Hosmer has arrived in America, and
found her father alive and better, but threatened with another attack
which must be final. Gibson came to us yesterday, and we agreed that we
never found him so interesting. I grieve to hear that Mr. Page's
pictures (another Venus and a Moses) have been rejected at your Academy.

Robert deserves no reproaches, for he has been writing a good deal this
winter--working at a long poem[88] which I have not seen a line of, and
producing short lyrics which I _have_ seen, and may declare worthy of
him. For me, if I have attained anything of force and freedom by living
near the oak, the better for me. But I hope you don't think that I mimic
[him, or] lose my individuality. [Penini] sends his love with Robert's.
[He ri]des his pony and learns his Latin and looks as pretty as ever--to
my way of [thinking]. If you don't write directly, address to Florence.

We have another thick Indian letter for you, but Robert is afraid of
sending it till you give us a safe address.

* * * * *

_To Miss I. Blagden_

[Rome: about May 1860.]

[_The beginning of this letter is wanting_]

When the English were raging about Savoy, I heard a word or two from
Pantaleone which convinced me that the Imperial wickedness did not
strike him as the sin against the Holy Ghost precisely. In fact, I doubt
much that he (an intimate friend of Massimo d' Azeglio) knew all about
it before the war.

By the by, why does Azeglio write against Rome being the capital just
now? It seems to us all very ill-advised. Italy may hereafter select the
capital she pleases, but now her game ought to be to get Rome, as an
indispensable part of the play, as soon as possible. There are great
difficulties in the way--that's very sure. It's quite time, indeed, that
Mrs. Trollope's heart should warm a little towards the Emperor, for no
ruler has risked so much for a nation to which he did not belong (unless
he wished to conquer it) as Napoleon has for this nation. He has been
tortuous in certain respects--in the official presentation of the points
he was resolute on carrying--but from first to last there has been one
steady intention--the liberation of Italy without the confusion of a
general war. Moreover, his eyes are upon Venice, and have been since
Villafranca. What I _see_ in the very suggestion to England about
stopping Garibaldi from attacking the mainland was a preparation to the
English mind towards re