“I did not tell Sir Humphry of this last piece of philosophy, not knowing how he might take it.  Davy was much taken with Ravenna, and the PRIMITIVE Italianism of the people, who are unused to foreigners:  but he only stayed a day.

     “Send me Scott’s novels and some news.

“P.S.  I have begun and advanced into the second act of a tragedy on the subject of the Doge’s conspiracy (i.e. the story of Marino Faliero); but my present feeling is so little encouraging on such matters, that I begin to think I have mined my talent out, and proceed in no great phantasy of finding a new vein.

“P.S.  I sometimes think (if the Italians don’t rise) of coming over to England in the autumn after the coronation, (at which I would not appear, on account of my family schism,) but as yet I can decide nothing.  The place must be a great deal changed since I left it, now more than four years ago.”

* * * * *

LETTER 372.  TO MR. MURRAY.

     “Ravenna, May 20. 1820.

“Murray, my dear, make my respects to Thomas Campbell, and tell him from me, with faith and friendship, three things that he must right in his poets:  Firstly, he says Anstey’s Bath Guide characters are taken from Smollett.  ’Tis impossible:—­the Guide was published in 1766, and Humphrey Clinker in 1771—­dunque, ’tis Smollett who has taken from Anstey.  Secondly, he does not know to whom Cowper alludes, when he says that there was one who ’built a church to God, and then blasphemed his name:’  it was ’Deo erexit Voltaire’ to whom that maniacal Calvinist and coddled poet alludes.  Thirdly, he misquotes and spoils a passage from Shakspeare, ‘to gild refined gold, to paint the lily,’ &c.; for lily he puts rose, and bedevils in more words than one the whole quotation.

“Now, Tom is a fine fellow; but he should be correct; for the first is an injustice (to Anstey), the second an ignorance, and the third a blunder.  Tell him all this, and let him take it in good part; for I might have rammed it into a review and rowed him—­instead of which, I act like a Christian.

     “Yours,” &c.

* * * * *

LETTER 373.  TO MR. MURRAY.

     “Ravenna, May 20. 1820.

“First and foremost, you must forward my letter to Moore dated 2d January, which I said you might open, but desired you to forward.  Now, you should really not forget these little things, because they do mischief among friends.  You are an excellent man, a great man, and live among great men, but do pray recollect your absent friends and authors.