of Newstead Abbey for nearly a month, and have not been four hours returned to London. Nearly the first use I make of my benumbed fingers, is to thank you for your very handsome note in the volume* you have just put forth, on', 1 trust, to be followed by others on subjects more worthy your notice than the works of contemporaries. Of myself, you speak only too highly, and you must think me strangely spoiled, or perversely peevish, even to suspect that any remarks of yours, in the spirit of candid criticism, could possibly prove unpalatable. Had they been harsh, instead of being written as they are in the indelible ink and friendly admonition, had they been the harshest as I knew and know that you are above any personal bias, at least, against your fellow-bards, believe me they would not have caused a remonstrance, nor a moment of rankling on my part. Your poem I read long ago in the 'Reflector,' and it is not much to say it is the best 'Session' we have, and with a more difficult subject, for we are neither so good nor so bad (taking the best and worst) as the wits of the olden time. "I wrote to Lord Holland briefly, but I hope distinctly on the subject which has lately occupied much of my conversation with him and you. As things now stand, upon that topic my determination must be unalterable. "I declare to you most sincerely that there is no human being on whose regard and esteem I set a higher value than on Lord Holland's; and, as far as concerns To your smaller pieces I have not yet had time to do himself, I would concede even to humiliation without justice by perusal, and I have a quantity of unanswered, any view to the future, and solely from my sense of his and I hope unanswerable letters to wade through before I conduct as to the past. For the rest, I conceive that I have already done all in my power by the suppression.† sleep, but to-morrow will see me through your volume. I am glad to see you have tracked Gray among the Italians. If that is not enough, they must act as they please; but I will not 'teach my tongue a most inherent baseness, You will perhaps find a friend or two of yours there also, though not to the same extent; but I have always thought Lansdowne's to-night. I am asked, but I am not sure come what may. You will probably be at the Marquis the Italians the most poetical moderns; our Milton and Spenser, and Shakspeare, (the last through translations of that I shall be able to go. Hobhouse will be there. I their Tales) are very Tuscan, and surely it is far superior think, if you knew him we, you would like him. "Believe me always yours very affectionately, LETTER CCVI. TO MR. ROGERS. "B" to the French school. You are hardly fair enough to Rogers. Why tea? you might surely have given him supper, if only a sandwich. Murray has, I hope, sent you my last bantling, 'The Corsair.' I have been regaled at every inn on the road by lampoons and other merry conceits on myself in the ministerial gazettes, occasioned by the republication of two stanzas, inserted in 1812, in Perry's paper. The hysterics of the Morning Post are quite interesting; and I hear (but have not seen) of something terrific in a last week's Courier: all which I take with the 'calm indifference' of Sir Fretful Plagiary. The Morning "As for any impression the public may receive from Post has one copy of devices upon my deformity, which the revival of the lines on Lord Carlisle, let them keep certainly will admit of no 'historic doubts' like 'Dickon it,-the more favourable for him, and the worse for me my master's,' another upon my atheism, which is not quite-better for all. "Feb. 16, 1814. "If Lord Holland is satisfied, as far as regards hine self and Lady Hd. and as this letter expresses him to be, it is enough. so clear, and another very downrightly says, 'I am the "All the sayings and doings in the world shall not devil, (boiteux, they might have added,) and a rebel, and make me utter another word of conciliation to any thing what not: possibly, my accuser of diabolism may be Rosa that breathes. I shall bear what I can, and what I Matilda; and if so, it would not be difficult to convince ber that I am a mere man. I shall break in upon you in a day or two, distance has hitherto detained me; and I hope to find you well, and myself welcome. "Ever your obliged and sincere "BYRON. "P. S. Since this letter was written, I have been at your text, which has much good humour in every sense of the word. Your notes are of a very high order indeed, particularly on Wordsworth." LETTER CCIV. TO MR. MURRAY. "Monday, Feb. 14, 1814. "Before I left town yesterday, I wrote you a note, which I presume you received. I have heard so many different cannot, I shall resist. The worst they could do would be to exclude me from society. I have never courted it, nor, I may add, in the general sense of the word, enjoyed it-and 'there is a world elsewhere!' 'Any thing remarkably injurious, I have the samo means of repaying as other men, with such interest as circumstances may annex to it. "Nothing but the necessity of adhering to regimen prevents me from dining with you to-morrow. "I am yours most truly, "You LETTER CCVII. TO MR. MOORE. "BN" "Feb. 16, 1814. may be assured that the only prickles that sting accounts of your proceedings, or rather of those of others from the Royal hedgehog are those which possess a towards you, in consequence of the publication of these torpedo property, and may benumb some of my friends. everlasting lines, that I am anxious to hear from your- I am quite silent, and 'hush'd in grim repose.' The self the real state of the case. Whatever responsibility, obloquy, or effect is to arise from the publication, should surely not fall upon you in any degree; and I can have no objection to your stating, as distinctly and publicly as you please, your unwillingness to publish them, and my The Feast of the Poets frequency of the assaults has weakened their effects,-if ever they had any ;—and, if they had had much I should hardly have held my tongue, or withheld my fingers. I is something quite new to attack a man for abandonin Relative to a proposed reconciliation between Lord Carlisle and himself. † Of the Satire. nis resentments. I have heard that previous praise and that now, as always, you will think that I wish to take no subsequent vituperation were rather ungrateful, but I did unfair advantage of the accidental opportunity which cir not know that it was wrong to endeavour to do justice to cumstances permitted me of being of use to you. those who did not wait till I had made some amends for former and boyish prejudices, but received me into their friendship, when I might still have been their enemy. "Ever, &c." In consequence of this letter, Mr. Dallas addressed an explanation to one of the newspapers, of which the following is a part:— แ TO THE EDITOR OF THE MORNING POST SIR, "I have seen the paragraph in an evening paper, in which Lord Byron is accused of 'receiving and pocketing' large sums for his works. I believe no one who knows him has the slightest suspicion of this kind; but the assertion being public, I think it a justice I owe to Lord Byron to contradict it publicly. * * * "You perceive justly that I must intentionally have made my fortune, like Sir Francis Wronghead. It were better if there were more merit in my independence, but it really is something nowadays to be independent at ail, and the less temptation to be otherwise, the more uncommon the case, in these times of paradoxical servility. I believe that most of our hates and likings have been hitherto nearly the same; but from henceforth, they must, of necessity, be one and indivisible, and now for it! I am for any weapon,-the pen, till one can find something sharper, will do for a beginning. "I take upon me to affirm that Lord Byron never re"You can have no conception of the ludicrous solem-ceived a shilling for any of his works. To my certain nity with which these two stanzas have been treated. knowledge, the profits of the Satire were left entirely to The Morning Post gave notice of an intended motion in the publisher of it. The gift of the copyright of Childe the House of my brethren on the subject, and God knows Harold's Pilgrimage, I have already publicly acknow what proceedings besides ;-and all this, as Bedridden in ledged in the dedication of the new edition of my novels: the 'Nights' says, 'for making a cream tart without pep- and I now add my acknowledgment for that of the Corper. This last piece of intelligence is, I presume, too sair, not only for the profitable part of it, but for the delilaughable to be true; and the destruction of the Custom-cate and delightful manner of bestowing it while yet unhouse appears to have, in some degree, interfered with published. With respect to his two other poems, the mine-added to which, the last battle of Buonaparte Giaour and the Bride of Abydos, Mr. Murray, the pubhas usurped the column hitherto devoted to my bulletin. lisher of them, can truly attest that no part of the sale of "I send you from this day's Morning Post the best them has ever touched his hands, or been disposed of for which have hitherto appeared on this 'impudent dog- his use." gerel,' as the Courier calls it. There was another about my diet, when a boy-not at all bad-some time ago; but the rest are but indifferent. "SIR, LETTER CCIX. "I shall think about your oratorical hint ;*-but I have never set much upon 'that cast,' and am grown as "Feb. 20, 1814. ured as Solomon of every thing, and of myself more than "My absence from London till within these last few any thing. This is being what the learned call philo-days, and business since, have hitherto prevented my acsophical, and the vulgar, lack-a-daisical. I am, however, knowledgment of the volume I have lately received, and always glad of a blessing;t pray repeat yours soon,-at least, your letter, and I shall think the benediction in cluded. LETTER CCVIII. TO MR. DALLAS. "Ever, &c." the inscription which it contains, for both of which I beg leave to return you my thanks, and best wishes for the success of the book and its author. The poem itself, as the work of a young man, is creditable to your talents, and promises better for future efforts than any which I can now recollect. Whether you intend to pursue your poetical career, I do not know, and can have no right to inquirebut, in whatever channel your abilities are directed, I think it will be your own fault if they do not eventually lead to distinction. Happiness must of course depend upon con"Feb. 17, 1814. *The Courier of this evening accuses me of having duct and even fame itself would be but a poor compen received and pocketed' large sums for my works. Isation for self-reproach. You will excuse me for talking have never yet received, nor wish to receive, a farthing| to a man perhaps not inany years my junior, with these for any. Mr. Murray offered a thousand for the Giaour grave airs of seniority; but though I cannot claim much and Bride of Abydos, which I said was too much, and advantage in that respect, it was my lot to be thrown very that if he could afford it at the end of six months, I would then direct how it might be disposed of; but neither then, nor at any other period, have I ever availed myself of the profits on my own account. For the republication of the Satire, I refused four hundred guineas; and for the previous editions I never asked nor received a sous, nor for any writing whatever. I do not wish you to do any few thing disagreeable to yourself; there never was nor shall be any conditions nor stipulations with regard to any accommodation that I could afford you; and, on your part, I can see nothing derogatory in receiving the copyright. I was only assistance afforded to a worthy man, by one not quite so worthy. "Mr. Murray is going to contradict this; but your name will not be mentioned: for your own part, you are a free agent, and are to do as you please. I only hope Mr. Moore had en Meavoured to persuade him to take a part in par: fian.cotery affairs, and to exercise his talent for oratory more frequently. conici iding his letter, Mr. Moore having said "God bless you!" Adde- that is, if you have no objectiou."' early upon the world-to mix a good deal in it in more cli mates than one-and to purchase experience which would probably have been of greater service to any one than myself. But my business with you is in your capacity of author, and to that I will contine myself. The first thing a young writer must expect, and yet can least of all suffer, is criticism. I did not bear it-a years, and many changes have since passed over my head, and my reflections on that subject are attended with regret. I find, on dispassionate comparison, my own revenge more than the provocation warranted. It is true, I was very young-that might be an excuse to those I attacked-but to me it is none: the best reply to all objecdo you justice, the world will. On the other hand, you tions is to write better-and if your enemies will not then should not be discouraged to be opposed, is not to be vanquished, though a timid mind is apt to mistake every Johnson's, which it is as well to remember, that no man scratch for a mortal wound. There is a saying of Dr. was ever written down except by himself.' I sincerely Thope that you will meet with as few obstacles as yourself san desire-but if you should, you will find that they are is the only answer to the things you mention; nor shouid to be stepped over; to kick them down is the first resolve I regard that man as my friend who said a word more on of a young and fiery spirit-a pleasant thing enough at the subject. I care little for attacks, but I will not submit the time-but not so afterwards: on this point, I speak of to defences; and I do hope and trust that you have never a man's own reflections-what others think or say, is a entertained a serious thought of engaging in so foolish a secondary consideration—at least, it has been so with me, controversy. Dallas's letter was, to his credit, merely as but will not answer as a general maxim: he who would to the facts which he had a right to state; I neither have make his way in the world, must let the world believe that nor shall take the least public notice, nor permit any one it was made for him, and accommodate himself to the else to do so. If I discover the writer, then I may act in minutest observance of its regulations. I beg once more a different manner; but it will not be in writing. so thank you for your pleasing present, "And have the honour to be LETTER CCX. TO MR. MOORE. "Feb. 26, 1814. Dallas had, perhaps, have better kept silence;-but that was his concern, and, as his facts are correct, and his motive not dishonourable to himself, I wished him well through it. As for his interpretations of the lines, he and any one else may interpret them as they please. I have and shall adhere to my taciturnity, unless something very particular occurs to render this impossible. Do not you | say a word. If any one is to speak, it is the person principally concerned. The most amusing thing is, that every one (to me) attributes the abuse to the man they person ally most dislike!-some say Croker, some C** e, others Fitzgerald, &c. &c. &c. I do not know, and have no clue but conjecture. If discovered, and he turns out a hirelung, he must be left to his wages; if a cavalier, he aust 'wink, and hold out his iron.' "An expression in your letter has induced me to write this to you, to entreat you not to interfere in any way in such a business,-it is now nearly over, and depend upon it they are much more chagrined by my silence than they could be by the best defence in the world. I do not know any thing that would vex me more than any further reply to these things. "Ever yours, in haste, "B." "I have a great mind to tell you that I am uncomfortable,' if only to make you come to town; where no one ever more delighted in seeing you, nor is there any one to whom I would sooner turn for consolation in my most vapourish moments. The truth is, I have 'no lack of argument' to ponder upon of the most gloomy description, but this arises from other causes. Some day or other, when we are veterans, I may tell you a tale of present and past times; and it is not from want of confidence that I do not know,-but-but-always a but to the end of the chapter. *I had some thoughts of putting the question to Croker, but Hobhouse, who, I am sure, would not dissuade me, if it were right, advised me by all means not that I had "There is nothing, however, upon the spot either to no right to take it upon suspicion,' &c. &c. Whether love or hate-but I certainly have subjects for both at Hobhouse is correct, I am not aware, but he believes him- no very great distance, and amn besides embarrassed beself so, and says there can be but one opinion on that sub-tween three whom I know, and one (whose name at least) ject. This I am, at least, sure of, that he would never I do not know. All this would be very well, if I had no prevent me from doing what he deemed the duty of a heart; but, unluckily, I have found that there is such a preur chevalier. In such cases-at least, in this country thing still about me, though in no very good repair, and, -we must act according to usages. In considering this also, that it has a habit of attaching itself to one, whether instance, 1 dismiss my own personal feelings. Any man I will or no. Divide et impera,' 1 begin to think, will will and must fight, when necessary, even without a mo- only do for politics. tive. Here, I should take it up really without much re- "If I discover the 'toad,' as you call him, I shall 'tread,— sentment; for unless a woman one likes is in the way, it and put spikes in my shoes to do it more effectually. The is some years since I felt a long anger. But, undoubt-effect of all these fine things, I do not inquire much nor edly, could I, or may I, trace it to a man of station, I perceive. I believe ** felt them more than either of us. should and shall do what is proper. People are civil enough, and I have had no dearth of invitawas angerly, but tried to conceal it. You are not tions,-none of which, however, I have accepted. I went called upon to avow the Twopenny,' and would only out very little last year, and mean to go about still less. I gratify them by so doing. Do you not see the great ob- have no passion for circles, and have long regretted that I ject of all these fooleries is to set him, and you, and me, ever gave way to what is called a town life;-which, of al and all persons whatsoever, by the ears ?-more especially the lives I ever saw (and they are nearly as many as Pluthose who are on good terms-and nearly succeeded. tarch's) seems to me to leave the least for the past and Lord H. wished me to concede to Lord Carlisle-concede future." to the devil!-to a man who used me ill? I told him, inj "How proceeds the Poem? Do not neglect it, and I have answer, that I would neither concede, nor recede on the no fears. I need not say to you that your fame is dear to subject, but be silent altogether; unless any thing more could be said about Lady H. and himself who had been since my very good friends;-and there it ended. This was no time for concessions to Lord C. "I have been interrupted, but shall write again soon. Believe me ever, my dear Moore, &c." LETTER CCXI TO W ** w ✶ ✶, ESQ.* "MY DEAR W "Feb. 28, 1814. me,-I really might say dearer than my own; for I have lately begun to think my things have been strangely overrated; and, at any rate, whether or not, I have done with them for ever. I may say to you, what I would not say to every body, that the last two were written, the Bride in four and the Corsair in ten days,-which I take to be a most humiliating confession, as it proves my own want of judg. ment in publishing, and the public's in reading things, which cannot have stamina for permanent attention. So much for Buckingham.' "I have no dread of your being too hasty, and I have still less of your failing. But I think a year a very fair allotment *I have but a few moments to write to you. Silence of time to a composition which is not to be Epic; and even Horace's 'Nonum prematur' must have been intended for A gentleman why volunteered to defend him in relation to the "Two the Millennium, or some longer-lived generation than ours. LETTERS, 1814. I wonder how much we should have had of him, had he and, though I am and can be no judge (at least a far observed his own doctrines to the letter. Peace be with one on this subject,) containing nothing which you ought you! Remember that I am always and most truly yours, &c. to hesitate publishing upon my account. If the author *P. S. I never heard the 'report' you mention, nor, I is not Dr. Busby himself, I think it a pity, on his oum dare say, many others. But, in course, you, as well as account, that he should dedicate it to his subscribers others, have 'damned good-natured friends,' who do their nor can I perceive what Dr. Busby has to do with the duty in the usual way. One thing will make you laugh matter, except as a translator of Lucretius, for whose LETTER CCXIII. TO MR. MOORE. doctrines he is surely not responsible. I tell you openly, and really most sincerely, that, if published at all, there is no earthly reason why you should not; on the contrary I should receive it as the greatest compliment you could "Guess darkly, and you will seldom err. At present, I manner, and without any malicious intention, from which, "March 12, 1814. pay to your good opinion of my candour, to print and circulate that, or any other work, attacking me in a manly shall say no more, and, perhaps--but no matter. I hope we as far as I have seen, I must exonerate this writer. shall some day meet, and whatever years may precede or succeed it, I shall mark it with the 'white stone' in my thinks I have published principles tending to such opicalendar. I am not sure that I shall not soon be in your nions, he has a perfect right to controvert them. Pray "He is wrong in one thing,-I am no atheist; but if he neighbourhood again. If so, and I am alone, (as will pro-publish it; I shall never forgive myself if I think that 1 bably be the case,) I shall invade and carry you off, and have prevented you. endeavour to atone for sorry fare by a sincere welcome. I lon't know the person absent (barring 'the sect') I should e so glad to see again. "I have nothing of the sort you mention but the lines, (the Weepers,) if you like to have them in the Bag. I wish to give them all possible circulation. The Vault reflection is downright actionable, and to print it would be peril to the publisher; but I think the Tears have a natural right to be bagged, and the editor (whoever he may be) might supply a facetious note or not, as he pleased. "I cannot conceive how the Vault has got about, but so it is. It is too farouche; but, truth to say, my satires are not very playful. I have the plan of an epistle in my head, at him and to him; and, if they are not a little quieter, I shall imbody it. I should say little or nothing of myself. As to mirth and ridicule, that is out of my way; but I have a tolerable fund of sternness and contempt, and, with Juvenal before ine, I shall perhaps read him a lecture he has not lately heard in the Court. From particular circumstances, which came to my knowledge almost by accident, I could 'tell him what he is-I know him well.' wish him success; his verse is very deserving of it; and You cannot suppose me so narrow-minded as to shrink including all that has been said, and will be, on the should have given birth, I really think, to eight thousand How odd that eight lines subject!" LETTER CCXV. TO MR. MURRAY. my books, if you can find, or cause them to be found for "All these news are very "April 9, 1814. fine; but nevertheless I want "I meant, my dear M. to write to you a long letter, but I Elba,' during his retirement. I also (if convenient, and me,-if only to lend them to Napoleon in 'the island of am hurried, and time clips my inclination down to yours, &c. you have no party with you) should be glad to speak with "P.S. Think again before you shelf your Poem. There you for a few minutes this evening, as I have had a letter is a youngster, (older than me, by-the-by, but a younger from Mr. Moore, and wish to ask you, as the best judge, poet,) Mr. G. Knight, with a vol. of Eastern Tales, written of the best time for him to publish the work he has consince his return, for he has been in the countries. He sent posed. I need not say, that I have his success much at to me last summer, and I advised him to write one in each heart; not only because he is my friend, but something measure, without any intention, at that time, of doing the much better-a man of great talent, of which he is less same thing. Since that, from a habit of writing in a fever, sensible than I believe any even of his enemies. If you I have anticipated him in the variety of measures, but quite can so far oblige me as to step down, do so; and if you unintentionally. Of the stories, I know nothing, not having are otherwise occupied, say nothing about it. I shall find seen them; but he has some lady in a sack, too, like the you at home in the course of next week. Giaour:-he told me at the time. Death of Darnley is a famous subject-one of the best, I "P. S. I see Sotheby's Tragedies advertised. The should think, for the drama. Pray let me have a copy, when ready. "The best way to make the public 'forget' me is to remind them of yourself. You cannot suppose that I would ask you or advise you to publish, if I thought you would fail. I really have no literary envy; and 1 do not believe a friend's success ever sat nearer another than yours do to my best and desired me to thank you; she means, I believe. to "Mrs. Leigh was very much pleased with her books wishes. It is for elderly gentlemen to 'bear no brother near,' write to you her acknowledgments." and cannot become our disease for more years than we may perhaps number. I wish you to be out before Eastern subjects are again before the public." LETTER CCXIV. TO MR. MURRAY. "I have not time to read the whole MS. but what I "March 12, 1814 have seen seems very well written, (both prose and verse,) The lines on the opening of the vault that contained the remains of Henry VIII, and Charles I. †The manuscript of a long grave satire, entitled Anti-Byron," which bad been sent to Mr. Murray, and by him forwarded to Lord Byron, with request-not meant, I believe, seriously-that he would give his opinion s to the propriety of publishing it.- Moore. แ LETTER CCXVL TO MR. MOORE. "Viscount Althorp is about to be married, and I have infer that I have been out of it; and I have been boxing, anto five in the matin. We clareted and champaigned "Ah! my poor little pagod, Napoleon, has walked off his till two-then supped, and finished with a kind of regency pedestal. He has abdicated, they say. This would draw punch composed of madeira, brandy, and green tea, no real molten brass from the eyes of Zatanai. What! 'kiss the water being admitted therein. There was a night for ground before young Malcolm's feet, and then be baited by you-without once quitting the table, except to ambulate the rabble's curse! I cannot bear such a crouching catahome, which I did alone, and in utter contempt of a hack-strophe. I must stick to Sylla, for my modern favourites ney-coach and my own vis, both of which were deemed don't do,-their resignations are of a different kind. All necessary for our conveyance. And so,—I am very well, health and prosperity, my dear Moore. Excuse this and they say it will hurt my constitution. lengthy letter. Ever, &c. "I have also, more or less, been breaking a few of the favourite commandments; but I mean to pull up and marry,-if any one will have me. In the mean time, the other day I nearly killed myself with a collar of brawn, which I swallowed for supper, and indigested for I don't know how long-but that is by-the-by. All this gormandize was in honour of Lent; for I am forbidden meat all the rest of the year, but it is strictly enjoined me during your solemn fast. I have been, and am, in very tolerable love;-but of that hereafter, as it be. may "My dear Moore, say what you will in your preface; and quiz any thing, or any body,-me, if you like it. Oons! dost thou think me of the old, or rather elderly, school? If one can't jest with one's friends, with whom can we be facetious? You have nothing to fear from **, whom I have not seen, being out of town when he called. He will be very correct, smooth, and all that, but I doubt whether there will be any 'grace beyond the reach of art;-and whether there is or not, how long will you be so d-d modest? As for Jeffrey, it is a very handsome thing of him to speak well of an old antagonist,-and what a mean mind dared not do. Any one will revoke praise; butwere it not partly my own case-1 should say that very few have strength of mind to unsay their censure, or follow it up with praise of other things. "What think you of the review of Levis? It beats the Bag and my hand-grenade hollow, as an invective, and hath thrown the Court into hysterics, as I hear from very good authority. Have you heard from * * "P. S. The Quarterly quotes you frequently in an article on America; and every body I know asks perpetually after you and yours. When will you answer them in person?" NOTE TO MR. MURRAY. *"April 10, 1814. "I have written an Ode on the fall of Napoleon, which, if you like, I will copy out, and make you a present of Mr. Merivale has seen part of it, and likes it. You may show it to Mr. Gifford, and print it, or not, as you pleaseit is of no consequence. It contains nothing in his favour, and no allusion whatever to our own government or the Bourbons. Yours, &c. "P. S. It is in the measure of my stanzas at the end of Childe Harold, which were much liked, beginning, 'And thou art dead,' &c. There are ten stanzas of it-ninety lines in all." NOTE TO MR. MURRAY. "April 11, 1814. "I enclose you a letteret from Mrs. Leigh. "It will be best not to put my name to our Ode; but you may say as openly as you like that it is mine, and I can inscribe it to Mr. Hobhouse from the author, which will mark it sufficiently. After the resolution of not publishing, though it is a thing of little length and less consequence, it will be better altogether that it is anonymous; but we will incorporate it in the first tome of ours that you find time or "Yours alway, "B. the wish to publish. "P. S. I hope you got a note of alterations. sent this matin? "P. S. Oh my books! my books! will you never find my books? "Alter 'potent spell' to 'quickening spell: the first (as Polonius says) 'is a vile phrase,' and means nothing, besides being commonplace and Rosa-Matildaish." No more rhyme for-or rather, from-me. I have taken my leave of that stage, and henceforth will mountebank it no longer. I have had my day, and there's an end. The utmost I expect, or even wish, is to have it said in the Biographia Britannica, that I might perhaps have been a poet, had I gone on and amended. My great comfort is that the temporary celebrity I have wrung from the world has been in the very teeth of all opinions and prejudices. I have flattered no ruling powers; I have never concealed a single thought that tempted me. They can't say I have truckled to the times, nor to popular topics, (as "April 12, 1814. Johnson, or somebody, said of Cleveland,) and whatever I "I send you a few notes and trifling alterations, and an have gained has been at the expenditure of as much per- additional motto from Gibbon, which you will find singu sonal favour as possible; for I do believe never was a bard larly appropriate. A 'Good-natured Friend' tells me there inore unpopular, quoad homo, than myself. And now I is a most scurrilous attack on us in the Antijacobin Rehave done-ludite nunc alios.'-Every body may be view, which you have not sent. Send it, as I am in that dd, as they seem fond of it, and resolved to stickle lustily state of languor which will derive benefit from getting into for endless brimstone. a passion. Ever, &c." "Oh-by-the-by, I had nearly forgot. There is a long Poem, an Anti-Byron,' coming out, to prove that I have formed a conspiracy to overthrow, by rhyme, all religion and government, and have already made great progress! It is not very scurrilous, but serious and ethereal. I never felt myself important, till I saw and heard of my being such a little Voltaire as to induce such a production. Murray would not publish it, for which he was a fool, and so I told him; but some one else will, doubtless. 'Something too inuch of this.' -Your French scheme is good, but let it be Italian; all the Angles will be at Paris. Let it be Rome, Milan, Naples, Florence. Turin, Venice, or Switzerland, and egad (as Bayes saith,) I will connubiate and join you; and we will write a new 'Inferno in our Paradise. Pray, think of this--and I will really buy a wife and a ring, and say the ceremony and settle near you in a summer-house upon the Arno, or the Po, or the Adriatic NOTE TO MR. MURRAY. LETTER CCXVII. TO MR. MOORE. Albany, April 20, 1814. "I am very glad to hear that you are to be transient from Mayfield so very soon, and was taken in by the first part of your letter. Indeed, for aught 1 know, you may be • See Poems, p. 178. I had begun my letter in the following manner:-"Have you seen the Ode to Napoleon Buonaparte?—I suspect it to be either Fitzgerald's or Rosa Matilda's. Those rapid and masterly portraits of all the tyrants that preceded Napoleon have a vigour in them which would incline new say that Rosa Matilla is the person-but then, on the other hand, that parallel, the letter went on this I shoulke to know what you think the matter? Some friends of mam here will sist that it is the work of the author of Childe aruki,but then they are not so well read in aut. besides, they seem to furt Frzgerald and dosa Matilda as I am that you promised, about a month or two ago, not to write any more lut years. Seristy, &c. &c. powerful grasp of history," &c. &c. After a little more of this mock |