CHAP. XIX.NAPLES.
During my residence in this city I frequently walked on the delightful promenade of the Villa Reale, which happened to be near my lodgings in the Strada Bassiniana, and in the vicinity of Santa Lucia and the Caio, two places, which for strangers, are preferable to any other part of Naples.
In this garden is a bust of Tasso, the features of which the sentinel one day permitted me to examine, when I was much struck with the contour. The traveller will also see here the celebrated group, called Il Toro Farnese, originally brought to Rome from Rhodes, and found in Caracallas baths, from whence it was removed to the Farnese palace. It was supposed to represent Amphion and Zetus, who, by order of their mother Antiope, are binding Dirce to the horns of a wild bull. Apollonius is said to have executed much of this group, which has however been restored in so many parts, that little of the antique work remains, the bull excepted.
On the 15th, the king of Naples, about three o’clock in the afternoon, made his public entry into his capital, after regaining possession of his dominions, under two triumphal arches erected for the purpose, one at the Botanic Garden, a short distancefrom the city, the other in the middle of the Toledo. The whole way to the palace was lined with Austrian and Neapolitan soldiers, who were ordered to prevent cheering, and it was even said that some lazaroni, who attempted it, were placed in custody.
In the evening the city was illuminated, although this was partially done, and chiefly confined to the public offices, and residences of such individuals as were more particularly anxious to manifest their loyalty. This was repeated on the two succeeding nights.
The entrance of the king, appeared to be the signal for the removal of such persons as were supposed inimical to his government; many were simply ejected from their situations, while others were imprisoned, or had passports sent to them, with notice to quit the kingdom before a certain day; I am not aware that the punishment of death was inflicted on any.
On the 18th we experienced a very hot day; after breakfast, my friend C⸺, Dr. R⸺, and myself, set out to visit Virgil’s tomb; which, notwithstanding they had been there before, we contrived to pass beyond; returning back we discovered it, and having entered a door which led through a small vineyard, began to descend a number of steps, which terminated near the entrance of a stone vault, in which were a numberof recesses for the reception of sepulchral urns, each about two feet high and eighteen inches broad; these were formed on a level with the floor, one on either side of the entrance, three in each lateral wall, and two in front, being ten in all.
Some antiquarians have disputed, whether the ashes of the great Mantuan bard ever reposed in this vault; this philosophically and abstractedly taken, perhaps, is a matter of as little consequence to posterity, as to Virgil himself; but in a sentimental point of view, unless they can point out indisputably, the spot where the precious exuviæ of this immortal spirit were actually deposited, it is but a cruel martyrdom of feeling, to attempt to deprive us, the hapless Ciceroni of the day, of the exquisite gratification of an imaginarysepulchretum.
Shortly after this interesting excursion, we determined to cross the bay of Naples to Sorento, the birth-place of Tasso, at the distance of about eighteen miles. Our party consisted of Lieut. B⸺, Mr. D⸺, and myself; we had a short and pleasant passage, and just before the sails were taken in, the crew sung a hymn to the Virgin Mary, to thank her for their safe arrival, and then brought round a box for our contributions to a libation in honour of her. We now found that the town was two miles farther on, and the master prepared a small boat, with part of his crew, to take us there, for which he gave us to understand,we were to pay as much as for the voyage across the bay; notwithstanding he had informed us that his was a Sorento boat, and we had engaged to be taken there. My friends were unwilling to dispute the point; whereas, had it been left to myself, he should not have received agrainbeyond his contract, or even that, until he had landed us at the point stipulated for. The impositions to which strangers are subjected in this country, are unbounded, and it requires much art and manœuvring to defend oneself; not that this is particular to Italy, for we have only to look at home, where we find our hackney-coachmen and watermen, ready to avail themselves of a similar licence. My plan is, in the first instance, to gain all possible information as to the proper distances and charges; and then, throwing myself accidentally, as it were, in the way of those persons I wish to engage, to allow them to make the first attack, which they will be sure to do, and which I receive with an indifferent air, laughing at their price, which I know, and declare to be unreasonable, and offering them a very low one;—if it is not accepted, I then walk away, for it is endless staying to argue with them; they will be sure to follow and learn my address, and make more reasonable proposals; in which case, with an appearance of liberality, it is easy to say, that as I am pleased with their civil manners, it induces me to give something more than theregular fare, when the bargain is readily concluded.
On landing, our first object was to make out a comfortable inn for dinner, but we were grievously disappointed. The best one was full and unable to receive us; the second contained nothing to eat; and in the third we found a dirty old man, getting out of one of the six beds, which the room we were to have dined in contained, and from which issued so disgusting a smell, that notwithstanding the keenness of our appetites, we could not reconcile ourselves to continue there. We had recourse to our only alternative, which was to proceed to the house of a gentleman, Captain S⸺, at the distance of two miles, with whom Lieut. B⸺ wished to treat, for summer apartments for his family, thinking we might elicit information as to where a dinner could be procured. Captain S⸺ was dining from home, but we had the pleasure of seeing his lady, whose account of the accommodations of the neighbourhood put us quite in despair. She insisted, however, upon sending for her husband, and had the kindness to give us a refreshment of bread, wine, and oranges, which was truly acceptable. Captain S⸺, on his arrival, with the greatest kindness, offered us not only a dinner, but beds, which, although with reluctance, we felt compelled to accept of.
In the interim, while dinner was in preparation,we walked out to call on an English friend of Mr. B⸺’s, who resided two miles farther off; he was, however, from home; but the attempt to see him, gave us an opportunity of exploring the country; which my friends described as very beautiful, although only visible through occasional interruptions to high stone walls on either side, and which universally bound the roads in this part of the country; and which are so narrow, that it must be impossible for a common-sized waggon to pass along them; they serve, however, at least one good purpose, that of affording shelter from the scorching rays of the sun.
Soon after eight o’clock our dinner was announced, and an excellent one it proved; although, I believe, we should all, under our feelings of hunger, have given the preference to a few mutton chops hastily provided; but the order of things must not be deranged; as we proposed to set off at four in the morning, we were glad to retire to bed immediately after dinner.
In the morning Captain S⸺ had the kindness to get up to see us off, when he sent his servant to conduct us to a much nearer point than Sorento, and which proved to be the individual spot where we had first arrived on the preceding day. We did not reach Naples until nine o’clock, having little wind, so that we had to pull a considerable part of the distance.
On the 26th, Lieut. B⸺ and myself, accompanied Count K⸺ on board the Austrian flagship, lying off this port. This vessel, named the Austria, was a frigate of forty-four guns, built by the French at Venice, and afterwards taken possession of by the Austrians. We found an English sailor on board, who had entered from one of our merchantmen in the Mediterranean, and who gave us no very favourable account of the naval tactics of the Austrians. The officers appeared to want that smartness which we are accustomed to in a British man-of-war; that is, there was a heavy manner about them. We were treated, however, with civility, although we did expect more attention, having been introduced as British naval officers.
On the 29th, one of the two Austrian frigates lying here, with two Neapolitan frigates, having under convoy about forty smaller vessels, with eight thousand Austrian troops on board, sailed for Palermo. My friends were highly delighted with this spectacle.
Having heard much of the island of Ischia, distant twenty-four miles from Naples, I was induced to cross over to it, in company with Mr. J. O⸺, an English gentleman, who was purposing to spend some time there, on account of his health. We had intended setting off some days before, but the Sirocco wind prevented us, being attended bya heavy swell setting into the bay, so that no boat would venture out. We left Naples at six o’clock in the morning of the 30th of May, and after passing by the islands of Nicida and Prochyta, on the former of which stands the Lazaretto, and on the latter one of the king’s palaces, we landed about half after eleven, at the village of Ischia. We were immediately surrounded by a number of fellows having asses with them, which they, with much insolence, urged us to hire. Mr. O⸺ took one for his little nephew whom he had brought with him, and setting him forward, we followed on foot until we arrived at Sentinella, a distance of three or four miles. We were pursued, however, for a considerable time by a drove of these donkey men, in expectation that we might hire their animals; but at length, finding themselves disappointed, they gradually gave up the point, hooting and holloing after us as they departed.
On laying my hand on one of these asses, I was astonished at the silkiness of its skin; but I believe the hair of all animals is proportionately softer in southern climates, probably in consequence of the superficial pores being more open. I have heard, and it appears probable, that the nerves of the cuticle, as of the finger, are more sensible in warm latitudes; and that this is the reason why the silks, and other fine works, in such countries, areof more delicate texture, than what are manufactured elsewhere.
This island, formerly known by the names of Enaria and Pithecusa, is exceedingly fertile, rich, and populous, the whole of it is conceived to be of volcanic origin; indeed it was formerly famous for its frequent eruptions, although they have now entirely ceased. The town of Ischia, from whence it derives its present name, is situated in a small bay, which is protected by a castle, built on a rock projecting into the sea, and separated from the main island by a ridge of sand.
Sentinella is a single house, standing on a rock which overhangs the sea; it belongs to a public notary, who receives visitors that come to the island for the benefit of its baths, and who are accommodated with board and lodging at the rate of a dollar per day; as a situation, it is far preferable to the adjoining village of Lucio, which is a shabby place, standing low on the shore, and consequently excessively hot, and infested by mosquitoes; whereas, at Sentinella, there is a fine sea breeze by day, and fresh air from the mountains at night. The proprietor has several daughters, agreeable young women, who study the comforts of their visitors; he has, besides, a brother, a medical man, residing in the village. In the evening, the young ladies entertained us with music and dancing.
The baths are situated at the village. There are two springs, one termedAqua del occhio, from which the baths are supplied; the other is called theAqua Caponi; I drank a couple of tumblers full of the latter, the taste of which reminded me of a weak solution of Cheltenham salts.
After returning from the baths, we rested quietly for the remainder of the day, amusing ourselves with reading; in the evening, we walked to a village named Piazza, and on our return, were again entertained with music and dancing.
On the following morning, I took leave of Sentinella, where I should have felt happy to have prolonged my stay, in order to have enjoyed more of the society of Mr. O⸺, whom I left behind me. The pursuits of this gentleman, were much in unison with my own; that is, he occupied his time with an alternation of exercise and reading, the one so condusive to health, the other to happiness; nor were these pursuits directed to the mere attainment of vacant pleasure, but to the more satisfactory acquisition of useful information; and Horace says,
“Omne tulit punctum qui miscuit utile dulci.”
“Omne tulit punctum qui miscuit utile dulci.”
“Omne tulit punctum qui miscuit utile dulci.”
“Omne tulit punctum qui miscuit utile dulci.”
At ten o’clock I embarked for Naples, which, however, we did not reach before six in the evening, for we had light or contrary winds throughout the day, and, notwithstanding the use of our oars, made but slow progress.
On the following day a fine morning was succeeded, about noon, by a cloudy atmosphere, and in returning from the custom-house, where I had accompanied a gentleman, we were overtaken by a dreadful thunderstorm, attended by torrents of rain. We succeeded, however, in gaining shelter. On this occasion, I missed my pocket handkerchief, and whether it had been filched away by the rude wind, or some of the light-fingered gentry, with whom this city abounds, it is impossible for me to say, although I am inclined to suspect the latter. It was, however, the only loss of the kind I sustained during my journey.
Sunday, June 3d, Mr. C⸺ and myself hired a curriculo or gig, and drove to Capo di Monte, to visit Mr. and Mrs. M⸺. This is a most delightful summer residence, standing on very elevated ground, although only two miles distant from the city. The king has a palace here, as he has in almost every fine situation; in short, the royal residences are so numerous, that one can scarce wonder at the heavy income-tax of twenty-five per cent. as well as the immense duties, imposed on his subjects.