and ill-health; _it was evident, also, that his mind was
obfuscated by the wine he had been drinking_. He was confused
and tedious in his remarks; still, there was nothing but
what one would have thought would have been received with
indulgence, if not deference, from a veteran of his fame and
standing; a living classic. On the contrary, to my surprise, I
soon observed signs of impatience in the company; the poet was
repeatedly interrupted by coughs and discordant sounds, and
as often endeavored to proceed; the noise at length became
intolerable, and he was absolutely clamored down, sinking
into his chair overwhelmed and disconcerted. I could not have
thought such treatment possible to such a person at such a
meeting. Hallam, author of the Literary History of the Middle
Ages, who sat by me on this occasion, marked the mortification
of the poet, and it excited his generous sympathy. Being
shortly afterward on the floor to reply to a toast, he took
occasion to advert to the recent remarks of Campbell, and in
so doing called up in review all his eminent achievements in
the world of letters, and drew such a picture of his claims
upon popular gratitude and popular admiration, as to convict
the assembly of the glaring impropriety they had been guilty
of--to soothe the wounded sensibility of the poet, and send
him home to, I trust, a quiet pillow.'

"Now, the very same facts are seen by different observers in a
different point of view. It so happened that we ourselves were present
at this dinner, which took place in 1842; and the painful circumstance
alluded to by Mr. Irving did not produce the effect on us, that it
appears to have produced on him. Without making a long story about
a trifle, we can call to mind no appearance of hostility or ill-will