"Ravenna, October 21. 1821.
"I shall be (the gods willing) in Bologna on Saturday next. This is
a curious answer to your letter; but I have taken a house in Pisa
for the winter, to which all my chattels, furniture, horses,
carriages, and live stock are already removed, and I am preparing
to follow.
"The cause of this removal is, shortly, the exile or proscription
of all my friends' relations and connections here into Tuscany, on
account of our late politics; and where they go, I accompany them.
I merely remained till now to settle some arrangements about my
daughter, and to give time for my furniture, &c. to precede me. I
have not here a seat or a bed hardly, except some jury chairs, and
tables, and a mattress for the week to come.
"If you will go on with me to Pisa, I can lodge you for as long as
you like; (they write that the house, the Palazzo Lanfranchi, is
spacious: it is on the Arno;) and I have four carriages, and as
many saddle-horses (such as they are in these parts), with all
other conveniences, at your command, as also their owner. If you
could do this, we may, at least, cross the Apennines together; or
if you are going by another road, we shall meet at Bologna, I hope.
I address this to the post-office (as you desire), and you will
probably find me at the Albergo di _San Marco_. If you arrive
first, wait till I come up, which will be (barring accidents) on
Saturday or Sunday at farthest.
"I presume you are alone in your voyages. Moore is in London
_incog._ according to my latest advices from those climes.
"It is better than a lustre (five years and six months and some
days, more or less) since we met; and, like the man from Tadcaster
in the farce ('Love laughs at Locksmiths'), whose acquaintances,
including the cat and the terrier, who 'caught a halfpenny in his
mouth,' were all 'gone dead,' but too many of our acquaintances
have taken the same path. Lady Melbourne, Grattan, Sheridan,
Curran, &c. &c. almost every body of much name of the old school.
But 'so am not I, said the foolish fat scullion,' therefore let us
make the most of our remainder.
"Let me find two lines from you at 'the hostel or inn.'
"Yours ever, &c.
"B."
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