304i Mary Somerville. 



longer time. Nothing could equal the unwearied 

 kindness of our friends during my illness. 



When I was able to travel, we went to Genoa for 

 the winter, and lived on the second floor of a large 

 house on the Acqua Sola, and overlooking the sea. 

 Here first began our friendship with the Marchesa 

 Teresa Doria, whose maiden name was Durazzo ; in 

 her youth one of the handsomest women in Genoa, 

 a lady distinguished for her generous character and 

 cultivated mind, and who fearlessly avowed her 

 opinions at a time when it was a kind of disgrace to 

 be called a Liberal. Her youngest son, Giacomo, 

 has devoted his life to the study of natural history, 

 and his mother used all her influence to encourage 

 and help him in a pursuit so unusual amongst 

 people of rank in this country. Later, he travelled 

 in Persia for two years, to make collections, and 

 since then resided for a long time in Borneo, and is 

 now arranging a museum in his native city. The 

 Marchesa has always been a warm and devoted 

 friend to me and mine. 



It was here that we got our dear old parrot Lory, 

 who is still alive and merry. 



* * * * 



Our next move was to Florence, where we already 

 knew many people. We had a lease of a house in 

 Via del Mandorlo, which had a small garden and a 



