. 
* 1S | 
we paid him for his wine and his 
sausage (prosciutti), and were pleas- 
ed to find, -that, contrary to our 
universal experience of Ttaliah land- 
lords, he was uncommonly thankful 
for a very moderate gratification ; 
a singularity, which,’ though it pro- 
bably proceeded from his being lit- 
tle conversant with English and 
other opulent travellers, we treasur- 
ed with delight, as a conspicuous 
proof of republican * ‘virtue that 
had escaped pure and unsullied from 
the contagion of thcse worthless 
guests with whom the nature of his 
trade condemned him often to asso- 
ciate. | 
About two 0’ clock in the afier- 
noon, we left the Borgo to climb up 
the Citta, carrying our swords in 
our right hands, a precaution which 
the company we had just left war- 
ranted in this modern republic, but 
which, as Thucydides informs us in 
his proem, would have exposed us to 
be branded with the appellation 
of barbarians in the republics of 
Ancient Greece. Before we had 
reached the summit of the hill, the 
cloud had dispersed, the sun shone 
bright, we had breathed a purer 
air, and the clear light, which dis- 
played the city and territory of St. 
Marino, was heightened by con- 
trast with the thick gloom which 
involved the circumjacent plains. 
| 
ANNUAL: REGISTER, 1795. 
Transported with the contempla- 
tion of a landscape which seemed 
so admirably to accord with the po- 
litical ‘state of the mountain, a 
bright gem of liberty amidst the 
darkness of Itahan servitude, we 
clambered cheerfully over the pre- 
cipices, never reflecting, that, as 
there was not any place of recep- 
tion for strangers in the Citta, we 
might possibly be exposed to the al- 
ternative of sleeping in the streets, 
or returning to the caravansera, 
crowded with smugglers, whose in- 
toxication might exasperate their 
natural ferocity. From all our past 
remarks, we had concluded, that 
the vice of drunkenness was abo- 
minated even by the lowest classes 
of the Italians. We dreaded their 
fury and their knives in this unusual 
state of mind; but amidst all our 
terrors could not forbear philosophis- 
ing + on what we had seen, and con- 
jecturing, from the tumultuous mer- 
riment and drunken debauchery of 
the smugglers, that the famed so- 
briety of the Italian nation is an 
artificial virtue arising from sitna- 
ation and accident, not depending on 
temperament, or resulting from cha- 
racter. Drinking is the vice of men 
whose lives are chequered by vicis+ 
situdes of toil and ease, of danger 
and security. It is the vice of so]- 
diers, mariners, and huntsmen3; of 
* The words, ‘ republican virtue’ must sound harsh to modern ears, so shamefally 
has a wild democracy abused and profaned the name of republic. 
Yet, according 
to Machiavelli and Montesquieu, and their master Aristotle, republics require more 
virtue than monarchies, because in republics the citizens make laws to govern them - 
selves, whereas, in monarchies, the subjects are compelled to obey the laws made 
by the prince. [In rextublican governments, therefore, the citizens oneht, in the 
words of Aristotle, and of a still higher authority, ‘ to be a law unto themselves.” How 
few nations, therefore, are qualified in modern times, for living happily under a re- 
public ; and least of all, that nation which has shewn itself the least virtuous of all, 
+ This word requires an apology; for the sacred name of philesophy has been 
as shamefully polluted in modern times, by sophists and sceptics, as the word re- 
public by madmen and levellers. ‘The present generation must pass away, before 
either of these terms can resume its pristine and native honouts, | ~ * * 
P 1 those 
