Annus centenus Roma seraper est jubilenus:  Crimina laxantur si penitet ista dortantur; Sic ordinavit Bonifacius et roboravit.

Rome, March 26

We are this instant arrived, tired and hungry!  O! the charming city-I believe it is-for I have not seen a syllable yet, only the Pons Milvius and an obelisk.  The Cassian and Flaminian ways were terrible disappointments; not one Rome tomb left; their very ruins ruined.  The English are numberless.  My dear West, I know at Rome you will not have a grain of pity for one; but indeed ’tis dreadful, dealing with schoolboys just broke loose, or old fools that are come abroad at forty to see the world, like Sir Wilful Witwould.

I don’t know whether you will receive this, or any other I write; but though I shall write often, you and Ashton must not wonder if none come to you; for though I am harmless in my nature, my name has some mystery in it.(186) Good night!  I have no more time or paper.  Ashton, child, I’ll write to you next post.  Write us no treasons, be sure!

(184) An Eton phrase.

(185) Francesco Bernardi, better known by the name of Senesino, a celebrated singer, who, having been engaged for the opera company formed by Handel in 17@20, remained here as principal singer until 1726, when the state of his health compelled him to return to Italy.  In 1730 he revisited England, where he remained until about 1734.  He was the contemporary, if not the rival of Farinelli; and Mr. Hogarth, in his “Memoirs of the Musical Drama,” (i. 431,) tells us, that when Senesino and Farinelli were in England together, they had not for some time the opportunity of hearing each other, in consequence of their engagements at different theatres.  At last, however, they were both engaged to sing on the same stage.  Senesino had the part of a furious tyrant, and Farinelli the part of an unfortunate hero in chains; but, in the course of the first act, the captive so softened the heart of the tyrant, that Senesino, forgetting his stage character, ran to Farinelli, and embraced him in his own.-E.

(186) He means the name of Walpole at Rome, where the Pretender and many of his adherents then resided.

148 letter 20 To Richard West, Esq.  Rome, April 16th, 1740, N. S.

I’ll tell you, West, because one is amongst new things, you think one can always write new things.  When I first came abroad, every thing struck me, and I wrote its history:  but now I am grown so used to be surprised, that I don’t perceive any flutter in myself when I meet with any novelties; curiosity and astonishment wear off, and the next thing is, to fancy that other people nnow as much of places as One’s Self; or, at least, one does not remember that they do not.  It appears to me as odd to write to you of St. Peter’s, as it would do to you to write of Westminster Abbey.  Besides, as one looks at churches, etc. with a book of travels in one’s hand, and sees every thing