Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-10-28
THURSDAY, OCTOBER %. 1850.
EXTRACT FROM GALT'S LIFE OF BY
RON

Byron. | had arrived there in the packet from
England, in indifferent health,On my way to ST.
civ. had then 10 intention of travelling. Il only
went trip, intending TO return home after spend
ing a few weeks in Malta, Scici,y, and Sardinia;
having before my departure, entered into the So
ciety of Lincoln's Inn, with the design of study
ing the law
At this time my friend, the late Col. Wright.
81 the artillery, secretary to the governor; and
during the short stay of the packet at the rock.
he invited ne to the Inequalities Of his house, and
among other cyilities gave me admission to the
garrison library.
The dav, l well remember, was exceedingly
sultry- The air was sickly; and if the wind was
not sirocco, twas whitening levanter--oppres-
sve to the functions of life, and to an invalid de-
nying all exercise. Instead of rambling over the
Notifications was, in consequence, constrained
to spend the hottest part of the day IN the library;
and while sitting there, young man came in and
seated himself opposite TO me at the table where
was reading. Something in his appearance at
tracted NV attention. His dress indicated Lon
roner of some fashion, partly by its neatness and
simplicity, with just SO much OF a pecullararity
of style as served to show that although he be-
ionged 10 the order of metropolitan beauy, he was
not altogether a common one.
thought his face not unknown to me; began
to conjecture where could have seen him; and.
after an uno5served scrutiny. to speculate both
as TO his character and vocation. HIS physlognO-
nv was preD0ssessing and intelligent, but even
and anon his brows lowered and gathered; ha-
bit, as then thought, w1tha degree ot attectainn
in it, probably first assumed tor picturesque ei-
feet aud energetic expression; but which after
wards discovered was undoubtedly the occasional
scowl of some unpleasant Renaissance; it was
10 E,th I'M he
general cast of his features Was impressed with
elegance aud character.
At dinner, large party assembled at CoOnel
Wright's among others the countess of West
noreland, with Tom Sheridan and his beautiful
wife: aud il happened that Sheridan, in relating
the local news Of the morning, mentioned that
Lord Byron and Mr. Hobhouse had come i'll from
Spain, and were to proceed up the Mediterranean
m the packet He was not acquainted with ell
ther.
Hobhouse. had. some short time before left
london, published certain TRANSACTIONS and poems
rather respectable in their way, and bad seen
the work, so that his name was not altogether
strange to me. Byron's was familiar-the Edin-
burch Review had made il so. and still more the
satire of English Bards and Scotch Reviewers,
but | was not conscious fhavin. seen the persons
Of either.
On the following evening / embarked early,
and soon after the two travellers came ON board;
in one of whom recognized the visitor to the
library, and he proved to be Lord Byron. In
the little hustle and process Of embarklng their
luggage, his Lordship affected, as 1t seemed to
me, more aristocracy than befitted his years on
the occasion; and then thought Of his singular
scowl and suspected him ofpride and Feasibility.
The impression of that evening was not agreeable,
H., - indian md hiatt nrohpad
the frown. was calculated to awaken curiosity,
and beget coniectures.
Hobhonse, with more of the commoner, made
himself one of the passengers at once; but By
ron held himself aloof, and sat on the rail, lean
ING on the mizzen- shruuds, inhaling as it were
poetical sympathy from the gloomy rock, then
dark end stern in the twilight There was in
all about him that evening much waywardnesss:
he spoke petulantly TO Fletcher his valet, and
vas evidently ill at ease with himself, and fret
ful towards others. l thought lac would turn out
an unsatisfactory. shipmate; yet there was some
thing redeemingin the tones Of his voice, when
some time after he had INDUCED his sullen med
itat0n, he again addressed Fletcher, so that, in
stead of finding himill-natured, l was soon con-
WINGED he was only eapricious.
Our passage 10 Sardinia was tardy, owing to
Gains; but in other respects, pleasant About
the third DAY AOru byron retenteu from MS WTapl
mood. as ifhe felt it was out of place, and be-
came playful, and disposed to contribute his fair
proportion to the general endeavor to while away
the tediousness OF the dull voyage. Among o.
Their expedients for that purpose, we had recourse
to shooting at bottles. Byron. think, supplied
the pistols, and was the best shot. but not very
pre-cminently so. In the Gains, the jolly-hoat
WAS several times lowered; and on one of those
occasions, his lordship, with the captain, caught
a turtle-I rather think two--we likewise hook
ed shark, part Of which was dressed for break
fast and tasted. without relish; your shark is but
q cannibal dainty.
As we approached the gulf, or bay, of Cagiari,
in Sardinia. strong north wind came from the
shore, and we had disagreeable day Of lacking,
but next morning, it was Sunday, we found our
selves at anchor near the mole, where we landed.
Byron. with the captain, rode out some distance
into the country. while l walked with MIR: Hob
hsase about the town; we left eur cards tor the