6 LORD BYRON 



vigorous understanding and a creative fancy — somewhat 

 tainted with a misanthropic egotism, it must be 

 admitted. His principal weapon was satire, and he 

 handled it with more power than discretion ; nevertheless 

 his works will continue to be read by every real lover of 

 poetry, and will for many generations amuse and delight, 

 if not instruct, the masses." 



" Who was he, Mr. C ? " 



"George Gordon Byron — Lord Byron." 



My friend started, and exclaimed, — 



" Oh ! ah ! I do not think so much of him as I do 

 of the other ; he has not added much to the moral or 

 religious tenor of our literature." 



I was about to argue this point with him, as Mr. 

 Midshipman Easy would say, when he stopped me by 

 asking, who the third was ? 



" Well, my dear sir, as the clock is about to strike, and 

 it will take me some time to introduce the third to your 

 notice, I must defer it till I see you again." 



So, putting on my coat, in which I was assisted by 

 the taciturn porter, I folded up the way-bill, and care- 

 fully placed it in my pocket ; then walked out, took 

 hold of the reins — the horses being already put to — 

 mounted the box, wished him good morning, and drove 

 off. 



The following evening, on my return, he pressed me 

 very hard to tell him who the third celebrated person 

 was to whom I had alluded. I made some excuse — 

 either I had not time then, or I said I hoped he would 

 have discovered it himself ; but he never did, nor did I 

 ever tell him, although he repeatedly asked me ; and I 



