e people.
There were, perhaps, half-a-dozen carriages, the owners of which had some
sort of carnival-dress on, but that was all. There were no cries, no
throwing of confetti, no demonstration of feeling, except in the very
fact of the assemblage. As far as I could guess from my own observation,
there were about 6000 people present, and from 400 to 500 carriages;
though persons who ought to be well informed have told me that there were
double these numbers. No attempt at interference was made on the part of
the French. There were but few French soldiers about, and what there
were, were evidently mere spectators. Pontifical gendarmes passed along
the road at frequent intervals, and, not being able to arrest a
multitude, consoled themselves with the small piece of tyranny of closing
the _osterias_, which, both in look and character, bear a strong
resemblance to our London tea-gardens, and are a favourite resort of
thirsty and dusty pedestrians. The crowd, nevertheless, remained
perfectly orderly and peaceful, and as soon as the carnival-time was
over, returned quietly to the city. As I came back from the gate I
passed through the Corso just before the course was cleared for the
races. I have never seen in Italy a rabble like that collected in the
street. The crowd was much such a one as you will sometimes meet, and
avoid, in the low purlieus of London on Guy Faux day. Carriages there
were, some forty in all, chiefly English. One hardly met a single
respectable-looking person, except foreigners, in the crowd; and I own I
was not sorry when I reached my destination, and got clear of the mob.
Yet the report of the police of the Pope was, that the carnival was
_brilliante, e brilliantissimo_.

On the following day (Friday) much the same sort of demonstration took
place in the Corso. There being no carnival, the whole street, from the
Piazza del Popolo to the Capitol, was filled with a line of carriages,
going and returning at a foot's pace. The balconies and windows were
filled with spectators, and the rabble of the previous day was replaced
by the same quiet, decent crowd I had seen at the Porta Pia. The
carriages, from some cause or other, were more aristocratic in
appearance; while the number of spectators was much smaller--probably
because it was a working day, and not a "festa." By seven o'clock the
assemblage dispersed, and the street was empty. Meanwhile, Friday
afternoon was chosen for the time of a cou