riveva allora egli mi
esprimeva il suo dispiacere di lasciare Ravenna. 'Se papa e richiamato
(mi scriveva egli) io torno in quel istante a Ravenna, e se e richiamato
_prima_ della mia partenza, _io non parto_.' In questa speranza egli
differi varii mesi a partire. Ma, finalmente, non potendo piu sperare il
nostro ritorno prossimo, egli mi scriveva--'Io parto molto mal
volontieri prevedendo dei mali assai grandi per voi altri e massime per
voi; altro non dico,--lo vedrete.' E in un altra lettera, 'Io lascio
Ravenna cosi mal volontieri, e cosi persuaso che la mia partenza non puo
che condurre da un male ad un altro piu grande che non ho cuore di
scrivere altro in questo punto.' Egli mi scriveva allora sempre in
Italiano e trascrivo le sue precise parole--ma come quei suoi
pressentimenti si verificarono poi in appresso!]

[Footnote 61: The leaf that contains the original of this extract I have
unluckily mislaid.]

* * * * *

"BOLOGNA.

"'Twas night; the noise and bustle of the day
Were o'er. The mountebank no longer wrought
Miraculous cures--he and his stage were gone;
And he who, when the crisis of his tale
Came, and all stood breathless with hope and fear,
Sent round his cap; and he who thrumm'd his wire
And sang, with pleading look and plaintive strain
Melting the passenger. Thy thousand cries [62],
So well portray'd and by a son of thine,
Whose voice had swell'd the hubbub in his youth,
Were hush'd, BOLOGNA, silence in the streets,
The squares, when hark, the clattering of fleet hoofs;
And soon a courier, posting as from far,
Housing and holster, boot and belted coat
And doublet stain'd with many a various soil,
Stopt and alighted. 'Twas where hangs aloft
That ancient sign, the Pilgrim, welcoming
All who arrive there, all perhaps save those
Clad like himself, with staff and scallop-shell,
Those on a pilgrimage: and now approach'd
Wheels, through the lofty porticoes resounding,
Arch beyond arch, a shelter or a shade
As the sky changes. To the gate they came;
And, ere the man had half his story done,
Mine host received the Master--one long used
To sojourn among strangers, every where
(Go where he would, along the wildest track)
Flinging a charm that shall not soon be lost,
And leaving footsteps to be traced by those
Who love the haunts of Genius; one who saw,