The Works of Lord Byron: Letters and Journals Volume I Part 9

[Footnote 1: The Hon. Frederick Howard, third son of Lord Carlisle, the "young, gallant Howard" of _Childe Harold_ (Canto III. stanzas xxix, x.x.x; see Byron's note), was killed at Waterloo. "The best of his race,"

says Byron, in a letter to Moore, July 7, 1815.]

20.--To the Hon. Augusta Byron.

[London], Thursday, 4th April, 1805.

MY DEAREST AUGUSTA,--You certainly have excellent reasons for complaint against my want of punctuality in our correspondence; but, as it does not proceed from want of affection, but an idle disposition, you will, I hope, accept my excuses. I am afraid, however, that when I shall take up my pen, you will not be greatly _edified_ or _amused_, especially at present, since, I sit down in very bad spirits, out of humour with myself, and all the world, except _you_. I left Harrow yesterday, and am now at Mr. Hanson's till Sunday morning, when I depart for Nottinghams.h.i.+re, to pay a visit to my _mother_, with whom I shall remain for a week or two, when I return to town, and from thence to Harrow, until July, when I take my departure for the university, but which I am as yet undecided. Mr. H. Recommends Cambridge; Ld. Carlisle allows me to chuse for myself, and I must own I prefer Oxford. But, I am not violently bent upon it, and whichever is determined upon will meet with my concurrence.--This is the outline of my plans for the next 6 months.

I am Glad that you are Going to pay his _Lords.h.i.+p_ a visit, as I shall have an opportunity of seeing you on my return to town, a pleasure, which, as I have been long debarred of it, will be doubly felt after so long a separation. My visit to the Dowager does not promise me all the happiness I could wish; however, it must be gone through, as it is some time since I have seen her. It shall be as short as possible. I shall expect to find a letter from you, when I come down, as I wish to know when you go to town, and how long you remain there. If you stay till The middle of next month, you may have an opportunity of hearing me speak, as the first day of our _Harrow orations_ occurs in May. My friend Delawarr [1], (as you observed) danced with the little Princess, nor did I in the least _envy_ him the honour. I presume you have heard That Dr. Drury leaves Harrow this Easter, and That, as a memorial of our Grat.i.tude for his long services, The scholars presented him with plate to the amount of 330 Guineas.

I hope you will excuse this _Hypocondriac_ epistle, as I never was in such low spirits in my life. Adieu, my Dearest Sister, and believe me,

Your ever affectionate though negligent Brother, BYRON.

[Footnote 1: On February 25, 1805, their Majesties gave a magnificent "house-warming" at Windsor Castle.

"The expenditure," says the 'Gentleman's Magazine' for 1805 (part i. pp. 262-264), "cannot have cost less than 50,000. The floor of the ball-room, instead of being chalked, was painted with most fanciful and appropriate devices by an eminent artist." The "little Princess"

Charlotte of Wales, we are told, left the Castle at half-past nine.]

21.--To Hargreaves Hanson.

Burgage Manor, Southwell, Notts, 15 April, 1805.

DEAR HARGREAVES,--As I have been unable to return to Town with your father, I must request, that you will take care of my Books, and a parcel which I expect from my Taylor's, and, as I understand you are going to pay Farleigh a visit, I would be obliged to you to leave them under the care of one of the Clerks, or a Servant, who may inform me where to find them. I shall be in Town on Wednesday the 24th at furthest, when I shall not hope to see you, or wish it; not but what I should be glad of your _entertaining and loquacious Society_, but as I think you will be more amused at Farleigh, it would be selfish in me to wish that you should forego the pleasures of contemplating _pigs_, _poultry_, _pork_, _pease_, and _potatoes_ together, with other Rural Delights, for my Company. Much pleasure may you find in your excursion and I dare say, when you have exchanged _pleadings_ for _ploughshares_ and _fleecing clients_ for _feeding flocks_, you will be in no hurry to resume your Law Functions.

Remember me to your Father and Mother and the Juniors, and if you should find it convenient to dispatch a note in answer to this epistle, it will afford great pleasure to

Yours very sincerely and affectionately,

BYRON.

P.S.--It is hardly necessary to inform you that I am heartily tired of Southwell, for I am at this minute experiencing those delights which I have recapitulated to you and which are more entertaining to be _talked_ of at a distance than enjoyed at Home. I allude to the Eloquence of a _near relation_ of mine, which is as remarkable as your _taciturnity_.

22.--To Hargreaves Hanson.

Burgage Manor, April 20, 1805.

Dear Hargreaves,--Dr. Butler, [1] our new Master, has thought proper to postpone our Meeting till the 8th of May, which obliges me to delay my return to Town for one week, so that instead of Wednesday the 24th I shall not arrive in London till the 1st of May, on which Day (If I live) I shall certainly be in town, where I hope to have the pleasure of seeing you. I shall remain with you only a week, as we are all to return to the very day, on account of the prolongation of our Holidays. However, if you shall previous to that period take a _jaunt_ into Hants, I beg you will leave my _valuables_, etc., etc., in the care of one of the _Gentlemen_ of your office, as that _Razor faced Villain_, James, might perhaps take the Liberty of walking off with a suit. I have heard several times from Tattersall [2] and it is very probable we may see him on my return. I beg you will excuse this short epistle as my time is at present rather taken up, and Believe Me,

Yours very sincerely,

BYRON.

[Footnote 1: The Rev. George Butler (1774-1853), who was Senior Wrangler (1794), succeeded Dr. Drury as Head-master of Harrow School in April, 1805. He was then Fellow, tutor, and cla.s.sical lecturer at Sydney Suss.e.x College, Cambridge. From affection to Dr. Drury, Byron supported the candidature of his brother, Mark Drury, and avenged himself on Butler for the defeat of his candidate by the lines on "Pomposus" (see 'Poems', vol. i. pp. 16, 17, "On a Change of Masters," etc.; and pp. 84-106, "Childish Recollections"). At a later period he became reconciled to Butler, who knew the Continent well, was an excellent linguist, and gave him valuable advice for his foreign tour in 1809-11. Butler resigned the Head-masters.h.i.+p of Harrow in April, 1824, and retired to a country living. In 1842 he was appointed to the Deanery of Peterborough, where he died in 1853.]

[Footnote 2: John Cecil Tattersall entered Harrow in May, 1801. He was the "Davus" of "Childish Recollections" ('Poems', vol. i. pp. 97, 98, and notes). He went from Harrow to Christ Church, Oxford, took orders, and died December 8, 1812.]

23.--To the Hon. Augusta Byron.

[The Earl of Carlisle's, Grosvenor Place, London.] Burgage Manor, April 23d, 1805.

MY DEAREST AUGUSTA,--I presume by this time, that you are safely arrived at the Earl's, at least I _hope_ so; nor shall I feel myself perfectly easy, till I have the pleasure of hearing from yourself of your safety. I myself shall set out for town this day (Tuesday) week, and intend waiting upon you on Thursday at farthest; in the mean time I must console myself as well as I can; and I am sure, no unhappy mortal ever required much more consolation than I do at present. You as well as myself know the _sweet_ and _amiable_ temper of a certain personage to whom I am nearly related; of _course_, the pleasure I have enjoyed during my vacation, (although it has been greater than I expected) yet has not been so _superabundant_ as to make me wish to stay a day longer than I can avoid. However, notwithstanding the dullness of the place, and certain _unpleasant things_ that occur In a family not a hundred miles distant from Southwell, I contrived to pa.s.s my time in peace, till to day, when unhappily, In a most inadvertent manner, I said that Southwell was not _peculiarly_ to my taste; but however, I merely expressed this in common conversation, without speaking disrespectfully of the _sweet_ town; (which, between you and I, I wish was swallowed up by an earthquake, provided my _Eloquent mother_ was not in it). No sooner had the unlucky sentence, which I believe was prompted by my evil Genius, escaped my lips, than I was treated with an Oration in the _ancient style_, which I have often so _pathetically_ described to you, unequalled by any thing of _modern_ or _antique_ date; nay the _Philippics_ against Lord Melville [1] were nothing to it; one would really Imagine, to have heard the _Good Lady_, that I was a most _treasonable culprit_, but thank St. Peter, after undergoing this _Purgatory_ for the last hour, it is at length blown over, and I have sat down under these _pleasing impressions_ to address you, so that I am afraid my epistle will not be the most entertaining. I a.s.sure you upon my _honour_, jesting apart, I have never been so _scurrilously_, and _violently_ abused by any person, as by that woman, whom I think I am to call mother, by that being who gave me birth, to whom I ought to look up with veneration and respect, but whom I am sorry I cannot love or admire. Within one little hour, I have not only heard myself, but have heard my _whole family_, by the father's side, _stigmatized_ in terms that the _blackest malevolence_ would perhaps shrink from, and that too in words you would be shocked to hear. Such, Augusta, such is my mother; _my mother!_ I disclaim her from this time, and although I cannot help treating her with respect, I cannot reverence, as I ought to do, that parent who by her outrageous conduct forfeits all t.i.tle to filial affection. To you, Augusta, I must look up, as my nearest relation, to you I must confide what I cannot mention to others, and I am sure you will pity me; but I entreat you to keep this a secret, nor expose that unhappy failing of this woman, which I must bear with patience. I would be very sorry to have it discovered, as I have only one week more, for the present. In the mean time you may write to me with the greatest safety, as she would not open any of my letters, even from you. I entreat then that you will favour me with an answer to this. I hope however to have the pleasure of seeing you on the day appointed, but If you could contrive any way that I may avoid being asked to dinner by L'd C. I would be obliged to you, as I hate strangers. Adieu, my Beloved Sister,

I remain ever yours,

BYRON.

[Footnote 1: Henry Dundas (1742-1811), created Viscount Melville in 1802, Lord Advocate (1775-83), made himself useful to Lord North's Government as a shrewd, hard-working man of business, a ready speaker--in broad Scotch, and a consummate election agent. For twenty years he was the right-hand man of Pitt--

"Too proud from pilfered greatness to descend, Too humble not to call Dundas his friend."

Not only was he Pitt's political colleague, but in private life his boon companion. A well-known epigram commemorates in a dialogue their convivial habits--

'Pitt'. "I cannot see the Speaker, Hal; can you?"

'Dundas'. "Not see the Speaker, Billy? I see two."

Melville, for a long series of years, held important political posts. He was Treasurer of the Navy (1782-1800); member of the Board of Control for India (1784-1802) and President (1790-1802); Home Secretary (1791-94); Secretary of War (1794-1801); First Lord of the Admiralty (1804-5). In 1802 a Commission had been appointed to examine into the accounts of the naval department for the past twenty years, and, in consequence of their tenth report, a series of resolutions were moved in the House of Commons (April, 1805) against Melville. The voting was even--216 for and 216 against; the resolutions were carried by the casting vote of Speaker Abbott.

"Pitt was overcome; his friend was ruined. At the sound of the Speaker's voice, the Prime Minister crushed his hat over his brows to hide the tears that poured over his cheeks: he pushed in haste out of the House. Some of his opponents, I am ashamed to say, thrust themselves near, 'to see how Billy took it.'"