“The bust is not my property, but Hobhouse’s.  I addressed it to
     you as an Admiralty man, great at the Custom-house.  Pray deduct the
     expenses of the same, and all others.

     “Yours,” &c.

* * * * *

LETTER 467.  TO MR. MURRAY.

     “Pisa, Nov. 9. 1821.

“I never read the Memoirs at all, not even since they were written; and I never will:  the pain of writing them was enough; you may spare me that of a perusal.  Mr. Moore has (or may have) a discretionary power to omit any repetition, or expressions which do not seem good to him, who is a better judge than you or I.

“Enclosed is a lyrical drama, (entitled ‘A Mystery,’ from its subject,) which, perhaps may arrive in time for the volume.  You will find it pious enough, I trust,—­at least some of the Chorus might have been written by Sternhold and Hopkins themselves for that, and perhaps for melody.  As it is longer, and more lyrical and Greek, than I intended at first, I have not divided it into acts, but called what I have sent Part First, as there is a suspension of the action, which may either close there without impropriety, or be continued in a way that I have in view.  I wish the first part to be published before the second, because, if it don’t succeed, it is better to stop there than to go on in a fruitless experiment.

     “I desire you to acknowledge the arrival of this packet by return
     of post, if you can conveniently, with a proof.

     “Your obedient, &c.

“P.S.  My wish is to have it published at the same time, and, if possible, in the same volume, with the others, because, whatever the merits or demerits of these pieces may be, it will perhaps be allowed that each is of a different kind, and in a different style; so that, including the prose and the Don Juans, &c.  I have at least sent you variety during the last year or two.”

* * * * *

LETTER 468.  TO MR. MOORE.

     “Pisa, November 16. 1821.

“There is here Mr. * *, an Irish genius, with whom we are acquainted.  He hath written a really excellent Commentary on Dante, full of new and true information, and much ingenuity.  But his verse is such as it hath pleased God to endue him withal.  Nevertheless, he is so firmly persuaded of its equal excellence, that he won’t divorce the Commentary from the traduction, as I ventured delicately to hint,—­not having the fear of Ireland before my eyes, and upon the presumption of having shotten very well in his presence (with common pistols too, not with my Manton’s) the day before.

“But he is eager to publish all,