that she may have her hands full. It is by far the most elegant worship, hardly excepting the Greek mythology. What with incense, pictures, statues, altars, shrines, relics, and the real presence, confession, absolution,-there is something sensible to grasp at. Besides, it leaves no possibility of doubt; for those who swallow their Deity, really and truly, in transubstantiation, can hardly find any thing else otherwise than easy of digestion. "I am afraid that this sounds flippant, but I do n't mean it to be so; only my turn of mind is so given to taking things in the absurd point of view, that it breaks out in spite of me every now and then. Still, I do assure you that I am a very good Christian. Whether you will believe me in this, I do not know; but I trust you will take my word for being "Very truly and affectionately yours, &c. "P,S. Do tell Murray that one of the conditions of peace is, that he publisheth (or obtaineth a publisher for) *'s Commentary on Dante, against which there appears in the trade an unaccountable repugnance. It will make the man so exuberantly happy. He dines with me and half a dozen English to-day; and I have not the heart to tell him how the bibliopolar world shrink from his Commentary;-and yet it is full of the most orthodox religion and morality. In short, I make it a point that he shall be in print. He is such a good-natured, heavy ** Christian, that we must give him a shove through the press. He naturally thirsts to be an author, and has been the happiest of men for these two months, printing, correcting, collating, dating, anticipating, and adding to his treasures of learning. Besides, he has had another fall from his horse into a ditch the other day, while riding out with me into the country." LETTER CCCCLXXXVI. TO MR. MURRAY. "Pisa, March 15th, 1822. "I am glad that you and your friends approve of my letter of the 8th ultimo. You may give it what publicity you think proper in the circumstances. I have since written to you twice or thrice. "As to a Poem in the old way,' I shall attempt of that kind nothing further. I follow the bias of my own mind, without considering whether women or men are or are not to be pleased: but this is nothing to my publisher, who must judge and act according to popularity. "Therefore let the things take their chance: if they pay, you will pay me in proportion; and if they do n't, I must. "The Noel affairs, I hope, will not take me to England. I have no desire to revisit that country, unless it be to keep you out of a prison (if this can be effected by my taking your place), or perhaps to get myself into one, by exacting satisfaction from one or two persons who take advantage of my absence to abuse me. Further than this, I have no business nor connexion with England, nor desire to have, out of my own family and friends, to whom I wish all prosperity. Indeed, I have lived upon the whole so little in England (about five years since I was one-and-twenty), that my habits are too continental, and your climate would please me as little as the society. Pray, why "I saw the Chancellor's Report in a French paper. do n't they prosecute the translation of Lucretius? or the original with its 'Primus in orbe Deos fecit Timor,' 'Tantum Religio potuit suadere malorum?' "You must really get something done for Mr. * *'s Commentary: what can I say to him? LETTER CCCCLXXXVII. TO MR. MURRAY. "Yours, &c." "Pisa, April 13th, 1822. "Mr. Kinnaird writes that there has been an excellent Defence' of 'Cain,' against Oxoniensis' you have sent me nothing but a not very excellent offence of the same poem. If there be such a 'Defender of the Faith,' you may send me his thirty-nine articles, as a counterbalance to some of your late communications. "Are you to publish, or not, what Moore and Mr. Kinnaird have in hand, and the Vision of Judgment? If you publish the latter in a very cheap edition, so as to baffle the pirates by a low price, you will find that it will do. The Mystery' I look upon as good, and 'Werner' too, and I expect that you will publish them speedily. You need not put your name to Quevedo, but publish it as a foreign edition, and let it make its way. Douglas Kinnaird has it still, with the preface, I believe. "I refer you to him for documents on the late row here. I sent them a week ago. LETTER CCCCLXXXVIII. TO MR. MURRAY. "Yours, &c." "Pisa, April 18th, 1822. "I have received the Defence of Cain.' Who is my Warburton? -for he has done for me what the bishop did for the poet against Crousaz. His reply seems to me conclusive: and if you understood your own interest, you would print it together with the poem. "It is very odd that I do not hear from you. I have forwarded to Mr. Douglas Kinnaird the documents on a squabble here, which occurred about a month ago. The affair is still going on; but they make nothing of it hitherto. I think, what with home and abroad, there has been hot water enough for one while. Mr. Dawkins, the English minister, has behaved in the handsomest and most gentlemanly manner throughout the whole business. "Yours ever, &c. "P.S. I have got Lord Glenbervie's book, which is very amusing and able upon the topics which he touches upon, and part of the pre face pathetic. Write soon." LETTER CCCCLXXXIX. TO MR. MURRAY. "Pisa, April 22d, 1822. "You will regret to hear that I have received intelligence of the death of my daughter Allegra of a fever, in the convent of Bagna Cavallo, where she was placed for the last year, to commence her education. It is a heavy blow for many reasons, but must be borne, with time. "It is my present intention to send her remains to England for sepulture in Harrow church (where I once hoped to have laid my own), and this is my reason for troubling you with this notice. I wish the funeral to be very private. The body is embalmed, and in lead. It will be embarked from Leghorn. Would you have any objection to give the proper directions on its arrival? "I am yours, &c. "N. B. "P.S. You are aware that Protestants are not allowed holy ground in Catholic countries." LETTER CCCCXC. TO MR. SHELLEY. "April 23d, 1822. "The blow was stunning and unexpected; for I thought the danger over, by the long interval between her stated amelioration and the arrival of the express. But I have borne up against it as I best can, and so far successfully, that I can go about the usual business of life with the same appearance of composure, and even greater. There is nothing to prevent your coming to-morrow; but, perhaps, to-day, and yester-evening, it was better not to have met. I do not know that I have any thing to reproach in my conduct, and certainly nothing in my feelings and intentions towards the dead. But it is a moment when we are apt to think that, if this or that had been done, such event might have been prevented; though every day and hour shows us that they are the most natural and inevitable. I suppose that Time will do his usual work-Death has done his. "Yours ever, "N. B." LETTER CCCCXCI. TO SIR WALTER SCOTT. "Pisa, May 4th, 1822. MY DEAR SIR WALTER, "Your account of your family is very pleasing: would that I could answer this comfort with the like! but I have just lost my natural daughter, Allegra, by a fever. The only consolation, save time, is the reflection, that she is either at rest or happy; for her few years (only five) prevented her from having incurred any sin, except what we inherit from Adam. 'Whom the gods love, die young.' "I need rot say that your letters are particularly welcome, when they do not tax your time and patience; and now that our correspondence is resumed, I trust it will continue. "I have lately had some anxiety, rather than trouble, about an awkward affair here, which you may perhaps have heard of: but our minister has behaved very handsomely, and the Tuscan Government as well as it is possible for such a government to behave, which is not saying much for the latter. Some other English, and Scots, and myself, had a brawl with a dragoon, who insulted one of the party, and whom we mistook for an officer, as he was medalled and well mounted, &c.; but he turned out to be a sergeant-major. He called out the guard at the gates to arrest us (we being unarmed); upon which I and another (an Italian) rode through the said guard; but they succeeded in detaining others of the party. I rode to my house, and sent my secretary to give an account of the attempted and illegal arrest to the authorities, and then, without dismounting, rode back towards the gates, which are near my present mansion. Half way I met my man, vapouring away, and threatening to draw upon me (who had a cane in my hand, and no other arms). I, still believing him an officer, demanded his name and address, and gave him my hand and glove thereupon. A servant of mine thrust in between us (totally without orders), but let him go on my command. He then rode off at full speed; but about forty paces further was stabbed, and very dangerously (so as to be in peril), by some Callum Beg or other of my people (for I have some rough-handed folks about me), I need hardly say without my direction or approval. The said dragoon had been sabring our unarmed countrymen, however, at the gate, after they were in arrest, and held by the guards, and wounded one, Captain Hay, very severely. However, he got his paiks, having acted like an assassin, and being treated like one. Who wounded him, though it was done before thousands of people, they have never been able to ascertain, or prove, nor even the weapon; some said a pistol, an air-gun, a stiletto, a sword, a lance, a pitchfork, and what not. They have arrested and examined servants and people of all descriptions, but can make out nothing. Mr. Dawkins, our minister, assures me, that no suspicion is entertained of the man who wounded him having been instigated by me, or any of the party. I enclose you copies of the depositions of those with us, and Dr. Craufurd, a canny Scot (not an acquaintance), who saw the latter part of the affair. They are in Italian. "These are the only literary matters in which I have been engaged since the publication and row about Cain;' but Mr. Murray has several things of mine in his obstetrical hands. Another Mystery-a Vision -a Drama-and the like. But you won't tell me what you are doing; however, I shall find you out, write what you will. You say that I should like your son-in-law; it would be very difficult for me to dislike any one connected with you; but I have no doubt that his own qualities are all that you describe. "I am sorry you do n't like Lord Orford's new work. My aristocracy, which is very fierce, makes him a favourite of mine. Recollect that those little factions' comprised Lord Chatham and Fox, the father, and that we live in gigantic and exaggerated times, which make all under Gog and Magog appear pigmean. After having seen Napoleon begin like Tamerlane and end like Bajazet in our own time, we have not the same interest in what would otherwise have appeared important history. But I must conclude. "Believe me ever and most truly yours, "NOEL BYRON." LETTER CCCCXCII. TO MR. MURRAY. "Pisa, May 17th, 1822. "I hear that the Edinburgh has attacked the three dramas, which is a bad business for you; and I don't wonder that it discourages you. However, that volume may be trusted to.time,-depend upon it. I read it over with some attention since it was published, and I think the time will come when it will be preferred to my other writings, though not immediately. I say this without irritation against the critics or criticism, whatever they may be (for I have not seen them); and nothing that has or may appear in Jeffrey's Review can make me forget that he stood by me for ten good years without any motive to do so but his own good-will. "I hear Moore is in town; remember me to him, and believe me "Yours truly, "N. B. "P.S. If you think it necessary, you may send me the Edinburgh. Should there be any thing that requires an answer, I will reply, but temperately and technically; that is to say, nierely with respect to the principles of the criticism, and not personally or offensively as to its literary merits." LETTER CCCCXCIII. TO MR. MOORE. "Pisa, May 17th, 1822. "I hear you are in London. You will have heard from Douglas Kinnaird (who tells me you have dined with him) as much as you desire to know of my affairs at home and abroad. I have lately lost my little girl Allegra by a fever, which has been a serious blow to me. "I did not write to you lately (except one letter to Murray's), not knowing exactly your 'whereabouts.' Douglas K. refused to forward my message to Mr. Southey-why, he himself can explain. "You will have seen the statement of a squabble, &c. &c.* What are you about? Let me hear from you at your leisure, and believe me ever yours, "N. B." LETTER CCCCXCIV. TO MR. MURRAY. "Montenero,† May 26th, 1822. "Near Leghorn. "The body is embarked, in what ship I know not, neither could I enter into the details; but the Countess G. G. has had the goodness * Here follows a repetition of the details given on this subject to Sir Walter Scott and others. ↑ A hill, three or four miles from Leghorn, much resorted to, as a place of residence during the summer months. |