sorry that opinion should be revoked. Believe me, your friendship is of more account to me than all those absurd vanities in which, I fear, you conceive me to take too much interest. I have never disputed your superiority, or doubted (seriously) your good will, and no one shall ever "make mischief between us" without the sincere regret on the part of your ever affectionate, etc.

P.S.-I shall see you, I hope, at Lady Jersey's.1 Hobhouse goes also.

1. George Child-Villiers (1773-1859), "in manners and appear"ance le plus grand seigneur of his time," succeeded his father, "the Prince of Maccaronies," in 1805, as fifth Earl of Jersey. He was twice Lord Chamberlain to William IV., and twice Master of the Horse to Queen Victoria. He married, in 1804, Lady Sarah Sophia Fane, eldest daughter of John, tenth Earl of Westmorland, and heiress, through her mother, née Sarah Anne Child, of the fortune of her grandfather, Robert Child, the banker.

Lady Jersey for many years reigned supreme, by her beauty and wit, in London society, "the veriest tyrant," said Byron, "that ever "governed Fashion's fools, and compelled them to shake their caps "and bells as she willed it." At Almack's, where, according to Gronow (Reminiscences, vol. i. p. 32), she introduced the quadrille after Waterloo, she was a despot. Almack's, the very clever and personal picture of fashionable life, published in 1826, is dedicated To that most Distinguished and Despotic Conclave, composed of "their High Mightinesses the Ladies Patronesses of the Balls at "Almack's, the Rulers of Fashion, the Arbiters of Taste, the "Leaders of Ton, and the Makers of Manners, whose Sovereign "sway over the world' of London has long been established on the "firmest basis, whose Decrees are Laws, and from whose judgment "there is no appeal." Over this "Willis Coalition Cabinet" Lady Jersey, as Lady Hauton," is described as reigning supreme. "She "knew more than any person I ever met with, and both everything "and everybody; she could quiz and she could flatter." "Treat "people like fools," she is supposed to say, "and they will worship "you; stoop to make up to them, and they will directly tread you "underfoot."

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Ticknor (Life, vol. i. p. 269) speaks of her as a "beautiful "creature, with a great deal of talent, taste, and elegant knowledge." He was at Almack's, in 1819, and standing close to Lady Jersey, "then at the height of beauty and brilliant talent, a leader in society, "and with decided political opinions," when she refused the Duke of Wellington admittance. The lady patronesses had made a rule to admit no one after eleven o'clock. When the rule first came into operation, Ticknor heard one of the attendants announce that the

1812.]

LADY JERSEY.

231.-To Thomas Moore.

113

March 25, 1812.

Know all men by these presents, that you, Thomas Moore, stand indicted-no-invited, by special and

Duke of Wellington was at the door. "What o'clock is it?" Lady Jersey asked. Seven minutes after eleven, your ladyship." She paused a moment, and then said, with emphasis and distinctness,

Give my compliments,—give Lady Jersey's compliments to the "Duke of Wellington, and say that she is very glad that the first "enforcement of the rule of exclusion is such that hereafter no one "can complain of its application. He cannot be admitted" (ibid., vol. i. pp. 296, 297).

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Politically, Lady Jersey was a power. Such an entry as the following sounds strange to modern readers: Dining at Lord Holland's, in 1835, in company with Lord Melbourne, Lord Grey, and other prominent politicians, Ticknor notes that "public business was much talked about-the corporation bill, the motion "for admitting Dissenters to the universities, etc., etc.; and as to "the last, when the question arose whether it would be debated on "Tuesday night, it was admitted to be doubtful whether Lady Jersey "would not succeed in getting it postponed, as she has a grand "dinner that evening " (Life, vol. i. pp. 409, 410).

Lady Jersey, whose mother-in-law, née Frances Twyden, had been a bitter opponent of the Princess of Wales, provoked the wrath of the Regent by espousing the cause of his wife. The Prince was determined to break off this friendship with his wife's champion, and sent a letter to her by the hand of Colonel Willis, announcing his determination. Some time later they met at a great party given by Henry Hope in Cavendish Square. Lady Jersey was walking with Rogers in the gallery, when they met the Prince, who "stopped "for a moment, and then, drawing himself up, marched past her "with a look of the utmost disdain. Lady Jersey returned the "look to the full; and, as soon as the Prince was gone, said to me, "with a smile, 'Didn't I do it well?'" (Table-Talk of Samuel Rogers, pp. 267, 268).

From this same change of feeling arose the incident which Byron celebrated in his Condolatory Address "On the Occasion of the "Prince Regent Returning her Picture to Mrs. Mee." The lines were enclosed with a letter which is printed at the date May 29, 1814. "Pegasus is, perhaps, the only horse of whose paces," said Byron (Conversations with Lady Blessington, p. 51), “Lord [Jersey] "Could not be a judge." Of Lady Jersey he says (ibid., p. 50), "Of all that coterie, Madame [de Staël], after Lady [Jersey], was "the best; at least I thought so, for these two ladies were the "only ones who ventured to protect me when all London was crying "out against me on the separation, and they behaved courageously VOL. II.

I

particular solicitation, to Lady Caroline Lamb's1 tomorrow evening, at half-past nine o'clock, where you will

"and kindly. . . Poor dear Lady [Jersey]! Does she still retain "her beautiful cream-coloured complexion and raven hair? I used "to long to tell her that she spoiled her looks by her excessive "animation; for eyes, tongue, head, and arms were all in movement at once, and were only relieved from their active service by "want of respiration," etc., etc.

1. Lady Caroline Lamb (1785-1828), the "Calantha Avondale " of her own Glenarvon, was the daughter of Frederick Ponsonby, third Earl of Bessborough, by his wife, Lady Henrietta Frances Spencer, sister of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire. She was brought up, partly in Italy under the care of a servant, partly by her grandmother, the wife of John, first Earl Spencer. She married, June 3, 1805, William Lamb, afterwards Lord Melbourne.

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Then

Her manuscript commonplace-book is in the possession of the Hon. G. Ponsonby. A few pages are taken up with a printed copy of the Essay on the Progressive Improvement of Mankind, with which her husband won the declamation prize at Trinity, Cambridge, in 1798. The rest of the volume consists of some 200 pages filled with prose, and verse, and sketches. It begins with a list of her nicknames"Sprite,' Young Savage,' "Ariel," "Squirrel," etc. follow the secret language of an imaginary order; her first verses, written at the age of thirteen; scraps of poetry, original and extracted, in French, Italian, and English; a long fragment of a wild romantic story of a girl's seduction by an infidel nobleman. clever sketch in water-colour of William Lamb and of herself, after their marriage, is followed by verses on the birth of her son, "little "Augustus," August 23, 1807. The last stanza of a poem, which has nothing to commend it except the feelings of the wife and mother which it expresses, runs thus

"His little eyes like William's shine;

How great is then my joy,

For, while I call this darling mine,

I see 'tis William's boy!'

A

The most ambitious effort in the volume is a poem, illustrated with pictures in water-colours, such as L'Amour se cache sous le voile d'Amitié, or l'Innocence le recoit dans ses bras; a third, in the style of Blake, bears the inscription le Désespoir met fin à ses jours. The poem opens with the following lines :

"Winged with Hope and hushed with Joy,

See yon wanton, blue-eyed Boy,

Arch his smile, and keen his dart,

Aim at Laura's youthful heart!
How could he his wiles disguise?
How deceive such watchful eyes?

How so pure a breast inspire,
Set so young a Mind on fire?

1812.]

LADY CAROLINE LAMB.

115

meet with a civil reception and decent entertainment. Pray, come-I was so examined after you this morning, that I entreat you to answer in person.

Believe me, etc.

'Twas because to raise the flame
Love bethought of friendship's name.
Under this false guise he told her
That he lived but to behold her.
How could she his fault discover
When he often vowed to love her?
How could she her heart defend

When he took the name of friend?"

Dates are seldom affixed to the compositions, and it is impossible to say whether any are autobiographical. But, taken as a whole, they reveal a clever, romantic, impulsive, imaginative woman, whose pet names describe at once the charm of her character and the fascination of her small, slight figure, "golden hair, large hazel "eyes," and low musical voice.

Her marriage with William Lamb, June 3, seems to have been at first kept secret. Lord Minto in August, 1805 (Life and Letters, vol. iii. p. 361), speaks of her as unmarried, and adds that she is "a lively and rather a pretty girl; they say she is very clever." Augustus Foster, writing to his mother, Lady Elizabeth Foster, July 30, 1805 (The Two Duchesses, p. 233), says, "I cannot fancy Lady Caroline married. I cannot be glad of it. How changed "she must be-the delicate Ariel, the little Fairy Queen become a "wife and soon perhaps a mother." Lady Elizabeth replies, September 30, 1805 (ibid., p. 242): "You may retract all your sorrow "about Caro Ponsonby's marriage, for she is the same wild, delicate, "odd, delightful person, unlike everything."

Lady Caroline and William Lamb are described by Lady Elizabeth, three months later, as "flirting all day long è felice adesso." The phrase, perhaps, correctly expresses Lady Caroline's conception of love as an episode; but no breach occurred till 1813. In the previous year, when Byron had suddenly risen to the height of his fame, she had refused to be introduced by Lady Westmorland to the man of whom she made the famous entry in her Diary “mad, "bad, and dangerous to know." But they met, a few days later, at Holland House, and Byron called on her in Whitehall, where for the next four months he was a daily visitor. On blue-bordered paper, embossed at the corners with scallop-shells, she wrote to Byron, at an early stage in their acquaintance, the letter numbered I in Appendix III.

For the sequel to the story of their friendship, see Byron's letter to Lady Caroline, p. 135, note 1, and Appendix III.

232.-To Lady Caroline Lamb.

[Undated.]

I never supposed you artful: we are all selfish,— nature did that for us. But even when you attempt deceit occasionally, you cannot maintain it, which is all the better; want of success will curb the tendency. Every word you utter, every line you write, proves you to be either sincere or a fool. Now as I know you are not the one, I must believe you the other.

I never knew a woman with greater or more pleasing talents, general as in a woman they should be, something of everything, and too much of nothing. But these are unfortunately coupled with a total want of common conduct. For instance, the note to your page do you suppose I delivered it? or did you mean that I should? I did not of course.

Then your heart, my poor Caro (what a little volcano!), that pours lava through your veins; and yet I cannot wish it a bit colder, to make a marble slab of, as you sometimes see (to understand my foolish metaphor) brought in vases, tables, etc., from Vesuvius, when hardened after an eruption. To drop my detestable

1. The following letter from Lady Caroline to Fletcher, Byron's valet, illustrates the statement in the text :

"FLETCHER,-Will you come and see me here some evening at "9, and no one will know of it. You may say you bring a letter, "and wait the answer. I will send for you in. But I will let you "know first, for I wish to speak with you. I also want you to take "the little Foreign Page I shall send in to see Lord Byron. Do not "tell him before-hand, but, when he comes with flowers, shew him "in. I shall not come myself, unless just before he goes away; so "do not think it is me. Besides, you will see this is quite a child, "only I wish him to see my Lord if you can contrive it, which, if "you tell me what hour is most convenient, will be very easy. I 'go out of Town to-morrow for a day or two, and I am now quite "well-at least much better."

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