an autobiography-第44章

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ements　in　that　city。　　I　was　exceedingly　rejoiced　to　have　an　opportunity　of　visiting　the　south　of　Italy。　　I　set　out　at　once。　A　fine　new　steamer　of　the　Messageries　Imperiales；　the　Ercolano；　was　ready　to　sail　from　the　harbour。　　I　took　my　place　on　board。　I　found　that　the　engines　had　been　made　by　Maudsley　Sons　and　Field；　they　were　of　their　latest　improved　double…cylinder　construction。　When　I　went　down　into　the　engine…room　I　felt　myself　in　a　sense　at　home；　for　the　style　of　the　engines　brought　to　my　mind　many　a　pleasant　remembrance　of　the　days　gone　by。

We　steamed　out　of　the　harbour；　and　passed　in　succession　the　beautiful　little　islands　which　gem　the　bay　of　Marseilles。　　Amongst　others；　the　isle　of　If；　crowned　by　its　castle；　once　a　State　prison；　and　the　Chateau　d'If；　immortalised　by　Dumas。　　Then　Pomegne；　Ratoneau；　and　other　islands。　　We　were　now　on　the　deep　blue　Mediterranean；　watching　the　graceful　curves　of　the　coast　as　we　steamed　along。　Soon　after；　we　came　in　sight　of　the　snow…capped　maritime　Alps　behind　Nice。　　The　evening　was　calm　and　clear；　and　a　bright　moon　shone　overhead。　　Next　morning　I　awoke　in　the　harbour　of　Genoa；　with　a　splendid　panoramic　view　of　the　city　before　me。　　I　shall　never　forget　the　glorious　sight　of　that　clear　bright　morning　as　long　as　I　live。

As　the　steamer　was　to　remain　in　the　harbour　until　two　o'clock　next　day；　I　landed　with　the　passengers　and　saw　the　wonders　of　the　city。　I　felt　as　if　I　were　in　a　new　world。　　On　every　side　and　all　around　me　were　objects　of　art　lighted　up　by　glorious　sunshine。　　The　picturesque　narrow　streets；　with　the　blue　sky　overhead　and　the　bright　sunshine　lighting　up　the　beautiful　architecture　of　the　palatial　houses；　relieved　by　masses　of　clear　shade；　together　with　the　picturesque　dresses　of　the　people；　and　the　baskets　of　oranges　and　lemons　with　the　leaves　on　the　boughs　on　which　they　had　been　born　and　reared；　the　brilliant　greenery　of　the　inner　courts　into　which　you　peeped　while　passing　along　the　Strada　Nuova；　literally　a　street　of　palaces；　threw　me　into　a　fervency　of　delight。　　Here；　indeed；　was　architecture　to　be　proud　ofgrand；　imposing；　and　massivechastely　yet　gloriously　ornamented。　There　was　nothing　of　the　gingerbread　order　here！

The　plan　of　these　palaces　is　admirable。　　They　are　open　to　the　street；　so　that　all　the　inner　arrangements　may　be　seen。　　There　is　the　court；　surrounded　by　arcades；　the　arches　of　which　rest　upon　columns；　the　flights　of　marble　steps　on　each　side；　leading　to　the　great　hall　or　the　principal　apartments；　and　inside　the　court；　the　pink　daphnes　and　Tangerine　orange　frees；　surrounded　by　greenery；　with　which　the　splendour　of　the　marble　admirably　contrasts；the　whole　producing　a　magnificent　effect。　　I　remembered　that　Genoa　la　superba　was　one　of　my　father's　pet　subjects　when　talking　of　his　first　visit　to　Italy；　and　now　I　could　confirm　all　that　he　had　said　about　the　splendour　of　its　palaces。

I　do　not　know　of　anything　more　delightful　than　to　grope　one's　way　through　a　foreign　city；　especially　such　a　city　as　Genoa；　and　come　unexpectedly　upon　some　building　that　one　has　heard　ofthat　has　dimly　lived　in　the　mind　like　a　dreamand　now　to　see　it　realised　in　fact。　　It　suddenly　starts　into　life；　as　it　were；　surrounded　by　its　natural　associations。　　I　hate　your　professional　guides　and　their　constant　chatter。　　Much　better　to　come　with　a　mind　prepared　with　some　history　to　fall　back　upon；　and　thus　be　enabled　to　compare　the　present　with　the　past；　the　living　with　the　dead。

I　climbed　up　some　of　the　hills　surrounding　Genoafor　it　is　a　city　of　ups　and　downs。　　I　wandered　about　the　terraced　palaces　surrounded　by　orange　groves　and　surveyed　the　fortified　heights　by　which　the　place　is　surrounded。　　What　exquisite　bits　of　scenery　there　were　to　sketch；　what　a　rich　combination　of　nature　and　art！　　And　what　a　world　of　colour；　with　the　clear　blue　sea　in　the　distance！　　Altogether；　that　one　day　at　Genoathough　but　a　succession　of　glimpses　formed　a　bright　spot　in　my　life；　that　neither　time　nor　distance　can　dim　or　tarnish。

I　returned　to　the　harbour　two　hours　before　the　steamer　was　to　leave。　To　commemorate　my　visit；　I　mounted　the　top　of　the　paddle…box；　took　out　my　sketch　book；　and　made　a　panoramic　view　of　Genoa　as　seen　from　the　harbour。　　I　did　it　in　pencil　at　the　time；　and　afterwards　filled　it　up　with　ink。　　When　the　pages　of　the　sketch　book　had　been　joined　together　the　panoramic　view　extended　to　about　eight　feet　long。　　The　accuracy　of　the　detail；　as　well　as　the　speed　with　which　the　drawing　was　done；　were　perhaps　rather　creditable　to　the　draughtsmanat　least　so　my　artistic　friends　were　pleased　to　tell　me。　　Indeed；　many　years　after；　a　friend　at　court　desired　to　submit　it　to　the　highest　Lady　in　the　land；　and；　being　herself　an　artist；　she　expressed　herself　as　highly　gratified　with　the　performance。

＇Image＇　　A　monk　on　board

The　next　station　the　steamer　touched　at　was　Leghorn。　　As　the　vessel　was　not　to　start　until　next　day；　there　was　sufficient　time　for　me　to　run　up　to　Pisa。　　There　I　spent　a　delightful　day　principally　in　wandering　about　that　glorious　group　of　buildings　situated　so　near　to　each　other　the　Cathedral；　the　Baptistery；　the　Campo　Santo；　and　the　Campanile　or　Leaning　Tower。　　What　interested　me　most　at　the　Cathedral　was　the　two　bronze　lamps　suspended　at　the　end　of　the　nave；　which　suggested　to　the　mind　of　Galileo　the　invention　of　the　pendulum。　Thousands　had　seen　the　lamps　swinging　before　them；　but　he　alone　would　know　〃the　reason　why。〃　The　one　swung　at　a　different　rate　as　compared　with　the　other；　being　the　result　of　the　chains　being　hung　of　different　lengths。　　Hence　Galileo's　discovery　of　the　principle　or　Law　of　the　Pendulum。　　This　paved　the　way　for　Newton's　law　of　gravitationone　of　the　grandest　laws　of　the　universe。

Some　of　the　finest　works　of　Andrea　del　Sarto；　son　of　the　Tailor；　are　found　here。　　Indeed；　the　works　of　that　great　painter　are　little　known　out　of　Pisa　and　Florence。　　I　was　reluctant　to　tear　myself　away　from　Pisa；　but　the　Ercolano　could　not　wait；　and　I　was　back　in　good　time；　and　soon　under　weigh。

The　next　port　we　touched　at　was　Civita　Vecchia；　one　of　the　most　dreary　places　that　can　be　imagined；　though　at　one　time　an　Etruscan　city；　and　afterwards　the　port　of　Trajan。　　I　did　not　land；　as　there　were　some　difficulties　in　the　way　of　passports。　　We　steamed　on；　and　next　morning　when　I　awoke　we　were　passing　the　coast　of　Ischia。　　We　could　scarcely　see　the　island　for　a　thick　mist　had　over…spread　the　sea。　Naples　was　still　hidden　from　our　sight；　but　over　the　mist　I　could　observe　the　summit　of　Vesuvius　vomiting　forth　dense　clouds　of　white　smoke。　The　black　summit　of　the　crater　appeared　floating　in　the　clear　blue　sky。　But　the　heat　of　the　sun　shortly　warmed　the　mist；　and　it　floated　away　like　a　curtain。

＇Image＇　　Distant　view　of　Vesuvius

A　grand　panorama　then　lay　before　us。　　Naples　looked　bright　and　magnificent　under　the　sunlight。　　The　sea　was　so　smooth　that　the　buildings　and　towers　and　convents　and　spires　were　reflected　in　the　water。　　On　our　left　lay　the　Bay　of　Baiae；　with　its　castles　and　temples　and　baths；　dating　from　the　days　of　the　Roman　Republic。　　To　the　right　lay　Castellamare；　Sorrento；　and　the　island　of　Capri。　　But　the　most　prominent　object　was　Vesuvius　in　front；　with　its　expanding　cloud　of　white　smoke　over　the　landscape。　　On　landing；　I　took　up　my　quarters　at　the　Hotel　Victoria。　　I　sallied　forth　to　take　my　first　hasty　view　of　the　Chiaia；　the　streets；　and　the　principal　buildings。　　But；　in　accordance　with　my　motto　of　〃Duty　first；　pleasure　second；〃　I　proceeded　to　attend　to　the　business　respecting　which　I　had　visited　Naples。　　That；　however；　was　soon　disposed　of。　　In　a　few　days　I　was　able　to　attend　to　pleasure。　I　made　my　way　to　the　Museo　Borbonico；　now　called　the　National　Museum。　I　found　it　a　rich　mine　of　precious　treasures；　consisting　of　Greek；　Etruscan；　and　Roman　antiquities　of　every　description。　Not　the　least　interesting　part　of　the　Museum　is　the　collection　of　marbles；　pictures；　and　articles　of　daily　use；　dug　from　the　ruins　of　the　buried　city　of　Pompeii。　　Every　spare　hour　that　I　could　command　was　occupied　in　visiting　and　revisiting　this　wonderful　Museum。

Herculaneum　and　Pompeii　were　also　visited；　but；　more　than　all；　the　crater　of　Vesuvius。　　During　my　visit　the　mountain　was　in　its　normal　state。　　I　mounted　the　volcanic　ashes　with　which　it　is　strewn；　and　got　to　the　top。　　There　I　could　look　down　into　the　pit　from　which　the　clouds　of　steam　are　vomited　forth。　　I　went　down　to　the　very　edge　of　the　crater；　stood　close　to　its　mouth；　and　watched　the　intermittent　up…rushing　of　the　blasts　of　vapour　and　sulphureous　gases。　To　keep　clear　of　these　I　stood　to　the　windward　side；　and　was　thus　out　of　harm's　way。

What　struck　me　most　was　the　wonderfully　brilliant　colours　of　the　rugged　lava　rocks　forming　the　precipitous　cliffs　of　the　interior　walls　of　the　crater。　　These　brilliant　colours　were　the　result　of　the　sublimation　and　condensation　on　their　surfaces　of　the　combinations　of　sulphur　and　chloride　of　iron；　quite　as　bright　as　if　they　had　been　painted　with　bright　red；　chrome；　and　all　the　most　brilliant　tints。　Columns　of　all　manner　of　chemical　vapours　ascended　from　the　clefts　and　deep　cracks；　at　the　bottom　of　which　I　clearly　saw　the　bright　hot　lava。

I　rolled　as　big　a　mass　of　cool　lava　as　I　could　to　the　edge　of　the　crater　and　heaved　it　down；　but　I　heard　no　sound。　　Doubtless　the　depth　was　vast；　or　it　might　probably　have　fallen　into　the　molten　lava；　and　thus　made　no　noise。　　On　leaving　this　horrible　pit　edge；　I　tied　the　card　of　the　Bridgewater　Foundry　to　a　bit　of　lava　and　threw　it　in；　as　token　of　respectful　civility　to　Vulcan；　the　head　of　our　craft。

I　had　considerably　more　difficulty　in　clambering　up　to　the　top　edge　of　the　crater　than　I　had　in　coming　down。　　Once　or　twice；　indeed；　I　was　half　choked　by　the　swirls　of　sulphureous　and　muriatic　acid　vapour　that　environed　me　before　I　could　reach　the　upper　edge。　　I　sat　down　in　a　nook；　though　it　was　a　very　hot　one；　and　made　a　sketch　or　two　of　the　appearance　of　the　crater。　　But　I　feel　that　it　is　quite　beyond　my　power　either　by　pen　or　pencil；　to　convey　an　idea　of　the　weird　unearthly　aspect　which　the　funnel…shaped　crater　of　Vesuvius　presented　at　that　time。　　An　eruption　of　unusual　violence　had　occurred　shortly　before　I　saw　it。　　Great　rounded　blocks　of　lava　had　been　thrown　high　into　the　air　again　and　again；　and　had　fallen　back　into　the　terrible　focus　of　volcanic　violence。　　Vast　portions　of　the　rugged　and　precipitous　sides　of　the　crater　had　fallen　in；　and　were　left　in　a　state　of　the　wildest　confusion。　　When　I　visited　the　place　the　eruption　had　comparatively　subsided。　　The　throat　of　the　crater　was　a　rugged　opening　of　more　than　forty　feet　diameter；　leading　down　toWhere？　　Echo　answers；　〃Where？〃　And　yet　there　is　no　doubt　but　that　the　great　mass　of　materials　which　lay　around　me　as　I　made　my　sketches；　had　been　shot　up　from　inconceivable　depths　beneath　the　solid　crust　of　the　earth。　There　still　remains　an　enormous　mass　of　molten　materials　that　has　been　shut　up　beneath　that　crust　since　the　surface　of　the　globe　assumed　its　present　condition。　　The　mineral　matter　that　formed　the　globe　had　converged　towards　its　centre　of　gravity；　and　the　arrestment　of　the　momentum　of　the　coalescing　particles　resulted　in　intense　heat。　Hence　the　molten　condition　of　the　globe　in　its　primitive　state。　The　molten　lava　of　volcan