The Ohio union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1849-1854, 1854-03-08
GOETHE UPON LORD BYRON.

| W IRON unY 10 uay,f anu ne never KueWfOr
cared what he was about. ,Indulgipg him
self with every ligepse. and appfpving Of
nothing in others, il was natural that he
shouldbe al VAT with himself, and the
world with bin. From the very W begin.
ming. he offended the mos, eminen. wf-
ters wilb bis " English Dards and. Scotch
Reviewers" .,o.o,, ~, ,.egl. ,,,Is,
Al later period, he could not live with
them without takihg asiep backwards,
and revoking some Of the better things he
bad saidga In his works he eon,inued bis
9pposiia1 ahd eensure; he attached .jhs
S,ale and Church. This ,inconsidsraie
Opposition Compelled him" at length, 10
leave England, and, in ihp cogrss 81 lime,
i would have driven him outiof Europe.
Everything was tpo narrow for him. En-
joying as he, did the most unlimited per.
sonsl liberty, he fsIi himself oppresse !;
10 him lhs world was a prison, 2Heweni
10 YGreese, moi from his own free win, but
because his false position q ibs world
compelled him loitake the sisp.' sou
His Irenoluciug all tradition, aud all
patriotism, was bls r1i1,, and his IeY0lu-
,fionarY tendencies, and his agitation Of
mind, prevenIeda proper development Of
his talents. s'Phis eterhal opposition ahd
censura is, moreover, highly ilerogalory
70 his exeellent works, such as they are.
For, not only does The reader share the
poets discomfort, bgt all This opposition
tends To negatiop, and Inegation isnolhipg.
What can be the Advantage gf saying that
bad things are bad And when l9sas
that good things are bad, i do greaIdeal
Of harm. pWRpever would do good in
the world ought not 10 deal in censure, he
ought not to pay any attention to what Il
wrong. and he ought always 10 do that
WHICH, good. We dughthot to deslroy.
bHl we ought 10 .copslryei what may be
pleasing 10 humanity. ~ r,r3 ys.y lrS,
Lord Byron is q be considered as a
man, as an Englishman, and . great geni
US. He derives bis good qualities from
his quality as a man; his badiquali'ies
are owing 10 h is being an. Engiishman and
a peer Of lhe realm. His genius is iucom'
measurable.
All Englisbmen, ss such, are without
! reflection. dissipation and party spirit
, prevent all quiet development. Bul they
, are grea, as practical men. %. q.
+ Lord Byron, Tor insianee. was meyer
able to reflect on himself, and reflections
h generally were by nolfneans his forte, as
I, is proved by.his MOTTO ;"Plentyiiofmon-
e ey and no government" .ioEpleniy Of mon
4 ey makesrin fact ogoyernWeRi. ss,e,
y But he succeeded in al he produces IS
IS and o. HIM = may Dc sasd ,iiaI lnspIra.lol
d supplies the want OF reflection He wa
J. alYsysa'Rosh ang nense "na' came iron J
S we man. ana rn,sHy wna' csne ''Sm =,
y near'' was eSce'en'' SsaHe Ie came vy n'
If Piecesas woman coMe Jy Preuy f"iIurep
8 hsy H"no' 'Hl"k ., .neF'' aHu w ~
: SNOW nov VI ~ VIVA, way,
d nls ls gtea' aAu 'pla's genius M sns
e l nave never SHOWN .. sn! one why po'
e Sesseq 'r1e Poe"c Poye! 70 suSn ~ e$'sh ,,
as he' ln MS conceptions o. 'he wof'u
e and his clear view Of he past ne y a.
!. great as snakspesFe. Ru' enaSspears
: fon knew k lRis, , and lhat All is the reason VIII,
\ : he does no, saw much abodt Sbakspearc:
y ,hough he had whole scenes from his rlay
= in his memory. lie would pranily hay,
u IGNORED him. nr Shakspe,re's humor is
!. Stumbling stone ne in his pa,h ; he feel, ,ha
" he cann6t eompe,e with H. He did no
? ignore Pane because he had no reason /,
" e.. L.. H. ...,r.,s H.. ,.,I 800