Nothing worth
mentioning occurred during the journey.
The fete, of the birth of Christ held at Santa Maria Maggiore on the
evening of the 24th December is of the most splendid description, and
attended by an immense crowd of women. Guns are fired on the moment that
the birth of the Saviour is announced, and this event occurs precisely at
midnight. The Romans seem to rejoice as much at the anniversary of this
event, as if it happened for the first time, and as if immediate temporal
advantage were to be derived from it.
I have mixed a good deal in society in Rome since my return from Naples.
Among other acquaintance I must particularly distinguish Mme Dionigi, a
very celebrated lady, possessing universality of talent.[110] She is well
known all over Italy, for the extent of her litterary attainments, but more
particularly for her proficiency in the fine arts, above all in painting,
of which she is an adept. She also possesses the most amiable qualities of
the heart, and is universally beloved and respected for the worth of her
private character, and for her generous disposition. She has all the
vivacity of intellect belonging to youth, tho' now nearly eighty-six years
of age,[111] and of a very delicate physical constitution; in short she
affords, and I often tell her so, the most striking proof of the
immortality of the soul. There is a conversazione at her house twice a
week, where you meet with foreign as well as Italian litterati, and
persons of distinction of all nations, tongues and languages. Her eldest
daughter, Mme D'Orfei, is an excellent improvisatrice, and has frequently
given us very favourable specimens of the inspiration which breathes itself
in her soul. I have likewise witnessed the talent of two very extraordinary
improvisatori, the one a young girl of eighteen years of age, by name
Rosa Taddei. She is the daughter of the proprietor of the Teatro della
Valle at Rome, and sometimes performs herself in dramatic pieces; yet,
strange to say, tho' she is an admirable improvisatrice and possesses a
thorough classic and historical knowledge, she is but an indifferent
actress.
It is a great shame that her father obliges her to act on the stage in very
inferior parts, when she ought only to exhibit on the tripod. I assisted at
an Accademia given by her one evening at the Teatro della Valle, when
she improvised on the following subjects, which were proposed by various
members of the audience: 1st, La morte d'Egeo; 2dy, La Madre Ebrea;
3rd, Coriolano alle mura di Roma; 4th, Ugolino; 5th, Saffo e Faone;
6th, in the Carnaval with the following intercalario: "Maschera ti
conosco, tieni la benda al cor!" which intercalario compels a rhyme in
osco, a most difficult one. The Madre Ebrea and Coriolano were given
in ottava rima with a rima obbligata for each stanza. The Morte
d'Egeo was given in terza rima. Her versification appeared to be
excellent, nor could I detect the absence or superabundance, of a single
syllable.
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