Sample Pages From the Travel Writings of John Moore

8/12/2019 Sample Pages From the Travel Writings of John Moore

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ANECDOES RELAING O SOME EMINENCHARACERS.

Strenua nos exercet inertia: navibus atqueQuadrigis petimus bene vivere. Quod petis, hic est.

HOR.1


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ADVERISEMEN.

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Te ollowing observations on Italy, and on Italian manners, occurred in thecourse o the same our in which those contained in a book lately published, enti-tled,A View of Society and Manners in France, Switzerland, and Germany, weremade. All who have read that Book will perceive, at rst sight, that the present

Work is a continuation o the ormer: but to those who have not, it was thoughtnecessary to account or the abrupt manner in which the ollowing Letters begin.

CLARGES SREE,December14, 1780.


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A View of Society and Manners in Italy 3

CONENS

OF HE SECOND VOLUME.

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LEER I. Journey rom Vienna to VeniceII. Te ArsenalTe BucentaurDoges MarriageIII. Te Island o MuranoGlass ManuactoryMr. MontagueIV. Situation o VeniceLaguneCanalsBridges

V. Piazza di St. MarcoPatriarchal ChurchDucal PalaceBroglio

VI. Reections excited by the various Objects around St. Marks SquareOnPaintingA Connoisseur

VII. Origin o VeniceVIII. Various Changes in the Form o Governmentyrannical Conduct o a

DogeSavage Behaviour o the PeopleCommerce o VeniceIX. New RegulationsFoundation o the AristocracyOrigin o the Cer-

emony o espousing the SeaNew Forms o MagistracyX. Henry DandoloXI. New CourtsNew MagistratesReormation o the Venetian CodeTe

Form o electing the DogeXII. Aristocracy establishedConspiraciesInsurrectionsEcclesiastical

InquisitionTe College, or SeignioryXIII. Conspiracy against the State, by a DogeSingular Instance o Weakness

and Vanity in a Noble VenetianNew Magistrates to prevent Lux-uryCourtesans

XIV. Rigour o Venetian Laws exemplied in the Cases o Antonio Venier, CarloZeno, and young Foscari

XV. Te Council o en, and the State InquisitorsReections on these Institu-tions

XVI. League o CambrayWar with urksAntonio BragadinoBattle oLepantaDisputes with the Pope

XVII. Marquis o Bedamars ConspiracyFalse AccusationsTe Siege o

CandiaTe Impatience o a urkish EmperorConclusion o theReview o the Venetian Government

XVIII. Venetian MannersOperaAffectationA DuoDancersXIX. No Military Establishment at VeniceWhat supplies its placeXX. Reections on the Nature o Venetian GovernmentGondoleersCiti-

zensTe Venetian Subjects on the erra FirmaXXI. GallantryCassinos


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4 Te ravel Writings of John Moore, Volume 2

XXII. Character o VenetiansCustoms and UsagesInuence o Fashion inMatters o astePrejudiceTe Excellence o Italian Comic Actors

LEER XXIII. Departure rom VenicePaduaSt. Anthony, his omb andMiracles

XXIV. Church o St. Justinathe Bodies o St. Matthew and St. LukeTeUniversityBeggars

XXV. Te Antiquity o PaduaTe BrentaTe PoTe TamesXXVI. FerraraTe Family o EsteAriosto, the Emperor, and his Brothers,

lodge at an Inn, which oversets the Understanding o the LandlordAn Inscription

XXVII. BolognaIts Government, Commerce, PalacesXXVIII. Te Academy o Arts and SciencesChurch o St. Petronius

Dominican ConventPalacesRaphaelGuidoXXIX. Journey rom Bologna to AnconaTe RubiconJulius Csar

PesaroFanoClaudius NeroAsdrubalSenegaliaXXX. AnconaTe Inuence o Commerce on the Characters o Mankind

Te MoleTe riumphal Arch o the Emperor rajanXXXI. LorettoHistory o the Casa SantaXXXII. Description o the Sacred ChapelTe reasuryXXXIII. Pilgrimages to LorettaManuacturesConessionalsBasso

RelievosZeal o PilgrimsIron Grates beore the ChapelsReec-tions

XXXIV. olentinoTe AppenninesA HermitUmbriaSpolettoXXXV. erniNarniOtricoliCivitaCastellanaCampania o RomeXXXVI. RomeConversazionisCardinal BernisTe Distress o an Italian

LadyXXXVII. Remarks on ancient and modern RomeTe Church o St. PetersXXXVIII. Te Ceremony o the PossessoXXXIX. PantheonColiseumGladiatorsXL. Te CampidoglioForum RomanumJewsXLI. RuinsVia Sacraarpeian RockCampus MartiusVarious Forums

rajans ColumnXLII. Te Beatication o a Saint

XLIII. Character o Modern ItaliansObservations on Human Nature in Gen-eralAn English Offi cerCause o the Frequency o the Crime oMurder

XLIV. Different Kinds o PunishmentAccount o an ExecutionSouls inPurgatory

XLV. Te Usual Course with an AntiquarianAn Expeditious Course, by aYoung EnglishmanTe Villa Borghese


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XLVI. Te Morning Study o an ArtistConversation with Him on thatSubjectAn Italian Lady and her ConessorTe Ladys ReligiousScruples and Precaution

XLVII. Busts and Statues o distinguished RomansO Heathen DeitiesPas-sion o the Greeks and Romans or SculptureFarnesian Herculescriticised by a LadyRemarks on that StatueOn the FloraEffect

which the Sight o the Statues o Laocoon and his Sons had on woSpectators o Opposite CharactersMr. Locks Observations on thesame GroupTe AntinousTe Appollo

LEER XLVIII. Te Present PopeGanganelliA Scotch Presbyterian

XLIX. Zeal o Pius VIInstitution o the JubileeCeremony o Building upthe Holy Door o St. Peters by the Present PopeTe Ceremony oHigh Mass perormed by the Pope on Christmas DayCharacter othe Present PopeHe is admired by the Roman WomenTe Ben-ediction pronounced in the Grand Area beore the Church o St. Peters

L. Presented to the PopeReections on the Situation o Sovereigns in Gen-eralTe Sovereign Pontiff in Particular

LI. Modern RomansRoman Women compared with those o EnglandPor-trait Painting in Italy, and elsewhere

LII. Carnival at RomeMasquerades and other Amusements in the CorsoHorse-RacesSerious OperaGreat Sensibility in a Young

WomanExtravagant Expression o a Roman Citizen at the Opera

A Serenade on Christmas MorningFemale Perormers prohibited onthe Teatres at RomeEunuchs substitutedTe Effect on the Mindso Spectators

LIII. Journey rom Rome to NaplesVeletriOthoSermonettaPeevishravellersMonte CircelloPipernoFossa Nuova

LIV. erracinaVia AppiaFundiGaetaIllustrious French RebelsBourbonMinturnMariusHannibal

LV. NaplesFortress o St. ElmoConversation with a Lady regarding theCarthusiansManuacturesNumber o Inhabitants

LVI. MannersLVII. Respect paid to Kings during their LivesFreedoms used with their

Characters afer their DeathsTe King o NaplesA Game at Bil-

liardsCharacters o the King and QueenLVIII. Te Neapolitan NoblesTe PeasantsLIX. CitizensLawyersPhysiciansClergyConventsLazzaroniLX. HerculaneumPorticiPompeiaLXI. Poetical Rehearsers in the Streets o NaplesStreet Orators and

HistoriansImprouvisatoriesSignora CorillaSensibility o Ital-iansEnglish Gentlemen o the onA Neapolitan Mountebank


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LXII. A Visit to Mount VesuviusLXIII. Observations on the Pulmonary ConsumptionLXIV. Neapolitan and English Customs and Characters criticized and com-

pared, in a Conversation between two English GentlemenLXV. Te Liqueaction o St. Januariuss BloodProcession, Ceremonies,

Anxiety o the PeopleTeir Preposterous Abuse o the SaintObservation o a Roman Catholic

LXVI. Te omb o VirgilPausilippoA Neapolitan ValetGrotta delCaneCampi Phlegrei, Solaterra, Monte Nuova, &c.PuzzoliBaiaCum

LEER LXVII. Palace o CassertaArican SlavesGardensFortica-tionsLXVIII. Character o the ArchduchessAttend the King and Queen on a Visit

to Four NunneriesEntertainments thereEffect o the Climate onthe Constitution o Nuns and Others

LXIX. ivoliLXX. Frescati and AlbanoDialogue between an English and Scotch Gentle-

manLXXI. FlorenceTe English MinisterGrand Duke and DuchessFloren-

tinesParticular Species o VirtLXXII. GalleryDialogue between an Antiquarian and a Young Man concern-

ing the ArrotinoTe ribunaTe Gallery o Portraits

LXXIII. State o the Common People, particularly the Peasants in ItalyORoman Catholic ClergyClergy in General

LXXIV. MannersTe Count AlbanyLXXV. CicisbeismLXXVI. Te Same Subject continuedLXXVII. CommerceJewsActorsTe Chapel o St. LorenzoTe Rich

not envied by the PoorTe Palazzo PittiObservations on theMadonna della Seggiola

LXXVIII. A Public Discourse by a Proessor at the Academy o Arts at Bolo-gnaProcession o Corpus DominiModenaParmaDifferentOpinions respecting a Famous Picture o Correggio

LXXIX. MilanTe CathedralMuseumManners

LXXX. urinSt. AmbroseA ProcessionMount CenisModaneAiguebelleHannibals Passage into Italy

LXXXI. Journey rom Geneva to BesanonObservation o a French Peas-antO an Old WomanRemarks o a French Friseur on the EnglishNation

LXXXII. Te Marquis de FLXXXIII. Reections on Foreign ravel


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LEER I.

DEAR SIR, Venice.

Having lef Vienna, we proceeded through the duchies o Stiria, Carinthia,and Carniola, to Venice. Notwithstanding the mountainous nature o thosecountries, the roads are remarkably good. Tey were ormed originally at a

vast expense o labour to the inhabitants, but in such a durable manner, that itrequires no great trouble to keep them in repair, to which all necessary atten-tion seems to be paid. Some o the mountains are covered with wood, but moregenerally they are quite bare. Among them are many elds and valleys, t or pas-turage and the cultivation o grain; a ew o these valleys are remarkably ertile,

particularly in the duchy o Carniola. Te bowels o the earth abound in lead,copper, and iron. Stirian steel is reckoned excellent; and the little town o Idra, inCarniola, is amous or the quicksilver mines in its neighbourhood.

It has been a matter o controversy among the learned, (or the learned dis-

pute about many things which the ignorant think o little importance), by whatroad the original inhabitants came, who rst peopled Italy? And it has beendecided by some, that they must have entered by this very country o Carni-ola. Tese gentlemen lay it down as an axiom, that the rst inhabitants o everycountry in the world, that is not an island, must have come by land, and not bysea, on account o the ignorance o the early inhabitants o the earth in the arto navigation; but Italy being a peninsula, the only way to enter it by land, is at


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some part o the isthmus by which it is joined to the rest o Europe. Te Alpsorm great part o that isthmus, and, in the early ages, would exclude strangers aseffectually as the sea. Te easiest, shortest, and only possible way o avoiding seasand mountains, in entering Italy, is by the duchy o Carniola and Friuli. Ergo,Tey came that way. Q. E. D.2

In contradiction to the preceding demonstration, others assert, that the rstinhabitants came in ships rom Greece; and others have had the boldness toaffi rm, that Italy had as good a right as any other country to have inhabitantso its own original production, without being obliged to any vagrants whatever.

I thought it right to give you the opinion o the learned on this country,

because it is not in my power to describe it rom my own observation; or wepassed through those duchies with a rapidity which baffl es all description.Te inns are as bad as the roads are good; or which reason we chose to sleep

on the latter rather than in the ormer; and actually travelled ve days and nights,without stopping any longer than was necessary to change horses.

Tis method o travelling, however agreeable and improving it may be inother respects, is by no means calculated to give one the most perect and lastingidea o the ace o a country, or o the manners and characters o the inhabitants;and thereore I hope you will not insist upon an exact account o either.

Among other curiosities which our uninterrupted and expeditious movementprevented us rom observing with due attention, was the town o Gratz, the capitalo Stiria, through which we unortunately passed in the middle o the night.

I did not regret this on account o the regularity o the streets, the venerableaspect o the churches, the sublime site o the castle, and other things which wehad heard extolled; but solely because we had not an opportunity o visiting theshrine o St. Allan, a native o England, who ormerly was a Dominican monko a convent in this town, and in high avour with the Virgin Mary, o whichshe gave him some proos as strong as they were extraordinary. Amongst othermarks o her regard, she used to comort him with milk rom her breasts. Tis,to be sure, is a mark o affection seldom bestowed upon avourites above a yearold, and will, I dare say, surprise you a good deal. Tere is no great danger, how-ever, that an example o this kind should spread among virgins. O the act inthe present instance there can be no doubt; or it is recorded in an inscriptionunderneath a portrait o the saint, which is careully preserved in the Domin-

ican convent o this city. We continued our journey, in the ull resolution oreaching Venice beore we indulged in any other bed than the post-chaise; but

were obliged to stop short on a sudden or want o horses, at a small town calledWipach, bordering on the county o Goritia, in Carniola.

Beore setting out rom Vienna, we had been inormed, that the archdukeand his princess3were about to return to Milan; or which reason we thoughtit advisable to remain at Vienna eight days afer their departure, to avoid the


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inconveniences which might arise rom a deciency o post-horses on such anunrequented road.

Having taken our measures with so much oresight, we little expected, whenwe actually did set out, to meet with any delay in our progress.

Te archduke and his duchess, however, had thought proper to go out o thedirect road as ar as rieste, to view the late improvements o that town, whosecommerce is greatly encouraged and protected by the emperor; and remainingthere a ew days, all the post-horses which had been assembled to carry them torieste, were kept in the post-houses or their use; consequently we ound noneat Wipach. It began to grow dark when we arrived; the postmaster was smoking

his pipe at the door. As soon as the chaise stopped, we called to him to get readythe horses without loss o time; or, I added, with a tone o importance, that wecould not possibly stay a moment. o this he replied coolly, that since we werein so very great a hurry, he should not attempt to detain us, but that he had nohorses to carry us on. I asked, how soon they could be got. He answered, whenthey returned rom attending the archduke; but whether that would be the nextday, the ollowing, or a day or two afer, he could not tell.

It appeared a great hardship to be stopped short, so unexpectedly, at a littlepaltry inn, and we agreed that nothing could have happened more unortu-nately. Afer a ew hasty ejaculations, which regarded the posting establishment,and the lords o police o this country, we resolved to make a virtue o necessity,and bear our misortunes with rmness and equanimity.

As we stepped out o the chaise, I ordered the postmaster, thereore, to getready beds, a good supper, and some o his best wine. Instead o receiving theseinjunctions with marks o satisaction, as I expected, he answered without emo-tion, that he had no wine but or his own drinking; that he never gave suppersto any but his own amily; and that he had no bed, except that which he himsel,his wie, and his child occupied, which could not easily hold any more than themthree at a time.

I had not hitherto perceived that this mans house was not an inn: as soon asI was undeceived, I begged he would inorm us where the inn was. He pointed

with his pipe to a small house on the opposite side o the street.Tere we were told, that all the victuals in the house were already devoured

three or our guests were in every spare roomthe amily going to bedandthey could not possibly receive any more company. We had nearly the sameaccount at another little inn, and an absolute reusal at every house where wesued or admittance.

Te town o Wipach is so near Goritia, that no travellers, except those o themeanest kind, ever think o stopping at the ormer; and thereore the inhabit-ants have no idea o making preparations or other guests.


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In this dilemma I returned to our postmaster, who was still smoking his pipebeore the door. I inormed him o our bad success, and, in a more soothing toneo voice than that in which I had ormerly addressed him, begged to know how

we were to dispose o ourselves that night. He replied, with admirable composure,thatwas more than he could tell; but as the horses were expected in a ew days, iI should send him word where we were to be ound, he would take care to let usknow the moment they should be ready; in the meantime, as it began to rain, andthe evening was exceedingly cold, he wished us a very good night. So saying, he

went into the house, shutting and bolting the door very careully afer him.No philosopher, ancient or modern, ever supported the distresses o others

with more equanimity than this man.We were now ully convinced, that to be under the necessity o remaining allnight at an inn, when they incline to proceed on their journey, is not the mostunortunate thing that can beal travellers, and would have now been happy inthat situation which we had considered with horror an hour or two beore.

In this orlorn condition I turned to an Italian servant o the duke o Ham-iltons, a shrewd ellow, who seldom wanted a resource in times o diffi culty. Heseemed, however, a little nonplussed on the present emergency; he stood shrug-ging his shoulders, with his eyes xed on the ground. At length, starting as i hehad that instant awaked, he muttered, Cent ore di maniconia non pangano unquattrino di debito,4and then walked away with an air not totally devoid o hope.

I attended him, without knowing upon what his expectations were ounded.

We came to a convent o monks, and got admittance; the Italian called or the supe-rior, and told him, in a ew words, our condition. Te venerable old man heard him,

with an air o benevolence; he expressed sorrow at the treatment we had received,and, desiring me to accompany him, said he would endeavour to nd us lodgings.He conducted us to a poor looking house, occupied by a widow and her children.As soon as the good monk had mentioned our case, she said we should be most

welcome to such entertainment as she could afford. We had an excellent supper osour krout, and sallad. I shall never orget it. I ound her wine excellent, and herbeds delightul; the good monk seemed to enjoy the satisaction we expressed, and

positively reused to accept o any other recompense or his trouble.Had we ound the most elegant inn, and the most luxurious supper at our

arrival, we might possibly have spent the evening in repining at being disap-

pointed in post-horses; but the dread o so small a misortune as passing thenight supperless in the streets, reconciled us at once to the widows hovel, andmade us happy with her homely are; so necessary is a certain portion o hard-ships or diffi culties or giving a zest to enjoyment. Without them, the comortso lie are apt to become insipid; and we see that the people who, independent oany effort o their own, have every enjoyment at their command, are, perhaps, oall mankind, those who have the least enjoyment.


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Te widow, as we understood in the morning, had sat up all night with heramily, that we might be accommodated with beds. She had no reason to repenther hospitality. Te poor womans gratitude made her talk loudly o the duke oHamiltons generosity; which coming to the ears o the postmaster, induced himto make an effort to get the chaises dragged on to Goritia, without waiting thereturn o the post-horses.

Tis was perormed by three cart-horses and two oxen, which were relievedin the most mountainous part o the road by buffalos. Tere is a breed o theseanimals in this country; they are strong, hardy, and docile, and ound preerableto either horses or oxen, or ploughing in a rough and hilly country.

When we arrived at Goritia, we ound the inhabitants in their holidaydresses, at the windows, and in the streets, waiting with impatience or a sighto the grand duke and duchess. Having applied at the post-house or horses, we

were inormed that none could be granted, all being retained or the accom-modation o his highness. I could not help remarking to the duke o Hamilton,that dukesseemed to be in a very different predicament rom prophets in theirown countries.

Tings turned out better than we had reason to expect. Teir highnessesarrived in the evening; and as they did not propose to leave Goritia till nextmorning, the archduke had the politeness to give orders that the duke o Hamil-ton should have what horses he wanted rom the post-houses.

We set out immediately, and arrived at the next stage between one and two

in the morning. In that part o the world, raising the people at midnight, andharnessing the horses or two carriages, takes up, at least, as much time as drivingtwo stages in some parts o England. Just as we were going out o the post-housecourt, the archdukes butler and cook arrived; they were going orward, as usual,to prepare supper, &c. at the inn where their highnesses intended to lie. Teyknew that the horses were all retained or their master, but had not heard o the

particular order in avour o the duke o Hamilton. Seeing ten horses going to setout, they exclaimed against the postmaster, and threatened him with the venge-ance o the whole house o Austria through all its branches, i he should permita single horse to leave the post-house till the archduke and his suit had passed.

Te man, terried with these threats, ordered the postillions to dismount,and put up the horses. Tis mandate was by no means agreeable to the duke

o Hamilton; and the postmasters ear o the indignation o the imperial am-ily, was that instant lost in a danger which was presented to his ace, and moreimmediately threatened his personhe ordered the postillions to drive on.

Te next post was at a small town in the Venetian state, where we oundthat orders had come rom Venice to the same effect with those received at thedifferent stages we had already past. Te duke o Hamiltons Italian servantthought it would save time to make us pass or part o the company to which


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these orders relatedhe ordered horses in the name o the grand duke, and wasinstantly obeyedbut the butler and cook arriving soon afer, told a differenttale. Couriers were dispatched, one o whom overtook us, and, in the nameo the magistrates, ordered the postillions to drive back, or we were a gang oimpostors, who had no connection with the grand duke. Te same arguments,however, which had so good an effect on the German postmaster, prevailed alsoon the courier to be silent, and the postillions to proceed.

It was midnight beore we arrived at Mestre, a small town on the banks o theLagune, ve miles rom Venice, where we remained all night. Next morning wehired a boat, and in two hours were landed in the middle o this city.

We have taken very delightul apartments at an inn, on the side o the greatcannal. Tey had been just quitted by his royal highness the duke o Gloucester,5who is at present at Padua. Tus at length we are arrived in Italy

Per varios casus, et tot discrimina rerum.6

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LEER II.

Venice.

A ew days afer our arrival at Venice, we met the archduke and duchess, at thehouse o the imperial ambassador. Tey were highly entertained with the historyo their cook and butler, which I gave them at ull length.

Te company consisted entirely o oreigners, the Venetian nobility nevervisiting in the houses o oreign ministers.

Among other strangers was the son o the duke o Berwick . Tis young gen-tleman has lately allied himsel to the amily rom which he is descended, bymarrying the sister o the countess o Albany. I suppose you have heard that the

pretender, now at Florence, as assumed the title o Count Albany.7

Next day the duke o Hamilton accompanied the archduke and duchess tothe arsenal. Tey were attended by a deputation rom the senate.

Some Venetian ladies o the rst distinction, in compliment to the archduch-

ess, were o the party.Te arsenal at Venice is a ortication o between two and three miles in com-

pass. On the ramparts are many little watch-towers, were sentinels are stationed.Like the arsenal at oulon, it is at once a dock-yard and repository or naval andmilitary stores. Here the Venetians build their ships, cast their cannon, maketheir cables, sails, anchors, &c. Te arms are arranged here as in other places othe same kind, in large rooms divided into narrow walks by long walls o mus-


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kets, pikes, and halberts. Every thing having been prepared beore the archdukeand duchess arrived, a cannon was cast in their presence. Afer this the company

were conducted on board the Bucentaur, or vessel in which the doge is carriedto espouse the Adriatic.8 Here they were regaled with wine and sweetmeats, the

Venetian nobles doing the honours o the entertainment.Te Bucentaur is kept under cover, and never taken out but or the espousals. It

is ormed or containing a very numerous company, is nely gilt and ornamentedwithin, and loaded on the outside with emblematical gures in sculpture. Tisvessel may possibly be admired by landsmen, but will not much charm a seamanseye, being a heavy broad-bottomed machine, which draws little water, and conse-

quently may be easily overset in a gale o wind. O this, however, there is no greatdanger, as two precautions are taken to prevent such an accident; one o whichseems calculated to quiet the minds o believers, and the other to give condenceto the most incredulous. Te rst is used by the patriarch, who, as soon as the

vessel is aoat, takes care to pour into the sea some holy water, which is believedto have the virtue o preventing or allaying storms. Te second is intrusted to theadmiral, who has the discretionary power o postponing the marriage ceremony,

when the bride seems in the smallest degree boisterous. One o the virtues o theholy water, that o allaying storms, is by this means rendered superuous.

But when the weather is quite avourable, the ceremony is perormed everyascension day. Te solemnity is announced in the morning by the ringing o bells

and ring o cannon. About mid-day the doge, attended by a numerous party othe senate and clergy, goes on board the Bucentaur: the vessel is rowed a little wayinto the sea, accompanied by the splendid yachts o the oreign ambassadors, thegondolas o the Venetian nobility, and an incredible number o barks and gal-leys o every kind. Hymns are sung, and a band o music perorms, while theBucentaur and her attendants slowly move towards St. Lido, a small island, twomiles rom Venice. Prayers are then said; afer which the doge drops a ring, o nogreat value, into the sea, pronouncing these wordsDesponsamus te, Mare, insignum veri perpetuique dominii.9 Te sea, like a modest bride, assents by hersilence, and the marriage is deemed valid and secure to all intents and purposes.

Certain it is, the time has been, when the doge had entire possession o, and

dominion over, his spouse; but, or a considerable time past, her avours havebeen shared by several other lovers; or, according to that violent metaphor oOtways,

nowTeir great duke shrinks, trembling in his palace,And sees his wie, the Adriatic, ploughd,Like a lewd whore, by bolder prows than his,10


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a much greater quantity now than ormerly; so that on the supposition that theMurano manuacturers have lost three-ourths o their customers, they may stillretain hal as much trade as they ever had. It is surprising that, instead o blowing,they do not adopt the method o casting, which I should think a much easier pro-cess, and by which larger plates may be made. Besides mirrors, an innite quantityo glass trinkets (margaritini as they are called) o all shapes and colours are madehere. Women o the inerior ranks wear them as ornaments, and as rosaries; theyalso mould this substance into many various whimsical orms, by way o ornamen-tal urniture to houses and churches. In short, there are glass baubles enough madehere to bribe into slavery hal the inhabitants o the coast o Guinea.

Since the departure o the archduke and duchess, the duke o Hamiltonhas passed his time mostly in the houses o the oreign ambassadors, the bestresource here, next to the theatres, or strangers.

We were lately at a conversazione11at the Spanish ambassadors; it might havepassed or a pantomime entertainment. Te ambassador, his lady, and daughters,speak no language but Spanish; and unortunately this was understood by noneo the company but the duke o Berwicks son. Hearing that Mr. Montague12resided at Venice, the duke o Hamilton has had the curiosity to wait on thatextraordinary man. He met his grace at the stair-head, and led us through someapartments, urnished in the Venetian manner, into an inner room in quite a di-erent style. Tere were no chairs, but he desired us to seat ourselves on a sopha,

whilst he placed himsel on a cushion on the oor, with his legs crossed in the

urkish ashion. A young black slave sat by him, and a venerable old man, with along beard, served us with coffee.

Afer this collation some aromatic gums were brought, and burnt in a littlesilver vessel. Mr. Montague held his nose over the steam or some minutes, andsnuffed up the perume with peculiar satisaction; he aferwards endeavouredto collect the smoke with his hands, spreading and rubbing it careully along hisbeard, which hung in hoary ringlets to his girdle. Tis manner o peruming thebeard seems more cleanly, and rather an improvement upon that used by the Jewsin ancient times, as described in the psalms translated by Sternhold and Hopkins.

is like the precious ointment, thatWas pourd on Aarons head,Which rom the beard down to the skirtsO his rich garments spread.13

Or, as the Scotch translation has it,

Like precious ointment on the headTat down the beard did ow;Even Aarons beard, and to the skirtsDid o his garments go.14


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Which o these versions is preerable, I leave to the critics in Hebrew and Englishpoesy to determine. I hope, or the sake o Davids reputation as a poet, that neitherhave retained all the spirit o the original. We had a great deal o conversation withthis venerable looking person, who is, to the last degree, acute, communicative,and entertaining, and in whose discourse and manners are blended the vivacityo a Frenchman with the gravity o a urk. We ound him, however, wonderully

prejudiced in avour o the urkish characters and manners, which he thinks in-nitely preerable to the European, or those o any other nation.

He describes the urks in general as a people o great sense and integrity,the most hospitable, generous, and the happiest o mankind. He talks o return-

ing, as soon as possible, to Egypt, which he paints as a perect paradise; andthinks that, had it not been otherwise ordered or wise purposes, o which itdoes not become us to judge, the children o Israel15would certainly have chosento remain where they were, and have endeavoured to drive the Egyptians to theland o Canaan.

Tough Mr. Montague hardly ever stirs abroad, he returned the dukes visit;and as we were not provided with cushions, he sat, while he staid, upon a sopha,

with his legs under him, as he had done at his own house. Tis posture, by longhabit, is now become the most agreeable to him, and he insists on its being byar the most natural and convenient; but, indeed, he seems to cherish the sameopinion with regard to all the customs which prevail among the urks. I couldnot help mentioning one, which I suspected would be thought both unnatural

and inconvenient by at least one-hal o the human race; that o the men beingallowed to engross as many women as they can maintain, and conning themto the most insipid o all lives, within their harams. No doubt, replied he, the

women are all enemies to polygamy and concubinage; and there is reason toimagine, that this aversion o theirs, joined to the great inuence they have in allChristian countries, has prevented Mahometanism rom making any progress inEurope. Te urkish men, on the other hand, continued he, have an aversionto Christianity, equal to that which the Christian women have to the religiono Mahomet: auricular conession is perectly horrible to their imagination. Nourk, o any delicacy, would ever allow his wie, particularly i he had but one, tohold private conerence with a man, on any pretext whatever.

I took notice, that this aversion to auricular conession, could not be a reason

or the urks dislike to theProtestantreligion. Tat is true, said he, but youhave other tenets in common with the Catholics, which renders your religionas odious as theirs. You orbid polygamy and concubinage, which, in the eyes othe urks, who obey the dictates o the religion they embrace, is considered asan intolerable hardship. Besides, the idea which your religion gives o heaven,is by no means to their taste. I they believed your account, they would thinkit the most tiresome and comortless place in the universe, and not one urk


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among a thousand would go to the Christian heaven i he had it in his choice.Lastly, the Christian religion considers women, as creatures upon a level withmen, and equally entitled to every enjoyment, both here and hereafer. Whenthe urks are told this, added he, they are not surprised at being inormed also,that women, in general, are better Christians than men; but they are perectlyastonished than an opinion, which they think so contrary to common sense,should subsist among the rational, that is to say, the male part o Christians. Itis impossible, added Mr. Montague, to drive it out o the head o a Mussulman,that women are creatures o a subordinate species, created merely to comort andamuse men during their journey through this vain world, but by no means wor-

thy o accompanying believers to paradise, where emales, o a nature ar superiorto women, wait with impatience to receive all pious Mussulmen into their arms.

It is needless to relate to you any more o our conversation. A lady, to whomI was giving an account o it the day on which it happened, could with diffi cultyallow me to proceed thus ar in my narrative; but, interrupting me with impa-tience, she said, she was surprised I could repeat all the nonsensical, detestable,impious maxims o those odious Mahometans; and she thought Mr. Montagueshould be sent back to Egypt, with his long beard, and not be allowed to propa-gate opinions, the bear mention o which, however reasonable they might appearto urks, ought not to be tolerated in any Christian land.

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LEER IV.

Venice.

Te view o Venice, at some little distance rom the town, is mentioned by manytravellers in terms o the highest admiration. I had been so ofen orewarnedo the amazement with which I should be struck at rst sight o this city, that

when I actually did see it, I elt little or no amazement at all. You will behold,said those anticipators, a magnicent town,or more requently, to make thedeeper impression, they gave it in detailYou will behold, said they, magni-

cent palaces, churches, towers, and steeples, all standing in the middle o thesea. Well; this, unquestionably, is an uncommon scene; and there is no mannero doubt that a town, surrounded by water, is a very ne sight; but all the travel-lers that have existed since the days o Cain,16will not convince me, that a town,surrounded by land, is not a much ner. Can there be any comparison, in pointo beauty, between the dull monotony o a watery surace, and the delightul

variety o gardens, meadows, hills, and woods?


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I the situation o Venice renders it less agreeable than another city, to beholdat a distance, it must render it, in a much stronger degree, less agreeable toinhabit. For you will please to recollect, that, instead o walking or riding in theelds, and enjoying the ragrance o herbs, and the melody o birds; when you

wish to take the air here, you must submit to be paddled about, rom morningto night, in a narrow boat, along dirty canals; or, i you do not like this, you haveone resource more, which is, that o walking in St. Marks Place.

Tese are the disadvantages which Venice labours under, with regard to situ-ation; but it has other peculiarities, which, in the opinion o many, overbalancethem, and render it, on the whole, an agreeable town.

Venice is said to be built in the sea; that is, it is built in the midst o shallows,which stretch some miles rom the shore, at the bottom o the Adriatic Gul.Tough those shallows, being now all covered with water, have the appearanceo one great lake, yet they are called Laguna, or lakes, because ormerly, as it isimagined, there were several. On sailing on the Laguna, and looking to the bot-tom, many large hollows are to be seen, which, at some ormer period, have, very

possibly, been distinct lakes, though now, being all covered with a common sur-ace o water, they orm one large lake, o unequal depth. Te intervals betweenthose hollows, it is supposed, were little islands, and are now shallows, which, atebb, are all within reach o a pole.

When you approach the city, you come along a liquid road, marked by rowso stakes on each side, which direct vessels, o a certain burden, to avoid the shal-lows, and keep in deeper water. Tese shallows are a better deence to the citythan the strongest ortications. On the approach o an enemys eet, the Vene-tians have only to pull up these stakes, and the enemy can advance no arther.Tey are equally beyond the insult o a land army, even in the midst o winter;or the ux and reux o the sea, and the mildness o the climate, prevent such astrength o ice as could admit the approach o an army that way.

Te lake in which Venice stands, is a kind o small inner gul, separated romthe large one by some islands, at a ew miles distance. Tese islands, in a greatmeasure, break the orce o the Adriatic storms, beore they reach the Laguna;

yet, in very high winds, the navigation o the lake is dangerous to gondolas, andsometimes the gondoleers do not trust themselves, even on the canals within the

city. Tis is not so great an inconveniency to the inhabitants as you may imagine;because most o the houses have one door opening upon a canal, and anothercommunicating with the street; by means o which, and o the bridges, you cango to almost any part o the town by land, as well as by water.

Te number o inhabitants are computed at about 150,000; the streets, ingeneral, are narrow; so are the canals, except the grand canal; which is very broad,and has a serpentine course through the middle o the city. Tey tell you, there


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are several hundred bridges in Venice. What pass under this name, however, aresingle arches thrown over the canals; most o them paltry enough.

Te Rialto17consists also o a single arch, but a very noble one, and o mar-ble. It is built across the grand canal, near the middle, where it is narrowest. Tiscelebrated arch is ninety eet wide on the level o the canal, and twenty-our eethigh. Its beauty is impaired by two rows o booths, or shops, which are erectedupon it, and divide its upper surace into three narrow streets. Te view rom theRialto is equally lively and magnicent; the objects under your eye are the grandcanal, covered with boats and gondolas, and anked on each side with magni-cent palaces, churches, and spires; but this ne prospect is almost the only one

in Venice; or, except the Grand Canal, and the Canal Regio, all the others arenarrow and mean; some o them have no keys;18the water literally washes thewalls o the houses. When you sail along those wretched canals, you have noone agreeable object to cheer the sight; and the smell is overwhelmed with thestench which, at certain seasons, exhales rom the water.

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LEER V.

Venice.

As the only agreeable view in Venice is rom the grand canal, so the only placewhere you can walk with ease and saety, is in the piazza di St. Marco. Tis is akind o irregular quadrangle, ormed by a number o buildings, all singular intheir kind, and very different rom each other.

Te ducal palacethe church o St. Markthat o St. Giminianoa noblerange o buildings, called Procuratie,19 the new and the old, in which are themuseum, the public library, and nine large apartments belonging to the procu-rators o St. Mark; all these buildings are o marble. Tere is an opening romSt. Marks Place to the sea, on which stand two lofy pillars o granite. Crimi-nals condemned to suffer death publicly, are executed between these pillars; onthe top o one o them is a lion, with wings; and on the other a saintwithout

wings;there is, however, a large crocodile at his eet, which, I presume, belongs

to him. At one corner o St. Marks church, contiguous to the palace, are twostatues o Adam and Eve; they have neither wings nor crocodile, nor any kind oattendant, not even their old acquaintance the serpent.20

At the corner o the new Procuratie, a little distant rom the church, standsthe steeple o St. Mark. Tis is a quadrangular tower, about three hundred eet inheight. I am told it is not uncommon in Italy or the church and steeple to be inthis state o disunion; this shocked a clergyman o my acquaintance very much;


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he mentioned it to me, many years ago, amongst the errors and absurdities othe church o Rome. Te gentleman was clearly o opinion, that church andsteeple ought to be inseparable as man and wie, and that every church ought toconsider its steeple as mortar o its mortar, and stone o its stone. An old captaino a ship, who was present, declared himsel o the same way o thinking; andswore that a church divorced rom its steeple, appeared to him as ridiculous asa ship without a mast.

A ew paces rom the church are three tall poles, on which ensigns and agsare hung on days o public rejoicing. Tese standards are in memory o the threekingdoms, Cyprus, Candia, and Negropont, which once belonged to this repub-

lic; the three crowns are still kept in the ducal palace. Since the kingdoms aregone, I should think the crowns and the poles hardly worth preserving; theyare, however, o the same value to Venice, that the title o king o France is tohis Britannic majesty. At the bottom o the tower o St. Mark, is a small neatbuilding o marble, called the Loggietta, where some o the procurators o St.Mark constantly attend to do business. Some people are o opinion that, particu-larly when the grand council, or the senate, are assembled, these procurators are

placed there as state sentinels, to give warning in case o any appearance o dis-content or commotion among the populace, which must necessarily shew itselat this place, as there is no other in Venice where a mob could assemble.

Te patriarchal church o St. Mark, though one o the richest and mostexpensive in the world, does not strike the eye very much at rst; the architec-

ture is o a mixed kind, mostly Gothic, yet many o the pillars are o the Grecianorders; the outside is incrusted with marble; the inside, ceiling, and oor, are allo the nest marble; the numerous pillars which support the roo are o the samesubstance; the whole is crowned by ve domes;but all this labour and expensehave been directed by a very moderate share o taste.

Te ront, which looks to the palace, has ve brass gates, with historical bas-relieves: over the principal gate are placed the our amous bronze horses, said tobe the workmanship o Lycippus; they were given to the emperor Nero, by iri-dates, king o Armenia; the ery spirit o their countenances, and their animatedattitudes, are perectly agreeable to their original destination, o being harnessedto the chariot o the Sun.Nero placed them on the triumphal arch consecratedto him, and they are to be seen on the reverse o some o his medals; they were

removed rom Rome to Constantinople, placed in the Hyppodrome by Con-stantine, and remained there till the taking o Constantinople by the French and

Venetians in the beginning o the thirteenth century, when they were carried toVenice, and placed upon the gate o St. Marks church.

Te treasury o St. Mark is very rich in jewels and relics; and it was necessaryto apply to one o the procurators o St. Mark or leave to see it. I shall only men-tion a ew o the most valuable effects kept here. Eight pillars rom Solomons


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Sample Pages From the Travel Writings of John Moore

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