travels through france and italy-第88章

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ers　on　the　second；　I　payed　no　　more　than　a　scudo　（five　shillings）　per　day。　Our　table　was　　plentifully　furnished　by　the　landlord　for　two　and　thirty　pauls；　　being　equal　to　sixteen　shillings。　I　hired　a　town…coach　at　the　　rate　of　fourteen　pauls；　or　seven　shillings　a　day；　and　a　servitore　　di　piazza　for　three　pauls；　or　eighteen…pence。　The　coachman　has　　also　an　allowance　of　two　pauls　a　day。　The　provisions　at　Rome　are　　reasonable　and　good；　the　vitella　mongana；　however；　which　is　the　　most　delicate　veal　I　ever　tasted；　is　very　dear；　being　sold　for　　two　pauls；　or　a　shilling；　the　pound。　Here　are　the　rich　wines　of　　Montepulciano；　　Montefiascone；　and　Monte　di　Dragone；　but　what　we　　commonly　drink　at　meals　is　that　of　Orvieto；　a　small　white　wine；　　of　an　agreeable　flavour。　Strangers　are　generally　advised　to　　employ　an　antiquarian　to　instruct　them　in　all　the　curiosities　of　　Rome；　and　this　is　a　necessary　expence；　when　a　person　wants　to　　become　a　connoisseur　in　painting；　statuary；　and　architecture。　For　　my　own　part　I　had　no　such　ambition。　I　longed　to　view　the　remains　　of　antiquity　by　which　this　metropolis　is　distinguished；　and　to　　contemplate　the　originals　of　many　pictures　and　statues；　which　I　　had　admired　in　prints　and　descriptions。　I　therefore　chose　a　　servant；　who　was　recommended　to　me　as　a　sober；　intelligent　　fellow；　acquainted　with　these　matters：　at　the　same　time　I　　furnished　myself　with　maps　and　plans　of　antient　and　modern　Rome；　　together　with　the　little　manual；　called；　Itinerario　istruttivo　　per　ritrovare　con　facilita　tutte　le　magnificenze　di　Roma　e　di　　alcune　citta'；　e　castelli　suburbani。　But　I　found　still　more　　satisfaction　in　perusing　the　book　in　three　volumes；　intitled；　　Roma　antica；　e　moderna；　which　contains　a　description　of　　everything　remarkable　in　and　about　the　city；　illustrated　with　a　　great　number　of　copper…plates；　and　many　curious　historical　　annotations。　This　directory　cost　me　a　zequine；　but　a　hundred　　zequines　will　not　purchase　all　the　books　and　prints　which　have　　been　published　at　Rome　on　these　subjects。　Of　these　the　most　　celebrated　are　the　plates　of　Piranesi；　who　is　not　only　an　ingenious　architect　and　engraver；　but　also　a　learned　antiquarian；　　though　he　is　apt　to　run　riot　in　his　conjectures；　and　with　regard　　to　the　arts　of　antient　Rome；　has　broached　some　doctrines；　which　　he　will　find　it　very　difficult　to　maintain。　Our　young　gentlemen　　who　go　to　Rome　will　do　well　to　be　upon　their　guard　against　a　set　　of　sharpers；　（some　of　them　of　our　own　country；）　who　deal　in　　pictures　and　antiques；　and　very　often　impose　upon　the　uninformed　　stranger；　by　selling　him　trash；　as　the　productions　of　the　most　　celebrated　artists。　The　English　are　more　than　any　other　　foreigners　exposed　to　this　imposition。　They　are　supposed　to　have　　more　money　to　throw　away；　and　therefore　a　greater　number　of　　snares　are　laid　for　them。　This　opinion　of　their　superior　wealth　　they　take　a　pride　in　confirming；　by　launching　out　into　all　manner　　of　unnecessary　expence：　but；　what　is　still　more　dangerous；　the　　moment　they　set　foot　in　Italy；　they　are　seized　with　the　ambition　　of　becoming　connoisseurs　in　painting；　musick；　statuary；　and　　architecture；　and　the　adventurers　of　this　country　do　not　fail　to　　flatter　this　weakness　for　their　own　advantage。　I　have　seen　in　　different　parts　of　Italy；　a　number　of　raw　boys；　whom　Britain　　seemed　to　have　poured　forth　on　purpose　to　bring　her　national　　character　into　contempt；　ignorant；　petulant；　rash；　and　　profligate；　without　any　knowledge　or　experience　of　their　own；　　without　any　director　to　improve　their　understanding；　or　　superintend　their　conduct。　One　engages　in　play　with　an　infamous　　gamester；　and　is　stripped　perhaps　in　the　very　first　partie：　　another　is　pillaged　by　an　antiquated　cantatrice；　a　third　is　　bubbled　by　a　knavish　antiquarian；　and　a　fourth　is　laid　under　　contribution　by　a　dealer　in　pictures。　Some　turn　fiddlers；　and　　pretend　to　compose：　but　all　of　them　talk　familiarly　of　the　arts；　　and　return　finished　connoisseurs　and　coxcombs；　to　their　own　　country。　The　most　remarkable　phaenomenon　of　this　kind；　which　I　　have　seen；　is　a　boy　of　seventy…two；　now　actually　travelling　　through　Italy；　for　improvement；　under　the　auspices　of　another　boy　　of　twenty…two。　When　you　arrive　at　Rome；　you　receive　cards　from　　all　your　country…folks　in　that　city：　they　expect　to　have　the　　visit　returned　next　day；　when　they　give　orders　not　to　be　at　home；　　and　you　never　speak　to　one　another　in　the　sequel。　This　is　a　　refinement　in　hospitality　and　politeness；　which　the　English　have　　invented　by　the　strength　of　their　own　genius；　without　any　　assistance　either　from　France；　Italy；　or　Lapland。　No　Englishman　　above　the　degree　of　a　painter　or　cicerone　frequents　any　coffee…house　　at　Rome；　and　as　there　are　no　public　diversions；　except　in　　carnival…time；　the　only　chance　you　have　of　seeing　your　　compatriots　is　either　in　visiting　the　curiosities；　or　at　a　　conversazione。　The　Italians　are　very　scrupulous　in　admitting　　foreigners；　except　those　who　are　introduced　as　people　of　quality：　　but　if　there　happens　to　be　any　English　lady　of　fashion　at　Rome；　　she　generally　keeps　an　assembly；　to　which　the　British　subjects　　resort。　In　my　next；　I　shall　communicate；　without　ceremony　or　　affectation；　what　further　remarks　I　have　made　at　Rome；　without　　any　pretence；　however；　to　the　character　of　a　connoisseur；　which；　　without　all　doubt；　would　fit　very　aukwardly　upon；Dear　Sir；　Your　　Friend　and　Servant。

LETTER　XXX

NICE；　February　28；　1765。

DEAR　SIR；Nothing　can　be　more　agreeable　to　the　eyes　of　a　　stranger；　especially　in　the　heats　of　summer；　than　the　great　　number　of　public　fountains　that　appear　in　every　part　of　Rome；　　embellished　with　all　the　ornaments　of　sculpture；　and　pouring　　forth　prodigious　quantities　of　cool；　delicious　water；　brought　in　　aqueducts　from　different　lakes；　rivers；　and　sources；　at　a　　considerable　distance　from　the　city。　These　works　are　the　remains　　of　the　munificence　and　industry　of　the　antient　Romans；　who　were　　extremely　delicate　in　the　article　of　water：　but；　however；　great　　applause　is　also　due　to　those　beneficent　popes　who　have　been　at　　the　expence　of　restoring　and　repairing　those　noble　channels　of　　health；　pleasure；　and　convenience。　This　great　plenty　of　water；　　nevertheless；　has　not　induced　the　Romans　to　be　cleanly。　Their　　streets；　and　even　their　palaces；　are　disgraced　with　filth。　The　　noble　Piazza　Navona；　is　adorned　with　three　or　four　fountains；　one　　of　which　is　perhaps　the　most　magnificent　in　Europe；　and　all　of　　them　discharge　vast　streams　of　water：　but；　notwithstanding　this　　provision；　the　piazza　is　almost　as　dirty；　as　West　Smithfield；　　where　the　cattle　are　sold　in　London。　The　corridores；　arcades；　and　　even　staircases　of　their　most　elegant　palaces；　are　depositories　　of　nastiness；　and　indeed　in　summer　smell　as　strong　as　spirit　of　　hartshorn。　I　have　a　great　notion　that　their　ancestors　were　not　　much　more　cleanly。　If　we　consider　that　the　city　and　suburbs　of　　Rome；　in　the　reign　of　Claudius；　contained　about　seven　millions　of　　inhabitants；　a　number　equal　at　least　to　the　sum　total　of　all　the　　souls　in　England；　that　great　part　of　antient　Rome　was　allotted　to　　temples；　porticos；　basilicae；　theatres；　thermae；　circi；　public　　and　private　walks　and　gardens；　where　very　few；　if　any；　of　this