“Oh, well can I recall the day I left my mother’s care, When, decked in royal bride array, Each voice proclaimed me fair. That morn I drank in hope’s bright dream, The fount of joy and nectar’s stream, And breathed a magic air. The sun, the sky, the earth, the sea, That day had new-born charms for me. “A ducal crown was not the thought That fired my soul with pride, Sardinia’s daughter might be sought For many a throne beside. But rapture’s cup was flowing o’er, The morn I left Liguria’s shore, As Charles de Bourbon’s bride. Sole Empress of his heart of bliss— What were my sister’s realms to this? “They call me haughty, proud, and cold, But little do they know—— Who can through Hecla’s snows behold The flames that lurk below? O Charles, my sovereign, husband, guide, My heart’s best, earliest, dearest pride, Yet source of all my pain, Give me the love of bygone years, To turn the current of my tears In smiles of hope again.” The Marchesa read the lines with tears, and said how much she wished she could show them to her royal mistress; but, alas! in some cases, sympathy is an insult. Before taking leave of the Baths of Lucca altogether, I think I may as well allude here to a second visit which we paid some years later to this charming spot, when we found the only son of the Duke and Duchess established at the Royal Villa, and were invited, shortly after our arrival, to a ball which they gave. [Sidenote: “FILTHY LUCRE”] The Prince had married the only sister of the Comte de Chambord. She was a pretty blonde, fair of complexion, and short of stature, with golden hair and blue eyes _à fleur de tête_. Her manners were winning and gracious, and she altogether formed a striking contrast to her husband, who was vulgar and unrefined. Indeed, in a subsequent visit to England, he gained for himself the name of “Filthy Lucre.” One of his gentlemen told me that the greatest ambition of His Highness was to be taken for an English groom, upon which I retorted that in that case, he must contrive to have a better seat on horseback. But to return to the ball.