For character--he did not lack it; And if he did, 'twere shame to "Black-it."
Malta, _May_ 16, 1811.
[First published, _Lord Byron's Works_, 1832, ix. 10.]
FOOTNOTES:
[17] [For Joseph Blacket (1786-1810), see _Letters_, 1898, i. 314, _note_ 2; see, too, _Poetical Works_, 1898, i. 359, _note_ 1, and 441-443, _note_ 2. The _Epitaph_ is of doubtful authenticity.]
ON MOORE'S LAST OPERATIC FARCE, OR FARCICAL OPERA.[18]
GOOD plays are scarce, So Moore writes _farce_: The poet's fame grows brittle[i]-- We knew before That _Little_'s Moore, But now't is Moore that's _little_.
_September_ 14, 1811.
[First published, _Letters and Journals_, 1830, i. 295 (_note_).]
FOOTNOTES:
[i] _Is fame like his so brittle_?--[_MS_.]
[18] ["On a leaf of one of his paper books I find an epigram, written at this time, which, though not perhaps particularly good, I consider myself bound to insert."--Moore, _Life_, p. 137, _note_ 1. The reference is to Moore's _M.P.; or, The Blue Stocking_, which was played for the first time at the Lyceum Theatre, September 9, 1811. For Moore's _nom de plume_, "The late Thomas Little, Esq.," compare Praed's _The Belle of the Ball-Room_--
"If those bright lips had quoted Locke, I might have thought they murmured Little."]
[R.C. DALLAS.][19]
YES! wisdom shines in all his mien, Which would so captivate, I ween, Wisdom's own goddess Pallas; That she'd discard her fav'rite owl, And take for pet a brother fowl, Sagacious R.C. Dallas.
[First published, _Life, Writings, Opinions, etc._, 1825, ii. 192.]
FOOTNOTES:
[19] ["A person observing that Mr. Dallas looked very wise on a certain occasion, his Lordship is said to have broke out into the following impromptu."--_Life, Writings, Times, and Opinions of Lord Byron_, 1825, ii. 191.]
AN ODE[20] TO THE FRAMERS OF THE FRAME BILL.[21]
1.
OH well done Lord E---- n! and better done R----r![22]
Britannia must prosper with councils like yours; Hawkesbury, Harrowby, help you to guide her, Whose remedy only must _kill_ ere it cures: Those villains; the Weavers, are all grown refractory, Asking some succour for Charity's sake-- So hang them in clusters round each Manufactory, That will at once put an end to _mistake_.[23]
2.
The rascals, perhaps, may betake them to robbing, The dogs to be sure have got nothing to eat-- So if we can hang them for breaking a bobbin, 'T will save all the Government's money and meat: Men are more easily made than machinery-- Stockings fetch better prices than lives-- Gibbets on Sherwood will heighten the scenery, Shewing how Commerce, how Liberty thrives!
3.
Justice is now in pursuit of the wretches, Grenadiers, Volunteers, Bow-street Police, Twenty-two Regiments, a score of Jack Ketches, Three of the Quorum and two of the Peace; Some Lords, to be sure, would have summoned the Judges, To take their opinion, but that they ne'er shall, For LIVERPOOL such a concession begrudges, So now they're condemned by _no Judges_ at all.
4.
Some folks for certain have thought it was shocking, When Famine appeals and when Poverty groans, That Life should be valued at less than a stocking, And breaking of frames lead to breaking of bones.
If it should prove so, I trust, by this token, (And who will refuse to partake in the hope?) That the frames of the fools may be first to be _broken_, Who, when asked for a _remedy_, sent down a _rope_.
[First published, _Morning Chronicle, Monday, March_ 2, 1812.]
[See a _Political Ode by Lord Byron, hitherto unknown as his production_, London, John Pearson, 46, Pall Mall, 1880, 8. See, too, Mr. Pearson's prefatory Note, pp. 5, etc.]
FOOTNOTES:
[20] ["LORD BYRON TO EDITOR OF THE _MORNING CHRONICLE_.
Sir,--I take the liberty of sending an alteration of the two last lines of stanza 2^d^, which I wish to run as follows:--
'Gibbets on Sherwood will _heighten_ the scenery, Shewing how commerce, _how_ liberty thrives.'
I wish you could insert it tomorrow for a particular reason; but I feel much obliged by your inserting it at all. Of course do _not_ put my name to the thing--believe me,
Your obliged and very obedient servant, BYRON.
8, St. James's Street, _Sunday, March_ 1, 1812."]
[21] [For Byron's maiden speech in the House of Lords, February 27, 1812, see _Letters_, 1898, ii. 424-430.]
[22] [Richard Ryder (1766-1832), second son of the first Baron Harrowby, was Home Secretary, 1809-12.]
[23] Lord E., on Thursday night, said the riots at Nottingham arose from a "_mistake_."
TO THE HON^BLE^ M^RS^ GEORGE LAMB.[24]
1.
The sacred song that on mine ear Yet vibrates from that voice of thine, I heard, before, from one so dear-- 'T is strange it still appears divine.
2.
But, oh! so sweet that _look_ and _tone_ To her and thee alike is given; It seemed as if for me alone That _both_ had been recalled from Heaven!
3.
And though I never can redeem The vision thus endeared to me; I scarcely can regret my dream, When realised again by thee.
1812.
[First published in _The Two Duchesses_, by Vere Foster, 1898, p. 374.]