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those disgraceful freaks which a man of unsettled 

 mind and capricious temper is liable to indulge 

 in, when surrounded only by those who are far 

 "beneath him, or whose only passport to his com- 

 pany is their perfect compliance with, and applause 

 of, everything that he says or does. I have more 

 than once seen a man of really good heart, in a 

 moment when he forgot himself, give pain to a 

 long-tried worthy friend, to gratify a small knot 

 of ephemeral acquaintances "by whom he happened 

 to "be surrounded. Were you never caught yourself, 

 scarcely compos, "by a grave old friend, leading the 

 revels among a graceless crew, whom, in your 'sober 

 senses and in daylight, you. would be ashamed to 

 be seen with? and, as he left the room, more in 

 sorrow than in anger, have you not joined in the 

 laugh which the professed wit of the party raised 

 at his expense? 



FISHER. I am still sceptical But, even should 

 a person, not thoroughly insensible to every better 

 feeling, find himself in the last predicament, would 

 he not, on reflection, be ashamed of his conduct, 

 endeavour to make reparation to his friend, and 

 shun the company of the flatterers who corrupt 

 him? 



SIMPSON. In such manner I believe Byron 

 would act. 



FISHER. Byron's living with another man's wife, 

 the Countess Q-uicciola, is as well known as his 



