第86章 NAPLES:POEMS(1)
In the bleak weather of this spring,1842,he was again abroad for a little while;partly from necessity,or at least utility;and partly,as I guess,because these circumstances favored,and he could with a good countenance indulge a little wish he had long had.In the Italian Tour,which ended suddenly by Mrs.Sterling's illness recalling him,he had missed Naples;a loss which he always thought to be considerable;and which,from time to time,he had formed little projects,failures hitherto,for supplying.The rigors of spring were always dangerous to him in England,and it was always of advantage to get out of them:and then the sight of Naples,too;this,always a thing to be done some day,was now possible.Enough,with the real or imaginary hope of bettering himself in health,and the certain one of seeing Naples,and catching a glance of Italy again,he now made a run thither.It was not long after Calvert's death.The Tragedy of _Strafford_lay finished in his desk.Several things,sad and bright,were finished.A little intermezzo of ramble was not unadvisable.
His tour by water and by land was brief and rapid enough;hardly above two months in all.Of which the following Letters will,with some abridgment,give us what details are needful:--"_To Charles Barton,Esq.,Leamington_.
"FALMOUTH,25th March,1842.
"MY DEAR CHARLES,--My attempts to shoot you flying with my paper pellets turned out very ill.I hope young ladies succeed better when they happen to make appointments with you.Even now,I hardly know whether you have received a Letter I wrote on Sunday last,and addressed to The Cavendish.I sent it thither by Susan's advice.
"In this missive,--happily for us both,it did not contain a hundred-pound note or any trifle of that kind,--I informed you that Iwas compelled to plan an expedition towards the South Pole;stopping,however,in the Mediterranean;and that I designed leaving this on Monday next for Cadiz or Gibraltar,and then going on to Malta,whence Italy and Sicily would be accessible.Of course your company would be a great pleasure,if it were possible for you to join me.The delay in hearing from you,through no fault of yours,has naturally put me out a little;but,on the whole,my plan still holds,and I shall leave this on Monday for Gibraltar,where the _Great Liverpool_will catch me,and carry me to Malta.The _Great Liverpool_leaves Southampton on the 1st of April,and Falmouth on the 2d;and will reach Gibraltar in from four to five days.
"Now,if you _should_be able and disposed to join me,you have only to embark in that sumptuous tea-kettle,and pick me up under the guns of the Rock.We could then cruise on to Malta,Sicily,Naples,Rome,&c.,_a discretion_.It is just _possible_,though extremely improbable,that my steamer of Monday (most likely the _Montrose_)may not reach Gibraltar so soon as the _Liverpool_.If so,and if you should actually be on board,you must stop at Gibraltar.But there are ninety-nine chances to one against this.Write at all events to Susan,to let her know what you propose.
"I do not wait till the _Great Liverpool_goes,because the object for me is to get into a warm climate as soon as possible.I am decidedly better.
"Your affectionate Brother,"JOHN STERLING."Barton did not go with him,none went;but he arrives safe,and not _hurt_in health,which is something.
"_To Mrs.Sterling,Knightsbridge,London_.
"MALTA,14th April,1842.
"DEAREST MOTHER,--I am writing to Susan through France,by to-morrow's mail;and will also send you a line,instead of waiting for the longer English conveyance.
"We reached this the day before yesterday,in the evening;having had a strong breeze against us for a day or two before;which made me extremely uncomfortable,--and indeed my headache is hardly gone yet.
From about the 4th to the 9th of the month,we had beautiful weather,and I was happy enough.You will see by the map that the straightest line from Gibraltar to this place goes close along the African coast;which accordingly we saw with the utmost clearness;and found it generally a line of mountains,the higher peaks and ridges covered with snow.We went close in to Algiers;which looks strong,but entirely from art.The town lies on the slope of a straight coast;and is not at all embayed,though there is some little shelter for shipping within the mole.It is a square patch of white buildings huddled together;fringed with batteries;and commanded by large forts on the ridge above:a most uncomfortable-looking place;though,no doubt,there are _cafes_and billiard-rooms and a theatre within,--for the French like to have their Houris,&c.,on _this_side of Paradise,if possible.
"Our party of fifty people (we had taken some on board at Gibraltar)broke up,on reaching this;never,of course,to meet again.The greater part do not proceed to Alexandria.Considering that there was a bundle of midshipmen,ensigns,&c.,we had as much reason among us as could perhaps be looked for;and from several I gained bits of information and traits of character,though nothing very remarkable....
"I have established myself in an inn,rather than go to Lady Louis's;[27]I not feeling quite equal to company,except in moderate doses.Ihave,however,seen her a good deal;and dine there to-day,very privately,for Sir John is not quite well,and they will have no guests.The place,however,is full of official banqueting,for various unimportant reasons.When here before,I was in much distress and anxiety,on my way from Rome;and I suppose this it was that prevented its making the same impression on me as now,when it seems really the stateliest town I have ever seen.The architecture is generally of a corrupt Roman kind;with something of the varied and picturesque look,though much more massive,of our Elizabethan buildings.We have the finest English summer and a pellucid sky....
Your affectionate "JOHN STERLING."