New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-08-18
THE BYRON SCANDAL.
LORD BYRON GUILTY OF INCEST. e
TIE TRUE STORY OF HIS LIFE AND SEPARATION
III NIT

yet horrible story There has been little danger lns
many year. that Lon Byrons literary iunuo"Vo 80
young men and could ever again become "na'
was at time Mrs Stove describes from memory 'h0io
fs heDceforth none a. f;
The reading world " America has lately been pre-,
sen1ed VqG a book Itch is said sell rapidly anu
i4b Me- 70 me with universal favor. The SUD
tect OF HE book may Dr. thus briefly sigte, te of
N ord Rvrop comes before tho WOrl9 LOT the
vndcsng Ills fame ON ISLANDERS and aspeTsloS vae
on him by his wife Tae story OF tAe inlSVrcoS 'e' ~
may I % TToB the Rer Of Tie story is Represented as
human oei2s Sv he one false step OF unsuitable
marriage wrecked his whole Sufficient Intellect to com
pTehend his genius or eart to feel Tor his temptations
formed with MIN Que bigb life. and, finding that
She could NOT reduce him TO the matnemaucai
proprefie and conventional rules OF her own mode OF
ffe suddenly and without warning, abandoned him In
the most cruel and neXphcabe manner. 1t Is alleged
bumor him PLAY fu confdng letter upon the way
but after reaching her fathers house suddenly ana
without explanation, announced TO HIM that she w2ud
never see bim agan that this sudden aban1onmsnt
RES which his wife never contradCted; that abe
in any way or shape stated what the exact reasons for
her Departure had BEEN silently scope 70
ali the malice Of thousands Of enemies The sensitive
victim was aSt3ah} uu,p 70 in inteiv ISandereT on
I'm 7aly under bluor skies and among gentler people,
with tolerant modes of Judgment the authoress IN
Inmates be found peace and consolation lovely
young Italian Countess falls In love with him, and break
ing her family ties for his sake, devOtes herself
h9 ana N DsS faT Seb T Ss was sr so I ed
SOOthed. Gained, aud refreshed he writes Don Juan
I
was poem with high moral purpose designed to be
practical illustration OF the doctrine OF total deprayy
among young gentlemen in high life Under the eleyst
ing influence OF love, no rises at last to higher realms OF
excellence and resolves TO devote the rest or MS
" Of Greece and dies untmely, leaving a nation to
lrn his loss Tue athoress dTeS VIII ,So PeSear
the most sggrayaed form Of PersesTS1 ana I'M
autobiography with the purpose Of giving fair state
OF the truth of the matter and that Lady By
sisted on its being destroyed unread thus nhexbly de,
pryDg her husband OF his last chance before the tribunal
OF the public AS result OF this silent persistent cruelty
on the part OF COLI, correct narrow woman ths
character Of Lord Byron has been misunderstood and his
nome transmitted TO aiter ages win sseIe9ns anu So
cusations which 1t i7 the oNeeJ OF TINS pooA 70 TO-
II does not appear to occur to thousands ofunrefect
ing readers that theyae listening merel yt0 the STORY OF
by their showing neir heaviest accusation against
Lady Byron that she nag not spoken at all her story has
Lady Byron's Obdurste coldheartedness in refusing
even TO listen to his PRAYERS or TO have any intercourse
with him which might lead to reconciliation. the
point conceded ON al -'des The stroter norahst de,
Tended her. but gentleg hears throughout al the wora
regarded a marblehearted monster OF correctness
and morality, Perso heaton OF the Ia" ni h;d
itself with Lady Byron.
been perfectly Understood ia many ceieS III En-
but the facts OF anature that could not be nade
public While there Waaa young daughter living whose
future might be preudeed by It's recital and while there
were other persons whom the disclosure Of the real
Byrons only the perfect silence which she
took teioge ana tSsS ber bSbed earby e
49, No person m England We think would
true history which is to clear Lady Byron's
memory But by singular concurrence or circumstances,
tbentc FORM were at placed in the hands Of the
writer OF tins sketch with authority to make such use OF
them she shOnd judge best. Had TINS melanehOy
history been allowed 10 sleep no public use would nave
oesn maze OF Ine oot INC yron calls for yindes
Sn and the true story Of her married life WILL therefore,
Lord Byron has described in one letters the impress
sion left upon his Wnd Dy young Rer3h S1p me sS
the simplicity Of her dress and certain air Of singular
sSsss around 8S her On inquiry he was told that this
young person was Miss Mitan'e only child and one
Of the largest heiresses IN England
Tbs result of Byron's intimacy with Miss Milbanks
.he enkindling OF his nober feelings was offer
OF marriage, which che, though at the time deeply
friendship and interest In fact she already loved him.
but had that doubt Of her power 20 be TO him all that
80 senstvey constituted and so unwOrldly They, how
ever, continued correspondence as friends; on her
part the interest continually Increased on his the tran
sient rise Of better feelings was choked and oyergown
by the thorn Of base ard unworthy passions From the
hight which he might have beon happy the husband
Of Hooe woman, he fell into the depths OF secret
sangninity that discovery must have been utter ruin
forth fort this damniag guilty secret became 0A the
ruling force his life, holding him with a
morse and SngasR and insane - dread Of detec
ton Twoyears after bis refusal by Miss Alloanke his
wretched. pressed marriage upon him. Marriage has
represented the proper goal and terminus
ola wild and disspated aud has been supposed
be tho appointed mission Of good 10 receive
their old life upon them, and put rings their hands
and shoes their feet and Introduce them clothed
in society. Marriage was therefore universally recon-
ended TO Lord Byron by his friends and we'll
Wishers and lie determined 10 marry, and in hour
reckless desperation, sat down and wrote proposals to
two ladies. one was declined. The other, which was
cepted was TO Miss Mibauke. The world knows well
that be had the gift Of expression and win not be sur
prsed that he wrote very beautiful letter. and that the
who had already learned TO love MIN fell at once
into the snare.
tOT him. giving herself 10 him heart and hand The good
IN Lord Byron utterly obliterated that he
could receive such letter without emotion practice
such unfaness loving, trusting heart without pangs
he had not seriously expected to be accepted and the
secured was like a. vision OF lost heaven to a soul
in hell But nevertheless in his letters written about
the engagement there are sufficient evidences that his
seOve hatteed at the preference accorded him by
80 superior woman aud one who had been so much
sought He mentions with air OF complacency that
shs has employed the last two years in refusing i've or
six Of his acquaintance that he had idea she loved
On his part he dwes oa her TTtues %itR
sort Of pride OF ownership. There is q sort OF child
characteristic OF the who skinned the deepest
abysses wlth the hghtes tests Before the world and to
ddce conscious all the While Of the deadly secret that
lay cold at the bottom OF his heart. When he went to
visit Miss Mlbankes parents as her accepted lover she
was struck with his manner and appearance; she saw
lin moody and gloomy evidently wrestling with dark
,Sd accepted lover should Be- She sought an III.
teryiew With him alone, and told him that she had
IeSt and mSsnannoisiy added hat II on TeyieT Se
found he had been mistaken in the nature Of his feelings
she would Immediately release him, and they should
main only friends. Overcome with the conflict Of his
feelings, Lord Byron tainted away. Miss Mil6anke
convinced that his heart must really be deeply involved
IN attachment with reference to which he showed
such strength " emotion and She spoke more Of the
There no reass 70 doubt that Byron was as he re.
iates In his Dream profoundly agOnized ana agtated,
when DO stood before Gods altar with the trusting
young creature WHOM lie leading TO fate aWfuy