Letters from Frances Longfellow //로마. 1836년 3월 22일

[모나리자]

사랑하는 에멜리나, 나는 영원한 도시에서 당신에게 편지를 보내겠다는 약속을 잊지 않았고, 3주가 지났고, 나는 어떤 놀라운 행운을 찾을 수 있는 기회를 찾지 못했습니다. 나는 혼자입니다. 방금 우리 아파트로 달려온 두 명의 미국인 청년이 우리의 동의 없이 소개하겠다고 위협했지만, 그들은 예고도 없이, 우리 동승객 중 한 명이 다른 어색한 양키에게 우리의 동의 없이 소개를 요구했습니다. 그는 여행에서 얻었어야 할 모든 세련미를 멋진 콧수염 한 쌍을 기르는 데 집중했습니다. 우리가 마지막으로 그를 볼 때까지!

메리는 미스 에밀리 해러와 미스 헤어와 함께 프린세스 무시냐스에서 열리는 사교 모임에 갔는데, 부인인 샤를 라이먼이 우리에게 편지를 주었습니다. 나는 가고 싶지 않았습니다. 내 수다스러운 업적의 한계를 보여주고 싶었고, 달콤한 미인, 냉정한 영어로 그녀와 약간의 대화를 나누는 것이 훨씬 더 기쁠 것입니다. 당신은 오늘 내가 한 일을 어떻게 생각하십니까, 작은 녀석아.

성 베드로 홀에 오르는 것보다 덜한 업적이 아니겠습니까. 저는 그것이 끝나서 진심으로 기쁩니다. 양심의 모든 돔이 사라진 것은 결코 작은 안도감이 아닙니다. 밖에서 보는 전망은 매우 새롭고 특별했지만 돔의 반쯤 올라간 갤러리에서 교회를 내려다보는 것은 끔찍하게 어지럽고 압도적이었습니다. 그 거대한 포장 도로를 걷는 사람들은 개미와 같았습니다.

우리 아래에 분위기가 있는 것 같았습니다. 서로를 가로지르는 안개 낀 광선 [??] 마네킹 개- 먼 예배당에서 찬송가가 울리는 효과는 영광스러웠고 풍부한 음악이 우리에게 울려 퍼졌습니다. 너무나 신비롭습니다!

그리고 우리는 일곱 번째 하늘만큼 높이 올라갔고, 그 거대한 심연에서 난간에 의해서만 지탱되었습니다. 그리고 아래에서는 거의 보이지 않지만 그 모든 모자이크 섬의 모든 부분에 있는 모든 성인의 거대한 인물로 둘러싸여 있었습니다! 승천의 가장 큰 호기심은 지붕, 돔, 집, 돔이 어떤 세상인지 보는 것입니다. 그곳에서 노동자들은 [p. 2] 실제로 살고 있습니다.

그 안에 있는 동안은 교회의 광대함을 이해하는 것이 불가능하지만, 지금은 마치 성 베드로를 정복한 것 같은 기분이 듭니다. 하지만 여러분은 우리가 로마에 대해 어떻게 생각하는지 알고 싶어할 것입니다. 이 몇 주는 기쁨의 소용돌이였습니다. 저는 교회, 궁전, 폐허, 동상, 그림, 오벨리스크, 분수가 미친 듯이 서로 겹치는 혼돈 외에는 아무것도 볼 수 없습니다.

필멸자의 두뇌를 미치게 하는 것으로 충분하지 않습니까? 사실, 내 마음은 완전히 지쳐 있고, 지쳐 있고, 멍해 있고, 오늘처럼 시골을 드라이브하면서 가끔씩 상쾌함을 얻지 못했다면, [???]y와 [???]때로는 [??]처럼 온화한 공기 속에서, 또는 사랑스러운 빌라 보르게세의 그늘진 숲에서 편안한 산책을 하지 않았다면, 또는 핀치안에서 방향을 바꾸지 않았다면, 또는 카이사르 궁전에서 몽상에 빠지지 않았다면.

나는 새로운 아이디어의 쇄도로 상당히 "완성"되었을 것입니다. 하지만 그런 세상을 당신의 통제 하에 둔다는 것은 영광스러운 일입니다. 오늘 우리는 포럼이나 바티칸이나 성 베드로 성당을 거닐 것이라고 말하고, 라파엘로, 티티안, 게렌의 그림으로 당신을 유혹하는 수십 개의 갤러리를 가지고 있고, 내가 모든 것을 사고 싶어하는 동안 셀 수 없이 많은 것을 공부합니다.

그리고 지난주에 우리는 그런 날씨를 보냈습니다! 따뜻하고 거의 구름 한 점 없었습니다. 마침내 우리는 해리엇 시어스가 망토를 입는 것을 부러워하는 절정에 도달했습니다. 내가 궁금한 불쌍한 소녀가 방금 동풍이 톱처럼 그녀를 찢어발기고 Park St 모퉁이를 돌고 있습니까? 으악! 우리는 너무나 많은 미국인들과 어울렸습니다. 해외의 다른 사회와 마찬가지로 전혀 희망이 없어 보입니다.

계산원과 양키식 사고방식에서 갓 나온 약 12명의 청년들이 돌아다니며 하루 종일 우리에게 쏟아지는 특권을 주장하고, 하브리 양은 행렬 전체를 사교적으로 대하고, 그들이 영원히 그녀를 따라다니게 합니다. 우리는 매우 예쁘고, 짜증스럽게 사교적이고, 상냥해 보이는 시드니 브룩스 부인과 많은 친분을 쌓았습니다. 우리는 함께 많은 멋진 파티를 열었습니다.

우리는 어느 날 밤 횃불을 들고 바티칸을 보러 갔고, 유명한 골동품 수집가인 이탈리아인 지인 비스콘티 씨가 모든 동상 앞에서 뿜어내어 엄청나게 밝게 비추었습니다. 이 [3쪽] 강한 빛과 그림자의 효과보다 더 영광스러운 것은 없습니다. 아폴로의 모습을 한 번이라도 보여줄 수 있다면! 하지만 숭고한 5월에 살았거나 살았어야 할 모든 아도니스를 내가 집중시켰을 때 당신은 뭐라고 말할 것입니까!

나는 돌로 만든 것을 제외하고는 이쪽 물가에서 그를 만나러 가지 않을 것입니다. 나는 아직 넬릴 경을 한 번도 보지 못했습니다. 여기 있는 모든 영국인은 디브론 런던 사투리 출신인 듯합니다. 직업으로 말을 타고 다니며 근시이든 아니든 안경을 끼고, 희망에 찬 가장 키가 크고 나이 많은 잉글리스 부인의 느릿느릿한 어조로 말합니다.

기념품이 있나요? 이 비스콘티 씨는 아주 좋은 사람입니다. 프랑스어로 대화합니다. 가장 유창하게, 때로는 시적으로, 종종 알아들을 수 없게 대화하는데, 그래서 때때로 토마스 더 세이지를 떠올리게 합니다. 우리는 브룩스 부인과 함께 두 번의 여행을 떠났습니다. 그녀의 남편은 가장 우스꽝스러운 인간으로, 항상 우리의 감정을 놀리고 사냥까지 합니다. Wm Payne도 똑같이 재밌고, N. York의 신사적이고 잘생긴 청년인 Mr Jones도 가끔 할 일이 없을 때 그와 장난치며 - 그리고 Mr Visconti와 함께 Appian way를 걷는 사전처럼 여행했습니다.

그것은 즐거웠고, 나는 그것을 많이 즐겼습니다. 여기에서 나를 가장 실망시킨 것은 Egeria의 [??]tt입니다. 나무가 우거진 은둔한 장소라고 생각하지 않았습니까? 거품이 나는 창틀이 있는 어둡고 석탄 동굴 같은 바위입니다. 반면에 그것은 몇 개의 가지가 위에 매달려 있는 3개의 벽돌 벽이고 한쪽 끝에는 검은색 무형의 동상이 있고 거기에서 흘러내리는 작은 개울이 있습니다(Egeria의 샌들이 진흙을 어떻게 견뎌냈는지 모르겠습니다!) 하지만 모든 것이 눈부신 낮과 추한 평범한 미네노에 노출되어 있습니다.

바손이 그런 묘사를 쓸 이유가 무엇이었을까? 이제 카이사르 궁전이 나를 매료시켰다. 그것은 [???]의 초라한 벽돌 덩어리에 불과하다. 그러나 모든 거대한 벽 위로 푸른 잎사귀가 우아하게 흔들리고, 꽃이 무성하게 자라고, 로마의 연회장이었던 곳과 콤파냐, 여러 권의 책, 오벨리스크, 사원, 콜로세움, 그리고 아름다운 보라색 아테네 언덕이 있는 푸른 평야가 클로드와 같은 거리를 이루는 꼭대기에서 보이는 그런 멋진 경치가 있다.

나는 로마의 분위기[??]가 첫 주 동안 우울하다는 것을 확신한다. 폐허 속에서 비틀거리는 날[???]보다 더 슬픈 것은 무엇이겠는가. 하지만 마음은 너무 빨리 살아가야 하고 그런 [p. 4] 그것이 먹이로 삼는 것과 함께 자라나는 추억과 현실의 세계, 그리고 그 흥분이 – 아마도 감상주의 – 를 극복합니다. 어쨌든 저는 매일 부서진 기둥과 벽돌로 된 금고를 훨씬 덜 경외감에 찬 눈으로 바라보고 있으며 이제 [???] 폐허의 그림 같은 아름다움 외에는 거의 느낄 수 없다는 것을 알게 되었습니다.

우리는 이제 로마를 거의 “소진”했습니다. 하지만 그것을 떠나는 것을 생각하면 미칠 것 같습니다. 다시는 볼 수 없을지도 모른다는 느낌이 저를 너무 강하게 붙잡습니다. 이 존재의 거대한 성소(나머지의 절반을 삼킬 만한 가치가 있음)가 그렇게 빨리 봉인된다는 생각이 끔찍합니다. 저는 그 폐허, 사원, 빌라, 동상, 분수를 얼마나 사랑하는지; 그 거지들은 이제 그림 같은 것으로, 그 흙은 국가적인 것으로, 그 비참한 의식은 시적 연상으로 견뎌낼 수 있습니다!

그런데 얼마 전, 저는 교황이 국가원수 자리에 안겨서 교회 중 한 곳에서 매우 아름다운 광경을 보았습니다. 그는 늙은 노파처럼 무기력하게 멍청해 보였고, 추기경단, 훌륭한 노인들이 뒤따라 왔습니다. 그들은 마치 짜여진 것처럼 주홍색 옷을 뒤틀고 있었습니다. 군악과 성가, 광대 의상을 입은 스위스 경비대, 머프와 할버트, 향으로 불쌍한 교황을 피우고, 집어넣고 빼고, 마지막으로 12명의 처녀가 터키인처럼 입까지 하얀 옷을 입고 머리에 왕관을 쓰고 손에 테이프를 들고 교황의 발가락에 키스하고 교황은 각자의 결혼 지참금을 주었습니다.

이들은 매년 선정됩니다. 그들은 매우 예뻤고 농부, 사제, 수녀, 군인으로 구성된 그림 같은 그룹은 훌륭한 효과를 냈습니다. 며칠 전에 [줄을 그어 지우자: 티볼리] 프라스카티로 갔던 여행보다 더 즐거웠던 것은 없습니다. 페이 부인, 파크맨 부부, 그리고 알려지지 않은 다른 사람들을 제외한 모든 미국인이 파티를 구성했고, 모두 25명이었습니다! 샐리시 백작, 스코틀랜드인, 영국인을 잊었습니다.

우리는 꽃으로 뒤덮인 매우 낭만적인 길을 따라 높은 언덕 꼭대기로 올라갔고, 당나귀를 타고 캄파냐의 아름다운 경치를 끊임없이 보았습니다. 그리고 작고 흉측한 짐승들의 어리석음과 드라다의 재촉하는 신음소리, 덤불 속의 얽힘, 그리고 그런 탐험의 모든 혼란과 함께 우리는 즐거운 시간을 보냈습니다! 그날은 맛있었고 우리의 기분은 즐거운 파티 maik에 달했습니다.

그것은 나에게도 레드 마운틴을 너무나 떠올리게 했다![p. 1 cross] 로마와 버몬트의 우스꽝스러운 연관성! 그보다 훨씬 만족스러운 정상의 전망을 감상한 후 우리는 다시 뜨거운 태양 아래서 내려와 마을의 여관에서 훌륭한 음식을 먹어 치웠다. 그 기이한 노파의 기이한 잔치만큼이나 식욕이 좋았다. 그들은 파이에 엄청난 돈을 가지고 있는 듯했다! 우리는 하루나 이틀 후에 티볼리에 갈 것이다.

일요일. 내 편지는 엄청나게 길지만 사랑하는 에멀린, 하지만 여기서 시간을 찾는 것이 너무 어려워서 내 시간을 최대한 활용하고 있다. 언제 다시 소식을 들을지 알 수 없다. 오늘은 성주간의 시작이었고 우리는 시스티나 예배당에 가서 야자나무 축복을 보았다. 그것은 훌륭한 광경이었고 그게 전부였다. 이 모든 의식처럼 아기 놀이였다.

그들은 진짜 야자나무도 없었다. 짚 막대기와 올리브 잎 외에는 아무것도 없었다. 숙녀들은 모두 격자 뒤에 갇혀서 거의 볼 수 없었고, 다소 지루했지만, 교황이 지나갈 때 기도서에서 찬송가를 찾으려고 애쓰며 경건하게 무릎을 꿇고 있는 돈 미구엘을 잘 볼 수 있었습니다. 그의 기도서는 거의 건드리지 않은 것처럼 보였습니다.

그는 길고 뾰족하고 사악해 보이는 얼굴을 가지고 있지만 평범하지는 않습니다. 숙녀들은 이번 주에 검은색을 입었고, 우리 친구 중 일부는 이 행사를 위해 드레스를 만들어야 했습니다. 미스 깁스는 그 생각에 분개했고, 그녀는 검은색을 싫어한다고 했지만 마침내 새틴으로 꽤 세련되게 보이도록 자신을 내맡겼습니다!

이탈리아인들은 보닛 대신 베일을 씁니다. 우리는 어젯밤에 꽤 유명한 즉흥 연주를 들으러 갔습니다. 로사 타데이 - [p. 2 cross] 처음에는 거의 고통스러울 정도로 신나는 일입니다. 거기에 있는 모든 사람이 그녀에게 주제를 주었고, 우리는 매우 훌륭했습니다. 그녀는 약 10분 동안 생각하고, 가장 거칠고 영감을 받은 표정으로 종이에서 눈을 떼고, 격렬한 억양과 격렬한 몸짓, 종종 아름다운 아이디어의 쇄도로 분주히 움직입니다. 남자나 하프와 함께.

때때로 그녀는 거의 악마처럼 보이고 청중에게 전달되는 라비아로 자신을 채찍질하고 행복한 표현은 박수 소리나 동정적인 황홀함의 신음소리를 내립니다. 아이디어가 사라지거나 그녀의 마음을 강타하는 데 느리면 그녀는 발을 구르고 거의 손을 물고 고통으로 거의 경련하는 것처럼 보입니다. 한 순간에 그것을 잡거나 곡조 중간에 있는 음악 상자처럼 이 모든 엄청난 애니메이션에서 즉시 완벽한 휴식으로 가라앉습니다.

그런 순간에 미칠 수 있는 사람을 쉽게 상상할 수 있습니다! 나는 거의 이해할 수 없었지만 메리는 천재성이 가득한 진정으로 시적인 요점이 있다고 말했습니다. 그녀는 잘생기지 않지만 그런 거래에 더 가치가 있는 가장 지적인 시벨린 표현을 가지고 있습니다. 그녀는 여기에서 매우 높은 순위를 차지합니다. 그녀의 마음이 영감을 받은 순간에 얼마나 빨리 반응하는지, 그리고 주어진 어떤 주제에서든 그렇게 많은 독창적이고 훌륭한 아이디어를 내기 위해 얼마나 많은 일반 지식을 가지고 있는지 생각하면 지쳐 버립니다.

흥미로운 미국인 중에는 베순 부인이 있습니다. 로마가 "모이는" 모습을 보여주는 것은 완전히 우스꽝스럽습니다. 일부는 나폴리와 맞붙을 것이고 다른 일부는 이번 주 이후에 우리의 별이 북쪽으로 갈 것이라고 감사할 것입니다. 오늘은 거의 한 달 만에 처음으로 비가 내려 우리를 강제로 집으로 데려갔습니다. [p. 3 cross] 우리의 조용하고 어둡고 비가 오는 일요일 오후와 같았고 톰은 우리가 거의 윈스럽 씨의 코너에서 홈통이 쏟아지고 프랭크 그레이가 지나가는 것을 볼 수 있다고 말했습니다!

다음 겨울에 틱노르 가족과 함께 여기 있는 것이 얼마나 부끄러운 일입니까! 이 순간 그 사랑스러운 곰이 밝은 머리의 톰과 지혜를 나누거나 시뇨르 스티볼리와 위로의 감정을 나누거나 --------- 맥스와 더 개인적인 감정을 나누지 않을까 궁금합니다!! 또는 Gary의 나무로 된 산책로를 바라보며 창문을 하품하거나 – 또는 – Mrs Dutton과 방랑자들에 대해 이야기하기 위해 달려갈지 생각하거나 – 만약 당신이 간다면 그녀에게 내 최고의 사랑을 전하고 Mr. D에게 전해주세요.

대서양을 가로지르는 철도가 있다면 나는 그에게 모든 덤불에 천 송이의 장미를 보낼 것입니다. 작별 인사를 할 수 없지만 너무 늦었고 내일은 많은 궁전과 교회 등을 보아야 합니다. 당신의 모든 결혼 축하 행사에 대한 슬픈 찬사가 Mason 부인의 죽음을 만들었을 것입니다!

보스턴의 겨울을 활기차게 만들려는 Sears의 시도는 싹에서 꺾였습니다. Harriet이 그 어느 때보다 우리를 부러워할지 모르지만 그녀에게는 일주일에 한 번 보르게세 경내를 즐거운 마차로 가득 채우는 두 시간을 제외하고는 여기에서 충분한 즐거움이 거의 없습니다. 잘 자요.

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비컨 스트리트 산책로의 파노라마를 스케치로 써 주세요 "연인과 국민들." 키스와 함께한 세월
패니
얼마나 긴 편지인가! 갠트 씨의 설교나 모던한 드레스만큼이나 길다.

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Rome. March 22d 1836. –

Sweetest Emmelina, I have not forgotten my promise to send thee a line from the Eternal City & to think that 3 weeks have been bounded along & I have found no chance I might by some wondrous luck. I am solus, tho’ just now threatened with a stupid invitation from 2 American youths who bolted into our apartment, sans announcement, to be introduced without our consent being demanded by one of our fellow-passengers another gauche Yankee, all the polish he ought to have gained on his travels having concentrated into the growing of a terrific pair of moustaches – until we last saw him!

Mary has gone with Miss Emily Harrer & a Miss Hare to a soirée at Princess Musignenas to whom Mrs Ch Lyman gave us a letter – I had no desire to go, to display the limit of my talkyns accomplishments & shall delight, sweet beausmy, much more by having a little chat with the in sober English. What do you think, little thing, I have done today.

Why no less a feat than to mount to the hall of St Peter’s. Heartily glad am I it is over – it is no slight relief to have all that dome off ones conscience. The view was most new extraordinary from without but to gaze from the gallery ½ way up the dome down onto the church was awfully dizzying & overwhelming – such mere ants were the men walking round on that huge pavement.

There seemed to be an atmosphere below us – the misty rays darting athwart each other [??] the manikins dogs-glorious was the effect of the chaunting in some distant chapel the rich music rolled up to us – so mysterious!

And we were up high as the seventh heaven, supported only by a balustrade from that immense abyss - & surrounded with the giant figures of all the saints hardly seen from below but every bit of mosaic islands as that ☐! The greatest curiosity of the ascension is to see what a world is the roof – domes - & houses - & cupolas – where workmen ac [p. 2] tually live.

It is impossible to comprehend the immensity of the church while in it – but now I feel as if I had conquered St Peters’. But you doubtless want to know what we have thought of Rome. These few weeks have been one whirl of a delight. I can see nothing behind me but a chaos where churches, palaces, ruins, statues, pictures, obelisks & fountains are crowding upon each other in mad confusion.

Is it not enough to craze mortal brains? In fact mine are perfectly exhausted, crushed, stupefied & were it not for an occasional refreshment in the way of a drive in the country as we did today thro’ hedges all [???]y with [???]times in an air as balmy as [??] or a soothing promenade in the shady groves of the lovely Villa Borghese, or a turn on the Pincian, or a reverie in the Palace of the Caesars.

I should be fairly “done up” – with the rush of new ideas. Yet it is a glorious thing to have such a world in your control –to say today we will stroll in the Forum or the Vatican or St Peters; to have a dozen galleries enticing you with Raphaels, Titians, & Guereins & study innumerable while I want to buy everything.

Then for the last week we have had such weather! warm, almost cloudless: we have at last arrived at the acme of Harriet Sears’ envy’ to wear capes. Is the poor girl I wonder making sail round Park St corner just now with an east wind tearing her like a saw. Ugh! Such a mallstrom [sic] of Americans have we fallen in with: as to any other society abroad it seems quite hopeless.

There are about a dozen youths fresh from counting-houses & Yankee notions prowling about who claim the priveleges [sic] of pouring in on us all times of day & Miss Harbrie undertakes to fraternize the whole cortege & has them hailing after her forever. We have got much acquainted with Mrs Sidney Brooks who is looking very prettily & saltily social & agreeable: we have many nice parties together:

we went one night to see the Vatican by Torchlight & an Italian acquaintance a Mr Visconti a famous antiquarian spouted forth before every statue thereby enlight [torn] vastly – nothing could be more glorious than the effect of this [p. 3] strong light & shade: if I could but enfold to you one look of the Apollo! but what is that you will say when I have the concentration of all the Adonises that ever lived or ought to have lived in the sublime May!

I would not undertake to uval him this side the water except with those of stone. I have as yet not seen even a Lord Nelirl – all the Englishmen here seem to be of the dibrons cockney cast, riding horseback for occupation flirting eye-glasses, near-sighted or not & talking in the drawling tone of the hopeful tallest & eldest Mrs Inglis?

Any souvenezvors? This Mr Visconti is quite a nice person – converses in French; most fluently, sometimes poetically & often unintelligibly thereby reminding me at times of Thomas the Sage? We got up 2 excursions with Mrs Brooks & suite, consisting of her husband who is the drollest mortal, always making fun of our sentiment & even hunting. Wm Payne equally amusing & a Mr Jones a genteelish well-looking youth of N. York with whom I sometimes flirt when I have nothing else to do - & made the tour of the Appian way with Mr Visconti as walking dictionary.

It was delightful & I enjoyed it much. Nothing has disappointed me more here than the [??]tt of Egeria – Did you not fancy it was some chasming retired spot with trees waging round – a dark, coal grotto of a rock with a bubbling sill &c? whereas it is 3 brick walls with a few boughs hanging over the top a black shapeless statue at one end & a little dribbling stream telling there from (how Egeria’s sandals resisted the mud I dont [sic] know!) but it is all open to glaring day & an ugly common-place mineno.

What business had Basson to write such a description? Now the Palace of the Caesars enchanted me – it is nothing but a mean, brick mass of [???] too. but so gracefully wave the green leaves over every huge wall, so luxuriantly grow the flowers & such a splendid view is there from the top of what was the banquetting [sic] hall of Rome & the Compagna, divers tomes, obelisks, & temples, the Colosseum & the green heavy plain with those exquisite purple Athenian hills making such a Claude-like distance.

I assure you the very atmosphere of Rome [??] melancholy for the first week & what is sadder than stumbling day [???] day amongst ruins – but the mind has to live so fast & imbibe such [p. 4] a world of reminiscence & reality that it grows with what it feeds on & the exhilaration overcomes the – sentimentality perhaps – at any rate I find I look daily with much less awe on the broken columns & brick vaults & can now [???] feel little but the picturesqueness of the ruins.

We have now nearly “used up” Rome – but it makes me crazy to think of leaving it – the feeling that I may never see it again, attaches me so strongly – terrible to think that this grand hage of one’s existence (worthy to swallow up ½ the rest) is to be sealed so quickly. How much I love its ruins, its temples, its villas, its statues, its fountains; its beggars I can now endure as picturesque, its dirt as national & its wretched ceremonies as poetical associations!

The other day, by the way, I saw a very pretty show at one of the churches where the Pope came borne in his chair of state, & looking as helplessly idiotic as any superannuated old woman – followed by the train of Cardinals, fine old men – with their scarlet robes twisted up behind exactly as if they were being wrung – martial music & chanting – Swiss guards in their harlequin costume, muffs & halberts, smoking of the poor Pope with incense, tucking & untucking, & finally a procession of 12 damsels clothed in white even to their mouths like Turkish, crowns on their heads & tapes in their hands, they kiss the Pope’s toe & he presents each her marriage dower.

These are chosen each year. They were quite pretty & the picturesque groups, - peasants, priests, nuns, & soldiers made a fine effect. Nothing I have enjoyed more than an excursion we had a few days ago to [crossed out: Tivoli] Frascati. All the Americans, except Mrs Mrs Fay, the Parkman’s & unknown others, composed the party, amounting in all to 25! I forgot a Salish Count, a Scotchman & an Englishman.

We mounted to the top of a high hill thro’ a very romantic path covered with flowers & constantly such lovely views of the Campagna on donkeys: & such fun as we had with the stupidity of the little hideous beasts & the urging groans of the dradas & the entanglements in the bushes & all the contretems of such an expedition! The day was delicious & our spirits were up to the pleasa[nt] party maik.

It reminded me so much too of Red Mountain! [p. 1 cross] A droll association between Rome & Vermont! After admiring the view from the top rather more satisfactory than that one we scrambled down again in a blazing sun & devoured a fine collation at the inn of the village with about as good appetites as our quaint feast at that quainter old womans – who seemed to have Hov lunatic purse in the way of pies! We are going to Tivoli in a day or two.

Sunday. My letter is of an unconscionable length dearest Emmeline but it is so difficult to find a moment here I make full use of my time; there is no knowing when you will hear from us again. Today was the commencement of Holy Week & we went to the Sistine Chapel to see the blessing of the Palms. It was a fine show & that is all: such baby-play as are all these ceremonies.

They had not real Palms either – nothing but straw sticks & olive leaves. The ladies are all stuck behind a grating so seeing little, it was rather tedious, but we had a fine view of Don Miguel who was kneeling devoutly as the Pope passed trying to find the chant in his prayer-book which looked as if seldom disturbed.

He has a long, peaked, wicked looking face but not plain. The ladies wear black during this week & some of our friends have been obliged to have a dress made for the occasion. Miss Gibbs was indignant at the idea, said she hate black but at last resigned herself to appear tolerably smart in a satin!

The Italians have veils, instead of bonnetts [sic]. We went last night to hear quite a famous Improvisatrice – Rosa Taddei – [p. 2 cross] It is almost painfully exciting at first. Subjects are given her by anyone there we several very good. She thinks about 10 minutes, looks up from the paper with a most wild searching quite inspired expression‎ &, bustles forth with thundering intonation violent gestures & often a rush of beautiful ideas – accompanied by a man or the harp.

At times she seems almost demoniacal & lashes herself into a rabbia which is imparted to the audience & a happy expressive brings down a thunder of applause or a sympathetic groan of ecstasy. If the idea is lost or is slow in striking her mind she stamps her foot bites almost her hand & seems nearly convulsed with the distress – catches it in a moment or sinks at once from all this terrific animation into perfect repose like a musical box in the midst of a tune.

I can easily imagine one to go crazy at such a moment! I could understand little but Mary said there were some truly poetical points full of genius. She is not handsome but has a most intellectual Sybelline expression‎ which is worth more for such a trade. She ranks very high here. It makes me weary to think how terribly quick her mind must act at the inspired moment & what a world of general knowledge she must have to strike out so many original & fine ideas from any subject given her.

Amongst the interesting Americans here is Mrs Bethune It is perfectly ludicrous to see what a “gathering” Rome can show. Some we shall meet against Naples & others thank our stars are going North after this week. Today the first rainy one for nearly a month carried us home so forcibly – It was [p. 3 cross] like some of our quiet, dark, rainy, Sunday afternoons & Tom said we could almost see the gutter pouring from Mr Winthrop’s corner & Frank Gray going by!

What a shame we shant be here next winter with the Ticknors! I wonder if the sweet bear isn’t this moment talking wisdom with the bright haired Tom or consolatory sentiment with Signor Stivoli – or – more personal sentiment with --------- Max!! Or yawning at the window over the wooden perambulations of the Gary – or – thinking if she shall run over to talk about the wanderers with Mrs Dutton - If you are going please give her my very best love & tell Mr. D.

I would send him a rose from the thousand on every bush if there was but a railroad across the Atlantic. I cant [sic] bear to say good bye but it is ever so late & tomorrow I have got to see tip so many palaces - & churches - &c. What a sad praise on all your bridal festivities must have made the death Mrs Mason!

The Sears’ attempts at enlivening a Boston winter are nipped in the bud. Perhaps Harriet envies us more than ever but for her consolation there is little gaiety enough here except for two hours once a week when the Borghese grounds are crowded with a [??] of gay equipages. Good night.

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Do write a sketch to me of the panorama of Beacon St promenades “lovers & countrymen.” Yrs with a kiss
Fanny
What a letter! it is as long as Mr Gannetts sermons or modern dresses.