The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware register., 1824-08-05
pJ.ACUE IN FLORENCE.

PLAGUE IN FLORENCE.
Tile fnlg,riag interesting eriract is made from an
urficlc in lie last Norh .9mericao Her'ew, ca
the Decdmer0a, the most ddniAe6 VI the prose
acorkS Of BoccGc(o.
The srene of this celebrated performance is
placed at Fl renee, III the year 1913, when that
proud and popuious CITY was laid luW IN sorrow
bv the sco"rg" of one of the Most destructive
plaques, which history records; plague. which
in the complication OF its horrors, and the eNten,
Of It's lFalses, il entitled To mouriul emncncL
beside these Of Athens, Marscilles and London
'i'hr Descriptions Of this maIady, which forms tho
Introduction Of the work, is justly esteemed one
Of the choicest n,orstis Of the kinl in The Who'll.
range of literature. The perfect truth OF the
DESCRIPTION, the mastery skill with which the
nns, striking circumstances are selected, TO give
Us distinct idca cf the dreadful moral and ply
slral effects of the pcsiil nee, and yet to awake
no disgust in our minds, and the unaffected emo
tion Of the writer in unfolding the dtsoiation of
this neau,u city, invest this piece with all those
at''i utes Of genuine histoiick eloqueEcc, which
brlong "a the celebrated description OF fhucy.
dties, Of the plague of Athens
This pI,gut first broke ouI in the Levant, and
moving on from place 10 pllce, fnalls, notwi,h
Standing every precau,ion that human foresight
could devise. made its appearance in the spring
ofthe year at Florence. The malay was suo q
found to be contagious, and spread with fright
fnl rApiiy through the crowded population Of
the city.
No sooner had the contagion become general,
tln all socisl order was at an end ,hc constitu.
ted authoriti of the city ceased to possess any
control over the pcope; very one became I'm
disputed master of bis own actions; and III this
universal anarchy and misrule abandoned mis-
c'e,'itS rose up, who made the tles0latinn oi
their fellow citizens ihc means of unha!lowc {.
gam, going from house 10 house, and drspoiiins
the deserted palaces of their sumptuons plate
q Al
the dying III their last helpless agones, OF the
very jewels thcy wore on their persons. Indeed
the morbid cIG,ness and hardness Of hear, en-
gend red ly constant familiarity with thes"
scenes tf horror, which WV eines led the best
to Dbandon their f,ierdst 10 'i,'c, and tempted 'hc
bad to s'i, h acts oi prthisae rlage, n.anites,G
itself in the whole conduct oi HE inhabitants.
was the usage in tie CIV for the friends of Il
deceased person TO ass mile 81 his horse, an
sympa'hlse with his fflcict' family; but AL the
accempaniuci,'s of gref we're now no moro tht
s'iHvI relations. given up to kind Of lrtGS
ieytitn Of despair, cnnvercd the funeral so!cn
ny into rcvoitns scene Of laughter and noisy
mc'rincn'.
Bat tie manner in which those persons, WHO
were vet in health, spout their time, was the most
'k'b'c. Ono class, thinking to avoid IL.
cohtaeion by mot' ration in diet, and by stunning
all excuses, ioned little parties, who shut
theniSe!N S w. from the wor paid no regard /,
what was p,s>itg uiihou, their doors, and, lv
me ,,mpc'ately on the best cf wine. and vlanls
oc' uptd their minds entirely with music ant
other agreeable hut r'oterac rectca ions. Oh
efs, Oh The contrary, mainained free living to b,
tht s,l'"si prtstwa,ve. and accordingly the,
passed day and night in drinking. teastng, ant
exec s. I Nlce, m0sing continually fr IN tavern It
tavern, taking possession Of the ,lntenanc man
sIons of the rich and using all they contained a.
cn"Tnon property Another class held u mid
c2ursc b, tween tn Sc two extremes, nei,l.c
binding themselves TO strict diet ike the one
nor lnduging in in,rnperance like the o'hcr b,,
eating and drinking their feelings dictated
gong about as usual, only smelling constantly q
splcery and aromatic herbs, by Nay Of prot, c To-
Rgai' ST the influences of conagion. A more n,
mtrons class, however, of those. in cas-, ctcun,
stances, hurried from the city, their friends an,
thc'r possessions INTO the country pos uunn
every consideration 10 the love of life, and seem
ing TO hod II a tempting OF their faie to ,bide il
place thus doomed To destruction.
but, not TO dwell! any longer on these panf
opec's, i is confidently affirmed, that within th
space OF five months, what by the neglect /
"h'cii Me sick were exposed what BY the nht
eht virlience of The pcsilcnce, more than !. lirlr
ufed Thousand souls pershed within the " lis G
INC city-so that many magnificent dwellin
was Aepopnated to the last scrvant-,hml,.nA
IN the prime of youthful vigor, who rns,. in tn
morning, seemingly in perfect health, were ca,
Trd out to their last long hons. bef,;ry night
,aFge families became entirely extinet, rs il the
ha never becn-un1 mul,tu,le If vast posse.
SONS remained, with ,ut amy living person {
claim the Inheritance.