[74] The second volume of “Life and Letters of Sir Gilbert Elliot, First Earl of Minto.”

    Lady Russell to Lady Dunfermline

    SAN REMO, December 1, 1869

Your letter of November 24th found the Amberleys here....  They were preceded by the Crown Princess of Prussia and Princess Louis of Hesse, announced by telegram in the morning, and a young Prince Albert of Prussia, son of the Prince Albert of our Berlin days, and a suite of two gentlemen and a lady, who came from Cannes, where they are living, on Friday, to pay us a visit, dined with us, slept at the nearest hotel, and were off again Saturday morning, we going With them as far as Bordighera; and on Monday arrived the Odos [75] for one night only, sleeping at an hotel.  You see that our usual quiet life was for a while exchanged for one of—...  Well, I beg pardon for this interruption and go back to our illustrious and non-illustrious visitors.  The illustrious were as merry as if they had no royalty about them, and as simple, too, dining in their travelling garments, brushing and washing in my room and John’s, enjoying their dinner, of which happily there was enough (although the suite was unexpected owing to my not having received a letter giving details), chatting and laughing afterwards till half-past eight, when they walked in darkness, and strange to say, mud! but with glorious stars overhead, the five minute’ distance to their hotel, accompanied by Agatha and me.  The drive to Bordighera next morning was the pleasantest part of the visit to us all—­John, Princess Louis, and Prince Albert in their carriage, Crown Princess, Agatha, and I in ours.  It is wonderful to hear Princesses express such widely liberal opinions and feelings on education, religion, nationality, and if we had talked politics I dare-say I should add that too.  Their strong love for their Vaterland in spite of their early transplantation is also very agreeable.

The Amberleys had been ten days with Mill at Avignon—­a good fortification, I should imagine, against the wiles and blandishments of priests of all degree to which they will be exposed at Rome....  Little Rachel [76]is as sweet a little bright-eyed lassie as I ever saw, hardly saying anything yet, but expressing a vast deal.

[75] Mr. Odo Russell (afterwards Lord Ampthill) and his wife.

[76] Daughter of Lord and Lady Amberley, born in February, 1868.

    Lord Russell to Colonel Romilly

    SAN REMO, December 4, 1869

MY DEAR FREDERICK,—­I had understood from you that you wished to propose some alterations in my Introduction to the Speeches, and I was much obliged to you for so kind a thought.  But it appears by a letter from Lizzy that she and you think that all discussions of the future (which are announced in my preface) ought to be omitted.  In logical and literary aspects you are quite right;