"Salsette frigate, in the Dardanelles, off Abydos, May 5. 1810.
"I am on my way to Constantinople, after a tour through Greece,
Epirus, &c., and part of Asia Minor, some particulars of which I have
just communicated to our friend and host, H. Drury. With these, then,
I shall not trouble you; but as you will perhaps be pleased to hear
that I am well, &c., I take the opportunity of our ambassador's return
to forward the few lines I have time to despatch. We have undergone
some inconveniences, and incurred partial perils, but no events worthy
of communication, unless you will deem it one that two days ago I swam
from Sestos to Abydos. This, with a few alarms from robbers, and some
danger of shipwreck in a Turkish galliot six months ago, a visit to a
Pacha, a passion for a married woman at Malta, a challenge to an
officer, an attachment to three Greek girls at Athens, with a great
deal of buffoonery and fine prospects, form all that has distinguished
my progress since my departure from Spain.
"H. rhymes and journalises; I stare and do nothing--unless smoking can
be deemed an active amusement. The Turks take too much care of their
women to permit them to be scrutinised; but I have lived a good deal
with the Greeks, whose modern dialect I can converse in enough for my
purposes. With the Turks I have also some male acquaintances--female
society is out of the question. I have been very well treated by the
Pachas and Governors, and have no complaint to make of any kind.
Hobhouse will one day inform you of all our adventures,--were I to
attempt the recital, neither _my_ paper nor _your_ patience would hold
out during the operation.
"Nobody, save yourself, has written to me since I left England; but
indeed I did not request it. I except my relations, who write quite as
often as I wish. Of Hobhouse's volume I know nothing, except that it
is out; and of my second edition I do not even know _that_, and
certainly do not, at this distance, interest myself in the matter. I
hope you and Bland roll down the stream of sale with rapidity.
"Of my return I cannot positively speak, but think it probable
Hobhouse will precede me in that respect. We have been very nearly one
year abroad. I should wish to gaze away another, at least, in these
ever-green climates; but I fear business, law business, the worst of
employments, will recall me previous to that period, if not very
quickly. If so, you shall have due notice.
"I hope you will find me an altered personage,--do not mean in body,
but in manner, for I begin to find out that nothing but virtue will do
in this d----d world. I am tolerably sick of vice, which I have tried
in its agreeable varieties, and mean, on my return, to cut all my
dissolute acquaintance, leave off wine and carnal company, and betake
myself to politics and decorum. I am very serious and cynical, and a
good deal disposed to moralise; but fortunately for you the coming
homily is cut off by default of pen and defection of paper.
"Good morrow! If you write, address to me at Malta, whence your
letters will be forwarded. You need not remember me to any body, but
believe me yours with all faith,
"BYRON."
From Constantinople, where he arrived on the 14th of May, he addressed
four or five letters to Mrs. Byron, in almost every one of which his
achievement in swimming across the Hellespont is commemorated. The
exceeding pride, indeed, which he took in this classic feat (the
particulars of which he has himself abundantly detailed) may be cited
among the instances of that boyishness of character, which he carried
with him so remarkably into his maturer years, and which, while it
puzzled distant observers of his conduct, was not among the least
amusing or attaching of his peculiarities to those who knew him
intimately. So late as eleven years from this period, when some
sceptical traveller ventured to question, after all, the
practicability of Leander's exploit, Lord Byron, with that jealousy on
the subject of his own personal prowess which he retained from
boyhood, entered again, with fresh zeal, into the discussion, and
brought forward two or three other instances of his own feats in
swimming,[137] to corroborate the statement originally made by him.
In one of these letters to his mother from Constantinople, dated May
24th, after referring, as usual, to his notable exploit, "in humble
imitation of Leander, of amorous memory, though," he adds, "I had no
Hero to receive me on the other side of the Hellespont," he continues
thus:--
"When our ambassador takes his leave I shall accompany him to see the
sultan, and afterwards probably return to Greece. I have heard nothing
of Mr. Hanson but one remittance, without any letter from that legal
gentleman. If you have occasion for any pecuniary supply, pray use my
funds as far as they _go_ without reserve; and, lest this should not
be enough, in my next to Mr. Hanson I will direct him to advance any
sum you may want, leaving it to your discretion how much, in the
present state of my affairs, you may think proper to require. I have
already seen the most interesting parts of Turkey in Europe and Asia
Minor, but shall not proceed further till I hear from England: in the
mean time I shall expect occasional supplies, according to
circumstances; and shall pass my summer amongst my friends, the Greeks
of the Morea."
He then adds, with his usual kind solicitude about his favourite
servants:--
"Pray take care of my boy Robert, and the old man Murray. It is
fortunate they returned; neither the youth of the one, nor the age of
the other, would have suited the changes of climate, and fatigue of
travelling."