1811.] MOTTO FROM MONBRON. 39 187.-To John Murray. Newstead Abbey, Sept. 16, 1811. DEAR SIR,-I return the proof, which I should wish to be shown to Mr. Dallas, who understands typographical arrangements much better than I can pretend to do. The printer may place the notes in his own way, or any way, so that they are out of my way; I care nothing about types or margins. If you have any communication to make, I shall be here at least a week or ten days longer. I am, Sir, etc., etc., BYRON. 188.-To R. C. Dallas. Newstead Abbey, Sept. 16, 1811. DEAR SIR,-I send you a motto "L'univers est une espèce de livre, dont on n'a lu que "la première page quand on n'a vu que son pays. J'en ai "feuilleté un assez grand nombre, que j'ai trouvé également "mauvaises. Cet examen ne m'a point été infructueux. "Je haïssais ma patrie. Toutes les impertinences des "peuples divers, parmi lesquels j'ai vécu, m'ont réconcilié "avec elle. Quand je n'aurais tiré d'autre bénéfice de mes voyages que celui-là, je n'en regretterais ni les frais, "ni les fatigues." "Le Cosmopolite." 1 1. Fougeret de Monbron, born at Péronne, served in the Gardes du Corps, but abandoned the sword for the pen, and published Henriade Travestie (1745); Préservatif Contre l'Anglomanie (1787); and Le Cosmopolite (1750). His novels, Margot la Ravaudeuse, Thérèse Philosophe, and others, appeared under the name of Fougeret. He died in 1761. In that year was published in London an edition of Le Cosmopolite, ou le Citoyen du Monde, par Mr. de Monbron, If not too long, I think it will suit the book. The passage is from a little French volume, a great favourite with me, which I picked up in the Archipelago. I don't think it is well known in England; Monbron is the author; but it is a work sixty years old. Good morning! I won't take up your time. Yours ever, BYRON. 189.-To R. C. Dallas. Newstead Abbey, Sept. 17, 1811. I can easily excuse your not writing, as you have, I hope, something better to do, and you must pardon my frequent invasions on your attention, because I have at this moment nothing to interpose between you and my epistles. I cannot settle to any thing, and my days pass, with the exception of bodily exercise to some extent, with uniform indolence, and idle insipidity. I have been expecting, and still expect, my agent, when I shall have enough to occupy my reflections in business of no very pleasant aspect. Before my journey to Rochdale, you shall have due notice where to address me-I believe at the postoffice of that township. From Murray I received a second proof of the same pages, which I requested him with the motto, "Patria est ubicunque est bene" (Cic. 5, Tusc. 37). Byron's quotation is the opening paragraph of the book. The author, who had travelled in England, returns to France a complete "Jacques Rôt-de-Bif." He then visits Holland, the Low Countries, Constantinople, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and England a second time. He finds that the charm has vanished, and that the English are no better than their neighbours. It is a cynical little book, abounding in such sayings as, Make acquaintances, not friends; intimacy "breeds disgust; 99 66 'The best fruit of travelling is the justification of "instinctive dislikes." Monbron, like Byron, ridicules the traveller's passion for collecting broken statues and antiques. 1811.] 1 A CERBERUS IN PRINT. 41 to show you, that any thing which may have escaped my observation may be detected before the printer lays the corner-stone of an errata column. I am now not quite alone, having an old acquaintance and school-fellow' with me, so old, indeed, that we have nothing new to say on any subject, and yawn at each other in a sort of quiet inquietude. I hear nothing from Cawthorn, or Captain Hobhouse; and their quarto -Lord have mercy on mankind! We come on like Cerberus with our triple publications. As for myself, by myself, I must be satisfied with a comparison to Fanus. I am not at all pleased with Murray for showing the MS.; and I am certain Gifford must see it in the same light that I do. His praise is nothing to the purpose: what could he say? He could not spit in the face of one who had praised him in every possible way. I must own that I wish to have the impression removed from his mind, that I had any concern in such a paltry transaction. The more I think, the more it disquiets me; so I will say no more about it. It is bad enough to be a scribbler, without having recourse to such shifts to extort praise, or deprecate censure. It is anticipating, it is begging, kneeling, adulating,-the devil! the devil! the devil! and all without my wish, and contrary to my express desire. I wish Murray had been tied to Payne's neck when he jumped into the Paddington Canal, and so tell him,— 1. John Claridge. (See Letters, vol. i. p. 267, note 2.) 2. I.e. Childe Harold, Hints from Horace, and Travels in Albania. 3. Mr. Payne, of the firm of Payne and Mackinlay, the publishers of Hodgson's Juvenal, committed suicide by drowning himself in the Paddington Canal. Byron, in a note to Hints from Horace, line 657, thus applies the incident : “A literary friend of mine, walking out one lovely evening last 66 'summer, on the eleventh bridge of the Paddington canal, was "alarmed by the cry of 'one in jeopardy:' he rushed along, that is the proper receptacle for publishers. You have thought of settling in the country, why not try Notts. ? I think there are places which would suit you in all points, and then you are nearer the metropolis. But of this anon. I am, yours, etc., BYRON. 190.-To R. C. Dallas. Newstead Abbey, Sept. 17, 1811. DEAR SIR,-I have just discovered some pages of observations on the modern Greeks, written at Athens by me, under the title of Noctes Attica. They will do to cut up into notes, and to be cut up afterwards, which is all that notes are generally good for. They were written at Athens, as you will see by the date. Yours ever, B. "collected a body of Irish haymakers (supping on buttermilk in an 'adjacent paddock), procured three rakes, one eel spear and a "landing-net, and at last (horresco referens) pulled out-his own 66 publisher. The unfortunate man was gone for ever, and so was a "large quarto wherewith he had taken the leap, which proved, on "inquiry, to have been Mr. Southey's last work. Its alacrity of "sinking' was so great, that it has never since been heard of; though 66 some maintain that it is at this moment concealed at Alderman "Birch's pastry-premises, Cornhill. Be this as it may, the coroner's "inquest brought in a verdict of Felo de Bibliopola' against a "'quarto unknown,' and circumstantial evidence being since strong against the Curse of Kehama (of which the above words are an exact description), it will be tried by its peers next session, in "Grub Street-Arthur, Alfred, Davideis, Richard Coeur de Lion, "Exodus, Exodiad, Epigoniad, Calvary, Fall of Cambria, Siege of "Acre, Don Roderick, and Tom Thumb the Great, are the names "of the twelve jurors. The judges are Pye, Bowles, and the "bell-man of St. Sepulchre's." 1811.] NOTES TO CHILDE HAROLD. 43 191.-To R. C. Dallas. Newstead Abbey, Sept, 21, 1811. I have shown my respect for your suggestions by adopting them; but I have made many alterations in the first proof, over and above; as, for example: Oh Thou, in Hellas deem'd of heavenly birth, etc., etc. Since shamed full oft by later lyres on earth, Yet there I've wander'd by the vaunted rill; and so on. So I have got rid of Dr. Lowth and “drunk” to boot, and very glad I am to say so. I have also sullenised the line as heretofore, and in short have been quite conformable. Pray write; you shall hear when I remove to Lancashire. I have brought you and my friend Juvenal Hodgson upon my back, on the score of revelation. You are fervent, but he is quite glowing; and if he take half the pains to save his own soul, which he volunteers to redeem mine, great will be his reward hereafter. I honour and thank you both, but am convinced by neither. Now for notes. Besides those I have sent, I shall send the observations on the Edinburgh Reviewer's remarks on the modern Greek, an Albanian song in the Albanian (not Greek) language, specimens of modern Greek from their New Testament, a comedy of Goldoni's translated, one scene, a prospectus of a friend's book, and perhaps a song or two, all in Romaic, besides their Pater Noster; so there will be enough, if not too much, with what I have already sent. Have you received the "Noctes Attica"? |