1809.] 
times; but the pleasures of the people 
were not much affected by it, as many of 
the enjoyments of the good Christians, in 
this country, proceed from their belief in 
the existence of the d ud 
Naples, at present, appears like a beau- 
_tiful female in stubborn hoops, which will 
not allow her to move with ease and 
gracefulness, though it is well known she 
has been once esteemed a most accom- _ 
plished dancer. 
It must, however, be confessed, that 
better order is preserved now than for- 
merly, At night, the streets are well 
lighted, even when the moon, no where 
more resplendent than here, displays her 
silver lamp in the cloudless heavens, 
And in the Strada di Toledo, one of the 
most beautiful streets in the city, which 
formerly presented the tumultuous ap- 
pearance ofa perpetual fair, you may 
now walk or ride, comme il faut, without 
interruption; the market people being 
ordered to different new and regular mar- 
ket-places, 
Whoever has seen the former state of 
the Séradu di Toledo, would not, how- 
ever, be displeased to re-view that scene: 
of unparalleled confusion. The sacrifices 
of every season were offered on this altar 
of abundance, whatever the earth or the 
sea afforded from their bosoms, whatever 
air or sun had produced for the gratifica- 
tion of the most luxurious palates, was 
here seen in a profusion calculated to ex- 
cite astonishment. The Strada di Tole- 
do was exhausted a hundred times in a 
day; and a hundred times, nay every mo- 
ment, a power which seemed to operate 
like a magic charm, replenished it with a 
new and surprising abundance; in short, 
in this one street, in less than an hour, 
you might have found every requisite for 
furnishing the most sumptuous and exqui- 
site entertainments, for a constant suc- 
cession of almost innumerable guests. 
However, this Sfrada still retains some 
entertaining features ; and notwithstand- 
ing the interference of the messengers 
de la police, admonishing the sellers to 
withdraw to the market-places; attached 
to the ground on which they were so 
Jong accustomed to encamp, many run 
the risk of punishment, by stealing a 
temporary return to their old stations, 
where, even at present, they may be cer- 
tain of the readiest sale. 
The price of provisions is said to have 
risen very high under the present system ; 
but if there is any truth in the assertion, 
it most probably relates only to fish; for 
asthe fishermen are obliged every day 
\ 
State of the Kingdom 
of Naples, April, 1809. 451 
to take out fresh cards of permission to 
go a-fishing, and as they are not allowed 
to run out beyond certain marks, nor to 
set off earlier, nor return later, than cer- 
tain hours announced by the signal guns, 
it is natural to suppose that they must 
often lose the best seasons and oppore 
tunities for following their occupation 
with success. 
You might have imagined, that after 
the interdiction of all manner of com- 
munication with Sicily, oranges would 
have been scarcer; but Naples, and the 
surrounding country, afford such quane 
tities of oranges, lemons, and other « 
fruits, that the scarcity has been very 
inconsiderable, if at all perceptible. The 
fruits of Messina having hitherto enjoyed 
the preference, the luxuriant produce of 
the environs of Naples only wanted an 
opportunity for sale; and though the 
Neapolitans say of the Messina fruits, 
‘sone piu dolce,” yet the difference is so 
trifling, that a foreigner could scarcely 
distinguish it. 
The abundance of vegetables which 
came to market last year, was truly asto- 
nishing; and indeed any kind of vege- 
tables may be had here, almost through- 
out the-year, and are particularly plen- 
tiful from March to December. The 
French, who prize their dear Paris and 
its environs beyond all other places, are 
nevertheless forced to confess, that there 
is only “ one Naples :” even the minister 
of the affairs of the kingdom, in his re- 
port of the State of the Nation, for the 
years 1807 and 1808, (published in 
March, 1808,) calls the country uniques 
in point of situation and fertility. 
Yet, in this most luxuriant region, 
where Nature seems lavish of her bounty, 
you will observe a degree of poverty, 
perhaps unequalled in any other Euroe 
pean country, pervade the general classes 
of society, ‘The real misery, however, 
is not to be judged of by what is seen in 
public, for where is there a country 
where poor and idle vagabonds are not 
to be found in the streets? It is in pri- 
vate where real distress reigns attended 
by want, and all its train of horrors, 
Much of this is owing to the secularie 
zation of the convents and monasteries, 
for very great numbers of the poor were 
accustomed to receive their soups and 
dinners from the charitable inhabitants 
of the cloisters, and the suppression of 
so many religious houses, occasioned 
murmurs deep and loud, the result of » 
despair unattended by eithey riots or ex« 
cesses. With regard to the nobility, the 
, greater 
