residence at Monte Nero, that an event
took place--his junction with Mr Leigh Hunt--which had some effect
both on his literary and his moral reputation. Previous to his
departure from England, there had been some intercourse between them-
-Byron had been introduced by Moore to Hunt, when the latter was
suffering imprisonment for the indiscretion of his pen, and by his
civility had encouraged him, perhaps, into some degree of
forgetfulness as to their respective situations in society.--Mr Hunt
at no period of their acquaintance appears to have been sufficiently
sensible that a man of positive rank has it always in his power,
without giving anything like such a degree of offence as may be
resented otherwise than by estrangement, to inflict mortification,
and, in consequence, presumed too much to an equality with his
Lordship--at least this is the impression his conduct made upon me,
from the familiarity of his dedicatory epistle prefixed to Rimini to
their riding out at Pisa together dressed alike--"We had blue frock-
coats, white waistcoats and trousers, and velvet caps, a la Raphael,
and cut a gallant figure." I do not discover on the part of Lord
Byron, that his Lordship ever forgot his rank; nor was he a personage
likely to do so; in saying, therefore, that Mr Hunt presumed upon his
condescension, I judge entirely by his own statement of facts. I am
not undertaking a defence of his lordship, for the manner in which he
acted towards Mr Hunt, because it appears to me to have been, in many
respects, mean; but I do think there was an original error, a
misconception of himself on the part of Mr Hunt, that drew down about
him a degree of humiliation that he might, by more self-respect, have
avoided. However, I shall endeavour to give as correct a summary of
the whole affair as the materials before me will justify.

The occasion of Hunt's removal to Italy will be best explained by
quoting the letter from his friend Shelley, by which he was induced
to take that obviously imprudent step.

"Pisa, Aug. 26, 1821.

"MY DEAREST FRIEND,--Since I last wrote to you, I have been on a
visit to Lord Byron at Ravenna. The result of this visit was a
determination on his part to come and live at Pisa, and I have taken
the finest palace on the Lung' Arno for him. But the material part
of my visit consists in a message which he desires me to give you,
and which I think ought to add to your determination--for such a one
I hope you