Life of Lord Byron, Vol. III eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 392 pages of information about Life of Lord Byron, Vol. III.

Life of Lord Byron, Vol. III eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 392 pages of information about Life of Lord Byron, Vol. III.
he takes me for, but a facetious companion, well to do with those with whom I am intimate, and as loquacious and laughing as if I were a much cleverer fellow.
“I suppose now I shall never be able to shake off my sables in public imagination, more particularly since my moral * * clove down my fame.  However, nor that, nor more than that, has yet extinguished my spirit, which always rises with the rebound.
“At Venice we are in Lent, and I have not lately moved out of doors, my feverishness requiring quiet, and—­by way of being more quiet—­here is the Signora Marianna just come in and seated at my elbow.
“Have you seen * * ’s book of poesy? and, if you have seen it, are you not delighted with it?  And have you—­I really cannot go on:  there is a pair of great black eyes looking over my shoulder, like the angel leaning over St. Matthew’s, in the old frontispieces to the Evangelists,—­so that I must turn and answer them instead of you.

     “Ever,” &c.

* * * * *

LETTER 267.  TO MR. MOORE.

     “Venice, March 25. 1817.

“I have at last learned, in default of your own writing (or not writing—­which should it be? for I am not very clear as to the application of the word default) from Murray, two particulars of (or belonging to) you; one, that you are removing to Hornsey, which is, I presume, to be nearer London; and the other, that your Poem is announced by the name of Lalla Rookh.  I am glad of it,—­first, that we are to have it at last, and next, I like a tough title myself—­witness The Giaour and Childe Harold, which choked half the Blues at starting.  Besides, it is the tail of Alcibiades’s dog,—­not that I suppose you want either dog or tail.  Talking of tail, I wish you had not called it a ’Persian Tale’[130] Say a ‘Poem’ or ‘Romance,’ but not ‘Tale.’  I am very sorry that I called some of my own things ‘Tales,’ because I think that they are something better.  Besides, we have had Arabian, and Hindoo, and Turkish, and Assyrian Tales.  But, after all, this is frivolous in me; you won’t, however, mind my nonsense.
“Really and truly, I want you to make a great hit, if only out of self-love, because we happen to be old cronies; and I have no doubt you will—­I am sure you can.  But you are, I’ll be sworn, in a devil of a pucker; and I am not at your elbow, and Rogers is.  I envy him; which is not fair, because he does not envy any body.  Mind you send to me—­that is, make Murray send—­the moment you are forth.
“I have been very ill with a slow fever, which at last took to flying, and became as quick as need be.[131] But, at length, after a week of half-delirium, burning skin, thirst, hot headach, horrible pulsation, and no sleep, by the blessing of barley water, and refusing
Copyrights
Project Gutenberg
Life of Lord Byron, Vol. III from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.