Matteis because he would not give some false
evidence that he required of him; that she went to Matteis and
entreated him to release him, and that he told her he would if
she would bring her daughter to him, which she refused, and he
was put to death. On this evidence being given, the examining
judge dropped the paper, and a murmur of horror ran through the
audience. The accused attacked the witness and charged her with
perjury, and said he was ill in bed at the time alluded to. The
woman retorted, 'Canaglia, tu sai ch' egli e vero,' and there was
a debate between the counsel on either side, and witnesses were
called who proved that he was in good health at the time. They
think the evidence of to-day and the apparent disposition of the
judges must hang him.

[Page Head: BAIAE]

Salerno, April 24th, 1830 {p.341}

Here Morier and I are going to pass the night on our way to
Paestum, and as he is gone to bed (at half-past eight) I must
write. Yesterday morning Morier, St. John, Lady Isabella, and I
went to Pozzuoli, embarked in a wretched boat to make the _giro_
of Baiae.

Ante bonam Venerem gelidae per litora Baiae
Illa natare lacu cum lampade jussit amorem,
Dura natat, algentes cecidit scintilla per undas,
Hinc vapor ussit aquas, quicumque natavit, amavit.

Venus bade Cupid on fair Baiae's side
Plunge with his torch into the glassy tide;
As the boy swam the sparks of mischief flew
And fell in showers upon the liquid blue;
Hence all who venture on that shore to lave
Emerge love-stricken from the treacherous wave.

I was disappointed with the country, which is bare and
uninteresting; but the line of coast, with the various bays and
promontories and the circumjacent islands, is extremely
agreeable, and the Bay of Baiae, with the Temple of Venus,
delightful. The Temple of Mercury is also worth seeing. The Cave
of the Sybil, Lake Avernus, and Temple of Apollo are not worth
seeing, but as they are celebrated by Virgil they must be
visited, though the embellishments of Virgil's imagination and
the lapse of time have made disappointment inevitable. Nature
indeed no longer presents the same aspect; for there is a
mountain more (Monte Nuovo) and a wood less about the lake than
in Virgil's time. We found two ridiculous parties there, one
English, the other French, the latter the most numerous and
chattering, and mounted on asses, so as to m