But enough of quotations; and now what poet has ever written or spoken of love with words and images more chaste, more truly welling from his own heart? We feel that he has given us the key to that. And if, after all these demonstrations, there still remain any readers who continue to accept as true the pleasantries, satires, and mystifications contained in some of his verses, I do not pretend to write for them. They are to be pitied, but there is no hope of convincing them. That depends on their quality of mind. The only thing possible, then, is to recall some of those anecdotes which, while justifying them in a measure, yet at the same time illustrate Lord Byron's way of acting. I will select one. When Lord Byron was at Pisa a friend of Shelley's, whom he sometimes saw, had formed a close intimacy with Lady B----, a woman of middle-age but of high birth. The tie between them was evidently the result of vanity on Mr. M----'s side, and, as she was the mother of a large family, it was doubly imperative on her to be respectable. But that did not prevent Mr. M---- from boasting of his success, and even (that he might be believed) from going into disgusting details in his eagerness for praise. One day that Mr. M---- was in the same _salon_ (at Mrs. Sh----'s house) with Lord Byron and the Countess G----, the conversation turned upon women and love in general, whereupon Mr. M---- lauded to the skies the devotedness, constancy, and truth of the sex. When he had finished his sentimental "tirade," Lord Byron took up the opposite side, going on as Don Juan or Childe Harold might. It was easy to see he was playing a part, and that his words, partly in jest, partly ironical, did not express his thoughts. Nevertheless they gave pain to Mme. G----, and, as soon as they were alone, Lord Byron having asked her why she was sad, she told him the cause. "I am very sorry to have grieved you," said he, "but how could you think that I was talking seriously?" "I did not think it," she said, "but those who do not know you will believe all; M---- will not fail to repeat your words as if they were your real opinions; and the world, knowing neither him nor you, will remain convinced that he is a man full of noble sentiments, and you a real Don Juan, not indeed your own charming youth, but Moliere's Don Juan!" "Very probably," said Lord Byron; "and that will be another true page to add to M----'s note-book. I can't help it. I couldn't resist the temptation of punishing M---- for his vanity. All those eulogiums and sentimentalities about women were to make us believe how charming they had always been toward him, how they had always appreciated his merits, and how passionately in love with him Lady B---- is now. My words were meant to throw water on his imaginary fire." Alas! it was on such false appearances that they made up, then and since, the Lord Byron still believed in by the generality of persons.