almost every house is here called a palace, that of the King is known by this sole designation, as the "Palazzo"-par excellence: these troops were four file deep on each side; military bands, placed at equal distances, played good music. In this manner they passed three hours under a burning sun. At five, the procession arrived: it consisted of a great number of carriages, drawn by six horses each, containing the royal family and their suites. The King's carriage-which had made the voyage to Sicily

The

-was formed entirely of plates of gold, surmounted by a crown and plumes of white feathers, which last were also borne on the heads of each of the eight horses. As it passed, all the vessels fired salutes. I demanded of a Neapolitan, who was in the carriage with the King? person I questioned answered me by gravely touching his own nose, without speaking. The procession staid but a short time in the church, and returned in the same order. The troops, amounting, it was said, to 2600 men, were then drawn off.

I have mentioned this fête, on account of the importance here attached to it. Adieu.

LETTER XXI.

Sept. 22, 1824.

MY DEAR FRIEND,

men.

YESTERDAY morning we-that is myself and a party-passed through the quarter of the port and the suburb, in which Massaniello was born, and where he first harangued his countryGuthrie, mentioning this subject, says, "the revolt was headed by Massaniello, a young "fisherman, without shoes or stockings." Without shoes or stockings! How English, how insular is this idea! Guthrie wrote without thinking on the difference of usages caused by the difference of climates: he knew that in England all fishermen wore shoes and stockings, and that not to wear them would be a sign of

poverty; certain of this homely fact, he looked no farther, and transported it unaltered to the shore of Naples. The ridiculousness of these words is not, perhaps, easily conceived by one who has not seen Naples; but how can he who has seen it, imagine a Neapolitan fisherman with shoes and stockings? The very fact only of his having them would be sufficient to collect a mob; and a mob of Neapolitans once collected, the rest might easily follow. But let us leave Massaniello, "who had no shoes or

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stockings," and proceed to the remains of the ancient Herculaneum.

Scarcely arrived at Resina, we were surrounded by Ciceroni, and deafened by their demands: 66 Mousour, voulez vous aller au Ve

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souve ?”—the time was not yet come, and we turned down a narrow, dirty street on the right.

From amongst many ciceroni we chose one

who announced us to the guardian of Hercu laneum: he soon appeared through the crevices and holes in a half-broken-down wooden doorthe only entrance now left to this once flourishing city-and conducted us to what appeared to be a wide staircase, the bottom of which was hidden in darkness. However, our guide lighted

torches, and led the way: we had descended but a few steps when day-light again broke in upon us; we were indebted for it to a large well on the brink of which we were standing, half way between the water and the women who were drawing it. These women were leaning over the brink, and laughing immoderately, heedless of the town through which their bucket was passing!

You well know how, in 1726, the Prince d'Elbeuf, in sinking this well, struck on these steps, which are nothing less than a portion of the seats of the theatre; how he pierced through them and found water below, and in what manner excavations were begun, but which-lest the villages of Portici and Resina should fall in, by being undermined-were immediately filled up. At present, nothing is visible except the seats of the theatre, that descend to some narrow passages that lead to the proscenium. We were shown remains of the marbles, giallo autico, and mosaic, with which the building was formerly covered. Cork and wooden copies of this Theatre, of the Amphitheatre of Pompeii, and of the Temples of Pæstum, are seen in the Studii of Naples.

In a suite of small rooms, joining the Palace of Portici, is a large collection of paintings, taken from Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Stabiæ, and preserved with the greatest care. Nothing would afford more interest than a followed study of these a frescos. Brought together from the habitations of every class of society, from the very lowest to the Gods,-for the Gods formed a part of the Roman society,-they were, of course, painted to represent the ideas or customs of the proprietor of each dwelling; and they might inform us that the ancients possessed many arts which are now thought to have been as totally unknown to them as that of printing novels by means of a steam-engine-a method about to be adopted in this "patent age of new inven"tions." I speak of printing in particular, because I have heard a very learned antiquary argue, that that art was, very probably, known to the Romans; that it was also probable, that in their libraries a part should have been destined to manuscripts-the which portion only had as yet been discovered by us. Although this idea appears rather problematical, yet it is certain that they were acquainted with stereotype; that is to say, they had letters, cut out of