TALBOT1465

Aug 17 –

Florence

Dear Henry

The Marchesa ¹ is obdurate & will not give up her picture for less than 600 Louis – she is gone to Venice & that is her last word –

I shall despatch in a few days the Ezekiel ² & I think with it the copy of S. Marco if I can get it at my own price. I think that man Colzi ³ may become an eminent painter I believe you saw his portrait of the Dean of Durham the likest thing I ever saw. He has now some pretty landscapes which I am cheapening – but it puts me out of patience to see some very nice pictures now & then picked up for a few pauls in the street by people who know what will bear cleaning &c – I went to Ussi the cleaner to see a curious fresco of Giotto’s ⁴ in his studio he said if a picture had not lost more than half of la testa principale ⁵ it was recoverable – With a little money & knowledge I am sure a very tolerable collection might be made now – I went to see the famous Tempi Raphael ⁶ which I think positively ugly – there is at Casa Mozzi one ⁷ which cannot be genuine the same as a print called La Sagra Famiglia –

I am glad you found a steamboat on the Rhine does it go no higher than Dusseldorff The steamboat from Naples to Marseille touching at Leghorn is at last in motion & has made one or two trips. I hope it will go on & set a good example.

I hardly think I can go till Sept^r it is now such a settled heat that one could only travel at night or a couple of hours morning & evening so that I dare say I shall make it up afterwards – The weather is as it ought to be no scirocco but clear sky & bright sun – they say that in the north of Italy it is still hotter. I wrote you my plan about Johns ⁸ books I have put in my additions as per list sent & will add the horticultural directions for preserving plants roots &c – so it will be a complete thing & if nobody wants it it can come home by sea.

Ask Kit ⁹ why he does not send the <music?> to the people who live in casa Pontius Pilate at Seville. Continue to write occasionally by Foreign Office. I sent lots of letters to Bale for you.

Y^r Aff^te

W F S

I send you my synopsis of Tulips

Henry Talbot Esq^re
Sackville Street
London