34. Letter from Byron to John Murray II, 28-9 September 1820

Byron tried both to persuade Murray that Marino Faliero was not a political play, and also to warn him that he would not like the politics in it, attempting to argue (unconvincingly) that the poem dealt only with historical politics.

P.S. – Politics here still savage and uncertain – however we are all in “our bandaliers” to join the “Highlanders if they cross the Forth” i.e. to crush the Austrians if they pass the Po. – The rascals! – and that Dog Liverpool to say that their subjects were happy – what a liar! – if ever I come back I’ll work some of these [tear]

… I suspect that in Marino Faliero you and yours won’t like the politics which are perilous to you in these times – – but recollect that it is not a political play – & that I was obliged to put into the mouths of the Characters the sentiments upon which they acted. – I hate all things written like Pizarro to represent france England & so forth – all I have done is meant to be purely Venetian – even to the very prophecy of it’s present state.