“P.S.  I cannot conceive how Harris or Elliston should be so insane as to think of acting Marino Faliero; they might as well act the Prometheus of Aeschylus.  I speak of course humbly, and with the greatest sense of the distance of time and merit between the two performances; but merely to show the absurdity of the attempt.

“The Italian paper speaks of a ‘party against it;’ to be sure there would be a party.  Can you imagine, that after having never flattered man, nor beast, nor opinion, nor politics, there would not be a party against a man, who is also a popular writer—­at least a successful?  Why, all parties would be a party against.”

* * * * *

LETTER 408.  TO MR. MURRAY.

     “Ravenna, January 20. 1821.

“If Harris or Elliston persist, after the remonstrance which I desired you and Mr. Kinnaird to make on my behalf, and which I hope will be sufficient—­but if, I say, they do persist, then I pray you to present in person the enclosed letter to the Lord Chamberlain:  I have said in person, because otherwise I shall have neither answer nor knowledge that it has reached its address, owing to ‘the insolence of office.’

     “I wish you would speak to Lord Holland, and to all my friends and
     yours, to interest themselves in preventing this cursed attempt at
     representation.

“God help me! at this distance, I am treated like a corpse or a fool by the few people that I thought I could rely upon; and I was a fool to think any better of them than of the rest of mankind.

     “Pray write.  Yours, &c.

“P.S.  I have nothing more at heart (that is, in literature) than to prevent this drama from going upon the stage:  in short, rather than permit it, it must be suppressed altogether, and only forty copies struck off privately for presents to my friends.  What curst fools those speculating buffoons must be not to see that it is unfit for their fair—­or their booth!”

* * * * *

LETTER 409.  TO MR. MOORE.

     “Ravenna, January 22. 1821.

     “Pray get well.  I do not like your complaint.  So, let me have a
     line to say you are up and doing again.  To-day I am thirty-three
     years of age.

     “Through life’s road, &c. &c.[31]

     “Have you heard that the ‘Braziers’ Company have, or mean to
     present an address at Brandenburgh House, ‘in armour,’ and with all
     possible variety and splendour of brazen apparel?

        “The Braziers, it seems, are preparing to pass
        An address, and present it themselves all in brass—­
        A superfluous pageant—­for, by the Lord Harry,
        They’ll find where they’re going much more than they carry.