At my Return from this Ramble I found at my Lodgings the Duke de S——, who came to carry me to the Assembly at Madame de S——. The Company there was not very numerous, nor did I find it any more diverting than that to which I was introduc’d before: There were few Ladies, and scarce any Gentlemen of the Sword, but Abbes in Abundance: I plainly perceiv’d, that the Assemblies at Rome were not the most entertaining to a Foreigner, and therefore I resolv’d, which I think was much better, to employ myself in viewing the various Curiosities of the City. I went to the Capitol, being every where accompany’d by my trusty Antiquarian: ’Tis a Building compos’d of Three distinct Apartments, detach’d from one another; Two of which form the advanc’d Wings, and all Three are built of Free-Stone: They stand upon a Hill, to which is an Ascent by a great Marble Stair-case: The Court before this Building is a spacious Oval, to which is a Descent by Three Steps of Marble: In the middle is the Equestrian Statue of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius, a noble Remnant of Antiquity.
From the Capitol I went to the Pope’s Palace, call’d Monte-Cavallo, from the Name of the Hill on which it stands. This of all the Palaces of Rome is one that enjoys the finest Prospect, and the best Air: It was built by Order of Pope
Paul V. The Gardens which belong to it are large, but not so beautiful, as to be answerable to the Magnificence of the Palace. After having sufficiently view’d it, I return’d to my Quarters, where I had appointed the Marquis de A—— to come and go along with me to the Cardinal Corsini. His Eminency, who had an Assembly at is House every Night, gave me a very kind Reception, and I found a numerous Company there, which was much more to my Satisfaction than the Two Assemblies I had been at before. The Cardinal did the Honours of his House perfectly well, and took Care that every body should have a Part, either at Play, or in Conversation. I paid my Court to him constantly, and did not fail to be at his Assembly every Night, till I left the City: The rest of the Time I spent in rambling thro’ the several Quarters of Rome, to see what was most remarkable.
After having made this Progress thro’ the Inside of the City, I had a Mind also to view the Out-parts: I was conducted to the famous Vineyards of the Pamphili and Borghese Families, which the Italians prefer before all the Gardens in Europe; wherein I am not quite of their Opinion. The Statues in these Vineyards are, to my Mind, not to be parallel’d of the Sort, but, as to the Agriculture or Waters, the Gardens of France outstrip them by far. At the Entrance of the Borghese Vineyard is a large Portico of Marble, which fronts a Walk, at the End whereof is a very large Square, encompass’d with a Marble Balustrade, adorn’d with Statues of the same. This Square serves as a Court to the House, which is not very large, but contains immense Wealth in Statues and Paintings. The Outside is fac’d with Basso-Relievo’s of Marble,
amongst which the Statue of Quintus Curtius on Horseback, casting himself headlong into the Gulph, is especially to be admir’d.
The Pamphili’s Vineyard is in my Opinion the finest Place in the Suburbs of Rome. The Gardens have an Air of Grandeur and Proportion, which I have not observ’d any where else. The Outside and Inside of the House are lin’d alike with Basso-Relievo’s of Marble of admirable Workmanship. There are also noble Statues, but most of ’em a little damag’d, by reason of the various Fits of Devotion and Lukewarmness of a Prince Pamphili, who did these Statues irreparable Injury: For this Prince, in the first hot Fits of his Devotion, caus’d the Nudities of the Statues of this Garden to be plaister’d over; but when that Zeal was abated, he had a Mind to see his Statues again in their former Condition, which being not possible to be done without breaking off the Plaister with the Strokes of a Hammer; the Workman, for Want of due Care, gave some by which several of those Statues were considerably damaged.
All the various Curiosities took up a great deal of my Time, as well as the famous Borghese and Farnese Palaces, those of Colonna, Palavicini, Barberini, and others, the Description of which I omit. After having thus satisfy’d myself, I thought of being introduced to the Pope, and for that Purpose apply’d to the Cardinal del Giudice, to whom I had Letters of Recommendation, as I had to the Cardinals Gualtieri and Ottoboni. I had the Honour to have favourable Audiences of all their three Eminencies. As I was a German, I paid my first Visit to the Cardinal del Giudice, who at that Time had the Care of the Emperor’s Affairs. After a short Stay
in his Antichamber, I was Introduc’d to an Audience of him by one of his Gentlemen. This Prelate was not well that Day, and I found him in his Night-Gown, lying on a Couch-Bed; but as soon as he saw me enter, he rose and advanc’d to receive me; after which he sat down again, and made me take an Arm-Chair over-against him. When the Audience was over, he got up, and conducted me to the very Door of his Chamber, where I found his Eminency’s Gentlemen, two of whom waited on me to the Head of the Stairs, and another went down with me, and attended me to my Coach.
Cardinal Gualtieri receiv’d me also in a most obliging Manner. He gave me Audience in his Closet, where, after the first Greeting, he sat down in an Arm-Chair, made me do the like, and oblig’d me to be cover’d: I was very loth to take that Liberty, but he would be obey’d; and in this Situation I stay’d an Hour at least. I was charm’d with the Behaviour of this Prelate, who of all the Cardinals took the least State upon him. The Tokens he gave me of his Kindness, made me attach myself to him; and I was very assiduous in my Attendance upon him all the Time that I stay’d at Rome. He sent one of his Gentlemen with me to the Cardinal Ottoboni, Protector of the Affairs of France, whom I found in his Closet standing, and in that Posture he remain’d all the Time of my Visit. When I withdrew, I was attended in the same Manner as I had been at the House of the Cardinal del Giudice.
After I had made a Visit to these three Cardinals, the Cardinal del Giudice introduced me to the Pope, who was at that Time Clement XI. of the Albani Family. The Cardinal had an Audience