278 Travels in Italy 



dropped it. It is remarkable how many writers on this subject 

 there are at present at Florence: the two Fabbronis,. Lastri, 

 Zucchino, Targioni, Paoletti, whom I am to visit in the country, 

 attended by Signore Amoretti; they say he is the most practical 

 of all, having resided constantly on his farm. I spent an hour 

 very agreeably, contemplating one statue to-day, namely, 

 Bandinelli's copy of the Laocoon, which is a production that does 

 honour to modem ages ; I did not want this copy to remind me 

 of another most celebrated one, and of the many very agreeable 

 and instructive hours I have spent with its noble owner the 

 Earl of Orford. 



215/. Signore Tartini had engaged the Abbate Amoretti 

 and myself to go this day to his country seat, but it rained in- 

 cessantly. The chmate of Italy is such as will not make many 

 men in love with it ; on my conscience, I think that of England 

 infinitely preferable. — If there were not great powers of evapora- 

 tion it would be uninhabitable. It has rained, more or less, for 

 five weeks past; and more, I should conceive, has fallen than in 

 England in a year. In the evening to the conversazione of 

 Signore Fabbroni, where I met Signore Pella, director of the 

 gallery; Signore Gaietano Rinaldi, director of the posts; 

 another gentleman, administrator of the grand duke's domains, 

 I forget his name; the Abbate Amoretti, etc. — It gave me 

 pleasure to find that the company did not assemble in order to 

 converse on the trivial nonsense of common topics, like so many 

 coteries in all countries. They very readily joined in the dis- 

 cussions I had with Signore Fabbroni; and Signora Fabbroni 

 herself, who has an excellent understanding, did the same. By 

 the way, this lady is young, handsome, and well made : if Titian 

 were alive, he might form from her a Venus not inferior to those 

 he has immortalised on his canvas; for it is evident that his 

 originals were real and not ideal beauty. Signora Fabbroni is 

 here, but where is Titian to be found ? 



22nd. In the forenoon to the conversazione of the senator 

 Marchese Ginori, where were assembled some of the literati, etc., 

 of Florence; the Cavaliere Fontana, so well knowm in England 

 for his eudiometrical experiments, Zucchino, Lastri, Amoretti, 

 the Marchese Pacci, who has a reputation here for his know- 

 ledge of rural affairs, Signore Pella, etc. The conversazioni are 

 commonly in an evening, but the Marchese Ginori's is regularly 

 once a week in a morning; this nobleman received me very 

 politely: indeed he is famous for his attention to every object 

 that is really of importance; converses rationally on agriculture. 



