There is very little drunkenness in Rome I freely admit, but then the Italians, like most natives of warm countries, are naturally sober.

Rome is certainly not superior in this respect to other Italian cities; since the introduction of the French soldiery probably the contrary.

At the street corners you constantly see exhortations against profane swearing, headed "Bestemmiatore orrendo nome," but in spite of this, the amount of blasphemies that any common Roman will pour forth on the slightest provocation, is really appalling.

Beggars too are universal.

Everybody begs; if you ask a common person your way along the street, the chances are that he asks you for a "buono mano." Now, even if you doubt the truth of Sheridan's dictum, that no man could be honest without being rich, it is hard to believe in a virtuous beggar.