passport to enter the neighbouring Italian state, because as my informer afterwards discovered -he, the Englishman, had held imprudent conversation in a Coffee-house at Paris: and this conversation, reported to the Parisian police, had followed him who held it, to the bottom of Italy!

But let us return to Naples. All the religious communities had lost their lands during the revolutions which have here so quickly succeeded each other; and a pension, of 10 ducats a month, had been given to each individual as a compensation for his share in the general loss. A short time before the late King's death, great discontent was created by a decree diminishing, by one tenth, all pensions paid by the government. This, to many, was doubtless an important retrenchment; but the great motive of complaint arises from the duty on land. This tax is imposed according to the supposition that the corn produced sells at 25 carlini a tumolo; but the price is now fallen to half that valuation, and yet the duty remains the same! Some bury their corn, to keep it till better times; and many abandon, without cultivation, the land that is unable to pay its expenses. The kingdom of Naples is mainly a corn country, which makes

the discontent more general. Immense plains in Calabria are uninhabited and uncultivated, while a numerous population is starving on the barren hills around. Commerce languishes every branch of industry is-as I have before said-monopolized in the King's hands: he has a great manufacture of silks at S. Leuceo, and, consequently, forbids the rival manufacture of that article to his subjects. Playing cards even are a forbidden branch of trade, because they are made, though barbarously ill,-and kept at a high price, by the royal manufacturer: also snuff, salt,-in fine, almost every shop in the town is, on its sign, announced to be a "regio "royal-spaccio" Yet I have heard it asserted, that whatever the late King did himself was well done; but he left all to his ministers, while he himself used to stand, from five in the morning till six at night, shooting at "black pigs,”—as I have heard an unwilling partaker and witness of the sport term the wild boars that were driven past him. And apropos of shooting: Ferdinand had a cabinet-painter in his service; this artist's paintings are not much admired, buthe is a capital shot.

It is astonishing that, with his known cha

racter, the late King should have been so very tenacious of etiquette, as appeared on many occasions. Thus, his great friend, finding him one day in a good easy humour, asked for a little place, in the administration, for his brother: the King immediately drew up, saying that such demands must come to him through his ministers. Playing once at cards, he exclaimed, on making a fault, "Sono una bestia-I am an ass." Duke

who was playing with him, made a mistake soon after, and said, "Anch'io sono più "bestia della S. M.-and I am a greater ass "than your Majesty :" the King never played with him again. At a ball at Court, a lady having no seat, a gentleman brought her a chair: the King accosted him, saying, "Tu fai gli "onori ?—Are you doing the honours ?" At a masked ball, he and some of his party had their hats on Prince came into the room, and seeing Duke with his hat on, put on his

own; the King, in the most violent rage, immediately flew at him, caught hold of his whiskers, -which were unfortunately very large,—shook him most outrageously, demanding how he dared, without leave, put his hat on in his presence?

I began this letter by telling you of the death of the King: I have permitted myself to be carried away by the subject; I shall therefore mention him no more, but conclude by hoping, with all the Neapolitans, that Francis the First will repair the evils arising from the long reign of his father. Adieu.

LETTER XXVIII.

Naples, 30th Feb. 1825.

MY DEAR FRIEND,

THE Grotta del Cane, the Lago d'Agnano, and the Astroni, lie near to each other, between the Grotto of Posilipo and Pozzuoli, and at about two miles distance from the sea. The road leading to this well-known cluster passes through a nick-if it may be so called-cut, to lessen the ascent, in the top of a hill. This ridge of hills formerly surrounded the crater of a volcano, as it now does a small valley, the bottom of which is filled by the Lago d'Agnano. This lake and crater are now set apart as a royal chase, and are covered with game and wild fowl. During the summer the