. . . I have heard from Morton and F. Tennyson; the letter of the latter
very descriptive and fine. He is summering at Castellamare, and Morton
at Sorrento. What must Italy be if we are complaining of heat here!
I have just been naming all Mr. Browne's pictures for him. This he has
insisted on for three years, and at last this very hot day after an early
dinner pens and paper were brought out and I have been writing down awful
calumnies about Cuyp, Both, etc. Who could have painted Catharine of
Medicis, do you know? We are afraid to call it Vandyke, as he lived (I
believe) a century after her: and Mr. B. won't give up its being
Catharine's portrait. So here we are in a fix. I went to see Lord
Northampton's place Castle Ashby a week ago: expected pictures, and saw
very bad ones. The house is very handsome, built by Inigo Jones.