ing his summer residence at Palermo to 112 Fahrenheit. This is considered a most extraordinary fact if correct. -100 is called a very high temperature in this city, and is ; seldom exceeded. The usual range of the mercury during the summer is from 75 to 85, In the winter from 50 -40 65 (The freezing point, and 100 may be considered Ithe utmost extremes in common seasons, leaving a range dof 68 In New-England we have 100 above and 20 below bos or a range of 120. Our climate then, is inclement when I compared with that of Sicily as 120 to 68. The milder -climate is undoubtedly most favorable to human life. Accordingly the inhabitants of Sicily will be found to be more healthy than the people of New-England, with the bexception of such diseases as depend upon local and accidental causes, as contagion, marsh, animal and vegeta¿ble miasmata, &c. Acute inflammations, scrophula, and consumption, the spectre of northern regions, are almost bunknown in this island.

919.-The Carnival commenced on the 12th, but our Anglo-Sicilian friends kindly informed us that it was unfashionable, and ungenteel, to attend the masquerade eduring the first week; we have consequently avoided see>ing the strange farce until this evening. At one of the largest theatres, the seats were removed from the pit, which was occupied by the masques. Visitors and unmasked spectators as usual, were seated in the boxes and ogalleries at :

-Alb who entered the pit were in masques, and each

seemed ambitious to sustain some assumed character, and - endeavored to add to the general amusement, by his grotesque costume. Priests, lawyers, doctors, merchants, - and mountebanks, were caricatured and ridiculed. Oth

ers were dressed in splendid antique armor:te sSome walked to display a fine person: others, the gracefulness of female beauty in the costume of antiquity, stakingball liberties with the human form for the sake of elegance. Some stalked about the stage to astonish with the display of muscular strength and brawny limbs. Novoney spoke unless it was a masque to a spectator unmasked.—Their intercourse was by gestures, bows, &c. which afforded constant opportunities for the display of that ease and energy of action, for which the Sicilians are so remarkable, The accomplished person and the clown could be easily distinguished by the disparity of grades. 20 siis te

The great object of all, seemed to be a display of hele gance of person or manners. We were astonished at the high effect they were able to give to this dumb show, and at the shades and varieties of character which could be disclosed by such an exhibition. dte di at bare s

The cheerfulness and good bumor of the party swas without interruption. Men and women engaged in affected amours, pursuing, retreating, and pretending to danguish, with a voluptuousness of manners on the confines, but (considering it was a masquerade,) always within the bounds of decency. 15 v2 7ist to 2922376

They

This was the first act of the play. A band sofb musicians now came in and occupied the orchestre commenced suddenly with a bold and full strain of music which" caught with ravishment the thronging audience," all the pantomime was changed to attention, until the prelude ended. The curtain now rose, the stage was filled by twenty or thirty dancers, male and female, holding wreaths of flowers in their hands and kneeling before a statue of Bacchus. To the sound of music all approach

ed the statue, casting their flowers at its feet, while one of their number placed upon its brow a crown of myrtles and the dance commenced.

.99 We did not wait to witness the close of the amusements of the evening, but retired sooner fatigued than from the usual party, the opera.

20.-The carnival has given a novel appearance to all the groupes in the streets. Punchinella is a character of increased consequence and success. The Lazzaroni are promoted to mountebanks and buffoons.

Evend the religious processions partake of the ridicule of the occasion. There was a singular exhibition of this kind to-day. Priests, monks, citizens of all descriptions, women and children, formed a long procession and crossed the city in various directions. They carried a large golden image, holding a bunch of grapes in one hand and a wand in the other. Next followed an image of silver on a cross, then a pall of crimson velvet supported on a bier; after this a cross of silver. At short intervals through the long procession were carried banners without inscriptions. Candelabrias, crosses, and other rich furniture from the churches. The priests were in the dresses of their several orders-black, grey, crowned, -cawled cand swithout cawls; all preceded by two files of white masques and martial music.

Sicilian diving-Excursion to the shrine of St. Rosalia-Mt. Peregrino-Provincial pecularities of Cu

tania.

Palermo, January 21.

MANY tales have been told of Sicilian divingasAomaú at Catania astonished me so much by his power and ral pidity in the water, that I believed, I should be ableɛto produce a wonderful story on this subject. The Sicilians are very athletic, are much in the sea taking fishì with nets, and adventuring in small boats; the water is alwayś warm; why should they not swim? (in * 21 vcǝb *Not long since an English ship, having sprung a leak, put into the harbor of Palermo in distress. The captain commenced discharging his cargo, for the purpose of careening and repairing her. A Sicilian observing it, sofe fered for a trifling compensation, to stop the leak by dive ing; which he effected. The extent and situation of the injury was such, as in the estimation of a judicious Ent glishman, rendered the undertaking ridiculous and hopes less. 1) sysmitgliq

I have been able to record no better story of Sicilian diving. A sirocc, superadded to a warm day, blows lasi situde and stupidity upon us.

22.-We had experienced too many of the felicities of Palermo, to feel willing to depart from so delightful a©city without paying our respects to its patron saint. 9ut to

Accordingly a party was formed to-day for the pur2 pose of visiting the shrine of of St. Rosalia. Our friends had kindly provided sedan chairs for the ladies, and donkies for the gentlemen, which we found ready for us

when we arrived at the foot of the mountain. The chapel of St. Rosalia, is situated on the summit of Mount Peregrino, near Palermo. All was soon prepared for the ascent jothes ladies bestowed in the sedan chairs, and the gentlemen each furnished with a donkey.

As a donkey was provided for me by a friend, I could do no less than accept of the diminutive animal, though I felt almost able to bear him on my own shoulders. He discovered this inability to carry me full soon, and refuseil to proceed. When the servant endeavored to urge him forward, he threw himself down upon the road where he remained until we got out of sight, in spite of all endeavors to whip him up.

The ladies, soon tired of their sedans; the donkies were all discarded, and the excursion continued on foot. -We rested a moment at a small lodge half way up the ascent, where the keeper of the gate expects a few Grains for the love of St. Rosalia.

In a valley near the top of the mountain, which commands no extent of view except of the heavens, we found theo church; small and poor, for the termination of the pilgrimage of so many votaries. It is built over the cav ern, where the bones of St. Rosalia were discovered. An image of marble reclines in the situation, whence the precious remains were taken.

to Under the principal altar, also in a reclining posture, is another image of the little saint; the particular object of the favor and veneration of religious pilgrims. It is covered with diamonds, gems and precious ornaments, the donations of folly and superstition.

Near the altar, is a fountian ever overflowing. This water is the vehicle which conveys to the devout Paler mitan, the miraculous influence of the saint,