Chapter CXIII: Letter 383: To Mr. Murray

"Ravenna, September 7. 1820.

"In correcting the proofs you must refer to the _manuscript_,
because there are in it various readings. Pray attend to this, and
choose what Gifford thinks best, Let me hear what he thinks of the
whole.

"You speak of Lady * *'s illness; she is not of those who die:--the
amiable only do; and those whose death would _do good_ live.
Whenever she is pleased to return, it may be presumed she will take
her 'divining rod' along with her: it may be of use to her at home,
as well as to the 'rich man' of the Evangelists.

"Pray do not let the papers paragraph me back to England. They may
say what they please, any loathsome abuse but that. Contradict it.

"My last letters will have taught you to expect an explosion here:
it was primed and loaded, but they hesitated to fire the train. One
of the cities shirked from the league. I cannot write more at large
for a thousand reasons. Our 'puir hill folk' offered to strike, and
raise the first banner, but Bologna paused; and now 'tis autumn,
and the season half over. 'O Jerusalem! Jerusalem!' The Huns are on
the Po; but if once they pass it on their way to Naples, all Italy
will be behind them. The dogs--the wolves--may they perish like the
host of Sennacherib! If you want to publish the Prophecy of Dante,
you never will have a better time."

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