off reading these kind of works, and should equally that. Ariosto is worse; Smollett (see Lord Strat have returned you any other number. well in vol. ii. of Roderick Random) ten times "I am obliged to take in one or two abroad, be-worse; and Fielding no better. No girl will eve cause solicited to do so. The Edinburgh came be seduced by reading Don Juan-no, no; she before me by mere chance in Galignani's picnic sort will go to Little's poems and Rousseau's Roman of gazette, where he had inserted a part of it. for that, or even to the immaculate De Staël. They "You will have received various letters from me will encourage her, and not the Don, who laughs at lately, in a style which I used with reluctance; but that, and-and-most other things. But never you left me no other choice by your absolute refusal mind-ca ira! to communicate with a man you did not like upon the mere simple matter of transfer of a few papers "Now, do you see what you and your friends do of little consequence, (except to their author,) and by your injudicious rudeness ?-actually cement a which could be of no moment to yourself.

"I hope that Mr. Kinnaird is better. It is strange that you never alluded to his accident, if it be true, as stated in the papers.

sort of connexion which you strove to prevent, and which, had the Hunts prospered, would not in all probability have continued. As it is, I will not quit them in their adversity, though it should cost me character, fame, money, and the usual et cetera.

"I am yours, &c., &c. "I hope that you have a milder winter than we "My original motives I already explained, (in the have had here. We have had inundations worthy letter which you thought proper to show :) they of the Trent or Po, and the conductor (Franklin's) are the true ones, and I abide by them, as I tell you, of my house was struck (or supposed to be stricken) and I told Leigh Hunt when he questioned me on by a thunderbolt. I was so near the window that I the subject of that letter. He was violently hurt, was dazzled, and my eyes hurt for several minutes, and never will forgive me at bottom; but I can't and every body in the house felt an electric shock at help that. I never meant to make a parade of it: the moment. Madame Guiccioli was frightened, as but if he chose to question me, I could only answer you may suppose. the plain truth; and I confess I did not see any

66

"I have thought since that your bigots would thing in the letter to hurt him, unless I said he was have 'saddled me with a judgment,' (as Thwackum'a bore,' which I don't remember. Had their Journal did Square when he bit his tongue in talking meta- gone on well, and I could have aided to make it physics,) if any thing had happened of consequence. better for them, I should then have left them, after These fellows always forget Christ in their Christ- my safe pilotage off a lee shore, to make a prosper ianity, and what he said when the tower of Siloam ous voyage by themselves. As it is, I can't, and fell.' would not if I could, leave them among the breakers. To-day is the 9th, and the 10th is my surviving "As to any community of feeling, thought, or daughter's birth-day. I have ordered, as a regale, a opinion between Leigh Hunt and me, there is little mutton chop and a bottle of ale. She is seven years or none. We meet rarely, hardly ever; but I think old, I believe. Did I ever tell you that the day I him a good-principled and able man, and must do came of age I dined on eggs and bacon and a bottle as I would be done by. I do not know what world of ale? For once in a way they are my favorite he has lived in, but I have lived in three or four, but dish and drinkable, but as neither of them agree none of them like his Keats and kangaroo tema with me, I never use them but on great jubilees-incognita. Alas! poor Shelley! how we would once in four or five years or so. have laughed had he lived, and how we used to laugh now and then at various things which are grave in the suburbs!

"I see somebody represents the Hunts and Mrs. Shelley as living in my house; it is a falsehood. They reside at some distance, and I do not see them twice in a month. I have not met Mr. Hunt a dozen times since I came to Genoa, or near it. "Yours ever, &c."

LETTER DLXXIV.

TO MR. MURRAY.

"Genoa, 10bre 250, 1822.

"You are all mistaken about Shelley. You do not know how mild, how tolerant, how good he was in society; and as perfect a gentleman as ever crossed a drawing-room, when he liked, and where liked.

"I have some thoughts of taking a run down to Naples (solus, or, at most, cum sola) this spring, and writing, when I have studied the country, a fifth and sixth canto of Childe Harold: but this is merely an idea for the present, and I have other excursions and voyages in my mind. The busts are finished: are you worthy of them?

"Yours, &c.,

"N. B.

"P. S. Mrs. Shelley is residing with the Hunts at some distance from me. I see them very seldom, and generally on account of their business. Mrs. Shelley, I believe, will go to England in the spring

"I had sent you back the Quarterly without perusal, having resolved to read no more reviews, good, bad, or indifferent; but who can control his fate? Galignani, to whom my English studies are confined, has forwarded a copy of at least one-half of it in his indefatigable catch-penny weekly compilation; and as, 'like honor, it came unlooked for,' I "Count Gambia's family, the father and mother have looked through it. I must say that, upon the and daughter, are residing with me by Mr. Hill (the whole, that is, the whole of the half which I have minister's) recommendation, as a safer asylum from read, (for the other half is to be the segment of the political persecutions, than they could have Galignani's next week's circular,) it is extremely another residence; but they occupy one part of a handsome, and any thing but unkind or unfair. As large house, and I the other, and our establishments I take the good in good part, I must not, nor will are quite separate. not, quarrel with the bad." What the writer says of "Since I have read the Quarterly, I shall erase

Don Juan is harsh, but it is inevitable. He must two or three passages in the latter six or seven can follow, or at least not directly oppose, the opinion tos, in which I had lightly stroked over two or three of a prevailing and yet not very firmly seated party. of your authors; but I will not return evil for good A review may and will direct and turn awry the I liked what I read of the article much. currents of opinion, but it must not directly oppose "Mr. J. Hunt is most likely the publisher of the them. Don Juan will be known, by-and-by, for what it is intended, a Satire on abuses of the present state of society, and not an eulogy of vice.* It may be now and then vuluptuous-I can't help

⚫ loe Don Juan, carés iv., stanza v., xcviii., &c.

Murray; The bust does not turn out a good one,-though

⚫ of the bust of himself by Bartollini he says, in one of bás bem

for aught I know, as it exactly resembles a superannuatovi Jesut," 150 assure you Bartollini's is dressful, though my mid

it is hideously like. If it is, I cannot be lag for this werkt, for 2 Pre Over 7.-Moore.

LETTER DLXXV.

TO LADY

LETTER DLXXVII.

TO MR. MOORE.

"Genoa, Feb. 20, 1808.

"MY DEAR TOм,

new cantos; with what prospects of success I know| tot, nor does it very much matter, as far as I am oncerned; but I hope it may be of use to him, for he is a stiff, sturdy, conscientious man, and I like bim: he is such a one a Prynne or Pym might be. I bear you no ill-will for declining the Don Juans. "Have you aided Madame de Yossy, as I re- "I must again refer you to those two letters ad quested? I sent her three hundred francs. Recom-dressed to you at Passy before I read your speech mend her, will you, to the Literary Fund, or to in Galignani, &c., and which you do not seem to some benevolence within your circles." have received. "Of Hunt I see little-once a month or so, and then on his own business, generally. You may easily suppose that I know too little of Hampstead and his satellites to have much communion or com. munity with him. My whole present relation to him arose from Shelley's unexpected wreck. You would not have had me leave him in the street with his family, would you? and as to the other plan you mention, you forget how it would humiliate him"The Chevalier persisted in declaring himself an that his writings should be supposed to be dead ili-used gentleman, and describing you as a kind weight! Think a moment-he is perhaps the vain of cold Calypso, who lead astray people of an ama-est man on earth, at least his own friends say so tory disposition without giving them any sort of pretty loudly; and if he were in other circumstances, compensation, contenting yourself, it seems, with might be tempted to take him down a peg; but only making one fool instead of two, which is the not now,-it would be cruel. It is a cursed busimore approved method of proceeding on such occa-ness; but neither the motive nor the means rest sions. For my part. I think you are quite right; "pon my conscience, and it happens that he and his and be assured from me that a woman (as society is brother have been so far benefitted by the publica. constituted in England), who gives any advantage tion in a pecuniary point of view. His brother is a to a man may expect a lover, but will sooner or steady, bold fellow, such as Prynne, for example, later find a tyrant; and this is not the man's fault and full of moral, and, I hear, physical courage. either, perhaps, but is the necessary and natural "And you are really recanting, or softening to result of the circumstances of society which, in the clergy! It will do little good for you-it is you, fact, tyrannize over the man equally with the woman, frightened you-forbid it, Ireland! not the poem, they are at. They will say they that is to say, if either of them have any feeling or

honor.

"Albaro, Nov. 10, 1822.

"Yours ever,

LETTER DLXXVIII

TO MRS.

"N. B"

"You can write to me at your leisure and inclination. I have always laid it down as a maxim, and found it justified by experience, that a man and a woman make far better friendships than can exist between two of the same sex; but these with this condition, that they never have made, or are to make, love with each other. Lovers may, and, indeed, generally are enemies, but they never can be friends; because there must always be a spice "I presume that you, at least, know enough o of jealousy and a something of self in all their me to be sure that I could have no intention to inspeculatians. sult Hunt's poverty. On the contrary, I honor him "Indeed, I rather look upon love altogether as a for it; for I know what it is, having been as much sort of hostile transaction, very necessary to make embarrassed as ever he was, without perceiving or to break matches, and keep the world going, aught in it to diminish an honorable man's self but by no means a sinecure to the parties concerned. respect. If you mean to say that, had he been a "Now, as my love-perils are, I believe, pretty wealthy man. I would have joined in this Journal, well over, and yours, by all accounts, are never to I answer in the negative. I engaged in the begin, we shall be the best friends imaginable as far Journal from good-will towards him, added to reas both are concerned, and with this advantage, spect for his character, literary and personal; and that we may both fall to loving right and left no less for his political courage, as well as regret for through all our acquaintance, without either sullen- his present circumstances: I did this in the hope ness or sorrow from that amiable passion which are !ts inseparable attendants.

"Believe me, &c."

LETTER DLXXVI.

TO MR. PROCTOR.

"Pisa, Jan., 1823.

that he might, with the same aid from literary friends of literary contributions, (which is requisite for all journals of a mixed nature,) render himself independent.

"I have always treated him, in our personal intercourse, with such scrupulous delicacy, that I have foreborne intruding advice, which I thought might be disagreeable, lest he should impute it to what is called taking advantage of a man's situation.'

"Had I been aware of your tragedy when I wrote "As to friendship, it is a propensity in which my my note to Marino Faliero,' although it is a mat-genius is very limited. I do not know the male ter of no consequence to you, I should certainly not human being, except Lord Clare, the friend of my have omitted to insert your name with those of the infancy, for whom I feel any thing that deserves the other writers who still do honor to the drama. My name. All my others are men-of-the-world friendown notions on the subject altogether are so differ- ships. I did not even feel it for Shelley, however ent from the popular ideas of the day, that we dif- much I admired and esteemed him; so that you fer essentially, as indeed I do from our whole Eng- see not even vanity could bribe me into it, for, of all lish literati upon that topic. But I do not contend men, Shelley thought highest of my talents,—and, that I am right-I merely say that such is my perhaps, of my disposition. opinion, and as it is a solitary one, it can do no "I will do my duty by my intimates, upon the great harm. But it does not prevent me from doing principle of doing as you would be done by. I have Atice to the powers of those who adopt a different done so, I trust, in most instances. I may be kystea." pleased with their conversation-rejoice in their

success-be glad to do them a service, or to receive | Switzerland, chiefly at Madame de Staël's, where I their counsel and assistance in return. But, as for went sometimes, till I grew tired of conversazioni friends and friendship, I have (as I already said) and carnivals, with their appendages; and the bor named the only remaining male for whom I feel any is, that if you go once, you are expected to be there thing of the kind, excepting, perhaps, Thomas daily, or rather nightly. I went the round of the Moore. I have had, and may have still, a thousand most noted sources at Venice or elsewhere (where I friends, as they are called, in life, who are like one's remained not any time) to the Benzona, and the partners in the waltz of this world, not much re- Albrizzi, and the Michelli, &c., &c., and to the car membered when the ball is over, though very dinals and the various potentates of the Legation pleasant for the time. Habit, business, and com- in Romagna (that is Ravenna), and only receded panionship in pleasure or in pain, are links of a for the sake of quiet when I came into Tuscany. similar kind, and the same faith in politics is Besides, if I go into society, I generally get, in the another." long run, into some scrape of some kind or other, which don't occur in my solitude. However, I am pretty well settled now, by time and temper, which is so far lucky as it prevents restlessness; but, as 1 said before, as an acquaintance of yours, I will be ready and willing to know your friends. He may be a sort of connexion for aught I know; for a Palavicini, of Bologna, I believe, married a distant relative of mine half a century ago. I happen to know the fact, as he and his spouse had an annuity of "Mr. Hill is here: I dined with him on Saturday five hundred pounds on my uncle's property, which before last; and on leaving his house at S. P. ceased at his demise, though I recollect hearing they d'Arena, my carriage broke down. I walked home, attempted, naturally enough, to make it surtire about three miles,-no very great feat of pedestrian- him. If I can do any thing for you here, or clseism; but either the coming out of hot rooms into a where, pray order, and be obeyed."

LETTER DLXXIX.

TO LADY

"Genoa, March 28, 1823.

bleak wind chilled me, or the walking up-hill to Albaro heated me, or something or other set me wrong, and next day I had an inflammatory attack in the face, to which I have been subject this winter for the first time, and I suffered a good deal of pain, but no peril. My health is now much as usual. Mr. Hlll is, I believe, occupied with his diplomacy. I shall give him your message when I see him again.*

LETTER DLXXX.

TO MR. MOGRE.

"Genoa, April 2, 1823.

"I have just seen sove friends of yours, who paid me a visit yesterday, which, in honor of them and of you, I returned to-day;-as I reserve my bear-skin and teeth, and paws and claws, for our enemies.

"My name, I see in the papers, has been dragged into the unhappy Portsmouth business, of which all that I know is very succinct. Mr. Hanson is my solicitor. I found him so when I was ten years old -at my uncle's death-and he was continued in the "I have also seen Henry Fox, Lord Holland's management of my legal business. He asked me, son, whom I had not looked upon since I left him a by a civil epistle, as an old acquaintance of his pretty mild boy without a neckcloth, in a jacket, family, to be present at the marriage of Miss Han- and in delicate health, seven long years agone, at

son.

course

I

I went very reluctantly, one misty morning the period of mine eclipse-the third, I believe, as (for I had been up at two balls all night), to witness have generally one every two or three years the ceremony, which I could not very well refuse think that he has the softest and most amiable exwithout affronting a man who had never offended pression of countenance I ever saw, and manners me. I saw nothing particular in the marriage. Of correspondent. If to those he can add hereditary could not know the preliminaries, except talents, he will keep the name of Fox in all its from what he said, not having been present at the freshness for half a century more, I hope. I speak wooing, nor after it, for 1 walked home, and they from a transient glimpse-but I love still to yield went into the country as soon as they had promised to such impressions; for I have ever found that and vowed. Out of this simple fact I hear the those I liked longest and best, I took to at first Debats de Paris has quoted Miss H. as 'autrefois sight; and I always liked that boy; perhaps, in tres lice avec le celebre,' &c., &c. I am obliged to part, from some resemblance in the less fortunate him for the celebrity, but beg leave to decline the part of our destinies; I mean, to avoid mistakes, liaison, which is quite untrue; my liaison was with his lameness. But there is this difference, that de the father, in the unsentimental shape of long law- appears a halting angel, who has tripped against a yers' bills, through the medium of which I have star: while I am Le Diable Boiteux, a soubriquet, had to pay him ten or twelve thousand pounds which, I marvel that, among their various nomines She was not pretty, and I umbre, the Orthodox have not hit upon. "Your other allies, whom I have found very suspect that the indefatigable Mr. Aall her people) more attracted by her title than her agreeable personages, and Milor Blessington and charms. I regret very much that I was present at pouse, travelling with a very handsome companion the prologue to the happy state of horsewhipping in the shape of a 'French Count,' (to use Farquhart and black jobs, &c., &c., but I could not foresee that phrase in the Beaux' Stratagem,) who has all the a man was to turn out mad, who had gone about air of a Cupidon d'chain, and is one of the few the world for fifty years, as competent to vote, and specimens I have seen of our ideal of a Frenchman walk at large; nor did he seem to me more insane before the Revolution-an old friend with a new than any other person going to be married. face, upon whose like I never thought that we

within these few years.

was (like)

"I have no objection to be acquainted with the should look again. Miladi seems highly literary Marquis Palavicini, if he wishes it. Lately, I have which, and your honor's acquaintance with the gone little into society, English or foreign, for I had family attribute the pleasure of having seen them seen all that was worth seeing in the former before She is also very pretty, even in a morningI left England, and at the time of life when I was cies of beauty on which the sun of Italy does not more disposed to like it; and of the latter I had a shine so frequently as the chandelier. Certus. sufficiency in the first few years of my residence in English women wear better than their routinent. neighbors of the same sex. M** seems very gind

The Earl of Portsmouth married Mis) Hanson. Attempts were madenatured, but is much tamed, since I recolleet m all the glory of gems and snuff-boxes, and uniforms

about this time in th· English courts to prove him insane

and theatricals, and speeches in our house-Iney, Lord * *,-I forget the other two, but they mean, of peers' (I must refer you to Pope-whom were either wits or orators-perhaps poets. you don't read, and won't appreciate for that "My residence in the East and in Italy has quotation, which you must allow to be poetical), made me somewhat indulgent of the siesta-but and sitting to Stroeling, the painter (do you remem- then they set regularly about it in warm countries ber our visit with Leckie, to the German?) to be and perform it in solitude, (or at most in a tête-à depicted as one of the heroes of Agincourt,' with tête with a proper companion,) and retire quietly his long sword, saddle, bridle, whack fal de,' &c., to their rooms to get out of the sun's way for an hour or two.

&c.

"I have been unwell-caught a cold and inflam- "Altogether, your friend's journal is a very formation, which menaced a conflagration, after midable production. Alas! our dearly-beloved dining with our ambassador, Monsieur Hill,-not countrymen have only discovered that they are owing to the dinner, but my carriage broke down tired, and not that they are tiresome; and I suson the way home, and I had to walk some miles, pect that the communication of the latter unpleas up hill partly, after hot rooms, in a very bleak ant verity will not be better received than truths windy evening, and over-hotted, or over-colded my- usually are. I have read the whole with great atself. I have not been so robustious as formerly, tention and instruction. I am too good a patriot ever since the last summer, when I fell ill after a to say pleasure-at least I won't say so, whatever I long swim in the Mediterranean, and have never may think. I showed it (I hope no breach of con been quite right up to this present writing. I am fidence,) to a young Italian lady of rank très inthin, perhaps thinner than you saw me, when I struite also; and who passes, or passed, for being was nearly transparent, in 1812,-and am obliged one of the three most celebrated belles in the disto be moderate of my mouth, which nevertheless, trict of Italy, where her families and connexions won't prevent me (the gods willing) from dining resided in less troublesome times as to politics, with your friends the day after to-morrow. (which is not Genoa, by-the-way,) and she was de

They give me a very good account of you, and lighted with it, and says that she has derived a betof your nearly Emprisoned Angels.' But why did ter notion of English society from it than from all you change your title ?-you will regret this some Madame de Staël's metaphysical disputations on day. The bigots are not to be conciliated; and if the same subject, in her work on the Revolution. I they were, are they worth it? Isuspect that I am a beg that you will thank the young philosopher, and more orthodox Christian than you are; and, when- make my compliments to Lady B. and her sister ever I see a real Christian, either in practice or in "Believe me your very obliged and faithful theory, (for I never yet found the man who could "N. B. produce either, when put to the proof,) I am his "P. S. There is a rumor in letters of some disdisciple. But, till then, I cannot truckle to tithe- turbance or complot in the French Pyrenean army mongers, nor can I imagine what has made you cir--generals suspected or dismissed, and ministers of umcise your Seraphs.

war travelling to see what's the matter. Marry, (as David says,) this hath an angry favor.'

"Tell Count that some of the names are not quite intelligible, aspecially of the clubs; he speaks of Watts-perhaps he is right, but in my time Watters was the Dandy Club, of which (though no dandy) I was a member, at the time too of its greatest glory, when Brummell and Mildmay, Avanley and Pierrepoint, gave the dandy balls; and we (the club, that is,) got up the famous masquerade at Burlington House and Garden for WelIlington. He does not speak of the Alfred, which was the most recherché and most tiresome of any, as I know by being a member of that too."

LETTER DLXXXII.

TO THE EARL OF BLESSINGTON.

"How is your gout? or rather, how are you? return the Count's Journal, which is a very extraordinary production, and of a most melancholy truth in all that regards high life in England. I know, or knew, personally most of the personages and societies, which he describes; and after reading his remarks have the sensation fresh upon me as I had seen them yesterday. I would, however, plead in behalf of some few exceptions, which I will mention by-and-by. The most singular thing is, how he should have penetrated not the fact, but the mystery of the English ennui at two-and-twenty. I was about the same age when I made the same "It would be worse than idle, knowing, as I do, discovery, in alnost precisely the same circles-(for the utter worthlessness of words on such occasions, there is scarcely a person mentioned whom I did in me to attempt to express what I ought to feel not see nightly or daily, and was acquainted more and do feel for the loss you have sustained; and 1 or less intimately with most of them)-but I never must thus dismiss the subject, for I dare not trust could have described it so well. Il faut etre Fran- myself further with it for your sake, or for my own. c.sis, to effect this. I shall endeavor to see you as soon as it may not ap

"April 6, 1923.

But he ought also to have been in the country pear intrusive. Pray excuse the levity of my yes during the hunting season, with a select party of terday's scrawl-I little thought under what cirdistinguished guests,' as the papers term it. He cumstances it would find you.

ought to have seen the gentlemen after dinner, (on "I have received a very handsome and flattering the hunting days, )and the soiree ensuing thereupon note from Count. He must excuse my appa -and the women looking as if they had hunted, rent rudeness and real ignorance in replying to it or rather been hunted; and I could have wished in English, through the medium of your kind interthat he had been at a dinner in town, which I recol-pretation. I would not on any account deprive him lect at Lord C's-small, but select, and coin- of a production, of which I really think more than pose of the most amusing people. The dessert I have even said, though you are good enough not was hardly on the table, when, out of twelve I to be dissatisfied even with that; but whenever it is counted fire asleep; of that five, there were Tier- completed, it would give me the greatest pleasure to have a copy-but how to keep it secret literary

• in another lever to Lord Blessington, he says of this gentleman, “be seeme to have all t qualities requisite to have figured in his brother-in-law's amonator's Men in

The death of Lord Blessington's son, which had beep ng expertor but of which the account had just then arrived

at least omitting several, and altering the circum- "P. S. I wrote the above at three this morning stances indicative of the writer's real station, the I regret to say that the whole of the skin of about author would render it a most amusing publication. an inch square above my upper lip has come off, so His countrymen have not been treated either in a that I cannot even shave or masticate, and I am literary or personal point of view with such defer- equally unfit to appear at your table, and to partake ence in English recent works, as to lay him of its hospitality. Will you therefore pardon me, under any very great national obligation of for- and not mistake this rueful excuse for a make, bearance; and really the remarks are so true and so believe,' as you will soon recognise whenever I have piquante that I cannot bring myself to wish their the pleasure of meeting you again, and I will call suppression; though, as Dangle says, 'He is my the moment I am, in the nursery phrase, fit to be friend,' many of these personages were my seen.' Tell Lady B. with my compliments, that I friends,' but much such friends as Dangle and his am rummaging my papers for a MS. worthy of her acceptation. I have just seen the younger Count "I return you Dr. Parr's letter-I have met him Gamba, and as I cannot prevail on his infinite modat Payne Knight's and elsewhere, and he did mejesty to take the field without me, I must take this the honor once to be a patron of mine, although a piece of diffidence on myself also, and beg your in great friend of the other branch of the House of dulgence for both."

allies.

Atreus, and the Greek teacher (I believe) of my moral, Clytemnestra-I say moral, because it is true, and so useful to the virtuous, that it enables them to do any thing without the aid of an Ægisthus.

"I beg my compliments to Lady B., Miss P., and to your Alfred. I think, since his Majesty of the same name, there has not been such a learned surveyor of our Saxon society.

"MY DEAR LORD

"Ever yours most truly,
"N. B.."
"April, 9, 1823.

My dear Count (if you will permit me to address you so familiarly,) you should be content with writing in your own language, like Gra mont, and succeeding in London as nobody has succeeded since the days of Charles the Second and the records of Antonio Hamilton, without deviating into our barbarous language,-which you understand and write, however much better than it deserves.

་་

"P. S. I salute Miladi, Madamoiselle Mama, and the illustrious Chevalier Count** who, I hope, will continue his history of his own times.' There are 'My 'approbation,' as you are pleased to term it. some strange coincidences between a part of his was very sincere, but perhaps not very impartial, remarks and a certain work of mine, now in MS. for though I love my country, I do not love my in England, (I do not mean the hermetically sealed countrymen, at least, such as they now are. And be Memoirs, but a continuation of certain cantos of a sides the seduction of talent and wit in your work, certain poem,) especially in what a man may do in I fear that to me there was the attraction of ven London with impunity where he is à la mode;' geance. I have seen and felt much of what you which I think it well to state, that he may not suspect me of taking advantage of his confidence. The observations are very general

"

LETTER DLXXXIII.

TO THE EARL OF BLESSINGTON.

"April 14, 1823,

have described so well. I have known the persons, and the reunions so described-(many of them that is to say,)-and the portraits are so like that I cannot but admire the painter no less than his per formance.

"But I am sorry for you; for if you are so well acquainted with life at your age, what will become of you when the illusion is still more dissipated? but never mind-en avant!-live while you can; and that you may have the full enjoyment of the many advantages of youth, talent, and figure, which you possess, is the wish of an-Englishman,-1 Scotch, and my name and my family are both Ner suppose,-but it is no treason; for my mother was man: and as for myself, I am of no country. As for my Works,' which you are pleased to mention, let them go to the devil, from whence (if you believe many persons) they came.

"I have the honor to be your obliged, &c., &c.”

LETTER DLXXXV.

TO THE COUNTESS OF BLESSINGTON.

"I am truly sorry that I cannot accompany you in your ride this morning, owing to a violent pain in my face, arising from a wart to which I by medical advice applied a caustic. Whether I put too much, I do not know, but the consequence is, not only I have been put to some pain but the peccant part and its immediate environ are as black as if the printer's devil had marked me for an author.As I do not wish to frighten your horses, or their riders, I shall postpone waiting upon you until six o'clock, when I hope to have subsided into a more Christianlike resemblance to my fellow-creatures. My infliction has partially extended even to my fingers for on trying to get the black from off my upper lip at least, I have only transfused a portion thereof to my right hand, and neither lemon-juice nor eau de cologne, nor any other eau, have been "My request would be for a copy of the miniature able as yet to redeem it also from a more inky ap- of Lady B., which I have seen in possession of the pearance than is either proper or pleasant. But late Lady Noel, as I have no picture, or indend out damn'd spot'-you may have perceived some- memorial of any kind of Lady B., as all her letters thing of the kind yesterday, for on my return, I were in her own possession before I left England, saw that during my visit it had increased, was in-and we have had no correspondence since at least creasing, and ought to be diminished; and I could on her part. not help laughing at the figure I must have cut before you. At any rate, I shall be with you at six, with the advantage of twilight.

"Ever most truly, &c.

"DEAR LADY **,

May 3, 15

"My message, with regard to the infant, is sime ply to this effect-that in the event of any accidea occurring to the mother, and my remaining survivor, it would be my wish to have her plans