Letter from Edmund Prideaux, Paris, [France], to Martin Folkes, Queensquare, London, England Prideaux proposes that an English watch desired by Hamerani [Otto Hamerani, Master of the Mint at Rome] should be made by a Peter de Beauford in Rome, a student of Mr Graham, as Graham's price is too high and the trouble of shipping from England significant. [Antonio] Leprotti's friend Cardinal [Gianantonio] Davia has died suddenly and Prideaux has seen his body at the Church of St Lawrence in Miranda in the company of all the cardinals inclusing [Pietro] Ottoboni. Leprotti has received great honour by recovering the Pope from his recent illness and the English in Rome hoping to see a conclave will have to wait longer. Prideaux has seen all the antiquities more than once and is now touring palaces and churches. Folkes friend Marcus Parcus is fully occupied as a guide, Prideaux also acts as a "Ciceroni" to some Englishmen as there is such demand. The only major work that Prideaux knows of is to the Trevi Fountain. The Pope has moved the obelisk from the Ludovissi garden to St John's Latern. Prideaux has been making drawings and plans of buildings. He reports that the English attend the operas and play billiards in the coffee house at Place of Spain. Describes some trompe l'oeil paintings and narrow streets of a town near Naples he thinks is called Protegi [Pompeii]. He has done drawings of the inside of Vesuvius. He does not think everyone on the grand tour takes the opportunity to be improved by it. Reports that Dr Irvin and his lady, Mr Murry and Signor Antonio Borioni are all well. Sends regards from Humphry [Prideaux]. There is signficant damage and a missing section of paper on the address leaf but no other content has been lost. 16 January 1740