d to be little visiting in the
boxes. With the exception of the strangers' rooms, there are no reading-
rooms or clubs in Rome, if I may exclude from this category a miserable
_Gabinetto di Lettura_, chiefly frequented by priests, and whose current
_lettura_ consisted of the _Tablet_, the _Univers_, the _Armonia_, and
the _Courier des Alpes_. The only real places of meeting, or focuses of
news, are the cafes. At best, however, they are _triste_, uncomfortable
places. There is no cafe in all Rome equal to a second-rate one in an
ordinary French provincial town. There are few newspapers, little domino
playing, and not much conversation. The spy system is carried to such an
extent here, that even in private circles the speakers are on their guard
as to what they say, and still more as to what they repeat. As an
instance of this, I may mention a case that happened to me personally. On
the morning before the demonstrations at the Porta Pia a Roman gentleman,
with whom I was well acquainted, wished to give me information of the
proposed meeting, of which, it happened, I was well aware; but though we
were alone in a room together, the nearest approach on which my friend
ventured to a direct information, which might be considered of a
seditious character, was to tell me that I should find the Porta Pia road
a pleasant walk on an afternoon.

In fact, paradoxical as the assertion may appear, you learn more about
Rome from foreigners than from natives. Unfortunately, such information
as you may acquire in this way is almost always of a suspicious
character. Almost every one in Rome judges of what he sees or hears
according, in German phrase, to some stand-point of his own, either
political or artistic or theological, as the case may be. As to the
foreign converts, it is only natural that, as in most cases they have
sacrificed everything for the Papal faith, they should therefore look at
everything from the Papal point of view. If, however, they abuse and
despise the Romans on every occasion, it is some satisfaction to reflect
that the Romans lose no opportunity of despising or abusing them in turn.
English Liberals who see a good deal of Roman society, see it, I think,
under too favourable circumstances, and also attach undue importance to
the wonderful habit all Italians have of saying as their own opinion
whatever they think will be pleasing to their listener. On the other
hand, the persons who are best qualified to