were hung with large mirrors, and exquisitely embellished with bas-reliefs of snowy whiteness, teeming with the most graceful images of taste and fancy. Be fore the windows, fell silk curtains in voluminous folds, and a chaste gorgeousness of decoration followed the arched ceiling to its airy summit-and this is the Paluzzo Pitti-the celebrated scene of many a dark event in Italian history! In one of these rooms the old servant, Almeni, fell beneath the poniard of the royal assassin, Cosmo the First, on suspicion of having betrayed a secret.

The company now gradually increased; group after group came nodding and glittering in; gentlemen, half hidden behind insignia of honour; some in peculiar and picturesque uniforms, and the ladies all on fire with brilliants. I was speculating whether the master of this gay assemblage, and his beautiful Duchess, would enter in mortal shape, or stride in like stage kings and queens, all feathers and flummery, announced by an imperial flourish of drums and trumpets, when a friend, with a look of guarded significance, and an expressive gesture of the thumb, directed my attention to a gen. tleman, in a plain green coat, who stood near with his back to me, talking earnestly to the grand chamberlain. He turned his head, discovering a most ordinary countenance, and rather a sulky look, and with a peculiarly awkward and embarrassed gait and general manner, walked with his companion across the room. It was Leopold the Second, or to borrow the continually repeated phrase of the little seven by nine Gazetta di Firenze, "His Imperial and Royal Highness, the August Sovereign of the Tuscans." He was badly dressed, and appeared ill at ease; a star upon his bosom was his only ornament. He went first to the Austrians, of course. The Minister from that power accomplished his presentations with dispatch. curled heads went down, with profound earnestness and energy, and sometimes thrice in succession. Feathers flared and flaunted, satins rustled up and swept back; cheeks dimpled and coloured, and eyes and diamonds flashed together at the honour of the royal look, the distinction of the royal word. The Duke was thus led round, scattering a few ready-made questions or condescending looks on his way, a word often sufficing for a group, and a smile occasionally divided among a family. It was curious to watch the value attached to these accidental signs of royal favour.

The

At length the grand chamberlain, with an elegance contrasted oddly enough with the awkwardness of his master, brought his highness and myself face to face. He did me the honour to pay some compliments to the city of New York, which he designated as magnificent. His highness, among other things, asked from what province I came, and whether New York was not the capital of my country. But there were too many claimants for the royal ear to allow much farther interchange of colloquial courtesy. His imperial highness passed onthe eyes and the diamonds flashed after him, and I was left at leisure to examine the splendid medley of company, for there were copious materials for reflection and amusement.

The ladies were more remarkable for costliness of attire than charms of person; blond lace dresses were no distinction, and diamonds were commonplace. Upon a fair forehead blazed wealth to rear a temple, around a meagre neck hung a necklace to fit out a fleet, and on a band of sunny hair glittered a braid to found a hospital or drain the Maremma. The lucid tremble of these precious ornaments every where filled the eye, many a wrinkled visage shone conspicuously ugly under a weight of sparkling lustre. At one of these entertainments the dowager Duchess found her load of diamonds (said to be the finest in Europe) oppressive, and they were consigned to the bearing of an attendant. The Princess of Austria was half concealed with jewels. She is very small and deformed. So much ostentation and dazzling magnificence upon one of her appearance, implied that good taste is as little regarded as morality at the Tuscan court, and yet this lady is up every morning by daybreak, kneeling with the young children for hours on the marble pavement of the chapel.

The Grand Duchess herself is pretty, pale and interesting. She sat nearly all the evening with several females of the family, all blazing with jewels, all stately with the consciousness of royal descent. She is not liked, they say, by the Tuscans, maintaining a rather haughty distance between herself and the ladies of her court, and discouraging costly dress.

As the forms of a royal Italian marriage, at the present day, may amuse the curious reader, I append a translation from the little court Gazetta di Firenze, the principal Tuscan newspaper. It refers to the marriage of the duke with the present duchess.

"On the morning of the twenty-third of May, his excellency, Prince Tomaso Corsini, had the honour of presenting to his majesty the king, the letters acerediting him envoy extraordinary of his imperial and royal highness the Grand Duke of Tuscany. The illustrious envoy extraordinary was introduced into the chamber of audience by the master of the ceremonies of the court, when, leaving the secretary and gentlemen of the legation at the door, he advanced among the gentlemen of the chamber, the master of the ceremonies making the usual salutations toward his majesty, whom he addressed as follows:

"SIRE-The Grand Duke of Tuscany, Prince Royal of Hungary, Arch. duke of Austria, my master, sends me to your majesty to ask of you the hand of the Princess Royal, Donna Maria Antonia, and I feel myself much honoured in being entrusted with this his sovereign command. The August Grand Duchess, Maria Louisa, aunt to your majesty, merits the most respectful attachment of the Tuscans. She was chosen in marriage by the Grand Duke, Ferdinand the Third, and was mother to our present sovereign; who, by a mild, wise, and enlightened government, is the dearest object of the wishes of his most happy subjects. In calling to mind the virtues of his august mother-virtues which belong to the princes and princesses of the royal family of your majesty, he desires to see them shine again at his side. The Princess Donna Maria Antonia unites to illustrious birth beauty of form, the graces of her sex and age, an upright mind and benevolent heart, which assure to the Grand Duke, and to all the Tuscans, a continuance of happiness! If your majesty deigns to condescend to grant the just desire of my sovereign, the Princess Donna Maria Antonia will live contented with her august husband; an admirer of his virtues, she will divide with him the veneration, the fidelity, and the love of the Tuscans. Thus will the two royal families, already for a long time united by consanguinity and friend ship, be bound by the strongest ties; and thus will those happy presages be fulfilled that are formed by the people, who will have the happiness to live under the mild government of their two much-loved sovereigns.'

"His excellency, the Prince Corsini, then asked permission of his majesty for the secretary of legation to enter; who, advancing, delivered the credentials to him. The envoy extraordinary pre

sented them to the king, who replied in the following manner :

"PRINCE-The sublime virtues and rare endowments of his imperial and royal highness, the Grand Duke of Tuscany, being well known in the elevated situation in which Providence has so justly placed him, I cannot but accept, with the most lively pleasure, the request he has just made me. Secure that my beloved mother will give her consent with equal satisfaction, I will not delay the renewal of the ties of friendship and consanguinity already happily existing between the family of his imperial and royal highness and mine. Should the Almighty bestow, as I hope he will, his divine benediction, the royal pair will be happy; and I shall find with pleasure that my sister is deserving the affection of her husband, and merits the esteem of the Tuscans, who are with so much reason devoutly attached to their excellent sovereign. It is, therefore, with great pleasure, signor prince, that I see you destined to represent my august cousin on this happy occasion.'

"The envoy extraordinary then asked permission of his majesty to present to him the secretary of legation, and the other gentlemen of his suite, who with due formality advanced. The audience terminated, the envoy extraordinary was conducted to the apartment of her majesty the queen-mother. Arrived at the apartment of the queen-mother, the majordomo of the week came forward to receive him, and, after rendering the usual salutations, entered to announce his arrival. The door of the chamber of audience was then opened. Her majesty, the queen, was standing before a seat, behind which were the gentlemen of the chamber, &c. After the usual salutations, his excellency, the Prince Corsini, addressed her majesty as follows:

"The Grand Duke of Tuscany, Prince Royal of Hungary, and of Bohemia, Archduke of Austria, has deigned to entrust to me the honourable mission of asking your majesty's consent to his marriage with the Princess Donna Maria Antonia, your majesty's highly amiable and accomplished daughter, and I have great pleasure in executing a commission so agreeable to myself.

"The Grand Duke of Tuscany, my master, knows already by reputation, the noble personal qualities of the royal princess; that, to beauty of form and feminine graces, she unites the most exalted endowments of mind and heart,

and that she will imitate her august mother-that intelligent and affectionate mother of the lovely and numerous family by which Divine Providence has seen fit to surround her. If your majesty deigns to give your consent to this union, the royal princess, your daughter, will enjoy the love of her august husband; the true esteem that the two royal princesses of Tuscany will constantly cherish for her, and that inviolable fidelity and attachment that have been in all times and under all circumstances inseparable from the Tuscan subjects towards their sovereigns. Your majesty will thus be amply compensated for your paternal cares: the pain of being separated from this daughter, the tender object of your love, will be mitigated by the assurance of her happiness, and by knowing that she sits upon a throne not far distant from that of her native land. The Princess Donna Maria Antonia will receive the plaudits and vows of a people affectionately devoted to her; and who, while they respect her as a sovereign, will love her equally as a mother.'

"His excellency, the Prince Corsini, then solicited her majesty to present to her royal highness Donna Maria Antonia, the likeness of the royal lover. Her majesty immediately replied as follows:

"With true satisfaction and pleasure I give my consent to the flattering request of his imperial and royal highness, the Grand Duke of Tuscany, to unite himself in marriage with my beloved daughter, the Princess Donna Maria Antonia. I appreciate, as I ought, the honour that his imperial and royal high ness has done my daughter, in asking her in marriage, and am very certain that your master, endowed as he is with the highest virtues and most desirable qualities, will form her felicity; such an assurance mitigates the pain I feel in separating myself from her who has so much right to my tenderness. The princess, my daughter, will endeavour on her part to merit the love of her august husband, the attachment of the royal princesses, and the affection of the Tuscans, who are so much esteemed for their sincere and unalterable attachment to their sovereign. I beg you, signor prince, to be the faithful interpreter of these my sentiments to his imperial and royal highness, your august sovereign. It gives me great pleasure that he has chosen you, whom I so highly esteem, for this honourable, and, to me, agreeable mission.'

"Her majesty having thus granted the permission asked, the envoy extraordinary made a sign to the gentleman who carried the portrait; he advancing, with the usual ceremonies, consigned it to him, and withdrew. Her majesty then ordered the first lady of honour, her excellency the duchess, widow of Di Sangro, to bring in her royal highness. Her royal highness, on entering with her gouvernante, the Countess de la Tour, made a profound courtesy to her august mother, a salutation to the envoy, and placed herself to the left of the grand chamberlain, where she remained until the audience finished, and was thus addressed by the envoy :

"The virtues with which your royal highness is adorned, united with those peculiar gifts of nature that heaven has lavished on you, have induced the Grand Duke of Tuscany, my master, to ask you in marriage. After having obtained the consent of your royal highness' august brother, the king, and of your august mother, the queen, to this union, I have the honour to present to your highness, as the faithful interpreter of the sentiments of my sovereign and of all Tuscany. His imperial and royal highness, the Grand Duke, justly expects to find in this union the completion of his felicity; and his beloved subjects already behold in your highness an affectionate and beneficent sovereign. Your royal highness may be secure of finding in the Grand Duke a wise and tender husband, richly endowed with the best social and domestic qualities; and, in the Tuscans, will again be found that respectful obedience and constant attachment that they formerly felt for the august Grand Duchess, Maria Louisa, aunt to your royal highness. The mildness of the climate, the pleasantness of the smiling and well-cultivated country, the education of the people, the love of the fine arts, and useful studies, will render your highness contented with this tranquil and happy country. Those fervent vows will then be crowned with success, that are directed to heaven by the two Royal families, and by the people, their subjects, for so desirable

an union.'

"On finishing this discourse, his excellency, the Prince Corsini, presented her the portrait of the august lover; and her royal highness, having obtained the desired permission to accept it from her majesty, she received it from the hands of the envoy; it was immediately placed on her neck by the first lady of

"I am grateful, Signor Prince, for the request of my hand made by you in the name of your sovereign the Grand Duke of Tuscany, whose good qualities do not allow me to hesitate to unite my consent to that of the king my brother, and the queen my august and very dear mother; acknowledging with gratitude that I owe only to their affectionate cares, the felicity that I promise myself in this union, which is so much more agreeable to my feelings, since it does not place me at a great distance from my beloved family. I ardently wish to find in the family of his imperial and royal highness, of which I am about to make a part, the friendship that, following the example of my family, I have been inspired with, for them, from my earliest infancy. I also hope to merit the affection of the good and enlightened Tuscans, who are so commendable for their attachment to their sovereign. I now acknowledge, Signor Prince, that your sovereign could not have chosen a person more suitable than yourself to execute the commission that has been intrusted to you; the virtues and eminent qualities being known to me, by which you have merited the esteem and confidence of your sovereign.'

"The envoy having asked permission of her majesty, presented the secretary and gentlemen of legation to her. The audience being finished, the envoy extraordinary was conducted as far as the stairs of the royal palace."

From the dancing room, now crowded with sparkling coronets and gems of radiant lustre, we wandered through another suite of stately, beautiful rooms superbly finished, and leading on through a labyrinth of apparently interminable splendour. Domestics in the royal livery, with chapeau and sword, and selected for their good appearance, wait everywhere with supplies of refreshments. Tables with various games, court the soldier to kill an hour at cards, and the statesman to concentrate his wisdom upon the chess-board. Here parties of noblemen lead off gay ladies to the dance, there a group of high-born damsels whose names belong to history, sip their ices, sparkle their gems, and lisp the soft commonplaces of fashion in melting Italian. Heroes of all uniforms and nations meet here at minchiate, who have, perhaps, met before in battle; and many a name

with which I was familiar, struck my ear and roused all the curiosity of my soul. The music came softened from the distant band, and the light shone through the high-arched doors.

About twelve, there was a sensible. turning of the tide toward the buffeta room entirely devoted to the suppertable, which rose tier above tier on either side, loaded with every sumptuous viand, luscious fruit and rare wine, embellished with marble statues, some as large as life, and leaning over the festive board like winged genii, who had conjured up a banquet at the call of Aladdin. And now commenced the turmoil on such occasions, usual I fear alike in all parts of the world. Princesses elbowed countesses: marquesses ambassadors: and generals pressed ex-kings, counts, princes, and lords. The regal champagne foamed up, as it has done before for plebeian lips. There was a general congregation of coronets about a large sturgeon; the choice game was cleared from plates of massive silver; glasses clashed and knives clattered. Polite haste and genteel tumult grew less guarded and more noisy, till the artificial forms of society were visibly relaxed, the general crowd, conflict and struggle of a hungry supper succeeded, and I felt that all men are equal. The dark Italian eyes that had veiled the light of love confessed the inspiration of the larder, and lighted a new dance to a more lively measure. The animated beau curled his mustaches aside, and lent his arm to support the glowing belle. Music, dancing, love and wine, winged the hours. When the Duke and Duchess passed through the rooms, all rose and greeted their way with profound salutations.

About two, we retired, leaving the revel at its height. Again we glided through the long halls, beaming with light, and heard the music from the distance in softer swells. Again the shrubbery, the torches, and the perfume, the glittering helm and flashing bayonet, the mounted guards and the silent statues flew behind us as we passed from the limits of the royal gardens. The bridge of Santa Trinita rumbled beneath the wheels as the arches once more hung inverted in the water, and the long stone steps of the Pallazzo Ferroni conducted us to our home. As I stirred the coals of the neglected fire, I recalled the past like a dream, which, from its paradoxes, novelty and splendours, it even yet resembles.

T. S. FAY.

No. 83.

LEGENDS OF THE WARDS OF LONDON. (For the Parterre.)

No. II.

THE ALDERMAN.

A LEGEND OF THE WARD OF CHEPE.

CHAPTER I.

"The stage is more beholding to love than the life of man; for as to the stage, love is even

matter of comedies, and now and then of tragedies; but in life it doth much mischief; sometimes like a syren, sometimes like a fury."-Bacon.

THE hour was late: the lights in the dwellings on London Bridge were one by one disappearing, and scarcely a sound broke the stillness which prevailed over the city. The night was cloudy, but the evening star shone out when not obscured by the dark masses of clouds which crossed it at intervals. In the east appeared the broad red disc of the moon, lighting up the turrets of the white tower, and throwing on the river a lurid glare, which became brighter and brighter as she ascended, until the noble

The

stream reflected every surrounding object like a vast mirror. The tide was running up, and the water sparkled brightly in the moon-beams as it dashed upon the starlings of the old bridge. vessels moored alongside the quays rocked to and fro with the current, and the night-wind, in faint and fitful gusts, sighed mournfully among the rigging.

On the deck of one of the large craft, lying off Galley Quay, two men were engaged in earnest conversation as they paced to and fro.

One of them was a short sturdy figure, dressed like a mariner of that period; the costume of the other, a tall elegant youth, was rich if not splendid; yet there was a familiarity in the tone of the sailor which ill accorded with the contrast in their appear

ance.

"I have weighed the chances, Master Alleyne," said the young man, "and am still resolved to risk all for her dear sake"

"You will thrust your head into the lion's mouth, then," remarked the mariner; " you will cause your uncle to renounce you, and bring upon you the