"Ravenna, May 20. 1820.
"First and foremost, you must forward my letter to _Moore_ dated 2d
_January_, which I said you might open, but desired you _to
forward_. Now, you should really not forget these little things,
because they do mischief among friends. You are an excellent man, a
great man, and live among great men, but do pray recollect your
absent friends and authors.
"In the first place, _your packets_; then a letter from Kinnaird,
on the most urgent business; another from Moore, about a
communication to Lady Byron of importance; a fourth from the mother
of Allegra; and, fifthly, at Ravenna, the Countess G. is on the eve
of being separated. But the Italian public are on her side,
particularly the women,--and the men also, because they say that
_he_ had no business to take the business up now after a year of
toleration. All her relations (who are numerous, high in rank, and
powerful) are furious _against him_ for his conduct. I am warned to
be on my guard, as he is very capable of employing _sicarii_--this
is Latin as well as Italian, so you can understand it; but I have
arms, and don't mind them, thinking that I could pepper his
ragamuffins, if they don't come unawares, and that, if they do, one
may as well end that way as another; and it would besides serve
_you_ as an advertisement:--
"Man may escape from rope or gun, &c.
But he who takes woman, woman, woman, &c.
"Yours.
"P.S. I have looked over the press, but heaven knows how. Think
what I have on hand and the post going out to-morrow. Do you
remember the epitaph on Voltaire?
"'Ci-git l'enfant gâté,' &c.
"'Here lies the spoilt child
Of the world which he spoil'd.'