In all the private societies at Naples a great deal of gaming goes on, and at some houses those visitors, who do not play, are coolly received. The following may be considered as a very fair specimen of the life of a young man of rank and fashion at Naples. He rises about two p.m., takes his chocolate, saunters about in the _Strada di Toledo_ or in the _Largo del Palazzo_ for an hour or two, then takes a _promenade à cheval_ on the _Chiaia_; dines between six and seven; goes to the Opera where he remains till eleven or half-past eleven; he then saunters about in the different Cafés for an hour or two; and then repairs to the gaming table at the _Ridotto_, which he does not quit till broad daylight. The ladies find a great resource in going to church, which serves to pass away the time that is not spent in bed, or at the Opera, or at the _promenade en voiture_. The ladies seldom take exercise on foot at Naples. There being very little taste for litterature in this vast metropolis, the most pleasant society is among the foreign families who inhabit Naples or at the houses of the _Corps diplomatique_. There is, however, a good _cabinet littéraire_ and library in the _Strada di San Giacomo_, where various French and Italian newspapers may be read. The Austrians occupy the greater part of the military posts at Naples; at the Royal Palace however the Sicilian guards do duty; they are clothed in scarlet and _à anglaise_. NAPLES, 8th Octr. One day I went to visit the Museum or _Studii_, as it is called, which is situated at the extremity of the _Strada di Toledo_ on the land side. Here is a superb collection of sculpture and painting; and this building contains likewise the national library, and a choice and unique collection of Etruscan vases. A large hall contains these vases, which were found at Pompeii[96]; they are much admired for their beauty and simplicity; each vase has a mythological or historical painting on it. In this Museum I was shewn the rolls of papyrus found in Pompeii and Herculaneum and the method of unrolling them. The work to unroll which they are now employed at this Museum is a Greek treatise on philosophy by Epicurus. It is a most delicate operation to unroll these leaves, and with the utmost possible care it is impossible to avoid effacing many of the letters, and even sentences, in the act of unrolling. It must require also considerable learning and skill in the Greek language, combined with a good deal of practise, to supply the deficiency of the words effaced. When these manuscripts are put in print, the letters that remain on the papyrus are put in black type, and the words guessed at are supplied in red; so that you see at one glance what letters have been preserved, and what are supplied to replace those effaced by the operation of unrolling; and in this manner are all the papyrus manuscripts' printed. _Visit to Pompeii and Ascent of Vesuvius_. _11th Oct_.