228 THE CARNIVAL AT ROME. 



believing brethren, and were followed in the course by the same 

 veils, shouts, groans, and execrations, which now fall to the lot of the 

 hindmost horses. In course of time, as the church became more to- 

 lerant or less powerful, this degradation to both parties was com- 

 muted into a fine of money, to assist the expenses of the carnival 

 and now, the cloth of gold, and the cloth of silver, the odds and ends 

 of velvet and silk, are a tribute of no very great weight, which the 

 Hebrews pay for being tolerated. The money gained by the win- 

 ning horses is furnished by the government. For six days, the first 

 horse gets thirty scudi (about 61. 7s. tid.) ; on Thursday, or Giovedi 

 Grasso, he gains sixty scudi, or 12/. [5s. ; and on Shrove Tuesday, 

 the last day, eighty scudi (about \ll. Os. 5d.) is the reward of the 

 victor. There are, on an average, about ten or eleven running 

 horses each day. There is no betting on these occasions. Formerly, 

 some imitators of the English betted small sums, but it is now out of 

 fashion. None but Roman horses are allowed to run ; and, even if a 

 foreigner choose to enter one, it must be a horse of the country, as 

 the ostensible motive of the premium is to improve the breed of 

 horses in the Roman states. 



There is, doubtless, a great deal in all this which appears childish 

 and ridiculous. The horses, running through a paved street, upon, 

 much the same principle as a dog with a tin canister tied to his tail, 

 hunted by the mob, and made wild as antelopes, have certainly not a 

 fair trial of speed or strength. The prize also seems, to our idea?, 

 rather small. But, as every one is satisfied, all ends are answered. 

 The farmers, and small landed proprietors, who furnish the horses, 

 are very proud of the banner, and contented with the sixty or eighty 

 scudi. The pope and cardinals may fancy that they improve the 

 race of barberi, as they are called ; and nothing can surpass the de- 

 light of the Romans at the whole exhibition. As the horses are being 

 led to the course they count them, one, two, three, and so on, with a 

 nervous sort of anxiety ; and when the rope drops, and the barbs start 

 off in a body, people clap their hands, and lean back, in their enthu- 

 siasm exclaiming, "Ah, bella ! bella! Dio mio, che bella cosa !" 

 " Oh, beautiful ! beautiful ! Good heavens, what a beautiful sighfl" 



On every evening during the carnival all the theatres are open ; 

 but they are not always very well attended, because a greater object 

 of attraction is found in the masked balls given at the Teatro Aliber- 

 ti,* in the Via del Babuino, the largest theatre in Rome. As the 

 admission is but three pauls, or about fifteen-pence English, it is 

 always crowded ; and there are frequently between three and four 

 thousand people assembled. At a popular entertainment like this, 

 we are not to expect the same splendour of costume or display of 

 wealth as would be found at a masquerade or fancy ball in England, 

 because with us such scenes are frequented only by the higher 

 classes : but there is no lack of fancy or humour, there is no rude- 

 ness or boisterousness, and it is not necessary to hire buffoons to 

 amuse the duller part of the company. The more distinguished peo- 

 ple confine themselves principally to the boxes, holding a sort of levee 



* This theatre is not at present used for dramatic purposes. 



