Another charming custom in Italy was for a lady to recall herself to the recollection of her friends by means of a little present. Vittoria Colonna sent her portrait to Bembo, accompanied by a few verses from her own hand: “Verses pure and dainty!” cries Bembo, “that touch the heart far more than a mere letter.” On another occasion she charged one of her friends, who was going to Mantua, to convey to the marquis “a friendly and sympathetic” greeting, with some small token of her regard. The friend thought he was doing right in offering a basket of roses, and the marquis lost no time in sending his respectful thanks direct to the fair donor. And then Vittoria formally apologised in very affectionate terms that her messenger had “honoured him so little” as to offer so modest a souvenir. Truth to tell, Frenchwomen showed much less feminine grace in this matter, which explains our dwelling on the charm of their Italian neighbours. The most Italianised of them could not attain this seductive charm. In all the correspondence of Margaret of France you will not find one letter recalling those we have just quoted almost haphazard. Margaret did indeed sedulously strive to attain that charm, as we cannot but perceive, but her languishings resulted in little else than prolixity. It will not do to strain one’s talent. Renée of France, though she became duchess of Ferrara, never acquired the Italian trick; she continued to write with French brevity. Diana of Poitiers and the duchess of Etampes amaze us by the almost arid precision of their style; they might have given points to the most dry-as-dust of attorneys; there is never a sign of a gust of passion or of love’s finesse. The rising generation of Henri II.’s time came nearer the attainment of a pleasant style. The king’s two daughters, Madeline and Margaret, wrote excellent hands—easy, graceful, even, with a uniform slope, the letters broad and clear, the whole style very distinguished; and they employed pleasant and engaging forms, phrases of genuine affection, especially in their family correspondence.[279] But they too were at their best in short notes, and their most pleasing letters are always very brief. The higher charm remained the secret of Italy. BOOK III. THE INFLUENCE OF WOMEN CHAPTER I POLITICAL INFLUENCE