138 LIFE OF MYTTON. 



said to have drawn tears from him, during a dinner- 

 party at his own house : and from my knowledge of 

 the man, I doubt not the fact. 



There is a readiness to believe ill reports without 

 examination into their truth, and we are often found 

 guilty by those who will not trouble themselves to 

 look into the accusation. Is all true, then, that has 

 been reported, and credited by too many, of Mr. 

 Mytton's conduct to his first wife ? Certainly not. 

 Fame loves to double, and the world is not only 

 credulous, but loud, and too often scurrilous, in its 

 censure. Not content with the various embellishments 

 of vulgar rumour, absolute falsehoods were in general 

 circulation ; and amongst them the following : — He 

 was accused of having thrown her lap-dog — curse 

 those lap-dogs ! married women have no business with 

 such pests — upon the fire ; but, fortunately for the 

 memory of my departed friend, the act that gave rise 

 to the vile report I myself was a witness to. He 

 merely took it up in his arms, threw it halfway up to 

 the drawing-room ceiling, and caught it, without injury, 

 on its descent. The butler (who happened to be in 

 the room at the time) called out, " O Mr. Mytton ! 

 you'll kill the dog!" and the lady screamed and cried; 

 and on this was the dreadful charge founded. In the 



