great importance, on Rochdale collieries--have occasioned a
divorce--have had my poesy disparaged by Murray and the critics--my
fortune refused to be placed on an advantageous settlement (in
Ireland) by the trustees--my life threatened last month (they put
about a paper here to excite an attempt at my assassination, on
account of politics, and a notion which the priests disseminated
that I was in a league against the Germans,)--and, finally, my
mother-in-law recovered last fortnight, and my play was damned last
week! These are like 'the eight-and-twenty misfortunes of
Harlequin.' But they must be borne. If I give in, it shall be after
keeping up a spirit at least. I should not have cared so much about
it, if our southern neighbours had not bungled us all out of
freedom for these five hundred years to come.

"Did you know John Keats? They say that he was killed by a review
of him in the Quarterly--if he be dead, which I really don't know.
I don't understand that _yielding_ sensitiveness. What I feel (as
at this present) is an immense rage for eight-and-forty hours, and
then, as usual--unless this time it should last longer. I must get
on horseback to quiet me. Yours, &c.

"Francis I. wrote, after the battle of Pavia, 'All is lost except
our honour.' A hissed author may reverse it--'_Nothing_ is lost,
except our honour.' But the horses are waiting, and the paper full.
I wrote last week to you."

* * * * *

LETTER 427. TO MR. MURRAY.

"Ravenna, May 19. 1821.

"By the papers of Thursday, and two letters of Mr. Kinnaird, I
perceive that the Italian gazette had lied most _Italically_, and
that the drama had _not_ been hissed, and that my friends _had_
interfered to prevent the representation. So it seems they
continue to act it, in spite of us all: for this we must 'trouble
them at 'size.' Let it by all means be brought to a plea: I am
determined to try the right, and will meet the expenses. The reason
of the Lombard lie was that the Austrians--who keep up an
Inquisition throughout Italy, and a _list of names_ of all who
think or speak of any thing but in favour of their despotism--have
for five years past abused me in every form in the Gazette of
Milan, &c. I wrote to you a week ago on the subject.

"Now I sho