picture that his mother had painted by M. de Chambruland.  The next morning Mrs. Byron brought him to call at our house, when he still continued shy and formal in his manner.  The conversation turned upon Cheltenham, where we had been staying, the amusements there, the plays, &c.; and I mentioned that I had seen the character of Gabriel Lackbrain very well performed.  His mother getting up to go, he accompanied her, making a formal bow, and I, in allusion to the play, said, “Good by, Gaby.”  His countenance lighted up, his handsome mouth displayed a broad grin, all his shyness vanished, never to return, and, upon his mother’s saying ’Come, Byron, are you ready?’—­no, she might go by herself, he would stay and talk a little longer; and from that moment he used to come in and go out at all hours, as it pleased him, and in our house considered himself perfectly at home.”

To this lady was addressed the earliest letter from his pen that has fallen into my hands.  He corresponded with many of his Harrow friends,—­with Lord Clare, Lord Powerscourt, Mr. William Peel, Mr. William Bankes, and others.  But it was then little foreseen what general interest would one day attach to these school-boy letters; and accordingly, as I have already had occasion to lament, there are but few of them now in existence.  The letter, of which I have spoken, to his Southwell friend, though containing nothing remarkable, is perhaps for that very reason worth insertion, as serving to show, on comparing it with most of its successors, how rapidly his mind acquired confidence in its powers.  There is, indeed, one charm for the eye of curiosity in his juvenile manuscripts, which they necessarily want in their printed form; and that is the strong evidence of an irregular education which they exhibit,—­the unformed and childish handwriting, and, now and then, even defective spelling of him who, in a very few years after, was to start up one of the giants of English literature.

LETTER 1.

TO MISS ——.

Burgage Manor, August 29. 1804.

“I received the arms, my dear Miss ——­, and am very much obliged to you for the trouble you have taken.  It is impossible I should have any fault to find with them.  The sight of the drawings gives me great pleasure for a double reason,—­in the first place, they will ornament my books, in the next, they convince me that you have not entirely forgot me.  I am, however, sorry you do not return sooner—­you have already been gone an age.  I perhaps may have taken my departure for London before you come back; but, however, I will hope not.  Do not overlook my watch-riband and purse, as I wish to carry them with me.  Your note was given me by Harry, at the play, whither I attended Miss L——­ and Dr. S. ——­; and now I have set down to answer it before I go to bed.  If I am at Southwell when you return,—­and I sincerely hope you will soon, for I very much regret your absence,—­I shall be happy to hear you sing my favourite, ‘The Maid of Lodi.’  My mother, together with myself, desires to be affectionately remembered to Mrs. Pigot, and, believe me, my dear Miss ——­,