The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1809-07-26
LETTER THIRTEENTH.
.Nahles, Dec. 81, 1904.

Ny DEAR SISTER,
1T has been observed with great justice, that the
modern Italians though they fall very far short of their
ancestors in the noble qualifications and traits OF char
acter yet have many points in which they still strongly
resemble them. These particulars, very interesting
in the history of the as they serve to
shew the permanent AVID irresistible force OF habit,
shall be hereafter The special subject OF letter In
no one trait do they more strongly resemble their an
cestors than in their cxravagant fontness for extern
s,e palaces and magnificent villas. Rome, its cnvi-
rons. and indeed all Italy, filed ancienty with
palaccs and. villas. We do not rocollect single
greatman who had not, in the latter periods of tho
Roman history his country seats, his baths and often
his private theatre The same rage still prevails a.
snong The Italian nobility, though undoubtedly more
limited in sequence of their poverty. Almost ev-
cry pope has ,cnnobed, enriched, and aggrandsedhs
family. Every great palace villa belongs to some
noble family, which traces pope in tslne OF ances-
try These villas and palaces in many points
pcriour t those of any other nobility of any
monarchs IN Europe Paul =. was the founder Of
the illusrious house Of the Boyyhese This family
possesses On extensive palace and two villas, which
the whole may be considered as tire most interesting
at Rome. An Italian palace or villa, in point of di
mensons, architecture, and ornaments, is object of
admiration; but there il want OF neatness comfort,
ind taste in some parts Of them, which renders them
infinitely less pleasing than those of the English no.
bslity. The Palais Borghesc is situated on fine
street, leading from the Piazza dEspagno to st. Pc
ters. II is, like almost every ltaasf palace large
quadrD,gular buildng, each OF Whose several sides
csnnot be less than 200 feet in length. You enter
urler arch, made through one facade of the pail
acc into yard ofpcrhaps 100 feet square.
This court yard is surrounded with corridors, under
which you pass, secured from the weather, to the
different parts Of the building The whole lower
floor is usually devoted to stables, coschhouscs, and
other offices, aud is as you would conceive nom the
habits of filthy people, ina state extremely often
sivc 70 the senscs The Ps1ais Borgheseis however,
an exception TO this rule It is more neat, and its
lover rooms are devcsed to the gallery o, paintings
'rhcrs arc IN this palace about Afteenr or twenty
apartments, kopt nlways open 70 the yisu Of str1n.
eers and regularly attended byN concierge to whom
YOU ray a t1hing compensation. In each room You
1sA printed eafalpoge Of the paintings, which are
AIInun'bersa md yosi pass found ard admire orcen.
surc at your )cisdfs. Your catalogue is your com
na,,;on. y3t *oste yeur guide I DO not know
,he nua.ler q S>nsl paintings nthis palace. almost
all Of which are however by the 6rsk masters; but
Is Trecollcc no room with less than forty in IL, there
must bc at least one thousand fnc originals
rxcry bosly enjoys these luxnics more than tho
osncr AIS hsbtAico is aerial. pcrhapo IN the third