The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1852-09-14
MISCELLANEOUS.
The Last Days of Hsyron.
A TOUCHING SKETCH.

TOUCHING SKETCH. "a
81 passed tho winter Of Byron's
death in Greece says travel
Ter, "and in the latter part of Feb.
ruary went to Missolongni to see him.
He was then suffering from the cf,
feet Of a fit Of epilepsy, which oc-
CURED in The middle Of February.
The first time / called at his res.
idence [ was not permitted to
see him; but in few days 1 re-
ceired o polite note from him, at
the hand of his negro servant, who
was native Of America, and whom
Byron was kind to, and proud of to
the last.
| found the poet in a weak and
rather irritable state, but he treated
me with the utmost kindness. He
said that at the time l first called
upon him, all strangers most Of
his friends were excluded from
his room. "But," said he, chad
l known an American was at
the door, should not have been.
denied. love your country, sir; it
is the land Of liberty; IL. only
spot Of Gods green earth not dcs
ecrascd by tyranny."
In our conversation alluded to
the sympathy at that time iclt in
America for STRUGGLING Greece.
All he said at that tius vas. Poor
Greecc-roor Greece once the
richest land on earth God knows I
have tried to Help thee"
You will remember that but a
little willie before this, Marco Bcz.
zaris had fallen. When l mentioned
his name, byron said. "Marco Boz
3aris! Iewass as brave. i as an AN
Gent Spartan erhaFs lie had
the blood of Lenoida as in his Veins; I
presume he had Gut of this am
cert iits, II s Blood s;si
fexe islf Us soil, = &
At his rG6uGst, lis servant tIfcE
brought hi,n a rosewood box, from
which he took a letter written to
himself by that gallant chief. 1t
was warm-hcarted welcome of
Byron to Greece. "Thcrc," said
the author of Childe Harold, as
he handed the precious relic 70
me. 81 would not part with that
but to see the triumph Of Greece.
That glorious hero, but few
moments before he led his Suliot
band forth to his last battle, wrote
tlis letter to me in his tent. As
he spoke those words heroic
smile lit up his pale countcnancc,
and l am sure | never saw such
an expression OH the face Of NOR
tai man as ut that moment flashed
from Byron's.
Soon he fell upon his couch, and
wiping the Cold sweat from his
lofty forehead, once more exclaimed, /,
Poor Greece. God bless thee and
Ada! only ask Of Heaven two
things; and Heaven ought to grant
thcm-that Greece may become
free, and Ada cherish my memo
ry when ! am dead"
In few days after l left him
| received another note from him,
requesting me to call and bring with
me Irving's Sketch Book. l took it
in my hand, and went once more to
the illustrious authors residence.
lie rose from his couch when l
entered, and pressing my hand
warmly, said, "lIavc you brought
the Sketch Book?' | han dcd it to
/ HIN, when, 'scizing it with enthu-
sius.i, he turned to the Broken
IiyArt. Chat" slii he, sis one
Of the finest thngs ever written
on earth, and | want - hU,,g an Ana
cy:can read it. But stay, 10 you
know Iving?" replied that |
had never seen him. God bless
him! exclaimed Byron; "he is gen
ius; and he has something better than
genius-a heart. | wish | could
sec him, but | fear | never shall.
We'll, read the Broken Heart =
yes, the Broken Heart. What
word!"
In closing tho first paragraph. ]
/ SAID, "Shall | confess it? | be-
lityc III broken hearts "Yes,' cx
claimed Byron, land SO do !; and
docs every body but philosophers
and FOOLS" so / waited whenever
he interrupted me, until he re
qucstcd me to 50 on; for although
the text is beautiful, yet l carct
more for the commentary as i
came fresh from Byron's heart
While was reading one Of th'
most touching portions of tha
mournful piece, I observed tha
Byron wcpt. lie turned his eyes up
| no mo no1 co;1 eva, coz M,