Virginia advocate. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1827-1860, 1830-03-12
FINN the Philad.iphia National Gazette.

The London editors warmly commend the
first volume of Moore's Life Of Lord Byron
which alone has appeared. 1t seems to us
probable that they merely looked into the book,
before they expressed an opinion. We have
read the London quarto throughout, with close
attention. AS a literary effort, it will not aug
ment the reputation of the author; Tor will il
exait him rs a moralist We have not found in
the mass Of its contents, evidence in favour of
Lord Byron's memory; on the contrary, we
think that his conduct and sentiments generally,
as here disclosed, must produce additional dis
gust in every sound heart and understanding
loore CLOSES, palliates, suppresses, conjectufes,
tasks his ingenuity 20 excuse and varnish the ex-
cesses and reckless profigacy of his friend +;
while he pays fulsome tribute to his own vani-
ty in the culOgies of Lord Byron on himself, that
| are thckly sown in the correspondence which
forms considerable part of the volume.
Though We could not admit that the author
| has manifested particular talent in this biogra-
ply, we should readily acknowledge that By
ron'sdetters and diary possess irresistible inter-
est, from the character of the persons, and the
| natnrc Of the topics, to which he refers, and
| from the insight which they affoid into the re-
cesses Of his own baleful spirit, and The secret
| ferment of those fierce passions Of which he
was the sport and victim. The new matter COL
| lected by Moore, is not calculated to enhance
| that opinion of the poets genius end scholar
| ship, which his works inspire. Judging by
these, we estimated his attachments at higher
rate than we now do; but it may not be alto
gether just to decide upon this point, upon
Moore's execution of his task, until tine whole
biography be extant.
Byrons residence in Italy, and his expedition
to Greece, are eras of his life, with which many
| remarkable letters and curious details must be
! connected. The mcrcenary motives of his mar
riage are sufficiently explained in the first vol.
ume the causes Of the rupture between him and
his uncxccPtionable wife, do not appear to have
been exactly known to the author, or have been
studiously obscured. Moore cites from memo
fy: in order to remove from the husband, a.
mrch blame as possible, passages of those auto
graphal Memoirs, which were sent to him from
Italy or Greece, aud which he surrendered t,
the flames. We are surprised at the boldness o
this reference; he sold or sacrificed the Memoir
to the relatives Of his friend, and it may be sup
posed, to save his personal fame from mite
wreck: what was thus used, should not hav
been the subject of evenAn allusion capable @
being applied to The disadvantage of other par
ties.
The example Of Byron so splendidly ginet
so prematurcly distinguished, so wildly improv
dent, so desperately vicious. so intensely misel
able, teens with striking and salutary lesson
which, thus far, the spurious philosophy, elal
crate extcDuation, selfish partiality, and tmid {
treacherous reserve of Moore have tendenc
to countcract. Nevertheless, whoever peruse
the book with uDadulterated moral sense an
temperate fancy,-without preposession or al
sorbing admiration for poetical abilities and tr
umphs,-w clearly see and deeply feel thos
lessons. "Childo Harold was wholly devoi
of the principles which arm the soul for pro-
porous or adverse fortune he could be dclibc
ately base and ruthessly cruel; he was a 70
ward, depraved, wofish boy {; bad son; brr
tai husband prccocious debauchee; bitt
misanthrope; headlong prodigal, drunkai
and an inhdel Indeed, usually an absoiu
; mailman. This is the true sum & substance
} Moor's revelations.