Chapter 19

           "L’altravedetech’hafattoallaguanciaDellasuapalma,sospirando,letto."—Purgatorio,vii.

           WhenGeorgetheFourthwasstillreigningovertheprivaciesofWindsor,whentheDukeofWellingtonwasPrimeMinister,andMr.VincywasmayoroftheoldcorporationinMiddlemarch,Mrs.Casaubon,bornDorotheaBrooke,hadtakenherweddingjourneytoRome.Inthosedaystheworldingeneralwasmoreignorantofgoodandevilbyfortyyearsthanitisatpresent.TravellersdidnotoftencarryfullinformationonChristianarteitherintheirheadsortheirpockets;andeventhemostbrilliantEnglishcriticofthedaymistooktheflower-flushedtomboftheascendedVirginforanornamentalvaseduetothepainter’sfancy.Romanticism,whichhashelpedtofillsomedullblankswithloveandknowledge,hadnotyetpenetratedthetimeswithitsleavenandenteredintoeverybody’sfood;itwasfermentingstillasadistinguishablevigorousenthusiasmincertainlong-hairedGermanartistsatRome,andtheyouthofothernationswhoworkedoridlednearthemweresometimescaughtinthespreadingmovement.

           Onefinemorningayoungmanwhosehairwasnotimmoderatelylong,butabundantandcurly,andwhowasotherwiseEnglishinhisequipment,hadjustturnedhisbackontheBelvedereTorsointheVaticanandwaslookingoutonthemagnificentviewofthemountainsfromtheadjoiningroundvestibule.