What remains for me to tell you of Bologna is, that 'tis one of the Cities in Italy where a Foreigner finds most Amusement. The Nobility not only strive to give him Pleasure, but he has fine Paintings to feast his Eye, and here are often excellent Concerts of Music, Operas, and Comedies, charming Walks, and genteel Country-Houses; which I take to be all that can be desir'd in Life.
From Bologna I travell'd in two days to Florence, after having been dragg'd in my Chaise thro' the Apennines, a prodigious Range of Mountains; which is a thing I shall never do again while I live; for I really suffer'd very much in this Road, and if ever you should have a fancy to come this way, I would advise you to carry Provisions or a Cook with you, for there is not one considerable Place in all the Road. Fiorenzola, which is almost half way, is a sorry little Town. From thence to Scarperia the Road is extremely rugged. One descends a high Mountain pav'd like a Stair-case, which to attempt in a Chaise, you are sure of being, if I may so call it, broke upon the Wheel, and therefore I chose to walk down. At Scarperia the Road becomes more passable, and it mends as you come near Florence. In our Way we pass'd thro' a Town call'd Ponte that stands at the Foot of a Hill, where the Great Duke has a Castle which appear'd to me to be very well fortify'd.
One perceives Florence a great way off, and indeed it makes a fine point of View to see so great a City in a beautiful Valley between Hills which rise insensibly, and end at length in high Mountains, inhabited in such a manner that they may be reckon'd the Suburbs of Florence. The River Arno passes thro' both the City and the Valley. Among all the Cities of Italy, Florence may justly be surnamed the Fair, since it has all that can be desir'd in a great and wealthy Town, such as sacred and profane Edifices,
Bridges, Monuments, and Fountains; yet 'tis not so large nor populous as Bologna. As I enter'd Florence I perceived over the Gate a Table of white Marble with a Latin Inscription on it, as follows:
Florentia, Adventu Friderici IV. Daniæ et Norvegiæ, Augusti, Felicis, quod eam sua Præsentia magnus Hospes impleverit, Augusta felix, An. S. 1708. Mense Martio.
'Twas the late Great Duke Cosmo who caus'd this to be engrav'd to the Honour of the King of Denmark.
The City of Florence has been so well describ'd that I shall pass very briefly over all that relates to the Buildings. The Square call'd Piazza del Gran Duca or the old Palace, contains Ornaments enough to embellish a great Town. Here you see a spacious Fountain which Cosmo I. caus'd to be built after the Designs of Amminati and Philip Baldinucci, two of the most famous Sculptors at that Time. Not far from this Fountain is the Equestrian Statue of Cosmo I. which is rais'd upon a great Pedestal of white Marble, with this Inscription engrav'd on the chief Front of it:
Cosmo Medici, Magno Etruriæ Duci Primo, Pio, Felici, Invicto, Justo, Clementi, Sacræ Militiæ Pacisque in Etruria Authori, Patri et Principi Optimo, Ferdinandus F. Mag. Dux III. erexit, An.ciɔ iɔ lxxxxiiii.
On the other three Sides of the Pedestal are very fine Bas-Reliefs of Brass. The first represents Cosmo I. recogniz'd for Sovereign by the Senate of