The Diary of Dr. John William Polidori

Remember me to my mother, who I know will feel deeply this disappointment; to Mary,43 Fanny, and Charlotte, to Signor Deagostini and Signor De Ocheda, and to all.

If you could get me letters of introduction, they would be of great use. In the meanwhile, my dear father, believe me

Your affectionate son,John Polidori.

John Polidori to Gaetano Polidori—Translation

Arezzo, November 14, 1816.

Dear Father,

I fear you must be in much anxiety at not having heard from me for so long; but the reason was that I did not wish to write before having seen my uncle—to whom I went the day before yesterday, and who received me with great affection and pleasure. I wrote to him from Thun. Thence I went to Grindelwald and Lauterbrunner; thence to Interlachen, and, by the Lake of Brientz, to Meyringen; by the Grimsel in the Valais to Obergasteln; thence to Brieg; and then by the Simplon down to Farinoli in the Borromean Islands. Thence I embarked to Sestri Calende; thence to Milan—where, meeting the poet Monti, Lord Byron, Monsignor de Brême, and others of my acquaintance, I remained some weeks. Thence I went to Florence, by Bologna, Modena, Parma, and Piacenza, and crossing the Apennines. In Florence I stayed two days, and saw Cavalier Pontelli, Abate Fontani, Dr. Frosini, and others. Thence I went on foot to Arezzo, where I found my uncle, my aunt, Pippo, and Teresa, all well; and they received me with great cordiality into their house, where I now am.

Seeing, by your letter to my uncle, in how much trouble you are on my account, I have determined, after learning whether Lady Westmorland will employ me or no—if yes, to go to Rome; if no, to go straight from Leghorn to London, to the bosom of my family. I shall soon hear from Lady Westmorland, as Lady Jersey undertook, at the instance of Monsignor de Brême, to ask her mother whether she wants me or not, and she is now in Florence, en route for Rome. In case she should tell me yes, I shall at once go to Rome: but meanwhile I don't proceed any farther than Arezzo. If she says no, I shall be off to Leghorn, and return to London.

I wish that in your next letter you would send me enough money, in a bill on Florence, for paying the passage from Leghorn to London, for the chance of my not having enough remaining....

When I see you again I shall have much to tell you about, but will not put it into a letter. Suffice it that I have found that what you told me about Italy is but too true. I am in good health....

Your affectionate son,John Polidori.

[To this letter the uncle Luigi Polidori added something. One point regarding Lord Byron is of a certain interest.]

I became indignant at some references [made by John Polidori] to the strange conduct of that Lord with whom he was travelling: but he kept his temper well—I envy him for that. All these people are hard: Sævus enim ferme sensus communis in illâ fortunâ.—Patience!

[My father, about the date of this ensuing letter, met Mrs. Shelley several times, and he liked her well. He did not think her good-looking: indeed I have heard him say "Era brutta" (she was ugly).—The letter is written in fairly idiomatic, but by no means faultless, Italian.—I am not aware whether Gaetano Polidori supplied Mrs. Shelley with information, such as she asked for, for her Biography of Alfieri: perhaps a minute inspection of the book might show.—Cleopatra, acted in 1775, was Alfieri's first attempt at tragedy.]

Harrow, April 20, 1835.

Courteous Signor Rossetti,

Thank you so much for your amiable reply, and the interest you show in the undertaking of a pen but too unworthy of those great names which give so much lustre to your country. Meanwhile I am about to make a farther request: but am afraid of showing myself troublesome, and beg you to tell me your opinion sincerely. I should not like to seem to take impertinent liberties; and, if my idea appears to you impracticable, don't say anything about it to any one.

I am informed that your Father-in-law the celebrated Polidori can relate many interesting circumstances regarding Alfieri. The Life which I am writing will be printed in Dr. Lardner's Cyclopædia: therefore it is very short, running perhaps to 70 pages—not more. Thus, if I could introduce some details not yet known but worthy of publication, I should be very pleased indeed. I don't know whether Polidori would be willing to give me such details. For example, I should like to know whether Alfieri was really so melancholy and taciturn as is said by Sir John Hobhouse in his work, Illustrations to the Fourth Canto of Childe Harold; whether he gave signs of attachment to his friends, and whether he was warmly loved by them in return. Some anecdotes would be welcomed by me; also some information about the Countess of Albany. There is an affectation of silence, as to all that relates to her, in whatever has yet been written concerning Alfieri. But, now that she is dead, this is no longer necessary. Were they married? If not, nothing need be said about it; but, if they were, it would be well to affirm as much.

I shall be in London next Sunday, and shall be staying there several days. But I am in a quarter so distant from yours (7 Upper Eaton Street, Grosvenor Place) that it would be indiscreet to ask for a visit from you—and much more indiscreet to say that, if Signor Polidori would visit me, he could perhaps tell me some little things more easily than by writing. As the Tuscans say, "Lascio far a lei."44 You will do whatever is most fitting, and will give me a reply at your convenience.

Repeating the thanks so much due to your kindness, believe me

Your much obliged servant,M. W. P. Shelley.

I hear that Alfieri was intimate with Guiccioli of Ravenna, the latter being then quite young; and they had a joint idea and project (which did not turn out manageable) of establishing a national theatre in Italy. Possibly Signor Polidori knows about this. Is there any historical work containing particulars about the closing years of the royal husband of the Countess of Albany? I don't know, and am in the dark. He (is it not so?) was the last of the Stuarts, except his brother the Cardinal of York.

Oh what trouble I am giving you to reply! Really I now feel more than ashamed of it. But you are so kind. And, besides, the grammar of this letter must be like Alfieri's Cleopatra.

1

The word, as written by Charlotte Polidori, seems to be "dole" rather than anything else. It looks as if she had copied the form of Dr. Polidori's word without understanding what it was. I substitute "door," but this is done faute de mieux.

2

Such is the word written by Charlotte Polidori. I fancy it ought to be "late."

3

Only an initial is written, "M": but I suppose "Master"—i.e. Michael Wohlgemuth—is meant.

4

It seems rather odd that Polidori should make this jotting, "and (not) towns." Perhaps he aimed to controvert the phrase, "scattered cities crowning these," in Byron's poem quoted further on.

5

These are the precise words as they stand in Charlotte Polidori's transcript. It is to be presumed that Dr. Polidori wrote them some while after May 13, 1816.

6

I don't understand "Mayor" in this context: should it be "Mylor"?

7

No name is given: should it be Shelley? Another Englishman who was in this locality towards the same date was Robert Southey.

8

I don't think there was any such stone-pelting in Geneva: it took place elsewhere in Switzerland.

9

The word written is perpanism, or possibly perhanism. Is there any such word, medical or other? Should it perchance be pyrrhonism?

10

The "ghost-story" which Polidori published was The Vampyre: see p. 128 as to his having begun in the first instance some different story.

11

Word obscurely written.

12

"Blind" appears to be the word written. It seems an odd expression—meaning, I suppose, "to blind (mislead or puzzle) the auditors."

13

This, again, is not clear to me: something in the nature of a game of forfeits may be indicated.

14

So written: should it be "Bingwen" or something of the kind?

15

The word "society" is perfectly clear in Charlotte Polidori's transcript. From the context, I question whether it ought not to be "Shakespear." As to "the criticism of Johnson" on Gray in the Lives of the Poets, many of my readers will recollect that this criticism is somewhat adverse, Gray being treated as a rather nebulous writer.

16

Seems rather an odd phrase, but I suppose correctly transcribed.

17

A name is written here, but so obscurely that I leave it out. It somewhat resembles "Neravois," or "the ravois."

18

Should this be "glaciers"?

19

This name is illegibly written: I can only suppose that it must be meant for Brieg.

20

"I don't understand."

21

"It's an old affair."

22

Coffee with milk, grapes, and figs.

23

Orgoglio is pride; disinganno is undeceiving, disillusion.

24

There is a word following "Rè," evidently the title of the play which was acted. It looks something like "Amondre," but cannot be read.

25

The word is more like Crabule than anything else: I don't understand it.

26

Presumably some English book, but I know not what.

27

I think the name would correctly be Marchese di Negro: my father had some correspondence, towards 1850, with the then Marchese of that family.

28

This essay was on the Punishment of Death.

29

The word written is "his"; but the context shows that this must be a mistake.

30

i.e. Artemisia, who built the mausoleum of Halicarnassus.

31

The speeches run thus: (a) Look at that man, with his cap on his head. (b) Would you do me the favour of taking off your hat, so that I may see? (c) Would you wish for it? (d) Yes, I wish it. In Italian, this last phrase has an imperative tone, "I will it."—It may be added that the Austrian's phrase "Lo vorreste?" was itself not civil: the civil form would have been "Lo vorrebbe ella?"

32

"To be sold."

33

These words form (I suppose) the answer of the Italian officer—i.e. he would side with either party indifferently.

34

I presume that the word should be "presented": the writing looks like "pented."

35

"What? A servant of the sovereign? There are porters."

36

I suppose that Pontelli was a person who had been more or less known to Dr. Polidori's father before the latter left Italy in 1787, and that the father had given his son some letter of introduction or the like. Or possibly the introduction came from some acquaintance in Geneva or in Milan.

37

The name of Santa Croce is not in the MS.: but it ought to be, as this is the church containing the sepulchral monuments of Galileo, etc.

38

"Was third amid so much intellect." The phrase is adapted from a line in Dante's Inferno.

39

Rather (it must be understood) to Signora Vaccà.

40

Ruffiano does not correspond to our word "ruffian," but to "pimp" or "go-between."

41

No doubt this intention was not carried into effect.

42

These Polidoris were not (so far as I know) members of the same family as John Polidori.

43

This was Dr. Polidori's elder sister, Maria Margaret, who in my time was invariably called "Margaret" in the family.

44

"I leave the question to you."