written a letter
to Lord Byron, entreating him "to leave Ravenna while yet he had a whole
skin, and urging him not to risk the safety of a person he appeared so
sincerely attached to--as well as his own--for the gratification of a
momentary passion, which could only be a source of regret to both
parties." In the same letter Mr. Hoppner informed him of some reports he
had heard lately at Venice, which, though possibly, he said, unfounded,
had much increased his anxiety respecting the consequences of the
connection formed by him.]

* * * * *

LETTER 342. TO MR. HOPPNER.

"October 25. 1819.

"You need not have made any excuses about the letter: I never said
but that you might, could, should, or would have reason. I merely
described my own state of inaptitude to listen to it at that time,
and in those circumstances. Besides, you did not speak from your
_own_ authority--but from what you said you had heard. Now my blood
boils to hear an Italian speaking ill of another Italian, because,
though they lie in particular, they speak truth in general by
speaking ill at all;--and although they know that they are trying
and wishing to lie, they do not succeed, merely because they can
say nothing so bad of each other, that it _may_ not, and must not
be true, from the atrocity of their long debased national
character.[58]

"With regard to E., you will perceive a most irregular, extravagant
account, without proper documents to support it. He demanded an
increase of salary, which made me suspect him; he supported an
outrageous extravagance of expenditure, and did not like the
dismission of the cook; he never complained of him--as in duty
bound--at the time of his robberies. I can only say, that the house
expense is now under _one half_ of what it then was, as he himself
admits. He charged for a comb _eighteen_ francs,--the real price
was _eight_. He charged a passage from Fusina for a person named
Iambelli, who paid it _herself_, as she will prove if necessary. He
fancies, or asserts himself, the victim of a domestic complot
against him;--accounts are accounts--prices are prices;--let him
make out a fair detail. _I_ am not prejudiced against him--on the
contrary, I supported him against the complaints of his wife, and
of his former master, at a time when I could