[Venice—Friday, 7 June 1889]
We took Wm Story to Lido, to see “Browning’s House”; i.e. the great unfinished wooden villa, began for V. Emanuel at Quattro Fontane, wh. Browning wd. like to end his days in, & where last year we went almost daily for 2½ months. Views of Venice & Laguna most beautiful. Sat in its hall & discussed Browning’s poetry. Returning, Story talked of Landor, turned on to the highway at noon of a summers day by his family—like Lear whom he so resembled in looks & character. Story & Browning took him in. His fury at a book wh. began with ‘but.’
