[Footnote 41:  “During my illness,” says Madame Guiccioli, in her recollections of this period, “he was for ever near me, paying me the most amiable attentions, and when I became convalescent he was constantly at my side.  In society, at the theatre, riding, walking, he never was absent from me.  Being deprived at that time of his books, his horses, and all that occupied him at Venice, I begged him to gratify me by writing something on the subject of Dante, and, with his usual facility and rapidity, he composed his ‘Prophecy.’”—­“Durante la mia malattia L.B. era sempre presso di me, prestandomi le piu sensibili cure, e quando passai allo stato di convalescenza egli era sempre al mio fianco;—­e in societa, e al teatro, e cavalcando, e passeggiando egli non si allontanava mai da me.  In quel’ epoca essendo egli privo de’ suoi libri, e de’ suoi cavalli, e di tuttocio che lo occupava in Venezia io lo pregai di volersi occupare per me scrivendo qualche cosa sul Dante; ed egli colla usata sua facilita e rapidita scrisse la sua Profezia.”]

* * * * *

LETTER 335.  TO MR. MURRAY.

     “Ravenna, August 1. 1819.

     [Address your Answer to Venice, however.]

“Don’t be alarmed.  You will see me defend myself gaily—­that is, if I happen to be in spirits; and by spirits, I don’t mean your meaning of the word, but the spirit of a bull-dog when pinched, or a bull when pinned; it is then that they make best sport; and as my sensations under an attack are probably a happy compound of the united energies of these amiable animals, you may perhaps see what Marrall calls ‘rare sport,’ and some good tossing and goring, in the course of the controversy.  But I must be in the right cue first, and I doubt I am almost too far off to be in a sufficient fury for the purpose.  And then I have effeminated and enervated myself with love and the summer in these last two months.

“I wrote to Mr. Hobhouse, the other day, and foretold that Juan would either fall entirely or succeed completely; there will be no medium.  Appearances are not favourable; but as you write the day after publication, it can hardly be decided what opinion will predominate.  You seem in a fright, and doubtless with cause.  Come what may I never will flatter the million’s canting in any shape.  Circumstances may or may not have placed me at times in a situation to lead the public opinion, but the public opinion never led, nor ever shall lead, me.  I will not sit on a degraded throne; so pray put Messrs. * * or * *, or Tom Moore, or * * * upon it; they will all of them be transported with their coronation.

     “P.S.  The Countess Guiccioli is much better than she was.  I sent
     you, before leaving Venice, the real original sketch which gave
     rise to the ‘Vampire,’ &c.—­Did you get it?”

* * * * *