On the fifteenth day I had so far recovered that I could begin my tour of observation, using, however, certain precautions.

At first I confined my researches to churches, palaces, and the museum, particularly as the weather was unprecedentedly bad.  It rained, or rather poured, almost every day, and in these cases the water rushes in streams out of the by-lanes towards the sea.  The greater part of Naples is built on an acclivity, and there are no gutters, so that the water must force its way along the streets:  this has its peculiar advantages; for the side-lanes, which are filthy beyond description, thus get a partial cleansing by the stream.

As I am not a connoisseur, it would be foolish in me to attempt a criticism upon the splendid productions of art which I beheld here, in Rome, and at Florence and other places.  I can only recount what I saw.

During my excursions I generally regulated my movements according to the divisions and instructions contained in August Lewald’s hand-book, a work which every traveller will find very serviceable and correct.

I began with the royal palace, which was situate near my lodging at St. Lucia, with one front facing the sea, and the other turned towards the fine large square.  This building contains forty-two windows in a row.  I could see nothing of its interior excepting the richly decorated chapel, as the royal family resided there during the whole time of my stay, and thus the apartments were not accessible to strangers.

Opposite the castle stands the magnificent Rotunda, called also the church of San Francesco de Paula.  Adjoining this church on either side were arcades in the form of a half circle, supported by handsome pillars, beneath which several shops are established.  The roof of the Rotunda is formed by a splendid cupola resting on thirty-four marble pillars.  The altars, with the niches between, occupied by colossal statues, are ranged round the walls, and in some instances decorated by splendid modern paintings.  A great quantity of lapis lazuli has been used in the construction of the grand altar.  In the higher regions of the cupola two galleries, with tasteful iron railings, are to be seen.  The entire church, and even the confessionals, are covered with a species of grey marble.  The peculiar appearance of this place of worship is exceedingly calculated to excite the visitor’s wonder, for to judge from its exterior he would scarcely take the splendid building before him for a church.  It was built on the model of the famous rotunda at Rome; but the idea of the porticoes is taken from St. Peter’s.