At Rome, as well as at London, the Nobility are rarely seen at Church. Indeed throughout Europe, the public practice of the duties of Religion—at least according to the National Establishments, is everywhere left to the decent attention of the middling, and the zealous fervor of the lower Classes of Society.

I have however seen a Roman Prince stop his Chariot, in the dusk of the evening, upon the bridge of St. Angelo, and kneel down in the dirt before a brazen image-A beggar was soon at his side; and as his Highness rose from his knees, he handed a Baiocc to the kneeling Suppliant-pleased with the opportunity of discharging at once the

irksome

irksome obligations of penitence and charity.

Before the Revolution, the Cardinal de Bernis, so justly celebrated by grate. ful Travellers, for his liberal hospitality, and polite attention to Strangers, prided himself upon reflecting the Splendour of his Court; whose ample allowance to its Ambassadors (together with the perquisites of Cardinal Protector to the Gallican Church) enabled the courtly Prelate to maintain at Rome the munificence of a Prince. His Eminence used to say, with characteristic gayety, "Je tiens "l'Hôtel de la France, au Carrefour de "l'Europe:"*

I keep the French Hotel, at the Cross-Roads of Europe.

In

In 1769 (if I recollect right) when the Emperor Joseph visited Cardinal Albani, at his celebrated Villa near the Porta Pinciana, the astonished Prince praised it so excessively, that the Cardinal could do no less, than beseech his maiesty to accept of the trifling Bauble. The extravagance of Roman generosity at first embarrassed the titular king of the Romans; but recollecting himself, with magnanimity, Joseph II. restored the princely donation, to the venerable Priest, with the Royal compliment that he was not rich enough to make a suitable return.

THE general idleness of the People of Rome is provoking as well as contemptible to Strangers.-If you stop to look

at

at any thing, others will stop to look at you. If you cheapen a Print or a Medal (an indispensible operation in buying any thing upon the Continent of Europe, however disagreeable to the feelings of an American) a dozen Idlers will be sure to look on till the conclusion of the bargain-perhaps to satisfy their impertinent curiosity by minutely examining the object of your fancy.

The Romans themselves think it a recommendation to a Tradesman, or Confident, to be a Foreigner; and even the Members of the Sacred College, are rarely natives of Rome.

The few manufactories of Mercery, or Hard-Ware, are so coarsely finished that those

those of France or England are decidedly preferred.-The Art of Painting has been again lost at Rome, notwithstanding the pompous apparatus of the Schools of the Conservatory, and the examples of anterior perfection.-Only in Music-in Statuary-and in Mosaic work do they maintain the proud superiority of the Roman name, though EngravingsCameos and Intaglios are still well done at Rome.

Perhaps these circumstances may be traced from physical causes, the gradual progress of Sculpture indispensibly requiring a patient and steady hand.My own acquaintance with Statuaries, chiefly in Italy, confirms the observation -To a man I have found them mild and

tranquil