133 — To his Mother.

Smyrna, April 9, 1810.

Dear Mother, — I know you will be glad to hear from me: I wish I could say I am equally delighted to write. However, there is no great loss in my scribbles, except to the portmanteau-makers, who, I suppose, will get all by and by.

Nobody but yourself asks me about my creed, — what I am, am not, etc., etc. If I were to begin

explaining

, God knows where I should leave off; so we will say no more about that, if you please.

I am no "good soul," and not an atheist, but an English gentleman, I hope, who loves his mother, mankind, and his country. I have not time to write more at present, and beg you to believe me,

Ever yours, etc.,

Byron

.

P.S.-Are the Miss — — anxiously expecting my arrival and contributions to their gossip and

rhymes

, which are about as bad as they can be?

B.