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LIFE OF COLONEL MACERONI.

beyond a certain point, when, at length, compressed moreand more by the accumulating water, it blew up thetunnel with the suddenness and the power of gunpowder.Up flew the scaffoldings and Imperial seats,—the Emperor escaped with life, but wounded, and several hundreds ofthe spectators were killed or maimed. It is said, thatClaudius ordered the unfortunate architect to be im-mediately beheaded. He, however, abandoned the work ofdrainage which was ruined and choked up by the fallingmatter. About the year 1802, a clergyman of landedproperty in that neighbourhood, named Lolli, undertook therevival of the drainage by restoring the old Claudian works.Poor Abate Lolli was one of the most persevering, honest,generous men that ever I had the pleasure of calling myfriend. But he was too confiding and simple hearted forthis vile world, especially for dealings with the baseBourbon government that egged him on to expend hissubstance on the works, on promises of future aid andreimbursement. He was finally ruined, and passed the fewlast years of his virtuous and useful life in the antechambersof ministers unworthy to clean his shoes, in the vain hopeof obtaining some little indemnity from the government forthe expenditure of his last shilling in an undertaking ofimmense social utility.

Beautiful and supremely lovely is all that district in theneighbourhood of this lake Fucino . Happy, industrious^the inhabitants, some how or other, far less harassed by themisgovernment of bad governments than many other partsof the kingdom. Provisions cheap—wages remunerating—a resident gentry dispensing benefits and good examplearound. Few or no monks or nuns, but secular parochialpriests, real patterns of morality, charity, mild zeal forvirtue, counselling, aiding, reconciling their flocks ;partaking even in their innocent Sunday amusements. I