had too much tact not to preserve and protect the good he found, tho’ he abolished all old abuses.  The improvements introduced by the French have been preserved and confirmed by the Grand Duke on his return, for he is a man of too much good sense, and has too much love of justice, to think of abolishing the good that has been done, merely because it was done by the French.  Tuscany has now a respectable military force of 8,000 men well armed, clothed and equipped in the French manner.

Tuscany is the only part of Italy where the downfall of Napoleon was not regretted; the inhabitants of Leghorn indeed rejoiced at it, for the commerce of Tuscany being chiefly maritime, Leghorn suffered a good deal from the continental system.  Leghorn in fact decayed in the same proportion that Milan and other inland cities rose into opulence.

The character of the Tuscan people is so amiable and pacific that crime is very rare indeed.  Murder is almost unknown and the punishment of death is banished from the penal code.  Where the government is good, the people are or soon become good.  I know of no country in the world more agreeable for a foreigner to settle in than Tuscany.

I omitted to remark that in the street called Borgo d’Ognissanti is a large house or palazzo which belonged to Americo Vespucci.  His bust is to be seen in the Florentine Gallery.  It is curious to remark the different appellations given to the word street in the different cities of Italy.  In Milan a street is called vico and in Turin, contrada; in Florence strada and in Rome, I understand, via.

FLORENCE, 1st Sept.

I shall start in a day or two for Rome, being very impatient to behold the Eternal City, a plan which I have had in view from my earliest days and which I have not been able hitherto to effect; for like the Abbe Delille I had sworn to visit the sacred spot where so many illustrious men had spoke and acted, and to do hommage in person to their Manes.  I was always a great admirer of the “Popolo Re.”

In Florence there are a great many literary societies such as the Infuocati, Immobili, and the far renowned La Crusca.

Frequent Academies, for so a sitting of a litterary society in Italy is termed, are held in Florence.  There are likewise two Casinos, one for the nobility and the other for the merchants and burghers; the wives and daughters of the members attend occasionally; and cards, music and dancing are the amusements.  Florence abounds in artists in alabaster whose workmanship is beautiful.  They make models in alabaster of the most celebrated pieces of sculpture and architecture, on any scale you chuse:  they fabricate busts too and vases in alabaster.  The vases made in imitation of the ancient Greek vases are magnificent, and some of them are of immense size.  Foreigners generally chuse to have their busts taken; for almost