The Memoirs of Jacques Casanova de Seingalt, 1725-1798. Volume 17: Return to Italy

In Short

This volume serves as a vivid travelogue and personal record of a man defined by his restless movement across the Italian peninsula. It tracks the narrator’s time in Genoa, Florence, and Rome, focusing on his theatrical collaborations, his pursuit of various women, and his complicated social maneuvering among the aristocracy and the artistic class. Because it captures the distinct atmosphere of 18th-century Europe—where one’s reputation, wit, and ready access to coin were the primary currencies—it remains a compelling, if unvarnished, look into the life of an irrepressible libertine.

The Story

The narrative begins with a theatrical ambition in Genoa, where the author translates a Voltaire play for local actors. Amidst this intellectual labor, his life is dominated by his relationship with Rosalie, a woman of deep emotion and noble spirit. Their bond is tested by the author’s own lapses in judgment and the meddling of a local aristocrat, the Marquis de Grimaldi. In a sequence that highlights the era's social cruelty, the Marquis orchestrates a dinner to humiliate the couple by introducing Rosalie’s former suitor. The tension leads to a painful parting; the author, bound by the social dictates of the time, sees Rosalie into a convent, promising to protect her future while he continues his own erratic journey.

Moving toward Florence, the author finds himself embroiled in a series of petty but significant conflicts. He encounters the actress Therese, a woman from his past, now married to a handsome but aimless youth. The reunion is bittersweet, revealing the complexity of their shared history and the existence of their son, Cesarino, whom the author finds both charming and intellectually lively. Through his interactions with Therese and his encounters with figures like the English ambassador Sir Mann, the narrative explores the intersections of art, social standing, and personal desire.

The author’s time in Florence is also marked by a feud with a local theatrical manager, whom he deems a "Jew" and a swindler. This conflict escalates into a cycle of petty vengeance, involving a hired thrashing and a legal dispute that results in an expulsion order from the city. Unabashed, the author leaves Florence with his head held high, maintaining his social connections to the end.

Arriving in Rome, the author finds a temporary stability by staying with his brother, an artist, and engaging with the city’s intellectual elite. He visits the Villa Albani, marveling at its classical architecture, and begins to navigate the Vatican’s social circles. As the volume closes, he is once again positioning himself within the highest reaches of society, armed with his wit and his ability to charm those in power. Throughout this arc, the author’s voice remains consistent: he is a man who acknowledges his own moral inconsistencies with a shrug, ever prepared for the next social conquest or the next turn of fortune, rarely burdened by regret but always observant of the human comedy unfolding around him.

How It Unfolds

The Genoa interlude The author settles into a domestic arrangement with Rosalie, translating plays and navigating the jealousies of his household staff. This stability is abruptly shattered by the Marquis de Grimaldi’s manipulative social traps.

The separation and departure Confronted by the Marquis’s machinations and the emotional fallout of his relationship, the author commits to a formal parting. He arranges for Rosalie’s sanctuary in a convent before resuming his journey toward Florence.

The Florentine web The author reunites with his former flame, Therese, and meets his son, Cesarino, amidst the backdrop of high-society suppers and theatrical performances. He simultaneously engages in a bitter, escalating conflict with a theater manager that jeopardizes his standing in the city.

Expulsion and the Roman horizon After a legal battle leaves him ordered to leave Tuscany, the author exits in a flourish of defiance. He reaches Rome, where he reconnects with his brother and successfully secures introductions to the city's ecclesiastical and artistic aristocracy.

The People

The author, Giacomo Casanova, acts as both the protagonist and the lens through which we view 18th-century society. He is driven by a need for intellectual stimulation, romantic variety, and social validation, yet he possesses a surprising capacity for genuine, if fleeting, affection for his son and select companions.

Rosalie is the emotional anchor of the early chapters. She is characterized by a "noble resolve" and a deep capacity for love, yet she is frequently at the mercy of the author’s impulsive nature and the social power held by men like the Marquis de Grimaldi. The Marquis functions as a traditional antagonist, using his rank to orchestrate the lives of others, ultimately forcing the separation between the narrator and Rosalie.

Therese serves as a vital touchstone for the author’s past. Her pragmatism and success as an actress provide a sharp contrast to his own more volatile existence. Cesarino, her son and his, embodies the continuity of the author’s life, representing a future he can only observe from a distance. Finally, Le Duc, the author’s valet, plays a crucial, quiet role, acting as the silent executor of his master’s vengeful whims and practical necessities.

In Its Own Voice

"I succeeded in convincing her that she wronged me, and at last after I had lavished caresses on her she suffered herself to be calmed."

The author describes his method for managing his lover Rosalie’s intense, often justified, jealousy.

"At heart Rosalie was a great creature, capable of noble resolves, but like all women she gave way to sudden emotions."

The author reflects on his sweetheart's character, revealing his own detached and slightly condescending view of gender during his time.

"I thought then, and I think now, that this day was one of the happiest I have ever spent."

The author recalls a day spent with his son and former lover in Florence, a rare moment of domestic peace.

What It's Really About

At its core, this volume explores the art of personal performance. The author is constantly constructing and reconstructing his identity through his choice of dress, his social associations, and his ability to navigate the shifting landscapes of power. It examines the fragility of reputation in an age where a single scandal or a well-placed insult could result in exile. The narrative also questions the nature of sincerity; the author often admits to "dissimulation" or the strategic use of charm to achieve his ends. It is a meditation on the tension between the desire for genuine human connection and the relentless, often superficial, pursuit of individual pleasure and status in a rigid class system.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy historical immersion will find this book addictive. It provides a rare, unmediated look at the daily rhythms of 18th-century Italy—the theater, the inns, the convents, and the dinner tables of the elite. The prose is remarkably fluid and immediate, making the 1700s feel like a modern, if chaotic, landscape.

However, a reader must be prepared for the author’s complete lack of modern sensibilities. His attitudes toward women, his casual antisemitism, and his sense of entitlement are woven into the very fabric of his storytelling. He does not apologize for these traits, and the modern reader will likely find his treatment of his "mistresses" and his enemies deeply troubling. The book is not an apology for a life; it is a raw account of one. If you can approach it as a historical artifact—a fascinating, self-serving, and often brilliant window into a vanished world—you will find it an unforgettable experience. It is long, episodic, and at times repetitive, but it captures the spirit of a man who refused to be anything but the lead actor in his own dramatic, sprawling, and sometimes scandalous life.