The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-07-17

@NNN fAFhNS ~ Wv 49,
1915 and brought back with him the
third canto OF 'Childe Harold" On his
return he gave evidence before the Lord
Chancellor In the case of Byron vs..
johnson. when an Injunction was obtained to
restr In johnson from publishing o volume
containing Lord Byron's Childe Harold's Pill
grimaRe to the Holy Land" and other works
which he professed to have bought from the
poet for $500. According to Gronow's Rem
iniscences." Davies. when invited to give his
private opinion Of Byron. said that he consid-
cred him very agreeable and clever. but vain,
overbearing. suspicious and jealous. Byron
hated Palmerston. " he added, but liked Peel.
and thought that the whole world ought to be
constantly employed In admiring his poetry
and himself"
The article In the Edinburgh Rerteto on
Byron's volume OF poetry entitled Hours OF
Idleness" nominally appeared in January.
1903. but was not really published until
late in February. Byron. writing to the Rev.
John Becher on Feb. 20. 1908. had not yet read
1t. for he says: II am Of 30 much importance
that the most violent attack Is preparing for
me in the next Of the Edinburgh Rerieto.
This 1 had from the authority Of q friend. who
has seen the proof and manuscript Of the
SIAbhQuos u.AuO" WIG ogoNOL4 vi NhS NA
burRh gentlemen is universal attack. They
praise mono; and neither the public nor the
author expects praise from them. 1t is. ow-
over, something to be noticed, as they profess
to pass judgment only on works requiring the
public attention. You will see this whom 1t
comes out; it is. I understand. OF the
most unmerciful description: but I am aware
OF It. and hope you will not be hurt by its
severity. Tell Mrs. Byron not to be out OF hu-
NOR with them. and to prepare her mind for
the greatest hostility on their part. 1t will do
no injury whatever. and I trust her mind will
not be rufled. phey defeat their object by in
discriminate abuse. and they never praise any
one. except the partisans OF Lord Holland & Co.
Il. e.. the Whigs). It Is nothing to be abused
when Southey. Moore. Lauderdale. Strandford
and Payne Knight share the same fate" Byron
must have read the caustic on his
juvenile ventures the same evening. for on the
following day he wrote to Hobhouse: " am
cut to atoms by the Edinburgh Repieto: it Is
Just out, and has completely demolished my
little fabric Of fame" 1t should be remem-
bered that the Critical Monthly and Anti-Jdco-
bin reviews had boon very indulgent. Byron
goes on to remark to H%obhouse: This is rather
scurvy treatment for a Wing review; but poll
tics and poetry are different things. and 1 am
no adept in either. 1 therefore submit in
silence" Among the less sentimental effects
Of this review upon Byron's mind he used to
mention that on the day he read 1t he drank
three bottles OF claret for his own share after
dinner; that nothing. however. relieved him
till he had given vent to his indignation in
rhyme. and that after the first twenty lines
he felt himself considerably better" H. Crabb
Robinson told De Morgan: Il WINS sitting with
Charles Lamb when Wordsworth came in with
fume in his countenance and the Edinburgh
D...... l. a. had . Gova ~ aktn~ -tkh
these reviewers he said. Here is a young man.
a lord and a minor. it appears. who publishes
q little volume OF poetry; and these fellows
attack him as IL no one may write poetry unless
he lives in a garrett. The young man will do
something II he goes on When I became ac-
| quainted with Lady Byron I told her this story,
and she said: All! il Byron had known that. he
would never have attacked Wordsworth. He
once went out to dinner where Wordsworth was
to be. When he came home 1 said: We'll. how
did the young poet get on with the old one p
TO tell you the truth said he. i had but one
feeling from the beginning Of the visit to the
end-reverence."
In a letter written to his mother in October.
1903. the poet says: II do not know that 1 re-
semble Jean jacques Rousseau. I have no am
bition to be like 30 illustrious q madmnn." Mr..
Prothero points out that in Byron's Detached
Thoughts he hus refers to tho comparison
with Rousseau: my mother. before 1 was 20.
would have it that I was like Rousseau. and
Nine. de Stael used to say so. too. In 1878. and
the Edinburgh Repfe,o has something of the
sort in its critiQue Of the fourth canto Of 'Childe
Harold / can't see any point OF resemblance
he wrote prose. I verse: he was OF the people.
l OF the arlstocracy; he was a philosopher. !
am none; he published his first work at 40. /
mine at 10: his first essay brought him univer-
sal applause. mine the contrary; he married his
housekeeper, / could not keep house with my
wife; he thought all the world In a plot against
him. my little world seems to think me In a plot
against II. II l may Judge by their abuse In
print and coterie: he liked botany; I like
flowers. herbs and trees. but know nothing Of
their pedlgrees: he wrote music; 1 init my
knowledge OF 1t to what 1 catch by earl never
could learn anything by study. not even q Ian.
Oudoe-it was all by rote and ear and memory
he had a bad memory; 1 had. at least. an excel
lent one task Hodgson. tho poet-a good Judge
for he has an astonishing onel: he wrote will
hesitation and care; l with rapidity. and rarely
with pains: he could never ride. nor swim, no
was cunning OF fence;' I am an e~xcellen'
swimmer, q decent. though not at all q dashing
rider (having STAYED in a rib at 10 in the cours'
OF scamperingl. and was sufficient OF fence
particularly OF the Highland broadsword-not
bad boxer. when I could keep my temper
which was dlnlcuit, out Whlch L strovo TO III
ever since 1 knocked down Mr.. Purling and pu
his kneepan out with the gloves onI. In Ange
los and Jackson's rooms In 1905 during tn,
sparring-and l was besides n very fair crick
eter-one of the Harrow eleven when we playe,
against Eton in 1905. Besides Rousseau's wa
OF life, his country. his manners. his Who'll
character were so very different that / am at
loss to conceive how such a comparison coul
. have arisen. as 1t has done three several times
and all in rather q remarkable manner.
forgot to say that he WIS also shortsighted. an
that hitherto my eyes have been the con
trary, TO such a degree that. in the largest thea
tire OF Bologna. l distinguished and read som
busts and inscriptions. painted near the stag
from a box SO distant and 80 darklv lighte
that mono OF the company tcomposed OF youn
a and yery bright-eyed people. some Of them 1
tho same boxl. could mako out n letter. an
, thought 1t was a trick, though l had never bee