1825-1826] Frank Wedgwood at Maer 175 



Barbara would not drink. Wednesday. Got wet. Thurs- 

 day. Ditto. Friday. Ditto twice. Saturday. Counted 21 

 carts going to market; the fire went out; told the boy to 

 light it again, which he did; thought the damsons tasted 

 salt; Jos said " No, it was fancy." Jos's journal I have not 

 seen, but I believe it is conciser than mine. Apropos to 

 journals it would save you much trouble if you were to 

 write a family journal, for they must all be exactly the same ; 

 do not let me find " excessively ' more than once a day 

 in it. 



My love to all of you, 



Your affectionate brother, F. W. 



Josiah Wedgwood to his wife (at Chene). 



SORRENTO, May 24, 1825. 



. . . All these boasted places only confirm my preference 

 of England and of Maer. I am quite surprised at the 

 attachment of your sisters to Rome, especially as I suppose 

 they had not a carriage constantly, for the filthy habits of 

 the people and the total neglect of the police as to clean- 

 liness, make the town very disagreeable even for a man to 

 walk about in, and intolerable I should have supposed for 

 English women. As one instance, towards evening you 

 every now and then hear vessels emptied of water, or some 

 less innocent contents, from the windows of the houses, 

 without notice ; and as far as I could ever perceive without 

 the precaution of looking whether the street was clear. . . . 

 I believe I shall quit this country without any desire ever 

 to return to it, but if possible with a deeper detestation of 

 the principles which cause its degradation, and a more 

 heartfelt approbation of the contrary ones which are in 

 operation in our own happy country, and of the men who 

 are supporting them. I don't know whether the Italians 

 are subject to the same annoyance, or whether, if subject 

 they become insensible to it, but the mere importunity of 

 the miserable beggars that you meet with at every step, 

 and who ask for alms with loud cries and as much earnest- 



