Parma 293 



had walked with us for some distance, replied to them that we 

 were not Signori d'asini. In the afternoon to Panna. The 

 country- the same; but not with that air of neatness that is 

 between Reggio and Modena; not so well enclosed, nor so well 

 planted; and though very populous, not so well built, nor the 

 houses so clean and neat. Pass the Eusa,^ a poor miserable brook 

 now three'yards wide, but a bridge for it a quarter of a mile long, 

 and a fine vale, all destroyed by its ravages ; this is the boundary 

 of the two duchies. — 30 miles. 



gth. At the academy is the famous picture of the holy family 

 and St. Jerome, by Correggio, a master more inimitable perhaps 

 than Raphael himself. To my unlearned eyes there is in this 

 painting such a suffusion of grace, and such a blaze of beauty, as 

 strike me blind (to use another's expression) to all defects which 

 learned eyes have found in it. I have admired this piece often 

 in Italy in good copies, by no ordinar)^ masters, but none come 

 near the original. The head of the Magdalen is reckoned the 

 chef d'cBuvre of Correggio. The celebrated cupola of the Duomo 

 is so high, so much damaged, and my eyes. so indifferent that 

 I leave it for those who have better. At St. Sepulchro, St. 

 Joseph gathering palms, etc., by the same great hand. There 

 are works by him also in the church of St. John, but not equally 

 beautiful, and a copy of his famous Notie. At the academy is a 

 fine adoration, by ilazzola. The great theatre here is the largest 

 in the world. In the afternoon to the citadel ; but its governor. 

 Count Rezzonico, to whom I had a letter, is absent from Parma. 

 Then to the celebrated reale typografia of Signore Bodoni, who 

 showed me many works of singular beauty. The types, I think, 

 exceed those of Didot at Paris, who likewise often crowds the 

 letters close as if to save paper. The Daphne and Chloe, and 

 the ^\mynta, are beautifully executed ; I bought the latter as a 

 specimen of this celebrated press, which really does honour to 

 Italy. Signore Bodoni had the title of the printer to the King 

 of Spain, but never received any salan,', or even gratification, 

 as I learned in Parma from another quarter; where I was also 

 informed that the salars' he has from the duke is only 150 zediins. 

 His merit is great and distinguished, and his exertions are un- 

 common. He has 30.000 matrices of type. I was not a little 

 pleased to find that he has met with the best sort of patron in 

 Mr. Edwards, the bookseller at London, who has made a con- 

 tract with him for an impression of 250 of 4 Greek poets. 4 Latin, 

 and 4 Italian ones — Pindar, Sophocles, Homer, and Theocritus; 



* The Enza. 



