A Book of Voyages. Patrick O’Brian

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СКАЧАТЬ agreeable, that I should have been happy to have extended our excursion farther; but he is obliged to set out soon for Chamberry to pay his duty to the Comte d’Artois, who is expected there to wait on his future spouse, the Princess of Savoy. We therefore returned by the direct road from Estherhasie to Vienna.

       From DR. GEMELLI-CARERI’S

       TRAVELS THROUGH EUROPE

       In Several Letters to the Counsellor Amato Danio.

      Dr. Giovanni Francesco Gemelli-Careri was a doctor of civil law, sufficiently rich and leisured. Having travelled through Europe in 1686, he set out on a tour of the entire world, which he accomplished in 1698. He published his Giro del Mondo in six volumes octavo in Naples between 1699 and 1700; encouraged by its success, he brought out his Viaggi per Europa in two volumes, also at Naples, in 1701–04. In parenthesis, it might be worth observing that the Kingdom of Naples was, at that time, Spanish, which accounts for Dr. Gemelli-Careri’s “our Queen of Spain”.

      Both works were popular; in 1719 there was a new edition including both, in Venice, and there were more or less contemporary translations into French, German and English. The tour of the world first appeared in Churchill, vol. IV, and the travels through Europe in Churchill vol. VI (1732); his travels in China (taken out of the Giro del Mondo) appeared in Astley’s New General Collection in 1745. The only comparatively modern books in which he can be found are Macmillan’s The Globe Trotter in India two hundred years ago … (1895), which deals only with the doctor’s Indian travels, and A. Magnani’s Il viaggiatore Gemelli-Careri … e il suo “Giro del Mondo” (1900).

      LETTER II

       Of the greatness of Venice, the carnival, the nobility, theatres, etc.

      VENICE, JANUARY 29, 1686

      PRAY, Sir, observe how punctual I am in keeping my word, since I rather chuse to be troublesome, than to omit acquainting you with all I daily happen to see or hear. I persuade myself, that if you have not read all that epistle, or rather the long story I sent you four days ago, you have at least cast an eye upon the top of it, and consequently are inform’d, that I am in Venice, and, if you please, you may add, in perfect health, and sound as a roach, at your command, which is the main point. As God shall save you, lay aside your gravity, and conform a little to the genius of the carnival season, as I did when I came into this city; for I am not able to forbear being led away, in writing, by the extravagent itch that possesses me, and the Bacchanal fury that runs in my veins. What do you think on’t? Don’t I write as a pedantick schoolmaster talks? I will now, in the first place, describe to you the city of Venice, such as I have found it in these few days. Venice is a large, magnificent and plentiful city, built for the security, and delightful liberty of all sorts of persons; and govern’d by all the rules of a most excellent, and, by long experience, approv’d policy. Do but observe what I am about to say, and you will plainly perceive the truth of my assertion. As to the first part of it, no man in the world can deny it, if he does, but reflect, that it contains three hundred thousand inhabitants, all well to pass, thanks to their great trade, especially into the Levant: besides, there are seventy-two parishes, and fifty-nine monasteries of both sexes, a number not at all contemptible, if we please to call to mind the occasion of the interdict of Paul V.; above fifteen hundred bridges, which join the seventy-two islands; above two hundred stately palaces along the famous canal of Rialto; and lastly, that it is full eight miles in compass. My second article plainly verifies itself, forasmuch as the situation is wonderful strong, and therefore chosen to be the retreat, I know not whether of fishermen, or of noble families, flying from the cruelty of Attila the Hun, about the year 422. As for the charming liberty, it is such as pleases the noblest, and best inform’d nations in Europe; and, tho’ it be very chargeable to them, the Germans, Polanders, English and French, never fail coming every year, at this time, to enjoy the excellent opera’s, entertainments, balls, and all other sorts of diversions; and the more for that every person is allow’d to go mask’d into all places, concealing both the sex and countenance. Yet I do not think the liberty allow’d the women, in this particular, altogether commendable; and it is certain, that their going about with other masks they meet in the street, at inns, and at the Ridotto, eating sweet-meats, and drinking muskadine wine, is often the occasion of disorders. This very day, a husband had like to have kill’d his wife, they not knowing one another before they came into the inn, had not the good man of the house prevented it. However it is, such accidents daily happen; yet no doubt it is a great matter, that every one may go about where he pleases, without being disturb’d by any body. Since I have mention’d the Ridotto, you must understand, that it is otherwise called the devil’s house, being a palace, in the several rooms whereof there are about an hundred tables for gaming, which are worth to the republick at least an hundred thousand crowns a year. So much money is made of the cards and lights paid by the nobility, who alone are allow’d to keep a bank. Hither all the masks retire about the dusk of the evening, for at other times none but noblemen and absolute princes may go in, and they generally play at basset. All is done in silence, laying down the quantity of money every one designs to venture, on what card he pleases, all other particulars being mark’d down with bits of card; and, in the same manner, he that wins is paid without any hesitation or controversy. It is certainly a pleasant sight to behold so many strange fashions of cloaths, and ways of expressing themselves; and that the gamesters should so little value their money, and sometimes their whole estates. I go thither frequently; and am the better pleas’d, because I see their pleasure disturb’d by their losings, and my own satisfaction noway cross’d; forasmuch as I am there only a spectator, without intermedling in what they do: and indeed, were a man to write a play, he could no where make better remarks on the several passions, than at the Ridotto.

       Mille hominum species, & rerum discolor usus:

       Velle suum cuique est, nec voto vivitur uno.

      There are a thousand sorts of men, and as much variety of fashions: Every man has his will, without complying with any one.

      As to the point of liberty, it is beyond all credibility; but no man must presume to look into the government of the commonwealth; for it is of the nature of the cancer, which none can handle, without faring the worse. As to other particulars, in the day time, it is frequent to see officers beaten, and their prisoners rescu’d by brothers and sons, with extraordinary impunity and freedom. Tho’ the nobility absolutely lord it over the common sort, yet, in outward appearance, they are not very imperious or haughty towards them, but very familiarly permit them to be cover’d in their presence; which, I think, is very requisite in commonwealths, to preserve peace and civil unity. Besides, to avoid being thought proud, which would render them odious to their inferiors, they walk about the streets without any attendance, and sometimes with a small parcel or bundle under their upper garment; and thus, laying aside all ostentation and shew of luxury, they exercise a most absolute sovereignty. They wear a long vest down to their ancles, of black cloth, with great wide sleeves; in winter, lin’d and edg’d with furs, and in summer with some slight silk. On the left shoulder hangs another piece of cloath, about four spans long, and two in breadth, to keep them from the rain. To deal ingenuously with you, I am of opinion, it is the same as the toga among the ancient Romans; as the aforesaid vest, or upper garment tho’ long, may be used instead of the senators’ tunica clavata, or laticlavium; for it plainly appears by a certain place in Athenæus, that the toga was once square. Besides that, tho’ this sort of garment be also common to lawyers and physicians, however, the nobles do not wear it before they are twenty-five years of age: and whereas the Romans, less discretely, allow’d СКАЧАТЬ