cumstances of public scandal be avoided, it never enters their heads that their conduct has anything improper in it. Every one, male and female bears most Christianly with every other. All this leads to a strange mixture of society, particularly on public occasions. "This, with the general want of manly and independent feeling, of which it is merely a modification, is the worst point in the character of the Viennese; setting aside this Sketches of the History, Manners, and Customs of the THIS is, in many respects, the most interesting volume which has come before us since the commencement of our labours. It may be questioned whether any publication for many years past contains so many claims to the attention of the reader. It is perfectly new to the larger portion of the public, and abounds in anecdotes and sketches of a character singularly affecting. But there is another and higher kind of interest belonging to Mr. Buchanan's work, which should not be forgotten. It appeals to the best sympathies of our nature, in behalf of an oppressed but magnanimous race of our fellow creatures. It details all their rights to our humanity and our protection, and amongst these not the least are their long and patient sufferings under the most unmitigated severities. We have contributed too much to their sufferings not to yield a willing ear to the story of their wrongs, and afford a helping hand to their relief. Mr. Buchanan wishes to awake in their favour a benevolent spirit akin to that which has laboured so earnestly and unbounded love of pleasure. and the disinclination to rigorous idustry, either bodily or intellectual, that necessarily accompanies it, they are honest, affectionate, and obliging people. There is some weakness, however, in their fondness for being honoured with high sounding forms of address. This disposition may be expected, in some degree or other, in every country where the received forms of society and modes of thinking give every thing to rank, and nothing to character; but no where is it carried to such an extravagant length as in Vienna, producing even solecisms in language. Every man who holds any public office, should it be merely that of an under clerk, on a paltry salary of forty younds a year, must be gratified by hearing his title, not his name; and, if you have occasion to write to such a person, you must address him, not merely as a clerk, but as Imperial and Royal Clerk,' in such and such Imperial and Royal Office.' Even in speaking of absent persons, they are generally designated by, their official titles, however humble and unmeaning these may be. The ladies are not behind in asserting their claims to honorary appellations. All over Germany, a wife insists on taking the official title of her husband, with a feminine termina-efficiently on the part of the unhappy Africans. He tion. There is Madam Generaless, Madam Privy-coun-refutes all the calumnies which have been cast upon cilloress, Madam Chief-book-keeperess, and a hundred the American Indians, not by passionate declamation, others. In Vienna, a shopkeeper's wife will not be well pleased with any thing under Gnadige Frau, Gracious Mabut by indisputable facts. Nearly throughout the dam. It is equally common, and still more absurd, for whole of his volume he speaks from his own expeboth sexes to prefix von (of) the symbol of nobility, to the sirname, as if the latter were the name of an estate. A dealer in pickles or pipe heads, for instance, whose name may happen to be Mr. Charles, must be called, if you wish to be polite, Mr. of Charles, and his helpmate Mrs. of Charles. Kotzebue has ridiculed all this delightfully in his Deutsche Kleinstadte, the most laughable of all farces. an "This looseness of morals, so disgraceful to the Austrian capital, if not aided, is, at least, very little restrained by religion that happy self-satisfaction under certain iniquities, which only quickens our pace in the career of guilt, though it may not form any part of the doctrines of the Catholic church, is an almost infallible consequence of the deceptive nature of many parts of her ritual, and exists as a fact in every country where her hierarchy is dominant, and no extraneous circumstances modify its corrupting influence." Our traveller proceeded from Vienna into Styria and Carniola, and with the description of these pro vinces his tour ends. To the remarks we have already made upon these volumes, it is unnecessary to add much. They are beyond all question the most ably written of any of the lighter books of travels that we have read for many years. The author seems to be at home on all subjects. His style is very pleasant, and perhaps not the less so from its constant tendency to sarcasm. The opinions are generally candid, and always expressed with great manliness. Altogether it is a work which does infinite credit to the author, and warrants a prediction that he will at some future period assume a higher station in the literature of his country. rience: "I confess that I had no other idea of an American Indian, than that he was the most ferocious of human beings. Whenever he became named, his scalping-knife, tomahawk, warwhoop, and thirst of blood, were at once associated in my mind; and hence I was led to concur in the almost universal opinion, that he was totally incapable of being rendered subservient to the arts of civilized life. In the course of my travels through the United States and Upper Canada, I met with several Indians, whose external wretchedness induced me to make inquiries as to their present condition; and although many persons to whom I addressed myself appeared to be perfectly indifferent on the subject, and spoke of them in the most degrading terms, I was led to seek for further information respecting their character, in the pursuit of which I have been engaged for three years." The result of these pursuits is as honourable to the diligence, talent, and feelings of Mr. Buchanan, as we hope it will be serviceable to his unhappy clients. He has with great judgment confined his views to such character of the North American Indians. Of their points as illustrate the recent and present state and remote history he has given no account, nor was it essential to his main object. The second chapter con tains an amusing account of the first arrival of the Dutch at New York Island, from which we will give a few extracts. It was taken down from the mouth of an intelligent Delaware Indian : "A great many years ago, when men with a white skin had never yet been seen in this land, some Indians who were out a fishing at a place where the sea widens, espied at a great distance something remarkably large floating on the water, and such as they had never seen before. These be what it might; it was better for one man to die, than Indians immediately returning to the shore, apprized their that a whole nation should be destroyed. He then took the countrymen of what they had observed, and pressed them glass, and bidding the assembly a solemn farewell, at once to go out with them, and discover what it might be. They drank up its whole contents. Every eye was fixed on the hurried out together, and saw with astonishment the phe-resolute chief, to see what effect the unknown liquor would nomenon which now appeared to their sight, but could not produce. He soon began to stagger, and at last fell prosagree upon what it was: some believed it to be an uncomtrate on the ground. His companions now bemoaned his monly large fish or animal, while others were of opinion it fate, he falls into a sound sleep, and they think he has exmust be a very big house floating on the sea. At length the pired. He wakes again, jumps up, and declares that he has spectators concluded that this wonderful object was moving enjoyed the most delicious sensations, and that he never towards the land, and that it must be an animal or some- before felt himself so happy as after he had drunk the cup. thing else that had life in it; it would therefore be proper He asks for more, his wish is granted; the whole assembly to inform all the Indians on the inhabited islands of what then imitate him, and all become intoxicated. they had seen, and put them on their guard. Accordingly they sent off a number of runners and watermen to carry the news to their scattered chiefs, that they might send off in every direction for the warriors, with a message that they should come on immediately. These arriving in numbers, and having themselves viewed the strange appear ance, and observing that it was actually moving towards the entrance of the river or bay, concluded it to be a remarkably large house in which the Mannitto (the Great or Supreme Being) himself was present, and that he probably was coming to visit them. "While in this situation, fresh runners arrived declaring it to be a large house of various colours, and crowded with living creatures. It appears now to be certain, that it is the great Mannitto, bringing them some kind of game, such as he had not given them before; but other runners soon after arriving, declare that it is positively a house full of human beings, of quite a different colour from that of the Indians, and dressed differently from them; that, in particular one of them was dressed entirely in red, who must be the Mannitto himself. They are hailed from the vessel in a language they do not understand; yet they shout or yell in return by way of answer, according to the custom of their country. Many are for running off to the woods, but are pressed by others to stay, in order not to give offence to their visitor, who might find them out and destroy them. dians, they at last proposed to stay with them, and asked "As the whites became daily more familiar with the Inonly for so much ground for a garden spot as, they said, the hide of a bullock would cover or encompass, which hide was spread before them. The Indians readily granted this apparently reasonable request; but the whites then took a knife, and beginning at one end of the hide, cut it up to a time the whole was cut up, it made a great heap; they then long rope, not thicker than a child's finger, so that by the took the rope at one end, and drew it gently along, carefully avoiding its breaking. It was drawn out into a circular form, and being closed at its end, encompassed a large piece of ground. The Indians were surprised at the superior wit of the whites, but did not wish to contend with them about a little land, as they had still enough themselves. The white and red men lived contentedly together for a long time, though the former, from time to time, asked for more land, which was readily obtained, and thus they gra dually proceeded higher up the Mahicanittuck, until the Indians began to believe that they would soon want all their country, which in the end proved true." 66 The Indians are by no means silent with respect to the treatment they have received from the Europeans. They love to repeat their complaints, which they do with great eloquence and effect. Often," says Mr. Buchanan, "have I listened to these descriptions of their hard sufferings, until I felt ashamed of being a white man." Some of these energetic outpourings he gives, and they are full of affecting interest. That the Indians have great capacity, is manifested from the specimens of their eloquence which are quoted The house, some say large canoe, at last stops, and a canoe of a smaller size comes on shore with the red man and some others in it; some stay with his canoe to guard it. "The chiefs and wise men, assembled in council, form themselves into a large circle, towards which the man in red clothes approaches with two others. He salutes them with a friendly countenance, and they return the salute after their manner. They are lost in admiration; the dress, the manners, the whole appearance of the unknown strangers is to them a subject of wonder; but they are par-by Mr. Buchanan. It is too much our habit to ridicule ticularly struck with him who wore the red coat all glittering with gold lace, which they could in no manner account for. He, surely, must be the great Mannitto, but why should he have a white skin? Meanwhile, a large hackhack is brought by one of his servants, from which an unknown substance is poured out into a small cup or glass, and handed to the supposed Mannitto. He drinks-has the glass filled again, and hands it to the chief standing next to him. The chief receives it, but only smells the contents, and passes it on to the next chief, who does the same. The glass or cup thus passes through the circle, without the liquor being tasted by any one, and is upon the point of being returned to the red-clothed Mannitto, when one of the Indians, a brave man and a great warrior, suddenly jumps up and harangues the assembly on the impropriety of returning the cup with its contents. It was handed to them, says he, by the Mannitto, that they should drink out of it, as he himself had done. To follow his example would be pleasing to him; but to return what he had given them might provoke his wrath, and bring destruction on them. And since the orator believed it for the good of the nation that the contents offered them should be drunk, and as no one else would do it, he would drink it himself, let the consequence the pretensions of Negroes and Indians, but those who have any experience of these classes of men in their native conditions, know that they possess as much general capacity as the whites. True, it is at first somewhat ludicrous to read of the eloquence of "Red Jacket,"- Twenty Canoes,"-" Wheel Barrow," and "Big Kettle," but the specimens of that eloquence furnished by Mr. Buchanan are twenty thousand times superior in argument, feeling, and passion to nine tenths of the trashy common place which is mouthed in "the Grand Council of our Nation." Here is a passage full of spirit, reasoning, irony, and truth: 66 6 My great Father :-Some of your good chiefs, as they are called (missionaries), have proposed to send some of their good people among us, to change our habits, to make us work and live like the white people. I will not tell a lie-I am going to tell the truth. You love your countryyou love your people-you love the manner in which they live, and you think your people brave.-I am like you, my Great Father, I love my country-I love my people-I love fits he has bestowed, and therefore that it is their duty to show their thankfulness by worshipping him, and doing that which is pleasing in his sight. to feel the infirmities of old age. the manner in which we live, and think myself and warriors brave. Spare me then, my Father; let me enjoy my country, and pursue the buffalo, and the beaver, and the other wild animals of our country, and I will trade their skins with your people. I have grown up, and lived thus long "Their young ambition is then excited by telling them without work-I am in hopes you will suffer me to die without it. We have plenty of buffalo, beaver, deer, and other and are to have power over them; great pains are taken to that they were made the superiors of all other creatures, wild animals-we have also an abundance of horses-we make this feeling take an early root, and it becomes, in have every thing we want-we have plenty of land, if you fact, their ruling passion through life; for no pains are will keep your people off of it. My father has a piece on which he lives (Council Bluffs) and we wish him to enjoy spared to instil into them, that by following the advice of it-we have enough without it but we wish him to live they will at a future day acquire a degree of fame and the most admired and extolled hunter, trapper, or warrior, near us, to give us good counsel-to keep our ears and eyes open, that we may continue to pursue the right road-themitting to the counsels of the aged, the chiefs, the men reputation, equal to that which he possesses; that by subroad to happiness. He settles all differences between us and the whites, between the red skins themselves—he called Wise men, an honourable title, to which no Indian superior in wisdom, they may also rise to glory, and be makes the whites do justice to the red skins, and he makes is indifferent. They are finally told that if they respect the the red skins do justice to the whites. He saves the effu-aged and infirm, and are kind and obliging to them, they sion of human blood, and restores peace and happiness on the land. You have already sent us a father; it is enough he knows us, and we know him-we have confidence in him "When this first and most important lesson is thought -we keep our eye constantly upon him, and since we have to be sufficiently impressed upon children's minds, the heard your words, we will listen more attentively to his. It is too soon, my Great Father, to send those good tion between good and evil; they tell them that there are parents next proceed to make them sensible of the distincmen among us. We are not starving yet-we wish you to good actions and bad actions, both equally open to them to permit us to enjoy the chase until the game of our country do or commit; that good acts are pleasing to the good is exhausted-until the wild animals become extinct. Let Spirit which gave them existence, and that on the contrary, us exhaust our present resources before you make us toil all that is bad proceeds from the bad spirit who has given and interrupt our happiness-let me continue to live as I have done, and after I have passed to the Good or Evil Spi-good, because he has it not, and therefore he envies them them nothing, and who cannot give them any thing that is rit from off the wilderness of my present life, the subsistence of my children may become so precarious as to need that which they have received from the good spirit, who is far superior to the bad one. and embrace the assistance of those good people.'" The letter of Cornplanter, (an Indian Chief,) to the Governor of Pennsylvania, is a masterly document. Its very simplicity is worth all the eloquent "pieces justificatifs" that ever were written since the invention of diplomacy. Let those who accuse us of extravagance, read it, at page 55 of Mr. Buchanan's volume. The oration of Te-cum-seh, the celebrated Shawanese warrior, is no doubt familiar to many of our readers, in the delightful little volume of Mr. Hunter. 666 . When this instruction is given in the form of precepts, it must not be supposed that it is done in an authoritative or forbidding tone, but on the contrary, in the gentlest and most persuasive manner; nor is the parent's authority ever supported by harsh or compulsive means; no whips, no punishments, no threats are ever used to enforce commands or compel obedience. The child's pride is the feeling to which an appeal is made, which proves successful in almost every instance. A father needs only to say in the presence of his children I want such a thing done; I want one of my children to go upon such an errand; let me see who is the good child that will do it!' This word good vie with each other to comply with the wishes of their operates, as it were by magic, and the children immediately parent. If a father sees an old decrepit man or woman pass by, led along by a child, he will draw the attention of his own children to the object, by saying,What a good That child, indeed, looks forward to the time when it will child that must be, which pays such attention to the aged! likewise be old!? or he will say, May the great Spirit, who looks upon him, grant this good child a long life!" The moral character of the Indians is infinitely higher than is generally conceived. Mr. Buchanan speaks from experience, and not at second hand. Their attachment to their children is singularly intense. He found it impossible to induce any Indian to part with his child to have it educated in the European mode. The tenderness they display in their early "In this manner of bringing up children, the parents, nurture, is only equalled by the care they shew in their after education. Honest and virtuous principles arenity. If a child is sent from his father's dwelling to carry as I have already said, are seconded by the whole commuinstilled in their infant years, and these are developed a dish of victuals to an aged person, all in the house will in subsequent life:join in calling him a good child. They will ask whose child he is, and on being told, will exclaim, what! has the Tortoise, or the Little Bear, (as the father's name may be) got such a good child?' If a child is seen passing through the streets leading an old decrepit person, the villagers will in his hearing, and to encourage all the other children who may be present to take example from him, call on one another to look on and see what a good child that must be." "The first step that parents take towards the education of their children, is to prepare them for future happiness, by impressing upon their tender minds, that they are indebted for their existence to a great, good, and benevolent Spirit, who not only has given them life, but has ordained them for certain great purposes. That he has given them a fertile extensive country, well stocked with game of every kind for their subsistence; and that by one of his inferior spirits, he has also sent down to them from above, corn, pumpkins, squashes, beans, and other vegetables, for their nourishment; all which blessings their ancestors have enjoyed for a great number of ages. That this great Spirit looks down upon the Indians, to see whether they are grateful to him, and make him a due return for the many bene Mr. Buchanan's volume contains a long statement of the various indignities, insults, and cruelties exercised upon the Indians. They are plundered in every possible way, and towards them right and wrong cease to have any moral distinction. The Canadians are particularly remarkable for their injustice and fe- || rocity against the poor natives. We feel a reluctance to cite any instances of their wanton oppression, but refer the reader to Mr. Buchanan's volume, the further notice of which will be resumed in our next number. (To be continued.) Italy and the Italians in the Nineteenth Century. By A. VIEUSSEUX. London: C. Knight, 2 vols, Svo. 1824. MR. VIEUSSEUX is himself an Italian and familiar with all the scenes and persons which are described in these volumes. It is thus he speaks of himself in the preface: "Fondly attached to the country where I passed my early years,-a' country celebrated for its beauties and for its misfortunes,-I feel a desire to make its inhabitants better known to British readers; and I think I am placed in a situation rather favourable for this purpose. Acquainted from my infancy with the language and manners of the Italians-brought up under their sky-nursed in their homes-I quitted that country before early impressions could ripen into prejudices, and at that period of life when the powers of the mind begin to expand. Circumstances, connected with the affairs of the time, having induced me to leave the continent, I joined what I considered the common cause of mankind, against a system of ruthless and gigantic oppression; and, during a period of several years spent in some of the most interesting countries of Europe, a variety of scenes, of manners, and of people, afforded me ample means of comparison. After the last peace, I returned to the land of my childhood; I found every thing altered, and myself almost a stranger in my own country. I wandered then about Italy, adding fresh information to old recollections; and from both, I now exhibit a sketch, I hope not altogether uninteresting." hibits very few instances of idiomatic impurity. In a great many passages it is extremely fervid and eloquent. Mr. Vieusseux's notice of Italy begins with Naples, where he arrived in a vessel from Malta. It was during the Carnival, and he touches with great felicity on the curious appearances which the Neapolitan population exhibits during that season of gaiety and enjoyment. It is, however, gay and joyous to the Neapolitans only-for, from our own experience we can pronounce it to be one of the dullest though noisiest of all conceivable things. Our traveller's sketches are not reduced to any strict order, but are taken just as the matters presented themselves. A good part of them are of a transitory nature-such as the critiques on theatres and actors. The general portrait of the Strada di Toledo is lively enough: "The street of Toledo, which runs across the city for three quarters of a mile, is the principal street in Naples, although not exactly in a straight line, nor suthciently broad in proportion to its length. It begins from a fine semi-circular largo or square, called dello Spirito Santo, and ends at the Largo San Ferdinando, before the King's palace. This fine street was built by a Spanish viceroy of the same name, who predicted that it would become the most frequented part of the city, as it has happened in effect. It is always crowded to excess with people, carriages, horses, donkeys, &c., and being like all other streets destitute of foot pavements, is rendered very uncomfortable, especially for pedestrians. The number of retailers selling provisions and goods of every description in the street; the people working and cooking in front of the shops, which, for the benefit of the air, are mostly open; the quantity of curricoli or gigs, drawn by little spirited horses, beggars infesting the place at all hours;-all these mixed and driving furiously along; the swarms of vagrants and with the gay and splendid equipages of the nobility; the appearance of well dressed females at the balconies; the elegance of the numerous coffee and ice shops, exhibit an ensemble of contrast, confusion, and bustle, to which I have seen nothing equal in any other part of Europe. The naturally clamorous habits of the Neapolitans are strengthened by the continual noise which obliges them to vocifeThe hopes of the author will not, we are sure, berate loudly, in order to be heard even by their immediate disappointed, for it is not easy to name two volumes companions. With all this, Toledo affords a very curious appearance to a stanger by the variety of motley groups about Italy which contain so much "fresh informa-with which it is thronged; priests in black, friars in white tion," and awaken so many old recollections." With a judgment which deserves some praise, Mr. Vieusseux has almost entirely abstained from treading the beaten path of Italian travellers, and has left the descriptions of ruins and relics to his predecessors. He tells us of the moral state of Italy, of the character of its people, their habits, opinions, politics, and religion. Those who wish to know the dimensions of a church-or the age of a monument-who revel with a canine joy over the bare bones of antiquity, must turn to other sources: but those who are anxious, to learn something of the men and manners of Italy as she now is will find in the pages of Mr. Vieusseux abundant information. His opinions are on the liberal side, and they are expressed with a freedom which never transgresses the limits of decency. His style, for a foreigner, is singularly fresh and vigorous-and ex. 66 and grey, officers in gay military uniforms, paglietti or lawyers in their professional costumes, sober citizens yellow, and grey; women, some in the old Neapolitan dressed in suits of a variety of colours, blue, green, brown, manto, a black silk gown and hood; others in the modern costume, which they have adopted from the French; those of the lower class, either with handkerchiefs tied round their heads, or with the Sicilian peddeme, a piece of calico thrown loosely over the head and shoulders; and half naked lazzaroni having no other garment but merely their shirts and trousers. I can hardly think myself in a civilized country, but feel as though transported to some of the European settlements on the coast of Africa. Toledo is adorned by many palaces, although most of them not of the best architectural taste; the principal ones are those of Maddaloni, Angri, Stigliano, Cavalcanti, Berio, and others." The environs of Naples, which after all, form the great charm of this charming place, and are described with much enthusiasm. Indeed it is impossible for any one who has a taste for natural beauty, or whose memory is imbued with associations caught from history and poetry, not to feel deeply and ardently at the sight of these beautiful and storied spots. The pages of Mr. Vieusseux has freshened our own recollections in an uncommon degree. Those who have already visited these scenes will be delighted with his glowing descriptions, and those who have not, will burn with eagerness to visit them. His estimate of the Neapolitan character is very elaborate, and generally, as we think, correct : their means, all the secrets of their masters and mistresses are made known to the world. Still the difficulty of finding make their employers put up with them. If threatened to better servants, and the danger of changing for the worse, be turned out, they answer with the greatest impudence, that their masters will not be the better by the change; it is a general saying amongst them that they can give the selves with servants from the North of Italy, who have a law to their masters. Foreigners generally provide thembetter reputation for honesty; most of the custom-house porters are also from that part of the country. A disposition to laziness prevails in the inhabitants of Naples, and this is a source of vice and indigence: In otia nata Parthenope. Work is done in a bad and slovenly manner; the principal object of workmen seems to be to cheat their masters, and labour as little as they can for their wages.-A stranger can hardly form an idea of the poverty which the interior of poor Neapolitan families exhibits. Several generations are huddled together on the naked floor in a garret, or on the ground floor; old and young; healthy and infirm; males and females, to the utter destruction of health, morals, and all remains of rationality. Some live actually in the streets, many in the boats, and these are the best off. Such is the state of the lower classes, includtute perhaps one third of the inhabitants of this city.—The men of this country are a stout good looking race. As for the women, there is less beauty among them than in any other part of Italy. One sees but few pleasing countenances among the young women; the expression of their features is in general far from agreeable; their looks are too bold and daring; their voices coarse and masculine; and their complexions very sallow. Corpulence seems to be here an appendage of beauty.-Apathy and carelessness are prevailing features of the Neapolitan character. These people only live in the present; they drive away the idea of futurity as an unwelcome monitor, and whatever they do is marked with thoughtlessness and want of foresight. If a funeral passes by, although it be that of a friend, salute a shoulders with undisguised selfishness. If they are in want of cash they contract debts which they have not the means of ever acquitting, without reflecting that this course will lead them ultimately to prison or to an hospital. They eat as if they were taking their last meal; it is a common occurrence on Christmas eve among poor people to pledge or sell their clothes, their scanty furniture, and even their beds, to be able to regale themselves on the following day.A want of decorum and good breeding is observable in their manners. They are noisy and disorderly in their parties, indiscreet in their questions and reflections, indelicate and vulgar in their language, vain, boastful, and exaggerating. Their broad stare in the streets is peculiarly offensive to a stranger.-From what I have said, it will appear that I look upon Naples as one of the most corrupt cities in Europe. It is, however, a corruption different from that of other capitals, such as Paris or London; it is a mixture of the rudeness of a people half savage, for such is the state of the lower classes, with the vices of luxury and civilization fostered among the upper ones. "A peculiar feature which strikes me in the character of the Neapolitans, is their seeming indifference to the opinion which strangers may entertain of their countrymen. The first expressions I heard from natives on my entering the harbour, and which I have since heard frequently repeated, were violently abusive of their own nation, accusing their countrymen of want of honour, faith, and charity. A Neapolitan will often express his disdain of his own countrymen in the presence of strangers, so as to puzzle these about the manner how to behave on such an unexpected occasion.-The only explanation of this pheno-ing most of those who live by daily labour, and who constimenon seems to be, that these people being really persuaded of the inferiority of their moral state, by the daily experience they have of it in their intercourse with their countrymen, and by comparing their behaviour with that of the numerous strangers who visit their country, cannot help expressing what they feel on the subject, with all their natural vivacity. Shame, the last lingering attendant of virtue, seems to be lost in the general corruption, and patriotism to have fled from the soil. There is a strong prejudice in other parts of Italy against the Neapolitans; many of the latter seem to be so convinced of this, as to appear unwilling, when abroad, to acknowledge themselves as such.-Decency and delicacy are not conspicuous in the manners of the inhabitants of this country. Every thing is done in public; the conversation runs upon the most ex-noi, long life to us, they exclaim, shrugging up their traordinary topics, and with as little disguise as possible. Boys are seen running about the streets, especially near the sea, in a state of nakedness, or nearly so. The entrances and stairs of the houses and palaces are filled with every kind of nuisance. The windows and balconies are generally left open, so that every thing is to be seen which is going on in a neighbour's house. Neapolitans of almost all classes, when they come home, during the summer. that is to say, six months in the year, take off their coats and neckcloths, and sit down to dinner with their shirt sleeves tucked up to their elbows. This takes place also at the restaurateurs or eating-houses. Ladies perform their toilet with the doors of their dressing rooms ajar, in sight of servants and visitors. All this, however, admits of some excuse, as the heat of the weather is in a great measure one of the principal causes of such indelicate customs. The greatest familiarity prevails between masters and servants. The former often joke and laugh with the || latter, and talk confidentially of their affairs and intrigues before them; some even play at cards with them: it is natural, therefore, to expect no reverence nor subordination from domestics who are the confidants of all their master's foibles or vices. This renders Neapolitan servants perhaps the very worst in the world. They are dirty, lazy, and careless; insolent and unfaithful. They are in general notoriously dishonest, so as to steal the paltriest things that fall in their way. Most of them, especially when out of livery, would think it beneath them to carry a bundle, or any thing in their hands through the streets, and will actually refuse to do so, and employ a porter for the purpose. Gambling, sleeping, and defaming their masters, are the pastimes in which they spend the greater part of the day, while loitering in idleness in the ante-rooms. By "Having been obliged, by a regard to truth, to trace some unfavourable features of the Neapolitan character, proceed to the more pleasing task of stating what I have collected on its fair side. And first, as I have already said, there is a great quantum of joviality and gaiety of temper in these people, especially in the middling classes. When not under the immediate pressure of want, the Neapolitan is good-tempered, communicative, and social. Considering the state of ignorance and misery of the lower classes, heinous crimes may be said to be rare in Naples.-Avarice is not the prevailing vice of this country-the people are rather inclined to its opposite extreme, and most of them live beyond their income. They are very fond of parties, |