House of Lords, in a state more lone and unfriended, perhaps, than any youth of his high station had ever before been reduced to on such an occasion,—­not having a single individual of his own class either to take him by the hand as friend or acknowledge him as acquaintance.  To chance alone was he even indebted for being accompanied as far as the bar of the House by a very distant relative, who had been, little more than a year before, an utter stranger to him.  This relative was Mr. Dallas; and the account which he has given of the whole scene is too striking in all its details to be related in any other words than his own:—­

“The Satire was published about the middle of March, previous to which he took his seat in the House of Lords, on the 13th of the same month.  On that day, passing down St. James’s Street, but with no intention of calling, I saw his chariot at his door, and went in.  His countenance, paler than usual, showed that his mind was agitated, and that he was thinking of the nobleman to whom he had once looked for a hand and countenance in his introduction to the House.  He said to me—­’I am glad you happened to come in; I am going to take my seat, perhaps you will go with me.’  I expressed my readiness to attend him; while, at the same time, I concealed the shock I felt on thinking that this young man, who, by birth, fortune, and talent, stood high in life, should have lived so unconnected and neglected by persons of his own rank, that there was not a single member of the senate to which he belonged, to whom he could or would apply to introduce him in a manner becoming his birth.  I saw that he felt the situation, and I fully partook his indignation.

“After some talk about the Satire, the last sheets of which were in the press, I accompanied Lord Byron to the House.  He was received in one of the ante-chambers by some of the officers in attendance, with whom he settled respecting the fees he had to pay.  One of them went to apprise the Lord Chancellor of his being there, and soon returned for him.  There were very few persons in the House.  Lord Eldon was going through some ordinary business.  When Lord Byron entered, I thought he looked still paler than before; and he certainly wore a countenance in which mortification was mingled with, but subdued by, indignation.  He passed the woolsack without looking round, and advanced to the table where the proper officer was attending to administer the oaths.  When he had gone through them, the Chancellor quitted his seat, and went towards him with a smile, putting out his hand warmly to welcome him; and, though I did not catch his words, I saw that he paid him some compliment.  This was all thrown away upon Lord Byron, who made a stiff bow, and put the tips of his fingers into the Chancellor’s hand.  The Chancellor did not press a welcome so received, but resumed his seat; while Lord Byron carelessly seated himself for a few minutes on one of the empty benches to the left of the throne, usually occupied by the lords in opposition.  When, on his joining me, I expressed what I had felt, he said—­’If I had shaken hands heartily, he would have set me down for one of his party—­but I will have nothing to do with any of them, on either side; I have taken my seat, and now I will go abroad.’  We returned to St. James’s Street, but he did not recover his spirits.”