PREFACE. Ir was during a residence at Florence that I first formed an acquaintance with the late Odoardo Volpi. He was as eager in his attachment to English literature as I was to that of Italy; and by rendering each other mutual assistance in our pursuits, we soon became intimate friends. His literary taste, however, was principally directed towards poetry, while mine is attracted much more by compositions in prose. Signor Volpi was a person of a wandering turn of mind; and, perhaps, had he attached himself to one pursuit, instead of many, he might have done something to make himself remembered: but he had an equal liking for the three sister arts, and was to be found at one time painting pictures, in the style of the old Italian masters; |