He afterwards spoke of Lord Byron with great affection, almost as a father would of a son, which was extremely grateful to my enthusiastic feelings for this great poet. He contradicted the silly assertion that Manfred was only an echo of his Faust. He confessed, however, that it was interesting to him to see that Byron had unconsciously employed the same mask of Mephistophiles as he himself had used, although, indeed, Byron had produced a totally different effect with it. He extremely regretted that he had never become personally acquainted with Lord Byron, and severely and justly reproached the English nation for having judged their illustrious countryman so pettily, and understood him so ill. But, on this subject, Göthe has spoken so satisfactorily and so beautifully in print, that I can add nothing to it. I mentioned the representation of Faust in a private theatre at Berlin, with music by Prince Radzivil, and spoke with admiration of the powerful effect of some part of the performance.--"Well," said Göthe gravely, "it is a strange undertaking; but all endeavours and experiments are to be honoured." I am angry with my vile memory that I cannot now recollect more of our conversation, which was very animated. With sentiments of the highest veneration and love, I took my leave of the great man,--the third in the great triumvirate with Homer and Shakspeare,--whose name will beam with immortal glory as long as the German tongue endures; and had I had anything of Mephistophiles in me, I should certainly have exclaimed on the step of his door, "Es ist doch schön von einem grossen Herrn Mit einem armen Teufel so human zu sprechen."[6] I was invited to dine with the Grand Duke to-day at the Belvedere, and at two o'clock set out on the pleasant road thither. Ever since I have been here the weather has been wonderful:--days of crystal, as your Sevigné says, in which one feels neither heat nor cold, and which only spring and autumn can give.