would have flung it into the fire rather than have had it represented. «I have now written nearly three acts of another (intending to complete it in five), and am more anxious than ever to be preserved from such a breach of all literary courtesy and gentlemanly consideration. « If we succeed, well; if not, previous to any future publication we will request a promise not to be acted, which I would even pay for (as money is their object), or I will not publish—which, however, you will probably not much regret. << The Chancellor has behaved nobly. You have also conducted yourself in the most satisfactory manner; and I have no fault to find with any body but the stage-players, and their proprietor. I was always so civil to Elliston, personally, that he ought to have been the last to attempt to injure me. << There is a most rattling thunder-storm pelting away at this present writing; so that I write neither by day, norby candle, nor torchlight, but by lightning light: the flashes are as brilliant as the most gaseous glow of the gaslight company. My chimney-board has just been thrown down by a gust of wind: I thought that it was the Bold Thunder' and 'Brisk Lightning' in person.Three of us would be too many. There it goes-flash again! but I tax not you, ye elements, with unkindness; as I have done by and upon Mr Elliston. Why do you not write? You should at least send me a line of particulars: I know nothing yet but by Galignani and the Honourable Douglas. "Well, and how does our Pope controversy go on? and the pamphlet? It is impossible to write any news: the Austrian scoundrels rummage all letters. « P.S.-I could have sent you a good deal of gossip and some real information, were it not that all letters pass through the Barbarians' inspection, and I have no wish to inform them of any thing but my utter abhorrence of them and theirs. They have only conquered by treachery, however." LETTER CCCCXXVIII. TO MR MOORE. " Ravenna, May 20th, 1821. «Since I wrote to you last week I have received English letters and papers, by which I perceive that what I took for an Italian truth is, after all, a French lie of the Gazette de France. It contains two ultrafalsehoods in as many lines. In the first place, Lord B. did not bring forward his play, but opposed the same; and, secondly, it was not condemned, but is continued to be acted, in despite of publisher, author, Lord Chancellor, and (for aught I know to the contrary) of audience, up to the first of May, at least-the latest date of my letters. You will oblige me, then, by causing Mr Gazette of France to contradict himself, which, I suppose, he is used to. I never answer a foreign criticism; but this is a mere matter of fact, and not of opinions. I presume that you have English and French interest enough to do this for me-though, to be sure, as it is nothing but the truth which we wish to state, the insertion may be more difficult. << As I have written to you often lately at some length, I won't bore you further now, than by begging you to comply with my request; and I presume the 'esprit du corps' (is it ‘du' or 'de?' for this is more than I know) will sufficiently urge you, as one of 'ours,' to set this affair in its real aspect. Believe me always yours ever and most affectionately, « BYRON." LETTER CCCCXXIX. TO MR HOPPNER. " « Ravenna, May 25th, 1821. «I am very much pleased with what you say of Switzerland, and will ponder upon it. I would rather she married there than here for that matter. For fortune, I shall make all that I can spare (if I live and she is correct in her conduct), and if I die before she is settled, I have left her by will five thousand pounds, which is a fair provision out of England for a natural child. Ishall increase it all I can, if circumstances permit me; but, of course (like all other human things), this is very uncertain. « You will oblige me very much by interfering to have the FACTS of the play-acting stated, as these scoundrels appear to be organizing a system of abuse against me, because I am in their 'list.' I care nothing for their criticism, but the matter of fact. I have written four acts of another tragedy, so you see they can't bully me. « You know, I suppose, that they actually keep a list of all individuals in Italy who dislike them—it must be numerous. Their suspicions and actual alarms, about my conduct and presumed intentions in the late row, were truly ludicrous—though not to bore you, I touched upon them lightly. They believed, and still believe here, or affect to believe it, that the whole plan and project of rising was settled by me, and the means furnished, etc. etc. All this was more fomented by the barbarian agents, who are numerous here (one of them was stabbed yesterday, by the way, but not dangerously): -and although when the Commandant was shot here before my door in December, I took him into my house, where he had every assistance, till he died on Fletcher's bed; and although not one of them dared to receive him into their houses but myself, they leaving him to perish in the night in the streets, they put up a paper about three months ago, denouncing me as the Chief of the Liberals, and stirring up persons to assassinate me. But this shall never silence nor bully my opinions. All this came from the German Barbarians.»> LETTER CCCCXXX. « MR MORAY, TO MR MURRAY. « Ravenna, May 25th, 1821. «< Since I wrote the enclosed a week ago, and for some weeks before, I have not had a line from you: now, I should be glad to know upon what principle of common or uncommon feeling, you leave me without any information but what I derive from garbled gazettes in English, and abusive ones in Italian (the Germans hating me, as a coal-heaver), while all this kick-up has been going on about the play? You SHABBY fellow!!! Were it not for two letters from Douglas Kinnaird, I should have been as ignorant as you are negligent. « So, I hear Bowles has been abusing Hobhouse! if that's the case, he has broken the truce, like Morillo's successor, and I will cut him out, as Cochrane did the Esmeralda. « Since I wrote the enclosed packet, I have completed (but not copied out) four acts of a new tragedy. When I have finished the fifth, I will copy it out. It is on the subject of ‘Sardanapalus,' the last king of the Assyrians. The words Queen and Pavilion occur, but it is not an allusion to his Britannic Majesty, as you may tremulously imagine. This you will one day see (if I finish it), as I have made Sardanapalus brave (though voluptuous, as history represents him), and also as amiable as my poor powers could render him :-so that it could neither be truth nor satire on any living monarch. I have strictly preserved all the unities hitherto, and mean to continue them in the fifth, if possible; but not for the stage. Yours, in haste and hatred, you shabby correspondent! LETTER CCCCXXXI. TO MR MURRAY. " «N." «Ravenna, May 28th, 1821. " Since my last of the 26th or 25th, I have dashed off my fifth act of the tragedy called 'Sardanapalus.' But now comes the copying, over, which may prove heavy work-heavy to the writer as to the reader. I have written to you at least six times sans answer, which proves you to be a-bookseller. I pray you to send me a copy of Mr Wrangham's reformation of 'Langhorne's Plutarch.' I have the Greek, which is somewhat small of print, and the Italian, which is too heavy in style, and as false as a Neapolitan patriot proclamation. I pray you also to send me a Life, pub |