Elizabeth Barrett to Hugh Stuart Boyd, July 1832: 'I have read Hebrew regularly every day since I told you of my beginning Genesis, -- and I am now more than half way through Genesis, & begin to relax a little from the lexicon. From its being a primitive language it is very interesting in a philosophical point of view. I like to find the roots of words & ideas at the same time [...] I am glad I thought of having recourse to it, for if it had no other advantage, it has at least given a change of air to my mind. I have been reading besides, two Italian novels -- one by Manzani [sic], entitled the Betrothed, which, tho' heavy enough sometime, is very well written & very amiably written. The other is a continuation of the story, by a different & an unequal writer'.