[22] It is impossible to place reliance on the exactness of such figures. They must throughout be taken as obtained from different sources, and possibly in no one case correct. I should, for example, here doubt whether Castiglione stands as high as the castle of Ste. Agnese.
[23] It is the custom in the Riviera, and probably elsewhere in France, to give free of charge, to those who are on pension, their lunch to take with them on such excursions, which they would otherwise have had at the hotel.
[24] At Biarritz a different practice prevails. Instead of beating the linen, the linen is employed to beat the stone. We have seen a lady’s fancy petticoat thus thrashed against the stones without mercy.
[25] The expense of washing at Mentone, though not moderate, is less than in Paris.
[26] Mr. C. Home-Douglas (p. 177) publishes observations giving much lower mean temperatures. I suppose in these matters observers seldom agree.
[27] I shall use henceforth franc for lira, the Italian name, for simplicity’s sake.
[28] The ceremony of baptism in the Greek Church is even more trying to the poor child. See The Englishwoman in Russia, p. 265.
[29] I have since seen a different account given of this stone.
[30] So called from its colossal size. It is sometimes spelt Coliseum, a corruption of the word.
[31] The arena of Nismes is 148 by 112 yards, height 74 feet, and accommodated 32,000 spectators; arena, 74 by 42 yards. The Colosseum, 205 by 170 yards, height 156 feet, accommodating 87,000 spectators (besides containing standing room for 23,000 more in the porticoes and surrounding passages); arena, 93 by 58 yards. But in stating these and other measurements, it is always right to keep in mind that in different books the figures do not correspond, and one well-informed and most reliable writer states the dimensions of the Colosseum at about 40 feet more each way than the above. Mr. Storey’s figures for the Colosseum also vary from the above several yards in each measurement. For a pretty full account of the Colosseum, reference may be made to Storey’s Roba di Roma, vol. i. chap. ix.