After Waterloo: Reminiscences of European Travel 1815-1819Frye, William Edward
History
After Waterloo: Reminiscences of European Travel 1815-1819
Frye, William Edward
Europe -- Description and travel
Among the few things worthy of particular notice is the Jewish Synagogue,
decorated with costly lamps and inscriptions in gold in the Hebrew and
Spanish languages, many of which allude to the hospitality and protection
afforded to the Hebrew nation by the Sovereigns of Tuscany. There are a
great number of Hebrew families here: they all speak Spanish, being the
descendants of those unfortunate Jews who were expelled from Spain at the
time of the expulsion of the Moors in the reign of Don Felipe III surnamed
_el Discreto_, who was determined not to suffer either a Jew, Mahometan or
heretic in all his dominions. This barbarous decree was the ruin and
destruction of a number of industrious families, thousands of whom died of
despair at being exiled from their native land. In return for this what has
Spain gained? The Inquisition--despotism in its worst form--poverty--rags
--lice--an overbearing insolent and sanguinary priesthood of whom the
monarch is either the puppet or the slave; a degraded nobility; a half
savage, grossly ignorant, lazy and brutal people. A proper judgment on the
Spanish nation for its cruelty and fanaticism! My guide at Leghorn
conducted me to see the burying ground belonging to the English factory,
which is interesting enough from the variety of tombs, monuments and
inscriptions. Here all Protestants, to whatever nation they belong, are
buried. I noticed Smollett's tomb. It is on the whole an interesting spot,
tho' not quite so much so as the cemetery of Père La Chaise at Paris.
I returned to Florence from Leghorn _tout d'une traite_ in the diligence.
We stopped at Fornacetti (half way) to dine. There is a good _table d'Hôte
(ordinario)_ there.
FLORENCE, 22nd Novr.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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