The Works of Lord Byron: Letters and Journals Volume II Part 116

(2) 'The Courier', February 2, 1814.

Lord BYRON, as we stated yesterday, has discovered and promulgated to the world, in eight lines of choice doggrel, that the realm of England is in decay, that her Sovereign is disgraced, and that the situation of the country is one which claims the tears of all good patriots. To this very indubitable statement, the 'Morning Chronicle' of this day exhibits an admirable companion picture, a _genuine_ letter from _Paris_, of the 25th ult.

(3) 'The Courier', February 3, 1814.

"'The Courier' is indignant," says the 'Morning Chronicle', "at the discovery now made by Lord BYRON, that he was the author of 'the Verses to a Young Lady weeping,' which were inserted about a twelvemonth ago in the 'Morning Chronicle'. The Editor thinks it audacious in a hereditary Counsellor of the KING to admonish the 'Heir Apparent'. It may not be 'courtly' but it is certainly 'British', and we wish the kingdom had more such honest advisers."

The discovery of the author of the verses in question was not made by Lord BYRON. How could it be? When he sent them to the 'Chronicle, without' his name, he was just as well informed about the author as he is now that he has published them in a pamphlet, 'with' his name. The discovery was made to the public. They did not know in March, 1812, what they know in February, 1814. They did not suspect then what they now find avowed, that a Peer of the Realm was the Author of the attack upon the PRINCE; of the attempt to induce the Princess CHARLOTTE of WALES to think that her father was an object not of reverence and regard, but of disgrace.

But we "think it audacious in an hereditary Counsellor of the KING to admonish the Heir Apparent." No! we do not think it audacious: it is const.i.tutional and proper. But are anonymous attacks the const.i.tutional duty of a Peer of the Realm? Is that the mode in which he should admonish the Heir Apparent? If Lord BYRON had desired to admonish the PRINCE, his course was open, plain, and known--he could have demanded an audience of the PRINCE; or, he could have given his admonition in Parliament. But to level such an attack--What!--"Kill men i' the dark!"

This, however, is called by the 'Chronicle' "certainly 'British',"

though it might not be 'courtly', and a strong wish is expressed that "the country had many more such honest advisers" or admonishers.

--Admonishers indeed! A pretty definition of admonition this, which consists not in giving advice, but in imputing blame, not in openly proffering counsel, but in secretly pointing censure.

(4) BYRONIANA NO. I ('The Courier', February 5, 1814).

The Lord BYRON has a.s.sumed such a poetico-political and such a politico-poetical air and authority, that in our double capacity of men of letters and politicians, he forces himself upon our recollection. We say 'recollection' for reasons which will bye and by, be obvious to our readers, and will lead them to wonder why this young Lord, whose greatest talent it is to forget, and whose best praise it would be to be forgotten, should be such an enthusiastic admirer of Mr. SAM ROGERS'S 'Pleasures of Memory'.

The most virulent satirists have ever been the most nauseous panegyrists, and they are for the most part as offensive by the praise as by the abuse which they scatter.

His Lords.h.i.+p does not degenerate from the character of those worthy persons, his poetical ancestors:

"The mob of Gentlemen who wrote with ease"

who of all authors dealt the most largely in the alternation of flattery and filth. He is the severest satirical and the civilest dedicator of our day; and what completes his reputation for candour, good feeling, and honesty, is that the persons whom he most reviles, and to whom he most fulsomely dedicates, are identically the same.

We shall indulge our readers with a few instances:--the most obvious case, because the most recent, is that of Mr. THOMAS MOORE, to whom he has dedicated, as we have already stated, his last pamphlet; but as we wish to proceed orderly, we shall postpone this and revert to some instances prior in order of time; we shall afterwards show that his Lords.h.i.+p strictly adheres to HORACE'S rule, in maintaining to the end the ill character in which he appeared at the outset. His Lords.h.i.+p's first dedication was to his guardian and relative, the Earl of CARLISLE.

So late as the year 1808, we find that Lord BYRON was that n.o.ble Lord's "most affectionate kinsman, etc., etc."

Hear how dutifully and affectionately this ingenuous young man celebrates, in a few months after (1809), the praises of his friend:

"No Muse will cheer with renovating smile, The _paralytic puling_ of CARLISLE; What heterogeneous honours deck the Peer, Lord, rhymester, pet.i.t-maitre, pamphleteer!

So _dull_ in youth, so _drivelling_ in age, _His_ scenes alone had d.a.m.n'd our sinking stage.

But Managers, for once, cried 'hold, enough,'

Nor drugg'd their audience with the tragic stuff.

Yet at their judgment let his Lords.h.i.+p laugh, And case his volumes in _congenial calf_: Yes! doff that covering where Morocco s.h.i.+nes, And hang a calf-skin on those recreant lines."

And in explanation of this affectionate effusion, our lordly dedicator subjoins a note to inform us that Lord CARLISLE'S works are splendidly bound, but that "the rest is all but leather and prunella," and a little after, in a very laborious note, in which he endeavours to defend his consistency, he out-Herods Herod, or to speak more forcibly, out-Byrons Byron, in the virulence of his invective against "his guardian and relative, to whom he dedicated his volume of puerile poems." Lord CARLISLE has, it seems, if we are to believe his word, for a series of years, beguiled "the public with reams of most orthodox, imperial _nonsense_," and Lord BYRON concludes by asking,

"What can enn.o.ble knaves, or _fools_, or cowards?

Alas! not all the blood of all the Howards."

"So says POPE," adds Lord BYRON. But POPE does not say so; the words "_knaves and fools_," are not in POPE, but interpolated by Lord BYRON, in favour of his "guardian and relative." Now, all this might have slept in oblivion with Lord CARLISLE'S Dramas, and Lord BYRON'S Poems; but if this young Gentleman chooses to erect himself into a spokesman of the public opinion, it becomes worth while to consider to what notice he is ent.i.tled; when he affects a tone of criticism and an air of candour, he obliges us to enquire whether he has any just pretensions to either, and when he arrogates the high functions of public praise and public censure, we may fairly inquire what the praise or censure of such a being is worth:

"Thus bad begins, but worse remains behind."

(5) BYRONIANA NO. 2 ('The Courier', February 8, 1814).

"_Crede Byron_" is Lord Byron's armorial motto; 'Trust Byron' is the translation in the Red-book. We cannot but admire the ingenuity with which his Lords.h.i.+p has converted the good faith of his ancestors into a sarcasm on his own duplicity.

"Could nothing but your chief reproach, Serve for a motto on your coach?"

Poor Lord Carlisle; he, no doubt, _trusted_ in his affectionate ward and kinsman, and we have seen how the affectionate ward and kinsman acknowledged, like _Macbeth_, "_the double trust_" only to abuse it. We shall now show how much another n.o.ble Peer, Lord Holland, has to trust to from his _ingenuous_ dedicator.

Some time last year Lord Byron published a Poem, called _The Bride of Abydos_, which was inscribed to Lord Holland, "_with every sentiment of regard and respect by his gratefully obliged and sincere friend_, BYRON." "_Grateful and sincere!_" Alas! alas; 'tis not even so good as what Shakespeare, in contempt, calls "the sincerity of a cold heart."

"_Regard and respect!"_ Hear with what regard, and how much respect, he treats this identical Lord Holland. In a tirade against literary a.s.sa.s.sins (a cla.s.s of men which Lord Byron may well feel ent.i.tled to describe), we have these lines addressed to the Chief of the Critical Banditti:

"Known be thy name, unbounded be thy sway, Thy _Holland's_ banquets shall each toil repay, While grateful Britain yields the praise she owes, _To Hollands hirelings_, and to _learnings foes!_"