travels through france and italy-第72章

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ect　　upon　Mr。　Schz；　who　laboured　under　nervous　complaints　to　such　a　　degree；　that　life　was　a　burthen　to　him。　He　had　also　a　fixed　pain　　in　his　breast；　for　which　complaint　he　had　formerly　tried　the　air　　of　Naples；　where　he　resided　some　considerable　time；　and　in　a　　great　measure　recovered：　but；　this　returning　with　weakness；　　faintness；　low　spirits；　and　entire　loss　of　appetite；　he　was　　advised　to　come　hither；　and　the　success　of　his　journey　has　　greatly　exceeded　his　expectation。　Though　the　weather　has　been　　remarkably　bad　for　this　climate；　he　has　enjoyed　perfect　health。　　Since　he　arrived　at　Nice；　the　pain　in　his　breast　has　vanished；　he　　eats　heartily；　sleeps　well；　is　in　high　spirits；　and　so　strong；　　that　he　is　never　off　his　legs　in　the　day…time。　He　can　walk　to　the　　Var　and　back　again；　before　dinner；　and　he　has　climbed　to　the　tops　　of　all　the　mountains　in　this　neighbourhood。　I　never　saw　before　　such　sudden　and　happy　effects　from　the　change　of　air。　I　must　also　　acknowledge；　that　ever　since　my　arrival　at　Nice；　I　have　breathed　　more　freely　than　I　had　done　for　some　years；　and　my　spirits　have　　been　more　alert。　The　father　of　my　housekeeper；　who　was　a　dancing…master；　　had　been　so　afflicted　with　an　asthmatic　disorder；　that　he　　could　not　live　in　France；　Spain；　or　Italy；　but　found　the　air　of　　Nice　so　agreeable　to　his　lungs；　that　he　was　enabled　to　exercise　　his　profession　for　above　twenty　years；　and　died　last　spring　　turned　of　seventy。　Another　advantage　I　have　reaped　from　this　　climate　is　my　being；　in　a　great　measure；　delivered　from　a　slow　　fever　which　used　to　hang　about　me；　and　render　life　a　burthen。　　Neither　am　I　so　apt　to　catch　cold　as　I　used　to　be　in　England　and　　France；　and　the　colds　I　do　catch　are　not　of　the　same　continuance　　and　consequence；　as　those　to　which　I　was　formerly　subject。　The　　air　of　Nice　is　so　dry；　that　in　summer；　and　even　in　winter；　　（except　ill　wet　weather）　you　may　pass　the　evening；　and　indeed　the　　whole　night；　sub　Dio；　without　feeling　the　least　dew　or　moisture；　　and　as　for　fogs；　they　are　never　seen　in　this　district。　In　summer；　　the　air　is　cooled　by　a　regular　sea…breeze　blowing　from　the　cast；　　like　that　of　the　West…Indies。　It　begins　in　the　forenoon；　and　　increases　with　the　heat　of　the　day。　It　dies　away　about　six　or　　seven；　and　immediately　after　sun…set　is　succeeded　by　an　agreeable　land…breeze　from　the　mountains。　The　sea…breeze　　from　the　eastward；　however；　is　not　so　constant　here；　as　in　the　　West…Indies　between　the　tropicks；　because　the　sun；　which　produces　　it；　is　not　so　powerful。　This　country　lies　nearer　the　region　of　　variable　winds；　and　is　surrounded　by　mountains；　capes；　and　　straights；　which　often　influence　the　constitution　and　current　of　　the　air。　About　the　winter　solstice；　the　people　of　Nice　expect　　wind　and　rain；　which　generally　lasts；　with　intervals；　'till　the　　beginning　of　February：　but　even　during　this；　their　worst　weather；　　the　sun　breaks　out　occasionally；　and　you　may　take　the　air　either　　a…foot　or　on　horseback　every　day；　for　the　moisture　is　immediately　　absorbed　by　the　earth；　which　is　naturally　dry。　They　likewise　lay　　their　account　with　being　visited　by　showers　of　rain　and　gusts　of　　wind　in　April。　A　week's　rain　in　the　middle　of　August　makes　them　　happy。　It　not　only　refreshes　the　parched　ground；　and　plumps　up　　the　grapes　and　other　fruit；　but　it　cools　the　air　and　assuages　the　　beets；　which　then　begin　to　grow　very　troublesome；　but　the　rainy　　season　is　about　the　autumnal　equinox；　or　rather　something　later。　　It　continues　about　twelve　days　or　a　fortnight；　and　is　extremely　　welcome　to　the　natives　of　this　country。　This　rainy　season　is　　often　delayed　'till　the　latter　end　of　November；　and　sometimes　　'till　the　month　of　December；　in　which　case；　the　rest　of　the　　winter　is　generally　dry。　The　heavy　rains　in　this　country　　generally　come　with　a　south…west　wind；　which　was　the　creberque　　procellis　Africus；　the　stormy　southwest；　of　the　antients。　It　is　　here　called　Lebeche；　a　corruption　of　Lybicus：　it　generally　blows　　high　for　a　day　or　two；　and　rolls　the　Mediterranean　before　it　in　　huge　waves；　that　often　enter　the　town　of　Nice。　It　likewise　drives　　before　it　all　the　clouds　which　had　been　formed　above　the　surface　　of　the　Mediterranean。　These　being　expended　in　rain；　fair　weather　　naturally　ensues。　For　this　reason；　the　Nissards　observe　le　　lebeche　racommode　le　tems；　the　Lebeche　settles　the　weather。　　During　the　rains　of　this　season；　however；　the　winds　have　been　　variable。　From　the　sixteenth　of　November；　'till　the　fourth　of　　January；　we　have　had　two　and　twenty　days　of　heavy　rain：　a　very　　extraordinary　visitation　in　this　country：　but　the　seasons　seem　to　　be　more　irregular　than　formerly；　all　over　Europe。　In　the　month　of　　July；　the　mercury　in　Fahrenheit's　thermometer；　rose　to　eighty…four　　at　Rome；　the　highest　degree　at　which　it　was　ever　known　in　　that　country；　and　the　very　next　day；　the　Sabine　mountains　were　　covered　with　snow。　The　same　phaemomenon　happened　on　the　eleventh　　of　August；　and　the　thirtieth　of　September。　The　consequence　of　　these　sudden　variations　of　weather；　was　this：　putrid　fevers　were　　less　frequent　than　usual；　but　the　sudden　cheek　of　perspiration　　from　the　cold；　produced　colds；　inflammatory　sore　throats；　and　the　　rheumatism。　I　know　instances　of　some　English　valetudinarians；　who　　have　passed　the　winter　at　Aix；　on　the　supposition　that　there　was　　little　or　no　difference　between　that　air　and　the　climate　of　Nice：　　but　this　is　a　very　great　mistake；　which　may　be　attended　with　　fatal　consequences。　Aix　is　altogether　exposed　to　the　north　and　　north…west　winds；　which　blow　as　cold　in　Provence；　as　ever　I　felt　　them　on　the　mountains　of　Scotland：　whereas　Nice　is　entirely　　screened　from　these　winds　by　the　Maritime　Alps；　which　form　an　　amphitheatre；　to　the　land…side；　around　this　little　territory：　but　　another　incontestible　proof　of　the　mildness　of　this　climate；　is　　deduced　from　the　oranges；　lemons；　citrons；　roses；　narcissus's；　　july…flowers；　and　jonquils；　which　ripen　and　blow　in　the　middle　of　　winter。　I　have　described　the　agreeable　side　of　this　climate；　and　　now　I　will　point　out　its　inconveniences。　In　the　winter；　but　　especially　in　the　spring；　the　sun　is　so　hot；　that　one　can　hardly　　take　exercise　of　any　sort　abroad；　without　being　thrown　into　a　　breathing　sweat；　and　the　wind　at　this　season　is　so　cold　and　　piercing；　that　it　often　produces　a　mischievous　effect　on　the　　pores　thus　opened。　If　the　heat　rarifies　the　blood　and　juices；　　while　the　cold　air　constringes　the　fibres；　and　obstructs　the　　perspiration；　inflammatory　disorders　must　ensue。　Accordingly；　the　　people　are　then　subject　to　colds；　pleurisies；　peripneumonies；　and　　ardent　fevers。　An　old　count　advised　me　to　stay　within　doors　in　　March；　car　alors　les　humeurs　commencent　a　se　remuer；　for　then　the　　humours　begin　to　be　in　motion。　During　the　heats　of　summer；　some　　few　persons　of　gross　habits　have；　in　consequence　of　violent　　exercise　and　excess；　been　seized　with　putrid　fevers；　attended　　with　exanthemata；　erisipelatous；　and　miliary　eruptions；　which　　commonly　prove　fatal：　but　the　people　in　general　are　healthy；　even　　those　that　take　very　little　exercise：　a　strong　presumption　in　　favour　of　the　climate！　As　to　medicine；　I　know　nothing　of　the　　practice　of　the　Nice　physicians。　Here　are　eleven　in　all；　but　fou