The Hermit in Italy, or Observations on the Manners and Customs of Italy [Tr. from the Fr. of C.M. Catherinet de Villemarest and - Louet]. (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1825 Excerpt: ... turbed with thoughts of death and tombs. This is a reason why I like to frequent popular festivals, as I find myself in a delicious solitude, like that of La Fontaine, who, even when surrounded by his friends, abandoned himself to the charms of poetical abstraction. In towns, one has too large a circle of acquaintance to be able to enjoy this abstraction in the midst of a crowd, and as a large portion of every man's acquaintance is of a disagreable kind, he must be a fortunate man indeed who can manage to escape from their importunities. At Rome, where I knew very few persons, I was able to meditate at my own will, without dreading any disturbance, except from the beggars, and as in my walks with Carlotti I had familiarized myself with streets and monuments, I resolved to pass one Sunday alone, with no other guide than chance, and no other companions than my own thoughts. The first place I reached was the Forum, an object of my fondest predilection. I stopped near the Coliseum, formerly the amphitheatre of Titus: here 87,000 spectators were wont to assemble for the purpose of witnessing-the sanguinary spectacles of a people who carried cruelty even into their amusements. Martial, the poet, asserts that it was constructed by the brother of Titus: other authors ascribe it to their father Vespasian. Thirty thousand Jewish slaves laboured on the erection of this gigantic edifice; the festival of its inauguration continued for one hundred days; during this time five thousand animals were slaughtered, and the expenses amounted to ten millions in gold. Like the frogs in the fable, who at first did not dare to raise their heads above water, but afterwards scrambled over their log-king without alarm, so I came at last to gaze on these enormous ruins with very little...