The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-03-30
AFFAIRS TN HvAoPH.
The Carnival at Rome.
MOVEMENTS OF AMERICANS ABROAD
rEr0xn a nnnna Latter Il lob. - IL

day, and to-day, the homsn worio Duieo IN
sackclock and ashes. Notes Of preparation tor de-
parturc are heard ut every side, and tho English
who thronged the Corso during the last ten days.
are going to Florence and Naples, whilst certain
number are bound for Paris and London. On the
whole the season has been, compared with former
wears a failure, and the carnival has exhibited an
immense falling OF in the spirit and variety Of tho
amusements In fact the once celebrated carnival
at Rome is degene-atiug into n very commonplace,
and. | may say, vulgar afair-and like many other
public smusements, such as the legitimate drama
great bore in ny opinion-it is going rapidly into
disuse. None Of the Roman nobility will now pa
troDixe 1.-THE only carriages seen in the Corso be-
long to patrican pebean strangers--and If, from
any circumstance the rich English did not appear,
the mob alone would have complete possession OF
the place. In other times, it was the fashion TO
fng bouquets, more or less valuable from the pat
comics 60 the pa ssng carriages, and from the car.
ragos to each balcony as well as large qnantes OF
sweetmeats and $ ga plums Now you find that the
commonest garden weeds are made up for bouquets,
and that composition oflime and sand to represent
Confetti. is in general use. Sometimes malicious
persons enclose stones, balls of filth in the bou
auets and as to the lime DUST only imagine a
young lady receiving handful, bowl full, in
her face, and the risk she runs of her sight being
injured. should the wire mask which every one
wears. be displaced at the moment One or two
serious accidents of this kind have occurred The
horse racing without riders, which once was an in
ierestng and inspiring display, has likewise dege-
noratcd into contest between the old hacks OF the
postmaster, which no longer 1T for active SER
vice. The dogs that start at the same time are
most commonly foremost in the race and il there
be one toerable beast among the lot, he wins every
day, and of course carries OF all the prizes To add
to the discomfort Of this year, the weather has been
most wrctched; cold northeast wind has prevailed
during the whole week, and has prevented many
who mi ght have been seen III the Corso from appear
ing As If all these causes were not sufficient TO
ruin the carnival, the Romans the liberals, have
added the plague Of political demonstration
plan was formed. il said, on last Thursday, at
he moment when The last gun announced the close
Of the Fasta, to fall upon the carriages, and piIlage
several of the noighboring palaces in the hope that
the mob would rise aud oyerTower the French
troops The police were informed Of the design, and
at the moment of its intended preparation, large
body Of troops was marched into the Corso, and
great number OF political arrests was made. In my
opinion such conspiracy existed, but Rome is full
OF professional thieves and should not be surprised
il plan for robbery and page, to which the
name Of political demonstration has been giyon,
was organized. We have had the usual number OF
profitable to hotels and shopkeepers This has
been sad disappointment TO those OF the better
class, who, at immense expense decorated their
magazines, and imported large stocks of London
and Paris luxuries. Not only are the number and
rank of our visitcrs indicated the books Of the
various hotels, and by the lists of strangers kept
nj Pialcs excellent news-room, but the attendance
at the Protestant church. just outside the walls, is
taken as fair test and it remarked that last
Sunday, the very height Of the season, not more
than 500 formed the congregation. | must, how
ever, give you some names, in order that you may
judge, not only what We are, but who we are In
the first place, we have the great London banker,
Mr.. Lloyd, now Lord Oyerstone; then we have the
Earl st. Germans, Lord Middleton, Lord Kintere,
Lord Fielding, Lord Campdcn, Lord Walpole, and
the young Lord Ribblesdals with others whose
names cannot at this moment bring to mind, We
have also the Right Hon. Mr.. Nicholl, Major-gcn-
eral Drunmond; Major-general Lindsay and Msjer,
general Moore, Colonel and Mrs. Lockwood Colonel
Malcolm, and q vast number of other persons of
greater or lesser Importance. The senson opened
with the grand reception at Cardinal Altieri's,
where everybody of the least pretension to fashion
was seen, and a display Of diamonds made which in
no place be surpassed. On these occasions all
the great families produce their richest treasures
and the Princess Dora Pampnlii our beautiful ana
amiable countrywoman and the lovely Neapolitan
Princes Torlonia, and the Countess Grazioi were
covered with jewels. There historical rccoilec
tons connected with the brillians Of the two first
great ladies, but those Of the third are 0f more
cent acquisition, her husband is the son of per-
son who gained colossal fortune in commercial OPP
era;ons and, Of course the diamonds are not here
ditary. We have had organized receptions every
Tuesday, at M. de Raynevafs, the French Am
bassador. at General Geneau's, the Commander
in-Chief, where the bonors were done with
grace by the Countess dc Tayneval, and with an Gle
gsnce and cordiality that won every heart by the
Countess Gemcau and her daughters We had
very splendid fancy ball at the Countess Gersderf
Reventlows and quadrille balls innumsrabls at tho
principal English houses. Tho three bankers name
Is, n. Torlonia, Mr. Plowden, and Nr. Hooker, the
latter American, We'd with each other in grand dis
plays. No less than fifteen hundred Of all ranks
filled the immense palace Of the Prince. but as the
s,Hpor rooms were not opened till three in the
ming, much discomfort among the hungry guests was
exhibited Mr.. Hooker gave his ball at the Palace
Nsgrini to at least five hundred, but there better
arrangement made, and the delicaeies OF the
season and the iced champagne came into play Mt
midnight. Mrs Plowden's ball was truly elegant
affair." her rooms are magnificent and as the
decorations, music, and Lighting left nothing to be
desired. The supper and the champagne were per-
feet in all respects. Mrs. Colonel Lockwoods ball
was also most elegantly arranged. The dancing
room is one Of the largest in Rome. and as it was
x-;fI nh and oil wit nd
beauty, the fine effect may be imagined. Unfortu-
rately. some Of the modern palaces are so badly
built that many families who meant to give balls
were compelled to change them into routs, as the
floors wore not safe for ancing; and in case at
Mr. Drummond's, where all was supposed to be
solid. . beam cracked, and, if the polka had con-
tinued, the whole company would have gone down
to the first floor, to the millinery rooms Of Mme
Nsrcisse. Fortunately notice was given in time
10 stop the dancing, or else ! should have had
dire disasters to relate. Mr.. Gibson's magnificent
statue of Sir Robest Peel is nearly completed l
speak Of the model in clay for the marble is but the
copy Of the plaster cast. 1t is work of art Of the
highest ORDER full Of the dignity Of the statesman
and the orator, without descending INTO mannerism.
submitted by the sculptor, and the work on which
he ia engaged lie that selected 1t Is seven feet
and half in height, and colossal 50 far as TO admit
full play to the fine features Of the great minister,
we'll NJ to the classic folds Of the drapery in which
the person is clad Mr.. Macdonald has just
pleed bis Venus and his studio is full of repettons
ordered oil many OF MS celebrated Works; among
which my favorite is the Bacchante arranging her
flowing locks. Mr.. Gibson is equally fall of commits
for copies Of his former statues, and Venus Is
now nearly Completed fine work in all respects.
must omit doing justice to the colossal statues of
Washington and Patrick Henry, just executed for
bronze by Mr.. Crawford, American artist as they
sre fhi OF grand nepraton: or to the delicate andre
lined cast by another American artist, Mr.. Msziere,
81 the Indian maiden Pocohantas, which may take
its place amoug the most graceful works Of modern
art 1t is difficult to learn what are the causes of
The falling of in the numbers, wealth, and rank Of
our annual visteys. ! am inclined 10 attribute it
10 the operation Of free trade, as the landed pro-
pgietors are too poor to abroad, and the manu-
fsc4urers naturally stAy q, home to profit by the
present system. The Americans, however, diminish
in the same proportion; and not only does CON-
merce suffer by the iaet, bat AL the artists com.