"La Mira, near Venice, June 14. 1817.
"I write to you from the banks of the Brenta, a few miles from
Venice, where I have colonised for six months to come. Address, as
usual, to Venice.
"Three months after date (17th March),--like the unnegotiable bill
despondingly received by the reluctant tailor,--your despatch has
arrived, containing the extract from Moore's Italy and Mr.
Maturin's bankrupt tragedy. It is the absurd work of a clever man.
I think it might have done upon the stage, if he had made Manuel
(by some trickery, in a masque or vizor) fight his own battle,
instead of employing Molineux as his champion; and, after the
defeat of Torismond, have made him spare the son of his enemy, by
some revulsion of feeling, not incompatible with a character of
extravagant and distempered emotions. But as it is, what with the
Justiza, and the ridiculous conduct of the whole _dram. pers._ (for
they are all as mad as Manuel, who surely must have had more
interest with a corrupt bench than a distant relation and heir
presumptive, somewhat suspect of homicide,) I do not wonder at its
failure. As a play, it is impracticable; as a poem, no great
things. Who was the 'Greek that grappled with glory naked?' the
Olympic wrestlers? or Alexander the Great, when he ran stark round
the tomb of t'other fellow? or the Spartan who was fined by the
Ephori for fighting without his armour? or who? And as to 'flaying
off life like a garment,' helas! that's in Tom Thumb--see king
Arthur's soliloquy:
"'Life's a mere rag, not worth a prince's wearing;
I'll cast it off.'
And the stage-directions--'Staggers among the bodies;'--the slain
are too numerous, as well as the blackamoor knights-penitent being
one too many: and De Zelos is such a shabby Monmouth Street
villain, without any redeeming quality--Stap my vitals! Maturin
seems to be declining into Nat. Lee. But let him try again; he has
talent, but not much taste. I 'gin to fear, or to hope, that
Sotheby, after all, is to be the Eschylus of the age, unless Mr.
Shiel be really worthy his success. The more I see of the stage,
the less I would wish to have any thing to do with it; as a proof
of which, I hope you have received the third Act of Manfred, which
will at least prove that I wish to steer very clear of the
possibility of being put into scenery. I sent it from _Rome_.
"I returned the proof of Tasso. By the way, have you never received
a translation of St. Paul which I sent you, _not_ for publication,
before I went to Rome?
"I am at present on the Brenta. Opposite is a Spanish marquis,
ninety years old; next his casino is a Frenchman's,--besides the
natives; so that, as somebody said the other day, we are exactly
one of Goldoni's comedies (La Vedova Scaltra), where a Spaniard,
English, and Frenchman are introduced: but we are all very good
neighbours, Venetians, &c. &c. &c.
"I am just getting on horseback for my evening ride, and a visit to
a physician, who has an agreeable family, of a wife and four
unmarried daughters, all under eighteen, who are friends of Signora
S * *, and enemies to nobody. There are, and are to be, besides,
conversaziones and I know not what, a Countess Labbia's and I know
not whom. The weather is mild; the thermometer 110 in the _sun_
this day, and 80 odd in the shade. Yours, &c.
"N."
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