From
January 1st 1864
to
March 1st 1864
January 1st 1864
Why has society chosen to make the
opening of the new year such a weariness and a burthen
Carrie managed to get her drawing lesson this morning while
Mr Marsh and I spent the time in making out lists of cards
to be left. She too, hurried off to pay visits as soon as the
Carriage was ready. While some other visitors were with me
de Bunsen came in, stayed them out, and then we had a
long hour's talk about what he has just seen in France,
Germany and the Danubian provinces. France, he says,
is stirred to her inmost centre with a firm purpose of
obtaining more individual rights, more personal liberty, &
he believes the Emperor will be wise in time, and grant
with a good grace what is demanded. Therefore in France
he looks for no internal disturbance that shall amount to
violence. Of the Danish question I am sorry to see that he
takes merely a German's view, but he thinks it may lead
to a general war, though he looks to Hungary and the
Danubian provinces as the points where the flame is
most sure to burst out. He declares that the fact that
all the sovereigns in Europe are surrounded by military
influence, and advised almost exclusively by military
men explains why Europe is always in a state of
warfare, or on the eve of becoming so. Beside political
matters we spoke of the great religious movements of
the day with much hopefulness. Indeed, if I can
judge from conversation with the most enlightened
men and women, whether strangers or Turinese, that
I see here, nothing can be more unfounded than the
accusation, so frequently brought against our age, of indifference
as to the great question of a future life. Mr de Bunsen
gives even the Italian statesmen and men of letters credit
for something far more like faith in Christianity as they
understand it, than most persons have done. Of Cavour
he says he knows this to be a fact: that in 1854 when
he was about to press the passage of a law for the
suppression of a considerable number of convents he
sent for Padre Giaccamo, explained to him clearly
what he was about to do, and his reasons for so doing,
and ended by saying: You see my object is not to injure
the Catholic Church, but to purify it, to remove only
what is unnecessary and defacing, and consequently a
weakness. Now, can you after this conscienciously
give me absolution at my last hour. Father Giaccomo's
reply was 'that he knew him to be a faithful son of the
church, that though he might misjudge as to her interests
he would never intentionally do her wrong, that he
should therefore unhesitatingly give him absolution
whenever he should be in circumstances to require it.'
Mr de Bunsen added, that an acquaintance of his own,
an attaché of the French Legation hearing, the night
before Cavour's death, that the last rites of the church
were about to be administered to him, went into the
sacristy of the chapel, took a torch from the hand of a
servant, joined in the procession, and with it entered
into the room of the dying man. Cavour, he says, was
sitting pillowed up nearly erect in his bed, the collar
of his night-gown open, and the same friendly smile
on his face that he wore in the days of health and
activity. As the priest approached he covered his face
with his hand as if to concentrate every mental
faculty, then responded to the questions of his confessor
distinctly and coherently - received the sacrament with
the greatest apparent devotion, and when all was
over leaned back on his pillow with the same
tranquil, benevolent smile he had laid aside for a
moment. This was at seven in the evening, and
at seven in the morning he passed away. This
story Mr de Bunsen declares he had from the lips of
the attaché himself, and he fully believes it. As
to the facts with regard to Cavour I suppose there can
be no reason to question them as they are the same as
stated by the Countess Alfieri, but I confess myself a
little sceptical as to the part the attaché professes to
have played. However one may almost say here that
nothing is impossible / Mrs Tottenham made rather
a significant remark here today. Speaking of a young
English girl supposed to be about to marry a Piedmontese
officer, she said: 'I wonder any English girl should
be willing to marry an Italian officer now, it would
be so unpleasant in case Italy should make war
upon Austria to have her husband's country on one
side and her own on the other.'
Saturday Jan. 2nd.
Mr Marsh came out about four
o'clock from his Library into the drawing-room, and I
said: 'I would not have believed that so much
as a dog would have come out visiting in this dismal
snow-storm! 'And did a dog really come?' he said
with such a serious air as was beyond all comedy.
'No dogs,' I said 'but two or three very nice countesses, -
the Bernes, the Della Rocca, and the third whose
name had escaped the servants.' We had been sitting for
half an hour trying to make up our minds whether it
wouldn't be best after all to go back to the old system
of receiving once a week rather than to be so constantly
interrupted, when the door-bell rang again. Mr Marsh
started. I said - 'don't go - the lamps are already lighted,
it is just dinner-time, no visitor would come now.'
'It's another of your countesses, I dare say,' he said as
he slipped quietly through the dining-room door, and
at the same moment the Marchesa Mari was
ushered in from the other side. She is one of my es-
special favorites, but I don't know how it is, all these
Piedmontese ladies bewitch me with their indescribable
grace and delicacy.
Sunday Jan. 3rd
Neither Mr Marsh or I went out
this morning, Carrie going to church with Giacchino
for decorum. I felt almost too unwell to listen to
reading at first, but one of Vincent's admirable
Méditations soon made me forget my bodily aches.
What a glorious thing it is to have left behind such
thoughts - thoughts that can lift other poor mortals
on their divine wings to such heavenly heights. Mr
Clay interrupted our reading by coming in to say to Mr
Marsh that he wished to return to America for
a time at least as soon as he could get leave from
the Department. Poor fellow! His family news is
sad enough. A brother reported killed fighting against
his country, and a sister losing her only son by illness.
His mother's family nearly all ruined in Kentucky, and
part of them fled to Texas. In the afternoon Mr Marsh
and Carrie went to the Vaudois church. I stayed at
home feeling so ill as earnestly to hope that the Baroness
Hochschild would not make her proposed visit, which
fortunately for me she did not.
Monday Jan. 4th
No visits except from the Tottenhams
and Mme Giletta. - note from the Countess Maggiolini.
In the evening Mr Marsh read some articles from the
Revue Crétienne. Among others a short biographical
sketch of the great Italian reformer Pallissario, in-
-cluding those grand words of his - 'this is no time for
a christian to die in his bed.' He also read a
short notice of Saisset, the great Frenchman who
died last week - a sad loss for philosophy and
religion. We half expected to hear tonight that a
collision had actually taken place between Denmark and
Germany, but no such news came, and we are now
inclined to adhere to our first opinion that mag-
-nanimous England will compel Denmark, by the
Note from a poor sewing girl of Piobesi, as a
specimen of the nice tact and sense of propriety
which mark every class of Italians.
Piobesi Torinese il 1 geuio [gennaio] 1864
Stimatissimi Signori
Oggi comincia il 1864 che ve lo auguro
felice, e pieno di buone venture.
La mia madre ed io tutta la nostra
famiglia sono tutti in perfetta salute
e vi inaudiamo tutti i piu sinceri augu-
ri gli fo i dovuti rispetti e mi congratulo
con le Signorie vostre, e vi auguro feliceme-
nte un buon capo d'anno e salutate i
Siguori vostri il Ministro la Signora
e Signorina, Gaetano tutti indistintamen-
te
Accettate i miei saluti favoritenu delle
vostreno notizie desidero di vedervi presto
e mi protesto vostra umile serva devota
Vardiero Maria Benedetta
most disinterested advice of course, to submit to
every outrage on the part of Germany, and that she will
say to Italy in case she dares assert her rights to Venice:
'we can't allow you to make war upon Austria.'
The conduct of England towards Austria can be explained
only by the determination of the English aristocracy to
sustain Austrian aristocracy, even if it is necessary
to sacrifice every other principle she has ever professed.
Tuesday 5th
C. went out to leave cards as soon
as the carriage was ready - returned quite chilled, the
thermometer being little above 20 Fehrenheit. The
Gajanis brought in their soldier-brother to see us in
the evening - Mr Marsh, Mr Artoni & C. went
to the Teatro Reggio soon after eight - heard
Goudot's [Gounod's] Faust, and saw the much-to-be-pitied
Doria.
Wednesday, 6th Jan.
This morning the papers are warlike
again. England is said to have spoken out to Germany
and to have ordered a part of her fleet to the
Baltic - we are incredulous still. I was
called from the dancing-room to see Miss Avezzana
who brought a lady whose name had evidently been
blundered by the servant. I thought it might be
Mme Mancini and used all my diplomacy to find
out in the course of the conversation, but could not.
She was a great liberalist, talked of notre chère
Duchesse de Bevilocqua, but still I could not
quite make out, or rather admit to myself, that
this was the great Sicilian poet. When she
left I asked Mme Rothan who had come in during
the visit, if she thought this could possibly
be Mme Mancini. She thought a moment,
and then said with a little hesitation: 'cela se peut,
cela se peut; en vérité elle a bien parlé," but
on cross-questioning Gaetano afterwards I found
the lady was indeed a Sicilian, but not Madame
Mancini - only Mme Del Careti, wife of the
sufficiently conspicuous General.
Thursday 7th
I had sent my chair to the chapel
where we go on Sunday intending to join Mr Meille's
congregation there at three o'clock, when Mme de
Hochschild sent me word that she wished to pay
me a visit at half past three. It was difficult
not to chafe a little under this, as it was the
first time I have tried to go out for two weeks, but there
was no help for it. Poor old Captain Crowther came
in first. I have not seen him before since the
death of his daughter six weeks after her marriage.
His wife, he tells me, has never left their son-in-law
since, always following him from garrison to garrison.
Mme de Hochschild was followed almost
immediately by Madame Elliot, whom she came
to present. To my simplicity it seems very absurd
that Mrs Elliot, after the cards that have passed
between us, the many enquiries and answers about
the sick child, the messages through Mrs Tottenham,
&c&c - that after all these Mrs Elliot could not
come to see me without having a lady to present
her, but I ought not to forget that we Americans are
but Hurons, and by no means competent to judge
of the proprieties of truly civilized life - On the
whole I like Mrs Elliot, for, when once presented, she
behaved very much as any quiet American lady
would have done. Mme Arconati has just
sent me a note asking me to manage a meeting
for her with Mme Rothan in my drawing-room.
Here is another instance of etiquette which puzzles
my semi-civilized head not a little. The Marquise
Arconati, who stands as one of the foremost
leaders of Italian society, a lady whose acquaintance
any person in Europe might be proud to make, does
not think it sufficient to send her card to Mme
Rothan, or to signify through a friend that she would
like to make her acquaintance; (or perhaps she thinks
this too much of an advance on her part) nor does
she propose to me to present Mme de Rothan
to her through some friend who should take
Mme R__ to pay her a visit, but she prefers to
arrange a meeting in my salon. I have no doubt
at all that this is quite in accordance with the nicest
etiquette, but it puzzles me. Miss Arbesser spent the evening
with us
Friday 8th
This morning, it being bitter cold for
Turin still, I ventured out to take Mme Gajani
to hear Ruscalla's Lecture on what constitutes nation-
-ality. Mr Marsh presented us to the lecturer
before he began. We heard much better than I
expected, and really lost little except proper names,
which he spoke hurriedly and of course with a
pronunciation odd to us, and occasional words
and phrases from the Sclavish languages, the
various forms of which he ran through as they
were found in other tongues. There were also certain
slaps at the Jesuits which amused his audience
generally, but the point of which we lost. He is
an animated speaker, and we were much
pleased on the whole. After the lecture was over
I asked him to present his daughter to me which
he did. She is an intellectual looking girl, and
also writes herself for the Rèvista Contemporanea.
Dr. Monnet came in this evening just as we were
setting out for the first lecture of a series to be given
at the Liceo, somewhat on the principle of English
and American lectures. We were not particularly
attracted by the subject announced for the first Lecture
but decided to go for the sake of helping to make up an
audience which we supposed would be scanty at best.
The Dr. joined us, and on arriving at the Hall to our
surprise we found it well filled with the very élite
of the Turinese society. My first glance showed me
half a dozen Marchese and Contesse whom I would
have sworn were at the Teatro Regio at that
moment. The ladies occupied the inner circles, the
gentlemen the more elevated ones behind. Every person
in the room was well dressed, and the whole appearance
of the assembly was rather that of a fashionable private
concert than a popular lecture. The orator of the
evening came forward, made a short, but rather graceful
preface in a subdued, drawing-room-tone of voice, &
then began his reading. To a person accustomed to the
stirring manner and matter of our Good American
lecturers, such as Giles, Holland, Beecher, etc -
the whole effect of this reading was really ridiculous.
The subject, if it can be said to have a subject, [illegible]
was
certain sketches of individuals composing the Monelli
family (an imaginary family of course) and then a
narrative of certain domestic events and scenes, ending
after the manner of the feuilletons of the day, in the
betrayal of a husband by his wife, and the promise
of the further history of the wife in a future Lecture!!
- and careful mammas had brought their young
daughters of from twelve to eighteen to be edified by
this Lecture! It was really too absurd. I must
however do the writer the justice to say that his
style was admirable, his descriptions very pictorial,
and a delicate vein of irony pervaded the whole com-
-position. As the beginning of a novel of this particular
genre it would have been most creditable, - as
a Lecture it was below criticism. As I threw my-
-self upon my bed after my return, and wrapped up
my aching side with flannels I could not help
feeling very silly at the sacrifice I had made to so little
purpose. I was certainly not needed to swell the
audience, and for the rest I had certainly
really
paid very
dear Saturday Jan. 9th.
Miss Todros came rather early to see
Carrie, and was soon followed by her aunt the Countess - a
Venitian. The Countess Castellani [illegible]
Santoni
came in during
this visit and remained till after Madame Todros left.
As soon as she was gone the Castellani asked her name.
I gave it, looking at the same time significantly towards the
niece, hoping I should be understood. "Todros," repeated
the lady with a semi-grimace: alors "c'est une Juive
alors?." I looked again at the niece who was luckily
chatting away with Carrie, and said in a very low tone
"Voilà la nièce!" Mme Castellani put on the most comic
expression between a little mortification and a good deal of
mischief - then went on to compliment the rare intelligence
the Countess Todros had shown in her conversation. This
was certainly no more than justice, for the countess had
talked well, but the compliments were probably intended
for the benefit of the niece. I like this pretty Castellani
though she is, I fancy, not a little malicious, in the
French sense. It is settled that I am to take her to Mr
Matteucci's Lecture. By the way, the Todros says
that the ladies who went to the Lecture Friday night
and took their daughters came home furious at the character
of the Lecture. I am rather glad to hear this for I was
really afraid that most of the audience would think it all
right. The Baroness Todros came to take away her daughter
while Mme Castellani was still with me - so that
she had an opportunity of seeing another of my Hebrew
acquaintances. It amuses me greatly when these
things happen. During the course of the day Mr Marsh
had a message from the foreign office from which it
appears they are in great distress about the Re d'Italia
reported coulé au fond on her trial trip. He went
directly over, took them some charts etc. Carrie went
off with Mme de Hochschild at half past nine to
a ball at the Menabrea's, and I went quietly to bed.
Sunday 10th.
Carrie came home at half past two, but was
still ready and bright for a nine o'clock breakfast. I
was not expected at the ball of course, and somebody graciously
apologized for my husband with: "mais que voulez vous?
c'est toujours ainsi avec les hommes serentipiques."
Rustem Bey said his mother's physicians prescribed
the Teatro Regio as the best medicine for her morale,
- that she had been carried there from her bed two or
three times, but that the last time she had taken so
bad a cold that so far they had not been able to get
her up again! C. and I went to church and I was glad
to find that old father Brown's christian charity was
strong enough to make him seem to forget my sharp
talk with him the other day. After such a hearty
hand-shaking all must be right I am sure, besides,
Miss Nora presented her brother to me just as I
was stepping into the carriage, and begged permission
to bring him to see me. Mr Tottenham gave us a
good sermon, but I had a better one still from
Inquiring of Carrie about her partners in the
dance, I was happy to find that poor Laura Savio,
mentioned by Mrs Browning, has still one
surviving son, Carrie was much pleased with
him, and says he spoke of his brothers.
Samuel Vincent after we came back. The Kossuths
made their usual Sunday visit, and were full of
lively talk. They gave a droll account of the behaviour
of a mamma who had taken her daughters to the
Lecture, and at whose house they paid a visit the
same evening. They declare she actually cried with
vexation - called poor Torelli un brigand &c.
The application of this epithet quite upset Mr Marsh's
gravity. I have seldom heard him laugh so.
We have a telegram that the Re d'Italia is safe,
at which we really rejoice.
Monday Jan. 11th.
I tried to hurry off a little piece
of work this morning, which has been waiting for me
three weeks, before it was time to dress to receive the
Marchesa Arconati, and had scarcely finished it when
a note was handed me saying she wished to come an
hour earlier than had been settled, in order to bring
Mr Castillia, who would have to go to the Senate at
two. To notify Mme Rothan of the change and to
get the drawing-room warm this bitter cold day took
every moment till the hour arrived. Fortunately
every thing went off smoothly. We were delighted to
see Mr Castillia, and the two ladies seemed to take
to each other at once. After a little while Mr Marsh
took Mr Castillia to his cabinet, leaving us three ladies
to ourselves for a good hour's chat. The Marchesa was
quite enthusiastic about a manuscript she had just
received from Mr Senior, containing many of his
late conversations with distinguished French Statesmen,
both those connected with the court, and those in
the opposition. I could not help expressing my
surprise that Mr Senior felt himself justified in
circulating his notes taken in this way, but the ladies
me that this habit of his was perfectly well-known, and
that therefore there was nothing unfair in it. I
confess this judgment was rather consolatory to me,
who have often had misgivings as to whether I was
justified in writing down so much of what is said in
the freedom of conversation, even though what I write
is intended for no eye but mine. The possibility that
by some accident my journal might fall into other
hands than mine, has frequently made me hesitate
to write down many things that I knew I should wish
myself to remember hereafter, but this gentleman, it
seems, is thought to be fully justified in his course,
which is, not only to take careful notes, but to put these
notes into the hands of his friends. Our conversation
was interrupted by a visit from Madame Malaret, a
French woman in almost every respect the exact opposite
of Mme Rothan - very plain, very free and easy but
without the least dignity, with a volubility upon the
most trifling subjects, which would be in the highest
degree oppressive if it were not accompanied by a
feeling of relief that there was no opportunity given for a
reply. The announcement of another visitor gave those
already with me a good excuse for taking their leave, and
I was sure the Marchesa Arconati wished to get
One of my visitors today speaking of La Doria, said
in reply to the remark of another that she was kind
and amiable, said, "Oui, c'est une dame sans
fiel et sans sel." -
away from the very first moment that the stormy
French Baroness made her appearance. Later in
the day the Baroness Visconti brought the Countess
Maggiolini, a very lady-like English woman, married
to an Italian codino - one of those nine-hundred-year-old
pretenders whose sun is fast setting. I was so thoroughly
tired out by dinner-time that I shrunk from the idea
of going to the Lecture in the evening, but dinner and a
cup of tea after refreshed me a little, and we hurried the abbé
off just in time to get one of the last seats in the hall,
There was a formidable array of man and monkey skeletons
and Professor des Filippi did his best to make us
believe that we were all descended from monkeys, and
that we ought to be satisfied with so respectable an
ancestry. The Lecture was certainly more befitting the
occasion than was Torelli's, but to me it was dull and
unconvincing. He gave us no new facts, and failed to
answer the most important of Quatrefage's objections to
this theory. Mr Marsh was too far off to hear him with
anything like distinctness, but in my judgment he lost
little. I had a word with Mme Arconati, both
before and after the Lecture. Speaking of the two ladies
she had met in the morning she said - "Est-il possible
- d'imaginer deux personnes de type plus opposé - !"
Tuesday Jan. 12th
We had a wonderfully quiet
day today, owing no doubt in part to the extreme cold.
The thermometer at the Observatory being it is said at
zero Fahr. this morning. There must be terrible suffering
among the poor, for here even, with all our comforts,
the whole household is complaining. The arrest of
the three 4 Italians at Paris confessing the intention to
have murdered the Emperor excites profound regret among
all the friends of Italy, or rather I should say it is
not their arrest, but the fact of the conspiracy that
distresses them. Mazzini must be the maddest of
madmen, and I cannot see how England if he
continues to go on in this way, can fail to treat him
as a madman, and shut him up where he can
no longer put in jeopardy the lines of others in this way.
It is dreadful to see this noble nature so distorted
and ruined. This evening we read Ewald's terribly
severe criticism on Renan's Life of Christ. It will
no doubt do much to injure the popularity of this
book. Wednesday Jan 13th
Madame Pétrof spent an
hour with me while the girls were dancing, and told
me again the sad story of her sister's death from the diphtheria
on the fortieth day after her marriage. No other visitors except
the Countess Giletta who came for her daughter
Thursday Jan 14th
Mr Clay came in rather early
this morning. He looks worn and anxious, but I hope he
will not resign and leave us at Mr Seward's mercy once
more for a successor. Still it is most natural that a
Kentuckian should be unhappy away from his home
at this time. This evening, notwithstanding the bitter cold
- the thermometer almost at zero, - the Count and Countess
Gigliucci came in to pass the evening with us. We
enjoyed their visit not a little. The Countess is full
of pleasant reminiscences of Charles and Mary Lamb, of
Leigh Hunt etc. besides her own abundant stock of original
remark. Mr Marsh says she is a 'real live woman',
which means a great deal with him. We asked the
Countess, when she was speaking of her long residence in Nice,
if she knew the d'Abbadys. She said she was one evening
presented to Madame, and sat by her on the sofa nearly
the whole evening, during which time the lady entertained
her with an account of a most melancholy affliction that
had lately befallen her - the death of a lap-dog! Madame
G__. listened patiently and sympathetically as long as she
could, but at last finding there was likely to be no change
of topic she ventured to hint that for her own part she did
not much like lap-dogs - Madame d'A__. replied with
some spirit - "moi, je les adore." - "Et moi, je les
déteste" was the rejoinder, which proved a settler,
for the ladies said no more. Some years after the
Countess Gigliucci was on her way from Lyons to
Marseilles by rail. The day was very hot, and the
compartment already contained six persons when a
gentlemen and lady, the latter holding a small
basket, entered the carriage. The previous occupants
had expanded themselves and their shawls as well as
they could to prevent this addition to their numbers, but
it was no use - there were no other first class seats,
and they were admitted of necessity. No sooner however
were they seated then the Countess G__. exclaimed
"Mon Dieu, je sens un chien! Est-ce-qu'il y a un
chien ici?" and she looked fiercely at the little basket
The intruding lady looked deprecatingly, and then said
coaxingly - "Mais, madame, c'est un tout petit, c'est un rien!
"Mais, Mon Dieu, cé-serait impossible d'y rester
avec un chien dans une telle chaleur!" and she
called to the guard. The poor fellow, who had received
his fee, and slunk away, was deaf as long as possible,
but Madame Gigliucci's repeated demand 'Est-ce-qu'il
est permis de porter des chiens dans les premières classes'
had to be attended to at last, and the man was
obliged to tell the lady that she must give up her
dog, offering to take good care of it himself - "Non," said the
lady decidedly, "s'il faut faire sortir mon chien, moi,
je sors aussi!" and she left the compartment in
high indignation - "Guess my astonishment," says
Madame Gigliucci "when the lady threw up her veil
as she stepped out, and I recognized Mme d'Abbady
of Nice.! And, hadn't I unconsciously taken a most
delightful revenge for that dreadful evening on the
sofa!" If I could write as fast as Mme Gigluicci
talks I should not content myself with recording only
this one of the many nice little things she told this
evening. Speaking of music we asked her opinion of
Schoppin [Chopin] - "He was the first musical genius of his
age" was her decision. "There is only one thing
worse than French immorality - that is French
morality." I am not sure whether Madame G__.
originated or quoted, this aphorism.
Friday 15th
We went, with Mrs Gajani, to hear
Veggezzi-Ruscalla lecture at one; Though we lost a
good deal I still found the Lecture most interesting &
I could not help telling Ruscalla at the end how
much I was delighted with his appreciation of
Kalawala. The Lecturer kindled with enthusiasm,
and said he should have more to write on that exquisite
poem before his Lectures were finished. We settled that
his daughter, Miss Ida, should come and see me some
Saturday. We tried to read one of her stories in the
Rivista the other evening, but couldn't get through
with it. The young lady is said to be highly gifted, and
I have no doubt she is, but either her genius does not
lie in the direction of romance, or she is very inexperienced
as a writer. As I took Mme Gajani home, I stopped
to inquire after the dear old Baron Plana, who is ill,
and has been bled, the papers say, this morning. The
Baroness did not send an unfavourable report of him,
and I hope he may live in spite of these Turinese
butchers: The idea of bleeding an old man upwards of
eighty because he has taken cold! Mr Fogg - our
minister from Switzerland to Berne, dined with
us. He seems a sensible man, and sound in his
politics. I wish he might do some good in Rome
where he is going, but it seems now as if that miserable
Hooker would have everything his own way, and
succeed in ousting Stillman at last. Perhaps, now
that Hughes is dead, and (an event which seems
to give great satisfaction) it is possible that Mr Seward
may be induced to adopt a different policy in Italy, but
I fear there is little chance of it. We were obliged to
excuse ourselves to our guest at an early hour, on account
of Matteucci's Lecture. We picked up the Countess Castellani
and were at the Hall at least twenty minutes before the
hour, and yet all the best seats for gentlemen were already
taken. The Countess explained to us that her family connexions
generally would be dreadfully shocked at her going to such a
place. It seems that my note to her in the morning
had been taken to her sister-in law by mistake, and in
this way, the startling fact of what she was about to do
had got out to the great dismay of the family. "Ma
Belle-soeur se ferait écorcher vive peu tôt que de se
trouver a un tel cours!" She told Mr Marsh in
the livliest way how arrierée all her family were,
and said she had to thank God for a twelve year
residence in Lombardy or she should be no better than
the rest. When she ventures to criticise their illiberality
a little, and tells them that the world must and will
go on in spite of the efforts of the Piedmontese nobility
to hold it back, they cry out: "Pour charité, Clotilde,
pour charité, ne dites pas ces choses - là devant
mes filles!" Among themselves they say, "Pauvre
Clotilde, comme elle a la tête chaude! Dieu! Qu'
est ce qu'ella va devenir?" The beautiful, lively
creature gave me such a funny account of her reception
of a dozen persons, most of them gentlemen, in her
bed-room last evening. She was suffering from
"Je suis regardée dans ma famille comme une
femme pernicieuse"
rheumatic pains in her shoulders, ordered her bed to
be warmed, and went to bed, forgetting to give orders to
say she was not well. She sprang into bed without
making any change in her hair, waiting for her maid
to come with brushes and night-cap, but scarcely had her
head touched the pillow when the servant announced
two gentlemen. "Of course" said the Countess in telling
the story, "it was too late to decline their visit then,
and as I had received these I was obliged to receive all
others who came. "Et enfin, voilà ma petite chambre
remplie de douze personnes, et mon mari, voyez vous,
n'aime pas que je recoive dans ma chambre à
coucher!" I record this as a specimen of Piedmontese
habits, very puzzling to us. Perhaps I ought to put down
as equally characteristic
some
of the gentlemen's remarks
to her. When she explained to them that she was really
indisposed, and had not intended to receive, they said
"Mais, Madame, vous voilà toute coiffie, et reposant
dans votre lit comme une jolie petite poupée - il
n'y a de quoi doutes - vous l'avez fait exprès!"
Saturday Jan 16.
A light snow-storm, and few
visitors today. Rustem Bey confirms Carrie's account of
the Doctor's prescription for his mamma, who does
not come round at all he says. I talked with him
a good while about Turkish matters, and he declares the
Empire to be rapidly strengthening itself under Fouad Pascha's
Pacha's guidance, and making the best progress
every way. He gave an interesting account of the
father of Fouad, Isec Moolah, who was executed
under Sultan Mahmoud. The Countess Beltrami
was my only lady-visitor. Just as we were about
sending to the station to meet brother Charles by the
nine train, he made his appearance, having an-
-ticipated us by taking the slow two o'clock line. We
are delighted to have him here at last. He looks
very thin, but otherwise seems well.
Sunday 17th
It was so cold this morning that I gave
up going to church as I had intended. We talked over
home-friends with Charles, - Carrie wrote a letter for me - &
almost as soon as we were ready to sit down in the
drawing room, the widely-famed Beatrice Mancini was
shown in. When I have such visitors as this it makes
me regret my own inability to go out and do my share
in keeping up the intercourse Madame Mancini has such
a large circle of acquaintance that it must be very difficult
for her to make even return-visits, much less to go often to
see those who never visit and can of course set up no
claims. This charming woman did not disappoint me. She
is still very handsome, with an expression such as you might
expect from one who thinks as she can think and writes as
she can write. She promises to come to me often and to
bring her daughters for Carrie's sake, but I know it will
be difficult for her to keep her promise. The venerable
Castillia came to give Mr Marsh some information which
Mr Norton of Cambridge has asked for. As I listened to
him and watched his almost more than humanly
benign countenance I could not help saying to myself
"were there every confessors such as Italy's confessors?"
Here was a man condemned to death in the very glory
of his youth by an accursed [illegible]
tyranny,
the sentence remitted
for a fourteen years' imprisonment in the Spielberg,
then released only on condition of a distant exile, and
yet this man stands before us without one line of
dark and passionate resentment traceable in his
countenance, without one drop of bitterness in his
heart. One feels almost like falling on one's knees
before such grandeur of soul.
Monday Jan. 18th
The papers say dear old Plana is
worse this morning; I shall send at once to see. The
post brought me a charming letter from the Baroness
Gautier, as graceful and affectionate as she is herself.
The cold is bitter this morning - the thermometer under
the portici indicating [illegible]
nine
below zero of Fahrenheit.
The news from Plana is that he is not expected to
live through the night. His words when he came in
to see me that last time seem to be about to prove
prophetic. - 'I have come to take leave of you before I
go up there' I believe these murderous doctors have
killed him. Husband went to the Court-Ball this
evening. We had no visitors except Mr Artoni who
came in for a few minutes before going to the Mancini.
He says the whole story about the late conspiracy against
the life of the Emperor is a sheer fabrication so far as it
relates to Mazzini. Mazzini's letter of denial
might by many be regarded as inconclusive, but the
whole story of his agency in the matter is so monstrously
improbable that few are found to give any faith to it.
Indeed, the general opinion is that the whole thing has
been got up in Paris to give the Emperor the benefit of a
temporary diversion of the public attention from one quarter
to another.
Tuesday Jan. 19th
Another bitter cold morning - ther-
-mometer nine degrees below zero under the portici -
two below at the Observatory a hundred feet higher. It
is hard work to keep warm and we grumble sadly
ourselves, and lament over those who are worse off
still. A poor sentinel was found dead at his post
sometime in the night. Mr Marsh came home from
the Court-Ball soon after midnight, waiting only for
the King to retire. It differed from other brilliant shows
of the kind only in this - that the King talked to several
ladies which he has never been known to do but
once before on such an occasion. The observed of
all observers were Rattazzi and his noted spouse.
She occupied a conspicuous seat in the Ball-room
and Rattazzi stood by her for the first hour or
two, then sat down at her right hand. During the
three hours and a half that Mr Marsh was in
the room he saw but one person speak to them
- a lady whom he did not know. If this is an
example of the way in which this interesting couple
are treated generally I do not wonder that they are
said to make a triste figure everywhere.
Wednesday Jan. 20th
[Image] This morning at half past nine a
great light passed forever out of our human horizon. -
Glorious old Plana has gone to his rest. Great men
may arise to fill his place, but the like of him we cannot
hope to see again. The city will do everything in her
power to show that it is a grievous mourning to her.
Another conspicuous person died yesterday the old
Marchesa Barolo leaving a magnificent estate, it is said,
to the King. It was with this lady that Silvio Pellico
passed his last years, acting as her secretary, and it is
with the servants of her family that he lies buried. I
have taken much pains to ascertain whether this was
really done at the earnest request of Pellico himself (as
many declare) or whether it was merely the result of
those sharp social distinctions which even ten years
ago admitted of no modification. One thing is certain
- the countess, though her early life was a life of
pleasure, has devoted all her later years to the most
extensive and noble charities. It is stated on what
seems good authority that she has given yearly to
the poor in house-rent along the sum of one
hundred and forty thousand francs. The poor
Marchesa Doria is once more in an almost dying
condition - The Countess della Rocca and the Countess
Radicati, speaking to us of her today said that
she insisted that her sister, the Del Borgo, should
go to the Court-Ball Monday evening because she
wished to have the pleasure of seeing her
toilette - that she hoped herself to be able to go
to the next one, although her physicians gave her
not the least hope of living through the week.
And one of these ladies added - "Pauvre dame,
naturellement elle a voulu profitter du peu de
vie qui lui reste." I could find no words to
reply to his remark - I was struck dumb - I felt
that there was something wider and deeper than
the Atlantic between New England and Italy.
Thursday 21
The Gajanis, who spent last
evening with us say they get the most encour-
-aging letters from home. It was delightful to hear
Gajani and his brother talk their beautiful Italian.
Vegezzi-Ruscalla brought in his daughter this
morning. She talks better than she writes, and
on the whole I liked her much. It is amusing to
see how both her father and she are swallowed
up in Wallachia, both mounted on the same hobby,
but it is delightful to see people in earnest about
anything. In the evening all went to the Opera
except myself.
Friday Jan. 22nd.
We went for Mme Gajani,
then to Ruscalla's lecture-room but found there
would be no lecture on account of Plana's funeral
We could not see the connection, as this latter was
to take place three hours later. After driving round
the Piazza d'Armi we left Mme Gajani - and
returned home - Gaetano went for his funeral-
-torch, and this is all we were expected to do
by way of honouring the mighty dead. I had
scarcely got home when Mme Matteucci
came in. She is really a woman of far higher
stamp than I had supposed - morally I knew
her worth, but her intellect and her accom-
-plishments I had greatly underrated. She keeps
her light quite too much under a bushel - thereby
losing the social influence she might have
which would be invaluable in a place like
this. Besides, by making herself purely her husbands
drudge, copying for him by night and by day,
yielding to all his caprices, and patiently bearing
all his sudden outbreaks she has lost her influence
in a great measure over him. Thank God, I
have no occasion to speak from experience, but
it is my firm conviction that those wives who
sacrifice themselves in this way to the unreasonable
whims of their husbands do a serious injury to
the man they wish to benefit, forfeit his respect,
and make their own lives useless to him and
to themselves. Mme Matteucci is very proud of
her husband, and has good reason to be. He is
a great man, but he would have a fairer fame
if she stood firmly by his side, than he
now has when she crouches at his feet. She
made me a long visit; we talked of the Brownings
with whom she was very intimate - she says
the last letter Mrs Browning ever wrote was to
her. She also told me of her mother's (Mrs
Young's) two volume-book on Paleario and
his times, and she promises to send it me. The
old lady, now eighty I think, made all the
vast researches which these books show, herself,
and wrote every line of it for the press with
her own aged hand. She then went to Cambridge
and supervised the printing herself. Cantù has
spoken of it with high praise. The Count
and Countess Maggiolini came as Mme Mat-
-teucci left. The Count is a hard dark-looking
man, might be an Italian of Anne Radcliffe's
imagination. - The Countess I fancy has seen
storms, but she is evidently a high-spirited
woman with good sense enough not to quarrel
about trifles, and yet courage enough not to
allow her heart to be broken, even by the
man who supposes he has established un-
-limited rights over her by giving her a
five-hundred-year-old name, She asked many
questions about America and our talk ended
by her taking home Paris en Amérique.
In the evening we went to hear Bon' Compagni
lecture on Constitutions &c. Everything that verged
on the haute société stayed away this evening
for fear of hearing something that might shock their
nerves. Nothing however could be more calm,
more dignified, more free from everything ultra,
that was this lecture. He dwelt on the dangers
of inconsiderate haste in all questions of reform
civil and religious, he maintained the Christian
Religion to be the surest guide that man has
ever received, or ever could receive, for his
course in this life. It had proclaimed the true
principles of civil and religious liberty, and had
pointed out the way by which these blessings
were to be secured. He then went on to show
that the parasite superstition was growing in
Italy by the side of this glorious plant and
sapping out its life, that it was the duty of
all great thinkers, of all earnest men, of
all true patriots, to try to separate the true
from the false, and restore the heaven-
-descended vine to health and vigour. I
have seldom seen a more striking-looking
man - His dark piercing eye, his strong square
jaw, his firm mouth, contrasted strangely
with a trembling of the hand, and an
agitation of the voice which indicated great
nervous sensibility. He was not fluent, and
nevertheless there was something about him
which reminded me of Rufus Choate -
perhaps it was the nervous manner more
than anything else. He made on us the
impression of a man who had studied
carefully, thought profoundly, and who acted
from the highest convictions of duty. Just
before the Lecture began Matteucci came and
shook hands with me saying with a most
gracious smile "Ma femme vous donnera
a que vous avez demandé - il y en a une
expris pour vous" -. I understood in a moment
what it meant. I had asked Mad. M. for an auto-
graph of her husband for the benefit of the Fair for the
Sanitary Commission to be held in [illegible] New York
in March. He had given it, and one for me personally,
Madame M. handed me the envelope, it contained
3 photographs with autograph signatures, 2 for the
Fair, one of Massimo d'Azeglio the other of Matteucci, &
a third of Matteucci for me. This is a good beginning
of our quête and I hope we shall get treasures.
Saturday 23 Jan.
Like the morning of so many other days
this passed till dressing-time I cannot say how. Mrs Colonel
Mayhew came in almost as soon as I had taken my
seat in the drawing-room. The young Countess Colegno, was
my only other visitor till evening. This lady spoke affectionately
of the Doria, said she did not go to Mrs Elliot's on her
account, &c. She gave me the first intelligible account
I have had of the Marchesa's illness - some having said
she was dying of extinction - others of asphyxia. &
Madame Colegno says her lungs are very seriously
diseased, but water about the heart is the real
malady of which she is dying. In the evening all
but myself went to hear Ristori in Pia dei Tolomei.
I was well repaid for staying at home by the most
agreeable company of the Count and Countess Gigliucci.
The latter had as much original remark and as
much of interesting anecdote as usual. She is really
delightful. Her frankness verges on bluntness sometimes,
but her conversation is charming even when she expresses
opinions very opposite one's own. She describes herself as
a warm immoveable catholic, but no papist. If
she but knew it, what she has taken away from
catholicism leaves nothing but Protestantism. When
I told her where the rest of the family were she
said 'Ah I am sorry for them; - the Ristori of today
is not the Ristori of ten years ago; - her acting has become
so exaggerated that she who once made my tears flow
uncontrolled now only provokes me to laughter -
even
in
the most tragic of tragedies.' Mr Marsh and
Carrie came home with exactly the same impression.
Carrie says she made even the death-scene comic.
And this the Italians attribute to the influence of
French bad-taste
Sunday Jan. 24th
We all went to Church this
morning except Charles, but Mr Tottenham's extempore
sermon was by no means one of his best efforts. I was glad
to see that Mrs Elliot was not knocked up by her party
Friday evening, and was half tempted to give the promise
she tried to get from me that I would come to one
of the two following Friday-evening gatherings. Mr Marsh
went to hear Mr Meille in the afternoon, and was
nearly chilled through. They have no fire in the Vaudois
church. The Duchess de la Force was announced
about four o'clock. She came in a magnificent toilette
which was becoming as well, and I have never seen
her look so finely. She certainly is a most amiable
person - kind to high and low, which makes one
ready to forgive her much vanity and folly. She claims
cousin-ship with the Malarets. In the evening we
read a most interesting article on Vinet in the Revue
des Deux Mondes written by a most liberal christian
who nevertheless still calls himself a Catholic.
Monday, January. 25th
Mrs Tottenham dropped in after one
of her morning rounds. She had a nice anecdote from
Mad. Gigliucci. A lady caught a roieque
rogue
trying to pick
her pocket in church - she resisted and used some
vigorous language in rather audible tones. "Mais, madame"
cried the thief, 'il ne faut pas faire tant de bruit
dans la maison de Dieu!" While we were
out driving the Countess Castellani came with her little
daughter
Inez,
the juvenile poetess and we missed her of course.
Early in the evening Baruffi called to talk over his irrepa-
rable loss in the death of Plana. Poor man, he feels
it deeply and seems to find his best consolation in
telling what his friend was. Plana, he says, paid little
attention in general to his classes, but once a month
perhaps he would call them together for a lecture.
At such times he was actually sublime, would take up
an idea from the lowest & most hidden depth of man's nature
and draw it out link after link in unbroken sequence
till it reached the heavens, and all this in such a fiery
heat that the perspiration would stand thick on his
forehead, and not unfrequently he would throw off his
coat and fling it behind his chair, never pausing
however for a moment in the lava-tide of his eloquence.
Sometimes his duties as Professor obliged him to examine
students and of this he was very impatient. On one of these
occasions, a student, who had already been examined by
three professors and shown himself utterly incompetent,
was brought before Plana. The old man had listened to
the previous examinations and was furious that the student
had presumed to offer himself for such a trial when
he was so profoundly ignorant. "Take your chalk"
said the indignant Plana, "draw a horizontal line
on the blackboard." The young man drew a short
line. "Continuez, continuez!" He continued the line
till it reached the frame of the board. "Continuez,
continuez," still shouted the angry master, and the
student passed his line over the frame and along
the wall till he reached the open door. Plana all
the
time crying out "continuez, continuez." When the
poor fellow reached the open space the master
shouted, "maintenant, sortez, sortez!" and he disappeared,
thankfully no doubt. Another story of his later days
has its touching side. This was also on occasion of an
examination. A young man was sent to the blackboard
to demonstrate a difficult problem. He began well, "Bene, bene,
said the professor, "avanti, avanti! benissimo! avanti! bravo!"
and in this way he swept on his pupil, till suddenly the
the [sic] young man became confused at a certain point,
could not collect himself, trembled, turned pale, and
Plana in his heat seized the chalk, dashed out what
the profe student had done, recommended the demonstra
tion carried it on with the rapidity of lightning till he
reached the very same point and there, by some strange
fatality he became confused himself, lost the thread and
could not recover it. After a moment's pause he exclaimed
as he hurled the chalk to the opposite side of the lecture-
room, Ecco cosa si guadagna! vivendo fra le bestie
s'imbestialisce!" and he immediately went on to speak
of something else. After the Abbé left us Mr
Marsh went to the ministerial ball - crowded, hot, but
most brilliantly decorated - in other respects like
other balls -
Tuesday Jan, 26
We took a long drive after a hurried
morning at home. All my spare thought & moments
are now given to making collections for the Sanitary
Fairs. This evening I got the promise of a note from
Silvio Pelico from the Countess Castellani whom I took
again to Matteucci's lecture [illegible] Matteucci
was more than himself to-night - but we were distracted
by the sudden appearance of a notoriety among us
quite unlooked for - Madame Rattazzi Solms Bonaparte
attended by a woman like unto herself and followed by
her pitiable-looking spouse. The lady came in very late
wore a maroon-colored velvet dress & cloak, the former trimmed
with narrow bands of ermine from the bottom of the skirt
to the knee. Around the bottom of the cloak was a [illegible]
border of ermine ten inches deep at least. This garment
she threw off as soon as she took her seat and disposed
in [it] on her chair so as best to display its rich white satin
quilted lining. Then too she had an opportunity of showing
the taille of her dress a la jockey trimmed likewise
with ermine. As
soon as
she had finished adjusting herself she
raised her eye glass, in her whitegloved-hand covered with
rings, and surveyed the audience with a look of cool
impudence such as I never before saw in man or
woman - it was sublime in its scornful indifference.
The image of the Great King of Babylon had less
brass in it than this creature carries in her face.
Poor Rattazzi sat not far off, his serpentine head
drapped now on this shoulder, now on that. Is she
pretty, beautiful? Her expression is so vulger that
it is almost a sacrilege to apply such terms to her
and yet I can see that a heart & a conscience
would have made her most beautful - no,
I must add also the training of a lady, for as
she is she does not know how to use her
handkerchief without giving offense to good breeding.
Wednesday Jan 27th.
The Countess Gigliucci brought me some
treasures for the N. York S. C. Fair, among them a long
letter to her husband from Gioberti, the signature only in his
hand
She promises more nice things and I know she will keep
word. While she was still with me the Countess Col-
legno was announced - one of those true souls that come out
glorious from the trial by fire. She is much younger than her
sister the Marquesa Arconati and has in some respects
had a wider experience. In speaking of her own life
she says she was never happy happier than when her hus-
band, an exile, supported her in Paris by giving lessons and
when she never had more than one servant for her modest
apartment and when she opened the door to her visitors
herself! She knows many Americans and loves them, but
it is our antislavery heroes & martyrs for whom she
kindles into admiration. The Gasparins she knows per-
sonally and praised unboundedly. One might expect
her religious predju prejudices would make her
less sensible of their great merits, but it is not so.
She left me with a promise to send an autograph of
Manzoni for the great Fair. The Brows [Browns] came
as she went out - their odd mother must have fur-
nished them with their brains, of a commodity they do
not lack. - I sent C. to the Regio with Mme Bar-
toleyns and went to bed early & tired & [illegible] lost a
visito visit from my chatty friend Miss Arbesser by
the in consequence.
Thursday 28th
After a great many ineffectual efforts at
combination Mr Marsh and I succeeded in getting to
Mr Meille's three o'clock lecture at the little room used
by the English on Sunday - Carrie in the meantime driving
about to leave packages, cards, &c. The lecture was an
interesting one, and the first prayer one of the most beautiful
in every respect that I have ever heard. On our return we found
new sets of cards implying more work of course.
Friday 29th.
I was not well this morning but did
not like to miss Ruscalla's lecture, so took Mme Gajani
there as usual. The Countess Piola came with Miss
Ruscalla, and asked to be presented to me after the Lecture.
She did not interest me in the least, though her features were
very peculiar, a large, full, cold, grey eye, shaded by black lashes
and thick black eyebrows. Her hair also was very black
and a very unmistakable black moustache fringed her
upper lip. I should have taken her for a Neapolitan -
never certainly for a Hollendaise. Yet this is the woman
who some twenty years ago agitated the little kingdom of Piedmont
by running away from her Protestant father, then Minister
from Holland at this Court, and taking refuge in a
convent. Though it was perfectly understood that the young
lady's object in abandoning her father's house and the
religion in which she was educated, was to marry Count
Piola, a connection her father opposed, yet even the
Carlo Alberto himself admitted that once in a convent he
had no power to reach her. On hearing this admission
from the lips of the King himself the indignant Minister
said - 'Then your Majesty must pardon me if I refuse
longer to represent my country at a court where the Kingly
power power is ineffectual to protect me and my
family. Accordingly he resigned his post, but oddly
enough his son, Heldewier, now represents the Dutch
government here.
Saturday Jan 30th
While preparing to go last evening to
hear Bon Compagni, I was suddenly taken ill and obliged
to go directly to my bed. Mr Marsh and Carrie went to the
Lecture at my earnest entreaty, but the Elliot ball was given
up. I should have mentioned yesterday that the poor
Marchesa Doria passed away Thursday night at mid-
-night, and in the night last night the body was removed
to the chapel at Montallo, one of the family seats. There was
no ceremony of any kind here, partly it is said in order that
the Carnival gaities may not be saddened. Carrie
received the Menabreas today, but other visits were declined.
Madame Gigliucci sent in more nice things for the fair.
She is really a noble creature. Mr Marsh and Carrie
passed the evening at her house, and she sang to them
most delightfully. Among her treasures she has two copies
of verses by Charles Lamb in his own hand - one is
addressed to her individually as Saint Clare, the other
to the Sisters Novello. She has an Album too containing
lines from Coleridge, Capital things from Leigh Hunt etc.
Sunday 31 Jan.
After church Mr Marsh read to me
as usual, but I felt almost too weak and ill to listen,
and was hardly sorry when he was called back to his
Library by gentlemen visitors. In the evening he went to
a diplomatic dinner at the Malarets.
Monday February 1st
Another weary wasted day in bed, and
made still more trying by visitors whom I could not receive.
Husband went to the Court Ball in the evening, taking Mr
Artoni in his new uniform with which he is much pleased.
The Ball was far more brilliant than the first.
Tuesday 2nd
I managed to lie on the sofa near the
window long enough to settle up the monthly accounts, &
then returned to my bed tired out. In the evening
Mr Marsh and Carrie were to have gone to Brofferio's
Lecture, but the former did not feel well after dinner
and it was given up. Worse still - we missed a visit
from Dall'Ongaro who came after the Lecture and found
us shut up.
Wednesday 3rd
I fled to Carrie's room to get away
from the dancing-lesson, and the visitors it brings. I
was sorry to be obliged to refuse to see the Countess Gigliucci,
but could not help it. The great excitement of the last two
or three days has been the actual breaking out of hostilities
between the Germans and the Danes, but nobody thinks
the strife will go far just at present. England will be
guilty of any meanness rather than oppose Prussia
and Austria by arms. She will see Denmark basely
cut to pieces and never stir. - At the same time she
tells Italy - 'Yes you have a right to Venice, but if you
presume to strike a blow to get it, we shall help
Austria defend herself against you.' Great and just
England! Besides the dancers the Castagnettos payed
Carrie a visit, and the abbé Baruffi and Mr Clay
helped the rest of the family off with the evening
while I moped on my sofa in my own room.
Thursday Friday February 4th
This morning I took my old place on
the sofa in the drawing room, but only in wrapper &
shawl. The day is lovely and the gentlemen have
taken advantage of it for a long walk. Dr Monnet
comes to propose to take Carrie to the Regio tonight.
Miss Arbesser passed the evening with me in her usual
good spirits, but mentioned some circumstances about
her health which give me great anxiety. She has kept secret
consequences of a slight accident at Naples six months ago until I
greatly fear a very serious result. She is to see a physician
Sunday morning. Among the small gossip of the evening Miss Arbesser
told us some anecdotes of her little princess not without interest.
Her monthly allowance in pocket-money is ten francs, and out of
this she has to furnish herself with drawing pencils - also if she
wishes to make Christmas presents to friends, or any other gifts
they must be saved out of this sum in the course of the year.
Little Madame Marguerite laid aside last year two francs
every month to make Miss Arbesser a New Year's present, and
scarcely anything of the rest was spent upon her own pleasures.
This winter, having little or nothing to give to the poor she and
prince Thomas gathered up what they could spare from among
their books and playthings, put them into a Lottery, sold the
tickets to the little Marchesine and Marchesini, Contessine
and Contessini who are now allowed to dance and play
with them, and in this way they raised about 200 francs!
Friday Feb. 5th
Brother Charles is quite ill today from a cold
taken yesterday. We are all feeling rather blue, but Mr Marsh
and Carrie had to go to a Ball nevertheless, at the Elliots,
- very grand and gay.
Saturday 6th
I was vexed beyond measure to find
that old Peter Browne had made Mr Marsh promise to come
and dine with him this evening. The silly old hypocrite
who ought to be totally suppressed, thinks he makes up for his
impertinent arrogance in talking of American affairs, by asking
Mr Marsh to dine with him! - In general I have small con-
cern in watching over our personal dignity, but in this case I
wish Mr Marsh had declined. Luckily Dall'Ongaro's Lecture
for tonight is given up or it would have been a double penance
to have dined with old Peter, and missed the poet in consequence
Brother Charles is not better, and we feel very anxious.
Sunday 7th Feb.
Contrary to all our habits Mr Marsh and Carrie
went to a Ball tonight at the Roràs. Mr Marsh felt there
were reasons why it would not do to decline, so they went
for a couple of hours coming home at twelve. The beautiful
Marchesa was almost outshone by her still more beautiful
sister in law the Countess. So these little things take up our
time and thoughts while the flames of war are blazing in
the North, and while even the very men and women
here who are the gayest would not be surprised at any moment
to hear the canon in their own frontier.
Monday - February 8th
We are so happy to see Charles better this morning.
We had an unusually quiet day and all were rejoiced to be
allowed to stay at home for one evening, and be left to our-
-selves too.
Tuesday 9th
Mrs Tottenham came in early with Madeline
and we had a nice talk which we have not had for a
long time before. She is severe in her judgment (an
unusual thing for her) of the Duchess de la Force,
and says Mrs Elliot is greatly annoyed at being
obliged to receive her, her cousin-ship to the Malarets
making it unavoidable. Mrs T_. thinks she has pos-
-itive evidence that the duchess, after repeated attempts,
managed to cajole Garibaldi into her apartment,
in a secret cabinet of which, she had concealed a
French officer, and in this way every word the hero
said was transmitted to the Emperor. If I believed
that this woman [illegible]
was
really a spy of Louis Napoleon
I would sooner see a serpent than her; but these English
are so besotted with the idea their suspicions about
French spies that one must not trust too much to
their testimony. At any rate I have never felt like
courting the duchess, and am naturally enough not the
more drawn towards her after this Garibaldi story.
In one thing at least I could enter into Mrs T__'s feelings -
- the Denmark affair mortifies her extremely, and she
says her son in the navy writes that if England is not
willn willing to eat still more dirt he shall soon
be sent to the Baltic. I wanted to add: 'England will
eat more dirt' - but I had too much respect for the
feelings of this dear good woman. Saint as she is she
was a little ruffled by her morning's adventure. She
had been to the Hotel Féder to see Mrs __ a more than
millionaire, that lady wishing her to go out shopping
with her. After detaining Mrs T__. more than an hour
while she attended to some trifling matters, the rich
dame ordered a lunch of bread and butter and vin
ordinaire. When they had eaten what they liked the
wealthy witch spent a quarter of an hour in gathering
up the fragments and locking them up together with the
third part of the bottle of wine, "for," said she, "these
scraps and this bit of wine ye know'll do for my
supper." !!! The Gajanis spent the evening with
us till Mr Marsh and Carrie went to spend the
remainder of the night at the Pasolinis. At midnight
carnival died, and was burned, amidst the roar of small
arms and the flying of fireworks. I wish it were
indeed the end of the carnival, but the gala corso is
still to come off. Mr Marsh and Carrie thought the
masking and the comic procession very indifferent on
Monday, - they did not go to the Coriandoli today.
Mrs Gajani brought me an autograph from Dall'
Ongaro. She is very active for the fair - has got a
capital letter from Silvio Pellico among other things.
Wednesday 10th
We did not go to church this morning
partly because it was so bitter cold. The Countess
Gigliucci entertained me for an hour in her best way.
Miss Arbesser passed the evening with us. She says
that the Marquis della Rovere told her that when he
and the Marquise were at Pegli last summer they
found themselves just opposite the Rattazzis at the
Tâble d'hôte. Mme Rattazzi immediately inquired
of her husband who Mme della Rovere was. Rattazzi
tried to keep her quiet, but finally was obliged to say
that it was the Marquise della Rovere. "Pas grand'
chose, n'est-ce-pas?" said this scion of the House of
Napoleon.
Thursday. 11. February,
Husband left this morning for Milan
the King goes this afternoon. There will be gay times
there no doubt. The Countess Collegno brought her niece
Miss Trotti to see Carrie. This young lady is a granddaughter
of Manzoni, a nice girl who speaks English very prettily.
Mme Collegno's visit was delightful to me. We talked
of so many mutual acquaintances - Mme Ossoli, the
Brownings, the Brooks, &c. &c. This lady has all
that is most charming in the Italian character with
that wider experience which enriches life so vastly -
She told me much of Manzoni who spends some months
with the Arconatis every summer. She says his shyness
towards strangers arises from the fact that his trifling
conversations with them have been so often noted down
and printed. With his intimate friends however he is most
genial, his conversation being still full of wit and
sprightliness. At this advanced age (78) nothing
escapes his observation; not even a lady's toilette. His
heavy family trials have greatly affected him, but they
have not broken him down. His lovely wife died when
his children were all young, leaving two sons and five
daughters. Of the last, all but one died before the age
of twenty four. Neither of the sons have done him
credit. The oldest, the least unworthy married a
danseuse. Morally the poor girl has done well,
but without education, without the manners of a lady
what a daughter-in-law for Manzoni. This son however
lives with him. The other (says Mme Collegno) has
sunk far lower, has trailed the great name of Manzoni
in the dust - in short has done all a young man
could do to break his father's heart, But above all this
the noble old man has risen. At times he is deeply
depressed, but generally cheerful and contented.
Friday - 12. February
Mrs Gajani and I decided on a drive instead
of going to Ruscalla's Lecture as we have found it impossible
to understand him at his last readings, he holding his
manuscript just before his mouth and articulating very
rapidly. The Opinione this morning has a most
warlike article, in which England is hit very hard. In
fact the war fever is spreading very fast. Austria continues
to make new and more threatening demonstrations on the
Italian frontier every day. Even Gajani who is a peace-
-man just now, thinks war probable. Returning from
our drive I stopped below to pay a visit to Mme
Ghirardi - alias the Marquise d'Angennes. Poor thing
She is in great distress about her son, first because he has
run away with a danseuse, and second because she is
afraid if he comes back it will only be to be off again to
the wars. I tried to comfort her, but there is little comfort
to be given to a mother under such circumstances - .
"Ah," said she, "I am working so hard to save my fortune
for my children, I am ruining my health, and
breaking my heart for them, and they - they are so
ungrateful." She really seems thankful to us for not
tormenting her with our wants about the house, and
graciously told me that I was an angel not to com-
-plain more than I have done. In the evening
C. and I went for the Countess Castellani, and then with
her to the Lecture. The subject was; The Revelations of
Light, - and Prof. Govi was delightfully clear and eloquent.
His experiments were generally successful, and many of them
beautiful - . The hall was crowded to overflowing, many
stood and many went away. These Lectures are now a
decided success, and the only danger is that they will be
given so frequently as to lessen or destroy the interest in
them. I had the Countess Collegno at my side, and
she managed to find time to tell me of Mme Arconati's
unsuccessful trip to Nervi to cure a sore throat. She
was overtaken by a snowstorm before arriving at Genoa,
detained there, and nearly perishing with the cold.
Saturday 13th
We all worked over our old autographs
the whole morning - I might say the whole day, for
nobody came to disturb us till evening. We shall
really have a very rare and curious collection to send to
the N.Y. fair for the San. Com. In the evening the
abbé Baruffi came to report progress. He too will
get quite a nice collection. Carrie read Kalewala to me
after he left. I really enjoy it almost more than on the
first reading.
Sunday 14 -
After we returned from church
Mr Valerio came to see me and added many curious
particulars to the life of the Marchesa Barolo, as
given by the canonico - in the Gazetta Ufficiale.
There her family, her beauty,
her talents
her wealth, and her
charity are made conspicuous as they well deserve
to be, and her superstitions are kept out of sight. It
was she however who discovered the relics of Saint
Philomene, brought the bones from Rome, placed
them under her bed, and was in this way entirely cured
of the Cataleptic attacks to which she had been pre-
-viously subject. The bones were then brought out for
public adoration, then covered with wax so as to rep-
-resent a handsome young woman, and this image was
placed in a rich sarcofagus with glass sides, the figure
within being dressed in magnificent robes and adorned
with precious stones. The Jesuits carried off the adornments
and the votive offerings when they fled from Turin
in ’48, but the wax and bones were left. It does seem
sad indeed that a woman of so much talent and so
many virtues should have fallen in to such a miserable
folly as this. Valerio also gave me an interesting account
of his early life in Turin, of Lorenzo’s establishing a small
paper here, of his difficulties with the government in general
and Count Lazzari, the chef de police, in particular -
of Carlo Alberto’s anger about a speech he made at the
meeting of an agricultural society, and of many other things
connected with the good old time that might afford lessons
to many an American grumbler. He also explained how
it was that some thirty of the famous old families here
were now very poor.
Monday 15th
Mr Marsh came home from Milan
about one, The King’s visit there went off extremely well.
There were a great many blunders about invitations and
little points of etiquette, but nothing that led to serious
trouble. Out of respect to the democratic feeling of Milan nobody
wore uniforms - not even to the court Ball or the Court dinner -
At the dinner Mr Marsh had Prince Amadeo on one
Hand, & General Menabrea on the other - He think the
Prince has excellent sense, and
is
quite of the Carlo Alberto
type. Menabrea is always agreeable. Her Royal Highness
explained the diminished magnificence of dress and
equipage at Milan by the fact of the failure of the silk
and wine for so many years - The throwing of the
confetti was very lively - the French Legation joined
Mr Marsh on his balcony the first day bringing with them
more than fifteen bushels of plaster of Paris confetti.
These gentlemen all wore their roughest hunting suits,
and, to use Mr Marsh’s expression, they screamed and
Pa-ruc-h-ere - sign seen in Milano
yelled like pirates,’ as they pelted the unhappy people
in the streets and on the opposite and neighboring balconies.
The next day Mr Marsh furnished the fifteen bushels
of coriandoli and the Frenchmen diverted themselves
immensely as on the day before. There are few things
that would more astonish a sober New Englander than
to see for the first time a whole city gone mad in this
way, but it is surprising how soon one feels disposed
to take part in the frolic - One car amused Mr Marsh
very much. The chief personage in it represented the
Arch-duke Maximilian, and the car bore the inscription
Via pel Messico!
Tuesday 16th
Worked all day nearly in sorting out
autographs for the fair, and were fortunate in having
fewer interruptions than usual, the Countesses Maggiolini
and Giletta being the only ones. In the evening Doctor
Monnet came to look after Mr Marsh who had last night
one of his not infrequent attacks of suffocation, and by
far the most terrible one he has ever had. The Dr. con-
-firms our belief that it was purely mechanical, arising
from the falling of the palate, or, as he calls it the [illegible]
louette, though I could see plainly that he feared it
was a symptom of advanced heart-disease.
Wednesday 17th
The war-talk grows louder and
louder, The Ministry here is thought to be shaky and
some even dream of Ricasoli’s return. This reminds
me to make a record of a most delicately turned note which
I received from him yesterday inclosing some photographs
with his signature. Some talk of Rattazzi as possibly the
next Minister, and argue this partly because the King
spoke to Madame in Milan. I hope Italy is not
reduced to this yet. Today we have had some
fine presents for the fair - a very nice gun which
is supposed to be from Garibaldi - twenty photographs
from him with his signature and with a beautiful
note. - some most interesting autographs from Signor
Migliavacca of Milan - some fine engravings from
the editors of the Politecnico - also some water colour
copies from Albani - and one beautiful photograph
of the Il Moderno Caino. V. Vela also has sent us
some photographs of his charming works. Most
of these things we owe to the zeal of Col. Ripetti.
Husband, also, has got a shy at the Marchesa della
Rocca, who wrote this morning to ask a favour of
him which he grants cheerfully with the intimation
that she can do as much for him in return by
looking up autographs etc. This evening while the
Abbé Baruffi with his Norwegian friend Lieblein were
with us, the Gajanis came in. It seemed a
pleasant meeting between the Abbé & Gajani, the
latter reminding the former of many services received
from him in past years. Little Lieblein professes
to have made interesting discoveries in the Egypt-
-ian Museum, does not believe in Lepsius’ chronology
etc
Friday, 19th. I should have mentioned Govi’s
second lecture on light this evening - very in-
teresting - experiments most successful - theory
concerning the falling stars, etc. The lecture-
room was crowded, and a gentleman near Mr M.
said, in answer to another who was commenting
on the large number of ladies present, “Ma
quando queste lezione sono accompangate da
esperienze capiscono qualche coda!”
Thursday. Feb. 18th
Worked all of us the whole day for the fair.
In the evening C. went with the countess Colegno and
Miss Trotti to the V. Emanuel. Preston Powers
passed the evening with us.
Friday Feb. 19th
Gave orders to receive no one and
worked uninterruptedly in preparing our box for
N. Y. The only visit it grieved me to miss was
Madame Rothan’s. Ibbotson & Powers dined with
us. The former I have not seen before since his
wedding-day with Julie Powers. He is a very pleasing
young man & gave us an interesting account of
his iron-works at Sheffield.
Sat. Feb. 19th [20th]
We were just in time with our box
for the messagerie this evening. Miss Arbesser
came in at half past nine to pass the evening
just as I was thinking I might safely go to bed
with my aching head & eyes!
Sunday Feb. 20th. [21st]
Two feet of snow have fallen since
yesterday morning. It ceased before noon, but
not a carriage was astir through the day
except the Sindic’s - Roca’s. Young Kossuth
however managed to get to us, and Dr Monnet
in the evening. Really this winter is quite
extraordinary.
Monday February 22.
Klapka spent an hour with husband
this morning, talking over European Politics with
the greatest freedom. His hopes are not high. He says
the only hope chance of any good is that Italy will
make war on Austria now. Otherwise the golden
opportunity is lost and perhaps forever. Hungary,
now ready to rise at the least encouragement from
Italy, will soon be compelled
by
the terrible family
famine now prevailing there to submit to an
accommodation with Austria. Then Austria will
carry out the programme agreed upon, as he thinks,
by herself, Prussia & Russia - viz, rush down upon
Italy and crush out if possible the spirit of
nationality and progress, and restore the old
order of things. This may not be so difficult
with no Hungary to kindle a backfire & with
Rome [illegible] clutching at the heart of the new kingdom.
The French Emperor (with whom he has, as every
knows frequent interviews) will not, he says,
aid Italy further than to secure Lombardy to Piedmont
that is, to protect for her the property he gave
as purchase money for Savoy. He thinks England
less likely to interfere at present in favour of Austria
than she would have been fo before the Denmark
invasion - at any rate there is no prospect of a
more favorable moment and he hopes the Italians
may seize this, though he is by no means confident
that they will do so. The first step, he says, is to bring
about a good understanding between Garibaldi &
this government – a sine qua non to success in a con-
flict with Austria. He put Garibaldi where we do
among the formost rank of heroes, patriots & soldiers.
“His age does not know him.” The estimation Mr M.
has long felt for Klapka as a man of great talent
and noble purpose was not diminished by this interview
Unlike most agitators (a class I respect generally) he
is singularly practical as even the Conservatives
admit. The weather did not secure me against
lady-visitors as I hoped it would.
Tuesday Feb. 23d
My housekeeper informed me last evening
that there was a kitchen-feud had arisen which must
end in the dismissal of the cook’s handmaid. In
the course of the explanation a circumstance came
up which diverted me not a little. This woman
complained of bad treatment at the hands of the cook’s
wife who, [illegible] she says, is jealous of her, and as
a proof of this she asserts that Susanne forbid
Carlo to speak
to
her and ordered him, whenever she (the
wife) was not in the kitchen, to whistle in order
that she might hear him & be sure he was not
talking! The fact of the almost constant whistling
was proved, but the positive order could not be
proved substantiated as Carlo & Susanne could
not
be asked
to testify in so delicate a case!
Carrie went this morning to ask little Miss Trotti to
go with her in the evening to the Teatro Regio with her
uncle to take charge of the two. Mme Collegno said
that she should like much to have her go if there
was to be a matron in the box - otherwise it would
not be well received! She added very politely that strangers
always went in the way I had proposed, and this being
well understood nobody criticized it, but for her niece
she was sorry to say, it would not do. With all I have
previously learned of the stupidity of their convenance
here, I was not prepared for this - that a man of over
sixty - of Mr Marsh’s character and position - should
not be a sufficient protection for his own niece and
a little friend of hers, still a school-girl!
Wednesday 24th
The Countess Gigliucci sat with me through
the dancing-lesson, which the girls managed to spin out
to a three-hour one. Almost anyone else would have
tired me, but she, bright soul, earnest and gay at once,
never tires. Even the occasional liberties she takes with
English have something so free and fresh about them
that they make her more than less agreeable.
In short everything about her is so perfectly natural,
so genuine, so hearty, that I constantly ask myself:
“Is it possible that this woman has passed so many
years of her life on a stage?’ If it is by their fruits
that they are to be known, the theatrical education
would certainly carry off the palm from the conventual one.
We discussed the Germans pretty thoroughly in their
present robber-raid into Denmark, and sympathized
with each other heartily. The position of the princess
of Wales, the Countess thinks most pitiable. She gives
her husband credit for very little brains, and says the
German influence in England will control him
completely. Of the invitation to the Arch-duke Maximilian
to be present at the baptism of the son of the Prince
and princess of Wales, she said - What an insult to
that young mother! The brother of the very man who
is eating out the heart of her native land, and threatening
to drive her father from his Kingdom. She also com-
-mented with much severity on the course of the
Princes of Wales and Prussia, two Protestants coming
to Italy and passing by the chosen King of that
country, hurrying on to Rome to pay their humble
duty to a “dazed old pope” and to a detested ex-king.
“I am a Catholic” she added “but I don’t respect a
member of the Gustav-Adolph-Verein the more for
going to pay court to this crazy old Pope.”
Miss Arbesser came after I was in bed, but I
adopted the fashion of the country for once, and saw
her in my nightcap. She was quite dismayed when
I told her that Mme Collegno thought Miss Trotti
could not go with Carrie under Mr Marsh’s protection,
‘I must have committed some terrible improprieties,
but in Vienna where we carry convenance quite
far enough such an idea would be thought supremely
ridiculous. The poor little Princess Marguerite said
this evening with a sigh “I wonder where I shall
have to go when I am grown - I wish it might
be to Brazil for there I could amuse myself with
monkeys and parrots!” Poor child, may you be so
happy! Something was added by Miss Arbesser
with “if you should live….” “Live!” said the
child, “I had rather you wouldn’t speak to me
about death now - I think enough of that when
I am alone.” “Alone!” said the astonished gouvernante
“but you are never alone!” “Oh yes, I am alone
when I say my prayers, and I am alone when
I go to sleep - that is, nobody is very near me, and
nobody speaks to me.”
Thursday 25
The countess Collegno put
to flight
my first visitor, &
the Browns put her to flight in return, much to my
annoyance as she was interesting me so much by her charming
conversation. Oh ye Sligos! I did not present the young
ladies to the Countess Collegno, but knowing their habits of
making unfavourable comments upon all who come under
their eye, I took care to say as she passed out - ‘That lady
I count among my best friends in Turin.” “Ah, who is
she then?” said the youngest, and on hearing the name
the eldest exclaimed “Oh, I thought she was like Mme
Arconati, and Mme __, such ugly faces!” “They
are past the age of being handsome,’ I said, ‘so far as
mere beauty of outline goes certainly, but the expression
of both the sisters whom I know is so refined, so be-
-nevolent, and so intelligent at once, that it would be a
pleasure to me to look at them, even independently of
their delightful talk.’ “But they have such odious
manners!”, said the eldest Miss Brown again. At this
I expressed the greatest surprise, insisting with a degree
of spirit that I felt decidedly getting up to the boiling point
that I found their manners always ladylike, always courteous,
and in all respects to my taste.’ “Then,” said the
youngest “perhaps you like stuck-up manners.” As
the impertinence was now directed against me instead
of my friends I felt calmer at once. “No, I do not like
stuck-up manners if I understand what you mean by the
phrase, and yet I like the manners of the ladies we are
talking of.' Here the youngest Miss Brown seemed to
think she might have gone too far, and said – “Perhaps
you don’t visit them in their own house. It is there they
are so disagreeable. I wonder people ever cross their
thresh hold twice”. Here I changed the subject so abruptly
that I intended they should take it as a rebuke and
think they did. In a moment more we were talking
of the practice of having reception-days &c. &c. The young
ladies declaimed with much warmth against this
practice, and declared that they would no longer pay
visits on these occasions, as they found that everywhere
the ladies did nothing but abuse each other - a habit
which they thought as ill bred as unchristian. Had
these young ladies been as brainless as their old father
I should not have been surprised at these expressions
of condemnation of evil-speaking, even so close upon their
amiable comments on the Marchesa Arconati and
her sisters. As it was I could not quite restrain a look
of astonishment, but they were too much interested in
their new subject to notice my look or my silence.
They proceeded to inform me that the Piedmontese ladies
could not talk anything but slander when they got together
- that they were themselves so thoroughly shocked at them in
this respect that they had almost entirely ceased to visit
them. “Perhaps,’ I said ‘I have seen too little of
them to be placed on a footing of sufficient familiarity
to allow them to talk so freely before me, but I must
say that for myself I have heard very little evil speaking
from any of them.’ The young ladies went on to assert
that it must be because I had not been to these morning
receptions - furthermore that nobody could know anything
about the Turinese without very special opportunities -
that they were to the last degree untidy in their habits,
that the ladies neither washed nor dressed except
when they went out, - that as soon as they returned
home they put on some vile old rag for a dress
instead of the fine gown just shown in the street -
that they sat down to dinner in this way - that their servants
were on a par with themselves for cleanliness, - that they
were too mean to light their fires or have the gas
burning on their staircases or in their drawing rooms
unless when guests were expected - that they used old
pewter spoons and forks habitually instead of their silver
which was put away for some quarterly festa, that as
soon as the spring came they dismissed all their
grand servants, & took a housemaid or two into the
country with them “where they live like disgusting
pigs as they are.” Anxious lest my amiable visitors
might reproach themselves after they left if I allowed
this thing to go on, I here abruptly asked them if they
had read Renan’s Life of Jesus which had made such
a noise in Italy. This corner, which was even
a
more
sharp turn than the first threw them somewhat off
the track, and we managed to let our neighbors
alone for the rest of the visit. How often we have
occasion to see the great truth exemplified that the good
and the bad
qualities
are always found more or less mingled
together. These young ladies, who certainly put themselves
this morning in a most unfavourable light, are
charitable to the poor, are self-denying in performing
their duties towards them, and I believe really do
much good in that way. Their snarling, fault-finding
language about others seems a sort of family habit, and
I do not think there is real ill-feeling at the bottom, dis-
-agreeable as it makes them to others. Mr Marsh dined
with the Elliots, and the Moriondos spent the evening
with us, and didn’t talk about their neighbors either,
though they are Turinese, and the lady’s bright face
was not suffering for want of water. Mr Moriondo told
us that the phenomenon of red snow had been seen within
a day or two near Vergato. He is much pleased with the
various seeds Mr Marsh has given him from Washington,
and promises to look out well for them next spring.
Friday 26th
For the first time in Turin I received a
lady in my bed-room this morning - the dear old Marchesa
Arconati, and having done this I could not refuse the
Countess Gigliucci in the evening though sadly against my
judgment so far as health is concerned. She was admirably
entertaining as usual, but I was flushed and tired when
she left. She gave a picture of Isabella of Spain that
really made one’s flesh quiver. It was drawn as she
saw her when she sang at the Court of Madrid. Her
sketch of Cardinal Wiseman with his bloated person,
in black cassock lined with red, with red gloves, and
here and there a red stripe about him, looking more
like a mountebank that a prelate, and followed by
A visit from Matteucci was lost by Mr Marsh's
being at Ruscalla's Lecture, and my being in
bed.
some thirty quasi-monks and nuns, was one I should
not have expected from a good Catholic. The girls returned
from the Lecture on the steam-engine not over edified,
- the poor young man succeeded in sending off two
out of his eight female auditors, and nearly half the gentlemen
before he concluded.
Saturday 27th
The Marquis de Cavour died very suddenly
yesterday, having been in church it is said at twelve o’clock
and expiring at two - apoplexy it is thought. His son,
who succeeds to the title is in Paris. The report of
Dr. Livingstone’s assassination is most likely true,
though there is some faint hope it may not be so.
The acceptance of the proposal for a conference made
by England to Austria and Prussia will probably secure
the termination of the Northern quarrel; It will be
done however by forcing Denmark to sacrifice the
Duchies, for this is what they call “preserving the integrity
of Denmark”! I was glad Mr Marsh happened to be in
during Levi’s visit this morning. It is curious to see how
these poor Italian’s catch at straws. As the chance of a favourable
opportunity for doing anything this spring diminishes, they are
beginning to look forward with hope to the moment when
we shall turn on England, and demand reparation for
the wrongs done us. In this way they flatter themselves
England may be kept from interfering in behalf of Austria,
should they try to recover Venice. It would be some consolation
if England could be made to hear the scorn and the curses
which are heaped upon her by the liberal party in Europe.
Levi had just received Dr Sargeant’s pamphlet. He begs
that we will have something done to make the history of
our war better known in Italy. I told him I had just
written to Dr Lieber on the subject. Castillia came
in this evening just as Mr Gajani and his brother
went out - dear old saint that he is! His deafness
afflicts him greatly, but it has not abated his noble
enthusiasm in every great cause. His affection for our country
is very touching, He told us, rather an interesting anecdote
of Manzoni during the embargo days. The poet obtained
some cotton seeds, nursed the plants tenderly in his own
garden, and then had the produce manufactured into a
counterpane for his own bed.
Sunday 28th
A rainy day today - Carrie only, going to
church. We were quite alone through the whole day, and
had some nice quiet reading. By the way husband is much
interested in Tomaseo’s Life of Vieusseux, as being
not only the sketch of the life of a remarkable man,
but as containing so much of the literary history of
Italy during this last half century.
Monday 29th
The brightest, softest of Spring mornings,
our birds are screaming with delight. Leone, the nightin-
-gale being particularly stormy. - Poor fellow, he has lost
his mate through the carelessness of the housemaid who
refuses to testify against herself, leaving the face of Bice
somewhat in the dark. Not feeling strong enough to
to venture out twice to-day, I chose the evening that I might
hear Matteucci’s lecture. He had an admirable audience
but he rattled on with such volubility, indicating
only, not performing, his experiments, that it was very
difficult to follow him - even the natives complained
bitterly & to us barbarians it was harder still. Dear good
Madame Collegno was by me, and was quite in raptures
about Mme Rothan whom she had met the evening
before at her sister Arconatis.