ITALY. LETTER vn, 77 



travel this part over again, if I mould not hap* 

 pen to meet with Mr. Gnetard, and to hear by 

 him what I wanted to fee myfelf. He is faid 

 to be, at prefent, at Rome or Naples. In cither 

 of thefe cafes, I will difcharge my duty. 



To-day I write to you what I have feen at Flo- 

 rence -, but the rainy fealbn puts many Hops to my 

 curiofity, and has brought me to the refolution to 

 fet out in a few days for Rome, and thence, after 

 a fhort ftay, for Naples. I know that in that 

 place there will be much bufmefs for me; that 

 the climate is the foftefl in Italy; and thatl can fpend 

 there the bad feafon, with lefs inconvenience for me, 

 thence to return in a better feafon to Rome, Siena, and 

 Florence-, which giving me opportunity topafs twice 

 through the fame country, will make [my obfer- 

 vations the more perfect, and the more acceptable 

 to you. But now let us fpeak of Florence. This 

 noble place was ever a feat of the ufeful and finer 

 arts ; and the Florentines have, for feveral cen- 

 turies, enjoyed the well-deferved reputation, of 

 being a witty, elegant, and clean people. The 

 mountainous, airy, and charming fituation of this 

 country ; the good tafte, the encouragements, and 

 the wife ordinances, of a good government ; a ge- 

 neral opulency, in comparifon of the other Italian 

 provinces ; and the greater chearfulnefs and con- 

 tentment of the inhabitants, have certainly their 



marc 



