Read Online Scandalous Women: The Lives and Loves of History's Most Notorious Women by Elizabeth Mahon - Free Book Online
Authors: Elizabeth Mahon
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nipple and flirted outrageously. Her behavior caused comment. “The Ponsonbys are always making sensations,” one caustic observer wrote, referring to Caroline’s family. She had a brief, publicly flaunted affair with Sir Godfrey Webster. Lady Melbourne was appalled, not because of the affair, but because Caroline committed the cardinal sin of being indiscreet. Not only did she accept jewelry and a puppy from Webster, but she also confessed the affair to her husband, who forgave her. She later admitted, “I behaved a little wild, riding over the downs with all the officers at my heels.”
In March 1812, Caroline read an advance reading copy of Byron’s Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage and wrote him an anonymous fan letter. Her friend Samuel Rogers told her that Byron had a club foot and bit his nails but she replied, “If he is as ugly as Aesop, I must see him.” Byron at this time had yet to become the rock star of the Regency that he was soon to be. He’d had some verses published in 1806 and 1807, but Childe Harold made his reputation after the first two cantos were published. Caroline wrote him an anonymous poem in iambic pentameter à la Childe Harold .
Byron later described Caroline to a friend as “the cleverest, most agreeable, absurd, amiable, perplexing, dangerous, fascinating little being that lives now or ought to have lived two thousand years ago.” Caroline was beautiful and charming but, in the words of one of her friends, “had a restless craving after excitement.” Byron received hundreds of what were essentially fan letters from women. But when he received Lady Caroline’s poem, he was impressed, particularly when he discovered that the anonymous writer was the aristocratic and eccentric Lady Caroline Lamb. When she first saw him at a party at Lady Westmorland’s, surrounded by beautiful women, she turned on her heel and declined to be presented, which intrigued the poet. That night in her journal she wrote, “That beautiful pale face will be my fate.”
Soon after, while out riding, she placed an impromptu call on Lord and Lady Holland. When she was told that Byron was expected as well, she protested that she couldn’t meet him dusty and disheveled. She ran upstairs to freshen up and when she came downstairs, Byron was entranced by the elfin creature before him, with her bobbed golden curls and boyish figure. Bending toward her, he whispered, “The offer was made to you before. Why did you resist it?”
She couldn’t resist it now. What followed was an affair that lasted only nine months, but the repercussions continued for years. Caroline was totally besotted with Byron and, initially, he was equally smitten by her, although she wasn’t his usual type; he normally preferred voluptuous, uncomplicated women. It was not just a sexual attraction but also an intellectual attraction. They shared a love for dogs, horses, and music. They wrote constantly to each other, sometimes every day. By the end of their affair, around three hundred letters had exchanged hands.
The public nature of the romance presented no problem to Caroline. Most of her family, including her mother-in-law, had little regard for fidelity, but they kept their liaisons quiet. This was not Caroline’s style. She enjoyed making scenes, and with Byron, there was ample opportunity. Caroline didn’t care about other people’s opinions, a trait that Byron admired. She also had no use for the hypocrisy of the times, where as long as one was discreet, one could get away with anything. At first Byron was charmed by her enthusiasm, but eventually he got bored. He preferred the chase. As he summed it up, “Man’s love is of man’s life a thing apart, / ’Tis woman’s whole existence.” On the other hand, he also wanted all her love and devotion solely for him. It killed him when Caroline admitted that she loved her husband, and that she wouldn’t tell him that she loved him more than William. The more he demanded of her, and
In March 1812, Caroline read an advance reading copy of Byron’s Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage and wrote him an anonymous fan letter. Her friend Samuel Rogers told her that Byron had a club foot and bit his nails but she replied, “If he is as ugly as Aesop, I must see him.” Byron at this time had yet to become the rock star of the Regency that he was soon to be. He’d had some verses published in 1806 and 1807, but Childe Harold made his reputation after the first two cantos were published. Caroline wrote him an anonymous poem in iambic pentameter à la Childe Harold .
Byron later described Caroline to a friend as “the cleverest, most agreeable, absurd, amiable, perplexing, dangerous, fascinating little being that lives now or ought to have lived two thousand years ago.” Caroline was beautiful and charming but, in the words of one of her friends, “had a restless craving after excitement.” Byron received hundreds of what were essentially fan letters from women. But when he received Lady Caroline’s poem, he was impressed, particularly when he discovered that the anonymous writer was the aristocratic and eccentric Lady Caroline Lamb. When she first saw him at a party at Lady Westmorland’s, surrounded by beautiful women, she turned on her heel and declined to be presented, which intrigued the poet. That night in her journal she wrote, “That beautiful pale face will be my fate.”
Soon after, while out riding, she placed an impromptu call on Lord and Lady Holland. When she was told that Byron was expected as well, she protested that she couldn’t meet him dusty and disheveled. She ran upstairs to freshen up and when she came downstairs, Byron was entranced by the elfin creature before him, with her bobbed golden curls and boyish figure. Bending toward her, he whispered, “The offer was made to you before. Why did you resist it?”
She couldn’t resist it now. What followed was an affair that lasted only nine months, but the repercussions continued for years. Caroline was totally besotted with Byron and, initially, he was equally smitten by her, although she wasn’t his usual type; he normally preferred voluptuous, uncomplicated women. It was not just a sexual attraction but also an intellectual attraction. They shared a love for dogs, horses, and music. They wrote constantly to each other, sometimes every day. By the end of their affair, around three hundred letters had exchanged hands.
The public nature of the romance presented no problem to Caroline. Most of her family, including her mother-in-law, had little regard for fidelity, but they kept their liaisons quiet. This was not Caroline’s style. She enjoyed making scenes, and with Byron, there was ample opportunity. Caroline didn’t care about other people’s opinions, a trait that Byron admired. She also had no use for the hypocrisy of the times, where as long as one was discreet, one could get away with anything. At first Byron was charmed by her enthusiasm, but eventually he got bored. He preferred the chase. As he summed it up, “Man’s love is of man’s life a thing apart, / ’Tis woman’s whole existence.” On the other hand, he also wanted all her love and devotion solely for him. It killed him when Caroline admitted that she loved her husband, and that she wouldn’t tell him that she loved him more than William. The more he demanded of her, and
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