A Book of Voyages. Patrick O’Brian

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ with armour for defence, and weapons for slaughter; so that they can in an hour fit out fifty galleys, and twenty galeasses.

      The mint is under the court of the procurators in St. Mark’s square, where they coin gold, silver, and brass, not with a mill, but the hammer; and in some rooms there are chests of money, belonging to private citizens, who leave it there for more security, as we use to put it into the banks.

      The Jews quarter is a spacious place, and has something in it worth a curious man’s observation; as the school where they teach Hebrew, and several synagogues. I went into one call’d the Spanish, because those of that nation meet in it, and saw those wretches sitting on long benches, saying their fruitless prayers, with hoods on their heads, and a white clout on their shoulders, with tassels at the four corners. Their Rabbi sate at one end of the room on a chair, somewhat raised from the ground, who cry’d out like a mad man, the other Jews answering at times. I was full of admiration when I saw five books taken from under the altar, written on vellum, being kept between two tables cover’d with silk, and silver plates. They were carried to the Rabbi for him to read a while, according to their superstitious rites. I was told they were the books of Moses, and that when they were to be copy’d, the transcriber must be a month in purifying himself for that work, nor eat any thing on the days he writes, and make fresh ink in a very clean vessel; adding, that in case one single point were amiss, the whole copy would be look’d upon as erroneous. Next I went up to the galleries where the women meet, where I found a bride, who told me, she had been a month upon her purification, before she could be admitted to that place.

      As for the churches I have hitherto seen, the finest in my opinion are, that of the barefoot Carmelites, remarkable for its famous marble frontispiece, and the sixteen statues within it; La Salute, which is oval, and adorn’d both within and without, with incomparable marble statues; that of St. John and Paul, which is spacious enough, and has many chapels, embellish’d with many marble statues, especially that of our lady. In this church-yard, on a large pedestal, stands a brass statue a-horseback, representing Bartholomew Coglione of Bergamo, a renowned soldier in his time, and as such remarkable at the famous battle of Lepanto against the Turks. That of St. George, of the fathers of Cassino, is also rich in statues, both brass and marble, and valuable for its magnificent choir. The library of this place must be allow’d to be one of the best in the city, as well for the number as the variety and choice of books, not to mention the curious binding, the fine cases, all shut up with the clearest glasses, and the noble statues and pictures; for in my opinion, the true ornament of libraries consists in the books themselves, and all the rest is the contrivance of idle persons, who do not much apply themselves to reading. The garden also deserves to be taken notice of for its stately walks, most artfully adorn’d with tall and thick cypress trees, and odoriferous myrtles, and cover’d over with several choice vines.

      I shall not say any thing of S. Mark at this time, for fear of growing too tedious; but shall reserve it for the next week. I shall now only add, that the cloaths here are every where excessive costly, and the masks wonderful extravagant, thanks to the vast multitude of strangers resorting hither this year; and many things would have been done, had not the senate forbid all persons wearing gold or silver, much less jewels; as also sitting to talk together under the arches of St. Mark. However, no man forbears diverting himself as he best likes. There is continual revelling and dancing; gaming in all parts; every where comedies and serenades; and to say all in a word, Venice at these times is the habitation of the graces, and of all sorts of delight. Yet amidst these universal pleasures, some things happen which provoke tears, or at least compassion. Yesterday, in the afternoon, a new-marry’d man carry’d his wife mask’d into the aforesaid place of St. Mark, where he stepping a little aside upon some occasion, she was taken away by two masks, who having feasted with her at an inn, vanish’d, and the poor wretch being left by herself, was fain to pawn her bracelets to the host, for the mischievous entertainment. Is not this as pleasant an adventure as any you have heard at home? But if I should tell you that I am myself become a knight-errant, would it not make you laugh? On Saturday, as soon as I got into the street, a mask took me by the hand, having a scarlet coat on his back, with gold lace, a garment much used here, and invited me to go drink some muskadine wine. This he did after such a manner, and as familiarly, as if he had been very long well acquainted with me, so that suspecting nothing, I freely went along with him; but when I came to unmask to see who it was, alas! I found a woman. God knows what art I used to get off clear from her, being well satisfy’d to pay the reckoning and go about my business. Observe how warily a man must walk to avoid being insnar’d. Methinks I have writ enough, or at least laziness persuades me so, and therefore with commendations to my friends, &c.

       PHILIP THICKNESSE’S

       GENERAL HINTS TO STRANGERS WHO TRAVEL THROUGH FRANCE

      Philip Thicknesse, the seventh son of the Rector of Farthinghoe in Northamptonshire, was born in 1719. After an abortive start as an apothecary he joined the army, and by 1741 he had reached the rank of captain. By 1766 he had married twice, and each lady brought him about £5,000; in that year he bought the post of Lieutenant-Governor of the Landguard Fort in Suffolk. His second wife was Lady Elizabeth Touchet, daughter of the Earl of Castlehaven, from whom his son inherited the barony of Audley.

      Governor Thicknesse appears to have quarrelled with everybody worth knowing in his time, and he spent some time in prison for a libel. He was an untiring traveller and a voluminous writer. Much of his work was ephemeral, but his Bath Guide, his Journey through France and Part of Spain (from which this extract comes), and his Memoirs and Anecdotes of Philip Thicknesse, late Lieut.-Governor of Landguard Fort, and unfortunately father to George Touchet Baron Audley are very well worth reading.

      I

      IF YOU travel post, when you approach the town, or bourg where you intend to lie, ask the post-boy, which house he recommends as the best, and never go to that, if there is any other.—Be previously informed what other inns there are in the same place. If you go according to the post-boy’s recommendation, the aubergiste gives him two or three livres, which he makes you pay the next morning. I know but one auberge between Marseilles and Paris, where this is not a constant practice, and that is at Vermanton, five leagues from Auxerre, where every English traveller will find a decent landlord, Monsieur la Brunier, à St. Nicolas; good entertainment, and no imposition, and consequently an inn where no post-boy will drive, if he can avoid it.

      II

      If you take your own horses, they must be provided with head-pieces, and halters; the French stables never furnish any such things; and your servant must take care that the Garçon d’Ecurie does not buckle them so tight, that the horses cannot take a full bite, this being a common practice, to save hay.

      III

      If the Garçon d’Ecurie does not bring the halters properly rolled up, when he puts your horses to, he ought to have nothing given him, because they are so constantly accustomed to do it, that they cannot forget it, but in hopes you may too.

      IV

      Direct your servant, not only to see your horses watered, and corn given them, but to stand by while they eat it: this is often necessary in England, and always in France.

      V

      If you eat at the table d’Hôte, the price is fixed, and you cannot be imposed upon. If you eat in your own chamber, and order your own dinner or supper, it is as necessary to make a previous СКАЧАТЬ