New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-08-27
MRS STOWES TRUE STORY OF LADY
BYRONS LIFE"
AN AUTHORS VIEW OF 1T.

| SIR: Mrs. Stowe says that her interview with
Lady Byron had almost the solemnity OF deathDed
ayowa" Why 10 should not have had all the sanctty OF
such an avowa the first question which presents itself
IN the reader Her excuse betrayng it 20 the world
is tnat the Countess GucciOs book is said TO sell rap
idly" and is dong its best to bring the youth OF Amer
ca under the power OF that brilliant SEDUCTIVE
genius from which hoped they had escaped Inc
latter phrase is very clear recognition OF Byrohs
genius as a poet something from which no intelligent
man or woman mot Mrs StOwe) can escape; so we
presume that only made TO Byrons vices rs
a man. II So il is not easy understand how volume
| the extravaganza Of which is so manifest-whch the
most enthusiastic admirers OF Byron read increduousy
which every critic OF character has judged as u ue
serves-can permanently harm Lady Byrons memory or
give dangerous popularity TO her husbands vices II
anying could justify the betrayal Of almost death
bed avowa it is certainly not the Countess Guiecohs
| book
Does not Mrs Stowe know, that every person OF ine
gence and culture, England America Is fully con
WINGED Of the purity and nobility Of Lady Byons nature
and equally Of the reckless profgacy the nsncerty
and afecatOn which dsdgured Byron's lie The excite
ment in regard TO their separation, which she remembers,
has long since died Time quietly expunges all cotem-
porary eXaggeratOn gradually substitutes impress
which is enough to the truth to be accepted Tor
it, Mrs stowe, not content with the growth OF this SLOW
spontaneous justice is hasty with the special dlsco-
sures which she means shall blacken Byron with infamy
|
much she has blackened Lady Byron at the same time
No one doubt that she has given the story exactly
rs she heard it from the latter. few brief statements
! will exhibit its extraordinary incoherence.
l. The result Of Byron's intimacy with Miss MilbanRe
and the euadIiag Of his nObier feelings was an oier OF
/ marriag e"-which she declined.
This refusal 1--WE are led 10 infer by the violence
done to his "nobler feelings" drove him rcccssy into
the crime of incest which held Inn with morbid fds
cination yet filling him with remorse and anguish, and
| insane dTedd Of Detection"
Notwithstanding this "insane dread" he made Gin
nero reckessness" second proposal to Miss Milbanko
! After accepting it, she offered TO release him. but,
although his offer had been "mere recklessness he did
| not avail himself OF the chance OF escape.
T. Then came a revelation, when Lady Byron "saw the
full depth Of the abyss Of iuflmy eh her marriage
| expected 10 oOrer,"
lso there intention in the marriage, and not
| mere recklessness,l
s. In spite of anguish and and insane dread OF
detection Byron insisted his wife acquiescng in the
continuance of his crime Yet she continued to live
| with him!
Here the dates are confused Mrs stowe says:
"bese tico years. which Lady Byron with all her
struggling bring her husband back TO his better
self" Rel
G. After the separation, "the reaction OF society
against him" achieved for Byron, what his wife, after
"enkindling his nober feelings" and recognizing 1.-THE
angel in him. had failed tod at broke mp the guilty IN
trgue" and he left England trembling every hour lest
| the whole should be known"
| 7. Notwithstanding Lady Byron chad him in her
power" he constantly srOye to make her ridiculous
| the world by "ribaldry and Obscemty and insults"
Trembling with insane dread Of detection he did his best
| to force her to betray him.
Still more extraordinary than these statements il the
given for making them 20 Mrs Stowe After all
had eDdued-after Byron had been in his grave thirtytwO
years-after obloquy aud misrepresentation and even
hate had been conquered by the fact Of pure, noble life,
devoted to good deedsLady Byron debated whether her
awful secret should not be made known to the world be-
| cause" there a cheap edition Of Byron's works
| contemplation" &C.!
Admitting the story 10 be true, we must charably
suppose that disease in Lady Byrons case had resulted
/ in moral Reorganization Mrs. Stowe is eloquent
her supernatural power Of moral diynatiou" There
much OF Christ in her." she believed Byron 20 be
among the redeemed" she gave full weight to his in
hented passions and the fatal effect Of Scotch Calvin
tc theology on his nature; she showed the pathetic
anxiety OF mother who treasures every particle Of
hope every ntmaon of good, in the whom she can
not to love" Yet after all this, she is willing
brand him and his aud her descendants with eternal
| infamy!
Mrs. Stowe says that her revelation has long been
perfectly understood in many circles In England" This
is true but she may not be that there is another
eDiana'OH prird'eiy current EHg'ond, which iGiy
jiSieS Lady Enron ia refusing 10 return IN her husband
yet 0h makes his life no toorSe than IRE knop 1t 10 hare
/
letter well as Lady Byrons story The horror OF the
latter not needed and its incOerence such that
glad to reject it. conjecture how IL may
have arisen in her mind but we have enough Of con.
| lectures.
Finally:-has Mrs. stowe considered that although
Ada LOvelace AMI Augusta Leigh are dead both have
left chdrenl Did She think OF that fine sensitive ma
ure, that most intelligent and attractive young gentle
man. Lord Wentworth, Byrons grandsOni II she con.
sdercd herself absOved OF any obgaOnt to the dead was
there duty left TO the hvngi She thinks the refuta
ton Of the Countess Guccos ISLANDERS should have an
American origin must the stain upon two families be
cast from America asO2
do not believe this "True StOry"-but eren rers il
ue Shoud nerer hare been toid IL darkens as have
sad, Lady Byrons character, well her husbands
while all Of true and beautiful which the latter has
created, poet, stu stands apart from his life aud
will always stand, in existence which his personal
vices cannot touch.
"My shakspeare's o clown and knave
Who will not let his ashes rest!
"WhO make IL better seem 10 be
The little life OF bank aud brer
The bird that pipes his lone desire
Ana dies unheard within his tree
THAN he that MARBLES long and loud
Aud drops at GlOfy's tehipe- gales
For whom the carriOn-vulture waits
80 tear his heart before the crowd"
Neig York, Aug. a. 1863. AN AUTHOR
ANOTHER VERSION OF THE STORY
From The Nation, Ang 2l
There is another version of the story. which
while II docs not change the central infav - moo, o