successful, was established by his Holiness, and its expenses defrayed from his private purse.

Amongst other names which deserve to be mentioned in connection with this subject are those of Father Marchi, whose precise examination has so completely confuted the theory of the arenaria, the learned Cavalier De Rossi, and the distinguished antiquarians Guidi and Visconti, to the last of whom I had the honour of being introduced on an occasion of which I have some pleasing recollections. I cannot omit to mention also the name of Dr. Smith, the eminent Benedictine, who possesses so large and interesting a stock of information on the Catacombs, and who, when his various and important occupations permit him, is so liberal and courteous in imparting its benefits to others. I had the good fortune on one occasion to have been a member of a party which he had the kindness to accompany through the Catacombs of S. Agnese; and I have to thank the learned doctor for many clearer and more accurate notions respecting these mysterious and deeply interesting places than I had previously acquired by even a pretty considerable study of the subject.

The Revolution opposed to the innocent Gaieties of the Carnival-The Carnival regaining its former brilliancy-The unfavourable Weather with which it opened last Year-Brightness of the concluding Days -Defence of the Carnival-The Artistic Toilet of the Lower Classes -The Minenti-Description of the Carnival-Charge of Cavalry— Horse-race-The Grooms-Excitement during this Amusement— Tranquillity of Rome during the Evenings of the Carnival-Masquerade Balls-The Moccoletti-Another word in favour of the Carnival-Celebrations of the Church during these Days-Processions through the Ruins of Rome, and Stations of the Cross in the Coliseum.

THE partial use of masks which was permitted during the carnival of last year for the first time since the revolution, restored much of their olden vivacity and bruyant character to the proceedings of that occasion. I was fortunate, therefore, in witnessing these anteLenten† festivities under more favourable circumstances than they had been seen for several years before; so much do political troubles tend to sap the foundations of innocent mirth, national amusements, and interesting old usages, as well as those of higher and

* Carnival ; from caro and vale-farewell to flesh; because the prin cipal gaieties of the Carnival take place immediately before Lent.

The carnival commences, properly speaking, after New Year's Day, but the festival in the Corso takes place only during eight of the last ten days before Lent, there being no carnival on Friday and Sunday.

more hallowed institutions. The cloudy and rainy skies with which the first days opened, chilled indeed the ardour with which carnivalitial gaieties are usually commenced; but inveterate pleasure-seekers were not to be deterred even by the hostility of the weather, and fancy dresses were boldly displayed in defiance of an atmosphere for which their light materials were but indifferently adapted. The brightness, however, of the concluding days reanimated the spirits of all, and on Giovedi Grasso, and the following Saturday and Tuesday in particular, the Corso presented a sight, lively, picturesque, and brilliant as ever the carnival show has been even in its palmiest time.

The pelting war of comfits and the more graceful exchange of bouquets, the tasteful decoration of window and balcony, the flashing of carriages, the gay dresses of the ladies, the fantastic costumes of the men, the merry laugh, the bright eyes, the fair faces, and the modest mirth of the entire scene,* rendered it

* To these might be added the very language and the esprit of the people. "C'est là," says Madame de Staël, "qu'on peut juger de toute l'imagination des gens du peuple. L'Italien est plein de charmes, même dans leur bouche. Alfieri disait qu'il allait à Florence sur le marché public pour apprendre le bon Italien. Rome a le même avantage; et ces deux villes sont peut-être les seules du monde où le peuple parle si bien que l'amusement de l'esprit peut se rencontrer à touts les coins des rues. Le genre de gaieté qui brille dans les auteurs des arlequinades et de l'opéra-bouffe se trouve très-communément même parmi les hommes sans éducation. La langue Italienne se prête à toutes les nuances de la gaieté, avec une facilité qui ne demande qu'une légère inflexion de voix, une terminaison un peu différente pour accroître ou diminuer, ennoblir ou travestir le sens des paroles. . On pourrait dire que c'est une langue qui va d'elle-même, exprime sans

grateful in no small degree to every mind not entirely soured by misfortune or blunted by less innocent enjoyment. The stream of life is, alas! so often shadowed, that we may surely rejoice and be thankful whenever a gleam of gladness breaks upon its darkness, and its cold current sparkles with a brighter tint than usual; and this is the more excusable, when delicacy is not offended and hilarity keeps within bounds, as is the general rule, at least in the Roman carnival.

No small amount of the pleasure derived from the scenes of which I speak, is the picturesqueness given them by the artistic toilets of the lower classes. The Minenti in particular (who are the beaux and belles of Trastevere) attract every eye by the showy self-adornment of that characteristic race. To provide for the cost of these festivities, and of the October fêtes, which are the two great public merry-makings of the year, they will lay by as many bajocchi as can possibly be spared; and as the happy season approaches, they will even deprive themselves of their usual food, lest they should want means for their favourite amusements. The festival-day, however, arrived, there is an end of parsimony, and you may distinguish the pretty Trasteverine in the gay tumult of the Corso, or the festive junketings of Testaccio, shining above all her rivals by the richness and bravery of her attire. Real silks and velvets adorn her person; a golden chain passes in many circles round her neck; rings of coral or Roman pearl

qu'on s'en mêle, et paraît presque toujours avoir plus d'esprit que celui qui la parle."

hang from her ears, and as she lifts her hands coquettishly to her raven locks, the jewels on her fingers light up the glossy, massive braids or clustering ringlets with their diamond blaze. Notwithstanding all this finery, however, there is no aping after the style of a higher class

-no French couturière or modiste has had aught to do with the Trasteverine's dress-all is original, national, genuine. Often no less than ten of these fair ones may be seen packed into one open carriage,-two seated on the reversed cover, and one-she to whom the palm of beauty is adjudged-enjoying the post of honour beside the coachman. And as these decimal bevies flash gaily by with music of mandoline or basque-tambour, they form a delightful accessory to the general brilliancy of the spectacle.

The pelting assaults and the other ordinary amusements of these festivities fill up the hours before sunset. The signal cannon is then fired for clearance of the Corso; the long street becomes suddenly emptied of its interminable file of carriages, and a charge of cavalry (which is in itself a pretty sight) drives the crowd from the centre of the street to the safer position on the trottoirs at either side. This movement, in whose performance I was struck with the perfect good humour and docility of the public, is a preparation for the famous horse-racing which forms so remarkable a portion of carnivalesque proceedings.

The barberi (so called because the first horses thus employed were of the Barbary breed) are gaily ornamented on the front of the head, and sometimes down the neck with plumes of peacock and other feathers.