well and alert, and quite free from coughing, though we have had a good deal of cold. I do not say that my breathing is easier, but my general feeling of health has been better, and I have not put the breathing to any severe trial; for as the staircases here are remarkably high, I had recourse to a sedan chair, in which I was carried up to my apartment. I have had the pleasure to find all the Minto family here, who have been good enough to waive all ceremony and visit me in my inn.

We shall probably leave this place for Leghorn tomorrow; for I find that by far the easiest and best way of transporting ourselves to Pisa, is to take that coasting voyage, which we shall probably perform within twentyfour hours. At Leghorn we shall not be much more than a dozen miles from Pisa; so that in all probability, we shall keep to the time I mentioned, and arrive at our final destination in the course of Thursday. You shall have a letter by the first post that leaves Leghorn after our landing; but as we shall then be a good many miles more to the south, you must not be uneasy if there should be some intervals between your getting the present letter and the next. God bless you, my dear mother.

Most affectionately yours,

FRA. HORNER.

LETTER CCXCII. TO LADY HOLLAND.

My dear Lady Holland,

Pisa, 29th Nov. 1816.

We are at last arrived here. I expected to have announced this to you a week ago, but we were a week detained at sea in coming from Genoa to Leghorn. We arrived here yesterday, and are occupied in searching for lodgings, which seem difficult to be had on the

proper side of the river. The weather is at present beautiful, and the temperature of the air mild, so that my first impression is in favour of the place.

Perhaps we exaggerated to ourselves the discomforts and exposure of the road over the Apennines by Bologna, when we decided, upon that consideration, to leave the high road, and come by Genoa. And we were misinformed a little at Turin, both as to the state of the Corniche, and as to the duration of a coasting voyage. Between these two, I hesitated a good deal at Genoa; and though my voyage proved much longer than was promised, I believe it is fortunate that we made that choice. Lord Carnarvon, with his young party, came by land, with mules and a portantine in case of accidents: they found it perfectly practicable in three days to Sarzanne; but they found no accommodation, scarcely shelter, at the places where they stopped for the night; the road ascends often great heights, and brought them into very cold air; and there are parts of the road, he thinks, where the porteurs could not carry their load, but would be compelled to make him carry himself, and sometimes for a considerable way.

We had bad weather during part of our voyage, that is, heavy rains and a swell of the sea; it was never cold, however; and what delayed us, was the want of a steady wind, the land breezes, which made the sea so beautiful to look at, being light and variable, on account of the height of the coast and the narrowness of the bay. I did not suffer from sickness, for I persevered in my horizontal recumbent posture all the six days. I cannot yet speak of any improvement in that oppression of my breath, which I dislike more than the cough, because it has never been explained to me by any of my physi

well and alert, and quite free from coughing, though we have had a good deal of cold. I do not say that my breathing is easier, but my general feeling of health has been better, and I have not put the breathing to any severe trial; for as the staircases here are remarkably high, I had recourse to a sedan chair, in which I was carried up to my apartment. I have had the pleasure to find all the Minto family here, who have been good enough to waive all ceremony and visit me in my inn.

We shall probably leave this place for Leghorn tomorrow; for I find that by far the easiest and best way of transporting ourselves to Pisa, is to take that coasting voyage, which we shall probably perform within twentyfour hours. At Leghorn we shall not be much more than a dozen miles from Pisa; so that in all probability, we shall keep to the time I mentioned, and arrive at our final destination in the course of Thursday. You shall have a letter by the first post that leaves Leghorn after our landing; but as we shall then be a good many miles more to the south, you must not be uneasy if there should be some intervals between your getting the present letter and the next. God bless you, my dear mother.

Most affectionately yours,

FRA. HORNER.

LETTER CCXCII. TO LADY HOLLAND.

My dear Lady Holland,

Pisa, 29th Nov. 1816.

We are at last arrived here. I expected to have announced this to you a week ago, but we were a week detained at sea in coming from Genoa to Leghorn. We arrived here yesterday, and are occupied in searching for lodgings, which seem difficult to be had on the

proper side of the river. The weather is at present beautiful, and the temperature of the air mild, so that my first impression is in favour of the place.

Perhaps we exaggerated to ourselves the discomforts and exposure of the road over the Apennines by Bologna, when we decided, upon that consideration, to leave the high road, and come by Genoa. And we were misinformed a little at Turin, both as to the state of the Corniche, and as to the duration of a coasting voyage. Between these two, I hesitated a good deal at Genoa; and though my voyage proved much longer than was promised, I believe it is fortunate that we made that choice. Lord Carnarvon, with his young party, came by land, with mules and a portantine in case of accidents: they found it perfectly practicable in three days to Sarzanne; but they found no accommodation, scarcely shelter, at the places where they stopped for the night; the road ascends often great heights, and brought them into very cold air; and there are parts of the road, he thinks, where the porteurs could not carry their load, but would be compelled to make him carry himself, and sometimes for a considerable way.

We had bad weather during part of our voyage, that is, heavy rains and a swell of the sea; it was never cold, however; and what delayed us, was the want of a steady wind, the land breezes, which made the sea so beautiful to look at, being light and variable, on account of the height of the coast and the narrowness of the bay. I did not suffer from sickness, for I persevered in my horizontal recumbent posture all the six days. I cannot yet speak of any improvement in that oppression of my breath, which I dislike more than the cough, because it has never been explained to me by any of my physi

cians; it is not getting worse, however, though just at present, while I am weaker, in consequence of my confinement at sea, I feel the inconvenience of any exertion more immediately. But now that rest is in my power, I mean to have absolute repose till I feel strong again, and probably in a week's time I shall be able to make a favourable report in all respects. I find there are some acquaintances of mine here, but I have not seen any of them yet, as going up stairs still incommodes me; and besides, I have a mind to practise the silence that was prescribed for me.

I am planning what I shall read during the winter; my idea is, to go through some of the best authors of the country, and to keep myself, if I can, from the temptations of their minor literature. I have not yet been to the booksellers' shops, but I ascertained there was a pretty good one at Leghorn.

Lord Lansdowne says he shall remain at Rome till after Christmas, and then go to Naples for a month or two. Dumont is in great force, and buys marbles. By the way, Lord Lansdowne, after very full inquiries about climates, wrote to me in the most decided terms, against my coming to Rome, and in favour of Pisa; and Lord King, who is very knowing in such matters, concurred with him in opinion against Rome. So that I have at present the satisfaction of believing that I have chosen for the best; at present, the air is delightful, and the sky blue without a cloud.

Very affectionately yours,

FRA. HORNER.