“You have probably long ago forgotten the writer of these lines, who would, perhaps, be unable to recognise yourself, from the difference which must naturally have taken place in your stature and appearance since he saw you last. I have been rambling through Portugal, Spain, Greece, &c. &c. for some years, and have found so many changes on my return, that it would be very unfair not to expect that you should have had your share of alteration and improvement with the rest. I write to request a favour of you: a little boy of eleven years, the son of Mr. * *, my particular friend, is about to become an Etonian, and I should esteem any act of protection or kindness to him as an obligation to myself; let me beg of you then to take some little notice of him at first, till he is able to shift for himself.
“I was happy to hear a very favourable account of you from a
schoolfellow a few weeks ago, and should be glad to learn that your family are as well
as I wish them to be. I presume you are in the upper school;—as an Etonian, you will look down upon a Harrow man; but I
never, even in my boyish days, disputed your superiority, which I once
| A. D. 1812. | LIFE OF LORD BYRON. | 335 |
