they throw out reflections against those fenators who were againft entering into a treaty with the Carthaginians till their army fhould be withdrawn from Italy? Did they recall their army from Capua? Did they fhew any mark of defpondence? In this ftate of affairs, the Roman Senate fent orders to Appius to continue the fiege' of Capua; they ordered a reinforcement to their army in Spain; the troops for that fervice marching out at one gate of Rome, while Hannibal threatened to enter by ftorm at another. How could fuch a people fail to become the mafters of the world!

The country between Capua and Naples displays a varied fcene of lavish fertility, and with great propriety might be named Campania Felix, if the richeft and moft generous foil, with the mildest and most agreeable climate, were fufficient to render the inhabitants of a country happy.

LETTER LIV.

Naples.

THE day after our arrival at this place,

we waited on Sir W- H—, his Majesty's minister at this court. He had gone early that morning on a hunting party with the King; but the Portuguese ambaffador, at L-y H-'s defire, undertook to accompany the D- on the ufual round of vifits; Sir W- was not expected to return for feveral days, and the laws of etiquette do not allow that important tour to be delayed fo long. As we have been continually driving about ever fince our arrival, I am already pretty well acquainted with this town, and the environs.

Naples was founded by the Greeks. The charming fituation they have chofen, is

one

one proof among thousands, of the fine taste of that ingenious people.

The bay is about thirty miles in circumference, and twelve in diameter; it has been named Crater, from its fuppofed refemblance to a bowl. This bowl is ornamented with the most beautiful foliage, with vines; with olive, mulberry, and orange trees; with hills, dales, towns, villas, and villages.

At the bottom of the bay of Naples, the town is built in the form of a vast amphitheatre, floping from the hills towards the fea.

If, from the town, you turn your eyes to the east, you fee the rich plains leading to mount Vefuvius, and Portici. If you look to the west, you have the Grotto of Paufilippo, the mountain on which Virgil's tomb is placed, and the fields leading to Puzzoli and the coaft of Baia. On the north, are the fertile hills, gradually rifing from the shore to the Campagna Fe

lice. On the South, is the bay, confined by the two promontories of Misenum and Minerva, the view being terminated by the iflands Procida, Ifchia, and Caprea; and as you ascend to the caftle of St. Elmo,. you have all thefe objects under your eye at once, with the addition of a great part: of the Campagna,

Independent of its happy fituation,' Naples is a very beautiful city. The flyle of architecture, it must be confeffed, is inferior to what prevails at Rome; but though Naples cannot vie with that city in the number of palaces, or in the grandeur and magnificence of the churches, the private houfes in general are better built, and are more uniformly convenient; the fireets are broader and better paved. No freet in Rome equals in beauty the Strada di Toledo at Naples; and ftill lefs can any of them be compared with thofe beautiful freets which are open to the bay. This is the native country of the Zephyrs; here

the

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the exceffive heat of the Sun is often tempered with fea breezes, and with gales, wafting the perfumes of the Campagna Felice.

The houses, in general, are five or fix ftories in height, and flat at the top; on which are placed, numbers of flower vases or fruit trees, in boxes of earth, producing a very gay and agreeable effect.

The fortrefs of St. Elmo is built on a mountain of the fame name. The garrifon ftationed here, have the entire command of the town, and could lay it in afhes at pleasure. A little lower, on the fame mountain, is a convent of Carthufians. The fituation of this convent is as advantageous and beautiful as can be imagined; and much expence has been lavished to render the building, the apartments, and the gardens, equal to the fituation.

To beftow great fums of money in adorning the retreat of men who have abandoned the world for the exprefs pur

pofe