much from the regimen, and whether there is reason to think, that the favourable turn in both cafes depended on other circumftances, unobferved by me. I have now, my dear Sir, complied with your request; and although I have endeavoured to avoid technical verbofity, and all unneceffary detail, yet I find my letter has fwelled to a greater fize than I expected. I fhall be exceedingly happy to hear that any hint I have given has been serviceable to our friend. If the cough should still continue, after he has paffed two or three months at Bristol, I imagine the most effectual thing he can do will be, to take a voyage to this place; he will by that means escape the feverity of a British winter. The voyage itself will be of fervice, and at the end of it he will have the benefit of the mild air of the Campagna Felice, be refreshed and nourished by the fineft grapes, and, when tired of riding, he will have continual opportunities of failing in this charming bay. VOL. II. S LETTER LXIII. Naples. Ashwar w two our SI was walking a few days fince in the street with two of our country men, T and N, we met fome people carrying the corpfe of a man on an open bier, and others following in a kind of proceffion. The deceased was a tradefman, whofe widow had beftowed the utmost attention in dreffing him to the greatest advantage on this folemn occafion; he had a perfectly new fuit of clothes, a laced hat upon his head, ruffles, his hair finely powdered, and a large blooming nofegay in his left hand, while the right was very gracefully ftuck in his fide. It is the custom at Naples to carry every body to church in full drefs foon after their death, and the nearest relations display the magnitude of their grief by the magnificent manner in which they decorate the corpfe. This poor woman, it seems, was quite inconfolable, and had ornamented the body of her late hufband with a profufion fhe could ill afford. When the corpse arrives in church, the service is read over it. That ceremony being performed, and the body carried home, it is confidered as having no farther occafion for fine clothes, but is generally ftript to the fhirt, and buried privately. "Can any thing be more ridiculous," says N―,“ than to trick a man out in "his beft clothes after his death?" "No thing," replied T—; "unless it be to order a fantastical dress at a greater expence on purpose, as if the dead "would not be fatisfied with the clothes "they wore when alive, but delighted in "long flowing robes in a particular style "of their own." T has long refided abroad, and now prefers many foreign customs to those of his own country, which frequently involves him in difputes with his country men. The Princefs of "There fhe goes," fays N drove past. " with her cavalieros, her volantis, and all "the splendour of a fovereign; yet the "wife of a plain English gentleman is in a far more enviable fituation. With all "her titles and her high rank, she is a "mere fervant of the Queen's, a depend"ant on the caprice of another; a frown "from her Majefty would annihilate "her." "Those who are nothing, ex "clusive of court favour," replied T ought not to be cenfured for devoting "their time to court attendance. But did who are dazzled "with the glitter of court fhackles in the "boafted land of liberty; people whom "riches, rank, and the moft flattering "favours of fortune cannot make inde"pendent; whofe minds feem the more abject, "abject, as their fituation lays them un"der the lefs neceffity of remaining in "fervitude; who, withered with age, and "repining with envy, facrifice every do"mestic duty, and stalk around the man"fions of royalty, as ghosts are said to "haunt thofe abodes in which they moft delighted when they enjoyed life and "vigour?" "Well, well," fays N, ?"" "let us fay no more about them, fince "we are agreed, that, of all the old tapef" try of courts, thofe grotesque figures, "who, without the confidence of those they serve, continue to the last exhibit"ing their antiqué countenances at birth86 day balis, and in the affemblies of youth "and beauty, are the most ridiculous." At that inftant the Queen paffed in her coach with the royal children, and N—— made fome comparative remarks in his usual style; to which T— replied, “ In "this particular I acknowledge the happi"nefs of Great Britain. I prefume not to "make comparisons; the great character S 3 " you |