Volume I Part 25 (2/2)

January 30th, 1830 {p271}

Laid up with the gout these last three days George Bankes has resigned, and John Wortley is appointed Secretary to the Board of Control He was of the Huskisson party, as it is called (though it does not deserve the na made to him was rather inimical to the Government; but the Duke proposed, and he accepted I doubt his being of h's letter to Sir John Malcolreat deal of noise, as it well may, for a more flippant and injudicious performance has seldom been seen[5]

[5] [This letter, which excited much attention at this time, will be found in the 'Life of Sir John Malcolm,'

by Mr (now Sir John) Kaye, vol ii p 528 It had been written a year before, and by some indiscretion obtained publicity in India A warm dispute had broken out between Sir John Malcoles of the Suprereat eagerness, and said of the Chief Justice, Sir J P Grant, that he 'would be like a wild elephant between two ta ree Head: THE COMING SESSION]

The greatest curiosity and interest prevail about the transactions in the ensuing session--whether there will be any opposition, and froentlee they will hold, and whether the Duke will produce any plan for alleviating the distress I think there will be a great deal of talking and coested, but no opposition, and that the Duke will do nothing, and get through the session without much difficulty There was to have been a Council on Thursday to prick the sheriffs, but it was put off on account of out, and I was not able to attend at the dinner at the Chancellor's on Wednesday for the same reason I reham for the races; that was a Council in '27, I think, to adn corn

February 1st, 1830 {p272}

Stapleton's book on Mr Canning is not to appear Douglas was sent to hi appeared in it which ought not to be published he would be turned out of his office He wrote to Lady Canning accordingly, who sent hi hier, and consenting to the suppression of the work I alad of it on all accounts

February 3rd, 1830 {p272}

Broughah, and coh, at the Duke of Devonshi+re's invitation He is delighted at the exchange I see by the 'Gazette' there has been a co about the Catholic sheriffs; only one (Petre for Yorkshi+re) is chosen, the others, though first on the list and no excuses, passed over: they were Townley for Lancashi+re and Sir T Stanley for Cheshi+re It is childish and ridiculous if so; but no e Head: CHARACTER OF LORD BYRON]

I have just finished the first volume of Moore's 'Life of Byron'

I don't think I like this style of biography, half-way between ordinary narrative and self-delineation in the shape of letters, diary, &c Moore's part is agreeably and feelingly written, and in a very different style froid diction and brilliant antitheses It is, however, very aly clever, full of wit, huination, and inforreeable sort of letters They are joined together by a succession of little essays upon his character But as to life, it is no life at all; it merely tells you that the details of his life are not tellable, that they would be like those of Tilly or Casanova, and so indecent, and compromise so many people, that we h an impenetrable veil Then in the letters and diary the perpetual hiatus, and asterisks, and initials are exceedingly tantalising; but altogether it is very a As to Byron, I have never had but one opinion about his poetry, which I think of first-rate excellence; an enormous heresy, of course, more particularly with those whose political taste rests upon the sa been taught what to admire in the one case as they have been enjoined what to believe in the other With regard to his character, I think Moore has succeeded in proving that he was far froh-ood-natured, and, if he does not exaggerate his own feelings, a warm-hearted and sincere friend But what a wretch he was! how thoroughly miserable with such splendid talents! how little philosophy!-- wretched on account of his lame foot; not even his successes oh this is too hard a word for it; then tor himself to death nobody can tell why or wherefore There never was so ill-regulated ahis pleasures subservient to his happiness--not any notion of _enjoye and despair That he very sincerely entertained a bad opinion of mankind htiness raising him above the influence of the opinion of those whom he so despised, he was the veriest slave to it that ever breathed, as he confesses when he says that he was almost more annoyed at the censure of the hest of mankind; and when he deals around his fierce vituperation or bitter sarcas the chains which, with all his pride, and defiance, and contempt, he is unable to throw off Then he despises pretenders and charlatans of all sorts, while he is himself a pretender, as allto the which they are all the time conscious they are not in reality But to 'assume a virtue if you have it not'

is more allowable than to assume a vice which you have not To wish to appear better or wiser than we really are is excusable in itself, and it is only theit that may become ridiculous; but to endeavour to appear worse than we are is a species of perverted vanity the ment, the morals or the taste of our acquaintance Yet, with all his splendid genius, this sort of vanity certainly distinguished Lord Byron, and that as proves how deeply a ht he , and yet how incapable he e he has acquired and the result of which he can faithfully delineate He gives a list of the books he had read at eighteen which appears incredible, particularly as he says that he was always idle, and eight years after Scott says he did not appear well read either in poetry or history Swift says 'some men know books as others do Lords--learn their titles, and then boast of their acquaintance with thehteen he knew by name the books he mentions; indeed, the list contains Hooker, Bacon, Locke, Hobbes, Berkeley, &c It sounds rather improbable; but his letters contain allusions to every sort of literature, and certainly indicate considerable infornes sont rois,'

and Sir Walter Scott ht think a man half read who knows all that is contained in the brains of White's, Brookes', and Boodle's, and the greater part of the two Houses of Parliareat men the more reconciled one becohts at nothingness repine, Shall Byron's fame with Byron's fate be thine?

Who would not prefer any obscurity before such splendid misery as was the lot of that extraordinary man? Even Moore is not happy

One thinks how one should like to be envied, and admired, and applauded, but after all such men suffer more than we know or they will confess, and their celebrity is dearly purchased

Se di ciascun l'interno affanno Si leggesse in fronte scritto, Quanti guai ch'invidia fanno Ci farebbe pieta

One word more about Byron and I have done I was much struck by the coincidence of style between his letters and his journal, and that appears to me a proof of the reality and nature which prevailed in both

[Page Head: WEAKNESS OF THE GOVERNMENT]

February 5th, 1830 {p275}

Parliament met yesterday; there was a brisk debate and an amendment on the Address in each House The Duke had very indiscreetly called the distress 'partial' in the Speech, and the consequence was an aeneral The result shows that Governhtest co but casual support to rely upon, and that of course will only be to be had 'du tiht that they should be in a e party of Reformers supported theot a majority of 50 out of 250 The division was very extraordinary, Broughaether It is pretty clear, however, that they are in no danger of being turned out, but that they are wretchedly off for speakers Huskisson h, O'Connell his _debut_, and a successful one, heard with profound attention; his u particular, but nothing was concerted by any party, for the subject of the amendment in the Commons was not even touched upon in the Lords, which is very remarkable Lord Chandos has refused the Mint, because they will not give him a seat in the Cabinet, but many people think it is because he has been pressed to refuse by his High Tory friends Charles Ross is the new Lord of the Admiralty,[6] and Abercrolad of

[6] The appointment has not taken place

There is a charlatan of the na, who has been i all sorts of juggleries in hot ovens, sing poisons, hot lead, &c; but yesterday he was detected signally, and after a dreadful uproar was obliged to run away to avoid the ill-usage of his exasperated audience He pretended to take prussic acid, and challenged anybody to produce the poison, which he engaged to s At last Mr Wakley, the proprietor of the 'Lancet,' went there with prussic acid, which Chobert refused to take, and then the whole deception careat deal of noise, taken everybody in, and the fellow has reat deal of money It was to have been his last performance, but 'tant va la cruche a l'eau qu'enfin