Ulrich Middeldorf TRAVELS THROUGH ITALY. CONTAINING Nev/ and curious Obfervations on that Country^ PARTICULARLY The GRAND DUCHY of Tus- CANY ; TheEccLEsiASTiCAL State, or the Dominions of the Pope ; ,W H E R E I N The KINGDOM of Naples | The REPUBLICS of Venice and Genoa ; AND Other ITALIAN STATES. The prefent Rate of thofe countries Is accurately defcribed, as to their dlfTerent kinds of government, fituation, extent, revenue, power, trade, manners, and cuftoms ; but more efpecially their a N t i i ^ i £ s, as temples, tri- umphal arches, pillars, baths, amphitheatres, aquedudls, catacombs, ruins, and public ways } as alfo their modern curiosities, churches, convents, palaces, villas, caftlcs, forts, bridges, and public roads. ♦ With the moft authentic account yet publlihed of capital pieces in PAINTING, SCULPTURE, and ARCHITECTURE, That are to be feen in Italy. Including remarks on the ancient and present state of ITALY, of the ARTS and sciences which have flonnlhed there, and of taste in painting; with the chara£lcrs of the principal painters, and other artilb. By JOHN NORTH ALL, Efq; Captain in the Royal Regiment of Artillery. ILLUSTRATED WITH A map of Italy, a route of this tour, and feveral copper- plates, engraved from drawings taken on the fpot. LONDON: PRINTED For S. HOOPER, at the Eaft Corner of the New Church, in the Strand ; H. WEBLEY, Holbourn ; W. NICOL, in St. Paul’s Church-yard and S. BLADON, in Pater-nofter Row. MDccLxvi. ; -.-Mr- . U ^ Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015 u- https://archive.org/details/travelsthroughitOOnort PREFACE. W HAT Egypt was to the antlents, Italy is to the moderns : a country abounding with many natural curi- ofities, noble antiquities, and the richeft pro- dudlions of the arts and fciences. Architec- ture, fculpture, painting, and mufic, have been carried here to their higheft degree of perfection. j fo that pleafure and advantage are mutually obtained by travelling in this coun- try, which has been fo much celebrated by the Latin daffies, that there is fcarce any part of it unnoticed in hiftory ; nor fo much as a mountain or river that has not been the feene of fome extraordinary aCtion, and deferibed by the moft elegant poets. Italy, thus enriched by nature and adorned by art, is therefore juftly qfteemed the moft agreeable and moft ufeful part* of Europe to a lover of antiquity, and the polite ‘arts and fciences; nor is it ftrange that it ftiould be much frequented by foreigners of tafte in this learned and refined age, or that many learned, curious, and in- genious gentlemen ftiould have devoted their time in communicating the obfervations they made in fuch a land of curiofities, either to entertain and inftruCt their countrymen at home, or to direCt them in their travels abroad. We PREFACE. We may obferve, among thofe who have written on Italy, that different authors have fucceeded beft on different forts of curiofities ; becaufe few men have abilities, advantages, or inclination for examining fo copious a fub- jed: ; while fome tread only in the ffeps of others, and repeat what was formerly written. Some travellers have been wholly taken up with antiquities, ruins^ and infcriptions ; others with buildings, ffatues, and pidlures : fome with geographical remarks and obfervations on the natural produdlions* of the place ; others on its religion and government : while another fort make it their bufinefs to fearch into li- braries, colledions of medals, and cabinets of rarities, for which Italy is' remarkable. The author of the following travels was an Englifh gentleman, who undertook this tour of Italy, which he rightly confidered as the finiflaing part of a polite education. He was accompanied by fome other gentlemen, who had all the advantages of procuring accefs to the moft- valuable curiofities in public places and private palaces. Our author had a curi- olicy equal to thefe advantages : he was not only a gentleman, but a fchclar ; a gallant of- ficer, and an experienced engineer ; a good draughtfman, and a fine judge of paintings, fculpture, and architefture, which chiefly at- traded his attention wherever he went. He found many nev/ fubjeds to employ himfelf upon ; and he has handled them in a delicate manner. His remarks upon the beff paintings PREFACE. paintings and fculptures are judicious and ani- mated, far above the common narratives and defcriptlons of other travellers : what he fays is purely his own, the objed: of his tafte, and the refult of his judgment : he depends upon no former authorities ; he curioufly fees what- ever he defcribes, and happily defcribes what- ever he fees. When he mentions things taken notice of by others, it is with concifenefs and precifion, avoiding ftale informations and im- pertinent digreffions. He has confidered things in a new light, and is particularly remarkable for the differ- ence of his tour from that of any other tra- veller, which is evident from the map an- nexed to this book. He failed, on the 24th of January, 1752, O. S. from fort St. Philips, in the ifland of Minorca, on board a fhip bound for Leghorn, diftant from thence near 130 leagues. On the 26th, they were off the ifland of Corfica ; and the next day made the continent between St. Remo and Oneglia ; but, as the wind was contrary, they bore away for Toulon, on the 29th paffed through the ifles of Hieres, and entered the bay of Toulon on the 30th. ■ Here they performed a qua- rentine of ten days, and then failed for Leg- horn, where they arrived on the 7th of Fe- bruary. Instead of making the tour of Italy In the manner generally done, our author took a new method in thefe travels. He firft vi- flted the principal places in Tufcany, and par- ticularly PREFACE. ticularly the celebrated city of Florence ; from whence he went to Rome ; of which he only took a curfory view, and proceeded to Na- ples. He returned from thence to Rome to take a more particular furvey of its curioiities ; after which he fet out for the famous town of Loretto, near the Adriatic ; and departed from thence for Bologna. He then went to Ve- nice, Mantua, Parma, Reggio, and Modena, re-entered Tufcany, returned to Leghorn, and fet out from thence by fea for Genoa. He went by fea from Genoa to Villa Franca ; from whence he proceeded by land into France, and came to Marfeilles, where thefe travels end. Wherever our author pafles, he fhews himfelf both a geographer and a fcholar, by giving an exadt and pleafing defeription of the prefent fituation of the country, and entering into a comparifon of it with what it was in former times, as deferibed by the antients : this is evident from his account of the dilffer- ent roads from one place to another ; as alfo of the Pantheon, the Capitol, the Vatican ; the pillars of Trajan and Antonine ; the arches of Titus, Severus, and Conftantine, in Rome ; but more particularly fo in his account and modern divifions of that capital, and of the Appian way, in which he has Ihewn an amaz- ing fhareof erudition; and alfo in his deferip- tion of Virgil’s tomb, Vefuvius, Herculane- um, and other places adjacent to Naples. He has difregarded ufelefs inferiptions, and tedious epitaphs ; PREFACE. epitaphs : but what he has inferted are ufeful or elegant ; as the epitaph on Giotto, Carelo Aretino, and Raphael; as alfo the account of Rome by Petrarch and Janus Vitalis ; and the famous epigram on Venice, by Sannazarius. Some opportunities have been taken to fhew his knowledge in military difeipline, and his fkill in fortification ; as in Florence and in Naples. In every ftate, he fhews himfelf well acquainted with their different modes of government ; but his principal tafte was for the branches of architedlure, fculpture,* and painting ; in which he has particularly excel- led all thofe who have yet written upon that fubjedt. For this, it is fufficient to look at his account of the palaces in the city of Flo- rence, where he deferibes the Venus of Medi- cis in a mafterly ftile ; as alfo his defeription of the churches and convents in Florence ; the churches, convents, and palaces in and about Naples; the fame in Rome, Venice, and other places, particularly the Laocoon at Rome, and the Hercules Farncfe. We have now feledled only his remarks upon Italy, which might have afforded mate- rials for a much larger work : but the editor has comprifed the whole in this Angle volume, for the benefit of the public, and the conve- nience of travellers. INTRO- DISTANCES ^PLACES in ITALY. Names. Ital. Miles From Legharn to Pifa 16 Lucca 10 Piftoia 20 Florence 20 Total Dift. from 7 66 Leghorn 5 From Florence to Pogi Bonzi 22 Forengeri 35 Aqua Pendante 32 Montifaufeon i8 Viterbo 10 Rofeilione 12 Bacano 16 Rome 18 Total Dift. from 7 Florence ^ 1 From Rome to St. Marino 12 Velletri 11 Sermnnetta 17 Terracina 15 Fondi 11 Mola Gaeta 16 St. Agatha 18 New Capua a6 Naples 16 Total Dift. from ? Rome i 132 Names. Ital. Miles From Rome to Cartel Nuovo 18 Civita Caftellana 16 Narni 21 Terni 10 Spoletto 17 Foligno IS Serravallc 18 Valcimara 16 Macerata 2 Loretto I Total Dift. from ] [ 134 Rome j From Loretto to Ancona IS Sinigaglia 20 Fano 15 Pifaro 7 Rimini 24 Cefena 18 Forli 13 Imola 27 Bologna 13 Total Dift. from ] 1 152 Loretto Jj From Bologna to Cento i8 Ferrara i8 Names. Ital. Miles From Ferrara to Venice (by water) go Total Dirt:, from 7 ^ Bologna 5 From Venice to Padua 25 Vicenza iS Verona 30 Mantua 2^ Gueftalla 20 Parma 20 Reggio 1 5 Modena 15 Bologna 20 Scarico d’Ajrtina 21 Tailla Ferro 25 Florence 12 Total Dirt:, from 7 r Venice § From Leghorn to Larecc (8 Ports) 64 Genoa (by Sea) 60 Villa Francha 126 From Nice to 7 Marfeilles 5 From Minorca toT Marfeilles (80 > 214 Leagues) j To Leghorn(i20 Leagues) 360 DISTANCES o/PLACES in FRANCE. Names Miles From Marfeilles to Aix 15 Lamboife s Organ 12 Avignon 12 Pontdugard 12 Nifmes 9 Total Dift. from [ 69 Marfeilles J From Nifmes to Arles 9 Selan 21 St. Pons 15 Marfeilles 12 Total Dift. from ^ \ 57 Nifmes j Fr^m Marfeilles to Aix 15 Ltmboife 9 Names Miles From Lamboife to Organ 12 Avignon 12 Orange 12 ■ Pierre latte 15 . Montelimar ^2 Loriole 12 Valens 9 EthenandTournon 12 St. Valier 6 Vienne 27 Lyons Total Dift. from 15 ( 165 Marfeilles From Lyons to Macon, by water, 33 Chailon, by water, 30 Solieu 54 Auxerre 60 Villeneuve la Guicard 60 Names Miles From Villeneuve la Guicard to Fontainbieau 18 Paris 42 Total Dift. from 7 ; 297 Lyons ^ From Paris to St. Dennis 6 Beaumont 18 Beauvais 22 Poix 27 Abbeville 27 Montreuille 30 Bologne 24 Calais 21 Total Dift. from ' Paris ^ 1 175 From Calais to Dover as Dover to London 73 INTRODUCTORY RE MARKS On the ANTIENT and PRESENT STATE of ITALY; O F T H E ARTS and SCIEN CES which have flou- rifhed there; AND OF TASTE in PAINTING. L A NTIENT Italy extended no farther north than the river Arno, in Tufcany •, and X the river Rubicon, near Rimini. All be- yond was called Cifalpine Gaul, divided into Cifpa- dana and Tranfpadana, which included the greatefl part of modern Italy. The general name of Italy was probably derived from Etolia, a Grecian nation, oppofite to this coun- try, from which it is feparated only by the Adriatic gulph. The fouthern part was inhabited by various tribes, who communicated their names to the feveral fubdiviiions ; as the Latins, Sabines, Tufcans, Sam- nites, Campani, Picentini, and Tarentini : but the whole country was antiently called Aufonia, Latium, Hefperia, Saturnia, and Oenotria. According to the earlieft accounts we have, this extenfive and beautiful peninfula was then in the fame fituation that it is now, cantoned out into va- rious little ftates and republics, all living in diftruft, B or 2 Introductory Remarks on the or being at war, with each other. The Latins fub-^ dued the other tribes, and founded Rome about the year of the world 3300, and 704 years before the birth of Chrift. The regal line continued from Ro- mulus to Tarquin the Proud, who was depofed in the year of the world 3518, when the conilitution v/as altered from a monarchy to a republic. The P.oman commonwealth changed the face of things, by fwallowing up all, and. making herfelf the head and millrefs of Italy. Carthage was con- quered, and all Greece was reduced, by the Roman arms, which became invincible. But Julius Csefar eftabliflied a new monarchy, which continued ’till the reign of Conftantine, who removed the feat of the empire from Rome to Conilantinople. The empire was afterwards divided into two parts ; the one called the Roman empire, whofe monarch refided at Rome; and the other the Grecian empire, whofe emperor had his refidence at Conftantmople -, ’till the fifth cen- tury, when the Goths, Vandals, and other northern nations, broke into the Roman empire, and divided it among them. The north part of Italy fell to the fnare of the Loiribards ; w^hile Ravenna and N aples were pofiefied by the Grecian emperors a confiderable time after the deftrudlion of the empire of Rome, of which Auguftulus was the laft fovereign, in the year of Chrift 473. Charlemagne invaded Lombardy, took Didier, the laft king, prifoner ; and put an end to that king- dom, about the year 774 : after Vv^hich, he confirmed the exarchate of Ravenna to the pope, with other territories *, and, in return, the pope crowned Charle- miagne emperor of the Romans in 800, whereby a new empire was founded in the weft, which compre- hended Germany, France, Italy, and part of Spain. As the emperors refided in Germany, the Italian governors affumed fovereign authority •, by which means feveral principalities and ftates were eredted ; and the popes, at laft, incited infurredions againft the STATE OF ITALY, 6cc. 3 the emperors. Pope Gregory VII. excommunicated the emperor Henry IV. and deprived him of part of his prerogatives, which occafioned frequent wars, wherein fome of the Italian princes and ftates pro- cured their independency to be eftabliilied We have different computations of the extent of Italy, according to the different notions that antient and modern writers have entertained of the proper bounds of this country : however, let it fufhce, that from the frontiers of Switzerland to the extremity of the kingdom of Naples, it is about 750 miles in length ; and from the frontiers of the duchy of Sa- voy to thofe of the dominions of the ftate of Venice, which is its greateft breadth, about 400, though in fome places it is fcarce a fourth part fo broad. It is bounded by the Alps, which feparate it from France, Switzerland, and Germany, towards the north and north-weft; by the gulph of Venice, or Adriatic fea, and the country of Trent, towards the eaft ; by the Ionian fea, and ftreight of Meffina, to- wards the fouth ; and the Tufcan fea, towards the weft. The feas which encompafs Italy on three Tides are the Adriatic, the Ionian, and the Tufcan : but it has alfo abundance of ftne lakes, and many large rivers, particularly the Tiber, Po, Arno, Mincio, Adda, Adige, and Volturno. Italy may be confidered under three grand Divi- fions : I. Upper Italy, comprehending Lombardy, fo as to include tlie principality of Piedmont ; to which may be added the dukedom of Savoy, though on this fide the Alps; the duchies of Montferrat, Milan, Parma, Modena, and Mantua, with the re- publics of Genoa and Venice. II. Middle Italy, con- taining the dominions of the pope and the grand ■* Echard’s coinpendmm of geography, p, 30. Macliiavers hiftory ♦f Florence, book i. p. 20, B 2 duke 4 Introductory Remarks on the duke of Tiifcany-, wkh the republics of Lucca and St. Marino. III. The Lower or Southern part of Italy, confifting of the kingdom of Naples. The principal Italian IHands are Sicily, Sardinia, and Corfica : but there are alfo the Lipari iHands, between Sicily and Naples •, the idands of Caprea, Ifchia, and others, in the gulph of Naples ; as like- wife the iflands of Elba, and others, on the coaft of Tufcany* Italy extends from 38 degrees 20 minutes to 47 degrees of north latitude, and from the 7th to the 1 9th degree of eafl: longitude *, therefore the air of this country muft be very different, according to the dif- ferent fituations of the feveral countries of which it is compofed. The northern parts, that lie upon the Alps, are cold, and covered with fnow in winter : the hills of the Apennine, which run aliuofl the whole length of Italy, are alfo cold : but the coun- tries on the north of the Apennine are temperate ; and thofe on the fouth are warm. The Campania of Rome is unhealthy, and fo is the Ferrarefe, occa- fioned by bogs and flagnant waters. In other parts the air is generally pure and dry ; and though Na- ples, from its fouthern fituation, might be thought the hotted ; yet, being almofi; furrounded by the fea, it is continually refrefhed by breezes from thence. As Italy hath been thus bountifully fupplied by nature, it has farther, from the ingenuity and appli- cation of its inhabitants, been efleemed the mother of arts and commerce in refpedt to the reft of Eu- rope. Its reputation is ftili fo high with regard to th-e hrft, that the tour of Italy is ccnfidered as the necefiary conclufion of a polite education : and in reference to the latter, the ports of Genoa, Leghorn, Naples, and Venice, without mentioning thofe in Sicily, make ftill a very great figure, and derive vaft advantages to the fovereigns in whofe dominions they are fituated. There STATE OF ITALY, &c. 5 There is no kind of government fubfifting in any part of Europe, of which fomething fimilar is not to be found in Italy. The fovereignty of the Pope is peculiar to this country, as it is inveiled in a fpi- ritual perfon, and yet is entirely a temporal power, exercifed with more authority and policy than in any other monarchy. The dominions of the tw^o tem- poral crowned heads that lie v/ithin its limits, are thofe of his Sardinian majefty at one end, and of the king of the Two Sicilies at the other. The duchy of Milan, once the largeft and richefi: in this part of the world, together with the duchy of Mantua and its dependencies, belong to the emprefs-queen of Hungary and Bohemia, as heirefs of the houfe of Auflria, whofe hufband, the prefent emperor of Ger- many, is confidered as one of the Italian powers, not only in that capacity by which he claims a title, pa- ramount to the greateft part, if not the whole, but more particularly fo as grand duke of Tufcany. Don Philip the infant duke of Parma, brother to the pre- fent king of Spain, is in poffeiTion of a fettlement compofed not only of that duchy, and of Placentia, which was the patrimony of his anceflors by the mo- ther’s fide, but likewife of Guaftalla. His ferene highnefs the duke of Modena holds that duchy and Reggio, together alfo v/ith the duchy of Mirandola. Befides thefe, there are fome other inferior princes who fiile themfelves fovereigns, as even the poor prince of Monaco. The republic of V enice is an unmixed ariftocracy, ftill venerable for the wifdom of its government, as once formidable by the extent oi its dominion, and pov/er of its naval force. The republic of Genoa is likewife an ariftocracy ; but not quite fo pure as that of Venice. The Swifs cantons, the Grifons their allies, and the city of Geneva, are fo many different republics, each having its particu- lar form of government, but owing their ftrength to their confederacy, which renders them truly great B 3 and 6 Introductory Remarks on the and refpedable. There are alfo two free ftates, the dominions of which are furrounded by thofe of fo- vereign princes, to whom they owe nothing by way of obedience, or even of homage ; the firft of which is the commonwealth of Lucca in the neighbourhood of Tufcany j and the latter, the republic of St. Ma- rino in the center of the papal territories II. Of the declenfion of the Arts and Sciences ; and their revival in Italy. When RomiC had extended her empire into Afia, Africa, and almoft over all Europe, Ihe faw her ci- tizens arrive at the fummit of human glory ; but the Romans, in their pretenfions to fcience, gave place to the Greeks, whom they revered as their mailers in the fchool of arts. It feems as if there were certain periods of time, in which a fpirit of perfection univerfally diffufes it- felf in the fam.e country throughout all profeiTions, without its being poffible to aiTign how or why it fhould happen fo. Yet we may aifert, that all arts and fciences are allied in fome manner to each other ; and that the taile of perfeClion is the fame in what- ever depends upon genius. If cultivation be want- ing, an infinity of talents lie buried *, but when true taile awakes, thofe talents derive mutual aid from each other, and iliine out in a particular manner. The misfortune is, that this perfection itfelf, when arrived at its fupreme degree, is the forerunner of the decline of arts and fciences, which are never nearer their ruin than when they appear the moil re- mote from it. Such are the inilability and viciiTitude of all human things. * Tbc curious reader may compare this account with the ftate of Italy, as given by Machiavei to Pope Clement VII. Sec MachiavePs hiltory of Florence, p. 20, 21. The STATE OF ITALY, &c. 7 The hiftory of arts and fciences, and of the perfons who have been mod eminently diftinguidied by them, may be called the hifliory of human wit ; which, in fome fenfe, does not give place to that of princes and heroes, whom common opinion places in the higheft degree of elevation and glory. The vic- tories which take up the greateft part of hifliory, and attradb admiration the mod, have generally no other effe6ls but the defolation of countries, the dedrudion of cities, and the daughter of men. Of what utility to us are either Nimrod, Cyrus, or Alexander ? All thofe great names, all thofe vidiories, which have adonifhed mankind from time to time, thofe princes and conquerors, with all their magnificence, are re- turned into nothing with regard to us ; they are dif- perfed like vapours, and vaniflied like phantoms. But the inventors of arts and fciences have laboured for all ages of the v/orld, and we dill enjoy the fruits of their application and indudry. They have pro- vided for all our occafions at a great didance j they have converted all nature to our ufes ; they have re- duced the mod indocile matter to our fervice, and have procured for us all the elegancies of life : they have opened to us the treafures of the fciences, and have guided us to knowledge the mod fublime, the mod ufeful, and the mod worthy of our nature : they have put into our hands, and placed before our eyes, whatever is mod proper to adorn the mind, to direft our manners, and to form great princes, jud magidrates, and good men. It is by their aid our hands cultivate the fields, eredl buildings, and fabri- cate manufaflures. T'o make a tranfition from the ufeful to the ornamental part of arts and fciences : it is owing to them that we ufe the pencil, handle the chidel, and touch indruments of mufic ; v/hich are thofe folid and permanent advantages and emoluments that have always been increafing from their origin : they extend to all ages and nations, and to all man- kind in particular which v/ill perpetuate themfelves B 4 through- S Introductory Remarks on the through-out all times, and continue to the end of the world. The Goths and Vandals took advantage of the lafl ftrugglings of the Roman ftate ; and Odoacer, king of the Heruli, with an innumerable multitude of the barbarous nations, ravaging Italy, approached to Rome, which he entered without any refiftance, depofed the emperor Auguftulus, and fecured the imperial dignity to himfelf, which was foon tranf- ferred to Theodoric the Goth. In this manner the inundations of the barbarous people proved equally fatal to arts and empire ♦, and Rome herfelf, when fhe ceafed to be the miltrefs of the world, in a little time quite forgot to fpeak the Latin tongue The fine arts are like the fabled phenix, they revive out of their own alhes ; therefore we have reafon to believe that fome of thofe arts were feveral times ex- tinguifhed, and renewed again, in the firft ages. As the fine arts were extinft in Italy ever fmce the erup- tion of the barbarians, the fenate of Florence fent for painters out of Greece, to reftore painting in Tufcany. The famous Cimabue was their firfl difciple, and made fuch a progrefs in this art, that when Charles of Naples paffed through Florence he vifited Ci- mabue, and thought himfelf very well entertained by the fight of his works. This v/as about the year 1280, at v/hich time painting in oil was unknown. Painting, as well as other arts, came to be known by the progrefs it made in the minds of men. Thofe that began to revive it in Italy, and confequently had but weak principles to go by, drew the admiration of the fpedlators by the novelty of their v/orks : but as the number of painters increafed, and emulation gave them new lights in their art, fo the beauty and value of their pieces increafed; fi*om whence arofe * Rollin’s hlftory of the arts and fciences of the antients, part iii. Kennett’s RomiE antiquae notitia, part i. p, 28. Paolo Paruta’s dif- courfes, p. 14.0. Count Algarotti’s efiay on painting. many STATE OF ITALY, &c. 9 many lovers and critics in painting*, and things being come to a certain point, the world believed it im- poffible for the pencil to produce any thing more per- fect than what was the objedt of their wonder in thofe days, when the part that depends on compo- fition and defign was not feafoned by the grand gufto, which the painters have fmce acquired. At lafb, after feveral years, the good genius of painting raifed up fome great men in Tufcany, and the duchy of UrlDin, who by the goodnefs of their talent, the folidity of their underftanding, and the affiduity of their ftudies, elevated the ideas of the knowledge which they learnt of tlieir mailers, and produced fome things fo perfecl, that they will al- ways be the admiration of poilerity : but thofe to whom we are principally indebted for this perfection are Leonardo da Vinci, Michael Angelo, and Ra- phael. in. Of Taste in Painting. The different tafles of nations may be reduced to fix *, the Roman, Venetian, Lombard, German, Flc- midi, and French. 1. The Roman tafle is an idea of the works that are to be met with in Rome, where the mod: valu- able pieces are thofe called antiques, and the modern produdlions made in imitation of them, whether in fculpture or painting. The excellence of thefe pieces confifls chiefly in the beauties of defign, the fine choice of the attitudes, the delicacy of expredion, fair order of the foldings, and a fublimie ffile to v/hich the antients raifed nature, and after them the moderns in the beginning of the fixteenth century. 2. The Venetian tafte is quite different from the Roman ; for as the latter neglecled colouring too much, the former did the fame by defign , there being few antiques at Venice, and few pieces of fculpture or painting in the Roman taile. The Ve- netians lo Introductory Remarks on the netians applied themfelves to exprefs beautiful na- ture, which they took from objeds in their own country. They chara6i:erifed them by comparifon, not only by fhewing the value of the true colour of one thing by the true colour of another, but by choofmg in this oppofition an harmonious vigor of co- louring, and every thing that might render their ob- jeds the more probable and furprifmg. 3. The Lombard tafte confifts in a flovv^ing mel- low defign, where a fine choice of nature is fome- what mingled with the antique, in colours nearly ap- proaching thofe of life, and laid on with a (light pencil. 4. The German tafle is commonly called the Go- thic gout, which is an idea of nature as we fee her generally with her defedls, and not as fhe might be in her purity. 5. The Flemifh taffe differs only from the Ger- man in a greater union of well chofen colours, an excellent claro obfeuro, and a mellower pencil. 6. The French tafte has been always fo divided, that no juft idea can be given of it Those arts v/hich are the neareft related, and claim the moft antient kindred with each other, are painting * De Piles’s art of painting, ; P- 349 — 35 ^'* See alfo the judg- ; mentof Charles Alphonfe duFref- \ roy on the works of the princi- pal painters of the two laid ages, ' p. 223 — 237. But the curious ; may further confultMonier, Sam- ; hers, Richardfon, and Webb j as alfo count Algarotti, In his chap. 3:Ii. on the exprelHons of the pafTions, p. 122, where he fays, : “ That few are the examples of frong exprefiicn afforded by the . \'enetlan, Flemilh, or Lombard fjhools. Deprived of that great happinefs of ftudioufiy contem- plating the works of the antients, I he furef: fources of perfeftion in point of defgn, exprefiicn, and ''hr.rafter, and having nothing but ; nature conflantly before their eyes, \ they made ftrength of colouring, ! blooming complexions, and the grand efefls of the chiar-ofeuro, their principal ftudy j they aimed more at charming the fenfes than at captivating the underftanding. The Florentine, over which Mi- chael Angelo prefided, was above all things curious of defign, and moft fcurpuloufly exa6l In point of anatomy. Not only elegance of form, and noblenefs of invention, but likewife ftrength of expreflion, triumph in the Roman fchool, nurfed among the works of the Greeks, and in the bofom of a^ city which was the feminary of learning and the arts. p. 124.” and II STATE OF ITALY, See, and poetry ; and whoever thoroughly examines them will find their refemblance fo ftrong, that he cannot take them for lefs than fiftefs*. But as painting was firfl revived in Tufeany, this naturally led our travellers, to begin their obfervations in that ftate, cfpecially as they went there by fea. * Pi6loribus atque poetis Quidlibet audendis femper fuit aequa poteftas, Hor, Painters and poets, free from fervile awe, May treat their fubje6ls, and their objefts draw. : I , :,Y JA T I ' lo T T n . . " - • ^ ntKi? r!)mrrt;,;rD' ^[ffgrjoicrf-r iTfOOil^/ xi/j ■ 3onri£0 oA :r;i:h di ^3/iajW;ao.b*i nbat Lo^ lli\f gnuniijq j|iasl? i ';; m1i 'r--.; i-.-fi rnwU oA; - •iwo tt'i y#i »irft ftc ■fc''.viv'.a 3??r{i' ixi a/toiisTii! b c;, (CTcibvitiT ' .jtTi vri a;:::': 3c.p7i \lk‘^^sqb , • ' ■> '"^ ■' ‘ •' , ) .•?^>o<2 . ' .•ioXt ^ .ncfisJoq isffpc.' .1... ajbnafarjB JadiibicC^ji^ ’. a- P ,' » .-:>y/4 oiirO ^ -' tl 0. '1 ;j'tj!^‘'f baa /; »v. _.r;b b.iz r) vf ^ ^ " "‘'y'- .' - ' ’ ' ' ' - '" •• V'i' - * ■' ',. ■ ' -.' '■ ■■•f- ^--:t .:\ : S': .; .Tv' r (w ■ , • 7 - ■' •■■; ", ■'^■• :' :S- ■ ■ '■■ ■■'■. ''•' » . ■ '\l ' :■) . -*' . \ B 0 0 K I. The G R A N D D U C H Y OF T u s c A N Y. C H A p. I. of Tuscany in general •, and its government under the family of Medic is. ^'1' '^HE duchy of Tufcany, knovm antiently by i the names of Ombria, Tyrrhenia, and He- ^ truria, fell under the dominion of the Ro- mans, about 455 years before Chrift. The Oftro- goths poiTeiTed it in the fifth century, and then the Lombards, who were expelled by Charlemagne in the year 800 ♦, after which it became fubjed to the German emperors, who appointed the governor, un- til the pope encouraged thefe governors to render themfelves independent, and accept of his protedion againft the emperor : but the government was at laft in veiled in the houfe of Medicis. Tuscany is now compofed of the territories that formerly belonged to the then diflind republics of Florence, Sienna, and Pifa. The bounds which are generally afcribed to Tufcany are the river Tiber, the Apennine mountains, and the river Magra ; fo that it is furroundcd by the pope’s territories on the north, eaft, and fouth-eaft ; by the Tufcan fea on the fouth weft •, and by the territories of Genoa and Modena 14 OF TUSCANY. Modena on the north-weft. The whole extent of this country, from fouth to north, is about 130 miles, and about 120 from eaft to weft. With re- fpebl to ftrength and convenience, it has all the ad- vantages from fttuation that can be wiftied. As to the foil, it is in fome parts mountainous, where there are mines of copper, iron, filver, and alum, with quarries of fine marble, aiabafter, and por- phyry. In other parts it abounds with pieafant hills, which are covered with vines, oranges, lemons, olives, and other fruits : but in fome places there are vallies which produce abundance of corn and grafs. It has many little rivers ; but the chief of them is the Arno. The other commodities befides thofe already mentioned, are wool, flax, fafffon, ferges, woollen cloths, filks, tapeftries^ gilt leather, earthen ware, and perfumes. T H E Pv E is no country in the world where the people feem better adapted to mercantile affairs, or where they know better how to make that difpo- fition turn more to account. All the princes of the houfe of Medicis were themfelves merchants, and by their example commerce has been always thought there a thing not at all incompatible with nobility. Florence fhared the unhappy fate of its neigh- bouring ftates, by the fadtions of Guelphs and Gi- belines: but, about the year 1419, Cofmo de Me- dicis, lord of Florence, whofe family had been long powerful, won the hearts of the people by his ge- nerofity : they called him their Father, and the De- liverer of his Country. He adorned the city with many ftately buildings, and enjoyed the higheft ho- nours to his death in 1464. His fon Peter was con- tinued in the diredlion of affairs, and died in 1472, leaving two fons, Laurentio and Julian *, the former of whom was his fucceflbr, and the latter was affaf- finated at mafs, by fome confpirators fecretly encou- OF TUSCANY. 15 raged by pope Sextus IV. Laurentlo fpent the reft of his days in peace, and took great pains to main- tain the tranquillity of Italy. He was fucceeded by his fon Peter II. in 1492, whofe fcandalous fubmif- fion to Charles VIII. of France made him fo con- temptible that he was refufed admittance into the council, and was obliged to fly to Naples, where he was drowned in the river Gariglan. In 1511, the cardinal de Medicis re-eftablifhed his family in Flo- rence, with the alTiftance of a Spanilh army : but, in 1527, another infurredlion was ftirred up ^ainft the houfe of Medicis ; and Hypolitus, with his bro- ther Alexander, the heads of it, were banilhed ; though they were foon recalled by the intereft of pope Clement VIII. who was of this family, and was that pontiff to whom . Nicolas Machiavel dedi- cated The hiftory of Florence.” This family of the Medicis hath given eight fo- vereign princes to Tufcany, as follow. I. Alexander, in 1530, was luade duke of Florence, by the emperor Charles V. but he was murdered by his kinfman Laurentio de Medicis, and Philip Strozzi. II. Cosmo I. fucceeded to the fovereignty, on the murder of his uncle, in 1538. He inftituted the order of St. Stephen, and became one of the moft illuftrious princes of his time. He had the title of Grand Duke beftowed upon him by pope Pius V, in 1 570, that he might be raifed to a rank fupe- rior to the princes of Italy, though he had the title only of Serene Highnefs ; whereas that of Royal Highnefs was given to the duke of Savoy. III. Francis fucceeded, on the death of his fa- ther, m 1574; and was confirmed by the emperor Maximdlian II. in the dignity of Grand Duke of Tufcany. IV. Ferdinand I. renounced the purple, on the death of his brother, in 1587, affumed the title of i6 OF TUSCANY. of Grand Duke, acquired the efteem of all Europe by his prudent condu6l, and died greatly regret- ted in 1609. V. Cosmo II. facceeded his father Ferdinand, and was remarkable for the ftrength of his genius, and his univerfal knowledge. VI. Ferdinand II. on the death of his father Cof- mo, became polTelTed of the grand ducal throne, in 1620. After a long and happy reign, he died in 1688, and had for a fuccelTor Cofoio, his eldeft fon. VII. CosMO III. married Margaret Louifa, daugh- ter of the duke of Orleans, by whom he had John Cjafcon, who fucceeded to the throne, on the death of his father, in 1723. About the year 1700, the grand duke Cofmo III. finding the title of royal highnefs given by the emperor Leopold to the duke of Lorrain, applied to his imperial majefly for the fame favour, which was readily granted. Vin. John Gaston was born in 1671, and, in 1697, married Anna Maria Francis, daughter of Julius Francis, duke of Saxe-Lav/enburg, and relict of Philip William, count palatine of the Rhine : but this iTiatch being barren, the right of fucceeding to Tufcany, devolved on the houfe of Parma. As An- thony Farnefe, duke of Parma, had likewife no ilTue, Don Carlos of Spain was acknowledged heir to Par- ma and Placentia, in right of his mother Elizabeth Farncle, and took pofiefiion of them on the death of the duke. Don Carlos was afterwards declared hereditary grand prince of Tufcany : but by the treaty of Vienna, in 1735, it was fiiipulated, that the grand duchy of Tufcany fliould be given to Francis duke of Lorrain, in exchange for that duchy which was yielded to France after the demife of king Stanifiaus. After thus feeing his domfinions difpofed of into a ftrange family, John Gallon died on the 9th of July, 1737, aged 67, and was fuc- ceeded OF LEGHORN. 17 ceeded by Francis Stephen of Lorrain, the prefent crnperor of Germany. LEGHORN. UR travellers, on the 7th of February, 1752, failed from Toulon, on board a lliip bound to Leghorn, where they arrived on the 14th. This is a neat, well-built city, fituated on a plain, almoft level with the fea, in 1 1 degrees of eaft lon- gitude, and 43 degrees 30 minutes of north latitude; being 40 miles welt of Florence, and 1 50 north- weft of Rome. The great wealth of Tufcany, and the true fcurce of her power, has been this famous port of Leg- horn, or Livorno, as the Italians call it ; which was obtained from the Genoefe in exchange for Sarzana. The country about it was formerly a morafs, or bog, whofe noxious fteams infected the air ; but by the fldll and pains of an Englilhman the foil was rendered habitable, the air more healthy, and the port improved fo as to become the beft in Italy. By his advice alfo it was made a free port ; that is, the duties inwards are very eafy, and there are no duties at all upon exportation •, which hath rendered it for more than a century paft the great magazine of the Levant trade, and has drawn thither micrchants from ail parts, particularly Jews and Armenians, of whom many refide there, and have great privileges allowed * Sir Robert Dudley, who was fon to queen Elizabeth’s favourite the earl of Leicefter, anLvas himfelf created duke of Northumberland by the emperor. CHAP. II O F c them i8 OF LEGHORN. them : but the greateft part of this commerce is carried on by the fubjeds of the maritime powers, who for that reafon have their confuls refident there, and intereft themfelves upon all occalions in its favor. Indeed the Jews and Armenians are generally brokers and fadors for all nations at Leghorn. Their brokerage-fees are half per cent, both for fales and purchafes : they have half per i ooo for exchanges, and a fourth per cent, for infurances of entry. Leghorn hath a fine mole, which inclofes a no- ble harbor, where fhips of the greateft burthen may ride in fafety. Adjoining to this is a fmall haven where the gallies lie belonging to the government. As a guide for fhips into this harbor in the night, there is a fine tower or lanthorn of infinite fervice to mariners ; and in the fmall haven, or port, are ge- nerally four, five, or fix large gallies full of flaves However the city labours under a want of good wa- ter, being obliged to fetch it from Pifa. The length of the mole is 600 common paces, on which the wealthy inhabitants take the air in their * Leghorn is of more note for its great trade than for its anti- quity. It is one of the neateft cities in Italy ; and that to which there is the greateft con- courfe of foreign merchants, either for the fake of trade, or for fliel- ter from their creditors. The port is divided into the great and little harbors ; the former of which has been rendered convenient by the expence of a fine mole, and feme towers that ferve for light-houfes j the other, which has a very nar- row entrance, ferves for the gallies. Memoires of Charles Lewis, Baron de Pollnitz, in 1731, vol. ii. p. 14.0. On the left hand, at the en- Uance into the harbor, are two towers faid to be the remains of an harbor belonging to the Pi- Uns. The harbor of Leghorn is divided into the outv/ard and inward, the latter of which is call- ed the Darfa, or Darfena, and is appropriated only to the great duke’s gallies, which are about live or fix in number, and fome-^ times are fent out upon a cruife againft the corfairs. On the Flo- rentine piece of money called Li- vernini the harbor is ftruck with this infeription : Et patet, et fa- vet ; or, ‘ It is open and free to ‘ all.’ Travels through Italy, See, by John George Key Her, m 1729, voL i. p. 393. The Faro, or light-houfe,where in dark nights above thirty lamps are burning, ftands in the open fea upon a detached rock, and in clear weather has a view not only of Corfica, but even of Sardinia ; the former may be difeerned even from the mole. Ibid. p. 394. coaches ; OF LEGHORN. 19 coaches ; but the breadth of the harbor is about 1500 paces. One great defedt of this harbor is the fhallownefs of the middle part of it *, fo that Ihips of burden are fafer when faftened to the fide of the mole than in the harbor itfelf. Not far from the light-houfe, but upon the main land, is the Lazaretto, where perfons bringing goods from places fufpedled of a contagion perform qua- rantine. The Turkifh flaves, and other galley rowers, are every night fecured in a large place furrounded with a high wall, called li Bagni, in imitation of the Turks, who give this name to the prifon wherein they keep the Chriftian captives. They are fet at liberty in the day-time, when they may exercife their induftry either in labor or traffic ; but they are ob- liged to return to the Bagni in due time. The three daffies of rowers are the volunteers, the criminals, and the Turkifh flaves, who have each their refpedive wards : but no diftindion is made in other refpeds •, and one fick ward and difpenfary ferve indifcriminately for them all. The number of thefe galley rowers is generally about 2000 ; of which about 800 are Turks : but there are alfo fe- veral free Turks, who live in the city, in a quarter contiguous to that of the Jews. The number of inhabitants within the walls are reckoned 40,000, including 10,000 Jews*. The ftreets are very regular, broad, and well paved ; and there are a great number of good buildings, efpeci- ally in that part called New Venice. The port of St. Mark is handfome, and no perfon is permitted to go out that way, to prevent defertion. The town has a neat fortification, and a bell is fixed over each * Others fay, there are 18,000 Jews at Leghorn, which is called their paradife j for, except living by themfelves in one particular I part of it be reckoned a hardihip, they enjoy all manner of freedom, without any ignominious mark ©f diftin^lion. Keyller, p. 392. C 2 centinefs 20 OF L E G I-I O R N. centineFs box. The garrifoR confiils of one complete battalion of Tufean guards, and only part of two others. The Grand Place makes a fine appearance, and the Greek church is prettily ornamented They have good hofpitals for the poor and fick, but none for thofe who are lame or paft labour*, fo that they have a multitude of beggars. The publick proftitutes have particular quarters affigned for them, and are under a very ftrid regulation. It is faid they even maintain one of the gallies out of the taxes impofed upon their profefTion. The port is entirely free for commerce to all nations, fo ail fedts are tolerated here : but the publick exercife of religion is allowed only to the Roman catholics *, yet with fome indulgence even to the Greeks, Jews, and Mahometans. The Britifh faflors, who confift of about foity families, conilantly maintain a chaplain at Leghorn ; and as the harbour is never without Englifh, Dutch, or Danifh veffels, the Proteflants have always an opportunity of bap- tizing their children, receiving the facrament, and performing the other rites of their church. On the quay near the gallies is the famous marble ftatue of the duke Ferdinand I. with four Turkifh flaves, in bronze, chained to the pedellal. It is faid thefc (laves were a father and his three * Poll nit^ fays, the city is well ! huilt j the itreets broad, itrait, and ; iightlbme, and leverai have canals | in them after the manner of Hoi- i land : the great fquare is beauti- I ful ; and the ports magniheent. [ Polinitz, ii. 140. And Keyfler oblerves, that moft of the ilreets arebroaLnd ftrait, and that from the great market are two vifeas through both the city gates. Of the other two fides of this I'quare, one looks towards the cathedral, and the other toward three build- ings erected exa6Uy on the fame plan,, belonging to fome Engiilli merchants. The north part of the city is extremely well built, and one quarter of it, on account of its many canals for cleanlincfs and convenience of trade, is cal- led New Venice. The ramparts a.d'ord a very agreeable prolpeft of the fea, and of many country feats on the land fule. The city is alfo well fortified, having two forts towards the fea, belides a citadel ; the number of guns in its fortifica- tions are about 300, moll of them brals j and the garrifon confiils of 600 men. Keyfler, i. 393, Ions, 21 OF LEGHORN. fons, who attempted to run away with one of the duke’s gallies, but were overtaken and put to death. The duke’s ftatue is the work of Donateili, and John de Bologna is faid to have done the (laves, which are efteemed very fine. Baron de Polinitz erroiieoufly fays that this is the ftatue of Cofmo I. but he truly tells us, the grand duke is reprefented in armour, with a ducal mantle over his fnoulders, a turban on his head, and a fcymitar at his feet. “ The concomitants, fays he, of this line (tatue are worthy of a nice obfervation. At the four corners of the pedeftal there are four (laves in brafs, repre- fenting Turks, in admirable attitudes, v/hich feem chained to the pedeftal. Connoifteurs efteem them mafterpieces : their proportion, which is twelve feet, makes the vulgar think they reprefcnt four giants ; but tradition fays they are the figures of four Turks, the great grandfather, grandfather, father, and fon, who were taken by the great duke’s gallies •, and this prince caufed their ftatues to be carved to tranfmit the event to pofterity.” The want of an infcription leaves the matter doubt- ful ; nor is there much more certainty concerning the author of this groupe of admirable ftatues, Ibme af- cribing them to Peter Tacca, who made the brazen horfe ^ upon the Pont Neuf at Paris •, and others have affirmed thefe five ftatues, or at leaft that of marble, to be the work of Donateili +. The towm of Leghorn has accidentally done what the greateft fetch of politics would have found it dif- ficult to have brought about ; for it has almoft un- peopled Pifa, if v/e compare it to what it was for- merly, and every day leftens the number of inhabi- * Keyfler, i. 395. This muft | be a miftake ; for our travellers I have proved that the equedrian | ftatue of Flenry IV. on the Pont I Neuf, in bronze, with four flaves I bound to the pedeftal, was the || work of three artifts ; the bafs reliefs by Francavilla, the king by Depre, and the horfe by John de Bologna. t Keyfter, 395. C3 tants 22 OF PISA. tants at Florence. It is true, ftrangers pay little or no taxes dire6lly at Leghorn, but aut of every thing they buy there goes a large gabel to the go- vernment. Mr. Addifon fays, that when he was there, the very ice merchant at Leghorn paid above loool. fterling annually for his privilege, and the tobacco merchant io,oool. for the grand duke referves to himfelf the monopoly of feveral commodities, par- ticularly tobacco, brandy, and fait *. Leghorn is in reality the chief port on the Me- diterranean fea; and many of • the inhabitants fpeak Englifh tolerably well. About noon the merchants meet in a ftreet adjoining to the fquare, to ne- gotiate their refpedive bufmefs •, at which time many people of all nations are to be feen there, as on our Royal Exchange. Yet Leghorn is not to be reckoned among the moft healthy cities, for the country is chiefly fandy *, though well covered with oaks, elms, and thickets of other trees, where the black buffaloes feed and take flielter, which are applied to feveral ufes by the inhabitants of this flate. CHAP. IIL O F PISA. O N tlie 24th of February, our travellers fet out for Pifa, which is diftant from Leghorn two fliages, or polls, eight miles each. The expence of each poll is eight pauls for a chaife, and three to the * Mr. Addifon’s Remarks on feveral Parts of Italy, See. in the Years 17Q1, 1702, 1703, p. 227. Keyfler, 396. driver : OF PISA. 23 driver; but it is the cuftom of the country, that when you hire a chaife, you take earneft of the per- fon you have agreed with, inftead of giving it as with us The city of Pifa is four miles fouth of the fea, and forty weft of Florence. It was formerly a cele- brated republic, which maintained powerful fleets, and difputed the fovereignty with the Genoefe and Venetians. It made a conqueft of the iflands of Sardinia and the Baleares, reduced the city of Car- thage, and was of great fervice againft the Infidels in the Holy Land : but being fubdued by the Flo- rentines, and the feat of government removed, the town became deferred, and the buildings decayed *, fo that it feems the fhell of a great city, not half furniftied with inhabitants, who are computed at about 16,000; though, according to the largenefs of the place, they ftiould amount to 80,000 at leaft. However, it enjoys a healthful air, good water, and a fertile foil. The town is divided almoft into two equal parts by the river Arno j-, whereof the fides, lined with a Hoping wall, form a very commodious quay, where fhips of burthen formerly unloaded their merchan- dife : but the mouth of the river being now choaked up, it is only navigable for fmaller veftels. They have three bridges over the Arno, and that in the middle is built with marble. There is a good * The way by land from Leg- horn to Pifa is along a continued plain, over feveral ftone bridges acrofs the canal, which is fixteen miles long from one town to the other. This canal, befides the great convenience it is of to trade, ferves as a drain to feveral moraf- fes } though it is fometimes frozen in winter. The barks go dally from Leghorn to Pifa, and the palfage cofts only fix fols. The c veflel is drawn by men, and takes up fix hours in the palTage ; but the company is not always of the beft fort. Keyfler, p. 396. f The Arno rifeson the eaftern confines of Tufcany, runs we^ quite acrofs that duchy, pafTes by Florence, and falls into the Tuf- can fea below Pifa. The valley through which it runs is exceeding pleafant, and abounds with almoft all kinds of fruit, 4 town- 24 OF PISA. tov/n-houfe, and a handfome exchange, which was built in 1 605, but is now almoft defolate. The llreets are broad and ftrait, and there are feveral fine fquares : nor are the buildings amifs, but moil of the win- dows are papered. The great church, baptiftry, leaning tower, and the Campo Santo, or burying place, are all contiguous upon one fpot of ground, and are all buildings of the Gothic fhile I. The cathedral is a noble, magnificent building, which they fay hath been built 500 years. It is fup- ported by feventy large marble pillars, of divers co- lours, and richly gilt ; as alfo adorned with a great variety of fmaller pillars, pedeflals, and cornices of the finefc marble. It hath three gates of brafs, with beautiful relievos of the hiflory of the New Tella- ment, which is faid to be the work of John de Bo- logna. The gate at the grand entrance is but of in- different workmanfhip, though they tell us it was brought from Jerufalem f. The high altar, wdth a madona upon it, is all of caff filver ; and on each fide of it ffands an angel, of bronze, admirably exe- cuted by Bonanno Pifano. Round this altar is a fine piece of painting, containing the hiffory of pope Gelafius, by Petro Sofio Senfini. But the great fub- * The great churchy baptiftry, and leaning tower, ai'e very well worth feeing, and are built after the fame fancy with the cathedral of Sienna. Addifon, p. 230. f In the cathedral, towards the leaning tower, is a pair of large folding gates of brafs, on which is reprel'ented, in bafl'o re- lievo, the life of Chrift : but both the workmanfhip and defigri of t'fcm are a difgrace to the facred fubje6I ; though they are faid to have been brought from Jerufa- Ic .n by the Pi Ians in one of their C’oifades, and probably in time they may pafs for the gates that belonged to Solomon’s temple. Keyfler, i. 399. The cathedral has three great gates, the doors or leaves of which are of brafs, and reprefen t the paf- fages mentioned in the NewTella- ment j a proof how grofly they are miftaken who fay they were the gates of Solomon’s temple. Poll- nitz, ii. 141. — Pollnitz fays, the roof is fupported by fixty marble columns : but Keyfler tells us, that the number of pillars within the dome amounts to feventy-llx, every one of which is cut out of a fingle block of white oriental granate. OF PISA. 25 jed of admiration arifes from the many little angels on the white marble capital of a porphyry pillar, in which Stagio di Pietra Stanta has nobly difplayed his art. The Hatties of Adam and Eve, on the altar of the holy facrament, are greatly admired. In this catlie- dral are alfo feveral good pictures, by Domenico Beccafumi, Antonio Saliani, Domenico Ghirlandi, Benozze Gozzoli, Perio del Vago, Giorgio Vafari, Sodorno, and Bronzino. The church wants light, and hath a flat roof; but every particular in it worth notice is defcribed in a pompous folio publilhed at Rome in 1705, with the title of “ Joi'. Martinii Theatrum Eafilic^e Pi- famx 2. The baptiHry is faid to have been built 600 years, and is a large circular building, with a high cupola, ail of white marble. It is very beautiful within, where is a fine marble font, and an elegant pulpit. The font is divided into four partitions, and in the middle Hands a bronze Hatue of John the Bap- tiH. The pulpit is fupported by fix marble pillars, curious, and of different kinds, having the laH judg- ment reprefented on it in balfo relievo by Nicholas Pifano. The architedlof this baptiHry was Giovanni Pifano, who difpofed the concavity of the cupola in fuch a manner, as to make a loud double echo of any noife that is made below. 3. The leaning round tov/er is in the cathedral church-yard, detached from any other building. It was built about 400 years ago, by Vfithelimis a German, Bonannus a Pifan, and Thomas Pifarius. Its height is 1 8 7 feet and a half, and it is afcended by 355 Heps to the top, v/hich is inclofed with a breaH-work, and in it hang feven bells. It feems as if divided into eight partitions or Hories, each fur- * The remains of Gam.aliel, Ni- codemus, andAbiba, are here kept in a done cofnn on the altar j and thofe of the emperor Henry VII. J who was killed by an ecclefiadic, ! lie m a marble coffin placed in the wall, on the left hand of the great j chapel, Keyller, p. 400. rounded 26 OF PISA. rounded with a colonnade of thirty-eight pillars, which in all the rows are of the fame thicknefs, but decreafe in length proportionably towards the top. It inclines from a perpendicular about five yards from the top, and feems as if falling. The common opinion is, that it was built fo by the artifts to iliew their fkill and there is no vifible flaw in the whole building, as there mufl: have been, if occafioned by an earth- quake. Some people think, that the earth under this pa:t of the foundation has given way, which might be fo gently as not to diflocate any part of the fabric. The appearance of it near the ground fa- x^ours this opinion by a moulding, which would have decided the queftion if it had run horizontal •, and it is not likely that the artifts would have left their de- fign to admit of a doubt 4. Il Campo Santo, or the burying place, adjoins to the cathedra], and is an oblong piece of ground, with a gallery round it, divided by two ftone walls into three equal parts. In the uppermoft lie the no- bility, the citizens in the middle, and the peafants in the loweft part. The galleries were built by Gio- vanni Pifano, and finifhed in 1289. On the walls are feveral fcriptural hiftories painted by feveral hands. * Keyfler fayr, that this tower is computed at i88 feet ; that it was completed in the year 1174; and that one Withelm a German, together with Bonanno, are faid to have been the archltc6ls. He adds, that the moft remarkable thing in it is, that a plummet let down perpendicularly from the top touches the ground at the dillance of fifteen feet from the bottom of the tower. This fur- prifinginclination is by m.any ima- gined to have been defigned by the archite 61 :s as a proof of their fkill j but fuch a notion can only proceed from want of knowing, that it is fo far from /hewing any great /kill in aichite^lure, that I any common builder may do the I like, efpecially if his materials j confift of free-ftone. Nor is this 1 the only leaning tower in Italy ; •j for this defeft, which creates fo much wonder, is caufed by an ■ error in laying the foundation, i The tower at Pi fa has no apart- ments within, the floors and ' cielings of which would fhew ’ whether the inclination was in- tended by tlie archite6ls or not ; I but the pedeftals of the loweft row of pillars are a fufficient ; proof that it was not, as they are funk much deeper in the earth on i the fide of the inclination than on the other. Keyfler, i. 4.06. among OF PISA. 27 among which the hidory of Job, in eight pieces by Giotto, defeiwes particular notice. In this cemetry are a great number of farcophagifts, or antient mar- ble coffins, with various relievo's upon them ; and many perfons who diftinguifhed themfelves by their (kill in the arts and fciences, or their military bravery, are interred in this Campo Santo, which is fo called from a great part of the earth being brought from the Holy Land in the year 1228 The Carmelites have a church here, in which are fome good paintings by Maffaccio. In St. Mat- thew’s church, which belongs to the Benedidine nuns, is a remarkable perfpefrive in frefco on the roof of it. The deling of St. Stephen’s church, belonging to the knights of that order, is prettily painted with their hiftory : the high altar is made of fine por- phyry •, and over it is a marble ftatue of pope Ste- phen. Thefe knights wear a white crofs in the form of that of Malta, which is red ; and they alfo prove their nobility before they are admitted. The grand duke Cofmo I. founded this order in commemora- tion of the battle of Marciano in the Sienne, fought on the 2d of Auguft, a day confecrated to St. Ste- phen, which was alfo the reigning pope’s nam.e-day. The knights, among other privileges, were indulged by pope Pius IV. in the liberty of marrying ; and the ftatutes of the order were printed at Florence in 1620 f. There is a handfome fquare before the church, with the palace of the order, round which are the buftoes of the great dukes in white marble *, and * In one of the galleries, or porticoes, are feventy or eighty large marble coffins ; which, by realbn of the admirable bafs-re- liefs they are adorned with, are fuppofed to be the work of anti- quity. Keyfler, I. 403. f St. Stephen’s day is kept as the chief feftival of the order, when the knights wear on their breafts an o6languIar crofs of crimfon fet- tin, embroidered with gold, which they alfo wear on other folemn oc- cafions ; but on common days, j when they appear in publick, they I have only a plain white crofs up- I on their cloak. Keyfler, i. 398. Their church i& hung with fe- i ! veral hundred of flags and other trophies taken from the infldels. Puffendorf, li. 43. m 28 O F L U C C A. in the front a fine marble ftatue of Cofmo the Greats erecSted by the order in the year 1596. The Collegium Ferdinandeum is built upon the fpot where formerly flood the houfe of Bartoli, the famous civilian. I'he ducal palace is near this col- lege ; but has nothing magnificent or fuitabie to that title 5 and the archbifhop’s palace is a mean old build- ing, with nothing remarkable but a white marble flatue of Mofes in a fountain in the inner court, which was ereded by Francis Frofini, a native of Pifloia, count of the Holy Roman Empire, and arch- bifhop of Fifa, in 1708. The phyfic garden near St. Stephen’s church is very large, and well flocked v/ith all forts of curious plants. The citizens uied annually to have a mock-en- gagement, on the middle bridge, like that between the Caftellani and the Nicoloti-on St, Barnabas’s bridge at Venice. Pifa is a city which a traveller cannot avoid feeing : but it is impofiibie for him to flay in it, if we believe baron Polinitz, who fays, the people are fo proud of the honour their anceftors gained by the conquefl of Carthage, that their va- nity is intolerable. CHAP. IV. 0 F L u c c A. UR travellers fet out from Pifa to Lucca, on u the 25th of February, and about four miles from Pifa they faw the baths, vrhich are very neat. * Polinitz, ii. 14.1, Though butter is a rarity in Italy, you may fometimes find that which is very good at Pifa. MiiTon’s voyage to Italy, vol. i. part 2, p. 554.. The O F L U C C A. 29 The diilance from Pifa to Lucca is ten Italian miles, and the road is moft delightful, efpecially along the plain, where the country is finely cultivated. On each fide of the road are to be feen verdant pailures, fields of fpringing corn, rich vineyards, and fine olive plantations ; befides fome fields fown with fiax, others full of white cabbages, large turnips, and other ufeful vegetables. In a mofi: pidturefque view the fields are bounded with trees planted at an equal diftance, and to each tree is bound a vine, which flioots out to embrace its neighbour ; fo that the pea- fant may form their union, with beautiful feftoons, in their feafon The republick of Lucca is about 30 Italian miles in circumference : but the fertility of the foil, and mdldnefs of its government, have been fuch attrac- tive inducements for fettling here, that the inhabi- tants of the city, and the hundred and fifty villages belonging .to it, are computed to be 120,000, of whom 30,000 are able to carry arms. This repub- lic is fiuit up in the grand duke's dominions, and has been frequently threatened with the fate of Flo- rence, Pifa, and Sienna f. The city of Lucca is fituate in the middle of a fruitful plain, about 1 5 miles over, near the river * The diftance fiom Pifa to II Lucca is twelve Italian miles, jl The coiintr}'" is divided into | fquare enclofures, and planted | With charming rows of ti’ees with | vines twining round them, which | luxurioully intermingle their | branches at the top, and form f beautiful feftoons. In fummer and I autumn nothing can exceed this | tradi ot land ; the mountain which runs all the way upon the right, being covered with olive and cyprefs trees of an extraor- dinary height. Keyficr, 1.409. f The king of Spain was pro- tedtor of this republick, when Mr. Addifon was there in 1700. He fays, “ It is pieafant to hear the difcourfe of the common peo- ple of Lucca, who are firmly per- .liiaded that one Lucquefe can beat five Florentines, who arc grov.m low-fpirited, as they pre- tend, by the grand duke’s op- preffions, and have nothing worth fighting for. They fay they can brin.g into the field 7.0 or 30,000 fighting men, all ready to facri- fice their lives for their liberty.” ' Addilbn, p. C33. Sccchia, 30 O F L U C C A. Secchia, lo miles to the north of Pifa, and 12 to the eaft of the Tufcan fea. It is of an oblong form^ about three miles and a half in circumference, and contains near 22,000 inhabitants:]:. It is forti- fied with a good rampart, which is broad enough for three coaches to go a-breaft, and is planted with fe- veral rows of trees§. There are three ports to the town, and over each guard-houfe is wrote Lihertas in letters of gold -j-. At the entrance of the town, they take all fire-arms from ftrangers, but return them at their departure *, and none wear fwords, after a flay of three days, without a particular licence Government. — Their council of ftate is com- pofed of a confaleniere, or doge, and nine fenators, who are all members of the great council, and are changed every two months. Thefe counfellors, who are called anziani, or elders, bear the title of Excel- lentiflimi, and whilft in office live in the republic’s palace, where tlieir expences are defrayed at the charge of the ftate. A doge is not capable of being re-eleded ’till the expiration of feven years. The great council confifts of 130 of the nobility, and no X Keyfler fays the city contains near 44,000 inhabitants; which is a great millake, and is thus re6li- hed by our travellers, who made a particular enquiry into this mat- ter. § The city is three Italian miles in circumference, and is fortified with eleven baftions, which, with the other works, are planted with a 80 pieces of cannon. The ram- parts are very pleafant, being planted all round with four rows pf trees, and in fome parts with more. Keyfier, i. 411. f There is but one gate for ftrangers to enter at, that it may be known what numbers of them are in town. Over it is written, in letters of gold, Libertas. Ad- diibn, p. 231. * At entering the city, travellers muft deliver up their fire-arms : but it is only informing the guard at what gate they intend to go out when they leave the city, and they are fure to find them there. They are likewife allowed to wear their fwords for three days, but after- wards mu ft have a particular li- cence, which generally is granted only to perfons of high rank, the knights of Malta, and St. Stephen. Keyller, i. p. 411. commoners, O F L U C C A. 31 commoners, who are changed every two years ||. Their police is very commendable, and great attention is Ihewn in fuppreffing luxury, fuperfluous magnificence, and fuch diffipations as often prove fo deilrudive to families, where no fuch reftraints take place The number of troops in this (late is about 300 ; and they fay they have arms for 20,000 men in their arfenal, which is not worth vifiting -f. The ordinary revenue of the government is com- puted at 400,000 fcudi, or about 8o,oool. flerling ; for this republic is efteemed the richeft and beft peopled flate of Italy, in proportion to the extent of its dominions. The fkill and induflry of the inhabitants in their filk and other manufa( 5 lures have gained this city the furname of Induftriofa, or the Induflrious •, and a great profit accrues to the republic from its fmall kind of olives, which produce excellent oil. In all the in- habitants there appears an air of chearfulnefs and plenty, not often to be met with in thofe of the countries which lie about them ^ and here are feen more young women in the ftreets, fhops, churches, and fchools, than in any other part of Italy :t. y The whole adminiftration of the government pafles into dif- ferent hands at the end of every two years, which is the greateft fecurity imaginable to their li- berty, and wonderfully contributes to the quick difpatch of all pub- lic affairs : but in any exigence of ftate, it certainly takes a much longer time to condu6l any de- fign for the good of the common- wealth tb its maturity and perfec- tion. Addif.p. 234.. Keyfl. i.410. * There is no ftate that winds the penny more nimbly, and makes quicker returns. She hath a coun- cil called the Difcoli, which pries into the profefiion and life of every one, and ones a year they rid tke ftate of all vagabonds. So that this petty pretty republic may not be improperly paralleled to a hive of bees, which have been always the emblems of induftiyand order. Howell’s Letters in 1621, p. 76. f Mr. Addifon fays, they have a quantity of armsand ammunition, but fewhorfe, p. 233. ButKeyfter tells us, the palace guard is a corps of feventy-fixSwitzers, and the reft of the republic’s forces may con- fift of about 500 men. i, 410. X The greateft part of the gen- tlemen of Lucca fpeak French, and profds a more than ordinary civility to ftrangers, as in ieveral other parts of Italy. MilTon , i . 5 54. The 32 O F L U C C A. The houfes are generally well built-, but the ftreets are not very regular. The palace is large and fpacious, v/ithout any thing curious. The cathedral is a large Gothic pile, and the patron of it is St. Martin. Here is an admirable marble monument of the Giuinigi family by Andrea della Quercia ; and a fine piece of the Lord’s Supper by Tintoretti. The fee of Lucca is under the immediate jurif- didlion of the pope which entitles the bifiiop to the pallium and crofs, like archbifhops and the canons are drefied like cardinals on public folemnities. In the church of St. Fredian is a monument with this infcription : Hie jacet corpus S. Ricardi, regis Anglia. “ Here lies the body of St. Richard, king of England.” But this royal Saint has no place in our chronicles. On the high altar, in the church of St. Maria, is the aiTumption of the Virgin Mary, by Guido Rheni ; and on each fide are fome other pieces by the fame mailer. In the church of St Pietro Maggiore is alfo the aiTumption by Raphael, and the annunciation by Ubaldi of Sienna : but the account of the impious gamefter is not worth relating, though particularly mentioned by other travellers * Keyfler, i. 4.13, 414.. See alfo ‘‘ Some obfervations made in travelling through France, Italy, &c. in the years 1720, 1721, and 1723, by Edward Wright, Efqj” vol, ii. 4to, p, 289—291, CHAP. OF P I S T O r A. 33 CHAP. V. O F P I S T O i A. O N the 26th of February our travellers arrived at Pifloia, which is twenty Italian miles from Lucca, and the fame from Florence. It is a good town, with fair open ftreets, and fubje6l to the great duke. PisToiA was anciently famous for the defeat of Ca- tiline, and, in later ages, for the tumults of theGuelphs and Gibelines •, but is now in fuch a low condition that, tho’ it is a large town, the number of its inha- bitants does not exceed five thoufand. Ruin, defo- lation, and indolence, are feen in all the ftreets, which are well paved, with large flags At the port gate of the tov/n they fearch all bag- gage, to fee if there is any tobacco ; and if they find any quantity above a pound, they feize every thing. They aifo feize all fuch apparel that has not been worn •, at leafi: they oblige ftrangers to pay duty for it, if only a pair of fhoes. Their country is very fruitful, and produces fine water melons, which are of an uncommon fize and it is probably owing to this fertility of the country, and the cheapnefs of provifion on account of the fmall number of its inhabitants, that near forty noble families have chofen this place for their refidence -f. * There is nothing in Plftoia that deferves either the trouble or charge of going out of the way to fee it, Miflbn, i. 555. f On the 17th and 25th of July, and the 24th of Auguft, there are horfe-races in a large unpaved ftreet. Ibid, p, 556, D The 34 OF P I S T O I A. The cathedral is a Gothic flmclure, in which arc fevcral good monuments of its bifhops, particularly that eredled to cardinal Fertoguerra^ began by An« drea Verrochio, and finifhed by Lorengetti. Behind the high altar is the afcenfion of Chrift painted on wood, by Bronzino •, and on the wall, near the font, are five pieces of fcriptural hiflory, in baffo relievo. The baptiilry, oppofite to the cathedral, is ahand- fome plain building, a rotunda, much of the fame fize with that of Pifa. In the Francifcan church are feveral large pieces of painting, particularly a laft Supper, and Lazarus rifing from his grave, by Branfina. On a tomb-ftone here is the following infcription : Hie jacet egregius Ugum doSior, magijier 'Thomas de Wejlon^ Anglicus^ qui ohiit A. D. Mcccciv. die xxix. menfis AuguJH. “ Here lies that excellent profelTor of law, Thomas Wefton, an Englilhman, who died the 29th of Augnll, 1404.” In the church of St. Franfeifeo di Sala are feven fine pi6lures, by Andrea del Sarto 'The church of St. Profpero belongs to the fathers of the oratory, to whom cardinal Fabroni, in the year 1726, made a prefent of a fine library, v/hich confifls of 14,000 volumes, exclufive of manuferipts, and is open every day. In the anti-chamber of the library are two pieces, in balfo relievo, reprefenting the fhepherds coming to the facred manger, and the taking of Chrift down from the crofs, both admi- rably executed in marble by Cornaquini, and each about four feet in height. The epifcopal palace joins to the cathedral, and is a mean building ; but has a ftatue in it ereded to the memory of pope Leo XL who was bifliop of Piftoia. * He was fo called from his father’s being a taylor, in Italian Sarto, from the Latin word Sartor. The OF P I S T O I A. 35 The Italians reckon the hours of the day from fun- fet to fun-fet twenty-four hours, regulating their clocks as the days fhorten and lengthen : but the grand duke, in 1751, ordered all the clocks in Tuf- cany to be regulated our way, which the people here call the French way *, however, moft of them con- tinue to reckon their time the old way, though their clocks are altered*. From Piftoia to Florence is a journey of twenty Italian miles, and the road is very pleafant ; but ex- hibits few villas or plantations to the view ’till we come into the neighbourhood of Florence. Within feven miles and a half of Florence is Poggio a Cajano, where Pope Leo X. of the houfe of Medicis, laid the foundation of a palace, on ac- count of the pleafant views of the adjacent moun- tains, which was finifhed by the great duke Francis. Its outfide has nothing of fplendor or magnificence : but to lovers of painting it prefents a fine entertain- * The way of meafuring time In Italy appears pretty odd to a new comer. It founds a little lliangely to hear them talk of fif- teen or twenty o’clock, for they reckon round all the twenty-four hours. The fetting of the fun, or ringing of the Ave-Mary bell, is what they begin from ; fo that if the fun fet at eight o’clock Englifh, then nine is one hour, and fo on ’till the fun fet again, which is twenty- four. But the compafs of the clocks rarely goes any farther than twelve, in many places no more than fix, and fo begins again ; fo that when a clock ftrikes three, at one time it is to be underftood as three, at another as nine, at another as fifteen, at another as twenty-one. The general time of the day is guide fufficlent for you to know which of the threes it is. By this way of meafuring from ? fun-fet, the noon hour, and indeed i everyother, is continually varying, ? it being mid-day fometimes at fix- I teen hours, and fometimes at nine- I teen, and fo at all the interme- I diate times ; fo that it is impof- » fible for a clock or watch, which I is fet the Italian way, to go exa6Uy I right any two days together j there- * fore they alter them once a fort- I night, and In the mean time make allowance for the difference. It feems as if the contrivers of this way of reckoning the time, begin- ning from the fetting of the lim, took their hint from the Mofaic account of the creation, and the expreffion there ufed, “ And the evening and the morning were the the firft day.” In Rome and fome other places, the clocks ftrike the hour twice, after about a minute’s paufe between. Wright, vol. i. p. 28, 29. D 2 ment 36 O F F L O R E N C E. ment within, having a great variety of pi6lures, by Lavinia Fontana, Hannibal Caracci, Paul Rubens, Leonard! da Vinci, Antonio Domenico Gabbiani, Georgio Bafari, Lucio Maflari, and other eminent mailers r In particular, there is a Holy Family, by Caracci, whole countenance of Chriil is excellent *, and another holy family, by MaiTari, well performed, .but of a low thought, for the bleifed virgin is waihing linen, Chriil is wringing them, and Jofeph is hanging them on the hedge to dry. The paintings in the large hall are by Andrea del Sarto, Franciabigio, and Gia- como da Pontormo. A gallery goes round the whole building on the outfide •, and there is a menagerie, of two Italian miles in circumference. II . I I I ■ I I L. I I i j iii f i __ L. _ n i C H A P. VI. O F FLORENCE. SECTION I. Its Pres E N'T State, Forts,, Bridges, and Ducal Palaces. O U R travellers arrived at the celebrated city of Florence on the 27th of February, and were charmed with the profpe£l of this moil beauti- ful metropolis, defervedly called the Fair, in its ze- nith of glory ; being fituated at the head of the vale of Arno, and divided by the river of that name, furrounded by' many eminences, with fine villas feated on them Machiavel I north latitude, 120 miles north I of Rome, in a moll defirable fitu- I ation, encornpalTed with beautiful kills- * The city of Florence lies in a fruitful valley, on the r-iver Ar- no, in 43 degrees 40 minutes of OF FLORENCE. Machiavel fays, the city of Florence was ori- ginally built by the inhabitants of Fiefole, and was called at firft Arnina : but 'from whence it affumed the name of Florence is varioufly conjedlured This city is now about feven miles in circum- ference, and contains a great number of noble pa- laces. The ftreets are handfome, and well paved with large fags, which makes them always clean. The city has feven ports-, two of which are kept open night and day in the fummer, and are called the Porta Romanaf and Bologna. The churches amount to above 150, befides which there are feventy-fix nunneries, and fixty-hve friaries The houfes are about 9 000, and the number of inhabitants is com- hllls on three hdes, full of villa- ges, countiy feats, gardens, groves, and woods of olives rifing gradu- ally ’till they join the higheft mountains of the Apennines ^ and towards the weft lies that rich val- ley watered by the river Arno, which extends as far as Pifa, abounding in corn, wine, oil, and all manner of delicious fruits. Florence is generally ftiled by the Italians, La Bella, or The Beau- tiful; an epithet it probably owes to the cleanlincfs of the ftreets, and goodnefs of the pavement, which is moftlyof pietre-forti, or free-ftone. Keyfler, v. i. p.480. * Some would have it called p'lorence from Florino, one of the cliief of the firft colon! fts ; others fay, it was not called Florentia, but Fluentia, in the beginning, in refpe6f of its proximity to the river Arno. “ My opinion is, fays Machiavel, that whatever might be the occalion of its ori- ginal, or denomination, it was always called Florentia ; that it i v/as founded under the empire of | Bie Romans, and began to be i mentioned in hiftory in the time of the firft emperors ; that when the empire was firft affli6led by barbarians, Florence was demo- liflied by Totila, king of the Oftrogoths 3 that 250 years after it was rebuilt by Charlemagne, from whofe time ’till the year 1215 it followed the fortune of I the reft of Italy, and was fubje6i to thofe that commanded, during which it was governed firft by the fuccefibrs of Charles, afterwards by the Berengarii, and laft of all by the erapei'ors of Germany.” Machiavel’s hiftory of Florence, lib. ii. p. 23. f Over the Porta Romana is an Inlcrlption in memoxy of pope Leo X. and the publick entry of the emperor Charles V. through this gate ; and near it, on the city fide, is a fine piece of painting, in frefco on a houfe, by Giovanni de S. Giovanni.” Keyft. i. 486. J The convents axnount to 87, ! befides 22 hofpltals. Keyll. i. 451. He reckoned 70,000 inhabitants# P. 486. D3 puted 38 OF FLORENCE. piited at 80,000% whofe chief trade confifts'^of' woollen and filk manufadtures. The government is under a regency of three, who govern alternately year about : one is a German appointed by the emperor grand duke, and the other two are Florentines. The people complain much of being opprefled with taxes * * * § , for every thing bought in the town, even a book, is taxed going out as well as coming in : and it is faid, the grand duke draws from this city about 30,000 ducats a month -f . In refpect of the curiofities worthy the attention of a traveller, Florence exceeds every city in Italy, Rome only excepted •, and for modern ftatues, Mr. Addifon was of opinion, that it excels even Rome J. Odlavius Ferrarienfis ftiles it, Italiam ipfius Italic, ^ The Italy of Italy itfelf-,” and Ferdinando Leo- poldo del Migliore gives a full defcription of it in his Fiorenza illuftrata §. Some of the palaces are very noble, and all of them are adorned, after the true Tufcan manner, with the heavy ruftic charges ; which has a fine ef- fe6t m the largefc buildings, but not fo good in the fmall ones ||. * From the depreflion of the grandees the city continued quiet to the year 1353 j in which in- terv 1 happened the famous pelH- lence, fo eloquently deferibed by Giovanno Boccacio, of which there died in Florence above 96,000 people. Machiavel’s hifto- ry of Florence, lib. li, p. 48. t The gold ducat of Tulcany is worth 1 5s. 5d. fterling. The people of Florence are very highly taxed ; there is an impofition laid upon every thing they either wear or eat.” Wright, p. 429. I Addif. p.245. Keyfl.i.418. § Since the publication of that work there have been feveral al- terations made, of which a tra- veller Ihould be informed. Ra- phael del Bruno has written a book intitled, II riftretto delle cofe piu notabili della citta di Fiorenza ; or, “ A Ihort account of the moft remarkable things in the city of Florence j” which muft be of ufe to curious travellers : however, it is deficient, and not free from errors. II There are fome beautiful pa- laces in Florence ; and as Tufcan pillars and ruftic work owe their original to this country, the ar- chitefts always take care to give them a place in the great edifices that are raifed in Tufeany. Ad- difon, p. 235. This Tufcan man- ner feems to agree much better with the flat parts than with the pillars. Wright, p. 393. The \ OF FLORENCE. 39 The old churches are built in the Gothic tafte, and fine in their way ; but the more modern churches are built in a good tafte. Many beautiful ftatues are interfperfed in the public parts of the city ; fome antique ; others by Michael Angelo, Baccio Bandinetti, John de Bo- logna, Donatelli, and other eminent fculptors. When it is confidered that the family of Medicis, for about 2 50 years paft, have applied themfelves to the improvement of the polite arts and the fciences, we fiiould not be furprifed that Florence ftiould abound with fuch an invaluable colle6lion of the moft curious capital pieces of all kinds in fculpture, architecture, painting, mechanics, medals, antiques, and other curiofities. In this city are two forts, diftinguifhed by the Upper and the Lower fort. The former is upon a great eminence, which commands the city ; and the latter is on the oppofite fide, in which is a fine large piece of brafs cannon, about an eighty-nine pounder, called the St. Paul : the bore is 9-^- inches diameter, its weight 12 tons 3 quarters and 70 pounds, and the form of the faint’s head is on the cafcabal As the river Arno divides the city of Florence into two unequal parts, there is a communication between them by four ftone bridges. The firft, ac- cording to the courfe of the river, is il Ponte alia Carraia, the fecond il Ponte di S. Trinita, the third il Ponte Vecchio, and the fourth il Ponte alle Grazie. That of Santa Trinita is remarkable for its beauty, juftnefs in proportion, and lightnefs of architedure. It was built from the defign of Bart. Ammonati, and Iras three arches, which are elliptical. The ftatues * The citadel, which confifts of five baftions, was built on an emi- ^lence, by Alexander the firft duke, for the better keeping the city in awe. With the like defign two forts were built by Cofmo I. and Ferdinand, which have fince been fuffered to run to decay. Keyfler, i. 486., D 4 of 40 OF FLORENCE. of the four feafons are placed at the extremities of the bridge •, but that of winter is the moil admired, which was done by Taddeo Landini No loaded carriage is permitted to go over the bridge ; but coaches are, and it affords a moil charming profpedl. PALACES. Il Palazzo Vechio, or the old palace. — The great duke formerly refided at this palace, which is op- pofite to a large market, called la Piazza del Gran- Duca. The obje6l that firil ftrikes the eye in this palace is a tower proje6ling out of the building, which in one part is broader than at the bafis, but foon returns to a proper fymmetry. The top of it is fupported by four pillars, and it is called the Aerial Tower. In this palace are kept the regalia of the grand dukes, and before the entrance are two coloffal fcatues : one is Hercules flaying Cacus, by Bandi- nelli ; the other called a David, by Michael An- gelof. Here are alfo to be feen tv/o of the ancient Dii Termini ; and in the middle of the court is a * The bridge of S.Trinlta was bulk by Ammonati, a celebrated Florentine fculptor and archite^l, the old bridge having been carried away by a violent inundation in 1557. On this bridge are four j fine marble ftatues, reprefenting i the feafons : the Spring is by * Francavilla Fiainingo j Summer i and Autumn, by Giovanni Cac- cini ; and Winter, by Taddeo ! Landini. Keyfler, i. 485. The 1 river Arno runs through the city, ; and has four handfome bridges j over it, one of which is particu- | larly celebrated. It was made by 1 Ammonati. The arches of it, af- : ter a rife of a few feet from the I place whence they fprlng, are turned in the form of a cycloid j a particularity which, they fay, no other bridge in the world has. It is all of fine white marble ; and there are four llatues of the fame, reprefenting the four fea- fons, two placed at each end of the bridge. Wright, p. 393. j- At the entrance of this pa- lace is a marble flatue of Her- cules killing Cacus, both bigger than the life, and done by Baccio Bandinelli. Oppoftetothis group, by way of contrail, is David tri- umphing over Goliah, by Michael Angelo, Keyfler, i. 429. porphyry OF FLORENCE. 41 porphyry fountain, with a boy grafping a filh in bronze ; as alfo another flatue of Hercules killing Cacus, by Vincenzio Roffi da Fiefole, a difciple of Bandinelli. In this palace there is a hall 172 feet in length, and 74 in breadth •, but it is dark, and makes no magnificent appearance. On the deling and walls of the room the mofl remarkable atchievements of the republic of Florence are painted in frefco, by Giorgio Vafari. The four corners are filled with as many large pieces, in oil colours ; one of which reprefents the coronation of Cofmo I. by pope Pius V. and another exhibits the twelve Florentines, who at the fame time were embalTadors from different flates to pope Boniface VIIL on which extraordinary occur- rence he called Tufcany the fifth element, and femen terrarum ^ ; the third reprefents the eledion of 'Cofmo I -f . and the fubjed of the laft is the inftitu- tion of the order of St. Stephen J. A traveller muft not omit feeing the marble ftatues of John de Medicis, father of Cofmo I. of duke Alexander, Cofmo I. the popes Leo X. and Cle- ment VII. who were of the houfe of Medicis. Here is alfo a moil admirable flatue of vidoiy, with a prifoner at her feet, done by Michael Angelo. Befides there are fix exquilite marble groups, by Vincenzio Rozzi, reprefenting fix of the exploits of Hercules: i, his dafhing Antaeus againfl a rock; 2, his killing the centaur; 3, his throwing Diomedes to wild horfes ; 4, his carrying the wild boar alive upon his Ihoulders ; 5, his aflifling Atlas to bear up the flcy ; 6, his vidtory over the queen of the Amazons §. * Thefe were painted by Llgozza. f By Cigoli. J By PafTigano. § However admirable the workmanfliip of thefe pieces may be, fome of them muft offend a modeft eye, efpecially of the female fex. Keyfter, i. 4.21. In 42 OF FLORE^^CE. In a particular clofet is fhewn the crown with which Pope Pius V. crowned Cofmo I. but the moft valuable thing is the Pattiotto, or altar cloth, covered with pearls and precious ftones. Under the Loggia, commonly called de Langi, are feverai groups •, as Judith cutting off the head of Holofsrnes, by Donatelli ; Perfeus with Medufa’s head in his hand, and her body at his feet, by Cel- lini : both thefe are of bronze*. The other is that excellent group the rape of the Sabine, done in marble by John de Bologna. It is likewife thought defi gned to repreient youth, manhood, and old age, in the three figures j being a v/arlike man cariying off a young woman from an old man, whofe figure is under him on the ground. The fubje61: of the rape is alfo excellently well wrought, in relievo, on the front part of the pedeftal f. At one angle of the palace is a noble large foun- tain, made from the defign of Ammanati and Baldi- cini. In the center is a Neptune handing upright in his car, ten b!*achia in height, or nineteen feet, with four fca horfes, by Banciinelli. The tritons, ne- reids, and other figures round the fountain, are of bronze, by John de Bologna, and are efteemed very * Between the Palazzo Vecchio, under the Loggia, commonly cal- led de Laazi, are three fine fta- tiies ; the firft is of Judith, with Holofernes at her feet, of bronze, by Donatelli ; another, alfo of the fame metal, by Bcnevenuto Cel- lini, reprefentingPerfeus v/ith Me- d Ufa’s head fevered from her body. The bronze bafib-relievo on the pedeftal exhibits Andromeda and Perfeus, with other pafiages re- lating to that fable. Kcyfl. i. 4.23. f The rape of the Sabine wo- man, by John de Bologna, larger tlian the life, is inferior to few of the antique. The foldier who carries her off has another figure : under him, between his legs. They are ail three cut out of one block of white marble. Wright, p. 419. The third piece, where admiration can never be fatisfied, is a group reprefentlng a young v/arlike Roman candying off a Sa- bine virgin, and tranfported with joy on account of his booty j whilft the father lies proftrate on the ground, with looks full of the moft paftionate grief and rage. The rape of the Sabines is ex- prefl'ed in balTo relievo on the pcdeftals j and the whole per- formance does great honour to Giovanni Bologna, Keyil. i. 4.23. fine. OF FLORENCE. 43 jEne. Near this fountain is a grand equeftrian ftatue of Cofmo I. in bronze, by the fame artift. Fabrica degli UfHci. — On this fquare is alfo the Fabrica degli Uffici, built by Cofmo I. from a plan of Giorgio Vafari ; on the ground-floor of which the principal magiflirates of the city live together, for the better maintenance of the public tranquility, and the more fpeedy difpatch of bufinefs. The other ftory is filled with artizans, who are particu- larly employed in Florentine works, where nature and painting are furprifingly imitated by proper arrangements of fparks of gems, and bits of the fiiiefl marble inlaid. The famous Gallery. — The uppermofl: flory is laid out in feveral apartments of curiofities, or mu- feums, particularly the celebrated gallery, which is fuch a repofitory of rarities lying altogether, as is not to be matched in all Europe. Its form runs in the manner as in the margin. The f f breadth of the gallery within, is ten common paces ; the length of the two wings, from a to and from k J to c, is 212 paces, or near 400 feet •, and from h X.o c feventy fuch paces *. The landing place, before the entrance of the gal- lery, defeiwes obfervation ; the walls of which are full of antient infcriptions in Hebrew, Greek, La- tin, and other languages ; with divers antique fi- gures, and other curious remains of great antiquity, as idols, lamps, and flatues ; among which is Or- pheus, orAmphion, in bronze, playing on a violin. As to the gallery itfeif, the deling is covered with paintings, reprefenting the invention of arts and fci- Street. * But it is the famous gallery of the old palace, where are per- haps the nobleft colleftions of cu- riofities that are to be met with in any part of the whole world. The gallery refembles the Greek n ; and it is adorned with admirable pieces of fculpture, as well mo- dern as antient. Addifon p. 236. ences, 44 OFFLORENCE. ences, the moil eminent perfonages of the city of Florence, and other hiftorical pieces. The walls are all fet round, from bottom to top, with ftatues, buds, baflb relievos, and antique infcriptions The number of the ftatues amount to feventy-two, and the buftos to 102. There is a leries of the Roman emperors from Julius down to Gallienus, all except about fix *, and many of their emprelles fronting them : but where thefe are wanting the place is lup- plied with other figures -f. The moft beautiful ftatues and bufts are placed in order : firft, at one end ftands the Hercules and Centaur. 2. Two bufts of Julius C^efar and Cicero, facing each other : the firft is efteemed good ^ and the lat- ter very fine. 3. The buft of Sappho. 4. A confular ftatue, with a paper in his hand. 5. A buft of a young Marcus Aurelius. 6. The ftatue of a wreftler, who holds a prize- cup in his hands, and looks at it with a feeming joy. 7. A Bacchante, in the attitude of dancing. 8. The buft of Nero, as looking fternly at that of Seneca, which is highly efteemed. 9. Mercury leaning on theftump of a tree, with- out his attributes. * The walls on each fide are hung with portraits of the moil iliultrious perfons of the houfe of Aledicis ; and over thefe along the entablature, on the right hand from a to b, are fmall portraits of princes, generals, and minifters of ftate 5 and oppofite to them the bulls of leai'ntd men. From b to c are. groups of figures, lla- tues, and bulls on both hdes j which afford the more agreeable entertainment to an antiquarian or feulptor, as he piay be certain i he fees nothing here but originals. In the wing d c the ftatues and A bufts of illullrious men are placed S on one fide \ and thofe of eminent g women on the other. Keyfler i, I I -f- Among the emperors are ’ placed Marcus Agrippa, fon-in- law to Augullus ; and Antinous, 3 the favourite of Adrian. Befides- thefe, there are philofophers, he- I roes, confuls, mufes, deities, and other figures interfperfed. i Wnght, p. 396. 10. A o F F L O R E N C E. 45 10. A Bacchus, with a Faunus behind him eating grapes •, by Michael Angelo J. 11. FIygieia. 12. Pomona, with fruit in her lap. 13. The buPc of Plotina, excellent! 1 4. A vedal virgin, with her hair grown 15. The bull of Berenice, placed oppofite to that of Vefpafian. 16. Endymion looking up at the moon, with his dog by him. X of this laft there goes a noted i ! ftory, which is varioully related | ; by authors, fome telling it of a 5 Cupid : but at Florence they fix ! ' it to this Bacchus, and there re- j late the ftory thus. When M, | Angelo’s reputation was raifed to j a great height, his adverfarles, envious of his fame, had no other v/ay left to leften it, than by com- paring his works with the antique, and endeavouring to ftiew hov/ far he fell ftiort of the antients. He j took a refolution of putting the i (kill of his judges to the teft, and j made this Bacchus. When the , work was perfefled, he broke off ' the right hand, which holds a cup, and laid it by in his clofet ; the reft of the figure he buried, and ■ let it lie fome time in the ground. At a proper opportunity, work- men were ordered to dig as for other purpofes, in another part of the ground, and to carry on their work fo, that they muft of courfe come to the place where the ftatue v/as hid. They did fo, and found it j and by dire6lion talked of it in fuch manner, as that it might ' come early to the ear of fome of . his adverfarles, who were not long ' In going to view the new difcove- i ry ; and, when they had cleanled i the earth from it, found a fine | group of a Bacchus and Faunus ' ail intire, except one hand which I was v/antlng to the Bacchus. They judged it ftrait to be a fine antique ; the difcovery was foon noifed about, and among the reft that flocked to fee it, M. Angelo came himfelf. He was not fo loud in his praifes of it as the reft: were. ‘ Well, fays one of them, ‘ you can make as good an one, ‘ no doubt !’ He played with them awhile, and at laft aflced them, ‘ What will you fay if I ‘ made this ?’ It may eafily be imagined how the queftion was received. He then only defired their patience while he ftepped home, as he did ; and brought with him the hand he had broken oft'} which, upon application, was found to tally exallly with the arm. It was broken oft in the fmall part of the arm, juft above the wrift, where the feam is very vifible. Wright, p. ^98. Sec alfo Keyfler, i, 427. * Among the entire figures, Mr, Addifon took particular no- tice of a veftal -virgin, with the holy fire burning before her. This ftatue, he thought, might decide that notable controverfy among the antiquaries, “ Whether the vd- tals, after having received the ton- fures, ever fuffered their hair to come again ; for it is here full grown, and gathered under the veil.” Addilbn, p, 238. 17. The 46 OF FLORENCE. 17. The ftatue of Flora. 18. Apollo fitting, with one foot on a tortoife. 19. Prometheus, with fire in his hand, pointing to heaven. 20. A Cenfor, with a fcroll in one hand, and a pen in the other. 21. A Bacchus leaning on a faune. 22. A Mars in black marble. 23. A bull of Brutus, left unfinillied, by Michael Angelo f, 24. A Morpheus, or boy afleep, with poppies in his hand. This figure is of touchftone 1|. 25. At one end of the angle Hand two antique pillars, about twelve feet in height, having the Ro- man implements of war cut in relievo. On the top of one Hands the figure of Abundance : on the other is Juno Roma 26. The bull of Annius Verus: thefweetnefs and innocence of a child well exprefled. 27. The bull of Pan, with a grinning counte- nance. 28. An Etrufcan ftatue in bronze. 29. Venus feeling for the thorn in her foot. This figure is fmaller than life, but of a beautiful form. f Under this buft is written a diftich, commonly faid to be car*- dinal Bembo’s, as follows : Dum Bruti effigiem fculpior de mar- more Jinxitf In mentem fceleris ^enit^ et ah- Jlmuit. The marble bull: does now unfi- nilh’d (land, The thought of Brutus’ crime ftopt the great fculptor’s hand. II Among the antique figures, there is a fine one of Morpheus in touch-ftone. I have always ob- ferved, that this god is reprefented i by the antlent ftatuaries under the ' figure of a boy afleep, with a bun- \ die of poppies in his hand. I at I firft took it for a cupid, ’till I * had taken notice it had neither bow nor quiver. It is probable, they chofe to reprefent the god of fleep under the figure of a boy, contrary to all our modern de- figners, becaufe it is that age which has its repofe the leaft bro- ken by cares and anxieties. Addifon, p. 238, 239. * At one end of the gallery ftand two antique marble pillars, curioufiy wrought with figures of the old Roman arms and inftru- ments of war. Addifon, p. 24.0. 30. The OF FLORENCE. 47 30. The Chimasra in bronze. The fore part is that of a lion, the hind part that of a dragon •, and a goat’s head coming out of its back *, 31. Ganymede, and the eagle. 32. Cupid and Pfyche, careffing each other. 33. Another Etrufcan ilatue, which is a naked figure, ftanding on a pedeftal of bronze, beautifully wrought in relievo, by Lorenzo Ghiberti. 34. In this other angle of the gallery is the buft of Alexander the Great, calling his eyes up to hea- ven, with a kind of contrition in his countenance. This head is efteemed very fine 35. Marsyas bound: a good figure. 36 ^scuLAPius i one hand leaning on a flick, with a ferpent twined round it. 37. Venus Genitrix; with Cupid in her lap. 38. The Phrygian commander; a fine flatue, in the Phrygian drefs, with a truncheon elevated in his right hand. 39. A Narcifius Hooping to view himfelf in the well, as defcribed by Ovid. It is of Parian marble, and an excellent performance. 40. The bufl of Caracalla; fine, with a Hern countenance. 41. That of Geta, which is mild. 42. The Hatue of Camillus in his augural robes, in which his hands are wrapt. * The Chlm?era is of brafs : in the fore parts it refembles a lion, with the head and neck of a flramois growing on its back, and on its feet are eagle’s claws. Along its back runs a row of prickles j and in the hinder parts it again refembles a Hon, but the tail is broken off. This curious piece of antiquity v/as dug up near Arezzo, in the year 1548, in the time of Cofmo I. Keyfler, i. 427. t Keyflerfays, it is three times bigger than life. Ibid. p. 428. Mr. Addifon makes the fol- lowing remark ; There is in the fame gallery a beautiful buft of Alexander the Great, calling up his face to heaven, with a nobie air of grief, or difcontentednefs, in his looks. I have feen two or three antique bufts of Alexander in the fame air and pofture, and am apt to think the fculptor had in his thoughts the conqueror’s weeping for new worlds, or fome other the like circumftance of his Hiftory. Addilbn, p. 237. 43. Apolld 4S O F F L O R E N C E. ■43. Apollo fitting with a lyre in his hand, and a ferpent between his legs. 44. Diana. 45. Jupiter. 46. Bacchus, v/ith a fatyr : a fine group by San- fovino ; and by fome efieemed before that of Michael Angelo, mentioned before, numb, i o. 47. Paris holding the apple. 48. The ftatue of Venus, oppofite to that of Paris. 49. An antique boar, in the attitude of rifing ; very fierce ; and faid to be done by fome Grecian artifi: 50. At this end is the Laocoon, by Bandinelli *, which is thought to fie the only copy in the whole gallery. It is a large white marble group of Lao- coon and his two fons, with the ferpents twilling about them. The original is in the Belvidera of the Vatican at Rome, and is a little maimed in the lower parts behind, it having been probably defigned to be placed againll a wall There are alfo to be feen Jupiter in the lhape of a fwan ; and Leda in the attitude of the Venus of Medicis, with joy and Ihame in her looks. A Vic- tory holding a crown in one hand, and a branch of laurel in the other, in the Athenian talle, without wings, is entirely worthy of the place where it Hands. On the walls, over the ftatues, are the ritratts of feverai perfons of all nations, who have excelled in arms or arts ; particularly the famous John duke of Marlborough, Sir Ifaac Newton, Dodlor Wallis, * There is a ' copy of it at Verfailles, and in moft colle6lions of famous pieces of Sculpture. f The Florentine group is entire in thofe parts wherein the origi- nal is mutilated, which are fupplied from an antique model of Lao- coon, that was here before 5 and the Florentines will have it that their copy deferves equal efteem with the original at Rome. Keyfler, i. 427. Mr. OF FLORENCE. 49 Mr. Boyle, Mr. Ray, and feveral others of our nation. There are many other fine bulls not particularly mentioned here : but we may in general obferve, that among the bulls of the emperors and emprefles, there are fome very fcarce, and almoll fingular in their kvind ; as Agrippa, Caligula, Otho, Nerva, ^lius Verus, Pertinax, Didius Julianus, Albinus, Gordianus Afri- canus the elder, Eliogabalus, Galien the elder, and the young Pupienus. And among the bulls of fuch emperors as are common enough, there are feveral in the gallery that deferve to be taken notice of for the excellence of the fculpture ; as thofe of Au- gullus, Vefpafian, Adrian, Marcus Aurelius, Lucius Verus, Septimius Severus, and Caracalla*. In the chambers adjoining to the gallery are fe- verai cabinets full of curiofities. First Chamber. — This is called the Painting Chamber, and contains the portraits of about 150 of the moll eminent painters, done by their own hands, and are placed according to the feveral fchools f. Among thofe of the Flemilh fchool are the fol- lowing : I. Quintian Matfys, of Antwerp, once ablack- fmith, who by lludying .painting gained his wife, whofe portrait is in a cafe under his, where the llory is written * Addifon, p. 237. I f We were then conduced in- to feveral rooms, into which there kre paffages out of the gallery. In the firft we faw abotit two hundred rifeatts of fo many dif- ferent painters, all drawn by their own hands, and the ftatue of the cardinal Leopold de Medici, who began the colle6lion. Wright, ! p. 401. Out of the gallery one ^ goes into feveral cabinets full of curiofities, which are well worth feeing. In the firft are above an hundred and twenty portraits of celebrated painters, moft of them done by the perfons they are de- figned for, and all in gilt frames, with the names over every one of them. Keyfler, i. p. 429. J He died in 1529. De Piles, p. 226. Frefnoy, p. 298. E 2. P. Van- 50 OF FLORENCE. 2. P. Vander WenT, highly, finilhed according to his manner •, but his colouring dry, and his flefn co- lour much upon a greenifli call. 3. P. Paul Rubens ; 'a fine portrait 4. Vandyke, or Van Dyck j not fo well painted, being not equal to his befb in general f. 5. Rembrandt; efteemed the bell coloured por- trait there Sal AMO is among the Italians, drawn laughing at a portrait of himfelf, in the fame piece. Raphael fee ms to have been done when he was young and unexperienced 1|. Near him is Julio Romano Leonard da Vinci, with a glafs over it. He has a long beard, and is a noble portrait ff. He is owned to have been the mafter of the third, or gol- den age of modern painting. Andrea del Sarto, in frefco J:j:. Giorgione, finely coloured ||||. Among the Caracci, Flannibai has a moft earned countenance §. Giovanni * He was born at Cologne in 1577, and was the prince of all the Flemifh mailers. His ullial abode was at Antwerp, where he died in 164.0. Freinoy, p. 346, 348. De piles, p. 250, 262. '(■ He was born at Antwerp in 1 509, and was the difciple of Ru- bens. He died in London in 1641. De Piles, p. 267. Frefnoy, p. 361. X He was born near Leyden in 1606 ; and died at Amfcerdam in 1668. Frefnoy, p. 370, 372. De Piles, p. 229, 281. II He was born atUrbin in 1483, and is acknowledged to have been the prince of the modern painters. He died in 1520. Frefnoy, p". 280. De Piles, p. 109, 115.^ _ ** He was the favourite difciple of Rapliael, and died at Mantua in 1546, aged 54. De Piles, p. 1 1 5, 1 1 8. f f He was born near Florence ?n 1545, and was bred up under Andrea Verrochio. He died at Paris in 1620, and expired in the arms of Francis I. king of France. Frefnoy, p. 278. De Piles, p. 103, 107. He was born at Florence in 1478 ; and was a difciple of Pie- tro di Cofirno. He died of' the plague in Florence in 1520. Fref- noy, p. 287. De Piles, p. 119. II j| He was born at Caftel Fran- co, in Trevifano, a province in the Hate of Venice in 1478. Fie was the difciple of Giovanni Bel- iino ; and died of the plague in 1511. De Piles, p. 161, 163. Frefnoy, p. 284. §. He was born at Bologna in OF FLORENCE. Giovanni Lanfranco *, a bold pidiire Dominichino ; an eafy fimplicity in the counte- nance f. Guido Reni, in his delicate File Tintoret ; his colouring courfe, but the man- ner bold §. Near Tintoret is the portrait of his daughter Ma- rietta Tintoretta \\ : a fweet picture ; her colouring like that of Titian. Paul Veronefe ; not of his beft manner Titian ; but not of his beft colouring ff. Some of the moft antient Italian painters are want- ing *, as Michael Angelo, Correggio, and others. 15605 and was a dlfciple of his coulin Ludovico. He died in 1609, and was buried in the fame tomb with Raphael, in the Ro- tunda at Rome. Frefnoy, p. 333. The other two Carrachs were Lu- dovico and Auguftino, who were alfo born at Bologna 5 the former in 1555 j and the latter in 1557. The one died in 16185 and the other in 1605. He Piles, p. 189, J99. * He was born at Parma in 1581. He ftudied under the Ca- raccij and died in 1647. De Piles, p. 206, 209. Frefnoy, p. 353 - t He was born at Bologna in 1581, and v/as a difciple of the Caraccis. He died at Naples in 1641, according to Frefnoy, p. 350. But he was born in 1551, and died in 1648, according to De Piles, p. 203, 206. However, as they both agree, that his death happened when he was about threefcore years of age, Frefnoy feems to be right. X He was born at Bologna in 1574, and died there in 1640. He ftudied under the Caracci. De Piles, 199, 203. But others fay, he was born in 1575, and died in 1642. Frefnoy, p. 343. p § His real name was Giacomo I Robufti 5 but called Tintoretto, becaufe a dyer’s fon. He was born at Venice in 15125 and died there in 1594. He was a difciple I of Titian. Frefnoy, p. 314. De Piles, p. 170. |j She was fo well inftru6led by I her father in his own profeftion, as well as in mufc, that fhe got great reputation in both arts. She married a German, and died in her prime, in 1590. Ibid. He was born at Verona in 1532, and ftudied under his uncle Antonio Braddile. He is ftiled by the Italians, II Pittor felice, the happy Painter. He died at Venice in 1588, immenfely rich. Frefnoy, p. 323. But de Piles fays, he was born in 1537, and died of a fever at 58 years old, in 1588. P. 174. f f This great man, the moft: univerfal genius of all the Lom- bard fchool, was bo-rn at Cadore, in Friuli, in the Venetian territo- ries, in 1477. He was bred up in the fchool of Gio. Bellino, at the fame time with Giorgione. ' He died of the plague at Venice in 1576', full of years, honors, and wealth. Frefnoy, p. 285. De Piles, p. 163. But 52 O F F L O R E N C E. But there are the portraits of Sir Peter Lily -f-, and Sir Godfrey Kneller ; the latter of which is highly cfteemed. Second Chamber. — In this room are fome fmall paintings, particularly the following : An emblematical piece, finely done, by Angelo Brunfmo. Another by Rofib, a Florentine *, a fine brightnefs in the chiaro obfcuro. A Madonna. The child Jefus playing with a lamb, by Leonard Vinci. Two pieces painted in miniature, by D. Julio Clovio, from the defigns of Michael Angelo. A Landfcape, worked with a needle in little knots from a painting of Salvator Rofa. A Venus, with Cupids, by Albani. Petrarch and Dante, by Peter Perugino. Mars, and Vulcan at his forge, by Brunfmo. Two pieces by Polaiolo : the one Flercules killing the Hydra *, and the other Hercules lifting Antseus ; both well drawn. Hercules addrefling himfelf to virtue*, with a view of Parnaffus and the mufes , neatly painted by Brunfmo. Henry VIII. king of England, on horfeback ; finely painted by Holbein. The trappings feem quite detached from the horfe. Michael Angelo’s dream ; a naked man in a fitting pofture, leaning on a globe *, with fame above, blowing her trumpet towards him. A variety of men and women in the clouds ; and underneath the globe, is a pile of mafks. f He was born in Weftphalia in 1617; and came to England in 1641. He gained ground, and improved himfelf every day, even to the very moment in which death fnatched the pencil out of his hand, in an apoplectic fit, in 1680. Frefnoy, p. 385. He died in London. De Piles, p. 39S. Third 53 OF FLORENCE. Third chamber. — In this room are: I A beautiful portrait, by Giorgione. ' A holy family, by Barocci f of Urbih, who has I finely blended the charming airs, and graceful out- lines of his countrymen Raphael and Correggio. He drew the Madonna after a filler of his, and the in- fant Chrill after a child of hers. Led A Handing, with the fwan by her, and her children upon the ground. A bull of cardinal Bembo, in mofaic. Christ carrying his crofs, in half lengths, by Titian. Ar MIDAS addrelTmg himfelf to ; a pretty piece, by Guido. In this chamber are a great number of antique inllruments, and fmall figures in bronze ; pardcu- larly, An eagle, marked as belonging to the xxiv le- gion. The patera, a facrificing dilh. A fifrrum. A tripod. A mural and a radial crown. An Apis, and Anubis, Egyptian gods. Salus, the goddefs of health, holding the ferpent and cup. A Tiberius. A Vefpafian, in a military habit. A fine bufl of 5 Antinous •, and another of Fauftina fenior. A group ; of Flercules and Antaeus •, with Minerva. Three ^ bulls of Homer ; two of which were lately found I in the fea, near Leghorn. A faun playing on two inllruments, as is feen in Bacchanalian dances. The Minotaur : a model of the Laocoon from v/hich f He was born in 152S, and died in 1612. He was trained up in the art of defign by Bat- tifta Venetlano, and had the cha- rafler of a man of honor and vir- tue ; as well as the name of one of the moft judicious and graceful painters that ever has been. Fref- noy, p. 322. De Piles, p. 152. X Mr. Addifon fays, there is “ an antique model of the famous Laocoon and his two fons, which hands in the Belvidera of Rome, This is the more remarkable, as it is entire in thofe parts where the ftatue is maimed. It was by the help of this model that Bandinelli finilhed his admirable copy of the Laocoon, which hands at one end of this gallery,” Addifon, p. 24.1. Bandinelli 54 OF FLORENCE. Bandinelli finifhed his in the gallery. A very fmall one, differing from the other in the attitudes of the fons, one of whom has his head hanging down over the father’s knee. A Priapus. Another of the fame. The buff of a fybil, laughing. A wreathed pillar of oriental alabafter, about ten feet high -f. In the middle of this chamber hangs a large chan- delier with many branches, the whole of amber ; which was a prelent from one of the eleclors of Bran- denbourg; and it is chafed with feveral heads of princes and princeffes of that illuftrious houfe. Fourth chamber. — In this room are the follow- ing paintings : The ffory of Dido and Aeneas, In fix fmall pieces^ by Julio Romano. IViE worffiipping of the Magi, by Lippi, a Flo- rentine, who died in 1488. Tobias, with the angel, by Andrea del Sarto ; and another piece by the fame. Two fine pieces of Ifaiah, and Job, by Fra. Bar- tolomeo, a Florentine, who died in 1517. A holy family, by Peter Perugino J, who had a very handfome wife, by whom he drew ail his pic- tures of the virgin Mary. Christ carrying the fepulchre,/ by Albert Durer §. A head of John the Baptift, by Correggio |j. -f- Here is to be feen a pillar of oriental alabafter of a fingle piece, and four ells in length ; it is al- moft tranfpafent, and highly va- lued. Keyfler, i. p. 431. J He was born at Perou fa, where he died in 1524, aged 78. § He was born at Nuremburg in Germany in 1471, and died in 1528. He became the moft ex- cellent of all the German mafters. Belides the obligations we have to this great man, as a painter and graver, we are much beholden to him as an author, for the treatife he wrote on geometry, perfpe^tive, fortification, and the proportions of human bodies. Frefnoy, p. 283. De Piles, p. 221. II Antonio da Correggio was fo called from the place of his birth, a town in the dukedom of Mode- na, in 1472, where he died in 1513, according to De Piles : but Frelhoy fays, he was born in 1494, and died at Parma in 1534, aged 40. His thoughts are fublime, his colouring delicate and natural, and his pencil eafy and delight- ful, as if he had been guided by the hands of an angel, De Piles, p. 188. Frefnoy, p. 296. A 55 OF FLORENCE. A Mcdufa’s head, by Leonardo Vinci. There are alfo many curiofities in this room, par- ticularly two glafs cafes, containing a variety of fi- gures beautifully cut in ivory. Two tables inlaid with precious ftones : the one reprefents the antient port of Leghorn ; and on the other is a landfcape. Two cafes of wax-v/ork •, the one reprefents a plague, people dropping down dead in the flreets *, the fur- vivcrs with ghaftly countenances, and the whole city in confufion : the other fliews the anatomy of the human head in wax ; and over this the gradual putrefaction of the body alfo in v/ax : both too na- tural to behold without emotion, and done by Cu- jetano Julio Zummo -f , a Sicilian ecclefiaflic, whofe pidure in miniature hangs near it. There are feveral rich ca,binets made of different kinds of wood ; one of ebony, valued at 60,000 dol- lars ; and another of amber, with fome columns of Oxdental alabafter. In a particular cabinet are kept a great number of pieces of turned ivory, either on account of their own value, or the- great perfonages by whom they were turned •, as a round box, the v/orkmanfhip of Czar Peter the Great , a pair of * The Lapis Lazuli reprefents f the fea ; and the whole work, which is in a border of agate, is extremely well executed, though above loo years old. Keyfler, i. P-4-31- f On one fide of this admira- ble piece fits Time, with an old torn folio at his feet, and the whole confifts of feveral figures. The firft is an inflated female corpfe, | near which lies another of a fal- i low hue ; after this is feen a child, ; whofe body being marbled as it ‘ were with blue and yellow, indi- j cates a nearer approach to putre- j facHon. The fourth figure is full i of fuppurating ulcers, with worms \ crawling out of them. The reft | exhibit the increafing ravages of worms, with the gradual pro- grefs of putrefa 6 lion on the hu- man body, ’till at laft it termi- nates in a bare flceleton. How- ever difagreeable fuch a fpeftacle may be to timorous felf-love, the execution of it is fo natural and delicate, that a perfon is never tired with viewing it. Keyfler, i. P- 433- In the fame room are two pieces of v/axwork very curious j one reprefenting a plague j the other a vault full of carcaffes, in the fe- verai degrees of putrefa 6 lion : no very pleafant fight, but furprifing and admirable for the work, Wright, p. 405 . E 4 chan- 56 OF FLORENCE. chandeliers by prince Theodore of Bavaria ; and" a globe, with near loo others of fmalier fize turned within it : but the fineft piece is a Curtius on horfe- back, leaping into the chafm in the Roman forum. Fifth chamber. — Here are the following pic- cures : Mars and Venus, by Rubens. Charles V. on horfeback, finely painted by Van-r dyke. The three wives of Rubens. A fine piece reprefenting the arts and fciences. The portraits of the eledtor Palatine, and the princefs of T ufcany, by Peter Brueghel ^ : with Ovr pheus in hell, by him. A landfcape painted on marble, by Paul Brill of Antwerp, who died in 1622. Adam and Eve, by Albert Durer. Venus and Adonis, by Rubens: the portrait of his wife in the Venus ^ but no variety in his women, and all of heavy make. The judgment of Solomon, by Vanderwerff, Venus and fea-nymphs, by Jordain. Esther before Ahaluerus, by Vander Heero. Two charming pieces, painted fmall, by Net- feher -f- : hirnfelf and his wife in one ; the other a woman playing on a guittar. The exprefiions are fweet, and the attitudes eafy. Sixth chamber. — This contains a large colledlion of mathematical infbruments j burning glafies *, ma- chines reprefenting the fyftem of Ptolomy, Coper- nicus, and Tycho ; a terreftrial and a celeftial globe, each above eight feet in diameter ; an oriental mag- * He was born at Brueghel, near Breda. •f Galpar Netlcher was born at Prague, in Bohemia, and died at the Hague, in 1684, in* the 48th year of his age. His manner of painting was very mellow ; his touches were not apparent j however, they were finifhed, De Piles, p. 295. net OFFLORENCE, 57 net of a foot in length, between two and three inches thick, and about fix broad, which is faid to take up a piece of iron fifty pounds weight. On the walls of this room are painted the maps of the Great Duke’s dominions : and among the optical rarities are feveral heads, and military tro- phies, painted on a table, which, when viewed thro’ a glafs in a tube, exhibit the pidhure of the Grand Duke Ferdinand II. Seventh chamber. — This admirable room is called the tribunal, in which are the moft curious .flatues and paintings. It is of an odangular figure, twenty feet in diameter ; and on the roof of the cu- pola, which within is lined with mother of pearl, is a kind of compafs, fhewing the variations of the wind. The windows are a kind of chryflal ; and the floor is delicately paved with the finefc marbles. The walls are hung with crimfon velvet, covered with mofl excellent mafterpieces of painting and Mofaic. It looks like a little temple inhabited by goddelTes ; for thefe are what prefent themfelves fiiTl to view at the entrance. The Venus of Medicis. — In the middle Hands a rich table of lapis lazuli, with other Hones of beau- tiful colours, and delicately fet together. Round this table Hand fix admirable Hatues, all of white marble. Three of them are of Venus in different at- titudes ; and one of them foon diHinguifhes herfelf to be the Venus of Medicis, fo well known by the copies in England, and all over Europe. It is fmaller than the others. Her perpendicular height, as fhe Hands bending forwards, is five feet ; and including the inclination, five feet two inches : but her arms and hands are faid not to be antique -f. The f Mr. Addifon fays, this fta- tue feems much lefs than the life, as being perfe6cly naked, and in company with others of a larger make ; it is, notwithdanding, as big as the ordinary fize of a wo- man, as he concluded from the meafure of her wrift 3 for from the 5S OF FLORENCE. The foftnefs of the flefli, the delicacy of the fhape, air, and poftiire, and the correclnefs of the defign in this fliatiie, are inexprefTible. This has hitherto, in the unanimous opinion of all judges, been eileemed to furpafs not only all the ftatues in Florence, but any piece of fculpture throughout the whole world. It formerly flood in the Medicis palace on mount Pincio at Rome, from whence it was brought to Florence, by order of duke Cofmo in. J The pedeftal is modern, and between two and three feet high. The right knee advances a little forward ; the left hand is placed a little be- fore the pudenda ; and the right acrofs her breafts ; yet without touching the body. The head inclines a little to the left flioulder ; and her perfon is fome- what plump. The bloom of youth, the pleafmg foftnefs of her look, and her beauty and modeity feem to rival each other in the charms of her coun- tenance. d'he marble was at firfl of a pure white, but time has given it a yellownefs, and in the fun- fhine it is almoil tranfparent. . The infcription on the bafe lliews it to be the work of Cieomenes, an Athenian, the fon of Apol- lodorus ^ yet this is the only place where we meet t”he bignefs of any one part it is eafy to guefs at all the reil, in a figure of fuch nice proportions. Addilbn, p. 242. Mr. Wright fays, that he mea- fured this famous ftatue, and found it to be five foot two inches high : that he obferved fome re- mains of gilding between the locks of her hair j and that the cars are bored. Vifright, p. 406. Her hair at prelent is brown, and this pofiibly may he no more than tlie faded gilding, which was not unullial among the ancients. Keyficr, p. 435. I The mifmanagement in the packing up and carriage was fuch, that the hips, legs, and arms of the Venus were broken off by the way : however they have been re- placed and joined with fo much art, that it muft be a very inqui- fitive eye that can difeover the lead; trace of that misfortune. Keyfier, i. 434. Another tells us, that the arms were reftored by Baccio Bandi- nelli 5 and that he v^as told the original ones are in the palace of the marchefe Cofpi, at Bolo- gna. Wright, p. 406. with OF FLORENCE. 59 with the name of this great mailer among all the remains of antiquity f . The Venus Urania Hands on the left hand of the Venus of Medicis, and is much of the fame fize. The other, which Hands on the right, is Venus Vidrix, and is about a foot higher, much in the fartie attitude : but her right hand, with an apple in it, is brought over her head, which was reHored by Henote Ferrati. Both thefe Hatues are excellent, though not comparable to the famous one, which is the moH beautiful part of the creation, reprefented in the moH exquifitely beautiful manner. On one fide of Venus Urania is a dancing Faunus, whofe agility is finely expreffed, with the crotata in his hands, and a fcabillum under one foot. Michael Angelo is faid to have added the head and arms to it, but the piece is originally aferibed to no lefs a perfon than Praxiteles Next is a group of two figures called the WreHiers, one of them throwing his antagoniH ; of which there are feveral copies in England. The Have v/hetting his knife and liHening, is finely executed. The head and the hair of this piece are particularly admired ♦, but the virtuofi in Florence are divided about it, as to what it was in- tended to reprefent Round f Mr. Addifon fays, he had’ feveral reafons to believe that the name of the fculptor on the pe- deftal is not fo old as the ftatue. Addifon, p. 242. Apollodoriis, the Athenian, lived in the 94th Olympiad, 402 years before Chi iil j and was the firft who invented the art of ming- ling his colours, and of expreffing the lights and fhadows. Frefnoy, p. 252. There is not any woman of the prefent age who can juftly be compared with the Medicean Ve- nus of Cieomenes. Dryden's pref. to Frefnoy, p. x. * Praxiteles, the famed fculp- tor, particularly celebrated for his Venus of Gnidus, and other ex- cellent performances in marble, was the cotemporary of Euphru- nor, who flourilhed in the 104th Olympiad, 362 years before Chrift. Frefnoy, p. 256. J Some call it the Rotatore, or I’Arrotino, and pretend that it is a reprefentation of the augur men - tioned 6^ OF FLORENCE. Round the Tribuna is a repofitory full of fmall valuable antiques and curious" paintings; particularly, ’ Two little Morpheus’s in white marble, which is contrary to the remark made by Mr. Addifon, who fays he never faw any figure of deep that was not of black marble, which has probably fome relation to the night, that is the proper feafon for reft J.” A little Bacchus reaching at a bunch of grapes. A boy prefenting a bird to you ; the adion very naturally exprefted. Two bufts, the one a young Marcus Aurelius, the other a young N.ero. A Tiberius in a turquois-ftone, which is very curious ; and fo are a vaft many more fmaller pieces of antiquity, which are moft agreeably dlfpofed on fnelvcs round this rich cabinet. Among the paintings are. An excellent piece by Gerard Dou, of Leyden, the dlfciple of Rembrandt. It is a woman working at her needle by candle-light. Fie was the firft who painted in this kind, and died in 1674^'. A day-piece, by the fame m after ; an old woman at Iier ftali, extremely natural. A night-piece of a woman fitting, by Francis Mieris, who was the fcholar of Dou, and died in 1683. tlor.cd by Livy I. 36. Others again pretend it was the Have that over-heard and revealed the con- fpiracy of Catiline. But it feems more probable that it was the Have who revealed the Plot of Brutus’s fons to bring Tarquin’s fons back again. Wright, p. qt i. KeyHer, p.436. This, from the Hiouiders uj)wards, is incomparable. Ad- difon, p. 243. J Addifon, p. 239. Wright crroneoully calls one of thefe pieces a fleeping Cupid. P. 413. * He was much pleafanter than Rembrandt in his ftileof painting, and fuperior to him in little figures. He drevv/' always after nature, and viewed his originals in a convex mirror. The common height of his plflures did not exceed a foot; ' and his price was fometimes a j thoufand livres each piflure, more I or lefs, according to the time he \ fpent about it, reckoning after ■i the rate of twenty fols an hour, I DePIles, p.284. Frefnoy,p.372. Two OF FLORENCE. 6i Two fmall pieces of candle-light, by Godfridus Schalcken, another fcholar of Dou ; the one a Pieta ; the other his miftrefs, an Englifhwoman, on whofe face the refiedbion of the light feems too red. But he was great in fmall night-pieces, and reprefentations of the low life by candle-light. The Adoration of the fliepherds, by Vander Werff, efteemed the higheh: finillied of his painting. Mr. Southel’s portrait, by Hans Holbein, who was born at Bafil in 1498, and died of the plague at London in 1 554. He was painter to our king Henry VIII. and may challenge a place among thole of the moll celebrated Italian mailers. It is aniazing to think, that a man born in Switzerland, and who had never been in Italy, fnould have fuch a guito, and fo fine a genius for painting. John the Baptiil, and a young Jefus, by Parme- giano A fmall piece of a Madonna kneeling on the ground, and meditating over Chriif, by Correggio. Three portraits; one, the wife of Parmegiano ; another, the wife of Rubens ; and the third, the wife of Andrea del Sarto, in the habit of a pilgrim. A family piece, in a concert of mufick, by Gia- como de Bafiano, the fcholar of Parmegiano. ITe was called Bafiano from the place where he was born, in the Marca Trevifana, in 1510, and died in 1592, leaving behind him four fons, whov/ere all painters. Solomon at table, by Paul Veronefe. The portrait of Raphael, by Leonard Vinci. * Francifco Mazzaoli, called Parmegiano, becaufe born at Par- ma, In 1504. He was famous for his paintings all over Italy at nineteen, but died poor in 3 540. There are extant many valuable prints made by this maf- ter, not only in chiaro-fcuro, but alfo in aqua fortis, of which he is laid to have been the inventor, or at leaft, the firft who pra.^l:ifed the art of etching in Italy. Frel- noy, p. 308. It was this Parme- giano who, by the means of two copper-plates, found out the fe- cret of printing on mezzotinto paper the black and white, and thus to give more roundnefs to his prints. De Piles, p. 130. A 62 OF FLORENCE. A fmall holy family, by Hannibal Caracci. A famous crucifixion, by Michael Angelo. A large piece of Venus fitting with her back towards you, which feems rather too broad ; with a Cupid and fatyrs, one of whom flares and lolls out his tongue, having his hand under the thigh of Ve- nus. This is the work of Hannibal Caracci, and is efleemed to have in it the perfe6lion of all the mofl eminent mailers. Two Madonnas of Raphael, of his firfl and fe- cond manner. A young John the Baptifl in the defert, alfo by Raphael, which is of his befl manner, and a piece in high eflimation. A naked Venus, with a Cupid, by Titian, faid to be the portrait of his wife. Under this is that of his miflrefs, which is the famous original Venus, where the v/omen are looking for tfie linen. Venus is quite naked, lying at full length, and her body turned towards the fpe6tator : one hand, with flowers in it, hanging carelefsly down ; the other on the feat of love : one leg extended ; and the other is a little crooked, with the foot under the leg. A mofl beautiful face, looking full at you, with a foft alluring eye, and a mouth half fmiling : fo fv/eet a feature invites a kifs. In a particular place. of the Tribuna are kept fe- veral large bafons ' of rock chryilal, and vales of lapis lazuli, agate, cornelian, jafper, onyx, and other curious flones •, fome of which are fet in gold, and enriched with jewels of a prodigious value. Here alfo is feen a mofl fuperb cabinet, v/ith fourteen beautiful pillars, the fliafts of which are' of lapis lazuli, but the pedefcals and capitals of folid gold, enriched with pearl and turquoine. The in- terfcices betvv^ixt the pillars are filled with bafs-reliefs in gold *, and inflead of the heads of nails fuppofed to be ufed in faflening it together, nothing is feen o F F L O R E N C E. 6 ^ In this curious piece but ali kinds of precious flones. This magnificent cabinet ferves for keeping things of Eiitable value, as medals, intaglios, and cameos : but thefe are not to be feen without a permiiTion from the grand duke. Medals. As to the number of antique coins, here are three hundred and twelve medaillons, among which forty-five are of filver. The copper coins, of the lefTer fize, are eight hundred ; thofe of the middle fize are two thoufand two hundred ; and thofe of the largeft fize amount to two thoufand eight hundred pieces. Among the filver coins or medals are eight hundred Nummi Confulares, and about two thoufand others. The affortment of the gold coins confifls of one thoufand fix hundred medals, and fixteen medaillons. The gold, filver, and cop- per medals fhruck in honour of cities and dates amount to fifteen hundred pieces •, in which clafs thofe of gold and copper are the rareft. The whole colle6tion is compofed of fourteen thoufand antique medals, and eight thoufand modern : of the latter nine hundred are of gold, and two thoufand of filverf. Intaglios. The Sigilla antiqua incifa, or an- tique intaglios, with the heads of emperors and em- preffes, amount to eighty , the heads of kings and heroes make forty-two pieces. Flere are alfo forty intaglios reprefenting perfons in maflvs ; twenty-eight philofophers and poets •, and about one hundred pa- gan deities ; which are follov/ed by the mythologi- cal, hiftorical, and others, to the number of near a thoufandj. f The largeft copper medall- i Ion is a Julia, wife to Septimus j Severus. The largeft gold me- 1 daillon reprefents the emperor | John Paleologus, VII. who af- h lifted at the council pf Florence. | And the largeft modern piece of | filver is of Cofmo III. I Key Her, i. 441. | J The chief among the nume- rous intaglios are, Cains 2nd Lu- cius Caefarj Romulus and Remus ; Domitilla, luppofed to have been, let in the ring of Vefpaftan j Pef- cennius Niger j Pyrrhus 5 Mi- thridates ; Pallas ; Apollo j and Hercules. Wright, p. 414. C A Tvl E O 3 y 64 O F F L O R E N C E. Cameos ; or gems cut in relievo. In the laft place come the bas-reliefs on precious flones ; in which the modern artifts cannot come in competi- tion with the ancients, whofe pieces amount to five hundred, but thofe of the modern are only one hun- dred and twenty*. All thefe cut gems, the whole number of which in their feveral aflbrtments are three thoufand, are kept in the above-mentioned rich cabinet, which, with its contents, is valued at one hundred and thirty thoufand pounds flerling. A SMALL gratuity to the door-keeper admits a traveller to this large gallery of ftatues at all time's ^ but as to the Tribunal and its curiofities, a previous ' agreement mufb be made with the perfon who has that colledtion under his care-f. Eighth chamiber. — In this room is one of the fleeping hermophrodites : the other is at Rome, in the villa Borghefe. The bed of this is of one piece with the figure ; and the left foot touches the right heel. A priapus, about four feet high, in the pofture of a fitting lion, there being the hindmoft feet of that animal to it ; with a ring of birds emboffed round the head. A drav/ing of the fall of the angels ; by Michael Angelo. Another of the lafl judgment •, by the fame. The crucifixion ; by Brueghel. * Among others is a Hanni- bal of incomparable workman- Ihip ; and an admired Laocoon. Hercules killing Cerberus ; and feveral Cupids ftriving to lift his Club. The antique heads of Au- guflus, Livia, Agrippa, Erutus, Marcus Aurelius, and Fauftina, ^ipon gems of an extraordinary i lize, are incomparably fine : but the moll mafterly pieces are, . Vefpafian on a chalcedony, and Tiberius and Julia together on a gem of the fame kind. Kcyfler, i, 441 . f The expence of feeing the galleiy and thefe feveral cabinets is about a guinea, one third of which is due to the keeper of the medals and gems. Wright, p.443* Abraham OF FLORENCE. '65 Abraham and Hagar ; by Pietro da Cortona* ** Ninth chamber.— -In this Hands the great altar, defigned for the chapel of St. Lawrence •, having in it fix columns of chryflal, with many others of Cyprus and jafper, all in the rich tafte of the cha- pel. Tenth chamber. — The armory may afford great pleafure to a perfon of a martial difpofition, who may there fee the armors of the princes of the houfe of Medicis ; feveral pieces of armor of the Perfian and Turkiili cavalry; a fet of Roman armor; a fword of Charles the Great ; a fmall piftol, with a gold barrel, being a prefent from the emperor Leo- pold to Cofrno III, ; a muflcet, v/ith a barrel of gold weighing nineteen pounds ; two Turkifh horfe-tails ; a faddle of king John Sobieilci ; prince Radzivil’s bridle ; an iron helmet, which they pretend belonged to Flannibal, as it was found in the lake Thrafimene ; fome fhields painted by Raphael, Julius Romanus, and Vinci. When our travellers were there. Padre Grey, of the convent of St. Maria Nouvella, by order of the emperor-grand-duke, was copying with the pen, in the compafs of imperial paper, the whole gallery, ftatues, buffs, and portraits above mentioned, as they ffand. The palace de Pitti ; or new palace. From the Great Gallery to the Pallazzo Pitti is a corridore, or gallery of communication, half a mile longf, and * Pietro Berrettini was born at Cortona, in Tufcany, in 1596, and died at Rome in 1669, He v/as univerrally applauded for the great extent of his genius, the vivacity of his imagination, and an incredible facility in the execution of his works, which had a general grace that pleafed every body ; yet- not that grace which was the portion of Raphael and Correggio, a grace that touched the mind to the quick. Frefnoy, p. 360. De Piles, p. 1 55. f This gallery is fix hundred paces in length, fix paces in breadth, and eight in height. The only fault in it is, that it is not laid out in a direff line, but forms a great many windings and angles. Keyfler, i. p. 4.46, goes F 66 OF FLORENCE. goes acrofs the river, over Ponte Vecchio, and the tops of feveral houfes. The grand dukes ufed to pafs through this corridore, when they chofe to go privately from one palace to the other as it is broad enough for two or three perfons to walk abreaft. - The walls on both fides are adorned with fine paint- ings, of the moft remarkable a6Hons of the emperor Charles V. Philip II. of Spain, Henry IV. of France, and the great duke Ferdinand II. This palace has its name from the family of Pitti, one of whom, Lucas Pitti, having overbuilt him- felf, it was purchafed by one of the grand dukes, and has fince continued to be their refidence. It is not one quarter finifhed according to the original - plan of Pitti ; yet it is eflieemed one of the fineft palaces in Italy ; and it is remarkable that fome of the family of Pitti now live in a fmall houfe oppo- fite to the palace, which their predeceflbr intended ^ for himfelf and his defcendants. It is a noble and folid building, about fix hundred feet in front, which is in the rufiic ftyle, as moil of the palaces in this city are. On this account it makes no very beautiful appearance in front ; but towards the court and gardens the architediiure is tolerably elegant ; particularly the diipofition of Doric pillars in , the firft fiory, of Ionic in the middle, and Co- rinthian in the third, which is very regular and ornamentaP. In this court is a fine grotto, adorned with a fountain, where are Cupids as fwimming, and a ftatue of Mofes in porphyry. Not far from this ftatue, in * It is built about three uues of a court j the fourth is open to the garden called Boboli. A portico of the Doric order goes all along the three Tides below ; two others go over them, one of the Ionic, the other of the Co- nnthian order. Along one or thefe there goes an iron balcony, in which they Ihewed us a part which had not been well joined, and this they told us feparates confiderably in cold weather, and reunites in hot. Wright, p. 4.19. a OF FLORENCE. 67 a corner on the left hand, is a Hercules, the fame with the Farnefe ; and under it is the reprefentation of a mule, in bafib relievo, which was very fervice- able in the building of this edifice, by his kind of Herculean labor. In the fame court ftands an antique fliatue of Her- cules lifting Antaeus, in the fame attitude with thofe figures in the reverfe of a medal of Antoninus Pius This palace has a fine fuite of fourteen rooms, in which are a great colledlion of paintings. The frefco painting of all the cielings is admirably done by Peter de Cortona, excepting one, which is by Luca Giordano, who was born at Naples in 1626 f, Cortona has exhibited in thefe cielings the heroic virtues of the family of the Medicis, in emblems taken from the hiftory of the Pagan gods J. The apartments of the palace are magnificently furnifhed : the hangings are of rich crimfon velvet, the finefl damafl<, and gold and filver tifllie ; wdth many fuperb looking-glaflfes, in filver frames, of the choiceft work ; tables of precious flones mofi: cu- rioufiy inlaid, the frames of folid filver ; and many * This is one among nine which the grand duke has of the twelve labors of Hercules j the reverfes of fo many medals of Antoninus Pius. Thofe of the Stymphalides, the Amazons, and Geryons, are wanting. Wright, p. 419. By his ftudies under Spag- nolet at home, and Pietro de Cor- tona at Rome, joined with his continued application to all the noble remains of antiquity, he became one of the befc accom- plillied mailers of his time. He was famous for his many excel- lent performances in Rome and I Florence j and being continually I employed in working for princes, i and people of the lirft quality, all I over Europe, grew fo vaftly rich, I that, at his return to Naples, he I purchafed a dutchy in that king- I dom, kept a noble palace, and lived in great magnificence. Frefnoy, p. 393. J Of thefe pieces, admired by all connoilfeurs, Cornelius Bloe- raaert and James Blondeau have publillied prints in fix and twenty copper-plates, which at Rome are fold for fix fcudi and a half. Key Her, i. p. 445. F 2 other 68 OF FLORENCE. other valuable curiolities, efpecially fine paintings, the principal of which are as follow. Paintings in the firfi; room. — A Madonna and faints *, a fine piece, by Andrea del Sarto. An excellent portrait of a cardinal, by Raphael. Several portraits of Titian, particularly one of his miftrefs, with a fweet face, like that of the na- ked Venus, in the gallery, where the women are looking for the linen. A holy family, by Barocci. A fine pieta, or dead Chrill, by Chigoli. Second room.— -A copy of Correggio’s famous Madonna, with the child Jefus, Mary Magdalen, two angels, and St. Jerome, by Barocci : the ori- ginal is at Parma. Thefe celebrated paintings are full of fuch anachronifms. A defcent from the crofs, by Chigoli. Third room. — Four large battle pieces, by Bor- gognone who was efteemed the greatefi: mailer for fuch pieces. Fie had been in leveral engage- ments as an officer, which gave him the advantage of producing more fpirit in his pidlures than others, who worked only by invention. A piece of fatyrs running at a woman, by Ru- bens. M.OSES llriking the rock, another of his fchool. Fourth room'. — A Madonna and faints, with two little .naked angels linging, one of whom holds a paper of notes, and tiieir expreifions are admirably fweet. 'Phis piece is by Raphael, and of his fecond manner. * Padre Giacomo Cortefij com- monly called the iiorgognone, fro.n the country where he was born in 1605, highly ap- plauded for his admirable giifto and grand manner of painting battles. He had been converfant in niiht.'yy aftaiis, was a confi. A derabie omcer in the army, made the camp his fchool, and formed all his excellent ideas from what he had feen performed in the field. Towards the latter end of his life he retired to the convent of the Jefuits in Rome, and died in 167 c. Frefnov, p. too. OF FLORENCE. 6g A Madonna, with angels, by Parmegiano ; a very fine piece. Christ ftanding on a pedeftal, with the four evangelifts by him ; a noble painting, by Fra Bar- tolomeo, a cotemporary of Raphael, and faid to be equal to him in genius, but wanted equal encou- ragement to force itf. A fmall piece of faints, with God, by Andrea del Sarto. A Madonna, and faints, by Rofib Fifth room. — Four Madonnas, by Andrea del Sarto ; all fine pieces. St. Mark the evangelift, by the hand of Fra Bartolomeo. The fum of two thoufand four hun- dred crowns was given for this piece to a church, where the original was, together with a good copy of it. -f- Ke was born at Savignano, near Florence, in 14.69, and was the difciple of Coiimo Rofelli. He was well verfed in the funda- mentals of defign, and had fo many other laudable qualities, that Raphael, after he quitted the fchool of Perugino, applied him- felf to this mafter, and under him ftudied the rules of perfpec- tive, together with the art of managing and uniting his co- lours. Bartolomeo turned Domi- nican friar in 1500, and died in 1517. Fie painted both portraits and hillories, but his fcrupulous confcience would hardly ever fuf- fer him to drav/ naked figures, though no one underftood them better. He v^^as the firft who in- vented and made ufe of a lay- man. Frefnoy, p. 2,81. * He was fo called from his red hair, and was born at Flo- rence. He formed to himfcif a particular ftile ; but his mlsfor- I tunes brought him Into France, ' where Francis I. gave him a pen- fion, and the fuperintendency of i the buildings at Fontainbleau, ; where he died in 164.0, aged 4.5. I De Piles, p. 127. But Frefnoy I fays, he was born In 14.96, and died in 154.1, which fcems the I beft account. He had a copious invention, great fkill in the mix- ture of his colours, and in the diftribution of his lights and Iha- ; dows ; was alfo very happy in his naked figures, which he ex- preffed with a good relievo, and i proper attitudes. He would have excelled in all the parts of paint- ing, had he not been too licen- tious and extravagant fometimes, and fiilfered himfelf rather to be . hurried away with the heat of an ! unbounded fancy, than governed i by his own judgment, or the rules ] of art. Frefnoy, p. 300. ■F3 Sixth 70 OF FLORENCE. Sixth room. — A beautiful piece of a Madonna, with the child Jefus Handing in a cradle, St. John near him, and Elizabeth by Rubens. A ritretta or portrait of cardinal Bentivoglio, by Vandyke. The famous pi6lure of pope Leo X. between the cardinal of Medici and cardinal di Roffi, each Handing by his chair. The heads were by Raphael, the drapery by Julio Romano, and altogether fo admirable, that it is efteemed the fineft portrait- piece in the world ; yet Andrea del Sarto took fo exadt a copy of it, that it could only be knov/n by a mark on the back of it *. SevePvAL other portraits, by Raphael and Titian. Two whole lengths of Philip II. and Charles V, by Titian. Christ at Emails, by Guercino, who was fo called becaufe of a call he had with one of his eyes. Ke was born near Bologna in 1590, and bred up under Genedetto Bennari his countryman. Seventh room. — A Madonna, by Andrea del Sarto. One by Raphael. Here is alfo another by him, the moH beautiful of his hand, which is called the Madonna del Siggiole, from the chair in the pidture * The whole ftory is told at length by De Piles, to which the curious reader may refer, in p. 65—67. f Chriftiana, queen of Swe- den, could not prevail on him to leave Bologna, though flie made him a vifit in her paflage through it, and would not be fatisfied ’till the had taken hin by the hand, ‘‘ that hand, flie faid, that had painted cvi. altar-pieces, cxiv.plc- rures for people of the firft quality in Europe, and befides had com- pofed ten books of defigns.” His j-eal name was Gio Francefco Bar- bieri da Cento, and he received the honour of knighthood from the duke of Mantua. He was an admirable colour! ft, famous for his happy invention, and freedom of pencil, as alfo for the ftrength, relievo, and becoming boldnefs of his figures. He died in 1666, very rich, notwithftanding the great fums of money he had ex- pended in building chapels,fcund- ing hofpitals, and other a 61 :s of charity. Frefnoy, p. 357. De Piles fays, he was born in 1597, and died in i667.DePiles,p.ai i. that OF FLORENCE. 71 that the virgin is fitting in, with the child in her lap. Her countenance is inexpreffibly fweet, feeming full of affedlion for the babe, and in her manner of holding it, gently preffing it to her bofom, with her head reclined, looking full at you. The face of the babe is heavenly, but the limbs rather heavy than delicate. St. John is Handing by, and looks up with a pleafed refpedful countenance. The annunciation, by Andrea del Sarto. Eighth room. — Two pieces of the hiflory of Jofeph, by the fame. Venus carefTing Mars *, a fine piece, by Rubens. Apollo, and the Mufes dancing *, a fmall piece, by Julio Romano. Elijah taken up to heaven *, a fmall piG. His talent lay in finilh- ing all his works to a degree of } neatnefs infinitely furprifing 5 but I his hand was fo extremely fiow, I that, it is • faid, he had his brain * turned, upon feeing Luca Gioi- ? dano difpatch more bufinefs in a I few hours than he could have done ! in fo many months. He died in I 1686. Frefnoy, p. 383. noble OF FLORENCE. 77 noble hall, the deling of which was painted by Do- menico Gabbiani. Palace Buonarota. — Here may be feen two books filled with fketches of architedure, defigned by Mi- chael Angelo, who was the anceflor of this family ; and the ritratto of Michael Angelo himfelf, by Bron- zino Vecchio. Palace Uguccioni. — The front of this palace is built from a defign of Michael Angelo, and is much admired. In one of the apartments is a fine piece, repre- fenting the paffage of the Ifraelites through the Red Sea, by Perino del Vaga: and a fine marble bufto of the great duke Francis. To thefe we miay add the country palaces be- longing to the fovereign, v/hich are Poggio Imperiale, Patrolino, and Caflello. SECT. III. Country Palaces. Poggio Imperiale. — This villa is an Italian mile, or a thoufand paces, out of the city, in a dired line from the Porta Romana. It was called Poggio, or Villa Imperiale, from Margaret of Auflria, v/lio married the grand duke Cofmo II. and built this palace. There is a (lately avenue leading to it, con- fiding of a double row of cyprefs and larch trees, with beautiful vineyards, convents, and villas, on each fide. Near a fine piece of w^ater, here are two very large flatues of the rivers Arno and Arbia, pouring v/ater out of their urns *, and oppofite to thofe are the flatues of Homer, Virgil, Dante, and Petrarch. Fronting the palace is a large amphi- theatre, with cyprefs-trees, and a done balludrade. On one fide of the entrance is a large marble datue ;8 OF FLORENCE. of Atlas % v/ith the globe on his fhoulders ; and on the other fide a Jupiter of the fame magnitude, grafping the thunderbolt. The outfide of the pa- lace makes no extraordinary figure ; but the apart- ments are grand and fpacious within, and contain many excellent original pidures. ROOMS of PAINTINGS. First room. — A dead Chrift, by Peter Perugino, who was Raphael’s mailer. * Ubi maximus Atlas , Axem humero torquet ilellis ardentibus aptum. ViRG. JEn. I. iv. Where mighty Atlas on his flioulders turns The rolling axis ftudded o’er with ftars.” Atlas, cin6lum aflidue cui nubibiis atris Pinifemin caput et vento pulfatur et imbri ; Nix humeros infufa tegit : turn flumina mento Praecipitant fenis, et glade riget horrida barba. Ibid. “ Atlas, whofe piny head with low’ring clouds Is wrapp’d, and beaten with the winds and rain : Snow hides his fhoulders 5 from his hoary chin Streams roll, and ftifferi’d hangs his icy beard,” Trap. -|- Sua quemque deorum Infcribit facies. Jovis eft regalls imago. Ovid. Met. I. vi. Each god by proper features was expreft j But Jove’s majeftic mien excell’d the reft. Croxall. As when angiy Jove Hurls down the forkey lightning from above. On Arine when he the thunder throws. And fires Typhoeus with redoubled woes. Where Typhon, preft beneath the burning load. Still feels the fury of th’ avenging god. Pope’s Homer’s Iliad, b. ii, v. 950-955. A 79 OF FLORENCE. A dying perfon, by Rufticino de Sienna. A frnall transfiguration, by Tintoret. A concert piece, by Michael Angelo de Carra- vagio. The portrait of pope Julius II. by Titian. Second room. — Herod’s cruelty, a fmall piece, by Rofelli. Petrarch and Laura, by Albert Durer. Descent of the crofs, by Lucas de Leyden Third room. — This is the room of ftate, in which are the portraits of Mary of Medicis, and her huf- band Henry IV. of France. Fourth room. — A peafant, eating, by Flannibal Caracci. Fifth room. — Mofes in the bull-rufhes. St. Jerome, by Perugino. Sixth room. — Adam and Eve, by Albert Durer. Seventh room. — Adonis wounded •, a celebrated ftatue, in white marble, by Michael Angelo Buona- roti. Lucretia, by Rufticino. Mutius Scsevola. Eighth room. — Chriil’s pafiion, enamelled on a little cabinet, with a variety of colours, from a de- fign of Raphael, which is a moil exquifite piece. ‘ Ninth room. — Some fmall portr-aits of the Me- ( dicis family. Tenth room. — The model of the church at Je- rufalem. Eleventh room. — Some antiques ; and fruit- pieces, finely painted in v/ater-colours. Twelfth room. — A beautiful copy of the Ma- donna de Seggiole, done in water-colours, by Gio- vanna Lucquefe, an ingenious woman. * He was the cotemporary and friend of Albert Durer : they were emulous of each othei-’s works, without jealoufy. He died in 1533, aged 40. D,e Piles, p. 226. Frefnoy, p. 297. Thirteenth So OF FLORENCE. Thirteenth room. — An original Venus, tvith the women looking for the linen, by Titian ; but not equal to that in the gallery. Fourteenth room. — St.Sebaftian, byRuflicino. A fmall portrait, by Albert Durer. At the foot of the fbairs is a head of Alexander the Great in porphyry, like that in the gallery, but not fo good. There are alfo copies of Sir Peter Lely’s Eng- lilh beauties, which Cofmo III. procured to be co- pied while he was in England J. In the tapeftry of the audience chamber are re- prefented feveral great duchefles and princelfes of France, extremely beautiful and natural. The palace gardens are adorned with fine grottos, fountains, and waterworks, with groves and hedges of jelTamin, orangeries, and ever-greens. The Villa Imperiale affords a noble profpe 61 :, and its neighbourhood is famous for producing that rich grape which affords the generous Verdea wine. Palace Pratolino. — This is another ducal palace, about fix miles from Florence, on the road to Bo- logna, and was built by the great duke Francis in 1575. Here are Ibme good pi6lures, particularly * thofe reprefenting the former tranfa6lions of the Tufcan (late, painted in frefco, by the famous Vol- terano. The gardens are beautifully fine, with a variety of grand waterworks ; but the greatefi; curiofity is a coloffal flatue fronting the palace, which is intended to fignify the x^ppennine mountain, and is the work of John de Bologna, who has make the flatue ap- pear like a mountain itfelf. The figure fits in an * In the loweft gallery are to be feen a porphyry head of Alex- ander the Great expiring, leveral biiils of Roman Emperors, and four ftatues of pagan deities. Keyfler, i. 44.9. X Wright, 429. . " inclining OF FLORENCE. 8i inclining poflure, as looking into a bafon or pond juft below it, and from its prodigious long beard, arms, and other parts, hang what look like icicles, the only reprefentation that ftone could give of water falling from it^. The ftatue is compofed of feveral great ftones, which look very coarfe near the eye, but have a noble effefh at a diftance. The iris of each eye looks like a great glafs bottle, and one of the feet is nine Englifh feet long, to which all the other parts of the figure are equally proportio- nate : fo that this performance might have ferved the artift as a model to cut the Apennine itfelf by, as a fculptor J propofed to have done mount Athos |! in the time of Alexander the Great. Caste LL o — This villa is about three miles from the city, out of the Porto Prata^ and has a fmall palace, in which are fome good pictures. * It put me in mind of Jupiter Pluvius on the Antonine pillar at Rome ; ---perhaps the fculptor might take his hint from that. This reprefentation of water falling from him feems to fignify the fprings and cafcades frequent in the traft of mountains this figure is intended to reprefent. Within its body is a pretty grotto, adorned with various ftones, mother of pearl, and fome of their ufual fcherzi d’acqua. Wright, p. 450. Addifon, p. 246. Haec, ut Cocyti tenebras, et Tartara liquit, Altk petit gradiens juga nobilis Apennini, Unde omnes terras, atque omnia littora poffet • Alpicere, ac to to fluitantes orbe catervas. Petron, Arb, Afcending thus from the Tartarean gloom, She J- reach’d the top of lofty Appennine, Whence ev’iy fea and land Ihe might behold, And armies moving over ail the globe, f Difcord. Nubifer Appenninus, Ov. Met, 1 , ii. Mole nivali Alpibus aequatum attollens caput Appenninus. Sil. It. 1 . ii. X Dinocrates, who fuperintended the building of the temple of Diana at Ephefus. |j Now called Capo Santo, near the gulphof Contefia, inMacedon. G ' Below 82 OF FLORENCE. Below ftairs are painted, i, the hiftory of To^ bias, by Francefco Aibani of Bologna, who was the cotemporary and friend of Guido, but is cen- fured for not varying his figures enough. He un- derftood defign well ; but drawing always by the fame patterns, he fell eafily into the fault of re- peating, chiefly in the airs of his heads, which were very graceful ; whereby the manner of Aibani is eafily diftinguifhed. His works feem to be finifhed to the higheft degree ; and though his pidtures were drawn with facility, yet there are few free touches to be ieen in them. 2. The rape of Proferpine, by Grifone. 3. Truth. In the rooms above are, i, a young Jefus fleeping, at full length, on a crofs, beautifully painted by Palma Vecchio f, a Venetian, who made fuch good ufe and advantage of the inftrudlions which he re- ceived from Titian, that few mailers are to be named, who have Ihewn a nobler fancy in their compofitions, better judgment in their defigns, or more of art in finifhing their works. 2. Christ betrayed in the garden-, a fmall piece, by Baflfano. * He died in 1660, aged 82. There are few great figures of his drawing extant j and painting lu'iially in little, his pi6lures are difperled all over Europe, and valued as fo many jewels 5 for being learned and agreeable, every one was taken with them, and they became very much in fafiiion. His attitudes and draperies are well enough chofen j but he was an univerfal painter, and his iand- fcapes, which are more agreeable than learned, are of the fame de- fign and touch, like the airs of his heads. De Piles, p. 210. Fref- noy, p, 350. f He was born at Serinatta, in the ftate of Venice, in 1508, and' died at Venice in 1556. His pie- ces are not very numerous, by reafon of his having fpent much time in bringing thofe which he has left behind him to fuch won- derful perfection. Frefnoy, p. 309r. His real name was Giacomo Pal- ma, fenior, fo that he is com- monly called Palma Vecchio, or Old Palma 5 not on account oF his age, but to diftinguilh him from Palma the younger, his ne- phew, whofe llile much refembled that of his mafter Tintoret. Dc’ Piles, p. 18^. OFFLORENCE. S3 3. A fine print of the fcourging of Chrifl, marked Gerard Seghers inven. L. Voflerman fculp/* 4. A fmall portrait of a friar, by Chigoli. 5. A Madonna, by Correggio. 6. A holy family, painted on marble, by Andrea del Sarto. 7. A landfcape, with a ring of Cupids dancing •, a beautiful piece, by Albani. 8.9. Mofes ftriking the rock, by the fame •, and an Europa, painted on copper, by him. 10. A little Jefus, with St. John and others, in water-colors, by Rougino. 1 1 . A crucifixion, painted on a (late, by Brunfmo, 12. Jofeph and Potiphar’s v/ife, by Biliverdi. 13. 14. Two landfcapes, by Claude Lorrain. 15. A drawing, by Peter Cortona. 16. A drawing, on brick j by Giovanni di St. Giovanni. Near this villa flands the little parifh church of St. Lucia of Caflello, in which is a Madonna, moft beautifully painted, by Leonard da Vinci, and is well prderv^ed. The virgin is giving her breafl to the babe, whofe face is turned from it, with great foft- nefs and delicacy in its form. The drapery of the virgin’s body is a blue veil. This mafler was chiefly follicitous to exprefs the paffions of the foul, which he believed the mofl neceffary thing in his profeffion, efpecially for thofe who would have the approbation of men of fenfe. Cascines is the name of a delightful fpot, which is the grand duke’s dairy, a little out of the town. Moft of the palaces in Italy are floored with common bricks ; and the country people fnoe their oxen for draught. G 2 SECT. 84 OF FLORENCE. SECT. IV. Of the Churches and Convents in Florence. I. The Cathedral. — The duomo, or cathedral, is a noble, ancient. Gothic building, called S. Maria del Fiore, and its firft archite£t was Arnolfo di Cambio, the difciple of Cimabiie who was the firfi: reftorer of painting in Italy. This church was begun in 1294, but was not finilhed ’till 1445, when Philip Brunalefchi diftinguilhed himfelf here as an excellent archite6l •, and though the fine tafte of archite6ture, as well as painting, was then in its infancy, this church may truly be called a beautiful ftrudture. According to Galilei, the great duke’s architect, this church is 490 feet in length, and to the top of the crofs 380 Englifh feet f ; but the whole circum- ference of tlie building is computed to be 630 feet. Every part of it is covered with marble, except the portal, where a fuitable magnificence is vifibly waiting. However, on account of the departure of the great princefs in 1688, it was decorated with * Giovanni Cimabue was born at Florence in 124.0, and died there in 1300. He was the firft who revived the art of painting in Italy, and was a difciple of fome poor ordinary painters, fent for by the government of Florence from Greece ; fo that he has been juftly entitled to the name of the father of the firft age, or infancy, of modern painting. Some of his works are yet remaining at Florence, where he was famous alfo for his fkill in architecture. Graham, p. 270, f The Roman foot, two of which make a Florence braccia. Is lefs than the Englifh by fix lines. Miffon. Keyfter fays, the cathedral is half as big again as St. Paul’s at London ; and, ac- cording to Raphael del Briine, the length of it is 266 braccia j the breadth of the tribuna, or the crofs, 176 j and of the three na- vate, or naves, 71. The height of this edifice, from the pave- ment to the lanthorn of the cu- pola, is 190 braccia, and to the top of the crofs ereCled on it 202. Keyfler, p. 4-51. V pamtings OF FLORENCE. 85 paintings relating to the council held in this cathe- dral in 1439. Thus J the front of the dome came oiT at laft with painting inftead of porphyry ; but all the reft of this large edifice is overlaid quite round with marble, the pannei white, with borders of a darker color, and the reft of the ornaments difpofed with a very agreeable fancy. The cupola was made in a better tafte of archi- tedure, by Brunaiefchi, the greateft man of his time, and now highly celebrated at Florence. This admirable ftru6lure is oflangular, and the breadth of each fide twenty-five feet. The ball on the top is capacious enough to contain twenty-four men, and from it there is a fine view of the city and country adjacent. The cupola, as well as the front, is not incrufted with marble on the outfide ; but it is finely painted on the infide, the fubje6l being the laft judgment, by Frederick Zucchero and George Vafari-f ; who have drawn the poftures and attitudes of many of the figures in an indecent manner, full G 3 of J It has fo happened to many of the churches in Italy, that the front, which has been referved for a more than ordinary degree of ornament, has often failed of having any at all j fo that many of them we fee wholly in the rough, expe6ling fuch finery as never yet has happened to be beftowed upon them. Wright, p. 394.. He was born at Agnolo in Vado, a village in the duchy of Urbin, in 1 54.3, and died at An- cona in 1609. He was a difciple of his brother Taddos, from whom he differed very little in his ftyle and manner of painting ; but he was far more excellent in fculp- ture and architefture. He came over into England, and drew queen Elizabeth’s picture j after which, he v/as fent for to Spain by Philip II. and employed in the Efcurial. He eftabiiflied the aca- demy of painting at Rome, of which he was chofen the firft prince himfclf, and built a noble apartment for their meeting. Fref- noy, p. 325. De Piles, p. 150. f He was borri at Arezzo in Tufcany in 1514, and was a difci- ple of Michael Angelo and An- drea del Sarto, under whom he became eminent both for his fkill in painting and architedlure. He did not regard coloring, of which he had no true idea ; but he im- proved his invention and hand to fuch a degree, that he attained a wonderful perfection ^ in both. The cardinal of Medicis was his patron, and engaged him to write the Hiltory of the lives of the mod eminent painters, fculptors, and architects,” which he pub- lifhed 86 OF FLORENCE. of thofe capricious fancies that are little correfpondent with the idea of the refurreftion. This cupola carries the honour of being the firfl in Italy raifed upon another building ; and from this model all of the fame kind have been taken, particularly St. Peter’s at Rome, by Michael Angelo, and St. Paul’s at London, by Sir Chriflopher Wren. The floor of the church is finely paved with marble ; but its other internal ornaments are not ex- traordinary for that country, nor equal in proportion to the finifhed beauty on the outfide. Under the cupola is the choir, with the pillars of which are intermixed the ftatues of the twelve apoftles, in white marble, by different hands ; but the befl is James, by Jacobo^Sanfovini. On the great altar is a large group in marble, done by Baccio Bandinelli reprefenting God the father fitting, with Chrifl dead at his feet, fupported by an angel. The figures are bigger than life, and finely executed. Behind this altar is a marble pieta, or a dead Chrifl and the virgin Mary, left unfinifhed by Michael Angelo, of whofe works it was the lafl, and brouglit hither from Rome. At the entrance of the church, on the right hand, are the bufls of Brunalefchi and Giotto. The epi- taph on the former is in Latin profe, and implies that he built the wonderful cupola of this church *, upon which account his grateful country ordered his body to be depofited in this facred ground, in 1446. li filed at Florence in three vo- lumes, in 1550. He died at Flo- rence in 1578, and his body was carried to Arezzo, where he was buried in a chapel adorned with architeclure, which he had built himfelf, De Piles, p. 149. Fref- noy, p. 317. * This fculptor was born at Florence in 1487, and died there in 1559. He was knighted by the emperor for a defeent from •the crofs, and acquired great re- putation by feveral of his figures, which are admired for their true out-line and proportion. The OF FLORENCE. 87 The epitaph on Giotto ^ is in Latin verfe, by Poli- tianus, of which the following is a nev/ tranllation : ‘‘ The art of painting was reviv’d by me Whofe hand was eafy, regular, and free. My fkill no other bounds of nature knew Than what herfelf moft accurately drew. That ftately tow’r, whofe head falutes the Ikies, ‘I Does from my model thus fuperbly rife. > JOTTI my name ; What verfe can more comprife ? j He died in 13365 and his fellow-citizens erected this to his memory in 1490.” Here are alfo feveral monuments of the bifhops of this church ; one to the memory of Marfilius Ficinus, a famous philofopher, who tranOated the works of Plato into Italian, and died in 1499, aged 66 ; and another to Antonio Squazicalupo, an emi- nent mufician. There is alfo an equeftrian pidure on the wall of Sir John Hawkwood-j-, an Englifh knight, who, according to the infcription, was efteemed the moft cautious and expert general of his time.” It appears to be the work of Paul Uc- celli : and near it is the pidure of Dante Alighieri * He was born near Florence tn 1276, and died there in 1336. He was the difciple of the famous Cimabue, and was a good fculp- tor and architeft, as well as a better painter than his mafter. He attempted to draw after the life, and to exprefs the different paf- iions of the mind. He flouriflied in the time of Dante and Petrarch, and was in great efteem by them both. He painted many pieces in different parts of Italy, and was everywhere much admired for his works, but principally for his diip, or St. Peter’s bark, toffed by the tempeft, of Tvlofaic work, over the gates of the portico, in the entrance of St. Peter’s church at Rome, which is known to all painters by the name of ‘‘ Giotto’s veffel.” Frefnoy,p. 270. DePiles, p. 87. Miffen, i. 557. f He was a native of Slbble Hemingham, in Effex, and at firft ferved as a common foldier in the wars of king Edward III. againft France. He was knighted by that monarch for his bravery, and af- terwards entered into the fervice of the Florentines, who conferred the greateft honours upon him when living, and buried him in the moil; pompous manner, in gra- titude to his merit. His arms are three mufcle-fhells, argent. I This old poet is confidered as the Ennius, or the Chaucer, of Florence j and that part of the cathedral round which he ufed to take his meditative walk is diftin- guifhed with a white flone. G4 walking 88 OF FLORENCE.' walking in the fields before his houfe, with a book in his hand. II. Giotto’s Tower. — Near the cathedral is one of the moil beautiful towers, or fteeples, in the world, built by Giotto, and not defaced by time. It is fquare, and the outfide is all incrufled ^ with black, red, and white marble. This ftrudlure is admired for its fymmetry and ftrength •, the ornaments are well imagined, and the parts well difpofed. Its height is 144 braccias, which is 276 Englifii feet, as a braccia is equal to twenty-three inches. There are 408 ileps in the afcent, and there is a noble view of the city from the top of the edifice. It is ornamented with many fine marble ftatues, and par- ticularly on one fide is the famous ftatue of the bald-headed old man, made by Donatelli, who called it his Zuccone, or bald-head •, and here is alfo Abra- ham’s intended facrifice of his fon Ifaac, by Donato. III. St. Giovanni Baptifta. — This is the only re- mains of antiquity in Florence, and was anciently a temple dedicated to Mars ; but is now called II Bat- tifterio, or St. John’s church. It is an oClagon of eight columns, mofi; of which are granate, and the reft of coarfe marble. The whole outfide, covering and all, is cafed with marble. It has three entrances, with gates of brafs, beautifully worked in relievos of fcripture fubjedts *, two of them are by Lorenzo Cio Ghiberti, a fculptor and goldfmith of Florence, who flouriihed at the beginning of the fifteenth cen- tury ; but thofe facing the duomo are the moft beau- tiful, and are faid to have taken him forty years in working them. They are fo finely wrought, that when Michael Angelo firft faw them, in the extafy * Keyfler rs miftaken when he fays, it is ‘‘ built with red, white, and black marble,” for it is only incrujied, Keyfler. i. 456. Wright is under the fame miftake, for he fays, “ it is built all of marble, chiefly white.” He adds, ‘‘ it has flood 300 years, and feems as frefli as if it were not ten years old.” Wright, p. 395. of OF FLORENCE. 89 cf his admiration, he faid, “ they were worthy to be the gates of heaven.” Raphael ftudied them, and feems to have borrowed that grace which is in his figures from thence. A Latin infcription under one of them fiiews who was the artift ; and on the moil ancient of them is alfo a Latin infcription, which fhews that Andrew Ugoiini was the artift that made them in 1330. The gates are folding, and the fides are divided into compartments. The fubjecfts on the left fide are, i. The creation : 2, Noah’s nakednefs difco- vered ; 3, A young man feeming to receive a blef- fing from his father, and the mother on the top of a houfe praying : 4, Mofes receiving the two tables, a group of women below, which have the Ra- phaelefque gufto in them ; at the fide of this com- partment, among the ornaments, is the head of that great artift Lorenzo : 5, David and Goliah. On the other fide are, i, Cain and Abel: 2, Abram and the three angels, Sarah at the door, and the ia- crifice of Ifaac above : 3, Jofeph and his brethren in Egypt : 4, The fettling of the ark : 5, Solomon and the queen of Sheba. There are feveral figures in the ornaments, furrounded with a beautiful fo- liage, which was executed by Bonacorfa, the fon of Lorenzo. Over the chief entrance are three marble ftatues, reprefenting the baptifm of Chrift, begun by San- fovino, and finifhed by Vincenzo Danti. Over the fecond door are three brafs ftatues, by the laft-men- tioned artift, which reprefen t the decollation of John the Baptift. And over the third door are three ftatues, in bronze, of Chrift difputing with the tv/o pharifees by Giovanni Ruftici, and efteemed to be finely done. * Keyfler fays, It is John the Baptift difcourfing with a pharifee and a fcribe. Keyflcr, i, page 4.56, At 90 OF FLORENCE. At the principal gates are two columns of por- phyry, v/ith a chain upon them, which are faid to 'have been brought from Pifa, and put up here in memory of that city being conquered by the Flo- rentines. Ik the church are fixteen large pillars of oriental granate, and the monument of John XXIII. who was degraded from the triple crown by the council of Conftance. The brafs ftatue of him on this monument, as alfo the two others of marble repre- fen ting Hope and Charity, are by Donatello, but that of Faith by Michelozzi. The whole deling is of Mofaic work, by Apollonius a Greek, Andrea Taffi, Gaddi, and others, reprefenting eminent perfons. The pavement is inlaid, and on one fide of it are reprefented the fun and the twelve ligns of the zo- diac. All the children born of chriftian parents within the city of Florence are baptized in this church, the font of which is large, and adorned with feveral beautiful marble fculptures, particillarly a ftatue of John the Baptift ftanding before it, by Giofeppo Piemontani. IV. St. Laurence’s Church. — This is a good piece of architedure without, but there are no great embelliflimcnts within. On the wall to the left , hand of the grand entrance is a marble monument, with fine bronze feftoons, by Andrea Verrochio, in memory of Peter and John de Medicis, fons of the great duke Cofmo I. In the church are two pulpits, oppofite to each other, fupported by marble pillars, and adorned with five pieces in baiTo-relievo, by Donatello. Chapel of St. Laurence. — This chapel ftands juft beyond the eaft end of the church, and, when finifhed, there is to be a communication between them opened at the place where the great' altar of that church at prefent ftands. This OF FLORENCE. 91 This chapel was defigned as a burial place for the great dukes, and was begun in 1 604 ; but is far from being finifhed, though the ftated yearly fum expended in this building is 18000 fcudi, or about 4500I. fterling *. Thus we have feen the ducal family extind, whilfl all this pompous pre- paration for the reception of thefe princes after their demife is ftill unfinifhed. However, there is not a chapel in the whole world, which can equal it whenever it is completed. This magnificent fabric is o6langular, with a cu- pola, from the floor to the top of which is 100 braccia, or 1 9 1 feet and eight-twelfths, and its dia- meter is forty-eight braccia, or ninety-two feet f. The whole chapel is in a manner lined with agate, chryfolite, onyx, lapis lazuli, chalcedony, amethyft, porphyry, jafper, touch-ftone, and other precious itones, the workmanfliip of which has been carried on at an incredible expence. It refle 61 ;s an inexpref- fible luftre from every part, and dazzles the eyes of the fpedators. The lower part of the walls are every where incrufted with fine Sicilian jafper, with green and yellow veins ; and above this is a red Florentine marble, variegated with white fpots, and extremely difficult to be poliffied. The deling is to be entirely covered with lapis lazuli, whofe azure colour and golden veins will exhibit a beautiful re- femblance of the flcy befpangled with ftars. The walls are ornamented with the arms of the principal ^ * The chapel of St. Laurence will be, perhaps, the moft coftly piece of work on the face of the earth when completed ; but it ad- vances fo very flowly, that it is not impoflible but the family of Mc- dicis may be extin6l before their burial-place is finilhed. Add. p. 244.. f Keyder makes its circumference 140 braccia, the height above 90, and the diameter 48. P. 468.-— -Another fays, the height of the chapel is about twice the di Jmeter 5 the diameter is 48 palms, and the height 98. Wright, p,42z. cities 92 OF FLORENCE. cities in the grand duke’s dominions, moft curioufly inlaid with different colored marble and precious ftones, fo artfully done that no painting can exceed it. The grand altar defigned for this chapel is in the great duke’s gallery, and has been more than 150 years in building, yet is not finifhed. There are fix niches round the body of the chapel, and two at the place deflined for the grand altar ; in which were to be placed, over their monu- ments, the ftatues of all the grand dukes, and the princefs Ann Maria Louifa, the laft of the houfe of Medicis, who married the eledlor Palatine, and in- tended to have completed this chapel if fhe had lived. There are only two ftatues up at prefent, both of which are of bronze, and each about ten feet high. The one is Cofmo II. finely dojie by John di Bologna ; and under it is a cufhion of red jalper, profufely enriched with jewels, on which is placed a regal crown, glittering with pearls, dia- monds, and precious ftones. The other is Ferdi- nand I. without a cufhion ; but in another niche there is the cufliion, and no ftatue. The maufolea are feparated from each other by double rows of jalper columns, with capitals and cornices of brafs gilt ; and between thefe pillars are placed large urns of Corfican jafper, with green and white veins, in- laid with Florentine work. Adjoining is a private chapel, which contains the farcophagi, wherein are depofited the remains of all the great dukes, and fome others, of the houfe of Medicis, who lie above ground, and their coffins are covered with painted boards, with infcriptions of their nq.mes, and time of departure. They are to remain here ’till the grand chapel is finifhed, when they are to be removed, and interred there. On one fide is the ftatue of Julio, a prince of that houfe i and oppofite to him is that of his brother, under OF FLORENCE. 9^ under each of which are two figures at their feet, the whole four reprefenting the times of the day, morning, noon, evening, and night, all done by Michael Angelo Buonarotti ; under whofe diredlion this chapel was built, and is therefore called by fome Capella di Michael Angelo ; by others, Capella de Principi, becaufe fo many princes are interred there. Here is a white marble crucifixion of excellent workmanfhip ; the crucifix was done by Giovanni Bologna, the virgin Mary Handing under by Michael Angelo, and St. John by one of Angelo’s difciples. This is a fmall room *, and it is always open for any perfons to vifit when they pleafe. Library. — Belonging to the church of St. Lau- rence is a good convent, where the famous library is kept, in which are 14800 manufcripts, partly colleded by Lorenzo de Medicis, v/ho twice fent John Lafcaris to Greece for that purpofe, and partly by pope Clement VII. and the great duke Cofmo I. Petrarch’s letters, written by his own hand, are to be feen here *, but the moft curious manufcript in this library is a Virgil, which difputes its antiquity with that in the library of the Vatican, and is fup- pofed to have been written in the fifth century In the gallery of this convent is the monument of Pauius Jovius, bifhop of Nocera, v^ho v/rote the hiftory of his own time. It was eredted in 1574, and was done by Antonio di S. Gallo. V. St. Mark’s Church. — This church belongs to the Dominicans, and contains feveral fine paintings by Pietro Cavallini Romano, Cigoli, and otherTTia- * It wants the Ille ego qui quondam^ &c. and the twenty- two lines in the fecond .^neid, beginning at Jamque adeo fuper unus erarn. Ad- difon, p. 24.4. This learned gentleman has made fome ingenious re- marks upon it. The books here are not locked up in archives, but chained on long delks, where every one is allowed to fit down ■and read, and write, at pleafiire. Keyfler, p. 4.67. frsrs. 94 ' OF FLORENCE, flers.^ Angelus Politianus, and John Pico, prince of Mirandola, both celebrated perfons, are interred in this church : the former was admired by Erafmus for the beauty of his Latin flile ; the latter was extolled by Scalliger, as ‘‘ the phoenix of the fciences f ’ and they both died in 1494. The chapel of St. Antoninus, belonging to this church, is worthy of obfervation for its painting and fculpture •, particularly four pieces by Baffano, one of which, of Chrift of Emaus, is capitally efleemed. VI. Church of the Annunciation. — The church of Santiflima Annunziata * is a beautiful edifice ; and before the entrance of it is placed the buft of An- drea del Sarto, who performed the frefco paintings on the walls •, among which, the Magi offering pre- fents is greatly admired. On the left hand is an elegant chapel, where is carefully preferved the pic- ture of the annunciation of the Virgin Mary, which brings a good fum of money to the clergy on a mi- raculous pretence. In the fine tabernacle on the altar is the head of Chrift, painted by Andrea del Sarto : the drapery is fcarlet, with a border of gold round the neck of the garment j and the hands are crofted on the breaft. In the chapel of Bandinelli is a dead Chrift in marble, fuftained by God the father, done by Bac- cio Bandinelli, whofe body lies underneath : and in the chapel of Soccorfo is an admirable bronze cru- cifix from a model of Giovanni Bologna, who is alfo interred in this church. In a gallery of the convent contiguous to the church is an objedl highly deferving the attention of a traveller, which is the famous Madonna del Sacco, * You ought to fpend fome time in -viewing the fine church dell’Annonciata, where there is a rich chapel of a very miraculous madona. Mifion, i. 557. efteemed OF FLORENCE. 95 <^ileemed one of the befl: pieces ever done by An- drea del Sarto. The holy virgin is reprefented fit- ting, with the child Jefus playing on her lap ^ and {he feems attentive to Jofeph, who fits on fomething like a fack, with a book in his hand, and looks as in difcourfe with her. VII. Church di S. Croce. — This is a large hand- fome edifice belonging to the Francifcans: it is about 480 feet in length, and 140 in breadth. Within the church are leveral altars, or little chapels, de- dicated to fome particular faints, in which are fome good pieces of fcuipture, and fine paintings. The pulpit is adorned with beautiful bafs reliefs in white marble, reprefenting the mofl remarkable adlions of St. Francis. And there are feveral pieces in the church by Cimabue and Giotto, the ever-memo- rable reftorers of the art of painting in the thir- teenth century. Tomb and Charadter of Pvl. Angelo Buonaroti. — At the entrance of the right fide of the church is the marble monument of Michael Angelo Euona- roti, one of the greateft painters, fculptors, and architedls that this country ever produced. Above is his bufto, done by himfelf ; and below are three figures, by his fcholars, reprefenting fcuipture, paint- ing, and architedfure, all fitting in a deje6led pof- ture, with the implements of the three feveral arts in their refpedfive hands *, which fome good connoif- feurfe have thought not well diflinguillied f. Near this is an altar-piece of Chriil: crucified, painted by Salviati. Michael Angelo was nobly defcended, and born near Florence in 1474. He v/as a difciple of f Sculpture (lands in the mid- r dle^ but does no great honor to [ Valeria Ciolo, the fculptor. Gio- 1 vanni del Opera has been hap- 1 pier in his execution of the ftatue r reprefenting archlte6luie ; which is aifo furpahed by that of paint- i Ing done by Battifta Lorenzo, Keyfler, i. p. 461. ])e Piles is miftaken, when he fays, ‘ thcfe figures were all of ‘ Michael Angelo’s own hand.’ De Piles, p. Domenico g6 OF FLORENCE. Domenico Ghirlandaio , and has the name of the greateft defigner that has ever been It is imiver- fally allowed that never any painter in the world underftood anatomy fo well ; and he was alfo an ex- cellent poet : but above the reft of his excellencies was his wonderful fldll in architedure, wherein he has furpafled all the moderns, and even the anti- ents ; of which St. Peter’s at Rome, St. John’s at Florence, the Capitol, the Palazzo Farnefe, are fufficient teftimonies f. Pie ereded an aca- demy of painting and fculpture at Florence, under the protedlion of Lorenzo de Medicis, who was a lover of the fine arts. He died in great wealth at Rome, in 1564, at ninety years of age j and Cofmo * He was born in the caftle of Chinfi, a village not far from Arezzo in the dnchy of Florence. His family is of genuine nobility, and his father ufed to IHle him- lelf Lodovico Buonaroti Simoni, of the antient family of the counts of Canofes. He fiourifhed in the times of Julius II. Leo X. and of feven fucceflive popes, by whom he was highly efteemed j as alfo by the grand duke of Tufcany, the republic of Venice, the em- peror Charles V. king Francis I. and by moft of the monarchs and princes of chriftendom. He was invited by Solyman the Magnifi- cent into Turky, upon a defign he then had of making a bridge over the Helefpont from Conftan- tinople to Pera. Frelhoy, p. 224. Graham, p. 284. De Piles, p. 137. Keyller, i. p. 462. f He was a painter, fculptor, and archite 61 , both civil and mi- litary : but his mod: celebrated piece of painting is that of the laft judgement in the pope’s chapel. Ibid. There appears a certain air of I greatnefs and feverity in his fi' gures ; in both of which he has oftentimes fucceeded : but his gufto of defign was not the fineft, nor his outlines the moft elegant. The choice ,which he made of his attitudes was not always beautiful or pleafing ; nor were the folds of his draperies, and the ornament of his habits, either noble or grace- ful. He was not a little fantafti- cal and extravagant in his com- pofitions ; and was bold even to raftinefs in taking liberties againft the rules of perfpe6live. His co- loring is not over true, or very pleafant, as he knew not the arti- fice of the lights and fiiadows : but he defigned more learnedly, and better underftood all the knit- tings of the bones, with the of- fice and fituation of the mulcles, than any of the modern painters. The judgement of Frefnoy, p. 224. He was one of the firft that ba- nifhed the little manner and re- mainders of the Gothic out of Italy. His genius was of a vaft- extent, and of what kind foever I bis thoughts v/ere, they were al- ways great. De Piles, p. 141. de OFFLORENCE. 97 de Medicis ordered his body to be brought to Flo- rence, where it was interred v/ith the mod magni- ficent obfequies. His difciples were Marcello Ve- nufli, II RoiTo, Georgio Vafari, Francis Baftiano, who commonly painted for him, and many other Florentines. He was the cotemporary of Raphael, who envied his merit *, and fuch is the veneration which his countrymen dill entertain for him, that he is diled by them, II Divino, or the Divine An- gelo. Other monuments. — In this church is alfo the tomb of the celebrated hidorian Leonardo Aretino, with a fhort Latin infcription in profe, which figni- fies, that “ hidory mourns, and eloquence is mute, fince he departed this life, at which neither the Grecian nor the Roman mufes could refrain from tears.” Fie was fecretary to five popes, and died in H44. agedyq. ^ Opposite to it is another monument in honor of Carolo Aretino, the Iculpture of which is by Defi- derio Settignano, with a Latin epitaph in verfe, of which the following is a tranflation : “ Behold a poet in this tomb confin'd. The univerfe not equal to his mind. What heaven, or earth, or hifiory contain. His coraprehenfive knowledge could explain ; The glory of his age ! Here, Mufes, Ihed Your tears j alas ! your ornament is fied.” The tomb of the celebrated adronomer Galileo, a Florentine, is in the Novitiate chapel of the con- vent belonging to this church. Chapel Nicolini. — At the farther end of the church, on the left, is a beautiful chapel belonging to the family of Nicolini, the iniide of which is in- cr tided with marble •, and there are five exquifite marble datues of Mofes, Aaron, Virginity, Prudence, and Humility, done by Flamingo There are two *' Keyfier calls liim Francavilia, a Fleming, p. 461. FI pieces 98 O F F L O R E N C E. pieces painted by Alexander Aliori ; and the cieling is finely painted by Volterrano, who was one of the greateft mailers in that kind of painting. VIII. Church of St. Spirito. — This was built by the Micheiozzi family, at the expence of 100,000 fcudi, or 21,250!. flerling, and was defigned by Bru- nallefchi. It is very magnificent, with a fuperb altar of inlaid work of gems and the fineft marble, behind which is the picSure of Chrifl abfolving the poor woman taken in adultery, done by Aliori, and much efteemed. IX. Church of St. Michael. — This is a beautiful fquare building belonging to the Theatines, and is adorned on the outfide with fome very valuable flatues : particularly St. Matthew, in brafs, by Lau- rentius Cion ; St. Mark, and St. George, highly finifhed ; St. Peter, admired for its drapery •, and St. Thomas touching our faviour’s fide, done by Ver- rochio, which is much efteemed. All the chapels of this church are lined with marble, and embel- lifhed with fine paintings ; and at the high altar ftands a brafs ftatue of our Saviour, by Francifco Suifinio. The other churches are thofe of St. Ambrofe, which belongs to the Benedidine nuns. II Carmine, or the Carmelite church, in which is the fine chapel of Corfini, v/here is reprefented God the father in his celeftial glory, by Carlo Marcellini. St. Felice, in which are fome good paintings, particularly a piece of Salvatore Rofa, of Chrift holding out his hand to St. Peter finking in the fea. St. Felicita, remarkable for a Mofaic work, by Alefiandro Bar- bardori •, and before the church ftands a granate pil- lar, v/ith a ftatue of St. Peter the martyr on the top of it. St. Maria Maddalena de Pazzi, in which are fome paintings by Poccetti, Ciro Ferri, Luca Giordano, and Dandini, who painted the cupola. St. Maria Maggiore belongs to the Carmelites, and OF Florence. 99 has many good pidiires and ftatues, among which is a Magdalen, by Pugliani. St. Maria Nuova has fome good paintings, and a fuperb altar of Carrara marble. St. Maria Novella abounds in fine paintings, by Santo di Tito Girolamo Macchietti, ‘Battifla Nal- dini, Brondino, Vafari, and Ghirlandaio who did the choir. St. Philip Neri is remarkable for its exquifite marble fciilptures, by Montauti and Fortini. Or- fammichele, or Horrum St. Michaelis, is ornamented on the outfide with fourteen ftatues in bronze and marble, by Ghiberti, Montelapo, Donatello, Nanni, Verrocchio, and Bologna •, and the inftde of this church alfo abounds with ornaments, but w'ants light. Ogni Santi, or the Francifcan church, deferves notice only for fome reliques. St. Peter Maggiore contains fome fine pieces of fculpture and painting, particularly the adoration of the Magi by Cigoli, and another on the fame fubjecl by Paftignano. And S. Trinita, where the lovers of painting and fculp- ture are agreeably entertained. Convents. — Among the convents the principal are, La Badia Fiorentino, belonging to the Bene- didlines ; that of the Ciftercian monks ; the Domi- nican convent, where the life of St. Dominico is painted in frefco on the cloifter walls, by Giovanni Angelico and a fine head of Chrift expiring by Michael Angelo ; and in a fmall court of the Ora- torio dello Scalzo is the life of John the Baptift, in feverai pieces of frefco, by Andrea del Sarto, vvhich are damaged by the weather, but are much admired, * He was a Dominican friar, and rendered himfelf confiderable by his paintings. He refufed the archbifhopric of Florence, which was offered him by pope Nicholas V. who employed him to paint his chape!, and obliged him to do fomething in miniature in the books of the church. The fubje^ls of his pieces are always divine, and he could not refrain weeping whenever he painted a crucifix. His Ikill got him many d it'd pies, a.nd he died in 1455, aged 68. De Piles, p. 97. H 2 efpecially 200 OF FLORENCE. efpecially that piece of John baptizing the multi- tude. The outfide of the front of moil of the churches in this city are left unfinirhed, becaufe the fund eftabliflied for their building fliops when they are - finifhed f. Other curiofities. — The city of Florence contains feventeen fquares, or markets *, and is adorned with feven fountains, fix columns, two pyramids, and 1 6o public ilatues. There is a large hofpital de- figned chiefly for the fupport of foundlings, who generally amount to near 3000 *, and the hofpital of St. Maria Nuova contains 700 beds for the fick. There is a phyfic garden, on which Cofmo I. ex- pended confiderable fums ; and a riding-fchool for the ducal family. The appearance of this city fuffers confiderably from the great number of paper windows to be feen in it : but as for ftatues and public monum.ents, there are few cities that equal it. To what has been already mentioned many more may be added, particularly the vafl Doric column, of one piece of granate, which (lands before the church of St. Tri- nita, and ferves for a pedeftal to a porphyry ftatue of JuRice, by Romolo del Dadda, eredled by Cofmo the Great in 1564, in commemoration of the fur- render 'of Sienna. In the old market is the ftatue ol Ceres, upon a granate pillar, by Donatello ; and at the Canto de Carnafecchi is a fine flatue of ITer- cules killing the centaur NeEus, cut out of a fingle block of white marble, by John of Bologna. Be- fore the Ponte Vecchio is a marble ftatue of Ajax f Miflbn has given “ a coIle6Hon of the paintings that are to be feen in the churches of Florence,” particularly thole by Cimabue, Giotto, Lippi, Perugin, A. del Sarto, Pontormo, Vafari, Naidini^ PaiTignano, Titi. and others. Miflbn, i. 560. expirii\g O F F L O R E N C E. loi expiring of his wound in the arms of another per- fon : and before the MercatoNuovo is a fountain in the figure of a boar, taken from that in the gallery, and is efleemed to be well copied, by Peter Tacca. There are feveral other fine pieces of fculpture in different parts of this town ; and on the facade of a houfe, facing the Porta Romana, is a mofl excel- lent piece of frefco, painted by Giovanni, of which there is a good print in the frontifpiece to the large viev/s of Florence. SECT. V. The Manners and Customs of the Florentines. Horse and Chariot Race. — On every 24th of June they have a horfe and chariot race in this city, in imitation of the antients, and as a feftivity in honour of St. John the Baptift, the tutelar faint of Florence. It is exhibited in the fquare or piazza del Granda Duca, v/hich is furrounded with guards to keep out the mob. The horfes ftart without ri- ders, and run full two miles through the ftreets, from the gate called Porta del Prato to that called Porta Santa Croce. The flreets are covered with fund on this occaiion *, and the horfes have a round machine, fomething like a ball, hanging down their Tides by firings, with fmall iron pricks in it as fliarp as the point of a lancet ; fo that the fafler they run the more they fpur themfelves. They flart for a piece of velvet of about thirty pounds value, and run with incredible fpeed. Before thefe races begin, the principal nobility and gentry parade the flreets in their fiaefl equipages. Their coaches are prodi- giouily grand, finely carved, and richly gilt, with glafs all round them. They go down one fide of the iireet, and up the other, for two hours, meeting and laluting one another. The ladies make a moft H 3 brilliant 102 OF FLORENCE. brilliant and charming appearance, as they are ge- nerally beautiful and richly drefled. When the horfes are ready to ftart, notice is given by found of trumpet for the coaches to quit the flreet, when the quality go into houfes, moft of which have bal- conies, covered with tapeftry, fonie with fine damafk, and others with velvet •, which renders the ftreet, from one end to the other, extremely pleafant and gay. The Carnival. — This is a time of great diverfion among the Florentines, who are then generally maflced, and afiemble in the afternoon in the fquare of Santo Croce, which is railed in, fometimes to the number of ten thoufand maflcs and upwards, richly drefied in all kinds of charafler : but no priefl dares to be prefent at thefe diverfions in mafic, for fear of the inquifition. While thefe diverfions pafs within- fide the rails, others are going forward without-fide them, either in coaches or cars, fome of which are full of muficians, who fit on benches, as in our or- cheftra, drefied in the mofi: whimfical grotefque manner, and play a variety of tunes on different inftruments. The drivers, and even their horfes, are all in mafquerade •, fo that it is impofiible to conceive the gaiety of this carnival, which continues about three weeks or a month : but Sundays are the greateft days for thefe diverfions, which end when Lent begins. Feast of Corpus Chrifti. — On this day there is a grand feftival, when the clergy go in a folemn pro- cefiion to the cathedral. The confraternities, or re- ligious, are drefied in long facks, and each perfon carries a lighted torch in his hand through the flreets, which are then flrewed with flowers and leaves of ever-greens. About one thoufand monks and friars of the feveral convents walk two and two in this procefiion according to their feniority j fome of whom have filver candleflicks near five feet high, with large wax candles lighted, before them. The priefls OF FLORENCE. 103 priefts follow next in great numbers ; then the clergy belonging to the cathedral *, after whom come the canons, who are chiefly of the nobility, fome with purple and fcarlet cloaks on, others with fine pieces of camel fldns hanging loofe on their Ihoulders. Thefe are fucceeded by the dignified clergy, as dea- cons, friars, abbots, and bilhops, in their rich pon- tifical habits, and fome with mitres on their heads *, after whom follows the archbifliop of Florence, under a magnificent canopy, with the hofl: in his hand, attended by the nobility and gentry, all bare- headed, and each carrying a lighted flambeau, with their fervants walking by the fide of them. Thefe are followed by the guards, likewife bare-headed ; and they are fucceeded by the magiflrates, in their robes. The procefTion begins about fix in the morning, and continues pafTing by ’till noon, through feveral Tlreets, which are covered on the tops with canvafs quite acrofs, to make an agreeable fhade, v/hen the weather is very hot. The nobility of Florence are in general very civil to foreigners * ; and there are a great many fine ladies among them 7. They pafs their time in the mofl; agreeable manner, for which purpofe they have a nightly aflembly for play or converfation ; but they never venture to game high, and they entertain a large company at a Imall expence, which is chiefly for the rinfrefcos or ice-liquors, orgeat, and lemo- nade. Jealousy feems to be turned out of doors, par- ticularly among the great. In the cool evenings of the fummer feafon they go out of the city to take * The gentlemen of Florence are very foclable in a fobcr way. Wright, p. 428. f The ladies do not drefs well, and have not near fo much liberty as thofe at Rome, Pollnitz, vol. ii. p. 135. H4 the 104 OF FLORENCE. the country air, fome riding in coaches, and others walking a-foot. It is never cuftomary to fee gen- tlemen and ladies of diftin 61 :ion together in thefe excurfions, but the hufband in a coach with another lady, and his wife with another gentleman *, which kind of attendants are called Ciceibeo's, or gallants, and the lady has more or lefs of them according to her quality. When ladies walk, their footmen go before ; and in their coaches they are very polite : they often bow firfb, efpecially to ftrangers. It is cuftomary to fee a large fellow fanning himfelf, and line women riding aftride j as alfo to fee a fcore of boys coming from fchool, with books under their - arms, and ail fwords by their fides. Perfons of every profefiion, to the valet, may wear their fv/ords : but phyficians are obliged to drive their chariots with a fingle horfe. They return to town foon after fun-fet, when the city gates are obliged to be Ihut. They then ftop at the bridge of Sanfta Trinita, to enjoy the cooling breeze from the river Arno ; where they are fre- quently entertained with a line concert of vocal and inftrumental mufick, which renders this place very agreeable ’till ten in an evening, when the com.pany quit the bridge. A ftranger is not to be furprifed if he often meets with a band of miifick in the ftreets, in an evening, fometimes performed by per- fons of quality, and to fee others ferenading their miftreftes under their balconies. They bury their dead in an indecent manner, particularly the common people, who are carried on a bier, without any coffin, and drefied in the cloaths they ufually wore. When the corpfe is brought into the church, the prieft fays a few prayers •, after which they ftrip off all the cloaths, except the fhirt and draw'ers; and let the corpfe down into the grave. They have no churchyards, fo that their churches are crowded with the dead : but as the living con- OF FLORENCE, 105 ftantly burn frankincenfe at the altars, no difagree- able fmell is perceived. The Italians are much like the Englifli in drefs and figure ; and deifm reigns much among them. The Academia della Crufca have a mill for their device ; and they take the title of Crufca, or bran, as profefling themfelves to feparate the fine flour from it, or the ufeful ^nd valuable from the mean and trivial. This academy was eredted to fift out and reject, as huflcs or bran, all Italian words that are not good Tufcan : however, their pronunciation at Florence is fo guttural, that they are thought to v/rite Italian better than they fpeak it *. The Florentines are allowed to be inimitable in making repartees, or telling ftories with a good grace ; but they are fo infatuated with thefe frivo- lous endowments, that the government of the tongue is little known among them f. The Nobility. — The noblemen of Florence Hand up to their quality, and defpife even the name of merchant J, yet they fell wine from their own houfes by the Angle flaflc. Near the great door of many of thefe nobility they have a port-hole, with a fmall door to it, and a knocker, from whence the flaflc is handed *, and an empty flaflc hangs at fomie of the houfes, by way of a bufli. The wine is the * Keyfler, i. 486. In this fplen- dld city of Florence there be ma- ny rarities. Here is the prime dialed of the Italian fpoken, tho’ the pronunciation be a little more guttural than that of Sienna, and that of the court of Rome, which occafions the proverb, “ Lingua Tofcana in bocca Romana or, inEnghlli, “ The Tufcan tongue becomes a Roman mouth.”— Howell’s Letters, p. 76, f It were well if this vanity was all that could be laid to their charge j but they are, even to a proverb, addi6led to that atrocious and unnatural vice which brought down the divine vengeance on So- dom and Gomorrah. Keyfler, p. 486. :|; The people here generally feem to be more generous, and of a higher comportment, than ellewhere. Howell, p. 76. produce io6 O F S I E N N A, &c. produce of their own eftates ; and the innkeepers are not fuffered to fell any quantity ||. Merchants. — The principal merchants tranfact their bufinefs about noon, on the Mercato Nuovo : but they feem very cautious and circumfpedt in their negociations ; from whence arofe the proverb, Chi ha da far con Tofco, Non bifogna che fia Lolco. “ When with a Florentine you deal. Be fure that neither eye you feal f Upon the whole, the city of Florence is fo beau- tiful, that the great emperor Charles V. faid, flie was fit to be fhewn and feen only on holidays.” C H A P. VII, 0 F s I E N N A, AND THE COUNTRY between it and the Frontier of the Pope’s Dominions. O UR travellers left Florence on the 8 th of March, and fet out for Rome. They arrived the fame day at Sienna, which is four ftages, or thirty- 11 The Venetian nobility alfo trade, but with fome privacy ; whereas with the Florentine no- bleffe this is fo far from being a matter of any fcruple, that they deal alfo in a retail way j and a nobleman will condefcend to give out a yard of filk. Keyfl. i. 484. ')' All degrees of people live here, not only well, but fplen- didly well, notwithftanding the manifold exa6lions of the duke upon all things : for none can buy here lands or houfes, but he mull pay eight In the hundred to the duke j none can hire or build a houfe, but he muft pay the tenth penny ; none can marry, or com- mence a fuit in law, but there is a fee to the duke j and none can bring fo much as an egg or fallet to the market, but the duke hath fhare therein. Howell’s letter from Florence in 1621. two OF SIENNA, &c. 107 two Italian miles from Florence. The road ^ is every where paved, and runs along a chain of hills. The country is not fo fertile as that between Pifa and Florence *, but it affords fome pleafant profpe 61 ;s of vineyards and olive plantations : and in the neigh- bourhood of Sienna, on the left hand fide the road, is a beautiful feat belonging to the marquis di Piefco. Sienna. — The city is fituated upon three hills which render the ftreets very uneven ; but this is compenfated by the agreeablenefs of the profpedts, and the falubrity of the air. It is about four miles in circumference, and contains near 17,000 inhabi- tants, who are civil, and of a chearful difpofition. The women are beautiful, and have more freedom than in many other parts of Italy. The beft Italian is thought to be fpoken at Sienna, on which account many foreigners refide in it ’till they have learned the language. It is reckoned the fecond city in the Tufcan ftate, and was formerly a republic, which had feveral difputes with the Florentines, ’till the great duke took polfeffion of it in 1555 ; but as this is the laft republick that fell under his fubje6tion, fo it is ftill fuppofed to retain many hankerings after its ancient liberty. The magiflracy confifls of a governor and fenate, of nine perfons called Excelfi, whofe prefident is ftiled Capitaneo del Popolo. They hatter themfelves with retaining a kind of liberty in * In the time of the ancient Romans there was a paved road, called Via CalTia, from Florence to Sienna, and from thence to Rome, of which there are ftill fomeconfiderable remains, though not kept in fuch good repair as the Via Appia, which reached from Rome to Naples. Keyfler, i. 489. f Sienna ftands high, and is adorned with a great many towers of brick, which in the time of the commonwealth were ereited to fuch of the members as had done any confiderable fei'vice to their country, Thefe towers gave us a ftght of the town a great while before we entered it. Ad- difon, p. 224. The ftreets are feveral of them paved with brick fet edgeways. Wright 377. their io8 O F S I E N N A. &c. their eledion ; but this is only an external fhew, for the fenate can take no meafure of any confeqiience without the permiflion of the great duke. It is an archbifhoprick *, and the city arms are Romulus and Remus fucking a fhe-wolf : for Sienna boails of being a colony founded by thofe two cele- brated brothers, but their claim is badly fupported ; though the twin-founders are to be feen in feveral parts of the city as fucking the wolf, and particu- larly on a pillar of ophyr, fronting the fenate- houfe Cathedral. — There is nothing in this city fo extraordinary as the cathedral, which a man may view with pleafure after he has feen St. Peter’s •, though it is quite of another make, and can only be looked upon as one of the mafter-pieces of Go- thic architedure. It is incrufted, both within and without, with black and white marble, alternately difpofed in rows. The materials are rich, the work- maniliip moil elaborate, and the ornaments cxqui- fitely nice in the Gothic way. The very fpouts are loaded with ornaments •, the windows are formed like fo many fcenes of perfpedive, with a multitude of little pillars retiring one behind another *, the great columns are finely engraven with fruits and foliage, that run twilling about them from the very top to the bottom •, and the whole body of the church is chequered with different lays of white and black marble •, the pavement curioufly cut out in defigns and Icripture-ilories f *, and the front covered w'ith fuch a variety of figures, and over-run with fo many * In many of the publick pla- ces of the city there are figures of Jhe-wolves, fet fingie upon pil- lars and other ejiilnencies, fome in marble, fome in copper j fe- veral of them have confiderable murks of antiquity Wright, p. 377 - 5 f The floor has an ornam.ent trulyfine and uncommon. Itisde- ' jigned in fci ipture-llories, byDo- t menicoBeccafumi, commonly cal- ^ led Meccarino. The defigns are I not Mofaic, as fome have faid, but I are engraved in white marble, and f the gravings filled up with a black mixture. OF SIENNA, &ZC. 109 many little mazes and labyrinths of fculpture, that nothing in the world can make a prettier lliew to thofe who prefer falfe beauties and alfeded orna- ments to a noble and majeftic fimpiicity. The inhabitants boaft that the lix foliov/ing popes were born in this city, Alexander III. Pius II. Pius III. Marcellus II. Paul V. and Alexander VII. whole fine marble ftatues are ereded in this cathedral ; and allb thofe of St. Barnardin, St. Catharine, and Beatus Co- lumibus. St. Catharine is the great faint of this place, of whom they report many grofs and abllird traditions Ir>f this church are alfo the twelve apoilles in marble, by fome of tlie difciples of Bernini ^ and 170 piaiiber heads of fo many popes, placed in dif- ferent parts of the building. On the pulpit are le- veral fcriptural hiflories, hnely executed in while marble, by Nicolas Pifani. Over the great altar are twelve angels of brafs, and four large iilver chan- deliers. The wall about the altar is overlaid with lapis lazuli •, and the roof of the whole church is painted with azure, flrewed, as it were, with golden liars. mixture. The ftlle of thefe de- | figns is truly great, and in fome I parts well executed, particularly in that of Abraham offering Ifaac. 1 hey keep them covered with boards framed and joined toge- ther, as fo many table-leaves, at ail times, except when they fhew them toftrangers. Wright, p, 375. --- i he principal object of admi- ration here is the pavement, which is inlaid with gems and the fineft marbles ; particularly that part under the great cupola is nobly executed, and the floor about the great altar reprefenting the in- tended facriflce of Ifaac is incom- parable. The figures concerned in the facriflce in this iafl: piece are all as big as the life, whereas the other pieces are much fmalier. It would require the ikiil of the moft ingenious painter to repre- fcnt tlie hiftory ib well with co- lors as it is here in inlaid work, i The artill who made it, according j to fome, was Maccarino ; others i fay it was begun by Duccio dii I Sienna, and finiflied by Becca- I fumi. Keyfler, i. 492. I * I tb.ink there is as much j pleafure in hearing a man tell his I dreams as in*reading accounts of I this nature. A traveller, that I thinks them worth his obferva- I tlon, may All a book wicu theiu t at every great town in Italy. ^ Addifon, 2,26. no OF SIENNA, &c. The Capella Ghigi in this church, made by pope Alexander VII. is exceedingly beautiful, and in a true tafte of archite6ture. There are in it two fine fta- tues of St. Mary Magdalen and St. Jerom, by Ber- nini ; and two fine paintings, a holy family, and the vifitation of the blefled virgin, by Carlo Ma- ratti f . In the old library is painted in compartiments, on the wall, the principal adtions of pope Pius II. the defign by Raphael, and the coloring by Bernardino Pinturichhio, who was a difciple of Perugino at the fame time with Raphael. There are the three Graces, in marble, {landing in the middle of the library, which are fine antique pieces, but one of them has ioil its head. The Jefuits’ Church is very fine, and adorned with a great number of marble ilatues. That of the Auguilines is worth feeing for the admirable fculpture on the high altar ; and on each fide of the ciborio, or tabernacle, {lands a beautiful angel, of white marble, with a lighted taper in his hand. The Francifcan Church abounds in fine painting ; among which are, a defcent from the crofs by So- dorno, Lazarus rifing from the grave by Francifco Vanni, and fome pieces of fculpture by Becca- fumi. * One of a woman almoft na- ked, and in a praying attitude ; the other of an old man killing a crucifix, on which he is reclining. The firft probably may be de- figned for the penitent proftitute, and the other for St. Jerom. Key her, i. 4.92. f Ke was boni at Camorano, near Ancona, in 1625. He fiudied at Rome under Andrea Sacchi. His graceful and beautiful ideas were the occafion of his being generally employed in painting madonnas and female faints. No man ever performed in a better fiile, or with greater elegance of handling, and correftnefs of out- line. By the example of his mafter,' he has made feveral ad- mirable portraits of popes, car- dinals, and other people of di- ftin6Uon, from whom he received the highelt teftimonies of efteem, as he likewife did from almoft all the monarchs and princes of Eu- rope in his time. He died in 1713, and was buried at Ter- mini. In OF SIENNA, &:c. in Ix the church of the Holy Ghoft is a monument to the memory of a traveller whofe attachment to the wines of Italy fhortened his days. There is an epitaph infcribed on it in Latin verfe, of which the following is a tranflation. “ Wine gave me life, and wine has caus’d my death ; Nor did one morning yield me fober breath. Dry are my bones ; at my fepulchral fhrine, t D rink chearful my repofe 5 here pour the wine. V Adieu ! ye honeft lovers of the vine ! j The Country towards Rome. — Our travellers lay at Pogi Brunzi, and the next day arrived at Foreri- geri, from whence they came to Aquapendente, the firft tov/n in the pope’s territories, on the loth of March. That part of Tufcany next the papal dominions is mountainous and barren, and the tops of the mountains are generally covered with clouds^. The frontier caftle of Radicofani is feated on the higheft mountain in Tufcany, and is as well fortified as the fituation of the place will permit -f. Below the caftle there is a large and well-built inn, with a cha- pel in one part of it, eretled by the great duke for the convenience of travellers ^ for though there is a * For the firft two ftages from Sienna to Radicofani, that Is, as far as Buonconvento, the country is perfe6Hy delightful, and the road runs between fine rows of trees regularly planted. The fields on each fide are covered with vines and olive-trees j but as you ad- vance farther, the country begins to abate of its fertility and beau- tiful appearance. Keyfler, p. 495. After having travelled to Aqua- pendente, that ftands in a wonder- ful pleafant fituation, we came to the little brook which feparates the pope’s dominions from the great duke’s. Addifon, p. 222. f At Ponte Centino we leave the pope’s territories, and entei thofe of the great duke. About eight miles from thence is the caftle of Radicofani, the firft on the great duke’s frontiers that v.ray. It ftands on an high emi- nence, which is railed confi- derably above the reft of the mountain. Wright, p. 374. The grand duke holds Radicofani and Borgo San Sepolero as fiefs of the ecclefiafticai ftate. The pope, however, fays thefe iaft were only mortgaged to the Floren- tines, by pope Eugene, for 12,000 florins, and muft on payment of that lum be reftored to the church. PuiTendorff, vci. ii. 46. town II2 O F S I E N N A, town on the mountain, the afcent to it from the road is difficult. Juft before the inn is a foun- tain of very good water : but Mr. Addifon ob- ferves, that this favage profpe6t put him in mind cf the Italian proverb, that the pope has the fleffi, and the great duke the bones of Italy J.” + On the left hand from Radicofani towards Perugia, among the mountains, lies Chiufa, or Clufium, anciently the refidence of king Porfenna ; but it is now almoft forfaken, on account of the unhealth- fulnefs of the air. BOOK BOOK II, THE’ Ecclesiastical STATEj O R, T H E DOMINIONS OF THE POPE. CHAP. I. The Situation, Extent, Revenue, Power, and Government, both Spiritual and Temporal, of the Holy See. T H E dominions of the Holy See compofe what the Italians call Stato della Chiefa % and are bounded on the north by the terri- tories of the ftate of Venice, by the Adriatic fea on the north-eaft, by Naples on the fouth-eaft, by the Tufcan fea on the fouth-weil, by Tiifcany on the north-weft, and by the dutchies of Modena and Mantua on the weft, which it encompaftes on three fides. Thefe dominions confift of the Campagna of Rome j St. Peter’s Patrimony; the dutchies of Caftro, Spoletto, and Urbino ; the marquifate of Ancona ; the Sabinefe ; the Romagna, which comprehends the Bblognefe, and dutchy of Ferrara; the Perrugin; ^ It contains the old Umbria, Picenum, Sabina, moll of Latium, and part of Gallia Cifpadana and Ketruria. I and 1 14 The ECCLESIASTICAL STATE, &c. and the Orvietan. Befides thefe provinces, the dutchy of Benevento, in the kingdom of Naples, and the county of Avignon, in the fouth of France, belong to the pope. The greateft length of this country, computed from FrancoKno in the dutchy of Ferrara to Terra- cina in Campagna di Roma, which is in a line from north-eail to fouth-weft, may be about 240 Italian miles : as to the breadth, from Civita Vecchia, in the patrimony of St. Peter, to Ancona, it is about 130 miles ; but in many other places it is not near fo broad, and in fome parts it is fcarce twenty miles Upon the whole, it may be affirmed, that the pope, after the two crowned heads, is the mod con- iiderable power in Italy in point of dominions, and might be in every other refpeft, if any thing like the fame policy was difcoverable in the condud of his temporal eftates, that is ffiewn in the manage- ment of his fpiritual authority. But his fubjefts are the hardefi: tiled, and yet his revenue is below that of any other prince, confidering the extent of his territories ; for it has never been computed at above two millions of Roman crowns, raifed chiefly by a ^monopoly on corn, the duties on wine, and other provifions : whereas Tufcany, that is little more than half as big, produces twice as much to the grand duke. "I'he pope’s regular troops are now only lit for Ihew, his naval power very inconliderable, and hardly any of his fortrelTes in a date of defence : fo that we cannot help wondering that this ecclefiafLical empire has flood fo long, grown up fo high, and continues to enjoy a green old age, that does not feem to betray any fymptoius of a fpeedy diflblution. The Campagna of Rome is under the imme^ diate government of the pope •, but the other pro- * Two hundred and fixty miles long, and 130 broad. Echard, p. c/:.* The ECCLESIASTICAL STATE, See. 115 vinces of the Ecclefiaftical State are governed by legates and vice-gerents. As the pope is reputed the fucceflbr of St. Peter, and the vifible head of the chriftian church, he has unbounded prerogatives *, fo that his ecclefiaftical dominion far exceeds his temporal. It is computed that the monks and re- gular clergy, v/ho are abfolutely at his devotion, amount to about two millions *, difperfed in all countries, to aflert his fupremacy over princes, and promote the intereft of the church. The revenues thefe m.onks draw from the Roman catholick countries amount annually to near twenty millions fterling ; befides the cafual profits arifing from offerings, and the bounty given to the church by the people, who are taught that their falvation depends on this kind of benevolence. In the firft clafs of the fpiritual forces belonging to his holinefs are the cardinals, who are acknwledged princes of the church, and pretend to be next in dignity to crowned heads. They were originally no ^ more than the parifh priefts of Rome, whofe number was more or lefs, hill it was fixed to feventy-two, in allufion to the difc.iples of Chrift 7. A cuftom was introduced by pope Urban VIII. of making one * Paul IV. boafted that in Eu- rope he had 288,000 parifnes, and 44., 006 monaiLcries, under his ju- rifdidlion. PuffendorfFj ii. 107. f The pope holds a conliftory of cardinals on ecclefiaftical af- fairs, but they never intermeddle with his civil government. Here- tofore a cardinal was content to be ftiled his Excellency, but now they aflume the title of Eminence, which was formerly given to prin- ces, who thereupon took the title of Highnefs.--That fuch cardi- nals Ihouid prefume to have the | precedency of every prince is an | abfurditj'. 'I'hat t'iey have con- I ceived fuch a high opinion of their dignity is owing to the exceffive coniplaifance of the Italian prin- ces, who give them the upper hand ; and a cardinal takes fo miich ftate on himfelf, that he refufes the precedency in his own houfe to a fovereign prince of Italy.---The complete number of cardinals is feventy, who are the pope’s council in ordinary, and have tlie right of ele6Hng him. They are diftinguifiied into three orders, fix cardinal bifliops, fifty priefts, and fourteen deacons. Their number was fixed by pope Sixtus V. PoUnitz, ii. S6. ■ of T 2 ii6 The ECCLESIASTICAL STATE, See. of the pope’s nephews prime miniiler, with the title of cardinal patron. Thefe cardinals are of all na- tions j but the majority are always Italians, that the chair may not be removed from Rome, as it was once to Avignon by pope Clement V. and it is pro- vided, that in all eledtions the perfons chofen fhall have the voice of two thirds of thofe who enter the conclave. Ail the fubordinate dignities in the church may be confidered as the nobility in this fpirituai em- pire, to which the canon law is peculiar, under a truly defpotic government. Temporal government is founded in the higheft reafon, as well as on divine inftitution •, for without it men would conilantly be expofed to rapine and confufion. But it has never yet been proved, that a fpirituai monarchy is either necelTary or ferviceabie to chriftianity : therefore, as this is an artificial fa- bric, it muft be lupported by arts *, and the views of popes will ahvays be different from thofe of temporal princes. If the pope’s partizans fay his authority is founded on the pofitive command of god, that fhould be proved clearly from feripture : if they fay it is derived from St. Peter, it ought to be proved, not only that fuch an authority w'as veiled in him, but that he was bifnep of Rome, exercifed it there, con- veyed it down to his fucceffors, and that the fuc- ceffion has not been interrupted. Inflead of proving thefe things, the popifli doctors decline meddling v/ith them, and fill the heads of their people v/ith things that no way concern the principal point. They talk of a long fucceffion of popes, of the great an- tiquity and umverfality of the church : they appeal to fathers, councils, and miracles ; and if any one is fbil diffatishcd, he is branded with the name of heretick. In mofl nations it has been tliought befl to have the crown hereditary, but diis would not fiiit the papacy ; for as there will fome times happen a mh- noriry The ECCLESIASTICAL STATE, &c. 117 nority in fuch kingdoms, it would not appear well to fee the vicar of god riding on a hobby-horfe, or to fee the fupreme diredor of Chriftendom going himfelf to fchooi It is, indeed, an amazing thing to fee the prefent defolation of Italy, when one conhders what incre- dible multitudes of people it abounded with during the reigns of the Roman emperors ; and notv/ith- llanding the removal of the impel iai feat, the irrup- tions of the barbarous nations, the civil wars of this country, with the hardlliips of its feverai govern- ments, one can fcarce imagine how fo plentiful a foil fhould become fo miferably unpeopled in com- parifon of what it once was. We may reckon, by a very moderate computation, more inhabitants in the Campania of old Rome than are now in all Italy : and if we could number up thofe prodigious fwarms that had fettled themfelves in every part of this delightful country, it is thought they would amount to more than can be found, at prefent, in any fix parts of Europe of the fame extent. This defolation appears no v/here greater than in the pope’s territories ; and yet there are feverai reafons would make a man expedl to fee thofe dominions the bed regulated and mod dourifiiing of any other in Europe. This country is. exceedingly fruitful, and has good havens both for the Adriatic and Medi- terranean *, which is an advantage peculiar to the pope and the Neapolitans above the red of the Italians. There is no place in Europe fo much frequented by drangers, whether they are fuch as come out of curiolity, or fuch who are obliged to attend the * The pope does not, like other fov'ereigns, bind himfelf to any terms on his entering upon the government; and indeed it would be abfurd for him, who is faid to be guided by the Holy Ghoft, to be laid under any reftridions, Puffendorff, ii. p, 104. J 3 court ii8 The ECCLESIASTICAL STATE, &c. court of Rome on feveral occafions, as are many of the cardinals and prelates, that bring confiderable fums into the pope’s dominions. But this Hate is thin of inhabitants, and a great part of their foil unculti- vated : the fubjedls are wretchedly poor and idle, and have neither fufficient manufadlures nor traffic to employ them, which may be chiefly afcribed to the very genius of the Roman catholic religion, that here ffiews itfelf in its perfedlion. It is not ftrange p find a country half unpeopled, where fo great a proportion of the inhabitants of both fexes is tied under fuch vows of chaftity, and where at the fame time an inquifition forbids all recruits out of any other religion. Nor is it lefs eafy to account for the great poverty and want that are to be met with in a country which invites into it fuch fwarms of vaga- bonds, under the title of pilgrims, and fhuts up in cloifters fuch an incredible number of young and iufty beggars, who, inftead of increafing the com- mon {lock by their labour and induftry, lie as a dead weight on their feilow-fubjedts, and confume the charity that ought to fupport the old, fickly, and decrepid. The many hofpitals that are every where eredicd, ferve rather to encourage idlenefs in the people than to fet them at work ; not to rnention the great riches which lie ufelefs in churches and re- ligious hoiifes, with the multitude of feftivals that inufl: never be violated by trade or bufinefs Addifon, F‘ I CHAP. From AQUAPENDENTE to ROME. 1 19 CHAP. II FROM AQUAPENDENTE to ROME. H E road between Florence and Rome is i generally bad, and the inns upon it provide ^ very indifferently both for eating and beds ; but the country grows more level in the papal terri- tories, where it is adorned with fine woods and lakes : however, it is very little cultivated, and the inha- bitants feem to be few and poor. It is fomewhat like travelling in a forfaken country, for the fmali number to be met with in the whole way, and even at the diflance of five miles from Rome, where that city opens firft to view. Aquapendente is an epifcopal fee, fituated on a rocky hill ; but wretchedly built, and the people feem miferable. From this place, on the nth of March, 1752-3, our travellers arrived at Bolfena, a town to the left, on the lake * of the fame name, which is thirty-five Italian miles in circumference*]-. There are great quantities of wild-fowl in and about this lake, which is plentifully flocked with fifh. In the middle are two iflands J *, in one of which is a con- vent of capuchins, moil delightfully fituated ; and in the other, it is reported, that a famous queen of * The Lago di Bolfena, which was antiently called Lacus Vulfinus, f It is reckoned one and twenty miles in circuit. Addifon, p. 221. J In this lake are two Iflands, namely Bifentia and Martana, with a church on each ifland, one of which is dedicated to St. Chriftina, who was born at Bolfena, and her reliques are worfliipped there. Keyfler, i. p. 497. the 120 From AQUAPENDENTE to ROME. the Oftrogoths, a moft excellent lady, was firh; con- fined, and afterwards bafely murdered, by her neareft relation*. We find in Pliny, that thefe two iflands were floating in his time ; but now they are entirely fixed. He fays, The two floating iflands in the great Tarquinian -flake move about v/ith their groves, fometimes aifuming a triangular, fometimes a glo- bular form, but are never known to be of a fquare figure J.” Bolsena was antiently the town of the Volfi- nians || and in a church-yard here is an old farco- phagus, fet on two pieces of pillars, with fome odd Iculptures in baflb-relievo. At one end is a woman' naked more than from the waifi upward ; and at the other end is a drunken Silenus, fupportcd by one behind him, who embraces him round the middle, with other figures on each fide of him. There is alfo a fatyr with his hands tied behind him, butting with his head at a goat, which is an exceflive co- mical group. By fuch a fet of fanciful ornaments. * In the i/land of Bifentina the •unfortunate Amalafunta, daugh- ter of Theodorlc, king of the Oftrogoths, is faid to have been put to death in the year 534, by order of the ungrateful Theoda- tus, her coufin, whom flie had admitted to a fhare in the govern- ment. Keyfler, i. p. 497. •f' This lake derives the name of Tarquinian from Tarquiniiim, one of the twelve principal Etru- rian cities, whofe territories an- ciently extended to the Lacus Vul- fmus, as may be feen in Diony- fms Halicarnaft'us, lib. iv. Stra- bo, lib. V. Livy, Frontinus, and Vitruvius 5 and to this day its ruins are called Tarquene, and may be feen on the right hand in the way from Bolfena to Rome. J Perhaps thefe are the two floating iliands mentioned by Pli- ny, with that improbable circum- ftance of their appearing foine- times like a circle, and fometimes like a triangle, but never like a quadrangle. It is eafy enough to conceive how they might be- come fixed, though they once floated j and it is not very cre- dible that the naturalift could be deceived in his account of a place that lay^ as it were, in the neigh- bourhood of Rome. Addifon, p. 2,21. It is about forty miles from Rome. Wright, p. 374. II Ant pofitis nemorofa inter iu^a Volfmiis. Juv. Sat. iii. Volfinium flood. Cover’d vrith mountains, and in- clos’d with wood.” we From AQUAPENDENTE to ROME. 12 1 we may fee how merry the antients made with death §. Montefiascone.— After having travelled fome miles by the fide of the Lago di Eolfena, they came to a wood called Bofco Helerno, which was much infefted by robbers, ’till the whole banditti was fup- preffed by the vigilance of Sextus Quintus, who of- fered great rewards for deftroying them. As foon as our travellers had got through the wood, they ar- rived at Montefiafcone, on the iith. This town is beautifully fituated on an eminence, and the road runs by the fide of the walls •, but the poil-houfe ftands by itfelf, about a quarter of a mile from the town, which is famous for its white Mufcadel wine^. It is an ancient place f, and has a large church, with a fine cupola, in which the old Chevalier de St. George was married to the Princefs Sobieiki. Viterbo. — The fame day our travellers came to Viterbo J, an ancient city, and the capital of that country which was annexed to the papal fee by the gift of the celebrated Mathildis, to whofe memory an infcription in hone has been fet up in the council- houfe. The town is fituated at the bottom of a hill, is large, well built, and contains about 15,000 fouls. However, it has no iefs than fixteen parifh churches, befides a great number of convents and § This farcophagus, as a no- table memento mori, is placed hard by the entrance into the church. Wright, p. 374. ---Had the inha- bitants obferved a couple of lewd figures at one end of It, they would not have thought it a pro- per ornament for the place where it now (lands. Addifon, p. 222. * This wine feldom comes to perfe6lion, as it will not bear keeping. Keyfler, i. 499. f Some arc for deriving the name of this town from Fiafcone, which in Italian fignlfies a large flalk 5 but it might with greater reafon be deduced from the Fa- lifci, the ancient inhabitants of the country in this neighbour- hood, and it is conjeftured to have been the capital of that peo- ple. It was the habitation of Virgil’s Equi Falifci, ./Tn. vii. Addifon, p. 222. J From Montefiafcone the road at firft is on a defcent, but you foon afcend to much higher moun- tains, which are to be eroded in the way to Viterbo, where a de- licious plain begins. Keyfler, p. 500. hofpitals : 122 From AQUAPENDENTE to ROME. hofpitals : but it is principally famous for excellent fountains of extraordinary fine water, fome of which are medicinal ; and great numbers of people refort here to drink them from Rome and other parts. Among the feveral fountains, that in St. Lucia’s fquare is juftly admired as the moil elegant for the v/orkmanfhip, and affords the befi; water. . The ca- thedral is an old venerable edifice, in which are the tombs of four popes, Alexander IV. Clement IV. Adrian V. and John XXL but remarkable for nothing eife. The Francifcan nuns pretend to fhew the body of St. Rofa di Viterbo, which is quite black, and drefled up like a mummy. She lies at full length in a fine gilt cafe, in a fmall room belonging to the convent, with feveral large wax candles burning be- fore her. The nuns fay fhe has been dead near 300 years ; and fhe feems to have been about eighteen years of age. About three miles north-eaft of Viterbo is a mofl delightful villa belonging to the duke of Lanti, whofe palace abounds in fine pi6tures, antique ftatues, and rich furniture ; and nothing of the kind can ex- ceed the gardens here for fountains, grottos, canals, walks, arbors, and groves. The palace of Capra- rola is about ten miles from Viterbo, but out of the road. It was built in the fixteenth century, by car- dinal Alexander Farnefe, under the infpedtion of the celebrated architedl Barocci da Vignola j and the cielings and figures of feveral of the apartments are painted by the two Zuccaros. The gardens are like- wife of an elegant defign, and finely embellifhed with proper ornaments. On the 12th, at noon, our travellers arrived at Roncigiioni *, and c^me that night to Baccano a fingle * From Roncigiioni to Monte Roll the diftance is feven Italian miles, and from Monte Rofi to Baccano it is feven more. Hereabout, and From AQUAPENDENTE to ROME. 123 fingle houfe, nineteen miles from Rome, where they arrived on the 13th. Near Baccano are fome fulphur mines, which bring in a confiderable revenue to the papal treafury. Out of the lake of Baccano ilTues the fmall river Cre- mera, which is now called La Varca, and is famous in ancient hiftory for the furprize and daughter of 306 of the Fabii by the Veientes % whofe capital is fuppofed to have flood at a place now called Storta-f, within eight miles of Rome. and to a ftage farther, to Storta, the country is mountainous, and the roads very bad. Key Her, i. 501. ^ We here faw the lake Bacca, that gives rife to the Cremera, on whofe banks the Fabii were flain. Tercentum numerabat avos, quos turbine Martis Abftulit una dies, cum fors non sequa labori Patricio Cremerae maculavit fanguine ripas. Sil. Ital. l.i. Fabius a numerous anceftry could tell. Three hundred heroes, that in battle fell Near the fam’d Cremera’s difaftrous flood. That ran polluted with patrician blood.” Add. p. 221, f The ruins of their capital city are at prefent fo far loft, that the geographers are not able to determine exaflly the place where they once flood : fo litterally is that noble prophecy of Lucan fulfilled of this and other places of Latium ; Gentes Mars ifte futuras Obruet, et populos aevi venientis in orbem Erepto natale feret : Tunc omne Latinum Fabula nomen erit : Gablos, VeVofque, Coramque,' Pulvere vix te6lae poterunt monflrare ruinae : Albanofque lares, Laurentinofque penates, Rus vacuum, quod non habitet nifi no£te coa^la Invitus. L. vii. ' “ Succeeding nations by the fword fliall die. And fwallow’d up in dark oblivion lie : Almighty Latium, with her cities crown'd. Shall like an antiquated fable found ; The Veian and the Gabian tow’rs lliall fall. And one promifeuous ruin cover all ; Nor, after length of years, a ftone betray The place where once the very ruins lay : High Alba’s walls, and the Lavinian ftrand, A lonely defart, and an empty land. Shall fcarce afford, for needful hours of reft, A fmgie houfe to their benighted gueft.” Add. p. 221. CHAP. 124 OF ROME, CHAP. VI. A CURSORY VIEW OF R *0 M E : COMPREHENDING A Defcription of St. Peter’s Church ; the Pan- theon ; the Capitol ; the Vatican, its Library, and the Belvidere *, the Castle of St. Angelo ; the Palace of Monte Cavallo ; the Pillars of Trajan, and Antonine ; the Arches of Se- verus, and Constantine. with Remarks on the Ancient and Present State of Rome. O UR travellers, on the 13th of March, made their arrival at Rome, where they intended to make but a Ihort ilay this time, as they were to take the ufual method of going to fee Naples before the weather grew hot. About a mile and half from the entrance of the city, at the port del Popolo they croffed the Tiber over the Ponte Mole, anciently Pons Milvius * It is fo called from the ad- jacent church and convent of S. Maria del Popolo. Wright, p.195. f Blainville fays, he repaffed the Tiber upon Ponte Mole, for- merly Pons Milvius. This is one of the four bridges railed by Au- guftus upon the Flaminian road, as we are told by feveral ancient authors : but Mr. Drefprez fays it was built by JEmilius Scaurus 5 and perhaps the name Pons Mil- vius is a corruption of Pons JEmi- lins. However that may be, it was upon this bridge, which might have been built by ^milius Scau- rus, and repaired by Auguftus, that the deputies of the Allobro- ges were flopped, and the whole plan of Catiline’s confplracy feized in their pockets. It was likewife near this bridge that Didius Juli- anus was defeated by Septimius Severus ; and it was from this bridge that the tyrant Maxentius fell into the Tiber, and was drowned, after being defeated by the emperor Conftantine. Blain- ville’s travels, vol. ii. p. 321. but OF ROME. 123 but the Tiber is here a fmall muddy river, and its banks qiii^e unadorned. They entered this famous metropolis of Europe by the Strada del Popolo, whicli runs quite in a ftrait line from the bridge to the port. I'his is the grandefl entrance to Rom.e, and is very beautiful and ftriking This noble gate is the architedure of Michael Angelo •, and, on entering it, a large area, or piazza, prefents itfelf, with an obelifk in the center of ori- ental granate, from whence there run three very long ftreets drawn to a point, in the fhape of a goofe-foot ; and between them Hand the two churches called le Gemelle, or the Twins, which have each a cupola, and a handfome portico. The Principal Streets. — The center ftreet is called - the Corfo 7, and is the principal one in Rome, where the quality take the frefco of the evening in their coaches, moving up and down the ftreet as in pro- cefTion ; but this ftreet is rather too narrow to be called beautiful : however, it runs through the whole city, and has fom.e fine houfes in it, particularly the palaces Rufpoli, Pamphili, and Bolognetti. The fe- cond ftreet is called la Strada Ripetta, which is re- markable only for the ftairs leading down to the Tiber, that are of a grand defign The third * At one’s firft entrance through the gate del Popolo, a foreigner cannot but be Itruck with admi- ration, when he looks right before him, which methought refembled the grand decoration of a theatre j but when I call my eyes to the right and left, the fccne was quite different. The firil thing one per- ceives on the left hand of the fquare is a church confecrated to our lady, the architefture of which is very plain ; and on the fame fide are feveral very forty houfes, or rather huts. The right hand of the fquare confifts of hay, barns, and two or three wretched hovels. Memoires of Baron de Pollnitz in 1730, vol. ii. p. 2. f It is called the ftreet del Corfo becaufe there it is that, in the Carnival time, the Barbary horfes run races, and where there ,is the Pafciggio, or ring, fre- quented by the coaches every day. Pollnitz, p. 5. f There are two flights of a ftair-cafe, without fteps, for the convenience of the horfes that carry the goods, which are landed at the foot of the ftairs, that being one of the principal ports of Rome. Ibid. ftreet 126 O F R O M E. ftreet ends in the Square of Spain, and has nothing worth feeing in it. The Strada Felice is fine, and about two miles long : all the ftreets are neatly paved with a fmall round ftone, running in right lines *, but they are not cleanly kept The Strada Felice is crofied by another as ftrait as itfelf, called Strada di Porra Pia ; and where they crofs are four fountains, whofe cor- ners are adorned with nereids. The Piazza d’Efpagne, and within its liberties, is where the Englifii and other ftrangers of fafhion ge- nerally refide. It is a priviledged place, under the prote&on of the Spanifh embaifador -f. This fquare is very irregular, and has no other good buildings than one palace belonging to the Spanifii minifter, and another {lately edifice called Propaganda di fide, where people come from all nations to be inftru6led -in the chriilian religion : yet this fquare is the place of rendezvous for all the beau inonde in the city. Here the ladies fit at their eafe in their coaches, and receive the homage of the gentlemen (landing at their coach-doors. Thus an hour or two is fpent every evening, in breathing the woril air in Rome, mixed with clouds of dull, pellered with beggars, and incommoded by coaches, which prefs forward without obferving rank or order. The Cuflom-houfe. — Moil Englifii gentlemen en- ter at the gate of Porto del Popolo in poil-chaifes, and drive down the Corfo to the Dogana, or cuilom- houfe, which was made out of the hall of Anto- — — -.,1 * The ftreets of Rome are many of them exactly ftrait, efpecially thofe which were regulated by Sixtus V. and, among thefe, particu- larly that which bears the name he was called by before he was car- dinal, Strada Felice. Wright, p. 196. f Foreigners refide commonly in the Square of Spain, and the fe- ven ftreets which run into it. This quarter belongs to the jurifdi6>ion of the Spanifh embaffador, whither the Stirzi dare not purfue a cri- minal, or to venture being feen there. Pollnitz, p. 5. ninus 127 O F H O M E. ninus Pius. In the front are eleven columns of the Corinthian order, of a prodigious heighth, and greatly efteemed for their antiquity J. As foon as they ar- rive, there are people on purpofe who attend to unload the baggage, which is carried into the Do- o-ana, and opened by proper officers, who foon be- gin to tumble the things about, under a pretence of fearching to the bottom for contraband goods ; but a fmall prefent prevents any infolence of that kind. Therefore, in all places on the road in Italy, where are gabels, the fafeft method is to fend for one of the head cuftom-houfe officers, and defire of him a bulletina, which they readily give on receiving a proper gratuity •, and then the officer feals all the baggage with a particular mark of that dogana, by which means a traveller will pafs feveral other gabels with no other moleftation than flopping for them to examine the feals. Pretended Antiquarians. — There are a fet of peo- ple in Rome diftinguiffied by the appellation of An- tiquarians f , who offer themfelves to llrangers of qua- lity, to ferve them as guides in furveying the curk ofities of the place. Too many of our young Eng- lifh noblemen have been deceived and impofed upon by thefe perfons, efpeciaily if not competent judges in paintings and antiquities. Thefe Antiquarians will make fuch novices believe a copy to be an ori- ginal of Raphael, Angelo, Titian, or fome other great mailer, which they purchafe at an extravagant X They pretend that thefe pillars have been the remains of forty- two, which fupported the Bafilica Antonina. It is upon the ruins of that Safilica this cuftom-houfe was built, and perfe6Ied in ftx months, by order of pope Innocent XII. The building is faid to have coft 50,000 crowns, and Fontana was the archite 61 . Blainville, ii. 321. '[■ When we are at Rome, we go through a courfe of antiquities, in the fame manner as we formerly went through a courfe of philo- fophy ; and we agreed with our antiquarian, whom we hired for that purpofe, to begin with thofe antiquities which were in the neighbour- hood of the city. Blainville, ii. p. 340, price, 128 O F R O M E. , price, and procure a handfome premium from both buyer and feller. Some of them have been fo ig- norant in fliewing the curiofities of Rome, that they could not tell the ftatue or medal of Conflantine, the firft chriftian emperor, from that of Alexander the Great. However there are a few of them perfons of fenfe, judgment, and ability, who come re- commended by fome of the Roman nobility ; but it is difficult to meet with one of this ftamp, and the ufual method is to purchafe a little ufeful book, called, a guide to ftrangers, which points out and defer ibes mod; of the places and cu- riofities in and about Rome. The Jews in this city are indulged in the ufe of fynagogues ; but are obliged to live all together in the Ghetto % as they call fuch places in the cities of Italy. At nine o’clock every evening the gates of the place where they live are ihut up, and opened again in the morning ; but at Eafter they are locked up from Thurfday in paffion-week ’till the Monday following, during which time no Jew dares to be feen abroad. When they appear in the ftreets thay are diflinguiffied by a piece of yellow filk, or crape, on the crown of their hats, and are fubjedl to a great penalty if feen without it. They are mod: of them very poor, and little refpedl is paid to the riched: of them. Their fynagogue has a mean ap- pearance j yet it has fome fine apartments, adorned with a great number of filver lamps. The Holy Week. — The 1 5th of March happened to be Palm-funday, when the pope prefents each cardinal and biffiop with a palm-branch in his chapel at Monte Cavallo. They walk with them in pro- ceffion round a great hall, with his holinefs carried before them in his chair on men’s fhoulders, who * Thefe places have feveral little ftreets, and a fynagogue 5 but the gates at the feveral entrances are all /hut about fun-fet. Wrighnp.31. gives OF ROME. 129 gives his benedidion to the people kneeling as he pafTes by. On Wednefday the i8th, the fa- mous piece of mufic called the Miferere is fung, and for three nights fucceffively : it is all vocally performed, and is wonderfully harmonious, as the voices found like different inffruments : but this piece of mufic is forbid ever to be copied On Holy Thurfday the pope gives his benedidtion to the people from the lodge in St. Peter’s : but firil curfes all heretics, and throws dov/n a lighted torch -f . He then excommunicates the Colonna family : but the excommunication is immediately taken off ; which part of the ceremony was occafioned by a prince of this family having formerly ftarved a pope to death. It was always one of the moil pov/erfui families in Italy, and is fo at this time. Afterwards his holinefs wafhes the feet of a number of pilgrims, in commemoration of our Savior walking the feet of his difciples. Then the pope prefents to each a nofegay of white flowers, and a medal wrapped in white paper, at the receiving of which they kifs his hand J. While the church is thus in mourning for the Savior of the world, upon Thurfday and Good Friday, the pope’s chapel is flripped of all orna- * It Is perhaps one of the fineft pieces of miific that ever was com- pofed ; and is fo much valued here, that the m after of the cha- pel dares not to give copies of it, nor the others to tranfcribe it, on pain of excommunication. Pollnitz, ii. 96. f The pope fulminates the a- poftolical cenfures againft heretics by throwing down a lighted flam- beau into the fquare. Ibid, p. 99. t This ceremony of walhing feet is a cuftom of ancient ftand- ing among the catholic princes. Tims at Vienna, Verfailles, Ma- drid, and at feveral other courts, the emprefs, the queens, and other fovereign princefles, wafli the feet of thirteen women upon Holy Thurfday. Ibid, p. 98. In this a£l of humiliation his holinefs is accompanied, not only with a great number of bilhops and cardinals, but many laymen of great diftinftion. A bifliop held the bafon, another the ewer from which he poured the water upon the feet of a poor prieft, which his holinefs klfled, after drying them with a towel, as he does to them all one after another in their order, and prefents each of them with a nofegay. Elainville, ii. 325. ments, 1^0 O F R O M E. merits, his throne is without a canopy, and he nei- ther gives fo much as one blefiing, nor admits any perfon to kifs his foot or his hand : but on Eafter- day he is dreffed in his pontificaiibus, and carried in his proceflional chair to the chapel, where he cele- brates high mafs *, after which he is carried to the gallery facing the great fquare, where he gives be- nedi6i:ion to the kneeling populace^ v>^hile the guns are ftred from the caftles of Monte Cavallo and St. Angelo. The blefling which the pope gives that day is folemn, and extends to the whole chriftian world. Our travellers took a view of fome of the mod remarkable places in Rome, before they proceeded to Naples ; and hril, St. Peter’s. — This magnificent cathedral of S. Pietro in Vaticano flands on the oppofite fide of the Tiber to the main part of the city, and is one of thofe called Bafiliche, of which there are three others, Saint John Lateran, Saint Maria Maggiore,, within the city, and St. Paul’s without it. They are fo called from their being once palaces, or courts of judicature *. And others were built in the fame form, with a long nave, and a half round at the upper end, called I'ribuna, from the tribunals which were held in that part. For thefe bafilicae were not only royal palaces in the ftridefl ienfe, but palaces of the principal nobility, and fome of tliem courts of jultice, where the centum viri fate. * This wonderful temple ftands on the fame fpot where formerly were the temples of Apollo and Mars, and part of Nero’s Circus, and is built in form of a crofs. Blainville, iii. 98,— Thefe and other principal churches of ancient foundation, in Rome, and elfewhere, have obtained the name of Bafiliche, for that fome of them v/erc turned from palaces, or courts of judicature, into churches. Wright, p. 199. — VoTius has obferved, that thefe bafilicae were exactly in the fhape of our churches, oblong, almoft like a fhip j and hence, per- haps, all our great domo’s, or cathedrals, are llill called Bafilicae. Ba- hl KLennett’s Antiq. p. 48. Before OF ROME. Before this majeftic ftrudlure is a noble area, or piazza, capable of containing 200,000 men. On each fide leading to the church is a beautiful colon- nade, on the flat roof of which (land eighty-fix ftatues of fo many faints, twice as big as the life, all de- figned by Bernini. In the centre is an Egyptian obeliflc, and two fountains that throw up a vaft quantity of water. The obelifk f was placed here by order of Sixtus Quintus, under the diredlion of the cavalier Fontana, in 1586 ; and it is fupported by four lions of copper, couching on the four cor- ners of the pedeflial which bears them. The weight of it is faid to be 992,7861b. and the height of it eighty feet, exclufive of the bafe, which is thirty- feven feet. The colonnade was ereded by Alexander VII. in 1661 ; and the fleps from the area up to the church are called Limina Apoftolorum. The building is of Hone, brought from Tivoli, and called Tivertine, which is of a light fandy co- lour, but not equal to the look of our Portland fbone, in the opinion of one of our travellers againft that of the artifts, who call it a fine glowing color. The front is a beautiful portico, which was added to the church by Carlo Maderna. It extends along the whole breadth of the church, being 216 feet in length, and forty in breadth ^ but it terminates ■f This obelifk is faid to have been dedicated to the fun by Se- foftris, and that it was the firft which v/as brought from Egypt to Rome, by the order of Julius Caefar. It was firll placed in the Circus Maximus, and dedicated to Auguftus and Tiberius Caefars, as appears by one of the infcrip- tions ; but afterwards removed by Nero to his Circus on the Vati- can mount. Bafil Kennett’s An- tiq. p. 205. ---Nothing can be ima- gined more grand and fuperb than the area before the church. The oval colonnade round it has four rows of pillars, forming three fe- parate walks. The extent of this area may be eftimated from the fhorteft diameter at t': both, by which one afcends into the ball. Had there been only the outward dome, it would not have fiiewn itfelf to an advantage I to thofe that are in the church ; . or had there only been the inward ; one, it would fcarce have been j feen by thofe that are without : had they both been one foiid dome of fo great a thicknefs, the pillars would have been too weak to have fupported it. Addifon, p. 109. ---From the top of this cupola there is a profpeft of the fea, though it be forty Italian miles diftant from Rome. Keyfler, ii. 159. f According to the chevalier Carlo Fontana’s geometrical com- putation, the whole length oF the edifice, the breadth of the por- tico, and the thicknefs of the walls included, is 970 Roman palmi, which are equal to 722 Englilh feet, as calculated by Mifibn, The length within, from pope OF ROME. 137 Upon St. Peter’s day the church is illuminated from the foundation to the crofs by lamps innu- merable, which make a magnificent appearance ; and the band of mufic Hands the pope in 5000 crowns a year. ‘‘ I believe, fays Pollnitz, that though there were no other building in Rome but this church, it would be worth while to make a journey here on purpofe to fee it and for largenefs and beauty it may be called the metropolitan church, not only of Rome and Italy, but of the whole world. Fontana fays that it cod: about eighty millions of Roman fcudi, or about twenty millions fterling in his time. The church is fomewhat dark, on account of the thicknefs of the walls and the fmallnefs of the win- dows. For the fame reafon it is alfo damp, which is fuch a prejudice to the pi6lures on canvafs or wood, that it has been found abfolutely neceflary, as they decay, to fupply their places with unperifhable pieces in mofaic work. At the entrance of the church, on the right hand, is the holy gate, which the pope opens and fhuts every twenty-five years, at the time of the great jubilee. On the right of the portico is the ftatue of Conftahtine the Great, carved in white marble, by Bernini, who has reprefented the em- pope Eugenius’s brafs door to the fartheft altar, where St. Peter’s pulpit hands, is 829 Roman pal- mi and a half, or 594 Englilh feet. The breadth of the great nave, or middle ifle, which runs the whole length of the church, is 123 palmi, or 86 2-3ds Eng- iilh feet : but the whole breadth of the church, from the Capella del Coro to that of the Holy Sa- crament, exclufive of the thick- nefs of the walls, is 414. palmi, or 291 Englilh feet. The height of the church from the pavement to the roof, not including the cupola, is 200 palmi, or 144. Englilh feet j and the outward circumference of the church is 3000 palmi. The height from the pavement of the church to the top of the crofs is 593 palmi, or 432 Englilh feet. The out- ward circumference of the dome is 620 feet, and the inward dia- meter is 143 Englifn feet. St. Paul’s church at London is a noble piece of architefture, but much iefs in its dimenfions than St. Peter’s, its length being only I 690 feet, according to Chamber- i lain. Keyfler, vol. ii. p. 143. peror 13S OF ROME. peror on horfeback, in a pofture of aftonlfhment at the appearance of the crofs, which is formed in Bas- relief upon the fide of the portico, accompanied with the famous infcription, In hoc figno vinces : and op- pofite to this ftatue is that of Charles the Great, likewife on horfeback, done by Auguflin Cornicchini, a native of Perfchia in Tufcany ; but it is not near fo bold a figure as that carved by Bernini which is greatly efteemed both for its remarkable fize, being of a Tingle block of marble, and for its beauty. Whoever is defirous of an accurate account of the whole flrufture of St Peter’s church may be completely fatished in Domato’s treatife de urbe Ro- ma, lib. iv. c. 9. in Bonanni’s hifloria tempi! Vati- can! Romse, fol. 1700; and in Fontana’s works +. II. The Pantheon, or St. Mary de Rotunda. — St. Peter’s is efteemed the mafter-piece of modern architedture, and the Pantheon is certainly the fineft and moft perfect remain of the antique. It is now commonly called the church de la Rotunda, becaufe of its round figure, and is a lafting monument of the magnificence of ancient Rome. This infcription on the front ftill remains to be read : M. Agrippa, L. f. conful teitlum fecit. Marcus Agrippa, fon of Lucius, built this when conful the third time.” * Lorenzo Bernini was born at [ Naples, of Florentine parents, and was the Michael Angelo of his time. He died at Rome in 1680, in the 8zd year of his age. He was of fuch diftinguifhed emi- nence in painting, fculpture, ar- chite 61 ure, and mechanics, that no perfon of tafte fhould omit feeing any of his works, of which eighteen fpecimens are to be found in St. Peter’s church. f Blainville fays, he and his company had viewed St. Peter’s church above thirty times, yet they could never be tired of con- templating the incredible variety of moft charming objefts it con- tained. “ The oftener we fee it the more we are in a rapture. At every different vifit to it, nay, at every inftant, frelh beauties, new perfe6lions,difplay and offer them- felves to the eye of a curious fpeftator. All the liberal arts have been, in a manner, exhaufteJ in raifing and adorning this noble I piece.” Blainville, iii. p. 89. \ This OF ROME. 139 This fon-in-law to Auguftus Csefar dedicated this edifice either to Jupiter Uitor or the Avenger J, or to Mars and Venus, or more probably to all the gods in general, as the very name implies. But pope Bo- niface IV. in 607, confecrated this temple to the true god, by dedicating it to the holy virgin and the chriftian martyrs, with the title of Sta. Maria ad Martyres : and pope Urban VIII. adorned it with two towers in 1632, as appears by a Latin inferip- tion over the door within the edifice. However, this church is fo much changed from the ancient Pantheon, as Pliny has deferibed it, that fome have been inclined to think it was not the fame temple ; but the cavalier Fontana has abundantly fatisfied the world in this particular, and fhewn how the ancient figure and ornaments of the Pantheon have been changed into what they are at prefent. The moil remarkable difference is, that whereas they formerly afeended by twelve fteps, they now go down as many to the entrance. The outfide is entirely of Tivoli free-ftone, and within it is incrufted with marble. The form is a rotunda, without pillars or windows, whofe diameter is 142 feet and a half. It is 144 feet in height % and is afeended by a ftair-cafe of 190 fteps. Nothing is more majeftic than the portico of this church, which is fupported by fixteen columns of oriental granate, all of a piece, and of the Co- rinthian order. The diameter of moft of thefe pillars is near five feet, and the height of them thirty-feven, exclufive of the pedeftals and capitals. X Pantheon Jovi ultori ab A- grippa faaum. Pliny, lib. xxxvi. c. 15. The ftruaure, according to Fabriems, is 140 feet high, and I about the fame in breadth j but a later author has increafed the number of feet to 158. Kennet’s Antiq. p. 39.— The roof of the Pantheon is a round dome, the diameter of which is feventy-two common paces. This agrees with 144 feet, or ai8 palmi and three quarters, as it is computed by others. Some reckon the diameter within to be 132 feet, exclufivc of the wall, which is 18 feet thick, Keyfler, ii. 191. The 140 OF ROME. The colonnade is twenty feet long and twelve broad. The entrance into the church is alfo adorned with pillars, which are forty feet high ; v/ith an architrave of a fingle piece of African or granate marble ; and on the left hand, at entering this portico, is a large vafe of antique Numidian marble, or porphyry, fup- pofed by fome to have belonged to Agrippa’s baths, and by others to have been the repofitory of his afhes. The walls within are lined with marble, even up to the cornice, which fupports the roof. The light comes in only at a circular opening over the center, on the top, v/hich difperfes beautifully on the objedts below ; and this aperture is about nine feet in dia- meter. The pavement is made of large fquare ftones and porphyry, hoping all round towards the center, where the rain-w^ater falling down through the aper- ture is conveyed away by a proper drain, covered with a fcone full of holes. Eight fine altars are placed round this church,' at which are two extraordinary porphyry pillars, and fourteen of giallo and granito, above nine feet round. At one of thefe altars, dedicated to the virgin Mary, is the monument of the great Raphael Ur bin *, and near it is that of Annibal Caracci. Over Raphael’s monument (lands a marble ftatue of the virgin Mary, by Lorenzetto : and the bull of Raphael, by Nai- dini, who alfo made that of Caracci, both being done at the expence of the generous Carlo Maratti. Over the tomb of Raphael is a Latin infcription in profe, compofed by Cafay, importing, that ‘‘ Ra- phael adorned the reigns of Julius II. and Leo X. by his immortal works as a painter and architect. He lived thirty-feven years complete, wdth an un- blemifhed reputation ; and died on the 6th of April, being the anniverfary of his birth, in 1520.” Un- der it is the following elegant diftich, by cardinal Bembo ; Ille 141 OF ROME. Ille hie eft Raphael, timuit quo fofpite vInci Rerum magna parens, et moriente mori. “ Here Raphael lies, nature’s great rival late j In life his art ftie fear’d, in death her fate Under the buft of Annibal Caracci is alfo a profe Latin infeription, v/hich imports, that, as he was next to Raphael in fl therefore they deferve x particular defcription : Trajan’s Pillar. — This column is of Greciarp workmanfhip, yet of the Tufcan order. The breadth- of it is twelve feet at the lowxr end, and ten and a half at the upper end. The pedeftal is twenty- one feet. The whole breadth of the pillar is of one entire ilone, and confifts of twenty-four in number to the height, which is 120 feet from the pedeftal. The ft'aircafe leading to the top is hollov/ed out of the folid ftone, and the fteps are 1 8 6 *, but it is very light by means of forty-four apertures or windows properly difpofed The bafe of the pedeftal is cleared quite round, and is fixteen feet below the furface of die ftreet ; which fhev/s haw much the earth has gained in this part, of Rome. It very much refembles the Monument in Lon- don, but with this difference, that it is all of marble, or at leaft incrufted with it ; and on the outfide are carved the heroic exploits of the emperor Trajan, in whofe reign the Roman empire arrived to its utrnoft extent. The baffo-relievos are carried round the pillar, and form twenty-three fpiral circumvolutions from^ the bottom to the top the fubjedt of which is the expedition of Trajan againft Defebalus, king of the Dacians, and they contain near 2500 figures, but * This pillar was fet up in the middle of Trajan’s Forum, being compoled oh twenty-four great Hones of marble, but fo curioufly ce- mented, as to feem one entire natural ftone. The height was 144* feet, according to Euiropius, hb. viii. Kennett, p. 53. with OF ROME. 163 with fo little regard to perfpe6i:ive5 that thofe in the rear of a corps appear as large and as full in view as thofe in the front One may fee all over it the feveral figures of forts, bulwarks, bridges, fhips ; all manner of arms, as Ihields, helmets, targets, fwords, fpears, daggers, belts ; together with the feveral officers and employ- ments of the foldiers, fome digging trenches, or meafuring out a place for the tents, and others making a triumphal proceffion. But the nobleft or- nament of this pillar was the flatue of Trajan on the top, twenty feet high, in a military drefs, with a fceptre in his left hand, and in his right a hollow globe of gold, in which his own afhes were repo- fited after his death ; but this has been obliged to give place to a brafs gilt flatue of St. Peter, to whom this pillar was dedicated by Sixtus V f. Antonin e’s Pillar. — The column of Antoninus was raifed in imitation of that of Trajan, and the pedeflal is above the flreet. The plinth of its bafe is twenty-eight feet, its height 145 feet, the number * Vi6lura feretur Gloria Trajani : non tarn quod, Tigride vi6lo, Noftra triumphati fuerint provincia Parthi, Alta quod inveflus ftratis Capitolia Dads ; Quam patriae quod mitis erat. Claud. 4. Conf, “ Thy glory, Trajan, fhall for ever live : Not that thy arms the Tigris mourn’d, o’ercome. And tributary Parthla bow’d to Rome; Not that the Capitol receiv’d thy train, With fhouts of triumph for the Daci flain ; But for thy mildnefs to thy country fhewn.” Addifon. f There could not have been a more magnificent defign than that of Trajan’s pillar. Where could an emperor’s afties have been fo nobly lodged as in the midft of his metropolis, and on the top of fo exalted a monument, with the greateft of his adions underneath him ? Or, as fome will have it, his ftatue was on the top, his urn at the foundation, and his battles in the midft. Addifon, p. ao6.-— Eutropius fays, that Trajan’s bones were put in a golden urn, which was depo- fited under a column of 144 feet in height, ftanding in the Forum,, which he built, Hift. Rom, 1 . viii. M 2 of i64 of R O M E. of iteps in the afcent 190, and the windows in the fides hfty-fix. The fculptiire and ornaments were of the fame kind as thofe of Trajan, but the relievo not equal to it; yet the figure of Jupiter Pluvius in this of Antonine, is much admired for the fub- limity of its expreffion. On the top flood a naked coloffal figure of the emperor, as appears from fome of his coins ; but this has been fupplanted by the flatue of St. Paul. This lafl-mentioned pillar contains the afts of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus ; but by one of the in- fcriptions it appears to be dedicated to his father- in-law Antoninus Pius. However, Claudian takes notice of it in his De fexto Conf. Hon. thus tranflated by Mr. Addifon : So mild Aurelius to the gods repaid ^ The grateful vows that in his fears he made. When Latium from unnumber’d foes was freed. Nor did he then by his own force fucceed ; But with defeending Ihow’rs of brimftone fir’d. The wild barbarian in the ftorm e'tpir’d.” Arches. — Thefe were public buildings, dcfgned for the reward and encouragement of noble enter- prizes, eredled generally to the honor of fuch emi- nent perfons as either had won a vi£lory of extraor- dinary confequence abroad, or had refeued the com- monv/ealth from any confiderable danger at home. At firfl they were plain and rude flrudtures, remark- able neither for beauty or flate ; but, in latter times, no expence was thought too great in rendering them in the highefl manner fplendid and magnificent. I The mofi remarkable piece in Antonlnc’s Pillar is the figure of Jupiter Pluvius, lending down rain on the faintiug army of Marcus Aurelius, and thunder- bolts on his enemies ; which is the greateft confirmation pofiible of the fcory of the chriftian le- gion, and will be a Handing evi- dence for it, when any paffage in an old author maybe fuppofed to be forged. Addifon, p. 206.--- The noble figure of the Jupiter Pluvius is perfectly well preferved, and the fublimity of idea in that i| figure cannot be too much ad- I mired. It is to be feen in Bar- .1 toli’s edition of this pillar, p, 15. At OF ROME. 165 At this time nothing was more uiiial than to have the greateft adions of the heroes they ilood to honor curioufly exprefied, or the whole proceiTion of the triumph elegantly fculptured on the fides. The arches built by Romulus were only of brick, and that of Camillus of plain fqiiare ftone ^ but thofe of Csfar, Drufus, Titus, Trajan, Gordian, and others, were all entirely of marble. As to their figure, they were at firft femicircular, whence probably they took their names. Afterwards they were built four-iquare, with a fpacious arched gate in the middle, and little ones on each fide. Upon the vaulted part of the middle gate hung little winged images, reprefenting Vidlory, v/ith crowns in their hands, which, when they were let dcvm, they put upon the heads of the conquerors, as they pafied under in triumph The principal triumphal arches, which now reiriain, are thofe of Titus, Septimius Se- verus, and Conflantine, the laid of which is the moll magnificent and befi; preferved. Titus’s Arch. — In the way over the Campus Vac- cinus to the Capitol ftands the triumphal arch of Titus, which is a fingle arch in good condition, and has a Latin infcription, importing, that the fenate and people of Rome eredled this arch to the emperor Titus, fon of Vefpafian.” It was eredled to cele- brate his triumph over the Jews, after he had de- ftroyed Jerufalem. Within the paffage are three balTo-relievos, one over head, and one on each fide ; v/here are reprefented the river Jordan, the golden candleftick, and table of Ihew-bread, which were in the temple of Jerufalem. Arch of Severus. — This Hands near the back of the Capitol in the Campus Vaccinus, and confifts of three arches of Grecian marble. It has fultained Fabricii Roma. c. 15. M3 great i66 O F R O M E. great damage, yet ftill affords fatisfadion to a cu rious fpedlator ; and has fome Latin infcrlptions on the two fronts, which Ihew, that ‘‘ this monument was eredted by the fenate and people of Rome, to the moft excellent emperors Septimius Severus and Marcus Aurelius, in acknowledgment of the refto- ration of the fafety of the ftate, and the aggrandize- ment of the Roman empire, by their virtue and valor.” Constantine’s Arch. — The triumphal arch of Conftantine the Great ftands in the Via Appia, at the jun61:ion of the Celian and Palatine mounts. Under the main arch are two Latin infcriptions ; that on one fide fignifies, “To the deliverer of the city and that on the other fide, “ To the author of the public tranquility.” On both fides the architrave is a Latin infcription, importing, that “ the fenate and people of Rome dedicated this triumphal arch to the emperor Conftantine, becaufe through a divine im- pulfe, with a greatnefs of mind, and by force of arms, he delivered the commonwealth at once from ,the tyrant and all his fadtion.” This arch is well kept up, though the architedture of it is very indifferent. There was once on the top of this arch a triumphal chariot, drawn by eight horfes of gilt metal, taken from the arch of Trajan, which was carried off by the plundering Goths. An admirable long baflb-reiievo, which was entire, and reprefented Trajan’s vi6lory over the Dacians, was cut into four parts, to adorn this of Conftantine. Two of them are placed on the outfide, and the other two are within the great middle arch. Remarks. — Among the remains of old Rome, the grandeur of the commonwealth fhews itfelf chiefly in works that were either neceffary or con- venient, fuch as temples, highways, aqueduds, walls, and bridges of the city. On the contrary, the mag- nificence of Rome, under the emperors, was rather O F R O M E. 167 for oftentation or luxury than any real ufefulnefs or neceffity, as in baths, amphitheatres, circus’s, obe- lilks, triumphant pillars, arches, and maufoleums ; for what they added to the aqueducts was rather to fupply their baths and naumachias, and to embellifh the city with fountains, than out of any real necef- fity there was for them As to the extent of the whole city, the greateft we meet with in hiftory was in the reign of Valerian, who enlarged the walls to fuch a degree as to fur- round the fpace of fifty miles ; and the number of inhabitants in its flourifhing ftate was computed at four millions J : but at prefent the compos of the city is not above thirteen miles H ; and the num- ber of inhabitants are faid not to exceed 120,000 §. Romulus divided his little city into three tribes, and Servius Tullius added a fourth ; which divifion continued ’till the time of Auguftus. It was he firft appointed the fourteen regions or wards ♦, an account of which, with the number of ftreets, temples, baths. * Thefe feveral remains have heen fo copioufly defcribed by abundance of travellers and other writers, particularly by thofe con- cerned in the learned colleftion of Graevius, that it is very difficult to make any new difcoveries on fo beaten a fubje6f. There is, however, fo much to be obferved in fo fpacious a field of antiqui- ties, that it is aJmofl: impofiible to furvey them without taking new hints, and railing different refleilions, according as a man’s natural turn of thoughts, or the courfe of his ftudies, diredf him. Addifon, p. 176. t Vopifc. in Aureliano. J Lipfius de magnitud. Rom. j| Fabricii Roma, c. a. Ac- coiiling to Pliny, 1. iii. c. 5. the ■city walls inVefpafian’s time were 13,200 paces In circumference ; and Vopifcus, who wrote in Au- relian’s time, magnifies them to 50,000. — To walk round Rome, as it is at prefent, the circuit of the city, including all the wind- ings and angles of the walls, takes up at moft but four hours, being about thirteen fhort Italian miles. Keyfier, ii. 3. § It appears from Ciacconius’s life of Gregory XI. that in 1376 all the fouls in Rome amounted only to 33,0005 under Leo, ac- cording to Paulus Jovius, they were increafed to 85,000 5 in the tumultuous times of Clement VII, they funk again fo low as 32,000 5 but in 1709 the number of births at Romewere 3662, and thewhole number of inhabitants amounted to 138^568. M4 and i6S OF ROME. and other public buildings, may be feen in Panvinius, as follow : Region I. Porta Capena. II. Coelimontium. IIL Ills and Serapis. IV. Via Sacra, or Templum Pacis. V. Efquiiina. VI. Ada Semita. VII. Via Lata. VIII. Forum Romanum. IX. Circus Flaminius. X. Pala- tium. XL Circus Maximus. XII. Pifcina Publica. XIII. Aventinus. XIV. Tranftiberina. These fourteen regions contained the compafs of 238,459 feet; in which were contained 204 ftreets, ninety-one temples, nineteen luci, eighty ^des, fif- teen public baths, 754 private baths, ten curiae, ten bafilics, four circi, nine fora, one fhambles, five theatres, one amphitheatre, one coloflus, eight co- lumns, twenty-three porticos, fixteen arches, 327 pills, 312 barns, and 2077 grand houfes As to the gates, Romulus built only three or four, but as buildings were enlarged the gates were mul- tiplied ; fo that Pliny tells us, there were thirty-four in his time. The moll remarkable were. Porta Flu- mentana, fo called, becaufe it flood near the river ; Porta Fiamiaia, where the Flaminian way began ; Porta Carmentalis, built by Romulus, and fo called from Carmenta the prophetefs, mother of Evander ; Porta Naevia, w^hichVarro derives a nemoribus, from the woods which formerly flood near it ; Porta Sa- liana, deriving its name from the fait which the Sa- bines ufed to bring in at that gate from the fea, to fupply the city ; Porta Capena, called fo from Ca- pua, to which it led. The Tiber v/as paffed over by eight bridges, the names of which are thus fet down by Marlian ; Mil- vius, j^dius, Vaticanus, Janiculenfis, Ceflius, Fa- bricius, Palatinus, and Sublicius. Modern Rome is alfo divided into fourteen Rioni, or wards. P^ione di Borgo, in which are St. Peter’s church, the Vatican palace, the caflle of St. Angelo, the mint, the inquifition, the Cefi and Barberini gardens. o F R O M E. 169 gardens, and four churches. II. Rione di Trafte- vere, which contains the new cuftom-houfe, two palaces, three villas, nine churches, and one hofpi- tal. III. Rione di Ripa, v/here are twenty-two churches, two palaces, three villas, and forne antique buildings. IV. Rione di S. Angelo, in which are two palaces, one church, and the jev/s-quarter. V. Rione della Regola, where are four churches, three palaces, the great hofpital, and the charitable corpo- ration, or II facro monte della Pieta. VI. Rione de Parione ; in this quarter are four churches, five pa- laces, three piazzas, and Pafquin’s ftatue. VII. Ri- one di Ponte, where are fix churches, four palaces, the German college, and the bank, called Bancho del Spirito. VIII. Rione di Trevi, which contains fix churches, eight palaces, the French academy of painting, Nerva’s forum, and the temple of Mi- nerva. IX. Rione di Colonna, in which are four churches, two palaces, and fome antiques. X. Ri- one di Campo Marzo, where are feven churches, two palaces, four villas, and three piazzas. XL Rione di S. Euftachio, which has three churches, two pa- laces, and La Sapienza, or the univerfity. XII. Ri- one della Pigna, where are four churches, two pa- laces, and one college. XIII. Rione di Campi- doglio, where are ten churches, the Capitol, Villa Farnefe, and antiques. XIV. Rione di Monti, in which are twenty-nine churches, three palaces, fix villas, Trajan’s pillar, and the Ghifi gardens. It is very probable, both from the prefent ruins and palTages of ancient writers, that in moil places the walls of the modern city were the limits of the ancient, and that the entire circumference of both was nearly equal : but there is a great difference in the number of buildings on the fame ground-plot ; for the plan of modern Rome plainly fliews that one half of it is not built upon, and that thofe places on which the mofl fplendid and magnificent ftruc- tures 170 O F R O M E. tures anciently flood are now turned to gardens, fields, meadows, vineyards, and even wafle ground*. What high ideas Petrarch entertained of the grandeur of ancient Rome appear from the fol- lowing beautiful lines of that celebrated poet : Qm fu quella di imperio antica fede, Temuta in pace e triomfante in guerra. Fu ! perch’altro che il loco hor non fi vede 5 Quella che Roma fu giace, s’atterra. Quelte cui Therba copre e calca il piede Fur moli ad ciele vicine, et hor fon terra : Roma che’l mondo vinfe, al tempo cede, Che i piani inalza, e che I’altezza atterra. Roma in Roma non e ! Vulcano e Marte La grandezza di Roma a Roma han tolta j Struggendo I’opre e di natura e di arte Volio foflbpra il mondo e’n polve e volta, E fra quefte mine a terra fparte. In fe fteffa cadea morta e fepolta. The following is a new tranflation of the above f : “ The ancient feat of empire here we trace. In war victorious, dreaded ev’n in peace. Alas ! this fite is all that now we know, And what was Rome her ruins only Ihow. Thofe lofty ftruClures, which to heav’n afpIrM, Are ieveli’d with the earth, no more admir’d ; The glory of the world rude time devours. Which humble plains exalts, and throws down mighty towh'S^ Rome is no more ! deftroy’d by fire and fword. Her grandeur in her aflies is deplor’d : In fcatter’d fragments lie, in ev’ry part. The nobleft works of nature and of art. The glorious ruins her fepulchre frame ; A monument of her extinguifli’d fame.” We may conclude this fubjedt v/ith the following ingenious epigram of Janus Vitalis, another Italian poet : Quid Romam in media quaeris novus advena Roma, Et Romse in Roma nil reperis media ? Afpice murorum moles, praeruptaque faxa, Obrutaque horrenti valla theatra fitu. * It is generally obierved, that modern Rome Hands higher than the ancient j fome have computed it about fourteen or fifteen feet, taking one place with another. The leafon given for it is, that the prefent city Hands upon the ruins of the former. Addifon, p. 175. f There is a poor tranflation of the fame lines in Keyfler, vol.ii. p.7. 171 From ROME to NAPLES. Hsec funt Roma ; viden' velut ipfa cadavera tantse Urbis adhuc fpirent imperiofa minas ? Vicit ut haec mundum, nifa eft fe vincere ; vicit, A fe non vi6lum ne quid in orbe foret. Hinc vi6la in Roma vi6lrix Roma ilia fepulta eft, Atque eadem vi6lrix vi6laque Roma fuit, Albula Romani reftat nunc nominis index, Qui quoque nunc rapidis fertur in aequor aquis. Difce hinc quid poftit fortuna ; immota iabafcunt, Et quae perpetuo funt agitata, manent * Thofe who would be further informed about ancient Rome may confult Plutarch in the life of Romulus. Livy, lib. i. Rofinus’s anti- quities. Polybius, lib. i. Floras, lib. i. c. 3, 7. Kennett’s antiquities, p. z, St. Evremont’s reflexions on the genius of the Roman people. Madrian’s difcourfes on Livy, lib. ii. c. iz. Paruta’s difcourfes, p. 59. Yet this once glorious city was the native country of the Brati, Publicolae, Camilli, Cofli, Papirii, Cincinnati, Curii, Fabricii, Decii, Fabii, Scipiones, Catones, Marcelli, Metelli, Luculli, Crafli, Pom-4 peys, and Caefars. Blainville, ii. 323. CHAP. IV. FROM ROME TO THE Frontier of the Kingdom of NAPLES. O U R travellers fet out from Rome for Naples on the 25th of March, 1753, intending to return to Rome, and finifli their inquiry into its other curiohties f. From the gate of St. John La- teran they paffed over the Campagna di Roma for about twelve miles, and arrived at a place called St. Marino, which town belongs to the prince Co- f The gates of Rome are never fhut j fo that at any hour, by day or night, a traveller may come in, or go out of, the city without any difficulty. Keyfler, v. ii, p. 336. lonna, 172 From ROME to NAPLES. ionna, who has a handfome palace or caftle here. In the great church is a famous piece painted by Guercino : it is the flaying of St. Bartholomew, and is efteemed one of the fineft colored pidlures in the world nearefl: to flefli and blood. The fame night they came to Velletri, which is three pofbs or fliages from Rome. This part of the country is very plea- i^nt, and the road leads through feveral fine woods, which abound with game. Velletri. — This town was anciently called Bel- letri, and was then celebrated for the excellency of its wine * *, but at prefent the cafe is very different. It is pleafantly fituated on an eminence, and the in- habitants fay that Auguflus Csefar was born here : it is certain that the family of this emperor was of Velletri, and that he himfelf was educated in its neighbourhood The only palace now in Velletri is that which for- merly belonged to the family of Ginetti, and was built by a cardinal of that name, from a defign of Lunghi, a famous archited : but it now belongs to prince Lancellotti. The great flaircafe is built with white marble, and is fo magnificent and well con- trived, that it is reputed the finefl in all Italy. In the apartments are a grand colle6lion of fine ftatues, buflos, baflb-relievos, and paintings. The gardens are extremely well laid out, and afford a beautiful profpect. The market-place is very fpacious, in the middle of which is the flatue of Urban VIII. in bronze, executed by Bernini. This pope was of the Bar- barini family, and is reprefented in the pontifical habit pronouncing the benedidtion. It flands on a marble pedeftal, and v/as eredted in 1637. Velletri is an epifcopal fee, and has feveral fine fountains, which bear the marks of great antiquity. * Pliny, 1. xiv. c. 6. f Dio Caflius, 1. Iv. It From ROME to NAPLES. 1^3 It was on the eminencies in the neighbourhood of Veiletri that the combined army of Spaniards and Neapolitans pofted themfelves in an advantageous camp in May, 1744; and the Auftrian army feized upon the rifing grounds oppofite to the confederate camp. His Sicilian majefty, the duke of Modena, and count de Gages, were at the head of the com- bined army •, and the Auftrians were commanded by Prince Lobkowitz*. They frequently cannonaded each other, and the Auftrians cut off the communi- cation of the confederate troops with their water ; but the patience of his Sicilian majefty overcame this fatal obftacle, an engineer having difcovered in the very camp a fpring, which revived their fpirits, and for which the king rewarded the difcoverer with 3000 ducats. At laft, prince Lobkowitz refolved to attack the confederates in their camp, and furprife the town of Veiletri, where their head-quarters were. Night being come, on the loth of Auguft, the Auftrian general divided his army into three bodies, with which he intended to furround Veiletri, and carry off his Sicilian m.ajefty and the duke of Modena. Count Brov/n and general Lynden advanced privately to Veiletri, to execute thefe orders -f. They marched foftly by the vineyards, advancing round the moun- tains towards the fea, eroding the ancient way called Via Appia. Their march was fo fuccefsful, that they arrived v/ithout any difficulty before the camp v/hich w^as occupied by the great guard of the con- * Both " armies continued to complete their works on the emi- nencies, where each party ap- peared refoJutely detei-mined to employ their utraoft efforts in diftrelling and annoying the other ; though they came to no material a6Uon for a conliderable time. Rolt’s hiftory of the general war, vol. iii. p. 329. f Their detachment confided of fix battalions, fix companies of grenadiers, and looo Sclavo- nians, with two regiments of dra- goons, and one of hufiars. Two falfe attacks were made at the fame time by the generals Platz and Andreali, to ainufe the con- federates, while the principal at- tack was carrying on. Ibid, p. 3 30. federate 174 From ROME to NAPLES. federate troops J. The Auftrians immediately began a general fire, obliged the enemy to retire, and foon appeared before the fouthern gate of Velletri, called the Gate of Naples ; where, after forcing it, as likewife the guard, they advanced into the town, cutting to pieces all who made the leafi; refiftance, taking a great number of prifoners, and burning feveral houfes and magazines. Count Brown ad- vanced immediately to the palace of Ginetti, where his Sicilian majefliy and the duke of Modena had taken their apartments, who had both fallen into the hands of the Auftrian general, only for the eagernefs of the Sclavonians in plundering for w'hile they were pillaging the houfe of the Marquis de V Flof- pital, the French embafiador, that nobleman had time to awaken the king and the duke, who found an opportunity of elcaping through the gar- dens to the village Juliano, juft before their apart- ments were entirely furrounded. The’ fire and the noife rouzed the reft of the combined forces, who withdrew precipitantly to the tops of houfes and to the palace of Ginetti, where theypofted feme troops f, Y/ho made a prodigious fire on the aflailants. The Auftrians in Velletri feizedon all the baggage, plate, and furniture, of his Sicilian majefty, the duke ojf Modena, the French embafiador, and feveral other noblemen and officers of diftindion ; an immenfe booty, with which they retired * ^ and in their re- J This guard was compofed of four regiments of Spanifh horfe, a regiment of Neapolitan dra- goons, and an Irifn brigade in the fervice of Spain, amongwhom great havoc was made, which obliged them to retire with confi- derablc lofs, and in the utmoft confternatlon, by different ways, to the main body of the army. Rolt’s liiftory of the general war, p. 331. f Thefe were a body of ca- rabineers and grenadiers, which were augmented by two battalions of the Walloon guards, who had entered the town. Ibid. p. 332. * Count Brown was convinced of the efcape of his Sicilian ma- jefty and the duke of Modena, and that thefe princes were re- turning, with count de Gages, and a ftrong reinforcement, to prevent his retreat from Velletri, treat From ROME to NAPLES. 175 treat burnt all the tents of the confederate camp behind Velletri 'f*. The Spaniards had 3500 men killed or wounded, and 1200 taken prifoners. They alfo loft twelve ftandards, and 3000 horfes. The Auftrians loft about 600 men killed and wounded, and 300 taken prifoners. Such was the famous adlion at Velletri, in the year 1744; at which one of our travellers was prefent, and had a principal fhare in the direction of the Auftrian artillery, during the whole engage- ment. Sermon ETA. -—On the 26th, at noon, our tra- vellers came to Sermoneta, which lies in a marlhy unhealthful foil. In their way they pafled by a place called the Three Taverns, where they fay St. Paul was met by his friends as he was coming to Rome J. Sermoneta abounds in fulphur, which renders a very difagreeable fmell ; but in other refpedts it is pleafant enough, being fituated on an eminence, amidft woods abounding with game and buffaloes. Set I A. — About five miles from hence is fituated the town of Setia, upon a hill. It was once the ca- pital of the Volfcians, and famous for its wine \ which is now very indifferent. The road runs along between the foot of the mountains and the great marfh called Palus Pomp- tina, which was formerly covered with villages, as The Auftrian general Immediately lent this intelligence to prince Lobkowitz, general Platz, and ge- neral Andreafi j informing them, that he was preparing to retire, with his booty and prifoners. Rolt’s hiftory of the general war, P- 333- f After this the Auftrian de- tachments united, and were fup- ported by a large body- of huflars, who fecured their retreat, which, was effected by little interruption 5 and the Auftrian generals returned to their camp, having brought in all their booty, together with their prifoners. Ibid. J A6ls of the apoftles, chap, xxviii. * Martial, lib. x. ep. 74 j lib. xiii. ep. 112. lyS 'Prom ROME to NAPLES. the Appian Way led through it §. Beyond Cafa Nuovo the road bears to the left into a delightful valley, full of olive plantations, from whence is a continual afcent to Piperno, where our travellers ar- rived at night. Piperno. — This town is featedupon an eminence, and was the ancient Pivernum, a city of the Vol- fcians. The road is rough, and the town not com- modious for travellers. From Piperno the road lies through a large wood of cork-trees, which is a kind of ever-green oak. They entered upon the Appian Way -f, which came out of the Pomptine marfh at an old Gothic tower, three miles before they came to Terracina where they arrived on the 27th at noon. ’ Terracina. — This town alfo lies on a hill, and is the laid in the papal dominions. It was anciently the Port Anxur, but at prefent it is a poor place, and badly inhabited ; yet it is an epifcopal fee. On the outiide of the great church are to be feen the ruins of a temple dedicated to Jupiter, confiding of a piece of a column and frieze ; a fpecimen of ex- cellent workmanfhip. There are the ruins of the haven of Antoninus Pius, from whence is a fine view of the fea to the right, which is near the road. Lucan has defcribed the very road from Anxur to Rome, that Horace took from Rome to Anxur. § The name of this country, in Pliny’s time, was Palus Ponip- tina j but, inftead of twenty-three towns which ftood there in his time, only a few hcufes fcattered through the country are now to be feen. PUn. hift. nat. lib. iii. c- 5* ■f Before we came to Terra- clna, we entered on- the Appian Way. We faw it continued along % marlhy ground on our right hand, which would' have been a nearer way than what y^re had come j but it is now unpalfable, by reafon of the condition of the marllies. Though in fome places 't be much broken, and the tra- velling over it very bad, in others it is wonderfully well prel'erved, notwithftanding it be computed to be nearaoooyears old. Wrigh^ P-135- It From ROME to NAPLES. 177 It is ‘not, indeed, the ordinary way at prefent, nor is it marked out by the fame places in both poets f. The country in this neighbourhood, excepting fome morafles, is very fruitful, and produces good wines. It exhibits feveral delightful gardens, and is interfperfed with little groves of orange-trees, which grow in the open fields. Beyond Terracina are to be feen the ruins of the temple of Janus *, the palaces of Julius C^far, Adrian j and other re- mains of antiquity. The fame night, our travellers came to Fondi, the firft town in the kingdom of Naples ; where they fiiewed their pafiTes, which they were obliged to get when they departed from Rome X Anxur was planted on the mountain where we now fee Terra- cina 5 and, by reafon of the breezes that came off the fea, and the height of its fituation, was one of the fummer retirements of the ancient Romans. O nemus, O fontes ! folidumque madentis arenge Littus, et gequoreis fplendidus Anxur aquis ! Mart. I. X, Ye warbling fountains, and ye fnady trees. Where Anxur feels the cool refrelhing breeze Blown off the fea ; and all the dewy llrand Lies covered with a fmooth unfinking fand. Addifon, p. 1 17. 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 j and in returning from Naples to Rome another pafs-port muft be pro- cured. Keyfler, ii, p. 340. ) N BOOK f i:-' BOOK III. The kingdom of NAPLES. CHAP. I. The Situation, Extent, Revenue, Power, and Government, of this Kingdom. ^ ^ H E kingdom of Naples is the fouth-eaft § part of Italy, bounded by the Adriatic fea -S- on the north-eaft, by the Ionian fea on the fouth-eafb, by the Tiifcan fea on the fouth-v/eft, and by the pope’s dominions on the north-weft. The extent is 240 miles in length from the north- weft to the fouth-eaft ; 1 60 in breadth where broadeft, and 80 in the narrowed: part. It is ufually divided into four large provinces, called Terra di Lavora, Ab- ruzzo, Apulia, and Calabria ft. The revenues of the crown amount to about a million fterling yearly, arifing from a compofition of the nobility and gentry for certain fums, in lieu of their perfonal fervices, from a duty on houfes, and almoft a general excife. The crown claims a power of taxing the nobility and gentry, and raifing what forces the court thinks neceftary ; but the clergy are not taxed, as they grant a free-gift, which is pro- portionable to the taxes of the laity at leaft. f It contama the old Samnium, Campania, Apulia, Lucaaia;» and Brutium, with a little of Latium. Eehard, p. 39. N 2 The i8o The KINGDOM of NAPLES. The dignified clergy and nobility of this kingdom are fo numerous as to be computed at twenty-five archbifhops, 125 bifhops, 300 princes, dukes,, mar- quiffes, and earis. The clergy poiTefs one third of the kingdom ; the crown, the nobility, and gentry,, the reft : but the peafants have fcarce any thing they can call their own, being fubje6bs and vaftals to their refpe6live lords, who are like fovereigns wherever they are proprietors of the foil. As the nobility and gentry hold their lands by military tenures, they have a numerous militia •, but thefe are feldom called out, for the king ufually maintains 15,000 regular troops in time of peace, and can raife more than double that number in time of war. The king has a fleet of armed gallies,. and a few men of v/ar, but unworthy the name of a fleet. This country abounds with all kinds of grain, fruit, herbage, flax, and wine in the higheft per- fe6fion. It alfo produces alum, vitriol, fulphur, rock-chryftal, marble, and feveral forts of minerals. The v/ool is excellent, both for ftrength and flnenefs. Silk is produced in fuch plenty, that vaft quantities of it are annually exported. Here are to be feen fome of the fineft herds and flecks in the world •, and Neapolitan horfes are highly efteemed throughout ail Europe. Calabria is famous for its manna, and produces good faffron, xV^hich grows alfo in other parts of the kingdom. Though they abound in fiik, that manufaefure is not great, as they fend moft of it abroad unwrought. Befides, all the merchandize of this rich foil is carried abroad in foreign fhipping, becaufe they have few merchants or fhips of their own, the proprietors of the lands felling' the produce of their refpedive eftates to foreigners. Many of the natives are of Spanifli extra6fion, which induces them to- follow the' Spanifh modes, and .uh themfelves in black. Before The kingdom of NAPLES. i8i Before the eftablifhment of the Roman republic In Italy, that part of it now called Naples confifted of many independent towns, principally inhabited by Grecian colonies, which were all gradually fub- dued by the Romans : and the Carthaginians, who had made fome fettlements there, being afterwards expelled Sicily, that ifland was alfo fubdued, and became a .Roman province. But, on the decline of -that empire, in the fifth century, the eaflern emperor poflefTed himfelf of one part of Naples, and the Goths of the other. The Lombards dirpoffelTed the Goths of t^heir part, and remained mafters of it until they were expelled by Charlemagne, about the year 800. The Saracens fubdued a great part of Naples in the ninth and tenth centuries ; but they were driven out again by the pope, with the af- liilance of other chriftian powers : in which fervice Tancred the Norman, and his twelve fons, had fo principal a fhare, that great part of this king- dom was given them by the pope. Robert, the fon of Tancred, was created duke of Apulia and Ca- labria, by the German emperor ; and Roger, the fon of Robert, was made king of the Tv/o Sicilies, comprifing Naples and Sicily. The heirs of Tancred enjoyed this crown to the year 1166, when they difobliged the pope, who introduced the earl of Anjou and the French, and his pofferity were kings of Naples and Sicily until they were difoofleffed by the Spaniards in 1 504 f. The kings or Spain con- tinued fovereigns of Naples to 1707, when the Spaniards were expelled from thence by the Impe-' f Frederick, emperor of Germany, was crowned king of Naples by pope lionorius III. in 1218 5 and john, delcended from Baldwin, king of Jerufalem, gave one of his daughters in marriage to that emperor, and the title of that kingdom in dower with her , and from that time, whoever is king of Naples has that title annexed. Ma- chiavel’s hiftory of Florence, p. 12. N3 rialids. i82 The KINGDOM of NAPLES. rialifts, and Naples was confirmed to the emperor Charles VI. by the treaty of Utrecht, in 1713. Upon the breaking out of the war, on account of the Polifh ele6lion in 1733, France, Spain, and Sar- dinia, united againft the emperor, which entirely changed the face of affairs in Italy. The king of Spain had obtained all he could pretend to in right of his queen, and began to revive the claims which he renounced in right of his crown. While the French and Piedmontefe attacked the Imperialifts in theMilanefe, the infant Don Carlos, the king of Spain’s fecond fon-f, in March 1734, penetrated through the Ecclefiaftical dominions with a Spanifh army, commanded under him by the count de Montemar, and arrived on the frontiers of the kingdom of Naples. The count de Vifconti was then viceroy for the emperor, whofe troops were defeated at Bitonto. Don Carlos, duke of Parma and Placentia, and he- reditary grand prince of Tufcany, became king of the Two Sicilies, in virtue of the ceffion made to him of his father’s rights ; which rights, however, he had renounced in favor of the emperor. The new king conflituted the duke de Montemar viceroy of Sicily, v/ho foon conquered that ifiand ; and Don Carlos was crowned at Palermo, as he had been at Naples where he after^vards kept his refidence. In 1738 he married Mary Emilia Chriftina, daughter of Augufcus III, king of Poland, by whom he had a numerous iffue Upon ■f He was Ton of Philip V. king | of Spain, by his fecond wife the j princefs Elizabeth Farnefe, niece and heircfs to the late diike of Parma. He was born the zoth of January, 1716, and was crowned king of the Two Sicilies in July, 1735- J Don Carlos fucceeded to the crown of Spain, on the death of his brother-in-law Ferdinand VI. J in 1759. eldell fon Don Phi- I lip was then thirteen years of age, I and was formally deprived of the I fuc ceffion to the crown of the Two I Sicilies by an aft of abdication J and fettlemcnt, dated at Naples, I Oft. 6, 1759, fgned by his » father, in favor of his third fon, I and in prejudice to the natural I right of the elder. It was thereby « declared, That, according to the The kingdom of NAPLES. 183 Upok the whole, the kingdoms of which this prince is pofieffed are in themfelves as rich, fruitful, and happily fituated, as even the moil ambitious mo- narch could defire. They abound, not only with all the neceffaries of life, but with a variety of ufeful commodities that might ferve the purpofes of an ex- tenfive commerce, for which both kingdoms were formerly famous, and for the carrying on of which they are furnifhed with capacious and convenient ports. His fubje6ls are numerous, and might be rendered induftrious *, but the prerogatives of the crown are of fuch a nature, the authority of the nobility over their vaffals fo exorbitant, and, above all, the power and property of the clergy fo ex- cefTive, that there are hardly any countries where the generality of the people are more difTolute in their morals, or more wretched in their circumflances : which is the true reafon that, in the midfl of fo many natural advantages, the crown of the Two Sicilies is regarded in fo uninterefting a light, con- firmed by that impunity with which both its com- merce and coafts are infulted by the corfairs of Barbary. the fpirit of the treaties of 'this age, Europe required that the fo- vereignty of Spain fliould be fe- parated from that of Italy, when it could be effected without tanf- grefling the rules of juftice ; That the prince royal had neither the .principles of reafon, reflection, or judgment ; and, as he had been in that ftate ever fince his infancy, he was not only incapable of any a6l of religion or reafon, but there was not even the leaft lhadow of hope that he could ever acquire 3 the ufe of his 'faculties.” For thefe reafons the king his father, before his departure for Spain, conferred the fucceflion of the crown of the Two Sicilies on his third fon Don Ferdinand, who was born the izth of January, 1751, and was thereby conftituted king of the Two Sicilies, with a regency to a6l during his mino- rity, which was to expire at the age of fixteen ; and the crown was limited to the male de- fcendants. N4 C H A P, 1 84 From TERR AC I NA TO NAPLES. CHAP. II. FROM THE TOWN OF terracina TO THE CITY OF NAPLES. T here is a fine foreft of bay-trees, and an open gate through an old wall called Porticillo between Terracina and Fondi, which is the boundary between the Ecclefiaftical ftate and the Neapolitan territories. Fondi is a poor town, in a marfhy, iinwholefome fituation *, but as the Appian Way goes all along it, care is taken to keep the ftreets of the town well paved. It was burnt by the famous Barbarofifa, who ranfacked the place, and carried away the principal inhabitants as ilaves to Algiers. On the 28th of March, at noon, our travellers arrived at Mola, about eight miles from Fondi, through a good road, between fine hills covered with * After travelling fometlme, partly on level, and partly on rifing grounds, we came at laft to an old wall, fortified with a no lefs ancient tower, which divides the pope’s dominions from the kingdom of Naples. The place where it Hands is not more than three miles from Terracina, and called Portello. Wehcrefee a large fquare pile, with a piece of marble fixed in it, containing a Latin infeription, which implies to the I traveller, that “ Here are the boundaries of the kingdom of Naples ; that, if you come as a j friend, you will find every thing to your mind in this country ; all bad cuftoms being abolilhed, and ; good laws efcabliflied, under the reign of the Catholic monarch ' Philip II. and the adminiftration i ’ of the duke of Alcala, viceroy of Naples, in 1568.” Blainville, I vol. iii. p. 215. Wright, p. 136. olive- From TERRAGINA to NAPLES. 185 olive-trees. Their baggage v/as fearched at this place, which is fuppofed to be the ancient Formic in Campania ; though it is now of little confequence^ It is fituated near the fea, where is a cuftom-houfe, and a beautiful garden. The ruins of a palace are to be feen in this neighbourhood, which is faid to have belonged to Cicero, who was murdered as he went from hence by Popilius Ljena. The port be- tween Formiae and Cajeta has been always underftood for that into which Homer brings Ulyffes and his friends, where they were affrighted with the gi- gantic Laeftrygons f . Opposit'E Mola lies the town of Gaeta, the fortrefs of which is about three miles from Mola, and by water is an hour’s paffage ; fo that many travellers go over the gulph to vifit that place, which was for- merly called Cajeta, who, as Virgil tells us, died and was buried here J. This town is fituated on a rock, which on the fea-fide feems inacceffible. It has fome tolerable buildings, particularly the ca- thedral, in which are fome good paintings, and the Iteeple is reckoned a great curiohty : befides, they here fhew a pillar, which they pretend belonged to ■}- OdyC X.— Mola is a very middling town, ralfed on the ruins of the ancient Formiae, fituated on the fea-lhore, and in a very plea- fant country, both for fertility and the temperature of the air j which happy fituation has often been celebrated by the poets of old, parti- cularly Martial. ---We are told by ancient authors, that Scipio Afri- canus refided at this Formianum, as Cicero calls it in his letters to Atticns. J Tu quoque litoribus noftris, ^EneVa nutrix, u 5 )ternam moriens famam, Cajeta, dedifti. And thou, O matron of immortal fame ! Here, dying, to the fhore haft left thy name : Cajeta ftill the place is called from thee, The nurfe of great j^neas’ infancy. Dryden. His Sicilian majefty put his queen here for fafety before he joined his army at Velletri, in March 1744-, when the Auftrian general pub- liftied a manifefto to induce the Neapolitans to revolt. Rolt’s hiftory of the war, vol. ill. p. 321. the i86 From TERRACINA to NAPLES. >the temple of Solomon. Clofe to the town is a high hill, on which ftands a caftle called Rowland’s*, formerly a temple. At the back of the town, towards the fea, is a large rock of marble, which was fplit by an earthquake, and, as they would have you believe, at the time of the crucifixion of our Saviour. You can walk through the divifion of the rock, at the end of which they have built a chapel f. At the fort they Ihew an effigy of Charles, duke of Bourbon, who was fhot in ftorming Rome in 1527. His body was embalmed, and fent to Gaeta, where, by the generofity of the count de Prampero, this monument was repaired in 1715. In the great church is an ancient vafe, with a bafs- relief of a bacchanalian and an infcription, intk mating that Salpion, the Athenian, was the fculptor. At the great altar is the martyrdom of St. Erafmus, finely painted by Paul Seracene, of the fchool of P. Veronefe j and another piece by Luca Holland. On leaving Mola they paffed the river Garigliano, anciently called the Liris, which was the boundary of Latium. It was on the banks of this river that Pyrrhus, king of Epirus, gained his firft vidlory over the Romans, in the year of Rome 473. They faw a great number of buffaloes here, and then quitted the Appian Way. About eight miles from Mola are the ruins of the* ancient Minturnas, where ftill remains part of an old amphitheatre and aqiie- du6l. At night they came to the Hoflieria of St. Agatha, near Sezza, which was one of the chief * On a fortifjed eminence is to be feen Rolando’s tower, or rather •an ancient mraifoleum of Lucius MiraitiusPiancus. Keyfl, v.ii. p.34.2. f On the Monte della Trinita the Benedictines have a church, near which is to be feen a rock, w'ith a large cleft, reaching from the fum- mit of it down to the bottom of the lea ; but whether this difruption of the rock happened miraculouliy at the time of our Saviour’s paflion is another opidtion. Ibid. p. 34.3. towns From TERRACINA to NAPLES. 187 towns of the ancient Volfci, after they were expelled the other of that name by Tarquin I. On the 29th, they came to the town of New Capua, fituated on the river Vulturnus famous for the rapidity of its current, as that of Liris was for its gentlenefs. The city now called Capua is not the celebrated one of that name among the Romans, but is built out of its ruins, about two miles diftant from it, which is well worth going out of the road to fee, as there are feveral venerable ruins of ancient temples, and other fine pieces of architecture, which give the fpeClator fome idea of that haughty city -f, reckoned the greateft in thofe ages next to Rome and Carthage ; but the principal remains are an arch, which was one of its entrances, and a great part of an amphitheatre. It was fituated in one of the finefl countries in the world, and defervedly called Campania Felice, the moil fertile and delicious fpot in all Italy. Modern Capua is now a fmall town, fortified with a rampart, and makes but a very indifferent appearance. The flreets are narrow, dirty, ill paved, and thin of people j. There is but one inn in the * Vulturnufque rapax. Claud. Vulturnufque celer. Luc. 1 . ii. 28. — Flufluque fonorum Vulturnum — Sil. Ital. 1 . viii. The rough Vulturnus, furious In its courfe. With rapid ftreams divides the fruitful grounds. And from afar in hollov/ murmurs founds. Add. p. 117. f It was the ancient Capua which enervated Hannibal’s army after the battle of Cannae. In primis Capua, heu ! rebus fervare fecundls Inconfulta modum, et pravo peritura tumore. Sil. Ital. l.viii. But chiefly Capua, Capua, doom’d, alas ! By her own pride and infolence to fall. Add. p. 120. J Had old Capua been in no better condition, and not more alluring than the prefent, Rome muft have been undone ; for Hannibal would not have been invited by luxury and a multiplicity of pleafures to make any flay here, nor would his army have been intoxicated and foftened by its delights. Blainvilie, iii. 222. town, 1 88 From TERRACINA to NAPLES. town, and that a very forry one ; yet it was made an archiepifcopal fee by pope John XIII. No city in Italy, Rome excepted, contains a greater number of ancient infcriptions, and which were undoubtedly brought here from the old city. A ftatue of King Charles II. of Spain, is ereded in the market-place, with a long infcription under it, full of adulation. The archbifhop’s palace, and the town-houfe, are fine buildings. The cathedral is chiefly remarkable for containing feveral beautiful paintings by Solomini, the Neapolitan The font is a farcophagus of verd antique ; and in the fubterraneum of the church is a dead Chriflr, in white marble, which is an excellent piece of workmanfhip. The Dominican church is alfo remarkable for fome good pidures. The cieling in the church of the Novinciata is painted by Han- nibal Caracci, but not of his befl manner ^ and there are fome pieces by Solomini. The diflance from New Capua to Naples is fixteen miles, half-way between which is a fmall city called Averfa, fweetly fituated. It was formerly inhabited by the Ofei, and called Attella ; but received its prefent name from the Normans, who fettled there, with a ftrong averfion to the Capuans. It is an epif- copal fee, and holds only of the pope. The only things remarkable in it are the church of the An- nonciada, and the great hofpital. The town is fur- rounded with an old wall, and, in proportion, feems more populous than Capua. Its vino afprino is de- licious, and its macaroni are highly efleemed. The whole face of the country between Capua and Averfa is equally, and in the highefl degree fruit- ful and pleafant. It abounds in all things neceffary * F. Solimea, commonly called Solyminl, was efteemed the com- pleted mailer In Italy. He painted in 1689, and was efteemed the completed mafter in Italy in 1721, Wright, p. 151. to From TERRACINA to NAP|LES. 189 to life, and even to luxury •, as wood, corn, wines, fruits, and garden-ftuff of every kind, and of a de- licious tafte. No wonder, therefore, that the old Romans were fo much enamored with Campania Felix, where we fee, among many other pleafing objeds, trees loaded with fruits and grapes ; parti- cularly mulberry-trees, whofe leaves are the natural food of filk-worms, which breed and thrive here to admiration. The pafture and arable lands are beauti- ful and rich ; fo that the antients might well call it, by way of eminence, Campi Stellati As they ad- vanced towards Naples, they found the road more and more beautiful, ’till they entered that metropolis by theCapuan gate-f, on the 29th at night at night. Lucius Florus, lib.i. c.i6, has given a moil agree- able account of the whole Campania, which he fays is the moft beautiful region, not only of Italy, but even of the whole world : “ Nothing more mild and gentle than its air ; it blooms with flowers twice a year ; nothing more fertile than its foil, where Ceres and Bacchus contend for vidory ; nothing more hof- pitable than its fhores ; here are thofe noble harbors, Cajeta, Mifenus, and Baiae fteaming with its hot baths, and the bays of Lucrinus and Averniis ; here are mountains cloathed with vines, Gaurus, Faler- nus, MafTicus, and Vefuvius •, here are maritime cities, Formias, Cumse, Puteoli, Naples, Hercuia- * The road from Capua to Na- ples 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 infe- rior 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 diverfified with corn- fields, gardens, and vineyards ; and the vines climbing up the lofty trees, interwoven witli their i I luxuriant branches, form a kind^ of natural feftoons. Keyil. ii.348. f Mr. Addifon, p. 115, fays the greateft pleafure he took in his journey from Rome to Naples was in feeing the fields, towns, and rivers, that have been de- fcribed by ib many clalTic authors, I and have been the Iceaes of fo I many great adlions ; for the whole road is extremely barren of cu- I riofities. neum 190 DESCRIPTION of NAPLES. neum Pompeii, and Capua, the head of all, for- merly ranked with Rome and Carthage in reckoning up the three greatefl; cities.” CHAP. III. A General Description of the CITY of NAPLES; ITS Situation, Extent, Divisions, and Strength ^ With fome REMARKS. T his metropolis lies in 1 5 degrees of eall lon- gitude, and 41 degrees 20 minutes of north latitude. It is a noble city, with fine outlets, and makes a beautiful appearance towards the fea. It is very extenfive and populous : fome reckon the num- ber of inhabitants to be near 700,000 ; others fay but half that number, which is the bell account. The walls are moftly faced with a hard black ftone, called Piperno, and are eighteen miles in circuit ; but there are near twenty fuburbs included. It is moft delightfully fituated on one of the fineft and moil fpacious bays in the world, being near 100 miles in circumference*. It * Before we come to the de- Ibription of this city, it may not be improper to make fome preli- minary obfervations concerning its origin and hiftory. If we may credit Diodorus Siculus, Hercules was the true founder of Naples j which was likewife the notion of Oppian. Others fay it was built by the Phoceans j and others again, by Ulyfles, who named it Parthenopc. It was called Ne- apolis, or the New City, to di- ftinguifli it from the remains of the old one, lltuated on the neigh- bouring hill, and called Paixpo- lis, or the Old Town. It is very probable that Naples exifted many centuries before Rome itfelf, fince Ovid aflerts that ./^neas failed in fight description of NAPLES. 191 It is obferved of this city, that though Rome and Florence may excel it in the magnificence of their churches, palaces, and other public edifices, yet their ftreets and private houfes are generally mean and contemptible, if compared to thofe of Naples, where the buildings are more uniform and regular, and al~ mofl all the houfes built in a grand manner-, the ftreets long, ftrait, fpacious, and very well paved,, with ftones a foot and a half fquare, picked with a tool to prevent the horfes from flipping. The ftreet named Toledo excels moft in Europe for its length and breadth. The tops of the houfes are flat, co- vered with a hard dry plaifter ; and fome are fur- rounded with ballufters, whereon the inhabitants walk in the fummer evenings to enjoy the benefit oF the refrefhing breezes.. The city is built on the gradual afcent of a hill, refembling an half-moon, with the fine bay before it, which fituation is one of the moft pleafant that can be imagined. To the eaft of it is the plain leading to Vefuvius, and the burning mountain itfelf to the weft, the hill whereon the caftle of St. Eraf- mus ftands ; the Tyrrhenean fea, to the fouth, forms the gulph which wafhes it and to the north are a great number of fruitful and agreeable hills, which entirely fhelter it from the north winds Another confiderable ornament of this city is its many fquares, moft of which are embel- liftied fight of Paithenope in his way to i eonfult the Cumaean fybil. It j was originally of an oval figure, and enlarged at feveral times by the emperors Auguftus, Adrian, and Conftantine j afterwards by Belifarius, pope Innocent IV. Charles I.and II. and Ferdinand, kings of Naples ; and laftly under the empire of Charles V. by his | viceroy Don Pedro, of Toledo, | in 1537, I * The bay of Naples is cal- led the Crater by the old geogra- phers, probably from this its re- femblance to a round bowl half filled with liquor. Perhaps Vir- gil, who compofed here a great* part of his Alneids, took from hence the plan of that beautiful harbor which he has made in his firft book j for the Lybian port is but the Neapolitan bay in minia- ture. Addifon, p. 125. ESi 192 DESCRIPTION of NAPLES. lifhed v/ith magnificent fountains ; but the fineft is that of Medina, oppofite the new caftle ; the upper bafon is fupported by three Graces, and on the top Hands a fuperb Neptune, attended by feveral other figures, all ejeding water, which makes a very grand appearance. The fountain in St. Lucia is by Gio- vanni di Nola; and that in the ftreet adjacent is by Cofmo Fanfego. Both are of an elegant architedlure, and adorned by good pieces of fculpture. A fine aquedu6l fupplies the city with water from the foot of mount Veluvius. The place which was formerly the greateft refervoir of thefe waters is, at prefent, known by the name of Seggio di Nilo ; where is an antique ftatue of the river Nile, reprefented under the figure of an old man fitting on a crocodile, with boys playing about him : but it appears by the in„ Eft in feceftii longo locus ; infula portum,(Sff. iEn.i. v.163. Thus tranflated by Mr. Dryden : Within a long recefs there lies a bay j An ifland ftiades it from the rolling fea, And forms a port fecure for fliips to ride. Broke by the jutting land on either fide^ In double ftreams the briny waters glide Between two rows of rocks : a fylvan fcene Appears above, and groves for ever green.” The gulph is confined by the two promontories of Mifenum and Minerva. According to the moft exafl calculations, the whole city, without the walls, is nine miles in circumference ; and, in- cluding the feven fuburbs, about eighteen. The names of thefe fuburbs are Di S. Maria de Lo- reto, Di S. Antonio Abbate, Di 5 . Maria delle Vergini, Di. S. Maria della Stella, Di Gleufu Marla, Di S. Maria del Monte, and Di S. Lionardo, or Chlaja. Blainville, ili. 231. One of the pleafanteft parts of the city is the fuburb commonly called Chiala, but more properly Piaggla, or the Strand, from its proximity to the fea-ftiore. The coolnefs of the air, the agreeablenefs of the pro- fpeft, the extent of the area, and the freedom from dull:, make it the evening refort of the quality j fo that it is no uncommon thing to fee fome hundreds of coaches here ; but on thefe occafions per- fons of different fexes never ride together In the fame coach. No- thing 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 beau- tiful flowers. Keyfl, li. 377. fcription DESCRIPTION OF NAPLES. 193 fcription chat the head is modern. The ftatue of Jupiter Terminalis is another antique, and Hands near the arfenal. It was dug up at Puzzuolo, and eredbed here by the duke of Segovia. The arms of Naples are a horfe, which king Charles ordered to have a bit in his mouth, as an emblematical reprefentation of his taming the Nea- politans. This city is divided into nine large wards, which are fubdivided into twenty-nine rioni, containing up- wards of 300 churches, about thirty of which are incredibly magnificent. Besides walls, towers, and fortifications, Naples is defended by three very ftrong caflles ; that of St. Erafmus, the New caftle, and the Egg caflle. The firfl commands the city and fuburbs, the fecond de- fends the caftle, and the third proje6bs into the fea. But thefe caftles are of no defence againft a maritime force^ as was particularly feen in the year 1742, when vice-admiral Matthews detached commodore Martin with a fmall fquadron f to the bay of Naples, to communicate to his Sicilian majefty a meflage from the king of Great-Britain, which was, ‘‘ That, as his Britannick majefty was in alliance with the queen of Hungary and the king of Sardinia, and the king of the Tw^o Sicilies having joined his forces with thofe of Spain, in declared war v/ith England, to invade the queen of Elungary’s dominions, contrary to all treaties ; he, the commodore, was fent to demand. f The Ipfwich, Panther, Ox- ford, Fevedham, and Durfiey galley, with four bomb velTels, and four tenders. Rolt’s hift. of the war, vol. ii. p. 78.— _If a war fhould break out, the town has reafon to apprehend the ex- a6Iing of a large contribution, or a bombardment. It has but feven gallies, a mole, and two little caftles, which are capable of hin- dering an enemy’s approach. Be- fides that the fea which lies near it is not fubject to liorms, has no fenfible flux and reflux, and is fo deep that a veflel of burthen may come up to the very mole. The houfes are flat roofed, to walk upon ; fo that every bomb that fell on them would take ef- fe 61 :, Addifon, p, 123, o That 194 DESCRIPTION of NAPLES. That the king of the two Sicilies fhould not only immediately withdraw his troops from afling in con-* jundtion with thofe of Spain, but that his Sicilian majefty fhould, in writing, promife not to gb/e them any further affiftance of any kind whatfoever:’'^ And the commodore was further ordered, “ That if his Sicilian majefty fliouid refufe to comply with this meflage, that then he ftiould make the neceftary dif- pofitions to bombard the city, and inforce his de- mand by the force of arms.” The commodore pro- ceeded on his. command, and on Sunday morning, the 8 th of AugUit, appeared wdth his fquadron in the bay of Naples. At the approach of fuch war- like ftiips the inhabitants were im the greateft dread and confternation. The fquadron did not come to an anchor before the city hill four o’clock in the afternoon : and fome hot'rs before that, tlie duke of Monteallegre, the fecretary of ftate, fent to Ed- ward Allen, Efq; the Britifli conful, to dehre him to go aboard the commodore, to know whether they came as enemies, the appearance feeming hoftile ; but. laid, that his Sicil:';tn majefty would be glad to re- ceive them* as friends, deliring nothing more than.- the amity of his Britannick majefty. The conful went on board the commodore, v;ho communicated his, orders to Ivim, and appointed captain De 1’ Angle to deliver the meffage to the king. I'he captain and conful went to the fecretary ’s office at fxve o’clock. I'lie king was then at church *, but the duke of ■Vlonteallegre received tlie mefiage, and told them that when the. kino; returned he would s;ive. the an- Iwer. Accordingly, at night, tlie duke came down from the king in council, and told them the demand vs^ould be complied with,. and in writing, as required; but dcftred to have fome anfwer alfo in writing, im- porting, that upon fuch a compliance no holfilities fnouid be committed on either fide. Captain De I’A :gle and the conful returned on board the com- m.odore DESCIPTION OF NAPLES. 195 modore with general Bourke, who was fent by the kino- to delire this anfwer : but the commodore faid O his orders were abfolute, and did not authorize him to give any anfwer*, but that he expedted a com- pliance in an hour after the conful and captain had been on Ihore, where they both returned with general Bourke, and delivered the anfwer from the commo- dore to the duke de Monteallegre. It was two hours pall midnight when the conful returned on board, and the commodore was fo far fatisfied as to promife he would not commence any hoftilities ; and in the morning a letter was written in the exadt words re- quired upon receipt of which the commodore or- dered all the lliips to prepare for failing. They were under fail before night, and out of light next morning, having been only twenty-one hours in the bay ; whereby the inhabitants, who had all been in the greatell alarm and confufion imaginable during the negociation, were relieved from their terror and anxiety of a bombardment. All the inhabitants of this city are divided into Titolati, Nobili de Seggio, Nobilita fuori de Seggi, Civilta and Plebe. To the firfi: order belong the princes and nobility : to the fecond belong all the natives of the country, with all ftrangers fettled at Naples, and living in a noble manner *, in the third are ranked dodlors in all fciences, lawyers, notaries, * The letter was as follows ; Naples, Aug. 20, N. S. Sir, THE king had already re- folved, and given orders, that his troops which are joined with thofe of Spain, Ihould withdraw, in or- der to the defence of his own do- minions. His majefty commands me to promife you in his name, that he will forthwith repeat his orders, that his troops, withdraw- ing from the Romagna, where O 2 they are at prelent, lhall imme- diately return into this kingdom ; and that he will not, in any man- ner whatfoever, either aid or af- fift thofe of Spain any more in the prefent war in Italy. Signed, The marquis of Salas, Duke of Monteallegre, “To captain William Mar- tin, commander of the En- lidi fquadron.” oBicers ig 6 DESCRIPTION OF NAPLES. officers belonging to the feveral courts of judicature,, phyficians, bankers, jewellers, goidfmiths, filk-mer- chants, arrd bookfellers •, the fourth clafs comprehends all the other inhabitants whatever. The officers in the fervice of this kingdom are diflinguiffied, from the enfign to the colonel, by the heads of their canes, from a plain one to thofe of filver and gold. Their pay is fmall, a captain having but 300 dollars a year. No officer can many with- out the king’s confent, in order to prevent their marrying below their rank ; and, they fay, his ma- jefty is very frridt in his enquiries before he grants the lady the requell ^ for it is ffie that muft aflc the permiffion. The wom.en anT children' here do' not look fo healthy as in other parts of Italy, though this climate is the moft famous in Europe for elfabliffiing health. A great number of women are obferved to have wens in their throats, which fome afcribe to the great quantity of cold or fnow water they drink in the funrmer. If Naples is not above half as big as Paris or London, yet it hath much more beauty than either of them. The town is well fupplied by daily mar- kets ; fo that proviiions are ever freffi, and in great plenty. The wine is the beft in Europe, and both the hill and fiedi are extremely good. It is fcarcely ever cold in winter, and there is a freffi air comes both from the fea and the mountains in fummer The Cardinal’s Hat, and the Three Kings, are reckoned the bell inns in Naples, at v/hich houfes the Eiiglifh gentlemen commonly lodge. The apartments are indifferent, but the accommodations extremely good, and the cooks generally excellent. The following are fome precautions which may be * Buni'ct, p. 164, of DESCRIPTION OF NAPLES. 197 of fervice to travellers. If any gentleman intends to make a confiderable flay here, the bell way will be to take a ready-furnifhed lodging in or near the Piazzo de Caftelio, from whence there is a beautiful profpefl of the fea. It is a fine open place, with feveral good inns near it, from whence provifions may be had well drefled, and fent hot at any time. As to wine, there are many eminent merchants who ' have noble cellars, and very cool, where variety of wines may be had exceedingly cheap : for three Ihil- lings and three-pence a barrel of excellent wine, con- taining nine gallons, may be bought. This hint will be of fervice to thofe who chufe a private apart- ment of their own, rather than a public inn. Strangers fhould be very careful in their tranfadlions with the lower clafs of people, who have the art of deceiving in a fuperlative degree. Here are alfo a parcel of fellows who fpeak a little broken Englifh, and will offer their fervices as guides, or valets : but the Nea- politans of this clafs exceed their fraternity in all other places in knavery. The inhabitants of Naples have been always very notorious for leading a life of lazinefs and pieafure, which fome thinks arifes, partly out of the wonderful plenty of their country, that does not make labor fo neceffary, and partly out of die temper of their climate, that relaxes the fibres of their bodies, and dlfpofes the people to fuch an indolent humor. What- ever it proceeds from, we find they were formerly as famous for it as they are at prefent. This was per- haps the reaion that the ancients tell us one of the firens was buried in this city, which thence received the name of Parthenope . O3 CHAP. f It has beep juftly. celebrated by the ancient poets, particularly by Silius Italicus : Parthenope non dives opum, ^c, ' Lib. xii. “ Here wanton Naples crowns the happy fliore, Nor vainly rich, nor defpicably poor. Thf ipS BUILDINGS IN NAPLES. CHAP. IV. THE PRINCIP.'iL BUILDINGS IN NAPLES: ITS \ Chup.ches, and Convents; Palaces, Castles, and Catacombs: With fome R E M A R K S. T he churches and convents of Naples are ex- ceffiveiy rich and fine, for the profufion of marble to be feen in them is fcarcely to be imagined ; but the difpofition of it in the incruftations is not fo judicious as in the churches of Rome. Churches. — i. The duomo, or cathedral, is a fine ancient building, dedicated to St. Januarius ^ ; and in one of the chapels is the tomb of that faint, who was bifhop of Benevento, and is called the pro- teflor or patron of this city. They fay he was murdered, and that fome of his blood is preferved in a glafs vial. They alfo pretend to have his head inclofed in a filver cafe, exa6Uy refembling the head ; and, when put near the vial, the concreted blood foon liquifies. The dome is exceedingly rich in all forts of or- naments of fculpture, painting, and gilding, as well as marble. The cupola is painted by Lanrranc, and The town in foft folemnitics delights, And gentle poets to her arms invites : The people, free from cares, ferene and gay, Pafs all their iijild, untroubled hours away.” • Addifon, p, 130. * To the alTumpticn of the virgin Mary. Keyfl. vol. ii. p. 389. the BUILDINGS IN NAPLES. 199 the corners under it by Dominichina The fame is done in the chapel of St. Januarius ; and the altar- pieces under the angles, and over the great altar of the chapel, are entirely by Dominichino, 'which are eileemed fine. The fleps up the afcent to the high altar are of white marble, and adorned on the fides with curious baffo-relievos. Fronting the altar are two pillars of red jafper, twelve feet high without the pedeflals, which are of verde antico. On the right hand, near the high altar, is another beautiful altar, of Florentine work, and its tabernacle is fet with the finefl gems. Other parts of the church are painted by Lucca Jordano *, with a great number of beautiful figures of profufe invention. The foundation of this church was laid by Charles I. king of Naples, to whom a monument is eredted near the great door. There is alfo the monument of Andrew, king of Naples, who was firangled by the intrigues of his queen Joanna, in 1345, when he was but nineteen years of age. 2. Gieusu Nuovo, or Houfe of the Jefuits, has -the mofl fplendid church of all thofe belonging tp that order in Italy, and is full of rich and magni- ficent ornaments. It is 250 palms long, and ,200 ^^broad, fupported by hx pilafters of a prodigious fize, and incrufled v^ith porphyry and other beautiful marble. The ceiling of the nave is painted by Ca- valier Maflino and Beilifario. The cupola was painted d^y Lanfranc, and was the largefl in all Naples, but was almofl all deflroyed by an earthquake in 1688 ; hov/ever, the angles are preferved, where the four ■evangelifls are reprefented. The high altar, and two other's, are amazingly magnificent, on account of the beautiful marble of different kinds, the ftatues ,and paintings, as alfo for the architedlure, which is by Cofimo. Formerly, in the Tribuna, hung a large pidlure of St. Jofeph with the child Jefus in his arms, and a group of angels, by Francifco di Maria, O 4 a 200 BUILDINGS in NAPLES. a Neapolitan : but this is removed into the veftry, and its place fupplied by one which far furpafies it, of an infant Chrift, and his parents, by Arnato. There are two chapels beautifully painted by Lucca Jordano, or Giardano, who has great harmony in the color of his draperies, each refledting into the other. The Trinity chapel has a pi6lure by Guercino, with fome in frefco by Bellifario f. The Houfe is proportionably fpacious, commo- dious, and richly adorned in every part. The gardens are extremely pleafant, and full of fountains. The infirmary and laboratory are grand, and furnifhed with all manner of neceffaries. The library is well fupplied ; but there are few manufcripts, and thofe chiefly in the Chinefe language. 3. S. Maria Nuovo has a ceiling adorned with fuch fine paintings and gilding, that it pafTes for one of the mofl beautiful churches in Naples. The paintings are by L. Jordano and Solomini ; but thofe of the latter not near equal to the former. The high altar, adorned with ftatues, and a miraculous image of the Virgin, are by Cofimo ; and the other, with the cupola, were painted in frefco by Simon Papa. ' In the chapel of the Madonna della Grazia, the pallioto and all the ornaments of the altar are of filver ; and the robe in which the Virgin is dreffed is almofb entirely covered with pearls, dia- monds, rubies, and other jewels. In that of the Graziani is a flatue of Chrill, in the fame attitude as he was fhewn to the Jews by Pilate ; or an Ecce HOMO, inimitably cut in wood by Giovanni da Nola*, who has alfo there a crucifix, which is highly efleemed. Here is a St. John Baptifl by Bernini, and fome other flatues by Cofiiuo. Among the mofc f The new church of the Jefuits, that of St, John the Apoftle, and that of St. Paul, are furprifingly rich. Burnet, p. 159. excellent buildings in NAPLES. 201 excellent pi 61 :ures are a St. Michael, by Michael An- o-elo ; a crucifix, by Marco da Siena ; an epiphany, by Spagnolet ; and a nativity, by Bafifano. The Capella del Beato Guiacobo della Marca is alfo worth obfervation •, for it is as large as a fmall church, and was built by order of the renowned Gonfalvo of Corduba. Here are fome fine monu- ments *, one in honor of Urban VI. who was a Nea- politan ; and another to the memory of Amida, fon to a king of Tunis, who turned Chriftian, and was baptized by the name of Don Carlo d’Auftria. Odet de Foix, who befieged Naples by order of Francis I. has a monument eredted to his memory in this chapel *, and fo has Peter, of Navarre, who firft invented military mines. Both of thefe monu- ments were eredled by the nephew of the great Gon- falvo ; which fpeak a true greatnefs of foul, as it v/as an honor paid to his enemies. 4. S. Donna Regina, or S. Maria di Donna Reina, v/as built by queen Mary, wife of Charles II. king of Naples. On the high altar are two filver ftatues as big as the life ; and here are fome fine paintings by Solomini ; as alfo by L. Jordano, the laft of his works, and not quite finifhed ; the fubjedls are the marriage at Cana, and Chrifl preaching on the mount. 5. S. Philip Neri is very beautiful, and was built by the celebrated architedl Dyonifio Bartolomeo. The roof is not arched, but finely decorated with fculpture and gilding. The high altar and chapels *j- with regard to the churches of Naples in general, the facades or fronts of few of them are beautiful. That of St. Philip Neri is, doubt- lefs, one of the moft regular 5 it is all built of fine Carrara marble, of the Corinthian order, and ralfed after the plan of Bartolomeo : as alfo the houfe of the fathers of the Oratory, to whom this church belongs. The congregation of thefe priefts was fettled at Naples in 1596, by Francis Taruggi, difciple to St. Philip Neri, firft founder ©f this con- gregation at Rome. Blainville, vol, iii. p. 341. arc 202 BUILDINGS IN NAPLES. are prodigioufly magnificent, enriched with fine ftatiies and elegant pidlures. Over the great door is a ca- pital piece in frefco of Chrift driving out the money- changers : it is by L. Jordano ; and tinder it is written, A. D. 1684. On the right hand, at the fide of an altar, is a madonna in the clouds, and St. Jerom below, by Correggio. There is fcarce an altar in this church which is not adorned with the works of the mofi: eminent fculptors and painters ; fo that it may be ranked among the greatefi; cu- riofities of Naples. 6. S. Nicoli di Charita has a fine altar-piece, by Paolo Mathei. 7. S. Terefa della Scalzi has a madonna over the great altar, by L. Jordano ; and two other pieces, by Jacomo del Po. 8. Santo Liorio, at a convent of nuns, is pret- tily adorned. Piere are feverai of the beft paintings by L. Jordano, and his own portrait is in one over the great door. There are two large pieces, finely colored, in the third chapel on the right hand. 9. S. Paulo Maggiore Hands where anciently was a temple of Caftor and Pollux ; part of which Hill remains, and ferves as a portico^ to the prefent church. The pillars are of the Corinthian order, fluted, noble, and magnificent. The ceiling is finely painted by the cavalier Malfimis ; and there are two good pieces in the facrifty by Solomini, or F. Solymea, done in 1689 : the one is the converfion of St. Paul, and the other the ftory of Simon Magus f , JO. St. Severino is a beautiful church, belonging to the Bencdidlines, in which are many capital f See Wright, p. 151. Elainville, Hi. 344.. S. Paolo Maggiore, ■by an infcription formerly on the facade, which was demolished in a 688 by an earthquake, appears to have been originally of Caftor and Pollux, and built by Julius Tarfus, a freed-rnan of Auguftus, and procurator of the fea-coaft about Naples, pi6lures buildings in NAPLES. 263 plclures by different mafters. The ceiling is by Bel- lifario, who is buried in the church, where are a great number of monuments adorned with ftatues, and particularly one to the memory of three youths of the Severino family, who were poifoned by their uncle : their ftatues are by the celebrated Giov. da Nola. Some of the pi6tures are by Marco da Siena, Andrea de Salerno, and Crifcuolo. The portraits on both fides of the church, of the kings, popes, and other illuftrious perfons of the Benedidline order, are by Zingaro, a Venetian, whofe real name was An- tonio Solario, and lived about the year 1495. The marble pavement has a troublefome fort of finery of coats of arms in baffo-relievo rifing above it. The large Benedidline convent, to which this church belongs, maintains eighty monks, and con- fifts of four fpacious courts, with cloiftcrs round them. In one of thefe is the life of St. Benedidl, painted by Zingaro, who has drawn his own portrait among the fpedators. There is a good library, in which are fome valuable manufcripts. II. Mount Olivet is a magnificent church, though built in the old taile. The ceiling is painted all over and gilt : the choir is alfo finely painted in frefco by Simon Papa ; with one piece reprefenting the pu- rification, by Vafari. The chapels are in a more modern tafte of architedlure ; and in that of the Origlia family is an affumption, efbeemed the mafler- piece of Penturchio, difcipie to Perugino. Here is alfo a fine reprefentation, in terra cotta, or clay burnt, of a dead Chrifl, the Virgin Mary in a fv/oon, the other Mary’s, Nicodemus, Jofeph of Arimathea, and two other figures ; they are the ritrattos of Al- phonfo II. king of Naples, his fon, and other per- lons -f : the whole highly efteemed, and done by Modavino "f- The afTIftants reprefent feveral eminent men then living ; Nico- demus is perfonated by Giovanni Pontano, Jofeph of Arimathea by Giacomo BUILDINGS in NAPLES. Modavino of Modena, an ingenious fcnlptor, who lived about the middle of the fifteenth century. In the Terranuova chapel is a beautiful marble altar, by Benedetto da Majano, an eminent Florentine fculptor of the fifteenth century. The balTo-relievo repre- fenting the nativity of Chrift, in the chapel of Amalfi, is efleemed a fine piece •, which is attributed by fome AO Donatello, and by others to Rofellino of Florence. Among the ftatues there is one of St. Anthony, of Padua, in beautiful white marble, by Santa Croce j and another of St. John the Baptift, by Giovanni di Nola. This lafl ftatue is of fuch exquifitely fine marble, that it rings like a bell, if gently touched with a key. The convent is one of the mofl fpacious in all Italy, and contains four beautiful cloifters, made in form of terraffes, one above the other ; with a flately Laboratory, and a fine library bequeatlied by Al- phonfo II. from whence is a mofl: delightful profpedt. This convent is alfo famous for makino- the befl O Neapolitan foap, which brings in a great profit to the fociety. 12. S. Maria Annunciata is remarkable .for its church, hofpital, and monaflery, which have noble endowments. The church is one of the largefl and richefl in the whole city. Nothing is feen here from top to bottom but fculptures, paintings, and gildings, all which make the whole flrudture exceedingly bril- liant. The gilding only of the high altar, and the chapel belonging to it, cofl 23,000 crov/ns •, and the other ornaments, enriched with lapis lazuli, cor- Giacomo Sannazario, and two others byAlphonfo II. king of Naples, and his fon Ferdinand. Keyfl. ii. 421 .---Though the reprefentation of this fubjeft be m a manner quite uncommon, yet it is fo natural, the figures being placed, not in the ufual way of ftatues on pedeftals, but upon the floor, in fuch a place and difpofition, as you might expe6l real perfons to be, that one would at firft fight even take them to be fuch. Wright, p. 153. nelian, buildings in NAPLES. 205 nelian, jafper, agate, and a profufion of other gems, 18,000 ducats more, or 3000I. ilerlingf. Among the beft paintings are, a fleeping Jofeph, and the flight into Egypt, by Lanfranc j the prefentation, by Melini *, Chrift di^)uting in the temple, by Crif- cuolo ; the marriage of Cana, by Maffimo 5 and the annunciation, by Bernardo *, the crucifixion, by Leo- nardo da Piftoia ; Noah leaving the ark, by Cala- broze *, and Jacob’s wreftling with the angel, by Jor- dano. The ieveral flatues in flucco were by Lorenzo Vaccaro; the paintings of the ceiling, by Marco de Siena, Santa Fede, Imperato, Maffimo, and Jordano; and the frefco paintings of the choir and cupola, by Bellifario. Thofe ftatues in niches, and thofe belong- ing to many tombs, were by Giovanni di Nola, Safita Croce, and Auria. The great facrifty is adorned on both fides with bafs-reliefs of walnut-tree wood, on a gold ground, reprefenting feveral hiflories of the old and new teftament, the whole by Giov. di Nola *, and the frefco paintings by Bellifario. Th:e hofpital is what they call a pieta for the re- ception of infants, baftards or others ; of whom they take in fuch numbers, that they fay there are 2500 nurfes belonging to this hofpital, to take care of fuch as are brought in. When they are grown up, fuch of the girls as chufe a monaflic life become nuns *, thofe who are inclined to marry have portions given them from 100 to 200 ducats. As the boys grow up, fome are put out to trades, and others are bred up to the church J. The young women married f In thefe computations, and in common difcourfe at Naples, a ducat is equal to ten carlini, or 3s. 4d. fterling. Keyll. ii. 401. X The children brought up here are generally about 2500 in num- ber, it being no uncommon thing in one night for twenty infants to be put into the wheel or machine which Hands open both night and day for the reception of them, and eight wet nurfes attend every day. Keyfl. ii. 403. The young children that they maintain are fo many, that one can hardly believe the numbers that they boart of 5 for they talk of many thoufands that are not feen, but are at nurfe. Burnet, p. 159. from 26 o buildings in NAPLES. from this houfe, if they are left widows in neceffitous : circiimftances, or forfaken by their hufbands, or if the i marriage without any fault of theirs proves unfor- i tunate, are intitled to a re-admiffion, and have a ; particular apartment allowed them, being dillin- guilhed by the name of Ritornate. The riches of this Annunciata are prodigious ; it is the greateft >; hoipital in the world, and the revenue is faid to be > 40O3O00 crowns a year. ’ 13. S. Maria Maggiore ftands upon the ruins of the ancient temple of Diana. It was confecrated in 533, rebuilt in 1653, and is now one of the moil I beautiful churches in all Naples I 14. S. Giovanni Maggiore is fuppofed to have been ; originally a temple built by the emperor Adrian, in ; honor of his young favorite Antinous ; but was con- fecrated to John the Baptift by Conftantine the Great. Near the high altar lies the body of Janus Anifius,. a good poet, and a great philofopher. In the family chapel of the Cambi is a fine madonna, by Leonardo | da Piftoia ; and all the fculptures of the Ravafchiera | chapel are by Giovanni da Nola. 15. S. Pietro a Majella has a cieling finely painted by Calabroce *, and over the altar is Chrift with St. i Catharine of Sienna, by Caracci. The fiatue of St. Sebaftian bound to a tree is finely done by Giovanni da Nola. 16. S. Maria della Concordia is only remarkable, for a monument eredted to the memory of Gafpar Benemerini, once king of Fez, who renounced Ma- hometifin, and died in 1541, aged 100 years. 1 7. S. Maria del Carmine, from a fmall chapel,, is become a magnificent church, the roof of which I is finely decorated *, and in the cloiftcr of the convent 1 is painted, in frefco, the life of tlie prophet Elijah^ by Balducci. 18. S. Maria Donna Romita contains fevcral fine of painting, particularly the decollation of pie BUILDINGS IN NAPLES. 20; John the Baptifl, near the high altar v and the roof of the church is finely decorated with painting, fculpture, and gilding. 19. S. Maria della Sanita is a church belonging to the Dominicans, in which are thirteen fmall cupolas, over fo many altars, all finely ornamented with paintings. On an oftenfiorum Hands a little filver Itatue of Noah, with a girdle of emeralds ^ and on his fiioulders a model of the ark in gold, fet with diamonds. The eight pillars of the tabernacle on the high altar are of rock chryfial, enriched with many fapphires and other precious Hones. 20. S. Maria delle Grazie is a church,, in which are fome curious pieces in' painting and fculpture. In a chapel is a noble bafib-relievo by Giovanni da Nola, reprefenting the Virgin Mary, St. John, and Mary Magdalen, lamenting over a dead ChriH : and on each fide of the high altar are two fine Hatues, by L. Vaccaro,. the one of St. Jerom, the other of a Pifan faint. 21. S. Maria de Sangri abounds in Hatues^ curious monuments belonging to the Sangro fa%ily ; but wants a proper light. 22. S. Maria di Piedagrotta has fix admirahlsr pillars of black and white marble before- the high altar : and the church owes its name to the cave of Paufilypo, at the entrance of which it Hands. 23. S. Maria del Parto is a handfome church in the fuburb Chiaja, and was ere6led by the famous poet Sannazarius, who built it on the ruins of his own houfe, and dedicated it to the delivery of the blefled Virgin. A poet endowed a church with a--, revenue of 600 ducats! and made a prefent of it to- the Servites, who built a monaHery near it. His- true name was Giacomo Sannazaro, a nobleman .of the Seggio of Porto Nuova ; but he changed his name to that of A6tius Sincerus, at the follicitation* of Jovianiis Pontanus, who alfo had changed his own 26 S BUILDINGS IN NAPLES. own ; and Marcellus Palingenius, another great poelt, did the fame. Sannazarius died at Rome in the year 1532 % and in the 73d of his age ^ but his body was brought to Naples and interred in this church. His tomb k at the bottom of the choir, and made of very beauti- ful white marble. On the top of it is the buflo of this great poet, crowned with laurel, between two little angels, with thefe words under it, Actius Sin- cERus. In the middle of the monument is an ad- mirable balTo^relievo, v/here Neptune is reprefented with two fatyrs, and two nymphs ; which allude to his pifcatory eclogues, his fatyrical epigrams, and his Arcadia. On each fide are feated two large flatues, the one reprefenting Apollo, and the other Minerva *, but offence having been taken at the in- troducing of pagan deities into churches, and the removal of thefe exquifite pieces being apprehended, they were preferved by the artifice of making them pafs for the images of David and Judith. The whole is the workmanfhip of Girolamo Santo Croce, a Nea- politan, who died before the finifhing hand was put to the ftatues, which was done by Poggibonzo, of Tufcany, who was a Servite monk. In this church are alfo two if atues of white marble, the one St. James the apoifle, and tlie other St. Nazario the martyr ; both by the fame Poggi- bonzo. In the firff chapel on the right hand is the arch-angel Michael, who has the devil under his * His epitaph fays in 1530, which is a njlftake. ---This epitaph wa«’ written by cardinal Bembo, as follows Da facro cinere flores ; hie ilie Maroni Sinceriis, mufa proximus, nt tumulo. Vix. ann. Lxxii. obiit M. D. xxx. “ Here lies Sincere, (let fiow’rs the place perfume) To Virgil next in verfe, as next in tomb.’' This poet’s tomb is at the bottom of the hill Panfilypo, 'and called Virgil’s is on the fide of it. Wright, p. 175. feet. BUILDINGS IN NAPLES. 209 feet, and pierces him with his lance, painted by Leonardo di Piftoia. Near it is an old piece of painting, reprefenting the Lord’s fupper, where Chrift and his difciples are fitting on chairs, other- wife it is not badly executed. Here are alfo fe- veral good pieces in frefco, done at the expence of father Nappi, who alfo added a fine variegated marble pavement to the church : and in a fmall chapel, at the entrance of the choir, is an adoration of the wife men •, which Vafari affirms to be the firfl pidcure in oil, by John of Bruges. It is faid to have hung in the gallery of Frederick, king of Naples, v/lio gave it to Sannazarius. 24. S. Maria a Fortuna is alfo a church on Pau- filypo hill, built on the ruins of a temple dedicated to Fortune. There are fome other churches and convents on that hill ; which was much frequented by the ancients, to unbend themfelves after the hurry of bufinefs, and was called Paufilypus, a cur£ ma:- rorifque ceffatione. 25. S. Giacomo degii Spagnuoli, or St. James’s Church of the Spaniards, was built by Don Pedro de Toledo, viceroy of Naples ; whofe tomb is a great ornament to the church, being one of the findt pieces done by Giovanni da Nolaf. The fculpture and inlaid work at the high altar make a noble ap- pearance. The paintings are beautiful in general ; but particularly an afilimption by Crifcolo, the holy Virgin by Marco da Siena, and a nativity by Paf- fanti ; with a pidture by Manlio, containing the por- traits of pope Pius V. of Don John of Auftria, and f The molt remarkable cuiiofity in this church is the tomb of Don. Pedro de Toledo, which is one of the )nort magnificent in the whole tity. It (lands in the choir, and was executed by John of Nola., Upon it are feen, the ftatue of Don Pedro, fon to Frederick duke of Alva; that of his lady, with fome others ; and a great many bas-reliefs, one of which reprefents BarbarofTa, the corfalr, flying before him, after his attempt upon the town of Puzzolo, in 1554. p other 210 BUILDINGS IN NAPLES. other chiefs, who diflinguifhed themfelvcs at the- battle of Lepanto. The chapel of our Lady of Graces is adorned with beautiful uiarbles, and painted in frefco, by Horatio Frezza. The clock of this church ilrikes the hours after the German, Englifn, . and French computation. The . church is richly endowed, as it naaintains fe^enty chaplains, fixteen deacons, and a fine band of mufic. There is an hofpital belonging to this church for thofe of the Spanihr. nation. It is a handfome- building, where fick perfons are decently entertained, , and v/ell provided with necelTaries. 26. S. Martino is a. church belonging to the Car^ thufians, and (lands on a .nnc eminence. It abounds with rich ornaments in gold, fiiver, and marble. The pavement is very -beautiful ; and the deling of the nave is of Tucco > work,. , painted by Lanfranc, who aifo drew the crucifixion, and the twelve apoftles, in the front of the choir. The pieta over the grand entrance is by Maffimo, and the tv/elve prophets by Spagnoletto, Guifepino d’Arpino and Berardino Si- dliano have jointly difplayed the delicacy of their pencils on the deling of the choir. The mod re- markable pidures are, a nativity of Chrifl by Guido, a marriage of Cana by MaiTimo, Chrifl: walking his difciple’s feet by Annlbai Caracci, a lafl fupper by Paul Verenefe, and another by Spagnoletto. There are two fine flatties on each fide the choir, the one', by Giovanni da Nola, and the other by old, Bernini ; which lafl reprefents the Virgin, with the child Jefus, and John the Eaptifi: in his infancy. The other paintings are byfeveral eminent mafters, Giordino, Calabrefe, Bellifario, Dominichino, and V afaro. The riches fhewn in the treafuries are difficult to be deferihed, among which are, a globe of lapis la- zuli ; a fiiver flatue of St. Martin, with a ring on one of the fingers, fet with an incomparable ruby ; another BUILDINGS IN NAPLES. 211 another filver flatue of the Virgin Mary, {landing on the moon, with a dragon at her feet, almofl as big as the life. But what particularly deferves notice is a little altar fupported by filver pillars,, with a pyx reprefenting the fun re fling on one pillar, the beams of which are covered v/ith fapphire and other gems. Among the various curiofities here, they fhew fome pots of Flowers in fiiver, of admirable workmanfhip. They have relics ^ of faints in great abundance *, bits of bone piled up in a mod exa6l manner, within glafs cafes, and the name of the faint infcribed on each glafs. Upon the whole, the Carthufian Convent of St. Martin, as this is called, with regard to architedure, painting, fculpture, gold, filver, jewels, and curious workmandiip, is not to be excelled. The convent lias a grand fquare, and is richly embellifhed like the church : but the crucifixion, faid to be done by M. Angelo, from the life, is quite abfurd. 27. S. Giovanni a Carbonara -f was built in 1343, and dedicated to St. John Baptifl ; a phial-full of whofe blood is fiiewn to ftrangers, who are told that it liquifies and froths from the eve of his feflival to the end of the o6cave. This church belongs to the; Auilin friars, and has a cieling in the modern tafle, gilt all over, with a fine pidlure in the middle of St. John, byRofii. The high altar is of a mod beauti- ful wTite marble, embellifhed with feveral datues of angels and faints, v/ith a fine baffo-relievo of Abra- 7 He feemed a good fort of a [ prieft that fhewed them us ; fo we ventured to alk him, what au- thentic proof they had of the re- ^’dity of thofe relics. He confeffed j fairly, with a fmile, that thefe bones were indeed taken out of ' the neighbouring catacombs, a ! fufficient magazine to furnifli re- ' lies to a thoufand churches, were i font up "to his hollnefs, and fo baptized by him. Wright, p. 157. f People vary much in opinion with refpeft to the origin of the word Carbonara : fome fay it was borrov/ed from a family of that name, now extin6l ; whilft others declare it is fo called, becaufe all the charcoal con fumed in this city was made in that place. 212 BUILDINGS IN NAPLES. ham’s facrifice, all by Hannibal Caccavallo Above this altar is the magnificent maufoleum, though in a Gothic tafte, of king Ladiilaus, who died by poifon in 1414. His monum.ent is of white marble, and rifes to- the church deling. On the fummit is an equeftrian flatue of him, crowned, with a drawn fword in his hand ^ beneath is another ftatue of him reclined on* his tomb *, and lower a third, with his fiflier Jane II. and fome other ftatues of faints. Under all thefe are four cololTal ftatues of white marble, reprefenting Temperance, Fortitude, Pru- dence, and Magnanimity, wFich feem to fupport the edifice. The chapel de Vico abounds in moft^ excellent marble ftatues and baffo-relievos : thofe of St. John the Baptift, St-. Luke, St. Mark, St. George, and St. Sebaflian; are by Pietro di Plata, a Spanitird ; thc'reft by Giovanni da Nolaj Santa Croce, and Cac- cavailo. In another chapel is an admirable cruci- fixion, by Vafari ; and the pafTion of Chrift in feven exquifite baflb-relievos, which fold up like a fereen. The Aaiguftine monaftery near this church has a fine library, furnifhed with many Greek and Latin manuferipts, vdiich were the - donation af cardinal Seripando. . 28: S. Gaetano^ is a modern church, and worth ieeing, both for its architefbure and marble ornar ments. 29. S. Catherina Formello has a deling finely painted by Louigi Gaigi, and the cupola by Paolo de Mattheis. The church belongs to the Domi- nicans, v/iio here raifed the firft church-cupola ever feen in Naples. It contains fome beautiful ftatues and fine pidures *, among others, an excellent con- verfion of St. Paul by Marco da Siena, an epiphany J A celebrated Neapolitan rculptor, wlio flouriflied about the year BUILDINGS IN NAPLES. 213 by Silveftro Biiono, a madonna by Francefco Curia, and the murder of the innocents by Matteo da Siena. 30. S. Francefco de Paoio is one of the finefi: churches in the whole city, and belongs to the Minim friars, who have a convent near it. The high /altar is fuperbly adorned ; the roof is finely carved and gilt, and the pavement is beautifully V laid. Many curious relics are preferved in this church, •particularly two phials filled with the holy Virgin’s milk, which never fails to liquify on all herTefcivais ! The convent is fpacious and well built. The re- feflory well deferves to be feen ; and the honed monks get vad dims of money by the fale of wine in their large cellars. But nothing is comparable to their laboratory, wFich is the mod fplendid in all Italy ; though it contains a drange mixture of facred and profane pidlures, -as Sc. John in the defart, and a naked Venus ; the baptifm of Chrid, and a Ga- latea ; the difciples at Emaus, ajid bacchanals and bacchantes in difiblute attitudes. 31. S. Redituta was formerly the cathedral *, and many of its pillars are faid to be the remains of a temple dedicated to Neptune. On the wall is the Virgin Mary in mofaic, of very great antiquity. 32. S. Dominico Maggiore, or the Dominican Con- yent, has a large church, extremely rich in all or- naments, v/hich are v/orthy the attention of a curious traveller. It was folemnly confecrated to St. Do- minick, by pope Alexander IV. in 1255*, and was afterwards rebuilt by king Charles II. who dedicated •it to St. Mary Magdalen : but the m.onks afterwards vedored the original confecration to their grand pa- triarch, This church contains many chapels and mo- numents *, with a multiuide of datues and paintings, all by the bed artids. The facridy is painted by Solimea ; and in a gallery above, which goes round the facridy, are depofited the bodies of the kings of P 3 Naples, 214 BUILDINGS IN NAPLES, Naples, and others of the royal families. All thefe tombs are in the form of chefts or coffers, and over each is a canopy of rich brocade and gold tiffiie ; particularly thofe of Alphonfo I. who died in 1458 ; Ferdinand I. who demifed in 1494, and Ferdinand II. in 1496. The cupola of count de St. Severin’s chapel was painted by Andrea de Salerno, and is highly efteemed. In the chapel of the Dolce’s is an excellent pifture of the Virgin Mary, by Raphael Urbin ; and in another chapel is a defcent of the crofs, by Zingaro, greatly admired. In the Maddaloni chapel is a beautiful ftatue of the protomartyr St. Stephen ; and the altar- piece, which reprefents his matyrdom, is reputed one of the bed performances done by Leonarda da Piftoia. In the chapel of the Pinelli is an annunciation, by Titian *, in that of our Saviour, a Chrift bound to the column, by Caravaggio •, and in that of St. Jofeph, two excellent pi(Sures, by Guido. This convent is very rich in plate for facred ufes; and in the repofitory they fhew a large crucifix of filver, flatues of faints as big as the life, and can- dlefticks feven or eight feet high, all of the fame metal ^ but, what is more precious to them than filver, is a manufcript of St. Thomas Aquinas, which they keep with great veneration. It is a fort of comment on the book of St. Denis, intitled, De Caslefti Flierarchia. Opposite the little church-door, and in the centre of the fquare before it, is a {lately pyramid, eredled in honour of St. Dominick, from the deligns of Cavalier Cofimo. The ftatue of the faint is on the top, holding a church in one hand, and giving his benedidtion with the other. The pyramid itfelf is embelliihed with feveral bas-reliefs, and bufts, re- prefenting fome of the moft illuftrious perfonages of the Dominican order. BUILDINGS IN NAPLES. 215 33. S. Giovanni Pontano was founded by Jovianus Pontanus, a great poet, an eminent orator, and fe- cretary to king Ferdinand I. The building is fmall, on the walls of which are feveral moral maxims com- pofed in Latin by the founder, whofe family are in- terred here, and have fome fine epitaphs written by himfelf, particularly a very beautiful one on hk daughter Lucia. 34. S. Apoiloli is a church belonging to the Theatins, the deling t)f which is painted by Lan- franc; v/ho has alfo done a hne piece in frefco, re- prefenting the pool of Bethefda. There are other paintings by Guido and Solcmini 35. S. Angelo a Nido is a church founded in honor of St. Michael the arch-angel, by cardinal Brancaccio, whofe tomb is near the high altar, and is adorned with fine flatues, by Donatello. Near it is a fuperb maufoieum to the memory of the car- dinal’s family, being entirely of the fineft marble in -various forts, in a mofc exquiiite tafte of fculpture, and in an extraordinary form.. On the high altar- piece k reprefented St. Michaol, very beautifully painted, by Marco da Siena. 36. S. Madre di Dio, delii Scalzi Carmelitani, is a church belonging to the bare-footed Carmelites, .and is remarkable for a chapel dedicated to St. The- refa, which is iplendid, and confidered as one of the richeft in Naples. It was built from the defigns of Cofimo, and painted in frefco by Maffimo. The high altar deferves particular notice, as it is richly -ornamented with all kinds of gems. On the fore part of it is a perfpedive viev/ of a palace or temple, with ilatues of gold and bas-relievos placed alternately before it. The tabernacle is equally fu° * The archite6lure of the church itfelf, the mofaic, fculptiire, and other ornaments, Jntitle it to a place among the firil in Naples. Wright, p. 152. “ P 4 perb. 2i6 buildings in NAPLES. perb, with a flower-piece in the centre, made at Florence by Pietro Commefle : it has ten green and white pillars of jafper, and every part abounds with lapis lazuli. The candlefticks, and all other orna- ments of the altar, are alfo of inlaid gems fet in gilt brafs, as are even the doors which open on each fide into the choir : and on one of thefe doors is a redifh brown agate, with white veins, fo exadly re- prefenting the fituation and plan of the city of Mantua, that the lafi: duke offered 30,000 crowns for it. But the fineft fpedlacle of all is the pave- ment and balluffrade before the altar, of the mofl: beautiful marble, and richly inlaid •, the whole forming a wonderful perfpeftive, in the gallery form, of the Doric order. Behind the altar are three large pidures ; one by Paolo di Matteis, reprefenting the Virgin Mary inveffing the devout Simon Stoce with the habit of the order ; the other two, by a brother of the convent called Lucas, are the adoration of the v/ife men, and the fhepherds at the manger. The chapel of the Ravafchiera family, and the fa- crifty, are embelliflied with beautiful pidlures, by Andrea di Salerno and Santa Fede. The convent to which this church belongs is a fine flrudiiure, and remarkable for the elegance of its difpenfary. 37. St. Clara is called a royal church, and is very ancient. It is 320 palms long, and 120 broad. The architediure of the deling is Gothic, and very lofty. It is laid the whole edifice was painted all over by Zingara ; but the nuns caufed them to be white- wafhed, and fo quite effaced the paintings. Behind the altar is the tomb of king Robert, of white marble, and in the Gothic tafte, adorned with many figures (landing in niches. Some other princes and princeffes of that royal family are alfo interred in this church, particularly Charles the illuflrious, duke of Calabria. Near the little church gate (lands a white BUILDINGS IN NAPLES. 217 white marble monument, on which is a beautiful ftatue, by Giovanni da Nola, reprefenting a young iady who unhappily died when flie was to have been married. There are many good pieces of painting in this church, by Ghiotto, Sylveftra Buono, Lan- franc, Marco da Siena, and fome other famous maflers. To this church belongs a convent of nuns, who are generally about 300, and of the moft diilin- guifhed families in this kingdom : and near it is another convent of the fame order, called Recolets, but inhabited by Monks, who alfo make ufe of the fame church. 38. Della Trinita delle Monache is a church built crofs-wife, in the Greek tafte, after the defigns of Cofimo. It has a fbately front, and a marble pave- ment. The high altar is embellifhed with the fin eft marble of various forts, and with two beautiful co- lumns •, but its principal ornament is a copper ta- bernacle gilt, on which many fmall filver figures are carved with the utmoft delicacy. The columns are of lapis lazuli *, and the whole is fuperbly adorned v/ith diamonds and other precious ftones. This ta- bernacle coft 60,000 crowns, and the model of it was made by Raphael Flamingo. In the church are alfo feveral excellent pictures, by old Palma, Santa Fede, Spagnuolet, Battiftello, Siciliano, and other .eminent m afters. This church has alfo a fplendid convent of nuns, whofe patron is St. Francis, the generaliffimo of the mendicants. 39. St. Marcellinus is a churdi whofe deling was painted by Maflimo, and the cupola by Bellifario. 40. St. Antonio was founded by queen Jane I. of the houfe of Anjou, and is in the Gothic tafte. They here fliew a pidure painted in oil, in the year 1365, by Colantonio da Fiore, a Neapolitan •, a proof, according to thefe, that oil-painting was not invented BUILDINGS in NAPLES, invented by John of Bruges, as is ufually fup- AR to the court of this church are two antique marbles, one of which was a pedeftal to a ftatue , ere6ted by the citizens of Herculaneum, in honor of a public-fpirited man, who had given out his corn during a famine. 41. The Holy Apoftles is a large and curious church, belonging to the Theatin friars. The ar- chited was Grimaldi, who was an ingenious man, and of this order. The deling, loggia, and angles of the dome, are painted by Lanfranc *, the dom.e itfelf by Benafdii. The pool of Bethefda above the great gate, and part of the paintings in the choir, are alfo by Lanfranc; the reft by Jordano. The high altar is compofed of the moft beautiful marble, and en- riched with a magnificent tabernacle : but this is ex- ceeded by the chapel of the Toly Annunciada, in which are five pidures of mofaic inexprefTibly fine, done by Calandra from the paintings of Guido. The liibterraneous church, called II Cimiterio, or burying-place, is of the fame extent with the other, and divided into five wings. It is painted all over with hiftories of the Old and New Teftament, re- lating to the refurredion of the dead. Here the Theatin friars are buried ; as alfo the famous poet Marino, who died in 1 625, aged fifty-fix. 42. S. Patrizia is a fmall but fplendid xhurch, which, with the adjoining convent, belongs to the Benedidine nuns. The tabernacle is of furprifing richnefs ; and the paliotti, or coverings for the altar, -.are of filvcr. 43. S. Maria della Verita is a church belonging to the reformed Aufiin friars. In which are iome fine paintings by Lanfranc, Jordano, and Cala- brefe. 44. S. Pietro d’Ara is faid to have been anciently a temple of Apollo, but that St. Peter dedicated it to pofed, , Ne BUILDINGS IN NAPLES. 219 to the true God. The noble pidlure in the chapel of the Ricci family is by Leonardo da Vinci. 45. St. Mary of the Angels is a church and convent, belonging to the reformed Francifcan fathers. It is charmingly htuated in a place called Montag- ,nola, which affords a delightful profpe6t. Cofimo was the architedl of this edifice. His fon Fanzago painted the dead Chrift under the high altar ; and the cloifter was painted by Bellifario. 46. S. Lorenzo de Padri Minor! has a lofty arched roof, and on its high altar the ftatues of St. Francis, St. Antony, and St. Laurence, finely exprefled by Giovanni daNola. In the chapel of the Rofary are two pillars of verde-antiquo, and an altar of inlaid work of lapis lazuli, topaz, agate, jafper, and other gems. At the fides of the chapel, on their refpedive monuments, ftand the ftatues of its founders, Ca- milio Cacace and his wife, which are finely executed. In another chapel are the remains of fome royal per- fonages. In a fubterraneous chapel under the choir is the coronation of king Robert, painted in colors, by Simon of Cremona, who lived about the year J353- The city of Naples has been expofed to fo many revolutions, and fo often ruined by invafions, that few remains of antiquity are found in it ; and thefe are chiefly in the cabinets of the virtuofi. Several .earthquakes have alfo deftroyed great numbers of them, particularly ftatues, and curious marbles. Be- fides, the fmall quantities faved out of the various devaftations were carefully catched up, from time to time, by the viceroys of the kings of Spain, into which country moft of them were fent. Hence a traveller, in giving an account of this noble city, is obliged to confine himfelf to modern curioftties, fuch as caftles, palaces, and efpecially religious houfes, which abound here more than in any other Romifli country. The confequence is, that a writer too often falls .220 BUILDINGS IN NAPLES. falls into tedious repetitions, as the fame terms mull neceflarily be employed in defcribing buildings. The wealth to be feen in this city tranfcends ima- gination, if bilhop Burnet is to be credited ; who fays, there are four and twenty houfes of the order of the Dominicans of both fexes, and two and twenty of the Francifcans ; feven of the Jefuits *, befides the convents of the Olivitanes, the Theatins, Carmelites, Benedidines, and Carthufians. As there are about lOO convents in Naples, fo every one of thefe, if it were in another place, would be thought well worth feeing •, though the riches of the greater convents here make many of them to be lefs vifited. The Jefuits are great merchants here •, but they do not retail their wines out fo fcandaloudy as the Mi- nims, who live on the great fquare before the royal palace, and fell out their wine by retail^ for which they pay no duty The convent of St. Maria Maddalena delie Spag- nuolewas founded by Donna Ifabella d’ Alarcon, mar- chionefs della V alle, for Spanifh .proftitutes inclined to forfake their debauched life. Palaces. — I. Palazza Reale, or royal • palace, forms a fquare, with a court in the middle •, and it lias a noble ilaircafe, which takes up one fide. The front is very grand, and well executed. The archi- tedure is bold and noble, done by Fontana, and * The convents have a very- particular privilege in this town, for they may buy all the houfes on either fide ’till the hrft Itreet that difcontinucth the houfes j and there being fcarce a ftreet in Na- 'ples in which there is not a con- vent, by this means they may come to buy in the whole town : and the progrefs that the wealth of the clergy makes in this king- dom is fo vifible, that, if there is not fcnne Hop put to it, they will make themfelves mafters of the whole kingdom. Burnet, p. 160. The vaft and dead wealth that is in the hands of the church- men is another evident caufe of their mifery. The bilhop tells us, that one, who knew the ftatc of the kingdom well, alTured him, that if it were divided into five parts, upon a ftrift furvey, it I would be found, that the church- i men had four parts of the five,. * Ibid.’ p. 158. originally 221 buildings in NAPLES. originally intended as a palace for the viceroys, when under the Spanifh government*. The guard-room, is allb a noble piece of architedlure, and very long, as well as broad. A theatre is built in this palace,, very commodious for reprdenting operas. All the apartments abound in fine paintings and beautiful tapeftry. The cielings have gold grounds, with white or- naments. There are red and white marble frames round the doors, with figured and gilt plates on them. The room of ftate is very elegant, and well furnilhed, particularly with an Englifii clock, which plays many of our tunes. But, as none of the paintings have been defcribed by any traveller, the follov/ing is a particular account of them. State-Room. A large piece of the refurredlion of Lazarus, by Baflano ; one of his beft: of Charity, by Schedoni : a m.adonna, by Lanfranco : a Lu- cretia, by Parmegiano : a holy family, by Raphael, a frnail pieces the figures Handing, and St. John fa- inting the child Jefus ; there are three of thefe pictures, and no difference is. to be feen in them, one is in the-Barberini palace,'-and the other in that of Albani, at Rome, which arc very beautiful : Mi- nerva embracing a young warrior , a pretty invented compliment to the family, by the painter : another charity piece, by Schedoni *, a woman is giving a piece of bread to a boy leading a blind man, the * The great perron is divided into two flights of fleps, and is of white marble. It is eleven common paces in breadth, and a fuperb work. At the foot of the fleps, on each fide, is the ilatue of a river ; that on the left hand reprefenting the Tagus, and that on the right the Ebro, with in- fcriptions under them. Keyfler, ii. p. 373. It was built by or- der of the count de Lemos, vice- roy under Philip III. king of whole Spain. It IS 400 feet tong m front, extremely regular, light, of three orders of architeflure, embeliiflied with a vail number of granate columns, and a clock on the top. Blainville, iii. p. 300. This palace is three ftpries in. height, and of a great length. By it ftands a colofial flatus of Jupiter, antique, but. with mo- dern reparations. It was brought from an ancient temple near Cu- mse. Wright, p. ico. 222 BUILDINGS IN NAPLES. whole extremely natural, and particularly fo a little boy in the fore-ground, who (lands with one hand in his bofom, and has a fweet fimplicity in his counte- nance : a St. Cecilia, by the fame hand ; with four boys hanging round it, by H. Caracci : two Cupids-, and a holy family, by the fame Caracci : a madonna- in the clouds, feveral faints below, and St. Scbailian.' feen in profile, efleemed fine, as is the whole piece in general *, painted by Correggio, though the defign not corredl. Parma Colledlion. — This collection was fent here by order of the king’s mother, who is heirefs of the Parma family. First room.— A fine Apollo in the heavens, playing on his lyre, and the earth under him ; a noble invention, and painted by H. Caracci : an angel in the clouds, holding incenfe, with one knee bent by the fame hand : a pieta, by Lucca Hollande. Second room. — Michael Ano-elo’s famous defiern • ^ O ^ of the lafl judgment, painted fmall j it is faid by fome to be done entirely by his own hand, but others imagine it to be painted by Marceili Venufle, one of his favourite fcholars ; nvo fine lioly families, by Raphael one has a cat in it, but the other is the mofl pleafing picture : the portrait-piece of Leo X. and the two cardinals which is reputed to be the fame that Andrea del Sarto copied fo exaCtly from- the celebrated one of Raphael, in the palace of Pitti at Florence : two Cupids, by H. Caracci : a. madonna, by Bellino f : a piece, by Schedoni, of f There were three of this name j Giacomo Bfellino, the difciple- of Fabriciano. He is not fo famous by his works, as by his fons,> Gentile and Giovanni Bellino, who were tlje founders of the Venetian fchool. The gufto of G. Eelllno, the maftcr cf Titian and Gior- gione, is a little Gothic in his defigns : the air of his heads is noble, but his attitudes are not well chofen. There are no lively cxpreiTions in his pieces ; and the fubje^ls of which he treated, being chiefly madonnas, gave him no occaflon for them. De Piles, p. 160. feme BUILDINGS IN NAPLES. 223 fome women and children : a fmall madonna, which feems the flile of L. Vinci : the portrait of a girl, with a looking-glafs, and a little dog catching hold of the tail of her gown : a madonna, in water-colors, by Correggio : a Magdalen, by Titian: a large piece, by the fame, of a naked Danae, with a little Cupid, finely colored : two portraits of pope Paul III: alfo by Titian , with a Venus and Adonis : a madonna, by Correggio ; it is a fmall piece, with a rabbit in it, and is called the Repofo : a pidlure of Juftice, by Luca Giordano, in his beft manner : the portrait of a young woman, a fweet and genteel figure, with a little animal on her flioulder like a weafel, by Par- megiano : a Magdalen, by H. Caracci : a boy’s head,^ with his finger on his mouth, by Correggio : a mother playing with a young child in her arms ; a fine figure, by Parmegiano : a pieta, by Barocci. Third room. — A very fine pieta, by H. Caracci, two little angels pointing to the nails, charming : the judgment of Hercules, by the fame : a painter drawing a madonna, by L. Giordano : a large piece- of a naked Venus afieep, with many Cupids ^out her bed, diverting themfelves with her cloaths, and one is Irobling in her flippers •, alfo a naked Venus, with her back to the beholder, and fatyrs about, like that in tlie Tribunal chamber gallery at Florence ; both thefe by H. Caracci : a battle piece, by Bor- gognone : a madonna, by Guido : a mifer bufily employed, another figure winking at the fpedator : two pi6lures ; one of a man leaning on his books, , with the greatefi: uneafmefs in his countenance, as perplexed to find fomething out ♦, the other has all the fatisfadlion in it, as if he had difeovered what he wanted. Fourth room. — The famous madonna, with St. Jerom •, a drawing, by Correggio : a drawing of two children, by Raphael •, one is crying, the other- laughing at it : a fmall drawing of the lafc judg- ment, . 224 buildings in NAPLES. ment, which feems to be one of Michael Angelo’s : a drawing of the famous Repofo, with the rabbit,, by Correggio. All thefe drawings are very fine and corredl. Fifth room, — A large colIc6lion of medals, an- tique models, and inftruments, fine cameos, and in- taglios, particularly one in an onyx cup, about eight inches diameter and two deep ; at the bottom is a fine apotheofis of Hadrian, and on the outfide is a Medufa’s head, which covers the whole bottom. In the palace chapel are furprifing quantities of plate, and behind the altar ftands a mod: exquilite white marble flatue of the Virgin Mary. This pa- lace has a fubterraneous communication with the Caflello Nuovo, which was done for the fecurity of the viceroy in cafe of an infurrc61:ion. The gardens reach to the fea-fide, but are not very extraordinary. This is a fplendid court ; and the nobility exceed thofe at the court of France ir^ their dreffes and equipages. When a lady of quality goes there, fhe is conducted in the following manner. She fets out alone in a large rich gilded coach, with., glafs windows behind as well as before. This is preceded by another neat coach, in which fits a perfoii genteely dreffed, called her Braceira, who hands, the lady in and out of her coach. Another coadi fol- lows, where are four pages, or more, according to the dignity of the perfon : and a- rich fedan chair is carried empty by two chairmen near the fide of her coach. When they arrive at court, the braceira gets out, and hands the lady into her fedan, when the pages v/alk two and two on each fide, richly dreffed. In this manner flie is carried up flairs, where fhe quits her fedan, and tlie pages fupport her train, which is fome yards in length, ’till llie comes to tlie drawing-room door, when it is buttoned up with loops. The braceira and pages v/ait in the anti- chamber ’till her return, when ihe is recondu6led to her BUILDINGS IN NAPLES. 225 her coach. But it is remarked, that though the Neapolitan ladies drefs themfelves to great advantage, they are not lo beautiful in appearance as thofe at Florence and Rome. The ftate coach belonging to the king is faid to have coil io,oool. and is the moll magnificent in Europe : it is very large, and richly gilt, even the tire round the wheels. It is ufually drawn by fix noble black horfes, whofe harnefs is extremely rich, and the reins of broad folid gold lace : the carved work is the finefi: imaginable^ and the painting fo extraordinary that nothing can exceed it. There is neither iron or brafs about it, but inftead tliereof filver, or filver gilt. II. St. Angelo Imperiale contains fonie valuable paintings •, particularly St. Thomas convinced ; and Elerod’s cruelty, fmall, but pretty : four fine por- traits ; that of the pilgrim, by Spagnuolet *, one with the little Bolognefe dogs, by Correggio •, and the two old men, by Titian : two drav/ings, by H. Caracci : a fine madonna in the clouds, St. Jerbm and James below ; it feems of Correggio’s manner : a Lucretia, like that done by Raphael : fome alle- gorical pidures : a fine portrait, a whole length, by Vandyke. III. Franca Villa is a palace belonging to a prince of that title, who married a daughter of the prince of Borghefe of Rome. The apartments are noble, and beautifully furnifhed. First room. — Six heads of the apoftles, by Spa- gnoletto j the coloring extremely dark. Second room. — The original piece of Mary Mag- dalen anointing the feet of Chriil ; a noble defign, but fmall, and finely painted, by Paul Veronefe.^ the large one of the fame fubje6t is in the palace of Durazzo at Genoa : the intombing of Chrift, a fmall piece, by Michael Angelo de Carravagio : a bacchanalia, of boys and girls, fweetly painted, by Vandyke : feveral portraits, by Rubens, Third 226 BUILDINGS in NAPLES. Third room. — This is the room of ftate, whicFt is very elegant : here is a fkeich of a madonna, by Titian. Fourth room. — A holy family, by Schedoni. IV. Philom'arino. — One apartment of this pa- lace contains the following fine colle6lion of pidures a capital piece^. by H. Caracci ; one of his beft works the Marys at the lepulchre of Chriit, the angel fitting on^ it, cloathed in white, with a glory round his head ; the principal light is on him, a beautiful figure •, the fbprie at the front-ground ia dark, near the horizon light ; the faces of the Ma* rys are fhadowed •, fne witlr tlie box is in a red garment, with a deep yellow, drapery over her fnoul- ders *, the next to her is in purple, with a yellow changeable over the arm.;- and the outward figure' is in red, with a blue veil over her : John baptizing, of Chrift, by F. Albani : Jefeph’s flight, into Egypt,, elegantly painted by P: da Cortona : a fine Ecce homo, by Guido : a pieta, with fine exprefiion, and^ highly finifhed, by Domenichino : three pieces beaur tifully executed by PoulTin ; Chrifl curing the blind ;• the annunciation of the Virgin, who receives it with her eyes fhiit, in* an attitude of great humility, God and angels painted above ^ the other is. called the* Repofe, whichjs the holy family refcing in their journey to Egypt : a pieta, good, by Baffan : St.- Francis, finely done, by L. Caracci : a holy family, moit charmingly painted, by Domenichino *, diere is^ a little angel in this piece, with his face half fha- dowed, looking over the flioulder of another, with a countenance lively like nature herfelf V. Gandolfi. — Here is a capital piece by Guer- cino j the refurredtion of Lazarus. y The other moft remarkable palaces at Naples are thofe of the- prince di S. Agata, the dukes di Gravina and Mataloni, and a few others } though, indeed, they will, hardly bear, feeing after thofe of Ron*.... Keyller, ii. 377^ The BUILDINGS IN NAPLES. 227 The palace in which jufticc is adminiftered is now called the Vicaria, but was formerly a royal refi- dence. Here are fome chapels, adorned with good pidtures, by Rivales, a SpaniHi painter, difcipie of Polidoro. Under the Vicaria are the public prifons, where many criminals and captives are confined. The Univerfity, which they call the Studii Nuovi, is a large and handfome ftrufture, built by Fontana when the count de Lemos was viceroy. The front is magnificent, and 180 palms in breadth. The middle part is adorned with columns, ftatues, and infcriptions. In a large old hall are fome antique ftatues, found at Pozzuoli. Within this palace is a pretty anatomical theatre, and a fpacious chapel, which contains feveral fiiatues by Naccarini -f. The library of Valetta is faid to confifc of more than 18,000 volumes ; all valuable, well-chofen books. It is adorned with fome good paintings, par- ticularly a ritratto of their famous Mafianello, and an admirable one of Casfar Borgia by Titian. The library of the prince of Tarfi is in pretty tafte, where are feveral curious mathematical inftru- ments ; and a room in which are the portraits of the moft eminent authors in Europe, particularly Sir Ifaac Newton and Mr. Lock, but badly painted. Castles. — I. Caftello Nuovo, or New Caftle, on one fide joins to the fea, and is always well gar- rifoned J. It is mounted with fifty pieces of ord- nance ; and an infcription informs us, that on the baftion del San Spirito formerly flood a large piece. •j- T\\e univerfity of Naples appears from Petrus de Vineis and Riccard. de S. Germano, to have been founded by the emperor Fre- deric II. whofe patent was confirmed by pope Innocent IV- in 1254. Keyfler, ii. 4.31, X Charles I, brother to St. Louis, raifed the whole ftru6lure, in 1265, a large tower excepted, now called Torre del Oro, which was built before his time by the Normans, to defend the mole. Blainville, vol. iii. p. 24.3, 0.2 called 228 BUILDINGS IN NAPLES. called Magdalena^ weighing 2 1 ,ooolb. which carried balls of i2olb. weight. This ddtruclive engine was call in the time of the emperor Maximilian I. and placed here by Charles V. who completed the work, and rendered it a good fortification *, for, befides high and thick wails, flanked by Ilrong towers, in much the fame manner as the Baflile at Paris, it is furrounded by a Ilrong curtain, defended by four ballions, one of which was built from the produce of a tax laid on courtezans. Near the entrance of the cafde Bands a triumphal arch, adorned with fculpture, and feme inferiptions, fignlfying that it was built by Alphonfo the beB of princes.. Farther on is a brafs gate, decorated with fine baiTo-rdievos, which reprefent fomie of the exploits of the Arra- gonian kings : the wfliole is the workmanihip of G. Monaco. Beyond this gate is a fquare parade, where a ihoufand men may Band with eafe, and perform their exercifes. Next to it we fee a Bately Bone Baircafe, of thirty-four Beps, leading to a large hall, which ferves as an arfenal, ereded by Charles II. where they fay are arms for 50,000 men. This hall is a fine piece of architedfure, efpecially its ceiling, and the performance of Pifano : the building is fo conBrudted, that a whilper on one fide is diBindlly heard at the other. ‘ The area, a large fpace on each fide the caBl«, is called II largo del CaBello, and ferves as a public walk to people of quality ; as alfo for tournaments, races, bull-fightings, and other exercifes. II. Castello del Uovo, or Egg CaBle, fo called from its oval figure. Bands in the fea, on a rock, which is joined to the continent by a bridge of 220 paces long A great part of it was deBroyed by Peter * This cnftle is faid to have been anciently the palace of Lucullus, and not originally fituated on an ifland, but altered to its prefent ftate and form by the Norman kings j on which account, for a long time, it. BUILDINGS IN NAPLES. 229 Peter Navarre, a Blfcayan, who firft invented the dreadful work of mines. He quitted the fervice of Charles V. and entered into the fervice of Francis I. for whom he deftroyed this fort, which was repaired under Philip II. and is nov/ as defenfible as fuch a place can be. III. St. Elmo Caille, or St. Eramo -j-, is fituated on an eminence towards the weld •, and the plan is * in the form of a ftar, with fix rays. The fubter- raneous works are very fpacioiis, and hewn out of the rock to fuch a depth as to be bom.b-proof, on which account a great quantity of military ftores are kept here. It is impoffible to have a liner view of Naples than from this caftle, which was built by the em- peror Charles V. with a view to curb the citizens, if they fhould attempt an infurredtion. The Mole.— This projedts near half a mile J into the fea, and was begun by Charles II. in 1302. It is in the form of a bending arm, and about fixty feet broad, con lifting of large ftones, hewn and fquare, fo clofely cemented, that it Hands immove- able like a rock, and braves the fury of the moft impetuous waves. From the middle of the elbow rifes a beautiful lofty round tov/er, called La Laterna, which ferves as a light-houfe to fuch fhips as enter the harbor in the night. At the end -of the bending of the elbow is a fmall fort, called the baftion of St. Januarius, whofe ftatue Hands over the gate. I'here it was called the Norman cafde. Keyfler, ii. 374. It went likewiTe by the name of Megafis ; and the rock on which it (lands was for- merly at the head of the Echia hill, and joined to the continent, but was long fince fevered from it by a dreadful earthquake and liorm. Blainville, iii. p. 248. f So called from a church dedicated to that faint, which formerly Hood on this fpot. .1 Blainville fays, 500 .paces j but it has been lengthened (ince his time. 0.3 IS 230 BUILDINGS in NAPLES. is alfo a chapel towards the middle of the mole, where mafs is daily celebrated for mariners. The mole is broad enough for two coaches to go a-breaft, and fufficient room for them to turn at the end. It is the moil agreeable public walk about the city, and much frequented in the fummer evenings by perfons of failiion, to enjoy the frefco, or refrefhing breezes from the fea. On each fide the mole, the fhips and other veifels are chained ; from whence is a prolpedl of mount Vefuvius, the adjacent delight- ful country about Portici, and the beautiful afcent of great part of Naples, the houfes and gardens ap- pearing one above another almoil to the caftle of St. Elmo, with a pleafant view of the Carthufran con- vent The company here have conilantly feveral concerts of the fineil mufic, which founds fweetly in the ftiil evening, and increafes the pleafures of the place. - The Darfena, or harbor for gallies, was made in 1668, and may contain about twenty of thofe veffels. It is clofed on one fide by a fmall neck of land, where frands the old tov/er of St. Vincent, by which it is defended •, and this tower is now ufed as a place of confinement for difobedient children. Near this is the great arfenal, which is a large flrudlure, fur- rounded with magazines full of arms. Catacombs.— Four of thefe have been difcovered in Naples ; but that of St. Januarius is of thegreatefl extent, and kept in the bell order. There are three galleries, one below another, cut within a rock, which m fome parts are twelve paces wide. The caverns, or repofitories for the dead, are on each fide, one * Notliing can be more agreeable than the taking a gentle walk on this mole towards the evening. There we enjoy a delightfully re- freflung air, arifing from the fea-breezes ; and a charming profpedl: of the whole city, from iVIagdalen bridge to the Paufilypus. Blain- ville, 246. above DESCRIPTION or NAPLES. 231 above another, and like ovens f . The arches are about fixteen feet high, and eleven broad, which feem to have been the burial places of particular families ; but the bones to be feen here, now lying in heaps, are chiefly the remains of thofe who were fwept away by the terrible peftilence in 1656. It is faid, thefe catacombs extend nine or ten miles round the city ; but this is not probable. Indeed, bifliop Burnet fays, “ If that be true, they may perhaps rim towards Puz- zuolo, and fo they may have been the burial places of the towns on that bay. He fays he walked a -great way, and found galleries going off on all hands without ,end J .” Mr. Addifon tells us that, upon examining the niches, he found they wxre each af them ftopped up, without doubt, as foon as the corps was laid in it jj . Instead of confecrated tapers, as at Rom_e, the guides here ufe common flambeaux. Here is one particular vault of fuch a 'height, that the roof cam •not be difeerned by the lights. Befides the leffer galleries, which branch out from the larger, there are fome inlets in the manner of chapels, wTich have -f- Thefe are v.»ide long gal- ( leries, cut in the ftone of a fandy < kind, one over the other, with . noble arches or vaults, the par- terre and Tides of which are filled with niches. The breadth of the galleries is about fifteen feet, and twenty in height j conlequently, they are much more fpacious than thofe of Rome, vvhich are but three feet wide at moft, and from five to eight feet high. Blainville, iii. 356. The bodies in thefe catacombs were depofited in ca- ' vities on both Tides of the vaults, ‘ four or five one upon another j and the cavity, when full, was clofed up with a marble ilab, or with tiles. Keyfier, ii. 394. X Burnet, p. 165. He further fays, that thefe catacombs have fupplied the papifts with an in- exhauftible magazine of bones, which, by all appearance, are no other than the bones of the pagan Romans which are now Tent over the world to feed a fuper- fiition that is as blind as it proves expenfive ; and thus the bones of the Roman Haves, or at lead thofe of the meaner fort, are now fet in fih'^er and gold, with a great deal of other codly garniture, and en- tertain the fuperftition of thofe who are willing to be deceived, as well as they ferve the ends of thofe that feek to deceive the world. Ibid. p. 175. 11 Addifon, p. 138.