Pictures from Italy
Charles Dickens
THE READER'S PASSPORT
CHAPTER I - GOING THROUGH FRANCE
CHAPTER II - LYONS, THE RHONE, AND THE GOBLIN OF AVIGNON
CHAPTER III - AVIGNON TO GENOA
CHAPTER IV - GENOA AND ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD
CHAPTER V - TO PARMA, MODENA, AND BOLOGNA
CHAPTER VI - THROUGH BOLOGNA AND FERRARA
CHAPTER VII - AN ITALIAN DREAM
CHAPTER VIII - BY VERONA, MANTUA, AND MILAN, ACROSS THE PASS OF THE SIMPLON
INTO SWITZERLAND
CHAPTER IX - TO ROME BY PISA AND SIENA
CHAPTER X - ROME
CHAPTER XI - A RAPID DIORAMA
THE READER'S PASSPORT
If the readers of this volume will be so kind as to take their credentials for the different places which are
the subject of its author's reminiscences, from the Author himself, perhaps they may visit them, in fancy,
the more agreeably, and with a better understanding of what they are to expect.
Many books have been written upon Italy, affording many means of studying the history of that
interesting country, and the innumerable associations entwined about it. I make but little reference to
that stock of information; not at all regarding it as a necessary consequence of my having had recourse to
the storehouse for my own benefit, that I should reproduce its easily accessible contents before the eyes
of my readers.
Neither will there be found, in these pages, any grave examination into the government or
misgovernment of any portion of the country. No visitor of that beautiful land can fail to have a strong
conviction on the subject; but as I chose when residing there, a Foreigner, to abstain from the discussion
of any such questions with any order of Italians, so I would rather not enter on the inquiry now. During
my twelve months' occupation of a house at Genoa, I never found that authorities constitutionally jealous
were distrustful of me; and I should be sorry to give them occasion to regret their free courtesy, either to
myself or any of my countrymen.
There is, probably, not a famous Picture or Statue in all Italy, but could be easily buried under a
mountain of printed paper devoted to dissertations on it. I do not, therefore, though an earnest admirer of
Painting and Sculpture, expatiate at any length on famous Pictures and Statues.
This Book is a series of faint reflections - mere shadows in the water - of places to which the
imaginations of most people are attracted in a greater or less degree, on which mine had dwelt for years,
and which have some interest for all. The greater part of the descriptions were written on the spot, and
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