threepence halfpenny, and determined to spend that at the window foaming with wrath, and crying out also in a pint of beer, which I believe he was drink-I know you, gentlemen, I know you were wont ing before a public house, as Hobhouse passed him to reply, We beseech thee to hear us, good Lort(still without speaking), for the last time on their good Lort deliver us!' (Lort was his Christian route. They were reconciled in London again. name.) As he was very free in his speculations "One of Matthews's passions was the Fancy; 'upon all kinds of subjects, although by no means and he sparred uncommonly well. But he always either dissolute or intemperate in his conduct, and got beaten in rows, or combats with the bare fist. as I was no less independent, our conversation and In swimming too, he swam well; but with effort and correspondence used to alarm our friend Hobhouse labor, and too high out of the water; so that Scrope to a considerable degree.

Davies and myself, of whom he was therein somewhat emulous, always told him that he would be "You must be almost tired of my packets, which drowned if ever he came to a difficult pass in the will have cost a mint of postage. water. He was so; but surely Scrope and myself would have been most heartily glad that

"The Dean had lived,

And our prediction proved a lie.'

"His head was uncommonly handsome, very like what Pope's was in his youth.

"Salute Gifford and all my friends.

"Yours, &c."

LETTER CCCCLXVI.

TO MR. MURRAY,

"Ravenna, 9bre 23, 1930.

"His voice, and laugh, and features are strongly resembled by his brother Henry's, if Henry be he of! King's College. His passion for boxing was so great,| that he actually wanted me to match him with "The Hints,' Hobhouse says, will require a Dogherty, (whom I had backed and made the match good deal of slashing to suit the times, which wil for against Tom Belcher,) and I saw them spar to-be a work of time, for I don't feel at all laborious gether at my own lodgings, wth the gloves on. As just now. Whatever effect they are to have would he was bent upon it, I would have backed Dogherty perhaps be greater in a separate form, and they to please him, but the match went off. It was of also must have my name to them. Now, if you course to have been a private fight in a private publish them in the same volume with Don Juan, they identify Don Juan as mine, which I don't

room.

"On one occasion, being too late to go home and think worth a chancery suit about my daughter's dress, he was equipped by a friend, (Mr. Bailey, I guardianship, as in your present code a facetions believe,) in a magnificently fashionable and some- poem is sufficient to take away a man's right over what exaggerated shirt and neckcloth. He pro- his family.

ceeded to the Opera, and took his station in Fop's "Of the state of things here it would be difficult Alley. During the interval between the opera and and not very prudent to speak at large, the Huns the ballet, an acquaintance took his station by him, opening all letters. I wonder if they can read them and saluted him: Come round,' said Matthews, when they have opened them; if so, they may see, come round.' Why should I come round?' said in my MOST LEGIBLE HAND, THAT I THINK THEN the other; you have only to turn your head-I am DAMNED SCOUNDRELS AND BARBARIANS, and THEIR close by you.' That is exactly what I cannot do,' EMPEROR A FOOL, and themselves more fools than answered Matthews: don't you see the state I am he; all which they may send to Vienna for any in? pointing to his buckram shirt-collar, and in- thing that I care. They have got themselves flexible cravat; and there he stood with his head masters of the Papal police, and are bullying away; always in the same perpendicular position during but some day or other they will pay for all: it may the whole spectacle.

not be very soon, because these unhappy Italians have no consistency among themselves; but I suppose that Providence will get tired of them at last

"Yours, &c."

LETTER CCCCLXVII.

TO MR. MOORE.

"One evening, after dining together, as we were going to the opera, I happened to have a spare opera ticket, (as subscriber to a box,) and presented it to Matthews. Now sir,' said he to Hobhouse, afterward, this I call courteous in the Abbotanother man would never have thought that I might do better with half a guinea than throw it to a door-keeper; but here is a man not only asks me to dinner, but gives me a ticket for the theatre.' These were only his oddities, for no man was more liberal, or more honorable in all his doings and dealings than Matthews. He gave Hobhouse and "Ravenna, Dec. 9, 183 me, before we set out for Constantinople, a most splendid entertainment, to which we did ample "Besides this letter, you will receive three pack justice. One of his fancies was dining at all sorts ets, containing, in all, eighteen more sheets of Memoranda, which, I fear, will cost you more of out-of-the-way places. Somebody popped upon him, in I know not what coffee-house in the Strand Postage than they will ever produce by being printand what do you think was the attraction? Why, ed in the next century. Instead of waiting so long. that he paid a shilling (I think) to dine with his hat you could make any thing of them now in the on. This he called his hat house,' and used to way of reversion, (that is, after my death,) I should boast of the comfort of being covered at meal-be very glad,-as, with all due regard to your pregeny, I prefer you to your grandchildren. Would

times.

if

"When Sir Henry Smith was expelled from not Longman or Murray advance you a certain sun Cambridge for a row with a tradesman named now, pledging themselves not to have them pub 'Hiron,' Matthews solaced himself with shouting lished till after my decease, think you?-and what under Hiron's windows every evening, say you?

Ah me! what perils do environ

The man who meddles with hot Hiron.'

"Over these latter sheets I would leave you a dis cretionary power; because they contain, perhaps, a thing or two which is too sincere for the public. If I consent to your disposing of the reversion now, He was also of that band of profane scoffers, where would be the harm? Tastes may change. I who, under the auspices of ****, used to rouse would, in your case, make my essay to dispose of Lort Mansel (late bishop of Bristol) from his slum- them, not publish, now; and if you (as is most bers in the lodge of Trinity, and when he appeared likely) survive me, add what you please from your

own knowledge, and, above all, contradict any thing, tience-made my servant and a couple of the mob if I have mis-stated; for my first object is the truth, take up the body-sent off two soldiers to the guard even at my own expense. -despatched Diego to the Cardinal with the news, "I have some knowledge of your countryman, and had the commandant carried up stairs into my Muley Moloch, the lecturer. He wrote to me seve-own quarter. But it was too late, he was goneral letters upon Christianity, to convert me; and, if not at all disfigured-bled inwardly-not above an I had not been a Christian already, I should proba- ounce or two came out.

bly have been now, in consequence. I thought "I had him partly stripped-made the surgeon there was something of wild talent in him, mixed examine him, and examined him myself. He had with a due leaven of absurdity,-as there must be been shot by cut balls, or slugs. I felt one of the in all talent let loose upon the world without a slugs, which had gone through him, all but the martingale. skin. Every body conjectures why he was killed, but no one knows how. The gun was found close by him-an old gun, half filed down.

"The ministers seem still to persecute the Queen but they won't go out, the sons of bes. Damn reform-I want a placewhat say you? You must applaud the honesty of the declaration, whatever you may think of the intention.

"He only said, 'O Dio!' and 'Gesu!' two or three times, and appeared to have suffered little. Poor fellow! he was a brave officer, but had made himself much disliked by the people. I knew him "I have quantities of paper in England, original personally, and had met him often at conversazioni and translated-tragedy, &c., &c.; and am now and elsewhere. My house is full of soldiers, dracopying out a fifth canto of Don Juan, one hundred goons, doctors, priests, and all kinds of persons,and forty-nine stanzas. So that there will be near though I have now cleared it, and clapped sentinels three thin Albemarle, or two thick volumes of all at the doors. To-morrow the body is to be moved. sorts of my Muses. I mean to plunge thick, too, The town is in the greatest confusion, as you may into the contest upon Pope, and to lay about me suppose. like a dragon till I make manure of for the top of Parnassus.

"You are to know that, if I had not had the body moved, they would have left him there till morning "Those rogues are right-we do laugh at t'others in the street, for fear of consequences. I would not -eh? don't we? You shall see you shall see choose to let even a dog die in such a manner, what things I'll say, an' it pleases Providence to without succor;-and, as for consequences, I care leave us leisure. But in these parts they are all for none in a duty. "Yours, &c. going to war; and there is to be liberty, and a row, "P. S. The lieutenant on duty by the body is and a constitution-when they can get them. But smoking his pipe with great composure.-A queer I won't talk politics-it is low. Let us talk of the people this." Queen, and her bath, and her bottle-that's the. only_motley now-a-days.

"If there are any acquaintances of mine, salute them. The priests here are trying to persecute me, -but no matter. Yours, &c."

LETTER CCCCLXIX.

LETTER CCCCLXVIII.

TO MR. MOORE.

TO MR. MOORE.

"Ravenna, Dec. 25, 1820.

"You will or ought to have received the packet and letters which I remitted to your address a fortnight ago, (or it may be more days,) and I shall be glad of an answer, as, in these times and places, packets per post are in some risk of not reaching their destination.

"I have been thinking of a project for you and

"Ravenna, Dec. 9, 1820. "I open my letter to tell you a fact, which will show the state of this country better than I can. The commandantt of the troops is now lying dead me, in case we both get to London again, which (if a Neapolitan war don't suscitate) may be calculated in my house. He was shot at a little past eight as possible for one of us about the spring of 1821. o'clock, about two hundred paces from my door. I was putting on my great-coat to visit Madame la or never; but on that you will give me some index. I presume that you, too, will be back by that time, Contessa G. when I heard the shot. On coming The project, then, is for you and me to set up jointinto the hall, I found all my servants on the bally a newspaper-nothing more nor less-weekly, or cony, exclaiming that a man was murdered. I so, with some improvement or modifications upon immediately ran down, calling on Tita (the bravest the plan of the present scoundrels, who degrade of them) to follow me. The rest wanted to hinder that department,-but a newspaper, which we will us from going, as it is the custom for every body edit in due form, and, nevertheless, with some athere, it seems, to run away from the stricken deer.' tention. "However, down we ran, and found him lying on his back, almost, if not quite, dead, with five from one or other of us two, leaving room, however, "There must always be in it a piece of poesy wounds, one in the heart, two in the stomach, one for such dilettanti rhymers as may be deemed worthy in the finger, and the other in the arm. Some of appearing in the same columns; but this must be soldiers cocked their guns, and wanted to hinder me from passing. However, we passed, and I found a sine qua non; and also as much prose as we can compass. We will take an office our names not Diego, the adjutant, crying over him like a child- announced, but suspected-and, by the blessing of a surgeon, who said nothing of his profession-a Providence, give the age some new lights upon polpriest, sobbing a frightened prayer-and the com- icy, poesy, biography, criticism, morality, theology, mandant, all this time, on his back, on the hard, and all other isms, ality, and ology whatsoever. cold pavement, without light or assistance, or any "Why, man, if we were to take to this in good

thing around him but confusion and dismay.

earnest, your debts would be paid off in a twelve"As nobody could, or would, do any thing but month, and by dint of a little diligence and prachowl and pray, and as no one would stir a finger to tice, I doubt not that we could distance the commove him, for fear of consequences, I lost my pa-mon-place blackguards, who have so long disgraced common sense and the common reader. They have He here alludes to a humorous article, of which I had told him, in no merit but practice and impudence, both of which gether in a variety of fantastic shapes, with "Lord Byron and little Moore we may acquire, and, as for talent and culture, the laughing behind, as if they would split," at the rest of the fraternity.-Moore, devil's in't if such proofs as we have given of both can't furnish out something better than the 'fune

Blackwood's Magazine, where the poets of the day were all grouped to

↑ See Don Juan, canto v., stanza xxxiii.

coldly set forth the

ral baked meats' which have
breakfast table of all Great Britain for so many
years. Now, what think you? Let me know; and
recollect that, if we take to such an enterprise, we
must do so in good earnest. Here is a hint,-do

you make it a plan. We will modify it into as lite-
rary and classical a concern as you please, only let
us put out our powers upon it, and it will most
likely succeed. But you must live in London, and
I also, to bring it to bear, and we must keep it a

secret.

LETTER CCCCLXX

TO MR. MOORE.

"Ravenna, Jan. 2, 1830.

"Your entering into my project for the Memoir is pleasant to me. But I doubt (contrary to my dear Made MacF**, whom always loved, and always shall-not only because I really did feel at tached to her personally, but because she and about a dozen others of that sex were all who stuck by me "As for the living in London, I would make that in the grand conflict of 1815)—but I doubt, I say, not difficult to you, (if you would allow me,) until whether the Memoir could appear in my lifetime;we could see whether one means or other (the suc- and, indeed, I had rather it did not, for a man cess of the plan, for instance) would not make it always looks dead after his Life has appeared, and I quite easy for you, as well as for your family; and, should certes not survive the appearance of mine. in any case, we should have some fun, composing, The first part I cannot consent to alter, even alcorrecting, supposing, inspecting, and supping to- though Made de Staël's opinion of Benjamin Con gether over our lucubrations. If you think this stant, and my remarks upon Lady Caroline's beauty, worth a thought, let me know, and I will begin to (which is surely great, and I suppose that I have lay in a small literary capital of composition for said so-at least, I ought,) should go down to our the occasion. "Yours ever, affectionately, grandchildren in unsophisticated nakedness. "As to Madame de Staël, I am by no means

B.

"P. S. If you thought of a middle plan between bound to be her beadsman-she was always more a Spectator and a newspaper, why not?-only not civil to me in person than during my absence. Our on a Sunday. Not that Sunday is not an excellent dear defunct friend, Matthew Lewis, who was too day, but is engaged already. We will call it the great a bore ever to lie, assured me, upon his tire"Tenda Rossa,' the name Tassoni gave an answer some word of honor, that, at Florence, the said of his in a controversy, in allusion to the delicate Madame de Staël was open-mouthed against me; hint of Timour the Lame, to his enemies, by a and, when asked, in Switzerland, why she had 'Tenda' of that color, before he gave battle. Or changed her opinion, replied, with laudable sincer we will call it Gli,' or 'I Carbonari,' if it so please ity, that I had named her in a sonnet with Voltaire, you or any other name full of pastime and prodi- Rousseau, &c., &c., and that she could not help it, gality,' which you may prefer.

*

Let me have an answer. I conclude poetically, with the bellman, A merry Christmas to you!'"'

ADDRESS

TO THE NEAPOLITAN GOVERNMENT.

[Translation from the original Italian.]

through decency. Now, I have not forgotten this, but I have been generous, as mine acquaintance, the late Captain Whitby of the navy, used to say to his seamen (when married to the gunner's daugh ter')-two dozen, and let you off easy.' The two dozen' were with the cat-'-nine-tails;-the 'let you off easy' was rather his own opinion than that of the patient.

My acquaintance with these terms and practices arises from my having been much conversant with ships of war and naval heroes in the years of my voyages in the Mediterranean. Whitby was in the gallant action off Lissa in 1811. He was brave, but a disciplinarian. When he left his frigate, he left a "An Englishman, a friend to liberty, having un-parrot, which was taught by the crew the following derstood that the Neapolitans permit even foreign-sounds- -(It must be remarked that Captain Whit ers to contribute to the good cause, is desirous that by was the image of Fawcett the actor in voice, face, they should do him the honor of accepting a thou- and figure, and that he squinted.) sand louis, which he takes the liberty of offering. The parrot loquitur. Having already, not long since, been an ocular "Whitby! Whitby! funny eye! funny eye! two witness of the despotism of the barbarians in the dozen, and let you off easy. Oh you States occupied by them in Italy, he sees, with the "Now, if Madame de B. has a parrot, it had bet enthusiasm natural to a cultivated man, the gene- ter be taught a French parody of the same sounds, rous determination of the Neapolitans to assert With regard to our purposed journal, I will call their well-worn independence. As a member of the it what you please, but it should be a newspaper, to English House of Peers, he would be a traitor to make it pay. We can call it The Harp,' if you the principles which placed the reigning family of like-or any thing.

*

and then, if I

England on the throne, if he were not grateful for "I feel exactly as you do about our art,' but it the noble lesson so lately given both to people and comes over me in a kind of rage every now and to kings. The offer which he desires to make is then, like * small in itself, as must always be that presented don't write to empty my mind, I go mad. As to that from an individual to a nation; but he trusts that regular, uninterrupted love of writing, which you it will not be the last they will receive from his describe in your friend, I do not understand it. I countrymen. His distance from the frontier, and feel it as a torture, which I must get rid of, but the feeling of his personal incapacity to contribute never as a pleasure. On the contrary, I think comefficaciously to the service of the nation, prevents position a great pain.

him from proposing himself as worthy of the low- "I wish you to think seriously of the journal est commission, for which experience and talent scheme-for I am as serious as one can be, in this might be requisite. But if, as a mere volunteer, world, about any thing. As to matters here, they his presence were not a burden to whomsoever he are high and mighty-but not for paper. It is might serve under he would repair to whatever much about the state of things between Cain and place the Neapolitan government might point out, Abel. There is, in fact, no law or government at there to obey the orders and participate in the dan-all; and it is wonderful how well things go on with gers of his commanding officer, without any other out them. Excepting a few occasional murders, motive than that of sharing the destiny of a brave (every body killing whomsoever he pleases, and nation, defending itself against the self-called Holy being killed, in turn, by a friend, or relative, of the Alliance, which but combines the vice of hypocrisy defunct,) there is as quiet a society and as merry with despotism a Carnival as can be met with in a tour through

Europe. There is nothing like habit in these don't measure me by YOUR OWN old or new tailors' things. yards. Nothing so easy as intricate confusion of "I shall remain here till May or June, and, plot and rant. Mrs. Centlivre, in comedy, has ten unless honor comes unlooked for,' we may per-times the bustle of Congreve; but are they to be haps meet, in France or England, within the year. compared? and yet she drove Congreve from the "Yours, &c. theatre."

"Of course, I cannot explain to you existing circumstances, as they open all letters.

"Will you set me right about your cursed 'Champs Elysées ?'-are they 'es' or 'ées' for the adjective? I know nothing of French, being all Italian. Though I can read and understand French, I never attempt to speak it; for I hate it. From the second part of the Memoirs cut what you please."

LETTER CCCCLXXI.

TO MR. MURRAY.

"Ravenna, January 4, 1821.

"I just see, by the papers of Galignani, that there is a new tragedy of great expectation by Barry Cornwall. Of what I have read of his works

ence.

LETTER CCCCLXXII.

TO MR. MURRAY.

"Ravenna, January 19, 1821. "Yours of the 29th ultimo hath arrived. I mus. really and seriously request that you will beg of Messrs. Harris or Elliston to let the Doge alone: it is not an acting play; it will not serve their purpose; it will destroy yours, (the sale); and it will distress me. It is not courteous, it is hardly even gentlemanly, to persist in this appropriation of a man's writings to their mountebanks.

"I have already sent you by last post a short protest to the public, (against this proceeding); in case that they persist, which I trust that they will not, you must then publish it in the newspapers. I liked the Dramatic Sketches, but thought his shall not let them off with that only, if they go on; Sicilian story and Marcian Colonna, in rhyme, quite but make a longer appeal on that subject, and state spoiled, by I know not what affectation of Words-what I think the injustice of their mode of behavior. worth, and Moore, and myself,-all mixed up into It is hard that I should have all the buffoons in a kind of chaos. I think him very likely to produce Britain to deal with-pirates who will publish, and a good tragedy, if he keep to a natural style, and players who will act-when there are thousands of not play tricks to form harlequinades for an audi-worthy men who can neither get bookseller nor As he (Barry Cornwall is not his true name) manager for love nor money. was a schoolfellow of mine, I take more than com- If you mean to use the two documents, do; if not, "You never answered me a word about Galignani. mon interest in his success, and shall be glad to hear of it speedily. If I had been aware that he burn them. I do not choose to leave them in any was in that line, I should have spoken of him in one's possession; suppose some one found them the preface to Marino Faliero. He will do a world's without the letters, what would they think? why, wonder if he produce a great tragedy. I am, how-that I had been doing the opposite of what I have ever, persuaded, that this is not to be done by done, to wit, referred the whole thing to you-an following the old dramatists,-who are full of gross act of civility, at least, which required saying, "I I thought that you faults, pardoned only for the beauty of their lan-have received your letter.' guage,but by writing naturally and regularly, and might have some hold upon those publications by producing regular tragedies, like the Greeks; but this means; to me it can be no interest one way or not in imitation,-merely the outline of their conduct, adapted to our own times and circumstances, and of course no chorus.

"You will laugh, and say, 'Why don't you do so?' I have, you see, tried a sketch in Marino Faliero; but many people think my talent essentially undramatic,' and I am not at all clear that they are not right. If Marino Faliero don't fall in the perusal I shall, perhaps, try again, (but not for the stage); and as I think that love is not the principal passion for tragedy, (and yet most of ours turn upon it,) you will not find me a popular writer. Unless it is love, furious, criminal, and hapless, it ought not to make a tragic subject. When it is melting and mandlin, it does, but it ought not to do; it is then for the gallery and second-price boxes.

I

the other.

"The third canto of Don Juan is dull,' but you must really put up with it: if the first two and the two following are tolerable, what do you expect? particularly as I neither dispute with you on it as a

matter of criticism or as a matter of business.

"Besides, what am I to understand? you, and Douglas Kinnaird, and others, write to me, that the first two published cantos are among the best that I ever wrote, and are reckoned so; Augusta writes that they are thought execrable' (bitter word that for an author-eh, Murray?) as a composition even, and that she had heard so much against them that she would never read them, and never has. Be that as it may, I can't alter; that is not my forte. If you publish the three new ones without ostentation, they may perhaps succeed.

"Pray publish the Dante and the Pulci, (the Prophecy of Dante, I mean.) I look upon the Pulci as my grand performance. The remainder of the Hints, where be they? Now, bring them all out about the same time, otherwise the variety' you wot of will be less obvious.

"If you want to have a notion of what I am trying, take up a translation of any of the Greek tragedians. If I said the original, it would be an impudent presumption of mine; but the translations are so inferior to the originals that I think may risk it. Then judge of the simplicity of plot,' &c., and do not judge me by your old mad "I am in bad humor:-some obstructions in dramatists, which is like drinking usquebaugh and then proving a fountain. Yet, after all, I suppose business with those plaguy trustees, who object to that you do not mean that spirits is a nobler element an advantageous loan which I was to furnish to a than a clear spring bubbling in the sun? and this I nobleman on mortgage because his property is in take to be the difference between the Greeks and Ireland, have shown me how a man is treated in those turbid mountebanks-always excepting Ben his absence. Oh, if I do come back, I will make Johnson, who was a scholar and a classic. Or, take those who little dream of it spin, or they or I up a translation of Alfieri, and try the interest, &c., shall go down."

of these my new attempts in the old line, by him in

English; and then tell me fairly your opinion. But

• See Don Juan, canto xi., stanza lix,

LETTER CCCCLXXIII.

TO MR. MURRAY.

"January 20, 1821.

"I did not think to have troubled you with the plague and postage of a double letter this time, but I have just read in an Italian paper, 'That Lord Byron has a tragedy coming out,' &c., &c., &c., and that the Courier and Morning Chronicle, &c., &c., are pulling one another to pieces about him, &c.

"Through life's road, &e., &c.*

"Have you heard that the Braziers' Company have, or mean to present an address at Brandenburgh. house, in armor,' and with all possible variety and splendor of brazen apparel ?

"The Braziers, it seems, are preparing to pasa

An address, and present it themselves all in braze-
A superfluous pageant-for, by the Lord Harry,
They'll find where they're going much more than they carry.

There's an ode for you, is it not?-worthy
"Of, the grand metaquizzical poet,

A man of vast merit, though few people know it;
The perusal of whom (as I told you at Mestri)
I owe, in great part, to my passion for pastry.

"Now I do reiterate and desire, that every thing may be done to prevent it from coming out on any theatre, for which it never was designed, and on which (in the present state of the stage of London) it could never succeed. I have sent you my appeal by last post, which you must publish in case of "Mesti, and Fusina are the trajects, or common need; and I require you even in your own name (if ferries,' to Venice; but it was from Fusina that you my honor is dear to you) to declare that such and I embarked, though the wicked necessity of representation would be contrary to my wish and to rhyming' has made me press Mestri into the my judgment. If you do not wish to drive me mad voyage. altogether, you will hit upon some way to prevent So, you have had a book dedicated to you? I "Yours, &c. am glad of it, and shall be very happy to see the volume.

this.

"P. S. I cannot conceive how Harris or Elliston should be so insane as to think of acting Marino "I am in a peck of troubles about a tragedy of Faliero; they might as well act the Prometheus of mine, which is fit only for the (*****) closet, Eschylus. I speak of course humbly, and with and which it seems that the managers, assuming the greatest sense of the distance of time and merit right over published poetry, are determined to between the two performances; but merely to show enact, whether I will or no, with their own alterathe absurdity of the attempt. tions by Mr. Dibdin, I presume. I have written to Murray, to the Lord Chamberlain, and to others, to interfere and preserve me from such an exhibition. I want neither the impertinence of their hisses nor the insolence of their applause. I write only for the reader, and care for nothing but the silent approba tion of those who close one's book with good humor and quiet contentment.

"The Italian paper speaks of a 'party against it:' to be sure there would be a party. Can you imagine, that after having never flattered man, nor beast, nor opinion, nor politics, there would not be a party against a man, who is also a popular writer at least a successful? Why, all parties would be a party against."

LETTER CCCCLXXIV.

TO MR. MURRAY.

"Ravenna, January 20, 1821. "If Harris or Elliston persist, after the remonstrance which I desired you and Mr. Kinnaird to make on my behalf, and which I hope will be sufficient-but if, I say, they do persist, then I pray you to present in person the enclosed letter to the Lord Chamberlain: I have said in person, because otherwise I shall have neither answer nor knowledge that it has reached its address, owing to the insolence of office.'

"Now if you would also write to our friend Perry, to beg of him to mediate with Harris and Elliston to forbear this intent, you will greatly oblige me. The play is quite unfit for the stage, as a single glance will show them, and, I hope, has shown them; and, if it were ever so fit, I will never have any thing to do willingly with the theatres. Yours ever, in haste, &c."

66

LETTER CCCCLXXVI.

TO MR. MURRAY.

"Ravenna, January 27, 189. "I wish you would speak to Lord Holland, and to all my friends and yours, to interest themselves should be published with the tragedy. But do as "I differ from you about the Dante, which I think in preventing this cursed attempt at representation. "God help me! at this distance, I am treated you please: you must be the best judge of your own craft. I agree with you about the title. The like a corpse or a fool by the few people that I thought I could rely upon; and I was a fool to play may be good or bad, but I flatter myself that think any better of them than of the rest of man- which to my mind is so natural, that I am conit is original as a picture of that kind of passion vinced that I should have done precisely what the Doge did on those provocations.

kind.

"Pray write.

"Yours, &c.

"P. S. I have nothing more at heart (that is, in literature) than to prevent this drama from going upon the stage: in short, rather than permit it, it must be suppressed altogether, and only forty copies struck off privately for presents to my friends. What cursed fools those speculating buffoons must be not to see that it is unfit for their fair-or their

booth!"

LETTER CCCCLXXV.

TO MR. MOORE.

"Ravenna, January 22, 1821. "Pray get well. I do not like your complaint. So, let me have a line to say you are up and doing again. To-day I am thirty-three years of age.

"I am glad of Foscolo's approbation. "Excuse haste. I believe I mentioned to you that I forget what it was, but no matter.

64

Thanks for your compliments of the year. I hope that it will be pleasanter than the last. I speak with reference to England only, as far as regards myself, where I had every kind of disap pointment-lost an important lawsuit-and the trustees of Lady Byron refusing to allow of advantageous loan to be made from my property to Lord Blessington, &c., &c., by way of closing the four seasons. These, and a hundred other such things, made a year of bitter business for me in England. Luckily, things were a little pleasanter for me here, else I should have taken the liberty of Hannibal's ring.

Given in his Journal, page 1004.