Hotel Byron, Ravenna:- Has 'become an invader of Italy for a week'; will then return to Switzerland for a while and find Charlie, who will be with Bertram. Robert left him at Brigne [?], and thought him well: he was 'a little tired' for the first few… read more
Hotel Byron, Ravenna:- Has 'become an invader of Italy for a week'; will then return to Switzerland for a while and find Charlie, who will be with Bertram. Robert left him at Brigne [?], and thought him well: he was 'a little tired' for the first few days, but 'Zermatt quite recovered him'. Tried to persuade him to 'go over the Simplon [Pass]' with him and stop a night in the Lakes, and was sorry not to succeed, as the Lakes are not too hot and Charles would have 'enjoyed the view from Motterone and an evening row on Maggiore'.
Has had many 'adventures': 'crossed the Simplon on the diligence in the company of a New South Wales squatter and gold-digger' and family, who had 'once met Starlight [a reference to Captain Starlight, the bushranger?]'; at Domodossola, he met 'a branch of the great Trevelyan family', who almost 'overwhelmed' him with their 'effusive kindness' - Walter Raleigh Trevelyan, his wife, three daughters, and invalid son, 'the same who dined at the Vice Regal on a famous occasion instead of at the Chief Secs' [a reference to the time when G. O. Trevelyan was Chief Secretary for Ireland?]. Walter is a 'very queer creature, and spends his time grumbling at the way grandpapa - Sir Charles - treated him'; he writes for the Irish Times on Italian crimes.
Robert's 'most interesting experience' was going to see Othello, acted by an Italian company. The people of Ravenna largely supported what Macaulay said an Italian audience's opinion of the play would be, in his essay on Machiavelli, by their 'applauding Iago more than Othello'. The actor playing Othello, however, 'roared too much and was unbearable and unnecessarily violent', though he gave the 'lying speech' well, and played 'the most realistic death [Robert has] ever seen on the stage, accompanied by horrible groans and guggles [gurgles]'.
Has seen almost all the monuments in Ravenna, though will go to [the Basilica of] St Vitalis this afternoon. Went to St Apollinare in Classe yesterday, then on to the pineta - 'Ravenna's immemorial wood' [Don Juan] - and 'Byron's Bridge'. Expects George is in Skye by now; is writing to him. Has not been able to see an English paper since coming here: it is 'quite the end of the world, and there are no shops but "Barbieri" [barbers]', and he was unable to get either an English or Italian text of Othello. Has no idea what is happening in England, as the Italian papers have very little English news; will be able to find out when he returns to Switzerland, and will probably leave on Thursday. Hopes his parents are well; will expect a letter at Mürren.
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