Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1867-07-27
Lord Byron Sitting 10 Mr.. West for his
Portrait

Now that the Countess Guiccioh Me-
moirs are to be published, the follow
ing extract from letter of Benjamin
West will be read with fresh interest.
The letter was written from Pisa, Italy,
In 1922:
On the day appointed, / arrived at
two o'clock, and began the picture. j
found him bad sitter. He talked all
the time, and asked multltudes of ques-
tons about America-how L liked Italy,
what thought of the Italians, &c
When he was silent he was better SIT
ter than before; for he assumed a coun-
tenance that did not belong to him, s.
though he were thinking of front.
piece for Childe Harold. In about "a
hour our first sitting terminated, anSs:
returned to Leghorn, scarcely able all
persuade myself that this was III
naughty misanthrope whose characI
had always appeared so envelOpedae.
gloom and mystery, for L dOnot RENE
Der ever to have met with mann:
more gentle and attractive. 'ed
The next day 1 returned and had
other sitting of al hour, during VIII
he seemed anxious to know what,w
should make of my undertakings
While was painting, the window fl.
which i received my light became sI ;,
denly darkened, and / heard a vos,,
exclaim, sc troppO bellO !" j turu3 S
and discovered "A beautiful female stoG
ing down to look IN, the ground on
outside being on a level with the bae,
tom of the window. Her long gOlG
hair hung down about her face a.
shoulders, her complexion was exdu
lent, and her smile completed one Wy
the most romantic looking heads, set Ga-
as it was, 10y the bright sun behind
which had ever beheld. Lord ByI
invited her TO come in, and introdud 10
her to me as Countess Guiccioh.
seemed very fond of her, and L VI
glad of her presence, for the play
manner he assumed tow ards her m,,eat
him n much better sitter. 10
The next day / was pleased to fzed
that the progress which l. had madethe
his likeness had given satisfaction,
when we were alone, he said that
had particular favor to request of bat
would L grant IL 1 said L should re-
happy to oblige him, and he enjoiIea-
me 60 the flattering task of paintH.
the Countess GuicciOh's portrait
him. On the following morning / iich
gan IT, and after that they sat alternaily
ly. He gave me the whole history of
his connection with her, and said that
he hoped it would last forever ut any
rate, it should not be his fault if it did
not. His other attachments had been
broken off by no fault of his.
| was by this time sufficiently init
mate with him to answer his questions
as to what L thought of him before /
had seen him. He laughed much at
the idea which [ had formed of him,
aud said, "Well, you find me like other
people, do you not ?" He often after
ward repeated, "And SO you thought
me fiuer fellow, did you 2" l remem-
Der once telling hin, that notwith-
standing his vivacity, l thought myself
correct IN at least one estimate which l
had made of him, for | still conceived
that he was not happy man. he in
quired earnestly what reason L had for
thinking so, and / asked him If he had
ever observed IN little children, after "a
parOxysm of grief, that they had at in
tervals cOnvuisive or tremulous man
ner of drawing long breath. Wber-
ever L had observed this, in persons of
whatever age, had always found that
it came from sorrow. He said the
thought was new to him, and that he
Would make use of it.