Regency Men: Henry Luttrell

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N 8 O man among the wits and beaux of society was so happy in his relations with the rest of his circle as Henry Luttrell a natural son of Lord Carhampton Born in or about 1765 his father's influence secured him a seat for Clonmines county Wexford in the Irish Parliament for 1798 and a post under the Irish government that at the time of the Union between that country and Great Britain was commuted for a pension Soon after in 1802 he went to the West Indies to manage the very considerable estates of Lord Carhampton but 1 Born 1765 died 1851 Henry Lawes Luttrell second Earl of Carhampton 1743 1821 Henry Luttrell's mother says the Dictionary of National Biography was probably the daughter of a gardener at Woodstock named Harman This date is generally accepted but the Gentleman's Magazine for January 1866 p 148 notifying Luttrell's death in the previous month gives his age as seventy
finding the climate disagreeable and the people uncongenial he very soon returned to England and paying a visit to London was introduced to metropolitan society by the Duchess of Devon shire Rarely has social recognition been so swiftly granted in the case of one whose wit was his sole claim to appreciation for Luttrell was no beau and he had the great disadvantage of being a poor man all his life Not so im pecunious it is true as for instance Tom Creevey with his two hundred a year upon which he contrived to live in a state of independence in the wealthiest circles but still without means to enable him to entertain or indulge in the costlier amusements of his set This however troubled him but little for he had no tastes that his income could not satisfy Mr Luttrell is a great walker a great reader and passionately fond of music Harriet Lady Granville noted This makes him independent half the day and easily amused the other and at dinner it is difficult to be more entertaining He is agreeable to the greatest degree 1 Lady Gran ville's opinion of Luttrell as an entertaining companion is borne out by many other persons 1 Letters of Harriet Lady Granville 320 THE BEAUX OF THE REGENCY Byron said he was a most agreeable member of society the best sayer of good things and the most epigrammatic conversationalist I ever met there is a terseness and wit mingled with fancy in his observations that no one else possesses and no one so peculiarly understands the à propos But Byron had yet higher praise to bestow upon this subject of his encomiums Unlike all or most other wits Luttrell is never obtrusive he added when writing to Lady Blessington even the choicest bon mots are only brought forth when perfectly applicable and then are given in a tone of good breeding which enhances their value 66 Indeed all are agreed as to Luttrell's merits as a wit Sir Walter Scott breakfasted with Rogers in the autumn of 1826 to meet the great London wit Rogers declared there was no man in London society who could slide a brilliant thing into general conversation with equal readiness and he added There is this difference between Luttrell and Sydney Smith after Luttrell you remembered what good things he said after Smith you merely remembered how much you laughed Lady Morgan found him odd but clever and pleasant and even Charles Greville wrote kindly of him It is hardly possible to live with a more agreeable man than Luttrell that usually caustic critic has stated He is difficult to please but when pleased and in good spirits full of vivacity He has a lively imagination a great deal of instruction and a very retentive memory He is extremely sensitive easily disconcerted and resents want of tact in others because he is so liable to suffer from any breach of it A sceptic in religion and by no means austere in morals he views with indulgence all faults ex cept those which are committed against society but he looks upon a bore with unconcealed aversion Detesting the importance and the superiority which are assumed by those who have only riches or rank to boast of he delights in London where such men find their proper level and where genius and ability always maintain an ascendency over pomp vanity and the adventitious circumstances of birth and position He is very witty and says excellent things brilliant in general society and pleasant in tête à tête Many men infinitely less clever converse more agreeably than he does because he is too epigrammatic and has accustomed himself so much to make brilliant observations that he cannot easily descend to quiet unlaboured talk This only applies to him when in general society when alone with another person he talks as agreeably as possible The highest compliment was paid him by Lady Blessington who said that while the conversation of many others only amused her that of Mr Luttrell made her think Indeed under the motley of the diner out he was a man of great good sense and sound observation with a very sincere and hearty hatred of shams The Beaux of the Regency, Volume 2 (1908)

By the 1820s, Luttrell was publishing volumes of poetry and theatrical satires, although more serious literary figures would lampoon his greatest work (Letters to Julia in Rhyme) as “Letters of a Dandy to a Dolly.”

Luttrell would die in London in 1851.

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