. He is
very popular, and whenever he shows himself he is cheered to
_outrance_. Sometimes he came out on the balcony, and once he took the
Prince of Naples up in his strong arms and cried "_Evviva l'Italia_"
The people clapped their hands till they were worn out.

There were fireworks from the Castel St. Angelo in his honor which were
wonderfully fine.

To reach the balconies reserved for the _Corps Diplomatique_ we were
obliged to leave our carriages in a little side-street and go through a
long carpeted passage, the walls of which were hung with fine old
tapestries taken from the Quirinal in order to hide the unsightly
objects concealed behind them. The balconies were erected on the
outside of the dilapidated houses which overlook the Tiber and facing
the Castel St. Angelo. How they ever managed to make this passage is a
mystery! In the daytime one could not see the possibility of cutting
through the labyrinth of these forlorn tumble-down houses. We sat
trembling for fear that the shaky planks would suddenly give way and
plunge us into the whirling Tiber under our feet. The fireworks were
the most gorgeous display of pyrotechnics I ever saw. And the bouquet
as the _finale_ was a magnificent tornado of fire which left a huge "F"
blazing, which lighted up the December night. We were thankful when we
reached home alive.

The next and last evening of the festivities was a gala opera, where
there was a great deal of clapping and enthusiasm which accompanied a
rather poor performance of "Aida." They said that Verdi was in the
audience, but he did not appear, nor was there any demonstration made
for him.

ROME, _January, 1884_.

My dear ----,--There are a few changes in the Embassies. Sir Saville
Lumley has succeeded Sir August Paget at the English Embassy. Sir
Saville's own paintings now cover Lady Paget's chocolate cherubs--only
those above the door and their bulrushes are left to tell the tale.
Monsieur Decrais, the new French Ambassador and his wife, who replace
the De Noailles in the Farnese Palace, are already established. The
iciness of Siberia continues to pervade the palace in spite of all
efforts to warm those vast _salons_, enormous in their proportions--I
do not know how many _metres_ they are to the ceiling. The Carracci
gallery separates the bedrooms from the _salons_. Madame Decrais says
that they are obliged to dress like Eskimos when they cross it, as they
do twenty times a day.

How the Roman cl