On May 28 1814, Lord Byron writes to Lady Melbourne after receiving a letter from Lady Caroline Lamb.
Lady Me. – I have just received a wrathful epistle from C. demanding letters – pictures – and all kinds of gifts which I never requested & am ready to resign as soon as they can be gathered together – at the same time it might be as well {for her} to restore my letters – as every body has read them by this time – and they can no longer be of use to herself and her five hundred sympathizing friends. – She also complains of some barbarous usage – of which I know nothing except that I was told of an inroad which occurred when I was fortunately out – and am not at all disposed to regret the circumstance of my absence either for her sake or my own. – I am also menaced in her letter with immediate marriage – of which I am equally unconscious – at least I have not proposed to anybody – and if anyone has to me – I have quite forgotten it – if she alludes to Ly. A. F. she has made a sad mistake – for not a syllable of love ever passed between us – but a good deal of heraldry & mutual hatred of Music – the merits of Mr. Kean – and the excellence of white soup and plovers eggs for a light supper – besides – Lady R. who is good authority – says that I do not care about Ly. A – nor Lady A. about me – and that if such an impossibility did occur – she could not possibly approve of it – nor anyone else – in all which I quite acquiesce with ye. said Lady R. <from> {with} whom however I never had a moment’s conversation on the subject – but hear this from a friend – who is in very bad humour with her – & not much better with me – why – I can’t divine – being as innocent & ill used as C. herself in her <b> very best story. –
If you can pare her down to good humour – do – I am really at this moment – thinking as little of the person with whom She commits me to matrimony – as of herself – and I mean to leave London next week if I can – in the meantime I hope we shall meet at Lady Grey’s or Clare’s this evening – ever yrs most affectly
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