Settled fine again. ― Wrote to F.L. ― Thankless work enough. ―

G.’s lesson, ― wh., humble as they are, are in their way, real.

Church, ― waiting for an hour: ― all disagreable ― W.’s sermon so too. ὁ Χριστὸς ὠμίλησε ποτέ τοῦ [],1 ― whatever they may torture his words to. ― Returned ― & to Brights, & then with B. & Sir J. Duckworth, walked to Tor di Schiavi,2 & the needless Alexandrine3 & back by the Frascati road. Most glorious & lovely was that Campagna ―1859-03-20 wh. is assuredly one of the most beautiful things in this world. ― Home by 6½. ― Dined at the Brights, the Duckworths, & Tremayne coming afterwards. I drew scratches, & was vexed at their being taken so much notice of: ― this kind of life is degrading I fear ― & impossible of good. Returning, at 11, or later, what clouds of memories come before me: ― F.L.’s silence is sad & worrying, for I don’t know why it exists ― or, in my case, why a line could not be written. I am resolving to send off Lady W.’s pictures this week.

XX7

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

  1. “Christ never spoke…” then an indecipherable word. [↩]
  2. “È un tempio prostilo con cella rotonda, al quale si dà il nome di Tor de’ Schiavi. Sembra che sia stato una specie di tempio e mausoleo insieme, destinato a ricevere i corpi della famiglia imperiale, a cui apparteneva la villa.” Nibby, Antonio. Itinerario di Roma e delle sue vicinanze. Roma: Tipografia Aurelj, 1830, vol. 1, 202. [↩]
  3. “Per la via Labicana dopo un miglio e mezzo veggonsi  a destra gli avanzi di un antico acquedotto che per la sua costruzione e direzione, conviene riconoscere per quello dell’acqua Alessandrina.” Ibid., 200. [↩]