Henry Crabb Robinson, Florence, to Colonel Robert Finch, Rome, 24 July 1830.

My dear Sir,

       I have delayd writing to you that I might be able to report to you the immediate and direct results of your valuable introductions – I cannot do so to my satisfaction today, but I can no longer resist the desire to converse with you.

       On my arrival at Sienna I found my American already settled in very comfortable lodgings And apartments provisionally engaged for me, which I consented to occupy for a week – I should have been fixed there permanently, but for your letters – These served as an Amulet which enabled me to resist all the seductions and encounter all the threats by which I was assailed – I could have been very happy there certainly – A cool residence I feel now to be no slight advantage – There was a good public library – a reading room – And a sufficient variety of company with a promise of immediate introduction to the best Italian conversazioni – There was your acquaintance Prof: Grotanelli – a very scientific man they tell me – to me he was friendly – A polyhistor – half German half Italian A Mr Montrecci  Several Irish families with whom you are acquainted – A Mrs Smyth from Antrim Co: in particular amused me much – These were the attractions – And then the warnings against Florence – It would be tempting providence to rush into a furnace – The Zanzari would suck out all the moisture that the Sun had not dried up already And one’s bones would be calcined in a week – In spight of all this – Under the protection of the aforesaid amulet I effected my escape And on the 15th arrived here – Your letter secured me a most kind reception You did not say a syllable too much in praise of these ladies – Nothing can exceed their attention to me And yet at the same time there is no officiousness nothing intrusive about them – I have very spacious & airy apartments – And every comfort the Season permits – It is hot I must own – 29½ degrees of Reamur in the shade certainly justify the declamations of the good Sanese, but thanks to the same declamations I had wrought myself up to such a resolution that I would not mind the heat,– that in fact I do not – I am as comfortable in that regard as can be – it is true that the Zanzars have not yet made their appearance I can not tell how it will be then – The Zanzareria seems an effectual remedy But will not that be like dying of the Doctor? I dine with my padrone And spend two hours with them in the Evening – A Mr Pieri sometimes there And always Niccolini – It would be impertinent in me to offer a judgement of them to you – As you know him – But there is one great drawback on what would otherwise be the great pleasure of his company. He is the worst speaker of Italian I ever heard – His Italian probably is of the very best – It is incomprehensible how so distinguished a man  -- The Secretary of one learned Academy – An officer in the very Della Crusca itself And in the first line of literati should not have learned to open his lips & let out his words with decorum – They are sent out helter skelter like boys out of school – I cannot, as the Viennese do, cry out every moment was schaffen sie? So am content to conceal my want of comprehension by trying to look wise.  Sometimes I give a look of despair to the ladies And one of them repeats me – After all, this is but a trifle – At my age, it is too late to care about learning refined pronuntciation [sic] – If I did, Florence would not be the place.

       I deliverd your letter to Mr Viessieux – he received me very politely – but owing to a little misunderstanding and a little shyness on my part (a foible I believe you had not given me credit for) it was not till yesterday that I attended his evening party –Tho’ I had a very imperfect enjoyment of it, yet it will be a source of great pleasure & profit to me. I was introduced to Capei yesterday – I like him much – Unluckily in the business of conversation finding I could not express myself in Italian, I talked French  He answered in French And that became our language – I will send this with others – if possible – There were some eight or ten others there all of the right sort – One man especially pleased me – his animated tone & looks and even the clearness of his voice renderd his conversation peculiarly agreeable – This was Georgani – I shall immediately look into his prose writings

       As I shun the English at the Gab: Lit: I have plenty of time for reading – I have been reading Peechio’s Hist: of the Italian Economists which you praised so warmly & with great delight – You will be glad to hear, if ignorant of the fact, that he is living quite at his ease in England being well married  I have just finished Nabucco A bold attempt; but I think the execution not quite successful tho’ it has great beauties – was not this the book concerning which you told me an interestg anecdote in Irish of the Austrian Minister and the J: D: of Tuscany? – But I cannot possibly confine my thoughts to Italian literature – The daily papers will have their daily attention – The French especially. The result of the elections is such as to excite most anxious alarms – Will the Liberals use their victory with moderation? Will the court yield before it is too late? Or will the tremendous attempt be made to reign despotically in defiance of the charters and laws?  If it comes to a conflict, the result might be lamentable at all events –[1]

       My pen <–> me to close –  I really have not courage or terms to ask for a letter. 

       I know you are not like myself an idler – I say only that I have subscribed to the <  > from the 16th I shall then perhaps make an excursion to <  > As to my lodgings at Rome – They ask for the rooms on the Monte d’ Oro Piazza – 35 Scudi a month after 15th Nov: I shall therefore write to Götzenberger to hire an apartmt for me when I can fix the day of my return – How does this very hot weather agree with Mrs French? Have you plaistered up the door of her painting room? Is the Doctor thriving at <  > To the Ladies? to W. Mayer my very best regards

                        Your obliged friend & hble Servt

                                    H. C. Robinson

[1] The remainder of this letter is not included in Ritchie.

Text: Bodleian Library, Oxford, Ms. Eng. Lett., d. 458, fols. 177-78.