Volume Ii Part 22 (1/2)
_To Mr John Blackwood._
”Croce di Malta, Spezzia, _June_ 15, 1866.
”Here I am at my post. Spezzia is about to receive a new accession of greatness and become the station for transmitting the post to England and France, as the Bologna line will have to be given up entirely to the army to advance or retreat on, as events may determine.
”I have been three days here. I am the only _stranger_ (!) in the place.
All the hotels empty, and I have the Gulf to my own swimming.
”There's a pretty little girl, a granddaughter of Lord Byron, here--Lady Arabella Nash--on a visit to the Somervilles.
(”By the way, has granddaughter two d's or one? I have left it both ways in the proof which I send you by this post.)
”I wish I could get a house down here, and retire from the pomps and short whists of life, the odd tricks and all the honours!
”There is one--only one; but the scoundrel asks me an iniquitous rent.
He knows, Italian like, that I have a fancy for it, and he'll keep it unlet to torture me.
”I shall be back in time for the O'D. proof (if it should be sent out), and you shall have it by return.
”One comfort--at least we are promised it--of the new postal line will be an express train down here, for at present the railroad is only something above a fast walking pace, and the cabs at the station always announce to the late arrivals that they can overtake the train at will.
”Do you believe in war yet? And how long do you believe you can keep out of it? The French Emperor's real reluctance is not knowing what England might do with a change of Government, what Tory counsels might advise, and what possible alliance with Russia might ensue if it was once clearly seen what the aggressive designs of France meant. Many here a.s.sert (and not fools either) that L. Nap. has decided on taking the old 'Cisalpine Gaul' (with Turin, &c.).”
_To Mr Alexander Spencer._
”Florence [or Spezzia], _June 17_,1866.
”I am in the midst of great difficulties. Chapman & Hall, after years of intercourse, have shown the cloven foot, and are displaying [tactics]
which, if successful, will wrest from me all my copyrights and leave me ruined. The story is long and intricate, nor could I at all events bore you with a recital which nothing but time, temper, and good management may conduct to a good result. My present anxiety is [to know] if [ ]
remitted to you 60 to go towards the insurances. He says he did, but he is well capable of deceiving me. I had half a mind to go over to England the other day and put the affair into a lawyer's hands, but my difficulty was to know how, having begun such litigation, I was to bear its charges and at the same time earn my daily bread.
”Fred Chapman is now here, having come out to induce me to give him an a.s.signment of all my copyrights as security for a debt they claim against me of 2500, but which I utterly deny and dispute.
”Drop me one line to say if the 60 has reached you.
”How are you all, and how does time treat you? I am growing terribly old--older than I ever thought or feared I should feel myself. Does my last book please you? Some of my critics call it my best; but I have lost faith in them as in myself, and I write as I live--from hand to mouth.
”My poor old friend James has just died at Venice, an utter break-up of mind having preceded the end.”
_To Mr John Blackwood._
”Villa Morelli, _June_ 24, 1866.
”I see by the telegram that the Whigs have resigned, and it is [Lord Dunkellin's] jaw-bone has slain the giant. Oh dear, do you know him? He dined here with us some short time ago, with Gregory and some others, and we thought him the poorest thing of the lot.
”I have great doubts that our people can form an Administration. They have the cane too, it is true, to help them; but they may have to give all the plums to their supporters, and their old friends won't like eating the 'dough' for _their_ share of the pudding.
”Worse than this is the miserable press of the Party. Can't men see that the whole tone of public opinion in England has taken the Italian side of the Venetian question? There is no longer a right and wrong in these things when sympathies--and something stronger than sympathies--come in; and the stupid 'Standard' goes on raving about treaties scarcely a rag of which remain, and which every congress we have held since '13 has only demolished some part of. If Austria be wise and fortunate she will take Silesia and make peace with Italy, ceding Venice. What every one wants is securities against France; but we have converted the brigand into a sheriffs officer, and thrown an air of legality over all his robberies.