The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-01-12

asking if l should write--or what / should
write-that is to say, never applied to her
for information against Lord Byron, though
l was justified, as one intending to criticise
Mr.. Moore, in inquiring into the truth OF
some of his statements. Neither will suffer
myself TO be called her champion, if by that
word he meant the advocate of her mere legal
innocence, for that, take it, nobody ques-
TONS Still less is il from the sorry impulse
of pity that speak of this noble woman, for
/ look with wonder and even envy at the
proud purity of her sense and conscience, that
have carried her exquisite sensibilities in
triumph through such poignant tribulations
But am proud to be called her friend-the
humble illustrator of her cause, and the advo-
cate of those principles which make it to me
more interesting than Lord Byron's. Lady
Byron (if the subject must be discussed)
belongs to sentiment and morality
at least as much as Lord Byron--nor is she
to be suffered, when compelled to speak, to
raise her voice as in a desert, with no friendly
voice to respond to her. Lady Byron could
not have outlived her sufferings if she had
not wound up her fortitude to the high
point of trusting mainly for consolation, not
to the opinion of the world, but to her own
inward peace; and having said what ought
to convince the world, / verify believe that
she has less care about the fashionable opln-
ion respecting her than any of her friends
can have. But we, her friends, mix with the
world, and we hear offensive absurdities
about her which we have right to put down.
"What Lady Byron processes to be her
main aim in her Remarks on the Life OF her
Husband, it seems to me that she very
clearly accomplishes am not sure that
should feel my esteem for Byron, or for any
man, much enhanced by finding that fool
ish relative or two could sever from him
wife once doatingly fond of him. But we
have not little of fair evidence against this
pack of -, as his Lordship politely calls
them; and, to throw the blame on her pa
rents is proved ridiculous by DIR. Lushing-
tons letter, for it shows that the deepest
cause or causes of the separation were not
impaired to her parents. l dismiss, there
fore. this limited plea of palliation with con-
tempt.
II proceed to deal more generally with
Mr.. Moore's book. You speak, Mr.. Moore,
against Lord Byrons censurers in tone of
indignation which is perfectly lawful towards
calumnious traducers, bnt which will not
terTify me, of any other man of courage, who
is no calumniator, from uttering his mind
freely with regard to this part of your hero's
conduct / question your philosophy in
assuming that all that is noble in Byrons
poetry was inconsistent with the possibility of
his being devoted to pure and good woman
and Irepudiate your morality for canting too
complacently about the lava of his imagina-
ton, and the unsettled fever of his passions
being any excuses for his planting the tic
d0ulOurouG of domestic suffering in a meek
woman's bosom. These are hard words, Mr..
Moore, but you have brought them on your
self by your voluntary ignorance of facts
known to me-for you might, and ought to.
have known both sides of the question, and if
the subject was too delicate for you to
consult Lady Byron's confidential friends,
you ought to have had nothing to do with the
subject But you cannot have submitted
your book even to Lady Byron's sister, other
wise she would have set you right about the
imaginary spy, Mrs Clermont.
Hence arose your misconceptions which
are SO numerous, that having applied to Lord
Byron (you will please TO observe that ap-
piled not for facts against Lord Byron, for
these / got elsewhere, but for an estimate of
the correctness of your statementsl, l re-
ceived the following letter from her lady
ship
pen to point out for your private information
those passages in Mr.. Moore's representation
of my part of the story which were open to
contradiction, 1 find them of still greater
extent than had supposed-and to deny an
assertion here and there would virtually
admit the truth of the rest. If on the contrary,
were to enter into full exposure of the
| falsehood of the views taken by Mr.. Moore,
must detail various matters, which, consist
emily with my principles and feelings, I can
| not under the existing circumstances disclose
| j may, perhaps, convince you better of the
| difficulty of the case by an example:-It is
| not true that pecuniary embarrassments were
| the cause of the disturbed state of Lord By
| ron's mind, or formed the chief reason for
| the arrangements made by him at that time.
But is it reasonable for me toexpect that you,
| or any one else, should believe this, unless
| show you what were the causes in question ?
| and this cannot do. am, ETC., etc.,
"'A. /. NOEL BYRON
| Excellent woman honored by all who
| know her, will believe her on her own tes-
| timony.
''What regret most in Mr.. Moore's Life of
| Lord Byron is that he had in his own hands
| the only pure means of serving Lord
| Byron's character-which was his Lord
| ships own touching confession, and
that he has thrown away the
said means by garnishing that fair confession
| with unfair attempts at blaming others. In
Letter 235 Lord Byron takes all blame on
| himself. The fault, he says, was not, no,
nor even the misfortune in my choice (unless
| in choosing at all), but / must say it in the
| very dregs of all this bitter business, that
or more amiable and agreeable being than
| Lady Byron. Ineyer had, or even can have,
any reproach to make her while with me.
| New, nothing in Lord Byron's poetry is
| finer than this. But why, Mr.. Moore, have
| you frozen the effect of this melting can
| dor by dishing up the Inconsistencies of Lord
] Byron on the same subject, and by showing
| your own ungallant indifference to the thus
| acquitted Lady Byron In the name of both