FATAL EFFECTS OF TYPHUS FEVER.

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ercising an “ art ” so famed for “ gentleness,” I had on twooccasions, the most urgent call for the exhibition of my agility,strength, and combative faculties. One afternoon threeyoung men assailed me with insulting language, and whatwas worse, a shower of large stones, one of which knockedmy hat off into the water. I had just before cut me a verythick holly top still garnished with the untrimmed knots.I was fishing on a little island, the bridge to which wasunfloored in the middle. The rogues who attacked me,did not perceive that I had a long plank which I used todraw over with me, and which hastily replacing, amidst avolley of stones, soon brought me amongst them. Young asI was, I attacked the three, and put them to the rout, allsorely beaten, and one of them with a broken arm. Had itnot been for the interference of Prince AldobrandiniBorghese, brother to the proprietor of the premises, one ofwhose keepers witnessed the affray, I should have got intotrouble, as the young man with the broken arm, was relatedto persons who had great “ backstair interest at court.” Asthings were managed, I went to see him as he lay in bed,and we shook hands. On another occasion, I was insultedalmost in a similar way, on the same spot, by one of thePope’s swiss guards, who, although armed with his infantrysabre {Briquet), I managed to fell, by a blow on the shinswith my trusty holly, the marks of which I then took careto leave on many other parts of his body, not forgetting hisface, in order that I might know him again. My good friendthe keeper, arrived to my assistance as soon as he could,and surely, had not the aggressor been of the Pope’s guard, Ishould not have been able to save him from immediate death.As it was, so trifling a matter made some talk, in the com-paratively narrow circle, and still narrower discussions ofRoman society; but Prince Aldobrandini who frequentlyfished with me, testified to my being entirely free from blame.