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preference of the Committee. My friend Perry has, indeed, et tu, Brute-d me rather scurvily, for which I will send him, for the Morning Chronicle, the next epigram I scribble, as a token of my full forgiveness.

Do the Committee mean to enter into no explanation of their proceedings? You must see there is a leaning towards a charge of partiality. You will, at least, acquit me of any great anxiety to push myself before so many elder and better anonymous, to whom the twenty guineas (which I take to be about two thousand pounds Bank currency) and the honour would have been equally welcome. "Honour," I see, "hath skill in para"graph-writing."

I wish to know how it went off at the second reading, and whether any one has had the grace to give it a glance of approbation. I have seen no paper but Perry's and two Sunday ones. Perry is severe, and the others silent. If, however, you and your Committee are not now dissatisfied with your own judgments, I shall not much embarrass myself about the brilliant remarks of the journals. My own opinion upon it is what it always was, perhaps pretty near that of the public.

Believe me, my dear Lord, etc., etc.

P.S. My best respects to Lady H., whose smiles will be very consolatory, even at this distance.

The Address was also severely handled in A Critique on the Address written by Lord Byron, which was Spoken at the opening of the New Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, October 10, 1812. By Lord (London, no date). The author is "astonished at the glaring faults "and general insipidity" of the address, and, after a detailed criticism, concludes that "public indignation" will sympathize with the rejected poets, and ". pursue the rival patrons and the rival bard."

Rogers, writing to Moore, October 22, 1812 (Memoirs, etc., of Thomas Moore, vol. viii. p. 123), says, "Poor Byron ! what I hear "and read of his prologue makes me very angry. Of such value is "public favour! So a man is to be tried by a copy of verses thrown "off perhaps at hazard, and invitâ Minervă!”

263.-To John Hanson.

Cheltenham, Oct. 18th, 1812.

DEAR SIR,-With perfect confidence in you I sign the note; but is not Claughton's delay very strange? let us take care what we are about. I answered his letter, which I enclose to you, very cautiously; the wines and China, etc., I will not demur much upon; but the vase and cup (not the skull cup) and some little coffee things brought from the East, or made for the purpose of containing relics brought from thence, I will not part with, and if he refuses to ratify, I will take such steps as the Law will allow on the form of the contract for compelling him to ratify it.

Pray write. I am invited to Lord O.'s and Lord H.'s; but if you wish very much to meet me I can come to

town.

I suppose the tythe purchase will be made in my name. What is to be done with Deardon?1 Mrs. M[assingberd] is dead, and I would wish something

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1. Deardon was the lessee of the Rochdale coal-pits. 'When "Mr. France was here," writes Mrs. Byron to Hanson, July 13, 1811 (Kölbing's Englische Studien, vol. xxv. p. 153), "he told me there "had been an injunction procured to prevent Deardin from working "the Coal Pits that was in dispute between Lord Byron and him, "but since France was here, there has been a Man from Lancashire "who says they are worked by Deardin the same as ever. I also "heard that the Person you sent down to take an account of the "Coals was bribed by Deardin, and did not give an account of half "of what was got."

2. For Mrs. Massingberd, see Letters, vol. i. p. 100, at end of note 3. Byron's pecuniary transactions, though not unimportant in their influence on his career, are difficult to unravel. The following statement, in his own handwriting, with regard to the Annuities was apparently prepared for some legal proceedings, and is dated January 16, 1812 :-"Lord Byron, to the best of his knowledge "and recollection, in Dec., 1805-January, 1806 applied to King, "in consequence of an advertisement in the papers, who acquainted "Lord Byron that his minority prevented all money transactions

1812.]

THE TRIBE OF ISRAEL.

175

settled for the Daughter who is still responsible. Will you give a glance into that business, and if possible first settle something about the Annuities.

I shall perhaps draw within a £100 next week, but I will delay for your answer on C.'s business.

Ever yours, sincerely and affectionately,

My love to all the family.

BYRON.

I wish to do something for young Rushton, if practicable at Rochdale; if not, think of some situation where he might occupy himself to avoid Idleness, in the mean time.

264.-To John Murray.

Cheltenham, Oct. 18, 1812.

DEAR SIR,-Will you have the goodness to get this Parody of a peculiar kind1 (for all the first lines are

"without the security of competent persons. Through Mr. K. he "became acquainted with Mr. Dellevelly, another of the tribe of “Israel, and subsequently with a Mr. Howard of Golden Square.

"After many delays, during which Lord B. had interviews with "Howard, once, he thinks, in Golden Square, but more frequently "in Piccadilly, Mrs. M[assingberd] agreed to become security jointly "with her daughter. Lord B. knows Howard's person perfectly "well, has not seen him subsequent to the transaction, but recollects "Howard's mentioning to him that he, Lord B., was acting im'prudently, stating that he made it a rule to advise young men "against such proceedings. Lord B. recollects, on the day on "which the money was paid, that he remained in the next room till "the papers were signed, Mrs. M[assingberd] having stated that the "parties wished him to be kept out of sight during the business, and "wished to avoid even mentioning his name. Mrs. M[assingberd] "deducted the interest for two years and a half, and £100 for "Howard's papers." Two other Annuities were effected, in both of which Mrs. Massingberd figured as a security, and in one the manager of Dorant's Hotel. It was the interest on these minority loans which crippled Byron. Two were still unpaid in 1817.

1. The Parenthetical Address, "By Dr. Plagiary," is a parody

Busby's entire), inserted in several of the papers (correctly -and copied correctly; my hand is difficult)—particularly the Morning Chronicle? Tell Mr. Perry I forgive him all he has said, and may say against my address, but he will allow me to deal with the Doctor—(audi alteram partem) -and not betray me. I cannot think what has befallen Mr. Perry, for of yore we were very good friends ;—but no matter, only get this inserted.

I have a poem on Waltzing for you, of which I make you a present; but it must be anonymous. It is in the old style of English Bards, and Scotch Reviewers.

Ever yours,

BYRON.

P.S.-With the next edition of Childe Harold you

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by Byron of Dr. Busby's Address, the original of which will be found in the Genuine Rejected Addresses, as well as parodied in Rejected Addresses ("Architectural Atoms "). On October 14 young Busby forced his way on to the stage of Drury Lane, attempted to recite his father's address, and was taken into custody. On the next night, Dr. Busby, speaking from one of the boxes, obtained a hearing for his son, who could not, however, make his voice heard in the theatre. Then another "rejected" author tried to recite his composition, but was hooted down. Order was restored by Raymond reminding the audience that the Chamberlain's licence was necessary for all stage speeches. To the failure of the younger Busby (himself a competitor and the author of an "Unalogue" of fifty-six lines) to make himself heard, Byron alludes in the stage direction to the Parenthetical Address-"to be spoken in an inarticulate voice by "Master P." The Parenthetical Address appeared in the Morning Chronicle for October 23, 1812. In the same issue was printed a long statement by Dr. Busby, in which, after paying a compliment to Byron's "poetical genius," he insisted that the Committee of Drury Lane had broken faith by not choosing one of the addresses sent in by competitors. (See references to Dr. Busby in Poems, vol. i. pp. 481 and 485, note 1.) Dr. Thomas Busby (1755-1838) composed the music for Holcroft's Tale of Mystery, the first musical melodrama produced on the English stage (Covent Garden, November 13, 1802). He was for some time assistant editor of the Morning Post, and Parliamentary reporter for the London Courant; wrote on musical subjects, taught languages and music, and translated Lucretius into rhymed verse (1813).

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may print the first fifty or a hundred opening lines of the Curse of Minerva,' down to the couplet beginning

Mortal ('twas thus she spake), etc.

Of course, the moment the Satire begins, there you will stop, and the opening is the best part.

265.-To Robert Rushton.

Cheltenham, Oct. 18th, 1812.

ROBERT,-I hope you continue as much as possible to apply yourself to Accounts and Land-Measurement, Whatever change may take place about Newstead, there will be none as to you and Mr. Murray. It is intended to place you in a situation in Rochdale for which your pursuance of the Studies I recommend will best fit you. Let me hear from you; is your health improved since I was last at the Abbey? In the mean time, if any accident occur to me, you are provided for in my will, and if not, you will always find in your Master a sincere Friend.

B.

--

266.-To John Murray.

Oct. 19, 1812.

DEAR SIR, Many thanks, but I must pay the damage, and will thank you to tell me the amount for the engraving. I think the Rejected Addresses by far the best thing of the kind since the Rolliad, and wish you had published them. Tell the author "I forgive him, were

1. The Curse of Minerva, written at Athens, in 1811, was not published as a whole till 1828. But the first fifty-four lines appeared in Canto III. of The Corsair (1814). (See The Curse of Minerva : Introductory note, Poems, 1898, vol. i. p. 453.)

VOL. II.

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