AN UNGOVERNABLE APPETITE FOR SCANDAL 11

likely you don't wish to know, but he was a true one whoever he was.

(1804, November 11. Letter 15, to the Hon. Augusta Byron, Vol. I., p. 45.)

My mother, you inform me, commends my amiable disposition and good understanding; if she does this to you, it is a great deal more than I ever hear myself, for the one or the other is always found fault with, and I am told to copy the excellent pattern which I see before me in herself. You have got an invitation too, you may accept it if you please, but if you value your own comfort, and like a pleasant situation, I advise you to avoid Southwell.-I thank you, my dear Augusta, for your readiness to assist me, and will in some manner avail myself of it; I do not, however, wish to be separated from her entirely, but not to be so much with her as I hitherto have been, for I do believe she likes me; she manifests that in many instances, particularly with regard to money, which I never want, and have as much as I desire. But her conduct is so strange, her caprices so impossible to be complied with, her passions so outrageous, that the evil quite overbalances her agreeable qualities. Amongst other things I forgot to mention a most ungovernable appetite for Scandal, which she never can govern, and employs most of her time abroad, in displaying the faults, and censuring the foibles, of her acquaintance; therefore I do not wonder that my precious Aunt comes in for her share of encomiums; this, however, is nothing to what happened when my conduct admits of animadversion; "then comes the tug of war." My whole family

from the conquest are upbraided! myself abused, and I am told that what little accomplishments I possess either in mind or body are derived from her and her alone.

(1804, November 17. Letter 16, to the Hon. Augusta Byron, Vol. I., p. 48.)

There is no necessity for my mother to know anything of my intentions till the time approaches; and when it does come, M H[anson] has only to write her a note saying, that, as I could not accept the invitation he gave me last holidays, he imagined I might do it now; to this she surely can make no objections; but, if she entertained the slightest idea of my making any complaint of her very lenient treatment, the scene that would ensue beggars all power of description. You may have some little idea of it, from what I have told you, and what you yourself know. To Lord Carlisle make my warmest acknowledgments. I feel more gratitude, than my feelings can well express; I am truly obliged to him for his endeavours, and am perfectly satisfied with your explanation of his reserve, though I was hitherto afraid it might proceed from personal dislike. You inform me that you intend to visit my mother, then you will have an opportunity of seeing what I have described, and hearing a great deal of Scandal. She does not trouble me much with epistolary communications; when I do receive them, they are very concise, and much to the purpose. However I will do her the justice to say that she behaves, or rather means, well, and is in some respects very kind, though her manners are not the most conciliating.

LORD CARLISLE'S GOOD OFFICES

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She likewise expresses a great deal of affection for you, but disapproves your marriage, wishes to know my opinion of it, and complains that you are negligent and do not write to her or care about her. How far her opinion of your love for her is well grounded, you best know. I again request you will return my sincere thanks to Lord Carlisle, and for the future I shall consider him as more my friend than I have hitherto been taught to think. I have more reasons than one, to wish to avoid going to Notts, for there I should be obliged to associate with Lord G. whom I detest, his manners being unlike those of a Gentleman, and the information to be derived from him but little except about shooting, which I do not intend to devote my life to. Besides I have a particular reason for not liking him.

(1804, November 21. Letter 17, to the Hon. Augusta Byron, Vol. I., p. 50.)

I have contrived to pass the holidays with M' and M" Hanson, to whom I am greatly obliged for their hospitality. You are now within a day's journey of my amiable Mama. If you wish your spirits raised, or rather roused, I would recommend you to pass a week or two with her. However I dare say she would behave very well to you, for you do not know her disposition so well as I do. I return you, my dear Girl, a thousand thanks for hinting to Mr H[anson] and Lord Carlisle] my uncomfortable situation, I shall always remember it with gratitude, as a most essential service. I rather think that, if you were any time with my mother, she would bore you about

your marriage which she disapproves of, as much for the sake of finding fault as any thing, for that is her favourite amusement. At any rate she would be very inquisitive, for she was always tormenting me about it, and, if you told her any thing, she might very possibly divulge it; I therefore advise you, when you see her to say nothing, or as little, about it, as you can help.

(1805, January 30. Letter 19, to the Hon. Augusta Byron, Vol. I., p. 55.)

My visit to the Dowager does not promise me all the happiness I could wish; however, it must be gone through, as it is some time since I have seen her. It shall be as short as possible.

(1805, April 4. Letter 20, to the Hon. Augusta Byron, Vol. I., p. 57.)

It is hardly necessary to inform you that I am heartily tired of Southwell, for I am at this minute experiencing those delights which I have recapitulated to you and which are more entertaining to be talked of at a distance than enjoyed at Home. I allude to the eloquence of a near relation of mine, which is as remarkable as your taciturnity.

(1805, April 15. Letter 21, to Hargreaves Hanson, Vol. I., p. 58.)

I am sure, no unhappy mortal ever required much more consolation than I do at present. You as well as myself know the sweet and amiable temper of a

AN ORATION IN THE ANCIENT STYLE

15

I

certain personage to whom I am nearly related; of course, the pleasure I have enjoyed during my vacation (although it has been greater than expected), yet has not been so superabundant as to make me wish to stay a day longer than I can avoid. However, notwithstanding the dullness of the place, and certain unpleasant things that occur in a family not a hundred miles distant from Southwell, I contrived to pass my time in peace, till to-day, when unhappily, in a most inadvertent manner, I said that Southwell was not peculiarly to my taste; but, however, I merely expressed this in common conversation, without speaking disrespectfully of the sweet town; (which, between you and I, I wish was swallowed up by an earthquake, provided my eloquent mother was not in it). No sooner had the unlucky sentence, which I believe was prompted by my evil Genius, escaped my lips, than I was treated with an oration in the ancient style, which I have often so pathetically described to you, unequalled by any thing of modern or antique date; nay the Philippics against L Melville were nothing to it; one would really Imagine, to have heard the Good Lady, that I was a most treasonable culprit, but thank St Peter, after undergoing this Purgatory for the last hour, it is at length blown over, and I have sat down under these pleasing impressions to address you, so that I am afraid my epistle will not be the most entertaining. I assure you upon my honour, jesting apart, I have never been so scurrilously and violently abused by any person, as by that woman whom I think I am to call mother, by that being who gave me birth, to whom I ought to look up with