Chapter XXXVII: Letter 429: To Mr. Hoppner

"Ravenna, May 25. 1821.

"I am very much pleased with what you say of Switzerland, and will
ponder upon it. I would rather she married there than here for that
matter. For fortune, I shall make all that I can spare (if I live
and she is correct in her conduct); and if I die before she is
settled, I have left her by will five thousand pounds, which is a
fair provision _out_ of England for a natural child. I shall
increase it all I can, if circumstances permit me; but, of course
(like all other human things), this is very uncertain.

"You will oblige me very much by interfering to have the FACTS of
the play-acting stated, as these scoundrels appear to be organising
a system of abuse against me, because I am in their '_list_.' I
care nothing for _their criticism_, but the matter of fact. I have
written _four_ acts of another tragedy, so you see they _can't_
bully me.

"You know, I suppose, that they actually keep a _list_ of all
individuals in Italy who dislike them--it must be numerous. Their
suspicions and actual alarms, about my conduct and presumed
intentions in the late row, were truly ludicrous--though, not to
bore you, I touched upon them lightly. They believed, and still
believe here, or affect to believe it, that the whole plan and
project of rising was settled by me, and the _means_ furnished, &c.
&c. All this was more fomented by the barbarian agents, who are
numerous here (one of them was stabbed yesterday, by the way, but
not dangerously):--and although when the Commandant was shot here
before my door in December, I took him into my house, where he had
every assistance, till he died on Fletcher's bed; and although not
one of them dared to receive him into their houses but myself, they
leaving him to perish in the night in the streets, they put up a
paper about three months ago, denouncing me as the Chief of the
Liberals, and stirring up persons to assassinate me. But this shall
never silence nor bully my opinions. All this came from the German
Barbarians."

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