March 28th [1814]
Albany
This
night got into my new apartments
, rented of Lord Althorpe, on a lease of seven years. Spacious, and room for my books and sabres.
In
the
house
, too, another advantage. The last few days, or whole week, have been very abstemious, regular in exercise, and yet very
un
well.
Yesterday, dined
tête-à-tête
at the Cocoa with Scrope Davies—sat from six till midnight—drank between us one bottle of champagne and six of claret, neither of which wines ever affect me. Offered to take Scrope home in my carriage; but he was tipsy and pious, and I was obliged to leave him on his knees praying to I know not what purpose or pagod. No headach, nor sickness, that night nor to-day. Got up, if any thing, earlier than usual—sparred with Jackson
ad sudorem
, and have been much better in health than for many days. I have heard nothing more from Scrope. Yesterday paid him four thousand eight hundred pounds, a debt of some standing, and which I wished to have paid before. My mind is much relieved by the removal of that
debit
.
Augusta
wants me to make it up with Carlisle. I have refused
every
body else, but I can't deny her any thing;—so I must e'en do it, though I had as lief "drink up Eisel—eat a crocodile."
Let me see—Ward, the Hollands, the Lambs, Rogers, etc., etc.,—every body, more or less, have been trying for the last two years to accommodate this
couplet
quarrel, to no purpose. I shall laugh if Augusta succeeds.
Redde a little of many things—shall get in all my books to-morrow.
Luckily
this room will hold them— with "ample room and verge, etc., the characters of hell to trace."
I must set about some employment soon; my heart begins to eat
itself
again.
Footnote 1:
In 1804 Albany House, in Piccadilly, long occupied by the Duke of York and Albany, was converted into sets of bachelor chambers, and the gardens behind were also built over with additional suites of rooms. Byron's were in the original house on the ground floor, No. 2. Moore, writing to Rogers, April 12, 1814 (
Memoirs, etc
., vol. viii. p. 176), says,
"Lord Byron, as you know, has removed into Albany, and lives in an apartment, I should think thirty by forty feet."
Footnote 2:
Hamlet
, act v. sc. 1, line 299.
Footnote 3:
"Give ample room, and verge enough
The characters of hell to trace."
Gray,
The Bard
, lines 51, 52.
