175—To James Wedderburn Webster

Newstead Abbey, Notts., Aug'st 31st, 1811.

My Dear W.,—I send you back your friend's letter, and, though I don't agree with his Canons of Criticism, they are not the worse for that.

My friend Hodgson 1 is not much honoured by the comparison to the Pursuits of L., which is notoriously, as far as the poetry goes, the worst written of its kind; the World has been long but of one opinion, viz. that it's sole merit lies in the Notes, which are indisputably excellent.

Had Hodgson's "Alterative" been placed with the Baviad the compliment had been higher to both; for, surely, the Baviad is as much superior to H.'s poem, as I do firmly believe H.'s poem to be to the Pursuits of Literature.

Your correspondent talks for talking's sake when he says "Lady J. Grey" is neither "Epic, dramatic, or legendary." Who ever said it was "epic" or "dramatic"? he might as well say his letter was neither "epic or dramatic;" the poem makes no pretensions to either character. "Legendary" it certainly is, but what has that to do with its merits? All stories of that kind founded on facts are in a certain degree legendary, but they may be well or ill written without the smallest alteration in that respect. When Mr. Hare prattles about the "Economy," etc., he sinks sadly;—all such expressions are the mere cant of a schoolboy hovering round the Skirts of Criticism.

Hodgson's tale is one of the best efforts of his Muse, and Mr. H.'s approbation must be of more consequence, before any body will reduce it to a "Scale," or be much affected by "the place" he "assigns" to the productions of a man like Hodgson.

But I have said more than I intended and only beg you never to allow yourself to be imposed upon by such "common place" as the 6th form letter you sent me. Judge for yourself.

I know the Mr. Bankes 2 you mention though not to that "extreme" you seem to think, but I am flattered by his "boasting" on such a subject (as you say), for I never thought him likely to "boast" of any thing which was not his own. I am not " melancholish "—pray what " folk" dare to say any such thing? I must contradict them by being merry at their expence.

I shall invade you in the course of the winter, out of envy, as Lucifer looked at Adam and Eve.

Pray be as happy as you can, and write to me that I may catch the infection.

Yours ever,

Byron.

Footnote 1:

  Webster had sent Byron a letter from Naylor Hare, in which the latter criticized Hodgson's poems, Lady Jane Grey, a Tale; and other Poems (1809) (see

Letters , vol. i. p. 195, note 1 [Footnote 1 of Letter 102]).

In the volume (pp. 56-77) was printed his "Gentle Alterative prepared for the Reviewers," which Hare apparently compared to The Pursuits of Literature (1794-97), by T. J. Mathias.

To this criticism Byron objected, saying that the "Alterative" might be more fairly compared to Gifford's Baviad (1794).

Footnote 2:

  For William John Bankes, see Letters, vol. i. p. 120, note 1. [Footnote 1 of Letter 67]