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jecture; but, whatever, it might be, the reputation of the noble author, was far from being advanced by the suppression: It would, in fact, have been better if he had pocketed the affront put upon him by the northern critics in the first instance, than, after publishing his satire, entitled "English Bards, and Scotch Reviewers," to recall the piece; thus, in effect, retracting both what he had advanced, and succumbing to the very opponents over whom he had gained a triumph, The noble lord should have erased what he had written and printed of an offensive nature against public institutions, and private individuals, from whom he had received no injury; and in doing this the power of his satire upon the proper objects of it would have been increased.

In a subsequent publication, his lordship took occasion to correct an historical error into which the Scotch critic had fallen; and having done this, he thought proper to add the following note: "I have endeavoured to wave the personal feelings which rise in despite of me, in touching upon any part of the Edinburgh Review; not from a wish to conciliate the favour of its writers, or to cancel the remembrance

of a syllable, I have formerly published, from a sense of the impropriety of mixing up private resentments, with a disquisition of the present kind, and more particularlarly at this distance of time and but simply place."

; Now this note is at variance with his conduct in suppressing the satire, for by that very act, he did endeavour to "cancel the remembrance of what he had formerly published ;" and so far it seems evident, that his object must have been to "conciliate the favour of the Reviewers."

But this was not the only inconsistency of which the noble lord was guilty, in his just quarrel with the Edinburgh Critics; for he followed up his satire by another poem, bearing the title of "Hints to Horace," which, after printing one or two copies he destroyed, because he now felt, or was persuaded that it would be for his interest as an author, to lay down his lance, and make friends of those, against whom he had declared eternal war, "as a Hydra, to crush one head of which he had deemed it so much an act of duty, that he was contented to lose a hand in the encounter."

CHAPTER V.

Anecdote of the Duke of Wharton.—Similar one of Lord Byron. Monument to his dog.-Inscription on a skull made into a cup.-Amourous connexions.-Anecdote of false sensibility.—Lord Byron made the subject of a novel.

IT is related of Philip, the profligate Duke of Wharton, that in his travels he purchased a bear's cub of which he became so extremely fond as to make it his constant attendant both night and day, to the great annoyance of his tutor. On reaching Geneva, this extraordinary man, suddenly departed for Lyons, leaving young Bruin behind him with the following letter to the poor governor; Being no longer able to bear with your ill-usage, I have thought proper to be gone from you; however, that you may not want

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company, I have left you the bear, as the most suitable companion in the world that could be picked up for you."

Whether Lord Byron had read the history of this eccentric nobleman, who was a wit and a poet, the writer of the present sketch has not the means of determining; but it is somewhat remarkable, that while a student at Cambridge, he should have indulged himself in a similar humour, by making a young bear the associate of his studies; and what is no less singular, on quitting the university, his lordship left the animal in possession of his chambers, to stand, as he expressed it, candidate for the next vacant fellowship. Whimsical as this coincidence is, it appears to be more than accidental, especially as in both instances the choice of the favourites resulted rather from a wish to give offence to others than to gratify any particular attachment. It would betray a narrow spirit to scrutinize with severity the propensities and amusements of youth; but when those inclinations and sports have a peculiarity in them different from juvenile pursuits in general, they are no longer matters of trifling interest, but become circumstances of import in the

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illustration of character. He who, under the regimen of academic discipline, manifests an impatience of restraint, and a contempt of the laws of decorum, gives plain indications of what may be expected from him when he shall have attained the entire command of his own actions.

The eventful and melancholy story of the Duke of Wharton may be mentioned in confirmation of the truth of this observation. Possessed of talents which only required a proper direction to have proved beneficial to the world, this extraordinary man, by becoming his own master, while yet a minor, had such opportunities of following the impulse of his passions, that his mind, for want of government, at length took delight in nothing but extravagance. Though he married for love, he soon abandoned his wife, and went abroad, where he not only dissipated his patrimony, upon low connexions, but changed his religion, if indeed he ever had any, and at the age of thirty-two closed his mortal, but short career, in a Spanish convent, whither he had been removed out of charity.

Such was the end of a noble genius who might have