Italy, illustrated and described

ILLUSTRATED AND DESCRIBED,

IN A SERIES OF VIEWS,

FROM DRAWINGS BY

STANFIELD, R.A., ROBERTS, R.A., HARDING, PROUT, LEITCH, BROCKEDON, BARNARD, &c. &c.

WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF THE SCENES.

AND

AN INTRODUCTORY ESSAY,

ON THE POLITICAL, RELIGIOUS, AND MORAL STATE OF ITALY.

BY CAMILLO MAPEI, D.D.,

FORMERLY CANON OF THE CATHEDRAL OF PENNE, AND GRADUATE OF THE COLLEGE OF SAN APOLLINARE AT ROME.

AND A SKETCH OF THE

HISTORY AND PROGRESS OF ITALY DURING THE LAST FIFTEEN YEARS (1847-62),

For ever and for ever shalt thou be

Unto the lover and the poet dear,

Thou land of sunlit skies and fountains clear-
Of temples and gray columns, and waving woods,
And mountains, from whose rifts the bursting floods

Rush in bright tumult to the Adrian sea:

O thou romantic land of Italy!

BARRY CORNWALL.

PUBLISHERS' PREFACE.

In whatever aspect Italy may be viewed, she is an object of interest. The student of history finds in her annals the most thrilling narratives and the most instructive lessons. To him her very dust is dear, whether attracted by the splendour of the old Roman Empire, the mercantile activity of a Venice or a Genoa, the phenomena of the Papal Power, the wars of a Napoleon or a Victor Emmanuel, or by those more recent struggles begun by the patriot Garibaldi, and resulting in that long sought for unity-a kingdom of Italy. The antiquary finds in her architectural and other remains the most ample field of investigation. The theologian, the Christian, never tires with contemplating the scenes where a Paul preached, where Christians were made a prey to wild beasts, where the Waldenses stood firm and suffered for "the faith as it is in Jesus," and earned for themselves the well-merited title of "The Israel of the Alps." The country of a Raphael, a Correggio, a Titian—of a Virgil, a Horace, a Dante, a Tasso, must possess a fascination for the painter and the poet, and for every man of cultivated tastes. While the tourist, bent merely on enjoying the beautiful, or on obtaining healthful relaxation, finds in her picturesque mountains, her fertile valleys, and her delicious climate, a combination which satisfies his most ardent desires.

To the features of lasting interest possessed by Italy, recent political events and changes have added others of a peculiar kind. The career of Garibaldi has added new lustre and new attractions to his native town Nice; the sufferings of Perugia have added a fresh though painful interest to that ancient Etrurian city; Turin, Milan, Florence, Genoa, Bologna, Ancona, Naples, Rome, has each in its turn come vividly before us, animated with the struggles of a noble people determined to be free.

ITALY, ILLUSTRATED AND DESCRIBED, was formerly published under the less appropriate title of "Italy, Classical, Historical, and Picturesque." It consists of a series of views of Italian Towns, and of River, Lake, and Mountain Scenery, engraved in the most finished manner, from Drawings by some of the leading landscape painters of Great Britain. The scenes selected for representation are all interesting, from historical, legendary, or poetical associations, or from their own natural beauties. Among them will be found views of various places seldom visited by the tourist, which come before the public with a pleasing freshness from never having been previously engraved in this country. The places that have been more frequently represented are in many instances pictured from new points of view, or shown under novel aspects.

A large proportion of the Engravings in this collection are from drawings by W. Brockedon, Esq., F.R.S., whose works, the "Passes of the Alps" and "Road Book to Italy," are so highly esteemed.

In addition to the subjects furnished by Mr. Brockedon, and to contributions from many distinguished amateurs, whose names will be found acknowledged on the Engravings from their sketches, this work is also enriched from the sketch-books and portfolios of the following eminent artists:Eastlake, Chantrey, Stanfield, Roberts, Harding, Prout, Leitch, and Barnard; and among the Engravers will be found the names of many whose works are generally recognized as being of the highest excellence.

The views are accompanied with Descriptive Notices, embracing the topographical features, the historical and classical reminiscences, and the legendary and poetical associations connected with the several localities depicted. The whole is preceded by an essay on the "Political, Religious, and Moral State of Italy," from the pen of the learned Dr. Mapei, formerly Professor of Divinity in Rome, written for the original edition of the work; to which is now added "A Sketch of the History and Progress of Italy during the last fifteen years (1847-1862), in continuation of Dr. Mapei's Essay, by the Rev. Gavin Carlyle, A.M."

GLASGOW, October, 1863.