it:  for though the behaviour of the English was much more decent than I have yet seen it, the crowd round the chapel, the talking, pushing, whispering, and movement, were enough to disquiet and discomfort me; I withdrew, therefore, and walked about at a little distance, where I could just hear the swell of the organ.  Such is the immensity of the building, that at the other side of the aisle the music is perfectly inaudible.

7.—­Visited the Falconieri Palace to see Cardinal Fesche’s gallery.  The collection is large and contains many fine pictures, but there is such a melange of good, bad, and indifferent, that on the whole I was disappointed.  L** attached himself to my side the whole morning—­to benefit, as he said, by my “tasty remarks;” he hung so dreadfully heavy on my hands, and I was so confounded by the interpretations and explanations his ignorance required, that I at last found my patience nearly at an end.  Pity he is so good-natured and so good-tempered, that one can neither have the comfort of heartily disliking him, nor find nor make the shadow of an excuse to shake him off!

In the evening we had a gay party of English and foreigners:  among them——­

* * * * *

A REPLY TO A COMPLAINT

    Trust not the ready smile! 
      ’Tis a delusive glow—­
    For cold and dark the while
      The spirits flag below.

    With a beam of departed joy,
      The eye may kindle yet: 
    As the cloud in yon wintry sky,
      Still glows with the sun that is set,

    The cloud will vanish away—­
      The sun while shine to morrow—­
    To me shall break no day
      On this dull night of sorrow!

A REPLY TO A REPROACH.

    I would not that the world should know,
      How deep within my panting heart
    A thousand warmer feelings glow,
      Than word or look could e’er impart.

    I would not that the world should guess
      At aught beyond this outward show;
    What happy dreams in secret bless—­
      What burning tears in secret flow.

    And let them deem me cold or vain;
       —­O there is one who thinks not so! 
    In one devoted heart I reign,
        And what is all the rest below?

9.—­We have had two days of truly English weather; cold, damp, and gloomy, with storms of wind and rain.  I know not why, but there is something peculiarly deforming and discordant in bad weather here; and we are all rather stupid and depressed.  To me, sunshine and warmth are substitutes for health and spirits; and their absence inflicts positive suffering.  There is not a single room in our palazzetto which is weather-proof; and as to a good fire, it is a luxury unknown, but not unnecessary, in these regions.  In such apartments as contain no fire-place, a stufa, or portable stove, is set, which diffuses little warmth, and renders the air insupportably close and suffocating.