"I ABANDON MY NATIVE COUNTRY A BEGGAR, AND I CAN LOOK FORWARD TO NO MEANS OF SUBSISTENCE BEYOND THE YEAR ..." BRUMMELL George Bryan, 1778-1840, Dandy, Wit and Gambler, "Beau Brummell"

Important Autograph Letter Signed 'George Brummell' to 'Dear Lords Charles and Robert' (Manners, younger brothers of the Duke of Rutland) saying that he is "Persecuted to the worst extent by those to whom I was indebted; without resource; or even the hope to evade or protract the execution of those menaces which, I was well assured would have instantly been enforced against my personal liberty, I have been driven to the only alternative yet left me upon earth, that of quitting my country for ever. I am, indeed, most sensible, most acutely so, of the heavy wrongs that such a step must afflict upon those, who from their former friendly regard for me, were induced to impose upon themselves a future charge for my immediate assistance. I will not endeavour to palliate the past or present, such an endeavour would be vain, and only, and justly prove an aggravation of my misconduct. I have no extenuation to advance, beyond the desire to retain the only blessing, if such it can be called, still within my reach, with is present freedom, and even that I would voluntarily have yielded, could I have felt assured its surrender might in any way have exonerated you from the trust in which you have been involved on my account. The responsibility could have still excited the same on your parts, had I forfeited myself to a goal. In acknowledging my obligations to you, for great they are, and in lamenting my inability to repay them, I still feel anxious in the wish to realise the promised power of future remuneration. It was very far from my deliberate intention to retire to another country, and encumber you with the responsibility incurred for my service, without even indemnifying you from risk in the event of my death by insuring my life, but that would now have been of no avail, for my departing from England would have annulled the policies. It was the pressure of circumstances which compelled me to adopt so precipitate, and, I will say, so disgraceful a measure at the exigence of the moment. The last remaining hope of my broken fortunes consists in a considerable sum of money now vested in the Court of Chancery, which must ultimately become mine. This reversion I abandon legally and willingly to you - it is the last proof of honourable feeling I can leave in your hands to show that though unfortunate and inconsiderate, I am not destitute of the feeling and gratitude towards those who have been so seriously my friends. Whatever construction you may place upon my past conduct, I trust you will do me the justice to believe that in this last act of retribution, I deprive myself of every worldly support. I abandon my Native country a beggar, and I can look forward to no means of subsistence beyond the year, yet, I feel some remote satisfaction in the idea that the slight reparation I am now offering is everything that is left to your former friend ...", 4 sides 4to., Calais, 18th May

Brummell was an important figure in Regency England and, for many years, the arbiter of men's fashion. He inherited from his father at the age of 21 and was a leader of fashion for nearly two decades. At one time, he was a close friend of the Prince Regent, the future King George IV, but after the two quarrelled and Brummell got into debt, he had to take refuge in France.
Brummell was remembered afterwards as the pre-eminent example of the dandy, and a whole literature was founded upon his manner and witty sayings, which have persisted today. His name is still associated with style and good looks and has been given to a variety of modern products to suggest their high quality. In 1816, Brummell, owing thousands of pounds, fled to France to escape debtor's prison. Usually, Brummell's gambling obligations, being "debts of honour", were paid immediately. The one exception to that was his final wager, dated March 1815 in White's betting book, which was marked "not paid, 20th January, 1816". He lived the remainder of his life in French exile, spending ten years in Calais without an official passport, before acquiring an appointment to the consulate at Caen in 1830 through the influence of Lord Alvanley and the Duke of Beaufort. This provided him with a small annuity to fuel his new life in France; however, this lasted only two years because the Foreign Office acted on Brummell's recommendation to abolish the consulate. He had made it in the hope of being appointed to a more remunerative position elsewhere to regain some influence, but no new position was forthcoming, much to his detriment.
This letter written just two days after he had fled to Calais at the age of 37 when his heavy gambling losses forced him to seek refuge in France. A long melodramatic letter written to friends who had joined him in the high-risk business of contracting to pay annuities in return for single cash advances. Brummell contrives to present himself as a misunderstood and persecuted Byronic hero. The rest of his life was indeed tragic. He was never able to return to England but could not resist the lure of gambling so he was eventually imprisoned for debt, lost his mind and was committed to an asylum in Caen, where he died in 1840.

Item Date:  1816

Stock No:  41666