S------ was not in the least degree excited about this or any other
subject. He uttered neither passion nor poetry, but excellent good
sense, and accurate information on whatever subject transpired; a very
pleasant man to associate with, but rather cold, I should imagine, if one
should seek to touch his heart with one's own. He shook hands kindly all
round, but not with any warmth of gripe; although the ease of his
deportment had put us all on sociable terms with him.

At seven o'clock we went by invitation to take tea with Miss Bremer.
After much search, and lumbering painfully up two or three staircases in
vain, and at last going about in a strange circuity, we found her in a
small chamber of a large old building, situated a little way from the
brow of the Tarpeian Rock. It was the tiniest and humblest domicile that
I have seen in Rome, just large enough to hold her narrow bed, her
tea-table, and a table covered with books,--photographs of Roman ruins,
and some pages written by herself. I wonder whether she be poor.
Probably so; for she told us that her expense of living here is only five
pauls a day. She welcomed us, however, with the greatest cordiality and
lady-like simplicity, making no allusion to the humbleness of her
environment (and making us also lose sight of it, by the absence of all
apology) any more than if she were receiving us in a palace. There is
not a better bred woman; and yet one does not think whether she has any
breeding or no. Her little bit of a round table was already spread for
us with her blue earthenware teacups; and after she had got through an
interview with the Swedish Minister, and dismissed him with a hearty
pressure of his hand between both her own, she gave us our tea, and some
bread, and a mouthful of cake. Meanwhile, as the day declined, there had
been the most beautiful view over the campagna, out of one of her
windows; and, from the other, looking towards St. Peter's, the broad