NICE, March 20, 1765.
DEAR SIR,--The season being far advanced, and the weather growing
boisterous, I made but a short stay at Florence, and set out for Pisa,
with full resolution to take the nearest road to Lerici, where we
proposed to hire a felucca for Genoa. I had a great desire to see
Leghorn and Lucca; but the dread of a winter's voyage by sea in an open
boat effectually restrained my curiosity. To avoid the trouble of
having our baggage shifted every post, I hired two chaises to Pisa for
a couple of zequines, and there we arrived in safety about seven in the
evening, though not without fear of the consequence, as the calesses
were quite open, and it rained all the way. I must own I was so sick of
the wretched accommodation one meets with in every part of Italy,
except the great cities, so averse to the sea at this season, and so
fond of the city of Pisa, that I should certainly have stayed here the
winter, had not I been separated from my books and papers, as well as
from other conveniencies and connexions which I had at Nice; and
foreseen that the thoughts of performing the same disagreeable voyage
in the spring would imbitter my whole winter's enjoyment. I again hired
two calesses for Lerici, proposing to lie at Sarzana, three miles short
of that place, where we were told we should find comfortable lodging,
and to embark next day without halting. When we departed in the
morning, it rained very hard, and the Cerchio, which the chaises had
formerly passed, almost without wetting the wheels, was now swelled to
a mighty river, broad and deep and rapid. It was with great difficulty
I could persuade my wife to enter the boat; for it blew a storm, and
she had seen it in coming over from the other side hurried down a
considerable way by the rapidity of the current, notwithstanding all
the efforts of the watermen. Near two hours were spent in transporting
us with our chaises. The road between this and Pietra Santa was
rendered almost impassable. When we arrived at Massa, it began to grow
dark, and the post-master assured us that the road to Sarzana was
overflowed in such a manner as not to be passed even in the day-time,
without imminent danger. We therefore took up our lodging for the night
at this house, which was in all respects one of the worst we had yet
entered. Next day, we found the Magra as large and violent as the
Cerchio: however, we passed it without any accident, and in the
afternoon arrived at Lerici. There we were immediately besieged by a
number of patrons of feluccas, from among whom I chose a Spaniard,
partly because he looked like an honest man, and produced an ample
certificate, signed by an English gentleman; and partly, because he was
not an Italian; for, by this time, I had imbibed a strong prejudice
against the common people of that country. We embarked in the morning
before day, with a gale that made us run the lee-gunwale in the water;
but, when we pretended to turn the point of Porto Venere, we found the
wind full in our teeth, and were obliged to return to our quarters,
where we had been shamefully fleeced by the landlord, who,
nevertheless, was not such an exorbitant knave as the post-master,
whose house I would advise all travellers to avoid. Here, indeed, I had
occasion to see an instance of prudence and oeconomy, which I should
certainly imitate, if ever I had occasion to travel this way by myself.
An Englishman, who had hired a felucca from Antibes to Leghorn, was put
in here by stress of weather; but being aware of the extortion of
innkeepers, and the bad accommodation in their houses, he slept on
board on his own mattrasses; and there likewise he had all his
conveniencies for eating. He sent his servant on shore occasionally to
buy provision, and see it cooked according to his direction in some
public house; and had his meals regularly in the felucca. This evening
he came ashore to stretch his legs, and took a solitary walk on the
beach, avoiding us with great care, although he knew we were English;
his valet who was abundantly communicative, told my servant, that in
coming through France, his master had travelled three days in company
with two other English gentlemen, whom he met upon the road, and in all
that time he never spoke a word to either, yet in other respects, he
was a good man, mild, charitable, and humane. This is a character truly
British. At five o'clock in the morning we put to sea again, and though
the wind was contrary, made shift to reach the town of Sestri di
Levante, where we were most graciously received by the publican butcher
and his family. The house was in much better order than before; the
people were much more obliging; we passed a very tolerable night, and
had a very reasonable bill to pay in the morning. I cannot account for
this favourable change any other way, than by ascribing it to the
effects of a terrible storm, which had two days before torn up a great
number of their olive-trees by the roots, and done such damage as
terrified them into humility and submission. Next day, the water being
delightful, we arrived by one o'clock in the afternoon at Genoa. Here I
made another bargain with our patron Antonio, to carry us to Nice. He
had been hitherto remarkably obliging, and seemingly modest. He spoke
Latin fluently, and was tinctured with the sciences. I began to imagine
he was a person of a good family, who had met with misfortunes in life,
and respected him accordingly: but I afterwards found him mercenary,
mean, and rapacious. The wind being still contrary, when we departed
from Genoa, we could get no further than Finale, where we lodged in a
very dismal habitation, which was recommended to us as the best auberge
in the place. What rendered it the more uncomfortable, the night was
cold, and there was not a fire-place in the house, except in the
kitchen. The beds (if they deserved that name) were so shockingly
nasty, that we could not have used them, had not a friend of Mr. R--
supplied us with mattrasses, sheets, and coverlets; for our own sheets
were on board the felucca, which was anchored at a distance from the
shore. Our fare was equally wretched: the master of the house was a
surly assassin, and his cameriere or waiter, stark-staring mad. Our
situation was at the same time shocking and ridiculous. Mr. R--
quarrelled over night with the master, who swore in broken French to my
man, that he had a good mind to poniard that impertinent Piedmontese.
In the morning, before day, Mr. R--, coming into my chamber, gave me to
understand that he had been insulted by the landlord, who demanded six
and thirty livres for our supper and lodging. Incensed at the rascal's
presumption, I assured him I would make him take half the money, and a
good beating into the bargain. He replied, that he would have saved me
the trouble of beating him, had not the cameriere, who was a very
sensible fellow, assured him the padrone was out of his senses, and if
roughly handled, might commit some extravagance. Though I was
exceedingly ruffled, I could not help laughing at the mad cameriere's
palming himself upon R--y, as a sensible fellow, and transferring the
charge of madness upon his master, who seemed to be much more knave
than fool. While Mr. R-- went to mass, I desired the cameriere to bid
his master bring the bill, and to tell him that if it was not
reasonable, I would carry him before the commandant. In the mean time I
armed myself with my sword in one hand and my cane in the other. The
inn-keeper immediately entered, pale and staring, and when I demanded
his bill, he told me, with a profound reverence that he should be
satisfied with whatever I myself thought proper to give. Surprised at
this moderation, I asked if he should be content with twelve livres,
and he answered, "Contentissimo," with another prostration. Then he
made an apology for the bad accommodation of his house, and complained,
that the reproaches of the other gentleman, whom he was pleased to call
my majorduomo, had almost turned his brain. When he quitted the room,
his cameriere, laying hold of his master's last words, pointed to his
own forehead, and said, he had informed the gentleman over night that
his patron was mad. This day we were by a high wind in the afternoon,
driven for shelter into Porto Mauritio, where we found the post-house
even worse than that of Finale; and what rendered it more shocking was
a girl quite covered with the confluent smallpox, who lay in a room
through which it was necessary to pass to the other chambers, and who
smelled so strong as to perfume the whole house. We were but fifteen
miles from St. Remo, where I knew the auberge was tolerable, and
thither I resolved to travel by land. I accordingly ordered five mules
to travel post, and a very ridiculous cavalcade we formed, the women
being obliged to use common saddles; for in this country even the
ladies sit astride. The road lay along one continued precipice, and was
so difficult, that the beasts never could exceed a walking pace. In
some places we were obliged to alight. Seven hours were spent in
travelling fifteen short miles: at length we arrived at our old
lodgings in St. Remo, which we found white-washed, and in great order.
We supped pretty comfortably; slept well; and had no reason to complain
of imposition in paying the bill. This was not the case in the article
of the mules, for which I was obliged to pay fifty livres, according to
the regulation of the posts. The postmaster, who came along with us,
had the effrontery to tell me, that if I had hired the mules to carry
me and my company to St. Remo, in the way of common travelling, they
would have cost me but fifteen livres; but as I demanded post-horses, I
must submit to the regulations. This is a distinction the more absurd,
as the road is of such a nature as renders it impossible to travel
faster in one way than in another; nor indeed is there the least
difference either in the carriage or convenience, between travelling
post and journey riding. A publican might with the same reason charge
me three livres a pound for whiting, and if questioned about the
imposition, reply, that if I had asked for fish I should have had the
same whiting for the fifth part of the money: but that he made a wide
difference between selling it as fish, and selling it as whiting. Our
felucca came round from Porto Mauritio in the night, and embarking next
morning, we arrived at Nice about four in the afternoon.
Thus have I given you a circumstantial detail of my Italian expedition,
during which I was exposed to a great number of hardships, which I
thought my weakened constitution could not have bore; as well as to
violent fits of passion, chequered, however, with transports of a more
agreeable nature; insomuch that I may say I was for two months
continually agitated either in mind or body, and very often in both at
the same time. As my disorder at first arose from a sedentary life,
producing a relaxation of the fibres, which naturally brought on a
listlessness, indolence, and dejection of the spirits, I am convinced
that this hard exercise of mind and body, co-operated with the change
of air and objects, to brace up the relaxed constitution, and promote a
more vigorous circulation of the juices, which had long languished even
almost to stagnation. For some years, I had been as subject to colds as
a delicate woman new delivered. If I ventured to go abroad when there
was the least moisture either in the air, or upon the ground, I was
sure to be laid up a fortnight with a cough and asthma. But, in this
journey, I suffered cold and rain, and stood, and walked in the wet,
heated myself with exercise, and sweated violently, without feeling the
least disorder; but, on the contrary, felt myself growing stronger
every day in the midst of these excesses. Since my return to Nice, it
has rained the best part of two months, to the astonishment of all the
people in the country; yet during all that time I have enjoyed good
health and spirits. On Christmas-Eve, I went to the cathedral at
midnight, to hear high mass celebrated by the new bishop of Nice, in
pontificalibus, and stood near two hours uncovered in a cold gallery,
without having any cause in the sequel to repent of my curiosity. In a
word, I am now so well that I no longer despair of seeing you and the
rest of my friends in England; a pleasure which is eagerly desired
by,--Dear Sir, Your affectionate humble Servant.