The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware register., 1824-07-29


would not submit to be morally amenable t
the tribunal of public opinion. Remonstranc'
from friend, of whose intentions and kind
ness he was secure, had often great weigh
with him but there were few who coult
venture on a task so difficult. Reproot ht
endured with impatience, and reproach har
dened him in his error !; SO that he otter
rcsembled the gallant war stecd. who rushe'
forward on the steels that wounds him. IL
the most painful crisis of his private lite, he
evinccd this irritability and impatience OF
cclfsurc in such a degree, as almost to re-
semblc the noble victim OF the bull hight
which is more maddend by the squibs, darts,
and petty annoyanccs, OF the unworthy
crowds bcvond the lists, than BY the lance q
his nolber, and, so to speak, his more lcSlti-
mate antagonist In Il word, 1nuch OF that
in which he erred, was i'll bravado and Scorn
of his cCnsuls, and was done with the motive
of Drydcn's dcspot, to shcw his arbitrary
bower" 1t is needless to say, that his waSa
false and prcudiccd view Of such contest /;
and that If the noble bard gained a sort OF
triumph, BY compelling the world to read
poetry, though mixed with baser matter,
because it was his, he gave, III return, aiil'ln-
worthy triumph to the unworthy, besides
deep sorrow to those whose applause i'll his
cooler moments he most valued.
! 1t was the same with his politics, which
! on several occasions assumed tone mena-
cling and contcnptuous to the constitution OF
his country; white, in fact, Lord Byron was
| in his own heart sufficiently sensible, not on
ly OF sprivilcgcs as a.Briton, but ofthc dis
tiction attending his high birth and rank
was peculiarly sensitive Of those shades
wh;ch constitute what is termed the man
I : -
ing his having employed epiErams, and all
The petty war OF wit, when such would have
been much better abstaincd from, he would
have been found, had collision taken place
between the aristocrttc and democratic par
tics in the state, eNcrting all his energies III
defence Of that to which he naturally 6clon-
god. His own feelings on these subjects he
has CXplaincG i'll the very last canto ot Don
Juan and they arc in entire harmony with
the opinions which VIC haze seen expressed
in his correspondence, at moment when
matters appeared to approach serious
struggle III his native country:
lie was rs Independently, much more,
Than those who were not paid for indie
pcndcnCe
As common soldiers. ora common Shore,
Ha,ein their several arts or parts ascend
anCc
Oc1thc irrcgulars in lust or gore,
Who do not give prof ssional attendance.
Thus on the mob all statesmen are rs eager
Iu prove THEN pride IS tootncn to bcgBar.
We arc net, however, Byron's apolosists,
for mar, alas he needs none. His t&ccllcn-
cics viii nay be universally acknowledged,
and his faults Oct us hope and bcicvc) not
remembered IN his cptaph. ltwll be recol-
lecttd what a palt he has sustained in British
literature since the fl appearance Of Childc
llaoldc, space Of nearly rHtecn years.
There has been no reposing under the Shade
oi his laurcls, nc living upon the resource Of
past reputation none OF that coddiWg and
petty procaution which little authors call
taking care Of their fame" Byron let his
fame take care Of itself. His foot was always
i'll the arena, his shield hung always in the
lists, and although his own gigantic rcnown
increased the difficulty of the struggle, since
he could produce nothing, however great,
which eXoceded the public estimate of his
gcnitis, vet he advanced to the honorable
contest again and again and again, and al
w&ys came off with distinction, almost al
ways with complete triumph. AS various
ln composition as Sliak spcarc himself, (this
will be Admitted by all who are acquainted
with his Don Juan he has embraced cYery
topic ot human life, and sounded every string
on the divine harp, from its slightest to its
most pow Wcrlul and heart sounding tones.
Ihcrc is scarcely passion, or Il situation,
which has escaped his pen; and he might
be drawn, Ike Garrick, between the w ccp-
ing and the Laughing Muse, although his
most powerful efforts have certainly been
dedicated 70 Aiclpomcnc, His genius seem
cd as prolific as various.-Ihc most prodi-
gtl use did not exhaust his powers, nay,
seemed rather TO increase their vigor Nci-
thcr Childc llaroldc, nor any Of the most
beautiful Of Blron's earlier tales, contain
more exquisite morscls of poetry than arc to
pc found scattered through the Cantos Of
Don Juan, amidst verses, which the author
appears TO have thrown oil with an effort as
spontaneous as that of a tree rcsigning its
leaves to the wind. But that noble tree will
never more bear fruit or blossom 1t has
been cut down in its strength and the past /,
all that remains to MS of Byron. We can
scarce reconcile ourselves to the idea
scarce think that the voice is silent forever,
which, bursting SO often on our ear, was Of
ten heard with rapturous admiration, some
times with regret, but always with the deep.
est interest,
Althat's bright must ftlc,
I The brightest still the llceest.
With Il strong tceIins Of awful sorrow, We
take leave Of the subject. Death crecps up
On our most serious as wen rs upon our most
i'lc employmcnts and il is reflection So
iemn and gratifying. that he found our BY