The Works of Lord Byron Volume VII Part 16

1.

Why were you put in Lob's pond, My boy, HOBBY O? (_bis_) For telling folks to pull the House By the ears into the Lobby O!

2.

Who are your grand Reformers now, My boy, HOBBY O? (_bis_) There's me and BURDETT,--gentlemen, And Blackguards HUNT and COBBY O!

3.

Have you no other friends but these, My boy, HOBBY O? (_bis_) Yes, Southwark's Knight,[*] the County BYNG, And in the City, BOBBY O!

[*] "Southwark's Knight" was General Sir Robert Thomas Wilson (1777-1849), who was returned for Southwark in 1818, and again in 1820; "County Byng" was George Byng, M.P. for Middles.e.x; and "Bobby" was Sir Robert Waithman (1764-1833), who represented the City of London in 1818, but lost his seat to Sir William Curtis in 1820. All these were advanced Liberals, and, as such, Parliamentary friends of Hobhouse.

4.

How do you recreate yourselves, My boy, HOBBY O? (_bis_) We spout with tavern Radicals, And drink with them hob-n.o.bby O!

5.

What purpose can such folly work, My boy, HOBBY O? (_bis_) It gives our partisans a chance Watches to twitch from fob-by O!

6.

Have they no higher game in view, My boy, HOBBY O? (_bis_) Oh yes; to stir the people up, And then to head the mob-by O.

7.

But sure they'll at their ruin pause, My boy, HOBBY O? (_bis_) No! they'd see King and Parliament Both d--d without a sob-by O!

8.

But, if they fail, they'll be hanged up, My boy, HOBBY O? (_bis_) Why, then, they'll swing, like better men, And that will end the job-by O!

PHILO-RADICLE.

April 15, 1820."

LINES

ADDRESSED BY LORD BYRON TO MR. HOBHOUSE ON HIS ELECTION FOR WESTMINSTER.[114]

WOULD you go to the house by the true gate, Much faster than ever Whig Charley went; Let Parliament send you to Newgate, And Newgate will send you to Parliament.

_April 9, 1820_.

[First published, _Miscellaneous Poems_, printed for J. b.u.mpus, 1824.]

FOOTNOTES:

[114] ["I send you 'a Song of Triumph,' by W. Botherby, Esq^re^ price sixpence, on the election of J.C.H., Esqre., for Westminster (_not_ for publication)."--Letter to Murray, April 9, 1820, _Letters_, 1901, v. 6.]

A VOLUME OF NONSENSE.

DEAR MURRAY,-- You ask for a "_Volume of Nonsense_,"

Have all of your authors exhausted their store?

I thought you had published a good deal not long since.

And doubtless the Squadron are ready with more.

But on looking again, I perceive that the Species Of "Nonsense" you want must be purely "_facetious_;"

And, as that is the case, you had best put to press Mr. Sotheby's tragedies now in M.S., Some Syrian Sally From common-place Gally, Or, if you prefer the bookmaking of women, Take a spick and span "Sketch" of your feminine _He-Man_.[115]

_Sept. 28, 1820._ [First published, _Letters_, 1900, v. 83.]

FOOTNOTES:

[115] [For Felicia Dorothea Browne (1793-1835), married in 1812 to Captain Hemans, see _Letters_, iii. 368, _note_ 2. In the letter which contains these verses he writes, "I do not despise Mrs. Heman; but if she knit blue stockings instead of wearing them it would be better."

Elsewhere he does despise her: "No more _modern_ poesy, I pray, neither Mrs. Hewoman's nor any female or male Tadpole of poet Wordsworth's."--_Ibid._, v. 64.]

STANZAS.[116]

WHEN a man hath no freedom to fight for at home, Let him combat for that of his neighbours; Let him think of the glories of Greece and of Rome, And get knocked on the head for his labours.

To do good to Mankind is the chivalrous plan, And is always as n.o.bly requited; Then battle for Freedom wherever you can, And, if not shot or hanged, you'll get knighted.

_November 5, 1820_.

[First published, _Letters and Journals_, 1830, ii. 377.]

FOOTNOTES:

[116] [The lines were sent in a letter to Moore (November 5, 1820) by way of _Autoepitaphium_, "if 'honour should come unlooked for' to any of your acquaintance;" i.e. if Byron should fall in the cause of Italian revolution, and Moore should not think him worthy of commemoration, here was a threnody "ready at hand."]

TO PENELOPE.[117]

JANUARY 2, 1821.

THIS day, of all our days, has done The worst for me and you:-- 'T is just _six_ years since we were _one_, And _five_ since we were _two_.

_November 5, 1820._ [First published, Medwin's _Conversations_, 1824, p. 106.]

FOOTNOTES:

[117] ["For the anniversary of January 2, 1821, I have a small grateful antic.i.p.ation, which, in case of accident, I add."--Letter to Moore, November 5, 1820, _Letters_, 1891, v. 112.]