John so heartily cheered by
the boys.

He was in his seventy-fourth year, and he was never again to bear the cares
of office. That summer they went down to Endsleigh, which they had not
visited since the first years of their marriage,

ENDSLEIGH, _August_ 4, 1866

John, Georgy, and I here about 7.30, after a beautiful journey.
Lovely Endsleigh! it is like a dream to be here.... Thoughts of the
old happy days haunting me continually. To church, to Fairy Dell.
Places all the same--everything else altered.

CHAPTER XI

1866-70

During 1866 Lord Russell finished his "Life of Fox." In the autumn and
winter he and his family travelled in Italy, where they were often
_feted_ by the people of the towns through which they passed. At the
close of the seven weeks' war Austria had ceded Venetia to Italy, and on
November 7th they witnessed the entry of Victor Emmanuel into Venice as
King of all Italy. It was a magnificent and most impressive sight. Lord
Russell was full of thankfulness and joy at the deliverance of Venetia from
foreign rule, and the triumph of a free and united Italy.

In the memoir of Count Pasolini by his son (translated by the Countess of
Dalhousie) the following passage occurs:

Lord John Russell was then in Venice, and came to view the pageant from our
windows in Palazzo Corner. When my mother saw this old friend appear with
the tricolor upon his breast, she said, "Fort bien, Milord! nos couleurs
italiennes sur votre coeur!" He shook her by the hand, and answered, "Pour
moi je les ai toujours portees, Comtesse. Je suis bien content de vous
trouver ici aujourd'hui; c'est un des plus beaux jours de notre siecle!"

Somebody then said to Lord Russell what a pity it was that the sun of Italy
did not shine more brightly to gild the historical solemnity. "As for
that," said he, "England shows her sympathy by sending you her beloved fog
from the Thames."

_Lady Russell to Lady Dunfermline_

VENICE, November 8, 1866

We are all enchanted with this enchanting place.... Thursday
(yesterday) was the grand and glorious sight--_how_ grand and
glorious nobody who has not been here and probably nobody who has
can conceive.... Newspapers will tell you of the countless gondolas
decorated with every variety of brilliant colours--alike only in
the tricolor flag waving from every one of them--and rowed by
gondoliers in every variety of brilliant and p