4

4
for this court has more exclusiveness and
red tape than are sufficient for half a dozen.

They most pleasant voyager however I
have met, was Mrs Potter Palmer. She staid
here with Mr Palmer for 10 days, and is without any
exception the most intelligent and best informed
woman I have met any where. No blue stocking
either -- just a charming, natural and thoroughly
well educated woman. She takes home with her
more knowledge of what should interest here, than
any one I have seen. On the go all the time, & knew
(far beyond any guidebook), all those things that
give historic interest to the city. Thus she knew
what she wanted to see. I took her to tea with the
Grand Vizeir (a charming man) who fell in love with
her, as he told me. Then, next day she dined with
the Grand Vizeir's wife in a portion of the palace of
which I knew nothing. I just received a long
letter from her at Rome, giving me an account of her
audiences with the Pope, and with the Queen of Italy
who she describes as a sweet(?) intellectual woman