d to London and took up his quarters at 8 St James's
Street. On the 27th of February 1812 he made his first speech in the House
of Lords on a bill which made the wilful destruction of certain newly
invented stocking-frames a capital offence, speaking in defence of the
riotous "hands" who feared that their numbers would be diminished by
improved machinery. It was a brilliant speech and won the praise of Burdett
and Lord Holland. He made two other speeches during the same session, but
thenceforth pride or laziness kept him silent. _Childe Harold_ (4to) was
published on Tuesday, the 10th of March 1812. "The effect," says Moore,
"was ... electric, his fame ... seemed to spring, like the palace of a
fairy king, in a night." A fifth edition (8vo) was issued on the 5th of
December 1812. Just turned twenty-four he "found himself famous," a great
poet, a rising statesman. Society, which in spite of his rank had neglected
him, was now at his feet. But he could not keep what he had won. It was not
only "villainous company," as he put it, which was to prove his "spoil,"
but the opportunity for intrigue. The excitement and absorption of one
reigning passion after another destroyed his peace of mind and put him out
of conceit with himself. His first affair of any moment was with Lady
Caroline Lamb the wife of William Lamb, better known as Lord Melbourne, a
delicate, golden-haired sprite, who threw herself in his way, and
afterwards, when she was shaken off, involved him in her own disgrace. To
her succeeded Lady Oxford, who was double his own age, and Lady Frances
Wedderburn Webster, the "Ginevra" of his sonnets, the "Medora" of _The
Corsair_.

His "way of life" was inconsistent with an official career, but there was
no slackening of his poetical energies. In February 1813 he published _The
Waltz_ (anonymously), he wrote and [v.04 p.0900] published _The Giaour_
(published June 5, 1813) and _The Bride of Abydos_ (published November 29,
1813), and he wrote _The Corsair_ (published February 1, 1814). The
_Turkish Tales_ were even more popular than _Childe Harold_. Murray sold
10,000 copies of _The Corsair_ on the day of publication. Byron was at
pains to make his accessories correct. He prided himself on the accuracy of
his "costume." He was under no delusion as to the ethical or artistic value
of these experiments on "public patience."

In the summer of 1813 a new and potent influence came into his life. Mrs
Leigh, whose home was at Ne