III. L’ESTERELLE 529

quick intelligence and perfect feeling; so that I was soon able, with their mother’s strong help, to make them understand the essential qualities both of good painting and sculpture. Rose went on into geology; but only far enough to find another play-name for me-“Archigosaurus.” This was meant partly to indicate my scientific knowledge of Depths and Ages; partly to admit me more into family relations, her mother having been named, by her cleverest and fondest friend, “Lacerta,”-to signify that she had the grace and wisdom of the serpent, without its poison.

And things went on,-as good girls will know how, through all that winter;-in the spring, the Fates brought the first whirlpool into the current of them, in that (I forget exactly why) it was resolved that they should live by the Cascine of Florence in the spring, and on the Lung’ Arno, instead of in the Park by the Serpentine. But there was the comfort for me that Rosie was really a little sorry to go away; and that she understood in the most curious way how sorry I was.

57. Some wise, and prettily mannered, people have told me I shouldn’t say anything about Rosie at all. But I am too old now to take advice, and I won’t have this following letter-the first she ever wrote me-moulder away, when I can read it no more, lost to all loving hearts.

NICE, Monday, March 18th.

DEAREST S^T. CRUMPET-I am so sorry-I couldn’t write before, there wasn’t one bit of time-I am so sorry you were dis_sappointed-I only got yr letter yesterday (Sunday), & we only got to Nice late on Saturday afternoon-So I have got up so early this morning to try & get a clear hour before breakfast to write to you, which you see I’m doing-So you thought of us, dear S^t. Crumpet, & we too thought so much of you-Thank you very much for the Diary letter; it was so nice of you to write so long a one-I have so much to tell you too Archigosaurus so I will begin from Dover, & tell what befel us up to Nice-Emily asks me to say that she did a picture at Dover of Dover Castle in a fog-I think it was to please you-Well we had a roughish passage, but we*

* I leave pauses where the old pages end.-J. R.

XXXV. 2 L

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