th you. Pray make my respects to Mrs. Hoppner, and
assure her of my unalterable reverence for the singular goodness of
her disposition, which is not without its reward even in this
world--for those who are no great believers in human virtues would
discover enough in her to give them a better opinion of their
fellow-creatures and--what is still more difficult--of themselves,
as being of the same species, however inferior in approaching its
nobler models. Make, too, what excuses you can for my omission of
the ceremony of leave-taking. If we all meet again, I will make my
humblest apology; if not, recollect that I wished you all well;
and, if you can, forget that I have given you a great deal of
trouble.

"Yours," &c. &c.

* * * * *

LETTER 350. TO MR. MURRAY.

"Venice, December 10. 1819.

"Since I last wrote, I have changed my mind, and shall not come to
England. The more I contemplate, the more I dislike the place and
the prospect. You may, therefore, address to me as usual _here_,
though I mean to go to another city. I have finished the third
Canto of Don Juan, but the things I have read and heard discourage
all further publication--at least for the present. You may try the
copy question, but you'll lose it: the cry is up, and cant is up. I
should have no objection to return the price of the copyright, and
have written to Mr. Kinnaird by this post on the subject. Talk with
him.

"I have not the patience, nor do I feel interest enough in the
question, to contend with the fellows in their own slang; but I
perceive Mr. Blackwood's Magazine and one or two others of your
missives have been hyperbolical in their praise, and diabolical in
their abuse. I like and admire W * *n, and _he_ should not have
indulged himself in such outrageous licence.[65] It is overdone and
defeats itself. What would he say to the grossness without passion
and the misanthropy without feeling of Gulliver's Travels?--When he
talks of Lady's Byron's business, he talks of what he knows nothing
about; and you may tell him that no one can more desire a public
investigation of that affair than I do.

"I sent home by Moore (_for_ Moore only, who has my Journal also)
my Memoir written up to 1816, and I gave him leave to show it to
whom h