ising
from a landscape. In conversation he was very animated.

"I met with him very frequently in society; our mutual acquaintances
doing me the honour to think that he liked to meet with me. Some very
agreeable parties I can recollect,--particularly one at Sir George
Beaumont's, where the amiable landlord had assembled some persons
distinguished for talent. Of these I need only mention the late Sir
Humphry Davy, whose talents for literature were as remarkable as his
empire over science. Mr. Richard Sharpe and Mr. Rogers were also
present.

"I think I also remarked in Byron's temper starts of suspicion, when he
seemed to pause and consider whether there had not been a secret, and
perhaps offensive, meaning in something casually said to him. In this
case, I also judged it best to let his mind, like a troubled spring,
work itself clear, which it did in a minute or two. I was considerably
older, you will recollect, than my noble friend, and had no reason to
fear his misconstruing my sentiments towards him, nor had I ever the
slightest reason to doubt that they were kindly returned on his part. If
I had occasion to be mortified by the display of genius which threw into
the shade such pretensions as I was then supposed to possess, I might
console myself that, in my own case, the materials of mental happiness
had been mingled in a greater proportion.

"I rummage my brains in vain for what often rushes into my head
unbidden,--little traits and sayings which recall his looks, manner,
tone, and gestures; and I have always continued to think that a crisis
of life was arrived in which a new career of fame was opened to him,
and that had he been permitted to start upon it, he would have
obliterated the memory of such parts of his life as friends would wish
to forget."

[Footnote 78: A few passages at the beginning of these recollections
have been omitted, as containing particulars relative to Lord Byron's
mother, which have already been mentioned in the early part of this
work. Among these, however, there is one anecdote, the repetition of
which will be easily pardoned, on account of the infinitely greater
interest as well as authenticity imparted to its details by coming from
such an eye-witness as Sir Walter Scott:--"I remember," he says, "having
seen Lord Byron's mother before she was married, and a certain
coincidence rendered the circumstance rather remarkable. It was during
Mrs. Siddons's first or second visit to Edinbur