The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-08-22
NEW YORK HERALD SUNDAY AUGUST a. lscs-rRP1E SHEET


wave letters when Sir R>.ph and Lady Noel are men
Toned not word Of eagef or rtdicuis against them
Is no as 70 either IN the Sketch OF
don JAan.n ~ had, probably perceived, what the
event proved That 1t would not be safe to insult
tnepi openly. He was forward 70 converse on the
subject OF his marriage and eager to learn what the
World said of the cause OF separation. Notwith-
standing her absolute silence his tears imputed TO
Lady Byron feeling OF fixed hostility which would
not rest at ms grave but would make some discov-
e OF 70 os yens one ss w
Moore not 10 suffer unmerted censure to rest upon
his name after death.
passing through Milan and Verona to Venice He
had furnished his fame, ana raised an immOva5le
barrier against the return to domestic life. He now
gave himself up, unbrded to the lusts which had
brought that ruin upon him, When he afterwards
medltated the gloomy sequestratlon OF the old age
Of Tyberius, as the subject OF tragedy he thought
that he could extract something OF 'iny tragic at
least even out OF the sojourn at Capraa by soften
ing The details ana exhibiting the despair which
must have led TO those very vicious pleasures. For
none" he adds, 'but powerful and gloomy mind
tary horrorsn on his arrival In Venice be began to
live In adultery with the wife OF his landlord linen
draper ne grew weary Of her within year ana
Not that he was constant for year. He had passed
but two months under her husbands roof when she
found him entertaining her sister-inaw, also mar.
red. upon whom. in his presence, she bestowed
sixteen such saps that 1t made the ear ache only TO
hear the echo A few months later he took two
peasant girls, one married, the other single, who
had cried to him for food. After his removal from
the linendraper's house. he received into his palace
a company or poor women as ''the companions or
his disengaged hours" "The most distinguished
and at last the reigning favorite OF the unworthy
harem,n the wife OF small village baker, was the
terror of men, women and children for she mad the
strength Of an Amazon and used to knock down the
other poor women Of the palace. Being at last
turned away she threatened her master with the
knife and hung herself into the canal, from which
she was rescued. Lord Byron writes OF her. 81 ike
this kind OF animal and am sure that should have
preferred Medea to any woman that ever breathed.n
Indeed, after he had well fed and clothed her. this
imagination With strength to plough and mend roads
''sne was very devour," and, In the midst OF her
prayer time strike" He Continued in this way Of
lie for about fourteen months from the time OF MS
first arrival at Venice and stopped when It had
In winch he announced what he called his reforma
ton, he met the lady with whom he lived in adultery
The fourth canto Of "Childe Haroldv was written
at Venice, begun IN June 1917, and dedicated the
wronged by his wife since March, 1916. But he had
brought himself to imagine that ne had suffered
mighty wrongs ana the great actor lifting up hands
eyes and heart to Time the avenger, and to Nemesis
called upon them to awake, and exact the vengeance
which should yet be sought and found. ~
letters to write Of his wife in language over which
Mr.. Moore has delicately cast veil. The first in
shake OF my sables IN public Imagination, more par
ticularly since my moral . Glove down my
fame.n This was written while Signora Mariana.
Fifteen days afterwards at is only the virtu0us
like y who can afford TO give up hus-
Mariana was again by mis- side as he wrote, and
told HIM that his fine reflections were only good
to clean shoes withal. Now, too, first OF all, he
discovered that when he was standing alone upon
his HEARTH with his household gods shvered around
him, deliberate desolation had been piled upon him
himself into rage, he protested to Moore that he
would never forget or forglve-that his desire OF
every other feeling and he was only IS Spectator
upon earth TIL tenlold opportunity offered. 1t
come vet a were not, others rs more to be
fixed necessarily. In the same letter he says that
he had finished the first canto OF "Don Juan" and
describes the reignng favorite OF his palace as the
kind Of animal he liked, tall and energetic as
Pythoness, a woman who If he put poniard Into
aer hand din; W9Sa plunge 1t where be told ner
within little more than TWO years. Having
acknowledged the perfection OF his wlfes character
any reprOach to make her. that there was blame and
1t belonged wholly 70 him, and II he could not re-
deem he must bear 1.-THE now accused her as the
cold assassin of his ame peace hope and better life
and called heaven and earth to bear witness his
es ,ST or 1r iS
more and more. 1t may well be believed that in her
parting letter, ike MS own Francesca, Lady Byron
had cOnjured him before the cloud passed away to
wiring cut the black drop, that they might be
united tomorrow since 1t could not be to-day.
His moral life was palsed. lnsensible TO the life
long desolati0n which she was suffering, he would
fam have persuaded himself that she too regarded
treacnerousy, using It pretext aud was the au.
thor OF all the evil that had ensued.
his vile had compeed m to con
sent 80 separation, and while the separation was
incomplete and the lawyers were recommending d.
vorce In the very dregs OF the bitter business he
represented her 70 be perfect and entreated that
nothing might be said from which 1t could be in
blame was his and he must bear it. " When Vh the
separation was complete, and she had given
him n parting letter some some
against him wasdercs and unanimous, and he was
accused of every crime that could be committed, he
attributed TO his wife every virtue under heaven,
ABOVE all truth and serene purity, and mourned only
that she wanted the one sweet weakness to forgive.
He did not pretend to be ignorant OF the cause OF
OFFENCE. After he had, unwillingy, made offer
OF reconciliation, which was rejected he wrote but
kept secret during his lifetime verses In which he
invoked curse upon her
A hollow agony which will not heal,
aud denounced her as q moral Clytemnestra, who
with an unsupported sword, aud In the cold treason
OF her heart had hewed down his fame, peace
from her early truth, ana had entered into MO
crooked ways, walking In deceit and equivocaton,
Scauesced in eVerybna when ,enaed to her nn mao
pose. Yet Sill he did not pretend to be ignorant Of
the cause OF offence.
vague rumor OF mysterious crime had died away.
the cry 80 loud and so universal In March. 1915.
ing verses OF "Cnilde Harodn had found favor
His popularity was returning. Walter Scott ana
Jenrey, the Edinoarg and the Quartelv defended
him. He had lost all hope aud desire OF recOnca-
ton and was drinking deeply or the cup that i'm.
brutes the soul and cheats the eye with false pre-
sentiments. Now he began TO complain publicly OF
Injustice perndy and lies-that his name had been
blighted, his lfe's Lire lied away. The anger sup
pressed In 1916 was poured forth in satire and
Grafton. Yet still he did not pretend TO be ignorant
OF the cause OF offence and While he complained OF
the hand that gave the wound acknowledged that
though unnatural, the retributi0n was just.
In parting with Lord Byron. IL IS some
relief TO cast glimpse OF light upon very dark
picture. Though he continued TO breathe bitter
words against Lady Noel down to the time OF her
DEATH yet for three years before his own death he
seems 10 have ceased "a single instance excepted TO
write or speak unkiDdly OF ms wife, The first four
and the eighth stanzas Of his last beautiful verses
suggest that the unhOiy bonds which had held him
were oosed In the record OF the last ten days OF
his life the lady from whom ne had parted ut Genoa
is not named In the intervals OF consciousness mis-
thoughts turned 10 ner whom lie had wronged, on
the day that he sailed from Genoa towards
Greece ne regretted that he had not first
gone TO England on the day before