TO MR. BECHER.

“Newstead Abbey, Notts.  Sept. 14. 1808.

“My dear Becher,

“I am much obliged to you for your enquiries, and shall profit by them accordingly.  I am going to get up a play here; the hall will constitute a most admirable theatre.  I have settled the dram. pers., and can do without ladies, as I have some young friends who will make tolerable substitutes for females, and we only want three male characters, beside Mr. Hobhouse and myself, for the play we have fixed on, which will be the Revenge.  Pray direct Nicholson the carpenter to come over to me immediately, and inform me what day you will dine and pass the night here.

“Believe me,” &c.

It was in the autumn of this year, as the letters I have just given indicate, that he, for the first time, took up his residence at Newstead Abbey.  Having received the place in a most ruinous condition from the hands of its late occupant, Lord Grey de Ruthyn, he proceeded immediately to repair and fit up some of the apartments, so as to render them—­more with a view to his mother’s accommodation than his own—­comfortably habitable.  In one of his letters to Mrs. Byron, published by Mr. Dallas, he thus explains his views and intentions on this subject.

LETTER 30.

TO THE HONOURABLE[93] MRS. BYRON.

“Newstead Abbey, Notts.  October 7. 1808.

“Dear Madam,

“I have no beds for the H——­s or any body else at present.  The H——­s sleep at Mansfield.  I do not know, that I resemble Jean Jacques Rousseau.  I have no ambition to be like so illustrious a madman—­but this I know, that I shall live in my own manner, and as much alone as possible.  When my rooms are ready I shall be glad to see you:  at present it would be improper and uncomfortable to both parties.  You can hardly object to my rendering my mansion habitable, notwithstanding my departure for Persia in March (or May at farthest), since you will be tenant till my return; and in case of any accident (for I have already arranged my will to be drawn up the moment I am twenty-one), I have taken care you shall have the house and manor for life, besides a sufficient income.  So you see my improvements are not entirely selfish.  As I have a friend here, we will go to the Infirmary Ball on the 12th; we will drink tea with Mrs. Byron at eight o’clock, and expect to see you at the ball.  If that lady will allow us a couple of rooms to dress in, we shall be highly obliged:—­if we are at the ball by ten or eleven it will be time enough, and we shall return to Newstead about three or four.  Adieu.

“Believe me yours very truly,

“BYRON.”

The idea, entertained by Mrs. Byron, of a resemblance between her son and Rousseau was founded chiefly, we may suppose, on those habits of solitariness, in which he had even already shown a disposition to follow that self-contemplative philosopher, and which, manifesting themselves thus early, gained strength as he advanced in life.  In one of his Journals, to which I frequently have occasion to refer,[94] he thus, in questioning the justice of this comparison between himself and Rousseau, gives,—­as usual, vividly,—­some touches of his own disposition and habitudes:—­