LOL on the Italian beauty score, and sigh on Acton, as in his own book, bashing German widows who refuse to be fleeced by Italian wastrels.

Algarotti: Venetian or Florentine, either way, we're more passionate than you northerners!

Various Tsarinas and their lovers would like to doubt that theory. In particular, Poniatowski, Grigorii Orlov and Potemkin in a rare, unparalleled example of unanimous agreement. Catherine just laughs. So do both Annas.