"Pisa, March 6. 1822.
"You will long ago have received a letter from me (or should),
declaring my opinion of the treatment you have met with about the
recent publication. I think it disgraceful to those who have
persecuted _you_. I make peace with you, though our war was for
other reasons than this same controversy. I have written to Moore
by this post to forward to you the tragedy of' Werner.' I shall not
make or propose any present bargain about it or the new Mystery
till we see if they succeed. If they don't sell (which is not
unlikely), you sha'n't pay; and I suppose this is fair play, if you
choose to risk it.
"Bartolini, the celebrated sculptor, wrote to me to desire to take
my bust: I consented, on condition that he also took that of the
Countess Guiccioli. He has taken both, and I think it will be
allowed that _hers_ is beautiful. I shall make you a present of
them both, to show that I don't bear malice, and as a compensation
for the trouble and squabble you had about Thorwaldsen's. Of my own
I can hardly speak, except that it is thought very like what I _now
am_, which is different from what I was, of course, since you saw
me. The sculptor is a famous one; and as it was done by _his own_
particular request, will be done well, probably.
"What is to be done about * * and his Commentary? He will die if he
is _not_ published; he will be damned, if he _is_; but that _he_
don't mind. We must publish him.
"All the _row_ about _me_ has no otherwise affected me than by the
attack upon yourself, which is ungenerous in Church and State: but
as all violence must in time have its proportionate re-action, you
will do better by and by. Yours very truly,
"NOEL BYRON."
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