skin imaginable. Her figure was per"fect for her height, and there was a sim 66 66 66 plicity, a retired modesty about her, which was very characteristic, and formed a happy contrast to the cold artificial formality, and studied stiffness, which is "called fashion. She interested me ex 56 ceedingly. It is unnecessary to detail "the progress of our acquaintance. I "became daily more attached to her, and "it ended in my making her a proposal "that was rejected. Her refusal was "couched in terms that could not offend 66 me. I was besides persuaded that, in 66 declining my offer, she was governed by the influence of her mother; and was "the more confirmed in this opinion by "her reviving our correspondence herself 66 twelve months after. The tenor of her "letter was, that although she could not "love me, she desired my friendship. 66 66 Friendship is a dangerous word for young ladies; it is Love full-fledged, "and waiting for a fine day to fly. 66 "It had been predicted by Mrs. Williams, that twenty-seven was to be a dangerous age for me. The fortunetelling witch was right; it was destined "to prove so. I shall never forget the "2d of January! Lady Byron (Byrn, he 66 66 pronounced it) was the only uncon"cerned person present; Lady Noel, her દ 46 mother, cried; I trembled like a leaf, "made the wrong responses, and after the ceremony called her Miss Millbank. 66 "There is a singular history attached "to the ring. The very day the match was concluded, a ring of my mother's, 46 66 that had been lost, was dug up by the gardener at Newstead. I thought it was sent on purpose for the wedding; "but my mother's marriage had not been 66 66 a fortunate one, and this ring was doom ed to be the seal of an unhappier union "still.* "After the ordeal was over, we set "off for a country-seat of Sir Ralph's; "and I was surprised at the arrangements "for the journey, and somewhat out of 'humour to find a lady's-maid stuck be 66 66 66 tween me and my bride. It was rather too early to assume the husband; so "Save the ring, "Which, being the damned'st part of matri mony-" Don Juan, Canto IX. Stanza 70. "I was forced to submit, but it was not with a very good grace. Put yourself "in a similar situation, and tell me if I "had not some reason to be in the sulks. "I have been accused of saying, on get 66 ting into the carriage, that I had mar"ried Lady Byron out of spite, and "because she had refused me twice. 66 66 66 66 Though I was for a moment vexed at her prudery, or whatever you may choose to call it, if I had made, so uncavalier, not to say brutal a speech, "I am convinced Lady Byron would in 66 stantly have left the carriage to me "and the maid (I mean mean the the lady's). "She had spirit enough to have done 66 so, and would properly have resented "the affront. 66 "Our honeymoon was was not all sun shine; it had its clouds: and Hob "house has some letters which would serve to explain the rise and fall in the barometer, but it was never down at zero. "You tell me the world says I married "Miss Millbank for her fortune, because "she was a great heiress. All I have 66 66 66 66 ever received, or am likely to receive, (and that has been twice paid back too,) was 10,000. My own income at this period was small, and somewhat be spoke. Newstead was a very unprofit"able estate, and brought me in a bare "1500l. a-year; the Lancashire property "was hampered with a law-suit, which "has cost me 14,000l., and is not yet ❝ finished. "We had a house in town, gave din"ner-parties, had separate carriages, and E |