AUTHOR OBTAINS HIS EXCHANGE.

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romantic amours, I could furnish as abundant recitals asthe Duke de Lauzun or any other duke or man that everlived. But the facts are too recent, the parties are “ yet inthe flesh,” and, moreover, such accounts are of no interest,unless “ the whole truth,” as well as “ nothing hut thetruth ” he given. This would involve details only fittedfor the pen of a Faublas or a Harriet Wilson ;—so I wil^wave the subject altogether. There is a compensation in allthings, and 1 must certainly avow that I have had my shareof triumph in the field of Venus, without ever having thereproach of breach of confidence or injurious seduction.On this point I cannot explain myself further,—but say toit—Amen !

At about five miles from the city of Naples, is theLake of Astroni at the bottom of an extinct volcanicmountain, the rim or sides of which rise all around like ahugli punch bowl, from which the very word craterderives its application. My readers well know thatcrater is a cup or rather bowl — hence we, perhaps,have “craie,” clay, in French , and “crate,” for a re-cipient of crockery ware. This mount of Astroni consistsof a volcanic cone, around the superior edge of whichis built a w r all. The whole interior is covered with finetimber trees and underwood, affording shelter and foodto many hundreds of wild boars and other game. In thecentre of the bottom, is the lake of limpid water, about amile in circuit, full of carp, roach, and eels. The entirecircle of the wall at top, may be about four miles. Not farfrom the lake, but on the little hillock, surrounded withorange, myrtle and cherry trees is a small house, or “ box ’’for the use of the king, whenever he came to shoot wildboars. So early as 1811 I was allowed to fish in the lake,and was, moreover, favoured with the use of this shootingbox. Nothing in reality can more exactly correspond to