and drinking with his noble host till far into the morning; and to the careless, half mystifying confidences of these nocturnal sittings, implicitly listened to and confusedly recollected, we owe the volume with which Captain Medwin, soon after the death of the noble poet, favoured the world.

On the subject of this and other such intimacies formed by Lord Byron, not only at the period of which we are speaking, but throughout his whole life, it would be difficult to advance anything more judicious, or more demonstrative of a true knowledge of his character, than is to be found in the following remarks of one who had studied him with her whole heart, who had learned to regard him with the eyes of good sense, as well as of affection, and whose strong love, in short, was founded upon a basis the most creditable both to him and herself,-the being able to understand him*.

'We continued in Pisa even more rigorously to 'absent ourselves from society. However, as there were a good many English in Pisa he could not avoid becoming acquainted with various friends of Shelley, ' among which number was Mr. Medwin. They fol'lowed him in his rides, dined with him, and felt 'themselves happy, of course, in the apparent intimacy in which they lived with so renowned a man ; but not one of them was admitted to any part of his friendship, which, indeed, he did not easily accord. 'He had a great affection for Shelley, and a great ' esteem for his character and talents; but he was not

My poor Zimmerman, who now will understand thee?'--such was the touching speech addressed to Zimmerman by his wife, on her deathbed, and there is implied in these few words all that a man of morbid sensibility must be dependant for upon the tender and self-forgetting tolerance of the woman with whom he is united.

'his friend in the most extensive sense of that word. Sometimes, when speaking of his friends and of 'friendship, as also of love, and of every other noble 'emotion of the soul, his expressions might inspire 'doubts concerning his sentiments and the goodness ' of his heart. The feeling of the moment regulated his speech, and, besides, he liked to play the part of singularity, and sometimes worse,-more especially 'with those whom he suspected of endeavouring to 'make discoveries as to his real character; but it was only mean minds and superficial observers that could 'be deceived in him. It was necessary to consider 'his actions to perceive the contradiction they bore to 'his words it was necessary to be witness of certain 'moments, during which unforeseen and involuntary 'emotion forced him to give himself entirely up to his feelings; and whoever beheld him then, became ' aware of the stores of sensibility and goodness of ' which his noble heart was full.

Among the many occasions I had of seeing him 'thus overpowered, I shall mention one relative to his feelings of friendship. A few days before leaving 'Pisa, we were one evening seated in the garden of the Palazzo Lanfranchi. A soft melancholy was spread over his countenance; he recalled to mind. the events of his life; compared them with his pre'sent situation and with that which it might have 'been if his affection for me had not caused him to ' remain in Italy, saying things which would have 'made earth a paradise for me, but that even then a 'presentiment that I should lose all this happiness 'tormented me. At this moment a servant announced

Mr. Hobhouse. The slight shade of melancholy 'diffused over Lord Byron's face gave instant place to

'the liveliest joy; but it was so great, that it almost deprived him of strength. A fearful paleness came over his cheeks, and his eyes were filled with tears as he embraced his friend. His emotion was so great 'that he was forced to sit down.

'Lord Clare's visit also occasioned him extreme ' delight. He had a great affection for Lord Clare, and was very happy during the short visit that he paid him at Leghorn. The day on which they separated was a melancholy one for Lord Byron. "I have a presentiment that I shall never see him more,” he said, and his eyes filled with tears. The

same melancholy came over him during the first 'weeks that succeeded to Lord Clare's departure, 'whenever his conversation happened to fall upon this friend"."

* In Pisa abbiamo continuato anche più rigorosamente a vivere lon'tano dalla società. Essendosi però in Pisa molti Inglesi egli non potè escusarsi dal fare la conoscenza di varii amici di Shelley, fra i quali uno fu Mr. Medwin. Essi lo seguitavano al passeggio, pranzavono con ⚫ lui e certamente si tenevano felici della apparente intimità che loro 'accordava un uomo così superiore. Ma nessuno di loro fu ammesso mai a porta della sua amicizia, che egli non era facile a accordare. Per 'Shelley egli aveva dell' affezione, e molta stima pel suo carattere e pel 'suo talento, ma non era suo amico nel estensione del senso che si deva dare alla parola amicizia. Talvolta parlando egli de' suoi amici, e dell' 'amicizia, come pure dell' amore, e di ogni altro nobile sentimento dell' 'anima, potevano i suoi discorsi far nascere dei dubbii sui veri suoi 'sentimenti, e sulla bontà del suo core. Una impressione momentanea ' regolava i suoi discorsi; e di più egli amava anche a rappresentare un personaggio bizzarro, e qualche volta anche peggio,-specialmente con quelli che egli pensava volessero studiare e fare delle scoperte sul suo carattere. Ma nell' inganno non poteva cadere che una piccola mente, e un osservatore superficiale. Bisognava esaminare le sue azioni per 'sentire tutta le contraddizione che era fra di esse e i suoi discorsi ; 'bisognava verderlo in certi momenti in cui per una emozione improvisa ' e più forte della sua volontà la sua anima si abbandonava interamente 'a se stessa ;-bisognava vederlo allora per scoprire i tesori di sensi'bilità e di bontà che erano in quella nobile anima.

Fra le tante volte che io l'ho veduto in simili circostanze ne ricorderò una che risguarda i suoi sentimenti di amicizia. Pochi giorni prima di ' lasciare Pisa eravamo verso sera insieme seduti nel giardino del Pa⚫lazzo Lanfranchi. Una dolce malinconia era sparsa sul suo viso. Egli 'riandava col pensiero gli avvenimenti della sua vita e faceva il con

Of his feelings on the death of his daughter Allegra, this lady gives the following account: On the occa'sion also of the death of his natural daughter, I saw

in his grief the excess of paternal kindness. His 'conduct towards this child was always that of a fond father; but no one would have guessed from his expressions that he felt this affection for her. He 'was dreadfully agitated by the first intelligence of 'her illness; and when afterwards that of her death 'arrived, I was obliged to fulfil the melancholy task ' of communicating it to him. The memory of that 'frightful moment is stamped indelibly on my mind. For several evenings he had not left his house, I 'therefore went to him. His first question was rela'tive to the courier he had despatched for tidings of 'his daughter, and whose delay disquieted him. After 'a short interval of suspense, with every caution 'which my own sorrow suggested, I deprived him of all hope of the child's recovery. "I understand,” 'said he," it is enough, say no more." A mortal 'paleness spread itself over his face, his strength

fronto colle attuale sue situazione e quella che avrebbe potuta essere se la sua affezione per me non lo avesse fatto restare in Italia; e diceva cose che avrebbero resa per me la terra un paradiso, se già sino d'allora il pressentimento di perdere tanta felicità non mi avesse tormen'tata. In questo mentre un domestico annunciò Mr. Hobhouse. La leggiera tinta di malinconia sparsa sul viso di Byron fece luogo subitamente alla più viva gioia; ma essa fu così forte che gli tolse quasi le 'forze. Un pallore commovente ricoperse il suo volto, e nell' abbrac'ciare il suo amico i suoi occhi erano pieni di lacrime di contento. E l'emozione fu così forte che egli fu obbligato di sedersi, sentendosi 'mancare le forze.

La venuta pure di Lord Clare fu per lui un epoca di grande felicità. 'Egli amava sommament Lord Clare-egli era così felice in quel breve tempo che passò presso di lui a Livorno, e il giorno in cui si separarono fu un giorno di grande tristezza per Lord Byron. "Io ho il pressenti'mento che non lo vedrò piu diceva egli; e i suoi occhi si riempirano di lacrime; e in questo stato l'ho veduto per varii settimainie depo la partenza di Lord Clare, ogni qual volta il discorso cadeva sopra di 'codesto il suo amico.'

'failed him, and he sunk into a seat. His look was 'fixed, and the expression such that I began to fear 'for his reason; he did not shed a tear, and his coun'tenance manifested so hopeless, so profound, so sub6 lime a sorrow, that at the moment he appeared a being of a nature superior to humanity. He re'mained immoveable in the same attitude for an hour, and no consolation which I endeavoured to afford ' him seemed to reach his ears, far less his heart. But ' enough of this sad episode, on which I cannot linger, even after the lapse of so many years, without re'newing in my own heart the awful wretchedness of 'that day. He desired to be left alone, and I was obliged to leave him. I found him on the following morning tranquillized, and with an expression of religious resignation on his features. "She is more

'fortunate than we are," he said; "besides, her posi'tion in the world would scarcely have allowed her ' to be happy. It is God's will-let us mention it no more." And from that day he would never pronounce her name; but became more anxious when ' he spoke of Ada,-so much so as to disquiet himself ' when the usual accounts sent him were for a post or ' two delayed *.'

*Nell' occasione pure della morire della sua figlia naturale io ho ' veduto nel suo dolore tuttociò che vi è di più profondo nella tenerezza 'paterna. La sua condotta verso di codesta fanciulla era stata sempre quella del padre il più amoroso; ma dalle di lui parole non si sarebbe giudicato che avesse tanta affezione per lei. Alla prima notizia della ⚫ di lei malattia egli fu sommamente agitato; giunse poi la notizia della 'morte, ed io dovessi esercitare il tristo uficio di participarla a Lord 'Byron. Quel sensibile momento sarà indelebile nella mia memoria. Egli non usciva da varii giorni la sera: io andai dunque da lui.

La

' prima domanda che egli mi fece fu relativa al Corriere che egli aveva spedito per avere notizie della sua figlia, e di cui il retardo lo inquietava. Dopo qualche momento di sospensione con tutta l'arte che sapeva suggerirmi il mio proprio dolore gli tolsi ogni speranza della guarizione della fanciulla. "Ho inteso," disse egli-"basta così-non dite di più "-e un pallore mortale si sparse sul suo volto; le forze gli