The Works of Lord Byron Volume VII Part 11

The _Quarterly_--Ah, Sir, if you Had but the Genius to review!-- A smart Critique upon St. Helena, Or if you only would but tell in a 50 Short compa.s.s what--but to resume; As I was saying, Sir, the Room-- The Room's so full of wits and bards, Crabbes, Campbells, Crokers, Freres, and Wards And others, neither bards nor wits: My humble tenement admits All persons in the dress of Gent., From Mr. Hammond to Dog Dent.[79]

A party dines with me to-day, All clever men, who make their way: 60 Crabbe, Malcolm,[80] Hamilton,[81] and Chantrey, Are all partakers of my pantry.

They're at this moment in discussion On poor De Stael's late dissolution.

Her book,[82] they say, was in advance-- Pray Heaven, she tell the truth of France!

'T is said she certainly was married To Rocca, and had twice miscarried, No--not miscarried, I opine,-- But brought to bed at forty-nine. 70 Some say she died a Papist; some Are of opinion that's a Hum; I don't know that--the fellows Schlegel,[83]

Are very likely to inveigle A dying person in compunction To try th' extremity of Unction.

But peace be with her! for a woman Her talents surely were uncommon, Her Publisher (and Public too) The hour of her demise may rue-- 80 For never more within his shop he-- Pray--was not she interred at Coppet?

Thus run our time and tongues away;-- But, to return, Sir, to your play: Sorry, Sir, but I cannot deal, Unless 't were acted by O'Neill.

My hands are full--my head so busy, I'm almost dead--and always dizzy; And so, with endless truth and hurry, Dear Doctor, I am yours, 90 JOHN MURRAY.

August 21, 1817.

[First published, _Letters and Journals_, 1830, ii. 139-141.

Lines 67-82 first published, _Letters_, 1900, iv. 161.]

FOOTNOTES:

[75] ["By the way," writes Murray, Aug. 5, 1817 (_Memoir, etc._, i.

386), "Polidori has sent me his tragedy! Do me the kindness to send by return of post a _delicate_ declension of it, which I engage faithfully to copy."

"I never," said Byron, "was much more disgusted with any human production than with the eternal nonsense, and _traca.s.series_, and emptiness, and ill-humour, and vanity of this young person; but he has some talent, and is a man of honour, and has dispositions of amendment.

Therefore use your interest for him, for he is improved and improvable;"

and, in a letter to Murray, Aug. 21, 1817, "You want a 'civil and delicate declension' for the medical tragedy? Take it."--For J.W.

Polidori (1795-1821), see _Letters_, 1899, iii, 284 _note_ I.]

[76] [Maturin's second tragedy, _Manuel_, produced at Drury Lane, March 8, 1817, with Kean as "Manuel Count Valdis, failed, and after five nights was withdrawn." It was published in 1817. "It is," says Byron (letter to Murray, June 14, 1817), "the absurd work of a clever man."--_Letters_, 1900, iv. 134, and _note_ I.]

[77] [Sotheby published, in 1814, _Five Tragedies_, viz. "The Confession,"

"Orestes," "Ivan," "The Death of Darnley," and "Zamorin and Zama."]

[78] [_Ina, A Tragedy_, by Mrs. Wilmot [Barberina Ogle (1768-1854), daughter of Sir Chaloner Ogle], afterwards Lady Dacre, was produced at Drury Lane, April 22, 1815. Her "tragedy," writes Byron to Moore, April 23, 1815, "was last night d.a.m.ned." See _Letters_, 1898, ii. 332, _note_ 3, etc.; _ibid._, 1899, iii. 195, _note_ I.]

[79] [George Hammond (1763-1853) was a distinguished diplomatist, who twice (1795-1806 and 1807-1809) held the office of Under-secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. He is a.s.sociated with the foundation of the _Anti-Jacobin_ and the _Quarterly Review_. In the drawing-room of Albemarle Street, he was Murray's "chief 4-o'clock man," until his official duties compelled him to settle at Paris.--_Letters_, 1900, iv.

160, _note_ 1.

John Dent, M.P., a banker, was nicknamed "Dog Dent" because he was concerned in the introduction of the Dog-tax Bill in 1796. In 1802 he introduced a Bill to abolish bull-baiting.--_Ibid_]

[80] [Sir John Malcolm (1769-1833), soldier, administrator, and diplomatist, published (January, 1815) his _History of Persia.--Letters_, 1899, iii. 113, _note_ 1.]

[81] [For "Dark Hamilton," W.R. Hamilton (1777-1859), see _Childe Harold_, Canto II. stanza xiii. _var_. I, _Poetical Works_, 1899, ii.

108, _note_ 1. Lines 61, 62 were added October 12, 1817.]

[82] [Madame de Stael's _Considerations sur la Revolution Francaise_ was offered to Murray in June, 1816 (_Memoir, etc., 1891_, i. 316), and the sum of 4000 asked for the work. During the negotiations, Madame de Stael died (July 14, 1817), and the book was eventually published by Messrs. Baldwin and Cradock.--_Letters_, 1900, iv. 94, _note_.]

[83] [Byron and the elder Schlegel met at Copet, in 1816, but they did not take to each other. Byron "would not flatter him," perhaps because he did not appreciate or flatter Byron.]

EPISTLE TO MR. MURRAY.

1.

MY dear Mr. Murray, You're in a d.a.m.ned hurry To set up this ultimate Canto;[84]

But (if they don't rob us) You'll see Mr. Hobhouse Will bring it safe in his portmanteau.

2.

For the Journal you hint of,[85]

As ready to print off, No doubt you do right to commend it; But as yet I have writ off The devil a bit of Our "Beppo:"--when copied, I'll send it.

3.

In the mean time you've "Galley"[86]

Whose verses all tally, Perhaps you may say he's a Ninny, But if you abashed are Because of _Alashtar_, He'll piddle another _Phrosine_.[87]

4.

Then you've Sotheby's Tour,--[88]

No great things, to be sure,-- You could hardly begin with a less work; For the pompous rascallion, Who don't speak Italian Nor French, must have scribbled by guess-work.

5.

No doubt he's a rare man Without knowing German Translating his way up Parna.s.sus, And now still absurder He meditates Murder As you'll see in the trash he calls _Ta.s.so's_.

6.

But you've others his betters The real men of letters Your Orators--Critics--and Wits-- And I'll bet that your Journal (Pray is it diurnal?) Will pay with your luckiest hits.

7.

You can make any loss up With "Spence"[89] and his gossip, A work which must surely succeed; Then Queen Mary's Epistle-craft,[90]

With the new "Fytte" of "Whistlecraft,"

Must make people purchase and read.

8.

Then you've General Gordon,[91]

Who girded his sword on, To serve with a Muscovite Master, And help him to polish A nation so owlish, They thought shaving their beards a disaster.

9.

For the man, "_poor and shrewd_,"[92]

With whom you'd conclude A compact without more delay, Perhaps some such pen is Still extant in Venice; But please, Sir, to mention _your pay_.

10.

Now tell me some news Of your friends and the Muse, Of the Bar, or the Gown, or the House, From Canning, the tall wit, To Wilmot,[93] the small wit, Ward's creeping Companion and _Louse_,

11.