SIR,Venice, April 27, 1730.
I wrote to you from Inspruc the very Day before I set out from thence for this Place, to which I arriv'd without any Misfortune. About three quarters of a League from Inspruc we came among very tiresome and disagreeable Mountains, the highest of which is call'd the Brenner, a Name that the Country People gave it when they clear'd it of the Wood, and burnt it. This Mountain is much more rugged on the side of Trent than 'tis towards Inspruc; 'tis for nine Months together cover'd with Snow, and I found a great deal remaining on it still; yet 'tis inhabited to the very Top. There is a Post-House, a Tavern, and a Chapel in which Mass is only said when the Snows
are melted: It produces Corn and Hay in abundance. Near the Post-House there is a considerable Spring which at first forms a large Basin, and then divides into two Torrents which quickly change into Rivers, one whereof falls into the Inn above Inspruc, and the other, after becoming navigable two Leagues from Bolsano, loses itself in the Adige above Trent. The Passage of the Brenner is very painful, and sometimes impracticable when it snows or rains; so that Travellers are often oblig'd to stay several Days till the Return of fair Weather, which is the more inconvenient because the Inns on both Sides are of the worst sort.
Stertzingen a little Town four Post-Stages from Inspruc, has nothing remarkable; however I was well accommodated there. Next Day I went and din'd at Brixen an Episcopal City in an agreeable Valley, where I found the Season very forward. The Country between Brixen and Bolsano is extremely populous, and so manur'd that the steepest Mountains are cultivated.
Bolsano is a pretty Town well inhabited, and drives a considerable Trade, having no less than four Fairs a Year. Its Situation is very agreeable, in the middle of a fine large Valley full of Villages and Vineyards. The Air here is much softer than in the rest of Tirol, and I found Trees here in full Verdure while in the Country they were but just budded. The Vines are very carefully watched by Men who keep Guard in Huts rais'd upon three Poles plac'd cross-wise, and high enough to command the Vineyards. Misson in his Voyage to Italy says, that these Huts or Guerites were for lodging the Guards that are posted to hinder the Bears from eating the Grapes. I know not who could tell him that there were any Bears in this Country, and if there are 'tis hardly probable they would venture into a Valley so populous as that of Bolsano. The
Wines of this Valley are the best in all Tirol; but they must be drank, as must all the Wines of this Country, the very Year of their Growth, or else they grow luscious, and then turn crabbed.
The Valley of Bolsano which extends to Trent is throughout equally agreeable; and is not incumber'd by those horrid Mountains that we were pester'd with in the Road from Inspruc.
Trent is celebrated for the Council formerly held there. I went to see the Church of St. Mary major, where the Fathers of that Council held their Assembly. It has nothing remarkable besides its Organs which are of too enormous a Size for a Church, but are a very curious piece of Work; for they not only exhibit various Sounds, but imitate Vocal Music, the Notes of divers Birds, and the Noise of Kettle-Drums and Trumpets. The Bishop of Trent is a Prince of the Empire. The See is now vacant by the Death of the Count de Wolckenstein the last Bishop. The Chapter has fix'd the Election for next May. A great many Travellers highly extol the Bishop's Palace, but for my own part, I was not so fortunate as to observe any thing in it that was worthy of Attention.
Throughout all Tirol the Common People are very ill-favour'd: Most of the Women are disguis'd by Wens in their Throat[160], and as if that was not enough they disfigure themselves by their Dress. The Country Women wear Stockings which have no Feet, and are gather'd into many little Folds from the Ancle to the Calf of the Leg: Their Shoes are exactly like those the Men wear. Their Petticoats are exceeding short, and ty'd up almost as high as their Breasts which are very large. With all this they have a Pair of Stays which reaches down to
their Waist, and renders them compleatly deform'd. Instead of other Head-dress they wear a green high-crown'd Hat, the Brims of which are let down, and is as unbecoming a part of their Dress as any of the rest. At Brixen the Blood mends, the Women are handsomer, the Men more genteel, and the People in general more civiliz'd; tho' take 'em all together the Tirolese are very honest People. They are staunch zealous Catholics, tho' they say that some of the Peasants, are Lutherans. The Holy Virgin and St. Christopher are the principal Objects of the People's Devotion: The latter is painted on all their Houses, and the Roads are full of little Chapels of the Virgin who is represented in all manner of ways. I have seen her painted in a Chapel standing with a great Veil over her Head which she extended with her Arms to cover the Pope, the Emperor, seven Kings, and as many Electors, who seem to be prostrate at her Knees.