516 P I 
air, which blows into Pifa; and it is a pity that the 
windows of the cloifters in thefe quarters are not glazed 
to proteft them from further injury. 
Pifa has feveral other churches, betides the cathedral, 
that are magnificent and much admired. Among thefe, 
there is a Angular edifice on the banks of the Arno, called 
“ Santa Maria della Spina,” fuppofed to have been built 
A. D. 1230, and fo called from part of our Saviour’s 
crown of thorns faid to be preferved there. It is fquare, 
low, and of a grotefque and whimfical rather than beau¬ 
tiful appearance. It is cafed with black and white 
marble. This building is a fpecimen of that fpecies of 
architefture which the Italians call Gotico Morefco, intro¬ 
duced into Italy in the nth century, and, as its name 
feems to import, probably borrowed from the Eaft by the 
merchants of the commercial republics. We ftiall here 
obferve, that there are in Italy two fpecies of Gothic, the 
Gotico Morefco, and the Gotico Tedefco; the former may 
have been imported from the Eaft; the latter feems, as 
its name implies, to have been borrowed from the 
Germans. It is thought to be an improvement of the 
former. 
The fteeple of the church of the Auguftinians is alfo 
very fine, being an ofragon, adorned with pillars, and 
built by Nicholas of Pifa. In the great market-place 
there is a ftatue of Plenty, by Pierino da Vinci. In the 
church of St. Matthew, the painting of the ceiling by 
the brothers Melani, natives of this city, is an admired 
performance. The church of the Knights of St. Stephen, 
decorated with the trophies taken from the Saracens, is 
all of marble, with marble fteps, and a front adorned 
with marble ftatues. In the fquare there is a ftatue of 
Cofmo I. upon a very fine pedeftal. Contiguous to the 
church is the convent or palace of the knights, which is 
alfo worthy of notice. 
The air of Pifa is foft and balmy to the laft degree. 
Mr. Matthews and Mrs. Starke, both recent travellers, 
are equally of opinion, that Pifa is one of the beft winter- 
climates in Europe, and ought, in pulmonary complaints, 
to be decidedly preferred to every other city of Italy, 
from the commencement of Oftober till the end of April. 
The marfhy ground and ftanding water about Pifa for¬ 
merly rendered the air unwholefome; but this evil is 
now removed ; and the confequent increafe of population 
has not only baniflied grafs from the ftreets, but difpenfed 
cheerfulnefs and health throughout this elegant city. It 
feems requifite, however, to give invalids who purpofe 
refiding here one caution, namely, never to fit, ftand, 
nor walk, in the fun, without being defended by a para- 
fol, and always to prefer walking on the ftiady fide of a 
ftreet. But lazinefs, in which the inhabitants of cold 
climates are apt to indulge when they come to a hot one, 
muft be avoided; for the inhabitants have a proverb, 
Pifa pefa a chi pofa, Pifa weighs heavy upon thofe who 
fit Hill. Newly-built houfes are to be avoided here as in 
every other part of Italy ; as it is, generally fpeaking, 
four or five years ere new walls become dry. Houfes not 
built on arches are likewife to be avoided ; and ground- 
floors, during winter, fpring, and autumn, are unwhole- 
fome, though healthy in fummer. 
The univerfity of Pifa was one of the nurferies of re¬ 
viving literature, and under the aufpices of republican 
liberty, rivalled the moft celebrated academies of Italy, 
when they all teemed with genius and fcience. Upon the 
fubjugation of Pifa to the Florentines, it funk into infig- 
nificance; but it was afterwards reftored by Lorenzo de 
Medici; it again declined, and was reftored by the grand 
duke Cofmo I. Since that period it has continued the 
feat of man/eminent profeffors, though it has never re¬ 
gained the number of its ftudents, or all its ancient cele¬ 
brity. It has more than forty public profeflors, who are 
refident, and men of high reputation in their refpeftive 
departments. It is well furnilhed with all the apparatus 
of an academy; colleges, libraries, an obfervatory,. with 
all the aftronomical inftruments in great perfection, and 
S A. 
an extenfive well-ordered botanical garden, containing 
a great number of plants, and decorated with water¬ 
works; over the door leading into it are thefe words. 
Hie Argus, fed non Briareus, efo; i. e. “Employ the 
eyes of Argus, but not the hands of Briareus.” 
The Liberal fums up the character of this city as fol¬ 
lows: “ Pifa is a tranquil, an impofing, and even now a 
beautiful and ftately, city. It looks like the refidence of 
an univerfity: many partsof it feem made up of colleges; 
and we feel as if we ought to walk gowned. It poflefies 
the Campo Santo, rich above earthly treafure ; its river is 
the river of Tufcan poetry, and furnilhed Michael An¬ 
gelo with the fubjeft of his cartoon; and it difputes with 
Florence the birth of Galileo. Here at all events he ftu- 
died and he taught: here his mind was born, and ano¬ 
ther great impulfe given to the progrefs of philofophy and 
liberal opinion.” 
The earl of Guildford died here, Jan. 28, 1817. Alfo 
Mr. Horner, M. P. born at Edinburgh Auguft 12, 1778, 
died here Feb. 8, 1817, in the 39th year of his age. In 
public life he was diftinguilhed for fplendid talents and 
fpotlefs integrity ; and in private life he was dutiful, affec¬ 
tionate, and fincere. Infcriptions to the memory of each 
of thefe perfons are to be feen in the Englifli burying- 
ground at Leghorn. Pifa and Leghorn are connected by 
a canal fixteen Italian miles in length. Lat. 4.3. 42. N. 
Ion. 10. 15. E. 
In the compilation of this article, we have been in¬ 
debted to the following modern publications. The 
Liberal, N° I. Hallam’s Middle Ages, vol. i. Sifmondi, 
vol. iv. Safs’s Journey to Rome and Naples. Quarterly 
Journal, N° XI. Diary of an Invalid. Mrs. Starke’s 
Travels on the Continent. The Battle of the Bridge, 
or Pifa defended, a Poem in Ten Cantos, with Notes; 
1823. 
PI'SA, f in entomology, one of the genera of Dr. 
Leach’s new arrangement of cruftaceous animals. See 
Cancer. 
PISAN'DER, the name of feveral Greeks. One of Pe¬ 
nelope’s fuitors. 
PISANG'. See Pulo Pisang. 
PISA'NIA, or Kuttijar', a town of Africa, in the 
kitigdom of Yani, fituated on the banks of the river 
Gambia, about 200 miles from its mouth, where the Eng- 
lifh have eftablifhed a fa&ory. Lat. 13.35. N. Ion. 13. 
28. W. 
This was the outfet of Mr. Park’s firft journey for dis¬ 
coveries in Africa, in 1795, under the direftion of the 
African Affociation, and the refidence of Dr. Laidley, 
who deferves mention on account of his kind and hofpi- 
table treatment of the adventurous traveller, whom he 
received into his houfe, and attended for many weeks 
during a ferious illnefs; and whom he furnifbed with 
every neceflary for his journey, when he was difappointed 
of the goods requifite for his expenfes, taking bills upon 
the Affociation for the amount. From Pifania, Mr. Park 
proceeded eaftward to Medina, the capital of Wolli, and 
thence to the eaft-north-eaft through the countries of 
Bondou, Kajaaga, and Kaflon, the two latter of which 
are feparated by the river Senegal. In his way he took 
obfervations of latitude at Kolor, (N. lat. 13°49'.) Koor- 
koorany, (13 0 53'.) and Joag, (14° 25'. W. Ion. 9 0 37'.) 
on this fide the river. From Joag he proceeded to Koo- 
niakarry (14 0 34'), and from Kooniakarry by Kanjee (14 0 
10'.) both in the country of Kaflon, and Feflurah (14 0 5') 
in Kaarta, to Jarra (15 0 5', Ion, 7 0 13') in the country of 
Ludamar. Here he was plundered of his fextant, which 
accident of courfe put an end to his obfervations of lati¬ 
tude; and thus, unfortunately, left the remaining half 
(very nearly) of his geography in a ftate of uncertainty 
as to parallel. Mr. Park purfued his journey from Jarra 
by Wafiiboo (14 0 49', and ninety-five geographical miles 
E. of Jarra,) Diggani, (lat. 14 0 17', and 266 geographical 
miles E. of Jarra,) to Sego, the capital town of Bambara, 
(lat. 14 0 10' 30", and Ion. 2 0 26' W. of Greenwich.) 
Having 
