afternoon I met Lord and Lady Jersey, and saw them for some
time: all well; children grown and healthy; she very pretty, but
sunburnt; he very sick of travelling; bound for Paris. There are
not many English on the move, and those who are, mostly homewards.
I shall not return till business makes me, being much better where
I am in health, &c. &c.

"For the sake of my personal comfort, I pray you send me
immediately _to Venice_--_mind, Venice_--viz. _Waites'
tooth-powder_, _red_, a quantity; _calcined magnesia_, of the best
quality, a quantity; and all this by safe, sure, and speedy means;
and, by the Lord! do it.

"I have done nothing at Manfred's third Act. You must wait; I'll
have at it in a week or two, or so. Yours ever," &c.

* * * * *

LETTER 277. TO MR. MURRAY.

"Rome, May 5. 1817.

"By this post, (or next at farthest) I send you in two _other_
covers, the new third Act of 'Manfred.' I have re-written the
greater part, and returned what is not altered in the _proof_ you
sent me. The Abbot is become a good man, and the Spirits are
brought in at the death. You will find I think, some good poetry
in this new act, here and there; and if so, print it, without
sending me farther proofs, _under Mr. Gifford's correction_, if he
will have the goodness to overlook it. Address all answers to
Venice, as usual; I mean to return there in ten days.

"'The Lament of Tasso,' which I sent from Florence, has, I trust,
arrived: I look upon it as a 'these be good rhymes,' as Pope's papa
said to him when he was a boy. For the two--it and the Drama--you
will disburse to me (_via_ Kinnaird) _six_ hundred guineas. You
will perhaps be surprised that I set the same price upon this as
upon the Drama; but, besides that I look upon it as _good_, I won't
take less than three hundred guineas for any thing. The two
together will make you a larger publication than the 'Siege' and
'Parisina;' so you may think yourself let off very easy: that is to
say, if these poems are good for any thing, which I hope and
believe.

"I have been some days in Rome the Wonderful. I am seeing sights,
and have done nothing else, except the new third Act for you. I
have this morning seen a live pope and a dead cardinal: Pius VII.
has been burying