NAPLES

NAPLES, anciently Parthenope, afterwards Neapolis, the capital of the kingdom of that name in Italy, lying in the province called Terra di Lavoro, which is the richest and best inhabited of the whole kingdom, and comprehends a part of the ancient Campania Felix, or the Happy. This city is said to be the first for strength and neatness, and the third for bigness, in all Italy. It is most advantageously situated, having a delicious country on one side, and a noble bay of the Mediterranean on the other, with an excellent harbour. The circumference, including the suburbs, is said not to be less than 18 Italian miles, and the number of the inhabitants therein above 400,000. The houses are of stone, flat-roofed, and generally lofty and uniform; but many of them have balconies, with lattice-windows. The streets are well paved; but they are not lighted at night, and in the day-time are disguised, in many places, by stalls, on which provisions are exposed to sale. Here are a great number of fine churches, convents, fountains, and palaces of the nobility, many of whom constantly reside here. It is usual to walk on the tops of the houses in the evenings, to breathe the sweet cool air, after a hot sultry day. The climate here is so mild and warm, even in the winter, that plenty of green pease, artichokes, asparagus, and other vegetables, may be had so early as the beginning of the new year, and even all the winter. This city swarms with monks and nuns of all sorts, to such a degree, that there are no less than 19 convents of the Dominicans alone, 18 of the Franciscans, 8 of the Augustines, and in pro-

portion of the rest. The magnificence of many of the churches exceeds imagination. In a cloister of the Carthusian monastery is a crucifix, said to be done by Michael Angelo, of inimitable workmanship. The fortifications of Naples are very strong, both towards the land and the sea, there being no less than five castles: yet the city is far from being secure from a bombardment; for the sea is so deep, that a large vessel may come up to the very mole, and there is nothing to prevent an enemy's approaches on that side, but a few galleys, the mole, and two small castles. Pictures, statues, and antiquities, are not so common in Naples, as might be expected in so great and ancient a city, many of the most valuable pieces having been sent to Spain by the viceroys. The bay is one of the finest in the world, being almost of a round figure, of about 30 miles in the diameter, and three parts of it sheltered with a noble circuit of woods and mountains. The city stands in the bosom of this bay, in as pleasant a situation, perhaps, as in the world. Mr. Keysser says, they reckon about 18000 donne libere, or courtzans, in the city. Though the common people are generally so lazy as to prefer beggary or robbing to labour; yet there are some flourishing manufactures here, and a brisk trade. The city is supplied with a vast quantity of water, by means of a very costly aqueduct, from the foot of Mount Vesuvius. Mr. Addison says, it is incredible how great a multitude of retainers to the law there are in Naples, who find continual employment from the fiery temper of the inhabitants. There are five piazzas or squares in the city, appropriated to the nobility, viz. those called Capuana, Nido, Montagna, Porto, and Porta Nuova. Of all the palaces, that of the king is not only the most magnificent, but also in the best style of architecture. The cathedral, though Gothic, is a very grand splendid edifice. It is here that the head and blood of St. Januarius, the tutelary saint of Naples, are kept, the latter in two glass or crystal vials. The pretended liquefaction of the dried blood, as soon as brought near the head of the saint, is a thing well known; Mr. Addison says, it is one of the most bungling tricks he ever saw*. The harbour is spacious, and kept in good repair. It is fortified with a mole, which runs above a quarter of a mile into the sea, and at the extremity has a high lantern to direct ships safely into the harbour. Luxury here is restrained by severe sumptuary laws, and the women are more closely confined than in any other city of Italy. Here is an university and two academies of arts, the one called Gli Ardenti, and the other Gli Otiosi. The nunnery for ladies of quality is said to be the largest in the whole world, containing no less than 350 nuns, besides servants. The Mount of Piety, or the office for advancing money to the poor, on pledges, at a low interest, or without any, has an income of upwards of 50000 ducats. The arsenal is said to contain arms for 50000 men. The walls of the city consist of hard black quarry stones, called piperno.—Instead of ice, vast quantities of snow are used for cooling their liquors, not so much as water being drunk without it; so that, it is said, a scarcity of it would as soon occasion a mutiny as a dearth of corn or provisions. Certain persons, who farm the monopoly of it from the government, supply the city all the year round from

Narbo
Narcissus.
from a mountain about 18 miles off, at so much the pound. Naples stands 110 miles south-east from Rome, 164 north-east from Palermo in Sicily, 217 south-east from Florence, and 300 from Venice. E. Long. 14. 20. N. Lat. 40. 55.