noticed four smokers in the
Corso crowd, and they were all foreigners. The practice is suppressed
not only in the streets but in the cafes. For the benefit of the weaker
brethren, who cannot screw up their patriotism to total abstinence, pipes
are allowed, as the Government profit on tobacco is very small compared
with that on cigars. The Italians, however, are not much of
pipe-smokers, and the tobacconists are in despair at the total absence of
customers. Of course, the partisans of the Government prophesy that the
movement will end in smoke, but at present the laugh is on the other
side.

March 10.

The Society for the Suppression of Smoking, who by the way send their
tracts to the reading-rooms here, of all places in the world, will regret
to learn that the Roman Anti-Tobacco Crusade is to expire on and after
Sunday next. The leaders of the liberal party have, I think, acted
wisely in contenting themselves with an exhibition of their union and
power and then withdrawing from the contest. The loss to the Government
by the discontinuance of smoking was only an indirect and eventual one;
on the other hand, the company, who farm the Tobacco monopoly, would have
been ruined by the progress of the movement, and had already been obliged
to dismiss a large proportion of their work-people. The tobacconists and
street-hawkers of cigars were deprived of their livelihood, and the
misery and consequent ill-will created amongst the poor of Rome by
keeping up the prohibition would have been serious. Then, too, perhaps
it was thought advisable not to impose too heavy a trial on patriotic
ardour. Smoke is meat and drink to a Roman, his first care in the
morning, his occupation by day, and his last thought at night. Yet you
may truly say, that during the time of its prohibition the whole city
willingly gave up smoking. If, in order to testify political
dissatisfaction, the whole of London were to leave off beer-drinking by
private agreement, the expression of feeling would be hardly a more
remarkable one.

CHAPTER XIII. THE EMEUTE OF ST JOSEPH'S DAY.

The feast of San Giuseppe is the only _festa_ day in Lent, when the
Romans eat fried fish in honour of the occasion,--St Joseph alone knows
why. Henceforth the day will have other and less pleasing associations.
The garland-wreathed stalls, with the open ovens and the frizzling
fritters, were reared as usual at every corner; the shops were closed;
the _os