BYRON'S LETTERS TO DOUGLAS KINNAIRD ... - Get a Free Blog

My dear Kinnaird ... Byron calls this leaving a place for me –
This small space would have been better filled by Lord B’s prose or verse – but I must occupy it by just asking you to write to me
& let me hear how you are –& how going on & what doing or going to do – direct to Rome no more room – but to tell you how
truly I am yours J.C. Hobhouse
[Ms. NLS TD 3079, f.39 begins here:]
Byron writes:
Hobhouse writes:
Another.
So Castlereagh has cut his throat; the worst
Of this is – that his own was not the first,
Another.
So He has cut his throat at last – He? Who?
The Man who cut his Country’s long ago. –
I found another bit of paper here and for fear of its being filled with more libels in verse subjoin to my
other note that finding myself at the Devil’s bridge at the bottom of the S t . Gothard I thought of
carrying our party merely that less into Italy – I did so on horseback & sent my servant around for the
carriage which he brought over the Semplon – We went to Como & he went by the Lago Maggiore –
we arrived after two days’ separation at Milan within an hour & a half of each other – and I think since
the junction of Hannibal & his brother nothing more grand has been concerted or executed – I went to
Genoa & drove here & shall go on to Florence & Rome – vexatious your brother is not there – Byron is
very well indeed. I shall leave him & Pisa the day after tomorrow – I shall not stay long in Italy but
return after showing the common sights to my sisters. No hopes I think for Italy – ever yours again &
always
J.C.H. –
Byron to Douglas Kinnaird, from Pisa, September 21st 1822 (a):
(Source: text from NLS Ms.43453; not in 1922 II; BLJ IX 211)
[To, The Hon ble Douglas Kinnaird. / Messrs Ransom & C o . Bankers. / Pall Mall. / London. / Angleterre.
// Inghilterra.]
A two-side sheet.
Pisa. Sept r . 21 st . 1822.
My Dear Douglas,
Hobhouse went this morning – these glimpses of old friends for a moment are sad
remembrancers. – – You have sent a credit on Balatreri for two thousand pounds – but I don’t want –
thank you the same – having cash enough for the present. – – Write to me at Genoa – where I am going
directly. It is a pity to invest Sir Jacob’s 4000 – in the funds while they are so high – why not rather in
exchequer bills? – Manage the mortgage so as that I may not lose half a year’s interest by selling out at
a wrong time. – By the post of the 7 th . and 10 th . I sent you the four new Cantos of D.J. – and will take
your advice as to disposing of them. Murray should print very cheap editions to undersell the pirates –
and keep his gay Octavos of 7 shillings for the purchasers of higher priced former editions. – Have we
nearly liquidated Hanson’s
1:2 [above address:] bill? – pray keep a look out upon him and his progeny. – I wish that Rochdale
appeal could be settled before a new Chancellor – I doubt this one won’t give us fair play. Lady B’s life
should be ensured for £15000 instead of 10000 £. [below address:] As much Crabtree as you please –
but no Davidson it is a job – a glaring – flaring – staring job of Lushington’s to saddle me with a
drunken blackguard. – Don’t you be cajoled by the bitch’s banking with you – but remember y rs . ever
N. B.
Byron to Douglas Kinnaird, from Pisa, September 21st 1822 (b):
(Source: text from NLS Ms.43453; not in 1922 II; BLJ IX 211-12)
[To, The Hon ble Douglas Kinnaird. / Messrs Ransom & C o . Bankers. / Pall Mall. / London. / Angleterre.
// Inghilterra.]
Another two-sided sheet with just the address on one side.
Pisa. Sept r . 21 st . 1822.
31