The Henson Journals

[172]

Wednesday, February 20th, 1924.

Who toils for nations may be poor indeed,

But free; who sweats for Monarchs is no more

Than the gilt Chamberlain, who, clothed & feed,

Stands sleek and slavish, bowing at his door.

Byron "The prophecy of Dante" 100–104

It is the general verdict on Byron's poetry that it is pre–eminently marked by sincerity. What does this mean? To speak or write sincerely is so to speak and write that the words spoken or written, do truly express the beliefs & intentions of their author. Is this the case with Byron? That he indulged the reckless candour of youth, arrogance, and cynicism is evident enough. In that sense he said what he thought. But then, did he think at all? He was a man of moods, not of convictions, of sudden & violent likes & dislikes, not of deliberate judgements. His indifference to justice in his treatment of individuals was notorious. His facile pen would eulogize or scarify at choice, & the choice would be determined by some quite trivial personal incident. His savage onslaught on Ld Carlisle in "English Bards & Scotch Reviewers" is an illustration of this: (v. Works i. 354) Thus his judgement was ever the victim of his resentments. Moreover, the violence of his feelings found such easy expression in his verse that he wrote for the mere pleasure of writing. It is extremely precarious to draw inferences from his verse, or to construct theories from his letters.

[173]

I motored to Durham, and joined Wilson at the Shire Hall. We had an interview with the County Surveyor with respect to the projected new road into Bishop Auckland. I gave my consent to the scheme requesting that certain points should be made sure e.g. the paving of the road outside the Park Gates, & the planning of trees to screen the new embankment. We then went to the Castle where I instituted and licensed some clergy. After lunching pleasantly with Wilson in the Bailey, we attended the meeting of the Board of Finance in the Cosin Library. I made a few civil observations on old Mr Sedcole, whose death was announced last week. The report on the state of the diocesan finances was bad. There is a large decrease in the contributions mainly owing (as it is alleged) to the stagnation of trade. After having tea with Archdeacon and Mrs Derry, I returned to Auckland.

I read through John Murray's answer to Lord Lovelace's "Astarte" – "Lord Byron and His Detractors". It certainly makes out a strong case for Mrs Leigh, though not as strong for her half–brother. The most charitable explanation of his behaviour is that he was mad. Lord Lovelace himself cuts a poor figure. But when the poet's champion is reduced to the necessity of suggesting that Byron did push his effrontery in vice to the point of alarming his sister by indecent proposals, which she did not find wholly repugnant, one feels that the Apologist skates on thin ice!

---