Volume I Part 4 (2/2)

You will address your next letter to Harrow as I set out from Southwell on Wednesday, and am sorry that I cannot contrive to be with you, as I must resume my studies at Harrow directly. If I speak in public at all, it will not be till the latter end of June or the beginning of July. You are right in your conjecture for I feel not a little nervous in the antic.i.p.ation _of my Debut_ [1] as _an orator_.

By the bye, I do not dislike Harrow. I find _ways_ and _means_ to amuse _myself very pleasantly_ there; the friend, whose correspondence I find so amusing, is an old sporting companion of mine, whose recitals of Shooting and Hunting expeditions are amusing to me as having often been his companion in them, and I hope to be so still oftener.

My mother Gives a _party_ to night at which the princ.i.p.al _Southwell Belles_ will be present, with one of which, although I don't as yet know whom I shall so far _honour, having never seen them_, I intend to _fall violently_ in love; it will serve as an amus.e.m.e.nt _pour pa.s.ser le temps_ and it will at least have the charm of novelty to recommend it, then you know in the course of a few weeks I shall be quite _au desespoir_, shoot myself and Go out of the world with _eclat_, and my History will furnish materials for a pretty little Romance which shall be ent.i.tled and denominated the loves of Lord B. and the cruel and Inconstant Sigismunda Cunegunda Bridgetina, etc., etc., Princess of Terra Incognita.

Don't you think that I have a very good Knack for _novel writing_? I have Just this minute been called away from writing to you by two Gentlemen who have given me an invitation to go over to Screveton, a village a few miles off, and spend a few days; but however I shall not accept it, so you will continue to address your letters to Harrow as usual. Write to me as soon as possible and give me a long letter.

Remember me to Mrs. Harcourt and all who enquire after me. Continue to love me and believe me,

Your truly affectionate Brother and Friend,

BYRON.

P.S.--My Mother's love to you, Adieu.

[Footnote 1: Mrs. Byron, writing to Hanson, July 24, 1804, says,

”I was informed by a Gentleman yesterday that he had been at Harrow and heard him speaking, and that he acquitted himself uncommonly well.”

Byron's name occurs in three of the Harrow speech-bills--July 5, 1804; June 6, 1805; and July 4, 1805. The three bills are printed below:--

HARROW SCHOOL PUBLIC SPEECHES.

1. JULY 5, 1804.

Erskine, Maj. Caesar } Ex Sall.u.s.tio.

Sinclair Cato } Long C. Canuleius ad Pleb. Ex Livio.

Molloy, Sr. The Country Box Lloyd.

Lord Byron Latinus } Leeke Drances } Ex Virgilio.

Peel, Sr. Turnus } Chaplin Henry the Fifth to his Shakespear.

Soldiers Clayton Micispa ad Jugurtham Ex Sall.u.s.tio.

Rowley Germanicus moriens Ex Tacito.

Grenside, Sr. General Wolfe to his Enfield.

Soldiers Morant, Sr. Dido Ex Virgilio.

Mr. Calthorpe, Sr. In Catilinam Ex Cicerone.

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