In the year 1809, on the first appearance of “English Bards and Scotch Reviewers,” I found the author, who was then generally understood to be Lord Byron, not only jesting on the subject—­and with sufficiently provoking pleasantry and cleverness—­in his verse, but giving also, in the more responsible form of a note, an outline of the transaction in accordance with the original misreport, and, therefore, in direct contradiction to my published statement.  Still, as the Satire was anonymous and unacknowledged, I did not feel that I was, in any way, called upon to notice it, and therefore dismissed the matter entirely from my mind.  In the summer of the same year appeared the Second Edition of the work, with Lord Byron’s name prefixed to it.  I was, at the time, in Ireland, and but little in the way of literary society; and it so happened that some months passed away before the appearance of this new edition was known to me.  Immediately on being apprised of it,—­the offence now assuming a different form,—­I addressed the following letter to Lord Byron, and, transmitting it to a friend in London, requested that he would have it delivered into his Lordship’s hands.[31]

     “Dublin, January 1. 1810.

     “My Lord,

“Having just seen the name of ‘Lord Byron’ prefixed to a work entitled ‘English Bards and Scotch Reviewers,’ in which, as it appears to me, the lie is given to a public statement of mine, respecting an affair with Mr. Jeffrey some years since, I beg you will have the goodness to inform me whether I may consider your Lordship as the author of this publication.

“I shall not, I fear, be able to return to London for a week or two; but, in the mean time, I trust your Lordship will not deny me the satisfaction of knowing whether you avow the insult contained in the passages alluded to.

     “It is needless to suggest to your Lordship the propriety of
     keeping our correspondence secret.

     “I have the honour to be

     “Your Lordship’s very humble servant,

     “THOMAS MOORE.

     “22.  Molesworth Street.”

[Footnote 31:  This is the only entire letter of my own that, in the course of this work, I mean to obtrude upon my readers.  Being short, and in terms more explanatory of the feeling on which I acted than any others that could be substituted, it might be suffered, I thought, to form the single exception to my general rule.  In all other cases, I shall merely give such extracts from my own letters as may be necessary to elucidate those of my correspondent.]

* * * * *

In the course of a week, the friend to whom I intrusted this letter wrote to inform me that Lord Byron had, as he learned on enquiring of his publisher, gone abroad immediately on the publication of his Second Edition; but that my letter had been placed in the hands of a gentleman, named Hodgson, who had undertaken to forward it carefully to his Lordship.  Though the latter step was not exactly what I could have wished, I thought it as well, on the whole, to let my letter take its chance, and again postponed all consideration of the matter.