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shall I tell you about, of all the curiosities animate and inanimate that I have seen or shall see?
Of the old stock of Churches Palaces, Statues and pictures, which I care almost as little as I
know about, of my friend the Abbé Fontana's Botanical garden in wax not distinguishable from nature?;
or rather of the Old Pretender and his newly-acknowledged daughter the Dutchess of Albany,
of Lady Craven and her friend Mr Vernon, and of Mrs Piozzi and her loving spouse?
A world and all about some of these things, and all those persons could I tell you were I at your elbow after dinner at Queen's
Square Place, and you should give me an extra glass to pay me for it. The soi-disant
Dutchess was bred, and I believe born, in France, of I know not what mother: she went
by the name of Madame d'Albany: upon his divorce or separation from the Princess of Holberg his
wife, her Father sent for her here where she has been living with him ever since, &
created her Dutchess of Albany. She is Countess of Albany they say by creation of the King of France. I have seen her three times; once in her coach in the Street
yesterday at the Comic Opera and this evening at the serious. She is a good comely young
woman rather nearer 30 as I should conceive than twenty: the lady I think her most
like of all our female acquaintance that I happen to recollect is Miss Dyer. If I could
persuade her to marry me your eldest Grandson would be a Duke: but as he would be
but a sort of a Duke Humphry I believe I may as well let the matter drop, tho rather
as she is good natured enough to accept of a ride in you H.'s phaeton whenever he
asks her. At all times when I have seen her she has companied by an Irish Lady
of the a Mrs O'Donnel or O'Connor I don't know which, some ten or 15 years older than
herself. I saw the poor old gentleman her Father at the Comic Opera yesterday, and got a perfect
view of him. Sr H. as you imagine never visits him, notwithstanding his acquaintance with
the daughter. He looks in years, but to my eyes has nothing of that Sottish appearance which I
forget who had found in him a pretty many years ago. He goes by the name of the Count of
Albany. Mrs Piozzi and her caro Sposo I saw at Leghorn: they were just rising from dinner
in a room I had occasion to cross upon looking for lodging at an Italian Inn the Sign
of the Golden Cross. They both looked grave and seemed as if they had not much to say to one another:
however I hear he makes her a very good husband and shews her great attention.
The acquaintance began at Ranzzini's where Piozzi used to find an open table. He was a very
low kind of an Abbé, born & bred at Milan: his brother keeps a Chandler's shop there at this present
writing and by the kindness of his fortunate relation a much better one since the marriage
than before. They have taken a house in that capital and furnished it: they lived in it for some
time, and some notice was taken of them by some good families. Finding however that the respect
shew'd was all paid to Mrs Piozzi as an Englishwoman and that the fond Husband,
in spite of this alliance could not get any of it to his share, they left their house for a time at least
and took to rambling. but it is thought will not be long before they return again. She in conjunction
with a Mr Parsons, a Mr & Mrs Greathead, and I believe one or two other English
have just been printing at a Florentine press, a collection of Miscellanies chiefly in verse, &
chiefly if not wholly in English. Some of it consists of Musick. It is said but 150 copies
are struck off, and none sold. I just got a glimpse of it: the names front the title. page.
Friday Sept. 30. 3 o'clock
I write now on board the passage boat from Leghorn to Pisa. I left Florence a little before midnight on Saturday
last, and, travelling all night, reached Leghorn again before 10 according to the strict orders of the Captain who assured me
he should sail by Sunday noon. Instead of that it is not absolutely certain that he will sail tomorrow evening, though to make sure
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Identifier: | JB/540/199/002 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 540.
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1785-08-26 |
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540 |
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199 |
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002 |
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Correspondence |
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Jeremy Bentham |
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