“Oh—­by the by, I had nearly forgot.  There is a long poem, an ‘Anti-Byron,’ coming out, to prove that I have formed a conspiracy to overthrow, by rhyme, all religion and government, and have already made great progress!  It is not very scurrilous, but serious and ethereal.  I never felt myself important, till I saw and heard of my being such a little Voltaire as to induce such a production.  Murray would not publish it, for which he was a fool, and so I told him; but some one else will, doubtless.  ’Something too much of this.’

“Your French scheme is good, but let it be Italian; all the Angles will be at Paris.  Let it be Rome, Milan, Naples, Florence, Turin, Venice, or Switzerland, and ‘egad!’ (as Bayes saith,) I will connubiate and join you; and we will write a new ‘Inferno’ in our Paradise.  Pray think of this—­and I will really buy a wife and a ring, and say the ceremony, and settle near you in a summer-house upon the Arno, or the Po, or the Adriatic.

“Ah! my poor little pagod, Napoleon, has walked off his pedestal.  He has abdicated, they say.  This would draw molten brass from the eyes of Zatanai.  What! ’kiss the ground before young Malcolm’s feet, and then be baited by the rabble’s curse!’ I cannot bear such a crouching catastrophe.  I must stick to Sylla, for my modern favourites don’t do,—­their resignations are of a different kind.  All health and prosperity, my dear Moore.  Excuse this lengthy letter.  Ever, &c.

     “P.S.  The Quarterly quotes you frequently in an article on America;
     and every body I know asks perpetually after you and yours.  When
     will you answer them in person?”

* * * * *

He did not long persevere in his resolution against writing, as will be seen from the following notes to his publisher.

TO MR. MURRAY.

     “April 10. 1814.

“I have written an Ode on the fall of Napoleon, which, if you like, I will copy out, and make you a present of.  Mr. Merivale has seen part of it, and likes it.  You may show it to Mr. Gifford, and print it, or not, as you please—­it is of no consequence.  It contains nothing in his favour, and no allusion whatever to our own government or the Bourbons.  Yours, &c.

     “P.S.  It is in the measure of my stanzas at the end of Childe
     Harold, which were much liked, beginning ‘And thou art dead,’ &c.
     &c.  There are ten stanzas of it—­ninety lines in all.”

* * * * *

TO MR. MURRAY.

     “April 11. 1814.

     “I enclose you a letter_et_ from Mrs. Leigh.