to be grasped we are always at a loss, and yet feel 'that we ought to have a higher and more extended comprehension. I have had a letter from Moore, who is in some 'alarm about his Poem. I don't see why. I have had another from my poor dear Augusta, 'who is in a sad fuss about my late illness; do, pray, 'tell her (the truth) that I am better than ever, and in importunate health, growing (if not grown) large and ruddy, and congratulated by impertinent persons on my robustious appearance, when I ought to be pale and interesting. 'You tell me that George Byron has got a son, and Augusta says, a daughter; which is it?-it is no great matter the father is a good man, an excellent officer, and has married a very nice little woman, who will bring him more babes than income; howbeit she had a handsome dowry, and is a very charming girl;— but he may as well get a ship. I have no thoughts of coming amongst you yet awhile, so that I can fight off business. If I could but make a tolerable sale of Newstead, there would be no occasion for my return; and I can assure you very sincerely, that I am much happier (or, at least, 'have been so) out of your island than in it. • Yours ever. 'P.S. There are few English here, but several of 'my acquaintance; amongst others, the Marquis of Lansdowne, with whom I dine to-morrow. I met the 'Jerseys on the road at Foligno-all well. 'Oh-I forgot-the Italians have printed Chillon, &c. 'a piracy, a pretty little edition, prettier than yours '--and published, as I found to my great astonish'ment on arriving here; and what is odd, is, that the English is quite correctly printed. Why they did it, or who did it, I know not; but so it is;-I suppose, 'for the English people. I will send you a copy.' LETTER 279. TO MR. MOORE. 'Rome, May 12th, 1817. 'I have received your letter here, where I have taken a cruise lately; but I shall return back to Venice in a few days, so that if you write again, 'address there, as usual. I am not for returning to 'England so soon as you imagine; and by no means at 'all as a residence. If you cross the Alps in your projected expedition, you will find me somewhere in 'Lombardy, and very glad to see you. Only give me 'a word or two beforehand, for I would readily diverge some leagues to meet you. 'Of Rome I say nothing; it is quite indescribable, and the Guide-book is as good as any other. 'I dined yesterday with Lord Lansdowne, who is on 'his return. But there are few English here at pre'sent; the winter is their time. I have been on 'horseback most of the day, all days since my arrival, and have taken it as I did Constantinople. 'But Rome is the elder sister, and the finer. I went some days ago to the top of the Alban Mount, 'which is superb. As for the Coliseum, Pantheon, 'St. Peter's, the Vatican, Palatine, &c. &c.-as I said, 'vide Guide-book. They are quite inconceivable, and 'must be seen. The Apollo Belvidere is the image of Lady Adelaide Forbes-I think I never saw such a ' likeness. 'I have seen the Pope alive, and a cardinal dead,— 'both of whom looked very well indeed. The latter was in state in the Chiesa Nuova, previous to his 'interment. Your poetical alarms are groundless; go on and prosper. Here is Hobhouse just come in, and my 'horses at the door, so that I must mount and take the 'field in the Campus Martius, which, by the way, is 'all built over by modern Rome. 'Yours very and ever, &c. P.S. Hobhouse presents his remembrances, and is eager, with all the world, for your new Poem,' 'I returned from Rome two days ago, and have ' received your letter; but no sign nor tidings of the parcel sent through Sir C. Stuart, which you men'tion. After an interval of months, a packet of "Tales," ' &c. found me at Rome; but this is all, and may be 'all that ever will find me. The post seems to be the 6 only sure conveyance, and that only for letters. From 'Florence I sent you a poem on Tasso, and from Rome 'the new Third Act of " Manfred," and by Dr. Polidori 'two portraits for my sister. I left Rome and made a rapid journey home. You will continue to direct 'here as usual. Mr. Hobhouse is gone to Naples: I should have run down there too for a week, but for 'the quantity of English whom I heard of there. I prefer hating them at a distance; unless an earthquake, or a good real irruption of Vesuvius, were ensured to reconcile me to their vicinity. The day before I left Rome I saw three robbers guillotined. The ceremony-including the masqued priests; the half-naked executioners; the bandaged 'criminals; the black Christ and his banner; the 'scaffold; the soldiery; the slow procession, and the quick rattle and heavy fall of the axe; the splash of the blood, and the ghastliness of the exposed heads'is altogether more impressive than the vulgar and 'ungentlemanly dirty "new drop," and dog-like agony ' of infliction upon the sufferers of the English sentence. Two of these men behaved calmly enough, but the first of the three died with great terror and ' reluctance. What was very horrible, he would not lie down; then his neck was too large for the aperture, and the priest was obliged to drown his excla'mations by still louder exhortations. The head was ' off before the eye could trace the blow; but from an attempt to draw back the head, notwithstanding it 'was held forward by the hair, he first head was cut 'off close to the ears: the other two were taken off 'more cleanly. It is better than the oriental way, and (I should think) than the axe of our ancestors. The pain seems little, and yet the effect to the spectator, and the preparation to the criminal, is very striking ' and chilling. The first turned me quite hot and thirsty, and made me shake so that I could hardly ' hold the opera-class (I was close, but was determined 'to see, as one should see everything, once, with atten'tion); the second and third (which shows how dread fully soon things grow indifferent), I am ashamed to " say, had no effect on me as a horror, though I would have saved them if I could. Yours, &c.' LETTER 281. TO MR. MURRAY. 'Venice, June 4th, 1817. 'I have received the proofs of the "Lament of Tasso," which makes me hope that you have also |