The Sun.
London, England, 1831-01-13 00:00:00

,he records of genius arc full of such perplexing
Lilconsistencies.

We have little to add. Byron, as he really
was, is now fbr the first time brought fully before
the public, and the world must judge for itself.
Our opinion has been already expressed. As a
poet, we conceive him " to rival all but
Shakspeare's name below ;" as a man, to have
been full of kindly feelings, though early dis-
appointment had somewhat checked their expres-
sion ; ardent passions ; consummate shrewdness ;
with an affectation of worldliness that he never
wholly possessed. His libertinism has been
wondrously exaggerated. The voluptuary has been
made the themon, by that love of mystification of
which he himself set the example, and which
the world were not slow to follow. But granted
that Lord Byron were a profligate ; granted that
he were as bad (which we deny) as the majority of
our young men of fashion, who possess little of vice
but its grossness ; still, let it never be forgotten,
that he offered up his life in the sacred cause of
freedom ! The immortal poet to whom clerical
bigotry denied a resting-place in Westminster
Abbey, died on the classic shores of Greece, in
the most glorious—the most holy—the most
righteous of all causes. For this, at least, let
him be honoured ; for this let him be forgiven,
even though he wrote Don Juan !

Since writing the above, we have been fa-
voured with a sight of two numbers of the
" Tatler," wherein Mr. Leigh Hunt accuses Mr.
Moore of insincerity, by publishing some letters
addressed to him by that poet in 1811.
The letters in question certainly breathe a frank,
cordial, and even au admiring spirit towards the
Editor of the Examiner, of which the Editor
of the Liberal has been considered unworthy.
We profess not to reconcile the differences
between Mr. Moore's opinion of Hunt in 1811
and his opinion of him in 1823. It forms no
part of our task to enter into the dispute between
the two combatants—and, when two poets fall
together by the ears, God help the thoughtless
wretch who ventures to decide between them
• but this we will say, that Mr. Hunt's remarks
bear evident traces of sincerity, and though we
will never defend his conduct towards Lord
Byron, we think, on the whole, he has been
too harshly treated.

BRUSSELS, JAN. 9.

NATIONAL CONGRESS.—SITTING OF JAN. S.
The Order of the Day was the discussion of the 2d
Chapter of the 3d Head of the Project of the Constitution
on the Head of the State.
Art. 35 was adopted without discussion, in these terms:
" The Constitutional Powers of the Chief of the State
are hereditary in the direct, national, and legitimate descent
of * * in the male line, as the order of primogeni-
ture, to the perpetual exclusion of females and their des-
cendants."

Art. 36 is left in blank ; it it deigned to regulate the
succession in the collateral line, or to declare the vacancy
of the Throne, if the Chief of the State should have no
male descendants. _

Art. 37 gave rise to a debate ; it is as follows :
" A son of the Chief of the St.tte, marrying without the
consent of the Chambers, loses the right of succeeding to
the Constitutional powers of the latter."
It was resolved to refer the article and the proposed
amendments to the Central Section.

Art. 3S. The Chief of the State in Belgium cannot be
at the same the Chief of another State without the ascent
of the two Chambers. Neither Chamber shall debate on

this subject, unless two-thirds of the Members are present,
and the resolution cannot be adopted unless two-thirds of
the votes are in its favour.

A debate arose on this article, which led to no discus-
sion, the attention of the Congress being drawn to another
subject.
M. Pumez disapproved of the latter part of the article,
as he thought it would hinder the Congress from chusing
the King of the French for King of Belgium. He spoke at
great length of the advantages that Belgium would derive
from a union with France. He was several times
interrupted by the cries of " Question." He concluded,
after many interruptions, by a penegyric on the Belgium
clergy, the friends of all liberties.
M. A. Rodenbach called on the Diplomatic Committee
to publish a despatch which it had received relating to the
choice of the State, and which was communicated to-day
to the Central Session.
After along debate it was resolved that the papers in
question should he read. The first is a letter of M. Gen-
debien, of which the following is the substance:—
" Having been informed that in the deliberations of the
Sections on the motion of M. Rodenbach, Prince Otho of
Bavaria had been spoken of as chief of the State, I have
had a conference with General Sebastiani, and acquainted
him with the possibility of this choice. I was answered
that France would accede to all political combinations
which had Prince Otho for their object, and that it would
not object to an alliance, as had been proposed, with the
Princess, the third daughter of the King of the French,
hut that no final arrangement could now be made, as that
Princess was ill. As for the future determination of the
limits of Belgium, the conformity of manners, religion,
language, and principles which reigns between the French
and the Belgians, furnished sufficient reasons for sympathy
always to secure to them the protection of France in all
questions which shall affect their interests; that it will al-
ways maintain the line of our frontiers when the right is
on our side ; that all France would soon rise en masse to
defend our independence, and to support our rights if they
were threatened."
A second letter was read ; it is from M. Gendebien's
Secretary, to the following tenor :
" January 6, Eleven p. m.

" Sra—M. Gendebien being indisposed, I answer to
the communication made to him, dared the sth. The
noble and firm language of the answer of the Diplomatic
Committee to the Protocol of the 20th of December, made
it lively impression on Count Sebastiani. The French
Government understand that Venloo and Maestricht do
not belong to Holland. They begin to be sensible here
that Luxemburg belongs to Belgium and not to Germany:
the bad faith of William is much blamed. If he had not
consented to the free navigation of the Scheldt, he might
have been compelled to do so. If the choice of the Chief
of the State should be immediately considered, and if it
should fall on Prince Otho, he will be immediately acknow-
ledged as King by France. There is no obstacle to the alli-
ance of this Prince with the daughter of the King of the
French. The Minister assures me that a treaty of
commerce would be concluded on terms most advan-
tageous for us. I asked him whether, in case there
should be a movement in favour of France, the French
Government would then consent to the union ? He an-
swered, No ; that this union might he desired by the
French, but that it would be the signal for a general war ;
that England would never consent to it. This war, said
the Minister, would ruin our beautiful country. If a
French Prince were placed upon the throne of Belgium,
we should run the risk of losing all that we gained by the
Revolution. Foreign Powers would look upon this with
as much distrust as on the establishment of a republic.
Let the members of the Congress make another choice.
Prince Odin, I think, is the one who will suit you. I
have reasons for believing that Russia will not refuse to
acknowledge him. I think it right to inform you that
the Ambassador of Russia his received his credentials to
this Court, and there is some reason to hope that Nicholas
will reply to the Poles otherwise than by the cannon.
(Signed) " FJRMIN ROGIER."
This communication gave rise to a great debate.
M. Osy asks the Diplomatic Committee whether the
Scheldt will he decidedly open, and whether the King of
Holland has consented to its being opened?
M. C. H. Lehon, as member of the Congress, replied,
that he knew of no document containing this consent, and
that probably M. Sebastiani was mistaken in stating the
acceptance of this clause as a fact.
M. Osy replied that M. Nothomh, $ Member of the
Diplomatic Committee, had given the Issnrance that
t
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Scheldt would he open on the 20th.
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Some Members:proposed to the Congress to declare the
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