emed at this to fall into a
little revery, and then said, abruptly, 'Why 'tis very odd, Moore
thought the same.' 'Does your Lordship mean Tom Moore?' 'Yes.'
'Ah, then, my Lord, I shall adhere with more pertinacity to my
opinion, when I hear that a man of his exquisite taste in poetry and
harmony was also of that opinion.'

"You will be asking what I thought of the lady; I had certainly heard
much of her high personal attractions, but all I can say is, that in
my eyes her graces did not rank above mediocrity. They were youth,
plumpness, and good-nature."

CHAPTER XXVIII

A Miff with Lord Byron--Remarkable Coincidences--Plagiarisms of his
Lordship

There is a curious note in the memoranda which Lord Byron kept in the
year 1813, that I should not pass unnoticed, because it refers to
myself, and moreover is characteristic of the excoriated sensibility
with which his Lordship felt everything that touched or affected him
or his.

When I had read The Bride of Abydos, I wrote to him my opinion of it,
and mentioned that there was a remarkable coincidence in the story,
with a matter in which I had been interested. I have no copy of the
letter, and I forget the expressions employed, but Lord Byron seemed
to think they implied that he had taken the story from something of
mine.

The note is:

"Galt says there is a coincidence between the first part of The Bride
and some story of his, whether published or not, I know not, never
having seen it. He is almost the last person on whom any one would
commit literary larceny, and I am not conscious of any witting thefts
on any of the genus. As to originality, all pretensions are
ludicrous; there is nothing new under the sun."

It is sufficiently clear that he was offended with what I had said,
and was somewhat excited. I have not been able at present to find
his answer to my letter, but it would appear by the subjoined that he
had written to me something which led me to imagine he was offended
at my observations, and that I had in consequence deprecated his
wrath.

"Dec. 11, 1813.

"MY DEAR GALT,--There was no offence--there COULD be none. I thought
it by no means impossible that we might have hit on something
similar, particularly as you are a dramatist, and was anxious to
assure you of the truth, viz. that I had not wittingly seized upon
plot, sentiment, or incident; and I am very glad that I have not in
any respect trenched upon your subjects. Something s