LORD BROUGHAM ON BYRON

[From The Edinburgh Review, January, 1808]

Hours of Idleness:  A series of Poems, Original and Translated. By GEORGE GORDON, LORD BYRON, a minor.  Newark, 1807.

The poesy of this young lord belongs to the class which neither gods nor men are said to permit.  Indeed, we do not recollect to have seen a quantity of verse with so few deviations in either direction from that exact standard.  His effusions are spread over a dead flat, and can no more get above or below the level, than if they were so much stagnant water.  As an extenuation of this offence, the noble author is peculiarly forward in pleading minority.  We have it in the title-page, and on the very back of the volume; it follows his name like a favourite part of his style.  Much stress is laid upon it in the preface, and the poems are connected with this general statement of his case, by particular dates, substantiating the age at which each was written.  Now, the law upon the point of morality, we hold to be perfectly clear.  It is a plea available only to the defendant; no plaintiff can offer it as a supplementary ground of action.  Thus, if any suit could be brought against Lord Byron, for the purpose of compelling him to put into court a certain quantity of poetry; and if judgment were given against him, it is highly probable that an exception would be taken, were he to deliver for poetry, the contents of this volume.  To this he might plead minority; but as he now makes voluntary tender of the article, he hath no right to sue, on that ground, for the price is in good current praise, should the goods be unmarketable.  This is our view of the law on the point, and we dare to say, so will it be ruled.  Perhaps, however, in reality, all that he tells us about his youth, is rather with a view to increase our wonder, than to soften our censures.  He possibly means to say, “See how a minor can write!  This poem was actually composed by a young man of eighteen, and this by one of only sixteen!” But, alas, we all remember the poetry of Cowley at ten, and Pope at twelve; and so far from hearing, with any surprise, that very poor verses were written by a youth from his leaving school to his leaving college, inclusive, we really believe this to be the most common of all occurrences; that it happens in the life of nine men in ten who are educated in England; and that the tenth man writes better verse than Lord Byron.

His other plea of privilege, our author rather brings forward to wave it.  He certainly, however, does allude frequently to his family and ancestors—­sometimes in poetry, sometimes in notes; and while giving up his claim on the score of rank, he takes care to remember us of Dr. Johnson’s saying, that when a nobleman appears as an author, his merit should be handsomely acknowledged.  In truth, it is this consideration only, that induces us to give Lord Byron’s poems a place in our review, besides our desire to counsel him, that he do forthwith abandon poetry, and turn his talents, which are considerable, and his opportunities, which are great, to better account.