For details of the various elements, the
doti, generici, lazzi, etc., see Carlo Gozzi.
Liqueur. First used by Pope. "An affected, contemptible
expression" (Johnson).
Macaroni. "The paste called macaroni" (Letter XXVI) was seen by
Smollett in the neighbourhood of its origin near Genoa, which
city formed the chief market.
Maestral. An old form of mistral, the very dry wind from the
N.N.W., described by Smollett as the coldest he ever experienced.
Patois. See Letter XXII. ad fin.
Pietre commesse. A sort of inlaying with stones, analogous to the
fineering of cabinets in wood (Letter XXVIII). Used by Evelyn in
1644.
Polenta. A meal ground from maize, which makes a good "pectoral"
(Letter XXII).
Pomi carli. The most agreeable apples Smollett tasted, stated to
come from the marquisate of Final, sold by the Emperor Charles
VI. to the Genoese.
Preniac. A small white wine, mentioned in Letter IV., from
Boulogne, as agreeable and very cheap.
Seafarot boots. Jack-boots or wading boots, worn by a Marquis of
Savoy, and removed by means of a tug-of-war team and a rope
coiled round the heel (see Letter XXVIII).
Sporcherie. With respect to delicacy and decorum you may peruse
Dean Swift's description of the Yahoos, and then you will have
some idea of the sporcherie that distinguishes the gallantry of
Nice (Letter XVII). Ital. sporcheria, sporcizia.
Strappado or corda. Performed by hoisting the criminal by his
hands tied behind his back and dropping him suddenly "with
incredible pain" (Letter XX). See Introduction, p. xliv, and
Christie, Etienne Dolet, 1899, P. 231.
Tartane. From Italian tartana, Arabic taridha; a similar word
being used in Valencia and Grand Canary for a two-wheeled open
cart. One of the commonest craft on the Mediterranean (cf. the
topo of the Adriatic). For different types see Larousse's Nouveau
Dictionnaire.
Tip. To "tip the wink" is found in Addison's Tatler (No. 86), but
"to tip" in the sense of to gratify is not common before
Smollett, who uses it more than once or twice in this sense (cf.
Roderick Random, chap. xiv. ad fin.)
Valanches. For avalanches (dangers from to travellers, see Letter
XXXVIII).
Villeggiatura. An early adaptation by Smollett of the Italian
word for country retirement (Letter XXIX).
APPENDIX C
Currency of Savoy in the time of Smollett.
Ten bajocci=one paolo (6d.).
Ten paoli=one scudo (six livres or about 5s.).
Two scudi=one zequin.
Two zequin=one louid'or.
Afterword. -I should be ungrateful were I not to create an
epilogue for the express purpose of thanking M. Morel, H. S
Spencer Scott, Dr. Norman Moore, W. P. Courtney, G. Whale, D. S.
MacColl, Walter Sichel (there may be others), who have supplied
hints for my annotations, and I should like further, if one might
inscribe such a trifle, to inscribe this to that difficult
critic, Mr. Arthur Vincent, who, when I told him I was about it,
gave expression to the cordial regret that so well hidden a
treasure of our literature (as he regarded the Travels) was to be
"vulgarised."
End of Travels through France and Italy by Tobias Smollett
