into the Corso at the end remote from the ries of the gaudiest and most sparkling Piazza del Popolo; which is one of its ter- hues, were floating out upon the street. minations. Accordingly, we fell into the The buildings seemed to have been literally string of coaches, and, for some time, jog-turned inside out, and to have all their gayged on quietly enough; now crawling on at ety towards the highway. Shop-fronts were a very slow walk; now trotting half a dozen taken down, and the windows filled with yards; now backing fifty; and now stop- company, like boxes at a shilling theatre; ping altogether as the pressure in front doors were carried off their hinges, and obliged us. If any impetuous carriage long tapestried groves, hung with garlands dashed out of the rank and clattered for- of flowers and evergreens, displayed withward, with the wild idea of getting on in; builders' scaffoldings were gorgeous faster, it was suddenly met, or overtaken, temples, radiant in silver, gold, and crimby a trooper, on horseback, who, deaf as son; and in every nook and corner, from his own drawn sword to all remonstrances, the pavement to the chimney-tops, where immediately escorted it back to the very women's eyes could glisten, there they end of the row, and made it a dim speck in danced, and laughed, and sparkled, like the remotest perspective. Occasionally, the light in water. Every sort of bewitchwe interchanged a volley of confétti with ing madness of dress was there. Little the carriage next in front, or the carriage preposterous scarlet jackets; quaint old next behind; but, as yet, this capturing of stomachers, more wicked than the smartest stray and errant coaches by the military, boddices; Polish pelisses, strained and was the chief amusement. tight as ripe gooseberries; tiny Greek caps, Presently, we came into a narrow street, all awry, and clinging to the dark hair, where, besides one line of carriages going, Heaven knows how; every wild, quaint, there was another line of carriages return- bold, shy, pettish madcap fancy had its iling. Here the sugar-plums and the nose-lustration in a dress; and every fancy was gays began to fly about, pretty smartly; as dead forgotten by its owner, in the tuand I was fortunate enough to observe one gentleman attired as a Greek warrior, catch a light-whiskered brigand on the nose (he was in the very act of tossing up a bouquet to a young lady in a first-floor window) with a precision that was much applauded by the by-standers. As this victorious Greek was exchanging a facetious remark with a stout gentleman in a doorway-one-half black and one half white, as if he had been peeled up the middle -who had offered him his congratulations on this achievement, he received an orange from a house-top, full on his left ear, and was much surprised, not to say discomfited. Especially, as he was standing up at the time; and in consequence of the carriage moving on suddenly, at the same moment, staggered ignominiously, and buried himself among his flowers.

mult of merriment, as if the three old aqueducts that still remain entire, had brought Lethe into Rome, upon their sturdy arches, that morning.

were

The carriages were now three abreast; in broader places four; often stationary for a long time together; always one close mass of variegated brightness; showing, the whole street-full, through the storm of flowers, like flowers of a larger growth themselves. In some, the horses richly caparisoned in magnificent trappings; in others they were decked from head to tail, with flowing ribbons. Some were driven by coachmen with enormous double faces: one face leering at the horses: the other cocking its extraordinary eyes into the carriage and both rattling again, under the hail of sugar-plums. Other drivers were attired as women, wearing long ringSome quarter of an hour of this sort of lets and no bonnets, and looking more riprogress, brought us to the Corso; and diculous in any real difficulty with the any thing so gay, so bright, and lively as horses (of which, in such a concourse, the whole scene there, it would be difficult there were a great many) than tongue can to imagine. From all the innumerable bal-tell, or pen describe. Instead of sitting in conies from the remotest and highest, no the carriages, upon the seats, the handless than from the lowest and nearest some Roman women, to see and to be seen hangings of bright red, bright green, the better, sit in the heads of the barouches, bright blue, white and gold were fluttering at this time of general license, with their in the brilliant sunlight. From windows, feet upon the cushions-and oh the flowing and from parapets, and tops of houses, skirts and dainty waists, the blessed shapes streamers of the richest colors, and drape- and laughing faces, the free, good-humored, VOL. VIII. No. IV. 70

The horses

There How it ever is cleared for the race that gallant figures that they make ! were great vans, too, full of handsome takes place at five, or how the horses ever girls-thirty, or more together, perhaps go through the race, without going over the But the and the broadsides that were poured into, people, is more than I can say. and poured out of these fairy fire-ships, carriages get out into the by-streets, or up splashed the air with flowers and bonbons into the Piazza del Popolo, and some peofor ten minutes at a time. Carriages, de- ple sit in temporary galleries in the latter layed long in one place, would begin a de- place, and tens of thousands line the Corso liberate engagement with other carriages, on both sides, when the horses are brought or with people at the lower windows; and out into the Piazza-to the foot of that same the spectators at some upper balcony or column which, for centuries, looked down window, joining in the fray, and attacking upon the games and chariot-races in the both parties, would empty down great bags Circus Maximus. of confétti, that descended like a cloud, At a given signal, they are started off. and in an instant made them white as mil- Down the live lane, the whole length of the lers. Still, carriages on carriages, dresses Corso, they fly like the wind: riderless on dresses, colors on colors, crowds upon all the world knows: with shining c crowds, without end. Men and boys cling-ments upon their backs, and twisted in ing to the wheels of coaches, and holding plaited manes and with heavy little on behind, and following in their wake, stuck full of spikes, dangling at their sia The jingling of the and diving in among the horses' feet to to goad them on. pick up scattered flowers to sell again; trappings, and the rattling of their hoof. maskers on foot (the drollest, generally) in upon the hard stones; the dash and fury of fantastic exggerations of court-dresses, sur- their speed along the echoing street; nay, veying the throng through enormous eye- the very cannon that are fired-these noises glasses, and always transported with an ec- are nothing to the roaring of the multitude : stasy of love, on the discovery of any par- their shouts: the clapping of their hands. ticularly old lady at a window; long strings But it is soon over-almost instantaneously. of Policinelli, laying about them with More cannon shake the town. blown bladders at the ends of sticks; a have plunged into the carpets put across the wagon-full of madmen, screaming and street to stop them; the goal is reached; tearing to the life; a coach-full of grave the prizes are won (they are given, in part, Mamelukes, with their horse-tail standard by the poor Jews, as a compromise for not set up in the midst; a party of gipsy-wo-running foot-races themselves); and there men engaged in terrific conflict with a is an end to that day's sport. But if the scene be bright, and gay, and shipful of sailors; a man-monkey on a pole, surrounded by strange animals with pigs' crowded, on the last day but one, it attains, faces, and lions' tails, carried under their on the concluding day, to such a height of arms, or worn gracefully over their shoul- glittering color, swarming life, and frolicsome uproar, that the bare recollection of ders; carriages on carriages, dresses on dresses, colors on colors, crowds upon it makes me giddy at this moment. crowds, without end. Not many actual same diversions, greatly heightened and characters sustained, or represented, per- intensified in the ardor with which they haps, considering the number dressed, but are pursued, go on until the same hour. the main pleasure of the scene consisting The race is repeated; the cannon are fired; in its perfect good temper; in its bright, the shouting and clapping of hands are renewand infinite, and flashing variety; and in ed; the cannon are fired again; the race But, the its entire abandonment to the mad humor is over; and the prizes are won. of the time-an abandonment so perfect, carriages: ankle-deep in sugar-plums withso contagious, so irresistible, that the in, and so beflowered and dusty without, as steadiest foreigner fights up to his middle to be hardly recognizable for the same vein flowers and sugar-plums, like the wildest Roman of them all, and thinks of nothing else till half-past four o'clock, when he is suddenly reminded (to his great regret) that this is not the whole business of his existence, by hearing the trumpets sound, and seeing the dragoons begin to clear the

street.

The

hicles that they were, three hours ago: instead of scampering off in all directions, throng into the Corso, where they are soon wedged together in a scarcely-moving mass. For the diversion of the Moccoletti, the last gay madness of the Carnival, is now at hand; and sellers of little tapers, like what are called Christmas candles in England,

are shouting lustily on every side, " Moc- | immense extinguishers like halberds, and coli, Moccoli! Ecco Moccoli !"-a new suddenly coming down upon glorious torchitem in the tumult; quite abolishing that es; others, gathered round one coach, and other item of "Ecco Fiori! Ecco Fior-r -r!" which has been making itself audible over all the rest, at intervals, the whole day through.

sticking to it; others, raining oranges and nosegays at an obdurate little lantern, or regularly storming a pyramid of men, holding up one man among them, who carries As the bright hangings and dresses are one feeble little wick above his head, with all fading into one dull, heavy, uniform which he defies them all! Senza Moccolo! color in the decline of the day, lights begin Senza Moccolo! Beautiful women, standflashing here and there in the windows, ing up in coaches, pointing in derision at on the house-tops, in the balconies, in the extinguished lights, and clapping their carriages, in the hands of the foot passen- hands, as they pass on, crying, "Senza gers little by little: gradually, gradually: Moccolo! Senza Moccolo!" low balconies more and more: until the whole long street full of lovely faces and gay dresses, strugis one great glare and blaze of fire. Then, gling with assailants in the streets; some every body present has but one engrossing repressing them as they climb up, some bject; that is to extinguish other people's bending down, some leaning over, some andles, and to keep his own a-light; and shrinking back--delicate arms and bosoms we very body, man, woman, or child, gentle--graceful figures-glowing lights, flutternan or lady, prince or peasant, native or ing dresses, Senza Moccolo, Senza Mocconf foreigner, yells and screams, and roars in-lo, Senza Moc-co-lo-o-o-o!—when in the S. cessantly, as a taunt to the subdued, "Sen- wildest enthusiasm of the cry, and fullest za Moccolo, Senza Moccolo!" (Without a light! Without a light!) until nothing is heard but a gigantic chorus of those two words, mingled with peals of laughter.

en

the

the

ecstasy of the sport, the Ave Maria rings from the church steeples, and the Carnival is over in an instant-put out like a taper, with a breath!

The spectacle, at this time, is one of the There was a masquerade at the theatre most extraordinary that can be imagined. at night, as dull and senseless as a London Carriages coming slowly by, with every one, and only remarkable for the summary body standing on the seats or on the box, way in which the house was cleared at holding up their lights at arms' length, for eleven o'clock: which was done by a line greater safety; some in paper shades; some of soldiers forming along the wall, at the with a bunch of undefended little tapers, back of the stage, and sweeping the whole kindled altogether some with blazing company out before them, like a broad torches; some with feeble little candles; broom. The game of the Moccoletti (the men on foot, creeping along, among the word, in the singular, Mocoletto, is the diwheels, watching their opportunity, to make minutive of Moccolo, and means a little a spring at some particular light, and dash lamp or candle-snuff) is supposed by some it out; other people climbing up into car-to be a ceremony of burlesque mourning riages, to get hold of them by main force; for the death of the Carnival: candles being others, chasing some unlucky wanderer, indispensable to Catholic grief. But whethround and round his own coach, to blow out er it be so, or be a remnant of the ancient the light he has begged or stolen some- Saturnalia, or an incorporation of both, or where, before he can ascend to his own have its origin in any thing else, I shall alcompany, and enable them to light their ex-ways remember it, and the frolic, as a briltinguished tapers; others, with their hats liant and most captivating sight: no less off, at a carriage-door, humbly beseeching remarkable for the unbroken good humor some kind-hearted lady to oblige them with of all concerned, down to the very lowest a light for a cigar, and when she is in the (and among those who scaled the carriages, fullness of doubt whether to comply or no, were many of the commonest men and blowing out the candle she is guarding so boys) than for its innocent vivacity. For, tenderly with her little hand; other people odd as it may seem to say so, of a sport so at the windows, fishing for candles with full of thoughtlessness and personal display, lines and hooks, or letting down long wil-it is as free from any taint of immodesty as low-wands with handkerchiefs at the end, and flapping them out, dexterously, when the bearer is at the height of his triumph; others, biding their time in corners, with

any general mingling of the two sexes can possibly be; and there seems to prevail, during its progress, a feeling of general, almost childish, simplicity and confidence,

which one thinks of with a pang, when the Ave Maria has rung it away, for a whole year.

From Blackwood's Magazine.

THE LITERATURE OF THE EIGHTEENTH

CENTURY.

Lives of Men of Letters and Science who
Flourished in the Time of George III.
By HENRY LORD BROUGHAM, with por-

traits. London: Colburn.

LORD BROUGHAM has resumed his memoirs of the eminent writers of England; and every lover of literature will feel gratified by this employment of his active research and of his vigorous pen.

costume. His rise was the work of the royal will-his fall is equally the work of the royal will. Having no connexion with the national mind, he has no resource in the national sympathies. He has been a royal instrument: when his edge becomes dull, or the royal artificer finds a tool whose fashion he likes better, the old tool is flung by to rust, and no man asks where or why; his use is at an end, and the world and the workman, alike, "knoweth it no more."

But, in England, the condition of public the creation of the national will, and neilife is wholly different. The statesman is ther in office, nor in opposition, does the nation forget the product of its will. The minister is no offspring of slavery, no official negro, made to be sold, and, when sold, separated from his parentage once and for ever. If he sins in power, he is at worst One of the most striking distinctions of but the Prodigal Son, watched in his caEnglish public life from that of the Conti- reer, and willingly welcomed when he has nent, is in the condition of statesmen after abjured his wanderings. Instead of being their casual retirement from power. The extinguished by the loss of power, he often Foreign statesman seems to exist only in more than compensates the change, by the office. The moment that sees him "out revival of popularity. Disencumbered of of place," sees him extinguished. He is the laced and embroidered drapery of oflost as suddenly to the public eye, as if he fice, he often exhibits the natural vigor and were carried to the tomb of his ancestors. proportion of his faculties to higher advanHe retires to his country-seat, and there tage; cultivates his intellectual distinctions subsides into the garrulous complainant with more palpable success; refreshes his against the caprices of fortune, or buries strength for nobler purposes than even his calamities in the quiet indulgence of those of ambition; and, if he should not his appetites; smokes away his term of exert his renewed popularity for a new years, subsides into the lean and slippered conquest of power, only substitutes for pantaloon, occupies his studies with the Court Gazette, and his faculties with cards; and is finally deposited in the family vault, to continue the process of mouldering which had been begun in his arm-chair, to be remembered only in an epitaph. France, at the present day, alone seems to form an exception. Her legislature affords a new element in which statesmanship in abeyance can still float the little vessel is there at least kept in view of mankind; if it makes no progress, it at least keeps above water; and, however incapable of reaching the port by its own means, the fluctuations of the national surge, sometimes so powerful, and always so contemptuous of calculation, may at some time or other carry the craziest craft into harbor. But the general order of continental ministers, even of the high- sometimes even worse. est rank, when abandoned by the monarch, are like men consigned to the dungeon. They go to their place of sentence at once. The man who to-day figured in the highest robe of power, to-morrow wears the prison

place the more generous and exalted determination of deserving those tributes which men naturally offer to great abilities exerted for the good of present and future generations.

We must allude, for the national honor, to this characteristic of English feeling, in the changes of public men. On the Continent, the hour which deprived a statesman of office, at once deprived him of every thing. All the world ran away from him, as they would from a falling house. The crowded antechamber of yesterday exhibited nothing to-day but utter solitude. The fallen minister was a leper; men shrank from his touch: the contagion of ill-luck was upon him and every one dreaded to catch the disease. It was

The loss of pow

er was the ruin of fortune. The Dives had been suddenly transformed into the Lazarus; the purple and fine linen were "shreds and patches," and not even the dogs came to administer to his malady.