Read Ebook: A Tour Up the Straits from Gibraltar to Constantinople With the Leading Events in the Present War Between the Austrians Russians and the Turks to the Commencement of the Year 1789 by Sutherland David Captain

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Next year, Alicant was taken by the enemy. The rock on which the citadel stood, was defended for several months, by Major General Richards, with the most romantic valour, but was at last undermined and blown up. The General, and most of the principal Officers, having purposely exposed themselves, to animate the garrison to stand the threatened shock, were lost in the explosion; but the survivors, under Colonel D'Allon, defended themselves till the British fleet arrived and carried them off.

During the remainder of the war, Charles's affairs continued to decline; and his success at Sarragossa and Almanara was balanced by a defeat at Villa Viciosa, and the capture of General Stanhope's army at Brihuega.

At this juncture, his brother died, and Charles, succeeding to the empire of Germany , left Spain; but his partizans, assisted by the English under the Duke of Argyle, kept possession of Barcelona, and the greatest part of Catalonia, till the peace of Utrecht in 1713.

Philip, Duke of Anjou, was declared King of Spain: but, to prevent that kingdom and France from ever being united under one head, Philip was obliged to renounce every future claim to France; whilst the Dukes of Berry and Orleans were obliged to do the same by Spain.

I wish much to enlarge on the gallant exploits of the Earl of Peterborough, the heroic defence of General Richards, and the noble spirit of the Catalonians after they were abandoned by the Emperor and Queen Ann to the chastisement of Philip; but the bounds prescribed to a journal will not permit me.

TO CAPTAIN SMITH.

Cagliari, September 1st.

MY DEAR FRIEND,

ON the 16th of last month, we weighed anchor off the harbour of Carthagena, and sailed out of the bay, between the rock and the continent, to the great astonishment of the Spaniards: but, although one might almost make hands with them on each side, there is no danger in a steady breeze; for the shore is so bold, that, whilst we had soundings in fourteen fathoms on one side of the ship, we found no bottom with a line of twenty on the other.

In their manners, the Sardinian ladies are more like the French. They say every thing that comes uppermost, and have no idea of reserve. You kiss their hands as a mere compliment; and, in dancing, whenever you turn a lady, she expects you to put your arm round her waist, whilst her's rests on your shoulder.

This frankness is vastly pleasant, and is here of no evil tendency; for, in a confined society, secluded from the general world, where the characters and their connections are thoroughly known, and where the number of the profligate is too small to find either countenance or protection, confidence and sincerity on the part of the women, naturally produce honor and esteem in the breasts of the men.

THE

STORY of LUCILLA.

MOST RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED TO

The Hon. Mrs. CHETWYND STAPYLTON

After coffee, the ladies carried us to see a nunnery, of which there are no less than fourteen in Sardinia. I have ever thought these institutions a defect in policy, and have reprobated the idea of the Almighty being pleased at our depriving ourselves of the power of doing any one good and moral action: but, in justice to the Superintendants in this island, it must be observed, that no girl is permitted to become a Novice until she is fifteen, and must then serve a year longer before she can be allowed to take the veil; but this ceremony once performed, she must bid an eternal farewell to the world.

We saw none of the Nuns but the Superiors and Novices. They stood within the inner door, which, as a particular distinction, they opened while they conversed with us across the threshold. My attention was soon arrested by the youngest of the Superiors.

She appears scarcely thirty. Confinement has only softened the colour of her cheek, and composed the lustre of her eye. Her features are perfectly regular, and her countenance is animated by the cheerful glow of benevolence and virtue. With the gentleness of a saint, she possesses all the accomplishments of a woman of the world, and speaks a variety of languages, with a voice harmoniously sweet.

Her name is Lucilla. She is aunt to the beautiful Villarias, and, like her, in her youth, was the pride of Sardinia. Early in life, she engaged herself to Fernando, a young nobleman, in every respect her equal. Their hearts were already united, and the day was fixed for their nuptials; but, before this happy hour could be celebrated, the sudden death of the best of parents obliged Fernando to pass over to the Continent, to perform the last offices to his deceased, and affectionate father. Before his departure, he repeated those endearing vows of eternal constancy; which both he and Lucilla had often given and received; and each promised to write by every opportunity.

Lucilla kept her word; and when the time she expected an answer had expired, her mind was filled with anxious fears for her lover's safety. At length she heard of his arrival at Turin from his friends, most of whom had received letters from him; but Lucilla, who expected to have had the first, got none. She was too generous to be suspicious, and, instead of complaining, continued writing to Fernando in the most affectionate terms, making every excuse for not hearing from him, but entreating him, as he valued her affection, to write to her by every channel.

The amiable Lucilla had still the mortification of seeing post after post arrive, without a line from her lover. At length she heard, accidentally, that he was soon to set out for Spain, from whence he was to embark for South America. A thousand painful emotions now seized her breast, and her grief for her lover's unworthiness was not the least. Her fate was drawing to a crisis; and, as her last resource, she wrote him the following letter:

"Until I heard of your preparations for crossing the Atlantic, I attributed your silence to your confidence in my esteem, and in my unalterable attachment; and when I reflected how long your indispensable concerns would engage you, I had almost persuaded myself to wish that you would not prolong your absence, even by the time in which you would be writing to me: but, what I have hitherto considered as an occasional slight, is now become an injury so cruel and inhuman, that, with all my prejudice in your favor, I have great difficulty to make myself believe that I am not entirely bereft of your affection. If you are capable of such inconstancy, I absolve you of your vows; and may Heaven forgive you. Mine, I shall ever keep sacred. If you deprive me of the power of fulfilling them--the convent of St. Lucia is not far from me: there will I for ever seclude myself from the world, and confirm how sincerely I am your LUCILLA."

This letter having only increased her disappointment, Lucilla took the irrevokable vow, and exerted all her resolution to subdue her passion. Two years after she had taken the veil, her guardian died; and, in his last moments, the wretch confessed, that he had never forwarded any of the letters intrusted to him, and that he had kept Fernando's. He pointed to a box, where they were deposited; but death prevented his discovering his motive for such enormous treachery.

Fernando's letters were exactly in the same strain with Lucilla's. He frequently mentions, that his friends in Spain had solicited him to accept one of the chief appointments in South America; but that he should think the whole world itself no recompense for being absent from his Lucilla. In his last, he reminds her of her vows, with the utmost delicacy and affection. He assures her that, without her, all situations will be equally miserable to him, and conjures her, in the most passionate terms, no longer to trifle with his happiness; for, that he should be obliged to yield to the importunity of his Spanish relations, unless me would again make Sardinia a Paradise, by alluring him of her constancy.

Lucilla was soon informed how cruelly she had been deceived; but, far from complaining, she was almost overcome with joy at the proof of her lover's affection. From that time, she reassumed her former cheerfulness; and, with injuries sufficient to distract any thing less than an angel, I really believe she is the happiest person in the convent. Such are the comforts of religion, and so true is the adage--"Virtue is happiness," that Lucilla's thoughts now rise superior to the world; and, without offending the Deity by heat or impatience, she looks, with tranquil joy, for that moment which will be the commencement of endless bliss, when she and Fernando will be united in Heaven.

I leave you to conceive, my dear Madam, how much her history increased the veneration I before felt for her. Villarias is my author. Her words, enforced by her expressive countenance, are engraven on my heart; but it is impossible to translate them. The youthful Marchioness is no enthusiast in favor of nunneries; but she has made me allow, that, to dispositions and misfortunes like Lucilla's, they afford a comfortable asylum.

TO CAPTAIN SMITH.

Cagliari, September 1st.

MY DEAR SIR,

THE churches here are plainer than one expects in a Roman Catholic country; but many of them are beautifully neat. The altar-pieces are composed of coloured marble, with no other ornaments than plated candlesticks and artificial flowers. We have seen but few paintings, and very little sculpture. The piece which struck us most, was for its singularity as a religious ornament, in one of the chapels of the cathedral. It is a group, with two figures a little detached on each side; neither of whom convey any idea of decency, much less of religion.

The only procession I have seen, I at first mistook for a recruiting party. It was led by a red standard, with drums and fifes playing Malbrook, followed by several detachments of menial ecclesiastics, in party-coloured dresses, with a small crucifix between each division. The rear was brought up by an image of the Virgin Mary, and a chorus. These gentlemen were rather sparing of their music; but what they did perform, was remarkably fine.

Sardinia is now subject to the Duke of Savoy, who by the Quadruple Alliance, was obliged to accept it in lieu of Sicily, which was given to the Emperor. It is 140 miles long, and 70 broad, and contains 420,000 souls. The revenue arises chiefly from a duty upon salt, and is barely sufficient to defray its expences; but it certainly might be considerably augmented, as the soil produces wine, corn, and oil in abundance. Most of the salt that is exported, is taken by the Danes and Swedes; the English formerly took great quantities for Newfoundland, but having found the procuring it from Spain and Portugal more convenient, they now take little or none. A profitable tunny fishery is carried on at the south west part of the island, but it is monopolized by the Duke de St. Pierre, and a few more people, who happen to be proprietors of the adjoining land. Wild boars abound in the hilly parts of the island, and here are

some few deer, not so large as ours, but in colour and make exactly the same. I tasted part of one at the Viceroy's, and found it by no means inferior to our doe venison.

The Feudal System still subsists in a limited degree, and titles go with their estates, so that by purchasing the latter, you inherit the former. The regular troops seldom exceed two thousand men, but the militia amount to near twenty-six thousand, of whom eleven thousand are cavalry. Their horses are small, but uncommonly active. In a charge we should beat them, but on a march they would be superior to us. The country people are generally armed; but notwithstanding their having been so long under the Spanish and Italian government, assassinations are by no means frequent; and yet by the laws of the country, if a man stabs another without premeditated malice, within four hours after quarrelling with him, he is not liable to be hanged. On the other hand, the church affords no protection to the guilty.

The Sardinians are not at all bigoted, and, next to the Spaniards, the English are their favorites. In 1708, the Viceroy was disposed to support the Duke of Anjou, but on the approach of the British fleet, the inhabitants obliged him to acknowledge Charles.

The town stands on the side of an hill, rising from the sea, with a rampart round it. The situation is strong by nature; but the works are much out of repair. The worst of this port is, that, on account of the shoalness of the water, men of war are obliged to lay a long distance from the shore; and, although the bay is of a very considerable extent, yet the channel for large ships is so narrow, that, in working out with a contrary wind, it is difficult to avoid getting aground; but, as the bottom is, in general, soft, touching is attended with no bad consequence but the trouble of getting off.

For several leagues round the hill on which Cagliari stands, the country is almost flat; but, although it appears remarkably fine, it is reckoned prodigiously unhealthy; and it is a known fact, that the night air, in many parts of this island, is a kind of poison to strangers. The harvest is got in. The grapes are ripe; but the vintage has scarce begun. The vines are exactly in the order recommended by Virgil. We rode through several of the vineyards, and found the peasants excessively civil. They loaded us with their best grapes; and it was with the utmost difficulty, that we prevailed upon them to accept any money in return. They dress like the Spaniards, to whom they are still much attached; and I found my understanding Spanish a great recommendation, even with the Noblesse, and the divine Lucilla.

TO CAPTAIN SMITH.

Naples, September 9th.

MY DEAR FRIEND,

We left Sardinia on the 3d instant; on the 7th, at day-light, were in sight of Mount Vesuvius; and, in the evening, we were close to Capria, a small island on the right of the entrance to the bay of Naples, famous for the abode of Tiberius. In size and shape, it is not unlike Gibraltar. The town is in the center of the west side, surrounded and interspersed with vines and evergreens, which give the houses the appearance of so many villas peeping through the trees. This spot is extremely beautiful; but every other part of the island is a bare rock.

When Tiberius, from the consciousness of his crimes, was in perpetual dread of being assassinated, he made choice of Capria, as a place of security. It is totally inaccessible on every part, except at a little bay, which he surrounded with guards, and allowed nobody to enter but by his own invitation. Here he carried on the most abominable debauchery; and the accounts we read of his brutality are confirmed by the number of obscene medals and paintings found in the town.

That which exhibits the beautiful Malonia can never be beheld but with the utmost horror and companion. In those vitiated times, this unfortunate lady lived on terms of the purest affection with her husband, and carefully avoided the Emperor's court. But when, from his age and infirmities, Tiberius was looked upon as totally debilitated, he accidentally met her, and was instantly struck by her beauty. The modesty of her carriage only increased his desire. She was immediately seized by his guards, and conveyed to the palace, where the horrible monster, finding that neither power nor promises, threats nor severity, could tempt Malonia to swerve from her duty, had a machine contrived to force her to his purpose.--On this she is represented, with a countenance full of anguish and distress. The rest is too shocking to describe.

Passing by Capria, with Vesuvius in front, blazing from time to time during the night, we anchored off Naples the next day, and this morning got prattick.

TO CAPTAIN SMITH.

Naples, September 12th.

MY DEAR FRIEND,

WE lost no time in seeing the wonders of this extraordinary country. Our first object was to follow AEneas to the Cuman Shore, and on our way thither, it was but just to pay our oblations at Virgil's Tomb. This celebrated monument is close to the top of the Grotto of Pausilippe, on the left of the east entrance. The inside is a square of twelve feet, with three niches for urns on the east and west sides, two niches and a door, through which you enter, on the south, and the same on the north. The roof is arched, and about nine feet high. The outside was originally octagonal, but the angles being worn away, it is now circular, and at a distance looks like the remains of a small tower. The materials are of the common kind, and I did not observe any marble near it, except two modern inscriptions.

Formerly the tomb was surrounded with laurels, but as every idle visitor took a leaf, there is not a sprig left. We could not help exclaiming against such sacrilege; but our guide endeavoured to comfort us, by saying that the Marquis Salcitro had ordered a new set to be planted.

The Grotto of Pausilippe is at the west end of the suburbs of Naples. It is a public road cut through the mountain, near half a mile in length, and wide enough for two carriages to drive abreast. Its height is very irregular, in some parts eighty feet, and at others only five-and-twenty. In the day time you may see from one end to the other, by the help of two large apertures, cut diagonally from the center of the grotto to the surface of the mount; but at night we were obliged to use torches, which, when any number of vehicles are driving together, have a most beautiful effect. The bottom, like all Naples, is paved with square pieces of lava. Its exact date has not been ascertained. The common people insist that it was done by inchantment, as a proof of which they allege that no stones were found near the entrance. It would be to no purpose to tell them, that those who perforated the mount, very naturally made use of the stone in building the town.

But after all, the difficulty in accomplishing this passage was by no means so great as one would at first imagine, for the stone is so soft, that until it has been for some time exposed to the air, you may crumble it to dust. Neither, in my opinion, is this celebrated excavation equal to the batteries, magazines, and communications, formed in the solid rock of Gibraltar by Mr. Inch, under the direction of General Eliott, and continued with astonishing success by Major-General O'Hara.

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