54 — To John M. B. Pigot
London, Sunday, midnight, August 10, 1806.
Pigot, — This
astonishing
packet will, doubtless, amaze you; but having an idle hour this evening, I wrote the enclosed stanzas
, which I request you will deliver to Ridge, to be printed
separate
from my other compositions, as you will perceive them to be improper for the perusal of ladies; of course, none of the females of your family must see them. I offer 1000 apologies for the trouble I have given you in this and other instances.
Yours truly.
These are probably some silly lines "To Mary," written in the erotic style of Moore's early verse. To the same Mary, of whom nothing is known, are addressed the lines "To Mary, on receiving her Picture" (
Poems
, vol. i. pp. 32, 33).