CASANOVA GIACOMO: (1725-1798) Italian Author and Adventurer. An excellent and lengthy A.L.S., `Casanova´, four pages, 4to, Dux, 4 - 1790, to Count Antonio Ottaviano de Collalto, in Italian. Casanova refers to a variety of matters such as the Austrian war against the Turcs, to politics and to Italy, commenting on the terrible fire which had ravaged Venice on November 1789 and stating in part `I found the letter with which Your Excellency honoured me, and which was as kind as generous, and full of very interesting news. I humbly thank you for it, and I am mortified to have, in this solitude, no news worthy of exchanging with you. In the great courtyard of this palace, new recruits are training for military exercises, which bears witness to the bloody war we will wage this year against the Turks, who will gamble with their remaining resources to avoid falling completely and being forced to retreat to Asia. Very interesting, my Lord, will be the scenes that Mars and Politics are preparing for us this year on the world stage. Blessed are the spectators! I pity the actors, and I only envy the immortal glory that Marshal Laudon will acquire for the happiness of his monarch, who must today feel his heart oppressed by three passions for the unfortunate loss he has made of these rich provinces which he possessed peacefully, and which he now sees himself forced to reconquer at great cost and with blood that will be shed in abundance for justice on the one hand and for obstinacy on the other. If I were King, I would prefer to lose states and armies by following anyone's advice, rather than win victories without having consulted anyone. The disaster at Venice displeased me excessively, as did the fire in the palace of the prudent Torniello... I believe that my country has no need of new theaters, and that these enterprises arouse hatred, envy, and persecution against their supporters. Your Excellency will see to it that the new Venetian minister is there with the title of nobleman, and that if the bailiwick is assured to him, it will be K. Cappello, Foscari, who will soon leave Petersburg. There, however, and despite the wars and seditions, amusement is had in the theaters, retreats, assemblies, and lavish stipends: bravo! May God preserve the health of the monarch, who from time to time, to everyone's dismay, relapses; may God console him with the birth of a male child, who will perpetuate the ancient House of Lorraine in the Roman Empire... They write that the Pope is so hated that the Anconese have demolished his statue...´ Further and before concluding, Casanova sadly announces the death of Count Waldstein, Bishop of Leitmertz, who was the reason of his coming to Dux, saying `I have lost a master, a learned and honored man in the person of the Bishop of Leitmeritz (Bohemia). How grateful I am to your noble assembly for deigning to remember me!´ VG

Antonio Ottaviano di Collalto e San Salvatore (1719-1793) Italian descent of a noble family from Lombardy. He had a reputation for wisdom and honesty and, according to tradition, was an example of the most amiable virtues. He was a supporter of Casanova and patron and took care of the publication of his works.

At the time of the present letter, Casanova had been living for five years at the Dux Castle in Bohemia, where he was the librarian of Count Waldstein, and where he would write his memoirs and would also end his days.