gold chains, &c. &c. In no country in the world are the women more fascinating. In their hospitality, and liveliness of conversation, they reminded me of the ladies of old Ireland! but when they dance, their attitudes and movements are-what shall I say?-inspiration itself. I soon began to find myself too susceptible to their winning ways, and my young heart resembled a target, in which almost every shot told.

I was astonished at not finding any female servants in Palermo; and when I expressed my wonder, an Irish friend of mine accounted for the fact by stating, that all the maid servants in that part of the world, were men. It is said, that if the girls were suffered to go out as servants, they could not procure husbands. All Italians, the Sicilians in particular, being very jealous before marriage.-This is hardly to be wondered at in Palermo, for there are a number of beautiful women among the lower order, which, "I am ashamed and sorry, sorry and ashamed" to say, made me every Sunday very religiously pay a visit to the tomb of Santa Rosalia, on Mount Pellegrino, where these good christians go dressed "in all their best," to pay their respects to their sanctified pro

teetress!

But while I am retracing the beauties of the ladies, I am forgetting my pursuits and my master. The opera chosen by Aprile for his début, was

Sarti's Alessandro nel India, (the jealous Poro being a favourite character of his.) The Prima Donna, La Signora Agatina Carara, was much dissatisfied with his choice, and the result was, bella! horrida bella! Parties ran high! Aprile, justly considered as the greatest of all artists, had a strong faction; La Carara, one of the most beautiful women of her day, and a fine singer, had abundance of partisans, besides being protected by the committee of noblemen, five in number, (for there was a committee there). With them she played her cards so cleverly, that each supposed himself the favoured lover; but in all these little delicate arrangements she had an able and experienced, if not very respectable ally, in her husband! He, worthy soul, had but one weakness; an inordinate love of gold, and the bearer of such arguments had every thing to hope from the sweetness of his disposition. I never knew any man who could bow so gracefully, or quit a room with a better air, when a nobleman called upon his cara sposa : -fortunately he was fond of taking long walks, and never was known to return home at an unseasonable hour.

The theatre being closed every Friday evening, Aprile was usually invited to concerts at private houses, and, as a matter of course, I went with him. At these parties, playing was almost as popular an amusement as singing, for a Faro

bank was always held after the music was over. There was frequently very high play at many houses. Suppers are also introduced, of which fish formed a very important feature. Their moreau, a species of eel, is delicious, and only to be procured in this part of the Mediterranean; their tunny fish and pesce spada (sword fish) are very fine; and their ices, which they serve up in all shapes, are exquisite, as well as their Malavisa wine, the produce of the Liparian Isles. Since I am touching on the subject, I must say, the best suppers were given by the Princess Villa Franca, and the Prince her husband, an old man, who was good tempered and affable, while his consort was young and perfectly beautiful; their palace at the Seven Hills, a short distance from Palermo, was magnificent, and always crowded with visitors during the vintage, when all is life and pleasure.

Aprile had an invitation to pass a few days at the country residence of his patron, Prince Val Guarniera, in the neighbourhood of La Bageria; near it, amongst many other noblemen's houses, was one, I sincerely hope, the only one of its kind in Europe, belonging to Prince B, a sort of maniac; the impression it made upon me will never be effaced. On entering the hall, I saw the heads of beautiful women, and the bodies of the most frightful animals; and the body of a man

with the head of a mastiff. The family statues were all fancifully clad in suits of different coloured marble, with red stockings and black shoes. The roofs of the apartments were lined with looking glass, so that if five or six persons were moving about a room, it appeared as if an hundred were walking on their heads. Each pane of glass in the windows was of a different colour, and even the clock in the hall was stuck into a giant's body! yet the rooms themselves were beautiful, paved with fine marble, and containing a profusion of china, and objects of taste and virtù. The prince's dressing-room was filled with figures of snakes, scorpions, and other disgusting animals ; in short, his whole life seemed devoted to the study of the horrible and disgusting.

I was particularly taken notice of, by Prince Paterno, a man of superior wit and talent; as well as by the Duke of Verdura. The Prince Peterpersia also favoured me with his patronage and friendship; he was a very handsome man, famous for his strength and activity, and spoke excellent English. When he was going to visit his estates in Catania, Aprile gave me permission to accompany him, on condition that I returned in a fortnight; we set out with a great retinue of servants, and six of his Highness's body-guards, who, I verily believe, were banditti! However, they

were faithful to us, and conducted us safely to the palace of the Prince Budero, his Highness's father. After remaining there three days, we continued our journey to Catania, to see the Prince Biscaria, who resided in one of the most superb palaces in all Sicily. I was astonished to see such a structure built nearly at the foot of Mount Etna, liable, at all times, to be swallowed up by an eruption. The Prince wished me to ascend the mountain, which, however, no persuasion could induce me to do. I was content to view it at an humble distance, I had no ambition to be deified, like the heathen philosopher, for throwing myself into the great crater; nor had I even curiosity enough to visit Il Castagno di centi Cavalli; I was more anxious to see Syracuse, Dionysius' Ear, and the scene of the Transformation of Acis; but, however, we contented ourselves, after enjoying the Prince Biscaria's hospitalities for a few days, with returning to Palermo, where we found the whole population alive, making preparations for the grand fête of Santa Rosalia, which was to take place in a few days.

On the 12th of July, the saint's natal day, the annual festival commenced. From Aprile's house, in the Strada del Cassaro, we had a fine view of the procession, which commenced at five in the evening, and passed from the Marino to the Porto Felice: all