OLD ITALIAN TOWNS
Hotel Europa, Terni,
April 10th, 1894.
To her Mother.
... We have just come down from Amelia. It is one of the oldest cities in Italy, much older than Rome. There is, however, nothing left of the very old times, except the huge stones of its walls. One can well see how strong it must have been. The river folds round its base almost in a circle; and the deep ravine goes all round, and is set with colossal crags. It is a picturesque place; and, living as we did opposite its gate, we saw all the life which assembled there. Viterbo was much fuller, of course, of artistic and historic treasures; but it was sad to hear of the country being so rough. M. Shaen’s friend, a Mr. Fisher, who has travelled about much, and collected such lovely things, was kind enough to make enquiries for us of various people. They say the brigandage is extinct, but the country quite unsafe. One proprietor there pays blackmail to two wild sorts of outlaws, and they keep off others! The professor, who superintends the Etruscan discoveries, has had to give up going; they all agreed English people were much safer; but all also told us it would be risky to be about the country. So, as we cared little for the towns, and wanted too to drive, we came over at once to this side, which is quite different. We had the funniest arrangement at Viterbo—a palatial bedroom, large, vaulted, and grand, but no food to be had except from a little café. At Amelia it was a small country inn, quite in the country, and with lovely views, but all the arrangements very queer. Here we are back in a regular good hotel with all the comforts of civilised life.
190 Marylebone Road,
October 16th, 1894.
Miranda to her Mother.
Mary Harris did enjoy the time! She was delighted to see Octavia; said she felt her “so life giving,” and compared her to Herakles in Balaustion. She was struck with the combination of the poetical with the practical, and said, “I am glad to have seen that side too!” She enjoyed Octavia’s reading of poetry.
190 Marylebone Road,