I have said enough about the heart, mind, and education of the Roman
nobility. A few words as to the fortunes of which they dispose.
I have before me a list which I believe to be authentic, as I copied
it myself in a sure quarter. It comprises the net available incomes of
the principal Roman families. I extract the most important:--
Corsini ....... L20,000
Borghese....... 18,000
Ludovisi....... 14,000
Grazioli....... 14,000
Doria.......... 13,000
Rospigliosi.... 10,000
Colonna........ 8,000
Odescalchi..... 8,000
Massimo........ 8,000
Patrizi........ 6,000
Orsini......... 4,000
Strozzi........ 4,000
Torlonia....... Unlimited.
Antonelli....... Ditto.
It is not to be supposed that Grazioli, for instance, has himself
alone nearly as large a gross income as Prince Borghese and his two
brothers Aldobrandini and Salviati together. But the fact is that all
the more ancient families are burdened with heavy hereditary charges,
which enormously reduce their incomes. They are obliged to keep up
chapels, churches, hospitals, and whole chapters of fat canons, while
the nobles of yesterday are not called upon to pay for either the fame
or the sins of their ancestors.
At all events the foregoing list proves the mediocrity as to wealth,
as in everything else, of the Roman nobility. Not only are they unable
to compete with the hard-working middle classes of London, Bale, or
Amsterdam, but they are infinitely less wealthy than the nobility of
Russia or of England.
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