great number of fine ftatues, moft of them copies of the beft antique, are kept in a storehouse till the gardens are finished, when they will be placed in them. The largest and finest elephant I ever faw is here at present; he is kept by African flaves; they seem to know how to manage him perfectly; he is well thriven, and goes through a number of tricks and evolutions with much docility and judgment.

In the garden there is an artificial water and island. This, if one may venture to fay fo, feems a little injudicious; it brings to our memory the bay of Naples, with its islands, a recollection by no means favourable to this royal contrivance. In this island there is a kind of a castle, regularly fortified, with a ditch around it, and ramparts, baftions, fally-ports, &c. &c. and a numerous train of artillery, fome of them nine or ten ouncers. fooner entered this fort, than I wished that Uncle Toby and Corporal Trim had been

I no

of our party; it would have charmed the foul of the worthy veteran and his faithful fervant.

I asked the man who attended us, what he imagined this fortification was intended for?-Sir Harry Featherston said, "The cannon were certainly designed

against the frogs, who were continually

attempting to fcale the ramparts from "the ditch."- I asked again, What was the real defign of erecting this fort? The man answered, ftretching out his arms, and making as wide a circle with them as he could, "Tutto, tutto per il "follazo del Re*." "Yes," faid I, "it "is furely in the highest degree reason"able, that not only this fort, but the "whole kingdom, should be appropriated "to the amusement of his Majefty.""Certo †," replied the man. I wished to see how far the fellow's liberality would go

* All, all for the King's amusement.

+ Surely.

-"Not

-"Not only this kingdom," continued I, "but all Europe, would be highly ho"noured in contributing to the amusement " of his Majesty." Certo, certo," faid

the man.

*Surely, furely.

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LETTER LXVII.

Naples.

TH

HE King and Queen lately paid a vifit to four of the principal nunneries in this town. Their motive was to gratify the curiofity of the Archduchefs, and her husband Prince Albert of Saxony. I ought to have informed

you, that this illuftrious couple left Vienna fome months after us, with an intention to make the tour of Italy. We had the honour of seeing them frequently while at Rome, where they conciliated the affections of the Italian nobles by their obliging manners, as much as they commanded respect by their high rank. The Archduchefs is a very beautiful woman, and more diftinguished by the propriety of her conduct, than by either birth or beauty. As white, by the link of contraft, is connected with

the

the idea of black; fo this amiable Duchefs fometimes recals thofe to people's memories, whose ideas of dignity are ftrongly contrafted with her's. Confcious, from her infancy, of the highest rank, and accustomed to honours, it never enters into her thoughts that any perfon will fail in paying her a due refpect; while they, eternally jealous that enough of refpect is not paid them, give themselves airs which would be intolerable in an Emprefs. A fmile of benignity puts all who approach this Princess perfectly at their ease, and dignity fits as fmoothly on her as a well-made garment; while, on them, it briftles out like the quills of a porcupine, or the feathers of an enraged turkey-cock.

As nobody is permitted to enter those convents, except on fuch extraordinary occafions as this, when they are visited by the Sovereigns, the British Minifter feized this opportunity of procuring an order

X 4