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"sisted them to shake off their fetters. They knew my character, for I had been living two years at Venice, where many of the Ravennese have houses. I did not, however, take part in their intrigues, nor join in their poli

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tical coteries; but I had a magazine of one hundred stand "of arms in the house, when every thing was ripe for "revolt. A curse on Carignan's imbecility! I could have pardoned him that too, if he had not impeached his partisans. The proscription was immense in Romagna, and embraced many of the first nobles: almost all my friends, among the rest the Gamba's, were included in "it. They were exiled, and their possessions confiscated. They knew that this must eventually drive me out of the "country. I did not follow them immediately; I was not to be bullied. I had myself fallen under the eye of the Government. If they could have got sufficient proof, they would have arrested me: but no one betrayed me; "indeed there was nothing to betray. I had received a very high degree, without passing through the inter

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mediate ranks. In that corner you see papers of one of "their societies. Shortly after the plot was discovered, I "received several anonymous letters, advising me to discontinue my forest rides; but I entertained no apprehensions of treachery, and was more on horseback than ever.

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"I never stir out without being well armed, and sleep "with pistols. They knew that I never missed my aim;

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perhaps this saved me. An event occurred at this time at Ravenna that made a deep impression on me; I alluded to it in 'Don Juan.' The military Commandant "of the place, who, though suspected of being secretly a Carbonaro, was too powerful a man to be arrested, was assassinated opposite to my palace; a spot perhaps selected by choice for the commission of the crime. "The measures which were adopted to screen the mur"derer prove the assassination to have taken place by "order of the police. I had my foot in the stirrup at my

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usual hour of exercise, when my horse started at the

report of a gun. On looking up I perceived a man "throw down a carbine and run away at full speed, and "another stretched upon the pavement a few yards from 66 me. On hastening towards him, I found that it was the

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unhappy Commandant. A crowd was soon collected, but no one ventured to offer the least assistance. I soon "directed my servant to lift up the bleeding body and

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carry it into my palace; but it was represented to me "that by so doing I should confirm the suspicion of being "of his party, and incur the displeasure of the Government. "However, it was no time to calculate between huma

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nity and danger. I assisted in bearing him into the

house, and putting him on a bed. He was already dead "from several wounds; he appeared to have breathed his "last without a struggle. I never saw a countenance so calm. His adjutant followed the corpse into the house. "I remember his lamentation over him:-'Povero diavolo! non aveva fatto male, anchè ad un cane.'

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"I am sorry," said he, "not to have a copy of my "Memoirs to shew you; I gave them to Moore, or rather "to Moore's little boy, at Venice. I remember saying, Here are 2000l. for you, my young friend.' I made one reservation in the gift,-that they were not to be published till after my death.

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"I have not the least objection to their being circulated; "in fact they have been read by some of mine, and several "of Moore's friends and acquaintances; among others,

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they were lent to Lady Burghersh. On returning the "MS. her Ladyship told Moore that she had transcribed "the whole work. This was un peu fort, and he suggest"ed the propriety of her destroying the copy. She did

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so, by putting it into the fire in his presence. Ever "since this happened, Douglas Kinnaird has been recom

"mending me to resume possession of the MS., thinking "to frighten me by saying that a spurious or a real copy, surreptitiously obtained, may go forth to the world. I

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am quite indifferent about the world knowing all that they contain. There are very few licentious adventures "of my own, or scandalous anecdotes that will affect "others, in the book. It is taken up from my earliest "recollections, almost from childhood,-very incoherent,

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written in a very loose and familiar style. The second "part will prove a good lesson to young men ; for it treats "of the irregular life I led at one period, and the fatal consequences of dissipation. There are few parts that may not, and none that will not, be read by women."

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Another time he said :

"A very full account of my marriage and separation is "contained in my Memoirs. After they were completed, I wrote to Lady Byron, proposing to send them for her inspection, in order that any mistatements or inaccuracy (if any such existed, which I was not aware of,) might be pointed out and corrected. In her answer she declined "the offer, without assigning any reason; but desiring, if "not on her account, for the sake of her daughter, that

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they might never appear, and finishing with a threat.

My reply was the severest thing I ever wrote, and con"tained two quotations, one from Shakspeare, and ano"ther from Dante.* I told her that she knew all I had

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written was incontrovertible truth, and that she did not "wish to sanction the truth. I ended by saying, that she might depend on their being published. It was not till "after this correspondence that I made Moore the depositary of the MS.

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"The first time of my seeing Miss Millbank was at Lady It was a fatal day; and I remember "that in going upstairs I stumbled, and remarked to Moore, who accompanied me, that it was a bad omen. "I ought to have taken the warning. On entering the

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room I observed a young lady, more simply dressed than "the rest of the assembly, sitting alone upon a sofa. I "took her for a humble companion, and asked if I "was right in my conjecture? She is a great heiress,' "said he in a whisper that became lower as he proceeded;

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'you had better marry her, and repair the old place, "Newstead.'

* I could not retain them.

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