DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.52801#0132
128 MR. BUCHANAN'S IMPORTATIONS—Italy.
nailed to the side of the box. Having been put
up in a book and carelessly torn out, some words
are wanting at one side ; an Italian translation
may be seen in Baldinucci’s life of Bernini.”
As stated in the above letter, Mr. Irvine set off
shortly afterwards, a second time, to Genoa, in
search of objects of a high class, and his letter
from thence will show of what importance his re-
searches were likely to prove, as, had he succeeded
to the full extent, he must have acquired some
objects such as even the National Gallery of France
could not boast of. Neither exertions nor expense
were spared to bring the same to a favourable
issue, and if these did not succeed to the full ex-
tent, no blame could attach to those who had
planned the acquisition of them.
Genoa, 30th April, 1803.
“ I arrived here yesterday evening after a
fatiguing journey, having been obliged to climb
over the precipices of the Riviera di Levant?, as
the sea was too rough to make the usual passage
from Lerice. During the whole of this day I
have been upon the look-out and collecting in-
formation, part of which seems rather favourable,
and part the reverse. Of the latter kind I reckon
the change which has taken place with the pro-
prietor of the Albano and Guido, formerly men-
tioned, who is now determined not to sell, but per-
nailed to the side of the box. Having been put
up in a book and carelessly torn out, some words
are wanting at one side ; an Italian translation
may be seen in Baldinucci’s life of Bernini.”
As stated in the above letter, Mr. Irvine set off
shortly afterwards, a second time, to Genoa, in
search of objects of a high class, and his letter
from thence will show of what importance his re-
searches were likely to prove, as, had he succeeded
to the full extent, he must have acquired some
objects such as even the National Gallery of France
could not boast of. Neither exertions nor expense
were spared to bring the same to a favourable
issue, and if these did not succeed to the full ex-
tent, no blame could attach to those who had
planned the acquisition of them.
Genoa, 30th April, 1803.
“ I arrived here yesterday evening after a
fatiguing journey, having been obliged to climb
over the precipices of the Riviera di Levant?, as
the sea was too rough to make the usual passage
from Lerice. During the whole of this day I
have been upon the look-out and collecting in-
formation, part of which seems rather favourable,
and part the reverse. Of the latter kind I reckon
the change which has taken place with the pro-
prietor of the Albano and Guido, formerly men-
tioned, who is now determined not to sell, but per-