April 21 Thursday – At the Hotel Molaro in Rome, Susy Clemens wrote to Louise Brownell.

I have never seen a place so busy as Rome. We are only to be here three weeks longer and of course are crowding our time very full. The ancient parts of the city are just as tremendous as I had imagined them but the modern city is dissapointing. The Italians are not one bit as I expected. There is no brilliancy and intellectual vivacity in their faces, but only beastliness and dirt. It is too bad with their wonderful dark coloring it seems as if they might be so much more. … The other day we spent the morning at Mr. Vedder’s studio. It seemed the richest place I was ever in! There was so much spirituality and intellect in the pictures. So much suggestiveness beside all the beauty of color and drawing. The rooms seemed full of eternal things. He explained the ideas and titles of the pictures so we could get right into the heart and soul of them all. …

Aunt Sue and I go to Naples for a few days tomorrow [Cotton 101135-7]. Note: the letter was postmarked with this date.