to save myself, and begged not to trouble me.’  Luckily, the boat righted, and, bailing, we got round a point into St. Gingo, where the inhabitants came down and embraced the boatmen on their escape, the wind having been high enough to tear up some huge trees from the Alps above us, as we saw next day.

“And yet the same Shelley, who was as cool as it was possible to be in such circumstances, (of which I am no judge myself, as the chance of swimming naturally gives self-possession when near shore,) certainly had the fit of phantasy which Polidori describes, though not exactly as he describes it.

“The story of the agreement to write the ghost-books is true; but the ladies are not sisters.  Mary Godwin (now Mrs. Shelley) wrote Frankenstein, which you have reviewed, thinking it Shelley’s.  Methinks it is a wonderful book for a girl of nineteen,—­not nineteen, indeed, at that time.  I enclose you the beginning of mine, by which you will see how far it resembles Mr. Colburn’s publication.  If you choose to publish it, you may, stating why, and with such explanatory proem as you please.  I never went on with it, as you will perceive by the date.  I began it in an old account-book of Miss Milbanke’s, which I kept because it contains the word ‘Household,’ written by her twice on the inside blank page of the covers, being the only two scraps I have in the world in her writing, except her name to the Deed of Separation.  Her letters I sent back except those of the quarrelling correspondence, and those, being documents, are placed in the hands of a third person, with copies of several of my own; so that I have no kind of memorial whatever of her, but these two words,—­and her actions.  I have torn the leaves containing the part of the Tale out of the book, and enclose them with this sheet.

“What do you mean?  First you seem hurt by my letter, and then, in your next, you talk of its ‘power,’ and so forth.  ’This is a d——­d blind story, Jack; but never mind, go on.’  You may be sure I said nothing on purpose to plague you; but if you will put me ’in a frenzy, I will never call you Jack again.’  I remember nothing of the epistle at present.

“What do you mean by Polidori’s Diary?  Why, I defy him to say any thing about me, but he is welcome.  I have nothing to reproach me with on his score, and I am much mistaken if that is not his own opinion.  But why publish the names of the two girls? and in such a manner?—­what a blundering piece of exculpation! He asked Pictet, &c. to dinner, and of course was left to entertain them.  I went into society solely to present him (as I told him), that he might return into good company if he chose; it was the best thing for his youth and circumstances:  for myself, I had done with society, and, having presented him, withdrew to my own ’way of life.’  It is true that I returned without entering Lady Dalrymple