Page:Journal of Conversations with Lord Byron.pdf/89

 he was not formed for what generally is understood by that term; he has none of the "small change" that passes current in the mart of society; his gold is in ingots, and cannot be brought into use for trifling expenditures; he, however, talks a good deal, and likes to raconter.

Talking of people who were great talkers, he observed that almost all clever people were such, and gave several examples; amongst others, he cited Voltaire, Horace Walpole, Johnson, Napoleon Bonaparte, and Madame de Staël. "But," said he, my friend, Lady -, would have talked them all out of the field. She, I suppose, has heard that all clever people are great talkers, and so has determined on displaying, at least, one attribute of that genus; but her ladyship would do well to recollect, that all great talkers are not clever people - a truism that no one can doubt who has been often in her society."

Lady - "continued Byron, "with beaucoup de ridicule, has many essentially fine qualities; she is independent in her principles - though, by the by, like all Independents, she allows that privilege to few others, being the veriest tyrant that ever governed Fashion's fools, who are compelled to shake their caps and bells as