*that had escaped pure and unfullied from the "contagion of thofe worthlefs guefts, with whom "the nature of his trade condemned him often to "affociate.

"About two o'clock in the afternoon, we left the Borgo to climb up to the Città, carrying 62 our swords in our right hands; a precaution " which the company we had just left warranted "in this modern Republick, but which, as Thu"cydides informs us in his proem, would have "exposed us to be branded with the appellation "of Barbarians in the Republicks of Antient "Greece. Before we had reached the fummit of "the hill, the cloud had difperfed, the fun fhone "bright, we breathed a purer air, and the clear

light which displayed the city and territory of "St. Marino, was heightened by contraft with the "thick gloom which involved the circumjacent "plains. Transported with the contemplation "of a landscape which feemed fo admirably to "accord with the political state of the mountain,

"jects are compelled to obey the laws made by the Prince. "In Republican Governments, therefore, the Citizens ❝ought, in the words of Aristotle, and of a still higher "authority, to be a law unto themselves.' How few "Nations therefore are qualified, in modern times, for "living happily under a Republick; and least of all, that "Nation which has fhewn itself the leaft virtuous of all." " a bright

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"a bright gem of liberty amidst the darkness of "Italian fervitude, we clambered cheerfully over "the precipices, never reflecting that as there "was not any place of reception for ftrangers in "the Città, we might poffibly be exposed to the "alternative of fleeping in the streets, or return"ing to the Caravanfera, crouded with smugglers, "whofe intoxication might exasperate their na"tural ferocity. From all our past remarks, we "had concluded that the vice of drunkenness was "abominated even by the loweft claffes of the "Italians. We dreaded their fury and their knives "in this unusual ftate of mind; but amidst all our "terrors could not forbear philofophifing* on "what we had feen, and conjecturing, from the "tumultuous merriment and drunken debauchery "of the fmugglers, that the famed fobriety of the

Italian Nation is an artificial virtue arifing from fituation and accident, not depending on tem<< perament, or refulting from character. Drink"ing is the vice of men whofe lives are chequered

by viciffitudes of toil and ease, of danger and

"This word requires an apology; for the facred name of Philofophy has been as fhamefully polluted in modern times, by Sophifts and Sceptics, as the word Republick by Madmen and Levellers. The prefent generation muft pafs away, before either of thefe terms can refume its priftine and native honours."

« fecu

fecurity. It is the vice of foldiers, mariners, "and huntfmen; of those who exercise boisterous "occupations, or pursue dangerous amusements; "and if the modern Italians are less addicted to "excess in wine than the Greeks and Romans in "antient, or the English and Germans in modern

times, their temperance may fairly be afcribed "to the indolent monotony of their liftless lives; "which, being never exhausted by fatigue, can "never be gladdened by repose; and being never "agitated by the terrors of danger, can never be transported by the joys of deliverance.

"From thefe airy fpeculations, by which we' "fancied that we stripped Italy of what fome "travellers have too haftily concluded to be the "only virtue which he has left, we were "awakened by the appearance of a venerable "perfon, in a bag wig and fword, cautiously "leading his Bourrique * down the precipice. "He returned our falute with an air of courtesy "bespeaking such affability, that we quickly "entered into converfation with him, and dif

covered to our furprize and joy, that we were "in company with a very respectable perfonage, "and one whom Mr. Addison has dignified with "the appellation of the fourth man in the State.?

"The ftipendiary physician of St. Marino (for "this was the perfon with whom we were con"verfing) told us, that we might be accommo"dated with good lodging in the Convent of "Capuchins; and as we were strangers, that he "would return, fhew us the house, and prefent us "to Father Bonelli. We expreffed our unwil"lingness to give him the trouble of again af "cending the hill; but of this trouble the deeply« wrinkled mountaineer made light, and we "yielded to his propofal with only apparent re

luctance; fince, to the indelicacy of introducing ❝ourselves, we preferred the introduction of a "man whom we had even cafually met with on "the read. To the Convent we were admitted ❝ by a frate fervente, or lay friar, and conducted "to the Padre Maeftro, the Prior Bonelli, a man "fixty years old, and, as we were told by the

Phyfician, defcended from one of the nobleft "families in the Commonwealth. Having re❝ceived and returned fuch compliments as are "held indifpenfable in this ceremonious country, "the Prior conducted us above ftairs, and fhewed "us two clean and comfortable chambers, which "he faid we might command, while we deigned to "honour the Republick (fuch were his expreffions) "with the favour of our refidence. As to our "entertainment, he faid we might, as best pleased

us, either fup apart by ourselves, or in company "with him and his monks. We told him, our "happiness would be complete, were we permitted "to enjoy the advantage of his company and "conversation. My converfation! You fhall "foon enjoy better than mine; fince within half 46 an hour I fhall have the honour of conducting 66 you to the houfe of a charming young Lady (fo "I must call her, though my own kinfwoman), "whofe Converfazioné affembles this evening. Du"ring this dialogue a fervant arrived, bringing our "portmanteau from Rimini, and thereby enabling « us with more decency of appearance to pay our "respects to the Lady, in company with the Prior "her uncle. The Signora P―― received us po"litely in an inner apartment, after we had paffed "through two outer rooms, in each of which there 68 was a fervant in waiting. Above a dozen "Gentlemen, well dreffed and polite after the "fashion of Italy, with fix other Ladies, formed "this agreeable party. Coffee and Sorbettis "being ferved, cards were introduced; and in "quality of strangers, we had the honour of lofing "a few fequins at Ombre with the Miftrefs of "the House. The other Ladies prefent took up, "each of them, two Gentlemen; for Ombre is "the universal game, because in Italian Affemblies "the number of men commonly triples that of women;

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