Which is remarkable ― bright & bitterly cold. ― Staid at home & wrote ― to Spiro ― & intended to do so to others ― but the carpet man, & carpenter came in, & worried me, & so the morning went.

1859-01-09_fidene_s

"Fidene oggi Castel Giubiléo," from Nibby 1819, 84.

At 12.45 ― went to Bright’s & lunch ― Gibbs there. All we 3 went out in a carriage to P. Salara1 ― o! how cold! ― & then walked on to Fidene2 ― most frightful cold!! ― yet Fidene & the view from it were wonderfully lovely. ― We came back, & walked round Antemnae3 ― (colder than ever) to the P. Molle, & so back by 5.30. Found poor G. very cold. ― Dressed, & went to B.’s. ― Queer Mrs. B. ― & nice Miss B. & G. Waldegrave. ― I like B. but do not Mrs. B. W.’s story about Rachid Pasha & Nassau Senior was good. R.P. avoiding him at a public meeting, & S. on going away, regretting he could not have opportunity of speaking to him: ― R.P. saying ― I meant it to be so, since you publish what you hear. ― Other odd things were said ― & I don’t think I like anybody but Bright himself. ― At 10.25 ― I came to S.W.C. ― where was Arkwright ―: a loose, lazy ― bad-style [flip]. ― I was glad to get away.

Found G. up ― but all kinds of smoke & ashes all over the room.

[Transcribed by Marco Graziosi from Houghton Library, Harvard University, MS Eng. 797.3.]

  1. Porta Salara. [↩]
  2. An ancient village on the Via Salaria, about five miles from Rome; Nibby, Antonio. Viaggio antiquario nei dintorni di Roma. Roma: Vincenzo Poggioli, 1819, 65 ff. [↩]
  3. Another ancient village, situated on a hill between Fidene and Rome; ibid., 71. [↩]