ISTRIA, is a country of Europe, forming a triangular peninsula in the northern part of the Adriatic Sea. It is bounded on the north by the duchy of Carniola, and on the other parts by the Gulf of Trieste, the Gulf of Carnero, or more properly the Channel of Farisina, by which it is se parated from the island of Cites°, and by the Adriatic. That portion forming the base of the triangle extends between 80 and 90 miles in length, from east to west ; it stretches between 70 and 80 from north to south ; and probably the superficial area may amount to nearly 3500 square miles.
!atria is divided into two districts, the Venetian to the west, and the Austrian to the cast ; the latter, also called the Littoral district, had pertained, during a long time, to the circle of Austria ; the former was annexed to it also by the treaty of Campo Formio. Several pleasant islands are dispersed along the coast, as the two islands of St. Nicholas, one of which is covered with olives, and the other, nearly five miles in circuit, is full of shrubs, but inhabited only by quarriers, working a coarse grey marble, which is sent to Venice. The island 13rioni is likewise celebrated for the same substance.
The surface of Istria is extremely unequal ; part of it to wards the sea is low and marshy, part, especially to the north-west, consists of precipitous mountains, from which the projection of enormous pointed rocks, seems to threat en desti uction to the beholder. Their sides are penetrat ed by caverns and grottos, incrusted within by stalactites of fantastic shapes, and numerous torrents pour down the deep ravines. The mountains are either capped with snows, bare and barren, or covered by beautiful forests, from which the marine of Venice is chiefly supplied. Hence a great diversity of climate ensues; and when one part of Istria is congealed with cold, the heat of the level ground is almost insupportable, and, as we shall afterwards illustrate, is at tended with a fatal insalubrity.
The vallies are of extraordinary fertility. They afford two crops annually of the ordinary kinds of grain, which is of excellent quality, and some of it exported to Hamburgh. Harvests are obtained almost without the operations of agriculture. Oil and wine are abundant, and the price of the latter, which possesses remarkable strength and fla vour, is so moderate as to render it attainable by every class of the people. Profitable fisheries of the tunny and
anchovy are carried on in the Adriatic, where the fisher man scarcely needs to leave the shore for procuring a plen tiful supply.
The inhabitants of civilized countries present fewer pro minent characters than those emerging from a savage con dition. Probably the natives of Istria are a mixed race, and it appears to us that the Morlachians, who are copiously dis seminated in the neighbouring regions, form part of the number. Nevertheless, a considerable difference is to be observed in their morals and pursuits, according to the places where they dwell. In the district of Trieste, their physical constitution bears more resemblance to that of the inhabitants of Carniola, to which they are annexed by some geographers. They are alike indifferent to the piercing cold of the mountains and the enervating heat of the valhies, and, with their breasts bare, and feet naked, they brave the ice, and the aspelity of the rocks. They are robust and ac tive. In Venetian Istria, on the other hand, they are sloth ful and indifferent. The fertility of the soil, and the stores of the sea, summon forth so little exertion, that in many places they are sunk in a state of apathy. Abusing the fa cility of procuring liquors by drinking to excess, many are afflicted by gout at an early period of life. Numerous lame persons are seen among them, which some have as cribed to the immoderate use of intoxicating draughts, and some to an original vicious personal conformation. It is probable, however, that much of the inactivity of the Istri ans may be owing to the nature of their country and its mate. The presence of forests, and of low and marshy grounds, are alike pernicious to health ; and it has been re marked, both in Europe and elsewhere, that, on their eradi cation, a sensible amelioration follows. It is affirmed, that the climate is not equally fatal to native Istrians as to stran gers, for many aged persons arc seen here. It has also been maintained, that if their strength were developed by labour ; if agriculture were in greater repute, and procur ed more healthful nutriment for them ; if they abstained from strong liquors, and if a watchful police promoted cleanliness, which is of such vital importance ; their ende mial maladies would gradually disappear.