begged his life; they merely say that he did not deny the conspiracy. He was one of their great 'men,-commanded at the siege of Zara,-beat ⚫ 80,000 Hungarians, killing 8000, and at the same time kept the town he was besieging in order,'took Capo d'Istria,—was ambassador at Genoa, 'Rome, and finally Doge, where he fell for treason, 6 in attempting to alter the government, by what Sa'nuto calls a judgment on him for, many years before (when Podesta and Captain of Treviso), having 'knocked down a bishop, who was sluggish in carrying the host at a procession. He "saddles him," as Thwackum did Square," with a judgment ;" but he 'does not mention whether he had been punished at the time for what would appear very strange, even now, and must have been still more so in an age of papal power and glory. Sanuto says, that Heaven 'took away his senses for this buffet, and induced him 'to conspire. "Però fu permesso che il Faliero per

' dette l'intelletto," &c.

'I do not know what your parlour-boarders will think of the Drama I have founded upon this extra'ordinary event. The only similar one in history is the story of Agis, King of Sparta, a prince with the 'commons against the aristocracy, and losing his life 'therefor. But it shall be sent when copied.

I should be glad to know why your Quartering 'Reviewers, at the close of "the Fall of Jerusalem," accuse me of Manicheism? a compliment to which 'the sweetener of "one of the mightiest spirits" by no means reconciles me. The poem they review is very noble; but could they not do justice to the writer without converting him into my religious an'tidote? I am not a Manichean, nor an Any-chean.

I should like to know what harm my "poeshies" have done? I can't tell what people mean by making ' me a hobgoblin.'

'I have " put my soul" into the tragedy (as you if it); but you know that there are d-d souls as well 'as tragedies. Recollect that it is not a political play, though it may look like it: it is strictly histo'rical. Read the history and judge.

'Ada's picture is her mother's. I am glad of it'the mother made a good daughter. Send me Gifford's opinion, and never mind the Archbishop. I 'can neither send you away, nor give you a hundred pistoles, nor a better taste: I send you a tragedy, and you ask for "facetious epistles;' a little like your predecessor, who advised Dr. Prideaux to put some more humour into his Life of Mahomet." 'Bankes is a wonderful fellow. There is hardly ' one of my school or college contemporaries that has 'not turned out more or less celebrated. Peel, Palmerstone, Bankes, Hobhouse, Tavistock, Bob Mills, Douglas Kinnaird, &c. &c., have all talked ' and been talked about.

6.66

'We are here going to fight a little next month, if 'the Huns don't cross the Po, and probably if they 'do. I can't say more now. If any thing happens, 6 you have matter for a posthumous work in MS.; so pray be civil. Depend upon it, there will be savage work, if once they begin here. The French courage proceeds from vanity, the German from phlegm, the Turkish from fanaticism and opium, the Spanish 'from pride, the English from coolness, the Dutch

VOL. III.

C

'from obstinacy, the Russian from insensibility, but 'the Italian from anger; so you'll see that they will spare nothing.'

LETTER 382.

TO MR. MOORE.

• Ravenna, August 31st, 1820.

'D-n your 66 mezzo cammin *"-you should say ، ، the prime of life," a much more consolatory phrase. Besides, it is not correct. I was born in 1788, and 'consequently am but thirty-two. You are mistaken on another point. The " Sequin Box" never came ، into requisition, nor is it likely to do so. It were 'better that it had, for then a man is not bound, you 'know. As to reform, I did reform-what would you 'have? "Rebellion lay in his way, and he found it." 'I verily believe that nor you, nor any man of poetical

temperament, can avoid a strong passion of some 'kind. It is the poetry of life. What should I have 'known or written, had I been a quiet, mercantile politician, or a lord in waiting? A man must travel ، and turmoil, or there is no existence. Besides, I 'only meant to be a Cavalier Servente, and had no 'idea it would turn out a romance, in the Anglo ، fashion.

However, I suspect I know a thing or two of Italy '-more than Lady Morgan has picked up in her posting. What do Englishmen know of Italians 'beyond their museums and saloons-and some hack *, en passant? Now, I have lived in the heart of 'their houses, in parts of Italy freshest and least influenced by strangers,-have seen and become (pars magna fui) a portion of their hopes, and fears, and

(**

* I had congratulated him upon arriving at what Dante calls the mezzo cammin' of life, the age of thirty-three.

'passions, and am almost inoculated into a family. This is to see men and things as they are.

'You say that I called you 'collect any thing of the sort. ' are always in scrapes.

quiet *"I don't reOn the contrary, you

'What think you of the Queen? I hear Mr. Hoby "that it makes him weep to see her, she

says,

' reminds him so much of Jane Shore."

'Mr. Hoby the bootmaker's heart is quite sore

'For seeing the Queen makes him think of Jane Shore ;

'P.S. Did you write the lively quiz on Peter Bell? It has wit enough to be yours, and almost 'too much to be any body else's now going. It was ' in Galignani the other day or week.'

'In correcting the proofs you must refer to the 'manuscript, because there are in it various readings. 'Pray attend to this, and choose what Gifford thinks 'best. Let me hear what he thinks of the whole.

'You speak of Lady's illness: she is not of 'those who die :-the amiable only do; and those 'whose death would do good live. Whenever she is pleased to return, it may be presumed she will take "her" divining rod" along with her: it may be of 'use to her at home, as well as to the "rich man" of 'the Evangelists.

'Pray do not let the papers paragraph me back to

* I had mistaken the concluding words of his letter of the 9th of June.

England. They may say what they please, any 'loathsome abuse but that. Contradict it.

My last letters will have taught you to expect an 'explosion here: it was primed and loaded, but they ' hesitated to fire the train. One of the cities shirked 'from the league. I cannot write more at large for a thousand reasons. Our "puir hill folk" offered to 'strike, and raise the first banner, but Bologna 'paused; and now 'tis autumn, and the season half 6 over. "O Jerusalem! Jerusalem!" The Huns are

on the Po; but if once they pass it on their way to Naples, all Italy will be behind them. The dogs'the wolves-may they perish like the host of Senna'cherib! If you want to publish the Prophecy of 'Dante, you never will have a better time.'

'Ravenna, Sept. 11th, 1820. 'Here is another historical note for you. I want

'to be as near truth as the drama can be.

'Last post I sent you a note fierce as Faliero himself, in answer to a trashy tourist, who pretends that he could have been introduced to me. Let me have a proof of it, that I may cut its lava into some shape.

What Gifford says is very consolatory (of the First 'Act). English, sterling genuine English, is a desi'deratum amongst you, and I am glad that I have got so much left; though Heaven knows how I ' retain it: I hear none but from my valet, and his is Nottinghamshire: and I see none but in your new

*The angry note against English travellers appended to this tragedy, in consequence of an assertion made by some recent tourist, that he (or as it afterwards turned out, she) had repeatedly declined an introduction to Lord Byron while in Italy.'