Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1843-12-21
Mr.. Cranston's Lecture on Lord Byron.

ron" Mr.. G. commenced with some remark,
on the propriaty Of defending the reputation
OF the dead, after they had passed from tn,
turmoil of life aud argued that as a man had
been most distinguished for tho brilliancy %
his intellect on earth, so was his fame, gener
ally speaking, the more vehemently attacked
after death; and though il maticred not To ia.
dead, in thoir calm fepose, whether the pen o
the oulogist or The slanderer was welded o er
their fame, yet il maltered To the living, and
Influenced succeeding generations, even as
we had been guided by the examples OF our
fathers and It very strongly influenced the
formation of our social characters, aud the p,L
rity aud nobleness Of our sympathes.
lie said that hP vastly preferred to err by
all exasgeration of his fellows ennobling yr-
tues, than misrepresentation aud wicked ex-
hibliiop Of his frailtes.-ior charity would pro-
iect him from censure for the one, white no
earthly power could Gnully shield him from
reproach for the other he also thought that
we were too ready to summon the characters
and motives Of action Of the dead, before the
bar OF human criticism, with all us humanity
and feebeness, when eyen Gol, in his infinite
wisdom has ordained time, far hence, when
lie will judge the world in righteousness and
justice.
lie said that ho felt no little ditlidence in
commenting upon his theme, as he believed
himself to DO in the minority, in his views OF
the great poot; but it was n subject which he
felt deeply interested in, and upon WHICH he
had thought deeply, aud investigated thorough
ly, and he therefore felt less Jelicacy p offer
ing his views to an intelligent AUDIENCE he
invited his auditors deepest scrutiny into the
subject, aud IL il did not stand the lest of rea-
son and investigation, le could only add, that
by an inscrutable decree of God, all minds
cannot discorn the same object through the same
mirror. lie then comnignted upon the YER,
haltering manner in which Byron was receiv.
ed as an author, by the world, uilor the FIRST
burst Of Indignation from the Edinburgh Re-
yiew.-rhe poet, he said, was sprung from
pobe bouse, Impoverished indeed, by crimes
aud foios but that he was east upGn the world,
aud by it INDUCED aud chastised, at will,
without the slightest discrimination aud
even the guardian If his young years, treated
him in Me- same unprncipcd manner, SO that
he was, in fact, the spoiled child Of his pa
rents, Of fame aud Of the world and instead
Of gradually ascending the hill Of fame, he
went with almost one stride from tho bottom
10 tho sumnt,-an that was more than the
vanity aud instability Of human nutule could
endure.
Dir. G. spoke very fnejingly and dclIcatoy
of the poets domestic difficulties, showing
that neither Byron or his wife were suited b.,
their temperamrnls and dispositions TO live
happily together aud that neither were dis
posed, probably from o mutual dislike to
each other, after the irrvor Of loves young
dream was over, 10 make Those many litlje
personal sacrifices, of no actual importance To
either, which must be- made, to ensure Il pleas
ant union and it is law Of nature, which
hearts that ioudIy aud truly love, are always
delighted to obey. The grnius Of the poet
was of the highest order, aud was capable of
almost anything in literature, but by bud man
agement ia his education and culture, he was
raurd ior the world and this, and this alone
was the secret of his splendid yet unlnrtunale
career On tke gtuSe of human existence.-I
When the STORM against him commenced, and
progressed " tl such rapidity that Byron glad
!y fled to Greece, for refuge from the bitterness
Of former friends, ere he had hardly touched
tho soil of that classic land, aud drawn his
sword in defence Of her ancient freedom aud
Gilapidated glory, the enemies who hud driven
him from his native land, asked themselves
the cause of all this hatred aud storm of pas
sion, and their own hearts were unable To
afyrd Iesponse then they would gladly
have called him back l. their affections, had
their pride permitted. Byron was suddrnl,
elevated 10 u dizzy eminence Of fame, and as
suddenly deserted, without the sympathy of
the world without even the. aid which we
are all bound by nature to lend to each other,
ard without which none can succeed in life
and merely because Byron was human, and
sunk beneath the burden Of a crushed spirit,
aud an exhausted nature, the world sneeringl,
laughed at his frailty, aud Knocked at his mis-
fortunes. And with an ardent temperament
and strong passions, continued Mr.. c., as the
poet was endowed with, was it remarkable, ),
under such circumstances, that he diverged to
extremes and bocame dsspated
lie denied that Byron was The iicentiste
tha, some would make him, and cOntended
that his immoral poems were all written un-
der the influence Of an artificial excitement
and that in after years, The author deeply re.
GREETED their existence. lie dwelt, at some
length, upon the manner in which the poe,
had been dealt with by many, considering it
strangely severe and unchrslianke, and
made most earnest yet kind appeal to all, to
form their opinions Of the poet, from the de-
fciency in his early education, the strange
manner in which the world had treated him,
without regard TO prejudice. or the influence
of over jealous moralists. lie believed the
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