[Rome—Sunday, 4 March 1860]
Sunday 4th Charming breakfast at Mrs Story’s. I sat between Mr Story and Mr Newton. Had a very long pleasant conversation with the latter mostly upon the advantages or disadvantages of the established church. He supported. I contested its worth. Browning sat opposite to us and Jamie and Theodore Parker near Mrs Story. We left early to meet the Pages in order to visit with them the Baths of Caracalla. We lunched high up among the ruins looking over the rolling sea-like Campagna and the heavenly beauty of those hills. The Pages dined with us and we found ourselves too tired for Mr Apthorp’s nice party where Browning &c. &c. were discoursing aesthetically all the evening.
