shall yet be in time to stop this new gentleman, of whom I heard yesterday for the first time.  He will only hurt himself, and do no good to his party, for in party the whole thing originates.  Our modes of thinking and writing are so unutterably different, that I can conceive no greater absurdity than attempting to make any approach between the English and Italian poetry of the present day.  I like the people very much, and their literature very much, but I am not the least ambitious of being the subject of their discussions literary and personal (which appear to be pretty much the same thing, as is the case in most countries); and if you can aid me in impeding this publication, you will add to much kindness already received from you by yours Ever and truly,

     “BYRON.

     “P.S.  How is the son, and mamma?  Well, I dare say.”

[Footnote 16:  Having ascertained that the utmost this translator could expect to make by his manuscript was two hundred francs, Lord Byron offered him that sum, if he would desist from publishing.  The Italian, however, held out for more; nor could he be brought to terms, till it was intimated to him pretty plainly from Lord Byron that, should the publication be persisted in, he would horsewhip him the very first time they met.  Being but little inclined to suffer martyrdom in the cause, the translator accepted the two hundred francs, and delivered up his manuscript, entering at the same time into a written engagement never to translate any other of the noble poet’s works.

Of the qualifications of this person as a translator of English poetry, some idea may be formed from the difficulty he found himself under respecting the meaning of a line in the Incantation in Manfred,—­“And the wisp on the morass,”—­which he requested of Mr. Hoppner to expound to him, not having been able to find in the dictionaries to which he had access any other signification of the word “wisp” than “a bundle of straw.”]

* * * * *

LETTER 310.  TO MR. ROGERS.

     “Venice, March 3. 1828.

“I have not, as you say, ‘taken to wife the Adriatic.’  I heard of Moore’s loss from himself in a letter which was delayed upon the road three months.  I was sincerely sorry for it, but in such cases what are words?

“The villa you speak of is one at Este, which Mr. Hoppner (Consul-general here) has transferred to me.  I have taken it for two years as a place of Villeggiatura.  The situation is very beautiful, indeed, among the Euganean hills, and the house very fair.  The vines are luxuriant to a great degree, and all the fruits of the earth abundant.  It is close to the old castle of the Estes, or Guelphs, and within a few miles of Arqua, which I have visited twice, and hope to visit often.

“Last summer (except an excursion