"Venice, June 18. 1818.
"Business and the utter and inexplicable silence of all my
correspondents renders me impatient and troublesome. I wrote to Mr.
Hanson for a balance which is (or ought to be) in his hands;--no
answer. I expected the messenger with the Newstead papers two
months ago, and instead of him, I received a requisition to proceed
to Geneva, which (from * *, who knows my wishes and opinions about
approaching England) could only be irony or insult.
"I must, therefore, trouble _you_ to pay into my bankers'
_immediately_ whatever sum or sums you can make it convenient to do
on our agreement; otherwise, I shall be put to the _severest_ and
most immediate inconvenience; and this at a time when, by every
rational prospect and calculation, I ought to be in the receipt of
considerable sums. Pray do not neglect this; you have no idea to
what inconvenience you will otherwise put me. * * had some absurd
notion about the disposal of this money in annuity (or God knows
what), which I merely listened to when he was here to avoid
squabbles and sermons; but I have occasion for the principal, and
had never any serious idea of appropriating it otherwise than to
answer my personal expenses. Hobhouse's wish is, if possible, to
force me back to England[25]: he will not succeed; and if he did, I
would not stay. I hate the country, and like this; and all foolish
opposition, of course, merely adds to the feeling. _Your_ silence
makes me doubt the success of Canto fourth. If it has failed, I
will make such deduction as you think proper and fair from the
original agreement; but I could wish whatever is to be paid were
remitted to me, without delay, through the usual channel, by course
of post.
"When I tell you that I have not heard a word from England since
very early in May, I have made the eulogium of my friends, or the
persons who call themselves so, since I have written so often and
in the greatest anxiety. Thank God, the longer I am absent, the
less cause I see for regretting the country or its living contents.
I am yours," &c.
[Footnote 25: Deeply is it, for many reasons, to be regretted that this
friendly purpose did not succeed.]
* * * * *