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settled for the Daughter who is still responsible. Will you give a glance into that business, and if possible first settle something about the Annuities.

I shall perhaps draw within a £100 next week, but I will delay for your answer on C.'s business.

Ever yours, sincerely and affectionately,

My love to all the family.

BYRON.

I wish to do something for young Rushton, if practicable at Rochdale; if not, think of some situation where he might occupy himself to avoid Idleness, in the mean time.

264.-To John Murray.

Cheltenham, Oct. 18, 1812.

DEAR SIR,-Will you have the goodness to get this Parody of a peculiar kind1 (for all the first lines are

"without the security of competent persons. Through Mr. K. he "became acquainted with Mr. Dellevelly, another of the tribe of "Israel, and subsequently with a Mr. Howard of Golden Square.

"After many delays, during which Lord B. had interviews with "Howard, once, he thinks, in Golden Square, but more frequently "in Piccadilly, Mrs. M[assingberd] agreed to become security jointly "with her daughter. Lord B. knows Howard's person perfectly "well, has not seen him subsequent to the transaction, but recollects "Howard's mentioning to him that he, Lord B., was acting im"prudently, stating that he made it a rule to advise young men "against such proceedings. Lord B. recollects, on the day on "which the money was paid, that he remained in the next room till "the papers were signed, Mrs. M[assingberd] having stated that the "parties wished him to be kept out of sight during the business, and "wished to avoid even mentioning his name. Mrs. M[assingberd] "deducted the interest for two years and a half, and £100 for "Howard's papers." Two other Annuities were effected, in both of which Mrs. Massingberd figured as a security, and in one the manager of Dorant's Hotel. It was the interest on these minority loans which crippled Byron. Two were still unpaid in 1817.

1. The Parenthetical Address, "By Dr. Plagiary," is a parody

Busby's entire), inserted in several of the papers (correctly -and copied correctly; my hand is difficult)—particularly the Morning Chronicle? Tell Mr. Perry I forgive him all he has said, and may say against my address, but he will allow me to deal with the Doctor-(audi alteram partem) -and not betray me. I cannot think what has befallen Mr. Perry, for of yore we were very good friends;-but no matter, only get this inserted.

I have a poem on Waltzing for you, of which I make you a present; but it must be anonymous. It is in the old style of English Bards, and Scotch Reviewers.

Ever yours,

BYRON.

P.S.-With the next edition of Childe Harold you

by Byron of Dr. Busby's Address, the original of which will be found in the Genuine Rejected Addresses, as well as parodied in Rejected Addresses ("Architectural Atoms"). On October 14 young Busby forced his way on to the stage of Drury Lane, attempted to recite his father's address, and was taken into custody. On the next night, Dr. Busby, speaking from one of the boxes, obtained a hearing for his son, who could not, however, make his voice heard in the theatre. Then another "rejected" author tried to recite his composition, but was hooted down. Order was restored by Raymond reminding the audience that the Chamberlain's licence was necessary for all stage speeches. To the failure of the younger Busby (himself a competitor and the author of an "Unalogue" of fifty-six lines) to make himself heard, Byron alludes in the stage direction to the Parenthetical Address-"to be spoken in an inarticulate voice by "Master P." The Parenthetical Address appeared in the Morning Chronicle for October 23, 1812. In the same issue was printed a long statement by Dr. Busby, in which, after paying a compliment to Byron's "poetical genius," he insisted that the Committee of Drury Lane had broken faith by not choosing one of the addresses sent in by competitors. (See references to Dr. Busby in Poems, vol. i. pp. 481 and 485, note 1.) Dr. Thomas Busby (1755-1838) composed the music for Holcroft's Tale of Mystery, the first musical melodrama produced on the English stage (Covent Garden, November 13, 1802). He was for some time assistant editor of the Morning Post, and Parliamentary reporter for the London Courant; wrote on musical subjects, taught languages and music, and translated Lucretius into rhymed verse (1813).

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may print the first fifty or a hundred opening lines of the Curse of Minerva, down to the couplet beginning

Mortal ('twas thus she spake), etc.

Of course, the moment the Satire begins, there you will stop, and the opening is the best part.

etc.

265.-To Robert Rushton.

Cheltenham, Oct. 18th, 1812.

ROBERT,-I hope you continue as much as possible to apply yourself to Accounts and Land-Measurement, Whatever change may take place about Newstead, there will be none as to you and Mr. Murray. It is intended to place you in a situation in Rochdale for which your pursuance of the Studies I recommend will best fit you. Let me hear from you; is your health improved since I was last at the Abbey? In the mean time, if any accident occur to me, you are provided for in my will, and if not, you will always find in your Master a sincere Friend.

B.

266.-To John Murray.

Oct. 19, 1812.

DEAR SIR, Many thanks, but I must pay the damage, and will thank you to tell me the amount for the engraving. I think the Rejected Addresses by far the best thing of the kind since the Rolliad, and wish you had published them. Tell the author "I forgive him, were

1. The Curse of Minerva, written at Athens, in 1811, was not published as a whole till 1828. But the first fifty-four lines appeared in Canto III. of The Corsair (1814). (See The Curse of Minerva : Introductory note, Poems, 1898, vol. i. p. 453.)

VOL. II.

N

"he twenty times our satirist ;" and think his imitations not at all inferior to the famous ones of Hawkins Browne. He must be a man of very lively wit, and much less scurrilous than Wits often are: altogether, I very much admire the performance, and wish it all success. The Satirist has taken a new tone, as you will see: we have now, I think, finished with C. H's critics. I have in hand a Satire on Waltzing, which you must publish anonymously: it is not long, not quite 200 lines, but will make a very small boarded pamphlet. In a few days you shall have it.

Ever yours,

BYRON.

P.S.-The editor of the Satirist almost ought to be thanked for his revocation; it is done handsomely, after five years' warfare.

267.-To John Hanson.

Oct. 224, 1812.

DEAR SIR,-I enclose you Mr. C[laughton]'s letter, from which you yourself will judge of my own. I insisted on the contract, and said, if I gave up the wines, etc., it would be as a gift. He admits the validity, as you perceive. I told him that I wished to avoid raising difficulties and in all respects to fulfil the bargain.

I am going to Lord Oxford's, Eywood, Presteigne, Hereford. In my way back I will take Farleigh, if you are not returned to London before.

I wish to take a small house for the winter any where not remote from St. James's. Will you arrange this for me?-and think of young Rushton, whom I promised to provide for, and must begin to think of it; he might be a sub-Tythe collector, or a Bailiff to our agent at Rochdale,

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or many other things. He has had a fair education and was well disposed; at all events, he must no longer remain in idleness.

Let the Mule be sold and the dogs.

Pray let me hear from you when convenient, and

Believe me, ever yours truly,

My best remembrances to all.

BYRON.

I shall draw for fifty this week.

Is anything done about Miss M[assingberd]? You have not mentioned her.

268.-To John Murray.

Oct. 23, 1812.

DEAR SIR,-Thanks, as usual. You go on boldly; but have a care of glutting the public, who have by this time had enough of C.H. Waltz shall be prepared. It is rather above 200 lines, with an introductory letter to the Publisher. I think of publishing, with C.H., the opening lines of the Curse of Minerva, as far as the first speech of Pallas,-because some of the readers like that part better than any I have ever written; and as it contains nothing to affect the subject of the subsequent portion, it will find a place as a descriptive fragment.

The plate is broken? between ourselves, it was unlike the picture; and besides, upon the whole, the frontispiece of an author's visage is but a paltry exhibition. At all events, this would have been no recommendation to the book. I am sure Sanders would not have survived the engraving. By the by, the picture may remain with you or him (which you please), till my return. The one of two remaining copies is at your service till I can give you a better; the other must be burned peremptorily. Again,