“8.  St. James’s Street, March 5. 1812.

     “My dear Hodgson,

“We are not answerable for reports of speeches in the papers; they are always given incorrectly, and on this occasion more so than usual, from the debate in the Commons on the same night.  The Morning Post should have said eighteen years.  However, you will find the speech, as spoken, in the Parliamentary Register, when it comes out.  Lords Holland and Grenville, particularly the latter, paid me some high compliments in the course of their speeches, as you may have seen in the papers, and Lords Eldon and Harrowby answered me.  I have had many marvellous eulogies repeated to me since, in person and by proxy, from divers persons ministerial—­yea, ministerial!—­as well as oppositionists; of them I shall only mention Sir F. Burdett. He says it is the best speech by a lord since the ‘Lord knows when,’ probably from a fellow-feeling in the sentiments.  Lord H. tells me I shall beat them all if I persevere; and Lord G. remarked that the construction of some of my periods are very like Burke’s!  And so much for vanity.  I spoke very violent sentences with a sort of modest impudence, abused every thing and every body, and put the Lord Chancellor very much out of humour; and if I may believe what I hear, have not lost any character by the experiment.  As to my delivery, loud and fluent enough, perhaps a little theatrical.  I could not recognise myself or any one else in the newspapers.

     “My poesy comes out on Saturday.  Hobhouse is here; I shall tell him
     to write.  My stone is gone for the present, but I fear is part of
     my habit.  We all talk of a visit to Cambridge.

     “Yours ever, B.”

* * * * *

Of the same date as the above is the following letter to Lord Holland, accompanying a copy of his new publication, and written in a tone that cannot fail to give a high idea of his good feeling and candour.

LETTER 91.  TO LORD HOLLAND.

     “St. James’s Street, March 5. 1812.

     “My Lord,

     “May I request your Lordship to accept a copy of the thing which
     accompanies this note?  You have already so fully proved the truth
     of the first line of Pope’s couplet,

        “‘Forgiveness to the injured doth belong,’

that I long for an opportunity to give the lie to the verse that follows.  If I were not perfectly convinced that any thing I may have formerly uttered in the boyish rashness of my misplaced resentment had made as little impression as it deserved to make, I should hardly have the confidence—­perhaps your Lordship may give it a stronger and more appropriate appellation—­to send you a quarto of the same scribbler.  But your Lordship, I am sorry to observe to-day,