by Ann Radcliffe
On the northern shore of Sicily are still to be seen the magnificentremains of a castle, which formerly belonged to the noble house ofMazzini. It stands in the centre of a small bay, and upon a gentleacclivity, which, on one side, slopes towards the sea, and on theother rises into an eminence crowned by dark woods. The situation isadmirably beautiful and picturesque, and the ruins have an air ofancient grandeur, which, contrasted with the present solitude of thescene, impresses the traveller with awe and curiosity. During mytravels abroad I visited this spot. As I walked over the loosefragments of stone, which lay scattered through the immense area ofthe fabrick, and surveyed the sublimity and grandeur of the ruins, Irecurred, by a natural association of ideas, to the times when thesewalls stood proudly in their original splendour, when the halls werethe scenes of hospitality and festive magnificence, and when theyresounded with the voices of those whom death had long since sweptfrom the earth. 'Thus,' said I, 'shall the present generation—he whonow sinks in misery—and he who now swims in pleasure, alike passaway and be forgotten.' My heart swelled with the reflection; and, asI turned from the scene with a sigh, I fixed my eyes upon a friar,whose venerable figure, gently bending towards the earth, formed nouninteresting object in the picture. He observed my emotion; and, asmy eye met his, shook his head and pointed to the ruin. 'These walls,'said he, 'were once the seat of luxury and vice. They exhibited asingular instance of the retribution of Heaven, and were from thatperiod forsaken, and abandoned to decay.' His words excited mycuriosity, and I enquired further concerning their meaning.
'A solemn history belongs to this castle, said he, 'which is too longand intricate for me to relate. It is, however, contained in amanuscript in our library, of which I could, perhaps, procure you asight. A brother of our order, a descendant of the noble house ofMazzini, collected and recorded the most striking incidents relatingto his family, and the history thus formed, he left as a legacy to ourconvent. If you please, we will walk thither.'
I accompanied him to the convent, and the friar introduced me to hissuperior, a man of an intelligent mind and benevolent heart, with whomI passed some hours in interesting conversation. I believe mysentiments pleased him; for, by his indulgence, I was permitted totake abstracts of the history before me, which, with some furtherparticulars obtained in conversation with the abate, I have arrangedin the following pages.
Towards the close of the sixteenth century, this castle was in thepossession of Ferdinand, fifth marquis of Mazzini, and was for someyears the principal residence of his family. He was a man of avoluptuous and imperious character. To his first wife, he marriedLouisa Bernini, second daughter of the Count della Salario, a lady yetmore distinguished for the sweetness of her manners and the gentlenessof her disposition, than for her beauty. She brought the marquis oneson and two daughters, who lost their amiable mother in earlychildhood. The arrogant and impetuous character of the marquisoperated powerfully upon the mild and susceptible nature of his lady:and it was by many persons believed, that his unkindness and neglectput a period to her life. However this might be, he soon afterwardsmarried Maria de Vellorno, a young lady eminently beautiful, but of acharacter very opposite to that of her predecessor. She was a woman ofinfinite art, devoted to pleasure, and of an unconquerable spirit. Themarquis, whose heart was dead to paternal tenderness, and whosepresent