The Riviera Levante—Nervi—Its charm of scenery and colour,
which commissions me to write “The Painter”—The Palazzo
Rosso—The coast of Genoa spoilt by its fortifications—The
vineyards and villas—The Villa Paganini—A feast of grapes—A
knife-fight—The Via Nuova—The statue of Columbus—We proceed
to Spezia—Lerici, Shelley’s last home but one—The Temple of
Venus—The marble hills of Carrara—Florence once more—Old
friends replaced by new—Madame Mazzini, now the wife of Signor
Villari, a senator and Minister of Education—My longings to see
Florence again—The Tuscans—Their bright intellects and fine
faces—The kindness and attentions of the Italians to strangers
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