"which is meant the government. The officers of justice appear in as infamous a light as the "boureaus in France. They always marry amongst "each other; the meanest wretch of Genoa would "deem it a difgrace to marry the daughter or "fifter of a Sbirri; of course a Sbirri never mar"ries any woman but the daughter or fifter of "another Sbirri, as no other woman will accept "of him. They can have no fociety but with "thofe of their own fraternity; as it is ignomi"nious for their neighbours to affociate with "them. It frequently happens that the females "of thefe Sbirri are remarkably handsome; their

beauty procures them the particular attention. "and protection of the Nobles; fcarcely one of "whom has not a favourite mistress amongst them. "These men run great risks in the execution of "their office; there are at least ten or twelve of "them killed every year by the populace, in the "execution of their duty. Sixty livres is the "allowance for each arreft. At the approach of night they walk the streets in small bands or

'parties, in order to prevent affaffinations, which

are not uncommon here. It is abfolutely

against the law, for any perfon to carry a ftil"letto concealed about him; therefore, when the "Sbirri meet with a fufpicious person, they fur"round him immediately, ftroke him down the "fides and hips, to discover if he has a stilletto "about him. If they find one, he is hurried away to prison, and there detained fix months; Q 2

" for

66

for a first offence, in cafe the offender bears a ¢ good character in the town, he is fined in the "fum of fixty livres, costs and expences; when "not entitled to this favour, he is either sent to "the galleys for life, or for a confiderable term "of years. Notwithstanding this ordinance of government, there is not a Genoese who does "not poffefs a fillette, and contrive, at all hazards, "to carry it about him. This deadly instrument "makes its way at one ftroke, through the ribs, "the fpine of the back, or the shoulder-blade; "fo well is the steel tempered. The moft dread"ful accidents frequently happen in the streets; "for on receiving the flightest provocation, the fillettos make their appearance; they affail each "other with great ferocity, and no unconcerned fpectator ever interpofes, fearing a momentary "refentment of either combatant may prove fatal "to him; and even though one should fall, yet "nobody prefent ever thinks of purfuing or stopping "the murderer: a culpo di coltello is looked upon "here as a black eye, or a bloody nofe in Eng"land. Another reason why the fpectators of a "fray do not interpofe is, that the family of the

66

guilty perfon are implacable towards an in"former; and never fail to requite his officiouf "nefs, fooner or later, with a like return. The "manner in which the guilty affassin secures him"felf is, by going immediately on board a foreign "veffel in the harbour, where he remains in fafety "till the accident is forgot; but in cafe of pro"fecution

"secution, and the procurement of an order for "feizing him, then a year or two of abfence, with "five or fix hundred livres properly applied, "rarely fails of infuring his pardon and permiffion "to return. If the wound is but flight, the "affaffin never thinks even of going on shipboard, "but walks off to the nearest church, where, in "the portico, or on the steps, he is in fafety; but "if the wound proves mortal, the church no "longer affords him an asylum. The churches "are also very convenient for all pilferers, who "are there in fecurity from the Sbirri; but in the "cafe of highway-robbers, house-breakers, and "affaffins, an order is procured by the Dage from "the Archbishop, who never refuses it, authorif

ing the civil power to act by these refugees as they see proper."

These observations of M's bring to my mind the only time I have feen the Shirri in employment. The steps of the Annunciata are covered by vagabonds, fturdy boys, and wenches

these

fally out at nights to pick pockets, at which handicraft they are fufficiently dexterous, and in the day-time fell their captures to Jew-pedlars who pass by. The other day a lubberly boy, about fixteen years old, was fo filly as to confide in a young damfel, his fweetheart, who was of no higher condition than a common ftreet-walker. She brought her knitting, and kept him company all day on the steps, excepting when she went to fetch him victuals; at night they strolled about

à

the streets together, filching what they could lay their hands on; this lafted a few days, and I constantly observed them from my window, till at laft the Shirri prevailed upon the damfel to perfuade him there was no danger in venturing abroad a little by day-light. He gave into their fnare, but had not got twenty paces from the church, before a small party of failors in appearance furrounded him, and took him away with them; these failors were in fact Sbirri, who thus disguised themselves to entrap this young culprit, and conducted him immediately on board a galley. The Sbirri are to be paid fixty livres for the two years he is to remain on board, his crime not being fufficiently great to demand more severity. Our Ciceroni mentioned a remarkable anecdote in rela tion to our hoft, as follows: that, when young, he was exceedingly addicted to all forts of debau chery, and in a fit of choler ftabbed a man to death; he fheltered himself in his father's houfe, not doubting to find an asylum more secure and more agreeable than he could expect at Cadiz, had he failed thither, which his countrymen do in like circumstances; but, to his great disappointment, his father gave him up to juftice, with the reserve of sparing his life, and confenting to a ten years imprisonment. This was granted. The time being almoft expired, and his mother perceiving her laft hour approaching, requested to fee her fon before fhe fhould die; her request was complied with, and he is faid to have profited

much

much by her dying admonitions. However, this report is not clear of contradiction; but as far as our knowledge of him reaches, we must allow him to have behaved honeftly enough. At first I was obliged to difpute his prices, as they appeared exorbitant, he abated fomething in confequence; but had I known what I now know, I fhould not have ventured to have put him in a paffion, I affure you. It is fingular, that the wretched old penitent, who I have already mentioned to you (the step-licker), is coufin-german to this our

host.

I return again to M's notes: "The Republic feems, upon the whole, to be more "fevere towards thieves than murderers; perhaps "they confider the lofs of goods as a greater in"convenience to fociety than the lofs of lives. "This is fomething like the ftate-œconomy of "France; the greater the number who die in confequence of the prefent dearth you mention, "the more bread will remain for the living. It is "remarkable, that for these four months paft the "Genoefe have maintained fo pacific a difpofition, "that nobody has died of a colpo di coltello; may "this humanity have a long continuance!

"France is much in debt to the Genoefe; but "they will not easily be perfuaded to give her "farther credit, after the late reduction in 1770.

"The Prince of Condé, upon his own account, "is at this time negociating a loan here, for two "millions of livres, at four and a half per cent. "payable

Q4