Ever your most affectionate servant,
D. Joseph Mezzofanti.
The journal referred to in this letter is the now voluminous periodical, “Memorie di Religione, di Morale, e di Letteratura,” founded at Modena in 1822, and continued, with one or two short interruptions, up to the present time. The “Abate Baraldi” was a learned ecclesiastic, afterwards arch-priest of Modena.
Cavedoni, since his return to Modena, had been chiefly engaged in archæological studies, and especially in that of numismatics. He often consulted Mezzofanti on these subjects, to which, without being a professed antiquarian, the latter had given some attention. In acknowledgment of this obligation, Cavedoni, several years afterwards, dedicated to him his Spiecilegio Numismatico.[407]
The following letter throws some light on the time and the manner in which his attention was first turned to the Georgian language. The youth to whom it refers was in Bologna in the year 1820 or 1821.
Cavedoni had apologised for occupying his time by his letters.
Bologna, April 5, 1823.
My Dear Don Celestino,
It will always be a most grateful and pleasing distraction for me in the midst of my endless occupations, to receive even a line from you. It is true that occasionally I may not be able to enjoy this gratification without the drawback arising from regret at not having it in my power to reply to you immediately; but I trust that you will be able to make allowance for me, and that such delays on my part will never cause you to suspect that I have ceased to remember you with special affection.