The Emperor Napoleon is faithful and will be faithful to the Italian cause, and to the cause of the nationalities, as long as and wherever it is prudent, for the general interest; possible without dangerous complications.  He has risked enough for it, to be trusted a little I think—­his life and dynasty certainly.  At this moment I hear from Rome of a great dinner given by Lamoriciere to his staff, or by his staff to him (I don’t know which), only that the health of Henri Cinq was suggested and drunk at it.  Gorgon telegraphed the news to Paris.  What then?  English newspapers (even such papers as the ‘Daily News’) have stated that Lamoriciere was doing Napoleonic business at Rome.  Perhaps this is of it.

Chapman junior is in Florence (doing business upon Lever I believe), and he maintains that I have done myself no mortal harm by the Congress poems, which incline to a second edition after all.  Had it been otherwise I yet never should have repented speaking the word out of me which burnt in me.  Printing that book did me real good.  For the rest ‘Aurora Leigh’ is in the press for a fifth edition.  Read the ’Word for Truth by a Seaman,’ written by a naval officer of high reputation.

We left Rome on the 4th of June, and travelled by vettura through Orvieto and Chiusi.  Beautiful scenery, interesting pictures and tombs, but a fatiguing journey.  At least, Pen’s pony and I were both of us unusually fatigued, and scarcely, at the end of a week, am I myself yet.  I am not as strong since my illness last summer.  We stay here till the early part of July and then remove to Siena, to the villa we had last year; and there Pen keeps tryst with his Abbe and the Latin.  He has made great progress this winter in Latin and much besides, and he isn’t going to be a ‘wretched little Papist,’ as some of our friends precipitately conclude from the fact of his having a priest for a tutor.  Indeed Pen has to be restrained into politeness and tolerance towards ecclesiastical dignities.  Think of his addressing his instructor (who complained of the weather at Rome one morning) thus—­in choice Tuscan:  ’Of course it’s the excommunication.  The prophet says that a curse begins with the curser’s own house; and so it is with the Holy Father’s curse.’  Wasn’t that clever of Pen? and impertinent, but our Abbe only tried at gravity; he sympathises secretly with the insorgimento d’ Italia, and besides is very fond of Pen.  Poor Pen, ’innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck,’ how his mama has been wickedly cursing her native country (after Chorley)!  It’s hard upon me, Fanny, that you won’t tell me of the spirits, you who can see.  Here is even Robert, whose heart softens to the point of letting me have the ’Spiritual Magazine’ from England.  Do knock at Mrs. Milner Gibson’s doors till you get to see the ‘hands’ and the ‘heads’ and the ‘bodies’ and the ‘celestial garlands’ which she has the privilege of being familiar with. Touch the hands.  Has Mr.