. Nous mimes sept jours a
cette tournee par le plus beau temps du monde. J'en gardai le vif
souvenir des sites qui m'avoient frappe a l'autre extremite du Lac,
et dont je fis la description, quelques annees apres, dans la
Nouvelle Heloise'

"This nonagenarian, De Luc, must be one of the 'deux fils.' He is
in England--infirm, but still in faculty. It is odd that he should
have lived so long, and not wanting in oddness that he should have
made this voyage with Jean Jacques, and afterwards, at such an
interval, read a poem by an Englishman (who had made precisely the
same circumnavigation) upon the same scenery.

"As for 'Manfred,' it is of no use sending _proofs_; nothing of
that kind comes. I sent the whole at different times. The two first
Acts are the best; the third so so; but I was blown with the first
and second heats. You must call it 'a Poem,' for it is _no Drama_,
and I do not choose to have it called by so * * a name--a 'Poem in
dialogue,' or--Pantomime, if you will; any thing but a green-room
synonyme; and this is your motto--

"'There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.'

"Yours ever, &c.

"My love and thanks to Mr. Gifford."

* * * * *

LETTER 273. TO MR. MOORE.

"Venice, April 11. 1817.

"I shall continue to write to you while the fit is on me, by way of
penance upon you for your former complaints of long silence. I dare
say you would blush, if you could, for not answering. Next week I
set out for Rome. Having seen Constantinople, I should like to look
at t'other fellow. Besides, I want to see the Pope, and shall take
care to tell him that I vote for the Catholics and no Veto.

"I sha'n't go to Naples. It is but the second best sea-view, and I
have seen the first and third, viz. Constantinople and Lisbon, (by
the way, the last is but a river-view; however, they reckon it
after Stamboul and Naples, and before Genoa,) and Vesuvius is
silent, and I have passed by AEtna. So I shall e'en return to Venice
in July; and if you write, I pray you to address to Venice, which
is my head, or rather my _heart_, quarters.

"My late physician, Dr. Polidori, is here on his way to England,
with the present Lord G * * and the widow of the late earl