fenfibility of fome of the audience gave me an idea of the power of founds, which the dulnefs of my own auditory nerves could never have conveyed to my mind. At certain airs, filent enjoyment was expreffed in every countenance; at others, the hands were clasped together, the eyes half shut, and the breath drawn in with a prolonged figh, as if the foul were expiring in a torrent of delight. One young woman, in the pit, called out, "O Dio, dove fono; "che piacer via caccia l'alma *?”

On the first night of the opera, after one of these favourite airs, an univerfal fhout of applaufe took place, intermingled with demands, that the composer of the mufic fhould appear. Il Maeftro!. il Maeftro! refounded from every corner of the houfe. He was prefent, and led the band of mufic; he was obliged to stand upon the bench, where he continued, bowing to the fpectators, till they were tired of applauding him. One perfon, in the middle of the pit, whom I had remarked display

O God, where am I! what pleafure ravifhes my foul.

ing great figns of fatisfaction from the be-
ginning of the performance, cried out,
"He deferves to be made chief musician
"to the Virgin, and to lead a choir of
"angels!" This expreffion would be
thought strong, in any country; but it has
peculiar energy here, where it is a popular
opinion, that the Virgin Mary is very fond,
and an excellent judge of mufic. I re-
ceived this information on Christmas morn-
ing, when I was looking at two poor Ca-
labrian pipers doing their utmost to please
her, and the infant in her arms. They
played for a full hour to one of her images
which stands at the corner of a street.
the other statues of the Virgin, which are
placed in the streets, are ferenaded in the
fame manner every Christmas morning.
On my enquiring into the meaning of that
ceremony, I was told the above-mentioned
circumftance of her character, which,
though you may have always thought
highly probable, perhaps you never be-
fore knew for certain. My informer was
a pilgrim, who ftood liftening with great
devotion to the pipers. He told me, at

All

the

the fame time, that the Virgin's tafte was too refined to have much fatisfaction in the performance of thofe poor Calabrians, which was chiefly intended for the Infant; and he defired me to remark, that the tunes were plain, fimple, and fuch as might naturally be fuppofed agreeable to the ear of a child of his time of life.

Though the serious operá is in highest eftimation, and more regularly attended by people of the first fashion; yet the opera buffas, or burlettas, are not entirely neglected, even by them, and are crowded, every night, by the middle and lower claffes. Some admired fingers have performed there during the Carnival, and the musical compofers have rendered them highly pleafing to the general taste.

The ferious and burlesque operas prevail infinitely over the other theatrical entertainments at Rome, in fpite of the united efforts of Harlequin, Pantaloon, and Punchinello.

The prohibition of female performers renders the amufement of the Roman theatre very infipid, in the opinion of

fome

fome unrefined Englishmen of your acquaintance who are here. In my own poor opinion, the natural fweetness of the female voice is ill fupplied by the artificial trills of wretched caftratos; and the awkward agility of robuft finewy fellows dreffed in women's clothes, is a moft deplorable fubftitution for the graceful movements of elegant female dancers. Is not the horrid practice which is encouraged by this manner of fupplying the place of female fingers, a greater outrage on religion and morality, than can be produced by the evils which their prohibition is intended to prevent? Is it poffible to believe, that purity of fentiment will be preserved by producing eunuchs on the ftage? I fhould fear it would have a different effect. the funeral of Junia, the wife of Caffius and fifter of Brutus, the ftatues of all the great perfons connected with her family by blood or alliance, were carried in proceffion, except those of her brother and husband. This deficiency ftruck the people more than any part of the proceffion, and brought the two illuftrious Romans into

At

their minds with more force than if their ftatues had been carried with the others.— "Præfulgebant Caffius atque Brutus," fays Tacitus, eo ipfo, quod effigies eorum non "visebantur *.

* The memory of Caffius and Brutus made a deeper impreffion on the minds of the fpectators, on this very account, that their statues were not feen in the proceffion.