Thetravellersconsultedtheresidentsintheirpurchasesofcopiesoftheoldmasters，fortherewerefashionsintheseluxuriesasineverythingelse。Therewasarunatthattimeonthe\"MadonnaintheChair；\"and\"BeatriceCenci\"waslongprimefavorite。
Thousandsofthelatterleeringandwinkingoverhereverlastingshoulder，weresolemnlysenthomeeachyear。Nooneeverdreamedofbuyinganoriginalpainting!Thetouristsalsodevelopedatasteforlargemarblestatues，\"Nydia，theBlindGirlofPompeii\"
peoplereadBulwer，ByronandtheBiblethenbeinginsuchdemandthatIknewoneblockinlowerFifthAvenuethatpossessedsevenblindNydias，alllife-size，inwhitemarble，-aformofdecorationaboutaswelladaptedtothosescantyfrontparlorsasasteamengineoracarriageandpairwouldhavebeen。IfearBulwer\'sheroineisatadiscountnow，andoftenwonderasIseethoseoldresidencesturningintoshops，whathasbecomeofthesevenwhiteelephantsandalltheirbrothersandsistersthatourinnocentparentsbroughtsoproudlybackfromItaly!Ihavesucceededinlocatingtwostatuesevidentlyimportedatthattime。
Theygracethebackstepsofarathershabbyvillainthecountry，-DemosthenesandCicero，largerthanlife，dreary，funerealmemorialsofthefolliesofourfathers。
Thesimpledayswehavebeenspeakingofdidnot，however，outlastthecirclethatinauguratedthem。About1867afewrichNewYorkersbegan\"tryingtoknowtheItalians\"andgoaboutwiththem。