ition. Here and there are seen
the spacious and elegant palaces formerly occupied by the rich,
comfort-loving, luxurious Knights, which are now devoted to English
government offices, as barracks, a public library, and law courts, or
are improved for club purposes. It is a wealthy nation which holds
sovereignty in Malta to-day, and her officials, civil or military, are
lodged like princes. The original Auberge de Provence, with its cool,
attractive corridors and lofty apartments, is occupied by the Union
Club, and the Auberge de l'Auvergne, equally palatial, is now used as
the Court of Justice.

The Order of St. John began its career humbly enough among the pilgrims
of Jerusalem, by taking upon itself vows of chastity, self-abnegation,
and poverty; but it ended in palaces, gross immorality, and undisguised
debauchery. Its lowly birth in that sacred Syrian city was grand and
noble in purpose, but ultimate success, together with the acquirement of
power, fame, and riches, acted as adulterants to the original
conception. Being only mortals, the Knights gave way freely to the
weaknesses of humanity. This perversion of the fundamental design of
the order was the natural presage of its gradual decline and final
downfall.

The principal streets of Valletta which run parallel with the Strada
Reale are Strada Forni, Strada Mercanti, Strada St. Paolo, Strada Zecca,
and Strada St. Ursula. The second named, as we have already intimated,
is the most important next to Strada Reale. Upon it is situated the
large military hospital which was erected in 1628, and which contains
four hundred beds. One apartment in this institution is nearly five
hundred feet long, exceeding in size any room or hall in Europe. In this
establishment the Knights were accustomed to serve by turns as day and
night nurses,--as "Hospitallers," in fact, and thus to keep good their
claim to the original title of the order.

Bonaparte, when he was in possession of Valletta, pronounced this civil
and military hospital to be the most perfect institution of the sort in
the world. It was lavishly conducted during the sovereignty of the
Knights, no regard being had for expense, and there was no advantage
known to the medical profession of the period which was not to be
obtained within its walls.

Street scenes are always significant of the character of a people. Here,
after the style which prevails in southern Europe, all sorts of trades
are carried on in the open a