. There was a
devil of a review of him in the Quarterly, a year ago, which he
answered. All answers are imprudent: but, to be sure, poetical
flesh and blood must have the last word--that's certain. I
thought, and think, very highly of his Poem; but I warned him of
the row his favourite antique phraseology would bring him into.

"You have taken a house at Hornsey: I had much rather you had taken
one in the Apennines. If you think of coming out for a summer, or
so, tell me, that I may be upon the hover for you.

"Ever," &c.

* * * * *

LETTER 274. TO MR. MURRAY.

"Venice, April 14. 1817.

"By the favour of Dr. Polidori, who is here on his way to England
with the present Lord G * *, (the late earl having gone to England
by another road, accompanied by his bowels in a separate coffer,) I
remit to you, to deliver to Mrs. Leigh, _two miniatures_;
previously you will have the goodness to desire Mr. Love (as a
peace-offering between him and me) to set them in plain gold, with
my arms complete, and 'Painted by Prepiani--Venice, 1817,' on the
back. I wish also that you would desire Holmes to make a copy of
_each_--that is, both--for myself, and that you will retain the
said copies till my return. One was done while I was very unwell;
the other in my health, which may account for their dissimilitude.
I trust that they will reach their destination in safety.

"I recommend the Doctor to your good offices with your government
friends; and if you can be of any use to him in a literary point of
view, pray be so.

"To-day, or rather yesterday, for it is past midnight, I have been
up to the battlements of the highest tower in Venice, and seen it
and its view, in all the glory of a clear Italian sky. I also went
over the Manfrini Palace, famous for its pictures. Amongst them,
there is a portrait of _Ariosto_ by _Titian_, surpassing all my
anticipation of the power of painting or human expression: it is
the poetry of portrait, and the portrait of poetry. There was also
one of some learned lady, centuries old, whose name I forget, but
whose features must always be remembered. I never saw greater
beauty, or sweetness, or wisdom:--it is the kind of face to go mad
for, because it cannot walk out of its frame. There is also a