and ever, &c."


AN EXECUTION.

_To Mr. Murray_.

"Venice, May 30th, 1817.

"I returned from Rome two days ago, and have received your letter; but no
sign nor tidings of the parcel sent through Sir C. Stuart, which you
mention. After an interval of months, a packet of 'Tales,' &c. found me at
Rome; but this is all, and may be all that ever will find me. The post
seems to be the only sure conveyance, and _that only for letters_. From
Florence I sent you a poem on Tasso, and from Rome the new Third Act of
'Manfred,' and by Dr. Polidori two portraits for my sister. I left Rome
and made a rapid journey home. You will continue to direct here as usual.
Mr. Hobhouse is gone to Naples; I should have run down there too for a
week, but for the quantity of English whom I heard of there. I prefer
hating them at a distance; unless an earthquake, or a good real irruption
of Vesuvius, were ensured to reconcile me to their vicinity.

* * * * *

"The day before I left Rome I saw three robbers guillotined. The
ceremony--including the _masqued_ priests; the half-naked executioners;
the bandaged criminals; the black Christ and his banner; the scaffold; the
soldiery; the slow procession, and the quick rattle and heavy fall of the
axe; the splash of the blood, and the ghastliness of the exposed heads--is
altogether more impressive than the vulgar and ungentlemanly dirty 'new