The admirable government of
Vienna, in its edict from thence, authorising his installation,
prescribed, as part of the pageant, 'a _coach_ and four horses.' To
show how very, very '_German_ to the matter' this was, you have
only to suppose our parliament commanding the Archbishop of
Canterbury to proceed from Hyde Park Corner to St. Paul's Cathedral
in the Lord Mayor's barge, or the Margate hoy. There is but St.
Mark's Place in all Venice broad enough for a carriage to move, and
it is paved with large smooth flag-stones, so that the chariot and
horses of Elijah himself would be puzzled to manoeuvre upon it.
Those of Pharaoh might do better; for the canals--and particularly
the Grand Canal--are sufficiently capacious and extensive for his
whole host. Of course, no coach could be attempted; but the
Venetians, who are very naive as well as arch, were much amused
with the ordinance.

"The Armenian Grammar is published; but my Armenian studies are
suspended for the present till my head aches a little less. I sent
you the other day, in two covers, the first Act of 'Manfred,' a
drama as mad as Nat. Lee's Bedlam tragedy, which was in 25 acts and
some odd scenes:--mine is but in Three Acts.

"I find I have begun this letter at the wrong end: never mind; I
must end it, then, at the right.

"Yours ever very truly and obligedly," &c.

[Footnote 129: An article in No. 31. of this Review, written, as Lord
Byron afterwards discovered, by Sir Walter Scott, and well meriting, by
the kind and generous spirit that breathes through it, the warm and
lasting gratitude it awakened in the noble poet.]

* * * * *

LETTER 265. TO MR. MURRAY.

"Venice, March 9. 1817.

"In remitting the third Act of the sort of dramatic poem of which
you will by this time have received the two first (at least I hope
so), which were sent within the last three weeks, I have little to
observe, except that you must not publish it (if it ever is
published) without giving me previous notice. I have really and
truly no notion whether it is good or bad; and as this was not the
case with the principal of my former publications, I am, therefore,
inclined to rank it very humbly. You will submit it to Mr. Gifford,
and to whomsoever you please besides. With regard to the question