The Sun.
London, England, 1824-10-22 00:00:00

LORD BYRON. .

. „ .
• As every thing yelative to this great, ornament
of British Literature ►must be interesting: to the
country, we extract the following account of
his last illness trent the pamphlet published by
Colonel LEicEsTEit Sy.tsnorc, as well as 'his
account of.a dispute with his Lordship respect-.
ing the restitution of an English, boat captured
by a Greek cruizer

ve-4:r.facti.rd BnYisltlo4:rd•as•hasipsewiftesds,itotningtheinlty
irnosotan? t'anwdithjesatisnegi
with Parry, hut his eyes and his brow occasionally discoVered
that lie was agitated by strong feelings. .O.:: a sudden he com.
ph:tined of a weakness In one of his legs ; he rose, but finding
himself unable to walk, called for assistance • he then fell into
a violent nervous convulsion, and was placed upon my bed :
-during this period his face was much distorted. In a few mi.
notes he lssgan to recover his senses, his speech returnedi and
he was soon well, though exhausted with the struggle. Ili*
Piedmontese surgeon and Dr. Miiiingen both assured me that
the fit, though of a dangerous character while it lasted, was not
so in its conscquonces. During the 'fit his Lordship was as
strong as a giant, and after it he behaved with his usual firm-
ness. I conceive that this fit was occasioned by over-excite.
ment. The mind of Byron is like a volcano, it is full ,of fire,
wealth and combustibles • and when this matter cornea to 'be
strongly agitated, the explosion is dreadful. - With respect -to
the causes that produced this excess of feeling, they.are beyond
my reach, except one great cause, which was the provokipg
conduct of the Suliots. Lord Byron had acted towards them
with a degree of generosity that could:not be exceeded; and
then, when his plans were all formed for the attack of Lepanto,
' and his hopes were raised on the delivery of Western Greece
from the inroads of the Turks, those ungrateful soldiers de-
manded and extorted, and refused to march till all was settled
to gratify their avarice. This was enough to agitate any heart
warm in the cause of Greece. • • •
" I said the affair was conducted in a bullying manner, and
not according to the principles of equity and the law of nations.
His Lordship started into a passion, Ile contended, that law,
justice, and equity, had nothing to do with politics. That mv
be; but I will never lend myself to injustice. His Lordship
then began, according to custom, to attack Mr. Bentham. I
said, that it was highly illiberal to make personal attacks on
Mr. Bentham before a friend who held him in his high esti-
mation. lie said, that he only attacked his public principles.
Which were mere theories, but dangerous ;—injiious to Spain,
and calculated to do great mischief in Greece. I did not object
to his Lordship's attacking Mr. Bentham's principles ; what
I objected to were his personalities. Ills Lordship never real
toned on any of Mr. Bentham's writings, but merely made
sport of them. I would, therefore ask him what it was that he
objected to. Lord Byron mentioned his Panopticon as vision..
ary. I said, that experience in Pentisylvania,•at Milbank, &e.
had proved it otherwise. I said, that Bentham had a truly
British heart ; but that Lord Byron, after professing 11.
bcral principles from his boyhood, had, when called upon
to net, proved himself a Turk. Lord Byron asked whas
proofs have you of this ?—Your conduct in endeavour-
ing to crush the press, by declaiming against it to Mavrocor-
dam, and yotir general abuse of liberal principles. Lord Byron
said, that if he had held up his finger he could have crushed the
press. I replied, with all this power, (which, by the way, you.
never possessed,) you went to the Prince and poisoned his ear.,
Lord Byron declatmettag..inst the liberals whom lie knew,—
But what liberals? I asked. Did he borrow his notions of
freemen from the Italians ?—Lord Byron. No ; from the
Ilunts, Cartwrights, &c. And still, said I, you presented
Cartwright's Reform Bill, and aided Hunt by praising his
poetry and giving bins the sale of your works. Lord Byron ex-
claimed; you are worse than Wilson, and should quit the army:
I replied, I am a mere soldier, but never will I abandon my
principles. Our principles are diametrically opposite, so let sea
avoid the subject. If Lord Byron acts up to his professions,
he will be the greatest;. if not, the meanest of mankind. Ile
said he hoped his character did not depend 'on my assertions.—
No, said 1, your genius has immortalised you. The worst
could not deprive you of faire.--Lord Byron. Well; you shall
see: judge me by my acts. When be wishe.l me good night, I
took up the light to conduct him to the passage, but lie said,
What ! hold up a light to a Turk ?"