Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-08-27
ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE.
Continuation Of g Conversations of Lord Byron,
by the Countess Of Blessington. pub,

lished:
| Byron has remarkable penetration in discover.
ing the characters Of those around him, and he
piques himself extremely on it: he also thinks
he has fathomed the recesscs of his own mind {;
but he is mistaken: with much that is little (which
he suspects) in his character, there is much that
is great, that he does not give himself credit for:
his first impulses are always good, but his tenn
per, which is inpatient, prevents his acting on
the cool dictates Of reason; and it appears to the,
that in judging himself, Byron mistakes temper
for character, and takes the ebullti0ns Of the
first. for the indications Of the nature of the Sc.
cond. He declares, that. IN addition to his other
failings, avarice is now established. This new
vice. like all the others he attributes to hlmself
he talks of as one would name those of an nc.
quaintance, in sort Of deprecating, yet half
knocking tone; as much as to say, you see know
all my faults better than you IL, though don't
choose TO correct them: indeed, it has often &C.
Cured to me, that he brings forward his defects,
as If in anticipation OF some one else exposing
them. which he would not like; as, though he at.
fec,s the contrary, he is Jealous Of being found
fault with, and shows i, in thousand ways.
lie affects to dislike hearing his works praised
or referred to; say affects. because l am sure
it is not real or natural; as he who loves praise,
|
dislike it for that in which he must be conscious
it is deserved. He refers to his feats in horse
manship, shooting at a mark. and swimming, in
a way that proves he likes to be complimentcd on
them; aud nothing appears to give hM mnre sa-
! tisfactinn than being considered man oil fashion,
who had success in fashionable society in Lon
don, when he ccsided there. He ia peculiarly
compassionate to the poor; remarked thar he
rarely, in our rides. passed mcndicant without
giving him charity, which was invariably bestow-
ed with gentleness and kindness; this was still
more observable If the person was detormed, as
if he sympsthized with the object.
Byron is very fond of gos>ipping, and Of hear
| ing what Is ening on in the London fashionable
world; his friends keep him az couraaf, and any
little scandal amusas him very much. observ-
ed this to hlm one day, and added, that |
thought his mind had been too great to descend to
such tribes he laughed, and said, with mock
gravity, Don't you know that the trunk of an
elephant that can lift tie most ponderous weights
disdains not to take up the most minute: This
is the case with my great mind. Laughing anew
and you must allow the smile is worthy the sub
ject Testing apart. do like little scandal:
believe all English people do. An Italian lady,
Madame Benzoni, talking to me on the preva-
lence of this taste among my compatriots, OBJ
served, that when she first knew the Ensli she
thought them the most spiteful and il.natured
people in the world, from hearing them constant
iy repeating evil of each other; but having seen
various amiabe traits in their characters, she had
arrived at the conclusion, that they were not ma
turalv mechaaf; but that living in country
like England, where severity Of morals Furnishes
SO heavily any derilection from proprety, each
individual, to prove personal correctness, was
compelled to attack the sins Of his or her ac-
auantance. as it furnished an opportunity of ex-
pressing their adherence by words. instead OF
proving it by actions, which might cause some
sels.denial to themselves. This" SAID Byron.
was an ingenious, as we'll as charitable suppo
si,ion; and we must allow that it is infinitely
more easy to decry and expose the sins OF others.
than to correct our own; and many fad the first
81 agreeable an occupation, that II precludes the
second: this, at least, is my case"
The Italians do not understand the English"
said Byron: :. indeed, how can they? for they
fthe ytaans) are frank, simple, and open in
their natures, following the bent of their inclina-
lions, which they do not believe to be wicked:
while the English, to conceal the indGlgen OF
theirs, daily practise hypocrisy. hlsehood, and
ancharitabcness; 50 that to one error Is added
many crimes" Byron had now got on a favo-
rite subject, and went on decrying hypocrisy aud
cant, mingling sarcasms and bitter observations
on the false delicacy of the English. 1t is
strange, but true as strange, that he could not,
or at least did not, distinguish the distinction
between cause and effect, IN this case. The res
pect for virtue will always cause spurious imlta-
tons Of it to be given; and what he calls hyp"c-
rsy, is but the respect to public opinion that IN.
duces people, who have not courage to correct
their errors at least to endeavor to Conceal them
ard Cant is the homage that Vice pays to Vr-
tue. We do not value the diamond less. be.
cause there are 50 many worthless limitations OF
it, and Goodness loses nothing OF her intrinsic
value because so many wish to be thought to pos
sess it. That nation may be considered to pos
sess the most virtue. where it is the most highly
appreciated; and that the least, where 1t IS Sc
little understood that the semblance is not even
assumed.
About this period the Duke Of Leeds and FAM
y arrived at Genoa, and passed day or twt
there, at the same hotel where we were residing
Shortly after their departure Byron came TO dine
with US, aud expressed his modification at tn
Dukes not having called on him. were it onl.