“Here’s to her who long
          Hath waked the poet’s sigh! 
        The girl who gave to song
          What gold could never buy.

—­My dear Moore, I am going to be married—­that is, I am accepted[49], and one usually hopes the rest will follow.  My mother of the Gracchi (that are to be) you think too strait-laced for me, although the paragon of only children, and invested with ‘golden opinions of all sorts of men,’ and full of ‘most blest conditions’ as Desdemona herself.  Miss Milbanke is the lady, and I have her father’s invitation to proceed there in my elect capacity,—­which, however, I cannot do till I have settled some business in London and got a blue coat.

“She is said to be an heiress, but of that I really know nothing certainly, and shall not enquire.  But I do know, that she has talents and excellent qualities; and you will not deny her judgment, after having refused six suitors and taken me.

“Now, if you have any thing to say against this, pray do; my mind’s made up, positively fixed, determined, and therefore I will listen to reason, because now it can do no harm.  Things may occur to break it off, but I will hope not.  In the mean time, I tell you (a secret, by the by,—­at least, till I know she wishes it to be public,) that I have proposed and am accepted.  You need not be in a hurry to wish me joy, for one mayn’t be married for months.  I am going to town to-morrow; but expect to be here, on my way there, within a fortnight.

“If this had not happened, I should have gone to Italy.  In my way down, perhaps, you will meet me at Nottingham, and come over with me here.  I need not say that nothing will give me greater pleasure.  I must, of course, reform thoroughly; and, seriously, if I can contribute to her happiness, I shall secure my own.  She is so good a person, that—­that—­in short, I wish I was a better.  Ever,” &c.

[Footnote 49:  On the day of the arrival of the lady’s answer, he was sitting at dinner, when his gardener came in and presented him with his mother’s wedding ring, which she had lost many years before, and which the gardener had just found in digging up the mould under her window.  Almost at the same moment, the letter from Miss Milbanke arrived; and Lord Byron exclaimed, “If it contains a consent, I will be married with this very ring.”  It did contain a very flattering acceptance of his proposal, and a duplicate of the letter had been sent to London, in case this should have missed him.—­Memoranda.]

* * * * *

LETTER 202.  TO THE COUNTESS OF * * *.

     “Albany, October 5. 1814.

     “Dear Lady * *,