wellers at my villa: morn and eve
Were magnified before us in the pure
Illimitable space and pause of sky,
Intense as angels' garments blanched with God,
Less blue than radiant. From the outer wall
Of the garden drops the mystic floating grey
Of olive trees (with interruptions green
From maize and vine), until 'tis caught and torn
Upon the abrupt black line of cypresses
Which signs the way to Florence. Beautiful
The city lies along the ample vale,
Cathedral, tower and palace, piazza and street,
The river trailing like a silver cord
Through all, and curling loosely, both before
And after, over the whole stretch of land
Sown whitely up and down its opposite slopes
With farms and villas.'

Miss Blagden's villa was the Villa Bricchieri, which is alluded to
elsewhere in the letters.

[55] A line or two has been cut off the bottom of the sheet at this
place.

[56] The _Elements of Drawing_.

[57] Orsini's attempt on the life of the Emperor Napoleon on January 14,
1858.

[58] Referring to the Conspiracy Bill introduced by Lord Palmerston
after the Orsini conspiracy against Napoleon in January 1858, and to the
outcry against it, as an act of subservience to France, which led to
Palmerston's fall. Count Walewski was the French Minister for Foreign
Affairs, and his despatch, alluded to below, called the attention of the
English Government to the shelter afforded by England to conspirators of
the type of Orsini.

[59] A bust of the child, by Monroe.

[60] Miss Hosmer.

[61] The fourth edition, in which several alterations were made.

CHAPTER X

1859-60

At this point in Mrs. Browning's correspondence we reach the first
allusion to the political crisis which had now become acute, and of
which the letters that follow are full, almost to excess. On January 1
Napoleon had astounded Europe by his language to the Austrian ambassador
at Paris, in which he spoke of the bad relations unfortunately
subsisting between their States. On the 10th Victor Emmanuel declared
that he must listen to the cry of pain which came up to him from all
Italy. After this it was clear that there was nothing to do but to
prepare for war. It was in vain that England pressed for a European
Congress, with the view of arranging a general disarmament. Sardinia
professed willingness to accept it, but Austria declined, and on April
23 sent an ultimatum to Victor Emmanuel, dema