Cannes, Nice, Mentone,
Genoa, and other places, were all affected by the extreme and unusual
cold--Stromboli, and even Etna, were quite capped with snow, while in
the north of Europe the weather was comparatively mild. It was rather
unfortunate for us that it should have been so; having travelled to
escape the cold in our own island home, we had certainly not bargained
for it pursuing us wherever we went. The residents, more particularly
the poor of these semi-tropical places, were much to be pitied for the
uncommon severity with which these bleak and cutting winds visited them.
As a rule, Naples is considered tonic and bracing, not unlike Brighton,
and is exceedingly pleasant in late summer and autumn, but in the early
part of the year is trying to delicate persons. I do not think it is a
healthy place for continual residence, for the sewerage and water supply
are both very defective, and the place is over-crowded by a population
anything but clean in its habits. This, and the begging, cheating
propensities of the lower classes, go very far to counterbalance its
natural beauty of situation, and I was obliged to confess myself
decidedly disappointed in the Naples of which I had heard and expected
so much.

The hotel expenses are much the same as at Rome, and no matter how you
try to economize and cut down expenditure, you will find, when you
arrive home and tot up the figures, that the average amount per day,
travelling included, is no less than L1 for each person. You may of
course forego wines, etc., but in so doing you take your chance of being
poisoned with the water, which is very bad here, and which no one seems
to think of filtering or improving in any way. This is a great pity, and
it is to be hoped that the matter will soon receive a due amount of
attention, and that means will be taken to secure an adequate supply of
pure water, without which no place can really be considered healthy.

We remained at Naples in all five days, and on January 25th left for
Messina, from whence my wife was to make her journey to Malta, and
remain with her sister, awaiting my return to the south, for I found my
presence was required in London for a short time.

We felt genuine regret and compunction at being obliged to leave the
"Queen of the summer sea" without paying our devoirs at the tomb of
Virgil, father of Latin poets. The last resting-place of the "dead king
of melody"--he who, in his own words, "sung of shepherds, field