LEITER CCCCLXI. TO MR. MURRAY. "Ravenna, 9bre 4, 1820. nearer the barbarians; who are in great force on the Po, and will pass it, with the first legitimate pretext. "There will be the devil to pay, and there is no saying who will or who will not be set down in his "I have received from Mr. Galignani the en- bill. If 'honor should come unlooked for' to any closed letters, duplicates, and receipts, which ex- of your acquaintance, make a melody of it, that his plain themselves. As the poems are your property, ghost, like poor Yorick's, may have the satisfaction by purchase, right, and justice, all matters of pub- of being plaintively pitied-or still more nobly comlication, &c., &c., are for you to decide upon. I memorated, like 'Oh breathe not his' name.' In case know not how far my compliance with Mr. Galig-you should not think him worth it, here is a chant nani's request might be legal, and I doubt that it for you instead would not be honest. In case you choose to arrange with him, I enclose the permits to you, and in so doing wash my hands of the business altogether. I sign them merely to enable you to exert the power you justly possess more properly. I will have nothing to do with it farther, except, in my answer to Mr. Galignani, to state that the letters, &c., &c., are sent to you, and the causes thereof. "If you can check these foreign pirates, do; if not, put the permissive papers in the fire. I can have no view nor object whatever, but to secure to you your property. "Yours, &c. "When a man hath no freedom to fight for at home, "To do good to mankind is the chivalrous plan, And, if not shot or hang'd, you'll get knighted. "So you have gotten the letter of 'Epigrams'--I am glad of it. You will not be so, for I shall send you more. Here is one I wrote for the endorsement of the Deed of Separation' in 1816; but the lawyers objected to it, as superfluous. It was "P. S. I have read part of the Quarterly just arrived; Mr. Bowles shall be answered: he is not quite correct in his statement about English Bards and Scotch Reviewers. They support Pope, I see, in written as we were getting up the signing and sealthe Quarterly let them continue to do so; it is a ing. has the original. sin, and a shame, and a damnation to think that Pope!! should require it--but he does. Those miserable mountebanks of the day, the poets, disgrace themselves and deny God in running down Pope, the most faultless of poets, and almost of men.' LETTER CCCCLXII. TO MR. MOORE. "Ravenna, Nov. 5, 1820. Of it "Endorsement to the Deed of Separation, in the April of 1816. "A year age you swore, fond she! To love, to honor,' and so forth: "For the anniversary of January 2, 1821, I have a small grateful anticipation, which, in case of accident, I add "To Penelope, January 2, 1821. "This day, of all our days, has done The worst for me and you Tis just six years since we were ons, "Thanks for your letter, which hath come somewhat costively,-but better late than never. anon. Mr. Galignani, of the press, hath, it seems, been sub-planted and sub-pirated by another Parisian publisher, who has audaciously printed an edition "Pray, excuse all this nonsense; for I must talk of L. B.'s Works, at the ultra-liberal price of ten serious topics, which, in the present state of things, nonsense just now for fear of wandering to more francs, and (as Galignani piteously observes) eight francs only for booksellers! 'horresco referens.' is not safe by a foreign post. ་ Think of a man's whole works producing so little! "I told you in my last, that I had been going on "Galignani sends me, post haste, a permission with the Memoirs,' and have got as far as twelve for him from me, to publish, &c., &c., which permit In that case I will send them on by post, though I more sheets. But I suspect they will be interrupted. I have signed and sent to Mr. Murray, of Albemarle street. Will you explain to G. that I have feel remorse at making a friend pay so much for no right to dispose of Murray's works without his postage, for we can't frank here beyond the frontier. leave? and therefore I must refer him to M. to get "I shall be glad to hear of the event of the the permit out of his claws-no easy matter I sus- Queen's concern. As to the ultimate effect, the pect. I have written to G. to say as much; but a most inevitable one to you and me (if they and we word of mouth from a 'great brother author' would live so long) will be that the Miss Moores and Miss convince him that I could not honestly have com- Byrons will present us with a great variety of plied with his wish, though I might legally. What grandchildren by different fathers. I could do I have done, viz., signed the warrant and sent it to Murray. Let the dogs divide the carcass, if it is killed to their liking. "I am glad of your epigram. It is odd that we should both let our wits run away with our sentiments; for I am sure that we are both Queen's men at bottom. But there is no resisting a clinch-it is so clever! Apropos of that-we have a dipthong also in this part of the world-not a Greek, but a Spanish one do you understand me?-which is "So Bowles has been telling a story, too, ('tis in about to blow up the whole alphabet. It was first the Quarterly,) about the woods of Maderia,' and pronounced at Naples, and is spreading; but we are so forth. I shall be at Bowles again, if he is not quiet. He misstates, or mistakes, in a point or two. The paper is finished and so is the letter. Yours, &c." • Mr. Galignani had applied to Lord Byron with the view of procuring from him such legal right over those works of his of which he had hitherto been the sole publisher in France, as would enable him to prevent others, in uture, from usurping the same privilege. Letter ccccxiii. 66 LETTER CCCCLXIII. LETTER CCCCLXIV. TO MR. MURRAY. "Ravenna, 9bre 9, 1820. TO MR. MURRAY. "Ravenna, Sore 18, 1820. "The talent you approve of is an amiable one, "The death of Waite is a shock to the-teeth and might prove a national service,' but unfortu- as well as to the feelings of all who knew him nately I must be angry with a man before I draw Good God, he and Blaket both gone! I left them his real portrait; and I can't deal in 'generals,' so both in the most robust health, and little thought that I trust never to have provocation enough to of the national loss in so short a time as five years. make a gallery. If the parson' had not by many They were both as much superior to Wellington is little dirty sneaking traits provoked it, I should rational greatness, as he who preserves the hair and have been silent, though I had observed him. the teeth is preferable to bloody blustering warHere follows an alteration: put "Devil, with such delight in damning, That if at the resurrection Unto him the free election Of his future could be given, 'Twould be rather Hell than Heaven; 6 rior' who gains a name by breaking heads and knocking out grinders. Who succeeds him? Where is tooth-powder, mild, and yet efficaciouswhere is tincture-where are clearing-roots and brushes now to be obtained? Pray obtain what in formation you can upon these Tusculan questions. My jaws ache to think on't. Poor fellows! I anticipated seeing both again; and yet they are that is to say, if these two new lines do not too gone to that place where both teeth and hair last much lengthen out and weaken the amiability of the longer than they do in this life. I have seen a original thought and expression. You have a thousand graves opened, and always perceived, that discretionary power about showing. I should think whatever was gone, the teeth and hair remain with that Croker would not disrelish a sight of these those who had died with them. Is not this odd? light little humorous things, and may be indulged They go the very first things in youth, and yet last now and then. the longest in the dust, if people will but die to pre"Why, I do like one or two vices, to be sure; serve them! It is a queer life, and a queer death, but I can back a horse and fire a pistol without that of mortals. thinking or blinking' like Major Sturgeon; I have "I knew that Waite had married, but little fed at times for two months together on sheer bis- thought that the other decease was so soon to overcuit and water, (without metaphor ;) I can get over take him. Then he was such a delight, such a seventy or eighty miles a day riding post, and swim coxcomb, such a jewel of a man! There is a tailor five at a stretch, as at Venice, in 1818, or at least I at Bologna so like him! and also at the top of his could do, and have done it ONCE. profession. Do not neglect this commission. Who "I know Henry Matthews; he is the image, to or what can replace him? What says the public? the very voice, of his brother Charles, only darker "I remand you the preface. Don't forget that -his cough his in particular. The first time I ever the Italian extract from the Chronicle must be met him was in Scrope Davies's room after his translated. With regard to what you say of rebrother's death, and I nearly dropped, thinking touching the Juans and the Hints, it is all very that it was his ghost. I have also dined with him well; but I can't furbish. I am like the tiger, (in in his rooms at King's College. Hobhouse once pocsy,) if I miss the first spring I go growling back purposed a similar memoir; but I am afraid the to my jungle. There is no second: I can't correct; letters of Charles's correspondence with me (which I can't, and I won't. Nobody ever succeeds in it, are at Whitton with my other papers) would hardly great or small. Tasso remade the whole of his do for the public; for our lives were not over strict, Jerusalem; but who ever reads that version? all and our letters somewhat lax upon most subjects. You the world goes to the first. Pope added to The Rape of the Lock,' but did not reduce it. "Last week I sent you a correspondence with must take my things as they happen to be. If they Galignani, and some documents on your property. are not likely to suit, reduce their estimate accordYou have now, I think, an opportunity of checking, ingly. I would rather give them away than hack or at least limiting, those French republications. and hew them. I don't say that you are not right; You may let all your authors publish what they I merely repeat that I cannot better them. I must please against me and mine. A publisher is not, either make a spoon or spoil a horn;' and there's and cannot be responsible for all the works that an end. "Yours. issue from his printer's. "P. S. Of the praises of that little *** Keats, "The White Lady of Arvenel,' is not quite so I shall observe, as Johnson did when Sheridan the good as a real well authenticated (Dona Bianca') actor got a pension, What! has he got a pension? White Lady of Colalto, or spectre in the Marca Then it is time that I should give up mine!" Trivigiana, who has been repeatedly seen. There body could be prouder of the praise of the Edinburgh is a man (a huntsman) now alive who saw her also. than I was, or more alive to their censure, as I Hoppner could tell you all about her, and so can showed in English Bards and Scotch Reviewers. At Rose, perhaps. I myself have no doubt of the fact, present, all the men they have ever praised are de historical and spectral. She always appeared on graded by that insane article. Why don't they reparticular occasions, before the deaths of the family, view and praise Solomon's Guide to Health?' &c., &c. I heard Madame Benzoni say, that she it is better sense and as much poetry as Johnny knew a gentleman who had seen her cross his room Keats. No at Colalto Castle. Hoppner saw and spoke with "Bowles must be bowled down. 'Tis a sad match the huntsman, who met her at the chase, and never at cricket if he can get any notches at Pope's exhunted afterward. She was a girl attendant, who, pense. If he once get into Lord's ground,' (to one day dressing the hair of a Countess Colalto, continue the pun, because it is foolish,) I think I was seen by her mistress to smile upon her husband could beat him in one innings. You did not know, in the glass. The Countess had her shut up in the perhaps, that I was once (not metaphorically, but wall of the castle, like Constance de Beverly. Ever really) a good cricketer, particularly in batting, and after, she haunted them and all the Colaltos. She I played in the Harrow match against the Etonians is described as very beautiful and fair. It is well in 1805, gaining more notches (as one of our chosen authenticated. eleven) than any, except Lord Ipswich and Brookman, on our side." His dentist. † A celebrated hair-dresser. LETTER CCCCLXV. TO MR. MURRAY. "Ravenna, bre 12, 1820. used to sit up late in our friars' dresses, drinking Burgundy, claret, champagne, and what not, out of the skull-cup, and all sorts of glasses, and buffooning all round the house, in our conventual garments. Matthews always denominated me the "What you said of the late Charles Skinner Mat- Abbot,' and never called me by any other name in thews has set me to my recollections; but I have his good humors, to the day of his death. The harnot been able to turn up any thing which would do mony of these our symposia was somewhat interr the purposed memoir of his brother, even if he rupted, a few days after our assembling, by Mathad previously done enough during his life to sanc-thews's threatening to throw bold Webster,' (as he tion the introduction of anecdotes so merely person- was called, from winning a foot-match, and a horseal. He was, however, a very extraordinary man, match, the first from Ipswich to London, and the and would have been a great one. No one ever suc- second from Brightelmstone,) by threatening to ceeded in a more surpassing degree than he did, as throw bold Webster' out of a window, in consefar as he went. He was indolent too; but whenever quence of I know not what commerce of jokes he stripped, he overthrew all antagonists. His con- ending in this epigram. Webster came to me and quests will be found registered at Cambridge, partic- said, that his respect and regard for me as host larly his Downing one, which was hotly and highly would not permit him to call out any of my guests, contested, and yet easily won. Hobhouse was his and that he should go to town next morning.' He most intimate friend, and can tell you more of him did. It was in vain that I represented to him that than any man. William Bankes also a great deal. the window was not high, and that the turf under I myself recollect more of his oddities than of his it was particularly soft. Away he went. academical qualities, for we lived most together at a "Matthews and myself had travelled down from very idle period of my life. When I went up to London together, talking all the way incessantly Trinity in 1805, at the age of seventeen and a half, upon one single topic. When we got to Loughbor I was miserable and untoward to a degree. I was ough, I know not what chasm had made us diverge wretched at leaving Harrow, to which I had become for a moment to some other subject, at which he attached during the last two years of my stay there; was indignant. Come,' said he, don't let us break wretched at going to Cambridge instead of Oxford, through-let us go on as we began, to our journey's (there were no rooms vacant at Christchurch,) end; and so he continued, and was entertaining as wretched from some private domestic circumstances ever to the very end. He had previously occupied, of different kinds, and consequently about as unso- during my year's absence from Cambridge, my cial as a wolf taken from the troop. So that, al- rooms in Trinity, with the furniture; and Jones the though I knew Matthews, and met him often then tutor in his odd way, had said on putting him in, at Bankes's, (who was my collegiate pastor, and mas-Mr. Matthews, I recommend to your attention not ter, and patron,) and at Rhodes's, Milnes's, Price's, to damage any of the moveables, for Lord Byron, Dick's, Macnamara's, Farrell's, Galley Knight's, sir, is a young man of tumultuous passions.' Matand others of that set of contemporaries, yet I was thews was delighted with this; and whenever any neither intimate with him nor with any else, except body came to visit him, begged them to handle the my old schoolfellow Edward Long, (with whom I very door with caution; and used to repeat Jones's used to pass the day in riding and swimming,) and admonition, in his tone and manner. There was a William Bankes, who was good-naturedly tolerant large mirror in the room, on which he remarked, of my ferocities. 'that he thought his friends were grown uncom"It was not till 1807, after I had been upwards of monly assiduous in coming to see him, but he soon a year away from Cambridge, to which I had returned again to reside for my degree, that I became one of Matthews's familiars, by means of Hobhouse, who, after hating me for two years, because I wore a white hat and a gray coat, and rode a gray horse,' (as he says himself,) took me into his good graces "When at Newstead, somebody by accident rubbecause I had written some poetry. I had always bed against one of his white silk stockings, one day lived a good deal, and got drunk occasionally, in before dinner; of course the gentleman apologized. their company; but now we became really friends in Sir,' answered Matthews, it may be all very well a morning. Matthews, however, was not at this for you, who have a great many silk stockings, to period resident in college. I met him chiefly in dirty other people's; but to me, who have only this London, and at uncertain periods at Cambridge. one pair, which I have put on in honor of the Hobhouse, in the mean time, did great things: he Abbot' here, no apology can compensate for such founded the Cambridge Whig Club,' (which he carelessness; besides the expense of washing.' He seems to have forgotten,) and the Amicable Socie- had the same sort of droll sardonic way about every ty,' which was dissolved in consequence of the thing. A wild Irishman named F**, one evening members constantly quarrelling, and made himself beginning to say something at a large supper at very popular with us youth,' and no less formida- Cambridge, Matthews roared out Silence!' and ble to all tutors, professors, and heads of colleges. then, pointing to F**, cried out, in the words of William Bankes was gone; while he stayed he ruled the oracle, Orson is endowed with reason.' You the roast, or rather the roasting, and was father of may easily suppose that Orson lost what reason he all mischiefs. had acquired, on hearing this compliment. When "Matthews and I, meeting in London, and else- Hobhouse published his volume of poems, the Miswhere, became great cronics. He was not good-cellany, (which Matthews would call the 'Miss-selltempered-nor am I-but with a little tact his tem- any,' all that could be drawn from him was, that per was manageable, and I thought him so superior the preface was extremely like Walsh.' Hobhouse a man, that I was willing to sacrifice something to thought this at first a compliment; but we never his humors, which were often, at the same time, could make out what it was, for all we know of amusing and provoking. What became of his pa- Walsh is his Ode to King William, and Pope's epiWhen the Newstead pers, (and he certainly had many,) at the time of his thet of knowing Walsh.' death, was never known. I mention this by the way, party broke up for London, Hobhouse and Matfearing to skip it over, and as he wrote remarkably thews, who were the greatest friends possible, well, both in Latin and English. We went down agreed, for a whim, to walk together to town. They to Newstead together, where I had got a famous qurrelled by the way, and actually walked the cellar, and monks' dresses from a masquerade ware- latter half of their journey, occasionally passing house. We were a company of some seven or eight, and repassing, without speaking. When Matthews with an occasional neighbor or so for visitors, and had got to Highgate, he had spent all his money but 6 discovered that they only came to see themselves.' Jones's phrase of tumultuous passions,' and the whole scene had put him into such good humor, that I verily believe, that I owed to it a portion of his good graces. 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 some- "You must be almost tired of my packets, which "The Dean had lived, And our prediction proved a lie.' "His head was uncommonly handsome, very like what Pope's was in his youth. room. "Salute Gifford and all my friends. Yours, &c." LETTER CCCCLXVI. TO MR. MURRAY. "Ravenna, Sbre 23, 1920. "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 will 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 "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 facetious believe,) in a magnificently fashionable and some- poem is sufficient to take away a man's right over what exaggerated shirt and neck cloth. 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 THEM 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 "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 me, before we set out for Constantinople, a most "Ravenna, Dec. 8, 1930. splendid entertainment, to which we did ample ets, containing, in all, eighteen more sheets of "Besides this letter, you will receive three packjustice. One of his fancies was dining at all sorts Memoranda, which, I fear, will cost you more in 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 print-and 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 if 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 progeny, I prefer you to your grandchildren. Would "When Sir Henry Smith was expelled from not Longman or Murray advance you a certain sum 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? times. Ah me what perils do environ The man who meddles with hot Hiron.' "Over these latter sheets I would leave you a discretionary 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 place- "He only said, 'O Dio!' and 'Gesu!' two or what say you? You must applaud the honesty of three times, and appeared to have suffered little. the declaration, whatever you may think of the Poor fellow! he was a brave officer, but had made himself much disliked by the people. I knew him intention. "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. "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 open my letter to tell you a fact, which will "I have been thinking of a project for you and 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 in my house. He was shot at a little past eight a Neapolitan war don't suscitate) may be calculated as possible for one of us about the spring of 1821. o'clock, about two hundred paces from my door. I I presume that you, too, will be back by that time, was putting on my great-coat to visit Madame la Contessa G. when I heard the shot. On coming The project, then, is for you and me to set up jointor never; but on that you will give me some index. into 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. Iso, 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 soldiers cocked their guns, and wanted to hinder of appearing in the same columns; but this must be 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 "As nobody could, or would, do any thing but earnest, your debts would be paid off in a twelvemonth, 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 thing around him but confusion and dismay. Blackwood's Magazine, where the poets of the day were all grouped to ↑ See Don Juan, canto v., stanza xxxiji. |