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a boat to Genoa； a distance of a hundred miles； cost four louis。 As alternative； there was the tartane； a sailing vessel with a lateen sail。 Addison sailed from Marseilles to Genoa in a tartane in December 1699： a storm arose； and the patron alarmed the passengers by confessing his sins （and such sins！） loudly to a Capuchin friar who happened to be aboard。 Smollett finally decided on a gondola； with four rowers and a steersman； for which he had to pay nine sequins （4 1/2 louis）。 After adventures off Monaco； San Remo； Noli； and elsewhere； the party are glad to make the famous phones on the Torre della Lanterna； of which banker Rogers sings in his mediocre verse：
Thy pharos Genoa first displayed itself Burning in stillness on its rocky seat； That guiding star so oft the only one； When those now glowing in the azure vault Are dark and silent
Smollett's description of Genoa is decidedly more interesting。 He arrived at a moment specially propitious to so sardonic an observer； for the Republic had fallen on evil times； having escaped from the clutches of Austria in 1746 by means of a popular riot； during which the aristocracy considerately looked the other way； only to fall into an even more embarrassed and unheroic position vis…a…vis of so diminutive an opponent as Corsica。 The whole story is a curious prototype of the nineteenth century imbroglio between Spain and Cuba。 Of commonplaces about the palaces fruitful of verbiage in Addison and Gray； who says with perfect truth； 〃I should make you sick of marble were I to tell you how it is lavished here；〃 Smollett is sparing enough； though he evidently regards the inherited inclination of Genoese noblemen to build beyond their means as an amiable weakness。 His description of the proud old Genoese nobleman； who lives in marble and feeds on scraps； is not unsympathetic； and suggests that the 〃deceipt of the Ligurians；〃 which Virgil censures in the line
Haud Ligurum extremus； dum fallere fata sinebant
may possibly have been of this Balderstonian variety。 But Smollett had little room in his economy for such vapouring speculations。 He was as unsentimental a critic as Sydney Smith or Sir Leslie Stephen。 He wants to know the assets of a place more than its associations。 Facts； figures； trade and revenue returns are the data his shrewd mind requires to feed on。 He has a keen eye for harbours suitable for an English frigate to lie up in； and can hardly rest until his sagacity has collected material for a political horoscope。
Smollett's remarks upon the mysterious dispensations of Providence in regard to Genoa and the retreat of the Austrians are charged to the full with his saturnine spirit。 His suspicions were probably well founded。 Ever since 1685 Genoa had been the more or less humiliated satellite of France； and her once famous Bank had been bled pretty extensively by both belligerents。 The Senate was helpless before the Austrian engineers in 1745； and the emancipation of the city was due wholly to a popular emeute。 She had relapsed again into a completely enervated condition。 Smollett thought she would have been happier under British protection。 But it is a vicious alternative for a nation to choose a big protector。 It was characteristic of the Republic that from 1790 to 1798 its 〃policy〃 was to remain neutral。 The crisis in regard to Corsica came immediately after Smollett's visit； when in 1765； under their 154th doge Francesco Maria Rovere； the Genoese offered to abandon the island to the patriots under Paoli； reserving only the possession of the two loyal coast…towns of Bonifazio and Calvi。 ＇See Boswell's Corsica； 1766…8。＇ At Paoli's instance these conciliatory terms were refused。 Genoa； in desperation and next door to bankruptcy； resolved to sell her rights as suzerain to France； and the compact was concluded by a treaty signed at Versailles in 1768。 Paoli was finally defeated at Ponte Novo on 9th May 1769； and fled to England。 On 15th August the edict of 〃Reunion〃 between France and Corsica was promulgated。 On the same day Napoleon Buonaparte was born at Ajaccio。
After a week at Genoa Smollett proceeded along the coast to Lerici。 There； being tired of the sea； the party disembarked； and proceeded by chaise from Sarzano to Cercio in Modenese territory； and so into Tuscany； then under the suzerainty of Austria。 His description of Pisa is of an almost sunny gaiety and good humour。 Italy； through this portal； was capable of casting a spell even upon a traveller so case…hardened as Smollett。 The very churches at Pisa are 〃tolerably ornamented。〃 The Campo Santo and Tower fall in no way short of their reputation； while the brass gates so far excel theirs that Smollett could have stood a whole day to examine and admire them。 These agremens may be attributable in some measure to 〃a very good inn。〃 In stating that galleys were built in the town； Smollett seems to have fallen a victim； for once； to guide…book information。 Evelyn mentions that galleys were built there in his time； but that was more than a hundred years before。 The slips and dock had long been abandoned； as Smollett is careful to point out in his manuscript notes； now in the British Museum。 He also explains with superfluous caution that the Duomo of Pisa is not entirely Gothic。 Once arrived in the capital of Tuscany； after admitting that Florence is a noble city； our traveller is anxious to avoid the hackneyed ecstasies and threadbare commonplaces； derived in those days from Vasari through Keysler and other German commentators； whose genius Smollett is inclined to discover rather 〃in the back than in the brain。〃
The two pass…words for a would…be connoisseur； according to Goldsmith； were to praise Perugino； and to say that such and such a work would have been much better had the painter devoted more time and study to it。 With these alternatives at hand one might pass with credit through any famous continental collection。 Smollett aspired to more independence of thought and opinion； though we perceive at every turn how completely the Protestant prejudice of his 〃moment〃 and 〃milieu〃 had obtained dominion over him。 To his perception monks do not chant or intone； they bawl and bellow their litanies。 Flagellants are hired peasants who pad themselves to repletion with women's bodices。 The image of the Virgin Mary is bejewelled； hooped； painted； patched； curled； and frizzled in the very extremity of the fashion。 No particular attention is paid by the mob to the Crucified One； but as soon as his lady…mother appeared on the shoulders of four lusty friars the whole populace fall upon their knees in the dirt。 We have some characteristic criticism and observation of the Florentine nobles； the opera； the improvisatori； ＇For details as to the eighteenth…century improvisatore and commedia delle arte the reader is referred to Symonds's Carlo Gozzi。 See also the Travel Papers of Mrs。 Piozzi； Walpole's Letters to Sir Horace Mann； and Doran's Mann and Manners at the Court of Florence。 （Vide Appendix A； p。 345）＇ the buildings； and the cicisbei。 Smollett nearly always gives substantial value to his notes； however casual； fo