the Tartar, the finest frigate in the navy. I have mention the two Lords Lyttleton in a manner they seen most scenes, and wish to look at a naval life. respectively deserve, and will be surprised to heat We are going probably to the Mediterranean, or to the person who is now addressing you has been the West Indies, or to the d-1; and if there is a frequently compared to the latter. I know I am in possibility of taking me to the latter Bettesworth juring myself in your esteem by this avowal, but will do it; for he has received four-and-twenty the circumstance was so remarkable from your ob wounds in different places, and at this moment pos- servation, that I cannot help relating the fact. The sesses a letter from the late Lord Nelson, stating events of my short life have been of so singular a Bettesworth as the only officer in the navy who had nature, that though the pride commonly called more wounds than himself.* honor has, and I trust ever will, prevent me from "I have got a new friend, the finest in the world, disgracing my name by a mean or cow.rdly action a tame bear. When I brought him here, they asked I have been already held up as the votary of licen me what I meant to do with him, and my reply was, tiousness, and the disciple of infidelity. How fa he should sit for a fellowship.' Sherard will ex- justice may have dictated this accusation I canno! plain the meaning of the sentence, if it is ambigu- pretend to say, but like the gentleman to whom my ous. This answer delighted them not. We have religious friends, in the warmth of their charity, have several parties here, and this evening a large as- already devoted me, I am made worse than I really sortment of jockeys, gamblers, boxers, authors, am. However, to quit myself, (the worst theme I parsons, and poets, sup with me,—a precious mix- could pitch upon,) and return to my Poems, I canture, but they go on well together and for me, I not sufficiently express my thanks, and I hope 1 am a spice of every thing except a jockey; by-the- shall some day have an opportunity of rendering by, I was dismounted again the other day. them in person. A second edition is now in the "Thank your brother in my name for his treatise. press, with some additions and considerable amisI have written 214 pages of a novel,-one poem of sions; you will allow me to present you with a copy. 380 lines,† to be published (without my name) in a The Critical, Monthly, and Anti-Jacobin Reviews few weeks, with notes,-560 lines of Bosworth have been very indulgent; but the Eclectic has pro Field, and 250 lines of another poem in rhyme, be-nounced a furious Philippic, not against the bod sides half a dozen smaller pieces. The poem to be but the author, where you will find all I have men published is a Satire. Apropos, I have been praised tioned asserted by a reverend divine who wrote the to the skies in the Critical Review, and abused critique. greatly in another publication. So much the better, i "Your name and connexion with our family have they tell me, for the sale of the book; it keeps up been long known to me, and I hope your person controversy, and prevents it being forgotten. Be- will be not less so; you will find me an excellent sides, the first men of all ages have had their share, compound of a Brainless' and a Stanhope.'* nor do the humblest escape;-so I bear it like a am afraid you will hardly be able to read this, for philosopher. It is odd two opposite critiques came my hand is almost as bad as my character, but you out on the same day, and out of five pages of abuse will find me, as legibly as possible, "Your obliged and obedient servant, my censor only quotes two lines from different poems, in support of his opinion., Now the proper way to cut up, is to quote long passages, and make them appear absurd, because simple allegation is no proof. On the other hand, there are seven pages of praise, and more than my modesty will allow said on the subject. Adieu. "P S. Write, write, write!!!" LETTER XXIII. "BYRON "SIR, LETTER XXII. TO MR. DALLAS. "Dorant's Hotel, Albemarle street, Jan. 20, 1808. "Whenever leisure and inclination permit me the pleasure of a visit, I shall feel truly gratified in a personal acquaintance with one whose mind has been long known to me in his writings. "You are so far correct in your conjecture, that I am a member of the University of Cambridge, where I shall take my degree of A. M. this term; "Your letter was not received till this morning, I but were reasoning, eloquence, or virtue the objects presume from being addressed to me in Notts, of my search, Granta is not their metropolis, nor is where I have not resided since last June, and the place of her situation an El Dorado,' far less as the date is the 6th, you will excuse the delay of a Utopia. The intellects of her children are stagnant as her Cam,† and their pursuits limited to the church-not of Christ, but of the nearest bene fice. my answer. as "If the little volume you mention has given pleasure to the author of Percival and Aubrey, I am sufficiently repaid by his praise. Though our "As to my reading, I believe I may aver, without periodical censors have been uncommonly lenient, I hiperbole, it has been tolerably extensive in the his confess a tribute from a man of acknowledged genius torical; so that few nations exist, or have existed is still more flattering. But I am afraid I should with whose records I am not in some degree acforfeit all claim to candor, if I did not decline such quainted, from Herodotus down to Gibbon. Of the praise as I do not deserve; and this is, I am sorry classics, I know about as much as most school boys to say, the case in the present instance. after a discipline of thirteen years; of the law of My compositions speak for themselves, and the land as much as enables me to keep within the must stand or fall by their own worth or demerit: statute'-to use the poacher's vocabulary, I did thus far I feel highly gratified by your favorable study the Spirit of Laws' and the Law of of Naopinion. But my pretences to virtue are unluckily tions; but when I saw the latter violated every so few, that though should be happy to merit, I month, I gave up my attempts at so useless an as cannot accept your applause in that respect. One complishment;-of geography, I have seen more passage in your letter struck me forcibly: you land on maps than I should wish to traverse on foot;-of mathematics, enough to give me the • See postscript to the English Bords and Scotch Reviewers. 1 Engah Bar's and Scotch Reviewers. 1 Hours of Ile. • Characters in the novel called Percival ↑ See E. B. and 8. R page 456 headache without clearing the part affected :-of "I meant to have been down in July; Lut think philosophy, astronomy, and metaphysics, more ing my appearance, immediately after the publica than I can comprehend, and of common sense so tion, would be construed into an insult, I directed little, that I mean to leave a Byronian prize at each my steps elsewhere. Besides, I heard that some of our Alma Matres' for the first discovery,-of the boys had got hold of my Libellus, contrary though I rather fear that of the Longitude will pre- to my wishes certainly, for I never transmitted a cede it. single copy till October, when I gave one to a boy, "I once thought myself a philosopher, and since gone, after repeated importunities. You will, talked nonsense with great decorum: I defied pain, I trust, pardon this egotism. As you had touched and preached up equanimity. For some time this on the subject, I thought some explanation necesdid very well, for no one was in pain for me but my sary. Defence I shall not attempt, Hic murns friends, and none lost their patience but my hear-aheneus esto, nil conscire sibi'-and 'so on' (as ers. At last, a fall from my horse convinced me Lord Baltimore said, on his trial for a rape)--I have oodily suffering was an evil; and the worst of an been so long at Trinity as to forget the conclusion argument overset my maxims and my temper at the of the line; but, though I cannot finish my quota same moment, so I quitted Zeno for Aristippus, and tion, I will my letter, and entreat you to believe conceive that pleasure constitutes the rо Kaλov. In me, gratefully and affectionately, &c. morality, I prefer Confucius to the Ten Command- "P. S. I will not lay a tax on your time by ments, and Socrates to St. Paul, though the latter requiring an answer, lest you say, as Butler said to two agree in their opinion of marriage. In religion, Tatersall, (when I had written his reverence ar I favor the Catholic emancipation, but do not ac- impudent epistle on the expression before menknowledge the Pope; and I have refused to take tioned,) viz., 'that I wanted to draw him into a the Sacrament, because I do not think eating bread correspondence.'' or drinking wine from the hand of an earthly vicar LETTER XXIV. FO MR. HENRY DRURY.* MY DEAR SIR, "Dorant's Hotel, Jan. 13, 1908. LETTER XX v TO MR. HARNESS. "Dorant's Hotel, Albemarle street, Feb. 11 1808 "MY DEAR HARNESS, "As I had no opportunity of returning my verbal thanks, I trust you will accept my written acknowl edgments for the compliment you were pleased to pay some production of my unlucky muse last November-I am induced to do this not less from the pleasure I feel in the praise of an old school fellow, than from justice to you, for I had heard the story with some slight variations. Indeed, when we met this morning, Wingfield had not undeceived me, but he will tell you that I displayed no resent"Though the stupidity of my servants, or the ment in mentioning what I had heard, though 1 porter of the house, in not showing you up stairs, was not sorry to discover the truth. Perhaps you (where I should have joined you directly,) pre- hardly recollect some years ago a short, though, for vented me the pleasure of seeing you yesterday, I the time, a warm friendship between us! Why it hoped to meet you at some public place in the eve- was not of longer duration, I know not. I have ning. However, my stars decreed otherwise, as still a gift of yours in my possession, that must they generally do, when I have any favor to re- always prevent me from forgetting it. I also quest of them. I think you would have been sur- remember being favored with the perusal of many prised at my figure, for, since our last meeting, I am of your compositions and several other circumreduced four stone in weight. I then weighed four-stances very pleasant in their day, which I will not teen stone seven pound, and now only ten stone and force upon your memory, but entreat you to believe a half. I have disposed of my superfluities by me, with much regret at their short continuance, means of hard exercise and abstinence. and a hope they are not irrevocable, yours very "Should your Harrow engagements allow you to sincerely, &c. BYRON." visit town between this and Febuary, I shall be most happy to see you in Albemarle street. am not so fortunate, I shall endeavor to join you for an afternoon at Harrow, though, I fear, your cellar will by no means contribute to my cure. for my worthy preceptor, Dr. B., our encounter would by no means prevent the mutual endearments| he and I were wont to lavish on each other. We have only spoken once since my departure from Harrow in 1805, and then he politely told Tatersall "March, 1800 I was not a proper associate for his pupils. This "We both seem perfectly to recollect, with a was long before iny strictures were in verse: but, in mixture of pleasure and regret, the hours we once plain prose, had I been some years older, I should passed together, and I assure you most sincerely have held my tongue on his perfections. But being they are numbered among the happiest of my brief laid on my back, when that schoolboy thing was chronicle of enjoyment. I am now getting into written or rather dictated-expecting to rise no years, that is to say, I was twenty a month ago, and more, my physician having taken his sixteenth fee, another year will send me into the world to run my and I his prescription, I could not quit this earth without leaving a memento of my constant attachment to Butler in gratitude for his manifold good offices. If I As • Son of Doctor Drury, Lord Byron's former Master at Harrow School. LETTER XXVI. 46 TO MR. HARNESS.- -[FRAGMENT.J career of folly with the rest. I was then just four teen,-you were almost the first of my Harrow friends, certainly the first in my esteem, if not in date; but an absence from Harrow for some time, shortly after, and new connexions on your side, and the difference in our conduct (an advantage decidedly LETTER XXVIII. TO MR. BECHER. "Dorant's, March, 1808. in your favor) from that turbulent and riotous Jisposition of mine, which impelled me into every species of mischief, all these circumstances combined to destroy an intimacy, which Affection urged me to continue, and Memory compels me to regret. But there is not a circumstance attending that "I have lately received a copy of the new edition period, hardly a sentence we exchanged, which is from Ridge, and it is high time for me to return my not impressed on my mind at this moment. I need best thanks to you for the trouble you have taken not say more, this assurance alone must convince in the superintendence. This I do most sincerely, you, had I considered them as trivial, they would and only regret that Ridge has not seconded you as have been less indelible. How well I recollect the I could wish,-at least, in the bindings, paper, &c., perusal of your first flights!' There is another of the copy he sent to me. Perhaps those for the circumstance you do not know;-the first lines I public may be more respectable in such articles. ever attempted at Harrow were addressed to you." "You have seen the Edinburgh Review, of You were to have seen them; but Sinclair had the course. I regret that Mrs. Byron is so much copy in his possession when we went home;—and, on annoyed. For my own part, these paper bullets our return, we were strangers. They were destroyed, of the brain' have only taught me to stand fire; and certainly no great loss; but you will perceive and, as I have been lucky enough upon the whole, from this circumstance my opinions at an age when my repose and appetite are not discomposed. Pratt, we cannot be hypocrites. the gleaner, author, poet, &c., &c., addressed a "I have dwelt longer on this theme than I long rhyming epistle to me on the subject, by way intended, and I shall now conclude with what I of consolation; but it was not well done, so I do ought to have begun. We were once friends,-nay, not send it, though the name of the man might we have always been so, for our separation was the make it go down. The E. R's. have not performed effect of chance, not of dissension. I do not know their task well; at least the literati tell me this, how far our destinations in life may throw us and I think I could write a more sarcastic critique together, but if opportunity and inclination allow on myself than any yet published. For instance, you to waste a thought on such a harebrained being instead of the remark,-ill-natured enough, but not as myself, you will find me at least sincere, and not keen,-about Mac Pherson, I (quoad reviewers) so bigoted to my faults as to involve others in the could have said, 'Alas, this imitation only proves consequences. Will you sometimes write to me? the assertion of Doctor Johnson, that many men, I do not ask it often, and, if we meet, let us be women, and children could write such poetry as what we should be and what we were." Ossian's.' LETTER XXVII. TO MR. BECHER. "MY DEAR BECHER, "Dorant's Hotel, Feb. 26, 1808. "I am thin and in exercise. During the spring or summer I trust we shall meet. I hear Lord Ruthyn leaves Newstead in April. As soon as he quits it for ever, I wish you would take a ride over, survey the mansion, and give me your candid opinion on the most advisable mode of proceeding with regard to the house. Entre nous, I am cursedly dipped; my debts, every thing inclusive, will be nine or ten thousand before I am twenty-one. But I have reason to think my property will turn out better than general expectation may conceive. Of Newstead I have little hope or care; but Hanson, Now for Apollo. I am my agent, intimated my Lancashire property was happy that you still retain your predilection, and worth three Newsteads. I believe we have it that the public allow me some share of praise. I hollow; though the defendants are protracting the um of so much importance that a most violent surrender, if possible, till after my majority, for the attack is preparing for me in the next number of purpose of forming some arrangement with me, the Edinburgh Review. This I had from the thinking I shall probably prefer a sum in hand to a authority of a friend who has seen the proof and reversion. Newstead I may sell-perhaps I will manuscript of the critique. You know the system not,-though of that more anon. I will come of the Edinburgh gentlemen is universal attack. down in May or June. *** They praise none; and neither the public nor the author expect praise from them. It is, however, something to be noticed, as they profess to pass judgment only on works requiring the public attention. You will see this, when it comes out;it is, I understand, of the most unmerciful descrip-| tion; but I am aware of it, and hope you will not be hurt by its severity. "DEAR JACK, "Yours most truly, &c." LETTER XXIX. TO MR. JACKSON. N. A. Netta, Sept. 18, 1805 "Tell Mrs. Byron not to be out of humor with them, and to prepare her mind for the greatest hostility on their part. It will do no injury whatever, and I trust her mind will not be ruffled. They defeat their object by indiscriminate abuse, and they "I wish you would inform me what has been never praise, except the partizans of Lord Holland and Co. It is nothing to be abused when Southey, done by Jekyll, at No. 40 Sloane Square, concernMoore, Lauderdale, Strangford, and Payne Knight ing the pony I returned as unsound. share the same fate. "I have also to request you will call on Louch, "I am sorry-but Childish Recollections' must at Brompton, and inquire what the devil he meant be suppressed during this edition I have altered, by sending such an insolent letter to me at Brightat your suggestion, the obnoxious auusions in the on; and at the same time tell him I by no means sixth stanza of my last ode. can comply with the charge he has made for things "And now, my dear Becher, I must return my pretended to be damaged. best acknowledgments for the interest you have "Ambrose behaved most scandalously about the taken in me and my poetical bantlings, and I shall pony. You may tell Jekyll if he does not refund ever be proud to show how much I esteem the the money, I shall put the affair into my lawyer's advice and the adviser. "Believe me most truly, &c." The Pugilist. See note to Don Juan. Canto XI, nat.ds. Five-and-twenty guineas is a sound price] for a pony, and by, if it cost me five hundred pounds, I will make an example of Mr. Jekyll, and that immediately, unless the cash is returned. Believe me, dear Jack, &c." LETTER XXX. TO MR. JACKSON. "N. A., Notts, Oct. 4, 1808. "I have no beds for the Hs, or any body else at present. The Hs sleep at Mansfield. I dc not know that I resemble Jean Jacques Rousseau.† I have no ambition to be like so illustrious a madman-but this I know, that I shall live in my own manner, and as much alone as possible. When my rooms are ready I shall be glad to see you; at present it would be improper, and uncomfortable to both parties. You can hardly object to my render "You will make as good a bargain as possible ing my mansion habitable, notwithstanding my with this Master Jekyll, if he is not a gentleman. departure for Persia in March, (or May at farthest,) If he is a gentleman, inform me, for I shall take very since you will be tenant till my return; and in case different steps. If he is not, you must get what of any accident,) for I have already arranged my you can of the money, for I have too much business will to be drawn up the moment I am twenty-one,) on hand at present to commence an action. Besides, I have taken care you shall have the house and maAmbrose is the man who ought to refund,-but Í nor for life, besides a sufficient income. So you see have done with him. You can settle with L. out my improvements are not entirely selfish. As of the balance, and dispose of the bidets, &c., as I have a friend here, we will go to the Infirmary you best can. Ball on the 12th; we will drink tea with Mrs. Byron at eight o'clock, and expect to see you at the ball. If that lady will allow us a couple of rooms to dress in, we shall be highly obliged-if we are at the ball by ten enough, and we shall three or four. Adieu. "I should be very glad to see you here; but the house is filled with workmen, and undergoing a thorough repair. I hope, however, to be more fortunate before many months have elapsed. "If you see Bold Webster, remember me to him, and tell him I have to regret Sydney, who has perished, I fear, in my rabbit warren, for we have seen nothing of him for the last fortnight. "Adieu.-Believe me, &c." 66 or eleven it will be time return to Newstead about Believe me, Yours, very truly, "BYRON " LETTER XXXI. TO MR. JACKSON. MY DEAR JACK, "N. A., Notta, Dec. 12, 1808. "You will get the greyhound from the owner at any price, and as many more of the same breed (male or female) as you can collect. "If you please, we will forget the things you mention. I have no desire to remember them When my rooms are finished, I shall be happy to see you; as I tell but the truth, you will not suspect me of evasion. I am furnishing the house more for "Tell D'Egville his dress shall be returned-I you than myself, and I shall establish you in it beam obliged to him for the pattern. I am sorry you fore I sail for India, which I expect to do in March, should have so much trouble, but I was not aware if nothing particularly obstructive occurs. of the difficulty of procuring the animals in ques- now fitting up the green drawing-room; the red for tion. I shall have finished part of my mansion in a bed-room, and the rooms over as sleeping-rooms. a few weeks, and, if you can pay me a visit at Christmas, I shall be very glad to see you. "Believe me, &c." LETTER XXXII. TO MR. BECHER. "Newstead Abbey, Notts, Sept. 14, 1808. "MY DEAR BECHER, I am They will be soon completed ;-at least, I hope so. "I wish you would inquire of Major Watson (who is an old Indian) what things will be necessary to provide for my voyage. I have already procured a friend to write to the Arabic professor at Cambridge for some information I am anxious to procure. I can easily get letters from Government to the ambassadors, consuls, &c., and also to the governors at Calcutta and Madras. I shall place my property and will in the hands of trustees till my return, and I mean to appoint you one. From Hanson I have heard nothing-when I do you shall have the particulars. one. "After all, you must own my project is not a bad "I am much obliged to you for your inquiries, If I do not travel now, I never shall, and all and shall profit by them accordingly. I am going men should one day or other. I have at present no to get up a play here; the hall will constitute a most connections to keep me at home; no wife, or unadmirable theatre. I have settled the dram. pers. provided sisters, brothers, &c. I shall take care of and can do without ladies, as I have some young you, and when I return I may possibly become a friends who will make tolerable substitutes for politician. A few years' knowledge of other counfemales, and we only want three male characters, tries than our own will not incapacitate me for that beside Mr. Hobhouse and myself, for the play we part. If we see no nation but our own we do not have fixed on, which will be the Revenge. Pray • Thus addressed always by Lord Byron, but without any right to the direct Nicholson the carpenter to come over to me immediately, and inform me what day you will dine distinction. and pass the night here. "Believe me, &c." ↑ See Memorandum, page 1013. "Suppose we have this couplet "Though sweet the sound, disdain a borrow'd tone, "Though soft the echo, scorn a borrow'd tone, Resign Achaia's lyre, and strike your own. "So much for your admonitions; but my note notes,† my solitary pun must not be given up-no, rather "Let mightiest of all the beasts of chace, "BYRON " "A few weeks ago I wrote to to request he would receive the son of a citizen of London, well known to me, as a pupil; the family having been particularly polite during the short time I was with come against me: my annotation must stand them induced me to this application. Now, mark "We shall never sell a thousand; then why print what follows,-as somebody sublimely saith. On so many? Did you receive my yesterday's note? this day arrives an epistle, signed, containing I am troubling you, but I am apprehensive some of not the smallest reference to tuition, or intuition, the lines are omitted by your young amanuensis, to but a petition for Robert Gregson, of pugilistic nowhom, however, I am infinitely obliged. "Believe me, yours very truly, toriety, now in bondage for certain paltry pounds sterling, and liable to take up his everlasting abode in Banco Pegis. Had the letter been from any of my lay acquaintance, or, in short, from any person but the gentleman whose signature it bears, I should have marvelled not. If ✶✶✶ is serious, I congratulate pugilism on the acquisition of such a patron, and shall be most happy to advance any sum necessary for the liberation of the captive Gregson. But I certainly hope to be certified from you, or some respectable housekeeper, of the fact, before I write to on the subject. When I say the fact, I mean of the letter being written by ***, not having any doubt as to the authenticity of the statement. The letter is now before me, and I keep it for your perusal." "Roscommon ! Sheffield! with your spirits fled, &c. This will answer the purpose of concealment. Now for some couplets on Mr. Crabbe, which you may place after Gifford, Sotheby, McNeil:' "There be who say in these enlightened days, &c. "I am sorry to differ with you with regard to the title, but mean to retain it with this addition: The English Bards and Scotch Reviewers;' and, If we call it a Satire, it will obviate the objection, as the bards also were Welsh. "Yours very sincerely, Mr. Dallas had written some lines, and requested Lord Byron to insert ther in the Satire, the "English Bards and Scotch Reviewers," then in eas.-The letters following to Mr. Dallas, relate to that work NOTES TO MR. DALLAS. "Feb. 11, 1809. "I wish you to call, if possible, as I have some alterations to suggest as to the part about Brougham "B."* "Excuse the trouble, but I have added two lines which are necessary to complete the poetical char acter of Lord Carlisle. "Feb. 12, 1809." **B." "I wish you much to call on me, about one, not later, if convenient, as I have some thirty or forty lines for addition. Believe me, &c. "B." "Feb. 15, 1809." "Ecce iterum Crispinus!-I send you some lines to be placed after Gifford, Sotheby, McNeil.' Pray call to-morrow any time before two, and believe me, "B." &c. "P. S. Print soon, or I shall overflow with mcre rhyme. "Feb. 16, 1809." "I enclose some lines to be inserted, the six first after, Lords too are bards, &c.,' or rather immediately following the line: "Oh! who would take their titles with their rhymes?" The four next will wind up the panegyric on Lord "Fb. 19, 1809." "B." |