The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-08-19


preaching the boundaries of insanity as to be
a subject OF forbearance and tender pity, and
she loved him with that love resembling
mothers, which good wives often feel when
they have lost all faith in their husbands
principles, and all hopes of their atfec-
tions. Still she was in heart and soul his
best friend true to him with truth which he
himself could not shake. In the verses adj
dressed to his daughter, Lord Byron speaks
of her as
'Ihe child Of love, though born in bitterness,
And nurtured in COnvulsiOn.'
A day or two after the birth of this child
Lord Byron came suddenly into Lady Byron's
room and told her that her mother was dead
1t was an utter falsehood, but it was only one
of the many nameess injuries and cruelGes
10y which he expressed his hatred of her. a
short time after her confinement, she was in
formed by him, in a note, that as soon as she
was able to travel she must go-that he could
not and would not longer have her about him;
and, when her child was only five weeks old,
he carried this threat of expulsion into effect.
Here we will insert briefly Lady Byrons
own account-the only one she ever gave to
the public-of this separation. The circum-
stances under which this brief story was writ
ten are affecting. Lord Byron was dead. The
whole account between him andher was closed
forever in this world. Moore's Life had
been prepared containing simply and solely
Lord Byrons own version of their story.
Moore sent this version TO Lady Byron, and
requested to know if she had any remarks to
make upon it. In reply. she sent brief
statement to him-the first and only one that
had ever come from her during all the years
of the separation, and which appears to have
mainly for it's object the exculpaton of her
father and mother from the charge made by
the poet of being the instigators Of the sepa-
ration. In this letter she says, with regard to
their separation-
''The facts are II left London for Kirby Mallory,
the residence OF my father and mother, on the 18th
OF January, 1916 Lord Byron had sgnlhed to me in
writing January g. his absolute desire that shoud
leave London the earliest day that could COnve-
nicny fix. 1t was not safe for me to undertake the
fatigue of journey sooner than the 15th Previously
to my departure it had been strongly impressed upon
my mind that Lord Byron was under the influence
of insanity. This opinion was derived i'll great
measure from the communications made me by his
nearest relatives and personal attendant, who had
more opportunity than myself for observing him
during the latter part of my stay in town. 1t
represented to me that he was in danger Of destroy
ing himself. with thccOncurrcHce Qf his tdDiil had
consulted DR.. Baltic friend, January S, respect
| ing the supposed malady. On acquainttng him with
the case, ana with Lord Byrous desire that | should
leave London, Dr. Baillie thought that my absence
| might be advisable as an experiment, assuming the
fact of mental arrangement; for DR.. Baltic, not
| having had access to Lord Byron, could not pro-
| nOuUCe positive opinion on the point. He enioined
] that in correspondence with Lord Byron, | should
avoid all but light and soothing topics. Under these
| impressions left London determined to follow fhe
| advice given 10y DR.. Baile. Whatever might have
been the conduct OF Lord Byron toward me from the
time of my marriage, yet, Supposing him to be i'm
any person OF common humanity, to manifest at that
| moment sense OF injury
Nothing more than this letter from Lady
| Byron is necessary to substantiate the fact
! that she did not le0rc her husband but tcas
| drtccA from him that he might give himself
up to the guilty infatuation that was con-
suming him, without being tortured by her
imploring face and by the silent power of her
! presence and her prayers. For long time
! before this she had seen little Of him. On
| the day of her departure she passed by the
door Of his room and stopped to cares5 his
favorite spaniel which was lying there; and
she confessed to a friend the weakness of
feeling willingness even to be some
thing as humble as that poor little creature,
and watch over him. She went into his
room, where he and the partner of his sins
were sitting together, and said, Byron,
come to say good-by," offering at the same
time her hand. Lord Byron put his hands
| behind him, retreated to the mantelpiece
and, looking around on the two that stood
there with a sarcastic smile, said: ''When
shall we three meet again 2 Lady Byron
| answered. I'm heaven, l trust" and these
were her last words to him on earth. Now,
| if the reader wishes to understand the real
talents of Lord Byron for deception and dis
stimulation, let him read, with this story in
his mind, the ''Fare Thee Well" which he adj
dressed to Lady Byron through the printer
"Fare thee well, and if forever
| Still forever fare thee well,
Even though unfOrgiVing, never
| GalnsC thee snail my heart rebel.
Would that breast were barred before thee,
Where thy head so oft hath lain,
| Nhlle that placid sleep came DER thee
Thou can st never know again.
'"Though my many faults defaced me-
Could no other arm be found
Than the one which once embraced me
To lntlict cureless wOund?"
The reaction of society against him at tbe
time Of the separation from his wife was some
thing which he had not expected and for
| which, it appears, he was entirely unprepared
1t broke up the guilty intrigue and drove him
from England He had not the courage to
meet or endure it. The world to be sure. was
very far from suspecting what the truth was.
but the tide was setting against him with
such vehemence as to make him tremble
every hour lest the whole should be known:
and henceforth it became a warfare of despera-
ton to make his story good no matter at
whose expense.
He had tact enough to perceive at first that
the assumption of the pathetic and the mag
nanimous and general confession of faults.
/ accompanied with admissions of his wife's
goodness would be the best policy in his
case. In this mood he thus writes to Moore:
THE fault was not in my choice (unless in
choosing at alb, for l do not believe, and
must say it in the very dregs Of all this bitter
business that there was ever better, or even
brighter, a kinder. or more amiable agreea-
BILE being than Lady Byron. never had,
nor can have, any reproach to make her while