ITALIA N S C ENE RY, MA N N E R S , A N D CUSTOMS. 17
FiLATE IX.
THE COUNTRY EATING-HOUSE.
'^FlIIS plate is a faithful rcpregcntation of an eating-house for the accommodation of travellers
and others at St. Mary's, near Case]-ta, not far from Naples. The room has not the
best appearance, but the company assembled in it by no means deserves a better; it answei's
at the same time the pxirposes of cooking and eating. Stoves arc the only fire-places. In
these charcoal is burned, which is kept in the little barrel placed in the ash-hole. The sketch
^\•ixs taken in -winter, and several persons are seated round a brasier, which is the usual fireplace
for rooms in Lower Italy, except in the houses of noble or rich families, who arc provided
with proper grates or stoves, in which wood is burned ; b u t in brasiers a kind of very
small charcoal is used, made of thorns, which throws out a moderate and acrrceable warmth.
On the other side of tlie room several people are seated at a table, part of whom are at
dinner, part have dined, and stop there to drink and chat. The glasses, Avhich arc of an extraordinary
form, being more than a foot high, are the legal wine measures. The officers of
government repair frequently and unexpectedly to such places, for the ])urposc of examining
these measures, to prevent the public from being cheated. This is the custom in the markets
and shops hkewise, though weights and measures of all kinds, previous to their beino- employed
for p u b h c use, are stamped at an office kept open for this purpose.
Prom the appearance both of the place and the guests, it may be presumed, that no
choice viands are to be found here; and at the time the drawing was taken, the person
seated at dinner was eating a ragout of stock-fish and French beans, seasoned simply with
oil and vinegar. Over this figure is hanging a {)icture of a saint, such public places ncveibeing
without one ; and a lamp is always to be found before it, which is constantly lighted on
the days particularly dedicated to the saint represented in the picture, Friday, for example, is
dedicated to our Saviour, and Saturday to the ^''irgin Mary. In respect to the other saints,
they look into the almanack for the day of the week on which their anniversaries fill), and on
that day the lamp is lighted every week throughout the year. 'J'o explain this custom more
fully, suppose the picture to contain a crucifix, with the portraits of St. Anthony and St. Fr ancis
: in this case, if the anniversary of both the sahits happen on a Fritlay, there will be seen
tiiree hglits before it every Friday iii the y e a r ; at least, if the saints be not in the picture
casually, but by the proprietor's particular desire.