m a nearer
point than when I had seen it before at the time of the Carnival.

"On Monday evening the celebrated fire-works were let off from the
Castle of St. Angelo; they were said to be, in some respects more
brilliant than usual. I certainly never saw any fireworks comparable
to them for beauty. The Girandola is a discharge of many thousands of
rockets at once, which of course fall back, like the leaves of a lily,
and form for a minute a very beautiful picture. There was also in
silvery light a very long Facade of a Palace, which looked a residence
for Oberon and Titania, and beat Aladdin's into darkness. Afterwards a
series of cascades of red fire poured down the faces of the Castle and
of the scaffoldings round it, and seemed a burning Niagara. Of course
there were abundance of serpents, wheels and cannon-shot; there was also
a display of dazzling white light, which made a strange appearance on
the houses, the river, the bridge, and the faces of the multitude. The
whole ended with a second and a more splendid Girandola."

Take finally, to people the scene a little for us, if our imagination
be at all lively, these three small entries, of different dates, and so
wind up:--

"_December 30th_, 1838.--I received on Christmas-day a packet from
Dr. Carlyle, containing Letters from the Maurices; which were a very
pleasant arrival. The Dr. wrote a few lines with them, mentioning that
he was only at Civita Vecchia while the steamer baited on its way to
Naples. I have written to thank him for his despatches."

"_March 16th_, 1839.--I have seen a good deal of John Mill, whose
society I like much. He enters heartily into the interest of the things
which I most care for here, and I have seldom had more pleasure than
in taking him to see Raffael's Loggie, where are the Frescos called his
Bible, and to the Sixtine Chapel, which I admire and love more and
more. He is in very weak health, but as fresh and clear in mind as
possible.... English politics seem in a queer state, the Conservatives
creeping on, the Whigs losing ground; like combatants on the top of a
breach, while there is a social mine below which will probably blow both
parties into the air."

"_April 4th_, 1839.--I walked out on Tuesday on the Ancona Road, and
about noon met a travelling carriage, which from a distance looked very
suspicious, and on nearer approach was found really to contain Captain
Sterling and an Albanian manservant on the front, and behind und