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compensation Mr. Elliston would make me, not only for dragging my writings on the stage in five days, but for being the cause that I was kept for four days (from Sunday to Thursday morning, the only post-days) in the belief that the tragedy had been acted and unanimously hissed; and this with the addition that I had brought it upon the stage,' and consequently that none of my friends had attended to my request to the contrary. Suppose that I had burst a bloodvessel, like John Keats, or blown my brains out in a fit of rage,-neither of which would have been unlikely a few years ago. At present I am, luckily, calmer than I used to be, and yet I would not pass those four days over again for - I know not what.

"I wrote to you to keep up your spirits, for reproach is useless always, and irritating but my feelings were very much hurt, to be dragged like a gladiator to the fate of a gladiator by that 'retiarius,' Mr. Elliston. As to his defence and offers of compensation, what is all this to the purpose? It is like Louis the Fourteenth, who insisted upon buying at any price Algernon Sydney's horse, and, on his refusal, on taking it by force Sydney shot his horse. I could not shoot my tragedy, but I 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.

The account given, by Madame Guiccioli, of his anxiety on this occasion, fully corroborates his own:His quiet was, in spite of himself, often disturbed by public events, and by the attacks which, principally in his character of author, the journals levelled at him. In vain did he protest that he was indifferent to these attacks. The impression was, it is true, but momentary; and he, from a feeling of noble pride, but too much disdained to reply to his detractors. But, however brief his annoyance was, it was sufficiently acute to occasion him much pain, and to afflict those who loved him. Every occurrence relative to the bringing Marino Faliero on the stage caused him excessive inquietude. On the occasion of an article in the Milan Gazette, in which mention was made of this affair he wrote to me in the following manner :- You will see here confirmation of what I told you the other day! I am sacrificed in every way, without knowing the why or the wherefore. The tragedy in question is not (nor ever was) written for, or adapted to, the stage; nevertheless, the plan is not romantic; it is rather regular than otherwise; -in point of unity of time, indeed, perfectly regular, and failing but slightly in unity of place. You well now whether it was ever my intention to have it acted, since it was written at your side, and at a period assuredly rather more tragical to me as a man than as an author; for you were in affliction and peril. In the mean time, I learn from your Gazette that a cabal and party has been formed, while I myself have never taken the slightest step in the business. It is said that the author read it aloud!!!-here, probably, at Ravenna ?

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bably not much regret.

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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 stageplayers 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, nor by candle, nor torchlight, but by lightning light: the flashes are as brilliant as the most gaseous glow of the gas-light 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 goes-flash again! but,

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"I tax not you, ye elements, with unkindness;
I never gave ye franks, nor call'd upon you;

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.

-and to whom? perhaps to Fletcher!!!—that illustrious literary character,'" &c. &c. -"Ma però la sua tranquillità era suo malgrado sovente alterata dalle publiche vicende, e dagli attachi che spesso si direggevano a lui nei giornali come ad autore principalmente. Era invano che egli protestava indifferenza per codesti attachi. L'impressione non era é vero che momentanea, e purtroppo per una nobile fierezza sdegnava sempre di rispondere ai suoi dettratori. Ma per quanto fosse breve quella impressione era però assai forte per farlo molto soffrire e per affliggere quelli che lo amavano. Tuttocid che ebbe luogo per la rappresentazione del suo Marino Faliero lo inquietò pure moltissimo e dietro ad un articolo di una Gazetta di Milano in cui si parlava di quell' affare egli mi scrisse così- Ecco la verità di ciò che io vi dissi pochi giorni fa, come vengo sacrificato in tutte le maniere senza sapere il perché e il come. La tragedia di cui si parla non è (e non era mai) nè scritta nè adatta al teatro; ma non è però romantico il disegno, piutèosto regolare

regolarissimo per l' unità del tempo, e mancando poco a quella del sito. Voi sapete bene se io aveva intenzione di farla rappresentare, poichè era scritta al vostro fianco e nei momenti per certo più tragici per me come uomo che come autore, perchè voi eravate in affanno ed in pericolo. Intanto sento dalla vostra Gazetta che sia nata una cabala, un partito, e senza ch' io vi abbia presa la minima parte. Si dice che l'autore ne fece la lettura!!! - qul forse? a Ravenna ?-ed a chi? forse a Fletcher !!! quel illustre litterato,'" &c. &c.

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"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' orde'? 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 429. TO MR. HOPPNER.

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"Ravenna, May 25. 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. I shall increase it all I can, if circumstances permit me; but, of course (like all other human things), this is very uncertain.

[For Captain Basil Hall's lively description of this brilliant exploit, see his "Journal written on the Coast of Chili, in 1820, &c." vol. i. p. 71. Lord Cochrane not

"You will oblige me very much by interfering to have the FACTS of the play-acting stated, as these scoundrels appear to be organising 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, &c. &c. All this was fomented by the barbarian agents, who are numerous here (one of them was stabbed yesterday, by the way, but not dangerously):

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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 430. TO MR. MURRAY.

"Mr. Moray,

"Ravenna, May 25, 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 coalheaver), 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 Esme

ralda.!

only cut out the Esmeralda, from under the guns of Callao, but bore her off in triumph with all her crew.]

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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! N."

RAVENNA.

CHAPTER XLV.

1821.

SARDANAPALUS COMPLETED.

MADAME BENZONI. ANECDOTES. -EPI-
GRAM. FAME. TRIBUTES TO LORD BY-
RON'S GENIUS.-VISIT OF MR. COOlidge.
-PICTURES AND BUSTS.-AMERICANS.

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"Dear Moray,

"Ravenna, May 30, 1821.

"You say you have written often. I have only received yours of the eleventh, which is very short. By this post, in five packets, I send you the tragedy of Sardanapalus, which is written in a rough hand; perhaps Mrs. Leigh can help you to decipher it. You will please to acknowledge it by return of post. You will remark that the unities are all strictly observed. The scene passes in the same hall always: the time, a summer's night, about nine hours, or less, though it begins before sunset and ends after sunrise. In the third act, when Sardanapalus calls for a mirror to look at himself in his armour, recollect to quote the Latin passage from

DON JUAN DISCONTINUED AT THE DESIRE Juvenal upon Otho (a similar character, who

OF MADAME GUICCIOLI. -SHAKSPEARE.-
SEVERITY OF THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT.

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"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

[A translation of the Life of Apollonius of Tyana, from the Greek of Philostratus, by the Rev. Edward Berwick, appeared in 1809.]

[This refers to the following passage in a note to Marino Faliero: "From the present decay and degeneracy of Venice under the Barbarians, there are some

did the same thing): Gifford will help you to it. The trait is perhaps too familiar, but it is historical, (of Ótho, at least,) and natural in an effeminate character."

LETTER 433. TO MR. HOPPNER.

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Ravenna, May 31. 1821. "I enclose you another letter, which will only confirm what I have said to you.

"About Allegra-I will take some decisive step in the course of the year; at present, she is so happy where she is, that perhaps she had better have her alphabet imparted in her convent.

"What you say of the Dante is the first I have heard of it-all seeming to be merged in the row about the tragedy. Continue it!Alas! what could Dante himself now prophesy about Italy? I am glad you like it, however, but doubt that you will be singular in your opinion. My new tragedy is completed.

"The Benzoni is right 2,—I ought to have

honourable individual exceptions. There is Alvise Quirini, who, after a long and honourable diplomatic career, finds some consolation for the wrongs of his country in the pursuits of literature with his nephew, Vittor Benzon, the son of the celebrated beauty, the heroine of La Biondina in Gondoletta,' &c." See Works, p. 230.]

mentioned her humour and amiability, but I thought at sixty, beauty would be most agreeable or least likely. However, it shall be rectified in a new edition; and if any of the parties have either looks or qualities which they wish to be noticed, let me have a minute of them. I have no private nor personal dislike to Venice, rather the contrary; but I merely speak of what is the subject of all remarks and all writers upon her present state. Let me hear from you before you start. Believe me ever, &c.

66

"P. S.- Did you receive two letters of Douglas Kinnaird's in an endorse from me? Remember me to Mengaldo, Soranzo, and all who care that I should remember them. The letter alluded to in the enclosed, ' to the Cardinal,' was in answer to some queries of the government, about a poor devil of a Neapolitan, arrested at Sinigaglia on suspicion, who came to beg of me here; being without breeches, and consequently without pockets for halfpence, I relieved and forwarded him to his country, and they arrested him at Pesaro on suspicion, and have since interrogated me (civilly and politely, however,) about him. I sent them the poor man's petition, and such information as I had about him, which I trust will get him out again, that is to say, if they give him a fair hearing.

66

I am content with the article. Pray, did you receive, some posts ago, Moore's lines which I enclosed to you, written at Paris?"

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1 In their eagerness, like true controversialists, to avail themselves of every passing advantage, and convert even straws into weapons on an emergency, my two friends, during their short warfare, contrived to place me in that sort of embarrassing position, the most provoking feature of which is, that it excites more amusement than sympathy. On the one side, Mr. Bowles chose to cite, as a support to his argument, a short fragment of a note, addressed to him, as he stated, by "a gentleman of the highest literary," &c. &c., and saying, in reference to Mr. Bowles's former pamphlet, "You have hit the right nail on the head, and **** too." This short scrap was signed with four asterisks; and when, on the appearance of Mr. Bowles's Letter, I met with it in his pages, not the slightest suspicion ever crossed my mind that I had been myself the writer of it; my communications with my reverend friend and neighbour having been (for years, I am proud to say) sufficiently frequent to allow of such a hasty compliment to his disputative powers passing from my memory. When Lord Byron took the field against Mr. Bowles's Letter, this unlucky scrap, so authoritatively brought forward, was, of course, too tempt

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"Behold the blessings of a lucky lot—

My play is damn'd, and Lady ** not.

"The papers (and perhaps your letters) will have put you in possession of Muster Elliston's dramatic behaviour. It is to be presumed that the play was fitted for the stage by Mr. Dibdin, who is the tailor upon such occasions, and will have taken measure with his usual accuracy. I hear that it is still continued to be performed -a piece of obstinacy for which it is some consolation to think that the discourteous histrio will be out of pocket.

"You will be surprised to hear that I have finished another tragedy in five acts, observing all the unities strictly. It is called Sardanapalus,' and was sent by last post to England. It is not for the stage, any more than the other was intended for it- and I shall take better care this time that they don't get hold on't.

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"I have also sent, two months ago, a further letter on Bowles, &c. ; but he seems to be so taken up with my 'respect' (as he calls it) towards him in the former case, that I am not sure that it will be published, being somewhat too full of 'pastime and prodiga lity.' I learn from some private letters of Bowles's, that you were the gentleman in asterisks.' Who would have dreamed it? you see what mischief that clergyman has done by printing notes without names. How the deuce was I to suppose that the first four asterisks meant Campbell' and not 'Pope,' and that the blank signature meant Thomas Moore? You see what comes of being

ing a mark for his facetiousness to be resisted; more especially as the person mentioned in it, as having suffered from the reverend critic's vigour, appeared, from the number of asterisks employed in designating him, to have been Pope himself, though, in reality, the name was that of Mr. Bowles's former antagonist, Mr. Campbell. The noble assailant, it is needless to say, made the most of this vulnerable point; and few readers could have been more diverted than I was with his happy ridicule of "the gentleman in asterisks," little thinking that I was myself, all the while, this veiled victim, nor was it till about the time of the receipt of the above letter, that, by some communication on the subject from a friend in England, I was startled into the recollection of my own share in the transaction.

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While by one friend I was thus unconsciously, if not innocently, drawn into the scrape, the other was not slow in rendering me the same friendly service; - for, on the appearance of Lord Byron's answer to Mr. Bowles, I had the mortification of finding that, with a far less pardonable want of reserve, he had all but named me as his authority for an anecdote of his reverend opponent's

familiar with parsons. His answers have not yet reached me, but I understand from Hobhouse, that he (H.) is attacked in them. If that be the case, Bowles has broken the truce, (which he himself proclaimed, by the way,) and I must have at him again.

66 5 Did you receive my letters with the two or three concluding sheets of Memoranda? "There are no news here to interest much. A German spy (boasting himself such) was stabbed last week, but not mortally. The moment I heard that he went about bullying and boasting, it was easy for me, or any one else, to foretell what would occur to him, which I did, and it came to pass in two days after. He has got off, however, for a slight

incision.

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'A row the other night, about a lady of the place, between her various lovers, occasioned a midnight discharge of pistols, but nobody wounded. Great scandal, however -planted by her lover-to be thrashed by her husband, for inconstancy to her regular Servente, who is coming home post about it, and she herself retired in confusion into the country, although it is the acme of the opera season. All the women furious against her (she herself having been censorious) for being found out. She is a pretty woman a Countess Rusponi-a fine old Visigoth name, or Ostrogoth.

The Greeks! what think you? They are my old acquaintances but what to think I know not. Let us hope howsomever.

66

Yours,

LETTER 435. TO MR. MOORE.

B."

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the Asiatic kind—I mean Asiatic, as the Romans called 'Asiatic oratory,' and not because the scenery is Oriental- must be tried by that test only. I am not quite sure that I shall allow the Miss Byrons (legitimate or illegitimate) to read Lalla Rookh—in the first place, on account of this said 'passion ; and, in the second, that they may'nt discover that there was a better poet than papa, "You say nothing of politics - but, alas! what can be said?

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"The world is a bundle of hay,

Mankind are the asses who pull,
Each tugs it a different way,—

And the greatest of all is John Bull !

"How do you call your new project? I have sent Murray a new tragedy, ycleped Sardanapalus,' writ according to Aristotle -all, save the chorus-I could not reconcile me to that. I have begun another, and am in the second act ;-so you see I saunter on as usual.

"Bowles's answers have reached me; but I can't go on disputing for ever,—particularly in a polite manner. I suppose he will take being silent for silenced. He has been so civil that I can't find it in my liver to be facetious with him, — else I had a savage joke or two at his service.

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'I can't send you the little journal, because it is in boards, and I can't trust it per post. Don't suppose it is any thing particular; but it will show the intentions of the natives at that time- - and one or two other things, chiefly personal, like the former one. So, Longman don't bite. It was my wish to have made that work of use. Could you not raise a sum upon it (however small), reserving the power of redeeming it, on repayment?

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"Are you in Paris, or a villaging? If you are in the city, you will never resist the Anglo-invasion you speak of. I do not see an Englishman in half a year, and, when I do, I turn my horse's head the other way. The fact, which you will find in the last note to the Doge, has given me a good excuse for quite dropping the least connection with travellers.

"I do not recollect the speech you speak of, but suspect it is not the Doge's, but one of Israel Bertuccio to Calendaro. I hope you think that Elliston behaved shamefully

Ain, gave its name not only to an excellent "Journal," extending to fifty-six volumes, but also to a Dictionary, consisting of eight large folios" precious," says Mr. D'Israeli," as a vast collection of ancient and modern learning, and not merely a grammatical, scientific, and technical encyclopædia, but replete with divinity, law, moral philosophy, critical and historical learning, and abounding with innumerable miscellaneous curiosities."]

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