Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1852-10-14
NUMBER III,
A5FFECTING5 SKETCH.
TIRE LAST DAYs OF RYRON
A TOUCHING SKETCH.


30 77TIaE LAST DAYs OF RYRoN.-
bnssa56 "A TOUCHING SKETCH. bjgo, p., =, gs,j 10
r1"I PASSED the winter of Byron deathin Greece,
says traveller "and in the latter part of Februa-
ry went to Missolonghi to see him. He was then
suffering from the effect of his fit of epilepsy; which
occurred in the middle of February. The first
time called.a at his residence was not permitted
ITO see him; but in few days l received polite
note from him, at the hand of his negro servant,
who was native of America, and whom Byron
WAS kindto, and proud of to the last.----
/ 81 found the poet in weak and rather irritable
Estate, but he treated me with the utmost kindness.
HE said at the time first called upon him, all sran
I,gers and most of his friends were excluded from
his room. But, said he, thadI known an American
was at the door, you should not have been denied.
L love your country, sir; it is the land Of liberty
the onlyspo Of Gods green earth not desecrated
| by tuunny." ui.l F.a.51Ias-Igfs IL g
ain our conversation alluded to tie sympathy at
that time felt in America for struggling Greece
AL he said at that time in reply "P oor Greece!
poor Greece!' once the richest land on earth God
knows have tried to help thee"
ls-"You will remember that but little while be-
fore this, Marco .Bozzaris had fallen. When I
mentioned his name, Byron said "Marco Bozzaris
be was as brave as an ancient Spartan. erhaps
he had the blood of Leonidas in his veins l pre-
sumo he had. But Of this am certain, he had as
good blood as ever wet this soul,, resys,
| "At his request his servant then brought him
rosewood box, from which he took a letter written
to himself by that gallant chief 1t was warm
| hearted welcome OF Byron to Greece. "There,"
said the author of Childe Harold, as he handed
the precious relic to me, 'I would not part with
that but to see the triumph of Greece. That glo-
rious hero, but q few moments before he led his
Suliot band forth to his last battle, wrote this let
Etsr to me in his tent" AS he spoke these words q
4ieroic smile lit up his pale countenance, and am
sure / never saw such an expression on the face
of~mortal man as at that moment flashed from By
Ion's ~. z,.si.si "a, ,,.si
|. .sSoon he fell back upon his couch and wiping
the cold sweat from his lofty forehead, once more
| exclaimed "Poor Greece! God bless thee and
Ada l only ask of Heaven two things; and Hea-
ven ought to grant them--that Greece may become
free, and Ada cherish my! memory when am
t:dead.'' A"ty4+ 40 - sSAS-E ~ % 4 'ss
ain n few days after left him, received an
other note from him, requesting me to call and
bring with me 1Iving's Sketch Book. took it in
my hand, and went once more to the Industrious
authors residence. He rose from his couch when
= entered, and pressing my hand warmly, said
sr"ffave you brought the Sketch Book ?' handed
lit to him, when seizing it with enthusiasm, he
turned to the "Broken. Heart. That" said he
as one of the finest things ever written on earth,
land l want to hear an American readit Butstay,
do you know Irving z" replied that had nevsr
!seen him. &c God Bless him p' exclaimed Byron;
;"he is genius; and he has something better than
;genius-a heart. / wish L could see him, but |
Ifear never shall. Well, read-the Broken Heart
,-yes, the Broken Heart What a woTd?' lg!B
"In closing the first paragraph, said, "shall i
iconfess it l believe in broken hearts" Yes"
iexcaimed Byron, ftand do (; and so does every
tbody but philosophers and fools" waited when
lever he interrupted me until he requested me to go
lon; for although the text is beautiful, yet cared
more for the commentary as it came fresh from
iByron's heart. While was reading one OF the
most touching portions of that mOuTnful piece,Sl
observed that Byron wept. He turned his eyes
upon me, and said, eYou me weep, sir. Irving
himself never wrote that story without weeping;
nor can hear it without tears. Il have not wept
much in this world, for trouble never brings tears
Ito my eyes, but always have tears for the Broken
Heart ----------
i99When read the last line of NIocre's verses at
the close of the piece, Byron said, 'W hat being
that Tom Moore is, and Irving, and Emmett and
his beautiful love What beings all !! Sir, how
many such men as Washington Irving are there IL
America? God don't send many such spirits into
this world. want TO go to America for five rea-
sons. l want to see Irving l want to! see your
stupendous scenery; want to see Washingtons
grave II want to see the classic formof living free
dom, and want TO get your government to recog-
;inize Greece rs an independent nation Poor
fGreece p'-i-ui2'l- = t5-5E9staIt5 90. ta-..t9t-
Those were the last days of Byron and, shall
consider myself happy that l was permitted so
often to be with him. / have day by day watched
the workings Of his lofty Imagination while he lay
tupon his couch or sat by his window, and deep
troubled thought lit up withan unearthly glow his
beautiful features, or couded them in gloom. 1t
Yves painful spectacle TO see ,Byron's form vast
ing away by disease and never gazed upon him
after we first met without feeling as think
should feel 10 see powerful stream undermining
inHits progress the foundation of some classic tenn
pie. It was inexprcssbly painful but yet there
was something very sublime in the struggle of his
proud spirit with the advancing KING OF aerrors'
Ills FULL bright eye, which sometimes burnt so rest
Ilessly, revealed spirit free, tameess and uncon-
lquerable as the proud ocean," .yE-l;5a
5ottIn few hours" said the faithful Fletcher, as
he related these facts to me- fmy master called me
to his bedside and said, begin to think am going
to die pretty soon, Fletcher, and shall give you
seyeral directions which hope you will be par
ticular to execute, if YOU love me-" Fletcher did
3 love his master, and told him that he would do
every thing faithfully, and expressed the hope that
he should not be called TO part with him. "fes,
you WILL" said Byron, s'it's nearly all over now
I must tell you without losing moment. Il see
my time has come to die.n" Ho.2Idaaf .let
"Fletcher went to get portfolio to write down
his masters words. Byron called him back e1-
4 claiming, 80 my God i don't waste time byiwrit-
al ing, for have no time to waste. Now near me
YOU will be provided for. o my poor dear child
MY poor Ada! My God /! could 1 but have seen
1her! Givehe my blessing, and my dear sister
Augusta and her children; and you will go to Lady
Byron and say-tell. her every thing-you are
friends with her,; And tears rolled down his ema-
ciated face.
so HHis voice here failed him., so that only now
and then aword was audible. For some time h he
|muttered something very seriously, and hnaiiy
raising his voice. said, t'Now, Fletcher if you do
7 not execute every order i have givenyou, Twill
torment you hereafter if possible" .sonsgilts,ni
It,"Poor Fletcher wept over his dying master, and
TOLD, him he could not understand a word OF what
he had last been saying. 40 my God p'a said BY
ron tthen all islost, for it is now too lste.l Gan
it be possible you have not understood me II
b, Fletcher replied, No, but do tell me again more
clearly, my lord" .tHow can g. said Byron; ut
Is too late w and all is over Fletcher REPLIED
stNot our will, but Gods be done.,.iastYes, I" said
= he, tnot mine be done but will ltry once more"
d He made several efforts p:ak, but through the
indistinct mutterings Of the dying man, only few
broken accents could ee anu
iIl. rAfter, many inefficient and painful efforts to
Il make known his wishes, at the request Of his
l friend, Mr.. Parry, to compose himself, he shed