a traveller's journal. S93 



Nothing concerning the opera is here intended ; as 

 the fine and flattering voices of the caftratos, to which 

 moreover the female habit feems far more fuitable than 

 the manly drefs, ealily reconciles us with whatever 

 might occafionally appear ah impropriety in the cloath* 

 ing of the figure. 



I prefuppofe, as in all fuch cafes we muft, that the 

 parts are adapted to the manner and abilities of the 

 performers. A condition, without which no theatre, 

 and hardly the greater! and moft various actor, could 



The modern Romans have in general a great fancy 

 for changing the drefles of the two fexes in mafque- 

 rades. During the carnival a number of young fellows 

 go about habited as females of the loweft clafs, and 

 feem to take great delight in this difguife. Coachmen 

 and lacquays frequently make a very decent figure as 

 women, and efpecially if they are young and good- 

 looking fellows, and are handfomely drefTed. On the 

 other hand, one fees ladies of the middle Nations as 

 Pulcinellos, and the women of fafhion look well and 

 even beautifully in the officer's uniform. Every one 

 feems to enjoy this frolic, in which we have all, when 

 children, been often delighted ; as an agreeable pro- 

 longation of juvenile follies. It is curious to fee how 

 both fexes appear to amufe themfelves in this felf- 

 creation, by ufurping as much as poffible the preroga- 

 tive of Tirefias. 



In like manner, the young men who devote them- 

 felves to the performance of female characters, take 

 incredible pains to attain at perfection in their art. 

 They obferve the looks, the motions, the deportment 



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