I return Mr. Hay's
note, with thanks to him and you.
There have been some epigrams on Mr. W[ard]: one I see to-day [3].
The first I did not see, but heard yesterday. The second seems very bad
and Mr. P[erry] has placed it over _your_ puff. I only hope that Mr. W.
does not believe that I had any connection with either. The Regent is
the only person on whom I ever expectorated an epigram, or ever should;
and even if I were disposed that way, I like and value Mr. W. too well
to allow my politics to contract into spleen, or to admire any thing
intended to annoy him or his. You need not take the trouble to answer
this, as I shall see you in the course of the afternoon.
Yours very truly, B.
P.S.--I have said this much about the epigrams, because I live so much
in the _opposite camp_, and, from my post as an Engineer, might be
suspected as the flinger of these hand Grenadoes; but with a worthy foe
I am all for open war, and not this bush-fighting, and have [not] had,
nor will have, any thing to do with it. I do not know the author.
[Footnote 1: In the 'Morning Chronicle', November 29, 1813, appeared the
following paragraph:
"Lord Byron's muse is extremely fruitful. He has another poem coming
out, entitled 'The Bride of Abydos', which is spoken of in terms of
the highest encomium."]
[Footnote 2: 'Journal of Llewellin Penrose, a Seaman.']
[Footnote 3:
"Ward has no heart, they say; but I deny it;--
He has a heart, and gets his speeches by it.
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