a decent though not in a picturesque manner.

Here a number of handsome equipages rolled by; their lady occupants
were very fashionably attired.

Even among the better classes it is usual for the men to purchase
all the household necessaries, such as fish, bread, poultry, etc.
Poultry is very much eaten in Italy, particularly turkeys, which are
sometimes sold ready cut up, according to weight. On Sundays and
holydays the shops containing wares and provisions, and the meat and
poultry stalls, are opened in the same way as on a week-day.
Throughout all Italy we do not see them closed for the observance of
a Sunday or holyday.

On the fifteenth day I had so far recovered that I could begin my
tour of observation, using, however, certain precautions.

At first I confined my researches to churches, palaces, and the
museum, particularly as the weather was unprecedentedly bad. It
rained, or rather poured, almost every day, and in these cases the
water rushes in streams out of the by-lanes towards the sea. The
greater part of Naples is built on an acclivity, and there are no
gutters, so that the water must force its way along the streets:
this has its peculiar advantages; for the side-lanes, which are
filthy beyond description, thus get a partial cleansing by the
stream.

As I am not a connoisseur, it would be foolish in me to attempt a
criticism upon the splendid productions of art which I beheld here,
in Rome, and at Florence and other places. I can only recount what
I saw.

During my excursions I generally regulated my movements according to
the divisions and instructions contained in August Lewald's hand-
book, a work which every traveller will find very serviceable and
correct.

I began with the royal palace, which was situate near my lodging at
St. Lucia, with one front facing the sea, and the other turned
towards the fine large square. This building contains forty-two
windows in a row. I could see nothing of its interior excepting the
richly decorated chapel, as the royal family resided there during
the whole time of my stay, and thus the apartments were not
accessible to strangers.

Opposite the castle stands the magnificent Rotunda, called also the
church of San Francesco de Paula. Adjoining this church on either
side were arcades in the form of a half circle, supported by
handsome pillars, beneath which several shops are established. The
roof of the Rotunda is formed by a splendid cupola resting o