dan drunk, too, with all the world; but his
intoxication was that of Bacchus, and Porson's that of Silenus. Of
all the disgusting brutes, sulky, abusive, and intolerable, Porson
was the most bestial, as far as the few times that I saw him went,
which were only at William Bankes's (the Nubian discoverer's)
rooms. I saw him once go away in a rage, because nobody knew the
name of the 'Cobbler of Messina,' insulting their ignorance with
the most vulgar terms of reprobation. He was tolerated in this
state amongst the young men for his talents, as the Turks think a
madman inspired, and bear with him. He used to recite, or rather
vomit, pages of all languages, and could hiccup Greek like a Helot;
and certainly Sparta never shocked her children with a grosser
exhibition than this man's intoxication.

"I perceive, in the book you sent me, a long account of him, which
is very savage. I cannot judge, as I never saw him sober, except in
_hall_ or combination-room; and then I was never near enough to
hear, and hardly to see him. Of his drunken deportment, I can be
sure, because I saw it.

"With the Reviews I have been much entertained. It requires to be
as far from England as I am to relish a periodical paper properly:
it is like soda-water in an Italian summer. But what cruel work you
make with Lady * * * *! You should recollect that she is a woman;
though, to be sure, they are now and then very provoking; still, as
authoresses, they can do no great harm; and I think it a pity so
much good invective should have been laid out upon her, when there
is such a fine field of us Jacobin gentlemen for you to work upon.

"I heard from Moore lately, and was sorry to be made aware of his
domestic loss. Thus it is--'medio de fonte leporum'--in the acme of
his fame and his happiness comes a drawback as usual.

"Mr. Hoppner, whom I saw this morning, has been made the father of
a very fine boy[15].--Mother and child doing very well indeed. By
this time Hobhouse should be with you, and also certain packets,
letters, &c. of mine, sent since his departure.--I am not at all
well in health within this last eight days. My remembrances to
Gifford and all friends.

"Yours, &c.

"B.

"P.S. In the course of a month or two, Hanson will have probably to
send off a