“January 14. 1821.

“Turned over Seneca’s tragedies.  Wrote the opening lines of the intended tragedy of Sardanapalus.  Rode out some miles into the forest.  Misty and rainy.  Returned—­dined—­wrote some more of my tragedy.

“Read Diodorus Siculus—­turned over Seneca, and some other books.  Wrote some more of the tragedy.  Took a glass of grog.  After having ridden hard in rainy weather, and scribbled, and scribbled again, the spirits (at least mine) need a little exhilaration, and I don’t like laudanum now as I used to do.  So I have mixed a glass of strong waters and single waters, which I shall now proceed to empty.  Therefore and thereunto I conclude this day’s diary.

“The effect of all wines and spirits upon me is, however, strange.  It settles, but it makes me gloomy—­gloomy at the very moment of their effect, and not gay hardly ever.  But it composes for a time, though sullenly.

“January 15. 1821.

“Weather fine.  Received visit.  Rode out into the forest—­fired pistols.  Returned home—­dined—­dipped into a volume of Mitford’s Greece—­wrote part of a scene of ‘Sardanapalus.’  Went out—­heard some music—­heard some politics.  More ministers from the other Italian powers gone to Congress.  War seems certain—­in that case, it will be a savage one.  Talked over various important matters with one of the initiated.  At ten and half returned home.

“I have just thought of something odd.  In the year 1814, Moore (’the poet,’ par excellence, and he deserves it) and I were going together, in the same carriage, to dine with Earl Grey, the Capo Politico of the remaining Whigs.  Murray, the magnificent (the illustrious publisher of that name), had just sent me a Java gazette—­I know not why, or wherefore.  Pulling it out, by way of curiosity, we found it to contain a dispute (the said Java gazette) on Moore’s merits and mine.  I think, if I had been there, that I could have saved them the trouble of disputing on the subject.  But, there is fame for you at six and twenty!  Alexander had conquered India at the same age; but I doubt if he was disputed about, or his conquests compared with those of Indian Bacchus, at Java.

“It was a great fame to be named with Moore; greater to be compared with him; greatest—­pleasure, at least—­to be with him; and, surely, an odd coincidence, that we should be dining together while they were quarrelling about us beyond the equinoctial line.

“Well, the same evening, I met Lawrence the painter, and heard one of Lord Grey’s daughters (a fine, tall, spirit-looking girl, with much of the patrician, thorough-bred look of her father, which I dote upon) play on the harp, so modestly and ingenuously, that she looked music.  Well, I would rather have had my talk with Lawrence (who talked delightfully) and heard the girl, than have had all the fame of Moore and me put together.

“The only pleasure of fame is that it paves the way to pleasure; and the more intellectual our pleasure, the better for the pleasure and for us too.  It was, however, agreeable to have heard our fame before dinner, and a girl’s harp after.