The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-08-23


cold treason of her heart, had hewn down his
fame, peace, and hope for anger and for gold
had departed from her early truth, and had en-
tered into crooked ways, walking in deceit and
cquivoCation, and had learned to lie with silence,
and had acquiesced in everything which tended
to her purpose. Yet still he did not pretend to
be ignorant of the cause of offense.
There was now less reason to fear disclosure.
The vague rumor of mysterious crime had died
away. The cry so loud and so universal in
March, 1916, was hushed. The "Farewell' and
the opening and closing verses of "Childe
Harold" had found favor. His popularity was
returning. Walter Scott and Jeffrey, the Edin-
burgh and the quarterly, defended him. He had
lost all hope and desire of reconciliation and
was drinking deeply of the cup that imbrutes
the soul and cheats the eve with false present.
ments. Now he began to complain publicly of
Injustice. perfidy, aud lies-that his name had
been blightcd his lite's life fled away. The anger
suppressed in 1916 was poured forth in satire
and eNeCratiOn. Yet still he did not pretend to
be ignorant of the cause of offensc, and while
he complained Of the hand that gave the wound
acknowledged that, though unnatural, the retri-
button was Just.
In parting with Lord Byron, it is
some relief to cast glimpse of light upon n
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 to have ceased ca single
instance eXcepted) to write or speak unkindly
OF his wife. The first four and the eighth stan
zas OF his last beautiful verses suggest that the
unholy bonds which had held him were loosed.
In the record of the last ten days of his life the
lady rom whom he had parted ut Genoa is not
named. In the intervals of consciousness his
thoughts turned to her whom he had wrOngcd.
On the day that he sailed from Genoa towards
Greece he regretted that he had not first
gone to England. On the day before
his death he muttcred, "Why did l not
90 home before | came here;' On the same
day, when he knew that he was dying, he was
most anxious to make Fletcher, his old servant,
nd laY- -f.aq1gl l. l,as 4 l.
whether he should bring pen and paper to take
down his words. oh no, he said, lit is now
nearly over Go to my sister-tell her. Go to
Lady Byron; you will sec her, and say His
voice ialtered, and he continued to matter to
himself Tor nearly twenty minutes with much
earnestness, concluding, Now | have told you
all. My Lord" said Fletcher, Il have not
understood word you have been saying ''Not
understood me;' said Byron, with look of the
utmost distress, "What pity. Then it is too
late: all is over ~ hope not" answered
Fletcher; but the Lords will be done" ''Yes,
not mine he said, and tried to utter few
words, OF which all were inarticulate except my
sister-my child
He was most unhappy in his choice of a bogra-
pher. Mr.. Moore was unable to perceive the
injury that he inflicted upon Lord Byron in
giving fixed habitatOn to his changing fancics
OF anger and rCmOrsc without repentance. or the
danger which, in the very whirwind of his pas
sion, he had always avoided, of enforcing Lady
Byron to break silence. If Sir Walter Scott,
who was emphatically man, could have under.
taken the task he would not have called up his
friend to tell from the grave, with Joyous voice,
the foul sensuality of Venice; he would not have
collected darts, which lay scattered abroad
and harmless, to pierce Il WOman's heart.
Mr.. Moore had direct authority to
suppress anything that might be thought
Objectionable in the manuscript which he re-
ceivcd for the purpose of defending the memory
of Lord Byron. He was without excuse when he
proclaimed to Lady Byron, before all the world,
the fierce and bitter things which her husband
had said and written in secret-when he publicly
placed her name in foul contact with the linen
diapers wife and the Pythoness, and thrust be-
fore her eyes his own private opinion of her
character both before and after marriage. Lord
Byron was wont to invoke Nemesis to avenge
upon Others the wrongs which they had suffered
from him. He little dreamed of the fate that
Overhung when he assigned to Moore the task
of indicating his fame.