gear as a picturesque thing, adding that perhaps
it was--and perhaps it was not. She was greatly flushed and agitated,
but looked very well, and seems to be greatly liked here. We had
disturbed her at her painting in oils, and I rather received an
impression that, what with that, and what with music, the household
affairs went a little to the wall. ---- was teaching the two little
girls the multiplication table in a disorderly old billiard-room with
all manner of maps in it.

Having obtained a gracious permission from the lady of the school, I am
going to show my companions the Sala of the Peschiere this morning. It
is raining intensely hard in the regular Genoa manner, so that I can
hardly hope for Genoa's making as fine an impression as I could desire.
Our boat for Naples is a large French mail boat, and we hope to get
there on Tuesday or Wednesday. If the day after you receive this you
write to the Poste Restante, Rome, it will be the safest course.
Friday's letter write Poste Restante, Florence. You refer to a letter
you suppose me to have received from Forster--to whom my love. No letter
from him has come to hand.

I will resume my report of this place in my next. In the meantime, I
will not fail to drink dear Katey's health to-day. Edward has just come
in with mention of an English boat on Tuesday morning, superior to
French boat to-morrow, and faster. I shall inquire at ---- and take the
best. When I next write I will give you our route in detail.

I am pleased to hear of Mr. Robson's success in a serious part, as I
hope he will now be a fine actor. I hope you will enjoy yourself at
Macready's, though I fear it must be sometimes but a melancholy visit.

Good-bye, my dear, and believe me ever most affectionately.

_Sunday, 30th October._

We leave for Naples to-morrow morning by the Peninsular and Oriental
Company's steamer the _Valletta_. I send a sketch of our movements that
I have at last been able to make.

Mrs. ---- quite came out yesterday. So did Mrs. ---- (in a different
manner), by violently attacking Mrs. ---- for painting ill in oils when
she might be playing well on the piano. It rained hard all yesterday,
but is finer this morning. We went over the Peschiere in the wet
afternoon. The garden is sorely neglected now, and the rooms are all
full of boarding-school beds, and most of the fireplaces are closed up,
but the old beauty and grandeur of the