ITALY 131 



had a long conversation with the Grand Duke, who surprised him 

 by his ability and the extent of his scientific knowledge. They 

 visited Volterra, where de Saussure noted the boracic acid works 

 and the marine shells in the Etruscan walls. From Leghorn he 

 boldly sailed to visit the iron mines in the island of Elba, and then, 

 passing through Pisa and Siena, came to Rome. All he finds to 

 say of Pisa is that, though very decayed, it has a good Museum 

 of Natural History and an Observatory. 



Voltaire, as has been recorded, had furnished him with an 

 introduction to the Cardinal de Bernis, the French Ambassador 

 at Rome, who was also a poet, an ex-minister, and a man of the 

 world. Its terms were an honour both to giver and receiver. 

 ' De Saussure,' writes Voltaire, ' is one of the first scientific 

 men in Europe, and his modesty is equal to his knowledge.' The 

 Cardinal secured for him and his brother-in-law, Turrettini, who 

 was of the party, a private audience with the Pope, Clement xiv. 

 They were received, writes de Saussure, ' with the simplicity 

 and cordiality of a good Prior who offers to strangers the 

 hospitality of his convent.' The genial Pope was so charmed 

 with the little Albertine that he not only blessed but kissed her, 

 and then turned to one of his Cardinals with the clerical joke : 

 ' H faut que je me confesse, parce que je viens d'embrasser une 

 jolie fille.' Her delighted mother wrote home : * Albertine 's story 

 is true. The Pope and the Cardinals talk of nothing but her ; all 

 Rome is enchanted, and I am enchanted with Rome.' On the 

 first visit of the family to Ferney after their return the honour 

 was duly recounted to Voltaire, to whom it had been mainly due. 

 ' Well,' he exclaimed, ' since you have been kissed by the Pope, 

 it is only fair you should be kissed by the Antipope.' This was 

 not the only benediction the little Albertine received on her 

 travels. On their way home her parents stopped at Berne, and 

 she was taken to see ' le grand Haller.' In after years she de- 

 scribed her recollection of the scene : ' Haller was very old and 

 enveloped in a great dressing-gown, and I passed under an 

 enormous table at which he was seated, to receive his blessing.' 



After three weeks at Rome, where de Saussure made some 

 excursions with an English antiquarian and virtuoso named James 

 Byers, and found the prodigies of art occupied him far more than 

 he had expected, ' since true beauty attracts and transports even 



