Chapter LXXXI: Letter 474: To Mr. Moore

"I send you the two notes, which will tell you the story I allude
to of the Auto da Fè. Shelley's allusion to his 'fellow-serpent' is
a buffoonery of mine. Goethe's Mephistofilus calls the serpent who
tempted Eve 'my aunt, the renowned snake;' and I always insist that
Shelley is nothing but one of her nephews, walking about on the tip
of his tail."

* * * * *

TO LORD BYRON.

"Two o'clock, Tuesday Morning.

"My dear Lord,

"Although strongly persuaded that the story must be either an
entire fabrication, or so gross an exaggeration as to be nearly so;
yet, in order to be able to discover the truth beyond all doubt,
and to set your mind quite at rest, I have taken the determination
to go myself to Lucca this morning. Should it prove less false than
I am convinced it is, I shall not fail to exert myself in _every
way_ that I can imagine may have any success. Be assured of this.

"Your Lordship's most truly,

"* *.

"P.S. To prevent _bavardage_, I prefer going in person to sending
my servant with a letter. It is better for you to mention nothing
(except, of course, to Shelley) of my excursion. The person I visit
there is one on whom I can have every dependence in every way, both
as to authority and truth."

* * * * *

TO LORD BYRON.

"Thursday Morning.

"My dear Lord Byron,

"I hear this morning that the design, which certainly had been in
contemplation, of burning my fellow-serpent, has been abandoned,
and that he has been condemned to the galleys. Lord Guilford is at
Leghorn; and as your courier applied to me to know whether he ought
to leave your letter for him or not, I have thought it best since
this information to tell him to take it back.

"Ever faithfully yours,

"P.B. SHELLEY."

* * * * *