. Colonel
Stanhope, in referring to the circumstance mentioned above, has put
Lord Byron's angry feeling respecting it in the true light.

"He was constantly attacking Count Gamba, sometimes, indeed,
playfully, but more often with the bitterest satire, for having
purchased for the use of his family, while in Greece, _500_ dollars'
worth of cloth. This he used to mention as an instance of the Count's
imprudence and extravagance. Lord Byron told me one day, with a tone
of great gravity, that this 500 dollars would have been most
serviceable in promoting the siege of Lepanto; and that he never
would, to the last moment of his existence, forgive Gamba, for having
squandered away his money in the purchase of cloth. No one will
suppose that Lord Byron could be serious in such a denunciation: he
entertained, in reality, the highest opinion of Conant Gamba, who,
both on account of his talents and devotedness to his friend, merited
his Lordship's esteem. As to Lord Byron's generosity, it is before
the world; he promised to devote his large income to the cause of
Greece, and he honestly acted up to his pledge."]

"Mr. Blackett is here ill, and will soon set out for Cephalonia. He
came to me for some pills, and I gave him some reserved for
particular friends, and which I never knew any body recover from
under several months; but he is no better, and, what is odd, no
worse; and as the doctors have had no better success with him than I,
he goes to Argostoli, sick of the Greeks and of a constipation.

"I must reiterate my request for _specie_, and that speedily,
otherwise public affairs will be at a standstill here. I have
undertaken to pay the Suliotes for a year, to advance in March 3000
dollars, besides, to the Government for a balance due to the troops,
and some other smaller matters for the Germans, and the press, &c.
&c. &c.; so what with these, and the expenses of my suite, which,
though not extravagant, is expensive, with Gamba's d--d nonsense, I
shall have occasion for all the monies I can muster; and I have
credits wherewithal to face the undertakings, if realised, and expect
to have more soon.

"Believe me ever and truly yours," &c.

On the morning of the 22d of January, his birthday,--the last my poor
friend was ever fated to see,--he came from his bedroom into the
apartment where Colonel Stanhope and some others were assembled, and
said with a smile, "You were complaining the other day that I never
write any poetr