Page:Journal of Conversations with Lord Byron.pdf/55

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with Lord Byron.
43

it possessed of having so few English, either as inhabitants or birds of passage.

I was this day again struck by the flippancy of his manner of talking of persons for whom I know he expresses, nay, for whom I believe he feels a regard. Something of this must have shown itself in my manner, for he laughingly observed that he was afraid he should lose my good opinion by his frankness; but that when the fit was on him he could not help saying what he thought, though he often repented it when too late.

He talked of Mr.-, from whom he had received a visit the day before, praised his looks, and the insinuating gentleness of his manners, which, he observed, lent a peculiar charm to the little tales he repeated: he said that he had given him more London scandal than he heard since he left England; observed that he had quite talent enough to render his malice very piquant and amusing, and that his imitations were admirable. "How can his mother do without him?" said Byron;" with his espièglerie and malice, he must be an invaluable coadjutor; and Venus without Cupid could not be more délaissée than Milady without this her legitimate son."

He said that he had formerly felt very partial to Mr. -; his face was so handsome, and his