xxii 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 



relative to the application of the Wourali poi- 

 son in case of hydrophobia, I took my leave of 

 the gentlemen assembled, and returned home. 



Spring passed rapidly away, and when 

 summer had set in, I began to make arrange- 

 ments of a domestic nature for a visit to the 

 Eternal City, not having been there since the 

 year 1818. 



Whilst things were thus in progression, T had 

 well nigh lost a servant by a singular accident. 

 One of my swans having died by disease, and 

 its mate by the horns of an unruly cow ; I had 

 the offer of a noble pair from the good Jesuits 

 at Stonyhurst to supply their place. My 

 gamekeeper having gone to meet them on the 

 way, his return was momently expected. The 

 night was dark beyond precedent, and the 

 servant hearing the noise of the vehicle, ran to 

 the bridge in order to be of assistance. But he 

 missed his way by about three yards from the 

 inner gate, and went at full speed over the 

 paved walk into the lake below. I was stand- 

 ing by the window at the time, and hearing a 

 plunge which I could not account for, I sprang 

 out of the window and hastened to the spot 

 from whence the noise had proceeded. There, 



