New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-09-20
fypOPraNT BVIDENCE IN THE BfRoN
CASE

LADY, Anne Barnard, whose contribution 10
tho history of Lord Byron's life we publish THIS
,,orn,, will he remembered in literary history
"a tho author of the beautiful song OF Aud
"RoI;, Crav.n and the friend of Scott, Burke
Dundas, and many others OF the FAMOUS peop,e
of the close of the last and the beginning Oh the
presAnt century. She was daughter OF James
Lindsay. fifth Earl of Balcarres. Inc Lo.u
J;ndoav To whom we are indebted for the pup
LEGATION of her interesting memorandum ID .ho
nrese,t heir to the earldom, and Is an author
of some repute, having published Lives Oh 'he
;ndoovap n volume of letters from the East,
and a work on Christian Art. Lady Anne
narrative, written some time before loSo'
and Lady ByrOn's letter, written III 1910
together throw more discredit upon Mrs. stoves
account than anything else that has been pro-
yoked bv this interminable controversy. In
tho confidential intercourse of intimate friend
shin Lady Byron told Lady Anne Barnard the
miserable story of her short married ilte' lhero
WAS no hint of the crime which was revealed
10 Mrs. Stowe, but there was narrative ol
heartless abuse and hypocrisy hardly less nor
rbe. in so far as cold and calculating wlckeu
ness is more repulsive than the sins OF ungoV-
erned passion. "It is not necessary wroVe
Lady Byron, " to speak ill OF his heart III gen
eral it is sufficient that to me II was hard
" and impenetrable. 1t Is not my DUTY 10
give way to hopeless and wholly unrequited
a." Affection; but so long as L 1--we, my
" chief struggle will probably be not to remem-
" Der him too kindly 1t is difficult to recon-
cile such language with belief that the cause
ybaf StDWe
r. ia still more difficult to understand how Lady
| Byron. if abe believed her husband guilty vi
| the offense with which ne stands Charger,
| could write "a she did to Lady Anne, had
"beard he was the best Of brothers, the
"most generous of friends, and | thought sucil
feelings only required to be warmed ana
| " cherished into more dffusve benevoence.'
Still more important, however are two othei
statements made by Lady Anne Barnard OF
Lady Byrons authority. The first Is tha'
when Byron tried to corrupt his wiies
| nripciples. both with respect to hei
| ow, conduct and her latitude for his, she
a sov the precpce on which she stood, ana
lent his sister tcth her as much as possible
The other is an account of Byrons return one
night from haunt of license, when, overcome
by his wife's indignant manner, "he called
| himself a monster. though ms SISTER trd'
t" present. threw himself at Lady Byron's feet
and after obtaining her forgiveness laughed II
! her face, and told her he only wished to tPJ
| the value of her resolutions Such scene a.
| this could hardly have occurred in Mrs. Leigh
| presence If tho incestuous connection actually
existed, nor is it easily conceivable how Lady
Byron could have spoken AS she does here o.
| a woman from whom she had suffered sucl
| enormous wrongs.
| It will hardly be safe TO pronounce tins
| complete refutanon Of Mrs. Stowe, because II
| ia possible to explain all the circumstance
brought forward in Lord Lindsay's commune
cation by Lady Byron's anxiety TO keep Tho
dreadful secret and tell no more of the reasons
for tho separation than were necessary t.
Justify herself in the opinions of her friends
Il trust you understand my Wishes" she
writes, (which were never to injure Lord
Byron 10 any way for though he would not
suffer me TO remain his wife. he cannot
prevent me from continuing his friend.
81 do not seek tho sympathy of the
world, but wish to be known by those whose
"opnon Is valuable and whose kindness il
dear to me-" We must remember, also that
Mrs. Stowe has not yet put in her evidence
but only filed the indictment. and rebuttal al
present is not in order. If she had presented
her extraordinary charges with n decent regard
for literary and personal propreties, she might
have saved herself from great deal of re-
proach, and spared us much unnecessary con-
troversy. We can only hope that she will re-
pair her mistake without any further delay
n n Il L.. har in, Ion
where she can no longer keep silence without
grave injury to her reputation