Addison, Joseph: Remarks on several parts of Italy: &c. in the years 1701, 1702, 1703 (London: Tonson, 1718)

j 36 From Rome to Naples.
Travellers; as it was impossible for ’em
to enter the City, or to go out of it
without passing thro’ one of these me-
lancholly Roads,which for a great Length
was nothing else but a Street of Fune-
ral Monuments.
In my way from Rome to Naples I
found nothing so remarkable as the
Beauty of the Country, and the extream
Poverty of its Inhabitants. It is indeed
an amazing thing to see the present Dc-
solation of Italy, when one considers
what incredible Multitudes of People
it abounded with during the Reigns of
the Roman Emperors: And notwithstand-
ing the Removal of the Imperial Seat,
the Irruptions of the Barbarous Nations,
the Civil Wars of this Country, with
the Hardships of its several Govern-
ments, one can scarce imagine how so
plentiful a Soil Ihould become so mise-
rably unpeopled in Comparison of what
it once was. We may reckon, by a
very moderate Computation, more In-
habitants in the Campania of Old Rome,
than are now in all Italy. And if we
could number up those prodigious Swarms
that had settled themselves in every Part
of this delighful Country, I question
not but that they would amount to more
than can be found, at present, in any Six
Parts