him--and though, at that time, without the smallest poetical
propensity myself, very much taken, as you may imagine, with that
volume. Adieu--I commit you to the care of the gods--Hindoo,
Scandinavian, and Hellenic!

"P.S. 2d. There is an excellent review of Grimm's Correspondence
and Made. de Staël in this No. of the E.R. Jeffrey, himself, was my
critic last year; but this is, I believe, by another hand. I hope
you are going on with your _grand coup_--pray do--or that damned
Lucien Buonaparte will beat us all. I have seen much of his poem in
MS., and he really surpasses every thing beneath Tasso. Hodgson is
translating him _against_ another bard. You and (I believe,
Rogers,) Scott, Gifford, and myself, are to be referred to as
judges between the twain,--that is, if you accept the office.
Conceive our different opinions! I think we, most of us (I am
talking very impudently, you will think--_us_, indeed!) have a way
of our own,--at least, you and Scott certainly have."

[Footnote 77: One of his travelling projects appears to have been a
visit to Abyssinia:--at least, I have found, among his papers, a letter
founded on that supposition, in which the writer entreats of him to
procure information concerning "a kingdom of Jews mentioned by Bruce as
residing on the mountain of Samen in that country. I have had the
honour," he adds, "of some correspondence with the Rev. Dr. Buchanan and
the reverend and learned G.S. Faber, on the subject of the existence of
this kingdom of Jews, which, if it prove to be a fact, will more clearly
elucidate many of the Scripture prophecies; ... and, if Providence
favours your Lordship's mission to Abyssinia, an intercourse might be
established between England and that country, and the English ships,
according to the Rev. Mr. Faber, might be the principal means of