heart; but to say that it is always so, is a libel upon nature."

They were now upon the return home, and soon rejoined Mary and lady Anne Milsome, with whom the baron de Shad still continued. Charles could now meet him with feelings of unmixed pleasure, and the beginning of a strong friendship had already commenced between them. To lord Burton the society of the baron was particularly agreeable, from habits of old intimacy, and the kind of melancholy that hung upon each of them produced a sympathy of feeling, and a similarity of ideas, that drew them more strongly together than ever. The elegance of the baron's manners, and the extensive information he possessed, made him a pleasant companion to the ladies of the party; and all, in short, looked forward to his accompanying them to Naples as a great addition to the pleasure they expected.

Accordingly, on the day proposed, they quitted

quitted the city of Rome, and having passed the Pontine marshes, got upon the celebrated Appian way a little before they arrived at Terracina, where some remains of the ancient port built by Antoninus Pius were pointed out to them. But from thence also a much finer object met their eyes the sea, which they had not beheld since their passage from England. Passing on by Mola, where Scipio Africanus is said to have made his abode, they proceeded to Capua, (on the river Vulturnus,) which seemed to them little like the city whose joys intoxicated the victo rious army of Hannibal, and delayed its march. Here they slept, or at least endeavoured to do so, for a certain follower of the summer contrived pretty well to destroy their rest.

"Oh!" cried Charles on descending to the breakfast-room, "Hannibal! Hanni-. bal! when last you slept here, had you been so devoured with fleas as I have been, you would not have stopped another day

in this place, but marching on with your flea-bitten host, would have compelled proud Rome to bow her haughty head.— You see, baron," he continued, pursuing his rhapsody," how slight a thing may cause the greatest revolutions-to conceive that so small an animal as a flea might have brought about the ruin of the greatest city in the world!-nay more, pushing the consequences still farther, might, by making the Carthaginians masters of Italy, have transplanted the seat of empire to Africa, have prevented, or altered in their course, all that has since happened in Europe, and stopped the progress of cultivation. Our religion, our language, our manners, might all have been changed; Africa might have been the civilized, the elegant quarter of the globe, and Europe a barbarous, unlettered desert-and all for a flea!-You need not laugh, Mary; it is not reasoning too curiously-faith, not a whit!"

But perhaps Hannibal's skin was not

so delicate as yours, Mr. Melville," replied the baron.

"Skin, my dear sir!" answered Charles; "I can assure you I have not a bit left; I have suffered the martyrdom of St. Bartholomew! But for Heaven's sake let us get out of the place as soon as possible!"

"We will take the ruins of the old city where Hannibal really was in our way," said lord Burton; "I have never seen them, but I understand they offer some curious remains."

Immediately after breakfast they proceeded to the old city of Capua, at the distance of a few miles from the modern one, and thence went on to Aversa, the calm quiet of whose lovely situation went directly home to Charles's heart. His mind was at that moment peculiarly open to every agreeable sensation; he saw nothing but beauty in the scene around; and with Mary by his side, knowing himself loved, and pressed on by no sorrow, in the midst of nature and repose, he fan

cied that he could rest, and let his life glide peacefully from him even there.

CHAPTER XII.

Benvolio. I aimed so near when I supposed you loved. Romeo. A right good marksman; and she's fair I love. Benvolio. A right fair mark, fair coz, is soonest hit. Romeo. But in that hit you miss; she'll not be hit With Cupid's arrow. Romeo and Juliet.

The Italians.

THE heart, like a flower, opens to sunshine. There is something in the smile of nature, sparkling through the blue eye of heaven, that dispels the gloom of lesser disappointments, and casts a warm and gentle glow over all our feelings and sensations. Bitter indeed must be the sufferings of him to whom the gay, unclouded clearness of a summer's day comes like a mockery