ceived from a friend, exhorting him to be than of interest, were we not prepared, by cheerful, and to “ banish care."

They will so many instances of his exaggeration in this show with what gloomy fidelity, even while respect, not to be startled at any lengths to under the pressure of recent sorrow, he re- which the spirit of self-libelling would carry verted to the disappointment of his early | him. It seemed as if, with the power of affection, as the chief source of all his suf- painting fierce and gloomy personages, he ferings and errors, present and to come. had also the ambition to be, himself, the

dark “sublime he drew," and that, in his “ Newstead Ahbey, October 11. 1811.

fondness for the delineation of heroic crime, *** Oh ! banish care' such ever be

he endeavoured to fancy, where he could The motto of thy revelry!

not find, in his own character, fit subjects Perchance of mine, when wassail nights

for his pencil.
Renew those riotous delights,
Wherewith the children of Despair
Lull the lone heart, and banish care."
But not in morn's reflecting hour,
When present, past, and future lour,

CHAPTER XIII.
When all I loved is changed or gone,
Mock with such taunts the woes of one

1811.
Whose every thought - but let them pass —
Thou know'st I am not what I was.

POEMS ON THE DEATH OF THYRZA.”
But, above all, if thou wouldst hold

THE REV, ROBERT BLAND. - COMMENCEPlace in a heart that ne'er was cold,

MENT OF THE BIOGRAPHER'S ACQUAINT-
By all the powers that men revere,

ANCE WITH LORD BYRON, CORRESPOND-
By all unto thy bosom dear,
Thy joys below, thy hopes above,

ENCE, MR. ROGERS, MR. CAMPBELL.
Speak - speak of any thing but love.

-LETTERS TO MR. HARNESS. - COLE

RIDGE'S LECTURES.—MADAME D'ARBLAY. “'Twere long to tell, and vain to hear 'The tale of one who scorns a tear ;

- KEMBLE'S CORIOLANUS. — BYRON'S soAnd there is little in that tale

LITARY POSITION. - ANECDOTES.
Which better bosoms would bewail.
But mine has suffer'd more than well

It was about the time when he was thus bit'Twould suit Philosophy to tell.

terly feeling and expressing the blight which I've seen my bride another's bride,

his heart had suffered from a real object of afHave seen her seated by his side, – Have seen the infant which she bore

fection, that his poems on the death of an Wear the sweet smile the mother wore, imaginary one, " Thyrza,” were written ; When she and I in youth have smiled

nor is it any wonder, when we consider the As fond and faultless as her child ;

peculiar circumstances under which these Have seen her eyes, in cold disdain,

beautiful effusions flowed from his fancy, Ask if I felt no secret pain. And I have acted well my part,

that of all his strains of pathos, they should And made my cheek belie my heart,

be the most touching and most pure. They Return'd the freezing glance she gave,

were, indeed, the essence, the abstract spirit, Yet felt the while that woman's slave; -- as it were, of many griefs ; — a confluence Have kiss'd, as if without design,

of sad thoughts from many sources of sorThe babe which ought to have been mine,

row, refined and warmed in their passage And show'd, alas ! in each caress Time had not made me love the less.

through his fancy, and forming thus one

deep reservoir of mournful feeling. In re“ But let this pass — I'll whine no more,

tracing the happy hours he had known with Nor seek again an eastern shore;

the friends now lost, all the ardent tenderThe world befits a busy brain, I'll hie me to its haunts again.

ness of his youth came back upon him. His But if, in some succeeding year,

school-sports with the favourites of his boyWhen Britain's · May is in the sere,'

hood, Wingfield and Tatersall, - his sumThou hear'st of one, whose deepening crimes mer days with Long', and those evenings Suit with the sablest of the times,

of music and romance which he had dreamed of onc, whom Love nor Pily sways, Nor hope of fame, nor good men's praise,

away in the society of his adopted brother, One, who in stern Ambition's pride,

Edlestone, — all these recollections of the Perchance not Blood shal! turn aside,

young and dead now came to mingle themOne rank'd in some recording page

selves in his mind with the image of her who, With the worst anarchs of the age,

though living, was, for him, as much lost as Him wilt thou know — and, knowing, pause, Nor with the effect forget the cause."

they, and diffused that general feeling of

sadness and fondness through his soul, which The anticipations of his own future career found a vent in these poems. No friendship, in these concluding lines are of a nature, it must be owned, to awaken more of horror I See the extract from one of his journals, antè, p. 32.

a

“ Yours ever,

TO MR. HODGSON.

a

ner tous.

I can

however warm, could have inspired sorrow suppose he will now translate Vondel, the so passionate ; as no love, however pure, Dutch Shakspeare, and · Gysbert van Amcould have kept passion so chastened. It stel’ will easily be accommodated to our was the blending of the two affections, in his stage in its present state ; and I presume memory and imagination, that thus gave he saw the Dutch poem, where the love of birth to an ideal object combining the best Pyramus and Thisbe is compared to the features of both, and drew from him these passion of Christ ; also the love of Lucifer saddest and tenderest of love poems, in for Eve, and other varieties of Low Country which we find all the depth and intensity of literature. No doubt you will think me real feeling touched over with such a light crazed to talk of such things, but they are as no reality ever wore.

all in black and white and good repute on The following letter gives some further the banks of every canal from Amsterdam account of the course of his thoughts and to Alkmaar. pursuits at this period :

“ B.” LETTER 72

“My poesy is in the hands of its various

publishers ; but the · Hints from Horace, “ Newstead Abbey, Oct. 13. 1811.

(to which I have subjoined some savage “ You will begin to deem me a most liberal lines on Methodism, and ferocious notes on correspondent ; but as my letters are free, the vanity of the triple Editory of the Edin. you will overlook their frequency. I have Annual Register,) my · Hints," I say, stand sent you answers in prose and verse 1 to all still, and why? "I have not a friend in the your late communications; and though I am

world (but you and Drury) who can construe invading your ease again, I don't know why, Horace's Latin or my English well enough or what to put down that you are not ac

to adjust them for the press, or to correct quainted with already. I am growing nervous

the proofs in a grammatical way.

So that, (how you will laugh!) — but it is true,

unless you have bowels when you return to really, wretchedly, ridiculously, fine-ladically town (I am too far off to do it for myself), Your climate kills me ;

this ineffable work will be lost to the world neither ad, write, nor amuse myself, or

for — I don't know how many weeks. any one else. My days are listless, and

* Childe Harold's Pilgrimage' must wait my nights restless ; I have very seldom any till Murray's is finished. He is making a society, and when I have, I run out of it.

tour in Middlesex, and is to return soon, At this present writing,' there are in the when high matter may be expected. He next room three ladies, and I have stolen

wants to have it in quarto, which is a cursed away to write this grumbling, letter. - Iunsaleable size ; but it is pestilent long, and don't know that I sha'n't end with insanity,

one must obey one's bookseller. I trust for I find a want of method in arranging Murray will pass the Paddington Canal my thoughts that perplexes me strangely ; without being seduced by Payne and Mackbut this looks more like silliness than inlay's example, - I say Payne and Mackmadness, as Scrope Davies would facetiously inlay, supposing that the partnership held remark in his consoling manner. I must good. Drury, the villain, has not written try the hartshorn of your company ; and a

to me; 'I am never (as Mrs. Lumpkin says session of Parliament would suit me well,

to Tony) to be gratified with the monster's any thing to cure me of conjugating the dear wild notes. accursed verb 'ennuyer.' “ When shall you be at Cambridge ? You orders. You must make your peace with

“ So you are going (going indeed!) into have hinted, I think, that your friend Bland the Eclectic Reviewers — they accuse you is returned from Holland. I have always of impiety, I fear, with injustice. Demetrius, had a great respect for his talents, and for the Sieger of Cities,' is here, with ‘Gilpin all that I have heard of his character ; hut Horner. The painter? is not necessary, of me, I believe he knows nothing except as the portraits he already painted are (by that he heard my sixth form repetitions ten anticipation) very like the new animals, months together, at the average of two Write, and send me your · Love Song’ lines a morning, and those never perfect, but I want ‘paulo majora' from you. Make I remembered him and his “Slaves' as I

a dash before you are a deacon, and try a passed between Capes Matapan, St. Angelo, dry publisher. . and his Isle of Ceriga, and I always be

** Yours always,

“B.” wailed the absence of the Anthology. I

case.

a

It was at this period that I first had the some months passed away before the appearhappiness of seeing and becoming acquainted ance of this new edition was known to me. with Lord Byron. The correspondence in Immediately on being apprised of it, — the which our acquaintance originated is, in a offence now assuming a different formi,- I high degree, illustrative of the frank man- addressed the following letter to Lord Byron, liness of his character ; and as it was begun and, transmitting it to a friend in London, on my side, some egotism must be tolerated requested that he would have it delivered in the detail which I have to give of the into his Lordship’s hands.? circumstances that led to it. So far back as the year 1806, on the occasion of a

" Dublin, January 1. 1810. meeting which took place at Chalk Farm

My Lord, between Mr. Jeffrey and myself, a good Having just seen the name of Lord deal of ridicule and raillery, founded on a Byron'prefixed to a work entitled English false representation of what occurred before Bards and Scotch Reviewers,' in which, as the magistrates at Bow Street, appeared in it appears to me, the lie is given to a public almost all the public prints. In consequence statement of mine, respecting an affair with of this, I was induced to address a letter to Mr. Jeffrey some years since, I beg you will the Editor ofone of the Journals, contradicting have the goodness to inform me whether I the falsehood that had been circulated, and

may consider your Lordship as the author stating briefly the real circumstances of the of this publication.

For some time my letter seemed to “ I shall not, I fear, be able to return to produce the intended effect, —but, unluckily, London for a week or two; but, in the mean the original story was too tempting a theme time, I trust your Lordship will not deny me for humour and sarcasm to be so easily the satisfaction of knowing whether you superseded by mere matter of fact. Ac- avow the insult contained in the passages cordingly, after a little time, whenever the alluded to. subject was publicly alluded to,

It is needless to suggest to your Lordespecially by those who were at all “willing ship the propriety of keeping our correto wound,” the old falsehood was, for the spondence secret. sake of its ready sting, revived.

“ I have the honour to be In the year 1809, on the first appearance “ Your Lordship’s very

humble servant, of “ English Bards and Scotch Reviewers,”

“ THOMAS Moore I found the author, who was then generally understood to be Lord Byron, not only jesting on the subject--and with sufficiently In the course of a week, the friend to provoking pleasantry and cleverness-in his whom I intrusted this letter wrote to inform verse, but giving also, in the more responsible me that Lord Byron had, as he learned on form of a note', an outline of the transaction inquiring of his publisher, gone abroad imin accordance with the original misreport, mediately on the publication of his Second and, therefore, in direct contradiction to my Edition ; but that my letter had been placed published statement. Still, as the Satire in the hands of a gentleman, named Hodgson, was anonymous and unacknowledged, I did who had undertaken to forward it carefully not feel that I was, in any way, called upon to his Lordship. Though the latter step to notice it, and therefore dismissed the was not exactly what I could have wished, matter entirely from my mind. In the I thought it as well, on the whole, to let my summer of the same year appeared the letter take its chance, and again postponed Second Edition of the work, with Lord all consideration of the matter. Byron's name prefixed to it. I was, at the During the interval of a year and a half time, in Ireland, and but little in the way of which elapsed before Lord Byron's return, I literary society; and it so happened that had taken upon myself obligations, both as

66

more

66

husband and father, which make most men, delay of my reply. Your former letter I — and especially those who have nothing to never had the honour to receive ; — be asbequeath, - less willing to expose themselves sured in whatever part of the world it had unnecessarily to danger. On hearing, there found me, I should have deemed it my duty fore, of the arrival of the noble traveller from to return and answer it in person. Greece, though still thinking it due to myself The advertisement you mention, I know to follow up my first request of an explanation, nothing of. — At the time of your meeting I resolved, in prosecuting that object, to with Mr. Jeffrey, I had recently entered adopt such a tone of conciliation as should College, and remember to have heard and not only prove my sincere desire of a pacific read a number of squibs on the occasion ; result, but show the entire freedom from any and from the recollection of these I derived angry or resentful feeling with which I took all my knowledge on the subject, without the step. The death of Mrs. Byron, for the slightest idea of 'giving the lie' to an adsome time, delayed my purpose. But as dress which I never beheld. When I put soon after that event as was consistent with my name to the production, which has decorum, I addressed a letter to Lord Byron, occasioned this correspondence, I became in which, referring to my former communica- responsible to all whom it might concern,tion, and expressing, ome doubts as to its to explain where it requires explanation, and, having ever reached him, I re-stated, in where insufficiently or too sufficiently explicit, pretty nearly the same words, the nature of at all events to satisfy. My situation leaves me the insult, which, as it appeared to me, the no choice ; it rests with the injured and the passage in his note was calculated to convey. angry to obtain reparation in their own way. “ It is now useless," I continued, “ to speak “ With regard to the passage in question, of the steps with which it was my intention you were certainly not the person towards to follow up that letter. The time which whom I felt personally hostile. On the conhas elapsed since then, though it has done trary, my whole thoughts were engrossed away neither the injury nor the feeling of it, by one, whom I had reason to consider as has, in many respects, materially altered my niy worst literary enemy, nor could I foresee situation; and the only object which I have that his former antagonist was about to now in writing to your Lordship is to pre- become his champion. You do not specify serve some consistency with that former what you would wish to have done : I can letter, and to prove to you that the injured neither retract nor apologise for a charge or feeling still exists, however circumstances falsehood which I never advanced. may compel me to be deaf to its dictates, at In the beginning of the week, I shall be present. "When I say “injured feeling,' let at No. 8. St. James's Street, Neither the me assure your Lordship that there is not letter nor the friend to whom you stated your a single vindictive sentiment in my mind intention ever made their appearance. towards you. I mean but to express that Your friend, Mr. Rogers, or any other uneasiness

, under (what I consider to be) a gentleman delegated by you, will find me charge of falsehood, which must haunt a most ready to adopt any conciliatory proman of any feeling to his grave, unless the position which shall not compromise my own insult be retracted or atoned for; and which, honour, - or, failing in that, to make the if I did not feel, I should, indeed, deserve far atonement you deem it necessary to reworse than your Lordship’s satire could in- quire. flict upon me." In conclusion I added, that “I have the honour to be, Sir, so far from being influenced by any angry or

“ Your most obedient, humble servant, resentful feeling towards him, it would give

“ BYRON." me sincere pleasure if, by any satisfactory explanation, he would enable me to seek In my reply to this, I commenced by the honour of being henceforward ranked saying, that his Lordship’s letter was, upon among his acquaintance.

the whole, as satisfactory as I could expect. To this letter, Lord Byron returned the It contained all that, in the strict diplomatique following answer :

of explanation, could be required, namely,that

had never seen the statement which

I supposed him wilfully to have contradicted, “ Cambridge, October 27. 1811.

that he had no intention of bringing Sir,

against me any charge of falsehood, and that Your letter followed me from Notts. the objectionable passage of his work was to this place, which will account for the not levelled personally at me. This, I added,

a

LETTER 73.

TO MR. MOORE.

LETTER 75.

“ 8. St. James's Street, October 30. 1811.

LETTER 74.

TO MR. MOORE.

“ Sir,

was all the explanation I had a right to Somewhat piqued, I own, at the manner in expect, and I was, of course, satisfied which my efforts towards a more friendly unwith it.

derstanding, — ill-timed as I confess them to I then entered into some detail relative to have been, — were received, I hastened to the transmission of my first letter from Dublin, close our correspondence by a short note, -giving, as my reason for descending to these saying, that his Lordship had made me feel minute particulars, that I did not, I must con- the imprudence I was guilty of, in wanderfess, feel quite easy under the manner in ing from the point immediately in discussion which his Lordship had noticed the mis- between us ; and I should now, therefore, carriage of that first application to him. only add, that if, in my last letter, I had cor

My reply concluded thus :-“As your rectly stated the substance of his explanation, Lordship does not show any wish to pro- our correspondence might, from this moment, ceed beyond the rigid formulary of explan- cease for ever, as with that explanation I deation, it is not for me to make any further clared myself satisfied. advances. We Irishmen, in businesses of this This brief note drew immediately from kind, seldom know any medium between Lord Byron the following frank and opendecided hostility and decided friendship ; — hearted reply :but, as any approaches towards the latter alternative must now depend entirely on

TO MR. MOORE. your Lordship, I have only to repeat that I am satisfied with your letter, and that I have the honour to be,” &c. &c.

“You must excuse my troubling you On the following day I received the an

once more upon this very unpleasant subject. nexed rejoinder from Lord Byron :

It would be a satisfaction to me, and I should think to yourself, that the unopened letter in

Mr. Hodgson's possession (supposing it to “ 8. St. James's Street, October 29. 1811. prove your own) should be returned “in statu

quo'to the writer ; particularly as you ex“ Soon after my return to England, my pressed yourself. not quite easy under the friend, Mr. Hodgson, apprised me that a manner in which I had dwelt on its misletter for me was in his possession ; but a carriage.' domestic event hurrying me from London, “A few words more, and I shall not immediately after, the letter (which may trouble you further. I felt, and still feel, most probably be your own) is still unopened very much flattered by those parts of your in his keeping. If, on examination of the correspondence, which held out the prospect address, the similarity of the handwriting of our becoming acquainted. If I did not should lead to such a conclusion, it shall be meet them in the first instance as perhaps I opened in your presence, for the satisfaction ought, let the situation I was placed in be of all parties. Mr. H. is at present out of my defence. You have now declared yourself town; - on Friday I shall see him, and re- satisfied, and on that point we are no longer quest him to forward it to my address. at issue. If, therefore, you still retain any

“ With regard to the latter part of both wish to do me the honour you hinted at, I your letters, until the principal point was shall be most happy to meet you, when, discussed between us, I felt myself at a loss where, and how you please, and I presume in what manner to reply. Was I to antici- you will not attribute my saying thus much pate friendship from one, who conceived to any unworthy motive. I have the honour me to have charged him with falsehood ? to remain,” &c. Were not advances, under such circumstances, to be misconstrued, not, perhaps, by the On receiving this letter, I went instantly person to whom they were addressed, but by to my friend, Mr. Rogers, who was, at that others? In my case such a step was im- time, on a visit at Holland House, and, for practicable. If you, who conceived yourself the first time, informed him of the correto be the offended person, are satisfied that spondence in which I had been engaged. you had no cause for offence, it will not be With his usual readiness to oblige and serve, difficult to convince me of it. My situation, he proposed that the meeting between Lord as I have before stated, leaves me no choice. Byron and myself should take place at his I should have felt proud of your acquaintance, table, and requested of me to convey to the had it commenced under other circumstances; noble Lord his wish, that he would do him but it must rest with you to determine how the honour of naming some day for that far it may proceed after so auspicious a be- purpose. The following is Lord Byron's ginning. I have the honour to be,” &c. answer to the note which I then wrote:

a