The Works of Lord Byron: Letters and Journals Volume II Part 50

"Byron often talks of the authors of the 'Rejected Addresses', and always in terms of unqualified praise. He says that the imitations, unlike all other imitations, are full of genius. 'Parodies,' he said, 'always give a bad impression of the original, but in the 'Rejected Addresses' the reverse was the fact;' and he quoted the second and third stanzas, in imitation of himself, as admirable, and just what he could have wished to write on a similar subject"

(Lady Blessington's 'Conversations', p. 134).]

[Footnote 2:

"The Bessboroughs," writes Lady H. Leveson Gower to Lady G. Morpeth, September 12, 1812 ('Letters of Harriet, Countess Granville', vol. i.

pp. 40, 41), "have been unpacked about a couple of hours. My aunt looks stout and well, but poor Caroline most terribly the contrary.

She is worn to the bone, as pale as death and her eyes starting out of her head. She seems indeed in a sad way, alternately in tearing spirits and in tears. I hate her character, her feelings, and herself when I am away from her, but she interests me when I am with her, and to see her poor careworn face is dismal, in spite of reason and speculation upon her extraordinary conduct. She appears to me in a state very (little) short of insanity, and my aunt describes it as at times having been decidedly so."]

[Footnote 3: The context and allusion seem to require another word than "_brief_;" but the sentence is written as printed. In Fielding's 'Life of Mr. Jonathan Wild' (Bk. III. chap. viii.) and in

"a dialogue matrimonial, which pa.s.sed between Jonathan Wild, Esquire, and Laet.i.tia his wife" ('nee' Laet.i.tia Snap), "Laet.i.tia asks, 'But pray, Mr. Wild, why b--ch? Why did you suffer such a word to escape you?'"]

[Footnote 4: The republication of the 'Anthology']

[Footnote 5: Murray's removal from 32, Fleet Street, to 50, Albemaile Street.]

[Footnote 6: With Lady Caroline Lamb.]

[Footnote 7: Near Lower Moor, the residence of Hodgson's relatives, the c.o.kes.]

276.--To John Hanson.

3d Feb'y, 1813.

Dear Sir,--Will you forward the inclosed immediately to Corbet, whose address I do not exactly remember? It is of consequence, relative to a foolish woman [1] I never saw, who fancies I want to marry her.

Yours ever, B.

P.S.--I wish you would see Corbet and talk to him about it, for she plagues my soul out with her d.a.m.ned letters.

[Footnote 1: The lady in question seems to have been Lady Falkland (see 'Letters', vol. 1, p. 216, 'note' 1 [Footnote 1 of Letter 117], and the letter dated March 5, 1813 [Letter 281 in this volume.])]

277.--To John Murray.

February 20, 1813.

Dear Sir,--In "_Horace in London_" [1] I perceive some stanzas on Lord Elgin in which (waving the kind compliment to myself [2]) I heartily concur. I wish I had the pleasure of Mr. Smith's acquaintance, as I could communicate the curious anecdote you read in Mr. T.'s letter. If he would like it, he can have the _substance_ for his second Edition; if not, I shall add it to _our_ next, though I think we already have enough of Lord Elgin.

What I have read of this work seems admirably done. My praise, however, is not much worth the Author's having; but you may thank him in my name for _his_. The idea is new--we have excellent imitations of the Satires, etc. by Pope; but I remember but one imitative Ode in his works, and _none_ any where else. I can hardly suppose that _they_ have lost any fame by the fate of the Farce [3]; but even should this be the case, the present publication will again place them on their pinnacle.

Yours truly,

B.

[Footnote 1: 'Horace in London; consisting of Imitations of the First Two Books of the Odes of Horace', by James and Horace Smith (1813), was a collection of imitations, the best of which are by James Smith, republished from Hill's 'Monthly Mirror', where they originally appeared.]

[Footnote 2: In Book 1. ode xv. of 'Horace in London', ent.i.tled "The Parthenon," Minerva thus speaks:

"All who behold my mutilated pile Shall brand its ravager with cla.s.sic rage, And soon a t.i.tled bard from Britain's Isle, Thy country's praise and suffrage shall engage, And fire with Athens' wrongs an angry age!"

[Footnote 3: Horace Smith's unsuccessful comedy, 'First Impressions; or, Trade in the West', was performed at Drury Lane. The prologue, spoken by Powell, beseeches a judgment from the audience:

"Such as mild Justice might herself dispense, To _Inexperience and a First Offence_."]