22 TR A V E L S THROUGH
Cornelius Nepos and PImy the Elder, with the architcft Vitruvius; although many
affirm that Vitruvius was a native of Formia, at prefent known by the name of Môle
de Gaetta. One might alfo add a fixth ftatue, placed under a kind of niche, in honour
of Jcrcmo Fracaftorius.
VERONA may boaft of having given birth to a vaft number of men of fcience, See. ;
among others to Joannes Jocundus, the celebrated mathematician, to whom we are
indebted for the beft tranflation of Euclid : Guarini, who was the firft after the decline
of the Roman empire that re-cftabliihcd the beauties of the Greek and Latin languages
in Europe, and wlio is fo well known to the Literati, by his Compendium Grainmaticre
GroeciE, &c.: Paul Vcronefe, the celebrated painter, whofe pencil has ferved to immortalize
his name to poftcrity; with many others too numerous to infert. (See the excellent
work of Maffei, a native of that city, intituled Verona Ilhiftrata, vol, ii. p. 178.)
THE city of Verona has loft much of its original magnificence by difturbances from its
neighbours, and the reiterated oppreffion of its chiefs ; yet the Belles L i t r e s and the Art
have not been entirely impeded; for from that period, to the prefent era, tliere has always
exifted in that city a number of men of letters.
THERE is alfo a beautiful Academy called Philarmonici, where the Literati meet to
difcufs various fubjcils.
THAT fociety is very ancient, as it exifted before the year 1543 ; as did alfo another
for the encouragement of Arts and Sciences, called Incantati. The members of this
fociety alfo join the others, in order to read ledhires. See. as I have already mentioned.
There is alfo a third fociety, which bears the name of Philoti. The place where they
alTemble is a kind of Gymnafium, where the youths of Verona praâife feveral bodily
cxercifes ; fuch as wreftling, fencing, dancing, horfemanihip, &c.
I MOST not however quit this city without noticing its Amphitheatre, which is a noble
llrudurc, well worth a curious traveller's obfervation, being a beautiful piece of antiquity.
It is both ftately and fpacious; of the outward wall is left only a fmall piece, from
whence one may make an eftimate of the whole. The remainder of the building is
kept in good repair, owing to the attention of the inhabitants ; which certainly does
them great credit, as they are frequently obliged to have much done to it. Some
authors aflert, that it was built in the reign of Auguftus, which docs not appear probable,
fince Pliny the Elder lived at that time, and docs not mention it when he fpeaks of his
country : neither does the Younger Pliny, who lived under Vefpafian. It is not likely
that either of them would have omitted it, having both been fo very particular in their
defcription of Verona: I ihould therefore fuppofe it to be of a later date than the Colifeo
of Rome, built by Titus. The form of the Amphitheatre is oval : its great diameter
450 feet :
T H E RH^TIAN ALPS. 23
450 feet: the fmall one 360, and its circumferencc 1290. The great diameter of the
Arena is 223 feet, and the fmall one 136 feet and a half. It is furrounded by fortyfour
ftone benches, raifed one above another in the nature of ftcps, of one foot and a
half in height, and twenty incites in breadth, capable of containing twenty-two thoufand
one hundred and eighty-four perfons. Thofe mcafures may be depended on, as I have
taken them on the fpot.
• I WILL now fpcak of the envu-ons of Verona:—The Adigc, which fertilizes that
beautiful country, and offers to its inhabitants every means of opulence and comfort, did
not originally pafs tlirough Verona; but it is difficult to afcertain whether the change
was accidental or contrived by way of embelliihing the city. It is however certain that,
at no great diftance from it, there is a large deep ditch which appears to have been the
original bed of the river, as the bottom is flat, and covered with tliick fand, intermixed
with roxmd thin ftones, called gallet, and large pieces of granite, quartz, &c. which are
dccompofitions of the primitive mountains. There are few countries fo rich in foftils as
the province of Verona; and moft Naturalifts know that it abounds with all forts of petrifadions,
ihells, &c. unknown in the European feas: I (hall therefore not pretend to
enlarge on that fubjedl:, as it would only be a repetition of what has already been
mentioned by a variety of writers.
I WILL only add that the marbles are beautiful, and have the fineft poliih; and among
them is what the Italians call Mifchio di brentonico, h Giallo di Torri, befides another
fpecies which nearly refembles the Ferde Antica^ &c.
THERE is alfo, in the vicinity of Verona, a -kind of clayey earth, of a greenifli colour,
called Terra Firidis Feronenfts, which is made ufe of by the artifts in painting alfrefco.
It is found in ftrata nearly parallel, of four inches in thicknefs. This earth, which is
pure ochre, contains fmall particles of copper.
BEING rather ftraitened for time, I could only judge from the fpecimens I had feen
that the fpot contained objefts worthy the obfervations of the mineralogift.
I PURCHASED of two Workmen that were tliere a couple of xtitx, or eagle ftones, of a
deep red, three inches in diameter, and containing in the interior fome grains of pure
iron. They alTured me that they had found them nearly where they were at work.
They alfo gave me a variety of foffils, which I have ftill by me.
THERE arc in the province of Verona a number of curious plants, not only in
the vallies, but on the adjacent mountains, viz. La Veronica Petrea, La Veronica
Fuchfis, Dc Giovanni Pona, La Sefeli Frutefcens, Erythronium Dens Canis, Ciftus
Italicus, Orobus Lutcus, Le Polemonium Rubrum, L'Hyaccntus Comofus, Sinenaria
Helenitus, Hippocreflis Commofa, Gentiana Acolis, Centaurea Minore, dc Diofcoride.
j