292 Travels in Italy 



the following passage excited such an immoderate laugh that 

 it is worth inserting, if only to show the taste of the audience 

 and the reputation of the ballarini : " Era un cavallo si bello, si 

 svelto, si agile, di bel petto, gamhe ben fatta, greppa grossa, che se 

 fosse stato itna cavalla, converebbe dire che Vanima della prima 

 ballerina del teatro era trasmigrata in quella." Another piece of 

 miserable wit was received with as much applause as the most 

 sterling: — Arlecch. " Chi e quel re che ha la piu gran corona del 

 mondo ? — Brighel. " Quello che ha la testa piu piccola.^' — 24 

 miles. 



"jih. To the ducal palace, which is a magnificent building, and 

 contains a considerable collection of pictures, but nothing to 

 what were once here. The library, celebrated for its contents, 

 is splendid; we were shown the curious MS. of which there is an 

 account in De la Lande. The Bible made for the D'Este family 

 is beautifully executed, begun in 1457, and finished in 1463, and 

 cost 1875 zechins. In the afternoon, accompanied the Abbate 

 Amoretti to Signore Belentani; and in the evening to Signore 

 Venturi, professor of physics in the university, with whom we 

 spent a very agreeable and instructive evening. We debated 

 on the propriety of applying some political principles to the 

 present state of Italy; and I found that the professor had not 

 only considered the subjects of political importance, but seemed 

 pleased to converse upon them. 



8th. Early in the morning to Reggio. This line of country 

 appears to be one of the best in Lombardy : there is a neatness 

 in the houses, which are everywhere scattered thickly, that 

 extends even to the homesteads and hedges, to a degree that one 

 does not always find, even in the best parts of England; but the 

 trees that support the vines being large, the whole has now, 

 without leaves, the air of a forest. In summer it must be an 

 absolute wood. The road is a noble one. Six miles from 

 Modena we passed the Secchia, or rather the vale ruined by that 

 river, near an unfinished bridge, with a long and noble causeway 

 leading to it on each side, which does honour to the duke and 

 states of Modena. It being afesia (the immaculate conception), 

 we met the country people going to mass : the married women 

 had all muffs, which are here wedding presents. Another thing 

 I observed for the first time were children standing ready in the 

 road, or running out of the houses, to offer, as we were walking, 

 asses to ride: they have them always saddled and bridled, and 

 the fixed price is i sol per mile. This shows attention and 

 industry, and is, therefore, commendable. A countryman, who 



