196 Sir william- Hamilton’s Account of 
their houfes again, when the prelent calamity is at an endv 
Reggio has been roughly handled by the earthquakes, but is 
by no means deftroyed. The archbilhop, a. fenlible, adlive, 
and humane prelate, has dilfinguilhed himfelf frona the begin- 
ning of the earthquakes to this day, having immediately dif- 
pofed of all the luperfluous ornaments of the churches, and' 
of his own horfes and furniture, for the foie relief of his dif- 
trelled flock, with whom he chearfully bears an equal (hare of 
every inconvenience and diftrels .which fuch a calamity has natu- 
rally occalioned. Except in this inftance, and very few others, 
indeed, I obferved throughout my whole journey, a prevailing 
indolence, inactivity, and want of fpirit, which is unfor- 
tunate, as fuch a heavy and general calamity can only be re- 
paired by a difpofition directly contrary to that which prevails-; 
but as this government is indefatigable in its- endeavours at 
remedying every prefent evil,, and preventing fuch as may na- 
turally be expedted, it is to be hoped that the generous and 
wife difpofition s lately made, will reitore the energy that is 
wanting, and without which, one of the richefl: provinces in 
Europe is in danger of utter ruin. Silk and e {fence of berga- 
mot, oranges and lemons, are the great articles of trade at 
Reggio. I am allured, that no lefs than 100,000 quarts of 
this elfence is annually exported. The fruit, after the rind is 
taken off, is given to the cows and oxen and the inhabitants 
of this town alfure me, that the beef, at that feafon, has a 
llrong and difagreeable flavour of bergamot. The worthy 
archbifhop gave me an account of the earthquakes here in 
iyjo and 1780, which obliged the inhabitants (in number 
16,400) to encamp or remain in barracks leveral months, with- 
out however having done any conliderable damage to the town* 
I was allured here (where they have had fuch a long expe- 
rience 
