[Rome—Wednesday, 7 March 1860]
Wednesday 7th Went to the Villa Albani and saw the Antinous. The marble wears the freshness of its youth still as if it would render a perpetual homage to this lovely youth. Here we see the youthful undeveloped strength and beauty of a noble man. The sadness of his fate is foreshadowed on his brow and the drooping Lotus flowers mourn him with their tenderest breath. An exquisite thing!
Dined with Miss Cushman again. Mrs Stowe was there and we had the cosiest time imaginable. She told ghost stories all the evening. She impressed me particularly with a story of her husband to prove to us how distinct his visions are. She says returning unexpectedly home upon some business one day, having started that same day in the morning to take a journey, her husband did not speak to her although he plainly saw her sitting by the fire because he thought it was a vision of herself and must soon fade away. It was not until she coughed and attracted his attention by noises that he would turn about to speak to her.
