78 



perhaps, .Rogers, Moore, and Hobhouse, might have 

 been saved from, the "blunt, clumsy, sabre of his 

 satire, which only mangles, but does not cut; and 

 Byron himself not have been shown up by his 

 friend as a petulant coxcomb and a flash blackguard. 

 I cannot for a moment believe that Byron, with all 

 his faults, was the despicable character that Medwin, 

 soi-disant Byron's friend, and Angler in Wales, 

 represents him. 



SIMPSON. Take a cigar, Fisher, or you will lose 

 your temper; and tell us calmly what scandal about 

 Lord Byron it is that moves your bile. 



FISHER I might then tell you nearly all 

 that is said about him in the book. He is repre- 

 sented on the day that the author of the " Pleasures 

 of Memory," and of "Italy," was expected to call on 

 him, ordering his bull-dog and his monkey into the 

 billiard-room, where he intended to receive his visi- 

 tor, for the purpose of annoying him. When Mr. 

 Rogers entered, it is said the dog rushed furiously 

 at "Him, and was encouraged by Byron, while, with- 

 out noticing his visitor, he pretended to call the 

 brute off. At length he thought good to discover 

 the cause of the affray; to kick Tiger off, and 

 press his "dear Mend" in his arms. To the great 

 entertainment, I conclude if the story be true 

 of the toad-eaters present, who nattered and 

 encouraged the noble poet in his wayward folhes 

 as the price of their admission to his society; and 

 who, when he . was in his grave, for the sake of 

 dishonourable gain, exposed and exaggerated his 



