The Express.
London, England, 1861-03-16 00:00:00

ITALY.

(non otm own cowsroimser.)
NAPLES, MARCH 9.
It is impossible towalk through this city without
being sensible of a vast change for the better.
There is an expansion and a cheerfulness about
every place and person which we have not wit-
neesed for years, and the stranger who hail not
visited Naples recently must see at a glance that
the people have been liberated from some great evil
which crushed all energy and animation out of
them. What a scene of enjoyment is the Villa
Reale, that pleasant place where only a few months
since lurked the spy and policeman, or patrolled
the soldier, but which is now filled with happy
working persona. Every day the band plays at
3 o'clock, and the ladies come out to sun themselves
and the gentlemen to admire them, and on Sunday
these gardens are thronged to excess. For twelve
years the sound of music has not been
heard there, and they have been a type of
the city and the whole kingdom ; for every
place and person has been full of anxiety and sor-
row. Leaving the Villa Reale and going towards
the royal palace, if that neighbourhood pleases us
better, at the same hour we shall find an excellent
band playing there also, for the amusement of the
crowds who frequent the colonnade of San Fran-
cesco Paolo. This used to be the frequent resort of
spies and policemen ; men durst not speak above a
whisper in that neighbourhood, and often have I
seen the gates of that palace closed in a panic and
the cannon pointed towards the people. Not many
months have elapsed since I stood and watched
Francis IL flying from his palace of Capo di Monte,
on a bright June evening, to take refuge here,
whilst a silent and discontented crowd flocked
round to gate on their sovereign. Now multi-
tudes assemble here daily with all confidence,
and enjoy themselves as they have not done
for years. So is it in every part of the city.
The people can venture to speak and smile (for
cases may be given where, under Ferdinand E.,
men were arrested for smiling)i and act like the
subjects of any other free state. Now go through
the Toledo, and read the placards on the walls and
the titles of books in the windows. What an
amount of freedom is represented here ! Watch
the newspaper vendors as they run through the
streets, deafening the people with their cries of
"L'hidependente," "I/ Pungolo," '' II lgazionale,"
and so on with fifty others. All this is matter of
observation • these are evident signs of greater
freedom : What is the prevailing feeling I It is
joy at having been delivered from the Bourbons.
I have beon startled this week by a report that
Minotti, Garibaldi's son, has been in Naples, and
on mentioning it to a person high in office, it an.
peanut to me to be believed—" At all events," was
the reply, "he is now in Turin." The entire story,
however, made out that on Sunday last he left
Naples for Palermo; he saw none of the old friends
of his father, and the movement party argue,
therefore, that Garibaldi is forming new relations,
and assert stoutly that he is making preparations
for a blow somewhere, and that nght speedily.
Perhaps the wish may be father to the thought,
though the committees for making preparations, as
you have already been informed by me, have eea
formed both here and in Sicily.

The prisoners of war who have been, since the
fall of Gaeta, scattered amongst the islands, are
now beinst gradually brought over to Naples, and
placed, some in the capital, others in the neighbour•
rag towns.