“Two days ago the King of Naples passed through Bologna on his way to congress.  My servant Luigi brought the news.  I had sent him to Bologna for a lamp.  How will it end?  Time will show.

“Came home at eleven, or rather before.  If the road and weather are comfortable, mean to ride to-morrow.  High time—­almost a week at this work—­snow, sirocco, one day—­frost and snow the other—­sad climate for Italy.  But the two seasons, last and present, are extraordinary.  Read a Life of Leonardo da Vinci by Rossi—­ruminated—­wrote this much, and will go to bed.

“January 5. 1821.

“Rose late—­dull and drooping—­the weather dripping and dense.  Snow on the ground, and sirocco above in the sky, like yesterday.  Roads up to the horse’s belly, so that riding (at least for pleasure) is not very feasible.  Added a postscript to my letter to Murray.  Read the conclusion, for the fiftieth time (I have read all W. Scott’s novels at least fifty times), of the third series of ’Tales of my Landlord,’—­grand work—­Scotch Fielding, as well as great English poet—­wonderful man!  I long to get drunk with him.

“Dined versus six o’ the clock.  Forgot that there was a plum-pudding, (I have added, lately, eating to my ‘family of vices,’) and had dined before I knew it.  Drank half a bottle of some sort of spirits—­probably spirits of wine; for what they call brandy, rum, &c. &c. here is nothing but spirits of wine, coloured accordingly.  Did not eat two apples, which were placed by way of dessert.  Fed the two cats, the hawk, and the tame (but not tamed) crow.  Read Mitford’s History of Greece—­Xenophon’s Retreat of the Ten Thousand.  Up to this present moment writing, 6 minutes before eight o’ the clock—­French hours, not Italian.

“Hear the carriage—­order pistols and great coat, as usual—­necessary articles.  Weather cold—­carriage open, and inhabitants somewhat savage—­rather treacherous and highly inflamed by politics.  Fine fellows, though, good materials for a nation.  Out of chaos God made a world, and out of high passions comes a people.

“Clock strikes—­going out to make love.  Somewhat perilous, but not disagreeable.  Memorandum—­a new screen put up to-day.  It is rather antique, but will do with a little repair.

“Thaw continues—­hopeful that riding may be practicable to-morrow.  Sent the papers to Alli.—­grand events coming.

“11 o’ the clock and nine minutes.  Visited La Contessa G. Nata G.G.  Found her beginning my letter of answer to the thanks of Alessio del Pinto of Rome for assisting his brother the late Commandant in his last moments, as I had begged her to pen my reply for the purer Italian, I being an ultra-montane, little skilled in the set phrase of Tuscany.  Cut short the letter—­finish it another day.  Talked of Italy, patriotism, Alfieri, Madame Albany, and other branches of learning.  Also Sallust’s Conspiracy of Catiline, and the War of Jugurtha.  At 9 came in her brother, Il Conte Pietro—­at 10, her father, Conte Ruggiero.