The Prose Works of Percy Bysshe Shelley, Vol. 2 [of 2]Shelley, Percy Bysshe
General
The Prose Works of Percy Bysshe Shelley, Vol. 2 [of 2]
Shelley, Percy Bysshe
English prose literature
I believe I shall have taken a very pleasant and spacious apartment at
the Bagni for three months. It is as all the others are--dear. I shall
give forty or forty-five sequins for the three months, but as yet I do
not know which. I could get others something cheaper, and a great deal
worse; but if we would write, it is requisite to have space.
To-morrow evening, or the following morning, you will probably see
me. T---- is planning a journey to England to secure his property in
the event of a revolution, which, he is persuaded, is on the eve of
exploding. I neither believe that, nor do I fear that the consequences
will be so immediately destructive to the existing forms of social
order. Money will be delayed, and the exchange reduced very low,
and my annuity and ****, on account of these being _money_, will be
in some danger; but land is quite safe. Besides, it will not be so
rapid. Let us hope we shall have a reform. T---- will be lulled into
security, while the slow progress of things is still flowing on, after
this affair of the Queen may appear to be blown over. There are bad
news from Palermo: the soldiers resisted the people, and a terrible
slaughter, amounting, it is said, to four thousand men, ensued. The
event, however, was as it should be. Sicily, like Naples, is free. By
the brief and partial accounts of the Florence paper, it appears that
the enthusiasm of the people was prodigious, and that the women fought
from the houses, raining down boiling oil on the assailants.
I am promised a bill on Vienna on the 5th, the day on which my note
will be paid, and the day on which I purpose to leave Leghorn. *** is
very unhappy at the idea of T.’s going to England, though she seems to
feel the necessity of it. Some time or other he must go to settle his
affairs, and they seem to agree that this is the best opportunity. _I_
have no thought of leaving Italy. The best thing we can do is to save
money, and, if things take a decided turn, (which I am convinced they
will at last, but not perhaps for two or three years,) it will be time
for me to assert my rights, and preserve my annuity. Meanwhile, another
event may decide us.
Kiss sweet babe, and kiss yourself for me--I love you affectionately.
P. B. S.
_Sunday evening._
I have taken the house for forty sequins for three months--a good
bargain, and a very good house as things go--this is about thirteen
sequins a month. To-morrow I go to look over the inventory; expect me
therefore on Tuesday morning.
TO MRS. SHELLEY
(BAGNI DI SAN GIULIANO).
_Casa Ricci_ [_Leghorn_],
_Sept. 1st, 1820_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account