glaffes. Father Kircher has taken notice of this particular echo, as Father Bartolin has done fince in his ingenious difcourfe on founds. The ftate of Milan is like a vast garden, furrounded by a noble mound-work of rocks and mountains: Indeed if a man confiders the face of Italy in general, one would think that nature had laid it out into fuch a variety of states and governments as one finds in it. For as the Alpes at one end, and the long range of Appenines, that paffes through the body of it, branch out on all fides into feveral different divifions; they serve as so many natural boundaries and fortifications to the little territories that lye among them. Accordingly we find the whole country cut into a multitude of particular kingdoms and common-wealths in the oldeft accounts we have of it; 'till the power of the Romans, like a torrent that overflows its banks, bore down all before it, and spread it felf into the remoteft corners of the nation. But as this exorbitant power became unable to fupport it self, we find the government of Italy again broken into fuch a variety of fubdivisions, as naturally fuits with its fituation. In the court of Milan, as in feveral others in Italy, there are many who fall in with the dress and carriage of the French. One may however observe a kind of awkwardness in the Italians, which eafily difcovers the airs they give themfeves not to be natural. It is indeed very strange there fhould be fuch a diversity of manners, where there is fo fmall a difference in the air and climate. The French are always open, familiar and talkative: The Italians, on the contrary, are ftiff, ceremonious and reserved. In France every one aims at a gaiety and fprightliness of behaviour, and thinks it an accomplishment to be brisk and lively: The Italians, notwithstanding their natural fieriness of temper, affect always to appear fober and fedate; infomuch that one fometimes meets young men walking the streets with spectacles on their noses, that they may be thought to have impaired their fight by much study, and feem more grave and judicious than their neighbours. This difference of manners proceeds chiefly from difference of education: In France it is ufual to bring their children into company, and to cherish in them, from their infancy, a kind of forwardnefs and affurance: Besides, that the French apply themselves more univerfally to their exercises than any other nation in the world, so that one feldom fees a young Gentleman in France that does not fence, dance, and ride in fome tolerable perfection. These agitations of the body do not only give them a free and eafie carriage, but have a kind of mechanical operation on the mind, by keeping the animal fpirits always awake and in motion. But what contributes moft to this light airy humour of the the French, is the free conversation that is allowed them with their women, which does not only communicate to them a certain vivacity of temper, but makes them endeavour after fuch a behaviour as is most taking with the fex. The Italians, on the contrary, who are excluded from making their court this way, are for recommending themselves to those they converse with by their gravity and wisdom. In Spain therefore, where there are fewer liberties of this nature allowed, there is fomething still more ferious and compofed in the manner of the inhabitants. But as Mirth is more apt to make profelytes than Melancholy, it is obferved that the Italians have many of them for these late years given very far into the modes and freedoms of the French; which prevail more or lefs in the courts of Italy, as they lye at a smaller or greater distance from France. It may be here worth while to confider how it comes to pafs, that the common people of Italy have in general fo very great an averfion to the French, which every traveller cannot but be fenfible of, that has paffed through the country. The most obvious reafon is certainly the great difference that there is in the humours and manners of the two nations, which always works more in the meaner fort, who are not able to vanquish the prejudices of education, than with the nobility. Befides, that the French humour, in regard of the liberties they take in female converfations, and their great ambition to excel in all companies, is in a more particular manner very fhocking to the Italians, who are naturally jealous, and value themselves upon their great wisdom. At the fame time the common people of Italy, who run more into news and politicks than thofe of other countries, have all of them fomething to exafperate them against the King of France. The Savoyards, notwithstanding the prefent inclinations of their court, cannot forbear refenting the infinite mifchiefs he did them in the last war. The Milanefe and Neapolitans remember the many infults he has offered to the house of Auftria, and particularly to their deceased King, for whom they still retain a natural kind of honour and affection. The Genoefe cannot forget his treatment of their Doge, and his bombarding their city. The Venetians will tell you of his leagues with the Turks; and the Romans, of his threats to Pope Innocent the eleventh, whofe memory they adore. It is true, that intereft of state, and change of circumftances, may have sweetened these reflections to the politer fort, but impreffions are not fo eafily worn out of the minds of the vulgar. That however, which I take to be the principal motive among most of the Italians, for their favouring the Germans above the French, VOL. II. D is is this, that they are entirely perfuaded it is for the intereft of Italy, to have Milan and Naples rather in the hands of the first than of the other. One may generally observe, that the body of a people has juster views for the publick good, and pursues them with greater uprightness than the nobility and gentry, who have fo many private expectations and particular interefts, which hang like a false biafs upon their judgments, and may poffibly dispose them to facrifice the good of their country to the advancement of their own fortunes; whereas the grofs of the people can have no other prospect in changes and revolutions, than of publick bleffings, that are to diffuse themselves through the whole state in general. To return to Milan: I fhall here fet down the description Aufonius has given of it, among the rest of his great cities. Et Mediolani mira omnia, copia rerum: A circus and a theatre invites Th'unruly mob to races and to fights. And the whole town redoubled walls embrace: BRE BRESCIA, VERONA, PADUA. F ROM Milan we travelled through a very pleasant country, to Brefcia, and by the way croffed the river Adda, that falls into the Lago di Como, which Virgil calls the lake Larius, and running out at the other end loses it self at laft in the Po, which is the great receptacle of all the rivers of this country. The town and province of Brefcia have freer access to the Senate of Venice, and a quicker redress of injuries, than any other part of their dominions. They have always a mild and prudent governor, and live much more happily than their fellowfubjects: For as they were once a part of the Milanese, and are now on their frontiers, the Venetians dare not exafperate them, by, the loads they lay on other Provinces, for fear of a revolt; and are forced to treat them with much more indulgence than the Spaniards do their neighbours, that they may have no temptation to it. Brefcia is famous for its iron-works. A fmall day's journey more brought us to Verona. We faw the lake Benacus in our way, which the Italians now call Lago di Garda: It was fo rough with tempefts when we paffed by it, that it brought into my mind Virgil's noble description of it. " Adde lacus tantos, te Lari maxime, teque Fluctibus et fremitu affurgens, Benace, marino. Here vex'd by winter ftorms Benacus raves, So loud the tempest roars, so high the billows rife. This lake perfectly resembles a fea, when it is worked up by storms. It is thirty five miles in length, and twelve in breadth. At the lower end of it we croffed the Mincio. -Tardis ingens ubi flexibus errat Mincius, et tenerâ prætexit arundine ripas. Where the flow Mincius through the valley strays: D 2 G. 3 Dryden. The The river Adige runs through Verona; fo much is the fituation of the Town changed from what it was in Silius Italicus his time. Verona Athefi circumflua. Verona by the circling Adige bound. L. 8. This is the only great river in Lombardy that does not fall into the Po; which it must have done, had it run but a little further before its entering the Adriatic. The rivers are all of them mentioned by Clandian. -Venetofque erectior amnes Magna voce ciet. Frondentibus humida ripis Sexto con. Hon.. From nine wide mouths comes gushing to his course. His Larius is doubtless an imitation of Virgil's Benacus. -Umbrofâ veftit qua littus oliva Larius, et dulci mentitur Nerea fluctu. The Larius here, with groves of olives crown'd, De Bel. Get. I faw at Verona the famous Amphitheater, that with a few modern reparations has all the feats entire. There is fomething very noble in it, though the high wall and corridors that went round it are almost entirely ruined, and the Area is quite filled up to the lower feat, which was formerly deep enough to let the fpectators fee in fafety the combats of the wild beasts and gladiators. Since I have Claudian before me, I cannot forbear fetting down the beautiful defcription he has made of a wild beaft newly brought from the woods, and making its firft appearance in a full Amphitheater. |