1812.] MOORE'S POETRY. 220.-To Thomas Moore. January 29, 1812. 95 MY DEAR MOORE,—I wish very much I could have seen you; I am in a state of ludicrous tribulation. * * * Why do you say that I dislike your poesy? I have expressed no such opinion, either in print or elsewhere. In scribbling myself, it was necessary for me to find fault, and I fixed upon the trite charge of immorality, because I could discover no other, and was so perfectly qualified in the innocence of my heart, to "pluck that mote from "my neighbour's eye." I feel very, very much obliged by your approbation; but, at this moment, praise, even your praise, passes by me like "the idle wind." I meant and mean to send you a copy the moment of publication; but now I can think of nothing but damned, deceitful,-delightful woman, as Mr. Liston says in the Knight of Snowdon. Believe me, my dear Moore, Ever yours, most affectionately, 66 BYRON. 1. Of Moore's early poems Byron was an admirer. The influence of "Little" and "Anacreon" is strongly marked throughout Hours of Idleness. For the "trite charge of immorality," see English Bards, etc., lines 283-294; and Letters, vol. i. p. 113. Byron's opinion of Moore's later poetry was thus stated by him to Lady Blessington (Conversations, pp. 354, 355): Having_compared Rogers's poems to a flower-garden, to what shall I compare "Moore's?-to the Valley of Diamonds, where all is brilliant and 66 attractive, but where one is so dazzled by the sparkling on every side that one knows not where to fix, each gem beautiful in itself, "but overpowering to the eye from their quantity." 66 2. The Knight of Snowdoun, a musical drama, written by Thomas Morton (1764-1838), and founded on The Lady of the Lake, was produced at Covent Garden, Feb. 5, 1811, and published the same year. John Liston (1776-1846), the most famous comedian of the century, played the part of "Macloon," his wife that of "Isabel." In act iii. sc. 3 Macloon says, "Oh, woman! woman! deceitful, "damnable, (changing into a half-smile) delightful woman! do all 66 one can, there's nothing else worth thinking of." 221.-To Francis Hodgson. 8, St. James's Street, Feb. 1, 1812. MY DEAR HODGSON,-I am rather unwell with a vile cold, caught in the House of Lords last night. Lord Sligo and myself, being tired, paired off, being of opposite sides, so that nothing was gained or lost by our votes. I did not speak: but I might as well, for nothing could have been inferior to the Duke of Devonshire, Marquis of Downshire, and the Earl of Fitzwilliam. The Catholic Question comes on this month, and perhaps I may then commence. I must "screw my courage to the sticking"place," and we'll not fail. Yours ever, B. 222.-To Samuel Rogers. February 4, 1812. MY DEAR SIR,-With my best acknowledgments to Lord Holland,' I have to offer my perfect concurrence in the propriety of the question previously to be put to ministers. If their answer is in the negative, I shall, with his Lordship's approbation, give notice of a motion for a Committee of Inquiry. I would also gladly avail myself of his most able advice, and any information or documents with which he might be pleased to intrust me, to bear me out in the statement of facts it may be necessary to submit to the House. From all that fell under my own observation during my Christmas visit to Newstead, I feel convinced that, 1. For Lord Holland, see Letters, vol. i. p. 184, note 1. He was Recorder of Nottingham; hence his special interest in the proposed legislation against frame-breaking. 1812.] RIOTS AT NOTTINGHAM. 97 if conciliatory measures are not very soon adopted, the most unhappy consequences may be apprehended.1 Nightly outrage and daily depredation are already at 1. Owing to the state of trade, numbers of stocking-weavers had lost work. The discontent thus produced was increased by the introduction of a wide frame for the manufacture of gaiters and stockings, which, it was supposed, would further diminish the demand for manual labour. In November, 1811, organized bands of men began to break into houses and destroy machinery. For several days no serious effort was made to check the riots, which extended to a considerable distance round Nottingham. But on November 14 the soldiers were called out. Between that date and December 9, 900 cavalry and 1000 infantry were sent to Nottingham; and, on January 8, 1812, these forces were increased by two additional regiments. The rioters assumed the name of Luddites, and their leader was known as General Lud. The name is said to have originated in 1779, in a Leicestershire village, where a half-witted lad, named Ned Lud, broke a stocking-frame in a fit of passion; hence the common saying, when machinery was broken, that "Ned Lud" did it. A Bill was introduced in the House of Commons (February 14) increasing the severity of punishments for frame-breaking. On the second reading (February 17) Sir Samuel Romilly strongly opposed the measure, which passed its third reading (February 20) without a division. The Bill, as introduced into the Upper House by Lord Liverpool, (1) rendered the offence of frame-breaking punishable by death; and (2) compelled persons in whose houses the frames were broken to give information to the magistrates. On the second reading of the Bill (February 27, 1812), Byron spoke against it in his first speech in the House of Lords (see Appendix II. (1)). The Bill passed its third reading on March 5, and became law as 52 Geo. III. c. 16. Byron did not confine his opposition to a speech in the House of Lords. He also addressed "An Ode to the Framers of "the Frame Bill," which appeared in the Morning Chronicle on Monday, March 2, 1812. The following letter to Perry, the editor, is published by permission of Messrs. Ellis and Elvey, in whose possession is the original : "SIR,-I take the liberty of sending an alteration of the two last "lines of Stanza 2a which I wish to run as follows, "Gibbets on Sherwood will heighten the Scenery Shewing how Commerce, how Liberty thrives !' "I wish you could insert it tomorrow for a particular reason; but "I feel much obliged by your inserting it at all. Of course, do not "put my name to the thing. Believe me, "Your obliged and very obed Serv*, "8, St. James Street, Sunday, "BYRON. VOL. II. H their height; and not only the masters of frames, who are obnoxious on account of their occupation, but persons in no degree connected with the malecontents or their oppressors, are liable to insult and pillage. I am very much obliged to you for the trouble you have taken on my account, and beg you to believe me, Ever your obliged and sincere, etc. 223-To Master John Cowell.1 8, St. James's Street, February 12, 1812. MY DEAR JOHN,-You have probably long ago forgotten the writer of these lines, who would, perhaps, be unable to recognize yourself, from the difference which must naturally have taken place in your stature and I. "Breakfasted with Mr. Cowell," writes Moore, in his Diary, June 11, 1828, "having_made_his acquaintance for the purpose of 'gaining information about Lord Byron. Knew Byron for the "first time when he himself was a little boy, from being in the habit "of playing with B.'s dogs. Byron wrote to him to school to bid "him mind his prosody. Gave me two or three of his letters to "him. Saw a good deal of B. at Hastings; mentioned the anec"dote about the ink-bottle striking one of the lead Muses. These "Muses had been brought from Holland; and there were, I think, "only eight of them arrived safe. Fletcher had brought B. a large "jar of ink, and, not thinking it was full, B. had thrust his pen "down to the very bottom; his anger at finding it come out all "besmeared with ink made him chuck the jar out of the window, "when it knocked down one of the Muses in the garden, and 'deluged her with ink. In 1813, when B. was at Salt Hill, he had "Cowell over from Eton, and pouched him no less than ten pounds. "Cowell has ever since kept one of the notes. Told me a curious "anecdote of Byron's mentioning to him, as if it had made a great "impression on him, their seeing Shelley (as they thought) walking "into a little wood at Lerici, when it was discovered afterwards "that Shelley was at that time in quite another direction. "said Byron, in a sort of awe-struck voice, was about ten days "before his death.' Cowell's imitation of his look and manner "very striking. Thinks that in Byron's speech to Fletcher, when "he was dying, threatening to appear to him, there was a touch of "that humour and fun which he was accustomed to mix up with “everything” (Memoirs, Journals, etc., vol. v. pp. 302, 303). 'This,' 1812.] A FAVOUR FOR A LITTLE BOY. 99 appearance since he saw you last. I have been rambling through Portugal, Spain, Greece, etc., etc., for some years, and have found so many changes on my return, that it would be very unfair not to expect that you should have had your share of alteration and improvement with the rest. I write to request a favour of you: a little boy of eleven years, the son of Mr. **, my particular friend, is about to become an Etonian, and I should esteem any act of protection or kindness to him as an obligation to myself: let me beg of you then to take some little notice of him at first, till he is able to shift for himself. I was happy to hear a very favourable account of you from a schoolfellow a few weeks ago, and should be glad to learn that your family are as well as I wish them to be. I presume you are in the upper school;— as an Etonian, you will look down upon a Harrow man; but I never, even in my boyish days, disputed your superiority, which I once experienced in a cricket match, where I had the honour of making one of eleven, who were beaten to their hearts' content by your college in one innings.1 Believe me to be, with great truth, etc., etc., B. 224.-To Francis Hodgson. 8, St. James's Street, February 16, 1812. DEAR HODGSON,-I send you a proof. Last week I was very ill and confined to bed with stone in the kidney, but I am now quite recovered. The women are gone to their relatives, after many attempts to explain what was already too clear. If the stone had got into 1. See Letters, vol. i. p. 70, and note 1. |