fair, in which he was so hardly used, "Lord Strangford offered to give him

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5007.; but Moore had too much inde

pendence to lay himself under an obligation. I know no man I would go "further to serve than Moore.

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The Fudge Family' pleases me as "much as any of his works. The letter

which he versified at the end was given "him by Douglas Kinnaird and myself, " and was addressed by the Life-guards

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man, after the battle of Waterloo, to

Big Ben. Witty as Moore's epistle is, "it falls short of the original. Doubling the Mounseers in brass,' is not so energetic an expression as was used by our hero, all the alliteration is lost.

up

"Moore is one of the few writers who

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will survive the age in which he so de"servedly flourishes. He will live in his "Irish Melodies;' they will go down to posterity with the music; both will last as long as Ireland, or as music and poetry."

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I took leave of Lord Byron on the 15th of March, to visit Rome for a few weeks. Shortly after my departure an affray happened at Pisa, the particulars of which were variously stated. The Courier François gave the following account of it:

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A superior officer went to Lord Byron a few days ago. A very warm altercation, the reason of which was unknown, occurred between this officer and the English poet. The threats of the officer became so violent, that Lord Byron's servant ran

to protect his master. A struggle ensued, in which the officer was struck with a poniard by the servant, and died instantly. The servant fled."

This was one among many reports that were circulated at Rome, to which I was forced one day to give a somewhat flat contradiction. But the real truth of the story cannot be better explained than by the depositions before the Governor of Pisa, the copies of which were sent me, and are in my possession.* They state

that

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Lord Byron, in company with Count Gamba, Captain Hay, Mr. Trelawney, and

See the Appendix for the original depositions.

Mr. Shelley, was returning from his usual ride, on the 21st March, 1822, and was perhaps a quarter of a mile from the Piaggia gate, when a man on horseback, in a hussar uniform, dashed at full speed through the midst of the party, violently jostling (urtando) one of them. Shocked at such ill-breeding, Lord Byron pushed forward, and all the rest followed him, and pulled up their horses on overtaking the hussar. His Lordship then asked him what he meant by the insult? The hussar, for first and only answer, began to abuse him in the grossest manner; which Lord Byron and one of his companions drew out a card with their names and address, and passed on. The hussar followed, vociferating and threatening, with his hand on his sabre, that he would draw it, as he had often done, effectually.

on

They were now about ten paces from the Piaggia gate. Whilst this altercation was going on, a common soldier of the artillery interfered, and called out to the hussar, 'Why don't you arrest them? Command us to arrest them!' Upon which the hussar gave the word to the guard at the gate, Arrest-arrest them!' still continuing the same threatening gestures, and using language, if possible, more offensive and insulting.

His Lordship, hearing the order given for their arrest, spurred on his horse, and one of the party did the same; and they succeeded in forcing their way through the soldiers, who flew to their muskets and bayonets, whilst the gate was closed on the rest, together with the courier, who was foremost.