[71] I may receive your commands and bring any thing bringable from England – adieu my dear L H. give my love to Sr Wm and if he is pleased at the thoughts of seeing me dont let me set forth without the comfort of knowing it. The French live upon Islands this Spring and threaten to suck up every Sugar Cane in Jamaica. – T’other Night spite of national gloom there was a most dazzling Fete at Devonshire House. I was bespangled like the rest of the World and whisked about amongst garlands, Lustres and simpering faces till six in the Morning. once more adieu and once more let me beg you to write immediately. –


Lady Hamilton
Augsburg June 2d 1782

Thus far I am advanced in my progress to your romantic Bay: the roads are almost impassable and the Weather has set itself against me, but I have proceeded with resolution and expect to see St Peters the twenty ninth at farthest. The first days of July will bring me I flatter myself to [72] Naples where I shall deposit Mr. Lettice Mr Burton and Mr Cozens perhaps you will allow me to ramble about your thickets and creep into a corner of one of your Apartments at Portici How happy I feel with the idea of seeing you, – once more my dear Lady Hamilton, and with the hopes of enjoying many a serene sunset in your company – For these Months past I have been anxiously waiting to hear from you and forming according to custom the most alarming conjectures; but if I am doomed to tell you what I have felt I shall soon forget my sufferings. – My God if any thing was to happen to you or if you were to have left Naples what a melancholy void, it would appear in my eyes. –
– Why have you not written to me? – Are you ignorant of the value I set upon your friendship? – Let me entreat you to send a Letter to Rome as soon as you receive this wretched scrawl which I have hardly spirits to put together; – for to confess the truth I am still very languid tho’ perfectly freed from Illusions. – I bring you an ample treasure of musick and many a strange Arabian tale which [73] I sooth myself with the idea of reading to you under my favorite Cliffs of Pausillippo – what is become of poor innocent Milk whose quiet life I mean to imitate! and where is the formidable Hurlothrumbo alias Rousamouski whom I am far from proposing as an example? - Say every thing kind for me to Sir Wm. Once more let me implore you to write to Rome and again let me assure you how sincerely I remain your most affectionate and obliged
WB.–


Lady Hamilton
Verona June 10th 1782

I am just escaped from the Mountains and begin to dissolve in the warm Sun of Verona – Notwithstanding the heat I could not help hastening to the Arena and viewing the towers rocks and Cypress which rise in every quarter. –
Tomorrow I hope to reach Padua and faithfully intend worshipping none but St Anthony. – The pagan Idol is immured at Brescia so dont be alarmed. – I am thinner and lighter than ever and perhaps the winds [74] may whisk me away as I coast the Adriatic towards Rimini If they do not I shall fall down the 29th before the Shrine of St Peter. – There is not a Saint in the Calendar that I do not supplicate in expection of hearing from you Be propitious my dear Lady Hamilton and let me find a Letter at Rome. – If you give leave I shall run to you immediately upon my arrival whether at Naples or at Portici: – if at the last mentioned place your kindness will suffer me perhaps to pitch my Bed in one of your apartments – No words can express how anxiously I long to see you and if to repeat again and again what an impression your goodness has made upon me – Burton in violent spirits at the thoughts of Chiaga and Posilippo is if possible more excentric and original than ever. – Pray give my love to Sr Wm – pray write to me at Rome and pray believe me sin.y and aff.y Yrs –
WB

[75] Lady Hamilton

Very probably half my Letters will miscarry if they all arrive you will certainly be tired of hearing from me and think if I am such a plague at a distance what must I become when near. – The Heat makes me very languid and I pass hour after hour on the cool marble steps of St Anthonys Shrine. – The musick of the Choir throws me into delightful Reveries and with eyes half closed I see white figures moving about with censers, and lamps that twinkle in the dark recesses of the Ailes. – What will become of me in my journey to Rome? – I shall certainly be almost extinguished; but you seem to beckon me at the end of the perspective and if I can but persuade myself this is no illusion I shall surmount every obstacle with chearfulness. – I will not doubt – I shall hear from you upon my arrival at Rome and even perhaps receive permission to encamp at Portici! – We have here a tolerable Opera composed by Sarti – Crescentini the first Singer – a slender Creature of eighteen seems to possess a great deal [76] of feeling; but the accents of Pacchiarotti still vibrate in my ears and prevent their attending much to any others. – I passed yesterday Eve very agreeably amongst the arbours and Labyrinths of Quirini, whom you saw not long ago at Naples, and who sings continually to the praise and glory of Sr Wm. I am expiring with sunshine and would give ten Arabian tales to stretch myself on the damp floor of some watery grotto – Tomorrow I shall dip in the Adriatic; for this Eve we are going to Venice that Cozens may sketch some of my favorite Isles with their morisco Towers and waving Cypress. Adieu – If you are as happy in the thoughts of seeing me as I am in the hopes of approaching you few Animals will esteem themselves more fortunate than your aff: WB
The 27th I hope to reach Rome – the 2d or 3d of July – Naples pray let me know where you shall be that the moment I arrive may carry me to you. – They say Gagliani is uncovering at Pompeii. O tis a little roundabout gluttonizing, swinish Animal! – that were I an Ogre should be [77] cut up into griskins tho’ not for my own Table. – I had rather be poor Milk with Macaroni and ignorance than Gagliani with Science and Sausages – Pray give my kind Love to Sr Wm. –

Padua June 13th 1782

Benincasa is afar off and the Dæmon of Dæmons at Brescia –

Why are we never to meet again? I am just at this moment a very extatic Being and long to tell you so. Come as early as you can this Eve – Methinks I possess the pipe of Hermes for all Argusses are laid asleep – Even the great Argus of all – the female the mystic Argus – slumbered last Saturday whilst I enjoyed the prize and revelled till ten in the Morning. –

Wednesday
Feb 6 1782
[78] Mr Cozens
Posilipo July 20 1782

I have written to you several times; but not once since I left that lovely green Country of England have I heard from you The pestilential air of Italy has given me a fever, from which I am not yet entirely delivered. – Your Son has suffered; but is now well – How can you remain so long without telling me how you are? Do you fancy I am no longer anxious about you – do you imagine I have forgotten who accompanied me in the happiest journey I ever made O those delightful days of Fonthill when will they return – Do you remember the plains we traversed and the golden clouds that hung over the Thames at Staines in defiance of Winter? – Do you recollect my little Wm’s transport? – Alas I remember all, all – too well for my present happiness. –

[79] Mr Cozens
Geneva Tuesday 18th oct 1782

I write to you once more from the Land of freshness and verdure of Chesnut woods and hanging copses to which Sylvanus retired when driven by popes and prelates from Italy. – Your delightful Letter of the 17th of Septr found me surrounded by my friends the Hubers reposing after my jumble down M.t Cenis – The Mont: blanc veils himself in a Tabernacle of Clouds; but to day is so bright that I think he will cast a look upon Mortals. Tomorrow I set forwards again and ere long we shall meet. – How happy shall I feel! – You must enjoy India with me at Fonthill this Xmas – No turbulent passions ruffle my tranquility I am calm as a Lake – sheltered by Hills – at Sun set when the winds are still – Expect to find me pale and thin; but my heart is warm and my spirits lively and I am ever
Your own aff: WB –

[80] Hon.ble Mrs Harcourt

I wish from my heart that your Camp lay extended on the Downs which we look at from Fonthill as in that case the desire of seeing you there next September would not be so very inordinate. Most of my Friends will be assembled – Why not give me the greatest of satisfactions – that of seeing you amongst the number – Col: Harcourt must think me one of the strangest of Animals for making so extravagant a request and I shall never believe that Miss Danby has done wondering ’till to her great surprize she finds herself at Fonthill – I will then try at least to persuade her that there is nothing or ought not to be nothing extraordinary in going above a hundred Miles perfectly out of ones way to see a friend by inspiration. Our acquaintance you know began under that glorious Power’s immediate influence and I see no objection to its being continued in the same Strain. – Now I dare say you will laugh at the seriousness with which I entertain hopes of my petitions not being rejected – nay the more if it is – let me tell you I shall be Fool enough to be seriously disappointed. –

[CONTINUED]