"Let me hear from you on your return from Ireland, which ought to
be ashamed to see you, after her Brunswick blarney. I am of
Longman's opinion, that you should allow your friends to liquidate
the Bermuda claim. Why should you throw away the two thousand
_pounds_ (of the _non_-guinea Murray) upon that cursed piece of
treacherous inveiglement? I think you carry the matter a little too
far and scrupulously. When we see patriots begging publicly, and
know that Grattan received a fortune from his country, I really do
not see why a man, in no whit inferior to any or all of them,
should shrink from accepting that assistance from his private
friends which every tradesman receives from his connections upon
much less occasions. For, after all, it was not _your debt_--it was
a piece of swindling _against_ you. As to * * * *, and the 'what
noble creatures![59] &c. &c.' it is all very fine and very well,
but, till you can persuade me that there is _no credit_, and no
_self-applause_ to be obtained by being of use to a celebrated man,
I must retain the same opinion of the human _species_, which I do
of our friend Ms. Spe_cie_."

[Footnote 59: I had mentioned to him, with all the praise and gratitude
such friendship deserved, some generous offers of aid which, from more
than one quarter, I had received at this period, and which, though
declined, have been not the less warmly treasured in my recollection.]

* * * * *

In the month of August, Madame Guiccioli had joined her father at Pisa,
and was now superintending the preparations at the Casa Lanfranchi,--one
of the most ancient and spacious palaces of that city,--for the
reception of her noble friend. "He left Ravenna," says this lady, "with
great regret, and with a presentiment that his departure would be the
forerunner of a thousand evils to us. In every letter he then wrote to
me, he expressed his displeasure at this step. 'If your father should be
recalled,' he said, '_I immediately return_ to Ravenna; and if he is
recalled _previous_ to my departure, _I remain_.' In this hope he
delayed his journey for several months; but, at last, no longer having
any expectation of our immediate return, he wrote to me, saying--'I set
out most unwillingly, foreseeing the most evil results for all of you,
and principally for yourself. I say no more, but you will see.' And in
a