a hot country is a pleasure), but a much greater
indifference to what is to become of it, after it has served my
immediate purpose. However, I should on no account like to--but I
won't go on, like the Archbishop of Granada, as I am very sure that
you dread the fate of Gil Blas, and with good reason. Yours, &c.

"P.S. I have written some very savage letters to Mr. Hobhouse,
Kinnaird, to you, and to Hanson, because the silence of so long a
time made me tear off my remaining rags of patience. I have seen
one or two late English publications which are no great things,
except Rob Roy. I shall be glad of Whistlecraft."

* * * * *

LETTER 321. TO MR. MURRAY.

"Venice, August 26. 1818.

"You may go on with your edition, without calculating on the
Memoir, which I shall not publish at present. It is nearly
finished, but will be too long; and there are so many things,
which, out of regard to the living, cannot be mentioned, that I
have written with too much detail of that which interested me
least; so that my autobiographical Essay would resemble the tragedy
of Hamlet at the country theatre, recited 'with the part of Hamlet
left out by particular desire.' I shall keep it among my papers; it
will be a kind of guide-post in case of death, and prevent some of
the lies which would otherwise be told, and destroy some which have
been told already.

"The tales also are in an unfinished state, and I can fix no time
for their completion: they are also not in the best manner. You
must not, therefore, calculate upon any thing in time for this
edition. The Memoir is already above forty-four sheets of very
large, long paper, and will be about fifty or sixty; but I wish to
go on leisurely; and when finished, although it might do a good
deal for you at the time, I am not sure that it would serve any
good purpose in the end either, as it is full of many passions and
prejudices, of which it has been impossible for me to keep
clear:--I have not the patience.

"Enclosed is a list of books which Dr. Aglietti would be glad to
receive by way of price for his MS. letters, if you are disposed to
purchase at the rate of fifty pounds sterling. These he will be
glad to have as part, and the rest _I_ will give him in money, and
you may carry i