Chapter I: Front Matter

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Transcriber's note:

Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_).

Small capitals have been replaced by all capitals.

In Part II (page 303) "I^{er}" represents "I" followed by
superscripted "er".

ITALIAN LETTERS OF A DIPLOMAT'S WIFE

* * * * *

7th EDITION

LETTERS OF A DIPLOMAT'S WIFE

By MARY KING WADDINGTON

"A most interesting book of gossip, which, considered from the point of view of the general public, contains not a dull line from the first to the last. The letters have all the freshness of the best class of feminine correspondence."

--_London Athenaeum_.

Illustrated. 8vo. $2.50 Net

CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS

* * * * *

ITALIAN LETTERS OF A DIPLOMAT'S WIFE

January-May, 1880 February-April, 1904

by

MARY KING WADDINGTON

Illustrated from Drawings and Photographs

Charles Scribner's Sons New York :: :: :: :: :: :: 1905

Copyright, 1905, by Charles Scribner's Sons

Published, March, 1905

Trow Directory Printing and Bookbinding Company New York

NOTE

In December, 1879, M. William Henry Waddington resigned the Premiership of France, and the following month, accompanied by his wife, left Paris for a winter of rest and recreation in Italy, chiefly in Rome. The letters from Madame Waddington to her mother and sister, which constitute "Part I" of this volume, describe this journey and residence. Those forming "Part II" relate the incidents of a similar Roman sojourn some twenty years later, M. Waddington having died in the meantime. The two series together compose a picture of life and society in the Italian capital with a wide range of contrast and comparison, corresponding with those of London and Moscow in the well-known "Letters of a Diplomat's Wife" by the same writer.

ILLUSTRATIONS

ELENA, QUEEN OF ITALY _Frontispiece_

FACING
PAGE

MRS. CHARLES KING 12

PRESIDENT CHARLES KING OF COLUMBIA COLLEGE, NEW
YORK CITY 30

THE SPANISH STEPS 52
_In the Piazza di Spagna, Rome._

POPE LEO XIII. 60

KING HUMBERT OF ITALY 66

QUEEN MARGHERITA OF ITALY 76

QUEEN MARGHERITA AND KING HUMBERT 84

QUEEN MARGHERITA AND THE PRINCE OF NAPLES
(PRESENT KING OF ITALY) IN 1880 94

VICTORIA, CROWN PRINCESS OF GERMANY 104

GARDENS OF THE VILLA TORLONIS, FORMERLY VILLA
CONTI, FRASCATI, OPPOSITE THE VILLA MARCONI,
WHERE WE SPENT THE SUMMER OF 1867 108

TOMB OF VINICIANO, BETWEEN FRASCATI AND TUSCULUM 112

GROUNDS OF THE VILLA DORIA-PAMPHILI, ROME 116
_From an unpublished photograph taken about 1869._

POPE PIUS IX. 145

LAST BENEDICTION OF POPE PIUS IX. FROM THE
BALCONY OF ST. PETER'S 158

ST. PETER'S FROM THE PINCIO 172

THE BARBERINI PALACE 238
_The residence of the Storys_

VICTOR EMANUEL III., KING OF ITALY 244

POPE PIUS X. 250

GREAT NEW BRIDGE FROM ALBANO TO ARICCIA 264
_Built by Pope Pius IX_.

ROMAN HUNTSMEN ON THE CAMPAGNA 266
_Ancient Roman aqueduct in the background_

WAITING FOR THE HOUNDS 268

CARDINAL ANTONELLI 288
_From a portrait painted for the Grand Duke of
Saxe-Weimar. From a photograph given to Madame
Waddington by the Hereditary Grand Duchess of
Saxe-Weimar at Rome._

THE DINING-ROOM IN THE BRANCACCIO PALACE 304

ITALIAN LETTERS OF A DIPLOMAT'S WIFE