d after
some sayings peculiarly pleasing from royal lips, as to my own
attempts, he talked to me of you and your immortalities: he
preferred you to every bard past and present, and asked which of
your works pleased me most. It was a difficult question. I
answered, I thought the "Lay." He said his own opinion was nearly
similar. In speaking of the others, I told him that I thought you
more particularly the poet of _Princes_, as _they_ never appeared
more fascinating than in 'Marmion' and the 'Lady of the Lake.' He
was pleased to coincide, and to dwell on the description of your
Jameses as no less royal than poetical. He spoke alternately of
Homer and yourself, and seemed well acquainted with both; so that
(with the exception of the Turks and your humble servant) you were
in very good company. I defy Murray to have exaggerated his Royal
Highness's opinion of your powers, nor can I pretend to enumerate
all he said on the subject; but it may give you pleasure to hear
that it was conveyed in language which would only suffer by my
attempting to transcribe it, and with a tone and taste which gave
me a very high idea of his abilities and accomplishments, which I
had hitherto considered as confined to _manners_, certainly
superior to those of any living _gentleman_.

"This interview was accidental. I never went to the levee; for
having seen the courts of Mussulman and Catholic sovereigns, my
curiosity was sufficiently allayed; and my politics being as
perverse as my rhymes, I had, in fact, 'no business there.' To be
thus praised by your Sovereign must be gratifying to you; and if
that gratification is not alloyed by the communication being made
through me, the bearer of it will consider himself very fortunately
and sincerely,

"Your obliged and obedient servant,

"BYRON.

"P.S.--Excuse this scrawl, scratched in a great hurry, and just
after a journey."

* * * * *

During the summer of this year, he paid visits to some of his noble
friends, and, among others, to the Earl of Jersey and the Marquis of
Lansdowne. "In 1812," he says, "at Middleton (Lord Jersey's), amongst a
goodly company of lords, ladies, and wits, &c., there was (* * *.) [49]

"Erskine, too! Erskine was there; good, but intolerable. He jested, he
talked, he did every t