the mufical compofers have rendered them highly pleafing to the general tafte.

The serious and burlesque operas prevail infinitely over the other theatrical entertainments at Rome, in fpite of the united efforts of Harlequin, Pantaloon, and Punchinello.

The prohibition of female performers renders the amusement of the Roman theatre very infipid, in the opinion of fome unrefined Englishmen of your acquaintance who are here. In my own poor opinion, the natural fweetness of the female voice is ill fupplied by the artificial trills of wretched caftratos; and the aukward agility of robust finewy fellows dreffed in women's clothes, is a most deplorable fubftitution for the graceful movements of elegant female dancers. Is not the horrid practice which is encouraged by this manner of supplying the place of female fingers,

fingers, a greater outrage on religion and morality, than can be produced by the evils which their prohibition is intended to prevent? Is it poffible to believe, that purity of fentiment will be preserved by producing eunuchs on the ftage? I should fear it would have a different effect. At the funeral of Junia, the wife of Caffius, and fifter of Brutus, the ftatues of all the great perfons connected with her family by blood or alliance, were carried in proceffion, except thofe of her brother and hufband. This deficiency ftruck the people more than any part of the proceffion, and brought the two illuftrious Romans into their minds with more force than if their ftatues had been carried with the others.Præfulgebant Caffius atque Brutus, fays Tacitus, eo ipfo, quod effigies eorum non vifebantur.

LETTER LII..

Naples.

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TAKE the firft opportunity of informing you of our arrival in this city. Some of the principal objects which occurred on the road, with the fentiments they fuggefted to my mind, fhall form the fubject of this letter.

It is almoft impoffible to go out of the walls of Rome, without being impreffed with melancholic ideas. Having left that city by St. John de Lateran's gate, we soon entered a spacious plain, and drove for feveral miles in fight of fepulchral monuments and the ruins of ancient aqueducts. Sixtus the Fifth repaired one of them, to bring water into that part of Rome where Dioclefian's

Dioclefian's baths formerly stood this water is now called aqua felice, from Felix, the name of that pontiff, while he was only a Cordelier. Having changed horfes at the Torre de Mezzo Via, fo called from an old tower near the post-house, we proceeded through a filent, deferted, unwholefome country. We fcarce met a passenger between Rome and Marino, a little town about twelve miles from the former, which has its name from Caius Marius, who had a villa there; it now belongs to the Colonna family. While fresh horses were harneffing, we vifited two churches, to fee two pictures which we had heard commended; the fubject of one is as difagreeable, as that of the other is difficult to The connoiffeur who directed us to these pieces, told me, that the first, the flaying of St. Bartholomew, by Guercino, is in a great ftyle, finely coloured, and the mufcles convulfed with pain in the sweetest manner imaginable; he could have gazed

execute.

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at it for ever. "As for the other," added he" which represents the Trinity, it is na"tural, well grouped, and easily under"ftood; and that is all that can be faid " for it."

From Marino, the road runs for several miles over craggy mountains. In afcending Mons Albanus, we were charmed with a fine view of the country towards the fea; Oftia, Antium, the lake Albano, and the fields adjacent. The form and component parts of this mountain plainly fhew, that it has formerly been a volcano. The lake of Nemi, which we left to the right, seems, like that of Albano, to have been formed in the cavity of a crater.

We came next to Veletri, an inconfiderable town, fituated on a hill. There is one palace here, with fpacious gardens, which, when kept in repair, may have been magnificent. The ftair-cafe, they affured

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