IV.

WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR.

THERE were few visitors to Florence between the years 1829 and 1835 whose attention had not in some way been directed to an elderly English gentleman, residing with his family in a commodious villa on the pleasant slope of those Fiesolan hills, full of the scenes and memories of Boccaccio -with the cottage of Dante, the birthplace of Michael Angelo, and the home of Machiavelli in sight, and overlooking the Valdarno and Vallombrosa which Milton saw and sang. He had lived previously for six years in the city, at the Palazzo Medici, and for a short time in another campagna, but had few acquaintances among his countrymen except artists, and scarcely any among the natives. except picture-dealers. He had a stately and agreeable presence, and the men-of-letters from different countries who brought introductions to him spoke of his affectionate reception, of his com