Pushing People. 275 



where many of the guests formed a singular contrast 

 with the beautiful Princess, who was of the historical 

 family of the Colonnas. I was often ashamed of 

 my countrymen, who, all the while speaking of 

 the Italians with contempt, tried to force themselves 

 into their houses. Prince Borqhese refused the 



O 



same person an invitation to a ball five times. I 

 was particularly scrupulous about invitations, and 

 never asked for one in my life ; nor did I ever seek 

 to make acquaintances with the view of being in- 

 vited to their houses. 



***** 

 [The following letters give a sketch of life during the 

 summer months at Borne : 



MRS. SOMERVILLE TO W. GREIG, ESQ. 



ROME, 3rd Aiignst, 1845. 

 MY DEAR "WORONZOW, 



I am glad you are so much pleased 



with my bust, and that it is so little injured after having 

 been at the bottom of the sea. You will find Macdonald 

 a very agreeable and original person. As to spending the 

 summer in Rome, you may make yourself quite easy, for 

 the heat is very bearable, the thermometer varying 

 between 75 and 80 in our rooms during the day, which 

 are kept in darkness, and at night it always becomes 

 cooler. Thank God, we are all quite well, and Somerville 

 particularly so; he goes out during the day to amuse 



ri 



