"Martigny, October 9. 1816.
"Thus far on my way to Italy. We have just passed the 'Fisse-Vache'
(one of the first torrents in Switzerland) in time to view the iris
which the sun flings along it before noon.
"I have written to you twice lately. Mr. Davies, I hear, is
arrived. He brings the original MS. which you wished to see.
Recollect that the printing is to be from that which Mr. Shelley
brought; and recollect, also, that the concluding stanzas of Childe
Harold (those to my _daughter_) which I had not made up my mind
whether to publish or not when they were _first_ written (as you
will see marked on the margin of the first copy), I had (and have)
fully determined to publish with the rest of the Canto, as in the
copy which you received by Mr. Shelley, before I sent it to
England.
"Our weather is very fine, which is more than the summer has
been.--At Milan I shall expect to hear from you. Address either to
Milan, _poste restante_, or by way of Geneva, to the care of Monsr.
Hentsch, Banquier. I write these few lines in case my other letter
should not reach you: I trust one of them will.
"P.S. My best respects and regards to Mr. Gifford. Will you tell
him it may perhaps be as well to put a short note to that part
relating to _Clarens_, merely to say, that of course the
description does not refer to that particular spot so much as to
the command of scenery round it? I do not know that this is
necessary, and leave it to Mr. G.'s choice, as my editor,--if he
will allow me to call him so at this distance."
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