I Have Conversed With
Several Intelligent Persons On The Subject; And Have Reason To
Believe, That A Delinquent Of This Sort Is Considered As A Luke-Warm
Catholic, Little Better Than A Heretic; And Of All Crimes
They Look Upon Heresy As The Most Damnable.
Noli is a small republic of fishermen subject to Genoa; but very
tenacious of their privileges.
The town stands on the beach,
tolerably well built, defended by a castle situated on a rock
above it; and the harbour is of little consequence. The auberge
was such as made us regret even the inn we had left at St. Remo.
After a very odd kind of supper, which I cannot pretend to
describe, we retired to our repose: but I had not been in bed
five minutes, when I felt something crawling on different parts
of my body, and taking a light to examine, perceived above a
dozen large bugs. You must know I have the same kind of antipathy
to these vermin, that some persons have to a cat or breast of
veal. I started up immediately, and wrapping myself in a great
coat, sick as I was, laid down in the outer room upon a chest,
where I continued till morning.
One would imagine that in a mountainous country like this, there
should be plenty of goats; and indeed, we saw many flocks of them
feeding among the rocks, yet we could not procure half a pint of
milk for our tea, if we had given the weight of it in gold. The
people here have no idea of using milk, and when you ask them for
it, they stand gaping with a foolish face of surprise, which is
exceedingly provoking. It is amazing that instinct does not teach
the peasants to feed their children with goat's milk, so much
more nourishing and agreeable than the wretched sustenance on
which they live. Next day we rowed by Vado and Savona, which last
is a large town, with a strong citadel, and a harbour, which was
formerly capable of receiving large ships: but it fell a
sacrifice to the jealousy of the Genoese, who have partly choaked
it up, on pretence that it should not afford shelter to the ships
of war belonging to those states which might be at enmity with
the republic.
Then we passed Albifola, Sestri di Ponente, Novi, Voltri, and a
great number of villages, villas, and magnificent palaces
belonging to the Genoese nobility, which form almost a continued
chain of buildings along the strand for thirty miles.
About five in the afternoon, we skirted the fine suburbs of St.
Pietro d' Arena, and arrived at Genoa, which makes a dazzling
appearance when viewed from the sea, rising like an amphitheatre
in a circular form from the water's edge, a considerable way up
the mountains, and surrounded on the land side by a double wall,
the most exterior of which is said to extend fifteen miles in
circuit. The first object that strikes your eye at a distance, is
a very elegant pharos, or lighthouse, built on the projection of
a rock on the west side of the harbour, so very high, that, in a
clear day, you may see it at the distance of thirty miles.
Turning the light-house point, you find yourself close to the
mole, which forms the harbour of Genoa. It is built at a great
expence from each side of the bay, so as to form in the sea two
long magnificent jettes. At the extremity of each is another
smaller lanthorn. These moles are both provided with brass-cannon,
and between them is the entrance into the harbour. But
this is still so wide as to admit a great sea, which, when the
wind blows hard from south and south-west, is very troublesome to
the shipping. Within the mole there is a smaller harbour or wet
dock, called Darsena, for the gallies of the republic. We passed
through a considerable number of ships and vessels lying at
anchor, and landing at the water-gate, repaired to an inn called
La Croix de Malthe in the neighbourhood of the harbour. Here we
met with such good entertainment as prepossessed us in favour of
the interior parts of Italy, and contributed with other motives
to detain us some days in this city. But I have detained you so
long, that I believe you wish I may proceed no farther; and
therefore I take my leave for the present, being very sincerely -
Yours.
LETTER XXVI
NICE, January 15, 1765.
DEAR SIR, - It is not without reason that Genoa is called La
superba. The city itself is very stately; and the nobles are very
proud. Some few of them may be proud of their wealth: but, in
general, their fortunes are very small. My friend Mr. R - assured
me that many Genoese noblemen had fortunes of half a million of
livres per annum: but the truth is, the whole revenue of the
state does not exceed this sum; and the livre of Genoa is but
about nine pence sterling. There are about half a dozen of their
nobles who have ten thousand a year: but the majority have not
above a twentieth part of that sum. They live with great
parsimony in their families; and wear nothing but black in
public; so that their expences are but small. If a Genoese
nobleman gives an entertainment once a quarter, he is said to
live upon the fragments all the rest of the year. I was told that
one of them lately treated his friends, and left the
entertainment to the care of his son, who ordered a dish of fish
that cost a zechine, which is equal to about ten shillings
sterling. The old gentleman no sooner saw it appear on the table,
than unable to suppress his concern, he burst into tears, and
exclaimed, Ah Figliuolo indegno! Siamo in Rovina! Siamo in
precipizio! Ah, Prodigal! ruined! undone!
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