1832-1834] Baroness Bunsen 261 



had a bit of praise from Mr Clifford which greatly pleased 

 ine. The day after he had seen me thus employed he said, 

 " How I like that making the most of odd times ! it is what 

 everybody ought to do, and what / never do ! and thus I 

 have done nothing, and learnt nothing in my life." Mr 

 Clifford's being here is a great pleasure to us : he is really a 

 delightful person, entering into everything and enjoying 

 everything like a child. 1 



William Clifford to Madame Sismondi. 



[ROME], May 4th [1834]. 



. . . My two nieces have had anything but a pleasant 

 winter. Emily had not been three days in Rome before she 

 caught small-pox. The effects of it lasted till we were 

 about departure, and then by way of finale she caught 

 scarlet fever, but now she is got pretty well and ready to 

 catch something else. This threw us sadly out of the great 

 occupation of society. You may suppose we were not very 

 popular, having nothing to give people but contagion. But 

 we did not much care for them, not having M. Sis. to fight 

 for us. Ld. and Ly. James Hay were very civil and we 

 fancied them much, but they were very much occupied so 

 we did not often meet. The girl is just what you say, so 

 sunny and cheerful, and certainly made after the old receipt 

 of making your hay when the sun shines. They are gone 

 and everybody else also. We are always the survivors. 

 Ly. Davy is on the brink of departure. I have never yet 

 told her of your kindness to cows and keeping a neighbour 

 by way of company to your own, which I hope will atone 

 for your cruelty to horses. Miss Mackenzie to say the truth 

 is uncommonly agreeable, and makes me waste a great deal 

 of time in scolding her horrid uncomfortable ways. Your 

 family are good for nothing about writing, so I know none of 

 their adventures. I was at a wedding yesterday (Palazzo 

 Cafferalli), which brought many a tear to my eye, foolish 



1 Life and Letters of Frances, Baroness Bunsen, vol. i., p. 404. 



