29G 



F A R IVI E K S ■ K E G I S T E il , 



[iNo. 5 



water, with which a great, part of Italy is refreshed 

 Ihrougli^the, menns of artificial ranals, does not 

 only carry with it a considerable addition of earth, 

 but creates, as it were, a new soil every year. 

 Hence il appears, that it is necessary to open our 

 inquiries by explainins; the ertects of water, in 

 order to ascertain the nature of the soil. I shall 

 proceed, therelbre, to consider the three following 

 particulars: the detriment which has accrued to 

 Italy Horn streams and torrents; the benefits 

 which it has received li-om *hem ; and the mis- 

 chiefs which some parts sustain from the want of 

 wholesome water for the common purposes of life. 



I. In speaking of the Italian rivers, our first 

 tlioughts are carried naturally to the Po, which 

 was celebrated for its rapidity in ancient times; and 

 which, for some centuries, has been separated into 

 two vast branches; one of which is sub-divided 

 into the Primaro and Volarno. Although it swells 

 not to a considerable breadth before it receives the 

 Tesin, yet it does a great deal of damage witliin 

 twenty miles of its source; insomuch, that tlie 

 (iarms between Racconigi and Carignano, which 

 are subject to inundations, bear a srriail value in 

 comparison of others of the same quality in the 

 neighborhood, that are secure from danger ; and 

 this is the case with most of the estates"^situated 

 near the Po. Such is the quantity of stones and 

 sand that it carries along with it, that when it 

 merely overflows the adjacent lands, the peasants 

 cannot bring them into a proper state for some 

 years; but, when it breaks its banks, the mischief 

 is very extensive; for sallows and willows spring 

 up spontaneously; to the utter exclusion of corn 

 and pasturage, for a long tract of time. We see 

 immense copses of these aquatics on the hanks of 

 the Po, through the whole vale of Lombardy; 

 and, in particular, between Tortnna and Pavja, 

 and near IJroni and Cremona. Yet this uiconve- 

 nience, great as it is, must necessarily appear 

 irifling, when compared with the terrible eflects/if 

 the inundations in the lower parts of Lombardy. 

 where some of the most fruitful spots are converted 

 into the most barren marshes. 



Although the other rivers in Piemont are not so 

 impetuous as the Po, yet, since they rise in the 

 Alps, their descent is excessively rapid ; and when 

 they are augmented by accidental torrents, iliey 

 never fail to cover the plains with sand and peb- 

 bles; wlience it is that the soil is so uncratcfiil 

 from Cliivasso to Turin, and likewise to Savigli- 

 ano; insomuch, that the peasants would be de- 

 duced to extreme misery, were it not lor their 

 skill in deriving some advantage even from their 

 distresses. "^ 



But beside the losses which the inhabitants sus- 

 tain from streams and torrents rushing down pre- 

 cipices, there is an additional circumstance whicli 

 aggravates the misfortune ; I mean, the ruinous 

 effects of the cultivation of the mountains. It was 

 the custom of the ancient Romans to set apart the 

 plains for tillage; the hills for vines and olives ; 

 and the mountains for wood and pasturage. 



Barxhus amat colks, aquilnnem et frigoratnxi.* 

 The Italians have, in a great measure, reversed 

 this pi'fictice, though dictated bj^ good sense and 

 experience ; for they have grulibed np the wood, 

 and converted into arable land both the sides and 

 summits of the mountains; in consequence of 



Vir<r. Geor. 1. 2. v. 11.3 



which, the earth, being no longer supported by 

 the roots of the trees, tumbles down in the rivers, 

 together with vast frngmenis of rocks and marble, 

 and completes the destruction of several rich val- 

 lies. We see no where such fatal etiects of this 

 practice, as in the territories of Venice. The pro- 

 duce of the mountains [brmed a part of the de- 

 mesnes of that republic, which used either to let 

 it at a moderate price, or to distribute it gratui- 

 tously among the inhabitants of *,he adjacent pa- 

 rishes ; and, as long as proper covenants Were 

 observed, there was abundance of fine timber, as 

 well as excellent foader tor oxen and sheep ; but, 

 in the last century, the Venetians being distressed 

 f()r want of money to continue the war, sold, to in- 

 dividuals, these rights, or bcni cnmunuuU, as they 

 are called, without subjecting them to any restric- 

 tions, than which, nothing could be more impo- 

 litic or imprudent ; for, as they were allured by the 

 profit on the first breaking up of grass-lands, they 

 took a few crops of corn in one place, and, as soon 

 as the soil was washed away, made the like at- 

 tempts in another; so that, in a short time, the 

 chief part of the mountains was reduced to cul- 

 ture; whence it cannot be wondereii, that the 

 Venetians have neither a sufficient (juaniity of 

 pasturage for their cattle, nor of wood (iir fuel, and 

 common utensils, and implements of husbandry. 

 Monte Baldo, which hangs over the beautiful 

 Laffo di Garda, and which was once as liunous lor 

 timber as medicinal plants, is now entirely naked, 

 and exhibits the most dreary sight imaginable. 

 It is difficult, indeed, to determine, whether the re- 

 public has suffered most from the loss of wood and 

 pastures upon the mountains, or from the diminu- 

 tion of corn in the vallies. The Adige, incapal)le 

 of being controlled, has destroyed above '_0,000 

 acres of the best lands in the Vc^ronese. Tlie 

 Brenta has ruined the vale fbm Batl'ano to Borgo, 

 as well as some of the richest spots of ground in 

 tlie Padouan. Tlie Piave* has laid waste an im- 

 mense tract of land in the delicious environs of 

 Treviso: and the province of Triuli is desolated 

 by rivers. It is melancholy to see how the plain 

 between Pordenone and Codroipo, near twenty 

 miles in leiiirth, is ravaijed by the Silo and Taglia- 

 raento, which bring such heaps of earth and stones 

 along with them, that they choke up the very- 

 shallows in the Lagnnei,. Not many years r.gb, 

 the repuiilic prohibited, under severe penalties, the 

 cuttinir down of the wood upon the mountains; 

 but the mischief was done, and perhaps, it is ir- 

 reparable. 



Among the rivers that fall fi'om the Appennines 

 into the Bolognese, the Reno is the most rajiid and 

 dangerous. History aflbrds us lew instances ol 

 greater damage occasioned by the diverting of a 

 river fi'om its proper channel. Clement VIFI. re- 

 moved the Reno from the Po, into which it used 

 to empty itself, with a view of gratiiying his new 

 subjects the inhabitants of Ferrara, who wished 

 to avail themselves of that water to improve the 

 valley of 8t. Martino; but his Hohness's infalli- 

 bility forsook him upon this occasion, for lie did 

 not foresee, I hat the inundations would destroy a 

 third part of the plain of Boloijna. It is generally 

 supposed, that the cities of Ferrara and Bologna 



* It was in this river tliat Colonel Villif^s was 

 drowned, which gave occasion to Mr. Prior "s beauti- 

 ful imitation of an ode of Horace. 



