his sword-stick along, and moulding, as he went, his thronging
thoughts into shape. Often too, when in the boat, he would lean
abstractedly over he side, and surrender himself up, in silence, to
the same absorbing task.

The conversation of Mr. Shelley, from the extent of his poetic reading
and the strange, mystic speculations into which his system of
philosophy led him, was of a nature strongly to arrest and interest
the attention of Lord Byron, and to turn him away from worldly
associations and topics into more abstract and untrodden ways of
thought. As far as contrast, indeed, is an enlivening ingredient of
such intercourse, it would be difficult to find two persons more
formed to whet each other's faculties by discussion, as on few points
of common interest between them did their opinions agree; and that
this difference had its root deep in the conformation of their
respective minds needs but a glance through the rich, glittering
labyrinth of Mr. Shelley's pages to assure us.


_Letter of Lord to Lady Byron._

"I have to acknowledge the receipt of 'Ada's hair,' which is very soft
and pretty, and nearly as dark already as mine was at twelve years
old, if I may judge from what I recollect of some in Augusta's
possession, taken at that age. But it don't curl--perhaps from its
being let grow. I also thank you for the inscription of the date and
name, and I will tell you why;--I believe that they are the only two
or three words of your hand-writing in my possession. For your letters
I returned, and except the two words, or rather the one word,
'household,' written twice in an old account book, I have no other. I