His features indicate great sensibility; his eyes are
particularly striking, and of a deep blue colour; his nose aquiline;
his expression generally saturnine. His step is light, but firm; and
he appears to possess much more energy of constitution than men of
fifty-two who have been studious in their habits, exhibit in general.
His time for study is mostly during the stillness of night, when he
can be wholly abstracted from external objects. He is remarkable for
absence of mind; is charitable and kind in his disposition, but of quick
temper. His amusements are few; the friend and conversation only; and
in the "flow of soul" there are few men possessing more companionable
qualities. His heart is perhaps one of the best that beats in a human
bosom: "it is," observes a biographer, "that which should belong to
the poet of _Gertrude,_ his favourite personification."
To exhibit the poet in the social circle, as well as to introduce a very
piquant portrait, drawn by a friend, we subjoin a leaf or two from Leigh
Hunt's _Lord Byron and some of his Contemporaries_[5]--displaying
all the graphic ease for which Mr. Hunt is almost without a rival:--
[5] We are aware of part of the subsequent extract having appeared
in vol.
Pages:
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27