and, it may be, an enemy. These things, and those minuter details
of business, which time accumulates during absence, in every man's
affairs and property, may, and probably will, recall me to England;
but I shall return with the same feelings with which I left it, in
respect to itself, though altered with regard to individuals, as I
have been more or less informed of their conduct since my
departure; for it was only a considerable time after it that I was
made acquainted with the real facts and full extent of some of
their proceedings and language. My friends, like other friends,
from conciliatory motives, withheld from me much that they could,
and some things which they _should_ have unfolded; however, that
which is deferred is not lost--but it has been no fault of mine
that it has been deferred at all.

"I have alluded to what is said to have passed at Rome merely to
show that the sentiment which I have described was not confined to
the English in England, and as forming part of my answer to the
reproach cast upon what has been called my 'selfish exile,' and my
'voluntary exile.' 'Voluntary' it has been; for who would dwell
among a people entertaining strong hostility against him? How far
it has been 'selfish' has been already explained."

[Footnote 2: While these sheets are passing through the press, a printed
statement has been transmitted to me by Lady Noel Byron, which the
reader will find inserted in the Appendix to this volume. (_First
Edition_.)]

* * * * *

The following passages from the same unpublished pamphlet will be found,