Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1841-01-09
MIS- a. H. ~ Z.
ROME IN THE CARNIVAL.

fnoM Il o pAy's NOVEL or HOFFMAN LEsLlB.
Whoever has no. witnessed the fc~ s,isities of shc
carnival week at Rome, will scarcely lend credit. 10
tho burlesluo extravngances, even 10 this day,
committee by ell classes. 1t is q page Of reality,
resembling ono Of old romaDces; and the stranger
wonders to SEQ it8 antique and remarkalle leaf thus
bound up 10 tho prosaic volume OF common life.
The grave and sensible Englishman. tho obseryant
aud intelligent American, is aston!shed al tlie
spectacle Of u whok, people abandoned 30 the mad
dest freaks Of frolic and faucy-disguieing them
selves in grotesque habits, masking their faces, al
,ering their gait, form end MISUNDERSTANDING
with lively ardor into the widest folly. From the
violent gesticula,ioua nnd various Costumes, it ap-
pears as if tho theatres Of tho world had emptid
their wardrobea, and sent forth their performers to
play each in the face of Heaven those thousand
parts in other counirys-a OF least in ours-feservcd
for the midnight stage. Here a brigand stalk in
The full glory Of arms and equipments, with flow
ing tresscs, dark mus.aches, and a c0untenapce Of
moro than human ferocity. He steals along after
the rolling carriage, end aims his carbine at some
besu,eons victim. There a Spanish lover, with
his graceful cloak, broad hat and feathers, and love
breathing guitar, sings his serenades 10 each pas.
sing fair; sometimes, for the occasion excuses oil
civil familiarity, he mufmurs a soft air TO an Eng
lish belle in her carriage; sometimes whispers love
to thcgay French girl; sometimes kneels to the
CDniadina in the street: and again directs his
strain to a bright face peeping from a palace vim
dow, or leaning OF laughing over o balcony. Be-
hind him stalks a knight glistening n armour, who
bears upon his lance the favor Of his laly-lovc, or
handa q letter on its point TO the first pair Of eyes
that take his fancy-stranger or native, high or
low. The fierce Saracen stalks through the throng,
hrandishint his cimetar, and twiIIing his musta-
ches. The unprecedented Indian with bis toma-
hawk threatens swift destruction to each shrink
ing maid. Old lords and ladies, in dresses IF
antique magniicence, recall the fplendours Of the
most celebrated courts. The frolieksome sailor
reels along as if The light Italian wines had been
too strong for his brain. Thu lover sighs-the
warrior shouls-the spectre gfiles: and many stri-
king characters are correctly dressed: and repre-
sented with serious accuracy and excellent effect.
Others there are who delight to fling over The
whole the broadcast possible air of redicule. Hump
backs are swelled into mouniains-eyes glazing
like moons-huge mouths-bald pa'es-over-
grown stomaches-statues twice the ordinary sizc
| reformed foreheads-and noses of such prodi-
| ecu. dimensions, magnifed proportions, and fubi-
| cund coIors, as may chance, if you eat too heavy
a supper, TO haunt your late slumher in the shape
Of an ncubus-all that mirth and ingenuity can
| invent to distort and carricature, here floats upon
The vast and ever moving tide, rising and sinking,
in tho dense, universal ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
and appearing again; carriages loaded with double
| numbers; horses rearing with two and four-vo-
| men seven feet high, and sweet girls in Uniform of
| banditti. Those whose ambition does not seek TO
| support distinct and memorable roles content them
selves with the simple smooth common mask; a
| pretty girIish countenance, whose everlasting rep
| etition at length wearies the eye, and becomes no
| theme of curiosity or distinction.
Some too; so picturesque are tho inhabitants of
| Rome; even while wearing the every day habili-
nents, can with difficulty be distinguished from
| the maskers; and the bare footed and cowled
| monks and friars; tho long bearded mendicanis,
| covered with rags and wrinkles; the fat priest, and
the stern soldier, are only known from the giddy
| surrounding coucourse by their unmasked faces,
| their steady step, and their grave demeanor.-
| Nearly all The town join in this sport; or, ifthey
! do>no. actually participate, at least throng togeth-
| er by thousands and thousands to witness it and
| swell the extraordinary spectacle. Countless
| numbers of ladies', both natives and foreigners,
| NAV be seen either 10 their carriage or al the win
| dows; gentleman and noble, young and old, peas
| ant and duke, all mingled and blended together IN
| a wild, excited, haIf-familiar, half merry, half-mad
| mass of human beings; crying, laughing, scream
| ing, gesliculasiag, ~lesping, dancing, singing,
shouting, and pelting each other with -four, sugar
| plums, or oats stepped in Plaster of Paris resem-
| bling them, and covering the air, the street walks,
and all the population, with the white of a univer-
| sal snow storm. A hundred thousand people are
not unfreqentIy assembled, either as actors or audi
| ence upon the scene of action, which is in the
Corso and the adjoining streets, squares. and ave
nucs.
Our readers on the other side of lie ocean,
need no. BIO reminded that the Corso 10 the he
gent street, or broadway, Of modern Rome
straight and exceedingly narrow. built up closely
on both sides will high houses. or gloomy hns
immense and magnificent old palaces, all Of (which
- ~ aynrp rataf wbFte mpn and