LEGAL AND SOCIAL REFORMS.

287

“ What with the lies of hired or malicious party writers, the misrepre-sentations and concealments of the interested, the vain, the timid, andthe guilty—added to which the false anaclirontic impositions of book-making speculators, I fear that future historians—nay, even eotem-porary ones — perhaps the ‘ Author of Waverly ’ himself, must feelterribly embarrassed and bewildered!

“ We shall soon see—but I own I expect many a strange piece of in-formation in the forthcoming ‘ History of Napoleon Buonaparte,’ not-withstanding we hear of the Author being actually in Paris collectinginformation in the saloons of the theatres.

“ I am, Sir, your obedient, &c. &c.

“ Francis Maceroni.

“ Late Aid-de-Camp to Joachim, King of Naples, &c. &c.&c.

“ November 7, 182fi.

“ P.S.—Father Moore or Svvinbourn mention in their travels, that sometime about the year 1785, a certain monk procured a few lamps to beput up in convenient situations in Naples, by exhorting the inhabitantsof those neighbourhoods to set up images in honour of certain gods orgoddesses, who have scarcely ever been known to do without lights orsmoke, or sweet savours. This is, perhaps, the origin of the Rifleman’sstory!

“ Previous to the French taking possession of Rome, lights in thestreets were strictly prohibited by the holy Theocratic Government.In 1803,1 remember a poor man, who sold fried fish near the GiustinianiPalace, being removed by the police, because he kept a light burningin the evening. Footmen, behind the carriages, generally carried alanthorn, but upon two carriages meeting, it was usual to hear thecry of ‘ Volti la lanterna’—turn off the lanthorn, that it might not beseen whose carriage it was, or who might be in it, with the cardinal,bishop, or priest, to whom it belonged. Lord Castlereagh , of blessedmemory, has re-established all this.”

The Code Napoleon was now established at Naples, andthe amended administration of justice, diffused contentamongst the thinking portion of the nation. A number ofmost excellent reforms were introduced into every depart-ment of the state, and new offices created to regulate the