The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-08-22

him OF publishing them. Bn: what may oause
astonshnent Is that they could possibly have been
tnis touCSsns .FsrsW sl made Madame q.
Staei say she would gladly have been unhappy, ike
have had power 10 rescue her heart from ts apathy
and bring her TO the feet OF her husband ut least
into his arms. Let us add, In conclusion, that tho
most ar0cious part OF this affair and doubtless the
most wounding for him. was precisely Lady Byrons
conduct, and In this conduct the worst was her
She has been called, after his words, the moral
Clytemnestra OF her husband. Such 4 surname Ia
severe; but the repugnance we feel to condemlng
justice which tells us that the comparison u stu In
favor OF the guilty one OF antiquity. For she,
reason at least only deprived her husband OF ply
steal life, and In committing the deed exposed her
self to all its consequencesi WINE Lady Byron leIs
struggling amid o thousand shoals IN the stormy sen
OF EMBELLISHMENTS created by MS marriage, and
precisely when he more than ever, required
friendly, tender and indulgent hand to save
him from the tempests OF life. Besides, she shus
herself up In silence thousand times more, more
cruel than CytemnesIra's pOniard that only Killed
the body; whereas Lady Byr0n'5 silence was destined
to kill the soul, ana such soul leaving the door
her silence was magnanmity destined to cover over
frghtful wrongs. perhaps even depravity. In VAN
did he, Keeling his conscience at ease impore some
favor she granted him to send him one dine day,
two persons to see whether he were not mad Hap
purport OF this strange visit.
In vain did Lord Byrons friend, the COM
c ee ms her to sVe over
this fatal silence The only reply she deigned was.
that she had thought him mad And why, then had
she believed him mads Because she, methOdtcat
infexible woman, with that unbendngDess winch
profound mOralist calls the worship rendered u
pride ey sa sss and sS ep.
ent to those Of ordinary routine. or OF her own
starched llfel Not to be hungry when she was-nos
to sleep at night but to write while she was sleep
Ing, and to sleep when she was up-in short, 70
crafty the requirements OF material and intellectual
life 81 hours different TO hersman that was nos
II not, 1t beIokene0 depravity that she could nethes
submit to nor tolerate without imperilIng her own
such was the grand secret Of the cruel silence
which exposed Lord Byron to the most malignant
al hs ony
the world so strangely organlzed-the only one. per-
naps, capable Of not feeling happy and proud At be,
and fatally was 1t decreed that this woman alone OF
her species should be LORD Byr0n's Wife
Before closing this chapter Il remains fSs u.s. to sr
have pretended that he wished to be reunited to hs
WIFE, we must here declare that Lord Byron's IN
Contrary, not ito to see Lady Byron again.
Lord Byron has remained unappreciats.d 1!
s ma sad IN sT y Of
But no lord Byron was not exclusively either ono
or the other He was the poet OF the soul, Just a.
ing, never had In view virtue rather than vice. To
take his stand as q teacher Of humanity, at his age,
would have seemed ridiculous to him. After hav;
Ing chosen subjects In harmony with his genius ana
point OF View favorable to his poetic rempera-
ment, which especially required to throw on the
yoke OF artificial passions and OF weak, frivolous
sentiments, what he really endeav0red was to be
powerfully and energetically true. He thought that
truth ought always to have precedence over every.
thing else-that it was the source OF The beautiful
in art as we'll as of all good In souls To him lies
were evil and vice; truth was good and virtue. Az
poet then, he was the bard OF the soul and OF
truth and as man, all those who knew him and
all who read his works must proclaim him the poet
who has come nearest to the Ideal OF truth and SIN
cerity.
And now, after having studied this great soul
under every aspect II there were In happy England
men VINO should esteem themselves higher IN the
scale Of virtue than Lord Byron, because having
never been troubled In their belief either through
circumstances or the nature OF their own mind, they
never admitted or expressed any doubt; because
they are the happy husbands OF those charming, in
dulgent, admirable women to be found In England,
who love ana forgive 80 much; because, being rich
they have not refused some trne out Of their super
fluffy to the poor because, proud and happy In
privileges bestowed by their constitution, they have
never blamed those In power. II these prosperous
ones deemed themselves superior to their great
fellow citizen, would 1t be iiberal in them to ex
press now different OpiniOnf Might we not with
out rashness, arflrm that they should rather hold
themselves honored In the virtue and glory or their
ustrious countryman, humbiy acknowledging that
their own greater happiness is not the work OF their
own handsf