Gibson. 805 



balcony, where we often sat and received in the 

 warm summer evenings. My daughters had adorned 

 it and the garden with rare creepers, shrubs, and 

 flowers, 



We had a visit from our friend Gibson, as he 

 passed through Florence on his way to Switzerland. 

 He told us the history of his early life, as given in 

 his biography, and much that is not mentioned there. 

 He was devotedly attached to the Queen, and spoke of 

 her in his simple manner as a charming lady. ' 



Miss Hosmer was travelling with Gibson, an 

 American young lady, who was his pupil, and 

 of whose works he was very proud. He looked 

 upon her as if she had been his daughter, and 

 she took care of him ; for he was careless and 

 forgetful when travelling. I have the sincerest 

 pleasure in expressing my admiration for Miss 

 Hosmer, who has proved by her works that our 

 sex possesses both genius and originality in the 

 highest branches of art. 



It was at Florence that I first met my dear friend 

 and constant correspondent, Frances Power Cobbe. 

 She is the cleverest and most agreeable woman I 

 ever met with, and one of the best. There is a dis- 

 tant connection between us, as one of her ancestors 

 married a niece of Lord Fairfax, the Parliamentary 

 general, many of whose letters are in the posses- 



