In the evening the city was illuminated, although this was partially done, and chiefly confined to the public offices, and residences of such individuals as were more particularly anxious to manifest their loyalty. This was repeated on the two succeeding nights.
The entrance of the king, appeared to be the signal for the removal of such persons as were supposed inimical to his government; many were simply ejected from their situations, while others were imprisoned, or had passports sent to them, with notice to quit the kingdom before a certain day; I am not aware that the punishment of death was inflicted on any.
On the 18th we experienced a very hot day; after breakfast, my friend C⸺, Dr. R⸺, and myself, set out to visit Virgil’s tomb; which, notwithstanding they had been there before, we contrived to pass beyond; returning back we discovered it, and having entered a door which led through a small vineyard, began to descend a number of steps, which terminated near the entrance of a stone vault, in which were a number of recesses for the reception of sepulchral urns, each about two feet high and eighteen inches broad; these were formed on a level with the floor, one on either side of the entrance, three in each lateral wall, and two in front, being ten in all.
Some antiquarians have disputed, whether the ashes of the great Mantuan bard ever reposed in this vault; this philosophically and abstractedly taken, perhaps, is a matter of as little consequence to posterity, as to Virgil himself; but in a sentimental point of view, unless they can point out indisputably, the spot where the precious exuviæ of this immortal spirit were actually deposited, it is but a cruel martyrdom of feeling, to attempt to deprive us, the hapless Ciceroni of the day, of the exquisite gratification of an imaginary sepulchretum.
Shortly after this interesting excursion, we determined to cross the bay of Naples to Sorento, the birth-place of Tasso, at the distance of about eighteen miles. Our party consisted of Lieut. B⸺, Mr. D⸺, and myself; we had a short and pleasant passage, and just before the sails were taken in, the crew sung a hymn to the Virgin Mary, to thank her for their safe arrival, and then brought round a box for our contributions to a libation in honour of her. We now found that the town was two miles farther on, and the master prepared a small boat, with part of his crew, to take us there, for which he gave us to understand, we were to pay as much as for the voyage across the bay; notwithstanding he had informed us that his was a Sorento boat, and we had engaged to be taken there. My friends were unwilling to dispute the point; whereas, had it been left to myself, he should not have received a grain beyond his contract, or even that, until he had landed us at the point stipulated for. The impositions to which strangers are subjected in this country, are unbounded, and it requires much art and manœuvring to defend oneself; not that this is particular to Italy, for we have only to look at home, where we find our hackney-coachmen and watermen, ready to avail themselves of a similar licence. My plan is, in the first instance, to gain all possible information as to the proper distances and charges; and then, throwing myself accidentally, as it were, in the way of those persons I wish to engage, to allow them to make the first attack, which they will be sure to do, and which I receive with an indifferent air, laughing at their price, which I know, and declare to be unreasonable, and offering them a very low one;—if it is not accepted, I then walk away, for it is endless staying to argue with them; they will be sure to follow and learn my address, and make more reasonable proposals; in which case, with an appearance of liberality, it is easy to say, that as I am pleased with their civil manners, it induces me to give something more than the regular fare, when the bargain is readily concluded.
On landing, our first object was to make out a comfortable inn for dinner, but we were grievously disappointed. The best one was full and unable to receive us; the second contained nothing to eat; and in the third we found a dirty old man, getting out of one of the six beds, which the room we were to have dined in contained, and from which issued so disgusting a smell, that notwithstanding the keenness of our appetites, we could not reconcile ourselves to continue there. We had recourse to our only alternative, which was to proceed to the house of a gentleman, Captain S⸺, at the distance of two miles, with whom Lieut. B⸺ wished to treat, for summer apartments for his family, thinking we might elicit information as to where a dinner could be procured. Captain S⸺ was dining from home, but we had the pleasure of seeing his lady, whose account of the accommodations of the neighbourhood put us quite in despair. She insisted, however, upon sending for her husband, and had the kindness to give us a refreshment of bread, wine, and oranges, which was truly acceptable. Captain S⸺, on his arrival, with the greatest kindness, offered us not only a dinner, but beds, which, although with reluctance, we felt compelled to accept of.
In the interim, while dinner was in preparation, we walked out to call on an English friend of Mr. B⸺’s, who resided two miles farther off; he was, however, from home; but the attempt to see him, gave us an opportunity of exploring the country; which my friends described as very beautiful, although only visible through occasional interruptions to high stone walls on either side, and which universally bound the roads in this part of the country; and which are so narrow, that it must be impossible for a common-sized waggon to pass along them; they serve, however, at least one good purpose, that of affording shelter from the scorching rays of the sun.
Soon after eight o’clock our dinner was announced, and an excellent one it proved; although, I believe, we should all, under our feelings of hunger, have given the preference to a few mutton chops hastily provided; but the order of things must not be deranged; as we proposed to set off at four in the morning, we were glad to retire to bed immediately after dinner.
In the morning Captain S⸺ had the kindness to get up to see us off, when he sent his servant to conduct us to a much nearer point than Sorento, and which proved to be the individual spot where we had first arrived on the preceding day. We did not reach Naples until nine o’clock, having little wind, so that we had to pull a considerable part of the distance.