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CHAP. VII.

JOURNEY to Marseilles.- Antibes.-Meet with travelling companions from England. - Proceed to Nice. Florence. See Charles Stuart, the Pretender.Journey to Rome. Its topographical situation, monuments, and public places.-Journey to Naples. -News from England.-Captain Campbell leaves us, after attempting in vain to take me along with him. -We proceed to Caprea. Stromboli.. Isle of Vulcan. Arrive at Palermo. — Travel through Sicily. Ancient grandeur of the country.-Poor accommodations.-Sail to Malta.-Scale Mount Etna. -Return to Palermo.

"With thee my bark, I'll swiftly go,

Athwart the foaming brine;

Nor care what land thou bear'st me to,
So not again to mine.

Welcome, welcome, ye dark blue waves!
And when ye fail my sight,
Welcome ye deserts and ye caves,
My native land-good night!"
CHILDE HAROLD.

AFTER leaving the Count D'Buffon, we encountered nothing remarkable till we reached Marseilles. There I saw a number of galley slaves of the old French dynasty; they all appeared hard at work in ships and various other situations, each chained

to his shop, wheelbarrow, or whatever else he was employed about. Some of these unfortunate individuals, as we were given to understand, had been doomed thus to suffer, for very trivial acts of delinquency indeed, as the shooting a bird in the King's grounds. Nor had the victims of tyranny been selected from people circumstanced in low life only, watch makers were following their business in chains, and many of genteel appearance were toiling in captivity. They were put on board galleys every night.

From Marseilles we proceeded to Antibes, the small seaport at which Buonaparte since landed on his return from Egypt. And here we had the unspeakable gratification of meeting, according to previous appointment, my master's friend, and my expatron, Sir David Carnegie, as well as my old master, now Captain Campbell. What afforded peculiar satisfaction was, that these gentlemen, with their servants, were intending to be our companions right away to Sicily, and even to the Holy Land, had not unforeseen circumstances prevented us from fulfilling our original design.

It was in the latter end of February when we were at Antibes, and I was much surprised to see the English sailors, who happened to be at that port, busy bathing thenselves in the sea. Antibes is in the most southern part of France, and the comparative warmth of the climate rendered this early bathing agreeable to the more northern English.

From Antibes we went to Nice, where, as travelling any farther by land was impossible on account

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of the hills, we took our carriage to pieces, stowed it on board a vessel, and proceeded by sea to Genoa. I have nothing particular to remark concerning this ancient town, only, that the houses are remarkably splendid in their outside appearance, but the streets are singularly narrow. Embarking again to prosecute our voyage, we had not proceeded far, ere the sailors, who were glad of any excuse to prolong their services, persuaded our gentlemen to put into a small harbour, at the extremity of which, a little town, the name of which I do not recollect, lies surrounded by almost perpendicular and stupendous hills. The place had a most romantic appearance. It was but very seldom that the inhabitants saw strangers, for as it was impossible these should approach them excepting by sea, and as they carried on no kind of trade to allure foreigners, of course curiosity alone would not induce every one to pay them a visit.

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After a short stay in this place, we again took to our vessel, and after sailing a few miles further we disembarked, took post horses, put our carriage together, and rode on towards Florence. Here we visited the celebrated picture gallery belonging to the Grand Duke of Tuscany, containing, among its precious rarities, The statue which enchants the world," the famous Venus de Medici. I need scarcely inform my readers, that many of the choice specimens of the fine arts here collected, were afterwards taken to France by Buonaparte, but were eventually restored to their legitimate owners, at the instance of the allied Sovereigns

after the peace. At the time we were there, a great number of painters and others, from different countries, were employed taking copies, for, unlike what is the use in England, they were open to the inspection of all.

At Florence, also, I had the singular gratification of obtaining a sight of the celebrated Charles Stuart, the Pretender to the British Crown. It was about eleven o'clock in the forenoon, when he was taking his accustomed walk, surrounded by a few of his old and faithful Scotch and English adherents. He was at this time advanced in life; was tall and bent forward; he still wore at his breast the blue ribbon of royalty.

Here, also, we visited the Cathedral, built of white marble, and adorned with a profusion of famous statuary. We saw the far-famed marble group, representing St. Laurence, and his executioner; altogether, perhaps, one of the most striking pieces of workmanship ever exhibited. knows not which most to admire, the artist's skill in representing the patience of the Saint, the cruel appearance of the executioner, or the physionomy of the human frame under the dreadful cir

cumstances.

One

During our stay at Florence, our gentlemen were presented to the Grand Duke. The only curiosity which I recollect in connection with the Court, was that his Highness had in his household a most clever improvisatrice. The lady could compose, when desired, a song, with a suitable tune, and sing the same in excellent style, on any subject which

could be proposed, and without the least premedi tation.

From Florence we proceeded to Sienna, and without stopping, onward to Rome, intending to be there in Easter week. The great city, as has often been told, is situated on a cluster of inconsiderable hills, which rise in the midst of a large plain. The plain itself is surrounded by a circle of hills which rise in the distance. This singular topographical situation of Rome, gives to its eli mate some peculiarities which are not always in favour of the health of its inhabitants. As, for instance, when the wind blows from a particular point, the clouds settle on the distant mountains, forming a kind of impenetrable curtain round the city, which prevents the air from circulating; and it is no uncommon thing for the people to be so oppressed by the heat, that all business ceases, till by another change of the wind they are set at liberty.

We entered Rome by what is called "Porto del Popolo," or, "The Gate of the People." The entrance possessed an inconceiveable air of grandeur, and fully justified what the poet said near two thousand years ago :—

"But Rome! 'tis thine alone, with awful sway
To rule mankind, and make the world obey,
Disposing peace and war thy own majestic way;
To tame the proud, the fettered slave to free,
These are imperial arts, and worthy thee."

Passing two obelisks of Egyptian granite, besides many other objects to engage our wonder, we came to the more crowded part of the city. It was in