690 
country is rough and uneven, so that 
hep) 3 a 
carriages there would be useless. The 
king himseli, the moment he disembarks, 
finds bimselt reduced to a level, in point 
of equipage, with the poorest islander. 
“ It was ene the spring that we 
visited this island, for the first. time, and 
spent two days in the town of Ischna. 
It was 1n vain that we searched for an 
inn: we-were conducted to the house of 
certain persons, who, we. were told, 
would be very happy to receive us. A 
good old woman, one of a middle age, 
and a little girl, were our companions. 
They had but two small chambers, which 
they divided with us, and never left us 
even for a moment. 
““ We returned in the autumn, and 
spent several weeks in the neighbourhood 
of the baths. Our host, a “ative of Sor- 
rento, was In easy circumstances, for he 
possessed several vineyards. His wife, 
one daughter of seventeen years of age, 
another still older, and a third, who was 
the youngest of all, composed the whole 
of the family. ‘T'wo servants lived along 
with tiem in the most perfect equality, 
except duriy the hours allotted to la- 
bour. A poor relation, called Fortu- 
nata, forty years of age, also resided in 
the hause. 
“ The roofs are flat throughout the 
whole island: these are useful for drying 
their fruits, and also for.other purposes : 
our’s was covered with a tent, where the 
young maidens were accustomed to take 
their siesto; there, too, the father some- 
times spent the whole night. Vhe 
ascent was very simple, and when the 
ladder was pulled up, the post became 
maccessible; but on the contrary, when 
carried awe ay, those above remained pri- 
soners. At night the court-yard was 
converted into a ball-room. The tables 
and chairs beg taken away, the steps 
which were placed before the door of 
every chamber, then served as benches 
to the spectators. I never beheld the 
Tarentella, that famous Neapolitan 
dance, executed better, during the 
whole course of my life. It is usually 
performed by two young women, while 
a third sings, accompanying her voice at 
the same time with the tambourin. The 
misfortunes. of an unhappy lover, who 
has been separated from his dear mis- 
tress, or the sorrows of a despised swain, 
constitute the usual subjects: of these 
songs, in the course of which; Madona & 
Cupinto are sometimes invoked together. 
The pleasure resulting from this dance 
18 peniaen by the variety of atutudes, 
Retrospect of French Literature— Miscellaneous. 
\ 
the management of the apron, the diver- 
sity of the figures, and the noise of cas- 
tanets, or at least, the sound occasioned 
by the fingers and thumb to supply their 
place. 
with a fat Lombard peasant as her part- 
ner, on which occasion she exhibited a 
fine specimen of the most bitter raillery. 
“ That same grace,.that same ele- 
gance, which is so remarkable in their 
sports, is also equally conspicuous in 
their actions and discourses. On our 
awaking in the morning, we always 
found.a bunch of the finest grapes sus- 
pended near the table, and when we 
went to breakfast, the father of the 
family brought us a basket of his finest 
fruits. At night, his daughter, Frances: 
ca, would invite us to walk out in coi. 
pany with her, and as we went along, 
would tell us the name and the virtues 
ofevery plant that appeared worthy of 
attention. 
“ Fortunata was but indifferently 
dressed when we first arrived in this 
little island, but we soon obtained for 
her w complete suit, according to the 
custom of the country, consisting of a 
little corset of black velvet, a petticoat, 
an apron, and a veil. Her gaiety, how- 
ever, soon disappeared, and amidst tLe 
joy that prevailed throughout the whole 
house, we beheld her sad and drooping, 
without. bemg able to discover the rea- 
son, At lencth, one evening during the 
dance, happening to sit next t her, I once 
more repeated the question, hitherto. so 
often put in vain :—W hat is the matter 
with you, Fortunata ! ? Is any thing want- 
ing? “ Ear-rings,” replied she, in alow 
tone of voice. | 
“ Our frequent parties of pleasure, all. 
q Pp Pp 
performed on the backs of asses, each 
of which had a conductor, enabled us. 
to become acquainted with a number of 
the poor vine-dressers. ‘The moment 
they perceived us, they begged us to 
enter their little plantations, ‘ Come 
liere, one day!’ exclaimed a person 
called Filippo, whose kind invitation I 
had declined: ‘ I will present you with 
the best grapes; no ove but myself 
knows where they grow, for I have not 
even told my own wife.” 
We often received civilities from per- 
sons who were utter strangers to us. 
Happening one day to repair to the 
church, in order to assist at a confirma- 
tion, it proved extremely warm, and I 
was rather tired. It had so happened 
that an ass, remarkable not only for his~ 
personal beauty, but also for the excel- 
i  kemee 
_Fortunata performed one day, — 
\ 
