No. VII.
Travel in the younger sort is a part of education; in the elder
a part of experience.
_Bacon._
In pursuance of the plan proposed in the initial number of these
papers, which, although a mortifying consideration to the pride
of authorship, it is quite probable many of my readers have
already forgotten; I shall, on the present occasion, avail myself
of one of the sources of instruction and gratification there
indicated--foreign travel. The friend to whom I am indebted for the
following remarkable incidents, illustrative of the present state
of morals in Italy, has not long since returned from a tour through
England, France, Italy, Switzerland, and part of Germany; with
an increased attachment for his native country and her admirable
institutions.
He left Milan for Florence, passing through the towns of Lodi,
Plazenza, Parma, and Bologna, where he arrived after eight days
journeying. Among the passengers in the coach with him, was a young
gentleman of Rome, the Cavaliere V----, who was returning home after
a two years tour in _South_ America and Europe. Between these two,
as those who are strangers in any part of the world, particularly
when travelling together, experience a community of privation and
enjoyment, an intimacy was soon formed. The distance from Florence
to Rome is 193 English miles. The road passes over the Appenine
mountains, and by the tardy mode of travelling peculiar to the
country, there being no public coaches, it requires six days. The
highways in this neighbourhood are infested with banditti of the
most ferocious character, and almost every day furnishes accounts
of robberies and murders. On the 5th of January, 1819, they left
Florence. The first three days were marked by no striking incident,
but on the morning of the fourth, about dawn, their ears were
accosted with a sudden discharge of fire-arms close to the carriage,
which they soon found to proceed from the carbines of banditti.
Previously to quitting Milan, our friend had taken the precaution to
divide his gold, carrying part of it about his person, enveloped in
a bandana handkerchief in the form of a belt, and the remainder in
a portmanteau. He had also a number of Bank of England notes, which
he carried in his pocket-book, with his passport, &c. The bandana
soon attracted their attention, and its contents, 30 Napoleons, with
his purse, &c. fell into their hands. His portmanteau being securely
lashed to the imperial, escaped the plunderers, as well as his watch
and pocket-book. It was within a league of Montifiascone where the
attack was made. The robbers were interrupted in the height of their
villainy, by the tramp of approaching horses, which proved to be the
neighbouring peasantry commencing their daily toils; and retreated
with precipitation to the impenetrable thickets of the Appenines.
The travellers then proceeded on their journey to Rome, without
experiencing further molestation.
On their arrival there, our countryman congratulated himself on his
good fortune in having become acquainted with the Cavaliere V----,
whose politeness and attentions were particularly grateful; and
as Rome was the place of his residence, every object of interest
and curiosity to be found there, was perfectly familiar to him. He
introduced his American acquaintance to his father, who was a man of
rank, living in splendour and opulence; and to his sisters, whose
society the latter felt every disposition to cultivate. Thus various
circumstances appeared to combine to render pleasant a residence in
this celebrated metropolis, and to aid him in his contemplations
among the remaining monuments of her former magnificence and power.
One morning having a leisure hour on his hands, our townsmen was
engaged in his chamber counting his money, in order to ascertain the
extent of his loss, sustained by the unwelcome visiters who had paid
him their respects on the road; when the Cavaliere unceremoniously
entered the room, and seeing a pocket-book in his hand, immediately
inquired what he had lost. The fact was, that a 20 pound note of
the Bank of England was missing, and as the pocket-book in which
the notes were contained, was not discovered by the banditti, in
their haste to make their escape, he concluded that it had been
carelessly dropped at some time or other, and would never again be
heard of; which he stated at once to his pseudo friend. The latter
expressed some surprise, and evinced considerable embarrassment
on the occasion. His quondam fellow tourist, however, made light
of the matter, and endeavoured to change the conversation by
stating, that he would ask the advice of his banker the duke of
Torlonia, fortunately the only house in the habit of discounting
English notes; and would also write to his banker in London, to
have the payment stopped at the Bank of England. To this plan the
Cavaliere strenuously objected, but said, that he knew a man in
Rome, who would procure him the note if it was to be found; and in
consequence of this suggestion, the application to the Duke was
not made. Our traveller, reflecting on the circumstances connected
with this interview, his being interrogated as to his loss before
any intimation had been given that such loss had been sustained,
the hurried and peculiar manner in which the inquiries were made,
in addition to the fact that the Cavaliere was the only person
who had seen them counted, and that he was careless of locking up
his pocket-book, began to suspect, although his rank and standing
might forbid it, that the gentleman knew something about the note.
As the numbers of the different bills had been taken, there could
not readily have been a mistake. A few days subsequently it was
distinctly intimated, that the person to whom application had been
made, knew where the note was. An interview with the _conjurer_ was
zealously urged, in the hope of visiting the thief with merited
punishment. To this the Cavaliere replied, that he had pledged his
honour that the affair should remain in profound secrecy, and that
he would himself be responsible for the payment, and accordingly
gave his note of hand for it payable in two days! After _many_
days had elapsed without receiving the amount, the patience of
our traveller was nearly exhausted, and under the influence of
irritation, produced by the unprincipled conduct of this modern
Roman, it was determined to disclose the whole transaction to his
father. The subject was introduced with the utmost delicacy. The old
gentleman, after hearing a detail of all the circumstances, coolly
observed, that it was no business of his, and that his son would
doubtless attend to it. He was then explicitly told, that respect
for his supposed parental feelings had induced the reserve which he
had witnessed; but as this reserve, it was perfectly apparent, was
altogether unnecessary, the facts of the case should be made known,
and the moral turpitude of his son publicly exposed.--The expression
of this determination caused an immediate change of tone and manner;
he was now all sensibility to the reputation of his son and that
of his family, and gave a positive assurance that the money should
be immediately forthcoming. Shortly after this conversation it was
brought by his quondam friend, and was principally in various gold
coins, which had probably been procured for him by a broker, on the
lowest terms.
The family, in which our countryman resided, while at Rome, was
highly agreeable; and the society of the lady, and her amiable
daughters, was a source of pleasure to the gentlemen who lived
in the house. On the evening of the day on which this affair was
settled, he had taken his wonted seat in this interesting circle,
which so delightfully reminded him of that which he had left at
home, when the brother of the Cavaliere, who was invested with
some office of dignity, entered in full dress. He very courteously
and gracefully paid his respects to all the individuals composing
the company, with the exception of the American, of whom,
notwithstanding his being well acquainted with him, he took no
notice whatever. He then intimated to the lady of the house, that
he wished to speak with her in private. She accordingly withdrew,
and very soon afterwards returned, and informed our tourist, that
the gentleman desired to see him in the adjoining room. On entering,
he was charged with attempting to sully the character of a family,
which could trace its reputation and fame through a long line of
noble ancestry; and that for this injustice, instant reparation
should be made. He then drew his sword in a tempest of passion,
but recollecting immediately, that his antagonist was unarmed, he
sheathed it, and drew from his pocket a pair of pistols, with which
he insisted they should fight without delay. By this time one of
the party, alarmed by the noise occasioned by their altercation,
hurried into the room, and on learning the cause which produced it,
gave such explanations to the enraged Italian as were acknowledged
to be perfectly satisfactory, as to the treatment his brother had
received; and with a smile, which he could assume at pleasure,
he took his leave. After his departure, the lady took occasion to
caution our traveller against venturing out during the evening,
assigning as a reason for this advice, that the officer was very
vindictive in his disposition, and that an Englishman, who had not
long previously given him some offence, lost his life in consequence
of the attack of an assassin. This admonition was not disregarded.
In the course of the evening, a member of the family, who had heard
nothing of the previous occurrences, on his return home, observed,
that he could not conceive what mischief was in agitation, as his
face had been closely examined by more than one person, in passing
the lamps, who wore masks, and appeared to be actuated by curiosity,
or some other motive, to an extraordinary degree. Those who were
acquainted with the events of the evening, were at no loss to
conjecture for whom they were on the watch. An obnoxious individual
can at any time be put out of the way, in Rome, for a very small
reward. To save these obliging and tender-hearted gentry further
trouble, and to consult his own safety, he early the next morning
left the dominions of the church, and pursued his journey to Naples.
If individuals, and incidents of such a character, should frequently
present themselves to the notice of the tourist, it would almost
induce him to deny himself the delights and advantages of foreign
travel, and adopt this sentiment of COWLEY,
_About the spacious world let others roam,
The voyage life, is longest made at home._
☞