[Footnote 73: According to his desire, I waited upon this young lady, having provided myself with a rouleau of fifteen or twenty Napoleons to present to her from his Lordship; but, with a very creditable spirit, my young countrywoman declined the gift, saying that Lord Byron had mistaken the object of her application to him, which was to request that, by allowing her to have the sheets of some of his works before publication, he would enable her to prepare early translations for the French booksellers, and thus afford her the means of acquiring something towards a livelihood.] * * * * * LETTER 375. TO MR. HOPPNER. "Ravenna, May 25. 1820. "A German named Ruppsecht has sent me, heaven knows why, several Deutsche Gazettes, of all which I understand neither word nor letter. I have sent you the enclosed to beg you to translate to me some remarks, which appear to be _Goethe's upon_ Manfred--and if I may judge by _two_ notes of _admiration_ (generally put after something ridiculous by us) and the word '_hypocondrisch_,' are any thing but favourable. I shall regret this, for I should have been proud of Goethe's good word; but I sha'n't alter my opinion of him, even though he should be savage. "Will you excuse this trouble, and do me this favour?--Never mind--soften nothing--I am literary proof--having had good and evil said in most modern languages. "Believe me," &c. * * * * * LETTER 376. TO MR. MOORE. "Ravenna, June 1. 1820, "I have received a Parisian letter from W.W., which I prefer answering through you, if that worthy be still at Paris, and, as he says, an occasional visiter of yours. In November last he wrote to me a well-meaning letter, stating, for some reasons of his own, his belief that a re-union might be effected between Lady B. and myself. To this I answered as usual; and he sent me a second letter, repeating his notions, which letter I have never answered, having had a thousand other things to think of. He now writes as if he believed that he had offended me by touching on the topic; and I wish you to assure him that I am not at all so,--but, on the contrary, obliged by his good nature. At the same time acquaint him the _thing is impossible. You know this_, as well as I,--and there let it end.