But Zenobia is a high, heroic ode.
. . . . On my way up the Via Babuino, I met General Pierce. We have
taken two or three walks together, and stray among the Roman ruins, and
old scenes of history, talking of matters in which he is personally
concerned, yet which are as historic as anything around us. He is
singularly little changed; the more I see him, the more I get him back,
just such as he was in our youth. This morning, his face, air, and smile
were so wonderfully like himself of old, that at least thirty years are
annihilated.
Zenobia's manacles serve as bracelets; a very ingenious and suggestive
idea.
March 18th.--I went to the sculpture-gallery of the Capitol yesterday,
and saw, among other things, the Venus in her secret cabinet. This was
my second view of her: the first time, I greatly admired her; now, she
made no very favorable impression. There are twenty Venuses whom I like
as well, or better. On the whole, she is a heavy, clumsy,
unintellectual, and commonplace figure; at all events, not in good looks
to-day.
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