have no objection to your stating, as distinctly and publicly as you please, your unwillingness to publish them, and my own obstinacy upon the subject.  Take any course you please to vindicate yourself, but leave me to fight my own way; and, as I before said, do not compromise me by any thing which may look like shrinking on my part; as for your own, make the best of it.  Yours, BN.”

* * * * *

LETTER 164.  TO MR. ROGERS.

     “February 16. 1814.

     “My dear Rogers,

“I wrote to Lord Holland briefly, but I hope distinctly, on the subject which has lately occupied much of my conversation with him and you.[15] As things now stand, upon that topic my determination must be unalterable.

“I declare to you most sincerely that there is no human being on whose regard and esteem I set a higher value than on Lord Holland’s; and, as far as concerns himself, I would concede even to humiliation, without any view to the future, and solely from my sense of his conduct as to the past.  For the rest, I conceive that I have already done all in my power by the suppression.[16] If that is not enough, they must act as they please; but I will not ’teach my tongue a most inherent baseness,’ come what may.  You will probably be at the Marquis Lansdowne’s to-night.  I am asked, but I am not sure that I shall be able to go.  Hobhouse will be there.  I think, if you knew him well, you would like him.

     “Believe me always yours very affectionately,

     “B.”

[Footnote 15:  Relative to a proposed reconciliation between Lord Carlisle and himself.]

[Footnote 16:  Of the Satire.]

* * * * *

LETTER 165.  TO MR. ROGERS.

     “February 16. 1814.

     “If Lord Holland is satisfied, as far as regards himself and Lady
     Hd., and as this letter expresses him to be, it is enough.

     “As for any impression the public may receive from the revival of
     the lines on Lord Carlisle, let them keep it,—­the more favourable
     for him, and the worse for me,—­better for all.

“All the sayings and doings in the world shall not make me utter another word of conciliation to any thing that breathes.  I shall bear what I can, and what I cannot I shall resist.  The worst they could do would be to exclude me from society.  I have never courted it, nor, I may add, in the general sense of the word, enjoyed it—­and ‘there is a world elsewhere!’

     “Any thing remarkably injurious, I have the same means of repaying
     as other men, with such interest as circumstances may annex to it.

     “Nothing but the necessity of adhering to regimen prevents me from
     dining with you to-morrow.