"Far be from him that hour which asks in vain
Tears such as flow for Garrick in his strain;
_or_,
"Far be that hour that vainly asks in turn
{_crown'd his_}
Such verse for him as { wept o'er } Garrick's urn.
"September 30. 1812.
"Will you choose between these added to the lines on Sheridan?[54]
I think they will wind up the panegyric, and agree with the train
of thought preceding them.
"Now, one word as to the Committee--how could they resolve on a
rough copy of an Address never sent in, unless you had been good
enough to retain in memory, or on paper, the thing they have been
good enough to adopt? By the by, the circumstances of the case
should make the Committee less 'avidus glorias,' for all praise of
them would look plaguy suspicious. If necessary to be stated at
all, the simple facts bear them out. They surely had a right to act
as they pleased. My sole object is one which, I trust, my whole
conduct has shown; viz. that I did nothing insidious--sent in no
Address _whatever_--but, when applied to, did my best for them and
myself; but, above all, that there was no undue partiality, which
will be what the rejected will endeavour to make out.
Fortunately--most fortunately--I sent in no lines on the occasion.
For I am sure that had they, in that case, been preferred, it would
have been asserted that _I_ was known, and owed the preference to
private friendship. This is what we shall probably have to
encounter; but, if once spoken and approved, we sha'n't be much
embarrassed by their brilliant conjectures; and, as to criticism,
an _old_ author, like an old bull, grows cooler (or ought) at every
baiting.
"The only thing would be to avoid a party on the night of
delivery--afterwards, the more the better, and the whole
transaction inevitably tends to a good deal of discussion. Murray
tells me there are myriads of ironical Addresses ready--_some_, in
imitation of what is called _my style_. If they are as good as the
Probationary Odes, or Hawkins's Pipe of Tobacco, it will not be bad
fun for the imitated.
"Ever," &c.
[Footnote 54: These added lines, as may be seen by reference to the
printed Address, were not retained.]
* * * * *
The time comprised in the series of letters to Lord Holland, of which
the above are specimens, Lord Byron passed, for the most part, at
Cheltenham; and during the same period, the following letters to other
correspondents were written.