James Holman

“ The remains of this town afford a truly interesting spectacle. It is like a resurrection from the dead; the progress of time and decay is arrested, and you are admitted to the temples, the theatres, and the domestic privacy of a people, who have ceased to exist for seventeen centuries. Nothing is wanting but the inhabitants: still, a [225] morning’s walk through the silent streets of Pompeii, will give you a livelier idea of their modes of life, than all the books in the world. ”

“ I selected Nice for my winter’s residence, and on the 14th of September left Aix in the diligence, for Antibes, taking leave of the last town in France, where I proposed making any extended residence.
It is not easy to describe my emotions in quitting a people, with whose language and habits I was now becoming well acquainted, and to whom I felt a degree of attachment, grounded, if not upon congeniality of sentiment, at least upon a grateful sense of repeated acts of kindness, and attention, which I had experienced from them. ”

“ Florence is said to owe its origin to a Roman colony, composed of selected veterans from Cæsar’s legions; but in its modern state, you would scarcely imagine it the offspring of the camp; for its whole appearance bespeaks gentility, and its inhabitants are possessed of so courteous an air, that we cannot wonder it should be selected by our countrymen, as a residence preferable to every other in Italy. The society, both among the natives and foreigners is excellent; and the city abounds with literary institutions, and museums of natural history, and the fine arts. ”

“ We left Milan on Tuesday, July the 11th, early in the morning of a very fine day, in the largest, and most elegant voiture which I had met with in France or Italy, having only two companions; one, a lady with her lap-dog, who, although she was not very young, was witty and amusing; the other, a singular character of a Frenchman, an ex-colonel of the army of Bonaparte, and who amused us by his eccentricities. He had fought in the battle of Waterloo, and afterwards, been deprived of his pension and half pay, as well as for a time banished the kingdom. ”

“ The prospect of the surrounding country, and objects from the summit of this tower, is grand and very extensive; it includes the whole city, and the luxuriant plain of Milan; shews its intersection in every part, with rivers and canals, its beautiful display of gardens, orchards, vineyards, and groves; and its numerous and interesting villages and towns; and extends to the neighbouring Alps, which unite their bleak ridges with the milder, and more distant Appennines, and seem to compose a grand and natural frame, to this picture of beauty and interest. ”

“ After travelling five or six miles, we crossed the barriers between the Roman and Neapolitan states, where our passports were examined by the commandant of a small fort placed there. After this, the country expands itself into the vale of Fondi, the mountains retiring in such way, as to form a beautiful amphitheatre, richly clothed with luxuriant and diversified woods. Our road passed through the middle of this vale; a fine lake formed by the waters of innumerable mountain streams, which run through the plain, bounding it on the right,—beyond which lay the sea. ”

“ We left Naples a little before six, and after resting for breakfast at Torre del Annunciata, arrived at Pompeii about nine o’clock. Our road lay through rich vineyards, and over various beds of lava, the remains of different eruptions from Mount Vesuvius. In 1794, one town through which we passed, Torre del Greco, was destroyed by one of these awful visitations, and yet such is the attachment of the infatuated people to this situation, that a new one has arisen on the self-same spot. ”

“ Being desirous of reaching England, before the equinoctial gales might come on, on the 12th of September I took my place for Ghent, in one of the many coaches that go daily to that city; after an early dinner, I left Brussels at half past two o’clock, occupying the same seat with an English [364] gentleman and his dog; the middle seat was taken up by a Dutch captain, from Batavia, with a parrot and dog; while a pair of monkies belonging to him, enjoyed the fresh air on the roof, and amused the people as they passed along. ”

“ I was much pleased with the situation of this trattoria’s house. It stands by the sea-side, in that part of Naples termed Santa Lucia; there is a room built directly over the sea, where one not only enjoys the refreshing breeze, but also the additional cooling sensation of the waves under-foot. The entertainment of the house is excellently good, and after taking refreshment, it is delightful [202] to walk by the sea-side, or a boat may be had to sail upon the bay if it is preferred. ”

“ We arrived at Broeck for breakfast, and the day now proving fine, our party were delighted with the novel and extraordinary appearance, and cleanliness of this little paradise. In each house, there is one particular door which is always kept closed, except on the occasion of a wedding or funeral. The gardens are the very picture of elegant neatness; in some of them the shrubs are arranged and cut into the shapes of tables and chairs, or other fanciful forms; the ground is laid out in pleasing walks and parterres, and the eye enchanted with the most beautiful variety of flowers. ”

“ Novara is an ancient city, but of no great note. After breakfast, we proceeded on our journey, and in the afternoon, crossed two small rivers, where they took a toll, not only for our carriage and horses, but ourselves also. About six o’clock, we arrived at Verceil, a very ancient city, with narrow, ill-paved streets, and a scanty population. A number of Austrian troops, who had occupied Piedmont in support of the royalist party, were quartered at this place, and sacrilegiously using the cathedral as stables. ”

“ Capua is a small unimportant town, distinct from the ancient city of that name, which was situated at some distance, where remains of an amphitheatre are still visible, and which before the building of that of Vespasian, was considered superior to any in Rome itself; indeed old Capua is said, at one time, to have vied with Rome and Carthage themselves, in size and magnificence. It was here that the victorious army of Hannibal, is said to have been enervated by the luxuries of Italy. ”

“ We left Naples between four and five in the morning, and arrived at Caserta about eight o’clock, being distance of fifteen miles. In the first place, we inspected a smaller palace at St. Lucia, about a mile distant from the large one, where his Majesty generally resides in perfect retirement. The house is small, and by no means well furnished; but in one room we noticed one of the greatest luxuries of a hot climate, a marble bath, twelve or fourteen feet square, and railed round, with little gates leading to the steps by which you descend into it. ”

“ There is a canal encircling the town, and forming it into a kind of island, planted with trees, and which runs to Willibrook, a village on the Scheldt, at the distance of fifteen miles; along the banks of this canal lies an excellent road, shaded with four rows of trees on each side, upon which the ladies of Brussels take the air in their carriages. The treckschuyts pass by this canal from Brussels to Antwerp, twice every day.
The great market-place is one of the most beautiful squares in Europe. One side is occupied by the Stadt-house. ”

“ I shall now make some remarks respecting the state of society at Nice. There were English residents enough to form sufficiently large circles amongst themselves, besides numerous others who visited the place, en passant, to and from Italy. A few German, and Russian, families were also spending their winter here, who associated largely with the English. These visited each other, and gave dinner, and evening parties, and balls occasionally. The natives, however, were not excluded from this society, although the incomes of few would permit their returning the invitation in equal stile. ”

“ Anxious for the benefit I expected to derive from the waters of Aix, I hastened my departure from Nismes on the 11th of July. I had only a single companion in the diligence, an interesting young student of seventeen or eighteen years of age, on his way from college to meet some friends at Beaucaire, and as highly delighted with his emancipation from scholastic trammels, as a young midshipman at going on shore after a long cruise. ”

“ On Wednesday, the 1st of August, we set off in a carriage, termed a berlin, for Basle, distant eighteen leagues, paying as many francs each for our places, and in company with a French gentleman, and a Bernoise woman, in the dress of her canton. We arrived at Soleure for dinner, which is an agreeable little town on the banks of the Aar; the houses are particularly neat and clean, and at the same time built with considerable taste. We visited the catholic cathedral, which is a remarkably neat modern structure. ”

“ At noon, on the following day, we reached Bologna, where two of our passengers left us for Ferrara. Our remaining companions were an old [273] gentleman with a young wife, returning home to Piacenza; he was a captain in the army of the Dutchess of Parma. Bologna impressed us as a dull, although a fine, city. We ascended to the top of a brick tower, from whence there is a commanding view of the country, with the Apennines forming a fine bold feature on one side, and the plains of Lombardy on the other. ”

“ In short the Swiss have not the principles of a maritime nation amongst them.
We engaged our places for Lausanne in the post diligence, which cost us each five francs Swiss, equal to seven francs and a half French; before, however, we entered the coach, they made an additional and heavy charge for the baggage, which, after in vain remonstrating against, we were compelled to pay. We might have travelled to Lausanne, not only without this expense, but even for a minor fare, had we looked out for one of the voitures which are constantly running between these places. ”

“ The cathedral, churches, Doge’s palace, and various other public as well as private buildings, are very fine, and well worth the attention of the traveller.
There is an Italian proverb relative to Genoa, which says, that it has “sea without fish; land without trees; and men without faith.” The first of these accusations I am satisfied is without foundation: for I was given to understand that fish, as well as all other provisions, were plentiful, and even cheaper than at Nice. ”

“ On arriving at Utrecht, we were prevented from proceeding to Amsterdam by boat, the same evening, as we had intended, in consequence of heavy rains; and, by the recommendation of one of our passengers, took up our quarters at an inferior inn, near which the diligence stopped. The fire-pan, tobacco, and other accompaniments for smoking, were very shortly placed before us for our entertainment, and the good people seemed much astonished that we should prefer the more simple enjoyment of tea. ”

“ The Coursé, is a double walk, with rows of lime-trees on both sides, and a carriage road between them; these walks form the fashionable promenade of the place on a summer’s evening. There are also good boulevards; Aix upon the whole, however, is defective in public walks, and the [76] streets are narrow and very dirty. It is far from being an agreeable residence in summer, as the town is empty and dull; and in winter it is cold, in consequence of its situation on an extensive plain, exposed to the vents de bise from the neighbouring mountains. ”

“ Among our passengers were two French gentlemen who were friends, but of very opposite characters; the one was volatile, and thoughtless, and talked of proceeding to Naples, and offering his services to the patriot army, the other who, we understood, had been a merchant, was sedate and thoughtful, so that, I dare say, pounds, shillings, and pence might have been read in his face. The lively one amused us, not a little, with his eccentricity ”

“ On arriving at this place, the passengers in the body of the coach, which, cumbrous as it was, had but two wheels, hastily and unexpectedly jumping out, without apprising the cabriolet, the whole weight of ourselves and the carriage was thrown forward, to such excess, upon the backs of the horses, that, unable to sustain the pressure, they sunk under it, and were with difficulty raised again. ”

“ The town of Geneva, which contains twenty-three thousand inhabitants, is by no means highly impressive in its appearance and buildings; it derives its interest, chiefly, from the beauty and grandeur of the surrounding scenery, and the energies of its inhabitants, having been the favoured residence of some of the most celebrated characters that have existed.
The inhabitants are, almost to an individual, possessed of superior intellectual powers ”

“ Having now travelled between Florence and Rome, both by way of Sienna and Perrugia, I feel in some degree competent to give an opinion of the comparative advantages of each route. It is almost worth while, to pass once by the former, to enjoy the luxury of returning by the latter, the roads and accommodations of which are so infinitely superior. The way by Sienna may answer very well to do penance upon, and I know no other sentimental consideration which would induce a man to undertake it a second time. ”

“ On the Friday the wind was unfavourable, and we had nothing to do but amuse ourselves as we pleased; in the morning we walked about the town, and in the evening visited again the village of Sas van Ghent, with the object of examining Paren’s museum, which, as the sole collection of a humble individual, the proprietor of a small inn at this place, is by no means contemptible. He had great variety of land and sea animals, several of the former coming under the head of lusus naturæ. No remuneration is expected for seeing his curiosities ”

“ The town also possesses a museum of natural history, and some good private collections of paintings.
My intercourse was chiefly confined to the family with which I resided, and a few English friends; I am, therefore, unable to say much respecting the social habits of the place, but understood that it was by no means defective in these respects; although there are no public amusements during the summer, the winter brings with it theatrical, and other entertainments.
Provisions are abundant and cheap, and the [77] bread is so excellent as to be sent in large quantities to other places. ”