should not pass unnoticed. The square before the church, formed principally of the apostolical palace the residence of the bishop, the canons and the penitentiaries, is in a very grand style of architecture. The treasury was formerly a subject of admiration and astonishment to all travellers, who seemed to attempt but in vain to describe, not the gold and silver only, but the gems and the diamonds that glittered on every vase, and dazzled the eyes with their splendor. Long catalogues were produced of the names of Emperors, Kings, Potentates and Republics, who had contributed to augment this immense accumulation of wealth with additional offerings, and some surprise was expressed, that the Turk or some hardy pirate, tempted by the greatness of the booty, and the facility of the conquest, did not assault the town, and endeavour to enrich himself with the plunder. But such was the supposed sanctity of the place, such the religious awe that surrounded it, that even the Turks themselves beheld it with veneration, and the inhabitants reposed with confidence under the tutelar care of the Virgin Patroness. Once, indeed, the infidels made a bold attempt to assault the sanctuary of Loretto; but, like the Gauls under Brennus, presuming to attack the temple of Delphi, were repulsed by tremendous storms, and struck with supernatural blindness. Loretto, in fact, in later times, as Delphi in days of old, was surrounded with an invisible rampart, which no mortal arm could force, and no malignant dæmon even venture to assail, repressed both by superior power, "Motique verendâ Majestate loci."

But Loretto has now shared the fate of Delphi; its sacred bounds have been violated, its sanctuary forced, and its

stores of treasure seized, and dispersed by the daring hands of its late invaders. No vestige now remains of this celebrated collection of every thing that was valuable; rows of empty shelves, and numberless cases, only enable the treasurer to enlarge on its immensity, and curse the banditti that plundered it. "Galli," said he, " semper rapaces, crudeles, barbarorum omnium Italis infestissimi :" he added, in a style of compliment to the English," Angli, justi, moderati, continentes." I hope our countrymen will endeavour to verify the compliment, by their conduct towards the degraded Greeks, and oppressed Italians! But though we condemned the sacrilegious rapine of the French, we could not share the deep regret of the good father. Treasures buried in the sacristies of churches, are as useless, as if still slumbering in their native mines; and though they may contribute to the splendor of an altar, or the celebrity of a convent, can be considered only as withheld from the purposes for which Providence designed them, and drawbacks upon that industry which they are made to encourage. The altar ought certainly to be provided with a sufficient quantity of plate for the decency, and even the splendor of divine service: such was the opinion of the christian church even in the second century; but it is the duty of government not to allow it to accumulate, and it is much to be lamented, that the immense wealth deposited in the churches in Italy, had not been employed, as anciently was the custom, in times of public distress, for public relief. "Ad divos adeunto castè: pietatem adhibento: opes amovento."*

* Cic. de Legibus, 11. 8.

It

The church of Loretto is a magnificent establishment. consists of twenty prebendaries or resident canons: twenty chaplains or minor canons; and twenty penitentiaries, to hear the confessions of the pilgrims, and administer to them advice and spiritual consolation. These penitentiaries are selected from various countries, that every pilgrim may find a director, who can discourse with him in his own language. The number of pilgrims seems at present to be very small; indeed they have long ceased to be of any advantage to the town, as they are generally of the lowest class, beg their bread on the road, and are supported at the expence of the church, while at Loretto. We visited the fathers, and were treated by them with much tenderness and cordiality.

The traveller would do well, while his head quarters are at Loretto, to visit Osimo, Humana, Monte Santo, and as much of the coast and country southward, as possible. These places are all of ancient fame, and the whole region around is both beautiful and classical.

From Loretto the road turns direct to Rome, passes under a noble gateway, descends the hill of Loretto, with an aqueduct running on the left, then rising, traverses Recanati, a neat but deserted episcopal town; and again descending, winds through a delicious plain, watered by the Potenza, adorned with all the beauty of cultivation, and all the exuberance of fertility, producing corn and beans, clover and flax, vines and mulberries, in profusion; and when we passed through it, all lighted up exhilarated by the beams of a vernal evening sun. A little beyond the post Sambuchetó, and on the banks of the river, lie

and

the ruins of an amphitheatre, or rather of a town, supposed, by some antiquaries, to have been Recina; though others conclude, from the distance of fourteen miles, marked by the itineraries, between Auximum and Recina, that the latter stood on or near the site of the modern Macerata, that is, about two miles and a half farther on. Macerata is an episcopal see, a town of some population, activity, and even magnificence. It is situated on a high hill, and commands an extensive view of the lovely country we had traversed, terminating in the distant Adriatic. The gate is a sort of modern triumphal arch, not remarkable either for materials or proportion. The same beautiful scenery continues to delight the traveller, till he reaches Tollentino.

This town, an episcopal see, and very ancient, contains nothing remarkable. Its principal church is dedicated to St. Nicolas, a native saint, and of course in high veneration. The bust of a celebrated philosopher of the fifteenth century, Philelphus, is placed over the entrance of the Town-hall, a circumstance, which I mention merely as an instance of the respect which the Italians are wont to shew to the memory of their great men of every description. The gate towards Loretto is double, of Gothic architecture, and of singular form. The situation of the town is extremely pleasing, on a gentle eminence on the banks of the Chienti, in a fertile plain, lined on either side with wooded hills. A little beyond Tollentino we began to enter the defiles of the Apennines; the hills closing and swelling into mountains, the river roughening into a torrent, and the rocks breaking here and there into huge precipices. The road runs along the sides of the hills, with the Chienti rolling

below on the left. A little beyond Beleforte, a view opens over the precipice towards a bridge, and presents a landscape of very bold features. Beleforte is an old fortress perched on the side of a rock in a very menacing situation, and well calculated to command the defile. A village on the opposite side of the river adds not a little to its picturesque appearance. The grandeur of the scenery increased as we advanced; beyond the stage Valcimara, the mountains are naked, rocky and wild for some miles, till, on a sudden, they assume a milder aspect, sink in height, clothe their sides with sylvan scenery, and present on their wooded summits, churches, castles, and ruins, the usual ornaments of Italian mountains. The landscape continued to improve in softness and in milder beauty till we arrived at Ponte de la Trave, so called from a bridge over the Chienti. Here, though we had travelled two stages or eighteen miles only, and it was still early, we determined to remain during the night; partly from a just apprehension of danger in passing the steep and lonely fastnesses of Seravalle in the dark, and partly from an unwillingness to traverse the majestic solitudes of the Apennines, when incapable of enjoying the prospect. The inn, it is true, was indifferent, but the surrounding scenery extremely pleasing. The river rolling rapidly along close to the road, a convent seated in the middle of a vineyard, groves waving on the sides of the hills, the fields painted with the lively green of vernal vegetation, fruit-trees in full blossom on all sides, farm-houses interspersed in the groves and meadows, and broken crags surmounted with churches and towers in distant perspective, formed on the whole a scene, rich, varied, tranquil, and exhilarating. One would imagine that Addison, who travelled this road, had