The Houses Diminish In Height In Proportion As They Are Built On
The Slant Of The Mountain From The Bottom To The Top, Those At The Bottom
Being The Loftiest.
Carriages are scarcely of any use in the city of Genoa,
except to drive from one end of the town to another thro' the streets
Nuova, Balbi and Nuovissima; and accordingly a carriage with four
wheels, or even with two, is a rare conveyance in Genoa.
The general mode
of conveyance is on a sedan chair, carried by porters, or on the backs of
mules or asses. Genoa is distinguished by the beauty of the Palaces of its
patricians, which are more numerous and more magnificent than those of any
other city, probably, in the world.
The Ducal Palace or Palace of Government, where the Doge used to reside,
claimed my first attention; yet, tho' much larger, it is far less splendid
than many of the Palaces of individual patricians. In fact, the Ducal
Palace is built in the Gothic taste and resembles a Gothic fortress, having
round towers at each angle. The Hall, where the Grand Council used to sit,
is superb, and is adorned with columns of jaune antique. On the plafond
is a painting representing the discovery of America by Columbus; for the
Genoese duly appreciate, and never can forget their illustrious countryman.
The lines of Tasso, "Un uom della Liguria avra ardimento," etc., and the
following stanza, Tu spiegherai Colombo a urn nuovo polo, etc. are in the
mouth of everyone.[117] The Hall of the Petty Council is neat, but it is
the recollection of the history of this once famous Republic that renders
the examination of this Palace so interesting. But now Genoa's glory is
gone; she has been basely betrayed into the hands of a Government she most
detested. The King of Sardinia is nowhere; and he is not a little proud of
being the possessor of such a noble sea port, which enables him to rank as
a maritime power.
The Genoese are laborious and make excellent sailors; but now there is
nothing to animate them; and they will never exert themselves in the
service of a domination which is so little congenial to them. They sigh for
their ancient Government, of whose glories they had so often heard and
whose brilliant exploits have been handed down to the present day not
merely by historical writers and poets, but by improvisatori from mouth
to mouth. The Genoese nobles, those merchant Kings, whose riches exceeded
at one time those of the most powerful monarchs of Europe, who were the
pawn-brokers to those Sovereigns, are now in a state of decay. Commerce can
only flourish on the soil of liberty, and takes wing at the sight of
military and sacerdotal chains; and tho' the present Sovereign affects to
caress the Genoese noblesse, they return his civilities with sullen
indifference, and half concealed contempt and aversion. The commerce of
Genoa is transferred to Leghorn, which increases in prosperity as the
former decays.
The climate of Genoa is said to be exceedingly mild during the winter,
being protected on the north by the Appennines, which tower above it to an
immense height. Beautiful villas and grounds tastefully laid out in
plantations of orange trees, pomegranates, etc., abound in the environs of
this city, and everything announces the extreme industry of the
inhabitants, for the soil is proverbially barren. This shews what they have
done and what they could still do were they free; but now they have nothing
to animate their exertions. The public promenades are on the bastions and
curtains of the fortifications, on the Esplanade and in the streets
Balbi, Nuova and Nuovissima. There is also another very delightful
promenade, tho' not much used by the ladies, viz., on the Mola or Pier
enveloping the harbour.
One of the most remarkable constructions in Genoa is the bridge of
Carignano, which is built over an immense ravine and unites the hills
Fengano and Carignano. It is so high that houses of six stories stand under
its arches in the valley below. No water except in times of flood runs
under this bridge and it much resembles, tho' somewhat larger, the bridge
at Edinburgh which unites the old and new towns. The principal churches
are: first, the Cathedral, which is not far from the Ducal Palace; it is
richly ornamented and incrusted with black marble; the church of the
Annunziata and that of St Sire. They are all in the Gothic style of
architecture and loaded with that variety of ornament and diversity of
beautiful marbles which distinguish the churches of Italy from those of any
other country. Near the bridge of Carignano is a church of the same name,
wherein are four marble colossal statues.
On the west of the city and running two miles along the sea-beach is the
faubourg of St Pietro d'Arena, which presents a front of well built
houses the whole way; these houses are principally used as magazines and
store houses.
FLORENCE, 5 May.
I left Genoa on the 30th April, returned on mule-back from Genoa to
Sarzana, stopping the first night at Sestri. The second evening when near
Sarzana, it being very dark, I somehow or other got out of the road and my
mule fell with me into a very deep ditch; but I was only slightly bruised
by the fall; my clothes however were covered with dirt and wet. The road
from Genoa to Sarzana might with very little expense be made fit for
carriages by widening it. At present it is only a bridle road, and on some
parts of it, on the sides of ravines, it is I think a little ticklish to
trust entirely to the discretion of one's monture; at least I thought so
and dismounted twice to pass such places on foot. A winding stream is to be
forded in two or three places, but it is not deep except after rains; and
then I think it must be sometimes dangerous to pass, till the waters run
off.
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