The Sun.
London, England, 1830-02-01 00:00:00

BLACKWOOD'S MAGAZINE, PART

This, as well as the former one, is an excellent
number. It contains, in addition to the numerous
other articles, all of a respectable, some of a
superior nature, two lengthened reviews ; one of
Bowles's Banwell Hill," the other of" Moorc's
Life of Byron" which are of themselves sufficient

to redeem the character of the Magazine, were
all its other literary communications intolerable,
There is also an Oriental tale written with much
spirit and power of invention, entitled " The
Fate of the Caliph Motasser." From the de-
lightful notice of " Moore's Life of Byron," we
quote the following just estimate of his Lord-
,,hip's character :

" We have now followed the progress of Byron's life till
his departure from England. In another number we must
meet him on his glorious return—and be with him till
once more, heart-stricken, but not heart-broken, he left—
never to return—the shores where liberty has long fixed
her chorea reign, to restore it, by his gen-rosity, his ge-
nius, and his valour, to that land where of old she had
her most glorious seat. Enough of him and of his cha-
racter we have seen to enable us to judge it—morally and
intellectually—in the light of truth. And blind and base
must they be who feel not—that with all his faults and
frailties—Byron was throughout t hildhood—boyhood—
youth—and up to manhood's spring-prime,—a noble
being. Let him be tried by what he thought—felt—and
did, and he will stand even a fiery ordeal- A more affec-
tionate heart than his never beat in a human bosom. His
friendships were indeed passions ; but though he sometimes
accuses himself of fickleness, we see no proofs of that in
his conduct. His longings for the love of brotherhood
were intense and incessant ; and, till they were satisfied by
a. return of affection, he knew no happiness. All his
chosen companions were above the common stamp; and all
his chosen friends seem either to have been youths who,
had they lived—too many of them were cut off by un-
timely death—would have been distinguished men, or
youths who did grow up to distinguished manhood, and
have made a figure in the world: of life or letters. All
meanness—unmanliness—hypocrisy, or guile, he despised
or abhorred; and real worth secured his esteem in what-
ever rank of life it shone, whatever aspect it assumed,
provided only it hel l up au open front to the daylight.
Though, says Mr. Moore, as a child, occasionally pas-
sionate and headstrong, his docility and kindness towards
those who were themselves kin,!, is acknowledged by all ;
and " playful," and " Scala:sate," are invariably the
epithets by which those who knew him in his childhood
convey their expressions of his character. When a mere
child, he did not let his faithful nurse, May Gray, return
to Scotland without giving her, as a keepsake, his own
gold watch. At Southwell, when a boy, we have seen
him purchasing a Bible fur a pauper ; and at all times with
a " band open as day to melting charity." A little later
on, when Le was child or boy no longer, but a man indeed,
we learn from the gratitude of an accomplished scholar,
who did not desire to conceal from the world the merit of
such a noble benefaction, that he thought little of a
thousand- pound free gift to a fiiend who needed it. The
price of his first great work he handed over to Mr. Dallas;
and to one creature—who afterwards, in malignant idiocy,
accused him of avarice—be gave the means of transport
from England to Italy, with wife and children, a house
to live in rent free, furniture, and a hundred pounds or
two for pocket-money, to change sickness and starvation
into health and comfort. At al times generous—on many
occasions he was munificent. Nor did he ever wish gra-
titude to take any other shape—to breathe any other spirit
—but love."