ding
to his own showing he did homage to the _genius loci_. But whatever he did
or failed to do, he made friends who were worthy of his choice. Among them
were the scholar-dandy Scrope Berdmore Davies, Francis Hodgson, who died
provost of Eton, and, best friend of all, John Cam Hobhouse (afterwards
Lord Broughton). And there was another friend, a chorister named Edleston,
a "humble youth" for whom he formed a romantic attachment. He died whilst
Byron was still abroad (May 1811), but not unwept nor unsung, if, as there
is little doubt, the mysterious Thyrza poems of 1811, 1812 refer to his
death. During the vacation of 1806, and in 1807 which was one "long
vacation," he took to his pen, and wrote, printed and published most of his
"Juvenile Poems." His first venture was a thin quarto of sixty-six pages,
printed by S. and J. Ridge of Newark. The "advertisement" is dated the 23rd
of December 1806, but before that date he had begun to prepare a second
collection for the press. One poem ("To Mary") contained at least one
stanza which was frankly indecent, and yielding to advice he gave orders
that the entire issue should be thrown into the fire. Early in January 1807
an expurgated collection entitled _Poems on Various Occasions_ was ready
for private distribution. Encouraged by two critics, Henry Mackenzie and
Lord Woodhouselee, he determined to recast this second issue and publish it
under his own name. _Hours of Idleness_, "by George Gordon Lord Byron, a
minor," was published in June 1807. The fourth and last issue of
_Juvenilia_, entitled _Poems, Original and Translated_, was published in
March 1808.

_Hours of Idleness_ enjoyed a brief triumph. The _Critical_ and other
reviews were "very indulgent," but the _Edinburgh Review_ for January 1808
contained an article, not, as Byron believed, by Jeffrey, but by Brougham,
which put, or tried to put, the author and "his poesy" to open shame. The
sole result was that it supplied fresh material and a new title for some
rhyming couplets on "British Bards" which he had begun to write. A satire
on Jeffrey, the editor, and Lord Holland, the patron of the _Edinburgh
Review_, was slipped into the middle of "British Bards," and the poem
rechristened _English Bards and Scotch Reviewers_ (published the 1st of
March 1809).

In April 1808, whilst he was still "a minor," Byron entered upon his
inheritance. Hitherto the less ruinous portions of the abbey had been
occupied by a tenant, Lord G