Near to the main road between Vintimiglia and Bordighera, and by the side of the river Nervia, stands the ancient castle of Dolce Acqua, an interesting relic of the feudal age. This structure occupies a site of remarkable beauty, and is thus rendered not more attractive to the historian. and antiquary than to the lover of the picturesque.

GENOA,

ENOA, the superb! Such is the designation accorded to this queenly city by the host of admiring visitants who yearly throng thither to gaze upon its magnificent structures, and to examine the treasures of art which they enshrine. Tourists contend with each other to do honour to Genoa, and well nigh exhaust the language of eulogy in its praise. In the words of one writer, "It looks like a fairy city of white marble rising out of the sea, the blue waters of which are only one shade deeper than the cerulean sky with which, at a distance, they seem to mingle." By another, we are told, that not to her churches, though many in number, large in size, and rich in decoration, does "Genoa owe her splendid individuality among the cities of the earth. It is to her palaces, with their marble terraces, their hanging gardens, and their stately halls; it is to the unspeakable brightness of the sea that bathes her shores, and of the sky that is her canopy; of the bold hills that are her buckler to the north, with the innumerable villas which seem to smile upon her from among them; and, though last not least, it is the overflowing fertility of the golden garden in which she lies, with its orange groves, its lemon trellises, its myrtles, oleanders, and pomegranates, which, altogether, give it an aspect and a charm that would be sought in vain elsewhere." Lastly, and best of all, we have a poet's testimony to the magnificent spectacle presented in the seaward approach to Genoa :

"At length the day departed, and the moon
Rose like another sun, illumining

Waters and woods, and cloud-capt promontories,

Glades for a hermit's cell, a lady's bower,

Scenes of Elysium, such as night alone
Reveals below, nor often-scenes that fled,
As at the waving of a wizard's wand,

And left behind them, as their parting gift,
A thousand nameless odours. All was still;

And now the nightingale her song poured forth
In such a torrent of heart-felt delight,

So fast it flowed, her tongue so voluble,

As if she thought her hearers would be gone

Ere half was told. 'Twas where in the north-west,

Still unassail'd and unassailable,

Thy pharos, GENOA, first displayed itself,

Burning in stillness on its craggy seat;

That guiding star, so oft the only one,
When those now glowing in the azure vault,

Are dark and silent. "Twas where o'er the sea

For we were now within a cable's length,
Delicious gardens hung; green galleries,
And marble terraces in many a flight,
And fairy arches flung from cliff to cliff,
Wildering, enchanting, and, above them all,
A palace, such as somewhere in the East,
In Zenastan, or Araby the blest,

Among its golden groves, and fruits of gold,
And fountains scattering rainbows in the sun,
Rose, when Aladdin rubb'd the wond'rous lamp;
Such, if not fairer; and, when we shot by,

A scene of revelry, in long array,

The windows blazing. But we now approach'd

A city far renown'd; and wonder ceas'd."

This exquisite description rivals the scene which it pourtrays: that it is not a mere poetical rapture, we have the assurance of one, who says, in reference to the same view," I know of no words expressing beauty, splendour, and majesty, that are strong enough to do it justice."

Tourists unite in the opinion that Genoa is most impressive in its general exterior, and is best seen from the sea. Some indeed have spoken disparagingly of the streets and buildings, as losing, on a near approach, much of the beauty which they assume at a distance; others again, give to this city the superiority over Naples and Constantinople, inasmuch as it fulfils the expectations which are raised by the first and general view. The streets of Genoa are narrow, and more so as compared with the height of the palazzi which form them; but in an Italian city, that gloom which pervades the confined avenues of a town in northern Europe, is unknown. The truth appears to be, that the magnificent coup d'œil obtained from the Gulf of Genoa presents an assemblage of beauty that is by no means favourable to the after survey of the city in detail;-that, in short, the one is necessarily far more impressive than the other. Tradition has given to Genoa an existence prior to that of Rome, and the Genoese trace the foundation of their city, and its name, to Janus. It took part with Rome in the war against Carthage, and afterwards remained in alliance with her On the decline of the Western Empire, it fell into the possession of the Lombards, from whom it was taken by Charlemagne, who united it to the Ligurian coast, and gave the command of the territory to a count. During the struggles for the crown of Italy, between the German emperors and the Berengarians and other claimants, the Genoese asserted their independence, and established an elective government by consuls, whose names are recorded from the eleventh century. Genoa acquired an early naval and military reputation in her contest with the Saracens, against whom she united with the Pisans, and ultimately succeeded in defeating the invaders on their own coast. The Genoese next distinguished themselves in the great crusade, under Godfrey de Bouillon, and, not long after, in their struggle with the Moors. But these victories excited the jealousy of the Pisans, between whom and the Genoese a protracted warfare was carried on, which ended in the total destruction of Pisa as a maritime power.

Some time before the final defeat of the Pisans, Genoa found another and a more powerful rival in Venice. The Genoese having assisted Paleologus in recovering Constantinople from the Franks, obtained, as the reward of their services, the suburbs of Pera and Galata, and

Smyrna. This acquisition of territory raised the jealousy of the Venetians, and led to a war between them and the Genoese, which, though occasionally interrupted by intervals of peace, and conducted with various success, resulted in the ultimate triumph of Venice. Along with this discomfiture, Genoa had to sustain herself against the internal discord arising from the intrigues and struggles of her nobles for power. The election of Captains of Liberty, and subsequently of the Council of Twelve, and the Council of Twenty-four, attended with all the dissensions of the Guelph and Ghibelline factions, led to scenes of tumult and disorder that threatened utter desolation to the city and territories of Genoa. Wearied with these outrages, the citizens at length elected a chief magistrate for life, under the title of Doge, and the government continued in this form for nearly two centuries, not unaccompanied, however, by much popular violence, arising from factious opposition to the supreme power.

Advantage was taken of the feuds of the Genoese, by the visconti of Milan and the kings of France, who alternately possessed the city. But at this period, rose up one of the greatest men of the middle ages, one singularly adapted for the time in which he lived, and for the circumstances into which he was thrown. This was Andrea Doria, a native of Oneglia, in the States of Genoa, who after serving many Italian princes, attached himself to Francis I., from whom he received the command of a fleet in the Mediterranean. The factions of Genoa had led to the possession of the city by the French, who placed a garrison there that oppressed the citizens. Doria remonstrated, and was ordered into arrest, when he immediately passed over with his whole fleet, to Charles V., and acted in concert with him for the expulsion of the French, which being effected, the Emperor offered Doria the sovereignty of Genoa. This he declined, but immediately proceeded to re-organize the republic, and to extinguish the factions. A council of sixteen was appointed, presided over by a Doge, whose election was for two years only; five censors were also elected for five years, to act as guardians of the laws, and Doria himself, with the title of "Father and Liberator of his Country," was appointed censor for life. To the great council, in which all the nobles sat, were added every year, seven plebeians, from the respectable classes of society, four from the city, and three from the territory of Genoa. These were intended to serve as a check upon the aristocracy, and as a salutary watch over the interests and liberties of the people. Under this government, Genoa flourished; and the death of Andrea, at the advanced age of ninety-four, after a life of arduous enterprise, and of eminent usefulness to his country, was lamented as a national calamity, possibly the greatest that the republic had hitherto sustained.*

The government established by Andrea Doria, continued from the commencement of the sixteenth century, till the invasion of Italy by Bonaparte, when a democratic party fraternising with the French, rose upon the government for the destruction of the aristocrats of Genoa, who for the time defended themselves against the outrages of the confederates; but ultimately the French Directory obtained possession of the city, and established a garrison within its defences. In 1790, Massena was besieged in Genoa by the united powers of England and Austria, and was at length compelled to capitulate, though not until he had achieved a high military character by his gallant defence of the place. After the battle of Marengo, Genoa

* Columbus, the discoverer of America, was contemporary with Andrea Doria. Genoa long claimed the honour of having given birth to the great navigator; but the recent discovery of a will, made by Dominic, the father of Columbus, has transferred that honour to the little town of Cogoleto, situated about eighteen miles west of Genoa.