YALE UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

Bought with the income
of the
EDWARD WELLS SOUTHWORTH
FUND

LETTERS F R O M A
YOUNG PAINTER
A B R O A n
T O H I S
FRIENDS I N
ENGLAND.

Adorned with Copper Plates.

Non liber ut fieret, fed uti fua cutque dareiur
Littera, propofitum curaque noftra fuit.
Da veniam fcrtptis, quoram non gloria nobis
Caufa, fed utilitas ofificiumque fuit.
Ovid. Epift. ex PontoIIT. 9.
Vol. I,
The Second Edition.
L O N *'D O N:
Printed for W. R c s s e i, at Horace's Head without
Temple- Bar, mdccl.

T O
THOSE WORTHY
GENTLEMEN, THE KIND AND GENEROUS
ENCOURAGERS O F T H E
AUTHOR'S STUDIES,
THIS
FIRST VOLUME
O F HI S
LETTERS, IN TESTIMONY
OF HIS GRATITUDE, i s
HUMBLY DEDICATED.

PREFAC E.
HE Account, infomeofthe
following pages, of the great
difcoveries made among the
ruins of Herculaneum, which
is much more extenfive, par
ticular, and exact, than any that has before
appeared j gave the firft oceafion to the
thought of making any of thefe Letters
public. In confequence of which, it was in
tended to publifh only thofe which defcribe
its prefent fituation and circumftances, and
the Antiquities found therein ; together with
the previous defcription of Mount Vefuvius,
and relation of all the Eruptions which have
happened, particularly that by which thisCity
was overwhelmed. But the favourable opi
nion of Thofe, to whom fome of the other
Letters had been occafionally communi
cated, encouraged the Editor to compile a
fmall Volume, rather than a Pamphlet. In
doing which, he has endeavoured to difpofe
them in fuch a manner, as by the variety to
render the whole a more agreeable entertain
ment. There
Vol, t

vi PREFACE.
There is one particular, of which it fc
proper here to advertife the Reader ; that
he may not expedtj either to receive more fa-
lisfadlion from the prefent Account than it
will yield him, or to fee any other more fa-
:isfadrory in a little time. His Sicilian Ma-
efty is building a Palace, and in it a fine Gal
ery, for the reception of all the Curiofities,
vhich have already been, or may hereafter
)e, difcovered, in this wonderful place ; the
lumber of which is dayly increasing. All
hefe he defigns to have ingraved, defcribed,
nd explained, in the fame manner, as in
he Mufaum Florentinum. A Work of this
lature can not be compleatly executed, 'till
11 thefe things have been ranged in their
iroper order in the intended Gallery j and
onfequently will not probably fee the light,
ill fome years hence. In the mean time,
-i prevent any anticipation, no one, who is '
dmitted to the fight of thefe Antiquities,
permitted to make ufe of a pencil, either
i the fubterraneous City, or in the palace at
ortici. Which precaution, as it takes
,vay all reafonable hopes of our having any
;ry exact and perfect Account of them 'till
lat authentic one fhall appear ; fo it may
ferye

PREFACE. vii
fef ve to induce the public to be the better fa-
tisfied, in the mean while, with that which
is given in thefe Letters. To render which
the lefs imperfect, all that could be found ad,
vanced by others relating to this fubject, has
been collected, abridged, and fubjoined by
way of Notes j in which the various, and
fometimes contradictory, relations of different
perfons may not be altogether unentertaining, '
In the firft Edition, feveral paragraphs,
having been omitted in different pages, were
added altogether in a fhort appendix at the
end of the firft Volume : thefe are inferted
in this new Edition in the proper places
to which they belong. And an Appendix
is now fubjoined to each Volume, con
taining fome alterations, and additions,
particularly a tranflation of moft of the
Epitaphs, Infcriptions, &c. which are in
Greek and Latin. When the tranflation
of thefe was promifed, it was not fufHcient-
ly apprehended, how difficult it would be to
make good Englifli of moft, good fenfe of
fome, and any fenfe at all of others, by rea-
fon of their defects and apparent errors. On
which accounts, it is feared, there- may be
more

tiii PREFACE.
more occafion for the Editor to defire to be
excufed for foflie which are inferted, than for
thofe which have been omitted. There is
however one omifllon, of which it is proper
to ta&e particular notice, becaufe it relates to
a Piece, mentioned as part of the Contents
of the Second Volume, " Observations upon
*« the fculptufe of an antique Ivory Chair,
" made in the feventh century, reprefenting
" our Bleffed Saviour's flight into Egypt, and
" his firft miracle at Cana." This piece
was referved for the latter part of the Vo
lume; which, by the infertion of Letters
on fubjedts of more confequence, infenfibly
fwelled beyond the propofed fize, 'till there
was not room enough left for the addition,
In all other refpects, except the time of pub
lication, ' the Propofals have been ftrictly ob-
ferved ; and indeed much exceeded. So that
the Editor flatters himfelf upon the whole,
that the Reader will think both the omif-
fions and delay over-balanced, by the addi
tion of four fheets of Letter- prefs, and two
Copper-plates, more than were promrfed j
without the leaft advance of the price on
that account.
LETTER

LETTER L

To Mr, F. Bi M,

Dear Sir.

Paris, Nov. ii; 1739. N. Si
O pretend to give you a defcrip^
tion of Parish would be as pre-
lumptuous in me, as ufelefs to
yoxi ; who for fome time paft
have had two fuch fenfible and
agreeable correfpondents herej
your brother and Mr. M. Neverthelefs^ how
weak foever my pen may be^ in comparifon of
theirs, I fliall venture to mention a few things
that have fallen in my way^ and to make fome
fhort remarks upon them.
My curiofity firft led me to their churches :
which are in general after the old Gothic man
ner; and their chief cathedral, called Notre
Damef, was built by the Englifh. The infides
are adorned either with tapeftry, or pictures^
Or with both ; and the altars are exceedingly
rich : the mufic is very awful and folemn 5 and
Vol I. . B the

2 LETTER I.
the divine fervice celebrated with fo much de-»
cency and regularity, that tho' I condemn their
fuperftitions, I cannot but be ferioully affected,
when prefent at their worfhip. The palaces
and hotels are very magnificent without, and
embellifhed in the moft elegant manner withiri.
The nobility refiding here feem to excell ours
in the grarideur of their habitations, and in the
encouragement they fhew men of ingenuity
and learning •, to whom particular apartments
are. allowed in the Louvre^ But the Parifians,
I mean the commonalty, are like fnails : they
have fubftantial houfes into which they can
withdraw themfelves ; but have not wherewith-
all to keep out poverty. As for their wives
and daughters, I can fee nothing in them of
that engaging neatnefs, for which our Britifh
dames are fo juftly admired. To afk for news,
is a very impertinent queftion; no occurrences,
either foreign, or domeftic, being fuffered to
be printed, except in the Gazette ; and none,
even in that, of the like trivial nature with the
wretched fluff, which is the daily amufement :
of your London politicians. So that, if one
be curious to know what paffes even here, one
muft make ufe of foreign papers, as of a re
flecting telefcope, not to view the object direct
ly in the place where it is, but as it is brought
nearer to the eye by a fecond mirrour. In
Ihort.3

LETTER I. 3
fhort, their greateft liberty feems to be, as they
exprefs it, de faire fes affaires wherever thsy
pleafe ; of which they are fo oftentatious, that
you can't mount their ftair-cafes but you meet
with fenfible demonftrations of it, to the very
great embarrafment of your perfon, and par
ticularly of that nice part of it your nofe. I
was at an opera the other night ; and as that is
the chief rendezvous of the tip-top Belles, I
would fain give you a defcription of them :
but alas nature was there be-dawbed in fo fcan-
dalous a manner, that I muft decline the dis
agreeable talk ; and leave you to form in your
mind an idea, what a hideous fpeflacle a nofe
and two eyes muft make, with two globular
fpots beneath them, as fiery red as the orb of
the fun, whqn fitting in a dufky evening. If
their hearts ftand in need of fuch deceitful
mafks, as one would imagine their faces do,
they muft be the moft deteftable creatures in
the world. I defpair of ever feeing here fuch a
bloom, and mpdeft blufh of nature, as render
my pretty countrey-women fo much more beau
tiful and charming.
There is no place in the world where one ia
mere obliged to give way to the furious torrent
, of fafhion ; tho' I fhould take much more in
ward fatisfaction in appearing like an Engliftw
man; for here^ is little or no diftin&ioo as to
B 3L habit,,

4 LETTER I
habit, between a valet de chambre, and his
lord ; and a man of fenfe is under a kind of
neceffity of appearing like a coxcomb. The
Other morning I was introduced to a French
gentleman of fortune. At parting, I was wait
ed on down flairs by his valet : who, after va
riety of compliments, acquainted me with his
own extraordinary art in making peniquesi and
that he fhould be proud to ferve me, &c.
Sometime afterwards I was in this Caffe Angloisi,
when a perfon made his entrance dreffed in
black velvet, with a gold-laced hat* filver-hilted
fwordj &c. he accofted me in particular, irv a
genteel manner, and was very much my humble
fervant. It put me intp no little flutter to fee
myfelf thus honoured by one, whofe quality I
thought anfwerable to his drefs : but to my
furprife and chagrine, he whifpered me, that
he was the valet de chambre, alias the barber
afore-mentioned, and was ready to equip me
a la mode de Paris. But in whatever fantaftical
fafhion I may be here difguifed, I fhall always
continue with the utmoft plainnefs and fince*
Your moft affectionate friend, &c.

LETTER

(5)
LETTER II,
To Dr. R.
Dear Doctor, Fontaiubleau> Nov. zo. 1739. M &,
THO' I may have deferred this token of
my remembrance and affection beyond the
limits which perhaps a brother may be willing
to allow •, yet if you confider, that a traveller
is obliged to let flip no opportunity of feeing
whatever is worth notice ; and of converfing with
all perfons who can give him the beft informa
tion, you will acknowledge, that having no com-
rnand of his time, his hand may very Often be
in no capacity to obey the dictates of his heart.
By the Letters I fent to Weftminfter, you have
been acquainted, no doubt, with the manner of
my voyage and journey to Paris ; of which place
\t would be fuperfluous to mention any thing to
you, who have traverfed every part of it.
When I delivered your Letter to M&hfieur
Bourgeois, (who, by the by, puts me in mind
of Old Hippisly in the Entertainments) ; after
abundance of ceremonies with his cap and his
heels, he, by the afiiftartce of his good old dame,
made out the contents : which I muft own, he*
like a true catholic, faithfully and confeientioufly
fulfilled. I ought hkewife, out of gratitude, to
make

6 L E T T E R II.
make honourable mention of him upon another
account, viz. That in his fmoaking hot nurfery,
I fo perfectly fucked in the excellent qualities of
foups and ragouts, that I lament not now the lofs
of Englifh roaft-beef or plumb-pudding.
Did you not retain fome idea in your mind, I
fhould want words to reprefent to you, as well as
colours ftrong enough to paint, the true portrait
qf a Mademoifelle a la mode de Paris. If you think,
that a perfon of my bufinefs ought to refide there
for fome time, to improve in the art of colour
ing, you are much miftaken : for painters fhould
ftudie nothing but what is natural, and avoid
every thing that is hideous or hurtful to the
fight ; to which the blazing cheeks of thefe
Belles are very prejudicial : for my own fake
therefore I turned my eyes, and my thoughts
from them.
This place is in the direct road to Lions, and
is remarkable chiefly for its convenient fituation
for hunting. The court being now here, as I
was fo godly as to attend the king and the old
cardinal at mafs, I refolved alfo to get a tit at
any rate, rather than not accompanie his ma-
jefty at the chace. Fortune was very favoura
ble, and put an Englifh nag in my way : 'tis
true, he had not fo much mettle as your little
Jack •, but he had more flefh thah Sorrel. The
Frenchmen had taught him to be very campli-r fant'

LETTER III. y
fant in falling on his knees ; however he had
not fo much forgotten his natural love and care
for his countrey-man, as to lay me in a ditch,
or flick me on a hedge.
The coach for Chalon Waits, and obliges me
to break off this moment, by fubfcribing my-
felf. Your moft affectionate brother, &c.

LETTER III.
To. Mr. F. B. M.
. Dear Sir, Lions, Nov. 30. 1739. N. S.
IN my journey from Paris to this place* I
thought it would be very proper to fee Fon-
tainbleau ; through which the flying coach,
called here La Diligence, always paffes. I there
fore fet out three or four days before it : having
a greater defire of flopping at Fontainbleau,
becaufe it would give me an opportunity of fee
ing the French Court in that illuflrious fcene
of hunting, and particularly that old fox, who
has fo often baffled and left the hounds of all na
tions at a fault, but more efpecially one fad dog
whom I need not name. Nature feems to have
exactly fuited his outward to his inward parts 5
for there is a wonderful vivacity in his coun
tenance,

g LETTER III.
tenance, intermixed with the flynefs peculiar to
that animal.
Amongft the diverfions at Fontainbleau* I
was at one that is ufhered in with a great deal
of magnificencei viz. a hunting-match, which
the king very feldom miffes. a day* The ren
dezvous is at a fixed hour, in a large foreft j
where it is furprizing to fee what a number of
fine Englifh hunting horfes come bounding in.
As foon as his majefly, &c. arrive, the ftag
is uriharboured : the king, who is the beft of
horfe-men, is always foremoft in the chacei-
There is fomething very noble and delightful
in the fight of two or three hundred horfe-men
ftreaming after him along the plain: no-body
is permitted to ride before him ; and* if it hap
pens to be a wet day, he takes delight in riding
flow, and in having every body fbaked about
him. His dogs are almoft as facred as his
own perfon : for great precaution is taken* that
no one ride amongft them ; and they are all
marked with the fign of the crofs ; an incite
ment, they imagine,- to fwiftnefs* as well as a
defence from the head of a flag, or the tufk of
a boar. The people, from the loweft to the
higheft, feem equally intoxicated with this and
other kinds of fuperftition ; and confequently
they interfere iri the meaneft, as well as greater
affairs. At my lodgings at Paris I miffed a
little

LETTER III. 9
little money, and concluded I had miflayed it
in my chamber : the fervants having fearched
to no purpofe, went thereupon, and faid mafs
to the St. Efprit for the recovery of it : how
prevalent their prayers might be, I can't pre
tend to fay ; but, my memory returning, I
found T had only erred in my calculation of
French money.
In our way from Fontainbleau through Bur
gundy, we were confined to fuch a fort of ve
hicle, that we had onely our heads now and
then at liberty to look out : but had it been
otherwife, the countrey was fo covered with
fnow, that we could onely form to our-felves a
faint idea, how delightful it muft needs be in
the fummer feafon, when cloathed with vines,.
In three days we arrived at Chalon, a city about
fixty leagues from Paris ; there quitted the
coach, and erribarked in a veffel called Le
cache d'eau, to go down the Saone ; which
brought us to Lions on the 25. The latter
part of our journey to this place recompenfed,
us for all the fevere joftlings vve had received
on land from the badnefs of the roads. The
river Thames flows not gentler than the Saone,,
nor do I think its banks and hills comparable
to thofe of the latter. ' The Thames indeed is.
bordered with many delightful gardens and.
feats ; but here, they are exceeded both in nurrw
Vol-. L. Q bet

io L E T T E R IV.
ber and beauty. As the veflel advanced through
the windings of the river, the hills opened, like
fo many fcenes, and difcovered the moft agree
able landfkips in nature.
As I fhall write to my brother the Doctor
this week, and give him a fhort account of this
city, which you will have an opportunity of
feeing ; I fhall here beg leave to conclude ab
ruptly, Your moft affectionate friend, &c.

LETTER IV.
To Dr. R.
Dear Doctor, Lions, Dec. 6. ly^g.N.S.
THIS city is accounted the next in dig
nity to the metropolis : to which tho'
it yields in the number and nature of its build
ings ; yet has it vaftly the advantage of the
other by its delightful and romantic fituation.
The greateft part is built upon two high rocky
mountains, through which the Saone flows
fouthward, making an agreeable divifion, and
then running into the Rhone ; on the north fide
of which a third part of the city flands on plain
ground. On the fides of thefe mountains art)
ranged

LETTER IV: it
ranged houfes, monasteries, churches, and caftleS
one above another, (like fo many fhells, of
different fizes, fhapes, and colours, in a large
piece of rock-work) in that form and order*
that they mutually contribute to diftinguifh
and difplay each other. The flreets are afcend*-
ed by fteps ; and my curiofity induced me to
count thofe which led up to a chapel of the
Carmelites, fituated about the middle of one of
the mountains ; which proved to be above three
hundred. At fome diftance from hence ftands
a convent of Minimes, in whofe gardens are
the ruins of an old Roman theatre ; and at a
quarter of a mile's diftance, the remains of art
aqueduct, of which two or three arches are
flill intire. There is one place remarkably
ftrong, from whence neither the brave* nor the
cunning can have any hopes of efcaping: it
is a caflle, built on the pinnacles of rocks, to
which there is onely one narrow avenue cut out :
here they confine the prifoners of war. In the
fouthern part of the city, which lies in the flat,
the moft celebrated place is a fquare, called
Laplace royale; which isf but little lefs than
Grofvenor- fquare, and has onely two fides uni
form. In the midft is an e'queftrian fiatue of
Lewis XIV. upon a large oblong pedeftal: oh
the two fides of which are two figures in baffo
relievo, one of the female fex,- to denote the
C 2 foft

12 LETTER V.
foft and gentle flowing of the Saone •, the other
of the male, to reprefent the roughnefs and ra
pidity of the Rhone ; which at this time of the
year is very vifible at its conjunction with the
Saone, and increafes prodigioufly when the fnow
on the mountains diffolves. Each of thefe fi
gures is fupported by lions, as being the arms,
and emblematical reprefentation of this city.
There are likewife two fine fountains, which
contribute not a little to the beauty of the fquare.
Here is an opera three times a week, and all
forts of public diverfions : and the better fort
of people are but little inferiour in politenefs to
thofe at Paris.
I fhall fet out for Avignon to-morrow, and
from thence to Marfeilles : from one of which
places, you fhall receive the next account of
Your moft affectionate brother, &c.

LETTER V.
To Dr. R.
DEAR DOCTOR, Marfeilles, Dec. 30. 1739. N.S,
WE embarqued on the Rh6ne the 7th
Inft. which by its prodigious rapidity,
without any other affiftance, carried us in two
days

LETTER V. t$
days to Avignon. In our paffage we dined at
Pont S. Efprit, fo called from the famous bridge
there. It is certainly a wonderful ftructure*
both for its beauty and ftrength : the former
appears in the widenefs of its arches; and its
having remained intire for fo many hundred
years is a demonftration of the latter. There
are nineteen arches, each of which is about
thirty-five paces wide : the French out of vani
ty increafe the number* telling ftrangers that
there are thirty^eight ; but they reckon the little
ones which are turned in every pier, only to
make the ftrueture feem lighter. The breadth
of the bridge is only fix yards ; and as to the
length, I was obliged to truft to what they told
me, which was a thoufand. At Avignon there
are the ruins of a bridge* of which I have taken
a draught. Marfeilles, on account of its harbour, is
one of the moft convenient cities of France, for
trade and navigation j and was made a free port
foon after the general plague, that happened a-
bout twenty years ago, which fwept off eighty
thoufand perfons. I was at the bifhop's palace,
on purpofe to fee a picture of that calamity,
drawn exactly on the place, and at the time
when it made its progrefs and defolation through
the people. It is a piece admirably executed,
both for its reprefentation of circumftances as
they

t4 L ET T E R V.
they actually happened, and for its fine difpoft-
tion. The prefent bifhop of Marfeilles, (whom
Mr. Pope in his * writings juftly mentions to
his honour) is reprefented bare-foot, giving af
fiftance to the fick ; whom he conftantly attend
ed all the time the plague lafted, which was two
years. There is a church called S. Victoire, which
is built on the foundation of an old Roman
caftle. Here they pretend to have abundance
of reliques ; and whatever part of the body of
any faint they would make you believe they have,
it is preferved in a filver or golden cafe like
it, encompaffed with jewels of great value. It
is impoflible for me to recollect, how many
heads, arms, and legs* &c. they fhewed of
different faints ; but I remember they affured
me, that in one cafe there was a rib of S.
Stephen* in another a finger of Mary Mag
dalene, and in a third a toe of S. Peter.,
In the vaults, they keep with great care the crofs
of S. Andrew : here your belief is as neceffary
as in all other things which they fhew you, or
elfe you'll not receive much fatisfaction : for it
is covered with fuch a fine cafe inlayed with
gold,

¦»

Why drew Marfeilles' good Bifliop purer breath,
When Nature ficken'd, and each gale was death ?
Ffjay on Manj Epifl, iv,

L E T T E R V. i5
gold, that the real crofs, if there be any, is
quite concealed from the fight.
Hard by is a little chapel, dedicated to the
Virgin Mary ; a picture of whom, drawn by
S. Luke, they fay, adorns the altar. I fhould
have been very glad to have imbibed fome good
hints in painting from "the work of fo great an
evangelifl, and patron of my trade : but unfor
tunately the grates hindered me from approach
ing, and the obfcure difmal lamp within, from
diflinctly feeing. Such obftacles as thefe are
of great ufe to the priefls, in infufing faith into
ftrangers, or at leaft preventing all contradiction.
Into this facred place, like the holy of holies,
none but priefls may enter, and more efpecial-
ly no women. Such a fevere reftraint upon the
fair fex, made me inquire of one of the priefls
the reafon; who told me, that forty virgins
lay buried there all together in one grave ; who,
when the city was facked by fome Corfairs, un
der the terrible apprehenfions of being ravifh-
ed, to fecure their honour, disfigured themfelves
by cutting off their lips and nofes: he add
ed, that the world was now fo wicked, that
they dared not admit a woman there, left fhe
fhould have been polluted. Had I not been
within the verge of the church, and had I dared
fpeak .my mind, I might have told him, that the

,6 L E T T E R V.
the fame reafon might perhaps hold good for
not admitting many a Romifh prieft.
To one that has been ufed to live in a free
countrey, there is fomething very fhocking here
in the continual rattling of chains, which ftrike
your ears through all the ftreets, occafioned by
the great number of flaves. There are twenty-
galleys that lye againft the kays, to each of
which belong three or four hundred flaves : fome
have more liberty than others, being allowed
little huts on the kays, to which they are chain
ed, where every one exercifes the trade to, which
he was bred : others are employed in carrying
burdens, yet never fingly, two or three being
always linked together, a Turk or a Jew with
a Chriilian; which precaution is taken, that
their natural hatred to one another may hinder
them from concurring in making their efcape.
\ We have been detained here a fortnight by
contrary winds, but fhall fet fail as foon as
ever they prove favourable to, the intended
voyage of,
Pear doctor, Your moft affectionate brother, &c.

LETTER

( *7 )
LETTER VI.
To Dr. R.
Dear Doctor, Legborn^Jan 16. 1740. N. s.
TH E firft day of the new year, according
to the flile of this countrey, every thing
feeming to promife a profperous voyage, we
embarqued on a French veffel for this place.
The winds failed us betwixt Genoa and Corfica ;
where we were beating about for a week, and
truly with continual and imminent danger ; for
in the day time a calm always came upon usfc
and ftorms with contrary winds fucceeded in
the night. Amidft all this, it was very happy
for us, that a foyth wind did not rife -, for if
it had, we muft have been inevitably driven on?,
the rocks which lye on the caaft of the flates of
Genoa. Tho' the difcipline and danger of the
fea generally caufes in frefh water-men various,
evacuations -, yet, to my great inconvenience,
it had but half its effect upon me : fo that at.
my landing here on the ninth, I was obliged to
have the advice of a phyfician. I could be very
merry on this occafion, but I think it improper
to joke upon an indifpofition which made r«fe.
exceffively ill for three or four days * and which,,
in your judgment, I believe, might have proved
Vol. I, D «£

i8 LETTER VII.
of bad confequence. This very probably puts
you in mind of your patients, who lie in the (ha-
dow of death for the want of your attendance : I
will by no means therefore detain you any longer
from giving fuch relief to others, as I have lately
experienced. In adminiftring which, and in
every other undertaking, I heartily wifh you all
imaginable fuecefs, being with the'fincereft love
Your moft affectionate brother, &c.

LETTER VII.
To Mr. R.
Honoured Sir, Rome, Feb. 23. 1740. N.S,
IN obedience to your commands at parting,
I wrote to you in French from Paris, and
in Latin from Marfeilks : both which letters \
hope you have received ; and been fo good as
to excufe the incorrectnefs in either language,
My brother, I prefume, has informed you qf
my dangerous voyage frorn Marfeilles to Leg*
horn ; from whence I was in hopes of going
by fea to Civita Vecchia in a tartane, which
waited only for a fair wind : but having flayed
five days in vain, I fet out with my companion,
in a returned chaifet and arrived at this place Jan,

LETTER VII. i0
Jan. the 24th. Your learned friend, and old ac
quaintance, has been very kind in providing
us a convenient lodging in the Strada Felice.
At Aix in Provence Dr. C. an eminent phy-
fician, gave me a letter to Mr. E; a painter
and virtuofo here ; who happened to die a week
before my arrival j fome of whofe utenfils I
have purchafed. At my arrival here, Signor
Camillo Paderni was at Naples* from whence
he is lately returned : I delivered Dr. Mead's
letter to him * but finding him to be a younger
man, and in a lefs fettled condition than I ima
gined, I entered myfelf yefterday, not without
very good advice, under Signor Francesco Im-
periali. This gentleman (for fo I may juft-
ly Call him) has been for many years, not only
one of the moft eminent in his profeffion ; but
has conflantly fupported his character, as a per
fon of great humanity, probity and honour 5
and it was u/ider him that Camillo himfelf
ftudied for feveral years. Mr. Richardson's
letter has been of fome fervice to me ; and I
have been fikewife flrongly recommended to ,
Monfieur Du Troy, Director of the French A-
cademy •, who has promifed to give me all the
affiftance in his power. Having the inftrtfc-
tions of fuch living mailers, and in the midft
of fo great a number of the beft originals by the
mpft illuftriousliands, both ancient and modern*
D % I fhall

20 LETTER VIII.
I fhall with the greateft alacrity and afiiduity
apply myfelf to the imitation of them. Look
ing upon my fituation here as refembling that
of a young tree, which has been raifed very
carefully in a domeftic nurfery, and thence
tranfplanted into a diftant, but much richer foil :
from which, when grown up to maturity, the
planter may juftly expect fome extraordinary
fruit, as a grateful recompence for all his care,
expence, and pains. That thefe expectations
may not be altogether difappointed, fhall be the
conflant fludy and endeavour of,
Honoured Sir,
Your moft obedient and dutiful, &c.

LETTER VIII.
To Mr. F. B. M.
Rome, Mar. 20. 1740. N.S.
TH E goofe, when fat, is feldom found
To raife her-felf above the ground j
But when fhe's light, and lean, and poor,
She's fometime feen aloft to foar.
Emblem of poets : which alone *
Explains the caufe, why I am one. For

LETTER VIII. 21
For you muft know. The triple crown,
With the pope's head, is fallen down ;
Which from our necks a while has broke
Christ's univerfal vicar's yoke. 10
But this releafe gave fmall relief ;
And ill confol'd our general grief.
For his departure (for our crimes,)
Happen'd at worft, 'caufe beft of times :
It flopp'd us in our full career 15
Of high diverfions and good cheer ;
And chang'd our Carnavalian dainties
To what none likes, but who a faint is.
Hence I, late plump, as once John Gav,
(I rather Jemmy More fhould fay) 20
On maigre fed, and fifties ftale,
Am now as lean, and thin, and pale,
As your new Champion of the nation,
Don Diego, after falivation :
And I, like him, my-felf account 25
Fit weight on Pegafus to mount.
Befides, in profe, and out of feafon,
Your patience, without rhime or reafon,
I've often tir'd: but at this time,
I'll give, if not found reafon, rhime. 30
Then, pray, don't fcorn my verfe as bad j
It fuits the fubject beft, if fad.
For I the difmal pomp and flate
Of the pope's funeral fhall relate ;
And

22 LETTER VIIL
And with the conclave clofe my fong, 3$
Which fhan't, tho' dull perhaps* be long.
Her curtain now of fable hue
Sad night o'er all the welkin drew j
When owls, amidfi the dufky fhade,
In treble lamentations made ; 40
And frogs, extending wide their throats,
Their grief croak'd loud in baffo notes*
In honour of the God-like man,
The grand proceffion flow began :
Which if minutely 1 pretend 45
To mention, there would be no end.
The corpfe, in purple litter lay'd,
Is by two mules milk-white convey'd,
Adorn'd in robe Poniificalis,
To the dark prifon, whence no bail is. 50
For you muft know, The cuftom's here
T' interr the great in fineft gear:
That when they knock at heaven* s gate,
They need not, like the vulgar, wait;
Where none, in foul old garments clad, 53.
By Peter e'er admiflion had.
Unwieldy, drag'd with creaking moan*
Cannons revers'd, behind move on.
Shrill trumpets and hoarfe ketde-drums*
(ConjOin'd with fympathetic hums) 69
A military confort made,
Well fuited to the facred fhad« Of

LETTER VIIL 23
Of him, that dy'd a glorious faint,
As General of church militant.
Within S. Peter's fpacious dome, 65
Erected flood a lofty tomb ;
Near which fbme hours the body lay,
That all their-4aft devoirs might pay.
Then I, amidft the gaping crowd,
As Roman catholic avow'd, yq
Curious of this moft pompous fhow
The ceremonies all to know,
The holy toe, among the reft,
With lips in feign'd devotion preft :
When in that very point of time 75
The penance follow'd clofe the crime.
Half-mounted on my back one rode ;
Upon my heels another trod,
Who from my foot an old fhoe tore,
Which I coyld ne'er recover more. So
For had I ftoop'd to fearch it out,,
I'd been demolifh'd by the rout j
And follow'd the pope's ghqft to glory.
Or elfe to hell, or purgatory.
As fighting for Patro^lus dead 85
Caus'd many a broken limb and head,
'Twixt Greeks and Trojans, 'till the fray
Scarce left 'em limbs to crawl away :
So, with like ardour, while we ftrove
On holy feet t' imprint our l»ve, oq
Each

24 LETTER VIII,
Each fqueez'd, and pufh'd, and gor'd his brother j
All kick'd, and trampled one another ;
'Till our- own feet were hardly more
Alive, than thofe we would adore.
But when the proper time was come 95
The facred reliques to intomb ;
With elbows force, and utmoft ftrength
Of arms, I freed my-felf at length ;
And leaving foon the crowded dome,
Through darknefs hopp'd and hobbled home, 100
One foot dry-fhod, one wet with mire,
Half proteftant, half bare-foot frier.
But why fhould we this lofs deplore,
As if no pope we could have more ?
Since 'gainft the devil and the Turk 105
The cardinals are hard at work,
T' elect a General in his flead,
And give the Chriftian world a Head.
For this, in feparate cells immur'd,
With locks, and bolts, and bars fecur'd, no
(That nothing worldly ent'ring there,
With their devotions interfere,)
They to the Holy Ghoft addrefs
Inceffant pray'rs for good fuccefs,
That his direction of their choice 1 j 5
Would join 'em in one general voice,
But all precautions to reftrain
The world's intrufion will be vain, Unlefs

LETTER VIIL 25
Unlefs from eating they 're confin'd,
And faffing to devotion join'd. 120
For oft convey'd in tarts or pyes
Intelligence concealed lyes ;
And in the belly of a fowl
There 's fometimes hid a magic fcroll,
Which, while that yields a plenteous dinner, 125
Converts the faint into a finner.
Thus Satan all reftraints eludes ;
And by the flefh the world intrudes :
For fecular promifes, or gold,
Ecclefiaftic votes are fold ; 130
And when a major number 's bought,
Th' Election 's to conclufion brought.
Then let not Papifts caft their fneers
Upon our Royal Conge d" Hires -,
Nor laugh at chapters' free elections, 135
Ty'd clofely down by court direftions j
To which the fpirit muft confentire,
Or flefh incurr a Praemunire.
For thefe grand prelates' grave pretences,
To fcorn all human influences, 140
And by divine impulfe alone,
To raife the worthieft to the throne, . ,.
Are nought but' farce, the world t' amufe,
'Till their intrigues are ripe to chyfe
The very, man, whom kings before . . 145
Chofe, as their idol, to adore.
Vol. I. : ' E ' .. .,,< fet

•26 L E T T E R IX.
But to prevent the long delay,
Caus'd by this hocus pocus play,
One way there feems much more to me
Infallible than pope's decree. 150
Were cardinals, who now at will
In conclave eat and drink their fill,
Like Englifh jury-men f'hut up,
And not to break-faft, dine, nor fup,
*Till they the Holy Father nam'd : 155
The worldly mind would foon be tam'd,
And, fcorning all th' efforts of Mammon,
Would not perfift to keep the fham on ;
But without tedious hefitation
Proclaim the Spirit's nomination. 166

LETTER IX.
To Mr. F. B. M.
Dear Sir, Rome, July 10. 1740. N. S.
TH O' the coronation of the new pope did
not anfwer my expectation, as being in no'
wife comparable to the coronations in England ;
yet, as you may have a curiofity to know fome
thing about it, I fhall endeavour to give you fome
fatisfaction, by ftriking out a fhort fketch of it.
His holynefs, three days after his election, was
carried on mens fhoulders, in a great elbow chair
•covered with velvet embroidered with gold, from the

LETTER IX; 27
the conclave in the Vatican to the church of
S. Peter. The people, who quite filled the church,
tho' twice as fpacious as your S. Paul's, re
ceived him with great acclamations ; while his
holynefs, in return, with open hands, fcattered
his benedictions on every fide. He then feated
himfelf on a throne erected behind the great al ¦
tar ; and the cardinals fat in rows on each fide.
Whilft the fineft mufic both vocal and inflru?
mental founded, the cardinals, arch-bifhops, &c.
approaching him fingly, in their proper order,
payed him homage : the fqrmer killing his toe
and hand, and then embracing him-, the latter on
ly faluting his toe and hand. After this, the holy
father bleffed the altar, &c. and having finifh-
ed his devotions, was placed upon it ; and there
again received the fame homage from the cardi
nals, &c. Being retired to his throne once more,,
a cardinal arch-priefl brought him the hoft, and
the confecrated wine : of each of which he re
ceived half, fucking the latter through a golden
pipe : immediately after which, high mafs was
celebrated. This being ended, he was convey--
ed to the tribune or gallery over the grand
gate of the church, facing the large area before
it, and, fet upon a high throne, to be viewed by
the people. There two cardinals took off the
mitre from his head, and put on. the triple crown,
called the Tiara ; which fignifiesx that Christ's
E 2 vicar

28 LE TT E R IX. f
vicar has the pontifical, imperial, and royal
power. The whole was concluded by the pope's
folemn benediction of the people ; the cannons
from the caftle of S. Angelo firing, &c. from
which, for two nights fucceffively, there were
furprizing fire-works played off, in which. they
here particularly excell.
His holynefs is efteemed a perfon worthy of
the high poft to which he has been advanced ;
having paffed through all the inferiour offices',
and rifen gradually by his own merit. The flate
having been much fhaken during his predecef-
for's adminiftration, he has taken feveral new
meafures to repair it j and among the reft, has
.lately publifhed an edict againft the luxury of
the clergy, and to regulate their drefs, and like-
wife that of the ladies.
To fill up my paper ; I fhall add to the pre
ceding fketch another, tho' fmaller, of the ce
remony of prefenting the annual tribute for the
kingdom of Naples. This was performed at
the firft church near the entrance of the chief
gate of Rome. His holynefs came thither with
great attendance, as ufual, and performed high
mafs, &c. The procefiion began by a detach
ment of light horfe, next to which marched all
the feudatory Neapolitan nobility on horfe-back,
according to their rank, attended by their gen
tlemen and officers. Thefe were immediately followed

LETTER X. 29
followed by the genet, which is a white Spanifh
horfe or mare, carrying a pack-faddle of red
velvet, with a houfing of the fame, embroider
ed with filver, dragging on the ground ; at
whofe neck hung a red velvet purfe, in which
was the bill of exchange of feven thoufand du<-
cats for the tribute. Then fucceeded a long train
of nobles and prelates on mules, with guards,
attendants, &c. The genet was led up within
the door of the church, where the pope, from
his chair fupported on mens fhoulders, after
¦many fpeeches and formalities, received the tri
bute. It was fay'd, that the genet, like Alex
ander the great's horfe, would be fo polite as
to courtefie to his holynefs : but this remarkable
inftance of the Spanifh lady's good breeding I
could not perceive, tho' I was clofe to her ; an
unmannerly fellow in the crowd giving me a
pufh, juft as they fay'dfhe made her obeyfance.
I am, dear Sir, Your moft &c.

LETTER X.
To Mr. F. B. M.
Dear Sir, Rome, Aug. 3. 1740. N.S.
KNOWING how acceptable to you brave
actions are, efpecially thofe of our own
countrey-men ; I thought it would be a breach of

3o L E T T E R X.
of friendfhip, if I did not let you partake of the
inexpreffible pleafure 1 received in the relation of
one, which is equalled, I think, by none in this
age. It is that of captain Read before Civita
Vecchia : of which tho' the fame has already
reached England, yet, fince you may perhaps
fee onely imperfect accounts of it, I fhall fet
it down, juft as I received it from the mouth
of the heroe himfelf -, who is at prefent at Rome,
foliciting for redrefs. I went to vifit him the
other day, and found him fupporting himfelf
on crutches : in which attitude, he feemed to
me to be more nobly fupported, than if in a
chair of ftate -, and to be graced with bandages
more honourable than a flar and garter. Per-
fons, when they relate their own exploits, gene
rally rnagnifie them : but I affure you, he is a
man of great modefly, whofe difcourfe is in-
tirely free from thofe vain oaths, which are fo
frequently difcharged from the mouth of a failor.
Befides, it was an affair tranfacted within fight
of a town, where hundreds were eye-witneffes •,
and which his enemies themfelves, to their fhame,
are forced to acknowledge.
As the captain was failing into the port of
Civita Vecchia, being about two miles off, he
perceived two large boats, making out from the
fhore towards him, filled with men. He had
prepared his fhip for a peaceable anchoring, and not.

L E T T E R X. 31
not for any defence againft enemies, in a neutral
port. But as the boats advanced, having foon
difcovered who they were; he immediately
founded his little crew, confifting only of feven
men, who all promifed to ftand by him to the
laft : and they were all as good as their words,
except one, who foon hid himfelf, not being able
to bear the fight of a Spaniard. In the fhort
time the captain had to get ready, he had point
ed two four-pounders : but the fwiftnefs of the
row-boats prevented their doing any execution ;
and the Spaniards were on board of him imme
diately. He had no other refource but in his
mufquets, which he fired fo effectually, that he
cleared the deck of them in an inftant -, they
foon repeated their rafhnefs, and he as foon made
them feel the effects of his refentment. Unfor
tunately for the captain, there was a calm, which
made them eafily find fecurity in their boats $
whereas,- had there been a brifk gale, at thofe
two attacks he could have taken them all pri-
foners. The Spaniards having eighteen men
killed or drowned, made off to their privateer,
•with bitter menaces, &c. The captain in the
interim encouraged his men and gave neceffary
orders for a defence againft a third attack.
The privateer, which carried twenty guns and
one hundred and thirty men, making up direct
ly to him, the engagement was renewed with

more

32 L E T T E R XT.
more fury than before : and the captain returned
the compliment of their twenty guns with his
two little ones, as faft as he could ; which he
charged, pointed, and played folely himfelf. He
had ftruck fuch a panic into the Spaniards, that
not one of them dared to fhew his face above
deck •, all of them lying under cover, and con
tinually pouring cannon fhot into his veffel,
which on account of the calm and nearnefs had
all their effect. A ball grazed the forehead of
the captain's brother, as he flood by him ; and
carried off an arm of one of his men. Having
at laft found by an hour's experience, that va
lour could not ftand out againft numbers fo vafl-
ly fuperiour -, he afked for quarter, which was
promifed him.
But the revengeful and brutal Spaniards, ha
ving no fenfe of generofity or honour, far from
performing their word, ftripped him, and fell
on him with their cutlaffes : from which he re
ceived a ftroak, which almoft feparated his thumb
from his hand, and feveral wounds on his head.
They flill repeating their blows, he thought he
fhould find more mercy in the fea ; and as he
retired, flung himfelf backwards over-board ; at
which inftant a Spaniard fired at him. I have
taken notice of his wounds, and have obferved,
by the different manner of the entering of the
balls, that two paffed through the bottom of
his

L E T T E R X. 33
his foot, two by the fide of his fhin which
lodged in his calf, and two in his knee. He
fwam for fome time, and by diving efcaped fe-
veral blows that were ftruck at him with oars.
At laft a Spaniard, more humane than the reft,
took him into the boat. The poor man, who
had loft his arm, they hacked to pieces ; and the
reft they referved for more cruel torment.
After the engagement, the Spaniards intended
to put out to fea ; but having by chance left their
doctor in Civita Vecchia, and feveral of them
being wounded ; they were obliged to return.
The cruelties and indignities, which the captain
received while he remained in the privateer,
which was fifty days, would be too tedious and
fhocking to relate. Tho' the inhabitants of the
town flocked to fee and affift fo brave a perfon
in his misfortunes -, not one was permitted to
fpeak to him. The Spaniards tried all endea
vours, with menaces and hard ufage, to oblige
him to fign a paper, fignifying, That when he
was taken, he was out of cannon-fhot of the
port, that by this means they might make him
a lawful prize. The governour of Civita Vec
chia, by bribing and underhand dealings, was
inftrumental in the injury. Count Feretti,
who is governour of the arms, acted as honour
ably, as the other did bafely. He exclaimed loudly
againft the injuftice of the Spaniards, and point-
Vol. I. F ed

34 LETTER X
ed the cannon of the fort againft the privateer ;
threat'ning, that if they offered to flip out to
fea, to fink them immediately. By this means
the captain regained his liberty ; but has not as
yet recovered his fhip or goods. I leave you to
judge, what reward the treachery and bafenefs
of the governour of Civita Vecchia, what the in
humanity of the Spaniards, and what the un-
paralled * bravery of our countrey-men deferve ;
and am, Dear Sir,
Yours moft affectionately.

* It may not be improper to fubjoin here another inftance
of the like bravery, which was attended with better fuccefs :
" Capt. Richard Hornby, who commanded the Wright-
¦" fon and Ifabella, a fmall merchant- man of Sunderland,
" laden with corn, and bound for Holland ; mounting four
*' carriage and two fwivel guns, with five men and three boys
"onely, on June 2, 1744. fought a French privateer, the
•¦ marquis de Branoas, Capt. Andre commander, often car-
" riage and eight fwivel guns, with feventy live men and
*; three hundred fmall arms, feveral hours : and having killed
"and wounded thirty -fix men ; by a parting gun upon his
" ftern fet fire to his powder, blew up his fteerage, and funk
" him ; only three men efcaping, who were taken up by fome
" Dutch fiihing boats. For this great attion he was rewarded
"' onely with a gold medal." Old England, Jan. 24, 1747.

LETTER

( 35 )
LETTER XI.
To Mifs E. R.
Dear B. . Rome, Nov. 13. 1740. N. S-
FO R aim ft four months, I have been in
daily expectation of hearing from fome of
my dear brothers and fillers. As for the Doctor's
filence, I hope, that the multiplicity of his bu-
finefs will not allow him time to write any thing
but prefcriptions : if fo, I fhall willingly difpenfe
with my own uneafinefs, for his advantage. Be
fides, perhaps the fair . . . has intirely taken poffef-
fion of his whole heart, and not left the leaft cor
ner for a poor brother ; who muft acquiefce, as
patiently as he can, under the prefent exclufion.
For when a lady's in the cafe,
You know, all other things give p-'ace.
But if one of the fix forget me, what fhall I fay
to the other five ? If they infill upon my wrkeing
firft ; I fhould willingly have done it to each, and
in particular to my dear B. if the fcienee which I
am courting had not ingrafted all my time, and
even all my thoughts. For fince my arrival at
this place, as foon as I had made a little reflection
upon my condition, I feemed to be fet down in a
deep valley near a high mountain : on the fide of
which fome of my fellow-travellers had got up
half-way, others pretty near the top •, but I had
F 2 the

36 L E T T E R XI.
the mortification to find my-felf almoft alone at
the foot of the hill. Immediately therefore I
put my-felf in motion ; and by clambering with
hands and feet have gain'd fome fmall part of the
afcent : where having met with a breathing place,
which kind fortune has put in my way, I fhall -
indulge myfelf in the pleafure of fcribbling to you
the following.
In the firft place, perhaps, as a filter, you may
be defirous of being informed of a brother's man
ner of living, &c. in a countrey, where the cu-
ftoms differ fo much from thofe of his own.
My dwelling is on a fituation that is healthy and
airy, in a fingle but convenient apartment, with
a companion in the fame ftudies. You will, no
doubt, pitie our condition : for what can two
poor bachelors do in houfhould affairs, without
the affiftance of a kind fifter, or even of a fer-
vant ? Why, neceffity being the mother of in-
duftry and invention, we fupplie the want of
thofe advantages tolerably well ; and I may fay,
with fuch management, that we lofe no time.
Befides, as the people here make no confcience
of cheating us as being Heretics, and fcruple not
to give that as a reafon to our faces for fo doing ;
what might we not apprehend they would do,
behind our backs, and in our lodgings ? Laftly,
that vulgar proverb, God fends meat, but the
Devil fends cooks, is literally verified here : for
tho'

L E T T E R XI. 37
tho' this countrey produces the beft of beef, mut
ton, &c. yet they are fo mangled and difguifed
by the fiery perfecution, which they undergo in
pots and ftew-pans, that one has as much diffi
culty to know what one eats, as an antiquary, to
find out the infcription of an old coin, which has
lain rufting under ground for many hundreds of
years. For thefe reafons, we are frequently our
own cooks •, and this we find more agreeable to
our bodies, as well as our pockets. On vigils*
and on every friday and faturday, it is not per
mitted to eat flefh : a fevere reftraint on Chri-
flian liberty, in the opinion of the flanch Pro-
teftants of Great Britain -, where ftated days of
fafting and abftinence, tho' marked in the Ca
lendar, and injoined by the Rubric, are now
fcarce ever obferved, except by thofe who can
get nothing to eat. For my part, I am fo ufed
to fafting here, that I may very well on that ac.
count pafs for a good Catholic. But I fhew too
much fondnefs in dwelling fo long upon fo poor
a fubject as my own dear felf ; and fhall there
fore pafs to one much more entertaining.
I fhall wave giving you a defcription of the
furprizing remains of the old Roman grandeur
and magnificence ; being fenfible, that the ruins
which time and age have made in what was once
very beautiful, can be no ways agreeable to one
of your fex. I fhall therefore only touch upon fome

38 LETTER XI.
fome things, which are at prefent in their full
perfection and glory : but you muft not expect
any exact order or connection ; and the extent
of my paper will not allow me to expatiate in
long particularities.
Modern Rome is eminent, beyond all other
cities, chiefly on the account of its obelifks,
fountains, palaces, and churches. — The obelifks
are oblong fquare pieces of Porphyry, or other
marble, growing gradully fmaller from the bafis
to the top, which ends in an obtufe angle •, and,
tho' of one intire piece, are fome of them * fe
venty foot high. They were brought from
Egypt to Rome, near two thoufand years ago ;
where having flood for fome hundreds, they were
thrown down by the Goths and Vandals : and,
after lying in that demolifhed condition, for as
many hundreds more, have been re-ere£bed with
in thefe two or three laft centuries, and fet up in
the moft confpicuous parts of the city. — In tra-
verfing the ftreets, which are generally broad,
one is very agreeably furprized in lighting upon
beautiful fountains ; from which the moft excel
lent water is poured forth in cataracts, or more
gently
* The obeliik, which ftands in the middle of the area be
fore S. Peter's, is of one entire piece of Granite, and is
feventy eight foot high, without reckoning either the pedefta),
orthecrofs, which Sixtus V. caufed to be placed on the
top, when he fet up that ancient monument in 1 586. Mis-
son's Voyage. Vol. II. Parti,

LETTER XI. 39
gently plays from the mouth of a dolphin or
Triton.  The palaces of the pope, of the
Italian princes, and of the cardinals, are very
large, ftately, and noble edifices ; the apartments
in them exceeding grand, the cielings and fides
adorned with the moft excellent paintings : and
the gardens belonging to them finely layed out
into fpacious walks, &c. terminated with beau
tiful fountains and ftatues.  But of all things,
the churches draw my attention moft : fome of
which really exceed imagination, being built,
according to the exacteft rules of architecture, in-
tirely of Italian marble ; and lined within, either
with the moft coftly forts from foreign countries,
exquifitely polifhed, or with crimfon damafk or
velvet, fringed with gold : capital pictures by the
moft eminent matters being placed at proper di-
ftances, heightened by the moft artificial carving
and gilding. Each church has feveral altars, up
on which immenfe riches are difplayed, efpecially
on any faint's day ; being illuminated by an in
finite number of wax tapers, and furnifhed with
filver images as big as the life •, round the necks,
and on the breafts of many of which, are hung
the richeft pearls and diamonds. Whilft our
eyes are entertained with thefe fplendid objects,
our ears are as delightfully charmed with the
fineft vocal and inftrumental mufic. You may
imagine, what a refrefhrnent it muft needs be
for

40 LETTER XI.
for me, after the fatigue of a whole day's clofe
application to my bufinefs, to ftep into fuch
places of beauty and harmony.
The proceffions of the clergy are exceeding
pompous, and full of pageantry : in which they
carrie through the ftreets large pictures, cruci
fixes, and images; moft frequently thofe of the
virgin Mary, and of our Saviour, reprefented
as a little child in her arms. It is not long fince
I met with an extraordinary fight of this kind.
Upon a large machine, fupported on mens
fhoulders, was erected a fort of throne, with a
canopy over it, furrounded with wax lights in
the midft of day. Under it ftood an image of
the Blefled Virgin, in full proportion, dreffed
out very fine with abundance of jewels, in em
broidered flays, gown, and petticoat, and a vaft
hoop to the higheft pitch of the mode. And as
nothing is generally more grateful to the fancy
of a young lady than this ; I fhall leave you to
improve the idea, by your own imagination,
without weakening it by the addition of any
thing lefs agreeable from,
Dear B.
Your moft affectionate brother, &c.
LETTER

< 4i )
Letter xii*
To Mifs E. R,
Dear B. Rome, Jan. 3. 1741. N. S.
YO U no doubt wondered* that in my laft*
I faid nothing of the Italian ladies. Why*
really, to fpeak the truth* I am not much con-
verfant with them : yet* as nothing which is the
frequent fubject of a painter's art* can be fup-
pofed to pafs unobferved by him ; fo more efpe-
cially, in every countrey, the moft beautiful part
of the creation cannot but attract his particular
regard and obfervation. I fhall therefore now ve
ry briefly communicate to you the refult of mine;
At the coronation of the pope* I had a fine
opportunity of taking a repeated view of the
chiefeft quality ; having been admitted, by a
particular favour* near the tribune, or gallery,
where they fates The brightnefs of their jewels
ftruck me* I affure you* much more than their
faces. Here and there indeed fate a lady, who
had both a good complexion* and good features j
but in general* Nature has given them the quite
contrary. In England* a genteel and graceful
behaviour frequently makes amends for the want
of a fine face : but in this countrey* as they are*
for the greateft paft, not handfome •, fo they are
terribly awkward. They wear a drefs* like the
Vol. I. G French

42 LETTER XII.
French fack, extended on each fide by a hoop*
not quite fix yards wide. But, that I may not
be thought too fevere a critic, I fuppofe, that
moft of their pretty women are fhut up in nun
neries from the fight of mankind.
In October laft, I was three or four days at
Albano ¦, which is at prefent but a mean place,
being chiefly remarkable for many antiquities.
Its fituation indeed is extremely pleafant, having
a fine profpect of feveral large lakes, and beau
tiful villages. In that month, every body goes
to the // villeggiare, as they call it ; that is, they
retire into the countrey to take their pleafure ;
where they pafs their time in walking, or riding,
or at affemblies, conforts, balls, races, &c. The
general rendezvous was then at the place a-
bove-mentioned, and the villages round about
it. Affes, in your countrey, are looked upon
as very defpicable beafts ; but here they are made
honourable, by the ladies, who fo frequently
beftride them. 1 happened to be walking one
day in a pleafant road, through a great wood ;
when, on a fudden, I heard a confufed noife of
finging, fiddling, and braying. I flood flill,
furprrzed for fome time, not being able to con
jecture what could be the caufe of fo odd a con-
fort. At laft appeared a jovial company of
Amazons and humble fuitors, about forty in
number * not of the common fort of peo ple,

LETTER XII. 43
pie, as by their actions one would have imagin
ed. Every one beftrode an afs, the ladies being
dreffed a propos with trowzers on, to fecure
them from unlucky accidents. And indeed they
had occafion enough for them : for a mad-head
ed fellow, mounted in a chaife, drove furioufly ¦
down after them ; and the lane being narrow,
put them all to the rout in a moment. It was
a comical fight, to fee one afs falling upon ano
ther, fome rolling into hedges, and fome into
ditches : and let me tell you, I faw many a pret
ty leg, and fhould have feen many a pretty bare
back-fide too, had it not been for the aforefaid
trowzers. However, the ladies, having had more
fright than hurt, remounted their fteeds, and
finifhed their Bacchanalian revels at a neighbour*
ing village.
As the new year is begun here already, and
will be fo likewife in England before this comes
to your hands ; I cannot conclude it more pro
perly, than with the moft hearty wifhes of many
years uninterrupted health and happinefs, from
Dear B, Your moft affectionate, &c.

LETTER

( 44)
LETTER XIII.
To Mr. F. B. M.
--Dear Sir, Rome, Mar.- 2. 1741. N. S,
OU R folly and madnefs here has been of lafe
very exceffive, tho' not of very long con?
tinuance. For, thanks to our holy father, he
. fcattered on wedpefday laft a few afhes upon us,
and ever fince we have been pretty fober.
Without farther prologue, you are to know,
that the chief fcene of our Carnavalian farce, lay
ln the Corfo, one of the grandeft ftreets in Rome,
extending for a mile in a direct line up to the
Capitol. About two every afternoon, the whole
face of things began to be altered, by an unir
verfal metamorphofis of men, women, children,
horfes, affes, &c. Every body, it feems, being
diffatisfied with the fhape and ftation, which
nature had allotted them, chofe an intire altera
tion, or even a perfect inverfipn. Some thought
themfelves, and with reafon, too ugly j and
others, not ugly enough. Some fancied their
bodies placed pn the wrong end, and longed to,
have their heels uppermoftj and accordingly
their heads, as being the heavieft part, very wil
lingly inclined downwards. The' ladies, for the
moft part, wore the breeches, with gold-clock'd ftockings,

LETTER XIII. 45
ftockings, fhoes buckled to the toes, a laced
coat, and a hat cocked a la mode de Paris ; many
of them having no mafks on their pretty, fmooth,
fmock faces, and affecting to flare, ftrut, and
look big. Some indeed performed their part
excellendy well : but the greater number, having
not by fufficient practice worn off that modefty,
which is the brighteft ornament of the fex, plain
ly fhewed, that they were quite out of their ele
ment. A young, handfome lady, I affure you,
newly married, fent her compliments to me,
defiring the ufe of a pair of my breeches : but
my back-fide being unfortunately not fo big as
hers in circumference, they were returned back
unufed, and deprived of an extraordinary ho
nour. Among the men, it was extremely diffi
cult, if not impoffible, to diftinguifh a lord
from a lackey, or a prince from a pimp. In
fhort, it would be endlefs, to run through all
the different difguifes, by which perfons had de*
formed themfelves ; and to tell you, in what
manner this was cloathed, and what' beaft that
imitated by noife and actions. I muft therefore
defire you to form in your mind as monftrous an
idea, as you poffibly can, avoiding every thing
that is agreeable to nature.  The better fort,
(if one may be allowed to diftinguifh any by
that title, among people equally mad) were con
veyed up and down the Corfo, in open calafhes,
machines

46 LETTER XIII.
machines made in the fhape of barges, &c.
drawn by horfes richly caparifoned, and decked
with plumes of feathers, bells, &c. attended by
harlequins, punchinelloes, Jack-puddings, and
the like. In paffing they falute one another, by
throwing in a genteel manner handfuls of fugar
plumbs, &c. The lower gentry, who march
on foot, i make their falutations, like your ladies
of Billinfgate ; and when their tongues are put
to a. non plus, they pelt one another with hard
fugar plumbs, as big as nutmegs: which ter
ribly difcompofe a well powdered peruque, and
more cruelly bruife the tender bofoms of the fair )
which are difplayed in an extraordinary manner
on this occafion.
Towards the evening, the coaches and ma
chines are ranged on each fide of the Corfo, in
order to make room for the race of five or fix
Barbary horfes ; which, being let loofe at the
Porto del populo, run from one end of this long
ftreet to the other. Inftead of jockeys mounted
upon them, the poor beafts have balls fluckwith
fmall iron fpikes tied to their tails -, which at
every ftretch wound them on their fides or be
hind, and pufh them on through the hideous
cries and fhouts of the multitude. The prize
for the horfe that wins is a piece of cloth of gold.
When the fun fets, all the world retires : but
tho' he be gone to bed, we don't follow his exr
ample j

LETTER XIIL 47
ample ; for who can fleep whilft operas, come
dies, feftins* &c. are in every ftreet ? The operas
are juft in the fame unnatural tafte, as thofe in
England : and the comedies are ftill worfe, be-'
ing compofed of the moft incoherent actions,
and unnatural incidents ; in which harlequin is
continually introduced, to make a wry face,, and
crack a joke, without the leaft fenfe or reafon.
The feftins or balls commence immediately after
the operas are over, which is about eleven at
night. There are many private feftins * but the
grand one was this year at the Pamphilia palace
in the Piazza Navona. The company confifted
of the chief quality, who were all in mafque-
rade : there was dancing in feveral apartments ;
but the prime nobility were all in the grand hall.
The Chevalier's eldeft fon was dreffed in a Scotch
highlander's habit, with a bonnet, target, and
broad fword ; and adorned with jewels to the
value of 100,000 Roman crowns. He opened
the ball, and was feconded by his brother ; they
being both "refpected here as perfons of the firft
rank. After the minuets, there were feveral
Englifh countrey-dances ; in the performance of
which, the Roman dames made but an indif
ferent figure by their heavy motions. They had
not the leaft appearance of that vivacity and
agility, by which fome. of our pretty countrey-
women diftinguifh themfelves at our balls, and
thereby

48 LETTER XIV.
thereby compleat the conqueft of their eyes uporf
the hearts of their admirers. Among whom, as I
know you to be one ; fo* in whatever part of
the world I am, I fhall ftill profefs myfelf to be
another -, as well as,
Dear Sir, Your moft affectionate friend* &C;

LETTER XIV,
To Mifs J. R.
Dear j. Rome, May i. 1741. N.S.
TH E two greateft obftaeles to my inclina
tion and defire to difcharge all the duties
Of a brother, are diftance of place* and want of
opportunity. The former, according to the pre
fent fcheme of my fludies, cannot be removed
for fome years : and as to the latter* had my
hands the fame liberty as my heart* they would
not employ themfelves in any thing more wil
lingly, than in writing to you. An opportune
ty has now offered it-felf of conveying this let
ter with more fafety, and lefs expence* than
ufual : which laft article I take to be very ma
terial, fince even a few pence will be too large
a price for any amuferoent I ean fend you from
this place.
When

LETTER XIV. 49
When I reflect on my dear friends at home, it
feems a long time fince I left them : but when I
reflect on myfelf, a year feems to have flipp'd a-
way in a month. It was not long after you left
Weftminfter, that I .left England : and I don't
doubt, that our fentiments at parting were very
much alike * as I hope they will be, at our meet
ing again, and that the fatisfaction, of which we
have been deprived by fo long abfence, will be
then repayed us with intereft. The profpect of
this contributes to the fupport of my fpirits :
while I often make this reflection, that the plea-
fure which fucceeds pain is the greateft ; and that
nothing can equal the joy of that moment, which
reftores two affectionate perfons to the converfa-
tion of each other. If your prefent ftate of life
be not in all refpects extremely agreeable, (and
pray what ftate is fo ?) I dare fay you endeavour
to make it as agreeable as you can. This is a
leffon, which I am continually practifing ; for I
have found by Jong experience, that fretting and
whining avail nothing. I therefore flick clofe to
bufinefs, keep my thoughts as much as poffible
from rambling -, and more efpecially never let
them dwell upon the worft fide of things. As I
have gained more knowledge, fo I have more
patience than formerly ; and if I eat lefs, fo I
fwear lefs ; and am become both a better Painter,
and a better Chriftian : which double proficiency,
Vol. I. H I allure

50 LETTER XIV.
I affure you, is not frequently made by one and
the fame perfon in this place.
But it is time to conclude this fort of preach*
ment ; and to pafs to fome other fubject, which
may more agreeably amufe you. Rome afford*'
fo many, that I know not upon which to fix as
moft fuitable t© your tafte. But as I intend to
write in a little time to C. to B. and to K. with
whom, 'tis likely, you will have an opportunity
of comparing notes j I fhall at a venture fcribble
you down a fhort account of fome ceremonies
here* in laft Paflion- week,, and ©n Eafter-fun-
day : which if lefs entertaining* you will, I hope,
meet with fomewhat more fo in one of my E-
piftles to them.
Onthui-fday March 3,0. N. S. the pope went in
ftate to the church of S. Peter : whither he was
attended by a great number of guards, both
horfe and foot,, in bright armouB, like that in the
Tower. His holynefs is generally drawn in a
moft magnificent coach and fix; and a fine chaic
is carried by two white mules, in the manner of
a litter behind him ; a numerous fquadson of ca
valiers, with banners flying, fwords drawn, or.
piftols in their hands, following, in the rear: fo
that we may be truly fay'd to have here a lively
reprefentation of the church militant. As he
paffes along, the bells toll ; the cook leaves his
%it i Stitch jumps from his board -x and the poor
painter*

LETTER XIV. 5l
painter, at the peril of his neck, runs down from
his garret, falls on his marrow-bones, and kiffes
the very ftones, which his holy nefs's coach- wheels
have hallowed by paffing over them. And on
this occafion, one might fee young men and
maidens, old men and children, kneeling all along
the ftreets for half a mile together : fo much re-
ipedl and reverence do they pay, not only to the
fight, but even to the diftant approach, of our
holy father.
In the palace of the Vatican, clofe to S. Peter's,
is the chapel of Pope Sixtus V. Here his holy
nefs affifted at high mafs ; after which, being
preceded by the bifhops and cardinals, he car
ried the haft in procefiian, under a canopy fup
ported by eiglit arch-bifhops, into the chapel of
pope Paulus V. which was illuminated with rows
of innumerable wax-candles. When the natural
body of our Saviour (which they believe the con-
fecrated wafer really to be) was depofited on the
altar ; the ceremonious actions of the pope and
the prelates were fo various and numerous, th«t
it is impoffible for me to defcribe them.  From
hence his holynefs paffed into a hall, where were
thirteen pilgrims of different nations ; who being
cloathed in white woollen garments, with fquare
bonnets of the fame ftufiywere feated on a bench4
all in a row. His holynefs, having girded him-»
felf with a white towel, wafhed all their feet in a
H % fiive?

52 LETTER XIV.
filver bafon, which was held by the mafter of the
ceremonies ; and then kiffing them, gave to each
two medals of gold, and one of filver, together
with a nofegay. They were afterwards conduct
ed into another hall, where a dinner was pre-?
pared ; during which he him-felf waited upon
them.-  In the evening his holynefs returned
into the chapel of Sixtus, where the Miferere
(LI Pfalm) was fung by voices, without any in-
flruments accompanying them ; which is acr
counted one of the fineft pieces of mufic that
ever was compofed. And really, there is fomer
thing fo folemn, and fo affecting in it, that it is
beyond expreffion : and it is fo highly efteemed,
that the mafter of the chapel is forbidden, under
pain of excommunication,- to give a copy of it
himfelf, or to fuffer any one to tranferibe it.
On Good-friday, I went to S. Peter's, among
the reft of the devout people, and was obliged in
appearance to do as they did ; otherwife, I could
not have feen the curiofities which they faw. From
%n high balcony within the church, were expofed
to view the reliques following : The holy hand
kerchief, on which the print of our blefied Sa
viour's face came off, when wiped by S. Vero
nica, who attended him to his crucifixion ; a
large piece of the crofs, on which he fuffered ;
and the head of the lance, which pierced his fide.
Every half hour, a prieft fhewed each of thefe to

LETTER XIV. 53
to an infinite number of people ; who were all
on their knees, fighing, groaning, and thumping
their breafts below. As for my part, having not
been ufed to fuch thumping work, fince I left
Weftminfter-fchool, 1 gaped and flared with all
the eyes I had, to difcern, if pofflble, thefe pre
cious rarities ; and yet, even with the affiftance of
my fpectacles, I could not perceive any thing,
but a fine rich cafe, in which they were fay'd to
be inclofed. So that, for want of a proper degree
of faith, I returned home with lefs imaginary e-
dification and 'fatisfaction, than the reft of the
congregation. Upon Eafter-funday the pope went again to
S. Peter's, and celebrated mafs : which being
ended, he was carried to the large tribune, which
is over the piazza of that church ; from whence
he thundered out the apoftolical cenfures againft
heretics, cafting down at the fame time a lighted
torch. Immediately after, by the found of can
non, he gave his benediction twice to all the Ro
man people. This curfing and bleffing, emitted
almoft in one and the fame breath, takes effect,
as they fay here, throughout the whole world.
But as to my-felf, I am fure, tho' the pope curfed
me that day for an heretic, providence feemed to
blefs me : for, as I was returning home, confider-
ing how many paulis I could fpare for a dinner,
put af the few I had in my pocket, I very for
tunately

54 L E T T E R XV.
tunately met our parifh-prieft, who gave me a
hearty invitation, and to fuch a dinner as made
my heart full glad.
This rambling account, dear J. I am afraid,
has notanfwered your expectations ; and perhaps
I fhould have entertained you more agreeably^
had I led you to the banks of the Tiber, or into
the fhady groves of fome of the neighbouring
villas. This I may do another time : at prefent,
J am almoft got to the utmoft limits of my pa
per •, having but juft room enough left to exprefs
my wifhes and prayers for your welfare and hap-
pinefs, and to fubfcribe my-felf
Your ever affectionate and loving brother.
LETT E R XV.
To Mr. F. B. M.
Pear Sir, Rome, June 28. 1741. N. &
OU R holy father the pope took pofiefliofl
of the church of S. John de Laterano on.
the laft day of April : but, as that ceremony had
nothing very extraordinary in it, I fhall make it
give way to the following * which was the moft
grand and magnificent fpectacle, which I have
feen fince I have been in this place,
On the ift Inft. being the Fefta del Corpus
Domini, the pope fung mafs in the chapel of the
palace of the Vatican } after which, he carried
the hoft through the church of S, Pstsr,, and the

L E T T E R XV. 55
the fuburbs adjacent. He was immediately pre
ceded by perfons, who bore three tiaras, and
three mitres, inriched with pearls and diamonds
of infinite value •, and was furrounded by the of
ficers of his chamber, and an hundred Swifs
guards all in brillant armour. His holynefs,whofe
head was uncovered, was placed on a machine
fupported by eight men, with a defk before him ;
on which he repofed ilfole, which contained the
confecrated wafer. His cope, which was of fil
ver tiffue very finely wrought, was fo wide, and
covered the whole defk and feat, in fuch a man
ner, that he feemed to be upon his knees. Two
large fans, called ventiere, ftuck on two poles,
were carried on each fide one, to keep off the
flies from incommoding his holynefs, and inter
rupting his devotion ; which was painted in the
livelieft manner on his countenance. All the car
dinals, arch-bifhops, Roman nobility, religious
orders, confraternities, &c. attended, dreffed in
their proper habits ; and the chevaliers clofed
the proceffion of the church militant.
I am juft now come from S. Peter's, where
the Haquenee, or Spanifh genet, was prefented
to the pope. It has been always the cuftom to
conduct this Spanifh lady into the church, to pay
her refpects to his holynefs : but this time fhe
ftumbled at the door, fell down, and could by
no means be perfuaded to go any farther. Va
rious are the conjectures upon this accident : fome
affirming,

56 LETTER XVL
affirming, that it was want of good breedings
and that the Dons had not taken care to educate
her a la mode ; others, that fhe was refolved to
fhew more refpect to the holynefs of the place,
than of the pope ; but all concluding that it was
a bad omen. For my part, I am apt to think,
that fome German fmith had fhoed her, and out
of a fpirit of revenge had pared her hoofs too
clofe. I leave you to judge of the probability of
this conjecture of, dear Sir,
Yours moft affectionately, Sec.

LETTER XVI.
To Dr. R.
Dear Doctor, Rome, Sept. 28. 1741. N.S.
LIKE one, who has gone through the greateft
part of a fevere penance, and begs to have
the reft remitted, I now at laft venture to take
my pen in hand ; in order to beg your pardon in
the firft place, and in the next, a difcontinuance
of your filence, which has kept me in fo long
a ftate of mortification. Notwithftanding which,
I cannot but reckon the day I left England to
be one of the moft fortunate of my paft life i
fince it has not only given me frequent occafion
of reflecting ferioufly upon my-felf, but has like-
wife made me fenfible of the true value of the
friends I left behind me. For as continual con-
verfe is apt to cool in fome degree the fervour of
our

LETTER XVI. 57
our affe&ions ; fo abfence, efpecially at fb great
a diftance, rekindles the flame, and excites an
ardent defire of a fpeedy reunion. In me, I am
fure, it has had this effect ; infomuch, that had
not irrefiftible neceffity clapt clogs upon my legs,
you would have feen them perhaps cut a caper
at your wedding. I can now only congratulate
you on the confummation of this grand affair ;
which I heartily wifh you may find attended with
all the happinefs ever enjoyed by the moft fortu
nate hufband ; and of which, from the many
good qualities of your fpoufe, and the many to^
kens of her great affection for you, I think you
have the moft clear and unclouded profpect.
But while you are thus agreeably entertained
both with the prefent and the future, I hope, you
will not look upon this as a difagreeable interrupt?
ion ; which gives fome account, how your bro
ther, tho' deftitute of all your enjoyments, and
ftruggling with many difficulties, yet finds at
leifure hours frequent matter to amufe and divert
fiim-felf. A perfon, who loves the virtu, is never
at a lofs for diverfion here : for he can enter no
church or palace, tho' ever fo often, but he will
always difcover fomewhat new to excite his ad
miration, in the archite<9:ure, fculpture, or paint-
ing.rrSome Englifh gentlemen arrive here an
nually, amongft whom are generally one or two
of our old fchool-fellows ; with whom I take care
to renew my acquaintance : this I have lately done
Vol. I. 1 with

58 LETTER XVI.
with the lords M. and Q^ Sir R. N. Mr. D. and
Mr. Castleton ; the laft of whom generoufly
took me with him to Naples, in company with
the E. of L.
Mr. Pitt and Mr. Holdsworth, an old ac
quaintance of my father's, who travels with him
as his tutor, have fhewed me very extraordinary
civilities, the whole time they have been here :
which I fhall always remember and acknowledge
with the greateft gratitude. The young gentle
man, whofe good qualities are anfwerable to his
great fortune, does not fquander away his time
and money, as too many of our wild young fparks
do, in drinking, gaming, &c. but fludies very
much, and diverts himfelf with mufic and draw
ing ; in which laft he has made fuch proficiency,
that were he in our Academy, 1 fhould foon
grow jealous of him.
With thefe two gentlemen I went on thurfday
fe'n-night to fee the curiofities at Tivoli, eight
een miles from Rome ; called by Horace * Tibur
fupinum, being fituated on the Sabine hills. This
was the retirement of fome of the moft illuftrious
old Romans: and one fees at prefent the remains
of thevillasof Quintilius Varus, Maece*
nas, and Horace, and of the Villa Adriana.
Juft above the town, the river Teverone rufhes
down a precipice fifty feet high ; and is therefore by
* 3. Od. iv, 23. " Lying along the brow of a hill : &s
\ 1 rc 1 l perhaps for the fame reafon entitles it fuperbam"
Apdison's Ranerks, &c. izvao. p. 214.

LETTER XVI. 50
by Horace called * Praeceps Anio. Immediate
ly after its fall, it divides into two ftreams : of
which, one takes a compafs on one fide of Tivoli -,
and the other, being loft in a gulph, runs in fe
veral channels about the town, and then riling
comes to the Palazzo d'Efte -, in the gardens of
which it works a fine organ, feveral fountains,
&c. in a very furprifing manner. But the moft
delightful profpect is, where it throws itfelf down
from thefe gardens, which are upon an exceed
ing high eminence, and divides it-felf into feve
ral cafcades, falling from one rock to another,'tili
it joins the other arm of the river. On a riling
ground oppofite to the firft cafcade, fland -f the
ruins of the temple and houfe of the || Sibylla
Tiburtina. In our return, coming down into the Campar
nia, we turned a mile out of the road to fee the
lake X Solforata. It feemed to. be vaftly deep,
I z and
* 1 . Od. vii. 1 3. not Praectps Anienus, as in MissoN. Vol.
II. Pt. i. p. 66. Statius indeed calls it Praeceps Anien. i,.
Silv. V. 25.
-j- In the Margin of Misson, it is remarked, " Others
pretend that it was a Temple of Hercules " Mr. Addison
lays, " I could not difcover the leaft traces of the Sibyl's
temple and grove." p. 214
|| The Tenth Sibyl, and, according to fome, the fame
with the goddefs Albuna. or Albunea », called likewife
Levcothea, and Matuta.
J " Lacus Albuncus now called La go de Bagni. The latS
cardinal d' Efte perfuaded two divers to enter into it : one 0/
whom was never afterwards, feen ; and the other related, that.
he found the water fo hot, tho' at the furface it is cold, that
he was not able to defcendto any confiderable. depth," Mt&-
son, VoK IJ. Part ii. p. bf.

60 LETTER XVI.
and is ftrongly impregnated with fulphur, which
makes the flench of it very difagreeable. I threw
feveral ftones into it, which caufed the water to
bubble up, like the boiling in a kettle, for half
an hour afterwards. There are feveral * floating
iflands in it, which fhift their places according to
the change of the wind. Being covered with.
seeds, &c. they are very deceitful : and had we
not been warned by the fnorting of our horfes,
we might have driven our chaife upon them un
awares, which we were told we might have fafely
done ; but we did not chufe to make the ex
periment, nor to continue long upon + the ground
about the lake, which founded under our horfes
feet, as if it had been hollow. This lake give*'
nfe to a fulphureous rivulet, formerly called
Albula, which runs through part of the Campania,
Rome is at prefent very barren of news : for
want therefore of a pleafanter and better fubject,
I fhall give you a fhort account of the execution
of a criminal, the other day, juft by my lodg
ings.— About two months ago, a perfon was
found murdered in the ftables of the pope's pa
lace ;
* Named by the people The Sixteen Boats, ibid.
tJL V * qUelh°? n0t but this Iake wa* formerly much larger
7 Sef fnlfeYme ** ^ ^ """ S™vTic
fm-!!Vv fame manner as the iflands have been

LETTER XVI. 61
lace : on which, two fellows fufpected of the fact
were taken up, and put to the rack, in order to
extort a confeflion from them -, without which no
one can fuffer here, tho' direct evidences appear
againft him. Onely one of them confeffed, and
was condemned : and on execution-day, hun
dreds of odd difmal figures, in long black gowns,
their faces covered with black cloth in the fhape
of a iriafk, marched through all the ftreets,
rattling a money-box, to move charitable per-
fons to contribute fomething towards prayers for
the deliverance of the poor fufferer's foUl out Of
purgatory. A long train of thefe fable petition
ers preceded the miferable wretch ; immediately
before whom was carried a crucifix, with a black
covering over it, and lights all round him. He
•was feated in a cart betwixt two priefts ; who
with two of their hands fupported him, and with
the other two held a tablet clofe to his face, ha
ving a Madonna painted on one fide. Being
brought upon the fcaffojd, clofe to which -a gib
bet was erected, his face was covered with black
crape ; and being ordered to kneel down, the
executioner inftantly knoek'd him on the head
with a mallet, and then cut his throat. After
this, his accomplice was likewife brought -upon
the fcaffold, and tied to a poll ; while1 the- hang
man quartered the other before his face,- ancthung
up his limbs on the gibbet, where they; remained
'till night : he was afterwards fent to the-galleys for

62 LETTER XVI.
for life. I ftood within ten yards of the fcaffold :
and to add to the horror of the fpectacle, it
rained, lightened, and thundered, more than ever
I faw it do at this place ; where violent tempefts
are very frequent.
Tho' to you, who have hanged and diffected
fo many dogs, and feen the diflection of fo many
felons and murderers, this defcription may not
be fo extremely fhocking ; yet I think it is time
to leave it, and to recall my thoughts to that
agreeable fubject, with which they were juft now
entertained, I mean your late nuptials. To haften
my compliments on which was the chief occafion
of the prefent difpatch. And fince Mifs W . . . .
from a mere nominal filler, is become a real one
according to law, pray give my kindeft refpects
and love to her, as from a brother who wifhes
her all felicity imaginable. Happy are you,
Doctor, who, refiding in your native countrey,
have met with no infuperable difficulties there in
obtaining the object of your defires. As for me,
poor wretch, were I ever fo deeply enamoured
with a fair lady here, and ever fo well received
by her ; fo long as I am a heretic, the holy In~
quifition would never permit us two to be one
flefh. She indeed has liberty to make a convert
of me ; but I none at all to make one of her.
But as I have hitherto met with no Roman lafs,
that has charms fufficient to make me adore, not
only her perfon, but likewife the Madonnas, and all

LETTER XVII. 63
all the little houfhold gods, with which her bed
chamber is furnifhed : fo I am certain I fhall ne
ver meet with any, for the fake of whofe conver-
fion, I fhall run the rifque of double walls, racks,
gibbets, fanbenitoes, and flames. I am,
Dear Doctor, Your moft, &c.

LETTER XVII.
To Mifs C. R.
Dear C. Rome, May 1. 1741. N.S.
I Would not upon any account let flip this op
portunity of fhewing you, that I wanted not
any previous epiftolary notice to put me in re
membrance of you. If my recollection be right,
you ufed to fay, you fhould have been glad to
have accompanied me into this part of the world.
And if other circumftances had been agreeable,
the want of breeches, I affure you, would have
been no great obftacle : for we have Englifh la
dies here, who have fcorned the danger of the
feas, made their way over the Alpes, and climb
ed to the top of mount Vefuvius. Nor do I at
all wonder at it : for neither mountains, nor feas,
nor fex, fhould have hindered me from viftting
fuch an entertaining place ; where architecture,
painting, and mufic are in the utmoft perfection.
It would require a week, to take notice of all the
beauties and riches, in one common church; and
above a month, to furvey thofe of S. Peter's ; and
con-

64 LETTER XVII.
eonfequently it would take up volumes to de*
fcribe them. I fhall therefore leave you for the
prefent to form an idea of them, when I have
told you, that marble, gilding, and painting are
difpofed in the moft beautiful manner all round
the infides of them ; and that images of filyer,
decked with the moft coftly jewels, adorn the
altars. At fome leifure time, I intend to take
down a defcription of the immenfe riches of a
grand altar in the church of the Jefuits, and tranf-
mit it to England, as a fpecimen of the reft.
On S. Luke's day, who, you know, is our
patron, I went to the church of that Evangelift,
and to the grand academy of painting : for in
honour of him my fore-fathers of the brufh hay?
built a npble church, and a large academy room
near it. In the former was performed fome very
fine mufic j and in the latter were expofed to
view pictures, defigns, drawings, &c. by the jnoft-
eminent hands. I faw there a fine picture in mi
niature by Rosalba Carriera, aVenetian ; who
was a few years ago folemnly admitted and regi-
fter'd amongft the academicians, for her excel-:
knee in painting portraits. She is ftill living at
Venice, and has drawn the picture of that moft
worthy youn§ gentleman George Pitt, Efqj
which you will have an opportunity of feeing, and
There is a good portrait of the king of Sardinia lately
done in mezzo tinto by Mr Burford, from an original
painting by Clementina at Turin, in the poffeflion of his
Excellency the Chevalier Ossorio.

LETTER XVII. 6c
and may thereby judge of her manner. This
living example, Who is a demonftrative proof
of what your fex is capable* will incite you, I
hope, to proceed with induftry and chearfulnefs in
drawing; in which I don't doubt that you have
made by this time a confiderable progrefs. I have
-pften wondered, that fcarce any of your feX in
England applie themfelves to this profeffion ; e-
fpecially fince, if .their circumftances are narrow,
-they can have no reffource in a convent ; which is
always open to ladies of fmall, as well as great,
fortune in this countrey. The ceremony of the
admittance of one, which I law at Naples, may
not perhaps be altogether unentertaining ; at leaft,
I will take care, that it fhall not be tedious.
This I call the ceremony of facrificing a victim
,at a nunnery : for I can't help calling that poor
-creature fuch, whom either the determination of
. her friends, or her own poverty, compels to live
, immured from the -fight and conv^rfe of the
world. The church of the convent was hung all
oyer with red-velvet trimmed with gold -, and the
altar decked out with /liver candle-flicks, and
images of faints fet round with jewels, &c. The
-father, a Neapolitan nobleman, attended; and,
as the quality and gentry here are remarkably ci
vil and obliging to ftrangers, fhewed me the ha-
,-bit his daughter was going- to put on -, which was
.made of a coarfe black fluff. A chair and a defk
,with a velvet cushion-were placed' before- the altar,
Vol. L K there

66 LETTER XVII.
there being no fuch things as pews in the churches
of Italy. Hither the victim was conducted by
two of her brothers, where fhe payed her devo
tions ; whilft mufic played, on all fides, to raife
her fpirits to the utmoft height, and tranfport her
affections from all things here below, at the cele
bration of her celeftial nuptials. Her wedding-
garment was as fine as poflible, being a large
robe of the richeft filk, embroidered with flowers
of gold ; and fhe had a coronet on her head, a-
dcrned with rofes and jewels. She appeared chear-
ful, as one that was pleafed with the approaching
change of her condition : yet there was fome
thing, I know not what, of too ferious a concern
in her countenance, which now and then feemed
to caft a little cloud over her gaiety. Having
taken the proper oaths adminiftered by the prieft,
fl-ie was conducted by two ladies, her neareft re
lation, to the great door of the convent ; where,,
having Muted them both at parting, fhe entered,
and the door was immediately fhut. She knock
ed afterwards, as I was informed, at an inner
door ; which being opened, fhe was received by
the abbefs, and her fellow prifoners, who ftrip-
ped off her fine raiment, and put on the home-
fpun drefs above-mentioned.
Dear C. don't you think it terrible, for a young
lady, with a foft and delicate fkin, to wear a
drefs as rough as that of a bear, to lye en a bed
9i' ftraw, to peep through iron-glafs-windows, as

LETTER XVII. 67
as the Irifhman called them ; and, what is worle
than all, to be forced, againft inclination and na
ture, to die a maid ? It grieves me, I am fure,
to the heart j and I often wifh my-felf a real
knight errand, that I might deliver fome of thefe
diftreffed damfels out.of their inchanted caftles.
You ladies, in the northern part of the world*
have reafon to blefs your-felves, that you are in*-
tirely fecure from any fuch Lob's-pounds as thefe.
Don't therefore indulge your-felves in the ill-na
tured pleafure of tormenting your poor lovers,
keeping your hearts fhut up as it were in a cloi-
fter ; left in the decline of ycur charms yo\i fhould
fall under a real monaftic judgment ; in a place,
where you can have none of the conveniences,
. fo common here, and fo proper for that folitary
ftate. It has frequently given me no fmall concern, to
fee the odd figure, which is made by many el
derly maiden ladies among you -, fome of whom
ftill retained evident marks of their former beau
ty, together with a genteel and graceful air. Their
vain endeavours to repair or conceal the injuries
of time ; their affected and unnatural gaiety ;
their entering with fo. much eagernefs into the
moft ufual fubjects of converfation, as fafhionsy
news, fcandal, &c. their fondnefs for operas, plays,
cards, &c. and their unwillingness to lofe theijt
ftiare of any prevailing vanity- ; continually ex-
pofe them to the fneers. of the ybtmger part of
K 2 their

68 LETTER XVIH.
their own fex, and to the ridicule of ours. How
much better would it be, were there proper places'
of retirement in your countrey, like thofe here ;
where they might find a refuge from all thefe in-
conveniencies, and fpend the remainder of their
days in employments and diverfions more futea-
ble to their fex and age ! But then, this retreat
fhould be voluntary, free from all rigid aufteri-
ties, and not rendered unalterable by irrevocable
vows. — But whether it be your lot to continue
in the hurry of public life, or to withdraw to a
more private fcene -, painting may be of great
advantage to you in the former, and will be a
very agreeable amufement in the latter. It will
certainly fecure you from falling into thofe com
mon, ridiculous ways of killing Time, to which a
great number of your fex, are forced to have re-
courfe : and therefore, out of the fincereft regard
for your well-fare and happinefs, it is again moft
earneftly recommended to your practice, by,
Dear C. Your moft affectionate brother, &a

LETTER XVIII.
To Mifs E. R.
Dear B. Rome, Ju'y i. 1741. jV. S.
IT is with great pleafure, that I embrace this
opportunity of conveying, I hope, fafe to
your hands the following trifles. — Some of the
current

LETTER XVHL 69
current Roman coins, and S. Peter's Pence. —
Four pair of gloves of the- neweft fafhibni worn
in Lilliput ; packed up in wallnut fhells.t— Six
Rofarii or fetts of beads, of different forts, which
the Roman ladies ufe in their devotions, to pre
vent miftakes as to the number of their prayers.
— A white cord, given me by fome nuns atViter-
bo, who fhewed me the body of Santa Rosa,
lay'd out in great ftate, adorned with jewels, &c.
andprefented me with the cord, which had touch
ed thofe facred remains, as a prefervative againft
misfortunes, &c.
After you have taken your choice, give one
pair of the gl'oves,with one fett of the beads to each-
of my fitters ;. and let my friend Mr. M. have one
of the latter, which may not be a difagreeable pre^
fentfrom him to fome young lady of his acquaint
ance. When I faw the ceremony ©f admitting a nun
at Naples, of which I lately gave C. a fhort ac
count, I omitted to procure the Sonnet perform
ed on that occafion. To fupplie this deficiency, I
have fent you the following, printed on filk, in
honour of a nun who took the veil at Bologna.
That you may have fome notion of the fenfe of
the Italian verfes, I have imitated them in Englifh
metre, after the manner of thofe famous tranflators
of the Pfalms, SternhOld- and Hopkins, keep
ing as clofe to the original as poffible ; and as to a
proper tune you cannot be at a Iofs, fince fo ma
ny will fute them. Applau-

7o LETTER XVIII.
Applaudesi alia M. R. M. Suor
Maria Crocefissa di S. Rosa,
al fecolo Sic nor a
Rosa Maria Azzaroli,
che profefla nel nobile Moniftero
^elleCARMEHTANE DlS. TERESA
di MEDICINA ;
col ftguente Sonetto,
infegno di diflintiffima venerazione Dedkato al
NobtT XJomo Sig.
GlANANTONIO VASE' PlE TR AME il ARA, .
dalle ftefle Reverende Ma dri Carmelitane.
Alludefi a S. Teresa, che fuferita daW Angeh.
/"vUEL Serafin, che collo ftral' d'Amore
\J Volando pel Carmel feri Teresa,
Lafciolla in fu del Suol piagata, e accefa,
£ all' alto Ciel rappinne il nobil Cuore ; Torna
A very ingenious and learned young Gentleman, who has
travelled, was pleafed to communicate the following Remark
and Tranflation «-»" Tho' this inftance may be proper enough
to mew a foreign cuftom ; yet it would be an injury, I think,
to the modern Italian poetry to produce this as a fpecimen of
it. Thefe are a fort of occafional productions, that feldom
live above a day in their own country : they are distributed
in the convent among the young lady's friends ; and perhaps
two or three ftuck upon the gates towards the ftreet, where
they generally laft as long as our Play-bills in London. The
Author is ufually fome Poet of the ftreet; and I believe, in
conftant pay from the convent, to firpply it with Panegyricks
pn thefe occafions, at fo much a piece. — As what is annext
did not coft me above half a hour, it is no compliment to tell
you, that you may do what you pleafe with it. I am fure,
neither the Original, nor Tranflation is worth crkicifm ; fo
am very fafe whatever ufe you put it to. As

LETTER XVIII. 71
In honour of the very reverend Matron, Sister
Maria Crocefissa di S.Rosa,
[while] in the world [called] Sig nor a
Rosa Maria Azzaroli,
entering into the noble Monastery
of the Carmelites of S.Teresa
Di medicina ;
the following Sonnet,
in token of the moft profound veneration,
is infcribed to the noble Signor
GlANANTONIO VASE' PlETR AME LLARA,
by the fay'd Reverend Ca rmelitishMat Rons.
Alluding to S. Te r e s a, who was wounded by the Angel.
TH AT Seraph, who, o'er Carmel flying,
Te r esa wounded with Love's dart,
And left on earth in ardours dying,
But fnatch'd to heav'n her noble heart j This
As arm'd with heav'nly Love's flame-pointed dart
O'er Carmel's top the glowing Seraph flew ;
He pierc'd divine Teresa's throbbing heart,
Celeftial prize, no more to earth's low raptures due.
To-day the fame bright mefienger returns ;
With like fuccefs th' unerring fliaft he tries :
Behold! on Carmel proftrate, Rosa burns,
Heav'n's holy viftim now, (he languifhes and dies.
Wonder not then, if to thefe facred walls
Her God devoted Crocefis. a calls ;
Since by the Mother's flame the pious Daughter falls.
Alike the zeal, which each fair bofom fires ;
Their flight from earth Celeftial Love infpires -.
One dies byHeav'n'* own Darts,and One by Heav'n's Defires."
S, Teresa

1& LETTER XVIII.
Tornaqueft' oggi in fomigliante ardore
A replicar la ii grandiofa imprefa,
Rosa ferifce, e nel Ca r m e l proftefa
Fatta Vittima al Ciel e langue, e muore.
Non fia dunque ftupor fe oggi ci viene
Crocefissa al fuo Dio : ah che ne moti
AUa M a D r e la Fi c l i a egual diviene !

D'ambi queft' Aime fono fimil le Doti,
Ad amendue vuota 1'Amor le vene ;
L'una uccid« coi Stral', l'altra co' Vo'ti.
DelStg. FraneefcorRezi.
In Bo l o c N a , per Clemente Maria Safli Succeflbrei del
Benacci. 1738. Con licenza de' Superiors,

S. Teresa of Jesus, born at Avila in Spain, Mar. z&.
1515. died Oft. 4. 1582. canonized by Gregory XV. Her
Feftival is celebrated y£t. 1 5. The following curious account
of the extraordinary Adventure, alluded to in the .Sonnet, is
given by her-felf, in a Book intitled, The Works if the'Holy
Mother St. Teresa of Jesus, Foundrefs of the Reformatio
of the Difcafced Carmelites. Tranflated into 'Englijb, .^tO.
1675. Part II. Chap. XXIX. p. 206, 207.
" It pleafed our Lord, that I have had fometimes this fol
lowing Virion. I faw an Angel very near -me, towards my
left fide, in a corporeal form ... He was not great, but rather
little, very beautiful ; his face fo inflamed, that he appeared
to be one of thofe moft Superiour Angels, who feem to be
all on fire ; and he well might be of them whom they call
Seraphims ... I faw that he had a long Dart of gold in hi*
hand,

LETTER XVIII. j%
This day returningj with like flame
Repeats as grand an enterprife ;
He Rosa woufids j the proftrate Dame
On Carmel languifhes and dies.
&o wonder then, that here retires
This Vi£rim crucify'd to God ;
Since the fame zeal the Daughter fires
To tread the path the Mother trod.
In both thefe Souls like Graces (hone ;
Of Both Love empties every vein :
The onely difference this, that One
By Darts, and One by Vows is flain.
By Sig. Francefco RezL
At Bologna by Clement Maria Saffi SuccefTor of
Benacci 1738. With the licence of Superiours.

hand, and at the end of the iron below, me thought there
was a little fire ; and I conceived that he thruft it feveral
times through my heart, after fuch a manner, as that it pafl".
ed my very bowels ; and when he drew it forth, me thought
it pulled them out with it, and left me wholly inflamed with
a great love of God. The pain of it was fo great, that it
forced me to utter fuch groanes, and the fuavity which that
extremity of pain caufed me fo exceflive, that there was no
defiring to be rid of it ; nor is the Soul then contented with
lefs than God himfelf. This is no corporal, but a fpiritual
pain ; though yet the Body do not fail to participate fome,
yea a great part thereof . . . During the time when I was in
this ftate, I went up and down, like one tranfported, neither
cared I, either to lee or to fpeak, but only to be confumed
and burnt up with my pain, which was a greater glory to me,
than any can be found in the creatures."

Vol. I. L LETTER

( 74 )
LETTER XIX.
To. Mrs. R.
Hon. Madam, Rome, Dec. 2. 1741. N.S.
ON tuefday I had the pleafure of rumma
ging over the box, which came from Eng
land -, which I did with the more eagernefs, as
knowing there was a letter in it from you. That,
with what accompanied it, is in my opinion fo
far from being a fmall token of your love, that
I think mere words of thanks can by no means
be a furfkient return : but as I have at prefent
nothing elfe in my power, I hope my gratitude
will be accepted in good part, by my father, and
all the family, who have fhewn me their affecti
on by their letters and prefents.
In fending Jenkin's Reafonablenefs of Chrifiia-
tiity along with King's Heathen Gods, I will not
fuppofe, that my Father was apprehenfive left I
fhould believe in the heathen, rather than the
Chriftian religion ; but for fear I fhould believe
in none at all. For tho' I muft acknowledge,
that they have many excellent cuftoms here ; yet
have they fome, which appear to me, not onely
abfurd and ridiculous, but contrary to the plain
commandments of God. Religious difputes are
very dangerous, which I therefore decline ; not in

LETTER XIX. ys
h the leaft afraid of their arguments, but of then-
power: for there are fpies in almoft all places,
and companies, and it is a matter of confeience
to confefs every thing, which we heretics fay a-
gainft their religion. And fuch a falfe notion have
the priefts, out of policy, inftilled intothe minds
of their people, that they imagine we do not real
ly believe in Jesus Christ ; and therefore they
make little or no diftinflion betwixt a Turk and
an Eng!ifh-man.  I attended my mafter the
other day, while he was painting the portrait of
a nun ; and he ordered me to chalk the place
round her feet, that fhe might ftand exadtly irt
the fame light the next day r this I had nofooner
done, but a fervant run for fome holy water to
fprinkle her -, thereby plainly intimating,. that by
onely touching her feet I had polluted an holy
vefTel dedicated to Jesus Christ. — In fhort, I
can fincerely affure you,, that the more I converfe
with the Romanifts, and the oftner I enter their
churches, the more ftrongly am I fortified a-
gainft their errors.
It is no fmall fatisfaction to me to find, that
moft young gentlemen, who come hither, fhew
fo great a regard for the art which I ftudie, as
not only to admire and endeavour to underftand
it in theory, but even to amufe and divert them
felves in the exercice and praftice of it. On holy-
days, and at other times, when a reeefs from.my
L 2 bufineis

76 LETTER XIX.
bufinefs will permit, I take every opportunity of
accompanying gentlemen to fee the palaces, &c,
for as thofe grand doors flie open only to the rich,
I am glad to follow them as their fhadow, and
to crowd in as one of their attendants.
Your curiofity, Madam, no doubt, will expect
to find fome-thing here concerning the Cheva
lier, and his two fons. — The father is tall of fta?
ture, but thin ; and has a grave countenance,
feeming inclined to melancholy ; yet in his con-
verfation is good-natured, affable, and chearful.
He pafles all his time in a very regular manner :
rifing early, he fpends the morning in bufinefs,
hears mafs at a fet hour, and dines at twelve.
He often walks in the fine gardens at Rome, e-
fpecially thofe of the Villa Borghefa : in the
evening, he receives vifits, fups at ten, and goes,
t;o bed about mid-night. Tho' he may feem very
unfortunate to the world, in fome refpects, yet
he enjoys the blefiing of two moft amiable fons.
The elder has a very graceful prefence, and
engaging manner ; the younger is very comely
and fprightly. Their exterior ornaments of body
are equally matched by thofe of the mind : to cul
tivate which, they have fet hours for their ftudies,
when they learn every thing proper for perfons of
their quality ; and, with a fufficient knowledge
of the moft learned dead languages, they fpeak
Englifh, French, and Italian perfectly well. Their
Diver-r

LETTER XX. 77
Piverfions'are manly and rational : the one takes
great' delight in riding, hunting, and other ex-
ercifes : and the other, befides thefe, loves mu
fic and painting, and both fings anctedraws very
well. In fhort, the gracefulnefs of their perfons
is admiredby all, who onely fee them ; and thofe
that converfe with them, are ftill more charmed
with their good fenfe, good nature, and excellent .
temper. This character is not contradicted by
any gentleman of candor here, tho' ever fo much
prejudiced againft them by religious or political
principles. I am, Honoured Madam,
Your moft obedient, &c,

LETTER XX.
To Mifs K. R.
Dear K. Rome, Jan. 15. 1742. N. S,
TH O' you are the leaft of the family, you
are not, I can affure you, the leaft in my
thoughts : for I often recollect your pretty di
verting humours, which make me fmile ; and
methinks, I even now fee you going againft youf;
will to open the door, or about fome work which
you do not like. But hoping, that, as you are
now more advanced in years, you are likewife
advancing more and more beyond thofe lower
occupa-

78 LETTER XX.
occupations-, and are confequently better em
ployed in feeking after knowledge without doors;
I cannot but imagine, you may have a curiofity
to be informed of fome things that lye at a great
diftance from your native countrey. It would
give you, 'tis probable, fome pleafure, to hear
of fome pretty Roman Mifs, who may vie with
thofe of Weftminfter, in working a fample, or
bordering a petticoat. But really I am at a lofs,
where to find her ; and believe there are hardly
any, except in nunneries, who know how to
threadle a needle. But then they have other qua-
lifications, which . make a greater fhow -, which
they learn very foon, and practife in great per
fection. For before they are in their teens, they
are fwelled out a la mode in filk facks, large hoops,
tippets, &c. They are very expert in courtefying
and cr,offing themfelves in churches with a gen
teel air ; and in faying a Pater Nofier, and an
Ave Maria, which they don't underftand : and
perhaps I write in fuch a manner, that I am not
underftood my-felf; therefore here follows an
explanation. As foon as good old Madam and hopeful
young Mifs enter a church, each dips a finger in
holy water, which always ftands ready bleft in
a font at the door ; and croffes herfelf on the
fore-head and breaft, in a much genteeler manner,
than you ever faw, or can imagine. They next
proceed

LETTER XX. 79
proceed with a grave ftep, and a demure face, up
to the altar ; where they immediately fall down
on their marrow-bones, and with much flight of
hand crofs themfelves again, &c. Then they
commence their prayers, that feem directed to an
image of the virgin Mary ; which is dreft out
in the richeft robes, having in her arms a baby,
reprefenting our bleffed Saviour, adorned with
rofes, beads, and jewels. So that they muft have
a very intenfe and abftradted devotion, if their
thoughts, as well as their eyes, be not fixed on
the glaring objects before them ; which will be
more apt to excite in them a defire for the riches
of this world, than for thofe of the other. For
what Englifh Mifs could forbear wifhing for fuch
fine babies as thefe ? which are decked out with
fuch coftly ornaments, that the fineft Doll, be
longing to a young lady of the firft quality in
England, would not appear worthy to be an at
tendant on the babies here, when even in . their
dejhabilli. A picture of a Madonna, that is, of
the bleffed Virgin and our Saviour in her arms, is
hung up alfnoft at every corner in the ftreets.
Here every evening an Ave Maria is fung, with
an Invocation to all the faints ; while the ftreets
ring with an Ora pro nobis, fent out of the mouth
of children kneeling round, and repeating it to
gether as loud as they can bawl. As I am obliged to

8<5 LETTER Xl
to write Latin, I muft beg the favour of W. of
C. to tell you the meaning of it.
Having tranfmitted to my other filters fome
accounts of feveral of the grand feftivals, fo
pompoufly celebrated here ; I fhall give you like-
wife a fhort relation of a few remarkable ceremo
nies, that very lately diftinguifhed one. You
have not* I believe, forgot the old fong,
 Chriftmas is a coming -,
We fhall have pipingt dancing, drumming.
Therefore you may imagine, that we, who will
allow no others but our-felves to be true Chrift-
ians, . rejoyced and feafted accordingly. But,
alas, I found, that the Roman Madams had ne
ver heard of, or elfe abhorred, as heretical, that
charming and laudable cuftom of having good hot
minc'd-pyes, to the no fmall mortification of your
poor brother ; who, you may remember, had an
excellent hand, or rather mouth, in demolifhing
them. But to come to myftory.  At the feaft
of the Epiphany, there were not onely extraor*
dinary illuminations, mufic, &c. in their churches^
as on other great folemnities ; but there was alfo*
in particular, what they call in Italian Ilprefepiot
that is, The Stable ; which is reprefented by paint
ed figures in the' manner following. The virgin
Mary, with all the tendernefs of a mother, fits
by the infant Jesus lying in a manger, while
Joseph ftands befide her. Behind are reprefent ed

LETTER XX. 8j
ted cattle; and other things proper to a ftall or
liable. On one fides appear fhepherds entering^
with prefents of lambs* &c. on the other, the
wife men of the eaft, with richer offerings : fome
of the latter, as well as of the former, are kneel
ing ; and the reft in poftures of admiration. In
fhort, the lights and figures were difpofed in fuch
proper order, and the whole executed with fuch
art and ingenuity, that it had a very beautiful
effect. The onely impropriety was, that the fine
drefles fet off with jewels, which our Saviour*
the Virgin, and Joseph wore, did not feem to
agree very well with fo humble a lodging as a
ftable, and fo poor a cradle as a manger.
Whilft I was keeping my eyes intent upon this
raree-fhow, I was fuddenly furprifed at the found
of a fhrill voice on one fide of me. I look'd
round, and faw a Lilliputian divine, no bigger
than Jemmy C. when he firft put on breeches,
mounted in a little pulpit juft fit for his fize. His
text was die painted fcene before us : from which
he took occafion to fet forth, in the moft pompous
expreffions, the great humility of our bleffed Sa
viour, and the ftupendous happinefs mankind
obtained by it. He had neither cufbion to lpll
upon, nor notes to refrefh his memory; but went
on in an upright, active pofture, as it were ex
tempore, with the greateft courage and fpirit»
and without the leaft ftop or hefitation. But this
is counted no extraordinary matter here : for the
Vol. I. M boys

82 LETTER XXI.
boys and girls, as foon as they can fpeak plain,
prattle and run on with fo much affurance,K that
they would make nothing of a Weftminfter kid.
¦ — I hope all the little Miffes and Matters about
S. John's are well ; if it be not an affront to call
thofe. fo, who are in their teens. Pray, give my
fervice to Jemmy C. and to fweet Mifs Polly :
to the former, upon your account, as well as my
own ; to die latter, folely upon that of
Your moft affectionate brother, &c.
LETTER XXI.
To Mr. W. R.
Dear W. Rome, April 18. 1742. N. S.
I Would by no means let flip this opportunity
of gratefully returning an inftance of my af
fection to you, by the very fame hands, which
brought yours to me. He that has little, can
fend but little ; and this being my cafe, you muft
not expect, that the agreeable letters, which I re
ceive from England, can be repayed by any equi
valent from hence. Did I converfe more with
the living, you might expect fome-thing from
me, worth the expence and reading : but my
misfortune is, that tho' I keep the beft of com
pany, they are fuch as neither fee, move, nor
fpeak. In fhort, they are onely the fhadows of
men, &c. that were in being many hundreds of
years ago, ranged in a long gallery, the moft
proper

LETTER XXI. 83
proper fcene for filence and ftudy. As for your
part, you have an inexhauftible fund of news,
confifting of politics, trade, bufinefs, &c. Your
ftreets are crowded with all forts of people, who
all, from the merchant down to the porter, can
tell what Jack Spaniard is a doing, or even the
pope of Rome with all his infallibility, better
than himfelf. Ours ring not with the found of
Great News in the London Gazette, nor with the
hideous cries of horrid, barbarous, bloody and in
human murders; executions, laft dying fpeeches,
Sic. fo that our near neighbours may have their
throats cut, or be hang'd, and we never the wifer.
In my walks, indeed, I now and then light of
fome-thing, which feems extraordinary to me,
tho' not accounted fo here.
Faffing by a church,' the pther day, I obferved
afat fellow, fitting on thefteps, very jovial, with
3 bottle of wine, and other provifions. Upon
inquiry, 1 found, that 'twas not the fear of God,
but of Jack Catch, which had brought him to
that place of devotion; having ftabbed a woman
big with child, he had fled thither for refuge.
And fo jealous and tenacious are the priefts here
of their privileges, that with what ill confequence.
foever the infifting upon them may be attended,
rather than fuffer them to be in the leaft infringed,
they will protect the moft notorious villains : a
moft flagrant inftance of which I'll give you. 
Juft before the Carnaval, a young fellow ftabb'uV
M 2 anorher

84 LETTER XXI.
another to the heart in the Capitol, and fled im*
mediately to a church juft by ; from whence be
ing taken out by particular orders, he was tried,
and condemned. - In the mean time, the clergy
of that church, having commenced a fuit againft
the judge, for breach of privileges, caft him ;
and not onely obliged him to fend the criminal
back, but afterwards, by difguifing him in a
mafquerade drefs, found means to convey him
fafe away out of the reach of juftice.
His holynefs proves a greater encourager of
the virtu, than was expected : he lately bought
three fine ftatues, which were found at Tivoli a-
bout three years ago; and has placed them in the
Capitol. One of them is an Egyptian God, twice
as big as the life, and. the onely one of the kind
which I have feen in white marble ; another is an
Antinous ; and the third, the God of filence.—
He has lately repaired the fine Corinthian pillar,
which ftands before the church of S. Maria
Maggiore ; on the top of which is the image of
the Virgin Mary, with her fon in her arms, in
gilt brafs. One of the corners of the capital had
been ftricken off by lightening. The pillar it-
felf is of one intire piece of marble, and was
taken from the ruins of the temple of peace.
They are likewife at prefent building anew por
tico to the church. — -In digging at a place call
ed il Monte Citorio, in order to make a founda
tion for an antique pedeftal with figures in baffo,
relievo,.

LETTER XXI. 85
relievo, they met with an old Roman pavement,
lying about thirty foot deep : which is one proof,
among a great many others, what ftrange altera
tions this city has undergone fince the time of its
ancient grandeur.
Happy W. are you, who, having almoft run
through your feven years courfe of fervkyde, have
now a very near profpect of the agreeable ftate
Of liberty. As fpr my cafe, I can't help com
paring it to that of an idiot i who, admiring
one day the heavens, painted with fuch variety
pf beautiful colours, was feized with the ambi
tious thought of climbing up to thofe glorious
manfions. In order to which, cafting his eyes a-
bout, he faw a high mountain at a great diftance,
which he imagined reached to the fkies. Thither
he made all poffible hafte, and after much fatigue
gained the fummit ; when, to his great furprize,
he difcovered on the other fide new vallies, be-
tween new hills and mountains rifing one beyond
another, which he defpaired to tranfcend. How
ever, I keep plodding on, now and then a little
brifker than ordinary, like an afs, when plenti
fully fed ; but if provifions fail, I am forced tq
turn afide out of my road, and mumble a thiftle.
This will confequently make my journey longer,
and more tedious : fo that, when the Doctor and
you have got about half a dozen children each,
and not before, you may expect to fee the face of,
Dear W. Your moft affectionate, Sec.
LETTER

( 86 )
LETTER XXII.
To Mr. R.
Honoured Sir, Rome, May i. 1742. N.S.
AS I know, that the rectifying of old mi-
ftakes, and any new difcovery in ancient
literature, ufed to give you no fmall pleafure,
I am fully perfuaded, that the paper I here fend
will not be unacceptable ; more efpecially, as it
was communicated to me by your learned friend
at this place, in order to be tranfmitted to you.
In tranfcribing which, if I fhall have committed
fome errors, I hope you will be fo good as to
excufe them.
It contains a Greek infcription in old Ionic cha
racters upon two pillars, Which were firft dif-
covered near the fepulchre of Me tell a, in the
Appian way, and thence removed into the gar
dens of the palace Farnefe ; on which account
they took the name of the Farnefian columns.
Both Gruter andMoNTFAUcoN have publifh-r
ed this infcription ; but neither of them with
that accuracy, which might have been expected.
In the delineation here fent, the form of the let
ters is exactly expreffed : concerning the antiquity
of which, the manner in which they are ranged,
and the peculiarities belonging to them, it will'
be proper, in the firft place, to make fome fhorc
obfervations, Joseph

LETTER XXII. 87
Joseph Scaliger is of opinion, that the ufe
of thefe Ionic characters, by a kind of conftant
fucceffion, was continued down to the time of
Herodes Atticus. But*MoNTFAucoN afferts,
" that no traces of them are to be found, except
in marbles of very great antiquity, erected before
the age of Alexander the Great. And his
opinion is, that Herodes Atticus, who flou-
rifhed long in the time of Trajan, and of the
fucceeding Emperors, being a learned man, and
a great lover of antiquity, took particular care,
that among the many infcriptions which ennobled
his Villa Triopia, this alfo, exhibiting the old
Ionic letters, might eminently appear ingraved
on thefe columns."
The two parts of this infer iption are reprefent-
ed both by -f Gruter andMoNTFAUcoN, as put
upon different parts of each pillar ; onely with
this variation, that in one the lines are longer,
and confequently fewer in number, having more
letters in them, than the lines in the other. So
that the whole infcription is repeated, and one
colurtin is only a duplicate of the other : whereas,
in reality, the one contains the longer infcription,
and the other the fhorter.  And even as to the
fhape of the letters, there is a good deal of dif
ference
* Palaeographia Graeca. Par. 1708. Fol.f. 141.
\ Jan I Gruteri Corpus Infcriptionum, ex recenjione et cum
Annotationibus Jo AN . Georc, Grabvji. Amji. 1707. lot.
Tom, I. p. 27.

88 LETTER XXIL
ference betwixt thetn, as copied here exactly from
the marbles, and as reprefeated in both their
books ; more efpecially in the form of the a, Ei
0, I, K, a, M, N, P, £.
The moft remarkable things to be obferved, in
relation to this Ionic character, according to
Montfaucon, are, " That the e always ex-
preffes the vowel h, which is never put as a vowel,
but only as a note of afpiration. o denotes both
the dipthong or and the vowel a. ai, ei, and or,
exprefs «. ?. f • In the confbnants, inftead of a,
the Latin D is ufed ; the form of which is much
more ancient, as being derived from the Phoeni
cians ; and n has the right fhank fhorter than
the other. But that which is moft lingular in
this Infcription is, that the prepofition *««* is de
noted by a crofs f, and x left out ; f ©onion for
KATAxeoiwnN, Deorum Manmm or Infer orim"
In order to explain and illuftrate this Infcrip
tion, it is exhibited in the following pages in
three diftincl columns. The firft contains the
Greek in modern capital characters, inftead of
fmaller, as publifhed by Gruter and Mont
faucon -, except in one iingle word, about which
the latter differs from the former. The fecond
gives the Latin tranflation, as it ftands in Gru-
ter's collection ; and the third one in Englifh.
Underneath are fome alterations of the Latin by
Monttavcon. In

JPsp. Vol. I
V 0

&k>,> y

TPSOFil® IFST©
TFET®

mm®
©©Si

QJr^DEO^r ]gj^

S&Z4I£ESmWKmF fyr^ &%,& ^^yiufy insert

Letter xxii.

89

Jri Columna
priori.
oyaeni©EM{-
TON ME-
TAKEINH-2AI EK TOY
Tpmnior
0 E2TIN
ERI TOY
TPITOTEN TH
OAfl th AnniA
EN Tft
HPfiAOY
atpo- ot
TAP A12I-
ON T«
KINHSAN- TI. MAP-
TYE AAI-
MfiN ENOAIA
In altera Co
lumna.
kai 01 K-IO-
NES AHMBTPOS
KAI KOPHS
ANA0BMA
KAIX0ONI-HH 0E«N KAI

G R U T E R's
Tranflation.
Neminifas l trans-
ferreex tem-
plo, quod
eft ad
tertiumlapidemin via
Appia, in
Herodis
agro : non
enim z
* operae , *<*?f fhall be of no
r. forte Mfs/. . ¦* , .
pretium pigh. fervice to him
moventi. Teftis
deasviarum
praefes,

On the firft
Pillar.
It is not
lawful for
any one to
remove [thefe
ftatues~\ out of
the Triopium,
which is three
miles [from
Rome,] on
the Appian
way, in
Herod' s
field. For it

et colum-
nae Cereris
et_+ Filiae
donarium
¦et Manium
deorum

et

that fhall move
them. Witnefs
the Goddefs
who prefides
over the roads/.
On the other
Pillar.
and the confe'
cratedPillars [iff
honour] of Ceres
and her Daugh
ter, and of the In
fernal Gods^ and

I. eft tranfmpvere exTrippip.
ctacet. Idem. 3. Enodia, id eft,
fcrpinae dpnarfum' ac. Idem
Vol. I. N

Mpntfaucpn. 2. con-
yiaram. Idtm.. 4. Pro-

The

96 LETTER XXII.
The word rpoirlov, which inGRUTER is turned
by templo, Montfaucon tranflates Triopio : and
TfioViov, according to Phavorinus, is h[h» «S»
h(rd(ov<rn a temple or fane where feftivals are cele
brated ¦, but feems more peculiarly to fignifie orte
dedicated to Apollo Triopius. In honour of
whom., there were folemn games called t^W,
Triopia ; in which the prizes were tripods of
brais, which the victors were obliged to confe-
crate to him.
It is obferved by Montfaucon, " that 'Ek>Ji*,
Enodia, according to Hesvchius, is Diana ve-
natrix or the huntrefs -, according to others, He
cate. And that as fhe prefides over the com
mon roads, fhe is here invoked as a witnefs a«
gainft thofe, who fhould remove the ftatues, de
dicated to Ceres, Proserpina, and the * Manes
or Infernal Gods."
But the fame gentleman's conjecture, that +
in the infcription ftands for *<«¦«, and that the x
belonging to ©onion is omitted, is not fo proba
ble. For as he owns this to befingular, fo it
feems much more likely, that+, from its refem-
blance to x, ftands for it ; fo that %9o»iw» is the
true reading : on which account, a learned perfon
here would have ittranflated terreftrium. But this
cannot
* Thp' the Manes may be comprehended under the Infer-
r.cl Qtds, yet they cannot be the iame with, nor comprehend
all the reft, befides Proserpina.

LETTER XXII. 9r
cannot be fo proper; nor is there indeed anyoc-
cafion at all for it, fince xSovU in the beft authors
fignifies the fame with xa.tay^m\m. And thus the
infcription runs in a very natural order : accord
ing to which, Diana and Ceres, who are both
terreftrial goddeffes, are firft mentioned ; and im
mediately followedby Proserpina, and the in
fernal gods. — From the laft xxi Grute r juftly
obferves, that one or more pillars, belonging to
thefe, are wanting ; to the infcriptioa on which
this and has a reference.
There being no flops in the whole, nor even
any distinction of words, which marbles of the
greateft antiquity have not ; this leaves room for
a variety of interpretation, depending upon the
difference of pointing. And accordingly, at the
latter end, the Englifh runs, as if the Greek were
to be pointed thus, x«i °i x\m^, Aj^Tpos »! kJ,^
dssiinjia, us! xf>o/u» ®im' et columnae, Cereris et Filiae
donarium, et Infer orum Deorum : making the Pil
lars them-felves to be the avaflnf**, donarium, or
offering dedicated to Ceres, Proserpina, and
the Infernal Gods^
Whether this be the true and exact meaning,
is- fu.bmitted to the judgement of the antiquarians
in your part of the world : whofe opinion your
learned friend would be glad to receive, whether
it fhould prove in favour, or in contradiction of
his own. For as few perfons have more learn-
N 2 ins ;

92 LETTER XXIII.
ing ; fo, the fole end of all his inquiries being
truth, no man has more candor and impartiali
ty : which I have found by long experience, ever
fince I have had the honour, and the pleafure of
his acquaintance ; which has likewife been of no,
fmall advantage to,
Honoured Sir,
Your moft obedient, &c,
LETTER XXIII.
To Mr. R.
Honoured Sir, Rome, June ip. 1742. N. S.
ON the 27th of laft month, I left Rome, in
company with Mr. Fort esc ue, a young
gentleman on his travels : who, through Mr.
Pitt's and Mr. Holdsworth's recommenda
tion, favoured me with a place in his poft-chaife.
We paffed through Marino, Velletri, Sermonetta,
Setia, Piperno, Foffa Nuova, and Terracina, to
Fondi -, where we lay the firft night. In the road
betwixt Sermonetta and Setia, we faw the ruins
called Le Tre Taverne, or The Three Taverns,
mentioned by S. Paul, Acts xxviii. 15. of which
there is nothing now but two or three old arches
remaining. On the right hand, the promontory
of Monte Circello, the ancient refidence of the
celebrated Circe, runs into the fea. Below Pi
perno,

LETTER XXIII. 93
jperno, we paffed through a very large wood of
cork trees. About eight miles beyond Foffa Nuo-
va, we entered upon the old Via Appia, which
comes out of a deep marfh, at prefent inacceffi-
ble. This road is paved with ftones * of a grey-
ifh colour, about two foot broad, and one thick,
of an irregular form -, fo clofely and artfully join
ed, that they remain in their old fituation at pre
fent, not at all disjointed or loofened, for feveral
miles together. It is fourteen feet wide, and the
margin on each fide is raifed about two. — Near
Terracina, the ancient Anxur, are many remains
of antique monuments. A little beyond this city?
part of fome high rocks, which continued to the
fea, is cut away, to make room for the road ;
and on the fide of the rocks, which are perpeiir
dicular are cut numeral f Roman letters, from
x to xx, and fo on to the top, marked cxx. and
as the diftances between the tens are unequal, the
, defign of thefe. marks is as yet a myftery. About
three miles from Terracina, an old wall, which
runs up into the countrey, feparates the Ecclefia-
ftical frGm the Neapolitan ftate. Leaving
* " Twelve foot broad, of huge ftones moft of them blue,
and generally a foot and a half large on all fides." Burn. p.
18 1 . — " Their colour is greyifh and reddifti, like iron when
it begins to ruft. The largeft are little more than two feet?
and the fmalleft not lefs than one. Misson, Vol. I. Pt. ii.
P--38S- f Mr. Addison fays, " The figures increafe ftill m a de
cimal proportion, as they come nearer the bottom." p. 1 18,

94-

LETTER XXIII.

Leaving Fondi the next day early in the morn
ing, we went through Itri, Mola, Minturna, S.
Agatha, Capua, Averfa, and arrived at Naples
about noon. From Mola we had a profpect of
Gaieta, which lay about a poft off on our right.
At Minturna there is at prefent no houfe, except
the poft-houfe : but there lye fcattered round a-
bout many remains of the old city, particularly
the ruins of an amphitheatre, and of an aqueduct.
We paffed in a ferry-boat the river Garigliano,
formerly called Liris ; which ftill exactly anfwers
that beautiful defcription given by Horace:*
for it is prodigious deep, and its motion fo flow
and fmooth, that it is fcarce perceptible. Modern
Capua ftands about a mile and a half from the
place of the old, upon the river Vulturno. The
Countrey round about is extremely fruitful and
beautiful ; the fields being covered with corn, and
planted with olives intermixed with other trees,
from which hang vines, tied, like fo many gar
lands, from one tree to another.
The king of Sicily being at Portici, where he
has a fmall palace, about four miles from Na
ples, at the foot of mount Vefuvius ; we eafily
gained admittance into all the apartments of his
grand palace, which is very magnificent, and fa-.
mous for its architecture, being the work of Ca-.

valier

* — Rura quae Liris quiet a
Mordet aqua taciturnus amnis. i. Od. xxxi. 37.

LETTER XXIII. 95
Valier Fontana. Within is preferved a moft
curious collection of medals and pictures, which
were brought from Parma. All the latter are by
the moft eminent hands : and amongft them is
Michael Angelo's famous defign of the laft
judgement, painted by him at large in the Capel-*
la Paulina of S. Peter's. It is done upon board,
in oil colours, and finely preferved : and its value
is exceeding great, as having been drawn folely
by Michael's own hand ; whereas his great
work at Rome is much damaged, and feveral of
the nudities have been aukwardly covered with
draperies by other painters. — Naples has many
fine. and noble churches, particularly thofe of S.
Apoftoli, Delia Concezzione, S. Teresa, S.
Philippo Neri, S. Maria della Sanita,, An*
nuntiata, Monte Oliveto, &c. In thefe, and efpe
cially in their facrifties, there are pictures by the
belt hands. Over one of the altars of S. Phi
lippo Neri, there is a piece by Guido, repre-
fenting the virgin Mary in the clouds, with S-
Peter on one fide, S. Paul on the other, and
S. Francesco on his knees below: this is one
of the fineft pictures, and beft preferved, that I
everfawof Guido's ; for which, it is faid, that
an Englifh gentleman offered no lefs than four
thoufand crowns.
But the church, moft famous for its riches and
ornaments, is that of S. Martino, fituate upon
a very

96 t E T f E R XXlif.
a very hjgh hill, which commands the whole ci
ty. The cieling is all painted by Lanfranco;
and* amongft many excellent pictures* there is
a large capital one of Guipo's,/ reprefenting the
adoration of the Magi. In one of the apartments
of the adjoining convent of the Carthufians, is
the famous* Crucifix of Michael An gelo ;
in painting whichj it is faid,- he ftabb'd the man
who was tied to a crofs for his model, that he
might the more naturally exprefs a perfon in the
agonies of death. But fuppofing this to be true,
one cannot judge of the effect of this barbarity,
by examinipg the picture; which, tho' f fmall
in it-felf, for fear it fhould be ftol'n, the Priefts
have hung fo high, that one can fcarcely difcern
whether it be a Crucifix or no. From the. cloi-
fters of the monaftery of the Carthufians is a
moft delightful profpect of Naples; of mount
Vefuvius; which lies fouth-eaft ; of the ifland of
Caprea^j the infamous retirement of Tiberius ;
and of the two promontories of Surrentum and
Salernum : between the former of which and Ca-
preas, the fea flows in, and forms a moft fafe
and
* " In the Borghefe palace at Rome,; they (hew'd us a Cru
cifix, of the fame bignefs with that of the Garthufians at Na
ples ; and affur'd us, that this is that famous original of
Michael Angelo." Misson, Vol. ii. Pt. i. p. 9.
f Misson faysy " the Crucifix is. not above half a foot
high, and holds his head exa&ly ftraight ; which. agrees not
very well with the pofture of a man expiring on tb£ crofs.'^
Vol. I. Pt. ii. p. 409.

LETTER XXIV. 97
and beautiful harbour, in the fhape of a femi
cide, terminated by the walls and buildings,
which rife gradually on the fide of a hilh The
city is very large ; the houfes uniform, high, and
flat-roofed ; to the top of which the inhabitants
afcend in the cool of the evening, to enjoy the
frefh breezes which come from the fea. Moft of
the ftreets are very narrow, and the houfes as
clofely joined as poffible ; that they may be the
better able, as I imagine, to withftand the fhocks
of earthquakes : of their efcape from which moft
of the convents and houfes retain vifible marks,
having large cracks in them from the top to the
bottom. — In my next, you fhall receive a farther
account of this ramble of,
Honoured Sir,
Your moft obedient, &c.

LETTER XXIV.
To Mr. R.
Honoured Sir, Rome, July 2. 1742^
INTENDING to take a view of the cu-
riofities and antiquities on both fides of Na
ples, we begun our courfe, as travellers call it,
by going to the village of Puzzuoli, through the
grotto of Paufilypo. This is a public road, cut
Vol. L O through

98 LETTER XXIV.
through under a mountain* for * about half $
mile. The height of the arch at each entrance is
about one hundred feet, hewn floping dowh to*
wards the middle, for the admtffion Of the light ;
to let in the more Of which, tWo holes likewife
are cut up through the body of the mountain*
Exactly over the entrance from Naples, ftands,
or more properly hangs, -f the tomb of Virgil ;
which i« not badly reprefented in fome cuts which
are common in England. Abundance of laurel
flourifhes round it : a twig of which I ftripped
off to make a pencil-flick ; imagining, that there
might be at leaft as much virttie in it, as in fome
reliques taken from the tombs of ancient or mo
dern faints.
Having paffed through the grotto, we turned
a little on the right, and came to the || lake d' Ag-
nano : on the banks of which is the X Grotta del
cane ;
* " It is four hundred and forty paces long, and twenty
foot broad. It is at firft forty foot high, but afterwards it is
but twenty." Burnet's Travels, p. 177.  It is near a
fhort Italian mile [a large Englifh half mile] in length, thirty
or forty foot high, and about eighteen broad. Misson. Vol.
1. Hart ii. 'p '434.
¦f " It is certain, this poet was buried at" Naples ; but I
think it is almoft as certain, that his tomb ftood on the other
fide of the town, which looks towards Vefuvio." Addison,
p. 132.
|| "The lake is between two little hills, is almoft round,
and about a mile in circuit." Misson, Vol. 1. Pt. ii. p. 43J5.
X " It is nine or ten foot long or deep, four and an half
broad, and five high ; without any wor'kmariiliip. It is not
left open, but kept lock'd up." ibid.

LETTER XXIV. 91
cane ; the extraordinary effects of which we faw '
performed as ufual upon a dog. There is a poifon-
ous * vapour, which fleams out like the reck of a
boiling kettle, about half a foot from the earth :
within this vapour the dog being held down,
lolled out his tongue, with ftrong cpnvulfions •>
and would have expired very foon, had he not
been taken out, and layed upon the banks of the
lake, where. he in a little time intirely recovered.
A lighted torch, being put below the furface of
the vapour, was immediately extinguifhed, and
ceafed even to fmoke. Hard by are baths of
different degrees of heat, and. fome of them excef-
lively hot.
We proceeded next to the Solfatara, which was
formerly, no. doubt;, a burning mountain : -but its
bowels having funk, and its top fallen in, it re
mains a fmooth level, like a pond of ice covered
with fnow ; being j" about a half mile in.circum-
ference, environed with high, fteep, and (racking
O 2 -hills,
* " This vapour is generally fupposM to be fulphjueous,
tho' I can fee no reafon for fuch a fuppofition He that dips
his hand'in it finds no fm.ell.th.at it leaves upon it ; and tho',.1
put a whole bundle of lighted brin-.ftone matches to the fmoke,
they all went out in an milant, as .if immers'd in water ' What-
c\ er is the compaction of the vapour^ let it have but one
quality of being vei-y glewy and vilcous, and 1 believe it will
mechanically folve all the Phenomena of the Giotto." Ad-
disqn, p 141
•J- " It refembles a kind of oval bafin^ about twelve hun
dred and fifty foot long, and a thoufand, in breadth." Misson,
Vol.l Pt. ii' p. 438.

ioo LETTER XXIV.
hills. The ground is certainly hollow, by its
founding under ones feet, and by the rifing of
fmoak out of feveral places ; particularly at one,
whence a noife proceeds like the blowing of a
fmith's bellows. The fulphureous ftones and
nitre caft up are burning hot ; and when we held
over the hole a piece of iron, immediately boiling
water gathered round it, occafioned by the hot
fleam that iffued forth ; yet, when afterwards we
thruft down a piece of paper, it was neither burnt,
nor made wet. Near this place are the ruins of
an amphitheatre, remarkable for the martyrdom
of S. Januarius ; of the temples of Diana,
and of Neptune; and farther off to the right,
of Cicero's villa.
The cathedral church at Puzzuoli is built upon
the ruins of a temple of Jupiter. In a piazza
here ftands a pedeftal, dug up fome time fince j
the infcription of which being to Tiberius
Caesar, it is thought to have fupported a fta-
tue, erected to him by fourteen cities of Afia, in
gratitude for his beneficence towards them, after a
prodigious defolation by * an earth-quake. There
are figures in baflb relievo on. the fides, which are
very fine, reprefenting thofe cities ; under which are
* " The fame that, according to the opinion of many learn
ed men, happen'd at our Saviour's crucifixion. In each figure
is difcovered fomething particular to the city, of which it
represents the Genius." Addison, p 136.

LETTER XXIV. ior
are ingraved the following names, lemnos.
CIBYRA, MYRINA, EPHESOS, APOLLONEA,
HYRC, PHILADELPHIA, TMOLUS, CYNA,
the other five are not legible.
From Puzzuoli we paffed into the road of
Campania, taking a circuit, in order to proceed
to Cumse. On each fide of this road are num-
berlefs ruins, particularly of fepulcres ; into one
of which we entered, that was the beft preferved,
and the moft beautiful of any. The roof was
adorned with fine figures in ftucco ; and on all
the fides were niches in the wall, in which lie the
bones and afhes of the deceafed ; and which, from
their likenefs to the holes in a pigeon-houfe, are
called Columbaria. Continuing in the fame road,
we left Mount Gaurus on our right, and Monte
Nuovo on our left. The former was once famous
for its wines, but is at prefent fo barren, that it
goes by the name of Monte Barbaro. Monte
Nuovo is fo called from its having been raifed
out of the earth in 1538, in one night, by an
earth-quake, and an eruption of fire ; which de-
ftrOyed the town of Tripergola, and the convent
of S. Spirito, with all the inhabitants ; the fea
retiring at the fame time above an hundred paces
from the fhore. It is faid to be three miles in
circumference, and * half a mile in height ; and is
* " Its perpendicular height amounts to four hundred fa-
thorns." Misson, Vol. I. Pt. ii. p. 443.

102 LETTER XXIV.
is clothed with vineyards from the bottom te»
the top; the hollow of which, where was for
merly the mouth of -the -volcano, is now culti
vated with corn, olives, &c.
Leaving the lake Avernus on the left, wcturn-
ed away -towards the right ; and paffing through
a very old arch, called Arco Felice, arrived at
Cumas, which ftands upon an high rocky emi
nence, clofe to the fea. From hence we took a
view of the iflands of Prochyta and Ifchia iyingto
the fouth ; of the ruinsof the * templeof Apollo.;
and of the fea-rfhore towards thenorth : near which
lies the Stygian lake, which extends about two
miles in length, in a ferpentine form, having a
communication with the fea, by. a. little neck in
the middle of it. At fome fmall diftance. be?
yondrthis there is a tower, called Torre di'Patria ;;
Where once flood the ancient city of Linternum
whither Scipio Africanus retired, and < where
he was -buried, with that, remarkable epitaph ex*
preffing the ingratitude of his countrey.
Defcending from Cumas on the eaftern ;fide,
we came to the mouth of a cave, which is account
ed the true entrance of the grotto of the Curnean
Sibyl. We entered, and proceeded in it no far
ther than about an hundred paces, the earth ha-.
ving
* " Which all the Writers of the Antiquities of this place
fuppofe to have been the fame. Virgi l defcribes in his" Sixth
2£neid, as built by Djeqalus." Addison, p. 165.

LETTER XXIV. 103
Ying fallen in, and ftopp'd the paffage ; which>
they fay, was formerly continued under the
mountain, for three tniles, to the other entrance
of the grotto, which is on the banks of the Aver-
hian lake. When I entered this laft about two
years ago, with fome gentlemen, we were obliged
to creep on all four ; but as we advanced, we
found the roof of the cavern * exceeding high
and regular, proceeding forward at leaft half a
mile, 'till our progrefs was obftructed by the earth
which had fallen in.
Having left the grotto, and returned back a-
gain a good way, we ftruck off to the left ; and
having paffed by the Lago Caluccio, which lay
on our right, we came to Mercato del Sabbato :
a place of many ruins, which fome fay were an
ciently fepulcres ; others that they are the re
mains of a Circus ; and that in latter times a great
fair was kept here every faturday, from whence it
* " The'rbck is one of the hardeft ftones in the world, and
tire cave igoeth in feven hundred foot long, twenty foot broad ;
and, as 1 coufd guefs, eighteen foot high : and from the end
of this great gallery, ' there is a narrow pafl'age of three foot
broad, two hundred foot long, and feven high, to a little
aparlmeht, to which we "gc^in'a conftant Hoping defcent from
the-great-caVe. Hereare fliree -little rooms : in one of them
tjfcei'e &re fome remains of an old Mofaick, with which the
tvalls-^nd rodfs we're laid over : there is alfo a fpring of wa-
'tier, awl a -bath, in which it is ;Aippofed the Sybil bathed
herfelf; and from this cave, -itisTfiici, that there runs a eave
-«^Palbngrto Stirna, wllkh is three -Icing 'miles.— ^-The marks
:of the-§iifFel;inall:parts of-the-rockfjii'ew, that this is not a
work ofNature." Burnet's Travels, p. 178, 179.

i©4 LETTER XXIV.
it took its prefent name. Near this place lye
what they call the Elyfian fields ; and on the left
the ruins of the villa and fepulcre of Agrip-
pina, murdered here by the order of her fon
Nero : in the roof of the latter is the figure of
Agrippina in ftucco, adorned with fwans, and
other ornaments, in different manners. Proceed
ing fouthward we came near the Mare Mortuum,
feparated from the Mediterranean by a very nar
row neck of land : beyond which the high cape
of Mifennm, where Aeneas's trumpeter was
buried, projects into the fea. Then turning off
to the eaft towards the fhore of Baiae we came
to the * Centum Cameras, now called the Cento
Camerelle ; into fourteen or fifteen of which we
entered with lighted torches, the reft being flop
ped up by the falling in of the earth. Their hor
rid contrivance fhews them to be the invention
of Nero ; who, it is faid, confined many here
who had offended him, and moft barbaroufly left
them to perifh with hunger. Near thefe we faw
the remains of the f Pifcina mirabilis, which was an
* " At the entrance there is a noble Portico built of pil
lars of brick ; and as one enters into the rock, he finds a
great many rooms regularly fhaped, hew'd out of the rock,
and all covered over with plaifter, which is ftill entire, and
fo white, that one can hardly think that it hath not been
wafhed over fince it was firft made." p. 1 80.
•J- " It is a great bafon of water, wrought like a huge tem
ple, Handing upon eight and forty gre^at pillars, all hew'd out

LETTER XXIV. 105
an old and vaft refervoir of water. We then pro
ceeded northward, pafling by the ruins of the
temple of Herculesj to Baias;
In this delightful fituation; which was once fa
full of magnificent buildings, and the fcene of
fo much luxury and voluptuoufnefs, one fees no
thing but ruins of temples; palaces, villas^ baths,
&c. the foundations of many of which may be
perceived under water, at a good diftance from
the fhore. The ruins of the temples of Venus,
and of Diana, which ftand near the bay ; and
of the villas of Marius, and of Pompey, which
are placed higher up on the mountains, are the
moft remarkable. On the north-eaft fide of Baia? ,
where Nero's palace ftood, we entered a paffage,
cut in the fide of a mountain, which led to his
hot baths -, in which we had proceeded but a lit-;
tie way, when we began to repent of our under
taking, the fteams iffuing out fo violently, that
we could hardly breathe* But I, who had been
deterred once before* being unwilling that my
curiqfity fhould be difappointed a fecond timej
refolved to follow my guide ; who went before
with a torch* 'till we came to the bottom, where
the water, which is very clear, and almoft fcald-
ing hot, trickles out. In returning, I counted
• Vol- L P my
out of the reck ; and they are laid Over with four crufts of
plaifter, which is now as hard asftone. This is believ'd to
be a work of Nero's," Burnet, p.- i3o.-

io6 LETTER XXIV.
my paces, and found that I had defcended above
an hundred and fifty into the rock. There are
two chief entrances into thefe baths, from which
run fix other confiderable paffages into the bowels
of the mountain. All forts of fick perfons refort
hither in the months of June and July ; * there
being feveral different and convenient apartments
made for them in the heart of the rock. My
guide affured me, that no one can bear the heat
of thefe baths above a quarter of an hour : fo that
a great number of people muft needs have perifh-
ed, in carrying on and finifhing fo difficult, and
tedious a work. Between this mountain and Monte
Nuovo lies a fmall pond, the onely remains of the
Lucrine lake, fo famous for its oifters, and on
other accounts : all the reft of which was fwal-
lowed in the earthquake mentioned above, which
gave birth to the Monte Nuovo. At the foot of
the mountain which contains the hot baths, we
took boat, and erofling the delightful bay of Puz-
zuoli, returned to that place. By means of this
paffage, We had an opportunity of taking a good
view of the fourteen large piles built in the fea,
pointing
* " Where the rock is foft and fpuhgy, the fteams come
through with a melting heat .... There are galleries hewed
out of the rock and faced with a building, in which there
are, as it were, bedfteads made in the walls, upon which
they lay their quilts and bed-cloaths, and fo come regularly
out of their fweats." p, 181.

LETTER XXIV. 107
pointing towards the Bayan fhore : which * fome
will have to be the remains of Caligula's
bridge ; but others, with better reafon, of a much
more ancient mole, raifed there for the preserva
tion of the harbour ; that mad-man's bridge ha
ving been onely of boats, and moft probably join
ed to the other.
Having now wandered, Sir, for a whole day,
through thefe Romantic regions, through fire,
and water, and endeavoured to lead you, tho' ab-
fent, along with me by this tedious profaic de-
fcription -, I believe you, as well as my-felf, be
gin to be a little tired : and therefore at prefent I
fhall not pretend to drag you to the top of mount
Vefuvio. But as I know you to be a great ad
mirer of poetry, as well as of painting ; to give
you fome refrefliment, after this fatigue, I fhall
fet before your eyes the landfkip of fome of thefe
places drawn by Silius Italicus ; and beg
leave to join with it the beautiful copy, done by
the fine hand of Mr. Addison.
" Stagna inter celebrem nunc mitia mon.ftrat Avernura:
Turn trifti nemore atque umhris nigrantibus horrens,
Et formidatus volucri, lethale vomebat
SufFufo virus caelo ; Stygiique per urbes
P 2 Religione
* " They have all been led into this error from the make
of it, becaufe it ftands on arches. Antoninus Pius re-
faired this mole ; it had twenty piles." Addison, p 135.

108 LETTER XXIV.
Religione facer, fagvum retinebat honorem.
Hinc vicina Palus, fama eft Acherontis ad undas
Pandere iter, caecas ftagnante voragine fauces
Laxat, et horrendos aperit telluris hiatus,
Interdumque novo perturbat lumine manes.
Juxta caligante fitu, longumque per aevum
Infernis prefias nebulis, pajlente fub umbra
Cimmerias jacuifle domos, noftemque profundam
Tartareae narrant urbis. Turn fulfure et igni
Semper anhelantes, cofloque bitumjne, campos
Oftentant : tellus atro exundante vapore
Sufpirans, uflifque diu calefacla medullis
Aeftuat, et Stygios exhalat in aera flatus :
Parturit, et tremulis metuendum exfibilat anttjs j
Interdumque pavas luftatus rumpere fedes,
Aut exire foras, fonitu lugubre minaci
Mulciber immugit, lacerataque vifcera terrae
Mandit, et exefos labefactat murmure montes.
Tradunt Herculea proftratos mole Gigantes
Tellurem injeclam quatere, et fpiramine anhelo
Torreri late campos, quotiefque minantur
Rumpere compagem impofitam, expallefcere caelum.
Apparet procul Inarime, quae turbine nigro
Fumantem premit Iapetum, flammafque rebelli
Ore ejeclantem ; et, fiquando evadere detur,
Bella Jovi rurfus Superifque iterare volentem.
Monftrantur Vefeva juga, atque in vertice fummo
Depafti flammis fcopuli, fradtufque ruina
Mons circum, atque Aetnae fatis certantia faxa.
Necnon Mifenum fervantem Idaea fepulcro
Nomina, et Hercukos videt ipfo littore Baulos." Lib. xii.
i<! Averne

LETTER XXIV. 109
c' Averno next he fhow'd his wondring'guerr,
Averno now with milder virtues bleft ;
Black with furrdunding forefts then it ftood,
That hung ahove, and darfcen'd ail the flood ;
Clouds of unwholefome vapours, rais'd on high,
The flutt'ring bird entangled in the sky ;
Whilft all around the gloomy profpecl fpred
An awful horror, and religious dread.
Hence to the borders of the maTfh they go,
That mingles with the baleful ftreams below ;
And fometimes with a mighty yawn, 'tis (aid,
Opens a difmal paflage to the dead ;
Who pale with fear the rending earth furvey,
And ftartle at the fudden flafh of day.
The dark Cimmerian Grotto then he paints,
Defcribing all its old inhabitants,
That in the deep infernal city dwell'd,
And lay in everlafting night conceal'd.
Advancing ftill, the fpacious fields he fhow'd,
That with the fmother'd heat of brimftone glow'd j
Through frequent cracks the fteaming fulphur broke,
And cover'd all the blafted plain with fmoke :
Imprifon'd fires, in the clofe dungeons pent,
Roar to get loofe, and ftruggle for a vent,
Eating their way, and undermining all j
'Till with a mighty burft whole mountains fall.
Here, as 'tis faid, the rebel Giants lie,
And, when to move th' incumbent load they try,
Afcending vapours on the day prevail,
The fun looks fickly, and the skies grow pale.
Next to the diftant -Ifle his fight he turns,
That o'er the thunder-ftruck Ti p h o e u s burns :
Enrag'J

It0 LET T E R XXV.
Enrag d his wide extended jaws expire,
In angry whirlwinds, blafphemies and fire ;
Threat'ning, if loofen'd from his dire abodes,
Again to challenge Jove, and fight the Gods.
On Mount Vefuvio next he fixt his eyes,
And faw the fmoking tops confus'dly rife j
(A hideous ruin !) that" with earthquakes rent
A fecond Aetna to the view prefent.
Mis e no's cape, and Bauli laft he view'd,
That on the fea's extremeft borders flood."
I am, Honoured Sir, Your moft obedient, &c.

LETTER XXV.
To Mr. R.
Honoured Sir, Rome, July 22. 1742. N. S.
HAVING in my laft given you fome ac
count of the many curiofities both of art
and nature, about Puzzuoli and Baias, on the
weft from Naples ; I now fend you a very fhort
nelation of our ramble to the fouth-eaft, to Portici
and mount Vefuvius.
From Naples to Portici, a village at the foot
of that mountain, are reckoned four miles, and
from thence to the top of it, four more. Having
gained the firft two miles of this difficult afcent,
by the help of affes, we were obliged by the in-
creafing

LETTER XXV. m
creafing fteepnefs to quit thefe braying animals,
and to take the affiftance of others, fcarce fomuch
more rational, as they were more noify, viz. four
men a-piece. Two of thefe, having girdles round
their waift, of which I took faft hold, tugged
me up ; while the other two, attending on each
fide, or behind, pretended to help me, but in
deed gave me more fatigue than affiftance. There
being a great many of this fort of fellows, it is
impoffible to get rid of them : every one claims
a limb, and two of them quarrelled who fhould
have the honour of aflifting my back-fide ; and
when I had reached the top, I obferved them cuf
fing and boxing one another below, while my
pofteriors were happily feated at eafe on the ridge
of the mountain*
AsMisson's and Addison's accounts of this
horrible monfter are very juft ; it would be as
prefumptuous, as unneceffary, for me to attempt
a new particular defcription of it. I fhall there
fore onely obferve, that the mouth, which feems
to be about two miles in circumference, is fubject
to many alterations, from frequent eruptions.
There was a terrible one a little more than five
years ago, which muft needs have changed the
form very much from what it was when Mr.
Addison viewed it ; nay fince I viewed it my-
felf, not much longer than two years ago, and
made a defign of it, there has been opened ano ther

iii LETTER XXV,
ther fmall mouth within the large one. We 6&
fcended about fifty yards into the latter, and pro*
ceeded a good way round the fide of it. I clap*d
my ear to one of the places where it fmoked,
and heard a rumbling noife, like that of wind
and water ; which noife increafing, and the mouth
beginning to throw up ftones, we thought pro
per to follow the advice of our guides^ and re
turn back.
A day or two afterwards we went to fee the
fubterraneous city near Portici ; and after that*
the ftatues, pictures, and other curiofities, which
have been hitherto found in it, and are depofited
in the king of Sicily's palace there. But I fhall
defer my account both of the ones and of the
other, for fome time; 'till I fhall have had an
opportunity of inquiring of fome gentlemen, who
have feen the fame, whofe information may ren
der my relation lefs deficient. In the mean time,
as the deftruttion of this city was principally ef
fected by this tremendous mountain, it may not
be altogether unacceptable to you, to lay before
you a particular detail of all the moft remarkable
Eruptions, from the earlieft time down to the
prefent : extracted chiefly from two books, * one in
* M. Tho. Ittics i, Lipf. Colleg. Philof. in Acad. patr.
AdfeJJ'oris, Lucubrationes Academics de montium incendiis, &cj
antehac ad difputandum di'verjis micibus propojitee, nunc ab Au-
tore recognita, magnam partem autta, et conjun&im editaf,
Lipjics 167 1. \zmo.

LETTER XXV. 113
in Latin, which I believe, is very fcarce ; and *
the other in Italian, lately publifhed.
Tacitus feems to fhew a great regard for an
ancient tradition, that this mountain burned in f
the moft remote ages. And from what § Straeo
and || Vitruvius fay, it is reafonabje to believe,
that thofe ancient_burnings long preceded the age
in which they wrote : for it is not at all likely,
that the remembrance of them coujd have been
inrirely effaced, had they been nearer to the time
of thofe authors. And as to St r a bo in particu
lar, could he, who defcribes with fo much exact-
nefs fo many other climates, which were lefs with
in the fphere of his knowledge, have poffibly
neglected to leave fome account of the prodigious
phaenomena of this mountain ?
From this hiftoric deficiency in Strabo, and
more ftill from the filence of Pliny the elder,
who neither * in mentioning Vefuvius gives the
leaft intimatbn, that it was a volcano, nor X in
treating of volcanos makes the leaft mention of
Vefuvius ; fome perfons think, that they may at
leaft juftly infer, that the firft burnings were but
weak and inconfiderable, otherwife the memory
pf them muft needs have been perpetuated among
the people round about.  But were thefe firft
Vol. I. Q^ burnings
* Ijloria dell' incendio del Vefwuio accaduto nel Mefe di Mag-
gio dell' anno MDCCXxxvii. In Napoli 1740. It was pub
lished firft in Latin, 1 7 38. f Hijl. Lib. i. § Lib. v. p. 379.
|| Lib. ii. Cap. 6. * Lib. iii. 9. xiv. 9. X Lil>- u- l09-

1 14 LETTER XXV.
• burnings ever fo formidable ; yet, through a long
ceffation of them, they might fall into oblivion.
Thus *the memory of the flames of iEtna was
fo intirely loft towards the fixteenth century, that
many of the inhabitants of Catania ridiculed, as
fabulous, whatever had been related concerning
them, by fo many Greek and Latin Authors.—
There is therefore no doubt, that along time be
fore Strabo, who flourifhed at the latter end of
Augustus' and the beginning of Tiberius'
reign, Vefuvius threw out flames.
But the firft moft memorable eruption, of
which we have any faithful defcription, happen
ed under the reign of Titus Vespasian, in the
year of Christ 79. Of this, Suetonius, Jo-
sephus, Eusebius, Zonaras, and Orosius
have made mention : and more efpecially Pliny
the younger, and Xiphilinus in his f Abridg
ment of Dion, are very copious in noting the
moft remarkable particulars. Of which this be
ing one, that Herculanum was overwhelmed by
it, I fhall defer the accounts given of it by the
two laft, 'till I come to fpeak of that fubterra-
neous city, and the curiofities found therein.
The next eruption, according to Platina
was in the time of Trajan ; which opinion ||
SabL'llicus imagines he embraced upon the aur
thority
* Carrera Defcript, Mont. JEtn, Lib. iii, 7. + Lib. lxvi.
| Em. viii. A 6. "•

LETTER XXV. u5
thority of Eusebius, and wonders at him fork;
But however that may be, it is certain; that af
ter that period Vefuvius was feveral times on fire :
as particularly under Dioclesian* when; as we
read in * Majolusi, its fire was extinguifhed by S.
Januarius ; and afterwards in the times of Se-
verus, when f Dion the Hiftorian heard its roar
ings at Capua. After this; in the time of Con
stant ine the great, § it vomited out flames for
feveral days, together with fuch a vaft quantity
of duft and afhes, that every green thing was
deftroyed round about.
In the year 472; while the emperor Leo was
exhibiting public games and fhews, in honour of
his grand-fon, for whom in preference to the fa
ther he defigned the empire ; on the 6th of No
vember, about noon, the day was overcaft with
profound darknefs ; and it rained afhes like fnow,
which covered the ground to the height of a palm.
Upon which account, annual folemnities were
appointed to be obferved on that day, according
to the account of Gedrenus andMARCELLi-
nus. Befides whom, Sigonius alfo takes no
tice of that eruption in thefe words : || " Vefuvius
vomited up its inflamed bowels-, and, while
nofturnal darknefs overfpred all things in the
-day time, covered all Europe with the fmalleft
Q_ 2 afhes.
* Coll. 16. -f- Lib. lxxvi. § VVarnefrid. de geftis
Longobardorum. Lib. vi. || De Imperio o'ccid. Lib. xiv.

n6 LETTER XXV.
afhes. An annual commemoration of which
portent was inftituted by the Conftantinopolitans
on the fixth of November." But at this time,
there is no appearance of that devotion to be
found in the Greek Menologies.
Sigonius likewife gives an account of fhe
next eruption in the year 512. when* " the
mountain opened a vaft crack, from whence broke
forth a vapour fo thick and black, that it hid the
light of the fun with gloomy darknefs 5 and was
attended with fo horrible a noife, that it fhook all
the neighbouring places with a violent tremor.
And fo great a quantity of afhes was poured out
from thence, that they covered even provinces
beyond the feas. But in Campania, there flowed
as it were ftreams of duft ; and the fand with
fervent force run down the mountain, like a ri
ver : by which the plains below fwelled as high
as the tops of the trees4 and all green things wi
thered and were burned up." To alleviate which
defolation, Theodoric firft king of the Goths
in Italy, remitted the tribute ufually payed by
the Campanians.
Again, in the twelfth year of Constantine
Pogonatus, being that of Christ 684, f Vej
fuvius caft out flames for feveral days, and burnt
up all things near it. — Having ceafed for above three
* Lib. xvi. -J- Si con. de regno Italia, Lib. ii. Warnefri-
d.us de gefiis Longobardorum, Lib. v\, & Cbronicum Sigeberti.

LETTER XXV. uy
three centuries, in 993; * frequent fires broke
out ; by which all Italy was afflicted, and even a
great part of Rome was burned. Immediately
after which, followed the eruption of the Saracens
into Africa, and the deftruction of Carthage. — >
A like burning happened afterwards f in 1036.
under the emperor Conrade, and Pope Bene
dict IX. and again in ||the year 1538.
But the moft memorable of all was that, which
in the year 1631 afflicted all the neighbouring
places with ineftimable damage ; when through
the long truce it had obferved, the memory of all
former loffes had almoft vanifhed away. On Dec.
6. the neighbouring regions perceived a kind of
earthquake; upon which the countrey people,
packing up their goods, or leaving them behind,
retired to Naples. But a little before night, hor
rid noifes, intermixed with moft vehement claps
of thunder, were heard ; and after that vaft body,
being fhaken with great force, had opened a pro
digious mouth in the top, feveral black and foetid
clouds proceeded out of it, between which, flafhes
of fire every now and then fhot forth. Thefe
at firft refembled artificial fire- works ; but after
wards produced fatal prodigies : for, together
with the flames, fcalding water, afhes, and in-
digefted maffes of minerals and metals, melted within
* Calvifius ex Baronio ad ann. 993, f Meritx mlta-lia,
|| Munsteri Cofmograpb. Lib. ii.

u8 LETTER XXV;
within the bowels of the mountain, flowed doWn
its declivities, like fiery torrents, into the circum
jacent fields, 'till they glided into the very fea •
which, terrified as it were with fo uftufual a pro
digy, retreated with its waters towards the centrei
Befides, the heaven was fo obfcured with dark
nefs, that day feemed intirely to have given place
to night.
Death in a thoufand forms deftruttive frown 'd ;
And Woe; Defpair^ and Horror rag'd around,
iEneid II. by Pitt.
* But at the very fame time, that Vefuvius on
one fide vomited out thofe fiery torrents ; on the
Other, where it overlooks the fields of Palma and
Nola, a vaft flood of water, rufhing out of the
crack of the mountain, overwhelmed and deftroy-
ed all things far and near. Nor long after, thofe
who inhabited the maritime foot of the mountain;
hearing a kind of murmuring notfe* like that of
a torrent running down; and having before expe
rienced the deflux of fire; prepared themfelves
for flight. But while all was in an uproar, a tor
rent of water rufhed down again into the fields ;
tho' there fell not one drop of rain.  The da
mage which the neighbouring tracts of land
fuftained was not to be eftimated. Caftello
del Greco, where formerly HerGulanum ftood, wa9
*CjesarR£cupitus de Vefwuii incetJio, Hitedhy SciioT-
tus in his Anatomia Phyjica-Hydrojiatica, Li i. & ft

LETTER XXV. u9
was intirely demolifhed, except the palace of the
princes of Stiglia, which alone was left unda
maged. All the reft of the buildings were onely
juft not levelled with the ground ; and not even
the leaft ruins of the walls remained Handing.
The limbs of human dead bodies yielded every
where a miferable fpectacle ; tho' even thefe could
not be fufficiently diftinguifhed. The governor of
the place, riding too near the mountain, was at
once overwhelmed and buried. In Pietra Bianea
there was a much more miferable appearance of1
things, on account of the dreadful confufion and
dilaniation of the bodies, both of men, and of
other animals. Befides thofe two places, Caftel
Annunciata, where formerly ftood Pompeii, Re-
fina, S. Giorgo, Jorio, and many other were over
turned. And on the other fide of the mountain,
Octaviano, Scaffatta, Palma, S. Anaftafio, Lauro,
Pomigliano, Striano, and Sarno. P. Recupito
fays, that about five thoufand perfons were de-
ftroyed : but Car af a affirms, that almoft tet\
thoufand loft their lives, either in the flames, of.
in the ruins.
What tongue the dreadful Jlaughter could dif clofe ?
Or oh I what tears could anfwer half their woes ?
jEneid II. by Pitt. Nor
Theodorus Valle, who was an eye -witnefs, fays, The
fea retired feveral times, and left the fhips dry upon the
fhore."

,20 LETTER XXV.
Nor was Vefuvius altogether at quiet during
the following years. For in 1632, 1635. 1638,
and 1649, ll threw out abundance of fmoak and
flames, and difperfed a great part of its bowels
into the air. And particularly in 1660, its old
paroxyfms returned : thick and black clouds of
fmoak were followed by bright and furious flames,
darted towards the fkies ; and the neighbouring
villages and fields were covered with fuch con
tinual fhowers of afhes and ftones, that the fright
ed people fled into fubterraneous caves, or into
churches, or to Naples. At laft on July 3. a
large cleft being opened in the mountain, for the
length of two Italian miles, which gave room for
the agitated matter to difperfe itfelf, the rage and
tumult within the volcano was appeafed. Yet
it now and then, at uncertain periods of time,
continued to give fome remarkable tokens of
its wrath: as in the years 1670, 1682, * 1685, f
1687,
fhore. Above 30000 perfons, with an infinite number of
cattle, perifhed. Misson. Vol. I. Pt. ii. p. 625.
* The fmoak of the burning in 1682 was fo great, that
it filled the air two days together with thick darknefs for
twelve miles round. The flames which gufhed out after
wards deftroyed the neighbouring foreft called Ottajano.
This terrible fit lafted from Aug. 14, to 26. Ibid, pi 626.
f In 1685, the little hill which furpaffes, the reft, was
brought forth by a great eruption. The name was very high
and lively, and caft a greater light all night than that of
the cleareft moon : the whole country for twenty miles a-
bout being enlightened thereby. Ibid.

LETTER XXV. i2i ,
i&Sji 1688, i689;*t6"94, f 1696; and 1698,
There was no manner of correfpondence betwixt
thefedifferent conflagrations ; their feafons, their
intervalsj their force* and their duration had no
other rule, but the caprice of Nature;
The eruption which happened towards the lat
ter end of March in 1730, deferves particularly
to bementioned amongthe reft : not that it was
one of the moft fierce and noxious •, but becaufe
it made1 a fenfible alteration in the top of the
mountain. For a ;great- quantity of vitrified mat
ter, and of ftones, being heaped up, rendered it
much fharper and higher than it was before. 
The other remarkable particularities were -, that
the flames were more lively and bright thanufual,
and rofe to an excefflve height : the torrent* that
was feen to Tun down the ' fides towards the fea, '
proceeded but "a "little way from the fuperiour
mouth ; but on the other part, where the fides
of the volcano are almoft furrouhded and cover
ed- fcjr thenorthern rocks' of the Monte di Somma}
Voh I. R a hor-
* In 1689, it caft forth it's flames for 22 days together,
from Dec . 9 . to Jan' si . without inte'fmrffioh ': and they heard ^
at Naples a noife within the bqwels of the "mountain, "like"
to that of boiling caldrons. Ibid. p. 635.
* - .'¦ k . ~^-!-
f In 1694. Ap. 6. it broke out with a horrible fury, The
mountain was allon' fire the remaining part of the month.-
and it threw out the- burning matter with fuch force, th;' E
fome'of it reached Benevent, which is about thirty miles
off* " Ibid. p. 6j6j

1212 LETTER
a horrible profufion of liquified matter overflow
ed the bottom of the valley, vulgarly called Atrio.
From the eruption in 1730, to that in 1737,
the old bafon of Vefuvius had almoft continually
thrown out fmoke, and fometimes fire ; and there
had been but few days truce, in fo long a fpace
of time. But more efpecially, during the three
or four months, which preceded the laft eruption,
fmoke was feen to rife without any intermiffion,
fometimes more, fometimes lefs thick, and fome
times mingled with flames. This fpettacle is fo
familiar to the people, that it does not excite in
them either fear, or wonder : their eyes have been
enured and reconciled, to it, by the experience of
a hundred years. On the contrary, the generali
ty of them look upon this perpetual fmoke, as a
happy omen ; taking it for a fure fign, that the
internal fire confumes the matter of. thefe confla
grations: and confequently they flatter them
felves, that the countrey is lefs in danger, either
from fudden fiery eruptions, or from earthquakes,
imagining that both proceed from the fame caufe.
But whatever ancient foundation there may be
for this popular .opinion, concerning the peace
promifed by thefe tokens ; this laft great erup
tion plainly fhewed, that they were" not certain :
for towards the end of April, and during the firft
days of May, even while the mountain vomited out

LETTER XXV. i2j
out clouds of fmoke, the fiery eruption began.
From the 14th to the 18th inclufive, the fmoke
and the flames increafing, the volcano threw out
red hot ftones ; and melted matter boiled over,
and ran down on the eaftern fide : the fmoke grew
thicker in proportion to the burning ; and the
burning became fo much the ftrongen, as the top
was covered with fulphur, which had been heap
ing up there for. a long time before.
On. the 19th, being funday, both the fire and
fmoke increafed more and more ; the mountain
trembled and groaned ; at which all the places
round about refounded. Then terror began to
diffufe it-felf through the hearts of the people. It
was in reality a dreadful fpectacle, to fee, in the
midft of fo thick a fmoke, a vaft quantity of
ftones, fhot into the air hed hot, falling back a-
gain, and rolling down the fides of the fummit,
with a continual crafh.
On the 20th, about eight in the morning, the
hail of ftones grew much, more violent ; and the
fire became fo furious, that notwithftanding the
brightnefs of the day, one might fee the flames
fhine in the midft of the blackeft fmoke, which
almoft intirely furrounded them. — -About two in
the afternoon, a dreadful noife like thunder was
heard ; which was thought to proceed from a new
cleft made in the mountain, between the fbuth
and weft. Outof this the flamesimmediately burft
R 3, forth.

124 LETTER XXV.
forth, qven while thofe, which afpired through
the higheft mouth, were animated with the great'
eft fury. The fmoke} proportionably increafing,
would have infallibly darkened all the maritime
region, had not the fouth-wind blown brifkly,
and difperfed it through the air.— Towards even,
ing, the fmoke changed its colour to a bright
brown -, and the clouds in which it rofe, being
whirled round and round, grew much larger than
before. The tempeft redoubled its rage : there
was a perfect deluge of red hot cinders, pumice-
ftones, and afhes.— A little after eight, there a-
rofe over all the mountain a very thick dark fog,
but inlightened from time to time by a kind of
thunder, which fhot flafhes of flame through the
fmoke and afhes. Prefently a burning torrent dif-
embogued it-felf through the new cleft ; and was
feen running down the length of the talus with
impetuofity, and threat'ning to throw it-felf up
on the town of Refina. But a little after nine,
it feemed to grow languid, to flacken its courfe,
and to lofe the brightnefs of its inflamed colour.
In the mean time, the fmoke, the flames, and
the ftones, which were vomited out above, were
not at all diminifhed -, and the roaring noife in
the air continued as loud as ever. — »¦ Betwixt ele
ven and twelve, all of a fudden, the new cleft
became fruitful once more, bringing forth fmoke
and flame in more abundance ; and darting out
thunder

LSTT E R XXV. 125
thunder, lightening, and 'ftones in a prodigious
quantity. At the fame time, the torrent renew
ed its courfewithmore rapidity ; the whole moun
tain feemed to be on fire ; and cracked for fome
time with as loud a noife, as if ithad'been fhiver-
ing all to pieces. The fhocks of the earth were as
terrible, as frequent : and * at every explofion of
thunder from the mountain, the ftrongeft houfes
at the fame inftant fhook and reeled ; and that
not only in Naples, but above fifteen miles off.
And now all thofe, who had hitherto refblutely
flayed in their houfes, being driven out by the
fright, fled as faft as they could, fome one way,
and fome another.
The 21ft was hardly begun, when the fiery
torrent, being continually pufhed on by frefh
matter, threw it-felf into the little cultivated val
leys ; where, being divided into different Cur
rents, according to the different fituations, it
carried ravage and defolation along with it, 'till the

* This fhaking of the houfes was not caufed by the trem
bling either of the mountain, or of the neighbouring diftrifts,
but by the fudden explofions of fiery matter from the mouth
of the volcano. For it was obferved by the curious, that
whenever a prodigious quantity of flame was fuddenly
thrown out, after a certain interval the noife was heard, and
the houfes fhook. And this interval was found to be tho
fame, in proportion to the diftaince, with that which is be
twixt the fire which one fees from a cannon, and the report
which one afterwards hears.

iz6 LETTER XXV.
the whole flopped,, about one in the afternoon.*
— During all this time, even to the 23d, the an
cient mouth caft out flames very violently, toge
ther with a large quantity of afhes and ftones. —
On the 24th, after a long explofion of thunders, with
* It came to the high road at the end of Torre del Greco,
where there was a cavity of 50 palms depth, made formerly
by the torrents. This broke the force of it ; and made it
come with lefs impetuofity, between the Monaflero del Car
mine and the Capella del Purgatorio. It widened here ex-
treamly, by which it was weakened again ; and coming af
terwards into a narrow way with walls on each fide, it flop
ped a gun-fhot fhort of the fea. Two bow-fhots before the
cavity, it is 90 foot broad ; one bow-fhot, only 60 : be
tween the Carmine and Capella, from corner to corner, it
is 1 40 : at its end, three or four bow-fhots below the Car
mine, it is no more than 26. Where it is 140, it fpread
yet wider on each fide againft the buildings ; and burft in at
the door of the Carmine church, but flopped, and hangs
ftill fufpended in refpeft to the altar. It forced into their
lower rooms too, on the fide ; and is there, where they
have cleared it away, 20 foot high by the wall. In its ge
neral run, 'tis higheft in the middle : it has fometimes great
waves in it, like broken waves of the fea : under,, 'tis fettled
down, moft ufually, into a fort of metallic ftone ; which
they cut fometimes for buildings, and the paving of ftreets.
Towards the end, 'tis a little hill to go up it : the water
flew about from it, as when you quench a red-hot piece
of iron. — — At the end of the fiery torrent, which ran
into the fea in 1648. there is a very confiderable hill, with
a fine cave in it on the fhore. S.
Extract of a Letter from Naples, Aug. 30. 1737.
THE flop was made at the church about four in the
afternoon, on tuefday May 2 1 . The people were
grateful enough to think this flop miraculous, tho' it made
a great breach on one fide, broke down and quite demolifh-
ed their Sacrifty on another fide, befides cracking the roof.
This Lava had from the declivity taken the water-courfe, which

L E T T E R XXV. 127
wkhwhich, on fuch conjunctures, this volcano
never fails to arm itfelf, the fires of the top loft
fome degree of their fury ; but neither the fmoke,
nor the afhes were diminifhed at all.  The 27th
there was very little flame, the fmoke rofe al
ways
which had been the prefervation of the country from be
ing drowned : this hollow, which was for fome miles be
tween 30, and 40 foot deep, and as many wide, was not
only filled up, but the matter rofe as many feet above the
furface of the land about it. . . . It continued very hot for a
month or five weeks after  After the flop at the church,
part of the Lava took a turn into the large road of Salerno
to a great height  they have fince made the road paffa-
ble, by laying earth upon the Lava.
Tho' the great difcharge of the metallic bodies ceafed
on tuefday, a vaft deftruftion of the country, as far as
Oftajano 1 8 miles from Naples, followed, for a long time
after ; and the mountain continued to throw out vaft fhowers
of afhes and cinders, and deftroyed all the fruits and pro
duce of the earth, which does not recover for a long time.
In this unhappy diftrift and others, his Majefty has with
great goodnefs taken off all taxes for ten years/ As we turn
ed on the left from Torre del Greco towards Oftajano, we
paffed all the way through their Mafferias ; and the moun
tain, having the gage of us, for three or four miles, rained
afhes plentifully upon our chaifes, and we loft the fmell of
every thing but brimftone. All the trees and hedges bent
under the weight of thefe afhes j feveral arms, and even
bodies of trees, were broken- with the weight; fo that in
fome narrow roads we had great difficulty to pafs. Within
a mile or two of the Prince of Oftajano's palace (a very
honeft worthy Gentleman, who has fuffered a lofs of
100000 ducats, fome fay more) one can fcarce frame to
ones felf a fight of greater defolation : ten fucceffive northern
winters could not have left it in a worfe condition ; not a
leaf on a tree, vine, or hedge, to be feen all the way we
went, and fome miles farther, as we were informed ; here
and at the Town they had a new earth about two feet deep
or more  At Somma on the northeaft fide, it has made
great havock, and deftroyed a Monaftery of Nuns, &c,

128; LET T E R XXVI.
Ways ta-the;fame-height,[ . and difperfed it-felf in
to the- air -with the fame impetuofity ; but its
blacknefs was confiderably cleared off. — rOn the
28r.ht.he fire was reduced almoft to nothing ; and
on the next, and the following; days; it was not
to be feen.  From the 30th, to the 5th of June
inclufive, there was ftill a gctod deal of fmoke,
but of a colour very clear and pale. I am;
HonouredSir, Your moft obedient, Sic.

LETTER XXVL
T6 Mr. R.
Honoured SiRr Rome, Aug, 2. 1742. N. S.
I Here fend you a draught of a fepUlcre, dif
covered a few-years ago ; of which none has
been, hitherto communicated to the public.* This
fepulcre lies in a Vmeyardj belonging to the
marquis Marian 1 of^Bolognaj on'theViminal
hill ; between the gate of S. Lorenzo, former
ly Porta Tiburtina<, and the gate Porta Maggiore,"
once called Porta Prieneftina ; about a hundred
paces from the ruins of the temple of Minerva >
Medica. It was difcovered. in 1736. Signor/)
Ficaroni, the pope's antiquary, makes mention?
of it, in his book intitkd Mafchere Sceniche, pub*
lifhed:

B

/f>e/h>eesi ¦ 7>. J2& %-J29.

T T » . 30 40 ,„
\  i i i iTn i i ¦ , i ! 1T1 1 i i i ¦-. ¦ !T  t.  j

ST t&nt&JC fPlTT, fyt^r.ej&^M** ^ &f£^ ^J^j^

^y^*cy^-^ of.

LETTER XXVI. 129
H'fhed that year ; and gives a draught of a mafk»
at p. 225. which was " found in the Maufoleum
" of the Liberty and of the family of Lucius
" Arruntius, confiilin the time of Tiberius,
" &c". And in his Le veftigia e rarita di Roma
Antica, &c. juft now publifhed, difcourfing of
the Via Tibur tina^ p. 119. he fays, " On the right
" hand of it is the monument of L. Arruntius,
" who was conful, and not conful, under Ti-
" b erius ; becaufe the emperor, fearing his great
" power, hindered him from going to govern
" Spain. There is alfo the epitaph of the faid
" Arruntius, indicating the monument to have
" been eredted for him-felf, his family, and
" freed-men." The fame gentleman in his Bolla
d'Oro de fanciulli nobile Romani, &c. at p. 53.
gives a fhort account of a burying-place of the
Arruntian family, difcovered in 1732, which is
onely one Angle room, and lies about fifty yards
diftance from this.
The drawing, which I fend you, does not com
prehend the whole Maufoleum : for by the found
ing under one's feet, it is plain, that there are
other apartments below. And the gardener, who
was prefent, when it was difcovered, affured me
that in digging they found other rooms under
neath, but could not proceed farther on account
of the ruins falling in, &c. The floor of the chief
Vol. I. S room

130 LETTER XXVI.
room was covered with Mofaic, part of which
remains onely in fome places : and the whole
building is in a ruinous condition, from the fcan-
dalous neglect of thofe, in whofe poffefiion it is.
The fmall compafs, in which I was obliged to
draw the principal room, would not permit me
to be exact as to the roof ; which is adorned with
painting, and figures, and ornaments in ftucco :
which if you are defirous of having, I muft de
fign it upon a large piece of paper, in order to
take in the whole. As to the plan, the height,
and fize of the rooms, &rc. no care has been want
ing to make them as exact as poffible ; and I have
drawn a fcale of Roman palms at the bottom, for
your better information.  In the explanation of
the drawing, the fame letters have fome-times a
double reference, viz. A. B.C. D.E. F. G. T.
and W. but they ftill denote things of the fame
nature, reprefented in a fmaller or a larger com
pafs, fhewing their fituation in different views.

H

LIBERT ET
FAMILIAE
LARRVNTILF TER.

FRANCESCO BELARDI
ANNO DOMNI 1736

D-MSVCCESS1 PRIMIGENIA SOR
FECIT FRATRI BENEMERENTI
ET P1ISS1MO HER VIIANNIS EGO
LAMi NTALE PEREG1 NVNC RAM
OR TENEBRIS ET TEGIT OSSA LAP
DESINE SOROR MEIAM FLERE
SEPVLCRO-HOC ETIAM MVLTIS
REGIBVS • ORA TVUT

LETTER XXVI.

I31

HORTENSIA-FELICITAS FECIT -VENERI AE-
FILIAE DVLCISSI
MAEQV.A-XI M Villi
DIEBXX

V M
MIN-DIAE ISMVRNAE
CRANIUS CORINTHIANUS
B-M

M

L • ARRVNTIVS
ANENCLETVS
SIBI • FILIO • CONIVGI
FECIT

N

L-ARR -MOSCHQ
V- A-XIX DV- ATTALVS
ET- HELENE • PARENTIS
FILIO ¦ PIISSIMO • ET
SIBI • FECERVNT

EGLOGLEL-
ARRVNTIHILARI.
VAXXX-

D M
THALLIVAIHIM
IIII • D-VHH
ANTIOCHYS-ET THALLVSA
PARENTK.S-F-DVLCISSIMO FECERVNT-ET
ANTIOCHOFPrENTISSIMOqyi-V-A-VIII-M-XI.D-XXVII

<L

ARRVNTIA
L-L-SECUNDA VIA-XL

L-ARRVNTIUS
H- HALVS

R

ARRVNT1AE ARRVNTIAEJ
PARTHENIONIS SELENE \

S

VII LIAE-CLYMENE
A" VITELUVS • ANTHVS
ET- FLORVS-
CONIVGI • C ARISSLM
BENEMERENT-FECER D
A VITELLIO -ANTHO-
VJTELLIVS-ROMANVS
COL- VITELLIA ¦ AN ATOIF
L- P- B- M-

132

LETTER XXVI.

Explanation of the Drawings, £fa.
A. The left fide of the chief room, as one enters.
B. The upper end.
C. The right fide.
D. An arch turned, under which ftand the Coa-
ditoria T, with the OlluU W.
'.. F. the Plan of the Conditoria T; in which like-
wife are thofe of the OlluU W.
1. On the left hand, as ones goes down the mo
dern fteps, the fourth from the bottom, in
the wall are thefe three Columbaria.
f. An Infcription fixt over the door, as one
goes down into the fepulcre, with the name of
Francesco Belardi, who difcovered it:
the place of which could not be pointed out in
the drawing,
I. K. L. M. N. O. Infcriptions prlac'd or fix'd
on the Conditoria, where you fee thefe letters
mark'd.
P. O^ R. S. Infcriptions, which lie broken about
the rooms.
T. Conditoria, form'd of brick, and at firft co
vered over with plaifter.
W. OlluU, little pots, which are let into the
floor, and contain burnt bones, afhes, Sec.
X. The old entrance.
Y. The

Mate M. Vol.I

,/*"<«? />• <3<t

q£% lomr^ozmmiE ^.r^ &&& ~jrmju&4f in*****/.

LETTER XXVI. 133
Y. The modern flairs, four and twenty in num
ber.
Z. To draw this Place, I was obliged to creep
through a hole ; and when I was in, I found
the ground began to give way ; fo that I was
glad to get out again, as faft as I could. I
imagine, this was the place, where the flairs
continued to lead to the apartments below;
thofe of the letter X being juft over it.
There is no place to let in any light, except a
little hole, which is over the ftar * ; fo that I
was obliged to draw the whole by torch-light,
which I found no fmall inconvenience.

Part of fome of the letters in the Infcriptions are a little
defaced by time, and there are fome miftakes which were
made by the work-man, chiefly by omiffions, and particu
larly in the longeft Infcription marked I. which, it is con
jectured, if it were expreffedin words atJength, fhould run
thus :
Diif Manibus Suecefft Primigenia Soror fecit Fratri benemerenti
et piifjimo.
Heresfeptem annis ego lament ale peregi ;
Nunc rapior tenebris, et tegtt offa lapis.
Define cara Soror me jam defter e fepulcro :
Hoc etiam niultis Regibus ora tulit.
In the Infcription over the Conditorium marked E. in the
fifth line, the word following HERMES is TATA.

LETTER

( 134)
LETTER XXVII.
To Mr. R.
Honoured Sir, Rome, Sept. 10. 174Z.2V. S.
WH E N in a former letter, I declined
giving you a particular defcription of
mount Vefuvius, I meant a new defcription of
my own. But, upon reading over once more the
Introdutlion to the Iftoria dill* incendio delFefuvm
Sec. written by the Academy of fciences at Naples j
I thought there were feveral curious ebfervations,
concerning the ancient and prefent form, the ex
tent and height, and the internal parts of it,
which would give you fome entertainment, and
be no improper addition to my Account.
This mountain, being feparated from the chain
of the Appennines, ftands apart by itfelf, on the
fide of the bay of Naples, towards the eaft. The
plains round about form a charming profpecl ;
where the air is fo good, that no better can be
found any where. On every fide are feen fruit-
trees of different kinds, and vineyards that pro
duce the moft excellent wines. The foot of the
mountain is no lefs fruitful : it was celebrated for
merly, and it is ftill celebrated at this day, for
the fertility of its little hills.
When one afcends higher, on the fide which
looks toward the fouth and the weft, the face of
things

LETTER XXVII. i3$
things is intirely changed ; - and one fees a trace
of ground, which prefents onely images of hor
ror: no fruit-trees, no vines, no verdure of any
kind; nothing but afhes, pumice-ftones, and
cinders,  Where the mountain yields this ter
rible afpecf , one part of it is feparated from the
other; on the forefide of which, there lies a
chain of little hills extending towards the north
and eaft, which prefent to the neighbouring fields
a front adorned with verdure : but the back part
fhews nothing but rocks, dried and burned up
by the fire, and fplit into precipices. The higheft
point or top of thefe hills are called Mente di
Somma ; whkh name it eitlver takes from, or
gives to, a town fituated at the foot towards the
north-eaft ; which yields a moft delightful retire
ment, by the goodnefs of the air, and the excel
lency of the fruits.  Behind this range of hills,
to the fouth, rifes another fummit apart by itfelf,
in form of a cone : which is compofed of no
thing but a heap of ftones, cinders, ' afhes and bar
ren fand. This is what is properly called Vefu'
vius : the extremity of the higheft point of which
vomits out fire from time to time, and almoft
continually fmoke.  It is however true, that
in common language, thefe two names are often
confounded : fo that under the Monti di Somma
is fometimes comprehended the other top, which
throws out fire ; in like manner, as the ancients
included

136 LETTER XXVII.
included the whole mountain under the name of
Vefuvius. By this fhort defcription, one may underftand,
that the lower bulk of this mountain forms, as it
were, a pedeftal, common to the two fummits.
The union of their bafe, and the divifion of their
fpires, caufe them to be taken at a great diftance,
not for one fingle mountain, but for two ; join
ed together to a certain degree of height, and
from thence divided the one from the other. —
Such is the conftrudture of Vefuvius in our days :
but it is not likely, that it had the fame appear
ance in the moft remote ages. To be convinced
of this, one need only call to mind the vifible
transfigurations, which it has been known to un
dergo, in the laft, and in the prefent age.
That in ancient times Vefuvius confifted of
one vaft fingle pyramidal body, may juftly be
inferred from the teftimony of ancient authors,
who paint it in that ftate of unity. Strabo*
fays, that " Mount Vefuvius is furroundedon all
fides with open fields extremely fruitful, except
ing onely the fummit, &c." Dion f expreffes
himfelf in a more explicite manner. " At firft
Vefuvius was of an equal height, on all fides ; it
then vomited out flames onely from the middle'of
its top : and therefore it is onely in that part, that
its fuperficies has experienced the activity of fire ;
for
* Lib.V.pag.tfS: flnTito.

Pku TV. Vol.1

Ji

MH—^^

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WSSgjB

^^^^r^Z^r-^^

-=Z - Ji|Hr

WILLIAM DRAJCE

LETTER XXVII. 137
for the reft of its circumference has been conti
nued fafe and found to the prefent time. Hence
it comes to pafs, that, having fuffered no da
mage, the brims of the moft elevated circuit re
tain their firft height ; while the centre of the
fame has funk, at the will of thofe eruptions
which have wafted it. Its finking down forms a
pit, or large cavity, difpofed in fuch a manner,
that the whole mountain, if one may compare
little things with great, does not ill refemhle the
form of an amphitheatre."
The torrents of liquified ftones, which the
mountain vomits up, when it exerts its fury, fur-
nifh a ftrong argument in confirmation of this
opinion : for fome of thefe are found in places,
whither they could never poffibly have come, had
not Vefuvius formerly terminated in one fingle
point. Of this there is a recent proof. A few
years ago, at the Dominican convent della Ma
donna dell'Arco, in digging a well, at the depth
of more than a hundred palms, the work-men
difcovered a torrent of that nature ; having broken
through it, they continued their work, till they
were flopped by another, and afterwards by a
third : in fhort, in lefs than the depth of three
hundred palms, they found four beds of harden
ed matter, which exactly refembled the Lava,
which is feen every day at the fouthern foot of
the mountain.  Now, fuppofing the figure of
Vol. I. T the

138 LETTER XXVII.
the mountain to have been the fame formerly,
which it is now, the melted matter, having roll
ed doWn the fide, muft have run into the vale
which borders Upon the volcano, on the north
and eaft ; and from thence it muft have raifed it-
felf up, feveral hundreds of paces, in order to fur-
mount an afcent, which would otherwife have
hindered its accefs to the quarter, where the con
vent ftands.
Dion Cassius, in comparing Vefuvius to an
amphitheatre, gives us an idea of it, which does
not lefs agree with this opinion, than with the
exaft draught, which the fame author has made
of the whole mountain. According to him, the
fire had not at all hurt the circumference, it was
Only the centre of the higheft circuit, which had
been ruined by the eruption of the flames. 
From hence it follows, that to Dion's eyes, the
middle, being made hollow, reprefented the arena
of the amphitheatre ; and the fides, the inner cir*
cumference. Can there be one perfon found, who
can imagine, that he fees in the prefent form, the
image, which this hiftorian has left us ?
However, by taking advantage of the light
which he offers, every one may perceive, that one
part of the circuit of this amphitheatre is pre
ferved to this day. One difcovers plainly this part
in the northern hills, which form at prefent the
Monte di Somma, and which inclofe a good part of

LETTER XXVII. , ,39
of the volcano. — --This obfervation appears lo
much the truer, in that the fame hills Ihew ftill
the moft evident traces of the fire, which rioted
in the concavity of their fcmi-cjrcle. For one fees
nothing there, but ftones and roqks, all ftamped,
as it were, with the impreflion of the flames, all
of the colour of burnt iron ; as are other places,
where we know that in our memory the flames
have exercifed their force.
Formerly, as well as now, Vefuvius command
ed an open plain; no other mountain was joined
to it : on which account, * fome authors have fu-
fpecled, that it owed its firft appearance, folely
to the rageof fubterraneous fires. Be that as it
will, one cannot but judge, that the roots of the
mountain took up lefs fpace in former times, than
they do at prefent : they muft needs have been
amplified by the continual eruption of afhes and
ftones ; and above all by the afflux of melted mat
ter, which in its congelation takes the hardnefg
of a rock.  In the courfe of time, all thefe
things muft neceffarily have fwejled and dilated
the foot of the mountain. For proof of this, one
need onely dig round about, particularly towards
the fouth : for there one meets with three or four
thick beds of petrified torrent, and of earth, and
other kinds of matter, all confufedly mixed toge-
T % ther,
* Camii. Pelleg. Campania Isifc. ii. *. 3.14. Scotti
Itinsrar. Italic, Part iii.

140 LETTER XXVII.
ther, frequently to the depth of fome fcores of
palms. In purfuing this idea, we fhall be convinced,
that the fides of Vefuvius have a more gentle
declivity now, than they formerly had : of which
one may form a judgement, by infpecting the
northern talus, which is the moft fteep, becaufe
it has undergone but little alteration, at leaft for
thefe thoufand years and more ; that is, ever fince
the mountain was divided into two fummits,
which make the fork. — -Thus the ancient height
ftill remains marked out to us, by the point of
the northern hills, which form precifely theMonte
di Somma : and this height, being once fettled,
places out of the reach of all objections what was
faid juft now, viz. that the northern hills, the
inward concavity of which appears all burnt, and
hanging in a precipice, made a part of the circle,
which ftruck Dion's eyes, when he compared
this mountain to an amphitheatre.
Having thiis formed a general notion of the ba-
fis and height of the mountain, one may compre
hend, not onely the greatnefs of the whole mafs-,
but likewife the extent of its fummit. — Even in
the age in which Strabo lived, the top appeared
efplanaded, or like a glacis ; fome ancient con
flagration having, without doubt, taken off its
point. But in Dion's time, according to his own
teftimony, the middle had funk in, by reafon of
the

LETTER XXVII. 141
the continual eruptions, while the fides remained;
fafe and found. By this means, and at that time,
it took the refemblance of an amphitheatre ; fuch
as one fees now in the Solfatara, and other neigh
bouring mountains, which may juftly be illuftrated
by the fame comparifon.*
From that period of time, at which we have
juft now marked the ftate and condition of this
mountain, its afpect muft have begun to change
in a prodigious manner : the conflagrations, the
earthquakes, the abyffes made in its bofom, all
infeparable accidents attending violent eruptions,
deftroyed and ruined the part fituated betwixt
the fouth and the weft ; and their fury fpared no
thing, except the hills which look towards the
eaft and north.'  This ruin, this falling in of
the top, might well gain ground, even to the
borders of that place, where we fee the volcano
feparated from the hills, which partly furround
it. And now, behold a new afpect. of Vefuvius ;
of which one can bring no other proof, than a
plaufible conjecture, becaufe the contemporary
authors have made no mention of it, or perhaps
becaufe their works are loft.  In fhort, as ri
vers, when they are fwelled and rapid, carrie a-
way the ground from fome of their banks, and
add it to others : juft fo the violent burnings, which
* See Peliegrin Di/c. ii. Cap- 17. 18. 19 and confult
bis Map of Campania.

142 LETTER XXVIL
which had ruined fo great a part of the mountain,
might raife up from the bottom of its entrails
various kinds of matter, and from time to time
might ftill heap them upon one another ; fo as
to form a new little mountain upon the plain,
which we juft now called the Pedeftal of the two
fummits.  By this new little mountain, nothing
elfe is meant, but the fouthern point or volcano ;
which, inprocefsof time, has equalled the height
of its elder filler, that ftands on the north, the
Monte di Somma.
That this volcano is the work of violent con
flagrations, that it has been formed by the heap
ing up of afhes, rocks, and other materials*
thrown out from above, one may judge by this
fingle circumftance, that it keeps exactly the co
nic figure : the fame, which a lump of earth re
tains, which has been caft up by a mole ; the
fame, which a heap of fand or wheat, or any o-
ther fmall and dry things would preferve, were
they let fall continually and perpendicularly. The
internal boiling at firft fwelled the ground ; then
the afhes, ftones, and other materials, blown up
into the air, fell down almoft directly near the
mouth, which had vomited them up ; and thus
the pyramid was raifed.
But Pellegrin is of a different opinion. He
thinks, that the cinereous and burnt matter, of
which the volcano is compofedj is no other, either in

LETTER XXVIL 143
Jn whole, or in part, than the remains of the
primitive mafs ; he afferts, that the earth which
augmented the fides of that mafs, was detach
ed from it by the force of the fire ; and from
thence he concludes, that the fummit from whence
one fees the flames mount up, remained alone in
the midft of a kind of plain. — His notion may
indeed be true ; and fo may ours alfo. We fhall
not diffemble at all in this matter ; but fhall own^
that in phenomenas, where Nature, to fignalize
her power, makes ufe of the moft furprizing
means, fuch as are thofe of fire, one cannot ima
gine, nor propofe any thing, without fome ap-
prehenfion of being miftaken ; efpecially, when
one has no affiftance from the light of hiftory. —
Let us then content our-felves with having de-
monftrated, that the ancient form of Vefuvius
was very different from the prefent ; and that it
was at firft but one fingle mountain, from the foot
to the fummit. Whence we may very fafely con
clude, that its fork, fo vifible at this time, is no
other than a later effecl: of its frequent and for
midable conflagrations.
As the moft proper conclufion to the preceding
account of the ancient and prefent form of this
mountain, I fhall fubjoin a fhort defcription given
by the fame gentlemen, of the ftate and condi tion,

X44 LETTER XXVII.
tion, both external and internal, in which it was
left by the laft grand eruption in 1737.
There is no very faithful and very particular
defcription of the ftate of Vefuvius before that
time. Tho' feveral accounts have been publifh-
ed, yet none of them have thofe authentic marks
and characters, which ought to accompanie an
indubitable relation.  There is one thing, of
which not onely we, but all the Neapolitans can
affure the public, that before the laft eruption,
the fouthern fummit, from whence the fire pro
ceeded, was much higher than it is at this day.
It was not onely higher, but it was likewife more
fharply pointed -, and fo it appeared to thofe who
viewed it from within the city.
The internal part of this top has alfo changed
its difpofition : this we infer from the manner in
which the fmoke is almoft continually exhaling ;
not united in one fingle cloud, as it was former
ly, becaufe it then proceeded out of one fingle
mouth. But now, as it proceeds out of five or
fix mouths, at fome diftance from one another, it
forms five or fix pillars : which appear very
diftinct before fun-rifing, when the air is pure and
calm : and if it fometimes get fo together, as if
it fpouted out of the fame vent, it is, when the
evaporation becomes very copious, or elfe when
the wind blows very brifkly. The

S&nath:. camitETofr&yT/far&^vjw&f^™^^

LETTER XXVlt. 14$
The circumference of Vefuvius, in its loweft
and utmoft extent, contains a compafs of about
forty Italian miles: but taken higher up, where
it fenfibly appears to every one to rife above the
plain, the circuit is not more than thirty. — The
height of the northern fummit, meafured upon the
level of the fea, is about feven hundred and twenty
Neapolitan * canes ; that of the fouthern fummit,
not above fix hundred fourfcore and fix. 
The new crackj which was opened on the talus of
the fouthern fummit, and from which the great
eft torrent was difcharged, is five hundred fifty
two canes aboVe the fea. — The diftance between
the points of the two fummits is about three hun
dred and forty ; and between their feet, in the
place where the fork begins, commonly called
Atrioi one hundred and fifty.
The mouth or bafon, which is in the fouthern
fummit) is almoft perfectly round ; and the long*
eft diameter, which runs from eaft to weft, is three
hundred and fifty canes. This mouth has a kind
of lip, which extends it-felf inwardly* like the
banks of a river, which have been wafhed away
underneath. This lip runs almoft round the whole
mouth, except towards the weft, where fome Very
hard rocks jut out, compofed of the very fame
Vol. I, U matter
* The Neapolitan c&ne contains eiglit Neapolitan palms ;
and a palm being a fixth part lefs than a Parif an foot, li.x
palms are very near the fame as five feet.

146 LETTER XXVIL
matter with the Lava. Towards the eaft, where
this lip hangs over lefs than at other places, there
is a declivity, which extends to the very bottom
of the bafon ; fo that one might defcend there
into, tho' with a good deal of difficulty. This
whole opening, as here defcribed, is the mouth
of an abyfs, which penetrates the entrails of the
mountain, in the fhape of a cone, cut off at the
point, and inverted ; the bafe of which is made
by the aperture above. The fides of this abyfs,
towards the eaft, are all covered with afhes ; ex
cept where the points of rocks appear here and
there through them. Round which rocks there
are fome fecret vents, through which the fmoke
evaporates ; and likewife many concretions of ful
phur, and of different falts.  On the fouth,
the fide is much fleeper, tho' it be naturally cut
into large fteps of ftone. The thickeft clouds of
fmoke rife there ; or at leaft they did fo, while
we were making our obfervations : and doubtlefs
on that account, the concretions of fulphur and
of falts, are ftill more copious there, than on the
eaftern declivity.  On the weft and north, the
fides are. almoft perpendicular : from which there
project, feveral great ftones, varnifhed, as it were,
with fulphur ; the effect of the thick fmoke,
which rifes on that fide.- -The bottom of this
vaft hollow extends a little longer from fouth to
north ; and its fhorteft length is fifty canes. During

LETTER XXVII. i47
During the courfe of our obfervations, there
was a fmall lake of rain-water, collected together
towards the fouthern fide, which covered almoft
one half of this bottom. The water was of a livid
colour, lukewarm, and frothy near the brink of
the lake ; and had a difagreeable tafte of fait and
fulphur. Its greateft depth was but two palms, or
a little more ; as we judged by fome great ftones
thrown in. — A border of afhes, which rofe in
form of a quay, incompaffed this little lake : upon
which quay one might plainly perceive the traces
of feveral little ftreams of water, which had run
into the void fpace at the bottom of the ba^
fon, but were loft there in fuch a manner, that the
whole appeared intirely dry. — This dry fpace was
all deformed and rough, all full of chinks and
cracks, and all clogged with yellowifh falts and
fulphur. It ended in a kind of conqjie between
the weft and north ; and from this c^cmque, the
bottom of which was lower than the lake, iffuecj
from time to time a very thick fmoke.
It was not poffible to meafure the depth of this
bafon, becaufe there was no place to fix the inT
ftrument neceffary for fuch an operation. Being
deflrous however to collect, together all the infor
mation which the fituation of the place permitted
us to hope for, we made ufe of the beft contri
vance we could put in practice. We chofe upon,
the northern brim of the bafon, the placex where
U 2 the

148 LETTER XXVII.
the fide, being almoft perpendicular, had the
feweft rocks that jutted out : fo that in cafting:
down ftones, one might judge, that they would
meet with very little obftacle. We then caufed
very large ftones to be thrown down, at five dif
ferent times : while perfons, pofted on the oppo-
fite brim of the bafon, meafured the time of the
fall by the beating of the pulfe. Now, the ftrokes.
of the pulfe amounted almoft always to the num
ber of forty, whilft every ftone was falling. Thus^
taking every beating of the pulfe for a fecond j
and fuppofing, that the ftone run from the point
of vibration to the bottom of the bafon, with an
invariable rapidity ; the depth of it would be four-
fcore and four canes.
Tho' this account, Sir, may feem pretty long,
yet I could not well have drawn it into a narrower
compafs, without omitting feveral curious parti
culars ; which I dare fay, will not be tedious to
a perfon of your tafte. And this confidence I am
the more inclined to entertain, fince I have your
repeated orders to tranfmit to you, from time to
time, whatever fhould be thought moft worthy
©f notice, by,
Honoured Sir, Your moft obedient, &c.

LETTER

( H9 )
LETTER XXVIII,
To Mr. R.
Honoured Sir, Rome, 051. 20. 1742. iVS.
AS the following account of my fubterraneous
journey will be communicated no doubt
by you, to the reft of the family, and perhaps to
fome of your acquaintance lefs learned than your-
felf ; 1 have for the greater Uluftration, inlarged
it with feveral additions, which I fhould have
thought unneceffary, had it been defigned folely
for your perufal. And in the firft place, I ima
gined there could not be a more proper Intro
duction to it, than the particular relation given
by Dion Cassius, * as abridged by Xiphilinus,
of that terrible eruption of Vefuvius, in the ift
year of Titus Vespasian ; which overwhelm
ed the city, the ruins of which I am going to de->
fcribe. And this relation I fhall exhibit in Dr.
Burnet's t Tranflation, which I take to be a
fine one ; referring you to the original for your
more intire fatisfadlion.
" As a prelude to this tragedy, there were
" ftrange fights in the air, and after that follow-
" ed an extraordinary drought : then the earth
5' begun to tremble and quake ; and the concuf-
*' fions
* Lib. LXVI.
f Theory of the Earth. 8vo. Vol. II. Book iii. Chap- 7.

i5o LETTER XXVIII.
« fions were fo great, that the ground feem'd to
«c rife and boil up in fome places, and in others
" the tops of the mountains funk in, or tumbled
*' down : at the fame time were great noifes and
" founds heard ; fome were fubterraneous, like
" thunder within the earth ; others above ground,
" like groans or bellowings. The fea roared, the
" heavens rattled with a fearful noife, and then
*' came a fudden and mighty crack, as if the
" frame of nature had broke, or all the moun-
" tains of the earth had fallen down at once. At
" length Vefuvius burft, and threw out of its
" womb, firft, huge ftones, then a vaft quantity
" of fire and fmoke ; fo as the air was all dark-
" ened, and the fun was hid, as if he had been,
" under a great eclipfe. The day was turn'd into
" night, and light into darknefs ; and the fright-
" ed people thought the giants were making war
" againft heaven, and fanfied they faw the fhapes,
" and images of giants in the fmoke, and heard
«' the found of their trumpets : others thought,
tl t;he world was returning to its firft Chaos, or
" going to be all confumed with fire. In thi?
" general confufion and confternation, they knew
" not where to be fafe ; fome run out of the fields
<' into the houfes, others out of the houfes into
" the fields ; thofe that were at. fea haftened to
*.* land, and thofe that were at land endeavoured
iC to get to fea ; ftill thinking every place fafer
than

LETTER XXVIII. 151
«' than that where they were. Befides groffef
" lumps of matter j there was thrown out of the
" mountain fuch a prodigious quantity of afheSj
" as cover'd the land and fea, and filled the air,
" fo as befides other damages, the birds, beafts,
" and fifties, with men, women, and children
" were deftroyed, within fuch a compafs ; and
" two entire cities,* Herculanium and Pompeios, " were
* According to this account, Pompeii, which is the right
name, was deftroyed at that time, as well as Herculaneum.
But Seneca, in his Natural S>ueftions, BookVl. Chap. II.
informs us, that " Pompeii was overturned by an earthquake,
" on the Nones, (or fifth) of February, Regulus and Ver-
" ginius being Confuls j and that onely part of Hercula-
" neum fell, and left the remainder ftanding in a dubious
" manner, which continued fo in his time." This earth
quake happened in the gth year of Nero Claudius, and
the 63d of Chr i st ; being fixteen years before the eruption
in the time of Titus, which intirely overwhelmed and de
ftroyed the remaining part of Herculaneum. But many au
thors, with Dion, refer the deftruclion of both cities to this
eruption ; and among them Sanfelicius in his Campania.
Pompeii, or Pomptza, according to Solinus, was built by
Hercules, at his return from Spain. It ftood at a confi-
derable diftance from the fea, upon the river Sarnus, and
was a common port or harbour, for the people of Nola, Nu-
ceria, and Acerrae ; that river being very convenient for the
exportation and importation of goods. Sisenna, Diony-
sius, and Strabo, fay, that it was a fmall town : but Taci
tus calls it colonia ; Pliny the elder, mumapium ; and Se
neca, celebrem urbem. It ftood, as Cluver tells us, about
four miles fouth from Herculaneum, at the place, where
there is now a little town called Sc afdti. ButlTTicius, as
mentioned page 1 1 6. fays, it ftood where Cnfiel Annuntiata
now is; which according to Cluver, is four miles from
Scafdti, and as many from Torre del Greco, where Hercula
neum once flourifhed. Cicero had a villa at Pompeii, called
Pompeianum ; which h,e mentions feveral rmes, efpecially
in.his Epifiles to Atticus,

152 LETTER XXVIif.
** were overwhelm'd with a fhower of afhes, as"
" the people were fitting * in the theatre. Nay
" thefe afhes were carried by the winds, over1
' * the Mediterranean into Africk, and into .ffigypt
" and Syria : and at Rome they choak'd the air
" on a fudden, fo as to hide the face of the fun ;
" whereupon the people not knowing the caufe,
" as not having yet got the news from Campa-
" nia, of the eruption of Vefuvius, could not ima-
" gine what the reafon fhould be ; but thought
" the heavens and the earth were coming toge-
*' ther, the fun coming down, and the earth go-
" ing to take its place above."
It was at the fame time, and by the very fame
eruption, that the elder Pliny, then admiral of
the Roman fleetj loft his life : of which cata-
ftrophe, Pliny the younger, in two letters to
Tacitus, gives a moft affecting narrative. The
greateft part of both which I fhall beg leave to
fubjoin, in the f Englifh tranflation, as a fup-
plement to D i on's account ; fince they contain a
particular defcription of many circumftances of
this prodigious conflagrationj as they appeared at
Mifenum, and from thence all along the coaft to
Stabias. If the tranflation raife in you any dif-
guft,
* In the original it is h bidria to£> 5/xiXov fci?T>jj xadtytei&j
referring folely to nofAirmovf, which immediately precedes,
hujus populo fedente in tbeatro.
f Inftead of Mr. Henley's Tranjlation^ it was thought
proper to fubftitute that of Mr Melmoth, lately publifhed.

L E T f E R XXVltf. i jj
guft, you will fitid a proper remedy at hand; in
the elegancy of the original.
* " He was at that time with the fleet under
" his command at Mifentim. On the 723d of
" Auguft, about one in the afternoon; my Mo-
" ther defired him to obferve a cloud; which ap-
" peared of a very unufual fize and fhape. He
" had juft returned from taking || the benefit of
" the fun, and after % bathing himfelf in cold
" water; and taking a flight repaft; was retired
" to his ftudy : he immediately arofe, and went
" out upon an eminence, from whence he might
" more diftinctly view this very uncommon ap-
" pearance. It was not at that diftance difcerni-
" ble from what m9untain this cloud iffued; but
** it Was found afterwards to afcend from mount
" Vefuvius. I cannot give you a more exact
" defcription of its figurej than by refembling
" it to that of a pine-tree, for it fhot up a great
<' height in the form of a trunk, which extend-
" ed itfelf at the top into a fort of branches -, cc-
" cafioned, I imagine; either by a fudden guft of

Vol, I. X

cc

air

* Lib. VI. Epift. 16.
f Mr. Henley tranflates it Auguft the iiventyzd. The,
o'rigina'l is nono cal. feptembris, which is Auguft z^th.
\ The Romans ufed to lie or walk naked in the fun, after
anointing their bodies with oil ; which was efteemed as great
ly contributing to health, and therefore daily praflifed by
*he«i. Mflm.
% Or%. mox ftigidam guftflHerat. Hen. taken a draught
Of cool water."

i54 LETTER XXVIII.
" air that impelled it, the force of which decreafed
" as it advanced upwards, or the cloud itfelf, be-
" ing preffed back again by its own weight, ex-
" panded in this manner : it appeared fometimes
" bright, and fometimes dark and fpotted, as it
" was either more or lefs impregnated with earth
" and cinders. This extraordinary phasnomenon
" excited my Uncle's philofophical curiofity to
" a nearer view of it.
" He ordered a light veffel to be got ready,
" and gave me the liberty, if I thought proper
" to attend him. I rather chofe to continue my
" ftudies ; for, as it happened, he had given me
" an employment of that kind. As he was coming
" out of the houfe*he received a note from
" Rectina the wife of Bassus, who was in
" the utmoft alarm at the imminent danger
" which threatened her ; for her villa being fi-
" tuated at the foot of mount Vefuvius, there
" was no way to efcape but by fea ; fhe earneftly
" intreated him therefore to come to her affiftance.
" He accordingly changed his firft defign, and
" what he began with a philofophical, he pur-
" fued with an heroical turn of mind. He or-
" dered the gallies to put to fea, and went him-
" felf on board with an intention of affifting not
" only
* Both the manufcript and printed copies varying extreme
ly, ir> what follows, the Tranflator has adopted the conjecture
of GESNERusas the moft fatisfaclory. Melm.

LETTER XXVIII. 155
*' only Recti na, but feveral others -, for the
" villas ftarid extremely thick upon that beau-
" tiful coaft. When haftening to the place from
" whence others fled with the utmofl terror, he
" fteer'd his direct courfe to the point of danger ;
" and with fo much calmnefs and prefence of
*' mind, as to be able to make and dictate his
" obfervations upon the motion and figure of
" that dreadful fcene. He was now fo nigh
" the mountain, that the cinders, which grew
" thicker and hotter the nearer he approach d,
" fell into the fhips, together with pumice-
" ftones, * and black pieces of burning rock :
** they were likewife in danger not only of 7 be-
" ing a-ground by the fudden retreat of the fea,
«' but alfo from the vaft fragments which rolhd
" down from the mountain, and obftrufted all
" the fhore.
" Here he ftoped to confider whether he
«' fhould return back again : to which the pilot
" advifing him, Fortune, faid he, befriends the
<« brave; Carry me to Pomponianus. Pompon ia-
*< nus was. then at || Stabise, feparated by a gulf,
<< which the fea, after feveral infenfible windings,
X 2 «« forms
* Orig. nigrique et ambufti et fraffi ignf lapides. Hen
and others, burnt to a coal, Sec.
-f- Orig. jam vadumfubitum. Hen. foon the fafTage np-
pear'd to be too rapid.
|j. Now Cafiel a mar di Stabia. about eight miles From
Torre del Greco, where Herculaneunuoncz flood.

j56 LETTER XXVIII.
w forms upon that fhore. He had already fent
" his baggage on board ; for tho' he was not
c* at that time in actual danger, yet being with-
*' in the view of it, and indeed extremely near,
" if it fhould in the leaft increafe, he was deter-
" mined to put to fea * as foon as the wind fhould
" change. It was favourable, however, for car-
" rying my Uncle to Pomponianus, whom he
" found in the greateft confternation : he em-
" braced him with tendernefs, encouraging and
" exhorting him to keep VP his fpirits ; and the
" more to diffipate his fears he ordered, with an
" air of unconcern, the baths to be got ready ;
«' when after having bathed, he fat down to fup-
" per with great chearfulnefs, or at leaft (what is
*' equally heroic) with all the appearance of it.
" In the mean while the eruption from mount
" Vefuvius flamed out in feveral places with
" much violence, which the darknefs of the night
" contributed tp render ftill more vifible and
" dreadful. But my Uncle, in order to footh the
" apprehenfions of his friend, affured him it was
" only the burning of the villages, which the
" country people had abandoned to the flames :
" after this he retired to reft, and it is moft cer-
" tain that he was fo little difcompofed as to fall
*f into a deep fleep ; for being pretty fat, and
• ' breathing
* Orig./ contractus wentus refedifjit. Hen. if the wind
had once turned contrary.

LETTER XXVIII. i57
*» breathing hard, thofe who attended without acr
«' tually hear'd him fnore. The court which led
** to his apartment being now almoft filled with
" ftones and afhes, if he had continued there any
" time longer, it would have been impoffible for
" him to have made his way out ; it was thought
" proper therefore to awaken him. He got up,
" and went to Pomponianus and the reft of his
" company, who were not unconcern'd enough
" to think of going to bed. They confulted to-
" gether whether it would be more prudent to
" truft to the houfes, which now fhook from fide
" to fide with frequent and violent concuflions ;
" or fly to the open fields, where the calcined
" ftones and cinders, tho' light indeed, yet fell
*' in large fhowers, and threatned deftnjction. In
" this diftrefs they refolved for the fields, as the
** lefs dangerous fituation of the two: a refolu-
** tion which, while the reft of the company were
" hurried into it by their fears, my Uncle em-
'* braced upon cool and deliberate confrdcration.
" They went out then, having pillows tied
" upon their heads with napkins ; and this was
" their whole defence againft the ftorm of ftones
*' that fell round them. Tho' it was now day
" every where elfe, with them it was darker than
*' the moft obfcure night, * excepting only what '
« light
* Orig. quam tamen faces multte variaqut tumina-filtfebant.
Hen. but it was fomething diffipatsd by,a mnkitude of lights
and flambeaux.

i58 LETTER XXVIII.
" light proceeded from the fire and flames. They
" thought proper ip go down farther upon the
«' fhore, to obferve* if they might fafely put
" out to fea, but they found the waves ftill run
" extremely high and boifterous., There my Un-
*' cle having drank a draught or two of. cold wa-
" ter, threw himfelf down upon a cloth which
" was fpread for him ; when immediately the
" flames and a ftrong fmell of fulphur, which
" was the forerunner of them, difperfed the reft
" of the company, and obliged him to arife. He
*« raifed himfelf up with the affiftance of two of
" his fervants, and inftantly fell down dead ;
" fuffocated, as I conjecture, by fome grofs and
" noxious vapor, f having always had weak
" lungs, and frequently fubje£l to a difficulty of
" breathing. As foon as it was light again, which
" was not 'till the third day after this melancholy
" accident, his body was found intire, and with-
" out any marks of violence upon it, || exactly in
*' the fame pofture that he fell, and looking more
<' like a man afleep than dead.
* " The
* Orig. ecquidjam mare admitteret. Hen., as far as the fea
allow'd them.
¦f Orig. claufoque fiotnacho, qui illi naturd invalidus et an-
guftus, et frequenter intereeftuans erat . Hen. and the paffagci
of his ftomach, naturally weak and narrow, and often fea-
verifh, were fhut up by fuffocation.
|| Orig. opertumque ut fuerat indutus. Hen. and cover'd
with the drefs in which he dy'd.

LETTER XXVIII. 159
* iC The letter which, incompliance with your
" requeft, I wrote to you concerning the death of
" my Uncle, has raifed, it feems, your curiofity
" to know what terrors and dangers attended me
" while I continued at Mifenum ; for there, I
" think, the account in my former broke off:
Tho' my Jhock'd foul recoils, my tongue fhall tell.
.ZEneid ii. by Mr. Pitt.
" My Uncle having left us, I purfued theftudies
" which prevented my going with him, 'till it
*' was time to bathe. After which I went to fup-
" per, and from thence to bed ; where my fleep
" was greatly broken and difturbed. There had
" been for many days before fome fhocks of an
" earthquake, which the lefs furprized us as they
" are extremely frequent in Campania ; but they
" were fo particularly violent that night, that
" they not only fhook every thing about us,
" but feemed indeed to threaten total deftruction.
*' My Mother flew to my chamber, where fhe
" found me rifing, in order to awaken her*
*' We went out into a fmall court belonging to
ei the houfe, which feparated the fea from the
'* buildings 
" t Tho' it was now morning, the light was
»* exceedingly faint and languid ; the buildings all
" around
* Lib. VI. Ep. zo.
-f Orig. Jam bora diei prima, et adhuc dubius et quaji
languidus dies. Hen. It was now feven in the morning, and
the day as yet was breaking, and hardly more than twilight.
This was on Auguft 24.

166 LETTER XXVIlL
tl around us tottered, and tho' we flood upbri
" open ground* yet as the place was narrow and
«' confined, there was no remaining there Without
tc certain and great danger : we therefore refolved
*' to quit the town. The people followed us in
" the utmoft confternation, and (as to a mind
*« diffracted with terror; every fuggeftion feems
*' more prudent than its own) preffed in great
** crowds about us in our way out. Being got at
" a convenient diftance from the houfes, we flood
u ftill, in the midft of a moft dangerous and
«' dreadful fcene. The * chariots which we had
«' ordered to be drawn out; werefo agitated back-
CJ wards and forwards, tho' in the open fields,
" that we could not keep them fteddy, even by
«' fupporting them with large ftones. The fea
** feemed t to r°U back upon itfelf, and to be
'* driven from its banks by the corivulfive motion
*' of the earth ; it is certain at leaft the fhore was
" confiderably enlarged; and feveral fea-animals
*c were left upon it. On the other fide; a black
ct and dreadful cloud burfting with an igneous
" ferpentine vapor; darted out a long train of
" fire, refembling flafhes of lightening; but much
*' larger 
" Soon afterwards the cloud feem'd to defifcfldj
*e and cover the whole ocean ; as indeed it in-
*' tirely
* Orig. Vehicula. Hen. carriages.
f Orig. infe reforberi  ¦vidckatu.r. Hes, appear'd irt
a kind of eddy;

LETTER XXVIII. i6i
** tirely hid the ifland of Caprea, and the pro-
ic montory of Mifenum. My Mother ftrongly
** conjured me to make my efcape at any rate;
" which as I was * young, I might eafily do : as
" for herfelf, fhe faid, her age and corpulency
" rendered all attempts of that fort impoffible ;
*' however fhe fhould willingly meet death, if
" fhe fhould have the fatisfaction of feeing that
" fhe was not the occafion of mine. But I abfo-
" lutely refufed to leave her, and taking her by
" the hand; I led her on : fhe complied with great
" reluctance, and not without many reproaches
" to herfelf for retarding my flight. The afhes
" now began to fall upon us, tho' in no great
*' quantity. I turned my head, and obferved
" behind us a thick fmoke, which came rolling
" after us like a torrent; I propofed while we
" had yet any light, to turn out of the high road,
" left we fhould be preffed to death in the dark;
itr by the crowd that followed.
" We had fcarce fleped out of the path, when
«' a darknefs over-fpread us, not like that of a
«' cloudy night; or when there is no moon, but
" of a room when it is fhut up, and all the lights
" extinct. Nothing then was to be hear'd but
*' the fhrieks of women, the fcreams of children ¦
" the cries of men ; fome calling for their child-
" ren, others for their parents, others for their
Vol. I. Y hufbands,
* Eut eighteen years of age.

,62 LETTER XXVIII.
" hufbands, and only diftinguifhing each other by
' ' their voices ; one lamenting his own fate, ano-
" ther that of his family ; fome wifhing to die, from
" the very fear of dying ; fome lifting up their
" hands to the gods ; but * the greater part ima-
" gining that the laft and eternal night was come,
" which was to deftroy both the f gods and the
" world together. Among thefe there were fome
" who augmented the real terrors by imaginary
" ones -, and made the frighted multitude falfly
" believe || that Mifenum was actually in flames.
" At length a glimmering light appeared, which
il we imagined to be rather the forerunner of an
" approaching burft of flames, (as in truth it
" was) than the return of day : however the fire §
" fell at a diftance from us : then again we were
" immerfed in thick darknefs, and a heavy fhower
" of afhes rained upon us ; which we were obliged
" every now and then to fhake off, otherwife we
" fhould have been crufhed and buried in the
" heap. I might boaft, that during all this fcene
" of horror, not a figh or expreflion of fear e-
" fcaped from me, had not my fupport been
" founded
* Orig. plures mifquamjam deos ullos . . . interprctabantur.
Hen. a multitude difbeliev'd all the Gods.
f The Stoics and Epicureans held, that the world was
to be deftroyed by fire, and all things fall again into origi
nal chaos, not excepting even the national gods themfelves.
|| Ori^. Mijeni illud ruiffe, iliud ardere. Hen. that thit
houfe at Miienum was fallen, that was burnt.
§ Orig. fubjtitit. Hen. ftood.

LETTER XXVIII. 163
" founded in that miferabk, * tho' ftrong con-
" folation, that all mankind were involved in
" the fame calamity, and that I imagined I was
" perifhing with the world itfelf.
" At laft this dreadful darknefs was diffipated
" by degrees, like a cloud or fmoke ; the real
«' day returned, and even the fun appeared, tho'
" Very faintly, and as when an eclipfe is coming
** on. Every object that prefented itfelf to our
** eyes (which were extremely weakened) feemed
" changed, being covered over with white allies,
( * as with a deep fnow. We returned to Mifenum,
" where we refrefhed ourfelves as well as we
" could, arid paffed an anxious night between
-** hope and fear ; tho' indeed, with much a larger
" fhare of the latter : for the earthquake ftill con-
" tinued, while feveral enthufiaftic people run
" up and down f heightening their own and
'' their friends calamities, by terrible predictions.
" However, my Mother and I, notwithftanding
" the danger we had paffed, and that which ftill
" threatened us, had no thoughts of leaving the
" place, 'till we fhould receive fome account of
<* my Uncle," Y z Thefe
* Orig. magna tamen mortalitatis Jblatio. Hen. this con-
folation, not very reafonable indeed, but natural enough.
¦J- Orig. terriftcis njaticinationibus et fua et alienc. mala lu-
dificabantur. Hen. entertain'd their own apprehenhons, and
thofe of others, with frightful prefages.— m— f rom this, and
fome other expreffions, one may apprehend, that Mr. Ora
tor tranflatcd thefe Epi files from the French,

164 LETTER XXVIII.
Thefe lively defcriptions, particularly the lat
ter, by fo great a man, who was an eye-witnefs
pf the rage of this volcano* prepare the traveller
for the moft advantageous view of the ruins of*,
a noble city ; which was overwhelmed by it, and
has layn undifcovered about fixteen centuries and
an half. In taking this view, his memory will
be exercifed in recalling to mind all the real
tranfactions in this fcene, which he has found re
corded in hiftory ; his curiofity will be excited to
examine, with the niceft care, }ts prefent fitua
tion and condition ; and his imagination exerted,
in forming various ideas of its beauty and mag
nificence in its prpfperity, and of the confterna-
tion and confufion at the time pf its deftrudtion. Tho'
* This city was called Herculaneum or Hercula-
nium, not Herculanum, as it is corruptly read in the
common Editions of Cicero's Works. Dionysius HALir
carnassensis fays Lib. I. that it was built by Hercules,
at the haven where his fleet anchored, after his return from
Spain. According to Strabo Lib. V. it ftood upon a pro
montory, that run a good way into the fea : and lying open
to the fouth-weft had a very healthful fituation. Sisenna
tells us, that it ftood on a high place, between two rivers ;
Dionysius, that it had very fafe havens, at all feafons;
and Cluver, that thofe havens lay on each fide of the pro
montory. It belonged at firft, together with Pompaea, as
Strabo informs us, to the Ofcians, then to the Tyrrhenians
and Pelafgians, and afterwards to the Samnitians, who were
driven out by the Romans. It was about, fix miles from
Naples, near the place, where Torre del Greco ftands;
which village, as Cluver' affures us, is now fituated on a
promontory, that certainly extended farther into the fea,
before this eruption of Vefuvius ; which filled up the bay
on the north-eaft, adjacent to the promontory, with afhes
and ftones.

LETTER XXVIII. 165
Tho' according to your orders, Sir, I have
made the ftricteft inquiry, I can not meet with
any particular account of it, either in French or
Italian. You tell me, that * Signor Camillo
Paderni,
* In a Letter, written by Mr. Wi lliam Hammond from
Naples, Mar. 7. 1 73 1 -2. communicated to the Royal Society
by William Sloane, Efq; and publifhed in the Philofo
phical Tranfailions, N°. 456. the firft mention is made of the.
difcovery of this fubterraneous city : but it is very fhort
and imperfect, and has feveral miftakes. " At Refma
" about four miles from Naples, under the mountain,
ff within half a mile of the feaftde, there is a well in a poor
" man's yard ; down which about thirty yards there is a
" hole, which fome people have the curiofity to creep
" into, and may afterwards creep a good way under-ground,
" and with lights find foundations of houfes and ftreets :
?' which, by fome it is faid, was in the time of the Ro-
" mans a city called Aretina, others fay Port Hercules,
" where the Romans ufually embarked from for Africa. I
" have feen the Well, which is deep , and a good depth of
*' water at the bottom ; that I never cared to venture down,
" being heavy and the ropes bad." This account is not
given by Mr Hammond, as his own, but as tranfmitted to
him by his partner Mr. John Green : fo that the Author
is not known.
The next Account is in a Letter from Mr. George Kna p-
ton to his brother Mr. Charles, printed in NQ. 458. for
the months of Sept. Oil. Nov. and Dec. 1 740. part of which,
fliewing the manner of his going down into this new dif
covered city, here follows.
" Herculaneum is under a town called Portici, a quarter
" of a mile from the fea ; and has no other road to it, but
'' that of the town-well. An old man, living next door to the
" well, told me, that he was one of thofe employed in dig-
" ging there ; and that they began twenty feven years ago,
" and worked five years ; that the beft part of the Duke di
*' Belbofi's prefent eftate was found there : the moft princi-
f pal things were, two columns of oriental alabafter, which
" were fold for 50,000 ducats : they had found alfo many
f fine ftatues, the beft of which he fold, and fome he had
" fent to Lorrain. « At

1 66 LETTER XXVIII.
Paderni, and two of our own countrey-men,
have written fome Letters about it; Extracts of
which have been publifhed in the Philofophical
Tranfatlions : which I fhould have been very glad
to have feen. They would have been, I imagine,
of confiderable fervice to me, in preventing a
needlefs repetition of fome particulars, which no
doubt are there mentioned ; or in directing my
curiofity, and putting me upon a more accurate
examination of them.
When
" At our coming to the well, which is in a fmall fquare
" furrounded with miferable houfes, filled with miferable
" ugly old women, they foon gathered about us, wondring
" what brought us thither : but when the men who were
" with us, broke away the paltry machine, with which they
*' ufed to draw up fmall buckets of water, I thought we
" fhould have been ftoned by them : 'till perceiving one
" more furious than the reft, whom we found to be Padrona
" of the well, by applying a fmall bit of money to her, we
" made a fhift to quiet the tumult. Our having all the
" tackle for defending to feek, gave time for all the town
" to gather round us, which was very troublefom : for,
" when any one offered to go down, he was prevented
" either by a wife, or a mother ; fo that we were forced to
*' feek amotherlefsbatchelortogofirft. It being very dif-
" ficult for the firft to get in, the well being very broad, fo
" that they were obliged to fwing him in, and the people
" above making fuch a noife, that the man in the well could
" not be heard, obliged our company to draw their fwords,
" and threaten any one who fpoke with death. This caufed
" a filence, after which our guide was foon landed, who
" pulled us in by the legs as we came down.
'* The well is in fome parts very ftreight, in others wide,,
" and cut in a moft rude manner. Towards the bottom,
" where you go kito the city, it is very broad j which they
" made fo, to turn the columns, which were brought up.
•« The entrance is 8z feet from the top of the well: it is
*' large, and branches out into many ways.

LETTER XXVIII. 167
When about two years ago, in company. with
Mr. C. I made my firft vifit to this fuhterraneous
city, we defcended by the well, the digging of
which occafioned itsdifcovery -, and at our return.
from under-ground, we afcended by the fteps of
a theatre : but when I vifited it the fecond time,
we went down by the fteps, and returned the fame
way. Thefe fteps are feventy eight in number,
which brought us to the feats of the theatre j
which, from the uppermoft down to the area,
were thirty three. We walked near a mile and.
a half in the narrow paffages, which they have
dug, and are ftill digging, in order to make new
difcoveries. As one paffes along, one fees parts
of houfes, fluted pillars, broken ftatues, pedeftals,
&c. fome of which remain Handing upright in
their ancient fitiution ; but the reft, being thrown
down, in whole, or in part, lie in all the variety
of confufion that can be imagined. *********
It is with no fmall trouble, and not without
fome danger, that thefe wonderful antiquities are
viewed: the paffages are fo narrow, and the
earth and ftones on each fide, and over head, im
pend in fo threatening a manner, that one cannot
think ones felf intirely fecure from fome fatal ac
cident. Yet both the pains and the peril are much over-
* That part pf this relation, which is here omitted, is
fupplied by the following Letter, from another perfon ; which
contains a more particular and diftindt defcription, and came
accidentally i ito the Editor's hands.

1 68 LETTER XXVIIL
over-balanced by the pleafure and fatisfa&icn.
A pleafure, which, tho' it affects in a ferious and
melancholy manner; is not the lefs rational on
that account. A fatisfa&ion,- not unlike thaty
Which an intelligent perfon receives by feeing the
tombs in Weftminfter-abbey, or at S. Denis in
France ; or, to bring the comparifon ftill nearer^
fuch as he would receive, by defcending into the
vaults below, and there contemplating the poor
remains of fo many illuftrious perfons, who once
made fo great a figure in the world. Such con-
fiderations are of great fervice to all; efpecially
to thofe in lower flations ; and fhew the unrea-
fbnablenefs of repining, or being at- all uneafy, at
the common lot of all mankind.
But the vifiting of the fepulcre of fome famous
city affords both entertainment and confolation
in a ftill higher degree. In walking among the
ruins of this place; I could not but reflect upon
the populoufnefs of it; in the flourifhing ftate of
the Roman empire ; when large fleets were con^1
tinually failing from hence to Afric, and other
parts of the world, or returning hither laden with
the richeft fpoils. What hurry, what noife, what
fplendor and magnificence then! Now, what
quiet, what filence,what darknefs, and defolation !
— This put me in mind of Servi us Sulpicius'
eonfolatory letter to Cicero on the death of his
daughter; in which among other fine things he
fays i

LETTER XXVIIt. 169
fays : * " On my return from Afia, I began to
" contemplate the profpect of the countries
" round me: TEginawas behind, Megara before
" me ; Piraseus on the right ; Corinth on the
" left : all which towns* once famous and florifh-
" ing, now lie overturned* and buried in their
" ruins : upon this fight, I could not but think
" prefently within myfelf, alas ! how do we poor
" mortals fret and vex ourfelves, if any of our
" friends happen to die, or to be killed, whofe
*' life is yet fo fhort ; when the carcaffes of fo
" many noble cities lie here expofed before me
" in one view ? Why wilt thou not then com*
" mand thyfelf, Servius, and remember, that
" thou art born a man ? BelieVe me, I was not
" a little confirmed by this contemplation."
Such kind of contemplations feem more parti
cularly proper to confirm a traveller ; not onely
in refpect of his friends and acquaintance, whom
he may have left behind for feveral years ; but
likewife in refpect of himfelf, as expofed to fo
many dangerous accidents ; againft which if not
well fortified, he can meet with little or no fatif-
faction in his travels. Innocency of life, and de
pendence upon the Divine providence are, no
doubt, the beft and moft folid foundations of
fortitude againft all events. But, as no rational
perfon can be fo fondly partial to himfelf, as to
Vol. I. Z imagine*
* Ep. Fam. .'v. ;«

xyo LETTER XXVIII.
imagine, that the natural courfe of things fhould
be fufpended on his account -, the reflection upon
the fate of feveral cities may be of very great ufe.
And of the greater, if the city did not perifh by
a gradual decay, which may be called a natural
death ; but by one that was violent and fudden,
being overwhelmed and buried, as Herculaneum
was ; and perhaps many thoufands of perfons
with it, which was the cafe of Pompeii. How
inconfidcrable, how trifling, muft any impartial
man own the lofs of one fingle perfon to be, if
compared with that of a whole city ; and why
fhould he make an exception, in favour of him
felf, from being that fingle perfon ?
I have indulged my-felf the longer in expreff-
ing fome of my thoughts on this occafion, to
fhew you, Sir, that I have not intirely forgotten
your advice, That I fhould endeavour to form
proper reflections upon the extraordinary things
which I might fee abroad. And I was likewife
defirous to remove a prejudice, which, from the
conduct of too many of my profeflion, you may
be apt to entertain, That an application to paint
ing takes a perfon off from thinking, and by
difufe brings on a kind of incapacity for it. But
this ill confequence is only accidental ; and ought
not to be imputed to the art, but to the levity,
vanity, and folly of pretended or real artifts.
Few even of the latter have had the advantage of
fo

LETTER XXIX. i7i
fo good an education ; which I fhall always re
member, with gratitude 3| heaven, and to you :
and fhall never be fo fond of the character of a
mere painter, as to fuffer thofe fair outlines of
literature and religion, by you fo carefully drawn,
to be either defaced, or obfcured, by being filled
up with gaudy and falfe colours. Such, I know,
may glare a little for the prefent, but cannot pof-
fibly ftand the teft of futurity : for which, as a
rational creature, I own my-felf to be ambitious
of painting ; and hope, that this end will ever
be kept in view, by,
Honoured Sir,
Your moft obedient, &c.
LETTER XXIX.
BY the only book I have had to confuk on
this occafion, which is  Thefa,urus,
I find, that this town was anciently called Her,cu-
lanum > which is faid to have ftood juft where
this fubterraneous town is now ; that is, either in
the very fpot^ where the town Torre del. Greco
now is, or very near it, at the foot of mount,
Vefuvio.. What is now feen of it is not above
half an Englifh mile from thence, as, I take it :.
and, as it was in all likelihood a large place, it
may upon farther difcovery be found to extend
\tfelf to Torre del Greco,, and even, beyond it.
Z 2 Before

172 LETTER XXIX.
Before I give fuch a defcription of thofe re-
mains as I am able, it may be firft neceffary to
acquaint you, that, for fear of accidents, * the
paffages they have dug out (which have been
quite at a venture) are feldom higher, or broader,
than are neceffary for a man of my fize to pafs
ajong conveniently, This is the caufe, that you
have but an imperfect view of thefe things in
general ;
* Signor Camillo Paderni, in both his Letters to Mr,
Allen' Ramsay, complains of the mifmanagement in dig
ging thefe paffages, and in taking out the pidtures, and other
curiofities. In the firft, dated from Rome, Nov. 20. 1739.'
he fays: " Signor Gioseppe Couart tells me, they enter
" into this place by a pit, like a well, to the depth of eighty
" eight Neapolitan palms ; and then dig their way after the
" manner of the Catacombs, under the bituminous matter,
" thrown out of the mountain, and called by the people of
" the countrey the Lava, which is as hard as a flint. And
" when they meet with any thing that feems valuable, they
" pick it out, and leave the reft. But I am afraid, that after
" they have fearched, they throw the earth in again j by
" which means many curiofities may be loft, not being un-
" derftood by thefe labourers."
In his fecond Letter, Feb. 20. 1 740. he tells him : " After
" having gone a good way under ground, I arrived at the
" place in which the paintings had been difcovered, and
" where they are daily difcovering more. The firft miftake
" thofe men they call Intendants have committed, is, their
" having dug out the piftures, without drawing the fitua-
" tion of the place, that is, the niches where they ftood :
" for they were all adorned with Grotefques, compofed of
" moft elegant mafques, figures, and animals ; which, not
" being copied, are gone to deftruftion, and the like will
" happen to the reft. Then, if they meet with any pieces
" of painting not fo well preferved as the reft, they leave
" them where they found them. Befides, there are pillars
" of ftucco extremely curious, confifting of many fides, all
" varioufly painted ; of which they do not preferve the
" leaft

L E T T E R XXIX. 173
general ; and as thefe paffages are quite * a laby
rinth, there is no gueffing whereabouts you are,
after two or three turnings.
At the farther end of Portici, towards Torre
del Greco, you defcend by about 50 ftone fteps,
which convey you over the wall of f a theatre
lined with white marble ; which, if the earth and
rubbifh were cleared out of it, would, I believe,
be found to be very entire. By what is feen of
it, I do not imagine it to be much bigger than one
*' leaft memory  In a word, perceiving all thofe who are
" called Superintendants of this affair, wholly ignorant of
" what they are about, I began to fuffer in a very fenfible
*' manner; fo that every day appeared a month, 'till I
" fhould deliver my Letter, and fee what fuccefs it would
*' meet with. For had it fucceeded, I fhould have gone im-
" mediately, and drawn thofe things ; which, not being
" taken care of, tho' of great curiofity and erudition, will
" foon be deftroyed  However, as I could do no-
" thing more, and having a great concern for thofe fine
" things in a perifhing condition, I left them a paper of dj-
¦*' redtions how to manage. If they do not obferve them,
" the greater misfortune will be ours, to hear that what
*' time, earthquakes, and the ravages of the volcano have
" fpared, are now deftroyed by thole who pretend to have
" the care of them, &c." Cam. Pad.
" We found many ways filled up ; which they had done
" to fave the trouble of carrying out the earth. I obferVed,
*' that they had not gone near the bottom of the ruins, for
" fear, I fuppofe, of the fprings ; for in fome parts they
" feem to be as low as the water in the well." Knap.
* " We were forced to mark with chalk, when we came
" to any turning, to prevent lofing ourfelves." Knap.
-f I walked almoft all over the 1 heatre, which muft have
"been a fine one, being all incruftedwith marble; but that
is taken away, as faft as the earth is removed. The ftucco,
with which fome of the walls are covered, is the molt beau
tifully coloured of any \ ever faw. Anon.

174 LETTER XXIX.
one of our ordinary theatres in London. That
it was a theatre, and not an * amphitheatre, ap
pears, by a part of the fcene, which is plainly
diftinguifhed. It is, I think, of ftucco, adorned,
with compartments of grotefque work : of which,
and grotefque paintings, there are a great many,
fcattered up and down in the feveral parts of the
town. When you have left the theatre, you enter in
to narrow paffages, where, on one hand (for you
feldom or never can diftinguifh objects on each
hand at once) you have f walls lined, or crufted
over, fometimes with marble, fometimes with
ftucco ; and you have fometimes walls of bare
brick : but almoft throughout, you fee above and
about you, pillars of marble or ftucco, broken,
or crufhed, and lying in all forts of directions.
You fometimes fee plainly y the outfides of walls,
that have apparently fallen inward ; fometimes the
infides
«< * -phe part where t\xey are at WOrk muft have been a
" ftupendous building; and without doubt one may con-
" jefture it to have been an amphitheatre, by the circumfe-
" rence of the walls, and the large fteps which are ftill pre-
" ferved. But it is impoffible to fee the fymmetry of the
" whole, becaufe one muft travel through ftreight paffages
" like our Catacombs in Rome " Cam. Pad.
•J- " One fees the buildings were of brick covered with
" marble ; for I found no other fort of ftone there, but thin
" plates of marble of all forts in great quantity." Knap.
|| " The walls are fome tumbled flaming, others crofting
" them, and many are upright. One fees great quantities
" of marble, as bits of window-cafes and other ornaments,
" fticking out on all parts," Knap.

LETTER XXIX. r7$
infides of fuch as have apparently fallen outward ;
and fometimes the infides of buildings which
ftand directly upright : many of which, I dare
fay, would be found to be entire, as feveral have
in part already been found to be  To make
an end of the general defcription. You have all
the way fuch a confufion of brick, and tiles, of
mortar, and marble, in cornices, and frizes, and
other ornaments and members of buildings ; to.
gether with ftucco, beams, and rafters, and even
what feems to have been the trees which ftood in
the town, and blocks and billets for fewel, and
earth, and matter, which appears to have over'-
whelmed the whole place ; all fo blended, crufh-
ed, and as it were mixed together, that it is far
eafier to conceive than to defcribe. The ruin in
general is not to be expreffed.
Having given this general account, I fhall now
run over the moft remarkable particulars I faw,
juft as they occurr to me, without pretending to
order : for, as I have hinted already, it was im-
poffible for me to know in what order they ftood,
in refpect to each other.
I faw the infide of a rotund, which may have
been a temple. It is crowned with a dome ; it
may be about thirty feet in diameter : but I can't
pretend to be exact as to meafures ; for they will
admit of none to be taken. - - - - Near it, I faw the
lower

i76 LETTER XXIX.
lower part of a* Corinthian column, upon the
loftieft proportioned brick pedeftal I ever ob
ferved : and thereabouts fome very folid brick
buildings.  1 foon after paffed over what (by
the length we law of it) feemed to have been a
very neat Mofaic pavement.
In proceeding a little farther, we perceived our-
{"elves to be got into the infide of an houfe. The
rooms appear to have been but fmall : they are
lined with ftucco, and painted with a ground of
deep red, adorned with compartments, either of
whitei or a light yellow, and of fome' other co
lours, which our lights were not good enough to
make us diftinguifh. In thefe compartments,
were grotefque paintings of birds, beafts, mafques,
feftoons, &c.
Soon after, with fome difficulty, and by creep
ing up through a very narrow hole of loofe earth*
we got into an upper apartment of another houfe.
The floor was of ftucco ; and the earth and rub-
bifh was cleared away, from under a great part
of it. We ventured upon it, and found a room,
lined, and adorned in the manner juft now de-
fcribed,
* " There are no bafes or capitals of large columns ; two
" feet diameter is the moft. Captain Emmory brought away
" a fmall capital of a pilafter, which is very curious ; it be-
" ing much the fame as was ufed. by the Goths in Italy.
" This makes me think, that they revived the antient bar-
" barous ftyle, ufed before the introduction of the Greek,
•« for the capital. This is certainly more antient than the
" time of the Goths in Italy. It was the only one of the
" kind we faw there," Knap.

LETTER XXIX. 177
ftf ibedj drily it was rather richer : the deling is
painted in the fame manner, in the fame colour;
and with the fame ground of deep red; as the
fides. This room might have been ten or eleveri
feet high : but the danger of our fituation would
not permit us to do otherwife, than to get out of
it as foon as we could.
Shortly after; we were carried; by an eafy a-
fcent, into what feems to have been a principal
foom of fome great houfe. At the end of it^
there are three large buffets in the Wall ; all three
moft admirably painted; partly grotefque, and
parriy in perfpective, reprefenting * temples;
houfes; gardens, and the like; executed with the
greateft freedom, judgement and variety ; and
very much enlivened with the lighteft and moft
airy ornaments : and fo is the whole room, as fat
as can be feen, not excepting the roof, which
feems to have been a Hoping one ; and all the
Vol. I. A a lines
" * In the ruins underground, I faw feveral Pieces that
" were taking down ; particularly one fifteen feet wide, and
'• eight high : it confiftsof the front O'f a large temple, with
" buildings of the fame Architecture projecting on each fide,
" in the nature pf the wirigs of a houfe. There are two'
" houfes alfo adjoining to this temple, with windows divided
" into fquares ; which fquares are painted of a greyifh co-
" lour. I will not pretend t6 fay, this is to reprefent glafs,
" becaufe I believe we have no authority for it in any Au-
" thor of. antiquity : but I tell you the fail as it is ; and a-
'' mong the Virtuofi of your acquaintance you may find out
" the meaning. 1 muft obferve to you, that in this Archi-
" tectiire the Perfpective is very exadt ; which one may jm.'ge
" of with a good deal of certainty in thofe wings which
" project. The Architecture is very rich and noble." Cmspi,

,78 LETTER XXIX.
lines of the compartments of the painting feerrl
to lead to fome ornament, that muft have been
in the centre of the top. I muft not omit, that
between the compartments there is continually a
palm tree reprefented in fo very grotefque a man
ner, that 1 think it is one of the moft pleafing or
naments I ever faw. What may be the height,
or length, or breadth of this room, one cannot
form any probable conjecture : for by the buffets
it appears, that there is a good depth to be dug
out, to get at the floor -, and they have not clear
ed away above five feet, I think, of that one end
of it, of which I have been giving fome account.
We afterwards paffed through fome ordinary
rooms, belonging to the fame houfe ; and through
the infide of fome other houfes, feeming of lefs
note.  Of the infides in general I fhall only
fay, they are commonly painted of a deep red ;
fometimes plain, and fometimes adorned with fi
gures, &c.  It feemed to me twice or thrice,
as we paffed along, that we turned the corners of
ftreets. Twice I paffed by the fronts of houfes,
as I thought ; and once particularly by the front,
as it feemed, of fome * very large publick edi
fice, with very broad fluted pilafters of ftucco. But
* " There feem to be, in one place, the ruins of fome
w magnificent building, which they have dug round ; for
" there appear the bafes in white marble of fquare and round
4< columns, which are all of a fize; and, what is furprizing, they

LETTER XXIX. 179
But nothing is more extraordinary relating to
this placq, than what is demonftratively evident
to have been the cataftrophe of it.  That it
was partly deftroyed by the eruption of the mount
ain, can never be doubted -, and in the following
manner. Firft, it was fet on fire by burning mat
ter ; and by the time it was in flames, it was over.
whelmed, and the fire fmothered. You' will be
convinced of this by what I am going to obferve.
I have taken notice, that there are every where *
great quantities of beams, rafters, trees, &c. fcat
tered up and down : all thefe are burnt to as fine
and perfect a charcoal, as ever I faw. The very
largeft of the beams are burnt to the heart, tho'
their form be perfectly preferved -, infomuch,
that in all which I examined, I could perceive the
very ftroke of the ax, or other tool, with which
A a 2 they
" they have not examined whether they have any columns
" on them, which one ftroke of the pick -ax would have
'¦' done. I fcraped away the earth at the fide of the bafe of
«* a pilafter, and found the wall covered with a very beauti .
** fuTmarble, but could not reach to difcover what was on
«' the top of it. There are but two columns that appear, one
«' of red marble, and the other of brick covered with ftucco,
•« and fluted." Knap.
* " It gives one a perfect idea of a city deftroyed in that
" manner. For one there fees great quantities of timber in
*' the form of beams and rafters, fome lying one way, fome
" another; fome, as they broke in the fall, others intire:
" thefe are flicking in the fides of the ways, and are become
« a perfeft charcoal ; but thofe in moid places, and where
" the water oufes, you may run your hand into, and woik
tf like a pafte, and they have more the colour of rotten
" wood." Knap.

x8o LETTER XXIX.
they were hewn, or fhapen. That the town was
burnt, is as plain, as that it was overwhelmed.
— - Now, if it had continued burning any time,
all the beams, &c would have been reduced to
afhes, or at leaft have been quite defaced : where
as, by the fire's bring fiiddenly frnothered, , they
became perfect charcoal. This feems to have
been the cafe of that part of it, which is as yef
difcovered. That this deftruction was effected by two fuch
violent accidents, the one coming fuddenly upon
the back of the other, is much more natural, than
to fuppofe, that it was burnt by the fame matter
which overwhelmed it. For, if that had been the
cafe, I cannot conceive, how the paintings could
have been preferved fo frefh, or indeed at all : nor
can it be conceived, that there fhould not appear
fome marks of burning upon the walls, marble,
&c. but there is hitherto no fuch thing to be ob
ferved ; nor does there feem to be any fort of com-
buftible fubftance mixed with the earth and rub-
bifh. Both above and below, the whole appears
to have been buried in * commpn earth, which could
* " But what is moft curious, is to fee thefe paintings all
" covered with earth, which when taken off, they appear to
" have fuffered nothing by it. I believe this may be ac-
" counted for, by there being no damp or moifture in the
" place ; and that the dry earth has been rather prefervative,
" than hurtful to them. I have feen there a place, where
" anciently the;- kept lime Ibr building ; a great quantity of
" which

LETTER XXX. 181
could not naturally have any fhare in burning the
town.  SO that it is highly probable, that it
was overwhelmed by fome extraordinary effects
of an earthquake, which happened at the fame
time ¦, and not by burning matter thrown from
the mountain. That it was fired by fuch matter,
cannot well be doubted j but that it was buried by
the fame, appears evidently not to have been the
cafe. But in whatever manner the fate of this
town was brought upon it, it feems to have been
as dreadful a one, as could be inflicted in nature.
I fhall trouble you only with one obfervation
more, which is, that the inhabitants feem to have
had fome dreadful warning to forfake it : for in
digging above a mile and half, computing the
feveral turnings and windings, they have as yet
found but one dead body.
LETTER XXX.
To Mr. R.
Hohoured Sir, Rome, Nov. 20. 1742. N, S.
IT is fome time, fince I promifed to fend you
fome few Remarks upon a Pamphlet in 1 zmo.
intitled, A fhort Account of a late Journey to Tuf-
cany,
" which yet remains as frefh as if made but yefterday. Cam.
« pAD —One fees nothing but pure earth mixed with thefe
" rujns ; whereas the furface of all that part of the countrey,
" quite to the fea, is covered with the cinders of Vefuvius."
Ksap.

182 LETTER XXX.
cany, Rome, and other parts of Italy. London*
printed in the year mdccxli. &c. Price one fil
ling : which, upon fecond reading, raifed in me
more pity and contempt, than refentment and
difpleafure. Infomuch, that had I not given my
word to fay fomething of it ; inftead of taking
the trouble of reading it through a third time*
and tranfcribing any part of it ; I fhould onely
have read it leaf by leaf, as occafion required ; and
having ufed it in the propereft manner, fhould
have joined it to the propereft company, in order
to its final Exit, through the Cloaca Maxima, in
to the Tiber.
I fhall give thefe Gentlemen no interruption in
their journey through Tufcany, but fhall enter
with them " the Campagna di Roma, otherwife
" called The Bad Plain of Rome:" where, they
fay, " the air is fo infectious, than in thofe years
" when they open the ground, numbers of peo-
" pie die with the infection even at Rome ; and
" many of thofe that reap the corn drop down
«' dead while they are at work. In the fpring
" they juft open the furface of the ground to
" throw in the feed ; and in the harveft they on-
" ly cut off -the ears, not daring to floop near the
" ground." p. 17. 1 8. Everyone, who has tra
velled through this Plain, and is toiling through
this Pamphlet, muft needs be much furprized at
this falfe and ridiculous account, 'till they get to
the

LETTER XXX. 183
the next page ; and then their wonder will wear
off: for there thefe Brethren inform us, " that
" being ftrangers to that air, they found them-
" felves a little out of order, and as it were in a
" maze." p. 19.
They fay, p. 24. " The Nobility and princi-
" pal Clergy have moft of their feats and retiring
" places at Tivoli, Ronciglione, and other towns
** among the mountains beyond the Bad Plain,
" to which they retire during the hot feafon."
The ancient Romans, indeed, ufed to do fo ; but
the moderns act quite contrary, and return from
Tivoli, Frefcati, &c. to Rome, before the Dog-
days begin. The reafon is, becaufe it is reckoned
dangerous for one who has refided conftantly at
Rome for a confiderable time, to change his
lodgings and lye in the Campania, during the
months of July and Auguft, tho' he may do fo
fafely enough in the winter.
P. 21. " We went about two miles before we
" came to the city gates, between two very high
" walls and other ancient buildings." Thefe very
high walls are fo low, that if there had been any
ancient buildings, they muft have been eafily feen :
but there is really not one fuch building, all the
way, either on the right hand, or on the left ; un-
lefs two or three old ruinous inns are to be dig
nified with the venerable name of ancient build
ings.- --But, in walking at their leafure after
wards,

184 LETTER XXX.
Wards, they very curioufly " obferved thefe wall*
" had belonged to gardens, and had many opert
" niches, from whence the pofleffors of them
" were wont to view the paffengers, who no'
" doubt were very numerous in the time of the
" Old Romans; and even before and fometime
"* after the Reformation/' p. 22.
Tho' the latter part of this wife Obfervation, fo'
very oddly ex-preffed, if flrictly examined, would
plainly appear to be nonfenfe ; I fhall however
take it in the fenfe originally intended,- which, as
I apprehend, muft certainly be this. That the
paffengers were very numerous in the time of the
Old Romansi either under the republic, or the
empire, and even down fo low as not long before
and fometime after the Reformation. Thus thefe
Young Painters, in walking thro' thofe avenues,
by dint of a ftrong imagination, drew in their own
minds a very extraordinary picture, viz. of Old
Roman gentlemen and ladies; in their gardens, by
way of diverfion, peeping at the crowd of paf
fengers through the open niches of walls, many
hundreds of years before they were erected. For
k is certain, that thefe walls are in a modern tafte$
having been built not above fifty Or fixty years.
Had thefe gentlemen, inftead of the very fmall
Englifh Bible in two volumes^ which they take par
ticular care to inform us, p. 23. they kept in their
pockets all the time they were abroad, taken the
twer

LEttfeR XXX. 185
iwb volunies of R\oma Antiqua et Mbdtrna foi"
their companions on this occafion; they could
not poffibly have ftUmbled on fo ridiculous an
ariaChrOnifm; iff the Very beginning of their walks^
They fay, p. 25. 26. " Of the fourteen flu-
*' pendous Aqueducts; with which Rome was
" formerly fuppliedwith water, we obferved on*
*' ly three remaining; and thefe broken in many
'* places, Which have been repaired in fome parts,
*' and in others fupplied with leaden pipes. They
" are continued rows of vaft arches about fixty
" foot high} oVer which runs a channel of water
" like a fmall river, conveyed from the lakes and
" fountains at the foot of the Apennines, for the
" fpaee of thirty or thirty five miles." But this
t)bfervation does not agree Very exactly with' the
account given in the Ptefate\ p. 3. " TheCoun-
** try round about Rome, which Was once the
«' garden of the Univerfe, lyes now almoft en-
^ tirely uncultivated; the ait being infected by
" the decay of thofe ftupendotis Aquseducts; by
«' Which the ftreams of the Alps were convey-
" ed to Rome : five of thofe out of feven are
" noW in ruin." In the former account, they
make fourteen AqueduStt, and only three remain~
ing % in the latter; no more than feven, and but
two remaining. According to the one, the wa
ter Was conveyed only from the foot of the Apen
nines : but according to the other, the ftreains
Vol. L B b of

186 LETTER XXX.
of the Alps themfelves rtere conveyed to Rome. Moj
dern Rome, it is true, is fupplied with water by
only three of the fourteen ancient aquedufts ; of
which thofe that were extended to the greateft
length, were the Aqua Claudia and the Anienes
novus ; the former bringing the water thirty eight
miles, and the latter fourty two. What autho
rity, then, excepting that of travellers, had thefe
pious Brethren, with their fmall Englifh Bible in
their pockets, to endeavour to make us believe,
that the Old Romans conducted even to Rome
the ftreams of the Alpes ; which are above two
hundred miles beyond the fartheft extent of the
longeft of their aqueducts ?
After many obfcure incoherent Remarks, for
fix or feven pages together, upon the buildings
of Rome, where the fronts of almoft all the.
Churches, they fay, p. 29. appear dry and infipid,
and foon tire a turious and intelligent fp eclat or ¦;¦
they have the prefumption to criticize upon a
pillar, which is juftly efteemed one of the moft
beautiful in the world, and ftands before the
church of S. Maria Maggiore, with the figure of
the Virgin Mary on the top of it. This figure
they fay, p. 34. " is the image of the woman
" mentioned in the Revelations, cloathed with the
" fun, which they [the Italians, erroneoufly it
" feems,] have thought fit to flyle the Virgin
«' Mary. This column, they obferve, is larger
*' above

Let t e r xxx. i87
" above than below, the Architect having had a
" notion that it would work the right effect ; but
" herein he was much miftaken, not confidering
" that when one removes to fome diftance, by
" the diminifhing of the object, the upper part
*' comes almoft as near the eye as the lower, and
*' the -perfect form of the object, is plainly
" feen." But how curious foever thefe Spectators
might be, it is certain they were not very intelli
gent. Otherwife they would have known, that
this pillar was not, as they wildly imagine, ori
ginally defigned for the area, in which it ftands ;
but * was taken from the ancient temple of Peace
built by Vespasian, of which there are three vaft
arches ftill remaining in the Campo Vaccino. In
the nave of which temple it formerly ftdod,
where it could be viewed only at a fmall diftance
from the pedeftal ; and confequently, to make it
feem proportionable to the eye, it was requifite
that it fhould be thicker towards the top than at
the bottom. Hence it is evident, that the notion
which the Architect had was right ; and that our
critics, w>t fufficiently confidering the matter, were
herein much miftaken.
" One day, fay they, p. 41. while we were
" 7 drawing a view of the city, two Gentlemen
B b 2 " obferving
* See page. 84.
•f The way of draining praftifed by one of thefe Artifts
w:is very extraordinary, and I fuppofe invented by himfelf;
' Hi

188 LETTER XXX.
c< obferving the fine profpe£t, faid. Ah! they
ce may draw it, for it makes as beautiful a Defign
" as ever ; making a kind of lamentation over
*' it, as if it were nothing now in comparifon ef
*c what it had been formerly." If it were nothing
now like what it had been formerly,, how could it
poffibly make as beautiful a Defign as ever? Or
how could thefe two Gentlemen affirm this, upon
obferving the fine profpeil, and at the fame time,
make fuch a kind of lamentation ? Afld how
could thefe Two Brothers give this lamentable ac
count of the profpect, when, in the very page be
fore, they had faid, " Rome makes a very grand
" and magnificent appearance, becaufe of the
" great number of churches and palaces, which
'* are of an exorbitant height, and the many lofty
*' domes, the feveral afcentsand defcents of hills,
" with the intermixture of gardens, adorned with
" cyprefs and pine-trees, which affords beautiful
" views or profpeets in almoft all parts of the
" city ?'* And it is certain, that in tiiis, refpect
the profpect is much improved of late years, there
having been many fumptuous buildings raifed, and
He firft fpred his paper upon the ground, and then turning
his back-fide towards the object to be drawn, lie ftood bolt-
tipright, and looking every now and then over each fhoulder,
fcratched down his defign with a tocca lapis, on which ac
count his pencil was as long as himfelf : and therefore, if
any man is to be efteemed courageous according to the length
of his fword ; this ingenious perfon has certainly a right to
the title of a great Defigner.

LETTER XXX. i86
and fever.al are now railing : particularly a moft
magnificent fountain, called Fpntana diTreva;
a new and grand facade making to the church of
S. Maria Maggiore •, arid many palaces, convents,
&c. building. From hence it is highly probable,
that our authors did not underftand what thefe
Two Gentlemen, faid, who I fupppfe fppke in Itar
Uan i of which language, as I fhall fhew by and
by, they, fieem. to have very little knowledge.
But it will perhaps, be anfwered, that the la
mentation, which was made, was not on the ac
count of the decay in the buildings, &c. on which,
even according to their own words, the profpefi?
chiefly depends, but on the account of their being
thin of inhabitants, &c. as they mention after
wards. If this was their meaning, it is certain,
that they knew not how to exprefs ft: for the
words are, " Two Gentlemen, obferving the
*' fine ProfpeS, faid, they may draw it, for it
*' makes  lamentation over it, as if it
" were nothing now, in. comparifon of" what it
*e had been formerly." Thefe five its can re
fer to nothing but the City, which made the
fine Profpecl1. From whence it is- evident, that
they do not underftand their own native tongue
much better than Italian*.
But taking it, as perhaps they meant it, and
as it foon fallows in the fame page, " That fe-
*' veral perfons. we eonverfed1 with afterwards *' were

i9o LETTER XXX.
*' were complaining, that Rome was very much
'* gone to decay within thefe 14 or 1 5 years paft ;
" as indeed may plainly be feen, even by ftrangers
«e who refide but a little while among them. And
'* fetting afide the Clergy and Nobility, the reft
" are for the moft part miferably poor." Now
by me, who have refided among them almoft
thefe three years, this has not been feen plainly,
nor even at all : for I could never perceive this
miferable poverty among the people. For tho'
the government be abfolute, and the Nobility and
Clergy, out of policy, keep the people under as
abfolute dependance on them as they can ; yet you
never hear of any fuch exorbitant and unreafona-
ble taxes, as you have in other countries, where
you pretend to fo much liberty and property.
P. 42. fpeaking of the Paper Bills and Notes
at Rome, they fay, ** the fmalleft of which is
" five Crowns." But how does this agree with
what isafferted in the Preface, p. 3. " To change
" a Piftole in a fhop, ypu muft buy half the va-
" lue in goods, and take the reft in feveral Bank
" notes, each of the value of Half a crown fter-
tl ling ?" Silver money is certainly very fcarce -,
and therefore there is no occafion to make it
fcarcer by falfehoods and contradictions.
If the Romans, as they tell us p. 43. make a
great noife about their Hofpitals, I affure you,
they have reafpn. • Ar^d fetting afide the gveat
numbar

L E TTE R XXX, tgi
number of public Hofpitals, they are generally
very charitable to all objects that prefent them
felves.  1 wifh thefe Gentlemen, who depre
ciate this kind of charity, had fhewed a little
more of another fort. Not content with putting
the worft conftruction upon every thing faid or*
done here, they have related feveral things in
tirely falfe : as particularly p. 45. " Formerly
" the Popes ufed for a chaftifement of the Jews4
" once a year to bring forth the oldeft Woman
" among them into a publick , market-place,
" where they caufed her to be fawed in two : but
" fince the Reformation in the Proteftant coun-
" tries has opened people's eyes, and rendered
" fuch barbarities odious, the Pope has com-
" pounded the matter for a large fum of money,
" and giving [given] a fictitious Woman fluff-
" ed with figs and wine, to be fawed in two as
46 the other, and worried in pieces. by thepopu-
" lace. This was' done while, we were there."
They fpeak with as much affurance, as if they
had feen it, tho' they do nOtfay they had. I was
there at the fame time with them, and never
heard the leaft fy liable either.of the old barbarous
ftory, or of the modern ridiculous practice. If I
had, F fhould have certainly gone to the f'ublic
market-pkce to fee fo great a curiofity, as afitli-
tious old woman fluffed with figs and wine,, firft
fawed in two, and then worried in pieces, by thefe fad

i$* LETTER XXX\
fad dogs the populace. When one meets with a
page fluffed with fuch a ftory as this; barely to
repeat it, fhews it to be as fictitious as this old
woman, and fit only to be credited by a real one*
They affirm p; 46. that the " Clergy are three
" to one of the Laity, and that their dreffes are
" fo various, that the whole place looks like a
" continual mafquerade." In this Obfervation;
fomewhat of archnefs feems to be aimed at : but
the preceding affertion is fo extravagantly falfe,
that, for want of a proper drefs, it is not even a
lie in mafquerade : as will plainly appear from
what follows. - - - -P. 48. " The Nunneries [mean-
" ing Nuns] here are not quite fo mean as at
" Florence, but are kept very clofe and retired 3
*' and fuch numbers are fhut up in thefe and the
" Hofpitals, that one fees but few women in the
*' ftreets in comparifon of the men* of whom
" thofe Monks, Friars, Priefts, and Abbati, are
" far the greater number." How true this is;
may be judged from the account publifhed yearly,
by which it appears, that out of 64,745 females;
but 1950 are Nuns; which is not a thirty third
part 5 and that the number of males is 81,265;
of whom 64 are Bifhops, 2854 Priefts* and 3727
Frati. or Monks, making in all 6645; which is
not a twelfth part : tho' thefe gentlemen made j wft
now three clergy-men- to one lay-man.

LETTER XXX. i93
But they improve in their natural ftrain, in
this, and the following page. " There are three
" colleges for the Englifh, Scots, and Irifh ....
" The fcholars are taken in young, and after they
" have paffed thro' the ordinary fludies, are fent
" to the Jefuits college ; from whence, fuch as
" are qualified for miffionaries, are fent over to
" Britain and Ireland. We were told, that Rome
«' has always about 2000 miffionaries among
*' us." And believed it; which they could not
have done, but by a credulity, which would in
duce them to believe any thing that tended to
promote the out-cry againft Popery. For the
compleat number of the Englifh college is but
thirty, of which at prefent there are only twenty .
that of the Scotch, no more than nine, of which
even three are now wanting : and none but that
of the Irifh is full, who have always kept up their
number, which is likewife but nine. So that out
of thefe three colleges, which, if full, as they
fcarce ever are, have but 48 fcholars, comes a
conftant fupply of 2000 miffionaries, who re-
fide always among us, to propagate the Catholic
Faith. They who can believe this, do not reject
tranfubftantiation becaufe it is impoffible ; but
becaufe it is a Popifh doctrine.
Tho' it be too true, that churches here are
fanctuaries for murderers, &c. p. gg. it is not
true, that " Many are the murders that are com-
Voh. I. C c " mitted

i94 LETTER XXX.
" mitted in the ftreets of Rome, becaufe, except
" in the time of Carnivals and high feflivals, no
" light is to be feen all over the city after dufk ;
" and they who have occafion to go abroad at
" that time, run the hazard of being affaffinated."
For it is known to all, who refide here any time,
that no city in Europe is better guarded, and
freer from robberies than this : fo that one may
walk all night through the ftreets, without the
leaft moleftation. Indeed, if you happen to have
a quarrel with any one, then there is fome danger
of being affaflinated : for the Romans are fo re
vengeful as feldom to forgive, and will feek all
ways to difpatch you. But if you take care not
to give any juft caufe of offence, you may live
here, with as much fecurity, as in any other city
in the world.
Having hitherto taken notice of fome of the
chief blunders and falfehoods, felected out of a
great many, within the compafs of thofe few
pages, which contain their account of Rome ; I
may juftly fuppofe, that there are as many pro
portionably in their account of Florence ; of
which I fhall therefore mention only one inftance.
At p. 65. 66. they tell us they were " prefent at
" the execution of a man at Florence for mur-
" dering his wife. As foon as he was taken
" down, they opened his veins, received his
" blood into feveral veffels, and diftributed it in
*6 large

LETTER XXX." 195
" large glafsfuls, to fuch as were afraid of apo-
" plectick fits, &c. Afterwards his body was
" divided into four quarters, and nailed to the
" gallows; to which feveral beggars reforted,
" and took their ftands every day, begging alms
*' for the fake of this malefactor, whom, from
<c all the ftrange apparatus that had been made
" about his execution, they imagined to be a
" Saint." That thefe beggars begged alms for
the fake of this malefablor, I fhatl notdenie ; but
then it muft be for his fake, as thefe alms were
** contributions towards prayers for the deliver-
" ance of his foul out of purgatory ;" which I
mentioned to beufual on a like occafion, in * one
of my Letters to the Doctor. Could they pof-
fibly, in begging alms for themfelves, in order to
move people's compaffion, importune them for
the fake of a Saint, who had been juft executed
for mtirdering his wife ? If they imagined him to
be a Saint, they certainly went farther than thefe
gentlemen tell us ; and offered up their prayers
to him, and payed a particular refpect to his
reliques, that were nailed to the gallows. — _
But how could fuch an imagination come into
their heads ? Why, from all the ftrange apparatus
that had been made about his execution : part of
which ftrange apparatus was, that" Two of the
" Fraternity of the Mifericordia, when he was
" in
* Letter XVI. page 61.

196 LETTER XXX.
" in the agonies of death, climbed up upon the
" gallows, holding up the picture of the Ma-
" donna or Virgin Mary with a crucifix, and
" bawling aloud in his ears." If they could
look upon this, or any other circumftance here
particularized, as an intimation of his faintfhip,
tho' every one feems to be a ftrong indication of
finner-fhip ; they might as reafonably imagine all
murderers in general, that are conducted decent
ly to the gallows, to be Saints. But thefe beg
gars were I fuppofe, fome of thofe " Country
" people that Came from the mountains about
" Rome, whom they often ufed to hear fwearing
" by the body of the great god Bacchus, and
" by the reft of the Heathen gods," p. 62. and
thus their Saints and their Gods were very pro*
perly futed to one another.
I pafs now to the fhort Postscript, confifting
only of two pages ; for the fake of publifhing
which, it is very probable, all the preceding
eighty four were printed. Which puts me in
mind of a fight, which now and then formerly
diverted me in London,, when I was a boy ; a
little cart, loaded with fand or filth, and dragged
along by a ftring of four or five lean affes ; with
two fittle^ dirty carters, leading and driving
them on. « As

LETTER XXX. 197
" As we were viewing the mafquerade, Which
" paffed along the Corfo, we obferved a crowd
" of people gazing up at a balcony : Upon en-
" quiring into the meaning of it, one of the fpec-
" tators, pointing to the balcony, faid, Don't
(C you fee the King! upon afking What King ?
* ' he feemed to be in great furprize, calling out
*' to the company -, Quefti due non conofci il Re
" di Inglitera ! Thefe Two don't know the King
" of England! Then they began to harangue in
<{ his praife, and told us that he was Ilfantiffimo
" Viro! A moft holy Man ! and was kept out of
" his dominions by the Heretics. He feemed to
" have a meagre melancholy afpect, was dreffed
,c in a French grey fuit, with a long wig, and
" his hat flouched over his face ; a young cour-
" tezan, about feventeen or eighteen years of
" age, was very familiar with him, toying and
" playing, and every now and then clafping her
" arms round his walle." That kings, either
merely titular, or real, or even cardinals fhould
have their whores, is not impoflible, nor perhaps
improbable : but that they fhould choofe to con-
verfe with them in a balcony, in the fight of a
crowd of people, is not quite fo likely. And
that the people, upon feeing a whore toying and
playing with fuch a perfon, and every now and
then clafping her arms round his wafte, fhould at
that inftant, in admiration of his fanctity, crie out

lgS LETTER XXX.
out A moft holy Man ! has ftill lefs probability.
---But how did our Two fanctified Brethren
know, that this young girl of feventeen or eighteen
was a Courtezan ? Might fhe not be fome young
lady of quality j or a niece of oneoftheSaw
Cardinals ? Was it by their own knowledge, that
they became acquainted with her trade ; or by
the information of the fpectators ; who, beginning
to harangue in his praife, among other things
faid, There is a moft holy man, with a whore ?
- — But whatever thefe people faid, it is certain,
¦ that our Two Travelers only gueffed at their
meaning. For tho' they give themfelves airs, as
if they underftood Italian very well, by having
difcovered the nonfenfe of a Sermon in praife of a
Saint p. 53. yet it is evident, from the two fhort
fentences pretended to be fpoken on this occafion,
which are the onely two they have ventured at
throughout their whole book, that they are ex
tremely ignorant of that language -, having re
prefented this crowd of people as fpeaking fuch
Italian, as no Roman ever fpoke. Quefti due non
cinofci il Re di Inglitera ; inftead of conofcono il
Re d'Inghilterra: and II fantijfimo Viro, for Un
HuSmo fantiffimo.
And this naturally carries me back to the Pre'
face, where thefe two fentences are put into the
mouths of Five hundred people -, when it is moral
ly certain, that not one of them did fpeak in fuch
a dialed.

LETTER XXX. i99
a dialect. In this Preface, the fole reafon affigned
for publifhing " this Account after fo many other
*' relations, is the manner in which it is written.
" The Authors, it is faid, are two young perfons,
«* who went to Italy to improve themfelves in
" painting; and they have reprefented every
*' thing in fo lively a manner, that you will ima-
" gine you fee fo many pictures : the entrance
" into the Campagna di Roma from Tufcany is a
" perfect landfkip, &c." If thefe Travelers wrote
this Preface themfelves ; they have given a much
livelier picture of their own conceitednefs, than
of the countrey. If it was written by Mr. A. B.
at whofe defer e they fay p. i. they " have drawn
" out this fhort Review of what occur'd in their
" Travels," it is a ftrange inftance of the blind-
nefs of prejudice, in recommending a moft il
literate and falfe reprefentation both of perfons
and things. But be it written by whom it will,
it proceeds in the ftile of one that carries a raree-
fhow at his back : Here you will behold, and by
and by you will fee. But what are the fine fights
we fhall behold and fee? Why thefe two : A thou
fand horfes, mules, and affes fprinkled with Holy
Water, Sec. and A titular Monarch, a Lady of
pleafure, &c. the defcription of both which fights
take up onely five pages at the latter end of the
book. As thefe are pointed out as the chief things
worthy obfervation, one may juftly conclude, that
thefe,

200 LETTER XXXI.
thefe, particularly one of them, were the chief
occafion of publifhing the book. And if this was
the cafe, Mr. A. B. muft furely have had a head
as oddly turned, as thofe of his Two Authors, to
imagine, that a Courtezana, or Lady of pleafure,
could be permitted to appear in fuch company,
in fo public a place. But if he, Sir, as you tell
me you have been well informed, not onely re
commended this Short Account to the world, but
was likewife at the expence of printing it ; it
may be juftly fufpedted, that he was then, or
would be foon,*properly qualified for the college
in Moorfields ; where onely fuch a lively manner
of reprefenting every thing can be admired, and fo
falfe a one, believed.
Tho' I fear, Sir, I have tired your patience,
by my prolixity, yet I am in hopes you will rea
dily excufe it ; fince it proceeded from an earneft
defire of giving you the fuller fatisfaction, in the
performance of a promife, long fince made by,
Honoured Sir, Your moft obedient, &c.
LETTER XXXI.
To Mr. W. R.
Dear W. Rome, Jan. 3. 1743. N.S.
AS my Father infifted upon an immediate
Anfwer to his Latin Letter, I thought my- felf
• This foon afterwards proved aftually to be the cafe.

Letter xxxi 2at
felf obliged at any rate fo obey his cbmmands j
tho' the fear of being too late for the Poll gives
me no time to examine nicely, in order to difco1
ver the feveral errors ih the lines above- writtem
If he fhould wonder, how I could find time to fill
up the much larger part of this paper with Eng
lifh ; I anfwer; that I find norifenfe much more
fluent in .my mother tongue : and. I know I can
make more free With you, Who have had many a
lyg by the ear; as well as my-felf; for making falfe
concords ; for which reafon, I don't doubt that
you will caft a favourable eye upon the follow-4
ing unconnected occurrences; fcribbled down*
juft as each of them came uppermoft.
The laft gentleman you fent us hither is turned
put a fine fpark. He pretended to be a Proteft'antj
and as ftich was received into our acquaintance
and familiarity; and went to praters with us : but;
as unluckily for him; as luckily for us; he hap
pened to drop a paper, which contained his moft ,
fecret fins; For you muft know; that he was real
ly a Papift ; and had fo long omitted going to
coofeffion; that the priefts refufed to give him ab-
fplution, unlefs he would write down; to the beft
pf his remembrance; all the fins he hadcommit-
ed. You may eafily imagine, what a long black
fcrpll the paper that fell into our hands Contained.
Upon which, We accufed him of his unfair deal
ing *, but he ftoutly denied the charge, and dif-
Vot, I» D d owned

zoa LETTER XXXI.
owned his religion. However; he foon after fe-
cretly conveyed away his trunks, &c. and is gone
the Lord knows whither : fome fay, a pilgrimage
to Loretto, by way of penance for his fins ; o-
thers, that he is retired into a convent, to be ini
tiated into the bleffed myfteries of Monkifm.
About a month fince, a woman was hanged for
murdering her fon. Not one of her fex having
been executed in a public manner, for above three-
fcore years •, curiofity brought a prodigious con-
courfe of females together. The poor hangman,
whether out of fear of the Roman Amazons, or
touched with an unfeafonabletendernefs, perform
ed his office in fo bungling a manner, that he was
fent to the galleys, fornotunderftanding his trade.
Here has been, for this month paft, the moft
extraordinary weather I ever faw in my life, it
having rained almoft inceffantly. So that we
may fay, as truely and literally, as Horace did
formerly, Vidimus fiavum Tiberim, retortis
Littore Etrufco violenter undis :
and, I believe, to as great a degree ; over-floWi
ing its banks in a prodigious manner, and carry
ing all before it* It was a very furprizing and
difmal fight, to fee a vaft flood come pouring
down with the greateft rapidity •, and bringing
along with it flocks of fheep, and the poor fhep-
herds who attended them.
We

LETTER XXXI. 203
We have had a ftrange mad fellow amongft us,
one George Hutchinson, a weaver, ortaylor
by trade,. who lately came from Ireland, by God's
command, as he fays, ta convert the Pope. Tho*
a Prefbyterian by profeffion, he went conftantly
to the Proteftant chapel here : but all the argu
ments that were ufed could not convince him of
the vanity, of his undertaking ; and perfuade him
to return to his family, which he has left ftarving
at home. He afferted, that the Pope was the
Whore of Babylon •, and that her worfhipers, if
they did not repent, would be deftroyed within a
year. He preached mightily againft ftatues, pic
tures, umbrellas, bag-wigs, and hoop-petticoats :
fo that I came under his cenfure •, and he advifed
me very earneftly, not to follow a bufinefs that
promoted idolatry. Which, for my comfort, he
affured me, I fhould not long do :. for. he pro-
phefied, that 1 fhould he converted at laft, and
be rendered a faithful fervant of the Lord, by he-
ing made Clerk (I wifh he had faid Chaplain) ,
to Mr. ..... who is to be a Bifhop in the city of
Jerufalem. This prophet, having made a great
disturbance at S. Peter's, when his Holynefs came
to give the benediction, has been feized, by his
order, and fent out of fight,
This brings to my mind the, cafe of my poor
friend Johnny ; whom, as I was lately informed,
an. evil Spirit, or dark Angel, has clapped up cloie
D d 2 prifoner

204 LETTER XXXI.
prifoner in an inchanted caftle : I am really forry
for his misfortune, and hope lie wiU foon regain,
his liberty. His cafe affects me the more fenfibly-
as I am a little apprehenfive, that e'er long it may
be my own. For I have reafon to fufpect, that
a malignant Spirit, belonging to the fame legion
tinder Mammon, has poffeffed my landlord ; who,
is of late become a perfect infidel, and feems tp
have no Chriftian virtues left, no faith, no meek-
nefs, no patience, no forbearance, &e. Had this
Spirit made him dumb, as well as deaf, I fhould
have been lefs perfecuted : but he is continually
demanding an anfwer, and yet will hear hone.
I hope fome good Genius will haften the proper-
form of words from England toSignor BelloNi ;
* who has more power than all the priefts in Rome
to exorcife fuch a Spirit as this.
I have fifty things more to fay ; but in my
hurry I can't think of one.  Blefs me! what
have I done ? In hunting a flea, of which there is
great plenty here, I have rent my fhirt.  How
ever, this puts me in mind of one thing, which I
ought not to have forgotten, and that is, my
duty to my Mother : therefore be fure to prefent
it, and tell her, that my fhirts have fp many en*
trances big enough for my head, that it is with
no fmall difficulty, that I can find the right Way
into them. And if my Father, tp whom like-
wife give my duty, fhould obferve, as very pro
bably

LETTER XXXIL 205
bably he may, That I can not have fp much" oc
cafion for new fhirts, fince I am fo likely foon to
mtbri a ftone doublet; intreat her for once to
mind lefs what my Father fays, than this com
plaint 6f their moft obedient fon^ and
Dear W. Your moft affectionate brother, &c
LETTER XXXIL
To Mr. R.
Honourep Sir, Rome, June 2Q. 1743. N.&
I HE RE fend you an account of the ftatues,,
bulls, bas reliefs, and fome other ancient
curiofities, which have been found in the fubter
raneous city Herculaneum; which I have feen
twice my-felf, and concerning which I have fre
quently difcourfed with gentlemen, and by their
pbfervations have rectified and improved my own.
About four miles from Naples, on the fea-
fhore, lies the town of Portici ; which feems as
if it would in time become a part of .that city ;
?he example of the Icing, who is building a * pa
lace
* One of the Neapolitan nobility had a houTe at this
place, for which his Sicilian majefty promifed him an equi
valent. It-is commonly reported, that this nobleman was
drinking his chocolate, when a perfon came to let him know,
•0iat the king liked hisliouTe : upon which, he ftretched out
his hand in great furprise, and could never contract his
fingers

to6 LETTER XXXII.
lace here, drawing many to follow it The fitua*
(ion is moft delightful : the city and the bay of
Naples, with the winding fhore, afford a moft
various and pleafing view, on the one fide ; as
does the cpaft, as far as the promontory of Sar-r
rento, and the ifland of Capri, on the other ; and
behind, at two miles diftance, in a moft fur
prizing manner rifes mount Vefuvius. The gar
dens are defigned to be in the French tafte, and
to extend to the fea ; but are not yet begun, they
being at prefent at work onely upon the palace.
Under a grand portico in the middle, there is to
be erected an equeftrian ftatue of marble, lately
found in near four hundred pieces ; but, being ve
ry curioufly joined together by the care of the
reftorer, will be a very great ornament to the
building. The infcription on the pedeftal runs
thus:
MARCO- NONIO- M- F-
BALBO. PR. PRO. COS.
HERCVLANENSES.
Juft by the bottom of the flair-cafe, on the left
hand, ftands a marble ftatue of Vitellius, in
a military drefs, and confiderably bigger than the
life. The apartments are not very grand, but
neat. The flq0r 0f the king's chapel in his own
apartment^
fingers again. The Neapolitans are faid to have fuch ftrong
paffions, that it is not uncommon for them to die fuidenljr,
upon hearing very bad news. S. :

LETTER XXXIL 307
apartment, is a piece of Mofaic, found in the
city ; which has no colours but black and white t
at one end there is a cup, fupported by two
monfters like fea-horfes i under the door is ano*
thef; fupported by two animals like flying grif
fins, with horns on their heads. — In one of the
apartments, on the tables are two bulls of bronze*
one with a kind of helmet or capon its head;
and oppofite are two marble bulls of very young
perfonSi  In the next room, are four fmall fta
tues of marble, about two foot and a half high :
reprefenting Silenusj as I think; with a kind of
cap, fomething like the Phrygian, on his head ;
Venus, refembling that of Medici ; Apollo ;
and a Female Figure, of which the workman-
fhip, and particularly the drapery, are excellent.
In this room ftand two antique bronze candle-
flicks or lamps ; one for three lights, and one for
four.  In the apartment above, are three tables
of a very particular kind of marble, found in the
Abruzzo.  The morning we were there; two
fmall ftatues Were brought ; one of which feemed
to be a Venus; and the other I did not know.
Among the reft was * a piece of Mofaic, exactly
in the fhape of a modern buffet : the work was
not very extraordinary 5 but the cofnifh feemed
remarkable,
* There is part of a fountain, buffet-fafhion, in bad Mo
faic ; and two fquares, with a river deity in each ; the tails
of a fea or olive green, S.

£68 LETTER XXXIL
temafkablej being all formed of thcfhells ofthfc
murex; Oppofite tb the ftait-caie is a room; in which
* theftatues; and feveral other ancient curiofities
are kept; 'till a gallery is built for their recep
tion.  On the left as you enter, there arc
feven ftatues of brafs confiderably larger than the
life. I. An Emperor; in ail pf obabiliry j naked; with
a long wand in his hand.
il. In the habit of a Cbnful.
III. In a faetifking habit.
IV. A Wpman; probably a Prieftefs;
V. Refembling Cicero^.
VI. A Woman; in the fame habit with the IV
VIL A Manlike the 1. but fmaller.f
Some of thefe figures have the eyes yet remain
ing; which afe not metal, but a compofition re
prefenting the natural -colour of the eye; In:
* " They have dug np a good many ftatues ; but not a-
** bpveoneor two that are tolerably good," Crispe. — —
¦** I faw five, which they have put up in the market-place
" [of Portici,] all cloathed figures, and in a Confular habit ;
" the others -women -. they are all well dreft, and in a fine
** tafte, but want the heaae. In the Duke di Belbo&'s [D'El-
" boenf*s] villa, which is near,. and by the fearfide, ; are twd
*' others intire, both women ; One feems to be si Livia :
*' alfo the fragments of ' a naked figure, which wants the
** head and arms, of a good ftyle; Thefe, with fonie oma-
" ments and fragments of various forts of marbles, are all
«* that is to be feen there, of what has been dug up;" Knap,
¦\ One of thefe ftatues is fuppofed to be Ci Audius Dru-
Sus ; and another has a fpear in one hand, and in the other P.
dagger lhaped like. a burning flame.

LETTER XXXII. 20$
In the fame toom are ten ftatues of marble j
two of which ate Jupiters, confiderably bigger
than the life; but each wanting the head. The
fell are Roman ladies, &c. There are befides;
two baffo relievos in profile ; one of Alexan
der the great; the other of his mother Olym-
pias. In the little room beyond, are nine * buftsj
found together in the theatre of Herculaneum ;
the two beft of which are a Jupiter Ammon;
with goat's ears; and large ram's horns.
In the theatre belonging to the palace, ate fix
Confular ftatues. f
In another apartment, theffe are two braf§
heads ; and a bas relief, reprefenting a fcene in
fome comedy* the actors all in mafks.
Ee Iri
* " There is a perfect buft of Acrippina, mother of
" Nero, which was found ftahdirtg in its niche : it is as clear!
" as if juft finilhed, has not the leaft damage ; and is, in the
" judgment of every body, as well as myfelf, equal to moft
" things of that kind in the world: for my own part, I
" fhould not flick to fay, it is altogether as fine a portrait as
" the CARACALLAofrhe Farnefe " Crispe.
¦f- Befides thefe ftatues, thefe are feveral fmaller : one of
Hercul.es with a mitra, or coif, upon his head, having eyes
like glafs j a pretty one of a lady, with a mitra juft like •
the other. Little Termipi, as wide at bottom as at top : one*
'with a woman's head above, and feet below ; another, with
a good Pan's head, and virile parts in bronze on the marble.
There were feveral infcriptions, and two catalogues of
names, which we had riot time to confider : one of the fineft
and plaineft infcriptions was,
DOMITIAE CN. F.
BOMITIANI CAESAR1S
¥ot. I. B. D. S.

210 LETTER XXXII.
In the next room, the fame Where the pictures
are, there is a fmall figure oh horfe-back, with a
fpear in his right hand, in bronze. There is like-
wife a facrifice in fmall baffo relievo : the prieft
making the libation.at the altar ; a perfon fitting
before the altar, with a veil on ; behind whom
ftands a female figure, with two torches, the light
downwards. * The fculptor, who has the care of reftoring
the ftatues, fays, they have found in the theatre
many fragments of f equeflrian ftatues in brafs,
the horfes of which he conjectures to have been
as big as that of Marcus Aurelius in the Ca
pitol : one of them was a Caligula, and of ex
cellent workmanfhip. §
They have likewife found letters in bronze, be
longing to Infcriptions, a great number of dif
ferent forts of || houfefhold utenfils ; J fome glafs
* " Our old friend Signor Gioseppe Couart, fculp-
" tor the king." Cam. pad.
-j- " There are two equeflrian ftatues in bronze broken all
" topieces." Crispe  " A chariot and horfes of brafs,
" broken all to pieces." Cam. pad.——" A .triumphal car
" of bronze." Crispe.
§ The day I was there, they had difcovered two of the
vcrettiefl figures in ftucco, that cah be imagined : one was a
*acchus, the other a Faun j in compartiments, in the man
ner of the ancient cielings. T.
|| " A large brazen difh, - faid to be found in a temple."
" Cam. pad.  " Afilver fpoon.made in the handle like a
" modern one ; the bowl is pointed like an olive-leaf; feve-
" ral kitchen utenfils, moufe-traps, veffels full of rice, &c. •
" Crispe.
X " A bracelet of gold." Cam. pad——-" Several antique
«' rings,

LETTER XXXII. 211
phials, fhaped exactly like the modern, in one of
which the cork and liquor is yet remaining; a
fmall quantity of wheat and * a loaf of bread,
both which had fuffered by the fire ; nor could the
latter have been known, except by one of the
paintings, in which is reprefented a loaf exact'y
of the fame form.
I fhould now, Sir, proceed to the antique
paintings : but fince mere catalogues and defci ip-
tions of ftatues or pictures, unlets accompanied
with figures, tho' inftructive, are not very en
tertaining ; and fince my account of the pictures
will neceffarily be longer than this which has been,
given of the ftatues ; I think it more proper to
E e 2 be
" rings, with Cameos and Intaglias fet ia them.'" Crispe.
" — Eight rings, with their Cornelians engraved." Ca^i.
« pad.  A cafe of furgeons inflruments." Crispe,
* Very ftrange and faHe accounts have been publifhed in
our News-papers concerning the curiofities in this fubter
raneous city. In the London Courant, Aug. 10. 1747. there
appeared part of two Letters, one pretended to have been
written by a Knight of Malta, dated June 24. 1747. and
the other from the Abbe d' Orval. The former fays, " This
" city is entire, the houfes have been found perfectly fur-
*' miked, and the furniture well preferved. I have feen'
" every thing prepared for dinner at the time the eruption,
" happened, as bread, meal, wine, &c. all very freftr. . . .
" The paintings in frefco are extremely well preferved,
" but with this Angularity, that they have only tvjo colours."
¦ The latter* writing in the fame rhonth^ fays, " This city was
" difcovered t,wo or three years ago by order o£ the king of
" Naples. ... I contented my fell" with taking fome corn
" and fome bread of thofe times, which remains perfcqty
" found in the houfes."

212 LETTER XXXIII.
bp referved for the fubject of another Letter,
which you may expect in a little time from,
Honoured Sir, Your moft obedient, &c.

LETTER XXXIII.
To Mifs C. R.
Dear G. Rome, Juy 20. 1743. N. S.
IF I N D by the favour of yours, which Mr.
H. brought me, that your former filence
proceeded from obferving a punctilio as to write-
ing. I am forry, that the fault was on my fide ;
and take this method to give you fome affurance,
that I fhall avoid the like for the futnre. This
you will the more readily believe, when you have
read this Letter ; which, confifting onely of ram
bling accounts of what I have lately feen or heard,
put down in hafte, will appear calculated, rather
to draw a fpeedy Anfwer from you, than to af
ford you a very agreeable entertainment.
I went the other day to the top of S. Peter's
church, which is much larger and higher than S.
Paul's. I paffed through the neck of the pinnacle
into the brazen ball, which will hold abouttwenty
four perfons. There is a crack quite through the
main cupola, occafioned by making a flair- cafe in

LETTER XXXIII. 213
in one of the buttreffes that fupport it : this
crack, being very much enlarged of late, may
prove of bad confequence, if fome fpeedy reme
dy be not applied.
In the library at the Vatican I faw the Afbeftos>
in which they ufed to wrap up the body that was
to be burned, in order to preferve the bones and
afhes unmixed with the combuftibles : it is woven
like a net, and fome fay, compofed of the filings
of a particular fort of ftone ; tho' others will
have it to be a vegetable, Whatever it is, it re>
lifts the fire : and to trie it, we rubbed one part
with fome wax-candle, and fet it on fire •, and it
continued burning ten minutes, without being in
the leaft confumed ; and then returned to its
white, natural colour,
A young lady here has been accufed by her
hufband of incontinency, and of a defign upon
his life : but the proof not being thought fufficient,
fhe was ordered to undergo the torture, that a
confeflion might be extorted from her -, which,
according to the ftrange law here, is neceffary to
a full conviction. The manner of it was thus :
fhe was drawn up almoft naked, by her hands
tied behind her, to the cieling of a room, and
fufpended there for an hour : which of neceffity
diflocated the joints, and put her to inexpreffible
pain : but all this fhe bore with the greateft pa
tience. All Rome is of opinion, that fhe is in
nocent,

214 LETTER XXXIII.
nocent, both from the procefs of the Trial, and
from a Pamphlet publifhed by one of the judges.
What a villain muft the old fellow her hufband be,
if, in order to accomplifh fome new amour, as ma
ny are apt to think, he could make fuch a facri
fice of youth, beauty, and innocence ? Or what
a miferable, jealous-pated wretch, if he could be
inftigated to fuch inhumanity, by his own ill-
grounded fufpicions ? A ufeful leffon this to all,
who may be inclined to imagine, that the chief
blefling of the connubial ftate depends upon abun
dance of wealth ; and that this alone is fufficient
to render it tolerable, if not agreeable. From
hence likewife the Englifh ladies ought to fet a
higher value upon the extraordinary liberty they
enjoy, in a countrey, where they are fecure from
all fuch barbarous inquifitions into their conduct.
His Holynefs has lately built a fmall pleafure-
houfe, in his gardens at Monte Cavallo ; to which
he has given the Englifh name of The Coffee-houfe..
The architect was Cavalier Fug a : and there are
paintings to be placed there, which Mazucci
and Pompe 10 are now doing •, the fubject of which
is Christ delivering the keys to S. Peter. My
mafter was to have done them in frefco i but
happened to be outwitted.
At Monte Citorio, where formerly ftood the
Forum of Anton i tous, they are erecting a fine
antique pedeftal, which once fupported a prodi gious

LETTER XXXIII. 215
oious pillar of Porphyry, of one piece of mar
ble, fifty foot long. This column they have re
moved, and fay it cannot be raifed, becaufe it is
broken into fo many pieces : but the expence is
the true objection, fince feveral Obelifks, more
Ihattered than this, have been re-erected. Some
talk, as if there was a defign to place a ftatue of
Juftice, or fome other modern figure, upon this
pedeftal : but how ridiculous would a modern
ftatue appear, upon a pedeftal with antique In
fcriptions and Baffo Relievos ! I might as well
draw Antoninus in a French fute, or our Bleff
ed Saviour in a long wig, as the Portuguefe drefs
up his image, when they carrie it in proceflion.
They are always digging here into the bowels
of the earth for Virtu, and generally with fuccefs.
In the fields behind the caftle of S. Angelo, for
merly the Maufoleum of Adrian, they have
difcover'd his Circus, and many other curious
antiquities 5 of which I fhall foon tranfmit an ac
count to my Father, according to his defire.
Tho' I fend you no family news, I fhall expect
a good deal from you, who make part of fo large
one. Mine confifts onely of my-felf and a cat,
who is a moft agreeable companion, always in
good humour, and continually careffing me, with
out giving the leaft occafion of fufpicionthat fhe
defigns to deceive me. Pray

216 LETTER XXXIII.
Pray inform me particularly, how Drawing
goes forward. By this time* I fuppofe, you have
begun to colour ; and having already fhewn your
fkill upon the inferiour part of the family, the
cat, and dog, are now proceeding higher to the
reft : for we painters, you know, rife by degrees.
My advice is* that you would chiefly ftudie heads
as big as the life, drawing them in crayons ; and
applie very clofely to it : for the time may come*
that you will have no caufe to repent of your paft
labour and patience. Who knows, but that, one
of thefe days, you may fee a rich Damon, and
I a Phyllis, paying vows at the altar of our
Goddefs ?
But my Mafter is always a preaching, ' Young
* man, beware of woman : for Painting is a
* jealous miftrefs -, fhe'll not allow any gazing
* upon other Beauties, except in order to fet her-
4 felf off to greater advantage.' This doctrine may
perhaps have fome effect upon me* while I con
tinue abroad : but if SignoraLA Pittura fhall
think fit to accompanie me at my return* fhe muft
not expect the fame devotion* -which I have pay'd
her here. My pretty country-women will cer
tainly now and then draw off my eyes from her ;
and I fhall not put my-felf to fo much expence
in paper, linen, and colours* to deck her forth*
as I have hitherto done. After fo long and faith
ful fervice, I may juftly hope, that fhe will do
fomething

LETtER XXXIV. 217
fomethihg On her part for the eafe and pleafure
bf my future life -, and then fhe fhall find me con
flant to the laft. But if out of jealoufy fhe .'..all
take difguft, and flighting me; confer her favour?
uport others; of return into her. own countrey ; '
fhall not think it worth my while to follow hef.
But I fhall tufn all my affection and veneration to
wards hef elder Sifter ; who; tho' plainer, a.:d
adorned with lefs aft, is mofe admired in Eng
land. Iri whofe fervice you have been ingaged for
fome time ; arid iri which if I find you at my re
turn, we may by our mutual affiduity and en-
deayoufs tO pleafe her, fecure hef favour, and
thereby both your prosperity, and that of,
Deaf C. Your moft affectionate, &ci

LETTER XXXIV.
To Mr. R.
, Honoured Sir, Rome, Sept. 16. 1743. N. S.
LE S T my account of the ftatues, &c. fhould
not have aniwefed your expectation, and left
this which I now fend of the * pictures fhould
fall as much fhort of it ; I think it neceffary to'
Vol. I. F f mention
* " Such Pifliires were never feen in our days ; and were
" you to fee them, you would be furprized as much as I
*' was ; for you would fee paintings- finifhed to the higheft
V pitch, coloured to perfection, and as frefh as if they had
*' Been done a month ago." Csm. Pad.

ai8 LETTER XXXlV.
mention now what I before omitted, the great
difadvantages, under which I made my obferva*
tions upon them. It was with fome difficulty,
and by the intereft of Mr. Allen, the Englifh
conful, that we were admitted to fee them at all,
the firft time, about three years ago* Which dif
ficulty was occafioned by an attempt juft before
to make fome defigns of the paintings by Ca
millo Paderni ; who was thereupon imme
diately fent packing. Ever fince which time,
thofe who are allowed the favour of feeing them,
are watched very narrowly, and not permitted to
make ufe of a pencil. All therefore that I could
do, was to range them in my memory* as well
as I could ; and from thence to commit them
to paper the fame day. This I did twice ; and
have fince compared my notes with the memo-
ramdums and remarks of others, and thereby
made confiderable additions to them. So that
upon the whole, I am willing to hope, that you
will be inclined to think the following account,
as well as the preceding, lefs imperfect ; and as
full as can be reafonably expected, under fuch
difadvantageous circumftances.

~e^

I. Bacchus fitting, and HeRcules flanding before
I. " The figures are as big as the life j but we could not
comprehend the defign of it. You fee a woman dreffed
in white fitting, with one hand refting on her head adorn- " ei

LETTER XXXIV. 219
before him : a Female-Figure, in a fitting pofture
(I think upon clouds) behind Hercules, wing
ed, and her head crowned with laurel $ in her left
hand fpikes of corn, her right pointing to Bac
chus : on one fide of Hercules is a liOn, and
on the other an eagle : behind Bacchus, ftands a
youth laughing ; and below him is a little boy
fuckled by a doe. Bacchus and Hercul.es are
larger than the life.
II. Theseus Handing, with the Minotaur dead
F f 2 under
'.' ed with a garland of flowers ; and feveral Deities (as they
'' appear to me) in the air, with a black figure of Hep-
" cui.es leaning upon his club. This figure is not of a,
" piece with the reft, which are really prodigies of the pen-
" cil. Under the woman is a deer, which gives fuck to a
" child. ' But was you to fee this fitting figure, and 'J1?
" heads of thofe whom I take to be Divinities, how finely
" they are drawn and coloured, you would be aftojiifhed."
" Cam Pad.  " This is called The Pomona, becaufe
" among other figures, there is a woman fitting, crowned
" with fruits and bloffoms. There are fix figures, very a-
" greeably grouped, and the eye is irnmediately pleafed
" and repofed. The Clair-obfcur in the other piftures is
»' well underftood, but particularly in this." Crispe,.
II. " This is eight palms broad by nine high. You fee
V. the figure of Theseus naked and ftanding ; which, in
" my opinion, cannot be more properly refembled to any
" other thing, than the Antinous of the Belvidere, both
" for the attitude and the air of the head. It is drawn and
'.' coloured with prodigious elegance. The Greek Boys,
" who are reprefented as returning him thanks for their
" deliverance, feeki, for their noble Simplicity, the work of
" Domini chin o\ and the compofition of the whole is
" worthy of Raphael. '' Cam. Tad.t— ^-The. Minotaur
" lies dead at his feet ; a Youth is kiffing his right hand ;
" Ariadne and another figure Hand- at his left Thefetwo
". piftures, being about twelve feet fquare, with their paint- " ed

220 LETTER XXXIV.
under his feet •, the rnonfter reprefented * with a
human body, and the head pf a bull. There are
three or four youths hanging about him, and ca-
reffing him for their deliverance, kiffing his
hands,
" ed frames or borders round them, are as frefh and per-
" fed., as if done yefterday ; much more fo, I affure you,
" than fome of Raphael's in the Vatican : and for excel-
" lence and fine tafte, they are, I think, beyond any thing
" I have feen." Crispe.— —The Minotaur lies under his
feet : the children are kiffing his hands, and embracing his
legs. This is a fine piece for the pathetic, S.— Admirably
good T. ''
* The Minotaur in the Mufaum Florentinum, Vol. II. PI.
35. Fig. 1 . is human down to the' waift ; to which is joined
a taurine body, in the manner pf a Centaur: This figure is
placed in the midft of the Labyrinth.
But in the Gemma Antiqute calatte ex pracipuis Europe
Mufteis, &c. of Philip de Stofch. fol. Amfi. 1724. in Fig.
LI. of Theseus the workof Philemon, there is the fol
lowing reprefentation. ' A craggy rock is feen at a diftance,
on which is placed a .building of fquare ftone, with an arch
ed entrance j juft without which lies a dead monfter, with
half of the body proftra'te on the ground, and the left arm
ftretched out, having the head of a bull, but all the reft of
the members human. For, tho' in ancient coins the. Mino
taur is expreffed by the body of a bull, and onely a human
countenance ; yet the Mythologifts relate, that he was of
the fame form in which he is feen in this Gem ; which opi
nion the ingraver chofe to follow. Apollodorus, Lib., iii. C.
4. Obto; &%i ravfm itfotruirot, rd St Xoirrcc amfi;. Hie tau-
rinum vultum, caetera autem virilia habuit?
The onely two particular defcriptions of the Minotaur,
found in the Latin Poets, are both in Stat i us, and are moft
agreeable to the pi&ure, and to the latter gem.
Seque ipfitm monfirofi ambagibus antri
Hispida torquentem luelantis collajuvenci :
Alternafque manus circum, et nodofa ligantem
Brachia, et abduQo vitantem cornua vultu.
Theb. xii. 668, &c.

LETTER XXXIV. 221
hands, and embracing his feet: the figures at full
length, and as large as the life.
III. Chiron teaching Achilles to play on
the harp, the figures at full length, and about
three parts as big as the life : this is one of the
fineft painted, and beft preferved of any.
IV. Chiron teaching Achilles to caft the
javelin. V. A man fitting with his back towards you?
holding in his left hand a piece of writing to
another fitting in a thoughtful pofture? with his
head

'quanta circumdata nexu

Ruperit Aegides Minoi brachia tauri. Achill. j. 191.
Catullus, long befor Stati us, feems to have had the
fame idea, tho' not fo ftriftly' expr-efled, but only by way of
Simile. Nam velut in fummo quatientem brachia Tauro
£}uercum, aut congeftamfudanti corpore pinum,
Jndomitus turbo contorquens ftamrne robur
Emit ; ilia procul radicibus exturbata
Prona cadit, late quaecumvis obvia frangens :
Sic domito faevum proftravit corpore Thefeus
Nequicquam vanis jadan tern cornua ventis.
De nuptijs. Pelei et Thetidos. 1-05, &c.
III. Ch i ron and young Achi lles with a tyre : the face
and great attention of the latter are very beautiful. S 
Extremely good, except the lower part of the Centaur. T.
— — " This is fomewhat lefs, but if poffible, ftill -beyond
" the two former." Crispe.
IV Chiron and Achilles, with two darts, or little
javelins ; the inftru&ing air of the former is very remarka
ble. S.,
V. One of the beft Pieces, and the moft pathetic of
them all, has to the left a man fitting, with two fingers to his
-forehead, in a very penfive melancholy poftHre: a man
fitting

222 LETTER XXXIV.
head reclined upon his arm: a woman behind
points up with her right hand ; another, with a
quiver at her fhoulder, ftands on her left ; and a
third clofe to her : a man, behind whom ftands
one very old, bends forward in a fupplicating
manner, with his finger at his mouth, towards
the chief figure that is fitting. The figures are
about half as big as the life : and it is thought by
fome to be the Story of Appius and Virginia.
VI. Jupiter with the thunder-bolt in his
hand, Cup id behind taking hold of his fhoulder :
half length.
VII. Amphitryo, and Alcmena Handing
by, and looking at Hercules, a little child
ftrangling
fitting by him, turned towards him, and reading to him a
little volume or fcroll: two women, in what one may call
the mid ground, with great forrow and diflrefs in their faces :
an old man beyond them attentive and concerned : an old
woman, Handing forward to the right, attentive, but with
out concern. Behind, or in the back ground, is a ftatue of
Diana. S. -The heads in this Piece are the beft among
them all. T.
VI. Cupid refling over his right fhoulder, and, as it
were, keeping down his arm, and hand, that grafps the an
gry fort of fulmen : a half rain-bow acrofs the pifture ; and
a little without it, the Eagle. The face is that of the mild
Jupiter. S.
VII. Little Hercules fitting on the ground, with the
two ferpents. Amph itryo fitting juft by him, drawing his
fword, doubtfully j as willing to kill the ferpents, and a-
fraid to hurt his fon : behind ftands Alcmena, exclaiming,
as in the greateft diflrefs and fright ; and on the left hand is
thenurfe, with young Eurystheus. The little Hercules
is not of an Herculean make, any otherwife, than tha,t he
looks like a child of a, year old, whereas he had not b^en
born above an hour, S.

LETTER XXXIV. 223
ftrangling a ferpent with each hand-, Amphi-
tryo with his hand on his fword, drawing it
out : a figure of a woman, whofe head is rubbed
out, holding a child in her arms •, much damaged,
and about three parts as big as the life.
VIII. The figure of a man, with a Phrygian
cap on his head* carrying in his hand a lamp, oii
a plate or falver, in white drapery, on a crimfon
ground : a three quarters figure* about half as
big as the life.
IX. Three figures, which feem to be feminine*
finely coloured, two with rays round them, and
the third crowned with laurel : a fmall figure in
the clouds, crowned alfo with laurel, with a
paftoral crook in his hand, leaning towards the
reft ; half length, and half as big as the life. This
is called the Judgment of Paris.
X. A woman ftruggling with a Satyr, who is
attempting to force her.
XI. A woman yielding to a Satyr. The
figures of thefe two are about half as big as the
life. XIIVA man and woman at dinner, the man
with a cup in his hand, in the fhape of a horn,
going to drink 5 the fervant at the door.
XIII. An Egyptian facrifice.
XIV. Another.
XV. A
IX. The Three Gtvcet, with fomething like a glory
round their heads. T.

224 LETTER XXXIV.
XV. A very good figure of a woman, in a
Itenfive attitude, looking upwards, with her
fingers croffedi and thumbs touching each other ;
a blunt fword refting upon her hands^ bound a-
bout with a green ribbon : almoft as big as the life.
XVI. Silenus fitting* with boys fqueezing
the juice of grapes into his mouth : behind him
is a female figure,* with her back towards you :
at his feet lies his afs ; and Oppofite to him Me r-
fcuRY is fitting, with a Cap on his head, and a
harp in his hand.
XVII. A female figure^ half riakedi with a
leaf in her left hand.
XVIII. Flora in a flying pOftufej with flowers
In her left hand, her right fupporting hef robe,
which is filled alfo with flowers.
XIX. Hercules killing the Stymphali-
Des with his arrows : not fo large.
XX. A perfon fitting with a glofy round the
head, not unlike that about Sol's head in the Va
tican MS. of Virgil : two others ftandihg, one
with the fame fort of glory,* and the Other crowd
ed with laurel.
XXI. A Man fitting* armed with a double
halberd, exaftly like the modern Ones, This and
the following in frhali.
XXII. Ano-
XIX. Hercules, a very good figure,' {hooting at the
Stymphalides, which are high in the air j and under them,
On the ground fits a Water Deity. S.
XX. See Bartoli's Virgil, Plate V. 8;

Letter xxxiv. 225
XXII. Ariother armed With a halberd of a dif
ferent fort.
XXIII. HeRcuLes's head* with his cltlb.
XXIV. A little Bacchus playing with a ty-
ger. XXV. Cupid dragging a ram along by his
horns. XXVI. Cupid mounted on a flag;
XXVII. Cupid in a chariot drawn by two
fwans. XXVIII. Drawn by two lions.
XXIX. Victory, with laurel iri her hand;
XXX. A Leopard purfuing a deer.
XXXI A Qar loaded with bows* arrows^
and other weapons ; two griffins ready to draw it.
XXXII. An odd kind of bird, Handing very
ftrait upon his legs, having a tuft of feathers on
his head •, with two fmaller birds, a vafe* and
different forts of fhrubs.
XXXIII. Its companion1.
XXXIV. A Parrot drawing a chariot, and a
Grafshopper driving;
XXXV. A Goofe as big as the life ; with
fmall birds and fruit above.
XXXVI. A Duck finely done* as big as the
life. XXXVIL A Cock with a bunch of grapes;
Vol. I. G g XXXVIII. A
XXIV. Therfe is i very pretty little ftatue, juft like thi's^
Among the King of Sardinia's antiques, at Turin. S.

226 LETTER XXXIV,
XXXVIII. A Cock, by himfelf. Both very
good. XXXIX. A Peacock between other birds.
Very fmall.
XL. A Rabbit, with four figs.
XLI. About twenty Cupids or Genii -, fome
playing upon mufical inftruments.
There were * many others on different fubje£ts:
feveral of an oblong fize, on a dark ground, re
prefenting facrifices, nuptials, &c. feveral pieces
of architecture, in one the colours remarkably
frefh ; landfkips with buildings and figures in
fmall ; many hunting pieces, mafks, feflons, &c.
others reprefenting houfehold utenfils, &c. par
ticularly one having the figure of a candleftick*
of the fame form with one in brafs found in the
fame place.
There are two pieces of Mofaic. One a Bac
chus fitting on a flool, crowned With ivy, refi>

ing

XLI. Among the loweft, or worft preferved, is a long '
flip of Cupids reprefented as in fhe chafe. S.
* They fay they have to the number of 140. There is
one large fquare, with Hercules and Victory on one fide;
and Bacchus with a Faun, on the other.  Several others,
onely of a fingle Bacchante, or Genius. S.-"  " Two pieces
" of greater height than breadth, in which there are two
«' figures, half human, and half fifh, which fly in the air.—
" Another figure, which we think to be a Mercury, with
" a cnilu in his hand, delivering it to a woman fitting.- 
" Four landfkips, with temples, and other buildings.  A
«' tyger with a boy upon it ; and another boy, who plays on
" atympanum: with many others." Cam, Pad.

LETTER XXXIV. 227
ing his right hand on the head of a leopard. Th<?
other a man fitting on a globe, leaning his head
on his left hand, and his right hand on his kr.eev
The Gallery, which is defigned to be built for
the reception of all thefe curiofities, and of thofe
which may be found hereafter, will be without
doubt, when finifhed, one of the fineft in the
world. For befides the ftatues, of which there
are above twenty, all as big, and fome bigger
than the life ; the collection of antique paintings
is fuperior, if not in number, certainly in good-
nefs, to all the pieces of that nature fcattered up
and down the feveral parts of Europe. And par
ticularly as to one kind of rarities, different forts
of inftruments, houfehold utenfils, &c. which are
at leaft above fixteen hundred and fifty years old,
there is a greater variety than was ever collected
together before. And as they are dayly difcover-
ing more and more, of each of thefe kinds of an
tiquities ; in procefs of time, here will be an im-r
menfe treafure, continually receiving augmenta
tion from an inexhauftible mine. In digging in
which, about twenty galley-flaves, chained toge
ther, two and two, and guarded by foldiers, are
conftantly employed; who have each a fmall
bafket, into which they put what they find, and
are well fgarched at their coming out from their
workA

228 LETTER XXXIV.
It was in and about the theatre, that moft of
the ftatues, and feveral of the pictures have been
found ; and if it were not too great a work to
clear away the ground that covers this building,
it would certainly appear to be one of the no-
bleft remnants of antiquity. A gentleman who
has feen it fince I was there laft, tells me, that
the feats, as he thinks are but eighteen, upon
the uppermoft of which one may walk the whole
Jength ; that on one fide there is a door, which
leads into a covered gallery, which, he fuppofes,
ferved for a paflage, it being not very fpaejous ;
and that a very good ftaircafe has been made for
the ufe of the king, whenever his curiofity fhall
lead him to go down, and take a view of this
fubterranepus qty.
After the lopg account, Sir, which I have given,
of the frequent earthquakes and fiery eruptions,
and of the fatal effects of them, in fo many places
near mount Vefuvius ; you may be apt to won
der, that any number of perfons fhould venture
to dwell within the confines of it. But the fine
ness of the profpect, the fertility of the foil, the
falubrity of the air in preferring, and the virtue
pf the waters in reftoring health, all confpire to
induce multitudes to refide here conftantly, and
others to repair hither at proper feafons : info
much, that this tract of land, for the extent of
it,

LETTER XXXIV* 229
it, is perhaps better inhabited, than any other in
all Italy. And what at firft mention may appear
ftrange, thofe very things, which are the natural
and original caufes of defolation in particular parts,
are likewife the chief caufes of the general abun
dance of the inhabitants. For throughout this
tract, befides great plenty of more noble mine
rals, there is a vaft quantity of fulphur, bitumen,
nitre, allum, vitriol, and other fairs ; which con
tribute to render both the foil fruitful, and the
air healthful. And thefe, by a clofe mixture with
one another, or from fome more hidden reafon,
are naturally difpofed to be eafily heated and even
inflamed; and thereby produce the fources of
thofe hot waters, which fpring up in fuch a num
ber of places. And it is not very difficult to
imagine, how thefe different kinds of inflamma
ble matter, diffufed and concealed under ground,
may by degrees be heaped together and augment
ed in fome one diftrict ; how afterwards by an in
ternal motion they may take fire ; and how at laft
this fire, having forced the earth to crack, may
throw itfelf abroad with the greateft rage and
fury, and produee all the phenomena that aceom-
panie the eruptions of volcanos. Thus, as * the
Academy of fciences at Naples exprefs it, * this
« part of the kingdom is full, if not of a fire
* that is actually alive and burning, yet at leaft «of
* Tftoria del? incendio del Vefuvio 13 c. htroditzione.

230 LETTER XXXV.
* of the feeds of fire. And this is fo far from
* difcrediting and depreciating the territory, that
' this very fire, or fomewhat equivalent to it»
' caufes the exceflive fruitfulnefs of the ground,
^ the wholefomnefs of the air, the variety and
* virtue of the remedies, which Providence has
' prepared in the natural baths for the infirmities
* of mankind : in fhort, from hence proceed all
* the marvellous properties, which, according
* to the common fentiment of the greateft Sages,
* give this countrey the glory of being one of the
^ beft and pleafanteft places of the whole earth.'
I am, Honoured Sir,
Your moft obedient, &c.
LETTER XXXV.
To Mr. R.
Honoured Sir, Rome, Oct. 12. 1743. N. S.
TH E greateft part of the laft year we lay
under the continual apprehenfion of the 7»r
fiuenza ; which carried off a great number of perr
fons, and among them two or three of my coun-
trey-men, and particular acquaintance. This year
we have been under the terror of the plague ;
which has raged fo long at Meffina, and fwept
away, according to fome late accounts, 59,000
people. The number, I hope, is exaggerated : but
this

LETTER XXXV. 231
this is certain, the infection has reached Reggio
in Calabria, and the ifland of Cephalonia belong*
ing to the Venetians ; and feveral infected veffels
are roving about in great diflrefs : upon which*
an Edict was publifhed here the other day, pro
hibiting, under pain of death, any commerce
with the Venetian ftate. All the coafts are ftrict-
ly guarded, and all the gates of this city fhut
up, except four ; through which none are permitt
ed either to go out, or to come in, without a
bill of health. At firft, a very great panic fpred
itfelf among us* and drove feveral perfons away t
but we have had time to recover from our con*
fternation, and are at prefent under no very ter
rible apprehenfions. Eor my part, believing Pro
vidence to be the fame in all places, I never had
any notion of local fecurity ; nor can I think my
flight to any great purpofe, when in running a-
way from a plague, I may perhaps meet with a
fever. The thing to be dreaded moft under a
contagion is, the want of the neceffaries of life j
a competent flock of which every family that can
afford it has been laying in here. Some provi-
fion of this kind is more efpecially needful for
perfons in my fituation, in a countrey, where
people have but little charity for us, even while
we fpend our money freely among them ; who
will therefore, I fear, have much lefs, when they
fee us driven to extremities, But

232 LETTER XXXV.
But neither the apprehehfion of the Influenza^
nor the terror of the peftilence, has given me half
the uneafinefs which I have undergone, from the
unreafonablenefs* ill humour, treachery* and en-*
mity of deceitful friends : who have not onely a-
bufed me plentifully in this,but have likewife writ
ten fcandalous Letters concerning me into "other
countries. But I hope* Sir* you will not regard
any calumnies* which an envious head, or a ma
licious pen, is capable of inventing, or fcrib-
bling -, and that you will take my character from
thofe Englifh gentlemen, with whom I have had
the honour frequently to converfe, and whom
you may probably fee fooii after their return : and
by their accounts of me I am willing to ftand or
fall. Great and many are the favours I have received
from them : which tho* I do not pretend to de-
ferve, yet I can plead the negative merit of re-
fufing to be inftrumental* in putting off curiofites
Upon them* at an exorbitant price ; and of ex-
pofing my-felf* on that account* to the malicious
refentment of the difappointed propofers. Such
mean artifices* I always fcorned and detcfted ;
looking upon them* as no other than the low
craft and dexterity of a piek-poeket; This has
given me great comfort Under the narrownefs of
my fortune ; and yielded a fatisfaction^ which
none of my enemies could deprive me of* either iff

LETTER XXXVI. 233
•ih whole* or iri part.  Nor dd I afihme to
my-felf any greater virtue by this conduft* than
thatdefcribed by the Heathen Poet in four words,
Virtus eft vitium fugere : and my virtue; I own*
is fo much the lefs, as the vice, which I have
fhunned* wotild have been the greater, being a.g'
gravated by ingratitude; For to fhew my-felf
not ungrateful* is furely the leaft that I can pof-
fibly do ; while I Continue in fuch a fituation* as
not to be able to give any other than verbal
proofs of my gratitude. Thefe* I am fenfible
are all, which the Gentlemen, to whom I am fti
much obliged, Will accept. But you,1 Sir, as
the head of fo large a family, have juft reafon to
expect fomewhat more. And if* at my return*
I fhall be fo fortunate as to reap the defired fruits
of my paft labours ; your participation in the
harveft will render it much more agreeable and
fatisfactory to*
Honoured Sir,
Your moft obedient* Sec.
LETTER XXXVI.
To Dr. R.
Dear Doctor, Rome, Nov. 7. 1744.^.5'.
HAVING been lately entertained with a
' furprizing and agreeable fight* I imagine,
that a relation of it will not be unacceptable ;
Vol-. I. H h efpecially,

£34 LETTER XXXVI.
efpecially, as it is not likely, that you will fefe
any exact account of it in your News-papers i
which will probably either fupprefs or palliate
the precipitate flight of the Auftrians, and the
clofe purfuit of the Neapolitans and Spaniards.
Italy, you know, has been the fcene of war
for fome years ; and for this laft* the Ecclefiafti-
cal State has felt the fad effe<Ets of it. We have
had two armies lying within twenty miles of us*
a longtime ; and 'tis impoftible to defcribe the
havock and ruin which both, but particularly the
German, have made in this fine countrey. They
cut down woods and vineyards* drink wine 'till
they are drunk ; and then out of fport, or ma
lice, fet the reft a running about the cellars.
This has happened to many, and particularly to
a friend of mine* who has a moft delightful
countrey-houfe and vineyard near Velletri ; where
I was for about a month laft fpring ; to whom
they have done above 6000 crowns damage. It
is the more furprizing, that they fhould infult
and injure their friends in this outrageous man
ner : for fuch the Romans are, and hate the
Spaniards mortally.
However, laft week, we began to have fome
glimpfe of hopes, that we fhould foon be freed
from the ill neighbourhood of both friends and
foes : for a bridge of boats was thrown over the
Tiber, near Ponte Molle, in order to the repaf- fing

LETTER XXXVI. 235
fing of the army under Prince Lobkow i tz. Ac
cordingly on laft funday, Nov. 1 . he decamped
from the Faiola, on this fide Velletri, at a place
called Torre di mezza via; the next day, having
made a long march, he came by the walls of
Rome. AH the gates being fhut and guarded,
that none could ftir out, curiofity drew all fort9
of people to the walls ; where, among a regi
ment of Friers, was your Heretical Brother. You
will perhaps wonder, how I came among fuch
company : but having an Italian proverb on my
fide, I had the good fortune to be admitted into
a vineyard of theirs, excellently well fituated for
a full view of the army> as it paffed under the,
Walls, After a great number of tag, rag, and bob
tail, confifting of men, women, and children ;
With carriages, horfes, and afles, loaded with pots,
kettle?, and all forts of baggage ; appeared the
van-guard of Huflars, followed by a regiment
of foot, with four mortars, and fix pieces of
cannon. As there were many regiments of dif
ferent nations, as Slavonians, Pandours, Lyca-
nians, &c. I cannot pretend to be exact, as to
the order of their march ; they being intermixed,
according to the fancy of the General. ----The
Huflars, for the moft part, were dreffed in blue,
fhort jackets, with a fhort mantle behind,, wear
ing a high cap, the end of which fell upon their
H h 2 right

236 LETTER XXXVI.
right fhoulder : they were armed with a long
fabre, a carabine? and piftols -, and their horfes
looked like half-ftarved Rpfinaptes, but feemed
to be of vaft fpirit.  The Slavonians and Pan-
dours,which are infantry, are fine? flout, well-made
fellows ; their drefs is a jacket, like your failors ;
but inftead of trowzers, they have breeches and
ftockings all of a piece like Highlanders ; they
Wear a high, round, black cap, flat at the top ;
and are armed with a fabre, a gun, and four pi
ftols, fluck in their girdle, before and behind,
 The Lycanian? are the naftieft, frightfulleft
Creatures I ever faw in my life : your Newgate
Birds do not cut half fo bad a figure. As to their
drefs, a dirty, red cap, and a tawny-coloured
mantle, flung over their fhoulders, were the chief
things that made them appear to be of the hu
man fpecies -, and they carried old-fafhioned guns,
fuch as are kept for curiofities in the tower.
There was a great number of thefe wretches, tho'
fo many were knocked on the head at Velietri ;
they being always fet foremoft, as the Forlorn
Hope, in defperate engagements. They are
Heathens, and having no pay live by plunder -,
and neither give, nor receive quarter : fo that
you may imagine, what fine work they make,
wherever the Devil fends them.  The regu
lar Troops, both horfe and foot, looked like
brave fellows ; tho' they did not make near fo
good

LETTER XXXVI. 237
good an appearance, as when I faw them at Monte
Rotondo, about five months ago.  The Ge
neral, Prince Lobkowitz, was towards the rear,
finely mounted, and attended by a regiment of
horfe, Huflars, &c. with about fixteen pieces of
cannon, and eight or ten mortars. The Lyca-
nians brought up the rear, divided into dif
ferent picquets, confifting each of about fifty
men ; and ten or a dozen Huflars clofed the rear,,
who by turns rode backwards, and forwards, to
fee if the enemy was purfueing, or any fpies ob
ferving them.
It was no fmall fatisfaction and pleafure, I af
fure you, which I received, in feeing an army
march fo near me, compofed of people of dif
ferent countries, and dreffed in fuch different ha
bits. I had feen them, indeed, once before, when
drawn up in a large plain, where the eye could
not examine them fo minutely : here they paffed
by, juft under me, as it were in review, not a-
bove ten in a rank, in a road, between the walls
pf Rome, and thofe of the vineyards.
Scarce had the laft Huflar paffed by, when we
were allarmed with the news, that the Spanifh
army was actually in purfuit : which no- body
would believe, becaufe the Romans, being fo par
tially inclined to the Germans, and averfe to the
Spaniards, had fych a defpicable opinion of the
latter, that they were fure they dared not follow. But

2S8 LETTER XXXVI.
But to their great furprize and mortification,.
within three quarters of an hour, the advanced
guard of the Spanifh army appeared ; having
made a prodigious and unexpected march from
beyond Albano. They came with drums beat
ing, trumpets founding, and enfigns difplayed ;
and actually overtook the rear of the Germans,
before they had all paffed the bridge of boats at
Ponte Molle. The King of Naples, and the
Duke of Modena, attended in the moft fplendid
manner, by their officers, cavalry, &c. proceed
ed as far as the Villa Patrizi, juft without the
Porta Pia ; where they flopped. But the reft of
the army continued their march to the Porta del
popolo, the gate which leads to the Ponte Mol
le ; on this fide of which they incamped among
the vineyards.
The next morning, the King and the Duke
entering Rome on horfe-back, attended by two
regiments of Horfe-guards, went to Monte Ca-
yallo, to vifit his Holynefs : who, to avoid ma
ny inconvenient ceremonies, received the former,
not as King of Naples, but as Prince of Salerno.
His Majefty, having kifled his, Holynefs's toe,
went with his attendance to S. Peter's, and from
thence to the Vatican ; where having dined, he fe^
out in the evening for Gaeta, to meet his Queen,
While his Majefty was diverting himfelf with
in the walls of Rome, the two armies were \%,
luting

LETTER XXXVI. 539
luting one another continually with mufquet and
cannon balls, crofs the Tiber. For the Germans'
had juft time enough to cut their bridge of boats*
and to fortifie the farther end of the ftone bridge
called Ponte Molle, where there is a tower ; be
yond which there are fome high hills, where
they had placed a battery, that pointed directly
upon the bridge, from whence the road runs in
a ftrait line, the length of two miles, to the walls
of Rome. So that in attempting to gain the
bridge, the Spaniards loft many men: and it
was a fhocking fight, to fee the Wounded and
maimed brought continually from time to time
into the city. From an eminence I plainly faw
the battery of the Germans play, but not that of
the Spaniards, which was in low ground. On
thurfday the 5th the former thought proper to
retire from their poll* towards Bologna ; and the
latter continued their purfuit* at a little diftance.
Mr. Drake, Mr. HoldsWorth, and Mr.
Town son left this place a month fince, intend
ing to pafs through both armies, in their way to
Naples. From the two laft I hope to receive
feme further information concerning Hercula
neum, and a more particular and additional * ac
count of the ftatues, pictures, &c. fome of which
have been found fince I was there. I expect the
return
* This Account is inferted in Letters XXXII. and XXXIV

246 LETTER XXXVI.
return of thefe gentlemen very fobn, and long
extremely for it ; their repeated favours having
contributed much to the comfort and pleafure of
my life. Mr. Drake is one of the moft fpright-
ly, agreeable, and amiable perfons living : whofe
generofity, tho' equal to his great eftate, is not
oftentatioufly difplayed in extravagant expences,
but regularly difpenfed with difcreet oeeonomy*
and a profpect of doing fome real and lafting
good. Such natural endowments as his, im
proved by the conftant advice of fo ingenious*
learned, prudent a monitor* as Mr. Holds-
worth, when grown up to maturity, I may ven
ture to prefage, will fhine out confpicuoufly in
the fervice of his countrey. Thefe two Gentle
men, together with their companion in their tra
vels, as well as civilities to me, I have painted
in a converfation-piece : and could gratitude have
directed the pencil and the pen, according to the
defire of the painter, both the Picture and this
Letter would have done full juflice to the fub-
jects, and neither the ftrokes of a Vandyke
been wanting in the one* nor thofe of a Pliny
in the other.
I hope, Doctor* you now roll in your chariot
and pair, or have got a brace of flout geldings :
and this I hope, not onely out of regard to your-
felf, but likewife to my old acquaintance little
Jack j who, if he continues ftill in your fervice* and

LETTER XXXVL 2jl\
and the account I have lately received of you be
true* muft needs bend under yotir weight* as in
many pictures here SiLenus's afs is reprefented
finking under him. I am glad to find* that you
thrive fo much Upon matrimony : which I take
to be a proof of yOur perfect fatisfaetion* and of
an intire freedom from the venations, which now1
and then by chance attend that happy ftate. The
jolly figure you make muft needs recommend it
to others : and thereby not only confequentially
promote the bufinefs of Phyfic, but likewife di
rectly recommend it* as being a demonftration of
the goodnefs of your Regimen. As for my part*
were I in yotir fituation* I fhould bring a difgrace
upon both ; and might be juftly looked upon as
the ghoft of Matrimony* and the fkeleton of
Phyfic. But* I hope* in due time after my re
turn, by your fkillful affiftance, to be put in a
Way* firft of augmenting* and then of multi
plying myfelf -, and thus to become a credit both
to medicinal and matrimonial operations. In un
dertaking the" laft of which* tho' I begin fa
long after you* I may perhaps be more fuccefs-
ful in a vivacious offspring, to keep up the name
of the family, in cafe yours fhould prove defi
cient. This I fincerely defire it may not ; but
that on the contrary* by its numeroufnefs* it may"
yield me an opportunity of difplaying the ut-
moft of my art in a converfation-piece. In which
Vol- I.- I i mv

242 LETTER XXXVII.
my Sifter and you muft be the principal figures,
with a groupe of my nephews and nieces, on
each fide, reprefented at employments or diver-
fions proper to their age and fex. Nor fhall I
forget to introduce my own figure among the
reft ; not looking afkew, with the envious eyes
of a Painter, upon perfons who have drawn more
to the life, than himfelf -, but with the chearful
countenance of an Uncle, highly pleafed with
the entertaining fight of your little family, as be
ing with the greateft lincerity,
Your moft affectionate Brother, &c.
LETTER XXXVII.
To Mrs. R.
Honoured Madam, Rome, May 16. 1745.
HAV ING omitted, through want of time* .
to make you a proper acknowledgment of
my duty, in a paquet, fent about two months
ago by fome Englifh Gentlemen ; 1 thought it
neceffary, by this means, to prevent what would
be otherwife a juft complaint, upon not finding
a Letter for your-felf among the reft. I think
it a tribute of gratitude, which you have the
greateft reafon to expect, at leaft once a year, for
thofe innumerable pall inftances of your affection
towards me ; tho' the great diftance of place
fhould

LETTER XXXVII. 243
fhould hinder the future communication of any
fuch agreeable tokens of it, as thofe, for which
I now return my hearty thanks ; the fhirts, and
the ftockings, which fit exactly.
I am glad, that my Father approves of my
intended journey to Naples ; which I muft now
defer, 'till the heats are over : for Mr. S. who
was to be my companion thither, fets out this
day on a pilgrimage to Loretto, Which could
he have delayed a while longer, I think I fhould
have been very well prepared for fuch an expedi
tion my-felf ; being likely in a few days to have
neither gold, nor filver, nor brafs in my purfe.
I inteqd to accompanie him, about five or fix
miles out of Rome, as far as Ovid's Tomb, in
the Via Flaminia : where having payed my re
flects, I fhall leave my Friend to proceed with
his flaff of devotion to the Lady of Loretto. As
this celebrated Tomb contains many curious
things, I have the greater defire to vifit it ; in or
der to draw fome of the moft remarkable, in a
book ; in which I took down another antique
fepulcre, difcovered a few years ago, a copy of
which I have tranfmitted to my Father.
But as no ancient curiofity can be lo entertain
ing to you, as fome fine piece of modern art ; I
here fend you a defcription of a New Monument,
lately erected in the fouth ifle of S- Peter's, over
a door, between two Corinthian pillars of beauti-
U 2 ful

244 LETTER XXXVII.
ful red and white marble, which are forty-fiv*
feet high, and help to fupport an arch of that
ifle.  A figure, reprefenting divine Love, fits
upon an urn of porphyry : with her right arm
fhe embraces the portrait of a Royal Perfonage $
and the other fhe extends towards heaven, hold
ing in the palm pf her hand a burning flame. On,
her right hand, ftands an angel affifling in fup
porting the portrait, which is painted in Mofaic.
From the feet of divine Love, down each fide of
the urn, falls a curtain of oriental agate. Beneath
the urn, between that and the top of the door, are
placed two little angels, one holding a crown,
and -the other a fceptre. The initial letters of the
infcription upon the urn are, M.C.M.B.F. & H.R-
From behind the figure of Divine Love, rifes a
pyramid of porphyry, which is fet off by a back
ground of a light fky painted in Mofaic, which
is furrounded with borders of verdantique, and
gilt bronze, &c. The difpofition of the figures
and marble is very beautiful ; and the whole coft
twenty thoufand Roman crowns.
Yefterday the body of the * Princefs Clemen
tina Sobieski was removed from the vaults of
S. Peter's, to this noble mpnument, in the man
ner following. — The chapel, called La Cap-
pella del Choro, was hung all over with black vel •
¦vet, fringed and laced with gold. In the middle was,
* She died Jan. 18. 1735. N. S. aged 33.

LETTER XXXVII. 245
was erected a large canopy of ftate of the fame
fluff ; the four corners of which reached to each
fide of the chapel, and were fupported by four
angels. Under it the corpfc was placed, cover
ed with a pall of gold tiffue, &c. over which
were fixed two little angels, one holding a crown,
the other a fceptre. The chapel was adorned with
angels, death's-heads gilded, infcriptions, &c.
interfperfed, and illuminated with an infinite
number of wax-candles. All the attendants on
the family, &c. appeared in deep mourning j
and a great many of the Cardinals and Nobility
were prefent. Solemn mufic was performed by
voices and inftruments from each fide of the cha
pel : and after the office was over, which was a-
bout mid-day, the corpfe was carried in a grand
ceremony, and depofited in the urn of porphyry.
Such folemnities, in honour of the great, the
religious, the beautiful, and the young, leave a
deep impreffion on the mind of all, who are able,
and willing to think; and naturally fuggeft a
train of ufeful and neceffary reflections. They
give a check to that levity, felf-opinion, and fe-
curity, in which perfons of my age are too apt
to indulge themfelves ; as if the thoughts of
death were proper onely for thofe, who are far
advanced in years. Whereas we fee perfons
of the greateft-quality, beauty, and finefl con-
ftitutions, daily hurried off the ftage in their
youth,

246 LETTER XXXVII.
youth, or in the full ftrength and vigour of their
age. And therefore it is impoffible, that we whq
are placed in lower life, and perhaps want their
beft qualifications, can really think our-felves
fecure. The truth of the matter is, we do
not, properly fpeaking, think at all ; we do not
give our-felves time to think, or to purfue fuch
thoughts, as would interrupt our purfuit of plea-:
fure, and oblige us to change our conduct.
But how irrational is this ? We have a long
voyage to make into a foreign countrey, which
we muft all foon undertake ; and which we may
be forced to begin at a day's, or an hour's warn-r
ing. In the mean time, many affairs of the
greateft confequence are to be fettled, many things
to be provided for our convenience and fecurity
in our paffage ; otherwife we fhall be infallibly
ruined, and irrecoverably loft. Yet we venture
to defer this fettlement from day to day, never
think ferioufly of our voyage, nor make the leaft
provifion or preparation for it. Into what hurry
and confufion muft we inevitably be thrown,
when we fhall be obliged to fet out altogether un
prepared! A faint refemblance of this confufion,
I have too often, through my inadvertency, ex
perienced, in undertaking fhorter journeys : but,
I truft in God, I fhall never be fo imprudent, fo
foolifh, and fo mad, as to expofe my-felf to an in
finitely greater confufion, and even confternation By

LETTER XXXVIII. 247
By this, Madam, you may perceive, that I
ftill retain the impreffions, which your inftruct-
ions made upon me in my tender, and your ex
ample, in my riper, years. And I beg, that yoii
would not give your-felf the leaft uneafinefs, by
any apprehenfions with regard to my religion ;
which I fhall never be induced to lay afide, for
any gayer fafhion* which I may fee in this coun
trey. Of this I hope to live to give you the moft
convincing proofs at my return • and to fhew
you, that I have preferved not onely the exter
nal form of my Chriftian profeffion, but fome-
what likewife of the fpirit of it, by endeavour
ing to the utmoft of my power to difcharge part
of that immenfe debt, due to fo kind and good
a Parent, from,Honoured Madam, Your moft obedient, &c,

LETTER XXXVIII.
To Mr. R.
Honoured Sir, Florence, July 13. i74s. at. tf
YO U will wonder, no doubt, to fee a Let
ter of mine dated from this place : of my
journey to which I fhould certainly have given
you notice, had the defign of it been formed any
confiderable time before the execution. But it
was

248 LETTER XXXVIII.
was very fudden: and tho' curiofity, incouraged
by having the beft of company* and a full fecu-
rity from any expence, might be a fufficient
motive to undertake this ramble ; yet many rea-
ions concurred to perfuade me* that my greateft
intereft and well-fare depended upon it ; with
which I may acquaint you at large at a more pro
per time. At prefent, give me leave to reflect
with wonder arid complacency upon the vicifll-
tudes of my fortune, fince I have been abroad j
and upon the fudden turn and flowing of the
tide, when my affairs feemed to be finking pret
ty near the loweft ebb. Had the remittances,
which you have fo kindly made me from time to
time, been doubled ; I could not have feen half
thofe fine places and things, which, under all my
difficulties* I have feen to the greateft advantage
imaginable. On May the 5th I left Rome* in company
with Mr. Dawkins, Mr. Bouverie, and Mr.
PHELPS,takingtheroadtoLoretto ; from whence
we went to Ancona, and fo to Bologna* where
We arrived the 12th. After a week's flay at
which place* we fet out for Venice* in order to
be there at the feaft of the Afcenfion^ There I
had the fatisfaction of meeting Mr. Drake, Mr-
Holdsworth, and Mr. Townson* and of en
joying for a- few days the pleafure of their con-*
verfation ; a pleafure rendered more grateful by
along

LETTER XXXVIII.

249

& long intermifliori. But, alas* how fwiftly did
they pafs away, and bring on the 4th of June !
when with great Concern I took * my laft farewell
of thofe Gentlemen* and of Mr. Dawkins ; to
all of whom I had very great, and to fome the
greateft, obligations. On that day, Mr. Bouve-
rie, Mr. Phelps, and myfelf fet out for this
place, leaving them at Venice ; from whence
they defigned to proceed in a day or two towards
Vienna, in their return to England;
As the bufinefs of painting* Sir* requires a
very clofe and conftant application, you may be
apt to fufpect* that my attendance upon Gentle men
* Thefe words feem to have been ominous : for with re-
fpeft co Mr. Holdsworth, it proved indeed a laft farewell"}
who died of a fever, at the Right Hon. the Lord Digby's
feat at Colefhill in Warwickshire, Dec. 30. 1747. The
Rev. Dr. Edward Cobden, Archdeacon of London, in a
Note upon his STRENA ad Reverendum virum Doftorerri
Lavincton Epifcopum nominatum, laments this Gentleman's
death in the words following.
2>uam fragile* funt humana fpes ! quam confufa et incerta
fortes ! Dum hac fcribimus, fortunam et dignitatem unigratu-
lantes, allata eheu ! eft fajna; qua me fummo mosrore affecit;
alterius, etiam condifcipuli quondam, & amici per omnem vitam
fuavijjimi, Edwardi Holdsworth animam corpus fuuni
nuper reliquiffe. Quale** neque candiore^;
Terra tulit, nei}ue cut me fit devinclior alter.
Collujimus enim pueri, et gaudia et dolores mifcuimus per fexen-
nium contubernales. Indolis erat adeo ingenua, ut ft quifquani ,
alius; fine vitiis nafci videretur. Jucundus et p.-obus, quia
aliter fieri vix potuit. D.olendum fani efi ilium in unum inci-
diffe errorem, per quern patria atnififus eft longe antequam inore-
retur. Ut illius vita omnes ad virtutem et pietatem incitavit;
it-a mors ejus nos pracipue admonet veteranos commi/i tones, nu-
mero jampaucos, nos alteru?n alteros arclius amplecli; qu4
I, Jc fc o/irft

250 LETTER XXXVIIl.
men has taken me off too much from it. Had
this attendance indeed been indifcriminately upon
all, or moft of thofe who travel hither, your
fufpicion would not have been ill-grounded : for
the bare lofs of time is generally too great a price
for the honour of keeping grand company, and
the participation of good chear. And befides
this, it is perhaps no eafy matter to decline go
ing fuch lengths* in order to render ones felf
more agreeable, as are apt to indifpofe one for
bufinefs, and may by degrees bring on habits in-
confiftent with it. But
enim r^dii funt contrailiores, eo magis debent calefacere. p. 6.7.
' How frail are the hopes ! how confufed and uncertain
* the lots of mankind ! Whilft I am writing this, and con-
* gratulating the fortune and dignity of one old School-fel-
* low and Friend, bad news, alas ! has been brought me,
• which afflidts me with the greateft forrow ; That Mr. Ed-
' ward Holdsworth, my other Quondam School-fellow,
* and moft delightful Friend throughout his whole life, is
* lately dead :
Than vohom no purer Soul the earth e,er bore,
Nor to vohom Any vuas devoted more.
' For we were play-fellows, when boys ; and likewife
' mutually intermixed our joys and forrows, being chamber-
' fellows for fix years together. He was of a natural difpo-
* fition fo ingenuous, that if ever any other perfon was, he
* iet med to be born without vices. . A pleafant companion,
* and a man of probity, becaufe he could fcarcely be other-
' wife. It is indeed to be lamented, that he fell into one
• error, by which he became loft to his countrey long before
* ije died. As his life incited all to the praftice of virtue
* and piety : fo his death more efpecially admonifhes us
« veteran fellow-foldiers, now reduced to a fmall number,
• to embrace one another the more clofely ; for the more
• contracted the rays are, fo much the more ought they to
' warm.'
He

LETTER XXXVIII. 251
But the Gentlemen, with whom it has been
my good fortune to be moft acquainted, did not
travel merely to amufe, but to improve them
felves -, and having a good tafte for the Liberal
Arts, inftead of interrupting and hindering, they
continually promoted the profecution of them-
In their company indeed I could not actually em
ploy my hand in drawing ; but I could thereby
gain a freer accefs to the fineft pictures, I could
hear their fentiments about them, and learn fome
remarkable particularities, both concerning the
works themfelves, and the mafters. who drew
them.
He was elefted Demy of Magdalene College in Oxford
in July 1705. where he foon rendered himfelf very emi
nent by a Latin Poem intitled Mufcipula. In a few years he
became the College Tutor, and had a confiderable nu ,':er
of Pupils. But in January 171 5, when, according to the
order of fucceffion at that time obferved, he was the next to
be chofen into a Fellowfhip, he refigned his Demyfhip, and
left the College.  So that the one error of this Gentleman,
which his friend the Doctor fo much laments, was his de
clining the political oaths ; which yet had he taken, with a
repugnant, or even a doubting confcience, it cannot be de
nied, that he would have fallen into fomewhat worfe than
an error. Nor did this error, it is humbly hoped, render
him intirely loft to his countrey long before he died ; fince,
from the time he fell into it 'till his death, he travelled as
Tutor with young Noblemen and Gentlemen : whofe minds
he not only cultivated with all polite literature, but formed
their manners by the ftrifteft rules of morality, and incited
them by his own example, as well as precepts, to the
praBice of virtue and piety.
It is this Gentleman, of whom the Revd. Mr. Spence
fpeaks with fo much honour, in three places of his late in
genious and learned Work intitled Polymctis ; fuppreffing his
' name, I fuppofe by his own exprefs order. The firft; place
is in Book V. Dial. xi. p. 1 74. n. 8 1 .
Kk? 'A Gen-

25 2 LETTER XXXVIII.
them. As their plentiful, tho' temperate, enter
tainments yielded me a moft agreeable refrefh-
ment, after the fatigues of ftudy ; fo, by their
ingenious converfation being improved in the
theory, I returned to the practical part with
greater diligence and application.
By the favour of accompanying them, I have
gained the fight of many fine things in Rome,
and in the places round about, which, it is pro
bable, I fhould not otherwife have feen at all, or at
leaft with great difficulty, and to much lefs advan
tage. But it is certain, that without this favour,
I could not have yet feen thofe feveral cities and
towns,
' A Gentleman, I have longknown, (and who feems to
' me to underftand Virgil in the moft mafterly manner,
f of any man I ever did know,) reads the paffage thus :
Milio venit annua cura :
Candidas auratis aperit cum cornibus annum
Taurus, et adver/o cedens Canis occidit aftro.
Georg. I. v. zi8.
' My friend takes Canis here to be the genitive cafe : and
4 underftands, adverfo aftro, of that Conftellation ; and not
' of Taurus. His fenfe therefore of it, is : " Sow millet ;
from the year's opening under Taurus, to the fetting Of that
conftellation." ' This period reaches from the beginning,
' to about the middle of April  Adverfo was the true
' original reading ; according to the oldeft and beft Manu-
' fcripts : and is ufed in particular by Macrobius.  The
* year, in refpeft to agriculture, began with the month of
* April ; which thence, probably, had its very name Aprilis ;
' quafi aperilis, ab aperiendo The expreffions feem in
' this fenfe to be more poeticd than in the other ; and more
' agreeable to the pofitions and appearance of thefe G'onftel-
' lations on the ancient globe.— —Columella (who lived
* in the fame country and in the fame age) fays " the fowing
' of millet fhould be finifhed by the middle of April." Lib.
' ii. Chap. z. In

LETTER XXXVIII. 253
towns, at a greater diftance from Rome, which
are eminent, either for their ancient or prefent
magnificence, or for many curiofities of art or
nature. Such as Naples, and the places near it ;
of which I have formerly given you fome ac
count : and thofe which I faw very lately, Lo-
retto, Ancona, Bologna, and Venice ; concern
ing which, and Florence, where I now am, you
may expect, in a little time fome detail of fuch
things in each, as feemed to me moft remarkable,
All the convenience, the eafe, and the plea
fure of travelling to Venice, I owe to Mr. Daw^
kins ; and the continuation of the moft agreea ble
In Book VII. Dial. xiv. p. 232. treating of thefe verfes,
Et gemina auratus taurino cornua vultu
Eridanus ; quo non alius per pinguia cult a
In mare purpureum violentior ejfiuit amnis. George, iv. 373.
f Mr. Spence adds, I am not quite clear as to that expref-
' fion [quo non alius violentior amnis,"] replied Polymetis :
' but to anfwer you as far as I can, I muft give you the
* opinion of a man whom you both know ; and whofe name
' I need not mention to you, when I have told you it is the
' perfon, who underftands Virgil in a more mafterly man-
' ner, than perhaps any one in this age. It is his opinion,
' (with all that modefty, with which he generally offers his
' opinions,) that the difficulty you mention may poffibly be
' got over, by the expreffion joined with it, per pinguia
' culta. The moft violent rivers in the world are fuch as run,'
' or fall, thorough a chain of mountains. . . . But the Po,
* you know, very foon after its fource, flows on thro' the
' vale of Piemont ; and afterwards, traverfes all the rich
' vale of Lombardy. Thefe are the pinguia cult a, which
* Vircil fpeaksof: almoft the whole courfe of the Po, is
« thorough fuch rich low ground : and perhaps there may
« not be any river in the world, which has almoft all its
, courfe through fo flat and rich a foil, which is fo violent
« as the Po is.' The

254 LETTER XXXVIII.
ble journey from thence to this place, to Mr.
Bou verie. The obligations, which thefe Gen
tlemen, and others, have layed upon me, by fa
vours of this kind, I acknowledge to be very
great ; yet I do not think they arife intirely, or
chiefly, from thdfe external accommodations*
which are the effects of wealth and generofity.
But that which in my opinion peculiarly heightens
and compleats them, was the free, eafy, and in
genious converfation of perfons of fo polite a
tafte: by injoying which fo frequently, I can
fay with truth, and will venture to do it, being
directed, not by vanity, but gratitude, That I
have

The third place, relating to Mr. Holdsworth, is in Book
IX. Dial. xvi. p. 276. ». 162.
Eft locus Italia medio, fub montibus altis,
Nobilis etfamd mult is memoratus in oris ;
AmfanSi valles. Denfis hunc frondibus atrum
Urget utrimque latus nemoris ; medioque fragojus
Dat fonitum faxis et tor to * vertice torrens.
* So the famous Flor. MS. not vortice. Mn. vii. 567.
? AmfanQus is placed, both by the antients and moderns, in
* the kingdom of Naples ; between Trevicum and Ache-
' rontia  The place which is now called Nefanto (as fup-
' pofed by corruption ; fee Leon Alberti f. 1 o 1 .) is in a dark
' vale, near Trevico ; inclofed on each fide by hills, and
* gloomy woods. In the midft are two or three filthy holes;
' in one of which the water burfts up to the height of three
' or four feet, (fometimes more, and fometimes lefs,) [de-
' fcribed by torto vertice"] and then falls in again upon itfelf:
* It fmells horribly : the earth being all impregnated with
' fulphur. There are feveral vents of wind in the fides of
' the hills near this odious bafon : which you find to come
< out with a good deal of force, if you hold your hand to
'• the

LETTER XXXVIII. 255
have made fome particular improvements in my
travels, which few painters have had an oppor
tunity of doing. The obfervations, which I heard
upon the curious things which we dayly viewed,
made fo deep an impreffion upon my mind, as I
doubt not, will be of great fervice to me the reft
of my life. And I fhall never reflect upon them,
without remembring at the fame time the Gen
tlemen, to whom I am indebted for them ; as
well as for fo many inftances of kindnefs and
generofity towards me. To which, tho' inclined
by their own natural temper and difpofition, I
have great reafon to think, that your good friend
Mr.

• the vent j and they make more noife than a Smith's bel-
' lows  I am obliged for this note to a very particular
' friend of mine ; a gentleman of our own country: who
* has travelled often into Italy, and who (I believe) is
' much better acquainted with it as claffic ground, than any
* man now living. He had the curiofity in one of his voyages
' to go to Nefanto."'
As a confirmation of the character Mr. Spence has given
of this Gentleman, it will not be improper to mention his
learned Dififertation intitled, Pharsalia and Philippi;
cr the Tvjo Philippi in Vi rgi l's Georgics attempted to be ex
plain d and reconciPd to Hiftory. 4W. 1 741. as likewife ano
ther Dififertation upon Eight Verfes in the Second Georgic, be
ginning Plantis edurae coryli nafcuntur, &c. v. 65. &C. "left
in Manufcript corrected ,with his own hand, which he de
figned for the prefs, and which was publifhed in April laft.
In this fhort Piece, he has fully vindicated Virgil's re
putation from the mifreprefentations of all the preceding
Commentators and Tranflators ; and given the greateft per.
fpicuity to a paffage, which, according to their interpreta
tions, feems full of confufion and abfurdities, and made up
onely of fine words without truth or common fenfe.

2^6 LETTER XXXIX.
Mr. Holdsworth took all opportunities of ex
citing them, by fuch a perfuafive application, aS
carried a kind of irrefiftible authority along with
it. The true paternal mind, which that Gentle
man* whom I take to be about your age* has
always manifefted towards me* has in a great
meafure fupplied your abfence at fo vaft a di
ftance ; and has often fecured me from the incon-
veniencies of pecuniary difappointments, which
otherwife* in this ftrange countrey* might have
been attended with exceeding bad confequences.
As no man has fhewrt fo tender a regard for me*
in all refpeets* except your-felf ; fo there is none,
to whom I find myfelf affected with fentiments*
fo nearly refembling that filial piety, which, as
peculiarly due to You* will ever poffefs a fupe-
rior place in the heart of,
Honoured Sir,
Your moft obedient, &c
LETTER XXXIX,
To Mr. R.
Honoured Sir, Florence, Aug: 28. 1 745. N. S.
CCORDING to my laft, you might

A

juftly expect to receive fome account of
Loretto* Bologna, Ancona, and Venice* before
I fhould fend you any of Florence : but as it is
not material, with which of thefe places I be
gin*

LETTER XXXIX. i57
gin, I beg your acceptance of what I here dif-
patch at prefent, as an earneft, that the reft fhall
follow in fome reafonable time.
Florence, the capital of Tufcany, is fituated
in a moft delightful valley, furrounded on every
fide by mountains, except towards Pifa ; where
a plain extends it-felf for above forty miles. On
thefe mountains are difperfed up and down vil
lages, convents, and villas : fo that wherever
curiofity leads, from every eminence, one en
joys variety of profpecls of a moft fertile coun
trey, abounding in all forts of fruits, for the ne-
ceflaries and pleafures of life.  This city is
about nine miles in circumference, and is en-
compaffed with a wall of Gothic ftructure, ha
ving fix principal gates ; Porta S. Gallo, S. Croce
S. Nicolo, S. Pier in Gatolini or Porta Romana
S. Frediano,and Porta del prato ; and three fmall
ones, Porta Pinta, S. Miniato, and S. Giorgio.
The ftreets are fpacious, and exceeding neat, be
ing paved with great broad ftones, called Pietre
forte.  It is divided into two parts by the river
Arno : which in fummer flows in a narrow chan
nel ; but in winter, being increafed by the heavy
rains, and the melting of the fnows on the moun
tains, fwells to a vaft breadth, tears up trees by
the roots, and with the greateft rapidity imao-ina-
ble carries away all before it. To give you an
idea of it at that time, I can refer you to no-

Vol. I. L 1 thi

ng

258 LETTER XXXIX.
thing better than Virgil's * fhort defcription of
the Po.
Over this river there are four bridges, Ponte
alle Grazie, Vecchio, a Santa Trinita, and alia
Carraia : of which the third is the moft remarka
ble, built by order of Cosmus I. from the defign
of Bartolomeo Ammannati, fculptor and
architect. The juft proportion and beauty of
this bridge diftinguifh it from all others. It
confifts onely of three arches, of an oval form ;
and has at each end two ftatues, reprefenting the
four Seafons: That of Winter was made by
Taddeo Landini, and is extraordinary fine. —
The city is commanded by two fortreffes, la
Fortezza del Belvedere, and di S. Giovanni Bat-
tifta, vulgarly Fortezza da Baffo. It is faid to
contain 150 Churches, 60 Monasteries, 28 re
ligious Cloifters, 6 Hofpitals, 16 for Pilgrims,
many Confervatories of poor children, many
Oratories, and above a hundred Secular Confra
ternities, &c. There are likewife near forty pa
laces of the nobility ; many of which are very
grand and magnificent. The
* Protuit infano contorquens vortice filvas
Fluviorum rex Eridanus, campojque pe? omnes
Cum jiabulis armenta tulii. Georg. I. 480, &C.
Then rifing in his might, the King of floods
Rnfht thro' the forefts, tore the lofty woods ;
And rowling onward, with a fweepy fway,
Bore houfes, herds, and lab'ring hinds away. IJryden.

LETTER XXXIX. 259
The Metropolitan church is called S. Maria
del Fiore, but moft commonly // Duomo ; begun
to be built in the year 1294, by Arnolfo di
Cambio, fcholar of Cimabue, and finifhed by
various fucceffors. The great cupola is the fa
mous work of Philippo di Ser Brunellesco,
the beauty of which cannot be fufficiently ad
mired ; and on the infide the laft Judgement is
painted by Frederico Zuccheri and Gior
gio Vasari.  The Body of the church is
divided into three ifles, to which correfpond
three tribunes of an octogon form 5 in each of
which are five chapels. Under the cupola, which
is octogon, is placed the choir of the fame fhape,
and of the Ionic order, compofed of different
triarble. The columns fuftain a very fihafreez,
and the bafes are adorned with Baflb-relievos, re
prefenting the Prophets, by Giovanni dell-
Opera, and other excellent matters. Oil the
altar are three large ftatues in marble by Bdcio
Bandinelli, God the Father, with Christ
dead at his feet, fupported by an angel. Behind
the altar, there is a Pieta, by Michael Ange-
lo, unfinifhed.  On the right hand, as you
enter the church, is the buft of Brunellesco,
with the following infcription.. D. S,
' Quantum philippus architectus arte dae
dalaea valuerit cum huius celeeerrimi
templi mira testudo tuh plures maci11nae
pivino ingenio as eo adimventae documen
L 1 2 To

260 LETTER XXXIX.
TO ESSE POSSUNT QUAPROPTER OB EX1MIAS SUI
ANIMI DOTES SINOULARESQUE VIRTUTES XV°. KAL.
MAIAS ANNO M.CCCCXLV1. E I US B.M. CORPUS IN HAC
HUMO SUPPOSITA GRATA PATRI A SEPELIRl I VSSIT.
Next to it is the buft of Giotto, with this in
fcription, by the famous Politi an.
II le egofium per quern pi dura extinila revixit
Cui quam red a manus tarn fuit et facilis
Natur a deer at nofira quod defuit arti
Plus licuit nulli pingere nee melius
Miraris turrem egregiam fiacro are fonantem
Hac quoque de modulo crevit ad aftra meo
Denique fum Jottus quid opus fuit ilia referre
Hoc nomen longi carminis inftar erat.
Ob. an. mcccxxxvi cives pos. b. m. mcccclxxxx.
This edifice is in circumference 1280 braccia,
in length 260, and in height to the top of the
crofs 202 ; the ball 4, and will contain fourteen
or fifteen perfons. The out fide of the church
is intirely incrufted with beautiful marble.-
Very near, but not joined to it, ftands the cam
panile or fleeple ; built by Giotto, in height
144 braccia, incrufted likewife on the outfide
with marble of different colours. The ftructure
of this tower is admirable for its fymmetry and
ftrength. Oppofite to the Duomo ftands the * church of
S. Giovanni Battista, the only remains of
the antiquity of Florence, having been former- iy
* This Church Burnet calls " The Baptiftery, that
ftauds before it." Misson gives it the fame name. Vol. II.
P. I. p. 287.

LETTER XXXIX. 261
ly a temple dedicated to Mars. The form of
it is octogon, and it is incrufted with various
kinds of marble. It has three doors of brafs,
with figures in alto-relievo, reprefenting flories
of the Old and New Teftament. Thofe oppo-
fite to the Duomo were the work of Lorenzo
Gh 1 bert 1 ; and are fo remarkably fine, that
Michael Angelo faid, they were worthy to
be the gates of heaven. Over the principal door
are three marble ftatues, reprefenting S. John
baptizing ; one of which, being the figure of a
woman, feems not to be marble : they were be^
gun by Sansovino, and finifhed by Vincenzio
Danti. Over one of the other two doors, are
three brazen ftatues, by the fame, exhibiting the
decollation of S. John : and likewife over the
other, three more, reprefenting him as difputihg
with two Pharifees ; finely executed by Giovan
ni Francesco Rustici. Within the church,
are fixteen large pillars of oriental Granite. At
the principal gate are two columns of Porphyry,
a prefent from the city of Pifa.
San Giovannino, dedicated to S. John the E-
vangelift, belongs to the Jefuites, and was built
in 1580, from the defign of Bartolomeo
Ammannati. The infide is adorned with
ftucco and pictures ; and the fecond altar on the
left hand has a picture of our B. Saviour, and
of the Woman of Cana, by Allessandro
Allori called II Bronzino. In

262 LETTER XXXIX,
In San Marco, belonging to the Dominican
Friers, there are many pictures, of which thef©
are the principal. On the right, as you enter, at
the fecond altar, S. Tomaso d' Aquino, with
others, before a crucifix ; bySANTimTiTo:
at the third altar, La Madonna and Bambino, [the
B. Virgin and our Saviour] with faints worfhip-
ping them; by Fra. BartolomeO della
Porta. On the left, at the firft altar, Christ's
Transfiguration ; by Paggi Lombardo : at the
fecond, S. Dom i n i co healing a youth ; by Pas-
signano: at the fourth, S. Antonio bearing a
crofs; byCiGOLi.  The chapel of S. AntOt
nino, archbifhop of Florence, is adorned with
fine marble, worked according to the defign of
Giovanni di Bologna, and is enriched with
ftatues byFRANCAViLLA, and baflb-relieVos by
Fra. Dominico Portigiani ; and the fmall
cupola is painted by Bronzing. Next to this,
the chapel of Serragli is the moft remarkable
for ornaments of painting and fculpture. The
cloifler of the convent likewife is painted by
excellent mailers, Bernardino Poccetti,
Rosselli, and Boschi.
The S. S. Nunziata or Antiunciatd, poffeffed
by Friers of the order de fervi di Maria, has 3
large fquare before it defigned by Brunellesco ;
in the middle of which ftands an equeftrian ftatue
of brafs, erected to Ferdinand I. Grand Puke
of Tufcany, caft by Giovanni pi Bologna, This

LETTER XXXIX. 263
This church has a particular devotion payed to it,
on the account of a famous miracle, faid to have
been wrought here. A painter, whofe name is
uncertain, being employed in painting the Anr
nunciation, found him-felf at a lofs how to ex
prefs the countenance of the Virgin ; but having
fallen afleep a while, and waking fuddenly, to his
great furprize, he found the face fo nobly and
beautifully finifhed, that it was immediately con
cluded to be the work of fome celeftial hand. 
Before you enter the church, you come into a
fmall court or cloifter, quite covered with Votas;
which are fmall images, or pictures, hung up in
remembrance of, and gratitude for, fome great
or miraculous favour, received by the interceffion
of the Virgin Mary.  On the left hand upon
the wall, is placed the bull of Andrea del
Sarto, with the infcription following.
Andrea SartiqFlorentino
PiCtori eeleberr9. qui cu hoc veftibulum
Pitlura tantum no loquente- decoraffet
Ac reliquis hujus vener. templi ornamentis
Eximia artis fua ornamenta adj-unxiffet
In Deiparam verginem religiose affeCfus
lit eo recondi voluit
Fr. Laurent i us hujus aenobtiPrafeCtus
Hoc virtutis illius, et fui patrumque
Gratianimi monumentum p. cio io cvi.
On the walls are painted by him in frefco, the
Magi bringing prefents, &c. the heads of thefe
figures

264 LETTER XXXIX.
figures are noble, the attitudes and drapery excel
lently performed ; and an expreffion of joy and
gladnefs, futeable to the occafion, and which is
perfectly inchanting, is diffufed through the
whole. The Birth of the Virgin Mary, as like-
wife all the paintings on the wall on the left, re
prefenting the principal actions of S. Phillippo
Benizi, are likewife done by him; both heads
and figures finely drawn and expreffed. On the
other fide are painted the Birth of our Saviour,
byALEssioBALDOviNETTi ; the Virgin Mary
appearing to S. Philippo, by Rossellini ;
the Affumption of the Virgin, by Rosso ; the
Vifitation, by Pontormoj and the Marriage
with Joseph, by Franciabigio  Imme
diately, as you enter the church, on the left hand,
is the chapel of the Santiffima Nunziata ; on the
wall of which is painted her miraculous portrait.
This chapel is the defign of Michelozzo ; and
is intirely covered with filver plate, jewels, and
precious ftones : in the fine tabernacle on the al
tar is the head of our B. Saviour, painted by
Andrea del Sarto.  The cieling of the
church is richly gilded ; in the middle is a large
picture of the Affumption of the B. Virgin, by
Volterrano ; and over the cornice round the
church, are twelve pictures, reprefenting various
miracles, by Ul i ve ll i . At different altars are
many good pieces j particularly the laft Judg
ment, a copy of part of that by Michael An-
gelq

LET tER XXXIX. *6$
CEL'd at Rome, by Alessandro Allori; Iii
the chapel of Bandinelli, there is a dead
Christ in marble; fuftained by God the Father*
done by Baccio Bandinelli; under which
lies his body* with this infcription.
D. O. M.
Bacius ftandinel Divi Jacobi Eques
Sub hac Salvatoris imagine
Afeexpreffa, cum Jacoba D'oria
Uxore± quiefcit An. S. m. d. lix.
At the end of the ifle* is a large round tribune!
the roof of which, containing the Affumption of
the B. Virgin, &e. is painted by BaldassaR
Franceschini* called 11 Volterrano.  To the
cupola correfponds the choir ; round which are
nine chapels. In the fecOnd oh the right hand*
is the Marriage of S; CAtharina, painted by
Belivelti: in the thirds a blind man re
ceiving his fight, by Passignano. In the fifths
which was built at the expence of Giovanni
Bologna, are ftatues of much efteem* as like-
wife baffo-relievos in brafs* containing the fuf- •
ferings of our Saviour, and a large crucifix in
brafs; over the altar, by the fame; Three pic
tures adorn this chapel; one of Pacgi* another
of Ligozzi* and a third Of Passignano. In
the fixth chapel* is the Refurrection* by Agnolo
Bronzino : the head* irt profile, of one of the
Angels that rolls away the ftone* is remarkably
tine. In the eighth, isS. Michael* byPiGNONii-
Vol* L Mm arid

266 LETTER XXXIX.
and in the ninth, the Birth of the B. Virgin, by
Allessandro Allori.  The large cloifter
of this convent is painted by Rosselli and Po-
cetti, &c. and over the door is the famous
Madonna del facco, reckoned one of the beft,
and moft perfect works of Andrea del Sar-
to ; and is certainly in every refpect a. moft no
ble picture.  1 propofe to go through all the
moft eminent churches, in this manner ; and af
terwards, the palaces. And if upon revifal I
find, that I have omitted any thing material, or
committed miftakes, I fhall take care to fupplie
the one, and rectifie the other, in fubfequent
letters. On Friday the 24th was the feaft of S. Gio
vanni, which formerly, when the Grand Dukes
refided here, was celebrated with great fplendor
and magnificence : the ceremony of it at prefent
was this. Under the Loggia, which opens to
wards the Piazza del Grand Duca, was erected a
throne of ftate, and over the chair was placed a
large picture of the Emperor. For this day's
feaft they have five machines or caftles, made of
wood, and drawn by horfes ; the principal is that
which reprefents the city of Florence : it rifes
in different ftories to the height of 40 feet, and
ends in a pyramid ; on the top of which is placed
a man clothed in fkins to perfonate S. John Bap-
tift : below there are other figures,, and particu
larly a little boy to reprefent the fame perfon, almpft

LETTER XXXIX. 267
almoft naked, except where he is covered with
fkins. This machine, as likewife the other four,
that reprefent Monte Catini, Montdpoli, Monte
Lupo, and the city of Barga, feuds of the
State, are drawn round the piazza, and pafs
by the throne. A perfon, that acts the part of
the ambaflador of Siena, paffes by on horfe-
back, and pays homage by making a fpeech to
the throne. Afterward an infinite number of fer-
vants and fellows on horfe-back, with each a
piece of plate, and paliftis, or flags, in their
hands, to denote the marquifate or land that be
longs to their mailers. The grand Pallio is alfo
carried by, which is a large piece of wrought
velvet or gold cloth, which is the prize for the
horfe-races in the afternoon. The eve of S. John,
there are chariot-races in the piazza of S. Maria
Novella, where two met as are fixed up for that
purpofe -, and I believe, thefe races bear fome r^-
femblance to the ancient races of the Circus.
This account, Sir, having run out into a
greater length, than I imagined, I will not ex
tend it at prefent, even by any fhort addition,
which might ferve to excufe it. But to leffen
your apprehenfions of the tedioufnefs of the re
maining part, I fhall endeavour to contract it inr
to a narrower cqmpafs, in proportion to the
matter, than -this which is now fent by,
FJonoured Sir,
Your moft obedient^ &c.
Mm 2 LETTER

( 268 )
LETTER XL,
To Mr, W. R.
Dear W.
BEING obliged to difpatch the above- writ
ten to my Father, and unwilling to fend
any blank paper to England ; I fhall fill the re
mainder with a Poftfcript, rather than a Letter,
to you ; which I hope he will likewife admit as
a kind of Preface to my Verfes. He had been
pleafed a good while ago to let me know, that
he fhould be glad to receive a copy of Latin
Verfes from me, as a proof, that I had not for
gotten the little knack of verfificatipn, which I
had learned at Weftminfter : intimating, that it
would be fomewhat ftrange, if one, who had
ferved more than an apprenticefhip to Poetry,
fhould lofe all his fkill upon Claffic Ground. At
my parting from him, he injoined me to retain
at leaft the little knowledge I had of Greek, La
tin, and French ; directing me what books to.
read at my leifure hours for that purpofe. And
as a proper precaution, that I might not neglect
his injunctions as to the two latter languages, he
ordered me generally to write, either in the one
or the other. But he faid not one word concern
ing my making any Latin Verfes : fo that I was
not a little furprized, when his demand upon me
came at firft to my hands ; which hoping he might
poffibly forget xo renew, I took no care to be
any

LETTER XL. 269
any better prepared againft it. You may well
think then, in what perplexity I was, when the
Doctor's Letter, aboyt a month ago, brought
me a renewal of this demand, However, in o-
bedience to authority,, after five years internpf-
fion, I fate down, fcratching my head, biting
my nails, and counting the fingers of my left
hand in a double manner, as formerly ; and at
laft, to my great fatisfaction, I got through my
tafk. But now, when I am juft giving it up,
I am under much greater apprehenfions, than
ever I was at fchool -, as having a greater regard
for reputation, and not knowing what confe
quence s may attend this poetical excurfion. Then
I knew the worft that could follow ; and I would
gladly now compound upon the fame penalty :
which I fhould undergo with the lefs reluclance,
as being a very proper emblem of the common
and unavoidable calamity incident to mankind.
For what Body Politic is there, where the inno,
cent inferior parts do pot frequently fuffer for the
folly or madnefs of the head ? So that Horace
feems to havefpoken, not only hiftorically, but
prophetically, Quicquid delirant Reges, pleduntur Achivi.
Your letter came fafe, and fhall be anfwered fopn
Ydur moft affectionate^ Sic. J
E PISTOL A

D

( 270 )
E P I ST 0 LA XLI,
Roma, Prid. Non. April. 1742.
U M prpcul a patria, ac patrio tutamine, terram,
Quam Favi radit Tibridis unda, colo :

Tantane te, Gcnitor, cepere oblivia nati,
Cui fcriptis animus ftatve caditve tuis ?

Ut vituius marcefcit agris, quibus invida dextra
Abfciderit rivum praetereuntis aquae :

Sic

This Poetical Epiftle in Latin ought to have been in-
ferted, as Letter XXI, at p. 82. according to the order
of the date. But when that part of the Book was printing
off", the Editor was under great uncertainty, whether he
fhould venture the Latin Verfes abroad, or not. But having
fhewed them formerly to feveral perfons, who feezed
pleafed with them as being written with fome fpirit ; he was
the more readily induced to acquiefce very lately in the'
judgment of an ingenious and learned Gentleman, and good
Poet, who was of opinion, that they would be no improper
addition at the end of the Volume, as they had a relation
to the fubjefts of feveral of the preceding Letters.
When this was determined, a difficulty arofe with re-
fpeft to thofe Ladies and Gentlemen, who, tho' having
no want either of wit or fenfe, yet might not underftand
Latin : in regard to whom, the Editor chofe rather to ha
zard his reputation, as a Tranflator, than to leave their
.curiofity

( 271 )
LETTER XLI.
To Mr. R.
Rome, April 4. 174a.
WHILE from my native foil at diftance far,
And all the fafe-guard of a Parent's care,
I long refide in that illuftrious land,
Where rapid Tiber rolls his yellow fand :
Can fuch oblivion from your breaft remove 5
The once dear object of paternal love ?
Whofe foul, as your Epiftles come, or ftay,
Or firmly ftands, or finking faints away.
As the young fleer, in fields, .whence envious hands
Have drain'd the limpid current, pining ftands : 10 So-

curiofity unfatisfied. If his endeavours prove acceptable to
them, he will be very little concerned at the fevferity of
Critics : the keentiefs of whofe reflections he hopes will be
taken off by being exercifed on the Tranflation, and the
Original by that means efcape with the lefs damage No
good Latin Poet, he is certain, will think it worth while
to criticize the poetical work of a Painter 5 nor any good-
natured indifferent one neither, who confiders the circum
ftances mentioned in Letter XL ; and that it is probably
the laft piece of the kind that will come from his hand.
And how mean an opinion foever any perfon may entertain
of it, he can not juftly blame the Author ; who never had
the leaft apprehenfion that it would be publifhed. The
whole cenfure therefore ought to fall upon the Editor ;
who, not infenfible of thejuftice, having expofed to pub
lic view a Pidture, as it were in oil colours, drawn by the
Author ; in order to make it appear the better, has placed
'juft befide it a Copy in black lead, done by him-felf.

2^2 LETTER XLl.
Sic mihi, cum placido tua fcripta fluentia curat
CefTarint, corpus debile languor habet.

Saepe animo volvi, quaenam fit caufa, veniret
Quod fignata tua Littera nulla manu. 10
Ventorum adverfas vires, pelagive querebar :
Sed nee ventus erat* nee mare caufa morae.
Litterae eorum etenim venere per aequora vectae,
Quos cognata mihi vincula nulla ligant.
Verfo tuas relegens iterurnqae itefumque ; voluptas 15
Sola levat curas haec repetita meas.
At languent validi, nimium quibus utimur, arcus 3
Refpuit et vulnus trifle malagma vetus.

Sed quam Roma juvat peregrinum forth requires*
Artis Apelleae Phidiacaeque domus. 20

Scilicet, et nunc eft rerum pulcherrirha Roma ;
Palladis eximium, non rude Mart is, opul

Roma olim ftravitque urbes, civefque peremit :
At nunc, quam trepklans horruir, orbis amat.

Jarri

Ver. 7, 8. TdjuftinetheptOprietjraridthetfuthofthefd
two verfes, it is neceffary to inform the Reader, that the
Letters

LETTER XLI. 273
So, when the ftream, which from your bounteous fource
Flow'd, in kind Letters, with a conftant cpurfe,
Is ftopp'd ; I feel a faintnefs at my heart,
And a dull languor creeps through every part.
Oft I revolve, what caufe I moft (hould blame, 15
Sign'd by your hand that no kind Letter came.
Of winds and waves adverfe, I oft complain :
Nor waves, nor winds th' expected mail detain.
For ftill from Friends a paflage Letters found,
To me whom ties of no relation bound. 20
Yours oft I read ; my only pleafure they,
Repeated oft, my anxious cares allay.
But ftrongeft bows relax with conftant ufe ;
And fettering wounds emollients old refufe.

But You this plaintive ftrain, no doubt, will tire; 25
Whofe curious mind excites you to inquire,
How Modern Rome delights the Stranger's heart,
The feat of Phidias' and Apelles' art?
No place, like Rome, view all the world around,
With beauty fliines adorn'd, and grandeur crown'd :
This midft all other cities tow'ring ftands,
Not the rude workof Mars, but Pallas' hands.
With fire and fword Old Rome the world annoy'd,
The cities ravag'd, and the men deftroy'd :
But now the world the place abhorr'd approves ; 35
And, what it dreaded once, admires, and loves.
Vol. I. N n Now
Letters fo much commended here for their eafy, flowing
ftile, were now and then accompanied with a Bill upon
Signor Belloni the Banker.

274 LETTER XLL
Jam cedunt populi, non brachia, faeva ligati i$
Corda * triumphati nobiiiore modo.

Sed quis non lacrymas fundet, fi lumina vertat
Hue, ubi pars urbis de bove nomen habet I
Exponunt quantas everfa palatia clades,
Aurataeque aedes, Caefareaeque domus ! 30
Marmoreae hinc Divum effigies, ruptifque Cololli
Partibus, hinc longo procubuere die.
Barbarus haec potuit ferro refcindere miles ;
Ora nee admirans, nee jo vis arma timens ?
Heu ! facris nil parcit opum furiofa cupido * 35
Artefque exitio funt alimenta fuo.

At tandem deeimo cum facra tiara Leoni
Albentes triplici cinxit honore comas ;
Lux repulit tenebras, atque obruta Roma refuirgit ;
Et fenfim apparent atria, templa, domus. 40
Jam capita ingentes obelifci ad fidera tollunt ;
Atque iterum fluvios pendula tecta ferunt.
Romani incipiunt vultufque animofque feroces
Mollire, et ftudiis invigilare novis.
Exuitur cafiis : jam cedunt artibus arma : 45
Atque tudes, plus quam tela, vibrare juvat.
In cultra excifus pi£toria vertitur enfis ;
Fucati et fcuti dulcior ufus erat.
Agricola exefos fcabra rubigine truncos
Nobile Praxitelis vomere pulfat opus. 50
Civtt

LETTER XLI. 275
Now people yield, their hearts, not hands, inchain'd j
And o'er their minds a nobler triumph gain'd.

But who can tears reftrain, that turns his eyes
Where now the Campo call'd Vaccina lyes ? 40
What ruinous fcenes fall'n palaces unfold,
Manfions of Cefars, radiant once with gold !
Of Gods here ftatues, there Colofles found.
That, broken, rufted ages under ground.
Could barbarous Goths fuch forms in fragments fpread,
Jove's face admire not, nor his thunder dread ? 46
But nothing facred 's fafe from luft of gain ;
And arts moft exquifite are their own bane.

But when exalted on the Papal Throne
Leo's grey hairs with triple honours fhone ; 50
Light chas'd the gloom, and Rome o'erwhelm'd arofe,
Difclofing Temples, Domes, and Porticoes.
Their heads to heav'n vaft Obelisks now rear ;
Again fwift rivers pendent fabrics bear.
The Romans now, to ftudies new inclin'd, 55
Soften the fiercenefs of their air and mind.
The helmet.'s lay'd afide : arms yield to arts ;
And mallets brandifh'd ftiake much more than darts.
The fhield diminifli'4, and the fhorten'd fword,
The Pallet, and the Pallet-knife afford. 60
As oft the Plowman turns the furrow'd duft,
The trunks of ftatues, long deform'd with rufr,
Struck by the (hare, to light once more are brought -A
The noble works Praxiteles had wrought.
Nb? The

276 LETTER XLI.
Civis et attonitus, magnis effoffa ruinis,
Nunc ftupet Heroum, nunc fimulacra Dedm.
Non marmor, non vena capit pretiofa metalii
Luminaj materies vincitur arte manus.
Lao coon T a videns quis non in mente dolores 55
Sentit, et horrendos percipit aure fonos :
Dum manibus tendit ferpentum avellere nodos ;
Torquet et in curvos faucia membra fitus ?
Quis non detgemitum, verbis quando Arria Paeto
Praeftat in extremis heu ! moritura fidem ? 60
Cum natos defiet N 1 o b e , natafque peremptas ;
Et minimam, fruftra provida, vefte tegit ?
Quis referat magnos artus, magna offa, lacertofque
Herculis ; aut Paphiae mollia membra Deae ?
QuisDircen vinclam furibundi ad cornua tauri ? 65
Semanimes vultus quis, Cleopatra, tuos?
Arcum intendentis quis dicat Apollinis ora ;
Aut, vibraturi flammea tela, Jo vis ?
Hinc viget ille tuis, Raphael divine, figuris
Spiritus; hinc dulcis gratia, Gi/ido, tuis. 70
An n 1 b a l hinc, audaxque manuBoN a rot a giganttim
Corpora, et expreffit grandia membra Deum. Vos
Ver. 55. A ftatue in the Belvedere. Ver. 59. In the Lo-
dovifian Villa. Ver. 61. In the gardens of the Villa Medici.
Ver. 63. In the great court of the Farnefe palace. Ver. 64.
The famous Venus of Medici at Florence. Ver. 65. Ift
the great Farnefe palace. Ver. 66. In the Villa Medici.
Ver. 67. The famous Apollo of the Belvedere. Ver. 68.
In the Verofpi palace.
Ver. 69. Rafaelle Sancio da Urbino, born in 1483,
lived at Florence and Rome, died in 1520.

LETTER XLI. 277
The Citizen beholds with vaft furprize 6$
Heroes, and Gods, from ancient ruins rife.
Nor marble, brafs, nor gold attracts the fight ;
Art far more precious gives more high delight.
Who fees L A o c o 0 N, and not feds his pains*
Nor in his ears the horrid founds retains ; 7©
While to untwift the ferpents knots he tries,
And in curve forms his wounded members plies ?
Who fighs not ; when the laft words ftrike his ear,
Which dy ing A R R 1 A 's .fai th to P a e t u s bear ?
When Ni o b e bewails her off-fpring flain, 75
And with her robe the youngeft fcreens in vain ?
Who can defcribe th' Herculean joints, bones, arms ?
Or, Venus, half the foftnefs of thy charms?
Who, Dirce to the bull, in vengeful bands,
Faftty'dbyZE thus' and Amphion's hands ? 80
Or Cleopatra's languid limbs compos'd
With decent art, and eyes by death half dos'd f
The mien of Jote or Phoebus who can fhow,
When that his thunder aims, or this his bow ?
Hence RAPHAEL'sSpirit ftrikes with force divine;
Hence, Guido, fweet inchanting Grace is thine. 86
C a r a c c 1 hence, hence Angelo's bold art
Vaft forms to Giants, and to Gods, impart. O happy
Ver. 70. Guido Reni, born 1575. Scholar of Denis
Calve-rt and the Carraches, lived at Bologna and Rome,
excelled in Hiftory, died in 1642, aged 67.
Ver. 71. Annibal Caracci, born in i$6o,Scholar of
LodovicoCaracci, lived at Bologna and Rome, excelled
in Hiftory, died in 1 609, aged 49.
Ver. 7Z. Michael Angelo Buonarqti, born 147'f.
lived at Florence and Rome, died in 156J.

278 LETTER XLI,
Vos 6 felices ! imitati talia ! digni
Divorum afpeclu colloquioque frui !
Me quoque raptat amor veftra inclyta figna fequendi ; 75
Et Capitolini fcandere faxa jugi.
Haec mea militia eft.— Procul 6, procul ite Camenae :
Jam teritur nostris area major equis.

EXPLANATION*/ Plate IV. reprefentr
ing a profpeCl of Mount Vesuvius
1 . ' 1'^ H E fouthern fummit, out of which the fire pro-
J, ceeds.
2. The northern fummit, commonly called the Mount of
Somma.
3. The winding range of rocks on the north.
4. The valley between the two fummits, called Atrio.
5. The new opening on the fide, where the fiery torrent
burft out.
6. The firft opening, commonly called The Plain.
7. The courfe, which the laft fiery torrent took.
8. The Chapel of Januarius. '
9. The hill, on which ftands the Convent, called the
Wildernefs, of the Camalduli.
io. The Church of S. Mart of Apulia.
1 1 . Retina.
iz. Portici.
1 3. Leucopetra or Pietra Bianca.
14. Village of S. Sebastian.
15. Village of Maffa.
16. Village of Tochlea.
17. Village of Barna.
1 8. Village of Terducip.
jg. A fort built lately for the fecurity of the coaft.
ao. The Mill-towers.
21. The bridge over the mouth of the Sebeto.
22. The extremity of the eaftern fuburb of Naples^
23. Part of the bafon or bay of Naples.
24. The Eighth Tower, or Torre del Greco, near and un
der which Herculaneum lyes.

LETTER XLI. 279
O happy You ! fuch grand defigns to trace,
And talk with Powers Celeftial face to face. 90
Me too the love of Art, with ftrong defires
To march beneath your glittering banners, fires j
Till I the Capitol in triumph climb.
This is my warfare : this my aim fublime.
Mufes farewell — Flie hence, far hence away— 95
O'er your bleak mountains I'll no longer ftray.
Before my fteeds a fp3cious champian lyes ;
Andmy wheels kindle at a richer prize.
EXPLANATION of Plate V. reprefenting
a Section of the two Summits of MountVESvvivs.
1. ' I *>HE fummit, out of which the fire proceeds.
X. 2. The bafon or gulf, as it appears fince the laft
eruption.
3. The eafy declivity on the eaftern fide, by which one may
defcend to the bottom of the bafon.
4. The weftern declivity fteep and precipitious.
5. View of the infide of the bafon, which is all burned, and
covered with pendent rocks.
6. The bottom of the bafon, partly inacceffible, as being
fit to contain rain-water ; partly interrupted by large
cracks and holes, almoft continually exhaling fmoke.
7. The other fummit towards the north.
8. The northern rocks, which partly incompafs the fiery
fummit.

ERRATA.
P. 38. /. 9. read pieces of Granite.
39. /. 13. of a ftone called Travertine.
I. 23.  filver bulls as big, and fome much bigger
than the life.
42, /. 12.' the La villeggiatura.

The End of the First Volume.

APPENDIX.
PA GE 39. 1. 13. They are not built intirely of
Italian marble, but of a ftone called Travertino :
the infides indeed in general are lay'd all over with the
fineft marble ; and the roofs fupported with pillars, that
are either intirely of marble, or inlayed with it.
Line 23. " Silver images as big as the life ;" read Sil
ver bufts as big, and fome much bigger than the life :
the only intire filver image I ever faw is that of S. Ig
natius Loyola, at the famous altar in the church
of the Jefuites; which ftatue I take to be three times
bigger than the life.
P. 42. 1. 12. " II ville glare" read La villegiatura.
P. 55. 1. 0. Ilfole, the fun.
P. 77. 1. 4. Mufic and Drawing ought to be attri
buted to the Chevalier's eldeft Son.
P. 84. 1. 12. " The virtu." Courage being efteem
ed the greateft perfection by the old Romans, went un
der the name of Virtus in general ; as the modern Ita
lians give the fame name [Fir tit] to the knowledge of
curiofities. Addison's Dialogues on ancient itiedah,o.vj .
P. 130. Infcription marked H. For his Freed-men
and Family Lucius Arruntius, fon <j/"Lucius, of the Te-
rentine Tribe.
(I.) See the hext page, line 28.
(K.) Hortenfia Felicitas made- this, for Veneria, her
moft dear daughter, who lived eleven years, nine months,
and twenty days.
(L.) To the Gods Manes: to Miri. Dia Ifmyrna,
Cranius ©/"Corinth, \erecled this] to one who well de-
ferved of him.
Vol. I. (M.) Lur

282 APPENDIX.
(M.) Lucius Arruntius Anencletus, for himfelf, bis
fan, and his wife, built [this.]
(N.J To Lucius Arruntius Mofchus. He lived-nine-
teen years, five days ; Attalus and Helene, his parents,
built [this] for their moft pious fan, and for themfelves.
. (O.) Eglogle the Preed-woman of Lucius Arruntius
Hilaris livid thirty years.
(P.) To the Gods Manes of Thallus '. he lived four
years, four months, and eight days. Antiochus and
Thallufa, his parents, erefted [this] to their dear fan ;
and to Antiochus their moft kindly affeElioned fon, who
lived eight years, eleven months, and twenty feven days.
(QJ Arruntia Secunda the freed-woman of Lucius
lived forty years.
P. 131. (S.) To Vii lix [Vitelliae] Clymene Aulus Vi-
teflius Anthus and Florus made [this] for his dearefi an^
well-deferving Wife.
To the Gods [Manes]: to Aulus Vitellius Anthus, Vi-
tellius Romanus of the Colony Vitellia Anatoie, placed
this for his well-deferving Freed- man.
P. 132. Infcriptions in the third Copper-plate.
Tothe Gods Manes ;. for Arruntia Hcrmione, Arruntius
Hermias the father, and Hermes the fafiler -father, built
[this] and for themfelves and their pofteriiy.
To the Gods Manes : Niceros ereSled [this] for Arruntia
Flora his well-deferving wife, for himfelf, and their po-
flerity, P. 133. Tothe Gods Manes cfSucceffus, her well-deT
ferving and moft pious brother, hisfifierVntmgtnh built this.
Your fifier and your heir, for feven long years
I pay'd the-mournful tribute of my tears :
To Stygian gloom I now am fnatch' d from light,
And this cold marble hides by bones from fight. Dear

APPENDIX. 2g3
Dior Sifter, eiafe lo wail me in the tomb :
To thh dark place e'en Kings themfelves muft come.
P. 183. 1. 5. Add, Thefe fudden deaths indeed fome
times happen, tho' not from any infection by opening the
ground in feed-time, or any vapour rifing from it in
harveft ; but from the excefltve heat of the fun beating
violently upon the labourers.
P. 202. 1. 22.
We faw, pujh'd backward to his native feuree,
The yellow Tiber roll his rapid courfe. Francis.
P. 206. To Marcus Nonius Balbus, thefon af Marcus,
Prator, Proconful, the Herculanenfians [erecled this].
P. 209. To Domitia, the daughter of Cneus, wife of
Domitianus Caefar : by the decree oftbe Decuriorfs.
P. 232. 1. 5. " and enmity of deceitful friends."
Then follow in the firft Edition almoft four pages, re
lating to the diflentions and animofities among the
Englifh Painters, &c. at Rome : which having fince
happily fubfided into the moft perfect harmony among
them, according to the Author's account in his lxxiV
Letter, he exprefsly ordered thofe four pages to be omit
ted in this new Edition.
P. 242. Letter xxxii in the firft Edition is
placed in this after the xxxvi, and numbered xxxvii,
P. 244. 1. 1. r. which are at leaft thirty feet high.
P. 259,260. Sacred to God. How much Philip the
Architect excelled in the art of building, both the wonderful
dome of this moft famous Church, and many more jlru-
Etures, invented and contrived by him with divine inge
nuity, may ferve as a fuffcient proof. Wherefore, on the
account of the extraordinary endowments andfingular vir
tues of his mind, his grateful countrey, on the 17 th of
April

284 APPENDIX.
April 1446, ordered the body of him, who dcfervedjo
Well, to be buried in this ground beneath.
P. 260. Epitaph on Giotto by the famous Politian.
PmHe, by whom, for many ages dead,
Painting reviv'd, and rais'd her radiant head.
Whofe hand expert, to Nature always true,
With equal quicknefs and exaclnefs drew.
She faw her charms exprefs' d in every part j
And her wants onely wanting to my art.
Of all th' illuftrious Artifts known before,
None painted better, or e'er painted more.
The Tow'r, that founds withfacred brafs, admir'd^
Rais'd by my model, to the ftars afpir'd.
Giotto I'm caird; 'twas needlefs to reherfe
All this: my Name exceeds a train of Verfe,
P. 263. To Andrea del Sarto of Florence ; who, when
he had adorned this Cloifter with paintings which almoft
fpeak, and to the reft of the ornaments of this venerable
Church had added the ornaments of his egregious art, be
ing religioufiy affected towards the Virgin Mother ofGoa,
was very defirous to he interred therein
Fr. Laurentius, the Abbot of this monaftery, ere£I-
edthis Monument of his virtue, and of his own and of
the reft of thefe Fathers grateful mind mdcvi.
P. 265. To God the moft excellent and moft mighty
Being. Baccio Bandinelli, knight of the order of S.
James, together with his wife Jaquet Doria, refts, un
der this image of our Saviour, carved by himfelf.

The

[ 285 ]
The BALANCE of PAINTERS,
By Monfieur du Piles.
TH E method I have taken is this : I divide my
weight into twenty parts, or degrees. The
twentieth degree is the higheft, and implies fovereign
perfection ; which no man has fully arrived at. The
nineteenth is the higheft degree that we know, but which
no perfon has yet gained. And the eighteenth is, for
thofe who, in my opinion, have come neareft to per
fection ; as the lower figures are for thofe who appear
to be further from it.
I have paft my judgment only on the moft noted paint-r
ers, and in the enfuing Catalogue have divided the
chief parts of the art into four columns ; to wit, Compo-
fition, Defign, Colouring, and Expreffion. By Expreffion
I mean not the character of any particular object, but
the general thought of ihe underftanding. And thju,s
againft each painter's name, we fee his degree of merit
in all the aforefaid four Divifions.
We might introduce among the moft noted painters,
feveral Flemings, who have very faithfully (hewn truth
of nature, and been excellent colouiifts: but we thought
it better to fet them by themfelves; becaufe their tafte
was bad in other pans of the art.
It now only remains to be obferved, that as the effen-
tial parts of painting confift of many other parts, .which
the fame mafters have not equally pofTefied ; 'tis reafo
nable to fet one againft another, in order to make a fair
judgment. Thus for inftance, Compofition arifes from
two parts ; viz, Invention and Difpofuion. Now a paine-
Vol. I. Oo ter

[ 286 ]
ter may poffibly be capable of inventing all the objefls
proper to a good Compofition, and yet not know how
to difpofe them, fo as to produce a great effedt. Again,
in Defign, there is a tafte and corre&nefs ; and a pifture
may have one of them only, or elfe both may appear
jointly, but in different degrees of goodnefs ; and by
comparing one with another we may make a general
judgment on the whole.
For the reft : I am not fo fond of my own fentiments
as to think they will not be feverely criticized : but I
muft give notice, that in order to criticize judicioufly,
one muft have a perfect knowledge of all the parts of a
piece of painting, and of the reafons which make the
whole good ; for many judge of a picture only by the part
they like, and make no account of thofe other parts,
which either they do not underftand, or do not relifh.

NAMES

O F
P A I N T E
ALBANO.
Barocchio.
Baflano ( Jacomo).
Belino (John).
Bourdon.
Le Brun.
The Carracches.
Da Caravaggio (Polydore).
Correggio.Da Cortona (PietroJ.
Diepembeck. Dominichino.Durer (Albeit).
Giorgione. Giofeppino.

R S.

•i §

b
as

1 a.
3

14

H

10

14

15

6

6

8

*7

4

6

»4

10

8

8

10

16

8

15

J7

13

10

*7

»3

*3

15

16

14

12

n

10

H

15

l7

9

8

10

10

8

9

18

10

1 10

6

5

6
10

4
16J3 15
12 6 6
*7 8
4 2

Guerchino

[ 2S7 ]
Guerchino.
Holbein (Hans).
Jordano (Luca).
jourdaens (James).
Lanfranco.
Van Leyden (Lucas).
Michael Angelo Buonarotti.
Michael Angelo da Caravaggio.
Mutiano.Palma the elder.
Palma the younger.
Parmefan.
vPenni (Francifco) il Fattore.
Del Piombo (Baptiftaj.
Perugino (Pietro).
Pordenorf. Pourbus. Pouffin.
Primaticcio. Rembrant.
Reni (Guido).
Romano (Julio);
Rubens.
Salviati (Francifco).
Santio (Raphaele).
Del Sarto (Andrea).
Le Seur.
Teniers.
Tefta (Pietro).
Tintoret.
Titian. I>el Vago (Pierino).
Vandyke,
Vanius.
De Udine (John).
'y'eronefe (Paolo Caglia'ri).
1/enius (Otho).
Da Vinci (Leonardo).
Da Volterra (DanieleJ.
^uccharo (Taddeo).
Zuccharo (Friderieo).
Oo i

18

101

10

4

9

10 | 16

13

*3

12 9

6

10

8

16

6

H

13

10

5

8

6

6

4

8

J7

4

8

6

6

16

6

8

15

4

5

6

16

12

9

14

6

10

15

6

6

15

8

8
J3
16
7
4
12
10
4
8
H
'7
5
4
15
6
6
'5
17
6
15
15
14
7
10
»5
6
»7
12
13
9
12
15
16
4
M
18
13
J7
'7
*3
15
8
8
*7
18
12
18
12
16
9
8
15
15
4
i5
15
12
13
6
11
15
6
*5
14
16
4
12
15
18
6
i5
16
7
6
15
10
'7
J3
'3
J5
12
3
10
8
16
3
15
10
16
3
13
H
10
10
15
16
4
4
12
x5
5
8
J3
14
10
9
10
J3
8
8
[ N
D E
X.
I N D E X. ¦
A
AGRIPPlNA's villa and fepulcre. 1 04.
Albano, a comical adventure there. 42, 43.
Appian way. 93.
Arruntii, a Sepulcre belonging to that family, difcovered
in 1736. 128 — 133.
Asbefios, in which dead bodies were burned, z 1 3 .
Auftrian army purfued by the Neopolitans and Spaniards
under the walls of Rome. 233,-239.
Author abufed : his defence, 232, 233.
——his obligations to feveral Gentlemen. 58, 92, 249—
256. B
Baia. 105.
Bas-reliefs found in Herculaneum. 209, 2 1 o.

Carnaval at Rome. 44  48.
Cento Camerelle. 104.
Ceremonies at Rome on the Epiphany. 80, 81.
in Paffion-week, and on Ealter-Sunday. 50 - 53.
— —on the Feftival of S. John Baptift at Florence. 266,
267.
of admitting a Nun at Naples. 65, 66.
Chevalier and his Two Sons. 76, 77.
Churches at Paris. 1 .
Circus of Adrian difcovered at Rome. 215.
CofFee-houfe built by the prefent Pope. 214.
Columbaria, what. 101. 1 32.
Conclave for electing a Pope. 24—26.
Conditoria, what. 132.
Crayons, drawing in them recommended. 2 1 6.
D
Dion Cassius's account of the eruption of Vefuvius, that
overwhelmed Herculaneum. 1 49 — 152. E

INDEX. E
Epiftle in Burlefque Verfe. 20 — 26.
.in Latin Verfe, with a Tranflation, 270—279.
Execution of a criminal for murder at Rome. 60 — 62.

Farnefian Columns. 86 — 92.
Fletjry (Cardinal) his fly look, 7, 8.
Florence, an account of it, 257—266.
Fontainbleau, French King hunting there, 8.
Foppery at Paris, 4.
French, their greateft liberty. 3.

Gallery, defigned at Portici, will be one of the beft fumifhed
in the world, 227.
Galley -flaves at Marfeilles, 16.
¦employed in Herculaneum, 227.
Garigliano, formerly Liris, retains its gentle current, 94.
Grotta del cane, 9?, 99.
——of the Cumean Sibyl, 102, 103.
*  of P.aujilypo. 97, 98.
Guido, one of his fineft pictures at the church of S. Phi-
lippoNeri at Naples, 95. H
Herculaneum, its ancient fituation, 1 64,
— fhort account of its difcovery, tranfmitted by Mr. Wi ll.
Hammond, 165.
 its prefent ftate, 164 — 179.
——Author's defcent into it twice, 167; .
—Serious refleftions occafioned by it, 167—170.
Holdsworth (Mr Edward). 58.
Author's obligations to him, 240.
— — his charailer, by the Rev. Dr. Cobden, 249—251.
— -inftances of his underftanding Virgil in a mafterly
manner, 252—25;.
Horfe races in the Corfo at Rome. 46.
Hounds of the King of France marked with a crofs, 8.
Houfe-hold utenfils -found in Herculaneum, 210.
Hutchinson (George) came to Rome to convert the Pope.
203. I

INDEX.

Imperial! (Francesco) a famous painter, 19.
Infcription (Ionic) upori the two Farnefian Columns ex
plained, 86—91.
Infcriptions found in the Sepulcre of the family Of the
Arruntii, 130, 131.
Tourney from Rome to Naples, 92—94.
Italian Lady, fufpeftedof incontinency, tortured, 213.
.  Ladies, their charafter, 41, 42. 47,
—their qualifications, 78.
;  expertnefs in devotion, when very young, 78,79.
K
Knapton (Mr. George) his account of his going down
into Herculaneum, 1.65, 166.

Lake d'Agnano, 98, 99.
Lilliputian Divine preaching at Rome, 81.
Lions, city of defcribed, 10 — 12.
Luke (S.) a piflure at Marfeilles, fay'd to be drawn by
him, 15. M
Marfeilles defcribed, 1 3—1 6.
Michael Angelo's defign of the laft Judgment in the
Royal Palace at Naples, 95.
——his famous Crucifix at a Convent of Carthufians, 96:
Monte Nuovo, 1 01.
Monte di Somma, part of Mount Vefuvius, I 35. 140.142.
Mofaic found in Herculaneum. 226, 227.
Mount Gaurus, 1 o t . N
Naples, fhort defcription of. 94—97.
Nero's hot baths near Baia, 105,106.
Nun, ceremony of admitting one at Naples, 65, 66;
Nunneries, fomewhat like them recommended, 67, 6?.

INDEX. o.
OlluU, what. 132.

Paderni (Camillo) hisaccount of Herculaneum, 172—174*
Painting recommended to the Fair Sex, 68.
Papift a pretended Proteftant, 201, 202.
Papifts ftrange notion of Proteftants, 75.
Picture, fine one at Marfeille s of the laft plague there. 13, 14.
——of the B. Virgin at Marfeilles, fay'd to be drawn by
S. Luke, 15.
Pictures, antique, found in Herculaneum, 217—227.
Pifcina mirabilis near Baia. 104.
Pliny the Younger's account of the eruption of Vefuvius,
which fuffocated his Uncle, aud overwhelmed Hercu
laneum, 153 163.
Pompeii, its fituation : overturned by an earth-quake. 151,152.
Pont S. Efiprit upon the Rhone, 1 3.
Pope, late, his Funeral, 21—24.
— prefent, his coronation and character, 26—28.
— — an incourager of the virtu, 84.
Prefiepio {il) : The ftable, 80, 81.
Proceffions, 40. 54, 55.
Puzzuoli, 100. R
Read (Capt.) a moft gallant aftion of his before Civita
Vecchia, 30— —34.
Reflexions, ferious, on taking a view of Herculaneum,
167 — 170.
¦ .on feeing the Princefs Soiieski's body removed into
her monument. 245—247.
Reliques, 14. 52, S3.
Remarks upon Afbort Account of a late Journey to Tufcany,
Rome, and other parts of Italy, 181—200.
Rome, general defcription of it. 38—40.
—under apprehenfion of the plague 230, 231.
Robalsa Carriera a famous Portrait Painter, at Venice.
64. S
Sanctuary, abufe of. 83, 84.
Saone a delightful river. 9, 10.

INDEX.
Sinus Italicus, his defcription of the places near Naples,
107—no.
Sobieski (Princefs) her monument, and the removal of her
body into it, 243— —245.
Solfatara, 90, 1 00.
Solforata, lake, 59, 60,
Sonnet in Italian, on the profefling of a Nun at Bohgna,
with two Englifh Tranflations, 70- 73.
Spanifh Genet prefented to the Pope, 28, 29. 55, 56.
Statues found 4ately at Tivoli, 84.
1, in Herculaneum. 205 21 1 .
Stygian lake. 102,

Teresa (S.) her own account of her being wounded by art
Angel. 72, 73.
Tiber overflowing as formerly; 202.
Tivoli, 58, 59. V
Vefuvius, Author's journey up it. no, in.
¦ its external part defcribed, 1 34 140.
——¦its circumference, 1 45.
-had formerly but one top, 1 36.
1 its northern fummit, or Monte di Somma, 1 35. 140.
its height, 145.
.1 its fouthern or fiery fummit, 141, 142. its height. 145.
— infide and depth ofrthe bafon. 145,146.' -
 an Account of all its Eruptions. 1 1,3  128.
— r-adjacent parts better inhabited than any other part of
Italy, 228,  230.
Virgil's fuppofed Tomb, 98.
Virgin Mary in a vaft hoop, &c. 40.
—^—painted by an Angel in the S. Annunciata at Florence.
363.
Votas, 263. W.
Women at Paris, 2, 3. 6.
—none executed at Rome for above threescore years, 20Z,

FINIS.