of the same thing over again in Life, which is by no means suitable to a Sovereign Court.
From Modena I went to Reggio, a City and Bishoprick between Parma and Modena. This Town is noted for its Fairs, which are said to have some Resemblance with ours at Francfort and Leipsic. I have been told, that during these Fairs there’s always a noble Opera perform’d in this Town.
From Reggio I struck into the Road to Parma, an Episcopal City, and Capital of a Duchy of the same Name. The Cathedral is a magnificent Pile, and the Dome is adorn’d with Paintings, which are much admir’d by the best Judges. As to the rest of the City, it appear’d to me to be large and very well built. Its Inhabitants are polite, generous and ingenious, and there’s a good Number of Nobility here, but they live so much after the Italian manner, that ’tis not an easy Matter to get acquainted with them.
The Court of Parma is but little, if any thing, gayer than that of Modena: I was perfectly well receiv’d by the then Duke, viz. Francis Farnese, who, by a Dispensation, of which there are few Examples in the Catholic Church, had marry’d his Brother’s Widow. This Princess is call’d Dorothy of Neubourg: She is Sister of the Elector Palatine, and had by her first Husband Elizabeth Farnese, the present Queen of Spain: She having no Issue by her second, the Duchy of Parma, by the Death of Duke Francis Feb. 22, 1727, devolv’d to his Brother Anthony Farnese, who marry’d Henrietta Princess of Modena. As there is Reason to believe that this Marriage too will
prove sterile, the famous Farnese Family, which owes its Advancement to Paul III. will be extinct in this Anthony. The said Pope, a little after his Exaltation to the Pontificate, gave the Investiture of the Dominions of Parma and Placentia to Lewis Farnese his Bastard, who marry’d a Bastard Daughter of the Emperor Charles V. yet this double Bastardy has not been a Bar to the matching of this with the chief Families in Europe.
I stay’d Three Days at Parma, and then proceeded on my Journey; I pass’d thro’ Piacenza or Placentia, so call’d from its pleasant Situation; Nature having not form’d a finer Country any where than that betwixt this City and Parma: Here is a very fine Castle, and a noble Square, in which is the Court of Justice. The Houses are very well built, but not lofty, tho’ indeed it would not signify any thing if they were higher, it being so thinly inhabited, that it looks like a Desert; for sometimes one shall walk a long while in this City, and not meet a Soul.
I stay’d but a Day at Piacensa, and went directly to Milan, the capital City of one of the finest Duchies in the World: ’Tis one of the most beautiful Cities in all Italy, and the most magnificent in Buildings, both sacred and profane. The Metropolitan Church is, next to St. Peter’s at Rome, one of the finest Pieces of Work that can be imagin’d: ’Tis all white Marble within and without, and there’s a great Number of Statues of the same. The Roof is supported by 160 Columns of white Marble, which are each valued at 10,000 Crowns. The Tower at the Top of it is also worth visiting, its Situation
being so advantagious, that one sees several Cities from it, and a good Part of Lombardy.
There are several other noble Churches, of which I don’t propose to give you a Description, nor of many other elegant Structures, that are likewise richly furnish’d; for the Milanese Gentry love Magnificence: Their Apartments have a certain grand and noble Air, which the Italians for most part rarely affect. The People of Quality here are very sociable: There’s an Assembly every Night at one House or other by Turns, and in all Places there’s great Freedom. Every one has his favourite Amusement; some chat, others play. They commonly sup together, after the Gaming is over, and sometimes they have a sort of Ball. You perceive, Madame, by what I have already said of Milan, that ’tis a very agreeable Place to live in: I forgot to mention one distinguishing Quality of the Milanese, which is, that they are not at all jealous, a Fault that seems so predominant in the Temper of the Italians, that I cannot imagine how they escape it.
You must know, that never was City subject to more Revolutions than Milan: It has been besieg’d 40 times, and 22 times taken, but was never worse treated than it was by the Emperor Frederic I. surnam’d Barbarossa. This Prince, after he had taken it, caus’d it to be demolish’d, and sow’d it with Salt; only a few Churches were spar’d. The Duchy of Milan, which, by its Situation, lies convenient for many Sovereigns, has always prov’d a Source of Wars for Italy: You have read no doubt in several Histories, what Misfortunes this Duchy has entail’d upon the neighbouring Provinces, especially during the Reigns of Charles V. and Francis I. King of