fomething they have heard an Englishman fay. There are certain licences in converfation that it is impoffible for a ftranger to comprehend clearly; even in French, you are not fure of being perfectly understood, as well for this reafon, as that the Turinese in general speak French indifferently, and amongst themselves converfe conftantly in Piedmontefe; which is fuch a wretched jargon, that there never has been any book printed in it, nor can it be wrote grammatically.-It is not true, that the churches are fanctuaries for robbers and murderers; on the contrary, they are no longer in fafety there, than whilft an order is procuring from the Archbishop, which is never refused, and then the foldiers feize the refugees and bring them to juftice. That the momentary asylum the churches offer them is not quite difcouraged, may be accounted for from various confiderations.

1

The Police is fo ftrict here, as to prevent all Police; riots of any confequence in the streets; for if three or four perfons only feem to converse together with ardour, or fpeak louder than ordinary, the Guet draws near, and if they perceive any thing mysterious in their manner, or that they cannot give a very good account of themselves, they are frequently taken into cuftody from the fufpicion they had occafioned. The wine boufes are never free from emiffaries from the Police. Thus, plotting of every kind, whether against government or particulars, mutiny, robbery, &c. is in a great measure prevented by their vigilance. No

disorderly

disorderly women are permitted to walk the streets. It is fcarce poffible that any private affairs can pafs in the family of an individual, which do not fpeedily reach the ears of the King. The laquais de place are generally here (as in Paris) in the pay of the Police, and inform them of all they can discover in regard to the ftrangers whom they ferve. Each aubergifte makes two returns every night of the strangers lodged with them, their names, profeffions, country, &c.; and as far as they can guess, or learn from laquais de place, couriers, poftilions, or voiturins, where they last came from, their business at Turin, their intended stay there, and their future destination. One of these informing papers is carried to the Commandant of the town, the other to the Lieutenant de police, by a person whose business it is to call for the fame, nightly, at each auberge: by ten of the clock next morning the King has all these returns. They are relative particularly watchful of French travellers.-The theatre is under great reftrictions from the police. Before an opera is to be performed, the King himfelf takes the pains to read it over, and to erafe every line that can admit of an indecent or double meaning (although I believe the Serious opera is generally thought very decent). is particularly paid to the theatre, the morals of the Royal family. The King never goes to the Comic opera, nor permits any of his own family to attend it. The Princefs of Carig

to the theatre.

This attention on account of

* The host of any public-house, inn, tavern, &c.

nan

nan only, frequents that theatre.-Alfo in regard to the dances, as the Italian tafte is more inclined to the grotesque than the ferious, the danseuses jump very high, and kick up their heels in a more furprifing than graceful manner; but if their attitudes happen to become unguarded, they have a sharp reprimand from the police. The delicate Zamperini, after her return from England, expreffed too much licentiousness in her action and manner, for which he had an immediate order from the Dutchefs of S-y, to quit at once those airs; which La Signora inftantly obeyed. The black drawers worn by the danseuses have a very disgusting appearance.

State ce

The King is thought to be the best œconomist in the world. M had it from good autho-conomy. rity, that he always keeps by him, in his ftrong box, nine hundred thousand Piedmontefe livres. Although the fum is not large, yet there are Princes of much more confiderable revenues, who, after all the current expences of the year, &c. are paid, do not find as much remaining for their amufements or neceffities+.

There has been no Secretary of State for many years paft. The poor old Chevalier R-b-i, Minifire pour les affaires etrangeres, does all the business of that office, as well as of his own, upon an appointment of about 300 l. per annum (Englifh money); nor has there been any Governor of

† M has been affured, that the K-'s revenue is not lefs than 30 millions of Piedmontefe livres.

Troops.

Turin for ten or twelve years paft, fince the decease of the Marquis Tane, who was the last; for the present Count Tane (who is a very genteel and polite old gentleman) is only Commandant: formerly they were separate employments, but are now combined in one, from motives of œconomy.

His My keeps in his own hands the great. farm, or plantation, of tobacco, near Turin, confifting of above five hundred acres, which yields him confiderable profits; he has also very fine farms near and at a diftance from the town, of which he likewife receives the immediate advantages.

Mhas learnt for me, that the cavalry in time of peace are but in part mounted, half of each troop being on foot; and though his esta. blishment is for feventeen thousand, there are fcarce at this time twelve thousand men in array. This faves him a great deal of money. The pay of an Enfign is but 500 livres per annum, a Captain 1200. There have been four or five confiderable employments kept vacant for fome years paft, from no other motive (as M has been affured) than that of œconomy. There ftill remains of the debt contracted in the late war 42 millions and a half of Piedmontese livres; for which his Majefty pays annually two million and a half intereft and expences. The conquefts or Païs conquis as they are here called, accorded to the Kby a former peace, increase his revenue about two millions

millions and one quarter, fo that they yield him nearly fufficient to pay the intereft of his debt. Monf. R-b-i affured M-, that the debt may be liquidated in time by parfimony, but the above increase of revenue will be permanent: he alfo afferted, that the K- could arm, and even maintain 50,000 men in time of war; which is doing more in proportion to his revenue, than any other Prince in Europe can do. But it is doubtful whether or not the above may be depended on, as M-- has been confidently affured, that it would be with the utmoft difficulty fo great an army could be maintained for even two campaigns, by his Sardinian Majeity alone, without the aid of foreign fubfidies, which this court has always an eye to.-The taxes amount to nearly a fifth of the national income; that is, of the value of the lands.

1

Table.

The K-'s Table is plentiful, but plain; rien King's de trop recherchée; every article being furnished by purveyors *, at a moderate rate; which purveyors enjoy fome privileges, as felling the furplus of the provisions brought in for the K-g [but not dreffed]. What remains from the K-'s table is ferved to the Lords and Ladies of the Bed-chamber in waiting, and from them down to the Equerries, Pages, Office, the military Guard de corps, &c. &c. I think the whole Royal family eat together, and dine at an early hour.

* Within a certain distance round Turin, the game is Royal property; and here it is that the purveyors provide for the K-'s table.

Employ