nothing of the
advertisement to which Mr Moore had alluded, and consequently could
not have had the slightest idea of "giving the lie" to an address
which he had never seen. "When I put my name to the production,"
said his Lordship, "which has occasioned this correspondence, I
became responsible to all whom it might concern, to explain where it
requires explanation, and where insufficiently or too sufficiently
explicit, at all events to satisfy; my situation leaves me no choice;
it rests with the injured and the angry to obtain reparation in their
own way. With regard to the passage in question, YOU were certainly
NOT the person towards whom I felt personally hostile: on the
contrary, my whole thoughts were engrossed by one whom I had reason
to consider as my worst literary enemy, nor could I foresee that his
former antagonist was about to become his champion. You do not
specify what you would wish to have done. I can neither retract nor
apologize for a charge of falsehood which I never advanced."

In reply, Mr Moore commenced by acknowledging that his Lordship's
letter was upon the whole as satisfactory as he could expect; and
after alluding to specific circumstances in the case, concluded thus:
"As your Lordship does not show any wish to proceed beyond the rigid
formulary of explanation, it is not for me to make any farther
advances. We Irishmen, in business of this kind, seldom know any
medium between decided hostility and decided friendship. But as any
approaches towards the latter alternative must now depend entirely on
your Lordship, I have only to repeat that I am satisfied with your
letter." Here the correspondence would probably, with most people,
have been closed, but Lord Byron's sensibility was interested, and
would not let it rest. Accordingly, on the following day, he
rejoined: "Soon after my return to England, my friend Mr Hodgson
apprised me that a letter for me was in his possession; but a
domestic event hurrying me from London immediately after, the letter,
which may most probably be your own, is still unopened in his
keeping. If, on examination of the address, the similarity of the
handwriting should lead to such a conclusion, it shall be opened in
your presence, for the satisfaction of all parties. Mr H. is at
present out of town; on Friday I shall see him, and request him to
forward it to my address. With regard to the latter part of both
your letters, until the principal point was di