made of fine Parian marble, and the rest of that produced from the Pisan quarries. The sarcophagi are ornamented on the outside with bass-reliefs, representing different fables and stories, with monsters, sphinxes, &c. Six arches are made down to the ground in different parts of the Gothic screen, to communicate to the open court in the centre, which, as well as the cloisters, contains holy earth. The walls on the inside have been stuccoed in a plain way, and painted in fresco with religious subjects, principally selected from the Old and New Testaments. But time has so much obliterated some of these works, that you stand in need of an expositor properly to understand them. They were executed in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries by the restorers of the arts, after the repeated incursions of the barbarians into Italy had done so much mischief to the little learning and civilisation then remaining in the world: and when we consider them in this light, painting be ing at that time only in a second state of infancy, they are by no means contemptible. The principal artists were Benozzo, Simon Memmi, Buffalmaco, Sanese, Giotto, and others. In passing through a building of this description, the traveller is not only entertained by the variety and mixture of objects that have arisen from the superstition and mistaken notions of darker ages, but also by many of the traditionary accounts which are related by those whose business it is to attend him. The land of Italy has ever been pregnant with wondrous stories and miraculous events. On the south side of the Arno stands a small chapel of a Gothic description, the plan of which is a parallelogram; and it is so extremely rich with pinnacles and florid ornaments on the outside that it cannot be passed without observation. Within, it has nothing but bare plastered walls, except a picture by Titian over the altar in a bad condition. The university and several other churches, palaces, and public buildings, merit attention as secondary objects, because they contain more or less specimens of the fine arts. Having thus spoken of the most striking things at Pisa, it may not be uninteresting to the reader to make a few remarks on a diversion practised in this city called Giuco del Ponte or the Game of the Bridge, and of which the inhabitants themselves do not know the origin. It has been supposed by some to proceed from the Olympic games; and that it was brought into the city by the founders of Pisa, who are said to have been Greeks. Others are of opinion it was invented by the Pisans for the purpose of making their youth brave and warlike, and teaching them the military exercise. The city is divided by the Arno into two districts, the northern and the southern. The inhabitants of each form themselves into two armies, and the bridge of marble is to be taken by one or the other. As soon as the magistrates announce the day on which the festival and shamfight are to take place---for so they must be called, since the whole is to be conducted in good huno civil discord, no factious animosity, mour; no hereditary rancour, is suffered to make up any part of this public contest--each division elects officers and agents to receive subscriptions from the citizens for defraying the expenses of this grand spectacle. The people, both male and female, enlist under separate interests: some are for the northern and some for the southern combatants, and very frequently, as happens at our parliamentary elections, they betray great warmth of temper in consequence of their party zeal. But the parties themselves who are to engage reciprocally, treat each other with civility and moderation; and what would in the breasts of the English and Irish soon become incontrollable, and lead on to cudgels, broken bones, and fractured skulls, evaporates in these softer climes by means of a few gibes, sarcasms, and harmless raillery. The two armies are divided into squadrons, and have their distinct colours. On the day of battle people come from all quarters; the streets are thronged, the roofs of the houses covered, and the windows and balconies filled with company, all waiting with anxious expectation for the issue of the contest. The combatants are defended by a helmet of steel and a coat of mail. Their arms and thighs are also incased in armour, and over all hangs a surtout of the respective colours of the squadron. Their offensive arms are of wood, made in the shape of a battledore. The flat part serves them for a shield, and the edge to fight with. A body of men is appointed on each side to lay in ambush, for the purpose of taking prisoners; and, that they may be more light and active, are al lowed no other armour than a helmet. When all is ready, and the forces posted in the regular order of battle, the signal for the engagement is given by the discharge of a cannon. That party which is powerful enough in fifty minutes to pass the bridge (for here lies the heat of action) and take possession of the enemy's field on the other side of the river, is decreed to have gained the victory. After this, the conquerors for six or seven days parade the streets in triumph, with music, and colours flying, and pass their time in festivities, revelry and balls, and then the city is restored to its usual state of quietude: so that in this instance it may be said to bear some resemblance to our country fairs. In Pisa stands a square brick tower, called the Tower of Famine, which is said to have been the prison of Ugolino and his sons. This man, in the year 1288, was a leading character in the broils and contests which existed between the Guelphs and the Ghibellines. Ugolino joined the former, and Rugieri the archbishop of that day became a partisan of the latter; but at length Ugolino was established sovereign count of Pisa. The prelate, in consequence of some disappointments afterward, inflamed the minds of the populace to overthrow Ugolino's government: they accordingly commenced acts of open rebellion, and dragged him and his four sons to prison, where, with unparalleled barbarity, they were all starved to death together. This story is more minutely related in Italian, in the seventh book of the Florentine history by Villani; and more pathetically described in the thirty-third book of Dante's Inferno, where the description is supposed to be given by Ugolino himself, when found by Danté in the lower regions onawing the head of the archbishop. I will here insert a few verses from Mr. Boyd's translation, strongly expressive of Ugolino's situation after the first night's close confinement.-- VERSE IX. The vision vanish'd in the morning sky; I woke, and heard the children's plaintive cry→→ X. Think what I felt when list'ning to the tread XI. In dumb despondence o'er my boys I hung, XII. Half stupify'd with woe, I sat to trace My naked arms" Oh! spare thyself!" they pray'd. |