nds, (as she did me once, by the way,) and has taken
me at last, for which I am very much obliged to her. I wish it was
well over, for I do hate bustle, and there is no marrying without
some;--and then, I must not marry in a black coat, they tell me,
and I can't bear a blue one.

"Pray forgive me for scribbling all this nonsense. You know I must
be serious all the rest of my life, and this is a parting piece of
buffoonery, which I write with tears in my eyes, expecting to be
agitated. Believe me most seriously and sincerely your obliged
servant, BYRON.

"P.S. My best rems. to Lord * * on his return."

* * * * *

LETTER 203. TO MR. MOORE.

"October 7. 1814.

"Notwithstanding the contradictory paragraph in the Morning
Chronicle, which must have been sent by * *, or perhaps--I know not
why I should suspect Claughton of such a thing, and yet I partly
do, because it might interrupt his renewal of purchase, if so
disposed; in short it matters not, but we are all in the road to
matrimony--lawyers settling, relations congratulating, my intended
as kind as heart could wish, and every one, whose opinion I value,
very glad of it. All her relatives, and all mine too, seem equally
pleased.

"Perry was very sorry, and has _re_-contradicted, as you will
perceive by this day's paper. It was, to be sure, a devil of an
insertion, since the first paragraph came from Sir Ralph's own
County Journal, and this in the teeth of it would appear to him and
his as _my_ denial. But I have written to do away that, enclosing
Perry's letter, which was very polite and kind.

"Nobody hates bustle so much as I do; but there seems a fatality
over every scene of my drama, always a row of some sort or other.
No matter--Fortune is my best friend; and as I acknowledge my
obligations to her, I hope she will treat me better than she
treated the Athenian, who took some merit to _himself_ on some
occasion, but (after that) took no more towns. In fact, _she_, that
exquisite goddess, has hitherto carried me through every thing, and
will I hope, now; since I own it will be all _her_ doing.

"Well, now, for thee. Your article on * * is perfection itself. You
must not leave off reviewing. By Jove, I believe you can do any
thing. There is wit, an