LETTER LXXI. TO DR. PIGOT. Newport Pagnell, August 2, 1811. *MY DEAR DOCTOR, *My poor mother died yesterday! and I am on my way from town to attend her to the family vault. I heard one day of her illness, the next of her death.Thank God her last moments were most tranquil. I am told she was in little pain, and not aware of her situation. -I now feel the truth of Mr. Gray's observation, 'That we can only have one mother.'-Peace be with her! I hare to thank you for your expressions of regard, and as in six weeks I shall be in Lancashire on business, I may extend to Liverpool and Chester, at least I shall en deavour. "If it will be any satisfaction, I have to inforın you that in November next the editor of the Scourge will be tried for two different libels on the late Mrs. B. and myself, (the decease of Mrs. B. makes no difference in the proceedings,) and as he is guilty, by his very foolish and unfounded assertion, of a breach of privilege, he will be prosecuted with the utmost rigour. request that it may be got ready in a short time, and have "Your most obedient humble servant, "Newstead Abbey, August 12th, 1811. "DIRECTIONS FOR THE CONTENTS OF A WILL TO EE DRAWN UP IMMEDIATELY. "The estate of Newstead to be entailed (subject to certain deductions) on George Anson Byron, heir at law, or whoever may be the heir at law on the death of Lord B. The Rochdale property to be sold in part or the whole, according to the debts and legacies of the present Lord B. "To Nicolo Giraud of Athens, subject of France, but born in Greece, the sum of seven thousand pounds ster ling, to be paid from the sale of such parts of Rochdale Newstead, or elsewhere, as may enable the said Nicole Giraud, (resident at Athens and Malta in the year 1810,) to receive the above sum on his attaining the age of twenty-one years. "To William Fletcher, Joseph Murray, and Demetrius Zograffo,* (native of Greece,) servants, the sum of fifty pounds per ann. each, for their natural lives. To Wr Fletcher the mill at Newstead, on condition that he "I inform you of this, as you seem interested in the affair, which is now in the hands of the attorney-ge-payeth the rent, but not subject to the caprice of the neral. landlord. To R Rushton the sum of fifty pounds per ann. for life, and a further sum of one thousand pounds on attaining the age of twenty-five years. "To Jo Hanson, Esq. the sum of two thousand pounds sterling. "The claims of S. B. Davies, Esq. to be satisfied on proving the amount of the same. "The body of Lord B. to be buried in the vault of the garden of Newstead, without any ceremony or burialservice whatever, or any inscription, save his name and age. His dog not to be removed from the said vault. "My library and furniture of every description to my friends Ja Cam Hobhouse, Esq. and S. B. Davies, Esq my executors. In case of their decease, the Rev. J Becher of Southwell, Notts, and R. C. Dallas, Esq. of Mortlake, Surrey, to be executors. "The produce of the sale of Wymondham in Norfolk and the late Mrs. B.'s Scotch property, to be appropri ated in aid of the payment of debts and legacies." MY DEAREST DAVIES, Some curse hangs over me and mine. My mother Jes a corpse in this house: one of my best friends is drowned in a ditch. What can I say, or think, or do? I received a letter from him the day before yesterday. My dear Scrope, if you can spare a moment, do come down to me, I want a friend. Matthews's last letter: was written on Friday,-on Saturday he was not. In ability, who was like Matthews? How did we all shrink before him? You do me but justice in saying, I would have risked my paltry existence to have preserved his. This very evening did I mean to write, inviting him, as I invite you, my very dear friend, to visit me. God forgive ✶✶✶ for his apathy! What will our poor Hobhouse feel! His letters breathe but of Matthews. Come to me, Scrope, I am almost desolate-left almost alone in the world-I had but you, and H. and M. and let me enjoy the survivors while I can. Poor M. in his "It is submitted to Lord Byron whether this clause reletter of Friday, speaks of his intended contest for Cam-lative to the funeral had not better be omitted. The subbridge, and a speedy journey to London. Write or stance of it can be given in a letter from his lordship to the come, but come if you can, or one or both. "SIR, LETTER LXXIII. "Yours ever." ΤΟ — BOLTON, ESQ. "This is the last will and testament of me the Rt. Honble George Gordon Lord Byron, Baron Byron of Rochdale in the county of Lancaster.-I desire that my body may be buried in the vault of the garden of New stead, without any ceremony or burial-service whatever and that no inscription, save my name and age, be written on the tomb or tablet; and it is my will that my faithful dog may not be removed from the said vault. To the performance of this my particular desire, I rely on the attention of my executors hereinafter named." executors, and accompany the will; and the will may state that the funeral shall be performed in such manner as his lordship may by letter direct, and, in default of any such letter, then at the discretion of las executors." I enclose a rough draft of my intended will, which I If the papers lie not, (which they generally do,) Demetrius Zo beg to have drawn up as soon as possible in the firmest graffo of Athens is at the head of the Athenian part of the Greek inser manner. The alterations are principally made in con-intervals in those years, (for I left him in Greece when I went to onrection. He was my servant in 1809, 1810, 1311, 1812, at different sequence of the death of Mrs. Byron. I have only to stantinople,) and accompanied me to England in 1811; he returned to • Ses Letter 462. Greece, spring, 1812. He was a clever, but not apparently an erterprising man; but circumstances make men. Hatwo sons (then inmats) were named Miltiades and Alcibiades: may the omen be happy !'— MS. Journal, wise, to the satisfaction of my executors hereinafter named*] the amount thereof and the correctness of the same." "If Mr. Davies has any unsettled claims upon Lord Byron, that circumstance is a reason for his not being appointed executor; each executor having an opportunity of paying himself his own debt without consulting his coxecutors." LETTER LXXVI. TO MR. DALLAS. "Newstead Abbey, Notts, August 12, 1811. "Peace be with the dead! Regret cannot wake them. With a sigh to the departed, let us resume the dull business of life, in the certainty that we shall also *So much the better-if possible, let him be an execu-have our repose. Besides her who gave me being, I have lost more than one who made that being tolerable. -The best friend of my friend Hobhouse, Matthews, a tor. "B." In sending a copy of the will, framed on these in-man of the first talents, and also not the worst of my structions, to Lord Byron, the solicitor accompanied narrow circle, has perished miserably in the muddy some of the clauses with marginal queries, calling the at-waves of the Cam, always fatal to genius-my poor tention of his client to points which he considered inex-schoolfellow Wingfield, at Coimbra-within a month,* pedient or questionable: one or two of the clauses are and while I had heard from all three, but not seen one here inserted in full, with the respective queries and an-Matthews wrote to me the very day before his death; swers annexed. and though I feel for his fate, I am still more anxious for Hobhouse, who, I very much fear, will hardly retain his The two following letters contain further instructions senses; his letters to me since the event have been most on the same subject: SIR, LETTER LXXIV. TO MR. BOLTON. "Newstead Abbey, August 16th, 1811. I incoherent. But let this pass-we shall all one day pass along with the rest-the world is too full of such things, and our very sorrow is selfish. "I received a letter from you which my late occupations prevented me from duly noticing,-I hope your friends and family will long hold together. I shall be "I have answered the queries on the margin. glad to hear from you, on business, on commonplace, or wish Mr. Davies's claims to be most fully allowed, and, any thing, or nothing-but death-I am already too fafurther, that he be one of my executors. I wish the will miliar with the dead. It is strange that I look on the to be made in a manner to prevent all discussion, if possi-skulls which stand beside me (I have always had four ble, after my decease; and this I leave to you, as a pro-in my study) without emotion, but I cannot strip the fessional gentleman. features of those I have known of their fleshy covering, "With regard to the few and simple directions for the even in idea, without a hideous sensation; but the disposal of my carcass, I must have them implicitly ful-worms are less ceremonious. Surely, the Romans did filled, as they will, at least, prevent trouble and expense: well when they burned the dead.-I shall be happy to -and (what would be of little consequence to me, but hear from you, and am may quiet the conscience of the survivors) the garden is consecrated ground. These directions are copied verbatim from my former will; the alterations in other parts have arisen from the death of Mrs. B. SIR, "I have the honour to be, LETTER LXXV. TO MR. BOLTON. "BYRON." "Newstead Abbey, August 20, 1811. LETTER LXXVII. TO MR. HODGSON. "Yours, &c. "Newstead Abbey, August 22d, 1811. "You may have heard of the sudden death of my mother, and poor Matthews, which, with that of Wingfield, (of which I was not fully aware till just before I left town, and indeed hardly believed it,) has made a sad chasm in my connexions. Indeed the blows followed each other so rapidly that I am yet stupid from the "The witnesses shall be provided from among my shock, and though I do eat, and drink, and talk, and tenants, and I shall be happy to see you on any day most even laugh, at times, yet I can hardly persuade myself convenient to yourself. I forgot to mention that it must that I am awake, did not every morning convince me be specified by codicil, or otherwise, that my body is on mournfully to the contrary.-I shall now waive the subno account to be removed from the vault where I have di-ject,-the dead are at rest, and none but the dead can rected it to be placed; and, in case any of my successors be so. within the entail, (from bigotry, or otherwise,) might "You will feel for poor Hobhouse,-Matthews was think proper to remove the carcass, such proceeding shall the god of his idolatry; and if intellect could exalt a be attended by forfeiture of the estate, which, in such man above his fellows, no one could refuse him pre-einicase, shall go to my sister, the Honble Augusta Leigh nence. I knew him most intimately, and valued him and her heirs on similar conditions. I have the honour proportionably, but I am recurring-so let us talk of life to be, sir, "Your very obedient, humble servant, and the living. bis pen. "BYRON." "If you should feel a disposition to come here, you will find 'beef and a sea-coal fire,' and not ungenerous Over the words here placed between brackets, Lord Byron drew wine. Whether Otway's two other requisites for an In the clause enumerating the names and places of abode of the execu- Englishman or not, I cannot tell, but probably one of men, and Lord Byron, having filled up all but that of Dallas, writes in the them.-Let me know when I may expect you, that I also executed on the 28th of this month, a codicil, by which he revoked may tell you when I go and when return.-I have no the bequest of his "household goods and furniture, library, pictures, sa- yet been to Lancs. bres, watches, plate, linen, trinkets, and other personal estate, (except Davies has been here, and has invited me to Cambridge money and securities,) situate within the walls of the mansion-house and premises at his decease-and bequeathed the same (except his wine and for a week in October, so that, peradventure, we may spirituous liquors) to his friends, the said J. C. Hobhouse, S. B. Davies, and Francis Hodgson, their executors, &c. to be equally divided between encounter glass to glass. His gayety (death canno them for their own use-and he bequeathed his wine and spirituous mar it) has done me service; but, after all, ours was a Liquors, which should be in the cellars and premises at Newstead, into hollow laughter. his friend the said J. Becher for his own use, and requested the said J. C. Hobhouse, S. B. Davies, F. Hodgson, and J. Becher, respectively, to accept the bequest therein contained, to them respectively, as a token of briendship." • See Childe Harold, note 19th, to Canto I. You will write to me I am solitary, and I never poetry, present poverty, and posthumous oblivion. Cruel felt solitude irksome before. Your anxiety about the patronage! to ruin a man at his calling; but then he is a critique on **'s book is amusing; as it was anonymous, divine subject for subscription and biography; and Prati certes, it was of little consequence: I wish it had pro- who makes the most of his dedications, has inscribed the duced a little more confusion, being a lover of literary volume to no less than five families of distinction. malice. Are you doing nothing? writing nothing? "I am sorry you don't like Harry White; with a great printing nothing? why not your Satire on Methodism? deal of cant, which in him was sincere, (indeed, it killed the subject (supposing the public to be blind to merit)him as you killed Joe Blackett,) certes, there is poesy would do wonders. Besides, it would be as well for a and genius. I don't say this on account of my simile destined deacon to-prove his orthodoxy.-It really would and rhymes;* but surely he was beyond all the Bloomgive me pleasure to see you properly appreciated. fields and Blacketts, and their collateral cobblers, whom say really, as, being an author, my humanity might Lofft and Pratt have or may kidnap from their calling suspected. into the service of the trade. You must excuse my flippancy, for I am writing I know not what, to escape from myself. Hobhouse is gone to Ireland. Mr. Davies has been here on his way to Harrowgate. "Believe me, dear H. yours always." LETTER LXXVIII. TO MR. DALLAS. I be "You did not know Mr. Matthews; he was a man of the most astonishing powers, as he sufficiently proved at Cambridge, by carrying off more prizes and fellowships, against the ablest candidates, than any other graduate on record; but a most decided atheist, indeed, noxiously so, for he proclaimed his principles in all societies. I knew him well, and feel a loss not easily to be supplied to my self-to Hobhouse never. Let me hear from you, and "Believe me, &c " "SIR, LETTER LXXIX. TO MR. MURRAY. "Newstead Abbey, Notts, August 23, 1811 "Newstead, August 21, 1811. "Your letter gives me credit for more acute feelings than I possess; for though I feel tolerably miserable, yet I am at the same time subject to a kind of hysterical merriment, or rather laughter without merriment, which I can neither account for nor conquer, and yet I do not feel relieved by it; but an indifferent person would think me in excellent spirits. We must forget these things,' and have recourse to our old selfish comforts, or rather comfortable selfishness. I do not think I shall return to London immediately, and shall therefore accept freely what is offered courteously-your mediation between me and Murray. I don't think my name will answer "A domestic calamity in the death of a near relation the purpose, and you must be aware that my plaguy has hitherto prevented my addressing you on the subject Satire will bring the north and south Grub-streets down of this letter.-My friend Mr. Dallas has placed in your upon the Pilgrimage-but, nevertheless, if Murray hands a manuscript poem written by me in Greece, makes a point of it, and you coincide with him, I will do which he tells me you do not object to publishing. But it daringly; so let it be entitled, 'By the Author of he also informed me in London that you wished to send English Bards and Scotch Reviewers.' My remarks the MS. to Mr. Gifford. Now, though no one would on the Romaic, &c. once intended to accompany the feel more gratified by the chance of obtaining his obser Hints from Horace,' shall go along with the other, as vations on a work than myself, there is in such a proceedbeing indeed more appropriate; also the smaller poems ing a kind of petition for praise, that neither my pridenow in my possession, with a few selected from those or whatever you please to call it-will admit. Mr. G. published in Hobhouse's Miscellany. I have found is not only the first satirist of the day, but editor of one of among my poor mother's papers all my letters from the East, and one in particular of some length from Albania. From this, if necessary, I can work up a note or two on that subject. As I kept no journal, the letters written on the spot are the best. But of this anon, when we have definitively arranged. the principal Reviews. As such, he is the last man whose censure (however eager to avoid it) I would deprecate by clandestine means. You will therefore retain the MS. in your own care, or, if it must needs be shown, send it to another. Though not very patient of censure, I would fain obtain fairly any little praise my rhymes might deserve, at all events not by extortion and the humble solicitations of a bandied-about MS. I am sure a little consideration will convince you it would be wrong. "Has Murray shown the work to any one? He may -but I will have no traps for applause. Of course there are little things I would wish to alter, and perhaps the two stanzas of a buffooning cast on London's Sunday are as well left out. I much wish to avoid identifying "If you determine on publication, I have some smaller Childe Harold's character with mine, and that, in sooth, poems, (never published,) a few notes, and a short disseris my second objection to my name appearing in the tation on the literature of the modern Greeks, (written at titlepage. When you have made arrangements as to Athens,) which will come in at the end of the volume.— tre, size, type, &c. favour me with a reply. I am And if the present poem should succeed, it is my inten giving you a universe of trouble, which thanks cannot tion, at some subsequent period, to publish some seiec a:one for. I made a kind of prose apology for my skep-tions from my first work,-my Satire, another nearly ticism at the head of the MS. which, on recollection, is the same length, and a few other things, with the MS. so much more like an attack than a defence, that, haply, now in your hands, in two volumes.-But of these here. it might better be omitted:-perpend, pronounce. After after. You will apprize me of your determination. all, I fear Murray will be in a scrape with the orthodox; am, sir, but I cannot help it, though I wish him well through it. As for me, 'I have supped full of criticism,' and I don't think that the 'most dismal treatise' will stir and rouse my 'fell of hair' till 'Birnam-wood do come to DunsiBane.' "I shall continue to write at intervals, and hope you will pay me in kind. How does Pratt get on, or rather Your very obedient, &c ' LETTER LXXX. TO MR. DALLAS. "Newstead Abbey, August 25, 1811. "Being fortunately enabled to frank, I do not spare get off Joe Blackett's posthumous stock? You killed scribbling, having sent you packets within the last ter that poor man among you, in spite of your Ionian friend and myself, who would have saved him from Pratt.! * See "English Bards." "And fools rush in where angels fear to tread.' "But I don't mean to cavil, only other folks will, and he may bring all the lambs of Jacob Behmen about his ears. However, I hope he will bring it to a conclusion, though Milton is in his way. days. I am passing solitary, and do not expect my land. Did you ever hear of him and his 'Armageddon ? agent to accompany me to Rochdale before the second I think his plan (the man I don't know) borders on the week in September, a delay which perplexes me, as I sublime; though, perhaps, the anticipation of the 'Last wish the business over, and should at present welcome Day,' (according to you Nazarenes,) is a little too daring: employment. I sent you exordiums, annotations, &c. for at least, it looks like telling the Lord what he is to do, the forthcoming quarto, if quarto it is to be; and I also and might remind an ill-natured person of the line→→ have written to Mr. Murray my cbjection to sending the MS. to Juvenal, but allowing him to show it to any others of the calling. Hobhouse is among the types already; so, between his prose and my verse, the world will be decently drawn upon for its paper money and patience. Besides all this, my 'Imitation of Horace' is gasping for the press at Cawthorn's, but I am hesitating as to the how and the when, the single or the double, the present or the future. You must excuse all this, for I have nothing to say in this lone mansion but of myself, "P.S. I would ask George here, but I don't know how and yet I would willingly talk or think of aught else. to amuse him-all my horses were sold when I left Eng"What are you about to do? Do you think of perch-land, and I have not had time to replace them. Never ng in Cumberland, as you opined when I was in the me-theless, if he will come down and shoot in September, he tropolis? If you mean to retire, why not occupy Miss will be very welcome; but he must bring a gun, for 1 ***'s 'Cottage of Friendship,' late the seat of Cob-gave away all mine to Ali Pacha, and other Turks. bler Joe, for whose death you and others are answer- Dogs, a keeper, and plenty of game, with a very large able? His 'Orphan Daughter' (pathetic Pratt!) will, manor, I have-a lake, a boat, house-room, and neas certes, turn out a shoemaking Sappho. Have you no wines." remorse? I think that elegant address to Miss Dallas should be inscribed on the cenotaph which Miss * * * means to stitch to his memory. "Write to me--I dote on gossip-and make a bow to Ju-, and shake George by the hand for me; but, take care, for he has a sad sea-paw. LETTER LXXXII. TO R. C. DALLAS, ESQ. "Newstead Abbey, Sept. 4, 1811. "MY DEAR SIR, "The newspapers seem much disappointed at his majesty's not dying, or doing something better. I presume it is almost over. If parliament meets in October,| I shall be in town to attend. I am also invited to CamDridge for the beginning of that month, but am first to "I am at present anxious, as Cawthorn seems to wish jaunt to Rochdale. Now Matthews is gone, and Hob-it, to have a small edition of the "Hints from Horace house in Ireland, I have hardly one left there to bid me published immediately; but the Latin (the most difficult welcome, except my inviter. At three-and-twenty I poem in the language) renders it necessary to be very am left alone, and what more can we be at seventy? It particular not only in correcting the proofs with Horace is true, I am young enough to begin again, but with open, but in adapting the parallel passages of the imitawhom can I retrace the laughing part of life? It is odd tion in such places to the original as may enable the rea how few of my friends have died a quiet death,—I mean, in their beds. But a quiet life is of more consequence. Yet one loves squabbling and jostling better than yawnng. This last word admonishes me to relieve you from "Yours very truly, &c." der not to lose sight of the allusion. I don't know whe LETTER LXXXI. TO MR. DALLAS. "Newstead Abbey, August 27, 1811. "I was so sincere in my note on the late Charles Matthews, and do feel myself so totally unable to do justice to his talents, that the passage must stand for the very reason you bring against it. To him all the men I ever knew were pigmies. He was an intellectual giant. It is true I loved W. better; he was the earliest and the dearest, and one of the few one could never repent of having loved: but in ability-ah! you did not know Matthews! "Childe Harold' may wait and welcome-books are never the worse for delay in the publication. So you have got our heir, George Anson Byron, and his sister, with you. "The time seems to be past when (as Dr. Johnson said) a man was certain to 'hear the truth from his bookseller,' for you have paid me so many compliments, that, if I was not the veriest scribbler on earth, I should feel affronted. As I accept your compliments, it is but fair I should give equal or greater credit to your objec tions, the more so, as I believe them to be well founded. With regard to the political and metaphysical parts, I am afraid I can alter nothing; but I have high authority for my errors in that point, for even the Eneid was a polit cal poem, and written for a political purpose; and as to my unlucky opinions on subjects of more importance, I am too sincere in them for recantation. On Spanish "You may say what you please, but you are one of affairs I have said what I saw, and every day confirms the murderers of Blackett, and yet you won't allow me in that notion of the result formed on the spot; and Harry White's genius. Setting aside his bigotry, he I rather think honest John Bull is beginning to come surely ranks next to Chatterton. It is astonishing how round again to that sobriety which Massena's retreat ättle he was known; and at Cambridge no one thought had begun to reel from its centre-the usual consequence or heard of such a man, till his death rendered all notice of unusual success. So you perceive I cannot alter the useless. For my own part, I should have been most proud of such an acquaintance: his very prejudices were respectable. There is a sucking epic poet at Granta, a Mr Townsend, protégé of the late Cumber * * * * * sentiments; but if there are any alterations in the struc ture of the versification you would wish to be made, I • Julia Heath, George Byron's sister. will tag rnymes and turn stanzas as much as you please. in Wingfield a friend only, but one whom I could have As for the orthodox,' let us hope they will buy, on pur-wished to have preceded in his long journey. pose to abuse-you will forgive the one, if they will do "Matthews was indeed an extraordinary man; it has the other. You are aware that any thing from my pen must expect no quarter, on many accounts; and as the present publication is of a nature very different from the former, we must not be sanguine. not entered into the heart of a stranger to conceive such a man; there was the stamp of immortality in all he said or did; and now what is he? When we see such men pass away and be no more-men, who seem created to * You have given me no answer to my question-tell display what the Creator could make his creatures, game fairly, did you show the MS. to some of your corps? thered into corruption, before the maturity of minds that -I sent an introductory stanza to Mr. Dallas, to be for- might have been the pride of posterity, what are we to warded to you; the poem else will open too abruptly.* conclude? For my own part I am bewildered. To me The stanzas had better be numbered in Roman charac- he was much, to Hobhouse every thing.-My poor Hobters. There is a disquisition on the literature of the house doted on Matthews. For me, I did not love quite modern Greeks, and some smaller poems, to come in at so much as I honoured him; I was indeed so sensible of the close. These are now at Newstead, but will be sent his infinite superiority, that though I did not envy, I stood in time. If Mr. D. has lost the stanza and note annexed in awe of it. He, Hobhouse, Davies, and myself, formed to it, write, and I will send it myself.-You tell me to add a coterie of our own at Cambridge and elsewhere. Datwo Cantos, but I am about to visit my collieries in Lan-vies is a wit and man of the world, and feels as much as cashire on the 15th inst. which is so unpoetical an employment that I need say no more. I am, sir, "Your most obedient, &c." LETTER LXXXIV. TO MR. DALLAS. "Newstead Abbey, Sept. 7, 1811. "As Gifford has been ever my 'Magnus Apollo,' any approbation, such as you mention, would, of course, be more welcome than 'all Bokara's vaunted gold, than all gems of Samarkand.' But I am sorry the MS. was shown to him in such a manner, and I had written to Murray to say as much, before I was aware that it was the such a character can do; but not as Hobhouse has been affected. Davies, who is not a scribbler, has always beaten us all in the war of words, and by his colloquial powers at once delighted and kept us in order. H. and myself always had the worst of it with the other two; and even M. yielded to the dashing vivacity of S. D. But I am talking to you of men, or boys, as if you cared about such beings. "I expect mine agent down on the 14th to proceed to Lancashire, where, I hear from all quarters, that I have a very valuable property in coals, &c. I then intend to accept an invitation to Cambridge in October, and shall, perhaps, run up to town. I have four invitations-to Wales, Dorset, Cambridge, and Chester; but I must be a man of business. I am quite alone, as these long letters sadly testify. I perceive, by referring to your letter, that the Ode is from the author; make my thanks "Your objection to the expression central line,' I can acceptable to him. His muse is worthy a nobler theme. only meet by saying that, before Childe Harold left Eng-You will write, as usual, I hope. I wish you a good land, it was his full intention to traverse Persia, and re-evening, turn by India, which he could not have done without too late. passing the equinoctial. "And am, &c.' LETTER LXXXV. TO R. C. DALLAS, ESQ. DEAR SIR, "I rather think in one of the opening stanzas of Childe Harold there is this line "The other errors you mention, I must correct in the progress through the press. i feel honoured by the wish of such men that the poem should be continued, but to do that, I must return to Greece and Asia; I must have a warm sun and a blue sky; I cannot describe scenes so dear to me by a sea-coal fire. I had projected an additional Canto when I was in the Troad and Constantinople, and if I saw them again, it would go on; but under existing circumstances and sensations, I have neither harp, 'heart, nor voice' to proceed. I feel that you are Now, a line or two after, I have a repetition of the all right as to the metaphysical part; but I also feel that epithet 'sullen reverie;' so (if it be so) let us have, I am sincere, and that if I am only to write, 'ad captan-speechless reverie,' or 'silent reverie;' but, at all events, dum vulgus,' I might as well edit a magazine at once, or away the recurrence. spin canzonettas for Vauxhall. * My work must make its way as well as it can; I know I have every thing against me, angry poets and prejudices; but if the poem is a poem, it will surmount these obstacles, and if not, it deserves its fate. Your friend's Ode I have read-it is no great compliment to pronounce it far superior to S**'s on the same subject, or to the merits of the new chancellor. It is evidently the production of a man of taste, and a poet, though I should not be willing to say it was fully equal to what might be expected from the author of Hora Ionica.' I thank you for it, and that is more than I would do for any other Ode of the present day. do ""Tis said at times the sullen tear would start,' "Yours ever, "P. S. Perhaps, as 'reverie' implies silence of itself, wayward, downcast, gloomy, wrinkling, joyless, may be better epithets." LETTER LXXXVI. TO MR. MURRAY. "Newstead Abbey, Notts, Sept. 14, 1811 SIR, "Since your former letter, Mr. Dallas informs me that the MS. has been submitted to the perusal of Mr. Gifford, most contrary to my wishes, as Mr. D. could have ex"I am very sensible of your good wishes, and, indeed, piained, and as my own letter to you did, in fact, explain, wit. my motives for objecting to such a proceeding. I have need of them. My whole life has been at variance with propriety, not to say decency; my circum-Some late domestic events, of which you are probably stances are become involved; my friends are dead or aware, prevented my letter from being sent before; inestranged, and my existence a dreary void. In Mat-deed, I hardly conceived you would so hastily thrust my thews I have lost my 'guide, philosopher, and friend;' productions into the hands of a stranger, who could be as • The present second stanza originally stood first. little pleased by receiving them, as their author is at their being offered in such a manner, and to such a man. |