Authors, American -- 19th century -- Biography; Feminists -- United States -- Biography; Fuller, Margaret, 1810-1850
The party reached Florence late in September, and were soon established
in lodgings for the winter. The police at first made some objection to
their remaining in the city, but this matter was soon settled to their
satisfaction. Margaret's thoughts now turned toward her own country and
her own people:--
"It will be sad to leave Italy, uncertain of return. Yet when I think of
you, beloved mother, of brothers and sisters and many friends, I wish to
come. Ossoli is perfectly willing. He will go among strangers; but to
him, as to all the young Italians, America seems the land of liberty."
Margaret's home-letters give lovely glimpses of this season of peace.
Her modest establishment was served by Angelo's nurse, with a little
occasional aid from the porter's wife. The boy himself was now in rosy
health; as his mother says, "a very gay, impetuous, ardent, but
sweet-tempered child." She describes with a mother's delight his visit
to her room at first waking, when he pulls her curtain aside, and goes
through his pretty routine of baby tricks for her amusement,--laughing,
crowing, imitating the sound of the bellows, and even saying "Bravo!"
Then comes his bath, which she herself gives him, and then his walk and
mid-day sleep.
"I feel so refreshed by his young life, and Ossoli diffuses such a power
and sweetness over every day, that I cannot endure to think yet of our
future. We have resolved to enjoy being together as much as we can in
this brief interval, perhaps all we shall ever know of peace. I rejoice
in all that Ossoli did (in the interest of the liberal party); but the
results are disastrous, especially as my strength is now so impaired.
This much I hope, in life or death, to be no more separated from
Angelo."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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