The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1825-01-11

From HE .Nt,s York Statesman.

From he .Nts York Statesman.
CONVERSATIONS OF LORD BYRON.
This work. Of which the preface aud
snme extracts were given, While 1t was in
the press. has NJ ienglh been published by
Mcssrs. Wilder g. Campbell, of this city,
who incurred Il heavy expense in obtaining
an anticipated London copy. lis appear
ante was expected with lively Interest,"
We haze srhlon d,ranrcd volume With
more eagefnrss.
The statements Of Mr.. Medwin, of whom
we know little excep, from the qualifications.
bear nll the marks of authenticity, one o.
the strongest esidences uf which is, that NJ
though he is an admircr of Lord Byron,
and on all occasions apparently wishes 10
findicatc his character, his journal contains
many things, WHICH hy no means rebound
10 the credit of his bordship. JUDGED
there can be no doubt, that this book con
tains genuine record of Byron's CONVEX.
sation with the author, with whom he up
pears To have been on terms OF thegreat,.st
intimacy, from November, 1921, 10 August
182e In that period, they were almost
daily togcnther, in their rides, anti over
their wine. With peculiar frankncas
and an apparent aversion Ia seerects of cv.
cry kind, Byron seems 10 have entirely TN
bosomed himself, expressing his opinions
with the utmost freedom, and keeping
back no part of his private history. howe,
yer eensurnhle his conduct might be in the
eyes of the world. These disclosures were
noted down nj the time by AIR. Mcdnin,
and are now given 10 the public in 30.
iume of 800 pages.
The greatest fnalt which we have 10 find
with The book, bnt which will doubtless
cause II 10 be read with the greater nydity
IL, that II contains too much, recording
some opinions aud some Transaction !,
which cannot make the world either wiser
Or better, while they Clearly have tcnden.
cy 10 diminish orr respect for the memory
of Byron. We would not adopt the max
inn of te nlortuis nil nisi bonum but there
hre Wholesome limitations in speaking Of
The dead, and secrets os which the grave
should FOR ever close, since revelation Of
them can do no good, and may possibly do
much harm. llis moot point, we believe,
with casuists, how far the faithful bogra.
phcr is bound To 20 in recording the defects
III character but 40 ONT in this instance
can doubt, that the author of the Conycr.
sailons has transcribed the limits of pro
pricty. five mistake not, the publication
81 this volume will create n strong sensa
ton in England, since most Of the Ii, ng
Characters Of any cminence IN thu cunn-
Try are spoken of with The greatest freedom,
aud generally Ia terms of not much re-
spect With these, Byron's reputation
must suffer after draih, MS il did during his
life. il would have been better If his faults
and his loiblrs his prcIadices and aniiuosi-
ties, had been buried with him IN his gave.
He has left enough hrsidcs, to satisfy the
curiosity Of the world, aud To render his
name immortal
In illustration OF orr opinipp, we quote
the following passage, nj the l9eth page
am sorry IL find that he has become
more indnIent He has almost discontinu |
ed his ride On horseback, and has starved |
hInsell into an unnatural lhinnrss aud his |
Is become weaker. IN order To !
Keep up the stamina that he requires, he
IN lulgcs somewhat too freely in winr, and
IN his avpritr beverage. Holland, of VIII n
AZ now drinks pint almost every niglf.
He said To me, bumorously enough
Why don't you drink Mcdwip? Gin and
water is the source of all inspiration. If
you were To drink rs much as do, YOU
would write ne good verses depend on il,
ii Is the true llippocrcn.'
For ourselves reggst that this passage
was ever recorded, hawcsertf true II may be- :;
Tor vino would care To read the verses of a
tnaudlin poet, especially when inspired by
pothions Of gin. which lie tie greatest posi-
bic remote from nectar or the waters Of
lielicop
Some of,hc opini6na of Byron, accord
ing TO Mr.. McdWln, are entitled to rs little
respec.t az his habits. He damns Shaki
spr are, and makes an inlidcl Of Milton
IS estimate OF the female cliarscler Is even
lower than Pope's, aud srcms 10 have
been Borrowed from The Turks, with whom
he so long resided.
Il wunld appear from these converse
tons, tifat in his religions notions, Byron
was less scepiical than hs writings indi
cate, or Than is generally supposed by The
world. TO n clergyman @ho wrote to
him, ihat his hdy III her dying moments
prayed for his conversion, Byron wrote
respectful reply, protesting his belief in the
Christian religion. lie either WAS, or
fegped to be-, sipgularly supersiiiioas, con
idiug in prcscntiments and nmcns. The
first time Ne saw Miss MiIlbanls, he STUN
bled in ascending the stairs. aud remarked
to friend at the time that il was a bad
omen. lie had strong prcseniiment nj
the altar, that he WAS sealing his wretched
ness, A Mrs. Williams, celebrated as n
fortune teller, had predicted by dint of
stargazinc, cards, lines, or teacups, that his
eth and 87th years would he uni, rlunai q
periods IN his life; and he gravrly remarks
lhat ia the first, Ii, was married, while the
reporter ofhis conversations, with the same
gravity, adds by way Of note, that he died
Ia his 37th year.
On me whole, the most we can say o.
THIS volume, is, that ii is in high degree
, amusing. 1t is nearly published, anC
will doubtless find rapid aud extensiv,
sale.