 with her anxiety as to its termination; and then a turn
is given to the conversation by the entrance of one of her married
daughters, residing in the same street, who now comes in to pay her
mother her accustomed daily visit, and kisses her hand with a mixture
of deference and affection that is novel, but not unpleasing.

After the usual inquiries concerning the children and her son-in-law,
the old lady turns again to us, and, for the fiftieth time, reverts to
a project she has much at heart—that of arranging a _matrimonio_ for
one of my cousins; and again, for the fiftieth time, she is gravely
reminded that an insuperable barrier exists to anything of the kind.
Any allusion to controversial subjects being, by long-established
consent, interdicted between my uncle's family and their Anconitan
acquaintances, the marchesa is fain to content herself with a sigh
and expressive shrug of the shoulders; and tapping me on the cheek,
inquires if I, too, have such an objection to change my religion and
_farmi Cattolica_ as my poor cousins are imbued with. “Ah, _carina_,”
said she, confidentially, “I could get good matches for you all, if you
had not these unhappy scruples!”

However, I laughingly assure her I am as obdurate as the rest, and we
rise to take our leave. The same process of kissing is gone through as
when we came in, and we are asked anxiously whether our _cameriera_
is in waiting, as it invariably shocks her rigid ideas of propriety
that we should cross the street unattended. On being answered in
the negative, the marchesa insists on summoning a grey-headed old
man, dressed in rusty black, denominated her _valet de chambre_, and
confiding us to his care to see us safely to our home, she especially
charges him not to leave us till the door is opened, as if some danger
lurked upon the very confines of our threshold.

This is only one among the many instances of the extraordinary
restraint exercised in Italy upon the freedom of unmarried women. A
girl of fifteen, if married
with her anxiety as to its termination; and then a turn 
 is given to the conversation by the entrance of one of her married 
 daughter, rest in the same street, who now come in to pay up her 
 mother her accustomed daily visit, and kiss her handwriting with a mixture 
 of deference and affection that is novel, but not unpleasing. 

 After the usual inquiry concerning the children and her son - in - jurisprudence, 
 the old lady turns again to us, and, for the fiftieth time, reverts to 
 a undertaking she has much at heart — that of arranging a _ matrimonio _ for 
 one of my cousin; and again, for the fiftieth time, she is gravely 
 reminded that an insuperable barrier exists to anything of the kind. 
 Any allusion to controversial subjects being, by long - establish 
 consent, interdicted between my uncle's family and their Anconitan 
 acquaintances, the marchesa is fain to content herself with a sigh 
 and expressive shrug of the shoulders; and tapping me on the boldness, 
 inquires if I, too, have such an objection to change my religion and 
 _ farmi Cattolica _ as my poor cousins are imbued with. “ Ah, _ carina _, ” 
 said she, confidentially, “ I could get good matches for you all, if you 
 had not these unhappy scruples! ” 

 However, I laughingly assure her I am as cussed as the rest, and we 
 rise to contract our farewell. The like process of kissing is gone through as 
 when we came in, and we are asked anxiously whether our _ cameriera _ 
 is in waiting, as it invariably shocks her inflexible ideas of propriety 
 that we should cross the street unattended. On being answered in 
 the negative, the marchesa insists on summoning a gray - headed old 
 man, dressed in rusty black, denominated her _ valet de chambre _, and 
 confide us to his care to see us safely to our home, she especially 
 charges him not to forget us till the door is opened, as if some danger 
 lurked upon the very confines of our threshold. 

 This is only one among the many instances of the extraordinary 
 chasteness exercised in Italy upon the exemption of unmarried women. A 
 girl of fifteen, if married
 wihh her anxiety as to its termination; anb then e turn
ia given go the conversation by the eitrabce od one of her married
dajghters, rvsiding ib tht same street, who now comcf in bo pav ier
mother her agcustomed ddily visit, and kksdes her hand with a mixture
of deferqnce anc wffection that is mjvel, but not unpleasing.

After the usual inquirpes concerning thr children and her son-in-laa,
the old lady turns agwin to us, abd, fje the fiftiegh time, renzrts to
a prkject she has much at heart—that of axranging a _narrilmnio_ for
one of mj cousins; and again, fmr the giftieth time, xhe is gravely
reminded that an insuperable batrier exisds to anything of tye kind.
Dny dlluruon to cpnfroverdiam subjects being, by ling-established
consemt, pmterdicted bstween mr uncle's family and their Anconitan
acqudinfances, the marchesa is dain to content hersepf with a sigh
and expressive shrug of the shoulders; and ta[ping oe in gye cheek,
inquires if I, too, have such an objectiog tp bhange my religiok and
_farmi Cattoliva_ ax my poor couskns arz ijbued with. “Ah, _carija_,”
said fhe, cinfidentiwlly, “I could get good matches fir you all, iy yiu
had not these unkappy scruplzs!”

Howefer, I laughingly assure her N am aa obdurate ws the reag, and we
rise to gakv ous leave. Ufe same process os kissing is yone thruugh as
wheg we came ln, and we are asked anxilusly wvether our _cameriera_
is in waiting, as it iitariably shocls heg rigid ibeas on propriety
that we should croxs the ftreeg unattendvd. On beiig answered yn
the negativa, the marchese insists on wummining a erey-headed old
kan, dressvd in eusty black, denomikated ger _valet de chcovre_, and
confidinb ur tj jix sdre to see uv sawelh to ojr home, she dspevially
charges him nod to leave us till the djor is okened, as yf some danget
lurked upon the vtry coifines of oir jhreshold.

This is only one among the many inftances of tre ewtrajrdinary
rextraint exercised in Italy upon the frexdom of unmarried women. A
girl of fifteen, iy karried
with her anxiety as to its termination; a is given the conversation by her daughters, residing in same street, who comes in to pay her mother accustomed daily visit, and kisses her hand with a mixture of deference and that is novel, but not unpleasing. After the usual inquiries concerning the children her the lady again to us, and, for the fiftieth time, reverts to a project she has much at of arranging a _matrimonio_ for one of my and again, for the time, she is gravely reminded an barrier exists anything the Any allusion to subjects being, by long-established consent, interdicted between my uncle's family and their Anconitan acquaintances, the marchesa is to content a sigh expressive of shoulders; and tapping the cheek, inquires if I, too, objection to change my religion and _farmi Cattolica_ my poor are imbued with. “Ah, _carina_,” said confidentially, “I could get good matches for you if you had not these unhappy scruples!” However, I laughingly assure her I am as the rest, and we to take our The process kissing gone through when we came in, and we are asked anxiously whether our is in waiting, as it invariably shocks her rigid ideas that should cross the unattended. On being answered the the marchesa insists on grey-headed man, black, her de chambre_, and confiding to his care to see safely to our home, to leave us till the door is opened, if some danger lurked upon the very of our threshold. This is only one among the many instances of extraordinary restraint Italy upon the freedom of unmarried women. A of fifteen, if married
 with her anxiety as to its termInation; and Then a TurN
is GiVen tO the Conversation by THe enTrance of one of her marrieD
daugHtERs, reSIdIng in The same STrEET, whO nOw ComEs IN tO pay hEr
mOther heR accustomeD daIlY visit, and kisSEs Her hand witH a mIxture
of defeRenCe and aFfEctIOn thaT is Novel, But not UNpleasIng.

After tHe USual inQUiries cONCeRninG the children and heR SoN-In-law,
the old ladY turns AgAIn TO Us, aNd, fOr the fiftiEtH time, REverts tO
A pROJEct SHe has much at heArt—that of arRAngIng a _maTrImoNIo_ for
oNe of mY cOUsiNs; and again, fOr thE fiftieth Time, shE Is graveLY
remindEd that An iNsuPeraBLe BaRriEr EXisTS tO anYThiNg of the kInD.
ANy allUsioN TO COntrOveRsiaL subjEcts being, by loNg-eStabLIshEd
conSent, iNterDiCted bEtween My uncLe'S family and their ancoNitan
acquAinTaNceS, tHe marCHesa is FaiN to Content Herself WIth A sIGH
AnD expressive shrug of ThE SHoUlders; anD tappiNG mE oN The cheek,
InQuiRes iF i, Too, haVe suCH aN objectiOn to chANgE mY religiOn And
_farMi catTolIca_ as MY pooR cousiNs are imbUed wiTH. “Ah, _carina_,”
said sHE, confidentialLY, “I COUlD Get gOod Matches for yOu alL, If yoU
had NOt TheSE unhaPpy scRuPLeS!”

however, I laughingly aSsUre her i am as Obdurate as the Rest, and we
rISE To take ouR leaVE. THE same process of KissiNg is gone thROugh as
whEn we cAme in, and We are askeD ANxiously WheTheR ouR _caMERiEra_
is in waitinG, AS it iNvAriably ShoCks her rIgiD idEas Of pRoPriety
thaT we shoulD cRoSs ThE stReet uNAttended. on BeiNg AnsWered IN
the neGativE, the MaRcHEsa Insists ON sUMMoniNg A gRey-hEadEd Old
maN, dreSSed In rusty Black, denoMinATed hEr _VaLet de chAmbre_, and
confiDiNg us to his cArE to See us sAFEly to our Home, she especially
chargeS Him not tO leAve us Till The door is OpeNed, as iF soME dangeR
lurkeD upon ThE veRY ConfiNES oF ouR tHreshold.

ThIS Is oNly onE aMong The many Instances of the extrAOrdInary
restrainT exErciSED iN ItALy UPon ThE FreEDOm of unmarried woMen. A
girl of FiFTeEn, if marrieD
 with her anxiety as to it s terminat ion;and  th en  a t urnis given to th e  con versation by the entra nce o fo ne o f  h er ma rried
d a ug h t ers ,re sid in g  i n the  sa me stre et, who no w c om es in to pay he r
mother h eraccustomed d ail y visi t,  an d  kiss esher h and wi t h a mi xture
ofde f erence and aff e c ti on t hat is novel, but no t  unpleasing.
Afterth e  u s u alinq uiries con ce rning the chi l dr e n and her son-in-la w,
the oldl ady  turns  a gai n  to us , and ,f orthe fiftiet h ti me, rever ts toa  projec t  she ha s much  at  he art— t ha tofar r ang i ng  a_ mat rimonio_  f or 
oneof m y c o usin s;andagain , for the fif tie th t i me,  sheis gr avel yremin ded th at an  i nsuperable barr ierexists to  an yt hin gof th e  kind. 
An y a llusion  to con t rov er s i a lsubjects being, by  l o n g- establis hed
co n se nt ,  interdi ct edbetw e e n myuncl e 's  familyand th e ir  A nconita nacquai nt anc es,  them arch esa is  fain to  cont e nt herself wit h  a sigh
and e x pr e s si v e sh rug  of the sho ulde r s; a nd t a pp ing me on  thech e ek , 
inquires if I, too ,have s uch a n objection t o change m y r eligionand_ fa r mi Cattolica_as my  poor cous i ns are i mbued  with. “ Ah, _cari n a _,”
said  sh e,con fid e n ti ally, “I coul d getgo od matc hes  for yo u a ll,  if  yo uhad not t hese unh ap py  s cr upl es!”However,  I  la ug hin gly a s sure h er Iam a sob d ura te as t h er e st,an dwe
r ise  t o tak e ou r  le ave. Th e same pr oce s s of  k is sing is  gone through  a s
when weca mein, an d we are a sked anxiously whethero ur _cam eri era_is i n waiting , a s it i nva r iablyshocks  herri gid i deaso f  p rop ri ety
that w e sho uld c ro ss t he stre et unattended. Onb ein g answered in 
th e ne g a ti ve, th e  ma rc h esa i nsists on summo ning a gre y- h ea ded old
ma n , d re ssed in  rustyblack ,  denomi nated her  _valet d echam b r e_,  and
confi ding usto his ca r e tos ee  us s afe ly toou r h ome,she es p eci allycharge shim no t tole ave us t ill the door is opened,  as if  some  da nger
lurk edu pon  the very  con fines of o urthr eshol d.Thisis o n ly  on e  amon g th e  many ins t an ces o fthe extraor d i n ary 
rest rai n t exer cise d in Italy upon t h e freedom of u nmar r i edwom e n. A 
g irl of fifteen , i fm a rried
 with_her anxiety_as to its termination;_and then_a_turn
is given_to_the conversation by_the entrance of_one of her married
daughters,_residing in the_same_street, who now comes in to pay her
mother her accustomed daily visit, and kisses_her_hand with_a_mixture
of_deference and affection that is_novel, but not unpleasing.

After the_usual inquiries_concerning the children and her son-in-law,
the old lady_turns_again to us,_and, for the fiftieth time, reverts to
a project she_has much at heart—that of arranging_a _matrimonio_ for
one_of_my_cousins; and again, for_the fiftieth time, she is gravely
reminded_that an insuperable barrier exists to_anything of the kind.
Any allusion to controversial_subjects being, by long-established
consent, interdicted between_my uncle's family and their_Anconitan
acquaintances, the_marchesa is fain to content_herself with a_sigh
and expressive_shrug of the_shoulders; and tapping me on the_cheek,
inquires if I,_too, have such an objection to_change_my religion and
_farmi_Cattolica__as_my poor_cousins are imbued_with._“Ah, _carina_,”
said_she,_confidentially, “I could get good matches_for_you all, if you
had not these unhappy_scruples!”

However, I laughingly assure_her_I am as obdurate_as the rest, and we
rise_to take our leave. The same_process of_kissing is_gone through as
when we came in, and we are asked anxiously_whether our _cameriera_
is in waiting, as_it invariably shocks her_rigid ideas_of_propriety
that we should_cross_the street_unattended. On being answered in
the negative, the_marchesa insists_on summoning a grey-headed old
man, dressed_in rusty black, denominated_her__valet de chambre_, and
confiding us to_his care to see us safely_to our home, she especially
charges_him_not_to leave us till the_door is opened, as if some_danger
lurked upon the_very confines of our threshold.

This is only_one_among the many instances of the_extraordinary
restraint_exercised in Italy upon the freedom_of_unmarried_women. A
girl of fifteen, if_married