ow it, and I am not so new, nor so raw,
nor so inexperienced, as not to be able to bear, not the mere
paltry, petty disappointments of authorship, but things more
serious,--at least I hope so, and that what you may think
irritability is merely mechanical, and only acts like galvanism on
a dead body, or the muscular motion which survives sensation.

"If it is that you are out of humour, because I wrote to you a
sharp letter, recollect that it was partly from a misconception of
your letter, and partly because you did a thing you had no right to
do without consulting me.

"I have, however, heard good of Manfred from two other quarters,
and from men who would not be scrupulous in saying what they
thought, or what was said; and so 'good morrow to you, good Master
Lieutenant.'

"I wrote to you twice about the fourth Canto, which you will answer
at your pleasure. Mr. Hobhouse and I have come up for a day to the
city; Mr. Lewis is gone to England; and I am

"Yours."

* * * * *

LETTER 294. TO MR. MURRAY.

"La Mira, near Venice, August 21. 1817.

"I take you at your word about Mr. Hanson, and will feel obliged if
you will _go_ to him, and request Mr. Davies also to visit him by
my desire, and repeat that I trust that neither Mr. Kinnaird's
absence nor mine will prevent his taking all proper steps to
accelerate and promote the sale of Newstead and Rochdale, upon
which the whole of my future personal comfort depends. It is
impossible for me to express how much any delays upon these points
would inconvenience me; and I do not know a greater obligation that
can be conferred upon me than the pressing these things upon
Hanson, and making him act according to my wishes. I wish you would
_speak out_, at least to _me_, and tell me what you allude to by
your cold way of mentioning him. All mysteries at such a distance
are not merely tormenting but mischievous, and may be prejudicial
to my interests; so, pray expound, that I may consult with Mr.
Kinnaird when he arrives; and remember that I prefer the most
disagreeable certainties to hints and innuendoes. The devil take
every body: I never can get any person to be explicit about any
thing or any body, and my whole life is passed in conjectures of
what people mean: you