d _Transteverini_,
the most of whom pretend to be the descendants of the ancient Romans,
unmixed with any foreign blood. They certainly have very much of that
physiognomy that is attributed to the ancient Romans, for they are a tall,
very robust race of men having something of a ferocious dignity in their
countenance which, however, is full of expression, and the aquiline nose is
a prominent feature among them. They are exceedingly jealous of their
women, whom they keep within doors as much as they can, and if a stranger
on passing by their doors should chance to observe their wives or daughters
who may be standing there and should stop to admire them (for many of them
have an air of antique beauty and majesty of countenance which is
remarkably striking), they will instantly order the females to retire, with
an air of asperity.

Whether they really be the pure descendants of the ancient Romans is
difficult to say: but it is by no means improbable, since even to this day
they intermarry solely with one another, and refuse to give their daughters
in marriage to foreigners or to those of mixed blood.

Instances have been known of these families, who are for the most part very
poor, refusing the most advantageous offers of marriage made to their
daughters by rich foreign merchants and artists, on the ground merely that
the suitors were not _Romani_ but _Barbari._

As for the _bourgeoisie_ of Rome in general, they _have been_ for some
centuries back and _are_ a very mixed race, composed of all the nations of
Europe. Most of the foreign artists who come here to study the fine arts,
viz., Belgians, Dutch, German, French, English, Swedes, Danes, Poles and
Russians, as well as those from other parts of Italy, struck with the
beauty of the women, and pleased with the tranquility and agreeable society
that prevails in this metropolis, and the total freedom from all _gene_ and
etiquette, marry Roman women and fix here for life: so that among this
class you meet with more foreign names than Roman; and it is this sort of
colonisation which keeps up the population of Rome, which would otherwise
greatly decrease as well from the celibacy of the number that become
priests, as from the malaria that prevails in and about the city in July
and August.

ROME, 19th Sept.

I have been employed for the last two days in visiting some of the
churches, _palazzi_ and villas of modern Rome; but the number is so
prodigious and there are such a