MURDERS AT ROME—MONKS, &c.

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The act, however, was observed by one or more of theaccompanying friends, and he was immediately pursued;but, swift of foot, and favoured by the then darkness of the! streets, he effected his escape. Now there lived in the ser-vice of the Cardinal Albani a young man, a very Antinous inj person as well as authority in the episcopal domicile. Hisj ostensible office was valet to “ His Eminence.” His namewas Marianino, to which was distinctively added d’Albani ;

; but with his connexions about town, principally with thelower orders, the name of “ Giovanni,” save the “ Don,”would best have suited the life he led. Such was the influ-ence which this minion exercised over his master, that hedrove a profitable trade by granting his protection to theperpetrators of the foulest crimes, and screening them from“justice,” if any “justice there had really existed!” Brief,—the wretch who had just assassinated his confiding wife inthe manner above stated, found means of applying to thewell-known Marianino d’Albani, through whose care he wasactually conveyed from Rome in a carriage belonging to theCardinal, and adorned with his armorial bearings, so as tofind his way to Genoa, where he remained without furthermolestation!

I will not disgust my readers with the recital of any moremurders for the present, although during the eighteenmonths that I passed at Rome at this period, they were ofdaily occurrence. More assassinations were, undoubtedly,committed in one month during this unlucky restoration ofthe pope by Napoleon , than during the whole nine years ofthe subsequent rule of the French, upon Rome beingdeclared a portion of the imperial dominions. Governmentsare weak and suspicious in proportion as they are despotic,and as the people are misgoverned by stupid injudicious lawsand regulations, without equality, order, or rational system.Far better for a community to have no more laws than were