211—to James Wedderburn Webster
8, St. James's St., Dec. 7th, 1811.
My Dear W.,—I was out of town during the arrival of your letters, but forwarded all on my return.
I hope you are going on to your satisfaction, and that her Ladyship is about to produce an heir with all his mother's Graces and all his Sire's good qualities. You know I am to be a Godfather. Byron Webster! a most heroic name, say what you please.
Don't be alarmed; my "
caprice
" won't lead me in to Dorset. No,
Bachelors
for me! I consider you as dead to us, and all my future
devoirs
are but tributes of respect to your
Memory
. Poor fellow! he was a facetious companion and well respected by all who knew him; but he is gone. Sooner or later we must all come to it.
I see nothing of you in the
papers
, the only place where I don't wish to see you; but you will be in town in the Winter.
What
dost thou do? shoot, hunt, and "wind up y'e Clock" as Caleb Quotem says
?
That thou art vastly happy, I doubt not.
I see your brother in law at times, and like him much; but we miss you much; I shall leave town in a fortnight to pass my Xmas in Notts.
Good afternoon, Dear W.
Believe me, Yours ever most truly,
B.
Footnote 1:
Byron alludes to Caleb Quotem's song in
The Review, or Wags of Windsor
(act ii. sc. 2), by George Colman the Younger:
"I'm parish clerk and sexton here,
My name is Caleb Quotem,
I'm painter, glazier, auctioneer,
In short, I am factotum."
...
"At night by the fire, like a good, jolly cock,
When my day's work is done and all over,
I tipple, I smoke, and I wind up the clock,
With my sweet Mrs. Quotem in clover.
