n the middle of the
night--whether through the roof or not, I don't know; for it was dark
when we got up--and made such a horrible and terrific noise that we
started out of our beds in a panic. I strongly objected to opening the
door lest they should get into the room and tear at us; but Edward
opened his, and laid about him until he dispersed them. At Domo D'Ossola
we had three immense bedrooms (Egg's bed twelve feet wide!), and a sala
of imperceptible extent in the dim light of two candles and a wood fire;
but were very well and very cheaply entertained. Here, we are, as you
know, housed in the greatest comfort.

We continue to get on very well together. We really do admirably. I lose
no opportunity of inculcating the lesson that it is of no use to be out
of temper in travelling, and it is very seldom wanted for any of us. Egg
is an excellent fellow, and full of good qualities; I am sure a generous
and staunch man at heart, and a good and honourable nature.

I shall send Catherine from Genoa a list of the places where letters
will find me. I shall hope to hear from you too, and shall be very glad
indeed to do so. No more at present.

Ever most affectionately.

[Sidenote: Miss Hogarth.]

CROCE DI MALTA, GENOA, _Saturday, Oct. 29th, 1853._

MY DEAREST GEORGY,

We had thirty-one hours consecutively on the road between this and
Milan, and arrived here in a rather damaged condition. We live at the
top of this immense house, overlooking the port and sea, pleasantly and
airily enough, though it is no joke to get so high, and though the
apartment is rather vast and faded.

The old walks are pretty much the same as ever, except that they have
built behind the Peschiere on the San Bartolomeo hill, and changed the
whole town towards San Pietro d'Arena, where we seldom went. The Bisagno
looks just the same, strong just now, and with very little water in it.
Vicoli stink exactly as they used to, and are fragrant with the same old
flavour of very rotten cheese kept in very hot blankets. The Mezzaro
pervades them as before. The old Jesuit college in the Strada Nuova is
under the present government the Hotel de Ville, and a very splendid
caffe with a terrace garden has arisen between it and Palavicini's old
palace. Another new and handsome caffe has been built in the Piazza
Carlo Felice, between the old caffe of the Bei Arti (where Fletcher
stopped for the bou