Autograph letter signed with initials : Rome, to Emily Napier, 1829 March 14.

Describing all he has seen and is doing in Rome; giving her his schedule through the end of May and telling her where to direct her letters to him; expressing his concern for her brother George; referring to her reluctance to visit the Continent and her fear of the heat there and describing the colder weather he has found in his travels; describing Rome saying "Rome is one huge show-place: and the calls upon one's curiosity, one's love of the arts, & one's early recollections & appreciation, are so endless that I find myself tired without being satisfied. I wish that we could go away for a fortnight, & return again refreshed and sobered. I will not attempt, at present at least, to give you any description of what one sees here: but I will tell you simply how far some of the greatest of the great objects have suited my task or have satisfied my pre-conceptions. There is hardly an antique building which has not disappointed me, except the Pantheon, which is indescribably grand; - and perhaps the arch of Constantine, tho' we know that it is only made up of parts stolen by that arch-thief from noble buildings, & is disfigured by the few additions made by his own degenerate stone-cutters.;" describing in detail and at length other monuments of Rome and paintings he has viewed; giving his opinion of Michaelangelo and the Sistine Chapel saying "There is little left of his painting but the Sistine Chapel; and that one sees very imperfectly one sees that in greatness of conception & rigour of design he outstripped all rivalry: but in touching on the extreme of the sublime, he touches also upon extravagance & caricatura: nor have I seen anything in his work to make me believe him susceptible of Grace;" discussing the social life he has found in Rome saying "I came to Rome supposing that I should find no English acquaintances, and that we might give ourselves up to exploring the wonders of the Eternal City all day, & to making notes of them all the Evening. But a different fate has awaited us; and there is almost too much dissipation for my boys, and too many invitations to myself. I am obliged to accept some of them for the sake of getting the boys, & Charles in particular into the best society. Old acquaintance with the Dalrymple Hamiltons, & the Cadogans has brought us at once into the 'Exclusive Set';" relating news of his health and telling her that they have all been "Invalids" with colds; concluding "I must not say anything upon the Catholick question, for you know how heartily I enter into your feelings: and it adds to the pleasure which the thing itself gives me, to see you made so thoroughly happy."