which fome of the nobility retain. We paffed through twelve or thirteen large rooms before we arrived at the dining room; there were thirty-fix perfons at table, none ferved but the Prince's domeftics, and each gueft had a footman behind his chair; other domeftics belonging to the Prince remained in the adjacent rooms, and in the hall. We afterwards paffed through a confiderable number of other rooms in our way to one from which there is a very commanding view. No eftate in England could fupport fuch a number of fervants, paid and fed as English fervants are; but here the wages are very moderate indeed, and the greater number of men fervants, belonging to the first families, give their attendance through the day only, and find beds and provifions for themfelves. It must be remembered, also, that few of the nobles give entertainments, and those who do not, not, are faid to live very fparingly; fo that the whole of their revenue, whatever that may be, is exhaufted on articles of fhow. As there is no Opera at prefent, the people of fashion generally pafs part of the evening at the Corfo, on the fea-fhore. This is the great scene of Neapolitan fplendour and parade; and, on grand occafions, the magnificence difplayed here will ftrike a ftranger very much. The finest carriages are painted, gilt, varnished, and lined, in a richer and more beautiful manner, than has as yet become fashionable either in England or France; they are often drawn by fix, and fometimes by eight horfes. As the laft is the number allotted to his Britannic Majesty when he goes to parliament, fome of our countrymen are offended that any individuals whatsoever should prefume to drive with the fame number. It is the mode here, to have two running footmen, very gaily dreffed, before the carriage, and three or four fervants in rich liveries behind; thefe attendants are generally the handfomeft young men that can be procured. The ladies or gentlemen within the coaches, glitter in all the brilliancy of lace, embroidery, and jewels. The Neapolitan carriages, for gala days, are made on purpofe, with very large windows, that the fpectators may enjoy full view of the parties within. Nothing can be more fhowy than the harness of the horfes; their heads and manes are ornamented with the rareft plumage, and their tails fet off with riband and artificial flowers, in fuch a graceful manner that you are apt to think they have been adorned by the fame hands that dreffed the heads of the ladies, and not by common grooms. After all, you will perhaps imagine the amufement cannot be very great. The carriages * carriages follow each other in two lines, moving in oppofite directions. The company within finile, and bow, and wave the hand, as they pass and repafs their acquaintance; and doubtless imagine, that they are the most important figures in the proceffion. The horses, however, feem to be quite of a different way of thinking, and to confider themfelves as the chief objects of admiration, looking on the livery fervants, the volantis, the lords, and the ladies, as their natural fuit on all fuch folemn occafions. LETTER LVI. Naples. T HE greatest part of kings, whatever may be thought of them after their death, have the good fortune to be reprefented, at fome period of their lives, generally at the beginning of their reigns, as the greatest and most virtuous of mankind. They are never compared to characters of lefs dignity than Solomon, Alexander, Cæfar, or Titus; and the comparison ufually concludes to the advantage of the living monarch. They differ in this, as in many other particulars, from thofe of the most distinguished genius and exalted merit among their fubjects, That the fame of the latter, if any awaits them, feldom arrives at its meridian till many years after their death; whereas the glory of the former is at its fulleft fplendour during their |