"P.S. I enclose Mr. Bowles's letters: thank him in my name for their candour and kindness.--Also a letter for Hodgson, which pray forward. The Milan paper states that I '_brought forward the play!!!_' This is pleasanter still. But don't let yourself be worried about it; and if (as is likely) the folly of Elliston checks the sale, I am ready to make any deduction, or the entire cancel of your agreement.
"You will of course _not_ publish my defence of Gilchrist, as, after Bowles's good humour upon the subject, it would be too savage.
"Let me hear from you the particulars; for, as yet, I have only the simple fact.
"If you knew what I have had to go through here, on account of the failure of these rascally Neapolitans, you would be amused; but it is now apparently over. They seemed disposed to throw the whole project and plans of these parts upon me chiefly."
"If any part of the letter to Bowles has (unintentionally, as far as I remember the contents) vexed you, you are fully avenged; for I see by an Italian paper that, notwithstanding all my remonstrances through all my friends (and yourself among the rest), the managers persisted in attempting the tragedy, and that it has been 'unanimously hissed!!' This is the consolatory phrase of the Milan paper, (which detests me cordially, and abuses me, on all occasions, as a Liberal,) with the addition that _I_ 'brought the play out' of my own good will.
"All this is vexatious enough, and seems a sort of dramatic Calvinism--predestined damnation, without a sinner's own fault. I took all the pains poor mortal could to prevent this inevitable catastrophe--partly by appeals of all kinds up to the Lord Chamberlain, and partly to the fellows themselves. But, as remonstrance was vain, complaint is useless. I do not understand it--for Murray's letter of the 24th, and all his preceding ones, gave me the strongest hopes that there would be no representation. As yet, I know nothing but the fact, which I presume to be true, as the date is Paris, and the 30th. They must have been in a _hell_ of a hurry for this damnation, since I did not even know that it was published; and, without its being first published, the histrions could not have got hold of it. Any one might have seen, at a glance, that it was utterly impracticable for the stage; and this little accident will by no means enhance its merit in the closet.