Caroline Crane Marsh Diaries, 1861

We arrived here just in time to witness the dispersing of the crowd after the last rites to the late minister, Count Camillo di Cavour. It was a a [sic] scene not to be forgotten. Every balcony was draped in black and every face wore an expression not only of deep grief, but of almost consternation. Not the slightest symptom of that returning buoyancy so often seen in the multitude when a mournful ceremony has just been concluded, was any where visible. All went back to their homes with steps as slow and faces as troubled as those with which they had followed their beloved, trusted dead to his place of rest. The soldiers marched in perfect silence - not a note even of a dirge was heard after we entered the city, though the troops were filing by thousands across the Piazza di Castello. “Vous êtes arrivés dans un triste moment” was our only greeting. What will become of Italy now that her mightiest pillar has fallen no man dares to predict. Still why should our hearts fail so long as the Lord reigneth. If he has taken away one who seemed to us ‘a head taller than his brethren’ let us trust that He has ‘a man after His own heart’ to put in his place. Count Camillo di Cavour died on the morning of the 6th of June 1861 and was buried the following day at 7 in the evening. His illness was of a few days only - probably a mismanaged typhoid. Rumors of poison are current, but there seems no sufficient ground for such suspicions.

A most beautiful morning - and but for the calamity which has befallen us and Turin and Italy and the world in the death of Cavour, we should look forward to our stay here with much pleasure. Our rooms are large and finely situated, being three front rooms in the Hotel de l’Europe, overlooking the principal square of the town and directly opposite the Royal Palace. Mr. Dillon, the acting Chargé d’affaires, dined with us to-day - a clear-headed man apparently, but I fancy with no very strong sympathy with the Italian cause, nor any very decided choice as to who is the victor in our civil strife. In this I may be mistaken. Mrs Cleveland and party sent in their cards with a note of introduction. We found them most agreeable and intelligent persons. Miss Sewall of the Isle of Wight was with them - evidently a superior woman.

Dr. Dimarchi, a friend of Mr. Botta, came in the morning - a middle aged man, quiet and straight forward in manner, and very obliging in offering his services. The city looks bright and beautiful in this glorious sunshine notwithstanding the national flag draped in black crape [crêpe], that floats over the [illegible] senate chamber, will not let us forget for a moment that ‘the mighty has fallen’. We watch every movement in the fine piazza before us with all the interest that novelty and the prospect of a prolonged stay here would naturally excite.

The Cleveland party went to the Chamber this morning - saw Poerio and other notorieties, but all the deputies seemed much depressed and nothing was done. Mrs Cleveland and family passed the evening with us and will leave early in the morning for the north. They spoke of their Perugia experience with much feeling & are all Italianissismi. We are sorry to lose them.

The Abbé Baruffi, a learned man and extensive and intelligent traveller, paid us a visit this morning, and left a most agreeable impression. Mr Dina, the editor of the Opinione also came in. He is a man of much apparent energy, and though, like every one we see, much distressed at the death of Cavour, he is far more sanguine than most as to the future. “Monsieur, je suis Dina,” was his frank and simple introduction of himself. This evening we took our first drive - went round the Boulevards, and twice through the fashionable Corso. The people seem to be trying to recover their spirits but - in spite of the brilliant carriages, saddle horses and gay toilettes the scene was not a lively one. The more than semicircle of mountains around this beautiful city is extremely grand. The chain looks much nearer and loftier than I fancied it would at this distance. Not only the highest peaks are still covered with snow & ice but it extends far down the slopes and along the upper vallies [valleys]. On our return we found Brofferio’s card - we are very sorry to miss him. Dr Pacchiotti came in this evening. He speaks English well and is very animated and intelligent. It seems difficult for him to find words strong enough to express his admiration for Cavour and his sorrow for his loss.

The same soft but elastic temperature, and the air as pure as in the most open country. We spent the day - such portion of it as Mr Marsh was not at the office of Legation - quietly at home. A letter from Mary, our first from America.

The new ministry was announced yesterday in Parliament - Baron Ricasoli at its head. This noble Tuscan, of one of the most ancient families in Italy, has been to Florence what Cavour has been to Turin. His appointment seems to give general satisfaction. Mr Marsh announced to Ricasoli today his arrival as Minister from the United States to the King of Italy. Baruffi came in to propose to us a visit from the octogenarian Plana. Brofferio also called again. He is the first very red republican we have seen, and the only man who has not spoken of Cavour as the true friend and the strongest pillar of Italy. Personally he is very interesting - dignified and calm in manner; with a very elevated expression of countenance. He is perfectly frank and open in his politics, seems very unselfish in all his aims, but as far as one can be judged in a single interview, he is an unpractical enthusiast. I hope for an opportunity to study him further at the next winter’s session of Parliament.

We drove again this evening to the fashionable rendez-vous. The weather most delightful and everybody looking quite gay - but oh the caprices of the monde! It does not do to drive beyond the limits of the Corso, unless one would at the same time put himself out of the pale of the best society. At the end of a short half mile every body turns round and goes back again and so to and fro till twilight. Even to us strangers it seemed very stupid, but to those who go every day I should fancy it must soon become the greatest of bores. After a few turns you recognize every carriage, every toilette, and every face. The eye glass is used with an effrontery worthy Queen Victoria’s drawing rooms. The deputy Valerio spent an hour with us after our return from the Corso. He is full of life and intelligence - but oh that these unhappy Turinese had something like a language! If they try to speak French, they speak bad Italian - if Italian, bad French, and one is left to divine at least half of what they would say.

Valerio came in again this morning, with his brother, the governor of Como. This last I feel sure must be one of the great men of Italy. He is handsome in person, elegant in manner, full of enthusiasm and hope, but as calm in judgement as steady in purpose. When he lamented the loss of Savoy, and I said, “Mais, Monsieur si vous avez perdu vous avez aussi gagné - he replied,”Ah oui, mais Mon Dieu, ce que nous avons gagné - c’etait dejá le nôtre.” In speaking of the Pope’s selling off the pictures in Rome he expressed much indignation, but added, “Qu’il les fosse vende! Nous en ferons d’autres! L’étincelles n’est pas encore eteinte!” Gorresio, the librarian, came very late in the evening - after eleven - so that we did not see him.

Mons. Bert of the church of the Vaudois paid us a long visit after service - a very powerful talker apparently in almost any tongue - told us something of an odd predecessor of ours - Dr. Beber. Mr. Albert Catlin, & Capt. Jones of our army came in - the latter suspected as a secessionist, but we talked as if there could be but one side to the question - also two other young Americans, Mr Raemery of N.Y. and Mr Truss of Baltimore. A note from the Gov. of Como to say that a summons from the royal family would prevent him from keeping an engagement with us to take us to the Pinacateka. A very pleasant visit from the third brother Valerio, who speaks English well, & what is much more rare, understands what is said to him. His views are practical and statesmanlike, and he seems the strongest advocate of internal improvements of all sorts. A very showy religious procession on the piazza this afternoon. These things take place here almost every day, and are generally in much better taste than the similar exhibitions in more southern Italy. Mr. Dillon spent a long evening with us.

Mr Webb, the distinguished ship-builder dined with us to-day in company with his friend Mr de Riviere. Mr W. had completed his arrangements with Cavour for the building of two vessels of war, - steam frigates for the Italian Government, and nothing was lacking to the papers but the signature of the minister for which he was unfortunately too late. We hope however that this, as well as many another scheme for the advancement of Italy, is only postponed, not abandoned. Mrs Barney of N.Y. came in for a moment.

Mr Marsh went this evening to see the Countess Confalione, sister of Count de Bourke of Paris. She had written us a very kind note, saying she was in bad health just now and asked for a visit. Mr M. found her very pleasing - enough so to make us wish to know more of her. The Abbé Barruffi spent a hour with me during Mr Marsh’s absence - a priest that even a Protestant can respect.

Heavy thunder this afternoon - even for America it would have been respectable. Showers towards evening seem almost the rule here at this season. There is much complaint of the heat, but we do not find it at all oppressive. As we are thermometerless we can only guess, and we fancy it may come up to 84 Fahrenheit.

Went to-day to Trombetta’s farm-villa & silkery. Every thing looked like the best of farming, gardening and housekeeping. Madame Trombetta seems a thorough, energetic housewife. They gave us some very choice wine which is made of a grape much like the Zante currant. Vegetation is most luxuriant just without the town. Ricasoli paid us a visit to-day, and brought for us Gasparin’s remarkable book on the U.S. “Un grand people qui se rel relève”. The volume, as far as we have read, is wonderful for its correct and deep insight into our institutions and their results, but not the least interesting feature about this particular copy is the marks in the margin by Ricasoli of certain passages * The Abbé Barruffi says that Madame Gasparin is the real author of the book.

Drove out this evening with our friend the Abbé, to pay a visit to the Countess Balbo, widow of the famous Cesare Balbo. We found her an amiable old lady, surrounded by affectionate children and grandchildren. It seems very strange to meet in this way those who have lived familiarly with Silvio Pellico and all the Italian poets & patriots of the generation just passing away. It was the fête-day of the Countess and she had many visitors, among them the Countess Ghiselieri of the family of Pope Pius 5th, and about whom there seems to be some mystery which I suppose we shall learn in time. At any rate she is a most beautiful, graceful creature - with manners as fascinating as her person, and her three children seemed the creation of some poet-painter. The company were all well-bred and refined, with that perfect consideration for each other which one sometimes misses among the English. On our return from the Balbi we went to the Caffé - the most frequented in Turin. It was crowded with persons of all ranks sexes and ages, but was perfectly neat and quiet. Every body goes to take an ice after the evening drive.

This most wonderfully fine weather continues day after day - but no change except our occasional shower at evening. Mr Marsh dined to-day with Sir James Hudson - the invitation was amusing. Sir James came in himself to say that Matteucci, the eminent electrician, had just told him that he - Sir James, - owed him a dinner, and that he wished he would invite him, and Mr Marsh to meet him - which he did accordingly. Matteucci has nothing of that obsequiousness of manner with which the British have so long reproached the Italians. He spoke of Landor with much severity and as we think, deservedly.

Mr Marsh was presented formally to the King of Italy at eleven this morning. Many officers in uniform were in attendance, but no one entered the reception-room with Mr Marsh and he found the King also quite alone. After the first formalities were over, the King talked in a very easy, frank way, and in reply to some congratulatory remark by Mr Marsh on the union of Italy and her fair prospects, he said with a smile - “mais cela n’amuse pas tout le monde” Mr M. thinks the photographs that are abroad as the King’s de greatly exaggerate the coarseness of his person. On the whole the impression he produced was that of an amial amiable, generous-hearted man, with an abundance of good sense and overflowing with animal life. The character given him by every one here corresponds with this - but his personal courage also is much admired. His habits are the farthest possible from effeminacy, violent exercise and hard fare being quite to his taste. The only complaint I have heard made against him is a most unroyal passion for black bread and onions. Without exactly sympathising with his majesty in this fancy, I can easily see that he might have others more dangerous to the happiness of his subjects, and the love they show for him here seems to prove a similar feeling on their part. This evening our cheerful friend, the Abbé B. came in again and kept us in the best humour for an hour. He told us some interesting anecdotes of Plana showing that neither age nor mathematics have dried up the geniality of his nature, Just after the arrival of the telegram at Turin announcing Orsini’s attempt on the life of the French Emperor, Barrufi [Baruffi] met Plana in the street. The latter had observed the unusual excitement but had not learned the cause. “Tell me,” he said to Barrufi “What is the matter?” When he had heard the news he was silent and thoughtful a moment, then said, “Queste bombe fallite d’Orsini D’Italia mutaramo i destini!” Prophetic words. The Abbé had paid the venerable old man a visit this eveng just before coming to us, and he says when Plana saw him come into his room he called out gaily, “Ecco l’Abbate, Ché viene dell’ Euprati!” in allusion, of course to Baruffi’s extensive travels. Some of the Abbé’s etymotogical anecdotes were very amusing Fenêtre, from fait maître, because elle fait maître le jour. pantalon, from pend talon, because il pend a talon. chaudron, from chaud et rond etc.

The Catlins from Burlington dined with us to-day. They leave for Switzerland to-morrow, and seem to enjoy Europe very much and very rationally. Mr Marsh went with Baruffi to spend the evening with Plana whom he found rather deaf but otherwise in full possession of his faculties. The old man has had one attack of apoplexy, which did not in the least affect his intellect. Said he to the Abbé who went to see him immediately: “Voilà, mon Abbé, Un coup de foudre mangrié!” Mr Dillon, who gains on acquaintance, spent the evening with me.

Mr Tottenham, Chaplain of the English Legation, came with Mrs T. and daughter to see us this morning - very nice, friendly persons and, while thoroughly English in the best sense, their life abroad has worn off that reserve so common among Englishmen, which is sometimes pride, and sometimes only looks like it. Mr Meille and Mr Malan, two Protestant clergymen, came to see us this morning. Mr Meille, who is a man of a very quiet, attractive address, preaches for the little Italian congregation first organized here by De Sanctis. Mr Malan is a sort of presiding elder over the different churches of his own denomination scattered about Piedmont, and seems much more of a Boanerges than his friend. Mr Meille spoke of the Verneys with the greatest regard. This evening we had a visit from an Italian whose name we did not understand* *Count Micalini an old gentleman of distinguished manners whose eyes kindled with more than the fire of youth when he talked of Italy and her prospects of civil & religious liberty. - We were told on good authority to-day an anecdote of Victor Emmanel [Emmanuel] that proves he can play the king if necessary though it is not his favorite part. When, after his brother’s death, the Duchess of Genoa married again and as was thought, unworthily, the king was displeased and for a long time did not receive her at court. In the mean time - the queen being dead - several court - ladies decidedly assumed airs, and, on occasion of a considerable fête about to be given, showed signs of a disposition to queen it still further. When the guests assembled however, they found, to their surprise, the duchess of Genoa there to receive them, and certain aspiring dames were unexpectedly forced to take a more modest place than they had intended.

Mr & Mrs Bloomfield Moore from Phil. c [ame] in this eve - also the Halls of N.Y. with yound [young] Van Benthen[sen] of Albany. Both parties on their way from Southern Italy to They represent the excitement as very great at Rome & describe the late scene in the theatre there as most thrilling. The banished actress came by the same train with them to Turin. Death of Abduhl Medjed.

The Moores spent the evening with us, also Mr Baruffi, and Mr Dillon. After the rest had left Mr Dillon - the conversation having turned on the Roman question - declared with much apparent irritability that “no man who is a statesman can suppose Christianity would exist a single century if the Papacy were broken down.” Some difference of opinion certainly between him and his chef!

Our American friends, - probably the last of the season - left this morning for the north. Mr Marsh made his first diplomatic visits to-day. Baron Plana passed an hour with us - a grand looking old man full of fire, but not so hopeful for Italy as we wished. He is somewhat deaf but otherwise in full possession of his faculties.

Mr M. finished his diplomatic visits this morning - some of those made yesterday were returned to-day - among them the Portuguese Minister - De Castro who though representing a Catholic goverenment, is still a friend of progress & of Italian Unity. Count de Brassier de St Simon, the Prussian minister, also speaks very warmly in favor of the Italian people. He tells a very amusing anecdote the king and Cavour - (to be written down) when transferred

The Countess Balbo came up this morning - also Rustem Bey, the Turkish chargé who speaks Eng to extremely well. M. We were surprised to-night by the appearance of a most brilliant comet. The nucleus was just hidden from from us [by] the buildings, but the tail, as nearly as we could judge, was not less than 40 30’ degrees in length & very clearly defined, and pointing almost exactly in the direction of the north star.

Ricasoli gave Mr Marsh a copy of the speech he had just made or was about to make in Parliament. It expresses in the plainest terms a fixed determination to cede no more territory, but, on the contrary, to add Rome and Venitia to the Kingdom of Italy without any considerable delay. In his private conversation he spoke even more definitely with regard to time. Rustem Bey, the Turkish chargé, came to pay us a visit with his mother, the Countess Marina who leaves town immediately for the baths of Aigua. She seems in very delicate health, but though far from young, has still traces of former beauty. The Belgian secretary of Legation, Mr Bartoleyns [Bartholeyns de] Fosselaert also made a visit and seems an agreeable man. The great comet occupied all our attention this evening. The sky was less clear than last night but still both the nucleus and the train were very brilliant. Its place was much changed from the night before - being much higher above the horizon.

Sweden paid us its respects to-day in the person of Count Piper, a small, pleasant looking man with nothing particularly striking about him on a first interview. The French Secretary of Legation, Count de Reyneval, came also, an aristocratic looking young man, rather prepossessing. Comet again very brilliant.

We were surprised and delighted this morning by a visit from Mr Sandwith and his wife on their way to Eng. after a winter in the East. Mr Sandwith just as we knew him in Constantinople only a little older - Mrs Sandwith very young and very lovely in person, mind, and manner. They dined with us. Dr Foster from Burlington with 3 other Americans came to see us on their way from Palestine. Count Heldervier, Chargé for the Low Countries spent a half hour with us - a gentlemanly young man. Mr Marsh went with the Abbé Baruffi in the evening to pay a visit to the venerable Prince Cisterna - the princess is a daughter of Merade once talked of as to be king of Belgium. Their palace is very magnificent and is still the resort of the élite of Piedmont. The Prince himself was once banished for his liberal opinions.

Madame de Bunsen came for the first time to see me this morning - a very pleasing woman, neither quite French nor quite English. Mr Marsh made formal visits all day. He was very favorably impressed by the Minister of [illegible] Commerce M. Cordova. In the evening he went to a reception given by Rattazzi, the President of the Chamber. Dr. Pantaleone presented him to many of the notorieties. The Dr. is growing impatient about Rome and perhaps a little discouraged. The Count d’Aglie spent an hour with us this morning - very English and a little inclined to reaction. Saw and liked Menabrea Minister of the Marina.

Mr Marsh paid a uniform visit this morning to Prince de Carignan. He found him a grand looking man not unlike our own General Scott in person. His conversation was free and very sensible. Mrs Tottenham came in with a most pathetic story of distress which we were glad to do something towards relieving for the moment. An Italian of very high rank, fresh from the dungeons of the holy father has been with his English wife - a gentlewoman - and their children, living in Turin for the last week upon five francs. Mrs T. brought us a little pamphlet containing his history, and his experiences while in the merciful hands of his holiness. Such things can be believed only by those who are brought near enough to know. Valerio (the deputy) brought Gallenga, (another deputy) to see us today. His history would be very odd anywhere out of Italy. He went to England when quite young, thence to America where he lived for some years - mostly in Boston under another name Mariotto. When the good time came in Italy he returned home and was elected deputy to the Parliament. There he made a decided speech against the extreme views of the Mazzinisto, during the course of which he said that many of them were little better than assassins. As soon as this reached the ears of Mazzini, he produced documents to show that this same Gallenga had been furnished by him (Mazzini) with money to go to Turin for the purpose of assassinating Charles Albert, the father of the present king, and that he was deterred from it only by an accident. To this accusation Gallenga plead guilty at once, but stated, in extenuation, that at that time he was but twenty years old, that the true character of Charles Albert was not then known, and that he was encouraged to the act by the men he revered as patriots. Now, however, a long experience had greatly changed his views and though he did not love freedom and Italy less than then, he looked back with abhorrence on the crime he would have committed. With this confession he returned to Victor Emmanuel the cross of honor that had been given him not long before. The king however generously restored it to him, saying “You were but a boy then, you have deeply repented it - I cannot take back my gift. And besides I believe you deserve it.” The deputy retired for a time but is now again at his post. The good Abbé spent an hour with us this evening and was followed by a most unexpected visitor, our friend De Marchi of Egyptian memory. We were very glad to see him once more and to hear good news of him and his three companions who contributed so much by their poetry, music and art to the pleasures of that rarest of winters. Rigalde, the improvisor had already sent us his book and compliments from Parma. Truly no bread cast upon the waters ever comes back with such fourfold interest as does kindness. We were fortunate enough to be able to oblige these four young men while in the East - they repaid us double even while there by their graceful accomplishments, and now, ten years later, they wait to receive us in their own country with overwhelming welcomes. De Marchi is now practising law in Milan and at the same time publishing some legal treatises. His few leisure moments he fills up with his oriental studies which he cannot relinquish.

Brazil and Switzerland made us their bows today. Mr De Lima is very handsome and agreeable - Mr Tourte full of frankness and animation. We are more and more disposed to be satisfied with the promise of the diplomatic corps. Sir James Hudson has certainly won for himself the best reputation here in the political way. The general testimony is that he conducted matters through the crisis with the greatest wisdom and that Italy owes much to him personally. It is odd enough that the Emperor Napoleon generally selects his political opponents to represent him abroad. Young Rayneval is a legitamist and his religious bigotry would be intolerable if he were not so thoroughly a gentleman. Americans still continue to pass through Turin on their way north. We had Mr Pettibone and young Riggs from Constantinople yesterday, and Mr Phelps and family from New York to-day. Mr Webb -

Baruffi came in after church to bring us Plana’s pamphlet on the comet. To give it additional interest the old savant had kindly addressed it to Mr Marsh with his own hand, adding the date “July 6th, dix heures du soir, en présence de la comète encore fort brillante.” Mr Marsh dined with Riscasoli in company with all the D. Corps - a dinner, the Opinione says, given in honor of the American Minister. It went off very pleasantly.

Very busy all day with preparations for a short excursion to Monte Rosa.

We could not get off to-day as we hoped, but see our way clear for to-morrow if nothing unexpected occurs. We had a visit to-day from another of our Egyptian fellow travellers the Chevalier Verani. He is a native, and was a resident of Nice till the late transfer of that town to France. Soon As soon as that was done, “preferring Italy, as he himself says, to all narrower local attachments,” he left Nice with his family, and his example was followed by all his own connexions including the parents of his wife - and all are now living in Turin. He says that not less than 10,000 persons have left Nice for the same reasons. Verani spoke with much feeling of the loss of Nice, but admitted the necessity of the sacrifice, and named Cavour with the same sad and admiring veneration that we hear on all sides. We were greatly struck by the earnestness of our friend Verani on all subjects, but especially on the great national questions - but earnestness - whatever may have been true once - is now no rare quality among Italians.

Mr Marsh returned to Turin last Saturday morning, Carrie and I remaining at L. Maggiore in the hope that he might be able to join us there again early this week. Owing to Mr Magown’s illness, however, he could not do so, and we came back ourselves with Giachino to-day. The gayieties consequent on the arrival of Gen. Fleury with the Emperor’s autograph letter containing the formal recognition of the kingdom of Italy &c. took place during our absence, but this evening the municipal authorities gave a serenade to the newly arrived special minister from Sweden, Gen. De Bildt. The band occupied a place on the Piazza de Castello nearly in front of the Hotel d’Europe. The music, which was very fine, commenced at nine and continued till eleven, with only the necessary intervals between the pieces & these were filled by the vivas of a vast crowd that it made one dizzy to look down upon, Mr M. thought that ten thousand did the numbers half justice. It was a most brilliant moon-light night and the scene altogether a very animating one. The minister stood on a balcony adjoining our own, and, leaning on a crimson cushion placed for him on the railing, bowed frequently to the huzzaing multitude. He also encouraged the musicians with champagne from time to time and gave them a supper by way of finale.

Occupied all day with home letters. Mr Marsh had another interview with Ricasoli this morning, and every fresh one confirms him in the admiration he at first inspired. He expressed the strongest interest in the prosperity of the United States, but above all the hope that they would now purge themselves from the sin and curse of slavery. Amen!

Not feeling well to-day, I have done little but lie on my sofa and dream, and wish far-off friends could see our surroundings. Every thing would seem so odd to all who have not been in Europe. This little salon - which we have exchanged for the larger one we first occupied - for example, with its floor of various woods, set in squares and brilliantly waxed, its high arched ceiling richly frescoed - a beautiful dancing Flora in the centre - its walls tapestried with very handsome green silk damask, every door as well as window and even the fire place curtained with a still heavier material of the same color. The windows have pretty white lace curtains in addition, and from the mantle crimson plush cut in a graceful form and trimmed with green and gold colored fringe falls partly over the green curtain of the fire place. On the mantle, besides the candlesticks, are a handsome clock, two rich astral lamps of French China - the chimney of each being capped with a miniature Turkish fez - two beautiful French vases, blue and gold, with a large mirror behind the whole. There are also two other large mirrors in the room, and over each door is a picture on canvass set-in what seems a continuation of the door-frame and extending to the beginning of the arch of the ceiling. The chairs and sofas

are generally mahogony and crimson plush, though there is one sofa of yellow satin handsomely embroidered. The little table near which I write is curiously wrought in hexagonal blocks of the famous Algerian wood, each block being bordered with ebony and ivory. There is a charming balcony extending entirely across the front of all our three rooms and overlooking the Piazza di Castello. Here we watch Snichelets swallows as they fly wildly about the old towers, here too - or rather from a balcony near, - we watched the venerable Plana while he watched the great comet. (Height of rooms 14 feet to the spring of the arch - arch 4 Anniversary of the death of Carlo Alberto - soldiers go to Superga etc.

The close of the session of parliament and the warm weather have almost depopulated Turin, at least of its aristocracy - and we have few visitors. Mr Artoni, a Lombard by birth, an exile, afterwards a naturalized American citizen, came in this morning, having taken advantage of the first opportunity to return to his native country. He seems a man of culture & a thorough gentleman. Our good Abbé brought us a very pleasant message from the Gasparins who are to be in September.

We are more and more enchanted with the summer climate here. The air still continues fresh and elastic at a most agreeable temperature not varying much from 80 Fahrenheit during the day and a little cooler at night. Figs & peaches, not to speak of the commoner fruits such as pears, apricots, plums, melons almonds etc - are now abundant and very fine. The mushrooms are most excellent. Strawberries are still in the market - being brought down from the mountains by the peasants.

Every day we have fresh applications for employment in the American army. It really seems hard that so many Italians should have lost their place as officers in the regular army by following Garibaldi. One cannot help feeling that the government which has reaped such fruits from their courage should manage to overlook a little irregularity in their mode of displaying it.

Sig. Artoni dined with us to-day, and seems likely to prove very agreeable - to us, and I hope we may be useful to him and he to us. He is learned and gentlemanly. We watch the coachmen sometimes as they take their dinner of on their box - they have a small tin pail from which they eat polenta with a spoon - a bit of bread beside.

The baroness Plana with her daughter came to see us to-day. She is daughter the niece of La Grange and looks very many years younger than her husband. Indeed she is still strikingly handsome. The manners of both the ladies are very pleasing though the mother attracts more than the daughter. This evening the Abbé passed an hour with us, lively and entertaining as usual. He does not speak very hopefully of the great tunnel through the Alps, but is going to examine the work already done and doing, and make a report upon it. I am afraid he will not prove an unprejudiced witness, though there is certainly much force in his arguments.

A very interesting visit from Dr Pantaleone this morning. In answer to a question about Italian affairs, he says “Difficulties there are innumerable - dangers none.” He gave us some account of his own estate which is in the Marche d’ Ancona. He builds the houses, keeps them in repair, and allows the tenants one half of all they can grow or raise. This they call mezzaria, and it is the common arrangement between landlord and tenant throughout Tuscany. The peasants, as a general rule, only eat meat three times a year. During the season of the hardest labor, they begin work at 4 in the morning, about 7 they eat a piece of bread with sometimes, though rarely, a little wine. A few hours later they have a salad with the smalest quantity of oil, a little vinegar and salt. Their third and principal meal is of stock fish, bread, and, under the most favorable circumstances, a little wine. Their work is continued till 9 in the evening. The rest of the year when their labor is lighter, they live almost entirely on polenta, or Indian meal pudding. They have seldom cheese in his district owing to want of pasturage. The plough is never used - partly from the character of the surface of the soil. Silk-growing is of recent introduction on his estate. Dr Pantaleone gave us the first details we have had of the death of Mrs Browning - so long feared and yet so sudden at last. Dr Pantaleone saw her last in March. Though he had long attended her child, she had not been in the habit of having medical advice from him or anyone else. Still the Dr saw her frequently through the winter and she seemed much as usual - even better than the year before. Mr Browning felt anxious, but she assured him she was not worse. The night before her death she had a severe attack of coughing after sitting on the balcony during the evening. In the morning she did not rise, as was often her habit when she had not rested well, but no anxiety was felt by her or any of her friends. Suddenly she sank away - and so has passed from this world one of the greatest geniuses, and one of the noblest souls that have ever inhabited it. It is an immense disappointment to us personally - we had always named her almost first when we talked of the pleasures of living in Italy - but, as in the case of all the great and good, one is ashamed to speak of one’s private grief when they are taken from among mankind. Count Piper, the Swedish chargé came in to announce his appointment as minister from Sweden to the U. States. He seems much pleased, but, while he will be amazed at our power and wealth, he, like every high-bred European who comes among us,

will often regret the art and social refinement of the older world. Mr Marsh will give him letters to some of our best families.

Very busy all day in making ready to leave the Hotel d’Europe where we have been most comfortable, - to take possession of our appartments in the via d’ Angennes - casa d’Angennes - Artoni made us one of his welcome visits.

We found the casa d Angennes left in too much disorder to allow us to establish ourselves there for some days, so we decided to leave Giachino & Elise to put things to-rights while we take a second run to the mountains. Mr Magoun takes charge of the Legation in the mean time. The thermometer to-day has risen to 87 Fahrenheit - the warmest day we have had this summer. Still the air is not heavy and none of us feel the least languor. We have American papers this morning as late as the 15th July. Every thing looks well for the government. The victories in Virginia and Missouri look well for must have a great moral effect, and the good faith and great generalship of Scott will soon be too evident not to be seen by all but the willfully blind. Our papers also contain some details of the most melancholy death of Mrs Longfellow - fatally burned while from her dress taking fire while she was amusing her children by taking wax impressions for them. What must life be to the great poet after this.

We returned to Turin this evening after just a week’s flight to the mountains where we had infinite enjoyment. For account of our Alpine exploits see private letters. Nothing of importance had occurred here during our absence. No Americans had been here except Mr Webb who still remains. Our new home would have looked pleasant to us had we not been so much depressed by the news of the lost battle in Virginina - news which we first heard at Lago Maggiore.

Very busy with home letters and papers and with the preliminary arrangements for housekeeping. The heat, though the thermometer only indicates 86 Fahrenheit, is more oppressive than we have found it before, partly because there is really less breeze, and partly because our apartments are less favorably situated for air than they were at Trombetta’s on the open square of the Piazza di Castello. Many falling stars to-night.

Still very hot and close. We watched again for the star-shower, and saw several in the narrow strip of sky that the towering palace walls allow us for observation, but not so many or brilliant as the night before. The Abbé came in to welcome our return and to offer to take Mr Marsh with him in the morning to see the distribution of the public school prizes.

Mr Marsh learned at the funzione which he attended this morning that all classes [illegible] go alike to the public schools in Turin - a fact that will do much for the schools and consequently for the education of the humbler classes. For some days past charges have been made against the consul at Palermo, Mr Barstow, for sympathising and pl proclaiming his sympathies with the fallen tyranny of Sicily. We hope there is no foundation for these complaints, but however it may prove in Mr Barstow’s case, it is certainly singular that so many of the agents of our Government in Italy should be not only Romanists, but those of the most bigoted school. Who is the real author of these appointments? What is the end hoped to be gained by them? The latter question is not very difficult to answer.

This is the third morning we have had a heavy fog or rather dry cloud, over sky & earth from three or four in the morning till about seven, when the sun comes out in its full force. The natives attribute the ruin of their grapes to these vapours, and are very anxious, though they hope they have come too late in the season this year to do much mischief - the fruit being now nearly ripe. Indeed we have had the earlier varieties for several days. Thermometer at three P.M. 88 Fahr. - air without the least motion. Artoni gave us some nice anecdotes of the Romans - their manifestations of indignation against the Papal government.

No change in the weather - 88-9 of F. - evening breathless till eight when a faint but refreshing breeze sprang up. We are so much distressed - not discouraged - by the news, or rather the tone, of American papers that one can scarcely think of any thing else.

To-day is the festa of the Immaculate Conception and the soldiers went early in gala to church. Since leaving the Piazza however we see little of processions etc. Heat undiminished.

Our boxes from America arrived to-day, and we now hope soon to get comfortably settled with some of our old familiar books about us. No change in the weather, and much anxiety is felt for the later crops which are suffering most severely from drought. The thermometer varies very slightly from day to day, and of in fact little during each day standing generally at about 88, but between five and eight every evening there is a want of all circulation in the air that is quite oppressive. Before 9 however a breeze comes down from the mountains and it is very comfortable all night.

Irresistable evidence comes to us to-day, that our Government intends to invite Garibaldi to accept a post in the Federal army. Mr Marsh is greatly disturbed by a step at once calculated to prove our weakness and the imbecility of our leaders, and at the same time to excite against us the hostility of every power in Europe which does not sympathize with the Italian hero. Again, if we are [illegible] reduced to such a pitiable confession, why not try to have the negotiation managed in as private a way as possible instead of taking such extraordinary measures. From whatever source this worse than old-woman scheme emanates it is to be hoped history will do justice and not leave the disgrace to rest on the innocent. Long visit from Com. Aulick to-day, on his way from Florence to Paris.

Mr Marsh being unwell no one goes to church and we give up the idea of having the Commodore dine with us as we had proposed. The weather still very oppressive in the early part of the evening.

Mrs Tottenham brought Miss Roberts to see me this morning - an English woman who admires American scholars and their works - no very common case. Mr Sandford, our minister to Belgium, arrived in Turin this evening, with his friend, Mr. Beckwith.

Mr Sandford’s account of affairs in America is not at all calculated to strengthen our hopes of a speedy termination of the present civil conflict. His information is much of it derived from confidential letters, and may perhaps be none the more trustworthy for that circumstance. His own republicanism, originally not of a very enthusiastic type to say the least, is much improved by his official position, and, though a woman may still doubt whether the great moral question at issue concerns him greatly, he is much in earnest to do every thing in his power to promote the success of Northern arms. If his ability is equal to the confidence reposed in him by the Secretary of State and to the facilities afforded him, his influence may be important.

Mr Sandford and Mr Beckwith dined with us to-day. Mr Beckwith, a man of strong sense and much thought, who has spent many years in China, gives a more favorable picture of the Chinese that is usually drawn by travellers. From our own experience in Turkey, I am disposed to rely on his testimony rather than on that of more hasty and less liberal observers. At the same time Mr Beckwith seems to me vastly to underrate what Christianity has done for the masses who live under its influence. His account of the Essays etc by the seven English clergymen excited my interest.

Rumors are very current that Garibaldi is to return to the army by invitation of the king, and that he is to reappear at Naples on the 7th of Sept, the anniversary of his entrance there as dictator. The troubles in that city, fomented by Bourbon and Papal intrigue, require some decided measures. The humane policy of the Italian Government in incorporating the captured outlaws of Southern Italy into the army, instead of throwing them into dungeons, is most praiseworthy - only it is to be hoped they will not allow too many to be collected together at any one point. It is said that there are some six thousand of these mauvais sujets at and at Finistrelle - rather a formidable number in case of an opportunity for mischief. Mr Sandford [Sanford] goes to Genoa to-day.

The change which took place in the weather Wednesday evening - the thermometer fell some 5 degrees - seems likely to settle into a coolness very autumnal. There are indications of considerable political fermentation in various quarters - the streets even of staid Turin resound with the Garibaldi hymn, and many nightly irregularities prove that there are too many young men out of employment, & likely to be hungry and cold soon, for the quiet of the community. It is a question of immense difficulty for a government to know what to do with a disbanded army like that of Garibaldi. The officers at least ‘cannot dig’, and if they are not ‘ashamed to beg’, they get little by that means, and are in great danger of becoming desperate men. On the other hand the government cannot well openly restore to commands of trust those who have been guilty of an apparent insubordination, and beside their places have been filled by other officers whom it would be clearly unjust to displace.

Spent the morning in buying silver & china to fill up the wide gaps in our cuisine department. [illegible] Yesterday Mr M. received Mr Dayton’s reply to his letter in reference to the appointment of Mr Walsh as Consul at Leghorn. It is very discouraging to see our most trusted public men suffer an insignificant private friendship to outweigh all considerations of patriotism or philanthropy. Mr Dayton recommends Mr Walsh for consul at one of the most important ports of the Mediterranean when he has been thoroughly warned of his secession principles, ‘because he was an old school-mate of his.’ In Mr Walsh we have not only a man who has for months past made no secret of his Southern sympathies, but also one who is even more open and violent in his dislike of the goverment of the country in which he is to exercise his official duties. Of this fact, too, Mr Dayton had been informed.

Mr Artoni came while Mr Marsh was in church this morning with a note from Mr Sanford who, it seems, is not likely to go further than Genoa. Mr Artoni will return to Genoa on the 27th to take Mr Sanford’s orders as to further negociations with Garibaldi.

More bad news from America, but as it is only telegraphic we hope it may prove in part at least a mistake. It is stated that Gen. Lyon has been defeated at Springfield Missouri by the rebels and that the heroic general is himself killed. If this be true, St Louis itself is in danger of falling into the hands of the traitors - which may God forbid. Captain Bausewein, a Garibaldian and a German, came to-day to offer his services to the American Government. He has just left Garibaldi whom he represents as seriously indisposed - confined to his bed. He says the Italian Coeur de lion is in the worst of humors with the government of Victor Emanuel on account of what he considers its want of courage. In fact it is quite likely that public impatience may force to decided measures with regard to the Roman question before the king and his ministry think the occasion fully ripe. Perhaps a little pressure, too, may help mature the the occasion. Azelio’s letter to Matteucci, in which he says something like this - ‘we may as well let the Neapolitans go if they don’t choose to stay with us’ - has produced much feeling. Azelio says the letter was a very hasty one expressing the irritated feeling of the moment to a confidential friend, & never intended for any eye but his - that, in short, it is by no means to be considered as the his deliberate judgment on the subject. Matteucci is evidently much mortified by the publication of a letter of in its nature confinential, but the indiscretion was probably committed by some friend whom he does not wish to implicate, as his explanation is by no means satisfactory.

Mr Rigalde, our improvisatore of the Nile, came to see us this morning. He is now Professor of History in Parma. Time has dealt very tenderly with him and ten months often produce greater changes in in [sic] a man than ten years have done in him. I mean both physically and intellectually. He has lost nothing of his earlier enthusiasm, and it was quite charming to see his [illegible] undiminished freshness. But alas, these poets are, after all, for the most part too full of small vanity to be quite divine. When our friend could talk of any thing but his own works, we talk of the Roman question which he says must be settled soon, or it will settle itself in no very satisfactory way. He is a warm Romanist in religion, but most averse to the temporal power of the Pope. This is the almost universal opinion of all the Italians, and in fact of all the enlightened European Romanists we meet & yet Protestant America sends as government agents to Italy Papists of the school of the darkest ages, who make it their special mission to sustain as far as his [sic] in their power the ancient and detested tyranny of the Popes.

Our dates from America this morning are as late as the 15th inst - the battle at Springfield seems to have been a victory rather than a defeat - though unfortunately the brave Lyon was killed. McCullough & Price, the rebel leaders, are also among the slain. This fact circumstance will at least soften the savage character of the war in Missouri, as it is not probable McCullough has left behind him his like. The tone of the papers, too, is better on the slavery question, & the declaration of the Secretary of War that fugitive slaves are not to be delivered back to their masters will be hailed as a most favorable sign of the times by all the friends of Freedom. A fire broke out this morning in the Via Po which proved most disastrous. Not many houses were burned, but the loss of life among the fire-guards, and others who went to the assistance of the sufferers was most unusual - ten persons were killed outright - among them a brave Colonel of cavalry, another of the Gendármerie and several officers of lower rank - and 14 have been sent to the hospital severely wounded. Fires are so rare here that the engines were not in proper order and the guards

have had little experience. Among other sad casualties we are distressed to find that our friend, the excellent Abbé Baruffi has probably met with very severe losses. His fine library, the fruit of the small savings of a long life, was thrown pell-mell into the street, and we greatly fear that valuable papers and other memorials of his extensive travels and wide friendships have perished altogether. It will be a great shock to him to get this news in France, and will most likely bring him back to Turin at once. We have some odd experiences in the way of beggary. Yesterday a man announced himself as an officer of considerable rank in the army, and on being admitted to Mr Marsh he confessed that he had resigned his post in the army and that his circumstances were somewhat embarrassed. In short he asked for charity, and, on receiving five franks francs he thanked the donor and begged the matter might be kept profoundly secret - ‘altogether as between confessor & penitent’ - ‘otherwise it might, he said, ’injure his social position’.

We went to see the Armoria to-day with Rigalde for our cicerone. As he is ‘the poet of the Armoria’ he claimed special privileges of the guardiani. The collection, a very fine one in itself, is arranged admirably and kept in the best possible order. Besides a large collection of armour of much historical interest and [illegible] rare [illegible] merit of workmanship, there are many other objects of great cost and beauty - generally rich presents to Carlo Alberto or Vittorio Emmanuele from their truly loving subjects.

This evening the funeral services of the heroic officers, who lost their lives yesterday while trying to save those of the men under their command, was celebrated with much circumstance. The military were out in their best order and the Hussars in their scarlet riding coats looked magnificently. All Turin seemed in the streets and the ready sympathy that makes this people so interesting, so lovable, was painted on every face. Last night another sad incident was added to the tragedy of the fire - One of the sufferers - a jeweller who had been burned out, determined to sleep, with his son and a servant, in the shell of his former shop that he might the better protect the wreck of his property. During the night one of the walls fell in and crushed under its ruins the imprudent father, his son & servant.

Ricasoli spent some time with Mr Marsh this morning - He says there is not dissatisfaction at Naples except what is stirred up at Rome. As to the Roman question he says things are slowly assuming the right shape, but he evidently finds it as hard to wait as the rest. With regard to American affairs he seems less confident in the power of the North than when Mr M. talked with him last - the unhappy affair at Bull’s Run having produced the effect upon him that it has done on Europeans geneally [generally]. If, however, his hopes are not so high his heart is in our cause as earnestly as ever, and it is quite natural that such a disaster should lead to mistaken conclusions those who do not fully know the immense resources and the mighty soul of our North. The Chev. de Bunsen came in for a half hour - He believes England will certainly force our blockade by mid-winter. If she does this, she will, for the sake of a mere temporary pecuniary relief to herself, ‘put back the clock of time’ more than another century. A war with us will be the inevitable consequence, and then ages of mutual suspicion and hate between nations that are brothers in blood and should be brothers in this and every cause that promises any thing in the way of human progress. Mr de Bunsen states some curious facts with regard to Prussian diplomacy. He says that it is perfectly understood that the truth with regard to the [illegible] signs of the times is not what is wanted at Court - that it is expected of their ministers that they should ‘prophesy smooth things’. if they do not they are sent like Balaam to overlook the prospect from some other point of view, or dismissed altogether. This he says was eminently the case in the time reign of “the gentleman who is now dead & buried”. He declares that the Austrian minister here wrote to his government almost to the last hour of his stay in [illegible] Turin, ‘that the Liberal Party in Italy was only a very insignificant faction headed by one Cavour, and that his royal master need not be in the least disquieted by it.’ Mr de Bunsen seems to be most friendly to the Italian cause, but thinks patient waiting to be the true policy for the present in reference to the R. Question.

Our home news is more encouraging. The fight at Springfield Mo. was certainly a victory and not a defeat though McCullough does not appear to have been killed as was hoped. A letter from Mr Norton speaks of the spirit of the people as excellent and expresses strong hope that our government will take the right ground eventually. His allusion to Mr Longfellow’s grief and patience is very touching. Excellent letters from the Bottons. The papers, too, give us reason to believe the appoint ment of Walsh has been rescinded, as another person is named as Consul at Leghorn. It is to be hoped we may by and by have some Government agents here who are not Secessionists or Obscurantists or both as in now most frequently the case. An amusing note from Mr Sanford (who is near Como waiting for news of the result of certain negotiations) in which he says, speaking of an article in Galignani. ’I read with grim resignation” I I [sic] am afraid the good christians at home are not very hearty in their prayers that our rulers may be gifted with wisdom. Went to-day with Mr Rigalde to see the Egyptian Museum by way of reminiscence. It is a fine well ordered, well kept collection. Mr R. dined with us and gave us some interesting facts about prominent men journals etc in Italy. See page on reverse -

A very friendly and sparkling letter this morning from Mr Clark who still remains in and about Paris. American papers continue to speak of an attack on Washington by the rebels as probable. Ricasoli has addressed a circular to the ministers from Italy to other Governments explaining the true state of things in the Southern provinces and declaring that the only troubles there are excited at Rome and showing clearly the necessity of some speedy change.

An amusing account of a recent miracle in Tuscany appeared in one of the papers this morning. (Extract on back of this page). The drought is most distressing to those who depend on agriculture for their bread, and threatens to cause great suffering. It is said to extend over much of the south of France.

A very striking letter to-day from Count Circourt who writes to Mr Marsh very frankly on American affairs. He says emphatically we must put our cause on its true moral basis or we cannot hope for sympathy in Europe where this was is causing so much pecuniary embarrassment and even distress. He writes like a statesman and a christian. The Tottenhams have spent an hour with us this morning - very kindly and refined persons. The account they give of the impatient indiscretion of Religious societies in England with regard to the advancement of christian truth among the Italians is quite what one might expect. - I learned this morning some curious circumstances which throw much light on Mr Gladstone’s course with regard to Italian affairs. Every body who knew him only as a Puseyite [illegible] was surprised to hear of his sudden onslaught some years since on the tyrannies and priestcraft of Italy. It seems a sister of his, well known and greatly respected in England, was unfortunate enough to pass from Pusey to the Pope and so came to Rome to be built up in her new faith. The priests, finding in her the right material and in her princely fortune an adequate motive, began their wily practises, prescribed rigid observances, then

severe fasts and penances, finally a residence in a convent where she was allowed to wear only the coarse habit of the devotees. Her magnificent laces went to adorn alters and tawdry Madonnas, her purse became the bank where all priestly drafts were honoured at sight. She was deprived of all society - even her maid communicating with her only by writing and every line of which was first read by her spiritual guide. In this way passed the four months Miss Gladstone first proposed spending in Rome. But by this time her imagination had been so wrought upon by the strange machinery about her that the advice of her confessor to protract her stay for her soul’s health was followed of course. Month after month passed away, the poor lady becoming every day more enslaved - friends remonstrated in vain - and it was only after two years and then by virtue of some strong threats on the part of Mr Gladstone against her ghostly tyrants, that she was at last induced to return to England. Even then she did not venture to put on a silk dress without the permission of her Roman conscience keeper. A family experience like this might well open Mr Gladstone’s eyes,

Mr Artoni returned to-day from his mission to Garibaldi on Capris. He seems to have gone beyond his instructions which did not authorize him to say a word more than was contained in the letter with which her was charged to Garibaldi. Wholly misapprehending the character of the proposal which our government was disposed to make to this hero in reply to an intimation from him that it might be agreeable to him to serve in our army, Mr Artoni told him that the intention of the Government was to give him the rank of Commander in chief! It is difficult to conceive how such an idea could have entered the head of a sane man - more difficult still to understand how a mere messenger should have ventured to say any thing on the subject. The want all experience however often explains the worst blunders and certainly Mr Artoni seems to lack only this. There is no way to communicate with Garibaldi for the next ten days, and in the mean time this undreamed of offer may travel over all Europe. Mr Marsh and Mr Sanford are vexed beyond measure. The air is loaded with rumors that we are soon to go to Rome, but and though we give little credit to these in the main, there are certainly now some very significant signs of an approaching crisis. The news through home letters is not very cheering.

’Mr Sanford had Gen Trecchi to breakfast with him this morning. The General is authorized by Garibaldi to say under what circumstances he will go to America - the question of his employment and position in the A. army to be settled after his arrival there. From all we can gather it seems that Trecchi has been to Garabaldi on a mission from the king - if the
[illegible] king wishes for G.s services on the terms upon which they are offered he will have them of course - if not he may go to America. Trecchi says Garibaldi has nothing - not even the means of entertaining his visitors - and that when he directed his servant to prepare dinner for him (Trecchi) and the two gentlemen who had accompanied him, the servant said frankly that he had nothing to cook, whereupon the Gen. and his friends were furnished with hooks & lines which and directed to the sea-shore. Having fished up the raw material, they returned to the bedside of the hero where they discoursed till while the servant made ready the simple repast. The small house of this mighty man of war does not afford a single spare chamber, there being only rooms enough to accommodate very modestly the pater familias, his daughter & son-in law. Mr Marsh had a private interview of some length with Ricasoli this morning. He is satisfied with the effect of his circular, but is not very definite as to the time when a transfer to Rome will take place. He did not speak of Minghetti’s resignation which report says was caused by a difference of opinion between him (Minghetti) and the other ministers, as to the organization of the government at Naples - he insisting on a division of the provinces into states [illegible] thus forming a sort of federal government in Italy. Our own condition at this moment is not very encouraging for such a scheme, but all the friends of Italy regret the retirement of Minghetti, who is one of her first statesmen.

The Garibaldi negotiation continues undecided. Mr Sanford expects to know something more definite in the course of the day. Punch will hash up a fine ragout of this affair, particularly if he happens to get hold of the correspondence of the immortal authors of this precious scheme - viz: - Mr Quiggle, and Mrs Cordee Quiggle. We might furnish him with a sheet of Quiggliana that would make a rich treat for his readers. A letter from Mr Pike this morning says that the Times refused to publish his articles on the American question - that his visit to England convinced him that the settled policy of that country was to prevent discussion of this subject in their journals, at least as far as it bears on the subject of Slavery. It fears to have the people understand that this war is really a war between Freedom and Slavery, and does all in its power to encourage the belief that it is a quarrel between Protectionists and Anti-protectionists. So to secure her own material interests, England is willing to sacrifice all truth and all right. Well, we have done the same in the North - our day of retribution has come - let England look for hers. Mr Sanford and Mr Beckwith passed the evening with us. After they left came the announcement of the death of the minister from Belgium. M. le Chevalier Lannoy, with invitation to funeral &c. The poor man’s constitution ws destroyed by a twelve years residence in the Dutch East Indies Across my sincere sympathy for Madame Lannoy in her desolation, flashes a selfish regret, to find myself the doyenne in the diplomatic corps. The Germans have a proverb ‘to whom God giveth an office, he giveth wisdom’, and it is to be hoped any want of feeble health and want of strength small experience may receive some extraordinary supplies under these circumstances. Trecchi’s report of his interview with the king today is this: Having read Garibaldi’s letter, the king enquired “who wrote this letter”? “I wrote it at Garibaldi’s dictation” was Trecchi’s reply. “Well,” says the king, “you may answer it at mine.” Trecchi wrote for some time from his Majesty’s dictation, then laying aside his pen he said: “Sire, I can write no more. If your Majesty cannot give Garibaldi more encouragement to remain in Italy, he will certainly go to America to the incalculable injury of your Majesty’s kingdom.” The King then said, “I do not see that I can promise him more than I have done, but I will meet my ministers tonight, and will inform you of their advice in the morning”. So the interview ended. Tomorrow we hope to know what counsel the ministers give, and how far the king chooses to be governed by it. It is difficult to see how the King can suffer Garibaldi, at this time to march to Rome as he would like, or even to Venice, as it would, of course, bring all Europe down upon him. On the other hand the terror of Garibaldi’s name to the enemies of Italy, and its prestige for her friends, will be greatly missed if he leaves the country, and this may perhaps bring on a no less disastrous storm.

Mr Sanford still waits for the king’s reply to Garibaldi. The funeral ceremonies of the Chevalier Lannoy are postponed till tomorrow on a point of etiquette, Sir James Hudson, the doyen of the Diplomatic Corps, having decided that that body should not attend in uniform, and the Belgian Legation insisting that the uniform should be worn. An appeal has been made by telegraph to the Belgian Government, and Sir James promises to yeild [yield] to its wishes. In the mean time all further arrangements are suspended. It is fortunate that the friends of the deceased do not hold to the doctrines of Ele Islam which teaches that the soul of the departed is very miserable till the body is laid in the grave - otherwise this question of etequette would be something rather serious. Mr Marsh and Mr Sanford meet meeting Mr Benedetti this morning pressed him rather hard on the Roman question, and ended by proposing that he should ‘leave it out to them’. ‘Ah! mais vous êtés mécreants!’ replied the ready minister. Mr. Marsh infers from his talk today with Sir James Hudson, that something is going on in Paris to hasten the removal of the government to Rome but it seems to be only surmise, not certainty. Ricasoli declares that he cannot force parliament at its next meeting, unless some distinct progress has been made in the settlement of this question. Mr Marsh returned the visit of the special envoy from Portugal.

The funeral ceremonies took place at eight this morning - diplomatic corps not in uniform. Military escort was very grand, and the crowd in the street immense. Mr Sanford came in at nine, having had his interview with Trecchi. The king writes to Garibaldi, ‘that he is, of course, at liberty to follow the dictates of his own conscience with regard to going to America, but that in case Italy needs him, he hopes he will always remember that first of all, he is an Italian.’ Trecchi is in despair, as he thinks Garibaldi will certainly go to America, in which case he looks upon the cause of Italy as lost. I trust he exaggerates the importance of Garibaldi’s presence here. As to his going to America, for the sake of those employed to negotiate it, I wish he may go - for the sake of our country’s honor, and the feelings of our own officers, my own private wish is that he will remain here. I see no thing in prospect but dissatisfaction on his part, and jealous heart-burnings, on the part of our own officers. Sanford goes to Genoa today with the intention of chartering a steamer to take him to Garibaldi’s island without delay.

The Abbé Baruffi, who was summoned from Paris to look after the wreck of his fine library and his other treasures which were thrown into the street on the occasion of the fire, came in to tell us something of his losses. It is really most melancholy to learn the irreparable mischief that was done. Choice instruments, curious works of art, most interesting literary relics of the greatest poets and scholars of the age, volumes of letters from the same - all either utterly destroyed, [illegible] or sadly defaced and mutilated. The poor old man bears it with wonderful patience, but it is a deep wound that will bleed afresh every day as long as he lives. Without family affections to fall back upon for solace and distraction, his chief source of earthly enjoyment has been taken from him. He says he has three times lost all his little savings in money by the bankruptcy of those to whom it was entrusted, twice he has been destitué from his chair in the University, once by ultra royalists for being too liberal, and afterward by the ultra liberalists for being too conservative, ‘but,’ he adds, “these things I did not feel as I feel this.”

Miss Roberts spent the morning with me chiefly in reciting from Lowell’s Bigelow Papers, which we gave her the other day, and which she declares to be best comic things she has ever [illegible] read. Her appreciation of the Yankee dialect seems instinctive, and she recites it with a faultless pronunciation and accent, although she has never heard it spoken. She says Lowell will hereafter be to her in the comic vein what Dante is in the tragic. I tried to call her attention to some of Mr Lowell’s most exquisitly tender poems, but she said “not now - not now! I could not do them justice until I have forgotten a little how he has made me laugh”. Before taking leave Miss Roberts read me a few things from Prati which interested me much. She left the poems with me - We made several visits to-day in the diplomatic corps, but found only the Countess de Marini chez elle. She does not seem to have gained much strength by her visit to the baths - but neither age nor ill health have ben able to efface the traces of some extraordinary beauty, and like most Italian ladies she has the kindliest and most sympathetic manner. Artoni passed the evening with us, and gave us further details about his visit to Garibaldi. He says after crossing from Madelena to the general’s little island, a very rough winding and steep path - which is so little of a path that it can scarcely be traced - leads in half an hour’s hard walking, to Garibaldi’s house, which is so small as scarcely to deserve even the name of cottage. The view from the house, - though the island itself is little else than bare rock - is very fine, as it commands so wide a sea prospect including the islands mountains of Corsica etc. A door in the centre of the front of the building opens into an entry of very modest proportions. In this entry - where the visitor waits till he is announced to Garibaldi are two barrels, two rough wooden chairs and a pile of saddles. From each side of this entrance a door opens, one into the room of the General, one into that of his daughter. When Artoni was shown in to the great mans presence, he found him lying on his [illegible] camp bed, suffering as he has been for many months with severe rhumatism. Beside this small portable bed, there were a few plain wooden chairs, painted only with the name of Washington, some other insignificant articles of furniture and quite a large number of books. We were curious to know what books, but Artoni could not learn as he says without seeming indiscretion. Directly back of the two rooms occupied by Garibaldi and his daughter was a small kitchen, and equally small dining room. These constitute the whole building. There [Their] fare was what I have mentioned under a previous date. Mr Artoni reports the utmost aversion on the part of the Sardinians to annexation to France, but says they complain that the government of Victor Emmanuel, while taxing them as severely as any other portion of the kingdon, expends little or nothing for them in roads and other improvements on the island. Mr Artoni gave us a discription of a Florentine caricature which I hope we may get hold of. The pope is represented as vainly tying to steer a boat in a terrible tempest, while these words are put in his mouth “Questo maladetto temporale mette in pericolo lo spirtuale.” This reminded Artoni to tell us that Garibaldi’s domestic establishment included in additon to what was mentioned before, a few swarthy attendants, who would perhaps call themselves guards, and a donkey which is known by the household as Pio Nono.

Paid a visit to Madame de Lima wife of the minister from Brazil - a Spanish dame - stately as so small a figure will permit - indifferently interesting on a first interview. The Countess Confalonieri we also found at home, but preparing to leave for Southern Italy where she spends the winter.

Mr Dillon arrived this evening after just two months absence - New telegraphic reports of more losses [illegible] in Virginia, but we are satisfied that the affair alluded to is very insignificant. Note from the Countess de Marini inclosing the a list of the “dames de société” first to be visited in Turin, accompanied with an offer to be at my service if I wish to make these acquaint ances on her return from Florence. Telegraph for from Mr Sanford dated Spezia in which he says, “Rein ne s’est fait.”

A letter this morning from an intimate friend connected with the government at Washington expresses the strongest confidence in the power and purpose of the North to subjugate the South. He speaks of the army as in a far better condition than before the defeat at Bulls Run, and though he must have heard of the affair at Somerville - of which we as yet know nothing except by the most meagre telegram - he evidently attaches no importance to it. Letters from Lady Estcourt sympathetic and unselfish as ever. The abbé Baruffi brought in a letter from a very intelligent lady in Baltimore, who seems to be with civilization and humanity against barbarism and inhumanity; desiring him to tell her on which side were the sympathies of the refined and Christian European. Enclosed was a brochure by Henry Carey. Mr Sanford came soon after ten this evening having found Garibaldi’s expectations, as to what the American government would do for him, so very high that he did not think it worth while to make him any proposal whatever - so the matter will probably rest, unless Garibaldi himself makes some new overtures. A good deal of uneasiness is felt from a report that Benedetti has been ordered by the Emperor to insist on the removal of Ricasoli, and the substitution of Ratazzi as prime minister. It is to be hoped this is not so as it may lead to serious difficulties. England it is thought has given Ricasoli strong assurances, and the emperor may possibly, if he pushes matters to far find Italy ally herself to a new friend. The Danish Envoy Extraordinary Comte de Moltke Hovritfeldt with Mr Brun, his secretary, paid us his visit today.

Anna Blackwell came this morning at four on her way from Paris to Florence and was obliged to hurry off again at nine to our great regret. I hope her letters giving an account of the Exposition may pay her for her expense and trouble. Mr Marsh saw Ricasoli today and explained the whole Garibaldi affair to him without reserve, though he did not ask him to contradict any of the absurd rumors afloat, supposing it better to let them die of their own improbability. The minister was evidently much gratified with this frankness. Verani gave us some curious information with regard to the laws respecting the nationality of children of Italian parents born in Savoy.

The king with Ricasoli and other dignitaries left for Florence at two this morning. We had several visits today from American friends. The Brooks’ party from New York and Dr Baird and friend. These, with the exception of Mr Bemis who was here yesterday, are the only Americans we have seen for a long time. Miss Roberts spent two hours with me this morning - an intensified English woman in her habit of hearing nothing that is said to her, but far more liberal than most of those amiable Islanders.

The confused telegraphic reports we get from America are so worrying, and it is so long after before we get our papers that we often wish we could not see them at all. One thing seems certain - Fremont has had the courage and the energy to proclaim martial law throughout the state of Missouri and to declare that the slaves of the rebels in that state are slaves no longer. God grant that this may prove to be really the beginning of the end!

The king’s reception at Florence on Saturday eve was most enthusiastic and every thing seems to have gone of finely at the opening of the Exposition. The king’s speech was very happy. For the two last nights the streets of Turin have echoed with the Garibaldi hymn with the additional cry of ‘à Roma con Garibaldi!’ No doubt the active party will try to take advantage of this gathering at Florence to rekindle the popular excitement with regard to the future capital.

Mr Marsh finds the constant solicitations of military men of all ranks and nations, for employment in the service of our government, extremely annoying. Much of his time is taken up in this way, many of the applicants being persons whose position entitles them to be treated with respect beside the risk that a brusque rejection might drive them to seek service with the rebels. I hope he may soon get more definite instructions from the State Department.

At last we have news of a blow struck by our own government. Fort Hatteras is taken with nearly seven hundred prisioners; and we are pleased to find our old friend Commodore Stringham commanded the expedition. It is also encouraging to see that some measures are taking at Washington to cut off the communication between the traitors there and the traitors in the field. Our thoughts are so taken up with these home matters that we can scarcely interest ourselves in the history that is fast making about us.

Ricasoli returned from Florence this morning We have been reading a very interesting sketch of him written by ____. A man who differs from him in political creed but who does full justice to his ability, energy, uprightness, and, perhaps above all to the irresistable strength of his will. He may be driven out of the ministry but he can never be turned from his purpose. The little biography of Mamiani by [ ] paints a man of no less noble character, not to speak of his accomplishments as a poet and a philosopher. Oh, that our own day of trial might bring out men such as adversity has made in Italy.

After being nearly a week in bed I was up just in time to receive the Limas of Brazil this morning. In talking of the best mode of warming appartments &c. Mr de Lima told us that the first winter he passed in Turin he paid for wood alone 5,000 francs. Rather a sober prospect for us when the salary of the American minister is considered.

In a half hours talk with Mrs Tottenham this morning I gathered a few social hints that may perhaps be useful. I infer that there is a strong prejudice against the Turkish Legation, not from the personal character of those who compose it, but a vague feeling that as they represent the government of the Sultan, they must really believe in Mahomet themselves, or if not quite so bad as that, that they are at best very poor Christians. This is certainly amusing in a society which, judged by the New Testament standard, would not seem to be troubled with a very tender conscience, and reminds me of the distress of Louis of Bavaria when he found that one of my country women on whom he had bestowed his royal smiles, had never been baptized! Died to-day at Florence the poet Niccolini.

The abbé Baruffi who passed the evening with us, had as usual much interesting infomation to communicate on various subjects. He had been to visit an old

friend who was ill. In speaking of his past medical experience with doctors this gentleman stated that he had been bled four hundred times in the course of his life. It seems difficult to believe that any man would survive to tell such a tale. The Italian Drs are changing their practice in this respect. The Abbé told us a good [illegible] deal about the modes of agriculture, the road making etc of Piedmont. He gave one curious piece of statistics on quite another subject. He says that the king’s physician tells him he has seen the quarterly accounts, and can testify that his Majesty’s annual cigar bill is 50,000 francs. Making all allowance for the benefices of agents, and for what is shared with favored friends there still remains a handsome supply for a single individual. It is also said that the king stands somewhat in awe of his own Aesculapius, and that on one occasion when he was trying to console himself with a choice Havanna while confined to his bed with a fever, his physician entered so suddenly that he had only time to hide the burning tube in the folds of his bedcurtains. That an exposure followed was not very unnatural.

Our old acquaintance, Mr Jarvis, of picture notoriety, dropped in for an hour this morning. He is on his way to Paris with two daughters, he having lost his wife since we met him last. The world’s recognition of his peculiar abilities has given him a self possession and a confidence in himself, which he seemed to lack when we first knew him. Later in the day he brought in his two daughter - one eighteen, the other six - both very pretty, and both reminding me strongly of their mother. Mr Jarvis explains the song “Glory Hallelujah,” which we have seen alluded to in the American papers. It seems that a Massachusetts regiment lately passed down Broadway singing a song to the memory of John Brown, the music being that of a Methodist tune, the chorus of which is Glory Hallelujah Mr Jarvis says thousands of spectators joined in the chorus as the regiment sang. This is certainly very significant. Thank God old Massachusetts is once more the first in the way of her duty. I learned some curious facts today with regard to Ricasoli’s private life. It seems he married when quite young a girl of about sixteen, who had had a convent education. It was quite natural to suppose that she would have been at least docile. This did not prove to be the case, and Ricasoli after having tried in vain for some years to induce her to be more circomspect in her conduct, finally told her that there remained but one way to save his honor and hers, from the consequences of her excessive imprudence. She was to retire with her child to the old family castle near Florence where he would spend as much of his time as possible with her, but the gay world she must give up. She acquiesced, went to the castle and never left the estate again though she lived until the marriage of her daughter. Not the slightest blame, however, is thrown upon Ricasoli, who seems to have taken the mildest course that remained. It is said he is now about to appoint a Protestant to an important official post. If he has made up his mind to this he no doubt intends it as an intimation of what is to follow. Every day gives new proofs of the extraordinary probity and the iron will of this man. We read this evening some very curious details of the early life of Massimo d’Azeglio. When but a boy having lost his patience with his tutor, who was a priest, he took the opportunity when walking with him one day in the fields, to beat the unhappy Dominée very severely. For this he was solemnly excommunicated by the bishop which he says mortified and grieved him so much that no subsequent excommunication ever gave him the least concern. He seems to have led a wild life till nearly twenty when he began to devote himself very earnestly to study. In his expressing to his father his wish to go to Rome for a more complete education, his father, doubting his fixedness of purpose gave his consent only on conditon that he should receive no more money than he had been supplied with in Turin for pocket money. Azeglio consented to the terms - went to Rome, where he had formerly lived many months as a gay and dashing cavalier of fashion, with only the clothes he was then wearing, and a very small sum of money in his pocket. Here he resumed his studies with great zeal, wearing the coarsest clothes, and taking no recreation except a ride every day. This luxury he procured by making friends with the grooms of one of the noble families, they allowing him to ride one of the horses every day on condition that he should assist them in the grooming, which he did. From May till September for ten years he followed the profession of itinerant painter, travelling on his donkey all over Italy Sicily etc, and returning to Rome in the autumn to resume his literary pursuits.

The whole day taken up for Mr Marsh by offers of Garibaldians etc to take service in our army - many of these persons seem in distressed circumstances.

We fear the eagerness of the Italians to see their king in Rome may induce them to make too many concessions to the Pope. The proposals stated in the French papers as having been made to him are certainly much more favorable to his claims than would be thought wise by the liberal party generally, but if such have been made there is comfort in knowing that the stupid obstinacy of the weak old dotard will never allow him to accept them.

Our papers from America, which are as late as the tenth of this month, are encouraging as to the final and not distant triumph of the Government over rebellion, but they touch the slavery question most gingerly. There must be some cause reason for this which we cannot see at this distance, else men who have pledged themselves so solemnly to the cause of Freedom would not fail to take advantage of a moment so favorable.

Mr Marsh received today Gigli, a well known Roman officer conspicuous in ’48 and since an exile in America. He was naturalized there, and now after a short visit to Italy is about to return to his adopted country. He asserts that he was the officer who in 1848 led the populace into the Roman inquisition, and decares [declares] solemnly that the statements made at that time of the finding of skeletons etc is perfectly true. He has a brother of high rank now in the Italian army, who was at that time also in the Roman service. Gigli says also that he was sent - after Garibaldi and Cialdini had decided that it would be unwise to burn the Confessionals - to communicate their orders to the people to desist from further destruction, which they did at once, contenting themselves with a bonfire of the Cardinal’s carriages. This man of adventure has two severe scars from the arrows of the Indians of California.

The murder of poor Locatelli - for it can be called by no other name - excites much indignation, though the tone of the Press is very moderate. The unhappy man died protesting his innocence, and even the secret court by which he was tried recommended him to the pope’s mercy, on the ground that the evidence against him was insufficient to convict him. The clement pope, however, paternally consigned him to the executioner at the earliest moment possible. It is also asserted that another man has given himself up as guilty of the murder of the gend’armes for which Locatelli has suffered. How much longer will the civilized world tolerate a government that puts to death its subjects without giving them an opportunity even to know the testimony that is brought against them.

The telegraphs from America continue to be more encouraging. The letter from the emperor of Russia to the President, seems to have produced a good effect on this side. The Journal des Debats had an article yesterday decidedly favorable to the North, and predicting that the goverment would successfully crush the rebellion. The good Abbé Baruffi, too, speaks a discreet word for us in the Gazetta. We continue to be overrun with offers of service - many from experienced military men. I wish we could exchange some of our Irish bigots for a regiment of such men as are ready to go from Italy to help us fight our battles.

After receiving interesting letters and papers from America, generally encouraging in their tone, we set off about eleven for the Villarbasse, to see the wine making. The distance must have been at least ten English miles, at first over a perfectly level, but highly cultivated country, then as we came near Rivoli, it became quite accidenté. We turned to the left without going into the town of Rivoli, and were soon in a very broken region very unlike the neighborhood of Turin. After zigzaging about most curiously, we climbed a steep hill the slope of which is covered with a village, and the top crowned by a grand villa belonging to the Angennes family. This villa is unoccupied except by the few servants who have charge of it. Another fine villa stands very near this, with a pretty garden, and an immense extent of vineyard. As we passed into the garden a huge cartload of grapes drawn by the white oxen of the country, the drivers with hands and arms stained the deepest purple, came through the arched gateway. Far down in the vineyards we saw the merry groups that were gathering the grapes, but I could not go to them. We then drove on still farther into the country to the second Angennes villa, where the wine making was in full operation. The steward, who was not expecting visitors, was himself in the wine press up to his ancles and elbows. He sprung out with most amusing alacrity, rushed to the fountain that was flowing close by and in a moment was ready to receive us with truly Italian cordiality. As usual in Italian houses we passed through the stable to reach the stone staircase which leads to the upper rooms. The smell of the fresh hay was delicious. The granary was well stored with heaps and sacks of newly threshed wheat and barley. Quantities of grapes were spread out on the floors - which had first been strown with fresh straw - to dry a little before being trodden. The chambers in which the grain and fruit are stored are on the same floor with the rooms occupied by the tenants. After sitting a while in these rooms and feasting on the golden and purple grapes we went down to see the large vats in which hundreds of barrels of wine were fermenting. Here we could see the treading process at the same time. The men were very merry at their work, taking care to shower each other plentifully, as they dipped out the dark juice and the mangled grapes together to carry them to the vats. On the whole we had a most interesting day and got home only just in time to be ready for the French Theatre, where we were amused and disgusted about in the proportion usual at such places.

It seems almost certain that the emperor of the French is intriguing to displace Ricasoli and to make for room for Ratazzi whom he hopes to find more manageable. The sturdy Tuscan, whose obstinancy in resisting and finally defeating the Villa Franca stipulations is well remembered, is a troublesome person to his majesty in these difficult times. Even if the imperial purpose is one with that of the baron - and it is quite probable that it is - the emperor fancies that it can better be accomplished by some one who can wear a mask more easily that [than] the straight-forward, truthloving Ricasoli. There are many who think the best way to settle the Roman question would be to let Garibaldi sound his trumpet once more - on the other hand, though no one doubts the immediate success of such a measure, most believe that a strong coalition of the Catholic Powers would be formed at once to make war upon the new kingdom, and with Prussia, Protestant Prussia, to sympathise with them, they might crush the rising nation. Perhaps patience is the best policy, but it is certainly the hardest to follow. It is generally believed that most favorable terms of settlement have been offered to the Pope - but it is No, no, still. The Opinione of this morning, however, vehemently denies that any such proposals have been made.

Mr Wheeler, the newly-appointed consul at Genoa, dined with us to-day - a plain, sensible, thoughtful and scholarly man. It seems a pity for the moment that he cannot exchange a little of his Latin & Greek for a modicum of French and Italian, but he will soon make up this deficiency. He speaks of the spirit of the masses in the North & Northwest as excellent, but very despondingly of the action of the Gov. at Washington. We are ourselves amazed to find the President directing a modification of Fremont’s P [r]oclamation as to the slaves of rebels, while other officers are allowed to send back the poor wretches who have escaped, without even the formalities required by the Fugitive Slave Law. There is some mystery under all this quite inexplicable at this distance.

The Countess Confaloniere came in to take leave before going to Pisa for the winter. She complains of Turin as unsocial. The weather, which has been almost constantly pleasant though a little autumnal, seems now to have gone back to June.

We returned to Turin this morning from our visit to the Exposition in Florence having been absent a little more than two weeks. The beautiful Tuscan capital never looked to us half so beautiful before. It has greatly

improved since we saw it last in ‘52, and the whole population seems exuberent with joy at its recovered liberties, and with enthusiasm for its chosen king. We were of course, not in time to witness his reception, which our friends tell us was jubilant beyond everything ever before seen in Florence. As might be expected from his character, il re galantuomo kept as much as possible out of the way of his demonstrative subjects The evening of our arrival his Majesty, who was to set out late that night for Bologna, having a fancy for a quiet evening at the theatre, put on a round-about and a slouched hat, took a fiacre, drove to the theatre, bought his ticket, and seated himself in a retired corner of one of the indifferent boxes. He had been discovered however, and on a sudden every light in the theatre flashed forth and ’viva il nostro re’! rang out in one continuous roar, till the discomfitted sovereign was obliged to present himself to his worshipping subjects even in that most unkingly garb. Another anecdote is told of him while in Florence on good authority. He was about to enter the Exposition one morning with a cigar in his mouth, when one of the guardiani stepped forward and with a most respectful bow said: ‘Maestà, qui e vieatato il fumare.’ ‘I respect the regulation,’ said the king, as he threw down his cigar with a pleasant smile. At Arezzo a poor woman rushed up to him, kissed his hand with that enthusiastic devotion which only an Italian can express, then, after a moments pause, as if thinking what more she could do, she pulled out one of her earrings off, covering her face with her apron, placed it in his hand, and bursting into tears ran ran [sic] off crying with delight. On another occasion a watch was given him much in the same way; the donor neither asking nor wishing to be known, but only seeking an outlet for her gratitude. Heaven grant no causes of alienation may arise between such a king and such a people. We found our friend Miss Blackwell as fascinated by this bewitching race as ourselves. Their uniform curtesy and good-nature cannot fail to strike every impartial stranger - not to speak of their wonderful natural endowments. Mr Marsh paid a visit to the well-known Gino Capponi - now old and entirely blind, but still a great man, and a tried patriot. His ancestors have been famous for many centuries, and the very name he bears has been brilliantly illustrated ages ago. It is a singular fact that the great Italian families - I mean great in genius, as well as rank - do not seem to become exhausted as do the English, but preserve their reputation for learning and ability age after age. The old man is extremely proud of what has been done in Italy during the last two years. He says he could not have believed that so strong a feeling of nationality, such an intense desire for a united Italy, existed among the common people, as has now been developed. Still he is naturally less sanguine than a younger man might be, and though he fel feels confident that Italy will ultimately be happily united under one government, he is prepared for many a convulsion before that day. He is disposed to prefer that the seat of government should for the present continue to be Turin. He says the people are calmer, more reasonable, and more enlightened on political questions than any other population in Italy, and that the action of the ruler would be more unimpeded there than elsewhere. As to Rome, he evidently has some [illegible] educational predjud prejudices against depriving the Pope of his temporal power, and in fact admitted as much. Naples, he says, will be managed in time, but always with difficulty until wiser government shall have changed the character of the inhabitants - - so of Sicily. Of American affairs the old man asked many questions but expressed no opinion. Mr Marsh left him with the impression that he was equal to his reputation. Among other pleasant meetings in Florence was the one with our old friend Mr Gottheil of Palermo. He came to the Peninsula partly on account of the Exposition, partly to find us either in Florence or in Turin. The evening after his first visit he surprised me by a present of some very beautiful objects of Sorrento manufacture. He gave us some very interesting details of the Sicilian revolution of ’59. During the ferocious bombardment of Palermo 3 shells burst in his own house each shell setting it on fire, but fortunately they were able to extinguish it - and no one, out of the eighty who had taken refuge in it as less exposed than their own dwellings, was injured. One of these shells fell upon a chair which he himself had left a moment before to extinguish the fire in another part of the building. He says Garibaldi slept for four hours during the bombardment on a rude mattress in an open square where shells were bursting all around him as quietly as he could have done under his own roof in time of the profoundest peace. Mr Gottheil brought a a Sicilian friend of his to pay us a visit: the baron Seminerio, and [an] old man from whom we learned some curious facts relative to the former government of the island. He states that 40 years ago he was taxed for the building of a certain road, that he had paid this tax annually ever since, and that the road was not even begun when the Bourbon power was overthrown. For another road he had also paid a tax for forty years, the same tax without any reduction being continued for thirty years after the final completion of the road. Of the new regime he only complains of the distance of the island from the seat of government, and the time consequently required to transact and the necessary official business. He argues strongly in favor of giving the local authorities more power, but at the same time admits the importance of centralization in order to give some firmness to the new kingdom. He is openly against the temporal power of the Pope whose recent murder of Locatelli seems an answer to Mrs Browning’s prayer - “more madness, Lord, give them more madness!” The outcry against this barbarous crime has been so violent that the Pope and his precious advisors have attempted to justify it by publishing a garbled ccount of the testimony against their victim in which of course they have told all that looked like evidence against him, and been silent as to what was or might have been said for him. But even their own statement of the case put them so evidently in the wrong, that the friends of the papal power advised that the publication should be immediately suppressed on the ground that it rather showed the man to be innocent than guilty. All the copies were accordingly secured as fast as possible, but fortunately one of them had fallen into the hands of the Roman exiles in Florence, and so the document will stand a fair chance of going down to posterity. The night before we left Florence the Chorus of the Pergola gave us an early serenade. They sang several pieces with much spirit, among others the Hymn to the White Cross of Savoy, a favorite piece at this time. A magnificent bouquet was presented by them the next time we went into the street, partly probably as a compliment for the buono mano they had received for their music and partly in the hope of a second munificenza. We left Florence with much regret, to return to Turin by way of Bologna. No sooner had we begun to ascend the Apennines, than a most sensible change took place in the temperature, and before we reached Covigliaio, it was so cold that the thickest shawls scarcely kept us comfortable. In fact the whole pass of the La Futa presents a dreary aspect to the traveller. The soil is barren, the inhabitants seem poor and the winter climate must be very severe. Among the many children who followed our carriage for charity was a bright-looking little boy of about seven with whom Mr Marsh talked sometime. He asked him, among other things if he was learning to read, “Si, Signore, il curato m’ insegna tutte i giorni”. Here a young girl interrupted the little speaker with “anche noi c’insegna il curato.” There upon a lively conversation with the little girl followed. She told us that her name was Pauolina, that her little brother was called Tonino, that she had six brothers and sisters besides, that her mother was an invalid in the hospital in Florence. While telling her story she climbed the carriage step - we were at this time drawn by oxen - and showed us the straw she was platting. Her answers as to the quantity she could plat in a day and the pay she received were most intelligent and consistent. It appeared that she could earn about something less than five sous in a day, but out of this she must pay for her material 90 basccia in ten days at 40 baiacchi. She showed me the mysteries of the plat with great readiness, and when we told her that we came from America, and that there even poor people eat meat every day (she having told us before that they never ate it) she answered with vivacity, “Ah, but poor people have plenty of work in America and are better paid for it, too, than we are here.” She expressed much curiosity about the Exposition at Florence but said with a sweet, patient smile, “Of course I cannot go to see it, it would take so much money.” This girl might have been eleven or twelve years old. She spoke the most correct Tuscan without the disagreeable Florentine gutteral. There was a charming confidence in her manners which were at the same time very modest. We all said to each other as she wished us “buon viaggio” with a radient [sic] face, “what a splendid woman might be made, under favorable circumstances, of this poor little child of the Apennines’. I bought away her plat of straw. Now and then a gendarme or two passed us through the whole of the pass, as the late robbery on the other route by which we went from Bologna to Florence has caused some excitement. We spent a day in Bologna, another in Parma, but I pass over our enjoyment of the pictures - as also of those in Florence - as being too much a matter of course to write of. Still I must say, let no one judge of Corregio who has not seen his glorious works in Parma. [Image] A curious story was told me in Florence which has been confirmed since we came back by Rustem Bey who adds the name of the London dealer referred to in the anecdote. The Marquis Ginori, the creator of the famous Majolica manufactory at Florence, being in London went in to the shop of a well known dealer in choice old china. Observing a certain piece of Majolica, he took it up, examined it carefully and asked the price.”Three hundred guineas” said the dealer. “That seems to me high,” was the reply; “Are you quite sure too that this is really old”? Perfectly certain” said the dealer, “and I am ready to give you its history, the family from which it came, and how it fell into my hands.” The provoking connoisseur still seemed unsatisfied - “are you quite certain that this is not a Florentine imitation - that you did not in fact buy it yourself in Florence”? The dealer flew into a passion, but offered again to produce the most unquestioned testimony as to the genuineness of the article. The Marquis then said to him him calmly, “I am the Marquis Ginoni, you bought this piece of Majolica at my establishment in Florence, two years ago, for three guineas!” “Good God!” cried the confounded dealer; “do not betray me, or I am undone!” The Marquis bowed, smiled and walked away. I do not give the name of the dealer, because it came to me less directly than the story itself, and there may be a mistake as to that.

We arrived in Turin at 6 this morning, having been detained in Parma by Mr Marsh’s indisposition some hours, so that we were obliged to take the night train. Found all right here–but autumn, instead of the summer we left in Florence Letters and papers from America, but none very consoling. The latter are full of attacks of on Gen. Fremont–but for my own part I have no doubt he will be able abundantly to justify himself and show that the fault lies not with him. My sister writes me from St Louis that preparations are making there to sustain a siege which it seems now almost certain the rebels are determined upon. Her friends are pressing her to come to N.E. but, with the true spirit of our mother, she insists that she ‘will see the play played out.’

The whole day taken up for me with household arrangements for the winter, and for Mr Marsh by applications from officers for places in the American army. The number of those who wish to join our service would make a very fair army of itself. It seems now quite certain that the French emperor did send for Rattazzi and that he is now in Paris in obedience to such a summons. Report says that Benedetti pressed Ratazzi to accept the post of Minister of the Interior, but that the latter objected unless there should be some prospect of a fair settlement of the Roman question. This answer being communicated to the emperor, Rattazzi was sent for and it is hoped this conference may serve the good cause. It is also considered as a matter of much significance that Ricasoli and Rattazzi - who had not been on good terms for a long time - visited the camp at St. Maurizio together just before Ratazzi left for France. The king has requested General Cialdini to remain in Naples till he himself shall visit that city. The general is highly complimented for his course there, and the French and English papers speak of his correspondence with the government as indicating extraordinary ability. At last the officers from the regular army who joined Garibaldi in his southern expedition have been restored to their places and pay with full pardon. Provision, too, is made for the volunteer officers so that they may hope for an honorable place in the regular army. This will do much to strengthen the affection of the people for the government, and removes much just ground of complaint. The Istrians have sent fifteen hundred francs as their contribution to the Cavour monument. LarMa Lamarmora is to succeed Cialdini at Naples.

Mr Marsh had an interview of some length with Bar. Ricasoli this morning. He seems hopeful of Italy and in good spirits, so that, if his ministry is in danger, he evidently does not incline to lay it much to heart. He seemed much pleased that we had noticed the fact that the galleries of Florence, Bologna, Parma, &c, which we formerly found frequented only by English, Americans, Germans & Russians, were now daily filled with Italians who at last [illegible] in a situation to enjoy what is their own. Mr Marsh also spent an hour with the engineer Valerio, with whom he found his brother, the Gov. of Como. They both express much confidence in the future. A pamphlet having been sent us by its author, a person who styles herself the Countess de la Torre, we made some enquiries about her. She is the daugher of Count S. an eminent soldier and highly respectable Piedmontese noble, and is said to be a woman of extraordinary beauty & talent - which last gift her pamphlet proves. Accomplished, too, in an unusual degree for an Italian woman of this day, she seems to possess remarkable powers of fascination, - but unhappily, an utter absence of all principle has brought her, at the age of twenty seven, to be the grief and shame of her family, and made her name unmentionable even in the society of a capital not over-scrupulous. Her last alias was ‘Countess Martini’, under which name she successfully imposed for a time on the English clergyman, Mr Tottenham, by representing herself as a most conscienscious Protestant. Mr Tottenham’s next news of her was that she was nursing his son, who had been severely wounded in the Garibaldian campaign in Sicily, and, as the young gentleman informed his parents, was trying to beguile the his weary hours of convalescence by entertaining him with the history of her the brilliant sell she had practiced on them. The Tottenhams forgave very readily their own wrongs in consideration of the very real kindness bestowed on their boy, who might have died but for her skill & care, and when she returned again to Turin made every effort in their power to induce her to change her life and return to her father who was ready to receive her on this condition. She refused.

We had a visit from Mons. Lesseps this morning, and I must confess to something like a feeling of disappointment. The proposed Suez Canal has been a subject of the greatest interest to us, and we hoped to learn from one who has been so conspicuous in maintaining its feasibility what were its prospects and what progress had actually been made. Mr Lesseps, however, talked a great, great deal about Egypt, and especially about the strong confirmation of Scripture History that was found there, but he said very little about the Canal and gave us no opportunity to ask any questions about it. I am afraid I am growing suspicious, but I could not help fancying there was method in this rapid, rambling talk of a man, who evidently does not lack the power of concentration, and I begin half to suspect there is more truth in the English statements with regard to the present condition of the projected Canal than we have hitherto supposed. Mr Lesseps is a man of fine person and very agreeable manners. I hope, too, that there was more of accident than design in his silence as to the Canal, and that it may still be going on prosperously. We have some very odd letters containing offers of service in our army. To-day, Mr Marsh received a letter from a German who proposes to serve as hospital-surgeon on condition that his passage to America and that of his wife and five children be paid by our government, and that a permanent income be secured to him both during and after the war! Mr Marsh went this evening with Mr Lesseps and the Abbe Baruffi to Count Sclopis who receives every evening. He found quite an elite circle there - among other ladies the Countess San Germano and the Duchess of Torremuzza struck him as pleasing women - especially the former. He also found the Princess I ____ very agreeable. Poeria, who seldom fails to pass his evenings there, was not present. Mr M. succeeded in getting something a little more definite from Mr Lesseps about the canal. He admits that nothing has as yet been done at either the Mediterranean or the Red Sea harbours, nor has the most difficult point in the line of the canal yet been attacked, but eighty kilometres have already been excavated, and the bold projecter declares that within eighteen months the water will flow from sea to sea. The rumors thicken as to a probable change in the ministry. The emperor seems resolved to have the Roman question postponed for the present, and it is believed that the recent interview between him & the obscurantist king of Prussia is likely to injure the Italian cause. We are sorry to learn that our reforming king has been persuaded into the folly of trying to soothe the Neapolitan rabble by making a magnificent present to St Januarius. Such a step backward is not worthy of him. Pulzsky spent an hour here to-day. He is one of those persons who hear nothing that is said to them on a first interview. I find this trait very common - almost the rule among the English, but, though less frequent among the Continentals, it is oftener met with here than in America where sl such a peculiarity is regarded as the worst of bores. It often happens that this obtuseness of the auditory nerve is gives way on further acquaintance, and I have no doubt we shall in the end find Pulzsky a source of much valuable information on European politics, as well as a pleasant talker generally.

Much anxiety is felt by the friends of Ricasoli as to the result of Rattazzi’s visit to Paris. Few think an arrangement between the two, so that both shall be in the same ministry, possible. Mr Marsh who had occasion to see the Baron on official business this morning found him earnest as usual, but without the least sign of disquiet of any kind. It will be a source of great regret to us if he resigns. His Protestantism is openly asserted by many persons. Father Passaglia is expected in Turin to-night. The Pope is said to be furious at his escape from Rome. The Catholic clergy are flocking more and more to the standard of the king and many think a schism in the Italian Church imminent. Gen. Goyon has left Rome, no less to the satisfaction of his own troops, it is said, than to that of the Romans. His parting interview with Frances Bourbon lasted an hour. Monseigneurs Mariani and Crescenzi have ordered a baker of Veroli to make 50 dozen ‘pane di munizione’ every day for the support of the band of Chiavone! This bread is sent off openly every day in a provision cart under the protection of the sbirri of the Pope and the eagles of the emperor. The disturbances in Warsaw are getting daily more serious. The strictest martial law is enforced there. Truly these are fearful days for both oppressors & oppressed. Mr Marsh spent another hour with Mr Lesseps this morning, and now feels much better satisfied as to the prospects of the Great Canal than after his first interview with him. We shall in time learn to make all due allowance for the stormy eloquence with which these foreigners at first confound and overwhelm one, without in fact saying any thing. Mr Hughs, the inventer of the lastest latest printing Telegraph, spent some time with Mr M. this morning. He says Europeans have not the slightest idea of the advanced state of science in America, nor can they be made to believe in it.

A new ferment in political circles has been occasioned by the report that the emperor of the French has requested Victor Emmanuel to increase his standing army to two hundred thousand This, it is thought, is an indication that he is preparing to take a course which he anticipates may rouse Austria and Spain to make common cause with the Pope and the Bourbons, & that he wishes Italy to be in a condition to defend herself. One thing only seems certain - that this man is unfathomable in his policy. I learned some curious facts this morning with regard to the distinctions kept up in Turin between the noble families and the Haute Bourgeoisie. It seems that since the revolutions of ’48 & ’59 the former - who had for generations treated the latter with a hauteur amounting to studied insolence - made overtures to these [illegible] parvenus and sent them visiting cards by way of showing their readiness to open their circles to them. It is asserted that these cards were in most cases entirely unnoticed, the bourgeoisie, remembering old affronts, and taking this occasion to show their own independence. A friend tells me that access to the Haute Bourgeoisie is far more difficult for a stranger now than admission to the oldest families. It is certainly much to be regretted that the memory of ancient wrongs should be suffered to in this way to keep up these absurd distinctions of caste when the old obstacles were ready to give way.

No further developments as to the formation of a new ministry though Ricasoli’s friends are anxious. Corghi states in his notes, that a little brother of the fiancée of the unfortunate Locatelli was run over one day this week, by a cardinal’s carriage & killed instantly. We hope this may prove a mistake. He adds “the carriage did not stop!”

Madame de Lima brought La Baronne Hochschild, wife of the newly arrived minister from Sweden, to see me this morning. Emphatically women of the world both. Mr M dined with Baron Ricasoli, the dinner being a compliment to Mr Benedetti. The diplomatic corps were all present except Sir James Hudson who is not yet tired of the Lakes. Mr Marsh sat at dinner between Bastogi and Poerio, both of whom, but especially the latter, he was very glad to meet in this way. The Neapolitan hero seemed admirably acquainted with the history and condition of the U.S. of America, and expressed strong sympathy with us. This is the more grateful at a moment when every American feels that to the sentiments of dislike, entertained towards his country by almost every aristocrat in Europe, are now added those of contempt. Politics were of course not discussed on such an occasion but gossip still assert insists that a change is about to take place in the ministry. The birds of the air too have brought the substance of the French emperor’s conversation with Rattazzi, which is that the Roman question must rest where it is for the present - that Venetia must first be secured to Italy and then the rest must follow as a matter of course Rattazzi, it is further said, has gone to London to sound the English government. No confidence can be placed on these on dits but it is interesting to follow them from day to day. We were much amused this morning by [illegible] an indignant article for the Paris Correspondent to the N.Y. Times on the subject of the offer said to the have been made to Garibaldi by our government. The incensed writer scolds Garibaldi Mr Marsh and Mr Sanford indiscriminately for not coming out and telling the curious public the exact facts in the case! I should be glad to refer my excited country man to the Hon. Mr Seward, Mr Quiggle and Mrs Cordee Quiggle for the information he considers so important.

Extract from Mr Marsh’s Despatch to Mr Seward which was to have gone this morning, but which I have persuaded him to modify - perhaps from an excess of prudence “In fact at this moment the opponents of papal supremacy, like so many other multitudes who are just opening their eyes to the light of principle & truth, are suffering under the great want of the age - the want of a man to lead them. That man may, perhaps, be found in Ricasoli, if the intrigues now in operation to displace him shall succeed, and whenever he, or any other true hero, shall assume the direction of the train, the bull will be thrown from the track or crushed under the wheels of the locomotive.” Corghi’s notes this evening continue to assert that the emperor has intimated to Rattazzi that Venetia must be annexed to the Italian kingdom before the Roman question can be brought any nearer to a settlement. He also declares that the military preparations that which Victor Emmanuel is making prove that he about to intimate to Austria that the time has come when she must ‘render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s.’ This being done, it will be time to turn to the pope with the conclusion of the command - ‘and to God the things that are God’s.’ Many believe that Garibaldi is actually going to assist the Montenegrins - if so, it of course is but a pretext for putting himself in a position to attack Austria. Some curiosity is felt as the answer that Farini will make to the dotard, Lord Normanly [Normandy], who has charged him with conveying the linen of that most respectable and injured personage the ex-duke of Modena! A horrible tragedy has just been enacted near Fondi in the name of religion & loyalty - the details on the next page. Poerio came to see us to-day, but unfortunately the putting-down of carpets etc, was going on to such an extent that we had no corner to receive him. This evening Baruffi gave us an anecdote of Cha [teau]briand. When the Abbé was a student at Ferrara, he was presented to Chateaubriand, who was there for a day, and it was made his duty to accompany the distinguished traveller on his visit to the famous library in that place. During the course of their walk Chateaubriand impressed upon his young companion the pleasures and advantages of Oriental travel. The student replied with a sigh, “Ah, but I am poor!” I can never hope for the fifty thousand francs necessary to make the journey you have made.” “Cinquante mille francs!” exclaimed the astonished traveller; “mais, qui vous a dit cette bêtise?” The student not less astonished was silent. “Mais, je vous demande encore, mon ami, qui vous a dit cette bêtise?” Driven to the wall the embarrassed Baruffi answered, “Puisque vous insistez, Monsieur, il faut vous avouer que je l’ai lue dans votre livre de voyage.” The savant was confounded, and would not really believe, until his own words were shown him in the library. Chateaubriand then asked the young man ‘if he had read his book on Christianity with as much attention as he had read his travels.’ Being answered in the affirmative, he said with something like irony, “Eh bien! est ce que vous y avez trouéré encore quelques cinquante mille francs?” Again the student was silent for a moment; then he replied with embarrassment, “Mais, Monsieur, vous vous moquez de moi. Vous ne croyez pas qu’un simple étudiant comme moi oserait critiquer les oeuvres d’un savant dont la renommé a rempli le monde.” The confusion of his companion no doubt piqued the curiosity of Chateaubriand, who pressed him so hard that he finally confessed that ‘he did not find the chapter on Science entirely satisfactory’, and expressed a hope that he would ‘revise it in a future edition, and make it more in harmony with the great power and knowledge displayed in the rest of the book’. The vanity of the author was evidently much wounded - he soon recognized another acquaintance in the library and says the Abbé. “Comme on ne s’occupa plus de moi, je m’esquivai bientôt.” Four years later Baruffi dined with Chateaubriand at the house of a mutual friend in Paris. He was presented to him as a stranger, but Chateaubriand looking steadily at him, said, “Mais, Monsieur, je vous ai déjà ren contré quelque part, n’est ce pas?” “Oui, Monsieur, j’ai eu l’honore neur de vous accompagner au bibliotèque de Ferrara.” “Ah, ah, oui - Ferrara, Ferrara - je me rappelle - mais n’en parlons plus!” said he, tapping his forehead with a half smile - and so they talked of other things. The explanation of the fifty thousand francs is this. Chateaubriand having stated that he had brought a bottle of water from the Jordan expressly for the christening of a certain young prince, it was stated intimated to him that the royal father intended to defray the expenses of his journey to the sacred river. Not thinking it worth while to be very exact under the circumstances he had thrown out a rough estimate in his book to save his sovereign any embarrassment! The chapter on Science was rewritten, but, though less flagrant in subsequent editions than in the first, it is still far from creditable.

There was a row this morning between an Ebrew Jew, who was putting down our carpets, and our maître d’hotel, which became so serious that I was forced to adventure myself into the very small space that separated the high contending parties, in order to prevent the fiery Italian from hurling the tricky Isl Israelite down the stair-case. I came very near losing my own temper at the astonishing imprudence with which this unworthy descendant of grand, old Abraham, tried to impose upon us in every way - but I remembered in time how Christians had trampled on his race for so many ages - and About’s chapter on the Ghetto, & Robert Brownings ‘Holy Cross day’, finished to reslure restore my equanimity, and I was able to recommence negotiations with my Shylock with the utmost composure. There was a full & curious account of the attempt to seize Father Pasaglia the other day at Rome, in the Gaglia Galignani of to-day. The ex-Jesuit is now in Turin.

To-day Minghetti, minister of justice and religious worship, publishes a significant circular to the Episcopato which shows the right spirit on the part of the government. Hopes are again expressed by the Turin Journals that Ricasoli & Rattazzi may both be in the new ministry. The movements of the Caprera Coeur-de-lion are the subject of unceasing speculation in all quarters. Mantua has been ordered by Austria to furnish 6000 recruits of the 85000 with which she proposes to increase her army - the object no doubt, being to withdraw from that quarter all the as large a portion of the men able to bear arms as possible. Warsaw and its vicinity still continues greatly disturbed - even St Petersburg is by no means quiet and many students have been arrested there. Switzerland, too, is violently agitated by what she believes to be the threatening attitude of France towards her. My Jew turns out to bear the name of Moses Sacerdote. This reminds me to record the names of Mr Marsh’s tailors - the firm is “Levi e Sacerdote” - Priest and Levite, one might say, without making a very violent translation. Turin is full of quaint sighs - the other day I saw ‘Catherina Tua.’

After a two days gentle rain the sun came out at noon, and at three we went out to pay the Hochschilds a visit. The view of the mountains and was wonderful. Th Monte Rosa, covered almost to her base with new-fallen snow, stood out from a back-ground of dark cloud on which glowed the fragment of a brilliant rainbow - as grand a sight as mountain ever offered at such a distance. The rest of the chain for some distance on either hand of the Alpine Queen was completely hidden by thick vapours, thus leaving her in lonely majesty. In the direction of Monte Viso quite another scene presented itself. That stately pyramidal peak rose clear and sharp against the sky looking of an incredible height - probably because such masses of bright cumulous clouds were rolling like a sea at its feet, filling every valley, sweeping along every slope, feathering every lower crest. It seemed as if the eye could penetrate for miles and miles into the billowy vapours that were growing every moment more gorg gorgeously brilliant as the sun approached them. One could scarcely help attaching the idea of life and consciousness to forms so full of beauty, to motions so perfect in grace. Oh for the painter’s hand to fix forever what I see again so clearly as I write. We agreed that Turin never looked to us so lovely as this afternoon - the near hills gay in their autumn dress, the streets thronged with women & girls bringing carrying baskets of flowers etc - and the sidewalks half filled up by V others who were twining bright garlands or weaving mournful monumental wreaths to be used for All Saints & All Souls which fall on the first & second of Nov. It is now asserted that Rattazzi is not to come into the ministry but wilt will retain his place for the present as President of the Chambers. Important military preparations are doubtless making but for what special purpose is mere matter of conjecture.

The venerable Plana came to us this morning - full of life and interested in every thing, but very deaf. The Tottenhams & the Countess Marini came in about the same time. Mr Marsh saw baron Ricasoli this morning and was told by him that Italian Government would do all he asked with reference to the privateers that should appear in the Mediterranean. He also had some confidential talk with him as to the desires of the Italian Government with regard to Garibaldi’s going to America. It seems the fiery spirit of the heroic patriot is growing impatient almost to madness, and that he does not hesitate in his passionate moods to declare himself ready for a revolution like the French of ’92. What a pity he cannot see that in almost every direction there is the most steady advance towards [illegible] the truest freedom.

The course of our housekeeping which hitherto, unlike the course true love, has run with the most oily smoothness, met with a slight ssho shock this morning. Lucia, the house-maid, a quiet, meek little creature, to whom every body in the house has been very indulgent on account of her delicate health and gentle character, gave notice to-day that her placement be supplied as she wished to leave. On enquiring into her grievances I found that the night before when the mâitre d’hôtel was about to take some water from the tea-kettle for our tea, the little housemaid, who happened to be standing near, cried out, “Don’t make the tea with that - I have just washed the dinner-knives in it!” “Washed the knives in the tea-kettle!” exclaimed the astonished Alexander, and the his additional remarks were not merely exclamatory, but admonitory as well. The indignant Lucia declared that he might have had some excuse for scolding her if she had allowed him to make the tea of the dish-water, but having confessed the fact it was an act of monstrous injustice to blame her - “besides”, she added most naively, “I had often done it before and no harm ever came of it.” I recommended the girl to seek a place as portress for which she thought herself particularly fitted and in which opinion I now fully concurred - and gave orders to have her place filled as soon as could be done conveniently - but for my life I could not have uttered a word of blame to this simple-hearted creature, though it was hard to preserve a becoming gravity. The horror of my English maid added not a little to the comic of the scene. Plana came in again this morning, to bring us some of his mathematical tomes, and we found it less difficult to talk with him than usual. He is not very hopeful about Italy, distrusts Bonaparte as he always calls him, and blames the surrender of Savoy. Family pride and local jealousy, however, he thinks the worst sources of mischief “Ce sont nos princes, nos ducs, nos contes, nos marquis, nos barons, qui abiment tout!” Madame de Lima has just spent a half-hour with me, and, as the diplomatic chill wears off, I find her much more interesting. We paid Mme. Benedetti a visit this afternoon and I found her very charming. No one who knows the East would be likely to mistake her Oriental origin. She is now far finer looking, Mr Marsh thinks, than when first married, and her manners are very graceful and fascinating. The Americans complain greatly of the insincerity of these polished Europeans & Orientals, but I must confess that, for my own part, as a matter of social comfort, I like much better a little meaningless courtesy, than an excess of that Anglo-Saxon bluntness, which quite as often proceeds from arrogance and censoriousness, and as from a love of truth. Mrs Wadsworth from Gennssrio with Miss Motley, & one of her sons, is here for a day on her way to Rome.

Mrs Wadsworth and her party spent an hour or two with us today, and we had what Charles Lamb would have called a good Sabbath day’s curse l on the fomenters of this wretched rebellion. I am glad to say, however, that our self-respect, to say nothing of higher Christian restraints did not allow us to use such language as our Southern sisters with all their boasted superior refinement, employ in their private letters as well as in their daily conversation. Later Madam Bartholoeyns sat with me for an hour - a very pleasing English woman who has spent several years in America.

In the evening the Abbé Baruffi came in as usual. He had another anecdote of Plana’s. When the Baron was dining one day in company with Lascaris, a Greek, who claimed to be a direct descendant of the Paleologues of Byzantium he addressed the Greek as “une molecule des anciens Paleologues - quoique doeteuse.” Mr Tottenham gave us the other day an account of an interview of his with Plana, on which occasion he had taken with him a friend of Lord Palmerston who desired an introduction to the great mathematician. The Baron happened at the moment to be greatly irritated at the opposition manifested by the English toward the projected Suez Canal, and he took advantage of this occasion to send his lordship certain messages. These messages Mr Tottenham declined to repeat, but characterized them as “pithy and forcible rather than complimentary.” Our impressions of the Italian character in one respect at least are becoming more and more [illegible] convictions. There is not the least foundation at this day - whatever may have been the case formerly - for the charge of want of manly independence so often brought against them. We had also this evening a little quiet talk with the abbé as to the prospects of the Suez Canal He admits much of what we had half suspected from the retinence reticence of Lep Lesseps - that there is much embarrassment from many sources, chiefly from the fact that English opposition has confined the taking of stock in the enterprise almost entirely to France, thus giving it a national character & so depriving it, in a great measure, of all general sympathy. In this way they are pressed for funds, and he also confesses that the engineers are losing heart - even the blind old Paleocapa begins to shake his head. In time the object will no doubt be accomplished, but not in such hot haste as has been predicted. The prospects for the Mont Cenis tunnel too, according to the observations made in August by the abbé in person, are not immediately brilliant. The necessity of lining with brick the whole tunnel as far as they have advanced on this side has greatly increased the estimated expense. How soon the character of the rock may change so as to make this unnecessary cannot be foreseen.

The rumor, which has now become quite loud, of the probable recommencement of hostilities with Austria in the spring, gets some credit with us from the sudden & total cessation of all offers of military service in the American army. The Countess de la Torre sent a note last evening asking Mr Marsh to call on her to examine letters she had just received from Mr Sanford and Col. Fardella. Mr Marsh declined as civilly as possible, but proposed asked her to send the letters or such extracts from them as she wished desired him to see, with a note stating her wishes, and promised to give them the necessary attention. This will probably relieve him from further annoyance in that quarter.

Mr Marsh dined to-day at the Prussian Ministers - a dinner in honour of Mr Benedetti. It was a diplomatic affair purely, and as Count Brasier de St Simon is wifeless, or sensé to be so, there were no ladies present. The dinner was very fine and in the best style. Mr Marsh had an opportunity to talk a good deal with Baron Ricasoli on agricultural subjects, but especially about the drainage and recovery of the Maremma. The Baron was much pleased to find some one who felt an interest in what he himself had so much at heal heart, and promises Mr Marsh the fullest information as to what has been already done, and the most desirable facilities to examine the work going on. How much I wish we had the time and means to go as we should like from place to place here to gather such information as can only be acquired on the spot. In this way we might make ourselves infinitely more useful to our country and this - but our Florence trip has taught us that even if no ten days rule existed, our salary would will not allow us to indulge in these excursions.

I should have mentioned yesterday a visit from poor Madame Lannoy, the widow of the late Belgian Minister. It was very kind of her to come and see me under the circumstances, but had I known that she would have been willing to see a stranger, I would not have failed to have gone to her [illegible] however great the effort might have been. She seems a very frank and kindly person and, though I have heard so much of her want of social qualities, I am sure we should have got on nicely together and I much regret that she leaves Turin so soon. The Countess de la Torre was not so easily bluffed off. She sends to say she will wait Mr Marsh’s leisure and on her return from Milan will again [illegible] solicit a visit!

Madame Matteucci came to see me this morning which I was most glad of. I hope we may be able to have a little more rational intercourse with them than we are likely to have with what is called the Society of Turin. It is all very pleasant while the novelty lasts, but from what we hear and see we become every day more and more convinced that both the Diplomatic and the exclusively fashionable circle will be speedily exhausted. Mad. Matteucci tells me what I was very sorry to learn, that the An Arconati, from whose society we expected so much, were going to pass the winter in Egypt.

Miss Roberts spent an hour or two with me this morning. To my utter amazement, and to Carrie’s no less, I found she actually believed that certain table-turnings at which the four Misses Tottenham and Carrie assisted the other evening at her ho rooms, were accomplished by some mysterious agency. For a long time I could not think her serious, but it turned out that she was quite so. I then told her that Carrie said she pushed with all her strength and supposed the other girls were doing the same thing. Even this would not convince my friend of much faith, who declared that the table turned even when Carrie was not in the circle. “But,” I said, “have you questioned the others carefully, as to what they did?” “Oh, I am quite sure they did nothing - in fact the oldest one seemed quite frightened.” And so she ran on - and asked me if I did not think it was electricity. I laughed, and told her she must first convince me of the facts before I should puzzle myself about explanations, but suggested that it would be as philosophical to attribute it to the evil eye. When she had left, I questioned Carrie as to what she supposed her companions thought. She declares it never once entered her mind that any one present supposed the table was turned otherwise that than by their own hands and feet, and that they were amused by the odd answers from the raps just as they would have been by any other ingenious game. I record this circumstance merely as a specimen of the evidence on which these marvels rest. Miss Roberts has caused quite a sensation in Turin by her account of that evening’s miracles - and Miss Roberts is really one of the most cultivated women I have met here - well acquainted with German and Italian literature as well as English. I should indeed despair of woman’s ever becoming a reasonable creature, if I did not find two thirds of the other sex, with all their superior advantages, just as inconsequent, just as scatter-brained.

Tourt, the Swiss Minister spent some time with Mr Marsh this morning. He certainly does not love Louis Nap. and thinks his conduct toward Switzerland not the most grateful when it is remembered that the Republic armed a hundred thousand men to with which to maintain her refusal to decline him up to Louis Philippe. He does not yet believe that Ricasoli will resign - at least he says he has the authority of the Baron himself for saying he will not do so without the express request of the king or an overwhelming defeat in parliament. He says he should think it cowardly to leave his post now. The kind goes to the to be present at the opening of the rail-road to Ancona, to-morrow.

We had an unusually quiet day to-day - like a New England Sunday. After church Mr Marsh read me two of Robertson’s wonderful sermons and even our evening was uninterrupted by visitors. It is a pity that there is not some suitable building for the services of the English Church. The congregation is often quite a large one as there are so many English travellers who spend sunday here on their way to Southern Italy. Mr Marsh insists that the presence of a fair proportion of Lords & Leddies [Ladies] greatly stimulates and encourages the preacher who is otherwise apt to be a little dull. To-day, for an example, he says the aristocratic element was evidently large, and the sp sermon spirited in proportion. The To use Mr M.’s words “In the comparison of the good man to ‘the tree planted etc’, one could hear the very leaves of him rustle!”

The most contradictory rumous rumors continue to circulate about the intentions of the French Emperor with regard to Italian affairs. Probably nothing is known except by those do not contribute to the journals. That there is a general ferment all over Europe is the only thing in which all agree. The Countess Marini came in to offer to go with me to pay some visits - an offer which it has been intimated to me I had better decline. As this is the second time it has been made I hardly know how I shall avoid it in the end, nor can I see any reason why I should not accept this amiable old lady’s services as well as anothers - but society knows I suppose, and a stranger does well to take its hints till sure of their injustice.

The Marchioness Arconati paid me a visit of thanks this morning for some letters which Mr Marsh had sent her to secure for her the attention of our consul at Civita Vecchia and the Consul General at Alexandria. I regret extremely for our sakes that she is not to be here this winter - The Marquis goes to Egypt later in the winter. Madame Matteucci who came with her pleased me even more than on her first visit. Later in the day Mrs Tottenham brought in Mrs Stanley, a frank Englishwoman of very agreeable manners, and seemingly disposed to be very friendly. As her husband is of the family of Lord Derby, she is of course in the very best society here, and she gives me some information that tends to free me from much embarrassment. In the evening Mr Marsh went to Ricasoli’s first evening reception. A large number of gentlemen were present, and Mr M. thinks he shall be able to pick up on these occasions a good many facts as to individual character & feeling, as well as about political matters generally. Talking with Minebrea [Menabrea] about the number of Italians who were [illegible] entering the American service, Mr Marsh expressed his satisfaction at the prospect of an infusion of some of the blood of the Latin races into our population by way of antidote against the Celtic element now so large. The minister replied, “Ces Irlandais sont embêtés par le Catholicism.” He may have coined a word to convey his meaning, but he made it plain at least. The signs of the times are certainly growing more & more ominous of ruin to the power of him who still dares blasphemously to call himself the Man-God -, l’-Uom-Dio.

The death of the king of Portugal following so immediately that of his young brother, and the alarming illness of Prince Auguste excites much comment, and some suspicion at least among the common people. The yellow fever is certainly a sufficient explanation of this sad mortality, but the people will want strong evidence of the fact. The liberals will believe that the Jesuits are capable of any amount of wholesale murder even of a royal family that when it has been wicked enough to acknowledge the king of Italy and to propose an alliance with his rebellious house - that has been, moreover, so recreant to the true principles of goverment as to admit that even kings should be restrained by laws. The Marquis Arconati made us a long visit this morning, a man of broad views and most philanthropic spirit. I wish some of his Boston friends could have the benefit of his remarks upon the peculiar institution, and upon the course they have taken with regard to it, especially the effect on Europeans of their semi-defence of it when here last. - By taking a drive we missed a visit from the Bunsens.

Our consul for Naples, Dr Armsby, with his wife, son and two young ladies belonging to their family party dined with us to-day. They seem very right on the great home question so far as a vigorous prosecution of the war goes at the least. Mrs A__ is very handsome and very wide awake. They are well supplied with letters to prominent Obscurantists in Italy by the American Ultramontanists - a fact that may give them some trouble if they are not very cautious. This is another proof of the vigilant watch kept upon our diplomatic policy in Italy by Hughes and his tools. The amiable Mr Chandler of Philadelphia volunteers to advise the new consul as to the associates he should cultivate, and furnishes him letters accordingly. Other prominent men of the same liberal persuasion have done the same. What Dr. As own views may be I don’t know, but if he is but a plain-hearted Protestant, uninitiated into the mysteries of the Roman system he is in a fair way to be entirely misled as to the actual state of things in Italy, and to become an instrument of these crafty prelates to propagate their monstrous misrepresentations. I hope we may be able to put him on his guard at least. The accounts the Dr & Mr Armsby give of the battle of Bulls Run and the panic in Washington that followed it are most thrilling - but I feel the too deeply to write about home matters. God save our land - confound treason - and blast with the lightning of His own right hand “the fair tree of slavery”! Amen.

Baruffi promises us a notice by himself of General Crotti di Costigliole who died in Turin a few days since. The Abbé dined with the old man in company with a large circle of friends about fifteen days ago. Their venerable host sat at table with them and was very cheerful, but told them he was there to enjoy seeing others dine, not to dine himself as he was now of an age when he must again live like a child. But though he neither eat nor drank, he was merry enough to sing songs, and he favored the company with a long one of his own, composed when he was retreating from Moscow with Napoleon in that awful winter. I should much like to have heard what music & what verse could be born of those scenes & circumstances of horror. The Abbé has came to us after having first paid a visit to _ _ an eminent physician of Turin who is ill. The patient informed his friend that he was “gravement malade,” that he had already been bled five times within two days. The Abbé thinks a little more of the same practice will put an end to the disease and the sufferer at the same time. He says that some twenty years ago, finding a friend of his who was ill had already been bled seventeen times, he ventured to remonstrate with the attending physician, but to no purpose. The patient died of course, but his medical attendant said with triumph “I succeeded in arresting the inflamation, however!”

The journals continue to be filled with the same conflicting rumors about changes in the ministry. The emperor of the French, by adopting Fould’s financial scheme, is considered to have made important concessions to the friends of liberal gov. A second highway robbery occurred 2 days since between Florence & Bologna over the La Futa pass. It is astonishing that the goverment does not establish a few small military stations at points that command a view of the road through the least frequented portions of the pass. The expense would be small inconsiderable and the disgrace saved very great. Count Alfieri, one of the deputies, was this time one of the plundered.

Baron Poerio, old Bomba’s famous victim, spent an hour with us to-day. He seems a man of about fifty five or sixty, very quiet in his manner, with a slightly sad expression of countenance which however does not detract from the expression of bonhomie that is perhaps his most distinguishing characteristic. Ten years of imprisonment have not in the least soured this noble nature, and so broad is the mantle of his charity that it covers Bomba himself at least with the shadow of silence. He however makes no secret of his liberalism, though he deeply laments the ill-judged, headlong zeal of Mazzini & his partisans. He firmly believes in a great future for United Italy, though he is prepared for years of patient struggle, sometimes even threatening storms, before the haven can be fully reached. Mr. Tourte, the Swiss Minister, came in while Poerio was still with us. The conversation at once turned on the defeat just sustained by _ F in Switzerland. M. Tourte attributes his fall entirely to French intrigues made successful by uniting the radicals of the Mazzini school wth the reactionists. “I do not wish to be intolerant,” - added the Swiss Chargé “but really your Catholicism is scarcely less troublesome to us in Switzerland than to you in Italy - it is incompatible with free institutions!” This remark, which was made apparently under much excitement, and addressed to Poerio, was ands answered by the latter with a calm smile, and, “You are quite right, and we will rejoice together when the incubus is removed.” Mr Tourte is, I believe, a true patriot, and a frank-hearted man every way. He gave us an amusing account of a conversation between several prominent members of the diplomatic corps at the club the other evening The death of the young king of Portugal being mentioned, it was agreed that in him had fallen the only crowned head in Europe (except the mysterious one that wears the diadem of France) each minister only that was furnished with even the ordinary modicum of brains - each minister only excluding his own agust [august] sovereign from the general sentence. It is now currently believed that that [sic] the brutal heir apparent to the throne of Prussia has recently

beaten his wife, - the daughter of the Queen of England! His ill treatment of her has long been known*. I had a good deal of talk with Mr Tourte about the Gasparins. He is most enthusiastic in his admiration of the genius of the Countess, who, he insists, has breathed the feu sacré in her husband - a man never distinguished for ability of any kind till she found how to kindle him into one of the beacon lights of his time.

Ricasoli, it seems, is determined to take act upon no hints from a foreign power that his resignation would be acceptable. It is, he says, for his own king and country to sustain him or to disapprove his policy. By their decision he will most cheerfully abide, but other human master he acknowledges none. He may very possibly be put down by the union of both parties of extremists when parliament meets, but a stronger hand, a cooler head, a bolder, truer heart will never be found to take his place. Heroic he is in its loftiest sense, the very stuff of which martyrs are made. The blows at the papacy do not slacken. A pamphlet has recently been published purporting to be the private history of Pio IX. How much of fact there is in it we cannot of course say, but it is fully credited by the common people & will not help his popularity. Thousands of copies are already in circulation. Madame Barthelagns [Bartholeyns] came to me again to-day - and I feel quite sure of a true friend in her. She is very lovely - Mr Rice, our consul at Genoa, came to take leave and Mr Marsh (forgetting I supposed for the moment that he had married an Irish lady who was most likely a R. Catholic) said to him, in alluding to the good opinion that many persons had formerly entertained of Pius Ninth, “I am happy to say I was never taken in by him. Talk of a good pope? You might as well talk of a good devil! The one is as possible as the other.” I reminded him, after Mr Rice left; of the nationality of his wife. “I did not forget it,” he said, “but we have American sympathizers with that Roman tyranny on all sides of us, & I shall speak wherever there is any chance that my words may have some weight.”

Mr Marsh went this morning to the Stupinigi, on a hunting party by invitation from the Grand cacciatore of his S. M. The game was abundant, but the skill of the sportsmen not remarkable. Mr Marsh brought home two hares and a pheasant, and though this is his first experiment after twenty years of complete non-practice none of the rest did better. It was a pleasant recreation for all, however, and gave Mr Marsh an opportunity to see [illegible] his [illegible] brother diplomats more familiarly than he has done before - also some of the principal officers about the king. His kingship dodged as usual. The de Castros came in just before dinner - they are much distressed at the death of their young king of whose rare virtues and accomplishments they, and all who have known him here, speak with sad enthusiasm. His heroic self-devotion during the prevalence of the yellow-fever that which carried off 13000 of the inhabitants of Lisbon, has no parallel in royal annals since the days St. Louis. Our little princess Pia may well mourn over an event that deprives her of such a bridegroom, and throws her perhaps into the power of some royal brute alike deficient in heart and brains.

The adjourned parliament met this morning - for details of its proceedings see paper on previous page. We should be inconsolable at the terms offered the pope, if it were well understood that they were submitted only to put the Italian Government in the right past dispute on the part of the most zealous bigot, but under the most entire certainty that the besotted old daddy who styles himself the Uom-Dio would never accept them. Ricasoli was as calm before the chamber as Socrates could have been. The royal physician, Riberi, on whom the Sangrados of Turin have been practising for the last week, was to-day gathered to his fathers with a pomp & circumstance truly imposing. The young man taken with other brigands and shot at S. Giovanni was a nephew of Marshal Arnaud.

The papers say to-night that the opposition will have to baisser la tête, before Ricasoli who stands so firm and cool. We shall see. Madame Pulszky spent a half hour with me this afternoon. She says her husband is distressed that our government does not take the only distinct issue possible in this civil war, and put itself in the right before the whole world. He thinks the course of the Italian government in thus temporizing, a no less grave mistake.

Mr Marsh found a very agreeable company with Baron Ricasoli this evening - among them Salvagnoli the distinguished engineer doctor who has the chief direction of the drainage of the Maremme. Mr Marsh learned many curious facts from him and the engineer was equally delighted to find some one who took so lively an interest in this great project which has fairly earned for itself the title of a success. The premier himself sent over, a day or two since some very interesting books on the subject and Mr Marsh intends to visit this remarkable locality in person this Spring if he can get leave from the State Department. He had also a good deal of talk with Sauli who was the first minister from Sardinia to the Ottoman port. He was delighted to find that Mr Marsh had also been so long in Constantinople. In alluding to the length of time since his own mission there, he h told Mr Marsh that it was before he, Mr Marsh, was born. On being asked to name the year he said it was 1825. “vous n’étiez du moins qu’un nourisson à ce temps là.” Mr Marsh assured him that he was something of a boy at that time.

Every body is glad to learn today that General Cialdini has been pacified and resumes his military command. It is also asserted that Garibaldi has been appointed commanding general of the Italian Volunteer Corps. This would seem to indicate some change of policy, though no one ventures to predict what. Things look very serious in the Neapolitan provinces. Towns of considerable size are sacked by the marauders who are aided and abetted by the pope and fugitive Francis. An engagement took place lately between the government forces and these royal and consecrated brigands in which the loss of life was very great. San Martino has accepted a place in the Ministry. a mistake Madame Benedetti, who made me a visit today, charmed me not less than at our first interview.

Sir James Hudson came in with Dr Savagnola this morning. There is a fascinating, friendly frankness about Sir James which seems the result of a good heart no less than of good-breeding. The worthy doctor with his limping French and his unhappy Florentine gha was well nigh unintelligible. Luckily I happened to be in a good mood, and the spirit of divination was strong upon me, so we got on nicely. Matteucci made us merry for a half hour. There [is] something satirical in his whole manner & conversation - very good-natured now, but I should fancy that later in life it might assume something of the cynical. Speaking of Franklin he said, after much high praise, “mais il etait très fin, tres rusé, cet animal là!”

Our news from America is in some respects more encouraging - the naval expedition has met with some success at least, though not all we could have wished. Fremont’s removal fills me with indignation for many reasons - not the least being my conviction that he has been they a marytr [illegible] to his manly proclamation.

Mr Marsh went to Baron Ricasoli’s reception again this evening - found a large number as usual. There seems however to be something like depression on the minds of the wisest liberals. The immense difficulties in the way of any evident progress towards Rome & Venice, give a lever of great power into the hands of the violent Mazzinists.

We have a very interesting letter to-day from Mr Norton of Cambridge. He judges the course of the administration just as Mr Marsh has done at this distance. Would to heaven we could have a little more honesty and a little more manhood in our councils! Mr Norton writes hopefully as to the steady progress of right opinion among the people and believes that slavery has already received a mortal wound. He announces the death of Mrs Putnam’s only son, a fine youth of 21 killed in the wretched affair of Ball’s Bluff. Oh the boundless guilt of such a rebellion! God help the mother - she has proved her faith by her works. Dr Holmes’ son also received a severe wound.

We drive out now almost every day abute about three. A more lovely autumn can hardly be imagined. Thermometer about 40. Fahr. morning & evening, during the day about 50 - but always clear for several hours every day, and the mountains are now most gorgeous. Scarcely an hour’s rain for months &.

Held a council with Mrs Stanley this morning about visits etc - Mr Stanley came in before all the great questions were settled, and was so much excited about the outrage committed on the English flag by our Government that we could talk of nothing else. Mr Marsh went to a royal hunt at Racconigi to-day, but it was Hamlet without the prince - the king, as usual, not being there. The diplomatic corps however seem to enjoy these excursions very much. Sir James Hudson thinks nothing will come of the Trent & San Jacinto affair. I trust so for the sake of humanity.

Miss Roberts, who has just returned from an excursion to Florence, reports the English visitors & residents there as very generally wishing for the return of the Grand. Duke. The best reason they have to give is the increased dearness of living there under the sway of the “re galantuomo”. It is certainly quite natural that when the poor are paid for their labour the rich can be served only at an increased expense, and it is a very selfish thing on the part of the Tuscans not to be willing to endure an infamous tyranny in order that certain Englishmen may come to Florence to enjoy a delicious climate and all the treasures of art, and at the same save money enough to make a more decided figure in London the next season. Things look a little dark for the good cause just now - but when I see this retrograde spirit manifested by the European & English aristocracy generally, I often think of a remark of Madame Wildenbruck, the wife of the Prussian minister then at Constantinople. Speaking of the retrograde movements after the revolutions of ’48, she said, “The people, on those occasions should showed so much moderation, took no revenge for old wrongs - and now we are proving false to all our most sacred promises - oh, I tell our princes a day will come in which the nations will rise with a different spirit from that of ’48 and then there will be no more pardon.”

Count de Masignac, secretary of the French Legation, paid us a visit this morning - a quiet gentlemanlike person with no nonsense about him. The Hochschilds came in later - they both speak English well. Rumors of the breaking up of the It__ Ministry very current again to-day. Prospect of a war between America & England not diminishing as it seems most likely that the commanding officer of the San Jacinto had positive orders from his government to do as he did.

Between the melancholy prospect of war between England & the U.S. and the anxious aspect of Italian affairs we feel rather blue. Still to-day the probabilities are that Wilks [Wilkes] acted without orders in which case the Trent difficulty may be more easily adjusted.

Madame Plana & daughter were with me this morning.

Mrs Tottenham told me this morning some thing of the history of the duke de Sforza & his English wife - The duke, it seems, was detested and disowned by his mother in his very baby hood, - she having conceived a suspicion that he was a changeling. Then came confiscation & banishment from the Roman Territory - his birth place - and he finally saw himself reduced to the necessity of earning his own bread, which he did very successfully by miniature-painting. He married in England & now fortune smiles again and he is affluent & respected, though not permitted to return to Rome. Mr Marsh was again at baron Ricasoli’s this evening, but few persons except the dip. corps were present - the deputies etc being in caucus.

We left a few cards to-day on some persons whom it is said to be de riguer to visit & we may have a good deal more to do in this way later. Garibaldi arrived in Turin to-day.

We dined at the French ministers this eveng and nearly all the dip. corps were present. The dinner was magnificent, the host agreeable, the hostess most facinatingly amiable. Without being positively beautiful Madame Benedetti takes all hearts. The ladies were well dressed and generally fine-looking. The Countess Castiglione appeared very amiable - but is plain - the Countess Arborio de Gattinara very pretty, and blazing with diamonds. Mr Marsh went to Rattazzi Ratazzi’s reception after the dinner. He says this rival of Ricasoli is a man of very pleasing address.

A very quiet day - no visitors except Mme Matteucci and Miss Roberts - the latter gave an amusing account of a scene in the Chambers yesterday, the heroine of which was a dame who says she is a French-woman by birth, an Italian by election, and claims a Count __ of Rome for her husband. She wore the scarlet Garibaldi jacket - her bonnet garnished with red, white and green - and she made a low running commentary on the debate as it proceeded - her remarks eliciting, from the gentlemen of the opposition near her, frequent repressed plaudits of, “bene! bene! benissimo!” Garibaldi left for Genoa suddenly this morning - giving few time to see him.

My first regular reception day and evening. Every thing went off pleasantly. Our visitors, as I wished it should be the first time, were not numerous, but sufficiently so to make those who came feel at ease. Madame di Lima grows more & more interesting to me, and now the first ice has given way, I find her warmhearted & frank, as well as very sensible. Mrs Bartholeyns brought Mme Berghmans with her - a Philadelphian recently married to Mr Blondel’s sec. of Legation - the lady, I fancy, belongs to our aristocracy of wealth. The chief talk of those who had been in Parliament to-day, was the extraordinary behaviour of the Franco-Italian lady who made herself so conspicuous on thursday. It seems she went to the Chambers again on Friday, and encouraged by the applause of the preceeding day, she raised her voice, when she wished to make a note on the speaker’s remarks, so that she was distinctly heard over the whole immense hall. An allusion being made to the anxiety of the Romans to shake off the Pope altogether - the [illegible] red woman cried out, “yes, yes! they would turn him out neck & heels, if the French would let them!” This was more than the Chamber thought quite consistent with its dignity to permit, and a guardiano was sent to escort this female patriot out of the Tribune. Saturday, however, she was again in her place, and after a heroic and successful effort of some hours to control the spirit that possessed her, the name of the Pope again proved too much for her, and she exclaimed, “He is Anti-Christ! he is AntiChrist!” - and again the disturber of the peace was ejaculated. Perhaps it is well to have incidents like these to talk about, as in this way we manage to avoid the momentous political questions of the hour which fill the thoughts of all, but which cannot prudently be discussed among those who differ so widely in opinion - whose interests seem so diverse.

Mr Duro, the Spanish chargé, came in this evening - his French, though fluent & correct, is so marked by a Spanish accent as to confuse his auditor. He, like most of his persuasion here, is an agreeable man socially, but does not impress one with the idea of much force.

The discussions are still warm in parliament. but the opposition lack a leader and unity of purpose. Ricasoli keeps perfectly cool, and, strong in the consciousness of his own pure purposes, he fears only for the cause, not for himself. As Mr Duro said last evening, there can be but one opinion of the character of this man. We are so distracted by the state of our own country, however, that our interest in Italian affairs, if not less deep, is less hopeful than it once was.

The Countess Castiglione paid me a visit to-day. She is the most intelligent woman I have met here - has evidently thought a good deal more than she has read, & is not the less fresh for that. She is not handsome, but has charming manners. Speaking of America, she said, “Oh, we are so sorry to see a break among your States, just now, especially, when we have been struggling to so hard for a United Italy, and we have pointed to you so often as a proof that a people may be free and yet peaceful & orderly.” I said, “but you know, it is Slavery, not Freedom, that has brought this shame upon us.” “Yes, yes, and it seems to me so strange that your Government does not take this occasion to crush it forever.” I had no other answer than to express the believe belief that its destruction was inevitable.

Our old friend Baron Tecco, minister from Sardinia to Constantinople when we first knew him, now just returned from Spain, was with us an hour to-day. He insists that France might have settled the difficulty between Italy & Spain if she had wished to do so. He further more asserts that in all negotiations between France & England, the latter is made the dupe of the former by the superior craft of the Emperor & his ministers. He agrees intirely with Mr Marsh in the opinion that France is now doing her utmost to excite a war between E. & Am. solely for the purpose of making herself mistress of Europe the moment the strength of England shall be drawn off by a war with us. Mr Marsh sounded the Baron a little as to the policy of Victor Emmanuel’s offering himself as mediator between the two powes [powers] now in so threatening an attitude towards each other, but he evidently does not think it safe for Italy to risk irritating either of two parties both of whom now profess a strong interest in her prosperity. Mr M received a very gentlemanly letter from C. Schurz on this subject yesterday. Mrs Stanley came in to tell me of a conversation of hers with the Marchesa Doria, and to propose that I shall should make the Marchesa my aidecamp in this my first social campaign here. The vote whether the ministry should be sustained or not was taken to-day - and the Opposition proved about seventy to two hundred & twenty. [illegible] Of course the ministry stands firm.

Mr Marsh went with Mrs Stanley to the Duchess Sforza’s this evening - a large reception, but ladies in robes montantes, dark silks generally. He made many pleasant acquaintances - some remarkable

ones - for example two officers who had served in the Russian campaign with Napoleon. One of these officers was is now ninety years old, and the other, though a boy compared with him, is no nursling according to the common standard. These brothers in arms met, for the first time since that fatal Retreat, some weeks ago and the the [sic] scene is said by Mrs Stanley, who brought it about, to have been very touching.

Miss Blackwell came to us from Florence to-day. Mr Marsh made visits with Mrs Stanly [Stanley] - likes the social aspect of things very well. If our country and the world generally were less Ishmaelitish we should manage to be well contented.

The Countess Castiglione came to see me at one this morning to make some arrangements about our presentation to the Duchess of Genoa. The Duchess wished me to be presented immediately after Mr Marsh on Monday in full court-dress train & all, & after my own audience she wished me to present La Baronne Hochschild and Madame de Bunsen. I saw at once that more standing would be required to go through all this than was possible for me & told the Countess it would be utterly out of my power to do all this. She very kindly said she had anticipated this, knowing my very delicate health, and had told her Royal Highness she thought it out of the question - that on this suggestion the Duchess had said that if I preferred she would give me an audience particulière some other day, and I might depute my rights as doyenne to Madame Benedetti. This proposal I accepted thankfully. The Countess is very charming in manner and I should think no less so in character, with much thought & culture. She is liberal in the highest sense of the word. After the Countess left me a perfect tide of Ministers & Ministresses Marquises Comtesses & Baronnes flowed in till 5 in the evening. Among them were many nice, charming people at a first interview. The eveni [n]g circle was more democratic. Among my day visitors was that wonderfully graceful creature, the Countess Ghiselieri.

To-day we are startled & shocked by the news of the death of Prince Albert of England. Poor Victoria! The great ones of the earth are falling fearfully around us, while the war-notes of the angry nations grow more & more terrible. These are days of great import, but who is bold enought to presume to explain their tremendous significance! Pulszky says his letters from England say the Barings have no fear of war between E. & America - bankers are not the least reliable of straws by which to judge of the wind.

Mr Marsh was received by S.A.R. the Duchess of Genoa to-day at 1/2 past 3. The Count Sartirana de Brëme first met him, then Count Castiglione & [illegible] Count Gattinara were presented to him. Soon after the charming Countess Castiglione came into the room talked with him a few minutes & then joined the Duchess Almost immediately after the door of the Duchess’ appartment was thrown open and Mr M__ was entered quite alone. The Duchess advanced some steps towards him as he advanced approached her, and they both continued standing during the interview. Her Royal Highness was [illegible] easy and affable, and the conversation lasted about ten minutes. The Countess Castiglione & the Countess Gattinara stood behind the Duchess in black velvet dresses with trains of about two yards in length - the Duchess herself, too, was in black the court being in mourning for the king of Portugal. Mr M. thought the Duchess sensible, and was as charmed with the Countess Castiglione as I have been.

A note from the Countess Castiglione sent at 3 in the afternoon, fixes tomorrow 1/2 past 3 for my private audience with the Duchess, and requests me to come in robe montante and [illegible] denil or demi-denil. This forces me to have a corsage montant of black velvet, made during the night & morning, as having first been requested to come de colletée I have only the low body ready. The Countess, I am sure, asked the Duchess to receive me in this dress as more comfortable for me, which it certainly will be.

Mr Marsh went with me to the palace where I was received first by the Countess C. then by her R. H. Though the Countess conducted me to the presence of the Duchess, she did not in any way announce me, it being of course more complimentary to my position to leave me to myself. Her Highness, who was in black velvet, with violet ribbons in a pretty morning cap, received me by rising and advancing a few steps towards me, then placed me on the sofa by her, and we talked as any other ladies might on a morning visit, for about ten or fifteen minutes. The Duchess then rose, and I of course immediately took my leave. The only respect in which the interview differed from any ordinary visit was the necessity of of [sic] getting out of the long drawing room without turning my back upon the Duchess. This required no small amount of gymnastic curtseying to cover the awkwardness of the manoeuvre, but thanks to the absence of the train, it was not so difficult as it might have been. After very kindly expressions of sympathy for my delicate health etc. the Duchess asked many intelligent questions about our Oriental life & travels, then talked of the United States, the war, etc and finally spoke with admiration of the vie serieuse which she understood to be so common among the ladies of New England. By this vie serieuse she evidently did not mean a vie devote but simply a life of earnest occupation. I was surprised to find she had ever given a thought to our habits in this respect. - Mr Marsh went to Ratazzi’s reception this evening - but few present parliament having a night session.

We had a fine drive to-day - the trees gorgeous with icicles & frost - the mountains resplendent with sunshine & snow. Thermometer about 30 Fahr - Mr Marsh went in to see the Countess D’Adda, wife of the Gov. a very pretty woman.

Our thoughts are so much absorbed by the condition of our own country, and especially with the threatened war with England - in which we do not yet believe - that the events transpiring here, important as they are, scarcely fix our attention. The ministry here is said to be again in danger, but we doubt whether it can be overthrown at present. To-day I brought my two strong-minded Englishwomen Miss Blackwell & Miss Roberts together. Never were two forces more repellant. They gave each other one keen glance and I saw at once that all was over, before any thing but a salute had been exchanged. We drove for two hours, I vainly endeavoring endeavouring to overcome the antagonism on some one topic at least. When we had set down Miss Roberts at her own door I asked Miss B. why she had been so perverse as not to talk with her. She answered “I found her at the first glance so aggressive that I could not speak to her without a sensation of revolt. The very tie of her bonnet strings was defiant.” I was too much diverted to defend poor Miss R. - who, I dare say, was impressed not much more pleasantly by Miss B. Mr Marsh went with Mrs Stanley to the Countess D’Aglié and to the Countess Sclopis this eveni [n]g finding a few of the elite of Turin at both places.

This morning my visitors were numerous and to a stranger at least very interesting. The Countess Robilant, daughter of the Prussian Minister to Sardinia, Truchsess, and the favorite of Carlo Alberto, was among the number. She is no longer a beauty, but decidedly an elegant woman. She and the Marquise D’Arvillars, who was also here, were, perhaps even now are, at the head of the Turinese grand monde. The Marquise is very affable, and, though not handsome, good-looking. The Marchesa Doria is a very striking woman, and rather brilliant in conversation, but out of the eighteen titled dames none pleased me so much as Madame Peruzzi, the wife of the minister. She is a Florentine, a cousin of Baron Ricasoli, and full of fire and true independence. The Marchesa St Germain is still very beautiful, though she was at Constantinople at the time of the destruction of the janizaries and old enough to remember it well - and though she has lost a husband to whom she was devotedly attached and six children. She seems like one who has suffered. The Countess Castagnetto, a lady of the taboret, is a charming dame of the olden time. In the evening there were many more persons than on the two preceeding saturdays, and every body seemed satisfied. About half the dip. C. were present - Matteucci, the Pulszkys and several other notorieties notorieties.

Miss Blackwell left for Paris this evening - otherwise a very quiet day. The cold is steadily but slowly increasing the thermometer having at last fallen to 22 F.

Mr Marsh had several visits to pay this morning - among others to the Countess Castiglione. I did not go out and in fact felt very tired all day. It is pleasant to know that with the spring we may hope for a release from these social duties, and the mountains and the sea will once more be our kingdoms.

In returning some of my visits to-day, by a mistake of mine about in the name of a lady who came on Saturday, Mr Marsh went to see the Marquesa Rorà with whom we had not even exchanged cards. The lady however, who is an invalid, received him so cordially in her chamber & and took the visit so naturally that we cannot speak of it as a mistake and must [illegible] make the best we can of it. The Marquesa was in her bed to which she is confined, and yet she did the honors of a hostess with the greatest composure. She is particularly handsome and has great courtesy of manner. She promised to take us next summer to her country-seat near Pignerolle.

An A very quiet Christmas at home - except that we went in the evening to the Teatro Reggio which opened to day. The orchestra was fine, very fine, the singers only respectable, but the ballet was admirable. One young creature performed feats that Fanny Elsler would have found impossible. As with music so with the dance, each generation seems gifted with superior physical powers for of execution superior to the last but is there any such gain in the true taste? The stage-curtain was a picture containing some striking feature from each of the principle Italian cities, as St Peters and the Coliseum from Rome, the duomo and Campanile from Florence the Cathedral from Milano the Superga from Torino &c &c. all blended into a whole not so unharmonious as might be supposed, and in the bright blue Italian sky above, an angel was seen descending with the Italian Tricolor on which stood out clearly the white cross of Savoy. The costumes of the corps de ballet, very rich and tasteful, illustrated every corner of the new united kingdom. The principal danseuse P. _ _ _ _ was very stout - a fact quite inconsistent with the enormous amount of exercise she must take - but she was the perfection of grace. A real not a painted fountain played on the stage during the whole of the ballet. The costumes of the ladies were very beautiful mostly white or very light

Mr Marsh made a few visits to-day after a hard morning’s work on his second volume on English which is begged for by English publishers in advance of the American Edition. The incessant interruptions to which the duties of his post expose him make his progress in his book very slow.

Continual rumors of the breaking up of the Ministry here are current, but little is actually known. It seems quite certain that Ricasoli cannot get the man he wants to take the portfolio of the Interior, and a man he does not want he will not hat have. Would to heaven we had a man of Ricasoli’s mettle and integrity at the helm with us!

Another day of visits. Two charming Marcheses Coconito & Castellani, quite fascinated me. Poerio made me a long visit, but there were so many others with me at the same time that I could not talk with him much. Fagnani, who is painting a portrait of the king for Naples, loves America as we do, and understands it as no Englishman ever could. - The venerable Plana was here in the evening, and several other notorieties but I was too anxious about Mr Marsh, who was unwell, & in bed, to enjoy any thing. Count Sclopis came in for a half hour -

Mr Marsh was in bed all day, to-day. We had papers from home only to the sixth of Dec though there should have been a N.Y. Times of a week later. Since the prospect of a war between E. & Am. our papers are appropiated by greedy newsmongers somewhere between N.Y. & here, so that we get them most irregularly. Every thing encouraging at home, if Europe would let us alone if it will not, we may be found equal even to that emergency.

Mr Marsh, feeling somewhat better, went to-day with the other members of the Dip corps to pay his respects to S.A. the Duchess of Genoa. The ministers were all in uniform & without their secretaries. Sir James Hudson plead indisposition - Mr Benedetti, who was thrown from his horse yesterday, was not able to be present, so the Prussian Minister acted as doyen & Mr M__ came next in rank. The Duchess came from an inner apartment into the room where the Ministers were waiting for his her in a semicircle Count Brassier de St Simon at their head. After a general salutation, she addressed herself at once to the Prussian Minister, without waiting for a formal speech from him, and after a few minutes conversation - turned to Mr Marsh enquired for me - spoke of seeing me at the theatre etc - and then talked earnestly & po deprecatingly of a war between E. & Am. In the means mean time the P. minister passed over to the opposite side of the room where stood the Countesses Castiglione & Gattinara and entered into conversation with them. Mr Marsh did the same when the Duchess passed on to the Swiss Minister. This made the audience very easy and much like any morning visit. The dress of the Duchess was green moirée with train of the same lined with white satin, & without trimming, - A diadem of diamonds & pale rubies on her head - a necklace of the same stones - quantity profuse - O The Countess Castiglione wore a pink moirée _ train of the same lined with white - the Countess Gattinara a white moirée with a train of red velvet lined with white. These ladies did not salute the diplomatic corps [illegible] as they passed back into the inner room, though the Duchess herself did. I should have said that the Counts Castiglione & Gattinara first met the ministers on their entrance, before the Duchess made her appearance.

To-day the foreign Ministers were received by the king - each separately, though all went to the palace together. In his conversation with Mr Marsh he spoke of the possible war between England & America, assented at once to Mr M’s opinion that Canada with her 2000 mile frontier could not be defended against us, and discussed the probable military results of st such a war with the sagacity of a clear-headed soldier. He spoke of our Far West with enthusiasm and said it had always been an ardent wish of his to hunt the buffalo on our mighty wilds. Mr Marsh assured him that his majesty would [illegible] meet there in Am. with the the [sic] heartiest of welcomes. “Ah,” said he, “I must wait till they give me a jubilee here.” From the king they all went to Prince Carignano.