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 me, in case we both get to London again, which (if a Neapolitan war don't suscitate) may be calculated as possible for one of us about the spring of 1821. I presume that you, too, will be back by that time, or never; but on that you will give me some index. The project, then, is for you and me to set up jointly a newspaper-nothing more nor less -weekly, or so, with some improvement or modifications upon the plan of the present scoundrels, who degrade that department,—but a newspaper, which we will edite in due form, and, nevertheless, with some attention. There must always be in it a piece of poesy from one or other of us two, leaving room, however, for such dilettanti rhymers as may be deemed worthy of appearing in the same column: but this must be a sine qua non; and also as much prose as we can compass. We will take an office-our names not announced, but suspectedand, by the blessing of Providence, give the age some new lights upon policy, poesy, biography, criticism, morality, theology, and all other ism, ality, and ology whatsoever. 1. Moore, in his Diary, January 12, 1821, says, "A letter from "Lord Byron yesterday; in which he tells me of his intention to "visit England next spring, and proposes (as a means of paying my "debts) that he and I should set up a newspaper together on his "arrival there" (Memoirs, etc., vol. iii. p. 189; see also ibid., p. 285). In 1812 Moore had made the same proposal to Byron. Why, man, if we were to take to this in good earnest, your debts would be paid off in a twelvemonth, and, by dint of a little diligence and practice, I doubt not that we could distance the common-place blackguards who have so long disgraced common sense and the common reader. They have no merit but practice and impudence, both of which we may acquire; and, as for talent and culture, the devil's in't if such proofs as we have given of both can't furnish out something better than the "funeral baked meats" which have coldly set forth the 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 literary 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. As for the living in London, I would make that not difficult to you (if you would allow me), until we could see whether one means or other (the success of the plan, for instance) would not make it quite easy for you, as well as your family; and, in any case, we should have some fun, composing, correcting, supposing, inspecting, and supping together over our lucubrations. If you think this worth a thought, let me know, and I will begin to lay in a small literary capital of composition for the occasion. Yours ever affectionately, B. P.S.-If you thought of a middle plan between a Spectator and a newspaper, why not ?-only not on a Sunday. 1820.] DON JUAN, CANTO V. 1 145 Not that Sunday is not an excellent day, but it is engaged already. We will call it the "Tenda Rossa," the name Tassoni gave an answer of his in a controversy, in allusion to the delicate hint of Timour the Lame, to his enemies, by a "Tenda" of that colour, before he gave battle. Or we will call it Gli, or I Carbonari, if it so please you -or any other name full of "pastime and prodigality," which you may prefer. Let me have an * answer. I conclude poetically, with the bellman, "A "merry Christmas to you!" 857.-To John Murray. Ra 1obre 280 1820. D M.,-I have had no communication from you of any kind since the second reading of the Queen's bill. I write merely to apprize you that, by this Post, I have transmitted to Mr. Douglas Kinnaird the fifth Canto of Don Juan; and you will apply (if so disposed) to him. for it. It consists of 155 Octave Stanzas, with a few notes. I wrote to you several times, and told you of the 1. Alessandro Tassoni (1565-1635), a native of Modena, published, in 1622, La Secchia Rapita, a mock-heroic poem, which was the forerunner of Boileau's Lutrin and Pope's Rape of the Lock. The allusion is explained by the following extract from the Vita di Alessandro Tassoni (p. xxiv.) of Muratori : "Al veder questo nuovo assalto cominciò il Tassoni a perder la "pazienza, e montogli la senape al naso. Il perchè preso l'esempio "di Tamerlano, che nelle sue guerre, ed assedi esponeva prima una "Tenda bianca in segno di general perdono; nell' altro di una "Tenda rossa per indizio di morte a chi avesse preso l'armi contra "di lui, e nel terzo di una Tenda nera per segno di un totale ester"minio d'ogni sesso, ed età: pubblicò anch' egli nell' anno 1613 "un Libro in Modena (benchè nel Frontispizio si legga in Fran"cofort) con questo titolo: Tenda Rossa, risposta di Girolamo “Nomisenti a i Dialoghi di Falcidio Melampodio. VOL. V. L various events, assassinations, etc., which have occurred here. War is certain. If you write, write soon. Yours, B. P.S. Did you receive two letters, etc., from Galignani to me, which I enclosed to you long ago? I suppose your answer must have been intercepted, as they were of importance to you, and you would naturally have acknowledged their arrival. 1821.] A SUDDEN THOUGHT. 147 CHAPTER XXI. EXTRACTS FROM A DIARY, JANUARY 4- "A SUDDEN thought strikes me." Ravenna, January 4, 1821. Let me begin a Journal was in Switzerland, in once more. The last I kept record of a tour made in the Bernese Alps, which I made to send to my sister in 1816, and I suppose that she has it still, for she wrote to me that she was pleased Another, and longer, I kept in 1813-1814, which I gave to Thomas Moore in the same year. This morning I gat me up late, as usual-weather bad-bad as England-worse. The snow of last week melting to the sirocco of to-day, so that there were two damned things at once. Could not even get to ride on horseback in the forest. Stayed at home all the morning -looked at the fire-wondered when the post would Post came at the Ave Maria, instead of half-past one o'clock, as it ought. Galignani's Messengers, six in number-a letter from Faenza, but none from England. Very sulky in consequence (for there ought to have been letters), and ate in consequence a copious dinner; for when I am vexed, it makes me swallow quicker-but drank very little. come. I was out of spirits-read the papers-thought what fame was, on reading, in a case of murder, that "Mr. |