1813.]

LORD THURLOW'S POEMS.

211

You will find, if you like to look at my prose, my words nearly verbatim in the M. Chronicle.

BN.

295.-To Thomas Moore.

MY DEAR MOORE," When Rogers must not see the inclosed, which I send for your perusal. I am ready

1. In the late spring or early summer of 1813, Byron and Moore supped on bread and cheese with Rogers. Their host had just received from Lord Thurlow a copy of his Poems on Several Occasions (1813), and, in spite of protests by Rogers, Byron and Moore, in wild spirits, hunted through the volume to find absurdities. Byron lighted upon some lines to Rogers himself, "On the Poem "of Mr. Rogers entitled 'An Epistle to a Friend.'" The first stanza ran thus

"When Rogers o'er this labour bent,

Their purest fire the Muses lent,
T'illustrate this sweet argument."

But when he began to read them aloud, he could not, for laughing, get beyond the first two words. Two or three times he tried, but always broke down, till he was joined by Moore in a fit of laughter which at last infected Rogers himself. The three were, as Moore tells the story, "in such a state of inextinguishable laughter, that, "had the author himself been of the party, I question much whether "he could have resisted the infection." A day or two afterwards, Byron sent Moore the lines given in Letter 295. On the same day he again returned to the subject, with the following additional lines, in which the last stanza of the same poem is the text :

"Then, thus, to form Apollo's crown,
(Let ev'ry other bring his own,)
I lay my branch of laurel down."

"TO LORD THURLOW.

I.

"I lay my branch of laurel down.'

"Thou 'lay thy branch of laurel down!'
Why, what thou'st stole is not enow;

And, were it lawfully thine own,

Does Rogers want it most, or thou?

to fix any day you like for our visit. Was not Sheridan good upon the whole? The "Poulterer" was the first and best.1

Ever yours, etc.

Keep to thyself thy wither'd bough,
Or send it back to Dr. Donne
Were justice done to both, I trow,
He'd have but little, and thou-none.

2.

"Then thus to form Apollo's crown.'
"A crown! why, twist it how you will,
Thy chaplet must be foolscap still.
When next you visit Delphi's town,
Inquire amongst your fellow-lodgers,
They'll tell you Phoebus gave his crown,
Some years before your birth, to Rogers.

3.

"Let every other bring his own.'

"When coals to Newcastle are carried,
And owls sent to Athens as wonders,
From his spouse when the Regent's unmarried,
Or Liverpool weeps o'er his blunders;
When Tories and Whigs cease to quarrel,
When Castlereagh's wife has an heir,
Then Rogers shall ask us for laurel,

And thou shalt have plenty to spare."

Edward Hovell (1781-1829) succeeded his uncle in 1806 as second Baron Thurlow. He published several volumes of poetry: Poems on Several Occasions (1812); Ariadne, a Poem (1814); Carmen Britannicum, or the Song of Britain: written in honour of the Prince Regent (1814); Moonlight, a Poem (1814); The Sonnets of Edward, Lord Thurlow (privately printed, 1821); Angelica, or the Rape of Proteus, a Poem (1822).

1. Byron had met Sheridan and Moore at dinner with Rogers. In the course of the evening the conversation turned on the Address which Whitbread had written and sent in for the opening of Drury Lane. Like many of his competitors, he had introduced the Phoenix. "But Whitbread," said Sheridan, "made more of this "bird than any of them; he entered into particulars, and described "its wings, beak, tail, etc.; in short, it was a poulterer's description "of a Phoenix."

1813.]

LORD THURLOW'S POEMS.

213

I.

When Thurlow this damn'd nonsense sent,
(I hope I am not violent),

Nor men nor gods knew what he meant.

2.

And since not ev'n our Rogers' praise

To common sense his thoughts could raise-
Why would they let him print his lays?

3.

4.

5.

To me, divine Apollo, grant-01
Hermilda's first and second canto,
I'm fitting up a new portmanteau;

6.

And thus to furnish decent lining,
My own and others' bays I'm twining-
So, gentle Thurlow, throw me thine in.

296.-To John Hanson.

June 3, 1813.

DEAR SIR,-When you receive this I shall have left town for a week, and, as it is perfectly right we should understand each other, I think you will not be surprised at my persisting in my intention of going abroad. If the Suit can be carried on in my absence,-well; if not, it must be given up. One word, one letter, to Cn.

would put an end to it; but this I shall not do, at all events without acquainting you before hand; nor at all, provided I am able to go abroad again. But at all hazards, at all losses, on this last point I am as determined as I have been for the last six months, and you have always told me that you would endeavour to assist me in that intention. Every thing is ordered and ready now. Do not trifle with me, for I am in very solid serious earnest, and if utter ruin were, or is before me, on the one hand and wealth at home on the other, I have made my choice, and go I will.

If you wish to write, address a line before Saturday to Salthill Post Office; Maidenhead, I believe, but am not sure, is the Post town; but I shall not be in town till Wednesday next.

Believe me, yours ever,

BN.

P.S.-Let all the books go to Mr. Murray's immediately, and let the plate, linen, etc., which I find excepted by the contract, be sold, particularly a large silver vase— with the contents not removed as they are curious, and a silver cup (not the skull) be sold also-both are of value.

The Pictures also, and every moveable that is mine, and can be converted into cash; all I want is a few thousand pounds, and then adieu. You shan't be troubled with me these ten years, if ever.

297.-To Francis Hodgson.

June 6, 1813.

MY DEAR HODGSON,-I write to you a few lines on business. Murray has thought proper at his own risk, and peril, and profit (if there be any) to publish The

1813.]

ADDITIONS TO THE GIAOUR.

215

Giaour; and it may possibly come under your ordeal in the Monthly. I merely wish to state that in the published copies there are additions to the amount of ten pages, text and margin (chiefly the last), which render it a little less unfinished (but more unintelligible) than before. If, therefore, you review it, let it be from the published copies and not from the first sketch. I shall not sail for this month, and shall be in town again next week, when I shall be happy to hear from you but more glad to see you. You know I have no time or turn for correspondence (!). But you also know, I hope, that I am not the less

Yours ever,

ΜΠΑΙΡΩΝ.

298.-To Francis Hodgson.

June 8th, 1813.

MY DEAR HODGSON,-In town for a night I find your card. I had written to you at Cambridge merely to say that Murray has thought it expedient to publish The Giaour at his own risk (and reimbursement, if he can), and that, as it will probably be in your department in the Monthly, I wished to state that, in the published copies, there are additions to the tune of 300 lines or so towards the end, and, if reviewed, it should not be from the privately printed copy. So much for scribbling.

I shall manage to see you somewhere before I sail, which will be next month; till then I am yours here, and afterwards any where and every where,

Dear H., tutto tuo,

BN.

1. The Giaour was reviewed in the Monthly Review for June, 1813 (N.S. vol. lxxi. p. 202). In the Editor's copy is added in MS. at the end of the article, as indicating the author of the review, the word "Den."