proportions of Italians, English, and other foreigners. Nothing
can be worse than it is, for there is no foundation of natives,
and the rest are generally the refuse of Europe, people who come
here from want of money or want of character. Everybody is
received without reference to their conduct, past or present,
with the exception, perhaps, of Englishwomen who have been
divorced, whose case is too notorious to allow the English
Minister's wife to present them at Court.

[12] The 'Niobe' is supposed to have been a group upon some
temple
[Illustration: Schematic of Temple Arch]
so, of which the mother was the centre figure; this
makes it more probable, but the difficulty to this
hypothesis is, that there do not appear to be the
necessary gradations in the size or altitude of the
other figures; the sons in the 'Laocoon' are certainly
little men.

[13] Phaedra Miss Williams Soprano.
Hippolytus Madame Vigano Contralto.
The Girl Madame de Bombelles Soprano.
Theseus Goretti Tenor.
Attendant Franceschini Bass.

March 26th, 1830 {p.302}

Yesterday morning to a Mass at the Annunziata, to which the Grand
Duke came in state, with his family and Court. The piazza was
lined with guards; seven coaches-and-six with his _guardia
nobile_ and running footmen; the Mass beautifully performed by
his band, Tacchinardi (father of Madame Persiani, I believe)
singing and Manielli directing. Then rode to Lord Cochrane's
villa, where we found them under a matted tent in the garden,
going to dinner. He talks of going to Algiers to see the French
attack it. He has made L100,000 by the Greek bonds. It is a pity
he ever got into a scrape; he is such a fine fellow, and so
shrewd and good-humoured. To the Certosa, on a hill two miles
from Florence; very large convent, formerly very rich, and had
near forty monks, now reduced to seven residents, though there
are a few more who belong to it, but who are absent. It is in
good repair, but looks desolate. There is an old monk, Don
Fortunatus by name, who understands English and speaks it
tolerably, delights in English people and books, received us in
his cell, which consists of two or three little apartments, not
uncomfortable and commanding a beautiful view; talked with great
pleasure of his English acquaintance,