[Footnote 3: William Spencer, Marquis of Hartington (1790-1858),
succeeded his father as sixth Duke of Devonshire in 1811, and died
unmarried. His sister, Georgiana Dorothy, married, in 1801, Lord
Carlisle's eldest son.]





15.--To the Hon. Augusta Byron.


Harrow, Saturday, 11th Novr, 1804.


I thought, my dear Augusta, [1] that your opinion of my _meek mamma_
would coincide with mine; Her temper is so variable, and, when
inflamed, so furious, that I dread our meeting; not but I dare say,
that I am troublesome enough, but I always endeavour to be as dutiful
as possible. She is so very strenuous, and so tormenting in her
entreaties and commands, with regard to my reconciliation, with that
detestable Lord G. [2] that I suppose she has a penchant for his
Lordship; but I am confident that he does not return it, for he rather
dislikes her than otherwise, at least as far as I can judge. But she
has an excellent opinion of her personal attractions, sinks her age a
good six years, avers that when I was born she was only eighteen, when
you, my dear Sister, know as well as I know that she was of age when
she married my father, and that I was not born for three years