of　people　who　should　know　better。　　In　reality　these　societies　do
  not　exist。　　Does　my　reader　pause；　wondering　if　he　can　believe　his
  eyes？　　He　has　doubtless　heard　all　his　life　of　these　delightful
  circles；　and　believes　in　them。　　He　may　even　have　dined；　EN　PASSANT；
  at　the　〃palace〃　of　some　resident　compatriot　in　Rome　or　Florence；
  under　the　impression　that　he　was　within　its　mystic　limits。
  Illusion！　　An　effect　of　mirage；　making　that　which　appears　quite
  tangible　and　solid　when　viewed　from　a　distance　dissolve　into　thin
  air　as　one　approaches；　like　the　mirage；　cheating　the　weary
  traveller　with　a　vision　of　what　he　most　longs　for。
  Forty；　even　fifty　years　ago；　there　lived　in　Rome　a　group　of　very
  agreeable　people；　Story　and　the　two　Greenoughs　and　Crawford；　the
  sculptor　（father　of　the　brilliant　novelist　of　today）；　Charlotte
  Cushman　（who　divided　her　time　between　Rome　and　Newport）；　and　her
  friend　Miss　Stebbins；　the　sculptress；　to　whose　hands　we　owe　the
  bronze　fountain　on　the　Mall　in　our　Park；　Rogers；　then　working　at
  the　bronze　doors　of　our　capitol；　and　many　other　cultivated　and
  agreeable　people。　　Hawthorne　passed　a　couple　of　winters　among　them；
  and　the　tone　of　that　society　is　reflected　in　his　〃Marble　Faun。〃　　He
  took　Story　as　a　model　for　his　〃Kenyon；〃　and　was　the　first　to　note
  the　exotic　grace　of　an　American　girl　in　that　strange　setting。　　They
  formed　as　transcendental　and　unworldly　a　group　as　ever　gathered
  about　a　〃tea〃　table。　　Great　things　were　expected　of　them　and　their
  influence；　but　they　disappointed　the　world；　and；　with　the　exception
  of　Hawthorne；　are　being　fast　forgotten。
  Nothing　could　be　simpler　than　life　in　the　papal　capital　in　those
  pleasant　days。　　Money　was　rare；　but　living　as　delightfully
  inexpensive。　　It　was　about　that　time；　if　I　do　not　mistake；　that　a
  list　was　published　in　New　York　of　the　citizens　worth　one　hundred
  thousand　dollars；　and　it　was　not　a　long　one！　　The　Roman　colony　took
  〃tea〃　informally　with　each　other；　and　〃received〃　on　stated　evenings
  in　their　studios　（when　mulled　claret　and　cakes　were　the　only
  refreshment　offered；　very　bad　they　were；　too）；　and　migrated　in　the
  summer　to　the　mountains　near　Rome　or　to　Sorrento。　　In　the　winter
  months　their　circle　was　enlarged　by　a　contingent　from　home。　　Among
  wealthy　New　Yorkers；　it　was　the　fashion　in　the　early　fifties　to
  pass　a　winter　in　Rome；　when；　together　with　his　other　dissipations；
  paterfamilias　would　sit　to　one　of　the　American　sculptors　for　his
  bust；　which　accounts　for　the　horrors　one　now　runs　across　in　dark
  corners　of　country　houses；　…　ghostly　heads　in　〃chin　whiskers〃　and
  Roman　draperies。
  The　son　of　one　of　these　pioneers；　more　rich　than　cultivated；
  noticed　the　other　day；　while　visiting　a　friend　of　mine；　an
  exquisite　eighteenth…century　bust　of　Madame　de　Pompadour；　the　pride
  of　his　hostess's　drawing…room。　　〃Ah！〃　said　Midas；　〃are　busts　the
  fashion　again？　　I　have　one　of　my　father；　done　in　Rome　in　1850。　　I
  will　bring　it　down　and　put　it　in　my　parlor。〃
  The　travellers　consulted　the　residents　in　their　purchases　of　copies
  of　the　old　masters；　for　there　were　fashions　in　these　luxuries　as　in
  everything　else。　　There　was　a　run　at　that　time　on　the　〃Madonna　in
  the　Chair；〃　and　〃Beatrice　Cenci〃　was　long　prime　favorite。
  Thousands　of　the　latter　leering　and　winking　over　her　everlasting
  shoulder；　were　solemnly　sent　home　each　year。　　No　one　ever　dreamed
  of　buying　an　original　painting！　　The　tourists　also　developed　a
  taste　for　large　marble　statues；　〃Nydia；　the　Blind　Girl　of　Pompeii〃
  （people　read　Bulwer；　Byron　and　the　Bible　then）　being　in　such　demand
  that　I　knew　one　block　in　lower　Fifth　Avenue　that　possessed　seven
  blind　Nydias；　all　life…size；　in　white　marble；　…　a　form　of
  decoration　about　as　well　adapted　to　those　scanty　front　parlors　as　a
  steam　engine　or　a　carriage　and　pair　would　have　been。　　I　fear
  Bulwer's　heroine　is　at　a　discount　now；　and　often　wonder　as　I　see
  those　old　residences　turning　into　shops；　what　has　become　of　the
  seven　white　elephants　and　all　their　brothers　and　sisters　that　our
  innocent　parents　brought　so　proudly　back　from　Italy！　　I　have
  succeeded　in　locating　two　statues　evidently　imported　at　that　time。
  They　grace　the　back　steps　of　a　rather　shabby　villa　in　the　country；
  …　Demosthenes　and　Cicero；　larger　than　life；　dreary；　funereal
  memorials　of　the　follies　of　our　fathers。
  The　simple　days　we　have　been　speaking　of　did　not；　however；　outlast
  the　circle　that　inaugurated　them。　　About　1867　a　few　rich　New
  Yorkers　began　〃trying　to　know　the　Italians〃　and　go　about　with　them。
  One　family；　〃up　to　snuff〃　in　more　senses　than　one；　married　their
  daughter　to　the　scion　of　a　princely　house；　and　immediately　a　large
  number　of　her　compatriots　were　bitten　with　the　madness　of　going
  into　Italian　society。
  In　1870；　Rome　became　the　capital　of　united　Italy。　　The　court
  removed　there。　　The　〃improvements〃　began。　　Whole　quarters　were
  remodelled；　and　the　dear　old　Rome　of　other　days；　the　Rome　of
  Hawthorne　and　Madame　de　Stael；　was　swept　away。　　With　this　new　state
  of　things　came　a　number　of　Americo…Italian　marriages　more　or　less
  successful；　and　anything　like　an　American　society；　properly　so…
  called；　disappeared。　　To…day　families　of　our　compatriots　passing
  the　winter　months　in　Rome　are　either　tourists　who　live　in　hotels；
  and　see　sights；　or　go　（as　far　as　they　can）　into　Italian　society。
  The　Queen　of　Italy；　who　speaks　excellent　English；　developed　a
  PENCHANT　for　Americans；　and　has　attached　several　who　married
  Italians　to　her　person　in　different　court　capacities；　indeed；　the
  old　〃Black〃　society；　who　have　remained　true　to　the　Pope；　when　they
  wish　to　ridicule　the　new　〃White〃　or　royal　circle；　call　it　the
  〃American　court！〃　　The　feeling　is　bitter　still　between　the　〃Blacks〃
  and　〃Whites；〃　and　an　American　girl　who　marries　into　one　of　these
  circles　must　make　up　her　mind　to　see　nothing　of　friends　or
  relatives　in　the　opposition　ranks。　　It　is　said　that　an　amalgamation
  is　being　brought　about；　but　it　is　slow　work；　a　generation　will　have
  to　die　out　before　much　real　mingling　of　the　two　courts　will　take
  place。　　As　both　these　circles　are　poor；　very　little　entertainment
  goes　on。　　One　sees　a　little　life　in　the　diplomatic　world；　and　the
  King　and　Queen　give　a　ball　or　two　during　the　winter；　but　since　the
  repeated　defeats　of　the　Italian　arms　in　Africa；　and　the　heavy
  financial　difficulties　（things　these　sovereigns　take　very　seriously
  to　heart）；　there　has　not　been　much　〃go〃　in　the　court
  entertainments。
  The　young　set　hope　great　things　of　the　new　Princess　of　Naples；　the
  bride　of　the　heir…apparent；　a　lady　who　is　credited　with　being　full
  of　fun　and　life；　it　is　fondly　imagined　that　she　will　set　the　ball
  rolling　again。　　By　the　bye；　her　first　lady…in…waiting；　the　young
  Duchess　del　Monte　of　Naples；　was　an　American　girl；　and　a　very
  pretty　one；　too。　　She　enjoyed　for　some　time　the　enviable
  distinction　of　being　the　youngest　and　handsomest　duchess　in　Europe；
  until　Miss　Vanderbilt　married　Marlborough　and　took　the　record　from
  her。　　The　Prince　and　Princess　of　Naples　live　at　their　Neapolitan
  capital；　and　will　not　do　much　to　help　things　in　Rome。　　Besides
  which　he　is　very　delicate　and　passes　for　not　being　any　too　fond　of
  the　world。
  What　makes　things　worse　is　that　the　great　nobles　are　mostly　〃land
  poor；〃　and　even　the　richer　ones　burned　their　fingers　in　the　craze
  for　speculation　that　turned　all　Rome　upside　down　in　the　years
  following　1870　and　Italian　unity；　when　they　naively　imagined　their
  new　capital　was　to　become　again　after　seventeen　centuries　the
  metropolis　of　the　world。　　Whole　quarters　of　new　houses　were　run　up
  for　a　population　that　failed　to　appear；　these　houses　now　stand
  empty　and　are　fast　going　to　ruin。　　So　that　little　in　the　way　of
  entertaining　is　to　be　expected　from　the　bankrupts。　　They　are　a
  genial　race；　these　Italian　nobles；　and　welcome　rich　strangers　and
  marry　them　with　much　enthusiasm　…　just　a　shade　too　much；　perhaps　…
  the　girl　counting　for　so　little　and　her　DOT　for　so　much　in　the
  matrimonial　scale。　　It　is　only　necessary　to　keep　open　house　to　have
  the　pick　of　the　younger　ones　as　your　guests。　　They　will　come　to
  entertainments　at　American　houses　and　bring　all　their　relations；
  and　dance；　and　dine；　and　flirt　with　great　good　humor　and
  persistency；　but　if　there　is　not　a　good　solid　fortune　in　the
  background；　in　the　best　of　securities；　the　prettiest　American
  smiles　never　tempt　them　beyond　flirtation；　the　season　over；　they
  disappear　up　into　their　mountain　villas　to　wait　for　a　new
  importation　from　the　States。
  In　Rome；　as　well　as　in　the　other　Italian　cities；　there　are；　of
  course；　still　to　be　found　Americans　in　some　numbers　（where　on　the
  Continent　will　you　not　find　them？）；　living　quietly　for　study　or
  economy。　　But　they　are　not　numerous　or　united　enough　to　form　a
  society；　and　are　apt　to　be　involved　in　bitter　strife　among