"'Ci-git l'enfant gate,' &c. "'Here lies the spoilt child Of the world which he spoil'd.' The original is in Grimm and Diderot, &c. &c. &c." * * * * * LETTER 374. TO MR. MOORE. "Ravenna, May 24. 1820. "I wrote to you a few days ago. There is also a letter of January last for you at Murray's, which will explain to you why I am here. Murray ought to have forwarded it long ago. I enclose you an epistle from a countrywoman of yours at Paris, which has moved my entrails. You will have the goodness, perhaps, to enquire into the truth of her story, and I will help her as far as I can,--though not in the useless way she proposes. Her letter is evidently unstudied, and so natural, that the orthography is also in a state of nature. "Here is a poor creature, ill and solitary, who thinks, as a last resource, of translating you or me into French! Was there ever such a notion? It seems to me the consummation of despair. Pray enquire, and let me know, and, if you could draw a bill on me _here_ for a few hundred francs, at your banker's, I will duly honour it,--that is, if she is not an impostor.[73] If not, let me know, that I may get something remitted by my banker Longhi, of Bologna, for I have no correspondence myself, at Paris: but tell her she must not translate;--if she does, it will be the height of ingratitude. "I had a letter (not of the same kind, but in French and flattery) from a Madame Sophie Gail, of Paris, whom I take to be the spouse of a Gallo-Greek of that name. Who is she? and what is she? and how came she to take an interest in my _poeshie_ or its author? If you know her, tell her, with my compliments, that, as I only _read_ French, I have not answered her letter; but would have done so in Italian, if I had not thought it would look like an affectation. I have just been scolding my monkey for tearing the seal of her letter, and spoiling a mock book, in which I put rose leaves. I had a civet-cat the other day, too; but it ran away, after scratching my monkey's cheek, and I am in search of it still. It was the fiercest beast I ever saw, and like * * in the face and manner. "I have a world of things to say; but, as they are not come to a _denouement_, I don't care to begin their history till it is wound up. After you went, I had a fever, but got well again without bark. Sir Humphry Davy was here the other day, and liked Ravenna very much. He will tell you any thing you may wish to know about the place and your humble servitor.