the subject of your letter, my mind being so full of
things which I don't know how to write about, that _I_ too must defer
the greater part of them till we meet in May, when I shall put you
fairly on your trial for all crimes and misdemeanors. In the mean time,
you will not be at a loss for judges, nor executioners either, if they
could have their will. The world, in their generous ardour to take what
they call the weaker side, soon contrive to make it most formidably the
strongest. Most sincerely do I grieve at what has happened. It has upset
all my wishes and theories as to the influence of marriage on your life;
for, instead of bringing you, as I expected, into something like a
regular orbit, it has only cast you off again into infinite space, and
left you, I fear, in a far worse state than it found you. As to
defending you, the only person with whom I have yet attempted this task
is myself; and, considering the little I know upon the subject, (or
rather, perhaps, _owing_ to this cause,) I have hitherto done it with
very tolerable success. After all, your _choice_ was the misfortune. I
never liked,--but I'm here wandering into the [Greek: aporreta], and so
must change the subject for a far pleasanter one, your last new poems,
which," &c. &c.

The return of post brought me the following answer, which, while it
raises our admiration of the generous candour of the writer, but adds to
the sadness and strangeness of the whole transaction.

* * * * *

LETTER 234. TO MR. MOORE.

"March 8. 1816.

"I rejoice in your promotion as Chairman and Charitable Steward,
&c. &c. These be dignities which await only the virtuous. But then,
recollect you are _six_ and _thirty_, (I speak this enviously--not
of your age, but the 'honour--love--obedience--troops of friends,'
which accompany it,) and I have eight years good to run before I
arrive at such hoary perfection; by which time,--if I _am_ at
all[92],--it will probably be in a state of grace or progressing
merits.

"I must set you right in one point, however. The fault was
_not_--no, nor even the misfortune--in my 'choice' (unless in
_choosing at all_)--for I do not believe--and I must say it, in the
very dregs of all this bitter business--that there ever was a
better, or even a brighter, a kinder, or a more amiable and
agreeable being than Lady B. I never had, nor can hav