Here And In
The Strada Di Toledo The Noise Made By The Vendors Of Vegetables, Fruit,
Lemonade, Iced Water And
Water-melons, who on holding out their wares to
view, scream out "O che bella cosa!" - the noise and bustle
Of the cooks'
shops in the open air and the cries of "Lavora!" made by the drivers of
calessini (sort of carriage) makes such a deafening tintamarre that you
can scarcely hear the voice of your companion who walks by your side. In
the Largo del Palazzo there is always a large assembly of officers and
others, besides a tolerable quantity of ruffiani, who fasten upon
strangers in order to recommend to them their female acquaintances. A
little further is the Quai of St Lucia, where the fish market is held, and
here the cries increase. The quantity of fish of all sorts caught in the
bay and exposed for sale in the market is immense and so much more than can
be sold, that the rest is generally given away to the Lazzaroni. Here are
delicious mullets, oysters, whitings, soles, prawns, etc. There is on the
Quai of St Lucia a restaurant where naught but fish is served, but that
is so well dressed and in such variety that amateurs frequently come to
dine here on maigre days; for two carlini[95] you may eat fish of all
sorts and bread at discretion. The wine is paid for extra. On the Quai of
St Lucia is a fountain of mineral water which possesses the most admirable
qualities for opening the primae viae and purifying the blood. It is an
excellent drink for bilious people or for those afflicted with abdominal
obstructions and diseases of the liver. It has a slight sulfurous mixed
with a ferruginous taste, and is impregnated with a good deal of fixed air,
which makes it a pleasant beverage. It should be taken every morning
fasting. The presidency over this fountain is generally monopolized by a
piscatory nymph who expects a grano for the trouble of filling you a
glass or two. In reaching it to you she never fails to exclaim "Buono per
le natiche," and it certainly has a very rapid effect; I look upon it as
more efficacious than the Cheltenham waters and it is certainly much more
agreeable in taste. At the end of the Quai of St Lucia is the Castello
dell 'Uovo, a Gothic fortress, before the inner gate of which hangs an
immense stuffed crocodile. This crocodile is said to have been found alive
in the fosse of the castle, but how he came there has never been
explained; there is an old woman's story that he came every day to the
dungeon where prisoners were confined, and took out one for his dinner. The
Castello dell 'Uovo stands on the extremity of a tongue of land which
runs into the sea. After passing the Castello dell 'Uovo I came to the
Chiaia or Quai properly so called, which is the most agreeable part of
Naples and the favorite promenade of the beau-monde. The finest buildings
and Palazzi line the Chiaia on the land side and above them all tower
the Castle of St Elmo and the Chartreuse with several villas intervening.
The garden of the Chiaia contains gravel walks, grass plots, alleys of
trees, fountains, plantations of orange, myrtle and laurel trees which give
a delightful fragrance to the air; and besides several other statues, it
boasts of one of the finest groups in Europe, called the Toro Farnese. It
is a magnificent piece of sculpture and represents three men endeavouring
to hold a ferocious bull. It is a pity, however, that so valuable a piece
of sculpture should be exposed to the vicissitudes of the season in the
open air. The marble has evidently suffered much by it. Why is such a
valuable piece of sculpture not preserved in the Museum?
On the Chiaia are restaurants and cafes. 'Tis here also that the
nobility display their carriages and horses, it being the fashionable drive
in the afternoon: and certainly, except in London, I have never seen such a
brilliant display of carriages as at Naples.
The principal street at Naples is the Strada di Toledo. It resembles the
Rue St Honore and can boast of as much wealth in its shops. The houses
are good, solid and extremely lofty, and the streets are paved with lava.
There are two excellent restaurants at Naples, one in the Largo del
Palazzo, nearly opposite the Royal Palace, called the Villa di Napoli;
the other not far from it in the Strada di Toledo, called La Corona di
Ferro. Naples is renowned for the excellency of its ices. You have them in
the shape of all kinds of fruit and wonderfully cheap. Many of the ice
houses and caffes remain open day and night; as do some of the gaming
tables, which are much frequented by the upper classes. The theatre of St
Carlo, which was consumed last year by fire, is rising rapidly from its
ashes and will soon be finished. In the mean time Operas are performed at
the Teatro Fondi, a moderate sized theatre. I here saw performed the
opera of Don Giovanni of Mozart, with the ballo of La pazza per
amore. Mme Colbran, a Spanish lady, is the Prima Donna and an excellent
singer.
In all the private societies at Naples a great deal of gaming goes on, and
at some houses those visitors, who do not play, are coolly received. The
following may be considered as a very fair specimen of the life of a young
man of rank and fashion at Naples. He rises about two p.m., takes his
chocolate, saunters about in the Strada di Toledo or in the Largo del
Palazzo for an hour or two, then takes a promenade a cheval on the
Chiaia; dines between six and seven; goes to the Opera where he remains
till eleven or half-past eleven; he then saunters about in the different
Cafes for an hour or two; and then repairs to the gaming table at the
Ridotto, which he does not quit till broad daylight.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 89 of 149
Words from 90129 to 91162
of 151859
