1821.] GRILLPARZER'S SAPPHO. 171 Midnight. Read the Italian translation by Guido Sorelli of the German Grillparzer 1-a devil of a name, to be sure, for posterity; but they must learn to pronounce it. With all the allowance for a translation, and above all, an Italian translation (they are the very worst of translators, except from the Classics-Annibale Caro, for instance-and there, the bastardy of their language helps them, as, by way of looking legitimate, they ape their father's tongue); -but with every allowance for such a disadvantage, the tragedy of Sappho is superb and sublime! There is no denying it. The man has done a great thing in writing that play. And who is he? I know him not; but ages will. 'Tis a high intellect. I must premise, however, that I have read nothing of Adolph Müllner's (the author of Guilt3), and much less of Goethe, and Schiller, and Wieland, than I could wish. I only know them through the medium of English, French, 1. Franz Grillparzer (1791-1872) was born at Vienna, where his originality was crushed by rigorous press-censorship. He began his literary career with Die Ahnfrau (1817), which was followed by Sappho (1819). His König Ottokars Glück und Ende (1825) was kept for two years in the censor's office, and only discovered by accident, when the poet had given it up for lost (see Laube's edition of Grillparzer's Sämtl. Werke, vol. i. p. xxiv.). The passage from Byron's Journal is prefixed to a translation of Sappho, into English blank verse, by L. C. C. (1855). Guido Sorelli's versione italiana of Saffo was published in 1819. Perhaps Byron's curious anachronism, where he makes Sardanapalus (act iii. sc. 1) say— "Sing me a song of Sappho, her, thou know'st, Who in thy country threw is due to the impression made on his mind by Grillparzer's Sappho. 2. Annibale Caro (1507-1566) translated the Eneid into blank verse (printed at Venice in 1581), and sang the praises alternately of Francis I. and the Emperor Charles V. 3. Adolf Müllner (1774-1829) published his Die Schuld (1812). It belongs to the Schicksalsdrama, or "Fate Tragedies," in which some of the romantic school, e.g. Zacharias Werner, Houwald, etc., found expression for the new thoughts and feelings which invaded the rationalistic world of the eighteenth century. and Italian translations. Of the real language I know absolutely nothing,-except oaths learned from postillions and officers in a squabble! I can swear in German potently, when I like "Sacrament-Verfluchter-Hunds"fott"—and so forth; but I have little less of their energetic conversation. I like, however, their women, (I was once so desperately in love with a German woman, Constance,) and all that I have read, translated, of their writings, and all that I have seen on the Rhine of their country and people-all, except the Austrians, whom I abhor, loathe, and-I cannot find words for my hate of them, and should be sorry to find deeds correspondent to my hate; for I abhor cruelty more than I abhor the Austrians-except on an impulse, and then I am savage-but not deliberately so. Grillparzer is grand-antique-not so simple as the ancients, but very simple for a modern-too Madame de Staelish, now and then-but altogether a great and goodly writer. January 13, 1821, Saturday. Sketched the outline and Drams. Pers. of an intended tragedy of Sardanapalus, which I have for some time. meditated. Took the names from Diodorus Siculus, (I know the history of Sardanapalus, and have known it since I was twelve years old,) and read over a passage in I. "On with the horses; off to Canterbury! Tramp, tramp o'er pebble, and splash, splash through puddle; Hurrah! how swiftly speeds the post so merry! Not like slow Germany, wherein they muddle Along the road, as if they went to bury Their fare; and also pause besides, to fuddle With 'schnapps'—sad dogs! whom 'Hundsfott' or 'Ver fluchter,' Affect no more than lightning a conductor," Don Juan, Canto X. stanza lxxi. 1821.] SARDANAPALUS BEGUN. 173 the ninth vol. octavo, of Mitford's Greece, where he rather vindicates the memory of this last of the Assyrians.1 Dined-news come-the Powers mean to war with the peoples. The intelligence seems positive-let it be so they will be beaten in the end. The king-times are fast finishing. There will be blood shed like water, and tears like mist; but the peoples will conquer in the end. I shall not live to see it, but I foresee it. I carried Teresa the Italian translation of Grillparzer's Sappho, which she promises to read. She quarrelled with me, because I said that love was not the loftiest theme for true tragedy; and, having the advantage of her native language, and natural female eloquence, she overcame my fewer arguments. I believe she was right. I must put more love into Sardanapalus than I intended. I speak, of course, if the times will allow me leisure. That if will hardly be a peace-maker. January 14, 1821. Turned over Seneca's tragedies. Wrote the opening lines of the intended tragedy of Sardanapalus. Rode out some miles into the forest. Misty and rainy. Returneddined-wrote some more of my tragedy. Read Diodorus Siculus-turned over Seneca, and some other books. Took a glass of grog. After having ridden hard in rainy weather, and scribbled, and scribbled again, the spirits 1. The passage from Mitford's History of Greece (vol. ix. pp. 311313) is quoted in Sardanapalus, as a note to act i. sc. 2— "Sardanapalus The king, and son of Anacyndaraxes, In one day built Anchialus and Tarsus. Eat, drink, and love; the rest's not worth a fillip." Sardanapalus, a Tragedy, was published with The Two Foscari, and Cain, a Mystery, in December, 1821. Murray paid for the three tragedies £2710. (at least mine) need a little exhilaration, and I don't like laudanum now as I used to do. So I have mixed a glass of strong waters and single waters, which I shall now proceed to empty. Therefore and thereunto I conclude this day's diary. The effect of all wines and spirits upon me is, however, strange. It settles, but it makes me gloomy-gloomy at the very moment of their effect, and not gay hardly ever. But it composes for a time, though sullenly. January 15, 1821. Weather fine. Received visit. Rode out into the forest-fired pistols. Returned home-dined-dipped into a volume of Mitford's Greece-wrote part of a scene of Sardanapalus. Went out-heard some music-heard some politics. More ministers from the other Italian powers gone to Congress. War seems certain-in that case, it will be a savage one. Talked over various important matters with one of the initiated. At ten and half returned home. I have just thought of something odd. In the year 1814, Moore ("the poet," par excellence, and he deserves it) and I were going together, in the same carriage, to dine with Earl Grey,' the Capo Politico of the remaining 1. Charles Grey (1764-1845) succeeded his father as second Earl Grey in 1807. As M.P. for Northumberland and Appleby (17861807), he was prominent in opposition to Pitt, and support of Fox, a member of the Society of the Friends of the People, and a consistent advocate of parliamentary reform. In the Fox and Grenville administration of 1806 he was First Lord of the Admiralty, and on the death of Fox, in September of that year, he became Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, leader of the House of Commons and of the Whig party. After the fall of the Government in March, 1807, Lord Grey was excluded from office till 1830, when he formed the Reform Bill administration of 1830-34. He married, November 18, 1794, a daughter of the first Lord Ponsonby, by whom he had fifteen children. Byron probably refers to Lady Louisa Elizabeth Grey, born April 7, 1797, who married (1816) the first Earl of Durham, 1821.] FAME AT SIX-AND-TWENTY. 175 Whigs. Murray, the magnificent (the illustrious publisher of that name), had just sent me a Java gazette-I know not why, or wherefore. Pulling it out, by way of curiosity, we found it to contain a dispute (the said Java gazette) on Moore's merits and mine. I think, if I had been there, that I could have saved them the trouble of disputing on the subject. But, there is fame for you at six and twenty! Alexander had conquered India at the same age; but I doubt if he was disputed about, or his conquests compared with those of Indian Bacchus, at Java. It was a great fame to be named with Moore; greater to be compared with him; greatest-pleasure, at leastto be with him; and, surely, an odd coincidence, that we should be dining together while they were quarrelling about us beyond the equinoctial line. Well, the same evening, I met Lawrence' the painter, 1. Sir Thomas Lawrence (1769-1830), the son of an innkeeper, was knighted in 1815, and became President of the Royal Academy in 1820. An infant prodigy, he drew, from the age of six, portraits of his father's guests at the Black Bear Inn, Devizes. His prices rose as he grew in fame. "A. Ellis," writes Jekyll, in December, 1828 (Letters, p. 189), "gives Lawrence five hundred guineas for a "portrait of Lady G. and child. I have a picture he painted for "half a guinea." Though he made a large income, he was always in money difficulties, mainly through his passion for collecting works of art. Rogers lent him money (Rogers and his Contemporaries, vol. i. p. 426), and, when Lawrence came to his door at night towards Christmas, 1825, "in a state of alarming agitation," asking for a few thousand pounds, it was through Rogers that Lord Dudley saved him from ruin (ibid., pp. 423-425). He died in debt. "Poor "Sir T. Lawrence," writes Jekyll, January, 1830 (Letters, p. 220), "is the subject of universal regret, terribly in debt, £6000 they say "to Lord Dudley, and God knows how much to others. . . . It is "false that he ever played. The riches of his portfolio very great, "for so he spent all he had. They talk of a value of £60,000 in "sketches, studies, etc., of the great masters, an irreparable blow to "the Academy. No such successor can be found." His good looks and good manners, combined with his artistic genius and intellectual gifts, made him popular in society. Greville (Memoirs, vol. i. p. 263) speaks of him, at the age of sixty, as "very like Canning in |