166 A Century of Family Letters [CHAP, xin 



party in the Church of England, and this loss made them 

 adopt a rigid form of that creed which seemed narrow to the 

 Josiah Wedgwoods. 



In the autumn of 1 824 a scheme had begun to mature for 

 the Maer family making a long tour to Switzerland and Italy. 

 Many preparations for the journey were discussed in the 

 letters to and from Geneva, and one perceives how serious 

 an affair it then was to take a large party abroad. Amongst 

 other arrangements two carriages had to be bought. Bessy 

 wrote to Jessie Sismondi asking her to get evening gowns 

 for the girls, which she appeared to think could be made by 

 simply giving the length of their skirts, with a remark that 

 they are not fond of having their things tight. But Eliza- 

 beth more practically added: " Unless your mantua maker is 

 a witch, it is impossible she should make our bodies, so do 

 not trouble her about the size." 



They went by Paris to Geneva. Bessy gave up an evening 

 to visiting Madame Collos. In a former letter hi speaking of a 

 proposed visit of the Sismondis to Paris, Bessy wrote to Jessie 

 (April 8, 1822): "When you go to Paris how will you get 

 off from the Grande Truanderie ? It will be something of a 

 bore, though my heart smites me while I write it. It would 

 not however be necessary for you to do so much duty as it 

 would be for me, if I were at Paris. I sometimes think it 

 would be difficult to do, as Kitty [Mackintosh] says she 

 always does, ' exactly the right thing.' This reminds me 

 of my mother who never neglected any humble friend or 

 relation, especially if their society was not found generally 

 amusing, yet never took an exacting view of the duties of 

 others. 



It was decided that Bessy's health would not allow her to 

 join in the Italian tour, so after the whole party had been 

 five weeks at Geneva, Jos and the four daughters, with 

 Henri the Courier, set off on the 8th of March to cross Mont 

 Cenis, Bessy staying behind with the Sismondis. Elizabeth 

 wrote to her mother from Aix to express her ' longing 

 desire " that she could have been of the party, and said " it 

 has felt to-day like anything but a party of pleasure." 



The Sismondis, after the departure of the Italian party, 

 made their annual move to their little campagne two or three 

 miles out of Geneva. 



