After Waterloo: Reminiscences of European Travel 1815-1819

by William Edward Frye

NAPLES, Octr. 5th.

In Naples the squares or Piazze are called Larghi; they are exceedingly irregular as to shape; a trapezium would be the most appropriate denomination for them. The Largo di Medina is situated close to the Mole and light house and is not far from the Largo del Palazzo where the Royal Palace stands, nor from the Strada di Toledo, which is the most bustling part of the town. On the Mole and sometimes in the Largo di Medini Pulcinello holds forth all day long, quacks scream out the efficacy of their nostrums and improvisatori recite battles of Paladins. Here and in the Strada di Toledo the noise made by the vendors of vegetables, fruit, lemonade, iced water and water-melons, who on holding out their wares to view, scream out "O che bella cosa!"—the noise and bustle of the cooks' shops in the open air and the cries of "Lavora!" made by the drivers of calessini (sort of carriage) makes such a deafening tintamarre that you can scarcely hear the voice of your companion who walks by your side. In the Largo del Palazzo there is always a large assembly of officers and others, besides a tolerable quantity of ruffiani, who fasten upon strangers in order to recommend to them their female acquaintances. A little further is the Quai of St Lucia, where the fish market is held, and here the cries increase. The quantity of fish of all sorts caught in the bay and exposed for sale in the market is immense and so much more than can be sold, that the rest is generally given away to the Lazzaroni. Here are delicious mullets, oysters, whitings, soles, prawns, etc. There is on the Quai of St Lucia a restaurant where naught but fish is served, but that is so well dressed and in such variety that amateurs frequently come to dine here on maigre days; for two carlini[95] you may eat fish of all sorts and bread at discretion. The wine is paid for extra. On the Quai of St Lucia is a fountain of mineral water which possesses the most admirable qualities for opening the primae viae and purifying the blood. It is an excellent drink for bilious people or for those afflicted with abdominal obstructions and diseases of the liver. It has a slight sulfurous mixed with a ferruginous taste, and is impregnated with a good deal of fixed air, which makes it a pleasant beverage. It should be taken every morning fasting. The presidency over this fountain is generally monopolized by a piscatory nymph who expects a grano for the trouble of filling you a glass or two. In reaching it to you she never fails to exclaim "Buono per le natiche," and it certainly has a very rapid effect; I look upon it as more efficacious than the Cheltenham waters and it is certainly much more agreeable in taste. At the end of the Quai of St Lucia is the Castello dell 'Uovo, a Gothic fortress, before the inner gate of which hangs an immense stuffed crocodile. This crocodile is said to have been found alive in the fossé of the castle, but how he came there has never been explained; there is an old woman's story that he came every day to the dungeon where prisoners were confined, and took out one for his dinner. The Castello dell 'Uovo stands on the extremity of a tongue of land which runs into the sea. After passing the Castello dell 'Uovo I came to the Chiaia or Quai properly so called, which is the most agreeable part of Naples and the favorite promenade of the beau-monde. The finest buildings and Palazzi line the Chiaia on the land side and above them all tower the Castle of St Elmo and the Chartreuse with several villas intervening. The garden of the Chiaia contains gravel walks, grass plots, alleys of trees, fountains, plantations of orange, myrtle and laurel trees which give a delightful fragrance to the air; and besides several other statues, it boasts of one of the finest groups in Europe, called the Toro Farnese. It is a magnificent piece of sculpture and represents three men endeavouring to hold a ferocious bull. It is a pity, however, that so valuable a piece of sculpture should be exposed to the vicissitudes of the season in the open air. The marble has evidently suffered much by it. Why is such a valuable piece of sculpture not preserved in the Museum?

On the Chiaia are restaurants and cafés. 'Tis here also that the nobility display their carriages and horses, it being the fashionable drive in the afternoon: and certainly, except in London, I have never seen such a brilliant display of carriages as at Naples.

The principal street at Naples is the Strada di Toledo. It resembles the Rue St Honoré and can boast of as much wealth in its shops. The houses are good, solid and extremely lofty, and the streets are paved with lava. There are two excellent restaurants at Naples, one in the Largo del Palazzo, nearly opposite the Royal Palace, called the Villa di Napoli; the other not far from it in the Strada di Toledo, called La Corona di Ferro. Naples is renowned for the excellency of its ices. You have them in the shape of all kinds of fruit and wonderfully cheap. Many of the ice houses and caffès remain open day and night; as do some of the gaming tables, which are much frequented by the upper classes. The theatre of St Carlo, which was consumed last year by fire, is rising rapidly from its ashes and will soon be finished. In the mean time Operas are performed at the Teatro Fondi, a moderate sized theatre. I here saw performed the opera of Don Giovanni of Mozart, with the ballo of La pazza per amore. Mme Colbran, a Spanish lady, is the Prima Donna and an excellent singer.

In all the private societies at Naples a great deal of gaming goes on, and at some houses those visitors, who do not play, are coolly received. The following may be considered as a very fair specimen of the life of a young man of rank and fashion at Naples. He rises about two p.m., takes his chocolate, saunters about in the Strada di Toledo or in the Largo del Palazzo for an hour or two, then takes a promenade à cheval on the Chiaia; dines between six and seven; goes to the Opera where he remains till eleven or half-past eleven; he then saunters about in the different Cafés for an hour or two; and then repairs to the gaming table at the Ridotto, which he does not quit till broad daylight. The ladies find a great resource in going to church, which serves to pass away the time that is not spent in bed, or at the Opera, or at the promenade en voiture. The ladies seldom take exercise on foot at Naples. There being very little taste for litterature in this vast metropolis, the most pleasant society is among the foreign families who inhabit Naples or at the houses of the Corps diplomatique. There is, however, a good cabinet littéraire and library in the Strada di San Giacomo, where various French and Italian newspapers may be read. The Austrians occupy the greater part of the military posts at Naples; at the Royal Palace however the Sicilian guards do duty; they are clothed in scarlet and à anglaise.

NAPLES, 8th Octr.

One day I went to visit the Museum or Studii, as it is called, which is situated at the extremity of the Strada di Toledo on the land side. Here is a superb collection of sculpture and painting; and this building contains likewise the national library, and a choice and unique collection of Etruscan vases. A large hall contains these vases, which were found at Pompeii[96]; they are much admired for their beauty and simplicity; each vase has a mythological or historical painting on it. In this Museum I was shewn the rolls of papyrus found in Pompeii and Herculaneum and the method of unrolling them. The work to unroll which they are now employed at this Museum is a Greek treatise on philosophy by Epicurus. It is a most delicate operation to unroll these leaves, and with the utmost possible care it is impossible to avoid effacing many of the letters, and even sentences, in the act of unrolling. It must require also considerable learning and skill in the Greek language, combined with a good deal of practise, to supply the deficiency of the words effaced. When these manuscripts are put in print, the letters that remain on the papyrus are put in black type, and the words guessed at are supplied in red; so that you see at one glance what letters have been preserved, and what are supplied to replace those effaced by the operation of unrolling; and in this manner are all the papyrus manuscripts' printed.

Visit to Pompeii and Ascent of Vesuvius.

11th Oct.

We returned, Mr R—— D—— and I, from our visit to Vesuvius, half dead with fatigue from having had little or no rest the whole night, about three o'clock to Naples.