Byron, George Gordon Byron, Baron, 1788-1824 -- Last years; Poets, English -- 19th century -- Biography
'Fortunately the chase did not continue long. Mr. Bentham hove to
abreast of Carlisle's shop, and stood for a little time to admire the
books and portraits hanging in the window. At length one of them
arrested his attention more particularly. "Ah, ah," said he, in a
hurried indistinct tone, "there it is, there it is!" pointing to a
portrait which I afterwards found was that of the illustrious Jeremy
himself.
'Soon after this, I invented an excuse to quit Mr. Bentham and his
man, promising to go to Queen's Square to dine. I was not, however, to
be again taken in by the philosopher's meal hours; so, laying in a
stock of provisions, I went at his dining hour, half-past ten o'clock,
and supped with him. We had a great deal of conversation, particularly
about mechanical subjects and the art of war. I found the old
gentleman as lively with his tongue as with his feet, and passed a
very pleasant evening; which ended by my pointing out, at his request,
a plan for playing his organ by the steam of his tea-kettle.
'This little story,' says Parry, 'gave Byron a great deal of pleasure.
He very often laughed as I told it; he laughed much at its conclusion.
He declared, when he had fished out every little circumstance, that he
would not have lost it for 1,000 guineas. Lord Byron frequently asked
me to repeat what he called: _Jerry Bentham's Cruise_.'
Parry tells us that Byron took a great interest in all that concerned the
welfare of the working classes, and particularly of the artisans.
'I have lately read,' said Byron on one occasion, 'of an institution
lately established in London for the instruction of mechanics. I
highly approve of this, and intend to subscribe £50 to it; but I shall
at the same time write and give my opinion on the subject. I am always
afraid that schemes of this kind are intended to deceive people; and,
unless all the offices in such an institution are filled with real
practical mechanics, the working classes will soon find themselves
deceived. If they permit any but mechanics to have the direction of
their affairs, they will only become the tools of others. The real
working man will soon be ousted, and his more cunning pretended
friends will take possession and reap all the benefits. It gives me
pleasure to think what a mass of natural intellect this will call into
action. If the plan succeeds, and I hope it may, the ancient
aristocracy of England will be secure for ages to come. The most
useful and numerous body of people in the nation will then judge for
themselves, and, when properly informed, will judge correctly. There
is not on earth a more honourable body of men than the English
nobility; and there is no system of government under which life and
property are better secured than under the British constitution.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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