The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-12-31
Mrs. Stoves Now Book ON tho Byron
scandal.

we published yesterday the initial chapter
OF Mrs. Stoves forthcoming book on the
Byron scandal. Without deeming 1t necessary
to reiterate our expressed convictions with
reference to the whole disgusting subject, we
may note as suggestive the statements by Mrs.
Stowe that she was astounded at the storm Of
Indignation and controversy provoked by her
article in the Atlantic Monthly, purporting to
be ''The True Story Of Lady Byrons Life !"
that she has no apology TO make for the
alleged inferiority of that article as literary
effort; that she has purposely abstained from
reading any Of the criticisms to which, never
theless, she now intends to reply; that she
thought 1t her duty to write The article in de-
fence Of "a beloved, revered friend" whose
memory had been unjustifably charged with
the most repnlsive crimes by writer in
BacI,cood, July, 1869, and by writer's In
other British periodicals, who recommended
1.-THE Guiccioli book as interesting from its
being the avowed production Of Lord Byron's
mistress; that Lady Byron's intimate personal
friends had remained silent notwithstanding
the accusations which at length constrained
her to speak; that she claims and declares she
will prove that Lady Byron was the victim of a
concerted attack begun by her husband during
her lifetime and coming to climax over her
grave; that she claims and will prove that it
was not herself who stirred up this contro-
versy in 1869, but she Twill show who did it,"
that she has violated no promise or seal of Sc
crecy in making her extraordinary disclosures;
that she appeals to s'her fellow countrymen, the
men of the press" for fair hearing of her
response to the "abusive attacks which have
been made upon her both here and in Europe;
and that she promises to substantiate what she
has already asserted and to add to her s'true
story" such facts and Incidents as she did not
think proper at first to state.
Mrs. Stowe is certainly warranted in asking
for s'fair hearing from the press, although we
believe that the minds of ''thc men of the
press" and of the public are not only pretty
well made up as to the merits Of the Byron
controversy, but also altogether tired Of it.
In this connection we may allude to the an
nouncement of another new book 'Medora
Leigh: A diary and autobiography"-to be
edited by Charles Mackay and published by
Bentley, Of London. The veteran publisher
recently telegraphed to Mrs. Stowe an urgent
request that she would postpone the publica-
ton of her book until she should have had an
opportunity of correcting her impression and
of learning the origin of the sanderous charge
of incest brought against Lord Byron and his
half-sister, the Hon. Mrs. Leigh. Medora
Leigh was the fourth daughter Of Mrs. Leigh.
At the age OF fifteen, while living with her
elder sister, the wife of ''the scoundrel' Ire
vanion, she was seduced by her sisters hus-
band, who, after separating from his wife,
carried Medora to the south Of France. There
the seducer and his victim lived together for
several years before, in order to retain his
hold upon her, Trevanion invented and told
her the horrible story that Lord Byron was
her father. This story Medora communicated
feprrrro1r tady Byron subsequently heard
of the story, hunted up Medora and brought
her home, but afterwards, In one of her freaks,
sent her away. Such, according to this ''Diary
and Autobiography, which, brief and meagre
as it is, Mr.. Bentley believes to be authentic,
is the story which crazed Lady Byron aud
which, repeated by Mrs. Stowe, has scandalized
the world. Perhaps Mrs. Stowe viii tell us
something more about Medora Leigh in her
forthcoming volume.