of these boys had been in the
schools nearly three years; they were nearly all of the class which
must otherwise have grown up to hopeless vagabondage; but here they
were receiving gratis an education that would fit them for employments
wherein trained intellectual capacity is required. If their education
went no higher than this, what an advance it would be upon their
original condition!

In the room devoted to boys of lower grade, I entangled myself in
difficulties with a bright-eyed young gentleman, whom I asked if he
liked Italian history better than ancient history. He said he liked
the latter, especially that of the Romans, much better. "Why, that
is strange. I should think an Italian boy would like Italian history
best." "But were not the Romans also Italians, Signore?" I blush to
say that I basely sneaked out of this trouble by answering that they
were not like the Italians of the present day,--whatever that meant.
But indeed all these young persons were startlingly quick with their
information, and knowing that I knew very little on any subject with
certainty, I think I was wise to refuse all offers to examine them in
their studies.

We left this school and returned to the Toledo by one of those
wonderful little side streets already mentioned, which are forever
tumultuous with the oddest Neapolitan life--with men quarreling
themselves purple over small quantities of fish--with asses braying
loud and clear above their discord--with women roasting pine-cones
at charcoal fires--with children in the agonies of having their hair
combed--with degraded poultry and homeless dogs--with fruit-stands
and green groceries, and the little edifices of ecclesiastical
architecture for the sale of lemonade--with wandering bag-pipers, and
herds of nonchalant goats--with horses, and grooms currying them--and
over all, from vast heights of balcony, with people lazily hanging
upon rails and looking down on the riot. Reentering the stream of the
Toledo, it carried us almost to the Museo Borbonico before we again
struck aside into one of the smaller streets, whence we climbed quite
to the top of one of those incredibly high Neapolitan houses. Here,
crossing an open terrace on the roof, we visited three small rooms, in
which there were altogether some hundred boys in the first stages
of reclamation. They were under the immediate superintendence of Mr.
Buscarlet and he seemed to feel the fondest interest in them. Indeed,
there was su