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ble freedom upon passing events. It was the only public
criticism of its measures which the government permitted, but
it was all lost upon us, and we did not stay it out. X

Our only excursion at any distance from Naples was to Sorrento.
A railroad took us part of the way and then we hired a carriage
for the rest. Our horses were a pair of small black ones which were
driven for five or six miles at a breakneck speed. It was a most
inspiriting ride, the carriage being an open one, and I as usual
alongside of the driver. We all agreed afterwards that the rapid-
ity with which we annihilated space that day, making a total
distance, going and returning, of about twelve miles, was a
fitting preface and conclusion to the sublime beauty of the
bay of Naples as seen from Sorrento.

The American consul at Malta was a Mr Winthrop of Boston
who called on Dickenson and myself when we were there, and gave
us a letter of introduction to Mr Owen the Minister at Naples
when we were leaving. Our letter was sent to the Minister’s house
and one day, when Dickenson alone was at home on account of
his lameness, he received a pleasant visit from Mr Owen who
left his respects for me. During the afternoon of our last day at
Naples we returned the visit and engaged near our hotel a
common looking carriole or carry-all for the purpose. Dickenson
feared that our Minister would feel hurt at our reaching his
residence in such a shabby concern, but I was indifferent and
told him not to trouble himself about such trifles. We thereupon
proceeded, and as we reached a short court opening upon the
Villa Reale, where were a good many loitering women and children,
there was an unmistakable laugh which we considered was at
our expense, as we stopped in front of the house of the diplomatist.
He was out fortunately and so was spared the sight of ourselves
in our unbecoming vehicle; but Dickenson alluded to our ride
several times, and considered that we had committed a breach
of etiquette in not going in a decent carriage.

Robert Dale Owen had been in Congress as a Democrat from
Indiana and had seen a good deal of public life. He was a
pronounced socialist as well as abolitionist so that he could
not have derived any pleasure from an interview with a slaveowner.
He was also a firm believer in spiritualism, and therefore was
possessed of a brain in which there were several wrinkles. My
impressions at the time from hearing him spoken of by those who
knew him were that he was considered out of place at Naples.

Although we staid only a week at Naples it was
well and usefully spent, and the only place that I regretted not
having visited was the Campo Santo where the bodies of the un-
claimed poor are huddled together in a compartment of masonry
every day in the year, and exposed again after a twelvemonth
when the decayed mass is removed as material for enriching the
ground. What one sees is the compartment containing the bodies thrown
in on that day, and the compartment which is opened after the lapse
of a year. Both of them rather ghastly sights.

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