The Sun.
London, England, 1824-05-24 00:00:00

LORD BYRON'S AUTO-BIOGRAPHY-

The following particulars relative to the de'
struction of Lord BYRoN's account of his nwn
life are from a periodical work :
" About the middle of the year 1821, Mr. Mooat receive('
from Lord BYRON the manuscripts of his life. It was written
on detached sheets of paper, and was evidently not a seCOc
copy. It contained his Lordships remarks on his conduct an
feelings, from the earliest period of his recollection down t°
the year WIG ; and explained many of those circumstances
which the public had most speculated. It is well known' and
delicacy need not withhold an alhision to the fact, that
Moore was, when he received it, in considerable pecuniall ti".
ficulties, and that the motive of the gift was, to enable
to return to the country from which he was an unwilling exile'
Mr. Moore first offered it to Messrs. Longman, who declined
purchasing it on any terms. Mr. Murray bought the plant
scripts for the sum of two thousand guineas ; and his friend'
say, that his chief reason for so doing was to second the vietd
of the Noble Lord on behalf of the exiled poet. There is some
ground for this assertion, when we recollect that Lord BYtr,
was likely to outlive Mr. Murray many years, and that t"-
work could only be of use to the heirs of the latter gentlenaani
It will he remembered, that the publication was prohibited uon
three months after Lord Byron's death.—lt was in Nov., 1891,
'that Mr. Moore received the money. About 12 months after:
wards Mr. Moore called on Mr. Murray, and stated to him tit
the production in question contained much that would be equaoi,
prejudicial to the character of the Noble Lord and to DP
own, and applied an expression to the work which we decline
quoting. He therefore requested Mr. Murray to empower hi°
by a bond to make such alterations as he might deem neceB;
sary, and to be appointed the editor whenever the work shool"
he published. To this Mr. Murray agreed, but demanded fool
Mr. Moore a bond for the 2,0001. to secure him the money 135
had paid for the work, in case Mr. Moore should so alter it it'
to render it an unprofitable speculation. Mr. Moore agreed to
the proposition ; the bonds were given, and thus the case stons
until February, 1824, when Mr. Moore brought the assignmer
of the work, which had not been pr.fviously delivered. lui;
Murray then stated to Mr. Moore, that he was dissatisfied at th.
power he had given of altering the work according to the ideal
of the latter, and that he wished either to get back the bon
°
which empowered him so to do, or to cancel the agreement'
and to deliver the work on receiving the 2,0001.; alleging ash ",:,
reason, that " he did not wish to be the keeper of Lord Byroo
honour." Mr. Moore said, that he would choose the latter A',,
ternative, and promised to call in a week with the money, t°
receive back the work. This Mr. Moore deferred ; at any rah'
this he did not do. On the 14th of May, the news of Lora
Byron's death arrived, and on the evening of that day
°
Moore called on Mr. Murray, whom, however, he did 11
see. The next day Mr. Murray went to Mr. Wilmot Norton'
the friend of Lady Byron, and stated to him all the circuit"
stances connected with the affair. Mr. Wilmot Horton ws6
satisfied to refund Mr. Murray the sum advanced, and to have
the work destroyed. Subsequently the parties met at the
house of Mr. Hobhouse, where Colonel Doyle appeared $6
the friend of the Honourable Mrs. Leigh, Lord I3yron's sisterj
and it was agreed to destroy the work. Mr. Moore objeotc_A
to the right which Mr. Murray claimed over it, and assert(s`
that it was his property. Mr. N urray dented this dojo'',
on the ground that the bond given by him to Mr. Mont
only allowed him to withdraw the work, and to return o:,T.
money, any time before Lord Byron's death, but that oft
such an event, it was to be exclusively Mr. Murray's propertL
The day after, the parties net together at Mr. Murray's hou
viz. Mr. W. Horton, Mr. Hobliouse, Col. Doyle, Mr, Moor'
,1
Mr. Luttrell, and Mr. Murray. Mr. Murray then declar'.:l
that he had no claim whatever on Mr. Moore for the sum Ile
that Gentleman, while Mr. Moore persisted in his right to t it
work. It is asserted that Mr. Moore did not mean to have it
destroyed, but this we do not for a moment believe. B. itr.
may, the production was torn and burnt in the room of '4,c
liturgy ; and burnt, as our informant states, without the cons'of
of Mr. Moore. The circumstance has since been the toVie
much conversation in the higher circles, and each of the
parties has been considerably blamed by the friends of t'B,
other. Although we have stated these facts, and again rot
peat that we have them from the best authority, we do
wish to comment on them. We think it, however, our &Lis
to mention, that the gentlemen alluded to expressed,
the highest terms, their sense of Mr. 'Murray's conduct, $6,0,
gentleman and a man of honour. This much is certain: t",,,,e
if Mr. Murray had chosen to publish the work, he would Ott,
made a fortune by it; and that, in sacrificing his interesso,
his principles, he has acted as few tradesmen would have d°,o
We are certain that Mr. Murray received for the work no Ow
than he had paid for it."

A Commercial Letter, dated St. Petersburgil;
; eP
April 28th, says, seven Merchant vessels had already ar....v of
at Kronstadt : several more were in sight, but on account
ice and contrary wind, were unable to reach the harbour. .I';‘
ice still remains at Oranienbaum. Yesterday the River
filled with drift ice, on which account the passage across 0i
only accomplishable in boats. The bridges over the Neva v
not yet restored.

►.,,

t4all
4 Pei

4 pet
nen
11111)
indi

t- this
, Man'
a cap'
L must
anent,
)f
renceS
Bat-

Tenet,
:enieut
h inst•
)ndon.-
arded,
blonel
which
riously

officer
n sub'
n•ning*
:ed the
•asures
uentll

elativG
Pft
en erai.
ussats•

, 1110.
he do'
ry step
know-
r hay-
like &
to mr
we 0-

force,
Tipt to
axed to,
prow
Issured
rrnina-
-I am,