TRAVELS OF

JOSEPH ADDISON, ESQ.

THROUGH

ITALY AND SWISSERLAND.

THIS

HIS genuine honour to literature and his country was the fon of a clergyman, afterwards preferred to the Deanery of Litchfield, and was born May 1, 1672. He received the early part of his education at the Charter House, and was afterwards entered at Queen's College, Oxford, but foon removed to Magdalen College, in the same university, where he was entered on the foundation.

Here thofe abilities, which afterwards rendered him fo illuftrious, began to display themselves, and he was not long before he obtained a patron in that diftinguished judge of merit, Lord Somers, who recommended him to King William. His majesty settled a penfion of three hundred pounds a year on him, to enable him to travel into foreign parts. A fortunate concurrence of circumstances feems to have attended Addifon. He was noticed, and effectually fupported by a fucceffion of patrons; and he had thus an opportunity of fhewing his powers at an early period. He was not fuffered to languish in obfcurity, nor was he merely raised above actual want, and kept in a VOL. XII.

B

ftate

ftate of diftreffing dependance; but his protectors prided themselves in his elevation, and fought their own honour in promoting his advantage.

Of a man fo well known, fo univerfally esteemed, it is unneceffary to fay more. His travels have too frequently been confidered as claffical illuftrations, rather than remarks, on the countries through which he paffed. But we differ from this opinion; and though he certainly has difplayed an intimate acquaintance with the Latin poets and hiftorians, when the scene recalled them to his mind, his unaffected narrative and correct tafte render his own observations not only pleafing but instructive.

On the 12th of December, fays Mr. Addison, I fet out from Marseilles. for Genoa, in a small veffel, called a tartan, and arrived late at a French port, named Caffis. Though it was the depth of winter, the furrounding mountains were covered with green olive trees; and the fine gardens in the vicinity gave a variety and beauty to the prospects.

I was fhewn, at a diftance, the deferts which have been rendered so famous by the romance of Mary Magdalen, who, after her arrival at Marfeilles with Lazarus and Joseph of Arimathea, is faid to have wept away the rest of her life among thofe folitary rocks and mountains.

Next day, we fet fail again, and made the best of our way, till we were forced by contrary winds into St. Rimo, a very pretty town, fubject to Genoa. Here we faw feveral perfons, in the middle of December, who had nothing over their fhoulders but their fhirts, nor did they seem fenfible of the cold. It is certainly fortunate for the poorer fort to be born in a place that is free from the greatest inconvenience

inconvenience to which the more northern nations are subject. And, indeed, without this natural benefit of the climate, the extreme mifery and poverty of the lower claffes, in most of the Italian governments, would be infupportable. Near this city are many plantations of palm trees, which do not grow in any other part of Italy.

Sailing from thence, we fteered for Genoa, with a fair wind, that carried us directly into the gulf, which is remarkable for tempefts and a scarcity of fish; the latter circumftance, it is probable, is caused by the former. Horace fays,

While black with ftorms the ruffled ocean rolls,
And from the fisher's art defends her finny fhoals.

We were forced to lie here two days; and the captain was fo apprehenfive of danger, that he fell on his knees and confeffed himself to a capuchin who was on board; but at laft, taking advantage of a fide wind, we were quickly driven as far back as Monaco, in the harbour of which we anchored. Lucan gives the following defcription of this port:

The winding rocks a spacious harbour frame,
That from the great Alcides takes its name:
Fenc'd to the west, and to the north it lies:
But when the winds in fouthern quarters rife,
Ships from their anchors torn become their sport,
And fudden tempefts rage within the port.

The town of Monaco ftands on a promontory, where was formerly the temple of Hercules Monachus, from which this fmall principality takes its name.

In the dominions of the Prince of Monaco are only three towns. They were formerly under

the

the protection of the Spaniards; but the natives, driving out the garrifon of that nation, received a French one. The prince's palace contains handfome apartments hung with pictures of the moft celebrated beauties in the court of France. The officer who fhewed me the palace, gravely obferved, that the prince his mafter, and the king of France had always been good allies, as if their relative fituations would admit of an equality of interefts and connections.

Here we hired a little boat to carry us along the fhore to Genoa; but finding the fea too rough at Savona, we made the best of our way over land, over rugged mountains and precipices, more difficult than the paffage of Mount Cennis.

The Genoefe, like the ancient Ligurians, are reckoned artful and defigning. They are, however, more induftrious than the reft of the Italians, which is probably the effect of neceffity, as their country is lefs fertile. "The Genoefe," fays the Italian proverb, "have a fea without fish, land without trees, and men without faith." Virgil, it feems, was of the fame opinion in the latter respect.

Vain fool and coward, cries the lofty maid,

Caught in the train which thou thyself haft laid:
On others practice thy Ligurian arts;
Their ftratagems and feats of little hearts
Are loft on me; nor fhall thou safe retire,
With vaunting lies, to thy fallacious fire.

On both fides of Genoa are many beautiful palaces. The city itself has the nobleft appearance of any in the world. Moft of the houfes being painted on the outfide, look remarkably gay and lively, and they are in general very lofty. But

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