& Miguel. out, as the winter rain wathes down great quantities of earth into it, which has greatly diminished its depth. But veffels frequently anchor between this island and

the main.

Befide these towns are several smaller, viz. Alagoa, Agoa de Pao, Brelanha, Fanaes de Ajuda, and a number of hamlets, called fugar or places.

About four leagues north caft from Villa Franca, lies a place called the Furnas, being a round deep valley in the middle of the east part of the island, furrounded with high mountains, which, though fteep, may be cafily afcended on horfeback by two roads. The valley is about five or fix leagues in circuit. The face of the mountains, which are very fteep, is entirely covered with beautiful ever-greens, viz. myrtles, laurels, a large species of bilberry called uva de ferra, &c. and numberlefs rivulets of the pureft water run down their fides. The valley below is well cultivated, producing wheat, Indian corn, flax, &c. The fields are planted round with a beautiful fort of poplars, which grow into pyramidal forms, and by their carelefs, irregular difpofition, together with the multitude of rivulets, which run in all directions through the valley, a number of boiling fountains throwing up clouds of fteam, a fine lake in the fouth-welt part about two leagues round, compofe a profpect the finest that can be imagined. In the bottom of the valley the roads are smooth and eafy, there being no rocks but a fine pulverifed pumice-flone that the earth is compofed of.

There are a number of hot fountains in different parts of the valley, and alfo on the fides of the mountains: but the most remarkable is that called the chaldeira, fituated on the eastern part of the valley, on a small eminence by the fide of a river, on which is a bafon about 30 feet diameter, where the water continually boils with prodigions fury. A few yards diftant from it is a cavern in the fide of the bank, in which the water boils in a dreadful manner, throwing out a thick, muddy, unctuous water feveral yards from its mouth with a hideous noife. In the mice of the river are feveral places where the water boils up fo hot, that a perfon cannot dip his finger into it without being fcalded; also along its banks are several apertures, out of which the fteam rifes to a confiderable height, fo hot that there is no approaching it with one's hand: in other places, a perfon would think that 100 fmiths bellows were blowing altogether, and fulphureous fteams iffuing out in thousands of places; fo that native fulphur is found in every chink, and the ground covered with it like hoar-frost; even the bushes that happen to lie near thefe places are covered with pure brimstone, condenfing from the fteam that iffues out of the ground, which in many places is covered over with a fubftance like burnt alum. In thefe fmall caverns, where the fteam iffues out, the people often boil their yams.

Near thefe boiling fountains are feveral mineral fprings; two in particular, whofe waters have a very trong quality, of an acid tafte, and bitter to the tongue.

About half a mile to the weft ward, and close by the river fide, are feveral hot fprings, which are used by fick people with great fuccefs. Also, on the fide of a hill weft of St Ann's church, are many others, with

three bathing-houses, which are most commonly ufed. St Miguel, These waters are very warm, although not boiling hot; but at the fame place iffue feveral streams of cold mineral water, by which they are tempered, according to every one's liking.

About a mile fouth of this place, and over a low ridge of hills, lies a fine lake about two leagues in circumference, and very deep, the water thick, and of a greenish colour. At the north end is a plain piece of ground, where the fulphureous fteams iffue out in many places, attended with a surprising blowing noise. Our author could obferve ftrong springs in the lake, but could not determine whether they were hot or cold: this lake feems to have no vifible evacuation. The other fprings immediately form a confiderable river, called Ribeira Quente, which runs a course about two or three leagues, through a deep rent in the mountains, on each fide of which are feveral places where the fmoke iffues out. It discharges itself into the fea on the fouth fide, near which are fome places where the water boils up at fome diftance in the sea.

This wonderful place had been taken little notice of until very lately: fo little curiofity had the gentlemen of the island, that scarcely any of them had seen it, until of late fome perfons, afflicted with very virulent diforders, were perfuaded to try its waters, and found immediate relief from them. Since that time it has become more and more frequented; feveral perfons who had loft the use of their limbs by the dead palfy have been cured; and alfo others who were troubled with eruptions on their bodies.

A clergyman, who was greatly afflicted with the gout, tried the faid waters, and was in a short time perfectly cured, and has had no return of it fince. When Mr Maffon was there, feveral old gentlemen, who were quite worn out with the faid disorder, were ufing the waters, and had received incredible benefit from them; in particular, an old gentleman about 60 years of age, who had been tormented with that dif order more than 20 years, and often confined to his bed for fix months together: he had used these waters about three weeks, had quite recovered the use of his limbs, and walked about in the greatest spirits imaginable. A friar alfo who had been troubled with the faid diforder about 12 years, and reduced to a cripple, · by using them a fhort time was quite well, and went a-hunting every day.

There are feveral other hot fprings in the ifland, particularly at Ribeira Grande; but they do not poffefs the fame virtues, at least not in fo great a degree.

The caft and weft part of the island rifes into high mountains; but the middle is low, interfperfed with round conic hills, all of which have very recent marks of fire; all the parts below the furface confifting of melted lava lying very hollow.

Most of the mountains to the weftward have their tops hollowed out like a punch-bowl, and contain wa ter. Near the weft end is an immenfe deep valley like the Furnas called the Sete Cidades. This valley is furrounded with very abrupt mountains, about feven or eight leagues round; in the bottom is a deep lake of water, about three leagues in circuit, furnished with great number of water-fowls. This water has no mineral quality; neither are there any hot springs in the valley. All thefe mountains are compofed of a

Milan. white crumbly pumice-ftone, which is fo loose, that if a person thrust a stick into the banks, whole waggon-loads of it will tumble down. The inhabitants of the island relate a story, that he who first discovered it obferved an extraordinary high peak near the west end; but the fecond time he visited it, no fuch peak was to be seen, which he fuppofed muft have certainly funk: but, however improbable this ftory may be, at fome period or another it must have certainly been the cafe.

MILAN, or the duchy of the Milanefe, a country of Italy, bounded on the weft by Savoy, Piedmont, and Montferrat; by Switzerland on the north; by the territories of Venice, the duchies of Mantua, Parma, and Placentia, on the eaft; and by the territories of Genoa on the fouth.

Anciently this duchy, containing the north part of the Old Liguria, was called Infubria, from its inhabitants the Infubres; who were conquered by the Romans, as thefe were by the Goths; who in their turn were fubdued by the Lombards. Didier, the laft king of the Lombards, was taken prifoner by Charlemagne, who put an end to the Longobardic empire, and appointed governors of Milan. Thefe governors, being at a distance from their mafters, foon began to affume an independency, which brought a dreadful calamity on the country; for, in 1152, the capital itself was levelled with the ground by the emperor Frederic Barbaroffa, who committed great de vaftations otherwife throughout the duchy. Under this emperor lived one Galvian, a nobleman who was defcended from Otho a Milanefe. Galvian, along with William prince of Montferrat, ferved in the crufade, when Godfrey of Boulogne took Jerufalem: he killed in fingle combat the Saracen general, whom he ftripped of his helmet, which was adorned with the image of a ferpent fwallowing a youth; and this ever afterwards was the badge of that family. His grand. fon Galvian, having oppofed the emperor, was taken prifoner, and carried in irons into Germany, from whence he made his escape, and returned to Milan, died in the service of his country. From him defcend ed another Otho, at the time that Otho IV. was emperor of Germany, and who foon diftinguifhed himfelf by the accomplishments both of his mind and bo dy. When he grew up, he was received into the family of cardinal Octavian Ubaldini at Rome. This prelate, who was himself aspiring at the popedom, was in a fhort time greatly taken with the addrefs and accomplishments of young Otho, and predicted his future greatnefs. In the mean time, one Torrefs, or Torriano, a Milanefe nobleman of unbounded ambi tion, was attempting to make himself master of Mi. lan. The popular faction had fome time before been caballing against the nobility; and at laft, Torriano, putting himself at their head, expelled the bishop, and put to death or banifhed all the nobility: by which means the popular government was fully eftablished; and Torriano, under this pretence, ruled every thing as he pleafed. He was, however, foon oppofed by one Francifco Sepri, who formed a great party, pretending to deliver the city from Torriano's haughtinefs and cruelty. But while the two parties were collecting their forces against each other, cardinal Ubaldini was projecting the deftruction of both, by

N'221.

means of his favourite Otho. This prelate had for Milan. fome time borne an implacable hatred to Torriano, because he had been by him prevented from carrying out of the treasury of St Ambrofe's church at Mi. lan, a carbuncle or jewel of great value, which he pretended to referve for adorning the papal tiara; for which reafon he now determined to oppose his ambition. Ubaldini began with naming Otho archbishop of Milan; which, as the pope's legate, he had a right to do. This nomination was confirmed by Pope Urban IV.; and the party of the nobility having now got a head from the pope himself, began to gather Arength. Otho in the mean time employed himfelf in collecting troops; and had no fooner procured a fhow of an army, than he advanced towards Lago Mag gione, and took poffeffion of Arona, a ftrong poit near that lake: but Torriano, marching immediately against him with all his troops, obliged him to aban don the place, and leave his party to make the best terms they could with the conqueror. This was followed by the deftruction of the caftles of Arona, Anghiari, and Brebia: foon after which Torriano died, and was fucceeded by his brother Philip, who had fufficient intereft to get himself elected podesta, or prætor of Milan, for ten years. During his lifetime, however, the party of the nobility increafed confiderably under Otho, notwithstanding the check they had received. Philip died in 1265, having loft ground confiderably in the affections of the people, though he obtained a great reputation for his courage and conduct. His fucceffor Napi rendered himself terrible to nobility, whom he proscribed, and put to death as often as he could get them into his power. He pro ceeded fuch lengths, and acted with fuch fury against that unfortunate party, that pope Clement IV. who had fucceeded Urban, at last interdicted Milan, and excommunicated Napi and all his party. By this Napi began to lofe his popularity, and the public difaffection towards him was much heightened by the natural cruelty of his temper. But in the mean time, the part of the nobility was in the utmoft diftrefs. Otho himself and his friends, having spent all their fubftance, wandered about from place to place; the pope not being in a capacity of giving them any af fiftance. Otho, however, was not difcouraged by his bad fuccefs, but found means fill to keep up the spirits of his party, who now chofe for their general Squar cini Burri, a man of great eminence and courage, whofe daughter was married to Matthew Visconti, afterwards called Matthew the Great. At the fame time they renewed their confederacy with the marquis of Montferrat, who was fon in-law to the king of Spain. The marquis agreed to this confederacy chiefly with a view to become mafter of the Milanefe.

The nobility now again began to make head; and having collected an army, which was joined by 600 Spanish cavalry and a body of foot, gained fome ad. vantages. But in the mean time Napi, having gathered together a fuperior army, fuddenly attacked Otho and Burri, and defeated them. After this difafter Otho applied to the pope; from whom, however, he did not obtain the affiftance he defired; and in the mean time Napi invited the emperor Rodolph into Italy, with the promise of being crowned at Milan. This invitation was accepted of with great readiness

by

ner.

even of eating them at the table of another. They Milan. who could not redeem themselves by money were hanged, and above Ico wretches perished in that manThose who had any thing to lofe were ftripped of all their fubftance, and obliged to labour at the fortifications and other public works. He obliged his fubjects to maintain a great many hunting-dogs, and each district was taxed a certain number. The overfeers of his dogs were at the fame time the inftruments of his rapacity. When the dogs were poor and flender, the owners were always fined; but when the dogs were fat, the owners were alfo fined for fuffering them to live without exercise.

Milan. by Rodolph; who conflitute! Napi his governor and vicar-general in Lombardy, fending to him at the fame time a fine body of German horfe, the command of which was given to Caffoni, Napi's nephew. On this Otho again applied to the pope (Gregory X.); but he was fo far from granting him any affiftance, that he is faid to have entered into a scheme of affaffinating him privately; but Otho efcaped the danger, and in 1275 began to recover his affairs. The reafon of pope Gregory's enmity to him was, that he and his party were thought to be Gibelines, and were oppofed by great numbers of the nobility themfelves; but after that pope's death, the Milanefe exiles being united under one head, foon became formidable. They now chofe for their general Godfrey count of Langulo, a noble Pavian, and an inveterate enemy of the Torriano family. This nobleman being rich and powerful, enlisted many German and other mercenaries, at whofe head he marched towards the Lago Maggiore. All the towns in that country opened their gates to him, through the intereft of the Vifcónti family, who refided in thefe parts. But this fuccefs foou met with a fevere check in an unfortunate engagement, wherein Godfrey was defeated and taken prifoner; after which he and 34 nobles had their heads truck off, and fent from the field of battle piled up in a common waggon.

This defeat greatly affected Otho; but having in a fhort time recovered himself, he again attacked his enemies, and defeated them; but, fuffering his troops to grow remifs after their victory, the fugitives rallied, and entirely defeated him. The next year, however, Otho had better fuccefs, and totally defeated and took prifoner Napi himself. After this victory Caffoni was obliged to abandon Milan to his competitor, who kept poffeffion of it till his death, which happened in 1295, in the 87th year of his age.

It

Otho was fucceeded by Matthew Vifconti above mentioned; and Milan continued in fubjection to that family without any very memorable occurrence till the year 1378, when, by the death of Galeazzo II. his brother Barnabo became fovereign of Milan. He was of a brave and active difpofition; but exceffively profufe in his expences, as his brother Galeazzo had alfo been; and to procure money to fupply his extravagancies, was obliged to opprefs his fubjects. Galeazzo had engaged in an enterprife againft Bologna, and the fiege of it was continued by Barnabo. lafted for nine years; and during this time is faid to have coft 300 millions of gold, a prodigious fum in thofe days, near 40 millions fterling; the loweft gold coin being in value fomewhat more than half-a-crown English. Both the brothers were exceffively fond of building. Barnabo erected a bridge over the Adda, cafifting of three ftories; the loweft for chariots and heavy carriages, the middle for horfes, and the uppermoft for foot-paflengers. He built alfo another bridge which was carried over houfes without touching them. To accomplish thefe, and many other expenfive schemes, he became one of the greateft tyrants imaginable, and every day produced fresh in ftances of his rapacity and cruelty. He inftituted a chamber of inquiry, for punishing all thofe who had for five years before been guilty of killing boars, or VOL. XII. Part I.

The extravagant behaviour of Barnabo foon rendered public affairs ready for a revolution, which was at laft accomplished by his nephew John Galeazzo. He affected a folitary life, void of ambition, and even inclining to devotion; but at the fame time took care to have his uncle's court filled with spies, who gave him information of all that paffed. He reduced his table and manner of living, pretending that he took thefe fleps as preparatives to a retirement from the world, which was foon to take place, after he had paid a religious vow. In fhort, he acted his part fo well, that even Barnabo, though abundantly cautious, had no fufpicion of his having any defigns against him; and fo entirely did he conceal his ambi tion, that he feveral times made application to his uncle for his intereft to procure him a quiet retreat as foon as his religious vows were performed. One of thefe was to pay a visit to the church of the blessed Virgin upon mount Varezzio. This was to be done with fo much fecrecy that all kinds of eye-witneffes were to be excluded; and it was with difficulty that Barnabo himself and two of his fons were allowed to accompany our devotee. But, in the mean time, the hypocritical Galeazzo had foldiers advancing from all quarters; fo that Barnabo and his fons were imme diately feized, and the houses of those who had fided with them given up to be plundered. The booty in plate, money, and all kinds of rich furniture, was immenfe. The minifters of the late government were dragged from their hiding places, and put to death and at last the citadel itself fell into the hands of Galeazzo, who found in it an immenfe fum of money. Barnabo was carried prifoner to Tritici, a castle of his own building, where he had the happiness to find one perfon ftill faithful to him. This was his mistress, named Donia Porra; who, when he was abandoned by all the world, fhut herfelf up a voluntary prisoner in his chamber, and remained with him as long as he lived, which was only feven months after his degra dation.

John Galeazzo was the first who took upon him the title of the duke of Milan, and was a prince of great policy and no lefs ambition. He made war with the Florentines, became mafter of Pifa and Bologna, and entirely defeated the emperor in 1401, so that he entertained hopes of becoming mafter of all Lombardy, and cutting off all poffibility of invading it either from France or Germany; but his defigns were fruftrated by death, which happened in 1402, in the 55th year of his age. After his deceafe the Milanefe government fell into the moft violent diftractions, fo that it B could

Boromean family. The water of the lake is clear Milan and of a greenish colour, and abounds with fish. The hills with which it is furrounded prefent a molt charming landfcape, being planted with vines and chefnuttrees, interfperfed with fummer-houses. There is a canal running from it towards Switzerland, with which the city of Milan has a communication. It was an ciently called Lacus Verhanus. The Lago de Como, which was called by the Latin poets Lacus Larius, but had its modern name from the city, near which it lies, extends itself about 30 miles northward from Como, but its greatest breadth is not above five miles. From the Lago Maggiore iffues the Teffino; and from that of Como the Adda. Of the other lakes, that of Lugano and Guarda are the chief: that of Guarda was anciently called Benacus.

could not be supported, even in time of peace, without an army of 20,000 foot and as many horfe. In the year 1421, however, Philip duke of Milan became mafter of Genoa; but though he gained great advantages in all parts of Italy, the different ftates ftill found means to counterbalance his fucceffes, and prevent him from enflaving them: fo that Milan never became the capital of any extenfive empire; and in 1437 Genoa revolted, and was never afterwards reduced. Philip died in 1448, and by his death the male line of the Visconti family was at an end. The next lawful heir was Valentina his fifter, who had married the duke of Orleans fon to Charles V. of France. By the contract of that marriage, the lawful progeny of it was to fucceed to the duchy of Milan in failure of the heirs-male of the Vifconti family; but this fucceffion was difputed by Sforza, who had married Philip's natural daughter. It is certain, however, that the rightful fucceffion was vefted in the house of Orleans and the kings of France; and therefore though the Sforza family got offeffion of the duchy for the prefent, Louis XII. afterwards put in his claim, as being grandfon to John Galeazzo. For fome time he was fuccefsful; but the French behaved in fuch an infolent manner, that they were driven out of the Milanefe by the Swifs and Maximilian Sforza. The Swifs and Milanese were in their turn expelled by Francis I. who obliged the Sforza family to relinquish the government for a penfion of 30,000 ducats a-year. Francis Sforza, the fon of Maximilian, however, being af fifted by the emperor and the pope, regained the poffeffion of the Milanefe about the year 1521; and, eight years after, the French king, by the treaty of Cambray, gave up his claim on the duchy.

But, in fact, the emperors of Germany seem to have had the fairest title to the Milanese in right of their being for a long time fovereigns of Italy. On the death of Francis Sforza, therefore, in the year 1536, the emperor Charles V. declared the Milanefe to be an imperial fief, and granted the inveftiture of it to his fon Philip II. king of Spain. In his family it continued till the year 1706, when the French and Spaniards were driven out by the Imperialifts, and the emperor again took poffeffion of it as a fief. It was confirmed to his house by the treaty of Baden in 1714, by the quadruple alliance in 1718, and by the treaty of Aix-la Chapelle in 1748.

The duchy of Milan is one of the finest provinces in Italy. It is bounded on the fouth by the Appenine mountains, and the territory of Genoa; on the north by Switzerland; on the caft by the Venetian territories, and the duchies of Mantua, Parma, and Placentia; and on the weft by Savoy, Piedmont, and Montferrat; extending from north to fouth about Ico miles, and from east to west about 108. It is well watered by the Teffino, the Sefia, the Adda, the Po, the Oglio, the Lombro, Serio, &c. and alfo by feveral canals and lakes. Of the latter, the Lago Maggiore is between 30 and 40 miles in length, and in fome places fix or feven miles broad. In it lie the Boromean lands, as they are called, viz. Ifola Bella and Ifola Madre, the beauty of which almoft exceeds imagination art and nature feem to have vied with one another in embellifhing them. In each of them ie a palace with delicious gardens, belonging to the

The trade and manufactures of this duchy confist principally in filks, ftuffs, ftockings, gloves, and handkerchiefs, linen and woollen cloth, hardware, curious works of crystal, agate, hyacinths, and other gems; but their exports are usually far fhort of their imports.

As to the revenue of the duchy, it mult without doubt be very confiderable. It is faid to have amounted to 2,000,000 of dollars while the duchy was in the hands of Spaniards.

In the year 1767, the Auftrian government of Milan published a law, by which all the rights which the pope or the bishops had till then exercifed over ecclefiaftics, either with regard to their effects or perfons, is transferred to a council eftablifted for that purpofe at Milan. By the fame edict, all ecclefiaftics were obliged to fell the eftates which they had become poffeffed of fince the year 1722; and no subje&, whether ecclefiaftic or fecular, was to go to Rome to folicit any favour, except letters of indulgence, with out the confent of the faid council.

MILAN, the capital of the duchy of that name, ia Latin Mediolanum, is a very large city, and has a wall and rampart round it, with a citadel; yet is thought to be incapable of making any great refiftance. The gardens within the city take up a great deal of ground. In the citadel is a foundery for cannon, and an arsenal furnished with arms for 12,0co men. The governor of it is quite independent of the governor. general of the Milanefe, who refides in the city, in a large but old and ill-contrived palace. The yearly income of the governor of Milan is faid to be 200,000 guilders. The council belonging to the city is compofed of a prefident and 60 doctors of law, who are all nobles, and independent of the governor-general.. Milan hath experienced a great variety of fortune, having been fubject fometimes to the French, fome times to the Spaniards, and fometimes to the Germans. A great number of perfons of rank and fortune live in it, especially during the winter. The ladica in France are not allowed more liberty than thofe of this city: even the aufterities of the monaftic life are fo far mitigated here, that gentlemen have not only the liberty of talking with the nuns, and of rallying and laughing at the grate, but alfo of joining with them in concerts of mufic, and of spending whole afternoons in their company. The place where the beau monde take the air, either in their coaches or on foot, is the rampart betwixt the Porta Orientale and the Porta Tofa, where it is ftraight and broad, and extremely

pleafant,,

Lago Maggiore, and, by a canal, with the Sefia; Milan,? and the Adda iffuing from the Lago di Como, and Milborn. having a communication by canals with the Lambro and Serio. In a void space in one of the streets of Milan, where ftood the houfe of a barber who had confpired with the commiffary of health to poison his fellow-citizens, is erected a pillar called Colonna Infame, with an infcription to perpetuate the memory of the execrable defign. The environs of this city are very pleasant, being adorned with beautiful feats, gardens, orchards, &c. About two Italian miles from it, at the feat of the Simonetti family, is a building, that would have been a mafter piece of its kind had the architect defigned it for an artificial echo. It will return or repeat the report of a piftol above 60 times; and any fingle mufical inftrument, well touched, will have the fame effect as a great number of inftru ments, and produce a moft furprising and delightful concert.

Milan pleafant, being planted with white mulberry-trees, and commanding a profpect on one fide of the open country, and on the other of the gardens and vineyards between the ramparts and the city. Milan, which is faid to have been built by the Gauls about 200 years after the foundation of Rome, contains a great number of ftately edifices, as churches, convents, palaces, and hofpitals. The cathedral is a vast pile, all of marble; and though fomething has been doing for near 400 years towards the outward or inward ornament thereof, it is not yet finished. Of the great number of statues about it, that of St Bartholomew, juft flead alive, with his fkin hanging over his fhoulders; and of Adam and Eve, over the main portal, are the fineft. The pillars fupporting the roof of the church are all of marble, and the windows finely painted. This church contains a treasure of great value, particularly a fhrine of rock-cryftal, in which the body of St Charles Boromeo is depofited. The other churches moft worthy - a ftranger's notice are thofe of St Alexander, St Jerom, St Giovanni di Cafarotti della Paffione, that of the Jefuits, and of St Ambrofe, in which lie the bodies of the faint and of the kings Pepin and Bernard. In the Ambrofian college, founded by Frederic Boromeo, 16 profeffors teach gratis. In the fame college is alfo an academy of painting, with a mufeum, and a library containing a vaft number of printed books and manufcripts; among the laft of which is a tranflation of Jofephus's Hiftory of the Jews, done by Rufinus about 1200 years ago, and written on the bark of a tree; St Ambrofe's works on vellum, finely illuminated; the orations of Gregory Nazianzen, and the works of Virgil, in folio, with Petrarch's notes. In the museum are Leonardi da Vinci's mathematical and mechanical drawings, in 12 large volumes. The feminary for sciences, the college of the nobles, the Helvetian college, and the mathematical academy, are noble foundations, and ftately buildings. Of the hofpitals, the most remarkable are the Lazaretto, and that called the great hofpital; the latter of which receives fick perfons, foundlings, and lunatics, and has fix fmaller hospitals depending on it, with a revenue of 100,000 rixdollars.

The number of the inhabitants of this city is faid to be about 200,000. It has been 40 times befieged, taken 20 times, and four times almoft entirely demolifhed; yet it hath always recovered itself. It is faid that gunpowder is fold here only by one perfon, and in one place. The court of inquifition is held in the Dominican convent, near the church of Madonna della Gratia. The houses of entertainment, and the ordinaries here, are reprefented as very indifferent. Mr Keyler fays, it is not unusual for young travel. lers, when they go to any of the taverns in Milan, to be afked, "whether they choose a letto fornito, or female bed fellow," who continues mafked till he enters the bed-chamber. Milan is described as inferior to Turin both in beauty and conveniency; many of the ftreets bing crooked and narrow, and paper-windows much more frequent than in that city; even in grand palaces, the windows are often compofed promifcuoufly of glafs and paper. Two large canals extend from hence, the one to the Teffino, and the other to the Adda; the Teffino having a communication with the

According to Dr Moore, "there is no place in Italy, perhaps in Europe, where ftrangers are received in fuch an eafy hospitable manner as at Milan. Formerly the Milanefe nobility difplayed a degree of fplendor and magnificence, not only in their entertainments, but in their ufual ftyle of living, unknown in any other country in Europe. They are under a neceffity at prefent of living at lefs expence, but they ftill fhow the fame obliging and hofpitable difpofition. This country having, not very long fince, been poffeffed by the French, from whom it devolved to the Spaniards, and from them to the Germans, the troops of thofe nations have, at different periods, had their refidence here, and, in the course of thefe viciffitudes, produced a ftyle of manners, and stamped a character on the inhabitants of this duchy, different from what prevails in any other part of Italy; and nice obfervers imagine they perceive in Milanefe manners the politenefs, formality, and honefty imputed to thofe three nations, blended with the ingenuity natural to Italians. The great theatre having been burnt to the ground last year, there are no dramatic entertainments, except at a fmall temporary play-house, which is little frequented; but the company affemble every evening in their carriages on the ramparts, and drive about, in the fame manner as at Naples, till it is pretty late. In Italy, the ladies have no notion of quitting their carriages at the public walks, and ufing their own legs, as in England and France. On feeing the number of fervants, and the fplendor of the equipages which appear every evening at the Corfo on the ramparts, one would not fufpect that degree of depopulation, and diminution of wealth, which we are affured has taken place within thefe few years all over the Milanefe; and which proceeds from the burdenfome nature of fome late taxes, and the infolent and oppreffive manner in which they are gathered.” E. Long, 15. 35. N. Lat. 38. 32.

MILBORN-PORT, a town of Somerfetfhire in England, feated on a branch of the river Parret, 115 miles from London. Though it is reprefented in parliament, is no market-town nor corporation; but it appears in Domefday-book to have had a market once, and 56 burgeffes. It is in a manner fur:ounded by Dorfetfhire. Here are nine capital burgeffes, who B 2

yearly