at the Italians fight ill. Remember that Garibaldi has with
him simply the _volunteers_ from all parts of Italy, not the trained
troops. He and they are heroic (as with such conviction and faith they
were sure to be), and the trained troops not less so. 'Worthy of
fighting side by side with the French,' says the Emperor; while the
French are worthy of their fame. 'The great military power' crumbles
before them, because souls are stronger than bodies always. There is no
such page of glory in the whole history of France. Great motives and
great deeds. The feeling of profound gratitude to Napoleon III., among
this people here, is sublime from its unanimity and depth....

All this excitement has made Florence quite unlike its quiet self, in
spite of the flight of many residents and nearly all travellers. Even we
have been stirred up to wander about more than our custom here. There's
something that forbids us to sit at home; we run in and out after the
bulletins, and to hear and give opinions; and then, in the rebound, we
have been caught and sent several times to the theatre (so unusual for
us) to see the great actor, Salvini, who is about to leave Florence. We
saw him in 'Othello' and in 'Hamlet,' and he was very great in both,
Robert thought, as well as I. Only his houses pine, because, as he says,
the 'true tragedies spoil the false,' and the Italians have given up the
theatres for the cafes at this moment of crisis....

In best love,
BA.

* * * * *

After Villafranca the immediate anxiety for news from the seat of war
naturally came to an end, and the Brownings were able to escape from the
heat of Florence to Siena, where they remained about three months.

* * * * *

_To Miss Browning_

Siena: [July-August 1859].

Dearest Sarianna,--This to certify that I am alive after all; yes, and
getting stronger, and intending to be strong before long, though the
sense left to me is of a peculiar frailty of being; no very marked
opinion upon my hold of life. But life will last as long as God finds it
useful for myself and others--which is enough, both for them and me.

So well I was with all the advantages of Rome in me looking so well,
that I was tired of hearing people say so. But, though it may sound
absurd to you, it was the blow on the _heart_ about the peace after all
that excitement and exultation, that walking on the clouds for weeks and
months, an