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minds of the king and of his councillors, which they hopedmight be extended to the government of the nation at large.

Alas! alas! deluded hope! San Leucio was a toy !-; the

toy remained a toy—and a sore mockery moreover, becauseit was indicative of knowledge unapplied,—of principlesand justice well understood, but only exhibited to theexpectant nation, as were the apple and the cup to theparched lips of Tantalus, to add more torment to his priva-tions !

The colony of San Leucio was composed of several vastedifices for the manufacturing processes ; many neat dwell-ings for the favoured inhabitants, amongst whom wereseveral skilful workmen from abroad ; a church, a hospital,a school, a pharmacy, and a substantial house, for the oc-casional residence of the king.

Whilst one week I was staying at the silk spinningestablishment of Mr. Bottalin, I heard that a grand fetewith splendid fire works, was to be given by the king atSan Leucio . I determined to be present, but having neitherhorse or carriage with me, on that day, I hired a gig, orcalesse, to take me to Caserta . The road lay through a mostromantic and beautifully cultivated country, but itself wasvery bad and rutty. The police soldiers of Naples, at thattime, called sbirri, wearing a yellow uniform, were, as Ihave before remarked of those of the pope, chiefly composedof pardoned thieves and convicts. A strong corps of themhad been sent from Naples to keep the peace, on the occa-sion of the fete. It often happened that on such opportu-nities, these sbirri fellows found means of straggling about,committing robberies upon the peasantry. As I was jauntingit along, the cabman, driving his two horses, arrived withina couple of miles of Caserta , we met a yellow sbirro, ridingon an ass, which, most likely, he had stolen; he had scarcelypassed us more than a minute, when some peasants, who were

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