“In England you will find considerable changes, public and private,—­you will see some of our old college contemporaries turned into lords of the Treasury, Admiralty, and the like,—­others become reformers and orators,—­many settled in life, as it is called,—­and others settled in death; among the latter, (by the way, not our fellow collegians,) Sheridan, Curran, Lady Melbourne, Monk Lewis, Frederick Douglas, &c. &c. &c.; but you will still find Mr. * * living and all his family, as also * * * * *.

“Should you come up this way, and I am still here, you need not be assured how glad I shall be to see you; I long to hear some part from you, of that which I expect in no long time to see.  At length you have had better fortune than any traveller of equal enterprise (except Humboldt), in returning safe; and after the fate of the Brownes, and the Parkes, and the Burckhardts, it is hardly less surprise than satisfaction to get you back again.

     “Believe me ever

     “And very affectionately yours,

     “BYRON.”

* * * * *

LETTER 348.  TO MR. MURRAY.

     “Venice, December 4. 1819.

“You may do as you please, but you are about a hopeless experiment.  Eldon will decide against you, were it only that my name is in the record.  You will also recollect that if the publication is pronounced against, on the grounds you mention, as indecent and blasphemous, that I lose all right in my daughter’s guardianship and education, in short, all paternal authority, and every thing concerning her, except * * * * * * * * It was so decided in Shelley’s case, because he had written Queen Mab, &c. &c.  However, you can ask the lawyers, and do as you like:  I do not inhibit you trying the question; I merely state one of the consequences to me.  With regard to the copyright, it is hard that you should pay for a nonentity:  I will therefore refund it, which I can very well do, not having spent it, nor begun upon it; and so we will be quits on that score.  It lies at my banker’s.

“Of the Chancellor’s law I am no judge; but take up Tom Jones, and read his Mrs. Waters and Molly Seagrim; or Prior’s Hans Carvel and Paulo Purganti:  Smollett’s Roderick Random, the chapter of Lord Strutwell, and many others; Peregrine Pickle, the scene of the Beggar Girl; Johnson’s London, for coarse expressions; for instance, the words ‘* *,’ and ‘* *;’ Anstey’s Bath Guide, the ’Hearken, Lady Betty, hearken;’—­take up, in short, Pope, Prior, Congreve, Dryden, Fielding, Smollett, and let the counsel select passages, and what becomes of their copyright, if his Wat Tyler decision is to pass into a precedent?  I have nothing more to say:  you must judge for yourselves.

“I wrote to you some time ago.  I have had a tertian ague; my daughter Allegra