LETTER LV.

Naples.

TH

HERE is an affembly once a week at the house of the British minifter; no affembly in Naples is more numerous, or more brilliant, than this. Exclufive of that gentleman's good qualities, and those accomplishments which procure esteem in any fituation, he would meet with every mark of regard from the Neapolitan nobles, on account of the high favour in which he stands with their Sovereign. Sir William's house is open to ftrangers of every country who come to Naples, properly recommended, as well as to the English; he has a private concert almoft every evening. Lady Hamilton understands mufic perfectly, and performs in fuch a manner, as to command the admiration even of the Neapolitans. Sir William, who is

the

the happiest tempered man in the world, and the eafieft amufed, performs alfo, and fucceeds perfectly in amufing himself, which is a more valuable attainment than the other.

The Neapolitan nobility are exceffively fond of fplendour and fhow. This appears in the brilliancy of their equipages, the number of their attendants, the richness of their drefs, and the grandeur of their titles.

I am affured, that the King of Naples counts a hundred perfons with the title of Prince, and ftill a greater number with that of Duke, among his fubjects. Six or seven of these have eftates, which produce from ten to twelve or thirteen thoufand pounds a year; a confiderable number have fortunes of about half that value; and the annual revenue of many is not above one or two thousand pounds. With respect to the inferior orders of nobility, they are much poorer; many Counts

K 3

Counts and Marquiffes have not above three or four hundred pounds a year of paternal eftate, many ftill lefs, and not a few enjoy the title without any estate whatever.

When we confider the magnificence of their entertainments, the fplendour of their equipages, and the number of their servants, we are surprised that the richest of them can support fuch expensive establishments. I dined, foon after our arrival, at the Prince of Franca Villa's; there were about forty people at table; it was meagre day; the dinner confifted entirely of fish and vegetables, and was the most magnificent entertainment I ever faw, comprehending an infinite variety of dishes, a vaft profufion of fruit, and the wines of every country in Europe. I dined fince at the Prince Iacci's. I fhall mention two circumstances, from which you may form an idea of the grandeur of an Italian palace, and the number of domestics

which fome of the nobility retain. We paffed through twelve or thirteen large rooms before we arrived at the dining room; there were thirty-fix persons at table, none ferved but the Prince's domeftics, and each gueft had a footman behind his chair; other domeftics belonging to the Prince remained in the adjacent rooms, and in the hall. We afterwards paffed through a confiderable number of other rooms in our way to one from which there is a very commanding view.

No eftate in England could support such a number of fervants, paid and fed as English fervants are; but here the wages are very moderate indeed, and the greater number of men fervants, belonging to the firft families, give their attendance. through the day only, and find beds and provifions for themfelves. It must be remembered alfo, that few of the nobles give entertainments, and those who do

not, are faid to live very fparingly; that the whole of their revenue, whatever that may be, is exhaufted on articles of show.

As there is no Opera at prefent, the people of fashion generally pass part of the evening at the Corfo, on the fea-fhore. This is the great scene of Neapolitan fplendour and parade; and, on grand occafions, the magnificence difplayed here will ftrike a stranger very much. The finest carriages are painted, gilt, varnished, and lined, in a richer and more beautiful manner, than has as yet become fashionable either in England or France; they are often drawn by fix, and fometimes by eight horses. As the laft is the number allotted to his Britannic Majesty when he goes to parliament, fome of our countrymen are offended that any individuals whatsoever should prefume to drive with the fame number.