THE CARNIVAL AT ROME. 225 



it was some years ago, but lie is still occasionally to be seen talking 

 and staring with stiff impertinence. There are brigands, negroes, 

 madmen, Turks, and Persians without number. There are wigs of 

 scarlet, green, and [blue hair ; noses like birds' beaks or elephants' 

 trunks; and faces of a brilliant blue or scarlet complexion. 



On the other hand, the carnages, though generally filled by the 

 upper classes, and people who do not choose to disguise themselves, 

 are yet not occupied by people too fine to make merry; and, even 

 when the masters do not choose to travestie themselves, the servants 

 are allowed full liberty of embodying their fancies. Thus you see a 

 coach driven by a lady six feet high, who has feathers on her head, 

 a reticule on her arm, and who, with mincing modesty, is very fear- 

 ful her legs or feet should be exposed ; Harlequin, or Scaramouch, 

 or a fine-looking woman (apparently), or a mameluke, acts as foot- 

 man. A sort of open omnibus, holding twelve or sixteen absurd cha- 

 racters, and driven by a devil or a monkey, comes next; and a general 

 grin is caused by a broken-down carriage filled with young ladies 

 apparently in their night-gowns. In short, the further a person can 

 depart from his real character the better. Children three or four 

 years of age are dressed as very old men, or bearded Turks, or general 

 officers. Men appear as wild beasts or as women. The Romans 

 have a particular pleasure in taking this opportunity of ridiculing 

 female vanity and affectation sometimes even carrying their humour 

 beyond the limits either of reason or delicacy : for example, by repre- 

 senting a woman very far advanced in the family-way. By a similar 

 perversity young ladies have a peculiar penchant for male attire: 

 the surtout, boots, and hat cocked on one side, do not prevent their 

 being recognised. 



Well, now that my forces are all drawn out on the field of battle, 

 nothing remains but to put them into action. And, though the un- 

 learned reader may suppose the last sentence to be only a figure of 

 speech, it is really no such thing. A battle does commence, and in 

 good earnest. For the Italians, thinking it might become insipid to 

 parade continually up and down and do nothing else, invented the not 

 inelegant custom of saluting each other by throwing a handful of 

 sweetmeats or a bouquet of flowers a graceful action, which, when 

 executed in good style by a handsome woman, brings into real life 

 and existence the Aurora of Guido or Guercino. But, though the 

 original fashion still remains, some other degenerate ones have been 

 engrafted on it, which might be ^'considered t ill-natured and spiteful 

 were they not highly ridiculous. 



There is a kind of comfit made of chalk, about the size of a pill, 

 and altogether very like the first efforts of an apothecary's appren- 

 tice. They are of various colours, green, pink, and brown, but ge- 

 nerally white, and are prepared in such quantities that bushels and 

 sacks full are sold in the streets. Every one, whether on foot or in a 

 carriage, takes care to be well provided with this ammunition, and 

 some even make use of a tin funnel, and others of a spoon with an 

 elastic handle, in order to throw with greater force and certainty. 

 Such are the common materials of warfare, and a mask of fine woven 

 wire is generally used by those who have no other defence against 



