ll the
season of the purgation of Rome from these people, which is
infected with them at this time, should arrive. Besides, I abhor
the nation and the nation me; it is impossible for me to describe
my _own_ sensation on that point, but it may suffice to say, that,
if I met with any of the race in the beautiful parts of
Switzerland, the most distant glimpse or aspect of them poisoned
the whole scene, and I do not choose to have the Pantheon, and St.
Peter's, and the Capitol, spoiled for me too. This feeling may be
probably owing to recent events; but it does not exist the less,
and while it exists, I shall conceal it as little as any other.

"I have been seriously ill with a fever, but it is gone. I believe
or suppose it was the indigenous fever of the place, which comes
every year at this time, and of which the physicians change the
name annually, to despatch the people sooner. It is a kind of
typhus, and kills occasionally. It was pretty smart, but nothing
particular, and has left me some debility and a great appetite.
There are a good many ill at present, I suppose, of the same.

"I feel sorry for Horner, if there was any thing in the world to
make him like it; and still more sorry for his friends, as there
was much to make them regret him. I had not heard of his death
till by your letter.

"Some weeks ago I wrote to you my acknowledgments of Walter Scott's
article. Now I know it to be his, it cannot add to my good opinion
of him, but it adds to that of myself. _He_, and Gifford, and
Moore, are the only _regulars_ I ever knew who had nothing of the
_garrison_ about their manner: no nonsense, nor affectations, look
you! As for the rest whom I have known, there was always more or
less of the author about them--the pen peeping from behind the ear,
and the thumbs a little inky, or so.

"'Lalla Rookh'--you must recollect that, in the way of title, the
'_Giaour_' has never been pronounced to this day; and both it and
Childe Harold sounded very facetious to the blue-bottles of wit and
humour about town, till they were taught and startled into a proper
deportment; and therefore Lalla Rookh, which is very orthodox and
oriental, is as good a title as need be, if not better. I could
wish rather that he had not called it '_a Persian Tale_;' firstly,