The New York herald., 1869-09-15
BYRON-WAS HE A BAD HAyt

While we write the world is ringing with this in
tive and aflrmative-the former, perhaps prep0n-
deratlng. With the former we ding In ours and
Stating oar Bron Was VI no
man let 1t not be understood or imagined that We
believe him to have been good one. Only that we
regard him to have been not much better, and GER
tainly not any worse, than the generality Of man
kind. We hesitate not to think that 1ve store clerks
Broadway, New York; Chestnut street, Philadephia,
or Washington street. Boston, that pave specially
trodden by the children Of the Puritans-to say nc.
thing OF Bond street. London, or the B0ulevards Of
Pars-would, in their moral record were 1t only
known show spots as black and stains as impure as
the only difference being that his have been made
conspicuous 10 the observation and censure OF tho
world while theirs escape both by the cOncealment
OF obscurity.
For this conspicuousness Byron has been himself
somewhat to blame. There was In his nature an
instinct that aonorred subterruge there was also
one Of less noble kind, more common to all OF Us.
Unlike most men, he hated deception; but like too
many, ne loved the sweet food OF nattery. And
why do you set your cap SO jauntilys Not you, my
50 neatly knotied the SHIRT 80 elaborately plated
and tne sparkling diamond pinf Nor you, my prlm
parson, despite your demure looks; for II YOU did
not think OF feminine admiration you would not
take so much pains about the snowy whiteness OF
your stock, the neat cut and ut OF the cassock-
cloth vest and singlebreasted coat, that form the
distinctive costume OF your callngf We need not
follow you into the pulpit to examine your vest
'Ie Srand wI Ur s ana
sparkles upon your pastoral finger. Your ordinary
street habiments are enough to show that you have
In your heart all the weaknesses ever blamed upon
Byron: the only difference that he was honest or
foolish enough TO confess them, while your vanity
fs but restrained Dy the fear OF exposure lou wish
the world to believe in your boisrses fortunes; you
would boast OF them II you dare.
That Byron had these no enc can doubt, though we
can and Will say, Tor w0mans sake, that to men OF
genius and distinction they are not SO common as
the world generally supposes. on this question the
world has been grossly led asray by the Doasting Of
little not0rieties. Great men like Byron have not
boasted. II he has where " the bravado to be
found' In all his writings spistoary or tournalis-
discover not only traces, but prOofs-aDsoute con.
vlncing evldence-of heart as manly and true and
noble a. ever beat within human breasts heart
that hated despotism In Whatever form 1t might
show itself, whether social, political religious;
mind thai was certainly not moral when measured
by strict Purtanical standard but which was - GER
tainly not wicked when gauged by the ordinary
rules that regulate our poor fallen nature.
almost everything that has been written about nim,
and Notwithstanding the supposed mystery Of his
character we never studied disposition more easily
understood. II is, indeed, so ike what We have our
self felt and fancied-what we still feel and fancy
what we believe every human being not OF base or.
seaenns ssmR Gs9ss ones s0rdsn ss gr0 ,r5s Like
bad man how many Of US are goodi
vlousness had, ut least, the merit Of being manly.
How different from The Shaking vulgar vagaries Of
Dickens, the heartess dnlouyenes OF q Bulwer and
the disgusting 0bscenities OF q Pamerston or
Broughaml Compared with either of this precious
quartet the page that records Byron's lie seems
almost spotless.
II In this connection we cannot help thinking, we
must be excused from speaking OF the abomInable
accusation lately brought against him. Although
we could easily give 1t dsproof this is not needed
from our pen. IL may be found in every line from
his own-every sentence that tells the true throb-
bings Of his heart. Men do not receive Rlfts OF
Bibles. and teQ0erly ChertSh them
We shall not defle our pages with the word.
II Lady Byron has left O record that 1t was 30 we
can only believe that she-not her husband-was
mad; and, II sane. 1t ID record that chronicles her
own tnfaIny.
And II she has entrusted such confession to any
one IL Is strange to reflect she could not have found
a c0'yaddate In her own country, and sad to think
she should have waited over half century for an
ogress to come to her rom America