite. As I
was {landing at one of the former mouths or apertures of
Vefuvio, a ftone of a greenifn yellow, ejected from the
mountain, fell clofe by me. Upon taking it up when it had
cooled, I found it to be covered with a kind of glofTy varnifli,
and to contain feveral bits of glafs ; but, at my return, I
* This is the computation of Dr. Burnet in lus Theory of the Earth.
Virgil fays,
Vidimus undanlem rnpth fornaeibm Mtnam,
Flammarumque globos, liquefa&aque volverefaxa.
What rocks did ./Etna's bellowing mouth expire
' Froro her torn entrails ! and what floods of fire !
DRYPE*.
fouiid
Kingdom of N A P L E S. 25
found its beauty very much diminifhed by rubbing againft
feme other ftones in my pocket, which I had picked up. I
made ufe of water for cleaning it, which rather penetrated
the {tone, and diflblved its texture, fo that a greenifh liquor
was continually oofing from it, and I was obliged to ufe pro-
per means for drying it.
Near to the fummit of the mountain we met with ftones, Red-hot
at leaft of a hundred weight, glowing hot, and when broken ftones *
exactly refembling red-hot iron, or the flag juft taken out of
a fmith's forge. Thefe ejected ftones immediately fet paper on
hrc ; and, it our guides may be relied on, they had been
but juft ejected from the abyfs. I faw about fifteen of thefe,
but not one thrown in the air or in motion. As we ftill ad-
vanced, our ears were frequently afiaulted with a horrid noife
like that of the explofion of a whole battery of cannon ;
and under our feet we were furprifed with a continued noife,
not unlike the boiling of a large cauldron. Upon making Heat of the
a hole with a ftick in the aihes but a few inches deep, a heat foil<
was immediately felt in it, which in fome places was hotter
than a man's hand could bear. We perceived the fmoke to
ifiiie out as it were in feveral places through fmall fiflures. I
was foi a long time at a lofs what to make of great numbers
of little round holes about half an inch diameter in this part
of the hill, till I found them to be avenues to the nefts of
wafps and hornecs, which retreated hither on account of the
heat ; the cold at this time of the year, and efpecially in the
night, being too ievere for them at the foot of the hill. We
found a fcorched acorn among the afhes, a confiderable way
up the hill, but it is no eafy matter to form a probable con-
jecture from whence it came; not a fingle tree or fhrub be-
ing to be feen on all that part of the mountain, which is
covered with afhes and ftones; and birds, which might have
carried fuch a thing by a way of food, are never known to
vifit this dreary region.
At length, after many weary fteps, we came to the place
where formerly the largeft mouth or aperture of the moun- mo uth of
tain was ; but this has undergone fuch changes by the fre- Vefiwo.
quent eruptions, that at prefent it is not only choaked up,
but covered by a round hill of afhes and cinders. In Addi-
fon's and Miflon's time there was a plain of near three hun-
dred paces to crofs before they came to the fkirts of this
found hill or new mountain ; but fuch great eruptions have
|b enlarged the circumference of the hill, that this interval
in moft places is now no more than a kind of trench feven
26 NATURAL CURIOSITIES in the
or eight feet deep, and about thirty paces wide. It is not
improbable but in a few years this vacuity may be filled up,
and thus the two mountains form but one. The lower or
old mountain is of fuch a height that the trench is not per-
ceived at the foot of it, Here we felt a very fenfible in-
creafe of heat ; and efpecially at every exploilon of the moun-
tain, .which made the afhes fly againft our faces, fo that
ibme of the company were obliged to cover their eyes. The
ground alfo was almoft infupportably hot under our feet; for
the embers or flag burnt the very foles of our fhoes. Here in-
deed we were not terrified with the horrid noifes we had heard
below j but every difcharge was attended with a whizzing like
that of a great number of rockets flying up at once. The mul-
titude of ftones and other matter ejected, together with the
clouds of fmoke with which the fky is totally obfcured, re-
femble the fpringing of a mine. Molt of the ftones, efpe-
cially the largeft, the weight of which has not been much
diminifhed by burning, return perpendicularly into the abyfs
from whence they were thrown up ; and this poflibly is le-
veral times repeated till their weight decreafes, or a violent
eruption happens, and then they are thrown beyond the verge
of the aperture. Great quantities, however, fall on the
fides of the hill, and the noife they make in rolling down is
indeed fomething terrible. As the wind generally drives the
afhes, fmoke, &c. one particular way, it gives the fpeclator
an opportunity of chufmg the moft favourable ftation ; yet
if the eruptions happen to be violent, there is danger of ap-
proaching on any fide. It being a very blight day, we could
perceive no flame at the mouth of the hill 3 and the great
increafe of the, heat felt at every difcharge might proceed,
from the melted matter and ignited ftones thrown into the
air, which in the night appear like red-hot bullets. The
phenomena exhibited by vulcano's are not conftantly alike;
for they differ according to the violence or moderation of the
eruptions. This has been obferved fo long ago as Virgil's
time, who gives this defcription of .^Etria :
- - - - Horrifids juxta tonat Mtna minis :
Inter dumque atram prcrumpit ad atbera nubem y
Turbine fumant em plcco, & candente javilla ;
Attdlltque gkbos fammarum^ & fidcra lambit.
Inter dum fcopulos avulfaque vifcera month
Erigit eruttans^ liquef aft aque faxa fub auras
Gum gemitu gkmerat^ fundoque exafluat imo.
VIRG. yEneid. III. v. 571.
'And
Kingdom of NAPLES. 27
- - - c And fecure from wind,
Is to the foot of thund'ring JEtna join'd.
By turns a pitchy cloud fhe rolls on high, "J
By turns'hot embers from her entrails fly ;
And flakes of mounting flames that lick the fky. 3
Oft from her bowels mafly rocks are thrown,
And fhiver'd by the force come piece-meal down.
Oft liquid lakes of burning fulphur flow,
Fed from the fiery fprings that boil below.'
DRYDEN T .
Sarnelli, bifhop of BifcegHa, informs us, that the upper or
new mountain firft appeared on the 26th of September, 1685.
We had ftill about eight hundred paces to afcend among hot
ftones and afhes ; but the eruptions followed fo thick upon
pne another, that before we could have reached the fummit
we muft have ftood at leaft eight fhocks more ; and as the
danger every minute became rnanifeftly greater, and our
faint-hearted guides grew exceffively out of humour, we all
agreed to return. After all, it is very probable, that, had
we ventured to the aperture or mouth of Vefuvio, a thick
fmoke would have been all we could -have feen, which would
not have rewarded our pains and hazard. I wonder fome
travellers who affect great courage and intrepidity fliould pre-
tend that they had been on the fummit of the hill during an
eruption, and that looking down the aperture they faw the
vaft hollow allon fire and full of fulphur, pitch, and metal
boiling wjth prodigious vehemence; whereas feveral curious
perfons of undoubted veracity, who have been more tnan
once on the top, when tha mountain was ftill, afTured me,
that, by reafonof the fmoke, it is very feldom they could get
a fight of the bottom of the cavity ; which is alfo fubje& to
great variations : for it is fometimes of a vaft depth, and at
other times but a little more than two hundred feet, accord-
ing to the height of the melted matter, at the laft eruption,
which by hardening gradually forms this bottom. Some
have ventured a confiderable way down the cavity ; but this
is a temerity from which no real advantage or glory can ac-
crue. Such r :mneis about two years fince unhappily proved
fatal to an Englifh gentleman of a very good character, both
for his learning and morals. If a ftone be rolled down the
aperture ; within a fliort time after, an eruption, followed
by a hollow found and a cloud of fmoke, happens. The
afcent
28 NATURAL CURIOSITIES in the
afcent to the fummit takes up two hours j but the defcent
takes lefs, and is much eafier : for the afhes often carry one
feveral paces downwards at one flide. Some days after this
excurfion, I obferved from Naples, in the evening, that the
mountain continually ejected ftones, &c. and over it appear-
ed a pale gleam, which, at firft, I took to be flame : it con-
tinued a long time gradually afcending, and at length I difco-
vered it to be the refraction of the beams of the fetting fun
through the fuliginous exhalations ifluing from the aperture.
As the fun gradually defcended towards the horizon, this
phenomenon infenfibly diminifhed ; when it was fet, it total-
ly difeppeared. A flrong party of us (for otherwife it is ve-
ry dangerous to walk the ftreets of Naples in the night) ufed
moft evenings to go to the great area near the vice-roy's pa-
lace, to obferve the changes in the appearance of Vefuvio.
On the i yth of March, to the left of the place where we had
taken our ftation on the mountain there was a continual fire ;
and from the upper aperture, every four or five minutes, if-
fued ignited columns, in appearance about four feet high,
t and near a foot and a half in diameter. On the i8th, that
part near the old bocca or mouth of Vefuvio was all in
glowing fire, but without any confiderable blaze ; whilft tho
upper, or new mountain, emitted towering flames without
intermiffion ; and vaft clouds of fmoke appeared above the
fummit of the mountain. On the iQth there was a general
fire fpread all over the upper mountain, and in the city of
Naples were heard fubterraneous rumblings and concuffions '
like the difcharge of cannon at a diitance, On the 2,cth,
and likewife on the ift day of April, the fire was vifible at
Gae'ta, which is fix ftages from Vefuvio ; and as abundance
of afhes was driven by the wind to Naples, recourfe was had
to proceflions, and thd invocation of St. Januarius, in whom,
in all public calamities, the Neapolitans place a great confi-
dence ; but of late, to make matters fure, the archangel
Michael has been added as a collegue to that faint. Tt mutt
be owned their devotion is very well grounded if what they
tell us be true, namely, that upon the faint's head being ex-
pofed, and proper fupplications made to him, the wind has
immediately fhifted, and fometimes the eruptions of Vefuvio
ifedalof St. have been fupprefied ; arid fo powerful a protector well de-
Januanus. f eive( j tne honour of a large medal, which the governor of
the treafury-chapel, where the faint's reliques are kept, had
(truck. On one fide is the effigies of this fainj, with thefe
words round it :
D. JAN,
Kingdom of N A P L E S. 29
D. JAN. LIBERATOR!. VRBIS.
FVNDATORI. QVIETIS.
4 To St. Januarius, the deliverer of the city, author of
c its fecurity.'
On the reverfe are two phials, reprefenting thofe in which
his miraculous blood is kept ; under them is a garland, with
this legend :
POSTQVAM. COLLAPSI. CINERES.
ET. FLAMMA. QVIEVIT. GIVES
NEAPOLITAN!. INCOLVMES.
A. D. MDCCVII.
< The ames fubfided, the eruption fufpended, and the
c citizens of Naples preferved in the year 1707.'
In commemoration of this fame miracle of the year 1707, Tbankf
a marble ftatue of the faint, with the following infcription, in s mon
has been erected on the fpot near the church of S. Caterina a mcnt *
Formello, where the faint's head, attended by numerous
proceffion, was placed on an altar which faces Vefuvio, as it
were to keep it in awe :
DJVO JANUAR10,
Urbis Neap. Indigetum Principi,
Ghiod Montis Vefwuli
Anno MDCC'ni.
Cum Maxima Ignis eruptlone
Fafia^ dies complures magis
Magifquc ftrociret^
"Jam nt certijjimum Urbi
Totique Campania
Incendlum minaretur^
Sacri oftenfu cafiitis
In ara hie cxjlrutta
Excidiofos impetus
Extemplo opprejfcrit)
Et omnia fere narit^
Neapcliiani
Ejus divini Beneficii
Uti C5 5 innumerorum aliorum
Quibus a Bf/lo, Fame,
Peftikntia, Terra motn.
jo NATURAL CURIOSITIES in die
Urbem, Civitatemqiie
Liberavlt memores
P. P-
' To St. Januarius, the chief of the Neapolitan faints,
by the expofure of whole facred head on an altar creeled
on this fpot, a moft dreadful eruption of mount Vefuvio in
1707, which had raged feveral days with increafmg vio-
lence, fo as to threaten the city and the whole country
with an unavoidable conflagration, was inftantaneoufly
fupprefled, and fair profperous weather fucceeded, the
Neapolitans, in acknowledgment of this, and innumera-
ble other, fignal deliverances from war, peftilence, famine,
and earthquakes, -have eretled this monument.'
Aurelius Victor, and other hifforlans, who relate that it
tfas in the reign of Vefpafian when fiery eruptions from this
vulcano were firft perceived, are eafily confuted from Stra-
bo, who lived in Augustus's time. It is alto far from being
true that Pliny the elder loft his life on this mountain ; for
it appears from the younger Pliny's account of his uncle'*
death *, that he was at a confiderable diftance from Vefuvio ;
and being very fat and afthmatic, the air then faturated with
fulphureouS particles, obftru&ed his refpiration.
Since the Chriftian ^Era above twenty remarkable erup-
tions of Vefuvio are recorded by hiftorians ; but it is very
probable that in fo many centuries the number muft have
been greater. It is certain, however, that one of the mofl
violent eruptions of this vulcano, was that which happen-
Deftruaion ed in Titus's reign, by which Herculaneum, or Heraclea f,
of Hercuia- an( j Pompeii, two towns near Naples, were deftroyed t.
neum and A j
Pompeii. Accord-
* Pliny's words are, Inmxus ftr--vis duobiis adfurrexit & flafim condJit,
ut ego conjefio, craffiore caligine fpiritu obftruflo, claufoque fortacho, qui illi
natui'a in-jaliJus & an^uftus & frequenter intertejtuans erat. Ubi dies red*
dilns, corpus ittventum ejl integmm, illafum opfrtumque, ut fuerat indutns t
habitus cnrpvris quiefceiiti qtcam defunfio Jimilior.
f The remains of Heraclea, discovered in our days, have for fome
years exercifed the pens of the moft learned antiquarians.
J This country lias, by earthquakes and eruptions of Vefuvio, under-
gone fo many changes, that the fituation of thefe towns cannot be exactly
determined. In the iike deftiny Thaurania, Cora, or Thorn, and Stabia
have been involved. The damages which Pompeii and Herculaneum fuf-
tained by an earthquake in Seneca's time, are related at large in the vith
book of his Natural Queftions, and likewife in Tacitus's Annals, lib. xv.
Probably it is to that earthquake, and not to an eruption of Vefuvio, that
Dion
Kingdom of N,APLES. 3!
According to Dio CafTius, the afhes, during that erup-
tion, were driven as far as Africa, Syria, and Egypt j and at
Rome the fun was totally obfcured by them *.
It might be fuppofed that the manifeft danger continually
hanging over the heads of the inhabitants 'of this country
from earthquakes and the irruptions of Vefuvio fhould make
fome happy impreflion on their minds, and difpofe them to
lead pious and moral lives ; but it is far otherwife : for the
generality of thefe- people are like failors, and never think of
heaven or hell but in imminent danger; and, as foon as that
is over, eagerly return to their former wicked practices. Of
this there was a ftriking inftance in the year 1707, when the
people flocking out of the city to fee the fiery torrent from
the mountain, which began to harden, gave themfelves up
to all forts of debaucheries.
The variety of mineral and other fubftances ejected by Ve- Infide of
fuvio, fufficiently indicate the nature of the vaft hollow with- Vefovio.
in the mountain, and the caufe of its fiery eruptions ; for
quick fulphur and the filings of iron being kneaded together
into a kind of dough, is not only violently heated, but even
kindled into a flame, by the addition of a little cold water.
Lemery, in his garden at Paris, once made an artificial vol- Artificial
cano of this fort, which took fire fpontaneoufly ; and later vulcano
chemifts inftantly produce flame from the mixture of two dif-
ferent liquids properly prepared. That the ftrata under Ve-
fuvio and other volcano's, contain abundance of fulphur and
iron f, appears evident both by the cinders -ejected and the
chalybeate fprings ilTuing from the root of this mountain to-
wards the fea-coaft. The proximity of the main fea not on-
Dion CafTius, Kb. Ixvi, alludes, when he fpeaks of the fudden fall of a
theatre when crouded witli the inhabitants of thefe two cities : for the ra-
vages caufed by the eruption of Vefuvio, as appears' from Pliny, were not
caufed on a fudden, but the fire gradually increafed ; and felf-prefervation
would naturally have prompted the people to huny .out of the theatre at the
firft appearance of danger.
* The eruption of Vefuvio in 473, according to Marccllinus Comes,
covered all Europe with afhes : VefiFuius, mons Cambeiniee 'tornJus, intfjlhiis
ignibus aftuans exujla vemmt <vifeera, noflurmfque in die tenebris trmnem Eu-
ropee faciem mnmin contexit pul-vere. Hujus meiuendi mesnoriatn cine > is Bi-
Kaniii anmie celebrant viii. Idus Nc-vefiibris * f Veluvius, a volcano in Cam-
' pania, ejected from its inflamed bowels fuch prodigious quantities of'
matter as obfcured day-light, and covered all Europe with afhes. The
' anniverfary of this devaftation is obferved at Conftantinople on the 6th of
* November.' This day of humiliation is likewife mentioned by Proco-
pius de Bella Goth. lib. ii. c. 4.
f The foil about Viter'^o, Pozzuolo, Sienna, and the iflaads of Strom-
Loli, Lepari, Sicily, &c. is of the fame nature.
32 NATURAL CURIOSITIES in the
ly (applies water for the aliment of the inflammable fub^
fiances, but likewife fait and pitch, which it wafhes away
from their fubterraneous beds ; and from thefe alfo proceeds
the faline acridity of the fea- water : for oil of fea-coal (which
has a great deal of pitch in it) mixed with common fait and
water, gives it a tafte like that of fea-water. In a calm the
fifhermen about Refma and Torre, two villages on the fea-
coaft near Vefuvio, look out for Pretoleum, a fragrant kind
of oil which floats on the furface of the fea, and take it off
with pieces of fpunge : this they fell for a good price to the
Communi- apothecaries. It is plain that Vefuvio has a communication
cation be- w [ tn t ne f ea? no t only from the waters being furprifingly ab-
* V ' > and7he~ f r bed in 1631 as an immediate prelude to the eruption of the
f^ mountain, fo that feveral veflels, afloat before, were left dry;
but alfo by what happened in 1698, for in that year the fea
fuddenly ebbed twelve paces, and the mountain difembogued
a vaft torrent of pitch and other combuftibles ; and on the
return of the fea to its former height, and the ceflation of the
igneous difcharge, great quantities of fhells, &. were found
along the fhore near the mountain, which were half burnt,
and emitted a fulphureous fmell. Parrini and Boccone far-
ther affirm, that, in a violent eruption of Vefuvio, hot fea-
water, fifhes, fhells, and lea-weeds have been ejected by that
mountain.
Freih water This vulcano, however, affords feveral frefli fprings, of
in the which fome are conveyed to Naples by a beautiful aqueduct,
mountain. to tne g rea t eonveniency of the inhabitants. Thefe waters
have not the leaft heat in them ; and, what one could lefs
expect, a very cold wind is felt to blow from feveral fifTures
or chafms in the fide of the mountain.
I fhall add, that tho' a new mountain has rifen on the furrt-
niit of Vefuvio over its former aperture, yet it wants forne-
thing of its ancient height. Of this there is ocular demon-
Oration likewife with regard to mount ./Etna in Sicily ; the
top of which, within thefe fixty years, might be feen from
Furnari and other places thereabouts, but cannot be difcern*
ed from thence at prefent.
. Stm fa _ % Such is the climate of Naples, and the fouth part of thi$
cure of the kingdom, that little or no winter is known there. Garden-
if. vegetables are in feafon there all the year round. Ice is feU
dom feen in the level country, and fnow fell but twice dur-
ing thefe laft fire years ; and then it diflblved a"s foon as it
touched the ground. Among the inhabitants of the moun-
tains it is a branch of trade to gather fnow, and fend it to
Naples,
Kingdom of NAPLES. 33
Naples, where it fupplies ths want of ice for cooling
liquors *, &c. The extreme iummer heat.s, however, never
fail of being tempered by cool evenings, which are fpent in
taking the air, after being; confined within-doors during the
ifultry heat of the day. Of the fertility and wealth of this Fruitfulnefi
country, fome idea may be formed by confidering how long oftheccun-
it has been under a foreign government, which by contribu- trjr *
tions, troops, wars, and other circumftances, muft necefla-
rjly have drained it of vail fums. Yet this country is ftill in
a much better condition than many of the dates of Italy,
and capable by proper meafures of affording new fources of
wealth. The tobacco-farms alone in this kingdom produce
near thirty thoufand ducats annually.
But amidft its fertility and other natural advantages, the inconveni-
kingdom of Naples is not without many inconveriiencies. encies in the
Befides the frequent calamities this country is fubjectto from N^ies" 1 f
the neighbourhood of mount Vefuvio, it fuffers extremely by Earth-'
earthquakes ; particularly the fouth part of the kingdom, all quakes.
over which are to be feen the melancholy remains of cities,
once famous in hiftory, but now ahnoft without a name f.
Another difagreeable circumftance, but common to moft Lizards,
other parts of Italy, is the fw;!MTis of lizards, efpecially of
the green kind. In fpring hundreds of thefe little animals
are feen bafking themfelves on the flat roofs, and as they
crawl up and down the walls, if a window or door be left
open, they make their way into the houfes. The green li-
zards are very nimble, and have a fine glofly fkin and very
beautiful eyes ; but they are quite harmlefs. About Fondi,
Capua, and Gaeta, there is a noxious fpecies of lizards,
* The climate of Sicily is fo hot, that even in January the fhade is a-
greeable, and not a chimney is to be feen all over the ifland. In March
fome cold piercing winds may happen to fet in for a few days ; but this in- '
tonveniency is relieved by a very fimll coal fire. The ui'e of ice and fnow
in liquor, I fuppofe, was firfl: introduced to gratify the palate; but now it
has the fanclion of the faculty : and line- its coining into general vogue,
the fatal rage of fevers isfaid to be confidently abated. Plempius, in his
treatife de Valetudine Togatorum tuenda, affinns, that fir.Ce tlu ui'e of
fnow has obtained in Meilina, the burials of that city are decreafed a thoii-
fjnd every year ; and that this cultom has been attended with the fame fuc-
cefs in Spain, appears from L'.idov. Nonnius, de re cibaria, lib; iv. cap. 5.
[The author takes r;o m.uice of the frequency of pleurilies in thofe
countries where this cuiioru has been introduced, particularly in France.]
t Sicily, which formerly made one continent with the kingdom of Na-
ples, is, in- this refpecl, not lefs unfortunate, having, in J.mu.lry 1693, by
one fingle earthquake loft forty-nine towns and villages, nine hundred and"
twenty-two churches, colleges and convents, with musty-three thoufknd
gerfons buried in the ruins.
VOL. III. D commonly
4 NATURAL CURIOSITIES in the
commonly but improperly called tarantula^ whofe bite is
attended with danger ; thefe are brown, larger than the
green fort, and, when the tail is cut off, refemble a toad.
Scorpions. The fcorpion is a much greater nuifance, which har-
bours not or'y in old buildings and under large ftones, but
infefts the houfes in this country ; fo that in fome places it
is not unufual to make the bed-fteads of polifhed iron, and
to place them at fome diftance from the wall, to prevent
thefe vermin from getting into the beds. It is true, they
feldom hurt, unlefs they are firft affaulted or accidentally in-
jured ; which may eafily happen only by a man's turning
himfelf or moving a leg or an arm in a bed where thefe noxi-
ous animals harbour themfelves. The fureft remedy againft
the fting of a fcorpion is to bruife that animal and bind it
faft on the wound ; or if that cannot be done, the beft way
is to foment it with oil-olive, in which dead fcorpions have
been fteeped, applying warm bandages to the part, and to
give the patient warm draughts of theriaca mixed up with
a generous wine to promote perfpiration. This oil, Boccone
(Obferv. Pbyf. xviii.) fays, is a fovereign remedy againft the
Where moft fting of the fptder called folifuga. In the northern' parts of
dangerous. j ta j v ^ creature h as little or nothing of that rage and ve-
nom which appears in thoib of hotter climates, as Malta
and Africa. The venom or poifon of vipers has alfo the like
gradations according to the proximity of the country to the
equator. Scorpions yield a fait and oil which are a part of
the materla medlca. They are caught in great numbers a-
mong ruins or in ftcny places, and being taken hold of with
a pair of pincers, are- dropped into a narrow-necked glafs
veflel which is too flippery for them to climb out of.
Whether A late naturalift fays, that the fcorpion, when hemmed in
theykiH w j t } 1 jj ve coa | s or ar) y j^d o f re upon its being moved
themfeives. j r j- i r ir
nearer to him, and finding no way to efcape, plants itfelf in
the middle of the circle, turns up his tail and flings himfelf
in the head. This obfervation at firft fight had appeared to
me very fufpicious,' and made me imagine that this pretend-
ed fuicide was no more than a natural motion of the animal
on fuch an occafion. Being at Naples I was determined to
bring this vulgar error to the teft of repeated experiments,
which proved it to be no other. Some of the fcorpions, in-
ftead of going round to look out for a paffage to efcape, ran
'direclly Into the fire, where they were foon confumed ;
others, upon feeling the heat of the fire, drew back and fell
into a kind of convulfion*, but never offered to dart their
Kingdom of N APLES. 35 -
ftirig into their heads ; others again lay quite ftill, and, as
if they made a virtue of hecefiity, quietly fubmitted to be
burnt to death. As groundlefs is the notion, that a fcor-
pion when thrown into oil, deftroys itfelf in the fame man-
ner, whereas fome will live in it twenty-four hours, and when '
they expire do not exhibit the leaft appearance of ftinging
themfelves to death.
Another plague almoft peculiar to the kingdom of Na- tarantula,
pies, efpeciaily the fouthern parts, is the tarantula ; fo call-
ed from the city of Tarento, iri the neighbourhood of which
they abound, and are the largeft and moft venomous. This
is the Phalangiui and Phalenges of Pliny and other ancient
naturalifts. The perfons bit by this infec^ by the Italians
are called Tarantolati ; and their extravagant viciflitudes of
fhrieking, fobbing, laughing, dancing, &c. are pretty well
known. Very few of fuch unhappy perfons can bear the
fight of black or blue, but feem delighted with red and green
objects. They are alfo feized with an averfion to eating fruit
or vegetables. A melancholy filence and a fixed eye are the
firft fymptoms by which the bite of the tarantula difcovers
itfelf; and then mufic is immediately called in to the aflift-
ance of the patient to roufe him to a violent motion, and by
that means to promote perfpiration and a copious fweat.
But neither the lame tunes nor the fame inftruments anfwef
this end with regard to different patients ; feveral trials^ are
therefore made, and chiefly with the guitar, hautboy, trumpet,
volin, and Sicilian kettle-drum. The tunes that ufually
have the beft effect in thefe diforders are la Paftorale and la
Tarantella. In fome parts of the kingdom of Naples, par-
ticularly in Apulia, the venormof the fcorpions is fo fubtle,
that their fting produces the like effects as the bite of the
tarantula; and though the two before-mentioned tunes have
a proper effect on thefe patients alfo, yet they require fofter
instruments, as the flute, &c. but accompanied with a brifk
beat of the drum. The country people, who are more or
lefs fkilled in all thefe inftruments, iriforce the operation of
their muiic with grimaces and odd gefticulations. The Ta-
rnntolati on their fide Vigorously exert themfelves, regulating
their motions according to the inufic till the venom is quite
expelled; this exercife and cure fometimes takes up .five or
fix days. It is not to be ftippofed that they are kept conti-
nually dancing for fo many days : when nature feems to be
exhaufted the mufic is fufpcndcd, and the patient put to bed
well covered, and a fudorific cordial given him. to promote
D 2 perfpira-
NATURAL CURIOSITIES in the!
perfpiration. It is remarkable, that the patient on his reco-
very remembers nothing of what parted during his diforder.
If. the cure be not perfectly effected, and the poifon entirely
expelled, the fame fymptoms fail not to appear again the fuo
ceeding year, efpecially during the fummer heats ; and fome
have laboured under this terrible diforder at intervals for ten,
twenty, 'and thirty years, and others during their lives. In-
itances are not wanting of fuch perfons who merely from a
fenfe of their incurable ftate, or from the melancholy effects
of the venom, have dr6wned themfelves. If the tarantula
be killed immediately after the bite, the venom with its ef-
fects is in a way of being expelled the firft year by vigorous
dancing ; or if with the fame exercife, previous to a fomen-
tation, an inciiton be made in the part affected, and Venice-
treacle, or in want of that, mithridate, orvietan, or a clove
of garlic bruifed be applied, the fame fuccefs may be expec-
ted : but in cafe thefe two precautions be neglected, it is fel-
dom that any remedies adminiftered afterwards, can preferve
the unhappy patient from a long continuance of the ufual ill
confequences attending fuch a misfortune, as melancholy,
latitude, lofs of appetite and indigeftion. If the patient ufes
no means for cure, a few days infallibly carry him off. The
petticoats of women are apt to harbour thefe vermin, and
confequently they are more liable to be bitten by them than
men. The bite of a tarantula at firft occafions only a fmall
red fumour like that occafioned by the fting of a wafp ;
and there are above eight fpecies of them differing in fixe,
colour, and form, but producing the fame mifchievous ef-
fects by their venom. In the dog-days 'and during the vio-
lent heats, the tarantula is moft dangerous ; efpecially on
the plains, as if thefe creatures were incited to greater rage
by the heat of the fun : for thofe of Tufcany never occafum
fuch deplorable diforders as the malignant kind found in Apu-
Jia ; and even in thefe, when carried to the northern parts of
the kingdom of Naples, or to Rome, the venom is rendered
lefs noxious, fo that their bite is attended there only with a
flight tranfitory pain *.
In the ifland of Corfica there are neither wolves not vi-
pers ; but its tarantulas and fcorpions are extremely venom-
ous f.
* Vide Boccone, Objlrv. Phyf. XVII.
f One kind of the Corfican fpiders bite like the Apulian tarantulas, a-
nother ftings ; but .the beneficent Creator has checked their increafe by
means of' a fpecies of wafps which make terriWe havock among them.
Eocccnc Obft I.
The
Kingdom of N A P L E S. 37
The tarantula's chief haunts are holes in the earth, old its haunts,
walls and hollow trees, and the cobweb it makes is ftronger
and coarfer than that of a common fpider. The poifon is
contained in two fmall veficules within the gums near two
fangs, with which they are armed befides lefler teeth.
But, according to fome, a greater evil frill remains; and The people
the wo rft creatures in this delicious country, fay they, are the wicked,
inhabitants themfelves, who, befides their execrable and unna-
tural lufts, are of a vindictive, treacherous, bloody difpofition.
Though national charges generally imply ignorance, nar-
rownefs of foul, and uncharitablenefs, it is certain, how-
ever, that the hiflory of Naples, almoit beyond any other,
abounds in fad inftances of the exceflive depravity of human
nature. Tophana the noted female poifoner, who firft in-Poifoning.
vented the Aqua Topbania is ftill living in prifon here, and
few foreigners leave Naples without feeing this infernal hag.
She is a little old woman who had entered into a kind of re-
iigious flfterhood ; and on this account, if not on a worfe,
her life has been hitherto fparcd. She is faid to have poi-
foned fome hundreds of people, and was remarkably liberal
of her drops, which file gave by way of alms, to wives who,
from feveral intimations, (he knew would not be inconfolable
for the death of their hufbands. Five or fix drops' of this
liquid it feems anfwer the purpofe, and may be lowered or
tempered fo as to take effect in any determinate time. This
water continues ftill to be privately made at 'Naples under
the appellation of Acquetta dl Napoli^ and not many years
fince a fmall'cafk of it was according to orders lent to a cer-
tain country. But fince lemon-juice has been found to be a
fort of antidote againft it, this vile compofition is fallen into,
fome difrepute. The humane Dr. Brauchaletti wrote a book,
exprefly on the remedies or antidotes againft thefe Stygian
drops ; but all the inventions to counterwork this poifon pre-
fuppofe the fatal potion to be very recently adminiftered, or
previoufly guarded againft, upon any fufpicion, by iuch pre-
fervatives.
The inhabitants of this country have in all ngcs been re-
markable for a voluptuous manner of living ; the luxury of
Capua and Atella is well known, and Naples is, by Ovid,
ftilcd,
- - in otia natam
Partbenopen - -
* Naples of luxury the native feat.*
D 3 It
38 NATURAL CURIOSITIES, &t.
It muft be owned that in no great city in Europe the pro-
flitutes are fo numerous and fo abandonee! : thefe Donne
libere, as they are called, amount to eighteen thoufand in
this city, and in one particular part of it is a receptacle for
two thoufand of them ; and yet it is no uncommon thing
for ecclefiaftics to lodge in thofe infamous parts of the town.
This totally corrupts all the youth ; and the clergy being
'., exempt from the civil jurifdiclion, and connived at by their
fuperiors that the facred order may not be difgraced by pu-
nifhments, fet the worft of examples. Any complaints
as;ainft the latter from laymen are looked upon as the height
oT infolence j it is not for them to Scrutinize the actions
of thofe, to whofe fupcrior lights they owe an implicit fub-
mifiion.
Sloth. The peafants in this country are fo flothful, as to prefer
beggary or robbing to labour and induftry ; but in the city
of Naples there is fomething of an induftrious fpirit, and
. feverai flourifh'ing manufactures are carried on there. It is a
fihrafe here, that a vice-roy,, to keep the people quiet, muft
provide three F's, namely, fejle^ far'me^ forche, i. e.
* feftivity, flour, and gibbets ;' the people being exceflively
fond of public diverfions, clamorous upon the dearth of corn,
and feditious unlefs they are intimidated by feverity. Among
their public entertainments, one of the moft remarkable is
the proceffion with four triumphal cars on the four Sundays
immediately preceding Lent, the firft loaded with bread, the
fecond with flefh, the third with vegetables, and the fourth
with fifh. Thefe provifions are piled up very high, with
rnuftcians placed at the top, and guarded by armed men till
they are given up to be pillaged by the populace. But that
which draws the greateft concourfe at Naples is the Cocagna,
or caftle, built according to the rules of fortification, and
faced all over with pieces of beef, bacon, hams, geefe, tur-
keys, and other provifions, with which the imaginary coun-
try of Cocagna is faid to abound ; where the very trunks or
branches of trees are fuppofed to be Bologna faufages.
This welcome fpeitacle is exhibited once a year, and on
each fide of the caftle is a fountain running with wine during
the whole day. A party of foldiers is ported to reftrain the
ardour of the populace till the yice-roy appears in his bal-
cony, which is the fignal for the affault.
Neapolitan It is ufual for the Neapolitan nobility to fpend fome years
oobihty. j n a parfimonious retirement on their eftates in the country,
that they may cut a figure for a while in the city, and live in
a profufe
NAPLES. 39
a profufe magnificence ; fo that the generality of them are
ever running into extremes, but their fortunes are not very
confiderable. This is the confequence of the difproportiou
of their great number to the fmall extent of the kingdom;
for there are in the kingdom of Naples a hundred and nine-
teen princes, a hundred and fifty-fix dukes, a hundred and
feventy-three marquifles, forty-two counts, and four hundred
and forty-five barons, all vafials of the crown. Many a
fpot of land not worth above fifty dollars a year gives the
title of marquis to the owners ; fo that they are in general
very poor.
The {landing forces throughout the kingdom do not ex- Army.
ceed fourteen thoufand men, a number very infufficient for
keeping the inhabitants in awe on the approach of an enemy.
The vice-roy's ordinary income is eighteen thoufand fcudi*
or crowns, a month ; and the feveral officers of his court,
which is very fplendid, have ftated falaries from funds appro-
priated to thofe fervices ; fo that here is no room left for
favings out of the pay of the guard, the chapel, the band of
mufic, company of comedians, and the like attendants on
a court, but every thing continues on its original footing.
The vice-roy's poll is only triennial ; but, at the expiration
of fuch a term, the comrniilion is renewable *.
As to the currency of money, a Spanifh piftole, or old Current
louis-d'or, is here equal to forty-five carlini. The papal >ins.
money alfo goes at the rate of four carlini for three paoli.
By a ducat is here meant an imaginary piece, equal to ten
carlini f.
&^
LETTER LVIII.
Of the City of NAPLES in general, and its public
Buildings.
S I R,
THE city of Naples lies in forty-one degrees and twenty
minutes north latitude : its walls are moftly faced with
a hard black ftone, called piperno, and are nine Italian miles
* The render will naturally fuppofe that the court and government
have undergone great alterations within thefe few years, fince a prince <->f
Spain of the Bourbon family afccmled the throne of Naples and Sicily,
s,nd rcfides in the capital of the former.
f Three (hillings and four-pence fterling.
D 4 in
40 NAPLES.
Buildings, in circuit ; but there are near twenty fuburbs included. If
Naples has not fuch magnificent palaces as are to be feen at
Rome and Genoa, it has alfq very few of thofe mean houfes,
which, in other cities, difgrace their fineft ftreets. The:
roofs of the houfes here are flat, and iurrounded with elegant
baluftrades : the ftreets alfo are vecy well paved, and molt
of them with very large fquare ftories ; but the fault is, that
they have no flope or gutters to carry off water, &c. The
fineft ftreet for 'length, breadth, &c. is that called lp Strqda
di Toledo, and yet not one eminent palace is to be fcen in
it; the breadth is about twenty-three common paces; and,
after running in a direct line of fifteen hundred paces, it is
continued fome hundreds more in an eafy curve line. It
feems an inexcufable neglect that the ftreets of Naples are
not lighted at night, as the lamps would not only be an or-
nament to the city, but would alfo prove a considerable fe-
curity for perfons who walk the ftreets \ for few cities are
more dangerous after dark.
Harbour. The harbour of Naples is very fpacious, and has a grand
light-houfe, with a mole near five hundred paces in length,
which feparates the Porto della Cii.a, or main harbour, from
the Darfena, or bafon. The latter lies behind the Caftello
Nuovo, and has generally in it four galleys, the crews of
which, both rowers and foldiers, are obliged every Lent to
come to a formal confcflion, and to receive the facrament.
Annual The devotions of the firft galley are followed by a day of
communion re ft, the fecond by a like interval, and fo on. In the even-
'"' at t ^ e c ^^ e ^ tne proceffion ufual on fuch folemni-
ties, the hoft is expofed, and all the galleys honour it with a
falute.
Number of The number of inhabitants at Naples cannot be lefs than
inhabitants three hundred thoufand ; and as its commerce occafions a
t Naples. g rea t ftj r an d buftle, Rome, in companion of this city, has
by fome travellers been looked upon as a kind of defart. The
Fountains, great number of fountains in Naples are very elegant orna-
ments to the city, though in moft of them the water is none
of the beft. Of theie fountains the fineft is that of Medina,
facing Caftello Nuovc, cr the new caftle; the upper bafon
is fupported by the three graces, and on the top ftands a fu-
perb Neptune, attended by feveral other figures, all ejecting
water, which make a very grand appearance. The infcrip-
tion is as follows :
CAROLO
NAPLES, 41
CAROLO 11. REGNANTE
lllc ubi puhereo f-jualelat Olytnpia traftu,
Nunc hilarant fcnies Jlrataque faxa viam^
)uam Duels adjuta aiijpidis opibufque dicavij
Medina Coeli nomine Parihencpe,
Excdl. Dcni. D. Ludcvico de Cerda^
Cash Duce, Prcrege
Cavitas Neapclis Anno
M. DC. XCV1L
* In this place, which was formerly a dufrywafte, Naples,
under the aufpices of the duke of Medina Coeli, has caufed
this refreshing 'fountain, which, in gratitude to his muni-
ficence, bears his title, and a noble pavement to be made,
in the reign of his catholic majefty Charles II. his excel-
lency don Lewis de Cerda, duke of Medina Coeli, being
vice-roy. 1697, *3c?
There is a long infcription on a fountain in the great
market-place, and on moft of the other fountains in the city,
which are full of flattery to their vice-roys.
The fountain in St. Lucia, by Giovanni di Nola, an emi-
nent architect, with that in the ftreet near St. Lucia, by
Cofmo Fanlego, are both of an elegant architecture, and
adorned by good pieces of fculpture. Not far from the Dar-
fena is another fountain, adorned with a fpread eagle.
A very fine aquedu<5t fupplies the city with a vaft quantity Aqueduft
of water from the foot of mount Vefuvio, by means o f^ mVcfu -
which, Alphonfo II, in 1442, 'made himfelf matter of the
city of Naples. The place where formerly was the greateft
refervoir of thefe waters, is at prefent known by the name
of Seggio di Nido^ or di Nilo ; where there is an antique
ftatue of the river Nile, reprefented under the figure of an Statue of
old man fitting on a crocodile, with boys playing about J^ e mcr
him ; the head is modern, as appears by an infcription
under it.
The ftatue of yup'zter Terminalis, another antique, ftands
near the arfenal : it was dug up at Puzzuolo, and erekd in
this place by the duke of Segovia, when vice-roy.
Of all the palaces in Naples,, that of the vice-roy is, agree- Vice-roy's
ably to the dignity of the owner, unquestionably the moftP alace '
magnificent. As to its beauty, it is iufficient to lay that it
is the work of the famous cavalier c Fcntana. The great per-
ron
42 K A P L E S.
ran is divided into two flights of fteps, and is of white mar-
ble. It is eleven common paces in breadth, and a fuperb
work. At the foot of the fteps on each fide is the ftatue of
a river ; that on the left-hand reprefenting the Tagus, and
that on the right the Ebro, with infer iptions under them.
The eye of a connoifleur, at entering the palace on this
fide, muft be immediately offended at the difproportionate
narrownels of the court to fuch a large and fuperb perron.
In the audience-room are finely painted the moft remarkable
actions of the Spanifh nation, among which it has been
thought fit to place the expulfion of the Jews out of Spain.
The Sala Regia, where the carnival entertainments are given,
is hung with the pictures of all the vice-roys at full length.
A particular gallery is taken up with the exploits of the duke
d'Alva. In another falcon is reprefented the war carried on
by Charles V. with John Frederic elector of Saxony. In-
deed all the apartments abound in fine paintings, and beau-
tiful tapeftry.
In the palace-chapel are furprifing quantities of plate ; and
behind the altar ftands a moft exquifite white marble ftatue
of the virgin Mary. This palace has a fubterraneous com-
munication with the Caftello Nuovo, which, in cafe of an
jnfurrection, is a very necefTary refource to the vice-roy and
courtiers.
Caftello Caftello Nuovo on one fide joins to the fea, and is always
Nuovo. well garrifoned j forty-two pieces of ordnance are mounted
on the walls and baftions, among which are nine pieces
taken by Charles V. from the elector of Saxony at the battle
of Muhlberg.
An infcription informs us, that on the baftion del San
Spirito formerly ftood a large piece, called Magdalena, weigh-
ing twenty-one thoufand pounds, which carried balls weigh-
ing a hundred and twenty pounds. This deftructive engine
was caft in the time of the emperor Maximilian I, and
brought hither by Charles V.
Near the entrance of the' caftle ftands a triumphal-arch,
adorned wilh fculpture, and the two following infcriptions :
dtybonfus Regum Princcps bane condidit arcem.
' This caftle was built by Alphbnfo, the beft of princes.'
Aipkcnfus Rex Hifpaxtts, Siculus^
P:'j~> Clemsns t Jnvitfus*
c Alphonfo
NAPLES. 43
* Alphonfo king of Spain, Sicily, and Italy, the pious^
* the merciful, and the invincible.'
The place where this arch was erected is fomething too
narrow : the gate near it is adorned with fome fine fculpture
in ftone. Further on is a brafs gate, decorated with fine
baffo-relievo's, reprefenting fome of the atchievements of th.e
kings of Arragon. The caftle-church is handibmely deco-
rated with gilding and ftucco-work j and a Pieta, in a room
adjoining to it, is greatly admired. Facing the armory, Armoiy.
which, according to Parrini, can compleatly furnifh fifty
thoufand men, ftands a marble antique ftatue of a young
foldier *, or, according to fome, of the emperor Nero j as
likewife that of brafs in the facade of St. Barbara's church
in this caftle is faid to be. In the church dell' AfTunto is a
pidure of the wife men of the Eaft, two of which reprefent
Alphonfo and Ferdinand, kings of Spain. Vafari fays, this
piece was the firft work of Giov. da Bruggia in oil-colours:
fome, however, attribute it to the celebrated Zingaro, with
this addition, that the heads of the three wife men are copied
From the portraits of Charles king of Naples, and his fons
the prince of Salerno and the duke of Calabria. - The caftle-
hall is fo conftrucled, that a whifper on one fide is diftinclly
heard at the other.
Cajlello delUovo, i. e. Egg-cattle, fo called from its oval Caftello del
figure, ftands in the fea, on a rock, which is joined to the Uovo>
continent by a bridge of two hundred and twenty paces long.
This caftle is faid to have been anciently Lucullus's palace,
and not originally fituated on an ifland, but altered to its
prefent ftate and form by the Norman kings, on which ac-
count it was, for a long time, called the Norman caftle.
Over the entrance are thefe words :
Philippus Secundus Rex Hifpanlarum Pcntem a ccntimnti ad
Lucullanas arces, ollm Aujlri fluflibus conquajjainm, nunc faxeis
obidbus reftauravit, firmumqut reddidit^ D. Joanne r Lunlca
Pro-Rege, Anno MDLXXXW.
* Coeleftin tells us, that this foldier was a native of France, and main-
tained a poft fo bravely againft a hundred men of the enemy, that he laid
forty of them dead at his feet j but the Roman habit little agrees with the
firft part of this account.
The
44 NAPLES.
' The bridge from the continent to Lucullus's palace, hav-
* ing been broken down by the violence of the fea and;
* ftorms, is now, by order of Philip II. king of Spain, re-
' paired with greater ftrength, and fecured by a mole of huge
' ftones, in the year 1595, &(*
This caftle is fupplied with frefh water by means of a,
ftone conduit embellifhcd with marble figures of all kinds
of animals : it conveys the water from the city unde'r the
bridge to the caftle, where are two refervoirs, near a marble
lion, with an infcription in honour of Charles II. -and the
vice-roy.
Invention The memory of Pedro Navarro is loaded with execrations
of mines. at ]\f a p] eSj f or ^j s fi r ft. ma king ufe of mines in fieges : he was,
not, however, the inventor, but firft conducted them fo as
to take effect. In the year 1487, an officer in the Genoefe
army, then in the field againft the Florentines, and befieging
Serezanella, had contrived a mine, and fprung it ; but not
anfwering the great expectations conceived of it, the inventor
loft all his credit, and fuch projects were looked upon as
chimerical. Pedro Navarro, at that time only a private cen-
tinel, having attentively confidered the invention, thought
the want of fuccefs to be rather owing to mifmanagemenr,
than to the impracticability of the thing itfelf ; and, in the
year 1503, the fiege of the caftle of Naples gave him an op-
portunity of putting his conjecture to the trial ; which he did
fb effectually both to the damage and terror of the befieged,
that in a few days the Spaniards faw themfelves mafters of
the place.
St. Elmo The third check upon the city of Naples is the caftle of
caftle. St. Elmo, or St. Eramo, fo called from a church dedicated
to that faint, formerly (landing on this fpot. It is fituated
on an eminence towards the weft, and the plan is in the
form of a ftar, with fix rays. As its fortifications were
chiefly built by Charles V, this infcription is placed over
the gate :
Imperatoris Caroli V. dug. C&faris jnjfu^ ac Petri Toleti
Franches Marcbionis jtiftiJJ. Proregh aufpidis^ Pyrrhus
Aloyfius Serina Valentinus., D. Joannis Eques, Ceefareufque mi-
litum Prafeftus, pro fuo bellicis in rebus experiment!) F. curavit.
MDXXXVUL
This
NAPLES. 45
c This caftle was fortified by order of his imperial and" au-
guft majefty Charles V. under the aufpices or' our excellent
vice-roy Don Pedro de Toledo, marquis of Villa Franca,
and from a plan of that excellent engineer Pyrrho Aloyfio
Serena Valentini, knight of St. John, and colonel in the
imperial fervice. I53B.'
The fubterrarieous works are very fpacious, and hewn out
of the rock to fuch a depth as to be bomb-proof, on which
account a great quantity of military ftores are kept here.
This caftle can likewife be fupplied with provifions from Caf-
tello Nuovo by means of a fubterraneous communication, at
prefent walled up. In the upper part of St. Elmo's caftle
are feven cifterns for water; and under the vaults and mines citterns,
is a refervoir large enough for two galleys to fail on. The
water which is always extremely cold, is drawn from it by
a bucket through a kind of aperture or well.
The arms of Naples are a horfe ; and formerly near the city arms,
church di Santa Reftituta, ftood a brafs one of fuch an enor-
mous fiz.e, that the commonalty have a notion that it was
caft by Virgil, by the help of magic, whom they imagine to
have been a forcerer. It was alfo the object of a moft grofs Superftitlon
fuperftition, being accounted of fuch efficacy againft all dif- concerning
tempers incident to horfes, that they were brought hither .j ior f e a s
from all parts, and led round this all-healing ftatue. At
laft, in the year 1322, Maria Caraffa, archbifhop of Naples,
to abolifh a practice which reflected difgrace on human nature,
had it demolifhed and caft into a large bell for the cathedral.
The head being relerved for a memorial, is ftill to be feen in
the court of the Caraffa palace, among a colleclioii of fta-
tues and bafib-relievo's. Charles king of Naples having
made himfelf mafter of the city, after an eight-months liege,
ordered a bit to be put in the mouth of this horfe, whofe
attitude exprefied its impatience of controul, as an em-
blematical reprefentation of his having tamed the Neapo-
litans.
In the above-mentioned court is alfo to be feen, on a
pillar, a fmall equeftrian ftatue of Alphonfo the Second.
Poggio Reale, formerly a magnificent royal palace with- Peggie
out the city, is now fo fallen to decay as not to be worth Reale -
feeing. Among the ruins is fhewn a fteep place,, from whence
queen Joanna ufecl to have thofe whom me wanted out of the
way to be privately thrown down headlong.
In
NAPLES.
In returning from the laft mentioned place to the city,
degli Spirit!, on the left are the ruins of an old caftle, commonly called
haunted ^ Palagio degli Spirit^ from a vulgar fancy, that this palace,
palace. was deferted by the owners, on account of its being haunted.
At prefent there is nothing worth obferving to be feen
here, though it feems once to have been a charming re-
treat.
Bats cave. On the right hand, in returning from Poggio Reale lies
the Grotta degli Sportiglioni, or the bats cave, which is an
Italian mile and a half in length, very broad and high. About
the middle it divides, forming two vaults, one of which ex-
tends itfelf towards Poggio Reale, but has been walled in
fmce the year 1656, when it was made a repofitory for the
bodies of above fifty -thoufand perfons who died of the pefti-
lence. The hill over this cavity is extremely pleafant, and
called Monte del' Trecco^ from the French General Lautrec,
who, in 1528, befieging Naples, pitched his camp here ;
and not to damage a city of which he thought himfelf fure
of being matter, he broke up and ruined the aqueducts, in
order to reduce it by diftrefs. But the ftagnation of the
waters occafioned thereby, together with the fummer heats,'
bred fuch a contagion, as fwept away the greateft part of
the army and Lautrec himfelf; and of thofe who furvived the
ficknefs, very few efcaped the rage of the Italians. Lautrec's
fatal overfight was, that, previoufly to the demolifhing of
the aqueducts, he had not cut a canal for carrying off the
waters to the fea. It was alfo the fate of Henry VI, em-
peror of Germany, after clofely befieging Naples for three
months, to fee his army dwindle away by epidemical diftem-
pers, fo that he was obliged to raife the fiege.
Noblemen's The moft remarkable palaces at Naples are thofe of the
palaces. prince di S. Agata, the dukes di Gravina and Mataloni,
and a few others, though indeed they will hardly bear feeing
after thofe of Rome. The houfe of Ferdinando di S. Fe-
lice or Sanfelicius, as he is called in fome infcriptions, not
yet finifhed, will be very fuperb' and elegant ; he orders
every thing himfelf, and is not only a judge in pictures, but
no mean painter ; having purely from inclination been a dif-
ciple of Solimene. Befides feveral fruit-pieces, here are
fome capital paintings of his, one of the maflacre of the in-
nocents, and another of Jofeph's efcape into Egypt. A hall
of this palace is to be entirely painted in frefco from defigns
of Solimene. One of the pleafanteft parts of the city is the
Aiburb, commonly called Chiaia, but more properly Spiaggia
or
NAPLES. 47
or Piaggia, i- e. the Strand, from its proxirhity to the fea-
fhore. The coolnefs of the air, the agreeablenefs of the
profpeft, the extent of the area, and the freedom from duft,
make it the evening refort of the quality ; fo that it is no un-
common thing to fee fome hundreds of coaches here ; but on
thefe occafions perfons of different fexes never ride together
in the fame coach. Nothing can 'be more delightful than
the gardens to the right-hand on the hill, adorned with walks
of orange, cedar, and palm-trees, and a profufion of the moft
beautiful flowers,
At Pietra Bianca, fituated about four Italian miles from Pietra
Naples, at the foot of mount Vefuvio, is a country feat, ori- Bianca -
ginally built by Bernardino Martirano, fecretary to Charles V,
where the emperor was entertained on his return from Tunis
in 1535, which, according to the infcription over the gate,
has made this place for ever facred :
Hofpes,
Etji properas, ne fis tnrpius,
Prteteriens hoc <zdlficium venerator ,
Hie enim Carolus F. Rom. Imper,
Debellata Aphrica,
Veniens triduum in liberal:
Leuco-Petres gremlo conjutnjtf.
Florem fpargito^ & vale.
MDXXXV.
' Stranger, how great foever thy hafte may be, fail not,
as thou wouldft avoid impiety, to pay the veneration due
to this edifice; this is the place where, amidft the affluence
and rural beauties of Pietra Bianca, Crrarles V. emperor of
the Romans, returning from his African conquefts, pafTed
three days. Strew flowers here, and farewel ! 1535.'
This palace has a very bad neighbour of mount Ve-
fuvio ; the effects of its eruptions being but too vifible, not-
tvithftanding all the expenfive repairs and improvements con-
tinually made here.
LETTER
NAPLES.
LETTER LIX.
Churches, and other religious Edifices at
NAPL ES.
Attempts of QUCH is the power and opulence which the Neapolitan
litan N c7er~ ^ clergy have attained to, and the veneration paid them,
3 ' that more than once they have been ready to feizc the civil
power, and to arrogate to themfelves a decifive authority in
matters quite foreign to the paftoral care. Nor can they
bear the leaft controul or cenfure on this account ; one in-
ftance of which is their rancour againft Pietro Giannone, a
civilian, author of the JJloria Civile del Regno di Napoli. His
freedom in aiTerting the civil rights againft the incroachments
of the clergy incenfed them to fuch a degree, that he found
himfelf under a neceffity of leaving Naples to avoid the fury
of the populace, whom the clergy had fpirited up again!!:
him. Nafo the printer of it was excommunicated ; and had
not the protection of the emperor, to whom the book was
dedicated, checked the impetuohty of pope Benedict XIII,
the author would have fared no better : the effect, however,
has been, that this valuable piece is become very fcarce *.
The firmnefs with which Riccardi, attorney-general to the
Neapolitan government, had, according to the duty of his
office, lately oppofed the attempts of the court of Rome,
drew upon him the fame perfecuting fpirit, till at Vienna he
found a patron in Garelli, the emperor's phyfician and li-
brarian ; who making his ferviccs and abilities known at
court, fet him above the malice of his enemies.
Toleration As to external ceremonies, the devotion of the Roman
catholics here is not fo outrageous as in feveral provinces of
of Germany. At the elevation of the hoft in churches., or
* He fled to Vienna, but here that ambition which he had fo juftly ex-
pofed, would not let him reft ; San Felice, a jefuit, was employed to tra-
duce him as a tool of Spain, and with too much fuccefs, for Giannone
/aw himfelf deprived of a penfion of which he was but very lately pofleff^
ed. This obliged him to remove to Venice with a view of publishing a
fecond edition of his hi (lory j but, on an advantageous overture from a
bookfeller at Geneva, he went thither in the year 1735. He foon after
fell into the hands of his enemies j for, a Piedmontefe officer, who had
pretended a mighty friendship for him, enticing him to fpend a day at a
country feat without the territories of the city, he was there feized and im-
mediately hurried away to Chambery,
When
m cercmo-
nis.
NAPLES. 49
\Vhen It is carried along the ftreets, no ftranger is compelled
to kneel; and fo little difficulty is made about travellers eat-
ing flefh and fowls in Lent, that the inn-keeper's firft que-
ftion is, What the company will be pleafed to eat ; and iri
fome parts eating meagre, L e, fifh, eggs, and vegetables, is
riot fo acceptable to the hofl as an heretical meal, which
makes the reckoning more confidera'ole. Since the govern-
ment came into the hands of the Auftrian line of the houfe
of Hapfpurg, the flattie of St. Nepomuk has been erected on
feveral bridges ; but the crofles are not very numerous in the
ftreets, nor public proceffions, even in the capital itfelf, fo fre-
quent as in rrioft other popifh cities. The rrioft common Proceflk>nf
procefilon, which is exhibited almoft every day, is not fftj"
much intended to excite devotion as to raife a fuiid for peni-
tent proftitutes who have quitted their abandoned way of liv-
ing for a convent. In order the more effectually to move
the fpeclators to charity, the youngeft and moft beautiful or"
thefe penitents are {"elected, who are ordered to walk bare-
footed through the city, two a-breafr. : at feme particular
places they kneel down, acknowledge their paft wickednefs,
and fing penitential hymns ; the ecclefiafuc and a lay-afftft-
ant who attend them in the mean time receiving the contri-
butions of the public in a purfe fattened to the end of a flick.
Their habit on thefe occafions is a violet-coloured gown tied!
round the waift with a cord of the fame colour. Their heads
are ftiaved, but they Wear a blue veil, which however is thin
enough to give a fight of the charms of youth and beauty, as
powerful incentives to a liberal contribution.
The vivacity and penetration of the Neapolitans, (as they The Neapo-
do not always meet with a fatisfactorv folution of religious llta " s lncil "
r i / r_ i r n i ' r nab' 6 to a-
fcruples from their eccleuaftics, and want an opportunity of theifin.
receiving better information by foreign books, or verbal
inftrudtions) too often carries them into wild fyftems of re-
ligion, and fometimes to downright atheifm : and the ne-
ceflity of concealing fuch notions makes them take the deeper
root ; fo that it is with great difficulty any one of them is
reclaimed. Molinos had a ftrong party in this city; and Molinifts
Erneft Ruthan (who had been amanuenfis to M. Arnauld, ^J anf
and lately died at Brudels, where his burial met with no
fmall oppbfition) affured rne in 1715, that in Naples above
half of thofe, who, difdaining the yoke of human ordinances,
had been endeavouring to bring the eftablifhed religion to fome
teft, were, in their hearts, Janfenifrs. Perhaps it is owing
to the apprehension of finding the delinquents too numerous,
. VOL. III. E that
50 N A P L E S.
that profecutions are not fo indifcrectly carried on here as
in many other places, and the punimments for fuch offences
are tempered with i'o much lenity j which would not be the
Freedom of cafe if the ecclefiaftics had a manifeft fuperiority. At leaft
bookfcllers. Naples is the place of all Italy where bookfellers are under
the leaft reftraint ; for they openly fell L' Enfant' s Bibliothe-
que Gcrmaniqiic, and other books written by proteftants,
even on religious and polemical ftibje&s ; whilit, in other
popifh cities, it would be dangerous to have fuch works in
their houfes.
Fault in the The roofs and facades of the churches of Naples are but
^v&va '^ contrived, and the monuments within them, in fize and
Their beau- grandeur, are vaftly inferior to thofe at Rome ; but, in the
ty and rich- beauty and richnefs of other ornaments, fcarce any country
nefs> can equal them ; fo that only the jewels and altar-plate in
many of the churches amount to many millions of dollars. It
muft be acknowledged, that the clergy here are extremely
civil to ftrangers, and freely beftow their time and trouble in
gratifying their curiofity. To take a view of all the churches
in Naples would be a work of time, there being no lefs
Number, than three hundred and four in all, conventual and pa-
rochial. I mall therefore only take notice of the moft re-
markable churches and convents, keeping to my ufual alpha-
betical order.
St.Apnello's S. Agnello is famous for a miraculous crucifix in the Ca-
miracvtlous p e |j a ^e Monaci, which, upon a debtor's denying a debt in
its prefence, is faid to have reproached his ingratitude, fcrV.
The greateft altar is of white marble, adorned with exquifite
bafib-relievo's. The ftatue of St. Dorothea, by Giovanni
da Nola, is a good piece : and in the wall oppoiite to it are
feveral ancient baflb-relievo's. In the Capella del Purgatorio,
over the tomb of Antonia Capuana, is a fuperb marble baffo-
relievo feprefentins: the virgin Mary with the divine infant in
her arms, {hewing herfelf to the fouls in purgatory *.
Marino's In the adjoining convent is a monument of G. Battifla
tomb. Marino, a celebrated poet, with a brafs buft of him erected
purfuant to a claufe in the will of his liberal Maecenas the
marquis di Villa, which formerly flood in that nobleman's
houfe, from whence it was removed hither. The following
infcription ori the monument was drawn up by Cornelio :
* Abundance of reliques, Gfr. jire here omitted in the translation.
NAPLES, 51
D. O. M.
Et Mem&ia
fcquitis Jonnnis Baptifta: Marinty
Poetcc incomparabilis^
^hiem ob fummam in condendo
Omnls generis carmine felicitatem
Urges & virt Principes cobonejlarunt^
Omncfcue Mujarum aniicifufpexerttty
"Joannes Baptifta Manfus
Villa Marcbio,
Dum pr&claris fa~oet ingeniis^
Ut pojleros ad cciebrandam iUius
Irmnortalem ghriam excitaret,
Monumentum extrucndum legavlt^
Quod Montis Manfi Rcclores
Ad pnefcripti narmam exegere,
Anno M. DC. LXXXIIL
' This monument, facred to God the greateft and beft of
Beings, and the memory of John Baptifta Marino, knight,
an univedal poet, whofe incomparable verfes, admired by
all lovers of the mufes, endeared him to feveral monarchs
and other illuftrious perfonages, was erected purfuant to a
legacy left by John Baptifta Manfi, marquis of Villa, &c.
He died in 1625 ; and feveral other epitaphs were compof- .
ed for him, one of which, together with a picture of him,
on the wall, was fet up by the academy of the Humorifts,
of which he had been prefident.
This poet was a knight of the order of St. Lazarus and
St. Maurice, which honour was c6nferred on him by Charles
Emanuel duke of Savoy. Several manufcripts of his, are
ftill kept among the records of this church, where his re-
mains are depofited.
This church of S. Angelo a Segno is confecrated to St. s. Angelo
Michael the archangel) and was built on the following occa- a Segno.
fion : In 574 the Saracens had forced their way into the city T f u P tion of
i-t-nir r i , i--- n theSaracens.
by the rorta VentoUi ; but, being on this ipot vigorously at-
tacked by Giacomo de Marra, were repulfed after a very fliarp
fkirmifli. How far thefe ravagers had penetrated is feen by
a brafs nail on a piece of white marble fixed in .the wall of
this chiirch.
E 2 In
5* NAPLES.
S. Angeloa I n the church of S. Angelo a Nido are feveral fine monu-
1 * ments, particularly one belonging to the Brancaccio family.
Cardinal Francefco Maria Brancaccio has bequeathed a good
library to this church. The great altar-piece, reprefenting
the archangel Michael, is a celebrated piece, by Marco da
Siena,
SS.Apoftoli. The church de' SS. Apoftoli is almoft covered with gild-
ing and painting ; fo that, with a fuitable fc^ade^ which
it wants, it would be a beautiful edifice. Over the entrance
is a piece of painting, by Lanfranco, reprefenting the angel
defcending to ftir the waters of the pool of Bethefda j and
near it the fame artift has fo curioufly drawn a crack or fif-
fure, that the wall appears to be actually cleft : a fimilar de-
ception is alfo to be feen in the refectory of the Theatines
convent, to which this church belongs. The roof is beau-
tifully painted by Lanfranco, and the cupola by Benafchi.
The tabernacle on the great altar is faid to have coft forty
thoufandy?W/, or crowns, and is indeed a moft admirable
piece, confuting of eight pillars, and other decorations of
amethyfts, emeralds, lapis lazuli^ agates of feveral colours, a
topaz of the bignefs of a walnut, and other gems. The al-
tar is of marmo fiorito, or flowered marble, and thebaluftrade
before it of red and white marble. On the two fides ftand
two brafs gueridons nine palmi high, but much more valua-
ble for the workmanfhip than the fize. The baflb-relievo re-
prefents the four beafts in Ezekiel's vifion, which are general-
ly fuppofed to be emblematical reprefentations of the four
evangelifts ; the defigns were Finelli's, but they were caft by
Berfotino, a Florentine. On the altar-piece is a fine paint-
ing of Chrift's head with a crown of thorns. On the right
Capelladel fide of the high altar is cardinal Afcanio Filamarmo's chapel,
card. Fila- where the greatcft artifts in the time of Urban VIII. havedif-
toarino - played their Ikill ; and, though it be conftruded of feveral
pieces of white marble, no joinings are difcernible. Its
fplendid appearance is greatly heightened by five mofaic pieces,
by Giov. Battifta Calandra da Vercelli : the noble altar-
piece, reprefentiug the annunciation, together with the four
Chriftian virtues, Faith, Hope, Charity, and Humility, on
each fide, were originally painted in oil-colours by Guido
Rheni, but have fince been altered into very beautiful mo-
faic pieces. The groupe of cherubim, feraphim, &c. in a
marble baflb-relievo is by Francefco Fiamingo, who, for fculp-
ture, is accounted a fecond Michael Angelo. The two
lions on which the altar refts, together with the intended fa-
crifice
NAPLES. 53
crifice of Ifaac in baflb-relievo, are the workmanfhip of Giul.
Finelli da Carrara.
This chapel has always the appearance of being new ; the
heirs of the founder being, by his will, obliged to have it
twice a year carefully cleaned and beautified, under the penal-
ty of two hundred ducats for every neglecT:, payable to the
convent, to be laid out for the above-mentioned purpofes.
The Capella de' Pignatelli, on the left-fide of the high- Capella de-
altar, is equally worf:h feeing. Its altar is inlaid with gems. p 'S nateill
among which is an amethyft feven inches broad, and near ten
fpans in length. In the veftry are feveral good paintings,
and a great quantity of very fine plate; particularly a very
large filver lamp, valued at two thoufand fcudi^ which was
defigned by Solimene. Here are allb feveral golden chalices,
fet with rubies and diamonds ; fix filver flower-pots ; a cru-
cifix which coft fifty tnoufand fcudi ; and fix chandeliers of
coral fet in gold. In the vaults belonging to this church are
feveral bodies of both fexes wrapt up in linen, which have
lain there feveral years undecayed.
In the convent are three galleries over one another ; but Convent,
that on the ground floor is by much the fined. The ftair-
cafe runs in a fpiral line, and the fteps, like thofe of St. Pe-
ter's at Rome, are very low, for the conveniency of afles car-
rying up corn to the granaries. The library is elegant, well
furniihed with books, and affords a delightful profpeir.. Near
this convent is held a weekly meeting of the heads of a focie=L.
ty, confuting of two hundred gentlemen of the law, to ex-
amine the private grievances of the poor ; and in cafe any
pauper is found to be opprefTed, and that his complaint is well
founded, a member of this fociety is nominated to undertake
his caufe : but neither this member,' nor the fociety, are 1 at
any expence in fuch cafes ; the law-charges being defrayed
by the Theatine convent, which has large endowments for
this particular purpofe. This is an inftitution which muft
gire pleafure to every benevolent and humane perion.
In the church of S. Catarina a Formello are feveral mo- S. Catarina a
numents, of which the moft remarkable are thofe of the Spi- Formell0t
nelli family. In the Capella di S. Domenico are feveral
good pieces in painting and fculpture. Under the altar is
the-figure of a dog, with a horn in his mouth, in which is a
flaming torch ; on his back refts a globe, with thefe words
on it:
E 3 Afetul*
54 NAPLES.
d feculo nfque ad feculwn.
4 From age to age.'
And under the hound :
Stiftinet, infiammat *.
e It fupports and inflames.'
This is the coat of arms belonging to the court of inqui-
fition.
Eaftem The altar- piece, reprefentino; the arrival of the three eaftcrn
**&' magi at Bethlehem, is by Silvefter Buono. In the area be-
fore the church is erected a buft ef St. Januarius, with an
infcription. In the difpenfary of the adjoining; Dominican
convent one is fhewn a copy of the head of the famous rebel
or patriot Mafaniello. Here is alfo a cabinet of curiofities,
with abundance of antique medals, urns, idols, minerals,
petrifactions, large pieces of coral, 6fc
S. Chiaria. S. Chiaria is one of the principal churches in Naples.
Facing the high altar are two fuperb pillars of white marble,
pretended to have belonged to Solomon's temple ; two
others nearer the altar, in appearance perfectly refembling
Monument the former, are only of wood incrufted with marble. The
kt- R of rt * ab ' oft ^ e k'gh altar is a *i n gl e P' ece of marble eighteen
Sicily? palmi in length ; and behind it lies the brave and excellent
founder of this church, king Robert, with this Ihort in-
fcription :
Cernlte Robcrtum Regcm vlrtut; refertum*
c Behold king Robert, a prince endowed with every virtue.'
He died in 1343, after a reign of thirty^ three years.
Near the high altar is the monument of Charles the illu-
ftrious, fon of king Robert, and duke of Calabria.
, In 1686 part of the roof of the vault happening to fall in,
the body of this excellent prince was found without any vifi-
ble decay.
Of Mary of On the other fide of the altar ftanrls the marble tomb of
France ' Mary, fifter of Joanna I, a pofthumous child, and born in
* This motto is capable of various explanations.
NAPLES. -55
1329 ; flie was firft married to Charles duke of Durazzo, af-
terwards to Robert de Baux ; her third hufband was 'Philip
IT, prince of Tarcnto, when Ihe bore the title of emprefs of
Conftantinople. Her ftatue has a crown on the head, and
the drapery is enriched with gilded lilies, with this epitaph :
Hie jacet corpus llluftrh Domince D. Maria de Francia Irn-
peratricis Conftantincpoiitante, ac DuciJJie Duracii^ quts obiit anno
Domini 1366. die 20. menfes Maji Ind. 4..
c Here lies the body of the illuftrious Mary of France,
4 emprefs of Conftantinople, and duchefs of Durazzo, who
' died on the 2Oth of May, in the year 1366, and of the in-
4 diction the fourth.'
In a chapel under the organ-loft lies a fitter of this Mary,
daughter to Charles duke of Calabria and Mary de Valois.
Near the veftry is the monument of queen Joanna I. who Of Joanna,
caufed her firft hufband Andrew of Hungary to beftrangled ;
and (he herfelf met with the fame fate, from king Charles,
her fecond hufband : thefe two circumftances are mentioned
in the epitaph which is now fcarce legible :
Inclyta Partbenopes jacet hie Regina Joanna
Prima, prius felix^ max miferanda iiimis \
tjhiam Carolo genitam mulclavit Carolus alter^
Qufi niorte ilia virum Jiijlulit antt jktum.
MCCCLXXXIL 22. Maji v. India.
4 Here lies Joanna the Firft, queen of Naples, whofe prof-
perous life was terminated by a wretched exit. To one
Charles (he owed her being ; another, juftly fevere, -de-
prived her of it, by the fame means that fhe had made ufe
of to put an end to the life of her former hufband. May
22, 1382.'
Hie jacet is an impropriety in the epitaph ; the body of this
unhappy woman beina; in reality buried in the church di S.
Francefco del Monte Gargano.
- Near one of the doors of this church is to be feen a beau-
tiful marble tomb, adorned with fculpture by Giovanni da
Nola, on which is an admirable ftatue of a young lady,
with the following epitaph by Antonio Epicure, a Neapoli-
tan poet :
E 4 Nata %
NAPLES.
, EToeu miferitm ! mifero mihl nata parenti^
Unicin utjjeres, unica nata, dolor.
Dum hbi ncirr.quc virum, tedas^ thalamumqiit parabarn
Funera & inferias anxius ecce faro. '
DtbuirKUs tecum poni Materqtte Paterque y
Ut tribus hac miferis urna parata forei.
At nos perpetui ge miius, tu nata fepuhbri
Ejlo bare!) ubi jic impiafatavolunt.
Antonia filia tbarijf. qua HieronytfU Grcmatee Juveni orna^
tiff, deftinata uxor Ann. no^dum X1IIL impleverat, Joannes
Gaudinus fcf Heliodora Boffa Parentes infelicij/'. pof. raptcs ex
eorum complexil. ann. jal. MDXXX. Prid. KaL Jan.
My only child, alas, my only grief !
With filer.t raptures of paternal love
For thee the bridal robe and nuptial bed
I late prcpar'd, which now, alas, are chang'd
To death's black trophies and funereal rites.
O that one grave the wretched parents held
With thee, whom from their arms relentlefs fate
Has fnatch'd in all the pride of blooming youth ;
And left them to lament, but all in vain,
With endlefs fighs and tears thy early doom.'
' To their dear daughter Antonia, who was betrothed to
Gieronimo Granata, a youth of the fineft accomplifliments,
and fnatched from their embraces on the laft day of the
year 1530, by a premature death, before (lie had com-
pleated her fourteenth year, John Guadiano and Helio-
dora Bo/Fa, her dilconfolate parents, have erected thismo-
' nument.'
In this church lies alfo the author of this epitaph : a mo-
nument, with the following infcription, was erected to him
by a perfon,to whom his poetical talent had endeared him :
ANTONIO EPICFRO, Mufarum Alumno, Bernar-
dinus Rota, primis in annis Jiudwrum focio pofuit. Atorltur
ottuagenarius^ unico fipulto filio. I nunc Cf diu vlvere milfr
cvra. MDLV.
( To Anthonio Epicuro, a favourite of the mufes, who,
e after burying his only fon, died in his eightieth year, this
* monument
NAPLES. 57
( monument was erected by Bernard Rota, his quondam
* fchool-fellow. 1555.
' Go now, vein man ? and coyet length of days.'
All the monuments in this church are of white marble,
and fome are embellifhed with mafterly baflb-relievo's. In
the convent adjoining, none but women of the nobleft fami-
lies are admitted ; and as the rules are not very ftric~r., the
number of nuns, exclufive of maid-fervants and other atten-
dants, exceeds three hundred and fifty. The church is ferved
by the Francifcans, who alfo are the fpiritual guides of this
beautiful flock, unqueftionably the moft rjumerous of the,
kind in the Chriftian world.
The Jefuits college, as ufual, is one of the fineft ftruc- II Collegia
tures in the city : the refectory, the library, the great ftair- dd Gicfu *
cafe, the difpenfary, and the church belonging to this college,
will afford entertainment to a traveller of tafte. Moft of
the buildings belonging to this afpiring order are generally
embellifhed with the moft fumptuous ornaments, of which
the church della Concezzione, adjoining to which the fathers Chieft
have their feminary, is an inftance. The front is built with
large cubic ftones of pietra pipernina. The moft remarkable
altars in this church are thofe of St. Ignatius, St. Francis
Xavier, and F Altare Maggiore^ or high altar, which, though
it i>e not quite finifhed, is adorned with fix Corinthian pil-
lars of a carnation marble, four ftatues, &c. The cupola,
which is exquifitely painted by Lanfranco, was damaged by
an earthquake in 1688 ; fo that the only remains of that
eminent pencil are the evangelifts on one fide of it, the reft
being painted fince by Paolo de Mattheis, a Neapolitan. St.
Ignatius' s chapel is particularly remarkable for two ftatues,
by Cofmo Fonfago ; one of David with Goliah's head at his
feet, the other of Jeremiah bewailing the calamities of his
country. Here is alfo a porphyry tomb of Nicolas Sanfeve-
rini, the laft prince of Bifigriano.
In the church are alfo to be feen two curious holy-water
bafons of a yellow and brown marble. In the veftry, which
is finely gilded, are three pictures of the Virgin, one by An-
nibal Caracci, and two others by Raphael. The filver tiilbe
in thetreafury, valued by the weight of the filver, amounts
to a hundred and fifty thoufandy#/. Here are alfo feveral
iiatues and bufts ; St. Cyr, as big as the life, of filver, en-
riched with emeralds , feveral chalices, a curious altar cover-
ing*
58 NAPLES.
ing, cart in filvcr by Gennaro Monte, and many other things
of immenfe value.
The Jefuits alfo, befules other churches, are in poiTeffion
of that of S. Giufcppe, of which, in its proper place, I (hall
ei\e a full defcription.
S. Dcmenico Maggiore belongs to the Dominican monks;
ant ] con tjo- uous to it is a convent, where there are generally
a hundred and forty monks. The church was built by king
Charles II. whole heart is kept here embalmed in a fmall
ivory urn, with this inscription :
Conditorium hoc eft cordis Car oil II. Ilhi/injfflmi Regis^ Fun-.
datdr-is Convent us. Ann. Domini MGCC1X.
* The repofitory of the heart of the moft illuftrious prince,
* Charles II. founder of this convent. 1309.'
Crucifix I J1 tne Capella del Santiilimo Crocefiflb is the crucifix which
which fpoke coridefcendcd to exprefs its approbation of the writinys cf the
toThomas ce } e b ra(;e( j Thomas d'Aquino, or Aquinas, concerning the
real prefcnce of the body and blood of Chrift in the facra-
ment in. thefe Words : Bene fcripjifli de ?ne t Thoma^ qi(Ci?n erg&
merc'edem accipies? 'Thomas, thou haft written well con-
' cerning me ; what reward fliall I give thee thee on that
* account ?' To which the doctor is faid to have anfwered :
Nnn aliam nifi te ipfum. I'll have no other recompence but
' thyfelf *.' On certain days of the year this crucifix is with
great pomp expofed to public view ; but, at all other times,
is not to be feen ; feven perfons having in their cuftody as
many different keys of the fhrine in which it is kept. Over
the crucifix is an admirable picture of the defcent from the
crofs, by Zingaro. On a monument in the chapel belong-
ing to the Caraffa family is the following epitaph :
Huic
Virtus gloriam,
Gloria imtnortiditatcm
Comprtravtt,
M. CCCC. LXX.
c By virtue he acquired glory, and glory gained him im-
* mortality. 1470-'
* At Salerno this crucifix is accounted an impofture, the right one
keing, as the} 7 fay, in their poffeffion.
In
NAPLES. 59
In the duke d'Acerenaa's chapel is an highly-efteemed
annunciation-piece, by Titian. The monument of Befnar-
dini Rota, in St. John the Baptift's chapel, is worth feeing,
both on account of his ftatue, and thofe of the Tiber and
the Arno, with which it is adorned.
Jn the Capella di Stigliano is an exquifite image of the
virgin Mary, by Giov. da Nola j and in that of St. Jofeph
are two fine pictures, by Guido, The veftry is very lofty,
and finely painted by Solimene. In the gallery lie feven
coffins richly covered, in which are the remains of the kings
and queens of Naples, and other great perfonages. Of thefe
the firft in order is Antonio Petruccio, fecretary to the errr-
peror Ferdinand. The lid can be taken off", to give a fight
of his body, which is in a full drefs, and fo far undecayed,
that all the teeth are ftill found, and in their proper arrange-
ment. He loft his life in the confpiracy of the barons, being
ftrangled, and not beheaded, as is manifeft from the Cord
which ftill remains about his neck. MifTon gives fome of
the infcriptions on the coffins ; but the prefent coverings,
which are of crimfon velvet and filk damafk, would not ad-
mit my comparing his copies with the originals.
The riches of this church in plate, &fr, is very confide-
rable. Some of the paUiotti, or altar-coverings, are of caft
filver, and one for the high altar coft fourteen thoufand fcudi.
In the veftry is an admirable bufto of pope Pius V. Near
the ,o ate of the college which was formerly appropriated to
the ftudy of divinity, ftands a ftatue of Thomas Aquinas, Statue of
with this remarkable infcription : Thomas
Aquinas.
Viator ', hue ingredient^ Jifte gradum, atque venerare bane ima-
ginem & Catbedram^ in qua fedens Mag. ilk Thomas de Aquino
de Neap, cum frequent 'e, ut par erat^ Audit orum concur fu^ &
illius fectfli fehcitafty cater of que quam plurimos admirabili doc-
trina TbcJogiam docebat, accerfiio jam a Rege Carolo L conftittita
ilia mercede unius w:ci<e aun per fmgulos menfesj R. P. V- C. in
anno 1272. D. SS. F. F.
' Traveller, at thy entrance here, flop and reverence this
ftatue, and the chair, in which the great Thomas de
Aquino a Neapolitan, in happy times, taught theology
with admirable fkill, attended by a numerous audience,
worthy of fuch a dolor j who being invited hither by king
Charles I, had a penfion of an ounce of gold per month,
fettled on him by that monarch, &c.
The
o NAPLES.
Difpnte a- The Dominicans at Touloufe affirm, that they have the
fcont his entire body of Thomas Aquinas, the right arm only excepted,
which they made a prefent of to Lewis XIII, who committed
it to the cuftody of the Dominicans in the rue S. Jacques at
Paris ; but at Naples they alfo fhew his right arm, the
cell he liv^d in, and his profeffional chair, which is re-
fpecled to fuch an abfurd degree, that no perfon muft pre-
fume to fit down in it. His manufcript notes on Dionyfius's
book, de Calefti Hierarchia^ is kept with all the care and ve-
neration of a relique : but at the beginning of this century
Philip king of Spain coming to Naples, exprefied a defire to
have fome leaves of fo precious a piece, and it was not
thought proper to oppofe his devotion.
In the area before the leffer door of the convent ftands
an elegant pyramid with the ftatue'of St. Dominic on the
top of it.
The cathe- H Duomo, or the cathedral, is dedicated to the aflumptidn
**! of the virgin Mary. The foundation was laid by Charles I,
king of Naples and Sicily, to whom a monument is erected
near the great door, with this infcription :
Carolo I. Andegavenfi, Templi hujus extruflori^ Carolo Mar-
fella Hungarice Regi ff Clementine ejus uxori, Rodulphi I. Cce-
foris F. ne Regis Neapolitan! ejufque Nepotis^ & Auftriaci Jan-
guinis Regines debito fine honore jacerent offa, Hcnricus Guf-
mannus, OHvarenftum Comes^ Philippi III. Auftriaci Regias
in hoc Rcgno Vices geren$ t pictatis ergo pofuit. Anno Domini
M.D.C.IC.
' TO Charles I, of Anjou, the founder of this church,
and tp Charles M artel king of Hungary, and dementia
his confort, daughter of the emperor Randolph, Henry
Gufman count of Olivares, vice-roy of Naples under
Philip III. of Auftria, erected this monument, that the
king of Naples and his grandfon, alfo a king, and a
princefs of the houfe of Auftria might not want the due
honours of a tomb.'
Charles's original epitaph was the following :
Conditur hac parva Carolus Rex Primus in urna
Parthencpes, Galli fanguinis altus honos :
Cut fceptrum & vitamfors abftulit iniiida^ quanda
lllius famam perdere nan fotuit.
4 In,
NAPLES. 61
1 Tn this fmall tomb lies Charles I, the glory of France^
* and king of Naples : his fame was beyond the reach of
' envious fate, which deprived him of his life and fcepter.*
The fteps up the afcent to the high altar are of white
-marble and adorned on the fides with curious baflb-relievo's.
Fronting the altar are two pillars of red jafper, twelve feet
high without the pedefcals which are of verde antico. Near
the latter is a monument erected by cardinal Cantelmo to
pope Innocent XII, whilil living, with an infcription full of
the groffeft flattery.
Not far from this is the fine tomb of cardinal Alphonfo
Caraffa, who died in the year 1561, and oppofite to it that of
cardinal Cefvaldi,
On the high altar-piece is the afTumption of the virgin
Mary by Pietro Perugino, a painter, who lived in the I5th
century, and was Raphael's matter.
In the chapel under the high altar, built in 1506, by car- Chapel
dinal Oliverio Caraffa, are iome curious works in marble, ^*
as feftoons, foliages, birds, children, angels, &c. which
are by fome attributed to Michael Angelo, who alib cut the
tranfparent alabafter ftatue of the noble founder, placed be-
hind the altar. The pavement is inhid with verde antico,
jafper, giallo antico^ and porphyry. The remains of St. Ja-
nuarius have been removed from the church dedicated to that
faint without the walls, to this fubterraneous chapel, where
they are ftill kept. The prefent emperor offered at his (hrine
twelve filver eagles : in the crowns on the heads of thefe ea-
gles twelve lamps are continually burning, and one hundred
fcudi a year are appropriated for fupplying them with oik
Here is alfo a fine Madonna with her divine infant painted
on wood by the cavalier Mafia. In a fide chapel are the
portraits of feveral of the Caraffa family, who were eminent
benefactors to this church ; and likewife a very curious
wooden crucifix. In the church is a font made in 1621,
which, as it coit eleven thoufand five hundred fcudi^ may be
iuppofed to be fcmething extraordinary. The peJeftal is of
pccphyry, and the bafon of touch-ftone. On the right hand
near the high altar is another beautiful altar of .Florentine
work ; and its tabernacle is fet with the fineft gems. Not
far from this is the monument of Innocent IV. who ho-
noured the cardinal with the red hat; likewife that of the
unfortunate
NAPLES.
unfortunate king Andrea, who was ftrangled by the contri-
vance of his queen Joanna, as the epitaph Specifies.
Andrece, Caroll Uberti Pannonia Regis F. Neapolitanorum
Regis -, Joanna uxoris dolo & laqueo necato : ne Regis corpus
infepultum, fcpultumve facinus pq/ieris remaneret, Francifcus
Bcrardi F. Capycius fepulcrum, titulum nomenque P. mortuo an~
nor. XIX. 1345. XIV. KL. Ottob.
* That the body of Andrew king of Naples, the fon of
Charles Hubert king of Hungary, who was ftrangled by
the intrigues of his queen Joanna, might not be unburied,
and that her guilt might not be buried in oblivion, Francis
Capycio, &c. erected this monument and infcription.
At the time of this horrid murder, which was on the i8th
of September, 1345, this unhappy prince was but nineteen
years of age.'
Not far from this monument is a moft beautiful white
marble baflb-relievo of John the Baptift.
Fine chapel. The moft remarkable thing in this cathedral is the chapel
on the right hand at entering the church, called /'/ Teforo^
the architecture of which is extremely beautiful. In it are
the ftatues of St. Peter and St. Paul, finely executed by
Finelli, and two pillars of black marble moft beautifully
Ipotted ; the door is of brafs, curioufly wrought with feftoons
and foliages, which coft thirty-fix thoufand fcudi. The
chapel is of a round figure, and contains feven altars of the
fined marble, arid forty-two pillars of Broccatello. Round
the upper part of the wall ftand twenty-one large bronze
images of faints, each valued at four thoufand fcudi ; and
under them are fixty filver bufts of fo many faints. Mofl
of thefe bronzes are by Finelli. The cupola was painted by
Lanfranco, Domenichini, and Permeggiano ; but thefe noble
pieces have very much fuffered by earthquakes that damaged
the cupola. Behind the high altar, which is detached from
the wall and entirely of red porphyry, is the fhrine with
St. Jamia- filver doors, where are kept St. Januarius's head, and two
rius's head cr yftal phials containing fome of that faint's blood, faid to
have been gathered up by a woman at the time of his mar-
tyrdom. Befides the three ftated times in the year for ex-
pofing thefe reliques to the public view, the like is done with
the deepeft humiliations, on account of famine, peftilence,
earthquakes, or any public calamity which is fuppofed to re-
quire
NAPLES. 63
quire St. Januarius's interpofition. The pretended lique- Liquefaaion
faction of the coagulated blood in the phials when placed ottheblo J '
near the head is known to all the world. This farce is acted
the fir ft Sunday in May, and on the iuccef.s or failure of this
miracle the profperity or calamity of the fucceeding year is
fuppofed to depend. As the former occaiions great public
rejoicings, fo if the blood remains coagulated recourfe is had
to proceffions, public flagellations, cv. that the impending
dangers may be averted.
The fubftance in the phial is of a browniuh red, and looks
like balfam of Peru, which may be very eafy liquefied. On.
the day when this miracle is to be exhibited, the phial con-
taining the blood {rands furrounded with a great number of
lights : it is about three inches Ions;, and is applied to the
mouths and foreheads of an innumerable multitude of peo-
ple, who throng to partake of fuch a bleffing : the prieft all
the while turning it every way, fo that by the continual agi-
tatfon, the warmth of his hand, the heat from the lights,
the effluvia from fuch crowds, the fultrinefs of the weather,
&c. it is not unrcafonable to fuppofe a condenfed fluid may
be gradually reftored to its liquidity. At lafr., however, the
priefts cry. out, // nriraculo c fatto. ' The miracle is done ;'
which is immediately anfwered by a Te Deurn amidft the ac-
clamations of the people and a difcharge of cannon *. But
this miracle is not peculiar to St. Januarius's blood ; that of
St. John the Baptiit, St. Stephen, St. Pantaleon, St. Vitus,
and St. Patricia, exhibiting the like fpeclacle in other
churches at Naples, where fuch reliques are kept, and gene-
rally on the days dedicated to thofe faints. Over the en-
trance within the old veftry formerly belonging to the Ca-
pella del Teforo is a bufl of St. Januarius of touch-frone,
with two fmall phials full of a red liquor Handing before it.
The filver images, chandeliers, lamps, altar-coverings, fcrV.
with which the new chapel is crowded, are valued at a hun-
dred thoufandylW/.
* In iy33> Mr. Neuman a celebrated chemiu at Berlin invented a me-
thod by which the liquefiiclion of blood fo much boaited of with regaicl
to Januarius is eafily and at any time imitated; and it is to be hoped,
that. he will lay it open to the world. Dr. Callebom, profeflbr of phyfic
at Hall, is faid to be poflefled of a like feax-t. Betides-, it bears very
hard upon the Auftrian party here, that, at the lateunjuft irruption of the
Spaniards into the kingdom of Naples, St. Januarius fliifred iides, and
by the Ipeecly liquefafcion of his blood declared for Don Carlos.
Oppofite
64 NAPLES.
Oppofite to the Teforo, is the entrance into St. Reftitufa's
church, which was formerly the cathedral. Many of the
pillars of this church are faid to be the remains of a temple
of Neptune. On the wall is the virgin Mary in mofaic,
given out to be the firft image, riot of Naples only, but of
all Italy, to which adoration was paid ; but its apparent an-
tiquity, however, little agrees with the opinion of thofe who
place the building of this church fo far back as the age of St.
Peter and his difciple St. Afpreno, whom they alfo are pleafed
to make bifhop of Naples.
In the area between the cathedral and the Strada Capu-
ana ftands a fine marble obelifk by Cofmo Fonfeca, on
which is ere&ed a brafs ftatue of St. Januarius by Finelli,'
with this infcription :
Divo Januario Patria Regnique
pr&fentijfimo Tutelart
Grata Neapolit Civ. optime merito.
' Erected by the city of Naples out of gratitude to St. Ja-
c nuarius, the ever propitious and powerful protector of hrs
' native city and the whole kingdom.'
This obelifk is illuminated annually on the igth of Sep-
tember with a fplendor hardly to be conceived ; while a nu-
merous band of mufic play by it, and all the guns in the fe-
veral forts are fired on the occafion.
Church of The church of S. Francefco di Paola which faces the vice-
S. Frartceko rO y' s palace is remarkable for a beautiful pavement, a roof
i0 a ' finely gilt and carved, and feveral marble ornaments, efpe-
cially at the high altar. The tabernacle is embellimed with
eight incomparable pillars, two of lapis lazuli, and the
. other fix of green jafper. In the middle of this altar is an
Remarkable excellent piece of perspective in enamel. Befides very large
iataglio. pieces of agate, it is profufely enriched with gems, one of
which is an intaglio, faid not only to be the work of nature
without any human fkill, but by it defigned to reprefent St.
Francis, to whom the church is dedicated. The painting
about the altar and of the whole choir is by Luca Giordano.
Virgin Among its reliques are two fmall phials full of the virgin
M *|"y' s Mary's milk, as is pretended, which is dried to a refem-
blance of white terra figillatts^ but liquefies on the feftival*
of the virgin Mary. In the adjoining cloifter formerly re-
fided S. Francis de Paola ; and to the reputation of his fanc-
tity
NAPLES. 6$
tlty it owes the beft part of its prefent opulence. Among
the filver ornaments in the chapel contiguous to the difpen-
fatory, is a ftatue of St. Michael near three feet high, glit-
tering with jewels, which is valued at twelve thoufand
ducats. In the difpenfatory, not to mention the curiofities
in coral and gems, and the water- works, a perfon cannot
forhear being extremely pleafed with the elegancy and moft
judicious oeconomy of it. Some continue to c^ll this church
by its ancient name of S. Luigi detto di Palazzo.
St. Gaetano's church is entirely new and worth feeing, s -
both for its architecture and marble ornaments. The veft-
ments are fhewn here which cardinal Orfini, afterwards Be-
nedict XIII, had on at the time of his providential deliver-
ance in an earthquake.
S. Gennaro extra moenia is alfo called ad fores, and acl
(orpuS) the body pf St. Januarius having been flrft interred
there. The church formerly belonged to the Benedictines,
but at prefent to an adjoining hofpital. On an eminence to
the right of this church Hands St. Severus's chapel, and near
it is the entrance into St. Gennaro's catacombs j of the four Catacom *
hitherto difcovered in Naples thefc are both of the greateft
extent and kept in the beft order. The vulgar opinion that
thefe fubterraneous vaults were the work of the primitive
Chriflians, and ferved them as retreats in times of perfecu-
tion, is entirely confuted by taking a view of the Neapolitan
catacombs ; which are hewn out of a folid rock, and could
not have been accomplifhed clandeftinely, or without im-
menfe charges; and confequenrJy could never be the work
of the Chriftians either of Rome or Naples during the fupe-
riority of the pagans. The fandy foil at Rome, perhaps,
would not admit of making the fubterraneous galleries wider;
but here, where the work was carried on through a folid
rock, the galleries or paflages are lofty, and generally arched,
and fo broad, that fix perfons may walk in them a-breaft.
That the Romans buried their dead long before the eftablifh-
ment of Chriftianity is out of difpute ; befides, the Chriftians
wanted no fuch ipacious repoiltories for their dead. The bodies
in thefe catacombs were depofitcd in cavities on both fides of
the vaults, four or five one upon another j and the cavity,
when full, was clofed up with a marble flab, or with tiles :
but as moft of thefe are taken away, the pagan monumental
infcriptions do not occur fo frequently here as in the cata-
combs at Rome, where many of thefc cavities ftill remain
clofed up. The pretended bones gf. the primitive Chriftians,
VOL, III. F poffibly
66" NAPLES.
poflibly to inhance the refpect paid to them, or to attract cu-
riofity, have been removed into churches and confecrated
vaults ; but the bones now to be feen here lying in heaps
are chiefly the remains of thofe who were fwept away by the
terrible peftilence in 1656. Inftead of confecrated tapers, as
at Rome, the guides here ufe common flambeaux. At the
entrance of the firft vault in St. Gennaro's catacombs is to
be feen a marble baflb-relievo of St. Januarius, in a reclining
poflure, indicating the fpot where he had lain buried fome
centuries. Behind it is St. Severus's marble feat, clofe by
the grave wherein he was firft depofited, and near it this
diftich :
Saxum, quod cernis, fupplex vcnerare, viator,
Hie dim quondam jacuerunt ojja Severi.
" < Traveller, devoutly venerate this ftone, for St. Severus's
* remains were formerly interred here/
At a little diftance from this are the tombs of St. Agrip-
pino, Lorenzo, and other faints ; and likewife a mofaic
altar in a fmall cavity within the wall. The guides tell us,
that in moft places there are three galleries over one ano-
ther. The paflages branching out on each fide are very
narrow ; and in many parts, where they are faid to extend
feveral Italian miles, are walled up ; robberies, &c. having
been committed by banditti, whoufed to lurk in thefe vaults.
Here is one particular vault, or grotto^ of fuch a height,
that the roof cannot be difcerned by the light of the flam-
beaux. In another large empty vault, which our guide told
us was the cathedral in the primitive times, are three huge
pillars, which feem to fupport an arch hewn out of the rock j
and near it is {hewn a baptiftery, with the mark annexed oiv
the wall near it :
NI KA
Thefe, with feVeral other paintings and characters, many
of which are disfigured by the plafter falling off, though
they
NAPLES. 67
they are unqueftionably the work of Chriftians, the Gothic
letters, fsc. fhew them to be of no great antiquity.
S. Giacomo degli Spagnuoli was built by Don Pedro des. Giacomo
'Toledo, vice-roy of Naples; whofe tomb, by Giov. 4| degli. Spag.
Nola, is a great ornament to the church, being one of the nuo1 '
fined: pieces of fculpture in all Napjes.
The fculpture and inlaid work at the high altar make a
very noble appearance. The clock of this church ftrikesthe
hours after the French and German method of computation ;
and indeed in Naples there are more French clocks, as they
are called, than in any other city in Italy.
S. Giovanni a Carbonara, fo called from the Carbonara S.^ Giovanni
family, who were once proprietors of a considerable eftate in aCarbonari
this part of the city, or from the charcoal faid to have been
formerly burnt near it, is famous for being the burying-place
of Ladiflaus king of Naples, Sicily, and Hungary, artd lord
of Rome, whofe military glory was fullied by an inglorious Inglorious
death. For a phyfician, whofe daughter was the king's death f a
miftrefs, being bribed by the Florentines, poifoned him. pr ince.
This poifon was adminiftered under colour of a philtre,
which the daughter was perfuaded to give the king, in
order to raife his love to the higheft pitch, and to fix it un-
alterably en her. Some, indeed, give a different account
of this affair, affirming that Ladiflaus befieging Florence, of-
fered the city very favourable terms, upon delivering up to
him the daughter of a phyfician, the report of whofe beauty
had inflamed his defires. All private concerns being obliged
to give way to the public welfare, the father could not re-
fufe his confent ; but by his artful management the concef-
fion proved fatal both to the inamoured monarch, and his
beautiful miftrefs, as is related by a Latin hiftorian : Et itd
nova Venus ad inaritum fuum egredlebatur^ cut amore de-
jlagranti cum fe permltterct, ex domejlico mandate incalcfcentes
carries fudariolo perfricat ; qua re venenum in utriufque corpus
ea pcnetravit vehement jd^ ut max inter mutuos ampkxus ambv
expirarent.
This unhappy end of Ladiflaus, which happened in 1414,
little agrees with the title of divus y or faint, given him in
his epitaph. His monument, though of Gothic architecture,
is a grand piece ; and his epitaph, in Latin verfe, is full of
the grofieft flattery.
Behind the high .altar, which is of a moft beautiful white
marble, is to be feen the tomb of Caracciolo, the favourite
F a f
68 NAPLES.
of king Ladiflaus, whofe abilities were of fmgular
to queen Joanna the Second ; but, by the wicked inftiga-
tion of the duchefs of Sefla, he was aflaffinated in his bed
on the night of the 2fth of Auguft, 1438, as appears by his
epitaph.
The chapel 1*he chapel of the marquifTes de Vice, of the Caracciola
e Vko. R fl* a family^ abounds in moft exquifite marble ftatues and
bano-relievo's ; thofe of St. John the Baptift, St. Sebaftian,
St. Luke, St. Mark, and St. George^ are by Pietro di Piata*
a Spaniard ; the reft by Giov. da Nola, Santa Croce, and
Caccavello. In the chapel of the Mirabella family are feven
white marble ftatues, and two lions j all curious pieces.
Scipio di Somma, the great favourite of Charles V, has a
noble monument in the chapel of that name. In another
chapel is an admirable crucifixion, by Vafari ; and in the
church a ftatue of St. Monicaj in a black habit. The hif-
tory pieces painted oh wood in the veftry, are by Vafari.
A curious There is alfo to be feen the paffion of Chrift in feven exqui-
paffion., flte mar y e baffo-relievo's, which fold up like a fcreen, and
were a part of king Ladiflaus's baggage in all his expedi-
tions, and placed on the altar when mafs was performed be-
fore him *.
5. Giovanni The Auguftine monaftery near S. Giovanni Bait. Carbo-
de?F 8 ontmo nara nas a ^ ne ^^ rar V> furnifhed with a great many Latin
and Greek manufcripts, which were the gift of cardinal Se-
ripando.
The church di S. Giovanni Vangelifta del Pontano derives
the laft name from its noble founder Giovanni Pontano. On
the walls both without and within this; church are feveral
moral maxims compofed in Latin by Pontano.
Miflbn has publifhed four epitaphs in this church, com-
poled by Pontano for himfelf and family, which are all ac-
cdiirited mafterpieces both in fentiment and exprefllon. That
on his daughter Lucia is as follows :
f Tumulus Lucia Filits
Liquijli patrem in tenebris^ mea Lucia^ poftqudm
E luce in tcnebras filia rapt a rnibi. es.
Sed neqtie Tu in tenebras rapta es, quin ipfa tenebras
Liquifti) & media lucida fole micas.
Ccelg
* Here an account of miracles, fife, is omitted ; whoever is defirous of
iacli an entertainment, may confult the Jefuit Silvefter Pietrafanta's
I'haiimqfia.
f The poet's playing fo much on the word tenebra, is, I think, fome-
thing
NAPLES. 9
Ccelo te natam ajpicio, nttm Nata parentem
Afpicis ? an fingit beec fill vana Pater?
Sglamen mortis mrjcra'^ Te, Nata, fcpulcbrum.
Hoc tegit, hand cincri fenfus incjje pctefl.
Si qua tamen de Te fttperat par^ Nata y faiere
Felicem quod Te prima juventa rapit.
At no s in tenebris v'uum luttitque trabemus,,
retium JPqtri, Filia, quod genui.
Mufe, Filia^ luxerunt Te in obitu y at laplde In ho.c luget Te
Pater tuns, quern liquifti in fqualore^ cruciatu^ genniv. ; heu /
Filia^ quod nee morienti Pater adfui, qui mortis cordohy.ni tibi
demere?n ; nee for ores ingemifcentl collaclrymarentur mifeUce \ nee
Frater fingultiens^ qui fitienii mlnijtraret aquulam ; nee Mater
ipfd) qua col/o inipiicita^ ore animulam acciperet infill a jjima j
hoc tamen felix^ quod hand multcs poft annas rcvi/lt^ t^cxmque
nunc culat. Ajl ego felicior, qui brevi cum uiraque edormifeam
eodem In conditorio. Vale, Filia. Mutri frigefoznti cincres z,v-
terim cahface, ut poft etiain refocilles ?neos.
y oannes Jovianus Pontanus L. Martta Fiiics dulciffl P. qua
ixit Ann. XIIII. Men. VII. D. XTL
c My deareft Lucia, finpe them from light was fnatched
' into darknefs, to thy father light is become darkneis : no,
< thou art not in the regions of darknefs ; but being paffed
* from darknefs, thou now {hineft in the plenitude of light.
! I behold thee amidft the celeftial effulgence : doft thou, dear
' child, look down on thy father ; or is all a pleafmg illu-
* fion ? It is fome folace that after death thou lieft in this
* tomb ----- but, alas, thy dead remains are quite infenfible.
4 If any part of thee, once the joy of thy fond parent, fur-
' vives the grave, let it own thy early death a happinefs,
* whilft a gloomy life of farrow and grief is my portion ; and
' the only folace I now have is that of having once been thy
* father.
c Thy death, my Lucia, the Mufes have bewailed, which
5 on this ftone thy wretched father laments, whom thou
' haft left in anguilh, forrow, and continual fighs and tears.
* Alas, alas, my child, that thy father was not with thee in
thing puerile. I have omitted the other fix epitaphs by Pontanus, (which
the author has tranfcribed) and given this as a fpecimen.
F 3 thy
70 N A P L E S.
thy laft moments, to alleviate the pangs of dying ; nor thy
unhappy fifters to echo back thy dying groans with their
fighs, nor thy fympathifing brother to allay thy thirft with
a few refreshing drops of cold water ; nor even thy difcon-
folate mother, who, with a fond embrace, would have re-
ceived thy departing foul with a kifs : who in this, how-
ever, was happy, that, after few years, fhe again enjoyed
the fight of thee, and now lies in the fame grave ; but
greater ftill will be my happinefs, who fhortly fhall fleep
with you both, and the fame repofitory fhall hold us all
three. Adieu, rny child ! cherifh thy mother's cold afhes,
and hereafter perform the fame kind office to thofe of thy
affectionate father.'
S. Giovanni The church of S. Giovanni Maggiore is fuppofed to have
b een or igi na lly a temple built by the emperor Adrian, in ho-
nour of his favourite Antinous ; but, by Conftantine the
Great and his mother Helena, confecrated to John the Bap-
tift. They who derive the name Parthcnope, which the
city bore antecedently to that of Naples, from Parthenope,
a ThefTalian princefs, affirm that her tomb is ftill to be feen
in this church, being brought hither from fome qther
place ; but the following characters were all J could perceiye
en it;
From
NAPLES.
From the word
jEGE orTEGE
in tne ialt line, this in-
fcription is fuppofed to be
an epitaph ; but I queftion
whether, in fuch compo-
fitions, the laft word Fan/is
was ever ufed. Befides,
the favourers of the above-
mentioned opinion muft
prefuppofe the middle line,
whether St. John or St.
januarius be meant, to
have been done by modern
Chriftians; but that the
other two lines are a Lom-
bard or Gothic compofi-
tion, or of earlier date,
without any difference of
characters. That this fa-
bulous opinion is exploded
in Naples itfelf, appears
from an infcription on the
wall under the ftone above
oefcribed, which was put
up by the Jefuits in 1689
to undeceive the credu-
lous,
The church of S. Giovanni Pappacodi derives its laft name S. Giovanni
from the founder, who being too haftily buried whiHl in .an
apoplectic fit, came to life again : for a relation of his, upon
advice of his friend's death, coming poft to town, ordered
the coffin to be opened * three days after he was buried,
and
* Such over-hafty interments, as we learn from Pliny, H:JI. Nat.
/. xxvi. c, 3, were not uncommon among the ancients. Was it not the
F 4. ueplorable
NAPLES.
and found that the deceafed had bruifed himfelf by ftruggling,
and altered the pofture in which he had been laid in the
coffin.
Here alfo lie two excellent biihops of the fame family ;
one of which declined the offer of the purple, and the other
diftinguifhed himfelf by his extraordinary diffufive charity.
Their epitaphs are as follow :
Sigifmundo Pappacudts Franc. F. Tropejenjium Presfuli^ Vifft
Opt. & "Jurifconjulto, qui cum in ccetum Cjardinalium futffet a
Clemente VU. adfcitus, maluit in patria Epifcopus vivere. Ha~
redtspof. vixit arm. LXXX. M. VI. D. X. Obiit 1536.
' To Sigifmund, fon of Francis Pappacodi, bifhp.p df
Tropea, who to his noble endowments added a confurrr-
mate knowledge of the law, and, being nominated cardinal
by Clement VII, rather chofe to remain a bifhop in his
own country, this monument is erected by his heirs. He
lived fourfcore years, fix months, and ten days, and died
in the year 1536.'
Angela Pappacuda Franc. Fil. Martoranenfi Epifcopo^ vifo
OTnatijf, qui in non magnis opibus magnum exercens animum^ nulla
mag'is in re, quam in aliorum levanda inopia fuis bonis ufus eft.
Hte redes B. M. Deceffit ex mortalibits Ann. not. LXVL ab ortu
mundi rcdivivi 1537.
4 To Angelo, the fon of Francis Pappacodi, bifhop of
Martorano, a perfon of great virtues and endowments,
whofe beneficent foul employed the beft part of his mode-
rate income in relieving the indigent, this monument was
erected by his heirs. He departed this life in the fixty-
fixth year of his age, and in the year of the Chriftian,
jEra 1537.'
The front of the church abounds with Gothic ornaments.
deplorable misfortune of Job. Duns Scotus, diftinguifhed by the appella"
tion of DoElor fubtilis, to be too foon put into the ground ? Was not a
perfon laid on the funeral pile foon reiiored to life by Afclepiades the phy-
fician ? And who has not heard of the Norman lord, Louis de Cirille,
who was more celebrated for having been buried three times, than for
any heroic achievements ? It is matter of great concern that real nar-
ratives of this kind fhould be obfcured and brought into difrepute by other,
abfurd fictions.
In
NAPLES. 73
In the church di S. Giufeppe, belonging to the Jefuits, S. Giufeppe
are four Corinthian pillars, of a beautiful grey marble, de ' Giefuiti.
which, though fixty palmi in height, and nine in circum-
ference, are each of one block. Formerly, in the Tribuna
hung a large picture of St. Jofeph with the child Jefus in his
arms, and a group of angels, by Francefco di Maria, a
Neapolitan; but this is removed into the veftry, and its
place fupplied by one which far furpafles it, of our Saviour
when an infant, and his parents, by Amato. On the right-
hand of the veftry is a grand altar-piece, which is glazed
and covered with a curtain, reprefenting St. Xavier in a very
devout pofture, by Luca Giordano ; who alfo painted the
other pieces in the chapel to which this fuperb altar belongs.
Oppofite to it is another altar-piece, likewife glazed, &c.
painted by de Mattheis, exhibiting the virgin Mary and her
divine infant ; and, were it not for the incomparable beauty
of the former, a connoifleur fhould not omit feeing this
church. The pulpit is of marble, finely inlaid with pre-
cious ftoncs.
The church di S. Lorenzo de'Padri Minori has a lofty S.Loren
arched roof, and on its high altar the ftatues of St. Francis, de '. Pa ? r *
St. Antony, and St. Laurence, finely executed by Giov. da L
Nola. The three baflb-relievo's under them, and the virgin
Mary amidft four angels over thefe three ftatues, are by other
artifts, whofe names are not known. On one fide of the
altar is the chapel of S. Antonio di Padua, built from a de-
fign of Cofmo Fanfago, which is worth feeing; but it is far
exceeded by the chapel of the Rofary, in which are two
pillars of verde-antico, and an altar of .kilaid work of lapis-
lazuli^ topaz, agate, jafper, and other gems. At the fides
of the chapel, on their refpe&ive monuments, ftand the
ftatues of its founders Camillo Cacace and his wife. Thefe
ftatues, according to the ufual phrafe, want only fpeech, and
are the work of Bolgi da Carrara, a Roman.
In another chapel, from its foundrefs queen Margaretta V.
confort to Charles III, called la Reina, lies Charles duke of
Durazzo, beheaded in 1347, by Lewis king of Hungary, to
revenge the death of his brother Andrew, who was ftrangled.
Alfo Robert of Artois, with his wife Joanna dutchefs of Du-
raz^o (both poifoned by queen Margaret) together with a
daughter of Charles III. Catharine a daughter of the em-;
peror Albert I. and married to Charles duke of Calabria, and
Lewis a fon of Robert king of Naples, lie here.
In
74 NAPLES.
Firft paint- In the veftry is {hewn a pi&ure of St. Jerom, as the firft
iugin oil piece painted in oil colours, being the work of Cola Antonio
colours - de Fiore, in 1436.
The invention of oil colours, of which the Neapolitans
claim the honour, is morejuftly attributed to John of Bruges,
otherwife Van Eyck, a Fleming, who was both a chymift
and painter; he was born in 13/0, and died in 144.1, at the
age of feventy-one. The epocha of this noble invention was
the beginning of the fifteenth century, about the year 1410,
though Malvafia of Bologna, in order to attribute the honour
of this invention to his countrymen, mentions fome paintings
in oil colours of a prior date, with the year and the painter's
name annexed. However, a fmall difference in time is of
MO great importance, fince it is certain that no other method
but painting a frefco, as it is called by the Italians, was
known before the fifteenth century.
In a fubterraneous chapel under the choir, the coronation
of Robert, by his brother St. Lewis, is painted in colours by
Simon of Cremona, who lived about the year 1353 ; and in
the cloifter of the convent is a tomb embellifhed with admi-
rable bafTo-relievo's.
In the refectory of this convent is a fine geographical
piece of the twelve provinces of the kingdom of Naples, by
the famous Sicilian painter Luigi Roderico, being a prefent
to this convent from the count d'Olivares, when viceroy.
Here the ftates of the kingdom annually meet to delibe-
Liberal free- rate .on the cuftomary free-gift made to their fovereign,
gifts. which has often exceeded a million and a half of fcudi> or
crow,ns.
S. Maria S. Maria Annunziata is one of the fineft churches in
Annunziata. }sf a p} es ; for the eye every-where meets with noble paintings,
Its riches, ftatues, monuments, baflb-relievo's, &-c. The gilding only
of the high altar, and the chapel belonging to it, coft twenty-
three thoufand crowns ; and the other ornaments, enriched
with lapis-Iazuli, cornelian, jafper, agate, and a profufion
of otlier gems, eighteen thoufand ducats more. In thefe
computations, and in common difcourfe at Naples, a ducat
is equal to ten car lint *. The plate in the veftry of this
church a few years fince weighed above twenty-one thou-
'fand marks. In theTeforo is an admirable tomb of Alphonfo
Sancio de Luna, who died in 1564. To the left of the
high altar when facing it, ftands the ftatue of a lad-y, hold-ing
* Three Shillings and four-pence fterling.
a death's
NAPLES. 75
a death's head in her hand, with her eyes fixed on it j 3114
underneath is an encomium on her virtue and beauty.
Near the altar is the following epitaph on queen Jo 7
anna II.
II. Hungarian Hlerufalcm^ 5/V/7/W,
Ramies *, Service, Galatiee^ Lodomerite,
Bulgariteque Reglna^ Provindts ff Folcalqucrii ac Pedemonth
Comitiffa, Anno Domini M.CCCC.XXXV. die II. Menfis
'
Repiis ojjibus & memcritS) fepulckrum? quod ipfa moriens huniz
delegerat^ inanes in funere pampas exofa, Reglnce pietatem fecitti,
tf merltorum non immemores Oeconomi reflituendwn iff exornan-
dum curaverunt, magnlficent'ius pofiturl^ Ji liculffet. Anno Do-
mini M.DC.VL Mcnf. Maji.
6 To the memory of Joanna II. queen of Hungary, Je-
rufalem, Sicily, Dalmatia, Croatia, Ramia, Servia, Ga-
latia, Lodomeria, Comania, Bulgaria ; countefs of Pro-
vence, Folcalquier, and Piedmont ; this monument was
ere&ed the 2d day of February, 1435.
4 This plain tomb, chofen by herfelf preferably to all the
vain pomp of obfequies, the magiftrates have, in confor-
mity to her majefty's humble piety, and in regard to her
merits, thus repaired without ornaments : and, hadfplen-
dor and magnificence beep permitted, they ihould not have
been wanting. 1606.'
Near the church-door is a little ftatue ? holding out a la-
bel, with thefe words :
urtjfimum Vlrginh tcmplum
cafte memento Ingredl.
' As thou art entering the pure temple of the Virgin, let
* thy thoughts be pure and chafte.'
The hofpital called la Cafa Santa, belonging to
church, was once the beft endowed in the whole world ; for Santa -
its "annual income inlands, tythes, imports, endowments,
intereft of money, &c. amounted to two hundred thoufand
* Miflbn and others have it Rotuf, but erroneoyfly, as is evident from
the titles of the ancient kings of Hungary.
ducats,
NAPLES.
ducats, or, as fome compute it, to a million offeudi *. On,
the other hand, the annual expences for the Tick, poor,
foundlings, and other charitable ufes, were no lefs ; fo that
the following lines over the main entrance fay no more than
what is ftri&ly true :
Lac ptteris, Dotem innuptis, Velumq
Datque medelam esgrh h<zc Qpulenta damns.
Hinc merito facra eft ////, quee nupta, pudica 9
Et lattans j or bis vera medelaju.it.
c This wealthy houfe gives milk to babes, a portion to
* maids, a veil to nuns, and medicines to the fick ; and is
c therefore juftly dedicated to her who was a mother and gave
* fuck, and yet was a pure Virgin, and brought redemption
< to heal the world,'
*: '<..
The children brought up here are generally about two
thoufand five hundred in number ; it being no uncommon
thing in pne night for twenty infants to be put into the wheel
Of machine which ftands open both day and night for the
reception of them, and eight wet-nurfes attend every day.
The boys are brought up to handicraft trades, and fome
even to the church ; they being, notwithftanding th.e ; uncer-
tainty of their legitimacy, by a bull of pope Nicholas IV,
declared capable of holy orders. The girls, as they grow
up, according to their capacities or, inclinations, do the ne-
ceffary work of the hofpital, are employed in the care and in-
ftrudtion of the children, entered into a convent, or married
with a portion of a hundred or two hundred ducats ; and this
laft article has formerly amounted to ten thoufand ducats per
annum^ whilft that of the foundlings was feldom lefs than fif-
teen thoufand. The young women married from this
houfe, in cafe they are left widows in neceffitous circum-
flances, or forfaken by their hufbands ; or if the marriage,
without any fault of theirs, proves unfortunate ; are intitled
to a re-admiffion, and have a particular apartment allowed
them, being diftinguilhed by the name of Ritornate. The
annual amount of the dowries to other women with which
this houfe is charged by feveral ancient legacies and founda-
tions, was at Jeaft eighteen thoufand ducats ; there being
not a few noble families whofe daughters at their marriage
* About zjOjQoo/. fterling.
received
NAPLES. 77
received two or three thoufand dollars from this hofpitaL
The phyficians, furgeons, apothecaries, fervants &c. flood the
houie annually in fourteen thoufand ducats. The difpenfaijr be-
longing to it is extremely well worth feeing. To the Cafa
Santa belong four other hofpitals, one of which is at Puzzuolo,
whither, as alfo to Tritoli, great numbers of patients, about
three hundred at a time, are fent thrice every fummer to the
warm baths and fudatories, and there provided with food,
lodging, and neceflary '-attendance j their ftay at thefe baths
is limited to feven days.
Such was the ftate of this hofpital at the beginning of this Failure of
century, when it proved bankrupt for above five millions of the hof P lta! -
ducats ; upon which its total ruin was apprehended. The
affair, which for a long time had lain concealed like fire
hidden under the aflies, in the year 1701 began to difcover
itfelf, and was at length brought before an imperial commif-
fion : which, till a total difcharge of the debts, affigned over
to the creditors fo much of its income as to referve only forty-
two thoufand ducats a year for the fupport of the hofpital,
the church, and the convent. This has reduced the girls
portions from two hundred ducats to fifty, and the other ex-
pences have fuffered a proportional diminution ; even a great
part of the filver ornaments of the church (which flill does
not want for fplendor) has been difpofed of, in order the
fooner to emerge from thefe difficulties j which however muft
be a work of time.
S. Maria del Carmine, from a fmall chapel, is become aS.Maria<?el
magnificent church ; the emprefs Elizabeth, mother to the c " rmine%
unfortunate Conradine, having expended on it all the wealth
which {he had brought for the ranfom of her fon then a pri-
foner at Naples.
Conradine duke of Swabia and Frederick of the houfe of
Auftria (in the infcription erroneoufly ftiled Federico d'Aftmrg
or Habfburg) lie on the right, near the entrance of the church,
behind an altar ; and on the wall are thefe words :
Ijhti giaccono Ccrradino dl Stoujfen, figlio del? Imperatrice
Margarita fcf di Cor r ado Re dl Nepali ; , ultimo de' Duchi deli*
Imperial Cafa di Suevia, & Federico d Ajburg ultima de* Ducbi
d 'duftria, anno MCCLXIX.
' Here lie Conradine of StoufFen fon of the emprefs Mar-
* garet and of Conrade king of Naples, the laft of the dukes
7 8 NAPLES.
( of the imperial houfe of Swabia ; and Frederick d'Aiburg
' the laft of the dukes of Auftria, 1269.'
The name Margaret, by which Conradine's mother is
here called, is a proof that this infcription has been fince fet
up by monks unacquainted with the genealogy of thefe two
illuftrious perfons : for the right name of Conradine's mother,
who was a daughter of Otho the Great duke of Bavaria and
count Palatine of the Rhine, was unqueftionably Elizabeth.
Her fecond hufband was Maynhard the third count of Tirol ;
and fhedied in the year 1269. Not far from the great door
of the church is a round cavity with an infcription, fignify-
ing that this was the place where a large cannon-ball, at the
fiege of the city, in 1439, by king Alphonfo of Aragon,
pierced through the cupola of the church, and carried away
the crown of thorns from a crucifix j and it is added, that
the head of the image would have gone with it, had not the
crucifix, as the tradition goes, bowed its head* and thus
avoided the blow. The ball ftill hangs by a chain before the
void a can- high altar, and the crucifix is expofed to public view on the
non-ball, third day of the Chriftmas holidays, and every Friday in the
month of March. In this ftory the queftion is, which car-
ries moft wonder with it, the fortunate prudence and fore-
light of this wooden image, or its fear and inability to
fave its crown and avoid fuch danger, otherwife than by
ftooping ?
Here alfo, as appears from feveral infcriptions, are interred
the bowels of a great many vice-roys ; among which are
Carpi and Gallas, the bodies ftanding in their refpective
coffins againft the veftry-wall. The roof of this church h
finely decorated ; and in the cloifter of the convent is to be
feen the life of the prophet Elijah, painted in frefco by Bal-
ducci. Here alfo is the ftatue of the above-mentioned em-
improperly called Margaret, with this infcription :
Crucifix
bows its
head to a-
Margant*
NAPLES. 79
Margarita Augusts ^
Quez Ccnradino Filto ff Friderico Nepoti captivis
Opitulatum opibus onujia Neapo/zm feftindrat 9
Cum Capite plexos reperijjet^
Virll'i quidem ammo nan lachrymas pro i/Iis,
Sed profufifjlma muncra ad hoc templum cxornandum prsfundens,
Ad aram hie maximam humandos 'curavit^
Familia Carmelitana ingcntibus ab ea divitiis ddnata
Tarn pia; benemeriteE femper esrumnam ploratv.ra
Ac cceleftem pro tantis principibus Imperatricem Oratura
P.
Anno Dom MCCLXIX.
e In remembrance of Margaret Augufta, who came to
Naples with immenfe riches, to redeem her fon Corirade
and her nephew Frederick from captivity ; and finding they
had been beheaded, her exalted foul, above fhedding tears,
poured forth immenfe donations for the embellifhment of
this church ; in return for fuch munificence the Carmelite
monks caufed the two princes to be buried at the high altar;
and as they fhall ever lament the lofs fuflained by their ge-
nerous benefactrefs, fo {hall they oiever ceafe to offer
prayers to the heavenly emprefs in behalf of the two vir-
tuous unfortunate princes. 1269.'
That the Carmelites owe their efrablifhmeat here to the Orlginofth*
emprefs Elizabeth's liberality, is fhewn by Riccobaldi of Fer- Carmt"
rara, in Hijlsria Imperatorum^ p. 1181 ; and it will be dif- or "'
ficultto prove, that this order made any figure in Europe be-
fore the thirteenth century. But father Hardouin the Jefuit
far overfhot the mark in aflerting (in Antiqins Nunnfmahbus
Regum Francor. p. 645.) that the Carmelites were not in
being before the year 1300. It is ftrange, that a perfon of
his orthodoxy fhould decry the fuppofed origin of thefe monks
who pretend to deprive it from mount Carmel and the pro-
phet Elijah ; efpecially as his implicit devotion to the papal
chair and its infallibility has led him into the moft ridiculous
and* unwarrantable pofitions in fupport of it. Pope I.inocent
XII, on occafion of the difputes concerning the firft inftitu-
tion of the Carmelite order, iflued a mandate enjoining per-
petual filence to both fides ; which certainly according to
the tenets of his church ought to have been a rule of con-
duel to father Hardouin, had he not conftrucd this procccd-
melite
8b NAPLES
ing of the pope to be an indication, that both opinions feerri-
ed to him of equal weight. But from this time no devout
Roman catholic will prefume to combat the abfurd opinion
of the Carmelite orders being inftituted by Elijah, as pope
Benedict XIII. has now determined the affair in favour of
that order.
Place where J n the above-mentioned clbifter they alfo fhew the place
wafk where Tomafo Anie Uo> commonly called MafTaniello, the
famous ufurper, was {hot in the year 1647; an( ^ tne area
which was as it were the theatre on which he acted his
mock reign of eighteen days, is near this church, and at
prefen't a market for meat and vegetables. It is a pity that
a grand area which might be fo great an ornament to the
city fhould be taken up with fheds for fhops, &c. Almoft
in the centre of this market ftands the Capella della Croce,
on the fpot where the two above-mentioned princes, Con-
rad ine and Frederick, were beheaded and buried, till the
emprefs Elizabeth caufed their bodies to be removed to St.
Maria del Carmine. According to Parrino, Sarnelli, Miflbn,
&c. the porphyry pillar above the altar has this diftich in-
fcribed on it :
jijluris ungue Lto pullitm rapiens Aquilinufti %
Hie deplumavit acephalumque dedit.
* The Afturian lion feizing a young eagle, plucked off his
* feathers, and left him a headlefs trunk.'
But this alfo is manifeftly falfe, the letters on that pillar
indicating only the maker's name ; and thefe words, Hoc
opus Neapolitans are above all others diftinctly legible.
On the wall is an old piece of painting infrefco of the cruel
execution of prince Conradine, &c. in which is a figure,
with a hatchet lifted up, ftanding behind the judge, who fits
on a chair of ftate pronouncing fentence on the princes ; pof-
fibly alluding to what has been intimated by fome hiftorians,
that Robert, earl of Flanders, from a deteftation of fuch in-
juftice immediately flew the judge who had pronounced the
fentence. Riccobaldi of Ferrara, in his Hijloria Imperato-
rum, relates, that Conradine was playing at chefs when the
fentence was notified to him ; and that fome time (modicum
temporis) was allowed him to prepare for his end. Some
are for exculpating pope Clement IV, for having advifed
Charles of Anjou to put Conradine to death, by this laconic
way
N A P L E Si 81
wav 'of reafoning, * The life of Conradine is the death of
* (Jharles, the death of Conradine the life of Charles,' and
kffirm that pope died before the execution of the prince. But
could it be (hewn, that Clement IV. was actually dead be-
fore the execution, he might neverthelefs have given fuch
villainous and bloody advice immediately upon the imprifon-
ment of Conradine, who, a few days after the lofs of the bat-
tle on the 23d of Auguft, fell into his enemies hands : and
fuch an inftigation is laid to the pope's charge by fo many
impartial writers, that, without the rnoft folid proofs, it can-
not with candour be queftioned *.
. The above-mentioned Carmelite church' is by no means t6 Madre di
be confounded wuh another called Madre di Dio, delli Scalzi Dio -
Carmelitani, which for its flupendous altar, far furpafling
any in all Naples, and Valued at a hundred thoufaiul fcudi 9
deferves particular notice. There is fcarce any gem to be
named which is not to be feen there. On the fore part of it Incompara-
is a perfpeclive view of a palace or temple with ftatues of bleaitar *
gold and baflb-relievo's placed alternately before it. The
tabernacle is equally fupcrb, with a flower-piece of pietf'e
commeffe^ made] at Florence, in the centre. The ten green
and white pillars of jafper are very great ornaments to it.
Every part abounds with lapis-lazuli, which in forne places
is the ground, in, which other gems are inferted. The can-
dlefticks, and all other . ornaments of the altar, are likewife
of inlaid gems fet in gilt brafs, as are alfo even the doors
which open on each fide into the choir.
On one of thefe doors is a reddifh brown agate with white Reprefents-
veins, fo exactly reprefenting the lituation and plan of the tionof th *
city of Mantua, that the late duke of Mantua offered thirty f*
thoufand crowns for it. This brings to my rnirid the agate agate.
in the imperial mufeurri at Vienna.* on which is a natural
reprefentation of the city of Buda. Of king Pyrrhus's agate,
on which Apollo and the nine mufes were very plainly dif-
cernible, I (hall fpeak on another dccafion. Indeed, the in-
finite variety of ftains and fhades on agate and marble may
well be fuppofed fometimes to form a faint refemblance of
the works of nature or of art. But I return to the high altar
of the Carmelites church, dfcfigned by Dionyfip Lazari, and
* Smemonta and Spondanus ate the hiftoi ians of the greateft note who
have undertaken to vindicate the pope ; but of their impartiality Srruv
gives no advantageous idea, terming them, in his hiftory of th German
empire, (c. 21. $.8.) ' court fycophants.'
VOL. III. G executed
&z NAPLES.
executed by feme Germans and Flemings. The pavement
and the baluftrade before it are of the moft beatiful marble,
and as beautifully inlaid. Behind the altar are three large
pi&ures very well worth feeing ; one by Paolo di Matteis,
reprefenting the virgin Mary inverting the devout Simon Stocc
with the habit of the order. The other two, by a brother
of the convent, called Lucas, are the adoration of the wife
men of the Eaft, and the fhepherds, at the manger. On
the right-hand in returning from the high altar is a very large
painting of the battle of the White Mountain near Prague,
by Giacomo del P6, in which he has taken care not to omit
father Domenico with his crucifix, mounted on a fiery fteed.
The memorable afb'ons of the moft eminent Carmelite monks
are written on golden letters enlarge fcrolls of paper which
S. Terefa are hung up againft the church wall. In the fine chapel of
with the S. Terefa, a filver ftatue of that faint, fix palmi in height,
ikece" ftands on the altar, with the ridiculous ornament of the
golden fleece about the neck. The convent to which this
i church belongs is a fine ftructure ; and its difpenfary well
worth feeing for its complete order and contrivance, and
the elegancy of the gally-pots and veflels, which are all of
fine porcelain.
S. Maria In the church of S. Maria della Concordia is interred Gaf*
della Con- p ar Benemerini, once king of Fez, who afterwards re-
rdw ' nounced Mahometifm ; he lived to the age of a hundred
years, and died in 1641. All the infcription on his tomb-
itone is,
Sepukhrum hoc Gafparis Benemerini Infantis de Fez, & ejus
fdmlitt de Benemerino.
' This is the burying-place of Gafpar Benemerini prince
* of Fez, and of his family the Benemerini.'
Round his arms, which are the moon, a ftar, a fword,
and a caftle, are thefe words :
Laus Tibi Jefu / f? Virgo Mater ^ quod de pagano Rege me
Chrlflianum fecl/ii*
( Praife be to thee, O Jefus, and thou virgin mother, by
' whom, of a pagan king, I was made a Chriftian.'
In
NAPLES. 83
In tlie banner hanging near ft are the letters, R. /!. [Rex
FeJ/anHs,'] and under the banner a heart with thefe letters in
it BV jK and on the wall is the following epitaph :
D. O. M. B. M. V.
Gafpar ex Serenffima Benemerina famHia, vigefmnts fecundus
in Africa Rex^ dum contra Tyrannos a Cathoiico Regs arma rcgct
anxiliaria^ liber effeftus a Tyrnnnide Machometi, cujus impiairi
cum lafle bauferat legem, in Catholicam adfcribitur j Numidiam
proinde exofus pro Philippo III. Hifpaniarum Mcnarcha, pro
Rudolpbo Cafore, quibus carus, pradare in b&reticos apud Bel-
gas Pannonojque fisviit armatus. Sub Urbano Fill. Elites Com-
mendator Immaculate Concepiionis Deiparts creatur^ C^ Chrifti-
anis, Heroic'iS) RegiifqUe virtutibus ad immortalitatem anbelan<<,
centenarius hie mortals reliquit, y perpituum cenfum cum penjo
quater in hebdomads incruentum Miffts facrificium ad fuam offg-
rendi mentem, Anne Domini MDCXLL
4 To God the greateft and * To the blefled virgin
4 beft of beings.' 'Mary.'
' To the memory of Gafpar, of the moil noble family of
the Benemerini, twenty-fecond king in Africa, who,
whilft he was folliciting fuccours from the Cath61ic king
againft tyrants, was delivered from the tyranny of Maho-
met, whofe impious law he had fucked in with his milk,
and admitted into the Catholic church ; afterwards deteft-
ing Africa, he diftinguifhed himfelf in the fervice of Philip '
III, king of Spain, and the emperor Rodoiph, who both
honoured him with particular favours, in the wars againit
the heretics in the Netherlands and Hungary. Under Ur-
ban VIII, he obtained a commandery in the order of the
immaculate conception of the mother of God ; and, hav-
ing pafled forward towards a blefied immortality in an uni-
form courfe of chriftian, heroic, and royal virtues, in the
hundredth year of his age, he put off mortality, and left a
perpetual revenue for four unbloody facrificcs of the mafs to
be performed weekly for the repofe of his foul, 1641.'
The family of the Bellimerini, or Benemirini, which had
been in poffefTion of the throne of Fez and Morocco above
three hundred years, within thefe two Jail centuries have fetn
themfelves deprived of their power. Leo Africanus (lib. iii.
c. 38.) praifes the liberality and zeal fhewn by them in their
profperity, for the improvement of arts and fciences.
G 2 S. Maria
84 NAPLES.
s. Maria di S. Maria di Donna Reina was built by queen Mary, wife
Donna o f Charles II, king of Naples, who alfo defired to be buried
:ina here ; the epitaph on her tomb is modern, and begins Corpus
Maries, &c. Among the beft paintings in this church may
be reckoned thofe of our Saviour's feeding five thoufand men
iri the wildernefs, and the marriage at Cana, both by Gior-
dano, who has here alfo moft naturally imitated a piece of
iron work.
The high altar, on which are two filver ftatues as big as
the life, is now juft finiflied, as are alfo fix mafterly marble
ftatues of faints, defigned for the nave of the church, each
of which coil twelve hundred fcudi. In this church is a
filver pyx richly fet with rubies and emeralds. Here are alfo
ibme very fine pieces of painting by Solimene. A large cleft,
caufed by an earthquake, runs the whole length of the roof
of this church ; and to the frequency of thofe concuffions it
may poflibly be owing that fo few churches with arched roofs
are to be feen in this city.
S. Maria In the church di S. Maria Donna Romita are feveral fine
Donna Ro- pj eces o f painting j particularly the beheading of John the
Baptift, near the high altar ; and oppofite to it Herodias's
daughter delivering his head to her mother in a charger. The
roof of the church is finely decorated with painting, fculp-
ture, and gilding.
S. Maria In the church di S. Maria delle Grazie de' Padri Girola-
aeiJeGrazie. m j tajl j are f ome excellent pieces in painting and fculpture.
Among the latter is a moft noble baflb-relievo in the Giufti-
niani chapel, by Giovanni da Nola, reprefenting the virgin
Mary, St. John, and Mary Magdalen, lamenting over a
dead Chrift. On feftivals, the high altar is covered with a
filver palliotto, and other rich ornaments. On each fide of
it are feen the fine ftatues of S. Pietro Gambacurta di Pifa
and St. Jerom, by Lorenzo Vaccaro. On the right-hand
near the altar ftands a wooden image of St. Onuphrius
naked j but care is taken to lengthen his beard down to his
knees. Among the many fine tombs, that of Fabiicio Bran-
caccio is particularly worth feeing.
Under a baflb-relievo of the annunciation, I read with
fome furprife the following verfe :
Remarkable Nata, Soror, CenJHx, eadem Genitrixque Tcnantis.
titles of the
virginMary. t Daughter, fifter, fpoufe, and mother of the Thunderer/
In
NAPLES, 83
In the vcftry are fome good paintings in frefco ; and the
pavement is of very beautiful tiles of all colours.
The convent of S. Maria Maddalena delle Spagnuole was Convent of
founded by Donna Ifabella d'Alarcon, marchionefs delU*^Jj|j*
Valle, for Spanifh proftitutes inclined to forfake their de- del * e j-plg-
bauched life. imole for
The cieling of S. Maria Nuova is adorned with fuch fine Jjjjjjjjj,
paintings and gilding, that it pafles for one of the moft beau- s^Maria '
tiful churches in Naples. In the chapel of the Madonna Nuovo,
della Grazia, the Pa/lioto and almoft all the ornaments of
the altar are of filver. The robe in which the virgin is
drefled is almoft entirely covered with pearls, diamonds,
rubies of a very extraordinary fize, and other Jewels. In
the Capella di Graziano is an "Ecce Homo^ by Giovanni da
Nola ; it is cut in wood, but the fculpture is inimitable.
The Capella del' Beato Giacobo della Marca is likewife
worth obfervation : in it is a monument creeled in honour
of Urban VI, who was a Neapolitan; and likewife the tomb
of Don Carlo d'Auftria, (whofe original name was Anida)
a fon of the king of Tunis, who was converted to Chrifti-
anity. Without it is the tomb of Pedro Navarro, who rofe Account of
by his merit through the feveral ranks, from a private man, p ^ ~
to be commander in chief of the Spanifli army ; but, refent- v
ing the delay of the court of Spain to ranfom him when taken
prifoner, he renounced his natural fovereign, and entered
the fervice of France. He accompanied Lautrec in his un-
fortunate expedition againft Naples, where being again taken
prifoner, he endeavoured to avoid the ignominy of being
executed as a rebel by putting an end to his life. Others
affirm that he was ftrangled in the night, when he was fe-
venty-five years of age, after having furvived that peftilence,
which, a few weeks before, had made fuch dreadful havoc
in Lautrec's army. The epitaph of this warlike perfon is as
follows :
OJfibus & memories
PpTRf NAVARRM C4NTABRI,
Solerti^ in expugnandis urbibus arie clarijjimi^
Gonfahus Ferdinandus Ludowci Filius^
Magni Gonfalvi Nepos, Suejfis Princeps 9
Ducem Gallorum paries fecutum
Piofepulchri munere honejlavit^
Quum hoc in ft habeat pradara virtus ',
Ut vel in h oft e Jit admirabilis.
63 Sacred
86 NAPLES.
e Sacred to the remains and memory of Pedro Navarro, a
* Spaniard, excellently (killed in the attack of fortrefles and
* the military art, Gonfalvo Ferdinand, &c. erected this
* monument, though he had deferted his country, and en-
c tercd into the French fervice; for bravery and virtue,
* though in an enemy, cannot but raife our admiration.'
Oppofite to it lies Lautrec hirnfelf, with this epitaph :
ODETTO FUXIO L4UTRECCO,
Gonjafous Fcrdinandus Ludovici FiL
Cdrciub. Magnl Gonjalvi Nepos^
htum ejus offa, quamvis bojiis^ in avito facello,
Ut belli fortuna tulerat*
Sine honcre jacere comperijjet,
Humaaarum miferiarurn memar
Gallo Dud Hifpanus Princeps P.
c To the memory of Odet Foulx de Lautrec, a French
6 general, Gonfalvo Ferdinand, a Spanifh prince, and grand-
c fon of the great Gonfalvo of Cordova, hearing that his
'- enemy's remains, by the fortune of war, lay in an obfcure
' old chapel, and, being fenfible of the vicifiitudes of human
4 life, erected this tomb.'
As Lautrec died of the peftilence, his body, like that of
a common foldier, was buried in the fand ; but a Spaniard,
prompted by the hopes of a round fum of money for theran-
fbm of it, dug it up, and brought it to Naples ; where his
avidity, however, was difappointed, the guardians of Lau-
trec's children wifely refufmg to dirninilh, in fuch an una-
vailing purchafe, the little fortune the old general had left
behind him.' It lay a long time unburied, till, as appears
by the epitaph, the duke di SufTa caufed a tomb built at his
own expence for Lautrec's remains, which at the fame time
is a monument of his own generofity and humanity.
Near the high altar lies buried a lady called Johanna, and
in her epitaph Sited the daughter of John king of Aragon, and
fecond wife of Ferdinand I, king of Jerufalem and Sicily,
who died in 1517.
S. Maria del The church of S. Maria del Parto belongs to the fuburb
Parto. Chiaja, in the Mergellina, which is faid to be fo called from
the multitudes of fifties to be teen here emerging out of the
water.
NAPLES. 87
water. Frederic king of Naples beftowed a parcel of
lands near this place on Sannazario the poet, who at firft
had fo mean an idea of the gift, that he compofed the fol-
lowing lines :
Scribendi Jiudium mlhi, Frederics ^ dedi/li^
Ingenium ad laudes dum trahis omne tuas ;
Ecce fuburbanum rus ff nova pradia donas
Fecljli Vatem^ nuncfacis Agricolam.
e Great Frederic, by thee I was firft made a poet, and to
' thy praife were all my talents confined ; but, by giving me
* thefe dirty acres, thou haft reduced me from a poet to turn
' farmer.'
However, he afterwards became fo inamoured with this
rural retreat, that he not only built here a moft elegant pa-
lace, but frequently mentions it in his poems with raptures,
as in this paflage :
0' Ueta Piaggia, o folitaria Falls
O' accolto Monticel) che mi difendi
D' ardente Sol, con le tue ombrofe fpalle ;
0' frefcO) e cblaro rivo y che difccndi
Nel verde prato tra fiorite fponde,
E dolce ad afcoltor mormorio rendi *, &c.
O blifsful folitude ! delicious vale !
O ever-verdant hill, whofe tufted brow
From noon-tide fun with cool refrefhing fhade
Defends me wand'ring o'er the devious plain ;
Where thro' the verdant mead a cryflal ftream
Runs murm'ring, and reflects each beauteous flow'r
That crowns its banks, cooling the ambient air.'
Rupis o facrts Pelagique Cuflos,
Villa Ny?npbarum domus, ^f propinquts
DoridiSj R.egum decus una, quondam
Delicifsque.
O fweet retreat \ the haunt of rural nymphs,
Who guard the facred rock and neighb'ring main,
* Vide Sarnclli Guida frforejlieri, p. zaz.
G 4. Once
88 NAPLES.
* Once the delight of kings, who in thy {hades
* Forgot the toils of empire.'
The deftruclion of this villa, with all its rural improve-
ments, by Phil ibert prince of Orange, general to Charles V,
was very near to break Sannazario's heart*; and, by way of
confolation, he afterwards built on the fame fpot a church,
which he confecrated al SantiJJimo parto della Gran Madre di
Dio ; c To the moft holy parturition of the great mother
' of God :' and alfo compofed three canto's on the fame
fubjea.
Sannazario, or, as he ufed to flile hirnfelf, dflius Sincerus,
died in the year of Chrift 1532, (not in 1530, as his epitaph
fays) and in the feventy-third of his age. He was buried
here in a beautiful tomb of white marble, which is univer-
fally allowed to be a mafter-piece in fculpture. At the top
Sannazario's buft is placed between two winged angels, or
Cupids ; and in the middle of the monument is an admi-
rable bafib-relievo, reprefenting fauns, nymphs, and fatyrs
fmging, and playing on all kinds of inftruments. Neptune
is alfo to be feen here j for Sannazario was the firft who
wrote pifcatory and marine eclogues. On each fide ftand
two large fratues, one of Apollo, the other of Minerva : but
offence having been taken at the introducing of pagan deities
into churches, and the removal of thcfe exquifite pieces be-
ing apprehended, they were faved by the artifice of making
them pafs for the images of David and Judith. The whole
is the workmanfliip of Girolamo Santa Croce, a Neapolitan ;
but, by reafon of his untimely death, the ftnifhing hand was
put to the ftatues of Apollo and Minerva, by Poggibonzo of
Tufcany, who was a Servite monk in the convent. Under
the buft of the poet are thefe words ;
SINCERPS.
Above the baiTo-relievo are thefe letters :
D. 0. M.
To God the grcateft and beft of beings.'
* On hearing that this prince had loft his life in a battle, he faid, with
no little joy, La Vendetta d" Apollo ha falto Marte. ~We!l done, Mars,
thou haft revenged Apollo's caufe.'
And
NAPLES. 89
And under it the following diftich by cardinal Bemba:
Dafacro clneri fiores ; hie tile Maronl *
Sincerus, Musa proximus, ut tumulo.
Vix Ann. LXXIL Obiit M.D.XXX.
Here refts Sincerus, (ftrew the facred place
With flow'rs !) who next in fame to Maro liv'd j
* And, dying, wifti'd his aflies might repofe
' Near that immortal bard, whofe mufe he lov'd.
f He lived to the age of feventy-two, and died in the year 1530.'
But the epitaph which he compofed for himfelf was as
follows :
Aftius hicjifus eft. Cineres gaudete fepulti^
Jam vaga po/i obitus Umbra dolore vacat.
Here Aclius lies ; his ames here enjoy
A calm repofe, whilft happily enlarg'd,
' His fleeting fpirit's free from every pain.'
His relations, however, though A&ius's own writings
bear fufficient teftimony of his religious fentiments, did not
think proper that thefe ambiguous lines fhould be placed on
the tomb of a Chriftian poet f.
In the above-mentioned church of S. Maria del Parto are s. Maria del
likewife two ftatues of white marble of St. James the apoftle, p ao,
and St. Nazario the martyr, both by father Poggibonzo.
They are far from being deipicable pieces ; but greatly in-
ferior to the Apollo and Minerva at Sannazario's tomb. In
the firft chapel on the right-hand of the entrance into the
church is Michael the archangel, painted by Leonardo di
Piftoja. The angel's face is faid to be copied from Don Di-
omede- CarafFa, biftiop of Ariano ; and the female features
given to the dragon, which he tramples under foot, by the
fame cardinal's direction, in order to difplay the triumph of
his continency over the allurement of female charms, repre-
fents a lady who had a pailion for him ; and, as her name
was Victoria Venofa, the words Fecit Vittoriam^ Allelujah^
* Virgil's grave is fhewn in the neighbourhood of this church.
f There is nothing in the fentiment that is inconfiftent with Chriftia-
nity ; but probably it was the Romiih doctrine of purgatory that caufed
this epitaph to be rejc&ed.
are
Lautrec's e-
pitaph.
NAPLES.
arc faid to allude to it. But the whole affair, if it be true,
feems either the refult of private revenge for a repulfe the
cardinal had met with, or of an idle oftentation, rather than
any proof of rational piety and real virtue.
Near Michael and the dragon is an old piece of painting,
reprefenting the Lord's-fupper, where Chrift and his difciples
arefitihig on chairs, otherwife it is no bad piece. The en-
counter between a cat and a dog under the table would have
better become fome ludicrous piece, though one cannot help
being pleafed with the liv-elinefs of the expreflion. Here
are alfo f eve pal good pieces infrcfco ; moft of which were
done at the expence of a father of this convent, whofe^ li-i
berality hath been honoured with the following infcnption :
Sacram bane ezdem
Aflii Slnceri Sannazarii
Dcmicd'tO) Po'eji, Tumulo
Illuftrem
Elegantibus pifluris ac pavimento
litboftrato
Pat. Mag. Angelus M. Nappi
Neapolitans
Anno M. DCIC.
Qucd propriis exp en/is illuflr'iorem
Rcddt curaverit^
Cixteri kv.}us Conventus alumni
Fratri fuo bene merenti PP.
4 Father Maeftrp Angelo Maria Nappi, a native of Na-
ples, having in the year 1609, at his own expence, to this
church famous for the refidence, poetry, and tomb of
AcliusSincerusSannazario, added the embellHhments of fine
paintings and a variegated marble pavement ; the monks
or this convent, in acknowledgment of the generofity of
their brother, have erected this memorial.'
S. Mam <!! The church of S. Maria di Piedigrotto owes its name to
Piedigrotta. tne gftffitypgan hole or cave, at the entrance of which it
ftands.
At the high altar of this church are fix admirable pillars of
black and white marble.
The church of S- Maria della Picta de' Sangri wants a
proper light ^ but otherwife makes a fine appearance, abound-
ing
S. Maria
Sangri.
NAPLES. 91
ing in ftatues and curious monuments belonging to the Sangro.
family.
At the great altar ftand two beautiful pillars of por-
phyry.
In the church of S. Maria della Sanita, which belongs to S. Maria
the Dominicans, are thirteen fmall cupola's over fo many ^llaSaniia.
altars, all finely ornamented with paintings. The eight
pillars of the tabernacle on the high altar are of rock cryftal,
each a foot high, yet cut out of a fmgle piece. It is alfo en-
riched with a great number of fapphires, and other precious
ftones. The pulpit is an exquifite inlaid work of marble and
mother-of-pearl. In the veftry are twelve cryftal candle-
flicks, made by Marino Converfo, a monk of the' convent,
who being employed in a work of rock cryftal, which was
to fill the whole front of the great altar, was, a few years
ago, prevented by death. Here alfo are fhewn a crucifix
and feveral pyramids of cryftal, and nineteen large filver
buffs of faints, with their reliques inclofed in them ; fourteen
filver candlefticks, each above fix feet high ; a very fmall
cafket in the form of an altar, on one fide of which is the
paffion of Chrift, of fuch fine workmanfhip, that in the bo-
fom of the virgin Mary, which opens with two folding doors,
the crucifixion of our Saviour is to be feen within the cqm-
pafs of a filver two-pence ; the whole is of wood. In the
cafket is alfo kept another reprefentation of Chrift's cruci-
fixion on mount Calvary, compofed of emeralds and other
genas. On an oftenforlum ftands a little filver fratue of Noah
with a girdle of emeralds, and on his fhoulders a model of
the ark in gold fet with diamonds. Over it is a filver dove,
at whofe wings hang two ear-rings with two fapphires in
each, being the offering of a princefs who devoutly took
them from her ears, and prefented them to this church. On
the oftenforium^ where the confecrated wafer lies, the fun is
finely reprcfented with his golden beams, the radiancy of
which is heightened by the blaze of diamonds, pearls, and
rubies with which they are fet. The church and the con-
vent are built on an afcent, fo that a great part of the for-
mer, and even fome pillars are hewn out of the rock. The
out fide of the roof is flat and paved with fmall ftones. The
profpect from thence towards the fea and mount Vefuvio is
extremely beautiful. Before the refectory is an orangery in
the open air ; and the trees are of an uncommon growth and
fize. When I vifited this convent, it was with fome pleafure
Ifaw
92 NAPLES.
I faw a hundred and ninety-fix fathers and noviciates fupping
together with great decency and elegancy of behaviour. As
it was a faft, the allowance was a flice of bread and three
apples. But the fuperior or provincial and the prior had a
larger portion of bread and fix apples a-piece. The difpen-
fary belonging to this convent is very large and well con-
trived : it is alfo furniftied with feveral elaboratories andfome
gaily -pots, faid to be painted by Raphael. The general of
the Dominicans has an annual income of eighteen thoufand
ducats, befides extraordinary prefcnts, which, from the great
regard paid him as prefident of the inquifition, even by car-
dinals, and the greateft officers of the papal court, muft be
no inconfiderable addition.
s. Martmo. g^ Martino belongs to the Carthufians, and (lands in the
higheft part of the city, except the cattle of St. Elmo ;
whence it may eafily be conceived what a glorious profpe6t
they enjoy over the neighbouring ifiaridsj the city, the port,
the fea-coaft, and the country towards Vefuvio and Paufi-
lypo. Though no woman is permitted to enter into this
place, a church ftands open without the convent for that
fex to perform their devotions in. The church which the
monks frequent has few equals. The cieling is painted
with hiftorical pieces; and in the front of the choir is the
crucifixion of Chrift, and the twelve apoftles, by Lanfranco,
who, whilft he was employed by thefe fathers, had a falary
of thirty Jcu,il or crowns a-day, and was elegantly entertain-
ed at the expence of the convent. The pieta over the grand
entrance is by the cavalier Mafiimo, and the twelve prophets
painted in oil colours, with the bufts of Mofes and Elias,
by the celebrated Giufcppe di Ribera, commonly called Lo
Spagnoletto ; who has fignalized his /kill in this convent by
above a hundred pieces. On the cieling of the choir where
the monks aflembie at mafs, Giufcpino d'Arpino and Giov.
Berardino a Sicilian, have, in conjunction, difplayed thede-
Famou; pic- Hcacy of their pencils. In this choir is alfo to be fee n the
Rhenf celebrated Nativity of Chrift by Guido, for which the fathers
paid five thoufand ducats, and have been more than once of-
fered twelve thoufand. But a fociety which boafts of hav-
Profufe ex- ing, durifig the life only of one fuperior, laid out five hun-
pence. j je <i thoufand ducats in paintings, fculptures, and plate, fel-
dom expofe their curiofities to fale. Here are alfo four
other mafrer - pieces, all reprefenting the Lord's-fupper ;
one by the above-mentioned Ribera,' another by Annibal
Caracci,
NAPLES, 93
Caracci *, the third by Paolo Veronefe, and the fourth by
the cavalier Maflimo. The other paintings in the church
are a Ho by feveral eminent matters whom we have already
had occafion to mention, viz. Belifario, Fignoli, Giov. Batt.
Caracci, the cavalier CalabreYe, Domemchino, Vaccaro,
Giordano, &c. The pavement is of beautiful figured mar-
ble, and the wall of pietre commejji. The high alrar, though
already above a hundred thouiand fcudi have been expended
on it, is far from being finifhed ; and, to judge by the
model, it will be a work of incomparable beauty and magni-
ficence. The fteps near the veftry were defigned by the ca-
vaHer Cofmo, the painted perfpedive by the cavalier Vivi-
ani, and the figures by the cavalier Maflimo. The clofets
in the veftry are worth feeing for their inlaid work in cane ;
fome reprefenting fcriptural hiftories, others landscapes, &c.
Xriufepino d'Arpino has painted the crucifixion of Chrift on
the cieling ; the perfpe&ive piece is by Viviani, and Peter's
-denial of his mafter by Caravaggio. The arch before the
two tefori^ or treafuries, is finely painted infrefa by Maflimo,
and here a child is particularly admired, io boldly painted as
hardly tobediilingui(hed by the eye from a bailb-relievo in a
raifed piece of fculpture. In the teforo vecchio is likewife
fome excellent inlaid work of wood ; and the pavement re-
prefents all kinds of figures in marble. The paintings in
frefco are by Lanfranco, Maflimo, and Spadaro ; and on the
cieling are feveral extremely natural imitations of fiflures
and cracks. The riches {hewn in thefe treafuries are hardly
to be defcribed. Among other things here are a globe of
lapts-lazuli of the bignefs of a child's head, an amethyft a
fpan broad and a fpan and a half in length, and four tur-
<juoifes on the convex fide equal to a walnut ; a great num-
ber of large filver bufts, a filver ftatue of St. Martin with a
ring on one of the fingers of the right-hand let with a ruby
of the fize of a large hazel-nut, which cannot be furpaflcd ;
four pearls and as many topazes of a very uncommon fize ;
a filver ftatue of the virgin Mary (landing on the moon with
a dragon at her feet, almoft as big as the life ; two mother-
t)f i -pearl Ihells, as large as a fmall difh, moft beautifully
painted; gold and filver chalices, lamps, candlefticks, flower*
pots, and the like, without number. But what particularly
deferves notice is a little altar fupported by filver pillars,
* In this piece Chrift is reprtfented ftanding, and the difciple* kneeling
round him.
94 NAPLES,
with a pyk reprefenting the fun refting on one pillar, the
beams of which and the pillar are covered with fapphires, ru-
bies, turquoifes, and other gems ; fo that this piece alone
coft forty thoufand fcudi. Here is alfo to be feen Spagnoletto's
celebrated pieta y for which he received four thoufand ducats,
but at prefent valued at ten thoufand. Amidft fuch fplendid
objects the rotten bones and other reliques kept within glafles'
with infcriptions (hewing to what faint each piece belongs,
make but a very fcurvy appearance.
The convent has a grand fquare cloiiler built under the
infpeclion of the cavalier Cofmo Fonfago ; it is adorned with
fixty pillars of white Carrara marble : the pavement is of
black and white marble difpofed in a variety of figures.
Within the area of the cloifter is a burial-place for the monks,
which is feen through a baluftrade ornamented with death's
heads and other emblems of mortality cut in marble. The
number of monks in this convent is only fix ; and to each of
them is afligned an apartment wainfcotted with cedar, very
well furnifhed, and adorned with fine paintings j and alfo a
garden with a marble fountain, planted with all kinds of ef-
culent herbs, fruit, and flowers. The prior's apartment is
very fpacious and magnificent, confuting of feveral rooms,
embellifhed with a very valuable collection of paintings, de-
figns, and feveral geographical pieces. Here is a fmall pic-
ture on wood of the crucifixion of our Saviour, highly
efteemed, and faid to be done by Michael Angelo. The
piece is very fmall, and has nothing remarkable in it; but,
contrary to nature, reprefents our Saviour's head quite up-
right, inftead of being reclined like that of a dying perfon,
This, like that piece at the Borghefe palace at Rome, is
faid to be done from the life, a perfon being put to death on
the crofs for that purpofe ; and with equal probability. The
ilory of Parrhafius * putting a perfon to a death by tortures,
that having fuch an object before him he might the more na-
turally paint a Prometheus, may poflibly have given rife to
this groundlefs charge againft Michael Angelo ; who was a
man of no bad morals, and cannot be fuppofed to have been
guilty of fuch a piece of barbarity; andj if he had, he would
have copied it to greater advantage.
In the apartment of the prior of this convent is a very
pretty marble groupe by Cofmo, of the virgin Mary with the
child Jefus in her arms, and John the Baptift kifling his feet.
Vide Junium de pift
Our
NAPLES. 95
Our Saviour is reprefentcd fmiling and laying his hand upon
.John's head, as if they were playing together; whilft the
virgin mother's looks rnoft exquihtely exprefs her Tweet com-
placency at their innocent fportivenefs. The library con-
fifts of felect books, to the value of fix thoufand ducats; the
cieling is painted in frefco by Viviano, Rafaelino, and Spa-
daro. The convent's difpenfary is alfo well contrived, Ici'ty,
and painted in frefco ; the pavement is of painted tiles, and
all the medicines are kept in porcelain veflels. Here is alfo
a beautiful collection of corals ; and in the anti-chamber arc
four white marble bu-fts of the feafons.
The church and convent di Monte Oliveto are endowed Church di
with a yearly revenue of ten thouland fcudl^ the donation of > ' 5 - onte ^li-
a gentleman whofe name was Gurello Origlia, as is comme- 1 ""
snorated in the following infcription ;
D. O. M. Gurelh Auritia Neapol. hujus Regni Logctbctee ac
-ProionotariOj fuminee <ip ud Ladijlaum Regem^ ob fideni eximiam^ ,'
autoritatif t adeo feptem filios Comttcs viderit, fortunatljjimit^
idemque plentijji)nus^ -qui sdes has conjlruxit t patrhnonio donato y
Ordo Olivetanus Pietatis ergo F. C.
* Sacred to God the greateft and beft of beings, and to
the memory of Gurello Origlia of Naples, recorder and
prothonotary of the kingdom, who for his capacity and
fidelity was in fuch high efteem with king Ladiflaus, that
his feven ions were created counts, and (his proipcrity be-
ing equal to his piety) built and endowed this church and
convent, the order of Olivetam have in gratitude erected
this infcription.'
Alphonfo the Second had fuch an affection for the monks
of this convent, that he not only frequently took a repaft
with them, and fometimes even waited at the fecond table
where the lay-brothers eat; but, among other more fubftan-
tial marks of his cordial affection, conferred on them the
carries of Tevcrona, Aprano, and Pepcna, with their civil
and criminal jurifdiclions. Thefe benefactions are recorded
in the infcriptions in the refectory and on his monument near
the high altar.
In the Capella del Conte di Terranuova is a moft beauti- Capella de}
ful marble altar, the work of Benedetto da Majano, an emi- ^ te di
rent Florentine fcuiptor of the I5th century. Here alfo hes
Mario Curiale, a youth in great favour with king Alphonfo I,
who
96 NAPLES.
who evtii honoured him with the following epitaph of his
own compofition:
Epitaph by G)ui .fait Alfonfi quondam p'tirs maxima Regis
kmg Al- Marius bdc modica nitric tumulatur humo.
phonfo I.
* Within this narrofa tomb lies Mariiisj who once poflef-
' fed king Alphonfo's better part.'
In the Origlia chapel is a representation of a dead Chrift
with feven perfons lamenting over the body, fome kneeling
and others {landing, of terra cotta^ or a kind of plafter,
painted in natural colours ; it is the work of Moldavino da
Modena, an ingenious fculptor, who lived about the middle
of the fifteenth century. The affiftants reprefent feveral emi-
nent men, then living : Nicodemus is perfonated by Gio-
vanni Pontano, Jofeph of Arimathea by Giacomb Sannaza-
rio, and two others by Alphonfo 11$ king of Naples, and his
fon Ferdinand.
On the right-hand near this chapel is ah incomparable
baflb* relievo of the annunciation by the above-mentioned
Benedetto di Majano. The countenance of the angel dawns
with celeftial joy and benevolence, and the virgin's attitude
and looks exprefs a moft amiable mixture of ferenity, humi-
lity, and a modeft bafhfulnefs.
In the Tolofa chapel is to be feen an ingenious perfpe&ive
of intarfiatura> or inlaid wood^ by Fra Giov. Angelo da
Verona Olivetano, who excelled in this branch, and lived
in Vafari's time, that is, about the middle of the fixteenth
century.
Thebaflb- relievo reprefenting the nativity of Chrift in the
duke of Amalfi's chapel, or, as it is now called, of Picolo-
mini d'Aragona, is accounted a matter-piece in fculpture ;
and by fome attributed to the famous Donatello, and by
others to Rofellino of Florence. The latter is, however,
univerfally allowed to have defigned and executed the fu-
perb monument, in this chapel, of Maria of Aragon, a
natural daughter of king Ferdinand, and'duchefs of A-
malfi.
In the fame chapel, which is remarkable for its pavement;
is alfo this epitaph :
Conftantld
NAPLES. 57
Con/lani'ia Davala W Beatrix PlcccLminea F/Iia, redditis qua
funt cceli caslo^ fcf qu<s funt terres terrte^ ut femper uno vixere
animO) & Jlc uno condi tumiilo valuer e, O btatam & muiui amo*
rh conjlantiam !
* Here in one grave are depofited the remains of Conftan-
tia Davala and Beatrice Piccolomini her daughter, who,
having rendered to heaven the things which were heaven's.
and to the earth the things that were earth's, as they had
but one foul while living, defired to be united in death,
Happy patterns of a ccnftant and mutual affection !'
Each of die before-mentioned chapels has fomething rer
markable, and every- where affords Ibme entertainment to
the admirers of painting and fculpture. In the vefiry, be-
fides the fine paintings by Vafari, the {brines and clofets re-
prefent catties, landscapes, and other pieces of perfpeftive,
fo well executed in wood inlaid, as fcarce to be paralleled. .
The organ in this church is faid to havccoft four thoufand
fcudi) and is greatly cried up here ; but as to this noble in-
itrument, both for makers and performers on it, all nations
muft yield to Germany.
The convent library owes Its foundation to Alphonfo II,
who alfo enriched it with fome good vellum manufcripts,
ftill in being ; of which the principal are, i. The Bible, in
a fmall folio, written in 1476, by Matthias Moravius, finely
illuminated, C3V. 2. Another ancient manufcript of the
Bible, in two large volumes in folio. 3. St. Bernard's works.
4. St. Jerom's epiftles, and his commentary on Ifaiah. 5.
The lives of the faints in two volumes folio. 6. The hiftory
of the tranflations of the bodies of 3t. Benedict and St. Scho-
laftica, &c. On the front is this infcription :
Pits ad Dei cuhum Jtudiis ne vel bora frujlra teratur, Bib!i~
otbeca lotus ereflus.'
1 This library was erefted for the improvement of reli-
e gious ftudies, that not an hour may be mifpent, but dedi-
* cated to the fervice of God.'
Nothing can be more delightful than the profpe& from
the library and the upper (lorv of this convenj. It is alf
VOL. UI. H ftmou*
9& NAPLES.
famous for making the bcft Neapolitan foap, which brings
in a very confiderable profit to the fociety.
Monte della The revenue of the Sacro Monte della Pieta, which
Pieta. amounts to fifty thoufand ducats, is, for the term of two
years, lent in fums not exceeding ten ducats, on equivalent
pledges, without intereft j for many wealthy perfons, who
either want opportunity, or are not inclined to make pur-
chafes, or lend on intereft or mortgages, place their fortunes
here j partly for fecurity, and partly for the advantage of
the poor. The building was defigned by the cavalier Fon-
tana, and coft feventy thoufand fcudl. As for the marble
ftatue of P/V/rf, or Charity, erected on the front of the chapel,
it is a fufficient commendation of it to fay, that it came
from the hand of the celebrated Bernini.
S. Paolo S. Paolo Maggiore, by an infcription formerly on the
Maggiore. jfa^^ which, in 1688, was demolifhed by an earthquake,
appears to have been originally a temple of Caftor and Pol-
iux, and built by Julius Tarfus, a freed man of Auguftus,
and procurator of the fea-coafts about Naples. Of this no-
ble piece of antiquity there are ftill remaining two pillars,
two fine ftatues, fome pedeftals, &c. feveral marble frag-
ments having been ufed for the -pavement of this church.
The tradition, that, at the command of St. Peter, the ftatues
of Pollux and Caftor fell from the top of this ftructure,
has given rife to the following diftichs, which are to be
fcen on the left-hand of the entrance, near two mutilated
Statues :
ditiiit vclfurdvs Pollux cum Caftore Peirum^
'A^t mof&prefciftti niarmore uterqne riiit.
4 The deaf ftatues of Caftor and Pollux heard Peter's
< voice, and immediately the Id6hzed marble fell down head-
* long from the top of this edifice.'
And on the right :
TyndnrlJas vox mij/a ferit, palma ir.tcgra Petri eft j
Di'vidit a't tceuiri) Paide^ tropbaa libcns.
c With one word Peter vanquiflies the martijpl fons of
< Tyidarrs; but the-, Pr.uJ, he willingly admits as his
* prt.icr in this ttctory.'
The
NAPLES. 99
The fculpture about the high altar of this church is ex-
quifite, and the tabernacle is of inlaid gems. On the altar
of the chapel of the princes di S. Agato is a fine marble
itatue of the virgin Mary with her divine infant, and two
perfons in a pofture of adoration, who reprefent Antonio
Ferrao and his fon Csefar, both princes of S. Agnta.
In the chapel of Santa Maria della Puritu are four moft
beautiful ftatues of the cardinal virtues, among which Pru-
dence is the beft executed.
The walls of S. Gaetano's chapel are almoft entirely co-
vered with votive pieces, and reprefentations of the feveral
parts of the body, which;, by the interceflion of that faint,
have been delivered from pain, or reftored to their natural
functions. This church abounds in the fineft paintings ;
for thofe pieces only in the anti-chamber of the veftry are
valued at eighteen thoufand _/&//. The moft admired among
them are Pico della Miraridola, in the character of young
Tobias, and cardinal Bembo in that of St. Jerom *.
This is an excellent copy from an original by Raphael,
and the painting in frefco in the veftry is by the celebrated
Solimene. In the area before this church ftands a bronze
ftatue of St. Gaetano on a very lofty pedeftal, with an in-
fcription.
The church of S. Patrizia, though it be fmall, i,s exceed- S. Patrizia.
ing fplendid, near a hundred and forty thoufandy<:M// having
been expended on it. The tabernacle is of furprifmg rich-
* Formerly it was ufua!, among celebrated painter?, to irttroduce even
in fcripture-hiftory pieces the portraits of their relations, moil efteemed
friends, or eminent perforages of their time. At the ak.ir of the parifh-
'church of Wittenberg, is the baptifm of Chrift, by Luke Cranach, where
the fpeftators confift of perfons then very well known, and painted in an
exaft likenefs ; but Cranach's wife, who extremely importuned her hiif-
band, that (he might be one, is drawn with her back to the fpeclaior. The
marriage of Cnna, fhewn at Venice, has in it the faces of the moft ce'eb rated
Italian muficians of the time when it was painted. Albert archbifhop
of Mentz is accufcd of fetting up in the cathedral a ftatue of his miftreis
to reprefent the virgin Mary ; but thefe artifice? are not a modern refine-
ment : for Praxiteles, according to Pofidippus, had the p'caiure of feeing
his miftrsfs Cratina admired and worfhipped in hi< fuppoll J itr.tae of VCRUS
of Cnidos ; and the beauty of the celebrated courtezan Flu yne of Thebes
induced moft of the Grecian painters to make her lit for their pictures of
the goddefsof love. Vld. Clement. Alexandr. in Protrept. advent, p. ^^.
Cicero reproaches Clodins with having publicly coiuccrated the image of
a proftitute under the title of the goddefs of liberty. L'ic. pro Dem. c. 43.
Hanc Dcam qiiifquam violare auJeat, imagine;?! tuerctricu? f And will
' any body dare to violate this goddets, *r rather the image wf a harlot ^
H a nefs,
loo NAPLES.
nefs, and the pa/tisti, or coverings for the altar, are of filver*
The veftry is finely painted, as the veftries of Naples gene-
rally a*re, being little inferior to the fineft churches in other
countries. This church, together with the adjoining con-
vent, belongs to the Benedi6tine nuns ; and behind the altar
is a window which looks into their choir*.
s. Filippe The church of S. Filippo Neri was built by the celebrated
erli architect Dionyfio Bartolomeo, and the front would have an
Uncommon air of grandeur, were the tower on the right
built to correfpond with that on the left fide. The church,
is divided into three ifles by two ranges of granate Corin-
thian pillars, each of which coft a thoufand ducats, being
cut out of one block, though twenty-four palmi high, and
eleven in circumference. The roof, indeed, is not arched,
but finely decorated with fculpture and gilding. At the
high altar is a curious piece of Florentine work, and the
front of the table is done on a ground of mother-of-pearl.
There is fcarce an altar in this church which is not adorned
with the works of the moft eminent fculptors and painters ;
.fo that it may be ranked among the greateft curiofities of
Naples. The veftry exhibits feveral noble monuments of
the admirable fkill of Guido Rheni, Domenichino, Giofep-
plno, the two Baflani's, &c. The veftments, the filver and
gold utehfils, the chalices, the fallJcti^ the jewels, and va-
riety of other things of value, that lie ufelefs here, are not
to be feen without aftoniihment and concern ; but the moft
valuable piece is a filver ciborlo^ or pyx t weighing eight
pounds, which is fet with diamonds, rubies, and emeralds.
Here is alfo a tabernacle made in the form of a canopy, fup-
ported by four angels, all of filver ; but the pyx is of mafly
gold. In fome of the chalices, gold is the leaft valuable part
of them. In a filver pallioto, defigned by Giordano, are
ten detached figures^ befides very bold and high-finiflied re-
lievo's.
S. Pietro '' The church of S Pietro d' Ara is faid to have been anci-
d'Ara. ently a temple of Apollo ; but that St. Peter caufed an altar
to be fet up in it to the true God, and was pleated to officiate
at it, as is intimated by this infcYiption ;
Slfle fidclis iff priiifquam. Tcnplv.m ingrediaris^ Petrum facri~
ficantem vencrare, hie en;m primo^ max Roma, Jiiios per Evan*
it) pancque illo JuaviJJitno cibavit.
A long catalogue of reliqucs is here omitted.
Stop,
NAPLES. .lot
< Stop, devout Chriftian, and, before thou fetteft thy foot
* in this temple, revere St. Peter, who firft performed mafs
* here, and afterwards at Rome, and begot fpiritual fons
* through the gofpel, whom he fed with that bread which
* came down from heaven.'
The noble picture in the chapel of the Ricci family is by
Leonardo da Vinci, who died in 1520.
In this church is the following fliort but comprehenllve
epitaph :
D. O. M.
FA BRIT 10 FRANCIPdNO, cut nee viventi Ro-
tnana virtus^ iuc morienti vera pietas tfffitit* btsredd, ex Te~
Jlam. B. M.
c Sacred to God the greateft and beft of beings,
e And to the memory of Fabritio Francipani, who, \vhile
* he lived, was endowed with all the virtues of a Roman,
* and died a pious and Devout Chriftian, dfrV.'
The church of S. Pietro a Majella is alfo called St. Cata- S. Pietro a
rina ; the cieling is finely painted by the cavalier Calabrefe, Ma J elia
and adorned with gildings round the compartments. The
efpoufals of Chrift with St. Catharine of Sienna, over the ,
altar, is by Caracci ; though by fome attributed to Crifcu-
olo, a difciple of Andrea da Salerno. The moft remarkable
ftatue in this church is St. Sebaftian bound to a tree, by Gi-
ovanni da Nola.
In the chapel of the Spinella family is a marble baflb-re- Bud of Au.
licvo, which was originally a head of Auguirus; but, that f^^ha^of
no profane piece might remain in the church, it was altered, an angc i.
by the addition of a pair of wings, to an angel ; an honour
oi" which Auguftus dreamed as little, as Cicero did of the .
proftitution of his name, which is beftowed on fo many pal-
try antiquarians of this country.
In the church of S. Pietro Martire, behind the high altar, S. Pietro
is the nativity of Chrift, in pictra cotta, greatly efteemed ; Mme.
and the altar, with the tabernacle upon it, are of curious
inlaid work.
In the choir lies queen Ifabella, who died in 1465 ; and
near her is interred the infant Don Pedro, brother of king
Alphonfo I. The following epitaph was fet up by the .Do-
minicans, to whom the adjoining convent belongs":
H 3
jo* NAPLES.
OJJlhiS tf? Memoria Ifalella Clarimont'uz Neap. Rt'gina,
Perdir.andi Prim: Conjugis, & Petri Aragonei Principis Jirenui^
Regis Alpbonft Senjoris Fratris, qui^ ni mors ei illujirenj. i^itte
curfum inter rupiffet, fratcrncnn gloriam facile adaquajjet. Ofa-
txm ! quot bona parvulo faxo conduntur !
* For the remains and in memory of Ifabella de Clairmont
* queen of Naples, and confort to Ferdinand I, and of the
* valiant prince Pedro, of Aragon, wb,o, had npt death cut
* {hort his glorious career, would unqueftionably have er
* quailed the reputation of king Alphonfo his brother. Hca-
< vens ! what worth is concealed under this little ftone !'
Her* alfo is the tomb of Beatrix of Aragon, daughter to
Ferdinand I, king of Naples, and queen confort to Matthias
Corvinus king of Hungary, who died in 1508, with the fol-
lowing fhort panegyric :
Beatrix Ara^onea^ Pannon{fS 'Regina^ F&'dinqndi Primi
Neap. Regis filia, de facro hoc Collegia opt. merita hie flta eft.
Hec religions & Munificentia feipfam vicit.
c Here relrs Beatrix of Aragon, queen of Hungary, daugh-
* ter of Ferdinand I, king of Naples, an illuftnous bene-
f faiirefs to this convent, who in munificence and devotion
' even excelled herielf.'
The fine picture of Jofeph with the child Jefus in h;s
arms, is by del Po. Here are alfo feveral fine pieces by So-
limcjie. In th,e veflry are two admirable ftatues of Prudence
and Juftice ; the drapery of the latter cannot be exceeded.
Between thefe ftatues is a baflb-relievo impioufly reprefent-
ing God the Father. Here alfo is fhewn a filver palliato, C,L-
altar-covering, the front leaf of which is in length fourteen
f'pans and a half, and five in height ; the candlelticks of the
fame metal belonging to it are nine feet high. In the refec-
tory, which is very fpacjous and elegant, are fome curious
^ater-works,
S. Scverino, Under the high altar of St. Severino's church, which be-
longs to the Benedictines, are depofited the remains of the
two faints Severinus and oofius, as is exprefli-d in this in-
:
Hlc
NAPLES: 103
fdtc fua fancJa Jtmul divinaque corpora Pa 't res
' Sodus unanimes & Sevtrinus habent.
* Here with mutual complacency lie together the facred
* bodies of the venerable fathers Soiius and Severinus.'
St. Benedict glorified in heaven, in the center of the choir,
was painted by Belifario Cortenfi, and likewife fome other
pieces near it; which fo endeared this place to him, that, in
his life-time, he prepared a fepulchre for himfelf in the chapel
of the Maranta family, with this epitaph :
BeUfariits Cortenfius ex antiquo Arcadum genere^ D. Georgii
EqueS) inter Regies Jiipendiarios Neapoli a pueris adfcitus^ de-
piflo hoc Ttmploj ftli fuifque kcum quietis vivens paravit.
MDCXV.
' This place of reft Belifario Cortenfi, defcended from
the ancient Arcadians, and knight of St. George, (who,
v/hen a boy, had a penflon conferred on him by the king
of Naples) prepared, whilft living, for himfelf and family
in this church, which he had beautified with his paint-
ings. 1615.'
The portraits on both fides of the church of the kings,
popes, and other illuftrious perfons of the Benedictine order,
are by Zingaro.
The flails in the choir are fo curioufly inlaid with walnut-
tree, that the work coft fixteen thoufand ducats ; the artifts
were Tortelli and Chiarini.
In the area under the cupola are four fuperb monuments
belonging to the family of Mormile.
Near the veftry is the following epitaph of Giovanni Bat-
tifta, of the Cicara family :
Liquifti g emit urn m'.fer<E lacbrymafque Parcntl
Pro quibus infelix bunc Till dat tumulum.
4 Nothing but fighs and tears by thee bequeath'd
c To thy fond parent, who, in fad return,
* Erects (vain gift !) this monumental ftone. 1
Not
104 M A P L E S.
Not far from this lies Andrea Bonifacia, a child, with an
exquifite monument by Pietro da Prata j and a fuitabie epi,-
taph by the celebrated Sarmazario :
, Patris Matrifque amor^ 3 fuprema voluptas y
En Tibi^ quts no bis Te dare for s vetult.
ffta, EbeUy triftefque ncias damus., invida quando
Afors immature funtre te mpttit,
^ qui vixit annos VI. --- parcntes cb raram indalcm
* To thee, thy parents fhort-liv'd joy, we raife
c A mournful buft ; O unrelenting fate !
* To crop his youthful bloom with iron hand,,
* Who fhould have clos'd his dying parents eyes.
' To Andrea their fon, who lived but fix years \ his difcon-
* folate parents - - - for his extraordinary endowments --- '
The chapel of the Sanfeverina family, bcfides its fine paint-
ings, is remarkable for the tombs of three unfortunate;, bro-
thers, whom their father's brother pojioned, in order to make
his way to the eftate ; and alfo that of their mother, who
defired to be buried near them ; the fculpture by Giovanni
da Nola is extremely fine, and one of the epitaphs is as
follows :
Hie o/a quiefcunt JACOB I SANSEVERINI Comtls
Saponaria> vencno tnifere cb avarii'wm nec3ti> cum duobus mijeris
fratrikuS) eodem fato^ eadem hora commorientibus.
' Here lie the remains of Giacomo Sanfeverini, count of
' Saponara, barbaroufly poifoned through avarice, with his
* two unhappy brothers, who expired in the fame manner,
' and at the fame hour.'
On the mother's tomb is the following infcription :
Hofies^ mtfrrrima ir.iferrhr.em deflects orbit at em. En ill<\
HIPPGLrTA MONTI A peft natas fxminas infcl'uijjima,
qtttf Ugo Sanfeverino conjitgi tres may'inies expefiationls fiiioi pe~
peri, qui v'enenath poculis (vicit in familia^ proh fcelus / pieta-
tem cupiditaS) timorem audada^ & rat-icneyi amentia) una inrni-
fcrorum complexions Parentum miferabi liter illito exfpirarunt. Vir y
tsgrltudine fenfim obrfpente^ paucis po/i annis in bis et'iam mani-i
his exfpiravit. Ego tot fuperjles funeribus, cnjus requies in tene-
iru, jalamen in iacbrymis^ & tura cmnn in morie collocatur,
^uss vides feparatim tumulos^ 'cb atenii dolor is argument itm, 6f
inmemoriam illorum illorum fcmpiternam, Annq M*D.X1LVII.
4 Stranger,
NAPLES,
* Stranger, lament my wretchednefs, who was the happieft
of women. Behold here the remains of Hippolyta Montia,
who to my dear hufband, Ugo Sanfeverini, bore three fons,
youths of promifing hopes 3 but, horrid guilt ! (fo far did
avarice overcome affection, boldnefs fear, and madnefs
the reafon of one of the fame family) they were inhuman-
ly poifoned, and immediately expired in the embraces of
their diftracted parents. My hufband, by an irifenfible
decay, alfo died, a few years after, in thefe arms. To
me, the wretched furvivor of fo many relations, darknefs
was repofe, tears adminiftered relief, and the grave was
my only lolace. Thefe feveral tombs remain as perpetual
monuments of my grief, and my children's, unhappy fate.
1547-'
From this church one defcends by fome fteps into the old
church, which wants neither light nor ornaments.
In the vefrry, among other curiofities, is {hewn the cru-
cifix fent by Pius V. to Don John of Auftria, to the miracu-
Jous afliftance of which, the Chriftians, as is pretended, owe
the famous naval vi&ory of Lepanto. In the infcription
the image is termed Patlbulaii numinis effigies.
The large Benedictine convent to which this church be-
Ipngs, maintains eighty monks, and confifts of four fpacious
courts, with cloifters round them. In one of thefe St. Bene-
dict's life is painted, by Antonio Solario, a Venetian, com-
monly .called Zingaro, who has painted his own portrait
among the fpe<?cators.
The Palazzo degli Studii public!, orNovi, near the Con- Pala
ftantincpolitan gate, will, when compleated, be the fineft
academy in all Italy, if not the whole world. Though the
fums already laid out upon it amount to a hundred and fifty
thoufandyi:/.Y// ; yet it is not above half compleated. It was
firft intended for a riding-fchool ; but the want of water oc-
cafioned that defign to be laid afide. The founder of it was
the ccynt de Lemos, when he was vice-roy ; who ordered a
great number of beautiful ftatues, found in the duke d'Ofiuna's
time betwixt Pozzuoli and Cuma, to be brought hither to
adorn this noble edifice. Betwixt every two windows a
ftatue is erected ; and it is indeed a pity that fo fine a ftruc-
ture, which was defigned by the cavalier Fontana, is likely
to remain unfinifhed. I have obibrved great neglect in keep-
ing
N A P L E S,
ing fcveral of the public buildings in repair at Naples, am!
this is one inftance of it ; for the grafs grows in feveral of
the windows, and the deling of the great faloon already
begins to decay. The antique building difcovered near
Cuma, and from which a great number of ftatues were
brought hither, had this infcription on the front :
Lares Auguflos
M. Agrippina refeclt.
* The palace ,of Auguflus repaired by M. Agrippina.'
In this academy, among others, is the following in-
/cription :
Philippo 1IL Rege Catholico
; Don Petrus Fernandez de Caftro
Lemenf. Comes , Prorex,
Compo/itd pro voto re omrii publica,
Legum opportunitate t
-' Deleftu magijlratwni)
Fort ac judiciorum emendatlone 9
JErar'irnm ac Fifci
Prater fpem praterque vacattonem
Increments,
Alia omnium Ordinum quiets,
Ubertate maxima
Exbaujlis ad annonam pa!udibus y
fmportata multiplicem ad ufum obleftation&nquQ
Aqua cajlria^ ,
erum cvromdem^
Gymnajtum cum urbe natum t
UlyJJe audltore indytum^
A Tito rejlitutum^
A Frld. II. legibus munltum^
AuElum bonorarius^
ACarolo II. Andigav. intra wcenia pvfoum^
Ferdinandt Catbolicl tumultibiis pene cbrutum y
Ex humili angujloque loco
{n amplijfimum auguftijjimumque^ juxta Urbcm
Vetcre Sapientum inftituto^
Regis fumptu excitation tranftulit
Ann. Sal. Hum. MDCXVL
14
NAPLES,
( In the reign of Philip III, Don Pedro Fernandes de Ca*
ftro, count of Lemos, and vjce-roy, having happily fet-
tled the ftate of public affairs, reformed the tribunals of
juftice by the choice of rnagiftrates, and the equity of
Jaws, &c. to crown his noble actions, caufed this college
(which is of equal antiquity with the city itfelf, and where
UlyfTes was once a pupil) repaired by Titus, confirmed
with larger endowments by Frederic II, and afterwards
rebuilt by Charles II, of Anjou, within the walls, but
fince almoft totally dernoliftied in the tumults during the
reign of Ferdinand king of Spain, to be at his Catholic
Majefty's expence rebuilt in a magnificent manner, 'and
according to the ufage of the ancient philofophers, at a
fmall diftance from the buftle and amufements of the city,
in the year of cur redemption 1616.'
This infcription, of which P. Orfo the Jefuit was the Whcther'u-
author, has been criticifed by Lanfena, who feverely ex- '^ ftudie <*
pofes him for afferting that this college is of equal anti- a
quity with the city, and that UlyiTes was one of its mem-
bers.
The univerfity of Naples appears from Petrus de Vineis,
lib. iii. epift. and Ricard. de $. Germans ad ann. 1224. p. 984,
to have been founded by the emperor Frederic II, whofe
patent was confirmed by pope Innocent IV, in the year
1254.
The church della Santiffima Trinita della Monache is Chief* dcll^
adorned with feveral pieces of painting and fculpture, which Tnnita
are very well worth feeing. Among the former are a
great many pieces by Giov. Berardirto Siciliano ; the reft
are by Luigi Siciliano, St. Girolamo del Ribera, and Gi-
ovanni Caracciolo, by fome called Battiftello. The taber- Rich taber-
nacle of the high altar is valued at fixty thoufand fcudi. nacle j
The nunnery to which this church belongs is very fpacious
and magnificent j and the nuns are undei the care of the
Fiaucjfcans.
ANTIQUITIES and Natural CURIOSITIES
LETTER LX.
Of the Antiquities and natural Curiofities near the
City of NAPLES towards PUZZUOLO, BAIJE,
CUMA, MISENO, &c.
S I R,
A Foreigner who is defirous of reaping inftm&ion and
advantage from his travels in Italy, mould not neglect
Spending fome days in vifiting the country about Puzz'uolo,
Cuma, cffV. In going from the fuburbs of Chiaja to th
Grotto del Monte di Pofilipo, ffr. on an eminence to the
left, in a garden, at prefent in the pofleffion of Don Paolo
Ruffo, are to feen the ruins of an ancient maufolcum. It
was originally built in the form of a pyramid ; but the lower
part, which is all that now remains of it, is not unlike a
large oven *. The way to it is not to be found without a
guide; and on the lide towards the cave of Paufilypo it is
ib narrow, and runs along fuch a high precipice, that it is
fomething dangerous to perforis fubjecl to dizzinefs. This
Ancient ruin generally pafles for the monument of the poet
Virgil j but without any fufficient grounds for fuch a con-
jecture. In the wall within it are ten fmall niches or ca-
vities, apparently defigned for urns. According to Alphonfo
de Heredia, late bifhop of Ariano, the marble urn, in which
Virgil's afhes had been depofited, ftood here on nine fmall
marble pillars, of which, at prefent, there is not the Icaft
appearance ; and what became of fuch a remarkable piece
pf antiquity is alib a great myttery. Some pretend, that, at
the earneft follicitations of the inhabitants of Mantua, they
were prefented to that city ; but others affirm, that the car-
dinal of Mantua found means to get them into his pofTei-
fion. The third opinion is, that the urn was tranfportcd to
Genoa ; but that the pillars were applied to fome other ufe.
This is certain, that at Mantua, where they pride them-
felves not a little on account of their city being the birth-
place of that great poet f, they know nothing of the place
of
T * Of all the *opper-plates which I have feen. of it, there is not one
which doth not make this monurrteijt mucVi higher than it really is.
f Poflibly no writer of antiquity lias been ib idolized a Tjrgil : even
in
Near the City of NAPLES.
of his burial. Pietro di Steffano, in his account of the
churches of Naples, fays, that in his time, which was no
longer ago than the year 1560, both the urn and the pillars
were in being, with this diftich, then legible, near them;
Mantua me genuit : Calabri rapuere : tenet nunc
Partbenope : cecinl pafiua, rura, duces.
* I fung, flocks, tillage, heroes ; Mantua gave
' Me life, Brundufium death, Naples a grave.'
DRYDEN.
This infcription was fet up again in 1684, by order of
Gieronimo di Alefiandra duke di Pefcolanciano, to whom
this garden then belonged. The maufoleum is now over-
grown with fhrubs and bufhes, among which are a few lau-
rel-trees, fuppofed by the credulous to grow again, though
often rooted up. At prefent the only infcription in t^e
whole >naufoleum is the following :
Qu& cinerh titmulo hezc vefiigla ? conditur oUm
Ilk hoc qui cecinit, pafcua^ rtira, duces.
* What traces now remain within this tomb,
' Where once repos'd that facred bard, who fung
* Offwains, of tillage, and heroic deeds ?
That Silius Italicus, befides Cicero's villa ^ alfo pur-
chafed the land where Virgil's monument flood, appears
from the following pretty compliment of Martial :
in the primitive times there were not wanting fome divines, whofe charity
was fo great as to make a Chriftian of him } and to this wild opinion they
were fo firmly attached, that they maintained the orator Marcsl-'anus to
have been converted to the Chriftian faith by reading Virgil's fourth
Eclogue. Later ages have even improved upon the matter, by cafiially
clipping into his poems, and accounting the veife which firft Itruck the
eye to be no lefs than a divine declaration. But what follows is ftill
more extraordinary, viz. that Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the order
of Jefuits, by repeating the 1651!! yerfe of the fourth ./Eneid, is faid to
have put the devil to flight. [As the verfe mentioned htre is quite fo-
reign to the purpofe, I imagine there is an error of the prefs in the Ger-
man original ; probably the author means fome part of the fixth ./Erieid,
or peihaps the following verfe :
Nonfogis bine praceps t duin f>rctyitarf potefat ?
iv, <v. 565.]
ANTIQUITIES and Natural CURIOSITIES
S'llius hezc Magni celelrat nionuhienta
Jugera facundi qui Ciceroni s habet.
H&rcdem dominumqtie fiti tumulique larifque
Non alium mallet nee Maro y nee Cicero.
c Silius inherits tuneful Maro's tomb,
' And Tully's villa whofe mellifluous tongue
c Dropt neftar ; tut their gefitle fhades are pleas'd,
' As dubious where to find a worthier heir.
At Sorento, not far from mount Vefuvio, are fhewn fome
laurel-trees growing fpontaneoufly out of the ruins of the
houfe in which Torquato Taflb is faid to have been born ;
as if nature itfelf was difpofed to crown the birth-place of
fuch a poet, and tci decide the hot contefts betwixt Pergamo,
Naples, Salerno, and Sorento (each of which laid claim to
Taffo) in favour of the laft. It is moft advifeable for a tra-
veller inftead of taking Virgil's tomb in his way to Puz-
zuolo to vifit it at the fame time with the church of S.
Maria del Parto, and the other curiofities of the fuburb of
Chiaja.
!> Scuola di In going by water from Naples to Puzzuolo, not far
gujo. from Cape Paufilypo one pafles by a dome or cupola hewn
out of the rock, fuppofed to be the remains of a temple of
Venus, though vulgarly, but for what reafon I know not,
called la Scuola di Virgilio, or Virgil's fchool.
Mountainof Formerly in going from Naples to Puzzuolo it was necef-
Paufilypo. f ar y (; crofs mount Paufilypo (which on account of its de-
lightful appearance is faid to have derived its name Vo
.T!j ifuva-t^ TU; XuTrt)?) but at prefent that trouble is fpared, a
broad lubterraneous road being cut through the mountain.
This pafiage is conducted for the moft part through large
rocks, and fometimes through Jirata of fand. It is at both
ends betwixt ninety and a hundred feet high in order to throw-
in more light. Towards the middle where the top is lower,
two large vent-holes for light and air are made through the
roof of this grotto : however, the light is not fufficient, and
travellers are extremely incommoded with duft in this fub-
^terraneous paflage. The bottom of it, which in the time
of Don Pedro de Toledo, vice-roy under Charles V, was
paved with broad ftones like the ftreets of Naples, is cleaned
fqveral times in a year, and then it is pretty free from duft ;
but, as it is a road extremely frequented, this convenience is
ef
Near the City of N A P L E S. ti*
of no long duration. The breadth is betwixt eighteen and
twenty feet, fo that there is fufficient room for two carriages
to avoid each other : and, to prevent any inconveniency on
this head, it is ufual in the dark places to call out to any
perfon coming the contrary way, to know on which fide they
intend to keep. When they anfwer alia Montagna it figni-
fies the Naples fide, which, to thofe coming from the city,
is on the right hand j and alia Marina denotes the left-
hand fide.
The length of this fubterraneous paflkge is about three
hundred and forty-four canne y which is fomething more
than half an Italian mile. On the left hand, near the mid-
dle of it is an oratory hewn out of the rock, with a lamp
continually burning in it. This grotto is by the vulgar fup-
pofed to have been made by magic, and that Virgil * was
the forcerer who wrought it. The Neapolitan writers, after
Strabo, affirm it to be the work of one Cocceius, of whom
they can give no further account f. The next who men-
tions it after Strabo is Seneca, who in his fifty-feventh letter
makes a lamentable complaint of the darknefs, duft, &c.
Poflibly the cutting of a road through the mountain was at
nrft not thought of ; but the great quantities of ftone being
fetched out of it for the buildings in Naples and Puzzuolo
might occafion fuch a deep excavation on both fides, that at
laft, for the conveniency of travelling, the government em-
pldyed workmen to pull down and clear away the interme-
diate fpace ; befides, it is not to be thought that the way at
firft was in fuch a good condition as it is at prefen't. Seneca
in the above-mentioned place fays, Nihil illo carcere longius>
nibil iliis faudlus obfcurius ; i. e. 4 This dungeon is of an in-
' tolerable length and extremely dark.' From whence it
may be inferred, that the apertures thro' which, in Strabo's
* I heartily pity poor Virgil, who, without any fault of his, is thus
clafled among magicians. The poet, 'tis true, gives a- defcription of the
Cumean grotto j but this the learned populace apply to the grotto of Pau-
filypo } and, fuice Virgil has fo particularly defcribed an ancient fybil or
prophetefs, they conclude of courfe that he muft have beep a wizard.
f Strabo, after finifhing bis concatenation of fables, at length comes to
tus fitfabulam iftam de Cimmerns modi rdatam, i. e. ' All thefe things
plainly appear to be no more than fables. Cocceius himfelf the maker
' of this. fubterraneous paffage, and of another in Puzzuolo towards Na-
' pies, by the vtay of Bajx, followed that feble juft now related of the
* Cimmerians.'
time,
ANTIQUITIES and Natural CURIOSITIES
time, the light entered at the fides, were foon after itoppcd
up, either by earthquakes or want of proper care.
The Neapolitan hiftorians agree, that king Alphonfo I,
of the Aragon family, caufed this paflages to be confiderably
widened ; and Don Pedro de Toledo vice-roy under the em-
peror Charles V. is known to have given orders for levelling
and paving of the ground, as likewife the enlarging of two
vent-holes which had been at firft bored through by order of 1
Alphonfo I. That it was entirely wrought by art is unquef-
tionable from the marks it bears of chizels and other tools
ufeu by ftone-cutters. The earthquakes which have made
fuch havoc among the numerous remains of antiquity in
thefe parts, have hitherto fpared this ufeful work. About
fifty paces before you come to the entrance of this cavern in
the road from Naples, the vice-roy Don Pedro Antonio
d'Aragona, after the phyficians Vincenzo Erifconio and Se-
baftiano Bartoli had, by his order, examined the warm
baths of Puzzuolo, and the proper repairs had been made
there at the charge of nine thoufand fcuJi, caufed an infcrip-
tion on marble to be fet up for the information of pofterity,
concerning the right method of ufing thofe baths, &c. It
begins in the following manner :
Infection <j)uifqu'is es, vel indigena, vel aJvena, vel convena,
touching the f e infoHtus pr<stereundo horribile hoc antrum
inVuzzuo- % n Pblegrtcis C^mpanits campis naturae cbrigefias par tent is ^
1. Vel humance iemeritatis obftupefcas prodigiis ;
m^ lege, namjftupori & admlrationi ajjuefces
tantei Puteolancs ac Bajana: telluris balnea
Ad omnes fere morbos profligandos experta*,
omnes olim gentes^ apud omnes tstates, celcbcrrima^
fiominum incur lu^ Medicorum invidia, temponim inj
Incendlorum erupiione, confuja, difperfa^ diruta
Obrutaque kafienus adeo Jietere^
Ut vix nnius aut alterius dubia & incerta,
Supercffent veftigia,
Nunc Car do II. rcgnante
Petri Antonii Aragonn Regni Profcgis
Providentia^ Char it as ^ Vigilantia, In dn ft rid
Iniieftigavit, diftinxit^ reparavit, rejlituit.
Sifie adhuc paulij'per^
Et fubjlrati lapidi in liter as intuere
"Bdlneorum enim nomina^ /oca ac virtutes
Ac lattior abibis^
P. P. A. D. M.DC.LXIIX.
Near the City of N A P L E S. 1*3
'* Whoe'er thou art, a native, foreigner, or fojourner, that
in pafling by this dreadful cave, thou mayeft not be ftruck
with terror at the prodigies of nature in the Phlegrean
fields of Campania, nor with aftpnifhment at the wonders
of human temerity, ftop and read ; then well mayeft thou
admire that the bath 3 of Naples, Puzzuolo, and Bajse of
fuch approved efficacy againft almoft all diftempers, and fo
famous in all nations and all aces, fhould by the negli-
gence of the people, the malice of the phyficians, the in-
jury of time, and the rage of fiery eruptions have been
ruined and laid in fuch confufion, that fcarce any traces
of them remained : but now in the happy reign of Charles II.
and by the wifdom, benevolence, vigilance, and activity of
Pedro Antonio of Aragon, vice-roy of Naples, they have
been cleared from a heap of ruins, clean fed, repaired and
reftored to their former ftate. Stay a little longer and caft
thine eye upon the infcription placed underneath. It is
worth thy whilej as thou wilt find the names, the fitua-
tion, and medical virtues of the feveral baths. 1668, fcfo*
At coming out of the grotto of Paufilypo, you turn ofF on Lago d'Ag-
the right hand into a very pleafant road, which running be- nano *
twixt five vine-yards, leads to the Lago d'Agnano, which is
almoft a perfect circle about an Italian mile in circumference.
At high water in fome parts of it is feen a ftrong ebullition :
on approaching near it one is indeed fenfible of the motion of
the water, which poffibly proceeds from the violent afcent of
effluvia, which do not, however, convey any heat. The
tenches and eels in this lake in winter are of a very good
flavour; whereas in fummer they are not eatable^ which I
impute in fome meafure to the great quantities of flax and
hemp which are brought thither from all the neighbouring
parts to be mellowed.
Every waggon-load of flax that is laid in this lake pays
fix carlinl *, which duty annually amounts to two thoufand
five hundred fcudi^ neat produce, three fourths of which the
Jefuits are entitled to, and the reft g<es to fome private
perfon.
Near this lake ftand / Sudatorii di 5. Germano, or fuda- Sudatosfes
tories of St. Germano, which confift of feveral apartments ofst - 9r '
built with ftone, where the heat and fulphUreeus vapours if-nuno.
fuing from the earth foon caufe a profule fweat ; in fome
* Tw
VOL. III. I places
H4 ANTIQUITIES and Natural CURIOSITIES
places the wall is too hot for the hand to bear it, and yet
the heat is fupportable in the hotteft room, efpecially if you
ftoop towards the ground : the fame obfervation is made on
the baths of Tritoli. The patients are put in rooms of dif-
ferent degrees of heat, according to the nature of their com-
plaint ; and in the fudatories of St. Germano they never
Hay above a quarter oft/an hour at a time : they are faid to
be very efficacious in the gout, debilities, inward hurts, &c.
tftotto del Within a hundred paces of thefe fudatories is a fmall na-
Cane. tural cavity, known by the name of Gratia del Cane^ or
Dog's Grotto, that animal being generally chofen for the
proof of the furprifing efFe of the vapour in this cavity.
It Is about twelve feet in length, five broad, aud fix high,
and ftands within twenty paces of the lake d'Agnano. The
vapour which rifes in it is condenfed on the roof and fides
into very clear drops ; unlefs, as this phenomenon is not con-
ftant, they rather proceed from the rain water collected on
the little eminence over it, and foaking through the pores of
the earth. This grotto is left always open, for there is no
door nor inclofure to (hut it up. In the way to the Lago
d*Agnano there is a cottage where lives a man who makes
it his bufinefs to keep dogs, in order to fhew ftrangers the
furprifing effects of this grotto, and is generally rewarded
with five or fix carllnl *. The dogs, when they find that
they are to undergo this experiment, become untractable and
ufe their utmoft efforts to make their efcape.
The owner of the dog going into this cavern holds its
nofe forcibly to the ground, when after a minute and a half,
or two minutes, the creature falls into violent convulhons,
and in about two minutes longer becomes quite motionlefs,
as if he was dead. The man, during; the operation, is al-
moft on his knees j but throws his head back as far as poffi-
ble, that the vapours in their afcent may not afVe6l him.
The dog, having lain two or three minutes in all appearance
dead, is thrown into a lake hard by, where within Half a
minute fome figns of life are perceived in him. For a mi-
nute after he feems' to be dizzy, and reels from fide to fide,
when on a fudden he prefently recovers and leaps upon his
mailer with the greateit joy and fondnefs. But if the dog,
or any other animal, be left too long in the eave, it dies ir-
recoverably, fo that the immcrfion in the lake has no man-
tiet of effect on it. It is obfervable, that the fpace during
* Tvvo (hillings.
fcfctt the City 6f N A P L E S.
Which animals may remain in the cavity without the total
lofs of life, is not the fame in all fpecies, and muft not ex-
ceed the duration of the convulfions before they become mo-
tionlefs and apparently dead. A viper the firft time bears the
vapour from fix to nine minutes before it becomes rhotion-
lefs ; but, after recovering itfelf in the lake, it feems to have
fortified itfelf with frefh vigour and laid up a provifion of
air. Accordingly it appears larger and inflated, and will un-
dergo a much longer trial, even fometimes an hour and a
'quarter before it dies irrecoverably. It is alfo the fame with
regard to frogs ; and indeed the air-pump experiments fhew,
that the oftener an animal is rendered motionlefs by the rare-
faction of the air, and afterwards releafed to the free en-
joyment of that element; the longer it will bear the want
of a denfer air, and as it were become accuftomed to that
rarefied air which at firft was near proving fatal to it in a
fhort time.
Charles VIII. king of France, when he made himfelf Ex P cn *mnt
matter of the kingdom of Naples, vifiting the curiofities of ^* s with
this place, ordered a trial of the Grotto del Cane to be made
with an afs ; but it expired within a very fhort time. Don
Pedro de Toledo vice-roy of Naples made an experiment
with two flaves under fcntence cf death, who alfo were foon
overcome by the noxious vapour. M. Vil lament in his tra-
vels, publifhed in the year 1609, relates, that, about fifteen
or twenty years before, a French gentleman de' Tournon by-
name, having ftooped only to take up a fmall ftone in the
grotto, inftantly fell down fenfelefs ; and that, on being
brought to the water, he in forhe meafure came to himfeif,
but foon after expired.
Properly fpeaking, it is not the water, or any particular
virtue of the Lagod'Agnano which recovers thefe dogs, but
the frefh air ; in which alone, though much flower, they
are found to come to themfelves. The effet of the water
here is fimilar to that on a perfon in a fwoon j it invigorat-
ing the refpiration of the animal, the total fuppreflion of
which would otherwife be inevitably followed by death. It
is the opinion of fome that the earth in the grotto emits arfe-
nical effluvia, and that it is this which fo quickly deftroys the
animals : but, were it fo, no kind of water could be of any
fervice againft its efFe&s. It is much more probable, that
thefe exhalations, which float near the bottom of the grotto,
without riling higher than ten inches, by their fubtil-
I* ty
116 AMTic^yiTiES and Natural CURIOSITIES
ty * gradually flop the play of the lungs, and confequently
the circulation of the blood : and' this is alfo confirmed by the
diflc&ion of a frog which died in this cave, not the leaft air
being perceivable in his lungs. From the fame reafon, and
for want of denfer air, or on account of the ftagnation of
it, a burning torch immediately goes out, when lowered
from the upper part of the grotto, within the diftance of
ten inches from the bottom : and it not only extinguifh.es the
flame, bet even the fnufFlikewife ; and the fmoke, being preff-
cd by the gravity of the air above, is obferved to make us way
out at the mouth of the cave, not in a vertical but an hori-
zontal direction, within ten inches of the bottom of the grotto.
This rarefaction of the air likewife is the caufe that a loaded
mufket placed near the bottom of the grotto will not go off,
nor the gun-powder fo much as fla(h : this is, however, ef-
fected by a quantity of powder fet on fire by means of a
train laid on a board, part of which is immerged in the va-
pour,' arid part without it ; for it will difperle the vapour at
the bottom, and gradually expels it out of the grotto.
Though the vapour hinders the powder in fingle grains from
taking fire, yet it is not ftrong enough to obftruvSt the com-
munication of the fire from the powder already kindled with
that part of the train immerged in it. Now that the rarefac-
tion of the air will produce fuch effe&s is evident from the
experiments on the pneumatic engine ; for a candle placed
under the exhaufted receiver immediately goes out, animals
lofe their refpiration, and, without a re-admiflion of the air,
their lives. That the fulphureous, un&uous, and hot ef-
t fluvia, fo copioufly emitted from the adjacent Sudaiorii de
S. Gcrmano, and the neighbouring country, contribute not
a little to this, is a point not at all queftioned by the inha-
bitants of thofe countries where wine is made. For, in
s. autumn, when the cellars are full of new wine, the people
W ' 1Q enter t ^ le vau ' ts are not on ty f intoxicated by the ef-
. fiuvia, that they reel about as if they were drunk j but, if
they are not careful to withdraw on the firft fymptoms, fall
down fenfelefs, and lofe their lives unlefs they are carried
with ail poflible fpeed into the fiefh air. The vapour in
thde wine-vaults will likewife extinguifh a lighted candle,
like that of the Grotto del Cane. Some years fince I cb-
ferved that a piflol would not go off at the bottom of the
* Or rather their vifcous or glewy quality, ns Mr. Acldifon obferves ;
' whofe hypothefis feems u> account fur all the phenomena of the grotto bet-
ter than'the author's.
deep
Near the City of N A P L E S. n?
deep mines at Lauenftein, in the electorate cf Brunfwic-
Lunenburg. To which may be added, that, in fpring and
autumn, the weather (as the miners call it) that is, the air
is fo noxious, that the workmen, though very hardy and vi-
gorous, find their heads dizzy and mucrTdifordered. Mr. Ad-,
difon makes it a doubt, whether there are any fulphureous
effluvia in the Grotto del Cane, not the Icaft fulphureous
fmell being perceived on the hand, or any thins dipped on
the vapour; but, withfubmiffion to that great man, this proves
no more than that thofe effluvia are not in fuch abundance
as to effect the fmell as in warm baths, where the fulphur is
violently forced up in fteam from the water by the heat.
The Pyrmont water, the virtue of which chiefly con fifts Account of
in a fubtile, acrid, fulphureous fpirit, and a mineral unftu-'K^ 1 " 9 *
oufnefs, is yet without any fulphureous fmell, even when it
is boiled; nor is the colour cf filver, and other metals,
which are turned yellow or black by fulphureous fleams, al-
tered by it. Now from both thefe circumftances one would
be apt to conclude, that fulphur is no ingredient in thefe mi-
neral waters, which yet has been demonflrated by number-
Icfs chymical experiments.
1 Some drops of fpirit of fulphur put into a folution of
e iron by vitriol or fpirit of fulphur, and mixed with a great
' quantity of common fpring water ; or fome of the above-
' mentioned fpirits, and Glauber's falts mixed with common
4 water, will in fmell and tafte hardly be diftinguifhable
* from the real Pyrmont water *.'
The learned Dr. Seipp, phyfician to the prince of Wai-
deck, has obferved, that the fubtile fulphureous effluvia arif-
* As the author's recipe mentions no quantity, it is prefumed the fol-
lowing method of imitating Pyrmont water, as it is delivered with more
accuracy and precifion, will not be unacceptable to the reader.
This medicinal water may be imitated very nicely by art in the following
manner: take a quart of the pureft and lighted water; add to it thirty
drops of a ftrong folution of iron made in fpirit of fait, a drachm of oil
of tartar per deliquiunt, and thirty drops of fpirit of vitriol, or a little
more or lefs, as is found necefiary, not to let the alcali of oil of tartar pre-
vail too ftrongly, tho' it muft prevail a little; fliake all brilkly together, and,
on tafting, it will be found extremely to refemble the true Pyrmont water.
The bafis on which this is founded, is the unalyfis and trial of the true
Pyrmont water, by which it is found \n contain a fubtile aqueous fluid, a
volatile iron, and a predominant calcali, all joined together into one briflc
pungent fpirituous water. The artificial Pyrmont water thus made, if
the proportions are carefully minded, will extremely refemble the natural,
and will have the fame effecis, as a medicine. Shaw's Lectures. See al-
6 the Supplement to Barrow's Univerfal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences.
I 3 ing
ii8 ANTiquiTu? and Natural CURIOSITIES
ing from the Pyrmont fprings, fometimes bring on very
ftrong vertigo's, and dizzinefs in the heads of the waiters
that attend them ; and moftly when the water is drawn at
the fpring-head. It foon grows fatal to fifhes and frogs.
Ducks and young geefe, when put into thefe fprings, firff
become giddy, then very faint, and in a few minutes fall on
their fides, and fink to the bottom. But this effect does not
take place immediately, the ducks fometimes fwimming a-
bout with great alacrity for near an hour, without any vifi-
ble diforder. Poiffibly the effluvia are not at all times equal-
ly copious ; or rife above the water only at certain times.
Thefe aquatic fowls, being taken put when they begin to
fink, are not long in recovering their former ftr en gth and
activity *.
In a fione quarry, about eight hundred common paces
from the above-mentioned Pyrmont fprings, is a hole, which,
by the following obfervations Dr. Seipp favoured me with in
a letter, has no little analogy with the Grotto del Cane:
If a barometer or thermometer be put into it, no alteration
is obferved in either. Lighted ftraw, candles, or even
torches, are put out; but foon recover their flame, unlefs
totally extinguifhed, when drawn back into the open air.
No fire-arms will go off, and any animal foon lofes its
refpiration in it, and, if kept in a few minutes longer,
dies irrecoverably. The time of the convulsions and deli-
quium of animals in thefe fulphureous effluvia varies ac-
cording to the feafon of the year, the weather, and the
time of the day. In windy, moift, cloudy, and rainy
weather, the cffecl: is fcarce perceivable, as if the vapour
retired into the earth ; but in clear weather, in winter as
well as fummer, it afcends very high, and with extreme
violence. The efrecr, is moft fenfible in fummer, and then
in the mornings and evenings ; but towards noon, when
the fun approaches to the meridian, the vapour fubfides.
Gunpowder explodes in this hole or cave, when fet on fire
by a train without it; but frequent trials muft be made
before it fucceeds ; the exhalation being gradually difperfed
by the fire fo often introduced into the cavity. Small
birds, as robin-rcd-breafts, &c. often drop down dead on-
ly by flying into a hole near the entrance of the cavity, to
look for dead flies, butterflies, and worms : and to the
frequent finding of dead birds about this cavity is owing
* J5r. Seipp's account of the Pyrmont waters
the
. Near the City of N A P L E S:
the difcovery of its quality *. When the evaporation is
copious, fowls, ducks, andgeefe immerged in it feem mo-
tionlefs or dead in a few feconds. Quadrupeds hold out
longer than the winged fpecies, though the former feldorn
hold out above a minute, unlefs the animal be very large,
or by the length of the neck can reach above the height to
which the vapour afcends. An animal, when taken out
of the cave, requires for its recovery fometimes five minutes'
or more; but, if it be delayed too long, the creature, after
violent convulfions, dies irrecoverably, as in an exhaufted
receiver. The air alone, without the aid of water, will
gradually reftore an animal to life ; but the recovery is con-
fiderably accelerated by pouring water on his head, in his
mouth, or forcing it up his noftrils. The vapour in this
cavity, in the year 1719, afcended to the height of a foot
and a half or two feet above the ground : but fince that
time, the cave having been put in better order, and an
arch built over it ; before fun-rife and after fun-fet, and
efpecially in along drought, or before thunder, the vapour
has been feen to afcend five or fix feet from the bottom,
and with a proportional ftrength ; fo that, upon going down
only a few fteps, the greateft caution is required to pre-
vent a fatal furprize by the unexpected emiflionof thefe in-
vifible effluvia. This is indeed an extraordinary cafe, the
vapour generally keeping within a foot or two of the bot-
tom. It fenfibly discovers itfelf by a ftimulative warmth,
penetrating through the (hoes, (lockings, &c. of the per-
fon that approaches it. This heat, which is not unwhole-
fome, in a few minutes is followed by a fweat, and a pun-
gent ftimulation in the nofe, like that caufed by horfe-ra-
difh ; but, when it is growing too ftrong to be borne, it is
only drawing back into the open air, and every trouble-
fome fenfation immediately ceafes. Before an arch was
built over the place, the vapour, efpecially on the fouth-
fide, was obferved to afcend with a tremulous motion, and
intermixed with corufcations ; but nothing of that kind is
now perceivable. The fubtilty of this vapour is fuch, that
it does not adhere to any thing, and not the leaft fulphu-
reous fmell remains in things which have been hung up
for fome time under the arch for trial. Oil of tartar per
* The like is feen in the fprings of Pyrmont, fo tint in dry and ftiil
weather a bird, only by flying acrofs them, immediately drops down
dead ; yet all the Pyrmont fprings are cold,
I A * dfUqu'ium
ANTIQUITIES and Natural CURIOSITIES
* deliquium undergoes no kind of change in it, whereas, by
* the fume of lighted fulphur, it ufually degenerates into
4 a neutral fait. Silver, or polifhed iron, contracts no
4 kind of fpecks or tarnifh. Whilft a perfon {lands upright,
* heiinot fenfible of any fmcll ; but, upon ftooping towards
* the ground, a very pungent fmell of fulphur fills the nofe,
* mouth, and throat ; the eyes water, as at the fmell of
* horfe-radifh, onion, or leek ; forae fymptoms of a vertigo
* come on, and then it is high time to haften into the open
' ajr.' The like fulphureous caverns are alfpfhewn in many
other places celebrated for mineral waters, efpecially at Ems
and Schwalbach.
Crotto del Probably Pliny points at the Grotto del Cane, when in
A'** "r c - 93- he pbferves, that, about Sinuefla and Puteoli,'
Spiracula vacant , alii Charoneas fcrobes^ mortiferum fpiritum ex-
balantes ; * Thofe fpiracles by fome called Charon's ditches,
' exhaled a noxious deadly vapour.' Seneca, Nat. >u<z/l.
lib. vi. cap. 28, writes thus : Quid, quod pluribus Italics locis
per qiHzdam foramina pejlilens exkalatur vapor > quern non ho-
jnini duccrc, non feres tuium eft ? aves quoque fi in ilium incide-
rint, anteqnam ccclo meliore leniatur^ in ipfo volatu cadunt? li-
ventque corpora^ & non aliter quam per vim elifa: fauces tu-
ment) &c. * Are there not in feveraj places in Italy holes
' t>r chafms jn the earth, exhaling a peftilential v'apour, in
* which neither man nor beaft can .refpire ? The birds, if
* they happen to fly into it before it is tempered with a purer
c air, immediately drop down. Their bodies grow livid,
* and their throats fvvell, &c.' But what Rodigimis aflerts
in lib. xix. c. J2, viz. That in thefe cavities, or Charon's
ditches, which prove fatal to a}l other animals, fuch as are
caftrated are not in the leaft hurt, is a moft grofs fable.
Royal enter- About half an Italian mile from the Lago d'Agnano, in a
of c '' cu ' ar valley fix miles in circumference, is a delightful
fore ft, and three fmall lakes. This charming fpot is called
Aftruni, anc] here the vice-rqys ufually take the diverfion of
hunting. In the year 1452, king Alphonfo d'Aragon en-
tertained the, emperor Frederic III, (who came to Naples
to receive his bride Elcanora on her landing from Portugal)
with a very fplendid hunting-fnatch in this valley, on which
occafion three thoufand perlbns were fearted, and fountains
ran with feveral forts of wines. On an eminence near this
foreft is a tower, which yields a moft charming profpedl.
In returning from the Lago d'Agnano, on the left-hand,
towards the fea-coaft, one comes in fight of the ifiand Nifida,
rifmg
Near the City of NAPLES.
rifing above the furface of the fea like a mountain, with a
tower on its fummit. Sannazarius, in the twelfth Eclogue
of his Arcadia, gives the following account of it i
Dimmi Nifida mia^ cost non fentano
Lt rive tue giammai crticiata Dorida^
Ne Pfiujii':pi)0 in te venir confentano^
Non ti vidi io pec* anzi berbofa e florida
Habitata da lepri e da cunicoli ?
Non ti veggo bar pu ch'altra incolta> ed horrida
Non veggio i tuoi recejjl^ e i diver ticoli
7utti cangiati e freddi quegli feopuli
Dsve temprava Amor fuo' ardenti fcipoli..
* Say, Nifida, fo may th' enraged fea,
f And Paufilippo's noxious vapours fpare
Thy naked {hores ; did I not, late, behold
Thy hills with od'rous flow'rs and herbage crown'd,
And every bufh or brake inhabited
By timid hares ? But now, alas, how chang'd !
No traces left of grove or fweet recefs ;
But barren, cold, uncultivated rocks,
Lafh'd by the boift'rous ocean, now are feen,
Where love attemper'd once his fiery fhafts.'
In the fouth part of this ifland is a fmall harbour, called Porto p -
Porto Pavone, and on one of the gates is this diftich :
Navita Jtfte ratem, temonem bic, velaque fige ',
Meta laborum htsc eft Itsta quies animo.
* Here wearied mariners their fails unbend,
* And all their toils here meet the wifh'd-for end.'
At prefent a lazaretto has been built upon a rock near this Lazamte,
place ; this ifland being the place appointed for performing
quarantine, on account of the falubrity of the air; whereas
its noxious air anciently grew into a proverb; and Lucan,
lib. vi, fays of it :
- - - - Tali fpiramine Nejis
Emittii Stygium nebulofis aera faxis.
ANTIQUITIES and Natural CURIO$ITIE$
* Nefis* high rocks fuch Stygian air produce,
* And the blue breathing peftilence in mitts difFufe.*
ADDISON.
Cap*a. A little farther from the fea, and three Italian miles from
the extremity of the main land, lies the ifl^nd of Caprea,
fufficiently known by Tiberius's infamous retreat thither :
* - - )uem rupes Caprearum tetra latebit
Incejlo po/e/a fern ? ' CLAUD, de IV. Conf. Hon.
* Who has not heard of Caprea's guilty fhore,
' Polluted by the rank old emperor.* ADDISON.
This ifland has its peculiar bifhop, the greateft part of
whofe revenue arifes from licences to hunt ; and efpecially to
Qoails here, cafch quails, turtle-doves, and other birds of paflage, great
from whence num bers of which, in fprinff and autumn, refort to Caprea.
jkeycDme. ~. ,- v- , H ? r i r \ r
A hele birds are generally luppoled to come rrom Arnca ;
and, after having propagated their fpecies, to return thither.
That, on their firft arrival here, they are fo lean as to re-
quire to be fed a confiderable time before they are fit for the
table is certain ; but whether this be the confequence of a
long voyage, and that they come from fuch a diftant part as
the coaft of Africa, is much to be doubted ; efpecially as the
quail is neither ftrong nor light enough for flying fo far, nor
is he at all adapted for fwimming : and it would be with
great difficulty that fuch a bird, when its feathers are once
thoroughly wet, could ever be able to raife itfelf on the wing
again. At leaft it is pretty certain that the quails which in
the /bring appear in England in vail flights, and are ex-
tremely lean, have not crofled the feas, but paffed the win-
ter in the holes ofclifts on the fea-fhore. I know that ftorks
Winter- are fa l( \ y at tne approach of our winter, to repair to fome
d'ft 3 * 1 * country, where the climate is milder. I am alfo in-
formed, that fome years ago, in the dutchy of Mecklenburg,
an old ftork was mot, in the wing of which a piece of aii
arrow was ftuck; from whence fome inferred that it had been
in a country where bows and arrows are commonly ufed :
but even this does not prove that it had ever crofled^ the feaj
efpecially as, according to what information I could get in
England, no mafter of a {hip ever pretended to have feen a
ftork at fea. I might here alfo add, that no ftork was ever
knowii
Near the City of N A P L E S. 123
known to crofs the narrow ftraits betwixt the coaft of France
and England, though their diftance be fo fmall, that, in
clear weather, one coaft is very plainly diftinguifhed from
the other. But that no ftorks are found in England is not
fo much to be attributed to any impofftbility of their flying
acrofs the fea, as to fome quality in the air and foil of that
ifland ; for the ftorks which fome, out of curiofity, have
tranfported from Holland to England, neither live long, nor
propagate their fpecies.
1 Further on towards Puzzijolo, on the right-hand, lies Monte
Monte Secco, which is here and there covered with fmall Secco *
fhrubs, and a kind of broom. The fummit of this moun-
tain, which is known to have been once in the form of a "
cone, is now funjc into an oval cavity, about a thoufand feet
in the fhorteft, and twelve hundred and forty-fix in the
longed diameter. This place Strabo, in his fifth book, calls
Forum Vulcan'i^ and it is at prefent known by the name of
Solfatara, or rather Solfarata.
A perfon who is fond of feeing natural curiofities cannot
but meet here with the higheft entertainment, as without
danger and much trouble he may behold Vefuvio in minia-
ture. Though the Solfatara be upwards of two German Solfatanr,
iniles diftant from Vefuvio, it is unquestionable that both
thefe volcano's have a communication with each other : for
jt is obferved that the fmoke, heat, and force of the fubter-
raneous fire is lefs violent in the Solfatara when Vefuvio
rages, and gives a free vent through its mouth to the
fulphureous vapours that have been pent up in it j where-
as, on the other hand, the heat, &c. in the former
increafes, when the latter is at reft. Several fifTures, or
chafms, that emit fmoke, &c. are feen in this place, and
their vehemence increafes, the more the fefifTures are widened ;
fo that at Jaft a man cannot approach them on account of the
heat. A fword, or any other piece of iron, being held over
one of thefe holes qr fpiracles, a fweetifh kind of condenfed
fteam drops from it ; but a fheet of paper fattened to a ftick,
fo as not to be blown away by the air ifiuing from the aperture
and held over it, receives not the leaft moifture ; nor is it
damaged by the heat, but becomes very dry and ftiff. The
ftones which lie about thefe apertures feem to be in conti-
nual motion. And upon throwing a handful of fmall peb-
bles into thefe holes they are ejected to the height of about
twelve feet, and fometimes thrown obliquely on the fides,
as more ponderous mafles are from Vefuvio. In fome places.
124 ANTIQUITIES and Natural CURIOSITIES
the fand, by the force of the effluvia, fprings up and down
near the vent-holes, like the fparkling of Champagne or
cyder.
Sal Ammo- The ftones that lie nearthefe apertures are often incrtifted
auuuitt. with a yellow fubftance (not unlike the yolk of an egg boiled
hard) with the white efflorefcence upon it, which pafies for
Sal Ammonlacum ; but whether it has the fame property wjth
that brought from Egypt, which is made of foot, fea-falt,
and urine of horfes, mules, or camels, I am, as yet, not
certain *.
The furface and foil of the Solfatara are of a whitifn co-
lour, as are the ftones alfo, which are very foft and impreg-
nated with fulpbur vivum t and when firft dug up they are
quite hotj they retain their fpftnefs when expofed to the
air.
When I vifited Solfatara, fome workmen were employed
upon a vein or jlratum of a greyifh kind of afties, feveral
feet in thicknefs : thefe afties, among which lay feveral
whitifh fulphur~ftones, were exactly like thofe on mount Ve-
fuvio, which, in the extraordinary eruptions of that vul-
cano, have been known to cover the whole city of Naples
five or fix inches deep. This Solfatara afli was at firft moift
and cohefive j but the magnet had no power on it, which
was poflibly owing to a mixture of fulphureous particles.
Vitriol. Befides fulphur, vitriol is alfo made here, ofafapphire
colour, and efteemed better than that of Rome ; and like-
wife alum to the greater}, perfection. The large leaden ket-
tles ufed in this operation are not heated by any fire of wood
or coals, but only by the natural heat of holes in the ground
over which they ate placed. This diftricl: produces alfo a
, good plafter ; and of the earth itfelf are made cups and other
veflels, which in feveral diftempers are reckoned to be very
wholefome for fick people to drink out of. The produce of
the Solfatara is yearly farmed at feven or eight hundred fcudi
* In Egypt, for want of v/ood, a great part of their fuel is the dung
of animals mixt with ftraw, and dried ; and the foot thereof, with the
addition of fea-falt, is the principal ingredient in the Egyptian Sal Ammo-
niarum. This branch of commerce is chiefly carried on with Venice,
where it is refined, and caft like fugar in large conical loaves. In its
outward appearance it has very little affinity with the Sal Air.moniacum of
So!fata-a. Mr. Geoffioy at Paris makes his Sal Armoniac of human urine
tnixt with fea-falt, which is not at all inferior to that of the Levant. He
alfo makes it of bone, horn, blood, &c. The Englifh falls, as they
are called, are nothing but the volatile fait of the Sal Ammoniacum
brought from the Levant.
or
Near the City of N A P L E S, 125
or crowns. The greateft part of it belongs to the hofpital
of the Annunciata at Naples, and the remainder to the bi-
fhop of Puzzuolo. The fleam or vapour ifiuing from thefe
apertures of the Solfatara b faid to be ferviceable in a great
many diforders. The foil hereabouts is fo light and hollow
that it is dangerous to ufe a horfe in this excurfion. Upon
a fpot betwixt the place where the fulphur-ftones are dug and
the alum-huts, I caufed a hole to be dug to the depth of a
foot and a half, and a ftone of about fifteen or twenty pounds,
weight to be thrown into it. This was immediately attended
with a rumbling noife under ground, like the explofion of
cannon at a diftance ; and from the continuance of the noife
and reverberations it might eafily be inferred, that it patted
through a great number of caverns. It is not feldom that
the effluvia of the Solfatara reach as far as Naples to the
great prejudice of marble and filver utenfils. The ancients,
mifled by the fables of their poets, held that fome rebellious
giants were thrown into the abyfs under the Solfatara, and
that the fumes iffuing from the earth are caufed by their
eructations. The hiftorian Dio himfelf (//'. Ixvi.) fays, that
thefe giants appeared in great numbers both by day and
nic,ht, which was a prefage of fome terrible eruption of Ve-
fuvio. Even the light of Chriftianity has not expelled thefe
chimera's ; only the giants are turned into fpirits or ghofts,
faid often to appear in thefe parts making moft difmal lamen-
tations. Thefe ridiculous ftories are now current in both
city and country; for the vulgar believe, that thofe apertures
are fpiracles, if not of hell, at leaft of purgatory ; and thefe
idle notions are carefully promoted by a Capuchin convent/Capuchin
in the neighbourhood, the people being thereby rendered convent an< *
more traceable. The church of this convent is built on the cilj
place where St. Januarius is faid to have been beheaded.
There is always a great heat felt in this church, which is B(l of Sr.
principally emitted from fome holes near the high altar. A Januariu*.
good marble buft reprefenting St. Januarius is to be feen here,
which is faid to be done by a pagan artift, only from the bare
defcription given of the faint by thofe devout matrons who
gathered up his blood ; and this buft ferves for an original to
all painters and fculptors in making the ftatues and portraits
of St. Januarius. In the year 1697, cardinal Giacomo Can-
telmi decorated the high altar with a beautiful baflb-relievq
k the martyrdom of that faint,
A great
126 ANTIQUITIES and Natural CURIOSITIES
Salt-petrc, A great quantity of falt-petre is to be feen on the walls of
the veftry. That the monks may be provided with cool and
wholfome water, their refervoir ftands upon a pillar, inclofed
within a wall, out of the reach of the warm and fulphure-
ous exhalations ; which are farther guarded againft by a
cavity underneath the ciftern, lined with ftone and filled with
water, which intercepts the warm vapours as they arife.
The garden belonging to this convent is planted with beau-
tiful hedges of myrtle ; there is likewife fhewri in it the en-
trance of a cave, which is faid to reach from Puzzuolo to
the Lago d'Agnano.
II Colifeo. Near this church of St. Januarius is an amphitheatre, com-
monly called il Colifeo, and laid to have ftood formerly
within the city of Puzzuolo, but is now -near an Italian
mile from it. This is a proof of the great decay of this town
from its former extent and fplendor. This amphitheatre is
built with brick ; the figure of it is oval, being a hundred
and feventy-two feet in its longeft, and eighty-eight feet in
its fhorteft diameter. It has fufFered very much from earth^
quakes ; however, the two loweft galleries are ftill in pretty
good condition. Here, it is faid, St. Januarius and his
companions were thrown to be devoured by wild beafts ; but
the latter were, it feems, not wanting in refpedl due to fuch
holy perfonages, and never offered to lay a paw on them.
St. Januari- At the entrance of St. Januarius's prifon, now converted
us s priion. ^ Q ^ chapel, is an infcription, fignifying that it was con-
fecrated by the bifhop of Puzzuolo in 1689, and promifing
an indulgence of forty days to thofe who devoutly viiit that
facred fpot in this amphitheatre.
St. James's Clofe by the Colifeo is a church dedicated to St. James, in
w hich, according to Sarnelli, the following ancient infcrip-
tion on maible was dug up :
fa
Near the City of N A P L E S. tiy
Pro Salttte Ancient la-
Imp. Cafaris Titi Aeln fcfipti*^
Hadriani Antdnini Aug. Pii PP. &
M. Aelii Aurelii Cafaris N.
Genio Colonies Puteolanorum
Cbryfantkus Aug. Difp. a frument*
Puteolis &T Oftis
L. D. Decurionum permijfu.
FelicitQti perpetues temporls
D. N. Valentiniani
ViRoris ac Triumpbatoris
Semper Aug.
Avianus Valentiniamis
V. C. Conful CompanliC
Devotus Numini
Majeftatique ejus,
Within a fmall diftance of the amphitheatre are a great Ancient re-
number of fubterraneous vaults running into each other which fervoir '
are commonly called a labyrinth ; but by the learned fup-
pofed to have been a refervoir to ferve the city of Puzzuolo
with water. To every one of thefe apartments there are
four doors, which makes the place extremely intricate ; and,
did not the almoft total ruin of thefe fubterraneous vaults
obftruct the way, a perfon who would venture into them
without a guide, would be in danger of lofmg himfelf among
fo many turnings and windings.
A little further, towards Puzzuolo is an arched vault,
which likewife feems to have been a refervoir ; it is fupported
by eleven pillars which are incrufted with tartar, and at pre-
fent is a wine-cellar. About this fpot a great many ancient
tombs have been difcovered, and likewife the remains of fome
pagan temples, fuppofed to have been dedicated to Diana and
Neptune ; but antiquarians are not agreed about it.
Puzzuolo is eight Italian miles diftant from Naples, and Puzzuolo.
takes its Latin name Puteoli, either from a fulphureous
ftench, or from the great number of putei or holes which are
made here on account of the fulphur works, and by dig-
ging for fand, which in ancient times was found very fer-
viceable for building, efpecially under water *. This city
ftands
*' Sfftec. Nut, $uxfl, lib. Hi, c, zo. Plin, lib. xxxv, c, 13. Qu'u enim
Jatis
128 ANTIC^UITIES and Natural CURIOSITIES
ftands on an acclivity, and the great quantity of beautiful
' ftones and gems cafl up by the fea is a fufficient proof of its
former fplendor and magnificence. The greateft part indeed
of thefe (lones are of a blue or red caft, with feveral pieces
of verde-anticO) porphyry, &c. and feem to have been ufed
in mofilic work j there are frequently found among them
agate, cornelian, amethyft, jafper, onyx, beryl, lapts-lazuli^
&c. and many of them cameos's or intaglio's. But whether
antiquarians may with fufficient reafon conclude from hence,
that in the time of the ancient Romans a great number of
goldfmiths and jewellers refided here, I will not take upon
me to determine. This however is certain, that Cicero
in his epiftle to Atticus, lib. v. ep. 2, makes mention of the
Emporium Puteolanorum. This city has been very much
damaged by the ravages of war, inundations and earth-
quakes; particularly from an earthquake in 1538, as appears
from an infcription over the garden gate belonging to the
palace of Toledo:
Petrus Tohtus Mar Mo V tilts Franda, Caroli V. Jmper. in
Regno Neap. Vicarius, ut Puteolanos ob recentem agri conjlagra-
tionem palantes ad priftinas fedes revocaret, bortos, portus, iff
fontes marmoreos ex fpoliis^ ques Garjia filius y partd viftorid
Africana^ reportaverat, otio genioque dicavit ; ac y antiquorum
reftaurato purgatoque duttu^ aquas fetientibus civibus fua impensa'
re/Htuit. Anno a partu Virginis M.D.XL.
* Don Pedro di Toledo, marquis of Villa Franca, vice-
roy of Naples under the emperor Charles V, that he might
reftore to their former fettlement the inhabitants of Puz-
zuolo difperfed by the late conflagration of their country,
dedicated to eafe and pleafure the garden and havens of
this city, together with the marble fountains, and the
fatis mirttur, peffimam ejus (terr<t) partem ideoque pul-verem appellatum in
ruteolauis, collibus opponi marts flufiibus, merfumque protinus fieri lapidem
inrxpugnabilem unti'is, & fortiorem quotidie, utique fi Cumano mifcea-
titr camento ; i. e. ' Who can fufficiently admire, that the worft part
of the foil in the mountains of Puteoli, which is therefore call-
ed duftorfand, fhould be made into a bulwark aeainft the fea; and
when funk under water fhould foon become a ftone, impregnable by the
waves, and every day grow itroneer ; efpecially if it be mixed with Cu-
- " ' and is
fpoil*
mean cement. Commonly this red fand is called Puzzuolano, and is
alfo found in other places.
Near the City of N A P L E S. 129
* fpoils of his ion Garfia's victory in Africa * ; and, having
' repaired and cleanfed the ancient aqueducts at his own
* expence, reftored water to the diftrefled inhabitants.
In the piazza di Don Pedro di Toledo is the following
infcription on marble relating to the Puzzuolo baths :
Car o/o II. Aujlriaco Regnant e^
Providentid
Petrl Aiitonil Aragonii Proregh^
Neapoli
E'genis hofpitio' 9
Naufragis portu,
fnfirmif, reftitutis tbermis^
Subvenit :
Sic
\Jna pietas
Triplici flagello triumphat.
Salubritatetn fitientes,
Ad has aquas trans Puteolos manantes accurrite^
ghtarum virtutes in fubftrato laplde contrati>
In v'olwnine Thermologla: Aragonice^
A Sebaftiano Bartolo elucubrato, *
t Neapoli impre/o Ann. Dom. M. DC. LXllX.
Plenius legttntur',
In the reign of Charles II, of Auftria, the bounty of
Pedro Antonio of Aragon, vice-roy, provided an hoipital
for the poor, and a port for the {hipwrecked of Naples ;
and here, by repairing the baths, relieved the fick ; thus
the ftrearn of his benevolence flows in three branches to
relieve the neceflities of the inhabitants. Ye who thirft
after health repair quickly to thefe waters that flow through
Puzzuolo, the virtues of which, briefly exhibited in the
Hone underneath, may be read at large in the Tbermc-
logia Aragoma of Sebaftiano Bartoli, printed at Naples in.
1668.'
* Thefe words particularly allude to a fiinll pillar with an Arabic in-
fo iption which D. Garfia brought out of Egypt and let up in the garden
belonging to the Toledo palace.
VOL. III. K In
130 ANTIQUITIES and Natural
Antiqaefta- In this fquare is alfo a fountain adorned with a fine ftatu&
tue. of St. Januarius, and an ancient Roman ftatue which was
dug up without the city, behind the garden of the above7
mentioned palace of Toledo in 1704. The laft piece ftands
on a pedeftal of five pa/mi, and is nine pahni high; it is of
fine marble, and represents a Roman nobleman in a Toga.
The following ancient infcription is to be fcen under it :
Infcription. MavortU
Q. flavio Mafto Egnatio Lolliano C. V. <$>. K. Pra-
tor'i Urbano, Auguri Publico Popuh Romani ^uiritium Conf,
Albcl Tiberis & Cloacarum, Conf. Operum Public. Conf. dqua-
rum^ Conf. Camp. Comiti Flaviali *, Comiti Orientis, Comiti
primi ordinis & Proconfuli Provincits Afnace^ collelus Decatref-
femum Patrono dignijfimo pofuerunt.
A few days after this flatue had been dug up in this piazza
or area, was found another, reprefenting a young man in a
Roman Toga-,' it is only five palmi in height without the pe-
deftal, on which is the following infcription :
Mavcrtii ^Jun.
^. Flavio M.aefeo (Cornelia
Egnatio Severo Lolliana *
C. P. Q K.
Decatrenfes Clientes ejut
Patrono Prteftantijjimo
Pofuerunt.
According to Parrini, feveral urns and old coins were like-
wife difcovered near this piece of antiquity.
Monument Near the houfe of Signior Magliarefe in the above-men-
^r^Tibe t ' onet ^ Pi azza & Toledo, was dug up, in 1693, a pedeftal
rius. of white marble, feven pahni in breadth, and five and a half
high. Upon it are fourteen figures in baflb-relievo, which,
according to the opinion of fome learned men, reprcfent fo
inany cities in Afia Minor, to which the emperor Tiberius,
as we are told by Suetonius, in the forty-eighth chapter of
his life, fent very liberal fupplies, when they were demo-
lifhed by an earthquake. Under fome of the figures are ftill
legible the names Philadelphia, Tmolus, Cyme, Hierocas-
farea, Moftene, Ephefus, Myrina, Cibyra, and Temnos ;
* Puzzuolo was. from its reftorer alfo called Colonia Flavia Vefyafiana.
the
Near the City of N A * L E S. 131
the others muft have been &^& 9 Cumas, Apollonia, and
Hircania. Eufebius, in his Cbronicon, ipeaks of thirteen
cities that were deftroyed, and fpecifies the names of them,
but very erroneoufly. Tacitus, Ann. ii. c. 47. Pliny, lib. ii.
c. 84. and Seneca, Nat. >ucsjl. lib. vi. c. I. mention only
twelve. Orofms, and after him Csfar Baronius, fix the
time of this calamity at our Saviour's crucifixion. But the
twelve cities were deftroyed in the night, and, according to
Tacitus, in the third year of the emperor Tiberius's reign,
which was about fourteen years after the death of our Sa-
Viour. Upon one fide of the pedeftal is the following infcrip'-
tion between two of the figures mentioned above :
77. Catfari Divi
Auguft'i F. Divi
Julii N. Augufto
Pontif, Maximo Cof. ////.
Imp. Fill. Trib. pott/lat. XXXIL
Augvjlales
Republics
Rejlituit.
Probably the ftatue of Tiberius, that flood on this pede-
ftal, lies under or near fignior Magliarefe's houfe. The dif-
covery of thefe remains of antiquity was made by digging a
ciftern for keeping oil. Gronovius and Fabretti have com-
municated their explanations of this baflb-relievo, &c. to
the learned world ; the former, in a particular treatife printed
at Leyden, and the latter in his collection of infcriptions.
A little way from the cathedral in the wall of a houfe oc- Sepulchral
cupied by one Calzola, there are four monumental infcrip- in/criptioni
tions of Turks or Saracens cut on marble in Arabic charac- of
ters. The firft died in the year of Chrift 1079, the fecond
in 1181, the third in 1182, and the fourth in 1285. Ac-
cording to the learned Benedictine, Montfaucon, thefe pro-
lix infcriptions contain, befides particulars of the perfons to
v/hofe memory they are erected, many fentences out of the
Alcoran, concerning death and a future ftate.
The cathedral of Puzzuolo is built with large blocks of Cathedral,
marble, and was converted from a pa;an temple into a Chri-
ftian church. Over the frontifpiece is the following ancient
infcription :
Calpburnius L, F. Templum Augufto CKTU trtufflttntit,
K a It
132 ANTIQUITIES and Natural CURIOSITIES
StatueofSt. It is' now dedicated to St. Proculus and St. Januarius,
Januarius. whofe ft atues o f mar ble ftand in the middle of the church,
with infcriptions. Under the ftatue of St. Januarius is the 1
following :
Urbls Llberatori Patronoque amantijjlmo
Divo 'JanUario,
>ui, poftquam in eodem fui Martyr ii loco
l)icatum ftbi Templum fuit y
Publtci mem or obfequii,
Suos Puteolos a Jepukhralibus flamrtns
Ajfiduifque telluris motibus
Araente adbuc Vefuvlo M. DC. XXXI.
Servavit immunes ;
Nolult cnim 9 tremeret folum Juo firmatum fanguine ;
Noluit fagraret Hofpitium ful triumpbi loured decor atum>
Grati animi ergo
Hcc in fua Cathed. monimentum erexit
Idem D. Fr. Martintts de Leon dff Cardends^
Summ'i Pontificis AJJijlem,
Atque Catholica Majejlatis a later e Jtatm Confiliar'ius^
Secundd bujtis injlauratlone BaKucte
Idibus Ofiobrh MDCXLVII.
' To the deliverer of the city, and its moft propitiou*
patron, St. Januarius, who, after a church had been de-
dicated to him on the very fpot where he was martyred, in
regard of that public mark of veneration, preferved his
Puzzuolo from deftruclive flames and earthquakes during
the dreadful inflammation of Vefuvio in 1631, being un-
willing that the ground, which was rendered firm and
ftable by his blood, fhould tremble ; or that a place deco-
rated with the laurels of his triumph over death fhould be
confumed with fire. Dr. Fr. Martini de Leon and Car-
denas, &c. in gratitude for the faint's protection, eredted
this monument the I5th of October, 1647, ,cfc.'
At the entrance of the church, on the left-hand, is a
beautiful altar of inlaid work, with a very coftly tabernacle,
in which lapis-lazuli has not been fpared. On the high altar
the beheading of St. Januarius is extremely well painted.
Puzzuolo, antiently Puteoli, values itfelf as having beeu
honoured with the firft Chriftian community in Italy ;
Near the City of N A P L E S. 133
St. Paul *, in his journey to Rome, having found brethren
there.
The harbour of Puzzuolo is very commodious, and is Harbour of
formed by fourteen piers, or piiafters, rifirig above the furface [" rtee . n p ,"~
of the water, which were anciently joined together by arches. fc a> ers
The nearer! pilafter on the Puzzuolo fide confifts of large
blocks of that fort of ftone called piperno y but faced with
brick-work ; and the interfaces are filled up with a very hard
mortar or cement, which is, undoubtedly, mixed up with
PuzzudanOj or the Puzzuolo fand. On the fides of thefe
piiafters are vaft ftones, with holes in them, for faftening
mips, &c. The force of the waves is very much broken
againft thefe piers; and many judge them better for fe-
curing a harbour than a continuous mole, as in the former
the accumulation of fand is not to be apprehended, the
waves warning it back again through the intervals between
the piiafters. From the ruinous arch-work fome have been
induced to look upon thefe piiafters as the remains of a bridge;
and the common people ufually call it il ponte di Caligola*
as if it were the ruins of the bridge built by that emperor
from Puzzuolo to Bajre. This error, which Burnet has
given into, Suetonius (in vit. Calig. c. 19. ) very plainly re-
futes ; where he fays, that what Caligula built was no more
than a bridge of boats covered with earth, and reaching from
Bajae to the Puzzuolo mole ; fo that the piers in the fea be-
fore Puzzuolo is not only plainly diftinguifhed by that author
from the moveable bridge of Caligula, but he has likewife
called it by the name of moles , which is even now applied to
any congeries of rocks or ftone that ferves for the fecurity of
an harbour. That the piiafters in the fea before Puzzuolo
did not belong to a bridge is likewife apparent from hence,
that they are not placed in a ftraight line, but form a curve
towards the north. Laftly, it is manifeft, from the follow-
ing infcription found entire in the fea, near this place, in the
year 1575, that the above-mentioned piiafters are no remains
of any of Caligula's follies :
* Afts, chap, xxviii. ver, 13, 14.
K 3 Imp.
ANTIQUITIES and Natural CURIOSITIES
Imp. Ceefar. Divi. Hadriani. Fil.
Divi. Trajani. Parthici. Nepos.
Divi. Nervte. Pronepos. T. Aelius.
Hadrianus. Antoninus. Aug. Pius.
Pont. Max. Trib. Pot. ii. Cos. fi.
Deftg. jfi. Opus Piiarum VI. *
Now what neceflity was there to repair (as the infcription
intimates) at a vaft expence, a work fo far from being of
#ny adequate advantage, that it only kept up the remem-
brance of the infamous Caligula's madnefs. This ftone is
at prefent fixed over the gate of Puzzuolo, with the follow-
ing infcription fuperadded to it :
Quern lapidem Antoninus Imp. Jlatuerat^ vetuftas dejecerat,
mare atque arena obduxefant, Francifcus Murillus Regime ClaJJis
Curator fud impenja eduttum Puteolanis municipibus part Jludio
rejliiuit. A. D. MDLXX7.
f The flone creeled by the emperor Antoninus time had
' thrown down, and the fea-water, fand, &<:. covered, till
4 Francefco Murjllp, &c. caufed it, at his own expence, to
' be removed and reftorcd to the citizens of Puzzuolo in the
-: y ear X 575-'
Mr. Addifon, in his travels through Italy, quotes from.
Julius Capitolinus, in vita Antonini P/V, an infcription, in
which the city of Puzzuolo celebrates this emperor, alledg-
in, hiod fuper cestera beneficia ad hitjus etiam tutelam portus^
Piiarum vtginti molem cum fumptu fornicum rdiquo ex arario
fuo largitus eft. ' That, befides his other benefactions, he
' likewife beftowed money out of his treafury for building a
' mole of twenty pilafters with arches, for the fecurity of
< this harbour. But probably Mr. Addifon, truffing to Sar-
nelli's quotation, has afcribed to Capitolinus what is not to
be found in his life of that emperor. This laft- mentioned
author only fays, that Antoninus Pius aflifted feveral cities
with money, in order to build new public works, or to re-
* Seneca, Epift. 77, likewife calls them pit*, or pilafters ; and, ac-
cording to his defcription, one might conveniently walk round them, and
fee all the mips coming in and going out of the harbour.
pair
Near the City of N A P L E S, 135
pair fuch as had fallen to decay ; and. this is all that can be
inferred from him concerning this work at Puzzuolp.
As to the above-mentioned infcription, it refts only on
Pighi's credit j who, in his Hercules Prodicius, fays, that he
found here the following inperfecl infcription, which had ?
probably, belonged to a triumphal arch :
.... AESARI. DIVI ....
.... IICL NEPOTI. DIVI
. . . . ON/NO AVG. PIO ....
.... OLONIA. FLAVIA ....
.... FPER CETERA BEN ....
.... FS. PI-LARUM. VIG
.... $FO. ET. MVNITION ....
Which rnay be reftored in the following manner :
Imp. cAESARL DIVI. Hadrlani. Fillo. Dhi. Trajanl.
PartHICI. NEPOTI. DIVI. Nerva. Pron. T, Ael. Hadriano.
AntONINO. AVG. PIO. Pont. Max. Trib. Pot. Co/. p. p.
coLONIA. FLAVIA Aug. Putcolanornm. Jw. sFPER.
CETERA. BENeficia. ad. hujus. etiam. tut "Jam. port VS. ,
PILARVM. VIGhni. molem, cum. fumptu. fornicum. rcli^FO.
T. MUNITION, ex. arar'io. fuo. largitus. fit.
Formerly the pilafters that appeared above the furface of
the water were twenty-five in number ; but at prefent moft
of them do not appear above the water, and fome have been
totally demolifhed and wafiied away by the agitation of the
waves.
The fea about Puzzuolo abounds in fifh, efpecially of the CavaUoMa-
teftaceous kind. Here is alfo a fifh called Cavallo Marino, ~"
which is not quite an inch in length, and is generally dried
for keeping. The head of this little fifh very much refem-
bles that of a horfe : it is often bruifed with vinegar and
honey, and applied by way of plaifter to the part bitten by
a rn;uj dcg ; and the women eat them to procure a good breaft
of milk, and likewife apply them to the breaft as an ano-
dyne. This fpecies of mn is alfo found on the other fide of
Italy, along the coaft of the Adriatic ; but not in fuch abun-
dance as they are here.
The read on the right-hand, by the Grotto del Cane and
Lago Agnano, is not the neareft way from the grotto cf Pau-
to Puzzuolo, but that which turns oft" on the left to-
K 4 ward
nno. -
136 ANTIQUITIES and Natural CURIOSITIES
wards the fea, and runs along the coaft : befides it is broader
and pleafanter, as well as fhorter than the other road. The
Monte Oii- barren mountain of Olivano lies on the right-hand of this
vano. road, snd it is with a pleafmg furprize a traveller fees a coun-
try, which was once only the dreary haunt of fea-fowls, &c.
fo greatly improved with a road extremely commodious for
carriages and horfes. The sera, of this alteration was the
year 1571, which is commemorated in an infcription erected
on the road.
Hot baths. There are feveral hot baths along the coaft, impregnated
with alum, copper, and iron. On a fpot about five hundred
paces from Puzzuolo, near the fea, perfons labouring under
the gout or rheumatifm are laid in a hole, dug in the ground
for that purpofe, according to the fize of the patient, and
about two feet deep ; where the whole body, efpecially the
part affe&ed, is covered with the fand which came out of
the hole, and, when it is too hot, they cool it by pouring
fome fea- water on it. This method, if often repeated, feU
dom fails of abating the violence, if not totally expelling the
difeafe.
The remain^ of antiquity hitherto defcribed in this letter
{hould be feeri the firft day, and the following fhould be re-
ierved for the journey to Cuma, and the other neighbouring
places. Without an antiquarian for his guide, a foreigner
would be at a Ipfs ; but they eafily are to be met with in
thefe parts. The firtt day is taken up with the grotto of
Paufilypo, and the fecond fpent in and about Puzzuolo. The
ufual gratification to an antiquarian for his trouble is from ten
to fifteen carlini *.
Cicero's Juft without Puzzuolo are the ruins of an ancient ftruc-
vill** ture, faid to be the villa or academia Ciceronlana, where the
4)ody of the emperor Adrian was depofited till the fenate of
Rome built a temple at Puzzuolo for his interment f. Ac-
cording to Pliny, Hift. Nat, lib. xxxi. c. 2, this feat, remark-
able for its fine portico and grove, flood near the fea, be-
twixt Puzzuolo and the Lago d'Averno. After Cicero's
death it came into the pofleffion of C. Antiftius.
At prefent this celebrated academia is converted into a cow-
houfe. Not far from it are fome of the ruins of an old
ftru&ure, which paries for Lentulus's feat.
About four or five (hillings.
Fid. Aelius Spartianus in vita Hadriani, adfinem,
Gauri,
Near the City of N A P L E S. 137
Gauri, a mountain in this neighbourhood, and in Juve- Mount
nal, Sidonius Apollinaris, Galen, and Statins, highly cele- Gauri.
biated for its wine, is at prefent a barren fpot, and called il
JVlonte Barbaro; but whether this proceeds from the dege-
neracy of the foil, or the long pofleffion of the Saracens, is
uncertain. However, the Francifcans have a convent upon
this hill, which affords a glorious profpecl:. The vulgar
here are pofFefied with a notion that immenfe^treafures lie
buried in this mountain ; but guarded by evil fpirits, whofe
favour not a few endeavour to procure by incantations, &c.
Directly oppofite to il Monte Barbaro, towards the weft, II Monte
lies il Monte Nuovo, or the new mountain, which rofe Nuovo *
inftantaneoufly in the night between the nineteenth and
twentieth of September, 1538, during an earthquake, which
caufed a terrible devaftation in the neighbourhood. The
fubterraneous fire, after making a wide chafm in this place,
ejected fuch a quantity of ftones, afhes, fulphur, and fand,
as within twenty-four hours formed this mountain; the per-
pendicular height of which is not lefs than four hundred rods*
and the circumference is three Italian miles. Gieronimo
Borgia, who faw the new mountain 'foon after its firft ap-
pearance, and wrote a poem on it, dedicated to Paul III,
fays, that the height of it was thirty Jlad':a, Several fields,
houfes, cattle, and men were deftroyed by this earthquake
and eruption; and even the fea w a-> ftrongly impregnated
with fulphur, and fuddenly ebbed away above two hundred
pa^es, and left the fhore covered With dead fifh. The edge*
or brink of the original chafm is ftill to be difcerned on the
mountain, though it be almoft filled up; and its circuit
could not be lefs than an Italian mile. No fire, fand, or
ftone, is known to have been ejected fince the firft formation
of the mountain. GafTendi in his Pbyfica^ fefl. Hi. membr. i.
lib. i. c. 6. p. .50. Oper. torn, ii, thinks it to have been the
effects o( an earthquake : his words are as follows :
Mirakiiius videri pots/l? enafct ex oppojito nan modo In conti-
nentibus monies, Jed etiam in media mari infulas, Nam dc mon-
tibus quidem fa.it fidem PVTEOLANVS ILLE, quern Simon
dcfcribit^
P or tins ita dcfcribit, ut fuerit una no fie ad plus qua?n M. Paf-
fuurn althudiv.cm ex pwnicibus cineribufque c
jul finem Septembris anno M. D. XXXV I1L
* It may feem ftill more wonderful, that not only moun-
tains fhoot up in the continent, but even iflands in the
middle
138 ANTIQUITIES and Natural CURIOSITIES
middle of the fea. As to mountains, nothing can be more
notorious than that of Puzzuolo, which, according to
Simon Portio's account of it, was, in one night, towards
the end of September 1538, formed by a congeries of
pumice-ftones and afhes to the height of above a thoufand
paces.'
But, though this alteration happened at the time of an
earthquake, it was not caufed by it; earthquakes indeed often
overturn mountains, but never produce any ; to do this, the
eruption of a vulcano is required. The pafiage in GafTendi^
quoted above, led Bemier in \\\sAbregl de la Philofophie de Gaf-
fendi) torn. v. p. 127. edit, de Lion 1684, into a very plea-
fant miftake, where, of Puteolanus [fdlicet mons*] he makes
flagrant an author. Such errors, however ridiculous, are not un-
imftakesof cornmon j n many authors. Coiffeteau, in book iii. chap,
xviii. of his tranfiation of L. Florus, makes the city of Cor-
finium a general of that name. Antony Pinet, in his French
tranflation of Pliny, by a ftrange metamorphofis converts two
kinds of marble, one of which was called lapis Numidicus,
and the other Sinandicus^ into two cavaliers. The French
tranflator of Bongar's letters miftakes the Altorff academy
for one monfieur Altorff; whereas he might eafily have been,
better informed from Thuanus. Ludovicus a Santo Ca-
rolo in his Biblioiheca Pontifida^ publifhed at Lyons in 1643,
takes Articulus Smalcaldicus to be a Lutheran author lup-
pofed to have written againft the power and fupremacy of
the popn. Du Fer, the famous French geographer, has tranl-
lated Deferta Loca in Witzen's map of Tartary by Defcrts
des Loques. A like fagacity gave its origin to the ifland of
Ufpiam in fome French maps of America ; the geographers,
miftaking the words of our hiftorian, Gal/is detetla infula uf-
piam in America. The learned Menken himfelf, in his pre-
face to his ingenious book de Charlataneria Eruditoriim, men-
tions Bayle's Calendariutn Carlananum as a fatire levelled
againft quackery, in French Cbarlatanerie ; whereas it owes
its name to Carla, a little town in the county of Foix, which
was Bayle's native place. How often foreigners confound
the dutchy of Wurl'emberg with the town of Wittemberg in
the electorate of Saxony is fufficiently known. Mallet places
the county of Retifs in the dutchy of Mecklenberg. Ma-
* The author fays, Terra Motus, whereas mons is the word
elerftood.
dame
Near the City of N A P L E S. 139
dame Scuderi brings in a Turkifh bamaw embarking atCon-
itantinople, in order to fail to the Cafpian fea within twenty
days. Madame de Montmorency, in the year 1672, in-
forms count Bufiy Rabutin, that the Brandenburg forces
were obliged to retreat ; the Turks having made an irrup-
tion into the duchy of Pruffia, and taken Kaminieck *.
But to return to my fubject. It is farther to be obferved, L * m $ Lu-
that by the eruption of this new mountain, befides the de- crulus *.
ftruftipn of the fuburbs and the hofpital of Tripergola f,
the greater! part alfo ot the Lago Lucrino, or Lucrine lake,
was filled up, fo that at preferit it has fcarce any water ;
whereas among the ancients it was in great repute for its
fifh, efpecialJy oyfters J. Pliny, Nat. Hift. lib. ix. c. 8.
Soliniis^ cap. 17. and others, relate a remarkable ftory of a
dolphin, which in Auguftus's time appeared in the Lucrine Tame dol-
Jake, and was made fo tame by a boy, that he would fit upon P hin -
him, and ufed frequently to crofs the lake on the dolphin's
back from Bajse to Puteoli. Auguftus, according to Sueto-
nius, by means of a canal, joined the Averno and Lucrine
lakes with the Tyrrhene fea, and made the Portus Julius
near Bajse (employing twenty thoufand men in thefe works |j)
which are thus celebrated by Virgil :
* Lettres de Eujjy, torn. \\. p. 325. What is ftill more extraordinary,
in the year 1683, the grand vizier loudly complained to the French am-
bailador at the Porte, that France had given the Poles free paflage
through their country to facilitate their jun&ion with the Imperialilts.
f On a difpute betwixt the city of Puzzuolo and the Cafa Santa della
Annunciata, about rebuilding this hofpital a great number of eye-witnefles
were heard concerning the particulars of the eruption of Monte Nuovo in
1538, which ferved to put the fa<5j: itftlf beyond all doubt. Thefe records
are to be found in the epifcopal archives at Puzzuolo.
\ Seme. Epi/f. Ixxviii. Harat. Epod. Od. i.
Non me Lucrina jieverint concbylia.
' Not Lucrine oyfters would my palate pleafe.'
Plia. HiJI. Nat. lib. ix. c. 54. Sergius Orafa - - primus optimum fapo-
rem oflreis Lucrinis adjudicavit, ' Sergius Orata was the firft who diftin-
' guimed the delicate flavour of the oyfters of the Lucrine lake.'
|| In Vit. Ofla-j. cap. 16. iiiginti fer^uorum millibus manumijfis & ad re*
jnutn datis port urn Jidium apud Bajas t immijjo in Liter inum & Aiiernurn La-
cunt mari, effecit,
140 ANTIQUITIES and Natural CURIOSITIES
An memorem portus, Lucrlnoque addlta clauflra :
Atque indlgnatum magnis Jlridoribus etquor^
Julia qua ponto longe fonat unda refufo,
Tyrrbenifquefretis immittitur esftus Avernis !
VIRG. Georg. lib. ii. v. 161,
Or fhall I praife thy ports, or mention make
Of the vaft mound that binds the Lucrine lake,
Or the difdainful fea that, fliut from thence,
Roars round the ftrudhire and invades the fence.
There, where fecure, the Julian waters glide,
Or where Avernus' jaws admit the Tyrrhene tide.'
DRYDEN.
Some think that thefe lines intimate, that Auguftus only
cx.itra&ed the paflage and checked the influx of the fea into
the Lucrine lake, in order to put a flop to the damages which
the fifhery fuffered from its impetuofity. The great change
which happened in this neighbourhood in 1538, and by
which the Monte Nuovo was produced, has alfo choaked up
this canal ; fo that at prefent the lake is feparated from the
fea by a flip of land fifty or fixty paces in breadth.
The way to Cuma lies betwixt Monte Barbaro and Monte
Nuovo, the former being on the right, and the latter on
the left hand. About half a mile from the Lucrine lake, on
Lago Aver- the left-hand, is the Lago Averno, which, like the moun-
no - tain Gauri, is exceedingly altered, but much for the better.
According to ancient hiftorians, no fifli could live in this
lake ; and its noxious vapours afcended to fuch a height,
that birds flying over it dropt down dead. Hence it is faid
to have been called a'ogvot. Lucret. lib. vi. fpeaks thus
of it :
Prfncipiq, quod Averna vacant, nsn nomen id abs re
Smpoftium eft ; quia fitnt avibus contraria cunflis *. .
* See Silius Ital. lib. xii. Pliny and Varro. That nothing of this kind
is now feen at Averno, is no proof that it never was fo, as the fulphureous
or other noxious effluvia which produced fuch effects in this lake may by
earthquakes or other accidents have beep obitruclred.
Next
Near the City of NAPLES. 141
* Next of Averno fung, and whence the name, .
6 And whence the rage and hurtful nature came ;
* So call'd, becaufe the birds that cut the fky,
' If o'er thofe places they but chance to fly
* By noxious fleams opprefs'd, fall down and die.'
CREECH.
This lake is at prefent flocked with variety of good fifhj
and the birds not only fly over it unhurt, but wild ducks and
other aquatic fowls are to be feen upon it ; and the adjacent
vine-yards produce a very good fort of wine. Servius (ad
jEneid. iii. v. 442. ) afcnbes the noxious air about this lake
in ancient times to the thick and lofty woods that then fur-
rounded it, which hindered the difperfion of- the effluvia ;
adding, that, Augufhis having ordered the wood to be cut
down and extirpated, the country foon put on a chearful ap-
pearance. This lake in feme places is a hundred and eighty
feet deep. Boccacio * tells us, that about three hundred
years ago its water fuddenly became fo vitiated, poffibiy
from the burfiing of a vein of fulphur, fcfr. that moft of the
fifties in it died. As for the ruinous temple of Mercury and
Neptune near the fea, and allb the entrance into the iibyl's
cave, which lies on the other fide, Ifhall take notice of them
in the fequel, as it is moft convenient to vifit them in return-
ing from Bajae.
Nero was for making a broad and navigable canal from
the lake Averno to Ofria, of which feme traces are ftill re-
maining ; but it was never finifhed f.
Betwixt Averno and the city of Cuma is to be feen a part Arco Felice.
of the Via Appia, where two hills are joined by means of a
noble arch called Arco Felice, built with large bricks ; its
height is feventy, and its breadth fifty-five feet ; the pafiage
under it is twenty feet four inches.
After palling the Arco Felice, a narrow way leads to the The giant's
remains of a temple, which, as the deity to whom it
* In bis book de Lacubus.
f Sueton. in wit. Heron, c. 31. Incboavit - - - fojfam ab Averno Ojtiam
ufque, ut navibus nee lam en mari iretur, hngitudine per centum J'exaginta
millia : latitiidinu, qua contrarite quinqueremes ccrtmitwettt . f He be^an
' a canal from Averno to Oftia for a convenient v/ater-pafTage betwixt
* thofe places, without going by fea, a hundred and fixty miles in length,
* and ot a breadth fufficient for gallies with five branches of oars to pals by
* one another. 1 yutelacii. Annal. xv. c. 42. Pli/t. lib. xiv.
confecratcd
i42 ANIQJJITIES and Natural CURIOSITIES
confecrated is not known, is called il Tempio de! Gigante
The arched roof of it is divided into fmall fquare compart-
ments, like thofe in the temple of Peace at Rome, and plates
of gold or filver, and ether ornaments, feem to have been
once fixed in them. This temple is thirty-fix palmi in length,
above thirty in breadth, and about forty in height. The
coloffus which ftands at Naples, not far from the Darfena,
called il Gigante di Palazzo, fuppofed to have been a Jupiter
Terminalis, is faid to have been dug up near the front of
this temple.
Not far from this temple, on the left-hand, is an ancient
edifice ninety-fix palmi in length, and twenty-fix in breadth,
with an aperture in the roof to admit the light, which, from
the many niches in the fides, where probably the urns with
the afhes of the dead were fet, is looked upon to have been a
pagan fculpture.
This country affords feveral other remains of antiquity
worth a traveller's notice ; among which the antique ftatues,
which contribute fo much to the grandeur of the yet-unfi-
nifhed univerfity at Naples, are to be reckoned.
Cuma. The greateft part of the ancient city of Cuma, with its
magnificent temple of Apollo, was fituated on a hill which
afforded a beautiful and extenfive profpedl:. This city, ce-
lebrated in the times of the ancient Romans, is now reduced
to a heap of ruins *.
The country ftill retains a luxuriant fertility, efpecially
towards Torre di Patria, where it produces abundance of fig-
^ trees of an uncommon fize. The name of di Patria applied to
canus's ^-^ tower, is faid to be derived from the fecond word in the
following line, which Scipio Africanus ordered to be put
upon his monument :
Ingrata Patria^ ne quidem offa me a babes.
( Ungrateful Rome, thou deft not poffefs fo much as my bones.'
* That it was a very populous city in Lucan's time, appears from the
following pafiage in that poet :
Acidalia qua condtdit Alite muros
Euboicam Tefcrens fcccunda. Neapalis urbem.
* Where the fam'd walls of fruitful Naples lie,
* That may for multitudes with Cumas vie."
This
Near the City of N A P L E S. 143
This place was anciently called Linternum ; and, when it
was befieged by the Vandals in 455, this tower was built on
the fpot where flood the great Scipio's tomb ; and the word
patria being all that was then legible on the monument, gave
name to the new tower.
Near the city of Cuma is a very large refervoir, with a Referral-,
lofty arch over it, in which are feveral apertures, like wells,
for drawing out the water. It is built of free-ftone, and at
prefent is quite empty. As far as can be conjectured from
the found caufed by Damping with the foot againft the bot-
tom, there is another cavity undei it.
On the oppofite fide, towards the fea-coaft, is the en- Sibyl'icav*.
trance of a cave, faid formerly to have been the abode of the
Cuma;an Sibyl. If the antiquarians may be credited, this
cave extends three Italian miles in length to the Lago Aver-
no, where it has another entrance : but in feveral parts the
paflages have been ruined ; and at the entrance near Cuma
there is no pofiibility of advancing in it above two hundred
paces. This part of it is cut out of a rock, and of a confi-
derable height and breadth. A few years ago the imperial
general Wezel caufed an aperture with one-and-fifty fteps to
be cut in the fide cf the cave, for the conveniency of coming
out of it; but thepeafants have fince flopped it up.
Betwixt Cuma and Mifeno lies the lake Acheron, or Pa- Acheron.,
lus Acherufia, fo well known among the ancients ; and from
;its back water it is, by Virgil, termed ienebroja palus, i. e.
* the gloomy lake.' Its name of Acheron fome derive from
the Greek nv %?, i. e. * without joy.' For the increale
of its fifhery, a canal has been made from the main fea into
this lake; by which means the waters of it have beeri greatly
mended, and rendered fitter for fifti to live in, Moft of the
fifliermen live upon a little ifland in the middle of the lake;
but the fifh they catch are moftly eels and barbels. In the
fummer great _ quantities of hemp and flax are mellowed
here, which brings in to the Neapolitan hofpital of the An-
nunciata, to which it belongs, a yearly income of eight or
nine hundred feudi, the fum for which it is ufually farmed.
At prefent it is generally called Lago della Coluccia, or del
Fufaro.
In thefe parts, as our antiquaries told us, Servilius Va- Servi!iu*Va.
tia, who, under the tyrannical reign of Tiberius, retired tia ' s featt
from court and bufmefs, had a feat ; in the ruins of which
were found feveral good infcriptions^ which Capaccio has
prefervcd.
144 ANTIQUITIES and Natural CURIOSITIES
preferved. Among others, he gives us the following
fragment :
Hie eft pofita Albacla Slejilla
- - - pan fine exemplo Faemina
Qu<z vixit annos'XXX. M. 7. D. XIX.
DuleiJJimte conjugi fecit - - -
c Here lies Albacia Blefilla a woman without art
' equal; who lived thirty years, five months, and nineteen
' days. Erected to his entirely-beloved fpoufe - - -'
Under the calamities of Tiberius's Intolerable reign, Vatia,
on account of the retirement he had chofen, was cried up as
the happieft of the Romans ; fo that it was a common fay-
ing, O Vatia^ folus fcis vivene ? O Vatia, thou alone knoweft
* how to live.' But Seneca feems to have been of another
mind ; for he fays, in his fifty-fifth epiftle : At ille latere
fdebat) non vivere. ^Nunquam aliter bane vil'am Vatia uivy
prtzteribam^ quam ut dicer em : Vatia bic Jit us eft. * But he
* knew how to lie buried in retirement, rather than how to
* live. I never ufed to pafs by his houfe, whilft Vatia
' was alive, without faying, Here lies Vatia.'
According to Seneca's account, which is the only one ex-
tant, Vatia's feat could not ftand on this fpot; but muft
have been much nearer Bake, towards the weft: Occurrit Fa ~
vonio y ilium adso excipit^ ut Bajis neget. ' It faces Favonius,
' fo as to intercept it from Bais.' Now Pliny, lib. ii. c. 47,
fays, that Favonius blows from the occafu eqninoEliali^ or weft
point. However Seneca, on account of its advantageous
fituation, honours Vatia's feat fo far, as to call it villa to-
tius anni, or a pleafant retreat for all the year ; whereas per-
fons of quality among the Romans had different feats ac-
cording to the different feafons : for they reforted to Baise
only in the cold months, or the fpring ; but their fummer
retreats were at Tivoli and Frefcati.
Pifo'sbaths. From this place, a narrow road among rocks, and over
a fteep eminence where a continual guard is kept, leads to
the ruins of Lucius Pifo's warm baths ; or according to
others (though, I think, not with fufficient grounds, of a
EayjofBais. temple of Diana; and from thence to the delightful bay of
Baise. In this bay, which is in the form of a crefcent, the
fliips ride in perfect fafety. On the fcu-hore, facing Baiae,
i*
Near the City of NAPLES. 145
is an ancient temple of Mercury % which may be looked
upon as the Pantheon in miniature ; for it is not above twen-
ty-five common paces in diameter. It is quite round, with
an aperture in the center of the roof for the admiflion of
light : two perfons directly oppofite to each other, and whif-
pering clofe to the wall, may converfe with each other> without
being over-heard by the company in the middle. Befides
the round aperture at the top, this temple has four windows.
The pavement at the entrance lies a foot under water, and
moft of it is either overflowed, or covered with rubhifhi there
is alfo a large crack or fiflure in the cupola.
Not far from this temple, and nearer Baiae, is an octan-
gular fliell of a temple of Venus, which is feven pa/mi thick, Temple of
with eight large windows^ and its inward circuit is feventy^ Venus,
three paces.
Behind this temple is a dark apartment hewn in a rock, LaStan*di
called la Stanza di Venere y or Venus's apartment, the roof Vftnere.
of which is embellifhed with bafib- relievo's. Thefe pieces
reprefent nothing obfcene or immodeft, but only mythologi-
cal ftories and emblems, as a man purfuing a woman, a Cu-
pid, feveral fwans, fifties, feftoons, &c. The marquis d^
Cellemare has ftript this place of forhe of its beft pieces, and
a Centaur has been carried from hence to France ; all thefe
ftatues will be totally disfigured with the fmoke oFthe flam-
beaux which are necefTarily ufed in fuch dark recedes. In a
fide chamber, to which orte muft creep through a hole, is
the figure of a tree formed by a kind of fpar ; but by fome er-
roneoufly fuppofed to be a petrified vegetable. This Stanza
di Venere lies betwixt the above-rhentioned temples of Venus
and Mercury.
The voluptuous and licentious manners of the ancient in-
habitants of this country are fufHciently known by the de-
fcriptions given of them by Martial, Horace, and others f.
The
* This teniple is alfo called Truglio, From trullus % or trulluta, which
fignifies any building with a circular roof, as may be feen, p. 146. Geflis
Innocentii III. Pontif. For fuch an apartment in" the imperial palace at
Constantinople, in which a council of the clergy was held, is known in
hiftoryby the appellation of Synodits Trullana, or in'Trullo.
f Seneca, epifl. li, defcribes it as Regtonem, quam fapiens wir, out ad
faplftttutm tendt/u Jeclinet, ianquam alifnam boms moribus Videre ebrios
per litora errantt< y & commeffaticnes navigantium, & jjmphoniarum can-
tibus perjirepfuies lacns, & alia, qua; <velut folntc legibus luxuria, turn tan-
tum peccat, fid fitblket, quid necefe tf? Effczmmat twimos amaemtas
n.mia : me dubii, aliqirid ad torrthnttmAott vigvrsm psteft rfgiv. A coun-
VOL. III. L try
146 ANTIQUITIES and Natural CURIOSITIES
The monuments ftill remaining fufficientlyfhew the ancient
fplendor and delightfulnefs of the coaft round this bay, where
there is now fcarce a fmgle houfe to be feen. It muft have
once extended itfelf confiderably farther into the fea, fince
from Baise all along to the Promontorium Penane, in clear
ftill weather, one may difcern under the water a large paved
road, and the remains of feveral magnificent buildings, with
Baia:. grand portico's, &c. As for the city of Baiae, which flood
on this coaft, there is not the leaft remains to be feen of it.
The fort lately built here is called Baia, and ftands upon a
rock ; but the air of it is fo unwholefome, that the governor
takes care every night to lie at Puzzuolo. Sometimes pri-
foners are brought to the fort of Baia, which is more dread-
ed than any other prifon in Italy.
Hortenfius's After paffing a precipice that projects over the fea, you de-
villa. fcend again to the fhore ; where tne remains of Hortenfius's
villa are to be feen. This celebrated orator Cicero jeftirgly
calls Triton, becaufe he had accuftomed the fifties in his
ponds at this villa y to come at his call, and fed them with his
own hand.
Agrippina's Near Hortenfius's villa is fhewn an ancient ruin, faid to
tomb. have been the monument of Agrippina, who was put to death
by Nero, her own fon. Within it, on the left-hand, is an
apartment, to which one afcends by a ladder, where are fe-
veral relievo's of plaiter, reprefenting a fphynx, a griffin, and
other imaginary animals. A figure of a woman about two
feet high to be feen here, pafles for Agrippina herfelf ; and
adjoining to this is a fmaller apartment, where the antiqua-
rians fay that her remains were depofited : but with what
truth, or even probability, is not eafily determined. For
Tacitus, anr.aL xiv. c. 9, affirms, that, even after the death
try which a man of any wifclom or piudence would avoid, as the bane
* of virtue, and deftru&ive of good morals. Where is the neccflity
or pleafure of feeing drunken people reeling along the fhore, or the lake,
echoing with effeminate mufic, with the noife of riotous peribns failing
on it, and other diforders of an unbridled luxury, where they are Ib far
' from having any femi of fhame, that they publifh their own infamy ?
' Luxuriancy cf foil effeminates the mind, and the climate unque-
' ftionably conduces fomething to relax the vigour of the mind and body. 1
Propertius calls the coaft of Baiae,
Littora quafuerant cajtis inimica ptttUu.
. A licentious place
* To chafte and modeft virgins dangerous.'
of
Near the City of N A P L E S. 147
of her unnatural fon, the tomb c r Agrippina confuted only of
an heap of earth thrown together, betwixt Mifenum and a
villa of Julius Caefar. That ih.' .- unfortunate princefs had a
feat in this neighbourhood is uiiqueitionable, as appears from
Tacitus ; but the fame writer points out its fituation nearer
the Lucrine lake.
Betwixt Baiae and Cape Mifeno are likewife feveral other
remains df antiquity ; but the explanations of them are moft-
ly grounded upon uncertain conjectures. Amongft other
pieces there has been dug up hereabouts the ftatue of Venus,
twice as big as the life, holding a globe in one hand, and
three golden apples in the other ; from whence fome anti-
quarians conclude, that Venus Genetrix muft have had a
temple in this neighbourhood ; and, as Julius Caefar had a
country feat near Baias *$ others frill farther alledge, that he
founded and built this temple.
On this coaft there is likewife an ancient temple called Boalia, a
Boaula, or Boalia, afcribed to Hercules, who, according to u^l^kf
the ancient fable, brought fate hither the oxen which he had
ftolen in Spain. Even now a fmall diftricl: here bears the
name of Baulo, or Baula, concerning which Silius Itali-
cus fays : *
Hercitteos vidct ipfo 1'ittore Baulos. Lib, xii,
* Herculean Bauli founded on that fhore
* He view'd.'
The antiquarians are at a lofs where to look for Bauli^
or the villa whither Nero conducted his mother, after her
coming from Antium. According to Tacitus it muft have
flood betwixt cape Mifeno and the Lago Bajano. Thofe
who diftinguifh it from Hortenfius's villa are miftaken, and
refuted by the following lines of Symmachus, who himfeJf
was afterwards the pofiefTor of that villa :
* According to Seneca, ep'JI. 51, where he alfo mentions the feats of
Marius and Cn. Pompeius on this conft, and approves of their choice of
fuch a delicious country, faying, Thef'e heroes, according to their art of
war, had built their manfions, like watch-towers, on the tops of moun-
tains* Vide Tacit. Annal. xiv. c. 9.
L2 Hue
148 ANTK^UITIES and Natural CURIOSITIES
Hue Dftfs Alcides ftabulanda armenta coeglt
Eruta Gervonis de lore tergcmini^
Jnde recent tetas corrupt a Boaulia Baulos
Nuncupate occult o nominis indict o,
A Divo ad proceres dominos fortuna cucurrit^
Fama loci obfcuros ne pateretur hero's^
Hanc cciebravity cpum felix Hortenjius^ aulam^
Centra Arpinatem quijhtit eloquio,
' Hither the god Hercules drove the oxen he had ftoleh
from the triple Geryon, to be kept in ftalls. From thence
modern ages, being ignorant of die derivation of the namej
have erroneoufly called Boaulia Bauli. From the god it
defcended to illuftrious princes, left the fame of the place
ihould fuffer from ohfcure pofleflbrs; for the powerful Hor-
tenfius, who ftood in competition with Cicero for eloquence,
made this feat famous.'
jp.lyfian- That the Elyfian-fields extend themfelves towards the
fields. Dead-Sea, is taken for granted- ; but, as for the exact fitua-
tion, fome look for it about the diflriil of Baula, where at
prefent ftands a mean village; and in the wall, built on both
fides of the way, are feveral cavities, in which probably fome
urns were once depofited. Others place the Elyfian-fields
near the Mercato del Sabato, as it is called. Others again
are pofitive that the Elyfian-fields muft have been in the
neighbourhood of Cuma. All thefe fpots, the fertility of
the foil excepted, which produce delicious fruits and wine,
exhibit nothing fo beautiful and ftriking as to deferve the ap-
pellation of Elyfian-fields.
II Mercato U Mercato del Sabato does not feem to have been a mar-
del Sabato. kef-place, where things were every Saturday expofed to fale;
but rather a circus for public fpeacles, exercifes, &c.
Mare Mor- The Mare Mortuum, or Dead-Sea, has a communication
tuum. . w ith the fea by a fmall canal, in which are feveral wire nets,
&c. to prevent the fifh, with which it abounds, from return-
ing to the fea. This lake belongs to a private perion, who
farms it for five or fix hundred fcudi a year.
Promontory Qn the other fide of the Mare Mortuum, towards the
cfMdeno. j e f t _h anc } ? u es t ^ e promontory of Mifeno, where is ftill to
be feen the remains of an ancient pharos? or light-houfe.
The ifthmus at the extremity near the cape is about two hun-
dred paces in breadth from fea to fea 3 but farther up, towards
the
Near the City of NAPLES. 149
the Dead- Sea, it is fcarce fifty. Mifeno is faid to derive its
name from a companion of ^Eneas, who was buried here>
according to Virgil :
At plus /Eneas Ingcntl mole fepulcbrum ,
hnponlt, fuaque arma viro y remvmqtie, tubamquc^
Afcnle fub atria : qvi nunc Mij'enus ab illo
DicttuT) aternumqiie tenet per fcscula nomen.
/Eneld. vi. v. 232.
* But good .ffineas order'd on the fhore ^
\ A {lately tomb, whofe top a trumpet bore, C
^ A foldier's faulchion, and a feaman's oar. J
* Thus was his friend interr'd, and deathlefs fame
c Still to the lofty cape configns his name,' DRYDEN.
This promontory is almoft entirely undermined, and theGrottaTra-
Grctta Traconaria *, vulgarly called Dragonara, under it, conana '
is very well worth obferving. Jt is divided by twelve large pi-
lafters into five walks, or ifles. The middle is the broadeft,
and (beiides the entrance, which is fixty-eight feet) is a
hundred and fe\ enty-eight feet long ; the reft being only a
hundred and feventy. They are all of the fame height which
is twenty feet. The four paflages which cut theie walks at
right angles are of an unequal length, from a hundred and
eighty to two hundred and twenty-four feet. The breadth
of the walks is about four feet, and the walls are of free-
ftone. The ufe of fuch a building is not known with any
certainty ; but it is moft probable that it ferved for a refervoir
of fiefh water ; which, was here th.e moft neccflary, part of
the Roman fleet being liationed at Mifeno f.
There are alfo rnany other ruins to be feen hers, which
(hews that this prompntory was once covered with magnifi-
cent buildings. In the year 1699, t.he pcdeftal of a pilJar 01
ftatue, five feet high, and thiee i/j breadth, with the follow-
ing iiucriptiojj, was found here :
* Traccnes, in the middle ages, fignied fubterraneous paflagcs :d ca-
Vfms. Vid. Volfius, lib. in. dc t'itjit ferm. c. 53.
t Yid. Pirn. lib. vi. epift. 16. & 20. but efpecially Taut, hijt lib. iii.
c, 57, to which may be added the nearnef* of the Pcrtus Julius.
L 3 7/
150 ANTIQUITIES and Natural CURIOSITIES
.
Jujju
Jovis Optimi Maximi
Damafceni
Sacerdotes
M. Nemonio M. F. Pal.
Eutychiano
Sacerdoti honorato
Eqtto public*) ab
Imp. Antonio Aug.
Pie P. P. '
Adletto in ordinem
J)ecurion, Puteolanor.
aedili
M. Ncmanius Callijlus P.
Sacerdos remijja
Collatione.
The city of Mifeno was in the middle of the ninth cen-
tury deftroyed by the Saracens ; fo that at prefent no remains
of it are to be feen. The diftance from Cuma to this pro-
Procita and montory is five Italian miles. Oppofite to it are the iflands
Ifchia. o f Pj-ocjta and Ifchia, both producing plenty of fruit and ex-
cellent wine, and affording feveral pleafant fpots for hunting.
Procita is fomething above fix Italian miles in circumference,
and contains about four thoufand inhabitants.
Ifchia anciently bore the name of Enaria or Pitecufa. Its
circumference, including the windings of the coaft, is eigh-
teen Italian miles : it lies about two miles from Procita. For-
merly it fuffered frequent damages from vulcano's, and ef-
pecially in the year 1301 : but for thefe laft two or three
centuries no fiery eruptions have happened here ; and the
fmoke feen here and there to iflue from betwixt the rocks
proceeds from the hot fprings and baths, of which there are
in this ifland above thirty ftill in vogue ; not to mention fe-
veral fudatories for which it is famous.
Pifdna Mi- On this fide the Mare Mortuum in returning from Mifeno
rabilis. j s the Pifdna MirabiUs, to which one defcends by forty fteps,
part of which are at prefent in a ruinous condition. It is a
Iquare vault fupported by forty-eight pillars ; its length is
two hundred and fifty palmi^ the breadth a hundred and fixty,
and its height near forty. The pillars are difpofed in four
rows, making five walks or ifles. This unquestionably was
- Near the City of N A P I, E S. 151
a refervoir ; and the fquare apertures in the roof, of which
there are thirteen, were made for drawing out the water.
1 he pavement is made floping towards the center, that the
fediment of the water, gathering there, might be the more
conveniently removed when it was empty.
This water is impregnated with tartar, fo that the bottom
and pillars, as high as the furface of the water ufed to rife,
are incrufted with it : it is of fuch a hardnefs as fcarce to be
feparated from the ftone with hammers. The cement on
the upper part of the pillars and walls where the water
has not reached, which is about five palmi^ is far from being
fo hard. This confutes the fuppofition, that the incrufta-
tion with which the lower parts of the work is covered, is
a particular kind of mortar or cement compounded of the
whites of eggs and pulverifed marble, faid to be ufed by the
ancients.
It is much difputed by whom the Pifcintt UTirabilhy or won-
derful refervoir, was built. Some attribute it to Lucullus,
who had a fuperb palace in the neighbourhood : others are
of opinion, that Agrippa had it made for the conveniency
of the Mifeno fleet, or for watering the gardens ; and the
chambers near it called Cento Camerelle feem to have been
defigned for the fame purpofe. As for the opinion of their
being prilbns for the Chriftians under fentence of death in
Nero's time, it has not the leaft probability on its fide. This
work which very much refembles the labyrinths, as they are
called, at Puzzuolo, is lofty and in pretty good condition ;
the galleries are long and narrow, and feveral of the doors
are broken down.
In returning from Bajae to Puzzuolo, there is a road clofe
by the fea, hewn through a rock j and near it is the fol-
lowing infcription, :
L 4 Semit*
ANTIQUITIES and Natural
Semite
InfubjeSti pelagi lubricitate
Furto ab Hercule aggerata
Lucro a Cafare Diflatore r
Qjlentationi ab Agrippa re
Mftibus ejufdem pelagi dhjeRa
Hanc
CAROLO II. REGE
In hujus month firmitudine,
Hortiinum jalubritati reftitutis
Petrus Antonius Aragonius
Subftttuit,
%U0
Prudentiore excogitata Hercult,
Meliori deftinata ufui,
Nee Cafores expeflabit y nee Agrippas.
Per Aragoniam viam
Iter perge, viator, ad Bajas,
Ea enim non luxui thermos
Sed faluti paratas exkibent,
Marmor qua* fappofetum docet*
P. P. A. D. M. DC. LXHX.
* Inftead of the road raifed for theft by Hercuks amidft
the fury of the waves, repaired by Caefar, when di&ator,
for felf-intereft, and reftored by Agrippa again for oftenta-
tlon, and after all ruined by the violence of the fea, Pedro
Antonio of Aragon, in the reign of Charles II, having,
for the health of the public, put the baths in a good con-
dition, has on the firmnefs of a rock fubftituted this road,
contrived by a wifer Hercules, deftined to a better purpofe,
and which will ftand in no need of a Caefar or an Agrippa.
Traveller, go on chearfully along the Aragonian road to
Bajae, where, as the marble underneath informs thee, are
noble baths, not fubferyient to luxury but conducive to
< health. 1668.'
In returning from the remains of Julius Caelar's palace,
you pafs through an arched way hewn through the rocks like
a long cavern, at the end of which are the celebrated warm
baths, or rather, as they are indeed commonly called, /' Su~
Tntoli. datorii) or fudatories of Tritoli. They have two entrances,
but afterwards are divided into fix long apartments, where
the
Near the City of N A P L E S. 153
the heat is fcarce fupportable, till cuftom has inured one to
it. A ftranger fhould not go in without a guide and fome
flambeaux, as one may without fuch precaution fall into dan-
gerous holes. In fome parts of thefe fudatories are warm
fprings, one of which, at the end of a long paffage of a hun-
dred and twenty paces, is fo hot, that a man can fcaice bear
a finger in the water of it, even after it has been carried but
of the mouth of the cavern. Three times a year the hof-
pital of the Annunciata fends hither whole caravans of pa-
tients, and the women have feparate fudatories affigned them.
This operation generally lafts feven days, and is begun about
the 20th of June. Thefe paflages in the rocks, it is proba-
ble, were at firft made for difcovering the warm fprings, of
which manifeft traces are to be perceived on the top of the
mountain, and even in the adjacent fea. But {.robably, when,
thefe pafTages were cut in the rock, the heat might not be fo
intenfe as at prefent ; for now, in a few minutes, a perfon
ftript naked is put into a profufe fweat. This increafe of the
heat may pofllbly be owing to the adtniffion of the external
air. This place has fomething of the afpecl of a mine, where
the paflages are about feven or eight pa/mi high and four in
breadth. It is not uncommon that, in fome places, the ful-
phureous exhalation kindles into a fmall flame, which, though
it appears confiderable, is not to be approached without dan-
ger. On the road which has been pierced through the
rocks, and before the entrance into thefe fudatories, are
fix apartments, all hewn out of the rock ; which alfo ferve
for fudatories, as the heat ifiuing from the paflages above-
mentioned c?.n be communicated to them. Formerly on the
walls of thefe apartments were feen paintings yid infcrip-
tions expreliing the diftempers for which every apartment was
heft adapted j but nothing of thefe is now to be feen. This,
as it is faid, is owing to the envy and avarice of the Salerno
phyfiaans ; the wonderful cures of thefe baths being a de-
triment to their profeffion. The prefent phyficians of Naples
are fo far from looking on the Tritoli fudatories with an
evil eye, that they not only prefcribe the ufe of them, but
have publifhed a great number of infcriptions and Latin
verfes, with directions for the right application of moft of
the baths and fudatories in Naples.
The main fea wafh.es againft the rocks in which the fuda-
tories have been cut, and the fands at the depth of four or
five inches under water are very warm. Spunge, pumice-
ftones,
T/J4 ANTIQUITIES and Natural CURIOSITIES
Ealk-rr.a- flones, and kalle-marine^ are thrown up in great quantities
'""' along the fhore : the lafl are large round balls, compofed of
filaments like hairs, and not very different from the balls
found in the maws of young calves. The ptimice-ftone is
iuppofed to be ejected by a vulcano, and that its poroufnefs
is owing to the diffolution of its faline particles by the fea-
water. It muft be owned, that thsy are found in great abun-
dance in the Sicilian Tea, near the iflands of Stromboli, di
Volcano, Jfchia, and other parts near burning mountains j
yet, without examining particularly how the pumice-ftone is
formed, a fubterraneous fire, or a vulcano, is not neceffary
for that purpofe ; for great numbers of fucn ftones are found
in Lilces far enough from any vulcano's. Rocconi, in his
remarks, mentions a kind of red pumice-ftone frequently
met with in the mountains of Radicofani near Florence ;
they are alfo found in fome rivers.
From Tritoli it is proper to return to the Lago Averno,
to take a view of fome antiquities on this fide, and likewife
Sibyl's cave, of the entrance into the fibyl's cave. From this entrance
to the other near Cuma, already defcribed, which is four
Italian miles, there is faid to have been in ancient times a
lofty paffage, which, according to Strabo, was difcovered in
Augustus's time. But time and earthquakes have caufed
fuyh alterations here, that, to get to the entrance of the grotto,
one is obliged to crawl ten or twelve paces along the ground;
and to leave a fervant without, in order to fetch proper af-
ftftance, in cafe, as it has fometimes happened, the en-
trance of the cave fhould be filled up by the falling in of the
earth and {tones. Within the grotto there is a large arched
paflage hewn out of the rock, near four hundred paces in
length ; ytm then defcend on the right into another paflage
where the heat is greater, and overflowed with warm water ;
fo that without boots there is no proceeding any further.
Beyond this there is an apartment, in which is a kind of
Hone trough, by fome antiquarians fuppofed to be the
fibyl's bath, and by others her bed ; on the walls are fe-
veral figures made of fmall ftones and fhells of different
colours curioufly arranged. The pavement is alfo a mofaic
work, but cannot be feen difrintly, as it is covered with
water. Whether this cave was made for warm baths, or to
provide ftones for the great number of palaces which anci-
ently ftood in its neighbourhood j or whether it was defigned
for a refrefhirig cool retreat, or for fome other more impor,-
tant ufe, probably, will never be afccrtained, The pagan
Near the City of N A P L E S. 155
priefts finding fuch a place ready finlmed to their hands, it
was no difficult matter for them to turn it to their advantage
in their impoftures and pretended oracles : but that iuch a
fpacious and expensive fubterraneous ftru&ure was no more
than the manfion of a fibyl is the more incredible, as all the
{lories of the ancients about fibyls, upon examination, are
found to be entirely fabulous.
flere the Lago Averno is twenty -five fathoms deep, and Depth of the
almoft entirely furrounded with a rfing grou:,d ; fo that a L ?S Aver -
canal of communication with the fra, which need not be
above the length or" half an Italian mile, would majce it one
of the moft commodious harbours in the world.
Near the banks of this klce are to be feen the ruins of a Ancient
building, by fome faid to have been a temple of Mercury, and tem Pk-
by others, of Neptune. Others again will have it to be the
temple of Apollo defcrjbed by Virgil j but nothing can be
plainer, than that the poet is fpeaking of a temple {landing
on a hill *. This frrudhire, whatever it was, is octangular
without, but the infide is a perfect: circle, about thirty-fix
j>a/mi in diameter. The roof is fallen in.
On the fide of the Lucrine lake towards the Tea is a hill
with a deep rent on its fummit; and the poor illiterate peo-
ple are taught to believe that it was made at our Saviour's
crucifixion, and was the pafiage through which he de-
fccnded into the Limbus Palrnm, in order to releafe the pa- Paflage into
triarchs ; and to this the moun'.ain owes the name of il Monte Ltmtu * Pa -
,. ,-,, .n trum,
di Chnfto.
All thefe curiofities, exclufive of the iflands, take up a
compafs of thirty-five or forty Italian miles ; which {hews
that a very fuperficial view of them can hardly be taken in
one day, though fome travellers pretend to have <lone it.
The narrow ftony roads in thefe parts are fcarce practica-
ble for carriages, and therefore a faddle-horfe is beft for
thia excurfion, which may be hired for fix carlini \ a day.
* At pius JF.neas arces, quibus altus Apdlo
Prtcfulet, horrenda-que procul Jecreta Jt/ylt<e
Antrutn immane 'petit, JEneid. vi. f. 9.
' The pious prince afcends the ficred hill
' Wheie Phoebus is ador'd, and feeks the fliade,
' Which hides from fight his venerable maid :
* Deep in a cave the fibyl makes abode.' DRYDHN.
f Two. millings fterling.
LET-
From ROME to LORETTO.
LETTER LXI.
Journey from ROME to LORETTQ.
S I R,
IN returning from Rome to Germany, you fet out through,
the Porta Flumentana, formerly called Porta Flaminia ;
and on this road, at the diftance of an Italian mile from
!1 Ponte Rome, lies the Ponte Molle, or Milvio, fo called, but cor-
Molle. ruptly, from M. ^Emilius Scaurus, who firft built this
bridge.
That the fpace betwixt this city and the Ponte Molle, in
the time of the ancient Romans, was not built upon ; and
that Rome did not then extend itfelf beyond the prefent walls
is manifeft both from its prefent appearance (for no traces
of any ruins are to be feen here) and as it was the ground
on which Conftantine the Great drew up his army in order
of battle againft Maxentius. On crofling the Tiber over
Ponte Molle, the road to Sienna and Florence (which was
via Caflia. formerly called Via Caffia) turns off to the left; and the Via
ViaFlami- Flaminia on the right leads to Ariminum, or Rimini, and
aeain crofles the Tiber by means of the Ponte Felice, where
Fontc rw , . . .... , J . r . .
Felice. is to be feen the following mfcription :
Sixtus V. Pont. Max.
Ut commeantes trajeftionis molejlia
Et veftigali fublevarety
Pontem inchoavit
Ann. Sal. MDLXXXIX. Pontif. fui V.
' For eafing travellers of the trouble and expence of fer-
' rying over, his holinefs Sixtus V. began this bridge in the
* year 1589, and the fifth of his pontificate.'
This bridge was called Ponte Felice, from the name that
pope aflumed whilft a monk.
Oppofite to the above infcription are thefe words :
Clemens Fill. Pontif. Max.
Pontem a Sixto V. Pont. Afax. incaeptum
Opere magnifico abfolvit,
Alveo excavato Tiberim induxit^
Anno Sal. frlDCIIII. Pontif. fui XIII.
This
iFrom ROME to LORETTO. 157
* This bridge, begun by pope Sixtus V, was magnifi-
cently compleatcd by pope Clement VIII, and the Tiber
' brought under it by a channel which he caufed to be made
' for it, in the year of our Lord 1604, and of his pontificate
* the thirteenth.'
Some hundred paces from thence, on the left-hand of the
road, is a fquare large ftone, with this infcription :
VRBANVS VIII. PONT. -MAX.
Tiberim via publica eversd
Veterem repetentem alveum^
Novi effojfione
Ad dextram deduium y
Aggerh objeflu
Validaque compact, lignorv.m
Sub ponte^ quern declinabat^
Continuity
Confervatloni profpicicns
Peninfulam adjatentem
Attribuit)
Anno Salutis MDCXX7III.
Pont'if. fui fexto.
The Tiber having borne down the public road in its ef-
forts to return to its ancient channel, was carried to the
rightj and, by a new channel and a bank ftrongly fenced
with ftakes, kept to its courfe under the bridge, which it
had left ; and, for the prefervation of it, the adjacent pe"-
ninfula was added : fuch are the effe&s of the liberality and
paternal care of Urban VIII, A. D. 1628, and of his glo-
rious pontificate the fixth.'
At this bridge is the fifth flage, after having pafled through
Prima Porta, Cartel Nuovo, Rignano, Civita Caftellana, and
Borghetto.
Betwixt Rignano and Civita Caflellana, on the right-
hand, lies the mountain of St. Orefte, which fome hermits St. Oreff
have choien for their retreat. It is alfo called Monte di S.
Silveftro, from the convent built there by Charles the Great
in honour of St. Silvefterj but its more ancient names were
Mons Falifcorum and Soracle. Poffibly a period unjudici-
oufly put after the firlt letter of the latter, made it S. Oracle,
which
ig From ROME to LORETTO.
which at laft gave rife to the imaginary faint, Orefle. In
the fame manner, according to the teftimony of Mabillon
himfelf, St. -Viarus was very near increafmg the number of
faints, had it not been difcovered that the letters S. VIAR^
on which the flicklers for Viarus's faintfhip relied^ were no
more than the remains of the title PrafefiuS VIARum *,' or
furveyor of the high-ways.
An account of the remarkable annual offering of the Hirpii
*to Apollo on mount Soratte may be feen in Strabo, lib. v.
Servius ad flLneid. lib. xi. Plin. lib. vii. c. 2. and Solinus, c. 8.
Varro fays, that the goats on this mountain leaped from one
rock to another at the diftanceof fixty paces.
CivitaCa- The village of Civita Caftellana {lands upon a fleep hill,
ftellana. an( j j s by Antonio MafTa, who wrote a particular treatife
The ancient de origine Falijcorum^ thought to be the ancient Fefcennium,
Fefcennium. or capital of the Falifci. Its diftance from Rome is about
thirty-feven or thirty-eight Italian miles } and the counrry
about it is hilly, and not cultivated to the beft advantage.
On the bridge towards Otricoli is the following infcription 5
Clemens XL P. M.
Oppofetam agroYum partem
Ponte rarts magnitudinis excitdto
Civitati conjunxit^
Viaque Flaminia intra muros perdufia
Ac longioris itineris incommodofublato^
Civium non minus quam exterorum utilitati
Confuluit,
Jofepbo Renato Cord, bnperiali
Cong. Bon. Reg. Prtzfe&o
Curante
Anno Sal. MDCCXII. Pont. XII.
Thi^ ftately bridge, which opens a communication be-
' tween the city and the oppofite part of the country, was
' built by pope Clement XI, by who'ib munificence aJfo the
' Flaminian way was brought within the walls, tt> the great
* The Romifh chiircli hiftories abound with new faints, who owe their
titles either to ignorance or fraud. Witnefs St. Longinus, St. Veronica,
and the eleven tlioufand virgins. The author, in his Antiquities, wirties
to fee a treatife de pia Pontifciorum vel Jraude <uel ignorantia in explicandis
fjeterum infcriptionibus ; and he who will give himfelf the trouble of gra-
tifying the public with fuch a work, will find fufficient materials in Baro-
nius, Allatius, Mabiljon, and other Romifh hiftorians.
' conveniency
From ROME to LORETTO. 159
1 cohvenienry of the public, the road being thereby confide-
4 rably (hortened, &c. 1712.'
On the left-hand, about an Italian mile from Otricoli, in Ruins of
the plain adjoining to the Tiber, are ftill to be feen the ruins Ouea -
of the old Sabine town Ocrea, or Ocriculum ; but they will
not anfwer the trouble of turning out of the road to fee
them. The modern Otricoli is a wretched village {landing
on a mountain.
Five Italian miles beyond Otricoli towards Calvi, the foil Remarkable'
near the Tiber is ib deep and marfhy, that the men who t c ^ lk ^*~
draw barges laden with oil for Rome (ten or four:een ofpalvi.
which often tug at one barge) are obliged to walk bare-
footed ; and, if it happens to rain, fuch a thick fog is raifed,
that they are not able to keep their eyes open to puriue their
journey, but are forced to come to an anchor. That the
river Nera, which discharges it felt" into the Tiber above Otri-
coli, runs along a chalky bottom, is evident from the white-
nefs of its waters, which is taken notice of by Silius Italicus,
lib. viii. and Martial ; but it is remarkable the rain turns its
water red *.
In the front of the poft-houfe at Otricoli is to be feen this
old infcription in honour of Julia Lucilia, &c.
Julia. LuciKa.
L. JuK. Julian . FiL
Patrcni. Miniicipi
Cujus. Pater
Ibcrmas. Qcricula-
nis. a. jolo. extruflas
Sua. pecunia. dona~
vit.
Dec. Aug. Picbs
L. D. D. D.
Betwixt this place and Narni the country exhibits fome
charming profpecls, efpecially towards Porcaria, or Poruria Porcaria.
(as it is termed on an infcription over the gate) which Jies on
the fide of a hill. Near the Ponte Sanchonaro, a little be-
* Plin. Hi/}. Nat. lib. \\\. c. 12. makes the water of the river Nar to
he fulphurcous ; and Martini, lib. vii, agrees with him. Of the Vadimon
lake, which lies in this neighbourhood, not far from the Tiber, mention
has been already made, in defciibing the floating illands of Tivoli.
yond
i6o From ROME to LORETTO.
yond it is an infcriptfon on a {lone, commemorating the li-
berality of Gregory XIII, by whom this road was repaired.
From hence the road runs through a very flony and moun-
tainous country, with very deep precipices on the left-hand;
but it is broad-, and kept in good repair. On the fummitof
Cavern of a -hill are fome fuppofititious monuments of an ancient giantj
the 'giant called Orlando; and among them a huge {tone faid to be his
of "a" fibyl. r cna i r > an ^ a cavern in which he lived. The cavern is very
mean, partly hewn out of a rock, and partly built of flint
and mortar ; and in fome places the water drops through.
It is alfo called Antrum Sibylla^ or the Sibyl's cave. In the
rock on one fide of the cave is an impreflion, as is pretended^
of a hone's foot, but done by a bungling carver. Near it is
a deep hole in the earth, which in heavy rains is faid to emit
fmoke, or fteam.
Warm. Narni is a very poor town ; but, as it {lands high, the
profpefl of the vale below, reaching 'as far as Terni, is ex-
tremely pleafant. The name of this town was formerly
Nequinum, which was fo called on account of the obftinacy
of the inhabitants ; who, being befieged, firft killed their
wives and children, to hufband what provifions they had ;
and, when thefe were confumed, chofe rather to lay violent
hands on themfelves than furrender. Others derive this name
from the badnefs of the roads near this town. But, notwith-
iranding its prefent mean condition, it prides itfelf not a lit-
tle in having been the birth-place of the emperor Nerva, pope
John XIII, the Venetian general Gattamelata, cardinal Ceilj
and other famous men. But cardinal Sacripanti does it no
great honour. Here are fome good fprings, and a fine
aqueduct, which conveys the water about fifteen Italian
miles. In the epifcopal church, the high altar and the
flairs by which one dcfcends into St. Juvenal's chapel are
worth feeing.
Ancient But, above al! the reft, the ruins of the noble bridge built
widge. ky Auguftus over the Ivfera, defer\*es particular notice. It
lies on the left-hand juft below the city, and the only way
to it is down a very difficult defcent ; but no perfon who has
a tafte for antiquity will grudge the trouble. By this bridge
two mountains on the oppofite fides of the river were
joined, for the conveniency of making a road to Perugia.
It was built with large fquare pieces of freeftone inierted
without cement or iron braces; the outfides of which are
cut like diamonds. The piers, Hill to be feen in the water,
give a very grand idea of the arches ; which however were
not
From ROME to LDRETTO.' i
irot all of an equal diameter. Near the foot of the bridge is
a hole faid to be of fuch a depth, that by means of a fubter-
raneous paflage under the Nera one might crofs to the other
fide of the river. On the Narni fide, and on dry ground*
one entire arch, of a very extraordinary height, is itill re-
maining, which is above forty paces wide. Martinelli in his
Defcritione de' diverjl ponti ejjlftenti fopra ilfiumi Nera e Tevere
has given a particular defcription of this bridge ; and accord-
ing to his computation the length of it was eight hundred
and fifty palmi, or fix hundred and thirty-feven Roman feet
and a hajf *. The diftance betwixt the piers of the firft
arch, which are ftill to be feen^ is a hundred palmi ; and
the height of the arch is a hundred and fifty palmi. The
diftance betwixt the piers of the fecond arch was a hundred
and eight palmi, that of the third a hundred and fifty, and
the laft arch on the other fide of the Nera was a hundred
and ninety palmi^ or a hundred and forty-two Roman feet
and a half. This arch, however, comes fhort of the Ponte
Rialto, and other arches to be ieen at prefent in Europe.
Martial, Epigr. lib. vii, fpeaks of the bridge at Narni in the
following manner :
Bed jam parce mihi\ nee abutere^ Narnia^ Qu'mtO)
'Perpeiuo liceat fie tibi ponte frui !
' Prefcrve my Quintus, Narni, from all harm,
' So may thy noble bridge withftand the fhock
* Of all-devouring time !'
The moft convenient way for feeing this bridge is to Jet
the carriage wait in the road to Terni, whilft one is getting
down the fteep defcent mentioned above, which faves the
trouble of climbing up the hill with the chaife. The Nera,
which at a fmall diftance from hence falls into the Tiber
hear Guaftanello, abounds in tenches, mullets, eels, trouts,
and other kinds of delicate fifti. Terni lies feven Italian Terni.
miles from Narni ; and the road runs along a fine valley,
efpecially that part of it betwixt Cefia and Colle Scipoli (a ColKt
corruption of Collis Scipionis] is quite charming. The fields *""
are planted with rows of trees, and very large and fprdading
vines interwoven with their branches. Amongft other kinds
* The Roman foot, according to Montfauton, is equal to eleven
Paris inches.
VOL. III. M here
ifj2 From ROME to LORETTO.
here is a fort of vine which bears fmall grapes without any
Uva Pa/a, ftones in them. Thefe are called Uva PaJJa *, or PaJJarina,
and are much ufed in fauces. They are alfo fraudulently
mixed with the currants of the Levant, which they very
much refemble both in tafte and appearance. Thefe parts
alfo abound in olive-trees and fig-trees. According to Pliny
(lib. xviii. c. 28.) the meadows about Terni, even thole
which could not be watered, were mowjgd four times in a
year : and, in the lefs fertile parts where they had three crops
Large tar- of hay, very rich pafture remained for the cattle. Turneps
neps. are here of fuch an uncommon fize as fometimes to weigh
thirty or forty pounds f ; they feem to thrive beft in flony
ground. The feeds of thefe turneps however do not pro-
duce fuch roots in other countries ; nor even in theMilanefe,
where the foil is remarkably fertile. The melons, peaches,
figs, and other fruits that grow about Narni are much larger
than in other places ; it being nothing uncommon here to
fee peaches weighing from fifteen to eighteen ounces.
Interamna. Terni was anciently called Interamna from its fituation
between the two channels of the Nera. It was the birth-
place of Cornelius Tacitus the famous hiftorian, and of the
emperors Tacitus and Florianus. On one fide of the market-
place, near the entrance of the feminary, are fome ancient
infcriptions relating to the old Interamna. Over the mar-
ket-clock is this moral verfe :
Hora, dies, &f vitafugit^ manet nnica Virtus.
6 Hours, days, and ages fly away,
' Virtue alone knows no decay.'
On a fmall pyramid that ftands over the fountain in the
market-place, is the following infcription :
* The name of Uva Paffa is not derived from Patlentia, as Pliny would
intimate, (lib.xiv. c. i.) but rather from their drynefs j for they feem to
be, as it were, trodden together Tii&eia-, or a pandendo, i, e. being ex-
pofed to the air and fun, &c.
f WhatPliny fays (Hift. Nat. lib.viil. f. 13.) of his having feen tur-
neps of above forty pounds weight, is therefore the iefs to be queftioned.
jfquamm
iFrom ROME to LORETTO. 163
Aquarum delicias
htas fuo mlrabatitr in agro^
Et fitiebat in gremio
Interamna^
Inclyta Patries comma dis
Comes Antonius
Eqnes Sanfli
J)e Dnis. Ca/irL Copparum Gondnus
Terrar. Ccelejiat. & Turris Urfmce
Suo (Ere ingenioque adduxit^
Marco Butaglino Gubernat.
MD CLXXXIIL
* Thefe refrefhing waters which Xerni admired in its ter-
ritory, and wifhed to receive within its bofom, were, to
the infinite benefit of our illuftrious country, and at the
expence, and by the fkill of count Antonio Manaffe, knight
of St. Michael, &c. brought hither under the infpe&ion
of Marco Butaglino in the year 1683.'
But the fountain on which this encomium was made does
not yield any water, which gave occafion to the following
Verfe :
O voi, cbt qui trovare aqua penfate.,
Se nan piove da! Ciel^ non I'afpettate*
* Whoever hopes to find water here will be difappointed,
c unlefs Heaven be kindly pleafed to fend fome rain/ *
After the example of feveral other cities in Italy, pre^
tending to a greater antiquity than Rome, the inhabitants
of Terni are extremely infatuated with this frivolous preten-
fion ; v/hich however is confuted by an infcription of their
own. It is to be feen on the wall of the portico belonging
to the feminary; where it is exprefsly faid, that this city
[Interamna] in the confulfhip of Cn. Domitianus^ncbarbus
and M. Camillus Scribonianus (which was in the feven
hundred and thirty-fourth year from the building of Rome)
had exifted feven hundred and four years. This ancient in-
fcription is as follows :
M 2 Saluti
From ROME to L6RETTC).
Salutt perpetuee Augujlee libertatique publicee Populi Romani.
Genio Municipii Anno poji Jnterainnam conditam DCCIIII. ad
Cn. Domitianum /Enolarbum Co]]'. Provident its Tib.
Ceefaris Augujli nati ad teternitatem Romani minims fublaio hojle
permciocifftmo P. R. Fau/ius Titius Liber alts VI. Fir. Aug. iter.
P. S. F. C. i. e. iterum pccunia Jua fieri curavit.
This monument very probably was a flattering compliment
paid to Tiberius, after he had got rid of Sejanus. To this
may be added another infcription relating to the antiquity of
this place, were there any certainty of its authenticity, or at
leaft that it was not quite modern. It. frauds in the cathe-
dra], and is exprefied in the following words :
Inter amna anno ante Chrijlum DC L XXI.
condita vivente Ponipilio.
1 Interamna was builtjn the year 671 before Chrift, whilft
4 Pompilius was living/
Over the Spoletto gate are the following lines :
Porta^ quam. Viator, ingrederh^ trium monument arum dicla^
Ob proquinqua a fluminibus disjetta monumenta,
C. Cornelii Taciti Politicorttm Principis^
Tacitique b 5 Floriani Imperatorum bujus Urbis civium+
Nunc in honor em facratijjimes Laursti domus^
j>uo r ever tent em te ducit^ L an ret ana nuncupata,
Aditum pr&bet jpeffianti Interamnam,
PrecftantiJ]:mum Italics municipium^
Patrlam illius Claudii Neronis^ qui ad Metaurum flnviunt^
Collatis cum Afdrubale ftgnis,
I/iius internecione &" exercitus oftogihta Posnorum millium
Annibalem ex Italia expulit,
Cartbaginenfem Re?npublii:am concujfit y
Romanam periclitantem conjlabiliit,
Et plures Cafares terrarum Orbi dedit,
Ad perennitatem gloria: bujus municipiiy
Tantorum Heraum progenitoris
Interamnenfes Nabartes bane mcmoriani a^poni curantnt
Anno Dm. MDCLXXXIX.
Traveller,
From ROME to LORETTO. 165
4 Traveller, the gate which them entereft, formerly called
6 the gate of the three monuments (on account of the mo-
6 numents of Cornelius Tacitus the prince of politicians, and
4 the emperors Tacitus and Florianus natives of this town,
4 that once ftood near it) but long fmce ruined by inunda-
4 tions, now in honour of the holy houfe of Loretto, to
* which it direcls thee as thou goeft out of the town, is
4 called the gate of Loretto, " and opens an accefs to thee
4 coming towards Terni the mod eminent free town of Italy,
4 the native place of Claudius Nero, that illuftrious \yarrior,
4 who, in the battle with Afdrubal near the river Metaro,
' flew him and defeated his army, confiding of eighty thou-
* fand Carthaginians ; drove Hannibal out of Italy, flioolc
* the Carthaginian {rate, and retrieved the Roman com-
4 monwealth ; from whom alfo defcended feveral emperors.
* To perpetuate the glory of this borough, the nurfery of
4 fuch diftinguifhed heroes, the magiflracy of Interamna
4 or Terni have creeled this monument in the year of Chrift
* 1689.'
The greateft trade of this place is in oil, and wine of a Trade,
moil: delicious flavour.
A traveller fhould not omit beftowing three or four hours Remarkable
to fee the cafcade formed by the Velino, about four Italian
miles eaitv/ard of Terni. As the road is impracticable for
carriages, this excurfion muft be made on horfeback : four
p^oli * i's the ufual hire for each horfe. The road is not only
very bad up the acclivity of the mountain, but by its narrow-
nefs and the fteep precipices on the left-hand is fo dangerous,
that in fome places it is advifeable to light and lead the
horfe. The fource of the river Velino lies among the Ap-
penine mountains neai Civita Reale, about fifteen or flxteen
miles from Terni ; and this river, after paffing by Anter-
doco, Citta Ducale, and the Lago di Rieti, which has a
communication with the Lago di Pie di Luco, empties itfelf
into the La<ro delle Marmore ; the latter alfo joins with the
Lago di Cor delle Fratte. Some are inclined to think that
the Velino, after running through the Lago delle Marmore,
formerly inclined its courfe more to the left than it does at
prefent, and that its channel was in the valley below : but,
As the cafcade extended itfelf fo far as to be dangerous to
* About two (hillings.
M 3 the
1 66 From ROME to LORETTO.
the inhabitants of Terni, there was a neceffity of altering its
courfe and carrying it on the right towards a fteep precipice
inclofed within rocks, where its violence would be more ea~
fily broken.
Ancient La- As to the ancient fituation of the Lacus Velini, and the
cusVelini. courfe of the river running from it, they cannot be traced
out with any certainty. Cicero (lib. iv. &kft. 15. adAtticuni]
mentions a complaint of the Reatini againft the Interamna-
tes, who had diverted the courfe of this river. His words
are, Reatini me ad fua -n^m duxcrunt^ ut agerem caufam cen-
tra Inter amnates apud Cof. & dec em legates^ quod lacus yelinus a
M. Curio emijjus, interdjo monte in Nar deftuxit : ex quo ejl villa
Jiccata>.& bnmida tamen modice rofea. c The Reatini led me
to their TE^TM, or meadows, that I might plead their caufe
before the confuls and the ten commiflioners againft the
Interamnates, becaufe the Lacus Velinus had been diverted
from its courfe by M. Curius, and, by piercing through a
mountain, made to run into the Nar; fo that their town
labours under a fcarcity of water, *.' Varro alfo men-
tions this diverting the courfe of the river. On what the
complaint againft the Interamnates was grounded, J do not
readily conceive ; efpecially as Marcus Curius Dentatus, who
had carried on bloody wars in thofe parts, was conful of
Rome in the year 463 from the building of the city ; fo that
this alteration muft have been made above two hundred years
before Cicero wrote this letter. Befides, Servius fays, that
the fertility of that country was greatly increafed by altering
the courfe of the Velino ; and Virgil reprefents it as a very
extraordinary improvement :
Et quantum longis carpcnt armenta diebus
Exigua tantum gelidus ros no fie reponet,
VIRG. Georg. ii. v. 20 1,
* For what the day devours, the nightly dew
* Shall to the morn in pearly drops renew.'
DRYDEN,
The laft words of the paflage of Cicero quoted above are
fomething obfcure. Rofeus is often put for rofcidus - 3 and
Servius fays, that the country about Reate was called Ager
Rofulanus, Virgil's Rofea rura Velini^ &c. muft alfo relate
to thefe parts : but I do not think that Dentatus altered the
Courfe of the Velino ; Cicero fpeaking only of the interfec-
' tion
From ROME to LORETTO.
tion of a mountain, which has nothing to do with the fall
of the Velino down a precipice into the valley. Befides,
this work is fo far from diverting the ftream from the
inhabitants of Terni, that it brought it nearer to them.
It is farther to be confidered, that (as Tacitus writes, AnnaL
lib. i. c.jg,) theReatini petitioned Tiberius againft damming
up the influx of the lake Velino into the Nar, which was
then under deliberation, as it would infallibly overflow all the
adjacent country. Had this cafcade, where the ftream pre-
cipitates itfelf into the valley, been then ftopt, no 'detriment
could have happened to the high country of the Reatini from
the obftruiStion of its communication with the Nar. On the
contrary, the Interarnnates, or inhabitants of Terni, to-
wards which the ftream, after falling down from the rock,
profecutes its courfe along a deep valley, muft have beenex-
pofed to the impetuofity of the water, and confequently were
filled with apprehensions at the projec-ted alteration ; but it
feems all their follicitude was, that the Nar might not be di-
vided into fmall ftreams, as their vale would, by that means,
be more fubiecl to inundations. Had this cafcade, which is
now viewed with fuch aftonifhment, exifted in the days of
Cicero, it muft feem ftrange that no mention of fuch a cata-
ract occurs in that author, or any other ancient writer. Pliny,
l't>. ii. A 7 //?. Nat. c. 62, fpeaking of the particular qualities
of the air in different climates, fays, rofc'ulas esftate Afnces
nofies, in Italia Locris & in lacu Vel'ino nullo nan die apparcre
arcus. ' That the fummer nights in Africa are attended
* with copious dews ; and in Italy, at Locri and the lake
4 Veiino, a rainbow appears every day.' And though he
takes notice here of the rainbow daily formed over the lake
Velino, poflibly by the exhalations, yet he is entirely filent
throughout his works with regard to this remarkable cata-
ract. The river Nar is not a great way from Velino j hence
Virgil places them together :
Audnt iff longe Trivia Incut audiit amn'is
Sul/Mfrta Nar albus aqua^ fontefque Vetini.
VIRG. Mn._ vii. v. 516.
4 The facred lake of Trivia from afar, V
c The Veline fountains, and fulphureous Nar,
f Shake at the baleful blaft, the fignal of the war.' 3
DRYDEN.
M 4 Claudian,
1 68 From ROME to LORETTQ."
Claudian, in his poem on Honorius, when the emperor
quits the common road to take a view of the river Nar, does
not make the leaft mention of the fall of the Velinoj though
fuch a work deferved a monarch's attention, and naturally
offered to the poet a very entertaining picture for the embel-
limment of his poem. Seme writers, indeed, imagine to
have difcovered a defcription of this cafcade in the feventh
JEneid, ^.563, where Virgil defcribes the gulf through which
the fury Aledo, after fucceeding in her deteftable expedition,
plunges into the infernal fhades :
Eft locus Italics in media fub m-Gtitibus. altis y
Nobilis, & fama multis memoratqs in oris,
dmfanffi valles : Denjis hinc fronJibus atrum
Urget utrumque latus nemoris^ medioque fragofus
Dat fonitum faxis, & tor to vert ice torrens. (sc.
Amid fair Italy, renow'd by fame,
Lies a deep vale, Amfan&us is the name.
Its gloomy fides are {haded with a grove,
And a huge range of mountains tow'rs above :
Fierce thro' the dufky vale the torrents pour,
And o'er its rocky bed the whirlpools roar.' PITT.
In fupport of this conjecture it is farther alledged, that,
according to the teftimony of Solinus, Varro places the di^
ftricl: of Reate fo near the middle of Italy, that he ftiles it the
umbilicus, or navel of it : but what Virgil adds in the follow-
ing lines by no means agrees with the cafcade of Velind :
Hie fpecus horrendum^ feevi fpiracula Ditis^
Monftratur^ ruptoque ingens Ad/eronte vorago
P.ejYiferas aperit fauces - - -
4 There the black jaws of hell are open'd wide ;
* There rolls dire Acheron his baleful tide j
* There lies the dark infernal cave, and there
* Pluto's abodes inhale refrefhing air.' PITT.
The poet's defcription may, according to the opinion of
Servius, in his notes on this pafiage, be morejuftly applied
to a fpot near the Via Flaminia, not far from mount Soracte,
where there are ponds of a fulphureous water, and a caverrt
which emits a very noxious vapour.
The
From ROME to LORETTO. i$y
T ; he mountain which the Vclino crofles before it falls from,
the precipice is indeed, with regard to the country about
Terni, exceeding high ; but it is inclofed on both fides with
rocks that are {rill higher. As the country hereabouts is
upon the defcent, the rapidity of the Velino is increafed after
it has parTed the Lago delle Marmore. This cataract con-
fifls of three cafcades, one above another, and the loweft
feems to be near two hundred feet. Nature has, on the left
of it, prepared a narrow place like a promontory, in the
form of a crefcent, where the fpeclutors may have a full view
of the principal cafcade. I own I differ from thofe who af-
firm this cafcade to be three hundred feet high; yet this is
certain, that one cannot, without a kind of pleafing horror,
hear * the roaring noife caufed by the impetuous fall of the
water, which immediately, even before it reaches the bot-
tom, is converted into a white froth, and, dafhing againft
the rocks at the bottom, caufes a thick mift, like a cloud
of fmoke, to rife, which, in a clear funftine, exhibits a
rood beautiful rainbow. What has induced fome travellers
to affirm, lhat this mift of watery particles afcends twice
the height of the fall, I cannot (ay ; nor fhall I venture to
determine whether the name of Lacus Velini, mentioned by
Pliny and others, properly belongs tp the Lago delle Mar-
more, or Lago di Cor delle Fratte, or Lago di Pie di Luco.
According to the general opinion, the fituation of the Lucus^
or facred grove, and of the temple of Vehnia, correfponds
with that of the Hide town of Pie di Luco, together with
the lake of that name. This is allb the opinion pf Varro ;
but the cataract derives its name from the firft mentioned
lake, and is called Cafcata delle Marmore.
In the vcar 1543, one Pietro Terrenatico had a very pro- Remarkable
vidential ef'cape here. He was carried down the precipice by CiCape *
the force of the current, and yet was taken out without the
leaft hurt- As h,e attributed his fafcty to the aflifr.a.nce of the
holy virgin of Loretto, the ftory, with all its circumftances,
* Seneca writes thus of a cataraft in the Nile, Ubl fcopulos <v?rbera e vit t
Journal : ? iili non ex natura fua, fed ex bijurialoci color ejl. Tandemque
elttttattu obflantia, in <vajlam altiiudinem fubitb dejiitulus cadit cum ingenti
circumjaceniium regionum jir'^itu. ' The water falls with fuch impetuo-
fity againft the rocks, that it raifes a froth : but this colour is not na-
tural, but owing to the cragginefs of the rock. At laft, having made
its way through every impediment in its courfe, it is at once precipitated
from fuch a vaft height, that all the neighbouring country echoes with
the noife of its fall. 1
U
j^o From ROME to LORETTO.
is transmitted to pofterity, being infcribed on marble at Lo-
retto in the following words :
Ego Petrus TerennaticuS) Eques & Mar ef callus e quit at us Du-
els Gaflrorum^ & cezteri equites ex Piceno ad victim Varronh
proJkifienteS) cum Nonis Martii MDXLIII. ad Vdinum lacurn
p?rveniJJemuS) & duo alii milites, Tiberius ex Gravifeis, & An-
tonius Cortonenjis a c&teris equitibus difcejjimus^ ut ilium vifere-
mus locurn^ quo fe Velinus in Nar prtecipitat. Ac non procul
indc, cum equum adaquarem, ego una cum equo in quafdam flu-
minis ariguftias incidi^ ex quibiis prcecipitem altifjirno caju^ circi-
icr videlicet centum cubitos altum^ ff Deiparte Virginis Laure-
tanee opem imflorantem^ quidam me fcopulus cxcepit incolumem^
dff rei miraculo a r bnirabundu?n atque attonitum. tjhiapropter
illico "votuni perfolvi BeatiJJimte Virgini, quam tum~ pr&fentem
propitiamqfie fum expertus, teftibus cculatis duobtts Centurionibus
Chi and o Urbevetano & Raimyndo cum univerfa equitttm ala.
'1 Petro Tcrennatico, captain in the duke of Caftro's regi-
ment of horfe, being on a march from Piceno to the town
of Varro, came to theVelinoon the 4th of March, 1543,
with my troops : Tiberio Gravifi, Antonio da Cortona,
and myfelf, leaving the reft of the regiment, went up to
take a view of the place where the Velino falls down a high
precipice into the Nar. But, as I was watering my horfe at
a fmall diftance from thecafcade, myfdf and horfe, by the
force of the current in a narrow part of the river, were
carried down the precipice to the depth of a hundred cubits.
In the extremity of my danger, as I implored the help of
the virgin mother of God of Loretto, I fell without the
Icafl hurt upon a rock, quite aftoniftied at my miraculous
prefervation. Wherefore, in gratitude to the propitious
prefence and protection of the moft blefled Virgin, which
I then experienced, I hereby difcharge the vow I then
made in the prefence of the captains Chiancio Urbevetano
an4 Raimundo, with the reft of the regiment.'
The Velino, after this fr.ll from the rock, runs into the
Nera or Nar near Xerni^ where it lofes its name.
II Mont- II Mont-Eolo lies on the other fide of Terni, fix or feven
EoJ f Italian miles from that town, and is noted for the cool air,
which, in fummer-time, proceeds from the clefts and cavi-
ties of this mountain. Miflbn tells us, that the inhabitants
of
From ROME to LORETTO. 171
of the little town of Ceffi convey the air through pipes into,
their houfes and wine-cellars.
The road from Terni to Spoletto is extremely pleafant,
being planted on both fides with olive and other fruit-trees,
as far as the Monte di Somma, which in rainy or fnowy
weather is very flippery and difficult to be crofled.
Spoletto (lands on a fteep r.cclivity, and makes but a mean Spoletto,
figure ; yet, like other paultry towns in Italy, exhibits bom-
baftic inscriptions concerning its antiquity, and many trivial
occurrences which have happened there.
One of the ga.tes of the town derives its name from Anni-
bal, the Carthaginian general, and on it 13 the following in-
fcription :
ANNIEAL Jnfcriptions
Ctefts ad Tbrafymenum Romans over the Por-
TT , J 7) y*, r . tad'Anm-
Urbem Romam infenjo agmtne petens, l, a l e>
Spdeto magna fuorum dade repulfus^
Infignifuga portcs nomen fecit.
Annibal, after defeating the Romans at Thrafymene,
' marching his army towards Rome, was driven from Spo-
' letto with great {laughter: and his flight on that occafion
* gave name to this gate.'
In the cathedral are fome paintings by Filippo Lippi Ca- Cathedral,
rini, which, after that artift had been pcifoned out of envy
in the year 1438, were finifhed by his afliftant, one Diaman-
te, a monk. He lies buried in the church, and has a marble
buftand an epitaph erected to his memory.
Oppofitc to this bufc is the monument of Giov. Francefco
Urfini, adorned with beautiful bafib-relievo's. And over the
main entrance of the church is to be feen the virgin Mary,
with fome of the difciples, in ancient mofaic work.
The caftle of Spoletto lies on an eminence, and is joined Caftle..
to the city by a bridge. From a mountain lying over-sgainft
the caftle, which takes its name from St. Francis, the water
is conveyed by an aqueduct into the town. The canal, or
aqueduct, is a beautiful work, confining of ten freeftone
arches, narrow indeed, but in the middle, on account of
the depth of the valley, it is fupported by a double arcade,
the whole height of which is between four and five hundred
feet ; but Miflbn makes it ftill higher.
Round Spoletto, and alfo about Umbria, is found a foffile Foflilewaod.
wood, which is dug up in a chalky foil ; it is porous like
other
172 From ROME to LORETTO.
Other wood, and burns to a coal. This is entirely different
from a wood growing in ibme parts of Italy, which is not
confumed after being red-hot for feveral hours. The beft
burning-glafles, which caufe a fufion even in iron and ftone,
make very little impreflion on this wood ; nor does it lofe
either colour or weight in the fire. The grain of this wood
is not unlike that of oak j but it is fomething fofter, and of a
reddifh colour. It grows foft and brittle after having been
often in the fire, and is fpecifically heavier than water, the
fmalleft bits of it finking to the bottom. Vitruvius, lib. ii.
c. 9, attributes a like fpecific gravity and incombuftibility to
the larix) which grows about the Po and the Adriatic fea :
and adds, that Julius Caefar fet on fire a town built of this
wood on the Alps ; which, however, was not confumed.
Pliny *, who clafTes this tree among the fpecies of pine and
fir-trees, afcribes the like qualities to it. I fhall enrich your
collection of natural curiofities with a piece of this incom-
buftible wood. Some of it has been found in Andalufia,
near Seville f. The linum ajbejlum found in Tranfilvania and
other parts, and of which incombuftible paper and linen are
made, is a ftone, and differs fpecifically from the above-men-
troned wood.
Fine coun- From Spoletto the road lies through a moft delightful val-
*>? ley much refembiing the country between Pifa and Flo-
rence. There is a moft enchanting profpect from the tern-
Temple of pie of Clitumnus, which lies two or three hundred paces
Clitumuus. f rom the firft ftage on this road, which is called Ja Vene.
This temple has been converted into a Chriftian chapel, un-
der the title of St. Salvadore. The front towards the plain
makes a fuperb appearance, being adorned with fix Corin-
thian pillars ; two of which are covered with a foliage of
kurel-leaves, two twifted, and the other two fquare and
fluted. On the frize are thefe words :
f 1SCS Deus Angelorum^ qui fecit refurreftionem.
4 The moft holy God, and king of angels, the author of
* the refurre&ion.'
* Hrfl.Nat. lib.-x.\\. c. TO. Excepta larice, qua nee ardet, nee carbonem
facit, nee alia modo ignis vi confumitur, quam lapides. ' Except the la-
' rue, which never flames, nor burns to a coal j nor is any more confumed
' by the force of the fire than ftones are.'
t fid Clerc EibHotbeqtie Choi/ie, torn. xii. /. 57.
On
From ROME to LORETTO.
On the right-hand, the architrave of the pillais with foli
ap-es exhibits this imperfect infcription :
scs DEFS 4POSTO
SIONEM.
On the left-hand :
Scs Deus Profetarum qui fecit recternptionetii.
' The moft holy God of the prophets, the author of re-
* demption.'
This edifice is oblong, and on the roof are the following
words cut in ftone :
t T. Septimus Plebeius.
On the fide towards the road is a crucifix, with vine-
branches twifted about it, in bafib-relievo.
This edifice having fo few marks of pagahifm, and on the
Contrary fo many figns of Chriftianity, the moft probable
conje&ure is, that this chapel was built out of the ruins of a
pagan temple 3 but whether this temple was confecrated to
Clitnmnus is another queftion, and not a little dubious : for
Pliny * places that temple near the fource of the river Cli-
tumnus, juft on the fpot where the river became navigable ;
which is not tfie cafe here. This fcruple is farther counte-
nanced by wnat Suetonius fays, chap. 43. in the life of Ca-
ligula, namely, that this emperor went to Mevania to fee
the temple of Clitumnus, and the confecrated grove. Now
Mevania is unquestionably the prefent little town of Bevag-
na, fituated on the weft-fide of the Tinia, or Timia, at the
influx of the rivers Tacarena and Rucciano into the Clitum-
* Lib. viii. ep. 8. Fans ad h#f, & jam ampliflimum flumtn atque eiiam
ttavium patiens, quas cbvias quoque & contrario nifu in diferfa tendentes,
tranfmittit & perfert : tuho e validus t ut ilia, qua proper a.t ipft, quanquam
per folurn planum, ranis -non adjuventur : idem agrrrime remit cotttifque fu-
peretur adverfus. Rigor aqua certaverit nivibas, nee color fedit.
Here it appears a fountain, and there immediately a very noble river,
fit even to receive large veffels, that pafs backwards and forwards, ac-
cording as they are bound, one way or another : the current is fo ftrong,
that vrhile the boat glides with the itream there is no necefllty for oars j
all is even as plain ground : but oars and poles are fcarce rufficient in re-
turning againft the itream. . The water is as cold as i'now, and
the colour of it is as whits.'
nus,
From ROME to LORETTO.
nus, which anciently might have retained that name as far
as the Topino *. But one of the many fmall chapels which
Pliny places in this neighbourhood may have ftood on this
fpot ; efpecially as but a few paces from it there is an excel-
lent fpringj which illuftrates the paflage of Pliny quoted ill
the note f. Obferving an infcription on free-ftone in the
bottom of this little fpring, I perfuaded fome of the peafants
to take it up, and found on it thefe imperfect words :
T. TFGALL
XVIHO FE . . IE IS
Notions of No fooner had I read thefe words, than the peafants afked
the Italians me where they fhould begin to dig; and, upon my enquiring
hWdentrea*. ^ them the caufe of fuch a queftion, they very eagerly an-
fures. fwered, Per trovare i denari ; i. e. ' To come at the pence ;'
for they expected that I was now thoroughly informed where
the treafure, which they were perfuaded lay buried in the
old temple or near jt, was to be fearched for. The com-
mon people all over Italy are ftrongly poflefred with the no-
tion that treafures are concealed in every part of the coun-
try; and, if curiofity detains a ftranger any confiderable time
among ancient buildings or ruins, they immediately fuppofe,
that it is to get an account of hidden treafures. On fuch
occafions fome caution is neceflary to be obferved, left a
perfon fhould bring himfelf into fome difagreeable adventure
* Vid. Lucan. lib.'i. & Slat. lib. i. Sylv.
, f Adjacet templum prifcum & religiofum, Stat Clitumnus ipje amiElus or-
natufquc pratexta. Prafens rmmen atque etican fatidicum indicant fortes.
Spar/a funt circa facdla complura, totidemque Dei fmnlacra : fua cuique ve-
xeratio, fuum nomcn : quibufJam ijerl etiam fontes. Nam prater ilium t
qua/i parentem c&terorum, funt minores capite difcreti ; fedflumini mifcentur,
quod ponte tranfmittitur. Is terminus fa fri profanique. In fuper'wre parti
na<uigare tantur/i, infra etiam nature concujfitm Nee defunt <villa, qute
fecutee fluminis amcznitatcm, margini itififlunt. In fumrna, nibil erit, ex
quo non capias vohtplaterti, fr. ' Ac! joining; to it is an old and awful
temple, in which the god Clitumnus itands, clcatlied and adorned with
t\\epratexia. The oracles delivered fhew the god propitious and pro-
phetic. There are little temples Scattered up and down in thefe parts,
in every one of which is the ftatue of tha deity : each has a diftincT: wor-
mip, and a particular name. Some of them have alfo fprings confecrated
to them : for belides the original fpring, which feems, as it were, the
parent of the reft, there are feveral fmaller ftrearrts, divided from the
chief fource. They mix with the river, over which a bridge terminates
the facred, and divides them from the profane places. Above the bridge
you are permitted only to go in boats j below it you are allowed to
fwim, fiff.'
by
From ROME to LORETTO. 175
by too Ion n; an indulgence of his curiofity; efpecially when
alone, and in a folitary place.
The ancients erroneoufly imagined that the great number Of the breed
of horned cattle brought from Umbria owed their white co- of whlte
i f+i-i TT r cattle in
lour to the river Clitumnus. Hence rropertius fays : thi s coun-
try.
^uaformofa fuo Clitumnus Jlumina luco
Integit i &f niveos abluit unda boves.
Prop. lib. ii. Eleg. 19. v. 25.
* Shaded with trees, Clitumnus' waters glide,
' And milk-white oxen drink its beauteous tide.'
ADDISON.
Claudian } fpcaking of the journey of Honorius to Rome,
fays :
)uin & Clitumni facras vifloribus undas,
Candida qua Latin prabent armenta triumphis,
Vifere curafuit. - - - -
CLAUDIAN. de Sexto Conf. Hon.
Next he came,
* Where fair Clitumnus rolls his facred dream,
* Whence hecatombs of milk-white oxen come,
' To grace the triumphs of imperial Rome.'
Et lavet ingentem perfufum famine facro
Clitumnus taurum, Narque albefcentibus undis
In Tibrimproperans, Tinetsque inglorius humor.
Szl. ltd. lib. viii.
* Clitumnus, that prefents its facred ftores,
To wafh the bull : the Nar's infected tide,
* Whofe fulph'rous waters into Tiber glide :
' Tinea's fmall ftream that runs inglorious on.'
ADDISON*
Hinc albl^ Clitumnc, gregcs, C2f maxima taurus
ViRima,fcepe tuo perfufi 'famine facro
Romanos ad templa Deutn ditxere triumphos.
Virg. Georg. ii. v. 468*
Tnere
176 From ROME to LOR.ETTO.
* There flows Clitumnus through theflow'ry plain;
' Whofe waves, for triumphs after profp'rous war,
* The vi&im ox and fnowy flieep prepare.
ADDISON,
Servius, in his commentary upon thefe words, fays : Cli-
tumnus autem fluvius ejl in Mevania^ qu& pars eft TJmbri&i par-
tis Tufcitf, de quo fluvio^ ut dictt Plinius in Hiftoria natural'^
animalia-f qu& potaverint^ albas foetus creant. ' Now Ciitum-
* nus is a river in Mevanfa, a part of Urnbria, which is a
' province of Tufcahy. And Pliny, in his natural hiftory,
fays, that the cattle which drinks its waters produce a
8 white breed.' Poflibly Servius has an eye to the paflage
of Pliny, (Htft. Nat. lib. ii. c. 103.) which in the common
editions runs thus : In Falifco omnis aqua pota Candidas bovci
facit. Some Editions, inftead of omnis have amnis ; and
others, though but few, read Clitumnus ; fo that Servius's
copy muft muft have been one of the latter. But, fhould
this reading be admitted, it is hard to conceive how Pliny
Ihould commit fuch a geographical error relating to a coun-
try fo near Rome, as to place the Clitumnus in the province
of the Falifci, which belonged to Hetruria : whereas nothing
can be more certain than that it is in Umbrla, betwixt Spo-
letto and Tacarena ; or more precifely in the country for-
merly called Mevania, as is evident from Pliny, Suetonius,
&c. That the Hifpellates had a public bath and houfe of
entertainment near the Clitumnus, is mentioned by the young-
er Pliny. Now Hifpellum is certainly the modern Spelloj
lying northwards, beyond the Topino, betwixt Foligno and
Affiii, and famous for the many antiquities daily discovered
there. As to the particular nature of the cattle of this coun-
try, their whitenefs is by no means owing to the water of
the Clitumno, the fame fpecies being feen in all the northern
parts of Italy ; efpecially in the Bolognefe, whither the Cli-
tumno does not direcr. its courfe. Neither does this river
alter the colour of the fwine bred near it, which in its neigh-
bourhood and all over Italy are generally black, or of a dark
brownifli colour.
The Clitumno joins the Tacarena, the Rucciano, and the
Tinia, which difcharge themfelves into the Topino, and un-
der that name mingle with the Cbiafcio, through which at
laft it lofes itfelf in the Tiber.
Not
From ROME' to LORETTO. 177
Not far from the above-mentioned temple of CJitumnus
lies the village Pefignano, or Piffignano, on the right-hand of Piffignano.
the road towards Foligno. The ancient name ofitwasPif-
cina Jani ; fo that fome have been induced to believe, that
the ruins which pafs for a temple of Clitumnus, are rather
the remains of a temple of Janus : but this conjecture wants
father fupport for its confirmation.
Trevi ftands alfo on the right-hand on an eminence ; and Trevi.
the road all the way betwixt La Vene and Foligno is upon
the level, and exceeding pleafant.
Foligno (in Latin Fulgwus} has 3. greater trade in cloth, Foiigno.
filk, and fpices than any of the neighbouring cities j and the
magnificent altar and paintings in frefco in the epifcopal
church are woith obferving. *
On the left, at the next ilage beyond Foligno, lies Affifi, Afilfi.
the native place of St. Francis, and very famous for thebeau-
fiful church belonging to the order fhftituted by that faint, in
which fome fay he is buried ; and alfo for the great number
of pilgrims refortingto it. Thofe who are not drawn hither
by devotion, will meet with fuch entertainment among the
fine paintings in this church, by Giotto, Giottino, Giovanni
imabue, Pietro Cavallino Romano, Frederico Barocci, &c.
that they cannot be difpleafed with the journey. The con-
vent of Francifcan nuns, called the nuns of St. Clare, is like-
wife worth feeing. To the fouth of Affifi, at the diftance
of an Italian mile, lies another beautiful church, called S.
Maria Portiuncula, which is alfo much vifited by pilgrims.
Near a hill, juft without Foligno, in the way to Tolen- CaftroPales.
tino, it is worth while to go up to Caftro Pales, where, be-
fldes a famous paper-mill, is to be feen the palace of the bi-
fhop of Orvietano, marquis ofElifei, to whom this place
belongs. Here is a very remarkable grotto, where the la- Grotto,
pideous exfudations have formed all kinds of ornaments, at
pillars, bunches of grapes, pears, and other fruit, which
hang down from the top. This grotto confifts of feveral
pailages and apartments, and has a communication with the
houfe. In the court are feveral infcriptions, indicating the
time when Chriftina queen of Sweden, Violanta hereditary
princefs of Florence, count Daun the vice-roy of Naples,
and other perfons of diftindtion, vifited this place, &<:.
The road from hence to Tolentino lies over the Appennine To!ontin.
mountains j but in thefe parts the roads are kept in exceed-
ing good repair ; and in feveral places {lone monuments are
erected in praife of the feveral popes, or lurveyors by whom
VOL. III. N the
178 From ROME to LORETTQ.
the roads have been made or repaired. I cannot here forbear
wiming, that, in feveral parts of Germany, the fovereigns
would affect to perpetuate their names in this ufeful manner ;
it muft be owned, however, that the houfe of Auftria has fet
them a very laudable example in its heieditafy dominions.
The villages jind inns on this road are fo mean, that it is
advifable for a traveller to carry cold provifions with him j
and efpecially fome wine, as that of the country (which is
always boiled for keeping) is not agreeable to every one'?
tafte.
Fr,om Tolentino the road leads again into a level, fruit-
ful, and well cultivated country. The profpecl: near Mace-
rata over the vallies on each fide of the road is extremely de-
Macwata. lightful. The chief gate of Macerata is built after the
manner of a triumphal arch, with three arches ; and over it
on the country fide ftands a brafs ftatue of cardinal Pio,
The town affords nothing -remarkable, and the clock-work,
which the inhabitants fo much boaft of, is but a mere bauble.
When the clock ftrikes, the three eaftern magi makes their
appearance, attended by an angel, and paffing before an image
of the virgin Mary make a reverential bow, the crowns on
their heads being lifted up. Over them a ftar is fufpended,
which afcends whilft the images are paffing under it. The
figures are but a foot high, and perform their adoration in a
very aukward manner.
Ruins of Betwixt Macerata and Recanati are to be feen the ruins
Helvia Ri- of the ancient town of Helvia Ricina, built by the emperor
Septimius Scverus. After its d.~ftruc~tion by the Goths, the
inhabitants of Recanati and Macerata found a goodfupplyof
ftones for building, among its ruins. At the laft mentioned
town the following ancient infcription hath been found :
Imp. Cesfari L. Veri. Avg. fil. divi. Pit. Nep. Divi Hadriani.
Pron. Divi. Trajan. Parth. 'Abnep. Divi. Nerua:. Adnepoti. L.
Septiniio. Severo. Pio. Pertinaci. Augufto. Arabics. Adiabenico.
Partlnco. Maximo. P. M. Tribunit. Poteft. XIII. Imp. Xf f
Cos. III. P. P. Colonia. Helvia. Ricina. Conditori. fuo'.
Recanati. From SeravaUe to Macerata the road runs along the bank
of the river Chiento ; and betwixt Macerata and Recanati
crofles the Potenza. Recanati Hands on a hill within three
miles of Loretto ; and, after paffing through the gate qf this
town, one has a glorious profpe& towards the Adriatic fea
and adjacent valleys. The aqueduct, which, according to
the
L O R E T T O. 179
the infcription on it, was built by Paul V, is nothing extra-
ordinary. But fuch is the fertility of this country, that the
Macerata artichokes are frequently known to weigh above Large arti-
twenty pounds. The Recanati celery and the Loretto fen- chokes.
aiel are alfo highly efteemed; but the latter is yet inferior to
that which grows in Sicily.
LORETTO. I ever remain, &c.
&>&C#^
LETTER LXII.
Defcription of LORETTO.
S I R,
THE Cafa Santa, or the houfe in which the virgin Ma- ,
ry is faid to have lived in Nazareth, has rendered Lo-
retto famous all over Chriftendom. It is pretended to have
been carried in the month of May, 1291, through the air
from Galilee to Terfato in Dalmatia by angels ; and four
years and a half afterwards to have been carried to Italy,
where about midnight on the icthof December, 1294, it was
fet down in a wood in the diftrift of Recanati, about a thou-
fand paces from the fea* If Turfellini may be credited, on
the alighting of this facred houfe from its aerial journey, all
the trees and fhrubs in the wood bowed with the greateft re-
verence, and continued in that pofture till at laft they
withered and decayed. It feems the remains of this pious
wood, by the brutal irreverence of the peafants, were dug up
in the year 1575 in order to improve the land*.
A rich and pious lady whofe name was Laureta, being Derivation
at that time lady of the manor, the holy houfe was from her
name called the houfe of Laureta. The road leading to this
facred houfe becoming dangerous by the cruelties of robbers,
which deterred the pilgrims from reforting thither to per-
form their devotions, at the end of a few months the angels
took it up again and removed it to a hill about a thoufand
paces nearer to Recanati. The place where it was then fu
tuated belonged to two brothers, who at firft received the
Vile Hoiatii Turfellini Hijloria Lauretana, edit, f^tntt. 1727, 8-1/0, />.
N 2
L O R E T T O.
prefent with becoming joy and gratitude : but it was not long
before the vaft profits accruing from the refort of pilgrims
to the holy houfe, and the rich offerings they made, kindled
fuch feuds betwixt them as terminated in a duel, in which
both. the brothers loft their lives.
To prevent any farther misfortunes, arid as a punifhment
to the unworthy pofiefibrs of fuch a treafure, it is pretended
tiie hply virgin again directed the angels to remove the houfe
a bow-fhot further up the country, to an eminence abo.ijt
two thoufand geometrical paces from the fea; and this is the
place where it now flands. This happened a few months
after it had been placed on the eftate of thofe bloody-minded
brothers ; and it is received as a matter of facl:, that the Cafa
Santa, within a year after its firft arrival in Italy from Dalma-
tia, fhifted its place three times in the diftriclof Recanati-
The pppifh writers are at a lofs for an anfwer to the ob-
je^rlon, chat the Cafa Santa hati been near two hundred
years in Italy before any author of that country tooic any
notice of it*. But what greatly contributed to bring the
Madona di Lorretto in vogue was the offering of a golden cup
by pope Pius II. in perfon, on which is to be feen the fol-
lowing infcription :
Pia Del Genitr'iX)
h<am\)is tua putefta? nuliis coarftetur fin'ibus, ac totum im-
phat Orbcm miraculis ; quia tanun pro volliniate fatpius uno .loco
ttUigis quam alio deletions, & Laureti tibi placitam fedem per
fingidos dies inwm.ieris Jignis iff miraaiiis exornas ; ego infelix
peccator^ mente & animo ad T'e recurro jupplex orans^ ut mihi ar-
dentem febr'im molejtijfimaque tuffim auferas, l&Jifque membris
janitatem rejlituas^ Reif, iiblicts^ ut credimus, falutarem. Interim
koc munus accipito mc<e fervitutis fignum.
Pius Papa II. Ann. hum. Sal.
MCCCCLX1V.
<< Propitious Mother of God !
Though thy unlimited power fills the whole world with
miracles; yet as thou art often pleafed to (hew thyfelf
more delighted with fome places than others, and continueft
daily by innumerable figns and wonders to diftinguifh this
thy favourite' feat at Lorettoj I, who am a miferablc
* The author's confutation of this and other miracles of the fame kind
I Tiave omitted, fmcethe bare mention of them is enough to mew the ri;
pliculous abfurdity of fuch fables, which would hardly gain credit" among
Hottentots.
* finner,
L O R E T T O. i8
finrier, run to thee for fuccour, and from the bottom of my
heart implore thy affiftance; humbly intreatir.g thee to re-
lieve me from a burning fever and a violent cough, and
likewife to reftore the ufe of my feeble limbs, as I am per-
fuaded that my recovery will be a public benefit toChriite-i-
dom. In the mean time gracioufly accept of this offering
* from thy devoted fervant, Pius II. pope, 1464.'
This offering and the omnipotence afcribed to the virgin
.Mary in the above-mentioned addrefs were however of little
effect ; for his holinefs died that very year at Ancona, and
of the fame complication of diftempers againft which he was
for procuring the virgin's affiftance, by means of .this fplen-
did offering. But Xurfellini roundly affirms, that the pope
was cured at Loretto immediately after he had finifhed his
prayer.
As to the dimenfions of the Cafa Santa, it is about forty De'cnptioh
feet in length, not quite twenty in breadth, and about f the holy
twenty-five in height, according to Turfellini ; but this au- houle>
thor is even here very inaccurate : the houfe being properly
forty-three Roman pa/mi wanting two inches in length
within the edifice, eighteen pa/mi four inches broad, and
nventy-fix palmi in height. Hence it appears that the length
is thirty-one feet and three quarters, the breadth thirteen
feet and near three inches, and the height eighteen feet and
three quarters Englifh meafure, reckoning a palmi and a
half equal to thirteen inches. In the center of the roof it
is live palmi higher than on the fides. Formerly this houfe
had only a timber cieling ; but, left by a great number of
lights continually burning here it fliould happen to take fire,
Clement VII. caufed a vaulted roof to be made. For that
end, and to ftrengthenthe foundation as well as to preventany
damage by making this alteration, it was ftrongly compacted
with rafters, boards, and ropes, and fupported by machines
till the new foundation was carried up, fo as to be joined
with the old walls of the houfe. At the fame time alfo the
door was altered : for there being only one entrance towards
the north, which was in the front ; to remedy this incon-
venience, on account of the vaft concourfe of people com-
ing in and going cut, it was thought advifable to wall this
up and make three other doors ; two for the people, and a
third opening into the holieft part of the chapel for the
clergy. Thefe breaches for the doors, by order of the
pope, were not entered upon till after a proper courfe of
N 3 fulling,
i8a L O R E T T O.
fafting, &c. For it is pretended that Nerucio the architect,,
going about it without the proper preparations, as if it had
been a common work, was feized with a fudden illnefs
which was very near proving fatal to him. The weft win-
dow oppofite to the image of the virgin was alfo enlarged
and fecured with a gilt iron -work. The rafters, boards,
tiles, and other materials that were taken away when thefe
alterations Were made, are depofited under the floor of the
Cafa Santa, that they might not be fet up as reliques in-
other places, which might prove prejudicial to Loretto.
With this view alfo the people are made to believe, and num-
berlefs inftances are alledged, that thofe- who prefume clan-
deftinely to carry away fo much as a bit of ftone or mortar
belonging to thisfacredhoule, are punifhed with difeafes and
other misfortunes, and become extremely wretched, having
no peace of mind till they bring back what they have pilfer-
ed. This is farther confirmed by (hewing a ftone faftened
with two iron braces in the wall, which John Soarius bifhop
of Conimbria, in the year 1562, fent back from Trent,,
that his health which had been impaired for taking away
that ftone might be reftored ; though he had pope Pius the
Fourth's permiffion for fo doing, and the ftone was intended
to be preferved as a relique in a new-built church in Portugal.
The people therefore rnuft be fatisfied, and even account it
no fmall favour to be permitted to kifs or lick the wall-s of the
Cafa Santa. This celebrated edifice is manifeftly built of
bricks of unequal {iz.es> though the popifh writers labour
labour hard to prove it a kind of ftone*, at prefent, no where
to be found. Thefe bricks indeed are not placed in the moft
regular order: however, fliould curiofity or devotion prompt
a perfon to carry off the leaft fragment, he would find it dif-
ficult to avoid difcovery ; the cement, as is obferved in all
old buildings, being very hard to break off. On the cieling
is painted the afliimption of the virgin Mary ; but at prefent
it is almoft obfcured by the fmoke of the great number of
lamps continually burning in this houfe.
On the top of the Cafa Santa is a little tower, which the
Roman-catholics cannot deny to have been the work of
Ghriftians ; fmce it is contrary to all probability to imagine,
that the virgin Mary had fuch a tower eredted upon her
* It would be no difficult matter to make the people believe this, wheiv
they have fwallowed the fable recited above concerning this houfe.
mean. 4 .
L O R E T T O. 183
tiiean habitation. In violent tempefts of thunder and light-
ning, they ring two little bells which are hung in the tower,
not doubting but their found will difperfe any tempeft, ar.d
prevent any ill effects from it.
There is one part of the Cafa Santa, which may be looked
tipon as the holy of holies ; for it is Separated from the other
part by a filver baluftrade and a gate of the fame metal.
This is faid to be the fpot where the virgin was fitting
when the angel Gabriel appeared to her at the time of the
annunciation. The filver baluftrade was a gift of cardinal
Portacarrero, and the gate of the fame metal of cardinal Ma-
galotti.
The window through which the angel came into the Remarkable
houfe, is fhewn on the well fide of the Cafa Santa. The window,
image of the virgin Mary, which ftaads facing it, is made ftfe*f?
cedar, and is five feet in height. The evangelift St. Luke g i n ,
(who from the number of portraits of our Saviour and his
mother, faid to be done by him, mufthave had little time to
fpare for any thing elfe) has in this piece given us a fpecimeri
of his fkill in fculptiire*. The divine infant in her right arm of Chrift.
is not quite two paltni high, and of the fame wood ; in her left-
hand me has a globe, and two fingers ori the right-hand are
erect, as if me was giving the blefling. The faces of both
images have been overlaid with a kind of fiiver lacker,
which is now become quite black with the continual fmoke
of the lamps ; fo that the virgin Mary wants only a thick
upper lip to make her a perfect negro f- The infant Jefus rj r efs.
is drefled in a flame-coloured habit, and the virgin Mary in
an azure robe, with which (he is fo rriodeftly coveredj that
* All the pieces fhewn as St. Luke's works would make a very large
collection ; but it happens that the whole pretence of the evangeiift's ficill
in painting relies upon the flender foundation of Nicepjiorus's teftimony,
and fome other (lories no lefs fuTpiciou's. The probability of it, how-
ever, vanilhes, by confidering that the ancient Jews and primitive Chri-
ftians, according to the accounts of Jofephus and Clemens Alexandrinus,
exploded painting, as highly pernicious both to the itate and religion.
This is farther confirmed by the filence of the moft ancient writers ; and
merits the more attention, as the fathers of the fecond council of Nice
make no mention of St. Luke's painting; whereas it would have mads
very ftrongly for their zeal in fupport of images. It is very probable that
St. Luke's defcriptive accoxmt of the virgin's virtues, &c. have given rife,
to this fiftion of his being a painter.
f The apocryphal book of Baruch, ch. vi. v. ai, likewife mentions
the faces of idols grown quite black with the fmokeof the lamps burning
before them Saealfo Arnobius, lib. vi. (td'tftrfitsgentes, p. 202.
N 4 nothing
184 .L O R E T f O.
nothing is to be feen of the ftatue but its face and the toea.
The mantle hanging down her ihoulders is of the fame co-
lour, powdered with golden ftars ; her hair hangs on her
Crown, fhoulders and part of her back. On her head is a triple
crown of gold, enriched with pearls and diamonds, and
another on that of the child Jelus ; both were the gift of
Lewis XIII. king of France, and valued at feventy-five
thoufand fcudi^ or crowns. On the former are thefe words
engraven :
TH caput ante menm dnxljli Virgo corona^
Nunc caput ecce teget nojlra corona iuum.
4 In return for the crown which thou,O holy virgin, didft
c beftow on me, accept of this which I have placed on ihy
* head.'
On the latter :
Chri/lus dedlt Mihi,
Cbri/lo nddo coronam.
6 Chrift gave me a crown, and I reftore it again.'
Jewels. The gold-chains, rings, and jewels with which this image
of the virgin Mary is loaded, though they make a moft
fplendid appearance, I pafs over, as they cannot be very en-
tertaining in a defcription. They are alfo fometimes varied,
. in order to ftrike the eye with fuch alterations ; and the
jewels which are taken oft at fuch times are laid up in the
treafury. Her apparel alfo is not always the fame ; for on
the feven- days of palfion-week {he is drefled in deep mourn-
ing, and complimented with a frefh fuit every day. When-
they take off or put on any part of the virgin's apparel, they
i ufe a great deal of ceremony, and low inclinations of the
body ; whilft the crouding fpe&ators lay their diftrefles be-
fore the faint with loud invocations, the violence of which
increafes as the priefts proceed in undrefling the image ; zs if
the cries of the fuppliants could fooncr touch the heart of
the virgin when naked, than when fhe is drefled in her robes.
. The fculptorhas taken care that the modefty of the priefts
Ihould not be offended with the fight of a naked female fta-
tue, by adding a proper covering. An account of forne of
the ornaments which are generally to.be leen on this pom-
pouS
L O R E T T O. i$ 5
pous image may not be difpleafing to the reader, i. Ajewel
confining of thirteen rubies, fixtv-fix emeralds, and three
hundred and fifty- one diamonds,, which was an offering of
Anne, a princefs of Heubirrg, and confort of Charles II. of
Spain. 2. A golden crucifix, with very large and beautiful
emeralds, the gift of cardinal Paolo Sfondrata. 3. Two
large pearls fet in gold, hanging at the divine infant's hand,
presented by a princefs of Darmftadt. 4. A crucifix fet with
diamonds of great value, given by cardinal Marefcotto. 5.
and 6. Two other crucifixes fet with rubies and diamonds^
.offered by the cardinals Barberini andCorfi. 7. The badge
of the golden-fleece, with a collar fet with large fapphires,
rubies, emeralds, and topazes, the gift of Catharine wife of
Gabriel Bethlen Gabor, prince of Tranfylvania. 8. A large
golden heait hanging at a gold chain fet with rubies and
diamonds, offered by Maximilian I. elector of Bavaria. 9.
A clufter of diamonds, rubies, and emeralds fet in gold, on
which is a pelican feeding her young-ones with her blood,
reprefented by a very large ruby at her breaft, an offering of
the dutchefs d'Ucceda, 10. A large emerald, fet round
with diamonds and rubies, which hangs on one of the in-
fant's hands, the gift of the dutchefs deSalviati. u. Three
admirable emeralds fet in gold, and furrounded by diamonds
and other emeralds, prefented by Violanta Beatrix, a prin-
cefs of the houfe of Bavaria, and widow of Ferdinand here-
ditary prince of Florence. The niche in which the image
{lands is adorned with feventy-one large Bohemian topazes,
the offering of the cavalier Capra.
On the right-fide of the image is an angel of caft gold, Offering on
profufely enriched with diamonds and other gems, with one t!w birth of
knee inclined, offering a golden heart embelliflied with large d j P reten "
diamonds and terminating in a flame of rubies and pearls,
with a lamp burning continually over it. This piece, which
is faid to have cofi 50,000 ducats, was offered by Maria Bea-
trix Eleanora, of the houfe ofEfte, queen of King James II.
of England, that by the intercefiion of the virgin Mary fhe
might conceive a fon. Accordingly, foon after, as it is faid,
fhe had a fon ; who has fmcemadefo much noife in Europe,
under the name of the pretender to the Britifh crown.
On the left-fide of the virgin's image is a filver angel, in
the fame reverential pofture offering her a golden heart crown-
ed, and glittering with pearls, emeralds, and diamonds, likfc-
wife terminating in a flame. This was the gift of Laura Mar-
tinozzia,
186 L O R E T T O.
tinozzia, widow of Alphonfo IV. duke of Modena, and
mother to the above-mentioned queen of England.
On the right-hand of the virgin is a filver angel, weigh-
ing three hundred and fifty-one pounds, and offering, on a
culhion of the fame metal, an infcnt of mafly gold, which
weighs twenty-four pounds*. This was the gift of Lewis
XIII. king of France for the birth of the dauphin, after-
Wards Lewis XIV. who made a much greater ftir in Europe
than the Pretender mentioned above. Many other gold and
filver images of children I omit ; though fome of the for-
mer exceed twelve pounds in weight, Here one allb fees an
infinite number of other coftly votive pieces, the enumerati-
on of which would engage me in a tedious detail.
The robe which this famous image had on, when it was
brought from Ddlmatia into Italy, is of red camlet, an4
kept in a glafs fhrine. The difti out of which it is pretended
the virgin and her divine infant ufed to eat, is fhaped like a
fhallow bowl, and of glazed earthen-ware ; but its outfide
is now plated over with filver. This trtenfil is not only
kitted ; but rofaries, medals, agnus DWs, crucifixes, and pa-
per caps painted with the image of the A/Tadonna of Loretto
are rubbed againft it, from a firm pcrfuafion that they thus
become an infallible remedy againft the head-ach and other
diforders. An ague is faid to have been perfectly cured only
by drinking a little cold water out of this difh : even the oil
and wax of the lamps and candles burning before the image,
are not without their medicinal virtues. Befides the dim,
here are other pieces of furniture, the meannefs of which
fhews the virgin's humility or low condition. Under the
image image is the hearth, or fire-place, where (he ufed to
drefs her victuals, which is now Riled facrofanflus caminus.
Lamps. Seven golden lamps are continually burning before the
imagej one of which, prefented by the republic of Venice
On account of the ceafing of an epidemical diftemper, weighs
* Dion, in his feventy-fecond hook, fays, that the emperor Commodus
was pcffeffed of a golden ftatue weighing a thouiand pounds ; but this ftill
falls very fliort of the pieces which Ptolemy Philadelphus once exhibited
to the people, as a difplay of his riches and power. Among thefe, ac-
cording to Callixenes of Rhodes, cited in Athenxus's firft book, were
two golden eagles, each of them fifteen cubits long ; one hundred golden
couches, three thoufand two hundred golden crowns; and likewife a
crown eighty cubits in height, which was placed over the entiance of the
temple of Berenice} not to mention fome other particulars almoft incre-'
thirty-
L O R E T T O. 1
thirty-feven pounds and a half. Under this hangs another,
richly fet with jewels, offered a few years fince by duke Elia
di Palma, who declared that it coil fifteen thousand ducats.
The lamp that ftands next the virgin's face, which is held by
three angels, weighs nine pounds, and is a memorial of the
devotion and Ikill of Francis Maria duke d' Urbino, who is
faid to have made this admirable piece with his own hands.
Another golden lamp, weighing twenty pounds, to be fcen
here', psffes for the work of Sigilmund king of Poland. That
which Francis II. duke of Modena offered to the virgin,
weighs eighteen pounds and a half. Among the thirty-feven
filver lamps, with which the other part of the Cafa Santa is
illuminated, feveral weigh fifty, eighty, a hundred, and four
of them a hundred and twenty-eight pounds.. For the fup-
plying of all thefe lamps with oil,, fuch legacies have been
left, or funds fettled by the perfons who prefented them,
that that they are fo far from being a charge to she Cafa
Santa, as to yield a confidcrable profit to it ; fome thoufands
of dollars being the leaft legacy left for each lamp.
The altar ftands in the middle of the partition betwixt Altar,
the fanftum fanSlorum and the other part of the chapel. It
does not intercept the full view of the image, which
ftands pretty high in the fanctuary behind the altar.
The credulous papifts affirm, that this altar was made by
the apoftles themfelves, and brought hither from Galilee a-
long with the facred houfe.
On this altar is a fquare ftone, on which St. Peter is faid
to have celebrated the firft mafs. The fplendid pattiotto, en-
riched with jafper, lapis lazuli, and agate, was the gift of
Cofmo II. great duke of Tufcany.
Over the window, through which the angel Gabriel
came into the virgin's houfe at the annunciation, ftands st
picture of the crucifixion, pretended to be brought by the
apoftles into this houfe, and to have been by St. Luke.
The prefent new floor of the Cafa Santa confifts of fquare
pieces of red and white marble. The walls feem to have
been formerly plaftered with mortar ; part of which, with
the protrait of the virgin Mary, and a groupe of angels
painted on it, is ftill remaining.
Notwithstanding the mean appearance of the walls within,
the outfide of the Cafa Santa is moft elegantly adorned with
the fineft marble ; but it is fo contrived, that the marble ftruc-
ture ferves only as a cafe for it, leaving afmall interval betwixt
it and the brick walls of true Cafa Santa.- This is partly to
be
i88 L O R E T T O.
be attributed to the veneration entertained for thofefacred ma"-
terial.s, and partly from an apprehenfion that they would not
have fuffered the new and unhallowed marble to be in con-
ta<Sl with them; but would have repelled it with fuch violence,
as to endanger the lives of the workmen. This (according
to tradition) formerly happened to fome builders, who, out
of an indifcreet zeal, were going about to ftrengthen thefe
facred walls by fome new additions.
The above-mentioned marble cafe was begun in the year
1514* in the pontificate of pope Leo X. and confecrated in
the year 1538, by Paul III. The expence of it at that time,
when labour was cheap, amounted to twenty-two thoufand
ducats, exclufive of twenty marble ftatues, and four brafs
doors of curious workmanmip, which have been fince ad-
ded, and muft have coft an immenfefum*. The moft cele-
brated fculptors of that age, as Andrea Sanfovino, Fran-
cefco Sangalli, Domenico Lamia, Nicolo de Pericoli, Bia-
gio Bandinelli, Giovanni della t Porta and his brother Ta-
mafo, Girolamo Lombard! with his brother Aurelio, Rafaelle
da Monte Lupone, il Mofca Fiorentino, Nic. Tribulo, Con-
tucci, &V. feem to have emulated eachocher in this noble ftruc-
ture. It is about fifty feet in length, thirty broad, and about the
fame height. No meaner materials than the whiteft Carrara
marble have been employed in this building. The two long-
er fides are adorned with twelve Corinthian pillars, and
the other two fides with eight. The intervals between the
Finebafib- pillars, are filled with baflb-relievo's finely executed, repre-
relievo'a. fenting the moft remarkable incidents in the life of the bleC-
fed virgin, ten ftatues of the prophets, and above thefe the
ten fibyls. Among the prophets on the fouthfide, David,
with the head of Goliah at his feet, is greatly admired by
all connoiffeurs ; and on the northfide, in a groupe reprefent-
ing the efpoufals of the virgin Mary, a boy playing with a
dog, whilft his mother, with a child in her arms, 'looks at
him with a countenance full of maternal tendernefs and com-
placency, cannot be viewed without pleafure. This piece
was defigned and begun by Contucci, and finifhed by Raphael ,
da Monte Lupone and Nicolo Tribulo. In the baflb- relievo
that exhibits the extraordinary conveyance of the Cafa Santa
* The Cafa Santa has indeed four doors, but one of them is. a falfe
door ; for there are but three entrances cut through the wall. The brafs-
work is faid to be done by Girolamo Lombardi.
through
LORE T T O.
through the air, the expreffion in a peafant driving his afs
before him is ftrong and natural. This is the joint work of
Tribulo and Sangalli. Under this piece is the following in-
fcription :
Cbrijiiane Hofpcs^ qui pietatis causa hue advemjli, facram
Laurciani ezdem vides dtvtnis myjienis & miracuhrum gloria toto
Or be terrarum venerabilem. tile fan clijjlma Dei Genitrix Ma-
ria in Lucem edita. Hie ab angelo faiuiata. Hie ester ni Del
Verbum Caro faSlum eft. Hanc Angeli primum a Paleftina ad
Illyrium adduxere adTerfanftian Gppidum annofaluthMGGXCl.
Nico/aa IV. fummo Pontifice. Pojiea initio Pontificate Eonifa-
di VIII. in Piccnum iranjlata prope Recineiam urbem in bujus
col'is nemorc cadcm angelorum opera collocata ; ubi loco intra ann't
fpaiium ter ccnimittato, hie poftre?no fedcm dlvinitus fixit anno ab-
hinc CCC. Ex eo tempore tantte ftupendte rei novitate vicinis po-
p:t/is ad admirationem commotis, turn deinceps miraculorum fama
hnge lateque propagatd^ Sanfta btzc dciims rnagna apud omnes gen-
ies vcneratione habila^ cujus parietes nullis fundamentis fubnixi^
poft tot feculorum estates integri Jlabilefque permanent. Clemens
VIII > Pontifex Maximus in hoc marmoreo lapide infcribi jujjit.
Anno Domini MDXCV.
e Chriftian ftranger, whom devotion has brought hither,
thou feeft here the facred houfe of Loretto, which by its
divine myfteries, and the fame of its miracles, claims the
veneration of the whole world. In this houfe the moft
holy Mary, mother of God, was born; here flie was vi-
iitcd by the angel; here the WORD of the eternal God
was made FLESH. This facred houfe was firft brought
by angels from Palefline to the town of Terfati in Illyria,
in the year of the Chriftian ^Era 1291, and in the ponti-
ficate of Nicholas IV. Afterwards in the beginning of
the pontificate of Boniface VIII. it was removed by angels
a fecond time acrofs the feas, and placed in a wood near
Recanati : and laftly, after changing its fituation three
times within the fpace of a year, it was at length, by di-
vine appointment, fixed on this hill, about three hundred
years fince. From that time the reputation of this facred
houfe has been continually increafing by the univerfal won-
der raifed among the neighbouring Hates by fo remarkable
an event, and likewife by the fame of its miracles, which
have attracted the veneration of the whole world. Its
walls, though without any foundation, after fuch a fuc-
4 ceflion
i 9 o L O R.E T T O.
' ceilion of ages, ftill remain found and intire. This in-
* fcription was cut in marble, and put up by order of his ho-
' lineis Clement VIII. in the year of Chrift 1595.'
The Cafa Santa could not be truly faid to (land without a
foundation in the time of pope Clement VIII. which (ac-
cording to Turiellini, p. 138-) had been laid by pope Cle-
ment VII.
Cafeofttie The edifice which inclofes the holy houfe was defigned by
fcoly houfe. Bramante. Sanfovino, Tnbulo, and Andrea Contucci de-
figned the fculpture, and alfo executed the greateft part. It
was at laft compleated in the year 1579, and Gregory XIII.
had the honour of putting the finifhing hand to this fuperb
work. It ftands in the middle of a beautiful and fpacious
church, which preferves it from the injuries of the weather.
The pilgrims, in their firft proceflion, generally walk round
the Cafa Santa on their knees, though they are under no par-
ticular injunctions to do this ; for the manner of their per-
forming their devotions here is left to the dictates of their
blind zeal.
Kopcrfbnto No perfon is permitted to enter the houfe with a fword,
nter the or an y o ther weapon, which muft be delivered to an eccle-
witharms. fiaftic, who fits over-againft the door of the fancluary, and
receives the little pecuniary prefents which are made for the
benefit of the church. A fcudi is a fufficient gratuity for a
company of two or three perfons, and the like fum muft be
given at feeing the treafury : but the offerings of the pil-
grims are very confiderable, and may without exaggeration
be computed at many thoufands of ducats annually.
The extraordinary worfhip paid by the Romanifts to the
virgin Mary is fufficiently known : and as the veneration for
rcliques has been, in the laft century, carried to the higheft
pitch, it may eafily be conceived what a concourfe of peo-
ple mult be continually reforting to a houfe in which the vir-
gin Mary was born, brought up, efpoufed, and lived after
marriage j in which alfo the incarnation of Chrift was made
known to her, where {he was overfhadowed by the Holy
ijjhoft, and laftly, where our Saviour himfelf palled a great
part of his life. From this laft circumftunce, fome Roma-
riifts, when afked why this relique only, preferably to any
other memorial of the evangelical hiftory, efpecially the ho*-
jy fepulchre, was brought away from the infidels by the
rniniftry of angels, and removed into Europe ? alledge for
anfwer, that, among other rcafons, it was owing to that na-
tural
L O R E T T O. 191
fural fpndnefs which our Saviour retained for the houfe in
which he had pafled many pleafant hours in his child-
hood, fcfc.
The number of pilgrims who vifited this place in a yearNumberof
has formerly amounted to two hundred thoufand ; but the re- P ll g|' irns a* 1 *
Formation has given a fevere blow to the (ale of indulgences j nua
and even among thofe who ftill adhere to the Romifh church
the zeal for tirefome pilgrimages has cooled, or run into o-
ther channels j fo that at prefent the number of pilgrims re-
pairing hither annually, for devotion, feldom exceeds forty
or fifty thoufand. It is not many years fmce nine thoufand
happened to be at Loretto at one time j and what a confu-
fion fuch a number muft occafion in this little town, may
eafily be conceived. Some pilgrims come afoot, fome ride
on afles or horfes. The female pilgrims who can afford it,
generally travel to Loretto in a carriage ; and, as large com-
panies often journey together, many droll incidents happen
on the road. As foon as they enter the fuburbs, at the foot
of the hill, they fet up a finging, which continues till they
reach the church. If the company be too large, the cere-
mony of going round the Cafa Santa on their knees is omit-
ted j and they are obliged to exprefs their devotion in fome
other manner. The poorer fort of pilgrims are received in-
to an hofpital, where they are provided with beds, and bread
and wine every morning and evening for three days. The
greateft concourfe is feen here in May, June, and part of
July, and likewifein September; for it feemsPaulusa Sylva
was informed in a vifion that the virgin Mary was born on
the eighth day of that month.
The large church, in which the cafe of the Cafa Santa Church,
ftands, as if it was under a tent, is built of Iftrian ftone,
which refembles the Travertino ftone ufed at Rome. The
front is entirely of marble, and embelliflied with very fine
fculpture ; and over the portal is a ftatue of the holy virgin,
by the ingenious Lombardi. The three doors on this fide
of the church are of bronze with beautiful bafib-relievo's, re-
prefenting different hifcories of the Old Teftament ; thefe
are likewife the work of Lombardi. Over the middle door
are thefe words :
Damns Deipara y in qua Verbum Carofattum eft.
, The houfe of the mother of God in which the word
e was made flefh.'
Befides
102 LORE T T O.
Altars and Befides the altar of the annunciation which {lands on the
fine paint- ^fl. ftfe o f tne cnu rch without the Cafa Santa, there are
reckoned in the church about nineteen other altars and cha-
pels, in which Peregrino Tibaldo, Annibal Caracci, Frede-
rico Barocci, Frederico Zuccari, Gafparino, Giovanni Bag-
lioni, Simon Vouet, Girolamo Mutiani, Francefco Orvieta,
Lorenzo Loth, Filippo Bellini d'Urbino, Giovanni Battifta
de Montenuovo, Francefco Mi nichio di Forli, ancl other ce-
lebrated artifts, have given Ipecimens of their uncommon
to.
The fetters of fourthoufand Chriftians, who, by the na-
val victory at Lepanto in the time of pope Pius V. in 1571,
were releafed from Turkifh flavery, afforded materials to
make" the iron grates at the front of the feveral chapels in this
church. The great cupola is fupported by eight large pilaf-
ters ; and in it is painted the aflumption and glorification of
the virgin Mary, painted by Chriftopher Roncalli, other-
wife called il Cavaliere PomaranciQ. This cupola is covered
on the outfjde with a hundred and thirteen thoufand pounds
of lead *.
Font. The font Hands in a feparate chapel and coft fixteen thou-
fand fctidi. It is of bronze and embellifhed with beautiful
baflb-relievo's, reprefenting fcriptural hiftories. The bafon
ftands on four angels, and. over it is the baptifm of our Sa-
viour by John the Baptiir. It is the work of Verzelli da
Camerino.
Cardinal On the beautiful marble monument of cardinal Gaetarji is
Gaetani's the following infcription :
monument.
N ICO LAVS GAETANVS, Cardinal^
Gentilis Papts Bonif, Fill, cum fub. id tempus, quo
caturn iniit, janclam bane donnim hie tandem divinitus
& multa fe a Deo Opt. Max. B. Firg. Deiparte precilus obtlnu-
iffe memlnijjet^ fperans ejujaem opein, morlenti non defuturam^
monumentum hoc marrnoreum vivens & incolumis ftbi faciendum
ciiravit, atquein eo, ubi mortalitatem exuijfit,, corpus faum recondi
voluit, ann. aqens LIV. Ob'iit annos natus ferine LX. Ann,
$al. hum. MDLXXXP. Meufe Ma jo.
( Nicholas Gaetini, cardinal Sermoneta, domeftic chap-
* lain to pope Boniface VIII, calling to mind, that about the
* Vide LeGlorie mnefiofe del SaMturario di Loretto, publifhed in o&5\o
jft Macerata by Baltafar JBartolini.
* tim?
L O R E T T O. t93
time in which he entered into holy orders, this fccred ho
had by divine appointment been fixed on thisfpot; ant!
that he had received many favours from the Almighty by
the interceflion of the bleflsd virgin mother or God; in
hopes that her afliftance would not be wanting to h.m In
his laft moments, whilft alive and in his health, caufed
this marble monument to be erected, in the 54-th rear of
his age, for the receptacle of his body, when lie ihould
put off mortality. He died in the month of May 1585,
when he had almoft reached the fixtieth year of his age.'
The remains of this cardinal were brought hither from
Rome, where he died, and on his tomb-ftone is this in-
fcription :
Hie fabitabo, quonlam clegl earn .'
Here will I dwell, becaufe I have chofen her."
The pavement of the church confirms of fquare pieces of"
white and red marble.
Here are feveral confeflionals with fuperfcriptions over Con fefllo-
them, fignifying in what language ftrangers may corifefs at nals >
any of them, and receive ablolution. . Upwards of twenty
Jefuits are appointed as conftant confefTors ; and among thefe
a perfon of any European nation at leaft may find one who
undeiftands his native language. Formerly the Carmelite
monks had the care of the Cafa Santa, and it was promifed
them by pope Innocent VIII, as they alledged, that they had,
for a long time before, been in pofleflion of it, whilft the
hbufe ftood in Galilee. This allegation was further confirm-
ed by the depofition of a female demoniac*. But thefe fa-
thers having for the fpace of nine years quitted not only
their function, but the town of Loretto alfo, on account of
its unhealthfulnefs, pope Leo X. inftituted canons in their Canons,
ftead, with a cardinal as prefident over them ; and at laft
pope Sixtus V. fettled a bifhop here. The air of this place
owes its prefent falubrity to pope Clement VII. who caufed
feveral little eminences to be levelled, woods to be cut down,
and the moralles to be drained.
* Turfellin. p. 104. This demoniac was a native of Grenoble, from
vyhom information was received concerning the ipot en which the virgia
Mary and the angel flood at the annunciation,
VOL. III. O On
I 9 4 L Q R E T T O.
chaplains* On account of the many mafles partly founded for ever*
and partly well paid for and faid here daily on particular occa-
fions, the CafaSanta maintains near eighty chaplains, who, with
the canons, beneficiaries, and eccleliaftics that came to Lo-
retto out of devotion, conftantly perform this eflential part
of the Romifli religion. The number of mafles, daily faid
in the Cafa Santa and in the great church where it ftands,
amount to a hundred and twenty-three, and in the whole
year to forty-four thoufand eight hundred and ninety-five.
Emuch The eunuchs, who fing the offices in the choir of the
pricfts. Holy Chapel, likewife fay mafles here ; and on fuch occafi-
ons carry their tefticles about them in a little box, wifely cort^
eluding, according to mathematical calculation, that the
fractions T 9 <?o and TSC are always equal to an integer. No
fuch practice however is known at Rome - t but in the northern
parts of Italy it is very common.
The priefts of Cybele the mother of the gods, according
to Lucian de Dea Syria, were eunuchs ; and the indifpenfable
qualification for performing the rites of the faid goddefs was,
Per trifle vulnus, perque [ettum dedecus ;
' A grievous wound and an infamous caftration,'
as Prudentius exprefles it.
Mutilated Eunuchs faying mafs, however, is not contrary to the pa-
p f r ' ex ~ pal laws, which exclude from the prieftood only fuch muti-
cluaed from \ . / , , M ' i i 1-1 11-1
holy orders. ' ate d perfons as have voluntarily and deliberately deprived
themfelves of their virility, a finger, a foot, or an eye*.
But if any fuch thing has happened to a perfon in his child-
hood, or involuntarily, or by the direction of phyficians,
it fliall not difqualify him for holy orders f. As to the lofs
of the left eye, which is called oculus canonis, the reafon af-
figned for rejecting a candidate on that account is, that a
prieft who wants that eye when he reads mafs, is obliged, at
laying Domiuus vobifcum, the Lord be with you,' to turn his
head^.Thofe who are deprived of any member, either by their
* c.pecnitentes ^ t c.Jiquis abfcidit 4., c. gut par tern f> t c.lator. n,c.Ji
Evangflica 13, difr. 55.
f Ditt. c.Jiquis abfeiditc. 1,3,^ 5, corp.vitiat.ord.c.fiquisamfdidsj,
lift. 55 . Nijifit elufcatus c.fin. dift. 55 . qtiia talis mmquam ordinarj potf/t.
J A certain ignorant prieft, who had loft one eye, looking round, and
obferving only a fingle perfon prefent at mafs, thought he had done migh-
ty well in faying Dominus tibifcum,
own
L O R E T T 0. 195
own hand, deiire, or fault, muft have a difpenfatlon previ-
cufly to their admittance into holy orders. Where the ?ni-
nutite of the canon Jaw are fo cautioufly obferved, it were to
be wifhed that fome attention were paid to more important
precepts, founded both in natural and revealed religion ;
and that the Italian clergy could more ferioufly coniidcr and
put in execution the canons de vita & hone/late cleric, as alfo
de eticef. prelat. which deprive incumbents of their benefices
ob mafcu/am Venerem.
Formerly the walls of the church at Loretto were covered
with multitudes of pictures and votive pieces ; fome of
wood, others of wax or brafs : bur, befides the coarfenefs of
the performance and meannefs of many of them, they very
much darkened the church ; and therefore, in 1673, the far
greater part of them were removed, and the filver and gold
tablets employed to better ufes. Near the Cafa Santa in this Riaiculou
church is ftill to be feen the piclure of a prieft offering his en- fable,
trails to the virgin Mary. The occafion of putting up this
picture, according to the infcription under it, is as follows :
This prieft, by birth a Dalmatian, lived at the beginning of
the fixteenth century, and had always entertained the high-
eft veneration for the Madonna di Loretto ; being taken
priforrer by the Turks, and ftrongly folicited to abjure the
Chriftian religion, he not only withftood their menaces and
promifes,but to vex the infidels never ceafed catling upon the
name of Chrift and the virgin Mary, till he was aflctd the
reafon of fuch loud and continual invocations. His anfv/er
was, that, thofe names being engraven in the inmoft receiles
of his heart, he could not forbear it. And when they
threatened to tear his heart and entrails out of his body, if
he did not immediately renounce Chrift and Mary, he replied,
that the firft was in their power, but that it was impoflible
to take away Chrift and Mary from him. Upon this, the
Turks immediately put their threatenings in execution. The
Dalmatian prieft in the midft of his torture ftill perfifted in
calling upon MaTy with a loud voice, and promifing a pil-
grimage to Loretto. As he lay expiring, they put his heart
and entrails, which they had torn out of him, into his hands,
l.ircaftically telling him, that he mi^ht nov/ go and perform
his promife, and carry that offering to Loretto.
They had no fooner fpoke but the martyr immediately fet
out with his heart and entrails in his hand, and at length
arrived at Loretto 5 where having (hewed his empty thorax,
O 2 and
i 9 6 L O R E T T O.
and offered his entrails, &c. and after relating the whole af-
fair, and receiving the facrament, he died in an ecftacy of
joy. The Jefuit Terfellini, in his Hijloria Lauretana^ lib. ii.
. 18, adds, that thefe entrails hung a long time in the church
as memorials of the miracle ; but, that decaying by length
of time, a reprefentation of them cut in wood was put in
their place. Thefe wooden entrails however were after-
wards removed by order of Paul III, becaufe the common
people began to entertain a greater veneration for them than
even for the virgin Maryherfelf. Terfellini's words are, ^uia
rujlicani homines Lauretanum templum ingrejji^ animis tali fpec-
taculo occupathy Deiparam fegniore colebant cura y tandem ea
[exta] tolll placuit.
Of the many fabulous ftories related herewith the greateft
.air of truth, many of which are made public in printed nar-
ratives, I (hall only mention one more, concerning a votive
piece fent hither from the Netherlands in the year 1586.
This was a wax taper weighing three hundred pounds. The
donor of this remarkable gift was a Flemifli officer in the
duke of Parma's troops, who, being once fent with eight
others of the cavalry to reconnoitre the enemy, fell into an
ambufcade, and was attacked by a body of three hundred
men, horfe and foot. Under fo vaft a difparity, the Flemifli
officer addrefled himfelf to the holy virgin, who infpired
him and his handful of men with fuch courage and vigour,
that they not only maintained a {harp action for two hours,
till relief came ; but at "laft entirely routed the enemy. In
this hot action not one of the nine heroes, nor even of their
horfes, received any wound. The votary fent the above-
mentioned taper to Loretto to burn there on certain days be-
fore the Cafa Santa ; and likewife a fum of money, the in-
tereft of which was to procure fuch another candle when this
{hould be burnt out, without fo much as mentioning his
name ; which piece of humility may to fome appear no lefs
extraordinary than his victory *.
veftry. On the fouth fide of the great church ftands the veftry,
which is peculiarly appointed for thofe priefts who officiate
Paintings, in the holy houfe. The paintings in it are by Raphael, An-
drea del Sarto, Parmegiano, Frederico Barocci, Guido
Rheni, Mutiano, Tintoretto, Paolo Veronefe, Tearini,
Treaiury. Schidpni, Cantarino, and Fanelli. Adjoining to this veftry
is a large faloon, the cieling of which was painted by Po-
* Turfellini, 1'ib, v. c. 18.
merancio,
L O R E T T O. 197
merancio, and the pavement is inlaid with marble of various
colours. This apartment contains a treafure worth many
millions, confifting of the moft valuable jewels and offerings
made to the virgin Mary, which are not ufed in decking out
her image. It is remarkable, that this prodigious treafure
has been accumulated within thefe three centuries ; for all
the gifts and donations belonging to the Cafa Santa, in the
year 1470, amounted to no more than fix thoufand ducats.
Thefe jewels, &c. are kept in fhrines within the wall,
which are fecured with clofe grates, and cannot be viewed
without aftonimment. In the middle of each grate is the
figure of a cock. The ecclefiaftics who attend on Grangers
here, have a wand with which they point to every piece as
they give an account of it : the fame method is alfo obferved
in the fanctuary of the holy houfe. To enumerate every par-
ticular piece of this immenfe treafure would be almoft impof-
fible ; and I believe it will be more to your fatisfacfron that I
confine myfelf to the moft remarkable curiofities to be feen
here, which are as follows :
1. The crown and fceptre enriched with jewels, which Moft re-
queen Chriftina, after her abdication of the throne of Sweden, ^"f^W*
brought hither and offered to the virgin Mary. Loretto.
2. A golden crown fet with rubies, pearls, and diamonds.,
prefented by a princefs of Ragotzi.
3. Two branches of coral near a foot and a half high.
4. A crown of lapis-lazuli.
5. A crown of agate.
6. A robe which Ifabella a princefs of the houfe of Bour-
bon, and queen to Philip IV. king of Spain, brought hither,
and had fitted for the Madonna di Loretto. It is enriched
with fix thoufand fix hundred and eighty-four diamonds.
7. An emerald four times as big as a man's head, in.
which, as in a matrix, are to 'be feen a great many fmaller
emeralds inclofed. For this valuable natural curiofity,
which was offered to the virgin by Philip IV, king of
Spain, an Englifh gentleman offered ninety thoufand fcudi,
or crowns.
8. In another fhrine is a very large amethyft fet in gold,
but not fo big as the emerald before-mentioned.
9. A chain of the golden fleece prefented by the fr me king
Philip, which is fet with fo many fine rubies, pearls, and dia-
monds, that it deferves to be reckoned one of the moft va-
luable pieces in this treifury.
O 3 10. A
L O fc E T J CX
10. A golden candleftic fet with rubies, opals, emeralds,
pearls, and diamonds, weighing twenty-three pounds, and
of very curious workmanihip, offered by prince Camilio
Pamfili.
11. A crown fet with pearls and rubies, prefented by the
above-mentioned princefs of Ragotzi.
ii. A miffal, the cover of which is adorned with twelve
large topazes, given by Ferdinand II, great duke of Flo-
rence.
13. A pearl looked upon as invaluable, and, the moft ex-
traordinary jewel in this treafury ; nature itfelf (as is pretend-
ed) having delineated on it the holy virgin, fitting on a
cLud,, and" holding the infant Jefus in her arms. To this
fcrt has contributed nothing, as pearls will not admit of it;
but it muft alfo be allowed, that imagination muil ftrongly
afUft the eye t0 make out any diftincr. figure on it. However,
this pearl (the donor of which has out of humility concealed
his name) is, by reafon of its extraordinary fize, very valu-
able. Sir Hans Sloan of London is pofiefled of a fine pearl,
to which feveral others are concreted in the form of a
bunch of grapes *. Pieces of marble plainly reprefenting
Apollo and the Mules have been difcovered by the ancients.
JPliny (Hi/1* NO'- lib. xxxvi. c. 5.) mentions a reprefentation
pf Silenus found in a block of Parian marble.
14. A pe?.rl of the bignefs of a pigeon's egg, prefented by
the marquis del Vafto, one of the chief commanders under
Charles V.
15. A piece of virgin gold, as it came out of the mine,
weighing eleven ounces.
10. A fet of altar-furniture of amfjer, with a palliotto^ t$c.
fet wkh between fix and feven thoufand pearls, befides dia-
monds and rubies, and valued at two hundred thoufand
Crowns. This was fent as an offering, in the year 1630, by
Catharine Zamoifcia, dutcbefsoi Oflrog, the high chancellor
pf Poland's lady.
* This \<? not the firft time our author has made mention of Sir Hans
Sloan's Mufeuni : and indeed tht value and magnificency of it is fo great,
that for fometime paftthe learned world has been in expectation that an afl
of parliament would pafs, to prevt nt the cnriofities in it from being dif-
pericd, after the deceafe of its worthy poiFcflTor. [This twfeum, after the
death of Sir Hans Sloan has been purchafed by the public, according to
ii! of parliament, and is now called :l.e Biilifo Muff ion.]
17. Another
L O R E T T O. 199
17. Another complete fet of altar-furniture, with a cruci-
fix, the canopy, veftments, &c. all fet with coral, and pre-
fented a few years ago by prince Avellini of Naples.
18. The imperial eagle fet with diamonds.
19. The fame entirely made of diamonds, with a brilliant
of an uncommon fize and luftre on the breaft, which is of
the fineft water in the whole treafure. This work, with the
golden fleece appendant to it, which is likewife enriched with
valuable diamonds, is one of the fineft pieces in the whole
treafury, and was the offering of the emprefs Mary, mother
to the emperor Leopold I.
20. A (hip of gold, being a votive piece of a princefs of
Mansfeldt, who imagined, that, by the afliftance of the virgin
Mary, fhe was faved in a fhipwrec.
21. The virgin's ftatue of amber, on a pedeftal of gold.
22. A diamond weighing feventy-three grains, offered by
prince Carlo Doria.
23. Two filver candleftics, one weighing a hundred and
nine, the other a hundred and twelve pounds, prefented by
cardinal Paulufi d'Altieri.
24. The imperial eagle, of gold, flying into the virgin
Mary's lap, enriched with diamonds and pearls, prefented in
the year 1700 by prince Vafto.
25. Two golden candleftics, inlaid with agate, chryfo-
lite, lapis-lazuli^ hyacinths, and topazes, of excellent work-
manfhip, prefented two years ago by Violanta Beatrix, he-
reditary princefs-dowager of Florence, of the houfe of Bava-
ria, on her coming to Loretto.
26. A filver oftenforium^ fo weighty as fcarce to be carried
by a fmgle man, the gift of the fame princefs.
27. A large golden crucifix, enriched with fix fapphires of
an extraordinary fixe, and a great number of diamonds, the
offering of cardinal d'Acugna of Portugal.
28. The pretender to the crown of Great-Britain, coming Pretender'*
to Loretto fome years fince with his lady, offered a golden offering,
angel about a foot in height; which the virgin fhould look
upon as an inftance of extraordinary devotion, as he could
but ill afford fuch coftly prefents.
29. 30. Two regal crowns, one enriched with pearls, the
other larger, and richly fet with diamonds, both tokens of
the great refpect which the above-mentioned princefs Ra-
gotzi bore to the virgin Mary.
31. A beautiful goblet of lapis-Jazull on an emerald ftand,
embellifhed with three golden fytrns, eight diamonds, ten
O 4 pearls,
soo LORE T-T O,
pearls, and twelve rubies : the cover is of rock-cryftal jet
with large rubies and diamonds. This was the gift of Hen-
ry III. of France, with a view of obtaining from the mother
of God an heir to his crown, as is exprefled mthefe words on
the pedeftal of the cup :
Ut qu<x prole iua Mundum Reglna bcafti,
Et Regnum & Regem prole beare veils.
fjenricus III. Franc. & Polon. Rex Chr'i/lianijf.
Anno MDLXXXIV.
e That thou, O adorable queen, who haft blefled the
* world by thy offspring, wilt be pleafed to bjefs the king
e and kinedorn with royal iffue, this is offered by his moil;
* Chriftian majefty Henry III, king of France and Poland.
' 1584-'
This rich offering, however, did not procure the defired
effe<a.
32. A filver flatue, weighing a hundred and fifty-three
pounds, given by Adelaide elecirefs of Bavaria.
33- A g '^ r ' n g> ^" et w 'th a m ft beautiful emerald, put
jnto the offering-box by a perfon unknown, with this billet
fattened to it ;
Virgo Singularity
Mites fac CSf cajhs^
Amir, qui femper ard.es ^
Et nunquam extingueris y
Accende me^
Sufeipe me Jervum tuutn B.
f O thou, of virgins the moft extraordinary, render them
* mild and chafte ; and thou, Love, whole bright flames
* are never cxtinguilhed, inflame me, and accept thy
fervant B.'
The meaning of this petition I leave to be unriddled by
Others.
34. A large golden heart, enriched with diamonds, in
which is a reprefentation of two diamond eyes of curious
york'Ttz.nlhip. Thefe were the offerings of ChrifUna dutchefs
of Savoy.
The number of fuch votive pieces fet with jewels is above
three hundred, exclufive df the finale jewels often fent
or
L O R E T T O. 201
or put into the box, without mentioning the votary's
name.
35. A large filver altar.
36. The city and citadel of Nancy in Lorrain, of filver
chafed, three fpans and a half in breadth, and betwixt five
and fix in length.
37. The Baftile, in filver, fent hither by the prince of
Conde; likewife a reprefentation of the cities of Milan, Fer-
rara, Bologna, Afcoli, Fermo, Recanati, Ancona, Monte
Santo, Sarnano, Saverne, &c. alfo the entire lordfhip of
Montalto, all of filver, which I think may be called the
moft valuable geographical collection in the world.
Some part of it has been put into three other veftries,
where are alfo kept the twelve apoftles in filver, altogether
weighing four hundred and twenty-five pounds, or eight
hundred and fifty marks, with an incredible number of other
filver and gold ftatues, &c. The fil vei pieces are not ufually
{hewn to ftrangers, as they make too mean an appearance
among the more coftly and valuable jewels ; although the
prodigious number of fuch pieces makes fome amends for
the bafenefs of the metal, when compared to the reft.
It is, however, not improbable that a great number of Votive
tablets and votive pieces, that make no great fhew, are con- P leces mel t-
tinually melted down and fent to the mint. The fuperflu- ed down "
ous jewels alfo, which are not employed, in ornaments, are
converted into money, for a better ufe ; efpecially if they
have been offered by perfons long fince dead ; or, if from
other circumftances, no further enquiry after them is to bej
apprehended. This I know, that foreign jewellers find their church
account in vifiting the convents in Italy, and get many aj ewe ' s c' an *
valuable jewel for a fmall fum of ready money, which the ^^^el
monks are very fond of ; fecrecy being ftri&ly enjoined on by monks,
both fides. Poffibly in many convents, &c. the number of " f
jewels is kept up, and only an exchange is made of a fine
ftone for a lefs valuable one, with fome allowance. This is
a kind of embezzlement which a fhort fpace of time puts be-
yond the pofiibility of a detection.
In the above-mentioned Sara del Teforo, on aftone in the Miraculous
pavement is infcribed the date 1626, as a memorial of a thief, difcovery of
who, in that year, found means to convey himfelf into this 8 thief *
place, fo proper for him to exercife his trade in ; but the
pavement, as it is faid, immediately opened, and fwallowed
him up to his waift, fo that, being unable to ftir, he was
taken, and fuffered the punifliment of his intended facrilege.
Others
202 L O R E T T O.
Others relate this ftory with fome additional circumftances :
however, the defign of them all is to deter people from any
future attempt, by citing fuch dreadful examples of judg-
ments infli&ed on the facrilegious.
The people of Loretto, whatever reafon they may have to
depend on the invifible protection of the virgin Mary, efpe-
cially as to what concerns the treafury confecrated to her,
do not think it advifable to put it to the trial : for the win-
dow of the treafury is not only fecured with a ftrong grate,
Fortifica- but the city is alfo fortified. Thefe fortifications, according
tions. to an infcription on one of the baftions, were built in the
year 1521, in the pontificate of pope Leo X, and are indeed
a fufficient fecurity againft any fudden attack of pirates, but
otherwife of little importance j for in many places the
houfes fupply the place of walls.
The Turks Loretto is generally without a garrifon, fo that it feeras
do not en- fomething ftrange the Turks have not made greater efforts
^akTthem ^ or ett ' n o ' nto their hands the precious booty kept there
feives ma- than they have hitherto done. It can hardly be their reve-
fters of Lo- rence to the virgin that reftrains them ; though the people
It "* of Loretto pretend, that even the Turks, in any extremity
at fea, have often recourfe to her, and exprefs their acknow-
ledgments of her affiftance by fending to Loretto very valua-
ble prefents. The Roman-catholics, indeed, affirm, that,
in all the attempts which the Turks have hitherto made
againft Loretto, they have either been repelled by fome ex-
traordinary miracle, or mifcarried by a fupernatural panic.
But all thefe miracles have not produced fuch a confidence
in the inhabitants as to put the affair upon fuch an iflue ; the
treafure being, upon the leaft appearance of danger, fent
away to Ancona, or fome other place of fecurity. General
Langallerie and the count de Linange are highly cenfured,
that, among all their enterprizes, which moftly turned upon
chimera's and impoilibilities, they never thought of attacking
The reafon Loretto. But the reafon why the Turks do not make any
of xt formal attempt upon this place may probably be owing to
the ftiallownefs of the Adriatic, which in thefe parts has not
a fufficient depth of water for large fhips to approach the
fhore. Befides, Loretto being three Italian miles from the
fea, and in an open country, no defcent can be made with
fuch fecrecy and expedition as not to alarm the whole neigh-
bourhood, who are ready to venture life and fortune in de-
fence of their virgin, and would be foon in arms. The
burghers of Loretto amount to above three hundred, and
the inhabitants in the town and the two fuburbs are reckoned
Co
L O R E T T O. 203
to exceed feven thoufand ; and a Turkifh fquadron is no
fooner known to be at fea, than ajftrong garrifon is immedi-
ately fent hither.
In going out of the church, on the right-hand, is a ftatue Statue of
of Sixtus V, fitting on a pedeftal decorated on every fide sixtusV<
\vith baflb-relievo's, all of bronze, by Antonio Calcagni.
In the great area before the church is a beautiful marble
fountain, made at the expence of Paul V, to whom the town
owes the fine water it receives, by means of an aqueduct
from a neighbouring hill. In the palace, which ftands in
this area, the clergy, the officers of the holy houfe, and the
governor of the town have apartments, befides thofe ap-
pointed for perfons of diftinHon, who come hither upon
pilgrimages. Here are alfo the wine-vaults belonging to
the Cafa Santa, which are a hundred and fifty-eight com-
mon paces in length, confuting of twelve apartments. In
thefe vaults are generally kept a hundred and forty large
cafks of wines, one of which holds above four hundred and
twenty barrels, allowing ninety Paris chopines to a barrel.
Another cafk contains three hundred and fixty-five barrels ;
and out of it three forts of wine are drawn through one cock,
viz. white, claret, and a deep red wine. Over the wine-
cellar are the kitchens, offices, and difpenfary. In the latter p a lllpott
are three hundred and fixty-eight gallipots, moft of them painted by
very large and with covers, which are extremely valued on Raphael *
account of the paintings on them, faid to be the work of the
great Raphael. The fubjecT: of thefe paintings is a medley of
(lories, taken from the fcriptures, Roman hiftory, and Ovid's
Metamorphofis, &c. Thefe pots were prefented by one of
the dukes of Urbino, Raphael's birth-place, and are a collec-
tion which the Italians never mention but with raptures : they '
would alfo fain make us believe, that one of the great dukes
of Florence offered to exchange them for (liver pots of the
fame bignefs. For the four evangelifts and St. Paul, Lewis
XIV. of France is faid to have offered their weight in gold.
Queen Chriirina of Sweden offered fix thoufand fcudi for five
others ; her majefty, as the ftory goes, preferring this col-
lection to all the other curiofities of Loretto, becaufe the
r.icheft jewels, filver, gold, c3V. may be equalled, and con-
Icquently the lofs of them may in fome meafure be repaired ;
whereas pots fo exquifitely painted were not to be matched.
That princefs is faid, on the refufal of her offer, to have bor-
rowed a very, fine piece of porcelain j but never had the ho-
nour to return it.
If
204 L L O R E T T O.
v/hether If a ll thofe earthen veffels fhewn in different places, to
reSl ^paint- wmcri Raphael's name gives a very confiderable value, were
ed by Ra- actually painted by that mafter, he muft have had little elfe
phael. t o do. jg ut probably there is not a fingle piece of that kind,
done by him, extant ; unlefs perhaps a few, which he
painted by way of amufement in his younger years. Po/-
iibly Battifta Franco, an ingenious Venetian painter, who,
according to Vafari, when he defigned for fuch porcelain
veflels, drew from copper-plates of the works of Raphael
and other celebrated matters, gave rife to this miftake.
Something of that kind, however, may have been done by
Raphael himfelf ; for baron Tallis of Venice has in his hands
a letter from that eminent artift, wherein he acquaints the
dutchefs of Urbino, that he had finifhed the defigns which
that princefs had defired for a fide-board of porcelain *.
Arfenal. The arfenal is in one of the upper ftories, and is pretry
well furnifhed. Among other votive pieces offered by pil-
grims, here are feveral arms ; among which is a fhort piftol
made by one of the dukes of Urbino. Here is another
piftol, prefented about two years finceby a foreigner, which
is hardly four inches long ; it is of moft curious workman-
fhip, and carries a ball about the fize of a pepper-corn.
Two fmall field-pieces, faid to be taken, about two hundred
years fince, from the Turks, who had landed to pillage Lo-
retto, are likewife (hewn here j and a large bomb charged.
Story of a It is faid that the latter was concealed in a large wax taper
wax flam- f e nt by the Turks as an offering to the virgin for fome
beaux< pretended deliverance, 1 and that, if it had burnt to the
bomb, the whole Cafa Santa would have been blown up ;
but that by the miraculous forefight of the virgin Mary
this dreadful mifchief was prevented. One clofet is full
of prohibited weapons which have been offered to the
virgin.
Bel's. From the arfenal you afcend to the apartment where the
bells given by feveral popes are hung. The largeft of thefe
is called Loretto, and weighs ten tons : it was the gift of
LeoX.
The reve- The clergy here allow, that the annual revenue of the
"encc^o*" ^ afa S anta fr m l an( k an( ^ otner fettled funds, amounts to
the C holy twenty-nine or thirty thoufand fcudi, exclufive of prefents
houfe. and offerings, which, from the refort of many thoufands of
* ride D. Vincenzo ViUoriai 0/er-vazioni fopro il Libra delta Fdfina Pit-
&ue, Rom. 1703.
votaries,
L O R E T T O. 205
votaries, muft be very confiderable. However, that the fu-
perftitious may not be wanting in their liberality, all kinds
of arguments are ufed by the clergy, both verbally and in
print, to make ftrangers believe, that their necefiary an-
nual expences exceed the fettled yearly income by ten
thoufand fcudi. ; at the fame time intimating, that it is the
indifpenfable duty of every pious Chriftian to contribute. Ac-
cording to their computation, no lefs than fourteen thoufand
pounds of wax is every year confumed in the holy houfe and
the church, which quantity is valued at three thoufand two
hundred and twenty fcudi. I {hall not examine into the truth
of this article, no more than that of four hundred and twenty
fcudi expended for lamp oil : but other articles are ftill more
exaggerated, viz. the annual expence of maintaining the
twenty Jefuits, arid other priefts, is faid to exceed the fum
of five thoufand fcudi j the twelve canons fix thoufand ; and
the other officers about fixteen thoufand fcudi. The Colle-
gium Illyricum^ founded by Gregory XIII, for the education of
thirty Sclavonian youths in philofophy and divinity, was, by
order of Clement VIII, removed from hence to Rome.
The trade carried on by the inhabitants of Loretto,- be- Trade of
fides what they get by entertaining of ftrangers, confifts in the lnh ^i-
making and felling medals, crucifixes, images of the virgin ^ t "^ Lo "
Mary, painted paper caps, ribbons, rofaries, &c. which are
bought by the credulous papifts as amulets.
The walls of Loretto are about half an Italian mile in cir- Deception
cumference, and yield a delightful profpect on one fide c fof thetow
i / jL-ci i- i i i of Loretto.
the fea, and a beautiful vale finely cultivated ; and, on the
other, of its elegant fuburbs, which extend to Monte Reale
along a ftraight broad road. About fun-fet in clear weather
the mountains of Croatia may be difcerned, though they are
a hundred and fifty Italian miles diftant from Loretto.
The vaft concourfe of foreigners neceflarily occafions a Entertain-
great confumption of piovifions at Loretto. The inn- ment at L -
keepers are for impofing as much as they can upon ftrangers ; rctt0 '
bui: the entertainment is here generally very good. The in-
habitants behave civilly to travellers ; and at the poft-houfes
from Rome to Bologna a perfon has a much better fort of
people to deal with than on the rout from Florence to Rome;
for their frequent converfation with ftrangers probably con-
tributes to mend their manners. It is alfo obferved, that
the lower clafs of people are much more reafonable in their
demands, &c. from thofe travellers who return from Rome,
than from fuch as travel towards that city j for they conclude
that
206 L O R E T T O.
that the latter are ftrangers to the cuftoms of the road, and
therefore think it allowable to take all advantages they can of
the unexperienced.
The country about Loretto as well as the town itfelf
fwarms with beggars ; with whom it is cuftomary in fpring
to ftrew flowers in the road when ftrangers approach, who
cannot fee fuch an honour paid them without giving a frnall
gratuity in return for it.
Cirolo or At the diftance of a few Italian miles from Loretto towards
Scirolo. Ancona, lies the little town of Cirolo or Scirolo, famous
for the refort of pilgrims on account of a miraculous crucifix.
It is a common faying here, Cbl e andato ti Loreto^ e non a
Cirok) ha v'tfto la madre y e ha lafciato il figliolo ; i. e. ' Who-
* ever goes to Loretto and not to Cirolo vifits the mother,
* and takes no notice of the fon.' But in reality this is only
another invention to drain the pilgrims purfes. The votive
pieces to be feen here are very inconfiderable ; and a traveller
who goes to Cirolo only out of curiofity, will find that he
has quitted the road to little purpofe. The wine of this
country is very good j and poffibly may be that which Pliny
(Hiji. Nat. lib. xiv. c. 6.) clafles among the beft Italian
wines under the name of vinum Anconitanum ; bu. the wine
now made at Ancona and in the neighbourhood of it is but
very indifferent.
Globular Before I clofe my account of Loretto, I muft obferve, that,
ftones. at certain times of the year, the fea throws up globular ftones
here, the origin of which I cannot venture to account for,
though poffibly the roundnefs of them may be owing to the
agitation of the waves : it muft however be acknowledged,
that there are feveral Jlrata of the earth, remote from the
fea, in which an infinite number of round ftones are to be
found j particularly about half a mile from Helmftadt, near
the convent of St. Marienthal in the iron mines in the coun-
try of Wirtemberg, and according to Agricola, near Polen-
za in the kingdom of Naples, where there are many fuch
ftones to be feen of the fize of a cannon-ball.
LORETTO, April 1730. I am, &c.
LET-
A N C O N A.
LETTER LXIII.
Account of AN CON A, and feveral Kinds of
Fifties in the Adriatic Sea j of SEN IG ALL i A,
FANO, PESARO, RIMINI, the River RUBI-
CON ; alfo of the Towns of CESENA and
CERVIA.
SIR,
THE diftance from Loretto to Ancona is fifteen Italian
miles ; and the road lies through a charming plain in-
terfe&ed by the rivers Mufone and Afpido. Here I cannot
but obferve, that in no other chain of mountains fo many
fources of brooks and rivers are to be found as on the eaft fide
of the Appenines.
Ancona is badly built on an uneven fituation, from which Ancona,
it derives its name, which is of Greek original. Over one of
the gates are thefe words :
Alma Fides-) Proceresj veftram qites condidit Urbcm 9
Gaudet in bye facia vivere Pace loco.
' Fair Probity, which built this city, delights to aflbciate
with Peace on this happy fpot/
The cathedral {lands on an eminence, arid affords a de- Cathedral.
lightful profpeft of the town, and along the fea-coaft. In
the portico before the church are two remarkable pillars
refting on two marble lions. This church wants light ex-
tremely.
This city befidesits out-works is alfo fortified with a cita- Fortifica-
del ; but neither of them is fufficient to hold out againft an tion '
army. The harbour is very commodious* ;, but the trade is H ,
inconfiderable, which is generally the cafe in every part of
the papal dominions : perfons of all religions are on an equal
footing here, only they are not allowed the public exercife
* There is a common faying in praife of the harbour, <vix. Units Petrut
eft in Rofna ; una Turrit in Cremona ; tinus Portus in Ancona j i. e. ' The
' only Peter is at Rome j the only tower is at Cremona, and the only har -
* bour at Ancona.'
of
208 A N C O N A<
Jews. of their religion. The Jews are very numerous in AncOna}
however they live in a particular quarter, and are obliged
by way of diftin&ion to wear a bit of red cloth in their hats.
Their fynagogue is an oblong edifice with an arched roof,
Exchange, and is illuminated with feveral lamps. The exchange has
a beautiful front, and over the entrance is an equeftrian fta-
tue, &c. Within it is a lofty fpacious apartment, in which,
- *' among other ftatues, are thofe of Faith, Hope, Charity,
and Religion. The harbour is fecured by a ftrong mole ;
Triumphal and near it is a triumphal arch, erected by the Roman fenate
** ch * to the emperor Trajan, Plotina his confort, and Marciana
his fifter, in gratitude for the great improvement made in
this harbour by that emperor, at his own expence. This
arch was formerly ornamented with great numbers of brafs
ilatues, trophies, and infcriptions, and confequently muft
have made a quite different appearance from what it does at
prefent. The fculpture, being cut on the large pieces of mar-
ble with which the arch is built, was not fo liable to be de-
moliftied, and could not be carried away j fo that this arch
was more magnificent, and calculated for a longer duration
than moft other monuments of antiquity of this kind. The
marble for building this arch was brought from the ifland of
Paros, and is fo clofely compacted, that the whole feems to
confift only of one block. On both fides are four fluted pil-
lars of the Corinthian order ; and over the front towards the
city is this ancient infcription :
Ancient In- Imp' Cafari. Divi. Nerva. F. Nerva
fcription. Trajano. Optimo. Aug. Germanic.
,Dadco. Pont. Max. Tr. Pot. Xnill. Imp. IX.
Cos. VI. P. P. ProvidentiJJimo. Principi.
Senatus. P. j^. R. quod, acceffum.
Italia, hoc. etiam. addito. ex. pecunia. fua.
Portu. tutiorem. navigantibus. reddiderit.
Betwixt the pillars on the front oppofite to the city, and
on the right fide ^f the arch, are thefe words :
Plotina.
Aug.
Conjugi. Aug.
And on the left:
Diva.
ANCONA. 209' 1
Dives.
Marciance.
Sorori Aug.
The head of the mole is fortified, and eight or ten guni
are generally mounted on it. There is a kind of wooden
cover over it, fupported in the center by a long pole fixt
in the ground.
The inhabitants of Ancona, efpecially the female fex, fo Beauty of
far excel thofe of the other parts of Italy in fhape and com- ** fi*M-
plexion, that they feem to be 'quite a different race of men. C on a S and
The fame may be obferved of the inhabitants beyond Sene- to whatow-
gallia, Fano, and Pefcaro as far as Rimini. If it be true ' n B-
that the refort of young gentlemen to the univerfities, and
the numerous retinue of a court, greatly contribute to ren-
> der Leipfic, Hall, and Drefden, as it were, trite nurferies of
fine women ; the fuperior beauty of the female fex at Fano,
Ancona, ffr. may likewife be attributed to the great number
of ftrangers and pilgrims continually travelling through thofe
cities.
The eaftern part of Italy is much more fertile and plea- Eaflern coaft
fant than moft parts on the weft fide, efpecially if the coaft of Italy.
from Genoa to Leghorn be included. The whole Adriatic
fea abounds in teftaceous and other kinds of fifh. A fingu- Living fiA
lar fpecies of the former are the Ballani orBallari found alive inclofedin
in large ftones. The fliell of this fifh is thin, rough, and ftoncs>
of an oblong figure: it is not unlike a date; hence they are
called Dattili del Mare, or lea-dates. They are chiefly Ballam. or
found in the (hallows near Monte Comero or Conaro, about r^ttM <i
ten Italian miles from AncOna. There is alfo a kind of clay are '
found there very much refembling brown earthen ware, and
likewife feveral kinds of porous (tones. Within the fmall *
interfaces or pores of thefe (tones and clay-clods, the - fpawh
er fry of thefe Ballani are lodged. Here they are provided
both with air and water, whilft by their motion they gradual-
ly abrade the ftone in which they are inclofed, and thus
make themfelves room for their growth. The clay is hard
within ; but, as it is continually moiflened by the lea-water,
the outfide is foft. Since the inhabitants of Ancona have ob-
ferved that the Ballari, taken up in their harbour, were larger
than thofe of the Monte Conaro, they generally fetch them
in boats from thence, and lay them within the mole ; where,
by the reft and nutriment they enjoy from the depth and fli-
minefs of the bottom, they foon come to perfection. In
You III, P fifliing
2io A N' G 6 N A.
fifhing forBallari, fuch ftbnes are chiefly picked np-aS have
the furface fuH of little holes ; that being a certain iign thefe
fifties have infmuated themfclves into them. Sometimes the
aperture through which the (pawn of the fifh penetrated in-
to the ftone happem to be afterwards flopped up or covered
with flime, fo that it is not difcernible, and yet the fifb
thrives very well. In breaking fome of thefe ftones taken
up in the harbour, I have found twenty or thirty live fifh in
a ftone, though not the leaft fifTure or opening was to be ob-
ferved on the outfide ; they always lie in a Iktle cavity,
which allows them no more room than is juft necefTary for
opening their fhell a little way, probably to take in the air
and moifture or nourifhment. The only way of getting them-
out of the ftone is by breaking it; for the paflage through
which they entered, is much too fmall, even for the young
fry to come out at. If two or more of thefe fhells by their
growth happen to come in contact with each other in the
iame ftone, only one fifh is found alive. Their propagati-
on and increafe may in fonie meafure be explained by ob-
ferving how butterflies, fpiders,. &c. lay their eggs in gallsy
or excrefcences of oak leaves. As to the polition of the
Ballani, it is not always exactly in the middle of- the ftone ;-
however the thickeft part of their body which attracts molt
nutriment is generally fartheft from the furface. The inllde
of the fhell is white, but the outfide is of an afh colour :
the largeft of thofe found at Ancona are not much above a
finger in length. When they are taken out of the ftone, a
gut refembling a worm, of the length of one's finger, hangs
to them, like that of the Solenes or'Cappe longhe, as they
are called at Venice. This is entirely white and full of clear
water, which it fquirts out when prefled. Thole perfons
that find a particular delicacy of tafte in them, fay, that the
Ballani do not feed on the grofs parts of the fea-water, but as
it were on the fubtile dew that penetrates through the ftone,
and thus undergoes a kind of filtration. Both the fifh and
the juices of k are fo luminous in the dark that one may fee
to read by it ; and even water in which this fifh has beert
fqueezed, when put in a glafs, erniis an effulgence which
lafts from eight to twelve hours. But this phaenornenon is
nothing extraordinary, as frefli oyfters when opened, and
whitings, have alfo fomcthing of a lucid appearance in the
dark.
It mufl be in a great meafure owing to cuftom, that the
Ballani are reckoned fo palatable : however great quantities-
of
ANCONA. *tt
jef them are fent to Rome, where they are reckoned leccon:
di Cardinale^ or dainties fit for a cardinal. There is alfo a
fpecies of this fifli found near Civita Vecchia, and likewife
near Narbonne in France. Sorne natural ifts call them Pbo-
lides or Pholec^ from, a Greek word lignifying a thirig con-
cealed*. In the dilirib of Ancona, the ftones in which
they are found are called Saffi dsliidlaro,
Oyfters are preferred here, alive in fea-water for feveral Oyftcrs.J
years. At Ancona they nre indeed very large, but flabby,
and far from being palatable. Here is alfo a kind of fea
craw-fi(h, called Nocchia, in appearance like thofe called Noccftia k
Jobfters in England ; but of a more delicate flavour. Their
claws are Jefs than thofe cf craw-fifh, and the head and
tail of a very uncommon Ihape. The largeft of this fpeci-
es is about four itich.es long : this fifh is by fome called Squil-
la arenaria,
Among other remarlcaUe fea-animals found in the hnr- The Sepi.
hour of Ancona and the Adriatic, is a fifn called the Sepif*
which has a longifh white fhell on its head. Thefe (hells
are often found along the fhore, and, when pulverized, are
ufed for cleaning of plate*
Here is alfo the univalve fhell-flih, which in Latin is called ThcPatei!
Patella, and adheres to the rocks. Through the imall aper-
ture in its convex fhell itexpelsits e-ccremcnts.
. The name of Patella major is bv fome given to thofe Orecchia
fhells, which, on account of their variegated hlftlt rcfcm- Mria4
bling. that of mother-of-pearl, are very much ufed in the de-
coration of grotto's and water-works : but their more com-
mon name here is Orecchia marina, and they are fpund
not only in the Adriatic, but Neapolitan feas The fpiral
tubes obfcrved in thefe Shells ferve for itnbibing the water.
Another fmall fpecies of ihell-fifh are thrown in great Bavararzl
quantities upon this fhore, which feem to be infcribed with mare
Arabic characters. There is fuch an infinite variety in this fpe-
cies, that I am apt to think two of thefe Bavarazzi del Mare,
as they are called, could not be found that are perfectly alike.
The Solenes, Fiftulfc, Canales, or Ungues, as they are Solents.,
called in Latin, from the colour or fhape of the fhell, rtfembJe
the handle of a razor; and at Venice are known by the name
of Cappe longhe; but at Ancona they arc called Cannohchii,
* The Greek wonl fs*:;, in the plural number ^Vih;, fignifici the fcale
f a fi(h j fo that there is a miftake in the etvmoJo^y above.
\ Probably a l'^i^;:s of the Scpli, 01; Cu -tie-nth.
Pa r
2 '2 A N C O N A.
or Pefci Canelle. Thefe are alfo found in many parts of the
Mediterranean.
The Concha Rhomboides, or Mufculus ftriatus, Mitulus,
ArcaNoae. alfo called Area Noae, is a fhell covered with filaments like
hair or wool.
PolypoMof- The Nautilus fubtilis, which is diftinguifhed by the name
cardino. o f p o lypo Mofcardino, is as white as the fineft writing
paper.
Noce di Th e Noce gentili di Mare, orNuces Marinas, are of the
Mare ' bivalve kind, ftriated, and have a brown border. The fin-
eft of thefe fpecies are found on the coafts of Africa.
Chiocciola. The Chiocciola celata is a fhell refembling mother-of-pearl.
ceiata. j t j s rou gh within, and is fecured with a cartilaginous cover
adhering to it, like the nail of a man's finger. This is
common almoft to all the Turbinatae, which, on this ac-
count, may be reckoned among theTeftacea Bivalvia. The
furface is fmooth and variegated with red and brown, and
marked with a fpiral line. The above-mentioned cartilagi-
nous cover is called, at Puzzuolo, Occhi di pefce, fifties
Uca' dl S< e 7 es ? and in other P laces > Occhi di S> Luca > UmWici > Bel -
liculi, and Pietre di Margarita.
.Turbinatz. The T'eftacea Tubinata likewife abound in the Adriatic.
Purpureae. To this clafs belong the Purpureze Echinatse, or Turbinatae,
Vermiculatse, and Chermifinae, &c. The laft name is faid
to be derived from Chermi, an ancient town in Sardinia,
where wool is faid to have been firft dyed of a cramoifi^ or
crimfon colour, with the red juice or blood of this fifh.
Extenfire The word purpuretis among the ancients was of a very
meaning of comprehenfive meaning, and denoted any vivid and bright
*purpureut co ^ our > ^ tnat lt nas been applied even to fnow *. One
among the fpecies of the above-mentioned Turbinatae is not only guard-
anc.ets. e d with aculei, or prickles, at the opening ; but even the in-
tervals betwixt its volutations are fo full of them, that this
Purpura kind is very properly called purpura aculeata, which anfwers
aculeata. to the name Sconciglio fpinolb, as it is. called by the Nea-
politans.
Jacob's Jn the Adriatic are likewife found the fpecies called Jacob's
ihells. {hells, or Pe&ines, Ctenites and Conchites ftriati : one half
of the Ihell is almoft plain and fmooth, and the other
* /llbinovanus ad Liviam. purpiiren fub nvve terra latet. ' The daz-
* zlin ihow conceals the earth.' Horace gives fw.ins the epithet of pur-
pitrei, as Catullus does fhe oaken branches; and Anacreon calls Veuus
*A^{37), i. e. * effulgent Venus.'
convex ;
A N C O N A. 213
convex ; this is ufed in Holland, and other places for ftew-
ing oyfters.
The Tubulara Purpurea, Spongia rubra, or the Alcyoni- Tubulara
vim Milefium. is found here in very large pieces at a great P ur P urea *
depth in the fea. It is of a beautiful colour, and refembles
red coral j which has induced fome naturalifls, though impro-
perly, to clafs it among corals. This mafs is properly no-
thing but a congeries of feveral thoufands of fine tubes,
which ferve for nefts and receptacles to a certain fpecies of
fmall worms.
Here are feveral fhells covered with filaments of a dark Fucus Ca-
brown colour, not unlike coarfe hair. This is called Fucus P illaris<
Capillaris, and is frequently a foot or a foot and a half
in length, when taken off the (hell.
The Pilae marinae lie alfo very thick along this fhore. Pl* man-
Thefe feem to be only a mafs compofed of {lime, C5r. nx>
Among the (mailer kinds of fhells found here, are feveral Capricciofe.
of fuch a fingular, and, as it were, grotefque figure, that
they cannot properly be ranged among the common cjafles ;
and therefore the Italians give them the name of Capricciofe.
The largeft fheil-fifh found on this coaft are the Pinnae, Pinnz.
or Pernae, lo called from the refemblance they bear to a
gammon of bacon. The outfide of their fhell is red, and
at the acute angle of it generally grows a byffus nuirinus to
the length of five or fix inches. The fhell itfelf is two feet
in length; and, from its largenefs and fhape, it might be ufeof fome
of fervice to thofe Indian nations who are faid to cover their ttie ^ s -
houfes with the fhells of ih *.
The fea near Ancoaa is obferved to ebb and flow about a Ebb and
foot, or a foot arid a half; which phenomenon gradually ^f? "? thCj
abates as the Adriatic approaches to its junction withtheMe-
* Peter Martyr, lib. \v. Dec. 3, relates, that fome nations in India
make the fame ufe efthe flu:! is of hih as Adam and Eve aid of fig leaves,
as repi dented in the common picture?. Others polifh them from the coarfe
opaque cruft, and mnke tranfpaixn; panes for windows of them, as may
he leen in Sir Hans vSio.ir.e's piuKi?t;> at London. At the houie in the
wood, near the Hagvu., .s an ovltcr-ijieli ot inch a large iize, as to ierve
as a bafon for a fountain. At Gua in ovit'vr of prodigious iizc was once
accidentally drawn up with an anchoi ; ?i;d th" nil,, txciu.ivt of the ilicll,
weighed above a hundred pcninds. The two .'u:\ ; .of" it are now in tie
royal muleutn at Copenhagen, each of which weighs about t\-,o hundred
and twenty-four pounds. The circumitj-ence ' 1 ....1:1 is ;\hpi;t < ^i.r t
and a half, and the longeit diameter near five. In the abofe-tnenti '
mufeurn of Sir Hans Sloane is a prickly oyfter-fheli, which i fcvi o
nion fpans in its greatett diameter.
P 3 diierriincan,
AfJrubal,
fci4 FANO,
diterranean, and increafes in its northern part towards the
city of Venice.
Senegaglia. The town of Senegaglia, fo called from the founders of it
the GalH Senones, lies on the fea-coaft, about fixteen Itali-
an miles from Ancona ; but has nothing worth the obfervati-
on of a traveller of tafte. Betwixt the river Mifa, which
runs through this town, and the little ftream of Cefano, are
Roman fome ancient ditches marking the limits of the Roman camp ;
camp. anc j on tnc other fide of the Cefano Tome antiquarians ima-
gine they have diicovered the traces of the Carthaginian
camp. So far, however, it is certain, that Afdrubal (whole
name a neighbouring mountain ftill bears) brother to the re-
nowned Hannibal, loft both his army and life in a battle
fought in thefe parts *.
lajxo. The diftance from Senegaglia to Fano is two pofts, or fix-
teen Italian miles. Thole who would perfuade the world
that the country about the latte'r is the fineft fpot in Italy,
certainly do a great injury to many other parts of it.' Fano
derives its name from aFanumj or temple of Fortune, which
anciently ftood here. In commemoration of this, the image
of Fortune is not only erected on the fountain in the market-
place, but has alfo a place in the coat of arms of the town.
Triumphal The greateft curiofity here is a triumphal arch built of mar*
ar;.i.. . ; ^Je, w hich, after having withftoo'd the injuries of time, cjV;
till the year 1458, was then very much damaged by the cannon
during the fiege of this town. Th/is arch had formerly three
gates; but the fmalleft on the left-hand in coming from the
town has been pulled down, to make-room for St. Michael's
church, and the other is ftopped by a mean houfe; fo that
the middle gate is now the only one open,' and over-the arch
of this not fo much as the ox-head, which" was formerly
placed there, is left {landing. Some of the infcriptions are
over-run with weeds, and others effaced by time. However,
they are copied under a fketch of the triumphal arch itfelf,'
which is cut in the wall of the above-mentioned church of
St. Michael.
Over this reprefcntation of the arch are thefe words ;
Efigle
\/fpjQSITJ4
TrJcriptions. Arcut al Anguflo crcfti, pf/ie^q^etormentis ex p&rtc dirxti bells
Pil U. contra Farun* Arm. M.CGQC LXIII.
ivii Hifl. df.nev.
A rc
FAN O. 215
* A i-eprefentatidn of the triumphal arch ere&ed by Au-
' guftus, part of which was afterwards demolifhed by can-
* non in the war of Pius II. againft the inhabitants of Fano,
* in the year 1463.'
On the upper part, where fevea windows or daors are to
be feen, is this ancient inscription :
D'ruo Angiiftv Pio C&njlantino Patrl Domino. <j.
And underneath :
Imp. Cesfar. Dlvl. F. Aug&Jlus. Pontifcx* Maxima*. Cof,
XI1L Tnbunitw. Potejl. XXXIL Imp. XZVL Pater. Patriot.
Murum. dcdit.
Curonte. L> Turcic, Secundo. Aproniani. Prtsf. Urb* Fll. Af-
ier'to. V. C. Corr. Flam. & PicenL
Vitruvius fays, that this city took the name of Julia Fa -
nejlris^ in memory of Auguftus, who built the walls of it;
whereas before, according to Pomponius Mela, it was called
Coknia Fane/Iris.
In the cathedral of Fano are to be feen fome admirable Cathedra,^
paintings repreferiting the annunciation, the Lord's-fupper,
and the gathering of manna, by Quercini ; likewife the af-
fumption of the virgia Mary, by Caraccioli. In the chapel
of the virgin Mary are the fifteen myfteries of the rofary,
painted by Domenichino.
St. Peter's church likewife dcferves notice, for its fine St. Peter's
paintings, fculpture, and cupola. On the high altar are churcl >.
two angels of white Carrara marble, by an eminent hand.
The pidure of Chrift delivering the keys to St. Peter is by
Guido Rheni. On ecrh fide of it are the raifingof Tabitha
from the dead by a Fleming ; and St. Peter curing the lame
tnan, by Simone Cantarini, who was called Pefarefe.
A nobleman, of the name of Torelli, built on the mar- Theatre,
ket-place at Fano a very elegant theatre for exhibiting, co-
medies and opera's, which is made ufeofin carnival-time.
Pefaro lies about eight Italian miles from Fano. Here is Pel ^:
3. fountain of mineral waters which, though its jet cVeau is no- ^.^^
thing extraordinary, is very convenient for the inhabitants,
and "ornamented in a good tafte. In its upper bafon, which
is in the form of a drinking-glafs, are fevcral fca-goddefies
P 4 and
2x6 P E S A R O.
and fea-horfes, which fpout water out from above thirty dif-
ferent apertures. On one fide of it are thefe words :
Pifauri Patritii tsre publico.
4 By the contribution of the nobility of Pefaro.'
And, on the other, the names of thofe under whofe direc-
tion the Work: was completed.
On -he great market-place is aftatue of pope Urban VIII.
ju a f lt!:m g attitude, with the following infcription on one
iidc of the
VRBJNO VI1L P. O. M.
Clvitas Pifdurenfis
Pjtr egregia ejus prudentuz con/ilia
Cum univirfa ad Meiaurum ditione,
blurimas difficultaies, Jinejirepltu artnorum^
Ad Stdis jpoftolicte dominationem revocata,
Pratdaro confront tic ac moderationis exemplo
Sanfias Presdecejforum leges confirmante ;
Msx prater ana plurima beneficia
Liberali condonattone
Scxaglnta m'di'ium aurcorum abfirlfta y
Grati animi monumentum.
* This was erected as a monument of gratitude to Urban
VIII. the greateft and beft of popes, by whofe wifdorh
and prudence the city of Pefaro, together with the whole
country as far as the river Metaro, was again recovered
without the violence of war, though amidrt many difficul-
ties, to the dominion of the apolrolic fee. The fame gra-
cious iovereign, by an illuilrious example, both of firmnefs
and moderation, confirmed the facred laws enacted by his
predccerTors, and, among feveral other ads of munificence,
remitted a tribute of fixty thoufand crowns of gold that
was due to him from the inhabitants of this city.'
On the other three fides are infcriptions in honour of car-
dinal Barbcrini the pope's legate, &c.
Pefaro is a large well-bcilt city; but its fortifications are
but very inconfiderable, though fet forth with fuch pomp of
cxprefuon in the following inscription over the Rimini gate :
GUIDUS
P E S A R O. 217
GUIDUS UB ALDUS DUX URBINf I III. bojlium pallori
ac paver 7, oppulanorum & fuyrum falutt atque ornamento Pijauri
ampiificata circummunitwne, quam a fe prius excoghaiam Frandf-
us Maria Pater ob vilcs brevitatem i'ix incboatam reliquit^
paternis vejligiis prudentijjiine inhtertns adtmrabiii Jiudio ac dili-
gentia *>erfeat. M.D.LXIV.
* Guido Ubaldi, fourth duke of Urbino, having, to the
dread and terror of his enemies, the fafety of his fubjecls,
and the ornament of Pefaro, enlarged its fortifications,
and compleated with admirable diligence and fkill the plan
laid by his glorious father Francefco Maria, v/hofe untime-
ly dtaih icarce permitted him to lee the beginning of this
public work. 1564.'
The Pefaro figs are accounted the beft in all Italy, and Pefaro fig.
ven preferred to thofe of Sclavorjia.
Poggio Imperiale, an ancient pleafure-houfe of the dukesPoggiolm-
of Urbino, ftands on a hill about an Italian mile from Pefaro, P eriale
and is furnifhed with fome good paintings by Genga. Here
is allo a fine orangery.
Along the coaft as far as Pefaro, the country wears an a-
greeable afpecl: j but the foil and road are none of the Left,
the latter being very fandy for the laft ftage.
From Pefaro you enter into a fine corn country, divided Divifion of
intofquare inclofures by rows of trees interwoven with vines,
This whole tract of land belongs to the dukedom of Urbino,
which the popes, on the demife of the laft duke Francelco
Maria di Rovere in 1631, without male ifiue, have found
means to get it into their hands. The faid dulce, by his will
figned in 1626, had confirmed the papal claim, and in efFe6t
previoufly renounced his own title. But Victoria, daughter to
his fon Frederico Ubaldi, who died before him, and wife to
Ferdinand II. great tluke of Tufcany (to whom fhe was mar-
ried in the year 1631, when (he was but eight years of age)
obtained the allodial part of the dutchy, whence it comes to
pafs that Poggio Imperiale and fome other places in thefe
parts belong to the ducal family of Florence.
About an Italian mile from Catholica, which is feven miles
diftant from Pefaro, the road erodes a canal by means of a
bridge of one arch; however in dry weather there is not a
drop of water to be feen under this bridge, though there is a
moft
CATHOLIC A.
moft oAcntatious irifcription cut in marble pn it in honour
of cardinal Altieri. It begins as follows :
Clwente X. P. O. M.
'Torycnti crebris aUu-vtonibus tuniido^
Autto ingcntibus pr&dis,
Claudibus efHtisformidabili^
Pontern hunc opere jnagxtyco juxta ff commodo viatoribus
Pieiate proximi Jubilfsi Rcmam advocandis
Paint ius Cardinalis Alterius S. R. E. Cameras
Imbonendum <zrcfuo auravit. Ann. Dam.
MDCLXX1V.
1 CK r cr this torrent, fwplling with frequent floods, driv-
ing heaps of ruins along its rapid ftreara, and formidable
for its numberleis devastations, Paluti, cafdinal Altieri, C3V,
has, at his own expence^ built this bridge; a work, which
beftdes its grandeur affords convenience and fafety to thofe
whom devotion (hall incite to vifit Rome at the approach-
ing jubilee. 1674.'
Cthn!ica Catholics is a village fp called from the orthodox bifhops,
council a- w ko in the year 359 withdrew to this place from the council
*^ b the of Rimini* where they had been out-voted by the Arians,
This remarkable tranfaclion is commemorated in the follow-
ing infcription on the wall, and not far from the entrance
of the church :
Anno nparata Saluiis CCCLIX,
Liberia Pont. Max. Conjiantio Imp.
Cyip PIcsrcticorum fraudlbus ingemifcens Or bis terartini
S<; Armnum ejjk itziratus eji,
Ex quadringenth Epifcopis ad Syns/!um Ar-imlnenfem convocatp,
Perpan;i orthodox} in hunc locum ventitanies^
Ut feorjim ab Arianh facra facer ent^
Et Cathollca commitnione Cafholiios impertirent^
(kcaftor.em^rfKbucruni^ ut vicus ipfcCatholica naiuuparetur,
Cti/us nzminis rQtlohem ac totius rei geftts memoriam
C&fat' Cardinalis Barcnius Annalibus Ecclcfiajlicis injeruity
Bernardlnus Cardinalis Spada
Ad perr^rinantium pieratetn erudiendam
jfnwremque fuiim crgapatriam provinciam tejlcndwn
Ho>: pc/lto Tfiarmsrcindica-jit. Ann,D:r.:.
M, DC. XXXf'IL
RIMINI.
{ In the year of the Chriftian ./Era 395, in the reign of
the emperor Conftantius, and the pontificate of Liberius,
when the whole world, with grief and furprize, faw itfelf,
through the craft of herefy, infected with the errors of
Ariamfm; out of four hundred bifhops afiembled at the
council of Rimini, very few were found orthodox, who,
by frequently reforting hither to perform the divine offices'
apart from the Arians, and adminifter to catholics a ca-
tholic communion, gave this village the name of Catholics.
The' origin of this name and the particulars of the whole
tranfaction cardinal Caefar Baronius has inferted in his an-
nals of the church ; and cardinal Bernardine Spada, in or-
der to teftify his affection to his native country, has ex-
hibited it on this marble, for the information of devout
pilgrims, in the year 1637.'
A few Italian miles from Catholica towards Rimini, are to Concha,
be feen the ruins of the ancient city of Concha in the fea ;
and farther on towards the left lies the republic of St. Mari-St. Marino,
no. The freedom of this little commonwealth is more ow-
ing to the poverty of the individuals than the abilities of the
governors,
Rimkii or Ariminum was formerly a city of note, but is Rimini,
now extremely decayed, efpecially fmce it received a fatal
blow by an earthquake in 1671 : however it is ftill venerable
for the many monuments of its ancient fplendor. A little
without the town town towards Pefaro is a triumphal arch, Triumphal
on each front of which are two beautiful Corinthian pillars **&
and two bufts. On that towards 'the country is this im-
perfecl: infcriptioir:
Cess. Sept. dfjtgnat. Otf. Aug. M, V. Celeberrimeis Italia
yieis confillo SenatusPcp. lleis - '
On a pyramid on the other fide;
QssAriminen. pass. id. Mart. M.DLXVII.
5 Erected by the confuls of Rimini, March 15, 1567.'
In the market-place is the following infcription cut in
{lone :
;.,. .
C, Cafar
220 R I M I N I.
Jtfcrsasncot
f JH 5 "? Dift.
Cxszs.
Rubicons
Superato
Chili bell.
Cammilit.
Suos hie
In foro Ar.
Adlocut.
* Caius Casfar the dilator, after pailing the Rubicon,
c here in this area of Arirrunum harangued his army to pre-
c pare them lor a civil war.'
On the other fide :
Stiggeftum bunc vetujlate collapfum Coss, Arim, menfiumNo-
pembris fcf Decemb. MDLV, re/lit.
This ancient Suggeftunjj decayed by length of time, was
econluls of f
mber, 1555.'
' repaired by the conTuls of Rimini in the months of Novem-
' ber and Deccr
On the wall>of the council-houfe is a ftone with the fol-
lowing ancient iufcription :
C. Ctsfari Auguft. Ccf. vias cmnes a Rimin. 5 tern.
Underneath it. is alfo this infcription :
Jip;'nefe' Mantii .Fraud Regis Bungi, Mkhzelis Profa/ii Arlmanorum
ambafT^crs Rfgis, ac Barpiolomcsi Omurcs Principis, "ju/iani, Martinique
C-nnht'in, ab Japapsr. remotiff". infulis ad D. Gregorium XIII.
, , legatornm, ui jam jufctttam Chrijti fidcm proftierentur, optqtijJT.
Ariniinur.i adventut XVI. KL Julii pubiico fuinptu, nujximaque
tetitia bofp. MDLXXXy. Sixto V. P. O. M. feden. S. P. >.
Ar. D. '
' Manti Franco king of Buns;o, Michael Protafi king
* ofArima, and Bartholomew prince of Omur, fcnt the no-
* ble Julian and Martin ambafladors from the remote iflands
* of Japan to pope Gregory XIII. in order to make a public
' nrofefiion of the Chriftian faith, which they had already
embraced i
R I M I N L
embraced ; who arrived at Rimini June 16, 1585, where
they were entertained with the greateft feftivity and mag-
nificence at the public charge. In memory of this remark-
able tranfacYton, the feria'te and people of Rimini have fet
up this monument in the pontificate of Sixtus V.'
Here are other infcriptions relating to fuch natives of this Other in-
city as have deferved well of the ftate, by contributing to its rcn P tiOI18i
profperity after the plague, and by other fignal fervices.
Behind the Capuchin convent are {hewn fome ruins, faid
to have been an amphitheatre. Thefe being in a garden, Amphithe-
and confequently not very obvious to the public view, an in- atre
dex is cut on the outfide of the convent-wall, pointing witft
its finger to thofe ruins, and over it are theie words :
Amphitbeatri dim P. fiempronio Cos. excitati rcliquias tndlgi-
tat Sen. Ar.
t This points to the remains of the amphitheatre built in
the confulihip of P. Sempronius.'
On that fide of the city which lies towards Ravenna, near Ancient
a bridge over the Ariminum, now called Marecchia, is an ondge.
infcription, denoting that it was either built or repaired by
Augullus and Tiberius. This bridge is two hundred feet in
length, fifteen in breadth, and confifts of five arches.
In the middle of the area before the council-houfe is
magnificent fountain, on which ftands a fmali bronze ftatue
of St. Paul. Not far from this is likewife a buft of pope
Paul V. of brafs. '
The Francifcan church \vas built, in'the year 1450, by Fra
Sigifmund Pandulfo, of the family of Malatefta, who for a ch
long time were lords of Rimini,- as is cxprefied in an infcrip- f
tionover the main entrance. This Sieiimund Pandulfo was
two years commander in chief of the Venetian troops againil
the Turks in the Morea; and, having made himfelf matter of
the city of Sparta, brought back with him the bones of Tomb of
Themiftius, a celebrated philofopher of Conftantinople, and the cele-
one of the beft commentators upon Ariftotle. Thefe bones . J ed
he depofited in a marble tomb without thus church, v/ith the
following infcription :
R I M 1 N
Tombs of
Vanti and
Valturi.
Statue of
Sigifmund
Pandulfo.
Epitaph oft
him.
iii Byzantini
P kilo fophor urn fua tcmpejlate Prindpis reliquttm
Sigijmundus Pandulphus Malatejla Pand. F.
'Belli Pelopon. adverjus Turcarum Regem Imperator^
Ob ingentem eruditorum^ quo jlagrat^ amor en
Hue adferendum introque mittendnm
Curavit. M.CCCC.LXV.
' Thefe remains of Themiftius, a native of Conftanti-
nople, the moft eminent philofopher of his time, were
brought over by Sigifmund Pandulfo Malatefta, fon of
Pandulfo, general in the Morean war againft the Turks,
who, being a friend and patron to learned men, depofited
them here, A. D. 1465.
Near this tomb are alfo fix others in the church-yard, con-
taining the remains of perfons eminent for their learning;
among thefe are the civilian Sebaftiano Vanti, and Robert
Valturi who wrote twelve books on the art of war, which
he dedicated to the above-mentioned Malatefta.
In one of the chapels in this church is alfo a marble burl
of the former.
A ftatue of Sigifmund Pandulfo, in complete armour, was
fet up in the famous armory at Ambras in Tirol by the arch-
duke Ferdinand, with a large book in his hand, as an em-
blem of his affection to men of learning. He died in the-
year 1468 ; and, on the right-hand within the church, a mo-
nument iseredted to his memory* with the following epitaph,
in which the diprjiong ^, according to the cuitom of thofe
times, is exprefled by a fingle e :
Sum Sigijmundus Afalatefte e fangulne gentis t
Pandulfus gcnitcr P atria Flaminia eft.
Vitdm obiit VII. Id. Oct. etatisfue ann. , ,
L & L. men/. HI. D. XX. M. CCCC. LXVIII.
* I am Sigifmund, of the family of Malatefta ; Pandulfo
* was my father, and Rimini my native place. He died on
c the ninth of Oclober, 1468, aged fifty-one years, three
* months, and twenty days.'
Near this monument hang fome old ftandards, and at a
little diftance a helmet with two horns \ but the diftich an-
nexed
RIMINI.
nexed to them, in which Malatefta clafles himfelf among '.ha
eornuted, is not very proper for a Chriilian church :
Porto le coma clfogrfuno le vedc+
Et tallfporia eke nonfe lo crcde.
* All the world is welcome to fee my horns ; it is no more
* than the fate of many a one who little thinks of it.'
Thefe lines, according Francefco Sanfovini "*, allude to
his unfortunate marriages ; who adds, that, if he did wear
horns, he knew how to rid rumfek' of the authors of his dil-
grace ; for he caufcd his two firft wives to be poifoned,
his third to be ftrangled. His fecoivj wife was a daughter
of Nicholas margrave of Efte and Ferrara ; and the father
of his third v/ife was no lefs a perfon than Francefco Sforza
duke of Milan.
On both fides of the church are fcveral tombs belonging
to the Malatefta family. The church, as yet, is not roofed,
fcut only covered with planks laid acrois.
Travellers who have a tafie for letters fhould not omit CountGai*-
yifiting count Gambalonga's library at Rimini, which, pur- !'
fuant to a deed of truft, is kept in good order, and daily
augmented. The building alfo in which the books are de-
pofited is elegant and well contrived.
Rimini had formerly a good harbour j but it is now 1 fo Anrlwt
choaked up with fand, asfcarce to afford depth of water fuf- ^' aflil ' ur -
ficient for pafTage-boats. The above-mentioned'Sigifmur.d
Pandulfo Malatefta, feeing the marble with which the harbour
was faced could be of no farther ufe there, removed it, in
order to build thcFrancifcan church with it* The fca at (.hat
time had withdrawn half an Italian mile from its ancient li-
mits ; and at prefent the brick tower, which formerly fcrved l.i.-ht-Iu-ar e
for a Faro, or light-houfe, is furrounded with garden's. How- ! ; >i: "f w ,''' rfi
ever, they ftill f^cw on the coaft the fpot on which St. An- J^cST*
thony is faid to have flood when he preached to the fifties. &.
A few Italian miles from Rimini you pafs by a bridge over ^^ iwr
the riverLufa, which by Clementini, Giacomo YiHani, and
other learned men, has been erroneously taken for the ancient
Rubicon. Two miles on this fide Celenatico the road crof-
fcs the river Fiumefino, and, fc.arce fifty or fixty paces from Fiumcfno,
thence, the Pifatello, which likewifc difemboeues itfelf here- p ^**^
* DtW Orient ddle Cafe llltfri d" Italia, p. jGS, tJit . Vtafi. 1674..
abouts
224 R I M I N I;
abouts into the Fiumefino. ThePifatello, though it appears
fo ihallow and fmall in any continuance of dry weather, was.
Rubicon the the river celebrated in the Roman hiftory under the name of
anCI< ofItai *^ e R u b' con 5 as tne limit betwixt the Italian provinces and
iy 'Cifalpine Gaul*. For this reafon the hoftile views ofju-
juliusCa- lius Csefar plainly appeared by his paffing this river with his
far's refoiu- armv ; f o r by the Roman laws no General could march the
river! 1 * '* legions under his command out of the territories of his
province into another, without an order from the fenate and
people of Rome. Likewife, in returning from an expedition,
the army was not permitted to crofs this river, and come in-
to the Regiones fuburbicaria;, without laying down their
arms, on pain of being adjudged enemies to their country.
Caefar, being refolved to break through this law, frankly faid,
Jaffa eft aha j i. e. ' Now the die is caft;' fince, after that,
no amicable accommodation was to be expected. Lucan
Ipeaks of paflage of the Rubicon in the following manner :
Jam gelidas C&far curfu fuperaverat Alpes,
Ingentefque ammo motus, bellumque futurum
Ceperat : ut ventum eft parvl Rubiccnis ad undds,
Ingens vifa dud patrits trepidantis imago
Clara per obfcuram vultu mcejlijjima noRcm^
furngero canos effundens vertice crines^
Ccsfane lacera nudifque adjlare laccrtis,
Et getiiitu per mi/? a loqui : quo tenditis ultra ?
tjhio fertis mea ftgna virifjijltre venitis,
Si cives ; hue ufque licet. - - -
Fonte cadit modico^ parvifque impellilur undis
Puniccus Rubicon, cumfervida canduit tsfi 'as :
Perqueimasferpit valles, & Gallica certus
Limes ab Aufcniis dijlerminat arva colonis.
Ca;far ut adverfam fupcrato gurgite ripam
Attigit, Hefper'uz velitis & conftitit arvis,
Hie ait) hie pacem temerataqne jura relinque ;
7^, For tuna, ffquor: procullunc jam feeder a funto.
Credidimtis fatis, utendum eft judicc hello.
PHARSAL. Kb. \.
* Tltn. Htfl. Nat. lib. iii. f. 15. Ofiava reglo dete rnmiatur Arimino, Pa-
3p } Apennino. In ora flu^'ms Crufvmiunt, Arwimum cvlcnia ami amnibus
R I M I N f. '225
1 Now Crefar marching fwift, with winged hafte^
' The fummits of the frozen Alps had paft,
' With vaft events and enterprizes fraught,
' And future wars revolving in his thought.
* Now near the banks of Rubicon he ftood j
' Wlien lo ! as he furvey'd the narrow flood,
* Amidftthe dufky horrors of the night,
* A wond'rous vifion ftood, cbnfefs'd to fight.
' Her awful head Rome's rev'rend image rear'd,
* Trembling and fad the matron form appear'd :
* A tow'ry crown her hoary temples bound^
' And her torn trefles rudely hung around ;
k Her naked arms uplifted e're flie fpoke,
* Then groaning, thus her painful filence broke j
' Prefumptuous man ! Oh whither do you run !
* Oh whither bear yciu thefe my enfigns on !
' If friends to right, if citizens of Rome,"
' Here to your utmoft barrier are you eome.
<_____ ________
' While with hot fkies the parching fummer glows,
* The Rubicon in narrow currents flows :
' Through {hallow vales it flotvly winds its way,
' Lofing its ruddy waters in the fea.
* Its bank on either fide a limit ftands
' Between the Gallic and Aufonian lands:- '
' The leader now had pafs'd the torrent o'er,
* And reach'd fair Italy's forbidden fhore.
4 Then rearing on the hoftile bank his head :
4 Here farewell peace and injur'd laws he faid :
* Snce faith is broke, and compact fet afide, -*
* Henceforth thou, goddefs Fortune, art my guide, C
* Let fate and war the great event decide.' 3
Rows.
Suetonius, in the life of Julius Csefar, writes thus : Cafer
* - confecutus cohort cs ad Rubiconem flumen^ qnl Provindee ejus
finnerat,paullumconftitit: ac reputans, quantum moliretur^corrjer-
Jus ad proximas, Etiamnum^ inquit^regredi pojjumus: quodfi ponii-
Arimino ? Aprufa. FIu<vius bine R-ub:co , quondam finis Italic. I'id. Si Jon.
Apollinar. lib. i. epijt. 5. ' The eighth diftrit is bcumied by Ariminum,
* the Po, and the Apennine mountains. On the confinesj are the river
' Cniftrumium, the colony of Ariminum, together with ths river of that
* name, and the Apniia. The river Rubicon was fornerly the Wunda-
' fy of Italy on thisiide.'
VOL. III. Q..
S26 RIMINI.
culum tranforimus, omnia armis agenda erunt. - - cap. 32.. 'Tuni
Ctsfar^ Eatur^ inquit^ quo Deorum oflenta & tnimicorum iniqui-
tas vocat. Jaffa alea ejl^ inquit. ' Csefar, coming with his
' troops to the bank of the Rubicon, which was the bounda-
* ry of his province, ftbod mufing for fome time' on the im-
' portance of his defign ; and then, turning to thofe about
e him, faid : " We may ftill retreat ; but, if we once pafs
<c this little bridge, a war is the certain confequence." Then
Caefar called out, " Let us march whither the omens of the
" Gods and the perverfenefs of our enemies call us. The
* ? die is now caft."
ThePifatel- Scipio Claramonti of Cefena has in a particular treatife
l0 ' a bo an <T" ^ newn > tnatt he Pifatello, and not the Lufa, was the ancient
ry< " Rubicon ; and even at this day the neighbouring country peo-
ple call it Rugon. What feems to put this beyond all doubt,
AnHent in an ancient ftone monument dug up on the banks of the
Pifatello > and at the defire of the inhabitants of Cefena,
creeled by cardinal Bivarola, late legate of Romagna. It is
to be feen on the road leading from Rimini to Cefena, not
far from the latter, and is commonly called la Colonnadi Ru-
bicone. Near the top of this pyramid are the following
words :
5. P. Qj R. Sanftio ad Rullconls pontem.
Underneath, on a large marble table, is this infcription :
Juflli mandatuve Pop. Rom. Cof. Imp. Trib. Miles,
"ComrnilitOy firmate quifqun cs, jnanipulari&ve centurlo^ turmecve
Ijegionaritf, bicfiftito^ vexillum Jinits, arma deponito^ nee citra
kunc arnnem Rubiconem figfia^ duftum exercitum^ commeatumve
traducito. Si quis ergo hujufce jujjtonis adverfus pr&cepta ierit y
feceritve, adjudicate ejlo hoflis S. P. >. R. ac ft contra Patriam
arma tulerit Penatefque efacris penetralibus afporktverit.
S. P. ^. R. Santiio Plebifciti S. Ve C.
On the bafe are engraven thefe words :
U^tra hos fines arma prof err e liceat nemtni.
To thefe is added the following modern infcription :
Rubiconem
e E s E N A; 227
Rubiconem ponti fubjeflum tranjis, Viator ;>
Romano interdiElo, Cafarzs aufu
Et adagio JACT/E ALEM celebratum.
Flumini IjuicJiabUem importer e trajefium
Ethnica diu vetiiit pavida fuperjiitio.,
Catholica mine fuafit fecura Religio>
Innocent. X. Summo Pontk
Card. Donghio Legato
Anno MDCLIV.
* traveller, thou pafleft the Rubicon, over which this
bridge is built ; a river famous for the ancient Roman pro-
hibition, the bold attempt of Casfar, and the adage of Jot*
ta eft alea. Superftition had long deterred the pagans from
building a bridge over this river ; but the Catholic religi-
on, lefs fearful, refolved upon and performed this ufeful
work in the pontificate of Innocent X. and the legatefliip
of cardinal Donghi, in the year 1654.'
Cefena lies wide on the left-hand, in the road from Ri- Cefrna. .
mini to Ravenna. Over-againft it lies Cefenatico, which Cefenatico,
has an excellent harbour and a commodious canal. Upon
the bridge, on the Rimini fide, ftand two fine marble pil-
lars of the Corinthian order. On one of thefe pillars is a
reprefentation of a dragon^ and under it are thefe words :
Jo. Petrtis Ghifl, Infcriptlons
Prafes P. C. on two pil*
Jars,
Oil the pedeftal ifc the following infcriptiori i
Ut marls intumefcentis
Undas ocduderent
In hujus pojlea canalis ac portus
Cujiodiam 2 munditiem
Iterum adfluendum quotidte rclaxandas 9
Veteri ponte jam pene estate
Novum bunc are publico afundamentis
Erexere
S. P. &. C.
Anno Domini MDCCXfL
In order to (hut up the waters of the fea during the flood,
* and afterwards to let them out again when it ebbs, for the
* fecurity and cleanfing this canal and harbour, the old
Q.3 bridge
225 C E R V I A.
c bridge havfng been almoft ruined through length of time,
e the fenate and people of Cefenatico erected this new one,
' in the year 1716.'
On the other pillar are the pope's arms, and the following
words :
Gregorio XIII. Pont. Max.
' In the pontificate of pope Gregory XIII.'
Removal of About half-way betwixt Cefenatico and Savio lies th*
C^rviTon e pifcopal city of Cervia, which at the beginning of this cen-
accountof tury entirely changed its fituation, having formerly ftood a
the bad air. quarter of a mile diftant from the fea. The inhabitants re-
moved on account of the unhealthful air, from which, in its
prefent fituation, the town is entirely free. This new city is
built with beautiful broad ftreets, ( which for the moft part are
under covering. On that fide of the city oppofite to Savio,
or Ravenna, over one of the gates is the following in-
fcription :
Cervitz Urbcm infalubri damnatam caelo^
Ad folltudinem jam dm redaElam
In bujus apricam Adriatic! p/agam t
Clementiori per flan dam aura,
Propinquofpeffanda?n man-,
Nunquam antea tentato opcre
Innocentius XII. fcf Clemens XL Rom. Pontifces
Fufoii S. R. E. Cardlnalis Ajlalii
Solicitudine allabortinte^
Laurent ii Curfml Ealefiaftki esrarii generalh Prafefli
Adfpirante jludio,
Micbaelis Angeli Comitis Mafiei Mmil'ue Quejlorh
Voth expofcentiini:,,
Traduxerunt
Ann. Dem. MDCCIIL
( Popes Innocent XII. and Clement XI. by the indefati-
* gable care of cardinal Fluvio Aftali, the great diligence of
e Laurenzo Corlini, &c. removed the city of Cervia, which,
c .being infefted with an unwholefome air, had long been re-
* duced to a defolate condition, into this high fituation on
< the
la A C L A S S E.
* the coaft of the Adriatic, that it might enjoy a more. far
* hibrious air, &t. in the year 1703.'
One would fcarce believe there could be fuch a difference
m the nature of the air within fo fmall a djitance, did not
experience in many inftances fhew it, efpc-ialiy in hot cli-
mates.
Without the above-mentioned gate is a beautiful and broad -Salt-works,
canal, through which, in June, July, and Augull (namely,
when the feafon is hotteft and drieft) the water is let out in-
to a low piece of ground covered witb/rufhes and weeds,
about half a mile in length, and in feme places as broad.
Here the heat of the fun totally exhales the water, and the
fait remains at the bottom and fides, to the great profit of
the court of Rome. The papal provinces Urbino, Ferrara,
Ancona, Rologna, and Romagna, that lie near the Apenriine
mountains, have the greateil part of the fait they uie from
thefe falt-works.
In the country beyond Rimini there is a vifible alteration Ban-en
for the worfe ; but the foil k no where fo barren as between countr y
Cervia and Ravenna ; the fea-fhore being very fandy, and
the country full of morafles and fens.
About three or four miles on this fide of Ravenna, the p; gn ; W9Q ^
road lies through a wood of pigni* ; a tree perfectly like the
pine, or rather the fir-tree, only it fpread.3 into a broad '
crown at the top, and has iomething of an' aromatic fmell.
The fruit called pignais larger than the pir.e-aj}ple,and, when
laid upon the fire, opens, fo that the kernel may be taken
out, and eaten without any farther preparation, or elfe put
into foop. This fruit is no inconfiderable branch of trade
here, and the huiks make a clear and excellent fire; but they
are chiefly burnt in floves.
About two Italian miles on this fide Ravenna lies the mo- Convent of
naftery of La Clafl'e, which was founded in honour of St. LaClaflc.
Apolhnaris, in the year 534, finifhcd in 548, and in 1721
rebuilt by pope Innocent XIII, and cardinal Cornelius Ben-
tivolo, his legate (as appears by an infcription on the right-
hand of the portico at the entrance of the church.) The
fathers call themfelves Monachi ClafT_>nfes, and alfo Camal-
dulenfes. The church doors' flood open when I was there j
but not a foul was to be met with either in the church, or in
the convent ; for the monks, on account of the unhealthful
* JornanJes de rclits Gothics mentions this weed.
Q.3 air
30 L A C L A S S E,
air in thefe parts, as foon as the fummer heats commence,
Quite de- quit the monaftery in order to fpend that feafon at Ravenna.
ferted in On each fide of the church are twelve very beautiful pillars
phurehJ ^ a lightifh-grey marble. Here are alfo ten large ftone
coffins, being the repofitories of fo many bifhops of Raven-
na ; and fome of them, in their epitaphs, are called fanftif-
fimi and ter bcatijfimi. Within the church, over the main
door, is an infcription, fignifying, that in 1653 tne body of
St. Apollinaris was brought hither from Ravenna. On the
right-hand in going up to the high altar, is {hewn, within a
The print g ra te near the wall, the print of a foot, which is pretended
pf St. Gre- to be an impreflion made by Gregory the Great in his ecftafy
gpry's foot. w hen he was ftruck with the fan&ity of this place ; but, by
the direction of the foot that made this impreflion, the faint
feems to have been rather leaving the church than coming
into it. The door through which Gregory entered the
church is at prefent walled up, and over it is to be feen the
following infcription :
D. O. M. Sanffum
Gregtrium M.
Pontificem ter maximum
Per januam bane
Templum ingredientem^
Ob loci fan ff it at em dff majeftattm,
In exjlafm raptum,
Veftigium nudi pedis limini infixtffe^
Quod antiqua populi venerations
Craticuld ferrea
coopertum ejl
In TJrbe Ravenna
Traditio f? Fama
? To God the greateft and beft of beings.
? A tradition is ftill frefh at Ravenna, that Gregory the
greateft of popes, entering the church through this door,
* and being ftruck with the awfulnefs and fanctity of this place,
was rapt into an ecftafy, and left the print pf his naked
' foot at the entrance; which the people, out of veneration
' to the faint, have long fmce inclofed within an iron grate.'
The high altar is infulated or detached from the wall, and
of yellow marble : it is adorned with four beautiful Corin-
thian
RAVENNA; 231;
thian pillars made of a kind of marble with white and black
veins. About the altar is a good old mofaic work, repre-
fenting feveral faints, with their names infcribed near them.
On the left-hand in coming into the church, is the follow-
ing infcription on the wall :
* Otbo HI. Rom. Imp. Germ, ob patrata crimina aujleriori Penance of
difciplints Sanfli Roniuaidi cbtemperans^ emenfo nudis pedibus ab t ^ ie em P etor
Urbe Roma ad Garganum montem itinere^ Bafilicam bane &
Caenobium Gbjfenje XXXX, dies paenitens inhabitavit^ & hie
ciliclo ac voluntaries caftigatlonlbus peccata fua expians^ augujlum,
dedit bumiiitatis exemplum^ & Imperator fibl Temp/urn hoc &
pcenitentiamjuam nobilitat. Anno P. C. M,
-' The emperor Otho III, having, in compliance with the
fevcre difcipline which St. Romuald enjoined him for his.
fins, travelled barefoot from Rome to mount Garganus ; to>
complete his penance, refided in this church and the con-
vent of la Clafle, for forty days, expiating his fins with
hair-cloth and voluntary caftigations. By this means the
emperor made this church and his own repentance famous >
in the year of Chrift loco.
>CC^^
LETTER LXIV.
Account of RAVENNA, FERRARA, FAENZA,
and IMOLA.
S I R,
RAVENNA, abfurdly fuppofed by fome learned men Ravenna,
to have been founded by Efau, was, not only during
the grandeur of ancient Rome, but a confiderable time after-
wards, very famous for the exarchate*, of which it was the
feat. It contains at prefent fearce fifteen thoufand inhabi- Number of
tants, which bears fuch a difproportion to the convents, be- inhabitants
ing no lefs than four-and-twenty, that the city muft fenfibly ant
feel the weight of this ufelefs load. Its former unhealthful-
nefs has in a great meafure been remedied by diverting the
* The exarclnis was the emperor's vice-roy in Italy, whofe refidence
was at Ravenna. Vid. Hijf. Med. A?>vi.
courfe
vents,
.232 RAVENNA.
courfe of the rivers Montone and Ronco from their ancient
channels, and caufing them to run clofe by the city ; arid by
draining the flagnating putrid water from the marfhy land
about it.
In coming from Rimini you enter Ravenna through the
Potta Pam- Porta Pamfili, fo called from the papal family of that name;
*& and, as Innocent X. was of thathoufe, the infcription on the
gate begins thus :
Imperante columbd Pamphilia, &c.
e Under the aufpices of the Pam philian dove, &c.
The Porta Cibo likewife derives its name from the cardi-
nal under whofe administration it was built.
Porta d'O;o. Q n the Porta d'Oro is the following ancient infcription ?
Anc^nt in- Ti. Claudius. Drujt. F. Ctsfar. Aug.
fcription. Germanictts. Pont, Max. Tr. Pot.
Cof. II. DES. Ill: Imp. III. P. P. dedit.
Pahceof a Among the antiquities of this city are (hewn the remains
Gothic of the palace of Theodoric king of the Oftro-Goths ; an'd
tlng ' feveral fuperb pillars are to be feen in the upper part of it.
His tomb. fa 1 Llle lower part is a large porphyry veflel, or farcophagu^,
clofed up, where formerly the remains of that monarch
were depcfited. It is decorated with fculpture, reprefenting
circles and lions heads. This farcophagus is indeed fome-
truog frnaller than thofe at Jlome, which I have already
taken notice of: however, it is very well worth feeing, be-
ing no lefs than eight feet in length, four in breadth, and
cut out of one block*. Near it is the following infcription :
Va$ hoc Porpbyriacum ol. Tlieodor'td Gothorum Imp. cineres in
Rotundas apice recondens hue Petro Donato Ctsfio Narnien. P ra-
fale favente tranjlatum ad ptrennem memsriam Sapient es Rcip,
Rav. P. P. C. MDLXHIL
' This porphyry vafe, formerly placed on the top of the
* Rotonda, and containing the ames of Thecdoric king of
* Befides 'this piece of antiquity, P.avenna boafts of another not lefs
venerable ; I mean the filver bowl made by Peter Chryfologus bifli op of
' and -preferved anu'dft ail the ravages of the Barbarians.
the
RAVENNA. 233
the Goths, was, with the confent of Pietro Donate Caefi
bifhop of Narni, and by order of the wife magiftracy of
the commonwealth of Ravenna, removed hither, for the
better prefervation of this valuable piece of antiquity.'
The church called the Rotonda lies without the city, and Rotonda.
on the right-hand in going from the Porta Cibo. At prefent
it looks like a ruined cupola, or chapel. Its .diameter i's a-
bout fixteen common paces ; and us pavement, excepting
in the dry fummer months, is always under water. It is
iuppofed to have been built by Amalafunta, king Theodo-
ric's daughter, in the year 526. The moft remarkable part R ema rkable
of it is the roof, which is in the form of an inverted difh, roof of a
and confifts of one Tingle ftone, which, many years after finsle flint '
this church was built, was fplit by lightning : it is as hard as
a flint, and, according to an account written on vellum and
kept on the altar of the chapel, was brought out of Egypt.
The thicknefs of this ftone is four geometrical feet, the cir-
cumference a hundred and fourteen, and the diameter one-
and-thirty feet and two inches.
It is difficult to conceive in what manner, at a time when
the modern machines were in a great meafure unknown, this
huge mafs, the weight of which cannot be lefs than an hun- its weight.
dred tons, was raifed to the top of this edifice. Indeed a
perfon who has feen the ftupendcus obelifkat Rome, will the
lefs wonder at this. Miflbn, torn. I. p. 293, makes this ftone
thirty-eight feet i'n diameter, and fifteen thick ; but the
Jaft article is a grofs miftake, the thicknefs at moft not ex-
ceeding five Englifti fe'et. ' I am furprifed that any writer,
who pretends to have been at Ravenna, fliould fay, that this
ftone roof has an aperture in the center, like that in the Ro-
tonda at Rome; for it is very certain that there is no fuch
thing in the roof of the Ravenna Rotonda ; and, though it
be a little convex on the outfide, a nerfon may walk over e-
very part of it.
Round this ftone formerly flood the ftatuss of the twelve
spoftles, as appears from their names ftill to be feen on the
pedeftals, which project a little way out from the ftone
roof.
On the top of this roof, near the center, was formerly King Theo-
placed the porphyry farcophagus mentioned above, with the dor ' c s
remains of kingTheodoric. According to a narrative writ- tom '
ten on vellum, and kept on the altar of the chapel, this
farcophagus, in the fifteenth century, was beat down by a
cannon-
234 RAVENNA.
cannon-ball ; but others will have it that this happened in
the fixteenth century,in the year 1512, when theFrench un-
der Lewis XII. made themfelves mafters of Ravenna, arfd
committed the moft violent outrages, without any regard to
the fanctity of churches, &c. Thofe authors who fay, that
Invention m tms expedition Lewis XII. made ufe of bombs, do not
of bombs, reflect, that, according to Blondel, in his Art de jettcr des
bombeS) thofe dreadful inftruments of war were firft made ufe
of in the year 1588, at the fiege of Wachtendonk : others are
of opinion that they were not invented till the year 1639, and
that their dreadful effects were firft felt by the caftle of La
Motte. They leem to have the greateft probability on their
fide, who think that the French foldiers threw down this
farcophagus without the help of cannon ; however, they
deftroyecfthe cover of it, which was made of gilt Corinthi-
.an brafs, and finely ornamented with baflb-relievo's.
. On the right-hand without the Porta Cibo are fome re-
How far the mains of the towers of the old caftle. On the left-hand,
^rawnfro 1 " wnere formerly the fea beat againft the city-walls, as is evi-
the city. dent from the iron rings for making faft the fhips ftill to be
feen in them, is a large tract of land, finely cultivated; for
Ravenna at prefent lies three Italian miles from the fea. As
Mifenum was the ancient port of the Roman fleet in the
Mediterranean, defigncd to keep Gaul, Spain, Mauritania,
Roman fleet Egypt, Sardinia, and Sicily in awe ; Ravenna was the ren-
*t Ravenna, dezvous of $hc other Roman fleet, appointed for the fame
purpofe with regard to Epirus, Macedonia, Achaia, Propon-
tis, Pontus, Crete, and Cyprus, as appears from Vegetius,
lib. iv. and Suetonius, in the life of Auguftus *. And it is
not improbable that the convent of la Clafle derives its name
from the cJaJJlarit or marines, who ufed to encamp on that
Crest aite- fpot. Strabo defcribes Ravenna as a city built on piles a-
v*'" mtiie .mong moraflcs and mallows, and fubjecT: to frequent inunda-
RavennT. tions ; and adds, that it had a great many bridges, and that-
boats were ufed in going from one part of it to the other.
But it is almoft incredible to think how much things are now
altered; for it is certain that the cityftands on the fame place
as it formerly did, as appears from the old walls and other re-
* Cap. 49. Claff'i-m Mifeni, & alter am 'Ra r venn<f t ad tutelamfuperi & in-
feri txarit, collocavit. ' For the defence of the upper and lower fea, he
' ftationcd a fleet at Mifeniim, and another at Ravenna. ' 'fadt. Annal.
iv. cap. 5. Italiam utroque mart dua flajes, Mifenum apiid & Ra-venxam
fir&jidebc-m \ ' Two ticets, or.s at Milenum, and t!ie other at Ravenna,
* proteaed Italy in both feas.'
mains
RAVENNA.
mains of antiquity. To this^place what Ovid fays on ano-
ther occafion is applicable :
- - - vldi fa ft as ex tsquore terras ,
Et pro cut a pelago conchts jacuere ?narincs.
* I faw dry land where once the billows roll'd, &c.
This alteration is not of late date ; for Jornandes, who
lived in the middle of the flxth century, relates, that in his
time the harbour was turned into delightful gardens*.
The ancient pharosf, or light-houfe, ftands about half a Pharos,
mile from the city; it is at prefent in a ruinous condition,
and of no manner of fervice. The pharos muft be diftin-
guifhed from the watch-tower within the walls, near the
Palazzo de Spetti. The former is a fquare tower not entire-
ly ftraight or perpendicular, but leans to one fide. When any
danger is apprehended from pirates, the inhabitants on the
coaft have notice of it by fignals from this tower by lamps,
or a fire made in it.
The large market-place of the city is adorned with two Pillars in
lofty pillars of granate, upon which ftand at prefent the fta- themark
tues of St, Victor and St. Apollinaris ; but formerly, when p '
* Ameridie Padus, qui & Eridanus, ab Augitflo Imp. altiffima fqffa de-
jnijfits, quifeptima fui al'vei pr.rte mediant influit ctvitatem : ad oftia fua
anicemjjimum portutn habens, qui claffem ducentarum quinquaginta nai}'ium t
Diane referente, tutifflma dudum credebatur redpere jlatione. Qui nunc, ut
Fabius ait, quod aliquando portusfuerat, fpatiojiffimos borios oftendit, arbor is
plcncs, iieriun de quibus pendcant non <vela, fedpoma. ' Towards the fouth
the Po, otherwife called the Evicianus, Auguftus conveyed into the city
through a very deep canal, at the mouth of which was a delightful and
ipncious harbour, where, according to Dio, two hundred and fifty fhips
could lie in fafety. \Vhereasnow, to ufe the words of Fabius, the har-
bour is turned into fpacious gardens, planted with trees, where fruit
hangs inftead of fails.' The quotation from Dio, that the harbour of
Ravenna could contain two hundred and fifty fhips, muft have been in
ibme piece of that author that is now loll, for it is not to be found in any
of his works that are now extant. But it is impoffible that the Po ihould
ever run fouthward of the city, as that branch of this river running from
Ferraro, called Po di Primaro or Po d" Argents, is feven miles diftant
ftom Ravenna, to the north of that city.
f Plinius, Ffifr. Nat. lib. xxxvi. c. iz. Uj'us Pbari (Akxandrmi) nofiitrno
navium ciirfui ignes oftendere, ad pramtncianda <vada portufque mtroititm :
Jicutt compluribiis jcvn locis flagrant, ut Pnetolis & RA^'ENN^. The ufe
'* of the Pharos (of Alexandria) is to hang ought lights, for the benefit
f of ftiips wiling in the night, tlr.u they rrrty avoid'fticlves, or know they
f are near the entrance of a harbour. This is June in many other places,
f namely, at Puleoli and Ravenna.'
this
2j6 RAVENNA,
this city remained under the jurifdiction of Venice, the arms
and the patron faints of that republic were to be feen on them.
Statue of In this area is alfo erected a brafs ftatue of pope Alexander
rope Alex- yjj t fitting, which is the ufual attitude in public monu-
ments erected to the vicars of Chrift. Behind this ftatue is
Memorial a monumental infcription on the wall of a houfe, by which
in honour of Ravenna teftifies her gratitude to the holy virgin for avert-
fc!ary irSin i" tne pl a g ue m J 63i> when it raged all over the neigh-
bourhood.
Farther on, under an arcade in the market-place, are
eight fmall iron grates, which are faid to have been gates
taken from the city of Pavia, and fet up as trophies of the
valour of the inhabitants of Ravenna. The common peo-
ple are perfuaded thaf thefe gates were brought from the
Holy Land, and that they were thofe which Samfon carried
C^csof away from Gaza : if this were true, he had no extraordinary
CJaza. load to carry.
In the councij-houfe are to be feen feveral inscriptions fet
up in honour of the pope's legates who prefided here. Such
a vice-gerent ordinarily prefides here only three years ; after
the expiration of which time, a new patent is requifite to
continue him in his office.
'Stattje of Qn a fountain in the area before the pope's palace is to be
^j-T-^us ^ ecn an anc ' ent ft atue f Hercules, bearing on his moulder
an hemifphere that ferves for a fun-dial, which is called
'Hercules Aftrohgus^ or Horarius. Thofe who believe, with
Voflius (de Idslolotaria) that the fun was worfliipped under the
name of Hercules, may eafily comprehend why this hero
was chofen as a fupport for a fun-dial *. The club on
which this ftatue leans diftinguifhes him from Atlas, for
whom he might otherwife be taken. According to Pighi (in
his Hercules Prodicius p. 257.) juft fuch another ftatue, with
a celeftial fphere, was formerly to be feen in Stephano Bu-
bali's villa at Rome.
R[ow fcarcc good fpiing water, fit for drinking, was anci-
ently at Ravenna, appears from Martial, who fays, in his
fifth" book :
* Some learned perform before Vpffius have, in the wcrfhip paid to th,e
fun and moon, traced out all the deities of antiquity, and their conjecture
is favoured by Macrobius, Salnm. lib. \. c. 17. who fay, Omr.ia nwnina
vtafculnri generis ad unum folcm : fem'nwn generis ad lunam referri. f That
' all ihe male deities are included in that of the fun alone, and the female
' in that of the moon/
Sit
RAVENNA.
Sit C;/1frna mlbi quatn Vincq malo Ravenna^
Cum pojjwi multo vender a pluris aquam.
* I would rather be poflefiedof a ciftern than a vineyard at
Ravenna, where water is fold at a dearer rate than wine.'
On the area before the cathedral ftands the ftatue of the Statue of the
virgin Mary, on the top of a pillar erected to her in the virs '
year 1659, ob reparatam (perhaps it mould be prefervatam)
pluries a pejle Civitatem^ ' becaufe {he preferved the city more
than once from the plague,' according to the infcription up-
on it. The great door of the church is made of rough Breadboards
boards, without any ornaments; but the moft remarkable of vines,
thing is, that thefe boards are fawed out of vines, and fome
of them are twelve feet long, and two fpans in breadth *.
In the cathedral are fifty-two, large marble pillars arranged Cathedral.
in four rows. In the choir is fome very old mofaic work j
and in the chapel of the holy facrament is a reprefentation
of the children of Ifrael gathering manna in the wildernefs,
with fome other paintings, by Guido Rheni.
In the Theatine church is {hewn the window through T; ieat i n e
which it is pretended the Holy Ghcft came twelve different church.
times in the mape of a dove, after the death of St. Apolli- Fret ! lient
naris, at the election of the bifhops his fuccefibrs, and fettled of^the'lioly
upon thofe who were to be elected. St. Severus's pulpit of Ghoftinriis
white marble, &c. is kept here with great veneration.
On the left-hand near the main entrance of the church stTseverus's
of St. Apollinaris, in the cloifter, is to be feen the follow- pulpit.
ing ancient infcription on a {lone fixed in the wall :
* Tim, lib. xiv. c. i. inlt. Jo-jis fimulacrum in Urle Populonia ex una
(<vite) confyicimus tot avis incorruptiwi : ite?n MaJJiute fmteram. Msizporiti
lernplum Junonis vitigliicis columnis ftetit. Et:a?n nunc fcalis tcRum Ephfjix
Diana? fcanditur <vjte unaCypria, utfcrunt 1'erumljla.exfil^vejlnbusJ'aaa
crediderim. ' The image of Jupiter in the cily of Populonia, cut out c.f
* a Single vine, vre fee undecayed for fo many ages ; as likewiie the difli
{ at Marfeilles. The pillars in the temple of Juno at Merapontum were
* of vine-tree : and even the fteps to the temple of Diana at Ephelus sy?
' faid to be made of one Cyprian vine - . - - but I take them to be made
* of the wild vine,'
RAVENNA.
Propagatori. Rcma-
ni. Imperil, fundato.
quietis. publices. D.
Fl. Con ft ant in o.
Semper. Aug. Divi.
Conjlantl. Fllio
Set or ins Sillanu s
V. P. Prtepofitus
Fabrics. Devotu.
N. M. Q E.
The letters at the end of this infcription fignify Num'ml
jldajejiatique Ejus.
Near this is a grave-fione, with the following ancient
infcription :
Epitaph of M. Cocceio. M. Pollionis. Nepoti
MarcusCoc - Trib. Pleb. Deft.
ceius.
Leg. Pr. Pr. Prov. in
Sicilies. >ux:Jl.
Trib. Mil. Leg. XL Cl.
Se Viro Eq. R. XVI. R. St.
Primitives. Lib*
VI. Fir.
St. Apolli- f he church of St. Apollinaris deferves a traveller's notice;
church. Ori each fide of it are twelve marble pillars j and the cieling
is an old, but beautiful rnofaic work, reprefenting the
three eaftern kings worfhipping the infant Jefus; and alfo
feveral faints^ with their names infcribed over them. In the
center is to be feen the head of the emperor Juftinian; and
from the gold and fiber ornaments in the mofaic work this
church is commonly called il dele d'Oro, or the golden ciel-
CardinalRa- ; n g. Cardinal Ragio, who died in 1687, has a fine monu-
Gre^aTtar ment here of whit ^ and black marble > embellifhed with fome
excellent ftatues. The high altar is infulated, and both
the fculpture and marble about it are exceeding beautiful.
St.Antony's In St. Antony's chapel are feveral fine marble ftatues :
chapel. t j ie a j tar j s ornarnen ted with black marble pillars; and near
the entrance are two pillars of quince-coloured alabafter,
which on that account are very remarkable. The altar of
the chapel delle Reliquie is decorated with four beautiful pil-
lars of red porphyry. All the other altars in this church are
likewife of marble, and adorned with many excellent pieces
of
RAVENNA: ,239.
of painting. Great devotion is paid to the body of St. Apol- Paintings,
linaris; and on his coffin are three filver tablets, on which CorpfeofSt,
is engraven a long account of his life and martyrdom. Near p
the entrance of the church, on the roof, are two mofaic Moiaic
pieces, one reprefenting Theodoric's palace, and the other work,
over-againft it the old harbour of Ravenna.
In the wall of the convent of St. Vitalis is an antique St. Vitalis'*
monument, on one fide of which is a reprefentation of a convent>
man, and on the other a woman, with the following in-
fcription :
OH* P.P. Andent
Tertullts epitaph.
V. Ann. XV. M. VI1U. D. X.
Ollus Tertullianus
Filiee ptenttfftmee & fibi.
Near the door is the marble monument of Ifaac, one of
the exarchs, with a Greek infcription.
This convent belongs to the Benedictines, and the annual
revenues of it amount to upwards of thirteen thoufand
fat.
The pavement of St Vitalis's church is very beautiful, Church,
and the mofaic work in the choir is extremely curious j Ci- Curious mo-
ampini has inferted a copper-plate of it in his treatife fie Ope-
ribus Mufivis. It feems to reprefent the confecration of this
church. The emperor Juftinian, the archbiihop Maximilian,
and feveral other affiftants, are to be feen on one fide ; and
the em prefs Theodora, with her retinue, on the other. The
cieling of this church is painted in frefco. On the pave-
ment is (hewn the fpot on which St. Urficinus was beheaded.
Near it are fome beautiful pieces of painting, one of which, Paintings.
by Federico Boracio, a native of Ravenna, reprefents the
martyrdom of St. Vitalis. It was painted in the year 1583;
and the connouTeurs are particularly pleafed with the repre-
fentation of a woman fucklirig her infant, in this piece.
The chapel of St. Urficinus is called Sanffa San &
and, on account of the extraordinary fan<5iity of this place,
no woman is permitted to enter it.
On the altar della Madonna ftand three beautiful white
marble ftatues of the virgin Mary, and two angels. Over
another altar, which is alfo of white marble, is an excellent
Pieta betwixt two angels, copied from an original piece ia
the church of St. Juftina at Padua,
The
22j:b .RAVENNA.
AmEfcula / The altar of St Vitalis has alfo fome curious pieces of
plus. iculpture in white marble. Behind it is {hewn the well, in-
to which the body of that faint was thrown. Near the choir
is ^Efculapius, reprefented under the figure of a dragon, and
two marble baMo-relievo's {landing over-againft each other.
This church having frequently been damaged by inundati-
ons, the following infcription on a pilafter is addrefied to
Infcription every pious traveller :
Stion". De D ; e XXVIII. Majl MDCXXXVI.
v Nee Jacris parcen s riilt undfi hue ufque y Viator?
Afo'hter ut jaceant Jlv.mina nojira^ roga.
c On the 28th day of May, 1636, the raging flood, with-
1 out regard to the facrednefs of the plate, penetrated even
c thus far. O traveller, kindly pray that our river may keep
Reprefenta- ' quietly within' its bed.'
facrifke. Near the entrance of the church is a baflb-relievo, repre-
fenting four perfons in a Roman drefs, to whom four others
Fault w it. are bringing an ox. It may poflibly reprefent a facrifice,
though no idol is to be feen ; andj contrary to the rules of
perfpee-tive, the farther!: figure of the groupe feems to be the
largeft.
In the garden of the convent of St. Vitalis is a chapel
confecrated to St. Celfus and St. Nazarius, built by Galla
Tombof Placidia daughter of Theodofius the Great, fitter of the em-
^ n em .P^ ror perors Arcadius and Honorius, and mother to Valcntinian II.
6fc. This chapel, which is paved with marble, feems to have been
intended for a family burial-place ; for there are three tombs
in it, and on the altar is the following infcription-:
Viator , qui antiqua invi/fs 9 hie tergemlno claufi marmore jacent
Galla Placidia^ Honorius Tbeodofei Senioris Imp er at or is Fiiii *,
Conjlantius Placidia: Conjux^ ac Valentimanus Tertius eorum Fill-
ttSy mundana Celfttudinis reliquits iff terrenes caducitatis argu-
mentum.
' Traveller, who comeft in fearch of monuments of an-
' tiquity, behold the poor remains of worldly grandeur, and
*. an inftance of the tranfitorinefs of fublunary glory ! with-
' in thefe three marble repofltories lie inclofed Galla Placi-
* It{houldbe/7z/, and notfilii : fpr Conftantius, Placidia's hufband,
was not defcended of the imperial family, but only of a Roman patriciaa
houfe. [Filii feems to refer to Placidia and Honorius, who were both,
tjie children of Theodofius, the mafculine gender being ufed here for both.]
dia,
RAVENNA. 241
< dfa, Honorius Con of the emperor Theodcfms the elder,
4 Conftnntius the hufband of Placidia, and Valentinian III.
* their fon.'
Clofe by is an Italian inscription, fignifying that Placidia
lies in the large white marble repofitory behind the altar,
with her brother Honorius on her right-hand, and her huf-
band Conftantius, together with their fon Valentinian III, in
a maufoleum on the left.
Placidia is faid likewife to have founded the church of St. whether
John at Ravenna, if the infcription quoted by Gruter, p. Pfacidia
1048. but not to be feen in that city, deferves any credit, j^-,**
For it cannot be denied that the vow made to St. John the chwcb,
evanp;elift, when (he was in peril of being fhip wrecked, rea-
ders it very fufpicious. The infcription runs thus ;
SanfliJJim. ac. BeatiJJifno
Apojlolo. Johannl. Evange!ij7&
Galla. Placidia. Augujla '
Cum. fuo. Filio
Plac. Valentlniano. Aug,
Et Filio. fuo
t jufla. Grata. Honoria. Aug,
Liberationism mans
Fot.folvit.
From this it may be inferred, that the vow might not in-
clude the building of the church, but only the erecting of
this monument, or votive table.
At one corner of the Francifcan convent in the public Dan e * s ]
ftreet is to be feen the tomb of the celebrated Florentine po- tom
et, Dante Alighieri, under cover, and inclofed within iron
rails ; and over his buft the following words are infcribed
within a laurel wreath :
To Virtue and Honour,
VOL, III, R
342 R A V E N N A.
And near it, on the left fide :
Op.
Petri
Lombard!.
* The work of Pietro Lombardi.'
On the right fide of the poet are the following Latin
verfes in rhyme, which, as appears by the letters S. V. F. i. e,
Sibi Fivins Fecit ) over them, were compofed by Dante him-
felf:
His epitaph. J ura Morion, bite Super os, Phlcgetbonta Lacufque
Lujlrando cecini, voluerunt fata quojque.
Sed quiapars ceffit ttulioribus ho/pita cajiris,
Fattorem que fuum petiit felicior a/iris.
Hie claudor Danies patriis extorris ab oris,
$uem genuit parvi Florentia mattr amcris.
Of monarch s rights I fung, and tun'd my lay
To hell's dark regions, and the realms of day.
My better part now foars above the {tars,
In perfect blifs, free from interline jars i
My body lies within this narrow tomb,
For ever exil'd from its native home *.'
On the left is the following infcription cut in marble :
Exulem a Florentia Dantem liber at IJJtnie except Ravenna vivo
fruens, mcrtuum colens. Magnis cineribus, licet in parvo, mag-
Htfice parentamnt Polentani Principe* erigendc, Bembus Prteior
luculentius extruendo pretiofinn Mt<ftt 6f dpollini Maufilteum,
Quod injiiria temporttm periefqualens Emin. Dominica Maria Cur-
Jio Leg. Johanne Salviato Prolegato^ magni Civis cineres patrite
reconciliare cultus perpetuitate cur ant i bus, S. P. Q R. jure at
fere fuo tanquam thejaunvn fuum munivit, injiauravit, ornavit.
Anno Domini M DC. XCIL
Ravenna having very kindly received Dante, when he was
* exiled from Florence, enjoyed him when living, and re-
* veres his memory when dead. The funeral honours paid
* to his venerable afhcs were great, though they are con-
* Florence
fined
RAVENNA. 243
fined in a narrow tomb, firft erected by the princes * Pole-
tan i ; but the prsetor Bcmbo raifed this more fplendid mau-
foleum, (acred to Apollo and the Mules. When this had
fuffered by the injury of time, the moft illuftrious Oome-
nico Maria Curfibeino; legate, and Giovanni Salviati vice-
legate, C5V. the fen ate and people of Ravenna, by their
own authority, and at their own expence, repaired, embel-
lifhed, and fenced this monument with iron paliiadoes as
their moft valuable treaiure //. D, 1692^
Under fome Latin verfes by Bernardo Bembo, on his em-
fcellifiiing this tomb with a marble arch, &c~. is the following
infcription :
An. Sal, M. CCCG. LXXXIII. VL Kal. Jttn.
Bernardus B embus aere fuo pojuit.
'* Erected by Bernardo Bembo at hie own expence> in the
* year of our Redemption 1483*'
Mifibn and others afcribe the repairing of this monument
to the famous cardinal Pietro Bembo; but the fubfcription
end the year both (hew, that the honour is due to his father
Bernardo Bembo, a nobleman of Venice; with which like-
wife agrees the teftimony of Pocciantius de Script. Fhrent. p.
45. But that author is miftaken in placing this tranfaclion
in the year 1433 whereas it fhould be 1483, as appears by
the infcription above. Dante was born in 1265, and died in Some ac -
132-1. The aninrofities of the Bianchi and Neri factions ^^
drove him from Florence, his native country; for the for*
mer, with which Dante fided, being worfted, were driven
'out of the city. This poet's proper name was Durantes, His proper
which, during his childhood, was contracted into Dante, the namc *
name he was ever after known by f . Buonanni -affirms, that
Alighieri was only the name of his father; but that his
right family name was Bello^- As the poetical genius of
Petrarch was firft kindled by his paffion for his beloved Laura,
fo Dantes's genius for poetry appeared very early in paflio-
nate addrefles to the object of his love . Beatrix Pontinaria
* Guido Poletani, to whom Dante fled for proteftion, was at that
time prince and lord of Ravenna- See Volaterr. Comm. Urb. lib. xxi.
p. 771. f Volaterr. lib. xxi. f. 770. ' J Difcorfofopra
t'l/ijtrtio d< Dante, f. a, 3, 184.. Propertius fays,
Ingemum nobisfola puella deMt.
' Beauty alone infpir'd my infant tnufc.*
.K z and
244 From RAVENNA to BOLOGNA.
H s mif- and Gentucca were the two nymphs whofe names he has
61 es * conveyed down" to pofterity ; and Dante, in a particular po-
em, introduces Theology under the 'name of his beloved
Why hated Beatrix, then lately deceafed. His treadle de Monarchic in
by the court w hich he defends the emperor's power in fecular affairs againft
and declared tne ufurpation of the pope, caufed him to be declared a he-
a heretic, retic by the court of Rome.
About three Italian miles from Ravenna, on the road to
Forli, and near the river Ronco, is (hewn the fpot on which
the French, in the year 1512, obtained a fignal victory over
Gaflon de the papal and Spanifh army ; but with the lols of their brave*
Foix killed, general Gafton de Foix duke of Nemours. This nobleman
who was then only twenty-four years of age, was celebrated
for his valour and conduct, and loft his life in the purfuit of
the enemy, which very much damped the joy of the French
army. In memory of this battle Pietro Donate Cafi, biihop
of Narni, and governor of this province under Paul III,
ere & id a fquare pillar here, with the following inicriptions :*
On the weft fide, near the pedeiial :
Monument Vldebis bofpes hue parum attollens taput^ infcriptus ifte quid
in which" * ^^ ^P IS tl ^' R Cen J et H' am nempe cladem maximam Galli atque
hewaskil- Jberi exercitus^ Mmiliam queepenl tot am maculavit f anguine.
kd.
' Stranger, look up, and thou wilt fee what the infcripti-
* on on this ftone means ; it gives thee an account of that
* very great flaughter of the French and Spanifh armies, by
' which almoft the whole territory of Romagna was deluged
' with blood.'
The word clades does not relate to the flaughter of the
French, but to the pope's troops, which the bifhop conceals
under the general name of Spaniards ; probably from a ten-
dernefs for the honour of the pope, being willing, as far as
poflible, to fupprefs the memory of the victory gained by the
Moft Chriftian King, Lewis XII. when he made war upon
the Vicar of Chrift. Ferdinand the Catholic king was in-
deed at that time in alliance with the pope ; but his auxilia-
ries did not make up the greateft part of the papal army.
On the north fide of the pillar are thefe words :
Paula
From RAVENNA to IMOLA. 245
Paulo IIL Pont. Max.fedente
Petrus Donatus Ctsfius Epifc. Narn. Utr. Sign. Refer, dum
/Etnilits prceflderet locumque hunc conjliftus Ravennatis celebri-
tate darum diligent er explorajfet^ ne tant<s rei memoriam ve-
tuftas temporum aboleret, bsc erefto marmore confcrvandum
curavit.
. * In the pontificate of Paul TIT, Pietro Donate Cefi bi-
* (hop of Narni, &c. after a careful furvey of this place, fa-
' mous for the bloody battle of Ravenna, erected this mar-
' ble, that the memory of that fignal action might not be
' loft by the injuries of time *.'
The effufion of blood, however, was not fo terrible as
thefe infcriptions reprefent it, though fupported by the au-
thorities of Platina and Ciaconi ; for both armies put toge-
ther hardly exceeded thirty thoufand men. And Guicciar-
dini, lib. x, fays, that, though there was no exact account
taken of the flain in this battle, they amounted at leaft to ten
thoufand, and only one third of that number on the fide of
the French. Juftiniani, Hijl. Vfnet. lib. xi. p. 237, affirms,
that the French loft fix thoufand foot, and feven hundred
horfe ; and the Spaniards eight hundred horfe, and above
eight thoufand foot. This memorable battle, which does
great honour to both parties, was fought on the I2th day
of April, 1512, which in that year happened to be Eafter-
day.
On the fouth fide of the above-mentioned pilafter are thefe
words :
Acla funt hac pridu Idus Aprllis Anno a partu Virglnis fupra
fefqui millefemum duodecimo^ Julio II. Pont. Max. Ckrijiiano-
rum Rempublicam Gubernante.
c This battle was fought on the I2th day of April, in the
' year of Chrift 1512, in the pontificate of Julius II. bV
: And over this :
* Some other infcriptions to the fame purpofe, fignifying that twenty
thoufand men were killed on each fide, are omitted. This circumftance,
as well as the natural conftruftion of the firft infcription mentioned above,
fhews that clades may be very juftly applied to the French as well as the
Spanifh army.
R 3 Hinc
246 F A E N Z A.
Hint pofti cruenta Galkrum viRoria Gajloyie perempto^ Hif-
panorum rellquia evajerunt. Proftremo capiiur Ravenna a <vic-
toribus ac dirlpitur.
All.
' This way fled the remains of the Spaniards defeated by
' the French, xvhafe bloody victory coft them their c^m-
* mander Gafton ; and afterwards Ravenna was taken ani
' plundered by the victorious enemy.
4 Farewel.'
As we were defirous of reaching Piacer.za at the time of
its yearly fair, and as a contagious difternper raged for fomc
weeks at Ferrara, we were deterred from vifiting this la at
city *. The roads are likewiie fo bad, that, though Fer-
rara is but five ftages from Ravenna, it is a whole day's jour-
ney ; and, unlefs it be in very dry weather, there is no travel-
ing the neareft way.
-The diftance from Ravenna to Bologna is five ftages, and
oEok> n - t! " e roa< * lies through Faenza, Imola, and S. Nicolo. This
j;u. road, cfpecially after heavy rains, is fomething dangerous,
as it runs clofe to the river L'Amoni; but this is but a fmal.l
part of the road, and is afterwards compenfated by the plea,.-
fure of travelling between delightful rows of trees, and a fer-
tile country on each fide, divided into fqaare inclofures by
ditches and hedges interwoven with vines. The foil, though
.it be fruitful, is more clayey, and not fo biack and rich as
Swsblan di- ' in the fouthern parts of Italy. Juft on the other fide cf Ra,-
1 s venna I perceived that the common people pronounced the
letter /like the German fib; fo that inftcad of fubko^ they
{ay fchitbito^ or, as the French would write the latter, chou-
bito. This pronunciation prevails as. tar as Bologna ; and
the inhabitants of this trac^ of land may not improperly be
called the Italian Swabians.
Faen?a. .Faenza is famous, all over Italy for its fine earthen ware,
wTre^iade" few places affording fuch good clay for that purpofe as the
there. neighbourhood of this city. The name of majolica given
to this ware is a compliment paid to the iuventor ot it.
The
* The Woody-flux has this fpring been very fatal all over Itnly, fweep-
ing away old and young. Some dnys there is no going irtfo a church at-
Rome but one ices (according to the {hocking cuitom of the countiy)
corpfes.
BOLOGNA. 247
The palace, or council-houfe, the fountain on the mar-
ket-place, the cathedral (in which are fome good baflb-re-
lievo's, tombs, and fix beautiful flatties in the Capella di S.
Pietro) are the moft remarkable objects at Faenza.
Imola, anciently called Forum Cornelii, lies on the Via Imola.
Emilia, which leads from Bologna to Rimini ; but affords
nothing worth feeing, except the cathedral, in which is a
fine monument of cardinal Gozzadini, and three fine farco-
phagi of fine marble, adorned with good ftatues.
BOLOGNA, April 16, 1730.
^HHHHHHM^^
LETTER LXV.
Description of the City of BOLOGNA.
5 I R,
BOLOGNA, 6n account of its extent, the number of Bologna, its
its nobility and other inhabitants, and the importance ^ e a n J a n n p d
of its trade, is, next to Rome, unqueftionably the fineft and
moft wealthy city in the whole ecclefiaftical ftate. Its cir-
cuit is between five and fix Italian miles ; but the length of
it greatly exceeds the breadth, and is fuppofed to refemble
a (hip, the tower of Afinelli being the maft. The number Number of
of inhabitants in this city is faid to be near ninety thoufand ; innabltants
but the whole diftricl, which includes three hundred and
eight cities, towns, and villages, contains three hundred and
eight thoufand fouls. The ancient name of this city was Its name.
Felfina, from Felfinus, a Tufcan king, who is fuppofed to
have built it twenty-five years before the foundation of Rome.
The name of Bononia is, by fome, derived from a fucceilbr
of Felfinus, called Bonus ; but others derive it from the
Boji. This city had for a long fucceffion of years retained
a kind of liberty under the emperors of Germany, namely,
till the year 1278, when it was refigned, with the referve of
fome privileges, to pope Nicholas III. But from inteftine Howitcan *s
into the
sorpfes lying in open coffins from morning to night. Poflibly this cuftom hands,
of expoii'ng the dead was originally intended to remove all fu/picion of
or a violent death.
R 4 commotions,
248 BOLOGNA.
commotions, and wars with the neighbouring ftat.es, it con-
tinued in a fluctuating condition till the pontificate of pope
Julius II, who, taking advantage of the Venetian war, made
himfelf abfolute mailer of it, and annexed it to the papal
dominions, by expelling the family of the Bentevoglio's :
however, feme of that family are the leading men of the city
even to this day. On account of their voluntary fubmiffion,
it was at firft Itipulated, that the Bolognefe fhould have the
privilege of keeping a nuncio at the court of Rome, and an
auditor in the Rota ; that no citadel fhould be built; and
that the effects of the citizens fhould not be liable to confif-
cation on any pretence whatfoever. This compact has hi-
therto been punctually obferved ; fo that it is faid of Bolog-
Jla, as an extraordinary circumftance, that it is a city fenza
Its govern- fifio e citadel/a. Ecclefiaftical affairs are decided by the
ment. archbifhop, and civil matters hy a cardinal, with the title of
Legatus a latert, aflifted by a prelate as vice-legate. The
legate is either changed or confirmed every three years. The
prefiden^ of the council, which confifts of fifty fenators, is
the gonfalonier e^ who is at the head of the police and re-
venue.
c,en ; usof The Bo'ognefe are famous for their vivacity and wit; and
the inhabi- particularly for the fatirical poignancy of their jefts. How-
ever, a ftranger no where meets with more civility than at
Bologna. But their afliduous application to their feveral
trades and manufactures is a much more valuable quality
Silk mann- than the former. This city carries on a large trade in filk ;
taftiwes. and the ]- tt j e r j yer R eno> a branch of which runs through
Silk-mills. Bologna, is extremely convenient for their filk-mills, in
which a fingle wheel often runs round four or five thoufand
little cylinders or fmaller wheels with furprifing velocity,
and, efpecially if the fiik be good and ftrong, does more
work than fo many thoufand hands in winding it. The
motion of this wheel is fo regulated, as to be eafily flopped,
and then the whole machine ftands ftill, as in the filk-miil at
Utrecht ; for the lifting up of a weight of a fingle pound
only, that hangs in the water, does it.
Its trade. The Bologna damafks, fattins, taffeties, and velvets, are
in great repute. This city alfo carries on a confiderable
trade in fiax and hemp, and great quantities of the latter are
exported to Venice, for fails and cordage. It likewife fup-
plies the neighbouring provinces with its oil and wine. The
Wine. wine made about Bologna is fo ftrong, that when it nrfl
comes
BOLOGNA. 249
oomes from theprefs it is generally diluted with a fourth part
or' water, except that appointed for the facrament, which is
made by itfelf, and without any mixture : this net wine is to
be purchafed at the convents.
Many ingenious works are here made of walnut-tree ; for
the country abounds with thole trees. The quinces which
grow here are alfo very large, and of an exquifite flavour.
Bologna is like wife celebrated for efiences, aqua-vitts, foap, Eflences.
and fnuff, but more particularly for its theriaca, which is Medicines,
openly, and with no frnall folemnity, prepared in the public &'
^laboratory ; and another alexipbarmic, highly efteemed,
which is called Elettuario dl Martina. Near the river Setta
is found good rock cryftal, which at Bologna is wrought
into fnuff-boxes, luftres, C5V.
The nuns of this city are very ingenious in making moft Artificial
beautiful artificial flowers of filver, filk, muflin, enamel, flowers *
ifinglafs, &c. And, though the beft fort of flowers are made
only for prefents, yet abundance of them are to be met
with in the (hops, where travellers may buy them at a
moderate price. Fruits of all kinds are alfo imitated in wax,
Ib as fcarcely to be difcerned at firft Tight from the produces
of nature.
Formerly little dogs of the Bologna breed brought no in- Bologna
confiderable fums to this city ; but at prefent the ridiculous d 8 s *
paflion for thofe animals is fo far exploded, that even in Bo-
logna itfelf, by the decreafe of the breed, they are become
fo fcarce, that one of any tolerable beauty is valued at four
or five guineas. Some people tell us, the means ufed for
checking the growth of thefe creatures is, to rub their legs
and back as foon as they are brought forth with fpirits of
wine, and afterwards frequently repeating the operation/ If
this be true, the effect muft arife from the heat of the li-
quor, which dries up the vital juices; and poflibly this re-
cipe may be better grounded than what is aflerted in the
Mifcellanea Curio/a Medico-Phyfica, publifhed at Leipfick in
1670, viz. If you anoint the back-bone of a new-born in-
fant with the fat of rats, moles, and bats, they will never
exceed the ftatue of a fmall dwarf.
This country alfo abounds in honey and wax, great tjuan-
tities of which are exported ; and all kinds of provifions are
here exceeding good, and in great plenty. St. Marco and Inns,
il Pelegrino have for fome years pair, been famous for being
the beft inns in all Italy. Fowls of all kinds in thefe parts Excellent
are fowls and
pigeoas.
35 B O L O G N A.
are very large, and of a particular fine flavour ; efpecially
the pigeons, as they are all over Lombardy. The Bologna
0*W&tt, and its other dried faufages, tongue?, &c. are fa-
mous not only throughout Europe, but are well known in
the Eaft and Weft Indies.
The Bolognefe affirm, that their cheefe is not inferior to
that of Parma, and they fell a great quantity of it under the
name of Parmefan cheefe. From all thefe circumftances it
may be eafily conceived how Bologna came to be {tiled la
Graffh, or the fat. The fmall branch of the Reno, which
runs through their city, has been improved, and rendered
extremely commodious for trade; a canal of communication
having been cut from it to the lake Valle di Marara, from
whence they fend their merchandizes to Ferrara and other
places fituated on the Po.
!.;> *rty of The Bulognefe drek entirely in the French faftiion. The
the womeiv W omen of the middle clafs generally appear in a black gown,
with a black filk veil over their heads : but the female fex
here in general enjoy a greater freedom than in moft cities in
Italy. I was lurprized to fee fo great a number of blind
people in this city, and have not received any fatisfadtory
account of the caufe. One alfo meets with not a few
perfons walking the ftreets with fpeclacles on, who are yet
fo far from labouring under any weaknefs of fight, that they
roll their eyes about on all fides without once looking
through thtir glafTes. This fafhion is of Spanifh origin, and
is fuppofed to be a fign of greater gravity than ordinary :
this has recommended it to the generality of the monks and
clergy.
Portico's. The houfes in moft of the principal ftreets have before
them a kind of portico, which fupports the fecond ftorv.
Thefe muft be allowed to be very convenient in windy or
rainy weather, and in (hading the houfes from the fun j but
they deprive them of that ornament which they would receive
from a fine front, or an elegant entrance. As the pillars of
thefe portico's are very irregular before different houfes,
fame being high, others low ; fome round, others fquare or
octangular ; fome of ftone, and others again of wood ; they
are no great ornaments to the city. Thefe portico's or gal-
leries ferve only for walking ; and that part of the ftrcets
where the carriages pals is confide! ably lower *. The roof*
* Thefe portico's are fomewhat like vrhat they call the Rowt at
Cbeftor.
f
BOLOGNA. 2 r
of the houfcs are of titles but flat, with a kind of parapet to-
wards the ftreets.
The tower degli Afinelli is by fome, but erroneoufly, faidTheAfindlj
to be the higher! in all Italy ; for the cupola of St. Peter's at towet
Rome far exceeds it. The height oFit is but three hundred
and feventy-pne feet, and it is afcended by four hundred and
fixty-four ftept; ; of which four hundred and forty-nine bring
you to the gallery, and fifteen more to the very top, where
the bells hang. The report of a hamper of gift iron hang.-
ing out of this tower, in terrorem to confefTors, is without
foundation : A monk, for divulging fome particulars con.-
feflfd to him, having, as the ftory goes, been put in this
hi:rrpcr, and left to perifh. This tower is fquare, and the
fleps by which it i? afcended are only of wood. It derives
its name from Gerardo Afinel'i, who built it at his own
chajge in 1109. It is a common faying here, that from the Riddle on its,
tower of Afmelli one has a view of Cento e cinque Citta^ i. e. profped.
a hundred and five cities. But this is no more than a pun
upon the word Cento, the name of a fmall town a little to
the northwaid of Bologna ; and, to make up the five, they
bring in Bologna with Imola, Butrio, Ferrara, and Modena.
A like piece of wit one hears in France concerning the prof-
pccl from a mountain near the village of Trente, between
Bezier? and Narbonne, viz. jfai vu cfune moniagne Trente &
deux viUes ; i. e. ' I have feen from the top of a mountain
two-and-thirty cities j 1 but it means no more than, I have
feen the village Trente and two cities ; Trente being the
French word for thirty.
Near the Afinelli tower is another fquare tower, called Leaning
Garifenda, which name fome derive from the name of the tow * <*
perfon who built it, to emulate the above-mentioned Gerar-
do Afinelli ; and others from the name of the architect. Its
height is now reduced to a hundred and thirty feet, the foun-
dation having fo far given way, that a great part of it fell, or
was taken down. The inclination of this tower on one fide
is fuch, that a plumb-line, let down from the top, falls feven
feet from the v/all at the bottom. It is ridiculous to imagine
that this tower was originally built in this manner, as it
would have been the height of folly to have laid out fo much
money, only to fhew that fuch a thing as a leaning tower
might be built. This may be demonftrated at a much lefs
expence with the men of a draught-board, or a thoufand
other ways j and confequently no great Ikill was required to
raife
BOLOGNA.
raife fuch a ftructure. But that this is not the only leaning
tower in Italy is well known to thofe who have been at Pifa,
Ravenna, Mantua, or Venice.
The tower of Garifenda is quite covered in at the top ;
and the city-council, in whofe hands the keys are kept, fel-
dom indulge any perfon with the ufe of them to go up the
tower, by which it is manifeft that they have no great con-
fidence in the ftrength. of th^s pretended mafter-piece of ar-
chitecture ; and, as far as poffible, endeavour to prevent
any motion in it. In the walls of this tower, as in that of
Ailnelii, are holes fix or feven feet above one another, for
the conveniency of fixing fcaffolds for neceflary repairs.
Lite's pa- The palace in which the vice-legate, the gonfaloniere^ and
other officers of ftate have their apartments, and the feveral
boards and courts of juftice are held, ftands on the great
market-place. The front is two hundred and eighteen com-
mon paces in length, which, in A ^Journey to Italy^ publifhed
under the name of one de Seine, is increafed to one thou-
fand four hundred and twenty feet. This, however, is but
a fmall exaggeration, in comparifon of the many hundred
palpable untruths with which that book is fluffed.
Statue of Over the entrance ftands a brafs ftatue of pope Gregory
Gregory XIII* who was a native of Bologna ; the weight of it is
eleven thoufand three hundred pounds, and the workman-
fhip does great honour to Minganti, the artift who made it.
Of Boniface On the left-hand as one enters the door, is the ftatue of pope
ym ' Boniface VIII.
The interview between the emperor Charles V. and pope
Clement VII. in 1529, when that prince fubmitted to be
crowned by the pope, is commemorated here by the follow-
ing infcription on a copper-plate :
CLEMENS
BOLOGNA. 253
CLEMENS VII. PONT. MAX.
Ut Cbriftiants Reip. Jlatum formaret^ cum Car ok V. Imper.
"Bcnonite congrejjus eft : In bane Urbem Ceefar Non. Novemb. a
Cbrlftl Natal'i 1529 intrant, pro Templl foribus de More Pant*.
Max. adoravit. Ejus hortatus con/ilia cum rejlituto in Mediolani
avitum Regnum Fran elf ca Sfortia ac Venetls Pace data cunl<z
Italics ofium ac tranqttillitatem diu optatam reddidijjet^ Itnperii
coronam hoc pompte or dine accepit. Feneflra hac ad dextram fuit
Porta Pr&toria) ea grejjus Cfefar per pontem fublicium in tedein
I). Petronii dedufius^ Sacris rite peraliis a Pant. Max. Auream
Coronam Imperil c&teraqtte injignia accepit ; inde cum eo trium-
pbans^ exercitu ornatijjimo prtstunte^ urbem perlujlravit. Cum
ambo in eodem Pretoria totam byemem conjunSllJf. de jumma de-
liberantes egtffent^ Cafar pojl fuum adventum Menj'eV. In Ger-
manlam ad tumultus impiorum civium fedandos, sf Helium Tur-
clcum cum Ferdinando Fratre Pannonies Rege npparandum pro-
fetfus eft. Hujus rel monumentum hoc Innocentio Cibo Card.
Legato autfore, U her to Gambara Urbis Prof. referente y
S. P. jP. B. extare voluit.
Non. Nov. MDXXX.
4 His holinefs pope Clement VII, for the tranquillity of
the Chriftian commonwealth, had an interview at Bologna
with the emperor Charles V. in this city on the fifth day
of November, in the year 1529 from the birth of Chrift,
who paid the cuftomary veneration to his holinefs before
the gate of the cathedral ; and having, at the pope's ex-
hortation, given the long-wiftied-for tranquillity to all
Italy, by reftoring Francefco Sforza to his hereditary do-
minions the dutchy of Milan, and by granting peace to
the Venetians, he received from the hands of his holinefs
the imperial crown, with the following ceremony : the
window on the right was the przetorian-jrate through which
the emperor entered, and was conducted over a wooden
bridge to St. Petronius's church, where, after divine fervice
had been folemnly performed, he received from the pope's
hands the golden imperial crown, and all the other rega-
lia ; and when this ceremony was over, thefe illuftrious
perfons went in a triumphant proceffion through the city,
preceded by a fine army. They fpent the whole winter in
the fame palace, concerting defigns of the higheft impor-
tance, and emulating each other in. reciprocal tokens of
regard and affe&ioni and the emperor, about five months
zfcer
a 5 4 & O L O G N. A
after his arrival in this city, fet out for Germany, to quell
the feditions of his rebellious fubjecb, and, together with
Ferdinand his brother, king of Huhgary, to make prepa-
rations for a war a^ainit the Turks, In memory of fuch
a glorious tranfactibn^ this monument \vas ere&ed by caV-
dinal Cibo, legate, and the ienate and people of Bologna^
on the fifth day of November, in the year 1530.*
How far This infcription fays, that Charles V. paid the ufual vene-
Charks V. ration to the pope, without mentioning what that ceremony
h^relf d to was ' According to Jovilis Mafenius and Frundfberg's hif-
tothc pope, to ry, the emperor kifled the pope's foot : but Burnet. in his
Hiftory of the Reformation, fays, that the pope, whom the
reformation, already begun in Germany, had probably in-
fpired with fentiments of moderation, drew back his foot,
and cordially embraced the emperor. Even Jovius obferves,
that the pope, after the emperor was crowned, had the dif-
cretion not to fuffer Charles V. to hold his ftirrup ; which
probably, however, was far from the emperor f 's intention,
who had brought a powerful army along with him, and had
already given pope Clement VII. to underftand, that his
filial obedience to his holinefs knew its proper bounds, when
any unbecoming condefcenfions were required of him * : and,
even when he was at Bologna, Charles V, in a public af-
fembly of the pope and cardinals, infifted on a free council.
Vv r hcn the pope interrupted the imperial fecretary of ftate
(who in a Latin fneech was urging the fitnefs of fuch a mea-
fure) with the following reprimand : Quare Tu mibi fie con-
tradicere audes, ff dotnimnn contra me incltas? i. e. How dare
you thus contradict me, and fet your mafter againft me?*
Charles took up the cudgels, and in the fame language bold-
ly delivered with his own mouth what he had before recom-
mended to his fecretary f.
JTormer Nothing can be more haughty and arrogant than the com-
pnde of thc p]; men t that thefervi ferwrwn, as they were pleafed to call
themfelves, expcited fhould be paid them by crowned-heads,
namely that of holding the ftirrup \ which they formerly
* The pope was obliged to permit feveralvery exprefs limitations of
his authority, and confirmations of all the imperial rights, betcre Charles
)\ mis luicmnlty prererabiV lu ixumC'
f See Mullei''e Hiftory of the Augfburg Confeflion, p. 409.
/ had
BOLOGNA, 255
had fo much at heart, that they would not fuffer them-
felves to be attended in any other manner by the Roman em-
perors, than as if they were equerries or grooms of the holy
fee.
At firft, indeed, princes might, partly out of complai-
fance, and partly out of a blind religious zeal, have been
drawn in to perform fuch an unbecoming office ; but it was
not long before the popes claimed it as an eftabliftied right.
It is furprifing to find the emperor Frederic I, after the ob- Frederk J.
ftinate refufal of the princes and great men attending him, holds lhe
{looping, in conformity to this old curtom, to the indignity irrup *
of holding pope Adrian the Fourth's ftirrup. Before the em-
peror could be brought to fuch an abafement, the pope fuf_
fered him to kifs his foot; but refufed him the ofculum tacis 9
j. e. ' kifs of peace *.' After that time, the like demands,
with farther incroachments, were inferted in the Roman ce-
remonial f as a fettled point of right ; to which, however, fe-
veral fecular princes, who zealoufly adhere to the papal fee,
will fcarce conform in this article : for the reformation has, in
many particulars, opened the eyes of the Roman-catholic
laity. We are told, in Matthew, ch. xx. v. 26. ' That
* whofoever will be the greateft among Chrift's difciples,
* {hall be the fervant or minifter of the reft.' And probably
the popes had an eye to this text, when they a/Turned the
appellation of fervi fervorum> or the * fervants of fervants .'
Never
* Vid. Afia Adriani 17. MS. ex Codlce Vaticano ap. Baronium torn. xii.
*d ann. 1155^ n. 8. />. 403. thelaft words of which run thus : Rex Frede-
ricus prxcejfit aliquantulitm, & appropinquante Papa tentorio Regis, per
aliatn viam tranfiens defcendit y & occurrens Rex ei, quantum jaflus ejl la~
pidis, in confpeflu exercitus officium ftratonis cum jucunditate implevit, ET
STREGUAM FORTITER TENUIT. Turn wrl Pontifex eundem
Regent ad pads ofeulum primo recepit. ' King Frederic went a Jittle
' before, and, as the pope drew near to the king's pavilion, his mujefty,
' paffing another way, alighted j and, running up to him about a ibne"s
* throw, before the whole army -with pleafetre performed /,!. office cf a
* groom, AND HELD 'THE STIRRUP TIGHT. Then it was that'tht
* pope firft admitted the faid king to the kifs of peace.'
f Ceremoniale Rom. lib. i. f. 3. c. 3. Ruanda Papa per" fcalain afcendit
fquum, major Princeps, qui prafens adejl, etiamfi Rex fffet ant Jmferatfr,
Stapham equi Papalis tenere debet, & deinde ductre equum per frennm ali-
quantum, &c. * When the pope mounts his horfe, the greareft prince
4 who is prefent, though he be a king or emperor, ou^ht to hold his
' ftirrup, and, after that, to lead the horfe a little way by the bridle, &V.*
t Pope Gregory the Great was the firft who, hy airumin^ this, hypocri-
tical title, fet the example to his fucceflbrs. Johannes Jejunator, former-
ly patriarch of Cflflftantinople, affumed to hjmfelf the name of univerfal
biftiop i
256 BOLOGNA.
Never was any yoke fo galling as that which thefe fervants
have laid on the necks of their fellow-fervants, being watch-
ful to leize every opportunity of increafmg their wealth and
power. Preetexiu cteli captant terras. * While they feem
' intent on heaven only, they endeavour to engrofs the whole
* earth.'
Memorial of An inscription is to be feen on the front of this papal p;;-
a plague in ] acei giving an account of the peftilence with which this
165 " place was fo vifited, that within the city twenty-three thou-
fand four hundred and eighty-eight perfons died of it j and,
in the diftricl belonging to it, eighteen thoufand. The cei-
fation of it is folely afcribcd to the omnipotence of the virgin
Mary, and this infcription, was put up in memory of that de-
liverance.
Among the apartments fhewn to ftrangers, there is one
called il Salone d Ercole, where is to be fecn a noble ftatue of
Hercules, of an uncommon fize ; it is of terra cotta^ and by
Lifeand im- the fkilfui hand of Lombardi. In another little faloon are
P"jo n! ent reprefented in frejco the mofr, confiderable atchievements. of
Hencj. the Bolognefe, inscribed with Latin verfes, in which the
victory over Henci king of Sardinia is not forgotten i and
under the triumphal proceffion are thefe words :
Felfma Sardinia Regemjibi vincla mlnantem
Viflrix captivum Confute ovante trahit.
Nee patris imperio cedit^ nee Jleciitur auro^
Sed putat hoc magnum^ detinuiffe, dtcus.
Excitat augujlam regalis carceris aulam y
Sic nojlri viflis confuluere Patres.
* Victorious Bologna, amidft the pomp of a triumph, fees
the king of Sardinia, who had threatened to enflave it,
dragged as a captive ; and difdaining the offers, and fear-
lefs of the power of his father, detained him prifoner, but
in a grand palace built for that purpofe. Such is the treat-
ment our anceftors gave their prifoners of war.'
bifliop : this arrogancy the artful pope Gregory wanted to difcredit by
his pretended humility. Baromus, in very pompous terms, extols this
condefcention 5 and obferves, that the bimops of Rome exhibit a very
ftriking refemblance of Chiift's humiliation. It is a great pity that the
popes mewed this appearance of humility in name only ; and that Boni-
fuce III. has fince, out of the fame ambition with the patriarch, affumed
the title of univerfal biihop.
The
BOLOGNA. 257
The finl three lines are wrhten in black) with the letter
jVnear them. The three following are in red, and on one
fide of them P.
Henci was a natural Ton of the emperor * Frederic IT, who Account of
oppofing the pope's grant of the ifland of Sardinia to the Henci *
Pifans,.fent his ion, who was married to Adela, a Sardinian
princefs, with an army, which at firft gained great advan-
tages over the pope and Pifans ; and afterwards, with the
like fuccefs, affifted the Modenefe. It is commonly report-
ed here, and the Bononian hiftoriographers alfo relate, that
Frederic II. offered for his fon's ranfom a gold-ring as large
as the circumference of the city. Probably fome equivoca-
tion was apprehended in the offer, as the thicknefs of the
ring was not fpecifted ; and confequently it might have
proved only a piece of gold wire of fuch a length as to in-
clofc the city. The long imprifonment of Henci might alfo
be owing to the death of the emperor, which happened foon
after, viz. in 1250 ; this unfortunate prince being forgot
amongft the difturbances of the 1 interregnum. So far is
certain, that he remained a prifoner at Bologna from the
year 1249 till his death, which happened in 1272. To fay
that this palace, at prefent the refidence of the legate and
other great officers, was built merely for the reception of that
captive prince, is an idle piece of oftentation, the falflty of
which appears at fuft fight, as fuch a vail edifice would re-
quire more years in building than a prifoner could naturally
be expected to remain among them. Beiides, Sigoni, in his
Hijtoria Bononienfis, lib. iv. p. 78. and lib. vi. p. 115, fays,
that one of the public palaces, called il Palazzo vecchio del
Commune, or del Podefta, was begun in the year 1200, and
the other diftinguifhcd by the name of Palazzo Maggiore in
the year 1245. Now the latter is the palace in queftion,
and, as appears by this date, was built before Henci was
taken prifoner. However, Maleipini does the Bolognefe
great injuftice, by faying, in cap. cxi. p. 97, that they lock- .
eel up this prince in an iron cage, and confined him in it as
long as he lived.
Over the Salone cTErcole is the Sak Farnefe, fo called SalaFsmefqj
from a marble ftatue of pope Paul III, who was of the Far-
ncfe family. The deling and walls of this apartment were
painted by the beft matters in Bologna, at the expence of
* Vld. Coxtimtalor Martini Poloui, p. 1417. RiccobaUus ferrarienfis in
flt/loria Imperator, p. 1174'.
VOL. III. S cardinal
258 BOLOGNA.
cardinal Farnefe. Among others, Emilio Taruffi and Carlo
Cignani have united their (kill in a piece, reprefenting Fran-
cis I, king of Franre, touching for the evil at Bologna, in
the prefence of pope Leo X, by virtue of the miraculous
power of healing aflumed by his predecefTors the kings of
France. As to any one miracle performed by Leo X, hif-
torians are entirely filent : and the proteftants pofiibly exceed
Sufpidon* the truth, in aflerting that he was an atheift *. However,
concerning Jovius, a zealous poptfh hiftonan, in his Life of Leo X,
1/60 x * acknowledges this pope to have been fufpected of being given
to unnatural lufts, and makes no fecret of his fenfuahty and
voluptuoufnefs ; to which vices other authors f, of unfu(pe<t-
ed veracity, add his exceflive love of hunting, fowling, mu-
fic, fpeclacles, and feafting. That he chiefly delighted in
the frivolous mirth of fycophants, buffoons, and jefters, is
affirmed by Matthieu's Hi/L de Henry IV. lib. vii. t. ii. p.
716. And, on the contrary, the little efteem he had for di-
vines, and his preference of poetry, mythology, and other
profane fciences to thofe of his profeffion, appears even
from Pallavicini's Hiftory of the Council of Trent. With
fuch difpofitions it may well be fuppofed, that Leo X, when
he faw Francis I, a libertine young king, affume to himfelf
a power of working miracles, thought, as Cato the cenfor
* Th great confidence which our fathers repofed in this pope inclines
us Germans to a tendernefs for his character ; and it muft be owned lie
was not without fome eminent qualities : but they extremely deviated
from German fincenty, or had too good an opinion of him, when at the
renewal of the concordat, nat. German, they termed him a zealous patron
of religion, and a mining example of fanftity. It is all edged, in exte-
nuation of his irregulai itiesj that he was very early exalted to the papal
fee. Luther, who in this pope's time reftored the truths of the gofpel to
their primitive purity, proftrates himfelf before him with the moll implicit
I ', veneration, torn* I. epijl. p. 71. an. 1518. Ifyare, BeatiJJimc Pater, pro-
Jlratum me pedibiu tn<e bcathuJinis offers cum omnibus, qua fum & kabeo ;
vi-vjjica, occide, <voca, re-i>cca, adproba, reproba ut placuerit, vocem tuam
Ckrifti I'occm in te praJUentis Gf loqiientis agnofcarii. Si mortem merui, mori
non recufabo. f Wherefore, moft holy father, I proftrate mjielt at thy
facred feet, offering myfelf and all that I have : come life, come death,
call me, reject me, approve me, condemn me, as it leeineth good to
three. In thy voice I hear that of Chrilt fpeaking through thee his vice-
gerent. If thou thinkeft I deierve death, I fhall wi.lingly fubmit.'
And Leo feimfelf does Luther the j u dice to fay : Che fra Martina Lutbert
bave-'ca un bcllijfimo ingegnoj e che cotejte erano iti'vidJtfratefcbe. ' Bro-
' ther Martin Luther is a perfon of an extraordinary genius, and theie
' are only monaftic bickerings.'
f Onupbrius in vita p. 39$. Ciacon. in vit. f, 317. Natalis Alex,
torn. VIII. p. 34..
BOLOGNA. 259
"did of the arufpices^ (which he is faid indeed not to have
concealed) t That one could not look upon the other with-
* out laughing *.'
Another fine piece of painting in the Sala Farnefe repre- Other fine
ifents the public entry of Paul III. into Bologna. The aque- fg m
du<5t by which cardinal Alborno has immortalized his name Farnefe.
in this city, is' reprefented in this piece by a plan of it laid
before him. The coionation of Charles V. is by Luigi
Scaramuccia di Perufa. Laftly, among the remarkable
tranfa&ions of the republic is alfo clafled the acquifition
pf a portrait of the virgin Mary, faid to be painted by St.
Luke.
The Aldrovandi rhufeum, which is kept in this place with The Aldrb.
fuch care, that it is never opened but in the prefence of a J^ 1 mu ~
fenator, confifts, among other curiofities, of a hundred and
eighty-feven folio's, and above two hundred bags full of
{ingle leaves, all written by the hand of that indefatigable
perfon. Here is alfo fliewn the portrait of a womani with a Bearded wo-
beard as long as that of a Capuchin monk, whom Aldrovan- lrian>
di affirms to have feen. This collection has been enriched
with the cabinet of the marquis Cofpi, which contains a
great number of valuable medals, as may be feen in the
printed catalogue of them. On the ftairsj and over the
doors of the apartments, are the bulls of feveral popes, as
Urban VIII, Innocent X, &c.
The military ftores and artillery, with arms for fix thou- Arfenal.
fand men, are alfo kept in this place. The phyfic-garden Phyfic-gar-
ih the court of it iS very finally and has nothing remarkable den -
in it. The area before the palace is three hundred and fe-
Venty feet long, and three hundred broad. The fountain ih Fountain,
this area, together with the leaden pipcs^ &c. are faid to
have coft feventy thoufand fcudi d'ofo\ or golden crowns ; \
and it is indeed a very noble ornament to it. The brafs fla-
tues erected here are by Giovanni di Bologria ; the others
are by Antonio Lupi ; but the difpofutbn of the whole work
was left to Lauretti. The ftatue of Neptune on the top is
eleven feet high. Within the bafon are a great number of
dolphins ejecting water, and four women with three dreams
iiTuing out at each breaft. The only exception to this fuperb
work is, that the jett^aus are not proportional to the fize of
the figures;
* Cicero, lj!>. ii. de D'pvinat* Cato mirari fe aiebat, trued non rideret
(trufisx arufficcm cum --Jidtffet \
6o B 6 L O G N A.
Mint. The mint affords nothing remarkable. The balancer, or
prefs ufed for coining, moves like the pendulum of a clock,
and in a minute {lamps fifteen or fixteen pieces. The privi-
lege of coining was firft conferred on this city, in the year
1291, by the emperor Henry V ; and on the large pieces
coined here is the following legend alluding to the univer-
fity of Bologna, which formerly was in fuch reputation :
Bononia dccet. And on the fmaller pieces, the important
word Ltbcrtas j but both at prefent are ufed with little pro-
priety.
A connoifleur in painting will meet with a great deal of
entertainment in the private palaces of this city.
Paintings m I n t he Palazzo Bonfiglioli, befides feveral beautiful pieces
B lacl ky the Caracci's, are about fifty drawings by the moft cele-
brated mailers ; among which are the mafiacre of the Inno-
cents, by Raphael ; Veturia and Coriolanus, by Baptifta-
Franco *, &c. All thefe 1 pieces are elegantly framed and
glazed with ground glafs, which not only preferves them
from the duft and the fingers of the beholders, but gives no-
little addition to their beauty.
Campeggr The Palazzo de' Campeggi is built with free-ftone of a
palace. diamond cut, and was once the reftdence of the emperor
Charles V. Here alfo, in the time of James III. and Paul
III,- the bifhops and prelates, appointed to affift at the council
of Trent, held their meetings in the year 1547? when the
xinhealthfulnefs of the air had obliged them to leave Trent.
In the garden is a lion of white marble, formerly erected at
Ravenna by the Venetians ; but, when that city fell under
the papal yoke, it was brought hither.
Bemivoglio The fpacious fuperb palace, which formerly the family of
pa ace. ^ g ent j VO g]j h ac j in Bologna, was, upon their expulfion-
out of the city in the year 1507, totally demolished and
razed : however, they have fince built a very fine houfe in
another part of the city.
Caprara pa- But the palace which moft gratifies a traveller's curiofity
lace. j s ^at of Caprara,- where he cannot but admire the double
ftair-cafe, the large looking-glaiTes (which are feldom feen
in the Italian palaces, and what they have are generally but
very mean) the tapeflry hangings, and the richnefs of the
other furniture. Here are particularly a great many fnrall
* LivYj lib. ii. c. 4.0, calls Coriolanus's mother Veturia, and his wife'
Volumnia, which names are ufed vice versa in Plutarch j but Aufelius
Viftor, de <viris illttjiribus, follows Livy.
coffers
BOLOGNA. 261
coffers of admirable Florentine work ; one of raifed mother-
of-pearl, another with fix large, and as many fmall, pillars
of rock-cryftal ; leveral curious works ijn ivory and wood,
and general Caprara's brafs ftatue on a pedeftal of red por-
phyry, fupported by a Turk. At the corners of a fplendid
p-allery are clofets filled with ftiells and other marine produc-
tions ; but both the fides of it are taken up with four large
tables, covered with Turkish uteafils, belts, money, furni-
ture, &c. count Tekeli and prince Ragotzi's cabinets ;
two fvvords fet with diamonds,, prefented to general Caprara,
<one by the emperor Leopold, and the other by Auguflus
king of Poland ; the golden-fleece, and feveral other curio-
fities within glafc-cafes, and little brafs ftatues on the top
of them. The walls are hung with Turkifh arms in the
form of trophies. In this gallery are likewife fome fine paintr
in^s ; among which is the death of Brangandini, who was
flead by tjbe Turks, painted on wood. Here are aUb two
beautiful tables of Florentine work, and feveral large filver
vafes. The laft male heir of the Caprara family died in theR ich fami< -
year 1724; and his daughter, on her marriagje with a gen- j 1 " 1 " "
tleman of the name of Montecuculi, infifted, that hefliould
take upon him the name of Caprara j which he agreed to,
rather than lofe her fortune ,of eighty thoufand fcudl a year :
however, the Caprara family is not the jicheft Bologna j for - :
thofe of Magnani, Pepoli, and Rapucci are pofTelFed of a
hundred thoufand^W/ or crowns fterling a year.
On the .deling of a faloon of the Palazzo de' Favi are thp PaintingH
adventures -of jafon in eighteen pieces painted in frefco by ^i^j^- 1
the two brothers Auguftino and Annibal Caracci, under the paUce.
infpe&ion of their uncle Luigi. In another apartment are
painted on the frize twelve paffages of the jEneid painted in
frefco by Luigi Caracci, copper-plates of which are to be
had at Rofu's in Rome for two fcudl ^ under the following
title : Gallena dlplnia In Bologna In cafa di Signori Favl^ colie
favolc dl Enea^ fecondo la defcrizlone di Vlrgilio^ colonte da tuttl
tre I Carded^ Annibale, jtfgoftino e Luaavic0 9 Intagllata in ac-
qua forte da Giupppe Maria Mitelli^ libra in XVII. fogli re'all
per traverfo. The reft of the adventures of ^neas are Other pic-
painted in ten pieces by Albani, under the direction of Lui- turcs -
gi Caracci, and his other difciples have finifhed the re-
mainder ; but the latter are in a different apartment, and under
every picture is a Latin verle out of the /Eneid, explaining
the fubjecu On the frize of one apartment are feveral land-
fcapes in frefco^ by the cavalier Creti j by whom are two
S 3 other
262 BOLOGNA.
other pieces, reprefenting painting and mufic by two women.
Several other fine pieces of painting are likewife to be feeu
in this palace, and particularly fome very delicate drawings
with a pen.
Paintings in On a wall in the Palazzo de' Legnani are forne imperfect
honour of remains of a piece of painting in praife of pope Julius III,
Julius III. by Nico]o de j Abbate. Under the papal cro'wn are thefe
words : Innocentes manibus & mundl corde. A motto little ap-
plicable to Julius III.
Magnani The Palazzo Magpani is finely furnifhed ; but the moft
palace. remarkable thing here is the hiftory of Romulus, painted
in frefco by the three Caracci's. Count Carlo Cefare Mal-
vafia, in the third part of his Felfina Pittrice^ and other
connoifleurs give the preference to the piece reprefenting Ro~
mulus's victory over Numitor's fhepherds, which was done
t?y Auguftino Caracci ; but it is a great difadvantage to a ; l
thefe mafter-pieces, that the beauty of the colouring is fa-
ded, and on that account they are not beheld with the fame
pleafure and admiration as the noble works of thofe artifts in
the Farnefian palace at Rome.
PalazzoMa- ' J n the Marefcotti palace are feveral fine pieces of painting,
and a very fuperb double ftair-cafe.
Palazzo de' The Palazzo de 1 Molari exhibits a good collection of
Moiari. paintings ; but is chiefly remarkable for a meridian-line
drawn by Dr. Montanari.
Palazzo de' The Palazzo de' Monti fhews the genius of the Italiaa
Monti. nobility for decorating their palaces with collections of paint-
Humour of . * . , ' r I r i i i r i r
the Italian in g s anc ' other cunolities ; who orten abridge tnemlelves ot
obility. a great many of the conveniencies of life, in order to be;
poflefled of fomething which attrads the admiration of other
people, and efpecially of foreigners. The firft floor of this
grand edifice, confifting of above thirty apartments, which
are by far the beft, is never, or at leaft very feldom, inha-
bited, and then only for the reception of fome perfon of di-
ftinction ; the general ufe of them being only to difplay ant
amazing collection of paintings and other curiofities. Be-
fides the great number of pieces by Albani and the Caracci's^
here is a gallery painted by young Cignani ; together with a
very large piece of painting reprefenting the raifing ofthefiege
of Turin, by Antonio Cafa. In another apartment is to be
feen a woman afleep, with a wanton boy laughing, whilil he
lets down a moufe hanging by a thread upon her breaft. Li
this piece the expreffion is very ftrong, and the moufe is admi-
rably done. This palace is well furnilhed, and the apart-
" ' meuts
BOLOGNA. 263
ments are lofty and magnificent. The Bolognefe family
of Monti claims kindred with pope Julius III, who was a
Florentine.
The Palazzo di Pepoli is a fine edifice, and is remarkable PaUzzidi
for its fuperb ftair-cafe, fpacious hall, fine tapeftry and other Fe P oll>
rich furniture. Here is to be feen a iilver triumphal car,
with two ladies fitting it, which moves by clock-work about
the room, as if it was drawn by two lions. The beft paint-
ings in this palace are the cieling-pieces.
The palace of Ranucci is likewife built in a grand tafte, PalazroRa
with a noble ftair-cafe, and fpacious lofty rooms. Here is nuccj>
iome beautiful tapeftry made at the Gobelins, and feveral
clofets full of Florentine work, fUver vafes, and other fur-
niture ; particularly a clock of railed inlaid work of gems on
a ground of laph -lazuli \ The height of the chapel takes up
three ftories of the houfe. Among the paintings in this pa- Paintings,
lace are a fine piece of perfpettive, by Agoftino Mitelli ; St.
Jerom, and Jofeph flying from Potiphar's wife, by Guido j
the fall of Haman, by Antonio Gionima (a new piece,
where the beautiful figure of Efther is particularly admired;)
and the portraits of the great dukes of the Medicis family,
In the upper faloon is an indifferent piece of the reception
of the king of Denmark at thjs palace, with thefe words
under it;
Frider'uus IV. Dania, Norvegia y
Gothies ac Vandalise Rex 9
JLamttits Domus bis bifpes
MDCCIX.
c In this palace of Ranucci, Frederic IV, king of Den-
* mark, Norway, the Goths and Vandals, was twice en-
* tertained in the year 1709.'
Facing it is a piece reprefentins; the coronation of the em-
peror Charles V, as performed by the pope at Bologna in
the year 1530.
The family of Ranucci have alfo a charming villa, of T^aimcc
which, together with the Dominican convent, one has a" 5 ' 3 '
fine view from the Monte dcllaGuardia.
In the Palazzo Sampieri are feveral pieces, by the three Sampieri
Caracci's ; and one of the beft that was ever done by Albani,
reprefenting Cupid killing his mother Venus, and, with an pi
ir of triumph, as it were to (hew his power, pointing at the
$ 4 rape
264 B O L O G N A.
rape of Proferpine by Pluto : and near him is a groupe of
fpcrtive loves joining in a dance.
Palazzo di Not far from the church of Madonna di Galiera, Gicro-
Volta. nimo Trevifano has painted in chlaro ofcuro, on the outfide
of the wall of the Palazzo di Volta, feveral remarkable tranf-
a&ions of the Roman commonwealth j but it is almoft de-
faced by length of time. In the apartments are to be feen
Seat of the the works of Mitelli, and feveral other painters. Befides
h_Volta Fa- anot h er palace in this city, the family of the Volta have a
.AEnigmati- feat at Cafaralta, where the following Enigmatical epitaph,
cal epitaph. O n which fo many of the literati have already exercifed their
wits, is to be feen :
D. M,
jfclia Lfslia Crijpis
Nee Vir, nee Mulier^ nee Androgyne,
Nee Puclla^ nee Juvenis, nee Anus,
Nee Ca/ia, nee Meretrix, nee Pudiea,
Sed omnia.
Sublata
Neque Fame, neque Ferro^ neque Venent^
Sed omnibus. '
Nee Ccelo, nee Aquis^ nee Terns,
SedUbique jacet.
LVCIFS AGATHO PRISCIFS
Nee Maritus^ nee Amator^ nee NeceJJarius
Neque Mcerens^ neque Gaudens> neque Flens
Hanc
Nee Molem^ nee Pyramidem, nee Sepukbrum y
Sed omn'ia^
Self & Nefcit Cut Pofuerit.
c ^Elia Laelia Crifpis, who was neither male, female, nor
hermaphrodite ; neither a girl, a youth, nor an old woman;
neither chafte, a whore, nor a modeft woman ; but was
all thefe. She died neither by famine, fword, nor poifon ;
but by all three. She lies neither in the air, nor in the
waters, nor in the earth ; but every-where. Lucius Aga-
tho Prifcius, who was neither her hufband, nor gallant,
nor relation; neither weeping, rejoicing, nor mourning,
erected this, which is neither a fabric, a pyramid, nor a
tomb, but all three $ but to whom, he knows, and yef
knowcth not,'
Under
BOLOGNA;
Under this asnigma are the following words
eperit gloria
AntiqwtaS)
Ne periret inglorlum
Ex antiquatd marmore
Hie In nova reparavit
Achilles Volta Senator.
* That this jenigma, the invention of ingenious anti-
* quity, might not be loft by the decay of the ancient mar-
' ble on which it was firft engraven, it ftands here cut in,
c frefh characters, by order of Achilles Voltes, a fenator.'
On the four fides of the fame ftone are twelve different Explanatj-
explanatipns of thi *epitaph, with the names of their faga- onsof it.
cious authors. Mario Michael Angelo will have it to be
rain : Fortunius Licetus, the beginning and ending of friend-
fliip ; John Cafper Gevartius interprets it to be love ; Za-
chary Pontinus fays it was defigned for the remains of three
different perfons ; Johannes Turrius is of opinion that it is
the Maieria Prima ; Nicholas Barnaud, that it is an eunuch,
or the philofopher's ftone ; Agathias Scholafticus (if that was
his name) affirms it to be Niobe ; Richardus Vitus will have
it to be the rational foul, or the Idea Platonis ; and Ovidius
Montalbanus, hemp. Count Malvafia, in a particular trea-
tife intitled JElia Leslia Crijpis nan nata refurgens^ interprets
it of a daughter promised to a perfon in marriage, who died
pregnant with a male child before the celebration of her
nuptials *.
Befules thefe learned perfcris, M. de Cigogne Ingrande
has' discovered pope Joan in it; the celebrated Boxhorh f
fays it is a fhadow ; and a ludicrous hand has taken the liberty
* Whether this be our author's meaning, I cannot fay, It being fome-
thing obfcure in this pafTage ; but it is fomething applicable to the senig-
irta, though I know not whether it be agreeable to Malvafia's interpre-
tation, having never feen it.
f In the Afla Eruditorum Lipfienf. menf. Mart. arm. 1732, is an ano-
nymous letter, in which the author interprets this rklcile of a monument
ere&ed by one of the JElian family to his own foul, where he puts the let-
ters A. M, P. P. D. at the beginning of the epitaph, denoting Anima Mea
Propria Dico. This interpretatioa he fupyorts as grounded on the old
inscription,
266 BOLOGNA.
to fcratch on the ftone under the above-mentioned illuftra-
tions un petto, or a f t. The original epitaph is faid to
have been broken to pieces in the Jaft century, and the frag-
ments were made ufe of in laying the foundation of this
houfe ; and, what fecms not a little furprifmg, all the expla-
nations hitherto given of this in fcription have their difficul-
ties. And though Malvafia's has the moft probability on its
fide ; yet the particulars are grounded on fo many hiftorical
circumftances, that an ingenious pen would not be much at
a lofs to cook up a romance out of them. Give me leave
Another ?e- to fubjoin another aenigmatical infcription, though it be
f-^kLnd 1 * l(ometn ' n g fatirical, made on a woman at Bafil, who lived
fifteen years in the matrimonial flate with an eunuch :
Palladia Veneris^ vel Veneriee Palladia
Thalarnum Sepulckro Jimilem cernis.
Ubi Virgo fimul C5 5 Matrona, Nufta & Innupta^
Nee Sterilis, nee Fcecunda : nee Uxor, nee Pellex :
Conjux fine conjuge : Ccelcbs fine ccelibatu.
Annos quindecim, fine querela,
Cum Viro jacuit femiviro.
Mirante natura, tamdiu potuiffe fceminam
Sic jacere^ vel tacere *. .
' Behold a marriage-bed, or rather a grave, of a lady en~
* dowed with the beauty of Venus, joined with the prudence
* of a Pallas; who was at once a virgin and a matron, mar-
' ried and unmarried ; neither barren nor prolific, neither
* wife nor concubine ; a wife without a hufband ; Tingle,
infcription ; but adduces no proof. Not to mention that thofe letters are
not en the Bologna epitaph, but only on an old copy at MiJan, fuppofed
by Malvafia to be fpurious ; and to the end of which is taked the following
addition, not to be found in the editaph of B.ologna :
Hoc ffl fepulcbrum intus cadaver nan habens,
Hoc eft cadaver jepitlchruni extra nan babens t
Std cadaver idem eft & fepulchrutn. fibi.
* Here is a fepulchre without a corpfe ; here is a corpfe witlioyt a fe-
'. pulchre : the corpfe and fepulchre are one.'
[A correfpondent of the Merture de Trance will have this epitaph to be
defigned for Lofs wife.]
* Vid. Comes Lmanud Tbefaurus, in Idea arguttt f btgetitfifx diflionis^
t> 5
c and
BOLOGNA. 267
* and yet not in a ftate of celibacy. Here fhe lay fifteen
* years without any complaints, with a man who was but
' half a man, while nature itfelf admired that a woman
6 could lie or be filcnt for fo long a time under fuch circum-
4 ftances.'
I (hall not take upon me to decide, whether the filence of
the abovementioned Pallas be more wonderful than her pa-
tience ; or than the ignorance of another wife, who lived
fome years with an impotent hufbarid, without being fenfible
of his deficiency; for fhe imagined that the reft of the world
had no further commerce together than {he and her huf-
band. Hilarion de Cofte, in his Eloges des Dames illuflres^
torn. I. p. 697, relates this ftory of Ifabella di Gonzagua,
the wife of Guido Ubaldi duke of Urbino, who died in
1508 : but now, fmce women are better acquainted with the
fecrets of nature, their knowledge renders them lefs patient
under fuch difapointments. To what a degree of immodefty
not a few are arrived, appears from their procefles for di-
vorces ex capite hnpoteni:<z.
The Giar.dino de Poeti at Bologna, fo extolled by fome Poeti garde*)
travellers, is in reality but meanly laid out. It derives its
name from the family of the Poeti, to which it belong?.
A little without the Porta S. Mamala is a pafTage through Grotto out
a garden into a grotto, in which is a ftatue of Venus, fome c f ^Jra^*
fhell-work on the walls, and feveral fmall bafons filled with
water for bathes. This work generally pafles for a bathing-
place of the ancient Roman emperors ; but I am of opinion,
that the chief defign of this work was to find out a good
fpring of water: for many paflages are hewn in the rock, in
which are feveral fprings, at laft meeting in a deep refervoir;
and from thence the water is conveyed by an aqueduct, Aqw^yft.
which is to be feen behind the church dell' Annon/.iata, to the
large fountain in the area before the Palazzo Publico. The
lapideous concretions that hang on the bricks with which
the above-mentioned fubterraneons paflages are lined, per-
fectly refemble the incruftations on the pillars in the Plfcina
Mirabllis at Baiae, and are fo hard and tenacious, as not to
be feparated without damaging the brick-work. In fome
places thefe ftrong concretions are of fuch a thicknefs, that
an altar has lately been made of them at Bologna.
I come now to the ecclefiaflical edifices at Bologna, and
{hall begin with St. Agnes's church, which belongs to the St. Agnes,
Dominican nuns. This ; church is finely gilt and painted ; Fine pain-
268 BOLOGNA.'
among the lattf r the martyrdom of St. Agnes over the high
altar is one of Dornenichino's beft pieces.
St. Antony, fa St. Antony's church, over the great altar, is an admi-
rable piece, by Luigi Caracci, rep-relenting the preaching of
the primitive hermits. On another altar is a picture of the
virgin Mary with her divine infant, with a groupe of angels
hovering over her; St. Francis and St. Carlo in a devout
pofture, &c. In the oratory or fmall chapel near this church
is a moil beautiful piece, reprefenting the annunciation, by
Tiarini ; but with this prefumptous abfurdity, viz. God
the Father is reprefented above, in heaven, holding a dove in
Choft. '* y both his hands, juit as if he was going tp let it fly. The
Mojitalto convent near this church is called Collegia di Mont alto ; for it
college. was converted by pope Sixtus V. from an hofpital into a
convent. Here is a good library, which is prettily painted hi
Miraculous frefco^ by Geffi. On the wall without the college is a mi-
image of St. r aculous image of St. Antony, before which a perjured man
Antony. b e [ U g once brought, all his fiefti, as the fable goes, was in-
ftantly reduced to afhes, and fell off his bones. On the fef-
tival of that faint thofe alhes and bones are -publicly expofec}
to the devotion of the credulous people.
StataeofSt. Before St. Bartholomew's church ftands a marble ftatue of
Petronius. g^ Petronius, by Brunelli. This church is divided into
fcw'l 10 " tnree ^ es an< * t ! 3at m the m '4dle Is of a remarkable height".'
All the three make a fine appearance, and are excellently
painted, particularly that on the fouth fide. Angelo Michael
Colonna, as is mentioned in an infcription, from a motive
of devotion, performed this grand piece, and fome others,
without any reward. The high altar is of beautiful marble,
with fome figures inlaid. An annunciation, by Albani, to be
feeri here, is accounted an incomparable piece ; and indeed
nothing can furpafs the expreffipn of the virgin's admiration .;,
though, in my opinion, it is not accompanied with that hur
tniiity, artd, as it were, blufhing modefty, which are expref-
fed in fome of the beil pieces on this fubjecL The two
other pieces, reprefenting the nativity, and the flight intp
Egypt, are alfo by the fame aiafter. On the outfide of the
cloiiler which faces the ftreet, and confifts of ten arches,
arc fome fine baflb-relievo's, by Formigini ; with the life of
St. Gaetano, painted from Cignani's defigns.
In the vcftry of the Capuchins church is a crucifixion, b.y
.Guido Rhciji, which is extremely admired as a real mafter-
piece.
Tie
BOLOGNA.
The Ccrtofini, or Carthufians, whofe convent is with- Fine
otit the crty, are in pofleflion of that celebrated piece of Agof- ^
tini Caracci, in which St. Jerome is reprefented receiving
the facrament at the point of death, and taking leave of his
friends. This picture ftands on the great altar ; and m a
chapel" on one fide of it is St. John preaching in the wiMer-
nefs, painted by Luigi Caracci, who in this piece ftrove to
emulate Agoftini Caracci in that mentioned above. By the
fame mailer is alfo the fcourging of Chrift. Here is alfo a
capital piece, reprefenting the baptiim of Chrift, by Eliza^
beth Sirani ; and the feaft where Mary Magdalene anoints
our Saviour's feet by her father Giov. Antonio Sirani. St.
Bruno kneeling before the holy virgin is by Guercino ; the '
afcenfion of Chrift, by Bibiena ; the defcent from the erofs,
by Geffij St. Catharine of Sienna, by Tiarini ; and Chrift
led to the place of execution, a capital piece, i&by Maflari.
The church ad Corpus Domini ^ belonging to the nuns of Al Cwpa*
St. Clare, has been newly rebuilt, and fuitably ornamented ; > mir! '
the roof was painted by Frahcefchino. On the right-hand, c '
near the entrance, is a beautiful altar, adorned with red and
tvhite marble pillars. Here are alfo two fine pieces by Luigi
Caracci; one reprefents Chrift defcending into t\\eli?nb:i$ pa-
trum, and the other the interment of the virgin Mary. The
undecayed body of Catharine de' Vigri, a Bolognefe, the Saperftiiio*
- found refs of this convent, who died in the year 1463, is pre- about the
ferved by the nuns as a relique of fingular value. The body ^ rps . , ,
is fitting in a chair, and looks like a dried mummy. As tc Vigri.
the fragrant odour emitted by this corpfe, that may be effect -
ed without any difficulty ; but that its nails and hair are con-
tinually growing and often cut, is what, out of meer com-
plaifance to the fair nuns, one would nor chufe to difpute.
We. are indeed informed by hiftorians, that the beard of the
brave Guftavus Adolphus grew confiderably after he had been
laid in his grave * ; and this is no more than can eafily be cre-
* The poffibility of the ber.rd, and confequently of the hair, growing
n dead bodies, 'has been maintained by Ariftotle, in biji.anim. 1. iii. c. 11.
who fays, ' In perfuiis uHliclcd with fome diftempers, efpecially in con-
' fumptive perfons, the hair grows more than ordinny. In 3ecd perions,
* and even after death it continues to grow, and is veiy hard like briftles.'-
D. Job. Cbrijt. Stock in dijf. pl.yf. de cadarjcribus fangu-fugis . . 5. Jen.
1731. has ihewn the poffibility of this i'rom the natural caufes j but in the
fame year was oppofed by M. Jab. Chrificph. Pchl, in efi/i de kcmi-iibus prjl
iwrtemJaitguifagisf\T\ a trectife printed at Leipfic. Whoever is willing to
be convinced by hiftorical accounts, may read Chrift. Frid. Gc.rmar.n. de
miraculis mortuorum, 1. i.lif. i. de capnitrim in cadaver :bus augrr.fnto, .
19.
270 BOLOGNA.
dited of a body full of blood and juices. But whether thii
be poflible in a corpfe totally dried up, is much to be
questioned, or rather may be faid to be impoflible. In
this convent is given to devout perfons a kind of holy
water, which is faid to derive particular virtue by being uled
to warn the body of St. Catharine, and likewife the wool
with which it is dried at thofe times.
S. Chriftina S. Chnftiria della Fundaca belongs to a convent of nuns,
deila Fun- and is adorned with a great number of fine pieces of painting.
Cathcdial ^^ e catne ^ ra ^ i s dedicated to St. Peter, and exhibits a
great many monuments, among which is that of Tancred,
a celebrated civilian. On each iide of the main entrance is a
large lion, couchant, of red marble, on which are placed
the holy-water bafons. On the center-arch, near the Tri-
buna, is a marble ftatue of pope Gregory XV. who was a
native of Bologna, with an eagle on one fide 6f hirr^ which
was the arms of the Ludovifio family, from which he was
defcended. On the cieling\ of the chapter-room is a
fine piece of painting, by .Luigi Caracci, reprefenting St.
Peter on his knees before the virgin Mary : here is alfo the
annunciation, by the fame hand, which was the laft piece
he painted. In the choir are feveral good baffo-relievo's.
Dominican The church of the Dominicans is at prefent totally alter-
church. et j jjy re p a j rs an( j new ornaments begun by the late pope,
SnDcmi- who Was of that order. St. Dominico, who died atBolog-
fiic'stomb. na j n t h e y ear 1221, lies buried here in a magnificent chapel.
His monument is of white marble, adorned with beautiful
bailb-rclievo's, by Michael Angelo ; and the altar, tbgether
with the large candlefticks which fraud upon it, are of filver.
In the choir is a beautiful inlaid work, reprefenting fcriptu-
ral hifiories ; and in the veftry is a very confiderable trea-
Manufcript f ure o f jewels and rich church furniture, with the Old Tef-
TeftMnent tament > h^ to be written by Ezra himlelf ; it is a large folio,
by Ezra. inclofed within a glafs-cafe, fo that only one fide of it can be
feen. Here are alfo feveral reliques, fet in gold at the ex-
pence of the city ; on which account the fenate or council
keep one of the keys of this place ; fo that there is no fee-
ing it without their permiftion. This is attended with fo
much trouble and foliu'taticn, that I rather chofe to deprive
myfelf of the plealure of taking a more exatl view of this
extraordinary manufcript ; and the rather as Montfaucon, in
his Diariitm ftau&ini, fays, that it contains only the Penta-
teuch, and that it is by no means of Ezra's writing, though
it be very ancient : for the Jews, even at the beginning of
the fourteenth century, prefented it to this cohVent, as a
manufcript
BOLOGNA. 271
manufeript of great antiquity. In the other veftry alfo$
which ferves for the ordinary uies, are feveral tine paintings.
Henci king of Sardinia, and fon of the cmperdr Frederic
II, whofe imprifonment has been mentioned above, lies near
the choir in this church.
Henci died in the year 1272, after an imprifonment of
twenty-three years. The Bolognefe, who imagine that they
have gained immortal honour by their victory over him, and
their firmncfs in detaining him prifoner, have taken care to
give a particular accourit of the whole affair in the follow-
ing inicription cut in marble :
Viator , quifquis es r
Sifte gradutn,& quod J crip turn e/l, perlege, fone'dkiig
Ubi pcrlegeris^ penjlta. Henci.
Hoc is, aijtis canfa hoc fcriptum eft, feri rogat.
Orto inter Bononlenfes & Mutint.nfrs bello^
CecCar Fredericus II. Rom. Imperator
Filium HENTIVM,
Sardinia & Corjlcts Infularum Rtgem
MUtincnfihus fuppetiasferre jubet?
^nl
Ihito apud D. Ambrofii pontem certam'ine
A Bononlenftbus capitur,
Nullaque re, ut climittatur^ Impetrat^
Licet Pater minis, delnde prccibus^ & pretia
Deprecatonbus uteretur^
C'ufn tanttim auri pro redimendo f.lio polliceretur^
Quantum admccr.ia Bcnon'uc circulo aureo cingendd
Sic captivus anttos XXII. msnjef IX. dies XVL tenetuf$
Aliturque fcegia more publica Bononienjium impenja.
Sic defunEliiS magnificcntijj. ac pientijf. funeratus
Hie tumulatur.
Pratereajimttlacrum hoc in perpetttum moniimentum
Et hojli &f captive
S. P. ^. B. P.
Anno Sal MCCLXXII. II. Id Mart*
Hoc volebam, ut fcires.
Abi b 5 Vale.
Msnumentum bocce vetuftaie coHapfum
Senatus Bononienjis jtcJJ'u
Inftauratum fuit MDLXXFL
Traveller,
272 BOLD G N. A:
4 Traveller, whoe'er thou art, flop and read this infcrip-
4 tion ; when thou haft read it, coniider what it contains :
* this is the requeft of him on whofe account it was written.
4 In a war between the ftates of Bologna and Modena, the
4 emperor Frederic II. ordered his fon Hencj king of Sardi-
4 nia and Cornea to come to the afliftance of the Modenefe ;
* but in a battle fought near St. Ambrofe's bridge, this prince
* was taken prifoner by the victorious Bplognefe, who wo'uld
* by no means fuffer him to be fet at liberty, notwithftand-
4 ing the threats and intreaties of his father, who, rinding
4 his power difregarded, offered for his fon's ranfom as
* much gold as would make a ring large enough to compafs
4 the walls of Bologna : however, he remained prifoner
* twenty-two years, nine months, and fixteen days ; during
which time he was entertained in a manner becoming his
4 dignity at the expence Of the city. When he died, the
4 Bologne'fe crowned this generofity with beftowing on him
a pompous funeral, and this magnificent tomb March 13,
4 1272. STRANGER, FAREWEL !
4 This monument, being much decayed, was, by order
* of the fenate of Bologna, repaired in -the year 1576.'
Underneath are the following words :
Senatus Bononien/ts
Pletate ac Liberalitate .
O/a REGIS HENTII
Et koftis fcf captivi
Hicjacent.
Humante fortis memor
Piis manibus berie precare.
tnfla-urat. iterum A. D. MDCLXXXX.
4 By the humanity and generofity of the fenate of Bolog-
* na, here are deponted the bones of king Henci, their ene-
* my and prifoner of war. Be mindful of the Viciflitudes of
* human life, and pray for the repofe of his foul. This
4 monument was repaired a fecond time in the year 1690.
Riches of In this church lie Luigi Caracc.i, the celebrated painter,
the chapel an( j f e veral famous civilians. The Capella del Rofario is at
d Rofano. ^ t}mes em b e i];fh e ^ w | t h a g reat quantity of plate, purfu-
ant to a claufe in the will of the founder, enjoining that the
fclver ornaments fhould never be removed urron any pretence
whatever.
BOLOGNA. 273:
whatever. This treafure is guarded in the night by a man
well armed, and feveral large maftifFs.
In the Dominican convent* to which this church belongs, Dominican
are about a hundred and forty monks. On the . ;; s of the convent '
rcfeclory are feveral infcriptions, commemorating . . moft
remarkable trarifaclions of pope Pius V. An anti-chamber,
divided into three ifles by two rows of pillars, leads to the Library,
library. On each fide areftatues and paintings in honour of
the Dominican order and pope Pius V. Over the durance
of the library is an infcription, fignifying that .this treafure
of books w^s completed Dei & Patriarchs Dominid pecu-
liar! patrocinante providentia ; ' Under the patronage of the
* providence of God and of St. Dominic.' The books arc
very numerous, and judicioufly arranged. In the lower S.Dominic's
cloiiler of the convent is a fmail chapel, faid to have been chamber
the apartment in which St. Dominic, :n the year 1221, de-
parted this life. In one piece of painting in this chapel an Piaure'of
iangel is reprefented going up a ladder into heaven with St. ^n angel car-
Dominic on his back; but the angel afcends the l-dder^ 1 ;"?^ "
backwards, that he and St. Dominic may not turn their backs heaven.
on the fpe&ators. Another circumftance equally abiurd in
this piece is that our Saviour and the virgin Mary are repre-
fented {landing above holding the ladder. In the paflage Tomb of So-
leading to the church lies the celebrated civilian Socinus, cinus a ci-
who in his epitaph is called Zozinus. On a green plot be- vl ian '
hind this convent is {hewn an old cyprefs-tree, faid to have Cyprefs
been planted by St. Dominic, and confequently not lefs va- planted by
lued than the orange-tree in the Dominican convent at Fon- S F- Domi -
di, affirmed to have been planted by Thomas Aquinas. On
the area before the Dominican church the brafs images of
the virgin and St. Dominic are erected on two pillars. Be-
twixt thefe ftatues is a large ilone tomb, fupported by nine
pillars, and adorned with baiib-relievo's representing feveral
perfons writing while one dictates to them. The infcripti-
m on this tomb is inexplicable, and is as follows; but I
could get no certain account of it :
f Autore magno nature lege vocabo
Patre Rolandino cetus pro confute primo
A r z/t' hie fcribe locant Oftobris tertia derl
Mille tretentenh celejln pro/is ab annls
Rejlauratum MDC1IL iterum MDCCX1L
VOL, IW. T A con*
2?4 B O L O G N A.
jeaiouiybe- A contintial emulation reigns betwixt theFrancifcans aric?
twixtthe Dominicans, efpecially at Bologna ; for each of thefe orders'
& rive to furpafs the other in buildings and other, external
magnificence, in order to increafe their revenues and autho-
rity. The Dominicans have the advantage in th'e fplendor
of their churches; but in wine-cellars they have hitherto
been exceeded by the Fraticffcan's. The high altar of the
Francifcan FranCifcan church is in the Gothic tafte, or, as it is called
church. - n j ta ]y } . a ll a tfedefca. Among the paintings in this church
are fome highly-finiflied pieces, by Facini, Luigi Caracci,
Brizio, Guido, and Tiarini. Pope Alexander V, fome old
civilians and glollbgraphers, as Francifcus Accurfius, Orto-
fredus and Romanzo, the philofopher Boccaferri, arid other
celebrated men in the republic of letters, are inferred here.
Under the marble buft of the civilian Hannibal Monterenci,
who died in 1586, and lies on the left-hand of the main en-*
trance, are thefe diftichs :
Epitaph of Dofla per or a Vivum im1itas y clarljjime
Monterenci. Mternufque tui no minis exjtathonos.
Thy rriemdry fhall live, confign'd to fame,
And every torigue fhall celebrate thy name.'
And lower down are thefe lines :
Vivida cui virtus, cui fiimma fciehtia juris,
Dum vixit, fuerat) nunc Ire-vis urna tenet.
* Within this little urn, alas ! he lies ~\
* Whofe better part exults above the fkies ;
* His virtue livesj his knowledge never dies.' J
Accurfi AccUrfi, who lies on the right hand as you go towards the
tomb. convent, has only thefe words for his epitaph :
Sepuhbrum Auurfii GloJJatoris Legum.
' The tomb of Accurfi, a commentator on the law.'
On the fame fide is the following epitaph :
BOLOGNA, 27$
reta: Blanching
Pictate & moribus irfigni,
)ues Preetorum Fami/iam y
Per qulngentos annos belli & pads rnunevibus
BononifS illuflrsm^
Novijfimis Hieronymi Preti Mil/is Italia confpicuam^
Tmmatura morte condufit^
Co. Co: far Blanchlnus Senator
yujfis cbariff] Conjugis obfequentijfimus
Injlauravit & pofuit Anno Dam. MDCLIIL
' To the memory of Barbara Preti Blanchini, a lady emi-
nent for her piety and fwcetnefs of manners, the laft iurviv-
ing.perfon of the family of the Preti, which, in a fucceflion
of five hundred, years, had difcharged at Bologna the high-
eft civil and military pofts with honour and reputation ;
and of which illufrrious houfe the late Gieronimo Preti,
whofe poetry does honour to Italy, was defcended. Count
Csefar Blanchini, a fenator, in compliance with the re-
queft of his beloved contort, erected this monument in the
year 1653.'
On each fide of this convent are fine arched cloifters, or
galleries, one of which is a hundred and thirty-three, and
the other two hundred common paces in length. In the
ftreet before the convent is a pillar, on the top of which is
a brafs ftatuc of the virgin Mary ftanding on a crefcent.
S. Giacomo Maggiore^ which belongs to the Auguftine s. Gbco-
monks, is well furnifhed with good paintings; and, among mo Ma S6'"
other reliques, here is fhewn a thorn, as is pretended, of orc
the crown worn by our Saviour at his crucifixion.
The Jefuits church is dedicated to St. Lucia, and is adorn- Jcfuits
cd with fome fine marble altars ; but the front is a very in- churc '
different one (the defeat of moft of the churches of Bologna)
and has nothing of the riches and fplendor by which the
Jefuits in other cities affecSt to dirtinguifh their churches.
In a chapel near the entrance is reprefented the procefiion of
St. Gregory in order to put a flop to the plague, painted by
Frederico Zuccaro ; St. Lucia and St. Agatha, to be feen
over the high altar, are by Procaccino ; here are alfo fome
pieces of painting by Gignani and Brizio. In the college is
fhewn the chamber or cell of St. Francis Xavier.
- T a The
B. O L o G N A,
Chiefa dd The church called Chiefa del buono Giesu is of an oval
>no iesu -g ure> an( j j s at j orne d with paintings in frej'co by Pianori, a
difciple of Albani, and other hands. Here is a very good
ftatue of our Saviour, or an Ecce homo, by Brunelli ; and by
the lame mailer is alfo S. Antonio di Padua, to be feen on
the altar of the chapel dedicated to that faint. St. Apollonia
of marble, and St. JBernardine of terra cotta, are admirable
fpecimens of Lombardi's (kill in fculpturei but nothing can
exceed the baflb- relievo of the circumcifion, on the high al-
tar, by the celebrated Brunelli,
Paintings in A connoi'fleur in painting will not omit feeing S. Giorgio's
S. Giorgio. c hurch, were it only on account of four celebrated pieces of
painting : the firft reprefents the nativity of Chrift, \t\frffcoy
by Cignani ; the fecond, the annunciation, by Luigi Ca-
racci ; the third is the virgin Mary with her divine infant,
by Annibal Caracci j and the fourth is the baptifmof Chrift,
by Albani.
S. Giovanni The church of S. Giovanni Battifta de' Celeftini is every -
Battifta. where ornamented with fine paintings. The high altar-piece
is a picture of the virgin with the infant Jefus, as is pretend-
ed, by St. Luke. The appearance of Chrift to Mary Mag-
Monument dalene, in the difguife of a gardener, is by Maflari. Clofe
of Fibula, by this piece lies Alexander Fibula, who died in 154.1, aged
forty-nine; and in his epitaph he is filled Eques Cafa -eus,
and Juris Utriufque Candidatus. >
S. Giovanni S. Giovanni in Monte is famous for an admirable picture
Pici^fof of St. Cecilia, by Raphael. The faint, inraptured with the
St. Cecilia, harmony of a choir of angels, dafhes all her mufical inftru-
by Raphael, rnents againft the ground. In this piece are alfo feen St.
John, St. Paul, Mary Magdalene, and St. Auftin. Count
Malvafia, in his lives of the celebrated Bolognefe painters
publifhed in two volumes in quarto in the year 1678, under
Cenfured. the title of Felfma Pittrice^ cenfures the ftiffnefs and want
of expreflion both in this and many other pieces by Raphael ;
and fupports his opinion with the authority of Annibal Ca-
racci. And though Vincenzo Vittoria, in his OJ/ervazioni
fopra il Libra della Felfma Pittrice, printed in 8vo. at Rome
in the year 1703, labours hard to vindicate Raphael's pencil
from fuch an imputation ; yet it is not done to the fatisfa<5tion
of impartial judges. However, this piece is greatly valued,
and the painter's mafterly ftrolces at a certain diftance give it
fuch a charming appearance, that the ftiffnefs of the delign
is not obferved. Beiides, Raphael's laft pieces fliew, that he
had pretty well got the better of this defeit. Vafari relates,
that
BOLOGNA. 277
tKat Fraricefco Francia, one of the beft painters of that time,
being defirous to get acquainted with Raphael, whole fame
had then begun to fpread, wrote a letter to him ; and the
friends of both thefe matters endeavoured to bring them to an
intimacy. Raphael accepted the offer with the greateft ci-
vility, and fent Francia the picture of St. Cecilia, which
was defigned for a church in Bologna, requefting him to
mend what faults he might obferve in it, and afterwards get
it placed where it was defigned for. Francia, being extremely
elevated at fuch a confidence repofed in him by Raphael,
was reiblved to hang up the piece himfelf; and, by that
means, the longer he now viewed it, the more beauties he
perceived in it, io that he was quite loft in admiration : it
was, however, accompanied with fuch a mortifying convic- c ^ fe of a
tion of his being fo vaftly inferior to Raphael, that it threw painter's
him into a deep melancholy, which foon proved fatal to death.
him.
In the Capella del Rofario in this church, is a fine piece of
painting, by Domenichino, reprefenting the fifteeen myfte-r
ries of the Rofary. In another chapel is a good picture of
the martyrdom of St. Laurence, by Facini. In an apart-
ment near the veftry are feveral paintings by Ercole di Fer-
rara. On the veftry altar is a picture of St. Patricius, preach-
ing, by Spifanelli. In the refectory is a reprefentation of
the marriage-feaft made by a king for his fon, according to
the parable in the gofpel, at which he finds one of the guefts
without the wedding-garment : this piece is painted mfrefco
by Gefi.
In the church of St. Gregory is a capital piece, by Luigi s. Grsgorio.
Caracci, reprefenting St. George delivering a lady by kil-
ling a dragon, The baptifm of Chrift is one of Annibal
Caracci's firft pieces, and in which he had fome afllftance
from his matter Luigi Caracci. The large picture of St.
William is by Guercino.
In the church of S. Maria del Baracano is (hewn an image s. Maria del
of the virgin Mary, which, as it is pretended, on being Baracano.
wounded with a mufket-ball, fhed tears, while the blood M liaculous
was feen to iffue from the wound, and the offender was im- "
mediately ftruck dead with lightning. But one miracle per- Miracle of
formed by this image is not fufficient; they tell you, that in fpriaginga
the year 1512, when Bologna was befieged, a mine blew up mine<
the whole wall of the chapel in which this fame image ftoo.i,
to fuch a height, that both armies being drawn up, though
it was night, could plainly foe one another through the
T 3 breach j
BOLOGNA.
breach ; however, that the wall fell again into its place and
was joined as exact as if it had never been feparated. A
Latin infcription near it fays :
Mcenium pars uln pitta Virginh imago cernitur, pervia utri-
ttfque exercitus c < cults facia , 2" tnirabiliter in cundem locum re~
Jtituta.
' That part of the wall where the painted image of the
' virgin is feen, was laid open to the view of both armies,
' and miraculoufly reftored to the fame place.
The Italian account concerning this church fays of the
wall, Si kvo tan? in alto, cbe per quelh fpazio rimajio tra il
terreno e '/ muro gittato in alto, ambo gli ejjercitift videro Fun
raltro. ' It was carried up to fuch a height, that, through
' the intermediate fpace betwixt the earth and the wall which
* was blown up, both armies plainly faw each other.' The
monks who invented this ftory muft have no idea of the duft
and rubbifh of the earth, fand, and ftone which are always
thrown up at the fpringing of a mine. That Jovius, in his
fecond book of the life of Leo X, fliould follow the com-
mon report, is not to be wondered at; but one would little
expect to meet wilh fuch an abfurdity in Guicciardini's judi-
cious hiftory. Sigoni, in his fifth book He epifeopis Bononien-
f*bus, only fays, that by the particular intervention of the vir-
gin Mary the walls received no other damage from fpringing
the mine than a gentle concuflion. But the zealots for the
fee of Rome in this ftory muft needs find a ftumbling-block,
which certainly they cannot eafily get over ; for, according
to the ftory, a miracle muft have been performed in favour
of pope Julius the Second's enemies.
S. Maria di ' S. Maria di Galiera is a beautiful church, and belongs to
Galiera. the fathers of the oratory. The ftucco-wOrk in this church
is greatly admired; and likewife the paintings by Guido
Rheni, Guercini, Albani, and Caracci.
Annual mi- I fhall juft mention the church of S. Maria dj Genna on
racieofants the Monte delle Formiche, on account of the annual mi-
oViT Maria rac ^ e exhibited in it on the 8th of September, which is the
di Genna. anniverfary of the virgin Mary's birth-day. They tell you,
that multitudes of winged emmets rendezvous near this
church, and that this whole fwarm direct their flight on that
day to an old altar in the church, where they immediately
exo'ire. Thefe dead emmets the monks diftribute as infalli-
ble
BOLOGNA. 279
tie remedy againft a difeafe called il male dl Formica, which
is occafioned by a worm or inward ulcer. But, that the pa-
pifts may riot complain that this is a fiction fathered upon
them by heretics, I refer them to the pamphlet intitled In-
formatlone per i Foraftieri curlofi dl vedere le ccfe piu notabili dt
Bologna, which has feveral times been printed with the ap-
probation of Francefco Alofi Batelli, who is {tiled Cler'ui
Regul. Congreg. S. Paull, Sanfti]fim<s Inquifttionis Confultor, &
in Ecclefea Metropolliana Bononies Pcenitentiarius ; as alfo of Fr.
J. M. Mazzani Vlcarlus Generalis Santfi Officll Bonmlee.
The church of S. Maria di Genna is ftill dependent on Bo-
logna, though it be fituated thirteen Itallian miles from that
city, beyond Pianoro, "towards the river Idice.
Madonna di S. Luca, on the Monte della Guardia, is a Madonnadi
Dominican nunnery, about four Italian miles from Bologna, s - Lu .
and is much reforted to on account of a picture of the vir-
gin Mary pretended to have been painted by the hand of St. Pifture
Luke. According to Sigoni, it was brought by a hermit paimcdtyS.
from the church of Sanita Sophia at Conftantinople in the u e '
year 1160 ; and fince that time its power has feveral times
been manifefteet to the great benefit of the country; on which
account it is every year, in the month of May, brought into
the city of Bologna in a folemn proceffion,and faluted by fir-
ing of guns, For the greater con veniency of the pilgrims, an
trched colonade has been built from the city to the top of the Remarkable
mountain, which, on account ofks great length, may be ac- colonade.
counted the moft remarkable building of that kind in Italy. In
the contribution of the neccffary fums for this colonade, all
.the handicraft-men, &c. feemed to vie with each other in the
erection of a perpetual monument of their zeal for the blef-
fe,d virgin; even the very lackeys of the city wereattheexpence
of building fifteen of the arches. On every one of the other
arches are the names and even the arms of the benefactors.
One fide of the arcade is walked ; but, in fhat towards .the
road, every arch refts upon its refpeclive pillars. Every .arch
is five common paces, or twelve feet wide, which is alfo the
breadth .of the walk. Theheight is about fixteen feet. This ar-
cade does not run in a ftraigbt line; bjat its direction is now and
then interrupted with fmall windings : however, in many parts
of it there are very long vifta's, particularly at the grand por-
tico near the city; from which one has a view of nintey-three
arches in a direct line, which, taken together, are feven hun-
dred and fifty common paces in length. There are thirty-three
flights of Heps to afcend the acclivity of the mountain ; thefe
T 4 flights
BOLOGNA.
flights confift of a few fteps, and the fpace between is level,
and paved with flat ftones.
Delia Guar- On the road to Madonna di S. Luca one has a view both
did wine. o f the Carthufian convent, and S. Michele in Bofco, or St.
Michael in the wood. This little hill is called della Guai-
dia, and produces a very good fort of wine.
s. Maria de' S. Maria de ? Servi, Or the church of the Servites, has a
Ser?i. fpacious portico, adorned with thirty-feven red and white
marble pillars, and painted in frefco. In the church are to
be feen feme fine paintings, and no lefs than thirty-four al-
tars. The high altar is remarkable for the ftatues and other
fculptures with which it is embellifhed. In the choir are two
epitaphs, highly efteemed by the Italians for their concetti^
or playing on words : but, as this falfe beauty cannot be well
preferved in a traniiation, thefe concetti may be concluded to
be no part of true wit *.
Martino In S. Martino Maggiore, among other good paintings is
Magpore. g t> - j erom . by Luigi Caracci.
S. Michele The convent of S. Michele in Bofco lies on an emi-
in Bofcc. n e nc e without the city* and belongs to the Olivetan monks.
Juft v/ithin the entrance is a marble monument of Capt.
Ramazzotti, by the celebrated Lombardo. On the altar of
the choir is a curious tabernacle of inlaid gerris. On one fide
.of the altar is a piece of painting, which was probably firii
done by Guido Rheni, and retouched in the year 1689, as
the following diftich feems to intimate :
Hoc juffit Pratus fecttque cclore Vianus
Vt Rheni o & Kbeno redd at uterque decus.
A. D. MDCLXXXIX.
The flails in the choir are embellifhed with inlaid work,
by R. phael da BrefHa., on Olivetan monk; and on the left-
hand near the entrance to the church is a crucifix of the
natural iize, of one piece, cut out of a fig-tree.
Paintings. This convent was formerly accounted a treafury of fine
paintings. Luigi Caracci has here diftinguiflied his fkill by
(everal pieces reprefcnting the life of St. Benedict ; but that
piece which exhibits the faint in the wildernefs, and the
neighbouring peafants bringing to him fruit, eggs, fheep,
&f. was painted by Guido. The figure that chiefly attracts
the admiration of the beholder in this piece, is a beautiful
young woman, with a turban on her head, and a bafket of
* Thefe epitaphs, and feveral others, which are nothing but a ftring of
puns, are omitted in this translation. , .
eggs
BOLOGNA. 281
eggs under her arm ; fo that from her the whole picture is
called La Turbantina. Here were alfo fome valuable pieces La Turban-
of painting by Tiarino, Brifio, Maflari, " Cavedoni, and"" 41 *
other difciples of Luigi Caracci ; but by the injuries of the
weather to which theie paintings in fr efco were expofed, and
the carelefnefs of the monks, who little concern themfelves
about the real beauty of fine paintings, many of the pieces
are almoft effaced, the plafter being fallen off in fome
places, &c. Some of the pieces are indeed retouched by fuch
imlkilful hands, that they have fpoiled what they endeavoured
to mend.
This convent has a very elegant library, the cieling of Library,
which is painted by Afner and Canuti. Befides the books,
here is a very good collection of mathematical inftruments,
optical glaffes, &c. The fmall bronze image of the arch-
angel Michael, (hewn here, is the work of the cavalier Al-
gardi. The terrafs belonging to this convent yields a moftProfpeft.
delightful profpedl towards the eaft (as far as the eye can
reach) of an extenfive plain, beautifully diverfified with
corn-fields, meadows, vineyards, villa's, and fummer-houfes ;
and the city of Bologna, which is but two Italian miles
from it, lying as it were juft under it, is a great addition to
the profpeft.
The Mons Pietatis, or the Charitable-corporation-office, Mons Pic-
near the cathedral, is a handfome building; and in the por-ta'is*
tico of it feveral perfons attend to advance money to the ne-
ceffitous on very moderate terms. Over the entrance is a
Pieta or the virgin Mary lamenting over Chrift's dead body,
well executed in terra cotta, with this infcription :
Mons Pietatis
Adverfus pravas 'Judtzorum ufuras ercftus
M.DLXX7L
c The charitable fociety inftituted againft the extravagant
* ufuries of the Jews in the year 1576.'
The church of S. Paolo de' Padri Bernabiti is remarkable s . Paolode'
for the two marble ftatues of St. Peter and St. Paul, by Cae- Bernabiti.
fare Coventi, erected on the front j and of St. Carlo and St.
Philippo Neri, in plafter, by Ercole Fichi, ' placed above
them. The ftate of blifs in heaven is admirably well paint-
ed in the cupola of this church, by Luigi Caracci. The na-
tivity of Chrift, the adoration of the eaftern magi, and
fome
*82 B O L O G N A;
fome other pieces, are byCavedoni : a reprefentation of pur-
gatory, and S. Carlo bearing a crofs in a public proceffion
at. Milan in the time of a peftilence, are by Guercini. On
the high altar are three pieces of perfpe&ive, confifting of
beautiful fmall pillars. The baffo-relievo, reprefenting the
martyrdom of St. Paul, is the work of Algardi, a Bo-
lognefe.
. Paolo de' The church of S. Paolo, called I'Offirvanza de Padri
Padri Mi- Minor't OJ/ervantt, Reformati di S. Francefco^ lies without the
city, and affords nothing remarkable ; but in the convent is
St. ? Antho- fhewn the cell where St. Anthony lived j and in the garden
Cyprtffes fet are f me cyprefs-trees, faid to be planted by St. Bernard.
by St. Her- The monks difpofe of a kind of white ftone, which they call
mrd. i attg e ii e M a d onna ^ or O ur Lady's milk, for money, and
What the recommend it as a fpecific to procure milk in women. I
iuppr<H ^ b e ]i ev e J -have before obferved, that the relique which paffes
*!-.;. .lary under the name of the virgin's milk, is no more than a
h in realty, kind of terra lemnia, or a medicinal fofiile, of an alkaline
iquajity, which is a ivveetener of the blood and juices ; and
eonfequently, from its natural property, it may be of fervice
in fuch cafes.
St. ffitroni- The church of St. Petronius is the largeft in all Bologna,
c 5 n h don' on wmc ^ acc l ' nt the coronation of the emperor Charles V.
ofCharlesV. was pefformed there in the year 1530. The length of this
, . church is three hundred and fixty, and the breadth a hun-
dred and fifty-four feet. The large piece of painting, repre-
ienfing that memorable tranfalion, is by Brizio. The high
altar, which is infulated or detached from the wall, refts on
four beautiful pillars of grey marble. On the right-hand
near the entrance of the church is the tomb of cardinal La-
Miraculous zari, who died in the year 1677 : and in the firfl chapel on
image. ^^ ^ e j s ^ j ma g e o f a f o ](]i er w |th a dagger in his hand,
as a memorial of that wretch's impiety, who, as the ftory
goes, in the year 1405, being enraged at an ill run in gam-
iflg, ftabbed an image of the virgin Mary with his dagger,
and broke off one of the toes of the infant in her arms. Upon
this he fell down immediately deprived of his ftrerio;th, and
was fentenced to die : but the virgin, moved by his repen-
tance, at once reflored him to his health ; and this miracle
alfo procured him a full pardon.
Ancientpk- In a chapel on the left-hand fide of the church is a piece
t'-"" 6 of J^ e x)f painting, reprefenting hell, where a great number of red
ii^beii C ' hats, mitres, and crowned heads arc to be feen among the
damr.ed j but, this piece being almoft effaced by length of
time,
BOLOGNA: 283
time, one cannot rightly diftinguifh whether the artift went
io far as to put a pope in this wretched groupe.
The greateft curiofity in this church is the brafs meri- Meridiaa-
dian-line drawn by Caflini, the celebrated aftronomer. It line by
confifts of pieces of red and white marble inlaid, of a hand's Caffim *
breadth ; but thofe pieces in which the figns of the zodiac
are cut, are a foot fquare. All the reft of this church is
paved with brick. This line is above half the length of the
church, but does not run parallel with the church-wall. At
the beginning is this infcription :
bujus femitee iota longitude, aufia titulis, fft fex-
cenii-millefima pars circuit us univerfa; terra;.
* The whole length of this meridian-line, diftinguifhed by
* the figns, &c. is the fix hundred thoufandth part of the
* circumference of the terraqueous globe.'
The length of this meridian-line is faid to be a hundred
ancj eighty feet, twenty thoufand of which feet are equal to
a German mile; and the circumference of the earth is com-
puted to be 5400 fuch miles, reckoning 15 to a degree. I
cannot conceive by what meafure Mifibn makes the length
of the line to be two hundred and twenty feet.
On the pavement, at the end of the line, is this infcrip-
tion in white marble :
Lrnea Meridiana
A Venice
Ad Tropicum Capricorni.
' The meridian line from the zenith to the tropic of Ca-
4 pricorn.'
The divifions are marked with the following words along
the line :
Maximi terra circuit II. &? ///. Gfadui dijlantla a verttce.
Perpendiculi paries centefiaue. Horee ab occafu ad orient em*
Signa Zodiaci defcendentia . Signa Zodiaci afcendentia, &c. Op-
pofite to the vertical point is the date MDCLII.
A fmall round aperture has been mac'e in the roof of the
church, towards the fouth, through whic'.i the rays of the
fun
284 BOLOGNA.
fun form a circular luminous fpot about eight inches in dia-
meter, on the pavement, which fhews the proper meridional
poiot on the line every day. On the wall, at the end of
the meridian line, is to be feen the following infcription
cut in white marble :
D. O. M.
Autoritate illujlrijfimorum Senatorum
Presfidis ff Fabricenfium
Meridiana kac linea Horizontalis
Solem in meridie e templi fornice
Ad inftripta caskftium locorum figna toto anno excipiens 9
Ante JfL. annrs per inter columnium sblique occurrem
Reperto auguftijjimo tramite perdufta
Ecdefiaftuis. Aftronomicis^
Geographicifque uf.bus accommodata
A. JOH. DOMINICO CASSINO
JBononienfis Archlgymnafii AJlronomo primario
" Et Rfiathematico Pontificio.
Ab eodem in Italics Itinere e Regia qflronomlca Parifienfe
Regiaque Sdentiarum Academia
Qtti> ad CtjriftianiJJl Regem Ludovltuin Magnum^
Annuente ClementelX. Summ. Pont, concefferat,
Ad Solem iterum diligentijfi?ne expanfa
Calefit meridiano adhuc mire congruere inventa ejl^
Et fexeenti-millefimam terra drcuitus partem
Ab initio ad fpeciei falls hibernts ipfam finientis medium
Accipere ;
Horizontal! autem pojitioni y unde exigiio templi motu
Inesqitaliqtie foli attritu recejjerat^ accurate reftituta^
Inftante anno maxinies eeqttinoffiorum in Kalendario Gregorians.
PraceJ/icnis
Hie potijfimum obfervanda
Labenteanno Salutis MDCLXXXXV.
* To God the greateft and beft of beings.'
* By order of the moft illuftrious fenators, the prefident
and furveyors of the works, this horizontal meridian-line
on which the rays of the fun during the whole year fall at
noon through the roof of this church, and which forty
years ago pafled obliquely betwixt the pillars, was, for the
benefit of the clergy and all mathematicians, drawn by
Giovanni Domenico Caffini, chief aftronomer in the uni-
verfity of Bologna, &c. in a more magnificent manner.
The
BOLOGNA. 2S$
The fame celebrated aftronomer in his return to Italy
from the royal academy of Paris, whither he had gone at
the invitation of his mo'ft Chriftian majefty Lewis the
Great, and with the permiffion of his holinefs Clement
IX, accurately examined this line, and found it ftill to
correfpond exactly with the celeftial* meridian ; and that,
from the beginning to the tropic of Capricorn where it
terminates, it was equal to the fix hundred thoufandth part
of the circuit of the earth. It was likewife with the moft
exa6t punctuality, in the year of the greater! preceflion of
the equinox, according to the Gregorian calendar, obferved
in this place, reftored to its horizontal pofition, from
which by a fmall concuffion of the church and the une-
qual attrition of the pavement it had a little deviated.
A. D. 1695.'
Under this infcription is a brafs line not above a fpan and
a half in length, divided into a thoufand parts, the divifions
being marked out by hundreds, with this infcription near it :
Cente/tma pars alihudinis fornicis millies fubdivifa.
c The hundredth part of the height of this arched roof
* fubdivided into a thoufand parts.'
The following epitaph on the outfide of the wall of the S. Proculo.
church of S. Proculo, is another complete fpecimen of the
genius of the Italians for concetti^ i.e. puns, or playing upon
words :
Si procul a Proculo Proculi camp ana fuljjet y
Jam procul a Proculo Proculus ipfe foret.
A. D. 1393.
But the wit of this piece, if any, as has been before ob-
fervetl, would be quite loft in a tranflation.
Whether this Proculus, who was buried here, was a flu-
dent who fhortened his life by rifing every morning to his
books, when the bell of this church rung for mattins j or
whether according to the other account, he was killed by a
bell belonging to this church that fell on him, i a matter of
no great importance.
In the convent to which this church belongs is (hewn the Gratian**
cell where Gruthn the monk drew up the Decretutn. In the cellt
refedtory is a piclure of St. Peter, filhing, painted by Leo-
nello
BOLOGNA.
nello Spada. St. Proculo, a nobleman of Bologna, is laid
to have fufFered martyrdom without the city, oppofite the
St. Proculo Porta di S. Mamolo. The place where his head was (truck
conation^" off is m arked b y a cr rs ereded on the fpot; but it feems
carries his the faint carried his head in his hands, from this crofs, to
head into tne pl ace where the ehurch dedicated to him now ftands.
c city. ^h^ miracle is commemorated in the following infcription
under the crofs :
.Hie S. Proculus Miles;, Bonon. facro Martyrio coronatus ex-
Jlitit abfaffo capite, quod iftuc ubi nunc illius Templum conjpicitur
manibus propriis detuiit. Anno. Dvm. D, XIX.
. ' Here St. Proculo, a noble knight of Bononia, was
' crowned with martyrdom by the lofs of his head, which
* with his own hands he afterwards carried to the fpot where
c his church is now built.'
S.Salvatore. The church di S. Salvatore belongs to a religious fra-
ternity who ftyle themfelves, Canonici Regolari delta Congre-
gatione Renana del SantiJJtmo Salvatore, or canons regular, CSV.
and have been in poffeffion of this church and convent ever
fmce the year i 100. The former has been rebuilt from a
defign of P. Magenta, a Barnabite monk of Milan, and is
ornamented with fine ftucco work and paintings. On feve-
Orangery in ra j f e ftivals, the cornifhes within the church are fet all round
' with fmall orange-trees in filver flower-pots. Here are fe-
veral fine pieces of painting by Luigi Caracci j of which,
the molt admired are the alTiimption of the virgin Mary, and
a picture of our Saviour. Girolami Carpi, Guido, Beneve-
nuto Tifio, Samachino, and Cavedoni have likewife difplayed
Convent, their fkill in this church. The convent is fpacious and ele-
gant : it ccnfifts of four courts. The perfpetive pieces in
frefcO) at the end of the cloifters, are by Mitelli ; and the
marble flatue of Chrift, an excellent piece, is the work of
the celebrated Brunelli. Thirty-three canons always refide
in the convent, exclufive of the noviciates, who ftudr divi-
Library. nity and philoibphy, under two profeflbrs. In the library
Manufcript are a great number of curious manufcripts ; particularly, one
of the book of the hiftory of queen Efther, written on yellow coarfe lea-
of Efther. ther, which is done up in a roll, or volume, according to
the original fignification of the word. It is written 'in large
Hebrew characters, which the canons would have one be-
lieve to have been written by Ezra.
When
B O L O G N A. 287
When I took the liberty to object, on account of the
points or vowels, agairift the great antiquity of this manu-
icript, their anfwer was, That thefe points had .been added
by Tome officious modern hand : and indeed it muft be ac-
knowledged, that the ink with which the text was written,
is much blacker than th'atof the vowels under it.
Here is alfo (hewn a He&rew Pentatech, or rather all theHebrewma-
books of the Old Teftament, written on vellum, in three nu( " cr 'P t ' of
Volumes in folio, faid to have been written in the year 953. tomei*.^
At the beginning of one of the volumes is inferied the fol-
lowing account in Italian : Ifaac filioto de Jacob Jcrijfi qneflo
Libra con tutto il corpe dl quefta Bibl'ia, e Manuel ftiiolo at uno
cbltunato Soltbedar, e fu furnlta d Maricdl a dl 26. del mije dl
Marzo del 953. In tre Volumlnl. i. e. Ifaac the ion of Jacob
* wrote this book, and almoft this whole Bible, aflifted by E-
* manuel the fon of one called Solthcdar (or rather Solcedar).
* It was finifhed on Tuefday the twenty-fixth day of March,
c 953, in three volumes.' This manufcript is written with
the points or vowels.
Among the other manufcripts, which are about three hun- Other ma-
dred in number, are the following, i. The Pentateuch, nurcri P t3 -
with the comments of the rabbi's, in Hebrew. 2. A me-
dicinal treatife in Hebrew. 3. Meurophanes de Spiritu Sariflo
in Greek, and bound in filk. 4. Several of the Greek ho-
rfiilies of St. Chryfoftom. 5. Ten difcourfes by the fame
authol-, in Greek, upon that t^.'t i:i Ifaiah. ' I i',;w the
c Lord,' fuppofed to have been written in the tenth century.
6. A Greek verfion of the Pfalms of David, by the fame, fa-
ther. 7. The New Teftament, faid to be of the eleventh'
century, full of abbreviations; among which 6f is com-
monly written c . 8. A Greek verfion of the minor pro-
phets, and Daniel, fuppofed to be of the tenth century.
o. A Greek , manufcript of St. BaATs expofition of the pfalms,
and his homilies on falling, of the fame date. 10. A Greek
fragment of the hiftory of Byzantium, or Conftantinople, by
ah anonymous autlior, faid by Montfaucon to be of no an-
cienter date than the thirteenth century. II. Laclantiu^'s
works, which the canons, on account of fome marginal
corrections, will have to be the original manufcript.
Among the moft ancient printed books, in this library, Old edition
are Cicero's works, publifhed by Alexander Manutius at of cicero -
Milan, in the year 1498, in four volumes, folio ; likewife a
Latin Bible in folio, at the end of which the following Ac-
count is printed :
Pr;
288
B O L O G N. A.
Pns hoc opufculum artificwja adimjentione imprimendi feu ca-,
rafierizandi abfque calatni exaratione in civil ate Moguntii fie
effigiatum, & ad Eufebiam Dei indujlrie per Jch'ez. Fuji civem,
& Petrum Scboiffher ae Gernjheym Clericum dioces ejufdem eft
confummatum. Anno Domini MCGCCLXII. in Vigilia ajjum-
tionis Virg. Marie.
' This work is a fpecimen of the invention of printing,
or exprefling chara&ers without the affiftance of the pen,
and was completed at Mentz, for the benefit of religion,
by the induftry of John Fuft a layman, and Peter Schciffer
of Gernfheim, a prieft of the diocefe of Mentz, in the
year 1462, on the eve of the aflumptipn of the virgin
Mary/
,S.Stefano. St. Stephen's church belongs to the Cseleftine monks, and
properly confifts of feven churches built together ; but in fuch
an irregular difpofition, that a perfon may foon lofe himfelf,
in it *.
Univerfity. The archigymnafium, or univerfity, according to fome
writers, was founded by the emperor Theodofius in the year
433* Others with more probability attribute it to Charles
the Great. Here are profefTors for oratory, philofophy, the
oriental languages, geometry, aftronomy, anatomy, phyfic,
the civil and canon law, civil and ecclefiaftical hiitory, and
divinity ; and all of them have handfome fabrics. Both the
civil and canon law have been taught at Bologna with very
great reputation by Ireneri, Gratiani, Burgari, Alberico da
Porta, Accurfi, Bartoli, Baldi, and Uzo. The laft men-
tioned is faid to have had, at one time, ten thoufand ftudents
for his pupils. At prefent, the foreign ftudents are in all
about four hundred. The public college, or univerfity,
U Studio, which is alfo called il Studio, is feven hundred and forty
palms, or two hundred and thirteen common paces in
length, and was built by Giacomo Barocci, an architect of
Vignola. Near the entrance of this ftruclure, on the right-
hand, is a grand flair-cafe, adorned with fome good paint-
ings in frefco, by Valefio, reprefening the noble actions of
S. Carlo Borromeo. On the left fide of the ftair cafe, Le-
onarda Spada has painted a monument in honour of Wence-
* A great number of reliques mentioned by the author are here
omitted.
flans
BOLOGNA. 289
flaus Lazarus, a philofopher and phyfician, with fuch maf-
teily ftrokes of the pencil, that it appears to be a beautiful
baflo-rehevo. Gaetano Creti has given a noble proof of his
fkill on another monument painted in frefco^ to Giovanni
Gieronimo Sbarabeo, M. D. who died in the year 1710. Of Sbara-
The infcription on that of the celebrated Maloi^hi is as b !:.
.. r Malpighi.
follows :
Virtuti & Fames
In ts-vum nianjura
Inclyti Virl
MARC ELL I MALPIGHI I,
Median* Prof efforts celebcrrimi^
Utraque Artiflarwn Univerjitas
Anno Salutis
MDCLXXXIIL
Mir aris breve Lemma ?
. Nomen ingens
Ornari negat : ejl
Satis referri
ctetera cur
Tacere marmor :
Omnis MALPIGHIUM l&quetur *tas.
c To the emrnent virtues and immortal fame of the great
Marcello Malpighi, profeilor of phyfic, the two academies
have erected this monument, in the year of our redemp-
tion 1683.'
' Reader, if thou art furprized at the brevity of this epi-
c taph, know, that an illuftrious name needs no panegy-
6 rics. It is fufficient to tell thce why the marble is thus
' filcfht in his praife : Fame thro' every age will refound
' MALPIGHI'S name.'
But among the multitude of learned perfons to whofe me-
mory, as in the college at Padua, monuments are railed,
here are fevcral obfcure names to be f'ecn, whofe reputa-
VOL. Ill, U tion
250 BOLOGNA.
tion never extended itfelf beyond the limits of their own
country *.
Tbeatrum a- The anatomical theatre is ornamented with wooden flatues
tiafomicuai. o f t h e mo fc ce ]ebrated anatomifts, and the floor is boarded
with cyprefs ; but it wants a proper light. Not far from it
is a monument of Francefcus and Achilles de Moratoriis,
which has been repaired and embellished with good painting
Privileges of by Therefia dc Moratoriis, a relation of the deceafed. The
German ftu- German ftudents at Bologna are under particular regulations
dents. of their own forming, and have a diftinct regifter, with fe-
Feesferdoc- veral other 'privileges. The fees, paid by a German ft ti-
torsftudents. dent for the degree of doctor in the civil law, amount to
two hundred and ninety- two lire f, or about forty -three rix-
dollars.
e unt Mar- Luigi Ferdinando, count de Marfigli, inftituted at Bologna
a'^de " C ^of an academy of fciences, in the year 1712, for the improve-
iciences. ment of natural hiflory, mathematics, natural philofophy,
chemiftry, anatomy, and phyfic. M. de Limiers publifhed
an account of this academy at Amfterdam, in the year
1723. \Vith this, the academta Clementina bonarum artium^
founded at Bologna not long before by pope Clement IX,
for architecture and painting, was incorporated. For the
farther advancement of this innutution, the city purchafed
and gave the Palazzo Celefi to the academy, that the libra-
ry, the mufeum, the obfervatory, the fchools, and profeflbrs
apartments might be under the fame roof. Over the en-
trance of this magnificent edifice is the following truly, ca-
tholic infcription. :
Sctent'.antm iff Artlum
Injlitutum
Ad puhllcnm
Tot/us Grins
4 The Bononian academy of arts and fciences for the pub-
* lie ufe of the whole world.'
* Sbveral epitaphs of fuch obfcure perfons, where there was nothing
remarkable in the fentiment, language, &c. are omitted in the translation
in this and other parts of thefe volumes.
f 19 /. is s. A lire at Bologna is equal to a milling, the author muft
therefore mean the Hamburgh rix-dollars, at 4..?. 6d.
In-
BOLOGNA. 291
In afcending the tower belonging to this ftru&ure, you Sc ' uola a fo*'
firft come to the agronomical fchool, where is to be feen a " mica -
model of the Copernican fyftem. Here is alfo a perpendicu-
lar meridian-line, cut through a wall a foot thick, which
was altered above eight times before it could be made to cor-
refpond with the meridian of th;s place. Manfredo had the Lima mri~
direction of this work. On each fide hang telefcopes, com- & mali *>
pafTes, quadrants, &c. fo that, as the ftars crofs the meridian,
proper obfervations may be the more conveniently made.
For which end alfo the {butters of the line, or aperture ia
tlie wall, may be removed at pleafure *. On the walls of the
nir.ronom;cal fchool hung feveral drawings and paintings re-
lating to the obfervations taken of the fun, moon, comets,
and other celertial bodies.
Higher up in this tower is the obfervatory, which on Obfervato-
every fide has {butters to be opened or fhut as required, and T y-
a gallery on the outfide. Though this obfervatory, with
its apparatus, has already coft the city twenty- fix thoufand Expences of
Jludi or crowns, it is not yet completed. This tower is af- lt: '
cended by two hundred and ieventy fteps; and the top of it
alfo ferves for aftronomical obfervations ; through an aper-
ture in which, juft over the middle of the fpiral ftair-cafe,
the ftars may be fcen in the day-time from the vault under-, , ,
- , r -n i P i i stars leen by
the tower, wnen it is nniined. oucn a phenomenon was day-light,
formerly feen from the royal obfervatory at Paris, before
an. alteration was made there on account of a new meridian-
line.
The library belonging to the college is in the fecond ftory, College II-
and chiefly confifls of count Marfigli's books, who founded brary. ;
the academy, as mentioned above. It contains feveral Tur-
kifh, Arabic, and other oriental manufcriptSj which were
part of the Corvini library ; for Marfigli was prefent at the
taking of Euda. Before this nobleman incurred his imperial
majefty's difpleafure by the affair of old Brifac, the emperor
Leopold offered him four thoufand ducats for this collection
of rnanufcripts. Here is a great variety of other books re-
lating to philofophy, mathematics, and antiquities. An Colletfionof
antiquities.
* The Italians in general, and the Bolognefe in particular, were the firft
who gave their fan6tion to Copernicus's iyitem ; who Was iuftrufted in
the firft rudiments of aftronomy at Bologna, under Domenico Maria.
The firft of the German literati, who efpoufed his opinion, was cardinal
Nicholas Schonberg, at whole recommendation pope Paul III. made him
profeflbr of mathematics at Rome, which was the firft preferment that iu-
/Ro\jj6 alhonoine: bad.
U 2 apartment
292 BOLOGNA.
apartment adjoining to this library is full of ancient weights,
Vafaiacry urns, vafa lacrymatoria, or lacrymatories, in which the an-
matoria. c j e nts colle&ed the tears (hed over their deceafed friends, and
afterwards fet them by the urn *. Here are alfo facrificing
inflruments, Roman, Grecian, and Egyptian idols ; Roman
votive pieces, and a tablet inlaid with Egyptian hierogly-
phics, after the manner of the tabula Ifiaca at Turin; but it
is not fo large.
School for In another apartment is taught experimental philofophy.
e *?f r ' m ^ ntal The paintings and defigns wiih which it is decorated, repre-
Ly * fent remarkable particu'ars on feveral parts of the globe, as
volcano's, and other mountains of a fingular quality; large
iflands of ice, frequent in the north feas ; the c^tarads of
the Nile and other great rivers; the 'formation of the rain-
bow, of clouds, &c.
In a clofet adjoining to this fchool feveral loadftones are
kept ; among which there is one, fcarce fo big as a man's
fift, and weighing only nine ounces without the cap, that
lifts up two hundred and thirty ounces. This put me in
of the Hartfoker magnet to be feen in the landgrave of
Hcfle-CaiTel's mufceum, which takes up a pound and a half,
though it weighs not much above a drachm. The attrac-
tive power of this (lone greatly depends on the capping, by
which it has been obferved to be furpiifmgly augmented.
- Another apartment exhibits a variety of flieils and other
marine productions. Adjoining to this is a clofyt contain ng
a collection of femi-pellucid {tones. In this clafs are com-
*>'?.- a -prchenclcd agate, jafper, turqucife, chalcedony, onyx, and
lapis -lazuli. The tranfparent floncs are kept in another
a- clofet ; and among them are feveral uncommon kinds of cry-
'$it, amcthyil, t?V. with the name affixed to each piece.
Here are allb many hundred fpecies of marble and other
ftones in fcparate repofitorics, which being well polifhed,
and ail arranged according to their different colc-:rs, make a
beautiful appearance. Here is a great number of pieces of
porphyry, and near a fine ftone marbled with green and blue,
is the following infcripticn :
Lapis ad Smaragdl Pramarn acceder.s^ ncnnuHis lap'idh La-
zuli portinnctdis clegantijjinie interjperjus.
* The ahlic Bencini of Turin affurcd me that he"~and Fabretti had
found feveral of rheie lachrymatories of glafs in the catacombs of Rome ;
and that the mouth of thoie vafes was contrived to be held ib clof'e to the
eye that not a tear could be lo.
BOLOGNA, 293
r. e. * A (rone refembling a kind of emera!d, beautifully
6 varieg:.ted with fmall veins of lapit-iazuH.*
No mention is made from whence this curious Hone was
brought.
A kind of marble known by the name of verde antico^ fo
often mentioned in my letters from Rome, is called ophites
viridis & luttus in this collection. The hneft among the
aflojtirient of alabafter was brought from the ifland of Pares.
Thofe pieces of marble in which fhells are inclofed form a M" b ^ !**
particular clafs, to which the Ivffiacliella belongs.
The Saxon foiliies are put together in the fhape of a moun- Saxon fof-
tain. Thefe were a prefent from king Augufius, and are <.
kept in a particular clofet ; in which are alfo to be feen all
kinds of glebes, earths, fulphur, allum, vitriol, foffile faJts,
ipars, plafter, Bononian (rones, fand, free-flones, marcafites,
blocd-ilones, magnets, cinnabar, antimony, and other^ ores
of quickillver, iron, lead, tin, copper, lilver, gold, &V.
In another room are kept feveral kinds of lea- weeds, as Marine
keraic^byta marina^ aKynnza t vegetabika marina llbidea^ corals, P^ nts '
Jpunge, &c.
The next apartment exhibits all kinds of exotic fruits, Exotics,
woods, leaves of plants, roots, and barks of trees, (among
which are thirteen fpecies of the Peruvian cortex) gums,
refins, balfams, fungi > with the feeds of all kinds of veget-
ables.
One large room is diftinguifhed by the appellation of
feum, anitnalium, and contains a very great variety of all
of animals, as jlelltz marines, or ftar-fimes, fhell and fquamofe
fjlhes, ferpents, crocodiles, lizards, chameleons, birds, lo-
cufts, &c.
The ftone in which a kind of {hell-fiih grows, and men- slie]] _ fifll
tioned above in n.y account of Anccna, has allb a place in i n ftone.
t&is collection with the follo\ving inscription :
Lffptrks, in qnihus Pboladss feu Ealari Bonn, ingenti mimero
riidulanttir ex littore Ancoratanc.
i. e, ' The {tones in which the pbofades or l-alani are in-
f cjofed in great numbers, brought from the coalt of An-
* cona.'
U 3 Near
294 BOLOGNA.
Pearls ex- Near a clufter of feme hundreds of fmall pearls, in the
2^f m f j m form, and about the bignefs of half a walnut, are theie
words :
Unionum congeries elegant ijjlma ex animall cxtratfa.
c A moft beautiful congeries of pearls taken out of an
c animal.'
Method of Butterflies are here preferred, which, being dipt in a balfa-
biute'rflies m * c nc l uor >' r e t a '' n a ll their original beauty for feveral years.
birds, fc. -^- n abbe at Florence is faid to be poflefied of a fecret for
prefcrving birds r.gainft all corruption or damage by worms;
but he is fo very fond of this nkjlrum^ that it is likely to die
with him ; at leaft he has hitherto obftinately rejected all
overtures mace to him for communicating this fecret.
Clofet of The warlike inflruments, as models of cannon, mortars,
warlike in- =f c . take up 3. particular apartment, in which alfo is feen
ihunients.
Fortifkati- fortifications, after the different methods pradifed by Vau-
on^ev. . ban, Sturm, Rufenftein, Maileti, Bellini, Floriani, Molder,
. . - Werthmuller, Cohorn, Grotta, Bombelli, and feveral other
engineers.
"Weightsand Another room contains a colleclion cf all forts of weights
Turnery- In the turnery-room are all kinds of lathes and inftruments
rooir;. for turning j portraits, and other mailer-pieces ; and like-
wife all the initruments ufed in making clock-woik.
Afchooifor A fuperb gallery dtfigned for the library is jufl finifhed,
geography which leads into a room appropriated for curiofities relating
and naviga- , . r i. r-i "'
ticn. to g eo g ra P"7 an navigation. In the centre of it hanrs a
frnall galley ; and the walls of it are covered with juft and
elegant drawings and models for {hip-building. The che-
mical apartment is en the ground-floor ; but, the necefTary
funds for, teaching this fcie::ce and fhip-building not being
yet fettled, no colleges are yet afTigned for thofe ufeful arts :
However, the other profcTibrs are obliged, once a week, to
read a public lecture in this fchool.
Academy The painting academy Hands alfo on the ground-floor,
jo; painting. ^ n j ; s ornamented in a manner becoming fuch a place. The
cieling is beautifully painted by Pellegrino di Baldi, where
Polyphemus, feeking cut Ulyfles and his companions, after
the lofs of his eye, cannot be uifficiently admired. In win-
ter, the difciples who are inftrufted in painting, meet in a
particular
BOLOGNA. 295
particular room, built in the form of an amphitheatre and
well illuminated with lamps, where above a hundred and
fifty of them may conveniently fit in three or four rows and
xiraw from the life.
In the academy of fculpture are to be feen wooden models School fcr
of the ancient obelifks at Rome, with drawings and copper- kul P ture -
plates of feveral mechanical machines. In a room adjoin-
ing to it are ftatues, and copies of the moft famous pieces,
as the Venus of Medicis, the Farnefian Hercules, the Vati-
can Apollo, gladiators, Flora, &c. in plafter.
In the cloifter round the court are feveral ftones infcribed Hebrew and
with Hebrew characters; the thumb of a Colollus, and a Romanin -
great number of ancient Roman infcriptions and ftatues. andft"ue s
Count Marfisli was born in the year 1650, and deferves Some ao *
to have the plcafure of fpending the clofe of his life at Bo- count of
logna, with more tranquillity and comfort than is actually the f^
cafe, en account of the learned foundation mentioned above;
on which he has expended the greateft part of his fortune,
and beftowed all the fruits of his labour and application. It His particu-
feems the city has given him no fmall vexation by croffing lar dif 1 uie -
him in feveral particulars r-elating to his favourite academy,
and has laid an unreafonable reftraint upon him to prevent
his regulating it according to his own judgment. It is true,
that as his public donations to the academy, and his manner
of applying them, are ratified by the pope's bull, it is no
longer in his power to mske any alterations. And this, per-
har.s, has induced the city to think that there is no farther
tteed of carrying it fair with him, and that the feafon of
flattery and refpedt is now over. But, were not gratitude
utterly extinct among the Bolognefe, certainly the magi-
ftrates of the city would avokl thwarting and contemning a
nobleman of fuch a public fpirit, which was fo fignally ex-
erted for the advantage of Bologna. Even iuppofmg it true,
that count Marfigli were whimfical and obftinate, and that,,
if a full fcope was given to his will, he would launch out
into many indifcretions in regulating an affair to which the
city has already contributed no fmall fum : Yet does it not
defcrve feme confide/ration, whether it were not better to
connive at the caprice of an old man, than to exafperate
him with the mortification of thinking his liberality iil-be-
ftowed ? This behaviour at the fame time gives the commo-
nalty room to fufpe<5t, that the harih treatment of Marfigli
proceeds rather from private views than any concern for the
r:.Vat management of the academy, &V. It is known that
V 4 Marfigli
296 BOLOGNA.
Marfigli obtained a grant from the pope of the reverfion of
feveral benefices, to the yearly amount of fome thoufands of
fcudi, which on the deceafe of the prefent incumbents (who,
Thecaufeof being left in the quiet enjoyment of them, have no caufe to
his being complain) are to devolve to his academy. This, in the
hated. . f ...,. r n i r
opinion -or many people, is tne iource or ail tne animohty
and rancour againft Marugli ; feveral families in Bologna
being incenfed to find themfelves deprived of thefe places,
which in their imaginations they had made themfelves lure
pf. On this account Marfigli refides but feldom at Bologna j
and thus the far greater part of his time is (pent at adiftance
from the academy on which his heart has ever been fet. He
returned hither yefterday for the firft time after he had left
the city, but with all the weaknefs and infirmities to which
old age is incident*. How highly this gentleman has de-
ferved of the republic of letters is well known, r*nd h>s na-
tural hiftories of the Mediterranean and the Danube are
Hlsreferve. lafting proofs of it. His referve arid extreme mooefly ap-
peared confpicuous in feveral particulars relating to this
foundation ; efpecially in the ftricl orders he gave that his
name fhould not be infcribed on any part of the bulging,
either within or on the outfide, nor on any of the cuiiohties
Printing- which are depofited in it. The noble printing-houfe, which
houfe. j^ ac ]<3ed to tn [ s foundation, is well furnifhed not only with
Latin, Greek, and Hebrew, but alfo vvjth Arabic, and other
1 oriental types. He ordered it to be called the printing-
houfe of St. Thomas Aquinas, and appointed the Dominican
Medals of monks to be truftees of itf. The medals ftru.ck, when this
theacade- aca demy was founded, have on one fide the head of pope
Clement XI. and on the reverfe the edifice appropriated to
this inftitution, with the following legend :
Bonzrurn Artium cultui iff incremento.
* He died in November 1730, in the eightieth year of his age. Some
make him two years older, and fay that he was horn in the year 164.8-
\ All the deeds of gift, contrail-:, "c. that parted betwixt count Mar-
figli and the fenate of Bologna, and likewise betwixt the laid count and
the Dominican monks, were published at Bologna in the year 1728, with
the following title : Atti Lfgali per la FonJaxic ne ddr Infntuto JdlfScifn-
ze ed Arti liberaliser nicmoriadegliOrdr/n Ecdrfwfnci e Secolari che ccm-
pongono lu Citta di Bologna. Here it mutt be farther obferved that the aca-
demy , once known by the appellation of Academia dtgr Inquieli, is alib
annexed to Marfigl'fs foundation. Vide De Bononienfi Scientiarum & Ar-
tiiun Injlituio Gique Aca.dcr,.:a Ccnwicntar. Bcnsn. ann. 1731, 4-to.
For
BOLOGNA. 29?
* For the cultivation and improvement of arts and fci-
On the exergue are thefe words :
Inftitut. Scient. Bonon.
* The academy of fciences at Bologna/
But not the leaft mention is made of count Maifigli on
thefe medals.
Though Marfigli was fo eminent for his knowledge and TheindffFe-
learning, and was defervedly efteemed as an encourager and re | u f 'P ure
promoter of arts and fciences, he makes but an indifferent /^""j^ade*"
figure when viewed in a military light : For in the affair of with regard
o'd Brifac, in the year 1703, he brought an indelible ble- to oi<JBlilac
mifh upon his reputation. Count Arco was the governor of
that place, and count Marfigli and colonel Von Egg were
lieu-tenants under him; and tho' the emperor had fent pofltive
orders to defend {.he place againft the French, to the very laft
extremity, yet it was iurrendt-red without making the leaft re-
fiftanct; ; and Mariigli was t'u- firft who voted for a capitula-
tion. At the council of war held on account of this mil-
carriage, on the fourth day of February 1704, at which ge-
neral Von Thungen prefaced, Count Arco was condemned to
lofe his head ; which ferience was accordingly executed *, c^'"^^"
tho' he had before fer\ ed the emperor with diftinguifhed ho- demnation.
r.our, and could {hew the fears of eighteen wounds.
The French marihal de , who had been employed
by his rrafterin conducting this fiege, told M. Forftner, one
of the minif^ers of ftate in Lorain, That count Arco did not
deferve to die as a traitor j but that his disobedience to the
ordeis of his Sovereign required an exemplary punifhment.
However, one may fee, in count Arcp\s fate, the fecret hand
of divine juftice, as he had feveral times immediately before
the iiepe treated with the French about the luirer.der of
this fortrefs.
A.s to colonel Von Egg, the third commanding officer in VonEgg't
Erifoc, tho' he was deprived of all his employments, yet the sentence,
emperor was pleafed to beftow him a yearly per.fion of a
thoufand guldens f, on which he lived privately with his fa-
mily at Roaenburg on the Ntckar, where I was feveral times
* Vld. Rink, V. f About n6/. 13*. <.</. fterling.
in
298 B O L O G N. A.
in his company laft year. The other officers, who figned
the capitulation, were cafhiered and fined ; however they
were all afterwards received into ot^ier regiments, except-
ing Von Egg. Prince Lewis of Baden affirmed, * That
6 what chagrined him moft, was, to find all the officers
6 were fo unanimous for a capitulation ; for (continued he)
* had there been but a fingle enfign who had oppofed it, I
4 would have given him a regiment.'
What hap- Marfigli was never accufed of want of courage ; but he is
penedupon thought to have the foible of too many of the Italians, and
gli. t0 3r ' to ^ ave k een influenced by envy ; fo that he ufed many in-
direct means and artifices to form cabals, and prevent a good
underftanding betwixtcountArco and thegarnfon; by which
means feveral good meafures, that might otherwiie have
taken place, milcarried. The fentence patted by the court
martial on Marfigli, was, that his fword fhould be broken
as a mark of infamy, which was immediately executed,
But what fome have advanced, namely, that the count had
the alternative granted him either to lofe his head, or his re-
putation ; and that with great joy he preferred his life to his
honour; is a groundlefs aiperfion *. In the year 1704, he
he publifhed a vindication of himfelf, in which he does not
deny his being acquainted with the order for defending the
place to the laft extremity; but alledges, that this order was
founded on a falfe report made to prince Lewis of Baden,
namely, that the town was fufficiently provided with men
and {lores ; whereas it was in fuch a condition that rellfl-
ance would have been contrary to all the r^jles of war, as it
would be only deliberately throwing away the lives of ths
* Such another report prevails about general Heiderfdorff, and with no
better foundation ; it being certain, when he was informed of the empe-
ror's order to change his fentence of death into a deprivation of his ho-
nours, he anfwered, ' This is what I have not deferved.' What was laid
to his charge, was, that he had not properly defended Heidelberg againft
the French in the year 1692. After he was ftript of the injlgaia of the
Teutonic order, he was carried on a hurdle, which was" driven by the ex-
ecutioner, thro' the whole army, while he continually cried cur, ' Ra-
' ther death than this I 1 After undergoing this ignominy, his fword was
broken by the common hangman, who {truck him on the head with the
pieces of it, and -then he was baniftied the country. He died not many
years fmce, at a convent at Hildefharrt, iincl left a very amiable character
behind him. General Schnebelin was alfo tried on the fame charge ; but
he cleared himfelf, by proving that he was ignorant of the orders which
li ad been fent for the defence of the place. Concerning Schnebelin, I
ihall only add, tl at he was the author of the famous entertaining and
moral piece called Tabula Utopia.
men
BOLOGNA. 299
men in garrifon. This aflertion he fupports by feveral au-
thorities and examples, as may be feen in the extract of his
defence in the Ej'prlt des Cours de'U Europe, under that
vear. How far a commanding officer may deviate from the
orders he receives, according to the circumftances of his
army, or thofe of the place in which he commands, and
what feverity.may be ufed by way of example, I {hall not
take upon me to determine. The Italians, to this very day,
treat the memory of the prince of Baden with great acrimo-
ny. But he fufficiently cleared himfe-lf of the imputation of
feverity by (hewing the necefiity of fuch a proceeding ; for
he was even obliged to break his own regiment, tho' the
men were afterwards admitted into othw corps. This, how-
ever, is certain, that Marfigli's reputation will always fuf-
fer by it ; and that fuch -a ftairi is not effaced by the poll
which afterwards pope Clement XI. conferred on him, byMarfigli
appointing him general of thofe wretched troops which he was a v*?^
had picked up to act againft the emperor Jofeph, in the dif- ser
pate concerning Cornacchio. For, by the confequence, it
appeared, that the command of fuch an army did no great
honour to the general, nor was fuch a commander any cre-
dit to the papal fee *.
But to return to my obfervations on the prefent ftate of Mont', pro-
learning at Bologna. Giufeppe Monti, profeflbr of botany
in the univerfity, and of araromy in the Marllglian acade- tan) *
my, is now engaged in writing a natural hiflory of this coun-
try; which is the more impatiently expected by the public on
account of the proofs he has already given of his accurate
knowledge in the fciences, WV. f.
Zanoni, an apothecary at Bologna, who has publifhed a Zmon
curious herbalifr, embelliflied with feveral copper-plates, is thecar
po fTe fled of a large collection of natural curiofities. The
above-mentioned profcflbr Monti has a great variety of pe- Petrif
trifaclions collected in the neighbourhood of this city: he>'-s-
has alfo publifhed a fmall but elaborate difiertation on the
* A farcaftlcal anagram on Marfigli's name is hers omitted, as mch
kind of wit is exploded in England, tho 1 itftill prevails in Germany.
j Among other pieces of his 'KtCa.takgi Sti/ piiun ayi Bcnoni en/is Pro-
drcmiiSjgtamina ac hujii.fm.cdi uffjiia ccmpledcns, m quo ip jorum Etymologic ,
Not,! charailci ijlica:,pecw^ares ufus Media, Sjnonjraa jdettwrafummatim ex-
iibtntur, c.c i>:ji i per propnii objer<uationibm exoticifque gramlmbus eadcm dif-
per;t locupie tantur ,} Jofrpbo Monti, ap. Conftantv.iixi Bifarri, 1719. Like-
'wife plantar ui varii indices ad ufuni ttfmonfiratienHf^ Bono;:'.* JiuJioruKi,
pub'iihcd in i/z-fj in which is :i phte of tho j.i) fie garden.
head
300 B O L O G N A.
Sea-horfe's head of a fea-horfe, or fea-cow, dug out of the adjacent
head. mountains, in which the denies molares are ftil.1 to be feen *.
Dentales. Among other petrifactions found in the little river Mar-
tignone, not far from Caftello Crefpellano, as aifo in a
brook near Cottibo, arefeveraly//>z/??//z mwini, which feme
take to be the teeth of a kind of fifh ; whereas in reality
they have neither the fmoothnefs nor the hardnefs of a tooth,
but rather confift of a teftaceous fubftance which was once
the receptacle of a worm or fnail. Thofe commonly called
the large Dentales are white, ftreaked longitudinally, and
fomewhat crooked ; the fmaller teeth, which terminate in a
, (lender point, and are of a reddifh colour, are called antales.
Both thefe fpecies are worn by the common people next their
fkin, by way of amulet or prefervative againft a difeafe called
in Italian laSchiranzia orSquinanzia and Angina I.e. a quin-
fey or fore-throat. Thcfe are alfo found near Verona, Vi-
cenza, C5V. near Lunenburg in Germany, and at Achim in
the duchy of Bremen.
Pin**. On the fummit of mount Elancano, in a ftratum of marie,
is found a fpecies of {hells commonly called in Latin Pin*.
M() and by the French Nacres, i. e. mother of pearl {hells,
or Monies^ \. e. muflels, which, from their fnape refembling
a gammon of bacon, have alfo the name of Perna. While
the fifli is alive, the lower (hell ftrongly adheres to the bottom
Large (hells. O f the fea. Some other large {hells are alfo dug up near
Madonna del Safib, which lies about eleven Italian miles
, from Bologna ; and fcveral of the Denies lamina are found
w; >. near Poggivoli Roffi, or the Red hills.
Petrified I 11 an d near the Martigncne are alfo found petrified f.fh,
fifli, and o- Fungi and Pefiixites, which, on account of their thin (hell,
tir animals are a]fo ca jj ed jM em branuK ; Concbites Pelinites y P ettwiculitas
Jlriall^ Tubullta vermLulares reEli^ tf intorlp, r/iajores & mi-
In the brook dell' Inferno, as it is called, are found Con-
ebittf lev'iter per longumjlriati^ Conckiits major -es, PeClunaditcs
leviicr jir'iati) &c.
The rivulet Mercatt exhibits congeries of Canclntee^ T?l-
Hnite, &c.
On the mountain, called Monte del'e Grotte, are found
ITurLinata:, Concbita^ Ecbinitts^ Spinulte PfltiHites, &c.
* Df monumento difaviann wafer in agro Bnnon'imf, deiefla Dffirtatfa, in
qua permulite ipjiits iKuwdationis <vindici<t a flaJu t err en antediluvian* & Pft-
idiluviana defumt* erfonuntur a Jofefbo Mcati, Sonoma, 1719, afud kpfi
&Jcd?s.
In
BOLOGNA. 301
In other parts of the territory of Bologna are found frag-
rrents of the Qflreita Pofyleptbghigfyfai, the (jftreum imbr'ua-
titm &f fulcatum of different iizes, afh-coloured oyfter-ftiells ;
Conchitts bivalves ; Cffficbita turlnnati, Pettine- bivalves^ PeEii-
nltes Jlfiati^ Pfffuriktrtt, PeftitncuKbs ; Cham& leves^ bivalves
Glycbcimerides ; Chamee ingentcs margaritiferts polyginglymes bl-
valves, as Lifter in his hiftory of {hells terms them ; Chama:
obhnga /eves et leviter 'ftriata ; Dendrit<e> Lignum fojjtit et pe-
trifaEtum^ or foffile petrified wood; and^Gagates or Gange-
ter., which is alfo called Lapis Tbradus. Among petrified Thcfifh
fifb.es the Sarda* is frequently found here. In the yellow Sarda>
fanci, which abounds in the territories of Bologna, and de-
rives its colour from a yellow kind of earth, are found great
numbers of Corntia Ammonis, and other {hells, many of
which are fo fmall as hardly to be difcinguiihed without the
help of a microfcope.
I muft not here omit the well known Lapis Bononienfa.OftheBo
This is a fmall ftone of a light grey colour, and irregular nonian
{hape. It is full of fulphureous particles, and of a lax tex- O f phofpho-
ture, yet heavier than would be conceived fjom its fee, andrus.
{parkles like talc. - It is found in feveral parts of 'Italy, but
especially in the diflricl: of Bologna, towards theAppenirie
mountains, and on mount Paderno which rlands about five
Italian miles from Bologna. They are moft commonly
fruncl after heavy rains among: the earth waftied of? from the
neighbouring mountains. This {lone is of the fize of a
walnut, and has no lucid-appearance in the dark until it un-
dergoes a particular calcination, by which it acquires the
property of imbibing, when expofed for a few minutes to
the fun- beams, fuch a quantity of light, that it afterwards
fliines in the dark from eight to fifteen minutes like a glow-
ing coal, but without any fenfible heat. This experiment
may be repeated at pleafure ; and it is fufficient, if the {lone
be laid only in the open air in the dav-time where the fun
does not fhine ; for the heat of the fun is apt to make it
crumble to pieces. If the {lone be well prepared, the light
of a candle is fufficient to give it this luminous quality ; but
it is not affected by moon-ftiine. It retains its luftre, even
tho' it be put into water, and prefervcs this property for three
or four years ; and then it may be calcined anew, but it
never perfectly recovers the fame refulgency that it acquired
at the lirft calcination.
* This is a fmall fifli well known in the Mediterranean, and called by
th French Sardine, It is not unlike 2 fprat, but ibmctbing larger.
In
302 BOLOGNA.
In the fourth article of the Philofophical TranfatStions of
the Royal Society at London for the month of January 1666,
it is faid, that only a certain eccjefiaftic had the art of pre-
paring this ftone, and that the fecret died with him. But
this fuppofed lofs was happily retrieved by M. Homberg, a
celebrated German naturalift, who, on his return from his
travels in Italy, brought with him a great many of thefe
ftones, and calcined two hundred of them fo many different
ways, that at laft he found out the fecret. His method was
Its prepara- as follows : He firft fcraped the ftone all over till it appear-
tion. e j exactly like talc ; then having foaked it thoroughly in
brandy, and inclofed it in a palte or cruft made of other
Hones of the fame kind pulverized, he calcined it in the fire,
or a fmall furnace. After this, all the powder of the cruft in
which the ftone was inclofed is taken off. Both the powder
and the ftone, when brought into the dark from the open air,
make a luminous appearance ; and the former, if kept in a
ftrong and well ftopt phial, when expofed to the air, imbibes
the light, and, if fprinkled on pictures and letters, illuminates
them in the dark. In preparing the pafte the ftone muft be
pulverized in a brafs mortar ; for a glafs or marble mortar is
. very detrimental to the virtue of this kind of Phofphorus ;
an iron mortar particularly is worfe than any other. For
this information we are obliged to Lemery, who, in his Ccnrs
de Cbymie^ defcribes at large the whole procefs of preparing
this ftone, which, he candidly acknowledges, he learned
from Homberg himfelf. I have been affured, that in cal-
cining this ftone over a fire, as it muft be frequently turned,
the operator muft take care not to hang his head over the
effluvia arifing from it. The uncalcined Lapis Bononienjis is
ibid at Bologna at a Paolo* per pound ; but a prepared piece
of the bignefs of a dried fig cofts two or three Paoli^ or
more. This phenomenon is generally attributed to theful-
phur with which the Lapis Bonon'unfis abounds ; for when it
is frefti calcined the fmell of it is an evident proof of this.
Befides, its evaporations are known to tinge iilvcr : .How-
ever, fulphur cannot be productive of any light or efful-
gence, unlefs it be previoufly purged from all hetcrogcnous
particles; and this is done by fire. Day-light, which is no-
thing but the fineft rays of the igneous matter emitted by
the fiin, kindles the fulphur on the furface of the ftone,
when expofed to the open air, as fire does common fuel.
* Six-pi nee fterlingi
Upou
BOLOGNA. 303
Upon this fuppofition, Lemery directs that this ftonebe cal-
cined in a moderate tire, and obferves, that, if the heat be
too flow, the fulphur is not carried to the furface of the {lone ;
and on the contrary, if it be too intenfe, the fulphur is too
much diffipated and evaporates.
The Phofphorus Balduinus, invented by Baudovin, a Phnfphorus
Frenchman, who publifhed an account of it in 1675, under Bal ^ uina -' "
the title of Phofphorus HermetluSj without acquainting
ing the world with the fccret of preparing it, was nothing
elfe but an imitation of the Lapis Bononienfis. Baudovin'.s-
magnet of light, as he pompoufly ftyled it, was nothing
but a compound made of Englifh chalk and aqua forth , or
fpirit of nitre.
Not long after, in the year 1677, one Brand, a German Burning
'ehemift at Hamburgh, found out the fecret of making burn- PiioiVhoraar*
ing Phofphorus, and that by chance (to which we owe many
curious inventions) whilft he was endeavouring to extract a
liquid from human urine in order to tranfmute filver into
gold.
Runkel carried the invention ftill farther, and at length h
was brought to fuch perfection, that at prefent a burning or
inccndible Phofphorus may be'made from vegetable or animal
fubftances, when calcined with allum. This is beft kept in
water, and emits lirrhtwhen expofed fora little while to the
open air. I myfelf have feen experiments of this kind ex-
hibited by HomV-erg, and Lemery, the fon.
Befides this Pbcfphonis fulgurans^ feveral other fimilar dif- Flamefrom
eoveries have been made, as for example : By mixing two tw . lu l uors
coM fluids, as the acid fpirksof a mineral and an oil extrac-
ted from vegetables, flame has been produced. I {hall on
another occafion fpeak of the luminous barometer, and a kind pioffbann
of PKbfpbdruS) which may be called Smaragdinus. Smangdiw*
I have already given an account of forne lea-animals that Sea-animals
emit an effulgence in the dark*, in defcribing the Datali del . which ft'^
/-A AIT ... m the dark .
Mare or Arcona : And 1 would recommend it to the inqui-
ries of naturalifts, whether this fhiningbe owing to the fea-
falt, or to the refinous and fulphureous particles with which
the fea- water is impregnated ; 1 have often obferved at fea in
a dark night corufcations not unlike ignited fparks, caufed
by the collifion of the waves, the motion of the ihip, and
dbecially of the oars : and, if a perfon makes water from the
deck of a fliip into the Tea in a dark night, a multitude of Radiancy la
luminous fparks are feen to rebound, as it were, from the fur- ^-w*^-
face
T
5 04 , M O D E N A.
face of the water. But both thefe fcintillations are obferv-
ed only in dry weather; and poflibly the caufe is to be look-
ed for in the motion of the faline fpirits.
Ludda, or The luciola, or glow-worms, common in Italy and other
glow-worm, countries, is to be clafled among the natural pbojphori.
Thefe infects appear moft luminous in rainy weather ; as
rotten wood, which is another kind of natural phofphorus,
is known to emit light in the dark, if it be moift.
BOLOGNA, April 21, 1730.
<)&&^^
LETTER LXVI.
Account of MOD EN A and REGGIO.
S I R,
:IE country betwixt Bologna and Modena is very plea-
fant, fertile, and well cultivated, and abounds in
How grapes vineyards. The inhabitants have a method of preierving
arepreferv- r jp e grapes, from the vintage-time till the month of Auguil
edl in the following year, by keeping them in little rooms well
fecured againft the external air and the light of the fun; and
they neyer go into thefe (tore-rooms but with one fmall can-
dle, and that as feldom as pofiible. The bunches are not
laid upon the floor, but hang feparate, being tied to a great
number of fmall flicks; and, when a fingle grape has the
leaft appearance of decay or rottennefs, it is plucked off, to
prevent the reft from the infection.
White- The horned cattle of this country are very large, and ge-
homedcat- nerally white. Six or eight oxen are here put to a carriage,
x'lir* w ' t ^ 1 a reat num ' 0er f bells hanging about them, which
make no diiagreeable noife. Thedefign of this mufic, as I
am informed, is to cheat the creatures under their labour,
and to give notice at a diftarice on the road that fuch a car-
riage is coming,
Bridge over Jsf o t f ar f rom the city of Bologna the river Reno *
theRenoj cro fl* es tne roac j. Though this river, during the greateft
part of the year, has but a fmall current; yet there is a
bridge confming of two-and- twenty arches, which is four
* Sil, ltd, lib, viii. Par^'iquf Bononia Rbeni.
hundred
M O D E N A. 305
hundred and feventy paces long, and feven broad, built over
jt. In the year 1530, when Charles V. patted it in great fo-
lemnity juft before his coronation, it broke under the multi-
tude of people who attended in the proceffion, which occi-
fioned great damage, befides the lofs of many lives. This
misfortune fome prophetic genius's of that time looked upori
s a certain omen that Charles V. was to be the laft emperor
who would receive his crown from the hands of the pope.
It was iioit far from Bologna that the Triumviri, M. Lepi- p] ace w here
dus, M. Antonius, and C. Oclavius, formed that alliance Lepidus,
which afterwards proved To bloody in its, confequences. Plu- ^ci'aavi-
tarch, in his Life of Cicero, c. 67, and in that of Antony, us entered,
c. 24, fays, that the Trumviri had this interview on a fmall into * alli-
iflarid ; to which Dio, lib. xlvi, adds, that the ifland was ance '
formed by a little river (probably the Reno) near Bologna.
However, there is no river in the neighbourhood of this city
that forms an ifland exactly agreeable to the defcription given
us by this hiilorian ; for by an ifland is now always under-
ftood a place which is generally furrounded with water. But
whether this ifland was near Bagneto, at the conflux of
the Lavino and the Reno; or .at Bagno, where the little
fiream Dofio empties itfelfirito the Reno ; or laftly, whether
it was in the neighbourhood of the village called Trebo di
S. Giovanni, it is not eafy to determine.
About fourteen Italian miles from Bologna,, near this Fort tJrba-
road, lies Fort Urbano, which confifts of five baftions, and no>
was built by pope Urban VIII. as a key to the ecclefiaftical
ftate on this fide. A little farther on we ferried over the lit-
tle river Panaro, about five Italian miles on this fide Mode-
na. This river ferves as a boundary to divide the dutchy of
Modena from the Bolognefe. On a pillar eredted in this
place is the following infcription, which would better be- ^f art ; a i ,- n<
come a warlike monarch, than the head of the church of fcription,
Chrift, who faid to hisdifciples, ' The princes of theGen-
4 tiles exercife dominion ; but it fhall not be fo among
you.' Matt. xx. 25, 26.
Vo?.. III.
"1C
3 o6 M O D E N A.
Viator,
H.H ejl limes agri Bononienjis
Et Ecclefiafock ditionis initium^
*uo4, ut
Urbanus VIII. Pont. Max.
Tetfum fartumque redder ct,
Arcs munitijjima y ut max videbis, excitata
Sic Pont'ificitz Mcijcjlati^ fie Jiibditorumjecuritati confuluit,
Ut exinde cJfcvibus imperterrite
Ovilis Dominici gereret curam,
Et gladio truculento arceret luporum rabiem.
Traveller, here thou feeft the boundary of the Bolog-
nefe territories, and the entrance into the ecclefiaftical
flate ; tor the defence and fecurity of which his holinefs
pope Urban VIII. has built, as thou fhalt prefently fee, a
very ftrong fortrefs ; who thus at once confulted the dig-
nity of the papal majefty and the tranquillity of his fub-
je&s, that he may henceforth intrepidly protect the fheep-
fold of the Lord with the keys committed to him, and
drive away the ravenous wolves from the flock with thede-
ftroying fword.'
Modena. Moderia is a very ancient city, and frequently mentioned
in the Roman hiftory. WhenDecimus Brutus wasbefieged
Meflages in this city, Hirtius made ufe of tame pigeons (which by
carried by hunger he had trained up for fuch a fervice) as mefiengers*,
Paeons. to gj ve t ^ e ^ e f iei r e j advice of his intentions, and to receive
" intelligence from Decimus Brutus on their return. The me-
mory of this device is perpetuated even to this very day at
Modena, where pigeons are taught to carry letters to a place
appointed, and bring back anfwers. According to the relati-
ons of travellers, the fame is practifed at Aleppo, and other
cities in the Levant f. Of what benefit thefe letter-carriers
* Pita. H:jl, Nat. c. JT,. Mavnis in rebus fuere tnternunlia (columbse) --
S^uii! <vallian & vigil obfiJio, aiqueeham retia amne pr*tenta profuere Anto-
nio per calum eunte nuritio ? ' In affairs of great importance (pigeons)
' were made ufe .of for mefiengers. What did the trenches, the cent:-
* nels, and even the fnares In id acrofs the river avail Antony, while a
courier made his way through the air ?'
f That Mahomet alfo nia^^Jiigeons fuhfervient to his impoftiyes, ap-
iienrs from the feveral hiltorit-. " :i;b life ; as alfo from Ximenes, in hijl.
Arab. Eimacen. in hijl. Sarac. G?V. '
proved
M O D E N A. 307
proved to the city of Leyden *, when hard preffed by the
Spaniards, is fufficiently known from the hiftory of the fix-
teenth century.
The city of Modena boafis of having given birth to fe- Eminent
veral eminent perfons, among whom they reckon Sigoni the P erf ons na-
civilian and hiftorian,Faliopi the phyfician, from whom cer- <jena.
tain tubes f in the human body derive their name ; Corregio
the painter; the poets Aleffandro Tafloni and Tefti j Gi-
copo Barocci da Vignola the architect ; cardinal Sadoleti,
and the imperial general Monteculi.
In the cathedral of Modena they (hew a very uncommon
trophy of the valour of the inhabitants, namely, a wooden
bucket with iron hoops, which the Modenefe, for what pur-
pofe I know not, brought away from Bologna, and kept as
a memorial of their expedition to the capital city of their
enemies. The war was originally occasioned by the Bolog-
nefe refufing to redore the towns of San-Cefario and Nonan-
tola according to the decifion of the emperor Frederic II
who had been appointed arbitrator of the difference: upon
this, the emperor, out of refentment for the indignity offer-
ed, fent his natural fon Henci, king of Sardinia, to the af-
fiftance of the Modenefe, whofe unhappy fate has been al-
ready taken notice of. As Geminianus was the patron faint
of Modena, and Petronius that of Bologna, the contending
parties were called Gerrfiniani and Petroniani. Alefrandro Ta fl* on ; 8
TafToni has ludicroufly defcribed the whole courfe of this poem,
war, in his moft ingenious poem intitled La Secchia rapita ; LaSeccbttt
and, to heighten the bur1efque,he makes the Modenefe give ^e rape of
rife to that bloody war by ftealing this bucket. the bucket,
It was from this Modenefe poet that the celebrated Boileau
took the hint for the Lutrin. The only fault in Taflbni's
burlefque poem is a want of delicacy in fome of his exprefli-
ons, which are fometimes fo grofs as to offend a chafte ear.
The bucket that has been thus immortalized hangs in one of
the towers of the cathedral bynn iron chain; to come at it,
a perfon muft go through no lefs than fix doors, and give a
handfome gratuity.
* Thefe pigeons, on account of their good fervices, when they died,
were fluffed, and are ftill kept in the council-houfe at Leyden. Janus
Douza's pigeon, which was one of thefe winged expreffos, has further
been honoured with two poetical panegyrics in Latin and Greek by thefa-
tnons Daniel Heinfms. The great fervice done by pigeons at Hacrlem in
the year 1573, at Zirickfee 1^1575, and Gertrudenberg in 1593, are re-
lated by Strada, Meterano, and other hiftorians of thoU time*.
f Tub* Fallopian*.
X a In
308 M O D E N A.
Cathedral. In this church the remains of St. Geminianus are depofir
ted. Here is alfo a piece of painting by Guido, reprefent-
ing Chrift in the temple, which well deferves a traveller's
notice. Before the church are feveral low and {lender pillars
belonging to the building, which are fupported by large
figures of lions, &c.
Jefuits The Jefuits church is extremely beautiful, and the roof
church. of it is painted from a defign of father Boffi. The altars are
very elegant, and behind the high altar is the hiftory of St.
Bartholomew, painted in feveral capital pictures by Pro-
caccini.
Theatine The Theatine church is remarkable for its high altar,
church. which is finely decorated with columns and ftatues. The
choir is painted with fine pieces in frefco, reprefenting the
life and martyrdom of St. Vincentius, by Galati.
St. Domi- They are now rebuilding St. Dominic's church ; and, by
nic's church. w hat may be conjectured from the Capello d^l Rofario, a
mafterly white marble ftatue of the Madonna, and the great
number of pillars of white and blue marble to be feen there*
it will be a fplendid and magnificent edifice.
StJVTarga- gj. Margaret's church belongs to the Dominicans. It
ret sc urc . g^-^j^ f ome good ftatues of terra cotta by Begarelli, repre-
fenting our Saviour, two ufurers, and fome of the apoftles.
A much greater object of curiofity is that of the virgin (land-
ing at the crucifixion, and fupported by the two other Ma-
ry's, of the fame materials with the reft, but far exceeds
them in exprefllon, &c t being made and painted by Corregio.
College of In. the college of St. Carlo Borromeo, between feventy
St. Charles an( j e jghty young noblemen are maintained, and inftru<5te(J
in the fciences and academical exercifes. In the hall are the
portraits of celebrated perfons who received their education,
at this college.
Ducal The ducal palace will be an elegant ftrudlure; but at pre-
palace. fent it is not above half finished. In the paflage leading
to the palace-church are painted all the faints who were
of the ducal family j and among the reft the hiftory of St.
Prediction Beatrix is to be feen there, who is faid always to predict
of the death tne d ea th of every one of the ducal family by ftamping with
Squeal fa- the foot on tne ^ oor; The cielings of moft of the apart-
mily. ments are finely painted in frefco. Here are alfo other va"-
Fine paint- luable paintings, particularly the following, viz. a capi-
ings. ta ] piece, reprefenting a peftilence; Titian with his wife
and fon paying their devotions to the virgin Mary ; a Ma-
donna fitting, attended by four faints, all as big as the life,
by
M O D E N A. 309
l>y Antonio Corregio ; the virgin Mary, with St. George,
and a groupe of little boys, by the fame hand ; the virgjn
Mary attended by feveral faints, and her affumption, both
by Luigi Caracci ; Paolo Veronefe and his family proftrate
before the virgin Mary and her divine infant; a capital piece
reprefenting Abraham's intended facrifice of his fon, by Del
Sarto ; ten pictures by Giulio Romano; the adoration of the
eaftern magi, and the marriage at Cana, by Paolo Veroneie;
a moil beautiful landfcape painted on copper, and a night- Corregio's
piece , by Corregio, reprefenting Mary Magdalen lying on night-piece,
the ground in the wildernefs arid reading in a book. The
frame of this piece is fet with rubies, amcthyfts, turquoifes,
.and other gems. St. Roch difiributing alms is by Annibal
Caracci, and formerly -ftood in the Scola di S. Rocco at Reg-
gio; but was given the duke of Modena in exchange fora
good copy. Here alfo is a picture of St. George, by Doflb
da Ferrara. I have often obferved pictures placed together
on account of the equality of their fize, though the fubjech
of them were extremely improper, which is the cafe here ;
a large piece reprefenting Bacchanals is placed near another
of our Saviour's crucifixion. But that piece, which for its L Notte ^
excellence I fhould have mentioned firft, is La Notte di
Corregio, or Corregio's incomparable night-piece, reprefent-
ing the infant Jefus lying in his mother's lap. As Corre-
gio's excellence was more confpicuous in the colouring and
chiaro ofcuro, than in defigning, it muft be allowed that in
this piece he has fhewn the utmoft effort of his flcill. The
infant's body is reprefented as it were femi-pellucid, and
emits fuch a radiancy, as to throw a proper light on the ob-
jeclsthat are near it; and indeed this incomparable piece is
never viewed without the higheft admiration and pleafure.
It was painted in the year 1522, and at firft was fold for no
more than two hundred Reggio An 7 , or livres*, which, ac-
cording to the prefentcourfe of money, are not much more
than eight louis-d'orsf.
Metelli has publifhed a copper-plate of this picture on a
fheet of royal paper, which Roffi fells at Rome for ten ba-
}ocbl%. Corregio's paintings are the more valued, becaufe he
has not left a great number of pieces behind him ; for he be-
* About eight guineas.
f See Richardfon's treatife on painting and fculpture.
J Seven-pence halfpenny.
X 3 flowed
- M O D E N A.
flowed a great deal of time on his works, and died in the
forty-iccond year of his age.
Locking- The lookiug-glafs clofet is filled with the portraits of the
glaisclofet, ducal family. A connoiffeur fees with concern the fine ciel-
ing-pieces in this and feveral other rooms here damaged by
cracks and fiffures.
Garden. The garden is at fome diftance from the palace. It has
an orangery, but exhibits nothing very remarkable or cu-
Stables. rious, no more than the ftables that ftand near it.
In this part of the city likewiie the duke's ftate-coaches
are kept ; fome of which are ornamented with fine fculp-
ture j others are of a wonderful largenefs, being made a
great many years fince.
Library. The ducal library is under the care of Muratori, who
was formerly Ambrofian library-keeper at Milan, and is well
known in the republic of letters by his Antickita Eftenfi ed
Italiane, the firft part of which was publifhed in fplio at
Modena in the year 1717 ; and for his large collection of
the Scriptores Italia*. The manufcripts of the Modena li-
brary are enumerated by Montfaucon, in his Diarium Itali-
tum, p. 31.
BowMiran- The duke of Modena has been in pofleffion of the prin-
< 3 "} ac2me to cipality of Mirandola ever fmce the year-i 7 1 o ; Francefco
the duke of A i . J rt . , , n . , r r j i . .
Modena. Maria Pica, the laft prince, having forfeited it by being
guilty of felony. An offer indeed was made this unhappy
prince that he fhould be reftored to his principality, on pay-
ing a fine of a hundred thoufand ducats, and on condition
that he fhould marry a daughter of Charles Maximilian Von
Thurn,fleward of the houfhold to theemprefs-dowager Elea-
nora. As this lady was maid of honour to the emprefs, her
majefty zealoufly promoted fuch an advantageous match ;
but by delaying the affair, and fome failure in the immediate
payment of the hundred thoufand ducats, the imperial ex-
chequer, in the year 1710, receded from thefe conditions,
and at once fold the principality of Mirandola for a million
* The life of this great man has been written not only by feveral Itali-
ans, but by Mr. Rathlef and Mr. Bnicker, two German writers. His
Scriplores rer. Ital. in twenty-feven volumes, and his Tbefaurtis 'velerum,
infcripticnwn in four, are hiring monuments of his judgment and applicati-
on, as is his invaluable work of the hiftory of Italy. By the laft ac-
counts from Modena we are informed, that Muratori, being in a very ad-
vanced age, has Ipft his fight, of which he had made fuch an excellent
ui'e.
of
M O D E N A. 311
of guldens* to the duke of Modena, who was inverted
with it by the emperor on the I2th of March, 1711. On
this'occafion the duke of Modena, in order to raii'e money
for fuch a large purchafe, propofed to fome perfons in Ger-
many a loan of two hundred thoufand guldens on a mort-
gage of the territory of Mirandola. That he might carry
his point, his agents were for making the people believe,
that the annual revenues of Mirandola were no lefs than a
hundred thoufand Spanifh Spanifh piftoles f ; but I queftion The duke'
whether Modena and Mirandola both together, after the ne- revenues
cefiary deductions, amount to more j though it is certain
that the duke draws very confiderable fums from the tax on
mills, monopolies, and farms, with other imports. John Difference
Frederic, the fecond fon of Rinaldo the prefent duke, lived bet wixt the
fome years at Vienna, and during that time endeavoured to two P nnces *
create a fufpicion of his brother the hereditary prince Fran-
cefco Maria, on account of his marriage with Charlotta, the
duke regent's daughter, in hopes of gaining the emperor's
confent for difmembering the principality of Mirandola
from the dutchy of Modena. This prince, efpecially in the
year 1722, pufhed the affair with all poflible vigour; and, to V
haften the accomplifhment of his defire, is faid to have pro-
pofed a marriage with a princefs of the Sobiefki family, who
is related to the emperor; but all his meafures were fruftrat-
ed, and he ended his days in the year 1727, in the tvventy-
feventh year of his age. The former depofed prince of the
houfe of Pica betook himfelf to Spain, where, in regard to
his birth, perfonal accomplimments, and zeal for that crown,
he was made mafter of the horfe.
The animofity betwixt the two brothers, as related above, As al/bbe-
is not the only difturbance that happened in the ducal family, ' W 5 en ^ e
The father's rigid treatment of the hereditary prince, which hereditary
was imputed to the violent counfels of Salvatico a Paduan, prince.
his prime minifter, has been the occafion of great feuds.
The fame perfon is alfo charged with opprefling the fubjecls,
and other iniquitous meafures, which raifecl great murmurs
and complaints. At laft fuch high words parted betwixt the
hereditary prince and Salvatico, that the latter thought it
advifeable to make the beft of his way to his own country.
Since this minifter has withdrawn, frequent endeavours have
been ufed for reftoring a harmony betwixt the duke and his
fon ; and an outward reconciliation has been ertecled ; but
* ioo,oi5/. i3/. f 89,5837. "js. fterling.
X 4 the
3i2 MODENA.
the inward miftmft, ufual in fuch cafes, after an open rup-
ture, ftill fubfifts ; the* father keeping his court at Modena,
and the ion living; with his princefs at Reggio.
Intereftof France is unwilling that Italy fhould be parcelled out into
re^ard^othe P ettv fovcreignties, but rather wifhes that it were gradually
Italian united again ; imagining, that by the fub-divifjon of the
fates. feveral principalities the emperor has an opportunity of en-
larging his power there. This is certain, that, in the wars
of Italy, the emperor knows very well how to draw confider-
able fuccours from the Italian princes, and never fails put-
ting them in mind of the fervices they owe to the Roman
te g f hp rof em P' re by virtue of their fiefs. But this is alfo highly ne-
the Italian ceflary, and without fuch memento's they might pofftbly
pnnces. think that they were independent fovereigns, and on a level
with the German electors. The ceremonial which they think
to procure for themfelves and their envoys at feveral foreign
courts, does not a little favour their ambitious views. This
brings to my mind what happened to M. Huldenberg, envoy
from the elector of Brunfwic Lunenburg to the imperial court
in the year 1698, when he was at the courts of Modena, and
of fome of fome other Italian princes, to treat about the
marriage of the emprefs Wilhelmina Amelia. The duke of
, fpeaking of the Italian princes, obferved, that the
Pret-nded German electors and princes were indeed poffefled of great
right oTnon power and large revenues ; but that the Italian princes, were
appeal. more abfolute in their dominions. In proof of which aflerti-
onhe alledged, that an appeal lay from the German eler.ors
and princes, to the emperor, whereas it was not fo with the
Italian princes, who judged without appeal. "To thisM. Hul-
denberg replied, That his highnefs was mifinformed in this
affair, with regard to the German electors, and mentioned
feveral inferior princes of the empire who are inverted with
the yus de non adpellando in cafes that do not exceed a certain
fum; adding, he could not apprehend why an appeal might
not be lodged from the decree of an Italian prince to the Au-
Jic council, or his imperial m'ajefty. The duke infrfted that
no inftance of this kind could be produced. After dinner M.
Huldenberg took occafion to refume the fubject with the prime
mimfter, with whom he was very intimate, and to afk him
whether there was not an example of fuch an appeal to the
emperor? Upon the minifter's anfwering in the negative, M.
Huldenberg farther afked him, if the Italian princes had found
means to hinder complaints from being brought againft them'
by way of appeal, as no law, in this cafe, could tie up the'
M O D E N A. 313
hands of the imperial court? The minifterwas filent for fqms
time; but at laft, upon M. Huldenberg's urging him fai . -,
he gave him the wink, and whifpered him, Facciamo tic tac, tic
tac, intimating, that they caufed thofe perfons who threaten-
ed to make fuch appeals to be afiaffinated. Upon which M.
Huidenberg fmiled, and faid., c That this was an extraord;-
4 nary privilege, indeed, and, for which the Italian princes
c had little reafon to value therr.felves above the electors of
4 Germany,' &c.
But to return to Modena. This city is fuppofed to con-
tain thirty-five thoufcnd inhabitants : but this computation
feems to exceed the truth ; and, indeed, it is not 2t all cre-
dible. Before moftof the houfes there are portico's or cloi-
ilers, as in Bologna, under which ;i perion may walk fe-
ci're from ra"ia and the heat of the fun : however, on ac-
count of their unequal height and breadth, they are no
great orname>.'; ro the city. Here is but little trade ftirring ;
and though a. great number of mafks (in making of which
Morcna excels) be exported to Venice and other places,
yetfo inconfiderable an article can contribute but little to the
profperity of the city.
The foil of the country about Modena is of a fingular Particular
conftitution, and well deferves the notice of the curious na- PP; rt y f
turahft. It skives, no fmail weight to the opinion that petri-
factions are -chiefly owing to theuniverfal deluge. In every
part, not only of the city, but of the adjacent country, plenty
of ocd water is to be found; only, before it can be attained,
the ground muft be dug to the depth of fixty-three feet. For
the firft fourteen feet are found large ftones, which feem,
to be the remains of paved ftreets, or roads, and buildings ;
and from hence there is fufficient reafon to conclude that the
foundation of this city was anciently much lower than it is
at prefent. In the next place is found a ftratum of hard and
compact earth proper to build upon. This feems to be a
kind of terra virginea, or virgin mould, which has never
been diftui bed by digging, though fuch kind of earth is look-
ed upon as the belt foundation for trie largeft ftru&ures.
Under this is a ftratum of black marlhy earth, in which are
found a great many lea-weeds, the leaves, branches, and
trunks of trees in great abundance ; and, at the' depth of
twenty- four feet, undecayed ears of corn have been dus; up.
The next is a ftratum of chalk, which begins at the depth
of twenty-eiht feet. As foon as the labourers find this,
they are litre of being no longer molefted with the muddy-
water
M O D E N A.
water breaking in upon them. This chalky ftratum. is a-
bout eleven feet deep, and very full of fhells. It termi-
nates at the depth of thirty -nine feet, after which follows a
moorifh or muddy foil two feet deep, in which are found
rufties, leaves of plants, and branches of trees. Next to
this is a cretaceous ftratum, which is eleven feet deep, and
confequently terminates at the depth of fifty-two feet from
the furface of the earth. This is fucceeded by -a marfliy or
muddy foil, refembling the former, of two feet in depth ; and
then follows a ftratum of chalky earth, but not fo deep.
The next to this is another ftratum of mar{hy foil, or turf,
under which is found a foft fand intermixt with gravel. This
appears to be the original ftratum laid by nature; in which are
found fea-fhells and other indications of an inundation or de-
Strata, or lug 6 - This ftratum is very firm ; and, by only boring a little
conftitution way into it,a great plenty of good water immediately fprings
of the foil at an( j f QQn jj s ^ Q we jj to a prO p er height. No trunks of
Arnfterdam. " i-iinn i i
trees are found in the chalky ftrata ; but they are met with only
in the marfhy or turfy foil *. It will not be amifs to fubjoin
here the different ftrata of the earth, and their arrangement,
as found in digging a well two hundred and thirty-fix feet
deep, about the beginning of the laft century, at Arnfterdam,
by order of the magiftrates. This well is ftill to be feen at the
Oudemannftiaufe, betwixt the Doeleftreet and Rufsland , where
is ftuck up a printed account of the order in which the ftrata
lay, which is as follows : Feet
j. A ftratum of garden-mould in depth 7
2. Black turf, or peat 9
3. Soft clay 9
4. Sand
5. Earth 4
6. CJay ' 10
7. Earth 4
8. Paving-fand, upon which, as good a foun-
dation, moft of the houfes in Arnfterdam
are built, piles being firft driven into it 10
9. Clay 2
10. White fand 4
11. Dry earth 5
12. Marfhy or muddy earth I
13. Sand 14
14. A fandy clay 3
* Vide^ernard'mus Raaazzini defonlium Mutmenfium admiranda fcatu-
rizine Mutina, 1691. and Montfaucoti 's Dlar. Italic.
!=;. Sand
M O D E N A. 315
Feet
15. Sand intermixt with clay 5
ib. Sea-land in which are a great many fhel Is 4
17. Clay 102
18. Sand where they left of digging 31
232 feet
It is well known, thatafhes, coals, bones, potfherds, trees, Petition of
&c. are frequently found in the turf-lands or marfhes in Hoi- | reesinturf -
Jand and Friefland : but that thefe were overwhelmed and
buried by fome inundation or deluge may be concluded from
the fimilarity of their pofition, the branches and tops always
lying towards the N. E. and the roots in the oppofite direc-
tion.
In the Modenefe, efpecially near St. Polo, which is not Terra *>-#-
far from Reggio, an excellent alkaline earth, which the Ita- M aurea *
lians call terra vergine aurea^ is dug up. Sometimes it is
found in a kind of powder, and fometimes it refembles a
fat and oleaginous tophus, or friable ftone. It is firft pound-
ed fine, and then made into a foft, white, and infipid pafte.
This is in great repute, and reckoned of equal virtue with Medicinal
Terra Samia ; the Bolo bianco and Terra Silefiaca are ufed "te-
as alexipharmics, and found very beneficial in fevers, dyfen-
teries, and hypochondriac diforders *.
Near the caftle on Monte Baranzone, and in a place cal- Oglio di-
led Fiumetto, wells or pits are dug thirty or forty ells, and Na P
more, in depth, in which a kind of oil is feen floating on
the furface of the water : this is what the Italians call Og-
lio di Naptha, or the Olio di Saflb, but more commonly
known by the name of Petroleum, or oil of Peter. It is
found in greateft plenty in autumn and fpring, and is fkim-
med oft" the water once in a fortnight ; but the wells are
kept (hut up clofe. It is of a reddifh colour ; and, when
one of thefe wells becomes dry, they either dig deeper, or
make a new one. Befides thefe, near Caftello di Monte
jGibbiq are three other fuch fprings, which are perennial.
The oil which thefe laft yield is of a yellowifh colour, and
is accounted the beft in this country. Petroleum is ufed for
embalming the dead, varnifhing, painting, and in pharma-
cy, and is found not only here, but likewife in the neigh-
bourhood of Parma and Naples, in Sicily, feveral of the
iflands of the Archipelago, India, the fouthern parts of
France, and in other places f.
* VUe Ecccon. Obfervat. Pfyfic. vi. f Boccort. Obfervat. Phjfic. v,
xxx, xxx i.
Some
3i6 M O D E N A.
pf the on- Some naturalifts will have this to be a fpccies of Succi-
ginofam- num liquidum, which after its induration is diftinguifhed by
the name of amber j and this opinion is founded on Bocco-
ni's obfervations, who tells us that he found fome drops of
Petroleum incloied in the middle of a piece of amber ; and
that amber is to be met with on the coaft of Sicily only in
tbofe places where Petroleum is found, and in no other. How
\veilgroundedtheaflertionof OligeriusJacobseus,aDane, who
has writ a particular treatife on this oil, may be, namely, that
it will grow hard and folid if it be boiled with fpirit of nitre, I
cr.nnot fay, as I have hitherto had no opportunity of trying the
experiment. This, however, is certain, that fea-water is
not neceffary to the production of amber, which is often
found in parts very remote from the fea. That it is not ge-
nerated from the refm of pine or fir-trees, appears , evident,
' becaufq, in the countries about Foligno, Ancona, and Sefla,
in the papal dominions, amber, fulphur, and refinous fof-
fils of feveral kinds are dug up, though there is not a wood,
of pines or firs to be feen all over the country. Near
Quercola and la Saffb, in the Modenefe, amber is likewife
not uncommon ; and is there found in a foil which has
yielded a great quantity of Petroleum. In the diftrit of
' Luneburg, and in places which are fofar from having any
communication with the fea, that they are at the diftance of
ten German miles from it, I myfelf have gathered large
pieces of amber, which had both the proper hardnefs, and,
when rubbed, the eleclric quality of attracting light fub-
ftances. Alfo in a marfhy ground, on an eftate called Gar-
tow, belonging to baron Bernftorf, very good amber has
been found. This was of feveral kinds ; fome pieces were
yellow and transparent, fome white and opaque or cloqdy,
and others black, which indeed are properly a kind of agate.
Thefe pieces of amber lie fmgle in a turfy foil within a con-
cretion of grey fand, and intermixt with filaments of roots ;
they are alfo found in the fame manner in the mountains of"
PruHia. It is alfo no uncommon thing to find there, and in
other places, pieces of wood impregnated with fulphur and
refm, which have infinu'ated themfelves into the pores and
interfaces.
The Elbe throws up fine pieces of amber on its banks in
feveral places. Amber is alfo dug up in a mountain called
Btigarach, in the province of Languedoc, in France ; but
it has not the hardnefs of the Pruflian ; and perhaps the in-
habitants make their lamps of it on that account.
But
M O D E N A. 317
But to obviate the objection, That poflibly the firft for-
mation or perfection of amber has been occafioned by the
lea-water, which by fome extraordinary inundation may
have overwhelmed thofe countries that are, at prefent, at
a great diftance from the fea, I {hall obferve, that amber
is daily formed in the earth, and, from a liquid or foft fub-
ftance, is gradually indurated, and becomes a hard body^
An inftance of this I met with in a piece which, a few years
ago, was dug up in the abovemcntioned eflate of Gartow,
and is now in Sir Hans Sloane's mufeum at London. On
the furface of that piece of amber is feen a withered birch-
leaf, the fibres and indented edges of which are imprinted in
the moft accurate manner on the amber. This muft have
been done while the latter was in its liquid ftate. Now this
leaf cannot be fuppofed to have continued there whole ages,
without corruption or decay; efpecially as the ftrata in which
the Gartow amber is found, do not lie above .the depth of
three or four feet from the furface of the earth.
The animals that I have feen inclofed in amber, as far as
I can recollect, are only of the terreftrial kind, as gnats, fpi-
ders, pifmires, locufts, and the like. Minerals have alfo
been found inclofed in amber; which is a plain proof that
the former could not be in liquid amber in the fea, tho'fuch
pieces of amber may have been wafhed away from their
ftrata by the fea, and be again thrown by the tides on the
(bore, or accidentally drawn up in nets.
' They who attribute the origin of amber to gum or refin
of trees, forget that amber remains indiflbluble in water,
Contrary to the nature of gums ; and that there never was-
any vegetable found, from which a refiaous oil and volatile
acid can be extracted, as may be done from amber and other
fofliis. Amber lofes its hardnefs and tranfparency alter fu-
fion ; but retains its electric or attractive quality, which the
modern philofophers, who are for exploding all occult qua-
lities, atrribute to the fubtile faline and fulphureous particles
of which amber is compofed. For, fay they, thefe, being
detached and emitted by the friction, rarefy the air near the
the amber, fo that light fubftances, as ftraw, pieces of
paper, &c. being propelled by the denfer air, move to-
wards the amber, where the air is rarefied more or lefs in
proportion to its proximity, or diftance from the latter.
Two Italian miles from SafTuolo in the Modenefe is to be Fi:
feen a chafm in the earth, called la Salfa, which often ejects fromWfa.
fmoke, flames, afhes, and ftonts of a fulphureous iinell ;
and
3 i8 R E G G I O.
and throws many of them to the height of thirty yards.
Thefe emulations generally fall out in fpring and autumn,
and are fometimes attended with very great noifes under
ground. The mountain in which this aperture appears,
has been rendered quite barren by the afhes, (tones, &c.
ejected out of the chafm ; and during its eruptions the Pe-
troleum or oil of Peter-wells, at Saifo and Monte Gibbio,
is extremely turbid. Bocconi, in his Jltfujeo di Fifca & di
EfperienzC) publifhed in quarto at Venice in 1697, pretends
to have found out that Ja Salfa agrees not only as to its effects,
but allo the time of its eruptions, with mount ^Etna in Sicily,
and that this agreement was particularly remarkable on the
10th, nth, and I2th of May 1693.
Petrifafti- The country about la Salfa affords petrifactions of feveral
ons. kinds, Cochleitte, Turbinita^ Dentales, Tubuliti varii^ reEli &
intorti ; -but at what depth they are found I have not been in-
formed.
In the little river Salfa, near Safluolo, are found the teeth
of Hippopottitni and Tubulita vermicular es\ and farther to-
wards Safluolo, BiiccinittE) Caryopbylla marina foJ/iliaScbeucbzeri,
Turb'wita: fafdculaii, laves & Jlriati,Turbinitts cylindroidei^ &c.
On Monte delle Meraviglie, are found large Chama ventricofes.
The other moft remarkable petrifatf a in the territories ofMo-
dena are Cwehittc valvis ezqualibus iawbttf & rotundis\ Concbi-
/<# oblongi y larues j Conchitccftriati, tranjvtrfim rugofi\ Conchita
in longum fcf tranfverjim minutijjime Jlriati ; Cccbleitts c<zlati ;
Cochleit<ztrochifonnes;Chamte\ Gbamcelteves^rrjomboidcce; Gbamcs
iientricofee j Peftinesauriti; Peftuncuiitce taminlongumquam tranf-
e uerfimjlriati\ Tellinita fubrotundi minutijjime Jlriati ; Ptfturuuli
laves ; OJlreitce imbricati ; Oftreitarum opercula ; Oftreitts rugofi>
Murices auriti, oris recurvi; Turbinitte muricati of feveral kinds ;
Tltfbinues auriti^ oris dentati; Umbilici fojjiles^ alias opercula co-
Mearnm ccelatarum, &c.
Floating Laitly, I muft here obferve, that Pliny (lib. ii. c. 95.)
ifland. mentions a floating ifland in the Modenefe ; but at prefent
no fuch phenomenon is to be feen in thefe parts.
Betwixt Modena and Rubiera, you crofs the little river
Secchia over a very long bridge : Rubiera is one poft-ftage
Reg^o. fr m Modena, and about half-way to Reggio. This laft
mentioned -city is better built, and has more regular ftreets
than Modena; it alfo appears but little inferior to it in
extent.
The flreet, in which the famous fair is yearly kept, is
particularly remarkable both for its length and breadth - r
and
R E G G I O. 319
and the only defect is, that it is not laid out in a direct line.
In the cathedral of Reggio is to be feen, over the high altar,
the aflumption of the virgin Mary, painted by Vincenzo
Gotti, and four marble ftatues by Clemente da Reggio ; and
by the fame hand are alfo thofe of Adam and Eve, which
ftand before the front of the church. Among the fepul-
chral monuments in this church are feveral belonging to the
family of Maleguzi ; particularly that of Horatio Maleguzi,
count of Monte Obizi, who was ambafTador to Philip II.
king of Spain, and alfo wrote the life of pope Pius V. He
died in the year 1583. The monument of Ugo Rangoni,
legate of Paul V. to feveral princes, is extremely beautiful.
On the right fide of the Tribuna are fix fine marble ftatues,
and in an adjoining chapel the images of St. Fabian and St.
Sebaftian.
The Chiefa della Madonna is a very lightfome building ;' church of
and the cielin? is elegantly painted. the Madon-
Before St. Profpero's church ftand fix^ lions which former- st.Vrofpero.
ly ferved for pedeftals to fome ftrudture. The roof is paint-
ed by Camillo Procaccino, and, among other things, ex-
hibits the laft judgment. In the veftry is to be feen a defcent
from the crofs, together with the three Mary's, by Luigi
Caracci, which confequently deferve notice.
The road betwixt Modena and Parma is a part of the an' Via^Emilia,
cicnt Via Emilia, and is very pleafant to travel. It lies all De j i . 1 ^? 1 "
along through gardens, and is planted on both fides with rows " oa d and
of white mulberry-trees, interwoven with vines which form aprofpeft.
kind of natural feftoons. The whole plain confifts of plan-
tations and inclofures, every-where Separated by rows of
fruit-trees and vines, fo that few countries can form a rich-
er fcene, or yield a more beautiful landfcape to the eye.
On the road about five miles from Reggio, a very long R ; ver Len .
bridge is built over the river Lenza, which is the boundary za, bounda-
betwixt thedutchies of Modena and Parma. M^T"**
On the Modenefe fide, and on the left-hand, lies the caftle and Parma,
of Canofla, which belongs at prefent to a family of the Canoflk
fame name, and is famous in the hiftory of the middle-ages,
being the refidence given by the powerful countefs Mathilda
to pope Hildebrand or Gregory VII. Here the emperor Ignominious
Henry IV. was obliged, in very feVere cold weather, to ftand P ensnce f
for three days in the court-yard clad in fack-cloth, and bare- '*
footed, without either meat or drink, and with tears to beg
for pardon, before the pope could be prevailed on to receive
him.
320 PARMA.
him again into the bofom of the church *. Concerning the
fufpicion of a criminal commerce between this pope and Ma-
thilda, fee Lambertm Stbalfnaburgenjis ad dnn. 1077, p. 809,
and the author of Apologia pro Henrico IV. p. 210. f
Several proteftants make ufe of the teftimony of thefe hif-
torians in order >to complete the fcandalous hiftpry of the
court of Rome; and when it is objected that pope Hildebrand
was old and emaciated, and that Mathilda was riot very
young, they anfwer, That old men are often concerned in
fuch intrigues. But if, from the hiftories of thofe times, we
enquire into the character of pope Gregory VII, they will
inform us that ambition and avarice had the predominance
over that pontiff; fo that luft could make but little oppofiti-
6n againft thofe reigning pafilons. A perfon of fuch a call
of mind is feldom known to indulge himfelf in fenfual plea-
fures ; and if he happens to be furprized by a ftrong temp-
tation, fo as to make a falfe ftep, he is afhamed of it, and
his former ambition and avarice foon refume the afcendant
over him, and put him upon proje&S which the world look
upon as grand and enterprifing.
LETTER LXVII.
OBSERVATIONS on PARMA andPLACENTiA^
SIR,
TjARMA is a large and populous city^ and has broad re-
JL gular ftreets and a great number of handlbme houfes^
which the Italians herej according to the cuftom of other
* VideRaron. AnnaL Tom. xi. ad aim* 1077, .xviii. f. 524.. Doan'zoi
in 'Uita Mathildis, lib. xi. c. l & 7. Arnulpbus Mediolanenjis , lib. iv. Gcf-
torum Mediolanenf. c. viii./>. 746. Tlie fovereign princes of Europe are
not fenfible how much they are indebted to Luther's reformation, were it
only in refpeft of the temporal profperity and outward fecurity of their
feveral dominions. See alfo on this head&z//^. BebeL.de beneficiis mngif-
tratui politico a Lutbero exbibitis, Georg. Hern. Gotze, de beneficiis aconotiii-
cis Luther i mmiflerio exhibit is, & Job. Hermann. Furjlenau, dc mentis Lu-
theri in cec onomiam publicam & privatam, Rintel. 1749.
\ Xo the hiftorians who charge pope Gregory with carrying on amo-
rous intrigues, may be added Leo Oftienf. in cbron. Coffin, lib. iii. c. 49.
Sigbert. Gemblac. and Alberic. ad an. 1085, who relate that Gregory on his
death-bed heartily repented of this cruel treatment of the unhappy empe-
ror Henry IV. but to thefe may be oppofed the filence of other credible hi-
ftorians on this head*
parts
PARMA. 321
parts of Italy, dignify with the name of palazzi, or palaces.
'The little river Parma divides the city into two parts, which River of the
have a communication with each other by three {tone bridg- fame name -
es. Its circuit is about four Italian miles ; and the citadel Circuit,
very much refembles that of Antwerp. The number of in-^! tad ^*
habitants is fuppofed to be from forty-five to fifty thoufand ; inJTbitlnts.
but this computation certainly exceeds the truth.
Among the ancient writers who fpeak of this city, are Antiquity of
the following : Strabo, lib. v. Livy, lib. xxxix. c. 55. the city.
Pliny, lib. iii. c. 15. Cicero ad Famil. lib. x. ep. 33. n. 8.
Ptolemy, Columella, and others. In an ancient inlcription
it is ftiled Colonia Julia Augujla Parma.
The ducal palace is not yet completed: however, in the Ducal palace,
duke's apartment, a great number of fine paintings are to be Its ? aintin8S -
feen ; among thefe, the pieces which Annibal Carracci has
copied in oil colours from the paintings in frefco in the cu-
pola of St. John's church, by Corregio, are eminently dif-
tinguifhed from the reft. A night-piece of Peter denying
Chrift, and another piece, reprefenting Abraham entertain-
ing three angels, deferve a particular attention. Here are
two very large pieces by the cavalier Malogio, reprefent-
ing the glories of heaven, and fall of Lucifer into hell,
who, to gain the favour of the ecclefiaftics, has taken care to
fill the former with bifhops and friars.
Adjoining to the dutchefs's apartment is a looking-glafs
clofet ; but it has no very large glades. Moft of the prin-
cipal rooms are hung with red velvet laced with gold, with
the richnefs of which the brick flooring little agrees.
The vaft theatre at Parma, fo famous throughout all Eu- Noble the-
rope, was built by Rainutius I. in the year 1618. The atrl
parterre, or pit, is fixty-five, and the ftage fixty-two com-
mon paces, in length. In Parma, the length of the whole
building is generally computed at a hundred and ninety ells,
and the height about forty-nine or fifty. On each fide of
the ftage ftands an equeftrian ftatue of one of the former
dukes, and feveral other ftatues on each fide of the pit.
The latter confifts of twelve rows, riling gradually one a-
bove another, as in the ancient Roman amphitheatres : and
over it is a double gallery. Some, indeed, will have it that
it will conveniently hold eight or nine thoufr.nd fpe<5rators j
but this is an aflertion which the eye manlfeftly contradidls
at firft fight. On occafion of the marriage of prince .Ed-
ward, brother to the prefent duke, with Dorothea Sophia,
daughter of Philip William elector Palatine, in the year
VOL, III. Y 1670,
PARMA;
1670, it was mod fplendidly illuminated ; and, during the
opera, the parterre^ dr pit, was laid three or four feet under*
water, iri order to reprefent a naval engagement betwixt two
Naval en- gondola's. For this purpofe two large rooms on each fide
" ga PP? C1 ^- f tne theatre were Filled with water, the entrances to the
i tt pit were ftopt, and as the flooring and feats of the amphi-
theatre * are of ftone (the latter being only covered with
wood) there was no great difficulty in exhibiting fuch a nau-
fnackid. But the gondola's muft certainly have been very
much confined in their motions, as the pit could not be en-
larged ; for in extent it is far fhort of that of the Aliberti
Extraordi- tneatre at Rome. The moft remarkable thing, in the con-
nary con- ftruclion of this edifice, is, that a word fpoken ever fo low
ftruftion * on the ftage is diftincily heard in every part of the pit*
' c ' (which faves the adors no fmall trouble) and the greater!
elevation of the voice caufes no echo. It is faid, that, when
Lewis XIV. designed to build an opera-houfe in the palace of
the Thuilleries at Paris, he fent the celebrated architect Vi-
garani to Parma, in order to examine into the caufe of this
Obfervation extraordinary effect ; but to no purpofe. The Paris opera-
.aboutthe houfe is indeed fuppofed to be large enough to contain (even
at^aris!" C or eI S nt thoufand people ; but I queflion whether this be
not an exaggeration little fhort of that mentioned above; at
leaft I am certain that the opera-houfe at Hanover exceeds it
both in largenefs and elegance.
Theatre for The illumination of the large theatre at Parma being ve-
tommonufe. rv expenfive, a fmaller theatre has been erected for common
ufe in a faloon adjoining to it; and this has a pit large enough
to contain two thoufand fpeclators. On the fides of it are
three rows of feats, and eight more rifing one above another,
in the manner of an amphitheatre in front, and over thefe
are three galleries.
Library. The duke's library makes a very grand appearance ; the
books are all in French binding, and elegant pillars are plac-
ed at certain diftances along the fhelves. The number of
books does not exceed fevcnteen or eighteen thoufand vo*
lumes ; and all the care taken to preferve them from worms
and moths is, only by fhaking and beating them a little at
certain times.
The manufcripts are likewife bound in the fame pompous
manner. The printed books are for the moft part in folio,
and chiefly relate to hiftory. At the end of the library i$
this infcription :
* The amphitheatre, as it is called, in the foreign theatres anfwers fo
the front boxes in our play-houfes and confifts of feveral rows of feats
raifed above the pit with a gradual ztiteiit.
TbeatrHm,
FARM A. 323
%%'fatrttm Ort>h mlraculum. iafcription.
Ne fufbidto,
Mfyus b'ic Jibi vindicat
Sapientia,
Maximum Farne/ia
Strenijjimi Francifd
Duds VII.
Magnificent'i'a,
5 Ceafe to admire the theatre of Parma, which is the
1 wonder of the world ; for wifdom here exhibits a greater:
* but the greateft wonder of all is the magnificence of his
* moft ferene highnefs duke Francefco VII. of the illuftri*
* ous houfe of Farnefe.'
The cabinet of medals confifts of -eighteen th ou fan d Cabinet of
pieces, all of different dies, though there are no lefs than medals
live hundred of the emperor Adrian. Over every medal is
a little ticket, with black letters on a gold ground, fhewing
on what occafion it was ftruck, &c* Thefe medals arc in-
ferted in copper-plates glazed, fo that by turning them you
have a view of the reveries of the medals, without taking
them out of the fockets. This collection comes no lower
down than the reigri of Heraclius j but the feries :s conti*
nued in gold, filver, and copper pieces, each aflbrtineut of
which is kept in a feparate cafe.
The rareft piece in this collection is a medalliori of Pf (* RaM^fi**
cennius Niger, which was ftruck at Antioch, with Deafa-
lutis or the goddefs of health, on the revt-r f e. The three
copper medals of Otho are of the med'tus modulus , or mid^
dling fize ; one of which is a Latin meHal, ^nd the othef
two Greek. But the genuinertels f thele pieces is much
difputed by feveral 'learned antiquarians. Fetrufi, a J :fuit,
in the year 1694, began the puuiicat. .~\\ r catalogue ofCatalogur^
this mufeum, the eighth part of which, conlu ;;IT of a thiit
volume in folio, was publilhed at Parrni* in the year 1717.
After his death the continuation of the work was under-
taken by Pioveno, another Jefuit of Placentia, and fu.i to a
Venetian nobleman ; but he is fo fparing of his labour, that
he has publifhed nothing yet.
The medal-tables are placed on both fides of a long gal-
lery, where the eye is farther entertained with the fight of
leveral admirable pictures. The moft efteemeU afnongft the Paintings,
Y 3 latter
324 PARMA.
latter are the following pieces, viz. a naked Venus afleep,
by Annibal Caracci ; under which is a looking-glafs in a
frame of white Carrara marble, beautifully carved with five
angels and a variety of flowers in relievo^ by Giuliano Mo-
zani ; the laft Judgment, by Michael Angelo ; a Pieta by
Annibal Caracci; the efpoufals of St. Catharine, by Corre-
gio ; and the celebrated Zingana, or gipfey, by the fame
mafter. This figure was accidentally fo called from the
brown complexion it had when firft painted ; but it is a pic-
ture of the virgin Mary in a wild, defert, country on her
flight to Egypt. Here are alfo Lucretia, by Parmeggiano,
,and a remarkable copy of a protrait of pope Leo X. executed
in fuch a mafterly manner by Andrea delSarto, that it is pre-
ferred by the Parmefans to the original, which is in the pof-
Remark- feffion of the great duke of Tufcany. This copy is faid not
able copy of on jy to-have deceived Vafari, but even Giulio Romano him-
felf, who, though he worked on the drapery of the original
by Raphael, when, fome time after, he faw this copy at
Parma, took it for Raphael's piece, and imagined he could
diftinguifli in h: fpme ftrokes of his own pencil, as Felibien
tells us, in his Lives of celebrated painters. Pope Clement
VII, who was of the houfe of Medicis, promifed the origi-
nal picture to one of the dukes of Mantua ; who paid his ho-
linei's a vifit, and alked him for it. But the cunning Flo-
rentine, being very unwilling, upon fecond thoughts, to part
\vith fuch an exquifite piece, contrived to put the duke off
witK a copy of it (which is that we are fpeaking of) and
kept the original ftill at Florence. This inftance renders
fomethingdubious that infallible certainty, which many con-
noifletirs pretend to, of immediately telling us, upon feeing
any celebrated picture, the name of the artift that painted it.
Mufeum. Near the pi6ture gallery is a fmaller apartment, which, as
it coniains many coftiy and valuable curiofities, may be called
a multum, or treafury. Here are feveral cabinets, tables,
and clocks of plain and raifed Florentine work, and one em-
l.'i-lMuVd with admirable fculpture, and fet with gems; two
'<-s of rock-cryftal, adorned with figures, one of which
has a filver border gilt, and the other is embellifhed with
enamel and gold ; feveral marble and agate vafcs ;
"a fine hanger fet with very valuable jewels, among which is
a c,hr) folite of the bignefs of a large bean ; feveral cafkets
ornamented with enamel and gems ; paintings on lapis
. lazuti, and curious works in ivory. Among the laft are fe-
ver;il crucifixes, where the whole body of our Saviour, the
FARM A. 325
arms excepted, is made of a fmgle piece. Here is an aflbrt-
ment of mother-of-pearl, curioufly wrought; another of am-
ber, and a clofet full of pieces of rock cryftal, moft of which
were brought from the country of the Gri'ons. Some ofExtraorHi-
thefe pieces are near the bignefs of a man's head ; and in this n . ar y * aite
clofet is an intire fet of altar furniture of crylb.l, with a caf- P fa\^
ket of cryftal, feverai cryftal pillars, and a re marc-able piece of
the fame, refembling a mountain dividing ilfelf into two
forked tops, which weighs near a thdufapd pounds. It has
not indeed the fineft luftre ; but, as to its lar|jenefs, I queftioti
whether its equal can be produced it! any pr.rt of the world.
The largeft piece of cryftal known in Pliny's time, weighed
no more than fifty pounds, and wrs prefented by Livia to the
capitol as a very extraordinary curicftty *.
Adjoining to thismufeum is an apartment- filled with fliells, Antiquities,
ancient inicriptions, bulls, and lamps ; Egyptian, Greek,
and Roman idols. Not iongfince the paintings infrefeo dif- Paintings in
covered at Rome in the Farnefian gardens, and fuppofed to/ r c/' r6 ' )e ' on g"
have belonged toNeto's apartments, were alfo brought hither, j."^ ^~
The figures of men reprefcnted in thefe paintings are not de-ments.
figned in the beft manner; the faces are fcarc? diftinguiih-
able, and the colours at prefent quite faded. In my opini-
on it would be doing injuftice to the ancients to form an idea
of their fkill in painting from fuch pieces; for though, pro-
bably, antiquity produced no paintings which can rival the
works of Raphael and fome other modern artifts ; yet their
painters could not but draw great advantages from the flou-
rifhing ftate of fculpture, in which the ancients deferve the
higheft applaufe.
In a cabinet in this room is kept a ir.iflal curioufly illumi-
nated and painted, at the end of which is an altar painted
in miniature, and infcribed with thefe words:
'Julius Clovius Monumenta ba;c Alexandra Farncfio Domino
fuo fac'iebat M.D.XL.VL
< Julius Clovius painted thefe memorials for Alcflandro
Farnefe, his patron, in the year 1546.'
Concerning the works of this Clovius mention has a^ rea-
dy been made in my account of the Vatican library. Theic
* Plin.HiJi. Nat. l:b. xxxvii.r^/. 2.
Y 3 r
PARMA.
paintings have been alfo retouched by P. Ra,melli, who died
very lately.
^ 3 tc t ; Jc theatrical and perfpe6tive paintings, Parma may
may now bouft of a mafterly hand in Righino, a native or"
that city.
Stables: The duke's {tables confift of feveral feparate buildings ;
and near th<-m arc aifo kept the ftate coaches, &V. both of
ancient and modern times, many of which are very fuperb.
Pifpofidon Duke Rairjucius I, befides the univerfity ere&ed in 1599,
eaca- alfo founded an academy in 1 60 1 for perfons of noble fa-
Kobili rnilies, in which young ftudents from their childhood are in-
ftrutednot only in grammar, the daffies, rhetoric, philofo-
fophy, mathematics, geography, hiftory, divinity, the civil,
feodal, and capon law i but likewife in the Qerman, French,
and Spanim languages ; in mufic, painting, fortification,
dancing, fencing, vaulting, and riding. This academy is
under the direction of the Jcfuits ; and the annual allow-
ance to every ftudent for bo*rd, lodging, wafhing, fire and
candle, attendance, and inftru&ion is about a hundred fil'ip-
pi *, one of which is equal to nine fcoll and a half. The
riding-fchool is furnifhed with horfes from the duke's {tables,
to the number of twenty or thirty ; and only a ducctfoon, or
fcudo-\, is given every month to the head groorn. P'or other
arts, as pajnting, fprtincation, t?. they pay about four fao-
li J a month ; and the gratuities to fervants, contributions to
the chapel, feafts, comedies, and the carnival diver fions may
amount to about four ducato&ns \\ a year.
The morning lectures generally take up two hoqrs and a
half, and thofe of the afternoon about three. The ftudenrs
are divided into caweraty or clafles, of ten or thirteen j and
every cavierata has a fervant and monitor, which muft be an,
- ecclefiaftic. There are at prefent a hundred and thirty young
uptlemcn^ either counts or borons, in this college; but the
foundation admits of two hundred and fifty ftudents. Youth,
of all nations are received here indifcriminately ; but with
i;ggard tc birth they muft be noble, and fuch as are capable
of being admitted among the knights [of Malta. When
they walk about the city, theftudents are drefled in black ;
ljut in hunti.ng, and during the feftivities in autumn, they
are allowed tp wear cloaths of any colour. That iludenc
* A fl'!p' is about four (liillings and ninepence
;own, *'j Two riiillmgs. j[ About a guinea.
g- t A
cr,own, 'j Two fliiilmgf. | About a guinea.
Vvho
FARM A.
who fignalizes himfelf moft by his exercifcs, &rV. is friled
principe^ and has a particular refpedl paid him by the reft.
He likewife wears a medal hanging at a purple ribbon with a
filver border, on his breaft.
There are two elegant theatres in the college, in one of
which the ftudents aft plays during the carnival j at other
times they allow the players to perform in them. The au-
tumn vacation they fpend at one of the duke's country-feats
in fifhing, hunting, and other innocent paftimes ; but un-
der the care of proper directors : nor are their ftudies quite
laid afide during this feafon. The duke and the principal
nobility of the city lend their coaches and horfes to carry
the ftudents into true country ; and, at the expiration of the
time allowed them, they are brought back in the fame
manner.
The cupola of the cathedral is admirably painted by Cor- Cathedral
regio, and reprefents the aflumption of the virgin Mary. cu p ola
In this piece the noble invention of the painter, the delicacy corregio/
of the ftrokes of his pencil, and the beauty of the colour-
ing cannot be fufficiently extolled. Copper-plates of this
cupola are fold at Rome by Roifi for twofcudz and a half.
This work is intitled La Cupola di Parma, doe la virgine af~
Junta in gloria con corl a" Angeli e Santi fra le nubi e Jplendcri
celejli^ gll Apojloli^ i Santi Dotttri cogli altri Angeli e Putti,
con candelieri e odsri^ difegnata e intagliata in acqua forte da
Giov. Eaitijla Vanni^ and is comprifed in fifteen meets of
imperial paper.
In the large fubterraneous vault under this church is feen Monument
the ftately monument of S. Bernardo degli Uberti, a native f Bern -
of Florence, and bifhop of Parma. In the area before the deglil
chur.h, as before many other churches in this part of Italy,
ftand the figures of feveral lions, which Support the pillars of
the portico. The baptiftery, or particular chapel for admi- c
niftering baptifm, ftarids clofe by the cathedral. It is an a!
od^anguiar, lofty, fpacious ftrufture, and refembies the bap-
tiftery at Pifa. The font is of one intire piece of white
marble, and the baluilrade round it is of yellow marble.
In this chapel are to be feen feveral ancient pieces of paint-
ing, which are very much valued.
Not far from the cathedral ftancls the Chiefa di S. Giovan- J r hu ^
ni which has an elegant front, a tribuna decorated with fculp- n
ture and gilding, and two fine organs erected oppofite to
each other. The cupola of this church, as wel; as rhat o
the cathedral, was painted by Corregio, and rep relents the
' Y 4 virg
PARMA.
virgin Mary crowned by God the Father and the Son. But
when the Benedictiae monks, to whom this church belongs,
thought proper to widen the choir, the cupola was broken
down : however, before that happened, copies were taken
of the paintings with which it was adorned by Annibal and
Auguftirto Caracci ; and from thofe copies the prefent cupo-
la was painted by Cefare Aretufi. The copies painted by
the two Caracci's are kept in the duke's palace. Corregio
worked on the original paintings in the old cupola from the
year 1520 to 1524 *.
Proper name The afcenfi.:n or aflumption of the virgin Mary over the
of Parmeg- high altar is the work of Parmeggiano, whofe proper name
8 'amter he was Francefco (or, as others will have it, Giacomo) Maz-
zuoli ; and by that name he is diftinguifhed from his uncle
Girolamo Mazzuoli, who was alfo an eminent painter.
Hismisfor- According to Vaflari's account, Francefco Mazzuoli, or
tuae. Parmeggiano, was unhappily feduced by alchymiftlcaJ chi-
mera's, ib that he neglected his proper art, and at laft he loft
his reputation, his eafe, and his life.
The above-mentioned high altar is infulated or detached
from the wall, and fet with lapis lazuli, agate, and curious
forts of fine marble. The ftalls in the choir are of wood
beautifully inlaid. In the Capella della Madonna are to be
feen two original paintings by Corregio, and two copies of
his famous night-piece and Madonna, which are in the du-
,cal palace at Modena.
Church del In the church del Sepolcro is> likewife to be feen, in a
Sepokro. c h a pel near the entrance on the right hand, the virgin Mary
with her divine infant, and Jofeph. Oppofite to this is a pic-
ture of Jofeph exhorting Mary to efcape to Egypt j both by
Corregio.
S.Antonio In the church of S. Antonio 1' Abbate is a fine piece by
bfcate. the fame mafter, reprefenting St. Jerome and the virgin
Mary, with the infant Jefus, and St. Mary Magdalene wor-
fhipping him.
Madonna The church of Madonna della Steccata is elegantly built,
dei]aStccca- an( j j s ac j orne( ] with four fmall cupola's, painted infre/co by
Parmeggiano.
The" monuments of feveral princes of the houfe of Far-
Capuchin nefe are to be feen in the Capuchin church. Under the arch
church. or vault where the farcophagus of the celebrated hero Alef-
fandio Farnefe lies, is the following infcription :
* See Richardfon's treatifc on painting and fculpture.
* Pro
FARM A: 3 2 9
* Pro partis Vifloriis in Eelgio clarus, Alex. Far-
jiefe & ^pi"
upk.
Pro Chriftianh virtutibu; in ccelo clarior, * efe '
Et SereniJJima ejus Uxor Maria
Qucmodo in vita fud dt lexer unt Je t
It a et in morte non junt feparati.
Htsc ambos urna capit ;
Et quos pietas fecerat fonHeS)
Sepulcbrum faat tequaies.
'Oliit lllc anno MDXCIL Hxc autcm M. D. LXXV1I.
' In this urn lies a prince famous for his victories in the
Low-countries, but more illuftrious in heaven for his
Chriftian virtues, together with his mcft ferene confort
Mary, a princefs of Portugal ; who> as in life they loved
each other, in death are not divided ; for thofe who re-
fembled each other in piety, are equally commemorated by
thefe monumental honours. He died in the year 1592 i
and his confort 1577.
On the pavement of the church near the door, juft over
the grave, are thefe words :
D. O. M.
Alexander Farne/ius,
Belgis deviftis,
Francifque obftdione levatis,
Ut
Hutnili hoc loco
Ejus cadaver reponeretur
Mandavit.
HI. Non. Decemb. MDXCIL
Et
Ut fecwn Marits Lufitancs
Conjugis optima offa
Jungerentur^ illius
* eft amentum fecutus,
Annuity
' To God the greateft and befl of beings.'
1 Alefiandro Farnefe, after defeating the Flemirgs and
* I fuppofe Alexander Farnefius muft be irifertea here to mn?-e the fenfe
complete, though it is omitted in the German edition.
4 relieving
33
Duke's re-
venues.
Salt- works i
For which
blood is
feJ.
Mineral
Springs.
Petroleum.
Cryftafe.
Parmefan
chtcfe.
PARMA.
relieving the French who were befieged, ordered his body
to be laid in this humble place on the third of December
1592. And, in compliance with her laft will, confented
that the remains of his dear wife Mary of Portugal fhould
be depofited in the fame grave.'
Here are likewife fome good paintings by Guercino, An-
nibal Caracci, and Auguftino Carracci ; the laft of thefe ar-
tifts lies buried in this church.
The yearly revenues of the duke of Parma are com-
puted at five hundred and fifty thoufandy^W/ or crowns fterl-
ing. It is faid, the falt-works alone, all charges deducted,
yield above fifty thoufandyrW/. They are carried on at Sal-
fo, about twenty-four Italian miles from Parma ; where
there are twelve wells or pits of falt-water, which are two
hundred ells in depth. The water being drawn out of the
wells is boiled in large caldrons till it evaporates, and begins
to coagulate or break fo as to produce fait. After this it is
mixed with putrified bullocks bloodj and that of other ani-
mals, and the whole is boiled together for about an hour,
and carefully fkimmed all the while. By this procefsapureand
white fait is obtained. The n.ixture of blood with the falt-
water I had feen practifed at Hall in Saxony, and fome other
parts of Germany ; but did not think it was ufed for refin-
ing fait in any other country in Europe, as this method is
intirely unknown at Luneburg and other falt-works. It is
indeed pretended, that the volatile falts with which the blood
of animals is replete, purify the falt-water drawn from
wells, and help to precipitate the heterogeneous particles ;
however, this may be effecTied by many othe/ ingredients,
without making ufe of blood.
At Lifignano, which lies twelve Italian miles from Parma,
are two medicinal fprings of mineral water.
Petroleum is found in feveral places in the Parmefan ter-
ritories; fometimes without water, as at Miano and Vizzo-
le ; fometimes floating on the furface of the water in wells,
as at Ozzono, St. Andrea, Fornovo, Ribiano, Lifignano,
Torre, SafTo, and Caleftano.
In fome veins of loam and chalk near Bardi, fexangular
cryftals are frequently found, and alfo a few petrifactions.
The excellency of the Parmefan cheefe, fo celebrated at
all the elegant tables in Europe, proceeds from the excel-
lent paftures in this country; particularly thofe about Pla-
centia, where the meadows during the whole fummer may
be watered at pleafure, by means of imall flukes which con-
vey
P L A C E N T I A.
vey water from the Po. Befules, the waters of that river
are impregnated with a flimy fubflance, which proves a ve-
ry good manure to the grounds which they overflow. The
cows here yield an uncommon quantity of milk, fo that in a
good feafon the milk of fifty cows will make a rich cheefe of
a hundred weight every day. But within a few miles of this
fertile tradr, of land, which does not extend above ten Italian
miles in length, the cows do not yield fuch plenty of milk
as they do in the Parmefan j nor is it fo rich. But as in
Germany great quantities of Dutch cheefes are fold, which
never were in Holland, fo likewife many thouiands of pounds
of chea r e made in Lodi, Trino, Bologna, &c. pafs under
the name of Parmefan ; especially as the peafants about
Lodi, in the Milanefe, have the like advantage of water-
jug their meadows, fo as to mow them four or five times a
year. There are three kinds of Parmefan cheefe : I. For-
maggio di Forma, which is commonly two palms in diame-
ter and about eight inches thick. 2. Formaggio di Robiole,
and 3. Formaggio di Robiolini. Sometimes faffion is ufed
for colouring thefe cheeics, and half an ounce fuffices tor a
hundred of them. Parmefan cheefe is. in great perfection
when it is three or four years old j and that which crumbles
in cutting is reckoned the beft.
At Vianino, near the Appenine mountains, a very pala-
table cheefe is made of {heeps-milk.
The diftance from Parma to Placentia is about thirty- Cn'Hlo
three Italian miles, and about five miles from the former *
there is a ferry over the river Taro. A little way farther, ^no
on the left-hand, lies Caftello Guelfo, which is ftill inhabi-
ted : not far from it Hands Caftello Gibellino. Both thefe
caftles derive their names from the two factions by which
Germany and Italy were for a long time made a fcene of
{laughter and confufion*.
Borgo S. Donnino which is the next poft-ftage, though itBorgoS.
be a very mean place, is an epifcopal fee. The country Donnino.
about this town abounds in truffles. The road here is very
good and exceeding pleafant all the way, like that from Fa-
* Concerning the origin of the names of Guelphs and Gibellines,
the Italians have pnhiifhed feveral ridiculous riftions, ijide Sigon. deregn.
lied. r. 1 3 . PbUipp. Bergam. ad (in. 1334.. Trithem. cbron. Hirfeiug. ad an.
114.0. The true epocha of thefe appellations is to be dated from the year
114.0, when, at the h:ittle rear Wicfberg, the oppofrte parties of duke
Guelph and Conrad diftinguifhed themfelves by the military words Hys
V/elff and Pfye Gibtlingen. See jlndr. Preftyter. cbrnn. Bavar. p. 25.
Adlwater ar.iuil. Bit, P. L lib. a i . and Eccard. de ufu L? fray}, etjinol. 5 .
cnza
334 PLACENTIA,
Rfiinutio Farncjio
Placentlcs^ Parma^ fafr. Dud ////.
5. R. E. Gonfalonerio perpetuo
Cuftodijuflititf,
Cultori (zqultatis^
Ob
Opjfices allefiosy
Populum auflurrt)
Patriam. illuJJratam^
Placentia Civitas
Principi Optimo
Equejirem StatUarp
D. D.
* To Rainuccl Farnefe, fourth duke of Placentia, Parma*
farV. the bell of princes, the patron of juftice and equity,
the city of Placentia, in gratitude for his care in procuring
the moft ingenious artificers, in promoting the glory of his
country, and increafing the number of his fubjects, has
erected and dedicated this equeftrian ftatue.'
Thefe infcriptions, with feveral others, fhew that the
Phcentians give themfelves the preference to the Parmefans.
The Scots, in the tide of thofe kings, who, at the fame time
were kings of England, were guilty, but in a greater degree,
of the fame arrogance.
The caftle of Placentia is but improperly fo called, and
the city is not capable of making any defence. The river
Po runs atthediftance of five or fix hundred paces from Pla-
centia ; and the whole diftri&, on account of which the city
is very juftly called Piacenza, /, e. pleafantnefs, exhibits a
delightful profpect from the top of one of the towers in the
H stradcne. city. The high -ftreet, called Stradone, is five and twenty
common paces broad, and three thoufand feet long in a di-
rect line ; but the buildings are not anfwerable.
St. Sixth's Jn St. Sixtus's church, which belongs to the Benedictines,
Church. j s to |-i e f een a fi ne picture j n which Raphael has reprefented
the virgin Mary with St. Sixtus and St. Barba. The ftalls
in the choir are of wood finely inlaid, and it is furniftied with
two fine organs, erected oppofite to each other. On one
ilde of the high altar this infcription is cut in marble, Engil-
bergaAuguftaHiudoviciGerm, Reg. F. Hludovici Pii Aug. Nep~
tit) KaroliM. Aug. Proncptis, Hludovicill. Aug. Conjux- y fig-
nifying,
P L A C E >T T I A: 335
nifying, ' That Engilberga Augufta, the daughter of Ludo-
* vie king of Germany, grand -daughter of Ludovic the pi-
' ous and auguft, great-grandaughter of Charles the :,reat
4 and auguft, and wife to Ludovic II. the auguft, rou ided
1 this church/ Near this altar is to be feen a large fcpul- Monument
chral monument of white and biack marble, on w .1 art ' :
two lions, two ftatues of women, and two of mui, all c f ofAuftri:
white marble, together with the Auftrian and Farm ;<_ arms.
There is no infcription on the monument itfelfj but, pi
bly, it was erected in honour of Margaret of Auftria, the
wife of duke Ottavio Farneie, and mother to the celebrated
hero Aleflandro Farnefe. Clofe by it on the left hand, as
you go towards the altar, are the following words :
Margaretts Aujlriaces
Caroli F. Aug. F.
Otfavii Farn. Plac. & Farm. Duds IL
Uxori
Alexandn Max. Duels III. Matrl y
Rainutii Duds IV. Avia^
Major ibus, Vlro^ & Sobole felidjfim<e f
Rarijjtmi exempli foemin<g. t
Rebufque in Eelgio geftis
Quod in Samnio decedens oj/a fua
In hanc <edem transferri juffit,
Quddque eidem pretiofamfupcllefliletn
Et ccenobio in pia ttfus pecuniam
Legavit,
Abbas iff Monachi pof.
MDCXVIL
* To Margaret of Auftria, daughter of Charles V. the
auguft, wife of Ottavio Farnefe, fecond duke of Placentia
and Parma, mother of Aleflandro the great, third duke,
and grandmother of Rainucci, the fourth duke, who was
remarkably happy in her anceftors, her hufband, and her
defendants; a woman whofe exemplary piety was equalled
by few, and famous for her noble actions in the Nether-
lands^ &c. who left her rich furniture and a large fum of
money to this convent for pious ufes ; the abbots and
monks erected this monument in 1617.
This lady was a natural daughter of the emperor Charles Acco mt of
V. and in her fourteenth year was married to the firft duke of her -
Florence,
PLACENTIA;
enza and Bologna. It runs in a ftraight line with fine inclo-
fures on both fides, which are divided by rows of fruit-trees
interwoven with vines ; particularly the part that leads from
Reggio (which has been already defcnbed) to Placentia,
where the country is fo delightfully cultivated, that it has the
appearance of a large garden or orchard. In fuch a charm-
ing fertile country, it may be fuppofed, that the clergy
have not neglected to procure fat benefices and large endow-
:-ments. Accordingly I have been allured, that, ofthetwenty-
: " eight thoufand inhabitants of the territories of Placentia,
Placentia. two thoufand are ecclefiaftics, monks, nuns, &c.
Aaaualfair. On the fifth day of April the great yearly fair commen-
ces, and lafts a fortnight. Placentia fair is accounted the
largeft in all Italy; but it is not to be compared with the fairs
held in Germany. The ftands and booths take up a very
large area near the ducal palace, which is laid out in regular
lanes or paflages, which are covered with canvas, as a fhel-
ter both againft rain and the heat of the fun. The beft en-
tertainment in Placentia, during the fair, was the opera,
where three of the bcft fingers in Italy performed the vocal
part, namely, Carlo Brofchi, detto Farinelli, Giovanni Ca-
reftini, and Francefca Cuzzoni Sandoni. A perfon is ad-
mitted into the pit for zpaolo *. One inconveniency that at-
tended this diverfion was,, that the opera did not begin till
ten o'clock at night, and was not over till near four in the
, The prefent morning. The duke and dutchefs of Parma, with a very
^ c afpar " numerous retinue, were prefent. The duke, as to his per-
fon, is very corpulent, though he has formerly ufed a great
deal of exercife, as riding and hunting;, &c. to bring down
his fat. But, as at prefent his corpulency will not bear any
violent motion, he pafles moft of his time in reading and
converfation f. He is very affable to ftrangers, and during
the opera feveral perfons were admitted into his box. The
dutchefs is of the duke of Modena's family. They live very
happily together, and their only concern is the want of a
male heir J. The court generally refides at Parma, the air
of that city being reckoned more falubrious than that of Pla-
centia. The ducal palace at the former is alfo larger and
more commodious than that of Placentia.
* Sixpence;
) Since this author wrote, the dutchy of Parma is become fubject to a
prince of the houfe of Bourbon.
I Duke Antonio, who fucceeded his brother Franccfco in theyear 1717,
died on the zoth of January 1731.
On
P L A C E N T I A. 333
On the area before the town-houfe are two bronze eque- Equeftrian
flriin ftatues, and on each of the pedeftals, which are ofj^ c * f
ftone, two bronze baflb relievo's with an infcription in brafs p^l^. **
under each of them. One ftatue, which is much fuperior
to the other, reprefents duke Aleflandro Farnefe, and the
baflb relievo's on the pedeftal exhibit the fiege of Antwerp,
and the raifmg of that of Paris, with the following infcrip-
tion on two fides of it :
Alexandra Farne/to
Placenties, Parmce^ &c. Dud III.
5. R. E.
Gonfalonerio perpetuo
Selgis deviflis Belgica^
Gallis obfedlone levatis Galileo,
Placentia Civitas,
Ob amplijjl?na accepta beneficia t
Ob Placentlnnm nomen
Sul nominis gloria
Ad ultimas ufque gentes
Propagatum^
InviElo Domino fuo
Equejlri bacjiatua
Semplternum voluit extare monimentum,
4 To Aleflandro Farnefe, third duke of Placentia, Parma,
&c. the conqueror of the Netherlands, to whom Paris the
capital of France owed its relief, the city of Placentia in
gratitude for the many great benefits received from him,
and for his propagating the honour of Placentia by his il-
luftrious name to the remoteft part of the globe, have erec-
ted this equeftrian ftatue, as to their invincible fovereign,
and as a perpetual monument of his glory.'
Under the other ftatue which is that of Rainucci I. are Rainutlut
the following words : ll * Firft
flainutie
936 P L A C E N T I A.
Florence, Aleflandro de Medicis, who was a natural Ton of
Lorenzo de Medicis duke of Urbino, or, according toothers,
of pope Clement VII. ' But he being foon after murdered,
in the year 1538, fhe was again married to the duke of Par-
ma ; her fecond hufband being hardly fourteen years of age,
and file fcarce entered into her feventeenth year. After the
death of Charles V. fhe was appointed governefs of the Ne-
therlands, in the year 1559 ; which high ftation me difcharg-
ed with fo much prudence, for thefpace of eight years, that
probably the Spanifh affairs in that country would have talc-
en a batter turn, had her advice been followed by the mi-
niftry. She was not only remarkable for her firmnefs and
refolution, but was alfo famous for her bodily ftrength, and
is faid to have had a beard like that of a man. She died, in
the year 1586, at Ortona in the kingdom of Naples, as
appears by the infcription quoted above, which fays that
Margaret died at Samnium, the ancient name of that city.
St. Auguf- The church of St. Auguftine is remarkable for its fine nave
^'ch an ^ fp ac ' ous i^ es - Here are alfo feveral pieces in ftucco-
work, and, in the veftry, the crucifixion finely cut in wood.
S. Maria in S. Maria In Campagna is one of the beft churches in the
Campagna. c j t y^ an( j j s a j orne( | w ith a great many pieces of painting by
/ Gcorgione, Paolo Veronefe, Aleflandro Tiarini, and Porde-
none.
S. Sabino. S. Sabino's church is remarkable for its fine organ, and
for a certain feftival, at which feafon the church is for fome
days ornamented with a furprifing quantity of rich furniture
and plate : And on the middle of the great altar, which
then looks like a magnificent fide-board, is a kind of pyra-
mid of large fi'.ver dimes, &c.
Salt-verts. There are in the dutchy of Placentia a great number of
Vitriol. falt-works. A confiderable quantity of vitriol is alfo gather-
Iron, ed and refined there ; and fome iron forces have likewife
been fet on foot in this country near the Appenines, where
they have alfo begun to work in copper.
Petrffaai- Among the petrifactions of this country the Dentales are
as. remarkably beautiful, and well preferred.
LETTER
C R E M O N A. 337
LETTER LXVIII.
journey to CREMONA and MANTUA.
S I R,
FROM Placcntia to Cremona is a journey of eighteen Road tofre-
Italian miles, along a fruitful well cultivated country ; moaa -
but the road is not fo pleafant, nor kept in fuch good repair .
as the Via ^Emilia leading to Placentia.
In the way to Cremona the Po is ferried over ; there be- River Po.
ing no bridge over this river below Turin. It is here about
the breadth of the Rhine at Manheim ; but a littk lower it
grows much wider. According fo Burner's computation,
in his theory of the earth, the Po hourly difcharges into the
gulph of Venice eighteen millions of cubic feet of water j
which, however, I fhall not difpute with him,
Cremona is an univerlity, which was founded by the em- Cremona,
peror Sigifmund ; but is now in a very declining condition, p^fc^,'
The fortifications of this city are at prefent of no impor- on.
tance ; and it owes a great part of its reputation to the at-
tempt made on this place by prince Eugene, in the year Prince Eu.
1702. By means of a correfpondence carried on betwixt s ene ' s . at ~
the Impenalifts and fome of the townfmen, and particularly,^*"*
with an ecclefiaflic of the name of Cofoli, who was curate
of S. Maria Nuovo, a church that flood near the ramparts,
he got pofTeffion of the Porta Santa and Palazzo Publico, or
town-houfe, where marfhal Villeroy refided ; and on the
firft of February entered the city by a canal or aqueduct,
through which formerly the French had alfo furprifed this
place. But unfortunately the troops which were to fupport
this bold enterprize, having loft their way by. the darkneis of
the night and a fog, came up too late; and gave the French
(to whom the Irifh brigades, by furioufly attacking the Gcr- Bravery of
mans, performed fignal fervice) time to recover from their ^ e luftu
panic, and put themfelves in a pofture of defence : fo that
the Imperialifts were obliged to retreat ; contenting them-
felves with the honour of carrying off Villeroy prifoner
from a garrifon of fix thoufand men. The French, in the
firft tranfport of their rage againft Cofoli, pulled down the
church of S. Maria Nuova to the ground j fo that nothing
of it is now to be feen. But near the place where the church
flood, not far from the Porta Santa, is fhewn the fubterra-
VOL. III. Z neous
$3* CREMONA.
neous paflage through which the Germans entered the city ;
it is now fecured with a ftrong iron gate*
There are in Cremona a great many towers and fteeples ;
but the higheft of them does not deferve the encomiums
commonly beftowed on it ; for Italy affords a great many
towers which not only equal, but furpafs it in height. There
goes a ftory that the emperor Sigifmund and pope John
XXII. once afcended this tower, attended by Gabrino Fun-
dolia, the fovereign of the city ; and that the latter after-
A remark- wards faid, c He repented of nothing fo much as that he
of foifejim- 6 ' k a< l not thrown down the civil and temporal heads of
bition. * Chriftendom from the top of it, and by that means im-
* mortalized his name, in imitation of Eroftratus, who fet
fire to the famous temple of Diana at Ephefus.'
Cathedral. In the cathedral is a handfome monument erected to the
memory of cardinal Francefco Sfondrato, adorned with fine
baflb-relievo's ; and likewife fome^ paintings by celebrated
mafters. Before the entrance of the church are two lions,
each fupporting a pillar. The like alfo is to be feen before
the baptiftery, which is a large, lofty, octangular building, with
two galleries round the upper part of it.
Dominican The Dominican church is adorned with fome good paint-
church, ings, and a fuperb altar made of lapis lazuli, agate, and
beautiful marble. On the cieling is feen a picture of the
Madonna, who, in token of her peculiar protection, lays her
mantle over three monks, and as many nuns, of the Domi-
ImagepfSt. nican order. In the area before the church is a ftatue of St.
Domimc. J) om j n i c holding a crofs in his right-hand, and in his leic a
dog with alighted torch in his mouth. Under it is the fol-
lowing infcription :
S. Dominica.
Ord. Pr*d.** SS. Rof. ac S. Inq.*' In/lit.
Fidei Reparatori ac Qrbis t
Vlro
Pietate gximio, Cbaritate optima. Religions maxima^
Patri
Devotijfimus fiiius pofuit
M.DCCXX1L
, * To St. Dominic, founder of the order of the predi-
< cants of the moft facred rofary, and of the holy inquifi-
* tion ; the reftorer both of the faith, and reformer of the
* world i a man eminently diilinguilhed for his extraordina-
ry
B O Z Z O L O, S3c. 339
* ry piety, extenfive charity, and zeal for religion, one of
* his moft dutiful fons, as to the father of his order, erected
* this ftatuein the year 1722.'
St. Peter's church, which belongs to the canons regular, St. Peter's
is a beautiful ftru&ure, adorned with c'sgant paintings. j> hu 3 rch f c
Here is kept the body of St. Mary of Egypt, who, after Maria*
{he had fpent a difiblute life in her youth, became a per
pattern of repentance and mortification. Her picture over
the altar is not black ; and they are very much miilaken
who do not diftinguifh this faint from the virgin Mary, be-
caufe in fome places fhe is reprefcnted of a black complexi-
on : the latter is particularly called Madonna di Loretto.
The Auguftines have a good library in their convent,
their church alfo exhibits feveral good pieces of painting. church.
The diftance from Cremona to Mantua is forty Italian
miles ; and about the midway between thefe two cities lies
a pretty little town called Bozzolo. It is fortified with a Bozzolo.
caftle, and is the chief place of a fmall principality of that
name. Three miles from thence we pafled near S. Marfino
di Marcaria over the Oglio, which is a considerable river. The Oglio.
In winter, after great rains, the road between Cremona and
Mantua is aim oft impaflable, becaufe of the foftnefs and Bad roads,
depth of the foil ; as when we travelled there after a long
drought it was but very indifferent. This inconveniency De! 'S htful
is fully compenfated by the exuberant fertility of the whole
country ; arid a perfon cannot fufficiendy admire the ver-
dure of the fields and meadows, which are divided by beau-
tiful rows of trees, with abundance of vines twining round
their trunks and branches. The great number of nightin-
gales that frequent this tract of land, by their plaintive
warblings at this feafon of the year, make the charming
fcene itill more delightful. Indeed a perfon who makes any Satiety of
flay in Italy is fo accuftomed to fine profpecl's and enchant- Sne P ro **
ing landfcapes, that in time they grow familiar to the eye, ve
and are lefs regarded than when they firft prefented them-
felves to his view. I am certain, however, that a native of
the mountainous parts of Franconia, Tirol, Saltzburg, the
foreft of Hartz, the hilly parts of Saxony, or thofe who
have always lived in the woods of Thuringen and Pomera-
nia, the fandy parts of Silefia, the margraviate of Branden-
burg and Mecklenberg, or on the wild uncultivated heaths
of Luneburg and Wcftphalia, muft feel an uncommon emo-
Z 2 tion,
340 MANTUA.
tion, and be enraptured with a kind of vernal delight, when
the enchanting fcenes of Italy firft ftrike their admiring eyes.
Mantua. Mantua lies in a lake or morafs, caufed by the overflow-
ing of the river Mincio. On the fide towards Cremona
this morafs is not above two or three hundred paces wide ;^
but on the oppofite fide of the city it is about an Italian
The river mile in breadth. The river Mincio runs through Mantua,
Mincio. w hich is fortified with a good citadel, but otherwife is more
indebted to nature than art for its ftrength. Claudian, in
Sexto Conf. Hon. not improperly, calls the river Mincio,
tardufque meatu
Mincius
* The flow-winding Mincius V
Unhealthy And the vapours arifing in the fummer from the ftagnant
* aj putrid waters about this city render the air fo unhealthful,
that no-body would flay in Mantua during that feafon, who
Number of could go any where elfe. This city contains eighteen pa-
churches rifh churches, and fourteen convents, which are undoubted-
vents"" 1 ty tdo man yf r a place that, exclufive of the imperial gar-
chnftian rifon (confifting at.prefent of three or four thoufand men)
inhabitants, has not above ten thoufand inhabitants. The number of
Jews. Jews at Mantua is fuppofed to be four or five thoufand ;
who have their Ghetto or particular quarter, the gate of
which is fhut every evening. They have alfo four or five
fynagogues here ; and the principal fynagogue is well built,
and has a fky-light, or large aperture in the roof.
Decay of No court is kept here at prefent; and fince the laft war
trade. the place is very much fallen to decay ; for a confiderable
trade was formerly carried on here, and the filk manufac-
ture particularly brought large fums into the country. Of
the flourilhing condition and origin of Mantua in ancient
times, Virgil fpeaks thus in his tenth JEneid :
* Virgil defcribes the Mincio in the fame manner :
"Tardis rngens ubiflexibus err at
Mincius, & tenerapratexit arundine ripas,
Where the flow Mincio thro' the valley ftray'd :
c Where cooling ftreams invite the flocks to drink,
e And reeds defend the winding waters brink.'
DRYDENV
Itte
MANTUA. 34.1
Hie etlam patriis agmen clet Ocnus ab oris
Fatidua Mantus, &* Thufci fil'ius amnis ;
hii muros, matrifque dedit tibl^ Mantua, nomen :
Mantua dives a-vis^ fed non genus omnibus unum.
Gens illi triplex ', populi fub gente quaterni ;
Ipfa caput populJS) Thufco de Canguine vires.
jEn. x. v. 198.
Ocnus was next, who led his native train
Of hardy warriors thro' the wat'ry plain ;
The fon of Manto, by the Tufcan ftream,
From whence the Mantuan town derives the name :
An ancient city, but of mixt defcent.
Three fev'ral tribes compofe the government.
Four towns are under each ; but all obey
The Mantuan laws, and own the Tufcan fway.
DRYDEN.
The treafury and curious mufeum, founded here by the Famous
duke, made this city very famous in the laft century ; but, as mufeum -
the imperial general Colako took the city by ftorm, and
plundered it on the i8th of July, 1630, all the curiofities,
which were worth fome millions, fell into the hands of the
foldiers, by whom they were partly deftroyed, and partly
diflipated, or fold to perfons who knew little of the value of
fuch things. At that time a common foldier was fo lucky
as to get a booty of eighty thoufand ducats ; but he was fo
bad an oeconomift as to game it all away in one night, for PunjAment
which Colalto hanged him the next day. The few curiofi- y f > odi s aji -
ties collected here fince that time have fallen a prey to the
public tumults that happened in the prefent century ; the beft
part of them having fallen to the {hare of the French by
way of plunder. However, fome apartments in the caftle Its prefent
are worth feeing, the deling being painted by Giulio Ro- tondltlon .
mano, and in which are fome tortoife-fliell cabinets, feve-
ral tables of Florentine work, inlaid with very beautiful
pieces of lapis lazuli and agate ; fome marble ftatues and
butts ; a Moor's head on a pedeftal of white marble, with
a turban curioufly inlaid, fo as exactly to imitate a kind of
Indian fluff; two large pieces of painting by Palma ; two
others by Cofta ; four large pictures, reprefenting battles
between the Turks and Ch7iftians ; a female faint in a cha-
pel, painted by Annibal Caracci. Here are allb two galle-
Z3 " ries
34* MANTUA.
ries of protraits ; three faloons, which are fomcthing dark,
but well painted \r\frefco; however, but little care is taken
to preferve them. The large gallery that was formerly full
of all forts of curiofities, contains nothing curious at pre-
fent but four large globes, with two of a fmaller fize ;
the fkin of a fea-ox fluffed, and an old picture of one of the
Roman emperors, painted on wood, by Titian. The twelve
Cdefars mufthave been of an ineftimable value; but eleven
of them are gone, and this is the only one left : the board
on which it is painted is alfo fplit. Befides this flaw,
the piece has been defignedly damaged by fome fpiteful
or ignorant perfon. In a clofet are likewife kept the
Skeletons of feveral animals. The ducal palace is large and
fpacious ; but old, and built without any fymmetry or re-
gularity. The grotto's in the garden are intirely gone to
Fine acade- ruin. The beft thing here is the academy, which indeed,
for the grotto-work, pillars, fculpture, galleries, and height,
has not its equal of the kind. The riding-courfe belonging'
to.it is extremely well contrived.
Palace The palace church contains a rich treafury of reliques,
church. gold anc j filver crucifixes, ftatues, and other altar-furniture.
Painting?. In it are alfo two large pictures, one of the baptifm of Con-
ftantine the Great, and the other of the martyrdom of St.
Andrew, both by Cofta, otherwife called il Vecchio j and it
is faid that a thoufand Louis-tfors * have been offered for
each of thefe pieces.
Cathedral. Mantua is an epifcopal fee immediately dependent on the
pope. Giulio Romano was the architect of the cathedral,
who alfo painted the Tribuna, and a part of the cieling.
Here are alfo feveral pieces of painting by other celebrated
matters, as the calling of Peter and Andrew to the apoftle-
fliip ; the martyrdom of a female faint, whofe breafts are
Mafterly torn off with pincers ; but the fineft of all is a night-piece
piece by P. o f c^ Antonio del Fuoco by Paolo Veronefe. This picture
ne c ' is in the upper veftry, and cannot be viewed without admi-
ration. Among the figures in this piece, a fat comely wo-
man is reprefented, fuch as Paolo Veronefe feems to have
been particularly fond of; as in his other pictures, and efpe-
cially thofe of the marriage of Cana, all his figures are ve-
ry plump, and of a florid complexion, and not one pale or
meagre object is to be feen among them. Paul Rubens and
Van Dyke, who generally looked upon Paolo Veronefe as
* About jooo/t fterJing.
their
MANTUA. 343
their pattern, have alfo imitated him in this particular. The
cathedral is very fpacious, and divided by rows of pillars in-
to five ifles.
In the church of St. Agnes is to be feen a moft beautiful St. Agnei'
Ecce homo, by Dolci. The tower of this church is obferved churcl >.
to lean a little from the perpendicular. t^er*"'' 18
St. Andrew's church is accounted the principal in all Man- St. Andrew**
tua for a large collection of reliques *. church.
In a chapel on the left-hand in going into this church is a
ftatue of the famous painter Andrea Mantegna, in which
fmall diamonds once fupplied the place of the pupils of the
eyes ; but they have been ftolen away long iince. The in-
fcription under it is as follows :
Elfi 'parent noris, fi non prapon'is^ Apellt, Epitaph oa
Mnea M4NTINI/E out fimulacra vides. Andrea
Mantegna.
* Reader, if thou haft feen the copper-plates engraved
by Mantegna, thou wilt own that he was equal, if not
' fuperior, to Apelles.'
On the pavement the following words are cut in ftone :
OJJa Andrea Mantinlte famofijjimi pifioris cum duobits filiis in
fepulchro per Andream Mantiniam nepotem ex filio conftrufto re-
pofita. MDLX.
e The bones of Andrea Mantegna, a moft celebrated
4 painter, withthofeof his two fons, were depofited in this
' tomb, built by Andrea Mantegna his grandfon. 1560.'
Over the altar is a piece of painting by Mantegna, repre-
fenting the birth of John the Baptift. Andrea Mantegna, whether
who was born in the year 1451, and died in 1517, is by Mantegna
fome writers faid to have been the inventor of engraving o 11 ^ 6 '^
copper-plates ; or rather, of the method of reprefenting plates,
paintings by prints : but this admits of fome doubt. For
when Valturi's treatifeof the art of war, which was printed
at Verona in the year 1472, and embelliihed with a great
number of plates, reprefenting arms, military machines, for-
tifications, &V. Andrea Mantegna was but a youth. From
* Some obfervations on a reliqxie kept here are omitted in the tranflati-
en, as Icholaftic and trifling.
Z 4 this
344
Perforated
bell.
Broad and
lofty roof.
St. Giles's
Church.
Tcmb of
Battifta of
Mantua.
MANTUA.
this and feveral other circumftances, it may be concluded,
that Matteo Pafti was the engraver and printer of the figures
in that work. It does not indeed appear that Mantegnahad
any {hare in the impreflicn of JEfop's fables, which was pub-
lifhed in verfe in the year 1479 : not to mention the book
publifhed by Cofler at Haerlem in 1440 j though it feems
that the art which he invented rather confifted in taking an
impreffiori from a piece of wood, containing all the letters
of one page (which is the invention we are fpeaking of)
than any thing like our prefent printing, by which fingle
letters or types are put together, and afterwards feparated
again. ]t muft, however, be owned, that, if Mantegna was
not the inventor, he at leaft made great improvements in
this art.
Near one of the fide-doors of this church is a very large
bell of brafs, but not of a proportionate thicknefs, in which
there are eight oblong holes, each of them being one foot
broad, and three feet in length. The defign of this whim-
iical piece is not known; for the fabulous ftory that formerly
its found was fo long, as to throw pregnant women into la-
bour, and contribute to their delivery, is too abfurd to gain
much credit.
St. Andrew's church is old, and contains no ornaments be-
fides what I have taken notice of. The nave is of an ex-
traordinary height, and is twenty-feveri paces in breadth.
The main door is ornamented with fome fine marble baflb-
rclievo's, reprefenting flowers, &c.
In St. Giles's church lies Bernardo Taflb, father of Tor-
quato Taflb, the celebrated Italian poet : of the monument
cf the latter I have fpoken elfewhere.
Battifta of Mantua, a celebrated divine, philofopher, and
poet of the fifteenth century, who was general of the Car-
melite order, lies in the Capella della Madonna, on the
left-hand as you enter the church, I was furprifed to find,
that a perfon who had done fo much credit both to the city,
and to the order of which he was the head, was not honour-
ed with a monument.
On the oppofite fide of the church, facing this chapel, is
a marble baflb-relievo, reprefenting a kind of trophy confifl-
ing of a lute, a violin, a lyre, a trumpet, and other mufi-
cal inftruments ; and in the center of it is the following epi-
tauh on a female finger :
In/pice,
MANTUA. 345
Infpice, Lege, Defle / Epitaph on
a fcmri!
finger.
Catharina Martinella Romana^ a female
vocis modulatione & fiexu
Sirenum cant us facile
Orbiumque cceleftium melos preecellelat^
Inftgni ea virtute, morum fuaviiate>
Forma> Lepore, ac Venujlate
Ser. Fine. Duci Mant.
Apprirhl cara,
Acerba eheu morte fublata . . ...
Hoc tumulo
Beneficentijfimi Principis.jujjii.,
R.epentin.o adhuc cafu mcerentis 9
JEternum quiefcit.
Nomen mundo^ Deo vivat anima ;
Obiit adolef centime [u<z anno XV III.
Die Fill. Mart.
MDCVIIL
4 Behold this monument, read, and weep !
< Catharina Martinella, a native of Rome, who, by the
* fweetnefs and exquifite modulations of her voice, greatly
' furpafled the fyrens, or even the harmony of the fpheres,
f and by her extraordinary virtues, and fweetnefs of man-
ners, her graceful mien, beauty, and wit endeared herfelf
to his ferene highnefs Vincenzo duke of Mantua, being
fnatched away in her early bloom, here enjoys an eternal
reft, This tomb was erected by the above-mentioned be-
neficent prince, whilft his grief was frefh for the lofs of
this amiable young 'ady. She died on the eighth day of
March, 1608, in tru eighteenth year of her age: may her
fame live in this world, and her foul with God !'
No mention is made in this epitaph of the lady's chaftity ;
for, as to the panegyric that me was infigni virtut^many who
know in what rn extenfive fenfe the words virtu and virtuofo
are taken, will be apt to imagine that this incomparable lady
was a favourite miftrefs of the duke, and that it was not the
lofs of a fine voice only which fo extremely affected his
highnefs.
In this church is alfo a marble monument of a perfon Andrcafio's
called Andreafio, which very well deierves a traveller's no- mjnunient<
tice.
Giulio
346 MANTUA.
5t. Bama- Guilio Romano lies in St. Barnabas's church, which be-
fras's church. i on g s to tne Servi S. Marias, or Servite monks ; but, on ac-
count of the many alterations and repaiis of that church, the
fpot where that celebrated artift lies is not known. Here is
an admirable piece reprefenting the marriage of Cana, by
Carlo Cignani Bolognefe. Near the church, and facing the
GiulioRo- Gonzague palace ftands the houfe where Giulio Romano
mano's lived, which is diftinguifJhed by a fine ftatue of Mercury
houfc ' over the entrance.
Dominican At the Jacobines or Dominicans I gave myfelf a great
tfcurch, ^ ea | O f trouble in looking after the tomb of John de Medi-
cis, father of Cofmo I. duke of Florence, whom fome fup-
pofe to have been buried there ; but without fuccefs, though
the monks very obligingly aflifted me in the fearch. But I
faw there a fine marble monument of Pietro Strozzi, and
fome exquifite pieces of fculpture in wood, both in the choir
and in the veftry. The remains of a faint called Oflana An-
dreafla is kept here with great devotion.
Theatine About the high altar of the Theatine church hang feven
tts^airt l ar g e pieces of painting by Guercino. Here is alfo a piece
ings. reprefenting a martyr kneeling before the executioner, and
prefenting his head to be ftruck off, by Luigi Caracci, who
alfo painted a duplicate of it for the cathedral j it ftands be-
tween two fine pictures by Maffari, a difciple of Caracci.
The church of St. Therefia is remarkable for its altar and
Js' church " tabernacle of curious inlaid work of agate, and the fineft forts
of marble. On each ftands an angel and another ftatue.
. The Chiefa di quartane More has a beautiful front, and
ouarante' contains feveral good pieces of painting, and eight ftatues,
Hore. reprefenting David, Solomon, and fome of the prophets, made
of plafter, by the celebrated Barbarigo. On the outfide of
this church, over the entrance, is a baflo-relievo of the an-
nunciation, with a ftatue on each fide of it.
In il Palazzo della Giuftizia is a faloqn that is remarkably
J'cfSlil" Iar S e ' In the wal1 is a ftatue of Virgi1 ' *? ttin S ; but the ar ~
' tift was notfo expert in fculpture as Virgil was in poetry.
Among the private edifices the principal are the palaces of
lac? Cpa ~ count Manzelli, Valenti and Benedetto Sorti.
The city of Mantua has three fuburbs on the other fide
Suburbs. o f ^ lak^ namely, Porta Fortefla towards the north, il
Borgo di S. Giorgia towards the north-eaft, and il The
towards the fouth. In the laft fuburb ftands the Porta Virgi-
Porta Virgi- ]j anaj OV er which is to be feen the buft of Virgil, Half a
iTpaiaiw league from thence lies il Palazzo di The, fo called from its
Ji The. being
VERONA. 34;
being built in the form of the letter T. The imperial cuiraf-
fiers are quartered on the ground-floor of of this palace at
prefent, who, it may well be fuppofed, will not leave it
better than they found it. More care has been taken of
the upper apartments, on account of the fine paintings
infrejco ; for they are always locked up. Giulio Romano
drew the plan and elevation of this palace ; and moft of the
pictures were painted from his defigns, and not a few of them
received the finiftiing ftrokes from his pencil. The moft ad-
mired pieces are the fall of Phaeton, and Jupiter's victory
over the giants.
In going from the Porta Virgiliana, the left-hand road
leads to the dukes meriagery, which lies two Italian miles
from Mantua, and in the way the Mincio is ferried over.
This place alfo is called Virgiliana ; and there is a tradition
that the poet, from whom it derives its name, ufed to ftudy
here in a grotto. But at prefent it affords nothing worth a
traveller's notice. Near it lies the village Pietola, anciently Virgil's
called Andes, which was the birth-place of Virgil. birth-place,
MANTUA, April 26, 1730.
LETTER LXIX.
Account of the City of VERONA.
S I R,
THE diftance from Mantua to Verona Is three poft-ftages,
or four and twenty Italian miles. On this road, ih-
in ten miles of the latter, lies Villa Franca, where are ftill vill
to be feen the walls of a fpacious old caftle, or palace. On
the left-hand, the mountains of Trent, v/hich are covered
with fnow, be Jn to preient themfelves to the view. The
road is fomething ftony, and tne foil fhallow and poor ; how-
ever, the rows of mulberry-trees and vines, with v/hich it is
planted, give the country a pleafant afpect
Verona has been celebrated in the following diftich : Praxes of
Verona,
Urbibus Italia *>rc?Jlat Verona fu^crbts
e^ Fonte 3 Laat.
* Verona
348 V E R O N A.
* Verona furpaffes all the cities of Italy for fuperb build-
ings, the genius of its inhabitants, its river, fountain, and
lake/
Another poet has exprefled himfelf in thefe lines :
Verona qui te
Et non amarit protinus
Amore perditijfimo,
Is, credo, feipjum non amat,
Caretque amandi fenftbus
Et edit omnes gratias.
* Verona, whoever fees thy beauties, and is not paffio-
' nately enamoured of thy charms, I am apt to think, does
4 not love himfelf, and is destitute of all fenfibility and taftc
' for elegance and beauty/
Verona dc- However, as to its beauty, it will not bear a comparifon
fc-ibed. w j t h mo fl- O f t ^e large cities in the fouthern parts of Italy.
Moft of the ftreets of Verona are narrow, winding, and
dirty, and the houfes are meanly built ; and, as it ftands in
. a very pleafant country, when viewed from a neighbouring
eminence, it appears much more beautiful than it is really
found to be upon entering it. Its fortifications are but con-
temptible, though they confift of three caftles, namely, II
Caftello Vecchio, S. Pietro, and San Felice. That in the
middle is faid in ancient times to have been a temple of Di-
ana. The top of this caftle affords the beft view of the
city. The river Adige divides Verona almoft into two equal
parts, which are joined together by four ftone bridges. All
the bridges are well built; butil Ponte nuovo deferves parti-
ticular notice on account, of the fine profpedl that it yields
of the country over the river, towards the mountain of Caf-
NumWof tello S. Felice. 7'he number of inhabitants at Verona is,
inhabitants. at p re f en t ? computed to be no more than forty-nine or fifty
thoufand ; whereas not a century ago they exceeded feventy
II Curfo. thoufand fouls. The beft ftreet in the city is il Curfo,
where the carnival diverfions conclude with foot-races, &c.
Formerly common proftitutes were permitted to enter the
lifts, and to run for the prize ; but this cuftom has been
race> juftly abolifhed, and altered to a horfe-race, which is exhi-
bited on Shrove-Sunday, being the laft Sunday of the carni-
val. The prize is a piece of gold-brocad?, or fome rich
fluff.
VERONA. 349
fluff. The largeft piazza or area in this city is la Piazza Pia7za<1 *
d'armi, where the two annual fairs in fpring and autumn arn
are held. On this piazza ftands a marble ftatue reprefent-
ing the republic of Venice, under whofe jurifdiclion this
city has been for fome centuries paft *. The family of the
Scaligeri, from which the learned Julius Caefar Scaliger
would fain derive his pedigree, were formerly lords of Vero-
na; but the arrogancy of that learned critic was fmartly
chaftifed by the poignant wit of Scioppius f. One of the
Scaliger's, for his better fecurity, and to keep the city in
awe, erected within the fpace of three years not only the
Caftello Vecchio at the end of the Curfo, but likewife
built a bridge over theAdige, which is ftill in good conditi- A remark-
on, and deferves to be taken notice of; for the diftance be- able bridge,
tween- -the piers of the firft arch is feventy feet, between
thofe of the fecond eighty-two, and thofe of the third arch
a hundred and forty-two feet. There is at prefent a gover-
nor and a fmall garrifon in the caftle.
Near the church of S. Marica antica are ftill to be feen
fome monuments of the Scaliger family, namely, three large
and four fmall tombs. The former reft on a fexangular
work of Gothic ftruclure, adorned with fix ftatues, and the
Scaliger arms, viz. a ladder and an eagle.
On the Palazzo della ragione, or town-houfe, the ftatues Palazzo del--
of five celebrated perfons, who were natives of Verona, are ^"^"f"
erected. Thefe are the poets Catullus and /Emilius Ma- fi ve ce ieBra-
crus, the hiftorian Cornelius Nepos, the famous naturalift tedperfoas.
Pliny the elder, and the architect Vitruvius, who lived in
the reign of Auguftus. On a high arch ftands the ftatue of
Gieronimo Fracaftori, a learned phyfician, mathematician,
and excellent poet, who flourished in the fixteenth century :{;.
The
* Maffei in Verona illujtr. P. iii- p. 20. (hews, that the Venetians draw
yearly from the territories of Verona above five hundred and fixty thoufand
ducats, which are equal to a hundred and twelve thoufand doppie, or Spa-
nifh piftoles.
f The Veronefe, indeed, acknowledge Julius Casfar Scaliger for their
countryman; but deny that he was defcended from the Scaliger fa-
mily, who were lords of their city. They particularly accufe his (on
Jofeph Scaliger, that in his Epiftcla de fplendore gentisfua, as alib in the
Confutatio Fabulte Burdcnum, he has published palpable falfhoods, and
contrived a mere fable, only in order to fupport his chimerical pedigree.
SK Maffei reran, illufl. P.n.p. 7 5 6./^.
J The marquis Maffei in Verona illitflrata, Part ii. p. 178, treats at
large of the life and writings of Fracaftori, and likewife inferts a plate of
a medal that was llruck for him ; on one fide of which is the head of
Fracaftori*
350
Chief ma-
giftrates.
Buildings.
V E k O N A.
The Veronefe might juftly eret ftatues to other illu'ftriou*
perfons who were their countrymen ; for Verona was the
birth-place of Pomponius Secundus, Peter Martyr, a learned
Dominican ; Fra Jocondo, a great mathematician ; Guarini
Veronefe, one of thofe learned men who reftored the ftudy
of the Greek language in Italy ; the celebrated painter Pao-
lo Veronefe, and of the learned cardinal Henry Noris.
The chief magiftrates by whom the Venetians govern
this province, are the podefta^ and the capitaneo or general.
All civil affairs are under the direction of the former, and
the latter has the care of the military. Both thefe continue
in office no longer than fixteen months. A fine houfe was
begun for the capitaneo or general, but it lies unfinished.
Among the private buildings in this city, the palace ,of
count Maffei is the moft fplendid and magnificent. It ftands
on the Piazza de' Mercanti, and is ornamented with feve-
ral ftatues on the roof, which is fiat, like thofe in the fouth
part of Italy. It is probably on account of the cold wea-
ther and great quantity of fnow which falls on the high
mountains in the neighbourhood, that is not ufual to build
the roofs flat in thefe parts ; yet many fiat roofs are to be
feen at Infpruck where thefe inconveniencies are rather
greater.
On the Piazzo de' Mercanti, or the merchants fquare,
is a ftatue reprefenting the city of Verona, or rather the re-
public of Venice, in a female habit, with a crown on its
head. The next for magnificence, &c. to count Maffei'a
palace, are thehoufes of the counts Bevilaqua, CanofTa, and
the figniors Verzi, Pompeii, and Pellegrini.
Odoh palace. Formerly the moft fuperb palace in Verona was that of
the Venetian military commifTary Odoli, orLodoli; the ex-
pence of building, and the furniture, being computed at
three hundred thoufand _/<#, or crowns. But all this pomp
is now vaniflied, Odoli having been convidted of embez-
zling to the amount of a million of the public money ; for
which he was hanged at Venice in the laft carnival. The
fplendid furniture is all fold, and a great part of it gone
to Modena. A miftrefs of Odoli, to whom he allowed a
Flracaftori ; on the reverfe, a burning altar, with a ferpent under the bafe j
and, on each fide, a book, an armi'lary fphere, Apollo's lyre, and a
wreath of laurel, with this infcrrption on the exergue :
Statue of
Verona.
, Apoll,
Sacred, to Minerva, Apollo, and ./Svfculapius.*
grand
VERONA* 351
grand equipage, very feafonably eloped with forty thoufand
crowns. His Ion and lady, who had alfo their particular
coaches (the former fpending the public money as faft as his
father embezzled it) now live obfcurely in the country, on a
fmall pennon allowed them by the republic of Venice.
Oppofite the unfinished houle, intended for the general, Philarmo-
is an edifice where the members of the learned Philarmonic nkacademy
fociety hold their meetings. In the hall, which is very large,
are the protraits of the Patres, or j residents of this academy,
who are always four in number. In an apartment on the
left-hand are kept the old mufical inftruments with which
the nobility of Verona formerly amufed themfelves j and this
gave rife to the.prefent foundation. Some centuries lince,
there was a literary fociety at Ancona who were termed In-
catenati, which, according to an infcription in the academy,
were in the year 1543 incorporated with the Philarmonici.
The other apartments, which are intended for reading pub-
lie lectures, are ornamented with the protraits of the moft
eminent members, with the following infcription :
Anno MDXLIIL ccetus Pbilarmonicus
Academicas leges fancit
Ac Mufis omnibus lltat.
* In the year 1543^ the Philarmonic fociety eilablifhed the
' laws of this academy, and devoted themfelves to the
* mufes.'
An apartment on the right-hand is appointed for the pre- The Philcti
fidents of the Philoti, who are inftituted for the improve- fociety.
ment of bodily exercifes, as riding, fencing, vaulting, danc-
ing, &c. There is alfo in this building, a fine theatre for
exhibiting opera's and comedies ; which has five galleries,
and was built from a defign of the famous Francefco Bibie-
na, architect to the emperor. As the nobility aflemble here
feveral times a week, to divert themfelves with cards, &c.
this theatre may be looked upon as a kind of exchange for
the Beau monde and Literati of Verona. In one room
ftands the ftatue of a female of white marble, faid to have
been found in the ancient amphitheatre ; and fome antiqua-
rians are of opinion that there mult have been originally fe-
venty-two ftatues in all, though not the leaft remains, or
pedeftals on which they flood, are to be feen there. On the Colleaioa
outfide of this edifice are to be feen a great number of infcrip- of ancient
tions, infcriptionl '
352 VERONA.
tions, and other remains of antiquity, many of which were
, dug up about Verona ; and that they may not be expofed to
any future damage, from the injuries of the weather, &V.
they are inferted in' a long wall, facing the fouth ; the Tra-
montana, or north-wind, being found very detrimental to
ftones. The firft in order are infcriptions confuting of cha-
racters which are at prefent unknown, as the Egyptian, Pu-
nic, and Etrurian. Next to thefe are the Greek infcriptions,
to the number of fixty; and after thefe come the Roman an-
cient monuments. Thofe reprefenting the gods, and an-
cient facrifices, have the precedence ; one of which is par-
ticularly taken notice of: it is a fmall idol of porphyry,
with a votary proftrate before it. Another remarkable piece
is a baflb-relievo reprefenting Mercury, with fomething in
his hand, which he reaches to the earth under the fymbol of
a woman, fitting. Over thefe two images are the Greek
names of Mercury and the earth, as follows, EPMHZ and TH.
After thefe are placed the infcriptiones Imperatoriiz, Militares y
Conjulares 9 Sepulchrales, &c.
Merit of the In the proper arrangement of all thefe pieces, the marquis
n ? a "'!! ls a - S . cl ~ Scipione Maffei has been at no fmall expence or trouble, and
pio Maffei. r . . . , > _
has fpared no pains to mcreale the number of them. On
this account the gentlemen belonging to this academy have
erected a marble ftatue of him over the entrance of the
palace, with thefe words :
Monument Marclnoni Scipioni Majfeio
Academia Pbilartnonica
Decreto & cere publico*
MDCCXXV1L
' Ere&ed in honour of the marquis Scipione Maffei, who
* is ftill living, by the Philarmonic academy, at their own
* expence. 1727.
This honour was done him in his ab fence, from a fuppo-
fition that, had he been prefent, he would not eafily have
been prevailed upon to give his confent, or at leaft have raif-
ed fome pretended difficulties. The marquis Maffei muft
be diftinguimed both from count Maffei, whofe palace flands
on the Piazza de' Mercanti ; and likewife from Paolo Alei-
fandro Maffei, a Patritio or nobleman of Volterra, and
knight of the order of St. Stephen, who publifhed the life of
pope
V E R p N A,' 353
pope pious V. and fome other very learned treatifes on an-
tique ftatues, gems, infcriptions, and other antiquities, and
died at Rome in the year 1716.
In the marquis Scipio Maffei's palace, are to be feen fe- Curiofities
veral ancient diploma's or deeds; and he has inferted cop- inhismu -
per-plates of fome in his Hiftoriabiplomatica ; among which ^
there is one of the year 445, which he fuppofes to be the
moft ancient original extant in Europe. He is alfo polFefled
of an original inftrument containing the decrees of the
council of Florence (like that famous MS. in the Florentine
library, which is fo much valued) and of feveral other ma-
nufcripts ; a collection of antique intaglio's, and vafes in-
fcribed with Etrufcan characters * ; with great numbers of
medals, gems, paintings, ftatues, bufts, infcriptions, facri-
ficatory instruments and other antiquities, and feveral curi*-
ous petrifactions. He is a very polite gentleman, and moft
agreeable in converfation. Formerly he entertained no great
efteem for the Germans ; but now he is thoroughly cured of
that prejudice ; and, when he mentions the Leipfic acade-
my, he knows not how to praife it fufficiently. Poffibly
what may have contributed to this change was hisSyftema de Hisfyftcm
natalibusfulminum^ in which he maintains that thunder and onthepri-
lightening do not proceed from the clouds, but are generated ?;^ ni s ht *
near the earth in the atmofphere or lower regions of the air.
In Italy this opinion, at firft, was cenfured as abfurd j but
profeflbr Richter of Leipfic adopted his hypothefis, and main-
tained it in an elaborate treatife publifhed in the year 1725,
which, as it tended to enhance Maffei's reputation in the re-
public of letters, could not but be highly agreeable to
him.
Formerly the Calceolari mufeum at Verona was fo famous, ThcCalceo-
that in the year 1622 a defcription of it was publifhed with^- lrimufeuni
the following title : Francifd Cakeolarii Mufteum a Sened. Ce-
rutOj Medico^ inceptum, & ab Andrea Cblocco perfeffum, & in
vi. paries divifum. But at prefent it is totally difperfed, and
nothing is to be feen of it under that name.
Miflbn (Tome I.) gives a very accurate account of the ce- That of
lebrated collection of count Mofcardi ; more curious parti- count Mof-
culars of which may be feen in Note, overo Memorie, del Mu- cardi
* Maffei, Fontam, Buanoroti, and Marian:, have for for fome years palt
applied themfelves ygrv aflidnoufly to the old Etrulcan language and anti-
quities ; but hitherto their difcoveries feem to amount to no more thin very
uncertain conjectures. Sir Hans Sloane, of London, has allb ibvuiul
Etrufcan infcriptions in his mufeum.
VOL. III. A a
354 V E II O N A.
feo del Conte Ludov'ico Mofcardo, Veronefe, publifhed at Padua
in 1656, and at Verona in 1672. For fome years paft that
mufeum is not to be feen ; either becaufe a great part of it
has been difpofed of, or on account of the ignorance and
churlimnefs of the prefent owner.
Of count Count Mario Bcvilaqua has a fine collection of ancient
Bevilaqua. ft atues . among which is a marble Venus in the attitude of
the Venus de Medicis ; a ftatue of Hermophraditus like the
Borghefe ; Bacchus, a Bacchanalian, and a Ceres, all ex-
quifitely done. Among the great number of bufts thofe of
Auguftus, Livia, Tiberius, Trajan, Lucius Verus, Corn-
modus, and Septimus Severus, deferve a particular attention.
Among the baflb- relievo's in this collection that of Jupiter
Ammon is the beft. Here are alfo feveral fmall ftatues of
M ; bronze^ a great number of medals, and likewife a fine fet of
paintings ; the principal among the laft are a reprefentation of
paradife by Tintoretti, and a Venus half naked viewing her-
felf in a looking-glafs held by an Amorino or Cupid, by Pa-
olo Veronefe.
Capocuco's A gentleman of the name of Capocuco has made a col-
coHedion. l ec ^i on o f feveral fmall ftatues of bronza, and models of all
kinds of military engines, inftruments, and arms ; as can-
nons, mortars, &c. of brafs. But they are now to be fold,
and are valued at two thoufand Spanifti piftoles.
Cabinet of Count Gomberto Giufti is a great connoifleur in medals,
count Giu- o f w hich he has a numerous and valuable collection. He is
& * alfo fond of other curiofities which he has not neglected,
efpecially paintings.
Saibanti's Giovanni Saibanti is very curious, and fuccefsful in col-
coileftion of letting manufcripts ; of which he is mafter of above thirteen
*na ftri P ts -.hundred. Themoft remarkable MS. that he is poffefled of, in
my opinion, is the four evangelifts in Greek, written about
the clofe of the I3th century, in large round characters.
The fame gentleman has alfo a collection of antiquities and
natural curiofities.
The chap- ^^ e chapter-library contains a great number of curious
ter'sllbrary. manufcripts. *
Antiquarians may meet with a moft valuable piece at
Verona, which gives a clearer idea of the fpe&acles or
public diverfions of the ancient Romans than any other
Amphithe- ec jj ce now extant; I mean the celebrated amphitheatre,
* The moft valuable of thefe, and likewife of Saibanti's colle&ion,
are taken notice of by Maffei in his Verona Ulitjirata, P, iii, /. 244, &
$?
\vhica
VERONA. . 355
which through a fucccflion of fo many centuries has, by the
commendable care and attention of the inhabitants, been
kept in fuch good repair, that, in this refpecl:, it is far pre-
ferable to, though not fo large as, Vefpafian's amphitheatre
at Rome. This noble ftrudure, according to tome, was its antiquity,
built in the reign of Auguftus : however, there is but little
probability that fuch a fuperb and fumptuous edifice would
be fet on foot in a province of Italy before the capital of the
empire, which was not adorned with any thing equal to it
till Vefpafian's time. To this may be added the lilence of
Pliny the elder, whofe accuracy in the enumeration of the
moft celebrated edifices and artifts of his time, and particu-
larly of what concerned his native place, would not have
iuffered him to omit a flru&ure of this nature, which does fo
much honour to Verona. A farther argument is adduced,
that during the firfr. century no fuch amphitheatre was to be
feen at Verona ; for Pliny the younger, who was alive to-
wards the clofe of Trajan's reign, makes no mention of it,
though, in lib. vi. ep. 34, he is fo particular in defcribing
the fpeclacles and {hew of gladiators given at Verona by his
friend Maximus, in honour of his deceafed wife. On the
other hand, this amphitheatre cannot be dated much later
than this, as it is a ftruciure which bears in it the marks of
the flourifliing ftate both of architecture, fculpture, and of
the Roman empire.
The marquis Maffei, whom I have already mentioned Maffei'sdif-
with the refpecl: due to fo learned a man, is at prefent engag- ferta ^n on
ed in a curious treatife which is to be intitled Serena ittuflra-*^^*
ta *, and of which a part was publifhed two years ago at
Verona, as a fpecimen of this noble undertaking, and of the
elegance and accuracy with which it is executed. It enters
into a very accurate difquifition concerning the antiquity of
amphitheatres in general, and particularly that of Verona.
It were to be wifhed that perfons of equal talents and appli-
cation would alfo favour the world with their conjectures
concerning the amphitheatres of Rome, Capua, and Nifmes f.
According to Mafffei's measurement, the longeft diameter Geometrical
of the amphitheatre of Verona, frcm the firit arch of the com r utation
main entrance to the oppofite arch, is four hundred and fifty n a Vmph"i.~
Veronefe feet, and its greateft breadth three hundred and theatre,
fixty. The length of the area within the walls, according
* This was publifhed at Verona, in folio, in the year 17,2.
J Mattel's work is intitled De gii Anfttatri, e fingdcu mente del Vercnrft,
iibri due, in Verona, 1728.
A a 2 tO
356 VERONA.
to his computation, is two hundred and eighteen feet, fix
inches ; the breadth a hundred and twenty-nine ; and the
outward circuit of the whole edifice a thoufand two hundred
and ninety feet. The Verona foot is exactly one third
* more than the Roman palmi, which is ufed in architecture.
Its prefent height indeed is but eighty-eight feet ; but, from
evident marks on the walls, it appears to have been at firft
a hundred and ten, or a hundred and twenty feet high. The
loweft row of feats is as it were buried in dirt and rubbifh ;
but, if we include this, the number of the rows of feats or fteps,
rifing one above another to the higheft gallery, amounts to/ fif-
ty-four. This method of building amphitheatres was the moft
convenient for holding a vaft number of fpeclators in fuch a
ma'nner, that the neareft row did not intercept the view of the
Number of Arena from thofe who fat at the greateft diftance. If we al -
fpeftators it j ow a f oot an( j a }j a ]f f or eacn p er f on? the amphitheatre at
Verona afforded room for twenty-two thoufand one hundred
and eighty-four fpe6tators. The internal area of the Coly-
Cofhpared feum at Rome does not greatly exceed it, as, according to
with that at Fontana, the length of that edifice is but five hundred and
Rome. fixty-four Verona" feet ; its breadth four hundred and fixty-
feven ; the internal area two hundred and feventy-three feet
long, and a hundred and feventy-three broad, and the cir-
cuit of the whole building one thoufand five hundred and
fixty-fix Verona feet. According to this computation the
Colyfseum at moft contained but thirty or forty-four thou-
fand perfons. In the Colyfaeum none of the feats are now
remaining. The amphitheatre of Verona is much more
perfect, and has no holes orchafms in the wall. However,
it muft be owned that the prefent edifice is not merely the
ancient ftruchire, but that it owes its good condition to fub-
fequent repairs, many of which are the work of the mo-
derns *. The new-inlerted ftones may be eafily diftinguifhed
from
* With this account given by the author may be compared thefollowing
defcription of this amphitheatre from Dr. Burner's travels, p. 118, 119.
The known antiquity of Verona is the amphitheatre, one of the leaft of
all that the Romans built, but the beft preferved ; for moft of the great
ftones of the outfide are picked out ; yet the great floping vault, on
which the rows of the feats are laid, is intire ; the rows of the feats are
allo intire ; they are four-and-twenty rows ; every row is a foot and a
half high, and as much in breadth j fo that a man fits conveniently in
them under the feet of thofe of the higher row ; and, allowing every
man afoot and a half, the whole amphitheatre can hold twenty-three
thoufand perfons. In the vaults under the rows of feats were the ftalls
:
.VERONA. 357
from the ancient work, which is much neater. The height Difpofition
of the feats is not the fame in all ; but is generally a foot of the feats>
and five inches, and the common breadth two feet and two
inches. Near the twenty-fixth row, reckoning from the
bottom, there is one fo narrow, as to be fcarce fit for a feat,
which, for this reafon, appears not to be the work of anti-
quity, but of the moderns who repaired it. The ancient
feats are of red marble ; but the modern repairs of a red fri-
able ftone 3 and for greater conveniency, as the ftone feats
were very cold to fit upon, they were covered with boards,
and alfo with cufhions for perfons of quality. See Dio, lib.
Jix. Hence it appears, that an amphitheatre built with ftone
might receive fome damage by fire. There are in this amphi-
theatre feparate ftone ftair-cafes, by which the fpectators af-
cended to their feats from the vaults below. The apertures
from thefe ftair-cafes into the rows of feats, on account of
the multitudes of people crowding, and as it were pouring
through to fee the fpectacles, are, by Macrobius, Saturn,
lib. vi. cap. 4, called Vomitoria. The number of VomitoriaVomitorU.
within this amphitheatre are fixty-four, being difpofed in
four rows.
Ontheoutfide of this amphitheatre are twenty-feven arched Entrances,
entrances *, and the key-ftone of each of thefe arches is
numbered ; fo that, every clafs of the people being informed
where they were to go in and come out of the amphitheatre,
no confufion or difturbance could arife. Thefe arches are
for the moft part eleven feet eight inches wide, and eighteen
feet high. The lower part of the pillars is buried about
four feet under the prefent furface of the ground, as appears
by the ancient main entrance, where the earth has been clear-
ed away. The baluftrades over the entrances are a modern
work; two galleries over the lower arches reprefent as it were
the fecond and third ftories. No pedeftals have been found
either in this amphitheatre, or in that at Rome mentioned whether
above ; from which we may conclude, that it was not orna-* the amphi-
mented with ftatues in any other part but over the main en- theatres
trance : and if, on any particular folemnity, ftatues were men^dwlth
creeled in thefe amphitheatres, they muft have been but ftatues,
fmall, and remained but a fhort time there, Thefe move-
of the wild beafts that were prefented to entertain the company. The
< thicknefs of the building, from the outward wall to the loweft row of
* feats, is ninety feet.*
* That at Rome has eighty, and that of Nifines fixty arches.
A a 3 able
358 VERONA.
able ftatucs may probably be the figures ftill to be feen oa
medals that represent amphitheatres, plates of which are in-
ferted in Maffei's work mentioned above. Indeed few or no
fragments of {tatties have been dug up near this amphitheatre.
The ftones of the ancient part of this edifice are not ce-
mented together, but only fattened with a few iron cramps
or braces. The beft print of this ancient ftructure is given
us by Maffei.
Whether It is no wonder that fuch a fuperb theatre mould be built
theamphi- at Verona, preferably to many other cities ; for all hiftori-
Verona ans a g ree > that, in the times of the ancient Romans, this
could be city was very large and populous. It does not appear that
Jaid under this amphitheatre like that at Rome could be laid under
water, as the furface of the river Adige is fome feet lower
than the area of it, and as no traces of any aquedudts are
to be feen near it. On the other hand, fome arches are
ihewn in the water below S. Pietro, fuppofed to be the re-
Naumachia. mains of a Naumachia, which was not fupplied from the Adi-
ge, as that river did not flow in ancient times thro' the city,
but from the eminences of Montorio and Avefa, from whence
it was conveyed to Verona by leaden pipes. Both thefe
places are about two Italian miles from the city ; and the
leaden pipes which are ftill kept in repair, are laid over a
bridge and furnifli feveral private houfes with frefh water.
Ancient Q n tne left-hand of the road leading from Verona toCaf-
rfe tello Vecchia the ancient courfe of the Adige, before it was
diverted into the citjs is ftill to be feen. There is but a ve-
ry narrow ftream at prefent in the old channel of this river*.
'Tis fuppofed with as little certainty that there were three
triumphal arches in and near Verona. That f near Caftel-
lo Vecchio is attributed to the family of the Gavii ; another
in the ViaLeoni to Flaminius ; a third in the Curfo toMa-
rius ; and a fourth in the fame place, coniifting of two fimu-
milar arches, to Galienus. It is too common among anti-
quarians to dignify the remains of old city gates, with the
name of triumphal arches; to which honour none of thofe
ancient remains, which have two fimilar gates near each
other, are in any-wife intitled. P'or the triumphal arches al-
ways confifted either of one large arched entrance only, or
with a fmall one on each fide.
* Maffi in Yfron. JUtifr.Pcrtl. 38. affirms, that the courfe of the
AJig't was always the fame as it is at prelent.
-J- On this arch the name of the architect is ftill legible, Lucius Vitru'vii
us Gerdo, who is thought to have, been a freedman of the famous Vitruvius
From
VERONA; 359
From the depth of the rubbifh and earth about the foun- Alteration
Nations of the above-mentioned remains of antiquity* it of . the /'! u "
1111 r ation ofthe
may be concluded that the ancient lituation of the city was c ity.
much lower than the prefent. On the fide of Galienus's Triumphal
triumphal arch, as it is called, that faces the country, there archea *
was formerly an infcription, which at prefent is not legible.
Vignier has publifhed a plate of it in his Bibliotheca Hijlorica^
as it then flood, which evidently {hews that inflead of a tri-
umphal arch this ftrudlure is no more than a common gate.
The words of the infcription as tranfcribed by that author
are : Colonia Augufta Verona Galieniana. Valeriano II. 3*
Lucilio Coffl muri Veronenjium fabrjcctti^ ex die III. Non April,
dedicati prid. No. Decemb. jubente SanfiiJJimo Galicno Aug. N.
Over the two arches are fix apertures like windows difpofed
in two rows.
Near the city of Verona is a fine plain, which is called Campus
by the name of Campus Martius, where the people are muf- Martius -
tered and perform their military exercifes. In the year 1712, A yearly
the booths or fhops, for the annual fair held on the Campus fair
Martius till that time, were burnt down ; and, for greater
fecurity and conveniency, the fair has been fince that time
kept in thePiazza d'armi, within the city, where the fhopsare
curioufly difpofed. From the middle of the fair there are
eight vifto's along fo many rows of fhops. Befides thefe
ilreets or lanes, there are four fpacious areas formed by the
difpofition of the booths ; and over the lanes between them
?anvafs is fpread to flielter the company from the rain and the
fun. Scipione Maffei has prefixed a copper-plate of this fair
to his mifcellaneous works. The trade of this city might Trade and
be put on a much better foot than it is at prefent. manwfao
The chief commodities that the Veronefe trade in, are JVJ 6 * of th8
phyfical plants *, which are gathered on Monte Baldo ; C ' '
olives, (thofe of Verona being reckoned very good) oil,
wine, with linnen, woollen, and fillcen manufactures. The
neighbouring places indeed are no lefs plentifully provided
with fuch commodities ; but whether greater vent for them
might not be opened at Venice, &c . is well worth their con-
fideration.
The goodnefs of the Verona wine is mentioned by Pliny, yeror^
fTtfl. Nat. lib. XIV. c. 6. Virgil Georg. 2. and CaffwdorusVar. wine.
* Vide Plant* Jive Simplicia, ut vacant, qua in Baldo Monte & in Via
ab Verona ad Baldum reperiuntur, per Job. Pan. Pk0rma(oj>(sum Veronen-
Jem, Bajil, 1608, $to,
A a 4 lib,
360 VERONA.
Lib. XII. 4. The beft wines at prefent, produced in the
neighbourhood of this city, are two forts of white wine,
one of which is called Garganico bianco^ and the other Vina
fanto. The latter, in my opinion, is the beft, and has fome-
thing of the flavour of the old Hungarian wines. Some
think that this is the wine which Cafiiodorus calls Vinum Aci~
naticum.
Canal to There is a very commodious water-carriage from hence to
Vepice. Venice. The paflage in a barge takes up but three days and
a half; but the return is more tedious ; for the barge is
drawn by oxen, fo that it is not performed in lefs than eight
days.
Cathedral. ; In the cathedral of Verona are to be feen fome j;ood pic-
tures by Bellini, Baleftra, and Paolo Veronefe. The front
is large, and adorned with baflb-relievo's : if is cut out of
Epitaph of one block of marble. Lucius III, whofe name before he
Lucius HI. was exalted to the papal dignity was Humbaldus Lucea, lies
here with the following epitaph :
Ofa
Lucii III. Pont. Max.
Cm Roma ot tnvidiam pulfo Verona tuti/f. ac gratljjimum pcr-
.fugium futty ubi conventu Cbrljllanorum afo t dum praclara
jnulta molitur, e vita excejfit.
* Here are depofited the remains of pope Lucius III. to
5 whom, when banifhed thro' envy from Rome, Verona af-
* forded a fafe and agreeable retreat, where, whilft he was
' concerting feveral great defigns in a fynod, he departed
this life,'
He died in 1185, after he had fat in the papal chair four
years, two months, and fourteen days, with much diftur-
~bance, and but an indifferent chara$er.
Revenue of The bifhopric of Verona brings in four or five thoufand
fcitdi a year. On the left-hand, near the entrance of the
epifcopal palace, is feen a large marble ftatue of a woman,
with the following infcription a containing the fculptor's
Kame under it ;
Jh/andro Vittoria Frld. F.
The upper apartments of this palace are ornamented with
mar bi e Kufts of Asrippina the mother of Nero, Julia the
VERONA. 361
daughter of Titus, Mettalina, Matidia, Fauftina the daugh-
ter of Antoninus, Julia the daughter of Auguftus, and Lu-
cilia of L. Verus ; thofe of Aurelia the mother of Julius
Crefar, Seleucus, Julius Caefar, Marcus Brutus, Caligula,
Antinous, Juba king of Mauritania, Septimius Severus,
Heliogabulus, and Scipio Africanus, together with a ftatue
of Venus coming out of a bath, and many other pieces col-
lected by the prefent bifhop of Verona, who is of the Tre-
vifani family.
In Verona, there are convents of Carmelite monks both Carmelite
calceati and difcalceati. In the church of the former is a church.
beautiful altar of fine marble ; and, in their veftry, a fine
piece of painting by one of the difciples of the celebrated
Raphael, reprefenting our Saviour, when a child, playing
with John theBaptift; and the virgin-mother, looking, with
great complacency, on their mutual fondnefs and fportive
innocence.
In the church of the difcalceati^ or barefooted Carmelites, Church of
are to be feen three fine altars, the firft of which is adorn- the <&//>
ed with pillars of Verde antico, the fecond with pillars of a. aft '
red and white veined marble, and the third with yellow
marble pillars. The high altar is likewife of beautiful
marble, and finely executed : it is alfo embelliflied with a
picture of the annunciation, which does great honour to
Antonio Baleftra, who is ftill living at Cremona. This artift Baleflra, a
is in high repute, and has painted many pieces which have j^ d pam ~
been fent into England and Germany.
The Dominican church is dedicated to St. Anaflafia. Dominican
Near the entrance of this church, on the right-hand, a fu- church
perb monument is erected to Giovanni Fregofi, a Genoefe Tombofge-
officer, who raifed himfelf by his merit to be commander in nerai Fre -
chief, by Cataneo di Carrara. I could not but take notice Ee '*
here of a very great impropriety, namely, the holy-water
veffels at the entrance of the church are fupported by twoTwoharle-
grotefque figures, reprefenting harlequins or bufioons. The quins fup-
front of the church is partly adorned with good marble baflb- [^" h ,
relievo's ; but that work has been difcontinued. Before the W aterv^fe.
church ftands the tomb of count Caftclbarro.
St. Euphemia's church is adorned with fome good paint- St. Euphe-
ings. On the high altar ftands a curious marble tabernacle ; mia'schurch
before it are two beautiful brafs ftatues, with eight others of
plafter. In other refpects it is a mean edifice, neither is the
Deling arched,
In
3 62 V E R O N A.
Tenets In the Jefuits, or St. Baftiano's church, the high altar is
k* 1 ^- adorned with fome fine pillars of Mifchia di Brentonico,
a kind of marble found in this country. Here is alfo a
white marble ftatue of St. Sebaftian, and likewife fome
fine pictures, being ornaments that are common to moft
churches in Italy.
St George's T ne church and convent di S. Giorgio belong to the
cfaui-eb. Benedi&ine monks. On the outfide over the church-door is
this extravagant infcription :
Js&rijuca. Numin't Sanffo prcpitiato
Dtvl Georgii
Pollent'iS) potentis^ InvlEli
Pie y rite , folemnitus
Sacrum dicatum ejlo.
'Let this church which has been confecrated with fo-
* lemn rites, be dedicated to the holy, powerful, ftrong, in-
* vincible, and propitious Deity of St. George.'
FaHtiBgs, Over the door is the baptifm of Chrift, painted by Tinto-
retto. On the high altar is a piece reprefenting the martyr-
dom of St. George, by Paolo Veronefe, and, on one fide
rear it, our Saviour feeding five thoufand men, by Paolo
Faranati, who was feventy-nine years of age when he paint-
ed this piece. Few of this mafter's works are to be feen in
Italy, except at Verona ; moft of his time having been fpent
in painting the Efcurial in Spain. On the other fide, is a
very fine reprefentation of the Ifraelites gathering of manna,
by Felice Brufaforzi : this piece is twenty-four Veronefe feet
in length, and twenty-three broad. Here is another piece,
by the fame hand, which reprefents St. John's vifion in the
Apocalypfe, of Michael with his angels protecting a woman
and her child" againft the dragon *, Whether it be confift-
ent with the myftery of this vifion, that the child fhould be re-
prefented, as it were, crying out in any agony of fear, I
ftall not difpute. Here is alfo Barnabas healing the fick man,
by Paul Veronefe. Oppofite to this piece is the virgin Mary
betwixt two biftiops, by Girolamo da i Libri : the carpet on
which the virgin ftands is juftly admired. Domenico Ricci,
furnamed Brufaforzi, and father to Felice, has alfo difplayed
bj$ fkill in this church, which is one of the fineft in the city,
* Revelation chap. *v t
V E R O N A. 363
- In the church of the hofpital della Mifericordia, or the in- Chiefe dejja
curables, is an exquifite Pieta, or the virgin Mary viewing Mlfer ' cordia
the dead body of Chrift after he was taken down from the
crofs, by AlefTandro Turchi. This celebrated painter, other-
wife known by the name of d'Orbetto, which he had when d ' Orbetto
he was a poor boy, and ufed to lead about a blind man, till, tte P aJnter
very fortunately for him, Felice Brufaforzi, happening to fee
him drawing figures with charcoal on a wall, concluded that
he had a genius for designing, and took him under his care *.
The Olivetan church, or Madonna in Organo, has a olivet a
very fuperb altar, and a great number of excellent paintings. 1,-^
Among which, a Madonna Gratiofa by Antonio Baleftra is
none of the worft. The afTumption of the virgin Mary
and the maflacre of the innocents in the Tribuna, are by
Paolo Farinati. The ftalls in the choir are of wood, curiouf-
ly inlaid, by Giovanni Veronefe, a lay-brother of the Olive-
tan convent. Here was alfo formerly kept a wooden afs,Reliquesof
within the belly of which,as fome fimple credulous people anals
are perfuaded, were kept the remains of the afs on which
Chrift made his entry into Jerufalem. The ftory of this
afs, and its travels thro' various countries, till it died at
Verona, where it was kept with great veneration, is related
byMifTon, T. I. p. 164, &ff/j> with feveral entertaining cir-
cumftances ; but with fuch farcafms on this and other fuper-
ftitious cuftoms which he met with in his travels, as will
not eafily be digefted by the Roman-catholics. The Vero-
nefe particularly refent his charge againft them, as he fo
far expofed their fondnefs for the relics of the Jewifh afs,
as to fubjecl: them to the ridicule of a nickname f. They
object in their defence, that Mifibn muft have received his
information from no better authority than the chamber-maids,
or boys at the inn, who had a mind to divert themfelves
with his credulity ; adding, that all perfons of fenfe in Ve-
rona entertain very different thoughts of the affair ; and that,
if this wooden afs formerly made a part of the proceflion on
Corpus Chrijli day, it was only for the more lively reprefen-
tation of a part of the laft fcene of our Saviour's life, name-
ly, his entrance into Jerufalem. I have alfo feen a wooden
* He died in 1648. See Maffei Verm, illujlr. P. III. p. 165.
f- Concerning the calumny with which the heathens branded the Jews,
charging them with worfhipping an afs, which defcended to the chriftians,
who were called djlnarii, on a fuppofition that they worfhipped the head
pf an afs, fee Tertullian Apol, c. 16. and alfo Kortholt in Paean obtreft.
VERONA.
afs of this kind with the image of our Saviour fitting on it,
in the church of our lady at Halle near Bruflels, where it it
annually carried in a proceffion for the fame purpofe ; and I
have been afiured, that to charge all the Veronefe in general,
with the ridiculous opinions held by the vulgar about this
wooden afs, is doing great injuftice to feveral perfons of emi-
nent fenfe and learning *. However, fevera! particular cir-
cumftances may be adduced in fupport of Miffbn's relation,
efpecially .his mentioning the perfon from whom he had his
account, namely, one Montel, a French merchant, who had
lived a confiderable time at Verona. When a perfon fpeaks
ingenuoufly of the fuperftitious cuftoms of a place, it is not
underftood, that thofe inhabitants who have banifhed fuch
prejudices by the light of reafon, ftudy, and reflection, are
not included in the lump. No city is fo defpicable but one
intelligent perfon may be met with in it ; yet is there no city
in which fome fuperftitious cuftoms and opinions do not ge^
nerally prevail. How low the vulgar may fall, with regard
to fuperftition, is evident from experience and the hiftories of
ancient and modern times. No nation, no feel;, is free from
this infection ; but certainly thoie nations are more fubjedfc to
this evil, whofe fyftem of religion either too much reftrains,
or utterly prohibits them the ufe of their reafon. Are there
not innumerable fables concerning the afs, on which our Sa-
viour made his entrance into Jerufalcm, current alfo in other
countries? And are there not ftiewn on the road from Tubin-
gen to Hildritzhaufen, feveral holes on two broad ftone?, of
which the vulgar of thofe parts have retained a tradition
fince the pop'iih times, that they were the prints which the
fame afs's feet made in his travels through Swabia, where
the animal foon after died.
I have often confidered with myfelf whether it be not
practicable for a proteftant to write an account of his tra-
vels through Italy, in fuch a manner as not to difcover what
religion he is of; as it is a qualification requifite in an impar-
tial hiftorian, not to be prejudiced in favour of any country
* It cannot be unjuft to charge the Roman-catholics with thefe fuper-
ftitious cuftoms ; for what is enjoined by the clergy, and countenanced,
and amhorifed by princes and learned men of that communion, as well as
the vulgar, muft be looked upon as the general practice. Tho' the .for-
mer impute fuch fuperftitions to the commonalty, when preffed on this
head, yet they never refnfe to attend at the moft ridiculous procefllons 5
nor do they ever attempt to convince the vulgar of their error. Upon the
whole, the Veronefe do not deferve the apology our author makes for
tfccm.
or
VERONA. 365
or religion, fo far as the latter implies the external difference
of churches or communions : but I found, that fuch an im-
partiality would be attended with great difficulties. For in-
flance, our Saviour's intire prtrputium which was cut off, is
(hewn in three or four different places. Every one of thefe
churches, perhaps, produces a papal bull in favour of its-re-
lique :' Shall a proteftant hiftorian, in fuch a cafe, pals over
in filence the contradiction which muft appear in fuch pa-
pal inftruments, and the impoflibility that all the three pr&-
putia mould be genuine reliques, and in defcribing each of
thefe churches tell us, that the real prssputium is kept there ?
Or, mall he only mention in {hort, that this or that is ac-
counted the genuine reliqite ? The former is not confident
with the lo"ve of truth ; and in the latter cafe, how artfully
foever he may couch his expreffions, it will very foon be dii-
covered that he is no votary of the church of Rome *,
But to return to the fable of the Verona afs. Mifibn's The afs,
farcaftical obfervations, and the fneering enquiries of {Iran- why no log-
gers and travellers about this extraordinary relique, and, per- ^ ^"^
haps, the fuperftitious abufes it caufed among the vulgar,
have contributed to prevent the afs from making his appear-
ance in the proceffion, as ufual, for thefe eight years paft ;
but, on the contrary, has been concealed from the public
view; and the Veronefe make a great difficulty of mewing
it to ftrangers. For my own part, I mould not have becu
much difappointed if I had not feen it ; but, by mere acci-
dent, I happened to go into a particular chapel belonging to
St. Benedict's church ; and there I had a full view of the afs
that has made fo much noife in the world. It {lands upon
the table behind the altar-piece, which reprefents St. Bene-
dict, and may be opened like a door. The afs is a good
piece of fculpture, and was carved fome centuries ago by a
devout monk of this convent. Our Saviour's image, which
fits upon it, is likewife of wood, and holds a book in the left-
hand, and with the right feems to be giving the benediction.
On the wall of the fame chapel is to be feen a good piece of
* The author here makes a proper exception to the general rule, which
condemns all paflion in an hiftorian, fince truth is as it were the foul of
hiftory ; however the pofition is good, that he muft neither have country
nor religion. A mind full of prejudices, tor any pai ticular country or re-
ligion, cannot pofllbly be a good hiftorian. For this reafon, Mainbury's
hiftory of Calvinifm is decried by his own countrymen. On the contrary,
thofe of oppolite principles refpel Thuanus as an hiftorian. See coun-
"feJlor Si monttti's character of an hiftoriun, . 9.
painting,
5 66 V E R O N A.
painting, by Domenico Brufaforzi, reprefenting the refurrec-
tion of Lazarus.
St.Procu- In the church of St. Proculus, the table of the high altar
lus'schurch. con fift s of an intire piece of verde antico, which is fix palms
in breadth, and twelve palms long. The bodies of St. Cof-
mus and St. Damianus are kept in a vault under this church.
Whoever has a mind to fee duplicates of thefe reliques, may,
according to Rofli's account in his Roma moderna^ find them
at Rome in the church dedicated to thofe faints in the Cam-
Falfepre- po Vaccino. In the cemitery of St Proculus at Verona, is
rt f nc ^ j bout - {hewn a vault which at prefent harbours great numbers of
king Pepin. adders, &c. where the body of king Pepin, which has, been
fince taken up in time of war, and carried into France, is
faid to have been buried. The whole affair may be looked
upon as a fable ; for the grave of king Pepin is not to be
fearched for at Verona, as it is certain that the French king
of that name lies buried at St. Denys, where he died *.
St. Zeno's The houfe in which St. Zeno is (aid to have lived is con-
ratory. verted into a chapel or oratory j and on a large itone is the
following diftich :
' Hoc fetper incumlens fnxo prope fluminis nndam
Zeno Pater tremula cafttabat arundine pifccs.
c Oft on this (tone which lay upon the ftrand
' The venerable Zeno took his ftand ;
* A patient fuller, with his trembling reed
* Intent to captivate the fcaly breed.'
St, Zeno'a The church of St. Zeno ftands not far from this chapel,
church. where, in a particular clofet, is kept a large round porphyry
Large por- veffel, twenty-fix feet in circumference, or eight Verona
phyry vafe. f eet j n diameter. It confifts of one piece, and refembles a
{hallow goblet. The pedeftal belonging to it is cut out of
The trouble another large piece. It feems, the devil, by the commend
it put the O f St. Zeno, brought both thefe hither out of Iftria. His
ev t0 ' firft day's journey with it was fomewhat unlucky, the bur-
den being too heavy for him, fo that he let the pedeftal fall
into the Adriatic fea. The excufes which Satan pleaded on
this occafion were not fatisfactory to St. Zeno, who ordered
* See Eginhard, wit. Carol. M. c. 3. Anntdes Francifd Lambcciani, Tom.
II. Commeatar. de Bibiiotbsca yindobonenf. c. V. j>. 371. Aiiilmui ad ann.
763,
him
VERONA. 367
away to look out for what he had loft by his careleflnefs.
1 1 may not be charged, like MifTon, with having my
rmation from a fcullion boy, or a chambermaid at an inn ;
authority is grounded upon a baflb-relievo, which re-
ents the whole tranfa6lion, and is inferted in the wall
- the porphyry vafe, where it could hardly have come
with the approbation of the ordinary and clergy belong-
to this church. This vafe is not made ufe of at prefent,
, if it be true, that formerly it ferved to hold the holy
er, it is no wonder that the devil, if he had any fore-
wledge of the ufe it was defigned for, fhould be very
filling to fatigue himfelf with carrying weapons to be
iloyed againft himfelf, and provide a vefTel for that wa-
by which he and his legions may at any time be con-
ided and put to, flight. However, from the largcnefs of
vafe, it does not feem probable that it was employed for
ufe. It muft be acknowledged to be a valuable piece,
account of its dimenfions, and the matter of which it
lifts.
"he font of St. Zeno's church is very large, and cut out Baflb-relle-
me block of white marble. The table of the high altar ^ >so , nt ^
r f n c e 11 \ rt chureu-coor
wile confifts of one piece of marble, thirteen feet long,
fix broad, which was the produce of this country. St.
lies in the vault under this church, which is adorned
1 feveral pillars of yellow marble. On the church-door,
:h is plated with bronze, are reprefented, but very rudely>
anks and orders of ecclefiaftics. On both fides of the
ance feverai fcriptural ftories are carved on ftone ; thofe
die Old Teftament on the right-hand, as one enters into
church, and thofe of the New on the other fide. The
ern magi are here reprefented with crowns on their heads j
', in the reprefenting the apprehending of Chrift in the gar-
, Peter cuts offMalchus's ear, and is diftinguifhed by a
hanging at his arm. The fculpture on the outfide of
church is fomething remarkable, as it reprefents horfe- '
i, wild beafts, hunting matches, &c. with Latin infcrip-
is over them, very few of which are now legible. The
rar entertain themfelves with abundance of ftories relat-
to thefe images. Among other things, they tell us, that
2; Theodoric and Satan entered into a compact, by virtue
which, the latter was bound, at all times, to fupply his -
,efty with good horfes and hounds. The perfonon horfe-
k faid to reprefent Theodoric rides with ftirrups, con-
ry to the practice of antiquity.
Cn
Falfepre-
St. Zeno's
ratory.
V E R O N A.
painting, by Domenico Brufaforzi, reprefenting the refurrec-
tion of Lazarus.
St.Procu- In the church of St. Proculus, the table of the high alta.'
lus'schurch. con fi{r. s of an intire piece of verde antico, which is fix pain-
in breadth, and twelve palms long. The bodies of St. Cc
mus and St. Damianus are kept in a vault under this churc
Whoever has a mind to fee duplicates of thefe reliques, ma
according to Rofli's account in his Roma moderna^ find the
at Rome in the church dedicated to thofe faints in the Can
po Vaccino. In the cemitery of St Proculus at Verona,
{hewn a vault which at prefent harbours great numbers
king Pepin. adders, cffr. where the body of king Pepin, which has. be(
fince taken up in time of war, and carried into France,
faid to have been buried. The whole affair may be look
upon as a fable ; for the grave of king Pepin is not to
fearched for at Verona, as it is certain that the French kii
of that name lies buried at St. Denys, where he died *.
The houfe in which St. Zeno is faid to have lived is coi
verted into a chapel or oratory j and on a large {tone is tl
following diftich :
' Hoc flip er incumbcns jaxo prope fluminis undam
Zena Pater tretnula captabat arundine pifccs.
c Oft on this ftone which lay upon the ftrand
' The venerable Zeno took his ftand ;
' A patient fiftier, with his trembling reed
' Intent to captivate the fcaly breed.'
St. Zeno's The church of St. Zeno ftands not far from this chape]
church. where, in a particular clofet, is kept a large round porphyr
Large por- veflel, twenty-fix feet in circumference, or eight Veron
phyry vafe. f eet j n Diameter. J t confifts of one piece, and refcmbles .
{hallow goblet. The pedeftal belonging to it is cut out o
The trouble another large piece. It feems, the devil, by the commem
it put the O f St. Zeno, brought both thefe hither out of Iftria. Hi
firft day's journey with it was fomewhat unlucky, the bar
den being too heavy for him, fo that he let the pedeftal fa. T
into the Adriatic fea. Theexcufes which Satan pleaded o.
this occafion were not fatisfa&ory to St. Zeno, who orderei
* See Eginhar-J, vit. Carol. M. c. 3. Annales Francifcl Lambrciani, To;;,
II. Commentar. de Bibliotheca yindobonenf, c. V. /. 371. Adtlmus ad ar.n
devil tc
hirr.
VERONA. 367
him away to look out for what he had loft by his careleflnefs.
That I may not be charged, like MifTon, with having my
information from a fcullion boy, or a chambermaid at an inn ;
my authority is grounded upon a baflb-relievo, which re-
prefents the whole tranfa&ion, and is inferted in the wall
near the porphyry vafe, where it could hardly have come
but with the approbation of the ordinary and clergy belong-
ing to this church. This vafe is not made ufe of at prefcnt.
But, if it be true, that formerly it ferved to hold the holy
water, it is no wonder that the devil, if he had any fore-
knowledge of the ufe it was defigned for, fhould be very
unwilling to fatigue himfelf with carrying weapons to be
employed againft himfelf, and provide a veflel for that wa-
ter by which he and his legions may at any time be con-
founded and put to, flight. However, from the largcnefs of
the vafe, it does not feem probable that it was employed for
that ufe. It muft be acknowledged to be a valuable piece,
on account of its dimenfions, and the matter of which it
confifts.
The font of St. Zeno's church is very large, and cut out Baflb-relJe-
of one block of white marble. The table of the high altar
likewife confifts of one piece of marble, thirteen feet long,
and fix broad, which was the produce of this country. St,
Zeno lies in the vault under this church, which is adorned
with feveral pillars of yellow marble. On the church-door,
which is plated with bronze, are reprefented, but very rudely,
all ranks and orders of ecclefiaftics. On both fides of the
entrance feverai fcriptural ftories are carved on ftone ; thofii
of the Old Teftament on the right-hand, as one enters into
the church, and thofe of the New on the other fide. The
eaftern magi we. here reprefented with crowns on their heads ;
and, in the reprefenting the apprehending of Chrift in the gar-
den, Peter cuts offMalchus's ear, and is diftinguiflied by a
key hanging at his arm. The fculpture on the outfide of
this church is fomething remarkable, as it reprefents horfe-
men, wild beafts, hunting matches, &c. with Latin infcrip-
tions over them, very few of which are now legible. The
vulgar entertain themfelves with abundance of ftories relat-
ing to thefe images. Among other things, they tell us, that
kino; Theodoric and Satan entered into a compact, by virtue
of which, the latter was bound, at all times, to fupply his
majefty with good horfes and hounds. The perfonon horfe-
back laid to reprefent Theodoric rides with ftirrups, con-
trary to the practice of antiquity.
Cn
3 6S V E R O N A.
On the wall, near the roof, two cocks are feen dragging
ia fox with his feet fattened to a log of wood : the like is
feen of inlaid work on the pavement at St. Mark's church
in Venice. The laft piece, becaufe the word Galli fignifies
both Cocks and Frenchmen, is fuppofed to allude to Charles
VIII. and Lewis XII. kings of France, and the crafty Luigi
Sforza duke of Milan. Miflbn alfo conjectures, that the
Veronefe figures allude to Defiderius king of Lombardy, or
his fon Adalgifus, and Pepin and Charles the Great. But I
am inclined to think, that giving a myfterious fignifica-
tion to thofe grotefque figures with which the builders of the
middle ages were fond of crnbellifhing their works, is fre-
quently attributing to them defigns which they never thought
Doubt con- O f, As to St. Zeno's church, it is far from being of that
M^uftyof annuity commonly afcribed to it, as the title of Rex Gallic,
Sr.Zeno's to be feen in a ftone infcription on the porch of this church,
church. was unknown in fuch a remote epocha.
Paintings in Connoifleurs in painting will find entertainment in the
ehurches church of St. Nazario, which belongs to the Benedictines,
and thofe of St. Stephano, Fermo, &c. The Capuchine
monks have fomc fine pieces of painting in their church, by
Farenati, in one of which, as a compliment to the fathers,
St. Francis is reprefented taking down our Saviour from the
crofs.
Women of The Veronefe women are well fhaped, and of a frefh
ona * complexion, for which, unqueftionably, they are obliged to
the goodnefs of the air. The neighbourhood of the moun-
tains conftantly refreshes this city in the heats of fummer
with a cool evening breeze. And tho' the orange-trees,
&c. are not expofed here in winter to the open air ; yet the
climate produces all kinds of fruits and vegetables in per-
fection.
Count Guif- In count Giufti's garden is a very grand walk of cyprefs-
ti's garden, trees, fome of which exceed a hundred feet in height, and
prdfe y " are above two hundred years old. This garden, in which
there is a very curious labyrinth, is laid out on an eminence,
which yields a delightful profpect of the city and the neigh-
bouring plain. It has likewife a grotto, which is fo contri-
ved, that the leaft found or whifper may be diftinclly heard
from one corner to another. Under a ftatue of Ceres erect-
ed in the garden, are thele words :
VERONA. 369
quid Veneri Infcription
under a fta-
tueof Ceres*
Dee/et, ' > a fta-
Cum Baccho Ceres
AJJodaitir .
4 That nothing might be wanting to Venus, Ceres Is
' here joined with Bacchus.'
Under the ftatue of Venus is the following irifcription :
Sine me latum
Nibil exoritur :
Stfltua in Viridario
Mihi poftta eft
Ut in Verier e Venus ejjet.
* "Without me there is nothing that charms : my ftatue -is
c placed in this garden, becaufe a beautiful place becomes
* the goddefs of beauty.'
.
under the ftatue of Bacchus :
Ambulator ^
Ne trepides^
Baccbum Amatorem
Nan Bellalorem
Ad Genium loci
I)omirMS P.
* Paffenger, be not afraid, I am Bacchus the lover, not
* the warrior, and ftationed here, as the" genius of the place,
' by the pofleflbr.'
The country about Verona produces good peaches, me- Fruit, <SV.
Ions, figs, ftrawberries, truffles, very large artichoaks, ^-PJ od "^ di
paragus, chefnuts, apples^ pears, plums, grapes, olives, and ne j- e
efculent herbs.
Signior Gazzuola's garden is laid out in fine walks, plant- Count Gar
ed with trees which afford an agreeable (hade. The owner zuo!a ' s s ar "
was formerly a counfellcr, but has procured the title of count ; **
and as Gazzuola, in Italian) fignifies a magpye, that bird is
his coat of arms, with this motto, LOQUENDO, ;'. e. by fpeak-
ing. This delightful place he owes to his fkill in his pro-
feifion. The former gwner of it, who, it feems, had ma-
'Vot. III. B U ny
370 VERONA.
ny law-fuits on his hands, employed Gazzuola fo long to
plead for him till he had no other way of fatisfying his de-
mands, but by making over the houfe and garden to him *.
As foon as Gazzuola had taken pofleflion of the garden, he
Tocular al- (QQ^ down the arms of the former owner, and put up his
thern 1 * own w ^ tne motto LOQUENDO, infcribed under them ;
which, contrary to his intention, is interpreted of the means
by which he acquired this garden.
Petrifafti- I fhall conclude this letter with an account of the feveral
CM. kinds of petrifactions which have been found about Verona, of
whichBaftianoRotario, a phyfician,has a very large collection.
The moft remarkable amongthefe,in my opinion, is a kind of
Sicrafaj. fea-crabs called Paguri, which are rarely to be met with.
FUhei. Betwixt Verona and Vicenza in the diftridt of Bolco and
not far from Veftene nuova are found all kinds of petrified
* A general cenfure from the misbehaviour of a few Js extremely un-
charitable. However, the lawyers, from time immemorial, have been
looked upon in a difadvantageous light. Even in Augustus's time, they
were become very contemptible at Rome ; For they had departed from the
folid eloquence by which Cicero and Hortertfius did honour to their pro-
feflion, mitigated one party againft another, and enriched themfelves by
Chicanery and malpraftices, till that emperor faw himfelf under a necefE-
ty of diminishing their number, and putting a check to their avarice. In
tjie time of Lewis emperor of Germany, it was found necelTary to pub-
hfh a folemn edict to put a flop to their abufes. A'jentin. annul. Boj. I. IV.
ad an. 850,^. 244. Dimimeta funt caitjfidicorum merces, quorum perjilia
nibil<vet!alius. Nee eft quidquam, quodTeutones, noftroeevomagitadfum-
mam egeftatem redigit quant litium calumni* & legulejorum anrijuga turba,
qui quafi Sardi venales fora conftipant. ' The fees of pleaders were re-
* duced, their iniquitous venality being grown to a monftrous height :
* nor are the Germans more impoverished by any thing in our age than
* by lawfuits, and the chicanery of the venal tribe of pettifogger?, with
' which the courts of juftice are crowded.' However, no people perhaps
fhewed a greater deteftation of the lawyers than the ancient Germans.
Lucius Florus, Hift. Rom. I. IV. c. 11. 37, fays, Nihil ilia cade Pariana.
eruentius : ttibilinfuliatione barbarorum intolfrantius, prtecipue tamen in cauf-
farum patronos. Aiiis ocnlos t aliis manus amputabant : uniuf os futum, rt-
fifa priut lingua, quant in manu tencns barbarus : Tandem, inquit, viptra
.foilare Je/ifle, i. e. ' Never was any defeat more bloody than that of
Varius, nothing more favage than the infults of the barbarians ; efpeci-
ally towards the pleaders of caufes. Of fome they plucked out the eyes,
and cut off the hands of others .- they fewed up the mouth of one of
them, having ftrft tore out his tongue, which a barbarian holding up in
his hand, farcaftically faid, " Now ceafetohifs, viper." Among the
ancients, the character of a wicked lawyer has been expofed !y Ammian.
Marcell. lib. XXX. c. iz. Cicero pro Rofc. Amer. c. so. Seneca de ira, /.
J. c. 7, /. III. .37. Pttron. in Satyr. And, among the moderns, i'cz Zitgltr
in rabul. A. Fritfcb in ad<voc. peccant, and the famous Italian profeflbr of
law, Aurel. di Gennaro's treatifa dWfc O//KJO/* manitre dei defender if caujt
nelforo, 174.5.
filk
VERONA. g 7 t
filh, moft of which are of the falt-water fpecies, in a fort
of white loam. The foil contains, but a fmall quantity of
chalk. Thefe fifties are moftly well preferved, their bones
being intire, and, frequently, even .theii- fcales. They
chiefly confift of the Sarda minor, pike, foals, thornbacks;
the Hirundo marina* a flying f fh, pearch, the Icarus, and
gudgeon*
Befides thefe, near Bolco are found crabs, large o"yfter- other pctn-
ihells, and petrified leaves of the Londiys afpera. factions.
Zannichelli, a celebrated Venetian apothecary, in the
year 1721, publifhed a treatife dedicated tb P. Bonanni a
Jefuit, intitled Lithographia duerum Montium Veroncnfium
vulgodi Boricolo et di Zoppica diftorum* The moft remarkable
petrifa&ions found in thofe mountains are the Oftrea maxima
rtigcfa^ lapides lenticulares triajores levigati, Concbites^ Cochleitit)
Turbinites^ Numifmata five Lapides frumentarii^ &c.
In the neighbourhood of Bbgriolo are, found Coralloides|
Oftrea, Numifmata rnajora, Tubulitze inftarCornu Amrrionis
in fe revoluti, Cochieitas and Buccinitas. Petrified cbral-
lines are likewife dug tip in Monte di Soave.
Near Ronca are found ConMtee laves^ tranfverjtm, minutif*
fimejiriatiy together with other fpecies of the fame, TelUnit&l
Strombitrt lesVes^ Strombita; muricati & Jlriati, &c. Turbl-
nita fafdatiy Turbinites fafciati & Jtriatiy Tiirbinitce muricati^
TiirbinittE muricati & in orbe fuperiore fajciati, Turbinitce fajci-
ati % & punfticulati^ Tnrltnitts fafciati & echinofi, Turbinita hcp~
tangulares variisjlriit afperati^ Turbinitte alii multangular es ft ric*
/?', Muricites marmcreus rojiro incurvato^ Muricita Uviterjiriati^
partim roflri curvi*, partitn atlriti^ majores & nrinores^ Murex
tnarmoreus auritus rufefcentis colons^ oftreum bivalve rafefcenth
co/oris, Cochleitee leeves, Butcimta leeves^ Cbames colons cinerei
Iranfverfimflriaid) Purpurittx echiniformes^ Cor'alloidte^ Mja'rj
pora., Numifmala fc. Lapides friimentarii> &c.
in feveral other parts of the territories bf Veroria are
found Conchita, Peftinitts auriti^ Pefiiniia fuicis latijjimis in"
figniii^ Peftines iftgentes Jlriis crftjjioribtis rugr.fi^ P ettunculitet
minutijjinie per hngum ftriati,P eiunculit<z Li fieri iPettttnculi per 1
langum &tranfverfumjiriati) Teliinita;^ CochUfsit'^s Itves marmcrei,
together with -other fpecies of them, Cornva Ammonis, Nauti
lus in marmore rufefcenti^ Odontopctra-, Coralloide s^Lapis frit
mentarrus fc. juxta Langium Semen fcenituli, Lapis Lyndus fc.
Belemnitcs, Alcyonia varia, Strombi, Lapidcs Itnticulares^ Pur-
puree marmoreee^Tvrbine^ in hr.gu?n undati& elegantcr minutatirn
in tranfverjwn crjfpati, lurbinita pet- Icngum & tranfvfrfmJJri^
B b 2 ati t
37 2 V I C E N Z A.
fl/7, Fungi , Modioli & Lapides Amygdalam referentes^ Mnricitce
auritl, Chatnte dentatt ^p^cinita:. Eucardita, which the coun-
try people call torte//zjtneie aK ,.^-.nnd nearly in the form
of a heart, nmfculi^ ojlreum bivalve utwi . '. ofteocolles cre-
tacea varies fpccies^ cancrl varies rnagmtudmh , L.C.. C '/m, and
other petrified leaves, as alfo, Ecbimtcs Spatagoidcj <....
befides Mifcblo de Brentonico and Giallo di Torri.
The country about Verona produces feveral other fpecies
of good marble befides thofe called Mifchio di Brentonico
and Giallo di Torri ; and ipecimens of all thefe are to be
feen in many of the churches in this city.
VERONA, May 2, 1730.
h
LETTER LXX.
Account of VICENZA.
S I R,
Country. ./TT^HE diftance from Verona to Vicnza is thirty Italian
JL miles : The road lies through a ftony but fertile and
-pleatant country.
The city. - Vicenza contains a great many elegant and beautiful build-
ings, and the tops of feveral of them are ornamented with
.ftatues ; particularly thofe in the piazza or area before the
council-houfe. This piazza makes fuch a grand appearance
that it only wants fountains to make it a Piazza di Novona
in miniature. Afttr this city fell under the Venetian yoke,
they erected here, as in other conquered cities, the arms of
St. Mark on a Ipfty pillar, which are a winged lion. On
another pillar of the fame kind {lands the image of our Sa-
viour.
Council- The council-houfe called il Palazzo della Ragione has a
houfe. yer y ip ac j ous h a JI j b u t jt is not kept in good order. In the
criminal court is a picture reprefenting the final judgment,
painted by Titian. In another part of this palace is the fto-
ry of Noah's drunkennefs, cffr. painted by Paris Bardone.
This large edifice contains feveral other fine paintings ; but
moft of them are diipofed in an improper light.
Anemia There is in this city an academy or literary fociety ftiled
Q!\ir Y uo- -the Oiympici, whole defign is chiefly the improvement of
ram. the
V I C E N> ? A. 573
the Italian language. The academians hold their meetings Curious.
in a theatre built by the celebrated Palladio ; which is very theatre *
well worth a traveller's notice for its admirable conftruction.
It is but very feldom ufed as a theatre ; the opera of Sopho-
nifba being the only one that has been exhibited in it. The
perfpettive of the ftao;e is admirable, and- it is decorated
with ftatues of the Roman emperors and philofophers. The
parterre or pit is likewife adorned with leveral ftatues, and
t.he feats are difpofed after the manner of the ancient amphi-
theatres.
As for the ruins of the ancient Roman theatre, not Reman
long fince (hewn in thePigafetti andGualdi gardens, nothing theatre,
is now to be feen of them, an houie being built on the
place where it flood.
In the Campus Martius without the city is a triumphal Triumphal
arch built from a defign of the above-mentioned Palladio, arch -
in imitation of the ancient ftructures of that kind. Former-
ly the yearly fair, which lafts from the I5th day to the end
of October, was held on the Campus Martius ; but for fome Cani P us
years pad it has been removed info the city. Matuus.
In count Montenari's houfe is a hall finely painted, a Montenari
great deal of curious ftucco work, and a fmall gallery of palace,
ielecr. pictures.
The palace of count Chiragado ftands in a large area, and CWragado
is an elegant piece of architecture. p acc *
In count Wale's houfe where Frederic king of Denmark Count
lodged as he nafled through Vicenza. is a irood collection of Bale's
~, . houfe.
nne pictures.
The city of Vicenza is of no extraordinary extent ; Dumber of
however there are fuppofed to be in it fifty-level! churches, convents,
convents, and hofpitals. The cathedral affords nothing
worth a traveller's notice.
The Dominican church deferves feeing on account of the Dominican
high altar, and the inlaid Florentine woik on the Paliiotto, cnurc ' J -
which reprefents the annunciation, the institution of the
Lord's fupper, and the refurrection of ChrifK The otru-r
ornaments of the .altar, confuting of flowers and ftatues, are
alfo executed with a mafterl.y hand. Here is a piece of
painting reprefenting the adoration of the caftern magi by
Paolo Veronefe.
On the front of St. Barbara's churrh the following in- st. Bm-ha-
fcription is to be feen ; ra ' s church -
B b 3 Scnja
374 V I G E N 2 A.
Senio fattfccns- Ecckfa
V, Kdl Mart. A. MDCXCV. korrend'u mot'tbvt,
^niverfd nutante Urbe
Pro^entodum excujja
B fitu ac ruderibus elegantior exfurgh
A. MDCCU.
< This church, being almoft ruinous by length of time.
4 was,' on the 25th of February 1695, when the whole city
t {hook by the terrible concuflions of an earthquake, altnoft
* demolimed, but rofe from Lts ruins with greater beauty and
elegance in the year 1702.'
8. Maria in The cieling and feveral chapels in the church di S. Maria
Campagna- ^ Campagnano were painted by Pordenone.
The Theatines church has been lately rebuilt.
MonsPieta- The Mons Pietatis is a fupcrb edifice, and has an excellent
tis< library opened for the ufe of the public.
Madonna in Without the city is the church of the Madonna in Monte,
Monte. which has a good front, and is covered with votive pieces.
Remarkson There is a picture, painted by Paul Veronefe, in the refec-
P ? Tvcro- tol 7 ^ l ^ s convent > reprefenting pope Gregory the Great
8ev C fitting with feveral pilgrims at table, where our Saviour alfo
is prefent. Though this piece be finely executed, the in-
dention is very abfurd j for the pope fits at the upper end
without his triple crown, and next to him Chriit is repre-
fented without any particular fymbol or mark of diflinction.
The next is a cardinal, and on the other fide is another car-
dinal with a large pair of fpeclacjes on his nofe. A page
drefied in theSpanim manner waits at table with a dog under
his arm. Under the table a cat, a monkey, &c. are reprefent-
ed. The mountain on which this church and the convent to
which it belongs are built yields a very agreeable profpe<5l,
which extends as far as Padua, ' for the-convenience of the
ufual proceffions, and of pilgrims, a large afcent by fteps has
been made up the acclivity of the mountain. At the begin-
ning of the afcent in the valley, a triumphal arch is ere&ed ;
and on the left-hand of it is a ftatue of the virgin Mary.
Situation. Vicenza lies between two mountains in a large plain ; and the
' ertl1 ^ territory belonging to it on account"^ its fertility is generally
intry ' called the garden and fhambles of Venice. The meadows
about Vicenza are watered by t;he little \rivers Leogra, Loro-
to,' Aftignello, Dcbita, Rerone, and Tribualo : and the ri-
vulet
VIC E N Z A. 375
vulet Bachiglione runs through the middle of the city. The
fineft garden at Vicenza is that of count Valmarano, which,
indeed, for its fituation, hedges, vifta's, arbors, and beautiful
walks) may be reckoned one of the nobleft in Italy. A co-
vered walk of cedar and orange-trees planted alternately,
which is above two hundred common paces in length, is par-
ticularly admired. On one fide of it is a broad canal well
flocked with large barbels and other fife, which at the found
of a pipe immediately appear in great numbers on the fur-
face in order to be fed. Over the entrance into the garden,
oh the Verona fide, is the following infcription :
Si te Ingredientem gravicres firti
Hue ufque infecuta funt cura^
Eas velint nolint procul
Nunc ut abeant facito ;
Hilaritati namqut & genio
Pan b*c potij". dicata ejl.
Cedros hofce qvi dernpferil
Florefoe carpferit
hfacrilegus efta*
Vtrlumnoqut
^ueis funt Jticri 9
Paenas luit*.
Civit,
Qui loci amcenitate cupis oblefJ
Securus hue ingredere
Teque largiter recrta,
Nullus intus cants,
Nullus Draco^
Nullus fake minaci Deus^
Omnia fed tuta benigneque expo/ita.
Sicvgluit Comes LEONARDOS VALMANARA
Hortorum dominus y
Mode/Ham quod tuam & continentiam
Cu/lodem forte fidat opporiunum.
Anno MDXCIL
< If corroding cares have haply followed thee thus far,
* though they be loth to leave thee, difpel and banifli them
away. This place is more particularly dedicated to genial
1 mirth and feftivity. Whoever (hall damage thefe cedars,
B b 4 'or
Wine,
Vindictive
temper of
larly of the
people of
yjcenza.
V I C E N Z A.
* or Crop a flower, let him be accounted a facrilegious per-
' Ton, and be punifhed to appeale Vertumnus and Pomona,
* to whom they are confecrated/
* Native, friend, or frranger, who defireft to amufe thy-
' felf with the rural charms of this place, thou mayeft fe-
' curely enter theie gardens defigned for pleafure and recrea-
c tion. Here is no fierce dog, no frightful dragon, no dci-
' ty with his threatening weapon ; but every thing here is
' freely and without danger expofed to thy view. Such is
' the pleafure of count Leonarda Valmanara, the owner of
' the gardens, who relies on thy modefty and good breeding,
* as fufficient to guard the place from arty outrage.
This country produces plenty of excellent wine, which
is particularly celebrated for its lenient quality in the pains
of the gout.
The inhabitants of Vicen^a are 'charged with being of a
rnore vindictive temper than the reft of the Italians; on
w ^* c ' 1 account they are commonly called Gli afiaflini Vicen-
tini ; ;. e. ' Thefe Vicentian afiaflins.' This is certain,
that travellers, and efpecially the Germans, who have here
^ character of being hot and quarrelforrie, fhould be very
careful in every part of Italy to avoid difputes, and efpecially
with the poftillions, and other perfons of the lower clafs ;
for the defire of revenge is fuch a predominant paflion in
them, that they have been known to follow a traveller fix
or eight ftages to watch an opportunity of gratifying their
malice and revenge.
Open violence, indeed, is little to be apprehended from
them, on which account the danger is the greater.
Omne animal timidum critdele.
f Cowards are always cruel/
Murder is Jooked upqn in Italy in a very different light
from what it is in other countries. If a robbery has been
committed, either in the ftreets or on the market-place, iri
any of the towns of Italy, and the people are alarmed to ftop
the thief, there is always afliftance 'at hand to pnrfue the cri-
minal ; but, upon crying after a murderer, no body c.fers to
ftir ; and the aflaflin faves himfelf by flying unmolefted to a
church, convent, or other afylum, where, to the great ho-
nour- of the clergy be it fpoken, the villain receives all pof-
fible
V I C E N Z A. 377
fible afliftance that he may efcape the hands of the civil pow-
er. I remember a poftillion who once drove me w,as trcache-
roufiy {tabbed at the poft-houfe of Piiloia ; and, though the
fa6l was committed in the pretence of more than ten perfons,
not one of them ftirred a foot to feize or purfue the murderer.
The meaneft. citizens cf Vicenza, in %ning contra&s or i
other deeds, add to their name the title of Comte Vicentino,
or count of Vicenza, an empty piece of pride, which they
derive from an a-nfwer, as is pretended, given by Charles V.
who, when he was at Vicenza, to get rid of the importu-
nate felicitations offeveral of the rich citizens, to grant them
the title of counts, faid. injeft, Todos Contes; * c I make
^ you all counts.'
M. della Vale, an ingenious apothecary, who lives on the
Piazza, has a curious collection of petrifactions ; and efpeci-
ally of Verona petrified fifties. Thofe who are fond of thefe
natural curiofities may collecl, in many places of the diftrict
of Vicenza, PeRunculi Jlriatl-, Echini and Chelonites ; and par-
ticularly on the chalk-hill, as it is called, are found Conchita;
bivalves^ Telliniitz^ M_ufculit<x, Buccinit<z y Turbinlt<z per longum
& tranfverfimjlriati^ Pettmitte auriti, Pettinita cumjlriis la~
tijjtmis diflinfti) Peftunadi leviter Jiriati, Echini, Cochleites,
vertebras pifcium.) &c. Beyond the Capuchine mountain, near
Schium, towards the north-eaftand on the borders of Trent,
are found the Echinitx difcoidei, Chelonites, Pedlines, and
Gagates.
Beyond Schium, farther north, in a mountain called il
Monte Summano, medals, and other remains of antiquity,
have been dug up. Some derive the name of this hill from
its height ; but others from a temple of Pluto, the ruins of
which with the following infcription, as it is faid, are (till to
be feen there: Plutom Summano aliifque Diis Stygiis f , i. e.
' To Pluto of Summanus, and the other infernal deities.'
A fragment of an altar confecrated to Pluto Summanus, plac-
ed in the church of S. Maria in Monte, is mentioned by
* As Charles V. ciicl not fcttl? anv revenue on the burghers of Vicenza.
to maintain their imaginary dignity, the following proveib is not impro-
perly applied to them :
Permultos Ccmites Hcentia nutrit egen&s.
As poor as a count of Vicenza.'
f rid. fabrett. Infcript.p. 87.
Grater,
378 PADUA,
Grater, T. I. p. 1015. n. 7. Macrobius and Capclla de Nupt.
Phu:leg. lib. ii. fuppofes thai Summanus was put hrfummus,
or '-rriceps Manium j i. e. ' The chief of the Manes.' But
Sumn:^jius has not been demonftrated to be a furname of
Pluto; ano perhaps thofe two names may imply two different
deities. Ovid, who thoroughly underftood the heathen my-
thologyj is himfelf at a lofs what to make of the god Sum-
manus i for he fays, in his Fqftiy Kb. vi. v. 731,
Redflita^ quifquis is eft, Summano templa feruntur
Tune cum Romano, Pyrrbe, timendus eras.
c It is faid, that temples were firft erected to Summanus,
* whoever he be, when Pyrrkus grew formidable to the
* Romans.
The diftarice from \ r icenza to Padua is eighteen Italian
miles. The road lies through a fertile, well-cultivated plain.
Paflengers may go from one city to the other by water j but
the pafiage is very tedious, being no lefs than iixty Italian
miles by reafon of the winding of the river.
VICENZA, May 3, 1730*
y&&&^^
LETTER LXXI.
Account of the City of PADUA.
S I R,
Padua. '"T^HE Paduans boaft, that the republic of Venice owes its
JL origin and rife to their city. But it is now fome cen-
turies fmce Padua has been brought under the Venetian yoke,
Number of which has occafioned it greatly to decline from its former
its inhabi- fplcndor j fo that at prefent it hardly contains forty thoufand
tants ' inhabitants*. ^
Univcrfity. The univerfhy creeled here by the emperor Frederic II,
with a view of prejudicing that of Bologna, is in a very de-
* The number of inhabitants at Brefcia i$ computed to be thirty-five
thoufand.
dining
PADUA. 379
dining ftate ; for the number of ftudents at prefent fcarcc a-
mounts to four or five hundred. This is in a great meafure
owing to the negle& of checking the extravagant licentiouf-
nefs and infolence of the iludents, which formerly rofe to
fuch extremities, that no one could walk the ftreets after
dufk without being obnoxious to their infults, which they
pra&ifed with impunity. The watchword of thofe defpera-
does in their nocturnal excurfions was, 4>; va li? \. e.
* Who goes there ?' Hence they came to be called Quiva/i/ii.
And, though their enormities are very much decreafed with
their numbers, yet difcreet people generally take care not to
be out in the night at Padua.
In the year 1722 fuch a tumult happened here in the day-
time, that a fyndic and four ftudents were fhot by the Jbirri.
As thefe officers exceeded their commifiion, feveral of them
were hanged, or fent to the galleys, that the ftudents might
have no caufe, or pretence, to forfake the univerfity. An
inscription was alfo fet up in the place where the tumult be-
gan, as a memorial of the fatisfadtion given to the ftudents
on that account. It is not above two years fince count la
Rofa loft his life in the ftreets of Padua in the night.
When a proteftant traveller dies at Padua, he is buried pro'eftanti
without any difficulty either in a church or a convent, if he buried "*
has only taken care to be matriculated in the univerfity. c "
The college is called il Palazzo degli Studii, and is adorn-
ed with great numbers of ftatues of the moft celebrated per-
fons educated there with proper infcriptions. The anatomy-
fchool has fix galleries round it, for the conveniency of fee-
ing the difTe&ions j but it is fo dark, that thofe operations
are performed in it by candle-light. Here are no fkeletons
to be feen ; but the profeflbrs of phyfic have feveral in their
refpedlive houfes. The phyfic-garden has very few equals ; ph v fi c -gar-
and the difpofition of the plants is very elegant and conveni- dtn.
ent. It was founded by Francifcus Bonaefidei, who was the
firft profeflbr of botany at Padua, and died in the year 1658.
Over the entrance are the rules prefcribed to thofe who
frequent this garden, with the penalties for difobeying them,
&r<
The fuperior advantages which this garden has enjoyed a-
bove moft other phyfic-gardens is, that Guilandini, Cortufo,
Alpino, Vefling, and other celebrated botanifts, have fuc-
ceffively had the fuperintendency of it. Vefling was a na-
tive of Minden in Weftphalia, and was honoured by Otta-
yio Ferrari with the following epitaph ;
JQJNM
*3ft> PADUA.
JOJNNI FES LING 70, Mindano,
Natura veriqw fcrutatori folertij}imo> quifapientia, atque ex~
tticarwnjlirpiumjtudio Mgypto ac Syria, per agrata ab Veneto Se-
natu rei herbaria & corporum Sefiicni pr&feftus, eum Latinitath
fe 9 Graces erudition:* cultum jnutis artibus circumfudit^ ut illic
natures ludentis pompom <smularetur y hicffetfaculi diritotem Qra-
ticrtls -duke dine ddiniret, ut quantum ocitii pater entur^ tantumfibi
attrcs placer ent. Dcmum labcribus fraflus dum tniferesplebi gra-
tuitam cferam prcsftat^ noxio cantafttt vitam publics Saluti im-
ptndt. Jo. Pueppa Socero B. M. P. Anno MDCLV.
~X'* J To the memory of John Vefling, a native of Minden,
' a moft indefatigable fearcher after truth, 3nd into the works
* of nature, who, for the improvement of his knowledge,
* and his fkill in botany, having travelled all over Egypt
' and Syria, was afterwards, by the fenate of Venice, ap-
* pointed profefTor of botany and anatomy, and fet forth
* thofe demonftrative fciences with all the ornaments of
'*' Greek and Roman eloquence ; fo that, in the former, he
.' imitated the exuberance and flowery pride of nature ; and,
* in the latter, he foftened the horror of anatomical opera-
*'tions by the harmony and fweetnefs of his accents, which
pkafed the ear no lefs than the difTe&ions fhocked the eye.
At length broken by care, and afliduity in his profeflion,
* whilft he was attending the poor without fee or reward,
" he contracted a fatal diieafe, and thus laid down his life in
c the fcrvice of tVe public. John Pueppa creeled this mo-
' nument as a mark of his affection to his worthy father-in-
< law, in the year 1655.'
The Morofmi garden in the Brenta Vecchia deferves the
notice of thofe who admire orangeries and exotic plants.
Xhe Francifcan church is one of the mcft remarkable
places at Padua. It is dedicated to S. Antonio di Padua.
This celebrated patron faint was born at Lifbon in the year
jigs, and died in the year 1231. Several books are pub-
Jifhed, giving an account of his life, and the great miracles
performed by St. Antony, all ufhered in with the licence
and approbation of the fuperior clergy; though manypaffa-
ges in thofe books cannot he read without offence. Indeed
feveral Roman-catholics would look upon them as the ficti-
ons of heretics, were it not manifeft from their own books
. that nothing is faliely charged upon them with regard to this
fain ,
P A ;D AU <|A. 381
faint. The patronage of St. Antony is certainly worth a.l
the endeavours that a goad catholic can be at to obtain it, as
it is not limited to this fnort lite, but extends to the day of
judgment, with an efficacy not inferior to that which the
fcripture attributes to our blefled Saviour only *. Fini, an
Italian poet, .has thus exprefTed his confidence in this faint :
Che fo? che penfo? alper.entorio e/lremo^
Al no~oijjimo di mi Mama il fato^
Con pralania di Aforte iofon citato
De? alte Rote al Tribunal fupremo.
"~an punto ! o gran punto! to gelo^
j^ "itar giajento il mio peccato ;
Viem - 'onio-, e per me fa i'Avincato^
Se tu traL. i xiufai to piii non-temo.
Io temo ben delic ' colpe ilfaj,
E per che reo mi ^ * proceffo io fono
Del' eterne Giujiitit temo il Dio.
Ma fpero al fin dc la Pic. ^el trono
S'bo la lingua c? Antonio f avor mio^
Segnatura di gr-ailae di per. '? f. .
' :riw Jn
< Alas ! what fhall I do, and whither "e my thoughts^
* Fate calls me to the laft day. I am fun. >ned by death
* before the fupreme tribunal ofheaven. O -portant cri
' fis ! O weighty concern ! I fhiver and tret/ " when I
confider what pleafure I took in fin. Come, bleffed
Antony, and be thou my advocate ; if thou av birt
' plead my caufe, I fhall no longer fear. 'Xis true, i *r
' the punifhment due to my-fins j I fear the divine juftic^,
* as I fhall be found guilty before the throne of God : bur I
* hope to find mercy at laft if Antony's tongue be employ-
' ed in my favour, as it is the feal and pledge of pardon and
4 forgivenefs.'
The chapel of this faint is almoft covered with votive
pieces, t*?c. for the cures and. other favours obtained by his TIT-
terceflion ; and among the reft is the following infcription :
*The devotion of the Padiians to this faint is fuch, that the beggars d
not afk alms for God's, but for St. Antony's fake; and, among the votiv:
tables, one of them has the following inftription : Exauait S.Antonius, q:us
nan exattdit Deus ; ' Thofe whom God himfelf does not hear, St. Antuny f
f hears.'
f Vid. RelaKioni del gran Santo di Padoua Antonio, e dell'' altefue mara-
<viglie, di LeHo Mariciri:. In Padoua 1654.
Viator,
A D U A.
, afpice novum portentum^
Adfuntjimilia f*pe & frequentia t
At venerare.
Veneti marts undo incauturti Livium
, Decennem rapuit,
Jnfcio Patre
Alienum, non filium conquertnte^
Bis hor<efpatio teftum
Pietas feruatum voluit.
Cur dubttas ?
Ignis^Mare^ Ferrutn t
Catera occurrentla mala t
Omnia Sanffo cedunt.
Zacharias Pontinus Pattr
Tanti muneris memoir
Tanto Sanftopofuit.
1645. Kal. Augttjti.
Traveller, behold a new prodigy ; yet wonder not, bu{
* adore the faint who often works fuch miracles amongft us;
Livio, a boy of ten years of age, carelefly playing on the
fhore of the Adriatic fea, was wafhed away by the waves,
while his father, knowing nothing of this accident, unex-
pectedly found his fon, whofe devotion to the faint had
miraculoufly preferved him two hours under water. Do&
thou doubt of this ? Even fire, water, the fword, and
every difcafe own the power of the faint. In memory of
this great mercy to his fon, the father, Zachary Pontano,
hung up this votive table to fo great a faint on the ift day
of Auguft, 1645.'
Rich chj>el In this faint's chapel I faw burning above fifty large filver
fiis faint. j ampS} an( j one o f g^^ together with two very large filver
candleftidks {landing ori white marble pedeftals. Thewalls are
etnbellimed with admirable baflb-relievo's by Tullio Loni-
bardo, Antonio Lombardo, Giacomo Sanfovino, and Gie^-
ronimo Campagna. St. Antony's farcophagus is of fer-
pentine, and lies under the altar. The altar is adorned with
feven angels of bronze, caft by Afpetti, and like wife with
fome exquifite fculpture ; and indeed the chapel, in every
refpect, has but few equals. On one fide of it are (hewn two
wax flambeaux, eight or nine inches in diameter, which are
fixed
PAD U A. 383
fixed in an iron-work j thefe are faid to have been offered
by a treacherous Turk, with a defign to blow up the cha-
pel by means of fire-works concealed in them. But it feems
St. Antony prevented the calamity: for, thefe flambeaux be-
ing lighted, he cried out aloud three times from his coffin,
lhat they fhould be put out again' j which occafioned a far-
ther examination of the flambeaux: and thus the villanous
plot was difcovered. We were entertained with fuch ano-
ther ftory of a powder plot at Loretto. St. Antony's re-
mains is faid continually to emit a molt fragrant perfume,
which is chiefly fmelt at a crevice behind the aitar. The
faint's tongue is kept with great devotion in a glafs vafe in St. Antony**
the veftry, and very fervent prayers are offered up to it. ton e ue '
Here is a vaft treafure of fiiver candleiticks, crucifixes, gold Treafure.
chalices, pyxes, and feveral reliques belonging to the
chapel.
Oppofite to St. Antony's chapel is that of St. Felix, in Sf - Fd'
which are fome paintings in frefto by the famous Giotto of c ap
Florence,
Under a marble buft near St. Antony's chapel is the fol-
lowing epitaph by Ottavio Ferrari :
CO NS rA NT I NO D TTO R IO,
Ingtntis animi juVeni) ant in Dalmatia militiam aufpicatus>fi3-
grante Cretico bello illuc tranjiit^ & memorabdi Urbii obfidiohe
Jlrenui & maxime pugnacls nomen implcvlt ; nam pro vallo ejtcu~
bans, crebrifque in bojhm eruptionibus^ non uno vulrtere decorus,
terraque iormcntorum impetu cxdijfd pene obrutus & prope aculis
(aptus^ cum illi Senatus emeriti decor'n preemium Tarvijn armo-
rum regimen obtulijjet, bonejio otio labor es ac pericii'a praferens^
dum quotidie pcfius mortis capax ho/it objicit^ glands trajeftus
mortalitatem magis finroit quarn vitam. yulius'P'afer.s d'ejolatij-
Jtmus, quod accipere debuerat^ pofnit. Ann. M.DLCXX.
* To the magnanimous youth Conftantio 0ottori, who,
having ferved his firft campaign irt Dalmatia, afterwards'
difHnguiftied himfelf in the Cretan war, 'and acquired the
reputation of a brave and intrepid foldier at the memorable
fiege of the city of Candia ; being ported before the trench-
es in the frequent fallies made by the enemy, he received
feveral honourable wounds, and almoft loft his fight, ber
ing in a manner buried under-ground by the fpringing of a
mine. The fenate, as the reward of his valour, offered him
Vi hoaourable poft ; but he, preferring hardfhips and dan-
' gerc
S 8 4 PAD IS- A,
gers even to honourable Jeifure, continued in the arm}',
where he intrepidly expofed himfelf to the fire of the ene-
my. He was at laft fhot by a mufket-ball, and thus finifh-
ed his mortal courfe rather than his life. Giulio, his af-
flited father, erected this monument to his fon, who
ought rather to have performed this laft office to his father.
1670.'
Baflb-relie- In the choir are Several brafs baflb-relievo's of fcriptural
vo's m the hiftory, executed agreeable to the fubje&s they reprefent.
Among thefe, Sampfon dying under the ruins of the idola-
trous temple cannot be fufHciently admired. The artift that
made them was Veliano, a native of Padua, who was a dif-
ciple of Donatello. The flails in the choir are alfo worth
feeing, being adorned with inlaid figures and fculpture.
Great altar. Near the high altar, on the left-hand in going up to it, is
V*i.YI a bronze candlefrick, of a very extraordinary fize, and in-
comparable workmanfliip. On the altar fland fix filvej-
candlefticks, near fix feet "high, and in the middle a cruci-
fix of the fame metal, which Is much taller. Behind the
altar, which is infulated or detached from the wall, a chapel
has been built, meerly as a repofitory for reliques.
Chapel of St. Francis's altar is remarkable for the delicacy of the
St. Francis, workmanfhip in pietre csmtneffe. It is alfo adorned with four
black marble pillars, and two ftatues of white marble j one
reprefenting charity, the other grief. Among the many fu-
perb mounments in this church, that of Catterino Cornel io
is one of the mod remarkable : the epitaph was compofed by
the celebrated Ottavio Ferrari :
D. O. M : CATTERINO CORNELIO.
Andrea Parentis fummi Duds impreffa fanguine ve/ligia injif-
tens, omnes honorum gradus emenfus, Dalmaties, dcin Creta
cum fumma poteftate Legatus, triennium obfcjja metropoli^ manu^
confelio, excmplo miiantla fata, & fumnnmi Urbis diem moratus
eft ; fed dum in propugnaculo maxims hoflibus infejlo dies notfefque
excubat) ollcs incendiaries fulmine coelo ajjertus eft, Infularum no-
LtliJJimts una incineres cdfapLs rogo funeratus. Fidericus Cor-
nelius Fratri incomparabili H. P. P. Ann. M.DC.LXXIF.
* Sacred to God the greateft and beft of beings, and to
* Catterino Cornelio, who with hereditary courage treading
* in the fteps of Andrew his illuftrious father, having pafled
* through all military degrees, behaved with univerfal ap-
4 plaufe
PADUA. 385
e plaufe as commander in chief in Dalmatia ; afterwards he
' defended Candia for the fpace of three years, and by his
' conduct, courage, and example; retarded the taking of
* that tottering city ; but being ported in a baftion which
* greatly annoyed the enemy, while he exerted himfelf night
f and day with indefatigable ardour, he was removed to hea-
' ven by a red-hot bomb-fhell, and buried in the ruins of
e the moft magnificent houfesj which were demolifhed at
' the fame time. To his heroic brother, Frederico Corne-
* lio erected this monument in the year 1674.'
In the chapel df the Holy Sacrament is to be feen the
tomb of Eraimus Gattamelataj with an image x>f him in ar-
mour. The eqiieflrian flattie with which the republic of
Venice has honoured the memory of this general is the work
of the celebrated Donatello, and {lands on the area before
this church. Oppofite toErafmus lies his John Antony Gat-
tamelata, who, according to his epitaphj was not inferior to
Kis father in military glory.
In St. Jofeph's chapel is a beautiful monument of two Monument
brothers, of the family of Marchetti: it is of white marble, of two bro-
ahd adorned with ftatues. The deceafed are highly celebrat- thers<
ed in the epitaph, which is very extravagant, for their pro-
found knowledge in phyfic and anatomy^ their fkill in fur-
gery, &c. &c.
Here is alfo a beautiful tomb of Pius Capilifliusi a Verie*
trail general, who died in 1557;
Ottavio Ferrari, a profeflbr in the univerfity of Padua, and Tomb of
celebrated for his many learned works, lies buried between Ot . tavioFe '*
the chapels di S. Felice and del Crofinflb. His monument is r
fo magnificent, that few learned men can boafl of the like.
His epitaph is as follows :
OCTAVIO FERRJRIO MEDIOLANENSI In quo or-
nando ff extollendo rnagni Re.ges & Prinnpes certaruni. Veneta.
Refpublica prater alia decoramenta bis mille flirenorum honoraria
auxit, Ludovirus Magnus, Francorum Rex, fponie auresriim
qulngentorum annuorum congiarium diu indulfit. Chrijlina Au-
gujia equeftri infigni extulii. Ille Regu'm opes ac munera animo
aquans, facundia, fide, & confdio invidiam aut vicit, out gloria
incitement urn habuit. Septem & quadraginta annas cum admird-
time -publics auditus eft, Quinto & feptuagcjjimo obticuit, quam-
d'ni liftteris honor conjlabif fcriptis apnd poftiros locuturus, Julius
Ferrarius- P. B, M, P. Anns MDCLXXXIV.
VOL. Ill, C c T
356
Monument
of count
Sicci.
PADUA.
6 To the memory of Ottavio Ferrari of Milan, whom
great monarchs and Princes ftrove with emulation to ho-
nour and prefer. The republic of Venice, bdides other
honours, fettled a penfion of two thoufand florins on
him. Lewis the Great, king of France, long favoured
him with a yearly penfion of five hundred louis-d'ors.
The auguft Chriftina, queen of Sweden, conferred on him
the order of knighthood. His exalted foul equalled the
wealth and munificence of kings ; and by his eloquence,
fidelity, and wifclom, he either conquered envy, or made
it an incentive to glory. His public lectures were heard
with admiration for forty-feven years. In the feventy-fifth
year of his age death filenced his harmonious tongue ; but
he will fpeak in his writings to poiterity as long as learn-
ing is honoured and efteemed. This monument was erected
by Giulio Ferrari, as a mark of his tender affection to the
beft of parents, in the year 1684.
Not far from this is the following epitaph on count Sic-
ci's tomb.
COM IT I HORATIO SIC CO
Pair. Pat. qui avitam ghriam fortibus geftis eemulatus^ in
propugnaculo Vienn/s a Turds obfefffs fagittd transfixus, cuniculi
ruind pern obrutus, demum plumbed glande trajeftus Urbis 9 Im-
perii^ & ReligionJs viftima concidit^ a Leopoldo Augufto^ cujus
in an/a adoleverat^ eloglo Cbrijliani Herois decoratus. Vincentius
PafcMlcm Patr. Venet. H. M. P. Anno Sal. MDCLXXXVI.
Hac itur Elyfium.
( To count Horatio Sicci, a nobleman of Padua, who, in
warlike exploits emulating the glory of his anceftors, was
dangeroufly wounded by an arrow in the defence of Vien-
na, when befieged by the Turks, and was afterwards al-
mofl buried by the fpringing of a mine; at length being
{hot by a mufket-ball, he fell a glorious victim to the city,
the empire, and religion, and was honoured by the empe-
ror Leopold, in whofe court he had been educated, with
the elogium of being a Chriftian hero. Vincenso Paf-
chali, a nobleman of Venice, ere6ted this monument in
the year 1686.
' By fuch brave actions patriot heroes mount
' jEtherial heights, and find the way to heav'n.*
The celebrated fculptor Augnftino Zotto has fhewn his
ikill in the monument of AlefTandro Contareni ; under whofe
ftatue is an inscription, fignifving that he was commander
m
PADUA. 387
in chief of the Venetian fleet againft Adrian EarbarofTo, theOf Alexan-
Turkifh admiral, &c. &c. der Conta-
Under the ftatue of the celebrated cardinal Bembo, ere&ed rem '
in his church, is the following infcription :
PETRI BE MB I Cardinalis imaginem IiieronymusMonume.nl
Quirinus Ifmaelii Jilius in publicum ponend. curavit^ ut cujm /#- '
genii monument a aterna funt, ejus corparis quoque memoria ne
a po/icris deftderetur. Vix. Ann. LXXVL Men]'. VII. dies
XXIX. Obiit XV. Cal. Febr. 1547.
1 Gieronimo Quirini, fon of Ifhmael, caufed this image
of cardinal Pietro Bembo to be publicly erected, that, as
the monuments of his genius are eternal, the memory of
his mortal part might allb be perpetuated to pofterity. He
lived feventy-fix years, feven months, and twenty-nine
days, and died on the i8th of January, 1547.'
The body of this famous cardinal lies at Rome in the
Dominican church, called S. Maria fbpra Minerva, with
the following epitaph :
Petro Bembo Pair. Fen. ob ejus fingulares virtutes a Paulo His epitaph.
///. Pont. Max. in Sac. Coll. cooptato Torquatus Bejnbus pofuit.
Obiit XV. Kalend. Februar. 1547. Vixit annos 75. menjes 7.
dies 28.
* To the memory of Pietro Bembo, a noble Venetian, who
' for his eminent virtues, was promoted to the facred college
* by Paul III. this monument was erected by Torquato Bembo.
' He died January 18, 1547, aged feventy-five years, feven
* months, and twenty-eight days.'
Cardinal Bembo was a man of learning, and wrote very
pure claflic Latin ; but was rather too clofe an imitator of
the ancients, for which he is cenfured by Julius Casfar, Sca-
liger, Gafper Francus, and Lipfius. It is faid he was fo
proud of his elegant Latin {tile, that he would often fay, he
would not exchange it for the dutchy of Mantua. Lanzius,
in his Oratio contra Italos, and others, charge him with hav-
ing difluaded a friend from reading St. Paul's epiftles *, and
fays, that he himfelf would never look into the Bible or Bre-
* He might have read the epiftles in the original Greek without en-
dangering his Latin ftile. As for the Vulgate and mult other Latin tran-
flations of St. Paul's epiftles, he might juftly condemn them as barbarous,
without any prejudice to his own chara&er, or that of the inipired wri-
ter ; fo that the charge which this author mentions is no fign of the cardi-
n id's profaneneii.
C c 2 viary
38* PADUA.
viary for fear of corrupting the purity of his Latin ftile. Tfc
feems he wrote fome very obfcene and licentious compofi-
tions in his younger days.
Itamed Laftly, near the north-gate of this church is the marble
***' ftatue of a very learned lady of the Cornara family, with
the following panegyric under it :
HELENA LUCRETIM CORNELIM PIS-
COP I , Job. Eaptifla D. Mara Procurator^ Filia Herat--
Xtz, animi ceifitudinc^ pietate^ cajlimonla^ omni literatura & fep-
tem linguarum peritia fengulari^ cum ab alii? Europe Magna-
tibus, turn vel maximl ab Innocentlo XL P. M. per honor ifico di-
plomat e, y ab Jo. III. Polonits Rege datis ad earn epijiolis fum-
mopere commendatte, quts^ pofthabitis Virorum Primipum con-
nubiiS) ante D. Benedifii Antlftites Deo primum vtrginitatern
vovit, poji ampliff*. tedibus in afcetcria & peripatum eonverjis,
ferrets ttncts membra^ divinis philofophicifque contemplationibus
rjientem acriits exercuit. Demum in celebri Patav. Collegia unico
fojl bominum memoriam exemplo Philcftpbits Lauream adepta 7
Coronam presvenit^ quam ipji morum innocently augur abatur in
ccelo. Gbiit Ann. MDCLXXX1V. XXV'L Julii> Mtatis
fu# XXXVII 1.
Cujus Monumentunt
Hieronymus Cornelius Prater
Gravi ore forma corrigendum curavit^
Epigraphe (ervatd
MDCCXXVIL
c To the memory of Helena Lucretfa Cornelia Pifcopia, the
illuftrious daughter of Giovanni Battifta procurator of St.
Mark, who, for greatnefs of foul, piety, and chaftity, her per-
fect knowledge of feven languages, and every branch of
polite literature, was honoured with letters of commenda-
tion from feveral of the princes of Europe, particularly
from John III. king of Poland, and a very honourable
diploma from his holinefs .pope Innocent XI. file declined
many advantageous offers of marriage from perfons of
diftindion, devoted herfelf to God at the altar of the
Benediclines, and, having converted her fpacious palace
into a convent, mortified her body with great feverity,
and inceflantly employed 1 her mind in divine and 'philofo-
phic contemplations. Laftly, fhe gained the palm of phi-
lofophy at a public act in the univerfity of Padua (of which
there never was another inftance in the memory of man)
and thu? cjotisipated that crown, which her exalted virttre
and
P A P U A.
f and fan&ity of manners feemed to promife her in heaven.
* She died in the year 1684, on the 26th day of July, aged
* thirty-eight. Her brother Gieronimo Cornelio caufed
* this monument to be altered, embellifhed with new orna-
- ments, ftill preferving the former epitaph, in the year
1727.
This is only a memorial of this extraordinary lady's know- Account of
ledge in divinity and philofophy, and her uncommon (kill inter,
aftronomy, mathematics, and the languages; her tomb being
in the church of St. Juftina. She was born on the 5th day of
June, in the year 1646 ; and, before {he was eleven years of
age, took the vow of perpetual chaftity. On the 25th of
June, 1678, ftie held 3 public philofophical difputation at Pa-
dua, where the degree of doctor of phyfic was conferred on
her with the ufual folemnity. She would likewife have been
honoured with the fame degree in divinity, had not cardinal
Barbarigo, then biftiop of Paclua, prohibited it, under pre-
tence, that by injunction of the apoftle Paul, in i Cor. xiv.
34, no woman was allowed to teach in public. She both
underftood and fpoke Latin, French, Spanifh, and ancient
and modern Greek, with fluency and elegance. The aca,-
demy of the Infecondi at Rome elected her as a member,
and had a medal ftruck in honour of her, having on one
fide the buft of this learned lady, with the following in-
fcription :
Helena Lucretia Cornelia Pifcopta Jo. Bap. Procurat. S, '
Marci Fi/ia.
And, on the reverfe, a laurel-tree with this legend :
Etiam infaecunda pcrennat^
Alluding to her perpetual virginity, and her admiflion in-
to the academy of the Infecondi, as likewife to the immor-
tal fame me acquired by her extenfive knowledge and learn-
ing.
Anna Maria Schurmannin, who lived in Holland, and was other learn-
highly celebrated for her learning, and acquaintance with acd women,
variety of languages, was contemporary with this lady. She
was born in the year 1607, and died in the year 1678*. I
have
* When this learned lady's works were become fcarce, another inge-
nious perfon of the fame (ex publifhed a new edition of them, with this
title, Anna Maria a Scburmannin opufcula Ebraa, Latina, Gr#ca, Gallica,
C c profalcm
390 PADUA.
have elfewheve (in Vol. I.) taken notice of the three learned
ladies at Milan* ; and Charles Patin's two daughters I (hall
have occafion to introduce in the fequel. That women do
not want capacity for literary attainments may be {hewn from
many unqueftionable teftiir.onies t; but the beft way for fuch
profcilca. & metrlca cum a.nbnad'verfionibiis & prtrfationc T'raugott. Cbrift.
Dorothea LceberitK, I-ipf- 1749- She was born at Cologn on the Rhine in
.the year 1607 ; but, having fpent moft of her time at Utrecht, the Dutch
claim her as their countrywoman. With no better light has Moller, in
his Cimbria literata, clafled her among the Holftein Literati, only becaufe
file had lived for fome time at Altena, where alfo was printed the firft
part of her work, intitled Mflioris partis eleftio 1673. In die year 1678
fhe removed from Altena to Wiewert, where fhe died in the feventy-firir.
year of her age. The motto (lie chofe mews the pious dilpofition of her
mind, Amor metis crueifixus eft ; i.e. ' My love is crucified.' The cele-
brated Dutch poet Jacob Cats, though fhe rejected his addrefles, often
mentions her with the higheft praifes.
* No longer ago than the year 1733, Laura Maria Catharina Baflis
took a doctor's degree at Bologna at the age of twenty -one, and was
chofen a member of the academy called Inftitiitum Saentiai'uin in that
cicy. In 1731 I paid a vifit at a place called Warmund, about a league
from Leyden, to Mr. Kenemannin, the Arminian minifter there, and
converfed with his daughter Sarah Maria, who, though only in her
twelfth year, played a thorough bafs en the harpfichord admirably, had
a perfect knowledge of the Bible, was very well acquainted with the hea-
then mythology, {poke French, Englifh, Spanifh, High and Low Dutch,
and had made a eonfiderable progrefs in the Latin language, She feems
to be but of a weakly constitution ; and what is moft remarkable in this
lady is, that (he has made fuch an extraordinary progrefs contrary to her
inclination and the natural bent of her genius ; for the was forced upon
thefe ftudies by her father, only that he might have the hqnour of having
a learned daughter. In the year 1731, I was prefent at Leyden at a di-
vinity lecture on the book of Revelation, held every Supd,ay by,. an old
woman of a mean condition ; fhe quoted feveral paflligcs of the Old
Teftament in the original language, and made fome critical and grammati-
cal remarks on thofe paffages. She was commonly called the Hebrew woman,
on account of her knowledge of the Hebrew language. The freedom with
regard to religion allowed in Holland puts the commonalty of both
fexes upon enquiries into thofc parts of literature, which have any affinity
with religion, more than in any other country. In the year 1715, one
Teuerhof, a trunk-maker of Arafterdam, ufed to read a lecture three
times a week, for fome hours, on Spinofa's philofophy ; and among his
audience, which rnottly confifted of Plebeians and was noted for filence
and attention, were feveral young women. The orator had indeed no
great ftock of learning, but he had an admirable genius, and expreffed
himfelf with great propriety and clearnefs. Secretary Pfaff himfelf,
{pending i'ome hours with this man, gave him the character of In-
genwm vajlijjiminn ; ' A moft comprehetifive genius.'
f Laft year Donna Maria Gaetan.i Agnefi a Milanefe lady,. Jfave an
illuftrious proof that this fair fex are capable of attaining to the'higheft
knowledge and fkili eyen in thole fciences which are tiiought to be
the
PADUA. 391
extraordinary perfons is to imitate the lady of the Cornara
family, mentioned above, and keep themfelves fingle. What Learned wo-
Juvenal, in his fixth fatyr, fays of a rich woman, viz.
Intoleralilius nibil <?/?, qua?n fcemlna dives,
i. e. ' Nothing can be more infufferable than a rich wife,'
May poflibly with more juftice be applied to a learned
lady.
On the one hand, houfhold affairs and the education of
children demand an attention and activity incompatible with
the love of books ; on the other hand, St. Paul's faying,
that knowledge puffeth up, is efpecially verified in women.
A man, however learned he may be, ftill finds many others
of his fex who can enter the lifts with him, which checks
the rifings of pride ; whereas a woman of learning, being a
rara avis, and with whom very few of her own fex can come
in competition, is infatuated with fuch extraordinary talents,
and fwells with an infupportable haughtinefs and conceit.
the moft abftrufe. She published a treatife on Algebra with this title,
Injlituzioni analiticbe ad ufo della Gio-'oenta Italiana, printed in Milan
1749, 2 vol. 4.10. Laura Cereta of Brefcia, and Signora Chiara Matraini
of Lucca, with the late late marquis de Chatelet, and a thoufand others,
were glaring proofs of the vaft extent of female genius. The fantaftical
queen Chriftina of Sweden might have fpared her indecent manner of
expreflmg herfelf, as being ailiamed of her fex. In her travels me had
been complimented with abox r e two thoufand harangues compofed and
delivered by perfons celebrated for their eloquence ; and yet it feems not
one of them pleafed her majefty. Bourdelet, her phyfician, took upon
him to aflc her the caufe of this ftrange diflike to the orations made in
praife of her ; to whom fhe anfwered, ' I am tired with being always
entertained with the fame tune, fuch as, the illuftrious daughter of the
great Guftavus ; the tenth mufe; the Sappho of our age; the orna-
ment of my fex.' ' Xhefe gentlemen' (continued fhe) ' are at a won-
derful deal of pains in dinning my ears to put me in mind that I am a
woman ; this is what I am but too fenfible of without all this pother.
Such was her contempt for, and the mean opinion /he had of, her own
fex. Dr. Argoud of Vienna feems to have been aware of this foible of
Chriftina ; for he never made ufe of the word Queen throughout his
whole fpeech. Accordingly it was the only harangue flie heard with
patience ; and the author received fubftantial marks of her approbation.
In drawing a comparifon between her and the moft dittinguifhed heroes,
he afferted that (he not only equalled but furpafied them all. This piece of
adulation flattered the vanity of this fantaftic queen, who aftefted to be
thought to have nothing of her own fex in her competition. See Abbe
D'Artigny's Nouveaux Memolrcs d'Hiftorlque , de Critique, ? de Liter aturc t
art. 16. Paris, 174.9.
C c 4 In
39* PADUA.
Oratory of In the oratory of the Francifcan church, of which I am
cans FranC ' f " now fp ea k m g> are three large pieces of painting mfrefco"by
Titian, befides feveral fine monuments belonging to the Cor-
rarefi family. The tower of this church is afcended by two
Fine pro- hundred and fifty fteps, and yields a charming profpect all
ip eft - over the adjacent large plain ; but at the fame time it dif-
covers t'ne nakednefs of Padua : for it appears from the top
of this, high tower that a great part of it is taken up with
gardens, &c.
Chlcfa delia The fmall church della Annunciata has little remarkable
Annundata. except the painting in frefco by Zotti. The oval area near
it, called Arena, is thought to have been anciently ufed for
exhibiting fpe&acles, like an amphitheatre. The palace built
on it is'likewife of an oval form, and belongs to the noble
Venetian family of the Fofcari.
Church of ^ tf Auguftine's church belongs to the Dominican monk.
St. Auguf- The high altar is worth feeing on account of its fine fculp-
t> ne ture and inlaid work ; and in the choir are fome tombs of
eminent perfonages of the Carrara family, t$c.
Monument ' Not far from the altar di S. Salvatore are the monu-
of charlottaments of Charlotta, a daughter of Jacob king of Cyprus,
queen of Cy- an( j Q f k er mot h er Marietta. The former died in 1480, but
torus ana her
mother. the latter in 1503.
Veftry The veftry-altar is a very grand piece of fculpture adorned
with feveral exquifite white marble ftatues. Here allb lie
the Buzzacarena family, all with very extravagant epi-
taphs.
Library. In the convent are forty monks. Its library is well con-
trived but not large, and the manufcripts are kept in a fepa-
rate clofet.
piSure of ^ n t ^. e g reat gallery is fhewn a cell faid to have been that
Albertus of Albertus Magnus ; and under a picture of his, in this
Magnus, convent, is the followin diftich :
ie ALBERTV& Patavi augufllffima proles
Ccenobii fplendoT) palma^ corona^ decus,
Behold! Albertus Magnus, the illuftrious native of Pa-
' dua, the crown, the glory, and ornament of this convent.'
St. Bartho- In the church of St. Bartholomew, which belongs to
fomew's the Benedi6tme nuns, are fome good pieces of painting ;
" urc ' but its other ornaments are mean, and, the walls covered,
only with old tarnifhcd gilt leather.
PADUA. 393
In the firft chapel on the left-hand on entering the Capu- Capuchin
chin church, lies the celebrated cardinal Cominendon, whofe ^H^boe
life has been written by Flechier with all the judgment ahdcaSLd
elegance which recommend his other biographical pieces. He Con "nen-
died in the year 1584, on the yth of January, in the fixty- don *
fecond year of his age : His epitaph, has nothing remarkable
in it.
The Carmelite church, among other curious embellifh- Carmelite
ments, is particularly remarkable for fine fculptufe. church.
In St. Andrea Corfini's chapel is the following epitaphiEpita h oa
on a lady who dropt down dead, during the celebration of* bride.
her nuptials :
ELIZABETHS SALOMONIMPatrit't* Veneta, nup^
tfft innuptfg^ ipfo fponfatium momenta extinfta:, Nicolaus Comes de
Lazara Eques inter utramque facem defolatJJjimus pro tbalatnu
tumulum 'offtit, ut faltem cineres & ojja mifceret. Ann.
MDCLXXIIL
1 To Elizabeth Salomonia defcended from a noble Vene-
6 tian family, who was neither married nor fingle, but died
* in the very inftant of her efpoufals ; this tomb was raifed
* by Nicolas count de Lazara, her afflicted hufband, inftead
c of a nuptial bed 5 that at leaft their afh.es might be mingled
together. 1673.'
The cathedral is not yet finifhed, and the model of it i
fixed againft the wall at the entrance of the church. The
biftiop's annual revenues exceed a hundred thoufand fcudi or
crowns.
In the chapel of the Zabarella family is fhewn a picture
of the virgin Mary, painted, as is pretended, by St. Luke ;
which Robert king of Naples made a prefent of to Petrarch
the famous Italian poet, and the latter beftowed it on this
church.
On the right-hand of St. Carlo's altar is the folio wing Epitaph of
epitaph : Charles Pa.
tin.
D. O. M.
CAROLO PATINO.
Prtf. Equ. D, M. prifc. numifmat. /Indus clariff. f amain cele-
berrimi patris esmulato^ e patrio in Patav. Lyceum excepto^ pojl
totam Europam lujiratam, pr<emiis & major um Principum grat'i
aufiO) cum calumnia feliciter luflato, ac pro jundamento virtutis
fortunes minis ufo t ob veterem eruditioncm erutam^ pojlerorum
tu/tum
394 PADUA.
cttltwn promerita Magdalena Ommctz Parif. tlxor^ Gabr. Carola
Santa Paulina, & Carol. Catb. Filiee, extreme arnoris argumen-
to, annuente Capitulo, parentant. Ob. An. MDCXCIII. X.
Ott. tetat.fua An. LIX. Menf. VIII. D. X.
' To God the greateft and beft of beings.'
And to the memory of Charles Patin, knight, and doctor
of phyfic, of the univerfity of Paris, who, being like his
father, famous for his knowledge of ancient coins and me-
dals, was admitted a member of the univerfity of Padua ;
and, having travelled all over Europe, received fignal
marks of favour and approbation from many fovereign
princes ; ftruggled with envy and calumny ; and fhone
with fuperior luftre in adverfity, &c. his affectionate wife
Magdalen Ommetz a native of Paris, Gabr. Carola Santa
Paulina and Carola Catharina, his daughters, creeled this
monument, as the laft mark of their love, with the confent
of the chapter. He died on the loth day of October,
1693, aged 59 years eight months and ten days.'
Threeleam- In this epitaph mention is made of three ladies of uncom-
* ^ onsc ^ e mon erudition. Magdalen Ommetz, wife of Charles Patin,
of Patin. publifhed a book intitled Reeueil de Reflexions morales &
Cbretiennes in 1680. Their eldeft daughter Gabriela Caro-
la Santa Paulina, in the fame year, held a public difputation
on feveral philofophical Thefes, her father fitting as mode-
rator, and wrote a diflertation to (hew why the figure of the
phoenix was ftruck on fome of Caracalla's coins, which are
ftill extant. Her younger filler, Carola Catharina Patin,
made a public oration at Padua in the year 1683, on account
of raifing the fiege of Vienna, which was received with great
applaufe, and afterwards printed. In the year 1691 {he pub-
limed, at Padua, Tabella feleftts fcf explicate, or copper-plates
of the moft celebrated paintings by the beft hands, as Ti-
tian, Paolo Veronefe, Leonardo da Vinci, Tintoretto, Baf-
fano, Holbein, &c. with explanations of them. Both thefe
fifters were members of the academy of the Ricourati at
Padua.
Infcription In the church of St. Francis, at an altar over which is
on an imagcp] ace( j a miraculous crucifix, is the following elegant in-
of Chrift. fcription by Qttavio Ferrari :
Cbrljli Seruatorh Imagimin, vulttts placida majejlate ferenos^
dfdduis <etern<e clement ies radii s atque admirandis operibus bu-
mano generl beneficos ac falutares^ ab obfcuro &ignolili loco in bane
au-
Scarabicci.
PADUA. -95
fedem tranjlulit Pater PAULUS A PLEBE
, eamque coilahtid piorumjlipe ad faftigium perduxit^ ares-
que fuggeflu & peregrine marmore excoluit. Anno MDCLXIX.
c The image of our Saviour, Chriir, whofe countenance,
e majeftically ferene, beams with rays of infinite love and
6 mildnefs, and which has in a wonderful manner and by
' innumerable inflances imparted its falutary virtues to af-
* flirted mortals, was removed into this more confpicuous
c fouation from an obfcure and mean place by father Paolo
' a Plebe Sacci, who, aflifted by the contributions of de-
* vout perfons, completed his pious defign, and erected an
' altar of very coftly marble in honour of it.'
In this church lies buried the celebrated civilian Giero- Monument
nimo Cagnolo, who died at Padua in the year 1551.
On the right-hand of the main entrance is the following a6n
florid epitaph :
JACOBO SCARABICIO Patavino, in quo Moderator tern- Epitaph on
porum munerumque largitor JDeus 9 annos finiul ac virtutes contrax- *"""
it ; cui annum quartum fupra decimum vix agenti C3* morum tn-
tegritaS) ingenii fblcrtia^ fermonifque blanditia fuii, ui Patavinis
civibus foret exemplo^ amori & admiraticni. Nunc veluti leflif-
ftmum in -t err is florem^ ccelo jam gratijjimwn^ quo nonas Martil
non tarn veris^ quam tetberis ingrejju in amcenijjimum deliciarum
horiumfubinvidi tranjlulere Super i. Sebajlianus Fatcr, in Pa-
tavino Lycteo Publicus Medicines Left or, acerbitfimum animi dolo-
rem hoc uno leniens^ quod jucundijfimo unici juii conjpefiu convic-
tuquc in cxlis iteriim fruituruSyflagrantisdefideriiMonurnentum
pofuit. MDCLI7. '
' To Giacopo Scarabicci, a native of Padua, to whom
the eternal being, who prefides over time, and is the giver
of every noble endowment, was pleafed to allow a term
of years very difproportionate to the extraordinary virtues
and acomplifhments with which he had endued him ; for
for the purity of his morals, the acutenefs of his genius,
the elegance of his language and behaviour made him, at
the age of fourteen, the pattern, the delight, and admira-
tion of the citizens of Padua. Now the heavenly powers,
being enamoured of this moft fragrant flower, and as it
were envying the earth the poflefiion of it, tranfplanted it
to the celeftial paradifc on the ninth of March, which,
inftead of a temporary, proved to him the entrance on an
I ' eternal
PAD .U A.
c eternal fpring. Under fuch an afflictive lofs, the only
' comfort to Sebaftino his father, profeilbr of phyfic in the
* univerfhy of Padua, is the confideration, that he fhall
< again one day, in heaven, fee, and enjoy the converfati-
* on of, his dearly beleved fon ; to whom he has ereted
* this monument of his grief and tender affection.' 1654.
Whether the expreffion fubmvtdt Superi becomes a Chrifti-
an pen, may be queftioned by fome, and be abfolutely con-
demned .as profane by others.
Francefco di The church of S. Francefco di Paola is fmall but Very
faola ' elegant, and has an arched roof well painted. On the great
altar are feveral marble ftatues and a very rich tabernacle.
Theatine The Theatines church, which is dedicated to S. Gaetano,
church. j g mt i re ] v lined w i tn Marmo pavonazzo, or a violet-coloured
marble, beautifully variegated with white ; and has feveral
Other ornaments well worth feeing. The altar is adorned
with eight fine pillars of black and white marble, and a re-
prefentation of our Saviour in his agony on the mount of
Olives, admirably cut in wood, in the middle. Jn the vef-
try are fhewn two pieces reprefenting martyrdoms, painted
by Paolo Veronefe, It is well known that the Theatine
monks derive their name from Theati, a fmall epifcopal fee
in the kingdom of Naples, where the order was firft infti-
tuted in the year 1523.
Tomb of On the outfide of the church di S. Giovanni in Verdaca
Briofci in S. OJ , Viridario, is a monument of Briofci, a ftatuary of Padua,
Verdaca 1 . 1 "* who, if his epitaph does not run in the ufual {train of thofe
compofitions, was a very extraordinary artift, and emulated
the ancients.
Memorial Over the entrance into the garden belonging to the con-
of the fiege ven t adioining to this church are to be feen two iron cannon
of Padua, balls, and between thefe a third of white ftone, faid to have
been fhot into the wall at the fiege of Padua by the emperor
Maximilian I. with this infcription under them alluding to
the imperial ftandard, &c.
r
Ales yovis ter maximi,
Matris Deorum Bijuges
His lufitabant fpb^rulis^
Non ergo Inert & fanguin'is y
Sed imperil, fed gloria.
XVith
PADUA. 397
' With fuch little fpherical balls as thefe, great Jove's
* eagle and the lions of Cybele played, not for gain, or blood,
* but for glory and empire.'
St. Juftina's church is an elegant and magnificent edifice, $ t< juftina.
and in many particulars referfibles that of St. Paul at London.
It is divided into three naves or ifles, and is very well en r
lightened. The altars, which, exclufive of the high al-
tar, amount to twenty-four, are embellimed with the fmeft
fculpture, and Florentine work of lapis Lazuli, mother of
pearl, jafper, agate, &c. Even the pavement about the al-
tar is inlaid work, and that of the church of red, white, and
black marble curioufly arranged. This church is adorned
with nine beautiful cupola's, three of which are larger than
the reft, arid have galleries with a baluftrade on the inftde.
The ornaments of this church are daily increasing; arid will
never be difcontinued, for this prudential reafon, that, whilft
any work is carrying on, very large fums left by legacies, &c.
accrue to the convent to which the church belongs : Befides,
the ftated revenue of it is computed at a hundred thoufand
ducats. This church is built in the form of a Latin crofs,
and the length of it within, the choir included, is a hundred
and eighty-three common paces, and the breadth feventy-
eight : The length of the erofs-ifie is a hundred and twenty- <
eight fuch paces.
The martyrdom of St. Juftiflaj art admirable piece paint-
ed by Paolo Veronefe, hangs over the high altar. There
are two organs placed oppoiite to each other in the choir;
and the ftalls are adorned with incomparable baflb- relievo's
reprefenting hiftorical paffagesout of the Old and New Tef-
tament. Thefe pieces were executed by one Riccard, a
Frenchman, who fpent no lefs than two and twenty years
in carving thefe exquifite pieces.
Befides the remains of St. Juftina and other faints, this Rcliquer,
church boafts of being penciled of the body of St. Luke the
evangelift ; which, however, occafioned great difputes be-
tween the Benedictines, to whom this church and convent
belong, and the Francifcans of St. Job's church at Venice,
who maintained that the genuine body was in their pofleflion.
But at length pope Gregory XIII. decided the point in fa-
vour of the Pacluans; however the head of the fame evange-
lift is fhcwn at Rome in the church of the holy Apoftles.
As all the ornaments of this church are new, no old infcrip-
tions are now to be feen here, except a long narrative near
the
398 P A .D U A.
the pretended remains of St. Luke, which is inferted in Sala-
moni's lufcriptiones urbis Patavlnce *. The celebrated learn-
ed lady of the Cornara family, whom I have often menti-
tioned before, lies in the burial-place of the monks accord-
ing to her own requeft, and the monks erected a monument
to her memory in the year 1684.
Eighty Benedictine monks conftantly refide in this con-
vent. Their library is extremely well chofen, and ornament-
ed with fine fculptures. The convent confifts of feveral
courts, and in the cloifter of the largeft court the whole life
of St. Benedict is painted infrefco, and illuftrated with Latin
verfes.
Before the church of St. Juftina is a piazza or area anci-
ently called Campus Martius, but now known by the name
of Prato della Valle. On the firfl Saturday of every month
a market for cattle is kept in this place ; and the vulgar are
perfuaded that during the greateft heats of fummer no gnats
or flies are to be feen in this market. As I happened to be
there on a market-day, I couid from ocular demonftration
confute this idle tradition, which, though it be evidently
falfe, pafles here for a certain truth. Between Prato della
Valle and St. Juilina's church is a place feparated by a ditch
to preferve it from being profaned by the cattle, becauie a
great number of martyrs are fuppofed to have been put to
death there ; on which account it is diftinguifhed by the
name of il Campo Santo or the Holy Field.
Suppofed In the year 1273, in laying the foundation of the hofpi-
fenOT f An ~ tal called La Cafa di Dio an old leaden coffin was f ound, and
in it a fword, on which, according to Scardeoni, were the
following unintelligible lines :
Obfcure in- -} Cum fuper, A^ fumes primum till Dardane gramma
cnption. Auxillum a fuperis fublto till Numine clama.
Heu. Patavum qui te profitgus corjlruxit ab Igne
Multoties tall pejll fubjefie malignce.
Mors cita, vita brevis, Patavos in Pace volentes
Fiver v?, non paffa eft ^ gens hoc fatale ferentes
Admonet^ & punit nullo dlfcrlmlne Gives.
* Thfs work vras publiflied at Padua in ^to in the year 1701 5 but is
fiill of typographical errors.
t This inlcription muft have been the compofition of the monks, as
appears by rhs. rhyme, SrV.
In
PADUA. 399
In order to ftrike out, at any rate, fome elucidation of
this prophetic infcription, it has been obferved, that the go-
vernment of all the fovereigns and lords of this city, whofe
name began with an A, as Attila, Acciolini, Anfedifi, Albert
Scaliger, Andrea Neri, &V. were extremely tyrannical and
unfortunate. This fword is faid, in the year 1334, to have
been delivered up to Albert Scaliger according to his com-
mand j but the above-mentioned coffin was, in the year
1283, fet up on the left-hand of the main entrance into
St. Laurence's church ; and being fuppofed, for what reafon
I cannot conceive, to be the tomb of Antenor the Trojan,
Lupatus de Lupatis, one of the magiftrates of this city,
and a man of learning, caufed the following verfes to be cut
in Gothic characters on the ftone cafe in which it is inclofed :
C. IncUtus Ant e~ or p atria vox nifa qutetem
Tranjlulit hue Enedum Dardanidumque ftigas y
Expullt Euganeos Patavi~ n a condidit urbem
Quam tenet hie humili marmore cefa domus.
The firft line of this infcription feems to convey no mean-
ing. On the other fide of the cafe are the following lines
{hewing the date 1284, when this coffin was fet up here, &c.
Cum quater alma Dei natalia vlderat Or bis _
Poft decies otto milk ducentafuper,
Extulit hac Padues Prafcs, cui nomen Olive,
Cognomen. Cleri, patria Floris erat.
On the arch under which the coffin is placed are thefe
words :
Potejlate nobili viro D. Fantone de Rubeis, de Florentia, per-
fifiumfuit hoc opus.
' This work was completed when Fantoni de Rubeis a
' native of Florence was Podefta of this city.'
The abovementioned Fantoni was three times Podefta of Of Ante-
the city, namely, in the years 1284, 1285, and 1295. Virgil, ^ r ' sPata *
/En. I. v. 246, &feq. fays, indeed, that Antenor built a town
called Patavium. And with him alfo agrees Seneca, Confol. ad
Hehiam^c.f. But, according to the poet's. defcription, that
city muft have been built on the river Timavus, which emp-
ties itfelf * into the feanear Aquileia, and not on the banks
x of the Brenta. His words are : ' Antenor
* See Pliny, Hi/1. Nat. lib. ii. r. 103 . lib. iii. 18, 19. who places the Ti-
niavus in the neighbourhood of Triefte and Aquileia. SeealfoLivy, Kb. '
xli.
4 oo PADUA.
anterior potuit medlis elapfus Achlvis
Illyricos penetrare Jinus^ atque Intimet tutus
Regna Llburnorum^ & fontemfuperare Timavl :
Unde per or a novern vajio cum murmur e mentis
It mare pr<zruptum & pelago premit arva fonanti*
, Hie tamen ille urbem Patavi, fedefque locavit
* Antenor, from the midft of Grecian hofts,
Could pafs fecure, and pierce th' Illyrian coafts :
Where rolling down the fteep, Timavus raves,
And thro' nine channels difembogues his waves.
At length he founded Padua's happy feat,
And gave his Trojans a fecure retreat.'
DRYDEN.-
Virgil and Claudian attribute nine mouths to the Timavus }
whereas Strabo mentions only feven j with whom alfo Mar-
tial agrees.
OftheEu- The Euganei in whofe country Antenor, after he had
ganei, conquered them, is faid to have built the ancient Patavium,
according to Livy, lib. i. c. i, inhabited the country that lies
between the Adriatic gulph and the Alps. Hence Pliny
alfo calls them Graiarum Alpium incela j i. e. ' The inhabi-
tants of the Grecian Alps.' So that their country appears
to have been fituated towards the north-eaft, and at a great
diftance from the modern Padua. However, their colonies,
in procefs of time, might have extended themfelves towards
Verona j and this conjecture is favoured by Pliny.
xli. Strab. lib. v. P. Mela lib. ii. c. 4.. Scrvius ad JEneid. lib. i. Rut Clau-
dian in Sexto Conf. Honor, feems to differ a little from thefe, and joins ir
with the Tefiino, the Mincio, and the Adda. His words are :
' Frondetitibtts humida ripis
Colla Irvant, pulcher Ticinus, =? Addna <vifu
Cxndeus, velox Atkefis , tardufque meatu
Mifjcius, inque novonconfurgens ora Timavus*
* Her dropping locks the filver Teflin rears ;
' The bKie tranfparent Adda next appears j
The rapid Adige then erefts her head ;
' And Mincio rifmg flowly from his bed ;
* And laft Timavus, that with eager force
* From nine wide mouths comes gufhing to his courfe.'
ADDISON.
S. Maria
PADUA. 401
S. Maria delle Grade is an elegant church, and belongs s Maria
to the Dominican monks. eCratie -
S. Maria de' Servi is alto called from the order of monks S.Mariade"
to which it belongs, who have aflumed the name of Servi Servi
divse Mariae, or, as they are commonly called, Servites. A
connoifleur in fculpture will be highly pleafed with the altar
in the middle of the church, and the exquiiite baflb-relievo's
of bronze on the monument of the civilian Paolo de Caftro,
who died towards the dole of the fifteenth century.
The church of St. Philip and St. James belongs to the Church of
eremetical fathers of St. Auguftine. This church and the St - phili P
convent to which it belongs is remarkable for being the place, ja me s.'
where great numbers of Germans and other foreigners,
have, according to their defire, been depofited. Around the
genealogical tree of Luca Salvioni, a civilian, are thefe
words :
O quam ml f era for tuna > qua caret invidia.
' How wretched is that ftate of life that is not envied ?
The chapel belonging to the family of Zabarella is beau-
tifully painted by Andrea Mantegna; and in the veftry is a
picture of John the Baptift, by Guido Rheni.
In the wall on the outfide of this church is to be feen a Luther's
ftone pulpit, in which Luther is fajd to have preached. P" 1 ? 1 **
The antiquary who attended us very gravely affured us, that
Luther was un gran predicatore, i.e. 'A famous preacher ;'
but that being difappointed by one pope of a cardinal's hat,
which another pope had promifed him, he, out of refentment,
gave himfelf up to a very ftrange heretical way of preaching.
In the church of St. Sophia the German ftudents of phy- Church, of j
fie, or ex ordine gratiofo, as they are ftyled in fome infcripti- St * s P hia *
ons, are generally buried. On a white marble table, facing
the high altar, are thefe words :
SerenJJJlmi
Ferdinandi Caroli Gonzaga A duke ^
Duds Mantua, Montisferr. Carclop. &c. Mantua's
Clementi/ima vifcera. Chmtriff.
V. JuL Ann. SaL MDCCVUL
VOL. III. D d ' Here
402 PADUA.
' Here are depofited the moft compafftonate bowels of the
' ferene Ferdinand Carlo Gonzaga,T)ukc of Mantua, Mont-
* ferrat, &c. on the fifth day of July, 1708.'
Ckmentijfima vifcera is a very common phrafc, and I fup-
pofe the ingenious author alluded to the Greek word o-7r*ay%a,
which metaphorically is often ufed to denote pity, compaf-
fion, &c.
Church del In the church del Spirito Santo lies Scipio Gonemi, who,
Spirito San- as ^j s e pjt a ph fays, died at the age of ninety- fix, on the fame
day and the fame hour in which he was born.
St. Tho- The church of St. Thomas of Canterbury belongs to the
mas's fathers of the Oratory of S. Filippo Neri ; who have aflign-
church. e( j ve feparate burying-vaults for fo many different clafles
of men, women, and children, with inicriptions over every
one of them. I
Town- The principal among -the civil edifices of Padua is il Pa-
koule> lazzo della ragione, or the town-houfe, though the great hall
does not anfwer common report. The plan of it is rhomboi-
dal : It is a hundred and twenty 7 four common paces in
length, and forty-three in breadth. The roof is proportio-
nably lofty, and arched, being ftrengthened at the top with
crofs iron bars, and covered with lead on the outfide. On
the cieling, Giotto, aflifted by feme of his difciples, has al-
legorically reprefented the influences of the fun in the twelve
figns of the zodiac. But, after all, this apartment has not
a proper light for fine paintings, and is not kept in any tole-
rable order. In going up to this hall, which is in the fe-
cond ftory, over the firft door on the left-hand, is a ftatue of
Livy the hiftorian, with thefe words under it :
Infcription. 7". Lii'hts PatavinitS) HiJlor'ttM'nm Latini ncminis facile
princeps, cnjus doflrinum &f latteam eloquentiam teias Ula^ qu<e
I'irtute parlter ac ertiditlsne farcbat, adeo adnrirata eft, ut
inulti Romam ncn ut urbem rennn 'pulcbcrrimam^ aut Urbh
iff Orbis Dominxm Qflavrum, fed ut hunc virum inviferent
(ludircntquc a Gabibus profecfi jmt. Hie res ornncs^ quas Po-
ptil. Rom pace bellcqite gejjfit, qnatucrdedm Dccadibus mira Jlyli
facilitate -cumphxii^ fibi ac patria: gkriam peperit jlmpiiernam.
Titus Livius, a native of Padua, the chief of all the
* Latin hiftorians, whofe learning and flowing eloquence,
* even the age in which he lived, when virtue and learning
* were
PADUA. 403
were at fo great a height, admired to fuch a degree, that
feveral perfons came from the remoteft parts of the weft,
not to fee Rome (though it was the moft magnificent fight
on earth) or the great Auguftus, who was emperor of that
city, and, of the whole world, but to fee and hear this
great man. His hiftory of all the civil and military tranf-
aclions of the Roman people comprized in fourteen decads y
and written with wonderful purity and elegance of ftile,
is an everlafting monument of glory to himfelf and his
country.'
This ftatue holds a book, in which thefe words are legi-
ble :
Parvus ignis magnum fepe fufcitat incendium. Excejfit a
vita VI. Tiberii Cafaris anno^ ectatis verojues LXVI.
\
' A little fire oftens kindles a large conflagration. He de-
* parted this life in the fixth year of the reign of Tiberius,
* and the fixty-fixth of his age.'
Over the fecond door on this fide of the town-houfe, ftands AlbertusPa-
a buft of Albertus Patavinus, with the following infcription : tavinus -
Albertus Patavinus Heremitanee Religionis fplendor, conti-
nentijjimas vita^ fumpta Pariftis infula Magijlrali^ in Theologia
tantutn profecit^ ut Paulum, Moyfen, Evangelia^ ac Libras
Sententiarum laudat'ijjinie expofuerit. Facundiflimus ea tstate con-
cionator immortali memorise optima jure datur.
c Albertus Patavinus, the glory of the eremitical order, a
perfon of the moft exemplary chaftity, who, having enter-
ed into the order of priefthood at Paris, made fuch progrefs
in the ftudy of divinity, that his expofitions of St. Paul's
Epiftles, the Pentateuch, the Gofpels, and the book of
Proverbs, were juftly received with applaufe. The moft
eloquent preacher of his age, as he undoubtedly was,
well deferves a lafting monument to tranfmit his name to
pofterity.'
Over the door of the hall, on the other fide of the build- Pi-tro Apo-
ing, is a ftone image of Pietro Aponi, with this infcription : ni -
D d 2 Petruf
4 o 4 PADUA.
Petrus Aponu* Pat. Pbilofopite Medicinxque fcientiff. ol id-
que Conciliatoris nomen adeptus^ Ajirologles vero adeo peritus, ut
in Mag'us fujpicionem inciderit, falfoque de barefipojlulatus, al-
foluius fuit.
' Pietro Aponi of Padua, called the Conciliator for his pro-
' found knowledge in philofophy and phyfic. His fkill in
' aftrology was fo great, that it caufed him to be fufpe&ed
' of being a magician, and confequently he was charged as
4 guilty of hereiy 5 of which, however, he was acquitted.'
Proceedings On what grounds Pietro Aponi is faid to have been acquit-
ot'thein- ted by the Inquiiltion I cannot conceive. Spondanus, in his
SkftApT- Annal. Ecclef. and other writers, exprefly fay, that Aponi
nj]" died during his trial, and was privately buried j but that the
Inquifition carried on the profecution after his death, and for
want of the criminal's real body burnt him in effigy. Naude,
in his Apologie des grands hommes accufes de Magle^ c. 14.
Bayle, in his Diclionaire Crit. and M. Heuman, in his Afla
Philofopb. Art 3. have vindicated this learned man againft the
charge of forcery. But indeed in thofe times a fmall Ikill in
the fciences was fufficierit to make a man fufpe&ed of magic
and dealing with the devil. Aponi owes the title of Ccn-
ciliator to a book that he publifhed in the year 1483, in fo-
lio, with the title of Conciliator differentiarum Pbilofophorum
pr&cipue Medicorum. His life has been written by Tomafini
in Elog. illuji. Viror. />. 22. and Scardeoni, de antiq. Urbis Pa-
tavii & claris ejus civibus. But the latter is fomething inac-
curate : for, according to him, Pietro Aponi died in the year
1305; whereas, from other authorities and circumftances, it
is evident that he lived till the year 1316, and died at the age
of fixty-fix.
Over the other door is the ftatue of PaulusPatavinus,
with the following pompous encomium under it :
Infcription Paulas PatoviHus 'Jiirifccnfultorum clariff. hujus nojlrts urlis
under Fau- decus tzttrnum, Alexandri Mamma: temponbusferuit, adPres-
|, U j S 3 Patav '" tltram -> Prafcfiuram, Confulatum^ue evcfius, cujufque fapienti-
am tanti fecit Jujiinianus Imp. ttt nulla non Chilis juris parti -
cula bnjus legibus decor vfz/r, qui fplendore fames immortaiis, ocuiis
pofteritatis adm'iraKduS) irift nil imagine Memento decoratur.
4 Paulus
PADUA. 405
* Paulus Patavinus, the moft eminent of civilians, and
the eternal ornament of this our city, who flourifhed in
the time of Alexander Mamma, and was promoted to the
praetorfhip, praefe&ure, and confulate, whofe wifdom the
emperor Juftinian held in fuch high efteem, that he made
great ufe of his maxims to embellifh every part of his In-
ftitutes of the Roman law, and whofe fame is immortal,
is defervedly honoured with this ftatue, that he may be
admired by pofterity.'
On the weft fide of the hall, under a marble ftatue, this
infcription is to be feen :
ISn AP1ETOTEAEI NOSEIN KIKEPONI TE EIPEIN
SPERONO SPERONIO fapientffimc, eloquentiffimo, op- infcription
timo 3" Viro C3 5 C/W, Virtutem Meritaque atta vita, fepientiam, under s P e -
eloquentlam declarant fcrtpta^ publico Dccreto J^irbis ^^^^ 5
Vlr'i P. Anno a Chrtfto nato M.D.XCIV. Al> urbe vero cuu
MM. die XL
* To Speronus Speronius, who was equal to Ariftotle in
reafoning, and to Tully in eloquence ; a perfon eminent
for wifdom, probity, and patriotifm ; whofe virtue and
merit {hone in his life ; whofe wifdom and eloquence ap-
pear confpicuous in his writings, this ftatue was erected by
a public decree in the year 1594 of the Chriftian sera, and
in the two thoufandth year and eleventh day from the
building of the city.'
A marble buft of Livy is fixed againft the wall ; and un-
der it, upon another ftone, is the following infcription :
V. F.
T. LIVIVS
LIVIAE T. F.
QVARTAE L.
HALYS
CONCORDIALIS
PATAVI
SIBI ET SVIS
OMNIBVS.
This is an ancient infcription, and was found near the
place where a temple of Concord formerly ftood. Others
D d 3 pretend
4 o6 P A D U A.'
pretend that it was dug up under the foundation of St Juf-
tina's church, about the middle of the fourteenth century.
The head that is fixed over this infcription is a beautiful an-
tique : but whether the buft and infcription were defigned
for Livy the hiftorian is another queftion. Sertorius Urfatus,
in Marmor. erud. p. 142, according to the information given
him by Marquard Guclius, conjectures, with very great pro-
bability, that the latter belonged to a freedman of Titus Li-
vius's daughter.
I.ivy'sre- The Paduans are firmly perfuaded that the bones found
maim. Jnclofed in a leaden coffin in St. Juftina's church, in the
year 1413, muft have been thofe of Livy ; and accordingly
they were brought with great folemnity into the council-
houfe, by order of Xiccone Polentoni, who was chancellor
of Padua at that time, and may be reckoned among the chief
reftorers of learning in Italy. Under the aforefaid ancient
infcription are the following words :
T. Livius quarto Imperil Tib.
Cafaris anno vita excejfit^
Mtath veroftus LXXV1L
M. D. XLVIL
4 T. Livy died in the fourth year of the reign of Tiberi-
' us Ciefar, and in the feventy-feventh of his age. 1547-'
On the outfide over the door leading to the Officium Sa-
nitatis, or Board of Health, are thefe words :
Offa T. Livii Patavini tmius omnium mtrtalium judicio digni,
citjus prope invicto calamo invi&i populi Romani res gejia con-
fcribcrentur An. 1548.
' Here lie the bones of T. Livy, a native of Padua, whofe
c matchlefs pen alone, in the opinion of moft men, was qua-
* lifted to tranfmit to pofterity the noble atchievements of
* the invincible Romans. 1-548.'
The proofs on which the opinion, that the bones found in
the year 1413 did belong to Livy the hiftorian, refts, are fo
far from amounting to a -demonftration, that it is a dubious
whether they are not the fkeleton of a female. Indeed
Xiccone Fokntoni, in a letter toNieolini Nicoli of Florence,
I concerning
P A D U A. 407
concerning thefe bones, mentions the future of the fkull as a
proof of the fex of the perfon to whom it belonged ; but
fuch uncertain marks modern anatomifts will not eafily fub-
fcribe to.
Annius Pollio cenfures Livy's ftilefor a fort of Patavinity Livy's place
or provincial dialect *; but it does not abfolutely follow of nativity,
from thence that Livy was a native of the city now called
Padua. Statins, lib. iv. Silv. 7. ad Maximum Jutuum.) calls
Livy, Timavi alumnus; but the courfe of the river Timavus
is at a confiderable diftance from Padua; for it runs between
Triefte and Aquileia (as has been already obferved) where
Antenor built his Patavium. Probably Sidonius Apollinaris
in Paneg. Anth. points at Livy's writings in thefe lines :
vel quidquid in avum
Mittunt Euganeis Patavina volumina cbartis.
c Or whatever the Patavian volumes, made of Euganean
i paper, confign to immortality.'
But the Montes Euganei cannot be placed in the territo-
ries of the modern Padua (as has been faid above) without
greatly perplexing the ancient geography. On what autho-
rity Eufebius fays, in his Chronicon, that Livy died at Pa-
dua, I know not ; but that Apona was the place of his na-
tivity Martial feems to intimate, in lib. i. epigr. 62.
Cenfetur Apona Livio fuo tellus
Stellaque^ nee Flacco minus.
This celebrated hiftorian might be furnamed Patavinus
from the neighbouring city of Patavium, as Virgil is called
the Mantuan poet, though he drew his firft breath at Andes,,
a village that is fituated not far from Mantua. This con-
jecture would be the more plaufible, were it afcertained that
the Fontes Patavini mentioned by Pliny, lib. ii. c. 103. and
lib. xxxi. c. 6, were the hot baths of Apona, which lie at the
diftance of four Italian miles and a half from Padua, and, no
doubt, were well known in ancient times f. If Livy was a
native of Padua, the name of Timavus muft have been ap-
plied by the ancients to two different rivtrrs.
* See Qulntil. lib. I. i/ift. Orat. c. 9. and lib. viii. cap. i.
* fid, Litcan. lib. vii. Claitdian epig. viii. Sil. ltd. lib. xii. Mart, lib*
Dd 4 In
408 PADUA.
^7^ In the hall of the council-houfe at Padua is a monument,
*" the mar- wit ^ a ^ u ^ of the marchionefs d'Obizzi, who, when a gentle-
ehionefs <f man of Padua, in the abfence of her hufband, had clandef-
Obizzi, tinely conveyed himfelf into her bed-chamber, chofe rather
to be {tabbed by the ravifher, who was enraged at the refift-
ance file made, than violate the honour of the marriage-bed.
Befides other proofs againft this execrable affaflin, one fhirt-
fleeve-button, exactly refembling that which he wore in the
other fleeve, was found in the lady's bed. The marchio-
nefs's only fon, then but five years of age, whom the affaf-
fin removed out of the bed before he made any attempt on
her chaftity, was likewife produced' as an evidence againft
him ; but, by reafon of his tender age, his depofitions were
not thought fufficient to convict the villain. He flood the
torture feveral times, but his life could not be touched ; and,
after fifteen years imprifonment, his friends procured him his
liberty; which however, he did not long enjoy: for the
above-mentioned fon of the unfortunate marchionefs {hot him
through the head foon after his enlargement, and thus re-
venged the barbarity committed againft his mother *. Uu-
der tfie marble buft of the marchionefs are thefe words :
Venerare pudicitice fimnlacrum &? yi ft imam Lucretiam de
Dondis ab Hcrologio, Pit Mnete de Obizzonibus^ Orciani Mar-
chicniS) itxorem. Hfec inter noElis tencbras^ maritales afjerens
tcsdas, furiales recentis Tarquinn faces cafto cruore extinxit^
Jicquc Romancm Liter eti am intemeratl tori gloria vicit. Tantts
fate Heroin* generofis Manibus hanc dicavit aram Civitas Pa-
tavina. Decreto die 3 1 Decembris Anni MDCLXI.
* Reader, revere this image of a noble victim to chaftiry,
namely, Lucretia de Dondis, the worthy confort of Pius
./Eneas d' Obizzi, marquis of Orciani, who, in the dark-
nefs of the night, preferved the pure flame of conjugal
chaftity, and with her chafte blood extinguiftied the brutal
fire of a modern Tarquin's luft; fo that flie furpafled the
glory of the Roman Lucretia, in preferving the honour of
the marriage-bed inviolable. To the illuftrious manes of
fo great a heroine, the city of Padua dedicated this altar
by a public decree, December 31, 1661.'
That the heroic chaftity of the marchionefs d' Obizzi
onld be perpetuated with fuch a memorial is very proper ;
* M : /on, Tom. I./. 186, &fe<f.
PADUA. 409
but it muft be allowed the like honour is no lefs due to a
chafte young woman, called Ifabella Ravagnina, who, when Virtue of
Maximilian I. had made himfelf matter of Padua, chofe to a . countr y
jump off from the bridge, called il Ponte Curvo, into the glr '
water, where {he was drowned, rather than fall into the
hands of fome Imperial foldiers, who clofely purfued her.
The Roman Lucretia's heroic a6t is indeed highly to be
commended ; yet I doubt not but many other nations afford
inftances of chaftity, which, though buried in oblivion, up-
on weighing all circumftances, juftly deferve to be preferred
to that of Lucretia *. Applicable to this is Pliny's obferva-
tion,///'. iii. Ep. 15. Alia dariora effe alia majora; i. e. ' Some
* actions are more celebrated, whilft others that are greater
c are buried in oblivion.' After all the panegyrics on Lucre- Reliquesof
tia, the following contrail may be drawn between her and theJeamed.
the chafte Sufanna :
Cajla Sufanna placet ; Lucretia , cede Sitfannes y
?, ilia morl maluit antefcelus f.
* In the whole behaviour of Lucretia the love of fame had a great
ihare : and Ovid alfo, in Fa/lor, lib. ii, gives us to underftand, that fhe
(tabbed herfelf to avoid reproach, rather than from any principle of chafti-
ty, when he fays.
Succuliilt fanite vicla pudla metu,
[Another note, by Mr. Schutz, to the fame purport with tHs of the
author, is here omitted ; as an invidious reflexion on fuch an heroic in-
ftance of chaftity favours of ill-nature, efpecially fince they both chiefly re-
ly on the teftimony of Ovid, who was a notorious debauchee.]
t The comparifon here drawn between the Apocryphal heroine and
Lucretia is far from being juft ; for the former could not prevent the punifh-
ment fhe was going to fuffer after conviftion upon the falfe evidence of
the elders ; whereas the latter had it not in her power to prevent Tarquin's
villany, though, perhaps, fhe might have concealed the rape, had fhe not
preferred her honour to her life. To this farcafm on the Roman matron.
may be oppofed the following lines :
Fair Sufan did her wif-hede well menteine,
Algates aflaulted fore by letchours tweine :
Now, and I read aright that auncient fong,
Olde were the the paramours, the dame full yong.
Had thilke fame tale in other guife been told ;
Had they been yong (pardie) and fhe been olde :
That, by Sf. Kit, had wrought much forer tryal ;
Full marveillous, I wot, were fwilk denyal.^
133.
Jufam a
R,^.
Su
4 io P A D U A.
4 Sufanna I admire, to whom Lucretia muft yield ; the
4 latter chofe to die after (he had contracted the guilt which
* the former was refolved to prevent by her death.'
Near the marchionefs d' Obizzi's monument, over the
door which opens into the Officium Sanitatis, is the follow-
ing infcription cut in marble :
Infcription Indyto Alphonfo Arragonum Regi Jludiorum Fautori^ Rcip.
on account y e net<f faederato, Antonio Panormita Poeta legato fuo orante^ &
^. m> lv> Mattbteo Vitturio hujus Urbis Prtetvre conftantiffmie interce-
dente^ ex Hijloriarum pareniis Titi Livii, ajjibus y quts hoc tu-
mulo conduniur^ brack wm Pat. Civ. in munus concejere^ A. C.
MCCCCLI. 14. Kal. Se.
4 The citizens of Padua made a prefent of an arm of
Titus Livius, the father of biftory, being part of the re-
mains of that great man depofited in this tomb, to the
illuftrious Alphonfo king of Arragon, encourager of learn-
ing, and ally to the republic of Venice, at the earneft re-
queft of the celebrated poet Antonio Panormita, their en-
voy, and the paflionate follicitation of Mateo Vitturi, chief
magiftrate of this city. Auguft 18, 1451.'
Hence it appears that there are alfo literary reliques, and
that they are no lefs eagerly fought for than the religious ;
but the misfortune is, that as many objedlions may be raifed
againft the genuinenefs of Livy's bones, which Padua fo
much boafts of, as againft many of the reliques fo devoutly
wormipped by the Romifh church ; but fome of the latter
are infinitely more profitable, and therefore more valued.
In the large hall, not far from the paflage' leading to the
Potefta's palace, is to be feen, a ftone fuperfcribed with the
following words :
Stone of re- Lapis vituperii & cejjionis banorum.
preach.
4 The ftone of ignominy and bankruptcy.'
Such as become bankrupt, and are unable to pay their
debts, by fitting publicly three times with their bare buttocks
upon this ftone, and {"wearing that it is not in their power to
difcharge their debts, are cleared from any further profecution
from their creditors. This extraordinary ceremony, however,
has been difcontinued for upwards of fifty years. The
PADUA. 411
The chief magiftrate's apartment, or il Palazzo di Potefta, I[ Palazzo
is in the council-houfe, where the bufts, portraits, and arms dl Poteft **
of fuch as have been inverted with the dignity of Potefta, are
to be feen. Formerly, feveral panegyrical infcriptions were Elegies of
placed under the bufts, &c. fome of which, compofed by the feveral Po-
celebrated Ferrari, pleafed me fo, that I cannot forbear tran- tefta s<
fcribing a few fpecirnens of them :
I.
ALOrSIOPRJpLQ of Aio y c
Paternee venerationh titulum promerito^ Prioli.
Quod fubmotis peccandi canfis
Levioris Inpfus atque <etatis licentiam
Glemenier aftimarit,
Et in pudoris notam fupplicio converfo
Sujfundere maluerit juvcntuiis fanguinetn
^itam effundere^
Arilum Studiofe
Summo regnandi artifici
Effigiem facrCirunt
Anno M. DC. LIV.
1 To Aloyfi Prioli, an excellent magidrate, who well de-
ferved the venerable and affectionate title of a father, for
he wifely removed the caufes of guilt, and was mild in
overlooking the foibles and fallies of youth, by changing
the punifhment of them to fome mark of fbame, being de-
firous that the blood of young perfons fhould rather tinge
their cheeks with ingenuous blufhes, than be fhed by ftripes,
the ftudents have confecrated this image in the year 1654.'
II.
ANGELO CORRARIO, Pratori,
^uiVeneto ccelo delapfus^populis^ quofcunqueadnt, beneficus ac fa-
lutaris, bis etiam terris ufura brevi commadatus^ manfuetitdine,
cehritate & confilii prcsftantia nominis auguriam implevlt^ hoc
etiam quod in ipfo rerum ingentium molimine evocatus eft, ut pa-
ds ac felicitatis nuntius Romanum Orbem collujlraret : Litteres
ac difciplinee Cylleniwn Jidus fibi modo o/lenfum benefidis pra-
fens adorantj atque erehti deftderium aiigufta itnagine falantxr.
Anno MDCLVL
< To Angelo Corrari, chief magiftrate of Padua, who, de-
c fcending from the Venetian fky, was gracious, and fpread
* virtue and happinefs wherever he came; though lent but
for
412
Of An tome
Bernard],
Of Aloyfius
Mocenicus.
PADUA.
* for a ftiort time to this country, fuch was his tnildnefs, his
* diligence, and wifdom, that he well deferved the name of
' Angelo ; and more particularly as he was recalled from
* this fcene of action, as a magiftrate, to be fent as a mef-
* fenger to diffufe peace and happinefs through the whole
* Roman empire. Learning and the fciences adore this il-
* luftrious ftar (which like the planet Mercury was but juft
* fhewn them, but by its benign influences is ftill prefent)
* and alleviate their grief for the lofs of it by his auguft
* image. 1656.'
III.
Cape animos^ Dalmatia mcerens,
Culti orbis limes, Italia mcenia^
Si tota virium mole Ottomanus incumbit
Novufque e Tbracia turbo circumtonat
Certa Salus adejl
ANTONIVS BERNARDFS,
)ui publicos bojles toto tequore cecidit^
Irruentem larbariemfiftet^
Novufque Leonida
Chrifliani Orbis dauflra tuebitur.
FaciPe hojlem fuperat
Quife ipfum vincens
De vitiis & cupiditatibus triu'mphat,
' Mourning Dalmatia, thou boundary of the civilized
world, and boundary of Italy, take courage ; fhould the Ot-
toman with his whole force invade, and Thrace again
thunder from every quarter, ANTONIO BERNARDi,thy in-
vincible protector, who flaughtered the enemies of the re-
public in repeated engagements at fea, is preferit to repel
the irruptions of the barbarians. This modern Leo-
nidas will defend the barrier of the chriftian world :
For he is fure to gain the victory over an enemy, who
conquers himfelf, and triumphs over his pafltons and
vices.'
IV.
Hoc militart afpeflu cultuque civilis imperil injignibus radiant?
fpeflantium oculos rapiebat ALOTSIVS MOCENICFS, incer-
tuni letto an pace tlarior, cum a Turcicis Tropais recens in Urbe
fudiorum altrice Ottomannicas manubias Mujis confecraret, fef-
rebus fubveniens fovendis ingeniis laudemfceneraret. Juri*
publicis
PADUA. 4*3
Jiudlofa juventus fuum cuique decus rependens facros jnultus qiiam
publicis hoftibus formidatos, tarn dementia futgore corufcos t ater-
num grati animi monumentum ftatuit.
Ann M.DC.LV11L
' With this military afpeft, and adorned with thefe glo-
rious enfigns of civil power, Aloyfi Mocenici attracted the
eyes of the beholders. It is dubious whether he was more
illuftrious in peace than in war; for when he returned load-
ed with fpoils, after his victories over the Turks, into this
city, the nurfery of the fciences, he confecrated them to
the mufes ; and by relieving the diftrefled, and encourag-
ing men of genius, acquired frefh glory. The ftudents
of the civil law, as an eternal monument of their grati-
tude, have unanimoufly fet up the refemblance of that fa-
cred face, that always ftruck terror into his enemies ; but
beamed with mildneis and benevolence towards his friends.'
V.
MJRCI RVZZINI Pretoris Of Marc.
Serenl vultus duro mar more fpirant^ cujus mitijjimum peflus u * zim>
clement ia, tanquam Temp/um infedit^ cul cum una felicitas fuerit
fecijje felices^ poftquam urbem annona, Gymnafium munificentia
beavit) it a abfceflit. ut cum nullius unquam fpem frujlratus Jtt t
jui dejlderium explere non potuerit. Juris ftudiofi B. M. P.
( This breathing marble reprefents the ferene countenance
of Marco Ruzzini. In his mild breaft benevolence fat in-
throned as in a temple ; his fole happinefs was to make
others happy ; and after he had relieved the city with plen-
ty of provisions, and largely endowed the college, he by
his death has occafioned a grief, which (though he never
fruftrated the hopes of any) it is beyond his power to allay.'
But of thefe and other infcriptions nothing now is to be wh y the< " e
fecn : for an order was fent from Venice about five weeks
ago to erafe them all without exception, and afterwards to ce j.
plafter them over with mortar. The real caufe of iuch a
procedure is unknown. Probably the Venetians intended,
by the abolition of thefe panegyrical infcriptions, to put a
flop to fuch grofs flattery ; or perhaps jealoufy on the part
of the magiftrates of Venice may have occafioned fuch a fe-
vere order j or, laftly, they might be apprehenfive that the
ere&ing of fuch monuments might induce the Potefta's to
connive
4 i4 PADUA.
connive at the great number of irregularities too frequent
among the diflblute ftudents, in order to procure themfelves
the honour of fuch memorials.
Infcriptions Be this as it will, the precaution ufed by the Venetians
inthePalaz- j ias not jf parec j t h e infcriptions in the Palazxo del Capitaneo,
20 del Ca- . * . . L . 1*1 /~\ T^* i i
pitaneoeraf-or the governors palace, in which Ottaviorerran had given
ed. noble fpecimens of his talents for this kind of writino-j fo
that they are no longer extant.
City library. The city library is alfo in this palace, of which Gabriel
JEmo deferved fo well, that the following infcription is fet
up in memory of his care and liberality :
GAERIELI MMO Prafefto ; quod BibKothecam ventls at-
qtie imbribus pcrviam, libris fitu corruptis, ipjlfque parietibus
vitium ducentibus^ fartani teftatn exegerit, & abjlerfo Jqualore in
prijiimtm cuhwn rejlitutam infigni liberalitate auxerit ; Otfavius
Ferrarius B. M. P.
e Ottavio Ferrari erected this memorial of Gabriel
* librarian, in acknowledgment of his great liberality in re-
' pairing this library, when in fo bad a condition, that the
* books were greatly damaged by the weather and rain, and
' grown mouldy by the dampnefsof the walls.'
II Palazzo II Palazzo del Capitaneo ftands on the beautiful area
^capita- called Piazza de' Nobili ; it is an elegant building, and the
fecond ftory is adorned with a gallery fupported by feventy-
three pillars of red marble. The tower is alfo a good piece
of architecture, and has a clock on it which (hews the coun'e
both of the fun and moon.
Ezzelini The ancient palace of the tyrant Ezzelini, orAcciolini,
palace. j s remarkable for its fpacious vaults, and at prefent ferves*
both for an arfenal and granary. This old fortrefs, which
was begun in the year 1237, and finiflied in the year 1242,
is ornamented with two towers, on one of which the fol-
lowing infcription is to be feen :
Pits carccrem adfptrgite lacryml^ qucm ntujores -vcflri
hie ectath, fexiis, conditicni^mortimi mi/Id di/crbnine habito^ qnos
Acciciimis Terthis dc Romano inhiinianiter iwos detrufit, inedia^
dolor e, defperatlone non nlfi msrtu&s aique cvnfwnptos extraxit^ inter
tot innocent cs --- quod incredibiti feritate 'hoc viventibus condidit
fepulchrum, nocens mortma ejL Vejham bine agnofcite felicitn-
tcm, qtn optimum Prinii^fni fiaJti) invnlite^ non piftati locum
rellquiftis*
PADUA. 415
rellqwjlis. Sela/iianus Gal-vanus Patavinus, annona & toto lel-
luo apparatu a Seremff. Veneta Rep. in hac arce fuee fidei cotnmif-
fis, teterrimo carceri hac ex biftonis infcribenda airavit. Anno.
Dom. MDCXIIX.
' Shed tears of companion on this prifon, where the blood
of your anceftors was abundantly (bed ; for thofe, whom
the inhuman Acciolini thruft down alive, without any dif-
tinction of age, fex, rank, or condition, into this dungeon,
periflied with hunger, grief, and defpair. After fuch
numbers of innocent victims, who were buried alive in this
dreadful fepulchre, it was the jure, fate of the execrable ty-
rant himfelf to expire in it at laft. Hence you ought to
be fenfible of your prefent happinefs, in having a prince,
who, from being objects of pity and companion, has ren-
dered you fo happy as to be envied for your profperity.
This infcription was fet up over this dreadful dungeon by
Sebaftiano Galvani, a native of Padua, commiflary of the
provifions and military ftores lodged in this cattle, in the
year 1618.'
On a baftion, near All-faints-gate, is a marble lion, with
this infcription under it :
Hoc hofpes opus tibi indicat, an JULIANUS Gradoniats^
qin Patavium ornavit atque munivit y And meruerit nomen ; at t "
ft tu legerh atta, Ariftidcm quoque dices^ nam talem egit Prat.
quails quilibet effe deberet. Anno M.D.XVIII.
' Stranger, this monument informs thee how well Giuliano
Gradonici, who embellifhed and fortified Padua, dcferved
the name of Ancus *. But, if thou wilt read the account
of his noble exploits, thou wouldft look upon him as ano-
ther Ariftides : for, when he was Podefta, he behaved fo as
to deferve univerfal applaufe. 1518.'
Over the entrance of a private gentleman's houfe not far
from Ponte de' Tadi, is the following infcription fet up by
the owner :
Domino coboncftanda Damns.
T (\ -1A
liiii's tr.
P an his Tomafmus Advocatus 1639.
* Alluding to Ancus Martius, fourth king of Rome, who enlarged
and embellilhsd the ci:v.
The
416 PADUA.
* The owner's virtue reflects a luftre upon his houfe. Pa-
4 olo Tomafuii, a pleader, 1639.'
In the houfe is fliewn the following concife form of a
will by the fame gentleman :
His will. Deo vivite, Sereniffl Relp. Venctte obfequium pr<e$atf 9 om-
nes honor at c, nullum cujufcunque fort is Jperntte, proneminefidei-
jujjlone vos oljlringite^ fie viziite, ut pajicri vos vixifj'e intelligant.
Paulus Tomaftnus J. C. Filiis fuis t eft amenta reliquit.
4 Live to God ; be loyal fubjets to the ferene republic of
Venice ; honour all men ; defpife not the meaneft 3 be fure-
ties for no man ; fo live, that pofterity may know you
have not lived in vain. This is the legacy which Paolo
Tomafini, a lawyer, left his fons by this his laft will and
teitament.'
Pilazzodi
bor<uuo.
Statue of
Hercules
Buphilopo-
us.
Near the mill-bridge are to be feen thirty mills within a
fmall diftance of each other, let in motion by the fame
itream.
The fineft private edifice in the whole city is the Palazzo
di Soranzo, which is adorned with the portraits of a great
number of princes. The garden belonging to this palace is
not yet completed.
In the court of the Palazzo di Mantua (lands a large co-
loflus with this infcription :
Hercules Bupkihponus beftiariuSy qul trijlltlam dcpitllt omnem,
peramplo hoc figno Mantua cur a refiorefcit.
Buphiloponus may poffibly fignify a great lover of labour *,
and befllariit according to Tertullian, Vopifcus, Prudentius,
and particularly Cafliodorus {diverf. IcSl. lib. v. epift. 42.)
were thofe who voluntarily offered themfelves to fight with
wild beafts in the amphitheatres : but for what end this ftatue
was erected I can get no information) neither do I remem-
ber that any of the ancient writers apply fuch an epithet or
furname to Hercules.
* It feeras rather, from its etymology, to denote a lover of labouring
oxen, from 8vc, $' ? -? , and TTOWJ, and probably alludes to Hercules's fteal-
ir.g Geryon's oxen, and driving them from Spain into Greece.
In
PADUA. 417
the palace of count Francefco Capo di Lifta is a A large
;n horfe fo large that it cannot ftand in the firft ftory, w <*ien
' its enormous height takes up half the fecond. It ore *
the family coat of arms is a horfe ; but what gave rife
whim of making this huge wooden horfe, no-body
inform me. My guide afllired me that it was the origi-
rojan horfe.
merly the cabinets of Bonaviti, Silvatico, Zabarella, Cabinets of
iflini, Lazara, &c. at Padua were worth feeing; but curiofjties *
lave been difperfed, and nothing now remains of them,
ver, Morgani has a good collection of curiofities. But
>ft valuable in this city is that of the celebrated phy-
Antoni Valiihieri, who dying on the a8th of January, Of Valifnl-
in the five-and-twentieth year of his age, left behind eri -
fon of the fame name, the prefent owner of this cu-
olleftion. It confifts of feveral petrifactions, natural
"ies, Egyptian idols, Hetrufcan vafes, and ancient
bufts, among which one of Junius Brutus and two
'iter are much admired. Several animals and infedts, Methods of
ly kept in fpirits of wine, are here preferved without fJveral Tni-
juor, in glafs bells flopped with wax at the bottom, to mals for a
them againft the air. longtime,
ong thepleafure-gardens of Padua, that of d' Andola, The garden
le Venetian, is one of the beft, being adorned with of Andola.
numbers of flatues; but the Papafava gardens exceed Of Papafa-
orange-trees, cyprefs, and other ever-greens, which va -
pofed into fine walks, labyrinths, and beautiful hedges.
2 latter, fome are of box-tree, grown to the height
rteen or fourteen feet.
3 name of Papafava is faid to be derived from Giaco- The etymo-
e Carraria, to whom the monks of a convent in Car- 'sy of the
where he was educated, gave that nickname, becaufep^ a fPa "
s extremely fond of beans.
.e air of Padua is accounted very healthy. Martin Healthful-
, a German, father to the perfon who keeps the inn^. efsof th *
il Re d' Ingliterra, or the fign of the king of England, air '
few years fmce at the age of a hundred and fourteen,
ver, few cities have fo many apothecaries as Padua,
-portion to the number of inhabitants : but it muft be
- ed, that moft of thefe venders of medicines are alfo
Sioners. Great quantities of vipers are colledted here ; Vipers.
of which are kept alive for various ufes, and others
onv.u and made into powder, which is fuppofed to be of great
efficacy in medicine. They feed the fowls with vipers and F Y ls fcd
VOL. III. y e me il r vjththem '
4 i6
His will.
Palazzo di
Suranzo.
Statue of
Hercules
Buphilopo-
JJUS.
PADUA.
* The owner's virtue reflects a luftre upon his houfi
' olo Tomafini, a pleader, 1639.'
In the houfe is {hewn the following concife forn
will by the fame gentleman :
Deo vivite, SeremJ/l Relp. Vencta obfequium pr<eftat
nes honor ate, nullum cujufcunque forth fpernite, pronemit
jujjlone vos oljlringlte^ fie vivite, ut pojieri vos vixiffe inte
Paulus Tomafmiis J. C. Filiis fuis tejl amenta reliquit.
* Live to God ; be loyal fubjefls to the ferene rept.
Venice ; honour all men ; defpife not the meaneft j I
ties for no man ; fo live, that pofterity may kn
have not lived in vain. This is the legacy whic
Tomafini, a lawyer, left his fons by this his lafl '
teftament.'
Near the mill-bridge are to be feen thirty mills v
fmall diftance of each other, let in motion by tr
itream.
The fineft private edifice in the whole city is the.
<li Soranzo, which is adorned with the portraits of
number of princes. The garden belonging to this p
not yet completed.
In the court of the Palazzo di Mantua ftands a lai
lofius with this infcription :
Hercules Buphiloponus bejilarius^ qui trijlitiam dcpullt
peramplo hoc figno Mantua cur a rejlorefdt.
Buphiloponus may poffibly fignify a great lover of h
and befliar'iit according to Tertullian, Vopifcus, Prut
and particularly Caffiodorus (diver f. left. lib. v. epij.
were thofe who voluntarily offered themfelves to fig'
wild hearts in the amphitheatres : but for what end thi
was ereled I can get no information, neither do I r
her that any of the ancient writers apply fuch an ep
furname to Hercules.
* It feems rather, from its etymology, to denote a lover of 1
oxen, from 8ovt> 4>>-oc, and wovo?, and probably alludes to Herculf
ing Geryon's oxen> and driving them from Spain into Greece.
PADUA. 417
In the palace of count Francefco Capo di Lifta is a A large
Wooden horfe To large that it cannot ftand in the firft ftory, w <Jen
but by its enormous height takes up half the fecond. It horfe>
feems the family coat of arms is a horfe j but what gave rife
to the whim of making this huge wooden horfe, no-body
could inform me. My guide afluredme that it was the origi-
nal Trojan horfe.
Formerly the cabinets of Bonaviti, Silvatico, Zabarella, Cabinets of
Tomaflini, Lazara, &fr. at Padua were worth feeing; but curiofities '
they have been difperfed, and nothing now remains of them.
However, Morgani has a good collection of curiofities. But
the moft valuable in this city is that of the celebrated phy-
fician Aritoni Valifnieri, who dying on the 28th of January, or Valifni-
1730, in the five-and-twentieth year of his age, left behind e "
him a fon of the fame name, the prefent owner of this cu-
rious collection. It confifts of feveral petrifactions, natural
curiofities, Egyptian idols, Hetrufcan vafes, and ancient
marble bufts, among which one of Junius Brutus and two
of Jupiter are much admired. Several animals and infedts, Methods of
formerly kept in fpirits of wine, are here preferved without feveralTni-
any liquor, in glafs bells flopped with wax at the bottom, tomals for a
fecure them againft the air. lon e time.
Among thepleafure-gardens of Padua, that of d' Andola,The garden
a noble Venetian, is one of the beft, being adorned with ofAndola.
great numbers of flatues ; but the Papafava gardens exceed Of Papafa-
it for orange-trees, cyprefs, and other ever-greens, which va<
are difpofed into fine walks, labyrinths, and beautiful hedges.
Of the latter, fome are of box-tree, grown to the height
of thirteen or fourteen feet.
The name of Papafava is faid to be derived from Giaco- The etymo-
bino de Carraria, to whom the monks of a convent in Car- l sy of the
raria, where he was educated, gave that nickname, becaufep a a f v e a ofpa ~
he was extremely fond of beans.
The air of Padua is accounted very healthy. Martin Healthful-
Ichtel, a German, father to the perfon who keeps the inn^ fsofthe
called il Re d' Ingliterra, or the fign of the king of England,
died a few years fince at the age of a hundred and fourteen.
However, few cities have fo many apothecaries as Padua,
in proportion to the number of inhabitants : but it muft be
obferved, that moft of thefe venders of medicines are alfo
confectioners. Great quantities of vipers are collected here ; Vipers,
fome of which are kept alive for various ufes, and others
dried and made into powder, which is fuppofed to be of great
efficacy in medicine. They feed the fowls with vipers and Fo *' ls fed
VOL. III. Ee mwl wlththem -
418 P A ID U A.
meal at Naples ; where they are alfo adminiftered to patients,
as well as the broth made of thefe animals. The beft way
of feeding fowls is to cram them with a pafte made of
viper-powder and barley-meal, and then to give them milic
to drink. Of thefe fowls the Neapolitans make' a jelly, and
give it to confumptive patients, and order them to continue
drinking it for fome weeks. This puts me in mind of Sir
Kenelm Digby, an Englifh virtuofo, who ufed to feaft his
wife, who was a very beautiful lady, with capons fattened
with vipers flem ; but he did not long enjoy his pampered
idol ; for fhe died very young. Vipers are not always equal-
thsbeftvi-ly good; for in fome years their flefh is more efficacious
**" than in others. Thofe caught in the neighbourhood of
Rome are accounted the beft ; and on that account great
quantities are fent from thence to Venice, to be ufed as an
ingredient in the Theriaca Andromachi, or Venice-treacle ;
* though, at prefent, the Theriaca, made at Paris and other
places, is as good as that of Venice. As all venomous crea-
tures thrive beft in a warm climate and dry foil, the vipers
bred about Padua muft confequently be inferior in virtue and
efficacy to thofe of Rome.
Stormj. The territory of Padua is very fubje& to ftorms, par-
ticularly thofe which come from the fea, which are extreme-
ly violent.
Public bro- For the honour of the Mufes, and the edification of the
thels. ftudents in the Univerflty, it feems the Donne libere, or
Done del Mondo, as they are called, are publicly tolerated
at Padua. Thefe ladies have their refpe&ive dwellings ap-
pointed them, where they live together fix or eight in a
clafs, and offer themfelves to the fervice of the public. That
fo commendable an inftitution may not be liable to any ob-
jetion, it' is the peculiar office of feveral phyficians fre-
quently and ftii6Uy to examine thefe Donne, that no .bad
confeqvtences may happen to thofe who converfe with thefe
nymphs. Of thefe public temples of Venus, there are two
in the city of Padua j and, what feems fomething out of
character, one joins to the Eremitical fathers convent, and
the other to a nunnery of St. Blaze.
Jews place. The Jews have alfo their particular quarter allotted to
them at Padua, out of which they are not permitted to ftir.
On the three gates leading thither are fo many different in-
fcriptions ; that on the fouth-gate is as follows ;
F.D.
The Country about P A D U AJ 419
f. D. Infcrlption
Nepopulo cteleftis Regni baredi ufus cum exhterede ejfit fraudi, ofThe Jewi
dtfi unum in locum hie redaffi ajjiduo Marcl Cornetii lettlfjlml quarter.
i, Epifcopi^ Domus Dei ze/o atque Jludio pene univerforum
^ Domina Urbis Scnatu aufiore^ faSlo decreto clvlum^
Virorum ampUJJimorum Francifci Bernardi Prestoris^ Marcl
Quirini PresfeSll benigno aufpido^ eximidDanielisCampefii^Ser-
torii Urfati Eq. Nicolai Campo San. Petri J. C. Curatorum
epera. Anno Cbri/li M.DC. III. J. F. M.
* Left any detriment might accrue to the heirs of the
kingdom of heaven from a commerce with thofe who are
difinherited, the Jews were confined to this quarter by the
indefatigable zeal of the moft excellent bifhop, Marco
Cornelio, for the houfe of God, arid the unanimous de-
cree of the fenate, &c. in the year 1603.'
PADUA, May, 1730.
^h^^^
LETTER LXXII.
Defcription of the Country about ABANO, CA-
TAJO, BATAGLIA, ARO^JA, &c.
S I R,
NO traveller of tafte will think it loft time to beftow a The village
day on an excurfion into the country that lies to the Abano.
fouth of Padua. The village Abano, in Latin, Aponum y
lies about four Italian miles from Padua, and is much fre-
quented in fummer on account of the warm baths which are
about half a mile from it.
A houfe belonging to fignior Cornelio, or Cornaro, in Ancient
this village, is adorned with fome good pictures, and two tombs '
ancient monuments, one of which reprefents a woman fit-
ting, with this infcription :
YHOMNHMA AIAIAS 4>IAH Greek In-
MATIOY. fcription.
E e 2 The
420 The Country about PADUA.
* The monument of ./Elia, the wife or daughter of Phi-
' lematios.'
On the other are the reprefentations of a man and a boy,
with thefe words under them :
Another. TAAYKOZ TAAYKOY
XPH2TE XAIPE.
4 My beloved Glaucus, the fon of Glaucus, farewel !
Over an old pi&ure of the poet Petrarch are thefe words
in Italian:
Infcription fecchlo penfo, arete, piango, e cbi mi sfage
trarch's'pic- Sempre m'e'inanzi per mia dolce pend.
ture,
' Old as I am, I ftill for Laura burn,
' And with fond tears bedew her facred urn ;
' Her pleafing form, ftill prefent to my view,
e At once my former joys and grief renew.
Oppofite to Petrarch hangs Laura's picture, with the fol-
lowing infcription in the fame language :
Over that of Miriam cojlei quant? ella parla e rie
Che folfejlefla e nulP altra fomiglia.
' The beauteous Laura towers above her fex ;'
6 And, while we gaze, the willing foul beguiles
With tuneful accents, or bewitching fmiles.'
An admirable ancient monument, which now ftands on a
pillar near the college at Padua, was found at Abano. The
infcription is as follows :
Ancient C. ATIA C. F.
m nume A nt PRIMA SIBI
ET. Q. SICINIO. M. F.
VIRO SVO
V. F.
INFRONTE
P. XX.
H. L. ET. M.
H.N. S.
DISPENATIBVS.
i.e. Caj*
The Country aboyt PADUA; 421
i. e. Caja Atia^ Caji Filia, Prima fibi> & ^uinto
Marci Filio Firofuo vivens fecit. In front e pedes XX. Hunc
locum &? monumentum Hares non fequitur. Diis Penatibus.
Fid. UrfatiMcn. Patav.fol. 181.
The letters H. L. ET. M. H. N. S. may be read, Hie lo-
ots ff monumentum haredem non fequuntur ; and fignify that no
other perfon was to be buried in that place.
If Pliny by the Fontes Patavini means the baths of Abano, The warm
there is not one of them at prefent that does not emit a fmell, J^ s of A "
which is quite contrary to what he obferves of the Fontes an *
Patavini *. In thefe baths are three forts of water, of very
different qualities ; fome of the fprings are impregnated with
fulphur, and have particular bathing-rooms, \vhere, by
means of fteps, one may defcend to any depth in the water.
Others are boiling hot, and the water fprings up in fuch
quantities as to drive a mill at the diftance only of about
twenty paces from the fource. The wooden pipes through
which the water is conveyed to thefe baths are often incruft-
ed with a white lapideous fubftance, not eafily feparated
from the wood j and the exadT: impreffions of the veins and
knots of the wood on this concretion make it perfectly re--
femble petrified wood.
A Sudatorium has alfo been built here, the effect of which Sudatorium.
is caufed by the fteam of the water. Some of the fprings, Minerals i
which are tepid, are fajd to be impregnated with lead : and the water.
others, from their reddifh fediment and other figns, appear
to be ferrugineous, In thofe where fulphur predominates,
the pipes contract a cruft of whitifh fait. Here is alfo a Slime bath.
bagno di fango^ or a muddy bath, where very obftinate ar-
thritic diforders have been cured by means of the warm flime.
* Plinius ////?. Nat. lib. xxxi. c. 6. Nee decolor ftecie saris argentine (ut
multi exiflima'vere ) medicaminum argumentum tjl,quando nthileorum in Fata-
<ui/iis font thus, ne odor is quidem differentia aliqua deprekenditur. * Nor does
' the difcolouring of brafs or filver prove, as many have thought, any me-
< dicinal virtues to be in them ; no fuch virtues being found in the waters
< of Padua, nor any difference in frnell.' But thofe of Abano are not the
only baths in the territory of Padua. Suetonius, in his life of Tiberius,
mentions the Fons Aponus ; and Martial wrote an epigram in its praife j
where, among other encomiums, he fays of it :
Fons Antenorea vitam quiporrigis urbi.
Q fountain, who beftoweft life and health on Anterior 's city.'
E e 3 Why
422 The Country about PADUA.
Why Martial, in lib. vi. Ep. 4.2, ftiles thefe baths Fontes
Aponi rudes puellis, I own I cannot conceive.
The baths of Abano belonged to two perfons of the
Morofini family, and are at preient let for a hundred Ducati
d* Argento, or filver ducats, a year. A very accurate ac-
count of their virtues and properties was publifhed at Padua
by Gratiani, in the year 1701. It was intitled Ihermarum
Patavinarum examen, where he alfo treats of other baths in
the neighbourhood of Padua.
In fome places betwixt this and Catajo, a fmoke or warm
exhalation is feen to arife from the water and foil ; fo that, if
it was requifite, the number of hot baths might be eafily in-
creafed.
P.ilaceof On the left-hand of this road ftands a fine palace called
Inganno. I n g anno? /. <>. Qeceit.
Catajo. Catajo lies five Italian miles from Abano. The former
belongs to a gentleman of the family of Obrizzi, the
moft remarkable actions of which are painted in frefco
in this palace by the celebrated Paolo Veronefe, and ex-
plained by proper infcriptions. On the entrance of this
palace are the following ingenious lines, compofed by Paul
Julian Ungar:
/Ingenious Jupiter oltne domum tutare, fuperna Gigantes
jjifcription , Atria ft cap iant, hie tuus or bis erit.
trance of 6 "" Heic quoque fidereifunt pifta palatia cceli,
the palace. Adde notis animas y Ntiminis injlar erunt.
1 Great Jove protect this houfe. Should the giants once
' more ftorm thy imperial dwelling, this may be thy refi-
* dence. Here alfo are painted the palaces of the ftarry
' heaven. Give life to the figures, and they will become
' as fubordinate deities to thee,'
Near a fmall ftair-cafe in the palace is the portrait of an
old woman, with thefe lines over it :
Verfes over Galr'wa giace qui> Vecchia lafciva^
the pidure Qual cial vago 'Labrin portato in groppa j
Che bencheforda, firdunata, e Zappa,
Si trajlullo in amor, Jin cbefii
viva.
' Here lies the lafcivious Gabrina, &c. who, though flie
* was deaf, old, lame, and blind, was ftill amorous while
* fhe had any life in her.'
The
The Country about PADUA. 423
The upper ftory is finely furriifried with paintings, a- Portrait of
mong which hangs the portrait of the marchionefs d' Obriz- "
zi, in honour of whom a ftatue was creeled in the council- bri
houfc at Padua for Tier chaftity, as mentioned above. By
her picture (and painters are feldom guilty of doing injuftice
to the ladies) fhe appears to be no extraordinary beauty.
This palace yields a beautiful profpect, and has charming
gardens, cool grotto's,, a park, a theatre, a pavilion for
balls, and every thing that conduces to pleafure and magni-
ficence.
The village of Monfelice (in Latin, Mom Jilicis} lies not Monfelice.
far from hence; a;;d within an Italian mib from Catajo lies
the little town of Bataglia, fo called from the rapid conflux
of two fmall rivers in that place.
About three miles from Ba.a '.?'a lies Arqua, or Arquato, Arqua.
famous for having been the reiidence and burial-place of
Francefco Petrarcha. This celebrated poet was born on the Account of
20th day of July in the year 1304, at Arezzo, in thedutchy Petra "^*
of Florence; and in his youth was forced to make his efcape
into the county of Avignon in France, where he lived chief-
ly at Vauclufe (fo called quafi Vallis claufa] near the fourceof
the river Sorgue ; a place he often mentions in his poems
with great praife and affection. In the twenty- third year of H; S amour,
his age, he happened one day to meet a young lady of about
thirteen years of age without the gates of Avignon, with
whofe beauty he was immediately ftruck ; and Hecame fo
paffionately enamoured of her, that he not only entertained
the tendereft love for her during the courfe of one-and-twen-
ty years, that is, as long as fhe lived ; but perfevered in his
extraordinary paffion ten years after her death, and even to
the end of his days *. It does not appear that they were
* This appears from Petrarch's own words in one of his fonnets :
Teneml amor anni wen? uno ardendo
Lieto nelfuocOy e nel duolpien difpeme j
Poi eke madonna, e ilmio corfeco infeme
Saltro alc'iel) dud altri anni piargendo.
Sonetto 313.
For twice ten years, and more, my bofom glow'd
With love's foft fires, and felt its pleating pangs.
' But fince my Laura took her flight to heav'n,
* And thither carried every heart-felt joy,
* Ten years I've mourn'd her early fate, and oft
* Bedew' d her urn with unavailing tears.'
Ee 4 ever
424 The Country about PADUA.
ever married * ; nor is it known what could prevent thefe
lovers from entering into the conjugal ftate. It is true,
Petrarch once had lome ecclefiaftical preferment ; but this
was towards the latter part of his life ; fo that, in the firft
years of his paffion for Laura, he was under no reftraint as
to marriage on that account. Ppflibly the want of an eafy
fortune might check any thoughts of entering into a cona-
tion, which is generally attended with confiderable charges ;
for it was but few years before his death that he went to Flo-
rence, to take pofleflion of the inheritance that his father
had left him. The real name of Petrarch's miftrefs was
Lauretta, which in his poems he always has abbreviated in-
to Laura. Her father was Henry Chabod, lord of Ca-
brieres. Petrarch fell paflionately in Jove with Laura the mo-
ment he firft faw her, which was pri the fixth day of April,
1327, about one of the clock in the afternoon, as he tells
us in his I77th fonnet, part I. I fhould not have been fo
exa& in mentioning this circumftance, had not Petrarch, in
the firft chapter of the Triumph of Love, and in the 2916;
fonnet, part II, obferved, that his beloved Laura expired on
the very fame day of the year 1348, and in the fame hour.
Upon her death France became quite infupportable to him ;
and, after roving fome time from place to place, he at 'ength
fixed upon Arquatp as his place of refidence, where he died in
the feventy-fourth year of his age. His monument is to be
feen near the church, with the following fhort infcription ;
frigida Frandfd lapis btc tegit ojja Petrarch a.
Sufcipe, Virgo Parent, anlmam ; Sate virgine pane,
Fejjaque jam terris cceli requiefcat in arce.
Morltur^ Anno Dom. 1374. 18. Julii.
Under this ftpne lie the poor cold remains of Francefco
< Petrarcha. Holy virgin, receive his foul ; and thou whq
waft born of a virgin pardon his fins, and grant that he
* may reft in heaven after his weary pilgrimage on earth.'
* In the Colloqu'wtertiidiei, Petrarch writes thus: In amore meonilun-
qaant turfe, nil obfcrenum, mldenique prater tnagnitudinem culpabile. Adde
incctum, nikil puUbrius cxcogitari queat. * My love was ever free from the
' leaft turpitude or obfcenity, and was culpable only in its excefs. Had
\ the ardour of my paffion been Icfs violent, nothing could be imagined.
f more commendable and praife-worthy.'
Under.
TJie Country about PADUA, 425
Underneath are thefe words :
Viro infigni Franc. Petrarcbts Laureate Frandfcolus de Brofa-
0, Mcdiolanenjis, gener Indhidud converfatione, amore, propin-
quitate, fuaejfione, memoria.
6 To the memory of that celebrated poet Francefco Pa-
' trarcha ; Francefcolo de Brofano, of Milan, his fon-in-
< law, who was infeparably united to him by converfation,
' affinity, affection, &c. inscribes thefe lines.
And farther underneath :
Jo. Bapt. Rota Patav. amore, benevolentia^ obfervantlaqu^
devinfiiffi tantl celebr. Vatis vlrtutum admirator ad pojleros.
H. M. B. M. P. C.
c Giovanni Battifta Rota erected this monument as a
* mark of his fmcere affe&ion to, and admiration of the
? excellent qualities of fo great a poet, in order to perpetu-
6 ate the memory of their friendfhip to pofterity.'
Under a brafs buft of Petrarch, placed over this monu-
ment, is the following infcription :
Fr. Petrarch<s Paulus Valdczucus Poematum ejus admirator ,
adium agrique pojjejfor^ bane cjfigiempof. An. 1547- Idibus Sept,
Manfredino Comite Vicario.
< This buft of Petrarch was fet up by Paolo Valdefuci,
* an admirer of his poems, and the pofleflbr of his houfc
* and eftate, Sept. 13, 1547.*
On the north fide of the church is to be feen the follow*
ing infcription on marble :
Danti Aligerio> Frandfco Petrarchee^ & Joanni Bocaciff,
Viris ingenio eloquentiaque clarijjimis^ Italic* lingua parentibus}
TJt quorum corpora mors & fortuna fejunxerant, nomina faltem
fimul collefta permanerent, "Joan. Brevius Canon. Cenetenfis^
kujus Bajilices Re ft or, infui erga eos amoris obfervantiaque tefti" -
pionium pofuit MD XXII II,
426 The Country about PADUA.
To Dante Aligieri, Francefco Petrarcha, and Giovan-
ni Boccacio, perfons celebrated for their wit and elo-
quence, the parents of the Italian language ; that thofe,
whofe bodies death and other accidents have feparated,
might at leaft have their names perpetuated together on
this marble, Giovanni Erevi, canon of Ceneda, and rec-
tor of this church, as a teftimony of his regard and affec-
tion for thofe illuftrious perfons, erected this monument in
the year 1524.'
Over a fountain at Arquato this diflich is to be feen :
Infcription Font I Nuffien ine/? 9 hofpes venerareliquorem^
ona foun- jj n ^ e fcfc m cec ; n ; t . gna p etr a rc h a Deis.
6 Revere this facred fpring, whofe limpid dream
' Infpired Petrarch's heav'n-bornmufe to flng
* Such lays as e'en the gods might deign to hear.'
Other me- The houfe in which Petrarch lived ftands on a hill, at
ttos^oetfn f me diftance from Arquato; and over the door leading to
his hoofe'." the garden and vineyard is the following diftich, put up by
order of the perfon who fucceeded Petrarch, as proprietor
of the houfe :
Jmpune hinc Cererem fumas impunc Lyceum
Intafias habeat dum mea laurus opes.
. * Traveller, thou mayeft fafely regale thyfelf with the
* gifts of Ceres and Bacchus j but let not thy ram hand
' touch my laurels.'
The memory of the poet is preferred in feveral of the
apartments by allegorical paintings in frefco : copper-plates
of thefe, and of fome pieces of his furniture that ftill re-
main in this houfe, are to be feen in Tomafini's Petrarcha
redhivus. Pignori has beftowed the following epigram on
on the poet's chair:
Hofpes
The Country about PADUA. 427
Hofpes ades^ tenuemque procax ne defpice Sellam Epigram on
Terffecbare qua vix aurea majus babet. &* chair -
O quoties Vatum hoc f edit darijjirnus olim
DM/I canit ad 'Thufcam cartnlna culta lyram.
Cum rlgidts ad numcros mot are cacumina quercus
Confpeff'.') s" rablcm ponere jujjd fera eft.
Pbcele Paler ^ quidfeUam axi fuper adder e cejjas?
Dignior baud cur r us injtruetuilaiuos.
Stranger, approach, behold this homely chair,
Which e'en Terplichore herfelf might chufe,
Where feated oft the bard divine attun'd
His heav'nly numbers to the Tufcan lyre ;
While knotted oaks were feen to wave their heads,
As beating time to his harmonious lays,
And admiration tam'd the favage beafts.
Apollo, to thy axis join this feat,
For none will better fuit thy radiant car.'
Petrarch's table is alfo celebrated by Johannes Rhodius
a Dane :
Llmplda fervavi menfis cryjlalla Petrarcha, His table.
Simplicitas eevi^ quifuit, inde patet.
* This table held Petrarch's cryftal vafes, and remains
' here as a monument of the fimplicity of that age.'
That Petrarch had a daughter is evident from the in- Petrarch's
fcription on his monument, Francefcolo de BrofTano of * 1 *"* 1
Milan being there ftiled Gener, /. e. his daughter's hufband. au S" ter *
It alfo appears by the infcripdon on the tomb erected to her
memory by her hufband in St. Francis's church at Trevifo,
that her name was Francefca.
Frandfcts parientt perempta Francifci Petrarchts Laureatt
l Francifcolus de Brofano Mediolanenjis maritus P. Obiit
anno M.CCC.LXXXIV.
To Francefca the daughter of Francefco Petrarcha, the
^ celebrated poet, who died in child-bed, this monument
* was erected by her hufband Francefcolo de BrofTano of
e Milan. She died in the year 1384.
This
4 jS The Country about PADUA.
This daughter he is fuppofed to have had in his younger
years at Milan. And Tomafini, in his Petrarcha redivivus y
iays, that fhe was, by the mother's fide, of the family of the
Becrarii. As it is unquestionable that this daughter of Pe-
trarch was the fruit of ftolen embraces, I cannot but wonder
at Boccacio's confidence, when he fays of Petrarch,v/jw-
tute fud ctelibem vitam ducem adeo inepte Veneris fpuratias horret,
ut nofcentibus ilium fanffijfimum fit exemplar bonefti ; * That he
' led a fmgle life from his youth, and was fo averfe to luft
* and forbidden pleafures, that all who knew him looked up-
* on him as a fhining example of chaftity.' His daughter
Francefca left behind her a fon, who died at Pavia, where
formerly his grandfather Petrarch refided for fome time *.
Wickedr.efs Though I am not for making a faint of f rancefco Pe-
brother" 11 * trarcna Y et ne ought to be diftinguifhed from his brother
Gerardino, who is charged with having, in confideration of
a fum of money, given .up his own filter to the brutal luft of
pope Benedia XII.
Laura's As for the beautiful Laura, fhe died in Petrarch's abfence,
while he was on a viflt to the Scaligeri family at Verona.
She lies in the Francifcan f church at Avignon, with the
following epitaph :
D. 0. M.
Et memories tsternte D. Laura cum pudicitia turn formd
fcemina incomparabilis^ qua ita vixit, ut ejus memoria nullofeculq
cxtingul pojjit..
Rejlituerunt vfttrum monumcntorum percgrini indagatores D.
Chrijlophorus de Allegre Eques Lufitanus, & D. Antonius de
Prat. Prat or Parifanjis, & Gabriel Simeonius Florentinus,
zuJoxiaj x*f' v IV- Idus April. 1558.
Sola manet virtus, cestera mortis erunt. * Sacred
* This infant was honoured with the following elegant epitaph, which
is infci ted here for the fake of the learned reader :
Vix mundi novus hofpes eram, <vita-que <volanth
At tiger am tenero llm'ma durapide :
Francifcus genitor, genitrix Francifca,fecutui
Has de fonte facro nomen idem tenui.
Infansformofus, folamen duke parentum
Hie dolor, hoc unojbrs mea beta minus.
Cteterafumfelix ? <ver# gaudia <vittf
Naftus&aierna, tarn cifb, tarn facile.
Sol bis, Luna quaterflexum peragraverat orbem t
Olwia mors,fallor, ob=via vitafuit.
Me Venetum terris dedit Urbs, rapuitque Papia ;
Nee queror, hie ccclo reflituendus eram.
Pid.Jac. Salomonh '.Infcriptione s agr'i Pa.ta~jini,p. 580.
t Or rather the Cordeliers church, which is one of the Francifcan
orders.
The Country about PADUA. 429
' Sacred to God the greateft and beft of beings,
* And the eternal memory of Laura, a lady no lefs dif-
tinguifhed for her chaftity than her beauty ; who lived in
fuch a manner, that her memory will never die, but is
configned to immortality.
' Chriftopher de Allegre, a knight of Portugal ; Antony
de Prat, chief magiftrate of Paris; and -Gabriel Simeoni
of Florence, fearching for ancient monuments, out of re-
fpecT: to Laura's memory, repaired this tomb, April 10, 1558.
' Virtue alone defies the ftroke of death.'
This tomb remained for many years in obfcurity, till it
was at laft difcovered by Mauritius Scasva.
Francis I, king of France, pafling through Avignon in
his way to Marfeilles, ordered Laura's grave to be opened,
and the coffin to be taken up ; but nothing remained of that
celebrated beauty but duft and the bones. On the breaft of the
Ikeleton lay a fmall leaden box, in which were fome Italian
verfes *, and a medal of lead, on one fide of which was the
image of a female, and on the reverfe thefe letters, M. L.
M. I. which ftands for Madonna Laura mortua jacet; i.e.
' My beloved Laura lies dead.'
Upon this, Francis I. erected a fplendid monument to
Laura's memory, with the following epitaph compoled by
himfelf:
* Thcfe verfes were written on parchment by Petrarch's own hand, and
are as follow :
t$u i ripofan quci cafle c felici offia
Di quell" alma gentile, efola in terra,
Afpro e dorfajjb hor ben teco haifotterra,
El vero honor, lafama, e beltafcoffa.
Morle ha delverde Laurejuelta e moffa
Frefea radice, e ilpremio di miaguerra
Di quattro luftri epiu / an cor non err a
Mio pen/if r trifto, e'l chuide in pocafojfa.
Felice pianto in borgo Avignone,
Nacque e mori : e put con ella giace
La penna, e'ljiil, finchioj!ro & la ragione
O delicati membri, o viva face,
Cfrancor mi cuoggi ejlruggi, in ginoccbione
Ciafcun pregbi il Signer faccettj in pace.
O Sexo.
Mortal bellezza indarnojifufpira,
I J alma beat a in del iii'vra in eterno.
Pianga el pute e ilfutur fecul pri<va
D'una talluce: GT io digit occbie il tempo.
En -
430 The Country about P A D tJ A
En petit lieu comprh vans pouvez volr^
CV, qui comprcnd bcaucoup par renommee ;
Plume^ labeur? la languc & le devoir
Furent vaincus par faymant de Faymee.
Q gentilV ATTICA ciant tant eftimee^
Qui h pourra louer^ quenfe taifant ?
Car la parole ejl tousjours reprimee^
^uand le fujet furmonte le difant.
' Within this narrow tomb confin'd you fee
' Her, whofe fair fame the world did over-fpread 5
* Her lover's voice, his pen, his mufe confpir'd
4 To praife her living and lament her dead.
* O gentle (hade ! who can record thy worth,
';', ' Since words are wanting for fo high a theme ?
* The mufe in filence droops her doubtful wing;
' There need no words to eternize thy name *.
Country In returning from Arquato to Padua, we pafled through
about Ar- a very pleafant country, interfperfed with many beautiful
<juato.
* Giulio Camillo, after the example of the French monarch, conapofed
the following Latin epitaph for Laura :
Laura ego, qutffueram Tbnfci olim <vita Poette :
Laura ego, quam in vita Thufcus alebat amor t
Heic fine honor e diujacui non cognita, quain^is
Cognita carminibus culte Petrarcba tuts.
Nulluspurpureisfpargebatfloribus urnam,
Nullus odoralis ferta dabat calatbis.
Nunc quoque Francifci,Jed verfu & munere Rfgis
Notefco, officiis confyiciendapi'u*
Luigi Almanni likewife celebrated Laura in the following Italian
verfes:
Surgiace iltronco di quelfecro Laitro
Che del Tofco migliorfii dal oggetto,
Clf o'vunqueffolda it Solrfando fodore s
Hor dal Gallico Re del del thefauro
(Sendo in pcco terrcn vile c nrglftto}
t di marini, e dijiil recc-iic honor e,
Efempre i rami kau--vra fioriti efrefchi
SottoTombra immortal de duo Francefcbi.
The following Latin diftiqh was alfo compofed on Petrarch and Laura
by Golnitz, a Dane :
Carmine laurum habui, LAVR& Jludiofus amator :
Mars rapttit LAVRAM, carmma nonpotuit.
nd. Golnitz Ulj/. Belg. Gall. p. 484..
feats
The Country about PADUA. 431
feats of perfons of diftin&ion. The nobility of the diftril H wtheno-
of Padua had formerly the criminal jurifdiction, as it isJj^JU^
called, over their vaflals. But, the Caftellani of Salvazzano n al jurifdic-
having ordered a woman's eyes to be put out for a theft fhe tion
had committed, the republic of Padua, under pretence that
fuch a power was liable to enormous abufes, laid hold of
that opportunity to take the entire admin iftration of juftice
into their own hands. This happened in the year 1120;
and the lofs of this privilege was confirmed by an eclicl: in Admlniftra
1205, under penalty of death to fuch delinquents as fhould tionof juf.
offer to re-aflume it. After this the Paduans appointed Po- ticc *
defta's in feveral places by whom to this day juftice is, or
ought to be, adminiftered ; it being the common boaft- of
the Venetians, that, in two momentous points, their fub-
jects are happier than the reft of the world, viz. that they
always find Pane in piazza ; i. e. * Bread in the market;' and
Giujlitia in palazzo, ' Juftice in the courts.' But I would
not advife any foreigner, if he can poffibly avoid it, to put
the fecond article to the trial.
I am, &c.
The End of the Third VOLUME.
INDEX
T O T H E
THIRD V 0~L U M E.
A BAND village, account
of P a g e 419
Abbey oh MonteCaffino,
account of I
Academy at Parma 326
Acheron lake 143
Acquetta di li NapoH, what 37
' antidote againir, it ibid.
Addifon, remark on 134
Adriatic fea, its teftaceous fifh
209
ebb and flood in 213
./Etna, good effects from it 18
why called Gibello 21 N---
Virgil's defcription of it 26
the height of it diminifhed 32
Agnello S. miraculous crucifix
of 50 account of 51
Aldrovandimufasum, account of
259
Alphonfo II, his humility and
beneficence 95
Altar, incomparable 81
Amber, origin of 316
Amphitheatre il Colifeo,account
of 126
a celebrated one at Ve-
rona 355 Dr. Burnet's ac-
count of 356 N
Amfterdam, constitution of the
the foil at 314
Ancona, fome account of 207,
sV.~- beauty of its inhabi-
tants accounted for 209
VOL. Ill,
AngeloS. a Nido, church of 52
Animals, method of preferving
417
39*
399
5
278
them
Antenor's fuppofed grave
Patavium
Antiquity, remains of
Antony, See St.
Ants, annual miracle of
Aponi, ftone image of 403
proceedings of the inquifition
again ft 404
Apoftoli S. S. church of 52
Appia Via, account of 5
Aquedudl from Vefuvio 41
Aquinas Thomas, his ftatue 59,
fcff. difpute about his body
60
Arco count,condemnation of 297
Arcofelice,defcribed 141
Army, Neapolitan, account of
39 -coins ibid.
Arfenal at Bologna 259
Artichokes, huge ones 179
Afs, relics of one 363 reflec-
tions 364 why no longer
fhewn at Verona 365
Aflifi, fome account of 177
Aftruni, royal entertainment in
the feaft of 120
Auguflus's birth-placej where 5
his buft altered to that of
an angel 101
Aurelius Victor, miftake of 30
Authors, flagrant miftakes of
138
G g Eiiie ?
I N D E X<
B
Baiae, bay of 144, &V.
Ballani, ftrange manner of their
breeding 209
Balle-Marine, what 154
Baptiftry^ uncommon mark on
66
Barbarofla, attempts to carry off
Julia Gonzaga 7
Baths hot 136
Bats cave, remarkable 46
Bellemerini or Benemerini, fa-
mily of 83
Bembo Cardinal, monument of
387 -epitaph ibid. -fome
account of ibid. &c.
Benedictine order, regifters of 2
Bentivoglio palace, demolifhed
260
Blindnefs, common at Bologna
250
Bologna city, defcribed 247
dogs remarkable 249
cervellatahdfaufages 250
Bomb concealed in a wax candle
204
Bonfigliofi palace, paintings in
260
Bourbon, remains of the famous
Charles de u howpreferv-
ed ibid. -infcription on 12
Bridge, ancient one, built by Au-
guftus over the Nora 160
. over the Reno, accident
at 34 305
- over the Adige, remark-
able 340
Bucket,remarkable trophy of one
37
Butterflies, birds, &c. how pre-
ferved 294
C
Calabria, famous for manna and
faffron 16
Calvi, remarkable chalky bot-
tom near 159
Campeggi palace, fome account
of 260
Cannon, a remarkably large one
42
Capella del Carel. Filamarino,
defcribed 52
de Pignatelli 53- Con-
vent of ibid. excellent infti-
tution at ibid.
Capella di Stigliano, fome ac-
count of 59
Capella del corite di Terranuo-
va 95
del Rofario, how guard-
ed 272
Caprara, palace of,defcribed 260
6fr. family 261
Caprea, ifland, where fituate 122
account of from Claudian
ibid. Quails here whence
they come ibid.
Capua,new, fome acount of 14,
faff. and of the old 15, &c.
Carmelite order, the origin of
79 &c>
Cafa Santa at Loretto, defcribed
1 79>C5Y.~ miracles concerning
ibid.
CafTini's meridian line defcribed
283, &c.
Caftello delUovo, fome account
of 43 ,fek.
Caftello nuovo 42, &c.
Caftle, remarkable, of what
made 38
Catacombs of St. Gennaro, de-
fcribed 65
Cataract remarkable 169
CatharinaS. aFormello, church
of at Naples 53
Catharine
INDEX.
Catharine de Vigri, the undecay-
ed body of 269
Cattle white, their colour whence
176
Cecilia St. admirable picture of
276
. cenfured ibid. &c.
Chapel deVico, defcribed 68
Chapel of St. Terefa, account
of 82
Chapel a remarkable one 6 1 i&V.
another fine one 62
Chaplains, great numbers of
them at the Cafa Santa 194
Charles V's behaviour towards
the pope 254
Chafm emitting fire 317
Chiara S. church of, curiofities
there 54
Cicero, palace of 7 where af-
faflinated 8 laft place of re-
fidence ibid* N. his irrefo-
lution ibid.
his villa 136
' "an old edition of his works
287
Clitumnus, temple of, where 173
Collegium Illyricum, account
of 205
Colonade, a remarkable one
279
Communion on board gallies 40
Concezzione, the church of 57
Conradine, duke of Swabia, ca-
taftrophe of 7880, &c.
Convent of SnMariaMaddalena
for proftitutes 85
Convent at NapleSj decency in
92
Copernicus's fyflem, where firft
adopted 29! N
Cork-trees, a wood of, defcrib-
ed 4 N
Cornuto illuftricus 223
Coroba or Corobola, what 4
Corregio's night-piece, account
of 309
Corfairs irifidel^ devotion to a
chapel 10
Cremona, account of 337
Crucifix which fpoke to Aqui-
nas- 58
Crucifix^ bows its head to avoid
a cannon-ball 78
Crucifix, prooures a victory at
the battle of Lepanto 105
Cryftal, an extraordinary large
piece of 325
Cuma ancient, where fituate 142
now in ruins ibid*
Cupola, admirably painted by
Corregio 327
Curta or Civita Caftellana vil-
lage, account of 158
Cyprefs planted by St. Dominic
D ^
Dante the poet, torhb of 241,
242 his epitaph 242 life of
243, &c.
Difference between the Papal
and Neapolitan dominions 6
Diftichs from Virgil 524 N
109, 140, 155011 JEtna. 26
--from Ovid onNaples37 on
St. Januarius 66 over an en-
trance 76 on a pillar8o fur-
prizing one under an Annun-
ciation 84 by Sannazario 87
on a rural retreat by the
fame ibid. on Sannazarius
by cardinal Bembo Sgon the
ftatues of Caftor and Pollux .98
on Severinus and Sofius 103
from Martial 1 10
Gg 2 Diftichs
INDEX.
Diftichs by Sannazarius 121
from Horace 1 39 N
from Siliusltalicus 147
on a painting by Guido Rhe-
ni 280 on Verona 347 on
St. Zeno's oratory 366 on
the counts of Vicenza 377 N
from Ovid 378 from Juve-
nal 391 on Albertus Mag-
nus 392 onLivy's place of
nativity 407 on the chafte
Sufanna 409 on a fountain
426011 Petrarch's table 427
Dolphin tame ' 139
Domenico Maggiore S. church
of 58
E
Earthquakes, deftru&ion of
towns by 30 N
Earthquakes and eruptions of
Vefuvio, have little effecl: on
the inhabitants 31
Elmo St. account of the caftle
44,**.
Elyfian fields, where fituate 148
Englifh gentleman, accident of
one at Vefuvio 27
Epigram from Martial on Ve-
fuvio 19 on Petrarch's houle
426
Epitaph, on Charles de Bourbon
12 on Mary of France 55
on queen Joanna I. ibid. re-
mark on it ibid on a young
lady 56 on a monument 58
on a wall 83 on Pedro
Navarro 85 on Lautrec 86,
90 on Sannazarius by him-
felf 89 by Alphonfo I. 96
in a chapel 97 in a church
10 1 on queen Ifabella 102
by Belifarius 103 of Gio-
vanni Battiftaibid. bySanna-
zario 104 on three brothers
ibid.
on Charles king of Na-
ples 60 on the unfortunate
king Andrea 62 by Pontano
on his daughter 68 critique
on ibid. N on two excel-
lent bifhopsy2 on queen Jo-
anna II. 75 remark on ibid .N
on Dante 242
Enigmatical 264 ex-
planations of $1265, &V.N
on the imprifoned K. Henci
271 on St. Dominic 273
on Accurfi 274, & f . a pun-
ning one 285 on Andrea
Mantegna 343 -on a female
finger 344, & c . of Scipio
Maffei 352 of Lucius III.
360 on John Vefling 380
Epitaphs by Ottavio Ferrari 383,
384 on Ferrari 385 on
count Sicci 386 on cardinal
Bembo 387 on a bride 393
on Scarabicci 395 on Lau-
ra 428, 429, N &c.
Either, book, manufcript of 286
Euganei, their country, where
fituate 400
Eugene Prince, a brave at-
tempt of 337
Eunuchs ecclefiaftical, device of
theirs 194
Faenza, its fine earthen vefll-ls
246
Falernum, famous for wine 14
Female finger, an epitaph on
344, &c.
rerran Ottavia, epitaphs by
380, 383, 384
his tomb and epitaph
3%> 38
Ferrari
INDEX.
Ferrari Ottavia, infcriptions by
411 413 why defaced 413
Figs extraordinary, where 217
Filippo Neri S, church of 100
Fini, an Italian poet, remark-
able verfes by 381
Fifti called Cavallo marino, its
ufe and where found 135
teftaceous 209
Fondi, a fine profpe& from to
Iteri 6
Font, a remarkable one 1 1
Fountain, a noble one 259
Fowls fed with vipers 417 the
beft way of feeding them ib.
Francefco S. di Paola, church
of 64
Frartcia, a famous painter, caufe
of his death, what 277
Francis St. the place where he
preached to the fifties 10
Francifcan church at Padua re-
markable 380
convent 10
Frederic I .holds the pope's ftir-
rup 255
Frederic of Auftria, cataftrophe
of 77, 80
Free gifts, liberal ones 74
F's, faying about three of them
3**
Fulvia, her infults to Cicero's
head 8 N &c.
Fungi, remarkabl-e ones from
{tone 17, 5V. forwarded by
warm water ibid.
Gaeta, account of 8
fiege of it in 1707, an ac-
count of 13 N &c.
Gaetano . church o_f " 65
Gallipots valuable, account of
203
Gaflendi, paffage from, on an
earthquake 137, &c.
Gafton de Foix, his victory and
death 244, &c.
Gazzulo, count,his garden and
arms 369
Gennaro S. church of 65, fisfc.
German ftudents, particular pri-
vileges of at Bologna 290
Germane St. fudatories of 113
Giacome S. degli Spagnuoli,
church of 67
GianonePietro, account of 48 N
Ginetti pala.ce at Velletri, ac-
count of 2
Giovanni a Carbonara, church
of 67
Giovanni Vangelifta church 68,
ear*.
Giovanni Maggiore, church of
7 o, e*.
Giovanni Pappacodi, church of
ftf&f.
Giufeppe S. church of 72
Glowworm or Lucciola, ac-
count of 304
Goats, extraordinary le^p of 158
Gonzaga Julia, ftory of her 7
Grapes, remarkable ones 162
method of pieferving ripe ones
304
Gregory VII. pope, account ot
3i9,e5V.
Grotta Traconarig, delpribed
149
Grotto fuppofed to have been
made by Virgil in N
del Cane, why fo called
114
G R 3 Grotto
INDEX.
Grotto del Cane, experiment on
d gs in it ibid. on an afs 1 15
"^account of this grotto ib.
Ji6andN grotto del Cane
known in Pliny's time 120
Grotto at Bologna, account of
Groupe, a pretty marble one
Guelphs and GibeHines, origin
of 331 N
Guido, a mafter-piece by 268
H
Harbour,of fourteen pilaftersi 33
Harlequins an impropriety in a
church 361
Heiderfdorf, general, fentence
pafTed on him 298 N
Henfi, king of Sardinia, account
of 257
epitaph on him 271, &c.
Henry IV's fevere treatment by
the pope 319, &c. N
Herculaneum and Pompefl, de-
ftru&ion, of by eruptions of
Vefuvius 30 N
Hercules, a temple of 147
Hermitage on mount Vefuvius
22
High ftreet, a fine one 334
Hiftorian, particular qualificati-
ons of 364, 365, N
Horfe, fuperftition about a brafs
one 45
--a large wooden one 417
Hofpital, a wealthy one 75, 76
-^-bankruptcy in 77
James St. his church 126
Janfenifts at Naples, account of
Januarius St. medal of 28, 29
the head and blood of 62
buft of 125 his prifon 126
ftatue of and infcription 132
Jealoufy betwixt the Francifcans
and Dominicans 274
Jefuits college at Naples, ac-
count of 57
Jewellers trade with convents
201
Infcriptions on a gate 5 on an
ancient maufoleum 8 re-
marks on 9 Greek one on a
font ii Spanifh one on
Charles de Bourbon 12
French one on Charles de
Bourbon, ibid. op new Ca-
pua 14 on a medal 29. on
a marble ftatue, ibid. on 2
fountain4i overan entrance
42 over a gate 44 on Ma-
rino's tomb. 51 on a dog 54
on Robert king of Sicily
54 on a poet 56 on an urn
58 on Thomas Aquinas 59
on a monument 60 on St.
Januarius 64 on a ftatue 75--
on a wall 77 critique on it
78 on the emprefs Margaret
79 on a tomb-ftone 82 on
the endowment of a church
and convent 95 on the front
of a library 97 concerning
St. Peter 100 on an antique
building 106 a criticifm on
it 107 on a maufoleum 109
on the warm baths at Puz-
zuolo 1 1 2 ancient one on
marble 127 over a garden-
gate 128 on marble 129
under a ftatue 130 on a pe-
deftal 131 on St. Januarius's
ftatue,
INDEX.
ilatue 132. -ancient one over
a frontifpiece 131 concern-
ing pilafiers 134 over a gate
ibid. imperfect one 135
fragment of one 144 on a
ftatue 150 near a rock 153
on a bridge 156 on a large
fquare {tone 157 on a bridge
158 on a poft-houfe 159
on a clock 162 on a pyramid
163 ancient one 164 in a
cathedral ibid. over theSpo-
letto gate ibid. 165 over the
porta d'Annibale 171 under
a piece atLoretto 189 over
a gate at Ancona 207 over
a triumphal arch 208 on
pope Urban VIII. 216 on a
catholic council againft the
Arians 218 on an ancient
monument 226 over a gate
228 on the print of St. Gre-
gory's foot 230 onDante242
on Charles V. when crown-
ed by the pope 253 about a
peftilence 256 under a tri-
umphal proccflion ibid. -in
the palace of Ranucci 263
under an aenigma265 another
^enigmatical one 266 inex-
plicable 273 on a miracle in
a wall 278 againft the ufu-
ries of the Jews 281 on Caf-
fini's meridian line 283, &c.
on St. Proculo's decollation
2.86~on an academy of fcien-
ces 290 on a curious marble
flone 292 on mell-fif}^ in a
ftone 293 a martial one 306
on the theatre at Parma 323
= omri altar in miniature 325
on Alexander Farnefe 329,
333 on Margaret of Auftria
335 on tne image of St. Do-
minic 338 ancient, a collec-
tion of 35 1 ,y c. on St. Geor-
ge's church 362 under feve-
ral ancient ftatues 369 on St.
Barbara's church 374 on a
garden at Vicenza 375 on a
temple of Pluto 377 on a
miracle by St. Antony 382
on cardinal Bembo 387
on a learned lady 388, &c.~
on an image of Chrift 394
on the fiege of Padua 396
obfcure398,sV. in a church
of St. Sophia 4.01, &c. on
Titus Livius 402 under his
buft 405 on the marchionefs
d'Obizzi 408 on feveral po-
tefta's 4ii,fcfr. on a city li-
brary 414 under a marble
lion 415 on the Jews gate
419 a Greek one ibid, 420
over Petrarch's picture 420
Laura's picture, ibid. an in-
genious one42 2 onPetrarch's
monument 424,fV. on feve-
-ral Italian poets 425 on a
fountain 426 on Petrarch's
natural daughter 427
Intaglia, remarkable 64.
Interments over hafty, inftances
of 71 N&f*.
John Don, his confccra.ted flan-
dard 10
Irifh, bravery of 337
Ifchia, ifland, fome account of
150
Italian nobility, particular hu-
mour of 262
Qg 4 Italian
INDEX.
Italian princes, high pretenfipns
of 312 pretended right of
non-appeal ibid.
Jtaly, notion of concealed trea-
fures in 174
L
Lacus Lucrinus, fome account
of , ?39
Lacus, Velinj, ancient, defcribed
1 66
Ladiflaus, king of Naples, his
inglorious death 67
Lago d'Agnano, account of ,113
Lago Averno, anciently noxi-
ous 140 Lucretius's account
of it ibid. its prefent ftate
141 its depth 141
Lamps, legacies left for lighting
187
Lapis Phrygius, accpunt qf 17
and N
Latin Bible, printed at Mentz
288
Jlaura, Petrarch's miftrefs, who
423, &c her grave and epi-
taph 42$ epitaphs pn her
4^0 -her grave opened by
Francis I. 429 a monument
and epitaph by him ibid. &c.
tverfes found in a leaden
box 429
J>ava,what 23 great quantity of
it emitted from Vefuvius ibid.
and from ^Etna 24
Lawyers, how in all ages treat-
ed 37N
azarettp near Naples 121
Lucan's account of ibid.
^/earned ladies, account of 388,
&c. N
women bad wives 391
Legates palace, account of 252
Leo X. fufpicions concerning
258 N
Library of a convent at Naples
97 at Bologna 280 at Par-
ma 322
Limbus Patrum, paflage into
155
Liquefaction of St. Januarius's
blood 63 how done ibid. N
Liris, account of 14
Lift of all the moft valuable of-
ferings at Loretto 197, &c,
Livy's remains 406 place of
nativity 407
Lizards, fwarm in Italy 33
Loadftones, remarkable 292
Lorenzo, S. church in Naples,
account of 73
Loretto, defcription of i~g,&c.
trade of its inhabitants
205 entertainment at, ibid.
globular ftones there 206
Lucan, paflage from, on Cuma
142
Lucretia, contraft betwixt her
and Sufanna 409, &c.
Luther's proftration before pope
' Leo X. ' 258 N
his pulpit 401
Lutrec, general^ difafterof 46
epitaph on 86
account of ibid.
M
Madre di Dio, church of 81
Maffei, monument of 352
his fyftem of the origin
of lightning 353
Magnani palace, account of 262
Malpighi, infcription on the
monument of 289
Mantegraj
INDEX.
Mantegra, whether the inventor
of copper plates 343
Mantua, reprefentation of, on
an agate 81
an account of 340, &c.~
its fertility 339
Manufacture, a particular one,
of filaments in fhell-fifh 16
Manufcripts, feveral in a library
at Bologna 286, &c.
of the Old Teftament by
Ezra 270
Marble cafe of the holy houfe,
when built 188
Marcellinus Comes, his account
of an eruption of Vefuvio 3iN
Margaret of Auftria, account of
335>^
Maria delle Grazie S. church of
84
Maria del Carmine S. church of
Maria di donna ReinaS. church
of 84
Maria donna Remita S. church
of 84
Maria di Piedigrotta S. church
of 90
Maria del Parto S. church of
86,89
Maria de Sangri S. church of
90
Maria della Sanita S. church of
9 1
Maria S.Annjmciata, church of
74
Maria della Concordia, church
of 82
Maria Egyptiaca S. body of 339
Marino G. Battifta, account of
5
Marfigli's new academy of fci-
ences 290 forne account of
295, &V. made an indifferent
figure as a military man 297
fentence parted on him 298
vindication of himfelf ibid.
Martial's account of Vefuvio 19
verfes concerning abridge
101
Martino S. church of 42
Mary virgin, fome milk of 64
miraculous image of 277
the fuppofed milk of, what 282
Mary of France, her tomb54,&V.
Maflaniello, where killed 80
Maufoleum ancient, account of
108
Medal of S. Januarius 28, &c.
Medals, a cabinet of 323
Medallion, a rare one ibid.
Mercato del Sabato, what 148
Mercury, temple of 145 N
Meridian line, by Manfredo, ac-
count of 291
Mincio river, defcription of
340 N
Mines, invention of 44
Mint, at Bologna, fome account
of 260
Minturna, ruins of 14
Mifeno, promontory of 148
whence derived 149
Miracles, feveral 182, 186, 195,
faV. 230
Miraculous image of a foldier
282
Mirandola, how it came to the
duke of Modena 310
- revenues of 311
Modena, account of 304
eminent perfons born in 307
difference betwixt the two
princes 311 and between the
duke and hereditary prince ib.
Mirandola,
INDEX.
Mirandola, number of its inha-
bitants 313
r- particular property of the
foil ibid.
Mola, account of 7
Money, caution about when
travelling 15
Monte Oliveto, church of 95
Monte della Pieta, its revenue
and how ufed 98
Monte Secco, account of 123
Monte nuovo, origin of 137
Monti Giufeppe, his works 299!^
Monument in honour of Maffei
35 2
Muratori, works of 310
Murder, how looked upon in
Italy 376, &i.^
Mufeum at Parma, account of
.3*4
famous at Mantua 34,1
iriofities in Maffei's 353
>lleions of 353, efr.
Mulhrooms of an extraordinary
weight j8
N
Naples, why termed a paradife
16 its produce 16, &c.
temperature of its air 32
fertility of 33 inconveni-
encies in ibid. wickednefs of
the inhabitants 37 character
of, by Ovid ibid. Proftitutcs
numerous and abandoned 38
corruption of the ecclefiaftics
ibid, floth of the peafants ibid.
Naples, account of the city 39
&c. harbour of 40 number
of its inhabitants ibid. foun-
tains ibid.- account of the
viceroy's palace 41, &c. re-
marks on 42 a horfc the
arms of 45 bookfellers not
reftrained there 50 remarks
on the churches of ibid. &c.
cathedral at 60 by whom
founded 105
Narni, account of the town
of 160 why called Nequi*-
num ibid. birth-place of
great men ibid. extraordi-
nary large fruit near 162
Naumachia, remains of 358
Navarro Pedro, account of 85
Neapolitan nobility, account of
38 their great numbers 39
Neapolitan clergy, attempts of,
on an author 48
Neapolitans inclinable to athe-
jfm 49
Nera river, plenty of fifli in 10 1
Nifidaifland, account of i2O,bV.
Nobility, Neapolitan, account
of 38, &c.
their great numbers 39
Obizzi, marchionefs, her death
and monument 408
infcription on ibid.
Obrizzi, picture of the marchio-
nefs of 425
Ocrea or Ocriculum, ruins of
159
Orbetto the painter, account of
Orefte St. mountain of
how fo called 159
Orlando, a giant, account of
160 his cavern ibid.
Otho or Otto's palace, remains
of 3
P
Padua city, account of 378,
I N D E X,l
Padua, how its nobility left the
criminal iurifdidion 431
Painters, cullom of, in their
works 99 N
Paintings remarkable 42,84,85,
89, 92 j
r famous one ofRheni 92,
93, 96 by Vafari _ 97
the firil one in oil colours
74 account of the invention
of ibid. on an incomparable
altar 81 ridiculous one 195
in the cathedral ofFano
2 1 5 at Ravenna 239 in the
Sala Farnefe 257 at Bolog-
na 268, 269, 273, 276, 277,
280, 286 .at Modena 308,
309 at Parma 321,323, 324
rin frefco 325 fine in the
church of St. Giovanni 327,
328 in the palace church and
cathedral 342 the church of
$t Barnabas 346 at Verona
in St, George's church 362
in other churches 368 -at Vi-
cenza, in the council-houfe
37 2
Palace haunted 46
Palace, a fuperb and elegant
one 46
Palaces of noblemen at Naples
ibid. csV.
Palazzo degli ftudii publici, ac-
count of 105, CSV.
de Monti 262
_ -di Pepoli 263
Rannici ibid.
Panegyric onalearned lady 388
Paolo Maggiore S. church of
98
Papal dominions, hardfhips of
207, &c.
Parma, account of 320, &c.
Parma revenues of the duke of
330
-, prefent duke of, his cha -
racier 332
Parmefan cheefe, excellence of,
to what owing 330, &V.
Paflion, a curious one 68
Patin Charles, epitaph of 393,C2/V.
learned women of that
name 394
Prtrizia S. church, of 99
Paul St. the three taverns of 4
Paufilypo, mountain of 1 10, &c.
Pearls extracted from an animal
294
Peafants, near Vefuvio, their
character 22
their ufe for climbing up
23
Pedro Navarro, why execrated
44
Pepin, falfe pretence about his
body 366
Petrarch, an account of 423,
424 and N his amour ibid.
his natural daughter 427
Petrifactions, feveral kinds of3i8
rimes 370, 371 other
petrifactions 371, 377
Petroleum, oil of, how procured
32 for what ufed3i5--where
found ibid*.
Petruccio, Antonio, account of
Pharos orlight-houfe of Raven-
na, its prefent ftate 235
Philarmonic academy, account
of 351
Philoti focicty, what 351
PhofphorusBalduinus,what 303
burning ibid.--fulgurans
from the mixture of two li-
quors ibid.
Phyfic
INDEX.
Phyfic garden at Bologna 259
Picture of the virgin, by St.
Luke 279 of clergy in hell
282 remarkable copy of one
324 fine ones 334 by St.
Luke 393
Pieta, an exquifite one 365
Pietra Bianca, account of 47
Pietro S. d' Ara, church of 100
Pietro S. a Majella, church of
101
Pietro S. Martire, church of ib.
Pigeons made letter-carriers 306
N feveral inftancesof ibid.
C3V.
Pigni, fruit of the 229
Pilgrims, great number of, at
Loretto 191
Pifcina mirabilis, defcribed 150,
fite
Pifo's baths 144
Placentia, great number of ec-
clefiaftics in 332
fair ibid.
Pliny the elder, account of his
death 30 N.
Poggio reale, a decayed palace
45
JPonte Molle, or Milvio, pear
Rome 156
Ponte felice 156 from what fo
called ibid.
Popes, former pride of 254
Popilius Laena's ingratitude tp
Cicero 8 and N
Porcaria or Portaria, charming
profpedt towards 159
Porphyry vefiel, what trouble it
put the devil tp 366,^.
Portello, frontier wall of Naples
9 &c.
Porto Pavon, a fmall harbour
at Naples 121
Pretender, his offering to the
virgin Mary 199
Prieft, ignorance of one I94N
Prince, inglorious death of a
martial one 67
Proceflion remarkable 38
Procita, ifland, account of 150
Proculo St. carries his head into
Bologna 286
Prodigality, remarkable inftance
of, in a common foldier 341
Proftitutes, proceffion of peni-
tent ones 49
Public brothels at Padua 418
Puns on the profpeft at Bolog-
na 251
Puzzuolo, where fituate and
whence named 127, csV.
cathedral of 131
Pyrmont fprings, an account of
117
*~ water, how to imitate
ibid, N
Pyx, an admirable one 100
Quiyalifti at Padua, whp 379
Radiances in fea water, what
303
Raphael paints porcelain galli-
pots 203
Ravenna, account of 231,^.
Reatini, complaint of, againft
the Interamnates, what 167
Cicerp's accpunt fpmewhat
obfcure ibid.
Reggip, accpunt pf 318
Relervpir ancient 127
a very large pne 143
Rimini pr Ariminum, an anci-
ent city, account of 219
Road,
INDEX.
Road, fubterraneous one re-
markable 1 10, &c.
Robert, king of Sicily, his mo-
nument 54
Rock, a remarkable fiflure in 9
to what owing 2 N--fuper-
ftition concerning it 10
Rock oil, account of 314
Romifti new faints, to what ow-
ing 158 N
Rubicon, account of Caefar's
pafling it 224
S
Saffron, where growing, and
the beft 16 and N
St. Antony, place where he
preached to the fifties 223
"miraculous image of 268
extraordinary devotion
paid to 381
St. Apollinaris, body of 239
St. Beatrix, prediction of 308
St. Juftina, elegant church of
397-- reliques ibid. &c.
St. Luke, his numerous paint-
ings i83N
Sal ammoniacum, compofition
of 124
Sala Farnefe, account of 257
&.
Saltpetre, a great quantity of 126
Salt works, account of 229
remarkable 330
blood ufed in ibid.
Sannazario, the poet, an account
of 87, &c.
faying of his, on the death
of prince Philibert 88 N
his tomb 88
Saracens, account of their irrup-
tion into Naples 51, &c.
Saxon fofftls, at Bologna 293
Scarabicci's epitaph 395
Schrebelin, count, author of a
famous piece 298 N
Scipio Africanusi's tomb, 142
infcription on his monument
ibid.
Scorpions inconveniences from
34 their bite how cured
ibid. where moft dangerous
ibid. -the ufe of, and how
catched ibid.that they fting
themfelves {hewn to be a vul-
gar error ibid.
Seneca's account of Naples 144,
147 N
Senegaglia town 214
Sermoneta, its unhealthful fitu-
ation 3
Servilius Vatia, his feat 143
SefTa, town of 14.
Seffi, method of cooling cellars
there 171
Setia, good wine of 2
Shells, large 213
Shell-fifh in ftone 293
Sibyl's cave 143, 154.
Sicily, climate of, hot 32, 3V.
- calamities in, by earth-
quakes 33 N
Silk manufactures and mills 248
Skull, drinking out of Charles
de Bourbon's 13
common among the an-
cients ibid. N
Sloth remarkable 39
Snow and ice, the effe&s of its
ufe in liquors 31 N
Soldier, extraordinary gallantry
of one 45 N
Solfatura, a volcano, account of
123
Solifuga, a fpider, fome account
c i
Spoletto,
N D E X;
Spoletto, where fituate 171
Stanza di Venere, account of
I45> & f -
Stars feeh in the day-time 291
Statues, fuperb bronze one of
Urban VIII. 3 of Charles
II. of Spain 15 of St. Janu-
arius 29- 64 of the river
Nile 41 of JupiterTermina-
lis ibid. -of the virgin 42
on atriumphal arch ibid.fff.~
of a gallant youns; foldier 43
N of abrafs horfe 45 fine
of St. Jerom, &c. 84 of
Apollo and Minerva 88 of
St. James and St. Nazario 89
of the cardinal virtuesgg
antique 130 of Pandulfo
222- bra fs one of Gregory
XIII. 252 remarkable of
Hercules 256 of St. Petro-
nius 268- of St. Peter and
St. Paul 281 two bronze
equeftrian 333 of St. Do-
minic 338 oif five celebrated
perfons 349 of Verona 350
-a collection of 360, ffV.-- ~
of St. Sebaftian 362 of
Livy 402
Stones, experiment on thofe of
Vefuvio with the magnet 24
red-hot ones from Vefu-
vio 25 heat of the foil ibid.
globular where found 206
a very extraordinary one
2 33
Stones of Julia Gonzaga 7
of a Spaniard 12 of a
waiter at Mola 16 of a phy-
fician's daughter 67 of a
prieft and the virgin, 195 &c.
---of a wax taper 196 of a
bomb concealed in a wax
flambeau 204 of Gabrino
Fundolia 3-4$
Stork, winter quarters of 122
Street, a fine one 40
Subterraneous works, remark-
able 44, &c.
Suburb at Naples, delightful
46, feV.
Sudatorii di Tritoli 152, &a
Sun and moon, comprehenfive-
nefs of the worfhip of 236 N
Symmachus, lines from 148
Tabernacle, a rich one 107
an extraordinary one 52
Tarantula, fome account of 34,
35- its bite, how cured 35,
36 its haunts 37
Tarantolati, who . 35
Tartans, devotion of, to a cha-
pel 10
Taflb, the lioufe where born
lid
Taflbni's poem, la Secchia ra-
pita, to what owing 307
Temple of the giant 141, &V;
Terni, its fltuation 161
*why called Interamna 162
its trade 165
Terrenatico, his wonderful ef-
cape 169, &V,
Terracina, account of 4
Terra virgine aurea, what, and
its ufe 315
Theatre at Parma, a noble one
321,^ extraordinary con-
ftruclion of 322
a curious one 373
Theodoric, king of the Oftra^
goths, his palace 232
Tiberius,
INDEX.
Tiberius, his monument 1 3<D,&V.
Toleration in ceremonies by the
clergy at Naples 48, &V.
Tomb of Marino 50 of Mary
of France 54 of queen Jo-
anna I. 55 a beautiful mar-
ble one ibid. of three un-
fortunate brothers 104 -re-
markable characters on 71-
remarks on ibid.^c. of Sci-
pio Africanus 142 of Agrip-
pina 146 of Accurfi 274
of St. Dominic 270 ofje-
rom Cagnolo 395
Tophana, a noted prifoner, an
account of her and her drops
Tower of Degli Afmelli, height
of 251
ofGarifenda, a leaning
one ibid.
Tranfplantation of animals and
vegetables, the effects from
i 9 Nfcfc.
Travelling fromRome toNaples,
inconveniences of i,5V.
Treafury of Loretto, account of
Triumviri, where entered into
an alliance 305
Turks,fepulchral infcriptions of
131
Turneps extraordinary large
U
Univerfity at Bologna, account
of 288
Uva Pafla, or Paflarina, why fo
called 162 N
Velino, remarkable cataract of
Velletri, account of 2
Venus, temple of, inNaples 145
Verona, account of 347, &c.
excellent wine of
Veronefe, Paul, night-piece Or"
342
remarks on a piece of his
Vcrfes, Latin,on the Bolognefe
256
over an old woman's pic-
ture 422
on Verona 347 34^
Vefuvio, mount, contributes to
the great fertility of the coun-
try 18- wines of ig^&c..
mount, an account of 20
no pumice-ftones on it 24--
minerals in theftones emitted
from it ibid. the former
mouth of 25 great changes
in ibid. &c no feeing its
cavity for fmoke 27 com-
munication between it and
the fea 32 effedts of ibid.
frefh water fprings in ibid-
its height diminifhed ibid.
Via Caffia, where 156
Via Flaminia, where ibid.
Vicenza, defcription of, 372
vindictive temper of its peo-
ple 376
the meaneft citizen of,
why a count 377
Vines, broad boards of 237
Vipers, preferved for medicine
417
Virgil, his monument, doubts
about 108
account of ibid. N a
verfe from, by Loyola, with a
remark thereon 109 N his
fchool no his defcription
of ancient Mantua 340, csV.
>uft and birth-place of
347, &c.
Virgin Mary s image, ceremony
in dreffing it 183, &c.
Virtue
INDEX,
Virtue of a country girl 409
Vitriol made near Naples 124
Von Egg, colonel, his fentence
297
Votive pieces, great numbers of
99
abufes of them 201
Voyage hiftorique d' Italic, cri-
ticifm on 14
Vulcano artificial 31
W
Warm baths ofAbam>42i
Pliny's account of ibid. N
Martial's epigram on ibid.
White horned cattle with bells,
why 304
Will, a remarkable and concife
form of one 416
Wine, why called Lachrymas
Chrifti ' 20
Wine cellars, effects of fulphu-
reous vapours in 116
Wine vaults, fpacious, atLoretto
203
Woodfoflile 11,0V.
Zanoni, an apothecary, curiofi-
ties of 299
IV ' ' Lib;
.
from which it was borrowed^
IC.NOV01
0! OCT n
8200?
THE LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF
LOS ANGELES
A 000006274 5