but in good preservation.  All this will appear strange to you, who do not understand the meridian morality, nor our way of life in such respects, and I cannot at present expound the difference;—­but you would find it much the same in these parts.  At Faenza there is Lord * * * * with an opera girl; and at the inn in the same town is a Neapolitan Prince, who serves the wife of the Gonfaloniere of that city.  I am on duty here—­so you see ‘Cosi fan tut_ti_ e tut_te_.’

“I have my horses here, saddle as well as carriage, and ride or drive every day in the forest, the Pineta, the scene of Boccaccio’s novel, and Dryden’s fable of Honoria, &c. &c.; and I see my Dama every day; but I feel seriously uneasy about her health, which seems very precarious.  In losing her, I should lose a being who has run great risks on my account, and whom I have every reason to love—­but I must not think this possible.  I do not know what I should do if she died, but I ought to blow my brains out—­and I hope that I should.  Her husband is a very polite personage, but I wish he would not carry me out in his coach and six, like Whittington and his cat.

“You ask me if I mean to continue D.J. &c.  How should I know?  What encouragement do you give me, all of you, with your nonsensical prudery? publish the two Cantos, and then you will see.  I desired Mr. Kinnaird to speak to you on a little matter of business; either he has not spoken, or you have not answered.  You are a pretty pair, but I will be even with you both.  I perceive that Mr. Hobhouse has been challenged by Major Cartwright—­Is the Major ’so cunning of fence?’—­why did not they fight?—­they ought.

     “Yours,” &c.

* * * * *

LETTER 334.  TO MR. HOPPNER.

     “Ravenna, July 2. 1819.

“Thanks for your letter and for Madame’s.  I will answer it directly.  Will you recollect whether I did not consign to you one or two receipts of Madame Mocenigo’s for house-rent—­(I am not sure of this, but think I did—­if not, they will be in my drawers)—­and will you desire Mr. Dorville[39] to have the goodness to see if Edgecombe has receipts to all payments hitherto made by him on my account, and that there are no debts at Venice?  On your answer, I shall send order of further remittance to carry on my household expenses, as my present return to Venice is very problematical; and it may happen—­but I can say nothing positive—­every thing with me being indecisive and undecided, except the disgust which Venice excites when fairly compared with any other city in this part of Italy.  When I say Venice, I mean the Venetians—­the city itself is superb as its history—­but the people are what I never thought them till they taught me to think so.

“The best way will be to leave