Dear Sir,--I have just discovered some pages of observations on the modern Greeks, written at Athens by me, under the title of 'Noctes Atticæ'. They will do to _cut up_ into notes, and to be _cut up_ afterwards, which is all that notes are generally good for. They were written at Athens, as you will see by the date.
I have shown my respect for your suggestions by adopting them; but I have made many alterations in the first proof, over and above; as, for example:
Oh Thou, in _Hellas_ deem'd of heavenly birth, etc., etc.
Since _shamed full oft_ by _later lyres_ on earth, Mine, etc.
Yet there _I've wandered_ by the vaunted rill;
and so on. So I have got rid of Dr. Lowth and "drunk" to boot, and very glad I am to say so. I have also sullenised the line as heretofore, and in short have been quite conformable.
Pray write; you shall hear when I remove to Lancashire. I have brought you and my friend Juvenal Hodgson upon my back, on the score of revelation. You are fervent, but he is quite _glowing_; and if he take half the pains to save his own soul, which he volunteers to redeem mine, great will be his reward hereafter. I honour and thank you both, but am convinced by neither. Now for notes. Besides those I have sent, I shall send the observations on the Edinburgh Reviewer's remarks on the modern Greek, an Albanian song in the Albanian (_not Greek_) language, specimens of modern Greek from their New Testament, a comedy of Goldoni's translated, _one scene_, a prospectus of a friend's book, and perhaps a song or two, _all_ in Romaic, besides their Pater Noster; so there will be enough, if not too much, with what I have already sent. Have you received the "Noctes Atticæ"?
I sent also an annotation on Portugal. Hobhouse is also forthcoming. [1]
[Footnote 1: That is, with his 'Travels in Albania', in part of which Byron and his Greek servant, Demetrius, were assisting him with notes and other material.]
_Lisboa_ [1] is the Portuguese word, consequently the very best. Ulissipont is pedantic; and as I have _Hellas_ and _Eros_ not long before, there would be something like an affectation of Greek terms, which I wish to avoid, since I shall have a perilous quantity of _modern_ Greek in my notes, as specimens of the tongue; therefore Lisboa may keep its place. You are right about the _Hints_; they must not precede the _Romaunt_; but Cawthorn will be savage if they don't; however, keep _them_ back, and _him_ in _good humour_, if we can, but do not let him publish.