258 Travels in Italy 



you recognise great sweetness of disposition without that in- 

 sipidity which is sometimes met with it; charms that carry a 

 magic with them, formed for sensibiUty more than admiration; 

 to make hearts feel much more than tongues speak. They must 

 be generally beautiful here, or they would be hideous from their 

 dress : the common one, at present, is a long cloth cloak and a 

 man's cocked hat. The round hat in England is rendered 

 feminine by feathers and ribbons ; but here, when the petticoats 

 are concealed, you look again at a figure before you recognise 

 the sex. The head-dresses I saw at Milan, Lodi, etc., show the 

 taste and fancy of this people. It is indeed their region; their 

 productions in all the fine and elegant arts have shown a fertility, 

 a facihty of invention, that surpasses every other nation; and if 

 a reason is to be sought for the want of energy of character with 

 which the modern Italians have been reproached (perhaps un- 

 justly), we may possibly find it in this exquisite taste — perhaps 

 inconsistent in the same characters with those rougher and more 

 rugged feelings that result from tension, not laxity, of fibre. An 

 exquisite sensibility has given them the empire of painting, 

 sculpture, architecture, poetry, and music; whether or not to 

 this it has been owing that their beautiful country has been left 

 under the dominion of Germans, Frenchmen, and Spaniards 

 is a question not difficult to decide. 



4th. I am in double luck; two persons to whom I had letters 

 are returned from the country. I waited upon one of them, who 

 received me in a very friendly manner, and entered into a con- 

 versation with me interesting, because on subjects of importance. 

 I explained to him the object of my travels; and told him that 

 I resided a few days in great cities for the advantage of conver- 

 sation on those topics of political economy which concerned the 

 general welfare of all nations. He told me very frankly that he 

 was no farmer, and therefore for the practical part of my in- 

 quiries could not say much : that as to the other objects, which 

 were without doubt important, he would give me any informa- 

 tion in his power. I said that I wished for none on points which 

 the nature of the government made improper to ask about ; and 

 if inadvertently I should demand anything of that complexion 

 he would have the goodness to pardon and pass it by. He 

 interrupted me hastily, " Foreigners are strangely apt to entertain 

 false ideas of this republic; and to think that the same principles 

 govern it at present as are supposed to have been its guidance 

 some centuries past. In all probability half of what you have 

 heard about it is erroneous; you may converse as freely at 



