It is the mode here, to have two running footmen, very gaily dreffed, before the carriage, and three or four fervants in rich liveries behind; these attendants are generally the handsomest young men that can be procured. The ladies or gentlemen within the coaches, glitter in all the brilliancy of lace, embroidery, and jewels. The Neapolitan carriages, for gala days, are made on purpose, with very large windows, that the fpectators may enjoy a full view of the parties within, Nothing can be more fhowy than the harness of the horfes; their heads and manes are ornamented with the rareft plumage, and their tails fet off with riband and artificial flowers, in fuch a graceful manner, that you are apt to think they have been adorned by the fame hands that dreffed the heads of the ladies, and not by common grooms.

After all, you will perhaps imagine the amufement cannot be very great. The carriages

carriages follow each other in two lines, moving in oppofite directions. The company within fmile, and bow, and wave the hand, as they pass and repass their acquaintance; and doubtless imagine, that they are the most important figures in the proceffion. The horses, however, feem to be quite of a different way of thinking, and to confider themselves as the chief objects of admiration, looking on the livery fervants, the volantis, the lords, and the ladies, as their natural fuit on all fuch folemn occafions.

LETTER LVI.

Naples.

THE greatest part of kings, whatever

may be thought of them after their death, have the good fortune to be reprefented, at fome period of their lives, generally at the beginning of their reigns, as the greatest and most virtuous of mankind. They are never compared to characters of lefs dignity than Solomon, Alexander, Cæfar, or Titus; and the comparison ufually concludes to the advantage of the living monarch. They differ in this, as in many other particulars, from those of the most distinguished genius and exalted merit among their subjects, that the fame of the latter, if any awaits them, feldom arrives at its meridian till many years after their death; whereas the glory of the former is at its fulleft fplendour during their lives; and most of them have the fatisfac

tion of hearing all their praifes with their own ears. Each particular monarch, taken feparately, is, or has been, confidered as a ftar of great luftre; yet any number of them, taken without felection, and placed in the historical galaxy, add little to its brightness, and are often contemplated with difguft. When we have occafion to mention kings in general, the expreffion certainly does not awaken a recollection of the most amiable or moft deferving part of the human species; and tyranny in no country is pushed so far, as to conftrain men to fpeak of them, when we fpeak in general terms, as if they were. It would revolt the feelings, and rouse the indignation, even of flaves. Full freedom is allowed therefore on this topic; and, under the most arbitrary government, if you choose to declaim on the imbecility, profligacy, or corruption of human nature, you may draw your illuftrations from the kings of any country, provided you take them in groupes, and hint nothing to the detriment of the reign

ing monarch. But, when we talk of any one living fovereign, we fhould never allow it to escape from our memory, that he is wife, valiant, generous, and good; and we ought always to have Solomon, Alexander, Cæfar, and Titus, at our elbow, to introduce them à-propos when occafion offers. We may have what opinion we pleafe of the whole race of Bourbon; but it would be highly indecent to deny, that the reigning kings of Spain and Naples are very great princes. As I never had the happiness of feeing the father, I can only speak of the fon. His Neapolitan Majefty feems to be about the age of fix or feven and twenty. He is a prince of great activity of body, and a good constitution; he indulges in frequent relaxations from the cares of government and the fatigue of thinking, by hunting and other exercises; and (which ought to give a high idea of his natural talents) he never fails to acquire a very confiderable degree of perfection in those things to which he applies. He is

very