up only such spots of ground as turn to the most advantage: whereas, were the money to be raised on lands, with an exception to some of the more barren parts, that might be tax-free for a certain term of years, every one would turn his ground to the best account, and in a little time, perhaps, bring more money into the pope's treasury. The greatest pleasure I took in my journey from Rome to Naples was in seeing the fields, towns, and rivers that have been described by so many classic authors, and have been the scenes of so many great actions; for this whole road is extremely barren of curiosities. It is worth while to have an eye on Horace's voyage to Brundisi, when one passes this wav; for by comparing his several stages, and the road he took, with those that are observed at present, we may have some idea of the changes that have been made in the face of this country since his time. If we may guess at the common travelling of persons of quality, among the ancient Romans, from this poet's description of his voyage, we may conclude they seldom went above fourteen miles a day over the Appian way, which was more used by the noble Romans than any other in Italy, as it led to Naples, Baiæ, and the most delightful parts of the nation. It is, indeed, very disagreeable to be carried in haste over this pavement. Minus est gravis Appia tardis. HOR. Lucan has described the very road from Anxur to Rome that Horace took from Rome to Anxur. It is not, indeed, the ordinary way at present, nor is it marked out by the same places in both poets. Jamque et præcipites superaverat Anxuris arces, Quà sublime nemus, Scythicæ quà regna Dianæ : He now had conquer'd Anxur's steep ascent, Lib. 3. In my way to Naples I crossed the two most considerable rivers of the Campania Felice, that were formerly called the Liris and Vulturnus, and are at present the Garigliano and Vulturno. The first of these rivers has been as deservedly celebrated by the Latin poets for the gentleness of its course, as the other for its rapidity and noise. Rura que Liris quietâ Mordet aqua, taciturnus amnis. HOR. lib. i. Od. 31. Liris qui fonte quieto Dissimulat cursum, ac nullo mutabilis imbri Perstringit tacitas gemmanti gurgite ripas. SIL. ITAL. lib. 4. Miscentem flumina Lirim Sulfureum, tacitisque vadis ad littora lapsum Where the smooth streams of Liris stray, The warlike Arpine borders on the sides Of the slow Liris, that in silence glides, Idem, lib. 8. And in its tainted stream the working sulphur hides. Vulturnusque rapax. Vulturnusque celer. CL. de Pr. et Ol. Con. Luc. lib. ii. 28. Vulturnum. Fluctuque sonorum SIL. ITAL. lib. 8. The rough Vulturnus, furious in its course, The ruins of Anxur and old Capua mark out the pleasant situation in which those towns formerly stood. The first of them was planted on the mountain, where we now see Terracina; and by reason of the breezes that came off the sea, and the height of its situation, was one of the summer retirements of the ancient Romans. O nemus, O fontes! solidumque madentis arenæ Ye warbling fountains, and ye shady trees, Idem, lib. x. ep. 58. On the cool shore, near Baia's gentle seats, I lay retir'd in Anxur's soft retreats, Where silver lakes, with verdant shadows crown'd, Impositum saxis latè candentibus Anxur. HOR. Sat. 5. lib. i. Monte procelloso Murranum miserat Anxur. SIL. ITAL. lib. 4. · Scopulosi verticis Anxur. Idem, lib. 4. Capua Luxum vide apud Idem, lib. 11. Murranus came from Anxur's show'ry height, I do not know whether it be worth while to take notice that the figures, which are cut in the rock near Terracina, increase still in a decimal proportion as they come nearer the bottom. If one of our voyage writers, who passed this way more than once, had observed the situation of these figures, he would not have troubled himself with the dissertation that he has made upon them. Silius Italicus has given us the names of several towns and rivers in the Campania Felice. Jam verò, quos dives opum, quos dives avorum CITY OF NAPLES. My first days at Naples were taken up with the sight of processions, which are always very magnificent in the holy week. It would be tedious to give an account of the several representations of our Saviour's death and resurrection, of the figures of himself, the blessed virgin, and the apostles, which are carried up and down on this occasion, with the cruel penances that several inflict on themselves, and the multitude of ceremonies that attend these solemnities. I saw, at the same time, a very splendid procession for the accession of the duke of Anjou to the crown of Spain, in which the viceroy bore his part at the left hand of cardinal Cantelmi. To grace the parade, they exposed, at the same time, the blood of St. Januarius, which liquified at the approach of the saint's head, though, as they say, it was hard congealed before. I had twice an opportunity of seeing the operation of this pretended miracle, and must confess I think it so far from being a real miracle, that I look upon it as one of the most bungling tricks that I ever saw: yet it is this that makes as great a noise as any in the Roman church, and that monsieur Paschal has hinted at among the rest, in his marks of the true religion. The modern Neapolitans seem to have copied it out from one which was shown in a town of the kingdom of Naples, as long ago as in Horace's time: Dehinc Gnatia lymphis Iratis exstructa dedit risusque jocosque, Dum flamma sine, thura liquescere limine sacro Non ego. Sat. 5. lib. i. |