If you are going to see Ghirlandajo's frescoes--the engravings of them I mean--in the choir of Santa Maria Novella, I wish you would especially notice if the women in his groups have not that plain piece of opaque drapery over the head which haunts my memory. We were only allowed to see those frescoes once, because of repairs going on; but I am strongly impressed with a belief--which, _au reste_, may be quite false--in the presence of my "white hood" there. As to the garb of the luxurious classes at that time, a point which may turn up in our progress, I think the painters can hardly be believed to have represented it fully, since we know, on strong evidence, that it ran into extravagances, which are even in contrast with the general impression conveyed not only by the large fresco compositions but by the portraits. You must have had sufficient experience of the _eclecticism_ in costume which the artist's feeling forces upon him in the presence of hideous or extreme fashion. We have in Varchi a sufficiently fit and clear description of the ordinary male costume of dignified Florentines in my time; but for the corresponding feminine costume the best authority I have seen is the very incomplete one of a certain Ginevra's _trousseau_ in the Ricordi of the Rinuccini family of rather an earlier period, but marking even there the rage for embroidery and pearls which grew instead of diminishing. I imagine that the woman's _berretta_, frequently of velvet embroidered with pearls, and apparently almost as prevalent as our bonnet, must have been that close-fitting cap, square at the ears, of which we spoke yesterday. I trouble you with this note--which pray do not think it necessary to answer--in order to indicate to you the very slight satisfaction my anxiety on this subject can meet with, and the obligation I shall be under to you if you will ever give me a positive or negative hint or correction. Approximative truth is the only truth attainable, but at least one must strive for that, and not wade off into arbitrary falsehood.--Ever, dear Mr. Leighton, yours very truly, MARIAN E. LEWES. Leighton preserved the records of a friendship with Mr. Robin Allen,[27] established and for most part continued through a correspondence which lasted for many years from the early 'sixties. The letter sent with the following poem refers to Leighton's illustration to Mrs. Browning's poem, "Musical Instrument," of which the original drawing is reproduced. (See List of Illustrations.) TRINITY HOUSE, E.C.