George Ticknor, Life, letters and journals of George Ticknor
George Hillard, Ed.

Of Gifford, he said it was impossible that a man should have a better disposition; that he was so good-natured that if he ever says a bitter thing in conversation or in a review he does it unconsciously!

Just at this time Sir James Bland Burgess, who had something to do in negotiating Jay's Treaty, came suddenly into the room, and said abruptly, ‘My lord, my lord, a great battle has been fought in the Low Countries, and Bonaparte is entirely defeated.’ ‘But is it true?’ said Lord Byron,—‘is it true?’ ‘Yes, my lord, it is certainly true; an aide-de-camp arrived in town last night; he has been in Downing Street this morning, and I have just seen him as he was going to Lady Wellington's. He says he thinks Bonaparte is in full retreat towards Paris.’ After an instant's pause, Lord Byron replied, ‘I am d—d sorry for it’; and then, after another slight pause, he added, ‘I did n't know but I might live to see Lord Castlereagh's head on a pole. But I suppose I sha'n't, now.’ And this was the first impression produced on his impetuous nature by the news of the battle of Waterloo. . . . .

As I was going away, he carried me up stairs, and showed me his library, and collection of Romaic books, which is very rich and very curious; offered me letters for Greece; and, after making an appointment for another visit, took leave of me so cordially that I felt almost at home with him.

While I was there, Lady Byron came in. She is pretty, not beautiful,—for the prevalent expression of her countenance is that of ingenuousness. ‘Report speaks goldenly of her.’ She is a baroness in her own right, has a large fortune, is rich in intellectual endowments, is a mathematician, possesses common accomplishments in an uncommon degree, and adds to all this a sweet temper. She was dressed to go and drive, and, after stopping a few moments, went to her carriage. Lord Byron's manner to her was affectionate; he followed her to the door, and shook hands with her, as if he were not to see her for a month.

June 21.—I passed an hour this morning very pleasantly indeed with Sir Humphry Davy, from whom I have received great courtesy and kindness. He told me that when he was at Coppet, Mad. de Stael showed him part of a work on England similar in plan to her De l'allemagne, but which will be only about two thirds as long. Murray told me she had offered it to him, and had the conscience to ask four thousand guineas for it. When I came away, Sir Humphry gave me several letters for the Continent, and among them one for Canova,