The town itself, both as relates to its public and private buildings, is not only handsome, but in many respects magnificent, and the streets spacious and well paved. It is justly entitled to its appellation of La bella Fiorenza. The only fault attached to it, in my opinion, is its climate; beyond this nothing is wanting.
The week which we passed in this delightful capital flew away with rapidity, and left behind it the impressions of a magic dream; indeed we found ourselves under a state something similar to fascination, so that the longer we remained, the more agreeable its pleasures and society became; and the more enjoyment we partook of, the more appeared to remain unenjoyed. The most prudent plan which suggested itself, was to engage places in a voiture beforehand, for a fixed day, by which means we should find ourselves compelled to depart.
I can scarcely particularize all our employment in the interim, which was devoted to utility as well as amusement. We spent our mornings at the studios, museums, churches, &c.; the afternoon, in the society of the many friends whom we found here. On the Tuesday evening there was a grand procession in the piazza del duomo, or square of the cathedral, a large open place well paved with flag-stones; after which we attempted to visit the large theatre, called the Pergola, but were disappointed, as the house was full in every part, in consequence of the performance being for the benefit of their principal actor David, whose father, an old man of seventy-five, and long since retired from the stage, came forward to sing on the occasion. We were the more concerned at the disappointment, as it was certain that we should have no future night to appropriate to the same purpose.
Friday was St. Peter’s day, and observed as a grand fête, although with nothing like the magnificence displayed at Rome, where it is considered, next to Easter, the grandest festival of the year: the church of St. Peter’s is at the latter place illuminated on this occasion, and an old bronze figure of the saint dressed up in papal robes, decorated with immense numbers of diamonds; they are obliged, however, to protect him with soldiers, lest some of his worshippers should carry their zeal so far, as to endeavour to appropriate these ornaments for their private devotions.
On Saturday we paid our last visit to the celebrated gallery of Florence; but it must not be expected, that I can detail the various statues, and other curiosities, which this museum of the fine arts contains: was I to make the attempt, it would only embrace a repetition of what former travellers have largely, and perhaps many of them tediously, detailed.
Of course the Venus di Medici was the first object of our attention; but I must candidly confess, that I would prefer the possession of a plain amiable countrywoman of my own, whose mind I could admire, to this paragon of beauty, or all the Venuses, animate or inanimate, which Italy possesses. Not but that I am willing to profess myself fully sensible to the magic of beauty, and to admit that Italy possesses its share, as well as many amiable and estimable women; notwithstanding the manners, habits, and system of education, of the country is generally unpropitious to their production.
After the Venus, we were introduced to the Whetter, the Wrestler, the Dancing Fawn, the little Apollo, the flying Mercury, and the unhappy family of Niobe; as well as various others, whose names I cannot remember.
Before leaving Florence, I found it necessary to get a new passport from our ambassador; the old one having been filled up at every point with signs and countersigns, until the original writing was nearly lost in the midst of marginal additions, as well as unintelligible from the length of service it had undergone. After getting the new passport from our ambassador, it was necessary to procure the signatures of two departments of the police, the pope’s legate (to pass through a part of the Roman states,) the Austrian, Piedmontese ambassadors, and also the agent of the Swiss cantons, in expectation of getting through all these states without farther trouble; but our expectations in this respect were not realized; for they always contrive, in large towns, to create some necessity or other for additional signatures.
At length the day arrived for our departure for Milan, and, on Tuesday the 3rd of July, we took a final leave of Florence. In the early part of the day, before we began to ascend the Apennines, it was warm and pleasant, but after we reached these more elevated regions, it became so cold and cloudy, that we expected a fall of snow. In the afternoon we quitted the Tuscan territory with little trouble, but on arriving within the Roman states, were detained for some time, and all our baggage examined and leaded: this they made us pay for; but it had the good effect of enabling us to pass through Bologna, and out of the pope’s territories, without farther interruption. We stopped for the night at a solitary house in the Apennines, thirty-eight miles from Florence, which as we had five successive days to travel, although our horses and the roads were particularly good, was too long a day’s journey in so mountainous a country.