“The news are that the Neapolitans have broken a bridge, and slain four pontifical carabiniers, whilk carabiniers wished to oppose. Besides the disrespect to neutrality, it is a pity that the first blood shed in this German quarrel should be Italian. However, the war seems begun in good earnest; for, if the Neapolitans kill the Pope’s carabiniers, they will not be more delicate towards the Barbarians. If it be even so, in a short time ‘there will be news o’ thae craws,’ as Mrs. Alison Wilson says of Jenny Blane’s ‘unco cockernony’ in the Tales of my Landlord.
“In turning over Grimm’s Correspondence to-day, I found
a thought of Tom Moore’s in a song of
Maupertuis to a female Laplander.
| A. D. 1821. | LIFE OF LORD BYRON. | 429 |
‘Et tous les lieux, Où sont ses yeux, Font la Zone brûlante.’ |
‘And those eyes make my climate, wherever I roam.’ |
‘Le soleil luit, Des jours sans nuit Bientôt il nous destine; Mais ces longs jours Seront trop courts, Passés près des Christine.’ |
|
‘For my first night I’ll go
To those regions of snow,
Where the sun for six months never shines;
And think, even then,
He too soon came again,
To disturb me with fair Charlotte Lynes.’
|
“To-day I have had no communication with my Carbonari
cronies: but, in the mean time, my lower apartments are full of their bayonets, fusils,
cartridges, and what not. I suppose that they consider me as a depôt, to be
sacrificed, in case of accidents. It is no great matter, supposing that Italy could be
liberated, who or what is sacrificed, it is a grand object—the very poetry of politics. Only think—a free Italy!!! Why, there has been nothing like
it since the days of Augustus. I reckon the times of
Cæsar (Julius) free; because
the commotions left every body a side to take, and the parties were pretty equal at the
set out. But, afterwards, it was all prætorian and legionary business—and since!—we
shall see, or, at least, some will see, what card will turn up.
| 430 | NOTICES OF THE | A. D. 1821. |
