“Assured on all hands of the success of ‘Lorenzo de’ Medici,’ which has been far beyond any book I remember (and Mr. Hume’s publication of his first volumes is within my memory), we determined to reserve it till we went to Wycombe, and could have the full enjoyment of it free from interruption; and I can venture to assure you that great as our prejudice was in its favour, it exceeded our expectation. Miss Fox has begun to translate the prose pieces in the Appendix, and I am determined to learn Italian without delay. In the mean time we are all suitors to you, to put us into a course of Italian reading, but I am sorry that we must, for the present, confine ourselves to translations. I do not know what the reason is, but Guicciardini is the only book of reputation which I have not been able to get through with pleasure.”
