or expectation; but I have seen many mountains, and seas, and
rivers, and views, and two or three women, who went as far beyond
it,--besides some horses; and a lion (at Veli Pacha's) in the
Morea; and a tiger at supper in Exeter Change.

"When you write, continue to address to me at _Venice_. Where do
you suppose the books you sent to me are? At _Turin_! This comes of
'_the Foreign Office_' which is foreign enough, God knows, for any
good it can be of to me, or any one else, and be d----d to it, to
its last clerk and first charlatan, Castlereagh.

"This makes my hundredth letter at least.

"Yours," &c.

* * * * *

TO MR. MURRAY.

"Venice, April 14. 1817.

"The present proofs (of the whole) begin only at the 17th page; but
as I had corrected and sent back the first Act, it does not
signify.

"The third Act is certainly d----d bad, and, like the Archbishop of
Grenada's homily (which savoured of the palsy), has the dregs of my
fever, during which it was written. It must on _no account_ be
published in its present state. I will try and reform it, or
rewrite it altogether; but the impulse is gone, and I have no