Thomas Robert Macquoid

“ Sometimes an unfortunate who has battled bravely through a group all intent on putting out his moccolo, finds it suddenly extinguished by a huge, gaily-painted extinguisher, let down from a balcony overhead. This is the most fatiguing sport of the Carnival, as one has not only to defend one’s own moccolo, but to expend a vast amount of breath in puffing out one’s neighbour’s. ”

“ He opens his book, and is about to read, when a being dressed in white, his coat ornamented with huge red buttons, a white cap on his head, and his face of a floury paleness, rushes past with an unearthly yell, bestowing as he goes a sounding blow, with an inflated bladder fastened to a stick, upon the Doctor’s back: and at the same moment a shower of confetti from a passing carriage turns his black garments into the hue of a miller’s. ”

“ Some of the animals strive to leap over the rope, and in the melée down go a horse and man together. The grey horse at last is brought to the cable. The moment he feels his chest against it he rears almost upright, and coming down half way over the rope, it falls to the ground. The grooms hold on no longer; and with a rush like a whirlwind, the horses fly down the Corso, their hoofs striking fire from the stones—the grey one ahead. ”

“ One unfortunate, wearing an enormous mask of a most Bacchic expression, which nearly covers him, the only parts of his person exposed being his arms and a pair of skinny calves clothed in bright blue, receives so many of their tokens, that we think something more than chance directs them, and certainly he is a tempting mark. Now an orange catches him on the side of the head,—quite staggering him—then a second rights his balance by taking him smartly across his blue terminations, and a third strikes his false carbuncled nose, to the great amusement of every one. ”

“ The last year of the Carnival is always being predicted, but it seems never to come; and, certainly, as a truly popular amusement, bringing all classes together in perfect good humour, and on the same footing, it would be a pity it should cease to be, for we think that seldom is the fun and frolic converted into riot or unlawful excesses. ”

“ As we stand here, at the end of the street leading into the Piazza del Popolo, a most stirring and brilliant perspective meets the eye: every window and balcony, from top to bottom of the houses, is decorated with draperies of some bright colour, and every window and balcony is occupied by spectators of and combatants in the revel, many in masquerade attire, and all gaily dressed. ”

“ Why, the hundreds upon hundreds of faces beaming with mirth and mischief, were alone enough to create the highest degree of pleasure: a hundredth part of the glances given by bright eyes that come flashing from the topmost stories of the houses to the pavement, were enough to fever the blood; but when the bright sunlight and blue sky, the movement of gay colours, and mad humour of the scene is added, a degree of wild excitement—an intoxicating sensation, surpassing the effect of the best champagne—is produced, that nothing of the like nature can equal. ”

“ On the back of one vehicle is enthroned a handsome woman in flowing robes, with a tiara on her head; the flowers fall about her like hail, and she, Flora like, dispenses them as abundantly. In the next carriage are three or four girls dressed in Eastern costume, looking like a cloud of white muslin. In another are three Greeks, wearing wire masks and patriarchal beards, which are continually getting entangled in a high basket in the middle of the carriage, into which they dive for flowers. Among the maskers on foot there is the greatest variety of costume, especially in a ridiculous style. ”

“ That gun is the signal for all carriages and vehicles to leave the Corso, which they do with almost magical rapidity by the various streets on the right and left, a body of dragoons assisting in the operation with little ceremony, after which they station themselves at each outlet, while the foot soldiers try to keep a way clear for the race in the centre of the Corso. The Roman dragoons are formidable keepers of the street: they are noble-looking fellows; their swords of an enormous length, and their horses large and powerful, and the men use both swords and horses in an unscrupulous way. ”

“ The sailors discharge their small shot recklessly with both hands; their opponents take more deliberate aim through long tin tubes; the sailors seem to be getting the best of it, when a sudden “move on” in the ranks takes them slowly away, till the distance is too great for confetti, so they continue the fight with very small oranges, which fly among the crowd, catching the unwary unpleasant blows. ”

“ Bright coloured streamers float out into the street, innumerable rods project from the windows, baited with oranges, bonbons, and quaintly dressed puppets, which are bobbed among the passing crowd, and the unceasing shower of bouquets, &c, from above and below—all give a life and flutter to the scene impossible to describe. The street is almost impassable, so thickly is it crowded by revellers on foot, and two ranks of carriages slowly moving in opposite directions ”

“ In the grocers’ and confectioners’ shops are bushels of sugar-plums, bonbons, and tempting little trifles done up in gold, silver, and coloured papers. The expenditure of scudi annually is estimated at one million, about 212,500l.; the expenditure of fun defies calculation. The grand scene of the Carnival is the Corso, a straight street about a mile in length, which, though considerably too narrow for the comfortable performance of business or pleasure, is the best street in the Eternal City. ”

“ That domino at an upper window, fishing about with an orange over the heads of the crowd, thinks it is quite secure, and is complacently facetious over the failure of a young man in a carriage, who, in trying to grasp it, almost loses his balance, only saving himself by clutching desperately at a long-bearded Turk, his companion ”

“ A grey horse—which generally wins in this riderless race—is the most unmanageable of the troop. His plunging and rearing set the rest in confusion, and the situation of the men who hold them is not enviable. ”

“ Policinelli by the score; vivandières enough for an army; young ladies in black masks and full muslin petticoats, quite the ballet-dancer’s cut, always talking on a high note; men in fancy Court dresses, with huge bag-wigs and buckles, looking at everything through immense eye-glasses ”