70 — To John Hanson

[Farleigh House, Basingstoke, Hants.]

Southwell, April 2nd, 1807.

Dear Sir, — Before I proceed in Reply to the other parts of your Epistle, allow me to congratulate you on the

Accession

of

Dignity

and

profit

, which will doubtless accrue, from your official appointment.

You

was fortunate in obtaining Possession at so critical a period; your Patrons "exeunt omnes."

1

I trust they will soon supersede the Cyphers, their successors. The Reestablishment of your Health is another happy event, and, though

secondary

in my

Statement

, is by no means so in my

Wishes

. As to our Feuds, they are purely

official

, the natural consequence of our relative Situations, but as little connected with

personal animosity

, as the

Florid Declamations

of

parliamentary

Demagogues. I return you my thanks for your favorable opinion of my muse; I have lately been honoured with many very flattering literary critiques, from men of high Reputation in the Sciences, particularly Lord Woodhouselee and Henry Mackenzie, both

Scots

and of great Eminence as Authors themselves. I have received also some most favorable Testimonies from

Cambridge

. This you will

marvel

at, as indeed I did myself. Encouraged by these and several other Encomiums, I am about to publish a Volume at large; this will be very different from the present; the amatory effusions, not to be wondered at from the

dissipated

Life I have led, will be cut out, and others substituted. I coincide with you in opinion that the

Poet

yields to the

orator

; but as nothing can be done in the latter capacity till the Expiration of my

Minority

, the former occupies my present attention, and both

ancients

and

moderns

have declared that the two pursuits are so nearly similar as to require in a great measure the same Talents, and he who excels in the one, would on application succeed in the other. Lyttleton, Glover, and Young (who was a celebrated Preacher and a Bard) are instances of the kind.

Sheridan & Fox

also;

these

are

great Names

. I may imitate, I can never equal them.

You speak of the

Charms

of Southwell; the

Place

I

abhor

. The Fact is I remain here because I can appear no where else, being

completely done

up.

Wine

and

Women

have

dished

your

humble Servant

, not a

Sou

to be

had

; all

over

; condemned to exist (I cannot say live) at this

Crater

of Dullness till my

Lease

of

Infancy

expires. To appear at Cambridge is impossible; no money even to pay my College expences. You will be surprized to hear I am grown

very thin

; however it is the

Fact

, so much so, that the people here think I am

going

. I have lost 18 LB in my weight, that is one Stone & 4 pounds since January, this was ascertained last Wednesday, on account of a

Bet

with an acquaintance. However don't be alarmed; I have taken every means to accomplish the end, by violent exercise and Fasting, as I found myself too plump. I shall continue my Exertions, having no other amusement; I wear

seven

Waistcoats and a great Coat, run, and play at cricket in this Dress, till quite exhausted by excessive perspiration, use the Hip Bath daily; eat only a quarter of a pound of Butcher's Meat in 24 hours, no Suppers or Breakfast, only one Meal a Day; drink no malt liquor, but a little Wine, and take Physic occasionally. By these means my

Ribs

display Skin of no great Thickness, & my Clothes have been taken in nearly

half a yard

. Do you believe me now?

Adieu. Remembrance to Spouse and the Acorns.

Yours ever,

Byron

.

Footnote 1:

 In March, 1807, George III demanded from the Coalition Ministry a written pledge that they would propose no further concessions to the Roman Catholics. They refused to give it, and the Tories, with the Duke of Portland as their nominal head, were recalled to the Government.