[Venice—Monday, 10 December 1888]
Went at 5 PM. to say good bye, as RB leaves Venice at 9, next AM. Evidently sorry to go. Sd a French admirer telegd he shd lie in wait to travel to Boulogne with them. ‘Rather he didn’t.’ They went at 9 AM. slept at Milan, Basel, Amiens. Kind [to] A. at parting. His stay at Venice greatly improved his health & strength, wh. were impaired by late dinners in London—so that his son said that when he arrd (at Primiero) he could hardly walk. Any question of coming here next year, he commonly evaded, as if life & health were too uncertain for him to presume upon– But to his son he sd he shd. come & stay long. He was engaged with correctg proofs of the new Ed. in 16 vols. now issued monthly—of wh. we have the only set in Venice.
