L30/14/394/6

From Cardinal Valenti, Mantua to 2nd Baron Grantham [Madrid]. {Text in French]:

12 Oct 1777

From: 1777 To: 1777

Translated: My dear Milord, You cannot believe the pleasure I felt on receiving your letter, full of the familiar signs of your friendship towards me. I give you infinite thanks for it, and I protest that I will always keep with me the kindnesses you have done me and I will be unceasingly eager to find opportunities to show you my gratitude. The moment has arrived for my departure for Rome, but as at my arrival I could not avoid the formalities, visits from bores, unavoidable for someone who has been absent from it for more than 13 years, I want to make good use of these last days of repose in my homeland, in writing to you these few lines, which I hope you will have the goodness to regard as a sign of the sincere respect which I profess for you. You will find attached to this letter My dear Ambassador, the complete acquittance of my debt for the medal of the Reigning Supreme Pontiff, struck this year. In contemplating the reverse pray do not have too great an idea of my Court as one would of one that finds itself in so flourishing a state as to be able to found new towns. It would be enough in the present circumstances that it might be able to maintain the old ones. It was an idea of the late Pope because these poor folk were situated in such bad air that unless humanitarian principles were lacking, they could not be left there. You will receive in time, by the channel of Mons Antoine Garelli, a case from this country, and a print by Jules Romain, which I hope you will take the trouble to examine, and afterwards to tell me your feelings with complete frankness, if you find yourself able to do it. I ask this of you so much the more because the one who undertook this work and who has planned to make engravings of all the paintings of Casolle de Troja by the same author, whom you must know by reputation, would not want to expose himself to criticism. Make use of the flowers in whatever way seems good to you, but I would very much like them to be reserved for she who will not delay in being good company for you. The Commander, who sends his respects to you and your brother, begs you to accept another box of little flowers which he gives you the liberty to distribute to all your young ladies. (The Maltese[?Knights of Malta] are not as scrupulous as Cardinals), and encloses a copy of the book which was dedicated to him. You will see that although it comes from the pen of a Spaniard it lacks neither decency of language nor solidity in its way of treating the subject. You are therefore in company with him, but in truth another subject should have been chosen, which would have been more to your taste. Up till now I have said nothing to you of Mons Woods book on Homer because I have not had it in my hands: it was sent directly to me in Rome. I do not know whether I will find it there because in the note I was given about the case which contains it, I fear very much that it is not that one , and that Mons le B de Gran Pre has made a mistake. In Rome I will see what is the matter and I will tell you something of it afterwards. The excellent idea that you have given me of the new History of the Discovery of America by Robertson gave me a great desire to have it. I will have it looked for hereabouts, but in any case, at the first opportunity do me the pleasure of telling me where I can find it in France because it has been translated , as has been done with his other works. I have no less of a desire to have the journeys with [planks ? rafts] of your latest bold navigators, they must be curious. It seems that I see bad temper in the large rooms of St Ildephonse for the birth of the second Princess, and I believe that nothing less than the presence of the Dowager Queen of Portugal is needed to calm it. Everyone is talking of this journey , some give her one motive , others another . For me , I will suspend judgement until you tell me yours, with the promise that I will keep it under lock and key. I believed that our dear Portuguese Ambassador was to have spent the winter in Lisbon , but from what you tell me, I see that he will display all his magnificence in Madrid. Will the Little One[Fem] have a part in it? Give him, that is to say the Ambassador, my compliments, and the same to our dear Comte Masin. Apparently the Venetian Ambassador would not want to do less than the Portuguese, so prepare yourself for great things in the month of December. If the F[ather] Pozzi does not have a care in the Spanish climate, I predict that he will not see Italy again. I know that he eats and drinks without restraint which is not for his age. If you judge it suitable , greet him on my behalf. From the letters I receive from our dear Gazola, it seems that he is very gay and grows younger every day, I rejoice very much and as |I am replying to him by this post I do not ask anything from you for him. My dear Ambassador, as I finish I simply offer my deep respect to your very dear brother, and I am with the most sincere friendship, Your servant and friend , Le Card Valenti.

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Garelli,
Romano, Giulio,
Romain,
Gazola,
Pozzi