The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1854-02-08
Goethe upon Lord Byron.

Lord Byron was altogether in the
dark about himself. lie lived most pas
sionatcly from day to day, and he never
knew and cared what he was about In
dulging himself with every license, and
approving Of nothing in others, it wa.
natural that he should be at war with
himself, and the world with him. From
the very beginning, lie offended the most
eminent writer's with his" English Bard.
and Scotch Reviewers"
At a later period, he could not live
with them without taking step back
wards, and revokiug some of the better
things he had said In his works he
continued his opposition and ccnsurc
he attacked the State and tie Church.
Ihls incousiderate opposition compelled
him, at length, to leave England, and. in
the course of time, it would have driven
him out of Europe. Everything was too
barrow for him. Enjoying as he did the
most unlimited personal liberty, he felt
himself oppressed to him the world was
prison. lie went to Greece, not from
bis own free will, but because his false
position to the world compelled him to
take that step
His renouucire all tradition. aud all
patrioiisni, was his ruin. ard his revolu.
tionary tendencies, and lis agitation of
mind, prevented proper deyelopemcnt
of his talents. This eternal opposition
and censure is, moreover, highly dcroga.
tory to his excellent works, such us thev
arc. For not only does the reader share
the poets discomfort, but all this oppo.
sition tends to ncgation, and ncgation is
nothing What can be the advantage OF
saying that bad things are bad? And
when l say that good things are bad |
do great deal Of harm. Whoever
would do good in the world. ought not
to deal in ccnsure. he ought not to pay
any attention to what is wrong. and he
ought always TO do chat which is GOOD.
We ought not to destroy. but we ought
to construct what may be pleasing to
humanity.
Lord Byron is TO be considered as a
man, as AN Englshman, and as great
genius. lie derives his good qualities
from his quality as a man his bad qua.
l''ies are owing to his being an English.
l@an and peer Of the realm. His gen
lus Is mcommensurablc
All Englishmen, as such, are without
reflection. Dissipation and party spirit
prevent all quiet devclopemcnt. But
they are great as practical men.
Lord Byron. for instance, was never
able to reflect on himself, and reflections
generally were by no means his t01e
as Is proved 10y his motto: Plenty OF
money aud no government" for plenty
OF money makes i'll fact no government.
But he succeeds in all lie produces
ana OF hlm it may be said that inspira-
lion supplies the want ofrcaeetion. lie
was always poet; and hence what came
from the man, and chiefly what came
irom ms heart, was excellent lie came
by ms pieces as women come by pretty
children they do not think of them and
DO not know how or in what way.
HIS Is 4 great and innate genius, and
haye never known Of any one who pos
Sessed true poetic power to such an cx
tent as he. In his conceptions Of the
world, and his clear view Of the past, he
Is as great as Shakespeare. But Shak
peare's pure individuality is more pow
criul byron knew this. and that is the
reason why lie does not say much about
Shakspearc, though he had whole scenes
from his plays in his memory lie
would gladly have ignored him. for
ohahpeares humour Is stumbling
stone III hiS path be feels that he can
not compete with 1t. lie did not ignore
pope, because he had 10 reason to fear
HIM lie respects him. and quotes him
on all occasions, for he is well aware
that Pope Is iAere wall compared with
HIM
LIS high rank, as an English pccr,was
very obnoxious to Byron. Every genius
is hampercd by the outer world, aud
much more so genius whose lot is cast
IN high position, and who is cucumber
ed with wealth. \ certain middle state
is most congcnial to genius hence all
great artists aud poets spring from the
middle classes. Byrons passion for the
unlimited would not have been so dan
gerous TO hun, If lis birth had been low
or, and his means smaller But as it
was, he had it in his power to do all he
wished to do, to follow the impulse of
the moment, and tins entangled him in
humbcriess quarrols. Besides how could
a man OF high rank have respect and
consideration for any other class lie
gave uttoranco to every movement OF
ms soul and he was consequently always
engaged IN conflict with the world.