Bella Firenze, "Flower of all Cities and City of all Flowers," is not
only the garden of Italy's intellect, but the hot-house to which many a
Northern genius has been transplanted. The house where Milton resided is
still pointed out and held sacred by his venerators; and Casa Guidi,
gloomier and grayer now that the grand light has gone out of it, is of
especial interest to every cultivated traveller. A gratified smile, born
of sorrow, passes over the stranger's face, as he reads the inscription
upon the tablet that makes Casa Guidi historical,--a tablet inserted by
the municipality of Florence as a grateful tribute to the memory of a
truly great woman, great enough to love Truth "more than Plato and
Plato's country, more than Dante and Dante's country, more even than
Shakspeare and Shakspeare's country."
Qui scrisse e mori
Elisabetta Barrett Browning
Che in cuore di donna conciliava
Scienza di dotto o spirito di poeta
E fece del suo verso aureo anello
Fra Italia e Inghilterra
Pone questa memoria
Firenze grata
1861
Here wrote and died Elizabeth Barrett Browning!
Tradition says that years ago Casa Guidi was the scene of several dark
deeds; and after having wandered through the great rooms, for the most
part perpetually in shadow, one's imagination puts full faith in a
time-worn story. Whatever may have been the stain left upon the old
palace by the Guidi, it has been removed by an alien woman,--by her who
sat "By the Fireside," and toiled unceasingly for the good of man and
the love, of God. Casa Guidi heard the whispering of "One Word More,"
the echo of which is growing fainter and fainter to the ear, but
subtiler to the soul; and looking up at _her_ house, we hear the murmur
of a poet's voice, saying,--
"God be thanked, the meanest of His creatures
Boasts two soul-sides, one to face the world with,
One to show a woman when he loves her."