which is never the cafe amidst oppreffive poverty.

Notwithstanding the fertility of the country around it, the town of Placentia itself is but thinly inhabited, and feems to be in a flate of decay. What firft ftrikes a ftranger on entering this city, are two equestrian statues, in bronze, by Giovanni di Bologna; they ftand in the principal fquare, before the Town-house. The beft of the two reprefents that confummate general Alexander Farnefe, Duke of Parma and Placentia, who commanded the army of Philip II. in the Netherlands. The inscription on the pedestal mentions his having relieved the city of Paris, when called to the affiftance of the League into France, where his great military skill, and cool intrepidity, enabled him to baffle all the ardent impetuofity of the gallant Henry. He was certainly worthy of a better mafter, and of ferving in a better caufe. We cannot, without regret, behold a Prince, of

the

the Duke of Parma's talents and character, fupporting the pride of an unrelenting tyrant, and the rancour of furious fanatics.

Except the Ducal Palace, and some pictures in the churches, which I dare fwear you will cordially forgive me for paffing over undescribed, I believe there is not a great deal in this city worthy of attention at all events I can fay little about them, as we remained here only a few hours during the heat of the day, and set out the fame evening for Milan.

LETTER LXXVIII.

Milan.

M bardy, is the largeft city in Italy,

ILAN, the ancient capital of Lom

except Rome; but though it is thought rather to exceed Naples in fize, it does not contain above one-half the number of inhabitants.

The cathedral ftands in the centre of the city, and, after St. Peter's, is the most confiderable building in Italy. It ought by this time to be the largest in the world, if what they tell us be true, that it is near four hundred years fince it was begun, and that there has been a confiderable number of men daily employed in completing it. ever fince; but as the injuries which time does to the ancient parts of the fabric, keep them in conftant employment, without the poffibility of their work being ever completed,

13

pleted, Martial's epigram, on the barber Eutrapelus, has been applied to them with great propriety. That poor man, it seems, performed his operations fo very flowly, that the beards of his patients required shaving again on the fide where he had begun, by the time he had finished the other.

EUTRAPELUS TONSOR DUM CIRCUIT ORA LUPERCI, EXPUNGITQUE GENAS, ALTERA BARBA ŞUBIT.

No church in Chriftendom is fo much loaded, I had almoft faid disfigured, with ornaments. The number of ftatues, withinfide and without, is prodigious; they are all of marble, and many of them finely wrought. The greater part cannot be diftinctly feen from below, and therefore certainly have nothing to do above. Besides thofe which are of a fize, and in a fituation to be diftinguished from the street, there are great numbers of fmaller ftatues, like fairies, peeping from every cornice, and hid among the grotefque ornaments, which are here in vaft profufion. They must have coft much labour to the artifts who formed

them,

them, and are ftill a fource of toil to ftrangers, who, in compliment to the perfon who harangues on the beauties of this church, which he says is the eighth wonder of the world, are obliged to afcend to the roof to have a nearer view of them.

This vaft fabric is not fimply encrufted, which is not uncommon in Italy, but intirely built of folid white marble, and supported by fifty columns, faid to be eightyfour feet high. The four pillars under the cupola, are twenty-eight feet in circumference. By much the finest statue belonging to it is that of St. Bartholomew. He appears flayed, with his fkin flung around his middle like a fash, and in the easiest and most degagé manner imaginable. The muscles are well expreffed; and the figure might be placed with great propriety in the hall of an anatomift; but, exposed as it is to the view of people of all profeffions, and of both fexes, it excites more disgust and horror than admiration. Like those beggars who uncover their fores in the VOL. II. G g street,