e wrote 'Don Juan;' and
James Hogg says pleasantly to Mullion, 'O Mullion! it's a pity you and
Byron could na ha' been acquaint. There would ha' been brave sparring to
see who could say the wildest and the dreadfullest things; for he had
neither fear of man or woman, and would ha' his joke or jeer, cost what
it might.' And then follows a specimen of one of his jokes with an
actress, that, in indecency, certainly justifies the assertion. From the
other stories which follow, and the parenthesis that occurs frequently
('Mind your glass, James, a little more!'), it seems evident that the
party are progressing in their peculiar kind of _civilisation_.

It is in this same circle and paper that Lady Byron's private affairs
come up for discussion. The discussion is thus elegantly introduced:--

Hogg.--'Reach me the black bottle. I say, Christopher, what, after
all, is your opinion o' Lord and Leddy Byron's quarrel? Do you
yoursel' take part with him, or with her? I wad like to hear your
real opinion.'

North.--'Oh, dear! Well, Hogg, since you will have it, I think
Douglas Kinnard and Hobhouse are bound to tell us whether there be any
truth, and how much, in this story about the _declaration_, signed by
Sir Ralph' [Milbanke].

The note here tells us that this refers to a statement that appeared in
'Blackwood' immediately after Byron's death, to the effect that, previous
to the formal separation from his wife, Byron required and obtained from
Sir Ralph Milbanke, Lady Byron's father, a statement to the effect that
Lady Byron had no charge of moral delinquency to bring against him. {61}

North continues:--

'And I think Lady Byron's letter--the "Dearest Duck" one I mean--should
really be forthcoming, if her ladyship's friends wish to stand fair
before the public. At present we have nothing but loose talk of
society to go upon; and certainly, _if the things that are said be
true, there must be thorough explanation from some quarter, or the
tide will continue, as it has assuredly begun, to flow in a direction
very opposite to what we were for years accustomed_. Sir, they must
_explain this business of the letter_. You have, of course, heard
about the invitation it contained, the warm, affectionate invitation,
to Kirkby Mallory'--

Hogg interposes,--

'I dinna like to be interruptin' ye, Mr. North; but I must inquire, Is
the _jug_ to stand still while ye'r