Chapter XXXII: Letter 424: To Mr. Hoppner

"Ravenna, May 11. 1821.

"If I had but known your notion about Switzerland before, I should
have adopted it at once. As it is, I shall let the child remain in
her convent, where she seems healthy and happy, for the present;
but I shall feel much obliged if you will _enquire_, when you are
in the cantons, about the usual and better modes of education there
for females, and let me know the result of your opinions. It is
some consolation that both Mr. and Mrs. Shelley have written to
approve entirely my placing the child with the nuns for the
present. I can refer to my whole conduct, as having neither spared
care, kindness, nor expense, since the child was sent to me. The
people may say what they please, I must content myself with not
deserving (in this instance) that they should speak ill.

"The place is a country town in a good air, where there is a large
establishment for education, and many children, some of
considerable rank, placed in it. As a _country_ town, it is less
liable to objections of every kind. It has always appeared to me,
that the moral defect in Italy does _not_ proceed from a
_conventual_ education,--because, to my certain knowledge, they
come out of their convents innocent even to _ignorance_ of moral
evil,--but to the state of society into which they are directly
plunged on coming out of it. It is like educating an infant on a
mountain-top, and then taking him to the sea and throwing him into
it and desiring him to swim. The evil, however, though still too
general, is partly wearing away, as the women are more permitted to
marry from attachment: this is, I believe, the case also in France.
And after all, what is the higher society of England? According to
my own experience, and to all that I have seen and heard (and I
have lived there in the very highest and what is called the
_best_), no way of life can be more corrupt. In Italy, however, it
is, or rather _was_, more _systematised_; but _now_, they
themselves are ashamed of _regular_ Serventism. In England, the
only homage which they pay to virtue is hypocrisy. I speak of
course of the _tone_ of high life,--the middle ranks may be very
virtuous.

"I have not got any copy (nor have yet had) of the letter on
Bowles; of course I should be delighted to send it to you. How is
Mrs. H.? well again, I hope. Let me know when you set out. I regret
that I cannot meet you in the Bernese Alps this summer, as I once
hoped and intended. With my best respects to madam, I am ever, &c.

"P.S. I gave to a musician_er_ a letter for you some time ago--has
he presented himself? Perhaps you could introduce him to the
Ingrains and other dilettanti. He is simple and unassuming--two
strange things in his profession--and he fiddles like Orpheus
himself or Amphion: 'tis a pity that he can't make Venice dance
away from the brutal tyrant who tramples upon it."

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