the Mosaic period, as, indeed, is proved by the strata of bones found;—­those of all unknown animals, and known, being dug out, but none of mankind.  I have, therefore, supposed Cain to be shown, in the rational Preadamites, beings endowed with a higher intelligence than man, but totally unlike him in form, and with much greater strength of mind and person.  You may suppose the small talk which takes place between him and Lucifer upon these matters is not quite canonical.

“The consequence is, that Cain comes back and kills Abel in a fit of dissatisfaction, partly with the politics of Paradise, which had driven them all out of it, and partly because (as it is written in Genesis) Abel’s sacrifice was the more acceptable to the Deity.  I trust that the Rhapsody has arrived—­it is in three acts, and entitled ‘A Mystery,’ according to the former Christian custom, and in honour of what it probably will remain to the reader.

     “Yours,” &c.

* * * * *

LETTER 454.  TO MR. MOORE.

     “September 20. 1821.

     “After the stanza on Grattan, concluding with ’His soul o’er the
     freedom implored and denied,’ will it please you to cause insert
     the following ‘Addenda,’ which I dreamed of during to-day’s Siesta: 

        “Ever glorious Grattan! &c. &c. &c.

I will tell you what to do.  Get me twenty copies of the whole carefully and privately printed off, as your lines were on the Naples affair.  Send me six, and distribute the rest according to your own pleasure.

“I am in a fine vein, ’so full of pastime and prodigality!’—­So here’s to your health in a glass of grog.  Pray write, that I may know by return of post—­address to me at Pisa.  The gods give you joy!

     “Where are you? in Paris?  Let us hear.  You will take care that
     there be no printer’s name, nor author’s, as in the Naples stanza,
     at least for the present.”

* * * * *

LETTER 455 TO MR. MURRAY.

     “Ravenna, September 20. 1821.

     “You need not send ‘The Blues,’ which is a mere buffoonery, never
     meant for publication.[53]

“The papers to which I allude, in case of survivorship, are collections of letters, &c. since I was sixteen years old, contained in the trunks in the care of Mr. Hobhouse.  This collection is at least doubled by those I have now here, all received since my last ostracism.  To these I should wish the editor to have access, not for the purpose of abusing confidences, nor of hurting the feelings of correspondents living, nor the memories of the dead; but there are things which would do neither, that I have left unnoticed or unexplained, and which (like all