profession. These clerical gardens are
surrounded with walls, and are closed with a door
of painted wood surmounted by a cross, to
indicate the character of their owners. That
land is cheap in Sardinia is proved by the
breadth that is wasted to allow of the growth of
the cactus hedges. The approach to the
convent of San Pietro is announced by a long road
bordered with trees, and by a crowd of big and
little monks, basking in the sun and saying their
breviary. The convent of Bonaria, happily
situated to catch the sea-breeze, and sheltered
from every evil wind, is the residence of the
Fathers of Mercy, mainly notable for their white
dress, their long hat turned up at the sides, and
their application of the maxim "Charity begins
at home," in the happy choice of their geographical
position.

The hospitality afforded by the inns is little
better than that of the curés. The only hotels
at Sassari are the Albergo d'ltalia and the
Albergo del Progresso, which latter has a branch
establishment of the same name at Cagliari.
But it is almost blasphemy to apply the word
"progress " to the landlords of these wretched
taverns. The consciousness of their monopoly
inspires them with disgusting airs. If you make
any complaint, their invariable reply is, "Find
better accommodation elsewhere, if you can!"
At Alghero you have the locanda of the Golden
Lion. It is the only one in the place, and you
are advised to sleep outside the town in bright
starlight, rather than face the miseries of the
establishment; amongst which are included,
horrible food, odious flies, intolerable mosquitoes,
repulsive vermin, pestiferous sheets, and an
absolute want of everything conducive to repose.
At Macomer, two little wooden beds, scarcely
big enough to hold one person each in a little
chamber seven feet high, are offered as sleeping-
places to five full-grown travellers. At Paulo
Latino, the mistress of the locanda has one bed
to offer to the same number of visitors; and it is
not the bed of Ware, with plenty of clean straw.
She promises a dish of macaroni; but the best
part of the supper is composed of imported
portable soup and preserved vegetables. The
old hag takes advantage of the strangers'
presence to drink their healths till she is fairly
drunk, in which guise she shows them to bed.
They do object to the unique bed, and prefer
to spend the night in the omnibus which
brought them to the bowers of Paulo Latino.
They are dismissed with a little muddy coffee
served in dirty egg-cups.

An excursionist in Sardinia, therefore, must
trust entirely to his own personal resources.
There is much to invite in respect to antiquities;
there may be discoveries to be made in botany
and natural history; but the adventurer is
strongly recommended to provide himself with a
tent, and to make the same preparations as he
would for a journey in the East. Sardinian
hospitality exists, certainly; and the traveller
may go his way without dread: but a hospitality
which has nothing to offer, not even a clean
bed, is only a delusion and a mockery.

The Sardinian islanders are not a bad set of
people, although they are, like the Corsicans, a
little too much given to go to law. The men's
physiognomy is, perhaps, not prepossessing;
hooked nose, thin and contracted lips, pointed
beard, and small and piercing eyes: but you
may travel as safely as you would in the environs
of Orleans or Bordeaux. You will meet
Sardinian cavaliers, mounted on ponies, armed
with long gun lying across their saddle, with
wife behind, and child in front. The Sardes,
like the Arabs, always carry fire-arms when
they go abroad; but this is simply a question
of national pride, and an indispensable
travelling appendage. One moral trait is worth
remembering: if you pay marked attention to a
single woman, you are expected to marry her.
If you indulge in the same amusement with a
married woman, you must not be surprised to
receive a bullet in the back of your head.

After this rapid glance, we can scarcely realise
the fact that insular Sardinia is a portion of the
same kingdom to which belong the wealthy
cities of Turin and Genoa, and the well-cultivated
plains of Piedmont. Its excuse (for it
needs an excuse for its condition) is that its
rulers have been so fully employed on the
continent, that they have had no time nor thought
to spare on the minor portion of territory which
lies out of sight in the midst of the sea.
Piedmont of late years may be likened to a cottager
whose hut is built at the foot of a cliff which
beetles over and threatens to crush him. We
know not all the difficulties he may have had to
contend with; enough for us to learn that he is
struggling with an enemy who pays fivepence
per head for the flogging of unconvicted women;
who proclaims one military punishment only—
death; who submits to be asked whether its
generals are the commanders of soldiers or the
chiefs of brigands. But, as soon as this state of
things shall cease, and Piedmont be really
independent, it will surely be expected of a reforming
king that he set his own most capable island
in better order.

DISCONTINUANCE OF
HOUSEHOLD WORDS.
THE LAST NUMBER of "Household Words" was
on Saturday, May 28th; and that publication is now
merged into ALL THE YEAR ROUND.

On the 30th of June will be published, price 1s.
Uniform with PICKWICK, DAVID COPPERFIELD, BLEAK
HOUSE, &c.,
The Second Monthly Part of
A TALE OF TWO CITIES.
BY CHARLES DICKENS.
With Two Illustrations on Steel by HABLOT K.
BROWNE.
To be completed in Eight Monthly Parts.
CHAPMAN and HALL, 193, Piccadilly, W.,
AND
"ALL THE YEAR ROUND" Office, 11, Wellington-street
North, London, W.C.