DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.62267#0101
Ch. IV.
THROUGH ITALY.
91
perity must injustice be ascribed to the spirit, the
prudence, and the activity of its princes. Its dis-
asters, like those of Italy in general, flow from its
vicinity to France, whose armies have so often
overrun its territories, assailed its ramparts, wasted
its suburbs, and as far as their ability equalled their
malice, destroyed its edifices. In one of these
inroads, the French, under Francis I. demolished
all the monuments of Roman antiquity, which
had escaped the rage of preceding barbarians, and
which had till then constituted the principal or-
nament of Turin. In another, they were defeat-
ed by Prince Eugene, and obliged to raise the
siege, with prodigious slaughte. But unfortu-
nately they have since been more successful, Turin
yielded without the formalities even of a block-
ade, and Piedmonte, in spite of the Alps, was
declared to be a department of France.
While the residence of its sovereigns, this ca-
pital was lively, populous, and flourishing. Its
court was equally remarkable for politeness and
for regularity, and much frequented by strangers,
because it was considered as an introduction to
the manners and to the language of Italy. Its
academy enjoyed a considerable degree of repu-
tation, and was crowded with foreigners, attracts
ed in part by the attention which the king con-
descended to shew to the young members, and
THROUGH ITALY.
91
perity must injustice be ascribed to the spirit, the
prudence, and the activity of its princes. Its dis-
asters, like those of Italy in general, flow from its
vicinity to France, whose armies have so often
overrun its territories, assailed its ramparts, wasted
its suburbs, and as far as their ability equalled their
malice, destroyed its edifices. In one of these
inroads, the French, under Francis I. demolished
all the monuments of Roman antiquity, which
had escaped the rage of preceding barbarians, and
which had till then constituted the principal or-
nament of Turin. In another, they were defeat-
ed by Prince Eugene, and obliged to raise the
siege, with prodigious slaughte. But unfortu-
nately they have since been more successful, Turin
yielded without the formalities even of a block-
ade, and Piedmonte, in spite of the Alps, was
declared to be a department of France.
While the residence of its sovereigns, this ca-
pital was lively, populous, and flourishing. Its
court was equally remarkable for politeness and
for regularity, and much frequented by strangers,
because it was considered as an introduction to
the manners and to the language of Italy. Its
academy enjoyed a considerable degree of repu-
tation, and was crowded with foreigners, attracts
ed in part by the attention which the king con-
descended to shew to the young members, and