FLORIAN - The Most Traveled Man on Earth

My little Azelia is growing to be very beautiful. She resembles George very much,
especially since he is so thin. Poor George! It really pains us to see him so. I am sorry
now not to have consented to make the voyage north this year. I am sure we would have
found it a benefit to him.
I see by the paper that Lewis Mark has been named as consul to Holland or in Germany
or in Flanders. I cannot recall which; but I think he takes his wife with him. I am sorry
on your account, for you would have found in her a very agreeable acquaintance in a City
which [does not have] the reputation of making strangers welcome.
Do not fail to especially to give us a long description of all the things you see, for you
know my taste. Dead Nature does not possess great attraction for me, but Nature
animated by living Summer speaks to me and interprets infinitely more.
Virginie, you tell of the good and bad qualities, etc. Azelia, catch the ridiculous which
lose nothing in the repeating. You will say, dear Azelia, that from the older Sister I
demand the nicest things. What would you? Each one to their taste. And although I do
not love the caricatures, I love true nature, and you must admit that they are not very
different. No, I am mistaken, it is not true nature which approaches the caricature, it is
the pretensions and varieties of <strong>Man</strong>kind which gives them turnings and simulations
which render them ridiculous. However (excuse me, my dear Sisters, for my gabble), is
there a nation more imitated than the Italians? And according to Madame de Stail [?]
they have not any pretensions. It must be believed, therefore, that the Italians are full of
animation and imitation.
Dear Sisters, write us at length and often, and you, dear Virginie, do not be so stingy in
what you may have to tell us, for the only fault that can be found with your letters is that
they are too short. <strong>The</strong>y are not more than a mouth full, and one wishes for a repast. <strong>The</strong>
children charge [me] to embrace you tenderly. Give my compliments to Madame Russell
and family. Say many tender things to your husband for me, dear Virginie, and believe
me your friend and sister
Laura E. Bowers
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