LETTER CCLII. TO MR. MURRAY. "Kirby, Jan. 6, 1815. "The marriage took place on the 2d instant; so pray, make haste and congratulate away. "Thanks for the Edinburgh Review and the abolition of the print. Let the next be from the other of Phillips-I mean (not the Albanian, but) the original one in the exhibition; the last was from the copy. I should wish my sister and Lady Byron to decide upon the next, as they found fault with the last. I have no opinion of my own upon the subject. good thing. Now, Tom, is thy time-'Oh joyful day. LETTER CCLV. TO MR. MOORE. "Jan. 19, 1915. "Mr. Kinnaird will, I dare say, have the goodness! "Egad! I don't think he is 'down;' and my to furnish copies of the Melodies, if you state my prophecy-like most auguries, sacred and profane wish upon the subject. You may have them, if you is not annulled, but inverted. think them worth inserting. The volumes, in their collected state, must be inscribed to Mr. Hobhouse, but I have not yet mustered the expressions of my inscription; but will supply them in time. "With many thanks for your good wishes, which have all been realized, I remain very truly, "Yours, "BYRON." my mother I won't say any thing against-that is, "To your question about the dog'-Umph!about her; but how long a mistress' or friend thirst being the two great and only bonds between may recollect paramours or competitors (lust and the amatory or the amicable), I can't say,-or, rather, you know as well as I could tell you. But, as for canine recollections, as far as I could judge by a cur of mine own, (always bating Boatswain, the dearest, and, alas! the maddest of dogs,) I had one (half a wolf by the she side) that doted on me at ten years old, and very nearly ate me at twenty. When I thought he was going to enact Argus, he bit away the backside of my breeches, and never would con sent to any kind of recognition, in despite of all "DEAR NATHAN, kinds of bones which I offered him. So, let Southey "Murray, being about to publish a complete edi- blush, and Homer too, as far as I can decide upon tion of my poetical effusions, has a wish to include quadruped memories.† the stanzas of the Hebrew Melodies. Will you "I humbly take it, the mother knows the son allow him that privilege without considering it an that pays her jointure-a mistress her mate, till he infringement on your copyright? I certainly wish and refuses salary-a friend his fellow, till he loses cash and character, and a dog his master, till LETTER CCLIII. TO MR. NATHAN. "Jan. 7, 1815. to oblige the gentleman, but you know, Nathan, it LETTER CCLIV. TO MR. MOORE. "BYRON." "Halnaby, Darlington, Jan. 10, 1815. "I was married this day week. The parson has pronounced it-Perry has announced it-and the Morning Post, also, under the head of Lord Byron's marriage'-as if it were a fabrication, or the puff-direct of a new stay-maker. "Now for thine affairs. I have redde thee upon the Fathers, and it is excellent well. Positively, you must not leave off reviewing. You shine in it -you kill in it; and this article has been taken for Sydney Smith's, (as I heard in town,) which proves not only your proficiency in parsonology, but that you have all the airs of a veteran critic at your first onset. So, prithee, go on and prosper. "Scott's Lord of the Isles is out-the mailcoach copy' I have, by special license of Murray. * "So, you want to know about Milady and me? But let me not, as Roderick Random says, 'profane the chaste mysteries of Hymen 't-damn the word, I had nearly spelled it with a small h. I like Bell as well as you do (or did, you villain!) Bessy-and that is (or was) saying a great deal. "Address your next to Seaham, Stockton-onTees, where we are going on Saturday (a bore, by the-way) to see father-in-law, Sir Jacob, and my lady's lady-mother. Write and write more at length-both to the public and "Yours ever most affectionately, LETTER CCLVI. TO MR. MOORE. "B." "Seaham, Stockton-on-Tees, Feb. 2, 1815. "I have heard from London that you have left Chatsworth and all the women full of entusy musy' about you, personally and poetically; and, in particular, that When first I met thee' has been quite overwhelming in its effect. I told you it was one of the best things you ever wrote, though that dog Power wanted you to omit part of it. They "Now is your time;-you will come upon them newly and freshly. It is impossible to read what • Mr. Moore had just been reading Mr. Southey's poem of “Roderick," you have lately done (verse or prose) without seeing and, with reference to an incident in it, had put the following question to that you have trained on tenfold. has floun- Lord Byron:-"I should like to know from you, who are one of the Phil dered. **has foundered. I have tired the rascals cynic sect, whether it is at all probable, that any dog (out of a melodrame) (i. e. the public) with my Harrys and Larrys, Pil- could recognize a master, whom neither his own mother ar qierress was able grims and Pirates. Nobody but Southey has done to find out. I don't care about Ulysses' dog, &c.—al 1 what to know from any thing worth a slice of bookseller's pudding; and you, (who are renowned as 'friend of the dog, companion of the bear,) he has not luck enough to be found out in doing a • The Hebrew Melodies, which he had employed nimself in writing during his recent stay in London. whether such a thing is probable." † Don Juan, canto iii., stanza xxiii., letter scii. it was thus that, according to his account, Mr. Braman, the celebrnin singer and actor, used frequently to pronounce the word "enthusiasm." are all regretting your absence at Chatsworth, according to my informant- all the ladies quite. &c., &c., &c.' Stap my vitals! "You can, at any rate, try Jeffrey's inclination. Your late proposal from him made me hint this to **, who is a much better proser and scholar than I am, and a very superior man indeed. Excuse haste "Ever yours most, "B. LETTER CCIX. TO MR. MOORE. "Fet. 10, 1315. "Well, now you have got home again-which I dare say is as agreeable as a 'draught of cool small-answer this. beer to the scorched palate of a waking sot-now you have got home again, I say, probably I shall "P. S. All is well at home. I wrote to you yeshear from you. Since I wrote last, I have been terday." transferred to my father-in-law's, with my lady and lady's maid, &c., &c., &c., and the treacle-moon is over, and I am awake, and find myself married. My spouse and I agree to-and in-admiration. Swift says, 'no wise man ever married;' but, for a fool, I think it the most ambrosial of all possible future states. I still think one ought to marry upon lease; but am very sure I should renew mine at the expiration, though next term were for ninety "MY DEAR THOM, and nine years. "Jeffrey has been so very kind about me and my "I wish you would respond, for I am here 'obli- damnable works, that I would not be indirect or tusque meorum obliviscendus et illis.' Pray tell equivocal with him, even for a friend. So, it may me what is going on in the way of intriguery, and be as well to tell him that it is not mine; but that, how the ws and rogues of the upper Beggar's if I did not firmly and truly believe it to be much Opera go on-or rather go off-in or after marriage; better than I could offer, I would never have trouor who are going to break any particular command-bled him or you about it. You can judge between ment. Upon this dreary coast, we have nothing you how far it is admissible, and reject it, if not of but country meetings and shipwrecks; and I have the right sort. For my own part, I have no interest this day dined upon fish, which probably dined upon in the article one way or the other, further than to the crews of several colliers lost in the late gales. oblige**; and should the composition be a good But I saw the sea once more in all the glories of one, it can hurt neither party,-nor, indeed, any surf and foam,-almost equal to the Bay of Biscay, one, saving and excepting Mr. and the interesting white squalls and short seas of Archipelago memory. 66 My papa, Sir Ralpho, hath recently made a speech at a Durham tax-meeting; and not only at Durham, but here, several times since, after dinner. He is now, I believe, speaking to himself (I left him in the middle) over various decanters, which can neither interrupt him nor fall asleep,-as might possibly have been the case with some of his audience. "Ever thine, "B. "I must go to tea-damn tea. I wish it was Kinnaird's brandy, and with you to lecture me about it." LETTER CCLVII. "Curse catch me if I know what H✶✶ means, or meaned, about the demonstrative pronoun, but I admire your fear of being inoculated with the same. Have you never found out that you have a particular style of your own, which is as distinct from all other people, as Hafiz of Shiraz from Hafiz of the Morning Post? "So you allowed B** and such like to hum and haw you, or, rather, Lady Jersey, out of her compliment, and me out of mine.t Sunburn me but this was pitiful-hearted. However, I will tell her all about it when I see her. "Bell desires me to say all kinds of civilities, and assure you of her recognition and high consideration. I will tell you of our movements south, which may be in about three weeks from this present writing. By-the-way, don't engage yourself in any travelling expedition, as I have a plan of travel into Italy, which we will discuss. And then, think of the poesy wherewithal we should overflow from Venice to Vesuvius, to say nothing of Greece, "Seaham, Stockton-upon-Tees, Feb. 2, 1815. "You will oblige me very much by making an ambulate in one twelvemonth. If I take my wife, through all which-God willing-we might peroccasional inquiry at Albany, at my chambers, you can take yours; and if I leave mine, you may whether my books, &c., are kept in tolerable order, do the same. Mind you stand by me, in either TO MR. MURRAY. and how far my old woman continues in health and industry as keeper of my old den. Your parcels case, Brother Bruin.' have been duly received and perused; but I had "And believe me inveterately yours, "B." LETTER CCLVIII. TO MR. MOORE. "Feb. 4, 1815. LETTER CCLX. TO MR. MOORE. "Feb. 22, 1815. "Yesterday, I sent off the packet and letter to Edinburgh. It consisted of forty-one pages, so that I have not added a line; but in my letter, I mentioned what passed between you and me in autumn, as my inducement for presuming to trouble him either with my own or 's lucubrations. I am "I enclose you half a letter from **, which will explain itself-at least the latter part-the former refers to private business of mine own. If Jeffrey will take such an article, and you will undertake the any thing but sure that it will do; but I have told Jeffrey that if there is any decent raw material in it, revision, or, indeed, any portion of the article itself, he may cut it into what shape he pleases, and warp (for unless you do, by Phoebus, I will have nothing it to his liking. to do with it,) we can cook up, between us three, as pretty a dish of sour-crout as ever tipped over the engue of a book-maker. * Mrs. Mule, 1's housekeeper. • Some remark which had been made with respect to the frequent use of the demonstrative pronoun, both by himself and by Sir W. Scott. Verses to Lady Jersey (containing an allusion to Lord Byron), which Mr. Moore had written, while at Chatsworth, but afterwards destroyed "So you won't go abroad, then, with me-but tion, and so totally occupied in consuming the fruits alone. I fully purpose starting much about the time you mention, and alone, too. how. * and sauntering-and playing dull games at cards -and yawning-and trying to read old Annual Registers and the daily papers-and gathering shells on the shore-and watching the growth of stunted gooseberry bushes in the garden-that I have nei ther time nor sense to say more than "Yours ever "B. "I hope Jeffrey won't think me very impudent in sending only; there was not room for a syllable. I have avowed as the author, and said that you thought or said, when I met you last, that he (J.) would not be angry at the coalition, (though "P. S. I open my letter again to put a question alas! we have not coalesced,) and so, if I have got to you. What would Lady Cork, or any other fash into a scrape, I must get out of it-Heaven knows ionable Pidcock give, to collect you and Jeffrey and me to one party. I have been answering his letter, "Your Anacreon is come, and with it I sealed which suggested this dainty query. I can't help (its first impression) the packet and epistle to our laughing at the thoughts of your face and mine; patron. and our anxiety to keep the Aristarch in good humor during the early part of a compotation, till we got drunk enough to make him a speech.' I think the critic would have much the best of us-of one, at least-for I don't think diffidence (I mean social) is a disease of yours." "Curse the Melodies, and the Tribes to boot. Braham is to assist-or hath assisted-but will do no more good than a second physician. I merely interfered to oblige a whim of Kinnaird's and all I have got by it was a speech,' and a receipt for stewed oysters. 666 'Not meet'-pray don't say so. We must meet somewhere or somehow. Newstead is out of the question, being nearly sold again, or, if not, is uninhabitable for my spouse. Pray write again. I will soon. "P. S. Pray when do you come out? ever, or never? I hope I have made no blunder; but I certainly think you said to me (after Wordsworth, whom I first pondered upon, was given up) that * and I might attempt***. His length alone prevented me from trying my part, though I should have been less severe upon the Reviewee. LETTER CCLXII. TO MR. MOORE. March 8, 1815. "An event-the death of poor Dorset-and the recollection of what I once felt, and ought to have felt now, but could not-set me pondering, and finally into the train of thought which you have in "Your seal is the best and prettiest of my set, your hands. I am very glad you like them, for I and I thank you very much therefor. I have just atter myself they will pass as an imitation of your been-or, rather, ought to be very much shocked style. If I could imitate it well, I should have no by the death of the Duke of Dorset. We were at great ambition of originality-I wish I could make school together, and there I was passionately at- you exclaim with Dennis, That's my thunder, by tached to him. Since, we have never met-but once, G-d!' I wrote them with a view to your setting I think, since 1805-and it would be a paltry affec-them, and as a present to Power, if he would accept tation to pretend that I had any feeling for him the words, and you did not think yourself degraded, worth the name. But there was a time in my life when this event would have broken my heart; and all I can say for it now is, that-it is not worth breaking. "Adicu-it is all a farce." LETTER CCLXI. TO MR. MOORE. March 2, 1815. for once in a way, by marrying them to music. "Sunburn Nathan! why do you always twit me with his vile 'Ebrew nasalities? Have I not told you it was all K.'s doing, and my own exquisite fa cility of temper? But thou wilt be a wag Thomas; and see what you get for it. Now for my re venge. Depend-and prepend-upon it that your opin ion of's poem will travel through one or other of the quintuple correspondents, till it reaches the ear and the liver of the author. Your adventure, how ever, is truly laughable; but how could you be such a potato? You a brother' (of the quill) too near "MY DEAR THOM, the throne,' to confide to a man's own publisher Jeffrey has sent me the most friendly of all pos-(who has bought,' or rather sold, golden opinsible letters, and has accepted's article. Ile ions' about him) such a damnatory parenthesis! says he has long liked not only, &c., &c., but my Between you and me,' quotha, it reminds me of a 'character.' This must be your doing, you dog-passage in the Heir at Law- Tête-à-tête with Lady arn't you ashamed of yourself, knowing me so well? Duberly, I suppose '-No-tête-àtête with fire hun This is what one gets for having you for a father confessor. dred people;' and your confidential communication will doubtless be in circulation to that amount, in a "I feel merry enough to send you a sad song.+ short time, with several additions, and in several You once asked me for some words which you would letters, all signed L. H. R. O. B. &c., &c., &c. set. Now you may set or not, as you like,-but "We leave this place to-morrow, and shall stop there they are, in a legible hand, and not in mine, on our way to town (in the interval of taking a but of my own scribbling; so you may say of them house there) at Col. Leigh's, near Newmarket, what you please. Why don't you write to me: I where any epistle of yours will find its welcome shall make you 6 a speech' if you don't respond way. "I have been very comfortable here, listening to "I am in such a state of sameness and stagna- that d-d monologue, which elderly gentlenen call quickly. A seal, with the head of Anacreon, which Mr. Moore had given him. The verses enclosed were those melancholy ones, now printed in his works. "There's not a joy the world can give like that it takes away.” Poems, p. 549. The MS. was in the handwriting of Lady Byron. § These allusions to a "speech" are connected with a little incident, not worth mentioning, which had amused us both when I was in town. He was rather fond (and had been always so, as may be seen in his early letters) of Chus harping on some conventional phrase or joke.—Moore. He here alludes to a circumstance which I had communicated to him is preceding letter. In writing to one of the numerous partners of a welkknown publishing establishment, (with which I have since been lucky enough to bună a more intimate connection,) I had said confidentially, (as I thought,) is reference to a poem that had just appeared," between you and me, I de not much admire Mr.'s poem." The letter being chiefly upon busines, was answered through the regular business channel, and, to roy dismay, co cluded with the following words :-"We are very sorry that you do not p prove of Mr.⚫'s new poem, and are your obedieut, &c., &c. LHRO &c., &c."-Moore. H 1 conversation, and in which my pious father-in-law | But the old gentleman has been so very kind to he. repeats himself every evening, save one, when he and me, that I hardly know how to wish him in played upon the fiddle. However, they have been heaven, if he can be comfortable on earth. Her favery kind and hospitable, and I like them and the ther is still in the country. place vastly, and I hope they will live many happy "We mean to metropolize to-morrow, and you months. Bell is in health, and unvaried good hu- will address your next to Piccadilly. We have got mor and behavior. But we are all in the agonies of the Duchess of Devon's house there, she being in packing and parting; and I suppose by this time France. to-morrow I shall be stuck in the chariot with my "I don't care what Power says to secure the chin upon a bandbox. I have prepared, however, property of the Song, so that it is not complimentaanother carriage for the abigail, and all the trump-ry to me, nor any thing about 'condescending' ery which our wives drag along with them. or noble authors both vile phrases,' as Poloni "Ever thine, most affectionately, 66 "B." LETTER CCLXIII. TO MR. MOORE. "March 27, 1815. "I meant to write to you before on the subject of your loss; but the recollection of the uselessness and worthlessness of any observations on such events prevented me. I shall only now add, that I rejoice to see you bear it so well, and that I trust time will enable Mrs. M. to sustain it better. Every thing should be done to divert and occupy her with other thoughts and cares, and I am sure all that can be done will. Journal "Now to your letter. Napoleon-but the papers "DEAR SIR, will have told you all. I quite think with you upon "It will give me great pleasure to comply with the subject, and for my real thoughts this time your request, though I hope there is still taste last year, I would refer you to the last pages of the enough left among us to render it almost unnecesI gave you. can forgive the rogue for sary, sordid and interested as, it must be admitted, utterly falsifying every line of mine Ode-which I many of the trade' are, where circumstances give take to be the last and uttermost stretch of human them an advantage. I trust you do not permit magnanimity. Do you remember the story of a cer-yourself to be depressed by the temporary partiality tain abbe, who wrote a Treatise on the Swedish of what is called the public' for the favorites of Constitution, and proved it indissoluble and eternal? the moment; all experience is against the permaJust as he had corrected the last sheet, news came nency of such impressions. You must have lived that Gustavus III. had destroyed this immortal gov- to see many of these pass away, and will survive ernment: Sir,' quoth the abbe, the king of Swe- many more-I mean personally, for poetically, I den may overthrow the constitution, but not my would not insult you by a comparison. book!!' I think of the abbé, but not with him. Making every allowance for talent and most consummate daring, there is, after all, a good deal in luck or destiny. He might have been stopped by our frigates-or wrecked in the gulf of Lyons, which is particularly tempestuous-or-a thousand things. But he is certainly Fortune's favorite, and "Once fairly set out on his party of pleasure, Making balls for the ladies, and bows to his foes. "If I may be permitted, I would suggest that there never was such an opening for tragedy. In Kean, there is an actor worthy of expressing the thoughts of the characters which you have every power of embodying; and I cannot but regret that the part of Ordonio was disposed of before his appearance at Drury Lane. We have nothing to be mentioned in the same breath with Remorse' for very many years; and I should think that the reception of that play was sufficient to encourage the highest hopes of author and audience. It is to be hoped that you are proceeding in a career which With my best respects could not but be successful. to Mr. Bowles, I have the honor to be, You must have seen the account of his driving into the middle of the royal army, and the immediate effect of his pretty speeches. And now, if he don't drub the allies, there is no purchase in money.' If he can take France by himself, the devil's in't if he don't repulse the invaders, when backed by those "P. S. You mention my 'Satire,' lampoon. or celebrated sworders-those boys of the blade, the whatever you or others please to call it. I can only Imperial Guard, and the old and new army. It is say, that it was written when I was very young impossible not to be dazzled and overwhelmed by very angry, and has been a thorn in my side ever his character and career. Nothing ever so disap-since; more particularly as almost all the persons pointed me as his abdication, and nothing could animadverted upon became subsequently my ac have reconciled me to him but some such revival as quaintances, and some of them my friends, which his recent exploit; though no one could anticipate is 'heaping fire upon an enemy's head,' and forgivsuch a complete and brilliant renovation. ing me too readily to permit me to forgive myself. and "To your question, I can only answer that there The part applied to you is pert, and petulant, and have been some symptoms which look a little ges- shallow enough; but although I have long done tatory. It is a subject upon which I am not partic- everything in my power to suppress the circulation of ularly anxious, except that I think it would please the whole thing, I shall always regret the wantonher uncle, Lord Wentworth, and her father and ness or generality of many cf its attempted attacks." mother. The former (Lord W.) is now in town, and in very indifferent health. You perhaps know that his property, amounting to seven or eight thousand a year, will eventually devolve upon Bell. the ensuing winter, and added that, in ging him this information, I founc • The death of his infant goddaughter, Olivia Byron Moore. • I had accused him of having entirely forgot that, in a preceding letter, had informed him of my intention to publish with the Messrs. Longman ir I had been,-to use an Irish metaphor, "whistling jigs to a milestone.” LETTER CCLXV. TO MR. MURRAY. "April 9, 1815. "Thanks for the books. I have great objection to your proposition about inscribing the vase,* which is, that it would appear ostentatious on my part; and of course I must send it as it is, without any alteration. "Yours, &c." LETTER CCLXVI. TO MR. MOORE. "April 23, 1815. "Lord Wentworth died last week. The bulk of his property (from seven to eight thousand per ann.) is entailed on Lady Milbanke and Lady Byron. The first is gone to take possession in Leicestershire, and attend the funeral, &c., this day. I have mentioned the facts of the settlement of Lord W.'s property, because the newspapers, with their usual accuracy, have been making all kinds of blunders in their statement. His will is just as expected-the principal part settled on Lady Milbanke (now Noel) and Bell, and a separate estate. left for sale to pay debts, (which are not great,) and legacies to his natural son and daughter. "Mrs.'s tragedy was last night damned. They "You must have thought it very odd, not to say ungrateful, that I made no mention of the draw ings, &c., when I had the pleasure of seeing you this morning. The fact is, that till this moment I had not seen them, nor heard of their arrival: they were carried up into the library, where I have not been till just now, and no intimation given me of their coming. The present is so very magnificent, that-in short, I leave Lady Byron to thank you for it herself, and merely send this to apologize for a piece of apparent and unintentional neglect on my "Yours, &c." own part. LETTER CCLXVIII. TO MR. HUNT. 13 Piccadilly Terrace, May-June 1, 1815. may bring it on again, and probably will; but damned "MY DEAR HUNT, it was,-not a word of the last act audible. I went "I am as glad to hear from as I shall be to see (malgré that I ought to have staid at home in sack-you. We came to town what is called late in the cloth for unc., but I could not resist the first night season; and since that time, the death of Lady of any thing) to a private and quiet nook in my Byron's uncle (in the first place) and her own deli private box, and witnessed the whole process. The cate state of health, have prevented either of us first three acts, with transient gushes of applause, from going out much; however, she is now better, oozed patiently but heavily on. I must say it was and in a fair way of going creditably through the badly acted, particularly by, who was groaned whole process of beginning a family." upon in the third act,-something about 'horror- "I have the alternate weeks of a private box at such a horror' was the cause. Well, the fourth Drury-Lane Theatre; this is my week, and I send act became as muddy and turbid as need be; but you an admission to it for Kean's nights, Friday the fifth-what Garrick used to call (like a fool) the and Saturday next, in case you should like to see concoction of a play-the fifth act stuck fast at the him quietly; it is close to the stage, the entrance King's prayer. You know he says, he never went by the private-box door, and you can go without to bed without saying them, and did not like to the bore of crowding, jostling, or dressing. I also omit them now.' But he was no sooner upon his enclose you a parcel of recent letters from Paris; knees, than the audience got upon their legs-the perhaps you may find some extracts that may damnable pit-and roared, and groaned, and hissed, amuse yourself or your readers. I have only to and whistled. Well, that was choked a little; but beg you will prevent your copyist, or printer, from the ruffian scene-the penitent peasantry-and kill- mixing up any of the English names, or private ing the Bishop and the Princess-oh, it was all matter contained therein, which might lead to a over. The curtain fell upon unheard actors, and discovery of the writer; and as the Examiner is the announcement attempted by Kean for Monday sure to travel back to Paris, might get him into a was equally ineffectual. Mrs. Bartley was so fright- scrape, to say nothing of his correspondent at home. ened, that, though the people were tolerably quiet, At any rate, I hope and think the perusal will amuse the Epilogue was quite inaudible to half the house. you. Whenever you come this way, I shall be In short, you know all. I clapped till my hands happy to make you acquainted with Lady Byron, were skinless, and so did Sir James Mackintosh, whom you will find any thing but a fine lady,-a who was with me in the box. All the world were species of animal whom you probably do not affect in the house, from the Jerseys, Greys, &c., &c., more than myself. Thanks for the Mask; there downwards. But it would not do. It is, after all, is not only poetry and thought in the body, but not an acting play,-good language, but no power. much research and good old reading in your prefa tory manner. I hope you have not given up your Women (saving Joanna Baillie) cannot write trag- narrative poem, of which I heard you speak as in edy; they have not seen enough nor felt enough of progress.-It rejoices me to hear of the well-doing life for it. think Semiramis or Catherine II. and regeneration of the Feast,' setting aside my might have written (could they have been un-own selfish reasons for wishing it success. I fear queened) a rare play. * "It is, however, a good warning not to risk you stand almost single in your liking of Lara,'-it or is natural that I should, as being my last and most unpopular effervescence: passing by its other sins, it is too little narrative, and too metaphysical t please the greater number of readers. I have, however, much consolation in the exception with which you furnish me. From Moore I have not heard very lately; I fear he is a little humorous, A large sepulchral vase of silver, presented by Lord Byron, through Mr. Murray, to Sir Walter Scott. It was full of dead men's tones, and had in scriptions on two sides of the base. One ran thus-" The bones contained in this urn were found fn certain ancient sepulchres within the land walls of Athens in the month of February 1811." The other face bears the lines of Juvenal: "Expende-quot libras n duce summo invenies. -Mors sola fatetur q antule hominum corpuscula."-Juv. x. Mr. Murray had presented Lady Byron with twelve drawing, b Stothard, from Lord Byron's Poems. |