From Pisa I went in a Day to Florence[17], the Capital of Tuscany, and the ordinary Residence of the Great Dukes. ’Tis call’d Florence
the Fair, and not without Reason; for ’tis one of the largest and finest Cities in Europe.
The Cathedral Church is a magnificent and most spacious Pile: The Outside is fac’d all over with Marble of various Colours: The Inside contains immense Treasures, in Pictures, Statues, and other most curious Pieces. Near the Cathedral is a Church commonly call’d the Chapel of the Baptistery, which is also intirely fac’d with Marble. The Church of the Annunciade is another Structure in the high Stile; in every Part of which are stately Paintings, Works in Gold, Brass, &c. the whole of the utmost Delicacy: Yet notwithstanding the Richness of these Buildings, it may be said without Aggravation, that they are trifling in Comparison with the stately Church of St. Lawrence. ’Tis of a Hexagon Figure: In the Middle of every Front is a double Pilaster of Jasper, with a Chapiter of Brass gilt, which supports a Cornice and an Entablature of the same, each Pilaster representing the Emblems of precious Stones. At the six Angles there are six Tombs of very costly Marble, and over each a Cushion sprinkled with precious Stones, which supports very rich Crowns plac’d at the Foot of the Statues of the Great Dukes: These Statues, which are of Brass gilt, and twice as big as the Life, are plac’d in Niches of black Marble. The Pedestals of the six Tombs are overcast with Porphyry and a sort of Agat call’d Chalcedony, on which are inscrib’d, in Letters of Gold, the Epitaphs of the Princes whose Bodies are therein contain’d. All the rest of the Wall is lin’d with the best Marble, and costly Stones plac’d in Compartiments or Pannels, the Squares of which are of Brass gilded: The High Altar is of Lapis Lazuli or
Azure-stone inrich’d with Jewels. The Thing which strikes the Eye most of all is the Tabernacle, the Magnificence whereof is worthy of the rest. In a Word, I take it to be the only Building that can compare with the famous Temple of Solomon, of which there is so glorious a Description in the Scriptures.
Every one knows that ’twas the famous Cosmo di Medicis who laid the Foundations of the Principality of Florence, and that ’twas Pope Pius IV. who gave it the Title of the Great Duchy. When I came hither, the Great Duke Cosmo III. was still living, who, tho’ very old, had a great deal of Vigour. He was a Man of the most civil Behaviour in the World, which, added to his fair Hair, gain’d him the Love and Veneration of all that approach’d him. I had the Honour to pay my Devoirs to him one Evening, as I was introduc’d to an Audience of him by his First Minister. I found him all alone in the Room, standing and leaning against a Table, upon which were two Wax Candles; After I had made my Obeisance to him, he cover’d himself, and bad me be cover’d too: I intreated him to humour the profound Respect I had for his Highness so far as to let me remain uncover’d; but then he took off his Hat, and press’d me to put on mine, which I did as soon as he was cover’d, in conformity to this grand Maxim, That ’tis the Duty of private Men to keep in the Posture which Princes require of them: But I will own frankly, that it gave me some Uneasiness to speak with my Hat upon my Head to a Prince of the Great Duke’s Age and Dignity. His Highness, before he enter’d into Conversation with me, ask’d me whether I spoke Italian? I told him that I could talk it a little, but that
I did not think I understood enough of it to undertake to speak it in the Presence of so great a Prince as he: To this he made Answer, And I can speak some broken French. Nevertheless, he did me the Honour to talk with me a good while in that Language, with abundance of Good-nature. Next Day I got myself introduc’d to the Great Prince by Mr. Tyrrel, a Gentleman of his Bedchamber. The Prince receiv’d me very kindly, said he remember’d that he had seen Madamoiselle de Pollnitz, my Cousin, attending the late Queen at Berlin, and that he was at my Mother’s House while he stay’d in Germany; and he offer’d me his Protection upon all Occasions whenever I wanted it. This Prince was married to a Princess of Saxe-Lawenbourg, Dowager of the Prince Palatine of Newbourg, who was the Elector Palatine’s Brother.
The Great Duke Cosmo III. who died in 1723, married Margaret Louisa of Orleans, Daughter of Gaston of France, Duke of Orleans, Brother of Lewis XIII. by whom he had two Sons and a Daughter. The eldest Son, whose Name was Ferdinand de Medicis, died at Florence, October 30, 1713. without any Issue by his Wife, who was Violante Beatrix of Bavaria. The second, now the Great Duke, is John Gaston de Medicis[18]. The Princess, his Sister, is Anna-Maria-Louisa of Florence[19], who married the Elector Palatine, John William of Newbourg; and after that Prince’s Death retir’d to the Dominions of the Great Duke, in which she usually resides.
The Palace of the Great Duke is the most stately Building that one can see. All the Relations of Travellers give very large Descriptions of it, but they may be all said to come far short of the real State of it. The Gallery especially is a matchless Piece: ’Tis about 400 Feet long, and has a Row of antique Statues and Busts on each Side. This Gallery leads into several Rooms, which are all full of the greatest Curiosities one would wish to see. In one there are the Pictures of all the famous Painters done by themselves: The second is adorn’d with Porcellane of all Sorts: There is a Table too of great Beauty, inlaid with precious Stones. The other Rooms contain Pictures, Antiquities, and wonderful fine Cabinets of inlaid Work: I was particularly surpriz’d at a couple of Pictures in Wax in one of these Rooms, which are both fine Rarities; but the Artist could not have chose a more melancholy Subject; for the one represents a Church-yard, and the other a City infected with a Plague. There is no looking upon these two Pictures without being struck at the same time with Admiration and Horror.
There is a Piece that makes Part of the Gallery which is worthy of a nice Observation: ’Tis an Octagon Saloon pav’d with Marble of various Colours: The Walls are hung with Crimson Velvet; and the Ceiling of the Dome is lin’d with Mother of Pearl, which makes a very fine Effect. But among all the Rarities which this stately Saloon contains, nothing is comparable to the Great Duke’s famous Diamond: I saw the Model of it, which is all that they now shew of it; the present King of Denmark being the last Person to whom the late Great Duke shew’d it in 1769, which creates a Suspicion