rear; while the little boys scramble at the risk of their limbs for all they can pick up. Royalty ap proaches, whose carriages alone on these days may pierce the street: the shower ceases for the moment; Majesty smiles, and passes on;—and then again for the fun.

Such is the Toledo towards the end of the Carnival; the coup d'œil up and down this immense throng is one of the most striking of the kind that can be seen; a mask for the face becomes almost indispensable, as well as a shield, though there are many without a disguise, who sit quietly in their carriages, and brave it out. The confettúre are often, and very unfairly, much too large, and gene rally aimed not singly, but by ladles and horns full.

At dusk the crowd begins to thin: we dined, and thence to the Theatre del Fondo, where the King appeared with his family, his Court, and the other grandees. From hence His Majesty went to San Carlo, with all the world besides, and where the masquerade of the night concludes the fun of the day. The whole theatre is superbly illuminated, and all the masqueraders of the morning in their dresses are here promenading; a band is performing, and while some dance or waltz, others burlesque it. The grandees sit in their boxes, and sup, or play cards, when any mask is privileged to enter; he may know them, but it is his fault if he suffer himself to be found out.

To conclude-Some there are who cynically say

that all this is very nonsensical. I do not pretend to be very wise, but I think that when in a foreign country we may enjoy a foreign diversion; and that if we cannot improve the world by our sense we may as well laugh with it in its amusements.

Thursday.--A most beautiful day, and grand review of all the Austrian troops here; cavalry and infantry. In the morning they assembled, and formed one long line in treble file along the whole extent of the Chiaja-thence they marched, in divisions, into the Royal Gardens opposite, where Mass was administered, to the sweet strains of solemn music, in a chapel erected for the occasion. From hence, after firing various vollies, and further military manœuvres, they all paraded to the palace, where the King, in the balcony, standing uncovered, inspected them as they passed. Finer bodies of men, or more splendid equipments, I have not seen. In looking at such martial troops, I was astonished that the French, under Napoleon, could for so long a time, so completely, and almost uniformly beat them. Their commander-in-chief here is General Frimont: and the present fête is on occasion of the monarch's birth-day.

I am now arranging for my departure from Naples, and with much regret it is that I shall quit it. Many circumstances have combined to render my stay here particularly pleasurable: among others, the society I have had, private and public, the glitter of large parties; the more grateful, social,

Departure from Naples.

191

intercourse of friend with friend: nor can I omit to mention the hospitality, and kindly feeling of Mr. T. and the agreeable society of his family; moreover let me add that I have enjoyed the best health, and have been favoured with the most genial weather.

But, to cease speaking of myself, and to speak a long farewell to Naples. To skies ever serene; to nature ever luxuriant, and verdant; to the wide expansive ocean, and bay so graceful; to the sublimities of volcanic wonders; to antiquities above, and below ground; to scenery all around unrivalled in itself; every place consecrated by historic recollections; some, unhappily only known as the favoured spot for Roman Imperial licentiousness, and debauchery; others again ennobled as the retreats of Roman virtue, poetry, and patriotism; to prospects so varying and beautiful, whether they be tinged with the incipient rays of Aurora, whether they glow from pole to pole with meridian heat; or whether they be so exquisitely tinted, and shadowed with the last hues of a setting sun; to a city where pleasure ever holds her frolic court, and ceaseless gaieties ever woo us;-finally, to such charms of nature, so beautiful in themselves, so endeared by classic recollections; to the scenes of the brightest fictions of the poets; to Elysium, to Acheron; to Eneas, to Ulysses; to Homer, to Virgil; Adieu !

192

Return to Rome.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

RETURN TO ROME CARNIVAL-HORSE RACE-CANDLESEXCURSION TO TIVOLI-PONTE MAMMOLO

SOLFATERRA

ALBULEAN LAKE-TEMPLE OF FAUNUS-PLAUTIAN TOMB— ADRIAN'S VILLA-CATARACT OF TIVOLI-TEMPLE OF VESTA ANCIENT VILLAS, AND HORACE'S FARM-CASCATELLECANOVA'S PIETA-ROMAN PEARLS, CAMEOS, MOSAICS EXa CURSION TO FRASCATI-PORTA ASINARIA—AQUEDUCTS— HISTORY OF TUSCULUM-RELICS, AND VICINITY—CICERO— LUCIEN BONAPARTE, AND BANDITTI-VILLA ALDOBRANDINI AND WATER-WORKS-LAKE REGILLUS, AND CASTOR AND POLLUX GROTTO FERRATA—DOMENICHINO'S FRESCOES—— ALBAN LAKE, AND EMISSARIUS-ALBANO-NEMİ, CLASSIC NEIGHBOURHOOD.

AND

RETURNED to Rome at day-break on Sunday last, by dint of travelling incessantly from the preceding Friday night. Our conveyance this time was by the Government Courier, which if it be not the pleasantest, is perhaps the safest, as well as the dearest, it having cost me above 300 Carlini, or nearly six pounds English, to make a journey of not much more than 100 miles. The general terror of the brigands now infesting the road increases, and three several attacks have been made during my short stay at Naples; in which, it is said, that robbery has been aggravated by outrage, and violence, both to men, and women. Our escort consisted of two, occasionally three armed dragoons. Our route being the same as on our

former journey, has already been described: one recollection, however, struck me as not before alluded to; Horace's journey from Rome to Brundusium, and which occupied him fifteen days; his description of the Via Appia, with some other places which we like him had traversed; and all which the poet humorously details in his fifth satire.

Instead of the awful, silent, grandeur of Rome, usually so striking to a traveller just returned from the bustle of Naples, solemn Rome seems, at this moment, turned frolic mad to enjoy the brief remainder of the Carnival, and which precedes so long a penance. But I must first observe that this popular festival is invariably immediately preceded by a public execution; a criminal being always reserved for this special occasion; and the guillotine being the ordinary mode of death. I did not arrive in time to witness this spectacle, but my friends here adequately described it to me.

There is perhaps, more noise in the Carnival of Naples, more splendor at Rome; particularly in seeing the entire range of the Corso, a street a mile long, hung at almost every balcony, and window, with tapestry, damask, and silk. The gravity generally prevailing, is now thoroughly thrown off; all ranks seem proportionately exhila

* A maritime town of Naples on the shores of the Adriatic, and where the Appian Road terminated.

VOL. II.