CAPRI, formerly CA rite4.:, is an island of the Medi terranean, situated on the south side of the Bay of Naples, and separated by a narrow channel from Calm Cam panella (the Promontorium Atheneum, or Minerva', of the ancients), the extremity of the tongue of laud which forms the southern boundary of the bay, and separates it from the semicircular guff of Salerno.
The island of Capri, which is of a triangular form, is about eight miles in circumference, and is distant from the coast of Naples about three Italian miles. Its ap pearance at a distance is extremely wild, from the steep cliffs and huge masses of rock ; but this wildness is sof tened clown, upon a nearer approach, by the appearance of p. tchcs of verdure, and clusters of white houses. A great part of the island is uncultivated, and incapable of cultiva tion ; but where ver the hoe could be used, the ground is well tilled, and produces the richest crops. Near the palace of La Marina, the soil, which is extremely rich, consists of a deep stratum of good mould, over a yellow bole beneath, which is a stone similar to the tufa of the volcanic hills round Naples. The upper rocks of Capri, as we learn from Swinburne, are universally calcareous, aid the strata accord with those of the Sorrentino moun tains on the Continent, from which the island appears to have been separated by some great convulsion. Mr Swinburne supposes, that " the lower tracts of land in Capri have been thrown up by fire in the midst of lime stone mountains, in the same manner as the plain of Sorrento." The district of Anacapri, which is separated by rocks ficim the rest of the island, lies on a declivity inclining to the north, and bounded by a high and rocky shore. The communication between this and the other part of the island is kept up by a long flight of rude steps, winding up a cliff of tremendous height ; and though the steps are very slippery, yet loaded asses are able to ascend and descend with safety. The southern and eastern sides of the island are flanked with rocky precipices of enormous height. The principal places in the island are Capri and Anscapri. Capri is situated in a low but fertile spot of land, betst een two rugged eminences of great height, which form the extremities of the island. At a distance its cupolas and buildings give it the appearance of a considerable place, though tt is only a small village. Anacapri is a small town, composed of a few streets and scaucicd houses, with a nunnery and a parish church, embosomed in groves of fruit trees, and encircled with luxuriant and well kept gardens.
At the chapel of Santa Maria, now inhabited by a simple unlettered Anchoret, stood the summer palace of Tiberius, who spent the greater part of ten years in this delightful retreat, abandoned to the most unhallowed debaucheries. See Ti rusk] us. This emperor built
twelve villas, in differeht situations, and (1(.01( :act! the of to the twelve greater gods. Exten lee vaults and r«r voirs at Santa Maria, the ruins of a lighthoe -. and two broken columns, are almost the only rinean s of these ancient villas.
The winter residence of Tiberius at La Marina is still indicated by columns and fraglin•uts stint( Rd on the sand. The conduit, from which the palace was supplied with water, is still to be seen; and NI r Swinburne is of opinion, that a semicircular recess of net-work, the opus reticulatum of Vitruviu 3, which is raised againsl the cliff, once formed a part of the theatre. "In au ad jacent vineyard," says that traveller, "stone peasants were removing a pavement of black and white mosaic. The ruins stretch far into the sea, and that clement has now resumed the territory from which it had formerly been expelled by the force of terraces and piers. The palace was built of this stone (tufa,) but in its coarser parts, such as abutments and back walls, are inserted large pieces of lava in a rough state of torrefaction, like that of the crust of Vesurian streams when cooled." On the southern shore the Cartlaisians have a very spacious convent, founded in the reign of King Robert, by James Capri, a veteran commander. Terraces, sup ported by vaults, called Botteghe, or the shops of the ancients, arc cut in the opposite hill, and tufts of caper bushes, laden with purple and white flowers, mingle most happily with the ruined arcades.
The island of Capri abounds with various birds of passage, but particularly with quails. The greatest part of the bishop's income is derived from the taking of these, and of other kinds of game, and hence the island has been called the Bishopric of Quails. " Across every track in the woods," says Swinburne, "or chasm in the hills, rows of nets are placed to intercept stock doves and quails in their annual flights; the quantity taken of each sort, especially the latter, is almost incredible. I have the best authority for saying, that, even in bad years, the number of quails caught in Capri amounts to 12,000; in good years it exceeds 60,000; and in one remarkable year, one hundred and sixty thousand were netted; eight years ago, in the month of May, 45,000 were taken in the Eourse of a single day." East Long. 14° 10, North Lat. 40° 32'. See Swinburne's Travels in the Two Sici lies, 2d edit. vol. iii. p. 1-12; and )\'usva Guide de Fo restieri per l'antichita CUTiOS188inte di Pozzuoli, dell' isole adjacenti d' Ischia, Procida, Nicida, Capri, Zse. Naples, 1751, 12mo. (sr)