520 Asmodeus and tie Incognito. 



performed well his character, because not only he shed tears himself, 

 but by his acting he excited so much the feelings of his hearers, that 

 they also sobbed, sighed, and cried. While I was going to ask of 

 Asmodeus what it meant, all of a sudden a great confusion took 

 place amongst the Lazzaroni. At first they abused each other with 

 stentorian voices and dreadful imprecations ; then they began to 

 fight both with their fists and feet, and lastly with pebbles and flint- 

 stones, and consequently several of them were severely hurt and 

 bruised. This Lazzaronian fray would probably have lasted much 

 longer, had not a strong picket of soldiers been discovered marching 

 towards the Mole, and, at its appearance, scappa, scappa, was the 

 general cry of the combatants, and sooner than I can write it down, 

 they were all out of sight. 



Tranquillity having been restored, I enquired of a Neapolitan 

 by-stander, " Cosa mai ha prodotto quella zuffa ?" " Niente, niente, 

 bagattelle, Signore," answered he, smiling. " I Tancredisti e i 

 Rinaidisti hanno fatto a pugna, a calci e a pietre ed ora son forse tutti 

 insieme a mangiar maccaroni. Eccotutto." As I did not perfectly 

 understand the exact meaning of this laconic reply, I requested an 

 explanation ; when he said " Our Lazzaroni are indeed strange 

 fellows ; they are, however, greatly misrepresented and calumniated, 

 for, although idle and superstitious, they are also very sober and 

 honest on the whole. Their religious creed is extremely foolish, 

 because, according to them, San Gennaro, the patron of Naples, is the 

 greatest and most powerful in heaven. The Madonna del Carmine 

 is next to him in power and goodness. Then they reverence Gesu 

 Maria, Gesu Cristo, and Gesu Nazareno, who, in their opinion, are 

 three sons of the Madonna, and after them St. Joseph, and God Al- 

 mighty, but they very seldom, or never enter into a church. With 

 regard to politics, they profess none, but are under the control of the 

 Capopuopolo, whom they choose from amongst themselves to represent 

 Masaniello, to whose memory they pay the greatest respect. The Ca- 

 popuopolo is much esteemed by the government, and is even admitted at 

 court on account of his extraordinary influence over his constituency. 

 Nay, if this modern Masaniello were not on the spot no public ex- 

 ecution or ceremony could take place without tumult. True Lazza- 

 roni will denounce a thief and prevent a premeditated assault. Be- 

 tween themselves they get often into a great passion almost for no- 

 thing ; quarrel, fight, but become friends again immediately. They 

 are divided into two chivalrous sects ; some admire Tancredi, and 

 others idolize Rinaldo. The latter assert that without the great aid 

 of their idol the Christian Crusaders must have been annihilated by 

 the Turks, while the former pretend that their hero was the greatest 

 and most useful warrior under Goffredo. On this subject, therefore, 

 they come to blows almost every day. Ebbene," added he, "il lor 

 poeta ha loro poco fa recitato la morte di Clorinda. The Rinaidisti 

 have spoken against Tancredi for having slain that beautiful and va- 

 lorous female warrior. The Tancredisti have of course strongly de- 

 fended the conduct of their hero ; the fight has begun, e voi ne avete 

 gii veduto il fine ridicolo." 



Having thanked my kind informant, I said to Asmodeus " Now let 

 us start again for London, because I wish to be there early to-morrow as 



