doubt, I say, whether the Memoir could appear in my
lifetime;--and, indeed, I had rather it did not; for a man always
_looks dead_ after his Life has appeared, and I should certes not
survive the appearance of mine. The first part I cannot consent to
alter, even although Made. de S.'s opinion of B.C. and my remarks
upon Lady C.'s beauty (which is surely great, and I suppose that I
have said so--at least, I ought) should go down to our
grandchildren in unsophisticated nakedness.

"As to Madame de S * *, I am by no means bound to be her
beadsman--she was always more civil to me in person than during my
absence. Our dear defunct friend, M * * L * *[26], who was too
great a bore ever to lie, assured me upon his tiresome word of
honour, that, at Florence, the said Madame de S * * was
open-_mouthed_ against me; and when asked, in _Switzerland_, _why_
she had changed her opinion, replied, with laudable sincerity, that
I had named her in a sonnet with Voltaire, Rousseau, &c. &c. and
that she could not help it through decency. Now, I have not
forgotten this, but I have been generous,--as mine acquaintance,
the late Captain Whitby, of the navy, used to say to his seamen
(when 'married to the gunner's daughter')--'two dozen, and let you
off easy.' The 'two dozen' were with the cat-o'-nine tails;--the
'let you off easy' was rather his own opinion than that of the
patient.

"My acquaintance with these terms and practices arises from my
having been much conversant with ships of war and naval heroes in
the year of my voyages in the Mediterranean. Whitby was in the
gallant action off Lissa in 1811. He was brave, but a
disciplinarian. When he left his frigate, he left a _parrot_, which
was taught by the crew the following sounds--(it must be remarked
that Captain Whitby was the image of Fawcett the actor, in voice,
face, and figure, and that he squinted).

"The Parrot _loquitur_.

"'Whitby! Whitby! funny eye! funny eye! two dozen, and let you off
easy. Oh you ----!'

"Now, if Madame de B. has a parrot, it had better be taught a
French parody of the same sounds.

"With regard to our purposed Journal, I will call it what you
please, but it should be a newspaper, to make it _pay_. We can call
it 'The Harp,' if you like--or any thing.