and people say that such is generally the weather in Carnival time

February 13th. [1858]

Day before yesterday we took J---- and R---- in a carriage, and went to see the Carnival, by driving up and down the Corso. It was as ugly a day, as respects weather, as has befallen us since we came to Rome: cloudy, with an indecisive wet, which finally settled into a rain; and people say that such is generally the weather in Carnival time. There is very little to be said about the spectacle. Sunshine would have improved it, no doubt; but a person must have very broad sunshine within himself to be joyous on such shallow provocation. The street, at all events, would have looked rather brilliant under a sunny sky, the balconies being hung with bright - coloured draperies, which were also flung out of some of the windows. . . Soon I had my first experience of the Carnival, in a handful of confetti, right slap in my face. . .

Many of the ladies wore loose, white dominoes, and some of the gentlemen had on defensive armour of blouses; and wire masks over the face were a protection for both sexes; not a needless one, for I received a shot in my right eye which cost me many tears. It seems to be a point of courtesy (though often disregarded by Americans and English) not to fling confetti at ladies, or at non-combatants, or quiet by-standers; and the engagements with these missiles were generally between open carriages, manned with youths, who were provided with confett for such encounters, and with bouquets for the ladies. We had one real enemy on the Corso; for our former friend Mrs. T---- was there, and as often as we passed and repassed her, she favoured us with a handful of lime. Two or three times, somebody ran by the carriage and puffed forth a shower of winged seeds through a tube into our faces and over our clothes; and, in the course of the afternoon, we were hit with perhaps half a dozen sugar-plums. Possibly we may not have received our fair share of these last salutes, for J---- had on a black mask, which made him look like an imp of Satan, and drew many volleys of confetti that we might otherwise have escaped. A good many bouquetls were flung at our little R---- , and at us generally. . . This was what is called masquing day, when it is the rule to wear masques in the Corso, but the great majority of people appeared without them. . . Two fantastic figures, with enormous heads, set round with frizzly hair, came and grinned into our carriage, and J---- tore out a handful of hair (which proved to be sea-weed) from one of their heads, rather to the discomposure of the owner, who muttered his indignation in Italian. . . On comparing notes with J---- and R---- , indeed, with U----, too, I find that they all enjoyed the Carnival much more than I did. Only the young ought to write descriptions of such scenes. My cold criticism chills the life out of it.