The “Pope” of Holland House
John Whishaw to Thomas Smith, 16 April 1821
April 16th.
I have not yet seen “Rome in the Nineteenth Century,” but hear a
good account of the book from several good judges. I believe it is written by a
Scotch lady, Miss Mackenzie, a daughter of
the late Lord Seaforth, who was talked of as
being likely to marry the sculptor Thorwaldsen. You must probably have seen or heard of her, as she
was rather a conspicuous character at Rome.
Lord Byron’s letter to Bowles is a very singular performance;
but I hear that Bowles kisses the rod, and
has written to Murray, requesting him to
present his kind compliments, with many thanks, for what has been said of his
manners, of which he acknowledges that his lordship has spoken “with more
urbanity than he (Bowles) has been accustomed
to.” With regard to those particulars that form the main subject of the
letter, he seems to give way in several points, and to admit that Lord
B. is right. I suppose that
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we shall have much of this servility of spirit, for
Bowles intends to publish an answer.1
The tragedy of “Marino Falieri” is to appear in a few days. Those who have read
it (among whom are Lord and Lady Holland) speak of the work very highly. They
think it, however, quite unfit for the stage. Lord
Byron says that he publishes it to convince his friends of their
error in supposing that he is capable of writing a good tragedy.
William Lisle Bowles (1762-1850)
English poet and critic; author of
Fourteen Sonnets, elegiac and
descriptive, written during a Tour (1789), editor of the
Works
of Alexander Pope, 10 vols (1806), and writer of pamphlets contributing to the
subsequent Pope controversy.
Elizabeth Fox, Lady Holland [née Vassall] (1771 c.-1845)
In 1797 married Henry Richard Fox, Lord Holland, following her divorce from Sir Godfrey
Webster; as mistress of Holland House she became a pillar of Whig society.
Henry Richard Fox, third baron Holland (1773-1840)
Whig politician and literary patron; Holland House was for many years the meeting place
for reform-minded politicians and writers. He also published translations from the Spanish
and Italian;
Memoirs of the Whig Party was published in 1852.
Frances Catherine Mackenzie (d. 1840)
The daughter of Francis Humberston Mackenzie, earl of Seaforth in the Jacobite peerage;
she was a friend of Joseph Severn in Rome and a lover of Bertel Thorwaldsen.
John Murray II (1778-1843)
The second John Murray began the
Quarterly Review in 1809 and
published works by Scott, Byron, Austen, Crabbe, and other literary notables.
Bertel Thorwaldsen (1770-1844)
Danish sculptor who with Canova led the neoclassical school at Rome.
