From Ravenna I proceeded to Rimini, paffing the Rubicon in my way. This river is not fo very contemptible as has been reprefented; particularly when it is fwelled by the melting of the fnow, as was the cafe when Cæfar croffed it with his legions, and put a period to the liberties of Rome. Lucan thus represents it.

While fummer laits, the ftreams of Rubicon,
From their spent courfe, in a small channel run:
Hid in the winding vales, they gently glide,
And Italy from neighbouring Gauls divide.
But now with winter storms increas'd they rofe,
By wat'ry moors produc'd, and Alpine fnows,
That melting on the hoary mountains lay,
And in warm eaftern winds diflolv'd away.

Rimini has little modern to boast of. Its antiquities, are a triumphal arch raised by Auguftus; the ruins of an amphitheatre; a marble bridge of five arches; and the Suggeftum, on which Julius Cæfar is faid to have harangued his army, after paffing the Rubicon. It is built of hewn ftone, like the pedestal of a pillar. At twelve miles distance from Rimini, lies the little republic of St Marino, which, though it be out of the common road of travellers, I could not forbear vifiting.

The town and republic of St. Marino, ftands on the fummit of a very high and craggy mountain, where it is generally hid among the clouds. I could not hear of a fpring on the whole territory; but the people are well provided with large cifterns and refervoirs of rain and fnow water. The wine produced here is reckoned extremely good, and preferable to any that grows on the cold fide of the Apennines.

The

The mountain, on which the town ftands, with a few hillocks at the bottom of it, is the whole extent of this republic in miniature. They have three caftles, five churches, and three convents, and reckon about five thousand perfons in their community.

St. Marino, the founder of it, was a Dalmatian by birth, and a mafon by trade. About one thousand three hundred years ago, he was employed in the reparation of Rimini; and having finished his work, retired to this folitary mountain, where he led the life of a hermit, and fubjected, himself to all the aufterities of religion. He had not been long in this fituation, before he wrought a reputed miracle, which, joined with his extraordinary fanctity, procured him fuch efteem, that the princefs of the country made him a present of the mountain.

His reputation foon brought a number of inhabitants, and gave rife to the republic which goes by his name, and which may boast a nobler original than that of Rome. In the principal church, the ashes of this faint are depofited, and his ftatue is erected over the high altar, holding in its hands a mountain crowned with three caftles, which are alfo the arms of the commonwealth.

While empires and kingdoms have rifen and fallen, this inconfiderable republic has remained nearly the fame. They are, indeed, in a manner cut off from the reft of the world, as there is only one road by which they are approached; and a fevere law is made against their own people, from attempting to enter the town by another path, left it should facilitate the inroads of an enemy. All, who are capable of bearing arms, are not only exercised, but ready at a moment's call. D 3

The

The two chief officers of the republic, are the capitanoes, who are elected every fix months. They have alfo a council, confifting of forty perfons, half noble, half plebeian. Thefe decide every thing by ballot, and chufe the officers of the commonwealth.

The people are esteemed very honeft and rigorous in the execution of juftice, and feem to enjoy more content and happiness among their rocks and fnows, than the reft of the Italians in the moft fertile and inviting fpots. Indeed, nothing can be a greater inftance of the natural love of nankind for liberty, and of their averfion to arbitrary government, than fuch a favage mountain covered with people, while the Campania of Rome is almoft deftitute of inhabitants.

In paffing from Rimini to Loretto, the most remarkable towns are Pefaro, Fano, Senigallia, and Ancona. Fano receives its name from the Fane of Fortune, which food here. A triumphal arch, erected to Auguftus, is ftill to be feen, though in ruins. Ancona is the moft confiderable of thefe places, and, being fituated on a promontory, has a beautiful appearance from the fea. This town was built by Trajan, in honour of whom is a triumphal arch erected near the fea.

On my arrival at Loretto, I enquired for the refidence of the English Jefuits, and on their ftair-cafe faw feveral pictures, of fuch has had been executed in England for their criminal intrigues, and adherence to the holy fee.

The treasures in the Holy House of Loretto, almost exceed imagination. Here filver can fcarcely find admiffion, and gold itself lofes its luftre, amidst fuch an incredible quantity of precious tones. It is, indeed aftonithing, to fee

fuch

fuch a profufion of riches lie dead and untouched, in the midst of so much poverty and mifery as reign on all fides of the place. If these riches were all converted into current coin, and employed in commerce, they would make Italy the most flourifhing country of Europe *.

The legendary origin of this houfe is fo well known, that we forbear repeating it. But whoever were the inventors of this impofture, they feem to have taken the hint of it from the veneration which the old Romans paid to the cottage of Romulus, which stood on the Capitoline Hill, and was repaired from time to time, as it fell to decay.

From Loretto, in my way to Rome, I paffed through Recanati, Macerata, Tolentino, and Poligni. At Spoletto, the next town on the road, are fome antiquities, the most remarkable of which is an aqueduct of Gothic ftructure, for conveying the water from Mount St. Francis to the town. From the foundation of the loweft arch of this aqueduct to the top, is computed to be two hundred and thirty yards.

In proceeding from thence to Terni, I saw the river Clitumnus, celebrated by fo many of the poets, for making the cattle white that drink its waters; an opinion which still remains. A white breed of cattle was probably first introduced here, and continuing ftill the fame fpecies, has made the inhabitants impute this peculiarity to a wrong cause.

* In this age of revolutions, when want preffes the papal court, and its enemies are reftrained by no ideas of fanctity, or even honesty, it is not improbable, but the treasures of Loretto may be put into circulation, and again conveyed to the countries they came from.

I vifited

I vifited the famous cataract about three miles from Terni, formed by the fall of the river Velino, which is mentioned by Virgil in the feventh book of his Æneid. The channel of this river lies very high, and is shaded by a forest of various trees, that preserve their verdure all the year. The river is extremely rapid before its fall, and then rufhes down a precipice one hundred yards high, throwing itself into a rock, which has probably been hollowed by the inceffant action of the water. It is impoffible to fee the bottom, on account of the mift which rifes from it, which, at a dif tance, looks like clouds of fmoke afcending from a large furnace, and diftils in perpetual rains on the borders.

From this spot I proceeded to Narni. The only antiquity worth notice, in this vicinity, is the Bridge of Auguftus, which is one of the most ftately ruins in Italy. It was built to unite twa mountains, and no doubt is the fame to which Martial alludes:

Preserve my better part, and fave my friend;
So Narni, may thy bridge for ever stand.

The fatigue I felt in croffing the Apennines, and in my whole journey from Loretto to Rome, was agreeably relieved by the variety of fcenes which prefented themfelves. Not to mention the rude profpect of rocks and deep channels worn by the rain and melted fnow, in fix days travelling, I faw all the various feasons of the year, in their beauty and perfection, though it was in the month of February.

On my arrival at Rome, I took a view of St. Peter's and the Rotunda, leaving the reft till my return from Naples.

St. Peter's