Blathwayt, William
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- Blathwayt, William
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(1688 - 1742), e. s. of William Blathwayt of Dyrham Pk., Glos; suc. fa. 1717; m. 1718.
1706 - 8 Verona, Padua (9 Dec. 1706), Venice (Feb. - Mar. 1707), Bologna, Ravenna, Rome (20 Apr. - Sep.), Naples (Sep.), Rome (Oct.), Siena, Florence (Nov. - Dec.), Milan (Jan. - Feb. 1708), Turin (Feb. - 7 Apr.)
William Blathwayt travelled with his younger brother John and a tutor Henry de Blainville, a man of considerable learning, who ensured his young charges both enjoyed and improved themselves. When they left for the Continent in January 1705, their father requested weekly reports and detailed accounts of their expenses (which have survived)1 and de Blainville kept a formal journal, published in 1743.2
John, who set out on his tour at the age of fourteen, was already a prodigy on the harpsichord; his father asked him to form a collection of music and to consider composing a new Te Deum in the style of Purcell to present to the Queen on his return. William was more withdrawn and less talented; he preferred Italian comedies and drawing to opera and learning languages, and he suffered from 'contortions of the head and convulsions of the nerves', though with less frequency as the journey progressed.3
They travelled to Italy down the Rhine to Geneva. Their arrival was delayed by William's illness, but they had reached Padua by December 17064 and the following February they were in Venice with the Carnival at its height. They were well-treated by the Italian friends of Mr Blathwayt, who gave them the keys to their boxes at the opera. De Blainville noted how John was charmed, crying louder than the others at the most beautiful parts, while William liked the comedy best. At first de Blainville tried to avoid the other young Englishmen in Venice, and particularly the 7th Earl of Dorset who, however, he eventually came to respect (11 Mar. 1707). They travelled to Rome via Bologna and Ravenna, avoiding northern Italy which was still full of marauding bands of French soldiers. De Blainville was taken ill en route and in Bologna he called the young men to his bed to give them instructions in the event of his death; but he recovered enough to reach Rome on 20 April for the Easter celebrations. They took lodgings with Charles Browne, a Scottish innkeeper. They then spent some time in the countryside around Rome, particularly Civita Lavinia: 'the Gentlemen Blathwayt have been so charmed with it that they were quite Ecstatic about it' (14 May 1707). They had lessons in Italian and arithmetic, and their father had also asked for instruction to be given in architecture and painting; James Gibbs was very probably the architect who taught William, while John had lessons from the composer Pasquini. De Blainville claimed he could not find anyone to teach painting, but hoped the paintings they would see under the guidance of books by F?libien and Aglionby (which they were to be lent), would make up the deficiency. They sat to Edward Gouge, whose receipt for the portraits is dated Rome, 27 September 1707, see Gouge. On Wednesdays they attended concerts in the Palace of Cardinal Ottoboni, and Gouge wrote from Rome on 18 June 1707 that 'they have every Friday a concert very fine at Mr Brown's [where the Blathwayts rented their apartment]. The performers are Pauluci, Nicolini, Pipo, that famous bas violist and two other violins; Mr Blathwayt and Mr Cope likewise, one with the harpsichord, the other the violin, make no small figure in this concert'.5 De Blainville visited the catacombs alone with an antiquary (the young men could not be persuaded to go), and 'caused certain Tombs to be opened where we have found some remains of Bodies quite complete, which fell to dust as soon as we Touched them' (4 Jun. 1707).
They visited Naples in September, where the Duke of Spezani acted as their host and guide, conducting all conversations in Latin. They returned briefly to Rome before setting out at the beginning of November for Siena and Florence, where copies were made of the Gouge portraits (which had been admired by the Grand Duke) for a M. d'Arzelliers. They were several weeks in Florence, and as it was too late to cross the Alps, decided to spend the exceedingly wet winter in Milan and Turin: the former was very lively, with all-night concerts and balls twice a week, while the Court at the latter was 'no longer what it was formerly', the atmosphere sad, the city extremely expensive, and the Academy closed, all due to the recent siege. But Turin slowly filled with young English waiting to cross the Alps. De Blainville had meanwhile received two delayed letters from the boys' father, informing them by which route he wished them to return home. De Blainville replied explaining that they were to travel with Sir Thomas Samwell and his French tutor, with whom they would share costs. They finally left Turin for Geneva on 7 April 1708. Samwell, who was also an amateur musician, had persuaded an Italian musician to return with them, and the three played trios which were admired by their hosts throughout Europe.
1. See Blathwayt Letters. R.B. Ford, NT Year Book 1975 - 76, 19 - 31. A.T.S. Goodrick, Blackwood's Magazine, 182[1907]:589 - 605. Dates of letters are cited in brackets. 2. Travels through Holland, Germany, Switzerland, and other parts of Europe but especially Italy, 1743. 3. Blathwayt Letters, 24. 4. Brown 1300. 5. HMC Egmont, 2:217.