“In case, in your country, you should not readily lay hands on the Morgante Maggiore, I send you the original text of the first Canto, to correspond with the translation which I sent you a few days ago.  It is from the Naples edition in quarto of 1732,—­dated Florence, however, by a trick of the trade, which you, as one of the allied sovereigns of the profession, will perfectly understand without any further spiegazione.

“It is strange that here nobody understands the real precise meaning of ‘sbergo,’ or ‘usbergo[68],’ an old Tuscan word, which I have rendered cuirass (but am not sure it is not helmet).  I have asked at least twenty people, learned and ignorant, male and female, including poets, and officers civil and military.  The dictionary says cuirass, but gives no authority; and a female friend of mine says positively cuirass, which makes me doubt the fact still more than before.  Ginguene says ‘bonnet de fer,’ with the usual superficial decision of a Frenchman, so that I can’t believe him:  and what between the dictionary, the Italian woman, and the Frenchman, there’s no trusting to a word they say.  The context, too, which should decide, admits equally of either meaning, as you will perceive.  Ask Rose, Hobhouse, Merivale, and Foscolo, and vote with the majority.  Is Frere a good Tuscan? if he be, bother him too.  I have tried, you see, to be as accurate as I well could.  This is my third or fourth letter, or packet, within the last twenty days.”

[Footnote 68:  It has been suggested to me that usbergo is obviously the same as hauberk, habergeon, &c. all from the German halsberg, or covering of the neck.]

* * * * *

LETTER 361.  TO MR. MURRAY.

     “Ravenna, March 14. 1820.

“Enclosed is Dante’s Prophecy—­Vision—­or what not.[69] Where I have left more than one reading (which I have done often), you may adopt that which Gifford, Frere, Rose, and Hobhouse, and others of your Utican Senate think the best or least bad.  The preface will explain all that is explicable.  These are but the four first cantos:  if approved, I will go on.

     “Pray mind in printing; and let some good Italian scholar correct
     the Italian quotations.

“Four days ago I was overturned in an open carriage between the river and a steep bank:—­wheels dashed to pieces, slight bruises, narrow escape, and all that; but no harm done, though coachman, foot-man, horses, and vehicle, were all mixed together like macaroni.  It was owing to bad driving, as I say; but the coachman swears to a start on the part of the horses.  We went against a post on the verge of a steep bank, and capsized.  I usually go out of the town in a carriage, and meet the saddle horses at the bridge; it was in going there that we boggled;