The Works of Lord Byron: Letters and Journals Volume I Part 10

(Mark Boyd's 'Reminiscences of Fifty Years', p. 404.) Melville, who was heard at the bar of the House of Commons in his own defence, was impeached before the House of Lords (June 26, 1805) of high crimes and misdemeanours. At the close of the proceedings, which began in Westminster Hall on April 29, 1806, Melville was acquitted on all the charges. Whitbread took the leading part in the impeachment. See 'All the Talents: a Satirical Poem', by Polypus (E. S. Barrett)--

"Rough as his porter, bitter as his barm, He sacrificed his fame to M--lv--lle's harm."

Dialogue ii.]

24.--To the Hon. Augusta Byron.

[The Earl of Carlisle's, Grosvenor Place, London.] Burgage Manor, Southwell, Friday, April 25th, 1805.

My dearest Augusta,--Thank G.o.d, I believe I shall be in town on Wednesday next, and at last relieved from those _agreeable amus.e.m.e.nts_, I described to you in my last. I return you and Lady G.

many thanks for your _benediction_, nor do I doubt its efficacy as it is bestowed by _two such Angelic beings_; but as I am afraid my _profane blessing_ would but expedite your road to _Purgatory_, instead of _Salvation_, you must be content with my best wishes in return, since the _unhallowed adjurations_ of a mere mortal would be of no effect. You say, you are sick of the Installation; [1] and that L'd C. was not present; I however saw his name in the _Morning Post_, as one of the Knights Companions. I indeed expected that _you_ would have been present at the Ceremony.

I have seen this young Roscius [2] several times at the hazard of my life, from the _affectionate squeezes_ of the surrounding crowd. I think him tolerable in some characters, but by no means equal to the ridiculous praises showered upon him by _John Bull_.

I am afraid that my stay in town ceases after the 10th. I should not continue it so long, as we meet on the 8th at Harrow, But, I remain on purpose to hear our _Sapient_ and _n.o.ble Legislators_ of Both Houses debate on the Catholic Question, [3] as I have no doubt there will be many _nonsensical_, and some _Clever_ things said on the occasion. I am extremely glad that you _sport_ an audience Chamber for the Benefit of your _modest_ visitors, amongst whom I have the _honour_ to reckon myself: I shall certainly be most happy again to see you, notwithstanding my _wise_ and _Good_ mother (who is at this minute thundering against Somebody or other below in the Dining Room), has interdicted my visiting at his _Lords.h.i.+p's_ house, with the threat of her malediction, in case of disobedience, as she says he has behaved very ill to her; the truth of this I much doubt, nor should the orders of all the mothers (especially such mothers) in the world, prevent me from seeing my Beloved Sister after so long an Absence. I beg you will forgive this _well written epistle_, for I write in a great Hurry, and, believe me, with the greatest impatience again to behold you, your

Attached Brother and [Friend,

BYRON].

P.S.--By the bye Lady G. ought not to complain of your writing a _decent_ long letter to me, since I remember your _11 Pages_ to her, at which I did not make the least complaint, but submitted like a _meek Lamb_ to the innovation of my privileges, for n.o.body _ought_ to have had so long an epistle but my _most excellent Self_.

[Footnote 1: On St. George's Day, April 23, 1805, seven Knights were installed at Windsor as Knights of the Garter, each in turn being invested with the surcoat, girdle, and sword. The new Knights were the Dukes of Rutland and Beaufort; the Marquis of Abercorn; the Earls of Chesterfield, Pembroke, and Winchilsea; and, by proxy, the Earl of Hardwicke.

Lady Louisa Strangways, writing to her sister, Lady Harriet Frampton, on April 24, 1805 ('Journal of Mary Frampton', p. 129), says, "I was full dressed for seventeen hours yesterday, and sat in one spot for seven, which is enough to tire any one who enjoyed what was going on, which I did not. I saw them walk to St. George's Chapel, which was the best part, as it did not last long ... Their dresses were very magnificent.

The Knights, before they were installed, were in white and silver, like the old pictures of Henry VIII., and afterwards they had a purple mantle put on. They had immense plumes of ostrich feathers, with a heron's feather in the middle."]

[Footnote 2: William Henry West Betty (1791-1874), the "Young Roscius,"

made his first appearance on the stage at Belfast, in 1803, in the part of "Osman," in Hill's 'Zara;' and on December 1, 1804, at Covent Garden, as "Selim" disguised as "Achmet," in Browne's 'Barbarossa'. In the winter season of 1804-5, when he appeared at Covent Garden and Drury Lane, such crowds collected to see him, that the military were called out to preserve order. Leslie ('Autobiographical Recollections', vol. i.

p. 218) speaks of him as a boy "of handsome features and graceful manners, with a charming voice." Fox, who saw him in 'Hamlet', said, "This is finer than Garrick" ('Table-Talk of Samuel Rogers', p. 88).

Northcote ('Conversations', p. 23) spoke of his acting as "a beautiful effusion of natural sensibility; and then that graceful play of the limbs in youth gave such an advantage over every one about him." "Young Roscius's premature powers," writes Mrs. Piozzi, February 21, 1805, "attract universal attention, and I suppose that if less than an angel had told 'his' parents that a bulletin of that child's health should be necessary to quiet the anxiety of a metropolis for his safety, they would not have believed the prediction" ('Life and Writings of Mrs.

Piozzi', vol. ii. p. 263). In society he was the universal topic of conversation, and he commanded a salary of 50 a night, at a time when John Kemble was paid 37 16's'. a week ('Life of Frederick Reynolds', vol. ii. p. 364).

"When," writes Mrs. Byron of her son to Hanson (December 8, 1804), "he goes to see the Young Roscius, I hope he will take care of himself in the crowd, and not go alone."

Betty lost his attractiveness with the growth of his beard. Byron's opinion of the merits of the youthful prodigy became that of the general public; but not till the actor had made a large fortune. He retired from the stage in 1824.]

[Footnote 3: On March 25, 1805, pet.i.tions were presented by Lord Grenville in the House of Lords, and Fox in the House of Commons, calling the attention of the country to the claims of the Roman Catholics, and praying their relief from their disabilities, civil, naval, and military. On Friday, May 10, Lord Grenville moved, in the Upper House, for a committee of the whole House to consider the pet.i.tion. At six o'clock on the morning of Tuesday, May 14, the motion was negatived by a division of 178 against 49. On Monday, May 13, Fox, in the Lower House, made a similar motion, which was negatived, at five o'clock on the morning of Wednesday, May 15, by a division of 336 against 126. Byron, on April 21, 1812, in the second of his three Parliamentary speeches, supported the relief of the Roman Catholics.]

25.--To John Hanson.

Harrow-on-the-Hill, 11 May, 1805.

Dear Sir,--As you promised to cash my Draft on the Day that I left your house, and as you was only prevented by the Bankers being shut up, I will be very much obliged to you to _give the ready_ to this old Girl, Mother Barnard, [1] who will either present herself or send a Messenger, as she demurs on its being not payable till the 25th of June. Believe me, Sir, by doing this you will greatly oblige

Yours very truly,

BYRON.

[Footnote: 1. Mother Barnard was the keeper of the "tuck-shop" at Harrow.]

26.--To the Hon. Augusta Byron.

[The Earl of Carlisle's, Grosvenor Place, London.]

[Harrow, Wednesday, June 5, 1805.]

My Dearest Augusta,--At last you have a _decent_ specimen of the dowager's talents for epistles in the _furioso_ style. You are now freed from the _shackles_ of her correspondence, and when I revisit her, I shall be bored with long stories of your _ingrat.i.tude_, etc., etc. She is as I have before declared certainly mad (to say she was in her senses, would be condemning her as a Criminal), her conduct is a _happy_ compound of derangement and Folly. I had the other day an epistle from her; not a word was mentioned about you, but I had some of the usual _compliments_ on my own account. I am now about to answer her letter, though I shall scarcely have patience, to treat her with civility, far less with affection, that was almost over before, and this has given the finis.h.i.+ng stroke to _filial_, which now gives way to _fraternal_ duty. Believe me, dearest Augusta, not ten thousand _such_ mothers, or indeed any mothers, Could induce me to give you up.--No, No, as the dowager says in that rare epistle which now lies before me, "the time has been, but that is past long since," and nothing now can influence your _pretty_ _sort of_ a _brother_ (bad as he is) to forget that he is your _Brother_. Our first Speech day will be over ere this reaches you, but against the 2d you shall have timely notice.--I am glad to hear your illness is not of a Serious nature; _young Ladies_ ought not to throw themselves in to the fidgets about a trifling delay of 9 or 10 years; age brings experience and when you in the flower of youth, between 40 and 50, shall then marry, you will no doubt say that I am a _wise man_, and that the later one makes one's self miserable with the matrimonial clog, the better. Adieu, my dearest Augusta, I bestow my _patriarchal blessing_ on you and Lady G.

and remain,

[Signature cut out.]

27.--To John Hanson.

Harrow-on-the-Hill, 27 June, 1805.

Dear Sir,--I will be in Town on Sat.u.r.day Morning, but it is absolutely necessary for me to return to Harrow on Tuesday or Wednesday, as Thursday is our 2d Speechday and Butler says he cannot dispense with my Presence on that Day. I thank you for your Compliment in the Beginning of your Letter, and with the Hope of seeing you and Hargreaves well on Sat.u.r.day,