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.
LETTER IV.
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.
On the second night after our arrival, Count André gave us a ball at the palace. The dances were all English, except two: the first was La Courance; the other, a Sardinian. It consists of an unlimited number of ladies and gentlemen, who stand in a ring, and dance several times round the centre, in short steps, to a measure, something like the slow time of a Fandango. Every now and then, the whole close; and the men, with an imitation of neighing, first kick their legs forward, then throw them back, fall on their knees, and spring to their places. The ring now opens, and the two ends turning outwards, lead round till they join. After footing it a little thus back to back, the former manœuvre is repeated, to bring the ring to its original position, and the dance is ended. The ball concluded with Country Bumpkin, to the great delight of the Sardinians, who had never seen it properly danced. I had the pleasure of dancing that, as well as La Courance, and another with the charming Villarias. Different ices were served between the dances, and we broke up about an hour after midnight. We were introduced to near twenty ladies, but none of them are worth a particular description but the three I have named.
The Viceroy is a man of good understanding, and of accomplished manners. He was formerly Governor of Nice, and always remarkable for his partiality to the English. One afternoon when we were almost en famille, he said, "Allons en Angleterre," and led us into another room, where we found a complete tea-table. He was highly pleased at the agreeable surprise he saw in our countenances, and we were equally charmed with his flattering attention. He has had some of us to dine with him every day, and always sends his carriages for us. Let this, my dear friend, be a lesson to us to treat strangers with attention. We are always sure of receiving it abroad, and it is shameful not to return it at home. His son, the Chevalier de Revel, possesses all the politeness of the French, with the sincerity of the English. He has been in every part of England, and speaks our language very fluently.