William Beckford, Italy; with sketches of Spain and Portugal

Beckford describes his encounter with a “half-crazed improvisatore,” who was following a Marquis to the Marialva Palace.

Performer Name:
 
Performance Venue:
Lisbon
Performance Date:
 
Author:
[Beckford, William]
Date Written:
 
Language:
English
Publication Title:
Italy; with sketches of Spain and Portugal
Article Title:
Portugal
Page Numbers:
2:41-2
Additional Info:
2 vols. Quotation is from "Portugal" Letter 9.
Publisher:
Bentley
Place of Publication:
London
Date Published:
1834

Text:

[41] [On a motley party accompanying a Marquis to the Marialva Palace]: Close at his heels stalked a savage-looking [42] monk, as tall as Sampson, and two Capuchin friars, heavily laden, but with what sort of provision I am ignorant; next came a very slim and sallow-faced apothecary, in deep sables, completely answering in gait and costume the figure one fancies to one's self of Senhor Apuntador, in Gil Blas, followed by a half-crazed improvisatore, spouting verses at us as he passed under the balustrades against which we were leaning.

Notes:

 

Collected by:
AE