274 BERTHA'S VISIT TO HER 



most amiable disposition, and a most grateful 

 heart. His good old grandmother lived to see 

 the success and the excellence of the object of 

 her care; and Canova, who cherished every affec- 

 tionate feeling, enjoyed that first of pleasures 

 the repaying former benefits. After the death 

 of his grandfather he brought her to reside with 

 him at Rome, and his friends still remember his 

 tender anxiety to make the close of her life 

 happy. 



" Canova sculptured the bust of his grand- 

 mother, in the dress of her native province, which 

 was the same as that of Titian's mother ; and 

 this bust he kept in his own apartment. Point- 

 ing it out one day to a visiter, he said, with 

 much emotion, f That is a piece which I greatly 

 value ; it is the likeness of her to whom I owe 

 as much as it is possible for one human being to 

 owe to another;' adding, ' you see she is dressed 

 nearly as Titian's mother ; but unless affection 

 renders me a partial judge, my grandmother is 

 much the finer old woman.' " 



. Mary has a most enviable memory; 

 she has just been entertaining me with what she 

 read in Waddington's travels in Dongola. 



She says, the houses there are either a sort 

 of mud fortresses intended for defence, or else 

 low cottages of straw and branches, tied together 

 with bands, and supported at each corner by 



