To Mrs. Jameson April 2, [1850].

You have perhaps thought us ungrateful people, my ever dear friend, for this long delay in thanking you for your beautiful and welcome present.[199] Here is the truth.  Though we had the books from Rome last month, they were snatched from us by impatient hands before we had finished the first volume.  The books are hungered and thirsted for in Florence, and, although the English reading club has them, they can’t go fast enough from one to another.  Four of our friends entreated us for the reversion, and although it really is only just that we should be let read our own books first, yet Robert’s generosity can’t resist the need of this person who is ‘going away,’ and of that person who is ’so particularly anxious’—­for particular reasons perhaps—­so we renounce the privilege you gave us (with the pomps of this world) and are still waiting to finish even the first volume.  Our cultivated friends the Ogilvys, who had the work from us earliest, because they were going to Naples, were charmed with it.  Mr. Kirkup the artist, who disputes with Mr. Bezzi the glory of finding Dante’s portrait—­yes, and breathes fire in the dispute—­has it now.  Madame Ossoli, Margaret Fuller, the American authoress, who brought from the siege of Rome a noble marquis as her husband, asks for it.  And your adorer Mr. Stuart, who has lectured upon Shakespeare all the winter, entreats for it.  So when we shall be free to enjoy it thoroughly for ourselves remains doubtful.  Robert promises every day, ‘You shall have it next, certainly,’ and I only hope you will put him and me in your next edition of the martyrs, for such a splendid exercise of the gifts of self-renunciation.  But don’t fancy that we have not been delighted with the sight of the books, with your kindness, and besides with the impressions gathered from a rapid examination of the qualities of the work.  It seems to us in every way a valuable and most interesting work; it must render itself a necessity for art students, and general readers and seers of pictures like me, who carry rather sentiment than science into the consideration of such subjects.  We much admire your introduction—­excellent in all ways, besides the grace and eloquence.  Altogether, the work must set you higher with a high class of the public, and I congratulate you on what is the gain of all of us.  Robert has begun a little pencil list of trifling criticisms he means to finish.  We both cry aloud at what you say of Guercino’s angels, and never would have said if you had been to Fano and seen his divine picture of the ‘Guardian Angel,’ which affects me every time I think of it.  Our little Wiedeman had his part of pleasure in the book by being let look at the engravings.  He screamed for joy at the miracle of so many bird-men, and kissed some of them very reverentially, which is his usual way of expressing admiration....