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ders far more injurious than a regular ague. Residentiary invalids, then (for I do not speak of people in perfect health) should beware of four things-exposure to a hot sun-to night air-to fatigue, in sight-seeing-and to improper regimen. Either or all of these will frequently dispose the constitution to the impression of a malarious emanation which, under other circumstances, would make no impression at all.

Finally, I would say that the dyspeptic, nervous, or hypochondriacal invalid, cannot adopt a more salutary maxim or principle, in Italy, than that which the Home Secretary has laid down for the guidance of the New Police in England—“ KEEP MOVING."

SECTION THE THIRD.

MORAL INFLUENCE OF AN ITALIAN CLIMATE AND RESIDENCE.

THE physical influences of a climate on the human constitution, in health or in disease, are matters of fact, or at least of observation; but the moral influences of climate and manners are not quite so tangible or obvious-and their nature and amount are more open to speculation and variety of opinion. I touch on this subject with much diffidence, and some reluctancepartly because it embraces topics which it is not pleasant to discuss-partly because I may be considered as going beyond my depth, or venturing into disquisitions for which I am not

affections was easily re-excited. I know hundreds of people who had been exposed to malaria in hot and unhealthy climates, and who were harrassed, for years after their return to this country, by these periodical horrors-for I cannot give any other name to the malady. I know many who are affected with a periodical propensity to suicide, which generally comes on during the second digestion of food, and goes off when that process is completed. Several instances have come within my knowledge, where individuals have been so well aware of the periodical propensity to self-murder, that they always took precautions against the means of accomplishing that horrid act, some hours before the well-known hour of its accession.

qualified. In respect to this last objection, I would beg to remark that he is not a good physician who explores the physical, to the exclusion of the moral nature of man-and, if I am not mistaken, the opportunities of studying the philosophy of the mind, enjoyed by the physician, are not inferior to those enjoyed by any other class of enquirers. In courts, and in company, men, and women too, wear masks. On the bed of sickness, danger, or death, there is probably as much candour, and as little dissimulation used with the physician as with the priest. But, for obvious reasons, the former has infinitely better, as well as more numerous means of becoming acquainted with the operations of mind on matter, and of matter on mind, than the latter.

Be this as it may, I shall not presume to investigate systematically or minutely the moral influence of foreign residence on British minds and manners. I shall take but a very cursory view of the subject.

There is not an animal on the surface of this earth so prone to imitation, or so capable of accommodating itself to surrounding circumstances, as MAN. This proneness to imitation, and this pliancy of constitution, moral as well as physical, is greatest in youth, and progressively diminishes as age advances.

We see this every day exemplified. A youth cannot go on a week's visit to a relation, without imbibing and bringing back some peculiarity that had been witnessed while away. The youth who travels-and more especially he who sojourns for some time in foreign countries, has an additional impulse given to the natural propensity for imitation—the desire to shew what he has picked up on his peregrinations. The everlasting cigar, in the mouths of all who have crossed the channel—and all who wish to be thought travellers, is an illustration, of which we have ocular and olfactory demonstration daily.

If the propensity in question, evinced itself solely, or even chiefly, by the imitation of good instead of evil example, all would be well. But the very reverse is the case! It is true that vice, depravity, indecency, tyranny, slavery, &c. excite

SPARTA-POETIC PRECEPT.

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aversion, or even horror, at the first view; and it was probably this obvious and natural sentiment which induced the Spartan parent to exhibit the drunken slaves to his children, under the idea or belief that the sight would act as a preventive of intoxication. If this moral tentative was limited to a single exposure, it is probable that the result was beneficial-but, if such spectacles were often presented to the eyes of the Spartan youth, there is not a doubt that the moral consequences were diametrically the reverse of what were expected. This principle of human nature has been embodied by the poet in the following lines and never did poetry contain a more solid, though melancholy truth than is here propounded!

Vice is a monster of such horrid mien,
That to be hated needs but to be seen-

Yet seen too oft, familiar with his face,
We first endure, then pity-then EMBRACE.

Now what is here said of VICE, applies to every thing, the imitation of which is reprehensible. It may not, therefore, be unprofitable to inquire how far the maxims of the Spartan legislator and the British poet will bear on a journey through, as compared with a residence in, a foreign, and more especially an Italian climate.

I shall arrange the few observations I have to offer, under the following heads: viz. Cleanliness and Delicacy-IndustryPatriotism-Morality-Religion.

CLEANLINESS AND DELICACY.

I do not mean to elevate cleanliness to the rank of a cardinal virtue-though certainly it deserves no mean station among the minor ones. That it is conducive to health, there can be no question; and that its opponent, or contrast, is disgusting to more senses than the sight, till they become habituated to its presence, is a position which few will dispute. That habituation blunts, and ultimately obliterates all feeling of repugnance to the various grades of uncleanness, from personal MALPROPRETÉ

to pestilent FILTH, is a fact which every philosophic observer must have verified. It is remarkable that, in a climate, whose high range of temperature so loudly calls for cleanliness, the most abominable effluvia should constantly assail our olfactories, while their still more disgusting sources perpetually offend the eye. It is not less astonishing than true, that the English eye, male and female, will, in the course of a single Winter, become perfectly familiarized to sights and scenes of indescribable uncleanliness! Look at the PIAZZA DI SPAGNA, the Portland Place of Rome, and the favourite rendezvous of the English. There we see the crystal stream pure as ever issued from the fountain of Egeria, flowing, day and night, to quench the thirst and cleanse the skins of the Roman population in its neighbourhood. He who walks round this fountain, and who may have travelled in the East, will be reminded of the Indian tanks or jeels, by mementos which it is unnecessary to mention !

"Some travellers (says Matthews) have compared the Piazza "DI SPAGNA-the focus of fashion, and the general resort of "the English, to Portman Square;—but it is little more than "an irregular open space, a little less nasty than the other "Piazzas in Rome, because the habits of the people are some"what restrained by the presense of the English. Still there "is quite enough left to make me believe the Romans to be the "nastiest people in Christendom-if I had not seen the Por"tuguese."-Diary of an Invalid.

Where general cleanliness is neglected, we can hardly be surprized at personal MALPROPRETÉ. But as this is a topic which I dislike to dwell on, I shall dismiss it with a single testimony. National manners are fair game; but personal habits are tender subjects, which should rarely be touched upon. It is impossible, however, to entirely avoid such topics in the train of investigation which I am now pursuing.*

* The character drawn of the fair Florentines by Forsyth, and which I quoted in my first edition, I purposely omit here, because I believe it does not strictly apply to them at present. I shall therefore adduce the testimony of only one recent writer-a testimony that will not be questioned on matters

"Employment, which Galen calls Nature's physician,' is so essential to human happiness, that indolence is justly considered as the mother of misery." -BURTON.

There are few people in the world more industrious than the English-and the nation is not a little indebted for its pre-eminence to this very quality. It is with individuals as with nations :-idleness brings poverty, misery, and various vices in its train; while health, happiness, and competency are sure to pursue the steps of industry. Now, whoever wishes to take lessons in laziness, should go to Italy, where he may study it in perfection among all classes of society, from the haughty Roman pa

relating to Italy at least-I mean Dr. GRANVILLE-for the double purpose of supporting the tenor of my strictures, and demonstrating the force of habit and example in all things appertaining to personal cleanliness.

After giving a ludicrous and somewhat sickening description of a dinner, where barons, privy-councillors, superior employés, military officers, &c. composed the company, and where "coarse linen, hair uncombed, and nails terminated by a sable crescent, bespoke them members of that privileged class which do not always combine the Chesterfieldian manners and neatness of person with their other excellent qualities," the Doctor recommends a season in London as a cure of this personal malpropreté, remarking as follows :- "I have frequently had occasion to witness the marvellous metamor"phosis which such an experiment has produced in many German and "ITALIAN NOBLEMEN who visit England with excellent introductions. One hardly recognizes them again at the time of their departure, so thoroughly changed are their manners and appearance by the result of example. And "although on their return home they may be considered singular, the supe“riority of their address and the neatness of their persons readily and advan"tageously distinguish them from the rest of their countrymen."—Granville's St. Petersburgh.

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The above, from the pen of Dr. Granville, is tolerably conclusive; and as it will hardly be maintained that we are more prone to imitate good than bad example, the effect of protracted residence abroad may easily be gathered from Dr. Granville himself-viz, an illustration of the SPARTA-POETIC maxim. We are first disgusted with the sight of filth-gradually accustomed to its presence and ultimately reconciled to its existence.