“I have been living on loans from my wife for six months, and she has at last stopped the supplies, though I have willingly offered to raise the rate of interest. Perhaps she suspects I shall not be able to raise the wind.” _To Mr John Blackwood._ “Croce di Malta, Spezzia, _June_ 15, 1866. “Here I am at my post. Spezzia is about to receive a new accession of greatness and become the station for transmitting the post to England and France, as the Bologna line will have to be given up entirely to the army to advance or retreat on, as events may determine. “I have been three days here. I am the only _stranger_ (!) in the place. All the hotels empty, and I have the Gulf to my own swimming. “There’s a pretty little girl, a granddaughter of Lord Byron, here--Lady Arabella Nash--on a visit to the Somervilles. (“By the way, has granddaughter two d’s or one? I have left it both ways in the proof which I send you by this post.) “I wish I could get a house down here, and retire from the pomps and short whists of life, the odd tricks and all the honours! “There is one--only one; but the scoundrel asks me an iniquitous rent. He knows, Italian like, that I have a fancy for it, and he’ll keep it unlet to torture me. “I shall be back in time for the O’D. proof (if it should be sent out), and you shall have it by return. “One comfort--at least we are promised it--of the new postal line will be an express train down here, for at present the railroad is only something above a fast walking pace, and the cabs at the station always announce to the late arrivals that they can overtake the train at will. “Do you believe in war yet? And how long do you believe you can keep out of it? The French Emperor’s real reluctance is not knowing what England might do with a change of Government, what Tory counsels might advise, and what possible alliance with Russia might ensue if it was once clearly seen what the aggressive designs of France meant. Many here assert (and not fools either) that L. Nap. has decided on taking the old ‘Cisalpine Gaul’ (with Turin, &c.).” _To Mr Alexander Spencer._ “Florence [or Spezzia], _June 17_,1866. “I am in the midst of great difficulties. Chapman & Hall, after years of intercourse, have shown the cloven foot, and are displaying [tactics] which, if successful, will wrest from me all my copyrights and leave me ruined. The story is long and intricate, nor could I at all events bore you with a recital which nothing but time, temper, and good management may conduct to a good result. My present anxiety is [to know] if [ ] remitted to you £60 to go towards the insurances. He says he did, but he is well capable of deceiving me. I had half a mind to go over to England the other day and put the affair into a lawyer’s hands, but my difficulty was to know how, having begun such litigation, I was to bear its charges and at the same time earn my daily bread.