1811.] A ROUGH BACHELOR'S HALL. 49 195.-To James Wedderburn Webster. Newstead Abbey, Oct. 10th, 1811. DEAR WEBSTER,-I can hardly invite a gentleman to my house a second time who walked out of it the first in so singular a mood, but if you had thought proper to pay me a visit, you would have had a "Highland "Welcome." I am only just returned to it out of Lancashire, where I have been on business to a Coal manor of mine near Rochdale, and shall leave it very shortly for Cambridge and London. My companions, or rather companion, (for Claridge alone has been with me) have not been very amusing, and, as to their "Sincerity," they are doubtless sincere enough for a man who will never put them to the trial. Besides you talked so much of your conjugal happiness, that an invitation from home would have seemed like Sacrilege, and my rough Bachelor's Hall would have appeared to little advantage after the Bower of Armida " 1 where you have been reposing. I cannot boast of my social powers at any time, and just at present they are more stagnant than ever. Your Brother-in-law 2 means to stand for Wexford, but I have reasons for thinking the Portsmouth interest will be 1. Armida is the Sorceress, the niece of Prince Idreotes, in Tasso's Jerusalem Delivered, in whose palace Rinaldo forgets his vow as a crusader. Byron, in Don Juan (Canto I. stanza Ixxi.), says― "But ne'er magician's wand Wrought change, with all Armida's fairy art, Like what this light touch left on Juan's heart." In the Catalogue of Byron's books, sold April 5, 1816, appear four editions of Tasso's Gerusalemme Liberata, being those of 1776, 1785, 1813, and one undated. 2. For George Annesley, Lord Valentia, afterwards Earl of Mountnorris (1769-1844), see Poems, ed. 1898, vol. i. p. 378, and note 5. VOL. II. E Do you against him; however I wish him success. mean to stand for any place next election? What are your politics? I hope Valentia's Lord is for the Catholics. You will find Hobhouse at Enniscorthy in the contested County. Pray what has seized you? your last letter is the only one in which you do not rave upon matrimony. Are there no symptoms of a young W. W.? and shall I never be a Godfather? I believe I must be married myself soon, but it shall be a secret and a Surprise. However, knowing your exceeding discretion I shall probably entrust the secret to your silence at a proper period. You have, it is true, invited me repeatedly to Dean's Court,1 and now, when it is probable I might adventure there, you wish to be off. Be it so. If you address your letters to this place they will be forwarded wherever I sojourn. I am about to meet some friends at Cambridge and on to town in November. The papers are full of Dalrymple's Bigamy 2 (I know the man). What the Devil will he do with his Spare-rib? He is no beauty, but as lame as myself. He has more ladies than legs, what comfort to a cripple! Sto sempre umilissimo servitore. 1. Near Wimborne, Dorset. BYRON. 2. The suit of Dalrymple v. Dalrymple was tried before Sir William Scott, in the Consistory Court, Doctors' Commons, July 16, 1811. The suit was brought by Mrs. Dalrymple (née Joanna Gordon) against Captain John William Henry Dalrymple, By Scottish law he was held to have been married to Miss Gordon, and his subsequent marriage with Miss Manners, sister of the Duchess of St. Albans, was held to be illegal. 196.-To R. C. Dallas. Newstead Abbey, October 10th, 1811. DEAR SIR, Stanzas 24, 26, 29,1 though crossed must stand, with their alterations. The other three 2 are cut out to meet your wishes. We must, however, have a repetition of the proof, which is the first. I will write soon. Yours ever, P.S.-Yesterday I returned from Lancs. 1. The stanzas are xxiv., xxv., xxvi. of Canto I. 2. The following are the three deleted stanzas :— XXV. "In golden characters, right well designed, XXVII. "But when Convention sent his handy work, Pens, tongues, feet, hands, combined in wild uproar ; The bench of Bishops half forgot to snore; Stern Cobbett, who for one whole week forbore To question aught, once more with transport leapt, And bit his dev'lish quill agen, and swore With foe such treaty never should be kept. B. Then burst the blatant beast, and roared and raged and— slept !!! XXVIII. "Thus unto heaven appealed the people; heaven, 197.-To R. C. Dallas. Newstead Abbey, Oct. 11, 1811. I have returned from Lancashire, and ascertained that my property there may be made very valuable, but various circumstances very much circumscribe my exertions at present. I shall be in town on business in the beginning of November, and perhaps at Cambridge before the end of this month; but of my movements you shall be regularly apprised. Your objections I have in part done away by alterations, which I hope will suffice; and I have sent two or three additional stanzas for both "Fyttes." I have been again shocked with a death, and have lost one very dear to me in happier times; but "I have almost forgot the taste of grief," and "supped full of horrors" 2 till I have become callous, nor have I a tear left for an event which, five years ago, would have bowed down my head to the earth. It seems as though I were to experience in my youth the greatest misery of age. My friends fall around me, and I shall be left a lonely tree before I am withered. Other men can always take refuge in their families; I have no resource but my own reflections, and they present no prospect here or hereafter, except the selfish satisfaction of surviving my betters. I am indeed very But mercy cloaked the babes beneath her wing; Then live ye, triumph gallants! and bless your judges' phlegm." I. The reference is to Edleston (see Letters, vol. i. p. 130, note 3), of whose death Miss Edleston had recently sent Byron an account. 2. "I have almost forgot the taste of fears: I have supp'd full with horrors." Macbeth, act v. sc. 5. 1811.] SOUTHWELL AS A RESIDENCE. 53 wretched, and you will excuse my saying so, as you know I am not apt to cant of sensibility. Instead of tiring yourself with my concerns, I should be glad to hear your plans of retirement. I suppose you would not like to be wholly shut out of society? Now I know a large village, or small town, about twelve miles off, where your family would have the advantage of very genteel society, without the hazard of being annoyed by mercantile affluence; where you would meet with men of information and independence; and where I have friends to whom I should be proud to introduce you. There are, besides, a coffee-room, assemblies, etc., etc., which bring people together. My mother had a house there some years, and I am well acquainted with the economy of Southwell, the name of this little commonwealth. Lastly, you will not be very remote from me; and though I am the very worst companion for young people in the world, this objection would not apply to you, whom I could see frequently. Your expenses, too, would be such as best suit your inclinations, more or less, as you thought proper; but very little would be requisite to enable you to enter into all the gaieties of a country life. You could be as quiet or bustling as you liked, and certainly as well situated as on the lakes of Cumberland, unless you have a particular wish to be picturesque. Pray, is your Ionian friend in town? You have promised me an introduction. You mention having consulted some friend on the MSS. Is not this contrary to our usual way? Instruct Mr. Murray not to allow his shopman to call the work Child of Harrow's Pilgrimage!!!!! as he has done to some of my astonished 66 1. Francis Hodgson, writing to Byron, October 8, 1811, says, Murray's shopman, taught, I presume, by himself, calls Psyche |