The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-10-27
THE BYRON SCANDAL.
An Unpublished Letter from the Dead
Poet-Mr. Murray on the Destruction
of his Autobiography.

A new monthly journal, a Record of Litera-
ture. Learning, Science and Art" has just ap-
peared In London. The contents Of the first
number, dated October 9, are made especially
notable by including two interesting docu-
ments bearing upon the Byron controversy.
The first document is letter written by
Lord Byron in 1917. 1t was given to MT.
Matthew Gregory Lewis for circulation among
friends in England and was found among his
papers upon his DEATH 1t reads as follows:
It has been intimated to me that the persons
understood to be the legal advisers OF Lady
Byron have declared their lips to be sealed up
on the cause Of the separation between her and
myself. If their lips are sealed up they are not
sealed up my me, and the greatest favor they can
confer upon me will be to open them. From the
first hour in which / was apprised OF the inten-
tions OF the Noel family to the last communica-
tion between Lady Byron and myself In the char
acter Of wife and husband, IA period Of some
months) l called repeatedly and in vain for a
statement OF their or her charges, and 1t was
chiefly in consequence OF Lady Byron's claiming
lin letter still existlng) promise on my part
to consent to a separation II such was really her
wish, that consented at all; this claim and the
exasperating and inexpiabe manner in which
their object was pursued, which rendered It next
TO an impossibility that two persons so divided
could ever be reunited, induced me reluctantly
then, and repentantly still, to sign the deed,
which shallbe happy-most happy-tO cancel,
and 90 before any tribunal which may discuss
the business in the most public manner.
Mr.. HObhouse made this proposition on my
part viz: to abrogate all prior Intentions and go
into court the very day before the separation was
also the publication OF the correspondence during
the previous discussion. These propositions
beg here to repeat, and to call upon her and hers
to say their worst pedgfng myself to meet their
happy to be informed at last Of their real nature.
(Signed) BYRON.
August 8. 1917.
P. ST. have been, and am now, utterly igno-
rant OF what description her allegations, charges,
or whatever name they may have assumed, are;
and am as little aware for what purpose they
have been kept back-unless 1t was to sanction
the most Infamous calumnies by silence.
La Mira, near Venice. -r
The second consists of an epistle to Mr.. Muir
ray, who writes thus:
OCTOBER 6, ALBEMARLE STREET.
To the Editor or the academy:
SIR-There are few points connected with the
destruction OF Byron's autobiography upon
which great deal OF misconception exists, and
upon which should, therefore, be glad to say
few words.
/. To those who doubt the entire destruction Of
the manuscript I may state that was eye-wit-
ness TO the burning OF 1t, and OF the only copy
II
marie street.
2. The proposal to destroy it originated, / be-
leve, with my father, the late Mr.. John Murray;
and his reason for makingit, las he has stated In
the Quarterly Review,) was his ''regard for Lord
Byron's memory and respect for his surviving
family" "since 1t was surmised that
the publication might be injurious to the former
and Lady Byron 'united in wishing for Its de-
struction.n The following persons were previous
ly consulted as a matter OF courtesy, and were
present at the burning: Mr. Hobhouse, as execu-
tor and friend OF Lord Byron: Colonel Doyle. as q
friend OF Lady Byron, .(who had actually offered
$4,000 for the Ms, which she did not pay;) Mr.
Wilmot Horton, as friend Of the Hon. Mrs. Leigh;
my father and Mr.. Moore, who alone lor some
time opposed the destruction.
8. The Ms. was at the time of its destruction, the
absolute property OF my father, having been pur-
chased by him in November, 1871, from Mr.. Moore
ito whom Lord Byron had given it) for f2000, In
consideration Of which sum Moore c0venanted TO
edit the papers. and to supply an account OF the
subsequent events OF Lord Ryrnn,a Life On May
Mr.. Moore's request, giving to him the power Of
redeemIng the manuscript "durlng the life OF the
said Lord Byron,'' on the repayment by either OF
them OF the f200o. This condition Moore did not
fulfil; consequently his interestin the MS entirely
ceased on Byron's death, by which event the
value OF the Ms was greatly enhanced, probably
doubled. This fact, no doubt, rendered MT. Moore
more than ever anxious to recover the autoDl.
oRrapny, ana ne naQ secuIeu Ihe auteuOe vi
10000 on loan from friends In the city to enable
him to do this
The MS, however, by general consent, was de-
stroyed, Mr.. Moore, though reluctantly, concur
ring. Moore then paid to Mr. Murray the $4,000,
irnburse him; but he refused. go matters rested
until 1928, when the appearance OF Leigh Hunts
"Byron and his Contemporariesn convinced my
father that an authentic life Of Byron was de-
manded, for which only Moore and he were pos.
sessed OF the necessary materials. He therefore
arranged with Moore to prepare the "Iife, Let
tiers and Journals Of Lord Byron" published In
1880. For this Moore received the sum OF f1600
But land this Is the point which, In justice to my
father's memory am anxious to statel over and
above the sum so paid, Mr. Murray discharged
Moore's bond with his creditors, upon which he
he had raised the f2000 paid by him Immediately
after Byron,s death. together with the interest
thereon and other charges, amounting TO fl00O
more. Thus making total sum OF f26o0.
(Signed) JOHN MrRRAY.