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stationed at the coppers, came from, and being told from New York, he was anxious to know if the entire population of that commercial emporium were of the same color. Being assured that they were, he declared he had not the heart to leave the vessel without taking away some slight token in remembrance of our country. I communicated this condescension, on the part of the prince, to the captain, who very innocently requested me to present him with a dollar. But not having the exact change about me, I substituted a cheap edition of the prayer-book, which his highness, on leaving, did not seem to be immoderately pleased with.

My friend the count, however, was a person of altogether a different stamp. He was an intimate of the royal family. The king played billiards with him frequently, and he had imported a case of American biscuit for the royal children. In fact, the queen could not get on without him. He was a large, handsome man, drove superb English horses, and was, besides, a general of cavalry, and a distinguished soldier, to boot. At least he assured me he was; and from the extremely rigid cut of his hair, I had no reason to doubt the assertion, since his locks defied anything less than a pair of forceps to get hold with. He was, also, a very gentlemanly person, though, perhaps, a trifle too cordial in

manner.

The count invited Dr. Bristles and myself to his house, and accordingly we went. Disembarking at the old mole, by treaty, we hired a one-horse vettura. The cocchiere said he knew where the count lived, and, therefore, declined to read the address. We had doubts in our own mind, that the early rudiments of the driver's education had been omitted; but still we mounted the open four-wheeled vehicle, the whip cracked, and, after a few frightful strug. gles, the wheels began to revolve. The poor white beast had hardly two legs to trust his body with, and one was a stump, without the merest hope of a flexible joint in it.

To our dismay, too, we found that the jehu was driving quite in the wrong direction; and as he refused to listen to our entreaties to change his course, we pulled him with a jerk over backwards, so that we might get an upside down view of his face, and thus hold speech with him. This effort unfortu

nately arrested the progress of the vehicle, and before the cocchiere had recevered his equilibrium, his nag, while toiling painfully up a smooth narrow street, and trying to scratch his way over the pavement, at last gave a few bewildering staggers, dropped heavily down, and gave up the ghost. It was a clear case, as Bristles observed, of "Death of the pale horse;" so we jumped out of the chaise, threw the driver a carlino, and, gaining the Strada Toledo, after due deliberation, we selected a tolerable brute and vehicle, and set off again. A drive of two or three miles, by the road of La Toria and Capo de Monti, brought us to our destination. We found the establishment of the count new, spacious, and elegant. His wellbred horses stood quietly hitched to bronze rings in the court-yard.

The saloons were blazing in splendor, and the owner received us with politeness. We found him to be a great amateur of new inventions and improvement in fire-arms; and one of the apartments was fitted up as a musée d'artillerie. There was not a metallic contrivance in the way of daggers, guns, or pistols, from the days of the Phoenicians, that our friend had not a specimen of. Among them was a stand of Colt's revolvers, and other recent inventions, all made under the count's own eye in the royal arsenal. Bristles had already effected an advanced lodgment in the citadel of the count's affections, by presenting him a villainous-looking pistol, with an enormous bowie-knife attachment, the size and shape of a meatcleaver. Not to be outdone, I talked of importing a patent rifle, that would fire upon everybody for an entire campaign, without the trouble of loading. We passed an hour very agreeably, examining weapons and shooting at a mark, and then made our adieu to our hospitable entertainer.

On a succeeding visit to Naples, I am sorry to say, that the noble count cut us dead. Whether it was owing to our remissness in procuring the patent rifle, that he might copy the invention, as he had the revolvers; or that we did not send for a new eight-inch shell gun or boat howitzer; or whether his friend the king, and the royal family had frowned upon his intimacy with the transatlantic Saxons, we did not learn. All we know is, that his cruel treatment caused us infinite sorrow.

We chose a different route on our return, and drove along by the shores of the bay. Had we not had ocular proof that every other street and lane in Naples had been as densely crowded with vehicles, we should have sworn that every one of them had been launched upon the Strada Marina. So, too, had we not known that the desperate racing going on there, was a matter of daily occurrence, we should have supposed the thing had been expressly got up for our amusement.

Fortunately our nag was driven by a human being, and one who, without indulging in the sport, delighted in contemplating it from a distance. He accordingly rolled us to a safe position by the roadside. Here we remained in comparative security, within ear-shot of a very screechy and cruelly buffeted Punch and Judy; but we had ample scope to regard the furious devotees of the race who went spinning by us.

There are never congregated anywhere else such outlandish, nimbletumble coaches, low-wheeled vans, battered chaises, and vetturas, carts,

donkey-wagons, and, in fact, every imaginable contrivance for land locomotion. All of them were literally crammed, too, and where room was not found inside, children, babies, and baskets were either slung under the axles, or the drivers themselves would be balanced on one leg from behind somewhere, snapping their thongs and urging their beasts, by jerk or wrench, to hurry on over the hard smooth pavement and distance their competitors. On they flew with furious, headlong speed, utterly regardless of personal property, cracking their whips over the smoking steeds, who seemed quite as wild in their career as their masters, dashing from side to side of the broad Strada, straining, plunging, running, slipping, smashing, shouting, singing, and laughing. In all my equine experience, I never saw such a pell-mell imbroglio of bipeds, quadrupeds, vehicles, and beasts-such a really excitable, insane throng anywhere.

Bristles and I were only too glad to quietly thread the mazes of these racers without mishap, and reach the open space near the mole, where, tailing on to a more quiet crew, we trotted slowly on to Santa Lucia.

Here we got down, and dismissed our vetturino. We quarreled with him,

as a matter of course; but this was to be expected, and we were not in the least disturbed by his moans, being persuaded that he would respect us the more for resisting extortion.

Twilight had faded entirely, and as the lamps were beginning to twinkle along the quay of Santa Lucia, we strolled in that direction. Whoever visits Naples, should not omit a survey of all the shelly wonders which surround the famous fishermen of Santa Lucia.

Along the seaside of the broad causeway, against the heavy stone copings. are arranged the upright stands of these bronzed old fishers. There is not one of them who could not stand, without a blush, for a study for Masaniello, or yet for San Antonio himself. Look at them! Did you ever see such a corps of bony-flippered, salt-water, corrugated old faces-every furrow and wrinkle in their weather-beaten cheeks cut as deep and clear as the waves off Cape Horn. Those skinny throats and amphibious legs, too, with their impervious raiment, looking, for all the world, like quilted brown seaweed! They are, indeed, the beau ideals of fishermen. Their names are legibly painted over the sectional boxes-names, too, of historical renown. -Antonio Doria, Giacopo Machiavel, Giovanni di Bologna, Guiseppe Rinaldo, and half a score more of the like nobility, all waiting, with a sharp little knife in their palms, for customers.

But, by Saint Barnabas! what a variety of shell-fish! Oysters of goodly size, as clean and salty-looking as possible; delicately-fluted clams; snailsred ones and green ones; musclessimilar to pretty pearl-handled penknives; then other nameless monsters, with long stickers, like miniature black porcupines-and all these tempting treasures tastily arranged in square, shallow baskets. Whenever the vendors wished to call attention to their activity or freshness, they would give the cases a smart rap, when all the shells from their cosy sea-weed beds, with a simultaneous and spasmodic start, would open their mouths, run out their feelers, and make a knowing and impatient wriggle, before resuming their previous silent and observant manner.

We lounged about for some time, wrapt in admiration of these case-hardened luxuries-vacillating between a desire to swallow a few, and fears of consequences.

Our doubts. however, were put an end to, by the approach of a pretty woman, from a carriage hard by, who, without a moment's hesitation, seized a pair of the pearl-handled razor-fish, and cracking the transparent cases with her pearly-enameled teeth, the muscle put out his tongue, as if entranced at the fate of slipping so sweetly into the lady's mouth, and was seen no more. We waited no longer-our fears were dispelled-and stepping up to a merry old scamp, we shouted, "Cos' avete?" “Ah, Signori! tutti frutti di mare !”—all the fruits of the sea-he replied, and forthwith he caught up a nice-looking oyster, inserted his sharp little blade at the hinge, the bivalves parted; a small, embryo fisherman stood ready with a minute pot of pepper and half a lemon, with both of which condiments he gave a dash and a squeeze, and we thus began in earnest. First an oyster, then a clam, now a snail, and again a muscle, until we had well nigh sucked down the entire stock of bivalvous crustacea. Carefully counting the empty shells, after a long and oft-repeated negotiation, we succeeded, with infinite plea-, sure, in canceling our pecuniary obligation. This, however, was effected in great good-humor on both sides; when shaking the bony hand of our entertainer, we moved away to the opposite side of the strada. We looked into the wine shops, took a sip of eau-devie, so disguised as to be unintelligible to King Alcohol himself, and then returned to our lounge among the Pescatori.

By this time, the whole street, from the angle of the Arsenal to Casteluovo, was profusely illuminated, and crowds of people were strolling about, inhaling the fresh sea air from the bay, while the round, yellow moon flooded a broad rippling road over the water, from Sorrento.

Presently we came to a broad flight of marble steps, and seeing the popu lace descend, we followed, not expecting, however, to be repaid for our explorations by aught else save the naked quay, with the clusters of boats and bathingsheds lying in the vicinity. On descending, our surprise was great to find a broad, well-paved space, pitched with painted tents and awnings, small, neatly-spread tables standing about, while arched casemates ran under the street above, brilliantly lighted, and making as

charming an al-fresco restaurant as one would care to behold.

On the brink of the quay were more of our friends the fishermen, with their ostriconi as appetizingly displayed as ever, while scale-fish, too, were shining and gleaming in their dying struggles. just out of the nets. Opposite, by the tables, were the cooks, with kettles of steaming macaroni, pyramids of grated cheese, platters of oil, and all prepared to reel off any amount of miles of "pipestems made easy" the company might desire. There were tidy old women, too, rushing about, to attract the notice of wayfarers to their viands and salads; while charcoal fires burned ruddily within the casemates, where the broiling and frying was carried on unceasingly, for the guests without.

In a trice, we resolved to sup; and selecting a jolly, good-natured old lady, we arranged the preliminaries at her tent. In the first place, we summoned Antonio Tasso (who, by the way, talked as if the whole world were deaf as stones), and after carefully examining his fish, we chose a beautiful mullet, whose tail was just quivering with its latest flap.

After driving a bargain with Antonio, we carried off our prize, and consigned it to the coals of our own Signora Then we had clear and precise stipulations with this last-named personage, with respect to the exact cost of every article we might consume. The bread was to be so much; the salad to be dressed with good oil and salt; there were a brace of tomatoes, at so many grani; and, lastly, there was to be a bottle of famous capri bianco-no sweet wine, according to the proverb, "Guardate d'aceto di vin dolce," but good sound juice, squeezed ever so many years ago, and pressed for the lips of Bacchus !

The treaty being thus concluded, down we sat at table, adjoining a party of Swiss officers of the guard, with their wives and sweethearts beside them. We were not annoyed by beggars; for our hostess had placed a small boy and a sharp, to keep watch over us; and the lazaroni merely licked their chops at a respectable distance; while, at tho same time, a quartette of juvenile damsels were permitted to make music on harps and lutes in the background.

Presently our mullet came, smoking hot, and was laid crispy brown on the

board; then the bread; then the cool, brittle salad, with the tomatoes; and, finally, the rare old bottle of capri. The Signora and Antonio Tasso shrieked in ecstasy, as we uttered sentiments of satisfaction at the sight of our supper. the venerable white-capped cook came out from the casemate, with a pair of devil's tormentors in one hand and a casserole in the other, merely to admire us. The small, bright youth, attached as skirmisher to the establishment, warded off the beggars with decision and energy. Meanwhile a trio of imps telegraphed in the distance for the bones of our mullet, making rapid pantomime by tossing their fingers down their wide-open mouths, in anticipation of those fragments, while at the same time they capered and danced to the chorus of "macaroni! macaroni !”

Even the man with the white apron, who was ladling out of a huge earthen pot pickled star-fish, paused a moment to gaze upon us, and exclaim: "I Signori Inglesi!" And the pretty, fat woman, with the smart Swiss officers, scattered bright smiles upon us, while she coquettishly pulled her lover's mustache, and sucked a razor-fish.

Ah! all was delightfully al-fresco and Italian; and could we have con- · vinced our stout friend Antonio Tasso that we stood no more in need of his ostriconi, we should have been in a state of perfect beatification.

But the amiable Antonio was a logician, and extremely incredulous upon that point; and tripping up to our table every few seconds, and running through the entire gamut of his stock in trade, would implore us to name a fish, and "whillup," it would swim down our throats like oil; and he threw back his head, and went through the motion, by way of accompaniment.

Nevertheless, we got on bravely with the repast set before us, and, on finishing, it was by the severest effort of self denial that we were prevented from rushing straight away to bargain for another mullet. For a miracle, too, our rotund hostess never grumbled at the price originally drawn up in the protocol, and since the amount was not unreasonable, we gave a buona mano to the vigilant custode of the lazaroni, with a copper trifle to the aged cook.

Then the young vultures, who had been dancing like demons, for an hour, pounced upon the crumbs of bread,

morsels of salad and fish, while the indefatigable Antonio drained the last drops of the capri, and caroled forth a note of thanksgiving, interspersed with an earnest exhortation for the bystanders to taste his ostriconi.

The hostess patted us on the back, as we affectionately embraced her at parting, and hoped, by all the saints, I Signori would come and test her good cheer again.

Buckling on our swords, we resumed our tour. After the hearty supper and generous wine, we felt charitably inclined, and accordingly we selected a poor blind cripple, with a brace of famished blind children at his side. To feed this party, we found a difficult matter; for on leading them to the cauldrons of macaroni, before the dispenser thereof could fill and hand a platter, the myriads of starving creatures around would snatch and devour it like magic. As a last resort, we barricaded the blind group in an angle by a casemate, where they were enabled to swallow their portions in peace.

After this affair was settled, we concluded to part with Santa Lucia, having decided, on mature reflection, that we had acquired a taste for low life. cending the broad stairs, attended by the impish trio of urchins, we bent our footsteps towards the mole.

As

The hour was late, but yet the streets and piazzas were thronged, and no languor was visible under the influence of the soft, refreshing Italian night. It is in the summer's night, long after the orange-heated glow of sunset has passed, that all Italy wakes fairly into life.

We sauntered lazily on, stopping at intervals to rest on the balustrade over the Arsenal, or on the rim of a fountain, or to listen to the delightful music in the front of the palace; to sip a drop of cool lemonade in that execrable Café Europa; and to pause for a long gaze at the noble equestrian statues, which stand at the northern gateway of the palace. All the while, our ballet-boys, little gamins as they were, marched, danced, skipped, or sang snatches from operas, invariably ending their vocal performances with the tarantella.

In due course, we reached the port, and were hailed by the usual salutations of scores of boatmen: "Takee bote, sare; go bode." Here de man-ywarr-bote, official," and so forth.

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We chose an individual from the gang, but when on the point of giving some slight recompense to our "corps de ballet," our intentions seemed to be divined; for, like a shower, there fell upon us a troop of young vagabonds, who sprang so suddenly from the shade of the piers and walls, and resembled so closely our own especial imps, that we were utterly unable to distinguish them from their companions.

We were in a quandary; and not caring to distribute largesse to the whole community, while the din and shrill clamor waxed alarming, we were

on the point of retreating to the boat, when a happy thought occurred to us. Commanding silence for an instant, we trilled forth a quick note of the tarantella, which being immediately taken up by our own little chorus, leaping and chanting to the music, we seized them by the arms, and were thus enabled to indulge them with a few coppers.

Then paddling through the fleets of merchant vessels which filled the port, we gained a cool offing in the bay, mounted to the deck of the frigate, and so betook ourselves deep down to our oaken parlors in the cock-pit

THE ICONOCLAST.

A THOUSAND years shall come and go,

A thousand years of night and day, And man, through all their changing show, His tragic drama still shall play.

Ruled by some fond ideal's power,
Cheated by passion or despair,
Still shall he waste life's trembling hour,
In worship vain, and useless prayer.

Ah! where are they who rose in might, Who fired the temple and the shrine, And hurled, through earth's chaotic night, The helpless gods it deemed divine?

Cease, longing soul, thy vain desire!
What idol, in its stainless prime,
But falls, untouched of axe or fire,
Before the steady eyes of Time.

He looks, and lo! our altars fall,
The shrine reveals its gilded clay,
With decent hands we spread the pall,
And, cold with wisdom, glide away.

Oh! where were courage, faith, and truth,
If man went wandering all his day,
In golden clouds of love and youth,
Nor knew that both his steps betray?

Come, Time, while here we sit and wait, Be faithful, spoiler, to thy trust!

No death can further desolate

The soul that knows its god was dust.

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