*

was empty. We were unable to op- and gold watch, which he had left at pose such reasoners, and accordingly Naples; of the Villa Reale, and Pasbegan to descend, leaving a scene so seggio di Chiaja; of visiting the glorious, with a regret heightened by boxes at S. Carlo (though the rogue reflecting that we should most pro- would have run some risk of being bably never see it again, or at least, kicked out of the pit); of balls, routs, never with that quick and fresh and masquerades, &c. His conversation joyful sense of beauty which, it was enriched by two or three French seems, no scene can twice inspire. words of no modest signification, and

On our return, as we passed by a by all the Neapolitan loudness of little house of entertainment, which voice and violence of gesticulation. stood at a short distance from our We were, however, pleased to obcasino, we were attracted by the ap- serve that he did not impose on his pearance of more company than was audience, simple as it was, and that usual in that solitary place, and we when he turned his back the hostess entered to drink a little wine and said to her

spouse,

che guapperia! look about us. This humble man- We never saw any excesses in drinksion, though dignified (as much worse ing at the Taverna; two stout felcabarets are in this country) with the lows would enjoy themselves over a name of Taverna, was in reality lit- bottle of poor mountain wine for, tle or nothing better than a cantina. half an hour, and seem perfectly saThose, however, who wished to eat tisfied; whenever we entered, we might be furnished with bread, were very respectfully saluted by all cacio cavallo, and eggs; during our present, helped to chairs, and served residence on the hills we were accus- with alacrity and urbanity. tomed to go, not unfrequently, and The country people may be convisit our host of the Taverna, and sidered as divided into two classes: we never but once found any other the first of which is composed of those fare; that once we found a fine dish who rent farms of land proprietors, or of fresh fish from the bay below; we have a little property in land of their regaled ourselves on this with some own; the second, of those who have eggs, and bread and wine, and paid no property of their own, and who for the whole two carlins-we may are not entrusted with that of others. add here, that we met with more Those who are possessed of some civility and honesty in this humble lands, usually take more of the canteen, than in any other house of en- larger proprietors, and thus contrive tertainment in the kingdom of Naples. to have a pretty good farm to maThe peasantry of the hills met there; nage. The others, who merely rent -in the fine evenings and on the farms, take them of proportionate giorni di festa, the young men of the extent; and if their own family is not neighbourhood used to amuse them- numerous enough to work them, they selves by playing at bowls; now and let out small parcels to those who then a forestiere from Amalfi

, or Vico, are in still more humble conditions or Massa, called in, which circum- than they. Our friend Natale had a stance always elicited a good deal of pretty numerous family, consisting chat; and, at times, a puffed-up Nea- of himself and wife, five sons, and politan or two, who had come up the four daughters, all of whom worked hills to shoot little birds, honoured hard from morning till night, in the the quiet hostelry. The object of masseria, or in other employments these latter, at least of all we hap- which their way of life demanded. pened to see, was to impress the The young ones led about the cows, peasants with a vast idea of their by halters tied to their horns, to pick figure and importance in the great up a little grass, or a few sweet city: we met there one morning a herbs on the common land, or in dirty, paltry fellow, whose whole the copses; the elder branches of equipment was not worth five dollars, the community dug up the ground, and yet he was talking, in a tone of planted and gathered the various proinfinite dignity, of his saddle horse duce, threshed and winnowed the

* Guapperia is a most expressive, but untranslatable word, of which the Neapolitans make much use-it means, an outrageous, overbearing boasting, or any action intended to strike one with a profound idea of the powers and worth of the actor.

as

corn, dried the beans, trimmed the straight to the devil, but, as has been vines and fig-trees, &c. in common; hinted before, were better treated but the important operations of than reprobate Catholics, because making wine, oil, and cacio, were they had served the devil all their only entrusted to the heads of the lives, and because, moreover, his infamily, that is to say, Natale, his wife, fernal Majesty had an intolerable and eldest son; and then the others aversion to Catholics, as they were were merely employed in gathering the only enemies he feared. Natale, and treading out the grapes, and when once he had begun upon this working at the presses. The eldest subject, did not know precisely when daughter had, for some time, the care to stop, but would babble on as long of an extraordinary number of silk- we thought proper to listen; worms,

* but when these insects when we had heard enough, we took grew to their full size, it required a advantage of his pausing a moment great addition of labour, in which all for breath, asked him some question the family took part, to keep them about bread, or milk, or so on, and supplied with fresh leaves. These effectually interrupted his discourse, various occupations demanded so which he had not the faculty of remuch attention, that Natale, not- suming, unless he began again “at withstanding the number of his the beginning.” We must not, howhands, found himself compelled to 'ever, fill our page with any longer let out a portion of his masseria to account of him, since if we do, we another peasant; the terms of the shall not have time to take you with agreement, which were the same as us on another excursion, which we those which exist all over the Penin- made during our residence on the sula, were that Natale should fur- hill, and which we would not wilnish half the seed, and receive half lingly forget; it was to one of the the produce as his rent; the com- lower hills called Malacocola, which pact was renewed every year after we have already mentioned. the raccoltu. We saw the division We set out from home one Sun. of the grain, which was effected in day afternoon, very resolutely degreat good humour, and apparently termined to resist certain seducing with much justice. While speaking invitations to sleep, which had been of Natale, we must not forget to occasioned by an alluring dinner of mention his religious opinions, which stewed mutton chops, and an infurnished us with many a conversa- teresting bottle or so of mountain tion, for, as he observed we never wine, whose pure and rosy blushes disputed any thing he said about the we could hardly resist: we howSanta Chiesa, he seemed to think we ever seized our hats, and boldly were heretics who might, by judi- ran away from temptation. We cious means, be brought back to the had got but a short distance from bosom of the church. He therefore home, when we observed a gay very frequently entertained us with group of men and women ascending accounts of miracles, descriptions of the hill; as they approached, we saw hell, and assurances that all pro- that they were walking in procestestants went thither. His opinion sion, with a young man and woman was rather singular in one respect, at their head. Every one was dressed for he believed that, as St. Augustin in holiday attire, and all appeared says of unbaptized children, “ an unusually merry; the procession was easy kind of damnation is prepared closed by four men carrying a long for them,” because they have not coffer, of much the same form as the had the opportunities which others bara in which they carry the dead. have had, of seeing the miraculous We followed the train until it stopproofs and lights which are lavished ped, and the coffer was deposited in to convince the favoured inhabitants the only habitable room of a little of the Peninsula, Natale opined that white cottage ; (you must not, by out of every ten Catholics, six went the bye, imagine, from our saying to hell, two to paradise, and two to the only habitable room, that only purgatory; the rest of the human one habitable room was any indirace, without any distinction, went cation of unusual poverty, for the

A great deal of excellent silk is obtained on this Peninsula.

room

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simple rustics here find one mezzo mezzo in quality and condition. quite enough for a family of four All these articles were taken out one or five individuals); the persons by one, and submitted to the exami- ' who composed the train entered the nation of the company; and, at the cottage in a pretty orderly manner, bottom of the chest, there were and an old man, observing we had found some papers full of comfits, stopped to gaze, civilly invited us to which the bride seized, and began to follow. On entering the cottage, we throw about with a trepidation which found the young man and woman seemed to , result from bashfulness, who had headed the procession, struggling with pleasure. After this, sitting down side by side, and re- some wine and fruit were produced, ceiving the compliments and congra- and the company drank very affectulations of their friends on their tionately to the health of the new marriage; and, presently after, the married pair. We afterwards sat. visitors discharged a shower of com- some little time apart, discoursing fits at the young couple, particularly with a communicative old man, who at the young woman, who seemed told us that the young people had rather fluttered, and blushed abun- been married that morning, and that dantly. After this, the coffer which their relations had, as was usual, ace' we have mentioned was brought for- companied them to their home; that ward in great state, and the bride's the young lady had been long courtmother advanced into the middle of ed by her spouse, but that their the room, with great alacrity, though union had been opposed by her pawith all due seriousness, to display rents, careful people, and well to do its contents, which composed the in the world, until the lover could bride's trousseau. When the lid was attain a situation in life suitable to raised, the first things that appeared the condition and quality of his miswere very gay indeed; to wit, two tress; that the young man had lately jackets, one

of velveteen, and one of taken a masseria in affitto, had bought cloth, covered with gold lace and a bed, and other articles of furnifringe; three or four cotton veste of ture, (necessaries in the present sodifferent and gaudy patterns; several phisticated state of society) and had pair of thread stockings, some fine, produced to the sight of the prudent some coarse; three pair of worsted, parents 100 ducats in hard cash; two blue and one red; two pair of the good old folks relented at this shoes, with one pair of broad silver prospect, and could no longer refuse buckles, and various trinkets, as, a any thing to a person of so much necklace of wire gold, long enough merit. to go three times round the neck; After having sat here about half a pair of long drop ear-rings, an hour, we resumed our walk, and, crusted with pearls; a very smart in a little time, we reached the hills, little crucifix, inlaid with figures of just where a fine bushy glen diChrist and the Madonna, in mother vides the lesser Sant Angelo from of pearl; a little silver cup to con- Malacocola, and sweeping round the tain holy water; two small pictures base of the latter, descends towards in gilt frames, one a Madonna, the the Bay of Salerno: we took a rough other some saint, whom we had not path which led us into a romantic the honour of knowing; and a hand- thicket, and after ascending for some some rosary, with a small head of time, we emerged upon an open the Pope, in gold. The bride wore slope, where there was an immense on her person a number of other profusion of myrtles in flower, and trinkets, particularly a quantity of of sweet briar; we had a hard rings. What was afterwards taken scramble here through thick bushes, from the coffer was not quite so gay; but at length we reached the last there were about half a dozen coarse steep, which is rude and stony, shifts, some cotton handkerchiefs, two abounding in rocks and thistles ; it or three old jackets, and veste for is, in some places, covered with a every day use, a pair of wooden- short matted grass; and, at intervals, soled shoes, and some other articles large bushes of broom, or other wild of which we do not know the names shrubs, are seen springing from the or use; but which seemed rather reluctant soil. At the top of the hill

is a deep and shady thicket, chiefly which is just now waving its mysu composed of hazel bushes and dwarf terious arms. The Galli are seen oaks; we had just reached it, and here to great advantage; there are had found a nice seat on a large flat some ruins on two of them, which, mass of rock in the skirts of the like most of the ruins in the neighcopse, where we were shaded by a fine bourhood of Naples, are said to be bush of broom, and having got out the work of that indefatigable Queen, our books, were preparing to begin La Regina Giovanna, who is indeed our sketches, when a dark and the architect of every ruin that wants threatening cloud appeared rapidly a name. One of these little islands advancing towards us from the bay but just rises above the water, and of Salerno. It struck against the looks not much unlike the back of a hill, and divided into two parts, one whale ; it is a sort of Sindbad's of which rose above our heads, and island, but, fortunately, does not posimmediately began to exhibit a grand sess the same sinister faculty of mospecimen of those interesting pheno- tion. The Apennines pass from the mena, lightning and thunder, and ri- Calabrian chain, rising and falling in vers of rain. We are great admirers all the sublimity of confusion, until of these magnificent elemental fire- they disappear behind the grand works, but at the same time preju- Sant Angelo, which shoots up into diced in favour of admiring them the clouds in unrivalled bulk and through good glass-windows, with a height. Here, also, one has a fine tight roof over our heads; we there- view of the bay of Naples; there are, fore got up, and in great haste re- of course, few places around, where treated through the dripping thicket, Vesuvius, dark and portentous, does intending to descend to a cottage, not intrude upon the observation, which was a quarter of a mile from but here he is seen to great advanthe place; but observing a hut perch- tage, with the villages and towns ed among some rocks, we clambered which whiten the shore, and lie in up to it, and took shelter there. It beauty and in peace at his feet. was deserted, but appeared to have The shade of thickets, the solitude been a goatherd's cot; a more pic- of mountains, the magic of landscape, turesque position than that in which were not new to us; but such comit stood, could hardly have been se- binations of sea and hill, and cape lected; from a loop-hole we had a and bay, are ever-must ever be view of the clouds driving over the quitted with reluctance; but more bay of Salerno, and roughening the particularly when the glorious sun is sea as they passed. After a little sinking sublime, and fills the heart while a glorious light broke out be- with admiration and tenderness : for tween the heights of Vicarvano and us, we scarcely know which hour is Sant Angelo ; it was a rainbow, more beautiful, morning or evening: which rose slowly in a grand arch, morning is like youth, jocund and and seemed to descend into the bay; fresh; evening is like age, meditaimmediately the rain ceased, the sun tive and sad : morning springs up shone, and we returned to our post. and scatters roses in the path of day; From the summit of Malacocola, the evening steals slowly after the God, eye roves over an extent of undulat- and spreads her grey veil gently over ing hills, terminated by one higher all that he forsakes : morning begins and ruder than the rest, which de- in darkness and mist, and blush after scends rapidly, and runs out in a low blush brightens into glory; evening jagged cape into the sea. Capri frowns begins in glory, but soon and sadly above, gloomy and rude; and at the fades into darkness-in a word, left extremity four rocks rise out of morning is the fit companion for the the sea like teeth, and suggest the happy and the full of hope ; but idea of a marine monster. The lofty evening only is the friend of the and purple cone of Ischia appears forsaken, and the soother of the farther on; it is gilded with a grand wretched. smile, and looks like the queen of But leaving these considerations, the surrounding waters. A bushy which we are aware will suggest dell divides us from the next hill, on themselves to you without our asthe top of which stands a telegraph, sistance, we shall return to our sub

a

ject. We stood for a time watching centration of the society in which he some cattle and peasants, which lives, the vices which flame in the were passing on the edge of the hills, individual being reflected upon the and, as it were, crossing the disk of mass with a vigor commensurate the sun, their distant and minute to its density. The peasants of figures brightly and curiously re- these hills, be this the case or not, lieved by it ; and then we paused to are eminently simple and innocent; see the moon glancing coyly through the men are honest, the women the trees, to observe the lights, and chaste, and crimes of every kind are shades, and colours peculiar to that most honourably rare. Their virtues hour, which day cannot bestow; and must, in part, be attributed to sevewe enjoyed the gale that swept upral other circumstances, as their pothe hill, cool and odorous; all was verty, their temperance, their labotranquillity, and night and silence rious occupations, their early marseemed listening to our thoughts. riages, and even their ignorance and To-morrow, next year, next century, superstition; their ignorance is far the same phenomena will return, all better for them, than that little pergrand and glorious, but we shall not nicious learning, which suffices to admire them : the sun will shine on make a fool presumptuous and disthe same hills, the sea roll to the same contented; and a superstitious belief shores, when every being that now of what is good, and gracious, and has life, human and brute, will have comfortable to the heart of man, is assembled in that common grave, to be preferred to a superstitious diswhere ages have laid up their dead, belief, or half philosophic doubts of and to which all the generations of the same. In fine, the poor people the earth must ultimately resort. It in question are ignorant, innocent, is a solemn thought, but one which unambitious, and happy. seldom intrudes into the mind of The air on the hills is pure and man, that we are continually ad- wholesome, but, perhaps, rather too vancing on a tide which knows no stimulating; the gales cross the hills reflux, and that no power in nature from the two bays every day—in the can enable us to go back one day, morning from the bay of Salerno, and one moment; that every pleasure, in the evening from that of Naples. however dear, passes away and can

The water on the heights is commonnot be re-called; but that, though ly bad, having a disagreeable, earthy we are thus pressing onward, the taste, and yielding, though relucgreat system of nature remains the tantly, a slight sediment. The peosame,--that not one beauty pe- ple here generally live to a great age, rishes that thus, perhaps, some hu- and are seldom afflicted by disease; man being will stop in this very spot, but we observed that the goitre was at the same hour, to gaze on these not unfrequent; we were told that it same hills and seas, to muse as we never ended in idiocy, but it somemuse, to wonder and to enjoy, a times attains to such an enormous thousand years after we shall have size as almost to obliterate the resembeen forgotten.

blance of humanity.' How long will Before we bid adieu to the hills this disease continue the reproach of of Sorrento, we must say a few science? How long will its mysteriwords of their rude and simple inha- ous cause linger in darkness, and rebitants. The population on the hills main undetected ? is, of course, small and thinly scat- We must, for the present, bid you tered; they are a fine strong healthy farewell ; but before we part we may race, frugal, laborious, and general- tell you, that having made the nely addicted to no vice--a happiness cesssary arrangements for our reresulting partly, perhaps, from the moval, we one day loaded two stout diluted state of society in which peasants with our little conveniences, they live; man being, according to bade adieu to the hills, and descended us, generally more or less vicious in to the Monastery,* to which we shall proportion to the greater or less con- introduce you in our next.

• For a description of the Franciscan Monastery of Sorrento, see vol. vii. p. 53.