s to
incommode me extremely. There is one place where people were
evidently _walled up_; for there is but one possible passage,
broken through the wall, and then meant to be closed again upon
the inmate. The house belonged to the Lanfranchi family, (the same
mentioned by Ugolino in his dream, as his persecutor with
Sismondi,) and has had a fierce owner or two in its time. The
staircase, &c. is said to have been built by Michel Agnolo. It is
not yet cold enough for a fire. What a climate!

"I am, however, bothered about these spectres, (as they say the
last occupants were, too,) of whom I have as yet seen nothing, nor,
indeed, heard (_myself_); but all the other ears have been regaled
by all kinds of supernatural sounds. The first night I thought I
heard an odd noise, but it has not been repeated. I have now been
here more than a month.

"Yours," &c.

* * * * *

LETTER 471. TO MR. MURRAY.

"Pisa, December 10. 1821.

"This day and this hour, (one, on the clock,) my daughter is six
years old. I wonder when I shall see her again, or if ever I shall
see her at all.

"I have remarked a curious coincidence, which almost looks like a
fatality.

"My _mother_, my _wife_, my _daughter_, my _half-sister_, my
_sisters mother_, my _natural daughter_ (as far at least as _I_ am
concerned), and _myself_, are all only children.

"My father, by his first marriage with Lady Conyers (an only
child), had only my sister; and by his second marriage with an only
child, an only child again. Lady Byron, as you know, was one also,
and so is my daughter, &c.

"Is not this rather odd--such a complication of only children? By
the way, send me my daughter Ada's miniature. I have only the
print, which gives little or no idea of her complexion.

"Yours, &c. B."

* * * * *

LETTER 472. TO MR. MOORE.

"Pisa, December 12. 1821.

"What you say about Galignani's two biographies is very amusing;
and, if I were not lazy, I would certainly do what you desire. But
I doubt my present stock of facetiousness--that is, of good
_serious_ humour, so as not to let the cat out of the bag.[71] I
wish _you_ would undertake it. I will forgive and _indulge_ you
(like a Pope) beforehand, for any thing