This Street Or Streets Are
The Only Ones That Can Be Properly Called So, According To The Idea We
Usually Attach To The Word.
The others deserve rather the names of lanes
and alleys, tho' exceedingly well paved and aligned with excellent houses
and shops.
In fact the streets Nuova, Nuovissima and Balbi are the
only ones thro' which carriages can pass. The others are far too narrow to
admit of the passage of carriages. The houses on each side of them are of
immense height, being of six or seven stories, which form such a shade as
effectually to protect those who walk thro' these alleys from the rays of
the sun. 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.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 229 of 291
Words from 119639 to 120164
of 151859
