lace and people: Elizabeth in a tremendous snow
storm, is pursued by robbers; and finding a crucifix, erected by the
road side, embraces it for protection. The crucifix flies away with
her in a clap of thunder, and sets her down safely at a distance from
her persecutors. The audience appeared equally enchanted and edified
by this scene: some of the women near me crossed themselves, and put
their handkerchiefs to their eyes: the men rose from their seats,
clapped with enthusiasm, and shouted "Bravo! Miracolo!"

At the San Benedetto we were gratified by a deep tragedy entitled
"Gabrielle Innocente," so exquisitely absurd, and so grotesquely
acted, that the best comedy could scarcely have afforded us more
amusement,--certainly not more _merriment_. In the course of the
evening, coffee and ices were served in our box, as is the custom
here.

With Mrs. H---- this evening I had a long and pleasant conversation;
she is really one of the most delightful and unaffected women I ever
met with: and as there is nothing in my melancholy visage and
shrinking reserve to tempt any person to converse with me, I must also
set her down as one of the most good-natured. She talked much of Lord
Byron, with whom, during his residence here she was on intimate terms.
She spoke of him, not conceitedly as one vain of the acquaintance of a
great character; nor with affected reserve, as if afraid of committing
herself--but with openness, animation, and cordial kindness, as one
whom she liked, and had reason to like. She says the style of Lord
Byron's conversation is very much that of Don Juan: just in the same
manner are the familiar, the brilliant, the sublime, the affecting,
the witty, the ludicrous, and the licentious, mingled and contrasted.
Several little anecdotes which she related I need not write down; I
can scarcely forget them, and it would not be quite fair as they were
told _en confiance_. I am no anecdote hunter, picking up articles for
"my pocket book."

* * * * *

A little while ago Captain F. lent me D'Israeli's Essays on the
Literary Character, which had once belonged to Lord Byron; and
contained marginal notes in his hand-writing. One or two of them are
so curiously characteristic that I copy them here.

The first note is on a passage in which D'Israeli, in allusion to Lord
Byron, traces his fondness for oriental scenery to his having read
Rycaut at an early age. On this Lord Byron observes, tha