he will ultimately enjoy all he ought, which is more than the heroes of Mr Southey's Book of the Church desire him to do (though they have been all mightily bent on it themselves), and a good deal more. Lord Byron has been too much admired by the public, because he was sulky and wilful, and reflected in his person their own love of dictation and excitement. They owe his memory a greater regard, and would do it much greater honour, if they admired him for telling them they were not so perfect a nation as they supposed themselves, and that they might take as well as give lessons of humanity, by a candid comparison of notes with civilization at large.

LETTERS OF LORD BYRON

TO

MR LEIGH HUNT.

[AFTER what I have related of the intercourse between Lord Byron and myself, it will not be supposed that these letters are published with any other view than that of the entertainment to be derived from the correspondence of a man of wit and celebrity. Had I wished to flatter my vanity, or make a case out for myself in any way, I might have published them long ago. I confess I am not unwilling to let some readers see how ill-founded were certain conjectures of theirs at that time. In other respects, I fear, the letters are not calculated to

do me good; for they exhibit his Lordship in a pleasanter light than truth has obliged me to paint him, and I may seem to be ungrateful for many kind expressions. Let the result be what it ought to be, whether for me or against. I have other letters in my possession, written while Lord Byron was in Italy, and varying in degrees of cordiality, according to the mood he happened to be in. They are for the most part on matters of dispute between us; and are all writen in an uneasy, factitious spirit, as different from the straight-forward and sincere-looking style of the present, as his aspect in old times varied with his later one.]

LETTER I.

MY DEAR SIR,

4, Bennet Street, Dec. 2d, 1813.

Few things could be more welcome than your note; and on Saturday morning I will avail myself of your permission to thank you for it in person. My time has not been pass

ed, since we met, either profitably or agreeably. A very short period after my last visit, an incident occurred, with which, I fear, you are not unacquainted, as report in many mouths and more than one paper was busy with the topic. That naturally gave me much uneasiness. Then, I nearly incurred a lawsuit on the sale of an estate; but that is now arranged : next—but why should I go on with a series of selfish and silly details? I merely wish to assure you that it was not the frivolous forgetfulness of a mind occupied by what is called pleasure (not in the true sense of Epicurus) that kept me away; but a perception of my then unfitness to share the society of those whom I value and wish not to displease. I hate being larmoyant, and making a serious face among those who are cheerful.

It is my wish that our acquaintance, or, if you please to accept it, friendship, may be permanent. I have been lucky enough to preserve some friends from a very early period, and I hope, as I do not (at least now) select them lightly, I shall not lose them capriciously. I have a thorough esteem for that

independence of spirit which you have maintained with sterling talent, and at the expense of some suffering. You have not, I trust, abandoned the poem you were composing when Moore and I partook of your hospitality in y summer? I hope a time will come. when he and I may be able to repay you in kind for the latter;-for the rhyme, at least in quantity, you are in arrear to both.

Believe me very truly

and affectionately yours,

LETTER II.

BYRON.

Dec. 22, 1813.

MY DEAR SIR,

I am indeed « in your debt»-and, what is still worse, am obliged to follow royal example (he has just apprized his creditors that they must wait till y° meeting), and intreat your indulgence for, I hope, a very short time. The nearest relation and almost yo only friend I possess, has been in London for a week, and