622.-To John Murray. Venice, Dec. 27, 1816. DEAR SIR,-As the Demon of silence seems to have possessed you, I am determined to have my revenge in postage. This is my sixth or seventh letter since summer and Switzerland. My last was an injunction to contradict and consign to confusion that Cheapside impostor, who (I heard by a letter from your Island) had thought proper to append my name to his spurious poesy, of which I know nothing, nor of his pretended purchase or copyright. I hope you have, at least, received that letter. As the news of Venice must be very interesting to you, I will regale you with it. Yesterday being the feast of St. Stephen, every mouth was put in motion. There was nothing but fiddling and playing on the virginals, and all kinds of conceits and divertisements, on every canal of this aquatic city. I dined with the Countess Albrizzi and a Paduan and Venetian party, and afterwards went to the opera, at the Fenice theatre (which opens for the Carnival on that day), the finest, by the way, I have ever seen; it beats our theatres hollow in beauty and scenery, and those of Milan and Brescia bow before it. The opera and its Syrens were much like all other operas and women, but the subject of the said opera was something edifying; it turned-the plot and conduct thereof-upon a fact narrated by Livy1 of a hundred and fifty married ladies 1. Byron alludes to Livy, bk. viii. c. 18. A number of leading citizens were attacked and died by a mysterious disease. In each case the symptoms were identical. At last a girl offered to reveal the cause of the disease to Fabius Maximus, the Curule Edile. Fabius put the matter into the hands of the Consuls, who laid it before the Senate. That body unanimously agreed to hold the girl harmless if she told the truth. Thus encouraged, she disclosed a conspiracy on the part of the Matrona. Acting on the girl's 1816.] SUBJECT OF AN OPERA. 35 having poisoned a hundred and fifty husbands in the good old times. The bachelors of Rome believed this extraordinary mortality to be merely the common effect of matrimony or a pestilence; but the surviving Benedicts, being all seized with the cholic, examined into the matter, and found that "their possets had been drugged;" 1 the consequence of which was much scandal and several suits at law. This is really and truly the subject of the Musical piece at the Fenice; and you can't conceive what pretty things are sung and recitativoed about the horrenda strage. The conclusion was a lady's head about to be chopped off by a Lictor, but (I am sorry to say) he left it on, and she got up and sung a trio with the two Consuls, the Senate in the back-ground being chorus. The ballet was distinguished by nothing remarkable, except that the principal she-dancer went into convulsions because she was not applauded on her first appearance; and the manager came forward to ask if there was " ever "a physician in the theatre." There was a Greek one in my box, whom I wished very much to volunteer his services, being sure that in this case these would have been the last convulsions which would have troubled the Ballerina; but he would not. The crowd was enormous; and in coming out, having a lady under my arm, I was obliged, in making way, almost to "beat a Venetian and "traduce the state," 2 being compelled to regale a person information, they found a number of matrons in the act of brewing potions. Two of them, Cornelia and Sergia, both of patrician rank, declared that the potions were harmless. Being ordered to drink them, they consulted with the rest who had been arrested, and all turned informers. A large number of matrons were denounced, of whom 170 were found guilty. 1. Macbeth, act ii. sc. 2. 2. "And say, besides, that in Aleppo once Othello, act v. sc. 2. with an English punch in the guts, which sent him as far back as the squeeze and the passage would admit. He did not ask for another; but, with great signs of disapprobation and dismay, appealed to his compatriots, who laughed at him. I am going on with my Armenian studies in a morning, and assisting and stimulating in the English portion of an English and Armenian grammar, now publishing at the convent of St. Lazarus. The Superior of the Friars is a bishop, and a fine old fellow, with the beard of a meteor. My spiritual preceptor, pastor and master, Father Paschal,1 is also a learned and pious soul: he was two years in England. I am still dreadfully in love with the Adriatic lady whom I spoke of in a former letter (and not in this-I add, for fear of mistakes; for the only one mentioned in the first part of this epistle is elderly and bookish, two things which I have ceased to admire), and love in this part of the world is no sinecure. This is also the season when every body make up their intrigues for the ensuing year, and cut for partners for the next deal. And now, if you don't write, I don't know what I won't say or do, nor what I will: send me some news— good news. 66 Yours very truly, etc., etc., etc. B. 1. Pasquale Aucher is described by Lady Morgan (Italy, vol. iii. p. 285) as receiving her "with the ease and address of a man of the world, but with a head and garb that the world rarely furnishes. A true acute Greek intelligence of countenance was set off by "a colouring of transparent olive, and a beard (like his hair) black "and glossy might have become the high priest of Solomon's temple." 66 "Passed the morning," writes Matthews (Diary of an Invalid, 5th ed., p. 265), "at the Armenian convent ;-a very interesting "establishment, where, as long as the present librarian-(Father "Paschal Aucher)-a man of great learning, very extensive know. "ledge of the world, and most amiable manners-continues in office, "a few hours may be passed most agreeably." 1817.] A RUN OF BAD LUCK. 37 P.S.-Remember me to Mr. G[ifford], with all duty. I hear that the E[dinburgh] R[eview] has cut up Coleridge's Christabel, and me for praising it, which omen, I think, bodes no great good to your forthcome or coming Canto and Castle (of Chillon): my run of luck within the last year seems to have taken a turn every way; but never mind, I will bring myself through in the end-if not, I can but be where I began in the mean time, I am not displeased to be where I am-I mean, at Venice. My Adriatic nymph is this moment here, and I must therefore repose from this letter," rocked "by the beating of her heart." 623. To the Hon. Augusta Leigh. Venice, January 2d 1817. MY DEAREST AUGUSTA,-On this day, the anniversary of my marriage, I receive your letter dated the (10th December) the birthday of my daughter Ada. Is not this an odd coincidence? And on this day, the anniversary also of the publication of the Corsair, I receive a letter from Murray announcing the publication of the poems which I sent to England in the Autumn. And is not that odd? Of Venice I sent you some account a few days ago. At present I am a little pressed for time, but will write you again in a week. Pray did you receive a letter from me from Milan containing some of the hand-writing of Monti the poet? 1. Canto III. of Childe Harold was published November 18, 1816. The Prisoner of Chillon, and other Poems was published in a separate volume, December 5, 1816. Murray writes to Byron, December 13, 1816 (Memoir of John Murray, vol. i. p. 369), telling him that he had sold 7000 of each volume at the Booksellers' dinner at the Albion Tavern. I gave it you to give to any of your acquaintance-to Lady B. if you like, as she is fond of collecting such things. I bear her no animosity, and she might receive these at least from you. I have little to add about Venice to what I said before, in my former letter. Ever yours, in haste, and most affect', B. P.S.-You do not say a word of the po's, published some time. How odd! Have you not had them sent to you? 624.-To John Murray. Venice, Jan. 2, 1817. DEAR SIR,-Your letter has arrived. Pray, in publishing the 3 canto, have you omitted any passage or passages? I hope not; and indeed wrote to you on my way over the Alps to prevent such an accident-say in your next whether or not the whole of the canto (as sent to you) has been published. I wrote to you again the other day, (twice, I think,) and shall be glad to hear of the reception of those letters. To-day is the 2d of January. On this day 3 years ago The Corsair's publication is dated, I think, in my letter to Moore. On this day two years I married"Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth-blessed be the "name of the Lord."—I sha'n't forget the day in a hurry, and will take care to keep the Anniversary before the Evening is over. It is odd enough that I this day received a letter from you announcing the publication of Cd. Hd., etc., etc., on the day of the date of The Corsair; and that I also received one from my Sister, |