B. without degrading me.  I think you know Moore.  Pray assure him that I have not the smallest influence over Lord Byron in this particular; if I had, I certainly should employ it to eradicate from his great mind the delusions of Christianity, which, in spite of his reason, seem perpetually to recur, and to lay in ambush for the hours of sickness and distress.  Cain was conceived many years ago, and begun before I saw him last year at Ravenna.  How happy should I not be to attribute to myself, however indirectly, any participation in that immortal work!”]

“March 16. 1822.

“With respect to our Religious Polemics, I must try to set you right upon one or two points.  In the first place, I do not identify you with the blasphemies of Cain no more than I do myself with the impieties of my Mokanna,—­all I wish and implore is that you, who are such a powerful manufacturer of these thunderbolts, would not choose subjects that make it necessary to launch them.  In the next place, were you even a decided atheist, I could not (except, perhaps, for the decision which is always unwise) blame you.  I could only pity,—­knowing from experience how dreary are the doubts with which even the bright, poetic view I am myself inclined to take of mankind and their destiny is now and then clouded.  I look upon Cuvier’s book to be a most desolating one in the conclusions to which it may lead some minds.  But the young, the simple,—­all those whose hearts one would like to keep unwithered, trouble their heads but little about Cuvier. You, however, have embodied him in poetry which every one reads; and, like the wind, blowing ‘where you list,’ carry this deadly chill, mixed up with your own fragrance, into hearts that should be visited only by the latter.  This is what I regret, and what with all my influence I would deprecate a repetition of. Now, do you understand me?

“As to your solemn peroration, ‘the truth is, my dear Moore, &c. &c.’ meaning neither more nor less than that I give into the cant of the world, it only proves, alas! the melancholy fact, that you and I are hundreds of miles asunder.  Could you hear me speak my opinions instead of coldly reading them, I flatter myself there is still enough of honesty and fun in this face to remind you that your friend Tom Moore—­whatever else he may be,—­is no Canter.”

* * * * *

LETTER 484.  TO MR. MURRAY.

     “Pisa, March 6. 1822.

“You will long ago have received a letter from me (or should), declaring my opinion of the treatment you have met with about the recent publication.  I think it disgraceful to those who have persecuted you.  I make peace with you, though our war was for other reasons than this same controversy.  I have written to Moore by this post to forward to you the tragedy of’ Werner.’  I shall not make