[Countess Theresa Pulszky, wife of Hungarian nationalist Count Ferenc Pulszky.] Autograph Letter Signed, in English, to Sabilla Novello, describing her ‘Dante festivals’ and artistic activities in Florence.

The Pulskys had fled Austria-Hungary during the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, and while in London the Countess had published her well-received ‘Memoirs of a Hungarian Lady’. They would only be allowed back under an imperial amnesty in the year after this letter in 1866. The recipient, Sabilla Novello, was the daughter of London music publisher Vincent Novello, and sister of Alfred and Clara Novello [the ‘Countess Gigliucci’ referred to in the letter], all three of whom have entries in the Oxford DNB. 4pp, 12mo. On bifolium. Aged and worn, with archival tape repair to extremities, and slight loss at top outer corners of both leaves, resulting in loss of the last two letters of ‘Costa’ in the address. Seventy lines of text. Signed ‘Therese Pulszky’. The first paragraph reads: ‘My dear Miss Novello / Far from being comforted at your and Mr. Alfred’s absence during the Dante festivals we are still lamenting it. If you had seen how nicely we had arranged everything for you! The Marchisio sang Gounod, Becker played his splendid violin gloriously, Salvini and Rossi recited at our party which we had combined for you, with a tableau of Dante, Beatrice, Gemma Donati etc etc in the garden, illuminations by bon-fires, about 350 guests were assembled, all for you and you did not come. Oh! Sabilla what ought not to be fine for such transgression!’ The letter continues with news of ‘Lamonica’ and his ‘portraits and frames’ (‘Will you come on a visit to us to see the portraits to suggest any alteration before they are dispatched?’), and plans for a trip to Leghorn. She reports that they have had ‘plenty of trouble since we saw you about the management of our afairs in Hungary[.] but likewise plenty of pleasure’: ‘One great enjoyment to me was to play classic music with Becker’. She reports that ‘Harriet is rosy and bright, singing like a lark’, ‘Mr. Pulszky is busy in many ways; my mother is pretty well and does not feel uncomfortable; Charlie, Poli and Garibaldi are growing and shouting; - all remember you and Mr. Alfred’. She ends by informing her that ‘Galori has brought a drawing for you’, and asking whether ‘Countess Gigliucci’ is ‘with her family in Genoa’.