MY DEAR SIR, LETTER CXIX TO MR. ROGERS. "Februa.y 4, 1812. inquiry, 1 am convinced these men would have been restored to employment, and the county to tranquility. It is, perhaps, not yet too late, and is surely worth the trial. It can never be too late to employ force in such circumstances. I believe you "With my best acknowledgments to Lord Holland, lordship does not coincide with me entirely on this I have to offer my perfect concurrence in the pro- submit to your superior judgment and experience, subject, and most cheerfully and sincerely shall I priety of the question previously to be put to ministers. If their answer is in the negative, I shall, with and take some other line of argument against the his lordship's approbation, give notice of a motion bill, or be silent altogether, should you deem i for a Committee of Inquiry. I would also gladly more advisable. Condemning, as every one must avail myself of his most able advice, and any infor- condemn, the conduct of these wretches, I believe mation or documents with which he might be in the existence of grievances which call rather for pleased to intrust me, to bear me out in the state- pity than punishment. I have the honor to be, ment of facts it may be necessary to submit to the with great respect, my lord, "Your lordship's House. "From all that fell under my own observation during my Christmas visit to Newstead, I feel convinced that, if conciliatory measure are not very soon "Most obedient and obliged servant. "BYRON. "P. S.-I am a little apprehensive that your adopted, the most unhappy consequences may be lordship will think me too ienient towards these appreher ded. Nightly outrage and daily depreda-men, and half a frame-breaker myself.” tion are already at their height, and not only the mastes of frames, who are obnoxious on account of their occupation, but persons in no degree connec'ed with the malcontents 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, &c." "MY LORD, LETTER CXX. TO LORD HOLLAND. "8 St James's street, Feb. 25, 1812. "We are not answerable for reports of speeches in the papers,-they are always given incorrectly and on this occasion more so than usual, from the debate in the Commons on the same night. The Morning Post should have said eighteen years. However, you will find the speech, as spoken, in the Parliamentary Register, when it comes out Lords Holland and Grenville, particularly the lat ter, paid me some high compliments in the course "With my best thanks, I have the honor to return of their speeches, as you may have seen in the the Notts. letter to your lordship. I have read it papers, and Lords Eldon and Harrowby answered with attention, but do not think I shall venture me. I have had many marvellous eulogies repeated to avail myself of its contents, as my view of the to me since, in person and by proxy, from divers question differs in some measure from Mr. Cold-persons ministerial-yea_ministerial!-as well as ham's. I hope I do not wrong him, but his objec-oppositionists: of them I shall only mention Sir tions to the bill appear to me to be founded on F. Burdett. He says, it is the best speech by a certain apprehensions that he and his coadjutors lord since the Lord knows when,' probably from a might be mistaken for the original advisers' (to fellow-feeling in the sentiments. Lord H. tells me quote him) of the measure. For my own part, II shall beat them all if I persevere, and Lord G. consider the manufacturers as a much injured body remarked that the construction of some of my of men, sacrificed to the views of certain individuals periods are very like Burke's!! And so much for who have enriched themselves by those practices vanity, I spoke very violent sentences with a sort which have deprived the frame-workers of employ- of modest impudence, abused every thing and every ment. For instance;-by the adoption of a certain body, and put the Lord Chancellor very much out kind of frame, one man performs the work of seven of humor; and if I may believe what I hear, have -six are thus thrown out of business. But it is to not lost any character by the experiment. As to be observed that the work thus done is far inferior my delivery, loud and fluent enough, perhaps a in quality, hardly marketable at home, and hurried little theatriacal. I could not reconize myself or over with a view to exportation. Surely, my lord, any one else in the newspapers. however we may rejoice in any improvement in the My poesy comes out on Saturday. Hobhouse arts which may be beneficial to mankind, we must is here; shall tell him to write. My stone is gone not allow mankind to be sacrificed to improvements for the present, but I fear is part of my habit. We in mechanism. The maintenance and well-doing all talk of a visit to Cambridge. of the industrious poor is an object of greater consequence to the community than the enrichment of a few monopolists by any improvement in the implements of trade, which deprives the workman of his bread, and renders the laborer unworthy of his hire. My own motive for opposing the bill is founded on its palpable injustice, and its certain inefficacy. I have seen the state of these miserable men, and it is a disgrace to a civilized country." MY LORD, Their excesses may be condemned, but cannot be . "Yours ever, LETTER CXXII. TO LORD HOLLAND. "B." "St. James's street, March 5, 1812. "May I request your Lordship to accept a copy subject of wonder. The effect of the present bill of the thing which accompanies this note? You would be to drive them into actual rebellion. The few words I shall venture to offer on Thursday will be founded upon these opinions formed from my own observations on the spot.* By previous • See his first speech. • Childe Harold. To his sister, Mrs. Leigh, one of the first presentation copies was also sent, with the following inscription in it: "To Augusta, my dearest sister, and my best friend, who has ever love, me much better than I deserved, this volume is presented by her father son, and most affectionate brother, "R nave already so fully proved the truth of the first the President of the Institution can hardly comline of Pope's couplet, • Forgiveness to the injured doth belong,' plain of being termed the Arbiter of Play, -or what becomes of his authority? "Lord B has no personal animosity to Colonel that I long for an opportunity to give the lie to the Greville. A public institution, to which he, ha verse that follows. If I were not perfectly con- self, was a subscriber, he considered himself to vinced that any thing I may have formerly uttered have a right to notice publicly. Of that institution in the boyish rashness of my misplaced resentment Colonel Greville was the avowed director;-it is too had made as little impression as it deserved to late to enter into the discussion of its merits of make, I should hardly have the confidence-per- demerits. haps your lordship may give it a stronger and "Lord B. must leave the discussion of the more appropriate appellation-to send you a quarto reparation, for the real or supposed injury, to Col of the same scribbler. But your lordship, I am onel G.'s friend, and Mr. Moore, the friend of Lord sorry to observe to-day, is troubled with the gout: B.-begging them to recollect that, while they if my book can produce a laugh against itself or consider Colonel G.'s honor, Lord B. must also the author, it will be of some service. If it can set maintain his own. If the business can be settled you to sleep, the benefit will be yet greater; and as amicably, Lord B. will do as much as can and some facetious personage observed half a century ought to be done by a man of honor towards conago, that poetry is a mere drug,' I offer you mine ciliation;-if not, he must satisfy Colonel G. in as an humble assistant to the eau medicinale.' I the manner most conducive to his further wishes." trust you will forgive this and all my other buffooneries, and believe me to be, with great respect, "Your lordship's obliged and sincere servant, "BYRON." In relation to the following note of Lord Byron, Mr. Moore says: "In the morning I received the letter, in its new form, from Mr. Leckie, with the annexed note. "MY DEAR SIR, "I found my friend very ill in bed; he has, "Not long after the publication of Childe Harold, however, managed to copy the enclosed, with the the noble author paid me a visit, one morning, and, alterations proposed. Perhaps you may wish to putting a letter into my hands, which he had just see me in the morning; shall therefore be glad received, requested that I would undertake to to see you any time till twelve o'clock. If you manage for him whatever proceedings it might rather wish me to call on you, tell me, and I shall render necessary. This letter, I found, had been obey your summons. Yours, very truly, delivered to him by Mr. Leckie, (a gentleman well "G. T. LECKIE.' known by a work on Sicilian affairs,) and came from a once active and popular member of the almost needless to add, that there was but little "With such facilities towards pacification, it is fashionable world, Colonel Greville,-its purport being to require of his lordship, as author of Eng-delay in settling the matter amicably." LETTER CXXIII. TO MR. WILLIAM BANKES. "MY DEAR BANKES, "Ape 20, 1812. lish Bards, &c.,' such reparation as it was in his power to make for the injury which, as Colonel Greville conceived, certain passages in that Satire, reflecting upon his conduct, as manager of the Argyle Institution, were calculated to inflict upon his character. In the appeal of the gallant colonel, there were some expressions of rather an angry cast, which Lord Byron, though fully conscious of the length to which he himself had gone, was but little inclined to brook, and on my returning the letter into his hands, he said, 'To such a letter as "I feel rather hurt (not savagely) at the speech that there can be but one sort of answer.' He you made to me last night, and my hope is that it agreed, however, to trust the matter entirely to my was only one of your profane jests. I should be very discretion, and I had, shortly after, an interview sorry that any part of my behavior should give you with the friend of Colonel Greville. By this gen- cause to suppose that I think higher of myself, or tleman, who was then an utter stranger to me, I otherwise of you, than I have always done. I can was received with much courtesy, and with every assure you that I am as much the humblest of your disposition to bring the affair intrusted to us to an servants as at Trin. Coll.; and if I have not been at amicable issue. On my premising that the tone of home when you favored me with a call, the loss was his friend's letter stood in the way of negotiation, more mine than yours. In the bustle of buzzing and that some obnoxious expressions which it con- parties, there is, there can be, no rational conversa tained must be removed before I could proceed a tion; but when I can enjoy it, there is nobody's I single step towards explanation, he most readily can prefer to your own. consented to remove this obstacle. At his request I drew a pen across the parts I considered objectionable, and he undertook to send me the letter, e-written, next morning. In the mean time, I eceived from Lord Byron the following paper for ry guidance Believe me ever faithfully LETTER CXXIV. "BYRON " TO MR. WILLIAM BANKES. "MY DEAR BANKES, "With regard to the passage on Mr. Way's loss, no unfair play was hinted at, as may be seen by referring to the book; and it is expressly added "My eagerness to come to an explanation has, I that the managers were ignorant of that transaction. trust, convinced you that whatever my unlucky As to the prevalence of play at the Argyle, it can manner might inadvertently be, the change was as not be denied that there were billiards and dice,- unintentional as (if intended) it would have been Lord B. has been a witness to the use of both at ungrateful. I really was not aware that, while we the Argyle Rooms. These, it is presumed, come were together, I had evinced such caprices; that we ander the denomination of play If play be allowed, were not so much in each other's company as I could have wished, I well know, but I think so acute an observer as yourself must have perceived enough to explain this, without supposing any slight to one in whose society I have pride and pleasure. Recollect that I do not allude here to extended' or 'extending acquaintances, but to circumstances, you will understand, I think, on a little reflection. "I must appear very ungrateful, and have, indeed, "And now, my dear Bankes, do not distress me been very negligent, but till last night I was not by supposing that I can think of you, or you of me, apprized of Lady Holland's restoration, and I shall otherwise than I trust we have long thought. You call to-morrow to have the satisfaction, I trust, of told me not long ago that my temper was improved, hearing that she is well.-I hope that neither poliand I should be sorry that opinion should be re-tics nor gout have assailed your lordship since I voked. Believe me, your friendship is of more ac- last saw you, and that you also are as well as count to me than all those absurd vanities in which, could be expected.' I fear, you conceive me to take too much interest. The other night, at a ball, I was presented by I have never disputed your superiority, or doubted order, to our gracious Regent, who honored me with (seriously) your good will, and no one shall ever some conversation, and professed a predilection for make mischief between us' without the sincere regret on the part of your ever affectionate, &c. "P. S. I shall see you, I hope, at Lady Jersey's. Hobhouse goes also." NOTES TO MR. MOORE. "March 25, 1812. Know all men by these present, that you, Thomas Moore, stand indicted-no-invited, by special and particular solicitation, to Lady Caroline Lamb's, to-morrow even, at half-past nine o'clock, where you will 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, &c." "Friday noon.. "As usual, I am in all sorts of scrapes, none, at present, of a martial description. ma, &c." "May 8, 1812. poetry. I confess it was a most unexpected honor. and I thought of poor Brummell's adventure, with some apprehensions of a similar blunder. I have now great hope, in the event of Mr. Pye's decease. of warbling truth at court,' like Mr. Mallett, o indifferent memory.-Consider one hundred marks a year! besides the wine and the disgrace; but then remorse would make me drown myself in my own butt before the year's end, or the finishing of my first dithyrambic. So that, after all, I shall not meditate our laureate's death by pen or poison. "Will you present my best respects to Lady Hol land, and believe me hers and yours very sincerely I "SIR, LETTER CXXVI. TO SIR WALTER SCOTT, BART. "I should have answered your note yesterday, but I hoped to have seen you this morning. must consult with you about the day we dine with "I have just been honored with your letter.-I Sir Francis. I suppose we shall meet at Lady Spen- feel sorry that you should have thought it worth cer's to-night. I did not know that you were at while to notice the evil works of my non-age,' as Miss Berry's the other night, or I should have the thing is suppressed voluntarily, and your excertainly gone there. planation is too kind not to give me pain. The though Satire was written when I was very young and very Believe angry, and fully bent on displaying my wrath and my wit, and now I am haunted by the ghosts of my wholesale assertions. I cannot sufficiently thank "I am too proud of being your friend to care you for your praise; and now, waiving myself, let with whom I am linked in your estimation, and, God knows, I want friends more at this time than at any other. I am taking care of myself' to no great purpose. If you knew my situation in every point of view, you would excuse apparent and unintentional neglect. * I shall leave town, I think; but do not you leave it without seeing me. I wish you, from my soul, every happiness you can wish yourself; and I think you have taken the road to secure it. Peace be with you! I fear she has abandoned me. Ever, &c." He ordered me talk to you of the Prince Regent. me to be presented to him at a ball; and after some sayings peculiarly pleasing from royal lips, as to my own attempts, he talked to me of you and your immortalities: he preferred you to every bard past and present, and asked which of your works pleased me most. It was a difficult question. I answered, I thought the Lay.' He said his own opinion was nearly similar. In speaking of the others, I told him that I thought you more particularly the poet of Princes, as they never appeared more fascinating than in Marmion,' and the Lady of the Lake. He was pleased to coincide, and to dwell on the description of your Jameses as no less royal than poetical. He spoke alternately of Homer and yourself, and seemed well acquainted with both; so that (with the exception of the Turks and your humble servant) you were in very good company. defy Murray to have exaggerated his royal highness's opinion of your powers, nor can I pretend to enumerate all he said on the subject; but it may "I meant to have written you a long letter, but give you pleasure to hear that it was conveyed in find I cannot. If any thing remarkable occurs, you language which would only suffer by my attempting will hear it from me-if good; if bad, there are to transcribe it, and with a tone and taste which "May 20, 1812. "On Monday, after sitting up all night, I saw Peilingham launched into eternity, and at three the sanie day I saw launched into the country. "I believe in the beginning of June, I shall be down for a few days in Notts. If so, I shall beat you up en passant' with Hobhouse, who is endeavoring like you and every body else, to keep me out of scrapes. I plenty to tell it. In the mean time do you be gave me a very high idea of his abilities and accomhappy Ever yours, &c. plishments, which I had hitherto considered as conPS. My best wishes and respects to Mrs.ined to manners, certainly superior to those of any Moore, she is beautiful. I may say so even to living gentleman. you, for I neer was more struck with a counte Dance. This interview was accidental. I never went tɔ the levee; for having seen the courts of Mussuln.an and Catholic sovereigns, my curiosity was sufficiently allayed, and my politics being as perverse as my rhymes, I had, in fact, no business there.' To be thus praised by your Sovereign must be gratifying to you and if that gratification is not alloyed by the communication being made through me, the bearer of it will consider himself very fortunately and sincerely "Your obliged and obedient servant, "In a day or two I will send you something which you will still have the liberty to reject if you dislike it. I should like to have had more time, but will do my best, but too happy if I can oblige you "P. S. Excuse this scrawl, scratched in a great though may offend one hundred scribblers and hurry, and just after a journey." discerning public. "Ever yours. "BYRON. "Keep my name a secret; or I shall be beset by all the rejected, and perhaps damned by a party.' LETTER CXXVII. TO LORD HOLLAND. LETTER CXXIX. TO LORD HOLLAND. 'MY DEAR LORD, "Cheltenham, September 10, 1812. "Cheltenham, September 23, 1812. "Ecco-I have marked some passages with "The lines which I sketched off on your hint double readings-choose between them-cut-4 are still, or rather were, in an unfinished state, for reject-or destroy-do with them as you willI have just committed them to a flame more decisive I leave it to you and the Committee-you cannot than that of Drury. Under all the circumstances, do-(and I do) with the hundred and one rejected say so called a non committendo.' What will they I should hardly wish a contest with Philo-drama-Troubadours? Philo-Drury-Asbestos, H, and all the anony-shawms,' will you be assailed in the most diabolical With trumpets, yea, and with mes and synonymes of the Committee candidates. doggerel. I wish my name not to transpire till the Seriously, I think you have a chance of something day is decided. I shall not be in town, so it won't much better; for prologuizing is not my forte, and, much matter; but let us have a good deliverer. 1 at all events, either my pride or my modesty won't think Elliston should be the man, or Pope; not let me incur the hazard of having my rhymes buried Raymond, I implore you by the love of Rhythmus! in next month's Magazine, under Essays on the Murder of Mr. Perceval,' and 'Cures for the Bite of a Mad Dog,' as poor Goldsmith complained of the fate of far superior performances. I "I am still sufficiently interested to wish to know the successful candidate; and, among so many, have no doubt some will be excellent, particularly in an age when writing verse is the easiest of all attainments. low, are for you to choose between epithets, and "The passages marked thus, above and be such like poetical furniture. Pray write me a line, and believe me ever, &c. My best remembrances to Lady H. Will you be good enough to decide between the various readings marked, and erase the other; or our delivera may be as puzzled as a commentator, and belike repeat both. If these versicles won't do I will ham mer out some more endecasyllables. "I cannot answer your intelligence with the like comfort,' unless, as you are deeply theatrical, you may wish to hear of Mr., whose acting is, I keep out the Phoenix-I mean the Fire-Office of "P. S. Tell Lady H. I have had sad work to fear, utterly inadequate to the London engagement that name. It has insured the theatre, and why into which the managers of Covent Garden have. not the Address? lately entered. His figure is fat, his features flat, "So, poor dear Rogers has stuck fast on the brow of the mighty Helvellyn'-I hope not for "September A. "I send a recast of the first four lines of the "This greeting o'er, the ancient role obey'd, ever. My best respects to Lady H.-her departure, The curtain rises, &c., &c. with that of my other friends, was a sad event for me, now reduced to a state of the most cynical And do forgive all this trouble. See what it is to solitude. 'By the waters of Cheltenham I sat down have to do even with the genteelest of us. and drank; when I remembered thee, oh, Georgiana | Believe me ever your obliged to add. After that flagrant image of the Thames, but never sufficiently; and, latterly, I can weave a (I hope no unlucky wag will say I have set it on nine-line stanza faster than a couplet, for which fre, though Dryder., in his Annus Mirabilis,' and measure I have not the cunning. When I began Churchill, in his Times,' did it before me,) I mean Childe Harold,' I had never tried Spenser's meato insert this : sure, and now I cannot scribble in any other. As flashing far the new Volcano shone meteors And sweep the skies with lightnings not their own, "After all, my dear lord, if you can get a decent Address elsewhere, don't hesitate to put this aside. Why did you not trust your own Muse? I am very While thousands throng'd around the burning dome, &c., &c. sure she would have been triumphant, and saved the Committee their trouble- 'tis a joyful one' to I think thousands' less flat than 'crowds collect- me, but I fear I shall not satisfy even myself. After ed' but don't let me plunge into the bathos, or the account you sent me, it is no compliment to say rise into Nat. Lee's Bedlam metaphors. By-the-by, you would have beaten your candidates; but I mean the best view of the said fire (which I myself saw that, in that case, there would have been no occa from a house-top in Covent Garden) was at West- sion for their being beaten at all. minster Bridge, from the reflection on the Thames. There are but two decent prologues in our "Perhaps the present couplet had better come in tongue-Pope's to Cato-Johnson's to Drury-Lane. after trembled for their homes,' the two lines after; These, with the epilogue to the Distressed Mother,' as otherwise the image certainly sinks, and it will and, I think one of Goldsmith's, and a prologue of run just as well. old Colman's to Beaumont and Fletcher's Philaster, are the best things of the kind we have. "The lines themselves, perhaps, may be better thus-(choose,' or 'refuse-but please yourself, and don't mind Sir Fretful ')— Badly "Ae flash'd the volumed blase, and ghastly shone The last runs smoothest, and, I think, best; but you know better than best. 'Lurid' is also a less indistinct epithet than livid wave,' and, if you think so, a dash of the pen will do. "I expected one line this morning; in the mean time, I shall remodel and condense, and if I do not. hear from you, shall send another copy. "I am ever, &c." LETTER CXXXII. TO LORD HOLLAND. "September 26, 1812. You will think there is no end to my villanous amendations. The fifth and sixth lines I think to alter thus: ་ "Ye who beheld-oh sight admir'd and mourn'd! Whose radiance mock'd the ruin it adorn'd; As to remarks, I can only say I will alter and acquiesce in any thing. With regard to the part which Whitbread wishes to omit, I believe the Address will go off quicker without it, though like the agility of the Hottentot, at the expense of its vigor. I leave to your choice entirely the different specimens of stucco-work; and a brick of your own will also much improve my Babylonish turret. I should like because night' is repeated the next line but one; Elliston to have it, with your leave. Adorn' and and, as it now stands, the conclusion of the para-mourn are lawful rhymes in Pope's death of the graph, worthy him (Shakspeare) and you,' appears unfortunate Lady-Gray has 'forlorn' and 'mourn' to apply the 'you' to those only who were out of bed and torn' and mourn' are in Smollet's famous and in Covent-Garden Market on the night of con- Tears of Scotland. flagration, instead of the audience or the discerning public at large, all of whom are intended to be comprised in that comprehensive and, I hope comprehensible pronoun. "When Garrick died, and Brinsley ceased to write. Ceasing to live is a much more serious concern, and cught not to be first; therefore I will let the old couplet stand, with its half rhymes sought' and wrote. Second thoughts in every thing are best, but, in rhyme, third and fourth don't come amiss. I am very anxious on this business, and I do hope that the very trouble I occasion you will plead its own excuse, and that it will tend to show my endeavor to make the most of the time allotted. I wish I had known it months ago, for in that case I had not left one line standing on another. I always scrawl in this way, and smooth as much as I can, "Such are the names that here your plaudits sought, At present the couplet stands thus: "Dear are the days that made our anaals bright, "As there will probably be an outcry among the rejected, I hope the Committee will testify (if it be needful) that I sent in nothing to the congress whatever, with or without a name, as your lordship well knows. All I have to do with it is with and through you; and though I, of course, wish to satisfy the audience, I do assure you my first object is to com ply with your request, and in so doing to show the sense I have of the many obligations you have con Yours ever, ferred upon me. LETTER CXXXIV. TO LORD HOLLAND. "B" "September 27, 1912. "I believe this is the third scrawl since yesterday. -all about epithets. I think the epithet intellectual' won't convey the meaning I intend; and though I hate compounds, for the present I will try (col' permesso) the word 'genius-gifted patriarchs At present, "As glared the volumed blaze." |