Mola de Gaëta <1>
Tuesday Evening, Janry 28. 1823.
Here we are, at the Albergo di Cicerone, after a pleasant and prosperous day’s journey – the weather was mild, the sky covered with clouds, which diminished the effects, & rendered the distances indistinct. We travelled in company with Mr Peploe all day. We left Velletri before six o’clock, by moonlight, and going full speed over the Pontine marshes reached Terracina at 11. On first leaving Velletri <2> the country is pleasing and parkish, but you soon get on the marsh, & then the road is as straight as an arrow for 24 miles, and very good. We passed great tracts of water, covered with wild ducks, & all manner of birds – The posts of soldiers are frequent; but the men look miserably ill – We passed a wood which was had been burnt all along the roadside to the distance of 100 yards from the road, to destroy all shelter for robbers – At one place the soldiers wanted to escort us, but we declined, & in fact we found it was but a pretence to get money, for there was all that stage, a broad canal on each side of the road, so that no robbers could possibly get upon it. We passed through no village, but de distance en distance <3> there was a solitary hovel, or rélai de poste. <4> I saw several ancient milestones inscribed with Trajan’s name. One in particular seemed as fresh as if cut yesterday. After several hours of this monotonous scenery, we came suddenly upon the sea, the city and lofty rock of Terracina – turning round it, we beheld a noble view over a spacious bay, behind which rose the gloomy mountains of Itri, their heads lost in the clouds – The rock of Anxur (or Terracina) is not white as Horace describes it “Impositum saxis late’ candentibus Anxur.” <5> and as it is represented in the view given of it in the Dss of Devonshire’s <6> Horace: but red, as Mr Peploe & I remarked to each other at the same time. About its base grew in profusion the wild plants of the Nice coast, which I had n not see since – The road now follows the margin of the sea, with bold overhanging rocks on the left; but soon quits it, & turns inland. We passed the Lake of Fondi, which looks like a mere marsh, & then crossed an extensive plain, full of orange-trees &c. to Fondi a wretched town situated in the plain. From thence to Itri the road is at first on the plain, & then rises in a gorge between the hills – It is rather gloomy, & a warm imagination would people the rocks with banditti, but we saw nothing but wild flowers and birds that tenanted the solitude. The banks were clothed with crocusses [sic] of the liveliest & most delicate lilac colour. At length to our satisfaction we came in sight of Itri, & the Sun, suddenly breaking forth lit up this most picturesque village, while the mountains behind remained in darkness. – Past Itri, same description of country, but more cheerful from being clothed with fine olive trees & caroubas <7> – Bye & bye we saw the sea, and emerging from these mountain gorges found ourselves near Mola di Gaëta, with the town & peninsula of Gaëta on our right, & another extensive bay sweeping round to the left, on which stood the distant village of Sessa, & white towers innumerable. – Drove to this inn the garden of which is delightful, reaching to the waters edge, & containing within it most extensive & curious ruins of a Roman Villa, which some pretend was the Formian Villa of Cicero. <8> These ruins extend into the sea, & are visible beneath its waves, which break over them as rocks. – The sea has apparently gained on the land, in the lapse of ages. – Spring is more advanced here than at Rome – Jane & I found wild Narcissuses & Anemonies [sic] in flower among the ruins – We drank tea in the sunshine, on a balcony commanding the sea, Gaieta [sic] on the right, & the distant mountains towards Naples on the left. I have seldom seen anything more beautiful – We had today an escort of 2 or 3 soldiers from Terracina here, but they were not wanted, & only for shew; besides that it is a charity to them to employ them. Give Mr F. <9> the following list of times employed, with my love.
Rome to [illegible deletion] Velletri – 4½ to 5 hours –
Velletri to Terracina – 5
Terracina to Mola di Gaeta – 3½ to 4
not [illegible]<10> unnecessary stoppages – We arrived here today [illegible] early as ½ past 2.
Your Affte Son
Henry Talbot
Miladi Feilding
Palazzo Ceva
Roma
Notes:
1. Mola di Gaëta, near Naples.
2. See Doc. No: 01048.
3. Here and there.
4. Post house.
5. Anxur, built broadly upon shining rocks.
6. Probably Lady Elizabeth Hervey, Duchess of Devonshire (1759–1824), 2nd wife of the 5th Duke of Devonshire.
7. Carob trees.
8. Marcus Tullius Cicero (106–43 BC), Roman statesman and author.
9. Rear Admiral Charles Feilding (1780–1837), Royal Navy; WHFT’s step-father.
10. Text obscured by seal.