ruins of one dedicated to Augustus; and I know not why Mr Sands calls
it a Christian temple, since the Romans certainly built hereabouts.
Here are many tombs of fine marble, and vast pieces of granate (sic),
which are daily lessened by the prodigious balls that the Turks make,
from them, for their cannon. We passed that evening the isle of
Tenedos, once under the patronage of Apollo, as he gave it in,
himself, in the particulars of his estate, when he courted Daphne.
It is but ten miles in circuit, but, in those days, very rich and
well-peopled, still famous for its excellent wine. I say nothing of
Tenes, from whom it was called; but naming Mytilene, where we passed
next, I cannot forbear mentioning Lesbos, where Sappho sung, and
Pittacus reigned, famous for the birth of Alcaeus, Theophrastus and
Arion, those masters in poetry, philosophy, and music. This was one
of the last islands that remained in the Christian dominion after the
conquest of Constantinople by the Turks. But need I talk to you of
Catucuseno, &c. princes that you are as well acquainted with as I am.
'Twas with regret I saw us sail from this island into the Egean (sic)
sea, now the Archipelago, leaving Scio (the ancient Chios) on the
left, which is the richest and most populous of these islands,
fruitful in cotton, corn and silk, planted with groves of orange and
lemon trees, and the Arvisian mountain, still celebrated for the
nectar that Virgil mentions. Here is the best manufacture of silks
in all Turkey. The town is well built, the women famous for their
beauty, and shew their faces as in Christendom. There are many rich
families; though they confine their magnificence to the inside of
their houses, to avoid the jealousy of the Turks, who have, a bassa
here: however, they enjoy a reasonable liberty, and indulge the
genius of their country:
_And eat, and sing, and dance away their time,
Fresh as their groves, and happy as their clime_.
Their chains hang lightly on them, tho' 'tis not long since they were
imposed, not being under the Turk till 1566. But perhaps 'tis as
easy to obey the grand signior as the state of Genoa, to whom they
were sold by the Greek emperor. But I forget myself in these
historical touches, which are very impertinent when I write to you.
Passing the strait between the islands of Andros and Achaia, now
Libadia, we saw the promontory of Lunium, now called Cape Colonna,
where are yet standing the vast pillars of a temple of Minerva. This
venerable sight made me think, with double regret, on a beautiful
temple of Theseus, which, I am assured, was almost entire at Athens,
till the last campaign in the Morea, that the Turks filled it with
powder, and it was accidentally blown up. You may believe I had a
great mind to land on the fam'd Peloponnesus, tho' it were only to
look on the rivers of Asopus, Peneus, Inachus and Eurotas, the fields
of Arcadia, and other scenes of ancient mythology. But instead of
demigods and heroes, I was credibly informed, 'tis now over-run by
robbers, and that I should run a great risque (sic) of falling into
their hands, by undertaking such a journey through a desert country,
for which, however, I have so much respect, that I have much ado to
hinder myself from troubling you with its whole history, from the
foundation of Nycana and Corinth, to the last campaign there; but I
check the inclination, as I did that of landing. We sailed quietly
by Cape Angelo, once Malea, where I saw no remains of the famous
temple of Apollo. We came that evening in sight of Candia: it is
very mountainous; we easily distinguished that of Ida.--We have
Virgil's authority, that here were a hundred cities--
_--Centum urbes habitant magnas--_
The chief of them--the scene of monstrous passions.--Metellus first
conquered this birth-place of his Jupiter; it fell afterwards into
the hands of ---- I am running on to the very siege of Candia; and I
am so angry with myself, that I will pass by all the other islands
with this general reflection, that 'tis impossible to imagine any
thing more agreeable than this journey would have been two or three
thousand years since, when, after drinking a dish of tea with Sappho,
I might have gone, the same evening, to visit the temple of Homer in
Chios, and passed this voyage in taking plans of magnificent temples,
delineating the miracles of statuaries, and conversing with the most
polite and most gay of mankind. Alas! art is extinct here; the
wonders of nature alone remain; and it was with vast pleasure I
observed those of mount Etna, whose flame appears very bright in the
night many leagues off at sea, and fills the head with a thousand
conjectures. However, I honour philosophy too much, to imagine it
could turn that of Empedocles; and Lucian shall never make me believe
such a scandal of a man, of whom, Lucretius says,
_--Vix humana videtur stirpe creatus--_
WE passed Trinacria without hearing any of the syrens that Homer
describes; and, being thrown on neither Scylla nor Charybdis, came
safe to Malta, first called Melita, from the abundance of honey. It
is a whole rock covered with very little earth. The grand master
lives here in the state of a sovereign prince; but his strength at
sea now is very small. The fortifications are reckoned the best in
the world, all cut in the solid rock with infinite expence and
labour.--Off this island we were tossed by a severe storm, and were
very glad, after eight days, to be able to put into Porta Farine on
the African shore, where our ship now rides. At Tunis we were met by
the English consul who resides here. I readily accepted of the offer
of his house there for some days, being very curious to see this part
of the world, and particularly the ruins of Carthage. I set out in
his chaise at nine at night, the moon being at full. I saw the
prospect of the country almost as well as I could have done by
day-light; and the heat of the sun is now so intolerable, 'tis
impossible to travel at any other time. The soil is, for the most
part, sandy, but every where fruitful of date, olive, and fig-trees,
which grow without art, yet afford the most delicious fruit in the
world. There vineyards and melon-fields are inclos'd by hedges of
that plant we call Indian-fig, which is an admirable fence, no wild
beast being able to pass it. It grows a great height, very thick,
and the spikes or thorns are as long and sharp as bodkins; it bears a
fruit much eaten by the peasants, and which has no ill taste.
IT being now the season of the Turkish _ramadan_, or Lent, and all
here professing, at least the Mahometan religion, they fast till the
going down of the sun, and spend the night in feasting. We saw under
the trees, companies of the country people, eating, singing, and
dancing, to their wild music. They are not quite black, but all
mulattoes, and the most frightful creatures that can appear in a
human figure. They are almost naked, only wearing a piece of coarse
serge wrapped about them.--But the women have their arms, to their
very shoulders, and their necks and faces, adorned with flowers,
stars, and various sorts of figures impressed by gunpowder; a
considerable addition to their natural deformity; which is, however,
esteemed very ornamental amongst them; and I believe they suffer a
good deal of pain by it.
ABOUT six miles from Tunis, we saw the remains of that noble
aqueduct, which carried the water to Carthage, over several high
mountains, the length of forty miles. There are still many arches
entire. We spent two hours viewing it with great attention, and Mr
W----y assured me that of Rome is very much inferior to it. The
stones are of a prodigious size, and yet all polished, and so exactly
fitted to each other, very little cement has been made use of to join
them. Yet they may probably stand a thousand years longer, if art is
not made use of to pull them down. Soon after day-break I arrived at
Tunis, a town fairly built of very white stone, but quite without
gardens, which, they say, were all destroyed when the Turks first
took it, none having been planted since. The dry land gives a very
disagreeable prospect to the eye; and the want of shade contributing
to the natural heat of the climate, renders it so excessive, that I
have much ado to support it. 'Tis true, here is, every noon, the
refreshment of the sea-breeze, without which it would be impossible
to live; but no fresh water but what is preserved in the cisterns of
the rains that fall in the month of September. The women of the town
go veiled from head to foot under a black crape, and being mixed with
a breed of renegadoes, are said to be many of them fair and handsome.
This city was besieged in 1270, by Lewis (sic) king of France, who
died under the walls of it, of a pestilential fever. After his
death, Philip, his son, and our prince Edward, son of Henry III.
raised the siege on honourable terms. It remained under its natural
African kings, till betrayed into the hands of Barbarossa, admiral of
Solyman the Magnificent. The emperor Charles V. expelled Barbarossa,
but it was recovered by the Turk, under the conduct of Sinan Bassa,
in the reign of Selim II. From that time till now, it has remained
tributary to the grand signior, governed by a _bey_, who suffers the
name of subject to the Turk, but has renounced the subjection, being
absolute, and very seldom paying any tribute. The great city of
Bagdat (sic) is, at this time, in the same circumstances, and the
grand signior connives at the loss of these dominions, for fear of
losing even the titles of them.
I WENT very early yesterday morning (after one night's repose) to see
the ruins of Carthage.--I was, however, half broiled in the sun, and
overjoyed to be led into one of the subterranean apartments, which
they called, _The stables of the elephants_, but which I cannot
believe were ever designed for that use. I found in them many broken
pieces of columns of fine marble, and some of porphyry. I cannot
think any body would take the insignificant pains of carrying them
thither, and I cannot imagine such fine pillars were designed for the
use of stables. I am apt to believe they Were summer apartments
under their palaces, which the heat of the climate rendered
necessary. They are now used as granaries by the country people.
While I sat here, from the town of _Tents_ not far off, many of the
women flocked in to see me, and we were equally entertained with
viewing one another. Their posture in sitting, the colour of their
skin, their lank black hair falling on each side their faces, their
features, and the shape of their limbs, differ so little from their
country-people the baboons, 'tis hard to fancy them a distinct race;
I could not help thinking there had been some ancient alliances
between them.
WHEN I was a little refreshed by rest, and some milk and exquisite
fruit they brought me, I went up the little hill where once stood the
castle of Byrsa, and from thence I had a distinct view of the
situation of the famous city of Carthage, which stood on an isthmus,
the sea coming on each side of it. 'Tis now a marshy ground on one
side, where there are salt ponds. Strabo calls Carthage forty miles
in circumference. There are now no remains of it, but what I have
described; and the history of it is too well known to want my
abridgement of it. You see, Sir, that I think you esteem obedience
better than compliments. I have answered your letter by giving you
the accounts you desired, and have reserved my thanks to the
conclusion. I intend to leave this place to-morrow, and continue my
journey through Italy and France. In one of those places I hope to
tell you, by word of mouth, that I am, Your humble servant, &c. &c.
LET. XLV
TO THE COUNTESS OF ----.
_Genoa, Aug_. 28. O. S. 1718
I BEG your pardon, my dear sister, that I did not write to you from
Tunis, the only opportunity I have had since I left Constantinople.
But the heat there was so excessive, and the light so bad for the
sight, I was half blind by writing one letter to the Abbot ----, and
durst not go to write many others I had designed; nor indeed could I
have entertained you very well out of that barbarous country. I am
now surrounded with subjects of pleasure, and so much charmed with
the beauties of Italy, that I should think it a kind of ingratitude
not to offer a little praise in return for the diversion I have had
here.--I am in the house of Mrs D'Avenant at St Pierre d'Arena, and
should be very unjust not to allow her a share of that praise I speak
of, since her good humour and good company have very much contributed
to render this place agreeable to me.
GENOA is situated in a very fine bay; and being built on a rising
hill, extermixed (sic) with gardens, and beautified with the most
excellent architecture, gives a very fine prospect off at sea; though
it lost much of its beauty in my eyes, having been accustomed to that
of Constantinople. The Genoese were once masters of several islands
in the Archipelago, and all that part of Constantinople which is now
called Galata. Their betraying the Christian cause, by facilitating
the taking of Constantinople by the Turk, deserved what has since
happened to them, even the loss of all their conquests on that side
to those infidels. They are at present far from rich, and are
despised by the French, since their doge was forced by the late king
to go in person to Paris, to ask pardon for such a trifle as the arms
of France over the house of the envoy, being spattered with dung in
the night. This, I suppose, was done by some of the Spanish faction,
which still makes up the majority here, though they dare not openly
declare it. The ladies affect the French habit, and are more genteel
than those they imitate. I do not doubt but the custom of Cizisbei's
has very much improved their airs. I know not whether you ever heard
of those animals. Upon my word, nothing but my own eyes could have
convinced me there were any such upon earth. The fashion began here,
and is now received all over Italy, where the husbands are not such
terrible creatures as we represent them. There are none among them
such brutes, as to pretend to find fault with a custom so well
established, and so politically founded, since I am assured, that it
was an expedient, first found out by the senate, to put an end to
those family hatreds, which tore their state to pieces, and to find
employment for those young men who were forced to cut one another's
throats, _pour passer le temps_: and it has succeeded so well, that
since the institution of Cizisbei, there has been nothing but peace
and good humour amongst them. These are gentlemen who devote
themselves to the service of a particular lady (I mean a married one)
for the virgins are all invisible, and confined to convents: They are
obliged to wait on her to all public places, such as the plays,
operas, and assemblies, (which are called here _Conversations_) where
they wait behind her chair, take care of her fan and gloves, if she
plays, have the privilege of whispers, &c.--When she goes out, they
serve her instead of lacquies (sic), gravely trotting by her chair.
'Tis their business to prepare for her a present against any day of
public appearance, not forgetting that of her own name [Footnote:
That is, the day of the saint after whom she is called.]; in short,
they are to spend all their time and money in her service, who
rewards them accordingly (for opportunity they want none) but the
husband is not to have the impudence to suppose this any other than
pure Platonic friendship. 'Tis true, they endeavour to give her a
Cizisbei of their own chusing; but when the lady happens not to be of
the same taste, as that often happens, she never fails to bring it
about to have one of her own fancy. In former times, one beauty used
to have eight or ten of these humble admirers; but those days of
plenty and humility are no more. Men grow more scarce and saucy, and
every lady is forced to content herself with one at a time.
You may see in this place the _glorious liberty_ of a republic, or
more properly, an aristocracy, the common people being here as arrant
slaves as the French; but the old nobles pay little respect to the
doge, who is but two years in his office, and whose wife, at that
very time, assumes no rank above another noble lady. 'Tis true, the
family of Andrea Doria (that great man, who restored them that
liberty they enjoy) have some particular privileges. When the senate
found it necessary to put a stop to the luxury of dress, forbidding
the wearing of jewels and brocades, they left them at liberty to make
what expence they pleased. I look with great pleasure on the statue
of that hero, which is in the court belonging to the house of duke
Doria. This puts me in mind of their palaces, which I can never
describe as I ought.--Is it not enough, that I say, they are, most
of them, the design of Palladio? The street called Strada Nova, is
perhaps the most beautiful line of building in the world. I must
particularly mention the vast palaces of Durazzo, those of the two
Balbi, joined together by a magnificent colonade (sic), that of the
Imperiale at this village of St Pierre d'Arena, and another of the
Doria. The perfection of architecture, and the utmost profusion of
rich furniture are to be seen here, disposed with the most elegant
taste, and lavish magnificence. But I am charmed with nothing so
much as the collection of pictures by the pencils of Raphael, Paulo
Veronese, Titian, Caracci, Michael Angelo, Guido, and Corregio, which
two I mention last as my particular favourites. I own, I can find no
pleasure in objects of horror; and, in my opinion, the more naturally
a crucifix is represented, the more disagreeable it is. These, my
beloved painters, shew nature, and shew it in the most charming
light. I was particularly pleased with a Lucretia in the house of
Balbi; the expressive beauty of that face and bosom, gives all the
passion of pity and adoration, that could be raised in the soul, by
the finest artist on that subject. A Cleopatra of the same hand,
deserves to be mentioned; and I should say more of her if Lucretia
had not first engaged my eyes.--Here are also some inestimable
ancient bustos (sic).--The church of St Lawrence is built of black
and white marble, where is kept that famous plate of a single
emerald, which is not now permitted to be handled, since a plot,
which, they say, was discovered, to throw it on the pavement and
break it; a childish piece of malice, which they ascribe to the king
of Sicily, to be revenged for their refusing to sell it to him. The
church of the annunciation is finely lined with marble; the pillars
are of red and white marble; that of St Ambrose has been very much
adorned by the Jesuits; but I confess, all the churches appeared so
mean to me, after that of Sancta Sophia, I can hardly do them the
honour of writing down their names. But I hope you will own, I have
made good use of my time, in seeing so much, since 'tis not many days
that we have been out of the quarantine, from which no body is
exempted coming from the Levant. Ours, indeed, was very much
shortened, and very agreeably passed in Mrs D'Avenant's company, in
the village of St Pierre d'Arena, about a mile from Genoa, in a house
built by Palladio, so well designed, and so nobly proportioned, 'twas
a pleasure to walk in it. We were visited here only by a few
English, in the company of a noble Genoese; commissioned to see we
did not touch one another.--I shall stay here some days longer, and
could almost wish it were for all my life; but mine, I fear, is not
destined to so much tranquillity. I am, &c. &c.
LET. XLVI.
TO THE COUNTESS OF ----.
_Turin, Sept_. 12. O. S. 1718.
I CAME in two days from Genoa, through fine roads, to this place. I
have already seen what is shewed to strangers in the town, which,
indeed, is not worth a very particular description; and I have not
respect enough for the holy handkerchief, to speak long of it. The
churches are handsome, and so is the king's palace; but I have lately
seen such perfection of architecture, I did not give much of my
attention to these pieces. The town itself is fairly built, situated
in a fine plain on the banks of the Po. At a little distance from
it, we saw the palaces of La Venerie, and La Valentin, both very
agreeable retreats. We were lodged in the Piazza Royale, which is
one of the noblest squares I ever saw, with a fine portico of white
stone quite round it. We were immediately visited by the
Chevalier ----, whom you knew in England; who, with great civility,
begged to introduce us at Court, which is now kept at Rivoli, about a
league from Turin. I went thither yesterday, and had the honour of
waiting on the queen, being presented to her by her first lady of
honour. I found her majesty in a magnificent apartment, with a train
of handsome ladies, all dressed in gowns, amongst which it was easy
to distinguish the fair princess of Carignan. The queen entertained
me with a world of sweetness and affability, and seemed mistress of a
great share of good sense. She did not forget to put me in mind of
her English blood; and added, that she always felt in herself a
particular inclination to love the English. I returned her civility,
by giving her the title of majesty, as often as I could, which,
perhaps, she will not have the comfort of hearing many months
longer.--The king has a great deal of vivacity in his eyes; and the
young prince of Piedmont is a very handsome young man; but the great
devotion which this Court is, at present, fallen into, does not
permit any of those entertainments proper for his age. Processions
and masses are all the magnificence in fashion here; and gallantry is
so criminal, that the poor Count of ----, who was our acquaintance at
London, is very seriously disgraced, for some small overtures he
presumed to make to a maid of honour. I intend to set out tomorrow,
and to pass those dreadful Alps, so much talked of.--If I come to
the bottom, you shall hear of me.--I am, &c. &c.
LET. XLVII.
TO MRS T----.
_Lyons, Sept_, 25. O. S. 1718.
I RECEIVED, at my arrival here, both your obliging letters, and also
letters from many of my other friends, designed to Constantinople,
and sent me from Marseilles hither; our merchant there, knowing we
were upon our return. I am surprised to hear my sister has left
England. I suppose what I wrote to her from Turin will be lost, and
where to direct I know not, having no account of her affairs from her
own hand. For my own part, I am confined to my chamber, having kept
my bed till yesterday, ever since the 17th, that I came to this town,
where I have had so terrible a fever, I believed, for some time, that
all my journeys were ended here; and I do not at all wonder, that
such fatigues as I have passed, should have such an effect. The
first day's journey from Turin to Novalesse, is through a very fine
country, beautifully planted, and enriched by art and nature. The
next day we began to ascend mount Cenis, being carried in little
seats of twisted osiers, fixed upon poles, upon mens shoulders; our
chaises taken to pieces, and laid upon mules.
THE prodigious prospect of mountains covered with eternal snow, of
clouds hanging far below our feet, and of vast cascades tumbling down
the rocks with a confused roaring, would have been entertaining to
me, if I had suffered less from the extreme cold that reigns here.
But the misty rains which fall perpetually, penetrated even the thick
fur I was wrapped in; and I was half dead with cold, before we got to
the foot of the mountain, which was not till two hours after dark.
This hill has a spacious plain on the top of it, and a fine lake
there; but the descent is so steep and slippery, 'tis surprising to
see these chairmen go so steadily as they do. Yet I was not half so
much afraid of breaking my neck, as I was of falling sick; and the
event has shewed, that I placed my fears right.