“I told you I had written, by Lord Byron’s desire, to La Guiccioli, to dissuade her and her family from Switzerland.  Her answer is this moment arrived, and my representation seems to have reconciled them to the unfitness of the step.  At the conclusion of a letter, full of all the fine things she says she has heard of me, is this request, which I transcribe:—­’Signore, la vostra bonta mi fa ardita di chiedervi un favore, me lo accorderete voi? Non partite da Ravenna senza Milord.’ Of course, being now, by all the laws of knighthood, captive to a lady’s request, I shall only be at liberty on my parole until Lord Byron is settled at Pisa.  I shall reply, of course, that the boon is granted, and that if Lord Byron is reluctant to quit Ravenna after I have made arrangements for receiving him at Pisa, I am bound to place myself in the same situation as now, to assail him with importunities to rejoin her.  Of this there is fortunately no need; and I need not tell you that there is no fear that this chivalric submission of mine to the great general laws of antique courtesy, against which I never rebel, and which is my religion, should interfere with my soon returning, and long remaining with you, dear girl. * *

“We ride out every evening as usual, and practise pistol-shooting at a pumpkin, and I am not sorry to observe that I approach towards my noble friend’s exactness of aim.  I have the greatest trouble to get away, and Lord Byron, as a reason for my stay, has urged, that without either me or the Guiccioli, he will certainly fall into his old habits.  I then talk, and he listens to reason; and I earnestly hope that he is too well aware of the terrible and degrading consequences of his former mode of life, to be in danger from the short interval of temptation that will be left him.”

* * * * *

LETTER 443.  TO MR. MURRAY.

     “Ravenna, August 10. 1821.

     “Your conduct to Mr. Moore is certainly very handsome; and I would
     not say so if I could help it, for you are not at present by any
     means in my good graces.

“With regard to additions, &c. there is a Journal which I kept in 1814 which you may ask him for; also a Journal which you must get from Mrs. Leigh, of my journey in the Alps, which contains all the germs of Manfred.  I have also kept a small Diary here for a few months last winter, which I would send you, and any continuation.  You would find easy access to all my papers and letters, and do not neglect this (in case of accidents) on account of the mass of confusion in which they are; for out of that chaos of papers you will find some curious ones of mine and others, if not lost or destroyed.  If circumstances, however (which is almost impossible), made me ever consent to a publication in my lifetime, you would in that case, I suppose, make Moore some advance,