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The 6th volume of the Linnean Society will be soon published. THE MONTHLY EPITOME, FOR FEBRUARY, 1802. XV. SKETCHES and OBSERVATIONS taken on a Tour through the South of Europe. By JENS WOLFF. 410. pp. 251, boards. 18s. Richard son.. TH HIS tour was made in the year 1785, by Mr. Wolff, in company with Mr. Noring, secretary to the Swedish minister at the British court. It contains a brief description of the principal places in their route, interspersed with historical sketches, and a recital of occurrences displaying a variety of characters they met with in their journey. The arrival at Lisbon, after a voyage of eight days, presents us with an account of the surrounding country, as well as a brief description of the city, and the manners of the Portuguese. After a short stay, our travelfers set out for the capital of Spain. -Several incidents are noticed on the road between Lisbon and Madrid, among which is an adventure at Bajados. Having received a letter of introduction, the day before, to Don Antonio de Cantalaria, the chief magistrate of Bajados, says our Author, we went in immediate search of this enlightened character, but found him, alas in dismal occupation, and by no means prepared to honour his friend's recommendation. He was perambulating the streets; in one hand holding a lantern of substantial horn, in the other a box, to which was attached a clamorous bell, and wholly occupied in requesting the stray passengers to drop a few reals in honour of the Holy Ghost. On presenting our letter, the illustrious bellman held out his box, and was some time before he could be made VOL. I. to understand the motive of our thus disturbing his pious avocation, which, however, at last perceiving, he de sired our visit might be adjourned to the following day. Apologizing for the interruption, and dropping some small pieces into his collecting box, we left Don Antonio to augment the treasure of the Holy Ghost, and repaired to the venta, where a better reception awaited us." It is added, "the inns, termed posadas, or ventas, in Spain, are much superior to those in Por tugal; but, without previously supplying the host with dinero, or money to go to market and purchase provi sions, the fare would be but indifferent. A charge is afterwards made for cooking, trouble, and the use of the cama, or room, and mattress." P. 26, 27. Leaving Bajados, the travellers pass "Merida, (an ancient town, former ly Emerita Augusta, the capital of Lusitania, and built by Augustus, but now nearly deserted) Miajadas, Truxillo, the birth place of Pizarro, and come to Naval Moral, the first town in New Castile, where," says Mr. Wolff, "we took in some skins of wine, which proved agreeably refreshing on the road. As it is unusual to travel with wine-glasses, our muleteer soon taught us the method of drinking from a leathern bag with a horn-spout, without touching it with our lips. The distance the muleteers thus pour wine into their mouths at first appears surprising; it is, however, a cleanly practice, and, at the same time, renders the liquor cool. Water is usually carried in small red jars, which are frequently replenishred, and closely stopped, to keep out flies, musquitoes, and other insects. The land carriages, which convey articles of merchandize, provisions, &c. to the interior, are all drawn by oxen, chiefly of a white colour, of which we frequently met fifty in a string. Cheese is here made from goat's milk, and hog's-lard used instead of butter. Numerous droves of black hogs are a great impediment to travelling in this country." p. 30, 31. Several other places are named, at one of which our Author notices the prevailing superstition of the country; observing, that the Spanish mufes are adorned with bells, which are marked with a crucifix. The motive for this is," that the devil cannot come within hearing of the consecrated peal. From a similar precau tion, the wheels of carriages drawn by oxen in Portugal are seldom or never greased, the infernal spirits being said to hate all discordant sounds." Proceeding to Madrid, Mr. Wolff describes the city, with the manners and customs of its inhabitants, and informs us, that their public amusements are confined to the theatre and bull-fights. Of the latter he gives a particular account. We have also a description of the monastery of Escurial, which was dedicated to St. Lawrence, who suffered martyrdom by being broiled on a gridiron. Every part of the building is constructed with reference to the instrument of his death. The main fabric itself bears that form; it is also sculptured on the gates, painted on the windows and altars, and marked on the sacerdotal habits. ... The front of the building, exhibiting three hundred windows, may give some idea of the splendour of the whole. It is here the royal family occasionally reside. The situation is very unfruitful, but produces a kind of bastard granite in abundance. It seems to have been decided to bring the palace to the quarry, rather than materials from the latter to a spot more fertile and appropriate, and where a structure of such magnitude might have appeared to greater advantage. When the court resides here, the Hieronymites, in number about two hundred, remove to the wings of the convent." Added to this account is an extract from Twiss's Travels, specifying some of the relics, which are kept in high preservation in this place. p. 54. In Madrid, the use of chimneys is little known, braziers being preferred, on which a kind of frankincense is continually strewed, which gives an excellent odour." Here the Author introduces the following occurrence: "Although I had various letters of introduction in this capital, some of which were of essential service to me, I cannot avoid mentioning the reception I met with at the house of a banker. On being shewn into an apartment, where I waited a few minutes before I could deliver my credentials, my attention was attracted by a sentence written in characters of gold on the wall, intimating, that nothing could be 'more ennuyant to men of business, ⚫ than the visits of those who have little 'to do.' This hint was too palpable to be mistaken; I threw my letter and card on the table, and retired, as Don Pedro was entering the room." In the road from Madrid to Barcelona, says Mr. W. "We saw about this time a number of grasshoppers, or locusts, which move in swarms, and in some years are so fatal to vegetation, as to destroy the cultivation of an entire province. They are headed by a particular one of the species, and thus not unaptly compared to an army. Premiums are sometimes given for extirpating these pernicious animals.” p. 67. From Barcelona, the journey is pursued to Marseilles, through Canetta, Girona, and Jonquiere, the last town in Catalonia: after passing the River Tet, our travellers ascend the Pyrenean mountains, the scenery of which, the Author writes, "we could not sufficiently admire. The road occasionally wound between steeps, whose tops rose with increased grandeur as we advanced, and sometimes lay along the edge of precipices and declivities, dark with woods, that stretched downward into the narrow vallies. "Having now taken a farewell of the Spanish territories, we were, on entering France, stopped at Belle. garde by the officers of the customs, who examined our passports and baggage. Two pillars, on which are engraven the arms of France and Spain, together with a chain which crosses the road, here mark the boundaries of the two kingdoms on the summit of the Pyrenees." p. 69, 70. Taking their route through Parpig nan, Fiteaux, Narbonne, and Bezenas, their attention is engaged by Montpellier. A brief description of this place follows: "In the south of France, nature has been prodigal of her bounties. From La Place de Peyrou, the views are so fascinating and attractive, that the spectator is rivetted to the spot. On one side appear the mountains of Cevennes, bounding Provence to the north-east, from whence also the Alps begin to rear their lofty heads, and seem to prop the clouds; on the other, an extensive valley stretches on to Roussillon. The towering Pyrenees crowned with pine or fir, distant rocks and intermingled woods, contrasted with nearer scenes of softness and cultivation, form a succession of prospects inexpressibly grand and delightful. At a distance, the wide ocean, glitter ing in the sun-beams, spreads a broad surface of effulgent light." p. 72. Through Lunel, Nismes, Beauraire, and Aix, they arrive at Marseilles, and consider it "a gay scene of dissipation." Quitting this place, they proceed through Toulon, Frejus, Antibes, and passing the river Var, soon arrive at Nice: hiring a felucca, or large row-boat, in less than two days they find themselves at Genoa; from whence, by another felucca, they make Leghorn, which is a place of considerable trade. Excepting "the Grand Duke of Tuscany's palace, where the governor resides, the arsenal, great church, and Jew's synagogue, which are the most remarkable buildings, the streets wear an indifferent appearance, and have too commercial an aspect to interest the traveller, who surveys the face of a country more from motives of curiosity than gain." The journey is pursued through a delightful country to Pisa," whose deserted state still exhibits remains of ancient grandeur, and is, to the reflective mind, a sad monument of the instability of all human greatness. This town presents a mournful reverse of its former magnificence; it once held a distinguished rank among the free states of Italy, and several remaining edifices, though now in decay, attest the power and splendour to which it had arrived during the independence of the republic. The Florentines, however, conquering, and taking possession of this place in 1406, its population and commerce gradually decreased. The streets are now, from neglect, in many places, over-grown with weeds. The Arno runs through the town; one of its bridges, constructed of marble, annually becomes the scene of a violent contest, ending in blows, to determine which side of the river shall confer rank and pre-eminence on its inhabitants during the following year. This custom, rendered sacred by its antiquity, involves too much personal prowess and local prejudice to be easily abolished." p. 95. Florence is next noticed, from whence the route is taken through Sienna to Rome. In traversing the Appenines, our Author details an adventure with some Capuchin Friars he met with at the Port-House at Poggibonzi, who from his account, readily offered to him and his friends seats at their convivial board, and, without the least reserve, joked, sang, and drank freely. We leave this ar ticle, as, from the way in which it is written, it appears to us calculated to produce indifference to religion, and gratify the profane. Arriving at Monte Fiascone, the wines of which place have a very high reputation, "we stopped (says our traveller) at an inn rendered re markable by a circumstance, which the landlord took care to impress on our minds. A German count, called Johannes de Fourcris, travelling through this part of Italy some years since, and being in the habit of sending his servant as an avant courier, to ascertain the quality of the best wines in the country, gave him directions, wherever he found them excellent, to chalk Est upon the door of the respective inns. The servant, who appears to have had some knowledge of the juice of the grape, was so pleased with that of Monte Fiascone, that he triply obeyed the instructions he had received, and in large letters wrote Est, Est, Est,' over the entrance of the osteria. "On the arrival of the German count, he was so much biassed by the opinion of his domestic, that he quitted not the tempting liquor till he made so extraordinary a sacrifice at the shrine of Bacchus, that he absolutely expired with the cup in his hand, filled with the intoxicating beverage. During several subsequent years, it was the custom to pour two barrels of this wine over the tomb of the count, in consequence of the directions of his German heirs. Now, however, the money is distributed in a more beneficial manner among the poor of the village. A monument is erected to the memory of this son of Bacchus in the church of San Flavius, on which this inscription is engraved ( Est, Est, Est, Propter nimium Est Johannes de Four cris Dominus meus mortuus est.' It is painful to us, to see a description of this melancholy occurrence wearing the smile of levity; we should have been gratified rather to discover the tear of pity accompanying this solema lesson to the voluptuary. A description of Rome, its environs, and manners, comes next under view. As nothing occurs to us in addition to what we apprehend our readers are in possession of, we forbear extracting from this part of the Tour. Leaving Rome, and passing through Florence, among other things noticed at Bologna is the "Bononia stone. Mr. Barlow observes, that it is found about the Appenine mountains, and in Mount Paclerno, four miles from Bologna. It is usually about the size of a walnut, of a light grey colour, and an uneven surface, impregnated with sulphureous particles, and though pretty heavy, not very compact. It shines in many places like spar, and after violent showers of rain, which wash away the snow from the mountains, is often found. Before it is properly prepared, there is no difference between that and another stone; but by a particular calcination, and afterwards by being exposed to the open day-light, it imbibes such a luminous quality, that during eight or ten minutes it glows in the dark like a red hot coal; this may be repeated at pleasure. In some of the best of these stones, the flame of a candle will make it assume its lucidity. Moonshine does not make the least impression on it, but the rays of the sun act too powerfully, by calcining it so as to make it easily crumble. It retains its luminous quality even when laid in water. Its splendour usually lasts three or four years, after which it may be calcined again, but not without some diminution of light." p. 222, 223. After visiting in the way, Modena, THE HE Preface, after stating the views of the Society, contains 66 some particulars of the Life of O. S. Brereton, Esq. who long took a lively and active part in the concerns of the Society, as one of their Vice-Presidents, which office he held from the year 1763 to 1798, "with great credit to himself and advantage to the Society. He was the son of Thomas Brereton, Esq. of the County Palatine of Chester, and was born in the year 1715. He received his education partly at Westminster School on the foundation, and partly at Trinity College, Cambridge. On the death of his father, he inherited the ancient family estates, in the abovementioned county, and in Flintshire. "In 1738, Mr, Brereton was called to the Bar, and, in 1746, became Recorder of Liverpool, which office he filled with great impartiality and dignity during fifty-two years. In 1796, on his proposing to resign, the Corporation requested him to retain his situation, and appointed a person to discharge its active duties. "Mr. Brereton was an early Member of the Royal and Antiquarian Societies. The Archæologia of the latter contains his Observations on Peter Collinson's Account of the Round Towers in Ireland*; his Tour through South Wales+; his Extracts from the Household Book of Henry VIII; his Account of a painted window in Brereton Church, Cheshire §; and that of a non-descript coin, supposed to be Philip VI. of France . Mr. Pennant has also, in his Welch Tour, described, and given an en *Archæol. ii. 80. Id. iii. 3. ‡ Id. iii. | Id. x. 463. |