66 his last without a struggle. I never saw "a countenance so calm. His adjutant "followed the corpse into the house. I "remember his lamentation over him:"Povero diavolo! non aveva fatto male, "anchè ad un cane.' 999 "I am sorry," said he, "not to have "a copy of my Memoirs to shew you; "I gave them to Moore, or rather to "Moore's little boy, at Venice. I re"member saying, 'Here are 2000l. for 66 you, my young friend.' I made one "reservation in the gift,-that they were "not to be published till after my death. "I have not the least objection to their being circulated; in fact they have "been read by some of mine, and several "of Moore's friends and acquaintances ; among others, they were lent to Lady "Burghersh. On returning the MS. her 66 66 66 Ladyship told Moore that she had tran scribed the whole work. This was un peu fort, and he suggested the propriety "of her destroying the copy. She did. 66 so, by putting it into the fire in his 66 presence. Ever since this happened, Douglas Kinnaird has been recommend"ing me to resume possession of the MS., 66 66 thinking to frighten me by saying that a spurious or a real copy, surreptitiously "obtained, may go forth to the world. "I am quite indifferent about the world 66 knowing all that they contain. There "are very few licentious adventures of 66 my own, or scandalous anecdotes that "will affect others, in the book. It is from my earliest recollections, 66 taken up "almost from childhood,-very incohe 66 66 rent, written in a very loose and familiar style. The second part will prove a good lesson to young men; for it "treats of the irregular life I led at one period, and the fatal consequences of 66 dissipation. There are few parts that may not, and none that will not, be "read by women." Another time he said: "A very full account of my marriage "and separation is contained in my Me"moirs. After they were completed, I "wrote to Lady Byron, proposing to send "them for her inspection, in order that 66 any mistatements or inaccuracy (if any "such existed, which I was not aware of,) "her answer she declined the offer, with"out assigning any reason; but desiring, if not on her account, for the sake of "her daughter, that they might never 66 66 66 appear, and finishing with a threat. My reply was the severest thing I ever wrote, and contained two quotations, one from Shakspeare, and another from "Dante.* I told her that she knew all "I had written was incontrovertible truth, and that she did not wish to sanction' 66 66 the truth. I ended by saying, that she 'might depend on their being published. "It was not till after this correspondence "that I made Moore the depositary of "the MS. "The first time of my seeing Miss * I could not retain them. "Millbank was at Lady It was a fatal day; and I remember that "in going upstairs I stumbled, and re"marked to Moore, who accompanied me, "that it was a bad omen. I ought to "have taken the warning. On entering "the room I observed a young lady, more 66 66 simply dressed than the rest of the as sembly, sitting alone upon a sofa. I "took her for a humble companion, and "asked if I was right in my conjecture? "She is a great heiress,' said he in a whisper that became lower as he pro"ceeded; 'you had better marry her, 66 "There was something piquant, and "what we term pretty, in Miss Millbank. "Her features were small and feminine, "though not regular. She had the fairest |